6 Ways to Improve Your Glycemic Regulation (And Why It Matters)

Oh, glycemic regulation doesn't seem that sexy to you? Trust us when we say this technical-sounding wellness topic is key to longevity and a svelte bod. This article is part two of yesterday's story with Functional Medicine Registered Dietitian and founder of My Food is Health, Brigid Titgemeier.

Prioritize High Quality Sleep & Stress Reduction
An often overlooked ingredient to glycemic regulation and metabolic health is sleep. Research shows that when you sleep, you repair your cells, regulate your satiety hormones and improve your insulin sensitivity. Insufficient sleep is directly associated with an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cravings. Lack of sleep increases the hunger hormone, ghrelin, and decreases the satiety hormone, leptin, which may lead you to make more impulsive food choices that are likely to be high glycemic foods. Think about times that you are sleep deprived and how much more likely you are to grab all of the starchy foods.

Rest and recovery are critical for settling cravings! Stress leads to an increased production of certain hormones, including cortisol, epinephrine and glucocorticoids. The stress response shuts down other hormones, such as insulin. When you’re stressed, the body wants to release rather than store glucose. The end result of these hormonal shifts is to allow more glucose into the bloodstream for energy. This happens even if you do not eat sugary foods!

Over time, chronic stress can keep blood sugar levels elevated. As a result, fat cells become less sensitive to insulin. This increases the body’s inclination to store fat and contributes to insulin resistance, where the cells no longer “hear” the signal of insulin. Simply stated, chronic stress can increase blood sugar levels and body fat accumulation.

Limit Added Sugar to No More than 1 Tbsp Per Day
One of the fastest ways to create quick spikes in your blood sugar levels is eating foods high in added sugars. This negatively impacts blood sugar levels and can increase output of a pro-inflammatory hormone called insulin, it can also deplete antioxidant levels and increase your production of reactive oxygen species. Limiting added sugars and eating a diet rich in antioxidants, on the other hand, can help neutralize or remove these free radicals and protect against oxidative stress.

Skip the Carbs on Carbs on Carbs
Creating balanced blood sugar levels requires consuming whole foods and cutting the highly processed foods and sugar beverages. The first step is eliminating highly processed foods and refined grains like white flour, white pasta, white rice that has been stripped of its outer layers.

The next step is to ensure you are not eating whole grains and other whole food sources of carbohydrates all in one sitting. Eating a whole foods diet that is higher in the glycemic load will still increase your blood glucose levels and thus, your insulin levels. This can make it difficult to move the needle in lowering your post-meal blood sugar response and can contribute to weight gain, decreased insulin sensitivity, pre-diabetes, and eventually even type 2 diabetes. Here are meal examples that are higher in moderate glycemic carbohydrates and low in protein and fat:

Bowl of oatmeal with 1 cup strawberries with almond milk
Bowl of quinoa with black beans and squash
Salad with dried cranberries, edamame, kidney beans, diced apple and vinaigrette
Smoothie with 1 apple, 1 cup spinach, 1 banana, 1 tbsp chia seeds, almond milk

If this is how you are structuring many of your meals, read on for my next tip!

Follow my Optimal Plate Method
The focus here is on eating well-balanced meals that taste great and offer nutritional components that allow your glucose response to be much lower compared to the meal examples in tip three. This helps you feel satisfied after you eat, avoid slumps in energy and lower inflammation associated with blood sugar fluctuations. Here is the general framework for my Optimal Plate Method:

Half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables
Ex: cauliflower, brussels sprouts, arugula, leafy greens, zucchini, tomatoes
A few thumbnails of healthy fats (1-2 tbsp)
Ex: extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, nuts, seeds, avocado
3-6 oz high-quality protein
Ex: organic chicken or turkey, wild salmon, pasture-raised eggs, organic tofu, lentils
1 serving fiber-rich/starchy carbohydrates (optional)
Ex: sweet potatoes, potatoes, parsnips, quinoa, beans, apples, berries

Narrow your Window of Eating
Time restricted eating -- or intermittent fasting -- is the idea of narrowing your window of eating to prevent erratic eating at all hours of the day and night, supporting stable blood glucose levels. I recommend starting slow and committing to a 12 hour fasting schedule and a 12 hour eating schedule to start. For example, this would mean no food or drinks from 8pm until 8am, except for water. You may choose to gradually lengthen your window of fasting to 14-16 hours but pay attention to how you feel. If you have high levels of stress, exercise a lot, have low percent body fat and also eat a low carbohydrate diet, you may experience adverse effects from pushing your fasting window too long. Learn more about time restricted eating here.

Add 1-2 Tbsp Organic, Raw Apple Cider Vinegar 1-2 Times Per Day
Vinegar, when consumed before or with a meal can be associated with lower post-meal glucose levels, which helps keep insulin (and future food cravings) in check. The mechanism is not exactly clear but acetic acid, the key ingredient in apple cider vinegar and other vinegars, is thought to interfere with the breakdown of carbohydrates and/or promote glucose uptake by the muscle. Try adding 1-2 Tablespoons of organic, raw apple cider vinegar to 8 fluid ounces of water or adding it to your homemade salad dressings and marinades.

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What Moms Really Want For Mother’s Day (Hint: It’s Not Flowers)

This relatable story comes to us from Sarah Ezrin, a world-renowned yoga educator and the author of The Yoga of Parenting based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sarah loves guiding people along their wellness and parenthood journeys, ensuring that individuals feel seen and heard. She has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and NBC News.

When I told my family I wanted to spend Mother’s Day alone they went through an array of emotions. First they laughed, thinking I was joking. Then they were shocked and disappointed to learn I was most certainly not.

It was technically my second Mother’s Day (my son was 17 months old), but we had just spent the previous year locked together in our tiny San Francisco apartment due to Covid-19 restrictions. I hadn’t been away from my toddler or my husband for more than a handful of hours and our state had started to reopen. I couldn’t think of anything more appealing than going to a hotel and sleeping in a big, clean bed, by myself. Unfortunately, that is not what happened.

Instead, the morning came and went like most mornings. I was tasked with primary caregiving for wake up and breakfast, and then asked what I wanted to do that day to celebrate. What proceeded was a day of decision-making and leadership, just like every other day of the year. This was not for lack of thoughtfulness, as my husband genuinely wanted to make it a special day, but more from a lack of clarity on my part and, frankly, initiative on his (sorry, babe!). Even though it ended on a high note with a lovely dinner by the water (a location I picked), the whole experience reinforced that what I had really wanted for Mother's Day was to be totally and completely “off the clock.”

I wish I could tell you that I got my wish for a solo hotel stay the following Mother’s Day, but I was a few weeks postpartum with our second son, so leaving for extended periods was out of the question. But I did communicate more clearly with my family about my desire to be removed from any decision-making or preparations and I got four glorious hours on the couch alone to binge watch the new Gossip Girl. It has been my best Mother’s Day so far.

What Moms Really Want For Mother’s Day

There are always exceptions, of course, but it seems that even the moms who appear to have very traditional Mother’s Days often end up the events coordinator for their own special day. For example, after my initial Mother’s Day let down, I direct messaged Chelsea Parrish, a Los Angeles-based mother of two who’s holidays always seem picture perfect on Instagram. I wanted to see what her secret was and any advice she had for me and my family. I was surprised to learn that she was the driving force behind her family’s grand gestures, sending all the gift ideas and activity suggestions herself.

Another Colorado-based mom, who requested not to be named to protect her partner’s feelings, said that even though her family buys her a lot of gifts, it’s not actually what she wants and she often has to redirect them toward the day that she actually desires. “My partner’s default is to show affection through gift-giving but I don’t like a lot of material gifts,” the mom told me over the phone, “I just want quality time with my family. And food.” As simple as her requests are, they are still things she has to remind her family. There is still an effort on her part.

It is no question that these mothers' families love to celebrate them and are putting in effort to make the day special, but even in the families who appear to have Hallmark-like Mother’s Days, the mother is carrying some part of the mental load of planning and organizing. The one day of the year that is meant to be our day off, becomes yet another day we end up orchestrating.

The Invisible Load Of Mother’s Day

According to my very unofficial poll of friends and fellow moms, the invisible mental load of Mother’s Day is why it has become much more common for moms to ditch their families altogether for some much-needed alone time or to hang with friends.

Families may be disappointed that their matriarch has chosen to do something individually without them, but if the onus of preparation falls on the mom, why bother celebrating at all?

Momfluenced author and mother of three, Sara Petersen, found that shifting her mentality to a place that she calls, “F- Mother’s Day,” has been the most helpful tool for getting through the day. Sara admits to once having tacit expectations of her husband and children, but those only led to disappointment.

“I wanted the kids to create original art and little books about why they love me and I want these things to be rooted in specifics. I think I also put a ton of pressure on my husband in the past to orchestrate the fulfillment of these dreams, which is maybe fair, maybe not, but almost always ends in [my] tears,” explains Petersen. “My new stance is to be as explicit as possible in communicating my desires and to keep these desires rooted in things guaranteed to make me happy rather than nebulous fairy tales contingent on children suddenly not acting like children and caring more about their adults than themselves!”

For Petersen, something meaningful can be as simple as a hand-written note filled with earnest sentiment versus the canned “You’re the best” or "I love you Mommy" that is pre-printed in most store-bought cards. “It can be nice for friends or family to write out very explicitly why they appreciate the moms in their lives and to directly acknowledge how unsupported these mothers are. Mothers are starved of external validation. Our labor is invisible and unpaid. None of us are rewarded with raises or bonuses,” suggests Petersen.

Of course, while a genuine card is moving and kind and a morning of breakfast in bed feels luxurious in the moment, they don’t really move the needle on reducing the greater overwhelm and burnout most American mothers face.

Something that has been helpful for Petersen and many other moms around the country is to spend Mother’s Day unapologetically opting for what feels most nourishing for them as individuals, instead of worrying about taking care of the whole family. For some women that might still be a traditional brunch with the kids, but there are a growing number of moms who have been taking a less conventional approach.

3 Unapologetically NourishingWays To Celebrate Mother’s Day

01 | Channel your mom rage at a smash room. In 2022, a group of women who met in a Mommy and Babe group through San Francisco’s Kinspace community, traded in sunglasses for safety goggles and clinking glasses for smashing them at a rage room. “Regulating your own emotions is hard enough, let alone helping tiny illogical humans regulate theirs as well,” explained one of the moms, “The plate smashing was actually the most satisfying part of it. And then I went for a massage right after.”

02 | Stay at a hotel, alone. Since becoming a mom four years ago Annie Van Roo, has opted for yearly solo hotel stays. Van Roo works a high-powered, full time job and has two young children. She chooses to do her stays before or after the actual holiday, because her family has childcare on the weekdays, which lightens the load for her husband, but Van Roo shares, “I would definitely spend the day there if I could. It’s just a much larger ask!”

03 | Staycation while the kids get out of the house. If there are cost concerns with staying elsewhere for the day, you can ask friends or family to take your kids out for an extended period of time. They get to go have an adventure and you get your much needed break. Just be clear that you will not be setting up the diaper bag or choosing where they will all go. And resist texting to check in every 10 minutes, if you can. Looking at pictures is okay.

Going to work is also an option. Single mom by choice Erin Donnelly usually works on Sundays, so Mother’s Day is no exception. The Austin-based mother considers herself neutral about the holiday in general, reasoning, “It's not like I became a mom to get breakfast in bed.” Though, she adds, “I will say, I am a sucker for anything my son is forced to make me at school.”

One Day For Mom Just Isn’t Enough

I have no doubt our families genuinely want to make our Mother's Day celebrations special. Buying flowers and serving breakfast in bed are, of course, kind gestures. but I do have to wonder if this holidays would be even more impactful if moms were well-supported the other 364 days out of the year, too?

Petersen agrees saying, “I think it’s important for people to actively educate themselves about why so many moms are utterly burnt out. A little validating rage shared on our behalf would go a long way.“

What I do know for sure is that Mother's Day should be enjoyable for moms more than anyone. If the idea of a rare and unapologetically nourishing day alone appeals to you, talk with your family and consider changing a few traditions! That is what I plan to do this year.

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6 Cool New Openings + Things To Do Around L.A. Now

there are endless things to do and new openings to check out in L.A. from season to season. Here are a few we think are worth your time this month...

6 Cool New Openings + Things To Do Around L.A. Now

Pause Studio brentwood | (Private float tank room pictured above left) Pause's new Brentwood location is a step up for the brand. The in-and-out wellness spa has the aesthetic of our dreams and offers just what every wellness lover is looking for now. Schedule a private hot and cold therapy room or float tank-- every treatment room is state of the art, well-designed down to the doorknobs, and completely stunning, making the whole undertaking feel incredibly luxe. Try the full-body infrared bed while you're there, as found in the home of Paris Hilton in our feature here. Chalkboard readers can visit Pause Studio and use code RECOVERY for 20% off your light bed session!

Coco Robot Food Delivery | If you live in certain parts of the Venice and Santa Monica, you may have spotted these the small red Coco robots rolling through your neighborhood. Like coolers on skates, the Coco Robots are part of a new food delivery service accessible through app and partnered with a few dozen local restaurants. After placing your order, the human-piloted robots race to your door for a touch-free delivery experience with no tipping and no emissions.

There's a charm to watching the wheeled robots pull up that kids especially might get a kick out of. Chalkboard readers get $10 off of their first order with code CHALKBOARD.

Isla | ISLA, which began as a pop-up, is the latest offering from Chef Brian Bornemann and Leena Culhane of Crudo e Nudo, and Shane Won Murphy of Little Prince -- both beloved Westside gems. The ISLA menu reads like a dream, with a "diligent" representation of local ingredients in dishes like their whole cauliflower, half kanpachi and selection of skewers from shrimp to snap peas and chanterelles. The Crudo e Nudo team brings their progressive labor model and tight knit relationships with local farmers and artisans along with them, as well as a low-intervention wine program which focuses on "best soil practices and high-acid, mineral-driven wines".

TPC STUDIO | This stunning new West Hollywood pilates studio is the first ever in-person version of The Pilates Class Studio by Jacqui Kingswell. The one year pop up is a fully immersive and holistic fitness experience housed in small, but incredibly beautiful 1,240 square foot studio off Melrose. Seven class styles are offered, including Reformer, plus private sessions are available. The calming ambience, warm lighting, and natural textures are enough to get us on the mat themselves. Stay tuned as we're featuring the designer behind the beautiful space soon.

Riverbank | Inside the former Loom space mid-city, the new and timely Riverbank is a studio offering a wide range of community offerings around spirituality, including founder Paige Appel's Reflection Circles, breathwork sessions, sound baths, and meditation classes. There are focused sessions available for teens, new moms, couples and more, and you can also book private acupuncture with healer Suzanne Clegg of SpiritGate.

OPEN Mindfulness Studio | Just off the water in Venice Beach, Open's first location is "a technologically-powered, mindfulness studio set to change the wellness industry." (See our New Year's challenge with the brand from a few month's back.) Mixing the best of light, sound, and space, Open’s new state-of-the-art mindfulness studio was designed with  architecture studio leong leong and climate leader architect David Hertz.

Classes include offerings like this one with celeb trainer, Katie Mullen: Move, "a whole-body workout inspired by modalities such as yoga, Pilates, barre, and bodyweight training -- rhythmic movement to reset body and mind." Breathwork and sound are thoughtfully designed to amplify the physiological impact of the class.

Read Next: 8 Chic Ways To Make Spring Cleaning More Fun + Beautiful

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8 Wellness Changemakers On How They Prioritize Well-being While Parenting

Sarah Ezrin is a world-renowned yoga educator, mama, and the author of The Yoga of Parenting. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area,  Sarah's work creates supportive, healing spaces where parents and wellness devotees can feel seen and heard. She has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes Magazine, Bustle, LA Weekly, and NBC News.

I have been in the health and wellness world since 2001. In those two decades, I have redefined what it means to be "healthy" many times. Ironically, it was often when I was most fixated on wellness that my life tended to be the least balanced. Since becoming a mother to my two sons, I have learned that wellness is not just about the state of my body. It is a commitment to prioritizing my mental well-being and personal needs, even when that might be uncomfortable, because if I'm  not taking care of myself, I can’t take care of anyone else.

In honor of this Mother’s Day, I partnered with The Chalkboard to interview eight changemakers in the wellness community to hear about the practices, language, books, and pieces of advice that have transformed their own motherhood journey.

8 Wellness Changemakers On How They Prioritize Well-Being While Parenting

Dr. Sará Yafah King, Neuroscientist, CEO + Founder of MindHeart Consulting  (Shown above) | Dr. Sará Yafah King educates the world that well-being and social justice are deeply intertwined. One of Dr. King’s missions is to elevate traditionally disenfranchised groups through the intersections of science and wellness. She heads a number of organizations, including the co-direction of Mobius, whose aim is to promote the development of liberatory technology.

The greatest piece of wellness advice she ever received came from her colleague and Mobius’ co-director, Davion "Zi" Ziere who once said the words, "By birth on Earth we are valid and worthy of love.” This sentiment helps remind her that just like our children, by simply existing, we are worthy of love.

“The world sends us messages that what we think and how we feel are not true. We’re made to feel as though we have to look or act a certain way, or achieve a certain kind of status in life in order to be worthy and valid human beings,” says Dr. King, “To truly believe that the only qualification we need to be deserving of the utmost love and respect, is the fact that we exist at all, produces a feeling of deep relaxation and warmth inside of my body, and a connectedness to my inherent value as a member of Earth family.”

Andrea Ferretti, Host of Yogaland podcast (Shown above) | Millions of people are familiar with Andrea Ferretti’s friendly and inviting style thanks to her podcast Yogaland.

Ferretti has learned that taking a similar approach to parenting her pre-teen daughter has been helpful for maintaining their relationship and her own well-being. “Everything in family life is easier and richer when you focus first on having a fun, loving, and deep relationship,” says Ferretti.

This does not mean there are no limits in their household, Ferretti explains. There is just a great deal of flexibility and respect between herself, her husband, yoga teacher Jason Crandell, and their twelve year old. “We trust each other deeply and we say we're sorry when we mess up. This requires slowing down and listening to each other. It requires mindfulness of our own agendas and feelings and egos,” says Ferretti, though she acknowledges that the official teen years will likely require an adjustment of styles once again. For now, she sees their home as a haven for the whole family and it is this approach that has helped her most on her wellness journey.

Tamika Caston-Miller, Ashé Yoga founder, Co-owner of The Ranch Houston  | Tamika Caston-Miller and her wife Lenie built their urban farm, The Ranch Houston, to give city-dwellers access to inclusive and nature-focused wellness. This volunteer-run farmstead is home to yoga offerings, art installations, a flower farm, and a community garden. They also host intimate special events, including their own daughter’s wedding.

Caston-Miller is a proud “Gigi” as her eldest grandchild calls her. Non-attachment, self-forgiveness, and equanimity in the face of foibles or failures are the practices that have most shaped her parenting and grandparenting, “I practice all those things with myself first, so I am better able to practice it with others. I’m especially getting the gift of those practices now with my grandbaby. Sometimes she will misbehave and get into trouble and it can look like an inconvenience for me, but if I am able to remember that she’s learning and this is just the way she's experiencing the world, I'm able to approach those instances with more curiosity, compassion and love.”

Anusha Wijeyakumar, Author + activist | Anusha is an Adjunct Professor at San Diego State University, the author of Meditation with Intention: Quick and Easy Ways to Create Lasting Peace, the Wellness Consultant at Hoag Hospital, a keynote speaker and activist.

It has not always been easy for Anusha Wijeyakumar to juggle so many responsibilities and have so many people relying on her. She has many important jobs in addition to being a parent. As someone who cares deeply about her work and community, there have been many phases where she has been hard on herself and perfectionistic.

It has been focusing on the very meditation practices she shares with readers in her book that she is able to find more balance amidst life’s ups and downs. It also helps keep her accountable and practicing what she advocates. “My meditation and mindfulness practices have allowed me to open up to embodying more self-love and self-compassion and non-judgment towards myself and others. By doing this I have been able to change my internal negative narrative, understanding that this specific type of inner dialogue serves no place in my mind or life.”

Susanna Barkataki, Founder of Ignite Institute for Yogic Leadership + Social Change | Susanna Barkataki is the author of Embrace Yoga’s Roots. She is also an Ayurvedic practitioner and Certified Yoga Therapist who teaches local organizations, and larger entities, such as the United Nations, that equity, inclusivity, and accessibility are crucial aspects of an authentic yoga practice.

Barkataki on parenting: "The greatest gifts of parenting are moments of presence really being and listening to my child." She views parenting as a “worldly and spiritual practice” and explains, “I practice parenthood as a vessel for yoga and mindfulness. Parenting is not just one aspect of my practice, it is my spiritual practice.

Whitney Alese Roberts, Writer + podcast host | Whitney Alese Robert’s The Reclaimed blog and podcast, and her extraordinarily popular The Woke Mama page on TikTok, provide spaces for people to heal through community, awareness, and accountability. Wellness is not just an individual pursuit. It can be a collective movement to help one another, because when others rise, so can we.

Roberts has found a similar reciprocity in her home. “Being good to my daughter is being good to me,” she says, and the aspect of her wellness practice that has helped most with tuning into what her daughter needs at each moment is mindful prayer. Roberts explains, “I don’t pray to be the perfect mom, I don’t even pray to be a good mom. I pray that I am a good mom for her. And every day is different. I do my best to be good to her, and for her, on that day and in that moment. I don’t always get it right, but I try and try hard.”

Susy Markoe Schieffelin, Sound healer + Kundalini yoga teacher | Susy Markoe Schieffelin has found the love and support of fellow mothers to be the most beneficial for her well-being during motherhood. “It takes a village, but where before I thought this only referred to having a lot of support around the home and people to help with childcare, I now understand that this includes emotional support for me, as I embrace my new identity as a mother.”

Like many of us, Schieffelin’s experience of matrescense has been a mixed bag of emotions. As much as there is joy and magic, she has also felt grief around the loss of her old self. It’s her relationships with other mothers that has shepherded this identity shift. She shares, “Having support from other mamas so I can feel safe processing one of the most transformative events of my life has made a world of difference and helped me be the best possible mom to my baby.”

Samara Zelniker, Life + executive coach | Samara Zelniker regularly guides businesses and their leaders through her mindfulness and emotional intelligence offerings, Mindfulness Matters. The techniques she teaches these entities to help them through that process are the same techniques she employs at home. After all, mothers are often like the CEOs of their families.

“It is my daily mindfulness practices that have allowed me to embrace that loss of my former self and to be the most present version of new self,” Zelniker says. “Practices such as daily yoga or Pilates, journaling three things I am grateful for every day, and getting out into nature as much as I can have helped the most.”

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7 Cute Alternatives To The Ubiquitous Stanley Travel Tumbler

Whether it's water, iced coffee or a glass of champagne, most of us will drink whatever is in hand pretty quickly. Since our goal is consistent hydration, we're keen to keep a giant bottle or glass of water within arm's reach at all times -- even if accompanied by a cup of coffee or glass of wine!

Thanks in part to tiktok, the water bottle du jour has become the Stanley travel tumbler. Wherever we turn, there is a Stanley to be found -- in offices, airports, friend's kitchens, and (of course), influencer content.

While we're all about a trend that encourages hydration and reduces single use plastic, these stainless steel tumblers have become one the most 'basic' accessories around. If there's no shame in your hydration game, swipe up a Stanley -- the cups are pretty, functional -- and we won't judge! But if you'd like to mix it up with something less ubiquitous, we've found these seven options are just as beautiful. Drink up!

7 Alternatives To The Ubiquitous Stanley Travel Tumbler

Stanley "The Quencher" Travel Tumbler | The original Quencher tumbler is the tumbler we're seeing everywhere. Go ahead and embrace the popular style in this sweet terra cotta shade, or find something new below!

Bink Day Bottle | Don't sleep on the brand, BINK. These generously sized bottles will help you track your water intake and the color options are fresh, modern and easy to 'wear'. Made with glass and silicone, dishwasher-safe.

Free People Tamra Copper Water Bottle | In Ayurveda, copper water bottles and cups are used to supplement the mineral into the diet -- they're also gorgeous. Learn more in our full story here: 10 Ways A Copper Water Bottle Can Change Your Life

Hitch Water Bottle | We've never seen anything quite like the Hitch bottle! The full-size water bottle has a trick up it's sleeve, storing a removable cup and lid in the base that's perfect for a cup of coffee or easily sip-able glass of water.

Kinto Day Off Tumbler | We're fans of everything that Japanese brand, Kinto makes and these monochromatic tumblers are no exception. This soft white bottle will blend right in with your other accessories whether you're strictly into neutrals or committed to florals and prints.

CamelBak Horizon Tumbler | Like Stanley, Camelbak is committed to making some of the most durable consumer products out there. Their Horizon tumbler is perfect for those who need a reusable straw and want a colorful look.
Frank Green Ceramic-Lined Water Bottle | This ceramic-lined bottle is triple vacuum-sealed to keep drinks incredibly cold (or hot). The Frank Green brand is committed to reducing single use items and their bottles come in a huge range of sizes!

Corkcicle. Cold Cup Insulated Tumbler | Corkcicle makes a whole universe of tumblers, cold cups, mugs, barware and other travel items focused on keeping things cold. Triple-insulated, car-friendly and comes with a ceramic lined straw.

Read Next: Stop Drinking Water: Why You Should Be Drinking Beauty Infusions

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Vegan Cashmere + Jewelry Under $100: Our 11 Favorite Mother’s Day Gifts 2023

Mother's Day is one of our favorite spring holidays. While, later this month, we'll be talking about the benefits of 'gifting' moms with rest, quiet and alone time (what she really wants?), the tradition of a good Mother's Day gift still makes so much sense. Celebrate your mom, tell her you love her, and gift her with something special she'll remember for years to come. These are our top picks for fun and thoughtful Mother's Day gifts 2023.

Our 11 Favorite Mother's Day Gifts 2023

Boisson No ABV Mimosa Bundle | The low or no alcohol trend is picking up steam. Want to gift mom a morning of mimosas with the hangover? Try cool, no ABV retailer, Boisson's Mimosa Bundle with 4 alcohol-free sparklings from rose to a a canned pomelo!
Westman Atelier Squeaky and Cheeky Duo | This sweet set from clean beauty superstar, Gucci Westman will put a (glossy, rosy) smile on her face. Expect to hear back about these products for months -- and consider buying the set for yourself too! Westman Atelier products are clean, easy, and universally flattering.
Mejuri Dôme Cuff Bracelet | A piece of jewelry is always a memorable Mom's Day gift -- and this classic piece is under $100. A simple cuff in either silver or gold makes an easy to wear look that dresses up or down. Mejuri uses 80% recycled gold for minimal impact.

Vegan Cashmere Throw Blanket | This 'vegan cashmere' is made from sustainable bamboo and just as soft and luxe as the real thing. Ettitude is a favorite for sustainable home goods and bedding, and their sustainable chic throw is gentle on the skin. A great way to send a cuddle to a mom who is far away.
Our Place Ovenware Set | Our Place's Always Pan has been the kitchen gift du jour for years now! If your mom already has the versatile pan at home, consider gifting her this adorable set of ceramic baknig dishes. They come in six beautiful colors with a matching silicone mat and stack together in the most satisfying way.

Rylee + Cru Mama + Mini Sets | Matching siblings are nice, but matching baby and mama? We can't resist. The hand-illustrated blue daisy print on this matching romper and dress are adorable for Mother's Day outings and beyond.

Apollo WEARABLE | Whether it's a peaceful morning at home or a hectic one spent all over town, the Apollo is one of our favorite new wellness wearables for cultivating calm. The Apollo is best loved for support healthy sleep, but we love it for daytime stress relief and think a young mom would appreciate it too! Simply sync the wearable with the app and initiate gently vibrating sessions as desired throughout the day.
Good Inside Book | "Dr. Becky" Kennedy is making big waves in the world of parenting these days and her book, Good Inside has become the new must-read for parents everywhere. While it seems as if any philosophy on parenting is highly controversial these days, Dr. Becky teaches parents to re-evaluate what's happening in highly emotional moments with their children with a focus on emotional regulation. We appreciate her scripts and tools for parents who want to parent differently than they were parented, but don't know how.
Osea Total Body Glow Trio | Next to an actual spa appointment, there's nothing like a great-smelling body scrub in the shower -- and OSEA makes one of the best. This gift set pairs their best-selling scrub their cult-status Undaria Algae Body Oil (Victoria Beckham is a big fan) and a beautiful wood body brush for dry brushing. Together, they make an incredible gift and a real self-care moment for mom.
Mount Lai Jade Balancing Trio Set | Is your mom into face tools? Or are you into face tools and dying to get your mom obsessed with them too? This beautiful set of three jade face tools: a gua sha and two types of rollers, will delight your mom if she's a fan of lymphatic drainage or face yoga and start her down the road to a healthifying ritual if she's not yet started. Rollers are pretty easy to use, but if she is new to gua sha, be sure to schedule time to teach her to use -- or refer to all our tutorials to learn together!
SALADISH Cookbook | Cookbooks make wonderful gifts and we like pairing them with linen napkins, a wooden spoon or a baking set like the one we've included above. Saladish is written by City Bakery's Ilene Rosen. Ilene may have been responsible for the very first kale salad in NYC 20 years ago when she added one to the menu. Anyone who loves a wide variety of salads will enjoy reading and cooking from this book!

Read Next: 7 Fitnesswear Sets We Can't Wait To Wear This Spring

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6 Gorgeous Cookbooks That’ll Put You In A Warm Weather Mood

What's better than a good cookbook? Our favorites these days are half art reference, half instructions for life -- even if those instructions are how to make chia gel.

From Malibu to New York, garden-based cocktails to how to make a ginormous salad, here are a few warm weather cookbooks that have us ready for the newly emerging season...

6 Warm Weather Cookbooks Made For Spring + Beyond

Body Harmony | We've featured Nicole Berrie, aka Bonberi for years now. Her new book Body Harmony: Nourishing, Plant-Based Recipes For Intuitive Eating is both a lifestyle guide and a healthful cookbook filled with tons of inspiring takeaway. Everything is vegan from juices and smoothies to salads and grain-based dishes.

Saladish | Ilene Rosen may have been responsible for the very first kale salad 20 years ago when she added one to the menu at her NYC restaurant City Bakery(!). Expect to be delighted by innovation with her book Saladish: A Crunchier, Grainier, Herbier, Heartier, Tastier Way with Vegetables. With unexpected ingredients and inspiring tablescapes, your lunchtime salad will never be the same.

Our Kindred Home |  Alyson Morgan shares her own personal experience and homesteading methods in Our Kindred Home: Herbal Recipes, Plant Wisdom, and Seasonal Rituals . Her journey to reconnect with the natural world around her was inspired by growing up as a second-generation Haitian American and feeling disconnected from her roots, while also suffering the trauma of racism. The beautiful and nurturing book details tips on how to reconnect to nature and employ it as a pathway for healing, including tuning in to subtle body energies and regenerative ways of living and eating.

Lush Life | California-based blogger Valerie Rice expands on her gardening, cooking, and cocktail-ing philosophy in Lush Life: Food & Drinks From The Garden. With over 150 recipes, this book will surely inspire you to garden, cook, and happy hour with a deep connection to the plants and flowers around you. Stay tuned to our feature on her Lilac cocktails.

Salad Seasons | Sheela Prakash has an impressive list of credentials: registered dietitian, master's degree from the University of Gastronomic Sciences, food writer and editor, recipe developer, and author. Her latest book Salad Seasons: Vegetable-Forward Dishes All Year might just have recipes that are a true culmination of her experiences by making vegetables the star of the show.

Malibu Farm Sunrise to Sunset | Helene Henderson is the founder of the beloved Malibu Farm restaurant, bringing SoCal farm-to-table style around the world. Her book Malibu Farm Sunrise To Sunset: Simple Recipes All Day captures the essence of simple, delicious and sun-soaked meals, alongside inspiring notes from her journey as a self-taught chef.

Read Next: A Gut-Loving Protocol From The Beauty Chef Carla Oates

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