Root and Branch

12/11/2023

🍲Give yourself the gift of nourishing & delicious bone broth in your weekly kitchen routine.

I am making a big pot of Vietnamese Pho bone broth while I work today. The aromas rising up from the kitchen are heady with healing energy. This pot of magic will provide my teen boys a warm breakfast during this busy week and make meal prep that much easier for me.

Add a daily cup of bone broth to strengthen your system during these dark and cold days and you will notice a difference in your overall wellbeing.

Bone broth:

🌿 heals inflammation in the digestive system and is a soothing balm for our entire body. Full of collagen, amino acids and minerals.

✔️In TCM this dark time of the year is aligned with the root energies of our kidney and bladder. Foods high in moisture, minerals, and dark colors nourish and support this system.

☀️enjoy a steaming cup or bowl of your favorite broth each day, reminding yourself to pause, breathe, welcoming the warmth and flavor into your body.

❄️

11/14/2023

My kids brought home the lung virus that’s going around almost two weeks ago. We are mostly back to normal energy levels but the cough and phlegm in our lungs is really hard to get rid of. Bronchitis type infections can take a couple of months to fully resolve.

We use some simple, yet effective solutions to support our lungs while they heal and
help to disperse cough, clear phlegm, and soothe scratchy throats— all from everyday foods in our kitchen:

🍯 + 🧅
Honey moistens, calms and tonifies the lung
Onion warms, breaks up phlegm and suppresses coughs

🫚 + 🍊
Ginger disperses cold, breaks up phlegm and supports digestion
Dried orange peel moves energy, resolves dampness and phlegm, supports digestion and lungs.

I keep a jar of chopped yellow onions in honey in the fridge all winter long. When I remember to I save orange and tangerine peels, let them dry on a plate, and enjoy them as a tea with the onion honey and ginger.

11/10/2023

Repost from .e.l.e.n.m.a.r.i.e
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On self-abandonment and being mindful of when we stop meeting ourselves with compassion and care. Notice what comes up for you as you read these. Which resonate? Which do you find hard to do? Which do you need a little more support with?

Sending love as always ♥️


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11/06/2023

If you're curious about making your own herbal tinctures, or want to brush up on your skills, I highly recommend signing up for this class with Kerri over at River Prairie Apothecary! She knows so much about our plant allies and is a fantastic teacher.

11/03/2023

For anyone living with chronic pain conditions I invite you to learn more about somatic experiencing practices. To be curious about what your bodily sensations are telling you. Move closer to those sensations. Hold them with a tender heart and open ear. What does that tension or discomfort have to say?

What is your inner voice telling you? Does it hold you in high regard, compassion and love? Or does it shame and berate?

Somatic practices help us build body awareness and can be an ally in healing our relationship with not only our body and felt senses, but with our relationship with food and nourishing ourselves.

Nutritional therapy and somatic practice intersect in a holistic way through building connection and awareness of:

Mindful eating
Stress Reduction
Improved digestive health
Body awareness
Emotional eating patterns

10/30/2023

This poster has been with me since my days of studying for my FNTP certification. Although I don't know the creator, I've always admired how it vividly showcases the impact of "natural" or "alternative" therapies on reversing symptoms and promoting better health.

While Western Medicine shines when it comes to clear diagnoses and acute situations, it can have limitations in addressing a range of vague, discomforting symptoms. You may be dealing with joint pain, digestive issues, fatigue, and a variety of other concerns, all signaling an imbalance your body is struggling to overcome.

These symptoms are your body's way of communicating that something is amiss. What we eat, how we manage our energy and emotions, our movement habits, and our daily routines all play a role in our health.

This is where I come in. With my training and experience, I can meet you where you are, identify areas of vulnerability or biological stress, and support you as you experiment with using your meals and your relationship with food as the foundation for healing.

If you're curious about what I do or wonder if it's the right fit for you, let's chat. Reach out via phone, FB message, or text. I offer a complimentary 30-minute consultation where I can address your questions and learn about your goals. If we're not the perfect match, I have a network of local resources and connections with various healers, and I'm happy to provide referrals. 🌱🌟

10/26/2023

The last of my herb harvest before our freeze comes.

10/25/2023

Do you love pears? I do!
Pears are my favorite fall fruit and of course, they're super good for us.

In Western Nutrition we know that pears are little powerhouses of antioxidants, fiber, Vitamin C, copper and potassium. They're very easy to digest and can help eliminate mild constipation and are healing to the digestive tract.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine dietary practices pears thermal nature is cool, their flavor is sweet/sour, and they help tonify yin in the body. They bring moisture back into the body and support the lungs (the lungs hate being dry!). Pears clear heat and phlegm and are a wonderful go-to food for congestion and sluggish digestion.

10/24/2023

How do you care for your digestion?

10/23/2023

When the weather starts getting cold it's not the best time to enjoy lots of raw salads and cold foods. So we can learn to make delicious, simple salads with cooked foods and smaller amounts of raw ingredients.

This recipe is pretty close to the arugula, roasted pear, lions mane and fennel salad I made for our workshop earlier this month. We dressed ours with a little lemon and olive oil. The dressing here looks good too. Let me know if you make this. It's a great combo for fall!

Roasted Fennel and Pear Salad combines seasonal fall ingredients with a bright and tangy maple vinaigrette.

10/18/2023

This is a great tutorial on crafting a classic miso soup. In our recent workshop, I used this technique with red miso, but feel free to opt for white miso if that's more your style.

https://youtu.be/FvTtJj9l9uw?si=-3Sa3Y-gJ-RpmIHn

And if you're wondering where to pick up essential ingredients like Katsuobushi, Wakame, Kombu, and Miso paste, you can find them at Menomonie Market, Festival, and Woodman's. Enjoy your miso-making adventure! 🍲

10/15/2023

Feeling grateful for the opportunity to sit with other wise women at our Autumn Wellness Workshop yesterday.

We enjoyed a meaningful discussion about nurturing our health through food choices that support our digestion, lungs, and elimination pathways during this season. We also practiced Qigong together and explored our Lung and Large Intestine channels - simple exercises for anytime, anywhere.

I was inspired by your shared self-healing practices and enjoyed introducing new ingredients (to some of you) like Red Miso and Wakame seaweed. Special thanks to Sarah at Inspired Balance for the invitation and for hosting us! 🍂💫

10/14/2023

This roasted orange Kabocha squash is spending the night marinating in a rich red miso broth with leeks and kale. I can’t wait for us to taste it tomorrow, it’s so good!

In Chinese Medicine squashes support lung, large intestine, stomach and spleen. They are are gently warming and tonifying in nature and help resolve phlegm and cold, and circulates the blood.

In Western nutrition we know Kabocha squashes are high in beta-carotene, fiber, vitamin C and other minerals.

Squashes of any kind are super versatile and affordable food for fall and winter months.

10/05/2023

A class offering this Saturday 10/7 from Inspired Balance for seasonal self-care using acupressure, herbs and other easy to practice tools to support the different manifestations of “wind”in the body.