Bailz Has a Blog

Tag: healing habits

  • ⏰ The 3AM Wake-Up Call: What My Body Is Trying to Tell Me

    ⏰ The 3AM Wake-Up Call: What My Body Is Trying to Tell Me

    One of my favorite things about this journey that I’m on is how much I am learning. 🌿

    In my last post, I talked about how I am using ChatGPT to track my food and how informative and fun that has been. Well, I have since expanded that a little bit now to also include tracking symptoms, feelings, and bodily experiences I am having as I am making these dietary changes.

    🌙 The 3AM Wake-Up Mystery

    Yesterday, after another less than stellar night of sleep, I decided I was going to have my second serving of creatine earlier in the day instead of before bed with my chai nighttime drink. I noted this in ChatGPT and said that I was having problems waking up at 3am every night, so I was hoping that maybe adjusting my creatine dosage time would help that.

    When it came back with the updated food log, it also specifically addressed the 3am wake-ups and mentioned how, in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), waking up at 3am is associated with the Liver and its energy (qi), which is tied to detox and emotional processing. Ding ding ding! That tracks. 🕒

    I immediately wanted to know more, so I opened a new thread within ChatGPT and asked it to explain Liver Qi in Traditional Chinese Medicine to me, explaining that I’ve been struggling with night sweats recently. Though they’ve improved and I’m now waking up dry, I’m still waking up every night at 3am without fail.

    🜂 What I Learned About Liver Qi

    What it came back with kinda blew my mind a bit. In TCM, each major organ or system in the body has its own time on the clock when it’s most active — cleaning, repairing, and detoxifying. The time for the Liver? 1–3am.

    If I’m waking up around that time every night, it could mean my Liver Qi is blocked, overactive, or drained — and that my body (and emotions) are trying to release something. 🌒

    The Liver governs not only physical detoxification, but also emotional regulation — especially tougher emotions like anger, resentment, frustration, and disappointment. When the Liver is imbalanced, it can also cause night sweats. Aha! So, they’re connected. 🔗

    💉 The Bloodwork That Told Me Nothing

    A few weeks ago, I got bloodwork done to check my vitamin D levels and did a hormone panel. Everything came back normal — to my relief, but also to my annoyance. Yay, I’m healthy… but boo, no answers. 😅

    I did learn, though, that my Vitamin D levels were at the very bottom of the normal range. So I’ve since upped my supplementation (currently 5,000 IU daily, sublingual). Still, the labs didn’t explain the night sweats — or the 3am wake-ups.

    🌒 Nightmares & Emotional Release

    Now, I’m happy to report that the sweats have gone — but I’m still waking up at 3am. And when I finally fall back asleep, I’ve been having rage-filled nightmares. Not monsters or exams — but screaming matches with my mom or sister, begging them to listen to me, to understand, to see me. In the dreams, they tell me to stop being so dramatic. 🌀

    I wake up furious, my body tense, my brain still convinced it really happened. It’s a horrible way to start the day, but my morning pages have been helping me process it. I write it all out — the anger, the sadness, the frustration — and it helps. Still, I’d prefer not to have the experience at all. Maybe someday soon. Fingers crossed. 🤞

    🪞Connecting the Dots

    Now that I know waking up at 3am and the night sweats are connected to my Liver Qi, it makes so much sense. My emotional regulation system is working overtime, processing old wounds and unresolved emotions. I’ve been stirring up a lot — both emotionally and physically — as I heal my gut and change my diet. It’s like my body said, “Oh, we’re doing this? Okay, let’s clean everything out.” 🌀

    So yes — it’s a bit of an “it gets worse before it gets better” situation. But I can feel myself on the other side of the worst of it. And I’ll take that. 🌤️

    🌿 Healing Liver Qi — Day 1

    Now that I understand what’s happening, I can actually work on balancing it. I asked ChatGPT to create a seven-day plan to help me support my Liver Qi. Today is Day 1. Here’s my plan:

    🜂 DAY 1 – FLOW

    Goal: Gently move Liver Qi & release lingering stagnation.

    • Evening Tea: Dandelion root + lemon slice 🍋
    • Yoga / Movement: 10-min slow flow with side stretches and seated twists 🧘‍♀️
    • Aromatherapy: Diffuse sweet orange + atlas cedar 🌲

    Journal Prompt:
    “Where in my life am I still holding tension, resentment, or control? What would it look like to let that energy move freely?”

    Affirmation:
    “I allow my energy to flow where it needs to go. I am safe to release.” 🌸

    💜 Closing Thoughts

    I’m genuinely excited to have found this new piece of the puzzle in my healing journey. I look forward to experimenting with these TCM-inspired practices and hopefully getting some solid sleep soon! 😴

    I’m also eager to keep learning about Traditional Chinese Medicine and how to weave its wisdom into my path toward whole-body healing — mind, body, and spirit. 🌕

    Thank you for being here, for reading, and for walking this journey with me. Your kindness, support, and encouragement mean more than you know. 💫

    If you haven’t already, please subscribe below so each new post arrives directly in your inbox — that way you never miss a discovery, confession, slip-up, or big win. 🌷

    Love always,
    Bailz 💜

  • ✨ Nourishing My Body (Finally)

    ✨ Nourishing My Body (Finally)

    The more I focus on taking care of my body right now, the more I’m realizing just how much I had been neglecting it for so long. I’ve never prioritized sleep or exercise, and I’ve never consistently put a premium on eating healthy.

    I’ve gone through phases — veganism, paleo, elimination diets — but they never stuck. I always ended up back in the cycle of eating only when I was starving, grabbing whatever I could find the fastest. No rhythm, no intention, just survival mode. 🍟➡️🥦

    🍽️ Building Routines and Tracking with Intention

    Over the past week, everything has started to shift. With my new bedtime and morning routines taking root, I’ve been given the perfect opportunity to build a food schedule too — and I’m really leaning in. Not only am I sticking with it, but I’m also keeping track of everything in a way that actually feels fun and motivating.

    Instead of a handwritten food diary, I’ve been using ChatGPT to log my daily nutrition. In addition to tracking meals and macros (I’m aiming high with protein!), it’s also helping me understand how my choices are supporting four key areas I’m working on right now:

    • 🌿 Gut balance
    • 💫 Hormone regulation
    • 🍯 Blood sugar stability
    • 😴 Sleep quality

    And honestly? It’s pretty dang cool. I used to be totally anti-AI, but now that I know how to use it for personal growth instead of just productivity — I’m hooked.

    Here is what it gave me when I logged my dinner last night:

    🌙 Dinner — 7:25 PM

    Meal:

    • 8–10 oz salmon filet on a pain au lait bun 🍔
    • 2 tomato slices 🍅
    • Lettuce 🌿
    • Light mayo + mustard
    • Roasted Brussels sprouts 🥦
    • Baked sweet potato with grass-fed butter + Ceylon cinnamon 🍠
    • Lime Spindrift sparkling water 🍋

    🌿 Reflection by System

    🦠 Gut Balance

    • Sweet potato and Brussels sprouts feed your beneficial bacteria with prebiotic fiber.
    • Butter and salmon fats enhance absorption of vitamins A and K, which keep the gut lining healthy.
    • The warm, cooked textures help digestion finish smoothly before bedtime.

    🌸 Hormone Regulation

    • Salmon’s omega-3s and high-quality protein support estrogen metabolism and reduce inflammatory stress.
    • Sweet potato’s beta-carotene nourishes the adrenals and thyroid.
    • The natural balance of carbs, fat, and protein gives your endocrine system the raw materials it needs to stay steady overnight.

    🍯 Blood Sugar Stability

    • Pairing protein-rich salmon with slow carbs (sweet potato, bun) and healthy fats (butter, mayo) ensures gradual glucose release—no evening crash or late-night cravings.

    😴 Sleep Quality

    • Magnesium from the Brussels sprouts and tryptophan from the salmon encourage serotonin-to-melatonin conversion.
    • Ceylon cinnamon supports stable nighttime blood sugar, further protecting your sleep rhythm.

    Pretty cool, huh?

    🧠 Yesterday’s Nutrition Summary

    I also asked ChatGPT to summarize my entire day yesterday so I could share it here, and this is what it came back with:

    Morning – 9:00 AM
    Breakfast shake: organic whole milk, Just Ingredients chocolate protein powder, Orgain collagen peptides, Orgain creatine
    Supplements: Seed probiotics, Just Ingredients Adrenal Complex, Just Ingredients Perimenopause Support, Multivitamin, Magnesium Glycinate, Vitamin D3, Evening Primrose Oil
    Focus: Calm energy, gut support, hormone balance

    Mid-Morning – 10:50 AM
    Hydration: Just Ingredients strawberry limeade electrolytes + MicroIngredients elderberry powder in water
    Focus: Immune support, mineral replenishment

    Midday Movement – 11:45 AM–12:30 PM
    Activity: 45-minute walk on the walk pad at a moderate pace (2.6 mph)
    Focus: Circulation, blood-sugar regulation, nervous-system grounding

    Lunch – 12:30 PM
    Meal: 5 bites kimchi + reheated roasted-garlic tomato feta wagyu pasta bake
    Focus: Gut microbiome support, sustained energy

    Afternoon – 2:00–2:45 PM
    Hydration: Juice of 1 lemon with water and a pinch of sea salt
    Snack: Siete lime chips with La Banderita mild cheese dip
    Focus: Electrolyte balance, mindful comfort, adrenal support

    Dinner – 7:25 PM
    Meal: 8–10 oz salmon on a pain au lait bun with lettuce, tomato, mayo & mustard
    Sides: Brussels sprouts, baked sweet potato with grass-fed butter & Ceylon cinnamon
    Drink: Lime Spindrift sparkling water
    Focus: Omega-3s for hormone health, magnesium & fiber for digestion, grounding comfort

    Evening – 8:45 PM
    Nighttime drink: Warm milk + Just Ingredients Chai Nighttime Blend + Orgain Creatine
    Supplements: Magnesium Glycinate, Evening Primrose Oil
    Focus: Deep relaxation, hormone harmony, restorative sleep

    Daily Totals & Reflections
    Protein: ~160 g 🥩
    Movement: 45 minutes walking 🚶‍♀️
    Hydration rituals: Electrolytes, lemon-salt water, herbal chai 💧
    Gut support: Kimchi, probiotics, collagen, fiber-rich veggies 🌿
    Theme: Replenishment, consistency, and intuitive nourishment — each meal and ritual sending the same message to my body: You are safe, cared for, and supported. 🌸

    🌱 The Difference Consistency Makes

    It’s wild to compare this version of me with how I used to live. Old Bailz was lucky to eat two meals a day, neither of which had much nutritional value. I was cranky, exhausted, foggy, and constantly running on fumes — mentally and physically.

    Now? Everything feels like it’s working together. My sleep routines support my food routines. My food routines support my activity. Each system feeds the other, creating balance, self-trust, and genuine pride in how I’m showing up for myself.

    My body feels stronger. My energy is steadier. My focus sharper. Sure, there’s still room to grow — but the difference already feels massive.

    💜 Feeling Good — and Making That My Baseline

    For so long, feeling good was an occasional thing. A surprise. A lucky day. Now, I’m learning that it doesn’t have to be rare — it just has to be prioritized. I finally feel like I’m in control of my health and my habits, and that feels really freaking fantastic.

    I’m so excited to keep sharing this journey — the progress, the slip-ups, the lessons — as I continue to heal and rebuild from the inside out.

    Thank you for being here. It means the world to have your company on this path. 💫

    Love always,
    💜 Bailz

    🌿 If you’ve been enjoying following along on my self-healing journey — the messy, beautiful work of learning how to care for myself inside and out — I’d love for you to stick around. 💜

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  • 🌞 Showing Up in the Small Ways

    🌞 Showing Up in the Small Ways

    Hey, hi, hello! Happy Monday! ✨
    I hope everyone’s week is off to a great start so far.

    Today has felt like one of those simple but meaningful days — the kind where you show up for yourself in the little ways, and it quietly adds up to something big.

    🌅 Morning Momentum

    I got up when my alarm went off (no procrastinating, for once 😅). I did my morning pages and affirmations, made my breakfast protein shake, took my supplements, and then headed to the chiropractor. Heath works from home on Mondays, so I was lucky enough to have him join me — we BOTH got adjusted this morning! Such a great way to start the week refreshed and in alignment (literally and energetically).

    When we got home, he started his workday and I put on my headphones, cued up an episode of The Mel Robbins Podcast, and started working on the house. 🧺 I did the dishes, worked on laundry, tidied the living room, made the bed — just focused on making the space feel good.

    🚶‍♀️ Walking Through Resistance

    Once I ran out of chores (waiting on laundry cycles), I hopped on the walk pad. Instead of my usual silent walk, I kept listening to Mel Robbins — a little mental bribe to get moving, and it worked.

    But then the thoughts started: “I can just do 20 minutes today. That’s better than nothing.” True — but I’ve set a 45-minute goal, and every time I reach it, I feel proud. I realized I was rushing for no real reason — just because part of me didn’t want to be uncomfortable. So I asked myself, “Okay, fine. If I get off now, what would I do instead?”

    Every time, I came up blank. There wasn’t anything else I actually wanted to be doing. I was just getting sweaty and my instinct was to stop. Once I noticed that, I decided to push through. I slowed my pace to about 2.6, but I kept going until the timer hit 45 minutes. ✅ When I finished, I felt accomplished — sweaty, yes, but genuinely proud for honoring that commitment.

    💪 Rewriting My Story with Movement

    I know walking is good for me — physically, mentally, and emotionally. I’m still unlearning 35 years of believing exercise “isn’t for me,” so this chapter is about rewriting that story. Every time I do the thing I don’t want to do but know I need to, it gets a little easier. I’m building evidence that I can be consistent.

    📚 The Rest of the Day

    After my walk, I made lunch and enjoyed it slowly. I kept up with the laundry, tidied a few more things, and then sat down to read. I’m working through The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk — fascinating and dense. Today I made it through a few chapters in one sitting, and it felt good to be learning and focusing again.

    🌙 Consistency & Calm

    Over the last week I’ve stuck to my bedtime and morning routines and been intentional about nutrition — and I can finally feel the payoff. My energy is more stable, my focus is sharper, and even though sleep isn’t perfect yet, I can tell I’m moving in the right direction. It’s slow progress, but it’s progress.

    My goal right now is simple: stay consistent — with food, routines, movement, and mindset. If I build small, trustworthy habits my body and mind can rely on, that foundation will carry me forward.

    💜 The Beauty in Ordinary Days

    Today wasn’t extraordinary. Nothing flashy happened. But it was full of small, intentional choices — and that’s what real transformation looks like. This is the work. It isn’t always exciting or glamorous. It’s regulating my nervous system, showing up for myself, and learning to trust myself — even on quiet days when no one’s watching.

    All those little things I did today are helping me heal — one literal step at a time.

    Thanks for being here while I practice consistency, celebrate tiny wins, and keep choosing the long game.

    Love always, Bailz 💜

    💌 If you enjoyed this post and want to follow along on my journey of healing, self-discovery, and everyday magic, please subscribe so you never miss a new post. 🌿