I can still remember that hike with my friend. She wasn't just any friend—she was the kind of person who truly listened, who carried this remarkable calm with her everywhere. A yoga teacher and breathwork facilitator, she embodied the practices she taught.

When we started up the trail that day, I was a mess. My breathing felt labored, and that familiar tightness was creeping into my chest. After decades of respiratory issues and a history of asthma, I recognized the warning signs. My body was preparing to betray me again, or so I thought.

"I don't know if I can do this today," I told her, explaining my breathing concerns between strained breaths. We were walking uphill, and I was already struggling—not just physically, but with the mounting anxiety that comes from feeling your breath become unreliable.

This was during that impossibly difficult period of my life—living in our mold-infested home, trying to grow my business while raising four boys on my own. Stress wasn't just...

The Missing Piece: How Mineral Imbalances Impact Sensory Processing and Development in Children

For years as a nutritional therapist, I've watched parents struggle to find answers for their children with sensory processing challenges and developmental delays. They've tried occupational therapy, behavioral approaches, and countless interventions—all valuable pieces of the puzzle, but often missing a fundamental component: the biochemical foundation that influences how a child's sensory system functions and how they develop cognitively and physically.

Looking Beyond Behavior to Biochemistry

What I've discovered in my practice is that sensory processing and developmental delays aren't just about neural pathways—they're about the cellular environment those neural pathways exist in. When a child seems overwhelmed by tags in clothing, has trouble meeting physical milestones, struggles with language acquisition, or can't regulate their responses to the world around them, we need to ask: wh...

Trace Minerals: Building Blocks for Your Inner Ecosystem

Do you feel like your body is out of balance—like your internal environment is a little chaotic, fragile, or depleted? Just as a thriving ecosystem relies on rich, living soil to support plants, animals, and microbes, your body relies on a delicate architecture of nutrients to thrive. At the heart of that architecture are trace minerals—tiny, powerful elements that have been largely stripped from our modern diets and water sources.

These are not just nutrients you sprinkle into your routine. They are the foundation of your inner ecosystem: the invisible soil in which your energy, mood, immune resilience, and overall vitality grow. Without them properly in place, every other health effort—exercise, diet, supplements, even stress management—will only go so far.

Why Trace Minerals Matter More Than Most People Realize

Think of trace minerals as the essential microorganisms in the soil of your body:

• Foundational for physiol...

 Season 2: Episode #2: Spring Clean Your Health: Transitioning from Winter to Spring

Listen on iTunes HERE
Listen on Spotify HERE
YouTube HERE

As we stand just two weeks away from the official start of spring, I find myself in the midst of a familiar dance – transitioning away from winter habits and embracing the freshness of the upcoming season. This shift isn't just about changing our wardrobes; it's a full-body recalibration that affects how we eat, move, and feel.

Every time we enter a new season, our bodies need time to adjust. Spring, in particular, offers a beautiful opportunity to shed the heaviness of winter and embrace lighter, cleansing foods. It's nature's way of hitting the reset button, and I'm here to guide you through this transition.

In my household, we're in the thick of this winter-to-spring dance. On cold, rainy days (like today on the East Coast), we still crave those warming winter foods. But there's also an undeniable pull towards freshness – those vibrant g...

Rewilded Wellness: Nurturing Your Body's Ecosystem - Season 2 Premiere

In the exciting premiere of Season 2, I dive deep into the concept of "Rewilded Wellness," exploring how we can nurture our body's ecosystem for optimal health and vitality.

Find this episode on: 

iTunes [ HERE ] 
Spotify [ HERE ] 
YouTube [ HERE ] 

The Body as an Ecosystem

I begin by examining the idea of our bodies as complex, interconnected ecosystems, much like the natural world around us. Just as a thriving forest needs specific elements to flourish, I explain how our bodies require certain inputs to regenerate and thrive.

The Seven Pillars of Human Health

I remind us of what I believe are the seven crucial pillars for maintaining a healthy body ecosystem:

1. Natural Light and Circadian Rhythms: I discuss the importance of aligning with nature's light cycles for hormone balance and overall well-being.

2. Mineral-Rich Water: I explain how clean, mineralized water supports hydration and cellular function.

Episode #224: Minerals & Your Nervous System [+last episode of A JOY TO BE ME]

Listen on iTunes HERE
Listen on Spotify HERE
YouTube HERE

Rewilded Wellness: A New Chapter in Health and Healing

Welcome, to what marks both an end and a beginning. This is my final episode of "A Joy To Be Me", I will be transitioning to a new name and a renewed focus: "Rewilded Wellness."

A Journey Through Time and Transformation

It feels like a lifetime ago when I launched "A Joy To Be Me" in February 2020, just before the world changed with COVID-19 lockdowns. For those who've been with me since my first podcast, "The Vibrant Health Podcast," you know this journey has been years in the making.

The past five years have been transformative, leading me to pivot and stake my claim in a new territory of wellness. Two years ago, with episode 160, "The fundamentals for human health are so sexy," I began shifting the podcast's direction. Now, I'm fully embracing this evolution with the new name, "Rewilded ...

Episode #223: Why you don't need to do a detox or cleanse 

Listen on iTunes HERE
Listen on Spotify HERE
YouTube HERE

Why You Don’t Need a Detox or Cleanse

As we transition out of winter, many people begin to feel the effects of the season—sluggishness, weight gain, brain fog, or just a sense that something feels “off.” Spring often shakes us out of this rut, but it’s also the time when we hear a lot about detoxes and cleanses.

So let’s talk about why you don’t actually need a detox or cleanse—and what your body really needs instead.

The Truth About Detoxification

First, let’s clear something up: your body is detoxing *all the time.* Your liver, lymphatic system, kidneys, skin, and gut are constantly working together to eliminate waste and neutralize toxins.

But here’s the thing: the sheer volume of toxins we’re exposed to today is unprecedented. Between pesticides, air and water pollution, synthetic chemicals, and processed foods, our bodies are carrying a far greater burden than th...

Episode #222: Rewilding Wellness: Decoding Your Body's Hidden Wisdom 

Listen on iTunes HERE
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YouTube HERE

Welcome back to A Joy To Be Me! My 5 year anniversary of the podcast is February 14th. The version of me that started this podcast has evolved significantly. While it's still a joy to be me, that joy has immensely deepened as I've stepped more fully into my true self. The past five years have been challenging in ways I can't fully describe, but as they say, breakdown often leads to breakthrough.

I've experienced a change in identity and my entire way of being, allowing me to become more of my authentic self, grow in awareness, and build resilience.

In episode 14 Open up to your amazing beautiful life - in the heart of the lockdowns, I chatted with Michale Chatam, we discussed the importance of 'being' - how you exist in your body, how you live, move, breathe, and simply BE. If how you've learned to be isn't aligned with your truest self, if you've been condition...

Episode #221: My Perspective on fasting & options beyond food 

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Listen on Spotify HERE
YouTube HERE

Welcome back to *A Joy To Be Me*! Did you know that this month marks the 5-year anniversary of this podcast? What a wild five years it has been—am I right? As we navigate this post-COVID era, many of us are seeing it as a wake-up call to readjust our lifestyles to better align with our true needs. This silver lining encourages us to prioritize what matters and embrace a healthier, more mindful way of living. It’s inspiring to see many of my clients making significant life changes and laying strong foundations for their health and well-being during this time.

Recently, a client asked for my insights on fasting, particularly the "Fasting Like a Girl" movement, which I hadn’t explored before. While fasting isn't something I typically focus on, I have many thoughts on the subject that I haven’t shared publicly. For me, fasting has naturally integrated into my life—not as ...

Episode #220: Mercury: The Silent Saboteur of your nervous system 

Listen on iTunes HERE
Listen on Spotify HERE
YouTube HERE

Hello, my friends, and welcome back to *A JOY TO BE ME*! I hope you're finding joy in being you. Today, I’m diving right into the heart of our episode, building on the themes from my last two episodes: “Healing Burnout: How Mothers and Environment Shape Our Health” and “How Maternal Microbiomes Charge Immune Health.”

I want to help you see the long history of factors shaping our current health paradigm, especially regarding chronic health issues. Understanding these influences can lead to deeper healing.

Personally, reflecting on what has shaped my health and that of my children is invaluable, particularly as we see the rise of nervous system regulation concepts. I want to avoid falling into the trap of new labels that distort our reality, create disempowerment, or lead us into victimhood. 

While it’s true that our current environment has caused overload, this d...