holistic health

Inflammation is one of those words that can cause a lot of fear and confusion. We hear it all the time, but what does it actually mean? Simply put, inflammation is your body’s natural response to injury or infection. We all have inflammation to some degree or another.  It can be both beneficial and harmful, depending on how it is managed. In this blog post, we will talk about how to reduce inflammation in the body with holistic tips and techniques. 

There are a variety of factors that can lead to inflammation in the body. The most common causes include stress, poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, alcohol consumption, medications, and exposure to environmental toxins like air pollution. All of these things can lead to an increase in inflammation levels in the body which can cause a variety of health issues including joint pain, headaches, fatigue, digestive problems and more.  

 

Fortunately there are many different ways that you can reduce inflammation naturally. Here are some holistic tips for reducing inflammation in your body: 

• Get plenty of sleep: Sleep is essential for reducing stress levels which helps to reduce inflammation in the body. Aim for 7-8 hours per night. This is easier said than done - but creating a bedtime routine is essential for this!  See this video for some tips on sleep!  Sleep Better!

• Eat an anti-inflammatory diet: Eating foods that are rich in antioxidants such as fruits, vegetables and nuts can help reduce inflammation levels in the body. Avoid processed foods, animal products, and sugar since they increase inflammation levels. 

• Exercise regularly: Regular physical activity helps boost circulation throughout your body which helps reduce inflammation levels by flushing out toxins from your system. Aim for 30 minutes of exercise at least 5 days a week if possible.                                     

                                         

 • Take supplements: Certain supplements have been shown to help reduce inflammation such as omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil), turmeric, ginger and probiotics. Talk with a holistic healthcare professional about which supplements may be right for you based on your individual needs. These are what I use with great results!  

 • Reduce stress:  Lowering cortisol levels in the body reduces inflammation.  Stress causes elevated cortisol for extended periods of time.  While we need cortisol, levels should not be high all day every day.  Essential oils like Lavender, Stress Away, RutaVaLa, Peace & Calming, and Chamomile have a calming effect, and can also help relax so you can sleep better.  Also, this is amazing at lowering cortisol levels.  

Inflammation can be beneficial when managed properly but it can also be damaging if left unchecked for too long. Fortunately there are many different ways to manage inflammation holistically without having to resort to medications or other treatments with potentially harmful side effects. By following these simple tips you should be able to easily manage any flare ups of inflammation quickly and effectively so you can live a healthier life!

If you desire to reduce inflammation, send me a message, and I will help support you on your journey!

We’ve all heard about the benefits of antioxidants, but what does it really mean when we talk about “antioxidants?” In short, antioxidants are molecules that work to keep us healthy by preventing and repairing damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that form in our bodies as a result of environmental toxins (like pollution) or normal life processes (like digestion). Luckily, antioxidants have the incredible ability to oxygenate the blood, prevent disease, and repair any damage caused by free radicals. Let’s dig into some of the most powerful antioxidant foods out there. 

Also known as “goji berries” these nutrient-dense berries have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries due to their amazing health benefits. Rich in Vitamin A and loaded with fiber, wolfberries help boost your immune system and promote overall good health. Wolfberries also contain 18 amino acids which helps support healthy brain function and promote healthy joints and muscles. (The ones you want come from the Ningxia Region of China which is known for their wolfberries' excellent quality.)

Packed with vitamin C, pomegranates are not only incredibly delicious but also incredibly nutritious! Pomegranates are one of my favorite sources of antioxidants because they contain a number of other vitamins and minerals like iron, calcium, and magnesium. Plus, they are incredibly versatile—you can juice them or just eat them straight up! My kids gobble these up so fast - I can never keep up!

Ahh blueberries—my favorite summertime snack! Not only do they taste amazing but they also come packed with an abundance of nutritional benefits. Blueberries contain powerful phytonutrients called polyphenols which provide anti-inflammatory properties as well as powerful antioxidant protection against free radical damage. Plus, blueberries contain high amounts of dietary fiber which helps promote digestive health and regularity in the body! 

These three fruits are just a few examples of how you can incorporate more antioxidants into your diet for improved health and wellness. All three offer unique health benefits that can help protect against oxidative stress from environmental factors like pollution or from everyday life processes like digestion. So be sure to pick up some pomegranate, wolfberry, or blueberry—your body will thank you!  My favorite way to get all three of these is in this juice - I drink it every day!

Staying healthy is one of my top priorities.  The winter season is here, and that means if we haven't already been actively taking care of our health, it's time to start thinking about how to stay well. There are many things we can do to boost our immunity and keep ourselves healthy, from making good food choices to using supplements to being proactive in our health. Here are some tips for staying well this winter season.

One of the best things we can do for our health is to make good food choices. That means eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and nuts and seeds. It also means drinking plenty of water and limiting sugar and processed foods.

 It can be difficult to avoid sugar especially during the holidays, but it makes a huge difference! When we make good food choices, we are giving our bodies the nutrients it needs to function optimally. 

Another great way to boost our immunity and stay well during the winter months is to use supplements. There are many different supplements that can be beneficial, from Vitamins C & D to elderberry syrup to my favorite super juice. The best "weed & feed" supplements I have found are Life 9 & Inner Defense, which weed out the unwanted junk and feed our gut.  Supplements can help fill in the gaps when we are not getting all the nutrients we need from our diet.  I use the items in my Winter Wellness pack throughout the year, but I make sure I have plenty in stock for winter!

Essential oils are another great tool for supporting our immunity and helping us stay well during the winter season. There are many different ways to use essential oils, from diffusing them in our homes to using them topically on our skin. Some great essential oils for immunity include Thieves oil, R. C. oil, Eucalyptus oil, Lemon oil, and Oregano oil. 

Finally, one of the best things we can do for our health is to be proactive in our care. That means getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and managing stress. When we take care of ourselves, we are more likely to stay well during cold and flu season. 

The winter season is a great time to focus on our health. There are many things we can do to support our immunity and keep ourselves healthy, from making good food choices to using supplements to being proactive in our care. By taking these steps, we can increase our chances of staying well throughout the winter season so we have the energy and ability to enjoy all the events and visits with family we have during this time.  Keeping health a top priority during this time will make all the difference in the world!  

As a holistic and natural mom, I'm always on the lookout for new products that can help my family feel our best. When I heard about the Wavwatch, I was intrigued. Sound therapy is not new—sound has been used for centuries for healing—but now we have the technology to have many different sound frequencies in one place and easily accessible. I decided to give it a try to see if it could help with PMS, sleep, and parasites (I don't actually know if we have parasites, but I have heard from multiple people that they had good results with that).

The Wavwatch is a small, wearable device that emits different sound frequencies. It looks like an Apple Watch, only bigger, and with no EMF radiation.  You can choose which frequency you want to emit, and you can also choose how long you want it to emit for (up to two hours at a time).  We have had it for a little over a week, so we are fairly new to it, but I am optimistic so far.

I  decided to try using it at night to see if it would help me sleep better. After a week of using the Wavwatch at night, I can say that it does help and there are several different settings to try.  I'm falling asleep faster and I had been struggling with that before. 

As far as parasites, I know people who have seen things moving in the toilet, but so far, we haven't had that experience. However, I made a playlist of all the parasite settings, followed by detox settings, and in going through, several made me nauseated.  I know that is one of the symptoms of parasite die-off, so perhaps I had some I didn't know about?  I will probably run that playlist once a week for a while and see how it goes.  

One of my daughters has pretty bad PMS symptoms. I wasn't sure if she would notice a difference, but after just a few minutes of wearing it, she said her cramps were gone.  So I took it back for a few hours, and then later, she wanted the watch back as her cramps had returned, and again, it worked!  That is a win in our house!  She didn't even have to wear it too long.  

I am excited to experiment with the WavWatch more and see what other benefits it has!  I will keep you updated when I have more news about it.  But for now, I am happy with my purchase and I would recommend it if you're looking for a natural way to feel your best.  It has helped us and it might just help you too!

One more thing!  When you grab yours, use the code ERIKA100 to get $100 off!  

The Wavwatch has a setting for inflammation which I am excited to try.  If you are looking for nutritional ways to reduce inflammation, check out this Jumpstart!

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common condition in children that often continues into adulthood. If you are the parent of a child struggling with ADHD, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out how to best manage their symptoms. It's even more difficult if you have ADHD and your child has ADHD, too.  The good news is that there are many natural ways you can help your child manage their ADHD (and these work for adults, too!). 

One of the most effective ways of managing ADHD is through diet and supplements. A well-balanced diet as found in "Disease Proof Your Child:  Feeding Your Kids Right" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, with plenty of plant-based protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates can help keep your child’s blood sugar levels stable throughout the day, helping them maintain focus and concentration. Adding specific supplements such as omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, and magnesium can also help support the brain as recommended in books like “Healing ADD” by Dr. Daniel Amen. Supporting the gut microbiome with  probiotics, prebiotics, and enzymes is also incredibly beneficial for managing ADHD symptoms naturally.  It is essential to remove dyes, fast food, processed food, refined sugars and refined grains from the home.  (Yes, this means no candy!)

Essential oils have been used for centuries to improve mental clarity and emotional balance. The scents from essential oils move through the olfactory system and go straight to the brain.  For those living with ADHD, diffusing essential oils like vetiver, cedarwood, lavender, peppermint, and frankincense can help immensely with focus, calmness, and sleep while you are healing from the inside out through diet and supplements. These can be applied topically, as well.  Find my "Focus" roller recipe here.  My daughter loves how these oils make a difference for her concentrations levels.  It is best to use these morning and night - breathing for several minutes at a time, and then breathing them during study times.  

Eliminating dyes (especially artificial colors), refined sugar and flour products (like candy bars or white bread), fast food meals or any other processed/junk food from your home will make a huge difference in your child’s behavior and overall health.. Keeping an organized environment with labels on things like drawers and shelves can also be helpful in providing visual cues to help them stay on task throughout the day. Also, establishing a daily routine where expectations stay the same each day helps provide structure so they know what to expect throughout the day which helps alleviate anxiety associated with change or unpredictability.  Finally, lists of daily tasks to be checked off can be very effective to help both parent and child see progress throughout the day.  

 Living with someone who has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder does not have to be overwhelming if you take actionable steps towards managing their symptoms naturally through diet changes, specific supplementation as suggested in the books above, using essential oils, eliminating certain dyes, and avoiding refined sugar/flour products & fast food/junk food meals.  You can keep it under control through keeping a clean organized environment, providing visual cues, and maintaining routines that provide structure and predictability throughout each day.  These things will all contribute towards successfully managing your child's ADHD behavior naturally! Taking these proactive steps may seem daunting but trust me when I say it is worth it! As a holistic mom who deals with ADHD in myself and several of my children daily, I understand how difficult this journey can be but I assure you that these strategies work! Good luck!