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Probiotic Strains

What’s the Difference with Different Probiotic Species and Strains?

Different strains of probiotic bacteria have been shown to have different functions and are concentrated in various places along the digestive tract and in and on the body. For supporting the general microbiome, I usually recommend products that contain multiple strains of LactobacillusBifidobacterium, and other species.

Some strains have been identified as having particular health effects:

  • L. acidophilus: supports di…

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Mind Your Microbes

Mind Your Microbes

In the last century, a war was waged against disease-causing microbes. This was an important advance in reducing harm caused by infections. But more recent scientific research has shown us that not all microbes are harmful. And in fact, some can be vitally important to our health and wellbeing. And it is the balance of this ecology that we must pay attention to.

The symbiotic bacteria that we live with – called our microbiome – do a lot of things for us. In addition to p…

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Savory Warm Rainbow Bowl

Savory Warm Rainbow Bowl

What I love about making bowls is that you can use whatever is on hand and season it to your taste. Sometimes I'll just season with a little salt & pepper, other times I'll make a Thai peanut sauce or add some salsa and hot sauce and spice it up. My daughter surprised me this morning and made herself a Rainbow Breakfast Bowl, so I'll have to make another post for that one as it was more sweet and these are more savory.

The base of the bowl is us…

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Rainbow Salad

Rainbow Salad

You can get really creative when making your rainbow salad - adding different flavors to make it more or less sweet or savory. Here are some of my favorites:

  • Red: Tomato, red bell pepper, red onion, cranberries, cherries, strawberries, pomegranate, red apple
  • Orange: Carrot, orange bell pepper, orange slices, mango
  • Yellow: Yellow bell pepper, corn, lemon, pineapple, summer squash
  • Green: Chopped spinach, romaine, arugula or other leafy green; cabbage, a…

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Rainbow Smoothie

Rainbow Smoothie

A Tasty Rainbow of Phytonutrients

You can substitute different ingredients to make your rainbow of color. There are no rules - just have fun. However, to minimize blood sugar spikes I recommend making sure that you have protein, fat, and or fiber included. Here are my suggestions to choose from:

  • Red – Strawberries, raspberries, sweet red bell pepper, beet juice
  • Orange – Orange, mango, sweet orange bell pepper, carrot juice, turmeric
  • Yellow – Pineapple,…

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Eat a Rainbow



“When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no need.”    -Ayurvedic saying



 

Food as Medicine

Food represents so many things to us – nourishment, connection, comfort. And to me, it is the foundation of health. Food not only provides us with energy in the form of calories from macronutrients (proteins, fats, and carbs), but also information that communicates different messages in the body and mind.

That information can be complex, and I’m going to break it…

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Why We Need Resilient Health Now More Than Ever



  • Have you been feeling stressed?
  • Not eating well?
  • Not sleeping well?
  • Worrying that you might get sick?

You are not alone. Many are having the same feelings, and I want to empower you to take charge of your physical and mental wellbeing. I want to help you take control of the things that you can, so that you can optimize your wellbeing and have resilient health.

What is Resilient Health?

To be resilient means “to be able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions.” Now more than …

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Sleep Audio

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Struggling with insomnia or poor sleep quality? Dr. Valencia Porter shares a step-by-step progressive relaxation meditation to help you fall asleep faster and wake up refreshed. This hypnotic technique uses progressive muscle relaxation and breathing to calm the mind and body for restful sleep. Follow along with the guided audio to melt away stress and anxiety and drift off to a restorative sleep.

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10 Tips to Prevent Flu and Colds Naturally

It’s that time of the year again. The kids are back in school and it seems like a steady stream of upper respiratory infections are being passed around. Even my 4th grader said this last week, “Mom, is it time to start taking the stuff to prevent the flu?” Smart cookie!

In our house, we regularly incorporate disease fighting superfoods to boost immunity and fight colds, influenza, and other viruses and bacteria. And managing stress is another powerhouse to help keep your immune system healthy and…

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Ginger Tea

 

Ginger Tea

  • 1 Tablespoon Fresh ginger root, grated or thinly sliced (washed and peeled or just washed)
  • 2 Cups Boiling Filtered water
  • 1/4 Lemon ((optional))
  • Honey ((optional -to taste))
  1. There are many ways to make ginger tea. You can brew a large batch of it and sip it throughout the day, or just make yourself a single serve cup.

  2. To the boiling water, you will add the fresh ginger root. I used to peel the ginger root, but since I usually am not eating the root lately I just…

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