When people hear “holistic nutritionist,” it can bring up a lot of assumptions. Some think it’s restrictive, others think it’s all supplements, and some aren’t quite sure what it means at all. The truth is, holistic nutrition is much simpler—and more grounded—than most people think. For a long time, I lived in a cycle that…
Category: Nutrition and Diet
The Protein Playbook: Fueling the Teenage Athlete
As we gear up for baseball season, my kitchen has become a bit of a fueling station for my two boys. In my studies in holistic nutrition, we spend a lot of time looking at the biochemical demands of the body, and there is no clearer example of high demand than a growing athlete on…
The Subtle Shifts: Understanding and Supporting Estrogen Balance
Have you ever felt like your body is shifting in ways you can’t quite explain—your mood, your sleep, your energy—and wondered what’s really going on beneath the surface? There are seasons in life where the body begins to speak a little louder. You might notice subtle changes—feeling warmer than usual, more sensitive, more tired, or…
The Perimenopause Tea: 4 Ingredients, Centuries of Wisdom
Let’s be real: perimenopause can be a wild and unpredictable ride. Between the “internal furnace” of hot flashes, the brain fog that makes you wonder where you put your keys, and those 3:00 AM moments staring at the ceiling, it’s a lot to handle. While there are so many ways to navigate this stage, I…
NAD⁺: What’s All the Hype About? (And Should You Care?)
Ever scroll through Instagram or wellness blogs and see people talking about boosting their NAD⁺ levels like it’s the secret to eternal youth? I’ve definitely been there — half intrigued, half wondering if it’s just another health trend. As a mom with a busy life and busy body, I want things that make sense and that actually support my…
One Year In: My Journey Toward Holistic Nutrition
This year marks a major milestone for me: one year since I started my journey into studying Holistic Nutrition. It’s a bit surreal to think I’m already a third of the way through. I have two years to go, though depending on how life moves (and how many times I have to re-read the same…
Why You Feel “Heavy” (Even When the Scale Doesn’t Move)
The Sticky Truth About Dampness and Your Health For a long time, I didn’t really notice it, but once I hit my thirties, I couldn’t quite put my finger on why I felt so sluggish and foggy every late summer. It wasn’t just the heat—it felt heavier than that. It was like I was suddenly…
Feeling Bloated After Meals? FODMAPs Might Be the Culprit
You eat a meal, and shortly after your stomach feels tight, puffy, or uncomfortable—like something just isn’t sitting right. Maybe there’s gas, cramps, or changes in your digestion that don’t follow a clear pattern. It might not just be what you’re eating—it could be how your body is digesting it. Let’s talk about FODMAPs. It might…
Proof That Salads Don’t Have to Suck
I first fell in love with a salad like this at a restaurant a while ago. It was light, fresh, and had that perfect sweet-and-savoury balance that actually fills you up without making you feel heavy. Naturally, I had to come home and recreate my own version. I used what I had in the fridge,…
The Histamine Bucket: Why “Healthy” Foods Can Sometimes Make You Feel Off
Ever finished what should have been a “healthy” meal—say, a spinach salad with avocado—and suddenly felt itchy, foggy, or just… off? Maybe a glass of wine leaves your nose stuffy, or you get a weird spike of anxiety out of nowhere. If this sounds familiar, histamine might be playing a bigger role than you think. So, What…
Light, Sweet, and Healing: Snow Fungus Dessert Soup
We’ve been battling lingering dry coughs in our house lately—you know, the kind that leaves your throat feeling scratchy and restless. The weather has been all over the place, so today I reached for a remedy from my childhood: Snow Fungus Dessert Soup (糖水). What Is Snow Fungus Dessert Soup? It’s a light, slightly sweet Chinese…
Breaking Free from Food Rules, Finding True Nourishment
I used to think “eating healthy” meant following a long list of strict rules: no carbs after 6:00 PM, drink this before that, no more than 1,200 calories a day, and counting every gram of protein, fat, and carb. Or, no dessert allowed unless it was made with dates and almond flour. I tried almost…
Understanding TCM Body Constitutions: A Beginner’s Perspective
I was born and raised in Canada, but growing up in a Chinese household, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) was always present in my life, thanks to my mom. Whenever we were sick, it wasn’t Tylenol or the usual Western remedies. Instead, my mom would brew up some bitter herbal tea that, to be honest, tasted…
Fall Wellness: TCM Tips for Nourishing Body and Spirit
Fall is a time of change. The air cools, the leaves turn beautiful shades of orange and gold, and everything feels a little slower and more reflective. In TCM, fall is the season that corresponds with the lungs and metal element and it’s all about nourishing your body, mind, and spirit as we transition from…
Summer Foods to Keep You Cool and Balanced, TCM Style
Summer is officially here, and you can feel it everywhere—longer days, sunshine, and that heat that just screams for ice-cold drinks. But here’s the thing: in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), offers a different perspective on internal balance. Cooling the body isn’t about the temperature of the liquid, but rather using specific functional foods that naturally help…