True story: I’m laying in bed at 1 AM wide awake.

True story I wrote the same story years ago…

2020 has been a tough year for us all, for me personally it started with losing a pageant I had poured my heart and soul into literally, physically, mentally, and emotionally.  Per usual I bounced right back And through my efforts into taking my business online developing this new website and my brand even deeper. And then Covid hit. So I threw myself into another pageant to distract me/numb the pain (I have realllly weird way of coping, well avoiding coping). Here in North Carolina gyms were shut down for six months after six months of trying to stay afloat I finally gave up. I meanwhile found out I was pregnant after years of trying (also knowing I can’t keep it going pregnant/as a new mom)
Fast forward to my 10 week ultrasound, all alone with the ultrasound tech (thanks Covid) in a cold, empty, sterile room hearing the words “ I’m sorry there is no...

Zinc supplementation has been a game changer for me specifically in improving gut health, boosting my immune system and helping to regulate hormones.

SIGNS OF ZINC DEFICIENCY
Lowered immune system
Loss of taste and/or smell
Digestive problems
Hair loss
Chronic fatigue
Poor concentration
Nervous system dysfunction
Hormonal imbalances
Low testosterone (in Men)
Change of appetite (increase or decrease)
Worsening memory
Infertility
Change in weight gain or loss
Slowed ability to heal
Aging skin
Poor muscle tone

BENEFITS OF ZINC:
Improved immune function
Boosted metabolism
Balancing health inflammation
Hair growth
Antioxidant benefits
Balances hormones
Helps regulate healthy blood sugar levels
Assists in digestion and gut function
Decreases loose stool (diarrhea)
Improves fertility
Increases testosterone & sperm count
Supports liver health
Boosts muscle tone

Ok, lets see if we can get through this as this blog has deleted more than once.... bah.... but as promised here are my “Keto conclusions” after thirty days on the ketogenic diet (high fat, very low carb, moderate protein) and around thirty days back on the carbs (lowered fat, higher protein compared to keto). Am I a fan? Well yes and no. For me no, not at all, however I have seen wonderful success from a ketogenic diet and if I or another loved one was diagnosed with cancer or epilepsy I sure as heck would give it a shot again.
I decided to give keto to fight off inflammation, increase energy and improve my mental clarity. No such luck for any of the above. Weight loss was not my main goal but I was looking forward to loosing the 2-3 pounds I put on over the holidays, no such luck there either. In fact I feel like I put on 2-3lbs (nothing major, not complaining, but still interesting). My first conclusion is the reason I didn’t seem to feel any better could be...

Sitting here in my massage chair, my new favorite spot with Bella Grace since Christmas.... I figured now was a good time to untangle my ketogenic diet conclusions (side note: ketogenic shows up as a misspelled word without any suggestions). As I mentioned, or at least I think I mentioned, I decided to drink the keto Kool-aid and see what this bacon and butter diet, that is supposedly curing inflammation, casing drastic weight loss, helping depression, curing migraines, fixing blood sugar issues, giving you more energy, repairing your cells even curing cancer and diabetics, blah, blah, blah is all about. Oh and in case you were wondering Wikipedia defines keto or the ketogenic diet as: "a high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate diet that forces the body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates. Normally, the carbohydrates contained in food are converted into glucose, which is then transported around the body and is particularly important in ...

Hey y’all so I know I haven’t updated everyone in like forever (ok well I did but then the post got deleted... oops hitting that save button is quite important but It’s official! I finished up my integrative Health Practitioner training.
As an Integrative Health Practitioner I work with you one-on-one to find the underlying root cause of your body’s *dis-eased* state, remove toxicities and replace deficiencies through:
-Diet
-Exercise
-Stress
-Rest
-Toxins
-Emotions
-Supplements
-Success Mindset
In order to balance your body *whole-istically* through an integrative approach of: Orthomolecular medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, Functional Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Naturopathy, Bioregulatory Medicine and Eastern Philosophy.

If you are interested in working with me you are in the right place! Click on the get started page on the top of this site and it will take you to a health intake/application form!

Quote of the day:
”I will take care of me for you, if you...

I've been asked this question a lot; "can I still exercise while I am pregnant? The answer is yes! Within reason, Of course consult your doctor first! I highly advise working with a certified trainer with experience training through pregnancies.

-Avoid contact sports

-Monitor heart rate

-Make sure you stay hydrated

-Immediately stop if you feel faint or dizzy.

-Avoid lifting heavy weights (which increases intra-abdominal pressure. Excess intra-abdominal pressure can be a serious matter causing muscle injury or even early labor or bleeding)

-Avoid multi joint exercises. (Low-blood pressure during pregnancy and changes in the hormones which help lubricate your joints)

-During the last trimester:

-Avoid balance exercises (that baby belly will through off your center of balance)

-Avoid any exercises the require you to lie on your back (personally I avoid these during the entire pregnancy with my clients). 

Don't let this scare you off though! There are many reason to...

In world of so much that we can't do during the Corona Virus pandemic, let start by focusing on the positive of what we CAN during this difficult time. Most of this goes without saying but let's talk basics first:
1. Of course first and foremost: wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (or hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol), especially after using the restroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
2. Avoid close contact with anyone experiencing symptoms (this also includes avoiding contact with anyone with a compromised immune system, elderly and young children)
3. Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects at least daily ( tables, countertops, light switches, door knobs, drawer/cabinet knobs/pulls, phones, remotes) as well as wash clothing daily (especially after going out into public places)
4. Limit exposure to public places

Going above and beyond to boost your immune system:

5. Take functional medicine multivitamin daily...

So now you have the goal, you need the plan. To do this, look at where you are now and then look at all the things you would need to build the life you are picturing. For instance, you might find that you need a certain amount of money to make your dream of travelling happen.

In that case, you need to look at the options available to you to make that money. Or maybe you want to achieve a certain thing in your career and you realize that in order to get there, there is a certain amount of experience you need to acquire first. How can you acquire said experience?

There are many similar examples of how you might go after a particular goal but the thing to remember in every case is that you need to focus on small steps that are just ahead of you. That might mean the next small promotion. It might mean a small upgrade to your home. It might mean developing any form of small income.

With that in mind, you’re then going to break these smaller goals down even further. Now the...

Life becomes more worth living when you know that for every good thing that you did, a reward is bound to come your way. By this time, you already know that stopping your addictions is possible only if you will really put your heart and mind to it. The last but definitely not the least tool for you to completely free yourself from your bad habits is learning to reward yourself for every accomplishment that you make.

Through meaningful rewards, you can be more motivated to do better the next day and you will strive even harder to make sure that you will get another great reward in the future. With this kind of inspiration and motivation, you will have the drive to become better and better every day as you finish your journey to complete recovery from your addiction.

Every Accomplishment Deserves a Good Reward

Reward systems are being used in many situations today. At home, in schools and even in workplaces, a reward system is considered as a helpful tool for people to do better. This...