5-Senses Sunday

The 5-Things Rocking my 5-Senses this week

Taste:

Photo by Roberto Carlos Román Don on Unsplash

I’m always on the hunt for exciting new flavors. My ADHD brain craves novelty in all areas of life, but especially when it comes to food.

While my husband is perfectly content eating the same tried-and-true meals on repeat, I’m endlessly drawn to new and innovative cuisines. Spices I’ve never cooked with? Sign me up. Unexpected flavor pairings? Yes, please. And I’m first in line whenever a new food product hits the shelves. (There’s a reason we have 810 varieties of Oreos, Doritos, and ice cream!)

Here are a few food products I’ve been eyeing lately, featuring some delightfully unique and unexpected flavor combinations.

• These plant-based gummies that come in Guava, Calamansi and Ume flavors

• I’m literally going gaga over these whimsical nut butter flavors - pumpkin pie cashew butter? OMG, give me a spoon and get out of the way.

• These veggie-forward cocktails! I want to try the pickletini and this "Boulevard of Desire" cocktail which contains mushroom white port and a garnish of antioxidant-packed enoki mushrooms

• Coffee-flavored Doritos? I’m crazy enough to try it once. You?

Scent:

I’ve been working on my 2024 Healthy Holiday’s gift guide (check out last’s years here!). This year I want to add a 5-senses section because I can’t be the only one who would adore getting sensory, sensual, sense-enhancing gifts right?

Here’s a little sneak peek of some fun sense-of-scent related gift ideas that I’m eyeing. (hint hint). A couple of these would be great stocking stuffers.

Want to find a loved one’s signature scent? Have them take this 3-minute signature scent quiz.

• Happy Wax - use interesting scents and mix-and-match to make your own candles or room fragrance.

• This customized core-scent experience at Olfactory NYC (can be done online as well).

• A Meyer Lemon Tree - one whiff and your mood instantly lifts

• This smell-training and scent-therapy bundle from Moxe

• Aroma Therapy Shower Steamers

Sound:

Instead of watching Football on Thanksgiving, why not give this Thanksgiving centric playlist a try? It’s got everything from songs about mashed potatoes, sweet potato pie, and of course, Turkey.

Touch:

Picking, Peeling, Scratching, Popping

I have a thing about picking, peeling, and scratching. For instance, I love the satisfying feeling of scratching off a lottery ticket with a penny. And that moment when you peel off the rubbery residue or black strip from a new credit card? Pure bliss. Let’s not forget the strangely satisfying act of peeling off dead skin from your shoulder seven days post-sunburn—don’t judge me, you know it’s a universal joy.

Even my daughters got in on the action early, picking stickers off our kitchen floor before they were out of diapers.

I have a confession: I’m a proud Dr. Pimple Popper fan. There’s something undeniably captivating about it—equal parts gross and gratifying.

There’s a fascinating push-and-pull to these behaviors. Intellectually, I know picking a week-old scab off my knee is not my best idea, but the physical satisfaction overrides reason every time.

I know I’m not alone. These small acts of picking, peeling, and scratching often serve as calming, stimming behaviors that bring comfort—especially for those who are anxious, have OCD, or are neurodivergent in other ways.

Maybe it’s gross. Maybe it’s weird. Or maybe it’s just one of those human quirks that connect us all in the simple, primal pleasure of tactile satisfaction.

Sight:

Photo by Budka Damdinsuren on Unsplash

Adorning your nails to support the climate.

This Japanese manicurist collects micro-plastics from local beaches and crafts them into these beautiful, delicate nail aesthetics. Brings a whole new meaning to “reduce, reuse, recycle.”

What’s rocking your 5-senses this week? I’d love to know in the comments!