Wild By Nature Nutritional Therapy

23/01/2021

Hi all! There's a lot of new faces on here, so I just wanted to take a second to say hello and introduce myself 😊

My name is Sara. I'm a holistic nutritionist with a passion for helping others improve their health and start feeling their very best!

I've been accused of being a "professional student" as I now have backgrounds in kinesiology, psychology, massage therapy, functional nutrition and I worked as a physical therapy assistant with a certification in sports conditioning for the better part of the past decade. (I would say I have a passion for learning, where as my husband might suggest that I'm lil nuts and that no one should voluntarily attend school as much as I have 😂🤷‍♀️).

Basically, when I find something I'm passionate about, I go all in! And what alllll of my schooling has really taught me, is that I'm interested in being healthy, feeling really good and teaching others how to do the same!

I have an amazing husband who I met in high school. He's an incredible chef (lucky me!) and a really exceptional father to our little girl. 🥰

We live in arguably the best neighborhood in the most beautiful part of the PNW (I'm a little biased, but come at me if you must 😂)

Aside from my family, I love books, camping ("glamping"), hiking, and food... in no particular order. (Except, it's food first. I really love food 😋)

I appreciate all of you (even the ones that didn't make it to the end of this long, rambling post!) and am so glad you're here for this!

Now I want to know about YOU. What questions do you have about nutrition? What kind of content do you want to see more of? Comment below or PM me!

23/01/2021

Another breathtaking adventure in Washington, another day spent nourishing my soul.

How do you feel after a day spent in nature? I tend to come out of these little treks feeling renewed, inspired, empowered and peaceful... and usually physically exhausted 😂.

We weren't meant to stay inside all day, everyday. The longer I stay away from nature, the more restless I feel and the more overwhelming life's problems seem. Something about wandering through the trees reminds me of how momentary and manageable my stresses are. Sometimes you just need to see it all from a new perspective!

We're all a little wild by nature 😉

23/01/2021

Despite what you may have heard telling you otherwise, high quality fats are a critical part of a healthy, whole-foods diet.

Inside our bodies, fats are used as building blocks for cell membranes and hormones. Without them, our cells would lack structure!

Fats provide a calorie dense energy source and by doing so, help you stay feeling full and satiated for longer. Find yourself snacking too often throughout the day? Try adding in some healthy fats to your next meal and see what happens!

They help your body absorb the much needed FAT-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

They make food TASTE better! Finding it difficult to stick to your diet because the food in front of you just isn't that appealing? It might be because fat adds tons of rich flavor to our meals!

The benefits for incorporating fat into every meal seem endless... but bottom line? They're necessary for some really important bodily functions, they add flavor (and arguably happiness) to your foods and they're essential for achieving optimal health!

If you're not sure which fats you should be focusing on, follow the link in my bio to my blog where I've broken it down into one helpful cheat sheet for which fats to include (and when) and which you should be avoiding... Not all fats are created equal!

Happy Eating!

27/12/2020

I'm in serious cookbook heaven over here!

While I love testing recipes to suit my family's dietary preferences, I REALLY love it when someone else does all the hard work for me! Now all I have to do is show up ready to enjoy some seriously yummy meals 😋🍴

I can't even tell you how excited I am to start meal prepping and spending time in the kitchen with these incredibly talented ladies!

and , you're my heros. Thank you for making it easier for me to provide some tasty, nutrient dense meals for my fam! 😘

03/09/2020

I made this chilled bruschetta orzo pasta salad for our camping trip this weekend and I'm so in
L😍VE.

While it may not look like anything special, the meyer lemon olive oil and raspberry balsamic vinegar pack a TON of bright flavors into this pasta! I don't know about you, but I have about zero self control when it comes to the store. Such a great way to boost the flavor profile of just about any dish!

RECIPE:
◽1 16oz box of Orzo Pasta
◽2-3 cups cherry tomatoes, chopped
◽1-2 tsp minced garlic
◽1/4 cup lemon meyer olive oil
◽1/4 cup raspberry balsamic vinegar
◽ Handful of basil, finely chopped
◽1 cup shredded Parmesan
◽ Salt and Pepper

Cook pasta, drizzle with oil to keep from sticking and chill.

In separate bowl, add tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper. Set aside to let the flavors fuse 😋.

Fold marinated tomatoes into pasta. Add cheese and basil. Enjoy!

03/09/2020

So, I got a little extra with these pineapple chicken teriyaki rice bowls tonight 🙃

But here's the thing... my kid is a selective, sporadic, inconsistent vegetarian. Meaning, she claims to "Not like meat. At all. Of any kind." ...Except that's not really true. She loves bacon, chorizo, charcuterie, salmon, tuna, chicken (strictly in nugget form, of course) and the list goes on. What she really means is "I don't want to eat whatever you made for dinner, I'd rather just ask for a snack in 10 min and see if your head explodes from frustration."

While I don't go out of my way to appeal to her 5 year old palate, I knew she would like something like this if she would only TRY it. So, pineapple boat it was. Tbh, I will probably never do this again (hollowing the pineapple was kind of a pain in the b***y), but she loved it and it got her to eat at least SOME of her dinner tonight. So I'm calling it a win. Bonus: the recipe was SUPER easy and turned out really good!

RECIPE:
2 packs organic chicken thighs
1/3 cup coconut aminos
1 cup water
2 Tablespoons sesame oil
1 Tablespoon grated ginger
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1 cup chopped pineapple
Sriracha to taste 😋

Add all of it to the instant pot, set to Manual for about 12 min. After it was done cooking and I released the pressure, I sautéed it for a few min to reduce and thicken the sauce a little. I also had about another cup of the chopped pineapple left over that I mixed in at the end. Spoon over white rice, or cauliflower rice. And that's it! Enjoy 😉.

Let me know how it turns out if you try it!

31/08/2020

Cheers to Monday morning! (At least, I think its Monday! 🤷‍♀️) May your coffee be strong, your "To-Do" list be short and your last few days of summer be nothing short of magical 🔆

🐝

25/08/2020

Hi friends 👋, I’ve got some GOOD NEWS. I’m currently taking on new clients for one on one nutrition consulting! Do you need help figuring out which foods are right for you? Struggle with dry skin, blemishes, headaches, low energy, sleep loss (or poor sleep quality), indigestion, bloating, acid reflux, stomach cramps or food sensitivities? Did you know that cleaning up your diet can help to dramatically improve ALL of these symptoms?!

What we eat directly affects the way our bodies function. If we’re not getting the nutrients we need, our bodies aren’t able to properly digest foods, build muscles, produce and break down hormones, supply you with enough energy for your normal daily activities (hello mid-afternoon crash!) and the list goes on and on…

Through nutritional therapy, we are able to reverse the negative affects of today’s modern diet and actually enable your body to heal itself from within. I will assess your current eating habits to effectively identify and correct nutritional imbalances and deficiencies. There is no “one size fits all” diet, so we will work together to determine the appropriate foods for YOUR body and get you on your way to feeling your best!

If you’re interested in nutritional therapy or have any questions about the process, send me a DM or follow the link in my bio to visit my website. I can’t wait to work with you!

25/08/2020

Hey Mama, I see you over there trying to feed your fam while simultaneously taking care of 100 other things. And just incase nobody's told you lately, you're handling it like a boss! I know regardless of how dialed in you may have it, it can still be stressful and there's always that little doubt in the back of your mind saying "but is it enough?"

Instead of constantly beating yourself up when things don't always go as planned, try celebrating the small wins you achieve every day! I know you have them, and when you're not so worried about getting everything 💯 perfect, you'll be able to actually see and enjoy them too!

This is a pic of a plate I threw together to go along with lunch when my little one asked for Mac and cheese. Is it perfect? No. But it has a variety of healthy options that I know she will eat. And it has a balance of fats, carbs and proteins, so I know it will keep her fuller for longer and not spike her blood sugar.

She's happy because she still gets to enjoy the foods kids love to eat, but by finding healthier substitutions (like swapping mac for the kraft stuff) and adding in some veg wherever I can, we both feel like we win 😉

23/08/2020

The most important part of setting a good, strong foundation for your health is to eat a properly prepared, nutritionally dense, whole foods diet. Building your diet around whole foods is the best way to provide your body with the wide range of nutrients it needs to stay healthy and keep you going through your busy day! I know that with all of the “health food” options out there, it can feel very overwhelming to know which ones are actually beneficial and which are just junk disguised as nutritious, healthy foods.

Words like “low-fat”, “fortified with vitamins”, “gluten free”, “vegan” and “heart healthy” are all thrown around and slapped on packages and food labels like they’re going out of style. The truth is, the most nutrient dense foods are typically the ones found without packages, labels or ingredient lists. The whole food IS the ingredient. Take a walk through the produce section at your local grocery market (or better yet, find a farmer’s market, co-op or produce farm close to you, they’re everywhere here in Washington!). Likely everything you’ll see there is a whole food in its most natural state, ready for you to turn it into a delicious, nourishing meal for you and your family!

While every body is different and there is no “one-size-fits-all” diet that is perfect for everyone, there are some simple guidelines you can follow to help you start improving your health right away!
o Consume minimally processed, unrefined, whole foods just as they appear in nature.
o Eat a wide range of local, seasonal, organic fruits and vegetables (find a local farmers’ market, or check out companies like “ugly produce” which will deliver a variety of these foods right to your door!).
o Choosing high quality, grass-fed and finished meats, pasture-raised poultry and eggs and wild caught seafood

If you’re still feeling overwhelmed with the idea of cooking from scratch or choosing the foods that are right for you, I can help! I can teach you (and your family) which foods your body needs the most and give you some helpful tips for how to prepare these foods in your very own kitchen.

15/08/2020