This blog post is sponsored by iHerb. All opinions are my own. You can read our full disclosure policy here.
Mom life is the best life for sure, but it can absolutely be challenging to get some self-care in, especially with very young children. As a mom of two young kids, I can relate! That’s why I’m so excited to team up with my new favorite online shop, iHerb, to share some of my favorite self-care hacks for busy moms.
I reached out to iHerb to see if they would be willing to work with me. I had the thought after I placed an order for some of my supplements, and I thought – “more people have to know about this store!”
I’ll be sharing some of my favorite products from iHerb and wanted to mention a special discount you’ll get if you shop through any of the links in the post. New and Existing Customers can get a discount off their iHerb order with no minimum purchase by clicking here.
Before we get to the self-care tips, a quick word about iHerb. For those of you who haven’t heard of them before, I really think you’ll love it. As you know, I’m very picky about who I partner with, and I am so excited about this post. The website is incredibly easy to shop and there are over 30,000 natural products they guarantee you’ll receive the best value in the world on. Lastly, as a Canadian, I just have to give a shout out to their amazing shipping policies. In Canada, we often struggle to have things shipped here – many of our locations are very remote and surprise duties often catch me off guard. iHerb’s shipping options make receiving your package so easy (and FAST).
Now – onto self-care hacks for busy moms!
Self-Care Hack No. 1: Make Time for a Realistic “Me Time”
Okay, if we were in dream life, we’d all get to spend a few hours daily at a five-star spa. Put the baby down for a nap (effortlessly, of course) and then pop down to the spa for hours of massaging and pampering. In real life, however, we may use baby’s nap time (if there is one!) to frantically shovel food into our mouths or try to get somewhat caught up on dishes. But, moms, hear me out…you need some alone time!
To be your best self, it really is okay to take a time out every once in a while. While the spa may not be a viable daily option, you can at least find ways to pamper yourself and feel refreshed in 30 minutes or less, right at home. Example number one? Take a bath. Not a shower-a legitimate rest in the tub. To make it spa-like, bring some amazing bath salts with you.
iHerb has a wide variety when it comes to the amount and type of product you can order. For example, these Everyone Epsom Soak bath salts from iHerb are made with essential oils and have the most amazing scent! I picked the geranium and sweet orange blend and cannot recommend it enough. It smells like bathing in a spring garden or something equally amazing.
On the other hand, I also thought you all might be interested to see a few alternatives. For example, this is Life-Flo Pure Magnesium Flakes. I hadn’t really heard much about magnesium flake baths until recently, but they are said to be just as (or, some people say even more!) relaxing as Epsom salt baths. This bulk buy is unscented and will last you forever, according to reviews!
Bonus tip: If you are on a budget or want to be extra cost-effective, you can order bulk bath salts or magnesium flakes, then add your own essential oils at home. Also, this lets you change up the scent depending on your mood which is nice!
Lastly, you all have to check out this super cool new (to me) item I found while scrolling the iHerb website. It’s called Dr. Singha’s Mustard Bath-have you heard of it before? And yes, it is made with legitimate mustard seeds! I had no idea, but mustard is known for its stimulating, rejuvenating and cleansing properties – it literally helps your pores open so you can sweat out impurities! You can use it as a full bath or you can use it as a foot detox. One great idea I had was to make a foot bath for myself and soak my feet in the living room while watching a good show. Life at its grandest! 🙂
Self-Care Hack No. 2: Make Healthy Swaps (the Easy Way)
We all know a better diet leads to better energy and generally a happier life.
However, when you are in the throes of motherhood, anything that takes any extra effort whatsoever can seem like a herculean effort. (How often do you just grab whatever’s easy and call it good enough?! Every. Single. Day.)
So, I decided I was going to make healthy swaps literally effortless. I still eat generally what I want to and can, but I have a few swaps that can go a long way.
Salt
Let’s talk about salt. Typical table salt is iodized-meaning bleached and basically zero nutritional value (outside of sodium). Pink Himalayan salt like HimalaSalt Primordial Himalayan Sea Salt, on the other hand, is all-natural with no additives. It is PACKED with trace minerals your body needs. It also has less sodium but tastes great. A lot of people say it tastes better than any other salt, but to be honest it tastes pretty similar to me-which I’m 100% okay with. Plus, pink salt looks so fancy on your table, so another win! 🙂
Syrup
Any pancake fans out there? Me too. But, as we all know, syrup is basically sugar, water, and coloring. So, since I refuse to give up delicious breakfast foods, I swapped out our fake syrup for this Now Foods Real Food Organic Maple Syrup. Now, this swap DOES taste different to me – it’s incredible. As an added bonus, the flavor is so rich I use far less of this syrup than my old one. I also have been using it in my coffee as a replacement for processed sugar (seriously)!
Oil
Coconut oil is having a total moment…for good reason! There are an insane amount of benefits to this yummy oil, so reach for coconut oil instead of another kind and you have just elevated your food. Easy, right? I like Spectrum Culinary Organic Unrefined Virgin Coconut Oil.
See how easy it is to be healthier without really trying?
Self-Care Hack No. 3: Supplement All the Things!
Along with making healthy swaps, it’s also important to include high-quality supplements in your life. Think of them as an insurance policy – your diet may have an off day but your supplements are there to fill in the gaps!
Here are my current favorite ones:
- Flora (Udo’s Choice) Adult’s Probiotic – Probiotics are the one thing you should take every single day. Your gut health is that important! If you order this one, make sure you keep it refrigerated. (It is VERY important to make sure you get a probiotic that has been stored correctly. Heat can ruin them! iHerb.com ships from climate controlled warehouses, so you know your probiotic will be live when it gets to you.)
- The Synergy Company Organic Blue-Green Algae – I know, you may be raising an eyebrow at me, but yes, algae is good for you. Particularly if you struggle with fatigue and a sluggish thyroid! When I started taking this I got SO MUCH ENERGY, and quit having sugar/carb cravings. This one is in capsule form – no nasty taste, and no mess. So don’t be nervous!
- Trace Minerals Research Mega-Mag Natural Ionic Magnesium with Trace Minerals – magnesium is so important for your body! It’s great for everything from treating insomnia to lowering blood pressure. I can only take so many pills per day, so I love that this is a liquid. It does have a strong mineral-y taste, so I recommend taking it with juice or something that masks it a bit.
Self-Care Hack No. 4: Get Some Sleep!
I know half of you are rolling your eyes at me right now but please note I used the word “some”.
Look, I get it. I can’t remember the last week I had eight solid hours of sleep seven days in a row. But, I am really trying to maximize the hours I have for sleep. To me, that means no staying up for hours scrolling through Facebook and instead reaching for a book.
Also, it means that I need to get myself into a bedtime routine – there’s a reason it works so well for our kids! I have been enjoying brewing a cup of Traditional Medicinals Relaxation Organic Nighty Night Tea. It’s so yummy and I really feel like it helps me unwind. Make sure you let it steep for about 10 minutes per cup – I have one cup after the kids are in bed and then another about 45 minutes before bed.
I also have indulged in a new favorite nighttime routine – doing a little relaxation by candlelight. I never thought I’d be into that kind of thing but this Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Scented Soy Candle in the Orange Clove Scent is AMAZING. I wish I could share the scent with you over the Internet!
So, those are all of my favorite mom hacks for self-care that are super easy to implement. Do you have any to add to the list? I’d love to hear them!
Don’t forget!! Whether you are new to iHerb, or you have already discovered them and are an existing customer, you can get an additional discount by shopping with my affiliate link. iHerb.com offers customer service 24/7 in TEN different languages. Just click and shop and the discount will be automatically applied…hooray for savings!
