Note: this post contains affiliate links. I love Ritual vitamins and believe in them wholeheartedly. If you end up trying Ritual via my links, I receive a commission or fee.
[dropcaps]I[/dropcaps] wrote recently about how I’m coping with my 40th birthday (hint: not well, but coming to terms).
One of the most significant changes I’ve made? Seriously upgrading my daily multivitamin.
Quick background: I’ve been on a little bit of a maniacal hunt for a great vitamin through the years. I faithfully chewed my Flintstones vitamins* as a child of the 70s and 80s and took iron supplements as a female teenager turned uninformed vegetarian. I staunchly swallowed prenatal vitamins during the pregnancy years and obstinately told myself that I could get everything I needed through a well-rounded diet with lots of whole foods.
And then in my thirties, I found myself unhappy with the lay of the nutritional land. I wanted a daily vitamin that gave me a little pep in my step, but without a lot of extra junk.
There was a great article in the New York Times* a few years ago about the history – and necessity – of vitamins. I was delighted when Martha Stewart rolled out a tasty (and vegetarian) chewable vitamin, and dismayed when it was quickly discontinued. I tried the Olly vitamins from Target and a bunch of others to get the mix of Vitamin C, zinc and iron I thought I needed.
Seriously, how hard is it to find a vitamin that suits my life?
As it turns out, not that hard: enter Ritual.
While idly scrolling Instagram a few months ago and trying not to panic about my approaching 40th birthday, I came across a promoted post for Ritual vitamins, and I was intrigued.
I dove headfirst into their website and read everything I could find, and suffice it to say I was really happy with what I found (hint: better ingredients, transparent supply chain, no unnecessary ingredients, obsessive research). Sold, sold and sold. Ritual offers the 9 essential nutrients women lack most, and there are no synthetic fillers or other items you don’t need (plus: non-GMO, vegan, gluten and soy free if those matter to you).
After reaching out to the lovely (seriously, they are SO lovely and genuine!) people at Ritual, I was all in. They offered me a 30 day trial, and I knew on week two that I’d finally found my vitamin. In addition to being happy that I was getting the nutrients I needed, I noticed that when I took my vitamins consistently my skin was clearer and I felt more calm and focused. Now I divide my monthly subscription so there’s a bottle on my desk and one at home: no forgetting.
Ritual is a subscription service (meaning that my vitamins just show up every month! Delightful!), but they aren’t schmarmy (<– real word) and deceptive about it. You can stall a month or cancel anytime, and they send a helpful reminder before each shipment so you aren’t caught off guard.
So, I happily signed up as a Ritual affiliate partner, because I knew I would be enthusiastically telling everyone about them. And they didn’t ask, but I stole a page from their helpful and informative Journal (aka blog) to share:
My Ritual
[dropcaps]W[/dropcaps]hat’s one practice, goal, or purpose that helps get you out of bed each day?
I fell off the wagon a bit during the dark and depressing winter months, but I’m reincorporating my habit of getting up before the rest of the house to get some time to myself. Whether I just enjoy a quiet cup of coffee on our deck overlooking the woods, get in some yoga or meditation or do some reading and planning for my day, I’m in a better mental place on the days I make this invaluable quiet time happen.
[dropcaps]W[/dropcaps]hose advice have you taken recently? What was it?
I have regular conversations with one of my very dearest friends and business besties – Stephanie – about slowing down, eliminating what doesn’t matter and being present over perfect. Having an unofficial accountability partner and fellow Mom who knows me intimately and will not hesitate to tell me the tough things I need to hear? Absolutely priceless.
[dropcaps]I[/dropcaps]s there a product or life hack that’s saving your sanity?
It’s no secret that I am over the moon for Evernote. It’s the one tool I use every single day for everything from work to writing to shopping lists to storing information like social security numbers, dimensions of a piece of furniture or photos of our vehicle license plates.
[dropcaps]A[/dropcaps]nd how do you keep your balance?
I’m a textbook extrovert and over-enthusiastic about marketing and technology, but as I’ve gotten older, I absolutely crave quiet time to myself. That usually means time alone in the kitchen or reading a magazine with a glass of wine. I’m happiest in the months when I can garden and be outside, so I try to make time for that as well as a few minutes every day when I make eye contact with my husband and kids so we’re not passing like ships in the night. And as simple as it sounds, having lunch by myself regularly is key to balance for me – I just need to get away to collect my thoughts, decompress, read and think.
[dropcaps]D[/dropcaps]o you have an object in your house that inspires you?
I’m not prone to tchotchkes, but I do have a lot of small mementos that bring me happiness… and I write about them under The Story of Stuff category. Beyond those items, I’ve found that plants and greenery are increasingly important to my sanity. My favorite is the ZZ plant (Zamioculcas Zamifolia, or Zanzibar Gem), because they are easy to care for and have bright, shiny green leaves – I have them in almost every room of the house.
[dropcaps]W[/dropcaps]hat do you eat to stay healthy?
There are a lot of habits I could improve (and I have a deep love of cheese, chocolate and wine), but I’m pretty good about keeping plenty of fruits and veggies around and not much junk food. I find that if it’s around, it gets consumed… so I try to limit the bad stuff that comes into the house. I love avocados and eggs, but a quick pasta meal with cheater sauce is kind of my go to comfort food… I just make it a little healthier by always using wheat pasta and incorporating a ton of veggies – especially mushrooms. And these days, Ritual is essential to my healthy life choices!
Let me know if you have any questions about Ritual or if you decide to check it out!
Click below to try it for 30 days (affiliate link below and throughout).
[dropcaps]*R[/dropcaps]eference:
- Interesting reading via Mental Floss: A Brief History of Flintstones Vitamins. The show debuted in 1960, and the eponymous vitamins hit the market in 1968.
- The New York Times article on the evolution of humans – and the argument for why they need vitamins.
I absolutely love having lunch by myself. It’s the number one key to keeping my sanity. When I used to work for a terrible company, that hour by myself kept my head on straight. And now, that I have a job I enjoy, lunching alone keeps me productive and lets me decompress.
I have a question about these Ritual vitamins. I am always on the lookout for a new vitamin, but I have one big stumbling block. I have this psychosomatic thing that prevents me from swallowing large pills. They gag me every time. These vitamins don’t look too big. How are they to swallow?
Hey Marisa! Thanks for stopping by. So true, right? I think eating alone is actually a huge life skill.
Lately I try to make sure that I don’t spend time in a restaurant scrolling my phone – it’s become a bad habit!
So, the Ritual vitamins are NOT huge… but I definitely can’t say they are small. I find them easiest to take first thing in the morning when I’m SUPER thirsty. They aren’t hard to swallow, but I do like a little something to sort of push them on down so I feel like I swallowed them thoroughly and they are getting to work – so taking them with a banana or right before eating is ideal. They are interesting because they have a sort of liquid component (I think it’s the Vitamin D3, comparable to fish oil).
If you want to try a month, I actually have a code I can send you – just drop me an email!
P.S. I am LOVING your posts lately – you are on such a roll!
Like you, plants and greenery are keeping me sane, lately. I have a corner in my living room that has a midcentury chair I inherited from my grandmother, and to the left and right of it are big, beautiful plants: a thriving fiddle leaf fig tree and a gorgeous jade succulent. That corner of my house is my happy place, and it’s where I often retreat to read and/or recover from a stressful day.
I have to say, you sold me on these vitamins. They’re definitely more than I’ve ever spent for a daily vitamin, but I’m searching for something to help me feel better. Not that I’m ill or anything like that, but I just feel run down each day, like I begin the day treading water physically and mentally, and then I’m sinking by the end of it. I’ve thought perhaps switching up my vitamin intake might make a difference, so I’m intrigued by Ritual. I’ll have to give them a deeper dive. Thanks for your post!