eiro-wellness

Don't Let Health Add to Your Overwhelm. Here Are the Tests I Recommend

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:28:44 GMT

Overwhelming.

That was my week. My month. Too many things to do, lists to check off, and projects that needed to be completed. People were depending on me — friends, family, and clients alike. I felt like a juggler dropping more balls than she could keep in the air.

And the more things I needed to do, the harder it was to make decisions.

I'll bet you can relate. There are moments, weeks, and sometimes whole seasons when life feels overwhelming.

What shouldn't be overwhelming is deciding which tests are most important for supporting a healthy and calm mood.

So here are my top three recommendations:

Methylation Test. This is not MTHFR testing. MTHFR genetic testing looks at one component of methylation, but those results cannot determine how well you actually methylate. Methylation imbalance can interfere with your body's ability to complete the stress response, decrease serotonin levels, and increase brain inflammation and internal tension. It also influences hormone activity, cardiovascular health, detoxification capacity, and cognition.
Copper/Zinc Ratio. Excess copper levels increase stress hormones like adrenaline and norepinephrine while decreasing dopamine activity. This can lead to feeling more anxious, emotionally overreactive, irritable, exhausted, and in a constant state of inner activation.
HTMA Test. While this test looks at individual mineral and heavy metal levels, the ratios and patterns of those minerals are even more important — they can help you better understand the status of your nervous system and how stress is impacting your adrenal glands, thyroid, blood sugar, and more.

I was surprised when I tested my own levels to discover that I was under-methylating and had a triple zinc deficiency leading to excess copper levels — even after taking a quality multivitamin for most of my life! I have been working to correct these imbalances and can already tell a difference.

The causes of anxious feelings, irritability, and overwhelm are multifaceted. There will never be a one-size-fits-all solution for mood. And because of that, it can feel so overwhelming to know where to even start.

If I could sit down with you over a cup of herbal tea and listen to your story, I would remind you that I see you in the overwhelm. You don't have to fix everything at once. I would tell you about the community of women I'm working with and the hope and healing they are experiencing — often together. I would tell you where to start, what testing to do, and what the next steps look like. And I would give you a hug and remind you that you are not alone in this journey.

While distance separates me from most of my clients, we can still have that conversation! I'll block time on my calendar just for you. I would love to hear your story and learn where you're looking for support in your healing journey — and I would love to reduce the overwhelm and bring some clarity your way.

Here is my calendar so you can find the right time for you!

When Anxiety & Joy Share the Same Space

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:05:48 GMT

By the time you read this, I will have had an appointment that brings me dread and anxiety every time. Even if my mind can rationalize away the fear, my body struggles to follow. I've been working hard on my fear, and this time I noticed some joy mixed with the anxiety.

If you deal with generalized anxiety, feeling peaceful is a coveted but foreign concept. Anxiety is not always a heart-pounding panic. Sometimes it is a nagging sense of unsettledness that doesn't allow you to relax.

Anxiety affects us emotionally through fear and panic. It impacts us mentally with racing thoughts, doubts, and foggy thinking. And it leaves us physically agitated with a pounding heart, dry mouth, poor sleep, and elevated cortisol.

Without realizing it, we can try to perfectly control our exterior lives — events, other people, circumstances, even ourselves — as a way to manage our interior feelings. We wrongly believe that peace and calm inside depend on a perfectly ordered life on the outside. This can drive perfectionism, manipulation, and controlling behavior. And when life slips between your clenched fingers, you are left with the reality that you, too, are controlled by the fear of feeling anxious.

And so, I propose two solutions to this conundrum.

What if you allowed yourself to feel the anxiety instead of trying to avoid it? What if you allowed it to wash over you, through you, and then away from you? Even the most fearful emotions will dissipate in intensity after about 30 seconds.
What if you embraced joy with the same intensity that you try to avoid anxiety? Now, don't hear me wrong — I am not suggesting that anxiety can simply be eliminated by feeling more joy.

Anxiety is a multifaceted health concern that requires lifestyle support, dietary considerations, genetic tendencies, nutrient deficiencies, gut and hormone imbalances, reduced stimulation, sufficient sleep, and changes in how we process information. Often, there is a history of a traumatic event or a chronic stress correlation as well. Addressing anxious feelings is not a one-size-fits-all approach, but unique to each individual — which is what helps make my signature program, Wholeness Restored, so helpful.

Back to the concept of joy...

When we are given to feeling anxious thoughts, it is difficult to trust the emotion of joy. It may even feel unsettling and unfamiliar. And sometimes anxiety has been a familiar companion for so long that joy feels unsafe.

Nehemiah 8:10 tells us that the joy of the Lord is our strength. Joy can become a tactic to fight anxiety!

But first, we have to ask ourselves if we trust God's goodness. Can we trust His goodness in the pleasant emotions He created us with? Trauma or chronic stress can hide pleasing emotions, numbing us to everything but the buzz of anxiety.

I have experienced this. It can be so subtle that I didn't notice until I was actively resisting joy — resisting because I was afraid something bad would happen to snatch the joy away. Avoiding it because I didn't think I could simultaneously hold joy and anxiety both. Ignoring it because it felt fake and superficial.

But here's what I noticed with joy. Allowing the joy that wants to come softened me physically. My tense shoulders dropped. A deep sigh of acceptance — or maybe it was contentment — escaped me. My to-do list didn't seem so overwhelming. And the cloudy day seemed brighter. Even my energy improved. The anxiety was still there, but it wasn't quite as loud. There was room for both.

It seems like a paradox, but it isn't. Anxiety is a response of your body trying to get your attention. Real or perceived, the body senses a threat and responds with the energy of fight-or-flight, or the shutdown of fawn or freeze. Joy represents the new capacity of your nervous system for healing — the microscopic movement of shifting from hypervigilance to a state of calm. Joy also represents the hope you feel, and your body responds to it as the edges of healing come into view.

The anxiety that remains after addressing all the physical causes may not be something to run from. It may be how your body is speaking to you. And in listening, your body may stop shouting its anxious thoughts and start whispering fragments of joy. And when that happens, can you embrace the momentary relief that comes?

Sitting Between Last Year's Berries and This Year's Flowers

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:38:20 GMT

The fruit is there. All winter long, red berries cling to the bare branches. Signs of a fertile season of growth from the past year.

But between the clumps of berries are barren spots of brown branches. They looked dead. They felt dead. Robins feasted on the berries. Squirrels played in the branches too — consuming the tree without giving back, taking advantage of it while the harsh winter winds blew and the ground was covered in a blanket of snow.

Spring came early this year, and with it, tiny green knobs that turned into lime green leaves. Almost hidden buds spoke of white flowers that are coming.

It occurred to me that sometimes our healing journey is like that tree.

We clean up our diet and prioritize sleep. We start the work of unpacking trauma and acknowledging our dysregulated nervous system. We set boundaries and say no. We embrace life-giving activities and remember to laugh and rest when work is still unfinished. Our mood starts to calm and our energy begins to return. We review test results, link the patterns to how we feel, and take the supplements. We feel hopeful, even if the progress seems slower than we want.

This is last year's fruit.

But then life happens. Unexpected crisis. A child with extra needs. Parents with failing health. An unplanned financial burden. In the midst of crisis, you find yourself trying to just survive. You don't have time to eat, let alone get a healthy meal on the table for your family. Responsibilities and demands crowd against each other, and you fear your boundaries are slipping out of your grasp. Your chest feels heavy, and the anxiety that has been improving threatens to return.

Or maybe it doesn't seem that major. Maybe it's even something you have looked forward to — an anticipated vacation, a milestone birthday party, a girls' night out. We indulge in extra dessert and then feel guilty and bloated, so we skip the workout or supplements the next day. We feel sluggish and tired, so we consume extra sugar. More guilt. We feel like we have just wasted the last three months of effort and believe we are back to where we started, or even worse.

I hear the discouragement — and even the shame — in my clients' voices when they speak of how life has derailed their efforts. They feel that they have failed. But they haven't.

You are stepping onto the barren branch. But the fruit of your hard work and dedication is still there. And even though you feel like you are spiraling backward, know that this is a season. The fruit of the past season will help carry you through as you establish new rhythms in this one. They won't look like last season's. You may even have to let go of some of your ideals during this hard season — but it will produce new buds and tiny leaves. You aren't going backward. You are sitting between last year's berries and this year's flowers.

Limitations: When to Surrender and When to Fight Back

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 17:52:32 GMT

By American standards, I am short. Petite is the culturally acceptable way to describe me. I like to say I am "vertically challenged." As a kid, I tried to defy the Bible verse in Matthew 6:27 that says we can't add an inch to our height by thinking about it.

Most of the time, my short stature doesn't bother me, but sometimes I get tired of grabbing a stool or climbing on a chair to reach something up high or to change a light bulb.

My short stature is not my only limitation. I could give you an entire list! But I have needed to discern between the limitations God has allowed that bring Him glory (2 Corinthians 12:6-10) and the limitations He is calling me out of my apathy to fix.

There are highly recommended resources like Sara Hagerty's book, The Gift of Limitations, that encourage a deeper trust in God when limitations butt in front of our dreams and expectations. Our surrender to God in these moments — embracing His goodness in the limitations — is a form of worship that sometimes only the angels behold.

In other instances, our limitations are a wake-up call that something needs to change. Sometimes the apathy to change is simply overwhelm. We know we need to change, but we don't know where to start. We are paralyzed by the overwhelming need to change everything. Now.

If this is you, take heart. You are not alone. This is the weary cry of many of the women who reach out to me for help. They feel they are spiraling under the weight of fatigue, irritability, anxiety, and hormone concerns. They feel shame in their interactions with their children, spouse, or those closest to them.

These limitations we do not have to surrender to. The first step is sharing with someone you trust. Satan loves to shame women into isolation as they struggle with the limitations of their physical health and emotions. He wants you to believe that you are the only Christian woman, mom, wife, daughter, friend, employee, _________ (you fill in the blank) who struggles with physical limitations.

And that couldn't be further from the truth. I can attest to it every time I talk with a client. That is why I prioritize community within my signature program for women, Wholeness Restored. I want them to see that their limitations are not wholly unique to them.

After sharing with someone, seek advice on next steps to address your health and the limitations stemming from it. Are your hormones imbalanced? Are you consuming too much caffeine? Are you numbing by scrolling? Are you going to bed each night but not getting restorative sleep? Are your cortisol levels high and your adrenal glands worn down from chronic stress or past trauma? Is your thyroid underperforming? Are you stuck in fight, flight, or freeze?

A qualified practitioner can help you discover the underlying root causes of the limitations that are getting in the way of God's calling for your life.

Don't give in to limitations that leave you surviving instead of thriving. But for those limitations God has allowed in your life, lean into God's promised sufficiency — like the Apostle Paul — instead of cultural expectations. He can do incredible work with your limitations and mine.

Called Daughter Before Healed

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 17:50:19 GMT

She was an outcast—shamed and unaccepted by society. I don’t know her name, but those who did knew to avoid her. She was penniless, alone, and had almost given up hope. She had tried everything, endured the shame, and nothing had changed.

It wasn’t the illness or the financial destitution that was soul-crushing. It was the isolation. She was alone. There was no one she could relate to. Survival and shame kept her silent.

We can’t relate to the woman in Mark 5 with the issue of blood.

Or can we?

How often have you felt isolated in your struggle with overwhelm, anxiety, and irritability? How often have you compared yourself to other women who seem so strong and competent—the woman who wears something other than yoga pants, has well-behaved children, is rarely late, and volunteers wherever she is needed? She has energy, a ready smile, and seems organized.

“What’s wrong with me?” you might wonder.

Any hint of vulnerability dies on your lips as you compare. You withdraw in shame.

I believe isolation in our physical and emotional struggles is one of Satan’s greatest tactics used against Christian women. He doesn’t want us to know that healing is available—or that we are not alone. We laugh off PMS with our friends but silently feel shame and dread as we consider our behavior during those days each month. We excuse our anxiety as worrying too much and quietly feel ashamed that we can’t trust God more. We listen as a friend brags about getting by on very little sleep because she has too much to do, and we feel shame because we can’t overcome our fatigue to become more productive.

Satan loves to feed us lies and delights in our shame.

But Jesus called the bleeding woman “daughter.” He broke through the shame and invited her back into community. She felt known and loved by Jesus. He called her daughter before He pronounced her healed.

If you feel isolated in your health concerns—convinced that your mood, fatigue, and overwhelm are the result of a character flaw or a failure to live up to God’s calling—I encourage you to reach out for healing. Maybe it has been twelve long years for you, too, and you are beyond discouraged. Maybe you can put on a good show in public, but your family receives the brunt of your fatigue and irritability.

You are not alone in your struggles. Don’t let Satan convince you otherwise. Healing will not be complete this side of heaven, but there are often more solutions and root causes to our health concerns than what we have been offered. Your symptoms are not a condemning voice of failure in motherhood, marriage, or vocation. They are your body speaking—trying to get your attention because it needs support and nurturing.

The woman pushed through the crowds that day despite her shame. She still believed healing was possible.

Are you willing to push beyond your shame and isolation to continue seeking healing as well?

The Nervous System, Spring Bulbs, and the Return of Joy

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 16:00:27 GMT

A few weeks ago, we experienced unseasonably warm temperatures. As I walked about the landscape, I noticed green shoots that should not have unearthed themselves yet. The blanket of mulch intended to keep the spring bulbs tucked safely underground until the appropriate time was no match for the mild breezes and bright sun. With the tip of my shoe, I gently pushed some mulch over the tender shoots. I knew the harsh temperatures and snow forecasted for the weekend were coming, and the tiny hyacinths weren’t ready for that.

Despite my silent admonition to the bulbs to stay underground a bit longer, I found daffodils pushing their green tips through the mulch the very next day. I stared at those persistent green shoots and thought about how the nervous system heals.

If you have experienced trauma or lived with chronic stress, your nervous system can become stuck in fight, flight, freeze, or shutdown. Without even realizing it, life becomes more about surviving than thriving. Emotions exist on a narrow spectrum—either volatile or nearly nonexistent. We rush through our days because the adrenaline of fight-or-flight demands it, or we push ourselves relentlessly, forcing ourselves forward while stuck in freeze or shutdown. We’ve learned how to cope, but we cannot heal in this state. Joy has long since disappeared, and peace feels out of reach.

But as you begin healing and nurturing your nervous system, joy will return. I have experienced this myself. Subconsciously, you may want to push this unfamiliar feeling back down. For a long time, there hasn’t been the capacity to feel anything beyond stress and overwhelm—or numbness. There is no time to dance in the rain or shout a hallelujah. Life feels too hard and too busy.

Joy that emerges through healing is like my spring bulbs. It is going to bubble up anyway. It may feel unfamiliar or even frightening. Perhaps you feel guilty—others are suffering right now. Perhaps you fear that any goodness will be followed by something bad. Or maybe you believe you don’t deserve to feel joy.

Whatever intimidation you feel around joy, I invite you to take it to Jesus. Phylicia Masonheimer, in a blog post , reminds us not to fear the abundance of God. This is not prosperity gospel. We live in an imperfect, broken world where suffering, disease, and evil still occur. But Jesus is the giver of joy. Out of His abundance, He offers us “the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit” ( Isaiah 61:3 ).

Physical healing often revives emotions, and emotional healing often brings physical relief. So the next time you feel a hint of joy, thank the Lord for the reminder of healing after a hard and difficult season. Smile widely. Notice how your body sighs with relief and contentment. It may be fleeting, gone in a moment. Embrace it anyway, and don’t be surprised if tears fill your eyes. Tears release the stress hormone cortisol as your nervous system steps out of fight, flight, freeze, or shutdown and into calm—alongside joy.

And if joy feels as far away as the moon right now, I encourage you to lament your pain with Jesus. He is “close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” ( Psalm 34:18 ). And in your lamenting, you too are releasing cortisol, allowing your body to continue its healing process.

A Simple, God-Designed Way to Calm Anxiety

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 19:56:34 GMT

Last week, I shared how anxiety often isn’t random or irrational—it’s communication. A signal from the body asking us to pay attention.

While we are identifying root causes, waiting on test results, and implementing lifestyle changes, there is something powerful and often undervalued that can move the needle now: breathing.

It’s something I’ve used for years when anxiety unexpectedly surfaces.

Breath begins at the beginning—in the first verses of Genesis. The “Spirit of God” is the same word (Ruah) as “breath.” God used His breath to speak order out of chaos and then, in the next chapter, to breathe life into dust-turned man. Breath characterizes life.

We take breaths all day long, whether or not we are thinking about it. Justin Whitmill Early, in his book The Body Teaches the Soul, delves into the emotional impact of breathing. He explains that we take an average of 20,000 breaths a day, processing about 4,000 gallons of air. The number of molecules involved in just a single breath is somewhere around 25 sextillion molecules—that is twenty-five with twenty-one zeroes added.

Breathing, a function of the autonomic nervous system, stimulates the vagus nerve—the portal that affects the rest of the body. Slowed, intentional breathing sends a message to the brain and body to calm down. We have amazing control over our bodies through our breath. Learning to breathe intentionally when we feel anxious is a way to steward our bodies as a temple of God.

There are several different methods for intentional breathing. Here are three simple options:

1. Belly Breathing

Start with this one first. When we are anxious, we tend to breathe very shallowly. Breathing deeply into our bellies helps oxygenate our blood and calm the body.
You may want to practice this lying down. Place one hand on your stomach and one on your chest. Slowly inhale and exhale. Notice which hand moves. The goal is for the hand on your stomach to rise and fall while the hand on your chest stays still. If this feels awkward, that’s okay—try a few rounds and return to it later.

2. Box Breathing

Breathe in cadence: 4–4–4–4.
Inhale for four.
Hold for four.
Exhale for four.
Hold for four.
Repeat.

3. Pursed Lip Breathing

Inhale through the nose for two. Slowly exhale through pursed lips for four. Think about blowing out a candle—slow, steady, and controlled. Repeat.

Breathing is not Eastern mysticism. It is part of God’s intricate design of the human nervous system. He created our bodies to respond to intentional breathing to slow anxious thoughts. Practice deep breathing for three to five minutes once per day, gradually increasing to five to seven minutes, and adding additional minutes as needed throughout your day. Studies consistently show benefits for mental and emotional health.

If you want to take this a step further, you can incorporate breath prayers during your breathing practice. Any short phrase may work, but I often use the 23rd Psalm:

Inhale – “The Lord is my shepherd.”
Exhale – “I shall not want.”

Deep breathing will not magically make anxiety disappear. But slowing down to breathe and talk to the Lord helps us reorient around why our body and mind feel anxious—and gives us the space to take the next step toward healing.

Why Anxiety Is More Than a Feeling--and What Your Body is Saying

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 15:53:25 GMT

For the person dealing with anxiety, all the well-meaning (and sometimes shaming) suggestions can seem trite and overly simplistic—and for good reason. Anxiety is multifaceted and colored with nuance.

Anxiety has always been my enemy, but recently I have begun seeing portions of it as my friend. A friend that I avoid and even shun, but one that persistently whispers and even screams at me. It wants my attention so it can warn me of perceived danger.

It speaks through agitation, insomnia, stomachaches, heart palpitations, racing thoughts, and restlessness. I try to drown out the voice with distraction or noise, but it is still there.

Here’s the thing—it quiets down when I start listening. When I pay attention to why my thoughts are racing and why I can’t sleep, I often discover a deeper need beneath the surface.

Sometimes it’s my present circumstances—an unexpected phone call or a stressful situation I’m faced with. Other times, I’m overstimulated by my environment and technology, or I haven’t eaten enough protein, and I am dehydrated. It may also be a nagging fear or a chronically challenging relationship.

It is my job to notice how my body is speaking and then determine what it is trying to tell me.

Unfortunately, circumstances alone aren’t the only cause of anxiety. Genetic factors, low blood sugar, nutrient deficiencies, elevated cortisol, poor gut health, trauma, chronic stress, insufficient sleep, and too much caffeine and sugar can also contribute.

So, a one-size-fits-all approach rarely works. There are many factors to consider—and this is exactly how I approach anxiety inside my Wholeness Restored Program .

But insight alone isn’t always enough in the moment—especially when anxiety shows up unexpectedly.

Next week, I want to share one simple, God-designed tool I teach my clients early on—something you can use right away while you’re sorting through root causes and making deeper changes.

When Perfectionism is Really About Feeling Safe

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 12:00:55 GMT

Her voice was calm and gentle, but her words still packed a punch.

“Rachel, your perfectionism is the result of you trying to control your external circumstances to manage your internal agitation.”

Ouch.

She was right—but I didn’t like the truth.

Was I really doing that?

I was.

Once I admitted it, I could see it so clearly. The perfectionism I had always struggled with wasn’t really about being perfect; it was about trying to feel okay inside. The more unsettled I felt internally, the more I tried to control my environment. And when I couldn’t control it, I numbed myself to it.

Some of you can relate to what I’m saying. Others may feel baffled by my confession. But if you’re baffled, it’s likely not because the pattern is unfamiliar—only that my example doesn’t mirror yours. You, too, are probably making choices based on the intensity of your environment in an effort to regulate what’s happening inside of you.

Let me explain further.

Our external environment—the life we live—is full of constant alerts, noise, and unpredictable demands. We can’t escape it.

Technology, beginning with our phones and watches.
Overloaded calendars that keep us running nonstop.
The needs and demands of our children—or a boss who always expects more.

Can you feel the tension in your body just thinking about it?

This constant stimulation leads to internal agitation and the familiar question: Why can’t I calm down?

Here’s the thing.

We can’t escape every part of life that feels overwhelming. But we can choose to limit the overstimulation that contributes to the overwhelm.

We can choose to create rhythms that establish a foundation for healing. Often, a sense of calm comes from consistent, small signals of safety—not big, dramatic overhauls.

We can add white space to our calendars by saying no more often and intentionally setting aside time to be at home—or wherever allows you to take a deep breath and drop your shoulders in relief.
We can silence our phones and take off our watches for an hour at a time to be fully present with those we love or to work without distraction. The world will wait.
We can intentionally step away from screens and read a paper book, play a board game, or take a walk outside in nature.
We can turn off the podcasts, audiobooks, or background television and become comfortable with silence again.
We can reach for protein and produce instead of caffeine and sugar.

In the quiet and the slowness, we begin to notice how our insides are speaking to us. Often, the internal angst that feels so uncomfortable is simply your body trying to get your attention. It may feel awkward—or even alarming at first—to fully feel what’s going on inside, but as you listen and respond, the emotional chatter begins to settle.

It’s very difficult to calm anxious thoughts when our lifestyle continually feeds racing thoughts and unsettled feelings. That’s why I talk so much about lifestyle habits inside Wholeness Restored. We don’t change everything at once. Slowly, incrementally, we make changes that breathe life back into us. The chaos we sense all around us requires a counter-cultural approach to stilling the chaos within us.

I had to face the perfectionistic habits I was using to manage the noise inside of me. Trying to control my circumstances perfectly would never alleviate the apprehension I felt, because the moment something became imperfect, my anxiety returned. It was an impossible fix—and I was trapped in it.

Instead, I learned to slow down enough to notice the sensations in my body. I chose to eat well and prioritize extra sleep. I turned off my phone and computer and stopped numbing the discomfort I felt. I allowed myself to be fully present with my emotions.

And as I did, they began to diminish.

And the biggest difference?

I no longer felt as overwhelmed—by my external environment or my internal world.

Why Pushing Through Is Costing You More Than You Think

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 12:30:00 GMT

It started as just a tickle in my throat when I woke up early on a January Sunday morning.

I recognized the familiar signs of a cold, so I made wise choices. I stayed home from church. I drank steaming mugs of tea and rested. On Monday, I worked from home and met with clients virtually. My symptoms weren’t severe, but I wanted to be smart.

By Tuesday, the tickle had settled into my voice.

And then Wednesday morning came—with a choice.

I could reschedule my appointments… or I could push through, suppress my cough, and force my voice to work.

I wish I could tell you I chose well.

Instead, I pushed through. I didn’t want to disappoint my clients, and after all, I wasn’t that sick.

By Wednesday evening, I had no voice—and I felt much worse overall. It took several more days to fully realize how inflamed and irritated my voice box had become because I used it when it needed rest. It’s now February, and my voice still isn’t completely back to normal.

Maybe you can’t relate to losing your voice quite like that—but I’m willing to bet you can relate to pushing yourself when you shouldn’t.

An overloaded calendar that makes your head spin.
Children who depend on you.
Aging parents who need you.
Expectations from friends, church, or school responsibilities.

You feel guilty saying no. Selfish if you slow down. Frustrated because it seems like everyone expects more than you can give.

Or maybe you know you should stop pushing—but the alternative feels scary.

Add to that the emotional weight of everything happening around you. The constant stream of discouraging news. Social media is urging you to care deeply—and act immediately. Friends and family walking through hard seasons.

It all becomes too much.

You feel tired, overwhelmed, irritable, and anxious.

What’s really happening is this: you are overstimulated by constant demands and expectations, and it’s taking a toll on your body and emotions.

Reducing overstimulation and regulating your nervous system doesn’t happen through white-knuckling. It begins with admitting that something has to change.

As Aundi Kolber writes in Try Softer :

“We ‘white-knuckle’ when we consciously or unconsciously ignore internal warning signs from our minds and bodies to cope with situations that are overwhelming or disturbing. Often we learn to overfunction not out of choice but as a way to survive. This approach then carries over into everyday life because we don’t know a different way.”

An overstimulated nervous system doesn’t need more discipline—it needs signals of safety.

That may look like prioritizing what God has truly called you to and letting go of the rest—even when someone is disappointed. It may mean choosing quiet over constant noise. Reducing scrolling and taking a walk instead. Going to bed instead of finishing one more task. Or eating more protein instead of sugar to support steadier energy and clearer thinking.

Pushing through often worsens anxiety, sleep issues, and fatigue.

I pushed through—and lost my voice entirely. Sometimes our lingering health struggles don’t improve until we slow down enough to allow our bodies to regulate and return to a place of calm, peace, and presence.

Throughout Scripture, we see God establish rhythms of work and rest—creating space to breathe, recover, and trust Him with our limits. Hustle culture rejects limitation. God invites us to honor it.

Regulation through slowing down isn’t indulgence. It’s an acknowledgment of our humanity. And it opens the door to healing anxiety, fatigue, and irritability that quietly choke our peace.

This week, I invite you to choose just one thing that gives your nervous system permission to begin regulating.

Maybe it’s sitting down for a meal without multitasking.
Going to bed an hour earlier.
Waking up 15 minutes earlier for quiet before the house stirs.
Putting down your phone and going for a walk—even in the cold.
Playing a game with your kids.

Choose one small way to go against the busyness that constantly pulls you out of regulation.

If you’d like to learn more about Wholeness Restored —a countercultural, supportive way to heal your body—I invite you to schedule a free introductory call with me.

Wholeness Restored isn’t another program to push through or check off your list. It’s a guided process of learning how to regulate your body so you can thrive and includes important testing to get to the root of imbalances, sustainable lifestyle suggestions, nutrient recommendations, and community support so you can restore peace, vibrancy, and the ability to feel present with those you love.

Overstimulation

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 12:00:14 GMT

I love my family.

I love when we’re all together—spanning generations from almost 90 years old down to almost 2.

The adults are discussing.
The teens are debating.
The children are collaborating.

A small child is probably crying, and another (or two… or three) is running around squealing with delight.

It. Is. Loud.

Aside from the brief pause for a meal-time prayer, it never really quiets down.

And honestly? I love it all.

And still… I can go home feeling completely overstimulated by the commotion.

Here’s what I’ve noticed, though: my environment—my world (and likely yours too)—is full of overstimulation. And because it’s so constant, I often don’t realize how much it’s affecting me until it feels exaggerated or overwhelming.

Without even being aware of it, we live immersed in constant stimulation.
The phone in our hand.
The screens in front of us.
The pressure to stay productive or keep our calendars full.
The endless stream of information.
The background noise. The bright lights.

All of it quietly adds up.

And often, that overstimulation doesn’t show up as something obvious. It shows up internally.

Anxiety.
Irritability.
Exhaustion.
An inability to settle.

We feel uneasy without our phones nearby. Silence feels uncomfortable—even disconcerting. And we don’t always know why.

God didn’t create us to live this way.

He didn’t design our nervous systems to constantly react to stimulation without pause or rest. We are living in a world our nervous systems were never designed for.

Chronic overstimulation keeps the body in a constant “on” state. This isn’t a character flaw or a lack of discipline—it’s a biological and emotional response. When the input feels relentless, the body shifts into fight-or-flight… or freezes because there’s no clear escape.

God designed us for rhythms, limits, and rest.

Days and nights.
Seasons.
Patterns of work and restoration.

These rhythms were meant to support our bodies, not exhaust them. But modern culture—and technology in particular—has learned how to override them.

This is why intentional slowing isn’t weakness.
It’s wisdom.

So, here’s a simple invitation—For just one day, notice what overstimulates you.

Notice the sounds, the screens, the pace, the internal pressure. Simply notice how your body responds.

That awareness alone is a powerful first step.

We live in a culture that capitalizes on overstimulation, so it’s understandable if you feel overwhelmed—or even trapped—when you think about how to change this. But regulation doesn’t mean rejecting modern life.

Regulation means using technology for your benefit without being controlled by it.

It means being able to quiet your mind when you go to bed.
It means finding enjoyment in slower moments—playing a board game, working on a puzzle, reading a paper book—without reaching for something more stimulating.
It means being present with the people you love without the constant pull to multitask.

If you’re ready to explore what being present could look like for you—and how to calm the internal buzzing that’s become a constant companion—I invite you to book a free 45-minute introductory call to learn more about Wholeness Restored .

Wholeness Restored is not a DIY, one-size-fits-all program. It’s a personalized, supportive healing journey—designed to help you understand your body, regulate your nervous system, and move back toward peace and vibrancy with guidance and support.

You don’t have to figure this out alone.

You were never meant to carry this alone

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 12:00:23 GMT

I barely remember the room, or even what she looked like.

But I remember the feeling.

Relief.
Hope.

I was sitting across from a practitioner, sharing a significant health challenge I had been carrying for a long time. When I finished, she looked at me and said, calmly and confidently,

“I can help you with that. Give me six months, and you’ll be amazed at how much better you feel.”

To this day, I truly believe that at least half of the healing I went on to experience came from that moment alone—because hope was restored.

Not willpower.
Not pushing harder.
Hope.

So many women I talk to are quietly living without it.

They’re functioning. They’re serving. They’re holding everything together.
But underneath, there’s a constant sense of strain—like they should be doing better by now. Like other people seem to handle life with more strength or resilience. Like needing help somehow means they’ve failed.

And because of that, they keep carrying it alone.

Here’s what I want you to hear clearly:
Struggling doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means your system has been under a load for a long time.

Chronic stress, unresolved trauma, environmental overwhelm, and the pace of modern life all tax the nervous system in ways that no amount of “trying harder” can fix. When your body has been operating in survival mode for years, healing doesn’t come from effort—it comes from support, safety, and a clear path forward.

This is why structure matters.
This is why guidance matters.

Healing is rarely about one magic solution. It’s about having a step-by-step process that helps you understand what your body has been communicating all along—and walking that process in a way that feels supported rather than overwhelming.

It’s also why community matters more than we often admit.

There is something profoundly regulating about not being the only one. About having your experience normalized. About learning alongside other women who love their families deeply, take their faith seriously, and are still allowed to tend to their own restoration.

This is the heart behind Wholeness Restored . It’s about helping you listen, respond wisely, and rebuild resilience—physically, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually—one step at a time.

If you’ve been sensing that you can’t keep doing this on your own… that awareness itself is not failure. It’s wisdom.

If you’d like a place to better understand what’s happening in your body and explore what next steps could look like, I’d love to invite you to schedule a free 45-minute introductory call . There’s no pressure—just space to talk, ask questions, and see whether Wholeness Restored might be the kind of support you’ve been missing.

You don’t have to prove your strength by carrying everything alone.

The Stress You Don't See Is Still Affecting You

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 12:00:15 GMT

I first met Maddie* when she scheduled an introductory call with me.

She was smiley and warm—one of those women who makes you feel at ease right away. As we talked, she shared pieces of her life, and slowly a much fuller picture came into view.

She had just moved out of a home with mold and into a new “smart” home.
Her youngest son had been dealing with medical issues that required a lot of time and emotional energy.
She was homeschooling four children.
She was leading two different committees at church.

And somewhere in the middle of all of that, she felt guilty—convinced she wasn’t doing enough—and resentful toward others she thought should be doing more.

On the surface, Maddie looked like she was managing well in spite of everything she was doing.
But underneath, her system was carrying a hidden stress load of toxins that was contributing to her overwhelm.

This is something I see often.

When we think about stress, we usually think about what’s obvious: busy schedules, emotional strain, and difficult seasons. But the body doesn’t just respond to what we consciously label as stressful.

It responds to everything it has to process.

That includes what’s in our environment.

Our nervous system is constantly taking in information—from our relationships, our responsibilities, our thoughts, and also from the world around us. Mold exposure. Processed foods. Household cleaning and body care products. EMFs. Even when these things feel normal or unavoidable, they still ask something of the body.

Not because they’re always “bad” or because you’ve done something wrong—but because the body has to work to adapt.

When that environmental load is added on top of chronic stress, past trauma, and a lack of recovery, it can quietly tip the system into overload.

This is why so many women tell me,
“I don’t understand why I feel this way.”
“I’m trying to take care of myself.”
“I’ve made changes, but nothing really sticks.”

Often, it’s not that nothing is working. It’s that the body is already maxed out.

In Wholeness Restored, we begin with a simple but powerful pillar: Recognize .

Recognize what your body has been navigating—both seen and unseen.
Recognize that symptoms aren’t random.
Recognize that healing is harder when the environment is constantly asking more of a system that’s already depleted.

This isn’t about fear. It’s not about eliminating every possible exposure or striving for perfection.

It’s about awareness.

Here’s one question you can ask yourself this week:

Instead of saying, “What else should I add to fix this?”
Ask, “What might be adding stress to my system that I haven’t considered?”

I also have a Resource Guide that includes some of the ways I personally have chosen to reduce environmental stressors—without turning my life upside down.

You can download it here .

And if you’d like help understanding how your unique stress load—life demands, environment, and internal patterns—may be impacting how you feel, I’d love to invite you to a **free 45-minute ** introductory call .

It’s a space to understand what’s happening in your body and explore next steps together.

If you’re considering deeper support, I want you to know that during January , enrollment in Wholeness Restored includes a free Adrenal Cortisol Test (a $210 value). It’s a simple tool we use to better understand how stress may be showing up in your body so your healing journey can be more informed and specific.

*Maddie isn’t one specific client—she represents a combination of stories and experiences I see again and again in the women who reach out to me.

Recognizing the Cause

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 12:00:48 GMT

You want to do it all—and you want to do it right.

You want to serve God well.
Serve your family well.
Be present with your kids.
Host people in your home.
Cook healthy meals.
Exercise consistently.
Invest in the lives of people you love.
Help where there’s a need.
And still show up fully for your work and the people you serve.

And the more full your life becomes…the more frantic it starts to feel.

I’ve noticed this pattern in myself more than once. The more I have going on, the more productive I feel like I need to be. My pace speeds up. My mind races. Rest starts to feel irresponsible.

It becomes an exhausting hamster wheel.

Can you relate?

What I’ve learned—and continue to learn—is that when I reach that place of frenetic energy, it’s a sign that my nervous system is dysregulated. I’m no longer operating from a place of health, even if everything on the outside looks “good.”

Here’s what that often looks like in real life.

When the nervous system stays under stress for too long, the body shifts into a state of constant readiness. It’s trying to keep you going, keep you safe, keep you functioning. But that state was never meant to be permanent.

So instead of feeling calm and steady, you might notice:

A constant edge or underlying anxiety
Feeling tired but unable to truly rest
Irritability that surprises you
Overwhelm over things that used to feel manageable

Many women assume these symptoms mean something is wrong with them—or that they should just try harder to fix it.

But often, these are signals. Not failures.

They’re the body’s way of saying, “I’ve been running in survival mode for a long time.”

Most women I work with don’t come to me talking about nervous systems or dysregulation. They come saying, “I don’t feel like myself anymore.” Or, “I don’t understand why I feel this way when I’m doing all the right things.”

And that confusion can lead to shame.

Please hear this clearly:
Feeling anxious, wired, irritable, or overwhelmed does not mean you’re weak.
It does not mean your faith is lacking.
And it does not mean your body is broken.

It means your system has been carrying more than it was designed to carry without support and recovery.

Here’s something you can do this week—whether or not we ever work together.

Instead of asking, “What’s wrong with me?” Try asking, “What has my body been asking me for that I haven’t been able to give?”

That simple shift—from self-criticism to curiosity—can change everything.

Healing doesn’t start with fixing every symptom or making perfect choices. It starts with understanding what’s happening in your body and creating safety again, little by little.

That understanding is what led me to create Wholeness Restored .

It’s a step-by-step, supportive program designed to help women move out of survival mode and into a place of steadiness, energy, and peace—by addressing root causes and honoring the body rather than overriding it.

If you’d like a space to better understand what your body might be communicating right now, I invite you to a **free 45-minute ** introductory call . It’s a place to ask questions, be heard, and explore next steps—no pressure.

And for the month of January , women who enroll in Wholeness Restored also receive a free Adrenal Cortisol Test (a $210 value), which can offer insight into how chronic stress may be impacting energy, mood, sleep, and resilience.

If you’re tired of pushing through and ready for a gentler, wiser way forward, you don’t have to do this alone.

You can learn more by booking a free call .

Why Health Goals So Often Fail—and What Actually Works

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 06:48:29 GMT

The end of December is a paradox. We are saying goodbye to another year while simultaneously welcoming a new one. Some of us are sad to see 2025 end, while others are more than ready to wash our hands of it. Some of us eagerly anticipate 2026, and others dread the thought of another year altogether.

In spite of how you feel about the year ahead, setting New Year’s resolutions is probably on your mind—either because “this is the year” or because you’re trying hard to ignore all the hype around goals.

As I reflect on 2025 and the goals I set, I see a year marked by both successes and failures. Some goals I gave up on in the first week and felt guilty about, blaming my lack of discipline. Other goals I stuck with for the entire year—but they became something to check off a list rather than habits that truly benefited me.

So rather than give you another pep rally about the goals you should set—to reduce anxiety and improve mood, eat healthier, exercise regularly, get more sleep, reduce stress, improve relationships, etc., etc., etc.—I want to talk about the annual problem of setting goals to begin with.

WHY HEALTH GOALS SO OFTEN FAIL

External factors

Life is full, stressful, and demanding.
Women are often trying to improve their health while caring for everyone else.
Most women don’t have the support or accountability that actually sets them up for success.

Internal factors
Most goals fail because they don’t address:

Why anxiety, exhaustion, poor sleep, or chronic stress patterns developed in the first place
How emotional load and unresolved stress drive unhealthy habits
How a dysregulated nervous system—often shaped by past trauma or prolonged stress—uses these habits as survival strategies

When we try to white-knuckle behavior change without understanding the why , it often leads to:

Burnout
Shame
Loss of motivation
Starting over every January

It’s simply not reasonable to expect lasting health change while trying to do everything alone. It becomes a vicious cycle of goal setting—and it doesn’t have to be that way.

THE TURNING POINT: WHAT FINALLY WORKED

My most successful goals this past year weren’t accomplished because I tried harder. They worked because I didn’t try to do it on my own.

I had people who helped me be realistic, pointed out likely pitfalls, and provided accountability that wasn’t shaming. The goals themselves weren’t earth-shattering or impressive—but they were life-changing. The progress wasn’t perfect, but it was noticeable. And it came from insight, support, and structure—not more pressure.

WHY ACCOUNTABILITY MATTERS

Accountability is a gift, not a failure.

It brings clarity instead of confusion, consistency instead of all-or-nothing cycles, and feedback when something isn’t working. Accountability isn’t about being watched—it’s about being supported, understood, and guided.

This is exactly why I created Wholeness Restored .

WHOLENESS RESTORED

Wholeness Restored is a 6-month program designed to address the root causes of:

Anxiety and mood struggles
Poor sleep and exhaustion
Hormone imbalance
Emotional and relational strain
Digestive concerns

Wholeness Restored removes the guesswork and helps uncover the real—often hidden—reasons you feel the way you do. I focus on whole-person healing: physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual health.

WHAT MAKES WHOLENESS RESTORED DIFFERENT

No supplement or diet recommendations based on social media trends. Sustainable health habits should not be extreme.
No one-size-fits-all plans. I test, assess, and personalize recommendations based on your results.
You don’t journey alone. Ongoing support is a core part of the program—and one of the most valued components is the virtual community. You’ll connect with other women facing similar struggles and experience encouragement instead of isolation.

SIMPLE NEXT STEPS

Step 1: Schedule a free introductory appointment
Let’s have a no-pressure conversation. I want to hear your story, understand your health concerns, answer your questions, and help you discern whether Wholeness Restored is the right next step.

Step 2: Complete a short questionnaire
This helps me prepare for your appointment so we can make the most of our time together.

Step 3: Join me for a virtual appointment
Our Zoom appointment will take place from the comfort of your home. I’ll walk you through Wholeness Restored and explain how the program is customized to address your specific needs.

A JANUARY BONUS

Anyone who schedules a free introductory appointment in January and enrolls in Wholeness Restored will receive a Free Adrenal Cortisol Test ($210 value) .

This salivary cortisol test provides insight into how current stress or past trauma is affecting your body. Cortisol plays a major role in energy levels, sleep, mood, sugar cravings, anxious feelings, and hormone balance.

WHAT IF NOTHING CHANGES?

It can feel easier to ignore our own needs—but I don’t want you to experience another year of:

Starting strong and fading
Carrying stress in your body
Feeling frustrated with yourself

Instead, I want you to experience:

Sustainable progress
Feeling supported rather than isolated
Health goals that actually improve daily life

As I look ahead to my own goals for 2026, I already know the most important factor for success: surrounding myself with people who provide encouragement and accountability.

What about you? Are you ready for support in your healing journey?

If so, schedule your free introductory appointment and let’s explore what that could look like for you. Remember—this is a no-pressure conversation, not a commitment.

You don’t have to do this year alone. Wholeness Restored can be the difference between another restart and real change.

P.S. Many women are surprised to learn how deeply stress and past experiences can affect hormones, mood, and energy. The free adrenal cortisol test (a $210 value) included with January enrollment helps uncover those root causes so your health goals can finally align with what your body needs.

There is a better option than a new diet and exercise plan!

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 16:15:00 GMT

It’s that time of year when we all think about how we can get healthy after the holidays. Guilt, shame, and comparison are often the motivation for setting goals to improve our health. As a Christian, there is this tension between feeling like we should sacrifice our own needs to take care of our families and living up to the cultural expectation of working out every day and eating healthy all the time. It’s easy to feel trapped with no solution.

I want to be a different voice among the noise of every social media influencer. No guilt, no diet craze nor exercise fad.

I have just one question for you:

What do you need to do for yourself so that you can sustainably serve your family or those you love?

You see, you can’t serve others from a place of constant emptiness. If you ignore fatigue and moodiness while brushing off the feeling that you no longer enjoy being with your family or friends because you are too tired to be present, this gives way to going through the motions of daily life, rather than being fully engaged.

Please hear me - if this is you - now is not the time to start a new exercise plan or change your diet! You can’t exercise or follow a new diet when you are already exhausted and empty. It will only add to the exhaustion you feel.

It is time to start filling you back up so that you can serve others from a place of fullness again… instead of emptiness.

Maybe you have dealt with fatigue and exhaustion for so long that you can’t even imagine what fullness is like.

Dream with me for a moment!

Fullness is having energy to keep up with the kids.
Fullness is waking up feeling rested in the morning.
Fullness is hormone balance that doesn’t interfere with life.
Fullness is having control of your mood instead of your mood controlling you.
Fullness is resilience to handle life’s next curve ball.
Fullness is being present with your loved ones.

I want the fullness to do the things that God has called me to. I want energy and passion instead of exhaustion! I want to engage with my family and friends in a way that doesn’t leave regrets. I want to live in the present instead of wishing for a less stressful future.

You too?

Then let’s do it together!

Let’s fill you back up. Let’s identify what your body needs to heal.

So, your hormones quit getting in the way.

So, you don’t feel so irritable with those you love.

So, you have margin to enjoy interruptions from kids.

So, you don’t keep going to bed tired and waking up tired.

So, you don’t feel anxious and depressed.

My passion is to help women fill back up, so they don’t have to continue living from a place of emptiness.

So, set aside your goals of a new exercise program and healthier eating and come join me. There will be a time for exercise and clean eating, but there is a specific order to how you move from emptiness to fullness. And I would love to teach you how to do that!

You don’t have to choose between taking care of yourself and serving others! You can invest in yourself so that you can continue to serve others! It’s a win-win for everyone!

Just like my client Abby said. “There is so much more joy and happiness in our house now that I’m able to interact with everybody on a different level. I didn’t realize that changing how I felt would have such a drastic impact on our everyday family dynamics.”

If you would like to work together on restoring your health, you can schedule a free introductory call . I want to better understand your health concerns and how they are impacting you!

So, as the new year comes fully into view, choose to commit to filling yourself back up so you can continue to serve those you are called to!

Find joy and Connections this Christmas

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 12:30:03 GMT

The Christmas season often feels like a whirlwind, doesn’t it? I catch myself rushing through the days, barely pausing to savor the beauty of this time of year. Do you feel the same way?

At other times, the challenges in our world feel heavier during the holidays. The hard realities don’t pause for December, and there are still people who are hurting, lonely, and in need of hope.

In my Wholeness Restored Program, I talk a lot about how relational health is a vital part of our overall well-being. It’s about giving and receiving in meaningful ways—not just through material gifts. True health includes physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual wholeness.

Here are three simple ways to invest in relationships this season and boost your health while bringing joy to others:

Smile! Make eye contact and share a warm smile with strangers—the cashier at the store, the delivery driver, fellow attendees at holiday events, or someone at church you don’t know well. You’ll not only brighten their day but also find yourself feeling happier, too!
Reach out to someone nearby. Visit a neighbor or an elderly person who might not have family around to keep them company this season.
Give with purpose. Adopt a struggling family or support an internationally displaced family through a local charity. Alternatively, partner with ministries like Samaritan's Purse or Voice of the Martyrs to send gifts to children or families around the world. This could be a meaningful group activity with friends or family! If sending gifts overseas, consider including a personal letter or photo.

Christmas can feel both overwhelming and lonely at times, but investing in relationships can help us find purpose beyond ourselves. It’s a reminder of why Jesus came to earth—to relate to others, bringing hope and light into a world full of challenges.

So, this season, smile, visit, and give. There are people around you who need the hope you carry through your relationships.

Embracing Limitations

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 13:00:21 GMT

I wonder what Henry Wadsworth Longfellow had in mind when he composed the lines, And peace on earth, good will toward men? They are familiar words to me in the song I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day , but some years the racing about—trying to cram as much activity into December as possible—is more familiar to me than peace.

You too?

If there is a time of year I want to buck my limitations, it is the Christmas season. I don’t want to miss out on anything. Or at least, I don’t feel like I should miss out—because I don’t want to disappoint someone.

Again… you too?

Here’s the thing. We can’t do it all and do it well. We can’t add more water to an already overflowing glass.

And maybe that’s part of the invitation of the season.

The first Christmas was full of human limits: a weary couple traveling by foot and donkey, a young mother giving birth far from home, a feeding trough as a bed, and humble witnesses with their sheep.

Yet now, centuries later, we often assume love looks like capacity without a ceiling, energy without an end, and bodies without needs.

We demand that our bodies continue to meet the needs of the season. We don’t allow time for rest. We feel frustrated when our energy slows and disappointed when we get sick. Or we push through sickness because we still don’t want to miss out. We ignore the need for nourishing food and sufficient sleep, and then wonder why we feel irritable and foggy-headed. We shame our bodies when the sugar cravings win. We skip exercise so we can squeeze one more task into the day. We run ourselves thin and call it commitment. We pour ourselves out and call it devotion.

But exhaustion is not a gift.
A depleted body cannot delight.
A hurried heart cannot remember well.

Embracing limitations honors the body and allows you to feel good while being truly present during this Christmas season. It means giving your physical self permission to be human—finite, hungry, tired, in need—and discovering that caring for your body actually expands your ability to care for others.

When we choose:

nourishment instead of only sugar-fuel,
sleep instead of one more late-night scroll or wrap session,
a walk instead of only a sprint,
rest instead of relentless doing…

…we stop fighting our design and start living in it.

A well-nourished body is steadier.
A rested mind is kinder.
A regulated nervous system laughs more easily at Christmas lights and spilled cocoa.
Presence comes naturally when we are not in survival mode.

So when the bells ring this year—maybe we’ll hear them differently, as a reminder to slow down and sense the rest in our bodies and the peace in our hearts.

Supporting the Nervous System with a Bath

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 13:00:53 GMT

I woke up to our first snowfall about a week ago. I found it to be both shocking and exhilarating! Shocking because of the cold and the wind. I had only pulled my winter coat out the day before. And exhilarating because of how clean and white everything looks under a blanket of snow. Along with the snow comes warm flannel sheets on my bed, cozy sweaters, and hot baths.

Baths are something I have a love-hate relationship with. I love them for how I feel during the bath. I hate them for how I feel after the bath. I sometimes feel hot and stimulated and struggle to relax after a bath. But I have been diligently working to find a way to love the way I feel after the bath. Why? Because baths are so soothing and nourishing for the nervous system!

I know—a bath may sound too easy. But the science behind it is powerful. Warm water sends calming signals to the brain, relaxes muscle tension, and wraps your body in a comforting sense of support and containment.

Here’s how a bath can help, depending on your stress response:

When you’re stuck in fight or flight

(Anxiety • racing thoughts • tension • irritability)

A bath helps by:

Lowering stress hormones like cortisol
Slowing the heart rate and breathing
Releasing tight muscles from chronic alertness
→ Your body finally gets permission to stand down.

When you’re stuck in freeze or shutdown

(Numb • disconnected • unmotivated • overwhelmed)

A bath helps by:

Increasing circulation and warmth
Providing gentle sensory input
Creating a safe space to reconnect with your body
→ You begin to thaw and come back into the present.

I recently discovered that I was taking baths the wrong way — instead of calming my nervous system, I was unknowingly revving it up! But with a few simple changes, baths have gone from something I dreaded… to something I genuinely love.

What I’m Doing Now to Make Baths Truly Calming

1. I use a bathtub water filter
Did you know you can absorb more chlorine and other contaminants from one bath than from a full day of drinking water?
Chlorine displaces iodine in the body, which can impact thyroid function and your body’s natural detox abilities.
I already use an AquaBliss shower filter , so adding this tub filter just made sense — and I no longer smell chlorine as I soak.

2. I lowered the water temperature
I always assumed hotter = better .
Sure — sweating in a sauna can help detox…
But when your goal is nervous system regulation , too much heat can actually overstimulate you. Now I choose a warm, soothing temperature — not too hot, not too cold. (Call me Goldilocks!)

3. I add Epsom salts
Epsom salts provide magnesium sulfate — a powerhouse for calming the nervous system.
Magnesium helps:

Relax tight muscles
Support stress hormone balance
Improve circulation and warmth
Aid natural detox pathways

4. I add calming essential oils
I mix essential oils into the Epsom salts first so they disperse better in the water (oil and water don’t mix!).
Some of my favorites:

doTERRA Serenity
doTERRA Balance
Lavender , Roman Chamomile , or Frankincense

Pro tip: Avoid “hot” oils like cinnamon or oregano — they can irritate sensitive areas when soaking.

5. I choose quiet over multitasking
Instead of catching up on podcasts or reading lists, I’m letting the bath be a single-focus experience.
Sometimes instrumental music feels soothing…
Other times, silence is exactly what my nervous system needs.

Let the Bath Be a Safe Place

Supporting your nervous system in the bath is intuitive. Notice what feels soothing. Practice slow breathing. Let the warmth and water help your body unwind and feel safe again.

Taking a bath might seem simple — but when done intentionally, it can be a powerful step toward healing and calm.

How to Take a Nervous System–Healing Bath

Dim the lights, silence notifications.
Fill the tub with warm (not hot) water.
Add:

1–2 cups Epsom salts

5-8 drops of calming essential oils (Lavender, Chamomile, Frankincense) mixed into Epsom salts. I like to add 4 drops each of doTERRA Serenity and Balance blends to my bath.

As you lie back, breathe slowly:

In 4… out 6–8

Notice sensations: warm, supported, held, safe

End gently—slowly stand, wrap yourself in warmth, and hydrate

This is your invitation to let your body feel held and comforted. These new body “memories” will help rewire your nervous system toward healing.

P.S. If you try this, let me know how it went — I’d love to celebrate even the smallest moments of healing with you!

Feeling Anxious or Low?

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 15:00:20 GMT

Start with Your Gut

I live partway down a gentle incline between a busy highway and a lazy river. You don’t notice the slope when driving toward my home—until it rains. Engineering decisions on the highway send water downhill, and when the ditch can’t hold it all, my street floods. Neighbors wade through two feet of water just to reach their front doors.

Sometimes, a brave neighbor will clear debris from the iron grate covering the street drain. Instantly, the water rushes away in a swirling mass, unimpeded by sticks, leaves, and stones, and the street is soon navigable again.

Watching those swirling floodwaters reminded me of how our bodies work. When our colon can’t clear toxins effectively, debris and damage build up—and often our mood is the first thing to be affected.

Did you know that 80–90% of your serotonin—the “feel-good” brain chemical—is made in your gut, not your brain? God designed our bodies with such beautiful, interconnected wisdom. This is why I emphasize gut health in my signature program, Wholeness Restored . When our gut is healthy, our mind and mood are steadier, calmer, and more peaceful.

If you’ve been feeling tired, anxious, or just not yourself lately, it may be time to give your gut some loving care. Here are five gentle, natural steps to nurture your gut—and lift your mood from the inside out.

1. Do a Gentle Gut Cleanse

Choose a cleanse that supports liver detoxification and helps remove unwanted bacteria, candida, and parasites — without keeping you tied to the bathroom. There are many nutrients that can help gently cleanse. Here are some favorites of mine.

Bacteria - consider Berberine
Candida - consider proteolytic enzymes
Parasites - consider black walnut

None of these is sufficient alone, but look for supplement formulas that contain them. Stay well-hydrated and ease off processed foods to give your body a break and a chance to reset as well.

2. Add Fiber to “Sweep Things Out”

Think of fiber as a broom for your insides! It helps move out toxins that your liver has released so they don’t get reabsorbed into your bloodstream. This keeps your body — and brain — clearer and calmer.

3. Restore with Probiotics

After cleansing, refill your gut with good bacteria (probiotics). They strengthen your immune system, balance digestion, and help your body create serotonin naturally. Choose high-quality probiotics — specific strains are even shown to support mood and calmness.

4. Reduce Sugar

Sugar steals from your body — especially your B vitamins and magnesium, which are key nutrients for managing stress. It also feeds bad bacteria in your gut. Reducing sugar helps restore balance and steadiness, both physically and emotionally.

5. Keep Things Moving Daily

Constipation (less than one bowel movement per day) means toxins are sitting too long in your body. Drink plenty of water — about half your body weight (in pounds) in ounces daily — and consider adding magnesium glycinate to help relax your colon. If stools are too loose, add gentle fiber like ground flaxseed or slippery elm powder to soothe and strengthen the gut lining.

We often forget how much our gut affects our mood, but God didn’t make mistakes in connecting the two. When we care for our digestion, we’re also caring for our peace, joy, and mental clarity.

So, take it one step at a time this week. Your body was created for healing — and as you support your gut, you are setting your body up to return to wholeness.

If you suspect poor gut health may be contributing to your mood, fatigue, or digestive concerns, I invite you to schedule a free 45-minute consultation . We’ll talk about your health, explore what your body is trying to communicate, and determine if Wholeness Restored is the right next step for you.

This is not a high-pressure call—just a chance to connect, share your story, and explore options for nurturing your body and nervous system.

Finding Freedom From Anxiety

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 12:00:06 GMT

Three common traps (and better paths forward)

Last weekend, I visited Dow Gardens in Midland, Michigan. The serene landscape did not reflect the anxiety I felt a week earlier because of an appointment that I had dreaded. Just thinking about the appointment created overwhelming anxiety in me. It impacted my sleep and robbed me of quality focus and attention during the day. This is not the first time I have felt anxiety about an appointment, and it won't be the last time.

I texted some friends to pray for me. I increased the amount of magnesium I was taking, along with some other supplements. I processed through my fears with a mentor and others, and explored why the appointment made me so anxious. I ate more protein and went to bed earlier. It didn't eliminate all the fears, but it did help make the appointment easier.

I know I'm not alone in what I experienced. It may not be an appointment you are dreading. Your anxiety may originate from a completely different cause, but it is anxiety nonetheless and interferes with plans, productivity, and peace.

Finding Freedom From Anxiety: Three Common Traps (and Better Paths Forward)

One in five people experiences significant anxiety that interferes with daily life. It can affect everything — your sleep, digestion, focus, relationships, and even your ability to feel close to God.

But here’s the good news: anxiety is not your identity, and it’s not your destiny. You can learn to understand it, care for your body and mind, and rebuild your peace. This is what I did, and although it did not completely eliminate the anxiety, it helped make it more manageable.

Over the years, I’ve noticed three common traps women fall into when they’re trying to manage anxiety — and some healthier, more hopeful ways to approach each one.

Trap #1: Trying Every Supplement You See Online

You hear about herbs or supplements that promise calm — and maybe you try a few. Some help, others don’t. When they don’t work, it’s easy to feel frustrated and discouraged.

Here’s why that happens: our genetics can affect how our bodies respond to certain nutrients. For some people, ashwagandha will make them feel more anxious, and for others, they will feel calmer.

A better way: Instead of guessing, consider getting a methylation test or a pyrroles test to determine how your body processes nutrients and neurotransmitters. This can help you discover not only which supplements support your calm but also why you’re anxious in the first place.

Trap #2: Ignoring What Your Anxiety Is Trying to Tell You

Anxiety always has a reason — it’s your body’s way of sounding an alarm. But in our busy lives, we often push through instead of pausing to listen.

Ask yourself:

Have I been sleeping poorly or skipping exercise?
Am I feeling unsafe or overcommitted?
Have I been relying on caffeine or sugar to keep going?
Is there conflict or emotional stress I’ve been avoiding?
Are there unresolved memories that trigger anxiety?

A better way: Instead of numbing or distracting yourself, slow down and listen. Then, change what you can: sleep, nutrition, caffeine, and movement. Small adjustments in rhythm and rest can bring big relief.

Trap #3: Believing Anxiety Is “Just Who You Are”

It’s easy to say, “I’m just an anxious person. My mom and grandma were too.”
Yes, family history, trauma, and life circumstances can increase anxiety — but they don’t have to define your future.

When you begin to understand your capacity (your God-given limits) and learn to live within them, you start to build resilience.

Your capacity can shrink during hard seasons — chronic illness, caregiving, financial strain, or unresolved grief — but it can also be rebuilt with time, care, and support.

A better way: Acknowledge your limits. Rest when your body asks you to. Choose to see a therapist who can help you identify lies and replace them with truth. As you live within your capacity, resilience grows — and anxiety begins to lose its power.

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

Healing from anxiety takes time, grace, and community. That’s why I created my signature program, Wholeness Restored — a faith-based, holistic approach to uncovering the root causes of anxiety and rebuilding your energy, peace, and confidence.

If this message resonates with you, I’d love to invite you to a free 45-minute introductory call. There’s no pressure or sales pitch — just a safe space to share your health concerns and explore whether Wholeness Restored might be the next step in your healing journey.

Schedule your free call here .

Could childhood experiences be affecting your health?

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 20:38:04 GMT

Is there a connection between our childhood experiences and the health challenges we face as adults?

I have a scar on my knee shaped like an “H,” a reminder of my first visit to the ocean as a child. I was mesmerized by the shells along the water’s edge, so focused on picking them up that I didn’t see a huge wave coming. It rolled me over and over on the sand, and when I finally stood, my bucket of shells was empty, and my knee was bleeding, sprinkled with tiny shells and grains of sand. That moment gave me a deep respect for the sea—one that has never left me.

Years later, my knee healed, but the scar remains as a visible reminder of that day.

Many childhood experiences, however, leave no visible scars , yet they impact our physical and emotional bodies. We notice injuries from accidents or falls, but what about wounds that don’t heal so obviously? Experiences like bullying, losing a loved one, growing up with a caregiver who wasn’t attuned to our emotional needs, or living with chronic family stress can leave lasting imprints that influence our health as adults.

The groundbreaking Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Study , first published in 1998, linked childhood trauma to adult chronic illness, mental health struggles, and even premature death. ACEs scoring 4 or more can increase risk for heart disease, diabetes, lung disease, and more—2–3 times higher than those with no ACEs.

While we can’t change our childhood, we can address how trauma is stored in the body to reduce its impact. Long before chronic disease develops, trauma often shows up as:

Fatigue
Poor sleep
Anxiety or low mood
Brain fog
Digestive disturbances

Steps to Support Your Body in Healing

Tell someone. Give voice to your pain so it doesn’t remain trapped inside your body. “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.” (Psalm 32:3, ESV)
Get to know your body. Symptoms are your body’s way of signaling that it needs care. Listening and responding to these cues can help it quiet down.
Work with a professional therapist. A trauma-informed therapist or coach can help you process childhood experiences, allowing your body to release long-held burdens. Move slowly and gently—honor your nervous system first to avoid re-traumatization.
Prioritize rest and protein. Sleep at least 8 hours per night. During rest, your brain consolidates memories and works to heal emotional wounds. Include at least 25 grams of protein per meal to support neurological and physical repair.
Consider methylation testing. This can guide your body in detoxification, hormone balance, mood regulation, and overall healing.
Work with a qualified practitioner. Look for someone experienced in nervous system health, somatic exercises, and gentle, nurturing approaches that support your body without overwhelming it.

Why the Nervous System Matters

At the core of the ACEs findings is this: childhood trauma shapes the nervous system , which in turn impacts every other system in the body. Supporting the nervous system is essential for healing—emotionally, mentally, and physically.

Many women I work with are surprised by the transformation that begins by simply addressing the nervous system. They notice:

Waking up refreshed instead of exhausted
Feeling peaceful instead of anxious
Having energy to play with their kids instead of sitting on the sidelines
Mental clarity and focus in relationships instead of numbing out on social media
Emotional stability instead of feeling victimized by moods

If you suspect childhood experiences may be contributing to your current health concerns, I invite you to schedule a free 45-minute consultation . We’ll talk about your health, explore what your body is trying to communicate, and determine if Wholeness Restored is the right next step for you.

This is not a high-pressure call—just a chance to connect, share your story, and explore options for nurturing your body and nervous system.

Believing a Lie

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 14:20:35 GMT

This past winter I fell off an e-bike and injured my leg, which led to tendonitis. For a while, my mobility was so limited. I was thankful to borrow crutches from a friend, but honestly, they only made me feel more restricted. Not only did my leg refuse to cooperate, but now my arms were tied up too—I couldn’t move at my normal pace or carry things around the way I was used to.

I’ll be honest: I was frustrated with my body. The tendonitis felt like an overreaction to what I thought was a simple accident. I just wanted my body to heal quickly so I could get back to normal. But the longer it dragged on, the more annoyed I felt with my body and its limitations.

When was the last time you thought, “I love my body”?
Yeah, me neither. And limping around on a bum leg didn’t help.

But God has been working on my heart and helping me uncover a lie I’ve believed for far too long:

My body is a burden instead of a blessing.

I tolerate the ways it embarrasses me, I get frustrated when it interferes with my plans, and I silently judge it for not meeting cultural expectations. Can you relate, or am I the only one?

Here’s the truth God has been teaching me:

My body is made in His image, created to protect me.

Every symptom is a signal—my body’s way of alerting me to something that needs attention. When my leg hurt, that pain was actually protecting me by slowing me down and pointing to deeper damage I didn’t realize at first.

The next time you find yourself viewing your body as a burden, stop and try this:

Thank God for creating you in His image with a body designed to take care of you.
Honor your body by pausing to listen to what it’s trying to tell you.
Respond to what you hear by taking a step to nurture it.

The more comfortable you get with listening and responding to your body’s needs, the more you’ll see it as a blessing rather than a burden.

Yet so often, we curse the symptoms instead of blessing the body that is doing exactly what God designed it to do—protect and care for us.

As women, I think we’re especially vulnerable to this lie. We feel guilty for taking time to care for ourselves, so our bodies become “burdens” that interfere with productivity, parenting, or expectations. We grit our teeth, push through, and ignore the signals our bodies are desperately sending.

This is exactly why the very first step of my signature program, Wholeness Restored , addresses the lies that hinder healing. Lies shape our beliefs, and beliefs drive our behaviors—often making us feel worse.

The first of my Six Principles of Nurturing is Recognize.

Healing begins when we recognize the ways our bodies have been impacted—by toxins, EMFs, past injuries, trauma, chronic stress, and emotional pain. Our bodies are trying to warn us that the burden they’re carrying isn’t sustainable, and they need help to heal.

If you’re tired of seeing your body as a burden instead of a blessing, I invite you to schedule a free 45-minute consultation . During our call, I’ll listen to your health concerns and the ways your body may be trying to speak to you. Together we’ll explore whether Wholeness Restored is the next right step for your healing journey.

The truth is this: if you ignore your body’s signals, it will only speak louder—because it’s determined to protect you. But you don’t have to keep living this way.

Imagine instead:

Waking up refreshed instead of discouraged after another sleepless night.
Feeling peaceful instead of constantly anxious.
Having the energy to run with your kids instead of watching from the couch.
Enjoying clarity and focus in your relationships instead of numbing out on social media.
Experiencing emotional stability instead of feeling controlled by your moods.

You can see your body as the blessing it was created to be—when you listen to it, honor it, and nurture it.

It’s time to act on truth instead of believing lies.

Will you join me? Will you take that next step?

If you’re ready, book your free call today —I can’t wait to talk with you!

Feeling Tired and Off-Balance? Here’s a Gentle Way to Start Healing: Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA)

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 05:00:02 GMT

Here’s a Gentle Way to Start Healing: Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA)

Let’s be honest.

When you’re already running on empty—your anxiety high, your energy low, your hormones out of whack—the last thing you need is another complicated health thing to figure out.

But what if there was a gentle, non-invasive way to get real answers about what’s going on in your body?

Something that doesn’t require fasting, needles, or overwhelm... just a small sample of hair—and in return, it offers a map toward feeling like yourself again?

That’s what Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) can do.

Let me explain.

What Is HTMA, and How Does It Work?

HTMA stands for Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis. It’s a lab test that analyzes a small sample of your hair (yes, the hair on your head!) to see what minerals and metals are stored in your body.

Here’s why that matters:

Minerals are like the spark plugs in your body. They help regulate your energy, mood, hormones, digestion, and sleep. When you’re under chronic stress—like many moms and women are—these mineral levels get depleted or out of balance.

And when minerals are off, your whole system can feel off.

With HTMA, we can get a detailed report of:

Which minerals are too high or too low
If your body is storing toxic metals like mercury, aluminum, or lead
How your body is handling stress, blood sugar, and adrenal function

Why HTMA Can Be a Game-Changer for Women Under Stress

Most women I work with are tired of guessing. Tired of buying random supplements. Tired of doctors dismissing them because their blood work looks “normal.”

HTMA takes the guesswork out of the process.

Here’s what it can reveal:

Personalized health insights. You’ll discover exactly what your body needs right now—whether it’s more magnesium to calm your nerves, or zinc to support your hormones.
Toxic metal exposure. If your body is storing heavy metals like mercury, aluminum, or copper in the wrong amounts, it can affect your mood, brain fog, sleep, and even your thyroid.
Better supplement guidance. Instead of spending money on things that aren’t helping, HTMA helps you focus on what will actually move the needle.
Support for fatigue, stress, and hormone imbalance. Mineral imbalances often show up as exhaustion, irritability, anxiety, poor sleep, and hormone swings. With the right minerals restored, your body can begin to heal—one step at a time.

How to Get Started with HTMA

I am so convinced of the importance of checking your mineral levels that I include an HTMA test in the Wholeness Restored Program. That means every client that goes through Wholeness Restored automatically gets an HTMA test!

The next step to get started is simple.

Schedule a free 45-minute introductory call with me.

I want to hear about your health concerns and understand your unique needs. I will also give you all the details about HTMA testing and the Wholeness Restored Program so you can decide if this is the right step for you in your healing journey.

You’re Not Broken. You’re Just Out of Balance.

If you feel like something is off—it’s not in your head.

Your body is trying to tell you something. HTMA is a gentle way to listen.

And when we listen to the body with curiosity instead of judgment, healing begins.

If you’re ready to explore this next step, I’d be honored to walk with you.

Because healing doesn’t have to be hard.

Methylation, Mood, and Hormones: What Every Woman Needs to Know

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 17:00:01 GMT

Why it’s not just about MTHFR and what to do instead.

“I can’t tell you how much better I feel since I started taking methylated folic acid! My energy has improved and my mood is unbelievably better!” It’s just amazing!”

Let me tell you, I was as excited as my client when I heard this! I dove into genetic testing and MTHFR with abandonment. So many clients come to me struggling with mood concerns, fatigue and hormone issues. If testing this little gene and changing the source of folic acid could bring about these drastic improvements, I wanted all of my clients to experience it!

Except they didn’t all have the same response. Some saw sustainable improvement. Some improved temporarily and then regressed. Some felt worse almost immediately. And some didn’t notice anything when we addressed their MTHFR gene.

I’m convinced of the benefits of genetic testing to understand how nutrients interact in the body, but what was I missing with the popular MTHFR gene?

Finding Peace in the Middle of the Storm

If you’re anything like the women I work with, you’re probably carrying more than your fair share of weight right now.

Maybe you wake up tired, even after a full night’s sleep. You snap at your kids even though you love them dearly. You find yourself feeling anxious for no clear reason or struggling with heavy emotions that feel hard to explain.

And on top of it all, your hormones feel completely out of sync.

I want you to know you’re not alone, and you’re not broken.

I work with women just like you—women who are tired of feeling tired, anxious, irritable, and overlooked. And one thing I’ve found over and over again is this:

There’s a powerful process God designed in your body called methylation, and when it’s not working well, it can throw off everything from your mood to your hormones.

MTHFR is only one piece of the methylation puzzle. And contrary to what many assume, it is not the main piece of the puzzle.

Let me explain.

1. What Is Methylation and Why It Matters for Tired, Anxious Women

Think of methylation as one of the body's master multitaskers. It’s happening in every cell, every moment, behind the scenes.

Methylation helps your body:

Detoxify chemicals and hormones
Make neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine (which affect your mood)
Regulate estrogen levels
Create energy and repair DNA

When methylation isn’t working properly, you may notice:

Anxiety or panic
Irritability or mood swings
Fatigue—even after rest
Hormone imbalances (PMS, heavy periods, irregular cycles)
Trouble focusing

Here’s the good news: these aren’t signs of weakness—they’re signs that your body is asking for help. You don’t need to force your way through with more willpower. Instead, you can support this beautiful process God designed.

2. Why MTHFR Isn’t the Whole Story (and Might Be Misleading)

If you’ve ever had genetic testing or been part of a natural health group, you’ve probably heard about MTHFR. It’s a gene that influences how your body uses folate—a B vitamin involved in methylation.

Some women are told, “You have the MTHFR mutation—you need methylated B vitamins!” But here’s the thing I am learning:

Just because you have the gene doesn’t mean the gene is expressing.

And just because the gene expresses itself doesn't mean you need methylated supplements.

In fact, I’ve seen women feel worse after starting high doses of methylated B12 or folate based only on this gene. Why? Because MTHFR is just one enzyme in a whole network. It doesn’t tell you whether your methylation is actually working—or not.

3. A Better Way: Testing Overall Methylation Function Instead of MTHFR

If we really want to understand how your methylation is working, there’s an easy blood test that helps you know if you are an under- or over-methylator.

Undermethylators often feel anxious, perfectionistic, and driven—but struggle with serotonin levels and sleep.

Overmethylators might feel spacey, overwhelmed, and emotionally reactive, often sensitive to supplements and medications.

Knowing whether you’re an under- or over-methylator helps us know how to support your mood, hormones, and energy—without guesswork. It also helps determine whether methylated vitamins will help or hurt.

This kind of clarity can be life changing.

That is why I offer methylation testing to my clients inside the Wholeness Restored Program . Many women are taking methylated B-vitamins without knowing if it is helping or hindering their healing process. I want women to stop guessing and have the answers they need to make informed decisions about their health.

Wrapping It Up: The Path Forward

If you’re worn down from trying to hold it all together—please hear me: you are not failing. Your body may just need a different kind of support.

God made your body wise and resilient. Methylation is one of the many systems He placed in you to help you thrive—even in seasons of stress. The more we learn to listen to the signs He built into our biology, the more quickly we can begin to heal.

You don’t need another supplement guess. You need clarity. And you need a plan that honors your body and your life as a woman with limited margin.

Let’s Take the Next Step Together

If you’re ready to stop feeling anxious, irritable, and out of balance… and you want help that’s both scientific and personable, I’d love to walk with you.

Click here to schedule a free clarity call.

We’ll chat about your story, your health concerns, and whether methylation testing might be a good next step.

You don’t have to walk this healing journey alone. Let’s uncover what your body’s been trying to tell you—and respond with nurturing, not guessing.

Blood Sugar & The Brain

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 17:15:03 GMT

Why What You Eat Impacts How You Think, Feel, and Parent

I’ll never forget what happened with my niece during a family vacation about 10 years ago. She was just five years old and had spent the whole day running, laughing, and playing in the sun. It was a beautiful day – but by evening, she completely crashed. She became irrational, inconsolable, and almost unresponsive.

We could tell something wasn’t right, but she couldn’t express what she needed. After a lot of coaxing, we finally got her to eat. And almost instantly, it was like someone flipped a switch. She snapped out of it. Her color returned, her words made sense again, and she was able to connect with us.

Her blood sugar had dropped. And what looked like emotional distress or misbehavior was actually a physical crisis. That moment was a clear reminder of something I now tell the women I work with inside the Wholeness Restored Program :

What we eat has a direct impact on how we think, how we feel, and how well we function.

Sugar Scatters, Protein Focuses

The brain consumes more sugar than any other organ in the body. It needs glucose to function, but too much sugar can cause big problems—especially when it comes to our thoughts and emotions. Sugar has what we call an expansive effect on the brain. It causes our thoughts to scatter, our focus to disappear, and our ability to concentrate to plummet.

If you or your children are struggling with focus, attention, or staying on task— take a look at sugar intake .

Protein, on the other hand, has a constrictive effect. It helps our thinking become more focused, intentional, and narrow, allowing us to concentrate on the task at hand. It’s calming to the nervous system and nourishing to the brain.

This is why, when I work with women inside my Wholeness Restored Program who are experiencing mood swings, brain fog, anxiety, or even depression, we often begin by addressing blood sugar balance through increased protein consumption.

Stress Makes It Worse

In our high-stress world, especially as moms and caregivers, we burn through blood sugar quickly. Stress signals the body to use more energy, and insulin surges to push sugar into our cells. But when that sugar is depleted too fast, we’re left with a sudden crash—feeling foggy, irritable, tearful, and emotionally overwhelmed.

This isn’t a moral failing. It’s a biological one .

That’s why it’s so important to respond to your body with kindness and wisdom. When you feel yourself spinning emotionally or mentally, don’t just push through. Pause. Take a moment. And eat a little protein.

Some of my favorite quick protein sources include:

A handful of almonds or walnuts
Cottage cheese
Greek yogurt (unsweetened or lightly sweetened with fruit)
A clean beef or turkey stick

Your brain might be screaming for sugar in the moment, but that’s just because it’s panicking. Protein brings stability.

Sugar, Teens & Trouble

There’s also a deeper issue here—especially for our children. Research shows that many juvenile misdemeanors and crimes occur when teens have eaten too much sugar or simple carbs , resulting in unstable blood sugar levels. These imbalances contribute to poor judgment, irrational decisions, and emotional outbursts.

As mothers, it’s easy to assume our child is just “acting out” or “being difficult,” but often there’s more going on beneath the surface. Food choices—especially around sugar and protein—can have a huge impact on behavior, self-control, and mental clarity.

Fuel Your Family Wisely

So, what can we do?

Prioritize protein with every meal and snack.
Limit sugar and refined carbs as much as possible.
Choose complex carbs like whole grains and fresh fruit—in moderation.
And most importantly, pay attention to your own body’s signals. Your irritability, exhaustion, or forgetfulness might not be a character flaw—it might be a cry for balance.

Your body is fearfully and wonderfully made. When you care for it with the wisdom God provides, you create space for peace, clarity, and joy—in your own life and in your home.

Digestion and Grief

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 17:28:43 GMT

Grief Lives in the Gut

Ugh. Who wants to think or talk about grief?

I remember the day…days…grief swallowed me up. I felt like I had lead in my sandals as I plodded through my everyday activities. My brain was fuzzy and I felt numb. I wanted to escape it but I couldn’t. My brain kept trying to make sense of something that was too big and too hard for me to fully grasp in the moment.

When grief is more than the death of a loved one.

One of the tricky things about grief is that it doesn’t always follow our culture’s expectation for grief. Grief is often associated only with death. Everyone expects you to be sad and grieving over the death of a loved one. But what if the grief doesn’t come from death?

Such was my case.

What if grief is caused by loss that is not death? The loss of a relationship? The loss of a job? The loss of safety in natural disasters or abuse? The loss of attachment in childhood as a child with an absent parent or in foster or adoptive care.

Grief is also associated with transitions. They may be positive transitions but there is still an element of grief. The transition of your child starting school or graduating from school. The transition of moving from your home or starting a new job. The transition into a new life stage.

Both modern and ancient cultures honor grief in different ways. But sometimes grief from a loss or transition not associated with death is not given the attention deserved. Because of this, we have a tendency to ignore or minimize grief. We just move on. Occasionally, the grief is so overwhelming that we stuff it down deep to cope with the pain.

How your body metabolizes grief

I often say that “emotions suppressed become symptoms expressed. Grief is no exception. Suppressing grief can show up as digestive or respiratory issues.

Chronic asthma or respiratory infections.

IBS, cramping, constipation or diarrhea.

Stomachaches, bloating, heartburn.

Can you relate to any of these symptoms?

The connection between grief and the digestive and respiratory concerns lies with the vagus nerve. This nerve connects your brain with your enteric nervous system that is housed inside the gut, with branches of the nerve stopping off at the lungs and other organs and glands. The vagus nerve is your body’s communication superhighway between the brain and gut. It carries messages down from the brain and back from the gut.

Your enteric nervous system in your gut is often referred to as your “second brain”. It produces neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine to help you cope with grief. It carries messages between your brain and gut and is impacted by your emotions. This is why when we have gut issues, we often experience brain fog, depression, anxiety and other mood issues.

Grief isn’t only an emotional issue. It’s physical too.

Because of the vagus nerve, grief is also a biological issue that impacts the nervous system and the gut along with the other organs and glands that the vagus nerve influences.

Anniversaries of loss will sometimes be marked by respiratory illness. Do you notice that you seem to get sick every spring around the same time as a particular childhood trauma? Or maybe you get a cold or the flu around the date that your loved one died? Your body remembers and is expressing that grief in a physical way.

But unprocessed grief also contributes to inflammation and increases pressure in the gut as the diaphragm attempts to press down, leading to problems in the digestive system.

Let me explain.

The diaphragm allows us to breathe in and breathe out. It contracts by moving down into our gut allowing air in. When it relaxes it moves back up toward our lungs and pushes air out. If the gut is inflamed, the diaphragm will not be able to move down because of the buildup of lymph fluid, water retention and chronic swelling in the area around the gut, below the diaphragm. So, we breathe shallow instead.

One of the problems with this is that the diaphragm is supposed to create a gentle squeeze around the heart as the diaphragm moves up in rhythm with each breath. Think of it like the diaphragm giving your heart a hug. With shallow breathing this doesn’t happen. The vagus nerve regulates diaphragm movement sending a message to the heart that everything is okay. When the diaphragm is not contracting and expanding properly, the heart does not get this message. That is why when you are grieving or have received bad news, it feels like your heart has dropped into your chest.

At the same time, when the diaphragm contracts and moves down, it exerts some pressure around the gastrointestinal tract helping to move lymphatic fluid and toxins and enhance blood flow. Think of it like a GI massage. When the diaphragm doesn’t contract properly the gut doesn’t get the movement necessary to help it remain healthy.

Processing hidden grief.

Grief is hard. Grief is messy. Grief is unpredictable. But grief needs to be metabolized emotionally so it doesn’t cause physical concerns.

You may want to do this with a trained professional who can support you in the process. Psychology Today has a great tool to find and filter therapists near you to find one that fits your needs.

Here are some questions to get you started in identifying hidden grief:

What hard events in your life have not been resolved?
What childhood memories are still painful?
What transitions have you minimized?

Taking care of your gut in the process.

One of the ways I help my clients with gut issues inside my Wholeness Restored Program is to recommend a GI-Map test. This is a DNA stool test that looks at the gut microbiome and helps identify h.pylori, bacteria, parasites, fungi and inflammatory markers. It provides the information you need to target your unique gut health challenges.

I also encourage you to practice some simple vagus nerve exercises for 2-3 minutes before each meal to enhance digestion and calm your nervous system. I often recommend a short video by Sukie Baxter that demonstrates these exercises.

As you process grief, you can nurture your gut at the same time. You can heal…emotionally and physically!

Overstimulated

Wed, 21 May 2025 19:09:16 GMT

Why You Feel So Exhausted

I live very near two sets of train tracks. Without the train tracks, my backyard would be idyllic. Flowering trees. Squirrels that play and birds that sing. Quiet neighbors. A golf course beyond my yard.

But where there are tracks, there are usually trains. And in my case, LOTS of trains. With very loud whistles. Day and night. When I first moved to my home, the trains came through about every 20 minutes. Now it is about every 45 minutes.

Sometimes the trains are so heavy, my windows vibrate. Sometimes the whistles are so loud, I plug my ears until they are past. Depending on the moisture in the air and the direction of the wind, they can be deafening at times

My brain has become so acclimated to noise and stimulation during the day that I don’t notice them as much as I used to. But when all is still and quiet at night, the train vibration and whistle are jarring to my brain and can bring me out of a dead sleep quite quickly.

But here is one thing I’ve noticed. Day or night, if I am overwhelmed by other stimulation, the trains are louder and more annoying. They interrupt my thoughts or sleep and leave me feeling irritable.

Now, you might not deal with trains like I do. Maybe a distant train whistle lulls you right to sleep, but I’m sure you deal with the overwhelm from overstimulation.

If you’ve ever wondered why you feel so tired, irritable, or emotionally fragile—despite doing "all the right things"—you’re not alone. I see it regularly in the women I work with: women who love their families and want to serve the Lord with joy… but sometimes feel stuck in a fog of fatigue, anxiety, and overwhelm.

Let me share something that might give you clarity—and hope.

We Weren’t Designed for This Much Input

Today’s world bombards us with stimulation. Phones ping. Emails demand responses. Social media scrolls never end. Even when we’re “resting,” our nervous systems are still absorbing a steady stream of noise, light, and pressure to be "on." We’re living in a world that assaults the senses and overstimulates our brains without giving our bodies a break to reset.

Consider just a few ways our daily lives keep us activated:

Constant dings, beeps, and buzzing from our devices
24/7 news cycles that deliver fear from around the globe
Screens and artificial lights that override our God-given circadian rhythms
A culture of multitasking that insists we hustle harder
Endless access to information that we feel obligated to understand, even if we can’t control it

This is not the pace of life our bodies -- or our souls -- were created for.

What’s Really Happening in Your Body

When we are surrounded by unpredictable, uncontrollable, and novel input (as the book Widen the Window puts it), our nervous systems go on high alert. It’s not that we’re weak—it’s that we’re wired to mobilize when there’s a perceived threat. The problem? In today’s culture, the “threats” never end. Even though most aren’t life-threatening, they keep our bodies revved up in stress mode.

The result? Chronic dysregulation of the nervous system. That’s why so many women experience:

Poor sleep
Blood sugar imbalances
Mood swings
Chronic fatigue
Brain fog and difficulty focusing

A Look Back: Life 100 Years Ago

Contrast that with life in the 1920s:

People rose and slept with the sun.
News came once a day, not minute-by-minute.
Work included natural movement—walking, gardening, chores.
Technology didn’t follow them home.
Life had built-in pauses, like Sunday rest and family dinners.

There was stimulation, yes—but also recovery. Today, we’re missing that rhythm of rest and reset .

So, What Can We Do?

God created our bodies to recover. But we must be intentional about stepping out of the chaos and into His design. Here are a few gentle, foundational steps:

1. Reduce Stimulants

Limit or eliminate caffeine, sugar, and alcohol, which all disrupt our natural rhythms.
Try calming alternatives: herbal teas, green tea (in moderation), or caffeine-free blends like Dandy Blend or Teeccino.

2. Balance Your Blood Sugar

Include more protein throughout the day to steady your energy and mood.
Avoid sugar, especially in the evening. A small protein-rich snack before bed can help you sleep more soundly.

3. Honor God’s Rhythms for Rest

Stick to a consistent bedtime to reinforce your circadian pattern.
Avoid screens, intense conversations, and high-stimuli environments in the evening.
Practice deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or prayerful stillness before bed.

4. Move Your Body—Gently

Light, intuitive movement can work wonders for stress and energy. Just 20 minutes of light exercise 3 times a week reduced fatigue by 65% according to a study by the University of Georga.
Don’t force a workout. Instead, ask: “What kind of movement feels nourishing today?”

5. Know What Overstimulates You

We’re all wired a little differently. Take time to notice what pushes you into sensory overload. For me, even though trains are on the list, my phone moves me toward sensory overload even more quickly.

Then gently introduce soothing practices:

Soothing worship or instrumental music
Essential oils (lavender, wild orange, cedarwood)
Walks in nature
Technology fasts (even 1 day a week makes a difference)
Time in silence and solitude
Somatic practices (body awareness, breathwork, gentle stretching)
Follow the diurnal rhythm: rise with the sun, wind down at dusk

You Were Made for Peace

We often carry the weight of our families, ministries, and communities. But God never asked us to live from a place of chaos. He invites us to rhythms of grace—“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

If your body and mind feel overstimulated and hijacked by the world, know this: you are not broken. You are simply living in a world that doesn’t honor God’s design for your body. But you can return to rhythms that restore your nervous system—and your soul.

Anxiety Isn't the Enemy

Mon, 05 May 2025 19:30:02 GMT

Understanding Your Body's Built-In Alarm System

I remember lying on the table at the chiropractor’s office years ago as she adjusted me. It was a spring afternoon, much like today. I don’t remember our conversation, but I do distinctly recall commenting that I didn’t think I experienced much anxiety. She burst out laughing at me. Insert your version of a startled or grimacing emoji. (And it wasn’t because she was adjusting my back!) She replied, “Rachel, you are very anxious and don’t even realize it!”

That was when I realized that anxiety is far more than panic attacks. It isn’t just a fear of public speaking or a phobia of snakes. (Although those are both legitimate reasons to feel anxious sometimes!) No, anxiety is much further reaching than that. Anxiety happens to those who are fearful and those who are brave. It happens to corporate executives and stay-at-home moms. It is not a respecter of persons. As a matter of fact, anxiety affects almost 20% of adults and 32% of teenagers.

But here’s the thing: God designed our bodies to experience anxiety!

Wait. What?

How anxiety feels in the body and brain

Anxiety is a God-given response to fear that aims to protect us when our body or brain perceives a threat. If we still lived in a perfect creation without any sin or brokenness in our world, the anxiety response would never need to be activated. Unfortunately, that is not our reality.

So, if anxiety is more than panic attacks and phobias, how does it show up in our body and mind?

When a threat is imminent, your body will produce extra cortisol and adrenaline to prepare you to respond to the stressful situation and quickly re-establish safety. You may be most familiar with this stress response as fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. Some of the most common symptoms associated with this response include changes in your breathing, racing thoughts, jitteriness in your muscles, or maybe a heaviness instead in your muscles, sensations of heat or cold, heart palpitations, paralysis, a sense of dread, and loss of appetite.

Does that sound like anxiety? The anxiety response from adrenaline activates and prepares your body to do whatever is necessary to find safety. This is a good thing!

Here’s the problem. Our body and brain do not know the difference between a real and perceived threat. It doesn’t know the difference between a car accident and an overloaded calendar. Or a severe storm and a mountain of laundry. If it creates overwhelm, it is perceived as a threat, and your body will respond with adrenaline and anxiety.

Sometimes your body and brain don’t know the difference between past trauma and current stress either. Even if your brain forgets the details, it is still filtering all current events through the lens of past experiences. Your body also stores past experiences in the muscles, tissue, and fascia. When you feel overwhelmed, your body and brain respond through the filter of the past, increasing an anxious response to current circumstances.

According to Dr. Gregory Jantz, PhD in The Anxiety Reset , many other contributors make anxiety worse:

Underlying medical conditions
Genetic predisposition
Gender and hormones
Oxidative stress
Mitochondrial dysfunction
Brain chemistry
Past trauma or significant loss
Temperament
Unresolved emotional conflict
Cumulative or chronic stress
Excessive busyness or perfectionism
Substance abuse or other addictive behaviors
Information overload

Many of these contributors, along with our body and brain’s perception of constant threat, leave us with a low-grade hum of continual anxiety. This often shows up as an inability to relax, poor sleep, fatigue, problems focusing, constant racing thoughts, feeling overly emotional, overstimulated by your environment, frustrated or discouraged by your inability to handle day-to-day responsibilities.

Testing for anxiety

You don’t have to remain stuck with anxiety, though. You can take steps to address your anxious thoughts, starting with testing. I often recommend these tests to my clients inside my Wholeness Restored Program .

Salivary Cortisol Test - Measure your cortisol pattern throughout the day to identify how your cortisol levels contribute to anxiety and how to balance your cortisol.
Neurotransmitter Test - Measures adrenaline along with several neurotransmitters such as serotonin, GABA, and dopamine, which help to determine your reactive stress and mood response.
Histamine, Whole Blood Test - A marker of methylation status that contributes directly to your stress and anxiety response.
Hair Mineral Tissue Analysis - A measurement of resilience and stress patterns in the body.
DNA Test - Looks at mitochondrial and neurotransmitter production as it relates to stress and mood.

Rarely is it necessary to do all of these tests to determine the next steps to support your stress response. That’s why I help my clients figure out which tests are a priority for them inside my Wholeness Restored Program .

Ways to relieve anxiety

I wish there were a quick fix for anxiety! Whether the symptoms are low-grade or life-altering, anxiety is unpleasant! But because God created the anxiety response as a mode of protection for us, we need to go back to the root cause and support our body’s innate healing process.

Here are my top 3 recommendations for addressing anxiety:

Recognize anxiety as a God-given voice of protection and stop fighting or shaming the response. Instead, get curious about the underlying cause of the anxiety. This may not always be apparent. Invite a trusted friend, mentor, or therapist into this journey with you.
Reduce anxiety-producing lifestyle choices such as caffeine and sugar consumption, insufficient sleep, and numbing through scrolling. Instead, choose to spend more time outside enjoying nature, getting daily exercise and eating sufficient protein with every meal.
Consider my Wholeness Restored Program in your healing journey. This program includes necessary testing and targets the physical and emotional responses of stress and overwhelm, such as mood and anxious thoughts, hormone concerns, poor sleep, fatigue and digestive issues. You can schedule a free introductory call to find out if Wholeness Restored is your next best step.

Unfortunately, we will never eradicate anxiety completely from our lives. But that isn’t bad since God intended it to help protect us! The problem is when anxiety dominates our lives because we perceive everything as a threat. So, let’s honor the important role of anxiety and take steps to reduce the causes of anxiety so it will stay within its healthy boundary that God intended.

The Power of Community in Healing: Why You’re Not Meant to Do This Alone

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 23:29:41 GMT

The Power of Connection: How Relationships Shape Healing

I just got back from a week in Florida. I spent time with dear friends whose friendship goes beyond a spring retreat in the sun and spills over almost daily into a messaging app.

We laughed together and cried together. We walked beaches and explored art galleries. We ate healthy food and indulged in chocolate. We sat in the sun and then moved to the shade. We recounted the hard things of the past year and remembered God’s ongoing faithfulness. We experienced rich community together.

This week will not be easily repeatable in the future. So we talked about what our community would look like going forward.

God Designed Us for Connection

From the very beginning, God said, “It is not good for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says that “Two are better than one… if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion.” We are created to thrive in relationships—whether it’s family, friendships, or the church body.

In healthy relationships, our brains actually change. You produce extra oxytocin, the “bonding hormone” that enhances trust, reduces fear, and promotes emotional connection. Neuroplasticity also increases, which is the process of new neurons growing and changing in the brain to promote growth, learning, and adaptability.

Healing, whether physical or emotional, happens best in community. Isolation can increase stress and anxiety and even slow physical recovery.

Safe vs. Unsafe Relationships: How They Affect Healing

Safe relationships reflect Christ’s love—offering encouragement, accountability, and support. These are people who respect boundaries, pray with you, and uplift you in times of struggle. They help strengthen you when life is challenging, lifting your arms like Hur and Aaron did for Moses. (Exodus 17:12-14) They are also willing to speak gentle truth when they are concerned for you, helping you realign with the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Unsafe relationships can drain, manipulate, or cause stress, often making healing more difficult. Toxic dynamics—like constant criticism, gaslighting, unwillingness to try to understand, or feeling unseen—can keep you stuck in cycles of emotional or physical distress. Notice how your body feels after you have spent time in the presence of an unsafe relationship. Likely, you will notice tension in your body, specifically your stomach, neck, throat, and head. If you find yourself giving in to keep the peace, this is often an indication that the relationship is not healthy.

When we are in safe relationships, we experience increased resilience against anxiety and depression. We have a greater sense of self-worth and security and are more effective in problem-solving and creativity.

The Nervous System and Community: Why Healthy Relationships Matter

Science confirms what Scripture has always taught—healthy relationships help regulate the nervous system. Proverbs 17:22 tells us that “a joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Joy , laughter, and emotional support help regulate stress hormones like cortisol and promote physical health. Safe relationships bring joy and reduce stress, allowing the body to heal.

Proverbs 14:30 reminds us that “a tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.” This verse reflects how emotional and relational peace support overall health, while toxic emotions (often linked to unhealthy relationships) can have harmful effects.

Safe, loving connections activate the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and healing mode), lowering stress hormones and promoting physical recovery. Secure relationships help the brain’s prefrontal cortex regulate emotions, making us less reactive to stress.

Feeling safe reduces cardiovascular strain, improving heart health. Emotional safety promotes deeper, more restful sleep. The presence of a trusted person can lower pain perception through endorphin release.

Unhealthy relationships can trigger the sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight mode), increasing stress, anxiety, and depression, and even inflammation in the body. Chronic stress weakens immunity, making us more susceptible to illness. Difficult relationships can create tension in the body, which can lead to stiffness and pain.

The body of Christ is meant to be a place of healing, where we experience safety, love, and the peace of Christ in our interactions. It’s not a perfect body, and people will make mistakes and even cause hurt. But safe relationships show humility and seek restoration while striving to understand each other. These safe relationships act as a biological buffer, keeping us physically and mentally healthier.

How Gut Health Impacts Mood

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 23:34:51 GMT

Three ways to support your gut health for a happier, calmer you.

My mind is racing as I sit here writing this. There’s a never-ending to-do list, and so much still undone. With a big event coming up this weekend and smaller ones next week, my thoughts jump ahead to all that needs to be done. Lately, I’ve been in a season of extra busyness, and staying calm and present has been a challenge.

Sometimes, I don’t even realize how fast my mind is spinning until my stomach starts to churn. The tension builds, a subtle warning that I’m allowing stress to take control. When I notice this, I take a moment to ground myself in the present. I lace my fingers together and spend a few minutes tapping on my chest. Slowly, I feel my stomach relax as my body shifts back into balance.

The Gut-Brain Connection: Understanding the Relationship

Did you know your gut has its own nervous system?

The enteric nervous system, located entirely in the gut, plays a major role in communication between the gut and brain. This superhighway of information runs through the vagus nerve, which carries messages back and forth. Neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine are key players in this communication.

Many people assume that serotonin—the “feel-good” chemical—is mostly produced in the brain. But here’s something surprising: Up to 90% of serotonin is actually made in the gut! That’s why when someone says, “I have a gut feeling,” they’re onto something. Our gut often senses and responds to emotions before our brain even registers them. This explains why stress or anxiety can lead to an upset stomach and why supporting gut health is essential for emotional well-being.

When there’s an overgrowth of harmful bacteria in the gut, it disrupts the delicate microbiome responsible for producing serotonin and dopamine. A healthy microbiome consists of good bacteria that help break down food, absorb nutrients, and support overall well-being. But when bad bacteria take over, they interfere with these essential functions, affecting both digestion and mood. This is why gut cleansing and microbiome support are crucial for emotional balance.

Stress, Overwhelm, and Gut Health

Stress triggers the release of cortisol, the body’s “fight or flight” hormone. In a crisis, cortisol helps us survive by redirecting energy to essential functions like muscle movement and brain activity. However, chronic stress keeps cortisol levels high, disrupting digestion, slowing nutrient absorption, and causing gut muscles to tense up. This can lead to bloating, cramping, constipation, or diarrhea while also throwing off the balance of good bacteria.

As stress and gut imbalance continue, inflammation can set in, further reducing serotonin and dopamine production. This can make feelings of anxiety and depression more pronounced. Adding to the problem, stress often leads to cravings for processed, sugary foods. While sugar provides a temporary dopamine boost, it ultimately depletes essential B vitamins needed for stress management, leaving us feeling even more drained.

Naturopathic Approaches to Gut and Emotional Health

The key to restoring gut balance is reducing inflammation and supporting beneficial bacteria. Here’s how:

Eat anti-inflammatory foods : Focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, grass-fed meats, and healthy fats like olive, coconut, and avocado oils.
Support your microbiome : Choose a high-quality probiotic that can survive stomach acid and reach the gut, where it can restore balance. Many probiotics are too fragile or not potent enough to be effective, so look for one known for its quality and variety of strains.
Reduce stress through movement : Exercise—whether it’s gentle stretching, somatic exercises, or cardiovascular movement—helps regulate cortisol and reduce its impact on digestion.

We can’t live in a bubble, free from stress and digestive challenges. But our bodies are beautifully designed to communicate with us. When you feel tension in your gut, consider what’s causing tension in your life. If irritability is rising, check in with your digestion. If your mood is low and anxiety is high, look to your gut health.

One simple way to support digestion and mood is to activate the vagus nerve before meals. Just a few minutes of vagus nerve exercises—such as eye movements or ear massage—can help send calming signals between the gut and brain. If you’re curious, there are plenty of great tutorials on YouTube to guide you through it. It may sound a little different but give it a try—you may be surprised at how much better you feel!

Taking the time to care for our gut health is not just about digestion; it’s about supporting our emotional well-being as well. The mind and body are deeply connected, and when we nurture one, we nurture the other. By listening to the subtle signals our bodies send, such as tension or discomfort, we can better understand how stress is impacting us. With the right tools and practices, we can manage both our physical and emotional health. Remember, your gut is not just your digestive system—it’s a powerful communicator with the rest of your body, and it’s worth paying attention to.

How Comparison Interferes with Rest and Reinforces a Lack of Safety

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 18:22:20 GMT

The Silent Thief of Your Joy & Rest

I am content with my home, my clothes, my vacations, my decorations, my flower beds, my life! Until…I open up Instagram, Pinterest, or other social media apps. I find myself comparing all of the perfectly curated pictures of modern homes, seaside vacations, vibrant flowers, perfectly styled clothing, and more. Memes assure me that nothing is out of my grasp and that I deserve what my heart desires. A seed of discontentment starts to grow. It leaves me feeling unsettled, dissatisfied, and wishing for something different. My heart and spirit are not at rest. I am not at rest.

Can you relate?

The Cycle of Comparison and Its Impact on Rest

Now, perhaps more than any other time in history, we are inundated with reminders that we should have something different than what we have. Societal and cultural pressures create a mindset of constant comparison. All day long, images on our phones, computers, and television remind us of how much better life would be if we just had whatever our friends have, social media influencers are raving over, or whatever advertisements are convincing us that we need. A quick trip through Target will tell you that life will be greater if you just had what they are selling.

Discontentment begins brewing in our subconscious minds. This dissatisfaction causes our nervous system to move into a state of threat, activating the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. The mental and physical toll of comparing oneself to others includes heightened stress, disrupted sleep cycles, irritability, and anxiety.

Comparison keeps the mind and body in a state of "doing" rather than "being," interfering with true rest. Starting another DIY project, coordinating outfits for a family portrait or endlessly scrolling through destination pictures of your dream vacation seem productive, but actually increase cortisol in the body.

Comparison as a Threat to Inner Safety

When we compare ourselves to others—whether it’s their parenting, health, home, or energy—it can make us feel like we’re not enough. This isn’t just discouraging; it creates a deep sense of failure that feels like a threat. Our minds interpret falling short as a kind of danger, making us anxious that we’re not doing enough or that we’re somehow failing in ways that matter. Instead of feeling secure in the calling and path God has given us, we start believing the lie that we must measure up to someone else’s standard to be okay.

This feeling of being "behind" or "less than" isn’t just in our thoughts—it affects our bodies, too. When we perceive competition or criticize ourselves, our nervous system responds as if we are in danger. Again, cortisol and adrenaline flood our system, making us feel more anxious, irritable, and exhausted. Over time, this chronic stress can disrupt hormones, digestion, and sleep, keeping us stuck in a cycle of fatigue and overwhelm. The more we try to push through or "catch up," the more depleted we become, making it even harder to feel calm, clear-headed, and emotionally steady.

Comparison keeps us in a state of hyper-vigilance, always scanning for where we fall short. Instead of feeling safe and grounded, we become stuck in self-criticism, unable to rest in the truth that God created us uniquely and with purpose. When we accept the limitations and boundaries of our life, and believe that God is with us in it, we disrupt this cycle and allow our bodies and minds to relax.

Restoring Rest and Safety Through Naturopathic Approaches

The most important step in breaking the comparison cycle is to recognize the thoughts and choose to change them. It is easy to become numb to the constant influx of discontented thoughts, so recognition often takes prayer and intentionality. When I recognize that a wrong thought is wearing a deep groove in my brain, I like to write a Biblical truth on a notecard to combat the wrong thought and carry it with me for a few days until the new truth starts to replace the old thought. This adaptation in the brain is called neuroplasticity.

It can also be helpful to support your nervous system with adaptogenic herbs. Adaptogens help your body adapt to the stress you are experiencing and bring some physical relief. Here are three of my favorite adaptogens.

Ashwagandha is a well-known herb that supports the stress response and offers additional support for the thyroid and sleep. I don’t recommend Ashwagandha if you struggle with anxiety or during pregnancy, though.
Eleuthero helps the body adapt to stress, helps build stamina, and improves energy. It also supports immune health, provides antioxidants, and has anti-inflammatory properties.
Maca supports a healthy stress response, improves energy, reduces anxious feelings, and lifts the mood. It supports female hormones, improves libido (when taken for 12 weeks or more), and increases brain function.

You may also want to diffuse essential oils to help reduce the stress response and help your body move toward a state of greater calm. I like to diffuse citrus oils like wild orange or bergamot along with lavender or petitgrain.

I encourage you to honor your unique rhythms and circumstances you find yourself in. Embrace imperfection as a path toward peace. Recognize the freedom of “less is more”. In a world where the demands and expectations of our days can cause our bodies to constantly generate more stress hormones, choose to guard your heart against the lies of comparison. We can’t control every circumstance that contributes to our daily stress, but we can take an active stance against comparison so our bodies can experience rest in this small way.

When Relationships Make You Sick

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 19:15:00 GMT

How Emotional Stress Affects Your Health and How to Heal

I spent some time in Florida a couple of weeks ago. I loved the sunshine and warmth! But more than that, I loved the people I was with! Even though I injured my leg in a bike accident, I came home feeling refreshed. We laughed and cried. We took walks and sat in the sun. We listened, and we talked. We remembered God’s faithfulness as we considered the past, present, and future. We bonded even deeper as friends.

But not every relationship has that positive impact on us. The mind and body are deeply connected, and what happens in our emotions and relationships directly impacts our physical health. As women, we often carry a heavy load—caring for our families, managing our homes, and sometimes dealing with difficult relationships that drain us emotionally.

The connection between emotional and physical health.

When we experience chronic stress, especially from unhealthy relationships, it doesn’t just stay in our minds—it affects our entire body. God designed us as whole beings, where our thoughts, feelings, and physical health are intertwined. When we nurture peace and emotional well-being, our bodies respond positively, but when we live in constant stress, our health can suffer.

When we find ourselves in difficult relationships, our bodies perceive it as a threat. This triggers our built-in stress response, also known as the "fight-or-flight" reaction. While this response is meant to protect us in dangerous situations, when it's activated too often due to emotional strain, it leads to chronic stress. Feeling unappreciated, unheard, or constantly walking on eggshells can keep our bodies stuck in this heightened state of stress, making it difficult to relax, sleep, and even think clearly. Over time, this stress depletes our energy and makes us more susceptible to illness.

One of the biggest culprits behind these physical symptoms is cortisol, our main stress hormone. When we’re under constant stress, our bodies release too much cortisol, which can wreak havoc on our health. High cortisol levels can lead to hormone imbalances, fatigue, weight gain (especially around the belly), anxiety, irritability, and even digestive issues. Many women dealing with chronic stress from difficult relationships also struggle with irregular cycles, thyroid imbalances, and trouble sleeping—all of which can be linked back to the effects of prolonged stress on the body.

Common physical symptoms of unhealthy relationships

Take time to listen to your body. Notice how your body responds to different relationships. Do you feel relaxed or rejuvenated? Perhaps you feel encouraged and energetic. But maybe you find yourself feeling angry or hurt. Maybe you are exhausted. Maybe your stomach hurts, or you find yourself taking shallow breaths. Your body will speak through symptoms to alert you to how relationships are affecting you.

If you find yourself experiencing headaches, stomach upset, muscle tension, or other symptoms after spending time with certain people, you may want to reconsider your interactions in the future. I am not suggesting that you cut off relationships just because they are hard. Even good relationships can have difficult moments! But I always recommend that someone remove themselves from a dangerous or abusive relationship.

Breaking the Cycle and Healing

Recognizing unhealthy relationship patterns is the first step toward healing. Take time to reflect on how certain relationships make you feel. Prayerfully ask God for wisdom and clarity in identifying these patterns. Journaling your thoughts and emotions can also help you see where stress is coming from and how it’s affecting your body.

Once you’ve identified the sources of stress, it’s time to take action. Setting healthy boundaries is crucial for both emotional and physical well-being. This may mean learning to say no, limiting time with certain individuals, or seeking support from trusted friends, mentors, or a therapist. Christian counseling can provide valuable tools for navigating difficult relationships while staying true to your faith. If communication is a struggle, practicing calm, assertive conversations and expressing your needs can help foster healthier connections.

Sometimes, the relationship challenge originates within us. We can feel angry, hurt, and bitter toward someone who has offended us. Your body can respond with irritability, tight muscles, and fatigue when you are around the offender. Healing may require forgiveness—not necessarily for the other person’s benefit, but for your own peace.

Self-care is not selfish; it’s a necessity, especially for women who pour so much into others. Nourishing your body with whole foods, getting enough rest, and engaging in activities that bring joy—whether it’s taking a walk, doing something creative, or spending time with God—can help restore balance. Herbal remedies like adaptogens (such as ashwagandha or holy basil) can support the body’s stress response, while deep breathing and relaxation techniques can help lower cortisol levels. Taking small, consistent steps toward self-care can make a huge difference in how you feel physically and emotionally and prepare you for the moments when relationships are challenging.

You are not meant to live in a constant state of stress and exhaustion. God designed you for peace, joy, and a thriving life. By addressing the emotional burdens weighing you down and taking steps toward healing, you can reclaim your well-being—body, mind, and spirit. Start today by choosing one small step toward emotional and physical renewal. The journey may not always be easy, but with faith, wisdom, and intentional care, you can walk forward toward healthy relationships so your body can heal.

Beating the Winter Blues

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 19:45:00 GMT

A Mom’s Guide to Feeling Brighter

During the Gloomy Months

I really don’t mind the winter. If it was my choice, we would have a good winter snowstorm each winter that snowed us in for a few days. Fresh snow makes everything look so bright and clean! Have you ever watched squirrels play in the snow? There is something so refreshing about the earth after it snows!

I don’t even mind the frigid temperatures that we get occasionally. It’s a welcomed way to kill bugs and bacteria that are hanging around in the air and earth.

But, what I DON’T like is the cloudy days. And we get a lot of those in the winter! Day after day of 40 degrees and clouds is hard on me. I have learned that my mood and spirit is so much brighter if there is sun. You too? Sometimes, when we get a sunny day, I find myself bundling up and going outside to bask in the sun’s rays. Other times, I stand in front of the window and soak up as much sun as possible. It always improves the way that I feel.

Is it Just Winter Blues? Or Is It Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?

The holidays are over, and winter is a time to recharge. But you might feel more drained, irritable, and just … off. If winter’s shorter days and chilly weather seem to amplify your stress, anxiety, and exhaustion, you’re not alone. Let’s dive into what might be going on and, most importantly, what you can do to feel like yourself again.

What Is the Difference?

The Winter Blues are typically described as a gloomy sad feeling that comes from being cooped up inside during the shorter cold days of winter. According to VeryWell Mind , the Winter Blues is a feeling of sadness during the fall and winter season, possibly trouble sleeping and a lack of motivation.

The VeryWell Mind goes on to contrast that with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is characterized by severe sadness, changes in sleeping and eating habits, and depression that interferes with motivation and day-to-day functioning.

Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is more than just the "winter blues." It’s a type of depression that typically strikes during the fall and winter months when daylight hours are shorter. This isn’t about being a little gloomy because it’s cold outside; SAD can mess with your mood, energy levels, and even your hormones. If you find yourself feeling more anxious, irritable, tired, or even hopeless during the winter months, SAD might be at play.

Hormones like serotonin (your happy brain chemical) and melatonin (which regulates sleep) are influenced by sunlight. When we get less light exposure, it throws these hormones out of balance, making us feel off-kilter. Combine that with the demands of life and dealing with chronic stress, and it’s no wonder winter feels overwhelming.

Lifestyle Tips to Brighten Your Winter Mood

If you suspect you are experiencing SAD, I recommend seeing your healthcare provider for a correct diagnosis and to make sure you are receiving the support you need.

Let’s talk about some practical steps you can take if you are experiencing the Winter Blues. These aren’t quick fixes, but small, consistent changes can make a big difference:

Get Outside (Yes, Even When It’s Cold) Natural daylight is your best friend. Aim for at least 20 minutes outside during the brightest part of the day. Bundle up, take the kids for a walk, or just sit by a sunny window if getting outside feels too hard. Light exposure helps reset your body’s internal clock and boosts your serotonin levels. Doing this earlier in the day helps improve your energy. Getting late-day sunlight signals to your body that night is coming and begins to prepare the brain for sleep.
Move Your Body Exercise doesn’t have to mean hitting the gym. Dance in your living room, do pilates while the kids play, or take a brisk walk. Movement increases endorphins, those feel-good chemicals your brain loves, and helps you manage stress.
Stick to a Routine A consistent daily rhythm can help regulate your mood and energy. Prioritize regular meals (no skipping breakfast!). Focus on at least 20 grams of protein per meal. Aim for a consistent sleep schedule, even if that means saying no to late-night Netflix.
Prioritize Connection When you’re feeling low, it’s tempting to isolate yourself, but reaching out can help. Call a friend or schedule a coffee date. Even small moments of connection can lift your spirits.
Soak Up the Light If getting enough natural sunlight isn’t realistic, consider a light therapy box. These mimic natural sunlight and can work wonders for improving your mood. Choose a light box with 10,000 LUX. Use it for about 20-30 minutes each morning but, check with a healthcare provider to ensure it’s right for you.

Supplements to Support Your Mood This Winter

Sometimes, your body needs a little extra help. Here are some supplements that might support your mood and energy:

Vitamin D: Known as the “sunshine vitamin,” low levels of vitamin D are common in the winter months and can worsen the Winter Blues. A daily supplement (2,000-5,000 IU) can make a big difference. My favorite source of Vitamin D is Micellized Vitamin D because the absorption rate is five times greater than regular Vitamin D supplements. Check your levels with a blood test to determine your ideal dose.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Found in fish oil, omega-3s are great for brain health and mood regulation. Look for a high-quality supplement with both EPA and DHA. I always choose a product that is sourced off the Norwegian coastline or the South American/Antarctic waters because the fish are not as contaminated with heavy metals, chemicals, and PCBs. I also make sure the fish oil is processed on the ship or in the port and not shipped away to be processed, as time is of the essence to avoid oxidation. Most Omega-3 products are rancid because they were not processed quickly enough!
B Vitamins: Chronic stress can deplete your B vitamin levels, especially B6 and B12, which are crucial for mood and energy. A good B-complex supplement can help fill the gaps.
Magnesium: Known as nature’s “chill pill,” magnesium helps calm your nervous system, reduce anxiety, and improve sleep. Try magnesium glycinate or citrate for better absorption. Start with 200 mg before bed and increase or decrease according to tolerance level.
Adaptogenic Herbs: Herbs like ashwagandha, rhodiola, and holy basil can help your body manage stress and balance hormones. I supplement with adaptogens on a daily basis. These are especially helpful if you feel fatigued or burned out.

You’re Not Alone

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, irritable, or just plain exhausted, please know that you’re not alone. Winter is hard on most of us! Start with small changes, like getting outside for a few minutes or taking a high-quality vitamin D supplement, and build from there. You deserve to feel good—for yourself and your family.

If you’re struggling and not sure where to start, let’s chat. I specialize in helping women like you find balance and reclaim their energy. You’re not meant to carry this all on your own.

Remember, brighter days are ahead—both literally and figuratively!

From Overstimulated to Peaceful: How Lifestyle Choices Shape Your Emotions

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 22:09:48 GMT

Caffeine and I do not get along. Consuming a caffeinated beverage follows a predictable pattern for me. I become hyper and hysterical. First, everything is over-the-top funny or fearful and I talk twice as fast as normal. Then, I crash into the depths of despair, and I feel like I could cry for hours. After that, I want to sleep for a few more hours.

Understanding the Connection Between Lifestyle and Emotions

Obviously, my extreme response warrants me avoiding caffeine. It is a regular reminder to me that my lifestyle choices affect my emotions. And while you may not react to caffeine the way I do, most of us deal with daily lifestyle choices that impact our emotions.

For example, Insufficient sleep leaves us irritable the next day

Too much sugar can leave us angry or sad.
Caffeine can increase anxiety levels.
Overbooked calendar leaves us feeling overwhelmed.
Scrolling on social media makes us discontented and jealous.

Our lifestyle choices have a profound impact on our nervous system, which in turn influences our emotional state. The nervous system is the body's control center. It constantly takes information in from our environment and decides how we should respond.

Because of the constant demands of our culture along with chronic stress or past trauma that we experience, our nervous system can get stuck in “fight or flight” mode, producing extra cortisol and adrenaline. A fight or flight response, also known as our sympathetic nervous system, is crucial in an emergency or survival situation, but a long-term response depletes our body of the reserves needed to maintain emotional balance.

To compensate, we can choose activities that activate the “rest and digest” part of our nervous system instead to help us recover from the impact of fight or flight. The rest and digest, or parasympathetic nervous system, reduces cortisol and helps us to relax so our bodies can focus on healing. Spending time in nature, prioritizing sleep, and practicing deep breathing support the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing anxiety, and promoting a sense of calm.

God designed our bodies to be most balanced when we have rhythms of rest built into our life. The twenty-third Psalm says, “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.” There are times when we need to step away from the noise and expectations of our culture to rest so we can be refreshed. Sometimes rest is sleep, but sometimes it is play, or spending time with friends, or doing something creative.

The Negative Effects of Overstimulation

Overstimulation occurs when the brain becomes overwhelmed with too much sensory input ranging from bright lights, noise, rapid changes in the environment, or excessive emotional demands from other people. This overloads the nervous system, making it difficult to process and respond appropriately. Additionally, multi-tasking, excessive demands, and the daily pressure of managing life can add to the overload on the nervous system.

Overstimulation can trigger a stress response, causing your body to release extra cortisol and adrenaline, sending you into fight, flight, or freeze. In fight or flight, you might find yourself more irritable or anxious. Your mind is racing, and you can’t settle down. In freeze, you may notice that you feel emotionally numb or apathetic and unmotivated.

To distract from the uncomfortable symptoms of fight, flight, or freeze, we often reach for more stimulation in the form of social media or other entertainment. This creates a vicious cycle in the body.

Women particularly, deal with the negative effect of overstimulation. There is the cultural pressure to “do it all”. To curate the perfect Instagram feed, to workout to have the perfect body, to make sure the kids don’t miss out on any opportunity, to perform to earn that promotion at work. The constant demands truly are overwhelming and overstimulating!

Cultivating a Lifestyle That Promotes Emotional Balance

There are several beginning steps you can take to reduce stimulation and create an environment that does not overwhelm the nervous system, so you can feel more emotionally balanced.

Set household boundaries with technology. For example, no phones during mealtimes. No technology for 1-2 hours before bed. (Blue light from screens suppresses melatonin production, interfering with restful sleep.) Set a time limit on social media or gaming apps. Don’t check emails after you leave work. Dim the lights in the evening.
Create intentional quiet time. Spend 30 minutes per day or 4 hours per weekend doing something that is restful and restorative. I talked more about this in my last blog post. This may be napping, but it could also be games as a family, taking a walk in nature, playing with a pet, reading a book or taking a bath.
Prioritize self-care. You can’t take care of your family or meet reasonable expectations if you don’t first take care of yourself. Are you sleeping 7-8 hours per night? Do you eat 20-25 grams of protein with every meal? Are you getting moderate exercise 3-4 times per week if you default to fight or flight mode? Are you stretching daily and taking walks if you default to freeze mode? Are you limiting caffeine and drinking sufficient water?

I find that one of my biggest challenges with overstimulation as a Christian is to be still long enough to hear God. You too? It has been helpful to me to have a designated time and place to meet with God each day. I want this area to be free of distractions. I silence my phone so I am not interrupted.

One of the most powerful ways for me to reset my emotions after overstimulation is to rest in God. To stop my striving and allow His presence to calm and soothe me. Psalm 46:10 says, " Be still, and know that I am God. " This verse encourages us to quiet our hearts from overstimulation and allow God to bring us peace and restore our emotions.

Trying to address the constant overstimulation in our lives can be overwhelming. We can’t avoid all stimulation, nor should we. Some stimulation is healthy. But when our mood and emotions are negatively impacted, we want to take steps to reduce the stimulation. Start with small steps. Don’t try to change everything at once. It is small consistent changes in lifestyle that bring peace and joy and improve our emotions.

Rest is the fuel for healing.

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 16:39:04 GMT

REST IS THE FUEL FOR HEALING

I often describe myself as a triple Type A personality. Constantly on the move, being productive, trying to accomplish more than is reasonably possible. As a teenager, my family nicknamed me Blitz because I just blitzed here, blitzed there, and blitzed everywhere!

But one day, I woke up to the harsh reality that I couldn’t sustain my level of productivity any longer because I had not stopped long enough to restore the energy I had depleted. I could still be busy, but I couldn’t produce the way I once had.

I think all of us resist the human limitations that rub up against our ideals of what we think we should be able to accomplish. For me, that journey has been ongoing. Along the way, I have learned the value of rest in healing and restoring. And while I still don’t do it perfectly, I am excited to share with you how you can enhance your own healing journey by learning to rest!

The Science of Rest and Healing

Rest is essential for healing to take place, both physically and mentally. Rest allows the body to repair and regenerate with most of this happening while we are sleeping. Rest also helps the immune system to strengthen and respond effectively to illness or injury. Rest reduces the mental strain that can accumulate from the challenges of daily life. This quieting of the mind improves focus, emotional balance, and the ability to make decisions with clarity.

When we rest, our stress hormone, cortisol, begins to decline. Cortisol levels increase under stress, leading to anxiety, poor sleep, hormone irregularities, and fatigue. Intentional rest—whether through sleep, spending time in nature, or simply pausing from daily demands—restores balance and calms the nervous system. Over time, this strengthens our ability to cope with future stress. A peaceful heart and mind are not just beneficial for health but also allow us to engage more fully with those we love.

Studies reveal the significant impact of ignoring rest. For example, research has shown that individuals who sleep fewer than six hours a night are more likely to experience illness compared to those who sleep seven to eight hours. Additionally, mental exhaustion from overwork without breaks has been linked to higher rates of burnout, anxiety, and depression. This isn’t just in the workforce but also moms at home, managing a relentless load of responsibilities and expectations. These findings remind us that rest isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. Embracing rest is not only an act of self-care but also an act of obedience, trusting that God’s design for our bodies includes a rhythm of work and rest.

Barriers to Rest: Why We Struggle to Slow Down

Our culture glorifies productivity to the detriment of rest. The pressure to defy expectations in what we accomplish, how we live, and how our children excel in knowledge and experience leaves no room for rest. There is an unspoken badge of honor for busyness. The busier you are, the more accomplished you must be.

Our culture resists rest unless it is an exotic vacation. We experience implied guilt and shame when we stop our frenetic doing and rest in the moment. Why? Because we feel guilty that we might be wasting time and shame because we internalize our lack of productivity equates with a lack of value. We don’t feel that we deserve the rest until our to-do list is accomplished. Rebekah Lyons says in her book, Rhythms of Renewal that “rest precedes blessing. We don’t have to run to earn rest; we run fueled by a posture of rest.”

As you juggle many responsibilities and demands, I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the symptoms of overwhelm and burnout that come when rest is ignored. Common symptoms include constant exhaustion, irritability, emotional instability, or feeling overwhelmed by even small tasks. Physical signs, such as frequent headaches, weakened immunity, or trouble sleeping, are also frequent. Spiritually, a lack of rest can lead to difficulty finding joy in prayer, reading Scripture, or serving others, ultimately leaving us feeling disconnected from God. These warning signs are a call to pause, reflect, and prioritize rest—not as an indulgence but to honor God’s design for balance and renewal in our lives.

My Favorite Strategy to Prioritize Rest for Healing

When clients come to me overwhelmed with life and experiencing anxiety and irritability, hormone concerns, and never-ending fatigue, I begin teaching them ways to rest by taking control of their lifestyle instead of being a victim to our culture’s demands. This can be challenging and requires a change in our mindset.

One of my favorite ways to begin implementing rest is with a 30-minute break during your day. Schedule this time on your calendar and make it non-negotiable! I recommend this in the middle of your day because it will provide energy to finish your day strong!

Here’s how I recommend doing this 30-minute break:

Turn off electronics and silence your phone to prevent disruptions.
Set a timer for 30 minutes so you aren’t constantly checking the time.
Have a blank piece of paper and pen nearby. When thoughts of the next thing you need to do come to mind, jot it down and then forget about it. This is time to rest, not to worry about remembering your to-do list! You will have your notes after your break is done.
Choose any activity that is rejuvenating or relaxing. This might be a nap or taking a bath, reading a book, creating something, taking a walk, playing with your pet, or anything else you feel refreshed doing. One of my favorite ways to rest is adult coloring. Don’t be surprised if you struggle at first to find things refreshing. But continue to experiment with different activities, and your list will begin to grow.
When the 30 minutes are done, set aside your activity until the next day and notice the improvement in your mood, energy, and thinking as you engage in the rest of your responsibilities for the day.
Note: if you have napping children, take these 30 minutes near the beginning of their nap. You will likely be extra productive afterward during the rest of their nap! If you have children old enough to not nap, establish the same 30 minutes as rest time for them. Have a special basket of activities that they can do on their own during that time. This basket should contain items and projects that they look forward to and anticipate doing.

There are many other ways to incorporate rest into your life, but this is one of my favorites!

In the Bible, Jesus invites the disciples after a day so busy that they didn’t have time to eat to “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:31) Jesus recognized the exhaustion the disciples were feeling. They were trying to meet all the needs and expectations without taking a break. Many of us can relate to the disciples. Because of our demanding culture, we need to be reminded to rest.

Creating a rhythm of rest in your day will take time and the trialing of different activities. Be patient with yourself as your body and mind acclimate to the much-needed rest. At first it may feel disorienting, and you may have a hard time spending more than a few minutes resting. But over time, your body will begin to anticipate and heal in these moments of rest.

If you would like to learn more about rest and the role it plays in your healing journey of your mood, fatigue, and hormones, I invite you to schedule a free call with me. Don’t journey alone!

Find joy and connection this Christmas.

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 16:25:50 GMT

The Christmas season often feels like a whirlwind, doesn’t it? I catch myself rushing through the days, barely pausing to savor the beauty of this time of year. Do you feel the same way?

At other times, the challenges in our world feel heavier during the holidays. The hard realities don’t pause for December, and there are still people who are hurting, lonely, and in need of hope.

Here are three simple ways to invest in relationships this season and boost your health while bringing joy to others:

Smile! Make eye contact and share a warm smile with strangers—the cashier at the store, the delivery driver, fellow attendees at holiday events, or someone at church you don’t know well. You’ll not only brighten their day but also find yourself feeling happier, too!
Reach out to someone nearby. Visit a neighbor or an elderly person who might not have family around to keep them company this season.
Give with purpose. Adopt a struggling family or support an internationally displaced family through a local charity. Alternatively, partner with ministries like Samaritan's Purse or Voice of the Martyrs to send gifts to children or families around the world. This could be a meaningful group activity with friends or family! If sending gifts overseas, consider including a personal letter or photo.

Christmas can feel both overwhelming and lonely at times but investing in relationships can help us find purpose beyond ourselves. It’s a reminder of why Jesus came to earth—to relate to others, bringing hope and light into a world full of challenges.

So, this season, smile, visit, and give. There are people around you who need the hope you carry through your relationships.

Wishing you a Christmas full of joy and meaningful connection!

Fight. Flight. Freeze. Fawn. What's your stress response?

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 16:25:50 GMT

Have you ever felt your heart race during a stressful situation, experienced brain fog in the heat of a moment, or found yourself going along with something just to keep the peace? These reactions are tied to the body’s survival mechanisms: fight, flight, freeze, and fawn. They often originate from past traumatic experiences or ongoing stress. Though they may help us in acute situations, chronic activation can have long-term consequences on our physical and mental health.

Let’s look at how each response impacts your body and mind—and what you can do to restore balance.

Stress responses are hardwired into us as part of the autonomic nervous system, designed to help us survive threats. These responses were critical when our ancestors faced physical dangers in the wild. However, in modern life, our stressors are often more psychological than physical—like teaching school, social conflicts, or financial concerns. Unfortunately, our bodies can’t always tell the difference.

Here’s a breakdown of the four main stress responses:

Fight - This is an aggressive response to perceived danger, marked by anger, frustration, or the urge to confront the threat.
Flight - This response pushes you to avoid or escape the threat, leading to behaviors such as running away or avoiding conflict altogether.
Freeze - When neither fight nor flight seems viable, the body may become immobilized. This can show up as indecision, dissociation, or feeling stuck.
Fawn - This response involves people-pleasing or appeasing the threat, often sacrificing personal needs to avoid conflict or gain approval.

While these responses are essential for survival in short bursts, they take a toll when activated repeatedly or chronically. Let’s dive into the effects each has on your health.

1. The Fight Response and Its Health Implications

When you’re in fight mode, the body gears up for a confrontation. Adrenaline and cortisol levels spike, causing your heart to race and muscles to tense up. You are ready for action!

Physical health impacts of that are:

Insomnia: It is hard to sleep when your body is primed to fight!
Muscle tension and headaches:
Digestive issues: Blood flow is diverted away from digestion, potentially leading to conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

And the Mental health impacts include:

Chronic anger and irritability: If you're always in fight mode, it can lead to burnout, anxiety, or depression.
Difficulty in relationships: Constant conflict or defensiveness can alienate loved ones, creating isolation or loneliness.

2. The Flight Response and Avoidance Patterns

In flight mode, your body’s focus is on escaping, whether physically or emotionally. While it may seem safer to avoid situations, constantly running from stress can lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms.

Physical health impacts of that are:

Poor sleep again: Similar to the fight response, chronic activation of the flight response keeps your body ramped up, unable to relax to sleep.
Fatigue: The constant state of alertness can lead to adrenal fatigue and poor sleep, where your body is depleted from the never-ending need to “run away.”

And the Mental health impacts include:

Anxiety disorders: Avoidance can lead to social isolation, reinforcing anxiety and making the stressor seem even larger.
Procrastination and perfectionism: Constant avoidance can create a cycle of procrastination, making it harder to accomplish tasks and exacerbating stress levels.

3. Freeze: The Health Impact of Feeling “Stuck”

In freeze mode, the body shuts down to avoid a threat. This can happen when you feel powerless or overwhelmed by a situation. While freezing may feel protective, it can be paralyzing.

Physical health impacts of that are:

Immobility-related issues: Being stuck, whether emotionally or physically, can contribute to muscle stiffness and low energy levels and even constipation.
Suppressed immune function: Prolonged stress can weaken the immune system, making you more susceptible to illness.

And the Mental health impacts include:

Dissociation: Chronic freezing can lead to emotional numbness, disconnection from reality, and difficulty engaging with the world.
Depression: The sense of helplessness often associated with freezing is a common feature in depression, making it harder to break free from the cycle.

4. The Fawn Response and People-Pleasing

Fawning, or the tendency to appease others to avoid conflict, may seem like a harmless way to maintain peace. However, neglecting your own needs can have a profound impact on both your physical and mental health.

Physical health impacts of that are:

Chronic stress: By constantly bending to others' needs, your body remains in a prolonged state of stress, leading to fatigue and tension.
Digestive issues: Similar to other stress responses, fawning can trigger digestive problems as the body’s energy is diverted from rest-and-digest functions.

And the Mental health impacts include:

Loss of self-identity: Fawning can erode your sense of self, as you may prioritize others’ desires over your own just to maintain peace.
Low self-esteem and resentment: Over time, the act of people-pleasing can foster resentment, frustration, and feelings of unworthiness.

Healing from Chronic Stress Responses

Recognizing which stress response you default to is the first step toward breaking the cycle. Here are some practices that can help:

Begin to notice how your body feels throughout the day in different scenarios. Do you feel engaged? Tense? Disconnected? This awareness can help you identify your stress triggers and habitual responses.
Movement, especially aerobic exercises like running, walking, or swimming, can help discharge the fight or flight energy, bringing your nervous system back to balance.
For those who freeze or dissociate, practices like focusing on your breath or engaging with your physical senses can help bring you back to the present moment. Try the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise: notice 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch (different textures), 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell and1 thing you can taste.
If you tend to fawn, learning to set clear boundaries is critical. Setting boundaries are not to force the other person to change but to help protect you. Therefore, you don’t set a boundary on them, but on you.
It can be helpful to bring in the support of a professional therapist to help you process past trauma or chronic stress that is interfering with your current life.

Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn are natural responses to stress, but chronic activation can have a detrimental effect on your well-being. Understanding your patterns and taking proactive steps to manage stress will not only improve your mental and physical health but also help you feel more balanced, present, and empowered in your life.

By tuning into your body’s cues and cultivating healthier coping mechanisms, you can transform these instinctual responses into conscious, empowered choices.