Staples To Improve Your Holistic Health During A Quarantine

Hey Mama’s!! To say its been a crazy week is the understatement of 2020.

If you’re like me, you are feeling a bit stressed, a little on edge and trying to prepare for a looming lock down with your family. As a Holistic Health Coach, I wanted to provide a resource that lays out food-as-medicine based items you can stock up on! I’m hoping you find this information approachable and easy to integrate into your life ASAP!

I know y’all are busy trying to navigate work life, home life, possible home schooling and staying sane {Deep Breaths!!} so this is a quick list you can easily reference! I’m sincerely sending health, mindfulness and love your way!

Fresh Food That Boosts The Immune System

Think Vitamin C rich foods like berries, kiwi, papaya, citrus fruits, red bell peppers, and greens!  All key in fighting infections and keeping colds at bay. Because your body doesn’t produce or store Vitamin C, you need to consume it daily for continued health!
An easy way? Blend those smoothies y’all!! If you need kid approved smoothie recipes–read this!

Grab some garlic and ferment it!! I recently made this Fermented Honey Garlic recipe and am saving the stash in mason jars in case we get sick. Garlic + raw honey have medicinal properties and the duo works better together! If you are having flu like symptoms, pop a fermented clove or two and sip on a Turmeric rich golden milk latte for immune support.

Gut Health is instrumental in keeping you well right now!

Eat probiotic rich foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha and yogurt + aim to nourish your gut with bone broth and collagen peptides! Look for yogurts that have “live and active cultures” printed on the label. We like Greek yogurt or full fat coconut yogurt!

Zinc and selenium are another great way to use food as medicine.

Add two Brazil Nuts or Walnuts to your day to meet your daily selenium requirement and incorporate pumpkin seeds into your smoothies or salads for extra magnesium and fiber.

Supplements & Vitamins

Typically I believe nourishment through food is the best medicine, but during the COVID-19 we could all use a stronger arsenal!! I’ve linked my favorite immune boosting supplements below. All of which are high in quality, and non GMO.

1. Elderberry Immune Gummy by Garden of Life
2. D3-KD Lipo Spray by Energetix: Easy to use and has a high absorption rate!
3. Naturade Saline and Aloe Nasal Spray: Fast soothing congestion relief that is safe for the entire family!
4. Trace Minerals Electrolyte Stamina Power Pak: Kick dye ridden Gatorade to the curb and hydrate with Trace Minerals instead! These power paks provides 18 vitamins and minerals will hydrate and nourish your entire family! Tastes yummy too! We like lemon lime.
5. Grapefruit Seed Extract {GSE}: It’s antibacterial and antifungal. I drop 10 drops in my glass of water each day and also use it to wash our produce. It lasts forever!!!
6. Organic Apple Cider Vinegar: It’s antimicrobial and contains a substance called the “mother,” which consists of strands of proteins, enzymes, and friendly bacteria to aid your gut health! Add it to your hot water + lemon in the morning to boost your Vitamin C, antioxidants and gut health all at once!

Pantry & Freezer Staples

These are the MVP’s that are affordable, long lasting and nutrient dense! No need to load up on packaged goods that provide little nutritional value. With this sudden gift of time, we have plenty of moments to bake our own preservative free treats! I encourage you to have fun in the kitchen!! Turn on the music, make some hot tea and get creative with your little ones!

If you are looking for pantry based recipes for all of your meals, we’ve been loving these!!

Dry Goods

• Coconut oil, EVOO, Avocado oil,
• Variety of Beans, *Chickpeas for hummus, Lentils & Dried Mushrooms
• Quinoa, Rice, Oats, Flour, Sugar
• Bone Broth, Soups
• Canned Tuna/Salmon, Olives, Artichoke Hearts, Pickled Veggies
• Collagen Protein, Pancake Mix, Syrup, Honey, Tea, Chocolate!! Chocolate Chips, Coffee Beans!!!!
• Variety of Pasta, Lasagna Sheets, Soba/Kelp Noodles, Pasta Sauce, Salsa Verde, Pesto,
• Shelf stable Milk, Coconut Milk Cans, Shelf Stable Coffee Creamer
• Applesauce, Canned Pumpkin, Dried Fruit, Nuts, Nut Butters, Fruit Spread
• Mustard, Ketchup, Coconut Aminos, Balsamic, Tahini, Capers, Nutritional Yeast
• Popcorn, Chips, Veggie Chips, Turkey Jerky, Fruit Strips

Frozen Goods

• Burgers (Beef/Turkey/Plant Based) Chicken Sausage, Hot Dogs
• Steaks/Ground Turkey & Beef/Whole Chicken
• Wild Caught Scallops or shrimp (great with Angel hair pasta and capers!)
• Wild Caught Fish (Mahi Mahi for tacos or Salmon)
• Chicken Tenders
• Veggies: edamame, peas, cauliflower, carrots, spinach, kale, green beans, broccoli
• Riced Veggies: Cauliflower/Sweet Potato Rice/Broccoli Rice
• Pizza, Tortillas, Bread
• Frozen Berries/Coconut Chunks/Frozen Treats

Stay Well Mamas!

Photography: Jessica Rockowitz Photography + Film

Jessica is a Boston girl turned Austinite as of 2016. She is a wife to Kyle and mama to Hayley, Colin, and Graham. Though she misses many things about the East Coast, she absolutely cannot complain about the active, taco-infused lifestyle of Texas. She is a former OB/GYN Nurse Educator turned digital media agency owner and lifestyle photographer. When she’s not busy behind the lens, you can catch her caffeinating, desperately trying to find a cheer carpool, and obsessing over microfashion.