Pursue Wellness - Kelly Lutman

01/31/2026

It’s easy to call it rest when the body is still. However, stillness doesn’t always equate to restoration. Sometimes, the nervous system is disengaged and not properly supported.

So, how can you tell the difference? Here are a few ways ....

1) What does your body feel like during the pause?
Rest doesn’t always feel “good,” but it usually brings some kind of shift—your shoulders might lower, your breathing might deepen, even just a little. With numbing activity (hello scrolling or a game on your phone), it’s often hard to feel much of anything. You’re there but disconnected.

2) Did you choose the activity or slip into it?
Was there a moment when you said, This is enough for today, or did you realize you’d been scrolling without noticing? Rest usually has a sense of being chosen, even if it is quiet. Numbing often happens by default.

3) Does the pause leave you feeling clearer or more foggy?
After resting, you might still feel tired, but there’s often a little more clarity. You can hear your own thoughts again. With numbing, things tend to feel heavier or more blurred once the activity ends.

4) Is there a small sense of relief or just a delay?
Does your system feel even slightly more regulated after the pause? Or does everything you were trying to avoid come rushing back in the moment you stop?

5) Is this something that supports you or just quiets the noise?
There’s no perfect answer, and it can change day to day. But asking yourself this in real-time can help build more awareness — not to critique yourself, but to give your body more of what it’s actually asking for.

Sometimes, true rest starts with just asking better questions.

01/30/2026

Some of us need to hear truth from multiple sources before we will believe it. I've talked for years about the importance of eating vegetables and fruit daily. In case you still have doubts check out ....

Nieman: Food plays a major part in ensuring a healthy gut microbiome.

01/28/2026

Fill my jar ... and yours with positive words!

01/27/2026

Skin issues often originate from deeper systems in the body rather than just occurring on the surface. The underlying causes often relate to the digestive system. This involves not only what we eat but also how our body processes, filters, and eliminates those foods.

Here is where these connections tend to manifest:

1. When the gut lining weakens, the skin often speaks up.
A compromised barrier in the gut may permit particles to enter the bloodstream before they have been fully broken down. The immune system detects this and often responds through the skin, resulting in flushing, flaring, and itching. These reactions are messages, not mistakes.

2. Skin can reflect how well the liver and gut are collaborating.
The liver functions to filter toxins from the blood, while the gut helps eliminate waste from the body. If this elimination pathway becomes sluggish, waste can accumulate and manifest on the skin. For some this may appear as cystic breakouts along the jawline, while others might experience persistent rough patches that don’t fully resolve.

3. Microbial imbalances can influence surface inflammation.
When certain gut bacteria are predominant, they can trigger inflammatory messengers that spread more widely. Skin may be one of the first tissues to respond - hello eczema or psoriasis! While creams can help alleviate the immediate sensation, the underlying internal message often persists.

4. Food reactions may show up late and look like something else.
Reactions do not always occur immediately. Sometimes, it is two days later that redness or texture begins to appear.

If you are experiencing skin rashes, it would help to look deeper to find potential root causes rather than just seek relief in creams.

01/24/2026

Set up at Fab2DMax LLC. on Gause West for a Health Fair. Come see us!

Sirincci Coffee Company
Magic Touch Massage Spa
Alpha Spine and Wellness
Board Me Please

Being here brings back memories of when it was the gym where I worked out. Now it is a gym that offers morning boot camp classes and boxing. Come check it out and talk to Felicia.

01/24/2026

You skipped lunch or perhaps ate it in a hurry between tasks. Now it's mid-afternoon, and your body is signaling its needs: a sense of urgency, tightness, and a specific kind of restlessness in your limbs.

The question isn't merely, "What should I eat?" It's more about, "What can help me feel stable again?"

Here’s what I keep in mind when building an “emergency snack” -- one that doesn’t spike my nervous system further or leave me foggier than before:

1. Warm food tells your body it’s safe.
When I'm feeling overstimulated, cold snacks rarely satisfy me. Even just a few bites of something warm can help break the cycle of overstimulation and restore a sense of rhythm to my system.

2. Something salty helps anchor attention.
There’s a reason we crave crunchy foods when we feel overwhelmed. I’ve found it helpful to keep roasted seeds or a few olives nearby. The salt activates my taste buds and gives my mouth something to do, which gently helps me reconnect with my body.

3. Carbs aren’t the problem. Overextension is.
Many “afternoon crashes” aren’t caused by poor choices but rather by depletion. If I’ve been thinking and working all day without eating enough, my body starts craving quick sources of energy. A piece of toast with nut butter or a banana sprinkled with sea salt often helps me feel more balanced.

4. It’s not just the food, it’s the pace.
I make a conscious effort not to eat these snacks while standing up or while my email is open. Even if I only have five minutes, I choose to sit down and take a break. Breathe deeply and allow my body to recognize that food is coming and that it doesn’t have to continue waiting for attention.

An emergency snack isn't a true solution, but it can serve as a temporary fix.

01/22/2026

It’s National Hug Day! Have you ever explored the benefits of a hug, other than how you feel when you receive a hug?

01/21/2026

What voices do you hear in your head?

Are those voices building you up or tearing you down? On the contrary, you are MORE THAN ENOUGH!

01/20/2026

Just had a great time on the Beyond the Bestseller podcast. Big thanks to Kelly Schuknecht for having me on and being such a great host!

🎧 Watch/listen here:
https://youtu.be/8CrWeun2LCE

In this episode of Beyond the Bestseller, host Kelly Schuknecht interviews Kelly Lutman, author of 'Thriving Through Cancer.' Lutman, a functional medicine h...

01/20/2026

There’s a way of eating that is quiet, unremarkable, and often overlooked, yet it can have a significant physiological impact. One subtle factor to consider is the order in which different types of food are consumed.

This isn’t about optimization, but about achieving balance, especially for those who often experience a post-meal energy crash or find themselves reaching for snacks when they really aren't hungry.

Here’s how the order of food consumption can help maintain more stable blood sugar levels, without altering what’s on your plate.

1. Start with fiber, not out of restriction, but regulation
Many traditional meals from various cultures begin with a small salad, sautéed greens, or broth-based vegetables for a reason. Starting with fiber slows down the rate at which glucose enters the bloodstream.

2. Follow with protein and fat, especially if you often feel the crash later
Protein and fat do more than just “build muscle” or “keep you full” — they help stabilize blood sugar levels, preventing the quick spikes and drops that can leave you feeling foggy or anxious. A small portion of chicken, an egg, or even a spoonful of hummus can provide a solid foundation for what you eat next.

3. Save starches for last, without treating them like a threat
Starches shouldn't be vilified; they can be warm, comforting, and delicious. However, consuming them on an empty stomach can cause a rapid spike in blood sugar. Eating starches towards the end of a meal helps soften the spike without imposing strict rules. It’s less about following “rules” and more about establishing a balanced eating rhythm.

Food ordering is not just a wellness trend; it’s an often-overlooked factor that can contribute to more balanced and satisfying meals and reduce reactivity.

01/17/2026

Planning ahead is often framed as a tool for efficiency or discipline. But what if, at its best, it’s simply a way of caring for your future self?

Not the idealized version of you with endless energy — but the one who comes home overstimulated and forgets what she meant to cook. The one who opens her laptop and instantly loses track of time. The one who feels decision-fatigue before the day even begins.

Here’s how planning can quietly serve as an act of protection — not just productivity:

1. It gives your nervous system something to rely on.
When stress levels are high, unpredictability can feel overwhelming. By making small decisions in advance -- such as what you’ll have for lunch or when you’ll finish work -- you can ease the tension of the day. This approach provides a sense of structure, allowing your body to feel more settled and at ease, without being overly rigid.

2. It makes room for the version of you who isn’t always at full capacity.
You may plan your meals not just to stick to them, but because your 6 p.m. self often feels too tired to think clearly. In this way, that plan becomes a lifeline instead of a rule.

3. It reduces unnecessary decision-making.
The brain treats every choice, regardless of size, as a task. Planning alleviates that burden before it becomes overwhelming.

4. It strengthens the habit of self-consideration.
Every time you plan thoughtfully, you reinforce the belief that your future wellbeing is important — even in the smallest ways. Over time, this alters your self-perception.
Planning doesn’t have to mean following strict schedules or perfect routines.

Sometimes, it simply involves packing a snack, setting a timer, or writing a note for your future self to find when she needs it most.

While these small acts of foresight may not solve every problem, they can provide quiet support to the part of you that often bears the most weight.

01/16/2026

Longevity is a hot topic these days, and admittedly one that I have a personal interest in since I have "graduated" into Medicare.

Articles address different aspects of health that support longevity, but my Functional Medicine training tells me this article is ahead of them all, because our gut health determines how effectively many different systems work.

Here's why one specialist calls it "a longevity organ"—and what you can do today to influence your well-being for decades to come.