For Lulu Ge, wellness involves journaling, mindfulness, and paying attention to her menstrual phases. Here, the Elix founder shares a glimpse into the everyday rituals (and herbal blends) that help her thrive.
What is the first thing you do in the morning?
I start every morning with an herbal tea or latte. Depending on how I’m feeling that morning or what I was up to the night before, I’ll change up the herbs. When I’m feeling stressed or anxious, I start my day with Elix’s Daily Harmony, an adaptogenic herbal blend based on a 1,000 year-old Traditional Chinese Medicine formula for hormone health to support our hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) Axis and enhance our stress response. When I’m feeling under the weather, I reach for my Elix’s Stay Well herbal blend to fortify my immune health with organic ginseng, medicinal mushrooms, and anti-inflammatory herbs. In the days leading up to my period, I switch to my Elix’s Cycle Balance and love drizzling it over my oatmeal and fruit in the morning.
Then, I’ll take some time for Vedic meditation. A fellow founder friend, Ellie Burrows, trained me on it, and it’s been a constant part of my morning routine for almost five years. After my meditation, I prioritize 20 minutes every morning to practice present moment awareness and journaling. Journaling is my daily way of holding myself accountable to this greater intention. Lastly, I try to get some movement! I used to be really strict with myself on my exercise routine, but now I change things up depending on the phases of my menstrual cycle – alternating from more gentle morning walks to QiGong to more intense cardio or strength training.
How has your upbringing and environment shaped your understanding of wellness?
I grew up in a household that had a pantry full of different herbs, berries, and botanicals so I experienced firsthand how an herbal bone broth or superfruit tonic can naturally support our body’s healing for everything from the common cold to an upset stomach. It was a deeply ingrained aspect of my family traditions and culture. In addition, my grandfather ran the hospital in China where I was born, and when I was experiencing menstrual volatility, he was instrumental in guiding me back to TCM, which ultimately led me on the path to found Elix. I actually used his calligraphy as part of our Elix brand signature, and I’m so happy to give him a wink.
What makes you feel your best?
I love to practice the TCM method of “eating the rainbow.” The goal is to consume 25+ different fruits and vegetables a week to ensure my body is getting nourished with a variety of phytonutrients. Beyond this, I incorporate TCM into my beauty routine. I love the gua sha and jade roller tools from my friend Stephanie’s brand, Mount Lai, and I’ve recently become obsessed with Lanshin’s Scalp Stimulator, which doubles as an acupressure massager for your head! Spending time out in nature is also very healing and recharging for me. My favorite places in the world are old-growth redwood forests.
What has been the hardest part of your wellness journey—and how do you deal with it?
As a startup founder living in a modern metropolitan city (NYC), the hardest part of my wellness journey has been maintaining my consistency! Especially when I’m traveling to source new herbs and ingredients or speaking at conferences, it tends to throw my routine out of balance. I used to be really hard on myself when this happened or force myself to workout even when I was jet lagged, whereas now I try to practice showing myself a bit more kindness, listening to my body, and giving it what it needs in the moment. Oftentimes, that could mean an extra 30-45 minutes of sleep!
What is something you would like to see more of in the wellness world?
I’d love to see more brands investing in clinical research and education in showcasing why a holistic approach is helpful. Wellness consumers are looking for products with proven efficacy combined with a focus on quality, time-tested ingredients, education, and community.
To me, “healthy” is feeling at peace with a sense of “home” and comfort in your body.
What is a must-have step or product in your routine?
I love taking my personalized Elix Cycle Balance formula with anti-inflammatory and adaptogenic herbs to support my menstrual health and to have a predictable, feel-good period every month. In between taking Cycle Balance, I love adding Elix’s Daily Harmony to my morning matcha or afternoon tea to balance my hormones and to keep me mentally sharp and focused each day.
How do you define ‘healthy’?
To me, “healthy” is feeling at peace with a sense of “home” and comfort in your body. According to TCM, when our body is in pain or when our minds are racing or ruminating, that’s a sign of an internal imbalance, and it’s our bodies asking for help and attention.
How do you reset yourself after a difficult moment?
I give myself space to explore and grow and remind myself to not be afraid to fail! If something doesn’t work initially, look for what it can teach you about a better path forward.
What is a ritual that brings you joy?
Recently, I’ve incorporated the Manjit app into my daily routine for guided self-hypnosis, breathwork, and sound therapy. Manjit is an incredible healer, and her app is a beautiful way to bring these mindfulness modalities with you on the go when you can’t make it in for a live session.
What is the last thing you do at night?
Write down three things I’m grateful for. If I’m too exhausted to write them down, then I mentally think about the “good” that happened during the day and what I’m grateful for as I turn off the lights.