Embracing the Self-Care Movement of Nesting & Resting
About 14 years ago I was diagnosed with degenerating discs in my lower back. I haven’t had an episode in 7 years. 8 weeks ago I woke up in terrible pain in my lower back & sciatica.
I assume it’s partly related to my sitting on planes, sitting in meetings and sitting-at-the-computer lifestyle. My doctor said that this recent episode is most likely caused by that “A” word. Aging! He told me that our bone strength and muscle tone elasticity decrease with age; discs begin to lose their cushioning fluid and flexibility.
Whatever the cause, its been debilitating this time. I’ve been pretty much housebound because I literally can’t sit due to the sciatica pain. I can stand and lay flat on my stomach. Walking is painful, but I can manage if it’s not a long distance. But sitting, laying on my back or side is out of question.
Because I’m housebound, it has forced me to nest & rest. Come to find out that nesting is showing a lot of momentum in the self-care / wellness movement. In a recent poll, it said that nearly three-quarters those surveyed say the ritual of taking care of themselves at home has become more important to them in recent years. The “nesting” concept is focused on rediscovering the pleasure of being at home, feeling comfortable, “loosening up time” resting and relaxing, without having to do anything in particular.
Today I wanted to talk about ways I’m trying to practice self care and nesting. There are days where it can be really hard to just get out of bed, but just doing something as small as a facial mask or infusing my shower with some aromatherapy makes me feel a little better.
Here are a few basic nesting essentials: a cozy blanket, comfy loungewear, bath/skin care & a healthy meal.
Loungewear from Soft Surroundings
All I want to wear right now are things that are soft and comforting. I’m trying to strike a balance between “bed” and “workout” clothes. Soft Surroundings to the rescue!
These are the pieces I recently ordered. Note: The cute pom-pom throw blanket pictured above was sent to me from Diesel and Lulu (my favorite shop on Cape Cod) as a “get well” gift. What a nice surprise that was!
I love all the items I ordered from SS, but my favorite is the Pearl White Cuddle Pullover It’s the perfect oversized pullover and its so soft! The pullover comes in 7 different colors. Going to order a couple of more as I see this being a staple in my closet this winter!
I don’t know about you, but warm feet are happy feet! These faux-fur lining slipper socks were calling my name. They are so cute and comfy and they have a non-slip sole. They are one size fits all and come in 3 colors. I love them so much that they will be a staple I pack when I’m able to travel again. I think they could also be a great Christmas stocking stuffer!
Hydra Shower Burst – Shower therapy from Soft Surroundings
I received a sample of this product in the goodie bag I received from Soft Surroundings back in Aug. It’s aromatherapy while you shower. Made with all-natural ingredients and pure essential oils, it’s a fun way to enjoy aromatherapy. Just unwrap the shower burst and put into a mesh sachet (included) that hangs in your shower. I really liked the smell, but only problem is they don’t last very long.
Cailyn Mummy Whipping Bubble Cleansing Mask
I also received this product in my goodie bag from Soft Surroundings. The mask has oxygenated bubbles that are activated a few seconds after its applied to your face. (Make sure to remove your makeup prior to applying). It does get very sudsy and you can feel the bubbles in action. Then, all it takes is 3 minutes, remove, rub the remainder into your skin, and rinse thoroughly. It made my skin feel clean and smooth.
URPOWER Essential Oil Diffuser
I’m still using my essential oils daily. If you missed my post on how essential oils are helping me with premenopausal issues you can read it here. I love this essential Oil Diffuser from Urpower. It is small, but does work well and is so easy to use. All you do is remove the cover, add water and your favorite essential oil. It will run three hours on the constant mode, but if you want it to last longer, just switch to intermediate mode and it will operate 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off. It will run for about six hours in this mode.
I’m using the diffuser during the day while I’m working. I’m mixing lavender and peppermint. It makes the room smell great and its just a nice aroma to have in the room to lift my mood a bit and get my mind off the back pain!
Healthy Eating thanks to Hello Fresh
For those of you that don’t know, I’m married to a certified executive chef. He currently is a Private Chef for a handful of clients here in Tucson. He got out of the restaurant business over 15 years ago for a number of reasons (but that’s a whole blog post in itself!) Last week he was out of town to work for one of his clients who has a ranch in Southern AZ . Since he does all the cooking, I had to fend for myself while he was gone for the week. Not being able to leave the house to grocery shop left me with 2 alternatives – Take out or a meal delivery service.
Since I am trying to eat healthy as I’m recuperating, I decided on a meal delivery service. There are a number of meal services out there. Frankly I had no clue if one was better than another. I decided on Hello Fresh because a number of the folks I work with have ordered Hello Fresh and all highly recommended them.
My review
I tried the three meal classic box. Chicken Milanese, Crushed Peppercorn Steak & Turkey Chiles Rellenos. Each meal came with all the necessary ingredients (minus salt, pepper, and cooking oil), as well as a detailed recipe card that included color photos and easy-to-follow step-by-step cooking instructions. There was also an additional card with tips on cooking steak, and description of how (and why) to slice the meat against the grain. For anyone new to cooking steak on the stovetop, this kind of detail is really helpful.
HelloFresh ships meals in an insulated styrofoam cooler box, along with ice packs to keep food refrigerated (but not frozen). Meat, chicken & turkey are packaged in vacuum-sealed bags. Produce and pantry ingredients are sorted by meal, then grouped and packaged in color-coded plastic bags.
All three meals were really delicious. I felt full and satisfied after each of the meals. The recipes were very easy to follow, and the timing for each was accurate. Each meal took about 30 minutes. That was huge for me because by the end of day my back gets really sore from standing all day working on my computer, so more than 30 min would have been a problem. I will absolutely use again when my husband is out of town.
I sent my husband the pictures of each meal. He was impressed. His comment to me was “great now you can do all the cooking at home”. Ha! I think not! LOL
So there you have it. Trying to relax and care for my body as I heal.
Are you on board with the nesting trend? If so tell FTF how you relax & find balance
