Nature is Healing

Reconnecting with nature to heal + tips for sustainability

I have gone through so many different phases of health to get where I am: the extremes, treating my body like a lab rat, and one of the most important things I have taken from all of that is that nature is healing. 

It is easy to overcomplicate everything and pile on a million things to fix yourself, when in reality a lot of times the solution is right in front of us - nature. We as a society have become more and more disconnected from nature and the Earth. We spend most of our time indoors, on a screen. We workout in a gym. We order food to our doorstep. We do a lot of these things because we “don’t have the time” to do it any other way. Yet we spend so much time stressed, in pain, uncomfortable, and unhappy. 

The simple act of slowing down and taking that deep breath in the morning, putting your feet in the grass as the sun shines in your eyes when you wake up, taking a walk outdoors, buying seasonal local produce and connecting with farmers to make yourself a meal at home – is healing. Connecting with nature helps us reconnect with ourselves and our intuition. It helps us redefine purpose in our lives and energize us so we can do everything else that much better. 

Earth Day & Month is more than sustainability. It is reconnecting with nature, and building gratitude to honor the Earth. The more time we spend with nature, the more we cherish and want to do our best to take care of it. Because it is true what they say, slowing down to smell the roses and notice the beauty around us is life changing. 

To celebrate this month dedicated to the Earth, I have built a list of activities that may help you reconnect with nature, and also a list of doable tangible tips that promote better sustainability! & a lil giveaway for everyone at the end ;)

My intention for this month, and this has been my intention this year, is to do more creating and less consuming. I feel like whenever I am being called to shop, it is to fill a void. I am never satisfied with the result. Instead of purchasing something that I do not need, that’ll end up being wasteful and doing nothing for me, I want to redirect that into taking time to go out in nature or doing an activity. Would love for you all to do this with me!!

Activities

• Watch the sunrise or sunset 

• Go on a hike (I want to make this a bi-monthly activity and explore new places in my area!)

• Take a dip in the ocean, or just lay in the sand

• Ground feet in the earth

• Walk on the beach 

• Spend a day in the park (reading, picnicking, painting, eating…)

• Stargaze 

• Start an herb or flower garden (if you don’t have outdoors I love Lettuce Grow)

• Go on a bike ride 

• Play tennis or pickleball

• Visit a local farm or go to the farmers market

• Have a seasonal dinner party

• Bake sourdough from scratch

• Have a screen-free day

Tips for Sustainability

1. Cook more at home + buy seasonal local produce! Buying seasonal local produce supports local farmers, is wonderful for your health, and better for the environment.

2. Reduce food waste! A few tips for this:

• Go to the market with a plan (and not hungry!) of what to cook for the week, leave room for some stuff that catches your eye, but a plan helps not over-buy.

• When you do restock, paste what you bought on the front of your fridge, so you remember what you have and make sure nothing gets left to waste!

• Store your produce in ways so that they last longer

• Compost food scraps (my favorite is the LOMI Tabletop Composter)

• Create fun & unique food waste recipes*

• Invite friends and family over and cook for them if you over-bought, or donate the food!

3. Prioritize natural lighting & turn off lights when not in use!

4. Ditch the plastic clothing! So many clothes and fast fashion now adays are made with pure plastic or ingredients that are not at all good for us or for the environment. Moving forward I have been trying to prioritize thrifting more often if I am looking for something new — or supporting more ethical and sustainable clothing brands! Some favs:

• Pact

• Mate the Label

• I also link some more in a past newsletter HERE

5. Find plastic alternatives & better swaps!**

• Bamboo Toothbrushes

• Eco-Friendly Dish Brushes

• Compostable Parchment Paper, Recyclable Aluminum, Paper Bags

• Glass Straws & Cups

• Wool Dryer Balls

• Reusable Water Bottles

• Cloth Towels vs. Paper Towels

6. Swap household & laundry for sustainable options! I personally love Branch Basics (discount is glowwithella) for my cleaning products, because you only need to buy the starter kit ONCE, and then from there you only need the concentrate to refill everything!

7. Prioritize businesses that value transparency, traceability & sustainability <3

*Food Waste Recipes

1. 3-Ways to use Leftover Ginger Pulp

2. Orange Peel Marmalade

3. Sourdough Discard Crackers

4. Strawberry Top Soda

5. Orange Peel Digestif Tonic

6. Citrus All Purpose Cleaner

7. Coffee Grounds Espresso Martini

8. Carrot Top Pesto

9. Healing Veggie Scraps Broth

10. Juice-Pulp Muffins

Giveaway for Earth Month

**One of my ALL TIME FAVORITE businesses for healthy and sustainable household swaps is Zero Waste Store. They make it easy to consciously consume, and have literally EVERY single product to make your life easier and better. I have their reusable floor cleaners, dish brushes, razor, cotton swabs, reusable paper towels, hairbrush, bamboo toothbrush, laundry, wool dryer balls AND MORE!

To celebrate the Earth and this month, we are giving away a gift card OR one of their starter kits (value $215 - winner’s choice). *discount is glowwithella if you’d like to shop now!*

How to Enter:

1. Follow @zerowastestore and @glowwithella on Instagram

2. Subscribe to this newsletter!

3. Comment below your intention this Earth Month

4. Share on your story, restack, or refer a friend for extra entries! (max 3 extra)

*must be 18+ to enter, reside in the United States. Not affiliated with IG or Substack*

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Cheers everyone!!! Excited to continue to celebrate and honor the Earth with you. Hope you have a beautiful rest of your week, XO - Ella