Simple steps can go a long way in improving mitochondrial health! This blog highlights five science-backed habits you can practice every day to support mitochondrial synthesis and efficiency.

Have you ever found yourself battling unexplained bouts of fatigue, energy dips throughout the day, or an overall sense of exhaustion? You're certainly not alone. While there can be myriad reasons behind feeling low on energy, one critical aspect we shouldn't overlook is the health of our MITOCHONDRIA.

February is American Heart Month ❤️

The Mediterranean Diet is research-proven to lower the risk of cognitive decline, promote longevity, and reduce the risk of many chronic diseases and cancer - but perhaps most compelling is the data on the Mediterranean Diet and reduced risk of heart disease.

CoQ10 is a nutrient that supports mitochondrial function for cellular energy production and also acts as an antioxidant. It can be synthesized in the body, but its production declines with age.

Other reasons that CoQ10 levels can decline in the body include an increased demand in certain tissues, other nutritional deficiencies, or the use of statin medications (common medications for cholesterol levels).

In my Integrative and Functional Medicine practice, I routinely measure essential fatty acid levels with nutritional testing and recommend omega-3 fatty acid supplementation to my patients for various reasons.

Fish Oil is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids - but not all Fish Oil supplements are created equal!

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. This fact surprises many of my female clients, who are often more concerned about their risk for breast cancer than their risk for heart disease, yet women have a greater risk of dying from heart disease than from all cancers combined. According to Harvard Health, currently in the United States, three million women are living with breast cancer, which causes one in 31 deaths. Almost 50 million women have cardiovascular disease, which causes one in three deaths.

Keep these ten protein sources stocked in your kitchen to ensure clean protein is ready for all of your meals.

Perimenopausal weight gain is a real thing.

This is a fact.

It's common for weight gain to start a few years before menopause, during the time known as perimenopause. Weight gain often continues at about the rate of 1.5 pounds each year as a woman goes through her 50s.

When I meet with women to discuss the potential risks and benefits of menopausal hormone therapy - fear of weight gain with estrogen therapy is common.

But is this fear valid?

Protein is a fundamental component of a healthy diet - but how much protein do you really need? In this blog, I outline how minimal RDA protein recommendations are not optimal and provide calculations I use with my patients to estimate their protein needs.

Research shows that eating more protein reduces hip fracture risk in women.

Are you setting health and wellness goals for the New Year? Do you have resolutions to start healthier habits?

If so, let’s increase your chances of success by starting with your MINDSET.

Stress is a fact of life. Short-term stress is normal and helps us deal with immediate challenges. Our stress response is managed by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system, which release hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol when faced with stress. This response is vital for survival and maintaining balance in the body - however, chronic stress, lasting for a long time, can harm our health, affecting mental health, the heart, immune system, digestion, cognitive function, and energy levels.

As discussed in my previous blog, chronic elevation of the stress hormone cortisol is one of the most significant root causes of health issues in many of my clients. It can have long-term effects on many aspects of health and well-being, including metabolism, sleep, brain, and mood.

Have you ever thought about what’s actually creating stress in your body? It might not be what you think.

If you want to train your body to be more resilient to stress (so it doesn’t have so much control over your life), it helps to understand stress hormones. There are 2 stress hormones I want you to know about: Cortisol & Adrenaline (also called Epinephrine).

Strengthening our immune defenses becomes paramount during these chilly months. In addition to good sleep, regular exercise, and improving gut health, one effective strategy for immune support is to incorporate targeted nutrients into our daily routines.

In May 2022, I was diagnosed with an early-stage breast cancer, detected by a routine screening mammogram. I chose to undergo a skin-sparing double mastectomy with reconstruction in late June 2022 and spent the summer recovering. Fortunately, the cancer was caught very early, and I was given an excellent prognosis without chemotherapy.

You can teach your brain to form new connections: to strengthen pathways that serve you and weaken pathways that don’t. This is called neuroplasticity.

You have the power to retrain your brain! Think of it like rewiring. You can teach your brain to form new connections: to strengthen pathways that serve you and weaken pathways that don’t. It’s called neuroplasticity.

Many common symptoms may be caused by food sensitivities, including fatigue, headaches, irritable bowel, brain fog, joint pain, weight gain, rashes and more.

What causes food sensitivities? The answer lies in your gut.

While there are many factors that can contribute to illness, perhaps none are more important than FOOD. I see it with patients every day - the food that you eat has an immediate and significant impact on the way that you feel.