When my own pain flairs up, there's nothing I like more than deep, soothing, moist heat to take the edge right off. These unique handcrafted pillows have become my absolute favorites for many good reasons.
As a Physical Therapist and an empath, I find I often treat my patients with all of me. Rather unintentionally, all that I am physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually is put forth to help the amazing women I care for. It's by no means a bad thing, but can be rather draining at times. A Reiki Master who treated me for the chronic pain I was enduring for the sake of this care reminded me of the importance of grounding and selfcare. I, like most health and wellness educators, can tend to be a bit of a hypocrite. I teach selfcare to others, but often need a gentle reminder to routinely adopt the practice in my own life. I'm working on it.
Therapeutically, Physical Therapists have used moist heat in our clinics for decades. As a traveling therapist with no readily available access to the traditional hydrocollator, I've struggled with finding a good pack that can easily heat on-the-go but still provide the moist heat component (which is superior to electric heat for pain and muscle relaxation). I came across the Hot Cherry Pillows by accident, and after giving them a test drive on my own pain, have been in LOVE ever since!
The pillows, and their name suggests, are filled with cherry pits which I have come to learn is a traditional Swiss method for keeping beds warm throughout long winter nights. (And yes, they really do smell subtly like cherry pie when heated). The Hot Cherry company uses the pits from Montmorency cherries that have been processed to create tart cherry juice; a popular natural remedy for pain and insomnia. The pillow fabrics are dyed naturally using Hawaiian macadamia tree bark and come in either 100% cotton denim (which is the one I own) or a luxurious plush maraschino ultra suede option. The sensory seeker in me enjoys the soft ridges of the denim and the pleasant rain-like sound quality of the cherry pits inside.
The packs are microwavable, making them travel-ready, and they retain their moist heat for an impressively long time. The small, woman-owned company offers multiple different sizes and shapes, and even started recently offering a cold pack (which I'm definitely going to need for my own family's bumps and bruises).
This pack also works beautifully in what I call my 911 Kit for sudden onset of pain. I am fortunate not to have terrible menstrual cramping, but my PCOS does rear its ugly head once a month around the time of ovulation. I delivered my second child without an epidural, and there are honestly times when I can compare that pain to the severe intensity of my ovulation pain. You may call it a placebo, but The Hot Cherry Pillow has made enough of a significant impact on my pain, that I honestly don't care. Placebo or not, it helps.
The creator and owner, J'Nelle Holland, is a very kind and amazing human being. She wants to help people, and I think she is! The sustainability of her handmade products also helps the Earth and supports the American economy. Please consider supporting her little business and the good she is doing to help others. I will definitely continue doing so!
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