Holiday Gift Ideas – My Favorite Things to Share with You

Our new reality with COVID19 has brought the need of wellness, immune resilience and attention to one’s health to the forefront. It is a very good thing. We need to put our money back into our home (to make it safer for us and our companion animals), into our kitchen (food is medicine), and into our thought pattern away from negativity and excessive worry (positivity helps your immune resilience).

Here are things I love and support. I have  all these at home and they have delivered for me and my own clients, or these are on my own wish list as we speak. Surprise your loved ones with thoughtful gifts and remember that you matter as well. Take good care of yourself! Always check these during seasonal sales for best prices.

I created a few categories for you.

Ultimate Mask – COVID, Bacteria, Burning Forests, Molds…

Narwall Mask – I am actually simply lucky that I stumbled upon this mask when I saw my friend and colleague, Dr. Sarah Rattray, wear it during the fires and smog. Her son Alex Rattray had designed this mask for COVID19, and I instantly bought 4 of them before they were really available (that was an inside perk) – I gave one to the director of the horse sanctuary so she could still be out on the field during the smoke from the burning forests. I am sending one to my mom in Poland. I also have one for my husband and one for myself. Except I had no idea I would be using it for….mold. Recently, we discovered water damage in a window in our house, and while the landlord is not fixing it (yes we are moving), I was able to isolate it and tape it in plastic. Still, I was already developing skin symptoms from mold exposure (in fact I looked for water damage due to my symptoms and that is how I found it) and the mask made it possible for me to spend time with my husband in the living room.On a bad night, I was even sleeping with it on.

For our EBV community, this mask is important because it can help with environmental pollutants like dioxins (from burning forests and fireworks), which are shown in research to reactivate EBV. But now, with my recent experience with mold, this mask has been instrumental for me for the extra comfort while being in contaminated house. I have to also say that I always get congested when I vacuum and dust. The mask makes it super comfortable for me to perform these tasks without getting a sinus headache and runny itchy nose).

The mask performs well for bacteria, which are 3 microns in diameter, while mold spores are 4-20 microns, so we had a discussion with Alex that technically, while he did not design the mask for molds, it stands to reason that the filter would trap mold spores too. It is wonderful to have that comfort, knowing that I may be breathing less of the mold. It also makes it easier to clean mold up while in the room!

Here is a Washington Post article about Alex and this mask if you would like to learn more about it.

Pets – although I prefer to call them our animal companion!

Jackson Galaxy is a great resource as a cat behaviorist – any of his books will make a difference in your relationship with your cat and in your cat’s health. He has herbal droppers for cats for various emotional issues and does a lot of good advocate work for cats even remodeling cat shelters so cats have common open space to socialize. His book on “catification” will help your family make your home also a home for your kitty – it has so many great ideas and is a perfect gift for a cat lover. Had a pleasure to meet him in person. I have learned a lot from him over the years and that has made my relationship with Charlie so much deeper.

Lynn Schuster – The Animal Spirit Talker is my all-time favorite go-to for any time I need to communicate something important with our animal companions, for example when it is time to go to the vet or we will be moving. She also helped our parrot convince Charlie once (when he sneaked out, stressed out as we were packing to move) to go ahead and come back home, and guided them both through the journey into the airport, checking in and the flight when we moved across the country. Lynn teacher animal communication and it is a life changing experience. If you are worried about your animal communion and would like to understand if something is worrying them, I strongly recommend talking to Lynn to help you out.

Darwin’s Pet Food is the cleanest and most species-appropriate pet food I have found. I do not care what marketing message companies provide to make you buy their products; pet food industry is not serving your animal companions health. On the contrary. This food has turned around Charlie’s health.

Pet Bowls: we use this for our kitty Charlie – you can make eating foods much more comfortable for your kitty or your puppy, and materials are safe for the animals. Keep in mind that as your companion cat or dog ages, arthritis is common, and that means pain with movement, and so making the feeding time more comfortable will make a difference for them.

Pet Health OPC Formula: Yes our all-time favorite anti-inflammatory and antioxidant OPC comes in a combo with glucosamine to support aging cats and dogs.  You may notice them jumping or running more and being less sedentary, which means they are in less discomfort (remember, our animals do not use words to communicate their pain, so their behavior is their language).  This is a very popular and effective product among vets and my friends. We also use it daily and it helps Charlie jump, run and move more freely even though he already is a senior!

Personal Wellness

Castor Oil Packs: I love the traditional naturopathic medicine, which includes hydrotherapy and castor oil packs. There are many products on the market for the latter, but Dr. Marisol ND, has the product I like the most. Castor oil packs have been around for a long time and are used topically for many types of pain, inflammation and even post-surgery (once the surgery site heals) … So many uses for one simple product. Dr. Marisol also came up with a special cotton pack – this alone makes the process easy and convenient. Her oil is excellent quality.

Primal Life Organics: Your heart attack, Alzheimer’s, Rheumatoid Arthritis and more can come right from your mouth – did you know that? I fell in love with the toothpaste in a form of a very well-designed natural powder – even my two biological dentists were impressed; I also use the gum herbal dropper and the deodorant – all thoughtfully developed by a nurse and colleague of mine. She also provides excellent education if you get on her mailing list!

Oral probiotics ProbioraPro: We need good bacteria not only in our gastrointestinal track but also in our mouth! This probiotic was introduced to me by my biological dentist and it helped me substantially before and after my dental surgery. FYI, most probiotics will say there is milk in them, and so does this one. But that does not actually mean there is milk in the product. The truth is that dairy is used to culture one of the common strains, but the probiotic itself does not contain milk. Do not swallow it – this is for your gums and oral health, so keep it there. You will have to put my name on the website to be able to make a purchase. This is for practitioners and their patients only.

Sunlighten Sauna is the best quality sauna (on my current wish list) if you are ready to splurge – if you are short on space and resources, investigate if their Solo (portable) version would be right for you.

Epsom Salts: Any simple epsom salt bag will do. I have seen big boxes at Costco and I have a few of those handy. Your local drugstore will carry it (just avoid scented ones).  They are dirt cheap and predictably helpful. Magnesium in these salts relaxes tense muscles and sulfate is healing to the gastrointestinal tract and yes, there was a study showing you do absorb that sulfate. If you are under stress, soak in Epsom salts. And then have a glass of water to rehydrate.

Effervescent Vitamin C Dechlorination Tablets from Vitabath is the easiest and inexpensive way to get rid of the pesky chlorine in your bathwater. While there are good quality filters for the showers (e.g. Aquasana), I have yet to see a workable, practical filter for bath water. Most city water in our bathroom contains chlorine, and all you have to do is drop a tablet of this Vitamin C into the bathtub filled with water. It works beautifully! More on these tablets and thyroid friendly baths soaks here in an article I have written.  You can get these Vitamin C tablets in various stores online.

Berkey Water Filter stands the test of time. I even took a traveling size to Poland to give it to my mother, who is still enjoying it. It retains minerals, so it does not drop pH (which reverse osmosis does, unfortunately), and you can add the PF2 additional filters if you suspect arsenic and fluoride in your drinking water. You may not know that about it, but originally it was developed for emergencies, so you can even filter river or lake water (just not salt water). I have actually seen mineral deficiencies induced by long term reliance on reverse osmosis, so if you are using that technology, you have to remineralize. I have an entire chapter on that issue in my book, the EBV Solution.

AnnMarie skin care: Honestly, there is nothing more magical than to put pure botanicals on your face. You will recognize all the ingredients! They are old-school essential oil based products created by a health conscious couple – their commitment to ecology and our health is top notch.

Digestive upset? I have two favorites for my family and my clients and students for indigestion, heartburn and upset stomach from eating all the rich foods or all the wrong foods. Both work remarkably. Needless to say, we always have some supplies at home.

1. Here is the formidable Isotonix Digestive Enzyme complex in packets (when you eat out or when traveling) and in bottles (when you want to use it more regularly at home).
2. And here is the outstanding Ultimate Aloe Vera Juice. Would you like to know more about aloe vera juice? Here is the in-depth evidence-based article I wrote about it.

Stressed out during the Holidays?  I have 2 quick and effective solutions for you: vitamin Bs and adaptogenic herbs.

1. B vitamins are stress vitamins. It means we use them fast during stress and they have to be replenished daily. B vitamins are our mood, memory, cognition, energy, focus and neurological functions. I recommend that every woman take a good B complex every day! You may need to double on it on a very stressful day! Here is the methylated B complex I have personally used for many years.
2. Adaptogenic herbs have been used for hundreds of years in every culture to help us humans tone down on our stress response, since stress is chemically hurtful to our body. There are many formulations of a variety of these herbs in supplements. My all-time favorite though is Bliss. For some reason, the combo of herbs in it just hits the spot. Our clients say it is their favorite supplement. It takes “the edge” off and yes, you can still drive!

Electromagnetic and Wi-Fi Pollution Essentials!

Harapad is a great company for daily support like low EMF ear piece for your phone, phone protection or laptop pads. I have their 3 laptop pads and literally wrote my book on one of them.

Tech Wellness – has become my favorite website for practical EMF-related tools for families.

1. My favorite ear piece for the phone  – I absolutely love my air tube ear pieces for my phone (trust me I have been looking for these for a long time and tried quite a few bad ones) – an essential tool in my busy business. I have 3 pairs and this is what I use on my phone and when I teach or present online. 100% of the time. I do NOT put my phone next to my ear and recommend that you do not either.
2. I also have the TechWellness phone stand and stylus – both are excellent quality.
3. They also have faraday boxes for your routers and mesh bags – of which I use both in our home.
4. Their Pro2 meter is what I have been using to measure my EMF exposure.
5. Also, go offline – check their Mindfulness Nature Kit!
6. Children and EMF – My favorite website for parents weary of EMF exposure of their children, especially now with home schooling and classes on line,  is Tech Wellness as above. You can get a safe baby monitor, EMF safe crayon stylus for children to use on their phones, blue light glasses (very cute) for children, and more.
7. They continue to surprise me with well researched products that do matter and do work.  Plus the website is so classy and sassy, not overwhelming and not too techy. Created by a woman.

Bioelectric Shield – this is a more expensive pendant, but it synchs with your energies and this is for life. This product has been on the market for many years, way before EMF became a hot topic. It is a preferred pendant for individuals that are particularly sensitive to subtle energies, wi-fi technology and radiation, in particular “empaths”. I have worn one for over 10 years and recently upgraded. My old pendant is now hanging in our bedroom. You can get one for your pet, your car, and your home. If you are considering it, I encourage you to take their quiz here, as that will give you a 15% discount and some insight into your energy field!

Note: Some of the websites above contain affiliate links. I only support companies and products that are ethical, high quality, and provide the benefits they claim they do. I have used most of these services or products. This is from my home to yours, for your wellbeing!