I'm a big Kid now...

So… I told you guys I did a deep dive into my blood work recently and let’s just say the results were not exactly the kind you frame and hang on the wall. A few numbers were… concerning. Which meant I had to do something I absolutely hate doing: take a hard look at my food choices.

Not the alcohol though. I’m not there yet. Let’s not get crazy.

Now I know you won’t judge me, but I’m going to tell you something slightly horrifying anyway. For basically my entire adult life I have eaten a cheese sandwich with mayo almost every single day. And not fancy cheese either. We’re talking American cheese. The shiny, individually wrapped situation.

I know what you’re thinking:

Wait… the CEO of a wellness company eats like a 12-year-old?

Yes. Yes she does. Or… did.

So when those blood results came in, it was definitely one of those “okay Renee, time to look in the mirror” moments.

Thankfully, I’ve had help from my friend Cat, who is a nutritionist and deserves a medal for dealing with me. Thank you, Cat.

The bigger issue is that I am a serious creature of habit. Once something becomes my routine, it’s basically cemented into my personality. Breaking those daily food habits was not easy.

For example, I don’t eat breakfast. Never have. No idea why. Unless I’m on vacation, in which case, suddenly I’m ordering pancakes like it’s my job.

So instead, I’ve become an egg-for-lunch person. Eggs in pretty much every form imaginable. Scrambled, soft-boiled, poached, and omelet… you name it. I thought I’d get sick of them by now, but shockingly… I haven’t. And somewhere along the way I started paying a little more attention to what’s actually in my kitchen.

I even heard that Kerrygold butter was in a little trouble recently, not because of the butter itself, but because the foil wrappers were rumored to contain PFAS, those lovely “forever chemicals” everyone’s talking about.

The case was eventually dismissed and the packaging changed, but it did make me pause and think a little more about what I’m buying. Which is how I ended up down a rabbit hole where I discovered something slightly shocking:

You can make butter at home.

And it’s ridiculously easy. Like, why have I been buying this my whole life when it's this easy?

One Kitchen, Two Small Miracles:

My Daily Wellness MVPs"

My Homemade Butter Moment

  • Buy heavy whipping cream.
  • Pour it into a blender or food processor and turn it on. After a few minutes, the butter forms and separates from the buttermilk.
  • Strain out the liquid, grab the butter, and drop it into an ice bath for a couple of minutes. Then, squeeze out the extra liquid, pat dry with a paper towel, and wrap it in parchment.
  • Add salt to taste, shape it however you want, and refrigerate.

Done.

I also mix in garlic and parsley, but honestly, you can add whatever you want. It’s seriously easy and seriously delicious.

Why Butter Isn’t the Villain We Thought

Real butter, especially homemade or high-quality butter, actually has some real benefits.

It’s simple: cream and maybe salt. No stabilizers, preservatives, or mystery ingredients.

Butter also contains fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K2, which support skin, bones, immunity, and hormones. It even contains butyrate, a fatty acid that helps support the gut lining.

And because it’s fat, it actually keeps you fuller longer, which means less mindless snacking. The real upgrade isn’t eating more butter. It’s replacing ultra-processed spreads with real food.

"Butter > margarine
Butter > mystery “spread.”

And honestly, there’s something weirdly satisfying about making your own butter. It makes you feel like you have your life together…

Even if you spent 20 years eating American cheese sandwiches.

My Morning Gut Cocktail (The Responsible Kind)

Another thing I was determined to tackle was my acid reflux.

For at least 15 years, I’ve been taking a prescription drug called Pantoprazole. And if you’ve ever listened to the side effects on those commercials.

you know the vibe:

this pill will cure you… but may also slowly destroy you.

Long-term use can lead to magnesium deficiency, bone fractures, infections like C. difficile, and vitamin B-12 deficiency. Lovely.

  • Did I have some of those side effects? Yes.
  • Did I still push through like I always do? Also yes.

But one of my big goals was to get off that pill.

I had heard that drinking fresh ginger with raw honey and lemon (yes, lemon… I know, sounds wrong for reflux) could help calm things down.

And shockingly… it worked.

The magic in this little ginger-honey-lemon potion is that every ingredient is actually doing something helpful. Ginger calms the stomach and helps digestion move along, lemon helps balance stomach acid (I know… sounds backwards, but it works), and raw honey coats the throat and brings some natural antibacterial goodness. Basically, it’s a tiny wellness team working together in a mug.

It’s been almost a year since I kicked my Pantoprazole habit.

I even made the little concoction for my 99-year-old grandmother, who turns 100 on April 26th, and it’s helped her too.

My Recipe

  • Grab a big piece of ginger, clean it, chop it up, and toss it into a pot of purified water.
  • Grate the peel of a whole lemon right into the pot (don’t skip this part). Then cut the lemons in half and squeeze all the juice into the water.
  • Bring everything to a boil, then let it simmer for about 20 minutes.
  • Let it cool until warm, pour it into a large pitcher, add raw honey to taste, strain, and stir until the honey dissolves. Add more honey or lemon, depending on how you like it.

Done.

I drink this every morning first thing, and if I’ve overdone it at dinner, I’ll sometimes take a little shot of it later.

Even my husband loves it, which honestly shocked me.

You can also:

  • add sparkling water for a refreshing drink
  • or splash it into a vodka soda if you want to feel like you’re at least being slightly responsible.

The Chopper

If you’re around my age, you probably remember the Ginsu knife commercials. “It slices, it dices…” I was obsessed. Starting at about age 8, I begged my family to buy me a set for my birthday every single year. Did I get them? Of course not.

Fast forward to today, and I’m still on the same mission: anything that saves time and makes my life a little easier is immediately my favorite thing.

Which brings me to my latest OMG kitchen find, courtesy of my friend Nicole when we were visiting her.

Enter: The Chopper.

I am fully obsessed. I think I’ve put just about everything possible into this thing. Onions, herbs, garlic, vegetables… if it fits, it’s getting chopped. It’s one of those gadgets that makes you feel weirdly efficient, like you suddenly have your kitchen life together.

I did break my first one because it was a little flimsy, so this time I upgraded to the top-notch version and it has not disappointed.

Fair warning though: DO NOT touch those blades. They are razor sharp. Ask me how I know. Yes, I touched them. Yes, I cut myself pretty good.

Worth it? Honestly… still yes.

Let me know what you guys think!

And just like that… reflux handled, homemade butter in the fridge, and suddenly I look like someone who has their kitchen life together.

Turns out getting healthier didn’t require a complete life overhaul. Just a little less American cheese, a little more real food, and one very bossy friend named Cat. 😏

Stay tuned… more to come!

With 34 fabulous years in the beauty industry, I’ve become the go-to gal for product recommendations. I’m often asked, “What are your absolute must-haves?” Well, today, I’m spilling the tea on the products I truly love and trust, because sharing is caring (and looking fabulous is a must)!

xoxo

-Renée

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2 comments

Ok, I’m making butter! we have the chopper and love it!

Sarah D

LOVE it all!!!!!

Marty Covert

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