Have You Ever Had a Massage?

What do you remember about it? My first experience was just weird, because I had no idea what was going on and my mind was unable to relax for 60 minutes. Fast forward 10 years to when my Functional Nutrition Therapist and therapist both recommended I start massage therapy as an alternative approach to reducing stress. This blew my mind. To me, a massage was a luxury experience. However, today I have a completely different outlook and truly believe in the overall health benefits of working with a massage therapist.

Massage therapy is one of the most effective and widely used alternative therapies. There are over 44,000 scientific studies published about massage therapy on the NIH - National Library of Medicine supporting the beneficial effects of various conditions including, but not limited to:

Massage Therapy has a plethora of both psychical and mental benefits, which overall help decrease cortisol (a stress hormone) and increases both serotonin and dopamine. These two neurotransmitters are associated with happiness, focus/calm, motivation and being productive.

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So how do you start massage therapy?

First, locate local spas with licensed massage therapists. Seconds, try a couple different spas, therapists and massage techniques to find what works best for you. It’s important that you’re comfortable to receive the most benefits from your session.

I personally trust and recommend Eden Hunt Esthetics and Wellness. My massage therapist, Kynedy Mills, has now worked with me for over 18 months. For me personally, we have been able to addressed prenatal and postpartum care, neck and upper back pain from stress, lymphatic flow, and much more. Oh and my stress levels have reduced greatly! As my journey progresses, I’m truly amazed at the many different benefits that I personally have experienced from an alternative approach to my wellness.

If you’re local to Florence, SC be sure to check out Eden Hunt and don’t forget to mention me for 20% off your first spa visit!

Pyrex Glass

Some things in life are simply tried-and-true. Take Pyrex for example. It has proven to be effective and reliable for over 100 years from bakeware to storage containers to mixing bowls and measuring cups. Do you remember using it during your childhood?

I sure do. It’s why I listed a starter set of Pyrex on my wedding registry 10 years ago. What one of my wedding guests did next will forever be cherished. She had basic economical bake and storage containers etched with different monograms on each piece. I had never seen anything like it before. Today, these dishes are probably one of the few items that leave our home, and seem to always find their way back into the cabinet with the lid.

But aside from glammed up glass, Pyrex is my go-to for longevity. I don’t know about you, but I like my dollars stretched over years and years. My heart has always been slightly crunchy. You know the one who likes to reduce their carbon footprint, reserve and help preserve our natural resources and use less plastic to name a few of my ✌🏼characteristics.

In addition to saving money, you may have heard scientific studies linking micro plastics to environmental and health related issues. The problem is microplatics aren’t truly understood. Take a moment to check out this one of many PUBMED studies that focuses on theses hazardous chemicals on human health. It’s estimated today that you could be eating up to a credit card size worth of micro and nano plastics WEEKLY. Here’s an article from CNN with references.

So back to my glammed up Pyrex. It’s more than being fancy. It’s really about reducing my family’s toxic exposure. To me, there’s a reason Pyrex has been around for over 100 years, and I tend to stick with tried-and-true. Now notice in the graphic above I didn’t list “microwave safe,” because that’s a convo for another time. Until then look into ways you can reduce your plastic consumption like using glass food storage containers and bakeware.

Choosing a Non-Traditional School has been Challenging

Meet our Sweet Everly! She’s our firecracker and 100% fits the middle child description, which I absolutely adore her independence.

Her preschool placement has been a tough decision over the past couple of months. We know there’s no right or wrong choice, it’s just deciding what works best for you and your family at that time. And at this time…

Our school district offers a public Montessori program from 3k - 3rd grade with 4th & 5th grade helping the children transition to traditional school. If you are zoned for our county school district and then you have may apply to the Montessori Choice Programs, where you await a lottery process.

A quick Google search highlights that “In traditional classrooms, students follow the same lessons — leaving some children behind while others pull ahead. In Montessori classrooms, students challenge themselves when they're ready, developing greater self-sufficiency and personal independence, and building an internal sense of purpose and motivation.”

So we were very excited that both of our older Bolick Babes were awarded a lottery slot to 3k and kindergarten. Now to be honest, I was THAT mom.

• I registered the kids the day the lottery opened

• I took required paperwork to the school to ensure everything was received to be considered (they told me to wait to see if accepted)

• I called the school checking the status of my children’s application.

One thing I learned working in youth sports was to ensure you’re an advocate for your child. You can be respectfully known without causing a scene.

But here’s the thing. When I tell people we have chosen this route over traditional elementary school, they tend to look at me like I have 3 heads or respond with, “well, you’ll have very independent children.” 😖

We decided to give it a try instead of wondering “what if.” We’re very eager for the Bolick Babes to have an opportunity to simply give Montessori a try.

It’s Been Eight Beautiful Months…

It’s been eight beautiful months loving you, Baby Jax! Your smile is contagious and your laugh is full of joy!

I’m so grateful God chose me to be your mommy.

Before becoming a stay at home mom, I worked in youth soccer. I had the opportunity to watch children grow from preschool age to freshmen in college in just a blink of an eye.

We all know babies don’t keep, but it truly opened my eyes when I had a front row seat to thousands of children playing soccer in South Carolina. I believe God gave me the experience to just see how quickly a “season” can pass even when the days are long, yet the years are so short.

When I was five months pregnant with my first born, I met some incredible ladies on a business trip to San Diego. I do not recall their names, but I do recall how they made me feel.

As we stared out at the skyline view of San Diego from the Padres Stadium, that’s when I knew I needed to find a way to be a stay at home mom. If only for a season then eventually find a career that works for our family.

It wasn’t an easy transition for me, and for a few years the change got the best of me. But today as I hold Baby Jax, my third baby, I know I’m right where I’m supposed to be. This season is quickly coming to an end, and God is opening doors just as He promised. But until then I’m going to continue soaking in these last few weeks before I start back to school for that next season in life.

National Infertility Awareness Week 2022

It's National Infertility Awareness Week and it has taken me all seven days of the week to find my voice.

You see, infertility is dark and lonely. No one is with you day in and day out as you analyze every cramp, mood shift or *new* symptom you feel in your body.

No one is with you when you dread going to the bathroom to determine if what you felt was the start of another monthly cycle or the loss of an early pregnancy.

Everyone gives you advice and tells you not to stress. It comes from a place of love, no denying that. At the same time, when you are spinning in all directions it is hard to even know how to stop stressing.

When I was diagnosed with infertility in 2014, I channeled that stress by researching for my root cause. I questioned why my body was failing me at 30 years of age. It was the exact same age my mother’s health started to decline. She would visit doctor after doctor with no answers to her symptoms and eventually take 16 different daily prescriptions. Watching her health decline during my teens and twenty’s created a fierce drive in me that I’ve actually had to learn to tame in my late 30’s.

It took 3 years of advocating for my health, asking questions and thinking outside of Western medicine to heal my infertility and conceive naturally. After a year of working with my OBGYN and being labeled a habitual aborter, I began my journey with acupuncture. This was my gateway into living a more nontoxic, sustainable lifestyle.

My acupuncturist recommended I read the The Infertility Cure by Dr. Randine Lewis. She’s a doctor trained in both Western and Eastern medicine sharing natural ways to support your body while trying to conceive. The book guides you on how to improve your overall health, strengthen your organs and their systems, heal specific conditions that may be related to infertility and even how acupuncture supports Western-based reproductive techniques such as IVF and hormone therapy.

Here I am in 2021 during my 3rd and final pregnancy, unless the vasectomy misfires. I feel that God has used me as a true testament that our bodies are designed to heal. What I found was I had food sensitivities, lacked stress management skills, struggled with vitamin & mineral deficiencies, and practiced some more not so great daily habits. After incorporating lifestyle changes specific to my bio-individuality, my body was now thriving.

Your journey may look different from mine and what worked for me may not work for you. At the same time, I share my story with hope that it gives you aspiration and motivates you to search for your root cause. And most of all, remember you are not alone.