Root + Ritual Functional Medicine

09/08/2023

We’re soaking up the last days of summer exploring a new beach town, Cape Charles. It’s on the eastern shore of Virginia and so far, it’s darling.

We love doing quick family trips and our rental is this amazing 1910 renovated home. 💕

07/27/2023

Attention! 🚨🚨 If you’re a medical provider and feel burnt out, then check out Lara Salyer’s 5 day symposium coming up on August 14th. She’ll give you the science AND the actions on how to leverage flow and creativity to combat burnout.

She’s my personal functional medicine mentor and also happens to be wildly funny, super smart, and down to earth.

Here’s the link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/catalyst-symposiumtm-for-medical-professionals-reimagining-their-worklife-registration-660514736357

It’s normally $69 but use the code EARLY for $10 off the early bird registration that ends August 4.

5-day anti-burnout boot camp for healthcare practitioners who want to reignite their creativity and rekindle their passion for medicine.

07/21/2023

Anxiety. It’s real. And it’s not always readily apparent why you may be experiencing it.

💡 There’s a huge mindset shift when you go from running *away* from a symptom and instead run *toward* a ritual. Especially an anchoring ritual.

Exercise relives anxiety. Period. It also decreases inflammation, improves digestion and motility, balances circadian rhythms (when timed properly and outside), positively impacts the gut microbiome, and decreases blood glucose. To name a few!

Movement can help complement other anxiety relieving tools in your toolbox. I like to “meditate” on an affirmation while walking or running.

My mantra for today: I am not my thoughts. I can only control my actions and myself.

What’s your favorite way to shift your energy?? My top faves are connecting with my kids and husband (no screens), spending time outside barefoot, and going for a walk (or in this case a walk-run)! Comment below 👇

07/11/2023

Question: how long do you typically spend with your practitioner during each visit? 🤔

Did you know that on average functional medicine has 2-4 times longer practitioner-patient consultations?!

Most providers in the US spend on average from 12 to 17 minutes ☝ on one consultation. In a public system, time is often constrained by having many patients waiting and in private practice, it’s simply ‘more patients = more profit.’

How much can you *really* cover in this limited time?

What if instead, you could spend 30 to 60 minutes ONE-ON-ONE with your doctor?

Functional medicine practitioners 👩‍⚕ tend to have longer consultation times to hear YOUR story, properly investigate it, and try to get to the root cause of your illness, rather than concentrating on its manifestation (aka symptoms).

👉Are you ready for your story to be heard? Head over to our website to book a call and get started!

06/18/2023

Happy Father’s Day to the front row of the coaster rider, the teacher, the costume maker, the gardener, the handyman, the jokester, the cuddle bear, and the best all around Dad! We love you, Paul! 💕

05/23/2023

A year ago, this fiddle leaf fig had 4.5 leaves and was on its way out. The fiddle caught a second wind after my kitchen unexpectedly flooded and it was moved to a new location. 🪴

Humans are just like my fiddle. Sometimes, you just need a new environment so you can flourish.

Think about this… what in your environment is possibly contributing to your symptoms? What do you need to avoid? What do you need to add? What do you need to emphasize?

With functional medicine, we identify what environmental factors are perpetuating dis-ease in your body and help you figure out actionable ways to modify your environment.

05/11/2023

Happy 4th birthday, sweet Ellie Grace!

I remember clearly the day you were born. It was such a beautiful day. You are my rainbow baby, and life is so much better with you in it. You have this zest for life that’s infectious.

I marvel at your deep appreciation for nature. You are the lover of dirt, rocks, and weeds. You usually wake up grumpy but spend of the rest of the day happy silly. You’re the single best Candyland player of all time. Your love for vegetables is impressive. I think it’s adorable how much you love wearing dresses. You’re adventurous, wicked smart, hilarious, and spicy. I love watching you grow into a woman.

We can learn so much from you, wild child. 🌙 “Hey, Mommy, even kids can be teachers.” “Yes, they can my baby, yes, they can.”

05/04/2023

I’m finishing up a long day of seeing patients and I’m reminded over and over again of how nutrition is so nuanced.

Fiber can relieve one person’s constipation while it can cause another person’s bloating.

I don’t believe there’s one single best diet for anyone. It’s not keto, Paleo, vegetarian, vegan, or any of the other diets. We are all so different with our genetics, microbiome, environment, needs, etc.

But the major point I’m trying to make here is focus on diversity of as many real foods as possible. Repeat after me: Elimination diets are not addressing the root cause if you have to remain on it long-term. That’s a band aid solution.

Sometimes they’re very necessary as part of the treatment plan. Don’t get me wrong. But if you’re getting at the root cause then you should be able to reintroduce more foods and variety.

That’s all for today! 🤗

04/22/2023

On Earth Day, the kids spent their lemonade stand money at our neighbor’s yard sale and bought “new” toys: a puzzle, frisbee, ball, 4 little trucks, and some coloring books. ♻️

I like to encourage easy ways for my kids to be kind to our planet:
🌎 Donate toys, repurpose toys, purchase fewer toys to begin with
🌎 Eat leftovers
🌎 Plant a garden and grow some food
🌎 Use metal or glass reusable water bottles and a water filter
🌎 Use reusable food storage containers
🌎 Use towels for messes and cloth napkins for dining (we used to exclusively use cloth napkins for dining and we stopped after we had Poppy… we’ve been talking about making the switch again!)

Happy Earth Day! 🌎

04/21/2023

We all know that stress is bad for us, but did you know that chronic stress can lead to chronic health issues? Stress affects us all at some point - but how you handle the stress is what really matters.

Chronic stress has been linked to a number of health concerns including:
🔸Obesity
🔸Diabetes
🔸Cardiovascular disease

And unfortunately, it doesn’t end there 😳. Chronic stress weakens the immune system, making it harder for the body to fight off infections and illnesses. Stress can also:
➡️ Contribute to mental health problems: Stress is a major contributor to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.
➡️ Affect relationships and work performance: Stress can put a strain on relationships, leading to conflict and breakdowns in communication, as well as decreased productivity and job dissatisfaction.
➡️ Affect sleep and contribute to burnout: Stress can interfere with sleep, making it difficult to get adequate rest. It can also lead to burnout, a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion.
➡️ Can lead to substance abuse: Some people turn to drugs or alcohol to cope with stress, which can lead to substance abuse and addiction.
➡️ Affect quality of life: Chronic stress can have a negative impact on overall quality of life, affecting both physical and mental health.

Here are 10 simple, FREE ways to reduce stress:
💕 Exercise regularly: Regular exercise has been shown to reduce stress and improve mood.
💕 Practice relaxation techniques: Deep breathing, meditation, and yoga can help reduce stress.
💕 Get enough sleep: Adequate sleep is important for managing stress.
💕 Take breaks: Taking breaks throughout the day can help reduce stress and improve productivity.
💕 Listen to music: Listening to calming music can help reduce stress.
💕 Laugh: Laughter can help reduce stress and improve mood.
💕 Journal: Writing down your thoughts and feelings can improve emotional well-being.
💕 Seek support: Talking to a mental health professional or loved ones can help reduce stress.
(Cont’d in comments)..

04/19/2023

✨mindset✨

It’s all about perspective. I’m reminded of that daily. Last night, I had a very rare girl’s night out with friends and my MIL was watching the kids. She couldn’t get Poppy’s vent to stop alarming, even after the usual steps to make sure things are working properly. I ended up cutting my evening short and driving home early.

It’s all about perspective. Frustrated or upset? Nope. Happy to have had 2 hours of solo time! Grateful to have a MIL who helps out all the time. Beyond appreciative that my daughter has technology to keep her alive.

Things don’t always turn out the way you hope or anticipate. Life is crazy and whether it’s a curveball diagnosis or evening plans gone awry, life is hard. But it’s so beautiful. Every day is special and a gift. ✨ I’m so grateful for my curveballs. They’re always the impetus for growth. And that benefits everyone around me. (Thanks for coming to my TED talk. 🤣)

04/17/2023

Suffering from IBS? Here are 12 lifestyle-based tips to help manage your symptoms: ⤵

✅ Identify trigger foods: Keep a food diary to identify trigger foods that worsen your symptoms. Then, try to avoid or limit these foods in your diet. An elimination diet or low FODMAPs diet may be helpful.

✅ Eat slowly and mindfully: Eating too quickly can contribute to digestive symptoms. Take your time when eating and be sure to chew your food thoroughly!

✅ Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water to prevent constipation and help flush out toxins. It’s recommended that individuals with IBS aim to drink at least eight cups of water per day.

✅ Get enough fiber: Fiber can help regulate bowel movements, but some types of fiber can be difficult to digest and worsen symptoms in some people. Choose low-FODMAP sources of fiber.
✅
Manage stress: Stress can trigger symptoms of IBS. Practice relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing.

✅ Eat prebiotic foods: Prebiotics are a type of fiber that feed beneficial gut bacteria. They can be found in foods such as onions, garlic, and bananas.

✅ Eat smaller, more frequent meals: Eating smaller, more frequent meals can help regulate digestion and prevent overloading the digestive system.

✅ Limit processed foods: Processed foods can contain additives and preservatives that can trigger digestive symptoms. Unfortunately, this means limiting fast food, frozen dinners and sugary drinks!

✅ Avoid caffeine / alcohol: Both caffeine and alcohol can trigger digestive symptoms. Additionally, alcohol can disrupt the natural balance of gut bacteria, causing further inflammation in the gut.

✅ Exercise regularly: Regular exercise can help improve gut motility and reduce symptoms of constipation. If your symptoms are particularly bad, even going for a slow walk can help.

✅ Get enough sleep: Establishing a regular sleep routine can be helpful for people with IBS, as it can help regulate bowel movements and reduce stress levels.

Know someone with IBS? Help them out by tagging them in the comments.🤍

Which of these tips are you working on right now? I recommend picking 2-3 at a time to remain focused. Comment below!