By now you probably know that menopause is a natural phase of our lives where the declining levels of estrogen and progesterone lead to significant hormonal changes in the body. While it's a normal part of aging (and can be a beautiful time in a woman's life) these shifts can bring challenging symptoms like hot flashes, insomnia, anxiety, weight gain, mood swings, among many other things, that many of us find draining and downright disruptive.
Read MoreBlood sugar, or glucose, is your body's primary energy source, derived mainly from carbohydrates in our diet. When you eat, your digestive system breaks down food into glucose, which then enters your bloodstream. The hormone insulin, produced by the pancreas, helps transport this glucose into your cells for energy or storage.
How does this impact weight, mood and hormones?
This skin and gut-boosting collagen smoothie. This quick and easy meal/snack is a delicious way to boost protein, fiber, antioxidants, AND improve gut and skin health — in one fell scoop!
Read MoreIf you've been following me for awhile you know I love me some seeds. Why?
Where do I begin?
First, I love them for your hormones: flaxseeds, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds contain compounds known as lignans and phytoestrogens help modulate estrogen in your body by binding to estrogen receptors and exerting either estrogenic or anti-estrogenic effects depending on the body's hormonal needs.
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Rather than chasing a goal, what if you decide to chase the feeling you want to help you attain that goal!?
When you understand how you want to feel, your external goals can shift into a more comfortable place in your psyche, and you will likely feel much more integrated. The pursuit itself becomes much more satisfying.
Perimenopause is the transitional phase leading up to menopause, during which a woman's body undergoes significant hormonal changes. One of the hormones that fluctuates during perimenopause is estrogen. These hormonal fluctuations can have various effects on the body, including the cardiovascular system, which can contribute to a racing heart.
Read MoreResearchers have discovered all kinds of new relationships between food and mood, and the results paint a clear picture: What you consume directly influences your happiness, including factors like stress, anxiety, and emotional stability. I mean, how could you not be curious with this kind of proof?
Read MoreToday I'm sharing with you 10 daily health practices that really move the needle.
Some might seem kind of small, but they yield BIG results. Read on to learn about integrating new habits that are easy and doable — things I’m doing for my own health right now that don’t take up much time.
What IS a Functional Medicine test? Today I'm going to break down what the term means and what types of tests I run in my practice. And most importantly, WHY I use them to help my patients heal.
Read MoreThe holidays can be so busy and distracting, it's important to double down on the things that make us feel good, inside and out. Today I'm sharing my top 5 wellness tips.
Read MoreWhen you get to know your body, learn how your menstrual cycle works, and accept that everything is connected, you’ll see your body in a new light — and it will blow your mind! You can reduce and release so much emotional tension if you’re living in tune with your full cycle, and you’ll understand why you crave different movement, food and behave differently!
Read MoreYour liver is the hardest working organ in your body, and also the most commonly congested. It’s your liver’s job to distinguish between the nutrients you must absorb to live and the toxins that must be filtered out of your bloodstream by converting fat-soluble toxins into water-soluble waste.
The elimination of the waste happens through sweat, urine, and bowel movements. The liver is also responsible for moving hormones along once they’ve fulfilled their duties.
Read MoreI don't know about you, but with the mask mandate coming down tomorrow (YAY!) and spring in the air, I'm feeling excited to bring on sparkle and glow for the season. And no, I'm not talking about the holidays. :) I am hearing from so many people that they are ready to get back out and have F.U.N....so, let the festivities begin! And with that comes vacations, bbq's, and maybe even wearing lipstick again. #AMIRIGHT?
Read MoreOur current health epidemic and the rise of chronic diseases can be tied to rapid changes in our diet & cultural practices, hyper-sanitization, increasing rates of C-section births, immunizations and antibiotic excesses, decreases in plant food intake, carbohydrate-heavy diets, and the increase in GMO foods.
All these factors have created a recipe for microbiota disruption, dysbiosis (too much bad bacteria), and the loss of ecological diversity.
Today's wellness ideas are meant to be a list of simple and easy things to incorporate into your daily life to help with your overall well-being. They cover the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of your life, which I believe make up holistic wellness. I don't do all of these every day, but I do incorporate most of them each week. I find when I do, I'm better able to help those around me and show up for my life as the best version of myself.
This seed mix is my favorite hormone balancing anti-inflammatory blend and here's why!
They contain Vitamin E*, Omega 3- and Omega-6 fatty acids, which are essential for hormone production and ovarian follicular function. Also, Vitamin E is really good for the health of your skin.
*Found in flax seeds, sesame, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds…
Read MoreAfter we turn 30 we begin to lose bone density, which accelerates at perimenopause and really advances once we hit menopause around 50.
Menopause dramatically speeds up bone loss. After menopause, your ovaries stop producing the hormone estrogen, which helps keep your bones strong.
Read MoreThe vagus nerve connects the brain to the body. Its primary function is to activate our parasympathetic nervous system. There are two branches of the nervous system—1) the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), also known as “rest, digest, and heal”; and 2) the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), or “fight and flight."
It runs from the brainstem through the neck and down to your abdomen, innervating your lungs, heart, esophagus, and the majority of your abdominal organs.
But what about happiness? That can be elusive these days as well. You may be somebody who struggles to find it regularly, or perhaps you could just use a little more of it in general (who couldn't?). So today I thought I'd share a bit of information on something that we have some control over...The Happy Hormones.
Almost all hormones have some influence on mood—including sex hormones like estrogen and progesterone as well as stress hormones like cortisol, but there's a small group of hormones that have a particularly large amount of influence. They include:
Thought I'd throw together a post of simple plant based meal ideas for you today, all of which can easily become strictly vegetarian. I like to eat healthy, but I don’t always want my meals to take much time to cook, be complicated to make, or use too many ingredients. For me, simplicity is key. And sometimes I just really want to slap-dash something together, which you will see here, too!
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