Melissa Blake, ND

08/26/2025

https://www.facebook.com/reel/903662041222497. Perimenopause: the plot twist nobody warned you about. Here’s some truth, humour, and solidarity all wrapped in one video. My favourite line - "but I still drink out of a mason jar"...

08/16/2025

Losing more hair than usual? Nails cracking or peeling? Skin dry no matter how much moisturizer you use?

These aren’t just cosmetic issues.
They’re clues—often the first whispers of nutrient deficiencies, stress, or hormonal shifts.

Hair loss?
Could be low iron, zinc, protein, or biotin.

Brittle nails?
Might reflect low B12 or sluggish thyroid function.

Dry, flaky skin?
Think low essential fats, zinc, or vitamin A.

The truth is:
Common ≠ normal.
Your body is asking for nourishment, not just surface fixes.

✨ Power Habit: Focus on what fuels you—protein, healthy fats, and vibrant veggies.

📌 Save this as a reference and follow .melissablake.nd for the gut-hormone-health connections your bloodwork might miss.

Have a symptom you’re curious about? Drop it below—I might cover it next.

05/23/2025

05/22/2025

You can’t fight your way out of chronic stress.
You can’t hustle, force, or “push through” into healing.
Your body doesn’t speak in to-do lists—it speaks in signals and safety.

The truth?
You have to teach your body—gently, consistently—that it’s safe to shift out of survival mode.

Not with a total overhaul.
But with small, repeated cues: breath, stillness, nourishment, rhythm.

💛 Healing isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing differently.

✨ What are your daily habits that signal “you’re safe now” to your nervous system?

05/21/2025

Why don’t zebras get ulcers—or anxiety spirals, or hormone crashes?

Because when a threat passes, they reset.
They run. They shake. They release the stress.
Then they return to grazing—no rumination, no burnout, no overthinking.

Humans? We hold on.
We suppress.
We stay stuck in stress mode… even when the threat is long gone.

Your body was designed to recover—your nervous system wants to reset. You just need the right tools to help it do what it already knows how to do.

✨ Want to learn how to stop living like a chronically stressed human and start resetting like a zebra?

💛 Reply RESET below and I’ll send you:
📘 The Resilient Woman Guide (free)
🎥 And a bonus mini-course on how to regulate your nervous system—naturally.

05/14/2025

If your anxiety feels random… but your gut is often a mess too—it might not be random at all.

The gut-brain connection is real. I see it every week with women who come in feeling overwhelmed, restless, wired-but-tired—and also bloated, constipated, or craving sugar non-stop.

Your gut and nervous system are in constant communication.
👉 When one’s inflamed, the other gets reactive.
👉 When one’s supported, the other starts to settle.

Swipe through to see 5 signs your gut health may be driving your anxiety—especially if you’ve tried everything and still don’t feel like yourself.

And if this hits home?
Start with The Resilient Woman Guide—it’s free, and it walks you through where to begin (without the overwhelm).
🧠💛 Comment RESET for a link to the guide.

👇 Tag a friend who needs to hear this

05/08/2025

🌿 Stressed? Nature’s got a protocol for that.
When stress becomes a constant background hum, herbs can gently support your nervous system without masking the signals your body is trying to send.

In functional medicine, we often turn to two powerful categories:
✨ Adaptogens – Help your body adapt to stress and support resilience.
✨ Nervines – Calm and nourish the nervous system, helping to ease tension, anxiety, and restlessness.

Think of adaptogens as your long-game stress allies, and nervines as your in-the-moment calmers.

🫖 Power Habit: Create a daily herbal ritual.
Swap your mid-morning coffee for tulsi or rhodiola to support energy without the crash or create a calming evening ritual (chamomile + lemon balm = beautiful duo).

These small daily choices stack into long-term resilience. Not all stress support comes in a capsule—sometimes it’s in a warm mug.

💬 Save this for your apothecary list. Curious which herbs are best for your stress story? Let's connect!

05/08/2025

Ever catch yourself saying, “Okay THIS time I’m really doing it”—while secretly knowing you said that… last week too? 🙋‍♀️

I’m guilty of making a new plan as often as weekly. A new supplement, a new schedule, a new morning routine. Because starting fresh feels productive—even when it’s really just avoidance in disguise.

The truth?
✨ You probably don’t need a new plan.
✨ You just need to consistently show up for the habits that fit your life.

The habits that heal—like nervous system resets, gut-friendly meals, and consistent bedtime—aren’t s*xy. But they’re powerful when you stick with them long enough to work.

This is your sign to stop starting over. Just keep going.

💬 Tell me: What’s one habit you’re recommitting to this week?

Odds are you don’t need a new plan. You just quit too early on the first one.

05/07/2025

🧠 Mood starts at the molecular level.
Your brain chemicals (aka neurotransmitters) don’t just appear out of nowhere—they’re built from nutrients. And when you’re low in the raw materials, your mood, sleep, focus, and stress resilience can take a hit.

🔹 Feeling anxious or wired?
🔹 Struggling with sleep or focus?
🔹 Craving sugar or feeling low for “no reason”?

Nutrients like B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, and amino acids (like tryptophan and tyrosine) are essential for making serotonin, dopamine, GABA, melatonin, and more.

✨ Power Habit: Nourish your neurotransmitters.
Build a brain-friendly breakfast with protein + healthy fat + colourful plants—like eggs + sautéed greens + avocado.

💬 Save this as your cheat sheet.
Ready to get curious about your root cause? Let’s chat.

05/06/2025

Essential Labs to Consider for Anxiety (Root-Cause Edition)
Because anxiety isn’t just in your head—it’s in your hormones, gut, and cells too.

You feel anxious—but no one’s asking why. In functional medicine, we don’t just manage symptoms—we investigate root causes. These are the labs I often explore with women experiencing worry, overwhelm, or mood swings:

🧪 Nutrient Status
✔️ Vitamin D – Low levels = low mood
✔️ B12 + Folate – Needed for serotonin & methylation
✔️ Magnesium (RBC) – Calming mineral often depleted by stress
✔️ Ferritin – Low iron can mimic anxiety
✔️ Zinc/Copper – Affects dopamine & GABA

🧬 Thyroid
✔️ TSH, Free T3, Free T4 – Hormone production & conversion
✔️ Anti-TPO/TG – Rule out Hashimoto’s
✔️ Reverse T3 – May rise with stress

⚖️ Hormones
✔️ 4-point cortisol – See your stress curve
✔️ DHEA-S – Resilience hormone
✔️ Estrogen, Progesterone, Testosterone – Midlife shifts can worsen anxiety
✔️ DUTCH test – A full picture of stress & s*x hormones

🍬 Blood Sugar & Inflammation
✔️ Fasting glucose + insulin – Blood sugar balance = mood stability
✔️ HbA1c – 3-month blood sugar average
✔️ hs-CRP – Inflammation linked to mood disorders
✔️ Homocysteine – Methylation + brain health
✔️ Triglycerides + HDL – Metabolic insight

🦠 Gut Health
✔️ GI Map – Looks for dysbiosis, pathogens, leaky gut
✔️ Zonulin – Intestinal permeability marker

🌿 Liver & Detox
✔️ Liver enzymes – Function & stress
✔️ Bilirubin + Albumin – Detox capacity
✔️ OAT or glutathione markers – Antioxidant status
✔️ GGT + Ferritin – Oxidative stress clues

Not everyone needs all of these. The best testing is guided by your story, your symptoms, and what your body’s telling us. In functional medicine, we test with purpose—to bring clarity, not confusion.

✨ Curious what’s right for you? Let’s chat.

05/02/2025

"You must drink 3 liters of water a day."
Psych.

Where did that number even come from? Seriously, who decided 3L was the golden rule?

We’re all different.
Your hydration needs depend on:

🧂 Electrolyte balance
☀️ Climate and activity
🍽️ Diet
🔁 Hormonal shifts

What matters most? Listening to your actual body—not random rules from the wellness web.

I feel better when I’m super well-hydrated - and that generally means at least 2L of water per day. That’s my truth. You might feel best with less, or with adding minerals, or by sipping herbal tea.

✅ Tune in.
✅ Track how you feel.
✅ Adjust as you go.

You don’t need rigid rules. You need a relationship with your body. 💛

04/30/2025

Awareness is key, but the real power lies in choice.

I talk a lot about awareness—and for good reason. It’s the first step in any transformation. But here’s the thing: awareness alone won’t create change. If you see what’s not working but don’t make a conscious choice to shift, then that awareness doesn’t serve you.

The true power lies in the decision to act on what you’ve learned. It’s the choice that brings transformation, not just the knowing.

So, here’s a thought: Awareness opens the door, but choice is what steps you through it.