LWell Nutrition

LWell Nutrition Registered Dietitian-Nutritionists & healthcare partners offering Medical Nutrition Therapy & more!

LWell's Registered Dietitian-Nutritionists offer Medical Nutrition Therapy, Diabetes Self-Management, Group Nutrition Classes & Online Wellness Coaching.

12/08/2025

💅What happens after the diagnosis matters more than the label.

Most patients feel a strange mix of relief and abandonment once they finally get a name for what they have.

✅Relief because they are not imagining it.
❌Abandonment because the next steps are usually unclear or minimal.

🏁In conventional care, the diagnosis is often seen as the finish line.

🟢In functional medicine, it is the starting point.

Two people can have the same diagnosis and completely different root drivers:
📌 gut permeability
📌 viral or bacterial triggers
📌 chronic stress chemistry
📌 nutrient deficiencies
📌 toxin load
📌 hormonal shifts
📌 blood sugar instability
📌 environmental exposures

If you only treat the label, you miss the entire story of what created the condition in the first place.

This is why so many patients feel stuck after diagnosis.

They walk away with a name, maybe a medication, but no map.

Understanding what is happening in your immune system, gut, hormones, stress response, and environment is what actually changes outcomes.

The diagnosis gives you information.

But what you do next determines your trajectory.

12/07/2025

➡︎If you feel like you’re doing everything right but still get sick more than everyone around you, there is usually more happening under the surface than your diet.

There are some patterns in people who get sick easily:

🍽️You eat healthy but you are undernourished.
You can eat clean and still miss key immune nutrients like zinc, vitamin A, vitamin D, selenium, omega 3s, and protein.

Your immune system cannot fire if it doesn’t have the raw materials.

🧠Your stress load is higher than you realize.
Chronic stress suppresses immune cells and slows recovery. Many people think “I handle stress well” when their body is quietly running on fumes.

🌙 Your sleep is not as restorative as you think.
You might be in bed for 7 to 8 hours but not actually reaching deep sleep cycles. Poor sleep quality lowers immune resilience.

🦠 Your gut is inflamed or imbalanced.
Seventy percent of the immune system lives in the gut.

Bloating, irregular bowel movements, food reactions, or chronic indigestion all impact your immune signaling.

🎢 Blood sugar swings weaken your defenses.
Even mild blood sugar instability increases inflammation and reduces your ability to fight infections.

🔥You have unresolved inflammation in the background.
Joint pain, skin issues, brain fog, and fatigue are all signs that your immune system is already busy with something else.

🚩You can eat all the vegetables in the world but if your life load, stress load, nutrient status, gut health, and blood sugar are not supported, your immune system will not have the capacity it needs.

If you are catching every cold that goes around, your body is not weak.

It is overwhelmed.

12/06/2025

❌No, you don’t have to just “live with it.”
❌Chronic inflammation isn’t your destiny, it’s a signal.

🙄Most people are told their symptoms are part of aging, genetics, stress, or “just how your body is.”

But inflammation isn’t random.🔥

It usually comes from patterns that are modifiable once you identify what’s driving them.

Common root drivers 👇
🔗 blood sugar swings
🔗 hidden food reactions
🔗 gut permeability
🔗 chronic infections
🔗 high toxic load
🔗 nutrient deficiencies
🔗 poor recovery and chronic stress
🔗 circadian rhythm disruption
🔗 hormonal shifts

When these areas stay unaddressed, inflammation becomes a long-term pattern instead of a temporary response.

The good news is that chronic inflammation is one of the most reversible things we work with in functional medicine.

When you target the root drivers, symptoms that felt permanent often start shifting faster than expected.

🚩🚩🚩So if someone told you to “just manage it”… get a second opinion.

Your body isn’t broken. It’s responding to something.

And you don’t have to settle for feeling inflamed forever.🙅🏻‍♀️

12/05/2025

👀The immune system isn’t just a reflection of your nutrient status…

🆘It’s a reflection of your life load… everything your body has been carrying, responding to, and compensating for.

Immune dysregulation can show up long before someone ever gets sick:
🚩 chronic stress that never fully resolves
🚩 sleep that’s “fine” but never restorative
🚩 gut symptoms you’ve normalized for years
🚩 emotional load that stays in the background but never truly lifts
🚩 pushing through fatigue because you don’t have another option
🚩 inflammation spikes every time life gets chaotic
🚩 the crash that happens the minute you finally slow down

Yes, nutrients matter…

➢But so does the constant mental load.
➢So do unprocessed stress hormones.
➢So do boundaries, burnout patterns, trauma imprints, and the pressure to keep going when your body is telling you it’s out of reserves.

🔗When your life load increases, your immune resilience decreases.

You’ll see it in slower recovery, heightened reactivity, more inflammation, more sensitivities, and more “why am I getting sick again?” moments.

❌This doesn’t mean your body is failing.

✅It means your biology is responding exactly as designed.

If your immune system has felt unpredictable, reactive, or “on edge,” don’t only look at supplements.

Look at what your body has been holding for too long.

Supporting immunity means supporting the human who lives inside the body… not just topping off vitamins.

Autoimmunity doesn’t begin at the diagnosis.It usually starts years earlier… in the symptoms you pushed through because ...
12/04/2025

Autoimmunity doesn’t begin at the diagnosis.

It usually starts years earlier… in the symptoms you pushed through because you didn’t know they were connected.

Here are the early patterns we see often in practice 👇
🆘the random rashes that came and went
🆘 the gut flare you blamed on stress
🆘 the creeping fatigue that didn’t match your lifestyle
🆘 the “I’m fine, just tired” you told everyone
🆘 cycles of inflammation that felt impossible to explain
🆘 recurring infections that never made sense
🆘 the bloating, brain fog, and joint stiffness you normalized

None of these symptoms are dramatic on their own.

But together, they tell a very clear story of immune dysregulation.

From a functional medicine perspective, early autoimmune activity often shows up long before labs shift:

🔥 unresolved inflammation
🔥 increased gut permeability
🔥 chronic stress chemistry
🔥 nutrient deficiencies
🔥 hormonal changes
🔥 toxin or infection triggers

So, if your labs are “normal” but your body feels like it’s constantly reacting, don’t ignore it.

Autoimmunity has a long runway before it ever gets a name.

The earlier you take these patterns seriously, the more impact you can make on your long-term trajectory.

Did you know that it’s Seasonal Affective Disorder Awareness (SAD) Month? 🌧️SAD is a type of depression that typically o...
12/03/2025

Did you know that it’s Seasonal Affective Disorder Awareness (SAD) Month? 🌧️

SAD is a type of depression that typically occurs during the fall and winter months when sunlight exposure decreases. For some, the changing seasons can bring a wave of low energy, mood swings, and a sense of hopelessness.

Recognizing the symptoms is the first step towards empathy and support:

👎 Fatigue: Feeling constantly tired, even after a full night's sleep.
👎 Changes in Appetite: Increased cravings for carbs and sweets.
👎 Mood Swings: Irritability, difficulty concentrating, and feelings of sadness.
👎 Social Withdrawal: A desire to isolate oneself from social activities.
👎 Weight Gain: Linked to increased cravings for comfort foods.

This December and beyond, let’s work together to raise awareness about SAD, support others that may be suffering, and take preventative measures for yourself.

💕 Raise Awareness: Share information about SAD on your social media platforms. Education is key to understanding and compassion.
💕 Be Understanding: Recognize that those with SAD may struggle during this time. Offer a listening ear without judgment.
💕 Encourage Outdoor Activities: Sunlight exposure can improve mood. Encourage walks, hikes, or even just sitting in the sun for a few minutes each day.
💕 Promote Healthy Habits: Encourage a balanced diet with enough vitamin D, regular exercise, and a consistent sleep schedule.
💕 Try a Red Light Box: Some find relief using red light boxes, which mimic natural sunlight and can positively impact mood.
💕 Check-in Regularly: A simple "How are you feeling today?" can make a world of difference.

Share this post to help spread SAD awareness! 🙏

12/02/2025

Ever felt totally fine during the trip… but then hit a wall after you got home?

🧠 That’s not you “being lazy.”

It’s your nervous system finally exhaling.

Here’s what most people don’t realize:

Your body runs on cortisol during high-output time, whether it’s a…
➡︎ vacation
➡︎ work event
➡︎ family gathering
➡︎ big life change.

Even if the stress was “positive,” it still taxes your system.

Once the moment passes?

💥 The crash comes.

This is called the let-down effect…and it’s real.

You might feel:
🚩Foggy or unmotivated
🚩Anxious or emotional
🚩Sick or inflamed
🚩Like you just can’t get going

This isn’t a mindset issue.

It’s your biology saying:
“We kept it together… now we need to recover.”

Next time, try planning for the crash:
→ Rebuild minerals
→ Prioritize sleep + protein
→ Limit screen time
→ Let yourself feel instead of powering through

📍And if this crash happens every time… we need to look deeper.

Adrenals. Nervous system. Mineral depletion.

There’s always a pattern.

How to accidentally wreck your adrenals in 4 easy steps:1️⃣ Wake up early to be “productive”2️⃣ Skip breakfast3️⃣ Chug 3...
12/01/2025

How to accidentally wreck your adrenals in 4 easy steps:
1️⃣ Wake up early to be “productive”
2️⃣ Skip breakfast
3️⃣ Chug 3 cups of coffee
4️⃣ Burn out and cry at 2 PM

🧠 This might sound dramatic… but it’s what your cortisol goes through daily when you’re stuck in survival mode.

The truth?
👉 Skipping meals + relying on caffeine = blood sugar crashes
👉 Blood sugar crashes = cortisol spikes
👉 Chronic cortisol = burnout, anxiety, hormone chaos, and a wrecked mood by mid-afternoon

Your body’s not failing you.

It’s protecting you.

Time to rewrite the plan:
🍳 Eat within 1 hour of waking
🥩 Prioritize protein
💧 Replenish minerals
🧘‍♀️ Regulate before you caffeinate

📍Burnout is common…but it’s not inevitable.

11/30/2025

Surprising things that spike your cortisol…
(Hint: It’s not just your boss or your inbox)

If you’re doing all the right things, but still…
🚨waking up exhausted
🚨crashing at 3pm
🚨feeling puffy, anxious, or inflamed…

Your body might be stuck in survival mode.

And no, it’s not just “work stress.”

⚠️ These 5 things can spike cortisol even when life looks calm:
➠Skipping breakfast
➠Too much HIIT
➠Screen time at night
➠Toxic dynamics (even subtle ones)
➠Blood sugar crashes

The worst part?

These are easy to miss because some are disguised as “healthy habits.”

But when your nervous system is already taxed…

Even small stressors feel like danger.

🌿 The good news?

You don’t have to overhaul your life.

You just need to support your adrenals, regulate your rhythm, and listen to what your body is asking for.

11/29/2025

You don’t recover from burnout by quitting your job and laying on the couch.

You recover by recalibrating what actually replenishes you.

Burnout isn’t just about “doing too much.”

It’s about doing too much of what drains you, and not enough of what heals.
🧠 Your brain isn’t broken.
💤 You don’t just need more sleep.
💡 You need to retrain your body to feel safe again, at the cellular level.

True recovery requires:
✔️ Nervous system regulation
✔️ Blood sugar + cortisol rhythm repair
✔️ Mineral replenishment
✔️ Trauma-informed rest, not collapse
✔️ Redefining “enough” in your life

And that’s what we do together.

You don’t have to put your life on hold to heal.

But you do have to stop outsourcing your worth to how productive or perfect you are.

📍 If your body’s waving the red flag, let’s catch it before full-on shutdown.

Chronic stress can affect our entire body, from the cardiovascular system to the digestive. It's not just in our minds; ...
11/28/2025

Chronic stress can affect our entire body, from the cardiovascular system to the digestive. It's not just in our minds; it's a whole-body experience.

We witness firsthand the profound impact that stress can have on our physical and mental well-being. Just some of the ways stress can manifest in the body include:

❌ Insomnia
❌ Chest pain
❌ Head / muscle aches
❌ Oxidative damage
❌ Increased cortisol levels (your stress hormone)

For this holiday season, let's dive deep into learning effective ways to manage stress:

1️⃣ Mindful Breathing: Practicing deep, mindful breaths can help calm your nervous system and lower stress hormones. Increased cortisol levels can cause hypertension and impaired immune function.

2️⃣ Nourish Your Body: A balanced diet with plenty of fruits and veggies can fortify your body against stress. Antioxidants in your diet help combat oxidative stress and reduce inflammation.

3️⃣ Exercise Regularly: Get those endorphins flowing! Physical activity is a fantastic way to manage stress and boost your mood. It works by increasing the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin, which regulates mood.

4️⃣ Prioritize Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep every night to recharge your body and mind. Stress can disrupt sleep patterns, leading to a vicious cycle of sleep-related stress.

5️⃣ Connect and Share: Don't be afraid to talk about your stress with friends, family, or a therapist. Sharing your feelings can be incredibly therapeutic. Stress affects social connections, potentially causing isolation and exacerbating emotional distress.

6️⃣ Self-Care Rituals: Treat yourself to self-care activities like meditation, yoga, or a relaxing bath. These practices can help reduce the activation of the amygdala, the brain's fear center, which is overstimulated during stress.

Remember, stress isn't always a bad thing. It's a natural response that's helped humans survive for centuries. However, chronic stress is where the trouble starts.

11/26/2025

🙄If “just relax” actually worked… you wouldn’t be reading this.

When your nervous system is in survival mode, deep breaths and positive thinking aren’t enough.

You need physiological tools that shift you out of fight-or-flight… especially during this time of year...

This post gives you 5 tools to use when you're dealing with:
✔️ Anxiety or emotional overwhelm
✔️ Burnout recovery
✔️ Adrenal dysfunction + hormone imbalances
✔️ HPA axis dysregulation
✔️ …or anyone who can’t just “think their way calm”

Inside you’ll find:
🫁 The breath pattern that changes your cortisol curve
💧 Why electrolytes matter more than affirmations
🧠 A simple sensory trick to stop spirals
🧘‍♀️ What to do when your body feels too wired to rest
🎶 The sound frequency your vagus nerve craves

💡 Nervous system healing isn’t fluffy, it’s foundational.

Start with 1 tool today. Anchor safety. Build capacity.

Address

1309 Jamestown Road
Williamsburg, VA
23185

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 4:30pm
Thursday 9am - 4:30pm
Friday 9am - 4:30pm

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when LWell Nutrition posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram

Category