Your natural health and wellness resource guide

WHAT IS NATURAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS?

Natural health and wellness may refer to a network of self-care strategies and prioritizations in which different forms of healing modalities are employed. It may also be in reference to practices like meditation and journaling or can refer to treatments that are absent of pharmaceuticals and synthetic chemicals to treat ailments or conditions of the body and mind.

The term ‘natural health and wellness’ is broad and may incorporate the work of practitioners like naturopaths, osteopaths, registered massage therapists etc. or may refer to treatments like natural products including essential oils, herbs, tinctures, supplements and more.

Natural health and wellness is often in reference to a whole-body and whole-lifestyle system. This can mean treating both your body and mind naturally, be it through diet, exercise, lifestyle habits etc. and can also refer to your use or non-use of traditional medicine, supplements, caregivers and other healthcare modalities.

Some additional alternative health care practices that may be included in the realm of holistic health include:

• Chiropractic care
• Herbalism
• Energy work (including crystals and reiki)
• Acupuncture
• Talk therapy
• Physical therapy
• Essential oils
• Plant-based medicine alternatives

Below we’ll discuss some of the potential benefits to incorporating these practices into your daily routines.

5 BENEFITS OF NATURAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Natural health and wellness is a vast category with many broad definitions. Because it can refer to many different things in many different areas of your life, we’re sharing a few of the benefits we believe can have an impact on your overall well-being when you place your focus on your health:

1. You may experience improved physical health. Making a concerted effort to practice good sleep hygiene, aiming for 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night, eating a nutrient-rich diet high in plant products, prioritizing movement each day that helps reduce inflammation in the body and avoiding smoking and alcohol consumption are just a few of the ways you can prioritize your physical health.

2. You may experience improved emotional health. We know that if not prioritized, it's a slippery slope in which emotional health issues can quickly become physical health issues. Make an effort to practice mindfulness, employ stress reduction strategies and habits and seek assistance through therapy as needed to keep yourself emotionally well.

3. You may experience improved social health. Social health is in reference to the bonds and deep connections we create between friends, family and in our communities. Seeking out people who make us feel happy and optimistic and prioritizing face-to-face connection with them, joining a meet-up group or activity group or volunteering with local organizations are just a few of the ways you can find meaningful connections with others.

4. You may experience improved spiritual health. For many, spirituality is personal and personalized and does not necessarily refer to religion or religious indoctrination. You may connect to your soul, your purpose and the greater world around you through spending time in nature, cultivating a meditation practice and if you do identify as religious, creating time to practice your faith.

5. You may experience improved mental health. Mental health is greatly overlapped with our physical and emotional health, the distinction being that it's important to pay attention to the long-term health of our brains, our coping strategies and our cognitive abilities. There are many suggestions for ways in which you can keep mentally fit such as seeking out learning opportunities and problem solving to challenge your abilities, creating boundaries and removing situations and relationships that negatively affect your mental health and saying 'no' and allowing yourself time to recharge when needed.

STRATEGIES FOR NATURAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS YOU SHOULD TRY

There are many different resources and modalities one can employ when it comes to taking better care of your health. While some have better science-based evidence than others, when it comes to your wellness there is no ‘one-size-fits-all'. Stay open minded to trying different things and becoming curious about some of the ways the lifestyle decisions you make have an impact on how you feel overall. Here are five of the strategies we like to use to keep our physical, emotional and mental health in check.

• Cultivate a meditation practice. We know that stress is an issue for all of us, and left unchecked it can cause many health problems including illness. It's been proven time and again that meditation can help improve physical and mental well-being by inviting us into stillness and deep contemplation with ourselves.

• Avoid an overly restrictive lifestyle. Many people have been susceptible in their lifetime to restrictive habits like dieting and exercise routines. The reason these strategies have such a low rate of success is because they typically tend to cause 'rebounding', like overeating if you’ve been undereating and becoming sedentary if you’ve been overactive. Instead, strive for balance and choices that will support you over the long term.

• Look carefully at your vitamin intake. This is something you may choose to consider speaking with your trusted healthcare practitioner about. Many people do blood work and other panel tests that reveal deficiencies in vitamins and minerals that can negatively affect your health. Vitamin D deficiency, as an example, can lead to muscle weakness, pain, loss of bone density and even to depression. As important as the food we eat, we need to be in consideration the levels of nutrients we consume.

• Reduce your blue light exposure. In this age of technology, we’re exposed to blue light almost everywhere. Our computer monitors, the screens on our phones and televisions are all major contributors to the amount of light we’re exposed to each day. Blue light for some can cause blurry vision, eye strain and dryness and may contribute to sleep issues. Do your best to restrict or limit the amount of light you take in each day, particularly in the evening time.

• Stay hydrated. This last wellness strategy seems so simple, yet many, many people each day do not consume the recommended or required amount of water each day to help them function optimally. Drinking water can make a difference almost immediately in so many areas of our health: proper hydration acts as a digestive aid, prevents constipation, flushes toxins and bacteria, helps stabilize the mood and energy levels. Need we go on?

10 NATURAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS PRODUCTS WE THINK EVERYONE SHOULD OWN

Here at Saje, we’re in our 30th year in the wellness industry, creating 100% natural, plant-based and plant-derived products to help support your physical, emotional, mental and environmental wellness. We take pride in offering many different types of products, from roll-ons to mists, body lotions to body butters, natural deodorant to skincare and everything in between.

We whole heartedly believe that incorporating natural health and wellness products into your daily routines can have profound positive impacts on your overall well-being. You may be able to reduce the number of synthetics and alternatives you use in your cosmetic and beauty routines and you may find yourself able to rely on the powerful, expertly formulated products we offer to address everyday ailments like stress, pain and sleep. Below we’re sharing 10 of the products we think everyone should have as part of their wellness regimen:

THE PRODUCT THAT STARTED IT ALL, ALL THE WAY BACK IN 1992

If you know Saje, there’s no way you don’t know our Peppermint Halo roll-on. An uplifting, tingling formula made from warming and cooling essential oils, Peppermint Halo was designed to be applied along the forehead, temples, along the hairline and over the back of the neck and shoulders to create a ‘halo’ like-effect when the sensation sets in.

Many people report the combination of peppermint, eucalyptus, rosemary, cajeput, vetiver and lavender help them to feel soothed but enlivened, relieved and restored. For an extra cooling treat, try adding a few drops to a foot bath and soak tired, restless feet and legs after a long day.

THE ULTIMATE PAIN-RELIEVING ROLL-ON

We created Extra Strength roll-on after more than two years of research and development into a natural pain-relieving roll-on that could be used to tackle sore muscles, back aches, strains and sprains and more. We wanted this formula to be able to deeply soothe muscles, provide warming and cooling relief and most importantly, we wanted it to really work.

The formula we offer is a best-selling blend of sweet birch, rich in methyl salicylate to alleviate sore fatigued muscles, peppermint to cool, soothe and energize as a known effective pain reliever, clove which is traditionally used as a numbing agent to relieve symptoms of pain and inflammation and other potent, effective essential oils like kunzea, rosemary, marjoram and cardamom.

Apply thinly and evenly to affected areas 3-4 times per day and rub or massage into the muscles and tissue as needed for relief.

LIKE A SUNBEAM IN A BOTTLE

Whether it’s because you love the sharp, tart notes of citrus or you’re looking for a natural lift in your mood, Liquid Sunshine diffuser blend is well worth the investment. This is a bright, cheerful blend of citruses of grapefruit, bergamot, orange, lime and mandarin, known to heighten awareness, promote relaxation and wake up the senses.

We like to add 10-15 drops of Liquid Sunshine to our favorite diffuser in the morning to start our day with a zesty burst of inspiration.

TOUGH ON ODOR AND GENTLE ON YOU

Here at Saje we’re really big fans of natural deodorants. We want to feel confident in the products we apply to the body and we want to know that they’re going to do what they say they’re going to do. The blend our community has loved for so many years is called Peaceful Warrior spray deodorant.

This rich, earthy and herbaceous blend is made with essential oils of ho wood, lime, patchouli, fennel and sandalwood alongside a base of liquid mineral salts. These salts help to neutralize odor-causing bacteria, letting you stay fresh and clean-feeling all day long. Bonus? This spray deodorant won’t clog your pores or stain your clothes.

FOR THOSE TIMES WHEN YOU WANT TO STRESS LESS

No matter the time of year, our stress-relieving product category is well-known and well-loved by our community. We celebrate the choices people are making to support their emotional, mental and spiritual wellness through the use of essential oils that have been studied for the positive impact they create on the nervous system, helping to ease symptoms that many experience like feeling tense, nervous or restless.

We formulated Stress Release roll-on to help you feel grounded and in harmony. It included oils that are sweet, floral and herbaceous like orange, lavender, geranium and clary sage that can be applied to areas like the forehead, neck and shoulders whenever you’re looking to feel peace and calm.

LET US HELP YOU DRIFT OFF TO DREAMLAND

We know that good quality sleep is at the heart of good health. We know that in order to feel good, function optimally and be in a true state of wellness, we need to prioritize our sleep each night. Chronic sleep deprivation, including sleeping too few hours each night is associated with all sorts of potential health problems and complications like obesity, depression and lowered immune response.

We know that many essential oils have been studied for their ability to induce rest, help both the mind and body feel at ease and create a sense of calm that often allows for the type of sleep that leaves you feeling well rested and refreshed. Sleep Well roll-on is a restful blend of valerian root, lavender, green mandarin, vetiver and neroli that when applied to the wrists, throat, temples and other pulse points can help you feel supported as part of your ultimate bedtime ritual.

FOR THAT CLEAN-HOME SMELL

While we offer many different diffuser blends to suit the personal needs and tastes of our community, one faithful favorite we wanted to highlight here is our revitalizing blend called Refresh. This fresh and invigorating blend is helpful at removing stubborn odors from the air and is great for homes with cooking smells, pets and kids.

The essential oils that make up this light, airy, minty-fresh blend are a combination of sweet and clearing spearmint, bright and zesty lemon, opening and herbal eucalyptus, floral and rich lavender, light and earthy ho wood and woody and grounding cedarwood.

FREE YOUR MIND AND THE REST WILL FOLLOW

We expanded our assortment of products to support mindfulness this year in an effort to be of service to those looking to grow their mental, emotional and spiritual health. We know that helping people to feel better through the use of natural wellness products is just one of the tools we all need in our well-being kit, which is why we celebrate the diversity of blends in this convenient on-the-go travel kit and their ability to meet you where you’re at.

The Pocket Farmacy Mindful Edition includes five roll-on oil blends, each formulated specifically to support a facet of mindfulness. Reflection is an earthy, grounding blend of frankincense, myrrh, orange and cedarwood, Energy is a bright, uplifting blend of peppermint, lemon, rosemary and basil, Unwind is a calming, peaceful blend of lavender, bergamot, geranium and cinnamon, Confidence is a warming, comforting blend of ginger, juniper, cypress and pine and Connection is a heart-warming and mood-boosting blend of spearmint, grapefruit, roman chamomile and sage.

These blends can be applied to areas of the body like the temples, jawline, throat, chest, wrists and elbow crooks as desired.

WORK IT OUT AND SOAK IT OUT

There’s nothing that says rest and relaxation quite like a warm bath. This age-old wellness ritual is recommended for de-stressing, when we’re feeling under the weather and when we’re simply looking to carve out time to take care of ourselves.

The bath salt soak we reach for almost every time is called Muscle Melt, and it’s a soothing, decompressing blend of essential oils that can bring deep relaxation to the muscles and to the mind like sweet birch, rosemary, roman chamomile and eucalyptus. Add 2-3 tablespoons of salts to a full bath prior to getting in, swish and prepare to feel balanced and harmonized.

THAT SQUEAKY-CLEAN FEELING

Many years ago, we created a body care product at Saje called the Jute & Joy, and it became an instant classic. A Jute & Joy is a soap filled wash pad that you use in the bath or shower to cleanse and exfoliate the skin. Like the name says, the wash pad is made from jute which in an environmentally friendly plant fiber that when thoroughly saturated is invigorating yet gentle enough to slough off dead skin cells and provide daily exfoliation to the body.

Inside the jute pouch are small squares of 100% natural soap that provide foaming and cleansing to the skin. We love the Goddess variety, made with balancing, floral and citrus essences from geranium, ylang ylang, orange, lime and rose geranium essential oils. We bet you never go back to traditional bar soap again!

OTHER RESOURCES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NATURAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Below we’re sharing some of the other resources we offer to help you learn more about the ways you can incorporate natural wellness products into your daily routine and mindfulness practices:

5 Ways You Can Use Natural Wellness Products To Support Self Care

The Ultimate Guide To Essential Oils

10 Natural Remedies That Really Work

— Jean Shinoda Bolen