Holistic by Steph

03/02/2026

From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, night sweats can be a sign of Yin deficiency, often described as “false heat.”

Yin is responsible for nourishing, cooling, and hydrating the body. When these reserves are low, the body may express heat symptoms, including sweating during sleep.

Supporting Yin focuses on restoration and nourishment.

Helpful strategies may include improving sleep quality, allowing for intentional rest, incorporating grounding practices, and emphasizing warm, cooked meals.

Dark, mineral-rich foods and root vegetables are commonly recommended to help rebuild the body’s nourishing fluids.

Winter is traditionally viewed as a time to slow down and replenish internal resources.

Tending to Yin during this season supports long-term resilience, hormone balance, and overall vitality moving into the more active seasons of the year.

RootedHealing

29/01/2026

Come make kimchi with me!!!

In this 1 hour workshop you will make your own batch of kimchi and learn the many benefits of this fermented food (and fermented foods in general) for gut health and immune support.

This particular recipe is both quick and naturally vegan, you choose how spicy or not you want to make it. It results in a fresh, crunchy kimchi bursting with gut loving pre- & probiotics!

Workshop dates & times:
• February 5th
Time slots: 12:00-13:00 OR 13:30-14:30
• February 11th
Time slots: 9:30-10:30 OR 11:00-12:00

Location: Kandy Estr. Malveira da Serra 1666, 2750-837 Aldeia de Juso

DM to join or ask for further info!

25/01/2026

This bowl took me back to my teens, when my American aunt sent me the Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul books. Stories about growing pains, kindness, and figuring yourself out.

Turns out chicken soup has always been about more than healing the body. Sometimes it’s for the soul too.

Served here with rye bread and salted butter, just because. 🥣

•••••••••••••

❤️

19/01/2026

Had some left over tomato’s pasta sauce so I turned it into a sort of shakshuka eggs for lunch.

Really satisfying dish, not only because it had all the flavour and texture elements in place but also because it came together in less than 10min. I’m all about quick & easy but full of flavour 😆.

I added cumin, fennel and coriander seeds to give the tomato sauce more flavour. Then I added a small amount of a very Smokey & deeply spicy harissa paste to the egg.

I served it with a dollop of sheep yoghurt, crumbled feta, a sprinkle of sage heavy dukkah, lots of olive oil and garlic rubbed bread.

Cooking doesn’t have to be complicated, and using left overs (always making more of what you need for one meal - sauces, rice, dressings) helps reduce the cooking time and effort.

Hoping this not only gets your taste buds watering but also helps inspire or motivate you to start cooking from scratch with Whole Foods.

17/01/2026

Weekends are made for pancakes, agree?

Healthy eating doesn’t have to compromise on flavour or fun.

Here’s kefir, oat pancakes (gf). Recipe on my website - link in bio.

Toppings;
• homemade blueberry jam jam (recipe for this free to download form my website)
• ground blond flaxseeds (fiber & omega 3 - helps slow down glucose absorption = lower blood sugar spikes)
• Ceylon cinnamon (high in B12 - cinnamon helps regular blood sugar)
• maple-nutbutter-miso-olive oil syrup (mix all equal parts of each add more olive oil if it gets too thick)
• coconut yoghurt (live probiotic)

Wishing you a sweet weekend.

16/01/2026

In winter in all avoiding soups, why? There are many reasons;

1) for my digestion - soups are essentially easy to digest as less energy and effort is required by the digestive system to break it down (it’s already liquid).

2) in TCM the digestive system energy is either supported by or weakened by the temperature of the food we eat. Imagine adding ice to a pot on a stove top, the ice will slow down the cooking of what’s in the pot - same happens in your digestive system, leading to bloating, poor nutrient absorption, etc.

3) Because I can batch cook large amounts, freeze them into portion sizes for a quick easy lunch or dinner.

Who ever says soups are boring hasn’t yet found the magic of toppings - they can transform the same soup into two totally different soups (think spices, fresh herbs, dukkah, harissa, kimchi, crumbled feta, toasted seeds or nuts).

Also weather you blend the soup of keep the veggie whole so it’s more like a stew can change the texture of the soup and make it feel like a whole other soup.

And adding a nice side toast like grilled cheese or smashed avo, hummus or soft boiled egg can also make the soup feel more exciting.

I hope this inspires you, to get soup cooking!

Find this particular soup recipe on my website under recipes (I’ve got plenty other soup recipes on there too): link in bio // www.stephaniefairbank.com

15/01/2026

I drink green tea regularly because when consumed regularly it’s been proven to help fight dementia plus it’s full of antioxidants which help fight inflammation.

Currently these are 3 different types I really like and why;

🍃 Kabusecha (shaded green tea)
• Grown under shade, which naturally increases chlorophyll and amino acids
• Known for a smoother, umami-rich taste and a more balanced caffeine feel
• I love this one when I want calm focus and mental clarity without feeling wired

🍃 Gabalong Green Tea (Japan)
• Specially processed to naturally increase GABA, a compound associated with relaxation
• Traditionally enjoyed for its stress-supportive, calming qualities
• My go-to when I want to wind down but still enjoy a green tea ritual

🍃 Kukicha (twig tea)
• Made from tea stems and twigs rather than just leaves
• Naturally lower in caffeine and rich in minerals
• Digestion-friendly

If you find green tea bitter it’s likely you let it steep too long or you brewed it with too hot water. Green tea does not need to be bitter.

08/01/2026

In winter I often reccomend my clients to eat more soups & stews to help support digestion and optimal nutrition absorption.

This sweet potato & sprouted mung bean soup with fresh coriander and sheep yogurt is one of my go-to bowls.

In Ayurveda, mung beans are light and easy to digest while sweet potato grounds and nourishes—perfect when digestion slows in colder months.

In TCM, this combo supports the Spleen and Qi, offering gentle warmth without overheating.

Simple, seasonal, deeply nourishing.

08/01/2026