39. A quick roundup #4

Things that light me up in November 2022.

interlude

As freezing weather arrived extra early this year, I was drawn to get extra cozy indoors and reflect inward. With this comes my quarterly refreshment of the food, media, and art I consume.

---

At Café Kitsuné, captured by my friend Flo.

resources

1. Adjusting my diet. After learning the effects of various foods on hormones & skin health from Almost 30 and Katie Stewart, I decided to go dairy free, caffeine free (except for matcha), low sugar, and low wheat. I’m also amping up my intake of detoxifying foods such as blueberries, avocado, and turmeric.
   
   I shouldn’t really call this a “diet,” though, because everyone finds that word so restrictive. I prefer looser terms like “low” rather than “no” sugar/wheat, since I allow for no-rules meals once or twice weekly. Still, I’m finding that having fewer options on a restaurant menu is freeing, dare I say empowering. After 7+ weeks of eating this way, my acne has improved, and I have fewer symptoms of hormonal or digestive imbalance such as bloating and inflammation.

2. Making soup. Since my microwave broke (repairs in progress!), I’ve been conscious of the fact that liquid food is easier to reheat on the stove, and so I’ve turned to soup recipes. I love putting my giant 5-quart pot to good use with low-maintenance yet hearty recipes.
   Two recent favourites are copycats of well-known chicken noodle soups: this tastes like Campbell’s (but much fresher and probably healthier!), and this is modelled after a PF Chang’s menu item my parents and I used to live for (read the comments for important tweaks).

3. A new car playlist. I used to listen to podcasts to/from work, but I started to find the yammering in my ear more anxiety-inducing than soothing. Instead, I made a “pump up” playlist with dance music like Charli XCX, SOPHIE and jamesjamesjames. Given the aforementioned caffeine-free diet, this helps me wake up! I would share the whole thing, but “pump up” music is so personal I’d rather encourage you to create your own!

I’ll end with a powerful quote from author James Clear’s Thursday email:

Scale can empower, but it can also dilute. Something is lost when quantity is valued over quality. 

You have to maintain your standards even when all the forces around you seem to be calling for growth. Push back against more, more, more and remain committed to better, better, better.

---

What’s your favourite soup? Or, what would you put on your “pump-up” playlist? Feel free to share your own thoughts in the comments!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider subscribing and telling your friends about Spirit :)