Kiki's Memos

Category: Health and Wellness

  • The Sardine Sprint

    Thinking of trying the sardine jump start? If you’re planning to eat sardines for three or four days to help nudge your body into ketosis, there’s just one small thing worth keeping in mind.

    Sardines are fantastic nutritionally: tiny fish, lots of healthy fats, tons of nutrients, and almost no carbs. That’s why they work so well as a quick ketosis jump-start.

    But sardines are also high in purines, and purines can turn into uric acid. If uric acid builds up, it’s not exactly the souvenir you want from your little metabolic experiment.

    The good news is there are a few simple things that can help your body keep everything moving along smoothly.

    Vitamin C is probably the easiest one. It helps the kidneys excrete uric acid more efficiently.

    Quercetin is another helpful one. It’s a plant flavonoid that slows down the enzyme involved in producing uric acid.

    Luteolin works along similar lines. It’s another flavonoid that may help reduce uric acid production and calm inflammation.

    And then there’s magnesium—or at least making sure you’re getting good electrolytes and hydration. When you shift into ketosis your body changes how it handles fluids, and magnesium helps support that balance while also helping the kidneys do their job.

    Which brings me to the most overlooked thing: water.

    Drink more than you think you need. Sardines are very nutrient-dense, and staying well hydrated helps your body move uric acid out instead of letting it hang around.

    The important thing is remembering that eating sardines for a few days isn’t meant to be a forever diet. It’s just a short maneuver—a quick way to shift your metabolism toward fat burning and get ketosis started.

    A few small supports, a few days of simple food, and the whole process tends to go a lot more smoothly.

  • Castor Oil Evening Ritual

    Last night, I tried something I’ve been curious about for a while. I placed a castor oil pack over my liver, then warmed a hot rice pack and set it on top. I added a towel and a light blanket in between so I wouldn’t get burned. Forty minutes later, I removed the pack and massaged the remaining oil clockwise around my tummy, nudging digestion along and feeling a subtle shift.

    Castor oil comes from castor beans. Thick, sticky, and slightly odd-smelling, it’s been used for centuries in wellness. One reason it’s special is ricinoleic acid, a compound that slightly penetrates the skin and stimulates circulation and lymphatic flow, supporting the liver indirectly. The warmth, the pressure, and the oil together encourage relaxation, improve circulation, and help digestion move more smoothly. You could use another oil, like olive oil, but castor oil’s stickiness and traditional use make it ideal for this kind of pack.

    Internally, castor oil is a strong stimulant laxative, helping relieve constipation quickly, though it should be used sparingly. Olive oil is gentler, good for daily digestion, but won’t have the same immediate effect. Externally, castor oil can also nourish the skin and hair, though other oils may be easier for regular hair care.

    Some reactions are normal: mild cramping, warmth at the application site, or slight fatigue as the body responds. For me, it felt comforting and grounding. Lying with a warm pack, breathing deeply, noticing my body, feeling subtle movements — it reminds me that wellness can be simple. Small, intentional acts like this connect me to my body in ways I often forget.

  • Vertigo, Not the Movie

    The New Year started spinning. Sorry—the room started spinning for a few seconds. I sat up too quickly in bed, and suddenly the world was off balance. It happened again a month ago but went away on its own. This time, it made me feel really sick and unable to function.

    It’s called Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). Tiny crystals in the inner ear, called otoconia, shift when you roll, turn, or sit up. They’re made of calcium carbonate — literally crystals — but very small, fragile, and grain‑like, almost like fine sand. Normally, they help your body sense movement and gravity. When they dislodge into the semicircular canals of the ear, they trigger that sudden whoosh of spinning. 

    Some patterns show up again and again with recurrences of BPPV. Low or fluctuating vitamin D — which plays a role in how calcium is regulated in the ear — seems to be linked to more frequent episodes, and supplementing it may reduce how often it comes back.  Reduced bone density or mild osteoporosis, where the body’s calcium metabolism is altered, also appears more often in people with recurrent BPPV.  There’s even evidence that microinflammation in the inner ear and general metabolic shifts that affect how calcium is used in the body may contribute — not just simple head movements. 

    There’s a simple fix if done correctly: the Epley maneuver, a sequence of head and body movements, that often helps put the crystals back where they belong. This is what I did and it seemed to work. You may have to repeat it once a day for a few days. Balance exercises, staying hydrated, and ensuring your body has the nutrients it needs can help too. Even after the crystals are back in place, it may take a few more days of mild dizziness before you feel fully normal.

    It’s brief, it’s unnerving, but it’s manageable. Tiny things inside our bodies can make the world feel upside down for a moment.

    And as the first day of the year, maybe that’s a thought to take: beginnings can feel spinning and unsteady. Balance requires patience, but it always returns.

  • A Simple Morning Ritual for Wellness

    Morning sets the tone. A small moment for yourself can change everything. Try rubbing your ears—a little practice from Tai Chi. Press the acupressure points, ease the tension, and feel your circulation wake up. Apply pressure until discomfort fades; soon, your ears will thank you. It’s subtle at first, but over time, it adds up. A few mindful minutes in the morning can make a big difference.

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