The 4 Simple Things You Can Do For Your Health TODAY - Realistic Wellness with Kate Eskuri

Hello and welcome back to the Yoga Magic podcast, I'm your host Ashley, I'm so glad you're tuning in everyone. If you're new here, this is a show all about self-care, self-discovery, I'm a longtime yoga teacher, I'm a huge astrology enthusiast, and a certified health and wellness coach and I just love bringing realistic wellness ideas to your ears each week. And of course, it's a little astrological influence. We have kind of a big event happening literally right as this is airing friends in the skies at the moment. So November 17, 2023, Amar's Kazimi is happening in Scorpio, and you're like, what the heck? What is a Kazimi? I love that word, Kazimi. You've heard me use this term in the past. A Kazimi is when a planet comes into an exact conjunction or, like, together with the sun. And you hear about Mercury Kazimi is quite a bit, even Venus Kazimi is, but Mars is actually kind of rare. It only happens about every two years. And now, Mars is the planet of motivation, a fire of action. And when I talk about Mars as it relates to your wellness routines, your health, it can be a few things. It can be one, your motivation, like what gets you to actually do those routines, do those things that you set out to do, do the self care that you want to do? How do you do that? And then two, it can also be a great indication of your triggers. Like what kind of derails you? What makes you feel really frustrated? What lights a fire under your butt in order to actually take action? So, when Mars is hanging out with the sun, we really think of this as a starting of something new. There's that motivation. The sun brings extra energy in. And because it's in the sign of Scorpio, it's something new, starting something new that can be potentially very transformative. Scorpio is our sign of transformation. And there's a boldness to Mars. There's this willingness to get a little spicy to take risks. Think of this as the start to something kind of crazy, but good crazy. Something that's going to set action into motion, something that's potentially related to your transformation or transformation of something, a project, a job, something that you've been wanting to start now is a really great time. And, you know, with Kazimis, it's important to pay attention, right? It's important to listen. I like to think of these as like an influx of information. I use the word pings. That's a 2B magnetic term, pings, so like information that comes in. And those little intuitive hits that, you know, that like leads you closer to your desired path. They don't always make sense. That information doesn't always make sense when it comes in. But when you listen and you act on those pings, those little information, you can see that it leads you further down your path and eventually it all kind of makes sense. Like, oh, yeah, that's what I was doing here. That's why I landed here because I took this action. So listen up my friends. It's going to be kind of a fun couple of years. This is the start of another two year process. But if you feel you're noticing that excitement, that transformative energy, that extra fire right now, boldness, you're tapping into the Mars, Kazimis and Scorpio. Okay, my friends, let's get to our awesome guest today, Kate Escuri, a realistic health wellness extraordinaire. She's a registered nurse with her doctorate and a private health coach. And she's on yoga magic, sharing just a couple of ways that you can make the most bang for your buck with your health and wellness routines. I admittedly really love Kate. I love her content. I love the way she relays information. I love her positive and real representation of motherhood. So we talk about that about what she's putting out into the world, this joyful motherhood, which I really love to receive as a mother, but also like to put out myself. And how sometimes that's not for everybody. And I think that's okay. Being real on social media is all we can do. But what is for everyone are her really simple tips on optimal health and wellness. We love to overcomplicate things here in our society. And the things that make the world of difference are really those simple daily routines that we can do right away. They're not easy, but they are doable with some forethought and some planning. And I really love this combo. I hope you do too. We also talked about her favorite go to lunch recipes. What is a typical day in the life for her? Some health and wellness claims that we can be really weary of. And of course, what she's currently reading. If you want to learn more about Kate, you want to subscribe to her. She's offering yoga magic listeners a discount to subscribe. You can get 20% off by visiting KateSgraySubstack.com/pod. So check that out in the show notes. And if you enjoyed this episode, friends, please, please share it with someone that might benefit from all the great tips. This is a free resource that I hope really makes it to the ears of the right people. So thank you for sharing it. I'm so glad you're here. You can follow me along @ashley.sunderguard and be sure to tune in each Thursday for more health and wellness ideas, self-care, astrology, all the good stuff. Let's get to our conversation with KateSgray. Hi, Kate. Welcome to the Yoga Magic Podcast. I'm so excited to have you here. How is your morning so far going? It's going really well. My husband works 12 hour shifts at a hospital. And so he'll be like on for like a week straight and then off for a week straight. And so right now he's on his off stage. So we've had a really nice morning where my son slept in. So we're both kind of rested and now Adam is with Miles. So I get to just sit with you uninterrupted and I'm really excited. Oh, that's nice. That makes it. I'm sure like a lot of intensity and then kind of relaxation like big variations for sure. Yeah. There's a ton of variation. Like I feel I know we might talk about this today, but like a classic day in my life looks so different week to week just based on like the rhythms of our family and what Adam shifts are and what's going on for me for work. But it is one of those things where you know the weeks where there's this open space. It's so beautiful. And then like next week will be a grind. And that's life. There's really nice to it. But yeah, right now I am in the blissful week off with him having to like, you know, be home and then we can split parenting duties. So it's just really nice to sit with you today. Yeah. Thank you. I before I let you tell the world who you are, I just have to admit I we've had babies around the same time. I had my third daughter the time around the time you had miles. And I am always seeking out Mama's on social media that are honest, but they're they're joyful about motherhood. And honestly, you're you pop to the top of the list because you have fun as a mom. And I just really appreciate that. So I wanted to tell you that top of the hour like it's so nice to see other moms enjoying this because it's fun. It is it's interesting because I agree 100% and I genuinely love being a mom. And some days are long. And like both of those things are true. But I feel like on social media in particular like I've got more like pushback from sharing that joyful side of motherhood than I ever had before kids. Because people are like it's unrealistic or like the days are long. I'm like I'm not saying they're not long. But I'm also like genuinely enjoying the stage of my life and being a mom and I have fun with my kid. And some days I'm like oh my god one is bedtime. Both of those things are true. But I feel like unless you're sharing like the oh motherhood is a grind and it's like people and again that is true sometimes. And I do try to share those moments. But like most of the time I love being a mom and I have fun being a mom and you saying that means a lot and it's it's interesting because I'll get so many DMs like not necessarily comments but DMs that are like I just want to say how much I appreciate you being positive about motherhood. I feel the same way but I feel like I can't share that with my friends because it feels like bragging or whatever. And it's like it's become I'm so glad the challenges of motherhood are talked about more openly now because they're real and they're valid and not everyone has a great experience. And like I do have a unique setup where like I just said my husband is off this week. So we're splitting parenting duties like that's unique. But then like next week when he's working 12-hour shifts and he's literally gone from the moment Miles wakes up to the Miles goes to bed. I'm in the thick of it too and I'm also trying I'm a working mom as well. And it's one of those things where it's like yes those weeks are long but like I love being a mom. And so I have had to kind of stay to me being authentic is sharing that journey. And so it just means a lot when I get comments like that from you or others where I'm like okay you know people won't positive voices on motherhood it might rub some people the wrong way but I'm not going to not share that. Yeah no I appreciate it so much and I think having people like you showing us what's possible and showing us that like it is really positive it's really joyful and it can be really useful. I mean yeah it's hard at times like it can be useful. I think that's helping some of the younger generations who are being told that motherhood is so hard that you keep like oh scaring them away and we don't we don't need that like that was me when I was young I was so afraid and now I'm like oh my gosh this is the best I love it. So tell listeners who you are like some of the work that you do anything that you want to share with with the audience. Yeah, well, first of all, I'm honored to be here. My name is Kate. I am a registered nurse by trade and then I went back and got my doctorate degree specialized in integrative health. So I feel like I'm kind of in the gray area with medicine. Like I love crunchy natural holistic remedies and I also very much respect and understand modern medicine. So my whole career has kind of just been about that sweet spot. Like I love, you know, looking at randomized control trials and finding the evidence on something but I like looking at the evidence of say vitamin D or, you know, like raky or massage. Like these modalities do have evidence behind them. But so often they're just kind of cast aside. It's like, oh, well, that won't make a difference. But so many natural remedies are so powerful. And so for me, you know, I have this career and I guess more personal mindset where if I have a health concern, I'm always going to kind of start with the natural remedy and then, you know, try another natural remedy, another natural remedy. And if that doesn't work, I will happily take a medication. I will, you know, do a more modern medicine thing. I'm not all one way or the other. I just like to start more natural. And so I started sharing that kind of attitude online almost five years ago, which is crazy. And I started sharing it on a blog and my Instagram and then with time, it has evolved into a sub-stack subscription where I just show up one to two times a week with realistic health advice and kind of that sweet spot on holistic, yet evidence-backed approaches to health. And then I also teach at a university. So I teach online part-time, just kind of utilize my doctorate in that way. And that blend feels really nice to me where it's like, I do have my own business, but I also have a quote-unquote real job. And I like doing both of those things. So that's kind of a little bit more about just me and my career. But I just feel very at home and aligned in what I'm doing, which I'm thankful to say because I definitely did not always feel that way as a nurse. Oh yeah, definitely. That's, that's, so I didn't really that you were teaching too. That's so cool. So then do you take, because I know you're a health coach as well. Did you do your health at Mayo? I think I remember seeing it. Do you do clients in that way? Yeah, so that's something I'm kind of, you know, peeling back the curtain. I'm trying to figure out what I have the bandwidth for right now. I run a group health coaching program foundations while being twice a year. And I love, love, love it. I have taken very few one-on-one health coaching clients and I adore it. But it's just like I said, it's hard to schedule with what, you know, our family ebbs and flows where it's like, I can't commit to weekly because Adam might be working 12 that day. And so I've been trying to find, I'll say it's something I want to do more of, but right now at this season of life, I'm just very limited on what I can do. And I typically will work with people that have a flexible schedule like I do so that we can kind of pick our sessions, you know, in a way that works for my family schedule. Yeah, I hear that intentionality behind. It's like you're doing what you love, but it's also realistic with what you can do with a little one with the, you know, the setup that you and your partner have. And again, that's something that I really admire about, you know, the work that you're in, the content that you're putting out there. And you know, I'm curious, like I love the perspective of this intentionality. And I think again, you're so good at that. That lends itself to saying, you know, I want to go all in on something like this, but then maybe I can't do something else. Do you feel that? And like how does that show up for you? Maybe the yeses in the nose. Oh, that's a good question. I think this is something I've learned. I don't know if you know that any gram, but I'm a type seven. I want to do it all. Everything seems fun. I have an idea and I'm taking action that day. But with time and especially these last few years, I've just had this like mantra of like I have time, I have time, I have time. Like I can have goals and things I want to do and trips I want to take and businesses I want to start. I don't have to do it all right now. And I think just finding the peace in that that life is life is short, but life kind of is long. I have decades in front of me. Like, you know, I have time to do all these things I want to do. And so just really being clear on what my yeses and my nose are in this season of life. And that will look different than when I was in grad school. And that will look different than before I had kids. And that will look different than in the future when I have multiple kids. Like it will ebb and flow. But I think just being clear on the type of human I want to be in an all-encompassing way. Like I love being a mom, but I love having my own business. I love working. I love friends. I love traveling. I love, you know, cooking XYZ and making sure that like those core pillars of who I am are being met. And then if there's extra space, like, okay, now I can take action on that quote unquote extra thing. But I think for anyone listening, like de-stilling, kind of those core things that make you thrive. For me, it's like my health, motherhood, and my marriage. And my business, like those are kind of like the three main pillars of, you know, what encompasses like a day that feels fulfilling to me. And then the extra space is like, you know, moments with, you know, friends and trips and date nights and like, you know, an extra business project where it's like you are not going to have the space to do everything all the time. So distilling what's most important to you, most fills your cup and then making peace with the fact that like you can't do it all. Life is long and like what extra things can you do in this stage of life? I'm so glad that you included health in there. And you said at first, like, you need your health in order to do all the other things. Like, if you don't have the energy and you don't feel good, I feel this just like on a visceral level. Like, it's, you can't even get started. It's so hard. Yeah. Totally. And for me, like, health is a core pillar of who I am. Like, it's what I'm passionate about. It's what I'm training. It's what I'm educated on. Sure. But more so than that, it's like a part of me. And like you just said, I can't be the mom I want to be if I am feeling lethargic and brain fog and irritable and, you know, not taking care of myself. I can't show up to my business in a way that I want to. If, you know, I'm constantly in a fight or flight state and I'm stressed out and I'm XYZ. Like, to me, taking care of my health trickles into every other area of my life. And I totally understand that that can be like kind of annoying to hear because health is super easy to put on the back burner where you're like, well, so-and-so need me, I have to do this. This is my job. I don't have time. XYZ, like, it's not always easy to prioritize your health. And it's not for me either. Like, sometimes I'm like, okay, I really don't want to do this. But I know on the other side of that action of health, I'm going to show up better in the rest of my life. And to me, that is like so motivating. And just this cheesy saying of like, you can have all the money in the world, you can have all these things, you can have success in so many ways. If you don't have your health, like, you don't have anything, you know, so it's like, I'm here for longevity. I'm here for quality of life. You know, I, to me, when I picture a successful life, being healthy and vibrant and feeling energetic in my body for the long haul is like, to me, one of the first things I picture. Yeah. And you know, we think about retirement as like, oh, this thing we're working towards. And if you're not healthy, you're never going to be able to enjoy it. It's like starting now. I know that's such a long-term vision, because we're still really young, but it starts now. Yeah, I'm so with you. It's so true. Yeah. Yesterday, actually, like, I sent out a sub-stack post about like viewing your body like a car, and it's so cheesy. I saw that. You know, I had this one health coaching client, and he was just a total man's man, and I was just kind of like, not really reaching him on why it mattered that like his vital signs were being worrisome. And finally, I'm like, okay, picture, if you have one car the rest of your life, you have one car, you, if it breaks down, you cannot get another one. Like, this is it. Like, how would you take care of it? And he instantly was like, I get regular oil changes. I put the best fuel in. I'd keep it so clear. X, Y, Z going through all these things. And I'm like, that is your body. You get this one body. Like, if it breaks down, you can't just get a new one. And so, you know, just viewing that mindset for me, even is very helpful. Like, this body that I'm sitting in right now at age 29 is the same body that I'll have when I'm 60, and sure, sell turnover. And, you know, technically, it will be the new body. But, you know, this is my one being. And so for me, that helps me connect with that long-term vision, because I think for so many people, like you said, that retirement age can seem so far away. But it's like, no, no, no, it will be this body in three decades. So what I'm doing now will totally have an impact then. And that's super motivating for me. Yeah, I'm going to resonate with that, with that client. Sometimes it's especially when we're like in different, totally different humans. It's like, how do you connect to that? I love that parallel. Thinking more on the mechanics said, no, okay, so health and wellness. There's so many levers to pull, right? Like, there's so many things that we can do. And I just, like, it's an area that I'm obviously very interested in too. And I feel so much overwhelmed, even as a quote unquote expert in this area, I like, where do we go? What levers do we pull? What, you know, what levers do you like? Like, what are the focuses for you under that health and wellness umbrella? - Yeah, I think that's a beautiful question and kind of going back to like, I have time, I have time, life is long. You know, there was a season of my life pre-kids where it's like, I could wake up and have the fancy morning routine. But now it's like, okay. On the days where atoms at work, I'm primary parent, I'm on all day, I'm also trying to get work done. Like, what are the most bang for my buck things? And, you know, in my course, the foundation's well-being, I walk through like eight key pillars of wellness. But the first three that I focus on are whole food nutrition. So really focusing on like, clean ingredients, nourishing meals, where it's not just like, you know, iceberg lettuce with ranch slathered on top. It's like, that's not gonna fill you up. That's not gonna satisfy you. So teaching people to build meals around like, protein, veggies, healthy fat, fiber, like eating to feel full, eating to have like joy and feeling satisfied after a meal. I think that is a key pillar. I think hydration is a key pillar. And let's see, I think sleep is a key pillar and exercise. So those are like, you know, the most obvious things. But our world loves to tell us like, take this one supplement, go to this one, you know, fitness class for an hour each day. And you're like, I don't have time for this. I can't do everything. So it's like, instead of over-complicating it and making it feel like it has to be fancy, focusing on the food you eat, having some water, getting good sleep. I think those are going to transform your health if you're consistent. And then the exercise piece. And, you know, I think with exercise in particular, people are like, well, if I don't have time for like, you know, a four mile run, or if I don't have time for an hour long workout, like what's even the point? And in this motherhood stage of life, you know, most of my quote unquote workouts are going on a walk, pushing my son in a stroller. And then squeezing in like a 15 minute at home strength workout while he naps. Like that is my quote unquote workout routine. But it's like, in that makes a difference. That keeps me healthy. That is helping my bone density and feeling fit and strong. And so I think for in all those areas, we get so obsessed with being perfect. Like, oh, well, I didn't go to bed at 10 PM. So what's even the point now? And it's like, just do the best you can that day in those key pillars. And like your health will transform. Mm hmm. Yes, oh my gosh, it's, I'm laughing a little because I like to get ahead of myself too. And I think a lot of people that like love to learn about health and wellness, like, I mean, give me an infrared sonic, give me NAD therapy. Like we're just like all over the place, you know? But like, you're so right, it's the basics. And it's the things that are free. It's the things that don't cost anything. And they really don't, they don't take a ton of time. And they, I mean, they take some energy, right? It takes some energy to move and to make real food. But those core tenets just coming back to that. And you know, when someone has trouble with that, when that's hard to get to those basics, like, what do you think can help? I know you talked about just like whittling it down. But any other tips to like make it accessible? Oh my god, totally. Because, you know, I say it like it's so easy. Like, oh, eat healthy, go to bed. But it's like, that can be hard a busy day. I think the one thing I love to have people focus on is food. Like, let food be thy medicine. I think the food we eat is truly one of the most impactful ways to upgrade our health. But it's not always easy to get healthy food on the plate. So like, an example in my own life, I would love to like home cook a lunch every day. I don't have the time for that. So for me, most of my lunches look like a pre-made, big salad kit. I go to the co-op in my town that has an organic option. So I have an organic salad kit. I plop some pre-made mortisserie chicken on it. And I plop half an avocado on it. Boom, boom, boom. I have veggies, I have protein, I have healthy fat. That keeps me full. And it takes literally three minutes to assemble. And I think, you know, with. And sure, I'm paying probably a dollar extra to like get the pre-made salad kit. This was something I had to wrestle with where. I'm like, you know, I'm from the Midwest. I'm from a blue collar family. I'm like, I can do it myself. You know, life is supposed to be take hard work at XYZ. And then it's like, buy the pre-shop veggies, buy the pre-made salad kit. Like get your groceries delivered. You are allowed to make like getting healthy food easy. And to me, like sure, it also was like, oh, I don't want to pay 10 bucks to have it delivered. And it's like, that is 10 bucks to like save me time. Make sure it gets here. Where otherwise I might not even go grocery shopping that day. And then I'm scrounging the pantry and, you know, making a meal that doesn't fill me. It's like, if that $10 is the difference between me having, you know, a kitchen stopped with healthy food, why wouldn't I do that? So to me, some ways to make like healthy eating easier is buy the pre-chop stuff, buy like an easy lunch that you can assemble without thinking, you know, I think another great way to like improve your eating is to meal prep in a way that doesn't suck. So for me, like the idea of spending my entire Sunday meal prepping all these different meals and XYZ, I'm like, I don't want to do that. One thing I will do is I'll meal prep two veggies, so I'll roast two veggies. I just chop them up, throw them in at 425, olive oil, salt and pepper. So like a sweet potato, a brussel sprout, whatever. I will batch cook like one protein in one carb, like a quinoa, a noodle, a rice. Though, those are the pillars then for the rest of the week, it's like, if I want a healthy option, I don't have to make the sweet potatoes. I don't have to make the quinoa. It's like it's already made, and those are things that are so versatile and can mix and match. So like that's my version of meal prepping, where to me, I'm just not someone that's gonna, you know, pick out all these fancy recipes and eat the same thing every day for four days. It's like, I like having the key pillars of a healthy meal right there in front of me in a grab and go away. And so I think that can be a great idea for someone that's like, oh, I want to eat healthy. I just struggle to like make the food or make it happen. It's like just take literally one hour. It takes one hour to just meal prep two veggies, a protein and a rice and the rest of the week. You can mix and match those. And if you're having a salad, put a scoop of quinoa on. If you're having a salad, put the roasted sweet potatoes on. Like it creates so much more ease into like creating a satisfying meal instead of just like, oh, I don't have time. I'm gonna quick grab a granola bar from the pantry. Like that's not satisfying. That's not joyful. That's not giving your body what it's wants. So that's a way to make kind of like healthy food more grab and go and excess. - I'm literally like, I should just go to Whole Foods after this and do good to grab those items. It's true. Like that's the sound of meal prepping all Sunday. I just want to hang out with my kids. I don't want to be like cooking. I'm also a terrible cook. But like, and the other thing too that I feel like is a good reminder, you know, it doesn't have to be perfect. It doesn't have to be all or nothing, right? That like, like you said, and buy the meal kit, buy the rotisserie chicken. And we don't need to reinvent the wheel every day. We can eat some of the same things. If you like it, like eat the same thing a few times a week. It's all good. - I know, and that's freeing. - That I think people like forget, you know, I was talking about my group health coaching call and literally last week, you know, she's a mom. She is homeschooling her kids. She has a busy day and she's like, I just never know what to make for lunch. And I was like, okay, walk me through like a lunch that you love and she did. And she's like, I'm real, I'm like, so are you someone that like, doesn't mind having the same thing day after day? She's like, oh, I'm totally fine with that. And I'm like, so have that every day. And she's like, it's so simple. But she's like, in my head, I felt like I had to like make something each day or like make something new or whatever. And she's like, it would be so much easier just to have like one to three go to breakfast, one to three go to lunches. And then dinner I think is where people like, a little more variety, I do. But for me, most of my breakfast are like one of three things. It's either like an egg veggie scramble. It's a Greek yogurt bowl or it's a protein pack smoothie. And then my lunch is either like a makeshift chircuterie would just like, you know. - Fun. - Yeah. - And you know, all these things, so easy. Or it's that big pre-made salad with rotisserie chicken and avocado. And it's like, that makes my life easier. It reduces friction. It's like, I know what I'm eating today and what I'm grocery shopping. It's like, I know what I'm gonna have. And those are things that make me feel good. They have great protein, they have good fiber. They're keeping me full. And I don't have to, like you said, reinvent the wheel in order to eat healthy. Okay, so you've kind of given us a glimpse into some of the meals, like the day-to-day being a little bit all over the place. But like I said, I just like appreciate your realistic viewpoint on what health and wellness and just like those routines look like. Can you walk us through a day in the life for you and just like maybe some of the core tenants, but also like where there's flexibility, real life. - Yeah, totally. So I think I'll focus on what my more normal day is, which is when my husband is at work. And so on these days, like truly, my husband has gone from 6.30 a.m. till 8 p.m. So it's like, he's not there for any part of it. So it's me and I'm trying to like, do this balance of, you know, enjoying time with my son taking care of him and then also like, I got work to do. So a day in the life would be miles waking up anywhere from 6.00 a.m. to 8.00 a.m. I wish he was a babe that like always woke up at like 7.00 a.m. or had a little more structure, but I never know. And so the day is where he sleeps in a bed, all like me. We have some time to myself in the morning, sit my coffee, do a little gouache, dry brush, but most of the time I'm kind of like startled away if he wakes up and that, you know, for a while he was waking up super consistently so I was just setting my alarm like 20 minutes earlier to get some time for myself and like that was magic. So I'm trying to get back to that but the last month or so I'm like, I don't know when this boy's waking up so I just kind of roll with it, but he wakes up, I give him, he's always so happy in the morning, I give him a bottle and then we read a book, he like loves reading while he has the bottle, then we go out in the living room and Miles is like better independent play in the morning, I think. So I'll set him in this little like play pen kind of thing, he's a wild child. So he, if he is left his own devices, he is going for the electrical outlet, he's going for the stairs like he is so curious. So I put him in this little play pen and then this is when I'll like tidy up from the night before, I wish I was someone that like cleaned the house before I went to bed but I'm not. So this is when I'll kind of tidy up and get his breakfast ready and then I give him breakfast. So like this morning I left over quinoa with some like leftover pasta sauce for him and then I made like I have eggs made in bulk, I made him eggs and then I had arugula with some olive oil and balsamic for him. So he ate that for breakfast and then that is typically the time where we go on our first walk of the day. This was so much easier in summer, but now it's getting cold in Minnesota, so he's been like 10 minutes bundling him up and trying to find that little mitten and you know XYZ it's such an ordeal, but then once I'm outside I'm like, oh, this is so worth it for both of us. So just getting outside in the fresh air is like huge I think for me and miles. And then yeah, we go on a walk, we come back, we play, he's down to one nap a day. So kind of like the morning is just like time with him. It's always this push pull in the morning of like, I like want to check my email inbox and like feeling the drive to like do work, but I'm also trying to like be present with him and I think that's the hardest part of my day where I feel that like pull of like, oh, my God, I just want to like work on my stuff, probably around like 11 am is when I start feeling that way. But then we do a lunch with him and then he goes down for a nap around like 12 30. He sleeps anywhere from like an hour and a half to three hours. So like the millisecond he's down, I'm like in my inbox writing and this is where I will try to walk on the treadmill just to get some steps in. I have like a treadmill working desk to sneak some movement in and then he'll wake up. We kind of do the same old same old, you know, play eating, bottle and then we go on an evening walk. I'll feed him dinner. We'll do a little bath. We don't always do the bath, but I love it. He loves being in the water. So I'll do that. I'll put him down and then after that is kind of when I'll make dinner, Adam gets home around 8 p.m., I would like to eat earlier, but I typically wait to eat with him. And then when we park our butts on the couch, watch some trash TV and I'll typically do some like more work during this time, like I wish I was in a season of life where I'm like, I am done with work at 5 p.m., but I get a lot done at night. But I just try to like bring, you know, a good attitude towards it where it's like, no, I'm very thankful for a flexible job. And so I'll do some creating while the TV's on in the background or write a sub-stack post or answer emails. And then we typically go to bed around like 10 p.m. I love it. It's, there's this really cool book called How She Does It, where I don't know if you read this where they like, go through, just, it's just women talking about their routines and like how they, how they juggle all the things. And I'm, I'm just like obsessed with hearing people's routines, how do I, like where do you fit things in? And I think where it just feels so good to know like you, you mentioning like at 11 o'clock, you're wanting to work. And there's a part of us, I think that feels like, oh man, like I shouldn't, I shouldn't get bored here. But like it is kind of boring after a while, like after three or four hours of like looking out of one year old. I'm like, okay, I'm ready for the next thing and it's just, it's real life, right? And there's, there's seasons of life, like you said. The other piece that like, also I just, I resonate with it and I think a lot of people do is like, yeah, sometimes we have to get back on our computers after the end of the day. And that allows that freedom and that flexibility and the world that we live in now, that's, I just think is becoming more of the norm. Mm-hmm. And I would love to do like a huge evening routine, like that sounds really nice. But if I'm going to squeeze some work in, it's going to be usually at that time. And then I get to do the things that I want to do too. So it's just so fun to hear what your day looks like. No, I love days in the life. I want to immediately buy that book. You said it's called How To Get It? I think it's called How She Does It. Yeah. Okay, I'm obsessed. I read it like years ago when I was thinking about like, I'm literally preparing to have kids. Like, how do people do this? Like, how do they have their careers and they have things that they're passion projects and side hustles and kids? Like, how do they? And I think to your point, it's like, you kind of piece things together. You get on that walking desk, you move your body when you can, but like, you know, there's going to be a time when they're not going to be around as much. And we're going to have some, you know, some sense of like what we want to do. And so I think continuing to do that now, but also just spending that really quality time, I'm just, it's so, it's so nice and it's so real. Mm-hmm. Totally. And I think like one thing I want to drive home with my day in the life is not like truly not one aspect of my life is like exactly how I'd want on a perfect day. Like, you know what I mean? I'm not working at a coffee shop. I'm not having a ton of time to like, and make all my meals. I'm not, you know, like nothing is my quote-unquote perfect morning routine or evening routine. But I do the best I can in all those areas. So it's like, even if I don't have time for a hour long beautiful morning routine that's like my perfect day, I do have time for like a quick five minute meditation. And two minutes of guacha. So it's like I'd rather be intentional for seven minutes and do two small things than like throw it all out and be like, well, I don't have time for a morning routine today. So I can't do anything. It's like with even work say he takes a short nap. Like those days are hard because I'm like, oh, I have like four hours of work at least that I could like, I would love to just be in a flow state for like four hours. But you just slept an hour and a half and that's the best I got. But I showed up for that hour and a half. And so I think like that is what I'm trying to communicate is it's rare to have a quote unquote perfect day. So just do the best you can today and make peace with that. Mm-hmm. Yeah. I want to circle back to your take a little on unhealth and wellness and just like again, your vast knowledge of this, there's so much, so much out there, right, that we can do. We talked about that before. I think there's some things that are like a little hyped and a little bit over the top. Like do you have any opinions on things that you think are just like me? We don't really need to worry about that so much. Yeah. I think I have a lot of things. I feel that way. Same in general. If anything sounds too good to be true, it probably is like, this is where I struggle because I'm just not going to talk in the extremes where it's like, I do think a Roma therapy can have some benefits. But I'm not going to be one of those people like, oh my God, essential oils cured my son's ex a month. I did XY like where it's like these bold claims, you know, and then people, I think CBD can be a great tool. It helps me sleep. It helps when I have anxious moments, but I'm not going to sit there and say like CBD did XYZ blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, where it's like, I think as consumers of health and wellness info, if you're seeing something where someone's like, I took this one supplement and lost 20 pounds, right, did this one thing and my sleep transformed. Those are things I'd be weary of where in general, I'm much more about the boring basics of like eating whole foods. If you want the ultimate cheat code, look at your diet. Like, if you upgrade the food you eat, so many things follow suit. And that does not mean eating less, that often means adding in more, like don't think about eating less, think about adding in more nutrients, adding in more veggies, adding in more protein. Like, you know, that's where I get really passionate is like the exercise, the nutrition and the sleep. Like those are the ultimate cheat codes. There was a quote that said like, I can't think of who said it and I'm bummed, but it said like, if you could bottle the benefits of exercise into a pill, it would be the most prescribed pill on the planet, because it's like, it helps your mental health, it helps your cardiovascular health. So many things, but it's like, instead, we turn to these like the fat of the moment when it's like in reality, if we just focused on the basics with a little bit more purpose, that is the ultimate quote, unquote, quick fix in a way or not even fix. It's the long term plan. And so I think, you know, when you're asking what's overhyped, I think many things are overhyped. Yeah. So finding an attitude where it's like, oh, you know, meditation can help me. It can help me feel grounded. It can help me feel peaceful, but it's not going to be this one thing to quick fix everything. You know, more so viewing health and wellness practices is like a tool in your toolkit. Like, not one thing is not going to solve everything. nutrition is not gonna solve everything. Just exercise is not gonna solve everything, but just like viewing the many different habits throughout your day, drinking your water, taking your supplements, doing a meditation, stretching before bed, you know, like limiting blue light. These are all tools, not one of them is the silver bullet that's gonna fix everything, but together they create lasting wellness. - I'm laughing a little because I'm thinking about just like the Instagram ads, right, that were served. - The one that's bubbling up so much right now is that like Colostrum, I want to say it's like Emrama. - Yes. - Oh my gosh, it's everywhere. It worked three times better than the flu shot. How would that ever be like studied? You know what I mean? And it's like, I'm not a big, Colostrum doesn't have benefits, but that's the exact type of thing I'm saying to be weary of. It's like, if a marketing ploy is just all about these bold, bold, bold claims, I personally am weary. It's more, I'm more drawn to people that are like, this can help, it's not gonna cure everything, it's not gonna solve everything, but it can be a benefit where, yeah, I totally agree. I'm getting the same targeted ads as you. - Well, and as we know, supplements, they're not regulated. So they can say these things. And so it's kind of the Wild West. Like I work in an integrative medicine clinic and we talk about this all the time. Like the supplement, it's an interesting space and we just have to be super weary. And like you said, there's really not a one size fits all like perfect solution to everything. And if it feels like that, and frankly, I, a lot of people do believe that, then it's probably not true to share. - Totally. And I totally agree with this supplement thing where I think supplements are so powerful and amazing and like can transform people's health, right? When taken with purpose, with someone that knows what they're talking about, when getting quality ones that are third party tested and like made with bioavailable ingredients. And it's like, even saying that, it's like, why does everything have to be so complicated? Like I wish people could just go to the drug store and get any old vitamin off the shelf, but it's like so many are just crap, not made with what they said they are. Artificial fillers where it's like, why is it so hard just to get people good quality things? But that's the world we live in. And so, you know, I think that can be a different layer where it's like, you know, so many health and wellness things do feel inaccessible for so many people. Like there's so many systemic barriers to like accessing this next tier of health, like even, you know, a quality prenatal. I spent like 50 bucks a month on my prenatal. - Same. - And because I did have, like I prioritize my finances there, but I could afford that where it's like so many people can't and then they're getting the lower quality prenatal that doesn't have bioavailable ingredients. And it's like, of course, it's better to take that than not at all, but it just like fires me up that I'm like, oh, I just want, I wish our society prioritized good quality things at a reasonable price point where it's like, you know what? It, to me, to invest more in a quality item, I'm at a stage of my life where I can do that, especially with my health. Like I'm always gonna invest in my health, but I know for so many people they can't do that. And so it's like when I'm talking to, you know, about eating whole foods, it's like I would never say that to a single mom who lives in a food desert where a gas station is like her only option. Like she has so many systemic barriers to health and wellness. And so I know this kind of a ramble, but I think about it with supplements all the time where people are like, oh, well, I took that supplement and it didn't do anything, but then they were taking like a $4 crappy version thing. And it's like, no, it's like there's this whole other tier of like supplements that are actually made in a way with bioavailable ingredients in a way that your body can absorb in, you know, a third party tested, they are what they say they are way, but it often comes with a price tag and that just bums me out so much. - And, you know, I think that's why I'm really grateful that things like podcasting and things like, you know, having free resources where people can just learn a little bit more about some of these very simple things. Like that wasn't around 25 years ago where, you know, people now, there are some free resources to learn more, but I am in total agreement. It's, I mean, yeah, it's a journey. And that's hopefully changing, but I don't think it is. We'll see. - I know. - I'd love to hear now that your mom, what has changed? Like, in terms of like holistic wellness in your life, like anything that you learned alongside your little boy. - Yeah, I think the first one that pops into my head is just like the magic of nature. Like the days that Miles is getting a ton of outdoors time, it's like those are our best days. That's when he's happy is that's when he sleeps the best. You know, getting that warning sign, getting that circadian rhythm regulated. Like seeing the impacts of, you know, these simple things in him reminds me to prioritize it in my own life where I'm like, oh yeah, I also thrive when I get good nature time and time outside. I also thrive when I eat good food. Like, I can catch myself making him the most perfectly balanced plate with like all organic things. And, you know, there's a healthy fat, there's a protein, there's a veggie. And then I'm like, you know, almost not about to put that same effort into myself. So for me, I think reminding myself to take care of me in the way that I take care of him has been like an interesting mindset shift where I care so much about his health and like daily habits. But it can be easy to just be like, oh, well, I don't have the time for that for me. And it's like, no, you know, I should make the time to do that for me. And again, not in a perfect way, not in a way that like, I have to go to the gym for a half hour. But it's like, okay, well, he's independent playing. I'm going to do a 15 minute strength workout in, or gym. You know, like that to me is just being okay with prioritizing my health and wellness, even if it's not how I used to do it, but still like being consistent and committed to it. I think is huge. So yeah, I just think, you know, seeing the effort and the passion that happened to like, maintaining his health and his nutrition and his habits. It's like, oh, yeah, I deserve the same effort. And so I think that's something helpful to women, especially where we often put so many other people's needs before ourselves. But just like, remind yourself to give yourself the love and care you so freely give others. I think is just a mindset shift in general. - I'm thinking of those memes of like, your child's beautiful plate. You're like eating the leftovers. - I'm hungry for time. - I know. That's a really good reminder. Yeah, love that. Any recipes that you're loving right now, it's just like, any yours are just like, any that you're just like, oh my gosh, this is the vibe at the moment. - Oh my gosh, I have so many off the top of my head. I'm loving anything in the crock pot. It is fall season. So it's crock pot season. There's just such an easy way to like get a cozy meal, like plop some ingredients in, you know, open up some beans, put some sauce in and like, a protein and just press on and see what happens. So I love crock pot meals. I love a good chili. I always add like extra, I get like a grass-fed ground beef and I'll do an extra portion of beef in there just to make it sure it's like protein-rich. Adam and I love make your own pizza night. We do that like once a week for a night in. So I'll just get like a pre-made gluten-free crust and then we'll do that with a big side salad. That is like one of our more fun meals. I'm trying to think, oh, go to, an absolute go to is my buffalo chicken casserole. It is the world's easiest recipe but it gives you like leftovers for two days and it's just like quinoa, rotisserie chicken, frozen cauliflower in this like beautiful, like somewhat spicy sauce and it bakes and it's so cozy. So yeah, I would say those are some of our like, go to's right now. - Ooh, I gotta find that one and share it. That sounds super good. - Oh my gosh, Kate, this is like, I knew this would be so interesting but I have so many tangible takeaways just from your brain. Thank you for sharing these and again, like making them really accessible that we can do right now, like things that make an actual difference. So thank you for doing all that I appreciate it. - Yeah, I think and I'm glad that came across 'cause I love a natural remedy. I love, like you said, an infrared sauna. I love the hot yoga and a green juice. Like, you know, I love those aspects of well-being but I just have tried to help people realize like they don't need those in order to thrive. It's more so about focusing on your daily habits, the most obvious basic boring things, the food, the sleep, the hydration, the exercise. Like, boom, boom, boom, that is your recipe to lasting health. I'm so passionate. - I'm knocking over my computer. - You get so excited. - Oh, but I think like, you know, I just wanna give people room that wherever they're at. Like if they're drawn to that next tier of health, like looking into the supplements and doing the integrative modalities and like, you know, that kind of next realm, I'm so passionate about that. I love that but not everyone needs or wants to do that. So focusing on the boring basics is transformative to health and I've seen it so many times. And that's why I'm just so passionate about like realistic, simple health and wellness 'cause everyone makes it feel so complicated for many people. [BLANK_AUDIO] not realistic. So I'd rather just kind of bring it back home, bring it to the basics, bring it to the foundation and help people realize that like these small things and focusing on the most obvious pillars are what truly move the needle the most. And then when you feel called or have the space or the passion, you can add in that quote unquote extra things. Yeah. Yeah. We needed that reminder that was that's very true. Can you tell listeners where they can find you where they can subscribe to your sub stack like all the good details? Yes. So I hang out on Instagram at kat.escreme. My last name is ESK URI. But the main place I'm showing up these days is sub stack. I love it. I show up weekly with nourishing recipes. These kind of simple health tips, personal essays. And then each Sunday I do like a lifestyle roundup of things like I'm reading things I'm eating things I'm you know shopping for. It's very fun. So it's like a mix of like concrete health info during the week and then kind of lifestyle content on the weekend. And I did create a coupon for your listeners. So I love it. Yeah. And a coupon moment. So if you go to katescuri.substac.com/pod, P-O-D, you can get 20% off any of the subscription. So that's kat.escuri.substac.com/pod. Not a very catchy URL, but it's what I got. So I'd love to have you guys join the party. And in general, I'm just honored to have been here Ashley. This was one of my favorite conversations ever U.S. like unique questions. So just thank you for like creating space to chat today. It was awesome. Oh my gosh, my pleasure. I thank you so much. And I guess final final question. What are you reading right now? I always love to know if you're playing a reading. So I'm reading 101 essays to change your life. So when you're talking about how motherhood has changed, you know, my day to day routine, I used to like try to read a chapter of a self-help book in the morning. Now I just get this book because each of the essays are like two pages. And I read it while Miles eats breakfast. And I'll just flip to a random one. So that's a 101 essays to change the way you think by Brianna West, I think. And then I'm reading Spirit Babies by Walter. So I just, I really resonate with that, I don't know, just those stories. So that's kind of like a fun read. And then I can't remember what the fiction book I'm reading right now is I'm so bad with titles, but it's like some random one of my kindle that's like, you know, an enemy's to lover's trope. So, but I always have like multiple books going at once, but that's what I'm currently reading. I love it. Oh my gosh, thanks again Kate. This was so fun. Oh, it was amazing, thank you guys.