January Favorites

top 10 favorite things from January

Hey hey happy Wednesday!

Okay before we get too deep into February I need to share with you all of my favorite things from January. New things I tried, tried and true things that will be sticking with me & things that brought me immense joy & value.

So let’s get into it….

January Top 10 Favorites

1. Black Sesame

Idk if you’ve noticed but I’ve been shoveling black sesame paste by the spoonful on the daily. Sprinkling black sesame seeds all over my food. I’m obsessed. Yes I love the taste, but the benefits of black sesame are endless. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, black sesame can help to promote hair growth and health, and even reverse greying. Black sesame seeds are also incredibly antioxidant, fiber & calcium rich, and full of healthy fats. They are amazing to have always but especially during winter when it’s cold & dry, aka why I have been having so much of it (I do feel it helps to keep my skin plump & hydrated).

I buy the Kevala black sesame tahini & then organic black sesame seeds (you can also make your own paste/tahini by roasting and blending the seeds!).

When blended into something creamy it literally tastes like cookies & cream. It’s so good in a nourishing latte with some cacao, scooped onto a bowl of porridge, sprinkled on congee or rice, mixed into cookies and granola (I love my black sesame cacao granola), and I also have a really delicious black sesame bar recipe coming on my meal shortcuts this Sunday so stay tuned.

2. Bringing a Notebook & Book with me Everywhere I go

This was one of my 2026 intentions and I’ve been LOVING IT. I wanted to physically record as much as I do digitally. I am really out of sight out of mind, so having a book/journal as easily accessible as my phone makes it so much easier to grab for that instead of mindless scrolling.

I recently read this study about how people who physically write at least 10 minutes a day have the sharpest, clearest minds as they age. I truly feel such a big difference in my mental and even my physical health when I choose paper over screen. Writing more, reading more, even if just for 10 minutes is so therapeutic.

I feel a difference in my mood, focus, energy, CREATIVITY! Everything feels better when I replace screens with paper.

3. Grocery Delivery

So I actually enjoy going into a grocery store and having it be an experience, like that was one of the highlights of my day when I lived ini LA. However…..when the weather drops below 0 and snow is covering the pathways so that you can’t even walk….It’s time to phone a friend. I also have realized that it is way harder to go to multiple grocery stores and shlep around in New York, it would take an entire day, so grocery delivery has become my best friend because now I really only need to go to the farmers market & I am good to go!

There are two services I use religiously that I am in love with:

1. Farm to People. Discount to order is glowwithella25. I LOVE farm to people. They make it so easy to get farm fresh, local, organic, QUALITY seasonal produce. When people ask where I get more gorgeous produce, if it’s not the farmers market it’s Farm to People. Rosa Radicchio, Watermelon Radish, Beautiful Citrus & they also have more than just produce! Dairy, Meat&Seafood (really good grass-fed beef, pasture raised chicken & wild seafood), Eggs, Bakery, etc. I remember I first found them because I saw they sold pasture raised organic eggs for less than $10 and I was like wowww ok. The yolks were orange and gorgeous. They highlight each farm that they source from so everything is really traceable and transparent. You can basically think of it as a farmers market that delivers. They also do CSA boxes :)

2. Thrive Market. Discount to order is thrivemarket.com/glowwithella. If you know me you know I will vouch for Thrive Market forever. I have been a member for over 5 years and in that time I have saved over $5000 on groceries by ordering from them. This is where I get alllll of my pantry staples. They have the best quality items for the best price, and whenever I order my box literally shows up in two days.

4. Focus & Mood Support

PS: Always do your research before taking anything new!!! This is what has worked for me but everyone is different.

I have been reading a lot about saffron for a natural alternative to reducing anxiety, depression and supporting overall mood. I happened upon this mood support supplement and I have been absolutely loving it, I was first drawn to it because it has a high dose of saffron, it’s organic and no weird fillers or ingredients. I think it’s such a great little addition to my routine especially in the winter when seasonal depression can definitely take a hit. I also try to consume saffron too. I made this saffron chai latte blend that I have been absolutely loving.

& then I love taking the saffron alongside my l-theanine (Zuma discount code is GLOW), which has been a wonderful support for me to naturally help with focus, adhd & overall mood as well.

5. Foot Care Routine

So back in the day when I worked at the farmers market, I was on my feet for hours and hours at a time and I developed severe foot pain. I have insoles in my shoes, and I also since then have really prioritized “foot care” sounds so weird to call it that but yah idk what else to call it hahaha. There are a few things I do that help me so much.

First, stretching my feet is so important. I do full-body deep stretching every day, so before I stretch I love to do acupressure on my foot. I have an acupressure mat but I also love using a physical therapy ball. I will roll it out on the bottom of my feet, for 1-2 mins per foot. This is great for our feet AND our full body, since the bottom of our feet have receptors that connect to our fascia and nervous system, so it actually can loosen up & relax our whole body and even better improve lymphatic flow.

Then at night, I wear yoga toes when I do legs up the wall. I know this sounds crazy but these things actually helped my foot pain soooo much back in the day and I swear by them now. Our feet are boxed in in these tight shoes all day when ancestrally they are actually supposed to be stretched out, these help relieve pain & improve mobility as they help our feet return to their natural state.

6. Cozy PJ’s

I love a cozy matching loungewear set especially during winter all I want is to be cozy and cute. I recently just got these Organic-Cloud Knit Lounge Pants & Matching Top (my Pact discount code is glowwithella20) they are just so buttery soft and I’ve been living in them. I love everything from Pact, their leggings (I always wear to the gym), their airport sets, underwear, everything is such good quality. And wearing non-toxic clothing made of good materials has been top priority for me especially in times of detox like sweating/working out/sleeping.

7. Hot Bevs

In last week’s substack I told you a little bit about how much drinking warm beverages & eating warm foods have completely transformed my digestion regularity for the better, it’s insane. So I am always drinking warm bevs now. Loose leaf tea & warm lemon ginger water in the mornings. Warm lattes. Whenever I go out to eat I will ask for a hot water with lemon, I highly recommend.

saffron latte & debloat + goji

I also have been drinking so much broth. I love making my own but I also always have a cabinet filled with Fond Bone Broth because it is just the best bone broth ever I love them so much. Regenerative, organic, glass bottles, gelatinous and the most flavorful and delicious broths ever. I always have the lemon-garlic-radish, turmeric-black-pepper, fennel-bayleaf, & unflavored beef on deck (my discount code is GLOW).

My overall favorite tea has been my de-bloat blend with goji berries added in. I love sipping on this in the morning time:

De-Bloat Tea

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups peppermint

• 1/2 cup fennel seeds

• 1/2 cup licorice root

• 1/4 cup orange peel

• 1/4 cup rooibos

• 1/4 cup dandelion root

My method is I combine all the dried herbs/spices to a large bowl, mix to combine everything evenly, then store in an air tight jar! When I want tea I add 1-2 tbsp to my tea infuser in my mug and pour over hot water (usually ~210 degrees F). Then let steep for 10-15 minutes, remove strainer & enjoy. For this blend I add a scoop of goji berries to each serving as well.

8. All-Purpose Wipes

I now have these earth-friendly wipes & dispensers in each room in my apartment and it makes me so happy. I found Biom this year and I love them. They make all-purpose cleaning wipes that are safe for skin and surfaces, microplastic free, biodegradable, made with natural fragrances or fragrance free, and completely non toxic. I love them because they are safe for every surface, wood stainless steel, granite etc and then I can also use them on my hands/skin!!

They also look good sitting out, they have beautiful dispensers to refill, and keep wipes fresh. I have a Eucalyptus one for my Santal-Escape wipes, a Terracota for my unscented, and then I have the White one for the flushable wipes in my bathroom!

It has just been so convenient having these because if there is ever a mess I can just grab a wipe and instantly & safely clean. It wastes so much less paper towels. I’m partnering with Biom this month and I’m really excited about it :)

9. Japanese Walking Method & Chinese Longevity Movements

When I need a more laid back day at the gym, I have been using these two methods and they make me feel sooooo good.

I like to start out with the Chinese longevity movements as they help to wake up the body and promote lymphatic drainage, circulation and flow. I start with tapping my lymphnodes to wake them up, I also like doing this on a vibration plate machine at the gym if possible! Start with little lymphatic hops, then arm swings, spinal twist, trunk twists, body waves, underarm tapping & marching!

Next up Japanese Walking is a form of interval training that helps to get the heart rate going! Every 3 minutes, walk normal for 3, then walk fast for 3, then continue switching until 30 minutes is reached! I like to go on a slight incline when I do this too. It’s a really easy workout to follow when you feel tired and don’t know what to do.

& then I of course always follow up any workout with at least 20 minutes of deep stretching, truly my favorite part of any workout lol. My next goal is to get back into yoga because I really miss it!!!

10. Salted Vanilla & Maple Millet Porridge

My go to breakfast lately!! It’s like a warm hug. So warming & nourishing. Serves 2.

Ingredients

• 1 cup millet

• 1.5 cups whole milk

• 1.5 cups filtered water

• 1 tbsp butter

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 2 tbsp maple syrup

• 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

• Toppings of choice (I like adding granola or seeds for crunch, skyr, jam, fruits like apples, pears, persimmons, citrus…)

Recipe

1. Lightly pulse millet in a blender or food processor until the grain is half floury & half whole (Option to rinse the millet at this stage in a mesh strainer to remove any bitterness)

2. Melt butter in a pan and add in millet to toast for a couple minutes, mixing around

3. Pour over milk and filtered water and maple, mix and bring to a boil

4. Reduce heat to low and cover, cook for about ~20 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened and desired consistency is reached

5. Once done, remove from heat and stir in vanilla

6. Serve and build your bowl with preferred toppings!

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I love love love writing these because it helps me reflect back on my last month, think intentionally about what I loved & what gave me energy, what I can leave back, and move forward with excitement :)

Hope you all enjoy, and stay tuned this Sunday for February’s meal shortcuts, yay!

XO - Ella