This Vegan Caesar salad with chickpeas was a huge winner in our house this week. The blended cashews in this dressing was what gave this salad the delicious punch it needed, which the croutons and crispy chickpeas gave it wonderful texture and spice! I didn't have the miso on hand so skipped on that but didn't notice.
Read MoreIrregular period? Hot flashes? Short fused? Trouble sleeping?
These are just a few of the myriad symptoms that could be a sign you are dealing with peri or menopause issues.
I hear a lot confusion around the 'pauses' so I thought I would break down just what each of these are and how to tell the difference.
Read MoreThese are my personal go-to adaptogens I reach for each day. I have a genetic SNP called COMT, which makes it difficult for me to break down adrenaline in my body. This means I need to really manage my stress levels by various means: calming the nervous system, getting "just right" exercise, meditating, eating anti-inflammatory foods, and taking supplements that target stress and resilience to it.
Read MoreI see thyroid issues in at least 70% of the women I'm working with these days, so I feel passionate about educating people on this subject and helping people feel better.
So, in honor of Thyroid Awareness Month I wanted to share with you why your thyroid is oh-so important, some symptoms to look out for, and many of the natural ways you can support it!
This last month I've hit some of my lowest moments. Being in my fifth decade has illuminated some things I'm now looking at dead on. Perimenopause, menopause, having teens that don't need as much of my time...all of it has come a-callin'. And it's no joke.
Read MoreI love the fun granola factor in these because it adds flavor, crunch, and an added fiber (which will slow down that sugar spike), and vitamin/nutrient hit. Plus, this is so easy to make it’s a no brainer.
Read MoreI often hear people talk about how they always eat too much, drink too much, buy too many presents for their kids, and then after the holidays feel like crap. They have a holiday ‘hangover’. It’s a pattern they fall into every year, and while they don’t like it, it’s become their “story.” But what if you were to tell yourself a different story? What if you thought through exactly how you want the season to play out
Read MoreI recently led a nutrition workshop for teen girls, something I was passionate about teaching. Was it successful? Did I get across what I wished I had known as a girl? I taught them how to make a healthy plate, so their blood-sugar levels give them all kinds of sustained energy.
But what I REALLY wanted to tell them was this:
I know what it's like to hate your body. To spend years and years trying to perfect it, punish it, starve it, compare it to every other body out there…
Read MoreI love putting this healthy holiday gift guide together for you every year. While this certainly doesn't exhaust all the health and wellness goodies I adore, I try to give you a wide range of gift ideas that cover body, mind, and soul. And of course, many of these are on MY list! Santa, are you listening?
Read MoreSleigh bells ring, are you listening? Can you believe it? The holidays already? I feel like I say that every year, but I swear time goes faster as we get older. Why is that?
My favorite #betterbeauty company does it again! Each year the company puts out gifts and sets that they only sell for the holidays and they are always fabulous, so today I thought I'd share a few fun ideas.
Read MoreI created this short quiz, below, to help you check-in with yourself, and to draw attention to the signs and symptoms that may be connected to your adrenals & thyroid. In my last newsletter I talked about the HPA axis, aka the hypothalamus/pituitary/adrenal axis, which has a major effect on your fat, sugar, salt cravings, but it also has a major impact on your thyroid. Remember, it's all connected!
Take a moment to breathe, and be honest with yourself on this (note: this is not a comprehensive list):
Read MoreStress affects your ability to control your desire for fat, sugar, and salt. At the same time, fat, sugar, and salt are the molecules that fuel the stress response! When stressed, you need sugar to mobilize your energy, you need salt to maintain the blood pressure that gets elevated, and you need fat to replenish the stores of sugar after the crisis is over.
Read MoreI had to share this delicious and easy Cinnamon Maca Latte today.
I'm a superfan of adaptogens, and Maca is one that works well for many people. Here’s the recipe, along with a bit of info on the benefits of the latte:
Ingredients:
2 teaspoon maca powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Sprinkle of monkfruit sugar (or a dash of maple syrup)
1 tablespoon MCT oil
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
20 oz hot water
As a functional nutrition coach that specializes in women’s health, I get asked questions all the time about what’s going on in your body related to hormones, digestion, inflammation, insomnia, and skin issues.
The truth is, every single person has their own bio-individual make-up, which means the answer is different for everybody depending on your health history, lifestyle, and more, but one thing is almost always true…just about all health issues start in the gut.
Know why?
Because your gut (aka, your digestive system) is truly the foundation of your health, both inside and out.
Read MoreToday, I want to talk about something near and dear to my heart: fatigue.
Do you wake up and have to drag yourself out of bed?
Are you tired most of the day?
Could you close your eyes and be asleep in 2 minutes?
Do you feel like you and your body aren’t on the same page?
There are a number of reasons this could be happening, and most have to do with your hormones.
Read MoreMany of you know I'm a huge fan and advocate for the use of adaptogens. Why? Because the power of adaptogens lies within their ability to help the body with its natural adaptive responses to stress and life pressures– those that come from both inside and outside the body.
I’ve been working with women to help get ahold of their hormonal journey (peri-menopause anybody?), regulate their period, nourish their adrenals, and just generally harness their hormones for happiness, weight loss, and stable moods. And, it’s been a HUGE success! Women are reporting effortless weight loss, tons of energy, stable, happy moods, glowing skin, and more. Today I want to share my top 3 tips for balancing your hormones naturally.
But before I share them, let’s rewind a bit. Why exactly do we care about hormones and keeping them in balance?
Read MoreI’m back with another two foods that boost your mood. Many of us know what it is to turn to food when we’re feeling down, anxious, or stressed. And while eating greasy, salty, or sweet food feels oh-so good in the moment, they have damaging effects, including inflammation, dysregulated blood sugar, headaches, and weight gain.
Read MoreThis week I'm going to focus on a few foods that improve your mood. Of course, each one helps many different aspects of your health, but my lens is pointed on mood boosting because , well, who doesn't need that a bit more these days!?
Let's start with Maca:
Maca is actually a Peruvian root vegetable that's known as the mother of hormone nourishers.
Read MoreYou may have heard about magnesium deficiency, as it’s been in the news for good reason. Our soil is being depleted of critical nutrients, and chemical processing takes additional nutrients out of our food supply, so it's no wonder symptoms of magnesium deficiency are on the rise. Digestive issues, such as leaky gut, can lead to malabsorption, and medications like antacids decrease absorption, while diuretics increase urinary excretion of magnesium.
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