My Favorite Things: April
Here we are, at the end of the fourth month of the year. Honestly, I really don't know where the time went! Yes, winter felt like it drug on forever, but now here we are, at the start of spring!
With that being said, here are a few of my favorite things from the month of April:
1. Diffuser Blend: Lavender, Tea Tree Oil, Peppermint, and Lemon
I've never been someone who struggles with seasonal allergies. Honestly, the last time I remember dealing with them was about 5 years ago when I was in college. Before that, I can't recall another time. This year, when my allergies hit me in the form of a runny nose and watery eyes, I started diffusing a blend of lavender, tea tree oil, peppermint, and lemon essential oils. It was a wonderful blend that definitely helped me through the worst of the days! I still use it now occasionally just to help with any remaining effects!
2. Tennis Ball for Low-Back Pain
A few months ago, I started experiencing low back pain which quickly developed further into sciatica down the left side of my leg. Nothing seemed to help, not acupuncture, visiting the chiropractor, or getting a massage. So I took the advice of my massage therapist from many months ago and started laying on the couch with a tennis ball under my low back and glutes to help release any tension. Basically, I moved it around to wherever it hurt the most! After several weeks of consistently doing this, I'm thrilled to report that my sciatica pain is mostly gone! If you have ever struggled with low back pain, I *highly* recommend this tip!
3. Holmes Lake (of course)
With the dawn of spring and sunshine, I've been spending as much time as possible out at Holmes Lake soaking up vitamin D and spending time with my thoughts away from the craziness that seems to be my life these days. I didn't realize how much I missed it and needed it until I was able to go back about three times a week for the past few weeks. Getting outside in the fresh air makes a huge difference in the course of my day!
4. Lemon Ginger Tea
About six months ago, I made a vow to myself to start drinking more tea, especially at night, as a way to help calm my body and mind before bed. This past week, I purchased a lemon ginger variety from the Yogi tea brand, and I am absolutely loving it! It is a little strong at first, but the combination is perfect for me. Plus, it's beneficial for digestion, which is always a huge plus for me.
5. Core Work
Technically, this *isn't* one of my most favorite things, but it has been something I've been trying to focus on more this month. After dealing with my low back pain for so long, I decided that I needed to work to correct some of my imbalances beyond just laying on a tennis ball.Therefore, I've been adding in a core exercise about every time I work out. It's not much, but I always make sure that the core work I'm choosing is multi-faceted and extremely functional (basically I'm not doing traditional core exercises like sit-ups or crunches). Deadbugs, planks, and variations of these two exercises have been my go-to choices as I also focus on breathing with these exercises as well. If our core is weak, it effects other muscle groups and areas of the body as well.
Are you excited for spring? What have been your favorite things so far?
xoxo Olivia
