COZY WINTER FAVORITES FOR A NIGHT IN

And just like that, the time fell back! For better or worse, we’re now back to shorter days and more darkness. I used to absolutely HATE this time of year. For the last 5ish years I’ve been leaning into the solstices, particularly the winter one, because it’s the shortest day of the year. This often falls on December 21st and that’s only a month and a half away! From there, the days start getting longer, and that is always something to celebrate.

Since the time just fell back, and we still have a month and a half of the days getting shorter, I thought this would be the perfect time to put together a list of cozy items for a night in. Because let’s be honest, I will not be leaving the house much during this time of year!

FAIRY LIGHTS

There is just something so relaxing and cozy about some fairy/ twinkle lights. Hang them from your curtain rods, or string them around your bookshelves for some extra light during the darkest part of the year. I’ve found a lot of options for shorter ones locally (Stuhlberg’s and Queen Anne Frame if you’re in Seattle), but here is a 66 ft. option on Amazon.

SHERPA LINED ROBE

I have just recently become a HUGE fan of robes! I purchased a very light weight organic cotton one last year, but I don’t think that’s going to be warm enough for the winter. When I found this one, I immediately added it to my Christmas list. It has it all…Plaid! Sherpa Lined! A HOOD! I’ll just be living in this all winter.

MICROWAVABLE SLIPPERS

I know that microwavable slippers probably seem like a bit much, but did you know that having warm feet can help you fall asleep faster? So really, you’re just looking out for your sleep quality with these 😘 If microwavable slippers aren’t your thing, then maybe a microwavable stuffed animal? How cozy would this be to have on your belly while you’re reading or watching a movie? Absolute BLISS!

BEE LUCIA CANDLES

These are one of my all time favorite candle brands. I found out about them when I was working at Pharmaca and have made it a point to get a couple every holiday season. The aroma combos are lovely and they are made with beeswax, coconut oil, and essential oils. No weird waxes or synthetic fragrances! My favorites for this time of year are Loved (Peppermint, Fir, and Peru Balsam), Grounded (Cedarwood, Fir, Bergamot, Rosemary, Cinnamon), and Inspired (Clove Bud, Lemongrass, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Cedarwood).

CUTE HOLIDAY MUGS

I can’t end this post without some options for cute holiday mugs. I love a hot chocolate (with some magnesium added for sleep support) at the end of the night in the winter. Maybe some Bailey’s in your coffee, hot apple cider, or just plain coffee is more your speed. No matter what your hot drink of choice is in the winter, you’re going to need to treat yourself to a new mug!

I hope you enjoyed this roundup of cozy winter favorites! Let me know in the comments what your favorite one was. 🥰

WHY YOU'RE NOT SLEEPING WELL | DIGESTION

Listen…you’re not alone if you’re asking yourself, “What the heck does digestion have to do with sleep?!” My clients are also shocked to hear how big of a role digestion plays in sleep health. It may be one of the missing pieces to your sleep quality. Let’s get right to it!

1. If the stomach does not have enough stomach acid, then protein breakdown is impacted.

Without adequate stomach acid, the stomach just can not fully break protein down into its usable pieces of amino acids. Amino acids are incredibly important for sleep because they are the pre-cursors to melatonin, our primary sleep hormone. The cascade looks like this: Protein (food) > Tryptophan (amino acid) > 5-HTP (amino acid) > Serotonin (neurotransmitter) > Melatonin (hormone). We could eat all the foods high in tryptophan, but if we’re struggling to break down those foods, then we’re not getting the full benefit.

2. When the small intestine is inflamed, it can impact absorption of amino acids, as well as other minerals, vitamins, and nutrients.

Inflammation in the small intestine can lead to a decrease in the absorption of amino acids. After our stomach “churns and burns” our food, it then passes into the small intestine. The small intestines job is to absorb the broken down pieces of our food, like the amino acids that are created from the breakdown of dietary protein. Working on the health of the small intestine can be a process and one that is generally best to do with a practitioner, there are a couple things you can do to improve your digestion!

Now maybe you’re like me and don’t have any digestive symptoms like bloating, gas, or constipation or your sleep is ok. It doesn’t matter, we can all improve our digestion with these tips!

Mindful Eating

This is always a top recommendation for my clients, no matter the symptoms or health concerns we’re working on. Digestion starts in the brain, so we always want to incorporate mindful eating techniques. This tells the organs of digestion to get ready to work. Try the following mindful eating techniques out and see which ones work for you! You’re not going to like all of them and that’s ok. Personally, I like doing the 3 deep breaths and setting my utensil down every 2-3 bites.

• Take 3 deep breaths before your first bite - exhalation needs to be longer than inhalation

• Don’t eat anything before you’re seated

• Make an observation about your food (smell, color, etc)

• Say something you’re grateful for before your first bite

• Set your food or utensil down in between bites

Chew Your Food

This one is pretty self explanatory, but you would be surprised at how many people chew their food 3x and then swallow. Chewing is incredibly important because it’s the first place that food breakdown happens. The more it happens in the mouth, the less work the stomach has to do. Additionally, large food particles can also be a stressor to the small intestine, leading to increased inflammation.

This one can be quite the transition, so go slow! Start by just noticing how many times you’re chewing before swallowing. Are you drinking a lot of liquid with meals to help wash the food down because you’re not chewing it enough? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Once you have a baseline, start by increasing how many times you’re chewing by 3-5. The goal is to have your food be the consistency of applesauce before you swallow.

As always, let me know if you have any questions in the comments!

Interested in taking the next step to improve your sleep? Learn more about my online class, “Intro to Kick Ass Sleep”!

SLEEP APNEA AND FOOD SENSITIVITIES

In a study done in 2011, patients found a significant improvement in obstructive sleep apnea while being dosed with NAC (N-acetyl-cysteine). So what the heck does this have to do with food allergies?! One of the capabilities of NAC is to break up mucus, as well as decrease swelling in the respiratory system. And since I always like to look at root cause, I had to ask myself, “Where is the swelling/mucous/inflammation coming from?”. A dominant symptom of food sensitivities is a runny nose, as well as sore throat, throat clearing, and cough in the absence of a cold or illness. Well, here is a good sign of root cause! This won’t be the only root cause of sleep apnea for every single person, but it’s a great place to start.

There are multiple ways of determining food sensitivities. The gold standard is still an elimination diet, where you remove certain foods for 4 weeks, and then reintroduce one at a time to assess symptoms. This works great for some people and for others, not so much. Often for those that have a history of disordered eating, it can off-putting. There are many ways to utilize this tool without needing to eliminate whole food groups or large amounts of food. This is definitely where having a practitioner comes in handy to develop a plan that works for you as an individual.

So, while NAC is helpful as a bridge therapy while we’re working on removing the root cause, it’s definitely not meant to be a long-term supplement. Especially if your sole purpose is to eliminate those cold like symptoms that may be contributing to sleep quality or sleep apnea.

Have more questions about your sleep? Book a discovery session here

Looking for a list of the Top 9 Food Allergens? Get that here

SELF CARE? IT'S NOT ALL WINE & FACE MASKS...

I thought that the topic of self care would be fun for the new-ish year. And instead of all things face masks, yoga, and scented candles, we're going to start with the basics. Because if your foundational needs are not being met, then good luck finding any balance in your body and life! Enter Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Image from Spence Creative.

Physiological Needs

This may look familiar from a psychology course, counselor / psychotherapist office, the interwebs, or some random place. This month we'll start with the physiological needs at the foundation of our pyramid. I will be looking at this through a functional nutrition/wellness lens. So let's go!

• Water - First off, are you getting enough?! The standard equation is 1/2 your body weight in ounces, not to exceed a gallon per day. Are you drinking caffeine? Take the amount in ounces and multiply by 1.5. Since caffeine is a diuretic you will need to drink 1.5x the amount to replenish the loss. How is the quality of your water? Could you benefit from a water filtration device or purchasing filtered water from the grocery store? What about chugging your total water in 2 minutes like it’s a chug contest in college? Not great! You want to sip your total water throughout the day for optimal absorption. This will limit bathroom breaks too. I did a whole post on water here if you’d like more info!

• Food - Are you eating enough? Is the majority of your food nutrient dense and not nutrient poor, ie - highly processed, high in added sugar and trans fats? If financially possible, opt for organic, pastured, grass fed, and wild for your veggies, fruit, meat, eggs, and seafood. Look into the dirty dozen, frequent your local farmers market, or get friendly with a local farmer. A lot do work trades and I am all for humans learning about where their food comes from. Unfortunately, a lot of people, even in the US, live in a food desert. More education about this topic, as well as volunteer and donation information can be found at this website.

• Sleep - How is your sleep quality? 7-9 hours a night of restful, restorative, and continuous sleep is the goal. Not happening? This is my specialty! Let's set up a discovery call so we can get to the root of your insomnia/sleeplessness.

• Breathing - I'm guessing if you're reading this you're breathing, but are you regularly focusing on deep diaphragmatic breaths? A longer exhale to inhale ratio helps to tap into a relaxed state. Humming, singing, and exhaling like you’re blowing through a straw also help to tap into this relaxed part of the nervous system. How about the air quality in your area? Your home? If it's not great, could you invest in an air purifier?

• Excretion - Are you pooping on a daily basis? What number are you on the Bristol Stool Chart? Regular poo's mean your digestion is working and you're eliminating toxins. Being full of sh*t is not cool.

• Sex - Are you taking time for healthy and consensual sexual relations with a partner or yourself? I will keep my fingers crossed that if it's with yourself that it is in fact consensual. ;)

• Homeostasis - All of the above help to maintain homeostasis, or balance, in the body. Other issues can impact homeostasis like chronic or acute infections, food and environmental allergies and sensitivities, chronic and acute stress/injuries.

The majority of these items make up a large part of my wellness practice. I help people find hidden food sensitivities, get kick-ass sleep, find nutrient dense recipes, educate on a variety of breathing exercises, and have great poops! Are there any that you could give more energy to or a couple that you’re completely kicking butt at? Let me know in the comments. Interested in learning how I support my clients through these foundations? Click the button below!

Stay Awesome,

Amber

MY FAVORITE HOLISTIC COLD FIGHTERS

Spring/summer colds are incoming! It’s like nature’s middle finger, right? The weather is just starting to get warmer and the days longer, and then BOOM. Here’s a nasty, snotty cold. Now before I give you a nice juicy list of what you can do once you have a cold, we need to talk prevention. Because let’s be real, I’m all about being proactive, not reactive.

So, what are things that diminish immune system function?

• Sugar - Eating a lot of highly processed, sugary foods puts our body into a stress state. When stress is on, immune is off. A random sugary baked good here and there is great, but to help our immune system function optimally, we should try to keep it from getting out of control.

• Stress - Like I said above, when stress is on, immune is off. There are a lot of things that cause stress in our current world. Finances, relationships, food sensitivities, toxins, work. Doing what we can to minimize these stressors, while also prioritizing what brings us joy. This will help offset stress and help keep our immune system in tip top shape.

• Poor Sleep - Poor or limited sleep prevents our immune system from releasing proteins that target infection and inflammation. Kind of important if we want to stay on top of those nasties being spread around.

• Over Exercising - Over exercising can cause the adrenals to be overworked, thus causing stress in the body. Again, when stress is on, immune is off. A wonderful product to assess recommended energy output on any given day is an Oura Ring. This ring tracks sleep, heart rate, and other variables to let you know if a rest day is best or if you’re ok’d for a more intense workout. It also has an airplane mode, which sets it apart from other trackers in my opinion.

Immediate relief for colds

Over the years I have put together a toolkit of herbal and food based cold fighters that I absolutely love and swear by. At the first little tickle of a cold I pull out all the stops. I keep all of these stocked in my kitchen and bathroom so that I don’t have to leave the house with snot running down my face when I’m sick! I hope you get some new ideas to add to your home apothecary.

• Epsom salt bath -Epsom salt baths calm the body and help decrease muscle aches and soreness. Try adding 2 cups of epsom salts, 1/2 cup of baking soda (helps to neutralize chlorine), and 10-15 drops of essential oil. Eucalyptus, rosemary, and ginger are all wonderful during a cold.

• Elderberry Syrup - Elderberry is a wonderful immune boosting herb that has been used for centuries. It is also a wonderful source of vitamins A, B, and C and full of antioxidants. At the first sign of a cold I am pretty much attached to my elderberry syrup! I recommend a local and sustainable company called Seattle Elderberry. Do you need it now and can’t wait for shipping? Gaia is a great brand and can usually be found at Whole Foods, local co-ops, and some drugstores.

• Bone Broth - A hug in a mug, especially when you’re sick! Bone broth is mineral rich and perfect for healing. I keep my freezer stocked with homemade broth so I always have back up. My favorite pre-made brand is Bonafide Provisions, but it’s really the simplest thing in the world to make (and much cheaper).

• Slippery Elm - My #1 secret weapon for a sore and irritated throat! Slippery Elm has mucilaginous properties, so it’s perfect for soothing a sore throat. It is also helpful for IBD, urinary tract irritation, as well as heartburn and GERD. I love mixing a teaspoon in my tea (usually a delicious ginger tea!) when I feel the scratchy throat starting. This is the brand I recommend.

• Fire Cider - These awesome concoctions are full of immune boosters including apple cider vinegar, ginger, garlic, honey, and lemons. You can usually find this to purchase, but I’m finally going to make myself a batch using this recipe!

• Gently movement - Long, slow, and gentle yoga poses are my favorite when I’m not feeling well. It’s feels so lovely to move the body, and bonus, the lymph fluid too! And really, it’s just nice to be off the couch or out of bed for a bit. Here’s a wonderful flow by one of my favorite humans.

• Water - Water and herbal teas help the body clear out toxins and help improve immune system function. Sip on water or herbal tea throughout the day for maximum absorption. Aim for half your body weight in ounces, without exceeding 100 ounces.

Well that’s everything in my arsenal for right now. Have I missed something that you love? Please let me know below so I can add it to my holistic apothecary!

Stay awesome,

Amber

P.S. I made an amazing gut/immune support meal plan for you! Check it out here.

5 AUTOIMMUNE PALEO (AIP) TIPS FOR OPTIMAL SUCCESS

If you’re just here for the tips, I totally get that! Just scroll down to the bottom, they’re numbered somewhere down there. If you want to read the rambling story of how I even stumbled on the autoimmune paleo protocol (AIP), please keep reading.

STORY TIME! When my husband was first diagnosed with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (both autoimmune diseases) he was still seeing only Western medicine providers. He was first prescribed steroids, then a self-administered shot called Humira. After 6ish months of use, the Humira stopped being effective. The next logical step was, of course… an in office transfusion called Remicade. Big surprise, after 6ish months of use that stopped working. He was then told the next step was freezing some sperm and going on a mild chemotherapy drug.

At no point were his providers looking for root cause or addressing diet!

Our next step was a naturopathic doctor who implemented an alkaline diet and supplemental protocol to help anti-inflame the body, heal the gut, and support the liver. From there I started doing my own research and we quickly transitioned to a loose paleo template. We both saw so many fantastic results! But it was a process and a huge leap from what we were currently eating. I mean, I’m ITALIAN! We were regularly eating homemade stuffed shells, lasagna, spaghetti, and chicken parmigiana. Delicious, but definitely not anti-inflammatory! Paleo was a great initial stepping stone because it eliminates a lot of potentially inflammatory foods like:

• Grains

• Dairy

• Processed Sugar

• Beans

• Trans/processed Fats

With this transition came a lot more cooking and recipe research. I quickly found Mickie Trescott of Autoimmune Wellness and an autoimmune paleo (AIP) way of eating. From there we saw an even bigger improvement of symptoms. YES! We’re finally on to something! When we implemented AIP, we cut out the following (in addition to the Paleo template we were still on):

• Eggs

• Nightshades

• All nuts and seeds

• Alcohol

We did this for 2 YEARS! We didn’t really try to reintroduce anything because we were terrified of an increase in symptoms. Eventually we found a wellness provider that implemented muscle testing and Steve started adding some foods back in like eggs and nightshades, with the exception of peppers.

So as you can see, this journey took us 4-5 YEARS! I want to help you to streamline this by giving you the 5 tips that I wish someone would have told us.

1. Determine if you’re a slow roll or rip the bandaid off kind of person. Are you the type of person that needs to cut one thing out at a time? Maybe you need to crowd out certain foods first. I am definitely more of an abstainer, so I prefer to just take everything out and start from scratch. You’ll find more success if you honor what type of person you are.

2. Use Pinterest or go to the library for recipe inspiration. I still do this! Pinterest is essentially a search engine with great pictures and descriptions. From there you can determine if any of the websites have cookbooks. This is when the library comes in handy. Now you can try before you buy! My favorite blogs for AIP recipes are - Healing Family Eats, Autoimmune Wellness, and The Paleo Mom.

3. Meal planning and batch cooking are going to be your best friend. Seriously, if you’re just starting out, this is definitely a necessity. Pick 4-5 recipes and take a day to cook everything up. Add in salads and other raw and cooked veggies for more volume and nutrient density. You’ll be skipping a lot of empty and nutrient poor foods that you may have been filling your plate with, which brings me to my next tip.

4. Make sure you’re getting enough fat in! This really threw my husband and I for a loop. We started off by not replacing the higher fat and protein foods we had cut out like nuts, seeds, and eggs. That was a huge miss and in turn we were hungry. All. The. Time. Be very mindful about adding in coconut products, fattier cuts of meat, animal fats, olives and olive oil, and avocados. Fat helps to keep our bodies satiated longer so we’re not hungry 2 hours after eating. Kind of important since nobody enjoys eating every couple hours.

5. Re-introduce! A lot of programs recommend after 30 days or once you experience a decrease in symptoms. This is awesome advice, just please don’t wait longer than you need to! Phoenix Helix has a fantastic post about reintroduction that I wish we had found 5 years ago.

Thanks so much for sticking around for the whole story and tips from our journey! Please let me know if you have questions. Both of us are more than happy to help you navigate.

Stay awesome,

Amber

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PIZZA FRITTATA

If you follow me on Instagram you know of my absolute love and obsession for pizza frittata’s. This idea came about one night when I was really craving pizza, but didn’t want to feel like crap the next day or spend any extra money. Usually I’ll make tiny pizza bites, which are turkey pepperoni (I have a pork sensitivity) with a dollop of spaghetti sauce and some cheese and then thrown under the broiler to melt the cheese. Tasty in a pinch, but not exactly what I was craving. As I looked into the abyss of the fridge I thought maybe, just maybe, I could use eggs as a “crust”. They’re fairly mild in flavor and frittata’s are definitely one of my go-to’s…THIS JUST MIGHT WORK! Spoiler alert: it did. And it was everything I’d hoped it could be!

The amazing part about these pizza frittata’s is that you can add the same exact toppings you would on a regular pizza. For this one I sautéed some onions and sweet bell peppers in a pot with a combo of coconut oil and ghee, then added 3 scramble eggs. Let the bottom cook and then throw under the broiler on high (middle rack) until top is just cooked. Remove from oven and add spaghetti sauce, pepperoni and cheese. Place back under the broiler until cheese melts. Easy peasy and extremely customizable! I’ve done a variety of veggies, pepperoni, ground italian sausage, and many types of cheese. And let me tell you, the spaghetti sauce is key. I made it once without it on accident and it was not pizza like AT ALL! So don’t make my mistake and you will continually have a super yummy pizza alternative.

Stay awesome,

Amber

LOOKING TO DECREASE INFLAMMATION? START HERE!

This is going to be one of the simplest swaps for your health.

Trade and upgrade your fats and oils!

Firstly, we want to get rid of highly processed, deodorized, franken-fats and oils. These fats and oils are nowhere near their natural state and the steps needed to get them into a palatable “food” is a thing of nightmares. Processing and refining of a lot of common oils creates an unstable fat or oil, leading to inflammation in our bodies from oxidation stress and free radicals. We want to get back to fats and oils that are as close to their natural state as possible, as well as extracted in a way that does not degrade these delicate nutrient powerhouses. Degradation happens quite often with oils. Most popular commercial oils are made from nuts and seeds that are polyunsaturated fatty acids or PUFA’s. PUFA’s are delicate and should only be cold pressed and not used for cooking. This is why you will usually see flax seed oil in dark containers and refrigerated!

Get rid of:

• Margarine or other butter “spreads” - Usually full of trans fats (which our body does not recognize) and other highly processed oils that are put through some sort of dark witchcraft in order to be spreadable.

• Canola oil

• Soybean oil

• Corn oil

• Sunflower oil

• Cottonseed oil

Now that your pantry is cleared of these inflammatory oils, let’s restock! You will be looking for a variety of minimally processed fats and oils. We want these items to be as close to their natural state as possible so our body recognizes them as food and not franken-food!

• Grass fed butter or ghee - organic, grass fed, and pastured if possible. I love Pure Indian Foods for ghee.

• Coconut oil - Organic, unrefined, and cold pressed if you can find it.

• Animal Fats - Tallow, lard, and duck fat, which should always be from pastured, organic, and free range animals. I use Epic brand animal fats. Someday I’ll render my own!

• Avocado oil - cold pressed and dark container for best protection.

• Olive oil - cold pressed and dark container for best protection.

I’m so excited to hear if you’ve made any of these trades! It really is one of the simplest things we can do to decrease inflammation and improve overall health and wellness. Here’s to swapping out our fats.

Stay awesome!

Amber

WHY I (almost) NEVER RECOMMEND SMOOTHIES

Yes, I’m totally attacking smoothies! Buckle up, because I have some very strong feelings.

Photo by Alex Loup on Unsplash

There are a lot of reasons that people reach for smoothies. In turn, a lot of those reasons are why I don’t recommend them. Here are some of the reasons that my clients tell me they luuurve their smoothies:

• Quick AND easy to make

• Easy way to get fruits in (and sometimes veggies)

• Eat on the go

Let’s break these down!

• Quick to make - I can’t even knock this one. We are busy humans and it’s important for our food to fit our lifestyle, while also being properly prepared, nutrient dense, and well rounded in macronutrients (protein/carbs/fat). This last point is where our typical smoothie could use some work.

• Easy to make - Can’t knock this one either. If you follow me on Instagram, you know I’m the laziest cook! You shouldn’t have to spend 1-3 hours in the kitchen for 1 meal. But believe me, there are better ways to get satiating and delicious food in your belly.

• Easy way to get fruits and (maybe) veggies - This is true…sort of. When you really break down the ingredients in most smoothies, you’re looking at 2-3+ cups of fruit. Now I want to know if you’d ever sit down and eat this amount of fruit in 1 sitting? Probably not. So why would you drink it?!

• Eat on the go - This is my biggest reason for telling my clients to swap out the smoothies. Digestion begins in the brain with seeing, smelling, and chewing our food. This starts a signal from the brain to every single organ of digestion. The brain tells the mouth to release salivary enzymes that begin the breakdown of carbohydrates, tells the stomach to excrete acid to further breakdown nutrients, tells the liver/gallbladder to release bile to breakdown fats, tells the intestines to move the food through. We need to be in a relaxed state for all of this to happen. And honestly, when have you ever seen someone sitting down and chewing a smoothie in a relaxed state? Slim to none most likely.

Thinking twice about smoothies? Good! Now we need to talk about alternatives or smoothie upgrades.

Quick + Easy Alternatives

• Coconut Chia Seed Pudding - quick to put together and you can make 5 for the whole week for breakfast or mini meals.

• Egg Bakes - These are one of my go-to’s for breakfast. It’s so quick and easy to make a whole pan for the week. It’s also pretty hard to get sick of this since you can constantly change up the ingredients!

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Get Your Fruit In

• Aiming for 1 cup or less of fruit per day and 3-4 cups of veggies is my personal recommendation for my clients. With smoothies you are getting in more like 3+, so it’s a bit of overkill.

• Opt for berries over tropical fruits. Lower sugar and more antioxidants. Win!

• Start decreasing (not eliminating) fruit in your smoothie and try adding fats and proteins like nut butters, coconut, avocado, and full fat yogurt or kefir if you tolerate dairy well.

Eat on the go

• Please stop doing this. For the love of all things holy, please stop eating anything while driving, walking, running to your car, working, etc.

• If you’re going to go for a smoothie, try a smoothie bowl that you have to sit down and eat with a spoon.

• I know it sounds ridiculous, but chew your smoothie! This signals the body to produce salivary enzymes to begin the breakdown of carbohydrates like fruits and veggies.

That’s all folks. Thanks for sticking around for all that info and please let me know in the comments if you’ve implemented any of the tips!

Stay awesome,

Amber