Kristen Alvis, Functional Nutritionist

05/29/2025

05/26/2025

What does a gut and hormone-supportive day of eating actually look like?

Here’s a sample menu that supports digestion, energy, mineral balance, and blood sugar—*without* overcomplicating your day.

🌿 Real food
🌿 No gimmicks
🌿 Actually doable

This is the kind of foundation I help clients build inside my coaching programs, because food should be nourishing *and* realistic for your season of life.

📌 Save this if you’re looking for gut-hormone meal inspiration.

Would you try this kind of day?

03/25/2025

Let’s stop pretending the fix is that simple.

Bloating isn’t caused by a probiotic deficiency. It's a symptom of something deeper.

➡️ Chronic stress disrupts the gut-brain connection
➡️ Poor motility leads to fermentation + gas
➡️ Low stomach acid = incomplete digestion
➡️ Gut inflammation impairs nutrient absorption

And when your gut is inflamed, it affects everything else: your hormones, your sleep, your metabolism, your immune function.

Many women I work with have been told to “just try a probiotic” — meanwhile, they’re still bloated, exhausted, and frustrated.

Real gut health starts with understanding *why* the symptoms are happening — not just masking them.

02/23/2025

Did you know there are only 34 “officially recognized” symptoms of perimenopause?

But in reality? There are many more that women experience every day that aren’t acknowledged, but are very real.

And here’s the thing—up to 20% of women don’t even know they’re in perimenopause.

👉 You feel off but can’t quite put your finger on why.
👉 Sleep isn’t the same—waking up at 2–3am happens more often.
👉 Mood swings, stress, or anxiety feel more intense than they used to.
👉 Your cycle is changing—shorter, heavier, or more painful periods.
👉 Digestive issues, bloating, or new food sensitivities have popped up.

If any of this sounds familiar, there’s a reason.

Your hormones don’t just suddenly stop working one day.
Progesterone starts declining in your late 20s/early 30s, and by your 40s, the shifts become impossible to ignore.

But what most women don’t realize is that it’s not *just* about hormones—your gut, blood sugar, and inflammation all play a role in how you feel.

So, what can you do before considering hormone therapy? 👇

✔️ Manage stress → Because cortisol steals progesterone.
✔️ Eat enough calories + balance blood sugar → Skipping meals makes everything worse.
✔️ Support your liver → It’s processing your hormones daily.
✔️ Check your mineral status → HTMA testing helps here.

Perimenopause doesn’t have to feel like a struggle!

If you’ve been wondering whether perimenopause is what’s making you feel off, let’s talk. Drop a 🔥 in the comments or DM me “PERI” and I’ll send you details on how we can support your hormones, gut, and energy, so you can feel like yourself again.

02/18/2025

Did you know I offer free 15-minute calls every Tuesday? It’s a no-pressure chance to chat about your wellness goals and see if working together feels like the right next step.

If you’ve been wondering whether functional nutrition could help with your gut or hormone struggles, consider this your sign. This call is all about you—where you’re at, what you need, and how I can support you in feeling your best.

💬 Let’s connect! Book your call here: https://calendly.com/pdxnutritionist/discovery

I’d love to hear your story.

Welcome! I'm thrilled to connect with you!Please select a time that works best for you for our call. This is an opportunity for us to get to know each other, discuss your health goals, and explore how I can support you on your wellness journey.Please note the purpose of this call is to see if we're

02/14/2025

Listening in on The DUTCH Podcast and their episode with Dr. Doug Lucas, where they’re discussing osteoporosis (and the importance of gut health and hormone optimization), and he touched on something I bring up all the time—the difference between conventional and functional approaches.

He pointed out that women aren’t typically screened for osteoporosis until 65—yet menopause happens around 50-51.

For women, this is exactly when the risk for osteoporosis kicks in due to estrogen decline. So why are we waiting 15 years before doing something about it?

💡 This is exactly the issue with conventional ideology—it waits for d!sease instead of catching dysfunction early.

➡️ Screening happens after d!sease has already set in.

➡️ Instead of preventing problems, the focus is on managing them later.

But early intervention matters! We shouldn’t wait until bone loss is advanced before taking action.

And by the way—osteoporosis isn’t just a calcium intake issue. There are many factors at play, but menopause is a major risk factor and often the catalyst for women.

If we want to truly support bone health, we have to look beyond calcium supplements and ask:

🔍 Are you getting enough protein and overall calories to maintain bone mass?

🔍 Is your gut functioning well enough to absorb the nutrients you are consuming?

Gut health impacts hormone health, and hormones are a huge piece of this—for both peri and post-menopausal women.

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." And yet, too often, women aren’t given the opportunity to prevent anything, because they aren’t being tested until they have a problem.

02/13/2025

My daughter (10) has a cold, and here’s how we’re supporting her body through it.

Instead of trying to “fight” symptoms, my focus is on supporting her immune system so her body can do what it’s designed to do.

✔ Rest & Hydration: Plenty of water and coconut water (great for replenishing electrolytes like potassium, which helps regulate immune function and keep the body strong).

✔ Nourishing Foods: Warm, comforting meals like homemade miso soup to help the body conserve energy, promote circulation, and provide easily digestible nutrients that support recovery.

✔ Natural Soothers: A spoonful of raw honey for her throat instead of cough drops—honey helps coat and soothe while offering antimicrobial benefits.

✔ Humidifier at Night: Running a cool mist humidifier to keep the air moist, which helps prevent her throat and nasal passages from drying out.

We’re on Day 3 now—so far, she’s trudging along just fine with just a runny nose and some sneezing, but her energy levels are still good! It’s amazing what the basics can do.

Just a reminder that simple, foundational support is powerful, and despite the overwhelming number of options on store shelves, sometimes that’s all our bodies need.*

*Note: This isn’t about avoiding necessary med!cine, but about recognizing the power of foundational health support.

How do you support your little ones when they’re under the weather?

02/10/2025

Let’s talk about the "Probiotics are the cure for everything" myth...

Probiotics are often marketed as a magical fix for gut health, and they're sold everywhere, but here’s the truth: they’re *not* a one-size-fits-all solution. 🤯

Probiotics can absolutely support gut health, especially if you're dealing with dysbiosis (an imbalance in gut bacteria) or recovering from antibiotic use. But here’s the catch—if your gut has underlying issues like low stomach acid, poor digestion, or intestinal permeability (aka Leaky Gut), simply adding probiotics to your routine *won’t* solve the problem.

In fact, if you have conditions like SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) or a significant imbalance in your gut bacteria, using probiotics without addressing the root cause could *worsen* symptoms. Not all probiotics are created equal, and strains matter, and taking the wrong strain or using them at the wrong time can make things worse.

The key is to work from the inside out and use a balanced, holistic approach to gut healing. ✨

Probiotics can be a helpful tool, but they’re not a cure-all. They work best when included as part of a personalized plan that tackles the root cause of your symptoms.

Remember, gut health is complex, and it’s about more than just supplements!

02/08/2025

I hear this all the time. You go to the doctor, explain your symptoms, and walk out feeling like they don’t even see you. It’s frustrating, especially when standard bloodwork only tells part of the story. The truth is, you’re not going to get the answers you need in a 15-20 minute appointment where they’re not even running the right labs.

This is the sad state of American healthcare right now—quick fixes and incomplete assessments, leaving you stuck without real answers. But it doesn’t have to be this way. There is a better approach that digs deeper, takes time, and looks at the whole picture. We deserve better.

02/05/2025

Dementia at 64. That’s when my mom was diagnosed. She’s now 66, and her decline has been heartbreaking.

In my mom’s case, chronic exposure to mold, a diet of fast food and ultra-processed freezer meals, and a lack of physical activity were major drivers in her onset.

🧠 Your gut, inflammation, and metabolic health impact your cognitive function.

🧠 Toxins (like heavy metals, pesticides, pollution, and mold), stress, and nutrient deficiencies all play a role in neurodegeneration.

🧠 Blood sugar dysregulation is one of the biggest, yet often overlooked, risk factors for dementia.

and here's the big one...

🧠 Menopause is a *critical* factor in dementia risk. Estrogen plays a neuroprotective role. When estrogen levels drop during menopause, brain aging accelerates, increasing the risk of cognitive decline.

This isn’t about fear—it’s about awareness.

Dementia isn’t just something that "happens" with age. It’s often years (or decades) in the making, and many of the contributing factors are within our control.

If you take anything from this, let it be this:

🔹 Your daily choices matter.
🔹 Your gut and brain (and hormones) are deeply connected.
🔹 Supporting your metabolic health is one of the most powerful things you can do for cognitive function.

📸 Credit: Mark Hyman, MD

02/03/2025

For so many women, changes in mood, energy, sleep, and cycles start years—even decades—before menopause ever happens. But because no one talks about it, these shifts get brushed off as stress, aging, or just “how it is.”

💡 Waking up at 2am?
💡 Periods getting shorter, heavier, or more painful?
💡 Feeling more anxious, irritable, or "off" for no reason?

These are real signs that your body is asking for support. Hormones don’t just flip a switch at menopause—they slowly shift over time. And the sooner you recognize the signs, the sooner you can feel like yourself again.

More women need to hear this—share it with someone who would benefit!

02/02/2025

If you’ve ever wondered where I fit into healthcare and how I help women feel better, let me explain…

If you’ve ever walked out of a doctor’s office with more questions than answers, feeling like you just got a quick prescription or a generic “eat healthy” recommendation, you’re not alone.

💡 This is where I come in.

I bridge the gap between wanting to improve your health and actually knowing how to do it.

Doctors play an essential role in healthcare, but their focus is often on diagnosis and treatment within the limits of conventional medicine. But what if your labs are “normal” and you still don’t feel like yourself? Or what if you want to be proactive rather than waiting until something is wrong?

And what if you do get a diagnosis (or are told everything looks "fine"), but you're left to figure out the rest on your own?

🔹 What should you actually eat for your hormones?
🔹 How do you support digestion when everything makes you bloated?
🔹 What do your labs really mean in the context of how you feel?

I work with women who want more than temporary fixes and are ready for real, sustainable solutions. Through personalized nutrition, functional testing, and ongoing support, I help you understand what’s actually going on in your body and create a plan that works for you.

✨ More insights = better results ✨

I use HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis) and GI-MAP testing, which aren’t typically offered by conventional providers or covered by insurance. These tests provide a deeper look at mineral balance, gut health, inflammation, and detox pathways—things that routine bloodwork can’t assess.

And while standard labs are valuable, they’re often interpreted using broad conventional ranges designed to catch d!sease, rather than functional ranges that assess for optimal health. This means many people are told they’re "fine" when there are clear imbalances that could be addressed before they become bigger issues.

But testing is just one piece of the puzzle.

Most providers don’t have the time or ability to offer ongoing 1:1 support between visits. That’s where I make a difference—I work with you to create real, sustainable changes and guide you every step of the way, making adjustments as needed so you’re never left to figure it out alone.

Because you deserve more than a rushed appointment. Your health is about more than just numbers on a lab report—it’s about how you feel every day.