Perimenopause isn’t “just hormones.” It’s a whole-body shift that touches your energy, sleep, mood, immune system, and even your sense of self. Here’s what’s really going on—and why you don’t have to go through it alone. What Is Perimenopause, Really? Perimenopause is the transition before menopause when your hormones—especially estrogen and progesterone—begin to fluctuate. For…
When I was serving as a missionary, my spiritual mentor—who had studied under a Coptic monk—taught me to feed and expand the spirit by proclaiming scripture over every part of my being: body, soul, spirit, and mind. Not abstract theology—embodied practice. Breath and spoken truth. Prayer placed gently on the tissues that were holding old…
When I couldn’t run without pain… I knew something deeper was going on. It started as knee pain while I was packing to move to Northern Ireland. My husband had already gone ahead for work after our visas were denied, and I was managing life solo with our three young kids, preparing to reunite after…
Back in 2017, I didn’t know I was running on fumes—because I was drinking so much coffee. By afternoon, I’d switch to fizzy homemade water kefir or ginger beer I brewed in my kitchen and handed out to friends like some kind of Middle Ages alewife. I didn’t know the words “adrenal fatigue” yet. I…
Most of us assume if we have a filter, our water is “safe.” But the truth is, most filters don’t catch the things we really need to worry about. 👉 The real issue? By the time water makes it to your glass, it’s not just water anymore. It’s a mixture of what came in from…
Back in college, it took a lot to really fatigue my muscles. The trainer at UO could get me there, but on my own it usually meant 5–7 mile runs before I felt that satisfying soreness. These days? A half-mile run with a stroller can do me in. (The toddler likes speed.) Different body, different…
Most of us think about hydration like filling up a glass of water. But inside your body, hydration is more like a river system — carrying nutrients, flushing out waste, keeping cells bathed in the fluid they need to function. When that river slows to a trickle? Everything else suffers. Digestion backs up. Blood sugar…
If protein is the bricks of your body, fatty acids are the mortar. They’re what hold your hormones, brain, and cell membranes together. Without them, communication breaks down. Think of it like trying to run Wi-Fi on a frayed cable — the signal won’t hold. I’ve lived this. When I was eating “clean vegan” years…
I’ve never thought of stress as “just in my head.” I’ve always felt it in my body — the racing heart, the tight chest, the way it steals my sleep. Maybe I’m just a sensitive soul despite being a Cadbury egg (hard shell, gooey center). Either way, my body made it clear: stress is physical.…
For years I thought sleep was optional — a luxury for people with fewer kids, lighter to-do lists, and more margin. Coffee was my stand-in. But here’s the truth: sleep isn’t optional. It’s the body’s most advanced healing therapy. Without it, even the cleanest food and best supplements can only get you so far. 1.…