Occidental Nutrition

05/15/2026

What a week, and what a lovely assistant I have!

05/09/2026

The final piece of the bone puzzle

By Mary Sheila Gonnella NC, BCHN This final video brings us to the parathyroid hormone. While it’s not as commonly discussed, it plays a central role in regulating calcium in the body. It helps determine: how much calcium is absorbed, how much is stored in bone, and how much circulates in the blood This is one of the reasons why simply taking more calcium doesn’t always equal stronger bones....

Visit the post for more.

05/02/2026

Your thyroid, the overlooked bone connection

By Mary Sheila Gonnella NC, BCHN This week we’re looking at the thyroid. Your thyroid helps regulate metabolism, how quickly your body turns things over, including bone. When thyroid activity is too high, bone can break down more quickly than it’s rebuilt. When it’s too low, other systems that support bone health can slow down. It’s all about balance....

Visit the post for more.

04/25/2026

The metabolic connection to strong bones

By Mary Sheila Gonnella NC, BCHN This week’s focus is insulin. A hormone we often associate with blood sugar, but it also plays a meaningful role in bone health. When blood sugar is consistently elevated, it can: increase inflammation impact mineral balance affect bone turnover On the flip side, stable blood sugar supports: steady energy, hormonal balance, and long-term tissue health, including bones…...

Visit the post for more.

04/18/2026

Stress and bone loss (the missing link)

By Mary Sheila Gonnella NC, BCHN This week we’re talking about cortisol. Often called the “stress hormone,” cortisol is essential for survival, but when it stays elevated over time, it can begin to shift the body in ways that are not supportive for long-term health and aging. This includes the impact it can have on bone health. Chronically elevated cortisol can:...

Visit the post for more.

04/11/2026

The hormone your bones miss most

By Mary Sheila Gonnella NC, BCHN As many of us move through midlife, perimenopause, and menopause, while there’s several hormones that affect our bones, there’s one hormone that plays a major role in bone health: Estrogen. As estrogen begins to decline, the body shifts. Bone breakdown can outpace bone rebuilding. This isn’t meant to alarm you, but to empower you....

Visit the post for more.

04/04/2026

Bone health is more than calcium

By Mary Sheila Gonnella NC, BCHN As some of you may know, bone health has been a passion of mine over the years … maybe that’s why you’re here reading this now. I’m not exactly sure what first captured my attention, but I do remember a few key moments. Early on in my practice, clients would come in with a shopping bag full of supplements....

Visit the post for more.

03/28/2026

Longer days, later dinners … here’s a solution

By Mary Sheila Gonnella NC, BCHN I just wrapped up my Blood Sugar Reset Bootcamp, and I’m feeling so grateful. There’s something really special about watching people create community around their health, connect the dots in their body, understanding how what they eat, when they eat, and how they live all come together. And so rewarding to have people come back to join Blood Sugar Reset year after year!...

Visit the post for more.

03/28/2026

Supporting our circadian rhythm is essential for maintaining bone strength as we age, especially when it comes to cortisol. Comment BONES for my free bone health handout that guides you through the 5 hormones that impact our bones and how we can support them.

03/21/2026

Yes, bones require minerals like calcium that we can get from superfood’s like nettles, but they also require us to support our hormonal system, Comment “BONES” and I’ll send you my new free e-book on the five hormones that influence bone strength after 40 … and what you can do to support them.

03/21/2026

A full circle moment – March 21 holds a story I’ve never forgotten

By Mary Sheila Gonnella NC, BCHN Do you remember March 2020? The moment the world seemed to pause … right around this exact time, March 21st. That date is etched in my memory, because it was supposed to be the beginning of my very first international retreat. ​ March 21–28. Bags packed, plans made … and then everything changed. It was a moment filled with uncertainty, hard decisions, and a level of stress I don’t think any of us will forget....

Visit the post for more.