Dr. Liz Carter

Dr. Liz Carter Teaching you naturopathic medicine the 5 elements of Chinese medicine to improve your health ✨ Contact her for an appointment today!

New Leaf Natural Medicine is committed to providing comprehensive, compassionate, and affordable healthcare for everyone. Dr. Carter uses a combination of acupuncture, naturopathic medicine, craniosacral therapy, herbal medicine, homeopathy, nutrition and lifestyle counseling, and hydrotherapy to help you feel your best!

Women with periods + intermittent fasting – what you need to know 🤓 Most research on intermittent fasting has been done ...
02/24/2026

Women with periods + intermittent fasting – what you need to know 🤓

Most research on intermittent fasting has been done on men and they typically fare better than women on longer fasts.

Breast cancer research study: PMID: 27032109

Female hormonal systems are closely tied to food intake because if the body thinks there’s starvation happening, it’s going to down regulate the ability to reproduce, aka you won’t ovulate. Ovulation is incredibly important for health – check out for more info.

Appetite can change based on which half of your cycle you’re in and it’s best to follow those cues and adapt your fast to accommodate your hormones.

Want to know more?

Check out my blog The Truth About Intermittent Fasting: https://www.drlizcarter.com/how-i-teach-my-patients-to-do-intermittent-fasting/

Part 1 of a 5-part series.Intermittent fasting is a popular protocol nowadays and with good reason. It can offer several...
02/23/2026

Part 1 of a 5-part series.

Intermittent fasting is a popular protocol nowadays and with good reason.

It can offer several health benefits like better insulin sensitivity, more balanced blood sugar, preservation of lean muscle mass, decreased inflammation, improved cholesterol, and improved cellular repair.

However, in my personal and professional experience, the vast majority of people are using it incorrectly.

I see people trigger eating disorders, dysregulate their blood sugar, mess up their sleep, and generally feel worse.

Why?

Because they’re too dogmatic and rigid about following the protocol and they aren’t listening to what their body needs.

They become disconnected from their body and ultimately what’s healthy for them.

I’m pretty sure that our ancestors didn’t pass up ripe, juicy wild berries along their walk because they hadn’t quite made it to their 16 or 23 hours fasting window.

It can feel like a relief to allow someone or something else like a trainer, nutritionist, or predetermined protocol to make decisions for us.

In fact that’s the norm in the nutrition, wellness, and athletic industries.

What I encourage my patients to do is to stay in connection with their bodies by asking themselves what they truly need.

When are they hungry vs when have they hit their ideal fasting window?

What’s more important - enjoying a nice late dinner with a friend or hitting their fasting window?

The goal is for intermittent fasting to become a tool rather than the law.

If you take one thing away from this post please let it be this: any general protocol must be adapted to your personal needs in order for it to support your health.

If you’d like to know more about what I recommend for my patients and my professional and personal experience with intermittent fasting, check out my blog: https://www.drlizcarter.com/how-i-teach-my-patients-to-do-intermittent-fasting/

👋 Hi there, I’m Dr. Liz! I'm an acupuncturist and naturopathic doctor based in Seattle, WA who has been integrating Trad...
02/22/2026

👋 Hi there, I’m Dr. Liz!

I'm an acupuncturist and naturopathic doctor based in Seattle, WA who has been integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine and 5 element acupuncture into my treatments for over 14 years.

One of my biggest passions in life is helping people to understand and connect with their bodies. Learning to slow down and listen is a challenging skill that requires patience, humility, and trust. But it’s also what allows us to transform and I love supporting others through that process.

Now for a bit of fun stuff about me:

My desk always looks like a mess but I’m oddly organized under the chaotic clutter 😂

I grew up between John Deere World Headquarters and IOWA 80, the world’s largest truckstop (go on, be impressed) 🚜

I *literally* have a closet full of craft projects that I hope to get to sometime in the next 5 years 😳😬 I’m currently on a quilting spree and you can check out my stories for all the updates!

INFJ, major emphasis on the I for introvert 🥺

If I see a slug while hiking (they’re GIANT out here in the PNW), I pick it up with a leaf and move it off the trail so it doesn’t get squashed 🐌

Drop your favorite craft or your Myers-Briggs personality type in the comments! I'd love to learn more about you!

When you have down moments and your symptoms recur, you haven’t failed or done anything wrong. These moments are when we...
02/21/2026

When you have down moments and your symptoms recur, you haven’t failed or done anything wrong.

These moments are when we learn the most.

They offer us a chance to slow down, reflect, and start again.

Does this resonate with you? Let me know in the comments!

☯️ Yin and yang are more than just a cool symbol that was super popular in the 90s. They’re integral to your health in ...
02/18/2026

☯️ Yin and yang are more than just a cool symbol that was super popular in the 90s.

They’re integral to your health in Chinese medicine!

Each has complementary but opposite properties and for optimal health we need a balance of both.

Culturally in the US we value yang (bright, active, energetic) more than yin (cooling, slow, dark, restorative) so we’re often yin deficient.

It’s crucial to slow down, rest, and recover so we start to see cultural movements like quiet quitting.

People are trying to restore their yin and a culture that asks us to be yang all the time!

If you’d like to learn more about how yin and yang impact your health, check out my on-demand workshop: Improve Your Energy, Mood, and Focus with Chinese medicine: https://www.drlizcarter.com/improve-energy-workshop/

Chocolate Coconut Paleo Pudding 🍫🥥: a creamy, chocolatey fix without the dairy.Is your inner child screaming with glee? ...
02/14/2026

Chocolate Coconut Paleo Pudding 🍫🥥: a creamy, chocolatey fix without the dairy.

Is your inner child screaming with glee? Mine definitely is 😄

This has become a go-to treat in our house as it’s creamy, chocolatey, and satisfying, without the allergic fallout of dairy, eggs, and refined sugar.

It scratches that yearning for something rich and comforting with ingredients that actually support your body and don’t leave you bloated or wired. ✨

It’s perfect as an after-dinner treat, afternoon snack, or dressed up in cute glasses for a gathering 🍨

Why this dessert actually nourishes 🌿

🍫 Dark cocoa – antioxidant-rich, mood-boosting
🥥 Coconut milk – creamy, satiating fats for steady energy
🍯 Raw honey – gentle sweetness without a sugar crash
🦴 Gelatin – gut-soothing, joint-supportive, and what gives it that pudding texture
🧂 Mineral salt + vanilla – depth, balance, and flavor

Ingredients (makes 4 ramekins)

• 1 can full-fat coconut milk (16 oz)
• 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 Tbsp raw honey (adjust to taste)
• 2 tsp grass-fed gelatin
• 2 Tbsp water
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• pinch mineral salt

Instructions 🍲

1️⃣ Bloom gelatin with 2 Tbsp water in a small bowl.
2️⃣ Shake coconut milk, pour into saucepan, heat to a gentle simmer (~30 sec).
3️⃣ Turn off heat. Whisk in cocoa, honey, and salt.
4️⃣ Add bloomed gelatin and whisk until fully dissolved (don’t boil).
5️⃣ Stir in vanilla.
6️⃣ Pour into ramekins. Freeze 2 hours or refrigerate 4 hours until set.
7️⃣ Enjoy ✨

Fun variations:

🌿 Ginger-infused
🌱 Peppermint
🍫 Extra-chocolate with melted dark chocolate

Save this for your next craving 💛

In Chinese medicine, all of your organs have times of the day when they’re more active or less active. Those organs that...
02/13/2026

In Chinese medicine, all of your organs have times of the day when they’re more active or less active.

Those organs that have their peak energy overnight can cause you to wake up if they’re irritated.

Understanding the functions and rhythms of your organs can be a gamechanger for your sleep, emotions, and overall health.

If you’d like to learn more about how Chinese medicine can support your sleep, check out my workshop Improve Your Sleep with Chinese medicine: https://www.drlizcarter.com/lp/sleep-workshop/

Getting sick is miserable. No sugar-coating that. 🤒But it can also tell you something important about how your body work...
02/06/2026

Getting sick is miserable. No sugar-coating that. 🤒
But it can also tell you something important about how your body works… and how it heals.

Here’s a gentler reframe I often share with patients 👇

✨ Illness forces rest.
You slow down, sleep more, hydrate, and eat more intentionally. That alone can reset patterns that were quietly draining you.

✨ You may feel better after than before.
When an acute illness is supported (not suppressed), your body has a chance to clear out accumulated “junk”, or what naturopathic medicine calls morbid matter. The result? Many people notice improved energy and resilience once they recover.

✨ Symptoms are a sign of vitality.
Fever, congestion, and fatigue are uncomfortable yes, but also evidence that your immune system is doing its job. A strong response reflects a body capable of healing.

Medications that shut symptoms down can bring short-term relief 💊
But they can also slow recovery, drive illness deeper, or leave you feeling more depleted afterward.

The goal isn’t to “power through.”
It’s to support the process with rest, fluids, nourishment, and appropriate care. 🌿

And of course if something feels concerning or off, always check in with your doctor.

Next time you’re sick, remember: your body isn’t failing you.
It’s working very hard to get you back to health. 💛

Enjoy what I share here? Join my email list to help you deepen your understanding of the 5 elements and naturopathic medicine and how they can transform your healing process: https://www.drlizcarter.com/landing/newsletter/

Here’s my latest quilt that I made for a friend! While working on it I deemed it The Happy Quilt because it’s so bright ...
02/05/2026

Here’s my latest quilt that I made for a friend! While working on it I deemed it The Happy Quilt because it’s so bright and fun ☀️ It’s the perfect medicine for a grey Seattle winter.

My friend’s favorite color is an earthy yellow and when I showed her the Joplin pattern by she loved it!

I had a kit from the pattern release I hadn’t made yet, so I swapped out a couple colors to incorporate the yellow she loves and played with the color layout on .mockup.tool until we found one that emphasized the yellow.

I was super excited when I found 4 yards of this old Ruby Star Society fabric for the backing because many of the colors matched really well with the quilt colors. And the sun theme fit the happy, joyful nature of the quilt perfectly!

You can see that I didn’t quite have enough for the backing after pattern matching, so I used some scraps I had from the project. Originally the center templates printed out too small and I had to remake the quilt blocks, but it worked out to use them in the backing!

I tried out some AGF 2.5in binding fabric because it matched the quilt colors so well and I was curious if I’d like it. I’m not sure that I’ll use it again as it requires pattern matching and very precise folding and sewing so it was a little stressful. There are a few places where you can see a little of the other printed pattern on the binding which I’m not jazzed about.

I love the orange peel panto Teri from helped me choose and her thread choice of peachy pink is 🤌

Overall this was a fun make and I’m very happy with the final product!

Pattern: Joplin by
Fabric: pure solids: turmeric, coconut milk, cactus flower, crystal pink, grapefruit, tiger lily, and morning frost, backing is SoulShine, and binding is an AGF 2.5in Edition Binding, Threadwork in Blossom
Batting: 80/20 Wool/cotton by Hobbs - it’s so lofty and crinkly for a 98% natural product!
Quilting: with a beautiful orange peel panto
Quilt holder: - when he’s not climbing, skiing, or playing music, he’s holding quilts

So be gentle with yourself if you’re in the goo stage. It’s where the magic happens ✨ Comment with your favorite ways to...
02/05/2026

So be gentle with yourself if you’re in the goo stage. It’s where the magic happens ✨

Comment with your favorite ways to care for yourself when you’re in the goo stage👇

Naturopathic medicine approaches health very differently than western medicine. There’s a reliable roadmap to the order ...
02/02/2026

Naturopathic medicine approaches health very differently than western medicine.

There’s a reliable roadmap to the order in which the body heals or gets sick that we use all the time.

We treat the root cause, and we know that your ability to release things is crucial to maintaining your health.

If you’d like to find your own naturopathic doctor and live in the US, check out this link: https://naturopathic.org/search/custom.asp?id=5613

Search without any filters first, and if no one is near you, search with the telemedicine filter to find someone who can consult with you virtually.

Naturopathic medicine approaches health very differently than western medicine. We view the body as capable of healing i...
02/01/2026

Naturopathic medicine approaches health very differently than western medicine.

We view the body as capable of healing itself, we look at symptoms as guideposts rather than something to be squashed, and we see getting sick as a good and even healthy part of life.

If you’d like to find your own naturopathic doctor and live in the US, check out this link: https://naturopathic.org/search/custom.asp?id=5613

Search without any filters first, and if no one is near you, search with the telemedicine filter to find someone who can consult with you virtually.

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Seattle, WA

Opening Hours

Monday 10:30am - 7pm
Tuesday 10:30am - 7pm
Thursday 9:30am - 5:30pm

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