Disclaimer: This post will not include any mention of coconut oil. Relieved? We get it – as much as we love coconut oil, it's gotten a lot of play lately. That’s why we decided to share some of our favorite, under-the-radar, 100% natural face oils.

Why face oils? Once the enemy of skincare ingredients (hello, "oil-free"), oil is now experiencing a much-deserved redemption. This is because organic, natural oils are some of the most nutrient dense and antioxidant-rich elements on earth. They're also loaded in good fats and vitamins, both things which your skin absolutely loves -- and needs -- to function optimally. 

But enough from us -- let's dive into the rundown! 

Broccoli Seed Oil 

• What it is: It is what it sounds like: Oil derived from broccoli! More specifically, broccoli seed oil is extracted from the tiny seeds of broccoli sprouts. (Crazy, right?)
• Why you should care: The health benefits of broccoli have long been heralded, but it's only recently that the oil derived from this go-to veggie has gained attention. It's been touted as the next big anti-aging oil, thanks to its super potent antioxidant activity. It's also filled with Vitamin A, aka natural retinol, which is lauded for its anti-aging properties. Furthermore, it's filled with essential fatty acids, which can act as potent moisturizing agents when applied topically. Lastly, it closely mimics chemical silicone such as dimethicone, making it a healthy and all-natural alternative.
• Where to find it: Marie Veronique Barrier Restore Serum

Rosehip Seed Oil

• What it is: Rosehip seed oil is an oil harvested from the seeds that grow on rose bushes, specifically the Rosa moschata variety. Fancy, huh? 
• Why you should care: Light, delicate, and fast-absorbing, rosehip seed oil is kind of like the discreet, grand dame of face oils. When extracted using a cold-press process (which, incidentally, is something you should always look for when buying oils for both skincare and food), it contains crazy-high levels of antioxidants and essential fatty acids. It’s particularly high in Vitamin A and Vitamin C; the former contains super small molecules that are able to deeply penetrate and heal the skin. FYI, because it’s so fragile, you’ll need to take care to store this oil in a cool, dark place.
• Where to find it: Mountain Rose Herbs Rosehip Seed Oil 

Sea Buckthorn Oil

• What it is: An oil extracted from the seeds and berries of the sea buckthorn plant, which is a hearty, mountain-indigenous shrub. (Yep, it’s not from the ocean!)
• Why you should care: This seriously potent oil has long been used in folk cultures to treat infections, heal wounds, and even help with digestion. It’s loaded in beta carotene, omega-3s, the rare omega-7, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E, all of which assist in doing things like fighting free radicals, accelerating collagen production, and protecting the skin. It’s so potent that using it neat can be a lot for your skin, which is why we recommend using it in a blended formula.
• Where to find it: Grown Alchemist Antioxidant Facial Oil

Evening Primrose Oil

• What it is: An oil derived from the seeds of the primrose flower, a wildflower native to eastern and central North America.
• Why you should care: Evening primrose oil is another lighter, easily absorbed oil that is loaded in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. It's also a purported hormone balancer and a fantastic anti-inflammatory agent, which makes it the perfect oil for addressing skin flare-ups around that time of the month. Like rosehip seed oil, this is very fragile oil and is best kept refrigerated. 
• Where to find it: Mountain Rose Herbs Evening Primrose Oil

Buying healthy foods may be the best way to spend your money, but that doesn’t negate the fact that it can be pretty pricey. This is especially true if you’re seeking out top-quality ingredients like organic produce and grass-feed, free-range, and/or hormone-free meats. Indeed, in today’s fast food economy many people simply can’t afford to eat healthfully. But this issue isn’t insurmountable – there are ways to shop for top-rate ingredients on a budget. Ahead, we’re sharing some of them.

Get to know your butcher

With meat, it’s best to go to the source. Not only are you getting a higher quality product, you have the option to buy in bulk. You can save upwards of 35% if you do so; look to split the cost (and the meat!) with your family and friends. If you really get to know your butcher, discuss regularly buying in bulk for a preferred rate.

Hit the farmer’s market

Farmer’s markets are an amazing way to support local industry, shop affordably, and get access to the freshest ingredients out there. I love the farmer’s market for produce, but also for staples like milk, eggs, bread, and even fish and meats. A trick I have is actually to hit the market at the end of the day. Yes, the selection is more limited, but you’re more likely to be able to strike up a deal and get products at a discount, including "ugly" or lightly bruised fruits and veg. (Also, I have found fishmongers are willing to bargain with you in order to sell off inventory at the day’s end.) Signing up for a CSA or negotiating a bulk discount rate with your local grower are two other smart ways to save money, too.

Buy staples in bulk

Shopping the bulk section of the grocery store is a must if you're trying to save money. I use this area to buy things like nuts (and nut butter!), seeds, legumes, oats, and grains. These staples are always more competitively priced than their branded and packaged counterparts.

Check out ethnic markets

These are great places to pick up things like spices, seasonings, and condiments like tahini or tamari at a more affordable price. Amina loves hitting them to shop for things like exotic fruits, too -- noted! 

Sales!

Grocery stores and health markets alike always have items on discount. Seek out those sales and meal plan around them. Alternatively, if a product you know and love goes on sale – such as your favorite olive oil or peanut butter – buy a bunch at a time and save yourself some money down the road.

Get thee some canned fish

Supermarket seafood is notoriously expensive, but canned seafood is a whole different story. There is plenty of really delicious, high-quality canned fish out there for a fraction of the price. One of our favorites is Wild Planet Foods, which operates sustainably and uses BPA-free cans.

Go frozen!

Buying fresh fruits and veggies can be really expensive, which is why it’s worth checking out their frozen counterparts. Not only are they more affordable, new research suggests that they’re more nutritious, too. That’s because frozen fruits are picked ripe and then frozen, making them more nutrient-rich than their fresh counterparts that have been hanging around on a shelf (or on an airplane) for days.

When in doubt, DIY

Don’t have the dough to shell out for a fancy protein bars or prepackaged snacks? Make them at home! From almond butter cups to protein snowballs, we have plenty of suggestions for DIY snacks on the blog, or check out this protein bar recipe Amina just posted on her Instagram. By making your own snacks like these, you’ll save money and be healthier, too.

As a marketing professional whose career was skyrocketing in her mid-twenties, Busy Happy Healthy’s founder, Amina AlTai, seemingly had it all: The titles, the accomplishments, the “success.” But underneath her high-achieving professional persona existed someone who was utterly struggling, health-wise. Not only were her chronic health issues debilitating, they were infringing on her all-important happiness. So after years of (taxing) success, Amina decided to take a step back and embark on the most important to-do of her entire life: Wellness. 

Busy Happy Health is the manifestation of Amina’s belief that busy, ambitious people of all stripes do not need to sacrifice their health and, consequently, their happiness in the pursuit of “success.” Ahead, we conduct a much-overdo interview to talk to Amina about her wellness journey and health philosophy, her favorite snacks, and her surprising spirit animal. Read on. 

MEET BUSY HAPPY HEALTHY

Hey! Who are you? 

Serious but silly middle child. Type A minus.  Lover of all things natural and healthy. Peacekeeper and perfection-hater.  Super curious, well accessorized and a good time.  

How does the mission of BHH pertain to your own life story? 

I once believed that what I did was who I was.  I believed it so strongly that I almost worked myself into the ground.  I started my first company at 22, wrote my first book at 25 and became a director that same year. On paper, I was very successful, but I felt terrible. I developed two autoimmune diseases and was having memory troubles by the age of 26.   I was so deprived of proper nutrition that I nearly went bald (no joke).  That was enough for me. We often put ourselves and our needs last in service of others; thinking that taking care of ourselves is somehow selfish. But something about that is counterintuitive; because if we want to live our best, most inspired lives we need to feel our best. Right?
 
As it turns out, our greatest challenges are our greatest gifts. My struggles with weight and disease were my body telling me something about my lifestyle and who I was meant to be. I searched high and low to find the right help. After visiting seven different doctors who looked at me like I was crazy, I finally found one who was willing to partner with me.  After a long recovery, I realized there was a major knowledge gap.  No one was teaching us how to take care of the most important assets we’ll ever possess: Our bodies.  So, I went in search of certifications and schools that could help me use my story for the highest good.   

I knew right away that I could be of service to corporate America. Everyone is working so hard and there’s no time or proper information to support our well-being.  And changes have to start at the top.  A healthy work culture is pervasive and it needs be a c-level decision to invest in people and working well.  

How did you discover / uncover your passion for wellness? 

There are several reasons. To begin, both of my parents are in allopathic medicine.  They wanted me to be a doctor but I didn’t like the hospital environment. It always felt so sterile and absent of real healing vibes.  But I’d always been interested in wellness and preventative medicine.  I used to read their medical books (and freak out over any weird skin ailments!), along with Shape and Fitness magazines starting at the age of ten.

From there, I’d say nutrition was my lead-in. I struggled with weight during my adolescence and woke up one day and decided the baggage was too much to bear.  So, I taught myself how to eat healthy and exercise (thanks, Shape! Seriously!) and I lost 60 pounds in one year. Now I’ve been the same weight most of my adult life; family members would always come to me for meal plans. So while most girls were going on their first dates I was reading about Gary Null and Dr. Andrew Weil.  #MegaNerd

Eventually, I started reading more about the mind-body connection. The Dalai Lama piqued my interest in meditation when I read his books at seventeen. But, like most of us, I lost myself a bit in my early twenties and had to go really far wrong in order to come back to my wellness roots.  

What is training with you like? 

It depends, as every dynamic is different depending on whom I’m coaching and what we’re working on. (But if you come to my spin class you’ll likely get a fun but no mercy – or bitching! – work out.)   

With that said, if you’re engaging me for nutrition coaching there’s lots of “hand holding,” but I’m no pushover.  If you want to change your body and your mind, you’ve got to work for it.  On the other hand, I am known for mailing my clients surprise healthy snack packages and cards. I always try to think what I’d want out of a coach—someone who is going to get me results and leave me better than they found me and have a bit of fun along the way. I look forward to working with my clients and I want them to feel the same way.

WELLNESS AND YOU

In your opinion "wellness" means...

I believe everything is balance.  It’s healthy relationships, managed stress, good eats, sound sleep, workouts, a job you love, play time etc.  If just one area of your life is off, it can wreak havoc on everything else.  

Your favorite wellness foods are... 

Kombucha, seeds (they’re so great for women!), all the berries #CantGetEnough, wild fish, and what lady doesn’t love dark chocolate? 

Your favorite workout is...

I love spinning and biking.  I’ve had a bike since I could speak. Seriously.  At the age of three I dragged my mom into a store and told her I’d be her “best friend” (#manipulative) if she got me a red, shiny bike.  Needless to say, she caved and I’ve loved riding ever since.  Indoors or outdoors, I get the same sense of freedom.  I love it so much. It doesn’t always feel like a full body workout so I’ll do my own spin boot camps at home where I’m hopping on and off the bike to do abs, arms, etc.  

Your go-to snack is... 

Blackberries.  I try hard to rotate my snacks but berries are so great!  I put them in a little Tupperware and tote them around with me wherever I go.  Also, I recently wrote a post on my fave travel snacks you can see here. And, finally, I’m very into Santosha chocolate right now, not necessarily as a snack. A square or two for dessert is heaven. 

Your favorite self-care activity is... 

I LOVE working out. Nothing helps my stress or my brain more.  But one of my 2017 goals is to “do less and be more” so nowadays if I have an extra fifteen minutes I don’t bang out another blog post or do some squats, instead I just straight up sprawl out on the ground. Nothing feels more grounding than laying face down on the floor. (I hope my chiropractor doesn’t read this, he’ll kill me.)

Your favorite healthy restaurant is...

Ahhh, so many!! I love Dirt Candy for a special occasion, Candle 79 because it’s where I had one of my first dates with my hubs, Peacefood for being so convenient and consistently good, Jivamukti for an awesome Buddha bowl, Bliss Café for killer veggie bowls and Modern Love for awesome vegan comfort food.  Can we also chat about desserts? Because Erin McKenna’s Bakery is EVERYTHING! I also used to love One Lucky Duck. RIP. 

Your not-so-healthy but still-kinda-healthy treat is... 

I had to put myself in a nut butter time out. And I see this with a lot of healthy ladies… it’s good fats, right, so what’s the big deal? But when we eat it by the bucket load (I’m looking at YOU!) it becomes a tad unhealthy. At the height of my love for it, I was making nut buttercups and they’re actually too good to put in words. You can see the recipe here.

LET'S GET RANDOM

Zodiac sign? The best sign of all, Scorpio!  

Favorite place on earth? Wales. I’m half Welsh and nothing feeds my soul more than the Welsh countryside. Sheep for days.

Desert island movie, book, and song? Movie: Wizard of Oz, Book: Revolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl because I’ll likely need a good laugh. Songs are so hard. If you know me, you know that I sing at least a dozen different songs to myself at any given time. So I guess I’d be my own iPod.

Spirit animal? Betty White.

Each week women pour into my office tired but wired; stressed out and reporting symptoms such as hair loss, sensitivity to cold and difficulty losing weight. Doctors used to consider these classic hypothyroid symptoms, but only now practitioners examining the role of our adrenals in this complicated health conundrum.

The adrenals are the masters of all hormones. They regulate our body's stress response, also known as our fight or flight response. They work to secrete some of our most important hormones such as pregnenolone, adrenaline, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA and cortisol. When our bodies are in a constant state of stress, we tax our adrenals and it can cause a hormonal ricochet effect. And low adrenal function (due to ongoing taxation) can cause a diminished thyroid function to become much worse.

According to my dear friend and doctor of Chinese medicine, Dr. Sarah Emily Sajdak, hypothyroidism and adrenal fatigue are often caused by  “Spleen Qi Deficiency.” In Traditional Chinese Medicine the Spleen is in charge of receiving food and fluids we ingest, and transforming them into useful nutrients needed to fuel our body. When the Spleen underperforms, you might experience fatigue, low appetite, and generally feel “slow.” Untransformed fluids will build up, causing weight gain, puffiness, bloating and/or constipation.  

So what can we do about it?

Remove stimulants:

• 86 the caffeine as it’s likely part of the reason your adrenals are fatigued to begin with.  Caffeine stimulates the brain and each sip of coffee sends a message to your pituitary glands signaling your adrenals to produce cortisol and adrenaline.  As a result, on-going consumption of coffee causes our bodies to be in constant fight or flight mode.  No thanks!

 Supplement:

• Ashwagandha is a powerful adaptogen and is a strong choice when it comes to adrenal support as it works to lower cortisol, the stress hormone. Holy basil and licorice roots are two other adaptogens know to provide powerful adrenal support.
• Get your B vitamins on: Low levels of B vitamins, especially B12, are linked with adrenal stress. (FYI, low levels of B vitamins are found commonly in women and also in vegetarians.
• Magnesium has also been reported to be a strong support when it comes to healthy adrenals. Plus, it can also lessen symptom of PMS and support sleep.

Manage your stress:

• Being under constant stress can make adrenal fatigue and thyroid issues go from bad to worse. Here at BHH we’re big proponents of meditation and breath work to manage stress. Getting yourself into a daily practice can really go a long way. See some of our exercises here.

Eat sea vegetables:  

• For my hypothyroid patients, I commonly recommend a regimen that includes iodine-rich foods such as sea vegetables.  Kelp, arame, hiziki, kombu and wakame are all iodine-rich options that can be worked into salads, buddha bowls or as great sides.  They contain anywhere from 10-2000% the recommended daily value of iodine so they’re perfect foods for thyroid support.  

Avoid raw cruciferous vegetables:

• Hypothyroid sufferers should be wary of cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, kale and broccoli.  These foods, though very healthy for some, contain goitrogens which can prevent the absorption of iodine—a much needed mineral for healthy thyroid function.

Try acupuncture:

• “Using acupuncture and Chinese herbs, I will usually boost the Spleen’s energy so it can better perform its function of transforming nutrients into energy,” says Sarah. “This can be roughly translated as boosting and strengthening the digestive system and overall metabolism.” Sounds good to us!

Check in with your doctor:

• Thyroid imbalances, especially hyperthyroidism, can be extremely dangerous.  If you suspect you may have thyroid impairment, schedule an appointment with a knowledgeable endocrinologist in your area.  They will likely test your TSH, T3, T4 and reverse T3 to get the full picture of how your thyroid is functioning.  

So many of my clients live life on the go. They’re big shot entrepreneurs, brilliant consultants and next-gen thinkers that are globe-trotting and running to all four corners of the world on the regular. 

One of the biggest challenges I hear about their lifestyle is eating well while logging so much travel. They know all too well how vital a healthy diet and routine is -- especially when they’re working and thinking at such a high level -- but as they’re eating out more and leaving more of their meals to chance, macronutrient intake might get thrown off. This usually means more sugar and carbs and less quality greens and protein. So how can you prepare? Protein bars are usually full of sugar, trail mixes are loaded with gluten and preservatives and even salads are doused in dressings made from who-knows-what. So, for those times when you can’t control your schedule or where your meals are coming from, I came up with this protein bar. 

It’s low glycemic, high protein, and absurdly delicious.  All you need is:

• 1 cup of almond meal
• ½ a cup of coconut flour
• ½ a cup of cashew butter
• 1/3 a cup of dried blueberries (unsweetened)
• ½ a tbs of coconut oil
• ½ a cup of vegan protein powder (I used Sunwarrior Tribe)
• A dash of salt

Mix all of the dry ingredients together with the cashew butter.  Add in the coconut oil and mix until all ingredients are well blended.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and roll out the dough so that it is roughly half an inch thick.  Freeze for 15 minutes. 

Once the mixture is solid, cut into 10 servings.  You can store in an air-tight container in the fridge or individually wrap each one and store in the fridge until you’re ready to take with you. 

If making your own protein bars is too much work for your tight schedule, you can always check out my favorite travel snacks, too!