Cedar Valley Functional Medicine

10/29/2025

Let's play a quick game. If you could get rid of ONE of these symptoms for good... which one would you choose?

They might seem like separate issues, but we often find they all stem from the same core imbalances:
Gut dysfunction
Blood sugar swings
Cortisol overload
Poor sleep and recovery

So the symptom you'd choose to eliminate? Might actually point to where your body's asking for help.

Drop your answer in the comments!

10/27/2025

Studies show that eating 2 kiwis per day significantly improves bowel regularity, especially in people with IBS-C or functional constipation. And unlike most fiber supplements, it doesn't cause gas or bloating.

Here's why kiwi works so well for digestion:

It contains actinidin, a natural enzyme that helps break down protein and support smoother digestion.
It's rich in soluble and insoluble fiber, which adds bulk and softens stool.
It has a natural prebiotic effect, helping feed beneficial gut bacteria.
It's also high in vitamin C and antioxidants, reducing gut inflammation.

Hot tip: Eat them with the skin (yes, really!). That's where a lot of the fiber lives.

10/26/2025

10/26/2025

A drop in blood sugar at night, or a premature spike in cortisol, can activate your nervous system and jolt you awake. This is especially common if you eat too late, skip meals, or are under chronic stress.

Your body interprets these imbalances as threats, kicking on your "alert mode" when you should be in deep sleep.

https://wellness-wholeness.com/blog/b/forgetful-foggy-and-overwhelmed-it-could-be-adhd

10/25/2025

You've probably told yourself, "This is just what it means to be a woman these days." Or worse "I'm just getting older."

No. You're not supposed to feel this way. You're not supposed to:

Live with daily bloating or irregular digestion
Crash every afternoon like clockwork
Have moods that swing with your cycle
Dread sleep because you know you'll wake up tired

These aren't personality traits or part of being "busy." They're signals. Your body is asking for something.

The good news? When you give your body what it actually needs - proper food, rest, nervous system regulation, hormone and gut support - healing happens. Let's talk and get you back to your new normal.

10/24/2025

If your hair feels thinner, your memory feels off, and your hormones feel messy, you might be missing choline. This essential nutrient is critical for methylation, estrogen detox, brain health, and strong, healthy hair.

Top food sources of choline:

Egg yolks
Grass-fed liver
If plant-based, consider supplementing!

Choline often goes overlooked, but your hormones and follicles need it daily.

10/23/2025

Your liver follows its own circadian rhythm, doing much of its detox and metabolic processing between 1 and 3 AM. But when it's burdened by things like poor diet, alcohol, or toxins, it can send stress signals that wake you up.

This isn't random. Your body's trying to get your attention. https://wellness-wholeness.com/blog/b/why-you-wake-up-between-2-and-4am

10/22/2025

This Super Greens & Beans Soup is loaded with green veggies, both fresh and roasted, plus hearty beans for plant-based protein and a swirl of creamy coconut yogurt to support gut health. It's light yet satisfying, creamy without being heavy, and makes the perfect cozy meal for lunch or dinner.

Ingredients
1 broccoli, stems and florets (350g), chopped
1 large zucchini, sliced into 1/2 moons
1 green pepper, in chunks
1 leek, thickly sliced
4 garlic cloves, peeled
4 sprigs fresh thyme
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 tins butterbeans, drained (480g)
160g peas, thawed
4 stems fresh basil
1 can (400ml) light or full-fat coconut milk
1 lemon, juiced (2 tbsp)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp (30ml) tahini
1 tbsp miso paste
300-400ml vegetable stock
Salt and pepper

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare all of the vegetables.
Into a large roasting tin add the broccoli, zucchini pepper, leek, garlic and thyme. Drizzle over 2 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, tossing well every 10 minutes until tender.
At the same time drain and pat dry one tin of the beans and lay out on a roasting tray. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive and some salt and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until crispy and tender.
Meanwhile thaw the peas, drain the beans and prepare the stock.
Allow the roasted vegetables to cool down for 20 minutes. Reserve a few small broccoli florets for serving, and keep a few peas to one side. Pour the remaining vegetables into a blender jug with the peas, basil, second tin of drained butterbeans, coconut milk, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, tahini, miso and stock (or water). Blend until really smooth and creamy, adding more or less liquid as desired.
To serve: warm the soup back up in a saucepan and ladle into bowls. Spoon over some yoghurt and top with the broccoli florets, some extra peas and roasted beans, if you like.

Recipe adapted from: https://nourishingamy.com/2023/11/06/super-greens-and-beans-soup-vegan-high-protein/

10/21/2025

You don't "just get bloated sometimes." You're not "just tired from being busy." And no, your anxiety, breakouts, or brain fog aren't just part of being a woman.

Your symptoms are whispers. And the longer they're ignored, the louder they'll get.

We look at your symptoms as signals, not annoyances to be numbed, silenced, or pushed aside.

That bloat after lunch? Could be SIBO or low stomach acid.
That 3PM crash? Blood sugar imbalance.
That low mood before your period? Hormonal shifts that can be supported, not suppressed.

Your body is trying to get your attention. The sooner you listen, the less it has to yell. Book your consultation and get to the root.

10/20/2025

Tons of brain fog lately? Your brain might be undernourished and overwhelmed. Here are some of the most common root causes we see in practice:

Blood sugar crashes that starve the brain of fuel
Nutrient deficiencies like B12, choline, and magnesium
Chronic stress, which hijacks your neurotransmitters and memory
Inflammation, often from gut imbalances or poor sleep
Mitochondrial dysfunction, where your brain literally runs out of energy

Here's how to support your brain function- no stimulants or bandaids required:

Start your day with protein, at least 25-30g at breakfast
Healthy fats like omega-3s (think wild salmon, walnuts, flaxseed oil) feed the brain's structure
Try herbs like lion's mane or bacopa which are both shown to improve memory and cognition
Supplement with B-complex vitamins, especially B12, B6, and folate if you're plant-based, stressed, or fatigued
Eat dark leafy greens, nuts, and eggs to support choline + magnesium which are key brain cofactors

10/19/2025

Let's clear something up: birth control does not balance your hormones.
It actually shuts down your natural hormonal cycle and replaces it with a synthetic version. And while the pill can mask symptoms like acne, painful periods, or irregular cycles, it doesn't fix what's causing them. In many cases, symptoms come right back, or even get worse, when you stop taking it.

If you've ever said:

"My doctor put me on the pill to fix my period."
"It helped for a while, but now I feel worse."
"I still have mood swings, bloating, and fatigue even on birth control..."

Synthetic hormones can't replicate the rhythm, feedback loops, or long-term benefits of your own cycle. Real hormone balance happens when we look at root causes like gut health, blood sugar, liver detox, nutrient status, and chronic stress.

10/17/2025