Then, as my health took different forms over the years, I realized the sensitivity wasn’t just emotional- I had a sensitive body too. Prone to rashes, anxiety, GI issues that never came with a clean explanation. For a while I treated all of it as separate, until I zoomed out and saw it was really one conversation: the heart that feels everything, the reactive gut, the skin that flares, the nervous system that catches it all first. All connected, all talking to each other.

Here’s what I’m absolutely sure about though: a sensitive body isn’t a flaw to fix. If anything, it’s the whole reason I do this work- being this reactive means I feel every shift, every trigger, every thing that helps, which has given me a very specific, felt understanding of functional health I couldn’t have gotten any other way. My body made me pay attention.

That attention has led me to some pretty niche tools, products, and rituals that have genuinely had my back. So here’s me passing them to my sensitive-body friends- not a protocol, just things I’ve noticed help me and the people I work with.

Every body is different, but I hope something here resonates. <3

Azelaic acid

I’ve been on the sensitive skin journey for YEARS now, and nothing was as frustrating as not being able to use the ingredient everyone recommended to treat my actual skin concern- like not being able to tolerate salicylic for my clogged pores, or tretinoin for inflamed acne. So being introduced to azelaic was truly pivotal for my reactive skin!!!

Basically, reactive skin tends to over-produce an inflammatory signal called cathelicidin (the same pathway that drives rosacea and dermatitis). But azelaic acid dials that down!!! It’s basically turning down the alarm system in the skin. It also gently boosts cell turnover and exfoliation- which is the exact conundrum those of us with sensitive skin get stuck in, since we can’t tolerate much chemical exfoliation. PLUS it’s antibacterial and antifungal, so it’s really just an overall perfect product in my opinion.

And my favorite benefit of all: it can actually make skin LESS reactive over time, helping sensitive skin better tolerate retinoids!!

I no longer present with "sensitive skin, and I attribute a lot of that to 1. getting my barrier healthy and 2. using azelaic acid to balance my tolerance and microbiome.

I used a prescription 15% for a while, and while I found it helped a lot with redness, it did clog my pores a little (they’re often compounded with a ton of fillers). So I either rec a gel, or this Shani Darden 10% (I’ve found it works just as well as the 15% OTC).

Nettle tea

Like I said, a sensitive body tends to be a reactive one- quick to flare at anything from pollen, to certain foods, to bad vibes lol. And here’s the part people miss: histamine isn’t just an allergy thing, it’s a nervous system thing too. High histamine can leave you feeling wired, anxious, and on edge- so calming it often calms you!! Nettle’s a super gentle way to support that: research suggests it works on three fronts at once- easing histamine at the H1 receptor (the same target as your allergy pill), calming the mast cells that release histamine in the first place, and quieting the enzymes that fan inflammation. I always keep it in my purse because I’ve noticed it helps me feel less itchy, puffy, anxious, and dysregulated.

I either get loose leaf from my local organic tea store or grab the Traditional Medicinals baggies.

Glycine

Glycine is a tiny amino acid that works like a brake pedal for an overfiring nervous system- which, if you run sensitive, is basically the default setting. It’s an inhibitory neurotransmitter, meaning it calms brain signals down, the counterweight to glutamate (your “go” signal). It also helps drop your core body temp at night, which is the exact cue your body uses to fall asleep. And it’s a building block for glutathione- your body’s master antioxidant- so it gently supports your natural detox pathways, which some people find easier to tolerate than glutathione supplements directly. Generally really well tolerated and extremely calming!

Unfiltered “rage” journaling

The body stores what the mind won’t say… and a system that feels everything has a lot it’s holding. So instead of pushing those feelings down, this gives them somewhere to go. It’s built on therapist Nicole Sachs’ JournalSpeak method (aka “rage on the page”)- the idea that unfelt emotion doesn’t disappear into thin air, it gets stored as physical tension. So you write it all out- messy, unfiltered, and unedited- and let the body actually release it. It’s basically like taking out the mental trash before the day starts- which, for a sensitive human who feels everyone’s everything, is everything!!

This is honestly one of those things where I notice the difference in my nervous system when I don’t do it. Try setting the scene: a warm bev, put on some Hz frequencies, sit in your favorite corner or outside :)

Epsom baths

We all know saunas are amazing- but for a sensitive system, that intensity can sometimes tip you straight into ‘fight or flight’. I didn’t know this for a long time, and felt literally crazy when I’d leave a sauna with my heart racing, feeling puffier and more bloated. Turns out there’s a histamine piece to it: heat is a natural histamine trigger, so for a reactive, histamine-sensitive body, a hot sauna can actually release more histamine- hence the flushing, the puffiness, the feeling “off”.

A warm epsom bath is the chiller version! Warm water and floating your limbs is insanely relaxing for the nervous system: it helps flip you into ‘rest and digest’, while the magnesium eases tense muscles and supports gentle detox. I was shocked how much I could sweat without flaring!

I can tolerate saunas fine now (for the most part), but if I’m closer to ovulation or in a more histamine-sensitive window, I’ll opt for this!

My favorite salts are from San Fransisco Salt Co.

Warm meals > iced everything

I know the iced coffee and big raw salad combo is elite (especially in the summer), but for a sensitive body, it can be a lot to ask. Cold, raw food takes more work to break down, often causing indigestion and stagnation. Warm, cooked food, on the other hand, meets your gut where it's at- cooking does some of that work for you (softening fibers, breaking everything down early), so your system doesn't have to fight to digest. TCM calls it protecting your "digestive fire." Truly game changing if you experience digestive issues, anxiety, or mysterious symptoms.

Hertz frequencies

If there’s one thing you should take from this list, let it be this!!! 528 Hz and 432 Hz (or Hz frequencies in general) are something I always rec to my sensitive friends. Basically, your ear membrane organizes sound by frequency, and different frequencies can nudge your brain into different states- aka they can actually shift the way you think, feel, and perceive. They work by moving your brainwaves out of a fast, alert beta state and down into the slower alpha and theta waves of deep rest and meditation- so your whole mental state shifts with them. 528 Hz and 432 Hz specifically can help you unwind, ground, activate rest-and-digest, and ease anxiety! I love Miracle Tone’s on Spotify/Apple Music and play them when I’m doing everyday tasks, while I work, or when I need a brain hug!! There are so many different Hz frequencies to explore.

Weighted blankets

A sensitive nervous system spends a lot of time scanning for threat, even when nothing’s wrong- and a weighted blanket is one of the simplest ways I’ve found to tell mine it’s safe. The mechanism is basically a full body hug: the gentle, even pressure (the sciencey term is deep pressure stimulation) nudges you out of ‘fight or flight’ and into ‘rest and digest’, which is why it can take the edge off anxiety and even help you fall asleep. Tip: look for one around 10% of your body weight! This cotton one from Bearaby is my favorite!

D-Hist (Ortho Molecular)

Thank you to Anya from Birchwell Clinic for this one :) If nettle tea is the gentle daily baseline, this is the one I reach for when my histamine bucket is overflowing- high pollen weeks, a reactive skin flare, etc. It stacks a few natural histamine helpers into one formula (quercetin, nettle, vitamin C, bromelain), so it's basically a concentrated version of the same idea: supporting your body's own histamine response instead of overriding it. I keep it on deck for the days my body needs a little extra backup. I get mine off Fullscript!!

Everyday electrolytes

Plain water can actually leave you more wired/tired- you're flushing minerals without replacing them. I keep it simple with clean electrolyte brands that are basically just the ingredients (sodium, potassium, magnesium) and nothing junky- Minerals & Chill, Just Ingredients, and Ballerina Farm's are my recent go-tos for everyday (aka not too high in sodium, so great for days when we're not sweating). It's the difference between hydrated on paper and actually hydrated- especially if you run low blood pressure or drink a ton of water like me.

Hypochlorous acid

I talk about this all the time and truly think it’s a gift for reactive skin specifically. Hypochlorous acid is the same molecule your own immune cells make to neutralize threats, so it’s naturally antimicrobial and calming at once, without the harshness a sensitive barrier can’t handle. I mist it on after sweating (especially a workout), after touching my face, on a flight, or anytime skin feels angry. You can also spray it on wounds, bug bites, and sunburns! It just keeps things balanced without using a harsh active!

There are several wonderful brands, but I'm currently using Magic Molecule!

MyMagicHealer salves (for flare moments)

When I tell you there’s never a time this isn’t stocked in my apt for emergency! I was dealing with mysterious dermatitis/folliculitis for nearly a year, and this was the product that ignited my topical healing!

They’re simple beeswax and propolis salves (propolis is a natural bee resin that’s soothing and antimicrobial) made for irritated, reactive skin- no steroids or petroleum. The formula is based on an ancient drawing-salve tradition and uses egg yolk to help draw congestion and infection up to the surface, which is exactly what you want when something’s brewing under the skin. A sensitive body flares more easily and calms more slowly, so having one gentle, barrier-sealing thing to reach for in the moment is everything.

They make a few versions, too: the essential-oil-free one rocks for eczema and extra reactive skin, and the thyme and tea tree one is my pick when something’s more infectiony.

Butyrate

When you have a sensitive gut, the instinct is usually to throw things at it like probiotics, "microbiome killing" supplements, etc. But a lot of the time, a reactive gut doesn't need more inputs, it needs regulation and chill. That's why I love butyrate. It's a short-chain fatty acid (basically the fuel your gut lining runs on). It feeds those cells and supports a strong, calm gut barrier, which matters SO much for a sensitive body: when the barrier is solid, less slips through to rile up your immune system, so there's less to react to in the first place.

Out of nearly every “gut supplement” I’ve ever used, butyrate has done the most! My favorite is sodium butyrate from BodyBio (this will get you 15% off)!

Glycerin

The most underrated skin thing I do, and it’s cheap! A sensitive body usually comes with a more fragile skin barrier, and glycerin is barrier support in its gentlest form- a humectant (aka it pulls water into the skin and helps hold it there), without anything reactive skin can freak out over. I smooth a little on damp post-shower, when the skin’s still holding water, and it locks that softness in. No actives, no stinging- truly the simplest ingredient to hydrate skin!!! I get mine from iHerb: NOW Foods!

Red light mask

Many skin things on this list… but guys!!! If your skin can’t handle harsh actives, THIS is the gentlest possible way to still do something for it. Red light works with your skin instead of on it- the wavelengths sink in and nudge your cells to produce more energy (ATP), which supports the skin’s own repair and collagen making. So instead of stripping or forcing, you’re just giving your skin what it needs to regenerate on its own. It’s calming, it’s barrier friendly, and for a reactive face that reacts to everything, it’s a rare “treatment” that doesn’t come with a cost.

I use my red light mask as a time to calm down, rewind, journal, or read. One of my favorite rituals ever.

My two favorite masks are:

• Omnilux (code ALELUBEZKI for 10% off)

• Current Body (code EATSWITHALE for 10% off

  

Exhibit A: my friends also swear by red light masks!

So that’s the list. Or, at least, the version of it that exists today (I’m always collecting more)!

My favorite little reminder is that the same system that reacts to everything is the same one that gets to feel everything: the good, the beautiful, the alive. I wouldn’t trade it. I’ve just learned to work with it, one little tool at a time!

This list also gets way more expansive by category, so if you'd want me to do a deeper dive into histamine, the gut, nervous system, or skin specifically, let me know and I'll take you all the way down the rabbit hole/ the tools :) And if you find your own niche thing I didn’t mention, plz tell me! I LOVE hearing what works for you.

Love,

Ale

“What do I actually do if I think mold is messing with my health?”

Some of you know you’ve been exposed but can’t find a practitioner who takes it seriously. Some are connecting the dots between symptoms and an old apartment that always felt a little… off. And almost everyone says the exact same thing: “I had no idea mold could even do that.”

Same. I had no idea either.

So this is what I wish someone had handed me years ago. Save it, screenshot it, send it to the friend who needs it. But before we get into the how, I need you to understand the one thing that changes everything: the order.

Because doing the right things in the wrong order is exactly what made me feel worse :/

…

First, my story (the slow-build kind)

In college, I lived in a house with eight roommates and extremely visible mold. Growing on the other side of walls. In the air vents. God knows where else. (And we’ll get to this- mold is very often NOT visible, which is its whole sneaky thing.)

Here’s what’s interesting though: only a couple of us got noticeably affected. And it looked completely different in each of us.

For me it didn’t start as a cough or a stuffy nose. It started as symptoms I couldn’t connect to anything- dissociation, panic attacks, trouble swallowing, a weird rash on my chest. After graduating it snowballed into more rashes, gut issues, and eventually my first ulcerative colitis flare.

Was mold the singular cause of all of it? Definitely not. Chronic illness is almost never that simple. But I do believe it was one major contributor that took an already overwhelmed system straight past its limit.

It took months- and honestly too many dismissive appointments- before mold was ever considered as part of what was happening in my body. By the time it was, it had already threaded itself into everything: my gut, my skin, my hair, my hormones, my ability to trust my own body at all.

I’m telling you that because I need you to know this isn’t theoretical for me. I didn’t read a study about mold and decide to tell you about it. I lived inside it, got it wrong more times than I can count, and slowly pieced together a healing order that worked.

The rain barrel effect

Picture a rain barrel. Every stressor you carry- mold, infections, gut inflammation, emotional stress, over-exercising/under-eating, poor sleep, nutrient depletion, blood sugar chaos- adds water to the barrel. For a while, the barrel holds. You’re “fine.” (This is exactly why I lived in that house for almost the entire lease feeling totally normal before anything went wrong.)

Then one more stressor tips it over the edge, and the barrel overflows. That’s usually when symptoms start showing up across multiple systems at once, seemingly out of nowhere.

The overflow is what we notice. But it was never about that final drop. It was about too much, for too long, without enough support to process it all.

Why some people get sick and others don’t

This is also why you can live with a partner- or eight roommates- and only some people crumble.

Exposure level, immune history, existing conditions, stress load, and genetics all shape how someone responds. Variants in genes like HLA & MTHFR may influence how a body handles inflammation or clears certain toxins. (Big caveat: these genes alone do not mean someone will develop mold-related illness. They’re one piece, not a verdict.)

That variability is also a huge reason mold gets dismissed. I saw way too many doctors who looked at me like I had three heads. “This isn’t really a thing.” If you’ve been told your labs are “normal” while your body is very clearly not- I see you, and you’re not imagining it!!!!

…

A quick mold 101, because context matters

Mold is a fungus that thrives in damp environments and releases microscopic spores into the air. Some molds also produce mycotoxins- aka toxic compounds made by the mold, not the mold itself. Not every mold produces them; it depends on the species and the conditions.

In a water-damaged building, exposure usually happens by breathing in spores. With contaminated food, it’s through eating it. Skin contact happens too. Basically: how you’re exposed depends on the source.

Now, here’s where I want to go a little deeper- because “mold messes with your immune system and gut” gets said constantly and almost never actually explained. And understanding how is what finally made my own symptoms make sense.

What happens to an overburdened immune system

When your body meets mold, your immune system flags it as foreign and responds. For some people that’s a classic allergic reaction- and the strongest research actually links moldy buildings to respiratory symptoms, which, funny enough, was never my experience. For others it shows up as inflammation in places that seem totally unrelated to your sinuses: fatigue, headaches, brain fog, anxiety, rashes, fungal acne, weight changes.

But here’s the part I find genuinely fascinating, and it’s so aligned with how I see health- mycotoxins don’t just do one thing to your immune system. They can do two opposite things. In the research, lower or shorter exposures tend to rev up inflammation, while higher or longer exposures tend to suppress immune function. Not one or the other. Both, depending on dose and time!!!!

That “and” is everything. It means a body dealing with mold can be inflamed and under-defended at the same time- running hot with inflammation while also being less able to fight off whatever comes next. Which is exactly why so many of us in this world end up tangled in Candida, gut infections, histamine issues, and that “I take forever to bounce back” feeling. It’s not in your head. A distracted, depleted immune system simply has fewer resources for everything else.

Mast cells and histamine

Mast cells are immune cells that dump histamine the second they sense a threat. So mold can flare histamine symptoms in someone already sensitive- the rashes, hives, congestion, that wired histamine-y anxiety- and some believe it can help trigger that sensitivity in the first place. (Spoiler alert: this is why natural antihistamines show up later in my protocol.)

What happens to an overburdened gut

This is the one that’s near and dear to me, since my whole story runs straight through my gut.

Your gut lining is supposed to be a smart, selective filter- letting nutrients through while keeping bacteria, food particles and other things meant to stay in your gut from crossing into your bloodstream. What holds that barrier together is a set of proteins. Think of them as the grout sealing your gut cells together.

Mycotoxins can degrade that grout. In study after study, they loosen those tight junctions and make the gut wall more permeable- the thing you’ve probably heard called “leaky gut.” Once the barrier gets leaky, things that should’ve stayed put slip through and set off even more immune activation and inflammation. So now your gut and your immune system are feeding each other in a loop.

On top of that, mycotoxins can shift your microbiome toward dysbiosis (hi, yeast and fungal overgrowth thriving in the chaos), thin out the protective mucus layer, and make it harder to absorb the very nutrients your body needs to detox and repair in the first place.

You can probably feel the cruel little spiral forming: mold burdens the gut → the gut gets leaky and inflamed → that ramps up the immune system → which is already distracted and depleted by the mold → which leaves even less capacity to heal the gut. Round and round. This is exactly why “just take a binder” was never going to fix me (and doesn’t fix most people). You have to address the whole loop!!

…

Your nervous system deserves as much attention as any supplement

This is the part almost everyone skips- and it’s where a lot of the real damage happens.

When your body’s stuck in survival mode, pushing detox too hard can absolutely backfire. In fight-or-flight, your body pours its energy into surviving- not detoxing, digesting, or repairing. Cortisol stays high, inflammation lingers, and your ability to actually clear mycotoxins tanks. One of Dr. Jill Crista’s core teachings basically comes down to this: you can’t detox if you’re depleted.

But here’s the nuance I refuse to skip, because I lived it: if your system is deeply dysregulated, “just feel safe first” can be kind of a cruel joke. You can’t always flip that switch on command- and waiting to feel perfectly calm before you’re “allowed” to start can leave you stuck for years. So I don’t think of nervous-system work as a gate you have to clear before the real protocol begins. I think of it as part of the protocol- something that deserves the same time, effort, and priority as any binder or supplement, running right alongside them from day one.

This was genuinely the hardest lesson for me. I’m a doer- when I feel bad, my instinct is to attack the problem with more supplements, more protocols, more control. But my body didn’t need me to attack anything. It needed consistent proof, over time, that it was safe. So no matter where you start, the whole approach is low and slow. Steadiness over intensity, every single time > > >

…

The order I actually followed

Okay. Here’s the framework I’ve come to trust- and the reason I keep saying order. Bioindividuality always matters, this isn’t a prescription, and nothing here replaces working with a medical professional who knows your full picture. But this is the sequence.

Step 1: Reduce the exposure. First. Always.

You can’t fully clear mycotoxins while you’re still marinating in them. No binder, no supplement, no protocol outworks continuous exposure. So step one is finding the moisture source and remediating it!

Look for musty smells, past flooding, leaks, water stains, bubbling or peeling paint, warped floors, condensation, or surfaces that always feel damp. Check the sneaky spots: under sinks, behind the fridge, around pipes, windows, AC units, and washing machines.

I’ve moved a few times in the last few years, and my mom has become an honest-to-god pro at sniffing mold out with me :) It can be helpful to walk through the space after it rains. Use your senses when you tour a place. If it smells suspiciously covered up by air freshener or fresh paint, that’s information.

But what if you can’t just break your lease? So many of us can’t. You are not powerless!! Start with what’s in your control- and honestly, the next few steps are exactly that.

Step 2: Test smart (environment first, body second)

If you’re going to test, that’s generally the order.

For your environment, the easiest at-home option is an ERMI test- you leave it out, collect the sample, and mail it to a specialized lab for DNA analysis. Even better if you can bring in an environmental professional to actually locate moisture, inspect ventilation and pipes, and guide targeted testing.

For your body, there are urine-based mycotoxin panels- like the MycoTOX Profile from Mosaic Diagnostics (the lab formerly known as Great Plains Laboratory). Some practitioners also layer in an Organic Acids Test, among others.

My slightly spicy take: if mold is already obvious and I’m on a tight budget, I’d personally spend my money testing my body. The big exception- if you need environmental documentation for a landlord, a legal case, or a remediation plan, then professional home testing is 100% worth it!!!!

Step 3: Purify your air

So many mold toxins are airborne, and you spend a huge chunk of your life breathing your bedroom air. Get a properly sized, true HEPA + activated carbon purifier as soon as you can. It won’t pull mold out of your walls- but it can meaningfully bring down airborne spores and toxins, and clean air where you sleep is the non-negotiable for me.

Open your windows when you can. Spend as much time outside as your life allows.

These are my favorite air purifier options across a few price points <3

Step 4: Eat to lower the burden

A temporary lower-mold diet can take real pressure off the system. Common things people reduce/remove temporarily: sugar, alcohol, yeast-heavy foods (bread, beer, baked goods), moldy cheeses, and conventional coffee (a high-mycotoxin crop- plenty of brands now test for mycotoxins if you don’t want to give it up). Some protocols also pull back on grains like wheat, barley, rye, and corn.

Then (and this matters just as much) add the good stuff in!!! Antioxidants & bioflavonoids to help calm inflammation: berries, citrus, green tea, and fresh herbs like parsley, rosemary, turmeric. Cruciferous veggies and bitter greens to support your liver. Healthy fats, because mycotoxins are fat-soluble and partly leave through bile. And if methylated B vitamins are right for you (hi again, MTHFR), a lot of people feel the difference.

Step 5: Open your drainage BEFORE you bind anything!!!!!

This is the step people skip straight past to the exciting supplements- and it’s exactly where things go sideways. Your body needs open exits before you start mobilizing toxins, or they just get reabsorbed and recirculated, causing more inflammation/symptoms.

The order I follow:

1. Hydrate: filtered water (+ minerals/electrolytes) until your pee is consistently light yellow.

2. Daily bowel movements: at least one complete BM every single day. This has to be sorted before binders enter the convo. If you’re not going daily, that’s the assignment.

3. Move your lymph: walking, rebounding, dry brushing, castor oil packs, there are a lot of great/free ways to do this.

4. Sweat: sauna, movement, or an Epsom salt bath (magnesium + heat, and so much cheaper than a sauna. I’m obsessed).

5. Sleep: 7+ hours. Repair and detox are sleep-dependent.

Step 6: Then bring in binders

Only once you’re eliminating daily do binders actually make sense. They latch onto the mobilized toxins and escort them out through your stool so they don’t just get reabsorbed and recirculated. Working with a practitioner to personalize this part is my highest rec- partly because different molds can call for different binders. Take them away from food and meds (they’ll happily grab your nutrients too), start low, and go slow. If you get constipated or flare, that’s not a cue to push harder- it’s your body asking for more foundational support first.

A few different binders I’ve taken throughout the years: Biocidin GI Detox, CellCore binder, and Quicksilver Ultra Binder.

Also food-based binders rock!!! Soluble-fiber-rich foods like beans and psyllium husk did a lot of heavy lifting for me. Gentle, nourishing, and they keep things moving.

Step 7: Glutathione & phosphatidylcholine (advanced and not for everyone yet)

Glutathione is your master antioxidant and genuinely amazing for mold detox- but timing is everything. I only brought it in once my drainage was open, sleep was decent, and my symptoms had calmed down a little bit. Liposomal, s-acetyl, or IV forms tend to absorb best!!!

My favorite’s are: BodyBio’s Liposomal Glutathione (code EATSWITHALE for 15% off), and Quicksilver’s Liposomal Glutathione.

Phosphatidylcholine (PC) came in around the same stage for me, and the two just make sense together. Here's the logic: mycotoxins are fat-soluble, so they love to tuck into your cell membranes and leave through bile. PC is a raw material for both- it helps rebuild the membranes mold frays and keep bile flowing, so those fat-soluble toxins actually have a way out instead of getting reabsorbed and recirculating.

This one from BodyBio is my favorite (the same EATSWITHALE code works!)

Step 8: Natural antihistamines, for relief along the way

Mold ramps up histamine load, so this is what helped me manage the rashes and that histamine-y anxiety while I worked on the root. Things people reach for: quercetin, vitamin C, stinging nettle, and NAC (bonus- NAC helps your body make its own glutathione). I also did dabble in OTC antihistamines!

…

How to find a mold-literate practitioner (the part you asked for)

I’ll be so honest: mold illness is complex, nuanced, and deeply individual- especially tangled up with gut issues, histamine sensitivity, and a fried nervous system. The right practitioner can personalize your protocol, order the right testing, and keep you from detoxing blindly. It can be the true difference-maker.

It took me way too long- and way too many appointments where I got looked at like I had three heads- to finally build a team who actually understood this. When I did, everything changed. Not just even because they could order the right tests, but because I stopped feeling crazy. I’ve since become my own researcher and test bunny too, but I would not have gotten here without people who got it.

I’m a coach, not a physician, so I always want people paired with a clinician who can actually test, diagnose, and oversee the more advanced pieces. Here’s where I’d start looking:

• ISEAI (International Society for Environmentally Acquired Illness)- iseai.org. Their “Find a Professional” directory lists physicians and indoor environmental professionals who understand complex, environmentally acquired illness. You can find both your medical team and your home-inspection team in one place.

• Surviving Mold- survivingmold.com. This is Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker’s world, built around CIRS (Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome). You can search for Certified practitioners, and there’s a “Proficiency Partners” list of people trained to help coordinate your case with your attending doctor.

• The named voices, and their networks. Dr. Jill Crista, Dr. Neil Nathan, and Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker are three well known names in the mold space, each with a slightly different framework. Worth following and reading about!

• Functional medicine, broadly. If you already love a functional or integrative provider, ask if they treat mold or can co-manage with someone who does. Some great practitioners aren’t in any mold-specific directory but are very willing to learn alongside you!!!

How to actually vet one (questions I’d ask):

• How do you sequence treatment? (You want to hear something like: symptom support/open drainage → then binders → then advanced support.)

• How do you personalize? (The answer should never be one identical protocol for every human.)

• Will you coordinate with my other providers?

• What does this cost, and what’s typically covered? (Ask up front- this space can get expensive fast. I see quality care as a financial investment, and personally one I've found worth every penny. But make sure whoever you choose truly has your best interest at heart)

If a practitioner dismisses your symptoms, rushes you into aggressive detox, or can’t explain their why- that’s your cue to keep looking. You’re allowed to be picky. This is your body.

…

The most overlooked piece: reminding your body it’s safe

I saved this for last, but honestly it’s the ground everything else stands on.

Breathwork does not remediate a house. But healing- especially while you’re trying to clear something as loaded as mold- does not happen in a vacuum.

When your body’s been under threat for a long time, it’s normal to become hyperaware of every room, every symptom, every food, every sensation. That chronic hypervigilance is exhausting and inflammatory in its own right. Here’s the thing no one told me: for me, the stress of living in mold often felt just as consuming as the exposure itself. The fear layered on top of the fear.

You still take action. You still address the exposure. But you do it while reminding your body, over and over, that not every moment is an emergency-and that you’re doing what you can.

For me, nervous-system regulation has never looked like 60-minute meditations or endless breathwork sessions I dread. It looks like moving my body. Dancing. Music. Unfiltered journaling. Crying when I need to. Time with people who feel safe. Making room for joy. Affirmations that my body is safe and getting stronger every day.

Those practices taught me to trust that my body could move through this instead of constantly bracing for the next symptom. My system became less reactive and so much more responsive to everything else I was doing.

Detox isn’t a race. It’s a conversation with your body. The slower and steadier you go, the more clearly your body can answer. And if you’re in the thick of it right now: I was once convinced I’d never feel like myself again. I did. And if my body could find its way back, yours can too.

…

If any of this resonated- if you’ve been dismissed, gaslit, or told it’s “just anxiety” while your body screams otherwise- I hope this reached you at the right time. I’ll keep sharing what I learn as I go (there’s always more). My DMs are always open 🤍

Just sharing my lived experience and the research that’s shaped it- as someone who’s been through it, not as medical advice. Always work with a qualified practitioner who knows your full story.

Love, Ale

I know what you might be thinking: “Wait, Ale… aren’t boundaries things we set with people?”

And yes… partially. But after four years of healing my body from chronic illness, I can say with certainty that boundaries also exist within our biology.

Let me explain where I’m coming from…

Your gut lining, for example, is one of the most important physical boundaries in your entire body. It decides what’s safe to let in and what needs to stay out. It’s your internal bouncer- scanning food particles, microbes, and antigens like an energetic security guard (I love a good metaphor, sue me).

When the gut lining is strong, it protects you. When it’s thin, overwhelmed, or inflamed, things get in that were never supposed to.

It’s kind of like a nightclub where the bouncer got paid off- suddenly sloppy drunks are inside causing chaos, and the club staff (aka your immune system) is left scrambling to clean up the mess.

The Gut Lining: Your First Physical Boundary

The gut lining is only one cell thick. ONE.

Yet it’s responsible for regulating 70–80% of your immune system. Every nutrient that enters your bloodstream has to pass through this semi-permeable layer of epithelial cells, held together by “tight junctions” that act like little handshakes between cells.

When those handshakes loosen- a condition known as intestinal permeability or leaky gut- undigested food particles, toxins, and bacteria can pass into the bloodstream. The immune system, confused and hypervigilant, begins to attack these foreign invaders.

The result: chronic inflammation, autoimmunity, bloating, fatigue, brain fog, skin rashes, histamine issues- you name it (iykyk).

This is why so many gut conditions- SIBO, candida, parasites, dysbiosis, even mold toxicity- become chronic loops!!! You can treat the “invader,” but if the wall is still breached, new ones find their way in!!!

If you follow me on social, you’ve probably heard me say (way too many times) that healing the gut lining is never just about supplements. It’s about reinforcing your body’s capacity to discern what belongs inside- and what doesn’t.

And that discernment begins way before your first bite of food… it begins with your energy.

Energetic Boundaries: The Invisible Gut Lining

Every system in the body mirrors something deeper.

If your gut lining decides what enters the bloodstream, your energetic body decides what enters your field.

Think of your aura- your unseen energetic boundary- as a vibrational membrane. It filters emotional input the same way your intestinal wall filters physical input. When we’re grounded, resourced, and self-connected, our field is strong. We sense who and what is safe. We know when to say no. We digest emotions rather than absorbing them. We’re highly intuitive.

But when we chronically override our needs, say yes when we mean no, or keep ourselves in toxic environments “because we don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable,” that membrane weakens. We become porous.

Energetic invaders- stress, resentment, criticism, chaos- slip in. And the body, ALWAYS listening, starts to reflect that porousness too.

Now, we don’t need someone in a lab coat or a medical school textbook to validate that this connection exists- because it’s not the kind of information that’s taught in traditional health programs. But if you’ve lived it, you know. The science of it is starting to catch up- think quantum biology, psychoneuroimmunology, and the growing (but still wildly underfunded) studies on energy medicine.

My Personal Leak

Before my 2022 ulcerative colitis diagnosis and what I now know was extreme leaky gut + a shit ton of pathogen overload, I had no. boundaries.

I was the quintessential people-pleaser- saying yes to everything, doing a million things at once, letting anyone (and everyone) close to me, no matter how toxic they were. My subconscious called it “being nice” or “being generous,” but really, I was LEAKING ENERGY EVERYWHERE.

At the time, my environment carried a semi-toxic (but also fun) energy- the kind that keeps you confused because it’s not that bad. The highs were high, but something underneath always felt… off. Many of my relationships carried that same charge. I thought if I could just give more, help more, perform more- I’d feel more valued, more loved.

Sometimes it’s not as obvious as an abusive boss or a blatantly unhealthy relationship. Sometimes it’s just that subtle hum of misalignment- when the nervous system is quietly screaming no, but your logic keeps saying it’s fine. You can’t quite explain why, but everything feels reallyyy f*cking off.

And while poor boundaries weren’t the sole cause of my flare, they absolutely added to the rain barrel that was already overflowing. Chronic stress, stealth infections, 10+ years of disordered eating, mold exposure, and nutritional depletion had already filled it halfway. But every time I overrode my body’s limits in the name of people-pleasing, I was pouring more water in- until eventually, it spilled over.

How could my gut POSSIBLY keep out foreign invaders when I didn’t know how to keep energetic ones out of my own life? Like that would 1) be defying science and 2), honestly, a little unfair to my gut!

Every flare I’ve had since then- and I mean every. single. time. my gut has gone from stable to inflamed- has mirrored a period where my boundaries dissolved. Where my body whispered no, but my mouth said yes.

It’s taken years to realize that the immune system isn’t just reacting to microbes- it’s reacting to messages.

The message I was giving it was:
“Everyone else’s needs matter more than mine.”
“Let everything in. Don’t reject anything.”

That’s when the guard goes down, and the toxins enter- physically, emotionally, spiritually.

Boundaries as Immunity

One of the best lessons I learned in 2025 is that boundaries don’t make us cold; they make us CLEAR!!

A healthy immune system isn’t overreactive or under-reactive- it knows what belongs. It knows how to self-regulate. And so does a person with healthy energetic boundaries.

When we start strengthening both, something shifts:

• Our gut becomes less reactive to foods that once triggered us.

• Our immune system calms down.

• Our nervous system feels less on edge.

• We stop absorbing everyone else’s chaos as our own.

Same mechanism, different language.

The gut lining keeps out pathogens; emotional boundaries keep out energetic ones. Both are forms of self-trust.

What Weakens Our Boundaries (Body + Spirit)

Let’s be clear- there are many things that contribute to leaky gut that are not “emotions”.

Chronic stress, processed food, infections, mold exposure, nutrient deficiencies, excessive alcohol or caffeine, medications, and food sensitivities all play major roles.

But what I’ve seen TIME AFTER TIME- in myself and in clients- is that we often overlook the energetic terrain!!!

When you’re constantly in fight-or-flight mode, your body quite literally reallocates resources away from digestion and repair.

When you override your own needs, your immune system learns to override, too.

When you chronically tolerate what’s not aligned, the gut lining- your most honest boundary- starts doing the same.

You can’t heal in the same frequency that made you sick. And you can’t rebuild your gut wall while your energetic walls stay down!!!!!

Rebuilding the Wall

Boundary repair- like gut repair- isn’t about restriction. It’s about strengthening integrity.

Here’s what that’s looked like for me:

1. Saying no without feeling bad.
Your microbiome doesn’t apologize for killing off bad bacteria. Neither should you for protecting your peace. Sometimes a no is the biggest yes you could say to yourself (or vice versa).

2. Creating calm before chaos.
When I start my day with grounding practices- hertz frequencies (specifically 528), unfiltered journaling, a meditation, sunlight, moving slow, warming bevs and breakfast- my gut stays calmer in the face of unpredictability.

3. Nourishing the wall itself.
Nutrients like L-glutamine, zinc carnosine, vitamin A, omega-3 fatty acids, and collagen peptides (among many others) are all foundational for rebuilding the gut lining and restoring mucosal integrity. I also love soothing foods like aloe vera juice, bone broth, slippery elm, and cooked root veggies that calm inflammation and feed epithelial repair. Designs for Health GI Revive and Biocidin G.I. Inner Calm are my go-to formulas when I need extra support.

4. Reframing detox.
The real detox isn’t just about binders and herbs (though usually necessary at some point)- it’s about clearing what drains you. A toxic environment can’t produce a healed terrain.

5. Practicing discernment.
Whether it’s food, people, or information- discernment is the most underused healing tool we have. Boundaries don’t block love or life; they help you metabolize it safely.

6. Visualization as protection.

I’ve been meeting with Christine Lang, a medical intuitive, who taught me one of my favorite energetic boundary tools. When I’m in situations that carry a lot of toxic energy- crowded rooms, heavy conversations, or emotionally charged environments- I visualize a satellite hovering around me, gently pinging that energy off before it can land.

I’ve also started to imagine Glinda from Wicked floating in her pink bubble and picture myself inside one of my own.

Closing the Loop

The gut is the center of immunity, but it’s also the center of discernment. It knows truth before logic does. It says no through nausea or “IBS” and yes through calm.

Learning to listen to it- to respect the line between what nourishes and what depletes- is the ultimate boundary practice.

So if you’re chasing SIBO or candida or “mystery inflammation” for the fifth time, know this:
Yes, test, treat, and support the physical body. But also ask…
“Where am I still letting in what doesn’t belong?”
“What am I swallowing to stay liked, accepted, or safe?”
“What truth is trying to move through me that I keep suppressing?”

Because every time we ignore those questions, the gut keeps asking them for us- through symptoms, sensitivities, and flares.

Boundaries aren’t walls; they’re membranes. They keep the world in flow without letting it flood you. And when they’re strong- body, mind, and spirit- you can move through even the most toxic terrain without letting any of it seep inside.

Last weekend, I was deep in one of those long, soul-spilling convos with my best friends, and somewhere between the laughter and low-key existential spiraling, a download came through that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about.

We were all circling around the same feeling- that moment when life is actually going well, things are aligned, you’re doing the work, relationships are safe… and suddenly you feel MORE emotional. More anxious. More fear. (Honestly, theme of my life right now.)

So I wanted to share the thought that came through that’s been helping me make sense of it all.

The Faucet Theory

When a faucet’s been rusted shut for years, you don’t get it moving with a gentle nudge. You brace yourself, grip hard, and twist with all your strength. That first motion takes effort- force, even. But once the faucet finally loosens, the water doesn’t trickle out gently.

It POURS.

This is how I’ve come to explain what healing often feels like.

The Faucet Theory is a metaphor for the strange and often disorienting truth that getting better doesn’t always feel better right away. In fact, sometimes, the more you invest in your healing- leaving the toxic job, starting therapy, putting nutrition and health first, doing the trauma work, regulating your nervous system, prioritizing safety- the more chaotic it can all suddenly feel.

Because the faucet is FINALLY MOVING!!!!!

Because the system that once kept everything tightly shut- your mind, your body, your survival state- is now allowing things to flow. And when we talk about “flow” in healing, we’re not just talking about joy and light and gratitude journals. We’re talking about tears. Rage. Panic. Grief. Shame. All the emotions that were frozen in time. The backlog. The ones that got shoved down to survive.

Safety Makes Space

Here’s the paradox: we don’t process trauma in survival mode. We store it. We suppress it.

Our nervous system- specifically the autonomic branch- shifts into fight, flight, or freeze to keep us going.

But healing isn’t about pushing through anymore. It’s about slowing down. And when we slow down- when the body finally registers safety- those stored experiences finally have permission to rise to the surface.

This is why so many people say things like:

• “I started a detox and suddenly I’m breaking out like crazy.”

• “I finally found a good partner, and now all my attachment stuff is exploding.”

• “All these great things are happening to me, but I’ve never cried this much.”

This is your body’s backlog of emotional data saying, “Okay, now that we’re safe... can we finally deal with this?”

Why Healing Brings the Mess Up

From a neurobiological lens, the vagus nerve (a major part of the parasympathetic nervous system) helps regulate our rest, digestion, and emotional processing. When your vagal tone improves- through breathwork, therapy, safety, nourishment, whatever it is that you’re doing- you shift from survival to regulation.

But regulation isn’t numb. It’s actually FEELING EVERYTHING YOU COULDN’T BEFORE!!!!

It’s not that the water wasn’t always there. It’s that you finally got the faucet moving.

It Feels Messy Because It’s Moving

So to anyone feeling more emotional in the moments where life is actually aligning- let it flow. Let the water run. If everything is energy, and energy cannot be destroyed (and if we’re made of about 70% water) then your tears are your body’s way of moving that energy. Clearing out stagnation. Letting old trauma finally rise and exit.

And it isn’t until that release happens- until the water has really run through- that you’ll feel the peace you were searching for when you started turning the faucet in the first place. <3

“I want to eat healthier, but it’s just soooo expensive.”

And I get it. The wellness space often makes “healthy eating” look like $12 lattes, boutique superfood powders, and imported matcha… things that can feel… out of reach for most.

But here’s the thing (and it’s the most important thing to relay): You don’t need fancy superfoods to eat healthy. In fact, the basics (the meals you eat and consume regularly, built around protein, healthy fats, and fiber), are farrrrr more essential.

If you’ve felt stuck between eating healthy and sticking to your budget, you’re not alone. I’m right there with you- and as a functional health coach, I promise you can support your gut, hormones, and energy without spending a fortune.

Here’s exactly how I approach grocery shopping to feel my best while staying within budget.

Fiber Over Fancy

If you take nothing else away from this, take this: Prioritize fiber over perfection.

Fiber is one of the MOST IMPORTANT inputs for your gut microbiome. It feeds your beneficial bacteria, supports healthy digestion, and plays a critical role in detoxification, particularly for hormone detox and estrogen clearance.

If your budget feels tight, I’d prioritize getting enough fiber in your diet over having every single item be organic.

The Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 Are Your Best Friends

You do not need to buy all organic everything.

If you’ve never heard of the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15, they’re lists created by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) that rank produce based on pesticide residue.

Dirty Dozen: These are the 12 fruits and vegetables most contaminated with pesticides. If you can swing it, buy these organic when possible.

Clean 15: These are the 15 fruits and vegetables with the lowest pesticide residue, making them safer to buy non-organic.

Why this matters: Buying non-organic from the Clean 15 (kiwi, cabbage, onion, asparagus etc.) lowers your costs significantly while still allowing you to get fiber-rich, nutrient-dense produce on your plate.

Tip: Buying produce that’s in season is usually cheaper and fresher. A summer cucumber will always taste better (and cost less) than one in January.

Don’t Sleep on Canned Beans

Canned beans are one of the most budget-friendly, gut and hormone healthy staples you can keep in your pantry. They’re high in fiber, plant-based protein, and versatile.

One of my favorite easy meal prep ideas is a bean salad:

• Toss canned beans with chopped cucumbers, carrots, and herbs.

• Add olive oil, lemon, and salt.

• Mix in some quinoa.

Affordable, satiating, and gut-friendly.

The Freezer Aisle is Underrated

The freezer aisle has saved me more times than I can count!!!

Frozen fruits and vegetables are often cheaper than fresh, last longer (reducing waste), and are picked at peak ripeness, meaning they can have higher antioxidant content than their fresh counterparts.

Personally, I only buy frozen berries for this reason. Fresh berries are one of the most pesticide-heavy fruits on the Dirty Dozen and can be wildly expensive, while a bag of frozen organic berries can last you weeks.

Stock your freezer with:

• Frozen broccoli, spinach, and kale for smoothies and stir-fries.

• Frozen berries for oatmeal and yogurt bowls.

• Frozen peas and carrots for easy meal add-ins.

Where to Prioritize Quality: Animal Products

If you’re going to splurge anywhere in your grocery budget, let it be here.

Hormones and antibiotics in low-quality meat and dairy can disrupt your own hormones and gut microbiome, contributing to inflammation and imbalance.

When possible, prioritize:

• Pasture-raised eggs

• Grass-fed beef

• Organic dairy and poultry

But this doesn’t mean you need to buy filet mignon every week. Ground meats are often more affordable while still offering high-quality protein and healthy fats.

Tinned fish (like sardines and wild-caught salmon) is another budget-friendly, nutrient-dense, shelf-stable option rich in omega-3s, protein, and calcium.

Simplify Your Pantry Staples

You don’t need a collection of 10 oils cluttering your cabinet.

Invest in one high-quality, stable cooking oil, like avocado oil or ghee. Both are heat-stable, won’t oxidize easily, and can be used for most cooking needs.

A Small Tip That Actually Helps Me A Lot: Batch Cooking to Reduce Impulse Buys

A small tip that helps me a lot: batch-cook basics like rice, roasted veggies, and proteins. It prevents impulse takeout purchases and overpriced snack runs, while keeping you aligned with your health goals.

Seasoning is Everything

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be bland. Find one or two seasoning blends you love to make meals more enjoyable.

Favorites:

• Trader Joe’s Everything But The Bagel on veggies

• Garlic powder + smoked paprika + sea salt on everything

Access to fresh food and time to cook is a privilege many don’t have. If you can plan your grocery trips, choose your produce, and cook, it’s worth honoring and using well.

And remember: food is fuel and nutrients. While you can adjust choices to fit your budget, food is also an investment in your health now that can prevent issues later.

• You don’t need everything organic

  • Use the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15

  • Canned beans are your fiber bestie

• The freezer aisle is gold

• Prioritize quality in animal products

  • Ground meats and tinned fish help

• One good cooking oil is enough

• Season your food with blends so you enjoy it

• Batch-cooking helps you save and stay consistent

• Simplicity will take you further than perfection ever will

You can eat well and feel well without spending your entire paycheck at the grocery store. Your gut, hormones, and energy will ALWAYS thank you for showing up for yourself, even in small, budget-conscious ways!!!

I ate “clean,” followed trendy health rules, and was laser-focused on staying “skinny.” But beneath the surface? I was running on fumes. Most of my meals were built for volume, not nourishment—giant raw salads with no real substance, ultra-processed protein bars with greenwashed labels, energy drinks for breakfast, and coffee on an empty stomach.

I lived in a restrict-binge cycle for over a decade—one that slowly wrecked my gut, overloaded my liver, and left me wide open to every toxin I came into contact with. Mold, parasites, heavy metals, endocrine disruptors—you name it, I absorbed it. And I didn’t realize that what I was letting into my body was just as damaging as what I was trying so hard to get out.

Emotionally, I was holding just as much. I wasn’t processing. I carried fear, abandoned my own boundaries, and let chronic stress and overwhelm live in my system rent-free.

Eventually, my “rain barrel” (as Stephen Cabral puts it) overflowed. All those years of restriction, overcompensation, self-sabotage, and self-loathing culminated in a massive ulcerative colitis flare. (That’s a whole story of its own.) But what I didn’t realize back then is that this diagnosis wasn’t a life sentence—it was a signal. A deeply inflamed SOS that my body couldn’t keep compensating for the chaos I was putting it through.

A huge part of my UC remission came down to something surprisingly simple: I started eating real food. Not bars. Not powders. Actual, nutrient-dense meals. With the support of both conventional and holistic care, my body finally (slowly) started to rebalance. And when I began working with functional practitioners and running deeper labs, it became clear that my system was still holding onto years of internal debris.

I had overgrowths of unwanted microbes (parasites, bad bacteria). High levels of mold. A sluggish liver. Sky-high oxidative stress.

I needed to detox.

Not the Instagram-influencer “drink this for 7 days and glow” kind. The deep, cellular, strategic kind.

And to be honest? It felt gross. Being told you have pathogens, toxins, and parasites living in your body is deeply uncomfortable. My first instinct was to eliminate, restrict, starve, cleanse, scrub it all out in any way I could.

But now? I see that mindset as ironically toxic.

We’re taught that our bodies are broken or dirty. So when it’s time to heal, we default to extremes. But real detoxification isn’t about punishment. And it’s definitely not just about elimination.

That’s when I started to learn what detox actually requires.

Detox Is a Multi-Step, Nutrient-Intensive Process

Here’s the reality: detox isn’t a one-step purge. It’s a multi-step biochemical process that requires serious nutritional support. Inspired by one of my favorite visuals from applied functional medicine school (see below), here’s the breakdown:

You can’t detox without nutrients. Period.

Breaking down the image above:

Phase 0: Exposure

This is where you encounter toxins—both endotoxins (like hormone metabolites or microbial byproducts) and exotoxins (like pesticides, medications, plastics, or additives).

Phase I: Activation

Your liver uses enzymes to transform fat-soluble toxins into intermediate compounds. Sounds good, right?

Well, this step creates reactive oxygen species—aka the unstable, inflammatory byproducts that can actually damage tissues if they’re not handled properly.

This phase relies heavily on:

• All B Vitamins (especially B2, B3, B6)

• Glutathione

• Branched-chain amino acids

• Flavonoids

• Phospholipids

Phase II: Conjugation

Here, your liver “tags” the intermediate toxins from Phase I so they can be safely excreted.

This is where you need:

• Amino acids (glycine, cysteine, methionine, taurine)

• Glutamine

• Sulfur compounds

• Methylation nutrients (like B12 and folate)

• Antioxidants like glutathione

If these nutrients are lacking, toxins can get stuck in the reactive intermediate phase, which creates inflammation, free radicals, and oxidative stress—ironically, more of the very thing you’re trying to detox from.

Phase III: Elimination

Finally, the “conjugated” toxins get excreted through:

• Bile → stool

• Kidneys → urine

But guess what?
If you’re not pooping, peeing, or sweating well, none of that matters. Which brings me to the next layer:

You Can’t Detox What You Can’t Eliminate

At one point, I was so focused on killing off pathogens and binding toxins that I completely ignored whether or not I was actually eliminating them.

If your detox pathways aren’t open—i.e., if you’re constipated, your bile isn’t flowing, or your lymph is stagnant—you’re essentially recirculating toxins.

You can’t flush a system that isn’t flowing. You can’t wring out a sponge that hasn’t been filled.

That’s why I now spend just as much time with clients working on:

• Supporting daily bowel movements

• Enhancing bile flow

• Optimizing mitochondrial energy production

• Regulating the nervous system

• Moving lymph through hydration, breathwork, and physical activity

The Missing Piece: Nutrients First

When I was in the thick of my initial detoxing, I was dealing with:

• B-vitamin deficiencies

• Low amino acids from years of protein restriction

• Oxidative stress with poor antioxidant reserves

• Leaky gut and poor nutrient absorption

• Nervous system dysregulation

Even if you're eating the right foods, if your gut is leaky, you might not be absorbing or utilizing nutrients properly.

Only when I focused on replenishing nutrients, sealing my gut lining, and opening up my detox pathways did I feel a shift:

• My energy came back

• My brain fog lifted

• My skin (seborrheic dermatitis + eczema) started healing

• My hormones began to stabilize

• I started cycling again

• I stopped crashing after every “detox support” treatment

The Truth About “Feeling Worse Before You Feel Better”

A common line in the "detox world is:
“If you feel awful, it’s working.”

But often, that’s not detox—it’s just poor preparation.

If your liver doesn’t have the nutrients it needs to process and neutralize toxins, and your gut doesn’t have the support to eliminate them, you’re just stirring the pot without a way out. That’s not healing—it’s just inflaming an already fragile system.

The “Clean Girl” Detox Trap

Let’s also talk about the psychological layer.

When I learned I had mold, parasites, and other unwanted microbes in my body, I felt... gross. Like something needed to be “purged.” But that mindset—this idea that the body is “dirty” and needs to be purified—is its own form of toxicity.

We are host organisms. We co-exist with trillions of microbes. Some are helpful, some are not. But the goal isn’t to nuke everything—it’s to restore balance.

So if you’re approaching detox from a place of fear, shame, or desperation to “cleanse,” ask yourself:

• Am I nourishing my body enough to support this work?

• Am I trying to shortcut healing by skipping to elimination?

• Am I viewing myself as toxic—which only adds to the stress my body’s already carrying?

EWA’s Detox Checklist

Before you invest in the colonics, IVs, or ozone therapies (all can be very useful when done correctly), ask yourself:

• Am I eating enough nutrient-dense food daily—especially protein, healthy fats, and FIBER?

• Am I pooping at least once a day? (Hydration, magnesium, fiber, nervous system support)

• Am I supporting bile flow and lymphatic drainage? (Staying hydrated, moving daily/contracting muscles, bitters, dry brushing)

• Am I getting enough B vitamins, amino acids, and antioxidants?

• Am I sleeping, hydrating, and breathing deeply? (Think: mineralized water, vagus nerve support, REAL rest)

• Am I using cleaner, low-tox product alternatives when possible? (Think: nontoxic body care, fragrance-free home products, glass over plastic)

• Have I addressed my gut health and lining so I’m actually absorbing nutrients?

Because true detox starts with what you put in—not just what you take out.

You don’t need to be perfect.
But if you’re serious about healing, you do need to be nourished.

Start there.

And if you found this helpful, make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss future posts. You can also follow me on Instagram @eatswithale for more wellness content, daily tips, and updates on my upcoming coaching program in collaboration with Birchwell Clinic.

SM LOVE,
Ale

Seasonal allergies have totally been taking me down recently, and every year, I’m reminded of just how interconnected our systems are. Histamine isn’t just about sneezing and itchy eyes—it also affects our nervous system and mood. I’ve personally noticed a direct link between histamine flares and increased anxiety, restlessness, and even sleep disruptions.

Honestly, the winter-to-spring transition should've been my cue to get proactive—but I didn't. 😅 Now, I'm in the midst of a histamine flare, and it's alwayssss humbling. Writing this has been a cathartic outlet, and I hope that by sharing, we can all support each other during peak allergy season.

So, here's what I'm personally doing to get out of this flare and, fingers crossed, prevent it from coming back or getting worse:

Wait—What Is Histamine, and Why Does It Affect My Mood?

Most people know histamine as the thing that causes allergy symptoms. But the truth is, histamine is actually a chemical messenger that plays a role in digestion, immunity, and even brain function. It’s part of your body’s stress and immune response—and it doesn’t just stay in your sinuses. It affects your whole system, especially your nervous system.

Here’s what happens:

When your body senses a “threat” (like pollen, mold, a virus, emotional stress, or even certain foods), it releases histamine.

Histamine increases blood flow and inflammation so immune cells can respond quickly. That’s helpful in the short term—but it also stimulates your brain and nervous system, especially if levels get too high.

Histamine can cross the blood-brain barrier, which is why some people experience symptoms like:

• Racing thoughts

• Restlessness or anxiety

• Sleep disruptions

• Heart palpitations or a “buzzed” feeling

But Not Everyone Reacts the Same...

For some people, histamine is no big deal. Their body makes it, breaks it down, and moves on. But for others—especially those with a history of nervous system dysregulation (think chronic stress, trauma, gut issues, or burnout)—histamine can build up faster than it gets cleared.

This is where the concept of histamine intolerance comes in. It’s not about being “allergic” to histamine—it’s about your body struggling to process and detox it efficiently.

And yes, it all comes back to nervous system health.
If your body is constantly in fight-or-flight mode, it produces more histamine and becomes less equipped to break it down.

Think of Histamine Like a Bucket

Every day, your body encounters histamine from different sources:

• Seasonal allergens

• High-histamine foods

• Stress

• Hormonal shifts

• Poor detox pathways

• Gut imbalances

When your “histamine bucket” fills up too much—and too quickly—that’s when symptoms spill over: congestion, flushing, skin issues, insomnia, irritability, and yes… anxiety.

The goal isn’t to eliminate histamine completely (your body needs some)—it’s to drain the bucket so your system can stay regulated and responsive, not reactive.

As someone who’s highlyyy sensitive to histamine, I’ve found that managing my symptoms during allergy season requires a multifaceted approach. Here’s what’s been helping me:

1. I Support My Body with Histamine-Lowering Herbs & Nutrients

When I start feeling the first wave of symptoms, I bring in some of my favorite nutrients that help stabilize mast cells and lower the histamine load in my system.

Some of my favorites:

• Nettle leaf: Naturally antihistamine and anti-inflammatory.

• Quercetin: A bioflavonoid that helps prevent histamine release.

• Vitamin C: Depletes quickly when we’re inflamed; helps regulate immune response.

• Bromelain: An enzyme from pineapple that enhances absorption of other antihistamines.

I personally use:

• Organic Olivia’s Spring Defense Tonic

• A nettles tincture

• Aller-All by Protocol for Life (you need a practitioner for this, but I also like HistaminX by Seeking Health, which is available online)

2. DAO Enzyme for Food-Related Histamine

If you’re someone who reacts to high-histamine foods (more on that below), DAO can be a game-changer. DAO (diamine oxidase) is the enzyme responsible for breaking down histamine in the gut, and low levels can make you more reactive to otherwise healthy foods.

I take it before meals that include even mild triggers during peak allergy season.

3. Zyrtec—& Sometimes Pepcid—When I Really Need It

I prefer natural support most of the time, but if I’m experiencing allergy symptoms that start to feel like panic attacks—think heart and thoughts racing, chest tightness, extreme anxiety—Zyrtec really helps me (personally).

It’s not something I do every day, but I’ve learned not to shame myself for using conventional tools when I need immediate relief. Often, it’s the signal I need that this is histamine, not just anxiety or overwhelm.

Sometimes I Combine It with Pepcid

Combining Pepcid (famotidine) and Zyrtec (cetirizine) is a pretty common strategy for managing more intense histamine flares—especially when symptoms aren’t fully controlled by one med alone.

Here’s why this combo works:

1. They block different histamine receptors

   • Zyrtec blocks H1 receptors, which help reduce:

     • Sneezing

     • Runny nose

     • Itchy eyes

     • Skin rashes or hives

   • Pepcid blocks H2 receptors, which are mostly in the stomach but also contribute to:

     • Systemic histamine responses

     • Flushing or swelling

     • GI symptoms triggered by histamine intolerance

This dual-action approach can be a game-changer when you’re dealing with both skin and gut symptoms, or when histamine feels like it’s affecting your whole system.

4. Nervous System Support = Non-Negotiable

This might be the most underrated allergy tool: your nervous system. When your body perceives stress—whether it’s emotional, physical, or environmental—it produces more histamine as part of the fight-or-flight response. So calming the nervous system is a direct way to reduce histamine symptoms.

Here’s what I lean on:

• Low-impact movement (think Pilates classes, mobility work, or stretching instead of high-intensity workouts). I’ve also been lovinggggg Alo Moves lately (14-Day Free Trial)—it’s the perfect mix of restorative yet challenging movement. The classes help me feel grounded without overexerting myself.

• Long walks outdoors, especially in the morning sun. Pair this with music, hertz frequencies, FaceTiming a friend… literal medicine. Avoiding the outdoors is never my solution because it's also needed for a healthy nervous system.

• Infrared sauna sessions (so grounding for inflammation & detox)

• Journaling, especially JournalSpeak (basically just an unfiltered journal dump), which helps me process suppressed emotions and release internal pressure

• Breathwork using the OPEN app (30 day free trial here) — this is huge for downshifting into parasympathetic mode and supporting digestion, hormones, and mood regulation

• Adaptogens and nervous system supportive nutrients! Taking daily adrenal and mood support (beyond allergy season) is always helpful. I lean on things like Saffron, L-theanine, B6, magnesium, and occasional ashwaganda. It's important to note that the world of adaptogens is highly individual. What works for one person might not work for another, so it's essential to find what resonates with your body. I recommend consulting with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement regimen!

When the body feels safe, symptoms shift.

5. I Temporarily Pull Back on High-Histamine Foods

This one stings, but it works.

For about a week or so during peak allergy flares, I steer clear of foods that are naturally high in histamine or that trigger histamine release (doing this now). It’s not forever—it’s just a seasonal adjustment that gives my body space to recalibrate.

Here’s what I cut back on:

• Strawberries

• Avocados

• Bone broth

• Chocolate (this one hurts)

• Fermented foods (kombucha, sauerkraut, kefir, etc.)

• Aged cheeses

• Citrus

• Tinned fish

• Tomato

• Caffeine (will be limiting because my matcha brings me too much joy)

These foods aren’t bad. I actually eat most of them regularly. But during allergy season, my bucket overflows a little faster, and cutting these out temporarily helps me feel more stable.

I hope you find these strategies as helpful as I have. Take a deep breath, keep experimenting with what works for you, and remember—this is all about finding your balance and giving your body the space to be well!!!!<3<3<3

For years, I believed these habits were the only thing keeping me “good.” I told myself I was wired to “do more” than everyone else—where “ease” felt like giving up or losing control. This hyper-focus on being “perfect” soon bled into my college years, where I juggled academic overload and entrepreneurial pursuits by turning to Adderall—an addiction that only deepened my cycle of stress, malnourishment, and body distrust. I insisted I was “healthy” because I chewed gum to skip meals, lived on protein bars, and chugged caffeinated fitness drinks—sometimes working out two or three times a day. But under the surface, my gut barrier was getting shredded, my immune system was faltering, and my HPA axis (the body’s stress system) was on the edge of burnout.

Now, over a decade and a half later, I’m finally recognizing just how much my personality type shaped what my body and mind went through—and that realization is incredibly validating. It’s also led me into a deep fascination with holistic health, psychology, and the art of piecing ourselves back together after we’ve been overextended.

And by the way, no—you’re not crazy if your hair is falling out, you’re getting random rashes, and your self-talk sounds like a military drill sergeant. It’s all connected. My hope is that sharing these insights helps anyone with a similar drive see the bigger picture sooner, so they can embrace real long-lasting healing.

Below, we’ll explore why perfectionism is so intimately tied to chronic conditions—especially gut imbalances, hormone dysregulation, autoimmune flares, and nervous system dysfunction—and how you can break free from the cycle.

So lets get into it… <3

At its core, perfectionism can feel like a never-ending quest to prove our worth. Many of us who struggle with it worry that if we don’t outwork, outachieve, or outdo the next person, we might risk losing acceptance or love. This deeply rooted fear often spills over into our boundaries—or lack thereof. Saying “no,” taking a break, or even advocating for our own needs can become nearly impossible when there’s always something more we believe we should be doing.

How Perfectionism Weakens Boundaries

• Earning Rest, Care, or Love: Perfectionists often feel rest has to be earned. We push ourselves to the brink, convinced our value lies in how much we can produce or accomplish.

• Overextending to Avoid Disappointing Others: The fear of letting people down can lead us to fill every spare moment with tasks—work demands, social events, family obligations. We say “yes” to keep others happy, even when our energy is running on fumes.

• Conditioned to Serve, Not Receive: Self-worth becomes tied to being useful. Voicing personal needs can feel selfish or unproductive, so we stay quiet—leaving our boundaries unspoken, flimsy, or altogether absent.

The Science: Why Weak Boundaries Hurt Your Nervous System

*Disclaimer: I’ve found that real-world metaphors can make complex science more approachable. So we’ll be using a lot of them…:)

The Laptop Metaphor: Picture your mind and body like a laptop with dozens of open browser tabs—each representing a responsibility, worry, or unmet need. Even if you’re not actively clicking every tab, they’re still running in the background, draining battery power and cranking the fan to full blast. If you don’t close or minimize some of these tabs (i.e., set boundaries, take breaks, or delegate), the laptop overheats, slows down, and risks crashing.

How Weak Boundaries Relate to Your Nervous System

1. Cortisol Imbalances

   • Science: Chronically elevated or dysregulated cortisol (regulated in part by the HPA axis or your body’s stress control center) impairs immune cells, increases inflammation, and damages the gut lining (leading to “leaky gut”).

   • Metaphor: Like a laptop fan that never stops whirring—eventually components overheat, and performance plummets.

2. Sympathetic Overdrive (Fight-or-Flight Mode)

   • Science: Prolonged activation of the sympathetic nervous system disrupts hormone production (e.g., thyroid and sex hormones), impairs digestion, and can amplify pain signals.

   • Metaphor: Too many open tabs force the laptop into “high alert,” leaving fewer resources for day-to-day tasks and dragging overall function down.

3. Chronic Immune Activation

   • Science: When the body perceives ongoing threats, inflammatory pathways stay on high alert and may misfire against its own tissues—leading to autoimmune flares, histamine intolerance, and fatigue.

   • Metaphor: It’s like antivirus software scanning nonstop. Eventually, it flags harmless files (self-tissues) as threats, crashing the system from overwork.

The Takeaway

Just like a laptop needs rest, updates, and fewer open tabs, your nervous system requires boundaries and downtime to recalibrate. Without them, you remain stuck in hypervigilance—stress hormones surge, your immune system spirals, and genuine healing becomes increasingly elusive. By “closing tabs”—saying no, slowing down, or voicing your needs—you allow your body to function at a balanced, sustainable pace.

2. People-Pleasing and the Suppression of “Unpretty” Emotions

Perfectionism often goes hand-in-hand with people-pleasing. Not only do we want everyone to think we’re “nice” and “easygoing,” but we also dread inconveniencing others with our own pain. Many perfectionists naturally slip into the “helper” role, offering support rather than receiving it. The catch? In our quest to maintain harmony, we often mute our own “unpretty” emotions—like anger or frustration—because they feel risky or burdensome to share, even though they’re every bit as valid.

Real-World Metaphor: The Quiet Volcano

Picture yourself as a dormant volcano. On the surface, you appear calm—no smoke, no lava. But every time you suppress a strong emotion (like anger or grief) to keep up that peaceful façade, it’s like molten lava building pressure under the crust. Eventually, there’s a risk of an explosive eruption—or a slow leak of tension and stress that wreaks havoc on your body.

What Happens When You Suppress Emotions?

• Physical Tightness: Holding back tears or anger can lead to chronic muscle tension, especially in the neck, jaw, or hips.

• Digestive Issues: The gut-brain axis is incredibly sensitive to emotional stress, which is why repressed emotions can show up as bloating, cramping, or IBS-like symptoms.

• Pain and Fatigue: Constantly bracing yourself against uncomfortable feelings can compound into unexplained aches, persistent fatigue, and increased inflammation.

• Autoimmune & Inflammatory Responses: Prolonged emotional stress can dysregulate the immune system, potentially exacerbating autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, IBD, or lupus.

The Science: Emotional Suppression and Chronic Illness

• Sympathetic Nervous System Over-Activation: Minimizing or hiding emotions places the body on low-grade alert, heightening the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) response.

• Unprocessed Trauma & Immune Dysfunction: Research links unresolved trauma to chronic pain, fibromyalgia, and gut disorders like IBS and IBD, suggesting that internalizing emotions can aggravate these conditions.1

• Crying & Expressing Emotions Activate the Parasympathetic Nervous System: Allowing yourself to cry, speak your truth, or otherwise release pent-up feelings helps shift the body into a healing state, lowering cortisol and supporting immune balance.2

Making the Shift from Suppression to Expression

Learning to safely express emotions—through journaling, therapy, movement, breathwork, or art—can release the pressure beneath the surface. By allowing yourself to feel and process what’s real (even the so-called “unpretty” stuff), you prevent the volcanic buildup that ultimately jeopardizes your physical and mental wellbeing. This shift from emotional suppression to healthy expression is a cornerstone of healing chronic issues and preserving your energy for what truly matters.

3. How Perfectionism Leads to Self-Sabotaging Health Behaviors

Perfectionism isn’t just about how we think—it’s also about how we act. That same “all-or-nothing” mindset that drives perfectionists can sabotage genuine self-care. Instead of gradually building sustainable habits, we often swing between extremes: hyper-control, then burnout, then rinse and repeat.

Real-World Metaphor: The Endless Treadmill

Imagine your health journey as a treadmill that never powers down. You hop on at a sprint (because walking isn’t “good enough”), determined to reach peak performance. But without any pause, refuel, or slowdown, you risk collapsing from exhaustion. Once you inevitably step off in burnout, you feel guilty or “lazy,” so you jump back on the treadmill full speed—repeating the cycle of push-crash-push-crash, rather than pacing yourself for lasting progress.

Common Perfectionist Health Behaviors That Backfire

1. Undereating & Overexercising

   • Belief: More effort = better results.

   • Reality: Overtraining spikes cortisol, depletes nutrients, and strains the thyroid and adrenals. Undereating signals scarcity to the body, slowing metabolism and impairing digestion.3

2. Self-Care Becoming Self-Punishment

   • Belief: Routines must be rigid and perfectly executed.

   • Reality: Obsessive restriction, endless elimination diets, or over-supplementation often heighten stress and can lead to orthorexia-like fixations on “clean” eating—fueling social isolation and mental fatigue.

3. Imbalanced Eating Patterns

   • Belief: You have to “do it perfectly” by cutting out entire food groups or following overly strict food rules.

   • Reality: The stress of relentless rules pushes you into fight-or-flight, impairs digestion, and can lead to binge behaviors and rebound cravings, wreaking havoc on blood sugar, hormones, and weight.

The Science: Why Perfectionism Creates Metabolic & Hormonal Dysfunction

• Chronic Stress & Thyroid Suppression: Persistently high cortisol (from never stepping off that treadmill) suppresses thyroid hormone production, slowing metabolism and draining energy.

• Blood Sugar Instability: Undereating or erratic eating triggers hypoglycemia, which in turn spikes cortisol, fueling a vicious stress cycle.

• Gut-Brain Axis Interference: Fear-based food rules make you hypervigilant about every meal, creating meal-time anxiety and further disrupting digestive processes.

Real healing isn’t about pressing the treadmill speed button higher. It’s about stepping off occasionally to rest, tune into your body’s cues, and find a rhythm that’s both nourishing and sustainable. Balance and flexibility ultimately serve you better than the frantic sprint of perfectionism ever will. By pacing yourself and honoring your body’s signals, you allow true health gains to take root—without repeatedly hitting the burnout wall.

4. Breaking Free: Shifting from Control to Trust

It’s one of the hardest truths for perfectionists to swallow: real healing doesn’t always come from “trying harder.” Sometimes, it’s about loosening the grip, slowing your pace, and making space for your body’s innate wisdom to do its work.

Real-World Metaphor: The White-Knuckle Grip

Imagine you’re driving a car on a long road trip. You’re gripping the steering wheel so tightly your knuckles turn white, eyes darting to each side of the road, bracing for any potential hazard. Over time, your shoulders tense, your mind exhausts, and ironically, your focus wanes. Letting go of that ironclad hold isn’t about quitting the drive; it’s about relaxing your grip enough to guide the car more effortlessly—and trusting you’ll stay on course. The same goes for healing: releasing the white-knuckle mentality can unlock your body’s natural ability to restore balance.

Steps to Heal Perfectionism’s Impact on the Body

1. Release the Myth of “Perfect” Healing

   • Recognize non-linearity: Symptoms ebb and flow, and that’s normal.

   • Embrace curiosity over control: Ask yourself daily, “What does my body need right now?”

2. Prioritize Nervous System Regulation

   • Grounding practices: Breathwork, somatic movement, or even getting out in nature help dial down the fight-or-flight response.

   • Create safety: Warm baths, music, evening walks, guided meditation, or even surrounding yourself with people who make you laugh can shift you from hypervigilance into rest-and-digest mode.

3. Learn to Express (Rather Than Suppress) Emotions

   • Process deeply rooted feelings: Journaling, therapy, or even voice exercises let long-buried emotions surface.

   • Normalize tears & anger: These are natural signals that deserve attention and release.

4. Shift from Rigid Rules to Intuitive Structure

   • Balanced meal templates: Instead of micromanaging every nutrient, aim for variety and nourishment. My general rule of thumb is lots of color, and ideally protein + fat + fiber on the plate.

   • Gentle nutrition: Focus on nutrient density but leave room for enjoyment—and the occasional indulgence. 

5. Cultivate a Compassionate Inner Dialogue

   • Observe self-talk: Notice when you slip into harsh critique. Switch to affirming thoughts or empathetic rephrasing.

   • Nurture over punish: Healing thrives in a climate of understanding, not relentless pressure or self-blame.

It’s no coincidence that perfectionism and chronic illness often overlap. Whether you’re wrestling with gut disorders, hormone imbalances, or autoimmune flares, constantly pushing yourself to “do better” without rest, flexibility, or emotional release can lock your body into a state of perpetual stress. But realizing your body is not an adversary—rather a partner that thrives on gentle nourishment and trust—can transform your healing trajectory.

If I could go back and tell one thing to my younger self, the one who believed that doubling down on effort would finally make her love the person in the mirror, it’d be this: True self-love isn’t about achieving some arbitrary idea of perfection. It’s about creating the freedom to live comfortably and confidently in a healthy body, to make space for the full range of emotions and relationships, and to discover that rest is just as vital as action. Because, as cheesy as it sounds, we’re human beings, not human doings. 

And—spoiler alert—if you really want to become your most capable self, slowing down, nourishing with proper fuel, and speaking kindly to yourself is a non-negotiable.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not replace personalized medical advice. If you have concerns about your health, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Perfectionists, people prone to excessive workloads, and people willing to go to any extreme to heal their bodies often have the hardest time…

But shouldn't the hyper-organized individuals who meticulously craft their healing journeys, incorporate numerous supplements, and weekly biohacking have smoother paths?

That's what I used to think.

The truth is that perfectionism can play a significant role in a dysregulated nervous system.

Consider this: if a deadly snake is chasing us, our nervous system lacks the freedom to rest, move slowly, or make a misstep—it's a matter of life and death. We are banking on our fight-or-flight response.

When we wake up with a racing heart, sit through an unfulfilling meditation while our minds obsess over which anti-inflammatory food might upset our digestive system, sacrifice our sleep for our workouts, and meticulously tick off daily items on the wellness checklist because ALL we want to do is feel better… we're actually contributing to the narrative that our nervous system has no freedom. 

Barry's Bootcamp or Hunger Games. Doesn't matter.

As a result, we start releasing stress hormones that make us feel bloated, puffy, moody, and tired. Processes like digestion slow down because our bodies shouldn't worry about food during moments of danger, right?

So even though this might be the hardest thing you’ll ever do in your health journey… 

FAIL FORWARD.

When ‘perfect’ is at the expense of joy, it defeats the purpose.

One of the best pieces of health advice I've ever received is to "stop majoring in the minors."

In this maze of consumerism, where every turn reveals a new shiny promise of eternal well-being, it's SO tempting (as a perfectionist, especially) to rely on supplements and treatments to "fix us." 

Beautiful people are claiming their green powders sculpted their perfectly toned abs. Olympians are endorsing superfood blends for superhuman motivation. Biohacking contraptions, adorned with sleek buttons and flashy LED lights, promise to unlock the secrets to a century-long life.

We invest our trust in these endorsements, only to discover that they fall short of truly "fixing" us. 

So we move on to the next powder, superfood, or gadget, clinging to the hope that the substantial investment in hundreds or thousands of dollars will finally make our bodies "work again." 

Yet, with each attempt, defeat only intensifies; our bodies bear the burden of more capsules, and we further confuse in our internal systems.

I've learned, though, that we have no choice but to extend a little forgiveness to ourselves. 

This all comes from a desire to be free and be well.

I thought I could share some mindset shifts that have really helped me navigate wellness as a perfectionist and embrace failing forward:

1. You cannot hang wallpaper on a house without walls. A house needs plywood, framing, and a solid foundation to provide the necessary support and structure for the tapestry to be both stable and beautiful.

   If we’re throwing powders, superfoods, supplements, and gadgets at a body that isn’t prioritizing nutrient dense whole foods, sleep, hydration, daily movement, human connection, play, and nature, we will confuse it. 

   So while it’s tough— because superfoods, supplements, and gadgets are undoubtedly sexy—we have to major in the majors first. 

   Nature gave us so much free medicine. From sunshine, to grounding, to music, to movement, to real, whole foods. Everything else is wallpaper to hang on a wall that is built. That day will come too. Decor is fun.

2. If everything was perfect, it would be working.

   For so long, I’d wait and wait for the 10th supplement I introduced that week to “start working”. As the disappointment lingered, I'd continue piling on more and more.

   Until one day it hit me… if it was working, it’d be working.

   Sometimes, “what works” doesn’t don't come with the fanfare we anticipate. It's all too common for perfectionists to ignore the basics of foundational health, fixating on that “extra-ness” that sets them apart.

   Realizing this was an ego blow. But it changed my life.

3. Similar to the idea that “you don’t know what you don’t know”, perfection is a lens that blinds intuition. The more we can fail forward, the more space we allow for newness, opportunity, curiosity, and connection to things greater than ourselves. This space exists within our nervous system— giving room for breath, rest, digest, and resiliency.

   If this means unfollowing social media accounts that perpetuate impractical healing efforts or removing yourself from environments that fail to recognize the healing power we’re all born with, do it. That is freedom to choose, that is safety in the nervous system.

4. When the walls are built, there is room for wallpaper!

   If you’re someone who loves to play, decorate, and experiment with health and wellness, remember this: stepping away from the relentless quest for 'perfection' and focusing on establishing a solid foundation not only lays the groundwork for effectiveness but also enhances the future impact of superfoods and enjoyable supplements. It's a win-win <3

Featured in today’s Wellness Web:

-Accidentally going caffeine-free

-HPA-axis dysfunction

-HPO-axis dysfunction

-Using cycle tracking to determine the gist of my post-pill hormonal imbalances

-Exploring my long follicular phase and short luteal phase 

-Using consistency to build back trust with the body

-How caffeine affects our blood sugar and nervous system 

-How caffeine can impact women’s hormones (specifically diving into cortisol and progesterone)

-Committing to 30 days caffeine-free 

-Caffeine-free alternatives

-Tips for breaking up with caffeine

After tragically forgetting matcha packets and clean coffee sachets at home before my recent ski travels, I unintentionally found myself caffeine-free for the past two weeks.

I never considered myself to be an excessive caffeine consumer. If anything, I thought I had perfected my “hormone-friendly caffeine habits”— no caffeine on an empty stomach, always paired with a healthy fat or protein, not too late in the day, mold-free coffee or ceremonial grade matcha to limit toxin load. Yet, when I really reflect, the past 4-5ish months have given me slight… “caffeine imposter syndrome”. 

“Caffeine imposter syndrome”: not realizing that my “only one matcha or coffee a day, if anything” turned into two on busier work days, which became every day. Plus an extra cup of green tea before going out. 

I wouldn’t go as far to say that I felt any (consciously) negative side effects from my upped caffeine indulgence. If anything, the rituals brought me comfort, I stopped before I got overt jitters, and I wasn’t running into unusual fatigue. On the other hand, though, I was still struggling with an irregular cycle, chronic stress, and when I wasn’t getting my caffeine fix for the day, I felt ~incomplete~. 

I’m going to set the record straight before we dive deep— I’m not here to start bashing on coffee or matcha. By any means. There is an abundance of research pointing to the many health benefits of coffee, ranging from cognitive health to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. The health benefits from ceremonial grade matcha are extensive— from high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, to enhanced cognitive, cardio-metabolic, and anti-tumorogenesis benefits.

But I’m sharing this story because its not one of a kind. For those who have either recently gone off the birth control pill, faced significant stressors, consume caffeine (or identify with “caffeine imposter syndrome”, or struggle with nervous system dysregulation despite undertaking substantial healing efforts and still find themselves stuck with their hormones and stress levels—this might resonate. 

While I’ll be talking a lot about hormones, it’s also important to note that there are MANY manifestations of “hormone imbalance”. I’ll be specifically exploring the caffeine —> high cortisol —>low progesterone pipeline here.

So now that I've clarified, let’s weave the web.

Like with anything regarding health, there is always nuance. 

As many of you know, healing my hormones has been at the forefront of my recent health journey. From complete ammenohrea (the absence of menstruation) after coming off the pill to eventually getting my period back (a dense newsletter for another time), and now doing what I can do balance my hormones and encourage “normal” cycles. Its been… a journey… to say the least. 

Some might wonder, "Why don’t you simply get your hormones tested to identify any imbalances?” While I love the DUTCH test, an advanced hormone test that can pinpoint specific imbalances, I chose not to initially take the test myself. This decision was influenced by the understanding that the test should ideally be conducted within a specific window of the menstrual cycle (around days 19 to 22) to provide accurate contextual information. Given my many months of absent menstrual phases, I would have been unable to determine the appropriate timing for the test, resulting in a potentially inconclusive snapshot of my hormonal status. This lack of context would have likely led to unnecessary confusion (and more stress) for both myself and my doctors.

I'm now at a point where I can take the test, but focusing on correcting nutrient deficiencies and addressing chronic stress (such as HPA/HPO axis dysfunction) was the best initial step.

I first (kind of) heard of HPA axis dysfunction my senior year of college when I sought out a new doctor. After an extensive series of testing, I remember her looking at me with a snark and saying “thats really high cortisol, I feel bad for your adrenals.” 

After putting me on a Pure Encapsulations formula called Cortisol Calm, she let me go and we hoped for the best. While Cortisol Calm is an awesome formula, I can look back now, shocked by this interaction, and confirm that it doesn’t really matter what supplements you’re taking if your not actively minimizing stressors. You can’t hang a tapestry on a house without walls. 

Fast forward two years later. I was dealing with a new, intimidating lineup of chronic stressors and a missing period, finally being taught about the system we all deserve to know exists inside us.

The HPA axis— an interchange between three major endocrine glands— the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the adrenal glands. This trifecta is not only our central stress response system, but regulates various physiological processes in the body.

Brief HPA axis 101:

-When the brain senses danger (or stress— it can’t tell them apart), a part called the hypothalamus (alarm system) sends out a 911 signal called corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH).

-The pituitary gland, another part of the brain, picks up the 911 call and releases a hormone called adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) into the bloodstream to tell the adrenal glands about the threat.

-ACTH signals to the adrenal glands, equivalent to a fire department or ambulance service, prompting the production of adrenaline and cortisol. Adrenaline and cortisol swiftly prepare the nervous system to react with either a fight, flight, or freeze reaction, readying the body to handle potential threats like injury, inflammation, or infection.

This system is SO important— when there is a real threat, it’s our lifeline. 

While cortisol has become a recent buzzword in the wellness space, villainized for even existing, it’s important to note that cortisol itself isn’t the issue. We need cortisol. The issue arises from cortisol imbalance, which commonly looks like excess cortisol in individuals stuck in overdrive. This imbalance is particularly familiar among women due to a world that often neglects to cater to women's hormonal needs—an issue deserving of its own discussion, perhaps a separate newsletter.

Symptoms I personally dealt with (on and off throughout time) that overlap with expressions of cortisol imbalance and HPA axis dysfunction:

-Chronic inflammation

-Nutrient deficiencies (B vitamins, Magnesium, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Zinc)

-Feeling tired and wired (trouble falling asleep or crashing in the afternoon)

-Digestive distress

-Anxiety, especially the second I wake up and before bed

-Major blood sugar rollercoasters (drastic highs and lows) 

-Eating to soothe stress

-Weight fluctuations, water retention, and puffiness

-Sweet and salty cravings

-Amenorrhea and irregular cycles

-Acne and mysterious rashes 

-Hair loss

-Lower resiliency to conquering life stressors

-Feeling like I need to do 100 times more work than others to get the bare minimum result

-Becoming too regimented with routines and completing them with a racing heart

As someone who has also experienced stopping birth control without proper preparation, it's important to note that there’s considerable research highlighting the link between post-birth-control syndrome (PBCS)— a set of chronic stress-like symptoms that can manifest after discontinuing hormonal birth control— and HPA axis dysfunction.

Quite commonly, when the body’s stress response system (HPA axis) is working overdrive, elevated cortisol can disrupt reproductive system functions, causing issues with ovulation, the process of releasing an egg from the ovary.

Indeed, there's another crucial system known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis, responsible for tightly regulating female reproductive functions.

Brief HPO axis 101:

-The hypothalamus acts as the control center for the HPO axis. It produces gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which stimulates the nearby pituitary gland.

-The Pituitary Gland responds to GnRH by releasing two important hormones, FSH and LH, which stimulate the growth and maturation of ovarian follicles and trigger ovulation.

-In response to FSH and LH, the ovaries produce and release estrogen and progesterone, which are crucial for regulating the menstrual cycle and supporting pregnancy.

Why does ovulation matter?

Ovulation is essential to a cycle— it’s how we prepare the uterus to nurture an embryo and how we make hormones, particularly the post-ovulation star, progesterone.

According to Dr. Leah Gordon, a natural hormone/ fertility doctor and creator of the Breaking Up With Hormonal Birth Control course (which is a great one to check out), “progesterone not only acts as a counterbalance to estrogen but also has many important unique functions involved in overall health and sense of well-being.”

Examples of Progesterone’s various actions include:

-Boosts thyroid hormone (estrogen suppresses it)

-Prevents breast cancer

-Calms the brain and reduces anxiety

-Stabilizes HPA axis

-Reduces inflammation

-Builds muscle

-Promotes sleep

-Protects against heart disease

While many reports show that some women ovulate within two months after stopping the pill, everybody and every body is different. Since the pill suppresses ovulation and mimics hormones, it can take several months (or more) for ovulation to reoccur after stopping the pill. This can lead to imbalanced ratios of progesterone and estrogen, along with associated symptoms.

After lots of work and eventually getting my period back, I started tracking my cycle through the Oura Ring and Natural Cycles, which use basal body temperature methods. I was able to acknowledge the chronic stress my body was experiencing by observing a pattern: my follicular phase, which occurs before ovulation, was consistently longer than it should be, while my luteal phase, which follows ovulation, was unusually short.

Although a longer follicular phase and a shorter luteal phase may sound like a DREAM to many women—given that the follicular phase tends to be more energizing with rising estrogen and testosterone, while the the luteal phase is often slower paced as progesterone takes center stage—it presents a different scenario when HPA axis dysfunction is involved. 

A prolonged follicular phase typically suggests inadequate communication within the HPA axis, specifically a delay in the hypothalamus signaling the pituitary gland to release necessary hormones for follicle maturation and ovulation induction.

When the follicle is slow to mature, this phase will last longer, making the whole menstrual cycle longer as a result. Conversely, a shortened luteal phase indicates lower progesterone levels, often associated with chronic stress and other factors. 

After I first pieced together this intuitive understanding of my personal situation—such as chronic stress and elevated cortisol leading to HPA axis dysfunction, difficulty ovulating, and low progesterone levels—I made the conscious decision to prioritize the health of my nervous system above all else.

Although I was diligently adhering to regimens of potent herbs and supplements recommended by my doctors and noticing positive changes with each menstrual cycle, memories of my past doctor's approach (who only prescribed Cortisol Calm and called it a day) replayed in my head. We can only get so far with what we take and how we treat. It’s who we become throughout the process that gets us to the finish line.  

That takes us back to the past few weeks.

My main focus has been on who I want to be in the name of healing— a person who puts foundational health first, who embraces simplicity, who prioritizes sleep, my nervous system, nourishing meals, and minimizing the stress I can control while building resiliency to what I cannot.  

For the past few months, I’ve been at peace with where I’m at with my hormone healing journey. Each cycle still irregular but less irregular than the last. 

Enter recent “aha moment”— until fairly recently, the relationship I had with my body was pretty toxic. Just like human-human toxic relationships, trust is one of the first things lost. The way to heal any relationship is to build back trust through consistency. The way my body is going to build back trust in my ability to take care of myself is if I can show it steadiness, stability, and sympathy. 

It's truly remarkable how our bodies have evolved intricate mechanisms for survival. Our bodies won't allow conception (or the possibility of it) if they sense we're not adequately caring for ourselves. The body will always prioritize what is essential (i.e. breathing, digesting food, etc.). How the body looks (acne, hair loss, weight fluctuation, a missing cycle) is no longer viewed as essential when there is perceived threat.

I have always believed there is a strong spiritual and emotional link to what presents itself physically. And for me, this has been the hardest pill to swallow. Almost as if I want to disjoint from my own body, give myself the biggest hug, promising to never turn my back on me again, and beg for trust. But then I remember— steadiness, stability, and sympathy.

You can’t ask for trust. You have to earn it.

I was only an hour into my ski trip when I realized I had left ALL my perfectly curated caffeinated beverage packets back at home. My first instinct was not to fret and accept buying a coffee each morning at the downstairs cafe. But I felt something very strong, very intuitive, like a yell for opportunity. I can’t explain it, as though my “caffeine imposter syndrome” shut off after 5 months of “no, I don’t drink that much caffeine”.

The first day of skiing without caffeine definitely felt lower energy than usual. I fueled on my favorite LMNT hot chocolate, which always helps bring a little life back, but I knew on this day that what I was doing was going to be important. 

Have you ever not known there’s a rock in your shoe until you take it out? Similarly, my heart wasn’t racing like it usually did.

Then it hit me, this is my first day without (a good amount) of caffeine in nearly 5 months. 

Almost as though my subconscious had set me up on purpose, I realized I had not only forgotten my caffeine at home, but also my Oura Ring.

My Oura Ring is what I have been using to track my basal body temperature, which is how I determine what phase of my cycle I’m in. Without the ring, I was forced to sit back and let embodiment and physical symptoms do the “tracking”. 

After a few days, I suspected I had ovulated due to… just just some small signs… but as the week went on, I had no debilitating cramps or cry sessions that made me believe my period was coming any time soon. I know that someone reading this will want to throw their phone across the room after I say this, but I’ve learned to love and long for feeling of cramps and cries after having an absent period. Despite the discomfort, they had been the feeling of my body doing something.

The next week came, but still nothing. I could notice my energy levels were steadier and a stable calm was becoming my white noise. 

Then it hit me. A night of RAVENOUS, black-hole-like hunger. I think I looked around the house for a piece of chocolate for fifteen minutes. 

And then of course, the next morning—somehow still surprised—, a bleed.

Caffeine consumption has become a ubiquitous aspect of modern life, with its effects felt worldwide. But aside from enjoying the morning ritual and reaping the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits from portioned doses of coffee or matcha, it’s never just black and white…

While moderate caffeine consumption is typically fine for those with balanced hormones (and without “caffeine imposter syndrome”), excessive caffeine intake can exacerbate existing imbalances. Caffeine keeps us alert by stimulating the nervous system and inhibiting adenosine, a neurotransmitter responsible for slowing down heart rate and inducing sleepiness. Blocking adenosine receptors with caffeine results in heightened energy levels and alertness.

This heightened energy and alertness can trigger the body's fight-or-flight response, leading to the release of glucose into the bloodstream, elevated blood pressure, and increased cortisol levels. Essentially, it signals to the body the presence of significant stressors. This can get really confusing when physiologically, caffeine feels like its helping us stay focused and motivated.

Caffeine can also further amplify the body's natural cortisol response to stress. In other words, if your body is already under stress (anything from emotional stress, to infections, pathogens, hormonal imbalances), consuming caffeine can intensify the cortisol response even more. 

Now for progesterone… perhaps caffeine's primary impact on progesterone is through the cortisol and HPA axis pipeline. When the body experiences stress, it sends signals to reduce the production of sex hormones, including progesterone. Like I said earlier, these hormones are not the priority of a body in danger. 

While caffeine itself might not have a direct impact on progesterone levels, its interaction with chronic stress could lead to a decline in overall adrenal health, consequently affecting progesterone levels as part of a broader scenario.

There’s one more fascinating link I want to highlight with the excess-caffeine-high-cortisol-low-progesterone-ovulation-difficulty-ripple-effect, which is blood sugar balance.

Hormonal imbalances cause fluctuations in blood sugar levels, while constant spikes in blood sugar can wreak havoc on female hormones. It’s the classic case of a bidirectional interaction. Whereas stable blood sugar not only helps reduce inflammation and chronic stress but facilitates hormonal balance. 

Interestingly, cortisol and progesterone both play a role in regulating blood sugar levels.

When we are under stress, cortisol prompts the liver to release stored glucose into the bloodstream, providing energy to deal with the perceived threat. However, chronic stress or consistently elevated cortisol levels can lead to 1., persistent blood sugar imbalance, leading to behaviors that further amplify stress (i.e. anxiety, sugar cravings, binge eating) and 2., insulin resistance, where cells become less responsive to insulin's signal to take up glucose, leading to elevated blood sugar levels and fat storage. 

Meanwhile, balanced progesterone boosts insulin (leading to lower blood sugar levels) and helps cells absorb glucose, further reducing blood sugar levels. However, low progesterone levels can cause insulin resistance. Low progesterone also typically means estrogen dominance (even if dealing with low estrogen levels). We haven’t deep dived into estrogen yet, but studies show that women with proper levels of estrogen have much better glucose tolerance. 

Caffeine comes into the blood-sugar-balance picture because excessive consumption signals the body to release cortisol, elevating blood sugar levels, which can ultimately lead to a crash, commonly referred to as the infamous “blood sugar rollercoaster”.

There are various methods to make caffeine consumption more compatible with blood sugar regulation, such as consuming it after eating something, incorporating healthy fats like ghee, MCT oil, or collagen into the caffeine, and so on. 

However, for individuals already experiencing chronic stress (like me:)), any additional stress only creates more stress.

While I cannot say my closure with caffeine was the only reason for my ovulation and normal menstruation, it was a missing piece. Everything is interconnected. 

I do believe that by eliminating caffeine, which contributed to a physiological stress level that was nearly imperceptible to my conscious mind, I was able to give my body the needed break it didn’t know it needed. With less constant stimulation and cortisol levels kept in check, my HPA axis can more effectively communicate with my ovaries.

A small shift with a significant impact for a sensitive situation. 

I have officially committed to 30 days (with the likeliness of extending) of no caffeine— a total experiment for giving my body more consistency. I have no idea how this will play out, but the goal is to get myself to a place where my nervous system’s undercurrent shifts from stress to serenity. 

I will keep you all updated and share my thoughts/experiences/tips along the way (I’m sure there will be a lot).

The two-week update:

-Less anxiety, more internal peace

-Regular hormonal symptoms (normal menstrual cycle and follicular phase so far) 

-Less water retention and bloating 

-Less hunger at night and hungrier for breakfast

-Slightly less energy to workout (been focusing on very low impact, which is also for the best)

-Slightly less motivation, but more focus when I actually get into the task

-MORE self discipline and trust in following through with goals

-MORE optimism and EXCITEMENT about results 

I would never let you go without sharing my go-to, caffeine-free latte alternatives that I have been enjoying on rotation.

-Peppermint Tea Latte: my go-to when I’m craving a matcha.

Ingredients:

-peppermint tea bag (I use two)

-1/4 cup cashew milk

-scoop of collagen

-dash of vanilla extract

-chlorophyll 

-1 tsp maple syrup (or sweeten to your liking)

-dash of cinnamon

Brew your concentrated tea (I recommend double bagging for a more concentrated taste or if you’re in a rush— you can always reuse the bags). In a blender, add cashew milk, collagen, vanilla extract, chlorophyll, and maple syrup. Blend on high speed until really frothy. Assemble latte by pouring creamer over tea and topping with cinnamon.

-Turmeric Golden Latte: literal comfort in a cup.

Ingredients:

-milk of choice

-1 tsp ground turmeric

-ground cinnamon

-ground ginger

-black pepper

-dash of vanilla extract

-1 tsp maple syrup (or sweeten to your liking)

-1 scoop of vanilla collagen

On stove top heat a cup of milk. Add 1 tsp of ground turmeric and other spices. Add to a blender with scoop of collagen, vanilla extract and maple syrup. Blend, pour, top with more cinnamon and enjoy!

-Salted Caramel Bone Broth: convinced it’s better than the viral bone broth hot chocolate. This is also so satiating and contains a good amount of protein!

Ingredients: 

-bone broth (I used Kettle and Fire chicken bone broth)

-1 tbsp organic coconut cream

-1/4 cup milk

-2 tbsp maple syrup

-dash of vanilla extract

-spices (1 tbsp cinnamon + 1 tsp nutmeg + ½ tsp ground cardamom + ½ tsp ginger powder + ⅛ tsp ground cloves)

In a pot, pour in bone broth. Bring it to a boil, then simmer. Add in 2 tbsp of coconut cream, 1/4 cup of milk and stir. Add in spices (I go overboard on the cinnamon). Reduce heat, add in 1/4 cup of maple syrup and dash of vanilla extract. Whisk all together, pour into a mug, and serve hot!

-LMNT Hot Chocolate: you already know.

-MUDWTR: my favorite coffee alternative consisting of 100% organic cacao, ayurvedic herbs and functional mushrooms. I’ve been drinking this for YEARS, and crave the taste. There is 35mg of caffeine per serving (veryyy low), but I am holding off until my next menstrual cycle.

If you are looking to experiment with low caffeine (or even swapping out that second cup), this is an amazing place to start!!! My body does really well with this.

MUDWTR also has a great promo going on— starter kits are now $29!!! (old price was $40 with subscription, new price is $29 on first order/second shipment goes to $40)

-Tea!!!

I’ve been leaning into more tea, specifically starting my mornings with Moringa and Ginger tea for a natural energy boost. I sometimes add lion's mane or cordyceps for additional energy and cognitive benefits.

Tips for the transition off caffeine:

-Seeing morning sunlight (even just 5-10 mins) within 30 mins of waking up. While it’s so simple, exposure to morning sunlight plays a crucial role in our hormonal balance (and overall health). The morning rays stimulate the body's balanced cortisol production, which not only helps in waking us up but also sets the body's internal clock, regulating the release of melatonin later in the day. FREE MEDICINE :)

Suggestions: drink your morning bev outside, walk to a workout class, do your morning emails outside, stretch outside. Dr. Huberman will be proud <3

-Load up on adaptogens. When the adrenals are adjusting to the absence of caffeine, it’s important to support their healthy production of cortisol, energy/stamina, and mood. Some of my favorite adaptogenic stress support/HPA axis support formulas that I’ve tried in the past are:

-Adrenal Recovery by Organic Olivia

-SuperYou by MoonJuice

-Daytime HPA by Gaia Herbs

-Stress Support by Needed

-Cortisol Calm by Pure Encapsulations (had to include because it’s my OG lol- this one is my fav at night due to added L-theanine and sleep supporting herbs)

(**every formula differs in terms of herbs and adaptogens, so I always recommend checking with a practitioner to find the best fit)

-L-theanine. My tried and true stress/anxiety bestie amino acid. Coincidentally, L-theanine is found inside matcha and green tea (what helps curb/counter the caffeine craze reaction). But on its own, I’ve found it to help me with caffeine withdrawals and keeping my cool. I take 200mg whenever I feel the chronic stress/heightened cortisol pit in my chest and before bed.

-Low impact movement. The underlying theme of my caffeine breakup has been to treat myself with steadiness, stability, sympathy as well as consistency. By doing steady and stable workouts (pilates, walking, yoga), staying sympathetic towards my body/situation, and giving it consistent movement, we’re able to do both what feels good and is good for achieving hormone balance. 

-Upping antioxidants. What’s crazy is that caffeinated bevs like coffee (and matcha, but mostly coffee) are the primary source of antioxidants for those in the US. By changing the narrative and instead incorporating antioxidant-rich alternatives like dark pigmented fruits, berries, nuts, leafy greens, even dark chocolate, etc., we can supply our bodies with essential nutrients that will help neutralize free radicals and combat oxidative stress— further supporting hormonal alignment.

-Using electrolytes and minerals as energy. Our brain (and hormones) needs minerals to stay ultra productive, so I’ve been loving adding either LMNT to my water, a pinch of sea salt, aloe vera juice, or coconut water!

-Digestive support: hot water with lemon or celery juice on an empty stomach, Magnesium Citrate (or Magnesium Oxide) before bed, or Hilma Gentle Bowel Movement Support. If you got used to caffeine for digestive purposes… iykyk… these work well. Depending on your level of caffeine reliance though, it’s normal if things take time to regulate.

Though I prefer other types of Magnesium for long term use, Magnesium Citrate or Oxide help a lotttt short term. Out of the two, I prefer Magnesium Citrate (more easily absorbed by the body than Magnesium Oxide), but Oxide is effective for more complex cases.

Hilma Gentle Bowel Movement Support is an INCREDIBLE natural formula, consisting of Magnesium Citrate, Ginger, Bitter Orange, & more digestive promoting herbs. It’s also one of my travel essentials. Code EATSWITHALE20 will get you 20% off sitewide (all products are amazing)

-Prioritizing people and experiences that bring calm/joy. If we’re not letting caffeine cause a cortisol imbalance, let’s definitely not let toxic people cause one either :) Calm presences aren’t draining (draining people = low energy = need for caffeine)

If you found today's Wellness Web enjoyable/informative, be sure to subscribe for more! Your feedback is always appreciated, and I hope this personal anecdote/deep dive reaches those who need it.

Love,

Ale

Happy Sunday! 

As Sundays tend to be a grocery shopping day for many, I thought I could share some “grocery store overwhelm” tips that have made my food shopping experiences stress-free and something I look forward to.

I have not always called the grocery store “my favorite museum,” though— it once felt like a total labyrinth. From being unsure of what to buy, how much to buy, how much was worth spending, having to confront emerging feelings about body image and relationship with food, and miscalculating future hunger patterns— I’ve learned these are all very common experiences that lead to culinary confusion, emotional defeat, overstimulation, and potentially avoiding the grocery store once and for all.

Since everyones experiences vary, take what resonates, leave what doesn’t. The goal is to only apply a tip at a time!

“Grocery Store Overwhelm” Tips & Tricks:

• Write a list beforehand. While this might sound like a basic first suggestion, it’s a classic for a reason. A list is a compass for navigating the aisles with less stress and more presence. It’s hard to get lost when you’ve mapped out a game plan.

  **Bonus points for a handheld list. I find that pulling out the phone and getting distracted by texts or apps invites room for error. It’s also much easier to romanticize your experience when holding a handwritten list.

• Choose two recipes to buy ingredients for beforehand. This way, no matter what else goes south, you’ll leave with two guaranteed, exciting meals. To stay both cost-effective and to optimize expiration dates, choose two recipes with either the same protein source or the same complex carb (i.e., look up “chicken recipes” or “salmon recipes”)

• Bring a comforting drink with you! Maybe this means stopping at your favorite coffee shop or bringing tea in a thermos. Having some type of comfort beverage helps calm the nervous system, provides feelings of familiarity, and when warmth literally enters the body, our blood vessels expand and lead to improved circulation which causes muscles to relax.

• Go back to the basics. The wellness space overcomplicates everything. You do not need supplements, powders, or complex recipes to “be healthy”. Whenever I feel this type of overwhelm, I ditch the crazy recipe and think basic protein, complex carbs, fruits/veggies. Pick two of each, and you’ll already be set for balanced meals!

• Pop on some headphones and listen to music, an audiobook, or a podcast. I don’t not have an entire playlist dedicated to grocery shopping…

• Avoid peak grocery shopping hours if possible. While this is only something we can sometimes control, if you have the privilege of timing flexibility, try shopping early in the mornings!

• Reward yourself afterward. Having somewhere to go, something to do, or your favorite snack waiting for you at home creates more incentive to get the job done. Not to mention, looking out for yourself should be celebrated! 

Ideas For “WTF Do I Buy” Moments: 

• Choose two different colored veggies and fruits (different colors have different phytonutrients that diversify our gut microbiome). Bonus points if you incorporate one new veggie or fruit you rarely eat! 

• Think breakfast. If I had to choose one meal to prioritize, I’d undoubtedly choose breakfast. How we start our day nutritionally impacts our blood sugar, which has a ripple effect on our energy levels, mood, metabolism, digestion, hormones, etc. My best advice is to ditch the western narrative that classifies select foods as “breakfast food”, and be open to all real food. Focusing on one meal of the day is already a large chuck of your daily nutrition!

• Pick two proteins. This tends to be a missing part of a health puzzle for many. You can always start simple— grab chicken sausages or turkey burgers from the freezer aisle (they last a long time and take minimal effort to prep). Another great option for busy weeks (or non busy weeks) is a rotisserie chicken!

  If plant-based, look for dairy (yogurt, kefir, cheeses) or pairing legumes (or nuts) with grains to create a complete protein source. 

• Don’t neglect the freezer aisle! As I said, sausages and burger patties are top-tier accessible protein sources.

  Frozen fruit and veggies are perfect for those who won’t finish produce by their expiration date. This not only saves money, but certain frozen fruits even retain more nutrients (e.g. freezing blueberries increases their concentration of anthocyanin, a type of antioxidant!) If you’ve been following along my social media, you know my protein yogurt bowls (using frozen fruit) are a staple.

• Check out EWG's annual Dirty Dozen (higher contaminants and pesticides) and Clean 15 (safe to buy non-organic) list! This will help you decide which items you can save money on.

• If culinary overwhelm tends to be your shopping stressor, opt for pre-cut veggies. This saves time and clean-up hassle and evolves a little placebo effect—less mess, less anxiety, enjoyable meal, repeat.

• Add a few pantry staples to your cart each time you shop to ensure you always have enough whole-food ingredients around (in case you can’t make it to the store next week). Canned beans, frozen meats, tinned fish (saves my life on busy weeks), frozen produce, sausages or burgers, pasta, quinoa, or rice will always come in handy!

• Filter through packaged foods, snacks, bars, milks, nut butters, sauces, and dressings by opting for labels with ingredients you can pronounce. This doesn’t need too much thought or to be taken too seriously— my general rule of thumb is if your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize more than a few ingredients on the label, there’s probably a better option.

  ---

  Since I’ve been out of town the past two weeks, below is the Trader Joe’s + Whole Foods grocery list I plan to shop from this upcoming week. The idea is to cook simple meals that get me back into the groove of cooking. I’m lucky to have both stores blocks away, so I split my list to save $$ on select items. This week, they feature (modified) ingredients for my Rice & Broth Comfort Bowl, Nourishing Taco Salad Dip, and Gal Shua-Haim’s Toppings Only Salad. These are some really easy recipes that always get me back into the swing of things.

  Thought process: I already have most pantry staples (including rice, bone broth, canned black and garbanzo beans) in stock. My local TJ’s often has produce items out of stock, so I will either substitute for similar items (which is often how I accidentally make a recipe “better”) or grab from Whole Foods later on.

PRODUCE:

-5 lemons (my morning hot lemon water uses 1/2 a lemon)

-Persian Cucumbers

-Zucchini

-Purple Cabbage

-Romaine

-Shiitake Mushrooms

-Pre-Cut Organic Broccoli Florets

-Fuji Apples

-Sumo Oranges (SO in season it’s a MUST)

-1-2 Sweet Potatoes (planning to ingredient prep these as a ready-to-eat complex carb)

-Baby carrots

PROTEIN:

-Trader Joe’s Chicken Meatballs (one of my fav items from TJ’s, leftovers from a recipe make the best breakfast add-on)

-Organic Oven Roasted Turkey

-Feta Cheese

OTHER:

-Canned hearts of palm (if they don’t have, I’ll grab from Whole Foods)

-Furikake Japanese Multi-Purpose Seasoning (I go through this too often)

Whole Foods:

-Force Of Nature Beef Ancestral Blend (My favorite regenerative ground beef that includes liver and heart for extra nutrients, but you can’t taste them at all. I’ll usually buy them in bulk and freeze, but I just ran out. I treat this like a weekly food-as-medicine hormone health supplement)

-Bellwether Farms Sheep Milk Yogurt (My FAV yogurt ever. It’s A2 dairy, so much easier for me to digest)

-Malk Almond Milk 

-Hu Kitchen Chocolate Gems (The best for melting and baking)

-Love Beets Ready-To-Eat Marinated Beets (Yummiest snack or salad topping)

-Wildbrine Sauerkraut (Dill & Garlic flavor is insane)

-Truvani Vanilla Protein Powder (I ran out the day I left for my trip)

-Siete Cassava Tortillas (My go-to for breakfast tacos)

-Some snacks/ chips that look good in the moment (brands I trust and always have my eye on are Lesser Evil, Simple Mills, Siete)

I’m already looking forward to cooking all my meals at home for the next few weeks (I alwayssss miss my cooking most while traveling). Wishing everyone upgraded grocery shopping experiences this week :)

Love,

Ale

Happy Wednesday!

I'm currently in Utah, enjoying one of my favorite pastimes— skiing— and staying present between work meetings. 

Today, I want to share one of my favorite travel "supplement" essentials that brings my body peace in the high altitude and my taste buds' delight.

LMNT electrolytes. Specifically, the Chocolate Medley flavors (e.g., Chocolate Caramel, Chocolate Raspberry, Chocolate Mint, Chocolate Chai). 

Especially in cold temperatures and high altitudes when we are getting less oxygen and losing more fluids due to increased metabolic, diuretic, and sweat rate (in my case, amplified by mountain sports), finding balance with a Goldilocks amount of fluids and electrolytes (not too much, not too little—just right) could be the make or break between brain fog/migraines and boundless energy/your rings fitting. 

This doesn't mean chugging bottles of water on the chair lift. We can think of water as a vessel for electrolytes. When water is stripped (which it often is) of minerals, we dilute our blood sodium levels, leading to unwanted fluid retention and hyponatremia. **Shout out to my prior experience with doing daily hot yoga and saunas while experiencing mysterious water weight that wouldn't seem to budge. I was not replacing my lost minerals.

I used to be really intimidated by electrolytes and specifically replenishing sodium, mainly because of the misinformation on sodium causing water retention. I know I'm not alone in this, as I've spoken to many people with "food fears" who have endured similar subconscious phobias.

"Sodium," I've learned, is one layer of the fluid balance onion, and false mainstream media narratives about salt only perpetuate the anxiety. If this sounds like you, I recommend reading LMNT's article on the World Health Organization’s war on salt. 

For those who don't know, electrolytes are molecules that carry an electric charge and are essential for various physiological processes in your body. They are dissolved in bodily fluids, so we excrete them via sweat, urine, respiration, etc. There are specific electrolyte ratios (which I'll mention below) that, when disrupted, can be harsh on our hormones, thyroid function, cognitive health, and adrenals and present themselves in undesirable symptoms like brain fog, swelling, energy loss, appetite changes, and so on. 

To peel another layer off the fluid balance onion, those who eat primarily clean, lower carb, whole food-focused diets likely lack high-quality salt in their day-to-day. In my personal experience, that has always been the case. I never loved salt as a kid (whether or not it stemmed from fear mindsets or my genuine disfavor). I recently found myself struggling with months of acute water retention and a concurrent iodine deficiency (different from sodium but can also be a result of avoiding certain salt forms).

Enter LMNT— an electrolyte-formulated drink to help anyone meet their electrolyte needs, especially clean eaters and athletes. 

The formula (1000 mg sodium, 200 mg potassium, 60 mg magnesium) was inspired by a 2011 JAMA study that identified the optimal sodium intake range of 4–6 grams daily to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. 

200mg of potassium is included to meet a 5:1 sodium-to-potassium ratio. I won't nerd out too much, but there is something called the "sodium-potassium pump", which is a vital protein pump in our neurons' cell membranes. For every 3 sodium ions released, cells take in 2 potassium ions—a process supporting cardiac health, nerve function, muscle contraction, and so on. Because many of us sweat a decent amount and invite more significant sodium losses, the 5:1 sodium-to-potassium ratio sets us up to meet the essential 3:2 sodium-potassium pump ratio. 

As for the 60mg of magnesium, there's growing research to suggest the US leans deficient in magnesium through the Standard American Diet alone. Our ancestors in hunter/gatherer societies showed a magnesium uptake of 600 mg of magnesium per day, which is rare to achieve today without supplementation. I've always believed that a bioavailable whole-foods magnesium approach (implementing lots of dark leafy greens, beans, and animal protein sources) should be prioritized, but supplementing our shortfall can be helpful.

Calling LMNT electrolyte packets a life savior sounds highly dramatic, but even in the context of my current mountain adventure alone, they're saving me from many unwanted symptoms I've experienced previously. In all realness, I was not too happy when I tried them (I think I started with the Mango Chili or Watermelon flavors). They are… salty.

Then Anya Rosen from Birchwell Clinic, a Registered Dietitian and one of my favorite Functional Medicine Practitioners I've worked with (and would recommend to anyone), suggested I try the chocolate flavors. I would have never gone this route, but I guess the best beverage suggestions come unexpectedly.

If you're a fan of warm lattes and like the taste of dark chocolate (with a pinch of sea salt), the chocolate line is decadent and divine. I make myself an electrolyte hot chocolate each morning (both on the mountain and whenever I know I'll be breaking a decent sweat that day) because I've found that preparing ahead is much better than chasing symptoms afterward. This also often replaces my caffeine.

Favorite LMNT hot chocolate recipe (to die for):

-1 pack of LMNT (using one of the flavors from the Chocolate Medley collection— my favorites in order are Chocolate Caramel, Chocolate Mint, Chocolate Raspberry, Chocolate Chai, Chocolate Salt)

-5 oz. hot filtered water

-3 oz. milk of choice

I've found that adding the Chocolate Medley flavors into cold water is also delicious and much less ~salty~ than the other LMNT flavors. I'll do this when I don't have time to drink a hot chocolate in the morning or before a sweat sesh.

If I'm hot chocolate-ed out and need a new flavor profile to spice (or salt) things up, I finally created a recipe that I enjoy…

Cran Electrolyte Elixir (for my sauna water bottle):

-1 pack of LMNT (either Orange Salt, Raspberry Salt, Grapefruit Salt, Citrus Salt)

-2 oz. 100% pure cranberry juice (one of my favorite polyphenol-rich ingredients for feeding our good gut bugs)

-cold filtered water to fill up rest of water bottle 

To make your own LMNT-inspired electrolyte drink at home (using the LMNT guidelines):

-1/2 teaspoon Celtic or Pink Himalayan salt (provides ~1 g sodium)

-500 mg potassium citrate powder (provides ~200 mg potassium)

-¼ teaspoon of magnesium malate (provides ~60 mg magnesium)

If you are hypersensitive to salt due to underlying metabolic issues, I'll always air on the side of caution and recommend consulting a doctor before consuming. However, I also recommend reading up on the following peer-reviewed studies, highlighting the complexities and misinformation on sodium restriction.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24651634/ 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3416162/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24651634/

https://faseb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.446.6

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33314019/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8055199/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9607376/ 

I briefly mentioned a previous iodine deficiency, which is not something that LMNT packets take care of (they do not include Iodine). Rather, when I found out I wasn't getting enough Iodine, it was easy to make the correlation that I wasn't getting enough sodium either. I plan to do a deep dive on Iodine in a separate newsletter because it's another Goldilocks trace mineral we want to get "just right". 

While my morning LMNT hot chocolate has become a daily tool to optimize my physical health, it represents something more meaningful. I'm not just replenishing minerals; I'm replenishing years of food fears and false narratives. Electrolytes are an electrical undercurrent for our cells to function, and our thoughts are energetic undercurrents for our cells to function.

Each separate emotion we experience, including fear, releases its own stream of neuropeptides, which ultimately connect with our cell receptors and alters the structure our cells  (a deep dive for another time). Changing the narrative surrounding food and nutrients quite literally changes our brain chemistry.

I am not affiliated with LMNT at all, this is simply an extension of my personal affinity for the product and the science behind it. If you chose to purchase LMNT, Dr. Andrew Huberman is partnered with them so that you can claim a free sample pack with any purchase.

Sending everyone some mid-week love, and we’ll talk soon :)

Happy Valentine's Day! 

Sending everyone so much love and gratitude. Let's get right into it… 

5 Ways To Keep Things Spicy Between You & Yourself

The relationship you have between you and yourself is your life engine. The purpose of an engine is to convert fuel into motion so that your machine can move. This so-called movement is the way you experience life and the way life experiences you. 

I've found that while consistency and routine are certainly the backbones of growth and success, there's a nuance. A working engine doesn't mean a strong engine. 

In my case, doing all the things, taking all the supplements, and ticking off my health checklist did make my body healthier. It did teach me the importance of committing to self-care. But it did not make me turn to my friends and say, "Hey, I'm feeling amazing and inspired by my new routines that excite me to wake up and do them again"…

A strong relationship with yourself is not mutually exclusive to a boring relationship with yourself. 

So, how do we stay consistent and successful without being boring? 

SPICE. 

By now, you may be familiar with how much I love incorporating warming spices into my meals for their functional health and culinary benefits (e.g., shoutout to all the ginger nubs, and cinnamon and cayenne bottles I've been through this year). Spices are the simplest yet effective way to elevate flavor, ignite our digestive fire, promote energy flow throughout the body and mind, and heighten our sensory experiences. Quite literally, when we introduce warming spices into our meals, they help stimulate blood circulation, encouraging the movement of stagnant blood from the heart to the pelvic area. Whether it's a burst of energy, digestive stimulation, a libido boost, or an overall calming of the nervous system, this goes beyond the physical. Moving energy from the heart out and around the body untangles emotional knots, allowing us to get… spicier.

Valentine's Day is the perfect opportunity to share some of my favorite things in my kitchen and metaphorical life spice cabinets.

INSIDE MY LIFE SPICE CABINET:

1. Romanticize everything. I'm talking rose petals in your latte, that cute planner that gets you excited to schedule in a meeting, candles designated for specific occasions (yes, I have a writing candle versus a relaxation candle), the mug that gets you excited to drink your L-glutamine powder, the pill organizer with your initials engraved on it, the playlist that makes you feel like a main character in a movie while you're walking to therapy. I often get asked why I make so many elaborate mocktails and lattes, make playlists, and have journals for everything. My answer is that it simply keeps things interesting. I owe so much of my sanity to how romanticizing healing and an average Monday keeps me on my toes. It makes everything worth doing again, and again, and again. 

2. Do something creative, and don't tell anyone about it. As we grow old, creativity receives a price tag. When we have a talent, we sell it and profit from it. But as we blend "make" with "money," we bring fear into the picture. So much of what we make becomes for other people. Will they like it? Will they buy it? Will they post about it? So much is left unexplored when the stakes matter and fear takes over. Imagine what a world we would live in if people prioritized play. The quality of our existences and connections to our jobs, communities, and life engines fueled by precisely what we are the most of. Creative beings. One of my favorite ways to connect to my inner creative wisdom is by imagining my inner child, the version of myself that swung on the swings for hours and made cupcakes for our neighbors out of every (even gross) ingredient in the kitchen. The version of myself that danced on a stage and painted after school simply because I wanted to. Our inner children never die; they're nestled deep inside us. Draw for them, sing for them, literally anything that lets them entertain. Or else, you'd be surprised; they'll limit how spicy life can get. 

3. Date life. This is the very recent, very spicy energy I've been bringing into the new year that has impacted the people and experiences I have attracted. Date life doesn't mean putting yourself in experiences that aren't committable; it simply means trying a little bit of everything—no strings attached. Date your job, date the new city, date the hobby, and approach things with enthusiasm and willingness to explore. You can shift gears when you're being called elsewhere. Rest assured, you'll find yourself in places and headspaces you never thought possible. And long-term relationships don't form themselves without dating first... right?

4. Understand your personal love language. Love is to human as water is to plant. It's our life force, what motivates us to overcome difficult situations, and one of the few things that can still exist when other things are taken away from us. The misconception about love is that we meet it. No. We create it. Just as everyone has different love languages or ways they prefer to receive love from others, I believe everyone has different self-love languages, too. Here are some of my go-to ways to curate a self-love menu (a.k.a, the blueprint you'll refer back to when you're feeling off):

• Words of affirmation: look at yourself in the mirror and start pointing out things you love about yourself (this seems silly, but your cells listen— it also only takes 30 seconds), journal your strengths (something you feel good about, something you accomplished, something exciting that's brewing inside of you), put on a self-love or future-self meditation (these usually incorporate affirmative thinking), etc.

• Acts of service: clean up your space and get organized (this is one of my favorite ones to set the tone for either waking up or winding down), meal-prep breakfast (great for if you know you'll have a busy morning), plan your day (can be done morning or night before), pick out your outfit, take any medications, etc.

• Receiving gifts: I'm not saying buy yourself something crazy, but I do believe that investing in your health is just about the smartest thing a person could do. Maybe this means Insta-carting yourself some nourishing ingredients to cook with tomorrow, booking that workout class because you love how you feel afterwards, or downloading a new Kindle read. This can also look like making a bucket list, investing in your education (learning a skill you've always wanted to), etc.

• Quality time: sit outside in the morning sunlight with your coffee, excite your inner child with an art project (drawing, painting, vision boards), soak in an Epsom salt bath, take an "everything shower" (my personal favorite), make some tea and indulge in a face mask, or bask in your breath (literally lay there and be there), etc.

• Physical touch: stretch, give yourself a facial or stomach massage with castor oil; any body work or spa-like treatment counts here. Your body is your playground- take that as you will.

5. Reserve one date night a week for yourself. I'm the type of person who either accidentally overbooks and struggles to prioritize time for myself or falls into random rhythms where I hibernate in solitude and have a more challenging time pulling myself out. I've solved both issues by reserving an intentional date night for myself for a week. Instead of feeling either like I'm 1. canceling on others or 2. stuck being alone, being alone becomes being with myself. It gives me space to check in, perform some necessary self-care (cue castor oil pack, everything shower, red light mask), explore somewhere new, etc. This is the perfect time to do all of the above— romanticize life, do something creative, or indulge in a personal love language.

PEEK INSIDE MY KITCHEN SPICE CABINET:

5 tried and true kitchen spices that make life… better?

1. Cinnamon. Easily my most used (and potentially favorite) herb/bark. It's warming, aromatic, multi-use, and a great hack for supporting healthy carbohydrate metabolism, blood sugar response, and stimulating digestion. It's always on top of my morning matcha, fruit bowls, and anything sweetened.

2. Garlic Powder. Garlic is one of the finer things in life. It's my most-used spice for cooking meats and vegetables, making everything more enjoyable. It's also used to boost the immune system, help aid in digestion, and has a slight anti-microbial effect on the body, which helps counter bacteria-caused food poisoning.

3. Ginger Powder. Made from dried and ground ginger root, this is a great substitute for raw ginger. I love adding it to anything in Asian cuisine, such as stir-fries, curries, and marinades. I also love adding it to my bone broth or tea for menstrual health support, a digestive boost, fighting nausea, or simply adding a new layer of flavor. 

4. Cayenne Pepper. An ultra-spicy add-on to boost bone broth, soups, meats, or veggies. There is so much power in cayenne for opening our sinuses, igniting our digestive fire, and revving metabolism. When I have something with Cayenne in the morning, I operate on an enhanced level of motivation.

5. Turmeric. One of my favorite ways to fight inflammation and warm the body from the inside out. Whether it's stagnant energy or a cold being brought on, adding turmeric to a latte, soup, curry, or tea helps… a lot. Pro tip: because turmeric is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream, add some black pepper to help the body absorb all the good stuff. Research suggests that combining the black pepper piperine with turmeric curcumin enhances curcumin absorption by up to 2,000%.

6. 1-2 fresh herbs a week. I try to keep some type of fresh herb available (whether cilantro, parsley, mint, basil) and have found that by storing herbs in a way that keeps them fresh for over a whole week, I get inspired to try new recipes with them and reap the health benefits. I recommend snipping off the bases of the stems, removing any discolored or wilted leaves, and transferring them to a cup or Mason jar with an inch of water in the bottom. This will keep them fresh and edible. 

   

   Herbs are our detoxification and digestive health besties. I've been loving adding a little chopped fresh parsley to my salads or bowls to take up some of the room from lettuce, help counter bloat, act as a digestive bitter, help increase bile production and gastric juices (vital for proper enzyme functions), and help my body absorb the nutrients its being fed. An interesting study also found a slight antidepressant-like effect from parsley, which only reinforces my love for food a medicine.

SPICE RULES:

• Start slow - You can easily overwhelm the flavor of a dish by adding too many herbs and spices at once. The best thing to do is to stop using two strong flavors together and slowly add things, tasting along the way. Too much of anything strong can weaken the reaction— there's always a sweet spot. The same goes for life's spice cabinet. Adding, adding, adding takes away from what is brewing, what is already yours. 

• Know the right use - dried herbs are an amazing choice for building and adding flavor when you're cooking, while fresh herbs are my favorite to add at the end of a dish. Adding a little freshly chopped parsley, mint, or basil on top of a meal is a subtle way to elevate a recipe and enhance detoxification and digestive benefits. The same goes for life's spice cabinet, and this goes without saying— balance is key. Romanticize but stay rational, don't gate-keep your creativity, date life while embracing commitment, etc.

Some last notes before we wrap up todays newsletter, I updated a section on my ShopMy (essentially, a curated shop I've been slowly creating) with my favorite "Date Night Swaps". Here, you can find some of my favorite oral care products, living space scents, mocktail equipment, etc. to take date nights (and personal date nights) up a next level. 

Highlighting a few from my shop below:

Risewell natural hydroxyapatite toothpaste: Risewell sent me a package of their oral goodies this past week, but they've quickly become my favorite healthy dental alternatives. Everything is powered by Hydroxyapatite (fluoride-free), Japan's most popular oral-care ingredient. I'm incredibly picky with my "natural products", but this entire line (especially the tooth paste, mints, and mouthwash) live up to the hype. https://go.shopmy.us/p-3627571

Organic Olivia' Flowers For My Love': If you know me, you know I adore all that Olivia Amitrano creates. I take her Liver Juice and Flow Balance tinctures daily, and I love to incorporate her other teas and tinctures in an occasion-based way. One of my recent favorites is her 'Flowers For My Love' tincture, which she describes as "a calming, rose-centered blend of medicinal flowers that gently soften and soothe the nervous system to create space for compassion and deeper connection." Adding a few drops of this tincture to water before going somewhere or doing something that involves an open heart (I took some before writing this newsletter) helps support healthy self-expression. https://go.shopmy.us/p-3627744 

De Soi Très Rosé: No alcohol, no caffeine, no artificial colors or flavors, but tastes like rosé??? Whether you're alcohol-free or not, this is a fun addition to date night. It incorporates some of my all-time FAVORITE adaptogens, such as Lion's Mane, Saffron, and L-theanine, which help us ground, connect, and feel alive. To be honest, I'm not the biggest real rosé lover, and I think this tastes better. https://go.shopmy.us/p-3627658

If you enjoyed today's newsletter, share it with friends and family. If you'd like to receive more wellness straight to your inbox, subscribe below. <3

Love,

Ale

If I'm being honest, I've rewritten the beginning of this newsletter a few times now. When your story means a lot to you, how you tell it matters. This is why I started this newsletter (future blog)— to dive deeper and explore wellness and healing in ways that feel more intimate than social media. 

One year ago today, February 12th, 2023, I posted my first @eatswithale Instagram from my new NYC apartment and immediately jumped in the shower and cried. My hands shook as I washed my hair with my newly incorporated non-toxic shampoo, and watched more hair than I wished for fall from my head into the drain. I was only twelve days into living alone for the first time in my life after spending the previous two months in and out of the hospital with little to no health stability in sight. 

A fresh ulcerative colitis diagnosis, onset of telogen effluvium, and toxic mold poisoning left me scared and embarrassed by my wellness-forward social media post I had just exposed to the world. Limiting beliefs such as "you can't help people when you're still this sick" or "who would want wellness advice from you" extinguished all the excitement I had felt a few minutes earlier.

"What have I done?" I thought to myself. 

…

Sometimes, the mind doesn't look out for the soul. It's a sad truth, but this is how most of us are programmed. Anything that has ever happened to us— whether in this lifetime, a previous one, or to a relative (proven through epigenetics)—, stores itself somewhere inside us. Most of our health, inner dialogue, and how we show up in this world is based off of these previous experiences.

Luckily, the soul powers the mind. This was a big theme of my life in the months leading up to my spontaneous move across the country. When your health gets taken away from you, and your body isn't what tethers you to reality anymore, and your mind is operating off of a sick body, it's really up to your soul to decide how life is going to be experienced.

I call this the blessing of chronic illness— a beautifully twisted way of getting to know the deepest parts of who you are, why you are here, and making your soul the safest outlet when the body and mind are slower to cooperate. 

The thing about connecting to the soul is that we can always connect more. It's easily the most limitless and infinite relationship we have. In my experience, when I "move up a level" in closeness to my soul, I always experience a period of resistance and self-loathing until I gain the clarity I need to "move up another level".

This is why we are never done healing.

…

The transition I experienced between being abruptly hospitalized, going into an inexplicably quick remission, and following my gut feeling to start Eats With Ale was certainly… a lot. But as the story always goes, I can now look back and laugh at myself because I truly had no idea what a whirlwind the rest of 2023 would be. 

When life gets better, it can also get harder. It can feel like two steps forward, one step backward. Or sometimes, ten steps forward, twenty steps backward. Until that one step exceeds the rest.

What was a successful first year on a biologic drug with zero side effects was also the most challenging year of my life hormonally after going off the pill with little to no guidance and a poor foundation. What was falling in love with food and nourishing myself properly after years of disordered eating was also moments of the worst body dysmorphia I've ever had. What was feeling the strongest I've ever felt in my body was also losing a lot of my hair and experiencing acne for the first time. What was the least anxiety and panic attacks I've ever had in a year cumulatively was also a year of processing trauma unlike ever before.

Healing is not linear.

But it's also all about perspective. Going through health struggles once you become your own best friend isn't as bad. What matters to me now is teaching others how to be the hero in their own health story— to be open-minded and resourceful, to advocate for themselves both in the medical sphere and their inner dialogue, and to find fun throughout the process. 

…

I cried in the shower not only because I felt vulnerable and judgmental but because I knew deep down that there was no going back. I knew that between my 80 followers, I was committing to show up and give back to my little community, and in return, they were holding me accountable to growing pains. 

Throughout the night, many friends and family members followed Eats With Ale and commented how proud they were of me. This is one of those moments I bring myself back to when I’m experiencing self-doubt. They may not realize it, but those OG 80 followers are still my engine.

The first few weeks of Eats With Ale consisted of me sneakily posting from my corporate job desk and spending my lunch breaks nerding out on content ideas. I was sharing little snippets of my newly embraced routines— high protein breakfasts and snack swaps for work— and was shocked by how many others took interest. 

Between then and now, I graduated from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition as a certified health coach, began to work with clients, and have been building an official coaching program to help other self-aware individuals who feel lost and defeated when it comes to their health and relationship with food.

I've become my own researcher, test bunny, and healer, and my body has become a very resilient vessel that ceases to amaze me in how quickly it can bounce back. I've connected with a new team of doctors and practitioners who have all contributed not only to my healing but also my education. I can now relay what I've learned to you all.

I fell in love with the idea of a life where work could be helping others heal. Many new friends have joined the journey and become huge pieces of my healing puzzle. When I say I love everyone I've connected with, I mean it and keep a folder on my camera roll called "reasons why I do this," where I screenshot my favorite messages and conversations I've had with my community to privately reminisce over during the heavier moments when I "don't know what I'm doing.”

…

I'm currently working to get over a resistance hump with my content creation. Resistance is the feeling that has taught me the most about myself lately— it brings up all my limiting beliefs (especially about social media and how I show up for work) but also reminds me how much I genuinely care to teach all the transformative wellness information that has been changing my life. Resistance, as I said, is typically a result of “moving up a level.”

Nothing feels more right on February 12th, exactly one year since I took a leap to start Eats With Ale (which is a complete synchronicity), to take another and explore writing intimate blog posts.

If you made it this far, I’ll leave you with this. Think of yourself a year from now. Its February 12th, 2025. Whatever it was that was happening on February 12th, 2024 is now a distant memory. Somehow, you’re here. Being here though means you’re no longer there. You wish you had been more present. To each imperfect minute. But you’re proud to be here, despite the bumps, alive and receptive to all that is yours. 

So much can happen in a year. This can mean something different every time it’s said, but all the ways are true.

…

Thank you all for supporting me as I share and explore the things I never thought I would. Cheers to another 365 days of recipes, research rabbit holes, wellness tips, pushing past resistance, and learning our bodies language.

Subscribe and share my blog for many (**also FUN and LIGHTHEARTED lol) newsletters ahead (including this week). Never hesitate to reach out, make requests, provide feedback, or address concerns.

Love,

Ale

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