Please note, this post may contain affiliate links, which means that if you make a purchase, I'll receive a small commission with no extra cost to you. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to make free content to help people with their health. I only recommend products that I use and love! Thank you for your support!

Everyone is talking about natural products and there is a huge reason why. 

What we put onto our skin has a direct impact on our body and its function. 

Aluminum, one of the ingredients in most deodorants, has been shown to impair thyroid function.

It's time to go ALUMINUM FREE!

Since your skin is your biggest organ, we need to take care in what we put on it since it effects our ability to detox and stay healthy. 

Let's be real here... 

I have always been a person who sweats.. this can be a blessing and a curse. 

The blessing: Sweating is a huge and great way our body naturally detoxes...

After a couple of years of signing up for marathons and things not working out, I'm believing that the 3rd time's a charm. 

Two years ago, in 2017, I signed up to do the Rock and Roll Marathon in DC, and then within a month, I found my perfect dog to adopt, which was amazing news!  She was being brought in from Arkansas and the only day available for pick up happened to be the same morning as the marathon. 

Anyway, the universe works in mysterious ways and thank god I got my precious pup -my Cali, who you can see is now my CFO (Chief Fetch Officer)! 

Then, last year, in 2018, I signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon - same thing - I was ready - I even did the half marathon in March to bypass the lottery system to insure I got in. I did the North Face Endurance Challenge Half Marathon with my mom in April to keep my training going strong.

And then in July 2018, my mom had a recurrence of cancer. 

Let's rewind.

My mom taught me how to run. When...

Lemons are a common yet powerful superfood to get your GLOW on!

You can squeeze them into warm water for a liver detox, mix with olive oil or avocado oil for healthy salad dressing, or put in ice water for a post workout hydration boost! 

I've found that bringing lemon water on errands, or having it at work during the afternoon helps keep me attentive, focused, and hydrated. 

Hydration is key for energy, brain health, skin health and your immune system! 

Below are 5 ways that lemons are rockstars of the health world and why you should use them on the daily! 

1. High in Vitamin C which is a powerful antioxidant, helping to keep the skin glowing and improving collagen production.
2. Boosts the immune system, keeping you feeling strong and energized even when leading a busy life. 
3. Supports healthy digestion and weight loss, allowing the body to detoxify itself and get rid of toxins. 
4. Lowers blood pressure and improves heart health. 
5. Alkalizes the...

We love coconut oil! Whether you are using it in your coffee, smoothies, for hair conditioning, or to hydrate the skin, it offers a variety of health benefits! 

Here are the top 5 benefits of coconut oil below: 

1. Balances hormones! The medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil provide healthy types of fat that are wonderful for helping keep the hormones in equilibrium.
2. Provides quick and lasting energy! The MCTs in coconut oil are able to be utilized quickly in the body and also keep you feeling fuller for longer, often aiding in weight management. 
3. Reduces inflammation in the body, which is at the core of healthy living. We come into contact with toxins and inflammation daily through products and even stress. 
4. Helps build healthy muscle and reduce unwanted fat. Coconut oil is a great way to get stronger and feel better in your body. 
5. Helps stimulate thyroid health, improving the body's metabolism and weight loss. 

Coconut oil is safe to cook with...

Ever heard that an apple a day keeps the doctor away?  Turns out it’s true!  Studies have shown that apple consumption has led to a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. One of the most important mechanisms is the positive impact of apples on the gut microbiome.

Apples have an array of polyphenols and fiber which have positive effects on intestinal health. Improving gut health has an important impact on reducing the risk for cardiovascular diseases including improving high blood pressure. Fiber plays a large role in these health benefits as well as it protects against type 2 diabetes and obesity. 

A study showed that 2 apples per day for 2 weeks increased bifidobacteria in the gut and reduced pathogenic, or bad, bacteria. Apples are known as prebiotics which create a healthy environment for probiotics to grow and flourish. Pectin, which is soluble fiber, when fermented in the gut, creates short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) which help to protect...

The World Health Organization has now recognized burnout as an occupational syndrome that comes from stress, overwhelm, and improper coping to maintain a work-life balance. Of course, certain times of life will be busier than others, but with prolonged and chronic work stress we can suffer from burnout and its plethora of negative effects on our physical, mental, and emotional states. 

As someone who has suffered from burnout, I can assure you that it is strenuous and taxing on the body in all realms - physically/mentally/emotionally. It is associated with depression, anxiety, lack of focus, and fatigue. It has taken a lot of self reflection and practice to figure out the ways to beat burnout and how to heal from it in order to have a vibrant and fulfilling life. 

I wanted to give you my 7 Ways To Beat Burnout below so that you can bring them into your daily life. These activities can be preventative as well as helpful in dealing...

After 3 years in clinical practice, I found that my true passion was helping people on a deeper level live a holistic, meaningful, and balanced life. My goal is that my clients feel vibrant, healthy, and connected, both physically and mentally, from the inside out.

I recently got asked about the use of self compassion during times of crisis. I thought I would share my thoughts here. 

My most recent crisis was losing my mother to cancer last October. It opened my eyes to how I can view myself even during difficult times. I have had a pattern of being critical of myself throughout my life and not feeling good enough. It's something that I have worked on but during this hard time I found it coming back to the surface. 

Even after my mom passed away, I was guilt stricken with things I didn't do. "I didn't even walk with her on the beach." "I wasn't present enough with her." " I didn't know we wouldn't have more time together."

All of these thoughts tore me up. I...

Detoxing our bodies is so important for how we feel right now and our long term health. Keeping our body in a healthy balance and supporting our detoxing organs (skin, liver, kidneys, and colon) is of utmost importance because we need them functioning well, hopefully, for a very long time. 

Did you know your skin is your body's largest organ? Things that we put on our skin get directly absorbed into our bodies and go into our bloodstream, having an impact on our body in a variety of ways. Often chemicals can disrupt our brains as well as our hormones. These are known as endocrine disruptors or neuroendocrine disruptors. (You can look up these words to find the exact chemicals that affect them for more information). 

Most people do not realize that every day we get toxic exposure whether it's through pollution, pesticides sprayed on the grass or on our food, chemicals in our household products, and even our own stress. 

Usually, our body does a good job of...

Losing someone so close to us and influential in our lives is so very difficult. It can feel paralyzing and overwhelming. It is a shock to our bodies physically and emotionally. 

Did you know that stress is the #1 underlying cause for the 6 major causes of death in the U.S.? 

This isn't new information...

Yet, it still continues to be a part of our culture to be busy to the point of burn out, push ourselves, and continue striving to, in the end, get the life we "want." 

However, what if with all of this pressure and feeling of never being enough or having enough, we realize that stress wins and we are left with physical (and sometimes fatal) issues?  Was it worth it? 

That being said, it doesn't have to be this way.

We can be efficient, productive, high functioning and balanced.

It all comes down to our perception of our lives, our thoughts, and how we choose to react to situations.   

For me, stress hits home. It's personal. Growing up, I was that kid who was continually worried. Due to a series of life events I had when I was younger, (more about that in future posts), my brain began to be wired in a way that my stress...