A Nutritional Therapist on favorites, must haves, and wellness tips.
Hi, I a Nutritional Therapist, trained chef, and chronic illness warrior. While my health issues don’t define me they are a big part of my life. They are Lyme Disease, Bartonella, Babesia, Pyroluria, Gilbert Syndrome, and mold exposure. I am passionate about helping women with chronic fatigue and Lyme Disease through Nutritional Therapy.
Get to know me better and my approach to my health and recovery.
REGULAR BREAKFAST: Almost every day I have unsweetened yogurt either coconut or goat milk, eggs cooked how I feel like that day usually fried or scrambled, and some form of fermented vegetables. Right now that is kimchi. Sometimes I have gluten-free sourdough, olives, avocado, or raw goat milk cheese. This breakfast keeps my blood sugar stable until lunch so that I don’t have an energy crash. I find that for me a higher fat and protein breakfast rather than higher in carbohydrates works the best.
MY FOOD PHILOSOPHY IN IN ONE SENTENCE: Food should contribute to your body’s function, not take away or hinder it. The standard American diet is nutrient empty and full of toxins that do not support this.
DAILY SUPPLEMENTS: Although this is not a complete list of everything that I take it includes the favorites that I can’t live without. Magnesium in pill and oil form for me helps a lot with sleep, anxiety, and chest pains. It is involved in over 300 enzyme systems in your body (1), the list of magnesium benefits is very long.
Several products from CellCore Biosciences - without a doubt my favorite supplement company. Mito-ATP gives you energy at the mitochondrial level, life-changing for chronic fatigue. CT-Minerals, are my favorite mineral supplement and are plant-derived. Advanced TUDCA is wonderful for liver support, it helps to stimulate the release of bile.
Since I started taking Advanced TUDCA I am less sensitive to other supplements and scents. Biotoxin Binder and ViRadChem Binder are great because they do not deplete your nutrients and they can be taken at any time including with food. Para 1 is one of my favorite gentle but effective parasite/gut-cleanse products. It is made from Mimosa Pudica Seed.
CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT MY: weighted blanket. I have some sensory processing issues and it helps a lot with that as well as helping me sleep better and sometimes with pain. It is a must and worth the investment if you have sensory issues.
FAVORITE WORKOUT: Because I am still chronically ill a "workout" is not doable for me. However, getting in as much movement as I can is always my goal. Gentle movement in the form of yoga, walking, and stretching when I am having a good day works best for me. I like Yoga with Adriene on Youtube especially, Heal. This restorative yoga practice was a favorite when I was at my sickest it is specifically geared towards chronic illness and Lyme.
BEST HEALTHY SNACK OPTION ON THE GO: My favorite thing that I usually have in my purse is the unsweetened carob bar by uncommon carob from Azure Standard. If I don’t have that I would go with walnuts, hazelnuts, or cashews depending on what I had on hand.
FAVORITE ESSENTIAL OIL: Right now it is a blend called Heart from vibrant blue oils. It has Jasmine, Chamomile, Spruce, Blue Tansy, and Neroli.
MY FAVORITE FOODS THAT I ALWAYS HAVE IN MY FRIDGE: Eggs, sunflower seed butter, and goat milk yogurt.
ALWAYS ON MY NIGHTSTAND: I always have all of my morning and night time supplements. My favorite is magnesium glycinate and magnesium oil. Evanhealy Heart of Summer HydroSoul ™ it has Lemon verbena, Rose geranium, and Lavender.
CURRENT BOOKS THAT I AM READING: I just finished reading Human Heart, Cosmic Heart by Thomas Cowan. Currently, I am reading The Dance of Anger by Harriet Lerner and Anatomy of the Soul by Curt Thompson
IF I COULD GIVE ONE PIECE OF HEALTH ADVICE IT WOULD BE: Sleep and oral health are important for your health. Poor oral health has been associated with inflammation, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, lung diseases, and obstetric complications (2). In addition to flossing and brushing, I use a copper tung scraper (3) and do oil pulling with coconut oil.
When you sleep your brain does its housekeeping. Your brain shrinks in size to allow the glymphatic system (the lymphatic system in your brain) to get rid of metabolic waste that accumulates when you are awake (3). Making sleep a priority is paramount for health, especially when you have an added burden such as an infection or chronic illness. I wear an eye mask and earplugs to help me sleep as well as using a weighted blanket.
