A Christian counselor's take on healing mind, body and spirit.
Bone broth is a staple I love to have on hand in my freezer, particularly during the cold and flu season. I can grab a jar and turn it into a healing soup full of protein and vitamins to help my family quickly and comfortably get over whatever bug we've caught. We've all believed for…
For a few years now, I've been buying elderberry syrup for my boys during the winter months. Elderberry (specifically Sambucus nigra) has strong immunity-boosting qualities and antioxidants, and I want all of the natural superpower possible working for my boys during cold and flu season. I could go in to all of the reasons elderberry…
There is a necessary overlap between nutrition and mental health when it comes to dealing with disordered eating. Disordered eating is any form of eating that causes “disorder” in a person’s life. Maybe it contributes to emotional problems, relationship difficulty, further health problems that then perpetuate the problem. Most people are familiar with the term…
Sleep is important. Adults need an average of 7-9 hours of sleep (uninterrupted) per night. Why is sleep so important? Regulating your circadian rhythm (your sleep-wake clock) underlies all mental health improvement. Our circadian rhythm is the master clock in our brain that tells our body's systems when to do what. It's connected to the…
It seems like even though the conversation here is about using nutrition and integrative medicine to support mental health, the topic of weight loss keeps coming up. Certainly, for many of the overweight and obese citizens of the world, doctors are emphasizing more than ever the need to get down to a healthy weight to…
Awhile back, someone following my Instagram @faithhopefood asked for a sort of guide to help her make food choices that would benefit the mental health of her children. I thought it was such a great idea, so here we go! If you've been with me for a while, you've read about the basics of how…
How to have a healthy start during a cross-country move? Smoothies! We packed frozen kale, vanilla protein powder, iced coffee, coconut oil and acacia fiber along with our Magic Bullet for a nutrient dense Frappe Smoothie every morning. Kale offers important antioxidants and phytonutrients, protein powder grounds our blood sugar and provides us with amino…
Who needs a cup of coffee in the morning to feel human? Just me? Something like 64% of Americans drink at least one cup a day, so obviously I'm not alone in my morning ritual. Let's talk about improvements you can make to your coffee so that it helps your mental health. Some people can…
Most of us are vaguely familiar with the relationship between low neurotransmitters and symptoms of mental health disorders. For too many years, I've heard people say that the reason they are depressed is because of a "chemical imbalance" in their brains. What they usually mean is that their brains don't produce enough of a neurotransmitter,…
I've been thinking a lot about healing this year. My journey into nutrition and integrative medicine started with a desire to heal my body from disease (diabetes). Naturally, as I explored the applications of nutrition and integrative medicine to mental health, I've thought a lot about what healing from mental health disorders really means. In…
Faith, Hope and Food 