We have a special solo episode for you with a bittersweet announcement. Nicole and Shanna will share about some exciting life updates and what that means for NoBS Wellness. And as Semisonic sings in "Closing Time" -- 'Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.'

According to a study done in the U.K., the typical person will spend 2 years of their life hungover. Yikes!

In this episode, we talk with Hilary Sheinbaum, New York-based journalist and author of The Dry Challenge, all about giving up alcohol for a month. Hilary shares reasons why you should try a dry month challenge, tips to prepare yourself for a dry month, and how to ease back into drinking alcohol after the challenge is up.

In the "You Want Me To Do What??" section, Shanna and Nicole talk about their relationship with alcohol, what has impacted it, and their experiences with giving up alcohol during different periods of their adult lives.

Episode Recap: Interview with Hilary Sheinbaum - 2:52, "You Want Me To Do What??" section - 41:00

Highlights:

• Dry challenge: set amount of time with no alcohol done to see how alcohol affects your day-to-day life
• Some benefits of eliminating alcohol:
• • Better sleep
  • Better mood
  • Saving money
  • Lose weight
  • Better skin complexion
• Tips for doing a dry challenge:
• • Clear out the alcohol in your house
  • Tell people you are doing the dry challenge
  • Have a plan of non-drinking, social activities
  • Surround yourself with people who support you

Resources:

Where to find Hilary Sheinbaum:

• Instagram: @hilarywritesny
• Website: http://www.hilarysheinbaum.com/
• Book: The Dry Challenge

Hilary's articles on dating while abstaining from alcohol:

Sheltering with My Boyfriend and No Booze

Dating Without Alcohol

Not so fun fact: 73% of Americans rank finances as the number one stressor in life. While there is no quick fix when it comes to financial wellness, you can start building better habits at any time, and that's what we are talking with Brittan Leiser, financial adviser and founder of Financially Savviher, about in this episode. Brittan breaks down the basics of financial wellness and how you can lessen your financial stress by being in control of your finances.

In the "You Want Me To Do What??" section, Nicole and Shanna talk about the importance of understanding your relationship with money.

Episode Recap: Interview with Brittan Leiser - 1:48, "You Want Me To Do What??" section - 43:12

Highlights:

• Financial wellness gives you options and flexibility
• Financial wellness basics:
• • Inventory all of your accounts
  • Create a budget
• Budgeting recommendations:
• • When it comes to budgets, the best way to budget is whatever you'll stick to
  • Look back at the past few months of spending to understand what your spending is in different categories
  • Assess what you are spending on
  • Make a plan for the upcoming month
  • Look retroactively at your month to make adjustments for the next month
  • Build your savings goal into your budget as if it is a bill
• Give yourself grace -- it's not all or nothing. Building good habits is better than nothing.
• Emergency savings: 3-6 months in a high yield savings account
• Savings vs Debt:
• • List all your debts, lined up by interest rate
  • If you have higher interest rates, pay down debt while putting a little money into savings
• Investing: fund your future self via an IRA and an employer sponsored retirement account (such as a 401k)
• When investing, think about:
• • Minimizing costs
  • Diversifying what industries and companies you invest in
  • The level of risk you can take (the closer to retirement, the more conservative you want to be)
• Top Tips for Gaining Control over Your Finances
• • Create a budget and be in control of it
  • Have an inventory of your debt and bills
  • Invest early and often
• Book recommendations:
• • Smart Women Finish Rich by David Bach
  • Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

Resources:

Where to find Brittan Leiser:

• Instagram: @financially.savviher
• Website: https://financiallysavviher.com/

We welcome back Melissa Farran, a board certified and licensed Five-Element Acupuncturist, to dive deep into the summer element of Fire for this episode. She explains how the element shows up in people, how to know when it's in and out of balance and how to bring it back into balance. Melissa shares simple and practical tips on how to enjoy and stay healthy during the summer.

In the "You Want Me To Do What??" section, Shanna highlights the importance of listening to what your body craves, whether it be food, exercise, rest or time outdoors. Nicole talks about how the conversation with Melissa helped her better understand the advice she's been getting from her Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncturist.

Episode Recap: Interview with Melissa Farran - 1:38, "You Want Me To Do What??" section - 49:24

Highlights:

• The five elements of Chinese medicine/acupuncture:
• • Water (element for winter)
  • Wood (element for spring)
  • Fire (element for summer)
  • Earth (element for late summer/harvest season)
  • Metal (element for fall)
• All elements found in nature can be found in people
• Fire shows up in someone as:
• • Color - red or ashy, especially next to the eyes
  • Sound - laughter
  • Odor - burnt smell
  • Emotion - joy or lack of joy
  • Taste - bitter
• The fire element can be out of balance by being too little or too much
• Fire relates to circulation
• • Always cold - might mean your fire element is out of balance, too little fire
• Communication is part of the fire element:
• • It's important to share your thoughts and feelings, especially with family and friends
  • It's important to be witnessed and to witness others
• Anxiety, depression and trouble sleeping can be associated with the fire element being out of balance within someone
• Balancing the fire element:
• • Using boundaries
  • Finding things to do that are social
  • Hydrating - drink plenty of water, especially during summer
  • Eating cooling foods, such as melon, dark leafy greens, green tea, cucumber
  • Eating lighter foods
  • Eating bitter foods (dark chocolate, coffee, asparagus, citrus foods) and blood building foods (ginseng, beets, berries, cherries)
  • Rising with the sun, getting outside, and being active
  • Going for a walk with a friend
  • Spending time by or in the water
  • Getting outside and being barefoot
• Top 3 Tips for Staying Healthy During the Summer:
• • Exercise
  • Get outside and connect with friends
  • Stay hydrated and eat cooling foods

Resources:

Where to find Melissa Farran:

• Instagram: @melissafarran
• Website: https://www.melissafarran.com/

Five-Element Acupuncture episode with Melissa Farran: https://www.nobswellnesspodcast.com/episode-58

If you've been confused about why or how to use crystals (or gemstones), we are breaking it all down in this episode. We learn from Pam and Andy, the spiritual artists and creators behind The Indigo Sanctuary, all about gemstones. They give us a beginner's course in the history behind using crystals in spiritual and healing practices, some of the common gemstones that are sought after for their energetics, and ways to incorporate them in your well-being practices. Pam and Andy also detail out why and how to cleanse and recharge crystals. And they provide plenty of tips for beginners.

In the "You Want Me To Do What??" section, Nicole shares her excitement for adding gemstones as another tool in her well-being toolkit.

Episode Recap: Interview with Pam & Andy - 2:15, "You Want Me To Do What??" section - 47:03

Highlights:

• Common gemstones that are sought after for their
• • Smoky Quartz/Bloodstone/Red Jasper – rooting/grounding stones to help with dispelling negative energy
  • Rose Quartz – the "love" stone; helps you connect to a higher power
  • Clear Quartz – amplifies energy
  • Lepidolite – high lithium content; calming
  • Selenite – good for clearing energy
  • Bandit onyx – good for grounding and courage
• You can strengthen your intuition with crystals
• When you hold a crystal, do a few moments of deep breathing to connect into the energy of the crystal
• Gemstones sense, absorb and transmit energy
• Tips for using crystals:
• • Hold it in your hand and say an affirmation
  • Wearing it in jewelry
  • Make sure to clear the energy of the crystals – if it is in jewelry, clear the energy after each wear
  • You can also use the chakra system to figure out a stone that will support where you need to balance your chakras
• Clearing energy of your gemstones:
• • If you bring a new gemstone into your life, you should clear it as soon as possible
  • Cleanse & recharge gemstones through sound (think Tibetan singing bowls), putting crystal where they are exposed to light of the full moon or new moon OR sunlight, put in the earth for 24 hours, sea salt bath, and selenite
• Top Tips for Incorporating Gemstones in Your Life:
• • Cleanse and recharge your gemstones after getting them
  • Pick a few gemstones to start – for sure start with a grounding crystal – and stick with those to start to build the practice
  • Set an affirmation for each crystal
  • Breath deeply when first starting to use the crystal
  • Go out into nature and find your own gemstones

Resources:

Where to find Pam & Andy:

• Website: www.theindigosanctuary.com
• Instagram: @theindigosanctuary
• YouTube: https://youtu.be/29YAkVB1ddg https://youtu.be/p3QszwCvwjg
• Email: theindigosanctuary@gmail.com

The Book of Stones by Robert Simmons and Naisha Ahsian

"You need to promote health if you want to be well." - Esosa Edosomwan

No matter how hard we may fight it or try to ignore it, aging is going to happen. But that doesn't mean that we can't feel great and look younger than we are while we age. In this episode, we talk with Certified Nutrition Specialist and Behavioral Coach Esosa Edosomwan all about agelessness, a term she uses to describe the process of aging in a healthy way that transcends the idea of anti-aging. Esosa shares the truly holistic approach she takes towards health and well-being and how she guides her clients on finding the routines and rituals that support their health and wellness. We also talk about how resilience factors into your health and longevity.

In the "You Want Me To Do What??" section, Nicole and Shanna discuss the idea Esosa introduced of having a lifestyle that supports less stress on the body rather than managing stress, which is what so many of us practice. They also talk about the fact that you can reduce toxins in your life, but there is no way to avoid them so you definitely need to support elimination in the body.

Episode Recap: Interview with Esosa Edosomwan - 2:42, "You Want Me To Do What??" section - 49:51

Highlights:

• Agelessness is not about anti-aging
• Factors affecting aging:
• • Diet
  • Elimination
  • Lifestyle
• The key to agelessness is finding routines and rituals that support your health and wellness
• Slow aging by eliminating toxins and creating healthy daily habits
• The body naturally detoxifies so it's important to support the body's ability to eliminate efficiently
• Find a diet and lifestyle that supports less stress on the body
• Bioindividuality is king -- know yourself and don't rely on google to find the right diet, exercise, and lifestyle that suits you
• Lifestyle can trump your genes
• Resilience - how fast your body is equipped to bounce back
• Building resilience goes back to your daily habits
• Esosa's Top 3 Tips for Agelessness:
• • Find what diet works for your body and stick with it
  • Move your body regularly
  • Reduce your stress

Resources:

Where to find Esosa Edosomwan:

• Website: https://www.therawgirl.com/
• Instagram: @therawgirl
• Staying Ageless University: https://www.stayingagelessuniversity.com/
• Podcast: Staying Ageless

Would you believe us if we told you that you could do a complete yoga practice, including mantra, meditation, movement, and breathwork, in three minutes? That's one of the benefits of Kundalini Yoga that we learn about (and so much more) in our discussion with Kundalini yoga teacher, Shakti Sita. Shakti Sita helps lay a solid foundation for understanding Kundalini Yoga - where the tradition comes from, what to expect in a class, how you can practice it on your own, what the benefits are, and why you might want to try it. She shares how she found Kundalini Yoga (or how it found her) after suffering from chronic Epstein Barr and debilitating fatigue and anxiety. We also talk about living an authentic life.

In the "You Want Me To Do What??" section, Shanna shares about taking a Kundalini Yoga class with Shakti Sita and why she recommends everyone give it a try.

Episode Recap: Interview with Shakti Sita - 2:17, "You Want Me To Do What??" section - 1:00:29

Highlights:

• Everyone has Kundalini energy -- it is your innate power that is stored at the base of your spine that naturally rises throughout your lifetime
• It's challenging to become a new person, but there is a high cost to not becoming a new person...so just become a new person
• Kundalini Yoga is the head of all the yogas and a complete system of yoga
• Almost every kriya (practice) includes four things:
• • Mantra
  • Meditation
  • Yoga
  • Breathwork
• Kundalini Yoga works all 10 bodies:
• • Soul
  • Negative mind
  • Positive mind
  • Neutral mind
  • Physical
  • Arc line
  • Aura
  • Pranic
  • Subtle
  • Radiant
• A complete Kundalini kriya can be completed in 3 minutes
• Kundalini yoga classes can be 60-90 minutes long, consisting of:
• • Lecture
  • Mantra: a mantra to tune in and protection mantra(s)
  • Kriya
  • Gong relaxation
  • Meditation
• Kundalini Yoga helps to strengthen the nervous system
• Research on Kirtan Kriya shows that it helps improve individuals experiencing cognitive decline, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's patients
• Shakti Sita's Top 3 Tips for Living an Authentic Life:
• • Set the intention that you are willing and wanting to change
  • Pray and look for mentors and teachers for the path you are on
  • Recommit daily to your own bravery and choice

Resources:

Where to find Shakti Sita Kaur:

• Website: https://thepallas.com/
• Instagram: @shakti_sita_
• YouTube: The Pallas x Shakti Sita

Fist of Anger kriya: https://youtu.be/wKoF2ktHsBE

White Sun mantra music: https://www.whitesun.com/

Kundalini yoga tune in mantra: https://youtu.be/7b3uFK01-u4

Sarbang Dande kriya: https://youtu.be/SkqrjU0ku2Y

Yogi Bhajan Library of Teachings: https://www.libraryofteachings.com/

Research on Kirtan Kriya: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5540331/

Feng Shui is more than just about designing your home. It's a manifesting method that uses both tangible and energetic elements that can help you create the life you deserve. In this episode, we learn the foundational principles of feng shui and how to apply them from Kristina Hollinger, a certified feng shui consultant. Kristina explains her three step process and gives lots of other applicable tips for trying out feng shui in your life and home.

In the "You Want Me To Do What??" section, Shanna talks about initially feeling overwhelmed with the feng shui principles, but how she broke it down to her two favorite concepts: energy clearing and decluttering with intention. Nicole shares about trying out the red arrow wealth adjustment, and the things that manifested shortly after her trying it out.

Episode Recap: Interview with Kristina Hollinger - 1:24, "You Want Me To Do What??" section - 48.17

Highlights:

• Feng Shui is a tangible way to tackle life's problems
• Feng Shui has transcendental cures and mundane cures:
• • Transcendental: things you can do in your space to change the energy to align with your desires
  • Mundane: physical things you do in your home that are visible
• No matter what school of feng shui you follow, it's all about your intentions
• First start with the bagua map, a nine square grid that divides your home into the nine areas of your life
• Start with your front door because that is where opportunities, prosperity and abundance enters your home
• The bagua map can be applied to any space, not just your home
• The five elements in feng shui are wood, water, fire, earth and metal
• Decluttering and cleaning is a fundamental step in feng shui
• Space clearing with sound and/or sacred plants (ie. sage, palo santo) helps move stagnant energy
• Declutter tips:
• • Move or get rid of 27 things
  • Put clothes that you *might* want to get rid of in a bag and off to the side for 2-3 weeks, then get rid of them if you don't use them
  • If you are struggling with letting go of certain items, think of what the story is behind the items to see if that helps you with letting them go
• When you say no to something, you are opening up to other possibilities
• Your home is an affirmation of the life you desire
• Feng Shui is a continual practice; as your life changes, you can make changes to your environment
• Kristina's top 3 feng shui tips:
• • Get familiar with the bagua map
  • Apply the elements
  • Clean with intention

Resources:

Where to find Kristina Hollinger:

• Website: https://kristinahollinger.com/
• Instagram: @kristina.hollinger
• Teaching from the Heart with Feng Shui by Kristina Hollinger