Blooming Alchemy

04/08/2021

Springtime beckons us to cleanse, detox, and purify. But let's look at detox through the lenses of NOURISHMENT rather than RESTRICITON. Its easy to think about what we should remove to cleanse the body, but what should we ADD?

- bone broth
- coconut oil
- cod liver oil
- ghee
- colorful veggies
- fermented foods
- wild foods.

Our body needs nutrients in order to process and remove toxins! We need ample amounts of biolavailable vitamins and minerals to support the body's detox pathways.

Theres no use turning to herbal cleanses or juice fasts without supporting things like glutathione production, methylation, and microbiome diversity. You could simply be putting stress on the liver, gut, and lymph without doing any good.

The truth is that the things we need to detox from (processed foods, alcohol, technology, clutter, etc) are things we should be avoiding ALL THE TIME. We should always seek balance and moderation with these simple human pleasures.

Although we may want to restrict during cleanses, I say do it WISELY. Consume the most nutrient-dense foods. Support your gut flora through prebiotics and probiotics. Get more sunshine. Take deeper breaths. You need MORE nourishment to clean and restore your mind/body/spirit...not LESS.

04/07/2021

First forage for the year! In this photo I've got young garlic mustard and onion grass. The second photo shows the greens mixed into my latest batch of ruby sauerkraut. I also put some in apple cider vinegar. Using these methods preserves the nutrients to be enjoyed later on the year. I'll share another post about all the wild mustard I found...so yummy!

04/05/2021

Have you heard of MTHFR? Its a very important gene group involved in HUNDREDS of metabolic processes, and 40% of the population has some level of mutation in this group! MTHFR adds a methyl group to various compounds in our body.

Let's say you eat something fortified with folic acid. Your body can't use folic acid. It needs to turn it into L- methylfolate or 5-MTHF. The only way to do this is by sending the folic acid through the methylation pathway which relies heavily on MTHFR.

This is really important because many people are relying on supplements for folate, but their body may not be converting it efficiently. Again, this is just one of HUNDREDS of ways that impaired methylation effects someone. Methylation is a key detoxification pathway in the body, so we want to support it as much as we can.

People with downregulated MTHFR genes need to consume foods high in naturally-ocuring B vitamins. Methylfolate, methylcobalamin (B12), and choline are particularly important for supporting methylation. They form the molecule SAM which is the precursor to forming most methyl groups.

Dark leafy greens and eggs are good sources of these key methylation nutrients!

The possible symptoms and health implications of MTHFR mutations are far-reaching. If you experience chronic illness of any kind, I HIGHLY recommend getting tested.

03/26/2021

I saw a post today that said the first year after birth is harder than the birth itself - because in that year we must birth the soul of a mother within ourselves. This is so true for me! As new mothers we must learn to push fear and selfishness out of our hearts. We make room for sacrifice and unconditional love. Its beautiful and also VERY HARD.

I spent most of my adult life creating a lifestyle of self-care that supported my physical and mental health issues. I felt I had finally found balance in the years just before motherhood. But as a mother, all of that went straight out the window. And FEAR found a solid seat in my heart. It manifested into postpartum anxiety, and I am still climbing my way out of it.

I always considered myself an alchemist. But transmuting this fear is a hefty task. With the help of my parents, I have had time to get back on my yoga mat. I use that time to move the energy in my body while observing the stories in my mind. What stories to I tell about my experience? How are those stories actually CREATING my experience?

During my practice I am noticing that I am the victim in my mental machinations. Its time to see myself as the HERO. All moms are heros! My partner is a hero. My parents are heros. We are so fortunate, and my baby is so fortunate to be surrounded by so much love and abundance. I have to completely reframe the way I've been looking at things.

I am still working on this transmutation of motherhood trials and tribulations. I am changing on a fundamental level to access new chapters of this life with GRACE and POWER. May I continue to find the balance between sacrifice and self-care. May this fear be the thing that makes me strong for myself and my son.

03/22/2021

Hi everyone! I have been quiet on here for about a year. Motherhood and covid brought an intense, ongoing shift to my life.

My career as a yoga teacher and sound healer basically came to an end.

I developed servere postpartum anxiety and insomnia with hints of ptsd, ocd, and straight-up psychosis.

I developed several physical issues: metabolic imbalance, wide-spread inflammation, gut dysbiosis, mitochondrial dysfunction, nutritional deficiencies, and more.

I've been on a Rollercoaster of hospital trips and doctors visits

I just recently learned that my genetic blood dissorder is causing considerable liver damage and that I will have to have my gallbladder out.

I found a doctor at Penn Medicine who will help me find treatment for this rare dissorder - something I never thought would happen!

So now I find myself in a very different life. I am not currently a rock-climbing, traveling, sound healing, yoga teacher. I am a mom battling chronic illness under the care of several doctors. I am in survival mode and relearning how I feel about literally EVERY single aspect of my life.

My journey has rounded a big corner, and I look forward to sharing my new progress with all of you. I know that every curveball comes for a reason. The universe is leading me to co-create something completely different. Im humbled and ready to be present with each new thing that evolves. I have hope that all my favorite parts of life will return, and be even more fulfilling than before.

05/31/2020

Lilac chocolate chip cookies! @ Souderton, Pennsylvania

05/24/2020

Snagged some lilacs before they are all gone! Making lemon-lilac-ricotta pound cake later today.

05/22/2020

Spruce Tip, Rosemary, and Orange Peel Shortbread Cookies 🤤

05/22/2020

05/20/2020

Harvested Spruce Tips yesterday. Going to make a simple syrup for adding to cocktails, teas, salad dressings, and baked goods.
Foraging has been a challenge with a newborn! He's still pretty wobbly in his carrier and it can be hard to maneuver without upsetting him. Spruce tips were an easy option for us to go get. He loved seeing all the greenery!
These days life is so strange. I'm trying to stick with my creature comforts and move forward with a wholesome lifestyle. The balancing act has gotten trickier with a baby, but it's a ll a beautiful learning experience 🙂

05/01/2020

Fitness was not always important to me. But about 10 years ago I fell in love with strengthening my body, mind, and spirit. It increased my quality of life beyond measure. Then I met the strongest person I know - my partner Justin. He believed that I could do even more, and he was right!
After having our son, I feel more dedicated than ever to being in the best shape of my life. I want him to look up to his mama as I take him adventuring around the world.
But postpartum fitness is HARD. I may be able to strike a pose in yoga pants and make it look glamorous. But my abs protrude forward now (diastasis recti). My hips and waist carry extra weight like it's their job. My whole body refuses to do certain movements.
So I'll just consider it part of the challenge. That's what I liked 10 years ago when I had to whip myself into shape. It was a challenging journey and that's why its satisfying. Justin has been helping me to be patient as I try to feel strong in my new body. In a lot of ways it feels like I'm starting all over again. But It gets a little better every single day!

04/15/2020

Another workout done while baby naps. When he stops napping so much, he's just gonna have to join me! Btw instagram is blowing up with free at-home workouts! Message me if you want to know which ones I enjoyed the most!