🔥 Hot Tip for Holiday Stress: Get Relief with 5-Finger Breathing🖐️

Give me 30 seconds and I’ll show you a super simple way to stop stress in its tracks as soon as you start to feel it!


It’s called 🖐️5-Finger Breathing, and it goes like this:


1️⃣ Hold one hand in front of you, palm facing up.

2️⃣ Use the index finger of your opposite hand to trace along the outline of your fingers.

3️⃣ As you trace up the outside of your thumb, take a deep breath in.

4️⃣ As you trace down the inside of your thumb, slowly breathe out.

5️⃣ Repeat this in-and-out breathing for each finger—inhale as you trace up, exhale as you trace down.

6️⃣ Continue until you’ve traced all five fingers and feel more calm and centered.


This works because deep and slow breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which makes you feel calm and relaxed.


Plus you can do it anytime and anywhere.


Prevention is the best medicine, especially when it comes to stress. If you start to make a habit of noticing when you feel stressed and taking a moment to reset, you’ll train your body to be more resilient and navigate the holiday stress like a boss.


Drop a ❤️ if this was helpful and be sure to follow for more simple ways to stay healthy ☀️

Laborde S, Allen MS, Borges U, et al. Effects of voluntary slow breathing on heart rate and heart rate variability: A systematic review and a meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2022;138:104711. [link]

Winter Skincare Survival Kit ❄️

Let’s call it the ❄️ Dry Skin Survival Kit!


If your skin is drier because of colder temps and indoor heating, think about adding some of these to your routine:


🪮Dry Skin Brush

This is a natural bristle brush you can use before showering to gently exfoliate, slough off dead skin cells, and stimulate lymphatic flow.


🧽 Loofah

Using a loofah with soap and water in the shower is another way to gently exfoliate the skin. Careful not to overdo it because too much exfoliation can irritate the skin.


💧Humidifier

This can help with dry bedroom air.


🧴 Body Moisturizer

Look for a moisturizer that is free from parabens and fragrances.


🫧 Face Oil

Oils are what naturally moisturize our skin.


💋Lip Balm

Try a natural lip balm made with beeswax, shea butter, or coconut butter.


🥤Water Bottle

Staying hydrated is just as important for the skin in the winter as it is in the summer!


One last thing:


Eating nourishing foods with healthy fats and antioxidants can also help to keep your skin more naturally moisturized and protected from the elements.


Do you have a favorite winter skincare tip? Let me know in the caption!


#elementsnatmed #skincare #dryskin #winter #coldweather #naturalmedicine #functionalmedicine

Youthful Skin from the Inside Out

This is not an overnight quick fix, but nutrition can have a huge impact on how your skin ages!


First the must-have foundations:

✔️ Water (to hydrate the skin)

✔️ Protein (as a building block for collagen & elastin)

✔️ Fruits & Veg (for antioxidants to block free radical damage)

✔️ Healthy Fats (to keep inflammation in check)


Then the targeted nutrient supplements:

✔️ Collagen (supports skin firmness and elasticity)

✔️ Antioxidants like curcumin, pomegranate, and green tea (support antioxidant defenses)

✔️ Omega-3s (support healthy inflammation & defenses against sun damage)


Here’s the thing:


If you jump to the supplements without first having the foundations of a skin-healthy diet in place, you won’t get the results you deserve.


If you want to dial in a plan to support your unique skin health and maintain youthful skin—given your biochemistry, goals, and vulnerabilities—our functional approach is for you.


🥾 Take the first step through the link in our bio.

REFERENCES:

-Cho S. The Role of Functional Foods in Cutaneous Anti-aging. J Lifestyle Med. 2014;4(1):8-16. [link]

-de Miranda RB, Weimer P, Rossi RC. Effects of hydrolyzed collagen supplementation on skin aging: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Dermatol. 2021;60(12):1449-1461. [link]
-Michalak M. Plant-Derived Antioxidants: Significance in Skin Health and the Ageing Process. Int J Mol Sci. 2022;23(2):585. [link]

#elementsnatmed #skincare #skinhealth #rootcause #rootcausehealing #guthealth #naturalmedicine #naturopath #naturopathic #functionalmedicine #functionalmedicinetesting #holistic #holistichealing

Happy National Cookie Day! 🍪

Here’s a new cookie recipe to try!

Miso Tahini Cookies

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp ground flax

5 Tbsp water

1 ¼ cups almond flour

1 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

¼ cup sesame seeds

1 cup tahini

2 tsp brown miso paste

¾ cup chocolate chips

flakey sea salt optional but encouraged

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Make your flax egg by combining water and ground flax in a small bowl. Set aside.

3. Combine almond flour, sugar, baking powder, and sesame seeds in a large bowl.

4. Add the miso, tahini and flax egg. Mix well to combine all ingredients. It takes some time to ensure all the tahini is combined throughout the dry ingredients. If your tahini is more solid than liquid you might need to use your fingers to get it well incorporated.

5. Add the chocolate chips and combine well.

6. Measure out 1 Tbsp of dough, roll it into a ball and place on the baking sheet. Flatten slightly with your palm. 7. Sprinkle a small amount of flakey salt on top. Repeat with all cookies.

8. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom and edges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

9. Enjoy!


Recipe from Harvest Table Nutrition

Inside-Out Skin Tips

The main driver of unhealthy skin is 💥inflammation💥 which means a sustainable solution has to address this root cause.

We do that from the inside out, with things like:

✔️ Omega-3 Fats (essential fatty acids in fish, nuts, & seeds)

✔️ Sleep (disrupted sleep increases markers of inflammation)

✔️ Movement (exercise improves metabolic health to reduce inflammation)

✔️ Water (skin is approximately 64% water)

✔️ Colorful foods (antioxidants help to combat inflammation)

✔️ Probiotics (supporting the microbiome and gut-skin axis)

These are just a few examples of how we help our clients combat breakouts, redness, rashes, and irritated skin. The best solution for your skin will be unique to you, and we would love to help.

Ready to get to the root cause of your unhealthy skin?

🔗 Click the link in our bio to get started!