Alone time, red light rabbit holes & rebuilding muscle

06 Feb Alone time, red light rabbit holes & rebuilding muscle

💌 Notes from Natalie

This week felt…interesting.

Brooks was out of town in LA working on a totally new concept (nope, not health-related! (Think doors + security 😆). More on that another time. But it meant I had the house to myself. Just me and Flops. 🐶

And honestly? I kind of loved the alone time. Quiet mornings. No schedules. Space to think. Space to experiment. Space to go down a few deep rabbit holes.

One of those rabbit holes was red light therapy.

You’ve heard me talk about red light for years. I’ve had panels in my house forever because I like how I feel using them. But I realized… I never really understood why it works.

So this week, I went DEEP.

I recorded a podcast episode with my friend Ari Whitten and wow!! I learned so much. We talked about how red light supports skin health, cellular energy, and even aging in a way that finally clicked for me.

One thing that really stood out:

The sun contains red light (which is incredibly beneficial)…but it also contains blue light and UV, which can accelerate skin aging. Red light helps counterbalance that. Once you understand that, the whole thing makes way more sense.

You can catch the full episode on Apple here, Spotify here, or watch on YouTube here.

And speaking of red light…

I’ve tried a lot of red light masks over the years. This week I’ve been using the Sunlighten mask again, and I forgot how much I like it. It fits well, stays on, sits close to the skin, and uses multiple light wavelengths. Plus…it looks super cool too lol.

I did a fun little reel about red light this week if you want the quick, fun visual version you can watch it here.

And if you’re curious about the mask itself, you can check it out here.

💪 Another focus this week: rebuilding muscle

This has been a big one for me.

Between back surgery, extended time off, and navigating histamine intolerance, I lost more muscle than I expected and adding it back has been… humbling.

I’m lifting as heavy as I can, prioritizing protein, and being patient. One thing I’ve really leaned into more lately is KION Aminos. You’ve probably seen me talking about them more on social lately, and this is why.

They’ve become an easy way for me to support muscle without overwhelming my digestion, especially while I’m working hard to rebuild strength. If you want to try some, you can find them here (and code NATALIEJILL saves you some money).

🖊️ Also new this week: I started writing on Substack

Substack is perfect for longer-form thoughts, deeper dives, and things that don’t always fit into a Reel or short caption. If you like that kind of content, come join me here.

❣️ Quick “what I’m loving this week” moment…

I’m officially taking a short break from eggs 😂

(When Brooks cooks them, they’re perfect. When he’s gone… not so much.)

So my current go-to breakfast has been:

Greek yogurt + blueberries + a little grain-free, high-fiber cereal for crunch.

Simple. High protein. Easy. Delicious. And no overcooked eggs involved.

And finally… if you’re reading this on Friday when I sent it, I’m probably at the Phoenix Open ⛳️

No, I’m not a golf girl.

But I got invited with some pretty cool VIP passes, and it felt very Scottsdale to say yes. So why not?

Next week I’ve got some great interviews coming your way, and I can’t wait to share them with you.

Thanks for being here,

– Natalie Jill 💛