Home » Finding Balance this Holiday Season with Simone Wan of PLANT Botanical

Finding Balance this Holiday Season with Simone Wan of PLANT Botanical

Finding Balance this Holiday Season with Simone Wan of PLANT Botanical

Plant Botanical, the wellness industry’s spirit of choice – Plant’s low carb (1g), low cal, and no sugar added seltzers combines premium, gluten-free, non-GMO, vodka infused with functional botanicals, powerful adaptogens, and real fruit for an amazing taste, that’s better for you, vegan and Keto friendlyFemale founded, funded, and distilled.. 

The founder, Simone Wan, has an amazing story, she is an Asian American alternative healthcare expert who got into the health field after suffering a life-changing accident that resulted in severe burns from a pressure cooker explosion in her NYC apartment in 2002. 11% of her body was covered in second and third-degree burns and after three weeks in the ICU Burn Center, she was prescribed vast amounts of opioids and antidepressant drugs for pain and anxiety. 

During the holidays, it seems that sugary treats, champagne, and alcohol are everywhere you turn, and it can be hard to find a balance between full-on deprivation and overindulging. 

To help you find some balance, we spoke with Simone Wan, who is the founder of Plant Botanical, as well as an acupuncturist, herbalist, and alternative medicine practitioner for some tips on how you can best enjoy this holiday season. 

Step #1, if you drink alcohol, be sure to order some sustainable Vodka or seltzers from her brand, PLANT, that is infused with natural ingredients like goji berries and dandelion root that combat all the typical negative side effects of alcohol. 

Step#2, keep reading for more tips from our interview with Simone: 

What made you interested in holistic and alternative health therapies? 

My mom is a pediatric nurse and has always said, health is the most important thing in life!  So I grew up wanting to become a doctor.  I studied Biomedical Engineering and film (NYU TISCH).  When I began thinking of applying to medical school, it shocked me that nutrition wasn’t in the curriculum!  I was always a health nut when it came to diet.  I became a vegetarian when I was 12, and was always trying to make recipes healthier.  After a pressure cooker explosion in my NYC apartment when I was 27, I was prescribed opioids for my pain for almost a year.  I had to wear a burn garment for a year so the pain did last that long.  I realized that my body had become addicted to opioids so I turned to holistic and alternative medicine to help me detox from the prescription drugs, as well as reduce my pain, anxiety, and sleep issues. Once I found I could relieve so many of my unwanted symptoms using botanicals and alternative wellness methods, I decided I would apply for a 4-year master’s program, leave my film career, and I’ve been practicing for over 20 years! 

How can someone make small steps to help themselves de-stress? Everyday, but especially during the holidays.  

I think there are always 2 components to health and they are not independent of each other, but we often think they are. We can control what we think and what we eat, for the most part! So #1 would be to create an intention of what you want. For example, do you want to be happy during the holidays?  Then mentally embracing the chaos and considering it fun would be one good way.  I myself have to do this!  #2 Try to eat nutritious unprocessed foods.  Eating a lot of sugar and over drinking can create stress on your body, make you fatigued, and then that loss of energy to get through the holiday to-do list can feel stressful.  So basically, eating well and resting well are always my go-tos.  Beyond that, I recommend taking some herbal supplements which help me immensely.  IN:PEACE, one of my company’s effervescent remedies, can help reduce stress within 30 minutes and can be taken daily. Also, if you like to drink to destress which I have to admit I do, I love PLANT because it’s low in sugar and infused with botanicals like goji berries, dandelion root, Angelica and ginseng.

Walk us through your daily health and wellness routine. What does that look like? Does it differ at all throughout the holiday season? 

The holidays are tough but my routine doesn’t change that much.  I wake up very early, at 5, and start my day with warm water infused with cut up lemons including the rind. The rind is great for digestion, calcium and vitamin C (organic is preferable). Then ,instead of coffee, I drink a cup of Matcha with almond milk AND a multi mushroom blended tea. The matcha gives me a caffeine boost without the coffee crash and the mushrooms help me with mental focus and clarity.  For exercise, I try to do a 15 minute HIIT work out as well as walk my dog everyday, and do at least 3 yoga poses in-between meetings.  I try to get vitamin D any chance I get by sitting in the sun although I always wear a hat, and I try to remind myself of everything I am blessed with, even when my days are filled with stress and challenges. Telling people ‘thank you’ is probably the most rewarding thing I can do as a CEO.  I’m sure I don’t do it enough!  Overall during the holiday season, I try to enjoy myself, but not indulge in food and alcohol that I will regret too much the next day.

What inspired you to create Plant, and what sets it apart? 

I love creating products when there’s a need in the market.  If there was another brand like mine already out there, I would not have been inspired to create PLANT. But there was nothing else out there that uses the most sustainable and nutritious crop in the US infused with traditional botanicals that I love to incorporate in my daily life.  I was getting a terrible night sleep with wine and horrible hangovers with other spirit brands so I felt there needed to be an alternative to what was on the market. I had been traveling to other countries and found a drink similar to PLANT and thought that the US consumers would appreciate it as much as I do! What sets us apart is the attention to our mission: Better for you. Better for the planet.  Some of the top selling brands wrap their cans in plastic and use non sustainable ingredients and are high in sugar and artificial ingredients.

What is your go-to holiday cocktail recipe with Plant vodka?   

I love this one because it’s just sweet enough, tart enough, and has natural ingredients!  For a lower calorie version, replace the simple syrup with a pinch of monk fruit!  🌿🍸

BOTANICAL CLIMAX RECIPE : 1.5 oz PLANT botanical vodka, 3/4 oz Elderflower liqueur, 3/4 oz lime juice, 1/2 oz lemon juice with one dash lemon bitters, 1/2 oz simple syrup 

After experiencing side effects and dependency on the drugs, Simone turned to Eastern Medicine. She received a Masters in Acupuncture and Herbology and she developed Traditional Chinese Medicine herbal formulas.

To order yours: https://www.plantlovesyou.com

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