Olivia Amitrano is the founder of Organic Olivia . Her namesake brand of wildcrafted herbal tinctures, elixirs, capsules, and teas are wildcrafted, accessible, easy to use and all the more compelling considering Olivia’s own wellness journey and needs. Her journey began when, like far too many of us, she faced major health issues that Western medicine just couldn’t resolve. Turning to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), she discovered the solutions she needed and dedicated herself to becoming a clinical herbalist, sharing the education and products that would support others on their own wellness journeys.
We asked the entrepreneurial herbalist to share her essential wellness habits and non-negotiables with us in our series here…
Living Well with Olivia Amitrano of Organic Olivia
Name: Olivia Amitrano
Biz: Organic Olivia
Can’t live without my: Brisk early morning walks to wake up my brain and perk up my mood.
Daily breakfast: 5 hard boiled eggs, 1 slice of gluten free toast with butter, and berries. My main goal with breakfast is to hit 30g of protein (this is the minimum threshold required in one sitting to stimulate and protect our muscle mass—something we don’t want to lose as we age!). I include the toast with butter because it’s comforting and delicious, a good source of quick carbs for my walk and makes me happy. The berries are for antioxidants, polyphenols, and some fiber. In addition, I drink some electrolytes on the side to hydrate first thing in the morning and often brew a big pot of ginger tea to sip on throughout the day.
My food philosophy in one sentence: Protein and plants first! (I fill up on protein by making it the bulk of my plate, but I’m equally as conscious about fruits and veggies for fiber as our gut bacteria relies on a diverse range of fiber sources to maintain key microbial populations).
The passion behind my business in brief: To put the highest quality, most effective herbal supplements in the hands of those who need them for a wide variety of life’s difficulties. I’ve worked diligently to make something for everyone – from widely applicable formulas that help with restless sleep or winter blues, to more potent, targeted clinical blends for PCOS or thyroid support, my goal was to create an apothecary you can turn to for whatever obstacles you’re facing.
Fave workout: Club Pilates with my favorite instructor Donna – she’s in her 70s and an absolute riot.
My daily supplements: I’m religious about taking my probiotic because it’s helped so much with my digestion and skin (Not Your Average 3-in-1 Probiotic), and I also make sure to incorporate fish oil, Vitamin D, and adaptogenic herbs when I’m stressed out. Right now I’m taking Adrenal Recovery, a blend of 7 adaptogens that work together synergistically to keep our stress hormones balanced when we’re working more than usual or feeling run down.
Best gym to street (or dinner) tip: A workout onesie with a blazer is the ultimate city girl chic moment – add some gold jewelry and suddenly you look put together!
Once a week for my health I… Use a castor oil pack over my abdomen or liver for an hour before bed. This involves applying a flannel or cloth with some organic castor oil soaked into it on your preferred area (abdomen is great if you’re feeling backed up, liver is good if you need some lymphatic support or are breaking out before your cycle). Once the cloth and oil are applied, use a hot water bottle or heating pad over top to help the castor oil penetrate; it helps to stimulate your lymphatic system and provide detoxification support and is especially helpful if you’re having hormone or digestive issues.
Best fast food option: Anywhere that serves a good burger – I order a double patty in a lettuce wrap with lots of tomatoes and onions. Meat and veggies for the win. And, of course I have a few fries on the side… we never skip good fries and need some carbs for balance!
Best healthy restaurant tip: Unless you have a favorite dish that really speaks to you or a hankering for something special, if you’re eating out often and want to feel as good as you do cooking at home, go with the basics. Fish, steak, whatever main/protein is speaking to you with some healthy sides like baked potato and veggies to share. It’s still going to be more delicious than the home version because someone else cooked it for you (isn’t it funny how that works?), and will help you eat in a way that mimics your healthy at-home efforts. I also love ordering soup; it’s always made fresh and often with lots of veggies or fibrous legumes. Starting with a warm soup really fires up digestion and helps you get a serving (or two) of produce in.
At least once a month I cook… Gluten-free spicy rigatoni for myself and my husband! He’s not gluten free like me, but I’m Italian and need some rich and creamy pasta at least once a month so he compromises (and can’t even taste the difference). I use organic parmesan and grass-fed heavy cream from a local farm, and make it as indulgent as possible. You have to have some balance; the rest of my meals are often pretty healthy and logical, so it’s nice to have some comfort food worked into my routine, especially when it’s homemade.
If I could give just one piece of health advice it would be… Focus on your foundation. All the expensive health gadgets and supplements in the world won’t help if you’re not sleeping well, eating consistent balanced meals, and regulating your nervous system–whether that’s through journaling, meditation, or long walks outside. If your sleep is struggling, start there first instead of looking elsewhere or running expensive tests.
Ingredients in products I always avoid: Food coloring, soy lecithin (it always used to trigger my IBS so I stay far away!), and canola oil. I’m not a total seed oil crusader; I’m fine with a little sunflower oil or oat milk, but canola oil isn’t something I want to support since it’s a genetically modified monocrop that’s affecting the diversity of our land and soil.
Go-to health resources: The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Show (my doctor’s podcast!), my own podcast called What’s The Juice, and sites like sciencedaily.com that provide easy-to-understand summaries or recent scientific literature.
Crazy health idea that actually works: Red light therapy. Perhaps it’s not “crazy” but seems like people are claiming it can do all these miracle things when it’s just a little device emitting some red light. I was skeptical at first, but it really helps me sleep when I use it over my stomach to help calm my gut-brain axis when I’m having looping thoughts and feeling anxious. I also use it directly on my head for headaches and it’s the only thing that helps (since there’s not really a super effective herb for headaches out there!).
5 things always in my medicine cabinet:
01 Benadryl (maybe not the holistic answer you were expecting but you truly never know when you’ll need it for an unexpected emergency – for you, or your pet!);
02 Digestive bitters (I spray them on my tongue when I’m having indigestion or gas and they help instantly; never travel without them);
03 Immune tea (I start brewing a big batch of this as soon as I start feeling under the weather);
04 Spring Defense Tonic (a 100% natural blend of herbs for spring allergies that is completely non drowsy and doesn’t cause any dependence);
05 Motherwort (this is a single herb tincture that really helps to ground me when I’m anxious or having heart palpitations which is always how my anxiety physically presents!).
Non-negotiable: Using my Water Pik (water flosser) before bed. Your oral microbiome is what seeds your gut microbiome, so if you’re not flossing (I know it’s annoying!), you’re leaving behind food particles that can encourage bacteria to overgrow in the mouth. Each day, we end up swallowing that bacteria and it enters our digestive tract, so I believe gut health starts with a really solid oral routine.
Simplest way to improve health: Wake up at the exact same time every day – the body absolutely thrives on routine, especially when it comes to sleep. As soon as you wake up, get outside or open a window and expose your eyes to the natural light so that you can orient yourself to the photoperiod and encourage your HPA axis to produce the correct hormones. The more you do this, the more you actually produce sleep hormones (like melatonin) at night due to a sea-saw effect!
Fave healthy getaway: WeCareSpa in Palm Springs.
My current mantra: It’s okay for my relationships to grow and change.
My health passion: Helping women eat enough protein to a) protect and grow their lean muscle mass which is crucial as we age, and b) balance our blood sugar levels so that we don’t experience a decline in our metabolic health or develop insulin resistance.
Health trend to skip: Cold plunging. There are other ways to help your body tolerate stress and stimulate dopamine release – like doing a really intense workout or lifting heavy weights!
My go-to juice or smoothie: Blueberry Tahini Protein Smoothie.
