My Favorite Products I use for My Health

Hello hello! Hope everyone’s having a great week so far! I wanted to share this post because there are SO MANY “health-focused” products on the market these days, and trust me I’ve tried many of them. However, for me there are a few standout products that I’ve purchased that have made a big impact on my health and daily life. Some of these products are on the expensive side, so they are absolutely investments, but investments I’ve found to be worth the money, 100%!

Berkey Water Filter: If you follow a bunch of wellness-focused bloggers on Instagram, odds are you’ve heard of the Berkey filter. It has become a staple in many households, and for good reason! I invested in our Berkey several years ago, when we were living in downtown Baltimore. The waterways in Baltimore are notorious for the high level of contaminants, which made me think about our drinking water as well. The Berkey filter is unlike others on the market (PUR, Brita, etc), because it can remove up to 200+ contaminants in drinking water. There are two different filter options you can purchase for the Berkey: the black carbon filters and/or the fluoride filters.

The black carbon Berkey filters remove 99.99% of the following from your drinking water:

• Pathogenic bacteria

• Viruses

• Trihalomethanes (carcinogenic industrial chemicals)

• Heavy metals (mercury, chromium, aluminum, etc)

• Inorganic materials (chloride and chlorine)

• Common pharmaceutical drug contaminants (Acetaminophen; Caffeine; Carbamazepine; Ciprofloxacin HCl; Erythromycin USP; Sulfamethoxazole; Trimethoprim; Bisphenol A; Diclofenac Sodium; 4-para-Nonylphenol; 4-tert-Octylphenol; Primidone; Progestrone; Gemfibrozil; Ibuprofen; Naproxen Sodium; Triclosan)

• Pesticides

• Micro-organisms

• Others: arsenic, E-coli, nitrites, petroleum products, foul tastes and odors, etc.

You can see why so many people value their Berkey for their health, and our household is no exception. Yale and I have the Travel Berkey which is their smallest of the lineup. It holds 1.5 gallons of water, so needs to be refilled 1-2x per day, and is meant for 1-2 people in a household. If we bought another, I’d go for the Big or Royal Berkey which simply holds more water. I’ve linked all of them above. Check out the Berkey website for more information on Berkey filters and their effectiveness.

Vitamix: I’ve spoken about my Vitamix time and time again, which goes to show how much I LOVE it. I use my Vitamix probably 5-6 days a week, at least. I use it for everything, including making smoothies, soups, whipping up pancake batter to turning oats into oat flour. It is the gift that keeps on giving. While expensive, Vitamixes are SO WORTH IT! If you have been debating one for awhile, I think you’d be pleased with this investment. I watched several videos on them, and absolutely love mine. It was a birthday present from my parents when I turned 22, and I have used it consistently since. If I can recommend one thing about the blender, it is to go with the variable speed version. This way you can adjust the speeds based on the dial, rather than having a high and turbo setting. Just my two cents. I have this blender in white, and was gifted this one as well. Both are great!

Squatty Potty: Ok OK! I know what you’re thinking: “Allie…a Squatty Potty?!?!" I’m not buying a poop stool!”. Hear me out. I thought this thing was a joke at first too. But then I started doing the research and reading the reviews on Amazon, I thought it might be legit. Proper elimination is essential for your health. If that stuff is sitting in your bowels, you can face a whole host of health-related issues. Plus, complete elimination is essential for detoxification, especially when going though a candida cleanse or other detoxifying cleanse. The Squatty Potty is a silly, but crucial investment for me!

Hydroflask Water Bottle: I know this sounds like a silly thing, and maybe a no-brainer, but having a good, sturdy water bottle has been so important to me for the past 5 or so years! In college, I’m sad to admit I wasn’t a huge reusable water bottle user. I found plastic bottles to be convenient, and easy to toss in my school bag. Nalgenes, although a classic, were too clunky and unstylish for me back in the day! It wasn’t until I was introduced to Hydroflask that I was converted to the reusable water bottle life! THIS one is my OG favorite, I’ve had it for over 4 years now. It is the best. But I also use this one on the daily when I am at home. Fill it up with your Berkey water a few times a day and you’ll be good to go!

Acupressure Mat: If you have been following me for awhile, you’ve likely heard me talk about my love of the acupressure mat for sleep induction. Trust me when I say this thing is THE BEST for lulling yourself to sleep. Acupressure mats are similar to acupuncture, in that they stimulate acupressure points which allow energy to flow freely throughout the body. Acupressure mats are different from acupuncture since they do not use needles, rather little spikes on the mat to stimulate these meridian points. I find the acupressure mat (also called a sleep-induction mat), works best for me on direct skin. I use mine before bed on nights when I am having difficulty falling asleep. It has worked wonders for me, and so many others. Highly recommend if you have trouble falling asleep, OR are curious about acupuncture but are afraid of needles.