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Creating healthy habits is the foundation of successful self-care for natural health is about lifestyle, prevention, and harmonization.

Holistic Self-Care is an empowering natural self-care method for improving our holistic wellness through healthy habits that are sustainable, simple, and fun.Holistic wellness boosts the health and well-being of the whole body, mind, and spirit.

It is about partaking in practices that generate wellness in our whole lives and creating more abundant health in the future.

The benefits of healthy habits are felt immediately as well as cumulatively increasing over time.

Tiny positive changes that are consistently done can make profound changes in the future.

A small improvement may not be significant on day one, but with repetition becomes a significant increase.

Identify the healthy habits you want to do regularly and write them down.Through creating a written list and tracking your daily habits, you will be motivated to follow through and can see the progress you are making.

Writing things down is a powerful way to activate the conscious brain to remember, prioritize, and desire the intended goals.

When you complete the self-care items on your list each day, check them off as done.

Tracking habits increases motivation because marking off items as complete gives a sense of satisfaction that helps to encourage the repetition of the task again.To make it easier to achieve your goals, make small self-care goals and write them down. Check off each one, because every time you mark off a habit as done, your brain releases small amounts of the hormone dopamine, which makes you feel good.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s a big task or a little task because small goals also create dopamine spikes.

Smaller goals are more likely to be started, and by making smaller goals, we actually feel better about getting more done, and accomplish more in the long run.

Making to-do lists of our healthy habits incentivizes us to achieve our self-care goals. It also is a simple way to remind ourselves to take the time each day to nurture ourselves and support our wellness. This is especially helpful for those of us who are busy and are juggling multiple responsibilities and projects. Our Holistic Self-Care lists make it easy to remember to take time to nurture our health naturally and simply with life-giving activities for whole wellness.

As your holistic self-care goals become daily healthy habits, then you are actively creating a wellness lifestyle that will enhance your energy, vitality, and longevity.

Each season, our holistic self-care habits create a rhythm that may change with the cycles of nature and our lives, but always have a balance of the key ingredients for natural health and vitality.

The 7 Elements of Holistic Self-Care are: Light, Water, Food, Nature, Movement, Community, and Rest.Each day as you make small healthy habits to harmonize the seven elements of Holistic Self-Care, you can check off your self-care to-do list for success.

In a day, you can embrace the practices of Holistic Self-Care through spending time in the sunshine, drinking a hydration beverage, eating a nourishing meal, going for a walk, having a conversation with a friend or family member, and going to bed at your ideal time.

A balance of all seven areas of wellness practices are needed to support optimal cellular energy, hormonal balance, and whole body, mind, and spirit rejuvenation.

This is a simple, sustainable, and dynamic way to customize a wellness lifestyle that supports optimal health, performance, and longevity.

Have fun making healthy habits by keeping it simple, writing your goals down, and finding ways to stack them together by doing multiple habits at a time. For example, going for a walk with a friend outside in nature during the sunlight hours checks off the Holistic Self-Care elements of: light, nature, movement, and community - that’s four goals reached in one action making it easy and satisfying to make healthy habits happen.

You can transform your health in powerful ways through simple healthy habits that are biodynamically aligned with nature and life.Many blessings,

Kara

P.S. Expand your natural health education.Become a leader in holistic wellness and grow your own business as a mentor through coaching, publishing, teaching, writing, speaking, content creation, product development, event organizing, and more!

Create a foundation in natural health education or expand your skills with our online training to support you as a wellness entrepreneur in women's wellness, birth, and self-care.

Join one, two, or all three of the online courses here: Holistic Women’s Wellness Mentor Training, the Holistic Birth Mentor Training, and the Holistic Self-Care Mentor Training.

P.P.S. Activate your cellular energy.I've been passionate about natural health for over 25 years, and my habits are constantly being refined and transformed through the years and seasons.

For the past two years, one of my consistent daily self-care habits has been using the LifeWave X39 phototherapy patch which activates your body's own cellular energy for total renewal, rejuvenation, and recovery.

After going through a personal health crisis a few years ago and not finding solutions, the LifeWave X39 patch brought me relief and replenished my energy in ways that were beyond what I expected!

I'm very happy to have partnered with LifeWave to share the power of the patch with over 700 people across the world who are activating their own cellular energy naturally for refreshed wellness!

Find out more about how this incredible natural wellness technology can transform your cellular energy for greater wellness, recovery, fitness, and performance. It's loved by athletes, doctors, natural health practitioners, and more!

If you are natural health practitioner, entrepreneur, blogger, influencer, networker, or advocate who is interested in sharing a natural wellness technology with your community, join me in becoming a Brand Partner and sharing this revolutionary regenerative light technology worldwide!

Learn more about LifeWave X39 here.

Contact me with any questions!

P.P.P.S. Experience a free sound meditation.Take a break and listen to the soothing sounds of didgeridoo, Native American flute, and more with Relax in Bliss Music.

I'm excited to share the relaxing instrumental sound healing music of my husband Jahsah on Wellness Blessing here.

This peaceful music is specially designed to support sleep, recovery, wellness, and peace. This music is calming to the mind and nervous system and wonderful for harmonizing environmental sounds and creating a soothing ambience.

Enjoy a sound meditation here.

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There are seven key elements that are essential for optimal wellness.

Just like how the visible spectrum of sunlight can be divided into the seven colors of the rainbow, there are seven elements that are integral for the creation of whole health.

All of the elements of holistic self-care are integral to our well-being and based upon natural health principles, cellular biology, and epigenetics.

Through creating a self-care rhythm that integrates each of these dynamic ingredients that are vital for holistic health we can take charge of our wellness.

**The seven elements of Holistic Self-Care are:**

1. Light: Natural sunlight, light therapy, and color therapy optimize our circadian rhythm, cellular vitality, hormonal balance, immune system, and mood.
2. Water: Hydration, bathing, and hydrotherapy are vital practices for our body’s physical health, as well as mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
3. Food: Nutrition through eating a variety of fresh foods that are nutrient rich and minimally processed is vital for cellular energy, fitness endurance, gut health, and whole body wellness.
4. Nature: Getting outdoors in all seasons supports our holistic wellness by attuning our body to the natural cycles of the solar year, getting beneficial fresh air, and grounding with the electromagnetic energy of the earth.
5. Movement: Natural and joyful movement practices are essential for increasing the flow of energy through our bodies, calming the mind, and increasing longevity.
6. Community: Nurturing healthy relationships, giving to others, and seeking community resources are all positive ways to enhance our self-care through positive social connections.
7. Rest: Sleep, meditation, and resting are powerful ways in which our whole being can experience restoration and rejuvenation.

Each element has powerful benefits for our body, mind, and spiritual wellness and can be harnessed for therapeutic benefits.

Through conscious awareness of these 7 elements in our life, we can see which ones we need to increase in a day, which ones we are out of balance on, and where to focus our energy for holistic self-care.

Together, they make a Holistic Self-Care system that encourages daily healthy habits and a sustainable wellness lifestyle.

Simple practices from each element can be done each day to support our daily self-care, while more advanced practices of each kind can be done weekly, monthly, seasonally, or whenever you choose.

Holistic Self-Care is flexible and adaptable for people of all ages, abilities, and stages of life, as the 7 steps are essential for all life to thrive.

This is an empowered method of wellness that supports healthy living while deepening our connection to nature, self, and community.

Have you done something from each of these elements today?

Which of these elements would you like more of in your life?

Enhance your self-care through the 7 elements of Holistic Self-Care.

Feel the benefits in your improved physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.

Many blessings,
Kara

P.S. Become a Holistic Self-Care Mentor in the online course here and help people to create a wellness lifestyle with optimized self-care.

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Jigsaw puzzles are a popular hobby and they’re phenomenol for improving mental health.

When I was a kid, I had a few jigsaw puzzles which I enjoyed, but as I got older I lost interest in them.

However, last year I was cleaning out our closets and found a puzzle that my son had picked up at a book sale. I declared that we should do it or give it away, and thus our whole family found ourselves captivated by this beautiful puzzle.

I noticed how much my mind calmed down when focusing on solving the puzzle.

It also amazed me how each piece that goes together creates a little dopamine hit of positive hormones that encourages positive feelings and is extremely satisfying.

I began researching jigsaw puzzles and found that there is an abundance of science showing how puzzling activates so many different aspects of our brain that it is found to be an incredibly positive activity for relieving stress, increasing problem solving, and enhancing memory, plus more.

Jigsaw puzzles are wonderful for enhancing mental health for children, adults, and seniors.

The best part is that puzzling has exploded in popularity and there are so many incredibly beautiful artworks and companies making high quality puzzles.

I have become a passionate puzzler and have found that through puzzling I have enhanced complex problem solving capabilities, in addition to find peace of mind while puzzling - which I also often combine with listening to soothing music, audiobooks, or listening to research talks.

One factor that is really wonderful about puzzling is that you can do it by yourself, but it's also a great way for people to puzzle together, and people can come and go as desired.

Puzzling is a fun activity that family and friends of all ages and skill levels can cooperate on together without being restricted by schedules or time-limits.

As I was researching ways this year to help my children with their end-of-the-year homeschool tests, I found that the testing tutor program they were working with suggested doing jigsaw puzzles as the #1 way to enhance their testing results.

Not studying harder - just puzzling!

It activates the brain's ability to strategize and problem solve and sort information to find the solution.

Puzzling not only helps with tests and problem solving, but it profoundly benefits relieving stress and helping to sort our emotions and find the solution to achieve peace, focus, and calm.

There are many ways to calm the nervous system and shift gears, but this is one that has especially surprised and delighted me.

Calming our minds and finding ways to switch off the overactive thought patterns is essential in these high-stress times.

I highly recommend it for mental well-being and enhancing problem solving capabilities.

The key is to find a puzzle with art that uplifts and inspires you, as your mind can relax into a beautiful picture and experience a mini-mental retreat.

Here are a few of my favorite puzzles from high-quality puzzles companies like Ravensburger, Eeboo, and Elena Essex.

Best Jigsaw Puzzles RecommendationsBest 500 Piece Puzzles for Adults Buy on Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Amazon Best 1000-Piece Puzzles for Adults Buy on Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Amazon Best Puzzles for Kids Buy on Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Amazon Happy puzzling!

Many blessings,

Kara

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Anticipate awesomeness today!

There is a healing power to optimism.

When you wake up in the morning excited about the day, grateful to be alive, and spend time anticipating the blessings coming your way you actually create a cascade of emotions, and hormones in your brain including oxytocin, dopamine, and growth hormones - which help to heal your cells and activate your brain in positive ways.

So each day give thanks for the things in your life that make you happy: your joy over spending time with good people, gratitude for making progress on your goals, a safe and comfortable home to live in, great work that makes a difference in the world, good food to eat, or the experience of enjoying the beauty of nature.

We can literally change our minds by taking charge of the way we feel.

It's not always easy, life is increasingly stressful in this modern world, but we can flow with our emotions and not let stress take over permanently.

Every morning focus on what makes you grateful and what you are excited about in the day ahead.

At the end of each evening, remember what blessings and joys you experienced that day and be grateful.

This trains our minds to attune to the heart frequency of love and bliss, and creates healing in our whole bodies.

As healers, teachers, coaches, entrepreneurs, and leaders in the world today, we need to be catalysts for positive change in the world.

Wellness today is dependent upon decreasing stress hormones, and allowing our bodies to experience the blissful feelings of oxytocin rushes from connecting deeply in loving trust with ourselves, with our beloveds, and with life.

Feel good about your life because you are a warrior for making it this far!

Know that you are resilient and powerful!

Our thoughts are the more powerful than our genes in determining our health and wellbeing.

What we think and believe triggers hormonal changes and determines whether our brains, blood and bodies are flooded with oxytocin, the blissful chemical of love, bonding, and trust - or cortisol, the chemical of protection, which in excess creates further anxiety and tension, and all their hormonal partners.

As spring is blooming, now is a powerful time to remember the exalted nature of rebirth.

We have the power to create transformation and awaken to bliss, in our own lives, in our work, in our relationships, and in our communities and world.

Be grateful to be alive!

To be in a body is a blessing!

Try an experiment right now, speak aloud these words with feeling and trust: "I am grateful for all the blessings coming my way today!”

Now, pay attention and see what manifests in your life in the next day.

Be open to unexpected surprises, meaningful interactions, and bursts of inspiration guiding you to new opportunities, or greater appreciation of the love in your life.

Many blessings,

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Light therapy is the practice of supporting the health of the body through photobiomodulation.

Photobiomodulation is how light stimulates the living cells of our body and creates specific changes in our chemistry and biology.

It is through the process of photobiomodulation that sunlight can trigger vitamin D production in our body.

Light is important for our body’s well-being. The body both responds to different light wavelengths and creates light, heat, and biophotons through its living processes.

The heat that our body’s generate creates infrared light that is visible with night vision cameras.

LifeWave light therapy patches work through your own body's infrared light which activate the patches that reflect very specific wavelengths of light that stimulate the skin and create changes in the body.

Through this process of photobiomodulation the LifeWave patches create specific signals in the body that produce very specific chemical changes in the body.

The LifeWave X39 patch stimulates stem cells and cellular regeneration and repair. This is a brand new breakthrough in stem cell therapy.

Specifically, the LifeWave X39 patch uses light therapy to increase a copper peptide in the body that directly supports the production of stem cells. This is a powerful, safe, and effective way to increase stem cell activity for whole health, cellular repair, and longevity.

The full line of phototherapy patches offer benefits that are anti-aging, increase energy, elevate the mood, decrease stress, relieve pain, support the immune system, and more, but the X39 patch is my favorite, as it supports stem cell activity that does ALL of these things. Yet, the other LifeWave patches are excellent for additional support in these focused areas for optimization.

The X39 patch reflects the infrared light from your body in specific ways that stimulate the production of a copper peptide in the body that goes to work producing more stem cell activity.

Stem cells are able to repair and regenerate cells, organs, and systems throughout the body, but they also slow down as we get older.

With stem cell activation your body repairs itself quicker, has more energy, and youthfulness.

Watch 3-Minute Video About the X39 Patch Here's a great video that explains how the X39 patches use light to activate stem cells from the inventor David Schmidt. It's really amazing!

Watch Webinar with Genius Inventor and CEO, David Schmidt Light Therapy Patches

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Wishing you abundant health and longevity!

Many blessings,

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Glutathione is often called the Master Antioxidant. It is extremely important for our immune system function and our body’s ability to stay healthy and live longer.

I love using the LifeWave Glutathione patch, along with the X39 patch, to boost my immune system functioning - especially in times like these.

This phototherapy patch activates the production of glutathione in the body. Glutathione is an antioxidant that helps our bodies to balance free radicals and to support us to stay healthy.

It works at the cellular level to prevent inflammation and other cell damage that can make us sick. David Schmidt, the CEO of LifeWave, invented the Glutathione patches that use phototherapy to support our immune system and maximize our health by harnessing our body’s natural ability to harmonize itself.

The Glutathione LifeWave patches help to consistently elevate and increase glutathione levels in the body while you wear it through the day for 12 hours at a time.

Studies have shown that the LifeWave Glutathione patch stimulates a dramatic increase in glutathione levels in the body and it maintains significant increases with continued use.

Elevating glutathione levels creates immense benefits for the immune functioning and longevity. The ways to increase glutathione are through IV therapy, supplementation, and light therapy technology.

The problem with IV therapy and supplementation is that it can increase the glutathione levels significantly for a short period of time but glutathione is very transitory, with a half-life of 7 minutes, so it doesn’t last long and is expensive to repeatedly administer.

Schmidt says that since glutathione has a half-life of 7 minutes, when someone gets a high-dose glutathione IV their glutathione levels are back down to regular within an hour, and while that is good for detox protocols it does not provide a continuous increase in glutathione levels the way the patches are able to.

The benefits of the LifeWave Glutathione patch to boost glutathione levels continuously and significantly with no intervention or ingestion, is profound and unbeatable because it it’s innovative light therapy technology through small wearable patches applied like a bandaid every day that they are desired.

Glutathione is essential for the mitochondria to create more energy in our body’s cells. Increasing glutathione levels in the body increases our body’s energy through mitochondrial function supporting immune function, youthfulness, longevity, and reversing aging.

Glutathione protects nearly every cell in the body from inflammatory and oxidative stress.

Supporting glutathione levels to be elevated in the body helps to balance oxidative stress and lengthen our life span and the years of healthy vibrant living we get to enjoy.

The X39 patch also helps to elevate the glutathione levels in the body by 30 to 40%. The Glutathione patch elevates glutathione levels dramatically and it stays sustained at high-levels and increases with days of use.

For best health practices, it’s recommended to use the X39 stem cell patch, and the Glutathione patch in conjunction with the X39 to detox and strongly elevate Glutathione levels for extra immune support and detoxing during times of high stress or monthly for a few days per week, or a week of more intensive use.

The glutathione patch can be placed at the base of the back of the neck, under the belly button on the midline, or anywhere on the body that is a localized area that could use more support.

Learn More About Patches

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May you be blessed with strong health and a vibrant life!

In Gratitude,

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Magnesium is a critical nutrient for optimal health that most people are deficient in.

Enhancing your magnesium intake can improve periods, decrease PMS, prevent headaches and migraines, support better sleep, reduce stress, ease muscle aches, boost energy, and so much more!

Magnesium helps our body to process other minerals, vitamins, and neurochemicals. Plus, it supports our body to fight off infections. It’s incredibly important!

There used to be much more magnesium in people’s diets due to soil health and more nutritious foods, but now 80% of people are deficient in magnesium! So most likely, you need more magnesium.

Some of the best foods for magnesium are:* Dark chocolate * Wheat bran * Cashews * Pumpkin seeds * Sunflower seeds * Flaxseeds * Peanuts * Mackerel * Salmon * Avocados * Black beans * Quinoa * Spirulina * Dried figs * Yogurt * Raw milk * Bananas * Swiss chard * Spinach * Almonds * Grass-fed beef * Mineral water * Brazil nuts * Organic chicken * Halibut

You can also supplement with magnesium and take Epsom salt baths. However, it’s also important to raise your potassium levels to be able to absorb the magnesium. Adrenal cocktails are great to support potassium.

The Root Cause Protocol is very supportive of increasing magnesium levels in the body through whole food nutrition and evidence-based research.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you purchase through a link. Thank you!

The Root Cause ProtocolI am impressed with the evidence-based nutrition research shared by Morley M Robbins and his Root Cause Protocol on the vital importance of magnesium and copper for optimal biological health.

I highly recommend reading his book, CUre: Your Fatigue by Morley M. Robbins.

This book has a ton of info including lots of science supporting his nutritional advice, but you can also download his free Root Cause Protocol Handbook at his website here - which is a great concise reference to have with all the summarized recommendations for optimizing whole food nutrition, magnesium and copper, and why.

Robbins explains a deeper understanding of how magnesium and copper are of prime importance in the body for energy production and mitochondrial health.

How synthetic vitamins, multivitamins, iron supplements, and other popular nutrition supplements and additives actually increases oxidation, cellular damage, and fatigue by depleting our magnesium and copper resources and causing the storage of iron in the tissues and organs.

How most people are magnesium deficient and when we have proper magnesium levels, then more of the other nutrients our body needs become bioavailable and our body naturally is able to get the iron, zinc, copper, and other micronutrients it needs from good food - and produce our own hormones, like Vitamin D.

Over the past two years, many people have encouraged taking a lot of ascorbic acid, Vitamin D, and zinc to support immune health. But these very vitamins could be causing mineral dysfunction, hormone disruption, and fatigue and are best not to be taken in synthetic forms. This could lead to adrenal exhaustion, mood issues, anxiety, brain fog, and more.

Whole food nutrition and optimal mineralization are critical to energy production and cellular health in the body.

I had already been doing some of the supplements that were recommended in this protocol, such as grass-fed beef liver and whole food vitamin C, but after reading the book threw away the last of my other vitamins that had zinc, Vitamin D, or B in them, and am focused on whole food sources of vitamins and minerals, plus upping my magnesium. I’ve also added in adrenal cocktails each day and that feels very helpful for energy, hydration, and minerals.

I am excited to have an evidence-based nutritional strategy for optimizing my mineralization!

In addition, I’ve been using the LifeWave X39 phototherapy patches which stimulate a copper peptide in the body which is vital for stem cell production. I’m excited to maximize my bioavailable copper in my body through whole food nutrition to support the resources being abundant to support stem cell production!

I feel that this nutritional plan is an excellent combination with the LifeWave patches for activating stem cells and have been feeling increased energy, better sleep, and mental focus by using both methods together.

Before adding in more supplements, the first thing to do is stop things that are preventing optimal magnesium and copper use in the body.

The Root Cause Protocol recommends first stopping supplementing or consuming fortified foods with: iron, calcium, Vitamin D, ascorbic acid or citric acid, zinc, and avoiding high fructose corn syrup, industrialized omega-6 oils, and processed foods.

Then, in addition to eating whole foods that are rich in magnesium as listen above, people can add in food-based nutrient-rich supplements.

Supplements to Support Bioavailable Magnesium & Copper:These are all minerals and nutrients to optimize magnesium levels, increase energy, and fight fatigue recommended in the Root Cause Protocol, see the book [CU]re: Your Fatigue for more info.

Mineral Drops - add to water for trace minerals including magnesium, copper, sodium, potassium, and boron

Adrenal Cocktails - whole food vitamin C, mineral-rich sea salt, potassium to nourish adrenals and balance potassium and sodium which is needed for the body to utilize magnesium. Morley Robbins recommends drinking one or two adrenal cocktails a day before starting supplementing with magnesium.

Whole Food Vitamin C - in addition to the whole food vitamin C in the adrenal cocktail, the body can use whole food vitamin C but not citric acid, ascorbic acid or synthetic vitamin C (much of which is conventional grown on black mold cultivated on GMO corn syrup).

Magnesium - Magnesium malate in the morning, magnesium glycinate in the evening, Epsom salt baths in the evening, topical magnesium lotion or oil in the evening.

Grass-fed Beef Liver - highest food source of bioavailable copper and great natural source of Vitamin B-12 and folate

Cod Liver Oil- natural bioavailable source of vitamin D

Concentrace Trace Minerals Drops (8oz) - #1 Trace Minerals Supplement - Complete Mineral Complex for Energy, Hydration, & Electrolyte Balance with Over 72 High Absorption Ionic Trace Minerals

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Jigsaw Health Adrenal Cocktail with Whole-Food Vitamin C, 60 Servings

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Pure Synergy Pure Radiance C | 90 Capsules | Made with Organic Ingredients | Non-GMO | Vegan | 100% Natural Vitamin C with Organic Camu Camu Extract

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Jigsaw Health MagSRT (B-Free) - Slow Release Magnesium Supplement, 240 Tablets

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Amazon Brand - Solimo Epsom Salt Soak, Magnesium Sulfate USP, 8 Pound

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Jigsaw Health MagSoothe Calming Magnesium Powder Supplement Packets, 60 Servings

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Ancestral Supplements Grass Fed Beef Liver (Desiccated) — Natural Iron, Vitamin A, B12 for Energy (180 Capsules)

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Jigsaw Health Alaskan Cod Liver Oil Softgels, 180 Softgels

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I share the beef liver, magnesium, minerals, cod liver oil, and adrenal cocktail that I use, which are all approved in the RCP, in my wellness faves page here.

Optimizing mineralization in the body is key to supporting a healthy metabolism, cellular repair, energy, sleep, mood, and more.

Magnesium is a critical mineral that enhances our health in a myriad of ways.

Supporting your magnesium levels can enhance your overall health and reduce your stress!

Many blessings,

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The Pineal Gland and HormonesThe pineal gland is a tiny but very important pinecone shaped organ in the brain that is a part of the neuro-endocrine system and vital for regulating hormones and our circadian rhythm.

The hormones melatonin, serotonin, and dimethytryptamine (DMT) are produced by the pineal gland.

The pineal gland is stimulated by light. Our eyes receive the light which then travels through nerves directly to our brain where it triggers activity in our pineal gland.

Regular sunlight exposure from dawn to dusk is important for regulating our circadian rhythms and informing our pineal gland of the appropriate times to produce melatonin (which is released at night).

The pineal gland is considered the orchestrator of hormonal production in the body and important for optimal fertility, healthy sleep, and alertness during the day.

The Pineal Gland and LightBy getting regular sunlight during the day, our pineal gland than produces melatonin at night, which is an essential hormone for triggering other hormones throughout the body.

Light stimulates the pineal gland to produce serotonin, a natural mood booster that increases the feelings of happiness and well-being.

The pineal gland also creates the peptide epithalamin that impacts the health of the body in many ways, including the skin, the largest organ in the body. Epithalamin supports the youthfulness of the skin and body, enhances longevity, and lengthens telomere length, reversing the effects of aging on the endocrine system.

Light therapy can support the health of the pineal gland.

Supporting Pineal Gland FunctioningFlouride can cause calcification of the pineal gland. A calcified pineal gland can cause sleep issues, cognitive challenges, and decrease perception and judgement.

Iodine is a great supplement to detox heavy metals and decalcify the pineal gland. Iodine is in very high quantities in seaweed. Eating seaweed everyday as a part of the diet is wonderful for pineal health, including nori, dulse, and other edible seaweeds.

Boron is an essential mineral, found in trace amounts of food like raisins, prunes, beans, and coffee, and also available commercially as Borax, which helps to detoxify the pineal gland and regulate hormones. Boron also detoxes the body of heavy metals and is great in baths, as well as can be used as a supplement in water.

Magnesium is also really important for a healthy pineal gland. Magnesium increases activity in the pineal gland and melatonin production.

The pineal gland is an important organ for the health of our brain and body, and essential for fertility, sleep, and hormone balancing!

Light Therapy for the Pineal GlandThe most powerful tool I’ve found for supporting pineal gland health is the Alavida phototherapy patches by LifeWave that use light technology to stimulate the pineal gland. Through sleeping with an Alavida patch on, I’ve noticed that I sleep deeper, have more vivid dreams, wake up refreshed earlier in the morning, and my skin feels softer!

Alavida Phototherapy Patches for the Pineal Gland

Enhance Your Pineal Gland Functioning with the Alavida Phototherapy Patches by Lifewave.

• Stimulates the pineal gland
• Regenerates skin & body by elevating the epithalamin peptide
• Increases organ function
• Increases antioxidants & reduces oxidative stress
• Increases mental clarity & focus
• Helps improve sleep quality

Learn More About Patches

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Wishing you abundant health and wellness!

Many blessings,

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Just as people gather food, grow food, develop homesteading crafts, and learn basic survival skills, knowing how to support a birthing woman and infant baby is essential human wisdom for the health of the family, community, and humanity.

In the case of natural disasters, epidemics, or other social disruptions, access to hospitals may be limited and unsafe.

I believe that everyone should know holistic birthing skills for safely and confidently supporting a laboring woman to birth, or to be able to give birth yourself.

In case you are ever in a position to be with a woman giving birth, it is essential to know how to support natural birth and delivery with the best outcome for mother and baby.

Having the knowledge of how to assist a natural birth can turn a potential emergency into the most amazing experience of one's life.

Birth is a witnessing of the emergence of a new being - ideally in peace, rather than a frantic fearful event.

No matter when and where birth happens, knowing basic skills will facilitate all to be calm, supportive, healthy, and prevent unnecessary intervention or complications.

Increasingly women are desiring a natural birth, but the skills of family birthing have become a lost art as several generations of women have birthed in hospitals veering from our ancient ancestral heritage of birthing at home.

In traditional cultures, women were taught basic birthing skills when growing up and prepared themselves to know how to give birth unassisted should the need be - though most women birthed with the support of midwives when available.

Over the past hundred years, midwifery has been suppressed worldwide resulting in a global shortage of qualified midwives and birth attendants.

There is a great need for more traditional birthing support, assistants, doulas, and midwives.

If all people were to learn basic birthing skills, then the fear of childbirth could be easily abated, as women have given birth naturally, at home, and in all kinds of conditions, for thousands of years. All people alive today are because they come from a long line of women who successfully gave birth.

Many women are choosing to birth unassisted without a midwife or doctor present, usually with the baby's father, some family, and sometimes alone in the desire of a family-centered autonomous birth.

All of my babies were born at home, and my last two babies were born unassisted - and they were the most amazing, healthy, and peaceful births!

Some women may have very fast labors and may not be able to make it to a birth center or hospital in time before birth.

I have even known people to birth in the hospital before a nurse or doctor made it to the room!

Other times, a homebirth midwife may not have time to make it to the home in the case of a precipitous (fast) labor.

As a birth doula, I once caught a baby that was born at home before the midwife arrived!

While the role of birth doulas is to provide emotional support and comfort measures, all doulas should also train in emergency childbirth and basic midwifery skills in order to be prepared for a precipitous labor.

Whether planning to birth unassisted, at home, a birthing center, or hospital - know the basics of birth and you will feel more confident and be at ease.

In the case of a precipitate birth, emergency, loss of care in your community by medical and midwifery providers, knowing basic birthing skills could save the life of a family member, friend, or neighbor.

You can learn birthing skills to help support women during pregnancy and the childbearing year, as well as to have the knowledge for the sake of healthy preparation for all circumstances!

One of my highest visions is for mothers, babies, and families around the world to all be supported, honored and nurtured as a foundational practice in creating global healing, prosperity, and peace.

Birth is an essential experience in life. Every one of us arrived here on Earth through being birth.

How we are born creates a primal imprint upon our body, mind, heart, and soul, and is central to our experience of health, love, and empathy.

Protecting the wellness of mothers and babies through the birthing year is vital to the survival of humanity.

Join the Holistic Birth Mentor Training and learn vital information on how to gently support a mother and baby during the experience of labor, birth and postpartum with natural wellness practices.

Become a Holistic Birth MentorJoin the Online Certification Course

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A good breakfast is a wonderful way to start the day, but I don’t always feel like preparing and cooking a big meal first thing. This is where traditionally soaked overnight oatmeal is a perfect recipe, because you prep it the night before, then it is quick and easy to cook in minutes in the morning to have a hot breakfast on the table.

Oats are very healthy for us, as they are a good source of fiber, protein, phosphorus, thiamine, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Oatmeal has long been a beloved morning meal, but did you know that up until the WWII era, oats were always soaked overnight before cooking?

The rise of quick instant foods has led to people just adding hot water to dried oats and eating immediately. In recent years, the trend of cold-soaked oats has caught on, but they are soaked overnight in the fridge with a liquid and then eaten without cooking. Both of these methods do not unlock the maximum amount of nutrition and digestibility that is available to us through a bowl of soaked and simmered traditional oatmeal.

Soaking the oats overnight with the addition of an acid, in the form of liquid whey, yogurt, buttermilk, lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar, which lightly ferments the oats and helps to break down starches, reduce phytates, and increase the bioavailability of nutrients and minerals. This makes the oats more digestible and nutritious, as well as creamy and delicious.

I usually add a splash of apple cider vinegar to my oats while soaking, but sometimes also use the liquid that forms on the top of containers of yogurt, which I just pour off into my pot. The pot of oats is left overnight on the counter at room temperature until you are ready to prepare it the next day.

Traditionally soaked overnight oats are preferred by my family because they taste better when softer, creamier, and silkier. Plus, the addition of pastured butter and coconut oil also eases digestion and adds healthy fats which give sustained energy to the brain and body.

It also saves time in the morning and is a wholesome and nutritious breakfast - especially if you load your bowl with superfood toppings, like dried fruits, nuts, and seeds which are full of minerals and vitamins. I love adding goji berries - which are a great source of minerals and antioxidants as well as melatonin, and raisins, which are also rich in essential minerals, including potassium, iron, magnesium, and boron.

Traditional Soaked Oatmeal RecipeServes 4

Ingredients

• 2 c. organic rolled oats
• 6 c. filtered or spring water
• 1 Tbs. liquid whey, buttermilk, yogurt, kefir, lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar
• 1 T. coconut oil
• 4 Tbs. pastured butter
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• Organic maple syrup to taste
• Optional toppings: organic raisins, goji berries, bananas, nuts, hemp seeds, etc.

Directions

Put the oats in a covered pot with 4 c. room temperature water.

Add the tablespoon of liquid whey, buttermilk, yogurt, kefir, lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to the oats and water and stir.

Soak the oats overnight covered on the counter and they will be ready by morning. They can soak up to 24 hours on the counter and will be fine.

Strain the oats and add 2 c. fresh water.

Put the pot on the stove on medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer.

Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add coconut oil and cinnamon and stir.

Divide into bowls, add a Tbs. of butter to each bowl, top with maple syrup to taste, and your favorite toppings.

Enjoy!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

Shop for Ingredients:

Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats, 2 Pound (Pack of 1)

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Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Goji Berries, 2 Lbs (2 pack) - Large Size | Chewy Texture | Premium Quality | Lab-Tested…

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Coombs Family Farms Organic Maple Syrup, Grade A Dark Color, Robust Taste, 64 Fl Oz

Coombs Family Farms

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There are many ways to enjoy your traditionally soaked overnight oatmeal!

Feel free to experiment with flavors and toppings, such as adding organic dark chocolate chips and a spoonful of peanut butter for a rich decadent oatmeal.

Or you can grate an apple and add it to the oats while cooking for an apple pie flavored oatmeal.

There are endless possibilities!

Many blessings,

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The 5G network in the US is expanding across the country, bringing higher frequencies to a much broader area of coverage.

5G is 20-30 times stronger than 4G. Our cells communicate through electromagnetic signals so the increase in other incoherent EMF signals can cause disruption in our natural health.

Many people are concerned about the increasingly polluted electrical soup we are living in daily, and how this may be impacting our health and wellbeing.

It's not just 5G, it's all the EMF radiation we are exposed to daily - including our vehicles, household appliances, irradiated food, WiFi, cell phones, smart meters, electricity, broadcasting, and more.

The health consequences vary among people depending on their sensitivity, and many people don't connect the dots with EMFs, due to the normalization of constant electronic exposure today and the invisibility of the many frequencies we are increasingly bombarded with.

Some of the most common side-effects are insomnia, tinnitus, brain fog, heart palpitations and irregularity, fatigue, dizziness, and skin reactions.

There are proactive steps we can take to protect ourselves from harmful EMF radiation exposure and effects.

This includes reducing exposure, shielding ourselves, grounding, taking iodine, and detoxing from heavy metals in the body.

When our bodies are full of heavy metals, they react strongly to the EMF frequencies, just like putting a metal object in a microwave.

Now, of course, we need minerals for optimal health, but most people today are suffering from health consequences due to mineral dysfunction and lack the right balance of minerals - especially magnesium and copper.

That's interesting because many EMF shielding technologies are made with copper, which is known to protect us from the harmful effects of electromagnetic frequencies. Our bodies need bioavailable copper to thrive and to process other minerals properly.

top action steps for EMF management:1. Avoid smart meters. If you have one in the house try to get it removed. If you can't then try to have everyone sleep on the other side of the house to avoid exposure when the body is in repair mode.

1. Turn off Wifi at night. Even better, you can not have Wifi and hardwire all electronics, but otherwise, turn it off while sleeping.

2. Keep electronics away from your body and head. Use headphones when talking on your cell phone. Keep your laptop off your lap as much as possible - especially if you are pregnant or planning to conceive!

3. Increase your iodine intake. Dulse seaweed is very high in iodine and is one of my favorite healthy snack foods. Iodine is powerful for helping the body regulate hormones, boost the immune system, and reduce heavy metals. This is important for reducing radiation build-up in the body.

4. Eat spirulina and chlorella. These two superfoods are great at cleansing the body of excess heavy metals and have many health benefits. These superfoods help to support cellular, bone, and DNA health while making us less vulnerable to EMF radiation which is worse with high heavy metal loads.

5. Get grounded. Walk barefoot on the ground daily. Look into grounding technology while indoors or sleeping. This may be the biggest thing you can do to protect yourself from EMFs which build up in the body. Grounding, through skin touching the earth, balances your body's electromagnetic energy fields, reduces inflammation, and supports cardiovascular health. Even in winter, I go outside barefoot whenever I can find a little patch of earth!

There are many more things you can utilize to protect and shield yourself from EMF as well as to mitigate the harmful effects of the radiation, including using shungite, orgone, activated charcoal, zeolite, magnesium, and more.

Biological EMF ProtectionX49 Phototherapy PatchI'm also extraordinarily excited about the new X49 phototherapy patch just released by LifeWave which enhances a copper peptide in the body that enhances performance, energy, muscle mass, cardiovascular health - and protects from EMFs!

I wrote recently about how much the X39 patch has transformed my health and revitalized my life!

The X39 patch stimulates the production of GHK-(Cu) Copper Peptide in the body which is proven to activate stem cells and produce more stem cells for wide-range whole-body effects including decreased pain, increased energy, and cellular repair.

The X49 patch is designed to work synergistically with the X39 for even greater health benefits by stimulating the AHK-Cu Copper Peptide for heart and brain health - plus so much more.

It is the first product that I have heard of that creates a biological Faraday cage effect inside the body, functionally protecting from harmful EMFs in the brain and body. You can hear more about the incredible science of the X49 patch from David Schmidt, the inventor and CEO of Lifewave, here - including beginning at the 30 minute mark how it protects from EMF.

Learn more about the Lifewave patches and find out how you can regenerate your stem cells and protect from EMF radiation with phototherapy technology. Contact me if you would like to know more!

Learn More About Lifewave Patches Here

Many blessings,

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Light is essential for all biological life to thrive.

We know that light directly affects our health in a multitude of ways - such as how sunshine causes our body to produce vitamin D and how an infrared sauna assists the body to detoxify.

But did you know that certain kinds of light can stimulate stem cell activity?

This is truly amazing because stem cells are our body's master cells!

Stem cells have the ability to renew and regenerate tissues, organs, blood, and our immune system. They can internally repair everything in our bodies.

However, our body retains only half of its stem cell supply by the time one is 35, and most stem cells are inactive by age 60.

I learned about a phenomenal light therapy technology that activates stem cells and I've been experiencing profound effects from it!

The most amazing thing is that this light therapy is in the form of a patch that you simply apply like a band-aid and go about your day.

The Lifewave X39 patch works by structuring your body's own infrared light in a way that enhances the production of a copper peptide known as GHK-(CU) which then creates new stem cells in your body that effectively reset over 4,000 genes!

The science of GHK-(CU) copper peptides for healing is well documented, you can look up a multitude of research studies on its regenerative and protective properties.

Inventor, scientist, and CEO of LifeWave, David Schmidt came up with a patented unique method of stimulating these copper peptides for stem cell activity through the non-pharmacological and non-invasive technology of light therapy patches.

This is an incredible breakthrough in science by a brilliant mind, for David Schmidt now has over 100 patents in light therapy and more than 70 in regenerative science.

It's the reason why I am waking up pain-free, happy, and my kids are overjoyed that I am singing, dancing, and playing with them all throughout the day again.

For over a year, I've struggled with chronic nerve pain - in my tongue! That's an extremely awkward and challenging experience to go through, especially for someone who loves to talk, teach, and coach. Thus, I had to put coaching sessions and new courses I've been planning on hold indefinitely. I was sad I wasn't able to read stories to my kids or sing songs with them like I normally would. It's been humbling and honestly quite awful.

Thus, I've been on a deep pursuit this past year of natural methods of healing for regenerating, because it turns out that regenerating nerves is a long, slow, and painful process. I was optimistic to find the pain improve at times through different methods, but then frustrating to have the tingling or numbness return again. The medical options were surgery to cut the nerve endings or pharmaceuticals for depression, neither of which I was interested in.

I found that the things I was doing to enhance my bioelectromagnetic health were helping - such as wearing linen clothing and grounding on the earth - and that led me to keep looking for something next level in this field of science.

When I found out about these light patches and their ability to support the body to repair itself I was so excited!

Then I realized that THIS is the product that my friend Krysta was telling my husband and me about 2 years ago when she was dying and thought she had only weeks to live, but a friend introduced her to the patches and she was able to get off oxygen, add YEARS onto her life, and is luckily still with us today!

I've been LOVING these patches. I had high hopes for them, especially because I saw how sick Krysta was before, and have stayed at her house when she was on oxygen waking up struggling to breathe multiple times a night. She talked about her plans for her death years ago, and I know how much she's been invigorated being given new years of joy for her life. I had hope that if they helped Krysta they could help me too.

However, the results have by far exceeded my hopes! My husband and I have been blown away by how powerful, palpable, and transformational these light therapy patches are in so many facets of our health, energy, mood, and life!

We have both been working in the field of natural health for over 25 years and have tried SO MANY different products, practices, and tools. Neither of us has ever experienced something so powerful in so many ways. And it surprised us how quickly we noticed the difference.

The very first day we started using the patches we felt awesome and accomplished about 4 times the amount of activity and creativity that we normally do in a day - without being tired!

So, I am super excited to share the power of stem cell therapy patches with you, because I know this is an incredible life-changing health tool! I haven't felt this inspired, energized, and pain-free in YEARS!

Find out more about how to activate your stem cells with light therapy here:

Lifewave Phototherapy Patches

If you know anyone who could benefit from rejuvenating their stem cells with phototherapy patches, then please feel free to pass this info along!

And reach out if you have any questions! I'd love to share more!

Wishing you abundant health, energy, and longevity!

Many blessings,

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What are you doing to take care of your gut each day?

Gut health is crucial for immune functioning, hormone balancing, and whole health.

Our guts contain over 100 trillion microbial cells, which is more than the number of human cells in a body.

The best way to support our immune functioning is to focus on gut health, for 80% of our immune system is located in the gut.

The gut microbiome is also the master regulator of our hormones and is responsible for estrogen balance.

There are many scientifically-supported ways to improve gut health, but they all take time, focus, and consistency.

They include: eating fermented foods daily, consuming a fiber-rich diet of whole foods and fresh vegetables, eating prebiotic foods daily, getting good sleep every night, managing stress levels, reducing exposure to toxins in our environment, and gentle exercise daily.

Feeling gutsy?

Nourish your microbiome.

Many blessings,

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Did you know that you can boost your fertility, balance your hormones, and regulate your cycles with the natural energy of sunlight?

Natural sunlight is important for our bodies, brains, and hormones to support healthy biorhythms.This includes managing when we wake up and go to sleep, when our brains produce hormones, and how long the menstrual cycle is.

Getting outside each day regularly into the sunlight helps the body and brain to support health.

Our eyes and skin process information received from the sunlight which stimulates the neuroendocrine system to produce the needed hormones at the right time each day and month.

Sunlight is an essential factor in optimizing women's health and wellness with benefits including increasing fertility, balancing menstrual cycles, and improving bone and heart health.

During the morning the sunlight has more high-frequency blue light in the spectrum which helps to set our biological rhythm as well as promote a good mood and increased health.

Women who live in Northern climates may ovulate less in the winter and have longer menstrual cycles during the darker times of the year because of decreased sunlight.

In the summertime, women have increased ovarian follicle size, more frequent ovulation, and higher levels of follicle-stimulating hormones (FSH).

It's especially important to get sunlight in the morning hours on the skin, the face, and through the eyes, and particularly in the week before ovulation for optimal egg health.

Regular sunlight exposure can increase fertility by up to 1/3! Vitamin D (calcitriol) is known as the sunshine vitamin, as it's most effectively received in the body through sunlight exposure on the skin, and is essential for both women's and men's reproductive health.

There are Vitamin D receptors in the uterus, ovaries, and placenta.

Vitamin D helps to regulate genes, estrogen, progesterone, bone density, embryo implantation, and increase male sperm cell health.

Vitamin D is also important in shortening and regulating menstrual cycles and increasing conception.

The best way to optimize sun exposure is to get outside in the sunlight for a few minutes at a time throughout the day. The light spectrum of sunlight changes throughout the day from more blue tones in the morning to warmer tones in the afternoon.

The changing color and frequency spectrum of natural sunlight conveys powerful information to our eyes, brain, and DNA throughout each day.

There are 4 prime times each day to get sunlight exposure:Ideally, getting the sunlight in your eyes right after sunrise helps set your circadian rhythm for the day and wake you up.

Getting mid-morning sun energizes your body and mind and further supports optimal hormone production.

Being outside in the mid-day sunlight in the early afternoon is the best time for Vitamin D production.

Then going outdoors in the sunlight in the sunset hour tells our brain and body to get ready for nighttime hormone production.

The sunlight is the most powerful energy source available and it can not only power buildings and cars - it powers us!

Get solar charged with the light spectrum and enhance ALL your biorhythms - from your sleep cycle to your menstrual cycle! Light is essential to boost your energy, mood and fertility!

How can you enjoy the light more each day?

Many blessings,

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I’ve been wearing almost 100% linen clothing for months and it’s changed my life and reduced my pain.

Linen fabric feels good to wear and can help support health and wellness.

Linen fabric is antibacterial, hypoallergenic, hygroscopic, breathable, durable, and antistatic.

Linen fabric is beneficial for people with sensitive skin as it is less likely to trigger allergic reactions.

Linen is cooling to wear and sleep in because it is hygroscopic, which means that it absorbs water quickly, wicking it away from the skin, and then dries rapidly.

Skin is the largest organ on the body, and our clothing comes into contact with a large portion of our skin every day.

Breathable fabric supports healthy skin because our skin needs air and moisture circulation in order to function properly and stay clear, and linen supports optimal skin health which is integral to whole body health.

It’s the most healthy natural fiber for clothing, sheets, and textiles from field to fabric. The whole plant is useful for food and fibers.

The natural fiber fabric made from linen has long been used for bandages and the preferred sheets in hospitals for helping to accelerate recovery.

What Led Me to Wearing LinenLast year I became sick and was left with neuralgia that caused me ongoing chronic nerve pain.

I became frustrated with the lack of resources available for helping to heal my nerves and reduce the pain.

I was already doing all the natural things I know of to support my healing and much more.

It just wasn’t helping to subdue the constant aching, burning, and tingling.

I read that linen was a healing fabric that could accelerate healing and rejuvenation in the body.I did more research and found that it may be beneficial for enhancing the functioning of the nervous system.

I had a couple items of linen clothing that I had acquired, and decided to try wearing all my 100% linen clothing together to see if it made a difference (though it was not exactly the most fashionable outfit of all time).

Almost instantly, I found that my mood became calmer, my nerves were soothed, and my pain began reducing.

I could still feel my discomfort but the improvement was noticeable and it was more tolerable.

I started sleeping on linen sheets and pillowcases, because sleeping in linen exposes our bodies to the benefits of this natural fabric for the most amount of time in a day.

It is the best sleep ever! This made a huge difference in my pain reduction.

Within a month of wearing all linen and a week of switching to linen sheets, my pain dramatically decreased.

I no longer have the constant aching and burning pain that I was dealing with daily. It’s so much better. My body feels more relaxed over all.

I am loving living in linen.

Going All LinenIn order to receive the most benefits from linen I decided to wear as much 100% linen clothing as I could, all the time, to help support my health.I could tell that I felt noticeably better in 100% linen clothing than a linen-cotton or linen-blend item - and definitely way better than in any synthetic fiber blend!

Soon, my husband, children, and I all had at least one 100% linen outfit, and everyone agreed that they felt different in linen and dramatically preferred it.

The kids got linen sheets too and they now wake up less in the night.

Everyone is now sleeping better, my family loves their linen, and having linen sheets, towels, and curtains has created a wonderful environment of wellness in the house.

I have now been wearing 100% linen shirts, pants, skirts, and dresses for months and prefer it to any other fabric because linen feels so good on the body. I still wear organic cotton or bamboo underwear, but the rest of my clothing is 100% linen.

All Natural FlaxLinen is a plant-based fiber that comes from the flax plant. Flax is one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world - and linen is the oldest known woven fabric in the world.

Flax fields create beautiful blue, purple, and pink flowers that only bloom for a few hours.

It grows toward the Sun and doesn’t need a lot of water, fertilizer, or pesticides. It actually thrives in dry arid soil.

Linen is also long-lasting. Linen fabrics are very durable, and investing in high quality linen clothing can last many years.

Linen fabric actually gets better with age. Linen clothing gets softer every time it gets washed.

It’s a very eco-friendly fiber with a long history of use.

Flax SeedsFlax seeds are one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world, and there is evidence that people used flax for both food, fiber, and health for thousands of years.Flax seeds are known for their health benefits.

They are an exceptional vegan source of Omega-3 essential fatty acids.

They are also high in fiber which supports good digestion.

They are healthy for the cardiovascular system through helping to lower cholesterol levels and high blood pressure.

Flax seeds are rich in lignans, which are also known as phytoestrogens.

Studies have shown them to be beneficial for daily consumption during menopause and post-menopause for women to reduce symptoms and hot flashes.

Flax seeds have been shown to help reduce breast cancer and prostate cancer risks.

The lignans in flax seeds help protect the body from harmful effects of radiation exposure.

Hippocrates, the Ancient Greek physician, recommended flax seeds for digestive health.

The History of LinenLinen is the oldest known woven fabric in the world and has been preferred by royalty, priests, and warriors for millennia.Linen was used to wrap and preserve mummies in Ancient Egypt, was grown throughout the Egyptian plateau, prized by pharaohs, and even used as currency.

The oldest woven garment in the world is a linen dress from Ancient Egypt.

It was used as ancient armor when layers of linen were glued together to create a flexible breastplate called linothorax for Alexander the Great in his epic conquests.

Linen is extensively mentioned in the Bible.

It was the necessary attire of the High Priests in order to enter before the Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle was lined with linen curtains.

It’s the fabric that was used to wrap Jesus both when he was born and when he died.

Natural Plant-Based Fibers Are HealthierI’ve been a fan of natural fiber clothing and sheets for years, but recently realized that linen has health benefits far beyond other natural plant-based fibers such as cotton, hemp, and bamboo.

Natural fiber fabrics are more breathable for our skin and less toxic than petroleum-based plastic fibers which dominate the clothing and home textile industries today. The number one most commonly used natural fiber fabric today is cotton - and growing cotton uses a lot of pesticides. Cotton crops are treated with organophosphates, some of the most toxic chemicals, that were originally used as toxic nerve gas poisons in World War II.

Since the rise of synthetic textiles, the majority of clothing, bedding, and homewares are made of plastic-based fabrics.

Correspondingly, there has been a rise in allergic dermatitis, infertility, obesity, inflammation, and many other chronic diseases in the human population since the spread of polyester clothing in the 1960’s.

Plastic fibers like polyester are derived from petroleum. The manufacturing of synthetic fibers has significant environmental as well as health effects.

Our skin is the largest organ in our bodies and is important for detoxification and sensing.

Plastic FashionOver 60% of clothing today is made with plastic fibers including polyester, nylon, spandex, elastane, acrylic, organza, taffeta, and many other names. From rayon to vinyl and from faux-fur to faux-leather, the plastic industry has heavily marketed plastic fashion.

The chemical companies that started creating plastic textiles heavily promoted them for decades starting in the 1950’s.

Plastic fashion is not only cheap, there are negative consequences to our health and our environment from synthetic textiles.

Every time synthetic chemical fabric is heated it releases toxic gas into the air.

Every load of laundry with plastic clothing in it being dried off-gases chemicals into the air in the home or building. Polyester curtains heat up with the sunlight and off-gas into the room during the day.

Polyester and other plastic-based fibers also break down with every wash releasing millions of micro-fibers into the water supply, which eventually build up in the oceans.

Plastic micro-fibers are so small that you can’t see them, and that they cannot be filtered easily from the air or water. Thus, people, animals and fish are all exposed to plastic pollution from the air and water due to the breakdown of plastics, and especially polyester and plastic clothing.

Every time synthetic clothing is washed it releases microfibers into the water. Plastic microfiber pollution is now the biggest source of debris in the oceans and causing health problems for marine life.

Radioactive ClothingStatic electricity builds up in polyester and synthetic fabrics.

Linen actually has antistatic properties and releases static electricity in a micro-second.

Polyester clothing attracts radon from the environment due to its static charge building up radioactive energy.

Radon is a clear gas that is released from the ground through the break-down of uranium in the soil and rocks. Radon gas is a toxic radioactive gas that can cause health problems when it accumulates in houses and buildings.

Many houses in the United States have radon pipes for venting built into them to prevent radon poisoning and buildups from the ground.

Radon accumulation on polyester clothing is an issue that many nuclear energy workers are familiar with, as synthetic fibers magnetize radon and can set off the radiation detectors when leaving the plant.

Linen fabric protects our bodies and homes from the build-up of both static-electricity and radon. I've long been a fan of earthing, the practice of touching the earth barefoot to discharge excess electrostatic energy and receive the ions from the ground, which is shown to reduce inflammation and pain.

In today's world in which we are living in an electromagnetic soup of wifi signals, radio waves, and surrounded with dirty electricity wearing linen may be the best clothing we have for protecting us from electrostatic buildup and consequential radioactive accumulation.

Linen for HealthA naturopathic doctor, Heidi Crawford-Yellen, did research on the properties of fabrics using an agricultural machine to measure frequencies and found that on a scale in which the human body registers at 70 - 90 units of energy that linen has a frequency of 5000.

Anything above the frequency of the human body is considered health-promoting and increased energy, and anything below is draining to the body.

The signature frequency of linen is the highest of all fabrics in regards to benefitting human health. Organic cotton registered at 100, which was fine but not health-promoting in any significant way. But polyester, viscose, silk, and rayon were at 0 to 15 units of energy. Regular cotton was at 40.

The frequency of wool was also found to be 5000, similar to linen, but with an opposite polarity, so wearing wool and linen together brought the energy signature to negative, while wearing them individually is healthy.

Wool is an animal protein fiber which has different properties than plant-based fibers, like linen. Wool also can build up static electricity, while linen dissipates it. The Old Testament warns against wearing wool and linen together, and modern studies support this ancient practice.

Linen is the ideal fabric for clothing and sheets to support the human body, skin, and overall health.

The Linen LifeIf you are wanting to try the benefits of linen for yourself, it can be daunting at first due to the cost, compared to cotton or polyester. I have a few tips for how to make it more affordable and what to invest in first.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

Thrift SavvyGo to thrift stores! I've completely redone my entire wardrobe in linen mostly from thrifted finds, including a lot of high-end linen shirts, pants, and skirts, all for very little.

When shopping, be sure to read the inside side-tags and find ones that say 100% linen. While linen-cotton and linen-viscose blends are better than no linen, I prefer 100% linen items. Also, beware of linen-poly and linen-wool blends!

After a while, you will notice the feel of the linen is very different from other clothing and it stands out on the racks.

I have found so much incredible linen at thrift stores, some of which has been great fabric for repurposing and sewing into kitchen towels, cloths, bags, children’s clothing and more!

Also, ThredUp.com is a massive online consignment shop and a great place to shop for thrifted finds online. You can search for clothing in your size and by fabric type (like linen). They have women's and children's clothing and I've found some great 100% linen shirts for my sons there, as well as items for me to round out my wardrobe (like 100% linen sweaters!). Use my link here to get $10 off your first order: ThredUp.

Sew Your OwnFabrics-Store.com is also an excellent place to buy linen fabric online. I’ve been sewing linen curtains, towels, a linen robe, children’s pants, scarves, and more with fabric I’ve bought from them - and linen is a fantastic fabric to work with.

I learned to hand-sew as a child, but never learned to use a sewing machine until I fell in love with linen! With a basic sewing machine and a few YouTube videos and blog posts, I have been sewing all the time and love how relaxing and fun it is to create things out of linen!

Linen SheetsI also highly recommend investing in linen sheets. Sleeping on linen is so worth it!

Our bed is the one place we spend the most amount of hours in each day, and during sleep is when our bodies heal and rejuvenate themselves.

Linen sheets are the best for restful and restorative sleep.

Bedsure Linen Sheets Set King Size - 100% Linen Bed Sheets Deep Pocket Sheets, Breathable Bedding Set, Washed French Linen Sheet ( Natural, 108"x102" )

Bedsure

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DAPU Pure Stone Washed Linen Sheets Set 100% French Natural Linen European Flax (Queen, Light Lilac, Flat, Fitted and 2 Pillowcases)

DAPU

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Try out wearing linen and sleeping on linen fabric for yourself and see how you feel.

Linen has been prized throughout human history for it’s many uses. In fact, the Latin name for the flax seed used for linen is Linum usitatissimum, because it’s such a useful plant.

Learn More About Linen

Killer Clothes

By Brian Clement, Anne Marie Clement

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Fibershed: Growing a Movement of Farmers, Fashion Activists, and Makers for a New Textile Economy

By Burgess, Rebecca

Buy on Amazon

Reconstructing Ancient Linen Body Armor: Unraveling the Linothorax Mystery

By Aldrete, Gregory S, Bartell, Scott, Aldrete, Alicia

Buy on Amazon

From flax seeds to linen, this plant has immense benefits for our health from a simple nutritional boost to natural fiber soothing clothing.

I'm loving linen! It's been amazing in my health journey and I hope it helps you too!

Many blessings,

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Are you caring for yourself as much as you care for others?

Self-care is essential for women's wellness, as stress can wreck havoc on our hormones, cycles, and health.

It's amazing how powerful rest and rejuvenation is to our feminine health and wellbeing.

To be a successful women in the modern world filled with increased stress, demands, and challenges we must even more deeply embrace the ancient practices of natural healing.

It's vital to allow ourselves regular breaks to rest, and to nurture and pamper ourselves with natural healing arts that support and nourish our vitality, sexuality, and feminine health.

It's time to recognize the necessary nature of self-care for restoring health and wellness.

Self-care is necessary to support longevity, decrease stress, and enhance wellbeing. It is the foundation of a thriving vibrant body, mind and spirit.

Did you know that stress is the #1 leading cause for 70-90% of primary care visits?!

Stress impacts women more than men, and women manifest more physical and emotional symptoms from the effects of stress, resulting in menstrual challenges, depression, anxiety, insomnia, digestive issues, skin changes, loss of libido, and much more.

Women have a special stress response called "Tend and Befriend", when we experience stress we can reduce it by engaging in caring activities or connecting with other women, which creates oxytocin - the hormone of love.

The higher levels of oxytocin we have in our bodies, the less stress effects us, and the more we feel love, bliss, bonding, connection and health.

The love hormone, oxytocin, is enhanced by estrogen, and thus it effects women stronger. We have a high need for oxytocin to support our everyday wellbeing and combat the effects of stress. Oxytocin deprivation, through high stress, lack of touch or self-care, makes us grumpy.

This hormone of love is released in peak quantities during birth and breastfeeding, and it also stimulated through sensual activities, pampering, massage, enjoying delicious foods, and more.

There are many ways to boost your oxytocin levels including:

• Dancing
• Listening to music that you love
• Making music
• Singing
• Stretching
• Hugging
• Kissing
• Cuddling
• Massage
• Talking to someone you love and trust
• Spending time with good friends and loved ones
• Sharing a meal with friends or family
• Being kind to others and doing good
• Spending time with pets
• Doing something you love that relaxes and inspires you!

Self-care is health care!

What have you done to support your health today?

Make time for the activities and people you love in your life because it's vital for your health to experience love and feel good.

Learn more about how oxytocin supports health in women's cycles, pregnancy and birth, and through self-care in my online mentor certification courses.

Online Courses | Now Enrolling:* Holistic Women's Wellness Mentor Training * Holistic Birth Mentor Training * Holistic Self-Care Mentor Training

Write me if you have any questions!

Wishing you abundant health!

Many blessings,

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Eating nutritious whole foods is the foundation for healthy living, happy hormones, and good gut health.

There is a glut of information available today on nutrition advice, and much of it is contradictory, so it can be a challenge to figure out the right way of eating for you.

We are all unique and have different dietary needs based upon our age, stage of life, activities, and health condition.

Yet, there are a few simple techniques that everyone can use to eat healthier and feel better.

1: Make Your Own FoodYou can optimize your nutrition and health, as well as avoid unhealthy additives but minimizing eating out as much as possible.

Cooking your own food at home helps to know exactly what's in your meal, eat more simple dishes that are easier on the digestion, and have higher quality ingredients for a lot less in cost.

2: Know Before You GoCreate a meal plan and a shopping list before going to the grocery store. This helps you to know exactly what ingredients you need before wandering around the labyrinth of aisles, bright lights, and pretty packaging. Having a list and a plan will help you to have what you need when you go to cook dinner and prevent those impulse buys that are unnecessary.

3: Shop the PerimeterFocus your shopping on the perimeter of the store. That's where you find the fresh produce and can stock up on vegetables, fruits, and herbs. You'll also find your fresh dairy, meats, and seafood here, as well as often the bulk section. Also, you'll often find higher quality bread in the bakery area than in the bread aisle. I've found that most of the bread in the bread aisle has soy and sugar added to them (even the organics), but in the bakery section I can get simple organic fresh-baked bread without additives.

4: Read CookbooksCookbooks are one of the best-selling genres in the book publishing world today, and because of that they are extraordinarily diverse, colorful, and beautiful today. Browsing through a new cookbook will inspire you with new recipes to try and can make cooking fun! Check out your local library for inspiring cookbooks. There are also tons of recipes online to inspire you, but I do find that reading cookbooks (often with sticky notes in hand to mark off the recipes I want to try), really exposes me to new ideas that I wouldn't necessarily see in an internet search.

5: Save Your RecipesKeep track of your favorite recipes, because that way you can share them with other members of your household to take turns making dinner, and you can save time trying to search through the internet, cookbooks, or notes for that delicious recipe you made a few months ago. Over the years, I've tried many different ways of saving my recipes, from binders to notebooks to digital files, and I'm really excited about my new favorite recipe recording system which is to use the free app Trello! Trello syncs between your devices and computer online and you can create boards and lists. I have a board that is titled Recipes, and then have lists for different kinds of recipes, like Breakfast, Desserts, or Instant Pot. In each entry I have the title in my list, then open it up and add the recipe to the description and a photo which makes it great for my kids to browse through as well as me.

I hope these healthy eating tips inspire you!

Many blessings,

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I love tabbouleh salad! It’s a popular Mediterranean salad that is made with fresh vegetables, herbs, and bulgur. Because it has bulgur in it, a whole grain, it’s very filling.

I also love that it’s loaded with fresh herbs which have much more nutritional benefits than a simple lettuce salad.

My recipe has cilantro in it instead of the more common mint. Mostly because I almost always have cilantro in the house and love it. It tastes delicious! If you have mint or want a more traditional dish, go ahead and use mint instead of cilantro.

If you want to make this wheat-free, you can use 3/4 cup of cooked quinoa instead of the bulgur, but I do recommend the traditional whole grain for it’s nutty texture. It’s a popular traditional food for a reason!

Tabbouleh Salad Recipe3/4 c. bulgur
2 c. hot boiling water
4 tomatoes, chopped fine
2 small cucumbers, chopped fine
2 c. parsley, chopped
1 c. cilantro, chopped
1 bunch scallions, sliced thin
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. olive oil
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced

Put the bulgur in a medium bowl and add the hot water. Let it sit about 30 minutes to soften.

Chop fresh tomatoes and cucumbers and place in a large bowl. Add 1 tsp of salt. Let sit while preparing herbs and then drain excess moisture from the bowl.

Chop the fresh parsley and cilantro finely, with a knife, or in a food processor.

Drain bulgur well and transfer to the large bowl with tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, cilantro, scallions, and garlic.

Add the lemon juice, zest, olive oil, remaining salt, and pepper to the bowl and mix together gently.

Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Serve right away or let sit in fridge covered for 2 hours to soak up flavor.

The salad will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Eat by itself, with crackers, or pita.

It’s so good! Enjoy!

Many blessings,

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What are the best foods to eat for hormone health? What are the best foods during menstruation? These are popular questions that I get asked a lot!

A well-balanced diet combined with proper exercise and good rest are the essential pillars of hormone balancing.

It's important to eat a diverse array of nutritious foods to get the full-spectrum of necessary nutrients for optimal health and hormonal balance all of the time - not just when you are feeling crampy or bleeding. A healthy diet through the whole month will help to regulate cycles, reduce inflammation, and ease hormonal imbalance through consistency.

The main foods that I encourage women to focus on are the 3 F's: Fiber, Fats, and Fermented foods - but don't worry, you can still eat FUN foods too!

I recommend enjoying a rainbow of vegetables and fruits for fiber, antioxidants, and micro-nutrients. Green leafy vegetables and cruciferous vegetables are both high on this list for hormone health.

I also like to emphasize orange vegetables like raw carrots and cooked sweet potatoes for their fiber as well as beta-carotene, which is a necessary pre-cursor for vitamin A production in the body. Vitamin A deficiency can lead to endometriosis, fibroids, and heavy menstrual bleeding, according to research in neuroendocrinology. Eat those carrots!

Fiber is very important for supporting a healthy gut microbiome - and good gut health is foundational for hormone balancing, particularly for producing good-feeling serotonin, eliminating excess-estrogen, and reducing overall systemic inflammation (including prostaglandins which can cause uterine cramping and aggravate PMS).

But it's not just about veggies, healthy fats are essential for hormone production. Cholesterol is a precursor for hormone production, so we need good fats in our diet. Just be sure to avoid trans-fats from fried foods, junk food, and processed food which can aggravate inflammation. Good fats are naturally occurring in whole foods such as coconuts, avocados, olive oil, wild fish, and whole raw dairy.

Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, yogurt, kimchi, miso, and more are also healthy staples for a happy hormone diet, because they help to feed the gut microbiome with the good bacteria that it needs to digest our food, extract the nutrients our body needs, and eliminate what we don't need efficiently. A healthy gut leads to happy hormones!

But eating a hormone balancing diet does not mean green salads and sauerkraut all the time!

Fun foods can be good for the hormones, gut and mood too! Like, chocolate!

Oh yeah, dark chocolate is a happy hormone food as well. It's filled with antioxidants, plus boosts serotonin, and other mood-boosting hormones. Dark chocolate also has magnesium, iron, vitamin c, and fiber in it. Particularly in it's most natural state as raw cacao, which is how I prefer to partake of it.

I'm not talking about candy bars at the store packed with corn syrup and dairy. Chocolate can be healthy but it's worth it to get the best kind! Preferably, raw cacao.

Here's a recipe I created for a healthy hormone balancing treat that's made with healthy-fat filled coconut, fiber-rich dates, and mood-elevating raw cacao. They are easy to make and are so good - plus they will satisfy the biggest premenstrual chocolate craving without throwing your hormones out of whack!

Check out my delicious recipe for a healthy chocolate treat on my blog and save the recipe for later:

Chocolate Coconut Mounds: A Healthy Easy Recipe

I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Many blessings,

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These chocolate covered coconut patties are a delicious special homemade treat with healthy ingredients.

They are hand dipped in a rich raw cacao coating and have a decadent inside filled with creamy coconut butter, coconut flakes, and barhi dates.

I love dates for their lovely natural sweetness while being high in a variety of nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber.

Date have a ton of health benefits and are a favorite snack of mine.

I recently got a box of delectable barhi dates, which are the softest dates with an amazing butterscotch caramel flavor.

I highly recommend trying out the barhi dates if you can, they are awesome to blend up for sweetness in smoothies and great for many recipes such as this one where you want a creamier softer date. I also eat them on their own. I ordered a case online from the Raw Food World, along with the raw cacao powder I used in this recipe.

If you can’t find barhi dates, then you can absolutely use medjool dates or any other kind of date, just make sure they are fresh and moist, not hard and dry, for ease of blending.

I’m also a huge fan of raw cacao, as it’s a superfood filled with magnesium, b vitamins, and flavanoids.

This recipe combines several of my favorite ingredients and is so good!

It tastes like candy, but you can feel good about it knowing that it’s packed with antioxidants and nutrients.

Chocolate Coconut Mounds RecipeCoconut Date Filling

3/4 c coconut butter
1/2 c coconut, shredded
1 c barhi dates, pitted
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1/8 tsp. salt

Raw Cacao Shell

1/2 c. raw cacao butter
1/2 c raw cacao powder
1/4 c rice syrup, honey or maple syrup
Pinch of salt

Directions

• Mix the coconut date filling ingredients all together in a food processor until an even consistency.
• Form about 1 Tbs. of filling into patties, put on a tray covered with parchment paper or a silicone mat, and place in the freezer to firm up for about 30 minutes.
• Melt the raw cacao butter in a bain marie until liquid. Add the cacao powder, sweetener and salt and stir until combined. Take off the heat when an even consistency.
• Dip the firm coconut patties into the chocolate to coat completely and place back on the tray. Chill the chocolate covered coconut date patties in the fridge until firm and you are ready to eat.

Enjoy!Many blessings,

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Are you ready to take the next step toward fulfilling your goals?

I believe that we all have a calling - a divine purpose that has been set upon our mind, heart, and soul that guides us on our life's mission.

We all have gifts that we can choose to use to make a difference in the world.

There are many ways to use our gifts and follow our mission. We can also choose to ignore our calling and abandon our mission.

However, there are great things in store for those who fulfill their calling and trust in their unique path.

You may be called to serve others, to teach, to counsel, to create, to care for animals, to tend plants, to nurture your family, to be a leader in your field, to embark on a journey, to grow a huge company, to write books, to make films, or to discover something new.

You have a special path that is just for you.

We are living at a pivotal time in the world in which our culture, technology, environment, habits, and lifestyle are all rapidly changing. The world needs empowered and creative leaders in every arena from our homes, to businesses, to our nations.

You are here for a reason.

It's time to trust in your calling and fulfill your purpose.

You can be a voice for change by discovering your true power, clarifying your message, and connecting with those who are here to support you on your path.

You can make a huge change for the positive on the planet today when you trust in your divine plan and step into your mission.

We are in the midst of extraordinary transformation in the world.

Now is the time to grasp the fruit of the opportunity at hand.

Walk your path with confidence.

No one else is going to give you approval, hold your hand, or be able to promise you that it's all going to work out.

If you have a calling in your heart and a desire to make a difference in the world, you deserve to trust yourself and give yourself permission to go for it.

Don't wait any longer. It's time to take the next step.

The world is waiting for you to step up and shine your light. You have what it takes within you.

The deep desire and passion you feel is because your mission, this gift for the world within you, is wanting to be fulfilled through you, in only the way you can do it.

Turn off the distractions, and pay attention to the road you alone are driving on. You can't listen to multiple stations on a radio at one time.

You must pay 100% attention to stay focused on your vision and not veer off the path of your calling.

Get clear on your goals, your strategic plan of action, and start taking the steps to do the work that you are here to do.

Now is the time, you don't know what's going to happen tomorrow.

Write that book, make that video, call that person, enroll in that class, do what you've been putting off, reach out and commit to your dreams.

This is the day that we have.

The world needs new leaders to step up and be a force for healing, peace, and transformation.

How can you take action today to take the next step toward fulfilling your mission?

Many blessings,

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I am so excited about springtime! The equinox is on Saturday and that marks the beginning of a brand new season for growth and opportunities.

Where I am in New Hampshire, it's time for planning the garden and getting ready for soon starting the first seeds in anticipation of this new year's harvest.

It's a time for setting new goals and creating a plan of action for the warm season of growth ahead.

It's not just time to plan the garden, it's time to make a new plan of action for all areas of our lives - including our health, family, relationships, business, and spiritual growth.

I just love how in every area of our life we can look to nature to witness how things work.

Just as we have certain things we need to do and rules to follow for planning the garden, there are similar steps to follow in planning for success in every area of our lives and work.

If you want to succeed at a project, you have to have a mindset that is focused on learning, growth, and solutions.When I first learned how to garden I had no idea what to do. I started taking organic gardening classes and volunteering at a local community garden and absolutely loved it.

However, when I tried to grow my own seeds at home and nurture a few seedlings I bought at a plant sale, I failed miserably. The stems grew spindly, the culinary herbs got aphids, and the vegetables died from too much sunlight and not enough water.

For many years I thought that I just wasn't good at gardening and while I would occasionally grow a few herbs, flowers, and vegetables here and there they never really flourished because I had the mindset that I wasn't very good at it and didn't put in the effort to create change.

It wasn't until I decided that I really wanted to succeed at gardening and shifted my mindset to focus on what I needed to learn that I grew an abundant garden for the first time.

It just took changing my thoughts from thinking that I wasn't good at it, to think that I could learn whatever I needed to learn.

I did my homework, made a plan, and grew my seeds into veggies, plants, and flowers! There were rules I needed to follow for the natural laws of growth to happen.

I had to do the work that needed to be done in the right order, pay attention throughout the process, problem-solve when unexpected situations arose, and seek help when needed from people who had more experience with the specific environment and plants that I was working with.

Having the right mindset is essential for every goal to succeed. Every goal starts as a seed - an idea.

For a seed to bloom fully and for us to reap the rewards of our labor we must follow the right steps.

A gardener can toss seeds everywhere, but they will not root, grow, thrive, and produce a harvest unless the rules for success are followed.

One can imagine a field of flowers, but if the seeds are thrown on concrete they will not grow, no matter how well one can visualize bouquets of blooms.

You can create massive growth in all areas of your life by having the right mindset and following a proven action plan for success.

The Essential Steps for Success1. Prepare: Plant your seed in the right place and season. 2. Grow: Provide it with the ingredients for success (sun, water, and soil). 3. Cultivate: Patiently tend to the garden bed to keep out weeds and pests - and add more nutrients as needed. 4. Improve: Seek the wisdom and advice of an experienced gardener when needed for problem-solving.

Whatever your goals are, whether it's for your health, family, life, business, or garden - it's important to start with a plan of action that is based upon the laws of nature.

If you have had challenges in the past, it doesn't mean you are not going to succeed, it just means that you need to change the way you are perceiving the situation.

If you want to have different results in the future, you need to think differently about your goals. Take the time to get clear on what your goals and vision are for this new season ahead.

Then make sure that you are taking strategic action with a success-oriented mindset that is focused on preparation, growth, cultivation, and improvement.

At this time of season's change, do you need to change your mindset for your goals and vision to bloom?

You can do what you put your mind toward as long as you don't give up and keep learning, trying, and refining.

Wishing you abundant health and success!

Many blessings,

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I love encouraging women entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses that support healing, family, community, and spiritual growth.

The most important thing to know when starting or building a business is: what is your big goal?

If you don't have a clear goal for your business then you are going to find yourself starting many different projects and diverting your energy in too many directions.

It's easy to say yes to every idea, invitation, request, and get side-tracked from your main mission if you are not carefully assessing every opportunity to make sure it is in alignment with your big goal.

One of the most common questions I get asked by women entrepreneurs in my courses and coaching programs is: how to figure out what to focus on when you have so many ideas for your business?

If you have a goal for your business, then test every idea and invitation with your goal to see if it aligns. That will help you know what to say yes to, what to say no to, and what to take note of for a later time.

We only have a finite number of hours each day. And while growing an awesome business is a wonderful thing, it's not the only thing that one should do. We all need time for rest, family, friends, and to cultivate the important relationships in our lives.

To grow a business that fulfills and exceeds your vision, as well as supports your whole life: health, home, family, community, and spirituality - you must have a clear goal to make your plan of action.

Staying focused on your goal is essential to scale your business, make a bigger impact in the world - and prevent burnout.

The factors to keep in mind when creating your goal are:

• What do you want to do?
• Where are you going with your business?
• How big do you want your business to be?
• What impact do you want to make in the world?
• What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?

I highly recommend taking time to write down your goal for your business, and to place it in a visible spot in your office or home, where you can be reminded of it regularly.

Also, it's important to go back to your goal every 3 to 6 months and make sure you are still in alignment with the choices you've been making in your work, as well as to adapt and upgrade your goal as you go.

In the beginning, you may want to expand your business from local to international, or from being location-based to being location-independent. But then once you achieve that goal, you may find that you need to focus even more on how you want to impact others, rather than how you do your work.

You may have a goal to donate 10% of your income to philanthropical causes that are meaningful to you, but as you grow you may find that there are even bigger ways you can give and make a difference, and even more resources and skills that you can utilize to support your goals.

Goals can change and grow, but having a goal and staying focused on it is essential to growing your business and your impact.

If you are ready to start a business that supports your big goals, then I invite you to get started today with the self-paced Jumpstart Your Wellness Business online course.

If you would like to learn skills to create a business in holistic health then join my Holistic Women's Wellness, Holistic Birth, or Holistic Self-Care Mentor Trainings. These are all AWESOME online programs that have helped women from all over the world launch businesses in natural health and create a huge impact in their communities!

If you are a visionary women entrepreneur ready to achieve your goals, then I invite you to join the Abundant Business Coaching program and work 1:1 with me to scale your business and make a bigger impact in the world today.

Wishing you abundant wellness and success!

Many blessings,

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Are you feeling the increased weight of stress on your life from the past year - or several years?

It's definitely made an impact in my life.

While I am passionate about natural health and stress relief, it's been near impossible to avoid the challenges of the past year-plus.

One of the reasons I am so motivated to teach and share about holistic wellness is because I am extra sensitive to the effects of stress.

If you've dealt with trauma or chronic illness in the past, you may be more susceptible to health issues resulting from increased stress.

According to WebMD, 75-90% of doctor visits are related to stress-induced illnesses and conditions.

Because of this, I greatly embrace the wisdom of lifestyle medicine for the prevention of disease and wellness support.

Here are 5 of my favorite ways to quickly relieve stress, move energy, boost positive hormones like endorphins and serotonin, feel better, and support the body's natural ability to come into homeostasis.

• Play an instrument: I love drumming on a frame drum, playing the Native American flute, or strumming a guitar or ukulele. No, I'm not very good at any of these, but it makes me feel so good! You don't have to be trained or an expert to have fun. Learning new things help make new neurological connections in the brain. And music makes us feel good!
• Sing or hum: Singing is a great way to get musical and you don't even need an instrument. It can be a wonderful way to enhance your mood. I like to sing to my kids, when I'm at home by myself or driving in my car. You can put on some of your favorite music, sing a favorite song from your childhood (anyone else still remembers all their old camp songs?), or make up a new tune. If you don't feel comfortable singing, you can also just hum. Humming has lots of health benefits! It's great for opening up the sinuses (remember this as allergy season is near) and moving energy through the head.
• Dance it out: Just put on music that makes you want to move and dance around your living room! I love to dance, and I've been a hoop-dancer for 17 years! You don't need anything to dance and move, but if you want to have some fun - try a dance hoop. It's a great way to boost your endorphins, move your lymph, and boost your immune health!
• Go stand outside barefoot on the earth: Grounding sounds like a New Age practice but this one doesn't involve any kind of visualization. And it's verified by extensive scientific data to show that skin connection with the bare earth grounds our electromagnetic energy with the field of the earth and supports heart health, reduces inflammation, and can even reduce pain. I notice if I'm on the computer too much or have been in dry indoor environments, that going out and standing on the earth noticeably reduces static electricity and reduces my crankiness. It works!
• Give stuff away: Did you know that women are more affected by the stress of clutter and stuff than men? I don't know about you, but when I am feeling blah, there is something cathartic about getting rid of stuff. I get a bag or a box and start cleaning out my closet, or my kids' closets, or books, or the pantry, or the basement. Not only is decluttering and simplifying soothing for the nervous system, but doing good things for others also makes us feel better. I love filling my car my bags to donate and dropping them off in my community. I regularly donate items to a local homeless outreach organization and love driving around and filling up the Little Free Libraries with books for kids.

Anytime you are feeling blah, try one of these and feel how much better you can feel in just 5 or 10 minutes!

Do you have a favorite way to boost your mood and shift your energy that is an easy trick to share? I'd love to hear from you!

Many blessings,

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Why would I drink water from a pipe coming out by the side of a country road when I can turn on any faucet in my house and have running water on demand?

For the same reason that many other people drive out to fresh springs to gather water for themselves and their families: because it tastes better, it’s cleaner, and it’s the healthiest water for our bodies.

If you gather spring water, you’ll often find other people there as well, and may have to wait your turn, because drinking spring water has many passionate devotees. You may meet people at the spring who are brand new to gathering their water straight from the earth, and you will also meet people who have been drinking spring water exclusively for years and decades.

I’ve been drinking water from springs for over 20 years. The first time I learned about gathering water from free springs, I was in Olympia, Washington, and was brought to the local spring by a friend to refill our water bottles on our way to go hiking. I was skeptical that the water was really clean to drink because it came out of a pipe in the middle of a parking lot downtown! I was assured that it was tested to be safe to drink and that people had been drinking from this water for years. Driving up and seeing others waiting to fill their bottles reassured me. Tasting the water for myself made me a convert, for it was cold, fresh, and invigorating in a way that bottled or tap water cannot compare with.

Over the years since, I have enjoyed searching out clean sources of spring water in many places that I have traveled. I have filled my bottles from taps coming out of mountainsides, along winding scenic roads, from friendly local businesses who allow access to their springs on private property (with permission), and in desert canyons.

I’ve become a huge fan of fresh spring water—both cold springs for drinking and hot springs for soaking. If you haven’t discovered the joy of fresh spring water, it’s amazing and I recommend looking for springs near you or on your travels. But there are a few things to know to safely engage in enjoying spring water.

Always make sure that the spring you are gathering water from is safe and has been tested for purity. The website FindaSpring.com is a good resource for finding a spring around the world and reading local reviews. Most good springs are popular among locals and well-marked, have parking areas, signage, and regular testing. I have not had any bad reactions from drinking spring water, but I’ve only gathered water from popular, well-loved, and cared for springs with good reviews.

Indoor plumbing provides water on demand to our kitchens and bathrooms which is very convenient. However, when you turn on the faucet in America, you are likely to have water contaminated with industrial chemicals, including pesticides, fertilizers, fluoride, and pharmaceutical drugs.

A glass of water should be beneficial for our health, not secretly harming our bodies with synthetic hormones, antibiotics, mood-altering drugs, opioids, painkillers, and immunosuppressants.

The synthetic chemicals and pharmaceuticals lurking in city water include endocrine-disruptors causing hormone imbalance and fertility issues. While public health officials may think that trace amounts of hormones and pharmaceuticals are not a significant risk to immediate health, the danger of long-term exposure to hundreds of pharmaceuticals and synthetic chemicals in our water supply over years and decades has not been thoroughly evaluated.

The spring water that I love to drink is that which bubbles up from aquifers deep below the surface of the earth and is not contaminated by agricultural run-off, chemicals, or bacteria. Pressure from within the aquifer forces the water to flow up to the surface where it can be harvested directly from its source.

One of the biggest benefits of spring water is that it is living water. The Austrian inventor Viktor Schauberger discovered in the 1930s that water takes on a hexagonal structure when vortexed as it is naturally in the wild in springs and rivers. However, when water is directed through straight pipes and with right angle turns that is de-structures the water. Schauberger’s research on living water has been applied to many disciplines from energy and transportation to health.

When water is vortexed is tastes smoother, hydrates our bodies better, and eliminates toxins from our bodies efficiently. Pure spring water spirals as it rises from deep under the earth providing us with naturally structured water that is the way we should be drinking it.

Dr. Gerald Pollack has discovered through his ground-breaking research that structured living water is the fourth phase of water, and the impact of this information upon our health is vital for optimal living. This kind of water is negatively charged, filled with energy, and could solve many energy problems in the world.

You can enjoy the benefits of living structured water for yourself through drinking clean fresh spring water, vortexing your water, and eating high-hydration fruits and vegetables.

I highly recommend becoming a water gatherer! It’s a wonderful way to enjoy the benefits of the earth’s best drinking water, fully hydrate your cells, and learn about our natural resources.

All you need is a clean container and a map, and bring your family and friends along for a refreshing adventure!

Many blessings,

Water ResourcesThis post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

Living Water: Viktor Schauberger and the Secrets of Natural Energy

By Alexandersson, Olof

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The Water Wizard: The Extraordinary Properties of Natural Water

By Schauberger, Viktor

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Viktor Schauberger: A Life of Learning from Nature

By Cobbald, Jane

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The Fourth Phase of Water: Beyond Solid, Liquid, and Vapor

By Pollack, Gerald H.

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We often hear how important it is to eat our vegetables, but did you know that it can also improve your menstrual cycles and relieve hormonal imbalance?

What you eat directly impacts your digestion—and your menstrual health.

If you want to improve your gut microbiome, hormones, and menstruation, then it is important to pay attention to eating the best foods for women’s wellness.

A raw carrot a day is one of the simplest, easiest, and most affordable nutritional choices that can help everyone have healthy digestion and hormones. Eating a fiber-rich diet from vegetables and legumes is one of the best ways to support a healthy gut microbiome and prevent PMS. The fiber acts as a sponge in the gut helping to remove excess estrogen from the body. Fiber also helps to increase peristalsis, the movement of food through the digestive tract.

Carrots are believed to have unique qualities to their fiber that is especially suited for helping the body process and eliminate excess estrogen. The research of Dr. Ray Peat, a biologist who specializes in hormones and nutrition, led him to promote the use of carrots for this purpose and encourage a raw carrot salad each day.

High levels of estrogen contribute to increased inflammation which may cause heavy and irregular menstrual cycles, cramping, irritability, and PMS. Many factors can cause high estrogen levels including phytoestrogens from increasingly common foods such as soy and flax, as well as xenoestrogens that mimic estrogen in the body, from pesticides, herbicides, and synthetic chemicals.

Raw carrots can be consumed daily in a raw carrot salad that includes:

• grated or julienned raw carrots
• a splash of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
• a drizzle of organic olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil
• and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

I also like to add finely chopped celery, parsley, cilantro, garlic, or red onion for extra flavor, color, and nutrients.

You can also simply eat a raw carrot whole as an easy afternoon snack. My favorite way is to spread a little grass-fed butter on my raw carrot and then sprinkle it with salt. The fat and salt help to enhance the flavor and digestibility.

Avoid baby carrots as they are not as nutrient-dense as whole carrots.

Eating a carrot a day can help keep cramps, PMS, and inflammation away. Plus, carrots have a whole bunch of other nutritional qualities that support our eyesight, teeth, heart, brain, skin, and hair! So, it’s an excellent healthy snack for everyone to enjoy.

Many blessings,

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I have a powerful tip for you today to be empowered in the path of freedom, wellness, and expression.

Are you concerned with the suppression of natural health information online today?

As a natural health advocate, coach, teacher, practitioner, or entrepreneur, you may be rightly concerned with how to grow an online business and promote a wellness lifestyle while there is also an intensifying blackout happening on essential health resources.

This is a very important matter that I have been dealing with for several years now. It's a situation that has been growing rapidly over the past year, but has been actually going on for a long time.

If you are sharing information that is divergent from the mainstream powers-that-be, then you may be at risk of having your social media, email, and content blocked, banned, and more.

This can happen to anyone. Recently, a colleague who is a doctor was blocked on multiple social media sites for sharing another physician's article with evidence-based research. This is atrocious!

This is why I have been saying for years to focus on building up your own website and email list, rather than social media, because these sites are not reliable and only care about increasing their revenue and furthering their own agenda.

However, it's still as powerfully effective as ever to have your own website, your own email list, and share your own content - it's just absolutely essential to make sure the providers you are using to build your business upon are dependable and trustworthy.

That's why I'm extremely grateful to have built up my online courses and business through Simplero since 2013. This is the company that I work with to host all my online courses on private membership sites, as well as for my safe encrypted shopping cart, and email newsletter list.

Recently, I got the opportunity to sit down and talk with Calvin, the founder and CEO of Simplero, and got to ask him several questions about privacy, security, and the future of Simplero.

I was VERY thankful to hear straight from him how much he values health freedom and also how much he values freedom of speech and media. I now feel even more secure and grateful knowing that I have a safe home for my natural health courses online and email list, and feel confident recommending Simplero to you, if you are looking for a place to build an online natural health business with freedom to share evidence-based information without repercussions.

I've happily used Simplero for 8 years now, they are my top recommended online business resource, and I'm proud to be an affiliate.

Get a free trial here:Simplero: All-in-One Software for Your Online Education Business

Natural health information, education, and support is needed now more than ever, and I want to help you feel confident to grow a business or community in this field.

If you are wanting more guidance for growing your business online, then I also invite you to my online course - Jumpstart Your Wellness Business - and to learn more about my private 1:1 mentoring opportunity - the Abundant Business Coaching program.

Wishing you abundant wellness!

Many Blessings,

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There is a simple breathing technique that both reduces stress and supports the immune system. You can do this anytime without drawing attention to yourself to calm your mind, balance your emotions, and enhance your health.

Breathing is profoundly important for our well-being. A healthy adult takes more than a dozen breaths in a minute, while an infant can take 5 times that many breaths. Humans cannot go for more than a few minutes without breathing.

Breathing through the nose is a vital practice for daily health. It’s also a powerfully calming and rejuvenating technique for times of stress. This simple practice can significantly impact your health.

Inhaling through the nose stimulates the release of nitric oxide in the nasal cavity. Nitric oxide is an important molecule that signals every system in the body. Nitric oxide especially has a significant effect on cardiovascular function where it helps to lower blood pressure and increase blood flow to all the organs.

Nitric oxide also supports respiratory function, digestion, memory, hormones, skin health, and immune defense. The best way to get nitric oxide is through nose breathing and the stimulation of the paranasal sinuses.

Nose breathing also supports immune functioning by filtering the air as we inhale through the nostrils, and warming the nose as we exhale so the air is healthier for our lungs.

Through deep relaxed nose breathing, we can increase the oxygenation of our heart, brain, and organs and optimize our wellness! Nose breathing can also help to calm you down in times of stress.

Breathing is one of the most important health practices for every day of our lives. Breathing through the nose is a powerful action that can directly and immediately support the immune system, optimize daily wellness, and boost resilience during stressful situations.

A full breath should fill the lungs, move the diaphragm lower, and gently expand the ribs and abdomen. With a relaxed spine and belly, the movement of inhalation is felt from side to side in the core, from front to back, and top to bottom. Many people breathe shallowly only filling the chest and this limits oxygenation of the body.

Breathing is important to bring oxygen into the body and to help move blood and lymph through the body through constant movements. The more the movement of the breath is felt through the body, the greater the effects of the breath on our health.

Outdoor fresh air is also important for our bodies and optimal breathing health. Going for a walk outdoors and breathing freely through the nose is a powerful practice to boost the immune system, increase circulation, and enhance feelings of well-being. Breathing through the nose while exercising also boosts oxygenation.

Opening a window and bring fresh air into our house is also helpful to create an optimal environment for healthy breathing.

Remember that your breath is something that you can always focus on in times of stress to help relax, and to help support wellness. Though our bodies naturally breathe without us having to think about each minute of our lives, with attention we can utilize the breath consciously to achieve greater health and higher levels of performance in our lives.

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Self-care is vital for good health, but often misunderstood.

What exactly is self-care? It’s the actions you do to care for your body, mind, and spirit.

Self-care is personal health care.

However, sometimes self-care has a negative view because people think of it as a luxury or superficial. But self-care is not just about makeovers, manicures, and massages. In truth, the most important self-care practices of all are daily actions that everyone needs.

Is self-care selfish? No, it’s essential that we take care of ourselves so that we can be able to be a healthy member of society. As a mom, it’s vital that I prioritize basic self-care so that I can be a better parent to my children.

There are certain things that we absolutely need to thrive. No, it’s not coffee or the internet. It’s the basic elements of human health that people need. It’s about getting back to the essentials.

There are 7 keys elements to holistic self-care that all people need.

Some of these are so simple that people overlook how vital they are to human health and all the systems of our body - like light. Natural sunlight is critical for immune system functioning, hormone balancing, stress reduction, regulating sleep cycles, bone health, heart health, fertility, and so much more.

Yet, the basic importance for health of things like sunlight are often so devalued today that when my eldest son went off to university and moved into a brand new dorm, I was shocked to find that the school built the new dorm rooms with no windows!

After living in a concrete box with no sunlight or fresh air for two semesters, it was revelatory for him to move into a room with sunlight. While my teenage son didn’t seem to think it was as big a deal as I did when we moved him into the windowless dorm room, he now knows how much better it makes him feel to increase daily sunlight exposure.

The 7 Keys to Abundant Health are natural daily practices for supporting wellness in all cycles of life.

They are all elements for health that can be accessed daily, as well as having infinite opportunities to deepen our experience of or have variety of expression.

For example, food is an essential key that we need each day for health. It’s a simple thing, yet it’s always changing and different and we have continuous opportunities to explore where our food comes, different kinds of foods, ways to prepare it, as well as people to share it with.

These essential wellness steps are supported by both ancient wisdom and modern scientific research, and are necessary for optimal health. They connect us to the natural world which we are intrinsically dependent upon and help us to adapt to the seasons and changes in life with resilience.

I’ve been working in the field of natural health for over 20 years as a licensed massage therapist, craniosacral therapist, birth and postpartum doula, women’s health educator, fitness teacher, and business coach - and this is the Holistic Self-Care system that I personally use to support my health, manage my stress, enhance my mood, balance my hormones, boost energy, and strengthen my immune system.

The 7 Keys to Abundant Health#1: LIGHTThe #1 thing you can do every day for self-care is to bring more light into your life.

The healthiest light for our health and wellbeing is the full spectrum light of the Sun.

Sunlight supports our health in a myriad of ways from enriching our bodies with Vitamin D, enhancing our immune system functioning, aiding bone health and heart health, balancing our hormones, and much more.

Getting sunlight in our eyes during the day is vital for regulating our biorhythms, hormones, sleep, and moods.

Sunlight received through our eyes triggers the release of serotonin, a hormone that makes us feel happy, calm, and focused.

Decreased sunlight exposure is associated with low serotonin levels which can lead to depression, anxiety, weight gain, PMS, fatigue, and sleep disorders.

Sunlight is especially important for women's health, for optimal sunshine helps to support fertility, reproductive health, and hormonal balancing.

One of the simplest and best things we can do for holistic self-care is to get outside every day and get sunlight on our skin and in our eyes.

It's also important to bring the sunlight into our houses by opening the shades or curtains each morning.

Sunlight is also naturally antibacterial and antimicrobial. It enhances healing and is disinfecting. There are many studies that show that sunlight and UV light destroys bacteria and viruses. This is why it's so essential to open our curtains and blinds each day, because by just bringing sunlight into our homes, the light kills unhealthy microbes, even without opening the windows.

Sunlight is essential, not just for illumination and plants to grow, but for us as humans to thrive as well!

2: WATERWater is essential for all life on Earth, and it is essential for our bodies to thrive.

The body of an adult is 60% water and blood is 90% water.

Optimal hydration is vital for all the systems of the body to function properly.

Water helps to transport nutrients and oxygen throughout the body to boost metabolism, to enhance digestion, keep our skin healthy, and to support brain health.

Water is so important for our whole health, that if we get dehydrated our physical performance and mental functioning both start to quickly suffer. A loss of motivation, fatigue, and trouble thinking are common side-effects of dehydration. Even mild dehydration can lead to major consequences and impairment.

These are just a few of the many reasons why drinking water and staying well hydrated is absolutely fundamental to holistic self-care. I highly recommend having a large bottle or jar of water that you drink from every day, and bring with you when working or traveling.

If you don't enjoy drinking plain water, try adding a squeeze of lemon or lime juice to your water. In addition to boosting the flavor, it also will provide extra Vitamin C and help support healthy digestion, reduce inflammation, and promote glowing skin. You can also add all kinds of fresh fruits and herbs to your water for extra flavor and nutrition, such as cucumbers, berries, melon cubes, mint, or lemon balm.

Bathing in water is also an essential activity for hygiene and health.

Even more than just a cleansing activity, soaking in a warm bath has incredible healing properties, including promoting relaxation, rejuvenation, providing pain relief, and speeding up the healing process in our bodies.

Immersing our bodies in water reduces the effects of gravity on the body by 85% which allows our bodies to focus on resting.

This is one of the reasons why baths and swimming are excellent activities for pregnant women whose bodies are under constant extra pressure and strain from carrying a growing baby in their bellies. When I was pregnant, soaking in a tub or pool were my favorite places to be! Many women are also choosing waterbirth tubs for laboring and delivering in, as being immersed in warm water provides profound pain relief.

Soaking in a warm bath, or simply using a hot water bottle, is also one of the best natural remedies for menstrual cramps.

You can use the pain-relieving qualities of warm water for all kinds of muscle and joint aches.

Plus, bathing is excellent for cleansing and moisturizing our skin and hair.

In addition to drinking water and bathing in water, just being around water has profound benefits for the health of our bodies and minds. Research shows that being near bodies of water, including the ocean, lakes, rivers, ponds, and even pools, have a wide range of health benefits that promote well-being.

Being near water outside reduces anxiety, lowering stress, increasing happiness, and lowering blood pressure.

Water can energize your body, transform your state of mind, and refresh your spirit in so many ways!

3: FOODEating healthy food builds our body, supports wellness and protects us from illness.

Our bodies need a wide variety of vitamins and minerals every day that are provided by nourishing ourselves with good food.

Enjoying a diverse diet with an emphasis on organic plant foods consisting of fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds, plus a moderate amount of wild cold-water finfish, pastured dairy, and grass-fed meats is the basis for vibrant health and wellness.

Today, modern diets are high in processed food and low in nutrients and variety due to industrial farming practices.

Many foods today are not only dramatically diminished in nutritional value due to soil depletion, but they are also high in toxicity due to chemical pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, and irradiation. Add to the recipe the wide-spread use of genetically-modified ingredients, preservatives, chemical additives, artificial colors, and flavors - and this is a set-up for malnutrition and inflammation.

We can reclaim the nourishing culinary traditions of our ancestors by getting back to natural foods.

Through discovering the joy of home cooking, growing some of our own food and herbs, and supporting local and organic agriculture in our own community and region. The value of preparing and eating healthy whole foods is more than just nutrition, it's also therapeutic for the mind and spirit.

Cooking and eating are full of sensory experiences. It activates the senses of touch, sight, smell, taste, and sound. It fills our life with color, beauty, flavor, and joy.

Sharing a meal around a table with family and friends also brings connection, enhances bonding, and may create joyful memories with a lasting impact. Nourishing our bodies with beautiful and delicious natural foods is a pleasurable way to bring vitality and health into our lives.

Eating well is an act of self-care. Enjoy delicious and healthy food to nourish your body, boost your energy, and feel good.

4: NATUREGetting outside each day, in every season, is the best thing we can do to boost our mood and our health.

The sunlight is important, but so is fresh air and exercise. Even in northern climates in the darker months, getting outside for a walk during the day has multiple benefits that will help to stabilize mood and wellness. Spending time outdoors also connects us to nature, and helps us to entrain to the rhythm of the seasons, which supports the health of our own biological clocks.

This is especially important for women’s health because 4 out of 5 people who suffer from Seasonal Affectiveness Disorder (SAD) are women. Getting outside in nature regularly maximizes sunlight, fresh air, and exercise helps to prevent SAD.

The female hormones of estrogen and progesterone are especially sensitive to light and seasons, and their fluctuations also impact serotonin and melatonin levels, leading to changes in mood, fatigue, fertility, and more during our reproductive years.

The seasonal shifts are more pronounced for women during the menstruating years and level off after menopause.

For women from ages 15 to 55, it's especially important to pay attention to our natural cycles and the seasons to support overall fertility, hormonal health, energy, sleep, and emotional balance. It's vitally important that we adjust our wellness routines and practices to optimally support both the season we are in where we are regionally, as well as in the season of our lives.

Seasonal eating is also vitally important for health.

For thousands of years, people were only able to eat food that was in season or able to be naturally stored and preserved through the seasons. Today, thanks to refrigeration and commercial shipping, modern people eat tomatoes in January and oranges in July, not realizing how out of sync with the seasons our diets our.

When foods are grown in their season they are more nutrient-dense, for when industrial farmers grow crops out of sync with their natural season, they are more likely to use artificial lights, gasses, fertilizers, and chemicals to force ripening.

Plus, fresh seasonal food tastes so much better!

Eating in the cycles with the seasons gives us more nutritional value and provides us naturally with more of the nutrients that we need to thrive through each of the seasons of the year. The more we connect with the seasons of the earth, the more we began to see the synchronicity between the seasons of our own lives.

The more you get in sync with nature, the more you support your natural health.

5: MOVEMENTHealthy movement is an essential self-care practice for long life. Our bodies need to move to thrive.

Movement is necessary for every system in our body to function.

When people think about movement, the first thought is often exercise, but it's much more than that. Movement is about dynamic action, utilizing the full range of motion of our bodies, and avoiding stagnant practices.

Moving our bodies regularly, fully, and in new challenging ways supports our cardiovascular and muscular health - and also enhances our ability to think clearly, process emotions, and to express ourselves.

When our bodies are set into motion, it activates a complex cascade of neural transmissions, chemical communication, fluid dynamics, physiological patterns, and cooperating systems.

Naturally, movement creates ripples of change and transformation throughout our whole health.

We were born to move. From the earliest stages of life, babies are moving constantly inside the womb. The many movements of a baby's spine and limbs stimulates the growth of the brain and body.

For thousands of years, women around the world have walked, danced, and moved to support their health, fertility, and pregnancies.

Spiraling the hips helps to reduce stagnation in the pelvis and womb, helping to relieve painful periods, ease hip and backaches, enhance circulation, and promote flexibility.

After forty, it's important for women to practice weight-bearing exercises several times a week to support bone health, as osteoporosis disproportionately affects women, and weight-training is the best way to strengthen bones and muscles.

When we move, our muscles contract, we load our bones and connective tissue, we release certain hormones, our cells signal each other, our respiration increases, and our circulation is enhanced.

It doesn't matter where you are starting from, every movement makes a difference for the better.

The positive effects of movement happen right away and the more we put our bodies into motion the greater the benefits. There are so many ways to move our bodies.

Through movement, we get to explore and interact with the world around us.

I love hiking and always am seeking out new trails and paths to explore which allow me to see new places and perspectives in the world around me.

It doesn't matter what you do, the important thing is to move consistently, regularly, daily, and to try new things to keep activating new muscle groups, movement patterns, and neural connections.

Today, we are more motion deprived than any other culture in human history due to the culture of sitting.

We sit in front of computer screens all day, at desks at work, in chairs in cars, and on couches in front of televisions at night.

If you find yourself sitting for long periods of time, as I often do while writing at a computer, it's helpful to find ways to get up every half-hour to put your body in motion.

I take movement breaks regularly while I am working to do various movement practices such as stretching, exercising with 5 lb. weights, hoop dancing in my living room, or go for a short walk.

There are many ways to move, and it's important to find ways that work for our body and lifestyle.

6: COMMUNITYThrough healthy and positive socialization with others, we grow and flourish in health.

Research has shown that babies grow faster and stronger with touch, eye-to-eye connection, and the sound of loving voices.

All ages need human connection and touch.

Socialization, touch, and connection help to increase mental and emotional health, and decrease the risk of dementia for the elderly.

Connecting with others socially supports brain health, boosts immunity, increases longevity, and prevents loneliness and depression.

Nurturing friendships and relationships creates a cascade of positive feelings and health benefits.

It also facilitates bonding, trust, and love.

Connecting with other women and nurturing female friendships is especially important for women's health.

When women talk and connect with other women it decreases stress through an increase in oxytocin, the hormone of love.

Oxytocin is the antagonist to adrenaline, so when women gather together to talk, listen, connect, and support each other, it increases feelings of love and bonding, which directly causes the stress hormones to diminish.

This female stress-response was discovered by researchers at the University of California, LA, in 2000 who called this drive for female connection as "Tend and Befriend" instead of the traditional "Fight or Flight" stress response.

While stress stimulates the sympathetic nervous system to go into "Fight or Flight" mode for survival, women have this secondary stress response that pulls us to connect with each other, care for those in need, and tend to children and those needing support.

This desire for female connection brings mutual healing as it increases the rush of the love hormone oxytocin which helps us to feel good while connecting with other women.

Stress impacts women's health, fertility, and hormonal balance in many ways, and women are more susceptible to stress-related illnesses, so enhancing our flow of oxytocin to decrease stress is a powerful way to support our feminine health and longevity!

The more we can personally connect, the greater the mutual health and wellness benefits.

Reach out and connect with a friend, family member, neighbor, or someone you would like to get to know better today and let them know you've been thinking about them, wanted to let them know you care about them.

It may just brighten your day and theirs!

7: RESTThe art of resting is one of the most underrated, yet most wonderful, facets of whole health.

We live in a culture that pushes to do more, work harder, be relentless, go bigger, and idolizes overachieving. However, balance is essential, and regularly taking time for a full rest gives us the ability to take smarter actions with more efficiency, enthusiasm, and energy.

Resting is a time of recuperation, healing, and restoring.

While your body is sleeping it is actually rejuvenating and repairing itself. By fully resting, sleeping, or napping, your body is able to utilize all the energy that we spend while being awake doing so many things to focus on healing our cells, tissues, brain, and body. During sleep, our bodies are also busy producing hormones that are essential for regulating our biological clock, supporting health, and reducing stress.

Good rest is essential for women's health because a lack of sleep can throw your hormones out of whack, as well as decrease your libido.

In addition, sleep is called "beauty rest" for a reason. A good rest helps our skin, circulation, and appearance making us look healthier, as well as feel better.

It's also deeply healing and restoring to the body, mind, and spirit to take a break from regular activities and work periodically to simply allow yourself the time to be at rest.

A regular sabbatical from work allows us the space to appreciate the world around us, to use our brain in new ways, to take time for pleasure, hobbies, and to simply be.

Make sure to prioritize good sleep each day as well as taking a day each week to fully rest and recuperate from work and chores.

I find that when I truly take time to rest and relax that it creates space for valuable insights, gratitude, and blessings to come into my life!

Holistic Self-CareEach of these holistic self-care practices can be done daily, or you can choose to give special focus to one of these steps on each of the seven days of the week.

The essential thing is to take action and keep cycling through all the 7 Keys to Abundant Health.

These 7 keys are a cycle that you do over and over again to support holistic wellness.

It is not meant to a one-time-only practice.

Instead, it is a routine to do repeatedly until it becomes a habitual part of your lifestyle.

This system of self-care creates a compound effect, meaning the more you do it, the better it will make you feel, and the easier it will become.

Remember to take ACTION to keep following these steps and to continue the wellness cycle!

The path to optimal health is a journey, not a destination.

Enjoy the process and each step along the way.

Wishing you abundant health!

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Do you know where in your cycle you are right now?

Tracking your menstrual cycle does more than helping to prevent unexpected surprises. Women are paying greater attention than ever to their menstrual cycles to get to know their bodies better and optimize their health.

Menstrual cycle tracking helps women to increase awareness of how they feel in the different stages of their cycle. This knowledge can help women to take control of their fertility to prevent or plan pregnancy, to adjust their wellness practices based upon their cycle stages, and to be prepared for hormonal shifts.

Your menstrual cycle is unique and changes every month and throughout your life from menarche to menopause.

The menstrual cycle begins on the first day of menstruation and continues until the next period starts. On average, women’s cycles are 28 days but can vary from 24 to 38 days.

The length of a cycle can change from month to month and throughout your life. During times of hormone fluctuation, it is common for cycle lengths to change, especially during puberty, postpartum, perimenopause, and due to stress or environmental factors.

The Menstrual CycleFollicular PhaseThe first half of the menstrual cycle is the follicular phase from the time menstruation starts until ovulation mid-cycle. This is when an egg is being prepared to be released from an ovary and the uterine lining thickens.

At the beginning of the follicular phase is menstruation which lasts from 3 to 8 days, usually around 5. Then, ovulation happens around day 14 of the cycle when an ovary releases a ripened egg into a fallopian tube.

There are usually two weeks to each half of your cycle.

Week one is menstruation and is a time to focus on rest, nourishing foods, restorative exercise, walking in nature, and excellent hydration. It’s an excellent time to enjoy warming foods and nourishing herbs, including soup and herbal tea.

Week two is a time for more active exercise, starting new healthy habits, eating lots of fiber-rich fresh foods, and is a good time for massage or bodywork. This is a good time to be sure to eat fresh probiotic foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, kefir, and fermented vegetables, which are helpful to support the gut microbiome and hormone regulation.

Luteal PhaseThe second half of the cycle is the luteal phase from the time of ovulation until the next period starts.

During the first 24 hours of the luteal phase, the ripe egg sits in the fallopian tube waiting to be fertilized. If conception does not occur, then the egg dissolves, and estrogen and progesterone levels will drop until the low hormone levels at the end of the cycle trigger another menstruation.

Toward the end of the luteal phase, many women commonly experience premenstrual symptoms.

The two weeks of your luteal phase can have very different energies.

Week three of your cycle is a time when you are usually feeling really good and is a great time for high-intensity workouts or strength-training and being sure to eat nutrient-dense whole foods, especially organic fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

Week four of the cycle is a time to focus on stress management, exercise, and good nutrition. Nutrient-dense foods to enjoy include dark leafy greens, salmon, eggs, nuts, and pineapple. I particularly enjoy organic dark chocolate at this time of the month too.

How to Track Your CycleIt’s really important to know when to expect your menstrual cycle to start and what phase of your cycle you are in throughout the month.

With cycle awareness, you can optimize your nutrition, exercise, and self-care practices to support your hormones and womb health.

You can get in sync with the stages and rhythm of your menstrual cycle to support your health, mood, and hormones.

Throughout your cycle, it’s important to focus on a balance between activity and rest, and manage stress levels through spending time in nature, getting daily sunlight and fresh air, and focusing on eating anti-inflammatory foods.

Tracking your cycle can help you to understand the hormonal changes you go through each month, and how healthy self-care practices can help you to navigate your womb health with confidence.

There are many ways to track your cycles today, from menstrual health apps to specialized calendars.

I’ve been tracking my menstrual cycle for over 20 years and I’ve tried a variety of different methods from analog to digital.

Currently, I simply keep track of my cycle and take notes in my personal Google Calendar app, which is convenient because it syncs across all my devices. My menstrual cycle notes are color-coded red so I can easily look back through my calendar and find the dates.

I find this works well for me, but if you are tracking your cycle for fertility awareness purposes, you will need a more comprehensive chart or app to keep notes on your daily basal body temperature and fertility signs too.

Through knowing your cycle phases you can optimize your health, creativity, and performance - and increase your energy, libido, and fertility.

Knowing where you are in your menstrual cycle is vital information that every woman should be aware of.

Through this knowledge, you can make conscious choices to empower your menstrual health by syncing your self-care to your cycle.

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This is comfort food that has been elevated.

Cheesy tomato oven-faced sandwiches have always been a comfort food that I’ve enjoyed.

This was one of the first recipes I learned how to make growing up.

This is the upgraded version that highlights the freshness of heirloom tomatoes, makes it absolutely craveable with the earthy, smoky, savory flavor of za’atar and is served on a thick slice of sourdough bread.

Za’atar is an incredible seasoning that makes everything so good. It’s traditionally made with the wild herb hyssop, which it is named after.

The herb hyssop has many wellness benefits including strengthening the immune system, respiratory system, and gut health.

There are many variations on the traditional recipe, which usually include hyssop, sesame seeds, sumac, olive oil, and salt. Some versions use oregano or thyme in addition or as a replacement to hyssop.

I love za’atar because it’s amazing on a multitude of savory dishes: roasted vegetables, chicken, hummus, cucumber slices, hard-boiled eggs, or mixed in olive oil to dip fresh bread into.

As a kid, I would make these open-faced sandwiches Italian-style, like a little pizza. If you don’t have za’atar, you can substitute for it in this recipe with other savory herbs and spices, such as Italian seasoning, or a blend of oregano, marjoram, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper.

This is a perfect way to highlight the fresh garden flavor of a ripe heirloom tomato.

The herbs of hyssop, oregano, thyme, and marjoram are all supportive of our health and rich in micronutrients. Adding herbs to our comfort foods increases their nutritional qualities.

Spicing food up with herbs increases the nutritious health benefits and the flavor.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

Heirloom Tomato Toast with Za’atar RecipeIngredients:

• Sourdough bread
• Organic heirloom tomato
• Organic 3-cheese grated Mozzarella, Cheddar, and Monterey Jack blend
• Salt
• Pepper
• Za’atar
• Microgreens
• Optional: Jalapeno peppers, chopped (fermented and pickled)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Slice fresh sourdough bread into thick slices and place on a baking sheet.
3. Cover the top of the bread with grated cheese.
4. Slice tomato and place on top of the grated cheese.
5. Sprinkle more grated cheese on top of the tomato slices.
6. Sprinkle chopped jalapeno peppers on top (omit if you prefer, but I LOVE the hot peppers!)
7. Season with salt, pepper, and za’atar.
8. Bake for 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly on top.
9. Top with microgreens.

Enjoy this gourmet toast that satisfies comfort food cravings, features seasonal fresh flavors, and has a zesty and spicy kick that will excite your taste buds!

Many blessings,

Kara Maria

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Zucchini bread has never been better. This is seriously the best zucchini bread I’ve ever baked.

I’ll tell you the next-level secret ingredients that make it gourmet: date syrup and cardamom.

There’s not so much that they take center stage, but just enough that there is a sweet caramel spice flavor to the bread that is simply amazing!

I’m hooked on date syrup, it’s so good! It’s the most nutrition-packed natural sweetener.

It’s got an incredible flavor that is less overpowering than molasses, richer than maple syrup, but not as high in glucose as honey. It’s delicious on hot oatmeal, in coffee drinks, and in baked goods.

It’s that time of the summer when the zucchini brings a plentiful harvest.

Do you have an abundance of zucchini or summer squash?

I joined an organic vegetable CSA this summer and have been getting lots of zucchini and summer squash the past few weeks.

I’ve been cooking zucchini in all kinds of ways, but I still had this one giant zucchini in my fridge that I knew would be perfect for baking zucchini bread.

My giant zucchini made exactly 4 c. of zucchini, grated and packed, so I doubled this recipe and made one loaf plain and one chocolate-chip loaf.

They were both fantastic!

Are you tired of baked, grilled, stuffed, and zoodled zucchini?

This is a great recipe to use up an abundance of zucchini because it’s perfect for doubling and cooking two loaves in the oven at one time. And you can give one as a gift - if it doesn’t get devoured right away!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

Zucchini Bread with Date Syrup Recipe* 1/4 c. coconut oil, melted * 1/4 c. organic sugar * 1/4 c. organic brown sugar * 1/8 c. organic date syrup * 2 eggs * 2 c. zucchini, grated * 1/4 c. yogurt * 1 tsp. baking soda * 1 tsp. vanilla extract * 1/2 tsp. cinnamon * 1/2 tsp. cardamom * 1/8 tsp. nutmeg * 1/2 tsp. salt * 2 c. all-purpose flour * Optional: 1 c. chocolate chips 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Butter a loaf pan. 3. Stir together the coconut oil, sugars, date syrup, eggs, yogurt, and vanilla in a large bowl. 4. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix the batter together. 5. Add the zucchini and stir together. 6. Add chocolate chips, if desired. 7. Pour into the loaf pan. 8. Bake in center of oven 55 to 65 minutes, until golden brown on top, and a skewer poked into the center comes out clean. 9. Let cool for 10 minutes, remove from pan, and then let cool for 10 more minutes before slicing.

Enjoy the zucchini bread sliced with butter or just plain.

It’s delicious both warm and the next day for breakfast, snack, or dessert.

I have to admit that the chocolate chip zucchini bread with date syrup is my family’s favorite! I definitely recommend adding chocolate chips.

If you don’t have date syrup feel free to substitute with maple syrup - it’ll still be absolutely delicious!

Also, you can bake this as wonderful muffins instead of a loaf, and the cooking time will be quicker, about 30 minutes instead.

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Each day we face new challenges.

Life for humanity has always been full of struggle.

It’s okay to have a full range of emotions about the difficulties that we encounter in our lives from worry to stress.

However, we are not to dwell upon the challenges all the time.

We are not destined for everlasting woe.

While we are here we should appreciate the beauty in the world.

It’s easy to get caught up in the news, social media, sad stories, tragedy, crises, and bills.

But we should not obsess over these things so much that they ruin our enjoyment of the natural world around us and the everyday blessings that happen.

There will always be obstacles to overcome, address them as they arise, but don’t let them take over your life or steal your wonder.

Take time to notice the wildflowers blooming in a meadow, the flight of a blue heron over a pond, the majestic pink and orange of a midsummer sunset, and the laugh of a baby.

It’s worthy to focus our minds upon joyful things.

It’s important to plan diligently, address the challenges that arise, work hard to create solutions, and then let it go.

When working time is over we need to shift gears.

Work has never been supposed to be all-consuming.

There is a time to work and a time to rest.

It’s beneficial to take time regularly to rest in contemplation of the good in the world.

It is good for us, for our minds, for our health, and for our spirits.

Be grateful for the lovely things in life.

It’s amazing to think about the beautiful and wonderful things that do exist in the world.

It’s healing to appreciate what is worthy of praise.

Many blessings,

Kara Maria

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You have a unique mission in this life.

There is a calling within your soul and a fire burning within your heart.

What is calling to be created through you now?

Believe in your ability to make it happen.

You don't want to do things the same old predictable way.

You don't feel comfortable squeezing your creativity, intuition, and life mission into a cubicle, box, or traditional path.

There are synchronistic opportunities, challenges, and adventures awaiting you.

Start today.

To find your own way, first, you must break free from the hypnotizing ideas and suggestions of the controlling systems of collective consciousness.

Surround yourself with positive inspiration that inspires you to nourish your creativity and go deep within to listen to your heart's guidance.

Take care of your gentle spirit with love and tenderness, like a child that is learning to walk and be in the world.

You got this.

You are here to forge a path that has not been navigated yet before.

Be an active player in the game of life.

Sometimes there are ups and sometimes there are downs, but there is always a movement forward, personal growth, and the gaining of wisdom.

Don't give up.

Winners are not lucky, they are resilient.

They practice harder than anyone, they get up despite falling down.

They learn how to bounce back from the lows and jump harder to reach the highs.

You can too.

Follow the path of your soul.

Nourish yourself with love, care, and patience.

Know that YOU are stronger than you think - and you are called on your unique life path for a reason.

Don't give up.

I believe in you.

With love,

Kara

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Irritability, insomnia, bloating, mood swings, breakouts, and aches, oh my!

These are a few of the signs of the rollercoaster of hormones that women can experience.

90% of women suffer from symptoms of PMS at some time during their menstruating years.

Hormones are powerful chemical messengers within our bodies.

They orchestrate an elaborate symphony of cellular communication to synchronize our reproductive cycles, sleep, emotions, and life-giving systems.

The word hormone comes from the Ancient Greek word ὁρμῶν (hormôn)which means “setting in motion”, “urging on”, or “impulse to do a thing”.

Hormones are created within our endocrine system and then travel on the dynamic fluid pathways in our bodies to stimulate actions and affect all of our organs and tissues.

It’s vitally important to support hormone health because these messengers are responsible for essential actions throughout our bodies every day.

Hormonal balance is health.

Many women have grown accustomed to dealing with PMS, perimenopausal symptoms, and other hormonal issues.

However, this does not have to be the way.

Trying to figure out how to support hormonal balance can be confusing, as hormones create a wide range of effects throughout the body.

Women may experience a variety of symptoms from anxiety, insomnia, low libido, weight gain, skin changes, PMS, hot flashes, and more.

Also, the symptoms can vary depending upon your age, the stage of life you are in, and where in your menstrual cycle you are.

Women go through a full spectrum of hormonal changes in their lives from puberty, through the menstruating years, and into menopause.

If a woman becomes pregnant that creates even more unique hormonal changes through the childbearing year and beyond.

Hormones are constantly in motion and changing.

There are many proven ways to support hormonal health in all the stages of a woman’s life through wellness lifestyle practices including nutrition, fitness, stress management, and more.

80% of diseases are lifestyle-related.

One of the biggest changes to healthcare today is the growing emphasis on healthy daily living.

Treating hormonal imbalance through pharmaceutical birth control or surgery does nothing to address the cause of the problem if nutrition, exercise, habits, and stress are ignored, and they often add on undesired side effects.

With a little effort, a healthy lifestyle can be cultivated through education, support, and even incentivization.

Health-promoting practices send positive messages to our hormones and train them for optimal performance so that they will communicate more effectively throughout our bodies.

Calming your hormones involves getting to the root of the issue, and addressing the foundation of hormone health.

Sometimes the best way to find peace with our changing hormones is to simplify our own lives.

Stress is the biggest trigger of hormonal disruption.

If your hormones are out of whack, maybe rather than blaming your hormones, it’s time to look at what is causing stress in your life and see if you can let that go.

Stress increases cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones elevate in times of stress to help us to respond to danger and threats.

However, high levels of stress hormones interfere with our body’s production of our sex hormones including estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, as well as serotonin, a calming hormone, and neurotransmitter.

Relaxing activities that help to decrease stress are an important part of a wellness lifestyle.

Exercise, stretching, taking a bath, getting a massage, and spending time in nature are all proven ways to calm the mind, boost positive emotions, and support whole health.

It’s vital to take time each day to engage in healthy activities that bring joy and peace into your life. That may be journaling, creating art, dancing, listening to music, playing an instrument, prayer, or other inspiring practices.

It’s also helpful to decrease outside stresses through reducing obligations.

Sometimes saying no is the best thing to preserve your peace and health, and to prevent high levels of stress hormones.

Major stresses including grief and trauma can throw off your hormones so much that women may not ovulate, have delayed ovulation, and then have delayed menstruation.

If your period is late or your cycle becomes irregular it may be because of stress.

Big changes in lifestyle such as travel or moving may also cause irregular cycles.

During times of stress, it’s even more essential to prioritize good sleep, nutrition, exercise, and stress management.

Many relaxing activities promote self-care, stress relief, and calm hormones.

I recommend trying new things to discover what you love and to create variety which will increase the joy of the activity, rather than it being a chore.

Calming Activities for Hormone Balance:* Walk in nature * Gardening * Dancing to favorite music * Warm foot bath with essential oils, baking soda, and Epsom salt * Soaking in a warm bath * Deep breathing * Journaling * Painting * Coloring * Swimming * Soaking in a hot tub or hot spring * Stretching * Singing * Drumming * Prayer * Drawing * Reading a book * Napping * Massage * Watch the sunset * Simplify

Finding a new hobby or investing time in a hobby you love can be calming and balancing for your mind, emotions, body, and hormones.

Try new things to discover what brings you peace and joy - it can be different for each person.

Consciously addressing our stress levels is one of the best things we can do for hormone health, regulating our cycles, increasing libido, and enhancing fertility.

Hormone health supports our whole body, mind, and spirit health.

Your health is worth it!

Many blessings,

Kara Maria

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This summer my family has a goal to visit as many farms as we can.

In the past week, we’ve eaten fresh ice cream and pet the cows the milk came from.

We’ve squatted our way through strawberry fields hunting for ripe red berries and climbed ladders picking cherries from the tops of trees in an orchard.

We've pulled over by the side of country roads to purchase eggs from handmade boxes with coolers in them at the end of driveways.

Our meals are based around the organic veggies we get each week in the Community Supported Agriculture program we’ve joined.

It’s exciting to figure out what to make with garlic scapes, purple daikons, or fresh herbs and other interesting, colorful, and sometimes dirty fresh vegetables.

I want to eat as much local and fresh food as possible.

My kids want to pick-their-own of every fruit they can all season long from strawberries to apples.

I’ve always loved sustainable farming and food, but right now there is a new urgency to connect with the source of our food supply.

I want my kids to grow up knowing how our food grows, who grows it, and where it comes from.

The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way we relate to food. For the first time in my life, there have been waiting lines to get into grocery stores.

Certain staple foods have become scarce.

People are coveting bags of flour.

It’s become apparent how easily the links in our food supply chain can be broken.

Farmers have always known this.

Freak storms, extreme weather, unexpected plagues of bugs, and whole crops can be gone in an instant.

Farms are the foundation of our food supply.

Without the farmers growing our food, there would be nothing to shop for at the store or eat at a restaurant.

With the current impacts of the coronavirus, farms have been impacted in a variety of ways. Some farmers have had to throw away food. Other farms have been selling out as fast as they can produce products.

Many farms have had to pivot in their business models.

Farms that relied upon summer events to help pay the mortgage, such as weddings and farm-to-table dinners, are having to explore new options now that group functions are off the menu.

Other farms that catered to restaurants had to repackage and market to consumers as many restaurants, bakeries, and food establishments closed their doors for months, and are just now opening up slowly, and some not at all.

Some farms are opting out of community markets this year and are instead offering farm-to-door delivery services.

However, many farms are experiencing a big increase in customers at farm stores and in CSA programs.

Supporting local farms addresses two of my major goals: prioritizing health and investing in local small businesses. Eating local fresh food in season is one of the best things we can do to support our health and wellbeing.

Plus, purchasing food direct from regional farmers is healthy for our bodies, families, communities, and planet.

The quality of food available direct from farmers is far beyond what’s available at the store.

For years, I’ve searched out local farms in all the places I’ve lived to be able to purchase raw milk and grass-fed dairy, which is so delicious, healthy, and quite unlike the ultra-pasteurized and homogenized milk at stores.

In many places I’ve lived, the only way to get raw grass-fed dairy was straight from the farmers or farm stands.

It’s been worth it to drive up to an hour each week for my family to have access to raw milk.

I’m very grateful now to have a farm store just 10 minutes away from my home where I can buy it, as well as many other delicious local foods.

We also love to go on our farm adventures and visit new farms, support a variety of local farmers, try new foods, and get to explore the gorgeous countryside.

It feels so good to get to actually visit and see the farms we are getting our food from.

Plus the animals that we are getting our milk from - and yogurt, ice cream, and cheese.

There are so many ways to support local farmers and discover new farms and foods in your region. 1. Shop at farm stores for veggies, fruits, meat, dairy, plants, flowers, and more. 2. Join a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. 3. Pick-your-own fruits in season. 4. Go on a farm crawl and spend a day visiting different farms and their stores. 5. Visit farmer’s markets. 6. Eat at farm-to-table restaurants. 7. Shop at a local co-op.

It’s so important to support our local food system.

Fresh food is tastier and healthier.

The longer it takes for food to get from the farm to our family, the more nutrients deteriorate and are lost.

Farm fresh food also has an outstanding flavor that is far superior to grocery store food.

The environmental benefits of eating locally are also huge.

Lettuce and tomatoes that have been grown in California and transported in refrigerator trucks to the East coast have already lost a lot of nutrients by the time they get to the grocery store.

Food from the grocery store has a huge environmental impact due to the amount of energy used to transport it from states away.

When you get to know your local farm culture, you can also choose to support small farms that utilize regenerative agriculture practices that help to restore and revitalize the health of the soil, air, and region.

We need to support our local farms, not just now but ongoing, to create lasting change in our food culture, environment, agriculture, and health.

Recommended BooksThis post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food

By Shanahan M.D., Catherine

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The Untold Story of Milk, Revised and Updated: The History, Politics and Science of Nature's Perfect Food: Raw Milk from Pasture-Fed Cows

By Ron Schmid

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Traditional Foods Are Your Best Medicine: Improving Health and Longevity With Native Nutrition

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Back to Butter: A Traditional Foods Cookbook - Nourishing Recipes Inspired by Our Ancestors

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Banana splits are a classic summertime treat.

These healthy banana splits with Greek yogurt, fresh berries, maple syrup, and topped with granola are a perfect healthy summer snack, breakfast, or dessert!

Greek yogurt is fantastic in this dish because it’s a thicker consistency than regular yogurt, so you can actually scoop it up with an ice cream scoop into three perfect balls to top your bananas.

They definitely have that WOW factor in appearance, plus they taste amazing, and will leave you feel energized.

I made these for my kids as a healthy snack and they went bananas for them!

This is a super versatile dish that can be dressed up with the toppings of your choice, such as coconut flakes, chocolate chips, or just plain fruit and yogurt (as my three-year-old prefers).

Healthy Banana Split RecipeIngredients* Bananas * Strawberries * Raspberries * Blueberries * Blackberries * Greek Yogurt, plain * Maple Syrup * Granola

Directions* Split the banana in half lengthwise and place in a dish. * Use an ice cream scoop to place 3 spoonfuls of Greek yogurt along the bananas. * Top with fresh berries. * Drizzle maple syrup over it. * Garnish with granola. * Optional: coconut flakes, chocolate chips, or chopped nuts.

This is a great treat to indulge in childhood memories of banana splits on warm summer days - while also getting a nutrient-dense meal filled with protein, antioxidants, and vitamins!

Enjoy!

Many blessings,

Kara Maria

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There is a sourdough bread revival happening.

Sourdough bread baking is the original way of making leavened bread, used for thousands of years, long before the invention of commercial yeast.

In addition to being the traditional way of making soft, fluffy, and delicious bread, it’s also beneficial for gut health, boosts the nutritional value of the grains, and reduces digestive issues related to commercial bread baking practices.

In recent times, wheat has gotten a bad rap, and gluten-free has become a massive trend.

However, wheat is one of the world’s most important staple foods, that is intricately linked with the history of humanity, and wheat itself is not bad.

Modern farming techniques have changed the culture of wheat and bread.

Bread was originally all heirloom organically-grown grains, milled in small batches, and fermented before being baked.

Now conventional bread production is an industrial operation of mono-crops with pesticides, milled in huge factories with added synthetic vitamins, and cooked with commercial yeast and a multitude of unhealthy and genetically-modified additives including sugar, soy flour, and preservatives.

Today, people are starting to realize that maybe it’s not wheat that’s bad for us, it’s highly processed bread that is causing digestive problems.

Thus, the sourdough revolution that’s bubbling up in kitchens around the world is a welcome reclaiming of heritage bread baking and digestive wellness.

The Amazing DNA of WheatWheat has an incredibly complex genome.

The human genome contains 3 billion DNA letters.

The wheat genome is over 5 times the size of the human genome, containing an astonishing 17 billion DNA letters.

It was only recently that scientists were able to crack the code on the incredibly huge genome sequencing of wheat due to the enormous amount of data that they needed to sift through.

The wheat genome is a hexaploid genome, with 6 copies of its 7 chromosomes, making 42 chromosomes total.

It’s so large because hexaploid bread wheat today is a hybridization of 3 ancient grasses, including einkorn and two wild wheats.

These three ancient grasses become cross-pollinated in the Fertile Crescent a long time ago, and as people gathered, cultivated, and domesticated the best grains from the grasses, wheat as we know it became developed.

The History of SourdoughSourdough is the oldest form of leavened bread, created by harnessing the wild yeast in the air through a long slow fermentation of flour and water to create a levain.

This levain, also known as sourdough starter, is added to the rest of the bread ingredients to create a natural rise and light airy bread.

A portion of the starter is reserved and fed with more flour and water to keep it active and get it ready for the next day’s baking.

Today, we can store an active sourdough starter in the fridge and just take it out and feed it when desired.

Prior to sourdough, people only ate unleavened flatbreads.

Surely the discovery of naturally yeasted dough was a delight to ancient bakers for it created a much lighter bread as well as added flavor, and dramatically expanded the possibilities of bread recipes.

There is evidence of sourdough bread baking as early as Ancient Egypt, as it was carefully recorded through ancient wall paintings and samples of ancient Egyptian bread yeast have been gathered and even baked with today.

On the Giza plateau, remains of bakeries and an ancient pottery dumping ground have been found, with half-a-million shards of broken bread molds, indicating that sourdough bread was the main food that fueled the building of the pyramids.

Bread was the heart of the Ancient Mediterranean diet, baked every day, and eaten at every meal.

It was not only sustenance, but it was also a utensil, used to dip in olive oil, hummus, or stew, and to wipe clean the bowls of shared food.

Today, the Mediterranean diet is heralded as the healthiest cuisine for gut health.

The ancient diet of the island of Crete is considered to be the epitome of healthy Mediterranean cuisine, and they eat three times more bread than the average American.

When the Ancient Roman city of Pompeii was destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D., it preserved the buildings and streets of the city, along with their bakeries.

Archeologists have uncovered 33 community bakeries in the city of Pompeii, which indicate that the bakery was a vital hub of city life.

Sourdough bread has an ancient history that is well-founded upon taste and nutrition.

Sourdough and Gut HealthThe natural fermentation of sourdough bread makes it rise above the quality of modern yeasted bread, not just because of the tangy, slightly sour flavor that is beloved by so many, but also because it imparts a wide range of health benefits.

Sourdough starter contains the wild yeast from the environment that it is brewed in, as well as from the flour it is made of.

Studies of sourdough starter from all over the world show that each one has a unique flavor and microbial profile based upon the baking environment.

Very fascinating research also shows that not only does the baker influence the culture of the sourdough starter, but that baking with sourdough culture actually changes the microbiota of the baker’s hands too!

One of the most beneficial wellness aspects of enjoying sourdough is that it supports gut health.

The slow fermentation of sourdough helps to break down phytic acid in the flour, which then allows more nutrients to become absorbed when we eat the sourdough bread.

It also predigests the grains, which eases the job our digestive system needs to do to break down the bread and extract nutrition and energy from our food.

The fiber from sourdough bread helps to nourish the good microbiota in our guts to support digestive health.

Supporting our gut health helps to reduce inflammation in the body, support weight loss, and boost our mood.

For optimal health benefits, be sure to make your own sourdough or to read the ingredients when purchasing to ensure it is real sourdough bread.

Many breads today labeled “sourdough” actually have additional commercial yeast added to them so that they bake quicker.

It’s actually a great educational experience to peruse the bread aisle at your local grocery store and read all the ingredients listed on the bags of bread.

It’s eye-opening to see how many breads in the U.S. today have sugar, soy, synthetic vitamins, and preservatives included in their long-list of ingredients.

As I’ve learned how to make sourdough bread at home, my list of ingredients for my favorite loaf is very simple, it’s just flour, water, and salt.

There are so many uses and variations for sourdough baking too. The possibilities are endless from pancakes to pain au levain.

Plus, nothing beats breaking a loaf of fresh-baked sourdough bread with friends and family.

Do you have a sourdough starter bubbling in your kitchen?

If so, I hope this article inspires you to appreciate the amazing DNA, history, culture, and health benefits of sourdough baking.

If not, when you are buying bread at the grocery store, I hope this inspires you to read the labels and reach for the good sourdough loaves to bring home with you.

Also, please support your local sourdough bakers and small bakeries that are keeping this art alive.

Here’s an entertaining and educational video from Proof Bakery in Arizona, that is going viral right now, and shows just how much work, skill, and art goes into baking sourdough bread for communities to enjoy:

Artisan Sourdough Bread Baking Process from Start to Finish Video

Yes, this video is an hour-long, but as one commenter wrote, “I was like: I’m not watching an hour of bread making. Then I watched an hour of bread making.” To which someone else replied, “Ha, I'm watching it AGAIN!”

My entire family sat watching this video, and everyone was fascinated including our 3-year-old.

There is something mesmerizing and meditative about the art of bread making.

Luckily, this ancient art of sourdough is being brought back into many homes today as more people are making their own bread the traditional way.

Many blessings,

Kara Maria

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There is something so comforting about a big pot of red lentil soup with barley and vegetables.

This recipe makes a large batch of soup which is so nourishing, especially with all the vegetables, broth, and spices.

It’s delicious by itself for lunch or dinner, and pairs excellently with fresh baked bread.

The combination of red lentils and barley are so filling, you won’t miss having meat in your meal, and it will give you lots of nutrients, fiber, and energy to keep you going.

Red lentils are high in polyphenols, protein, fiber, iron, and folic acid.

The resistant starch in red lentils is a rich source of prebiotics that support a healthy gut microbiome.

Studies show that lentils may protect against breast cancer in women.

There are so many health reasons why lentils are a good addition to a diverse diet plentiful in plants.

No wonder that lentils are one of the first food crops cultivated in the world!

You could easily half this recipe but this is the amount that I make for my family because they love it so much and will eat it all up.

Red Lentil Barley Vegetable Soup RecipeIngredients

2 Tbs. ghee (or olive oil)

2 c. onions, chopped (2 medium onions)

3 c. carrots, peeled and sliced (6 carrots)

1.5 c. celery (chopped) (8 stalks)

1 c. beet root, chopped (1 medium beet)

1 T. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. turmeric

1 bay leaf

3 qts. chicken stock (or vegetable broth)

1. c. red lentils

1/2 c. barley

1 Tbs. garlic, minced (2 large cloves)

few tsp. lemon juice, fresh squeezed

parsley or cilantro, chopped

Directions

Heat the ghee in a large pot on the stove on medium heat.

Add chopped onion, celery, and carrots and sauté until the onion turns soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add beet, garlic, cumin, turmeric, black pepper, and salt to the vegetables and stir for one minute.

Add broth to the vegetables and heat on high until simmering.

Add lentils, barley, and bay leaf, and bring back to simmer, then turn down to low heat.

Cook for 45 minutes or until the red lentils and barley are tender.

Add the lemon juice and salt and season to taste.

Serve bowls garnished with chopped parsley or cilantro.

This is a great soup to make for dinner one night and then reheat the next day for lunch.

Just add more water when reheating it because the lentils and barley will absorb a lot of the broth in the fridge.

I use chicken broth for the gut health benefits and flavor, but this recipe can easily be made vegan by using vegetable broth instead, and olive oil instead of ghee for sauteing the veggies.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

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I love this red lentil soup recipe because it’s packed with protein for energy, fiber for healthy digestion, and tons of vegetables for all their nutritious qualities.

It’s so colorful too! Especially with the carrots and beets, and the addition of fresh green herbs on top, it really brings out the contrast of colors.

When I eat this delicious dish, I think about how it’s no wonder that lentils and barley have been traditional food staples for thousands of years.

Many blessings,

Kara Maria

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Dates are the sweet fruit of the date palm tree which provide a wealth of nutrients and health benefits.

They are considered to be the oldest cultivated fruit in the world.

The culinary history of date fruit goes back to the Ancient Middle East.

Thousands of year ago, dates were cooked into a sweet date syrup, which was the most common sweetener in Ancient Mediterranean cuisine.

Today, the delicious dried fruits are used in a variety of recipes as a natural sweetener.

Dates are as versatile as they are delicious, and popular recipes include energy balls, raw desserts, and stuffed dates.

Plus, they make delicious snacks all by themselves.

They are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber, including protein, potassium, magnesium, copper, manganese, iron, calcium, and Vitamin B6.

A couple of dates are an excellent energy boost for a mid-afternoon snack, before exercising, or to satisfy a sugar craving.

Dates are very sweet, so they are best in moderation, however they are an excellent alternative to conventional sugary treats.

They are nature’s candy!

Dates are also especially good for pregnant women.

Studies have shown that women who consume dates regularly during pregnancy have shorter labors.

Dates also help to increase the function of oxytocin, the hormone of love, in the body, which makes us feel good and also is essential for optimal labor.

I know midwives that give their clients jars full of dates in the last few weeks of pregnancy to help encourage easier births.

I’m going to share with you my favorite easy date snack recipe with minimal ingredients and easy variations.

Almond Butter Stuffed DatesUse organic ingredients as much as possible, and feel free to play around with this recipe.

I love chunky almond butter stuffed in my dates, but any nut butter will be wonderful as well.

Chocolate and sea salt is definitely the top favorite variety in my house, but coconut flakes are a close second.

You could also do both!

Ingredients

Medjool dates

Almond butter

Toppings

Chocolate chips

Coconut flakes

Sea salt

Directions

Use a knife to slice lengthwise along the date pressing only halfway into the date.

Be sure to remove the hard pit from the center of the date.

Spoon a scant teaspoon of almond butter into the center of the date.

You can eat it simply stuffed with almond butter, or add toppings as desired.

For coconut topped, simply sprinkle on top of the nut butter stuffed date and enjoy.

For chocolate-covered, melt the chocolate chips in a bain-marie (hot water bath or double boiler) until melted and drizzle over the tops.

Then sprinkle sea salt on top of the chocolate, and set the dates in the fridge for 20 minutes for the chocolate to solidify.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

Shop For Ingredients

Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Medjool Dates, 2 Lbs - Soft Chewy Texture | Sweet Caramel Flavor | Farm Fresh

Terrasoul Superfoods

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BARNEY Almond Butter, Crunchy, Paleo Friendly, KETO, Non-GMO, Skin-Free, 16 Ounce

Barney's Premium Foods

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Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Coconut Flakes, 2 Lbs (2 Pack) - Medium Flakes | Perfect for Baking | Making Coconut Milk

Terrasoul Superfoods

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Enjoy Life Semi-sweet Chocolate Mini Chips, 10 Ounce, Pack of 2

United Natural Foods, Inc.

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Dates are so delicious and a healthy snack for energy and nutrients.

You can feel free to enjoy them on their own, but I hope this inspires you to dress up your dates and enjoy them as a healthy easy snack that looks beautiful too.

Many blessings,

Kara Maria

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Gut health is crucial for overall wellbeing and immune functioning.

Our guts contain over 100 trillion microbial cells, which is more than the number of human cells in a body.

The gut microbiota influences the function of our bodies way beyond just the digestive system, including hormone production, immune responses, mood, and sleep.

In the digestive system, a healthy gut microbiome regulates our metabolism, increases the absorption of nutrients, ensures optimal elimination, and so much more.

It’s becoming more apparent that to support our immune functioning we need to focus on gut health, for 70% of our immune system is located in the gut.

Gut dysbiosis is the condition in which there is a microbial imbalance in the gut, and it can lead to a variety of complications from indigestion and bloating, to long-term conditions including autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases.

The gut microbiome is a complex bacterial community that may be affected by a variety of lifestyle factors and environmental influences.

Common harmful influences on gut diversity include antibiotic usage, excess alcohol, cigarette smoking, lack of prebiotic fiber in the diet, inactivity, high levels of stress, and lack of sleep.

7 Steps For Gut Health1. Diversify Your DietGut flora needs a rich variety of microbiota to thrive, therefore the most important factor in supporting a healthy gut microbiome is to eat a diverse diet of whole foods.

Especially important are a plentiful variety of vegetables, legumes, and fruits, which are high in fiber which is essential for optimal gut health.

Research shows that a Mediterranean-style diet is shown to support healthy gut flora.

It is also beneficial for anti-aging and reproductive health.

Mediterranean diets are typically focused on abundant portions of fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, fish, olive oil, nuts, and wine (well, maybe not an abundant amount of wine, but abundant vegetables for sure).

It’s inspired by the traditional cuisine of the peoples who live in the fertile land surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.

1. Stay HydratedDrinking ample water daily is vital to keep the digestion moving properly.

This next part may not be the most appealing topic, but it’s very important.

There is a mucosal layer that lines our intestines and helps to move food and electrolytes through our guts.

It is important to drink water throughout the day to keep this mucus layer hydrated so as to lubricate the digestive tract.

See what I mean about not so appealing? But if this part of your digestion isn’t working right, the consequences are even less appealing.

This hydrated layer of the intestines creates a protective barrier that is important for the transportation of food and nutrients, as well as being involved in immune function.

Environmental chemicals in our water supply can also affect the gut microbiome.

It’s ideal to filter tap water or drink pure spring water, to avoid and reduce chlorine, pollutants, and pesticides, for optimal gut health benefits.

Keeping well hydrated with filtered water daily helps to support healthy gut microbiome function.

1. Eat Prebiotic FiberPrebiotics are a kind of indigestible fiber in food that the body does not break down.

Prebiotic fiber instead passes through the digestive tract and becomes food to nourish the microbes in the gut.

Nourishing a healthy gut microbiome involves consuming foods with both prebiotic and probiotic properties.

While probiotics add good bacteria to the gut, prebiotics will nourish the already existing microbes.

Prebiotics are an important dietary fiber found in many natural food sources, including vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.

Food sources for prebiotics include:

• Cooked and cooled potatoes
• Jerusalem artichokes
• Onions
• Garlic
• Leeks
• Green Bananas
• Barley
• Oats
• Apples
• Cacao
• Burdock root
• Flaxseeds
• Jicama root
• Wheat bran

• Seaweed

• Eat Probiotic FoodsProbiotic food sources are those with live active microorganisms in them that add good microbes to the gut and enhance digestion.

Fermentation naturally creates active bacteria in foods and has been an important part of culinary traditions for thousands of years.

Probiotic supplements are widely available, though there are many foods that provide ample probiotics to support the gut microbiome.

Food sources for probiotics include:

• Sauerkraut
• Kimchi
• Yogurt
• Kefir
• Miso
• Tempeh
• Kombucha
• Raw pickles

There are many traditional recipes available for making your own fermented foods and condiments, which naturally preserve the food as well as adding helpful live microbes to your diet.

1. Enhance Your EnzymesDigestive enzymes are naturally occurring proteins in foods, as well as in our own bodies, that help to breakdown food and make nutrients more accessible.

Enzymes have many important roles in digestion and supporting the gut microbiome, from helping us to absorb more nutrients from our foods, protecting us from pathogens, and also reducing irritation from food particles in the digestion.

There are natural food sources that are rich in digestive enzymes, as well as ways to enhance the digestive enzymes produced in your saliva, organs, and intestines.

Natural food sources of digestive enzymes are:

• Papaya
• Pineapple
• Honey
• Sauerkraut
• Mangos
• Bananas
• Avocados

The best way to support enzyme activity during eating and digestion is to slow down and sit down while eating.

Take your time to eat your food peacefully and chew every bite thoroughly before swallowing.

Try to limit the amount of liquid that you drink before, during, and immediately after eating a meal, as too much liquid will dilute the enzymes and cold liquid can slow down digestion.

Also, taking digestive enzyme supplements prior to eating a meal, especially with foods high in protein, can help to increase digestion.

1. Nourish Your Gut LiningThe lining of the gut is made of millions of cells that together form a tight barrier to prevent digesting food from permeating into our bloodstream.

However, due to dysbiosis the gut lining can weaken and create small gaps where toxins and bacteria can leak into the body.

This is often referred to as “leaky gut” syndrome and causes inflammation and digestive complaints such as indigestion, gas, bloating, cramping, food sensitivities, headaches, joint aches, and more.

In addition to eating a healthy diverse diet rich with prebiotics, probiotics, and enzymes, there are specific supplements that can support a healthy gut lining, particularly collagen and colostrum.

Collagen from grass-fed cows helps to nourish the connective tissue that makes up the walls of the gut.

In research studies, patients with gut inflammation and inflammatory bowel diseases were found to have low levels of collagen.

Colostrum is the very first milk that babies get from their mothers, and is referred to as “liquid gold”.

It is rich with immune-supporting factors that help to inoculate babies’ gut microbiome with the important nutrients for lifelong health.

There is ample research that colostrum supplementation can dramatically support gut microbiome health and restore the gut lining to a normal level.

1. Managing StressThe brain and the gut have two-way communication.

Digestive issues and gut dysbiosis can affect one’s sleep and mood.

Likewise, stress can also disrupt gut health and the microbiome.

It’s important to find ways to manage stress, and particularly to avoid emotional eating when under duress, as that can further disrupt digestion.

Being calm while eating our food and focusing on the people sitting around the table with us is an important practice to help us to slow down while eating.

Make an effort to turn off screens, set aside distractions, and appreciate eating peacefully.

Cultures around the world have traditions of saying a prayer or blessing and expressing gratitude for their food and meal before eating.

I believe there are multiple important reasons for such practices.

Prayerfully giving thanks for our daily meals causes us to appreciate the food we are eating and all that went into its creation.

Blessing our meals also causes us to slow down, become present, and prepares us to physically be able to digest our food for greater health and vitality.

Cultivating practices that help us to slow down, be present, and in a state of gratitude, while eating can not only uplift our mood and emotions, it can enhance our digestion and health.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

Gut Health Products

Flourish Living ProbioticsFlourish is a liquid organic living probiotic that is great for adults, children, and during pregnancy to achieve optimal digestive and immune health. It's an artisanal small-batched brewed probiotic that can restore gut balance and re-establish healthy digestion.

I have tried many different probiotics over the years and Flourish is by-far my favorite! It’s the only probiotic that I really feel making a difference!

Flourish comes in Regular and Junior formulas, and is available in glass or plastic bottles.

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Sovereign Laboratories: PRO Colostrum LDPRO Colostrum LD is a professional quality liposomal delivery colostrum supplement to support optimal gut and immune functioning.

This is an exceptional quality colostrum that is an foundational product in my daily gut health regime.

You can take a spoonful mixed into a few ounces of water or blend into your daily smoothie.

Sovereign Laboratories also has many other liposomal products for gut health, including Curcumin LD and PRO Vital C-LD.

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Cookbooks

Traditionally Fermented Foods: Innovative Recipes and Old-Fashioned Techniques for Sustainable Eating

By Stonger, Shannon

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Fermented Vegetables: Creative Recipes for Fermenting 64 Vegetables & Herbs in Krauts, Kimchis, Brined Pickles, Chutneys, Relishes & Pastes

By Christopher Shockey, Kirsten K. Shockey

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The Farmhouse Culture Guide to Fermenting: Crafting Live-Cultured Foods and Drinks with 100 Recipes from Kimchi to Kombucha [A Cookbook]

By Lukas, Kathryn, Peterson, Shane

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Ferment: A Guide to the Ancient Art of Culturing Foods, from Kombucha to Sourdough (Fermented Foods Cookbooks, Food Preservation, Fermenting Recipes)

By Davis, Holly

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Gut Health Takes TimeGut health is something that can take time to develop.

However, you may start noticing feeling more energized and lighter soon after actively enhancing your gut health.

The studies on people eating a Mediterranean diet showed that it significantly improved their gut microbiome health when eating in this manner consistently for one year.

Many digestive complaints develop because of long exposure to stress that builds up over time until creating noticeable symptoms.

Many people struggle with gut dysbiosis, especially because we live in a world today that has a dramatically diminished variety of foods commonly served for meals in the past 50 years.

There are also fewer nutrients and minerals present in the topsoil that the majority of our food supply is grown in compared to several decades ago.

Plus, there is an increasing amount of environmental factors and chemicals that we are exposed to through our modern lifestyles.

Add to that the stress of daily living, and it’s no wonder that gut health is a growing challenge for many people, even those who eat all organic and exercise regularly.

While changing our lifestyle and diets may create some noticeable effects within days, weeks, or months, nourishing our gut health is really a lifestyle practice that we should aspire to maintain for the rest of our lives.

The more we know and learn about the healthy gut microbiome, the more we can work to protect the health of the generations to come and the quality of our soil, air, and water, which healthy food and life depend upon.

Wishing you abundant wellness!

Kara Maria

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This red potato salad is a delicious and healthy recipe that would be a hit at any potluck, picnic, or party.

It tastes so good that my 8-year-old son made me a first place blue ribbon for it out of construction paper.

This son will normally not eat any potato salad from a restaurant or store, but he asked for many bowls of this potato salad while proclaiming it the best ever.

Prebiotic Potato BenefitsI love homemade potato salad, because in addition to being tasty, it’s also a great source of prebiotics which help to nourish a healthy gut microbiome.

Cooked and cooled potatoes are a great source of resistant starch which is a prebiotic that helps to feed the good bacteria in our digestive tract.

When potatoes are cooked, and then cooled, the starch in them turns into resistant starch that is not digested in the small intestine, but instead stays intact until it gets to the large intestine where it provides a great fertilizer for the gut microbiome.

While eating probiotic foods that have good bacteria in them can increase the good bacteria in your gut, eating prebiotic foods that provide nourishment to the healthy gut flora is also essential.

The best way to get the gut healthy benefits of potatoes, is to find ways to enjoy them in which they are cooked, cooled, and then not reheated, so the regular starch turns into resistant starch.

You can eat this potato salad warm, immediately after preparing, but if you cool it in the refrigerator first, you will make it a super gut-healthy dish.

As always, I highly recommend that you use organic ingredients, as much as possible.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

Red Potato Salad RecipeIngredients5 lbs. red potatoes

4 celery stalks

1 c. red onion

1 c. mayonnaise

1/4 c. lemon juice

1/8 c. spicy brown mustard

1 tsp. salt, plus more for the boiling water

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1/3 c. Italian parsley, plus more for garnish

DirectionsFill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add salt liberally to the water.

Peel and chop the potatoes into small cubes, no bigger than 1 inch.

Some people do not peel red potatoes, but I prefer my potato salad without peels in it. I place the chopped potatoes in a large bowl of cold water next to my cutting board to keep them from discoloring while preparing them all. This way I can put all of the prepared raw potatoes into the boiling water at the same time to ensure even cooking.

Drain the raw potatoes from the bowl of cold water and then add them all at once to the pot of boiling salted water.

Simmer for 8 to 12 minutes, until soft all the way through but still firm.

Finely chop the celery stalks, both lengthwise and across. I like them to be tiny little chunks of crispiness mixed into the salad, not as big u-shaped celery pieces.

Chop the red onion into small pieces.

Combine the mayonnaise, spicy brown mustard, fresh squeezed lemon juice, salt and pepper together in a small bowl.

Drain the cooked potatoes and place into a large bowl.

Add the chopped celery, red onion, and dressing to the potatoes and mix together.

Add the chopped parsley to the salad and mix together.

Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired to adjust to your taste.

Serve warm or cold, garnish with more chopped parsley if desired.

Put into the refrigerator within 2 hours of preparing the potato salad. Stored in the fridge it will stay fresh for at least 3 days.

Enjoy!

Shop for Ingredients

Sir Kensington's Mayonnaise, Classic Mayo, Gluten Free, Non- GMO Project Verified, Certified Humane Free Range Eggs, Shelf -Stable, 12 oz (Pack of 2)

Unilever - Knorr

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Sir Kensington's Spicy Brown Mustard 9 oz

Unilever

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Sherpa Pink Gourmet Himalayan Salt - 2 lbs. Extra-Fine Grain

San Francisco Salt Company

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As a homeschooling mom and a holistic wellness teacher, one of my passions is to share my love of natural health with my children.

There are many incredible resources available today for homeschooling families, but one of the subjects that I’ve had a harder time finding exceptional and suitable resources for is health and wellness.

Thus I wanted to put together a list of a few of our favorite books, games, and references to help parents and children explore the world of anatomy, biology, nutrition, fitness, botany, herbs, and health.

Whether you are a homeschooler, or just desiring to inspire your children’s or grandchildren’s love of wellness, investing in kid’s health education has life-long benefits.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

Natural Health for ChildrenHerb, Plant, & Botany BooksLearning about the amazing world of plants opens up incredible opportunities for discovery about herbs, nutrition, plant identification, ecology, botany, agriculture, medicine, and so much more!

Herbal Adventures: Backyard Excursions and Kitchen Creations for Kids and Their Families

By Wolf, Rachel Jepson

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Family Foraging: A Fun Guide to Gathering and Eating Wild Plants

By Hamilton, David

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Foraging with Kids: 52 Wild and Free Edibles to Enjoy With Your Children

By Nozedar, Adele

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Herbs Coloring Book (Dover Nature Coloring Book)

By Stefen Bernath

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Botany in a Day: The Patterns Method of Plant Identification

By Thomas J. Elpel

Buy on Amazon

Trees, Leaves, Flowers and Seeds: A Visual Encyclopedia of the Plant Kingdom (Smithsonian)

By DK

Buy on Amazon

Herb and Mycology GamesGames are a great way to have fun while learning about all kinds of subjects. There are an incredible amount of games available for almost every subject. Here’s a few beautiful games to enjoy while learning about herbs, botany, mycology, and biology.

Herbaceous

Flat River Group

Buy on Amazon

Wildcraft! An Herbal Adventure Game, a cooperative board game

LearningHerbs

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Morels

Panda Game Manufacturing

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Gardening Activity KitsThe best way to learn about biology, botany, and mycology is to get hands-on with watching the growing process and getting to enjoy the fruits of one’s own labor. These activity kits will get kids excited about vegetables, greens, and mushrooms!

Organic Microgreens Growing Kit with Beautiful Wooden Countertop Planter, Soil & Organic Sunflower and Mixed Microgreens Seeds for 2 Crops. 100% Guaranteed to Grow.

Microgreen Pro's

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Nature's Blossom Exotic Vegetable Garden Kit - Easily Grow 4 Funky Vegetables from Seeds. Educational STEM Gardening Gift Set for Kids, Men and Women. Full Beginners Starter Kit.

Nature's Blossom

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Back To The Roots Organic Mushroom Growing Kit, Harvest Gourmet Oyster Mushrooms In 10 days, Top Gardening Gift, Holiday Gift, & Unique Gift

Back to the Roots

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Cookbooks for YouthOne of the best ways to set our children up for lifelong health and vitality is to teach them how to find, prepare, and enjoy delicious healthy food. Cooking is a great learning experience for children that involves reading, comprehension, formulas, math, science, and activates all the senses.

Cooking Class: 57 Fun Recipes Kids Will Love to Make (and Eat!)

By Cook, Deanna F.

Buy on Amazon

The Ultimate Kids' Cookbook: Fun One-Pot Recipes Your Whole Family Will Love!

By Dahle, Tiffany

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Super Foods for Super Kids Cookbook: 50 Delicious (and Secretly Healthy) Recipes Kids Will Love to Make

By Martin MScFN RD, Noelle

Buy on Amazon

The Teen Kitchen: Recipes We Love to Cook [A Cookbook]

By Allen, Emily, Allen, Lyla

Buy on Amazon

Eat Your Greens, Reds, Yellows, and Purples: Children's Cookbook

By DK

Buy on Amazon

Adventures in Veggieland: Help Your Kids Learn to Love Vegetables―with 100 Easy Activities and Recipes

By Potock MA CCC-SLP, Melanie

Buy on Amazon

Anatomy & Physiology BooksOur bodies are amazing! Here are some interesting anatomy and physiology books that teach children about how our bodies work and what’s happening under our skin.

First Encyclopedia of the Human Body (First Encyclopedias)

By Chandler, Fiona

Buy on Amazon

Human Body: A Visual Encyclopedia

By DK

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The Anatomy Medical Book For Kids: A Coloring, Activity & Medical Book For Kids

By Scott, Winbly, Maine, Annie

Buy on Amazon

The Usborne Introduction To Genes & DNA: Internet Linked (Usborne Introductions)

By Claybourne, Anna

Buy on Amazon

Understanding Your Brain (Usborne Science for Beginners)

By Treays, Rebecca

Buy on Amazon

Looking After Your Mental Health

Usborne Publishing Ltd

Buy on Amazon

Fitness & ExerciseIt’s so essential to share a love of movement, fitness, and exercise with children to create a foundation of life-long health. Here are a few books that teach about fitness and exercise through games, as well as about how movement engages greater learning and can be integrated into all aspects of homeschool life.

Playful Learning Lab for Kids: Whole-Body Sensory Adventures to Enhance Focus, Engagement, and Curiosity (Lab for Kids (18))

By Heffron, Claire, Drobnjak, Lauren

Buy on Amazon

The Busy Body Book: A Kid's Guide to Fitness

By Rockwell, Lizzy

Buy on Amazon

303 Kid-Approved Exercises and Active Games (SmartFun Activity Books)

By Wechsler, Kimberly

Buy on Amazon

Fitness Games and ToysHere are some fun games and gear to inspire whole body movement and fitness through playing at home.

Fitivities - Kids and Family Fitness / Exercise Game, Small or Large Groups (Indoors or Outdoors)

Fitivities

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Gym1 Deluxe Indoor Playground with Indoor Swing, Plastic Rings, Trapeze Bar, Climbing Ladder, and Swinging Rope …

Gym1

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Mini Fitness Trampoline, Rebounder Trampoline with Adjustable Handrail and Safety Pad for Kids Adults Indoor Outdoor Workout Cardio Exercise

Wonder Maxi

Buy on Amazon

Survival Skills & Wilderness MedicineSome kids may be more inspired about learning about health and wellness from a wilderness survival perspective. These books are super fun and engaging, plus teach real life skills that can save lives!

Bear Grylls Survival Skills Handbook

By Bear Grylls

Buy on Amazon

Survivor Kid: A Practical Guide to Wilderness Survival

By Long, Denise

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Improve Your Survival Skills (Usborne Superskills)

By Smith, Lucy

Buy on Amazon

I hope this collection of books, games, and gear helps inspire you to expand your wellness resource library for the children in your life.

There are so many ways to incorporate learning about health into your child’s life and education, whether they are passionate about cooking, gardening, sports, outdoors, or gaming.

Have fun learning with them and may your family be well!

Many blessings,

Kara Maria

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Try this easy, tasty, and traditional Mediterranean bean spread that pairs perfectly with veggie sticks, crackers, and fresh bread.

I love hummus!

It’s a great recipe to make at home because the homemade version tastes exceptionally better than storebought, as well as being fresher.

Hummus is a traditional dish from the Middle East made with creamy cooked garbanzo beans mixed with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and spice.

This delicious dip and spread has a long history, going back thousands of years, and is popular in Israeli, Greek, and Arabic cuisines today.

Hummus RecipeI recommend using organic, fresh, and high-quality ingredients for best flavor and results.

This is an easy, simple, and versatile recipe that can be prepared quickly and served immediately, or may be made ahead of time and will stay fresh for many days chilled in the refrigerator.

Ingredients* 2 cans chickpeas, drained (1/3 c. liquid reserved) * 1/2 c. tahini * 1/3 c. olive oil, plus more for the top * 4 cloves garlic. minced * 2 lemons, juiced, 1/3 c. * 1.5 tsp. salt * 1 tsp. cumin

Add all ingredients to a food processor and process until smooth.

Add about a tablespoon at a time of aquafaba (the reserved bean water) as needed, to give it enough hydration to blend smoothly. Be careful not to add too much, just a small drizzle at a time as needed.

Run the food processor for several minutes for a creamy consistency. The key to getting smooth hummus is to run the food processor for long enough. Taste it to see if it’s the right consistency for you. Some people like it chunkier and others smoother.

Serve drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with a light garnish of paprika and parsley.

This is wonderful to eat with sliced carrots, celery, cucumbers, and red peppers. It’s also great with crackers.

I absolutely adore it spread onto a slice of homemade bread topped with microgreens.

You can also make different variations on this recipe by adding a head of roasted garlic, roasted red peppers, soaked sundried tomatoes, and more.

It will also stay fresh in a sealed container in the refrigerator for several days.

Enjoy making your own hummus!

Many blessings,

Kara Maria

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Fire cider is one of my favorite traditional herbal tonics.

It’s spicy, tangy, a little bit sweet, and has a big kick to it!

This traditional recipe is beloved by many people and has made a powerful legacy for itself that has impacted the entire herbal community forever.

The popular recipe was created by the inspiring herbalist Rosemary Gladstar over 40 years ago, and many variations have been made by fans of the remedy for decades.

However, fire cider created controversy a few years ago when a small herbal business that was selling the bottled tonic decided to trademark the name “fire cider”.

Unfortunately, this created a situation in which trademark holders must legally defend their trademark by suing other businesses who use the name, and suddenly community herbalists who had been selling fire cider for years at farmer’s markets and coops got served with massive lawsuits.

A trio of fire cider makers and Rosemary Gladstar all came together to defend the right for herbalists and businesses to make and sell fire cider.

After 5 years, the courts finally agreed that fire cider is officially a “generic” term and cannot be trademarked, because it is a traditional remedy with long-standing proof of use by many people.

This is a landmark case that protects the ability of people to make traditional herbal remedies and to sell them.

Making fire cider is a fantastic way to support your wellness, especially during winter and seasonal changes.

Plus, it’s a radical act of preserving the legacy of independent herbal recipe making!

Fire cider can be sipped, taken in a shot glass, or used in salad dressings and many other recipes.

It’s a classic apple cider vinegar remedy made by infusing chopped up herbs, roots, veggies, and even fruits, straining after a few weeks, and adding honey.

Rosemary Gladstar’s original recipe calls for onions, garlic, ginger, horseradish, cayenne, apple cider vinegar, and honey.

In this fire cider, I also added fresh grated turmeric to boost the health benefits of the recipe, plus black peppercorns, which work synergistically with the turmeric.

I’ve also used a fresh jalepeno pepper instead of cayenne, and added slices of organic lemon and orange for additional flavor and support.

One of the things I love about fire cider is that it’s an easily adaptable recipe.

You can add different things to it, such as fresh herbs, and often it’s a slightly different elixir each time depending on how one chooses to vary the ratio of ingredients.

Have fun with it and don’t worry about measuring too exactly.

I just try to get as much awesome ingredients into the jar as I can while still having the vinegar cover it all.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

Fire Cider Recipe with TurmericThis spicy vinegar tonic will fire up your spirit!

Use organic ingredients when possible.

Ingredients

1 red onion

10 cloves of garlic

1 jalepeno pepper

Ginger root, 3-5 inches

Horseradish root, 3-5 inches

Turmeric root, 3-5 inches

1/2 tsp. black peppercorns

1 small lemon

1 half orange

Apple cider vinegar

1/2 c. raw honey

Instructions

In a wide-mouth quart glass jar, layer your ingredients.

Chopped the onion, mince the garlic, and wash and slice the jalepeno pepper.

Peel and grate the horseradish root, ginger root, and turmeric root.

Wash and slice the lemon and orange.

Add 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns.

Fill the jar with apple cider vinegar, make sure it covers all the ingredients.

Cover with a lid, if using a metal jar lid, place a piece of parchment paper in between the vinegar and the lid before closing tight.

Store in a dark cupboard for 4 to 6 weeks.

Strain and add honey, stir well.

Tip: if your honey is solid, warm it gently by placing the container in a bath of warm water to help it liquify before adding it to the vinegar, so as to help it dissolve.

You can take a sip or shot of Fire Cider straight anytime you want to enjoy it’s benefits.

It can also be adding to a cup of hot water and more honey to taste, to sip and drink.

Try it on a salad with extra-virgin olive oil.

There are also lots of ideas for recipes in Rosemary Gladstar and friends’ book Fire Cider!

Herbal Books by Rosemary Gladstar

Fire Cider!: 101 Zesty Recipes for Health-Boosting Remedies Made with Apple Cider Vinegar

By Rosemary Gladstar

Buy on Amazon

Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide: 33 Healing Herbs to Know, Grow, and Use

By Rosemary Gladstar

Buy on Amazon

Herbal Healing for Women

By Rosemary Gladstar

Buy on Amazon

Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health: 175 Teas, Tonics, Oils, Salves, Tinctures, and Other Natural Remedies for the Entire Family

By Rosemary Gladstar

Buy on Amazon

Have fun making fire cider!

It’s one of the best recipes to have in the cupboard through the winter and year round.

Herbs are an incredible blessing for our nourishment and health!

Many blessings,

Kara Maria

Living Liquid Probiotics

My favorite probiotics to support gut health.

Buy it Here

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For thousands of years, women have used time-tested natural methods for supporting their health, cycles, and births with the support of midwives, herbalists, and community healers.

Traditional healing in cultures around the world is centered on a holistic approach including nutrition, herbalism, hydrotherapy, bodywork, support, and rest.

Today, it’s easier than ever to get away from the natural ways of living, with artificial lights, processed foods, technology, and noise constantly distracting us.

Our modern lifestyle also exposes us to an increasing amount of toxins and synthetic chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

There are immunosuppressant and hormone-disrupting chemicals in our food, water, air, body care products, household cleaners, building materials, furniture, and vehicles.

We also live in an increasingly high-tech culture and are overloaded with information daily from media, TV, radio, internet, and social media.

We’re bombarded with a vast amount of news, messages, notifications, and stress-elevating bits of information every day.

Through an increasing reliance on computers, cell phones, and screens we’re exposed to a high amount of artificial light which also affects our hormones and health.

Stress is affecting all of us.

It’s the biggest reason for doctor’s visits today in the United States of America.

Stress also significantly affects women’s hormones, bodies, and health in unique ways, as our hormones, cycles, and fertility are sensitive to inputs from the outside environment.

It’s time to simplify.

We can personally choose to get back to a more natural way of living in harmony with the cycles of life.

Holistic health doesn’t need to be complicated.

There are natural ways to support your health and create more ease in your cycles, hormones, body, mind, and spirit.

Throughout the cycles of a woman’s life, there are different stages that we may go through in our bodies with our sexual and reproductive hormones, organs, and life experiences.

A woman may face many unique symptoms and circumstances in her life through times of menstruation, fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, and beyond.

Embracing a holistic approach to supporting our health naturally can help to ease many symptoms and promote overall health through nurturing balance and wellbeing.

Scientific research is now catching up with many time-honored natural health traditions confirming the incredible benefits of whole foods nutrition, herbal healing, exercise, massage, sleep, nature, cleansing, and more.

Traditional healing methods are the first thing I turn to when needing wellness support.

Through natural health practices, we can prevent and avoid unnecessary or excess medical and pharmaceutical interventions.

When allopathic medical practices are needed, the use of natural healing methods can enhance recuperation and recovery.

In an optimal health care system, integrative medicine would provide access to all for both allopathic and holistic proven methods of healing.

However, we all have the ability to start reclaiming our natural health through our self-care choices every day.

What we put in and on our bodies has a huge impact on our personal health.

Choosing to support organic and local companies makes a difference in the health of our planet as well.

Health care truly is holistic, as our choices affect ourselves, our families, our environment, and the world.

Reclaiming women’s healing arts not only helps to support our own well-being but also keeps the heritage of natural healing alive.

Today, our health freedom is under attack.

One of the best things we can do to protect our health and the health of future generations is to learn about natural healing and to pass it on.

Many blessings,
Kara Maria

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Self-care is necessary to create health and wellbeing. It is the foundation of a thriving vibrant body, mind and spirit.

There are natural wellness practices that can empower our self-care, through supporting our health and reducing stress.

Nature provides so much of what we need to optimize our health and bodies, from plants and herbs to nourish us, water to cleanse us, and sunlight to energize us.

Through creating healthy habits of exercise, bodywork, nutrition, and self-care we can support our body’s innate natural ability to create balance.

To thrive in the modern world filled with high stress and fast-paced living, we must tend carefully to the wellness of our whole body and mind.

When we take time for self-care, it reduces our stress levels, which then creates a cascade of positive changes in our body, mind, and health.

Managing stress improves our wellbeing in a myriad of ways.

The importance of self-care as the primary act of health care, has been taught to me many times.

My own experiences have impressed upon me the importance of allowing ourselves time to rest fully and periodically.

There are times in my life when I did not honor the time to rest regularly, and worked myself to sickness.

I’ve learned that it’s not just a day of catching up of sleep that needs to happen when you push yourself too far.

Overworking ourselves can become a habit, and then add on life’s unexpected situations, like pregnancies, injuries, sickness, or moving - and it can lead to burnout.

Burnout is not just mental overwhelm from exhaustion and stress, it can be a sign chronic inflammation, adrenal fatigue, hormonal imbalance, digestive issues, and more.

It’s essential to nurture and pamper ourselves with wellness practices that support our vitality and nourish our health.

Stress is the #1 cause of disease, leading to chronic conditions, mental stagnation, and causing us to stop living our purpose fully. When I've experienced anxiety, trauma, and depression in my life, it's manifested in physical aches and pains, increased susceptibility to getting sick, and a lack of desire to do things that would usually bring me joy and content.

The brain doesn't know the difference between big stress and little stress. Whether it's the news, worry about a loved one, or crazy traffic, the effects of stress build up in our body.

We need to trick our brains out of the crazy stress mode into rediscovering our source of peace, calm, balance, focus and energy within.

When we focus on small action steps to care for ourselves and find our center, healing and motivation, than we can switch off the flow of stress that's overriding our full vitality and create change.

Through nurturing ourselves we can then cultivate the energy to find solutions, make a difference and see new perspectives to help us achieve our greatest potential.

My favorite ways to find calm and reboot my nervous system is through scientifically proven wellness lifestyle practices.

There are simple self-care habits that support the natural health of our bodies and brains.

Top 5 Natural Self-Care Tips for Stress Relief#1: Light: Brighten Your Mood * Get 10 - 15 minutes of sunlight each day, in the morning hours. * Get outdoors in nature several times a week. * Use blue light filters on your phone and computers. * Turn screens off 2 hours before bedtime. * Try a light therapy lamp.

2: Water: Get Refreshed* Drink filtered water or fresh spring water.

• Stay hydrated.
• Bring your own water with you in a non-plastic container.
• Soak in a hot bath.
• Take a warm shower.
• End a shower with cold water.

3: Food: Nourish Yourself* Eat more vegetables.

• Take a daily multi-vitamin.
• Try a fish oil supplement with Vitamin D.
• Drink a green drink everyday.
• Prepare homemade food with natural ingredients.
• Brings healthy snacks with you when you go out.
• Learn about herbs. Drink tea.
• Eat organic, grass-fed, wild, seasonal, and local.
• Try CBD.

4: Move: Exercise Your Body* Stretch daily.

• Practice diaphragmatic breathing.
• Dance to upbeat music.
• Do aerobic exercise.
• Do light weight lifting.
• Go for a walk.
• Try foam rolling or body rolling with a ball for relieving muscle tension.

5: Rest: Slow Down* Do something that is calming for you.

• Schedule time to rest.
• Log out of social media.
• Turn off the wifi.
• Go to bed earlier.
• Let your skin rest from wearing makeup.
• Minimize your stuff.
• Embrace slow living.

There are many more ways you can boost your self-care with natural wellness, however this is a great way to focus on simple ways to de-stress.

The top 5 natural self-care keys to focus on are: Light, Water, Food, Movement, and Rest.

If you find yourself feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or stressed out, start going over these 5 natural wellness tips to see if you need to focus on self-care from one of these areas.

It’s amazing how therapeutic self-care can be when integrating natural healing practices into our daily lives.

Wishing you health and wellness!

Many blessings,

Kara Maria

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One of my favorite ways to bring great smells into my home is through baking. It’s a great way to get everyone in the house gathering in the kitchen to find out what that delicious aroma is.

Banana bread is a favorite of my whole family. It’s always greatly enjoyed by both adults and children.

This is based on the classic banana bread recipe, but it’s sugar-free with raw honey used instead. Also, instead of butter, I use healthy coconut oil.

Plus, I cook and bake with as many organic ingredients as possible for optimal nutrition and flavor.

It’s also a great recipe to use up old bananas. The browner and more spotted the bananas are, the better they are for baking as the sweeter they become.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

Banana Bread with Honey Recipe* 1/4 c. coconut oil, melted * 1/2 c. raw honey * 2 eggs * 1 c. mashed bananas (about 3) * 1/4 c. greek yogurt * 1 tsp. baking soda * 1 tsp. vanilla extract * 1 tsp. cinnamon * 1/2 tsp. salt * 2 c. all-purpose flour * Optional: 1 c. chocolate chips or chopped walnuts 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Butter a loaf pan. 3. Mix all ingredients in a big bowl. 4. Pour into the loaf pan. 5. Bake in center of oven 55 to 65 minutes, until golden brown on top and a skewer poked into it comes out clean. 6. Cover the top with baking paper for the last 20 minutes or so, if the top is browned but the inside needs more cooking. 7. Let cool for 10 minutes, remove from pan, and then let cool for 10 more minutes before slicing.

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Tip: Freezing Bananas for BakingIf I have bananas that are ideal for baking, and I’m not prepared to bake with them yet, I just put them in the freezer whole with the peel still on them.

Then when I want to make banana bread I take as many of the bananas out of the freezer out as I need and let them thaw on the counter for an hour or so.

This is an easy way to make sure your bananas don’t go to waste if they turn brown, and then you always will have bananas in your freezer on hand to bake with.

Peel them and mash them, and you are ready for baking your bread, or muffins, or whatever you want to bake with your mashed bananas.

Enjoy!

Many blessings,

Kara Maria

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There is an inherent rhythm in our lives that allows us to connect with the patterns of nature and feel our best.

There are times for busy work and joyful play.

It’s absolutely important for us to feel our best that we have balance of both activity and rest, and in today’s modern world the need for rest is more important than ever.

Resting is essential for optimal wellness, performance, and recovery.

Every night, we need to stop to lie down, sleep, and rejuvenate our energy for the following day.

Even during the days, we cannot just work all the time, we have to take periodic times to relax, unwind, and in our modern high-tech era - to unplug.

Athletes schedule rest days into their workout plans so they can feel their best.

When we rest, our body is given time to recuperate from the stress of our lives, and healing happens on a cellular level.

In addition to the physical benefits for healing, rest helps to reduce stress on all systems of the body, supporting mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being as well.

Rest helps to balance hormones, support the immune system, and reduce inflammation in the body.

Taking time off from work to relax and unwind can also calm the mind, enhance creativity, and bring peace into our lives.

Our environment also affects our ability to rest.

In today’s increasingly urban and high-tech world, we are constantly being bombarded by media, information, lights, sounds, EMF’s, wifi, and energy waves in our lives making rest every more important on multiple levels.

There are many ways to embrace more restfulness in our lives.

Here are a few of my favorite…

How To Be at RestTurn off wi-fi.

Put cell phone on airplane mode.

Keep phone out of the bedroom.

Stay off screens.

Take a nap.

Go to bed early.

Sleep in late.

Take a hot shower.

Wear favorite clothes.

Enjoy delicious and healthy food.

Read a book.

Journal, draw, or color.

Look at the sky.

Play a game.

Go for a walk.

Drink tea.

Light candles.

Play music.

Dance.

Stretch.

Drink water.

Spend time with loved ones.

Laugh and be silly.

Drink a green drink.

Watch the sunset.

Hug.

Smile.

Take a hot bath.

Wear pajamas.

Look at the stars.

Pray.

Repeat.

Sometimes the most important thing to do is to do nothing!

Wishing you abundant rest!

Many blessings,

Kara

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If you’ve experienced menstrual cramps then you are not alone. Luckily, there are several things you can do to make your period more pleasant besides curling up in bed with a heat pack to watch a movie. Through addressing the root cause of inflammation in the gut microbiome you can prevent period pain rather than having to plan around it.

The menstrual cycle is a great source of information about a woman’s whole body wellness. While it’s common to experience cramping, bloating, tiredness, or other symptoms each month, these discomforts may be signs of inflammation in the body.

Inflammation is related to more painful periods. A 2016 research study in the Journal of Women’s Health found that elevated levels of inflammation were associated with increased premenstrual symptoms, menstrual cramping, back pain, bloating, breast pain, and mood changes.

During menstruation, the uterus creates prostaglandins to help it release the inner lining that it has built up during the month. Prostaglandins are inflammatory chemicals created in the body that act like hormones. These hormone-like chemicals are created by the endometrial tissue in the uterus right before a period to stimulate mini-contractions and cause the release of the lining to happen.

Prostaglandins can be made in tissues throughout the body and they have many helpful roles in health, including stimulating ovulation, menstruation, labor, and healing injuries. However, elevated levels of prostaglandins in the body and uterus can cause more pain and discomfort around the time of menstruation.

What Causes Menstrual Cramps?It’s incredible how many women suffer silently through cramps each cycle. 80% of women experience premenstrual symptoms and about 50% seek medical attention for PMS and pain.

Over 40% of young women report having challenges concentrating in classes due to menstrual cramps, while period pain is so debilitating for 20% of students that they need to take absence days from school or university.

New research published in the BMJ Journal shows that menstrual pain contributes to significant loss of productivity for women at work and in school, leading to an average of 9 days a year lost.

Menstrual health is a normal thing that women have to deal with monthly for decades. The silent struggle with cramps and menstrual symptoms is something that significantly affects the success of girls in education and women in business. Yet, many women are hesitant to discuss their menstrual challenges due to ingrained cultural taboos about periods. It’s an important issue to be researched more fully as it has effects in all areas of a woman’s life.

When cramping and menstrual pain are not due to anything else it’s called primary dysmenorrhea. However, it’s also wise to seek medical care if having severe menstrual pain to rule out other causes, such as endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, or uterine fibroids, in which the menstrual pain is a secondary symptom of a deeper issue.

Medical approaches to treating menstrual cramps and pain associated with primary dysmenorrhea commonly include non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), analgesics, or synthetic hormonal birth control pills.

While pharmaceutical companies are focused on treating dysmenorrhea with drugs, their own market research shows that the primary reason for an increase in menstrual pain is because of changing lifestyles, environmental influences, and food habits.

Since the modern diet is a primary cause of dysmenorrhea than examining what we eat should be the first thing we focus on to address menstrual cramping. Reducing inflammation and prostaglandins through good nutrition can reduce menstrual pain long-term.

The Gut-Hormone ConnectionInflammation in the gut can lead to excess estrogen, and the higher your estrogen levels, the more prostaglandins the uterus creates. Increased estrogen contributes to breast tenderness, menstrual cramping, and heavier bleeding. A healthy gut microbiome is essential for regulating estrogen balance.

Healthy eating habits that nourish our gut microbiome can also reduce inflammation in the uterus to prevent PMS, menstrual cramps, and other uncomfortable cyclical symptoms naturally.

To address painful periods, it’s not just about making healthy food choices during menstruation, it’s about good nutrition throughout the whole month leading up to the period to sustain healthy digestion, support the gut microbiome, and eliminate excess estrogen.

The gut microbiome consists of trillions of bacteria that live in our digestive system and are responsible for helping to maintain balance in our whole bodies.

Research shows that the microbiome influences neurological, electrical, and hormonal activity in the body through the gut-brain axis.

A healthy microbiome supports optimal digestion, regulates our hormones, and enhances whole-body health.

Eating an unhealthy diet filled with processed foods, sugars, and chemicals can disrupt our gut microbiome and lead to immune challenges, allergies, increased pain and discomfort, hormonal imbalance, and inflammation.

The microbiome is now considered to be a master endocrine organ of its own, and responsible for regulating hormonal levels throughout the whole body.

Nourishing the gut microbiome through daily healthy eating is essential for long-term health, increased energy, balanced hormones, and pain-free periods.

Fiber, fats, and ferments are essential to nourish the gut microbiome to support healthy hormone balance and prevent inflammation in the body. Remembering to eat the 3 F’s every day will help to prevent painful periods.

The 3F’s: Fiber, Fat & Ferments#1: Eat More FiberAn important component of a wellness diet is feeding the microbiome with lots of plant-based fiber to support digestion. Fiber is essential to reduce excess estrogen levels in our bodies.

Estrogen is processed by the liver before being released into the intestines, where fiber acts like a sponge and attaches itself to the free-floating estrogen which is then eliminated.

Today people are exposed to high levels of xenoestrogens, synthetic chemicals that act like estrogen and attach to our estrogen receptors in our bodies. Xenoestrogens are hormone disruptors that are prevalent in our food, water, homes, office spaces, store, and environment due to plastics, pesticides, herbicides, fragrances, and over 80,000 synthetic chemicals used in modern industry today.

Eating abundant fiber from a plant-based diet with lots of raw and cooked vegetables, greens, and fruits is vital to support the body’s primary way of preventing excess estrogen and balancing hormones.

2: Eat Healthy FatsEating good fats helps to support healthy hormone production and reduce inflammation. Our bodies need cholesterol to create new hormones, and healthy fats from wild fish, wild sardines, pastured eggs, and fermented fish oil are all excellent sources. In addition to eggs and fish, vegetarian foods that are rich in omega 3’s include nuts, seeds, olive oil, coconut oil, and avocados.

Healthy saturated fats contain long-chain Omega 3’s which calm inflammation, reduce your appetite, and support hormonal balance.

Eating the right kind of fat gives your body the cholesterol it needs to create estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.

The levels of cholesterol and estrogen both rise during the first half of the menstrual cycle, peaking at ovulation and then dropping suddenly. Eating healthy fats during your period, and avoiding trans-fats, can help set you up for optimal hormone synthesis during your whole cycle.

3: Eat Fermented FoodsA healthy gut microbiome thrives with plenty of pre and probiotic foods to nourish the good bacteria and maintain optimal digestion. Eating fermented foods is the primary way people can support the health of the gut microbiome to prevent inflammation.

Fermented foods are the way humans have gotten their probiotics for thousands of years. While today we can find a multitude of probiotic supplements anywhere vitamins are sold, eating fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchee, or grass-fed yogurt is the traditional way of nourishing the microbiome.

Making fermented foods is an ancient culinary practice that developed to keep food stable without refrigeration, and is found in cultures around the world. In traditional cultures, fermented foods and drinks made up 5 to 40% of the bulk of the diet in some groups.

Fermentation also boosts flavor, enhances nutrition, and supports a diverse intestinal microbiota. There is a wide array of foods that can be fermented from vegetables, fruits, dairy, grains, fish, and meat.

Menstrual WellnessEating healthy makes a massive impact on reducing inflammation levels in the body and managing menstrual discomforts.

Nourishing the gut microbiome with healthy fiber, fats, and fermented foods can support hormonal balance and a healthy menstrual cycle.

An anti-inflammatory diet and wellness lifestyle will naturally reduce prostaglandins and support menstrual health.

Through holistic self-care to reduce gut inflammation, women can prevent and ease PMS, menstrual cramps, and other period problems naturally.

Many Blessings,

Kara Maria

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Having a sustainable period is good for the planet and for your menstrual cycle.

In order to avoid potentially toxic chemicals in your tampons and pads, as well as in our landfills and waterways, it’s important to use eco-friendly menstrual products.

There are no federal laws in the USA requiring menstrual product manufacturers to disclose their ingredients and a lack of research into how feminine hygiene products impact women’s health.

There is no oversight by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure that chemicals used in menstrual pads and tampons are safe for consumers and women’s health.

However, the FDA has come after small women-owned businesses that make cloth menstrual pads for selling unregulated “medical devices”. In order to be FDA compliant, cloth menstrual pad makers must pay thousands of dollars a year and go through an extensive paperwork process.

Conventional pads and tampons sold in every grocery store and drugstore in the feminine hygiene aisles are loaded with plastics, chemicals, fragrances, and toxic ingredients.

Exposure to chlorine, dioxins, pesticides, and acetone in conventional tampons and pads may lead to inflammation, allergy, and irritation.

Unhealthy menstrual products can actually disrupt your hormones and throw off the delicate balance of your vaginal ecology.

Healthy alternatives for a sustainable period include organic tampons and pads, reusable cloth pads, silicone menstrual cups, or washable period underwear.

Chemical and plastic loaded menstrual pads and tampons also end up creating thousands of tons of sanitary waste each month, which will take hundreds of years to break down and decompose.

Organic, natural, and reusable menstrual care products provide sustainable options for creating a more eco-friendly period for personal and planetary health.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

Natural Menstrual CareCloth Menstrual PadsCloth menstrual pads are better for the environment because they are reusable and made from natural fibers. In addition to being better for nature, they also reduce irritation that can occur from chemicals and plastics in conventional industrially-made disposable pads and tampons.

Cloth pads feel so much better than disposable plastic-based pads. Made from soft natural fabrics like cotton flannel and bamboo they are easily washable. Etsy is a great place to shop for cloth pads with cute designs and organic material. If you have some basic crafting skills, you can cut and sew some up yourself with your favorite fabric. You can also find cloth menstrual pads for sale online here.

I’ve used many different brands of cloth menstrual pads over the years, and today prefer to make my own with recycled fleece (inner lining) and cute remnants of flannel cotton fabric (outer layers), cut and sewn to size.

Menstrual CupMenstrual cups are made out of medical-grade silicone and can be used for up to ten years. They insert into the vagina under the cervix and hold the blood until taken out and rinsed. They are very environmentally friendly since a one-time investment for the product replaces years of disposable menstrual product use.

One considerable challenge with menstrual cups is that they can be tricky to insert, remove, and rinse - particularly in public restrooms when you do not have a sink in your stall. Also, some women do not like using internal menstrual products as they can increase cramping or be uncomfortable.

I have used several different brands of menstrual cups over the years, but find that I am less likely to have cramps when using pads compared to tampons or the cup. However, some women love them and they are a super environmentally friendly option. You can find menstrual cups for sale here and here.

Period PantiesPeriod panties have really grown in availability over the last few years. They are more of an investment for one pair, but provide the assurance of preventing leaks through clothing. This can be really helpful for a variety of reasons, instead of wearing a pad or tampon, if one is not sure when you will get your period, or as a back-up to a menstrual cup. These are also popular with women postpartum, who are spotting, or who have incontinence. If you have a lighter flow than period panties can replace using a tampon or pad.

Period underwear is washable cloth layered underwear that absorbs your menstrual flow and protects your clothing. Menstrual underwear also has a bit more of an investment to get started in purchasing them, but then you don’t have to purchase disposable products every month for years, and it creates less waste. You can find organic cotton period panties here.

Organic DisposablesThere are also many organic brands of menstrual products now available. Organic pads and tampons provide both the convenience of disposable menstrual products and an ecologically healthier alternative to toxic ingredients.

Organic menstrual care products are made without the use of industrial synthetic pesticides and herbicides, bleach, perfumes, unnecessary chemicals, and deodorants. This is significantly better for the environment and for vaginas.

If choosing disposable menstrual products, look for sustainable brands that have organic ingredients and minimal plastic packaging.

I like Natracare brand for organic pads that are soft and cottony feeling, and organic tampons without applicators for those times you need to wear a swimsuit on your period.

Feminine care products impact our health and the environment.

Women bleed on average for 5 days a month, every month, for 40 years. That’s a lot of menstrual products per woman and there are currently almost 4 billion women on the planet!

This is why more women are switching to eco-friendly products.

Luckily, there are many options today to have a more sustainable period with natural and reusable menstrual products.

The best part is that natural period choices can enhance personal wellness as well as provide ecological benefits.

Resources:* Chem Fatale Report: Potential Health Risks of Toxic Chemicals in Feminine Care Products by Women’s Voice for the Earth * You Know Where Your Tampon Goes, It’s Time To Know What Goes Into It, Too by Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney - The Guardian * A Question for Women’s Health: Chemicals in Feminine Hygiene Products and Personal Lubricants by Nicole Wendee - Environmental Health Perspectives

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There is something so wonderful about a nice warm soak in a bath. Water has been renowned since ancient times, all over the world, for it’s healing powers.

Immersion in water, especially warm water creates a wonderful relaxation response, and is great for our health.

Around the world, hot mineral springs are some of the most prized soaking experiences. I adore visiting hot springs and the hot mineral rich water bubbling from the earth in these places are heralded for their healing benefits of calming the mind, soothing sore muscles, and providing a peaceful bathing experience.

However, you don’t need to go to a hot spring in the woods of Oregon or the mountains of British Columbia, to get the benefits of soaking. Any tub can become a mineral-rich spa experience to relax your muscles, body, and mind.

Try my Soothing Bath Salts recipe for a soothing soak that combines the benefits of Epsom salt, baking soda, avocado oil, and essential oils for a luxurious calming bath soak that will delight your senses, calm your mind, relax your body, and soften your skin.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

Epsom salts are crystallized magnesium sulfate, and when dissolved in hot water create a buoyant and silky mineral water bath in your own tub rich with magnesium. Magnesium may be absorbed through the skin, and magnesium deficiency may be related to increased PMS, menstrual cramps, and muscle aches.

Baking soda is good for the skin and mixes well with the Epsom salts to create the base of the bath salts.

The additional of avocado oil also adds to the moisturizing and softening effect of the bath soak recipe on the skin, it also dilutes the essential oils which provide aromatherapy and cleansing benefits.

The citrus scents of the bergamot, grapefruit, and tangerine essential oils are brightening to the mood, and increase happiness and wellbeing. The ylang ylang is relaxing and the Roman chamomile is calming to the nervous system.

This aromatherapy blend of essential oils creates a wonderfully soothing scent to create ease, peace, and clarity in one’s mind, body, and soul.

Soothing Bath Salts Recipe* 3 c. Epsom salts * 1/2 c. baking soda * 3 Tbs. avocado oil * 20 drops tangerine essential oil * 10 drops grapefruit essential oil * 10 drops bergamot essential oil * 10 drops ylang ylang essential oil * 3 drops Roman chamomile essential oil 1. Stir the Epsom salts and baking soda together in a large bowl. 2. Add the avocado oil and mix to coat evenly. 3. Add the essential oils and stir to mix well. 4. Store the prepared bath salts in a mason jar with a lid. 5. Add 1 to 2 c. of the aromatherapy bath salts to a hot bath while filling it up and stir to dissolve and combine. 6. Soak in the warm aromatic bath waters for 10 to 20 minutes, or as long as you want to.

Get a coupon for 10% off tested, pure, and affordable essential oils here.

A warm bath is a wonderful way to sooth the body and center the mind.

I hope you enjoy this Soothing Bath Salts recipe with Epsom salt and essential oils for a relaxing home spa time.

Many blessings,

Kara

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This year has brought forth many changes.

Life seems to have gotten busier than ever.

There are a million opportunities for distractions.

Thousands of shows on TV, radio, and the internet want to tell us their opinions.

Social media tries to suck us in multiple times a day with an endless supply of updates, photos, and news.

And at the same time, we have daily needs to tend to in our home, work, health, family, friends, study, and rest.

This modern life feels like it's moving faster and faster!

So I decided to make big changes.

To simplify.

To minimize.

To downsize.

To focus on what really matters.

To reduce the amount of obligations and things to keep track of and maintain each day.

I convinced my husband and children to join me in this quest for simplicity, and thankfully they've gotten on board!

We tend to be pretty simple living folks anyway.

My husband and I once spent 8 months traveling the US in a travel trailer, living in this small mobile space with a baby - and we loved it!

We don't need a lot of stuff.

But it's amazing how much stuff we happened to accumulate over the past couple years with three kids, and birthdays and holidays, and relatives passing on furniture and dishes, and more.

However, it's not just the physical stuff, it's the digital stuff too - the thousands of files on computers and phones.

The multiple social media accounts with years and years of old content and photos.

So, we've been cleansing.

Getting rid of so much.

I've purged multiple carloads to thrift stores, burned tons of old paperwork in bonfires, filled up Little Free Libraries all over town with books that we've already read, and deleted hundreds and hundreds of old items from my computers and social media accounts.

Let me tell you, that not only do I have more space in my home, but my mind feels so much more at ease.

There is a peace that happens when there are fewer things to take care of, manage, think about, and tend to.

It's a major stress reliever, and that brings great calm, contentment, and peace, which is the best thing for wellbeing and health!

My children have not complained at all about all the toys that disappear. Instead, they are being even more creative, imaginative, and playful with the few things that are available and the fewer distractions.

My kitchen is cleaner than it has been in a while and I am loving it!

But most of all, I've realized how incredibly wonderful simplicity is for health.

Stress is the #1 biggest cause of illness and disease today.

Our busy, overwhelming, stressful lives are creating a culture of sickness.

We're not meant to live like this.

We are meant to be healthy, to thrive, to create, to flourish.

And to do so we need the room to grow.

And the mental space to think.

I'm so excited about how simplicity is the best relief for stress.

Marie Kondo says to go through your things and ask "Does this spark joy?"

Well, I found that as I went through my things (including social media) I would think "Does this stress me out?"

If it made me feel icky, anxious, or stressed, then I threw it out! Or it got deleted if it was online.

WOW! That makes a huge difference!

I highly recommend embracing the joy of simplicity.

Minimalism is not just for houses and decor.

It's for maximizing the joy of life and your health.

So, if you notice that something in your life doesn't make you feel good, think about whether you really need it in your life, or if there is a way you can get rid of it, pass it on, get it done, or remove it from your life

It's for your health.

And good health doesn't need to be complicated.

You don’t need all the newest supplements, the fanciest biohacking gear, or a hundred workout DVDS to feel your best.

It's about simple things like sharing healthy homecooked meals with your loved ones, going for a walk in nature, sleeping well, playing with your kids, and having a sound mind.

This is so wonderful!

Life doesn't need to be complicated.

It's up to us to take charge and say no to distractions!

So we can focus on what really matters: health, family, love, and following our big goals.

Many blessings,

Kara Maria

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Are you passionate about helping people to live healthy lives and want to serve more people through your wellness business?

It can be overwhelming for many health pros to spend years studying and perfecting your practice, skills, and offering to realize that not only do you need to be good at what you offer health-wise - you also need to be skilled at business, marketing, website design, and social media marketing as well. That’s a whole other set of skills that many wellness practitioners are not nearly as excited about as natural health.

I’ve been working in the holistic health field for over 20 years professionally as a practitioner, teacher, coach, writer, product designer, and entrepreneur, and believe in the power of wellness entrepreneurs to create positive and needed change in the world today for the greater health of all people.

As a wellness entrepreneur, I’ve worked as a massage therapist, craniosacral therapist, birth and postpartum doula, childbirth educator, doula trainer, women's health teacher, dance teacher, massage trainer, herbalist, writer, speaker, and supporting local, national, and global entrepreneurs, schools, and organizations with business strategy and online business coaching.

From working with so many people and groups over the years, as well as growing my own businesses through both private practices, workshops, retreats, and events, online courses, coaching, and products, I have a really good understanding of what wellness entrepreneurs need and want to know about how to grow their businesses sustainably and online.

Over the last few years, social media has really grown, and with changing algorithms and platforms many people are wondering how to get the message out about their business.

The strategy that I've been teaching for years has stayed the same - while social media can be a great way to get the word out about your business - the most important thing is to have your own website, email list, and online platform. Then you can attract people to your website through social, SEO, and networking, but you never want to focus on social media as your main platform - you need your own online home and way to reach people!

When you have a solid online platform with a simple and well-designed website plus a growing email list you can confidently serve people regardless of whether social media sites change their ways tomorrow. It's absolutely essential!

Today, to create the biggest impact it’s really important to have an online platform for your business for people to find you, learn more about your work and services, and know how to reach you. You can do this with grace through identifying what your message is you want to share and focusing on your priorities.

Through coaching many health pros over the years, I’ve learned that there are many people with extensive skills and abilities to help others who struggle with websites, social media, emails, and other aspects of online business today.

However, you can create an awesome website, thriving email list, and reach your community online with ease if you know how to focus, simplify, and use the best professional tools to make it happen.

Are you ready to grow your wellness business online, reach more people, and use your gifts and passion for health and wellness in a bigger way?

The Simple Steps to Online Success:WebsiteYour website is your home online. It’s really important for people to be able to find you online. It’s essential to own your own website and domain name, and to know how to update and edit it yourself, without having to depend upon a web designer. Websites are meant to be dynamic, changing, and frequently updated. There are simple, intuitive, and professional sites that you can use to design and publish your own website without needing to spend thousands of dollars on a web designer and developer. Create your own website so that you don’t depend upon social media and sites owned and controlled by other companies. If you own your own business, you should own your own website too.

Email ListYour email list is your client list. While it can be nice to get followers on social media, those other sites will never show your posts to all of your followers, or give you a way to contact your followers directly. It’s absolutely essential to have a way to reach out directly and share news, updates, and offerings with your customers, community, and clientele. That’s why your own email list and newsletter is essential. First you need a website, then the most important thing to add to your website is way for visitors to opt-in to your email newsletter. Now you can grow your community - and communicate with them!

Social MediaThe world of social media is a dynamic ever-changing landscape of websites, algorithms, and trends. With many options to share and connect through, there is a great benefit to having a presence for your business on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube or other social media sites. However, you don’t want to depend upon any one social media site, as they are constantly changing and they are consistently reducing the ability for businesses to reach their customers organically without paying for advertising. Therefore, the best thing to do is to make sure you are focusing on growing your business on your own website and your email list, and then use social media strategically as a way to reach out to new people, bring them to your website and then invite them to sign up for your email list through an engaging opt-in.

If you already have your website, email list, and social media set up and are wanting more systems to grow your online business successfully, check out some of my favorite resources and tools for online business here.

Now is the time for you to fulfill your calling and create or grow your thriving holistic health and wellness business!

The more that healers and wellness leaders truly step into their calling to serve others fully the greater change and transformation will happen in the world today for all people.

It's time for you to reach more people, help create a healthier world, and to follow your passion.

If you are ready to make a bigger difference, reach more people, and create global change with your health and wellness business, then you can do it with more ease by focusing on your mission and what’s most important to growing an online business.

Through the internet, social media, and online publishing it is easier than ever to share your passion and bring forth transformation for peace, wellness, and prosperity.

Online business is the key to reaching more people and creating a bigger impact for healing the world.

You can harness the power of the internet to build a strong online platform for your business.

Learn the simple systems for success so you can connect with your community and serve them effectively.

Remember to build your own online foundation first, so that all the effort and time you put into building up social media, products, services, and offerings will have a strong platform to grow from and bring people back to.

Wishing you abundant success!

Many blessings,

Kara

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Since ancient times, there have been women who cultivated, harvested, and wildcrafted plants, herbs, mushrooms, berries, and flowers for medicine and nourishment. The history of women herbalists has roots all over the world.

Today, quality organic and wildcrafted herbs are available for purchase at natural food stores, herb stores, and online from many different companies and herbalists.

However, the experience of gathering your own medicine, food, and herbs from the wild or from one’s garden is still a powerful act that can bring us a deeper connection to the sources of our nourishment.

Learning about the herbs available in our own neighborhoods and communities can provide us with a profound connection to the nature around us.

I have long loved the gifts of nature’s medicine, delighting in learning about the plants, herbs, flowers, mushrooms, and trees that are abundant in our world and provide us with nourishment and increased vitality.

Along my herbal journey, staples such as red raspberry leaf, nettle, and oatstraw have provided me with nourishing teas and infusions for women’s health.

I’ve consistently appreciated the healing balms of aloe leaf gel, the immune boosting benefits of echinacea and astragalus, and the digestive soothing of ginger and peppermint teas.

I’ve also grown to love the medicinal mushroom brews of reishi and chaga and more.

There is a global collection of herbal wisdom awaiting to be tapped into, just outside your door and in every ecosystem on this planet.

It is amazing and uplifting to contemplate the healing abundance available in nature all over this planet.

To begin learning about herbs, we simply need to step outside and look around.

We can sign up for a guided herb walk, visit a community garden, talk to herbalists at your local farmer’s market, or visit a natural food store and take a look at the bulk herbs and supplements.

Libraries and bookstores are great resources for excellent herbal books, such as Rosemary Gladstar’s “The Family Herbal” and “Herbal Healing for Women”, or Aviva Jill Romm’s “Natural Healing for Babies and Children”. Michael Moore has written several incredible herbal books, as has Michael Tierra author of “The Way of Herbs”.

Plant, wildflower, tree, and herb identification guides for your local bioregion or areas you travel and visit are in valuable. Workshops and classes are readily available today as herbal medicine is in the midst of a cultural renaissance.

In the past, women learned of herbal medicine from their mothers, grandmothers, or community wise women, and if you still have that available you are blessed. Luckily, we have many ways to bridge the gap with knowledge, and rediscover herbs to create new family traditions today.

Women today are reclaiming the herbal tradition of traditional herbalists and finding ways to empower their nutrition and health with nature’s medicine chest.

Herbs can provide nourishment for all of the cycles of women’s health. From menstrual health to menopause, in between and beyond, women are rediscovering the traditional remedies for herbal healing and prevention.

There are numerous herbs from around the world to support women’s health. Botanical medicine and simple home recipes with herbs for teas, infusions, tinctures, and poultices can support natural health in all cycles.

In my quest for natural health, when I seek greater nourishment, support, and health I turn to food and herbs first, before pharmaceuticals.

I look to the healing gifts of the forest, farm, deserts, and mountains to guide me back to my vital nature.

When I experience menstrual cramping I may find relief from crampbark tincture, when bleeding I may receive more energy and nourishment from nettle infusion, when pregnant I love red raspberry leaf infusion, when postpartum I take motherwort tincture to help stabilize my hormones and energy.

Herbal healing is a lifelong journey to discovering that our health is intrinsically linked to the ecology around us, and as we connect with nature’s gifts to heal our bodies.

How to Make Simple Herbal PreparationsMaking an Herbal TeaA tea is a drink of herbs that have been steeped in water.

Usually for medicinal herbal uses it is steeped for 10-20 minutes while covered, and is mostly used for flowers and leaves. Herbal teas are good for children, skin washes, and delicate plants or flowers.

Good herbs for tea include chamomile, elderflower, peppermint, and lemon balm.

Making an Herbal InfusionAn infusion is a strong brew of herbs that has been steeped in water while covered, for 4-8 hours. Infusions are easy to make overnight, preparing the night before and straining and drinking in the morning.

Infusions are longer water based steeping that extract the maximum nutrients from hardier parts of the plants particularly the leaves and stems.

Take a quart mason jar, fill with about one ounce of dried herbs or fill 2/3 way with fresh herbs, cover with boiling water, put the cap on, steep for 4-8 hours, strain, and drink.

The infusion can be warmed up and sweetened with honey, or blended into a smoothie or elixir, or kept cool and used within 3 days.

Good herbs for infusion include red raspberry leaf, nettles, milky oats tops, and oatstraw.

Making an Herbal DecoctionDecoctions are water-based herbal preparations for the hardiest of plant materials particularly roots and barks, as well as tree mushrooms.

To prepare a decoction, cover the herbs with spring water in a non-reactive pot on the stove and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes traditionally, or tree mushroooms such as reishi and chaga for 3 hours.

I also like to make longer brewed herbal decoctions in the crock pot and will keep adding water as needed for days. Strain and drink, sweetened with honey if desired.

Good herbs for decoction include ginger, astragalus, licorice root, yellow dock, dandelion root, reishi and chaga.

Making an Herbal SyrupAn herbal syrup can be made from any decoction, to extend the shelf life, and prepare a sweeter medicinal form that makes strong herbs more palatable, especially for children, cough syrups, and tasty herbal treats.

Simply take the strained decoction, and add an equal amount of sweetener to it.

I prefer to use raw honey or raw coconut syrup to sweeten it. The large amount of sweetener in an herbal syrup makes it stable to be stored in the fridge for months.

I have used this method to make my own herbal children’s cough syrups.

Also to make elderberry syrup for a winter’s supply of immune system boosting and respiratory illness fighting medicine.

Good herbs for a syrup include licorice, elderberry, and wild cherry bark.

Making an Herbal TinctureHerbal tinctures are strong alcohol or glycerine based preparations.

Dried or fresh herbs are put into a clear bottle and covered to an inch or two above the herbs with 80 proof alcohol, such as vodka or brandy, or a vegetable glycerine.

The tincture is put in a dark area, such as a closet or pantry, and shaken every day or two.

Tinctures that you purchase at the health food store are usually only steeped for 2 weeks, but tradition herbalists will steep their tinctures for 6 weeks minimum, or even 6 months or a year.

I like to prepare my tinctures then strain and bottle them at least six weeks later, and sometimes leave them steeping for months until they are needed.

Strained tinctures are bottled in amber or dark-glassed bottles with dropper lids and are shelf stable for years and years, and always readily available.

Mix a dropperful with a small glass of water, juice, or tea and drink.

Good herbs for a tincture include motherwort, angelica, echinacea, goldenseal, dandelion root, and valerian.

Further PreparationsHerbs can be prepared in a variety of ways depending upon the medicinal strength preferred and the application.

There are also many more ways to prepare herbs including herbal infused oils, salves, poultices, vinegars, liniments, powders, and in culinary arts.

You can also easily purchase prepared herbal products from many places, though you can save money and have fun by making your own herbal preparations yourself.

Herbs for Women’s HealthAngelica Relieves congestion in the pelvis and reproductive organs, useful for menstrual irregularities.

Angelica is the main ingredient in Swedish Bitters, a tonic remedy.

Supports painful menstruation, and may help to aid in birthing the placenta after childbirth.

Related to Dong Quai, the Chinese variety of angelica, which is better for long term use, while angelica is stronger for acute situations and short term use.

Astragalus Supports the immune system, digestion, lungs, and reproductive organs.

I like to add the sticks of astragalus root to my stocks, soups, and simmered rice or grain dishes to infuse the herbal benefits into our daily meals, when done I take the root out.

The smaller chopped root pieces I will add to my teas that I simmer into decoctions or in the crockpot, including reishi or chai.

Chamomile Calming and relaxing.

Chamomile benefits the nervous system and digestive system, thus creating numerous healing purposes from headaches, stress, insomnia, and digestive upset.

Chamomile is very gentle and safe for all ages.

Also is a useful hair rinse.

Great as a tea.

Cramp Bark Relaxes the uterus, useful for menstrual cramps and excessive menstrual bleeding.

Also is used to prevent miscarriage in pregnancy.

Great as a tincture.

Dandelion High in plant estrogens, useful for hormonal changes.

Great herb for the liver.

High in Vitamin A and C, iron, calcium, potassium, and trace minerals.

The leaves can be eaten fresh in salads.

The root is a strong medicine for a decoction or tincture.

Dong Quai Female tonic herb from Chinese medicine.

Gentle herb to strengthen and balance the uterus and safe for longterm use.

Nourished the blood, stimulates the liver, balances the menstrual cycle, and regulates the hormones.

Avoid use during pregnancy or menstruation.

Great for balance during peri-menopause.

Good as a tea, tincture, or powder.

Ginger Relieves congestion in the reproductive system, eases menstrual cramping, increases circulation in the pelvic area, calms the digestion, relieves nausea, and supports respiratory and bronchial issues.

Great for morning sickness and nausea during pregnancy.

Use fresh or dried, great for cooking, tea, infusion, decoction, baths, and poultices.

Lavender Relaxing, calming, and healing aromatic flowering herb.

Excellent herb for relieving stress and anxiety.

Use the fresh or dried flowers or essential oil.

Great for culinary use, teas, herbal baths, massages, and mists.

Licorice A slightly sweet and earthy root which is beneficial for stomach and heart problems, indigestion, and coughs.

Also supports adrenal fatigue and hormonal balancing for women particularly for fertility and menopause.

Good as a decoction or infusion.

Motherwort The leaves of the motherwort are used to support heart and uterine health through menstruation, childbirth, and postpartum.

Promotes menstruation, eases menstrual cramps, brings upon childbirth, uplifts the spirit and emotions, prevents insomnia and depression.

Useful as a tea or tincture.

Nettles Nutrient dense green nettles infusions are excellent for building blood, supporting the immune system, and preventing allergies.

High in iron, calcium and magnesium.

Native American women used nettles as a remedy during pregnancy and birth to prevent hemorrhage and promote lactation.

Excellent for women in all cycles from menstruation and past menopause.

Great as a tea or infusion.

Oatstraw Calms the nervous system, supports good endocrine system health.

High in calcium and magnesium.

Great as a tea or infusion.

Peppermint Useful for aiding digestion, soothing digestion, and calming fever.

Mints have an uplifting and rejuvenating quality upon the mind, emotions, and spirit.

Great in teas for flavor and healing benefits.

Red Raspberry Leaf Tones the uterus, nutrient rich, healthful for menstruation, pregnancy, and all women’s cycles.

Excellent all purpose herb for women and men, builds healthy bones and teeth, lowers blood sugar, calms a fever, and tones and firms pelvic muscles.

High in iron, calcium, and potassium, as well as a wide array of vitamins and minerals.

Supports stomach health and digestion.

Great as an infusion.

Reishi Medicinal tree mushroom.

Provides overall immune support.

Uplifts the spirit.

Excellent herb from Chinese Medicine with an extensive history of use for all ages and stages.

I keep a large pot on the stove of reishi and other mushrooms and herbs and brew it for days in the crockpot, drinking it as a tea, or a base for other teas.

Yellow Dock The root is wonderful for supporting liver health. High in calcium and magnesium.

Use as a decoction or tincture.

Learning More About HerbsThis post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

These are just a few of the common herbal remedies used by women for natural wellness.

Get to know one herb at a time, do your own research, and enjoy the healing gifts of plants!

Recommended Books About Herbs Herbal Healing for Women by Rosemary Gladstar

Healing Herbs for Women: A Guide to Natural Remedies by Deb Soule

The Herbal Kitchen by Kami McBride

Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide

Naturally Healthy Babies and Children by Dr. Aviva Jill Romm

The Herbal Apothecary by JJ Pursell

There are many more wonderful herbs from all over the world and in your backyard and bioregion, that are nourishing, cleansing, and tonifying for whole health of women, men, and children.

Herbs are an incredible gift for our health and wellness!

Many blessings,

Kara Maria

Support Your Gut Health

My favorite probiotics for the whole family!

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I’ve discovered a trick to get my children to love eating salads!

It’s very simple. Rather than adding all the ingredients to a bowl and tossing them together, I make separate piles of ingredients on a bed of greens for them to see clearly. I call this the salad platter!

For some reason, when they are served a tossed salad, they spend a lot of time picking through it to see what they think I may have hidden in there and don’t end up eating it all.

However, when presented with a beautiful salad platter with clear piles of individual ingredients, they absolutely love helping themselves to everything on the dish and serve themselves up more than I would even expect, as well as eat most of it up with joy.

It’s been a total game-changer and my new favorite dish to prepare, especially since it’s so hot this summer, and it doesn’t heat up the kitchen to prepare.

I love salads, because they are delicious and eating lots of fresh, fiber-rich vegetables and greens is one of the best ways to support gut health and balance hormones.

Salad platters are so versatile too. Each time I make one I change it up a little, adding whatever we have in the kitchen, and new items for the kids to try out.

You can use your favorite kind of leafy greens, I alternate between a variety of greens from spring mix, to baby arugula and spinach, and romaine lettuce. My favorite is a mix I get at my local farm stand that always includes beautiful edible flowers.

My boys love grated carrots and chopped apples in their salads, so those are always a constant, other than that I add all sorts of different ingredients from vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, and radishes, to garbanzo beans or cooked quinoa. Add a half an avocado and a couple of hard-boiled eggs and this is a super filling entree by itself.

Plus, the salad platter makes an elegant display for a dinner party, potluck, or holiday meal that all will love and admire. Make it as fancy or as simple as you want!

Everyone will enjoy getting to pick out exactly what they want and how much.

Salad PlatterBase:

• Favorite kind of leafy greens (spring greens, baby greens, chopped romaine, etc.)

Choose your own toppings:

• Carrots, finely grated
• Apple, chopped small
• Radishes, halved and sliced
• Cherry tomatoes, halved
• Cucumber, cut into quarters and diced
• Garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• Cooked quinoa
• Avocado, halved, pitted, and sliced
• Hard boiled eggs, halved
• Spread the leafy greens on the platter
• Arrange the toppings in separate piles on the leafy greens

Maple Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing* 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil * 5 T. apple cider vinegar * 2 T. lemon juice * 1 T. spicy mustard * 1 garlic clove, minced * 2 T. maple syrup * 1/2 tsp. salt * 4 shakes black pepper 1. Add all ingredients into a small mason jar and whisk, stir, or put a lid on the jar and shake, until well mixed. 2. Adjust salt and pepper seasoning to taste.

I hope you enjoy this fun and easy twist on the traditional tossed salad!

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The single most powerful thing we can do to create health and wellbeing, for ourselves and our families, is to eat healthy.

The best way to eat more healthy food is to reclaim the traditional art of homecooking and to prepare our own meals with whole food ingredients.

Everyone needs to eat, and we do it multiple times each day. Each time we eat, we have an opportunity to put food in our body that will either heal it or harm it.

It’s so much easier to cook at home when we have the right equipment and tools to get the job done with ease.

Also, eating healthy at home is not just about having whole foods ingredients and avoiding the preservatives, sugars, and artificial chemicals in processed food - it’s also about having kitchenware that is safe and healthy for us, without lead, leaching, or plastics.

Check out my top recommendations for setting up a healthy kitchen with the essential gear to make homecooking an enjoyable experience.

It’s time to cook up the new health revolution - at home!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

Healthy Kitchen EssentialsInstant Pot

Getting the Instant Pot electric pressure cooker is one of the best choices I’ve made in years to uplevel my home cooking. It makes preparing meals so much faster, for example I can cook an entire frozen chicken, in less than an hour! Then I can use the bones to make super nutrient dense bone broth - in less than two hours!

Not only does it save so much time but it’s awesome for summertime cooking or warm weather climates because it won’t heat up your kitchen like turning on the oven does. I’m a huge fan!

It took me a while to invest in one because I wasn’t sure if it was really necessary to get another appliance that was going to take up space on the countertop, but it’s so worth it! It’s actually several appliances in one too, it can replace your slow cooker, rice cooker, and yogurt maker. I use it all the time. It will earn it’s counter top space many times over.

They come in different sizes from 3 quart, 6 quart, and 8 quart. I have the larger 8 quart size and I’m glad that’s what I got, because it’s the best if you want to make bone broth or soup in your Instant Pot, and I love making double batches of recipes to have extra in the fridge for meal prepping, such as rice, quinoa, beans, veggies, etc.

Get it here: Instant Pot 8 quart

Vitamix

The Vitamix is the best high speed blender on the market. While it’s also a big investment for a blender, it’s mighty power means that you get the smoothest smoothies and can also use it for grinding grains, coffee, and so much more. I’ve used mine to whip up delectable drinks on a daily basis for years, as well as spreads, soups, batters, dips and much more.

It’s also quite worth it when you consider that the Vitamix has a 7 year warranty, and I’ve had two in my life so far, both for years more than the warranty. The first one I used for 9 years, before giving away to a friend who continued to use it for a few more years. The second one I’ve now been using for 10 years already and it’s still a power house! I definitely intend to get another one if this one ever stops working right, though it’s already outlasted it’s lengthy warranty. Once I visited a family that had a Vitamix that was over 20 years old, and they stil used it everyday! These things are mighty.

I currently have the Vitamix 5200 model, though when I upgrade I plan on getting a Vitamix 7500 because it’s got the low-profile container that fits under all kitchen cabinets. In the past my 5200 has fit fine in on my kitchen counters, but currently I’m in a house with cabinets above all my countertops and my container doesn’t fit on the base under the cabinets, so the low-profile containers with these newer models are making me want to get a new one soon!

You can also get refurbished Vitamix blenders available at a great deal that have often been used for demos at grocery stores and checked out by Amazon, and come with a 3 year warranty, if you are wanting to save money and get a slightly used model still under warranty.

Get it here: Vitamix 7500

Food Processor

A food processor is really handy for chopping, dicing, grating, and slicing all kinds of vegetables, cheeses, and more. You can grind up nuts and turn beans into spreads. It’s a great way to make healthy breadcrumbs from scratch, and a myriad of other recipes. There are so many ways that a food processor can come in handy in the kitchen, especially if you are prepping for a large family, gatherings, or preparing a lot of healthy food at home.

One of the things I most value my food processor for is for making healthy energy bars and balls, like my Superfood Brownie Bar recipe. It’s amazing at chopping and mixing nuts with dried fruit, which is a great base for all kinds of energy bars. Protein bars and energy bars can really add up in cost if you buy them all the time, and often they are not made with organic ingredients. Making your own is the best way to ensure you are eating the highest quality food and is a great way to have healthy snacks available for on the go, travel, work, or for your family.

I have been using Cuisinart Food Processors for years with great success.

Get it here: Cuisinart 14-cup Food Processor

Lodge Cast Iron Pans

I love cast iron pans! Lodge cast iron pans are quality and affordable cookware that have been made in the USA for over 120 years. Cast iron is a good choice for healthy kitchenware because it’s non-stick without having the nasty chemicals that are in Teflon coated pans.

My cast iron pans are beloved items that get used every single day for cooking up perfect eggs, stir-frying a medley of vegetables, creating a delicious sear on a grass-fed burger, and an abundance of kitchen tasks. They are completely oven proof I even use them for baking casseroles or shepherd’s pie, and many other recipes.

They are also easy to clean and the Lodge cast iron pans come pre-seasoned, so they are ready to start cooking with right away!

Get it here: Lodge Cast Iron Pan

Glass Food Storage Containers with Lids

Glass containers for food storage are an essential for reducing plastic in the kitchen, keeping your food fresher for longer, and making meal prep way easier. I love having glass storage containers with locking lids because they are the best for storing leftovers, prepped ingredients, and packing lunches and snacks and they are reusable, easy to clean, and you can quickly look to see what’s inside.

Storing food in plastic containers is not good for our health, as plastic can leach hormone-disrupting chemicals into the food which then act as xeno-estrogens in our bodies causing all sorts of issues. Plus, plastic breaks down faster, needs to be replaced more often, and then lingers in our landfills for centuries. Replacing plastic with glass is a great way to make positive changes for wellness.

I find that multiple sizes of glass containers are really handy to have for all different purposes.

Get them here: Glass Meal Prep Containers

Investing in high quality kitchen equipment is something that can make home cooking so much easier and healthier.

It will give you peace of mind, supports optimal nourishment for the whole family, and can enhance your daily life for years and years to come.

However, with so many options out there, it’s good to know what are the most worthwhile tools to get that will be actually be used over and over again for years to come.

Each of the items I’ve shared are my top kitchen gear that I use the most, have or would buy again, and are the things top items I recommend for a simple yet healthy kitchen to cook well.

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Do you consider the menstrual cycle to be a curse or a blessing?

Most people today consider menstruation to be an annoyance, a pathology, a cause of discomfort, or at least an inconvenience.

However, the menstrual cycle is a sign of women's fertile and sexual health, and all human life depends upon it and is born because of it.

If women didn't menstruate, we would not have humanity.

A woman's menstrual cycle effects her sexual health in every stage of her whole life.

Supporting a healthy menstrual cycle during the fertile years leads to more radiance, vitality, and energy during pregnancy, postpartum, menopause, and sex.

Plus we can tap into the wisdom of the phases of our cycle to create greater health, energy, creativity, sensuality, and manifestation in our lives each month!

That's pretty amazing and incredible!

Do you appreciate your cycle or does it challenge you?

Women's cycles are not a curse - they are a blessing!

Through the menstrual cycle, women have the ability to reach monthly hormonal peaks that gift us with great creativity, energy, and sensuality through ovulation.

It is because of the monthly experience of ovulation that we have the time of menstruation each month, for otherwise, a woman would not menstruate.

Ovulation is also the time when a woman can conceive a baby and bring new life into this world - an amazing, miraculous act that is the ultimate expression of human life!

Each month during ovulation, a woman also experiences a hormonal high that makes her feel more confidant, creative, energetic, and willing to take action for her goals and desires.

This is a powerful energetic time in a woman’s monthly cycle when she is able to harness that creative energy for taking risks, being extroverted, and has heightened senses and creativity.

During ovulation time a woman also has a higher level of attraction that draws people to her and gives her an advantage socially, both in relationships, community, and work.

The menstrual cycle is a blessing, it happens because women have the ability to ovulate, to become pregnant, to become life-givers, and to experience high levels of pleasure, nurturing, creativity, and expression.

This is worth the sacrifice of bleeding for a few days a month, which also gives us time to store up energy if we allow ourselves the space to actually rest, so that we can ride the full waves of creative energy each month.

Just like athletes must take days off from training to recuperate and rest, so women need time each month to rest and restore in order to experience the hormonal heights of ovulation and pregnancy.

Our cycles are amazing!

There is so much that women can do to enhance how we experience our cycles, and support our hormones naturally, and it begins with appreciating them and honoring them, not ignoring them or masking them.

When women's cycles are respected and wellness is enhanced, the feminine creative energy inherent within women's bodies can be truly harnessed for women to create positive changes in the world, in our lives, and for the generations to come.

All cycles and stages of a women's sexual life are powerful and important for optimal health and wellness.

Through natural and proven lifestyle practices women can support the wellness of our cycles through menstruation, fertility, pregnancy, and menopause to experience optimal health, energy, and longevity.

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The minty sweet aroma of this quick homemade sugar scrub is so enticing. It reminds me of cookie dough, cocktails, and summer nights all in one.

This is also a perfect recipe for smoothing, exfoliating, and moisturizing the legs and feet for summer, so you can feel you best while enjoying wearing skirts, shorts, swimsuits, and sandals.

It’s a simple recipe that can be whipped up in a breeze with a base of brown sugar, white sugar, and avocado oil.

Sugar is great for glowing skin! While eating a lot of sugar is not great for the skin, it’s awesome to use in body care recipes for it gently removes dead skin cells and leaves the skin fresh, soft, and glowing.

I love using avocado oil in my sugar scrub recipes because it’s great for skin care. Avocado oil has vitamin E, D, and many nutrients in it that are protective and soothing to the skin, reduce aging, ease sunburns, and calm inflammation. It also has a mild scent that does not overpower the recipe like olive oil or coconut oil will. It leaves the skin moisturized and soft, but also absorbs quickly into the skin without leaving it feeling oily.

Plus, I add in peppermint essential oil, which is ideal for summer because of its cooling properties.

It’s also important in the summer time to avoid using citrus essential oils in body care recipes because they are photosensitive and can cause reactions if you go out in the sun after using them. Thus, peppermint oil is a great alternative to orange, lemon, or bergamot oil in the summer, (though I often use citrus oils my sugar scrubs during the colder seasons for their bright cheery scent and skin benefits).

That would be a wonderful recipe on its own, but with the addition of a little vanilla extract it becomes so delicious smelling, you’ll want to jump in the shower right away.

Peppermint Vanilla Brown Sugar Scrub Recipe* 1 c. brown sugar * 1/4 c. white sugar * 3/4 c. avocado oil * 30 drops peppermint essential oil * 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients together and store in a glass container.

Scoop out a small portion (about 1 Tbs to 1/4 c., depending on how much you want to use) to bring into the shower or tub with you in a non-breakable cup or bowl.

Scrub onto wet legs, feet, arms, elbows, and body to exfoliate, and wash off well with warm water.

This is a great way to turn your bathing time into a home spa experience!

Enjoy!

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Cannabis & Women’s WellnessCannabis has been used extensively for women's health throughout history.

Cannabis has been found beneficial for women's reproductive health concerns for thousands of years from menstruation to menopause.

One hundred years ago, before hemp and marijuana became illegal under federal law in the US, the Materia Medica had over 100 references to the use of cannabis for women's health issues.

In fact, it was the leading recommendation among all prescriptions for health care.

This natural plant has been misaligned, and now with the flood of marijuana and hemp legalization, the doors have been opened to rediscover the many gifts of cannabis for women's wellness.

The legal cannabis industry is growing rapidly in the field of wellness, and women’s women is a huge focus.

We now also have widely accessible ways to experience the beneficial properties of the cannabis plant through hemp-derived CBD products (which are 100% legal in the USA) without experiencing any of the psychoactive properties of it’s cousin plant marijuana.

Endocannabinoids in the UterusThe endocannabinoid system plays a key part in regulating almost every system in the body, reducing inflammation, and supporting our immune system, health, digestion, mood, hormones, and fertility.

The uterus and ovaries are full of endocannabinoid receptors for both CB1 and CB2.

These receptors are sensitive to both the cannabinoids in cannabis as well as the natural endocannabinoids our body produces, like anandamide.

Anandamide is an endocannabinoid often called the “bliss molecule”.

The uterus has the highest level of anandamide in the body during ovulation, and anandamide is essential for conception and fertility.

At times in a woman's cycle or pregnancy, the amount of anandamide in her uterus is 100 times more the amount that is in her brain!

We can naturally support the health of our endocannabinoid system, and bring ease to our reproductive organs and cycles, through harnessing the natural power of wellness through healthy and legal cannabis products like CBD.

CBD for WomenCBD is cannabidiol, a powerful cannabinoid from the cannabis plant that supports the endocannabinoid system of the body to regulate immunity, hormones, digestion and mood.

Cannabis is a herbal plant that has two forms: hemp and marijuana.

Marijuana has THC, which causes the high feeling, and CBD, the cannabinoids that have therapeutic effects. Plus together the two work synergistically to enhance the benefits of the herb through the entourage effect.

Hemp has CBD but no or low THC, and is legal in all 50 states in the US as a herbal supplement.

CBD products from hemp have high levels of CBD, but none of the THC, and do not cause any high effects.

Therefore, people have options as to be able to take cannabis herbal products without having to have any high effects if they don't want them, through the availability of legal CBD products.

CBD is really amazing for easing the normal discomforts of menstrual cramps and perimenopause.

Cramping, PMS, and other cyclical discomforts worsen due to inflammation in the body causing prostaglandins.

CBD, anandamide, and cannabinoids reduce inflammation and create ease in the body.

If you are struggling with hormonal balance during your cycles, it’s worth trying out.

Especially since now there are so many great CBD products without THC (the molecule that gets you high), so there are many options that can help you to feel better without any psychoactive effects.

This post contains partner links. As an affiliate, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. In fact, you can save 10% with my coupon code!

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Stress is the biggest threat to women’s health and wellbeing today.

It is the #1 cause of illness and the leading reason for over 70% of primary care physician visits.

Stress impacts women more than men, and women manifest more physical and emotional symptoms from the effects of stress, resulting in menstrual challenges, depression, anxiety, insomnia, digestive issues, loss of libido, and much more.

Stress can especially affect women’s health, fertility, and emotions, as our reproductive systems are regulated by the signals our hormones send out.

High levels of stress, or ongoing stress, can impact women’s health and wellbeing in many ways.

Stress can affect women’s health by causing:* Headaches and migraines * Muscle tension and pain * Depression and anxiety * Heart problems * Digestion upsets * Overeating and obesity * Irregular periods * Increased PMS * Severe menstrual cramping * Low libido * Infertility issues

When we are stressed, our bodies create high levels of stress hormones, such as adrenaline, cortisol, and prostaglandins, which can alter our menstrual cycles, delay ovulation, and cause increased inflammation in the whole body.

However, we also have hormones that make us feel good by decreasing our stress levels and increasing positive feelings.

Through taking action to enhance our happy hormones, we can support our whole health and wellbeing.

Oxytocin: The Love HormoneOxytocin is a special hormone that men and women make in our bodies when we feel love, bonding, and connection.

For example: when snuggling, hugging, cuddling, and kissing we get a boost of oxytocin levels that makes us feel safe, relaxed, and blissful.

This is because oxytocin is a direct antagonist to cortisol, our main stress hormone.

When we increase oxytocin, it causes our cortisol levels to decrease as a result.

While everyone makes oxytocin, women are able to experience peak amounts of this hormone in our life, such as through breastfeeding, birth, and orgasms.

Oxytocin is also enhanced by estrogen, the female sex hormone, and so effects women stronger.

We also have a higher need for oxytocin than men, due to the effects of stress impacting our bodies, hormones, reproductive cycles, immune systems, and fatigue more.

When we are deprived of oxytocin, we get cranky from the lack of love hormones and the rise of stress hormones!

Enhancing our oxytocin levels supports well-being, directly decreases cortisol, and enhances feminine health.

The more loving feelings you experience in life - whether through enjoying a delicious meal, taking a soothing bath, reading an inspirational book, or having a conversation with someone you trust - the greater your oxytocin levels, and the more calm one feels and carries forth into their life.

When we experience stress we can reduce it by engaging in caring activities or connecting with other women, which also creates oxytocin, the hormone of love. This is called the “Tend & Befriend” stress response that is unique to women, and causes our stress levels to decrease when we tend to others and befriend other women for support.

The greater the levels of oxytocin we have in our bodies, the less stress effects us, and the more we feel love, bliss, bonding, connection and health.

It's amazing how powerful rest and rejuvenation can be to our feminine health and wellbeing.

To be a successful women in the modern world filled with increased stress and demands, we must even more deeply embrace the wisdom of natural health for women’s wellness.

It's time to recognize the necessary nature of love for women’s wellbeing.

Stop stress by prioritizing rest, connection, self-care, and love!

Get out into nature, go for a walk, do relaxing activities that make you calm and happy, and spend time with the one’s you love.

The more we focus on LOVE the less stress effects us.

Many blessings,

Kara

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When the kids are bouncing off the furniture, climbing the walls, and invading your personal space - there is an easy solution to get them to chill out, and to calm your own mind as well.

Just take them outside for some nature time, exercise, fresh air, sunlight, and the freedom to explore.

I’m a mother of three boys, and each one of them, while totally unique in personality and far apart in ages, has lots of energy and a strong need for outdoor freedom and play.

One of my favorite activities with my children is to explore outside through spending time together in nature.

We love to walk, hike, and go on adventures together to forests, beaches, trails, and parks.

There are so many benefits to being in nature for all ages, but it’s especially important for child development to be outside, getting sunlight, breathing fresh air, and learning about the natural world around them.

Not only does getting outside thrill them, it boosts my own mood and wellbeing as well.

Even just a half-an-hour walk or an hour at a park, makes us all happier, healthier, and more pleasant to be around.

Kids don’t need toys, fancy gear, or extracurricular classes, as much as they need to get outside and be kids.

Getting out in nature helps us all to learn more about our own inner nature.

5 Benefits of Nature Time For KidsSensory PlayBeing outside in nature provides a multitude of benefits by stimulating all of the senses of the body through play and movement. There is so much to see, touch, smell, hear, and even taste when exploring outside.

A walk outdoors can provide your child (and you too!) with the opportunity to feel a warm breeze on your skin, smell the scent of the warm earth after a rain, taste fresh blackberries or wild strawberries, touch the fuzzy leaves of mullein or the water of a flowing river, and see the patterns of light moving through the leaves of a tree.

Get UnpluggedWith all the temptations and distractions of technological devices today, the best remedy for too much screen-time is nature. While video games, iPads, and TV shows are fun, it can’t beat the beauty and wonder of a waterfall, ocean, or even a neighborhood playground.

The best way to get kids off off their devices, is to get them outside and leave the tech toys at home.

Better SleepGetting outside during the daytime helps kids (and adults!) to sleep better at night.

Especially if you go outside during the morning hours when there is a higher blue frequency to the light spectrum. This activates our biological rhythms to wake us up in the morning time, and then causes our body to get more tired at nighttime, thus enhancing sleep quality and preventing insomnia.

Natural MovementExercise is important for it increases physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Getting outdoors for fitness and play is so wonderful because it provides a myriad of opportunities for natural movement inspired by nature.

Outside kids can run around, climb up trees, balance on logs, jump over obstacles, parkour from rocks, and every thing in nature is slightly different in shape and size providing variations that develop natural movement skills.

Also, a healthy dose of exercise each day helps to tire out kids so they rest better at night.

Don’t want your kids bouncing off the walls in the evening asking for one more story, another glass of water, and suddenly turning into deep philosophers asking you a million questions about the meaning of life, the universe, and everything under the Sun? Then take them outside each day so that they can run.

Learning About NatureThere is so much to learn about in the natural world. As homeschoolers, we spend a lot of time exploring new trails, nature centers, conservation parks, and places in nature. It’s amazing to see how just going places and being outside stimulates incredible conversations and discussions about the natural world around us, how it works, and what it’s all about.

While hiking and exploring, my 7 year old will ask a zillion questions about plants, trees, flowers, herbs, wildlife, birds, frogs, reptiles, insects, seasons, geology, geography, water, rivers, and SO much more! It’s amazing how a simple hike can provide so many opportunities for learning and ideas for new topics to research deeper when you get home.

Being out in nature and seeing the natural world also creates a personal relationship with it and strengthens the passion for knowledge that just reading a book or watching a video can’t create. For example, watching a video about turtles is neat, but helping a real life turtle cross a road can inspire so much more interest and feeling of wanting to know about what kind of turtle that was, where was it going, where does it live, how long does it live, what does it eat, does it hibernate, and so much more.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

Tips for Nature Time with KidsIt’s really important to be prepared for the weather, have water and snacks, and what you need to make being outside a fun adventure with your kids. I find the better I plan what to back and bring with us, the more fun we have, and the longer that we are able to extend our time in nature exploring.

A Good StrollerWe absolutely love the B.O.B Revolution Flex 3.0 Stroller for getting outside with our toddler.

It’s really helpful to have a jogging stroller for going on bigger adventures with younger children. My 7 year old can handle longer hikes than the 2 year old, so the stroller means that we can all explore more and bring along extra gear.

While my 2 year old also loves to walk, hike, and run, but on long trails he will get tired, and it’s so much easier to push him in a stroller than to carry him. Plus, he loves to go fast and to enjoy the view.

Strollers are best for nature adventures on wide and smooth trails, but the B.O.B. Flex 3.0 handles smooth over rocks, roots, and bumpy trails with it’s suspension system easing the jolting on your toddler.

It’s really easy to adjust the height and position of the handlebar quickly, so different family members can easiely take turns trading off pushing, and it glides along smoother than any other stroller I’ve had.

The B.O.B. stroller rides smooth because it has inflated mountain bike style tires and suspension. It has a secure front wheel that can make tight turns, or can be easily locked into forward-only position for stability when jogging or on bumpy paths.

I’ve used lots of strollers over the years, and the B.O.B. 3.0 is my favorite, I love the enhanced comfort design of the padding for the child. Also, I’ve had bouts of tendonitis in both wrists over the past 20 years due to my previous career as a massage therapist, and the B.O.B. is the easiest on my sensitive hands, wrists, and arms to push, which I LOVE, while also still having an emergency wrist strap (important!).

For the best experience in nature, it’s helpful to have the right gear. I love our B.O.B. stroller which also has a big storage area underneath to bring along all of the extra bags, water bottles, and gear we want, as well as to store our nature finds. snacks, water, bug repellant, a blanket, and a phone (I recommend putting it on airplane mode and cherish the time with your kids, especially if you put it in a stroller pocket. However, it’s great to have for emergency use and nature is a great place to take photos of your kids you will cherish forever!).

Check it out here:

B.O.B. Revolution Flex 3.0

Bring Snacks:Granola bars, apples, and trail mix are all great choices for needed energy boosts. If you children have any health issues or needs, be sure to bring extra snacks and supplies to accommodate their needs.

There have been times on hikes when my older son has literally sat down on the trail in sudden exhaustion refusing to walk any further, but after eating a snack has regained energy to continue onward. It’s amazing how those little bodies can get SO hungry SO quickly, and how a healthy snack can completely save the day.

Bring Water: It’s easy to get dehydrated outdoors, especially when having fun and working up a sweat, and water is the most common thing requested by littles on our hikes. We make sure that each kid has their own reusable water bottle, and they LOVE them. Staying hydrated is so vital to avoid heat exhaustion, crankiness, and hunger pains. Plus, it teaches healthy drinking habits.

I find that kids who may prefer the flavors of juice, milk, smoothies or teas at home are perfectly happy to chug plain water when out on the trails, and creating healthy habits of drinking LOTS of water each day is one of the best things we can do to support our kids daily wellness.

Charge Your Phone & Turn it on Airplane Mode:When hiking with children (or even by yourself) I highly recommend bringing a cell phone with you and making sure it’s got a full charge for emergency purposes.

However, for the optimal nature experience, I recommend putting it on airplane mode and cherish the time with your kids, especially if you put it in a stroller pocket or anywhere near your children’s bodies.

Not only is having a phone an important safety precaution, but being out in nature is a great place to take gorgeous photos of your kids that you will cherish forever!

PLUS…We also often bring along an extra blanket for putting down on the ground or grass to have a rest or picnic, as well as extra clothes or layers in case the kids get wet, dirty, or cold.

Also, depending on the season, natural insect repellant can save the day so you are not running down the trail back to your car away from swarms of ninja mosquitos (I’ve been there).

Plus, depending on your children’s interests, you might want to consider extra learning or play tools such as binoculars, a nature journal, shovels, nature identification books, or more.

Most of all, remember to have fun! And go new places!

Happy trails!

Many blessings,
Kara

This post is sponsored by B.O.B. Gear. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting our partners and keeping independent media thriving!

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In celebration of maple season in New England, I’m sharing a sweet recipe that is perfect for these still cool early spring nights or mornings.

This is a wonderful warm maple treat that is perfect to make with leftover organic rice.

When I made my Maple Roasted Butternut Squash and Chickpeas Rice Bowls recently, I doubled the amount of rice that I needed for the recipe, which left me with just the perfect amount remaining to make this delicious nourishing dessert.

I adore a good rice pudding, and this variation is simple, light, and quick to make with organic coconut milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla.

It’s got that perfect balance of tasting good and being good for you, which makes it suitable for breakfast, as well as dessert.

At least, I found myself enjoying eating this as a both a late night snack, and then warmed up again the following morning for a breakfast bowl.

Maple Coconut Rice Pudding RecipeIngredients:* 4 c. cooked organic white rice * 1 can organic coconut milk * 1/2 c. coconut sugar * 1 tsp. vanilla extract * 1 tsp. cinnamon powder * 1/4 tsp. nutmeg * 3 Tbs. maple syrup * 1/2 c. raisins (optional) * shredded coconut for topping (optional)

Directions:* Add all ingredients to a pot on the stovetop. * Bring to a simmer on medium-high heat. * Turn the heat down to low and simmer for another 5 minutes, while stirring frequently. * Add the raisins and stir to combine. * Serve topped with shredded coconut.

Enjoy!

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It’s springtime in New England and that means the maple taps have been running and there’s fresh maple syrup brewing in sugar shacks all over the region.

I love driving around seeing the taps strung between the maple trees and the steam billowing out of old rustic sheds and barns, as the last of the snow melts away.

Thus the inspiration for this maple roasted veggie bowl, a great way to get a taste of spring and stay warm while planning for garden for the season ahead.

While signs of spring are everywhere, with buds blooming on the trees and the frogs singing in the ponds at night, it’s still early for spring vegetables, besides a few local greenhouse greens.

I’m enjoying the feeling of the new season in the air and have been spring cleaning and reorganizing my kitchen.

My family has been enjoying nourishing meals that are flavorful, hearty, and full of simple fresh ingredients.

Rice bowls are one of our favorite dishes, because they’re so filling, warming, and versatile as a base for a multitude of recipes.

They are a great way to eat a variety of vegetables (and get children to eat their veggies).

You can also add different kinds of protein besides the chickpeas, to create a balanced meal, including salmon, chicken, beef, or other kinds of beans.

Everyone can customize their bowl with their own preferred toppings, sauces, and seasonings, which is also a great way to add extra superfoods to your meal too!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

Roasted Maple Butternut Squash & Chickpea Rice Bowl Ingredients:Roasted Squash & Chickpeas

• 4 c. Butternut squash, chopped, 1/2” pieces
• 1 can Garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained well
• 4 Tbs. Maple syrup
• 3 Tbs. Olive Oil
• 2 tsp. Tamari
• 1 Tbs. Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 tsp. Garlic powder
• 1 tsp. Onion powder
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/8 tsp Black pepper
• 1 tsp. Sea Salt

Rice:

• 1 c. organic white rice
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Water

Toppings (optional):

• Avocado
• Dulse flakes
• Everything Seasoning
• Tamari
• Green Onions
• Hemp Seeds
• Pumpkin Seeds, roasted
• Sunflower Seeds, roasted
• Dried Cranberries
• Sea salt
• Pepper

DirectionsPreheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Prepare rice following the instructions for the type of grain you are using, and method you cook it, whether in a rice cooker, electric pressure cooker, or on the stovetop.

For the Instant Pot, I use 1 c. organic white rice, rinse, soak in 2 c. water with oil and salt for 15 mins, cook on manual high for 8 mins, let depressurize for 15 minutes, and then release and fluff.

I usually double this amount to have rice left over for making rice pudding later, or fried rice the next day.

I have the best luck cooking rice in the Instant Pot. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve burned rice on the stove over the years. This is the Instant Pot I use.

Prepare the butternut squash by peeling and dicing into 3/4”to 1/4” pieces.

Add the squash to a 9x13 oven dish.

Drain the garbanzo beans well and add to the dish.

Season the squash and garbanzo beans with oil, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, garlic, onion, turmeric, black pepper, and salt.

Mix to combine and spread out in pan so it will roast evenly.

Roast at 425 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes, until the squash is tender and the beans are lightly browned.

Stir gently halfway through the cooking.

When done top a bowl of rice with the maple roasted squash and garbanzo beans.

Top with sliced avocado, green onions, and season to taste with salt, pepper, or tamari.

Plus, I topped mine with dulse flakes, hemp seeds, roasted pumpkin seeds, roasted sunflower seeds, and dried cranberries.

It was delicious!

Enjoy!

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I’m fascinated with how we can feel better and empower our lives, communities, and the world, particularly through holistic health and women’s wellness.

Since I was young, I’ve had a life-long passion for holistic living that has led me on many adventures of healing, learning, discovering, and researching.

Over the past twenty years, I’ve worked professionally in the healing arts as a practitioner, teacher, writer, speaker, and mentor in holistic health, women’s wellness, and entrepreneurship.

My path includes working as a massage therapist, craniosacral therapist, birth doula, postpartum doula, childbirth educator, women’s health teacher, doula and massage trainer, online course creator, and holistic business coach, plus hoopdancer and chai brewer and more!

I’ve been called to the path of supporting women through pregnancy, birth, and all the cycles of life.

I’ve also studied and practiced a multiple of bodywork modalities, the plant-powered ways of herbalism and whole food nutrition, and a variety of movement arts, as well as ancient healing practices and modern scientific research.

Along the way I’ve become a mother of three sons, presently a toddler, a homeschooler, and a college student.

This has deeply imprinted me with the vital importance of uplifting the wellbeing of our children from pregnancy through young adulthood.

It’s also essential for us to proactively support our whole health through life so that we can feel our best, have the energy to do all that we desire, and can care for ourselves optimally, as well as our loved ones.

Wellness is the state of feeling good in body, mind, and spirit.

Wellness is often achieved through conscious intention and actions that support the goal of good health.

Good health is our natural state as humans.

We have incredible bodies that are intrinsically designed to desire to achieve homeostasis, the state of being in balance.

Yet, good health is also dependent upon and directly related to our lifestyle and daily actions through nutrition, fitness, environment, relationships, family, home, work, sleep, and self-care practices.

When people feel good, they are happier, have better relationships, enjoy more time with their children, are more productive at work, and can be of service to uplifting the world today.

7 Things to Know About WOmen’s Wellness1. Wellness is Necessary to ThriveWellness is essential for optimal performance in life.

This creates positive effects that ripple throughout families, communities, and the world.

Daily choices in nutrition, exercise, lifestyle, sleep, and environment can make a huge difference in keeping you feeling your best and helping your body to create balance.

1. Learn How To Manage StressStress is one of the top causes of illness and disease today.

Over 60% of doctor’s visits in the US today are for stress related symptoms and conditions.

Know how to calm your nervous system in times of high stress with practices such meditation, yoga, going to the gym, taking a nature walk, journaling, taking a bath, or your favorite heart-centering and relaxing practice.

1. Create a Positive LifestyleMaking positive lifestyle changes enhances natural wellness.

Empowered self-care includes having access to and support for healthy choices in nutrition, exercise, meditation, bodywork, natural medicine, good sleep, and more.

Through education, awareness, and community we can create a healthier future for ourselves, our families, and our planet.

1. Women’s Health Education is VitalDid you know that women make 80% of all health care decisions for their entire households?

Women’s health improves wellness for the whole family and the generations to come.

Women also experience more health care needs annually because of reproductive care related issues, and higher rates of stress-related issues.

There is a great need for more holistic, integrative, comprehensive, and customized care and education for informed choice and preventative medicine in all women’s cycles and stages of life.

If more women were to become aware and informed about all the options and choices available and needed in natural health, than it would transform the entire healthcare industry.

1. Conscious Consumers are Creating TransformationDid you know that women are the primary shoppers for their household 75% of the time?

As more women, men, and younger people today are demanding sustainable, healthy, and safe choices in foods, health care, and wellness products it is creating transformation across the world.

When women are healthy, then relationships, families, communities, and the world thrives.

1. Wellness is Growing GloballyThe global wellness economy is now a $4.2 trillion market.

The demand for wellness products and services is booming, including personal care, supplements, eco beauty care, organic foods, wellness travel, classes, practitioners, alternative and complementary medicine, and more.

This is creating a global push for higher standards in sourcing, sustainability, purity, accessibility, and customization of health care.

1. Women’s Health Creates Sustainable Wellness for AllHolistic women’s wellness creates vitality, prosperity, and transformation for all.

Studies haves shown that supporting women’s health globally creates positive impact not only immediately in the women’s life, as well as the lives of her family and children, but the positive impact is seen upon the future generations as well.

Focusing on providing community support, women’s health education, consumer awareness, and business training is key for empowering women in all levels of wellness, and supporting a thriving humanity.

Women’s Wellness for the WorldWhen women’s wellness is supported through all cycles of life, it creates profound ripples throughout her life and her relationships, family, community, and the world.

Women’s wellness is essential for uplifting world health.

Many blessings,

Kara

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Spring is here bringing us the season of renewal, rebirth, and regeneration.

The season of spring is celebrated by cultures around the world to honor the return of the longer days and sunlight for food, plants, animals, warmth, and wellbeing.

The change in seasons creates an excellent opportunity to upgrade your self-care routine.

Enjoy the SunshineIt’s an ideal season for spending more time outdoors celebrating the warmer days and longer hours of sunlight.

Being outside and receiving the light of the Sun through our eyes and on our skin supports our whole health and mood.

Sunlight is incredibly vital for hormonal health, circadian rhythm, fertility, bone health, immune function, and mood, and overall human health.

Life on every level of our ecosystem depends upon the Sun for energy, nourishment, and balance primarily.

The food that we eat gets its energy from the sunlight which is absorbed and processed into energy for us to consume through plants, animals, seaweed, and fungi.

After the winter, our bodies need that extra Vitamin D to boost up our depleted resources.

It’s ideal to spend time outside each day in the morning sunlight hours to set our biological rhythms and support hormonal health.

Most people don’t need an excuse to get outdoors and enjoy the warm spring weather, but it’s great to know that it’s perfect for our wellbeing!

Spring Clean NaturallySpring cleaning is popular for a reason. It’s good for our house, health, and mood to deep clean our space each season.

After a long winter, it’s lovely to open the windows on a sunny lightly breezy day and get fresh air through the whole house for hours.

It’s a great time to freshen up the house with pops of spring flowers in vases or unique glass jars.

Decluttering and minimizing stuff accumulated over the winter brings fresh new energy into your space. It’s the best season for yard sales, garage sales, and cleaning out the basement, closets, and storage to donate.

Clearing out the clutter supports you to prepare for the seasons ahead, getting warm weather sports and outdoor gear ready and dusted, and figuring out what you may need for your upcoming plans.

It’s important to use natural ingredients for house cleaning, as synthetic cleaners are a significant source of exposure to toxic chemicals that may pose as hormone disruptors, allergens, and overload the immune system.

My favorite DIY natural cleaning recipe:

Vinegar All Purpose Cleaning SprayWhite vinegar and essential oils deodorize, clean, and sanitize in this all-purpose DIY cleaning spray.

• 2 c. white vinegar
• 2 c. water
• 40 - 60 drops of essential oils

Add vinegar, water, and essential oils to a spray bottle. Shake up before using.

Use to spray and wipe down counters, tables, doorknobs, walls, baseboards, sinks, and more. Let sit for a minute or longer on surfaces to break down tough stains.

You can use your favorite cleansing and purifying essential oils and can add one, two, or a variety.

I enjoy using a blend of lemon, orange, rosemary, thyme, melaleuca, bergamot, grapefruit, and eucalyptus.

Vinegar is a great all-purpose cleaner but is not recommended for marble, granite, or stone. Be cautious and patch test on hardwoods, such as floors, before using, and do not let sit long on woods.

Herbal Support for SpringWhile the warm weather encourages us to get outdoors, go hiking, and open all the windows, spring can also be a season of pollen and environmental allergens, making some people want to go back indoors.

Natural herbs and supplements can support respiratory system function, help your body adapt to the environment, and reduce inflammation response.

For herbal and nutritional seasonal support to be most beneficial its best to be taken daily and ideally beginning a few weeks before the season of pollen starts, and as long as needed.

Some of my favorite foods and herbs to help the body adapt to seasonal changes in the spring are:

• Raw Local Honey (spoonful a day)
• Nettles (freeze-dried capsules or tea)
• Peppermint (tea with local raw honey)
• Lemons (freshly squeezed in hot water with local raw honey)
• Holy Basil (tea)
• Lemon Balm (tea)

Take Up an Outdoor HobbyTake advantage of the warmer weather and longer days by spending more time outdoors.

Spring is a great time to take up a new outdoor hobby, such as gardening, walking, running, biking, hiking, or get back into an old favorite outdoor activity that you love.

The sunny days can inspire us to get outside, be active, and enhance our fitness and exercise routine.

Spring is a season of new beginnings, so it’s a great time to start something new, change up our routines, lighten up our lives, move our bodies, and get outdoors.

I’m wishing you abundant wellness in this spring season!

Many blessings,

Kara

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Getting into the flow allows us to optimize human performance with less energy and greater success.

Flow Is The Movement Of Water, Energy And LifeFlow states are the psychological experiences of being totally focused and present in the moment as you take action on something.

When we are in the flow, we are riding the wave of energy, with intention and total awareness. It's much more fun than trying to paddle against the current, and exhausting ourselves while not getting where we desire quickly.

To take action on our big dreams, and actually transform our ideas into reality, we must learn to be productive, active and pay attention to the tides of energy moving in our bodies, lives and the world, so that we can take the simple daily steps to catch the waves and surf to success.

When We Get In The Flow We FlourishLife is all about movement. Our bodies, our minds, nature, plants, the clouds, the sun, moon and stars are all in motion, from the micro to the macro, from our DNA to the galaxies.

Our bodies are the home of our consciousness and soul in this lifetime. It is the most direct, primal and physical way that we can tap into the energy of conscious creation.

The first step to getting into the flow, is to pay attention to your body and how it feels.

Small actions can make a big difference in the way we feel, think and proceed with the choices we make in each moment of our days.

Starting with practical action steps including caring for our body, boosting our mood, decluttering our space, getting into nature, dressing for the experiences we desire, and taking small movements each day toward our goals, creates the energy of momentum - the force of motion that is within all life desiring further growth.

When we move our bodies and get into the zone, we call that being in the flow.

It's what athletes experience when they are practicing their art, totally present, relaxed and aware, and leads to higher creativity, performance and fulfillment.

There are many ways we can get in the zone, for some people it's through creating art, painting, making pottery, for others it's running, dance or rock-climbing, and sometimes we get in the zone while taking a shower, cleaning up the house or writing in our journal.

What are the creative outlets your enjoy that inspire you the most?

Take time for your expression of energy, for that creates the brain states and physical wellbeing for achievement, insights and higher performance in all of our lives.

As we get into flow states, we create physiological shifts within our mind and body that support us to experience optimal performance and creativity.

Life loves movement. Getting into the flow of growth and living energy begins with simple movements in our life.

Many blessings,

Kara

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Pregnancy and birth create transformation in the full spectrum of a women’s life.

During the childbearing year, women experience deep changes on all levels: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Pregnancy and birth are profoundly transformational experiences in which a woman becomes a mother, and her life is never again the same.

Birth has been considered by cultures all over the world to be a sacred rite of passage in which the power of the transformation shapes both the baby, mother, family, and community.

For this reason, people all over the world have created ways of honoring and celebrating pregnancy, birth, and the newborn through physical, social, and spiritual rituals and ceremonies for healing.

Pregnancy and childbirth are times in which dramatic changes occur in a pregnant woman’s body, brain, hormones, and heart.

Birth is a rite of passage and how you choose to treat your pregnancy, birth your baby, and care for your newborn creates the foundation for their life.

Today, birth is highly medicalized, rates of intervention are rapidly increasing worldwide, and 70 to 80% of new mothers experience the "baby blues" and are at risk for more severe postpartum depression.

We can change this by holistically supporting women through integrative care, advocacy, and education that honors ALL the changes of pregnancy and birth - from the physical to the spiritual.

Birth is our primal imprint, and our birth experiences impact us for life. Whether or not you are a parent or intend to be, we all started our lives through being born, and birth effects EVERYONE.

It's more imperative than ever before that we support mothers through the sacred journey of pregnancy and birth.

For over 20 years, I have been passionate about empowering women's wellness through all the feminine cycles of life.

I've worked in women's wellness and birth as a birth and postpartum doula, childbirth educator, pregnancy massage therapist, maternal and infant craniosacral therapist, women's healing arts teacher, doula trainer, birth educator trainer, women's circle leader, workshop facilitator, writer, and speaker.

I've been a featured speaker at birth events from the Midwifery Today conference, Mama and Baby Expos, and the Association for Pre and Perinatal Psychology and Health International Congress.

I'm also the mother of three boys, all born at home. My eldest is a college student, my middle son is homeschooling, and my youngest is a toddler, and I’ve been active in advocating for mother and baby health since before I was a mother.

With all that I do to support women's health and wellness, it all began with birth.

Supporting women to have empowered gentle births will create the best possible beginning for the life of a new child and the future of humanity.

Birth is a powerful sacred experience in which mothers, babies, and families deserve the highest care and respect.

Many blessings,

Kara

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I’m all about Pinterest right now!

Did you know that 250 million people use Pinterest each month right now?

It’s not just a social media site, it’s really a visual search engine, and one of the biggest places that people go to look up information online.

In fact, the Pinterest search engine is so powerful and unique that many people are preferring it to Google!

In the past two months, I’ve gotten really focused on boosting my Pinterest traffic and have gone from 90k to 1 million monthly Pinterest viewers!

I’m going to share with you my top 10 best tips for growing your Pinterest - without using group boards.

In the past, posting to lots of group boards was a big part of people’s Pinterest growth, but I never got into it, because I didn’t enjoy having ultra-active boards with other’s random pins cluttering up my feed or Pinterest profile.

This year, Pinterest has made some BIG changes, including announcing that pins to group boards are getting de-prioritized in their newsfeed and that they are giving more focus on your pins that you post to your own on-topic boards.

I’m thrilled about this, because group boards are not my thing. Earlier this year, I was researching Pinterest strategies and one Power Pinner’s recommendation was to join at least 50 to 100 group boards and post to them all the time. I just don’t have time for that, as a busy homeschooling mom and entrepreneur.

Pinterest best practices are changing, and now is a great time to update your account, see what’s happening on Pinterest, and learn how you can use this amazingly inspiring website to help people searching for information to find your posts and Pins.

It’s absolutely the best source of website traffic today, and it’s a lot of fun, especially if you enjoy browsing for interesting articles related to your life passions and business.

If you’re busy like me, and you want effective ways to grow your Pinterest traffic organically, without joining a gazillion group boards, keep reading to check out my tips in the list below.

September 26, 2018 - 1 Million Monthly Viewers on Pinterest for the 1st Time!

Here’s the proof! I was so excited to see the 1 million monthly viewers on my Pinterest today, and had to take a screenshot to commemorate this milestone! Whoohoo!

I’m celebrating this moment, because numbers go up and down, and this exciting peak may be just short-lived due to my currently viral Pins - but how awesome to see this right now!

Now, this does not mean that I have 1 million followers, nor does it mean that I’ve had a million hits to my website - this is the monthly viewers number that shows how many people your pins are reaching total on Pinterest in the past 30 days.

I’m excited about this number going up, because it also means that my monthly traffic to my website from Pinterest has grown dramatically!

In one month, Pinterest has grown to refer 15% of all my website traffic this month, up from 5% last month, which it had consistently been hovering around for years.

[Update 1/19: My Pinterest monthly viewers has now settled down to close to 300k per month, but my website traffic from Pinterest has continued to increase now bringing in consistently about 40-50% of all of my traffic. This is due to other pins that did not directly link to my own site not getting as many hits, while my personal blog links keep getting MORE traffic from Pinterest! Even better!]

Which really is exciting because Pins can stay active for months, and even years.

So all this new activity can bring ongoing new website viewers for months to come.

Your monthly viewers is a number that Pinterest shows on business accounts, that is visible to people viewing your profile.

It’s the number of people who see your Pins on Pinterest in that month, as well as the number of people who see any Pin that leads to your website, even when created by other people and posted on their boards.

That’s one of the reasons why having a business account is essential for small businesses and bloggers to do on Pinterest.

It allows you to claim your website, and then get analytics and data for any content on Pinterest that leads to your website. And it’s totally free to upgrade your personal account, and get additional features including analytics, ads, and featured boards.

Honestly, at the beginning of this year, my involvement with Pinterest was minimal, though I’ve had a Pinterest account for years. I was just popping in about once or twice a month to add new blog pins, and look up recipes.

I tried to always add a vertical image to my blog posts, and would Pin most of my blogs to Pinterest, though not always, and I wasn’t necessarily creating my own image pins like I do now.

However, I consistently was noticing over the past year or two that my website traffic from Pinterest has stayed steady, bringing lots of new visitors from old posts shared on Pinterest.

I also noticed that the posts that were bringing in traffic from Pinterest were also ranking higher on Google searches and bringing in more traffic that way too.

I wondered about the connection and decided that Pinterest was a valuable source of website traffic that I should focus more on, because without even focusing on it, it was bringing in better results than other social media sites that I was putting a lot of time into, and Pinterest engagement boosts Google Rank.

Over the past year, the average monthly viewers on my Pinterest account had been around 50,000, and it was bringing in about 4% of my monthly website traffic.

At the end of July, I looked at my Pinterest and saw that it had organically grown to 90k monthly viewers. This was when I decided to start focusing on harnessing the potential of Pinterest, and see what actually putting some effort and strategy into my pinning could do.

Here I took a screenshot in early August when it was at 98k, just after I started investing in daily Pinterest practices, and you can see it’s right before I gained massive momentum into September.

This is when I really started focusing on daily Pinterest practices to boost my blog posts and website traffic, and am so excited that the momentum is growing!

I was so thrilled when my Pinterest account grew this past month to over 100k, then over 500k, and then to 965k!

Within the past two months of putting into this practice, I’m so excited to have now reached 1 million monthly viewers on Pinterest for the first time! Whoohoo!!!



There are specific things that I am doing to grow my Pinterest account and get more of my blogs and images shared.

I’ve been busy doing research, trying out different methods, and finding what works for me.

The exciting thing is that Pinterest has so much potential for creative entrepreneurs and wellness professionals, as well as all kinds of small business owners and bloggers, to share your gifts and skills.

Pinterest is a place that people go to learn how to do stuff, and be inspired by what to make, eat, buy, or do.

If you want to share information with people online today - you have to seriously think about how Pinterest can help you.

I’ve had several people asking about what I’m doing on Pinterest, and what I recommend to get started with growing on Pinterest.

Here’s my essential tips for the best practices to grow your website traffic with Pinterest today.

PIN THIS:

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

Top 10 Pinterest tips: #1: Have a Business AccountTo get the full benefit from what Pinterest has to offer for small businesses, bloggers, and website owners, it’s essential to have a business account.

You can upgrade your personal Pinterest account to a business account for free.

This allows you to claim your website, set featured boards, have access to helpful analytics to know what’s performing best on Pinterest for you, plus be able to do promoted Pins.

2: Use The Showcase & Dynamic Cover to Feature Your Top Brand BoardsAt the top of your Pinterest business profile you can set 5 boards of your choice to be featured in the Showcase.

I highly recommend having these 5 featured boards be specific topics that cover the main focus of your business and blog, and post to them frequently.

You also can choose which of your boards to feature in the new dynamic cover image, which shows at the top of your account the recent Pins from the board of your choice or from what you’ve been posting.

I highly recommend having a board that is exclusively all your own Pins that you’ve created for your blog posts and website pages, and to set that board to show as your dynamic cover image.

3: Enable Rich PinsOnce you’ve set up your business account, and claimed your website with Pinterest, then make sure you’ve enabled Rich Pins.

There are four different kinds of Rich Pins: products, recipes, articles, and apps. Depending on what kind of business you focus on, you may want different types of Rich Pins.

I have Article Rich Pins enabled, which means that when my blog posts are shared on Pinterest, they automatically appear with a headline, author, and description added.

This is absolutely important for increasing the click-throughs and saves on your blog posts!

I can tell you that from looking at my Pinterest analytics I can see that ALL of my top ten best performing Pins from my website are all Rich Pins.

It makes a big difference and will help your blog posts to look just like the Pins from big magazines online, giving your Pins a more professional appearance, and increasing your trust-factor.

Find out more about how to enable Rich Pins here.

4: Create High-Quality Vertical PinsCreate lots of beautiful unique Pins for your blog posts and web pages.

Pin them to your boards with the most specific related topic first, then re-pin them to all other boards with fitting topics over the next few days.

You can create up to 5 unique Pins per blog post, and post your Pins to at least 5 different boards to position them for best potential reach.

Check out my previous post and video on how to create beautiful graphic design images for your blog posts here: How to Create Pinterest Images with Canva

5: Research Long Tail Keywords in Pinterest SearchThe Pinterest search bar is a GREAT place to research keywords in your main topics for blog posts, Pins, and business research.

All you need to do is starting typing into the Search bar what you are looking for, and Pinterest will show you additional suggested words for what other people are looking for.

You can use this search feature to study the keywords that Pinterest is suggesting, and you can use this to discover the specific 4 to 6 word long tail search terms that people are using to find what you are sharing.

Use these specific long tail keywords everywhere on Pinterest: in your bio, your board descriptions, and in the description of every pin, as well as the title and subtitles of your blog posts.

Using the description area of Pins to write about what the topic is about, and including keywords, will teach Pinterest what the Pin is about, and help them to show it to more interested people, boosting your reach.

Tip: 70% of searches online are for long tail keywords with 4 to 6 specific words used.

Find out what people in your niche are looking for and use the various keywords in your titles and copy.

6: Schedule Pins with TailwindTailwind is the most amazing app for growing your Pinterest organically today!!!

I am loving Tailwind, because I can schedule tons of Pins to post throughout each day, without having to be on Pinterest.

Tailwind will create a Smart Schedule of optimized times for you to automatically post scheduled pins to Pinterest with, and you can adjust it and add as many times as you want, depending on your plan.

I am currently scheduling about 15 to 20 Pins a day through Tailwind, and I know people who schedule 50 to 70 Pins per day with them.

Tailwind is also an awesome source of analytics and insights to boost your Pinterest.

I love being able to see through Pinterest all the Pins that people are posting from my domain, and their stats. This is so valuable!

If you are wanting to increase your Pinterest reach, which I highly recommend since it’s the best source of website traffic today, than I highly recommend Tailwind.

Pinterest loves when people post regularly. It’s not as effective to hop on once a week for and go on a pinning spree, than to have posts pinned regularly each day. They are able to understand that you are an active user when you consistently are pinning each day, and will boost your reach accordingly.

You can try out Tailwind for FREE and schedule up to 100 Pins before having to upgrade and purchase a plan.

Plus you are not limited by time, you can use up your 100 free Pins in a week or months, while you get to see what Tailwind is all about.

Get 100 Free Scheduled Pins:

Sign Up For a Free Trial of Tailwind Here

7: Join Tailwind Tribes & Power UpOne of my the BEST things about Tailwind is the Tailwind Tribes feature.

In Tailwind Tribes, you can share your blog pins to a private group of other Pinterest bloggers based on topics, and find other pins that you want to share from quality Pinners.

The Tribes feature can get your blog posts pinned by many other Power Pinners dramatically increasing your monthly Pinterest views and re-pins.

This is an AMAZING way to get your new blog posts out to a wide audience right away through other active Pinterest users!

With your Free Trial of Tailwind, you can also join 5 Tribes and share 30 Pins to Tribes for free.

I quickly realized how incredible this feature was, and upgraded to a Tailwind Plus account for unlimited scheduled Pins and got the PowerUp to be able to join an unlimited number of Tribes.

Get Your Free Trial of Tailwind and Try Tribes Today:

Free Trial of Tailwind for Pinterest Scheduling and Tribes

I’m really enjoying using Tailwind to boost my Pinterest reach and it’s been a big part of helping me to grow to 1 million monthly viewers. These are my personal results, but Tailwind also publishes the Typical Results of Tailwind for Pinterest Members every year, so you can see exactly what the average growth rate looks like for their members.

8: Daily Manual PinningI make sure to pin manually on Pinterest every day.

Daily manual pinning means logging directly into Pinterest on the computer or phone app, and browsing and pinning from my feed, or search.

Pinterest is still a social media site, even though they are more of a search engine now, but they like and reward SOCIAL behaviors, particularly being an active user on their website.

It’s also great to manually pin, because it gives you an opportunity to check in and see what Pinterest is promoting to you. You can use this as research time to see: what’s trending, what’s popular, follow new interesting accounts, and get inspired.

I try to do these four things regularly:

• Scroll through my Pinterest News Feed to see what they are promoting to me.
• Scroll through my Followers feed to see what the people I follow are sharing.
• Click on the Search Bar, and scroll down to see what “Ideas for You” that Pinterest suggests.
• Click on the Search Bar, and scroll down to see what “Trending Ideas” are popular on Pinterest right now.

While it’s easy to schedule all your Pins through Tailwind, I focus on using Tailwind to schedule the Pins that I am sharing from other Tailwind Tribe members, and to schedule my blog Pins to post to a number of my own boards with an interval, so I’m not adding one pin to 8 boards all at once.

9: Add a Full Description To Each Pin with KeywordsI know I already mentioned keywords, but seriously this is KEY!

The most important place to add your keywords is in the description of every Pin.

Don’t just save a pin with a photo and no text!

Pinterest gives you lots of room to write sentences about your pin, use that space to describe in rich detail what you Pin is about using a variety of long-tail keywords that I talked about finding in tip #5.

If you are sharing other people’s pins, before you re-pin them you can edit and add to the Pin description as well.

The description of your pins, and their placement in related boards on Pinterest, makes a massive impact in how that Pin gets found online.

Pinterest is also prioritizing hashtags more. So go ahead and add 5 hashtags to each pin as well.

10: Re-Pin Quality PinsIt’s important to make sure that you only re-pin quality pins that lead to active links that are what the pin says it is.

Always click through on the Pin to the website to check that the source of the pin is legit, and not just a stolen viral pin with a random sales pages attached to it, or a link that has been reported for spam.

If you share pretty pictures without realizing that they are attached to bad links, and Pinterest notices that several of your posts are dead links or spam, that can cause all of your Pins to get less priority in the news feed.

Your followers will want to follow you, because of the fact that you consistently share high-quality Pins with active links to helpful sites and blog posts.

It’s also important to make sure that if you re-pin something, that the person who originally pinned it owns the content, or has permission to share. For this reason, I never re-pin any pictures or content that come from Tumblr blogs, as they are all too often photos taken from other places without proper attribution.

Even in Tailwind Tribes, I always click and read the link and post before re-pinning anyone’s content, because even pro bloggers can make mistakes and mess up links.

Your Pinterest feed offers high value to viewers when it’s well curated with beautiful Pins that lead to high-quality content and websites.

I hope these tips have inspired you and help guide you to activate your Pinterest account and share your blog posts and helpful articles with more of people today!

Remember, the important thing is not your monthly viewers, it’s are you effectively getting your content seen and found by the right people who are your ideal customers and clientele.

Pinterest is an incredible source for quality website traffic referrals today, and I highly recommend taking it seriously - while also having fun with it!

And, come on over and follow me on Pinterest:

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I love supporting conscious entrepreneurs to grow their online businesses and reach for people - and becoming Google savvy is a key way to achieve online success!

Google offers several free online tools for researching keywords, which are vital to know to write blog titles, book titles, program names, and web copy that gets your information and offerings found online by the people who are looking for what are wanting share.

I know how important this is to include smart keyword choices in your titles and descriptions, because I've seen big increases in old blog posts that I've gone and renamed to be more specific to what it's about, rather than cute or vague descriptive titles.

I've created a short video tutorial to show you three ways to use Google to do free keyword research for increasing the SEO (search engine optimization) of the content that you're creating online.

You are going to learn about how to use three Google tools for researching keywords.

Get ideas for how to combine popular and niche keywords to create compelling titles and topics for blogs, books, and business.

Discover why you want to find out what subjects are increasing in popularity, then find the subtopics in the popular search terms that have not been oversaturated with online content yet, so you can get found.

Watch my video tutorial here: The 3 Google Tools I Use to Research Keywords:* Google Search * Google Trends * Google Keyword Planner

I hope this helps give you some great ideas for researching niche keywords in your field and topics.

Be sure to organically integrate a variety of specific keywords related to your topics in your blog post titles, headlines, product names, and copywriting.

May you grow your reach and help more people to find your information, support, and offerings!

All the best,
Kara

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Pinterest is a powerful tool for online businesses and bloggers to get your content and links shared.

I've got a free video tutorial for you today to learn a basic template of how to create images for your blog that are perfect for Pinterest with ease.

In my previous blog post, I wrote about how a smart Pinterest strategy can increase your website's Google ranking.

The most important factor is having your website's links, pages, products, and blog posts be shared and pinned on Pinterest is to have good graphic images available to be Pinned.

Recently, I realized that without a lot of effort my Pinterest was reaching over 90k monthly viewers, and was bringing a lot of traffic to older blog posts.

Plus those same blog posts with a lot of Pinterest traffic were ranking well on Google, bringing in even more new visitors to my website.

So, I started to consciously focus on my Pinterest strategy, including creating images that really stand out in the feed, plus updating older blog posts with more Pinterestable graphics.

Within a month of more deliberate attention on creating optimized images for Pinterest, my Pinterest monthly viewers has jumped to over 510k!

Monthly viewers can fluctuate, and a lot of that activity is for pins that I've shared of other people's content.

However, what really excites me is how this may support long-term SEO growth on Google.

Google is the #1 search engine online, which is paying a lot of attention to Pinterest these days, and both are really powerful tools for online entrepreneurs to be conscious of using wisely to share our messages and grow our businesses.

My website is seeing a significant jump in direct referrals from Google, and more of my older blog posts are ranking on the first page of Google for their topics.

I am motivated to make sure all of my blog posts going forward having images ready for Pinterest, and am excited to share exactly I how to do this in my video tutorial below.

I make my Pinterestable images using Canva, a free graphic design program online.

They also have a Pro membership, which I recently upgraded to for a minimal monthly fee because of the convenience of some of their extra features, including being able to save brand colors and fonts, have folders for organizing photos and logos, and the ease of resizing graphics.

However, I've used the free version of Canva with great success for years, and that's all you need to start making awesome Pinterest graphics for your blog and website.

In the video below, I'm personally walking you through how I make Pinterest images for my blog with Canva and show you a simple template and a few tricks for making your images stand out.

Watch my video tutorial here: How to Create Pinterest Images for Your Blog with Canva:Remember when making your graphics for your blog posts and web pages to have images that encourage your readers to save them onto Pinterest directly from your website.

Here's a recap of some of the key points mentioned in this short video...

• Use vertical images.
• Have the images be a 2:3 proportion.
• Use your own photos or paid stock images (or use a solid background color).
• Add a background for your text overlap, if needed. Go to Elements > Shapes > Square.
• Change the shape, color, and placement of the square shape to create contrast for your text to stand out from the background.
• Use fonts that are CAPITALIZED, bolded, or easy to read.
• Use keywords in your blog title, and in the text on your images.
• Be mindful of using whitespace around the text to help it stand out.

Pinterest is really amazing for blog and website traffic!

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You can build an online business that grows sustainably and consistently with a smart SEO marketing strategy.

SEO is search engine optimization, and it means that your website is set up in a way that your pages and blog posts appear high up in Google keyword searches for your specific topics.

You can dramatically increase the right traffic to your website by harnessing the power of Pinterest and Google together.

Growing your reach on Pinterest, the world's largest visual search engine, works synergistically to improve your overall Google Ranking.

Google is the number one website and search engine in the world.

Billions of people use Google every day to search for what they want to know.

If your content is seen as informative, educational, and content that people are looking for, then Google will share your website links in search engine queries, bringing tons of new interested visitors to your website.

Google brings 65% of my website traffic to my website, and is my number one most important website referral source.

I love how I get messages from people who said that specific words or ideas came into their mind (my clients often tell me that search terms came to them in meditation or dreams, which is so cool), and then they Googled these specific words and found my website on the first page of Google, leading them to become clients and community members.

This is especially important information for wellness entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs, and anyone in online business.

I've been blogging on my current website since 2013, and it's amazing how certain blog posts continue to bring thousands of new visitors to my website all the time through Google, even ones that are three or five years old.

I recently realized an interesting connection between Pinterest and Google that supports my website's SEO.

There are certain popular pins on Pinterest that bring a consistent flow of traffic to my website, often to older articles and blog posts.

While Pinterest brings in just 5% of my website traffic, I've realized that the same posts that are popular on Pinterest, are also my highest referring links from Google searches.

No one really knows exactly how Google tracks Pinterest, but since Pinterest is the most popular visual search engine, Google is definitely paying attention to what is popular on Pinterest.

If people are liking certain posts on Pinterest, then Google may decide that it's also an important link they should pay attention to, and it will increase the significance of that link in their own search engines.

That's what I believe is happening with my popular blog posts, as some of them were not highly engaged with right away when I published them, but are growing in popularity as the years go by - after their Pins gained traction on Pinterest.

Pinterest is not to be underestimated for it's power to enhance your website's SEO and help get you ranked on the first page of Google topic searches for keywords in your field of expertise.

Though Pinterest generates about 5% of all website traffic today, I believe that the more engagement you have on Pinterest, the more Google ALSO increases your website's importance, leading to 13x more targeted referrals to your site online.

There are multiple areas of influence that support your Pinterest ranking.

First, you want to have your own Pinterest page for your business.

If you already have a personal Pinterest page, turn it into a business account, or if you have a very specific niche, than create a new Pinterest page for your business.

Then be sure to verify your main website domain in your Pinterest account, so Pinterest can track all the people who are saving posts directly from your website.

This is key right here...

Make it easy for people to save your blogs and web pages directly to Pinterest themselves from your website!

Be sure to include beautiful vertically-oriented images in your blog posts that are optimized for Pinterest, so people can save your posts on their Pinterest boards.

I love using Canva for making my images for my blog posts, they already have a Pinterest template that makes it easy to create with, or you can customize your own image dimensions with ease.

On my vertical images, I use photos with a text overlay of the headline, plus maybe another one or two with specific keyword rich titles to increase potential Pinterest shares.

I can't tell you how many times I've read an article online and wanted to save the blog on Pinterest, but there were no vertical photos, or any images at all in the post.

Notice that I included a couple vertical images perfect for saving on Pinterest in this very post. Please feel free to Pin them!

Make your website Pinterestable!

This is huge, even if you are not active on Pinterest (there have been times I didn't log in or pin anything on Pinterest for a month at a time), you can still generate LOTS of Pinterest referrals from your visitors creating new Pins.

Every time someone saves a Pin directly from your website it creates a new online link to your website.

If you save your blog image to your Pinterest, then go back and share it to different boards over the next few days or weeks, it will always have the same source link.

However, when other Pinners save directly from your website to their boards, it creates new online links, thus creating more potential opportunities for that Pin to be found and saved on Pinterest, and creating more back-links to your site.

You can enable the Pin it button to appear on your images on your website when someone scrolls over them. This is very helpful for increasing engagement and Pins.

I highly recommend you have Pin It buttons active on your website - at least for your blog posts as those are the most shared content links on Pinterest!

It's so important to analyze your website statistics and search engine traffic to understand how to optimize your blog posts and SEO traffic.

Then you can apply your research to enhance your SEO, traffic, and website reach for years to come through amplifying your presence on the biggest search engines today: Google and Pinterest.

Make sure that you are going back regularly to examine your Google Analytics and Pinterest statistics to see what people are most engaged with. You can learn SO much from this!

If I was going to do something different over the last several years of growing my online business, it would be to blog more, make more Pinterestable images for my blog posts, and to have been more active on Pinterest.

I've invested a lot of time and energy over the years into various social media channels, and while Facebook is still the number one biggest social media referral for my website, Pinterest is the close second by just 1%.

The difference is that Facebook can bring in traffic to new and viral content being shared, but the traffic is not sustainable or ongoing without consistent energy input into the social media site.

However, I've had posts go viral on Facebook reaching 70k to 300k people, and while that's totally awesome, those posts eventually stop bringing high traffic once time passes, and these posts are not necessarily the ones currently bringing the most traffic to my site via Google searches today.

Yet, the posts on Pinterest that bring the most referrals to my site are ongoing for years and years, and it's the content that is popular on Pinterest that is also the posts that have increased SEO ranking on Google - which if you recall is 65% of my total traffic!

You can increase your Pinterest rank by being engaged on the platform, as Pinterest loves when people are active users.

So be sure to actively Pin your own content on your Pinterest boards, as well as sharing other people's content.

While Pinterest is a visual search engine, it's also a social network, so Pinterest LOVES when you are social and share other people's content.

All shares on your Pinterest profile, whether from your own content Pins or other's content, increases your Pinterest profile's engagement and importance, which then means that Pinterest (and Google!) give more value to ALL of your posts.

Hear more about how to create sustainable ongoing traffic to your online business through the synergy of Pinterest and Google in my video here...

Watch NOW: Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

Pinterest is a platform that you can post frequently on.

The more posts a day the better. I would recommend posting at least 12 pins a day, and up to 50.

It's easiest to post everyday when you use a Pinterest approved scheduler, such as Tailwind.

You can start with a free trial, and it's also an awesome platform to learn more about your Pinterest analytics, what pins and boards are performing best, and what your the best times to post are.

I use Tailwind to easily schedule Pins to multiple boards, and to create intervals between the same Pin being reposted.

Another great feature of Tailwind is the opportunity to join their Tribes, where you can network with other bloggers and Pinners in similar niches based on topics, and share Pins to the tribe for others to Pin, and a great place to source other content to re-pin in your topic as well.

In addition to scheduling posts via Tailwind, I also am sure to pop into Pinterest regularly to manually add new content and to re-pins other popular images. Being active and personally pinning and interacting on the site directly seems to help increase engagement.

You can start with a free trial of Tailwind, which gives you ability to schedule 100 Pins a month, 30 Instagram posts a month, and join 5 Tribes for free to share 30 Pins. If you like it you can upgrade to their Plus plan, which I use, and gives you unlimited scheduled Pins and more.

Try Tailwind for free here.

Always make sure whatever you Pin or re-Pin goes to a quality link!

Do not re-Pin other people's content without clicking through to see that it's a legit link. Make sure any Pins on your boards are going to active links. You don't want to have Pins that Pinterest blocks because they detect that they are spam.

I hope this inspires you to create a plan of action to harness the power of Pinterest to help take your online business or blog to the next level, and support you to have increased SEO traffic and Google rank for years to come!

A lot of people I talk to and work with are confused by Pinterest and disregard it for their business - so there's still massive opportunity for growth on this platform right now, as it's not totally saturated yet.

It's essential to approach Pinterest from a business perspective rather than a user perspective, and focus on creating many boards with attractive content for your ideal customers, rather than getting caught up browsing the recommended Pins, which can be a confusing mix of suggested content, now that the SmartFeed is in and seeing posts from the people you follow is harder.

I hope this inspires you to get more active with Pinterest and boost your SEO!

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Breasts are amazing - they are beautiful, they nourish babies, and they have an intelligence of their own.

Breasts have so many incredible benefits for the health of humanity, the power of women, and the nurturing of the future generations.

Your breasts deserve a medal of honor - plus nurturing, pampering, and respect.

Yet, our breasts are suffering from the dangerous effects of rising environmental toxins in our food, water, air, and toiletries, degrading media, restrictive fashion, and lack of empowering health education for women.

It's vital it is that we take action and learn how to naturally care for our breasts, how our environment, diet, and lifestyle impact our health, and why breast health is more important than every before.

Thus, my intention is to share positive inspiring information to support women to love their breasts and learn about ways to naturally care for our amazing breasts.

Let's uplift breasts to the status level they deserve!

6 Amazing Things to Know About BreastsBreasts want freedom. Bras restrict the movement of lymphatic fluid through the breasts, underarm, and shoulders, thus causing toxins to build up in the breast tissue.

Underwire bras are the worst culprit, as the metal also can disrupt the energy flow through the breast area.

A recent French study has shown that women who don't wear bras actually have perkier breasts even as they age.

Exercising, dance, and rebounding without a bra also allows the body's movements to support lymphatic flow and proper drainage of the breasts.

The natural movement of the breasts as the body exercises and moves is another essential component to lymphatic health in the breasts.

Breasts need massage. There is no muscle tissue in a women's breasts, so breasts need assistance to enhance circulation through the breast.

A woman's breasts are mostly fat tissue along with milk ducts, connective tissue, nerves, and lymph glands.

Self breast massage is an important regular practice for women to support their blood and lymph circulation and reduce build-up of toxins and hormones in the fatty tissue of the breasts.

Massage your breasts daily with a natural cold-pressed vegetable oil, such as coconut, almond, or jojoba oil.

You can also add pure essential oils such as rose, jasmine, or clary sage to your massage oil base.

Gentle self massage in which you get to know what your breasts feel like, notice any changes, and use gentle lymphatic and circulatory movements to enhance health.

Breasts are hot.It has been well-documented that a woman's breasts will synchronize with her newborn baby to become the perfect temperature.

When a mother and baby are skin-to-skin postpartum, her breasts will naturally adjust their temperature to regulate the baby's body temperature optimally.

A mother of twins will have each of her breasts match the ideal temperature for each one of her twins.

A women's breasts are more reliable and efficient than any baby warmer. So breasts are totally hot - just not in the way people usually talk about.

Breastmilk has a gazillion medicinal uses. Breastmilk is pretty much the most amazing food substance available to mankind.

Mother's milk is completely unique and not possible to replicate (despite what you may have heard from the formula companies).

It actually changes minute by minute, day to day, to provide exactly the right nourishment and immunities that a baby needs as determined by the breast through receiving information from the baby's saliva on the areola.

There are over 400+ identified nutrients in human breast milk, including probiotics and an abundant source of stem cells.

The first milk that comes out is colostrum, which is rich with immune factors and is considered to be "liquid gold", and extremely important for the life-long health of the baby.

Breastmilk is also used by wise mamas for many purposes including putting on diaper rash, earaches, pink eye, sore throats, and many other healing needs.

When a women breastfeeds the breastmilk bathes her milk ducts as it passes through to her baby, thus providing increased breast health and preventing breast cancer in direct relation to how long she nurses.

Breasts are a lot like canaries. You've heard about the canary in the coal mine?

Miners would take canaries down in the mines with them, because the birds were so sensitive that if the environment was toxic the canaries would die, and then the miners would know to get out of there immediately!

Breasts are extremely sensitive, they receive information from the environment and their tissues collect toxins and hormones, like jet fuel and flame retardants.

When breastfeeding, the saliva from the baby is absorbed into the areola and the breasts then immediately respond by providing the nutrients and immune factors that the baby needs based upon the breast's incredibly sensitive receptors.

Breast cancer is now the most common form of cancer for women in the US, and it's not because breasts or our genes are the problem.

Our breasts are the canaries letting us know that our environment is toxic and we must make changes in our health, diets, exposure, and detox.

Due to the over 70,000 chemicals now used in the US over the last 100 years, we are living in a toxic soup and exposed to chemicals in our air, food, water, homes, cars, clothes, and more.

Our breasts are letting us know that we need to create a healthy change for our longevity and the future generations.

Breasts are beautiful. Your breasts are perfect for you.

All kinds of breasts are beautiful.

Breasts change in shape and size over life, and that's okay.

Some people like large breasts, others prefer small breasts, and some like medium sized.

Whatever shape or size of your boobs is just right.

Love your breasts!

They are amazing!

In Mongolia, when a baby fusses, everyone lifts up their shirt and shakes their breasts for the baby, and the baby calms down and looks around amazed. Everyone laughs and smiles shaking their boobs, including mom, grandma, and grandpa too!

Many blessings,

Kara

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Did you know your vagina is AMAZING!

Vaginas are underestimated.

Empowering vaginal health and wellness is essential for the whole health of women.

The vagina is the female genital organ inside the female body from the cervix to the vulva.

The vulva is the external visible parts of the female genitals which include the labia majora and labia minor, which are visible on the outside.

However, I'm going to refer to both the vagina and the vulva together since they are so interconnected.

Women are not made of separate parts just stuck together. Your body is an integrated unified being, and your vagina is the doorway to whole body pleasure.

1. Vaginas Are Like Fingerprints.Each vagina is different and uniquely you.

Like your fingerprint, it is your body's individual design and not like anyone else's.

There is no standard issue model and there is no "normal" vagina.

Your vagina is beautiful just the way it is.

Unfortunately, a lot of women don't even know what a healthy normal vagina or vulva looks like, so they are fearful that they might be different.

Female genital plastic surgery is now a lucrative growing business in the US and beyond, with cosmetic surgeons heavily marketing to women to "improve appearance".

There has been no long term studies done on the effects of female genital plastic surgery and the reduction of the labia and vagina results in a significant loss of pleasure receptors as well as potentially causing scarring, infection, pain, excessive tightness necessitating physical therapy, and other complications.

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology published a report in 2007 warning that most female genital cosmetic surgery was not ethical, acceptable, standardized or medically warranted.

Your body is designed the way it is for to support you to have outstanding orgasms, health, and protection of your lady parts.

Getting to know your vulva and vagina will help you to love and appreciate the incredible female body you are blessed with.

Your vagina and vulva are perfect just the way they are!

1. The Vagina is Connected to the BrainNaomi Wolf writes in her book "Vagina: A New Biography" that the vagina is deeply interconnected with the brain through the complex female pelvic neural network.

This means that for a woman to become aroused, she must be mentally turned on and excited, and orgasms can be a whole body experience.

This involves the activation of the autonomic nervous system through deep relaxation and sensual touch which allows a woman to enter into ecstatic states of consciousness that precedes and facilitates the experience of orgasm.

Foreplay is essential for women, because lovemaking and arousal are not as simple a physiological response as it is for men, who have much less complex pelvic neural networks.

Women need to be slowly relaxed and eased into opening to orgasm through their whole beings - body, mind, and spirit.

The deeper the relaxation and trust, the more incredible the orgasms become!

1. Women are Multi-OrgasmicIt's amazing blessing that women are able to experience multiple orgasms.

The ability for women to be multi-orgasmic allows us to access deepening levels of pleasure, sensations, expanded consciousness and connection.

While men can learn to control their lovemaking to also experience multiple orgasms it is harder for them to do so.

However, many women are unable to orgasm, or have yet to experience an orgasm, let alone multiple orgasms.

I once attended a women's circle on the subject of sexuality with over 20 women of all ages from mid-twenties to mid-eighties sharing about their feelings and experiences of sexuality, orgasms, and relationships.

Many older women in the circle reported not knowing what a real orgasm was until they were in their forties or even sixties!

Know that this is learnable, and through emotional release work, the calming of the nervous system, healing of past traumas, and growing intimacy, many blocks that may be preventing the nervous system from truly relaxing deep enough into the experience can be released and new sexual experiences are possible - at any age.

Additionally, most women do not orgasm from vaginal intercourse alone and need clitoral stimulation to climax.

Getting creative through erotic touch can open the gateway to higher levels of pleasure.

Orgams are fabulous for health providing many physiological advantages from reducing stress and supporting restful sleep, to soothing menstrual cramping and headaches.

1. The Clitoris is HugeWhen most people think of the clitoris, what they think of is just the tip of the iceberg.

The tips or glans protrudes above the vaginal opening, offering a key spot for sensual stimulation.

However, their are over 8000 nerves of the clitoris which extend throughout the tissue beneath the surface, inside the vagina and through the vulva and perineum.

There are more nerve endings in the clitoris than in any other part of a human body, including the penis, which only has 4000 nerves in contrast.

It is an organ specially designed for incredible pleasure!

The clitoris actually has 18 different interconnected parts that work together to facilitate pleasure and orgasm, including the labia minora, the G-spot, the tip, the shaft and more.

Author Rebecca Chalker wrote a wonderful book called "The Clitoral Truth" which elaborates on the true extent of the clitoris and it's pleasure receptors.

Through learning about the anatomy of the clitoris, women can learn enhance their sensations of pleasure and understanding of our bodies.

1. Vaginas are FlexibleI remember in junior high, having a female friend mention that she couldn't figure out how to fit a tampon in her vagina, let alone imagine how it could ever someday fit a penis.

In the same fashion, many women wonder how it's possible for a baby to actually exit their body through the birth process.

Truthfully, women's bodies are AMAZING and the vagina can actually expand quite extensively when relaxed and the hormonal orchestra is right, such as during arousal or childbirth.

Ina May Gaskin, considered the grandmother of modern midwifery, writes in her book "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth" how when a women is relaxed in natural childbirth, the vagina and vulva can open rapidly and easily.

She shares a story of one woman who she witnessed give birth, who's yoni opened really WIDE and quickly during pushing for the baby to be born, and later reported that she silently repeated to herself the mantra "I'm gonna get HUGE!" during childbirth - and she did so as to easily and quickly birth her baby.

Thanks to this story, at the moments before I gave birth to my second child at home, my husband shouted out to me: "Your getting HUGE!" He thought that would help. Dads, I don't recommend that, but I do find it quite hilarious now.

Unfortunately many women are told in pregnancy that they are too small to give birth vaginally, and are coerced into c-sections.

This is just not true, as women's bodies expand during childbirth and it's not possible to look at a women's vagina and say whether or not she is capable of birthing her baby vaginally or not before hand.

During the time of labor and birth, the main issue preventing women from birthing vaginally is stress.

Imagine if you had to take a poop and there were 5 people in the bathroom telling you to push, push, push.

I know many people who cannot go to the bathroom away from home, because they need that total relaxation and privacy, and public bathrooms with other people in the adjacent stalls cause tension and discomfort.

It's similar for birth because we need to relax deeply and have privacy to open up so vulnerably.

In my first labor, I sequestered myself in the bathroom during labor and that's when I relaxed enough to let my baby descend and begin pushing.

Thanks to having good support, relaxation and privacy during labor, I have ecstatically birthed two big babies naturally at home, 8 lbs and 9 lbs, with no tears and quick healing.

Vaginas are not ever just one size.

The inner lining folds in upon itself, collapsing the internal space, only to expand with relaxation, arousal and lubrication.

This incredible ability of the vagina to expand when needed seems to continue to boggle the minds of mothers to be and doctors.

1. Vaginas are StrongIt may be soft and hidden away inside out bodies, but our vaginas are powerful and strong.

Better and more frequent orgasms, an improved sex life, and prevention of back pain are all results of optimal pelvic floor strength.

Kegel exercises are a popularized technique to strengthen the pelvic floor, but can actually cause worsening of problems due to not addressing all the muscle groups that are involved in pelvic health, including the glutes, and actually causing over-tightening of the pelvic floor.

Katy Bowman, a biomechanist who teaches functional movement, recommends that women squat daily to strengthen the gluteal muscles and improve pelvic floor tensility, support and strength.

Deep squats with the heels and feet flat on the floor and toes facing forward several times a day is the most effective way to incorporate daily movement that enhances pelvic floor health, vaginal lengthening, flexibility and most importantly postural and pelvic alignment.

Vaginas truly are awesome.

Love yourself the way you are, appreciate your body for the gifts of pleasure and life that it provides you.

Let's all honor and respect women's bodies together!

Many blessings,
Kara

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Raise your voice, speak your message, share your truth - just not on Facebook, Instagram or corporate platforms.

To all the change-makers, visionaries, activists, and leaders of the new paradigm - PLEASE CREATE YOUR OWN WEBSITE!

You need your own website, you need a blog, and a place to safely write and host your own podcast, videos and more.

THEN you absolutely can and should share the links to your posts, voice, message, and words that you share and PUBLISH on the site you OWN, through social media.

DO share your blog and site links to Facebook, Instagram and across all social media.

Just don't depend on them to keep it up or host your carefully crafted words and work you just invested all your time into.

This way you cannot be censored by Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or anywhere else.

This way people can share your link and it will bring people back to your own site.

This way if a post on a social media site gets deleted or removed, you will not lose all your work and effort.

Do not depend on any corporate owned social media site that you use for FREE to host your change-making, truth-telling, new paradigm message.

Social media is an amazing way for us to connect, and you can repost your blogs on here to be shared as well as the link, but a homebase that you own is essential.

Social media is free corporate controlled territory. We can't control the algorithms, posts getting removed, and social reach. We may wake up tomorrow and our favorite social media site could be gone (happened with Tribe years ago).

And posting on the next new social media site instead of Facebook isn't going to protect you.

Posts can get removed from any site, just because they haven't yet or is less likely to doesn't mean they won't.

Your website is your own virtual real estate.

Honestly your website can be hacked or can come down too. So it's good to back-up all your writing in multiple places. But it's much more likely to stay up and safe on your OWN SITE, and there are ways to ensure that that is much less likely to happen.

I've been witnessing many women and POC being increasingly and righteously frustrated with FB and IG silencing your words, and turning instead to other platforms like Patreon and Medium. I have to be honest - I don't trust those platforms either because they are not YOUR OWN.

You need your own publishing platform through your own website, and there are ways to do this very inexpensively, including have private membership areas, and more. I'd like to offer my support to help you figure out how to do this.

I am really passionate about supporting visionary women leaders and change-makers to create your own online platform and share your voice, message, and offerings through your own online platform.

If anyone wants support or advice on how to do this please contact me I'd love to offer guidance, resources and encouragement.

Remember independent publishing has always been a critical part of any powerful social revolution!

We have the power to become savvy independent publishers through the internet today.

Become independent of the corporate culture and media.

Through decentralization the web of change becomes more powerful.

Take charge of your message and own your power!

This is why I am so passionate about women becoming entrepreneurs, creating websites, and having personal authority so that we are not silenced, hidden or dismissed.

So please do share your message, raise your voice, and speak your truth on your own website - THEN copy, paste and share to social media!

Many blessings,
Kara

P.S. Another reason why to publish your words on your blog is that you will get traffic to your blog for YEARS from a post there.

For example, I get MORE traffic to my blog from Pinterest than Facebook, and I get massive traffic to blog posts from Pinterest that I published years ago - even though I only have a fraction of the followers on Pinterest that I do on Facebook.

Google and the other search engines are where I get the majority of links to my site from, plus direct links and from people sharing my content in private groups, forums, and interest sites across the web.

Posts on Facebook become irrelevant and hard to find very quickly. Posts on personal Facebook pages do not get searched through search engines.

Posts on your blog can gain traffic and visitors for YEARS.

Some of the most trafficked pages on my website are blog posts I wrote 1, 2, and 4 years ago!!! They still get traffic and thus they come up high on search engines.

Our words have more power and longer lives on our own sites.

Many blessings,

Kara

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Parenting is one of the most challenging and inspiring jobs on the planet. Raising conscious children today is of great importance, as the children of today are the change-makers of the future.

They carry the seeds of hope to grow up and be the creators of the healing solutions and transformation that is needed to bring peace forth in the world.

Yet modern parents know we face more obstacles, choices, and pressure than ever before, and without the level of social support that we truly need.

As a mother of 3 children, from adult to toddler, I have been navigating the realms of parenting now for over 19 years, and have kids in 3 very different stages of life.

It's been a passion of mine to study and learn about conscious birthing and parenting, and have experienced the joys and challenges of trying to implement these practices while raising kids in a culture that makes this very difficult.

Through my work as a birth and postpartum doula for over a decade, and a childbirth educator for nearly two decades, I've immersed myself in being an advocate for maternal, infant and family health and wellbeing.

There is abundant research today from the fields of epigenetics, pre- and perinatal psychology, attachment parenting, quantum physics, heart intelligence, and neuroscience showing how the way we birth and raise our children directly impacts their longterm health, emotional resiliency, psychological foundation, and our overall level of cultural violence and addiction as a result. The most vulnerable people today are the babies and children, the ones who are too young and small to speak up for themselves, to articulate how the way they are being treated is not okay, and who lack any options to get themselves in better situations.

The babies and children of today need love, protection, and respect.

Human infants are also the most helpless of all babies born to mammals, and for the longest amount of time. The advanced consciousness of human beings, and the large nature of our brains, actually puts us in the position of being born while still in an extremely defenseless state, which means that our potential consciousness is at risk of being oppressed and manipulated while still in our helpless infancy and extended childhood.

Thus it is up to conscious parents and adults today to speak up for those who cannot speak. We need to advocate for the babies, the children, and to see why many adults today are hurting and suffering because of the lack of love, support, and protection they did not receive as youth.

It's time to create changes in our culture that begin with shining light on how violence begins in pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and the early years, when babies are subject to invasive and abusive procedures in the womb and immediately upon being born, and how women are abused in childbirth by the dominant culture model that says the doctor knows best and performs procedures against a mother's will or without consent. This sets us up for a lifetime of being traumatized from hierarchical powers.

Conscious parenting is a way to change the tides of violence and start respecting children, including babies, as being fully conscious intelligent people.It's realizing that how we treat and care for children creates changes in their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual expression of self.

The study of epigenetics now demonstrates how the environmental impacts upon a being bring forth changes in the gene expression more than the genetic code itself.

This now verifies that gentle parenting supports our children to feel more love, empathy, compassion, understanding, and calm, because a positive environment creates biological and chemical changes in the brain that support health and wellbeing.

Bonding with our children is an essential role as the primary caregiver and parent, to create a strong life-long relationship of trust and love.

Listening to our children, at every age from infant to teenager, is vital to help them feel heard, attended to, recognized and cared for.

Calming ourselves is necessary, as parents we are our children's models, and our emotions are like a tuning fork, vibrating and resonating with our children.

It's of the utmost importance that we learn skills to diffuse distress, anxiety, fear, tension, trauma, and anger, and model ways of transforming our challenging emotions and coping with the stresses of life in resilient ways. I can tell you that parenting is hard work. It's the most challenging thing I've ever done, and I am not calm and cool all the time.

I cannot believe the challenges that parents have to face today, and the increasing threats and challenges that are newly occurring for today's infants, toddlers, children, youth, and teens.

This is why I believe learning conscious parenting skills is so essential and so lacking in today's world.

We are learning as we go. We are needing to do the best we can, and then support each other to do even better. It's the most important work ever to be done.

It's time to let go of what society expects and tells us we need to do as parents, and start paying attention to our children and what THEY need. Love. Hugs. Laughter. Listening. Play. Rest. Nature. Creativity. Encouragement.

It's time to refocus on what childhood is supposed to be about.

Conscious parenting is not about thousand-dollar environmentally-friendly strollers, organic onesies, and ergonomic baby-carriers - it's about being present with our children, bonding with them with loving care, protecting them from trauma, raising them with empathy, and holding them when they are crying or scared.

It's about bucking the system, and listening to our intuition to recognize what is right for them and us.

It's about re-envisioning health care, parenting plans, educational expectations, and advocating for a healthy environment and communities.

Mostly it's about tuning into our children, whatever their age, and recognizing them as conscious individuals that we are in a family partnership relationship with and listening to them, and to our guiding inner spirit, as to what this unique being really needs for them to thrive, love and live up to their best potential.

It's time to really see the world from a new perspective - the way a child sees the world, and then use our advantage as adults to advocate for the children and care for them with peace and compassion. The babies of today are the world-changers of tomorrow. Let's help them get the best start possible by listening to them and supporting them now.

Many blessings,
Kara

A Few of My Favorite Books on Conscious Parenting:

The Biology of Belief 10th Anniversary Edition: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter & Miracles

By Bruce H. Lipton Ph.D. Ph.D.

Buy on Amazon

The Continuum Concept: In Search Of Happiness Lost (Classics in Human Development)

By Jean Liedloff

Buy on Amazon

Magical Child (Plume)

By Joseph Chilton Pearce

Buy on Amazon

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk

By Adele Faber, Elaine Mazlish

Buy on Amazon

Welcoming Spirit Home: Ancient African Teachings to Celebrate Children and Community

By Sobonfu Some

Buy on Amazon

The Biology of Transcendence: A Blueprint of the Human Spirit

By Joseph Chilton Pearce

Buy on Amazon

Naturally Healthy Babies and Children: A Commonsense Guide to Herbal Remedies, Nutrition, and Health

By Aviva Jill Romm

Buy on Amazon

Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering: A Doctor's Guide to Natural Childbirth and Gentle Early Parenting Choices

By Sarah Buckley

Buy on Amazon

After the Baby's Birth: A Complete Guide for Postpartum Women

By Robin Lim

Buy on Amazon

Note: This post contains affiliate links. I only recommend products that I have personally enjoyed and found beneficial. If you purchase through my affiliate links I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, which goes to help support this website and blog. Thanks so much!

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There's something special about doughnuts.

They are ever popular in New England, and having moved back to my homestate of New Hampshire this year, I've been adoring the farm fresh apple cider doughnuts when I pick up my raw milk (so good together).

My teen son is also working at the busiest donut shop in the state, and he comes home smelling like coffee and donuts. Which makes his 6 year old younger brother hug him and go "Mmmmm, you smell so good!"

When my 6 year old came into the room wearing his chef hat and apron saying that he was ready to make donuts, I couldn't help but say yes.

That's how we baked up this recipe that is a healthier home-baked organic doughnut that my chef helper said were "The best doughnuts ever!". He especially loved the frosting, and I love that it adds extra protein.

I love being able to make up organic versions of popular treats that are healthy to enjoy, fun to make, and delicious to eat - satisfying cravings and nourishing our bodies.

These are baked, not fried, which is super easy with a donut pan, and makes baking extra fun for kids.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

Organic Maple Cinnamon DonutsPreheat over to 350 degrees F.

Grease muffin pans for 12 donuts (I use grass-fed butter and the donuts pop right out super easy and golden brown).

2 c. oats, gluten-free, ground into a fine flour

1/2 c. coconut sugar (or favorite natural sweetener)

3 T. maple syrup

1 T. baking powder

1 T. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 c. milk (favorite dairy or non-dairy)

1 egg

6 T. cashew butter, melted in bain-marie (warm water bath)

Maple Cashew Frosting6 T. cashew butter, melted in bain-marie, I like Thrive's organic raw cashew butter

2 T. coconut oil

2 T. maple syrup

Mix oat flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, spices, and salt in bowl. Mix milk, maple syrup, and egg in small bowl. Add to dry ingredients, mix, add in warm cashew butter, mix, and spoon into greased donut pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool for a few minutes, remove from pan, cool more, and then frost with maple cashew frosting.

Enjoy warm or fresh baked. Makes 12 regular sized baked donuts.

Gluten-free, protein-rich, naturally-sweetened.

Can substitute milk with any non-dairy version (coconut, almond, rice, hemp, etc) and egg with flax egg or aquafaba to make vegan.

Use organic and non-GMO ingredients for a happy belly!

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The Marvelous MicrobiomeFascinating new research has come out about the microbiome in recent years, which is the synergistic community of 100 trillion microbes that live within our bodies, and how the gut microbiome rules women's hormones and menstrual cycles.

The gut is now recognized as another brain in our body which sends signals to all the organs of our body, and our gut health directly effects our mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing.

It's absolutely amazing that even without thinking about it, the trillions of (mostly) good bacteria within our gut microbiome is working to support our health and whole body nutrition and functioning.

The microbiome actually is 10 times the amount of cells in our body than actual human cells. We are mostly our microbiome and interconnected with the natural world around and within us.

I believe that our interdependence upon the microbiome within is demonstrative of how we are so intertwined with the lifeforce of nature.

It shows just how much we are a part of our environment, and how our inner community and outer community are both vital to create balance and health.

The incredible community of bacteria within our digestive tract is absolutely essential for optimal health, immunity, digestion, mental focus, emotional wellbeing, and hormonal balancing.

The Microbiome Endocrine OrganScientists have now identified the gut microbiome as an organ all of it's own - and not only that but it's an endocrine organ, and considered the master regulator of our hormones!

In fact there is a secondary microbiome within our gut microbiome that is especially pronounced in women called the estrobolome which governs the levels of estrogen, the primary female reproductive health hormone, in our body.

Imbalance in the estrobolome causing estrogen dominance can lead to all kinds of women's hormonal challenges from PMS, to PCOS, infertility, mood swings and bloating, as well as may lead to a higher risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer.

The new research coming out about how vital our gut health and a healthy microbiome is for women's health and hormone balancing is vitally important because disruptions to our microbiome from synthetic hormones, chemicals, and artificial foods can cause systemic health challenges that can be hard to identify.

Glyphosate & Hormonal HavocGlyphosate is the #1 most common herbicide and crop desiccant used today.

It's the active ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup and is now present in 75% of our food supply and has been tested to be present in 93% of American's urine.

It's not only in GMO crops, but sprayed on most crops, as well as in public parks, apartment complexes, lawns, all non-organic grains, water supply, and finds it's way into our guts, urine, bodies, and babies.

It kills enzymes and microorganisms thus destroying the microbiome in our guts, causing disruption of our nutrient digestion, immune system, wellbeing, and mood.

Glyphosate has also been shown to kill embroyonic, umbilical and placental cells, causing challenges to fertility, and adversely effecting development of a baby during the critical primal period.

Did you know that even eating 100% organic doesn’t protect you from the negative effects of glyphosates and GMO’s?

Even if we eat organic, we're being exposed to it by living in the modern world through our environment, and cross contamination of organic foods by this pervasive weed killer.

It's important that we take conscious proactive action to reduce glyphosate and chemicals in our food supply and our environment through supporting organic farmers and companies.

Due to the reduced nutrients in our soil today, and the widespread toxic effects of synthetic chemicals in our environment, eating healthy organic food is of the most importance today for the wellbeing of ourselves and the future generations.

The best way to nourish a healthy gut microbiome is to eat a diverse array of phytonutrient and fiber-rich organic whole foods, and to reduce the amount of inflammation triggering processed and chemical-laden foods.

7 Ways to Support Healthy Hormones1: Choose Organic & GMO-Free Food2: Enjoy a Diverse Array of Whole Foods3. Take Pre- and Probiotics4. Eat Lots of High-Fiber Vegetables & Fruits5. Eat Healthy Fats6. Drink Your Green Superfoods Daily7. Use Non-Toxic Body Care, Cosmetics, Scents, and Cleaning ProductsAdding microbiome nourishing superfoods to your phytonutrient-rich whole foods organic diet with plenty of probiotics, fiber, and healthy fats is a powerful way to supercharge your gut for wellness.

Nourish your microbiome and feel your energy flourish!

If you are wanting to balance your hormones, giving extra loving care to the gut microbiome will create positive changes for your body, cycles, skin, and mood.

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Imagine a world in which all women were healthy...

What if females didn't feel shame, guilt, or fear about being a girl or a woman?

What if women had complete freedom to express their sexuality as they desire with complete control of their fertility without pharmaceuticals or surgery?

What if women all had the knowledge, choices, and confidence to stay healthy and care for their wombs, breasts, cycles, and hormones with joy, love and respect?

What if all women were able to reach orgasmic states of pleasure that were encompassing their body, mind, heart, and spirit with pure ecstatic bliss?

And what if women were all able to channel that ecstatic bliss energy into conscious, confident, and optimal wellbeing in every aspect of their life, relationships, and work?

Awaken and empower your full sexual energy, transform your life, and change the world.

Do you want to support women today to stop the cycle of wasting so much energy on physical, emotional, and mental challenges relating to navigating being in a female body?

Would you like to empower women's wellness through teaching, coaching, and sharing holistic sensual self-care education on natural choices to bring balance, happiness and pleasure back into more women's lives?

Are you ready to channel your vibrant radiant sensual health and energy into bettering your relationships, health, and work in the world?

Do you crave a deep sense of purpose, path and power in your life, and the support to help you confidently manifest your dreams with flow and ease?

Would you like to free up your sexual energy to create a life filled with ecstasy, bliss, love, joy, pleasure and confidence?

Sexual energy is the energy of health.

Healthy people have the energy, vitality and enthusiasm to make changes and create the momentum for transformation.

If we want to succeed at bringing wellness, peace, prosperity, and healing to all people and nature around us, we need to support ourselves and our communities to become enlivened, strong, resilient, and empowered with natural health wisdom and knowledge.

Women today have so many choices and struggles throughout our lives with balancing our health and wellbeing, through the many transformational stages of our sexual lives.

How much time have you spent in your life feeling depleted from hormonal imbalances and changes, including premenstrual issues?

How often have you worried about your fertility, whether you are wanting to avoid pregnancy, trying to conceive, or dealing with fertility and pregnancy issues?

So many women struggle today with health issues related to chemical and surgical intervention in our natural cycles, as well as increased pollution and toxicity of our environments, food, water, and air.

In the US, c-sections are the #1 most common surgery performed on women.

Hysterectomy is the 2nd most common surgery.

By age 60 more than 1/3 of US women have had their uterus surgically removed.

More than 2/3 of teenage girls are on hormonal birth control pills, made by the same companies that are making herbicides and toxic chemicals that are destroying our environments, contaminating our food, water and air, and causing breast cancer, infertility, and hormonal problems.

The uterus is the center of a women's body, the prime organ that creates life and represents the feminine sexual power of creation, and it's the most controlled and colonized organ in the human body.

Imagine if more women knew how to naturally support their cycles to reduce uncomfortable symptoms, balance their hormones naturally, feel confident in preventing or planning pregnancy without corporate takeover of our wombs.

Envision women fully able to feel sensual and confident in their bodies, reach full heights of orgasmic pleasure and naturally vivacious libidos, and able to share that solely with whom they choose in safe and consensual relationships.

See those women feeling comfortable being a woman in the world, speaking their truths, and rising up with that energy to create movements, business, and projects to bring more energy for health, happiness, and conscious relationships into our lives and world.

As more people connect with natural ways to support our naturally healthy bodies, then more individuals and communities will work together to protect the sacred land, plants, water, air, and earth that we are so intimately connected to and dependent upon for the water we drink each day, and the food that nourishes and sustains us.

Empowering women's health and natural wellness is the key to creating a wave of women earth healers around the world who will work to advocate and protect our natural resources - the gifts of nature that provide for our wellbeing.

We can do this because more women today are dissatisfied with the status quo and are reclaiming natural ways to find solutions that don't depend upon corporations, institutions, and governments - and their political intentions.

Natural wellness is booming worldwide, with the US leading the way, and women are leading the way in supporting alternative medicine, healthy foods and nutrition, and mind-body-spirit wellness.

Women also make 80% of the health care decisions today for their family, which is extremely influential in a $3.7 trillion global wellness market.

Empowering more women today with natural health and holistic sexual education and resources is essential for creating ripples of transformation through the world on every level.

Women are influential, and when we channel our energy in empowered ways, we not only change our own lives, we change the lives of others.

Many Blessings,

Kara

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Healthy living is the world's best trending movement.

This spring I drove across the United States from the Pacific Northwest all the way to New England - the long way via the California Coast, Texas, and up through the Southeast - everywhere I went I found healthy food, yoga studios, and new businesses and events popping up celebrating healthy living.

I ran into pop-up yoga classes in the park in Oklahoma, organic food stores in small towns in Texas, amazing coops in Kentucky, and new juice bars in almost every city.

I met massage therapists, doulas, essential oil enthusiasts, martial artists, herbalists, chiropractors, and energy healers from the West to East Coasts.

It wasn't this way before. I remember when I moved away from my home state of New Hampshire 20 years ago and organic food was something most people didn't know about, and I had to drive far and wide to get it, and there was only one yoga class at a local community center.

Moving to the West Coast in the '90's felt like a whole new world of abundant organic food choices and healing arts practitioners, and was a great place to expand, learn, begin, and grow my work as a wellness entrepreneur.

Now I've returned to the city I grew up in to find multiple grocery stores to shop for organic and healthy foods, an abundance of yoga studios, holistic centers, and movement studios offering everything from aerial yoga to Reiki to parkour.

There's farm-to-table restaurants, cafes with smoothies and bowls galore, and a farmer's market in the downtown. The healthy living movement has expanded everywhere and most rapidly in the past 10 years.

I've driven across the USA now 7 times in the past 20 years, and it's easier than ever before to find holistic options across the country.

Now I'll cruise through a small town in the middle of the country and call out signs for holistic businesses as I see them: "Tai Chi! Yoga! Smoothies! Organic Coffee! Brazilian Jiu Jitsu! Underwater Massage!"

No longer do I carry a tattered copy of the Tofu Tollbooth (a fun, yet outdated, book from the 90's) on my roadtrips to find the few and far between health food stores. Now my smart phone gives me exact directions to an abundance of options for natural grocery stores and locavore restaurants wherever I go - and there's new ones opening all the time!

Wellness is growing worldwide!

Global Wellness Institute, Global Wellness Economy Monitor, January 2017

While the US is the global leader in the wellness movement, healthy living is a growing global trend with Europe and China also leading the way.

From 2013 to 2015 the Global Wellness Industry rose 10.6% to $3.72 trillion, while the global economy actually decreased -3.6%.

The options for healthy living and empowered holistic self-care is rising all over the world.

I see this in my work supporting holistic wellness educators, coaches, and professionals globally in my courses and coaching, and hear the stories of new opportunities and services being offered everywhere.

You can take yoga classes in Kenya, get doula services in Sweden, experience healing massage in the Netherlands, sit in a women's circle in Israel, go to the spa in Japan, learn energy healing in Malaysia, hire a midwife in Chile, and find herbal healing in South Africa.

Wherever you go, if you look around you'll find that self-care is the new healthcare.

More and more people are looking to support their health naturally to prevent sickness or disease before it strikes.

What's Hot in Holistic Health NowThe expansive wellness movement is creating new opportunities in healthy living for personal empowerment, professional practice, and wellness entrepreneurs.

If you want to start or grow a wellness business - this is the best time to join the party (you know, the kind of party with raw cacao, flower essences, rooftop deck yoga, and crystal bowl music - rather than alcohol, drugs, or all-night warehouse raves).

Here's some of the hottest trends in wellness today...

Beauty gets better.The beauty industry is getting a makeover; now looking good is about feeling good.

Clean beauty, supplements, probiotics, mood support, massage, acupuncture, and brain practices to de-stress to get happy are shaping the high growth of the new pure beauty movement.

In addition to the new beauty practices being attentive to inner beauty, spa environments are getting a makeover too, as attention to beautiful architecture, healing spaces, lighting, sound, and saunas all become magnets for people desiring the most beautiful spaces to get their beauty treatments done.

Happiness is key.The largest focus in the wellness market is mental well-being.

Mood boosting and mind-body-spirit balancing is seen growing everywhere as spas, hotels, and health centers focus on creating beautiful environments, adding more meditation, sound healing, and creative arts programs.

Healthy food, supplements, essential oils, and bodywork are focused not just on physical benefits but the emotional and mental benefits too.

From breathwork, to brainwaves, to sleeping - health is now all about enhancing our minds and our moods.

Accessibility BoomsIt's easier than ever to find wellness in more communities thanks to the growing focus on healthy spaces and giving back to communities.

Wellness tourism and travel are a huge part of the growing healthy lifestyle market. Wellness hotels are popping up in all the big cities and cities are rebranding themselves as wellness destinations, promoting their local holistic practitioners, health centers, and nature activities for the health conscious visitor.

In local communities, there are more mind-body-spirit classes and practitioners, and community gardens, labyrinths, and rejuvenating places are growing all over.

Practitioners are giving back in bigger ways, and now you can find classes on how to make green smoothies at senior centers, and yoga teachers at women's shelters.

This is a great time to think outside of the box - and expand your offerings of wellness to the community in new ways. Now more than ever people are open and receptive to learning methods of feeling better, and staying healthy.

Wellness at WorkThe corporate world is hip to health.

Employers are realizing the powerful benefits of helping their employees to stay healthy and happy.

There's an increase in calm meditative spaces in offices for yoga, silence, and even napping, as well as more demand for yoga, meditation, aromatherapy, and fun fitness (like office mini-golf and playground slides) in the corporate world.

Corporate wellness programs pay off by increasing job productivity and focus, as well as reducing absenteeism and sick-days.

Nutrition Gets a BoostWe're going beyond superfoods, now the nutritional buzzwords are adaptogens, mushrooms, collagen, and liposomal delivery systems.

Customizable whole food diets, meal plans, and enhancing our daily supplements and meals with extra boosts of nutrition are all hot right now.

We're still living in a super-size world in which fast-food is available off every major highway exit in the USA, and gigantic cheeseburgers and fried food are pop culture favorites on food television.

Thus the need and demand for healthy food, weight-loss support, and nutritional awareness are rising to counter act the excessive eating culture.

Luckily, more choices are arising everywhere, and new ones every year - but with all the new products, education and personal guidance on how to utilize and stick with these options are essential too, and thus is creating lots of demand for health coaches, chefs, spas, and wellness practitioners to help guide people through these choices.

Grow Your Wellness BusinessThe worldwide wellness industry is rising, and is impervious to other factors such as job rates, and global economy. In fact, the desire for self empowered wellbeing seems to have an opposite effect of growing stronger and faster, despite their being a slump in the global economy in recent years.

Wellness is not a fad, our global information age is just raising more awareness about the impacts our lifestyle factors have on our health - from rest, exercise, nutrition, stress, and environmental influences.

Now more people than ever before are interested and ready to integrate these holistic health practices into their self-care routine, daily meals, work spaces, date nights, family life, and travel activities.

The opportunity is greater than ever before for wellness entrepreneurs to innovate, integrate, and shine in new business ideas and customized healing arts experiential offerings.

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When you want to create an online course, it can seem so overwhelming to sift through the options of where to host your course, and how to integrate it with your website, newsletter, shopping cart, affiliate programs, sales pages, and more.

NOTE: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

The exciting thing I want to share with you is that it's now exponentially easier and more intuitive to launch and grow your online courses, programs, or membership sites because there is simple all-in-one, easy-to-learn program available today.

Simplero is an awesome all-in-one platform for coaches and course creators that has all you need for your email list, membership sites, online courses, affiliate programs, email automations and timers, and websites.

I’ve been using Simplero for my online course business since 2013 and I’ve been really happy with my experience.

Simplero has everything needed to create:

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Even if you've tried to create an online course before and felt stumped by learning how to really design and share your work online, you can do it with greater ease and smoothness today.

To help you navigate the wide variety of options today, I'm going to reveal to you why I love running my online courses with Simplero.

Easy Online CoursesMy online courses are the heart of my business and allow me the joy of sharing my teachings and work with amazing people all over the world.

I started focusing on online courses in 2010 and tried several different options for hosting and managing my courses.

In 2013, I was starting to feel overwhelmed with tracking all the different pieces of my online programs and needed something new.

So I spent months researching all the different options that I could use to take my courses to a new level and make it easier for me to grow my courses into a full online school.

Then entered Simplero and it truly has simplified my creation and management of my online courses. I've now been using Simplero ever since and love it!

Over the years, I’ve tested many other platforms and nothing compares to the ease, cost, and versatility of Simplero.

The unique thing about Simplero is that it was created by a life coach who built this platform specifically to meet the needs of what creative entrepreneurs like him were facing, realizing that there really was no other all-in-one platform available that was easy to use.

Simplero has so much included in it for people creating online courses, and it's become the heart of my business, where I host all my online courses, as well as my newsletter list, shopping cart, and even allows you to create affiliate programs, landing pages, popups, webpages, and automate email systems.

Simplero is designed to make it easy for anyone selling digital content, information products, or online courses or programs online.

If you're a coach, teacher, or entrepreneur wanting to expand your online reach and services - definitely check it out!

You could do everything through Simplero if you wanted to. This has made it so much easier for me, rather than paying extra for newsletter services, shopping carts, and assistants to manage it all.

So much of what I was needing support for, Simplero was able to do through their platform, freeing up more of my time for doing what I love - creating content, sharing courses, and spending time with my family.

Their customer service has been so helpful as I've grown my online courses through Simplero.

I'm really glad I chose Simplero for my online courses because it's grown my business tremendously and created so much more freedom in my life.

I highly recommend Simplero if you want to create online classes, membership sites, or share digital products online, and want an all-in-one platform with great customer support.

Get started with a free trial membership and try it out!

Many blessings,
Kara Maria

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Do you feel called to create or grow a conscious business today to support wellness, abundance, and transformation in the world?

The new paradigm of conscious business is spreading globally through building communities both locally and globally through online connectivity, as well as live.

We can create movements, spread ideas, develop our skills, communicate across the globe, meet in online groups, share our art, and tell our stories through online digital media.

Creating connections online through your website, newsletter, blog and networking is the fastest way to grow your business and make a difference.

Whether you are working with people in person or virtually, having an online presence will support you to reach your goals, and inspire and support more people in an impactful way.

Through your work as a holistic entrepreneur you may be working in the health, wellness, coaching, education, or creative fields, and in all of these avenues, through online media you can grow your business and spread your message.

Your online platform is the best way to build relationships with your clients and community, as well as grow your impact and income in all the health, wellness and conscious living fields.

Through the amazing interconnected web of the internet and social media, we can spread positive information around the world building relationships across communities, countries and continents.

Your current and future clients are online and on social media. People check the internet and their smartphones for reviews, websites and referrals before calling an acupuncturist, chiropractor or spa today.

Whether it's checking out a new restaurant, looking up a an event, or finding a health coach, we want to see social proof that a business feels right to us before getting in our cars, picking up the phone, joining an email list, buying a product or booking a session online.

Your active online and social media presence tells potential customers whom are checking you out online that you are in business and ready to connect, plus introduces your work to all new people, and makes it easy for other people to refer you.

It's important that you fulfill your dreams, provide your service to the world, and help uplift people's lives through your positive inspiration, wisdom and gifts.

The more you share free content online that is helpful and inspiring the greater your presence as a thought-leader, speaker, teacher, and expert in your field is known.

Sharing blogs, articles, videos, podcasts, images, art, writing and social media posts online makes your message more well known and shows that you are knowledgeable about your niche.

As people learn about who you are through high-quality creative content and find your posts helpful, then people will share your info, referrals will be coming in from your community, and opportunities to network online and in person manifest organically through events, guest blogging, teleseminars and more.

As long as you have an internet connection and a computer, tablet or smartphone, you can be creating amazing multi-media content that inspires, educates and uplifts people, and creates transformation and healing in the world today!

Through writing, speaking, photography, art, and video we can share who we are, what we care about, and what we are here to offer through our online communication.

Your website is your online home, your digital platform and portfolio. Social media truly represents the web that connects billions of people today.

Making your website social so people can engage with you via your website, through email, comments, booking appointments, accessing new content, and more can build more connections and community in the social age.

As more conscious entrepreneurs grow businesses today that care about people, the planet and prosperity, we will create greater health and vitality for the world.

Through deepening our connections we are spreading positive information, relationships and support.

Through sharing your creative content online through blogging, videos, podcasting or social media, you can reach many more people both locally and globally while growing your business.

As a conscious entrepreneur today, you can bring health, wellness and prosperity to people in a powerful way through your work and calling.

Get connected and share your wisdom!

All the best,

Kara

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Fertility awareness is a scientifically supported practice of self-monitoring your body's fertility signs and symptoms on a daily base to make an educated and informed accurate assessment of whether you are fertile or not.

This information empowers women and men for both pregnancy prevention and conception planning, as well as growing intimacy with one's own body and in a mutual loving relationship.

A common fear that women have is of becoming pregnant without desiring or planning to do so. This fuels the huge necessity for safe and effective birth control methods, which are currently limited in choices and accessibility for many people, as well as may include risks and unwanted side effects.

You can confidently take control of your fertility, without risking the side-effects and complications of artificial hormones, permanent sterilization, or internally implanted devices, for both preventing pregnancy or preparing for conception.

First, it's important to understand that by fertility awareness I mean the sympto-thermal method of natural birth control which specifically uses daily signs including your basal body temperate, appearance of cervical fluid, and position of the cervix to determine whether or not you are in the 6 to 9 days of the fertile window of your cycle.

Women are only fertile for this fertile window, which is about 1/4 of the menstrual cycle for about 5 days prior to ovulation and a day or two after ovulation occurs.

It's important to practice abstinence or to utilize a barrier method of birth control during this fertile window to avoid conception.

Thus, it's essential to learn how to accurately read and translate one's fertile signs throughout the menstrual and fertility cycle in order to confidently use this method for fertility awareness.

Luckily, there are more tools than ever available to support you to embark upon the choice to use the fertility awareness to avoid pregnancy and empower your sexual health.

It's recommended to chart your cycles for several months before relying on the fertility awareness for preventing conception, as the information you learn about the length of your cycle and follicular and luteal phases may alert you of specific needs to address to regulate your cycle for optimizing the birth control benefits of this method.

This is especially essential if you have an irregular cycle as the information from your menstrual and ovulation calendar can help you to pinpoint what's going on and how to balance your hormones.

I highly recommend reading books on natural fertility awareness and studying about fertility awareness.

Taking classes and consulting with a fertility awareness expert is beneficial for many women to be able to address questions and fully understand the practice of charting particularly in the first 3 to 6 months utilizing this method.

However, fertility awareness used correctly is 99.6% effective, which is higher than the success rate of condoms.

Fertility awareness is often scorned and dismissed in the mainstream media for it's commonly confused with the rhythm method.

The sympto-thermal method of fertility awareness is highly accurate and based upon current daily signs and symptoms including the temperate, fluid and cervix.

The rhythm method by contrast is a matter of essentially guessing one's fertile state based upon simply calculating based upon past calendrical charting of only the times of menstruation.

Yet fertility awareness is still so simple and effective to learn and use that even communities of illiterate women in India and impoverished women in Rwanda have successfully learned this method with the support of women's health educators to teach them to track their fertile signs and prevent pregnancy.

Learn how you can use today's most highly effective, scientifically researched, and empowering practice of planning or preventing pregnancy through fertility awareness.

NOTE: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

Chart Your CyclesDownload FREE Fertility Awareness Charts HERE

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To practice the sympto-thermal method of fertility awareness you need a quality digital basal body thermometer to take your waking temperature first thing in the morning, before getting out of bed, and then record your temperature on your fertility chart.

Best Books on Fertility Awareness

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Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler is my favorite book on the Fertility Awareness Method. This was the first book on fertility awareness that I found and it changed my perception of women's ability to be empowered in our fertility choices in a life-changing way. This is a comprehensive guide to learning how to recognize your body's daily fertility signals, chart effectively, and understand confidently how to know when you are at chance of conceiving or not. It also has extensive support and resources for women with irregular cycles, breastfeeding, and other special circumstance. I highly recommend it!

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The Garden of Fertility is a wonderful book on natural fertility awareness by author and Certified Fertility Educator Katie Singer. I really appreciate this book for the wonderful advice and perspective that Katie includes related to traditional nutrition to support fertility as well as the practice of night-lighting to naturally regulate menstrual cycles. Her warm and nurturing tone throughout the book makes this an approachable and welcoming introduction to the practice of natural fertility for women today.

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Honoring Our Cycles is a wonderful introduction to natural family planning also by Katie Singer, the author of the Garden of Fertility. The difference is that Honoring Our Cycles is a significantly shorter book which makes it a great introduction to share with teenage girls and younger women to educate about the opportunity to learn about one's cycles, respect one's power of fertility, and create natural health and vitality throughout life through empowering natural methods. I believe it's a great start to learning about fertility awareness and has Katie's holistic nurturing vibe throughout.

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The Sun brings light that nourishes all of nature and causes it to grow and thrive.

Yet, in recent decades medical warnings to avoid prolonged or extreme sunlight have caused many people to fear the light of the Sun.

However, sunlight is an essential factor in optimizing women's health and wellness with a myriad of benefits including increasing fertility, balancing menstrual cycles, and improving bone and heart health.

It's time to illuminate the healing benefits of conscious sunlight exposure.

1: Sunlight Promotes FertilityGetting sunlight in the morning for an hour helps to regulate the menstrual cycle and increase fertility significantly.

During the morning the sunlight has more high-frequency blue light in the spectrum which helps to set our biological rhythm as well as promote a good mood and increased health.

Women who live in more Northern climates ovulate less in the winter and may have longer menstrual cycles due to delayed ovulation during the darker times of the year.

In summertime, women have increased ovarian follicle size, more frequent ovulations, and higher levels of follicle-stimulating hormones (FSH).

It's especially important to get sunlight in the morning hours on the skin, the face, and through the eyes, and particularly in the week before ovulation for optimal egg health.

Regular sunlight exposure can increase fertility by up to 1/3! (1)

2: Vitamin D Enhances Reproductive HealthVitamin D (calcitriol) is known as the sunshine vitamin, as it's most effectively received in the body through sunlight exposure on the skin, and is essential for both women's and men's reproductive health.

Dietary supplements of Vitamin D are not completely absorbed by the body and have varying degrees of effectiveness.

40% of women in the US are deficient in Vitamin D which can decrease fertility by up to 75%.

There are Vitamin D receptors in the uterus, ovaries, and placenta.

Vitamin D helps to regulate genes, estrogen, progesterone, bone density, embryo implantation, and increase male sperm cell health.

During pregnancy Vitamin D is also essential for organizing immune cells in the uterus to protect the baby.

Low Vitamin D levels in pregnancy can cause an increase in gestational hypertension and diabetes.

Vitamin D is also important in shortening and regulating menstrual cycles and increasing conception.

We have Vitamin D receptors throughout our skin, it's ideal to get sunlight on as much of the skin as possible and then to avoid showering or bathing for 24 hours after sun exposure to enhance Vitamin D absorption in the body. (2)

3: Warmth Supports Womb HealthWombs love warmth.

Heat on the uterus, abdomen, and low back decreases common discomforts of menstruation including cramping and helps to reduce stagnation of energy in the uterus.

Cold in the uterus is related to menstrual problems and infertility. In many traditional cultures around the world it is recommended to keep the womb warm for optimal health.

Warmth is supportive to the internal fire of the uterus, and many traditional women's healers around the world understand that keeping the womb warm keeps the internal fires of health stoked.

In Asia, it is common to wrap the abdomen for womb health particularly during menses, pregnancy, and postpartum with a long cloth.

In Japan, this is called the haramaki and is was traditionally worn as an undergarment to keep the center of energy below the bellybutton, the hara, warm to retain the internal energy and support the fire of the organs.

All ages and genders wear the haramaki, however women also love them for easing menstrual discomforts and supporting pregnant and postpartum bellies.

Belly wrapping has also been practiced in many cultures around the world too for centuries.

Belly wrapping after pregnancy has been practiced in Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Latin America, Spain, England, and by many First Nation tribes.

Try keeping your belly warm during menstruation to prevent or ease cramps, through trying a haramaki, wrapping a shawl, scarf, or rebozo around your belly, sitting with a hot pack, or taking warm baths, or even better - getting sunlight and the warmth of the sun on your belly and back when the weather permits. (3)

4: Dark at Night is Important for Hormonal HealthThe other aspect of connecting with the energy of the sun, is honoring the darkness of the nighttime when the sunlight is gone.

These times of light and dark in our daily solar cycles are both important to support optimal hormonal health.

Just as waking up early to experience morning sunlight in our eyes and upon our skin is important in our relationship with the Sun, at nighttime it's best to sleep in a completely darkened space without artificial lights.

Dark at nighttime is important for increased melatonin production by the pineal gland.

Even through closed eyelids, light in the bedroom from alarm clocks, night lights or street lights, can disrupt natural hormonal cycles.

Light is perceived by the optic nerve then transmits the information to the hypothalamus gland which is a center for women's hormonal cycling in the brain, and then also sends the input to the pineal gland influencing the release of hormones.

Many people have found that sleeping in a completely dark room at nighttime helps to regulate their menstrual cycles, decrease hormonal challenges, and improve fertility.

To optimize getting the benefits of sunlight for women's health and hormonal balancing, also sleep without light at nighttime to create natural hormonal cycles to support fertility, menstruation, and health. (4)

While it's smart to avoid prolonged exposure to the point of causing burning of the skin, it's important to get real sunlight on naked skin and in the eyes consistently for optimal health.

Also avoid excess use of chemical sunscreens which are loaded with endocrine disruptors that can cause havoc with women's hormonal health.

Some studies have shown that women are more sensitive to UV rays during the week prior to menstruation, so if you have sensitive skin that burns easily focus on getting sunlight especially in the week before ovulation, or in the earlier hours of the day instead of the peak hours between 12 to 2.

Enjoy the sunlight and boost the health of your fertility, hormones, and cycles with the energy of the Sun.

Many blessings,

Kara

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Women's bodies hold within them an incredible organ filled with creative power.

It is time that we celebrate the astonishing capabilities and mysteries of the fantastic uterus!

Every single human being that has ever been alive upon this planet, now and throughout all of history, has achieved this existence thanks to this very organ.

Thus, we have all been intimately acquainted with the uterus, since the dawn of our lives, whether or not you have one personally within your own body.

However, the uterus is an endangered organ.

Hysterectomy (the removal of the uterus) is currently the #2 most common surgery performed in the United States.

The #1 most common surgery in the US today is the Cesarean Section, the cutting of the uterus to remove a baby.

The uterus is also sensitive and permeable to the industrial chemicals now inundating our environment.

Hundreds of toxic chemicals are now finding their way into the wombs of women, and thus into the amniotic fluid of pregnant mothers and detectable in the blood of newborns.

It's important to raise awareness today about the power, purpose and potential of the amazing uterus.

It is my desire to uplift the health, vitality, and respect of this amazing female organ.

7 Amazing Things to Know About the Womb#1: The Uterus is Super StrongThe uterus is the strongest muscle in the body by weight. The uterus has multiple layers of muscle tissue that run in every direction, spiral together, and are ultra-strong. A laboring uterus exerts incredible pressure to push a baby out into the world, and is the strongest force exerted by any muscle in the body.

The Guinness Book of World Records lists the jaw muscle as the strongest muscle in the body due to a biting contest that measured pressure, but that's just because people haven't thought up a good way to make measuring the power of a women's uterus in labor into a contest. Some people don't value the uterus as the strongest muscle because not everyone has them (ahem, men) but that doesn't mean it's not still the strongest. We know what's up. Womb power, that's what.

2: The Uterus is Incredibly FlexibleA uterus is stretchier than Gumby! During pregnancy a women's uterus goes from being the size of a pear and tucked behind the pubic bone, to being as large as a balloon and reaching all the way to the ribcage and stretching the abdomen outwards visibly. Then it shrinks back down after birth. That's totally amazing! Not only is the uterus super strong but it's super stretchy too!

3: The Uterus HealsMenstrual blood is rich in stem cells which are found to be adaptive within the body to heal a wide variety of diseases. Each month during her fertile years, a woman's body creates a rich endometrial layer in preparation to grow and nourish a whole new human being. When a baby is not conceived the body releases this extremely valuable and nutritive substance during the menstrual cycle.

The abundance of stem cells in the menstrual blood are being researched to treat a wide variety of conditions from stroke, heart disease, Parkinson's, Lou Gehrig's, diabetes, wounds, neurodegenerative diseases and more. Women create the most abundant free source of stem cells during monthly menstrual flows, which is much more ethical to harvest than from cord blood of newborns or from aborted embryos, yet it is slow to catch on because of cultural taboos still surrounding menstruation.

4: The Uterus is OrgasmicWhen a women orgasms, she experiences not just pleasurable and euphoric sensations, but waves of contracting muscles throughout the uterus, as well as the vagina and pelvic floor. The whole uterus has waves of muscular contractions which helps to facilitate the movement of sperm from the vagina into the uterus.

Some women also experience deep pleasure from their wombs during orgasm, and say that relaxing and deepening into the feeling allows a whole body orgasmic release.

5: The Uterus is Connected to the UniverseA women's menstrual cycles and stages of life are intrinsically linked to the cycles of the Earth, Moon and Sun. The moon cycle is 29.5 days, and the average woman's menstrual cycle is 29.5 days. Women who's cycles are closest to the 29.5 day cycle have higher rates of fertility.

In addition, there are 13 moon cycles in a calendar year, and the average age of menarche (a girl's first menstruation) is age 13. The average age of menopause is 52, which is also the number of weeks in a year. There are an average of 4 weeks to a women's menstrual cycle and 4 seasons in a year.

Women's ancient menstrual calendars consisting of notches carved into bone or stone are said to be some of the earliest forms of calendars known. Women's wombs hold a powerful connection to the astronomical cycles of the Earth, Sun and Moon.

6: The Uterus Can Grow a PlacentaThe uterus is the only organ that can grow a whole new organ within it. The placenta is absolutely amazing, and is an organ that is grown within the uterus when a woman is pregnant that nourishes and feeds the fetus with exactly what it needs every moment for the entire pregnancy. The placenta connects the mother and baby, through it's attachment to the uterine wall of the mother and to the baby through the umbilical cord. It's a physical manifestation of the nurturing of the mother for the child and is released after the birth of the child.

The placenta and umbilical cord have a pattern visible in the arteries that looks like the tree of life and is an ancient symbol of life and vitality. Placentas have been highly honored by cultures around the world since the beginning of humanity. The word "placenta" comes from Old English and actually means "a round flat cake", and the tradition of honoring our placenta continues today as we celebrate around a birthday cake each year on the anniversary of our birth.

7: The Uterus Can Grow a HUMAN!It's totally mind-boggling but true. Within the womb of a woman it is possible to conceive and gestate a whole new human being! WOW! Every single one of us is here alive on the planet today because we we started life growing within the womb of our mother, and we come from a long-line of ancestors born from the wombs of their mothers.

The first time I ever attended a birth as a doula, I was totally amazed at the power of a woman to birth a baby, and walked around for days in total amazement at every woman I saw, thinking how miraculous it is that women have wombs and that we can grow other humans within us. AMAZING.

Let's respect and celebrate the wonders of the womb and keep our uteruses healthy and appreciated!

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Women entrepreneurs are the happiest people in the world!

This is the path that brings women today the most freedom, empowerment, wealth, and wellness, which is why increasing amounts of women are choosing to start their own businesses.

According to the 2013 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Report, women who own their own successful businesses have the most satisfaction and higher well-being than anyone else in the world.

Plus women business owners are three times as happy as women who don't own their own businesses.

Women's entrepreneurship is directly connected with women's wellbeing and the wellbeing of all people.

The fantastic thing about entrepreneurship is that you can build and grow a business directing your creative energy into what you are passionate about, plus in any way you want that supports your lifestyle.

Women today are increasingly starting their own businesses to create the freedom and joy of making a difference in the world, and living a life by design - whether that's traveling the world, having babies and raising kids, in your pajamas on the couch, attending fancy galas, starting a global movement, or all of the above.

If you feel stuck in your life, are desiring to travel more, to feel more excited about the work you do, to meet new people from all over the world, want to stay home more, want to make more money - and want to make a difference in the world - start your own business.

However, it takes time to grow a business, and to build up to those happiness levels that come with the confidence of experience, success, and growth - so don't give up!

It's well worth it.

Being an entrepreneur in natural health, women's wellness, coaching, and education have given me the ability to create a life that is unique by design, while following my passions, and supporting rising feminine leaders in the world.

I can't imagine any other path that would bring me as much joy!

Plus the flexibility to be able to be homeschooling my children, traveling for a month or more at a time with kids, living in different beautiful places around the country, and being able to connect with inspiring women's wellness entrepreneurs and visionaries from around the world on a daily basis through email, phone, video, and social media.

I'm ecstatic about supporting women to start their own businesses.

I've seen women becoming financially independent through entrepreneurship who then were able to leave abusive relationships, start movements, create ripples of change through thousands of people in communities all over the world, and bloom into confident heart-centered leaders of the new conscious business paradigm.

Regardless of where you are in business - just starting out or on the evolving journey of entrepreneurship for 1, 5, 10 or 20 years, my biggest recommendation is to connect with other women entrepreneurs in your field for support, and always keep learning.

Social support and mentorship are essential for staying inspired, feeling supported, and not feeling like you are doing it all alone, when on the path of independent business.

Also, when women gather together to talk, connect and support each other, we release stress and have higher levels of oxytocin released - the hormone of love which makes us feel happy and blissful - boosting that entrepreneur high!

If you have a dream to start or grow your business - go for it!

It's the best choice you may ever make.

Women today are creating businesses in new, conscious, and innovative ways.

You can craft your business to support your unique life and leadership style.

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CALIFORNIA Road TripOne Week in Monterey BayIn early April, once the snow melted around our mountain home in Ashland, Oregon, we embarked on a family cross-continental road trip traveling all the way from the Pacific Northwest to New England.

The highlight of this trip was spending two weeks in California, with a whole week visiting Santa Cruz and the Monterey Bay area.

My husband Jahsah, 5 year old, and my 4 month old all did the big drive together.

I love to travel, road trip, and explore! We spent a whole month driving from Oregon to New Hampshire - the long way.

Before driving all the way across country, it was wonderful to spend an epic week relaxing around Monterey Bay, exploring my husband’s hometown and more.

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The view of the Santa Cruz boardwalk and beach from the wharf.

California: North to SouthWe began our trip first heading south from Ashland, Oregon, into California, past Mount Shasta in a snowstorm (where Jahsah and I first met and were married), to the Sacramento region to visit his parents for a few days. That was a lovely way to start our adventure, with home cooked meals from grandma, warm weather, and lots of attention and play for the little boys.

Then we drove westward to the coast, and begin our explorations along the Central California Coast from Santa Cruz, all along the Monterey Bay, from tip to tip, then across the Carmel Valley, through wine country, to Solvang, Santa Barbara and then Ventura.

Visiting California was wonderful! Being near the ocean was rejuvenating. We spent the first two weeks of our trip just in California and we’re already planning our next adventures when we return there this Fall and Winter.

Watching the waves at Capitola Village by the Sea.

Santa CruzThe first time my 5 year old saw the ocean was in Santa Cruz, from the ocean wharf when he was just a few months old.

That was the first place we went the morning we woke up on California's coast on our trip, and where our baby also got to experience his first gaze at the salty waters of the Pacific.

Sea lions bellowed below posing through the viewing holes in the wharf, the rides of the boardwalk spun people around by the beach, and a dolphin leaped out of the water while swimming by.

This is where my husband Jahsah grew up, in nearby Soquel, a small town with the relaxed surfer vibe and local food culture of Santa Cruz, but way less traffic and tourists. We love to visit here on our travels and bring our little boys here to connect with the ocean and community.

The Capitola Venetian Hotel in Santa Cruz County

In Santa Cruz county I fell in love with Capitola Village by the Sea. The colorful buildings of the Capitola Venetian Hotel were just so perfectly beachy and colorful, it can't help but boost your mood and brighten up your day.

My 5 year old loved the beach at Capitola, there were kids to play with, sandcastles to build, driftwood to roll around, and surfers to watch.

I enjoyed walking around the shops and galleries checking out the art and chatting with the locals.

The historic and cozy Windmill Cafe in Santa Cruz, California.

The flowers were in full Spring bloom along the California coast, especially abundant this year due to the increased rainfall this winter. I am a wildflower lover, and it was soul enriching to see all the colorful blooms and gardens.

I loved stopping by all the sweet locally owned coffeeshops and restaurants along the way, talking to the people and enjoying the local beach culture.

The Windmill Cafe in Santa Cruz was surrounded by abundant permaculture gardens front and back, and food and drinks are served in adorable mis-matched vintage dishes and mugs that the owners collect. It makes me so happy to see historical buildings being cared for and thriving as cultural meeting spots.

Mermaid mural in Capitola, California.

The beach life feels so good! I love the mermaid vibes, artistic community, farm to table food, and laid-back creative culture.

We ate so much amazing food, there is an abundance of organic food, juice bars, natural grocery stores, and locally owned restaurants.

One of my favorites was Discretion Brewing in my husband's hometown of Soquel, where they have organic brews and a farm-to-table kitchen with a delicious menu. It's a kid and dog friendly solar-powered neighborhood brewery with indoor seating, an outdoor patio with huge tree stump tables, and a toy box to keep the 5 year old entertained. I will definitely go back!

I also loved visiting The Farm Bakery & Cafe in Aptos, which is where Jahsah had his first job as a teenager working in the kitchen. They have a wonderful menu prepared from scratch with fresh, local, organic and grass-fed ingredients. and I enjoyed a delicious and filling Cobb Salad and Iced Tea and chatted with sweet ladies about the baby and our travels. We admired the beautiful pastries and fruit tarts, browsed their cute gift shop, and found the perfect kids book for Guy with travel activities from California to Maine. How'd they know?

Rainbow fruit tarts at The Farm in Aptos, California

Exploring the secret gardens along the riverwalk in Capitola.

We visited several beaches and spent several days eating and exploring our way around Soquel, Aptos, and Capitola. I definitely enjoyed the smaller beach towns with a strong local vibe, and the fantastic food culture of Santa Cruz county.

Rio del Mar has another great beach to visit with free beach parking, a huge sandy beach, and a long shoreline walking path where you can see the large concrete ship SS Palo Alto beached in the water.

In addition to beach hopping, we also enjoyed a wilderness hike to admire the old-growth redwood trees in the Forest of Nisene Marks. We only had time for a short hike, but I hope to return to explore more of their 30 miles of trails from sea level up to the coastal mountains.

Rio del Mar beach in Santa Cruz county.

Hotel CaliforniaAs we begin traveling down the Central Coast, I found the best and fastest way to compare and book hotels on the go is through Booking.com. It's been super convenient to use their website and app to look up the best deals and locations.

This is how I found good deals and booked our stays at beautiful and comfortable places including The Monterey Bay Inn at Cannery Row, The Carmel Wayfarer Inn, The Wine Valley Inn in Solvang, and the Pierpont Inn in Ventura.

I highly recommend it, as we've reserved all our wonderful hotels through Booking.com, most with no cancellation fees, no payment until you arrive, and the more places we've booked through them, the greater discounts we've unlocked.

I even called their customer service with a couple questions and was promptly cared for, which I always appreciate knowing that there is 24 hour customer service available in case of need.

Use my link to book your next hotel, motel, or vacation home and get a $25 refund on your stay, in addition to the best deals online.

At our hotel in Solvang we chatted with a lovely couple from Canada who asked us how we were finding places to stay along our route. When we told them Booking.com they enthusiastically shared how they used it to find rooms when they traveled across Europe. So seasoned global travelers confirmed - it's the way to go!

I love that we can travel in the flow, and when we know where we want to be, it takes me about 5 minutes to compare available rooms online and book a place, knowing it will then be ready when we arrive.

MontereyWe traveled around the Monterey Bay from Santa Cruz to Monterey itself. We stayed at the beautiful Monterey Bay Inn right on the harbor where you could hear the sea lions bellowing and see the boats coming into the harbor. It was so relaxing and beautiful, and conveniently located within walking distance of Cannery Row and the Aquarium.

The Monterey Bay Inn dolphin sculpture overlooking the bay with morning fog.

We spent an afternoon in Monterey enjoying the beautiful Monterey Bay Aquarium, which is truly the best aquarium I've been too. It's an immersive experience walking through the building, experiencing the different zones from the Kelp Forest to the Open Sea, and seeing all the amazing creatures from sting rays, sharks, and octopus, to the ethereal jellyfish and adorable otters. My absolute favorite thing about the aquarium is the beautiful sound healing music composed specially for each exhibit.

I got to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium when I was 11 years olds, and Jahsah grew up getting to visit often with his parents and on school fields trips, so it was a delight to get to take our children there and experience it anew.

Jellyfish at the Monterey Bay Aquarium

One of our favorite meals of the whole California trip was at The Poke Lab in Monterey. It was amazing! I could eat there every day, it was incredibly delicious. I had the Poke Lab Bowl with spicy tuna, ahi tuna, salmon and avocado, and Jahsah had the build-your-own poke bowl with tuna, salmon, and octopus, and both of our bowls were topped with Masago eggs plus fresh pickled ginger on the side.

The Poke Lab in Monterey - incredibly fresh & delicious!

After eating at the Poke Lab, we had to walk around for a while so we could build up our appetite again to enjoy some of the best handcrafted ice cream ever at Revival Ice Cream Shop. Jahsah and I shared the Bee's Knees, their special flavor made with local honey and bee pollen, while Guy had the most decadently rich chocolate ice cream, he's still raving about it!

Carmel-By-The-SeaAfter our adventures around the Monterey Bay, we headed just a few more miles south to the beautiful village of Carmel where we stayed at the quaint Wayfarer Inn, which was built in 1929 as an apartment complex, and is now a family run inn on a quiet street with a beautiful garden and patio courtyard, just 3 blocks walking distance to all the galleries, shops, and restaurants.

The courtyard garden at the Carmel Wayfarer Inn.

Carmel is a fascinating combination of seaside gardens, hidden paths and courtyards, luxury lifestyle, European travelers, and fairy-tale architecture. We heard more different languages being spoken here than anywhere else on our travels.

There's much to see by walking and exploring the hidden paths through town, finding gardens and adorable little shops. I particularly appreciated The Pilgrim's Way bookstore (the last bookstore in Carmel) and their Secret Garden found through the alleyway behind their store which leads to fountains, a dome, abundant plants, wind chimes, and a gardening shop.

The Secret Garden in the village of Carmel By the Sea, California.

Then we were headed south and drove through Carmel Valley to stop at the Earthbound Farm's farm stand, organic cafe, and gardens. This was a perfect place to get lunch, pick up snacks for our drive, and stretch our legs.

Their picnic area had a huge redwood tree perfect for climbing in, that my 5 year old absolutely adored.

Redwood majesty at the Earthbound Farmstand in Carmel Valley, California.

I loved their Aromatherapy Labyrinth, as it combined two of my favorite things. I have long been amazed at the truly calming and meditative effect of walking a labyrinth, plus their's is designed with chamomile growing throughout it, so as you walk you can breathe deeply in the scent of calming fragrant herbs.

The Aromatherapy Labyrinth at Earthbound Farmstand in Carmel Valley, CA.

My husband Jahsah created this Google 360 image of the Aromatherapy Labyrinth at Earthbound Farms, so you can look around and experience a virtual view. Take a look around and see if you can spot my 5 year old in the image!

We also enjoyed their abundant Herb Garden, and I loved smelling the abundant oregano, rosemary, roses and more.

The Earthbound Farm's herb garden in Carmel Valley, CA

Our adventures around the Monterey Bay and California's Central Coast was inspiring and beautiful. I feel grateful for being there at the time when so many flowers were blooming and to get to share this with my love and littlest children.

This trip inspired us of all the potential that travel can bring to our minds, hearts and lives. Plus it was great to create new connections and revisit old places from Jahsah's childhood, and from my own.

We're already planning to visit again soon, because there is so much more we want to explore.

Many blessings on all your adventures,

Kara

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When I made these bars and gave some to my kids, they actually clapped their hands in appreciation while they were busy chewing.

Not kidding, my 5 year old and 16 year old both applauded the deliciousness of these concoctions.

Have you noticed the ever-expanding bar section of grocery stores today? There are so many different varieties and flavors from paleo to raw.

However, it's simple to make your own bars at home - with just the ingredients you love. Personally, I am a huge fan of all things chocolate.

I also love the all-natural nut and fruit bars from the store. I've found that I can easily make my own version at home. This way I can also upgrade the quality of the ingredients to organic, and add more nutrient-dense superfoods for extra nutritional boost.

Dates are the sole sweetener in this recipe, so it's naturally sweet and sugar-free. Organic dates are delicious and provide fiber as well as iron, calcium, copper, magnesium, Vitamin B6, and more essential micro-nutrients and minerals. They support healthy digestion and elimination of the body, promoting colon health.

Eating dates in late pregnancy, has been linked to favorable labor outcomes. Thus I created this recipe during my recent pregnancy to make a great way to eat dates, while also balancing the sweetness with the sustaining energy of the nuts and seeds.

Walnuts provide protein as well as omega 3 essential fatty acids, iron, magnesium, folate, Vitamin E, antioxidants, and much more. Walnuts are excellent for supporting the health of the brain and heart, and they may promote prostate and breast health as well.

Raw cacao is an excellent source of antioxidants, as well as magnesium and iron. It also contains anandamide, the bliss molecule, which improves mood. High quality cacao is a superfood, and may even boost your brain power and enhance memory.

Chocolate is conventionally made with cacao, sugar, and milk, but the nutritional benefits of cacao are diminished by processing, dairy, and refined sugar. Raw cacao has all the best benefits of eating chocolate, and exceptional taste.

Hemp seeds are a highly digestible source of plant based protein. The non-psychoactive seeds of organic hemp are a nutrient-dense superfood.

Hemp seeds are rich in Omega 3's and gamma linolenic acid (GLA) which have been shown to support hormonal balance and help PMS and menopause.

They are also a great source of fiber, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, potassium, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and Vitamin B6.

Chia seeds are also a great plant protein source, along with fiber, Omega 3's, antioxidants, and a variety of minerals and vitamins.

Black sesame seeds are highly valued in Traditional Chinese Medicine to promote beauty, longevity, and youth. Postpartum women are encouraged to eat them to replenish their energy, health, and spirit.

Sesame seeds are packed with protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron and magnesium, and the black variety are specially prized for anti-aging.

I love adding nutritious organic seeds to my bars for extra energy and nutrient diversity. However, if you don't have them, they are optional.

These bars are delicious. I make double batches because they go quickly.

Superfood Brownie Bar RecipeIngredients:

1.5 c. organic pitted dates, medjool or deglet

1.5 c. organic walnuts

1/2 c. organic raw cacao powder

1 T. hemp seeds

1 T. chia seeds

1 T. black sesame seeds

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1 T. raw organic coconut oil

How to Make:

Add all the ingredients to a food processor, and run until everything is mixed thoroughly and has created a consistent dough that sticks together.

Spread the dough out into a pan and smooth flat and even. I used a silicone mat on a cookie sheet to spread the dough onto. You could also form into balls.

Chill in the fridge until firm, 1 hour or more, and cut into bars or squares to serve.

These brownie bars store for weeks in the fridge in a glass-lock container (if they last that long!).

Enjoy!

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This last year was transformational and challenging.

I was pushed in my personal and professional life to let go of so much, including travel schedules, speaking engagements, and just about anything involving a plan.

I became pregnant with my third child, and I did not expect that my pregnancy would lead me to be have strong morning sickness for most of this entire year, leaving me queasy for almost 9 months straight, including up 'til past 42 weeks pregnant and in labor.

So, you can feel then, how grateful I am to have my baby in my arms and to feel GOOD again!

Yet, this year brought unexpected gifts through the near constant queasiness (besides the sweetest little baby boy).

The most valuable transformation of this year was SIMPLIFICATION.

Being no longer able to do everything all the time, I had to minimize, streamline, and organize my life and work in a more optimal way. Truly I've wanted to do this to a greater degree for a long time, but I recognize now that I have had a hard time saying no to invitations, opportunities and projects.

This year the Universe gave me an opportunity to really get to it and focus on what was most important. In order to say yes to self-care, I had to rearrange my life.

It's amazing, now that I have embraced a streamlined creative flow, I have time to breathe and enjoy my new baby, and still grow my business, serve clients around the world, and nurture my whole family.

A significant synchronicity that supported this year's minimization was the guidance by a mentor to read the book "Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less" - just at the same time as the first waves of morning sickness started hitting. I highly recommend it if you want to take back your time, focus on your goals, and learn how to politely avoid giving your energy away.

I've also deepened my practice of the art of SELF-CARE.

Rest, nourishment, and nourishing foods have all been huge supports for me this year. Through diligence and care, I kept my mind, body and emotions strong, resilient, and thriving, despite near daily nausea. I was able to manage my pregnant wellbeing through daily routines to support my energy, digestion, and spirits.

I am so grateful for all the natural health support that I have at my fingertips, to be able to meet the always changing needs of myself and my family.

As we go into the year ahead, I will bring with me the gifts of simplicity and self-care which I gained this year.

I am so happy to be grateful and inspired with all this new energy that focusing on simplicity and self-care is bringing to my life to enjoy in the details and space of life.

Many Blessings,
Kara

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

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Mama's EssentialsI am so grateful to have an abundance of the highest quality essential oils at my fingertips to support my current journey through pregnancy, birth and beyond.

I've long valued the benefits of essential oils for mamas and babies, using aromatherapy massage oils with my pregnant clients and blending beautiful labor oils and mists to bring along in my birth bag as a doula.

The experience of growing and birthing a baby is an extraordinary one, in which a mother experiences changes physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

It's also a sensitive developmental period, in which women are very aware that chemicals, pharmaceuticals, pollutants, and environmental influences can effect our baby's health significantly.

Thus, natural and pure essential oils from plants are a nurturing and gentle addition to a women's self-care tool kit during pregnancy, birth and beyond.

In early pregnancy, my most used oils were for digestive support, emotional support and skin care. I also used other specific oils for immune and respiratory support as individual issues came up over the months.

Here are my top essential oil recommendations for pregnancy & birth:

Essential Oils for Pregnancy GingerThis spicy earthy root creates a beautiful energizing essential oil. Ginger became a strong ally to me during this year, as I experienced pregnancy-induced nausea and vomiting throughout the entire length of my pregnancy. Thus, ginger has been on hand - by my bed, in my bathroom, by my desk and in my purse. I have not been without ginger oil for months and months and it's been greatly valued and appreciated to calm my digestion and queasiness while also promoting courage and confidence.

LemonThis essential citrus oil is bright and refreshing and is a great combination with ginger to smell or diffuse. I loved diffusing ginger and lemon essential oils together in the morning first thing, to help me start off the day with greater ease. The combo is like ginger lemonade, so good! Lemon is also naturally cleansing, so a great oil to freshen the air with.

BergamotBergamot is another beautiful citrus oil which is very beneficial for boosting mood and emotions. Pregnancy can bring lots of emotions along the journey, and bergamot is one of my favorites to reach for to smell or to mix in blends for massage or diffusing to brighten my spirits.

PeppermintPeppermint is one of many pregnant women's favorite oils for digestive support and calming the tummy. Avoid peppermint during breastfeeding, as it could reduce milk supply.

CardamomCardamom creates a spicy sweet aroma that is very effective at suppressing queasiness, and thus another great supportive oil for the digestion. Cardamom also blends well with ginger to smell or diffuse, with a scent evoking chai.

LavenderLavender is the most popular essential oil used in the world for good reason. It supports calm, relaxed feelings as well as having benefits for the skin and body. Lavender is a wonderful oil to have in your essential oil toolkit for a multitude of purposes, but especially for reducing stress and enhancing restfulness in pregnancy.

Ylang YlangYlang ylang is a beautiful floral essential oil that is calming and uplifting. It's a favorite oil to blend with bergamot, lavender and other relaxing oils for an emotionally balancing aromatherapy experience. One of my favorite uses for ylang ylang in pregnancy with with lavender and geranium in a warm foot bath with epsom salts and baking soda - this is a great way to ground and release stress at the end of a day, as well as to ease tired pregnant feet.

MelissaMelissa is the essential oil of the lemon balm herb, and thus has a lemony sweet and green scent. Melissa is a precious oil that is very gentle, yet highly effective at calming the nervous system as well as supporting the body's immune system.

GeraniumGeranium is a sensual floral essential oil that is balancing for the skin, supportive of the immune system, and has calming and grounding effects on the mood.

ImmortelleImmortelle is an amazing blend of essential oils, including frankincense, sandalwood, myrrh, rose, and more, which is wonderful to massage on the growing pregnancy belly to support skin appearance and tone.

My Favorite Essential oilsIt's especially important during pregnancy to use the highest quality of essential oils available.

I love REVIVE’s essential oils because they are comprehensively tested by Dr. Pappas, and his third-party independent lab Essential Oil University, and all their lab tests are available on the REVIVE website.

I am proud to be partnering with REVIVE to offer you a special coupon code for 10% off your first order, for all new customers. As an affiliate, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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You know when you want something sweet and comforting, but what you really need is good protein and lasting energy in a snack?

How about when you want cookies but you can't decide between oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip or peanut butter? This is the cookie to solve these conundrums!

Plus these are gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar free. They are full of what you want and without what you don't.

I came up with this healthy everything energy cookie recipe to satisfy my late pregnancy cravings, with ALL the flavors, and packed with organic protein, but without any wheat flour, dairy or refined sugar.

It's so good, and simple to make. These make a great mid-afternoon snack, and also would be perfect breakfast cookie enjoyed with a morning coffee.

Use organic ingredients and pastured eggs for best results, nutrition and flavor!

Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin CookiesGluten Free, Dairy Free, & Refined Sugar FreeIngredients:

• 1/4 c. coconut oil (melted)
• 1/4 c. honey
• 1 T. maple syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 c. peanut butter (or your favorite nut butter)
• 2 eggs
• 2 c. oats (I used gluten-free oats)
• 1 T. coconut flour
• 1/2 c. almond flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 2/3 c. raisins
• 2/3 c. dark chocolate chips

Prepare:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Mix together the coconut oil, honey, maple syrup, vanilla, peanut butter and eggs in a medium sized bowl.

In another bowl, mix together the oats, coconut flour, almond flour, cinnamon and sea salt.

Then add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir together.

Add raisins and chocolate chips and mix gently until incorporated.

Place spoonfuls of dough on a cookie sheet 2 inches apart and bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Let cool and enjoy!

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Do you desire to grow a business that create healing, transformation and prosperity in your life and the world?

Are you wanting to support a better future for humanity and the planet, while also growing your financial stability, resources and abundance?

Perhaps you already have a business that you want to grow but you are not sure where to focus?

I passionately believe in the work of healers, coaches, teachers, mentors, holistic practitioners, and conscious entrepreneurs.

It is clear to me that stepping into a new paradigm of visionary thinking is needed for entrepreneurs, thought-leaders, visionaries, and changemakers to make a difference in the world.

Beyond competition there is collaboration and creativity. Beyond business plans and projections, there are people and possibility.

Follow the calling in your soul to be of service in uplifting the world.

To be truly successful in changing the world through conscious entrepreneurship, we must develop new business skills that embrace visionary thinking.

Whether or not you are interested in entrepreneurship - these visionary skills are vital for successful achievement of any goals and dreams you have in your life and creative expression!

3 Visionary Practices for Success1. Know Your VisionFocus on why you are investing your time, energy and passion into your conscious business creation by remembering your big vision.

When you have a compelling reason or calling that drives you forward, you hold within yourself the ability to overcome any obstacle and work through blocks or challenge to find solutions and creative possibilities.

When you feel passionately about something and can see in your mind the greatness of achieving your long-term goals, then you it's possible to attract amazing opportunities into your life and work due to the power of your vision.

It is helpful to create a physical and mental reminder of your vision. Fabulous ways to do this are through journaling and writing your goals regularly, creating a vision board you can look at each day or post above your desk, and spending time regularly to envision in your mind the details of your goals.

1. Cultivate IntuitionSuccessful entrepreneurs and leaders possess an innate sense of creativity, innovation, instinct and divine guidance. This gives them the ability to get into the flow, grasp innovative ideas and be able to make quick decisions.

This comes through cultivating a strong sense of intuition, and listening to those inner nudges that may lead to finding a pivotal book or website that propels your work to new levels, or feeling called to an event where you make synchronistic connections.

The ability to thrive in a changing world, while being of growing service and success as an entrepreneur, is enhanced through the intuitive capabilities.

Leaders need to be tuned in on an instinctive level to feel and read into what the world needs now and in the future.

There is a place for business plans and to-do lists, and following formulas and schedules, yet the ethereal, spiritual and creative element of intuition is vital tocreate the receptivity for great achievement.

1. Be ResilientThe more challenging an obstacle in life is, the greater the feeling of accomplishment when having overcome it.

People who achieve their dreams and goals are those are inspired by challenging situations, who experience life fully and keep believing in greater possibility.

The ability to achieve sustainable long-term success, and make a big impact in the world for the greater good, comes from resiliency - the ability to bounce back, get back up, and keep looking for new possibilities in how you can be of service in the highest way.

Entrepreneurs are all about finding solutions and exploring new ideas.

Keep trying, training, practicing, and taking action.

Don't give up. Believe in yourself. Learn new things.

New things are rarely easy right away, and new challenges will always pop up. It's how well you are able to keep moving and growing that makes a difference.

If you have a passion, skills and vision to bring healing and transformation to the world through your service and gifts, then you have the essentials needed for holistic leadership today!

Trust that all the business skills you need to know are learnable.

You have the ability to grow your conscious business as entrepreneurship is evolving today with holistic models and technology to support us to shine our light in new ways with the world and bring people and healing together.

Your work is needed by the world to bring change, transformation, and support for the challenges that the world faces today.

When you trust in the value of what you have to offer, and know that it will enhance the wellbeing and empowerment of others and the whole world, it is your calling to find every way possible to share that.

You can be successful in making your passion into your thriving career and I am completely excited about supporting you to do so!

Shine your light and share your compassion with the world, because we need you to help make the world a better place.

There is infinite abundance for all of us, if we choose to accept it, receive it, and most importantly TRUST in it.

There is no need for fear of scarcity or competition when you step into offering your UNIQUE gifts to the world, and through skillful communication and networking you can reach people anywhere in the world!

So are you ready to step up and accept your divine mission to make the world a better place - and make your life better than ever?

Your new clients, community and soul family, are waiting for you to share your amazing skills and passion with them, to help make theirs lives better and solve their problems.

Rise up and be an empowered change-making entrepreneur today!

Wishing you abundance & vitality!
Kara

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This simple healthy fudge recipe has 6 real food ingredients and takes only 5 minutes to put together. Then all you have to do is wait until it firms up in the fridge to cut and eat.

While satisfying chocolate cravings and having a luxurious smoothness, this fudge also has protein, healthy fats and minerals to replenish and nourish.

Indulge in Healthy IngredientsThis fudge treat tastes so good and is a healthy alternative to help me bypass the tempting displays of chocolate peanut butter cups at the grocery store.

Even chocolate bars and cups made with fair-trade or organic chocolate may have refined sugar or soy lecithin in them.

If you want to indulge in a chocolate treat - make it yourself. That way you know that the ingredients you are using are the highest quality and you'll save money.

I always choose the highest quality ingredients, go for organic and raw as much as possible, for the best taste and nutrition.

Organic Raw Cacao is the pure bean that chocolate comes from, before all that sugar and milk is added to it to create conventional chocolate. The cacao bean is a superfood packed with flavanoids, which are antioxidants that support heart health and more, as well as theobromine and anandamide which boost mood and uplift emotions. Cacao is also high in magnesium and B vitamins, which may be why many women crave it before their cycles.

Choose wisely to nourish your health!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe* 1/2 c. peanut butter, smooth (or nut butter of your choice: almond, macadamia, etc.) * 1/2 c. coconut oil (melted in a glass container in a bowl of hot water if needed) * 3/4 c. maple syrup * 1 c. raw cacao powder * 1/2 tsp. vanilla * 1/8 tsp. sea salt

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until smooth, then pour and spread into a glass container. Cover and chill in fridge until firm. Cut into 1" squares and enjoy cold. Store in fridge.

Enjoy!

Many blessings,

Kara

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I am so grateful for the benefits of essential oils in my life, family and home!

Essential oils are powerful gifts from nature to empower our health and uplift our mind and spirits.

What Are Essential Oils?Essential oils are the pure distilled aromatic compounds of plants.

Most essential oils are steam distilled with pure water, except for citrus oils, which are cold pressed from the peels.

People have used the power of essential oils through aromatherapy for thousands of years.

While the process of distillation has changed and become refined since ancient times, people have extracted the oils from plant resins, barks, wood, flowers, leaves and roots for the benefits of the aromatic essences since Ancient Egypt.

Aromatic oils of frankincense, myrrh, spikenard, cypress, and more are mentioned throughout the Bible and ancient texts.

From the times of Cleopatra, Mary Magdalene, Queen Elizabeth and beyond, aromatherapy has been celebrated for it's healing, sensual and sacred use.

How To Use Essential OilsThe aromatic molecules of essential oils directly effect our emotions through the limbic system.

When you inhale the scent of a rose or the fresh air of a mountain forest, those aromatic compounds go into your nose and reach the olfactory nerve which connects directly with the emotional center of our brain - the limbic system.

Essential Oils have amazing benefits for our health, family and home.

Pure therapeutic grade essential oils may be used aromatically or topically.

Diffusing essential oils in your home or office enhances the air quality.

I love my diffusers and they are great to enhance both the environmental quality of my home and office, as well as help to keep my self and family healthy and happy.

Essential oils can be smelled straight from the bottle or diffused in the air.

Essential oils can be applied topically for bodycare, skincare & perfumery.

Some oils can be applied to the skin neat, direct from the bottle, while many are best diluted with carrier oil, like fractionated coconut oil, especially for people with sensitive skin, including children and elderly.

Essential oils provide perfect flavors for cooking & a little goes a long way.

Many essential oils are safe to use internally and are used in oral health care, drinks, and to enhance culinary dishes in very small amounts.

There are so many ways essential oils can support your health, family & life.

For safety use essential oils that are tested by third-party independent labs to ensure potency.

It's important to use oils that are tested thoroughly to be free of pesticides, synthetics, GMO's, heavy metals, molds, and variant plant strains by a reputable lab.

Many essential oils on the market are tainted with synthetic fragrances and the industry is not regulated, so it's important to be a smart consumer.

How To Get Pure OilsI love REVIVE essential oils, which are rigorously tested by Dr. Pappas and his independent, third-party lab Essential Oil University, to ensure purity and potency.

The test results are all posted publicly on the REVIVE website.

All of REVIVE’s oils are either wildcrafted or organic and sourced from plants grown indigenously, ethically, and sustainably, by local farmers who own their own farms.

REVIVE offers exceptional essential oils at an affordable price with free shipping - including international!

Discover REVIVE:* All organic and wildcrafted * Affordable pure therapeutic oils * 3rd party tested by Dr. Pappas of Essential Oil University * Free US shipping * Free international shipping * 100% money-back guarantee for 100 days

I am proud to be partnering with REVIVE to offer you a special coupon code for 10% off your first order, for all new customers. As an affiliate, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

GET 10% OFF!Use my coupon code: happy10

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Almost everyone who comments on my pregnant belly asks me if it's a boy or a girl, because they assume I've had an ultrasound.

Or they ask if I know what I'm having, to which I will respond with the obvious, "A baby."

I'll then explain that the baby's gender will be a surprise because due to the risks of prenatal ultrasound, I don't choose to have one, unless it's medically indicated.

Pregnancy is an incredibly exciting and suspenseful time. You find out you're growing a new person inside your body and it's such a long wait until birth to discover what they look like and who they are.

The temptation to peak inside the womb and find out more about this new baby is so enticing and highly-promoted that many parents are not given full information on the potential consequences of the ultrasound technology.

Diagnostic ultrasound on fetuses should only be used when medically necessary for diagnosis, for as short amount of time as possible and with the lowest frequency possible. However, the recommendations of the FDA, ACOG and global health organizations are ignored by doctors and parents who assume ultrasound is safe, based on incomplete data from over 25 years ago done on outdated devices.

Today the vast majority of pregnant women are receiving an increasing amount of routine ultrasounds, sometimes at every doctor visit, despite the lack of medically indicated need or benefit for low-risk pregnancies, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.

That's not the only way unborn babies are exposed to high levels of ultrasound too - Doppler ultrasound has just as many potential concerns. Handheld Dopplers are used frequently by doctors, nurses and midwives for listening to the heart rate, which emit constant ultrasound waves rather than pulsing like the diagnostic machines. Fetuses may be exposed to ultrasound even earlier in pregnancy, when the baby may be more vulnerable through the usage of Dopplers. Plus, fetuses are regularly exposed to continuous Doppler ultrasound for hours during labor via electronic fetal heart rate monitors.

Prenatal ultrasound and dopplers sound like a great idea, to be able to see the baby and hear the baby's heartbeat, but these diagnostic tools have negative side-effects and should only be used when medically indicated.

There has been global research showing that ultrasound can cause damage to mammalian brains and tissue for a long time, yet the extent of this has been minimized in Western medicine because of the risks of conducting human studies.

New research has been released from the University of Washington showing a direct correlation between diagnostic ultrasound in the first trimester and increased severity of autism symptoms in children with a genetic predisposition to certain kinds of autism.

Dr. Sarah Buckley has been researching the risks and concerns of prenatal ultrasound for more than 20 years, and experienced 4 healthy pregnancies with zero ultrasound use. Her articles on the dangers and lack of information about the risks of ultrasound are highly recommended reading for parents-to-be and birth professionals. Her work has been a big inspiration for me!

Read through Dr. Buckley's Ultrasound Scans in Pregnancy: Your Questions Answered & Ultrasound Scans: Cause For Concern to learn about how the effects of prenatal ultrasound are known to create biological changes including cell death, tissue heating and collapse, and myelin nerve damage in mammals and more.

Extensive studies in China have shown that prenatal ultrasound should be avoided as completely as possible, yet are mostly unknown in the Western world due to translation and accessibility issues.

Ultrasound use on fetuses and women's reproductive systems has not been proven to be harmless, and no studies have been conducted on a controlled population since before 1992.

Since the early 1990's, the diagnostic frequency of ultrasound technology approved for fetuses has increased from 94 to 720 mW/cm2, and some of the previous tests were done with only a 1.5W/cm2, showing that there is far from adequate safety tests done on prenatal ultrasound today.

In addition to an increased frequency of fetal ultrasound today, other issues include lack of safety testing on the new ultrasound technology being increasingly used, including Doppler and Transvaginal Ultrasound, as well as a lack of training for technicians in how to reduce exposure.

Most ultrasound today is being conducted at 8 to 10 times the frequency than used in the older machines from 25 years ago that human studies were last done on, as well as now performed significantly more often.

Whereas, 25 years ago babies may have received one or two ultrasounds at a low frequency, now some of those same babies are new pregnant mamas having their babies scanned both 10 times as strong and as often!

There is zero research on the safety of modern prenatal ultrasound use, and no proof that prenatal ultrasound increases infant outcomes.

In obstetrics today, diagnostic ultrasound is so pervasive and repeatedly encouraged, that the idea of questioning it seems surprising.

However, there are time-honored and inexpensive ways to listen to the baby's heart and placenta without using technology that has no side effects for the baby.

A fetoscope is a safe and traditional way to listen to a baby's heartrate without the risks of prenatal ultrasound or doppler use.

A Pinard's horn is another common way for birth providers to listen to the fetal heart rate through a horn shaped device, usually made from wood or metal.

Parents can ask their doctors, nurses or midwives to use a fetoscope or Pinard horn instead of a Doppler to listen to the heart rate.

Pregnant parents who would like to listen to their baby's heart rate can easily purchase a fetoscope and learn to listen to their baby's heart. This is a much safer and affordable option than the home Doppler machines that are being sold to parents today and exposing babies to dangerous and potentially daily usage of ultrasound.

In addition to eliminating exposure to ultrasound while listening for the baby's heart rate, the fetoscope is more effective at helping parents and birth professionals to determine what position the baby is in, for the sound is amplified most strongly directly through the baby's back. This can be helpful in the third trimester to figure out the baby's position and support them to get into the optimal position for labor and birth.

Fetoscopes are a great way to listen to the fetal heart rate and have none of the risks associated with prenatal ultrasound exposure.

You have a right to ask your doctor or midwife to check heart tones with a fetoscope instead of a Doppler.

More current research and evaluation of modern ultrasound use in pregnancy and on women's reproductive systems is needed before we can assume safety in exposing fetuses and women to unnecessary procedures.

It was such a blessing not knowing the gender at the birth of my last child, for when the baby was born the first thing I experienced was connecting through our eye contact, and the depth of personality shining through, before even thinking to look at his genitals.

One thing I have experienced now as a mother, is that gender division is promoted even more strongly in pregnancy now than it used to be, as baby gear is dominated by pink frills and flowers or blue trucks and sports themes, Shopping for gender neutral infant clothing is extremely limited to the one yellow or gray outfit in a store. This is more so than I remember with the past pregnancies of my 5 or 16 year old. However, I've found some adorable sweet outfits and can't wait to discover my newborn's personality before dressing them in gender-dictated styles.

I feel this is perpetuated by the ultrasound industry who profits billions of dollars through increased diagnostic procedures, as well as the connected baby industry who profits off the marketing of baby's gender to pregnant shoppers today.

Know your options and ask for the gentle time-tested alternatives for your baby's optimal health!

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Are you fed up with all the synthetic chemicals, GMO's, and pharmaceuticals being pumped into our environment, communities, families and bodies through toxic household goods, body care products, food, water and the culture of industrialized living?

Today, people are growing in desire for natural alternatives to synthetic chemicals in their day to day lives.

Essential oils are booming in popularity due to the demand for plant based products that can help support our well-being, and mood.

Plus they have hundreds of uses in the home and personal wellness.

From eco skin care to household cleaning, essential oils are a pure and powerful plant-based system for natural empowered living.

The aromatherapy and therapeutic benefits of essential oils are spreading across the world, causing the interest, use, availability, and research in these powerful plant oils to have grown rapidly in recent years, creating a wellness revolution.

What Are Essential Oils?Essential oils are the pure potent natural aromatic essence of plants.

They have a wide spectrum of uses in our daily lives for wellbeing, first aid, family wellness, body care, skin care, home cleaning, diffusing, emergency preparedness, air freshening, increased vitality and more.

Essential oils are usually steam-distilled at specific temperatures and pressure to create the highest quality of oils using just pure water.

Some essential oils are cold pressed, such as citrus essential oils including bergamot, lemon, and orange.

These precious oils consist of the pure aromatic compounds of plants that not only smell good - they have an abundance of beneficial qualities for supporting health, wellness, mood, energy and vitality in the body.

You can also easily integrate essential oils into the wellness practices you already use, without having to give anything up - just add in more pure, natural, plant power to supercharge your health!

You'll probably then find that essential oils work even better than your conventional products and discover more ways to add them into your life.

Essential oils can empower us to give up any dependency on synthetic chemical products and make it easy to detox your medicine cabinet, cleaning closet, and will become the first thing you reach for in many situations.

Ancient AromaticsEssential oils have been prized for their therapeutic, rejuvenative and aromatic powers for millennia.

The potent gifts of aromatic plants were celebrated since the time of Ancient Egypt, India and China, and used extensively through Greece, Rome, Europe, and now around the world today.

Aromatic plant oils have been used for healing, cleansing, aromatherapy, cosmetics and more for thousands of years.

From the queens and pharaohs of Ancient Egypt, to hundreds of essential oil references in the Bible, the aromatic oils have ancient origins.

Now we also have a growing array of clinical evidence from scientists, universities and hospitals around the world that pure high-quality essential oils have great variety of benefits for the body, mind and emotions.

The ancient tradition of using aromatic oils for wellbeing is now being validated by the abundant scientific research being created today demonstrating their unique and unreplicable therapeutic properties.

How To Use Essential OilsEssential oils are very concentrated, thus you only need a drop or two, and are very safe when used appropriately.

This makes them incredibly practical for having it on hand for first aid or emergency situations, or for travel or on the go.

They also stay potent and strong for years. So having them on hand is vital for preparedness.

There are so many uses for essential oils, that it feels like your always looking to your oil kit when you get familiar with the many diverse benefits of these pure plant extracts from such diverse plants, barks, roots, stems, flowers, berryies, leaves and trees.

However, as the essential oil industry has grown alongside the synthetic fragrance industry, it’s important to be a savvy and aware consumer because much of the essential oils on the market today are diluted with carrier oil and synthetic fragrances, that decrease the therapeutic potency and may be neurotoxins or carcinogens.

It’s vital to verify the source of your oils and know that they've been tested and certified by a reliable, independent and qualified laboratory to be pure and therapeutically potent - not just fragrant.

My favorite brand of essential oils is REVIVE, they are all organic and wildcrafted and third-party tested by Dr. Pappas at Essential Oil University.

They are thoroughly tested to ensure there are no GMO's, pesticides, heavy metals, molds, toxins, synthetics in the oils, and to confirm therapeutic potency and purity of the oils, and all tests are available online to review at REVIVE.

This is very important to me, as I want to know that the essential oils I use, and I share with my children, are safe, pure, therapeutic and effective.

Essential oils offer incredible benefits for physical health and wellbeing, emotional balancing, mental clarity and calm, and spiritual upliftment.

You can be prepared for optimal living with essential oils!

I am proud to be partnering with REVIVE to offer you a special coupon code for 10% off your first order, for all new customers. As an affiliate, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

GET 10% OFF REVIVE ESSENTIAL OILS!Organic, wildcrafted & 3rd-party tested by independent labs.

Use my coupon code: happy10

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You can simplify your social media strategy with savvy hacks that will uplift your message, grow your reach, and help you take more time back to focus on your big goals and creative projects.

As a busy mom and entrepreneur who loves social media to interact and connect with my global community, I understand the need to know the best practices and how to minimize one's time online, for efficiency, productivity and sanity.

I've also recently realized how people who see my social media activity and postings, think that I am really busy posting online, or that I'm always off in some fabulous nature setting or activity each day, when really I'm pre-planning.

I spend just a few minutes posting each day, often in my leggings, in my bed, on my laptop or phone, in short moments in-between focusing on my main work - my clients, business planning, my personal creative goals - and of course my family and self-care!

Now that I am pregnant with a new baby, I am feeling even more strongly the need and desire to simplify my online media connections, yet while still maintaining and growing my online community in the best way.

I seek to focus upon the creative projects coming forth both with my body and mind, as motherhood motivates me to want to create more effective change in the world - for the future of all the children and people to be well, happy, safe and abundant.

This week, a client commented on how active I had been posting things on social media even though she knew I've been feeling queasy and tired for the past month with persistent morning sickness. I realized that it was working! I was online way less, but it wasn't noticeable that I was doing much less!

My desire to simplify my social media time was working, because I've spent WAY less time on social media in the past month, and only wrote one blog post, but I was still sharing content and connecting, just in more concise and creative ways.

I often hear from my holistic business coaching clients, that they want to learn how to use social media better without having it suck all their time away from their life. This is how.

Here are my top tips to simplify your social media: Plan Your Content:In a business meeting, we were discussing social media, and a colleague commented on how I was always doing exciting things in beautiful places. I had to share with everyone, that actually I was mostly working on projects on my laptop or phone with clients on most days, and I took my photos for Instagram and Facebook mostly in batches, and then shared them staggered over several days or weeks. Just because they saw a picture this morning online of me hiking in nature, doesn't me that's what I was doing this morning - I may have been doing that yesterday or last week.

Batch Your Photos: Batching your photos for social media makes it so much easier to know what you're going to post each day, and plan how all your photos are going to look together, then to think each day of something new to share. I love to go on photo adventures, and create photo shoots for flatlays and concept ideas, once a week or a couple times a month. By batching your photos, you always have pictures to share, even if you woke up with a bad hair day or it's dark, gray and drizzly outside, or have a full day planned.

Batch Your Posters:I also will create batches at a time of images through Canva.com with photos and words together in inspiring posters or word quotes. Canva is a great free online graphic design tool with easy templates for making your own social media images. Rather than having to design a new image each day, I find it much easier to create several at one time. I also reuse posters that I've already created, so once you've created it, you can keep it in your library and re-share it every few months or so.

Keep an Idea List: I also batch my written content. I'll keep a running list of ideas of short written ideas to share. Often many will come in a creative burst, so I open my list and write down several ideas, then later when I want to post something, I check my list for an idea that fits.

Save Links and Videos:As I am browsing through Facebook, I also save interesting links and videos. This is a great function of Facebook for often I get a couple minutes to look at my phone while in between activities and I don't have time to watch a video and read a whole article. Or I may have just posted something and then found a great link, and I want to wait to post it at a later time, this is a great way to save links for your optimal sharing times. Whenever I want an inspirational or educational video or link on my Facebook page, I can go to my saved list and see if there is an article that fits.

Republish Content:Have you been blogging, creating content, and posting on social media for months or years? Then you already have a wealth of resources to look to for post inspiration. I look to already published blog content for new content purposes all the time. Rather than writing something new, I will excerpt parts from my published writing and share them with new fresh images, posters or photos on my Facebook page. You can also copy and paste the whole blog post into a long Facebook post, and find new traffic for your content that way. Facebook prefers native content over outside links, so this is a great way to help make sure your social media followers read and follow your content, even if they didn't see the blog post link in the past, or are new followers since you published that post first.

Share on Multiple Platforms at Once: Do more with one post than just a single post. I love to post on Instagram, because it's easy to snap a photo, edit and share, or to share a ready photo, and then click share to Facebook, Twitter or Tumblr. I alternate between sharing photos from Instagram to both my Facebook page and profile. If I post a short text post on Facebook, I'll also be sure to share that on Twitter. If I post a video to Youtube, I'll also post it on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and maybe take a snapshot or short clip to share on Instagram too. There are many ways to share between platforms! So instead of having to create content for every platform you can adapt your content for multiple channels at once.

Prepare to be Spontaneous:It's so much easier to prepare for several posts at once, when you are in your creative flow, then to try to think of new things to post at several times of the day every day. Think ahead and you'll find that posting on social media only takes a minute, because you will already have content ready. You can still and definitely should post spontaneously thoughts, updates, news, and photos from during your day, but you don't have to force creativity to strike upon demand.

Let the Schedule Go: I'm not a big fan of scheduling your social media posts on third-party apps because Facebook shows posts that are scheduled less than content that is directly posted. Thus, I don't use social media management software for scheduled posts, just for monitoring activity and statistics. With Facebook, Instagram and Twitter all having algorithm based feeds now, showing the most interesting or relevant content first, I believe that direct posting gives our posts an advantage to be shared more to our followers.

I find planning and batching helps me to be ready to post quickly throughout the day and leaves room for the spontaneous and timely sharing. I also let go of any ideas of how much I should post - somedays it may be once and other days it may be a whole bunch! So is life - being authentic on social media is also essential, you don't need to post 8 times a day, or every two hours on the dot. If you don't post anything today, you can post tomorrow. It's all good. There are no rules. Let it be simple and in the flow and soon it will become habit.

I've let go of the idea that I need to always post at optimal traffic times, and have opened to the idea that inspiration strikes often right when it's the perfect time to share it. Then that late Sunday afternoon post, in sleepy social media hours, may end up generating the most responses of people saying it was synchronistically exactly what they needed to read right at that moment. Trust your intuition whether to post now or later, the most important thing is to do it.

Bonus Tip: Beware the Newsfeed VortexThe biggest time suck to social media is when you start scrolling through the newsfeed and it's a never-ending river of entrancing pictures, headlines, click bait, memes, baby photos, smoothie pics, kitty photos, funny stories, and life announcements. This is really where people lose time on social media, not planning and posting content, or responding to comments from friends and followers, but browsing.

When I go to social media, I go to my profile or page first, rather than my newsfeed, so as to maintain focus on my goals for posting. Otherwise I could start browsing and ten minutes later I'm wondering what I came there for, and I'm all fired up about some political article, planning some crafty project to make for my son, or distracted by videos of babies laughing. Pay attention to how much you are consuming social media compared to creating and posting social media, and choose the path that will lead to the most productivity.

The increased relaxation of knowing you've simplified your social media planning and posting will actually create more space and time in your life and mind for the lightning bolts of creative inspiration to strike - which can lead to those super inspired posts that go viral or attract your ideal clients straight to your inbox wanting to work with you.

Social media is about connecting, meeting new people, engaging in conversation. Focus on interacting more than posting. It's not a competion, it's not about numbers, it's about using this amazing global communication tool to find your peeps, share your message and follow your passion.

Try to find ways to share what you are naturally doing, glimpse of your life, your work and who you are, and let it be a natural expression of who you are.

Be creative, take time for you, and let social media be a tool that simplifies your ability to connect quicker and better with people worldwide.

Enjoy the connections!

Many blessings,

Kara

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pleasurable planning for successWhat tools do you use to stay focused in the midst of endless creativity, inspiration, and growing to-do lists?

As an entrepreneur, working from home or laptop wherever I may be, I don't dread the workweek or have the Manic Mondays that some people do.

I love the opportunity to be creating what I'm passionate about and working when and where I want to.

However, I do feel a creative overload sometimes from thinking about ALL the big ideas and projects I'm working on and want to achieve.

That HUGE list of things I want to do just keeps growing - with emails, websites, blogs, social media, events, sessions, podcasts, interviews, videos, summits - not to mention all those books I want to write and art to make!

And self-care! Have to remember that.

Creating a plan and making written goals, really helps my brain to relax and enjoy each task that I'm working on, and trust and allow the flow of the creative process to proceed in the right order.

Writing things down is the first step in visioning, creating, planning, and organizing.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

My Top Tools for Planning: JOURNALINGI love journaling! The act of writing things down on paper makes an idea into a real form, a physical manifestation of my intent. First I get all my ideas out that I want to work on. Then, I reorder and prioritize and take notes. Next, I'll schedule it onto my calendar and set the time to actually make it happen.

BULLET JOURNALFor the last few years I've been using the Bullet Journal method for analog organizing my gridded Moleskins, and it's really great way to track all the awesome ideas you write in your notebooks.

My favorite notebooks for Bullet Journaling are the Leuchtturm notebooks, for they have amazing paper quality, and an index right in the front to keep track of your topics. This is my #1 favorite planning tool.

COLORI also love using multi-colored fineliner pens to add color to my journaling in both my Bullet Journal and on big blank sketchpads. I like to create colorful rainbow mind map expressions of my ideas on paper. Just like coloring and drawing are now popular for meditation and calming, creative doodling and freestyle writing out your ideas with colors is similarly a calming and creative way to ignite those inspirations from within while focused on your goals.

STICKY POSTERSAnother tool I use a lot to plan out my business and projects is giant presentation sized sticky post-it notes, which I write on with colored markers and stick all over the walls while planning and brainstorming ideas in groups or individually. This is a great tool for project planning, team meetings, coaching sessions, and as a teaching tool.

Keeping our ideas flowing and life organized is vital to be able to be fully present in the moment while working on projects.

I hope these ideas inspire you to make it pleasurable to plan and organize all your great business ideas and projects.

Many blessings,
Kara

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There are powerful and natural ways to support breast health with easy and fun practices that can be integrated into any woman's lifestyle to maintain and enhance vitality and wellbeing.

Epigenetics is the field of science in genetics that studies how factors in our environment, lifestyle and beliefs create changes in our DNA, showing that gene variation is due to outside influences not just our DNA programming.

We can harness the power of epigenetics to create vitality through choosing healthy lifestyle habits including eating organic foods, exercising regularly, getting ample sleep, supporting our bodies natural detoxification system and creating a positive mindset.

Breast health is important for all women - and men, for everyone who has a woman in their life who they love and care about.

Our breasts are amazing, they are not ticking time-bombs needing to be surgically removed or radiated. They are beautiful organs that have the power to nourish baby humans.

I wish for all women to have the resources and education available to them to know how to support and enhance breast health naturally, in all stages of life, and to be supported with awareness of how to prevent disease, rather than being fed fear and shame.

You can be proactive and take your breast health into your own hands!

6 Practices for Healthy BreastsSunlightSunlight on our bare skin is important for breast health, because our bodies produce Vitamin D with exposure to the sun's rays.

Vitamin D supports the cells in our body as a neuro-regulator, and has an epigenetic effect upon the genes in our body to create balance.

Studies have shown that Vitamin D deficiency is linked to breast health challenges, and the safest and easiest way to increase Vitamin D levels is through sunlight exposure on naked skin for 15 - 30 minutes a day.

Sunlight exposure has been known to have health benefits since the times of Ancient Greece, when heliotherapy was a practiced form of sunlight therapy.

It's many benefits include supporting the immune system, lowering cholesterol and increasing positive emotions.

Organic FoodChanging from a conventional to organic food diet creates an immediate reduction in the amount of pesticides and petrochemicals in our blood and bodies. Studies have found that within just a few days of switching, the level of synthetic chemicals in the body is dramatically diminished.

Petrochemicals and toxins in our bodies can build up in our fatty tissues, causing chronic issues later on down the road.

Breasts are mostly fat, so toxins from our modern diet and lifestyle are accumulating in women's breasts at a dramatic rate, including dioxins, jet fuels, pesticides and flame retardants.

Eating organic foods eliminates a vast quantity of toxins from our diet, as well as protects our environment, supports our bodies nourishment and health for better detoxification, and eliminates GMO's from our diet as well.

Massage TherapyOur bodies have amazing abilities to nourish, maintain and detoxify our whole being if our cardiovascular and lymphatic circulation systems are flowing optimally.

Massage is a wonderful ancient healing practice that supports our blood and lymphatic flow, bringing vitality to all our cells.

Breasts also need massage, and you can give yourself a self breast massage every day to enhance the circulation of your breasts.

Tight clothing and bra straps reduce lymphatic circulation in the breasts and can cause congestion. If you wear a bra, massaging your breasts after you take it off at the end of the day is a wonderful way to release any stagnation that it built up.

Breast massage can also stimulate the release of positive hormones including endorphins and oxytocin, uplifting the mood and promoting positive wellbeing.

ExerciseMovement is essential for life. To create optimal vitality we need to exercise everyday.

Breasts are designed to move in all directions, bouncing naturally side to side, up and down.

The movements created by the body during exercise from arm and chest movements and increased breathing, are necessary to enhance the circulation of the breasts.

The breasts need movement to stimulate the lymphatic circulation to detoxify the tissues and keep the immune system strong.

Natural movements that use full range of motion of the arms and chest are especially beneficial for breast health, such as dancing, swimming and yoga. Rebounding on a mini-trampoline is also beneficial to increase lymphatic circulation and energize the whole body, start gently at first.

Exercise also enhances oxygenation of the body, increasing energy, promoting deeper rest, and improving mood and health in a myriad of ways.

SweatSweating detoxifies the body of all kinds of toxins, as well cleansing the skin of impurities and supporting circulation.

When you sweat from exercise your also increasing endorphins and positive hormones that help you feel good and increase your mood.

Sweating supports the immune system, because as well as opening up all the pores and flushing them out, it contains antibacterial peptides which purify and protect the skin and body against viruses, bacteria and fungi.

You can get a great sweat through exercise as well as saunas.

InversionsOur lymphatic circulation is an integral part of the complex workings of our immune system as a whole. The top 3 ways to stimulate the lymphatic circulation is through massage, exercise and inversions.

Some women are afraid of the effects of gravity over time on their breasts. Well now you can use anti-gravity to your advantage!

Our lymphatic system drains out near the base of the neck and does not have arteries like the blood circulation, so it's essential to have movement in the body that supports the lymph in the legs, arms and chest to circulate toward the neck, either through manual movements like massage, physical movements like exercise or physically getting upside-down through inversions.

Inverting the body allows the blood and lymph to flow toward your head, supporting lymphatic drainage.

There are several major lymph nodes on either side of the body under the armpits next to the breasts, as well as lymph ducts throughout the breasts. Inversions help to increase all the lymphatic circulation through the breast tissues and body supporting the natural detoxification of the whole body.

You can do handstands or headstands with a partner or wall to back you, do leg inversions on a wall, and chest inversions off the side of your bed, or use an inversion table.

Supporting your lymphatic health is a key step to supporting your healthy breasts!

These natural ways to support breast health are fun, support your whole body health, help you to feel good, look good, have fun and get a new perspective on life!

Many blessings,

Kara

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I adore a steamy mug of warm, spicy and lightly sweetened chai on a chilly autumn day!

An herbalist taught me how to brew chai tea many years ago, while I was working my way through massage school by brewing 150 gallons of chai a week for her chai company in Seattle.

The smell of chai brewing in the air brings feelings of positive emotions, invigoration and protection, but nowadays I don't have the time to slow brew chai as often as I'd like.

That's why I crafted this wonderful Chai Aroma Mist to instantly enjoy the scent of fresh chai brewing, as well as to uplift the mood, support the respiratory system and cleanse the air.

This DIY chai aromatherapy mist freshens up the environment with a lovely blend of spicy and sweet essential oils that's perfect for fall, or anytime you want to transport your mind to tea time!

It's an amazing chai scent that smells like the real deal is brewing in your kitchen, or steaming in a warm cup in your hand.

Chai Aroma Mist Recipe:Add:

• 5 drops cardamom essential oil
• 5 drops ginger essential oil
• 4 drops clove essential oil
• 4 drops wild orange essential oil
• 4 drops cinnamon bark essential oil
• 2 drops of black pepper essential oil

...to a mister bottle, then fill with water and shake before using.

*Be sure to only use the highest quality essential oils that are tested for purity and potency by third party labs and grown sustainably and responsibly.

Enjoy your aromatherapy mist that conjures up the scent up a perfectly spiced cup of warm Indian tea!

I am proud to be partnering with REVIVE to offer you a special coupon code for 10% off your first order, for all new customers. As an affiliate, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

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Healing is not something that anyone or anything does to us.

Our bodies heal themselves.

We need to support our bodies’ healing process with a healing arts lifestyle to support the body's own innate impulse to create homeostasis.

Humans have used natural remedies for healing for thousands of years.

As far back as written human history goes, we have records of how people have studied the healing of the body and utilized the healing benefits of plants for wellness, nourishment, and more.

Now it is time for us to reclaim our ancient heritage as keepers of the natural healing traditions and learn how to apply these practices to our modern life through embodying a healing arts lifestyle.

8 Ways to Empower Your Health NaturallyEat Real FoodSustain your youthfulness and vitality through a diverse, plant-based, whole-foods diet.

Avoid the middle aisles of grocery stores filled with processed boxed food and instead shop the perimeter for the freshest produce, dairy, meat, and bulk ingredients.

Nutrition creates a foundation for a healthy lifestyle.

Choose the best ingredients, grown without chemical pesticides, herbicides, or GMO's.

As Hippocrates said, "Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food."

Move Your BodyStagnation creates pain, inflammation, and rigidity.

Keep your body flexible and pain-free through a daily active lifestyle.

It's not so much having an exercise or fitness routine that's important, as much as not being stationary through sitting or standing all day long.

Walk, dance, run, leap, stretch, play, lunge, climb, hang, swing, jump, skip, waltz, and explore the full dimensions of movement possible in our amazing human bodies.

Get OutsideBeing in nature gets us more in tune with our own inner nature.

There are infinite benefits to being outdoors in nature for our health and wellbeing.

The soil has been shown to have microbes that have uplifting qualities and so working in the dirt through play or gardening enhances our mood.

Sunlight also helps increase our Vitamin D and regulates our biorhythms.

Fresh air is oxygenating to our lungs, blood, and brain.

Any way you can be in fresh clean nature - it will make you feel better.

Go For a WalkWalking is a fantastic low-impact exercise that also gets us places!

Hit the trails for a does of nature, trees, and dirt on your explorations.

You'll save gas and get exercise.

I love walking on dirt trails because it's better for the knees, feet, and joints than being on pavement or sidewalks all the time.

Additionally, walking or being barefoot on the Earth has a grounding effect that balances our electro-magnetic energy.

Walking supports our overall health, from our sleep, heart health, biorhythms, immune system and more, so go for a walk today - with or without shoes!

Dance It OffDancing increases feel-good hormones including endorphins and serotonin and decreases stress hormones such as cortisol.

I love to take dance breaks throughout the dance with my favorite music - and often a hoop.

Hoop dancing has been my favorite movement and dance practice for years.

It's a great fun way to dance, move your body, and feel good!

Even just playing one song and getting up and dancing freely to it for 4 minutes a couple of times a day can make a huge difference in your mood and energy.

MeditatePeople have known about the benefits of meditation for a long time, but now even Harvard Medical School is studying it.

Meditation is relaxing and has profound health benefits for a wide range of conditions including stress, insomnia, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and ADHD.

All kinds of meditation are beneficial, so even if you just sit and focus on your breath for 10 minutes a day - you'll gain positive effects from mindfulness.

Take some time each day for a meditative activity, whether that be quiet contemplation, prayer, meditation, journaling, or singing.

Surround Yourself with PlantsBeing around plants, trees and flowers make us feel good.

Japanese scientists have studied in depth the beneficial effects of forest bathing, which is now being surrounded by trees in the forest that supports our health by decreasing stress, enhancing focus, supporting calmness, and reducing inflammation.

Gardening is a healthy activity that nourishes our body, mind, and soul.

Plants are great for our health as the major part of a healthy diet, for their diverse herbal medicine qualities and effects to support a healthy immune system, to purify our air, and to be uplifting companions in our gardens and forests.

Experience Essential OilsEssential oils are the aromatic compounds of plants that not only smell good - they have an abundance of beneficial qualities for supporting health, wellness, mood, energy, and vitality in the body.

While essential oils have been used for thousands of years developed from the ancient traditions of herbal healing, now we have a growing array of clinical evidence from scientists, universities, and hospitals around the world that pure high-quality essential oils have a great variety of benefits for the body, mind, and emotions.

Try diffusing purifying, calming, and uplifting essential oils in your home like lemon, lavender, and peppermint to feel the effects of essential oils yourself and keep your home healthy.

My family uses essential oils in our cleaning, body care, and daily wellness practices.

There are abundant ways to incorporate natural wellness practices into your daily life for empowered health and vitality. Honoring your personal health is the foundation of having the ability to make an impact in global health today. When you feel good, you have more energy to do good in the world.

Being healthy is natural!

Many blessings,
Kara

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The health and wellness industry in the US and worldwide is HUGE and growing rapidly. It is called the new trillion dollar industry and people all over the world are gaining interest in nutrition, organics, fitness, alternative medicine, and all kinds of related health and wellness education, coaching, services, and products in phenomenal numbers.

People want to feel good, look good, and be active - and they are seeking out organic and natural food, fitness classes, alternative medicine, herbalism, plant medicine, and buying up books, dvd's, programs and services to help them create vitality and longevity.

This is awesome news, because I deeply believe that if all the healers, coaches, and wellness practitioners were able to really create abundant and successful businesses, than we would be able to help so many people and thus create massive healing, transformation and change in the world!

I believe that to create a sustainable future we need to support healers to create successful holistic businesses and projects worldwide. As conscious healers and entrepreneurs today, it is up to us to learn how to use the resources and tools that we have available to us today to make a difference - like the internet, social media and business.

These are my top recommended tips to wellness entrepreneurs for creating a full and prosperous health and wellness business today.

5 Ways To Create A Successful Wellness Business Online#1: Get Socially ConnectedWith such growth in the health and wellness fields, it’s absolutely essential for healing arts practitioners and business owners to stay up to date with current issues, trends, customer needs, and how to best serve your community. You must know how to keep up with leading edge research in your field, connect with your colleagues and community, and be holistically supporting your clients well from your website to service, if you want to make a real impact upon people's lives.

2: Create Personal ExperiencesThe more you can help your clients to find the best path to wellness for them, and be able to provide them with a personalized custom experience, the better your business will be. One of the biggest demands today from consumers of health and wellness is for personalized custom services and packages that meet their needs exactly. People are increasingly aware that we are not all the same, and the same diet, workout, and lifestyle do not work the same for each person. Also, with more products, diets, and information coming out into the market, people need trusted help and guidance to navigate the increasingly complex choices of how to empower their health the best way.

3: Put Yourself Into Your BrandAnother incredibly important factor for success in the health and wellness fields is to infuse your personal brand into all that you offer to consistently create professional services, communication, and information experiences for your clients both offline and online. Whether you are working with a client in person, on the phone, through a video call, or they are interacting with your social media channels or website - they expect a top-notch experience that seamlessly feels like YOU and your business.

4: Freshen Up Your WebsiteYou may be an amazing healer but if your website hasn't been updated in years (or you don't know how to update it - or don't even have a website), and you don’t have a Facebook page or any social media presence, your clients are going to call someone else who has a professional website with clear contact info and free resources, plus social media channels with lots of social interaction and testimonials. Even if your business is all hands-on in person, like a massage therapist or chiropractor - you need an awesome website and social media presence.

People are looking online for information about businesses before calling, visiting or spending money. Updating your website and social media pages, and interacting on it is just part of customer service in the social media age - and it is especially important for those in health and wellness businesses.

Even if you feel you are techno-phobic, I want to reassure you that it's easier than ever before to set up a professional website and social media presence - even all by yourself. You don't need to spend a lot of money or hire a team to get you online, it just takes a little effort, time and ability to communicate clearly.

5: Be a Conscious Content CreatorToday, it’s more important than ever to be sharing original content on your own website's blog and then bring people back to your site by sharing your free content through social media. By sharing education and inspiration through writing, videos, podcasts, photography or mixed media you can plant seeds of health and wellness and attract your ideal clients. Blogging on your own website is essential, because it brings visitors to your online space, where they can also learn more about you and get in touch.

Then you can share your blog posts and content on multiple social media channels and pay attention to which channels are the best for attracting your clients, what are they most interested in, and put more energy into those. You don't need to keep creating new content for every channel, you can post your new content on your blog, then share it on all the social media channels regularly.

The health and wellness entrepreneurs that will thrive are going to be the ones who give the most to their communities through their content creation, social media and online channels, through generating free videos, information, resources, inspiring posts and more. Just selling all the time doesn’t cut it these days as people are becoming super-immune to marketing, but LOVE inspiration, entertainment and socializing - especially on their laptops and mobile devices!

These are key elements to growing your successful health and wellness business to help support you, your family and your community, and change the world!

Believe in the work you are doing, it's needed on the planet right now, and this is the best time ever to be in the health and wellness fields. All you need is determination, passion, and to pay attention to where your community is looking for information and how to reach them.

Together, we will bring health, wellness & abundance to the world!

Wishing you abundant wellness,

Kara

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Breastmilk is a powerful superfood. It's pure liquid life force with amazing benefits and qualities, and it comes in a perfect, portable and attractive dispenser.

This sweet substance is a vital link in the survival and evolution of humanity. Without it we would not exist.

Breastfeeding provides much more than just nourishment, it also creates the foundation of our lifelong gut health and provides the physical closeness between mother and baby to support attachment, bonding and love.

Breastmilk nourishes the body, inoculates the digestive system with a healthy microbiome, boosts the immune system and is constantly changing multiple times a day to always provide exactly what a baby needs.

7 Amazing Things to Know About Breastmilk#1: The Best Superfood Ever:

There are over 400+ known nutrients, probiotics, enzymes, stem cells and more in breastmilk - and it doesn't decrease in nutrition at anytime! It's constantly the perfect temperature, always changing during each day to provide exactly what a baby needs, and provides up to date immunity to what's in the mom's environment.

#2: It Gives Babies the Munchies:

Breastmilk has cannabanoids in it, which are natural nutrients which also make up one of the medicinal factors of marijuana. The cannabanoids in breastmilk help to support the babies appetite, and that munchie-effect helps to make sure that babies want to eat, which is essential for them to grow and thrive.

#3: Colostrum is Like Liquid Gold:

The first milk that a mother produces in the first couple days after birth is not actually breastmilk, it is colostrum. Colostrum creates the foundation of the baby's immune system for life. It is super turbo packed with nutrients and provides a huge immunity boost to the baby.

#4: Breastmilk is Healing:

It's been used as a home remedy for hundreds of situations from pink eye to scraped knees because of its antibacterial properties. Moms have been known to use breastmilk for soothing earaches, skin irritations, diaper rashes, stretch marks and so much more! It's not only the most nutritious food for babies, it's also a healing balm for all kinds of situations.

#5: Breastmilk May Provide Powerful Cures:

The breasts have their own stash of stem cells that promote regeneration and can be accessed throughout expressed breastmilk. Breastmilk is an abundant source of stem cells which research shows can be used for treating many diseases. The stem cells in breastmilk are also able to be ethically harvested, thus making unnecessary the aggressive intervention of taking stem cells from the umbilical cord in the immediate moments after birth (which necessitates early cord clamping and takes the precious stem cells in the placenta away from the baby), or from aborted embryos. Many women are able to produce extra breastmilk through pumping, and could continue to pump long after weaning, thus providing breastmilk for medical research. I believe this is a much more humane and conscious way to pursue stem cell research and help lots more people with this healing potential in regenerative medicine.

#6: Breastmilk Deserves the Best:

The quality of breastmilk is effected by the mother's diet. The foods and herbs she eats provide nutrients and flavors to the milk and it's essential for nursing mothers to eat the highest quality foods possible. A good diet for breastfeeding mothers ensures that her body is using her food supply, rather than personal reserves, to make the milk. In traditional cultures around the world, pregnant and nursing mothers were given special nutrient-dense foods that were considered sacred for their ability to nourish the mother and baby such as oysters, fish eggs, liver and bone marrow which are very high in minerals as well as vitamins A, D and K.

#7: It's the Stuff Myths Are Made Of:

Our home galaxy here in the Universe is called the Milky Way, because in Greek mythology milk squirted out from the Goddess Hera's breast and became the stars in the sky. The name Milky Way is derived from the Greek word "Galaxius" which means milk. Breastmilk is the best food in the galaxy!

Why Milk MattersWhile breastmilk is an essential ingredient to human survival and health, breastfeeding is very challenging today, especially because of the lack of support and the cultural objectification of the bodies of women.

Breastfeeding is an incredibly important practice for humanity overall, yet this vital mother-baby relationship is frequently sabotaged today by excess intervention and technology in the birth and postpartum experience, the advertising and promotion of formula, as well as societal pressure against breastfeeding in public.

Despite the prominence of sexualized breasts in advertising, billboards, commercials, fashion and media, the breastfeeding breast is controversial. This is evidenced by many women getting their social media accounts suspended for posting breastfeeding photos, as well as getting kicked off of planes and out of businesses for breastfeeding in public.

Parents-to-be are sent packages of formula samples when pregnant, pushing formula over breastmilk. New parents are given gift bags of formula when leaving the hospitals with their newborns. This kind of practices are deriding to a mother's confidence, as well as to her breastfeeding support systems, and can lead to early weaning.

Instead we should be promoting and marveling over the amazing properties of BREASTMILK! The most special food that humans have available to us - and the only food that we really make ourselves.

It is important for breastfeeding mothers today to eat organic and non-GMO foods, as pesticides from conventional produce pass through the breastmilk to the baby. However, the amount of pesticides in the body drops considerably in just a few days of eating organic. Also, only pastured, grass-fed and high-quality animal foods should be eaten by breastfeeding mothers, including eggs, dairy and meat, because the amount of pesticides, hormones and chemicals in the conventional food supply gets concentrated in animal fats posing even higher risks.

A plant-based organic diet with grass-fed pastured special nutrient-rich foods is ideal for a nursing mother. Many women today have a hard time accessing and affording organic and healthy food during pregnancy and nursing. This should be a top priority for public health.

I think we need to create a Farm-to-Breast Movement connecting organic farmers directly with pregnant and breastfeeding mothers!

It's time we really pay attention to studying the life-giving, regenerative and healing powers of breastmilk, start supporting pregnant and breastfeeding women to have better food and health, and respect what breasts are REALLY for - keeping homo sapiens alive for over 200,000 years!

This liquid of legends is full of the energy of life, health and youth - and has incredible characteristics.

It's absolutely awe-inspiring what life giving and healing powers are inherent within the breasts and bodies of women.

Many blessings,
Kara

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Birth is an intrinsically natural and primal experience of the creative expression of life.

It is the basis upon which life emerges from the womb to the world.

Humans have birthed instinctively for millennia in homes, dwellings, in the water, and on the land all across our Earth.

It is only today, now that human culture has domesticated us that we go to a hospital, the place for injured and sick people, to give birth.

We are created with the integral wisdom to birth naturally just like all living beings.

Today we are on the cusp of a new era of human civilization in which a vast amount of humans are being born traumatized from medical intervention in birth.

Women in labor are rushed to the hospital to be monitored, drugged, and intervened with aggressively.

The Cesarean section rate is over 30% in the United States, and 50% in China.

The surge toward surgical delivery is a huge shift in the last 40 years that may very well effect the evolution of humanity.

Through surgical delivery, babies bypass the birth canal and the inoculation of the mother's natural healthy bacteria that colonizes the babies body during birth and creates the foundation of the baby's life-long immune system.

Surgical delivery also decreases the amount of breastfeeding relationships that are initiated or successfully established, thus limiting babies access to colostrum, the first breastmilk which also is a foundation for the babies immune system.

This is producing a vast proportion of humans with immune-system compromise who are more susceptible to epidemics.

This is just one factor of concern in the multitude of risks to the health of women and babies through unnecessary interventions in childbirth.

In the wild, animal mothers find a quiet private place to labor and birth.

Animals are amazing teachers for they instinctively know what is the right food to eat, how to sleep, socialize, and live naturally, as well as give birth.

Animals will often give birth at nighttime, when it is quiet, they are alone, and relaxed.

We need to remember that we too are animals, we are wild beings, and we too need dim lights, privacy, safety, and a cozy natural environment to birth in.

At a homebirth, a family may create a sacred space in their home for the labor and birth.

It will be warm, comfortable, private, dimly lit, and the woman will have room to move freely, shower, bathe, eat, walk around, and even be outside, in the sun, under the stars, or walking in the yard.

In many hospitals, you can't even open a window, you are under bright florescent lights, hearing strange sounds, and people you've never met walk in and out of the room, while you are restricted from eating or drinking and are confined to the bed, tubes, and monitors.

It is the elements of privacy, comfort, and freedom that are integral to instinctive birth.

When babies are born naturally at home, they are inoculated by their mother through the birth process and the first food of colostrum to be naturally immune to what the mother is immune to.

The mother's naturally defense system is built to be prepared for what is in her natural environment, such as her home.

Hospitals are places where sick people go and is a foreign environment to the mother.

The mother and baby are exposed to strangers coming in and out of their room, as well as the doctors and nurses going from room to room of other patients.

Therefore, from an immunological perspective, the baby is safest born naturally at home, where they immediately receive the mother's immunity to the environment as well as the benefits of immune-boosting vaginal birth and colostrum which is Nature's Best Food.

Mothers need to tap into their wild nature and find a private sacred space to birth for the integrity of their family and baby's health.

It is imperative that we re-wild ourselves to strengthen our bodies, spirits, health, and the health of our children.

Natural birth is a gift to a child for a life-long healthy body, immune system, and soul - as well as being a profound rite of passage and ecstatic experience for mother and father.

Many blessings,

Kara Maria