It’s been one of those weeks where my mind has just been all over the place. So many thoughts, so many tasks to check off, so little time (or perhaps more appropriately: so little focus)! Anyway, here are 5 things I’m digging this week (and wanted to share with you):
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1. I wanted to make baked sweet potatoes the other day, but it was simply too hot to run my oven for the hour plus it would normally take to bake them. No worries, this slow cooker sweet potato recipe from Wellness Mama came to the rescue! Thanks to my slow cooker, I had sweet potatoes ready-to-go within a few hours, and didn’t have to heat up the house in the process. So easy, and I’m surprised I never thought of it myself.
2. I’m currently really loving Southern Curls & Pearls, a fashion blog which I recently discovered. Caitlin’s looks are classic (while still trendy), très chic, and very down to earth and accessible (i.e. most are things I would actually wear). And I have to admit that I’ve been in dire need of some cute fashion inspiration lately. As it turns out, my daily “uniform” of yoga pants and Target Long and Lean tanks? Not exactly considered high fashion.
3. Nerd alert: this reading light is exactly what I’ve been looking for. No more holding up my iPhone to use my flashlight app in sad desperation when I’m trying to read at night. This handy little gadget fits neatly around my neck for some hardcore hands-free illumination. It has several different light settings and will automatically shut off after 30 minutes (perfect for those of us who are likely to dose off), all while fitting snugly (and comfortably) around the neck. I might have just upped my geek factor tenfold, but that’s okay. Viva la book light!
4. I’m digging this article from MindBodyGreen about the link between childhood stress and chronic illness in adulthood. A study of more than 17,000 patients showed a significant increase in risk of developing serious illness (such as autoimmune disease or cancer) if that person had gone through trauma, abuse, neglect, or repeated humiliation as a child. In addition to diagnosing the cause, the article provides a list of useful suggestions about how to effectively achieve healing.
5. Finally, on a far more serious note, I was completely, shocked, dumbfounded, and captivated by this article from The Huffington Post, where the author uncovers the deadly effect that a Dupont chemical plant has had on the community of Parkersburg, West Virginia. The events reported in this well-written story are appalling at best, and something that everyone should read. It is not only the plight of the people living in this town that is astonishing, but the fact that we are all affected as a nation, both in terms of our health and our moral responsibility. We have the power to help stop these horrors — happening right here in our own country — by voting with our dollars, along with our votes at the polls. It’s a long read — but one that is so important, so I urge you to curl up with a cup of coffee (or tea) and take a few minutes to sit down and read this. If you choose only one thing to read today, I hope it’s this piece.
I loved baked potato too. The slow cooker sweet potato recipe caught my attention that i wanted to try it over the weekend.
Yes! And since this post, I’ve also discovered that the Instant Pot is great for making sweet potatoes too!