Rewilded Wellness

The Vagus Nerve Connection: Beyond Simple Exercises

Highlights from my latest podcast episode exploring the functional approach to vagus nerve health

*Listen to the episode on the Rewilded Wellness podcast, available on: 

iTunes HERE 
Spotify HERE
On YouTube HERE 

While there's a lot of buzz about vagus nerve exercises lately - from cold plunges to humming - this podcast episode explores a deeper perspective. What if those simple exercises are only scratching the surface? What if your mineral patterns, gut dysbiosis, mold exposure, or even physical misalignments are blocking your vagal function?

Let's dive into the functional testing approaches that can reveal why your vagus nerve might be struggling, and what you can do about it.

Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis: The Mineral Connection

Your vagus nerve functions like your body's electrical system, and minerals are the conductors. Here's what we look for on an HTMA:

- Calcium/Magnesium Ratio: When calcium dominates excessively ov...

My favorite Dan quote of the episode: "Who eats first = the microbes eat first (the microbes are the people in your colon)."

The Nutrient Density Connection: Dan Kittredge on Soil Health and Human Wellness

In this episode of Rewilded Wellness, I had the privilege of speaking with Dan Kittredge, a lifelong farmer, educator, and founder of the Bionutrient Food Association. Our conversation delved into the often-overlooked connection between the quality of our soil and the epidemic of health challenges we face today.

The Hidden Crisis in Our Food System

Dan opened our discussion with a stark reality that many of us intuitively sense but may not fully understand: truly nutrient-dense food has become increasingly difficult to find. Despite grocery stores brimming with visually appealing produce, the nutritional content of today's conventionally grown foods pales in comparison to what our ancestors consumed.

"The nutrition labeling system we rely on is both inaccurate and woefully outda...

Mineral Foundations: Horsetail, Silica & Your Structure 

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*The following blog is a summary of what I shared in the podcast, there is much more depth in the episode you won't want to miss. 

The Ancient Wisdom of Horsetail: A Silica-Rich Foundation for Structural Health

There's something truly magical about working with a plant that dinosaurs once walked among. Horsetail (*Equisetum arvense*) has remained virtually unchanged for over 300 million years, making it one of our most ancient plant allies and a living fossil connecting us to Earth's primordial wisdom.

In my practice and personal healing journey, horsetail has become a foundational herb I return to again and again, particularly for its exceptional silica content. As the tissue salt traditionally associated with Sagittarius energy, silica provides that perfect balance of flexibility within strong boundaries—something many o...

Spring Equinox & Mineral Foundations: The Missing Link in Your Wellness Journey

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As the spring equinox approaches, nature is revealing one of its most powerful teachers – the perfect balance point between darkness and light. This isn't just a date on the calendar; it's nature's New Year, a crucial transition that affects every living thing, including your body.

While many of us associate spring with cleansing, renewal, and fresh starts, there's a fundamental aspect of this season that modern wellness approaches often overlook: the critical need for mineral foundations.

This post accompanies my latest podcast episode,"Spring Equinox Wisdom: How to Build Mineral Foundations That Last" where I dive deep into this connection. Here, I'm sharing some key insights and visual tools to complement what you'll hear in the episode.

The Mineral Orchestra: How Elements Work Together in Spring

 Season 2: Episode #3: Vitamin E: The Seasonal Key to Cellular Repair and Mineral Balance

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YouTube HERE

In today's world of processed oils and year-round food availability, we've lost touch with one of our ancestors' most crucial nutritional patterns: seasonal consumption of complete vitamin E complex foods. As a mineral balancing practitioner, I've discovered that returning to these ancestral eating patterns provides powerful support for cellular repair, particularly for clients recovering from years of damaged fat consumption—just one of the many modern challenges we face, but the one I'm highlighting today.

As we transition into spring, I'm adjusting my own food and supplements based on my latest HTMA results—a practice I follow each season. This approach aligns with my personal rewilding journey and the core philosophy of rewilded wellness: slowing down, creating space, and restoring connection to what truly matters.

Many of us...

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

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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]

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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 

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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 

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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...