Yes, it's true — sunshine can heal ☀️
Healthy Vitamin D levels are linked to lower incidences of stress overload, anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders. Plus, it’s known to improve bone health and strengthen muscles!
Whether it's taking your morning coffee on the balcony or going for a walk during your work break, I highly encourage everyone squeeze in 5-15 minutes of sun exposure each day — bonus points for doing it first thing in the morning!
This is what it feels like to have an optimally functioning thyroid 🙌🏼 🙏🏼
If you suffer from fatigue, sudden weight gain, constipation, sensitivity to cold temperature, moodiness and anxiety, dry skin, hair loss and/or brain fog, then chances are your thyroid is functioning less than optimally.
Here are a few of my go-to lifestyle tips to help you heal your thyroid and get back to feeling 💯:
💕 Manage your stress — chronic stress leads to heightened levels of cortisol, which can negatively impact thyroid hormone production
💕 Prioritize your gut health — gut bacteria assist in the conversion of T4 into T3, which is one of the key steps that needs to occur to increase thyroid function
💕 Improve your sleep routine — Not getting enough sleep can add to your body’s stress load, so prioritizing quality shuteye is key
💕 Consume selenium and zinc-rich whole foods — maintaining a sufficient level of selenium is important for preventing and healing thyroid issues, while zinc helps to regulate the immune system and thyroid
Have you done in-depth testing of your thyroid yet?
Even the strongest and healthiest of us need daily immune support for nipping a cold in the bud before it gets worse, combatting exposure to friends or family who have been sick or feeling run down from a stressful week or recent trip.
My specially formulated supplement, Vira Shield™, is one you can always find in both mine and my patients' cabinets.
Here are the bioavailable vitamins, minerals, and herbs found in Vira Shield™ and why I chose them:
✨ Vitamin A for immune system support
✨ Vitamin C for the growth, development and repair of all body tissues
✨ Vitamin D for regulating the absorption of calcium and phosphorus
✨ Vitamin E for antioxidants and free radical protection
✨ Zinc for immune system and metabolism function support
✨ Selenium for thyroid support and protection against heart disease
✨ Copper for iron absorption and collagen formation
✨ Quercetin for antioxidant support to fight inflammation, high blood pressure, and blood sugar regulation
✨ Green tea leaf extract for high antioxidant support (catechins) and protecting brain cells from oxidative stress
You can head to the link in my bio to check out Vira Shield™ and my complete, specially formulated line of supplements and vitamins!
If you're guilty of having a sweet tooth, I want you to know you're not alone.
Though I'm all for a nonrestrictive diet (in moderation), regular sugar consumption is sadly a main culprit of hormone imbalance, weight gain, inflammation and chronic disease.
You don't have to totally give up sweet treats, though! Here are some of my favorite, more nutrient-dense swaps to make curbing your sugar intake much less dreadful:
🍬 Milk chocolate 👉 dark chocolate
🍬 High fructose corn syrup 👉 local honey
🍬 Cane sugar 👉 dates
🍬 Heavy cream 👉 canned coconut milk
🍬 Conventional butter 👉 grass-fed butter or ghee
🍬 Canola oil 👉 coconut oil
Do you have any other favorite sugar swaps? Don't keep them to yourself!
Drop a 🙋🏻♀️ if you've been told you have an iron deficiency.
A deficiency in iron means that the body is also lacking enough oxygen to our organs and tissues — including the ovaries and uterus.
What does this mean for ladies looking to conceive?
Iron deficiency has been linked to infertility, miscarriage, low birth weight, and preterm labor — but I don't want you to panic! There are simple ways to up your iron intake:
💊 Take iron supplements
🥩 Eat heme iron-rich foods (derived from the hemoglobin in animals), like liver, oysters, clams, beef and eggs
🥜 Eat non-heme iron-rich foods, like oatmeal, beans, spinach, peanuts, brown rice and lentils
Happy birthday to my sweet daughter, Naaya 💕
To my first-born, my miracle child, thank you for choosing me to be your mom.
You've taught me so much about being a mother and woman and have single-handedly impacted the work I do to support women and couples each and every day. I am eternally grateful that God brought you into my life.
Out of all the minerals in your body, magnesium is one of the most important for women's health!
Magnesium supports our brain, nerves, heart, eyes, hormones, immune system, and muscle function — yup, I told you it was important!
Many studies show that magnesium deficiency in women is closely associated with PMS, PCOS, chronic fatigue, thyroid disorders, and menstruation issues.
So, how can you replenish your magnesium levels? Do this:
💥 Eat whole foods (ideally, organic): spinach, swiss chard, dark chocolate, pumpkin seeds, almonds, black beans, avocado, salmon, figs, banana, etc.
💥 Supplement with magnesium — glycinate (my favorite) and citrate are the most bioavailable
💥 Use topical magnesium in the form of oil or epsom salt.
How do you sneak magnesium into your daily routine?
There's SO much information about gut health out there. The gut has become quite the center of attention within the wellness community and I'm so glad to see it!
So while you may have heard about the importance of pre and probiotics, understanding the difference that each plays within our gut health is important.
Let's discuss:
💊 Probiotics are living organisms in the gut. They promote a healthy balance of microbiome bacteria, so you need them to keep your gut in healthy shape. Some foods rich in probiotics include kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt and kefir, kombucha, raw cheese, apple cider vinegar, and miso.
💊 Prebiotics are the organisms that feed good gut bacteria. They don’t break down during digestion and are delivered straight to the colon, where they grow and thrive. Like probiotics, you can consume prebiotics through foods such as leek, onion, garlic, Jerusalem artichoke, bananas, and potatoes.
Another great way of making sure you get your dose of both probiotics and prebiotics is through supplements!
Have your tried probiotics, prebiotics or both? 🦠
While it's true that the amount of eggs we have declines as we age, it's really not about the quantity of the eggs we want to focus on, but their quality.
All it takes is ONE fertilized egg to conceive so we want to make sure the eggs we do have are as high quality as possible.
How do we do that? Let's get into it👇
🌟 Opt for organic food whenever you can
🌟 Avoid processed foods and sugars
🌟 Eat a whole food diet with a variety of plants and fruits
🌟 Check your hormones — sex hormones, thyroid and adrenal
🌟 Avoid endocrine disrupters, like BPA plastics, pesticides, phthalates, non-stick pans, etc
🌟 Eat lots of antioxidants — first from food, then from supplements like CoQ10, melatonin, NAC, vitamin E and vitamin C
Remember, you don't have to make all of these changes overnight. Start with one and go from there!