Sure, sometimes we forget where we put our keys or what we wrote on that grocery list. But other times it’s obvious that we are not just dealing with a little bit of “mom brain.” Are you suffering with brain fog? Do you feel like you’re drowning in post-it notes and reminders from your smartphone just to get you through the day? If so, maybe something deeper and  more serious is at play beyond simply needing to catch up on sleep. In this post, we will cover root causes of brain fog, lifestyle changes that can address the root fog, and supplements that may be able to provide rapid relief ..read more

Are your beliefs getting in the way of your healing? After working with thousands of patients over the years, I have noticed common themes among busy parents and professionals. This may not apply to everyone, but so many of you struggle with these common limiting mindsets. Do you struggle with putting your needs first? Has your health taken a toll these past few years despite your best efforts? Do you continue to say that you’re going to put your health first only to break your promises with yourself a few weeks into a new plan? If this is you, consider these mindset shifts. In this post, we w ..read more

STRESS. Even the word gives most of us prickly feelings. We have a visceral reaction to the mere mention of stress. Why? What happens to your body when your stressors overwhelm your ability to cope with stress? What exactly is a stressor? How does that impact your overall health? In this post, we will discuss the stress response and its relationship to gut health, 4 triggers for the stress response, and how to manage the stress response.    The Stress Response System   When most people mention the word stress they associate it with feelings of stress, anxiety, and overwhelm. The ..read more

Have you ever experienced a gut feeling? Or had butterflies in your stomach before you gave a presentation or speech? This is the mind-body connection in action. Think of the mind-body connection as an information superhighway where messages are communicated on the vagus nerve between the brain and the gut, heart, and lungs (among other areas). In this post, we will discuss the sympathetic vs. parasympathetic states, the vagus nerve and polyvagal theory, and how to stimulate the vagus nerve. Sympathetic vs. Parasympathetic States Think about it. Our body processes a lot of information every da ..read more

You intuitively know that you need to sleep so you can function. The problem is that the day gets away from you and by the time you’re ready to go to sleep, you’ve already caught a second wind. What gives? In this post, we will review the basics of circadian rhythm and sleep, what causes imbalances to those rhythms, and simple strategies to improve sleep and balance circadian rhythms.    Circadian rhythms 101  For millions of years, our stress response system has been linked to the 24 hour rhythm of day and night. The stress response system involves two parts of the brain, the h ..read more

You intuitively know that you need to sleep so you can function. The problem is that the day gets away from you and by the time you’re ready to go to sleep, you’ve already caught a second wind. What gives? In this post, we will review the basics of circadian rhythm and sleep, what causes imbalances to those rhythms, and simple strategies to improve sleep and balance circadian rhythms.    Circadian rhythms 101  For millions of years, our stress response system has been linked to the 24 hour rhythm of day and night. The stress response system involves two parts of the brain, the h ..read more

Does the number on the scale never budge? OR worse…it only increases? It can feel so frustrating when you feel like you’re doing everything right: you’re eating well and you exercise consistently but your clothes don’t fit well and you feel like a failure for not being able to lose the weight.  Weight loss resistance is MORE than a vanity problem. Excess weight is a risk factors for many conditions such as:       Heart disease (the number one cause of death in women worldwide)       Thyroid disorders       Diabetes / insulin resistance   ..read more

Do you begin the day with a flat belly but end up looking and feeling pregnant (when you’re definitely not) as the day slowly comes to an end? Do you have tummy troubles that have you doubled over in pain one minute and running for the porcelain throne the next? Or do you end up with cramping pain that leads you down a road to nowhere and you simply wish you could have satisfying bowel movements? Maybe this has been your story for years now and you’ve figured out how to adapt. I want you to know that you’re not alone! Most of you suffering like this already have a diagnosis of IBS, which affec ..read more

Hey, guys! Ahh, the obligatory “what is functional medicine…” post! Buckle up and let’s get to it. So what exactly do I mean by "functional medicine?" In three words, I’d define functional medicine as root cause medicine. A more extensive definition explains that functional medicine seeks to uncover the drivers of dysfunction within various body systems. These drivers can usually be distilled down to three causes:  Diet  Stress Toxins  Most commonly, the root of the problem is a combination of the three and not always readily apparent.  Regardless, everyone manifests dysf ..read more

If you think about it, everything inside of our gastrointestinal tract is kind of outside of our body. Isn’t that wild? The gut is truly the gateway to the rest of the body. Think about it like a straw. Either something is inside of the straw or outside of the straw. With that analogy, it’s easy to see how influential gut health can be in supporting your overall health. But how do we support gut health? In this post, we will discuss the different body systems influenced by the GI tract, the 5 main pillars of GI health, and the best ways to support your gut health.   Gateway to the Body &n ..read more