Sharing tips on how to reduce stress-related hair loss.

Hi friends! Happy Monday! I hope you enjoyed the weekend and that your week is off to a good start. We’re emptying Liv’s room and cleaning out her closet today (pray for me) and looking forward to hopping in the pool later.

For today’s post, I wanted to talk about something that affects a lot of women (and men!): hair loss. Hormonal changes, stressors, toxins, nourishment, and hair care habits can all impact the quality and quantity of hair, so I thought I’d share some tips for keeping your hair luscious and healthy.

A friendly reminder that I’m not a doctor. If you’re noticing hair loss, particularly sudden hair loss, make an appointment with your doctor ASAP. This can be a sign that something else is going on, so it’s worth it to see your health care provider for a full assessment. 

I also wanted to say that I’ve been there. With postpartum, illness, and stressful events in life, my hair quality, texture, and quantity have all been affected. I feel like over the past five years, I’ve seen a huge improvement with my hair. Friendly reminder: this post is NOT medical advice and is for informational purposes only. 

How to reduce stress-related hair loss

In our fast-paced and demanding lives, stress has become an all-too-familiar companion. While it can affect various aspects of our health, one surprising consequence is stress-related hair loss. The toll of chronic stress can lead to hair thinning and shedding, leaving us concerned about the health of our precious locks. Today, I’m going to chat about the connection between stress and hair loss and equip you with practical strategies to alleviate its impact.

Understand the Stress-Hair Loss Connection:

Before tackling the issue head-on, it’s crucial to understand how stress affects our hair health. Stress triggers hormonal imbalances, particularly an increase in cortisol levels, which can disrupt the hair growth cycle and lead to hair loss. Recognizing this connection empowers us to take proactive steps towards reducing stress and its negative impact on our hair.

Embrace Stress Management Techniques:

Implementing effective stress management techniques is key. Explore relaxation practices like meditation, deep breathing exercises, and yoga to promote a sense of calm and reduce stress hormones. Incorporating mindfulness into your daily routine can work wonders in managing stress. Here is my blog post with lots of meditation tips. 

Prioritize Self-Care and Me-Time:

Amid the hustle and bustle of daily life, remember to prioritize self-care. Dedicate time for activities that bring you joy and help you unwind. Whether it’s reading a book, taking a long bath, or engaging in a hobby, giving yourself regular me-time is vital for reducing stress and nurturing your hair’s health.

Be Kind to Your Hair 😉

I feel like particularly in the US, we’re obsessed with

Hi friends! Happy Friday! What are you up to this weekend? We have no real plans… and I’m kind of looking forward to it. The kids start school in a few weeks (WAH) so I think I need to get my life together and start ordering/planning. Word to the world if your girls wear uniforms: these skirts are the BEST. I ordered the girls new sets since they loved them so much last year, and also ordered some of these.

I’m also teaching a Zumba class, a spin class, and taking Liv to see the new Barbie movie. Can’t wait!! I’d love to hear what you have going on.

It’s time for the weekly Friday Faves party! This is where I share some of my favorite finds from the week and around the web. I always love to hear about your faves, too, so please shout out something you’re loving in the comments section below.

Life:

We had some friends over for sushi night last weekend and it was so much fun.

The Pilot made an enormous pitcher of Mai Tais using this recipe,

I made some steamed edamame, house salad with ginger dressing, these truffle edamame dumplings,

and ordered a bunch of different sushi rolls to share from Sachiko. Our friends brought the dessert; the cutest rice crispies decorated like sushi rolls (like this!), along with homemade lemon bars and chocolate chip cookies.

We also celebrated Nani’s birthday this week! We had an amazing dinner at Gavi, including two different chef’s boards, the Sicilian salad, and for my entree, I chose the chicken marsala.

Read more

Sharing a recap of our 7-night Mediterranean cruise (Italy and Greece) on the Disney Dream! This is not sponsored (I wish, lol), but I’m excited to share our experience. 

They have a handy little trick when you’re on board a Disney cruise: you have the option to book a placeholder for a future cruise at a slight discount. This way, when you get off the ship, it’s slightly less depressing because you know you’ll be on another one soon. We got off the Disney Dream in Rome a few weeks ago, and already, we can’t wait for our next Disney cruise.

This was Disney cruise #4 (we’ve done Alaska, Bahamas, and Mexico), and it was our favorite one. It was a combination of the destinations plus the larger ship, which was a literal Dream.

(We also got to enjoy Rome on either side of our cruise! You can read about our Rome adventures here.)

7-night Disney Dream European cruise

We arrived at the Civitavecchia port via a private car that the hotel booked fo us, and it was the quickest and most seamless boarding experience. By 1:30pm, we were at the pool, watching the kiddos swim and drinking cocktails with friends. (A pro tip from one of our good friends: pack your swim gear in a tote bag and check everything else. Your room won’t be ready yet, so you can head straight to the pool. It’s the least busy it will be for the entire trip and after a couple of hours, your room will be ready with all of your luggage waiting for you outside the door.)

We had lunch from Cabanas (the buffet) and ate it by the pool, checked out our room, and then got changed for the Muster Drill, Sail-A-Wave party and dinner.

On Disney cruises, you’re on a dining rotation. You get the early (6pm) or late (8pm) seating, and alternate restaurants each evening. You can opt out of your more formal dining to have a quick bite or room service instead, but no matter what, your table will be

Sharing the books I read in June and if I’d recommend adding them to your collection!

Hi friends! I hope you’re having a wonderful week! I’m so happy you liked the Anniversary Sale picks. While there’s not as huge of a selection as they’ve had in previous years, there’s still lots of good stuff!

For today’s post, I wanted to share a recap of recent reads. I haven’t been reading quite as much as usual since I was so focused on finishing IHP2, but I’m back in reading action with a mix of fun fluff + more educational fare. I’ve added so much to my list over the past month, so I’m looking forward to diving into some new ones on the list.

Here’s what I read in June!

(Dress on sale here)

June 2023 Book Recap

Mistress of Rome

I love Kate Quinn and am on a mission to read all of her books. It was pleasantly surprising to find out that this book is part of a 4-part series, and I’m already on the second book. It’s more a slow burn than some of her previous novels I’ve read (The Huntress, Rose Code, The Diamond Eye, The Alice Network), but it gradually builds until a crazy, satisfying ending. Since I typically read more WWII era historical fiction, it was a treat to read about an entirely different time period, and also learn a lot about what it might have been like in first-century Rome. 9/10 recommend and it lined up perfectly with our trip and the ability to see the Coliseum again in person.

From Amazon:

First-century Rome: One young woman will hold the fate of an empire in her hands.

Thea, a captive from Judaea, is a clever and determined survivor hiding behind a slave’s docile mask. Purchased as a toy for the spoiled heiress Lepida Pollia, Thea evades her mistress’s spite and hones a secret passion for music. But when Thea wins the love of Rome’s newest and most savage gladiator and dares to dream of a better life, the jealous Lepida tears the lovers apart and casts Thea out.

Rome offers many ways for the resourceful to survive, and Thea remakes herself as a singer for the Eternal ’City’s glittering aristocrats. As she

Get your summer body all year long with Summer Shape Up.

Summer is finally here which means my Summer Shape Up Challenge is BACK! Are you ready to confidently rock that bikini? If you are not quite where you want to be, we’ve got you covered. I have put together a foolproof plan to help you achieve your summer body goals in just six weeks. Let me show you how.

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Start by visualizing your dream summer body and break it down into smaller milestones. 

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