Life of Kim

 

Although we are currently enjoying a January Thaw with temperatures in the 30s and 40s, it’s been quite snowy and frigid here in the Finger Lakes. I’m thankful to have a home to shelter me and a space heater to keep me warm, as we keep our inside temperature is rather cool.

I posted a few weeks ago about how Young Living Thieves oils are giving me an extra boost of wellness during cold and flu season. Now I’d like to share a rather odd couple of subjects: how I keep my feet warm and how I’m shopping for natural foods this winter.

As far as what’s on my feet, I have Reynaud’s disease, which can make my feet feel unbearably cold and my toes go numb during the winter months. So this year I invested in five pairs of wool/cashmere/Angora socks from TJ Maxx that I hand wash and wear daily. Here are some from Amazon that look comparable.

I also purchased a pair of eggplant-hued Haflinger Wool Clogs that fit like a dream right out of the box. They are warm, soft, supportive and gentle on my flat, over-pronating feet and they’re cute as well. If you’re a Birkenstock fan, your size should be the same in Haflingers. At least they were for me.

 

 

 

Shoes when I’m out during the weekday consist of my Keen Targhee Hiking Boots (mine are a few years older than these) or Dansko Professional Clogs in black if there isn’t much snow.

As for shopping, when I’m in Ithaca, I go to Wegmans, Greenstar and BJ’s, but I can’t get there as often as I’d like now that I live farther away. All my produce is purchased in Ithaca, but unless you know your prices, or items are on sale, other foods that I eat tend to be pricey. (Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Meat-free. I also try to limit corn and soy because of sensitivity that shows up in my skin and digestion.)

For several years now, I’ve ordered from Vitacost for supplements, gluten free flours, natural household cleaners, and protein powder. Their prices are good, shipping on orders over $49 is free and fast, and they send coupon codes through email all the time.

And of course, Amazon has almost everything, so I order food items, such as this 3-pack of coconut sugar, which is a really good deal, here as well.

Recently I placed my first order with Thrive Market. I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but decided their prices, especially on items with their own brand, were too good to pass up. They have a 30 day trial membership with the first three orders discounted 20% (for a maximum of $20). After that, it’s $59.95 per year for membership, which basically covers the year’s shipping cost.

Since I regularly include foods like gluten free pasta, coconut milk, oil & aminos, tahini, cashew and almond butter, protein powder and Nutpods coffee creamer in my diet, I was happy to find that their prices were reasonable for these items and will ship directly to my door. (I have a small vehicle which doesn’t do well on snowy roads.) I am happy to report that all of the Thrive Market brand of products, especially the nut butters and coconut aminos, are top quality and just plain great tasting. I will be placing another order soon.

So what are you doing to stay warm and cozy this winter?

** This post contains some affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase through a link I provide, I may be compensated in a small way, at no additional cost to you. I was not paid for my honest opinions, though–they are completely my own.