Recently we experienced off the charts hazardous air quality in Oregon. Although, I’ve studied air quality and how it affects our health as part of my Functional Medicine Health track and have been aware of the harmful toxins unhealthy AQI contains, I took my research to a whole other level.

Somehow I always find myself on the opposite side of the mainstream narrative. Covid-19? Come on people trust your body and your own immune system! Unhealthy AQI? Holy smokes get out of Oregon before the prolonged unhealthy AQI leaves your immune system, respiratory track, and cardiovascular system permanently damaged!

I realized, a lot of people were waiting on the government to tell them what to do about the AQI. Or even worse, some people felt it wasn’t a big deal. Or, a lot of people just honestly were unaware! I’m a strong believer in taking personal responsibility when it comes to health… so my hope for this post is to help empower you with education and information that will equip you to make the best decisions for you and your family!

I remember the first time I was exposed to the idea that a child with latching difficulty, behavioral outbursts, frequent colds, unmet milestones, or mood disorders could potentially be related to a metabolic disorder. It blew my mind! Not only are their resources for helping navigate metabolic yellow and red flags as a parent but also practitioners who specialize in helping get to the root of what’s going on!

In this post I’m going to list a few of the resources I’ve found to be helpful. My education is through the Functional Medicine track at Kresser Institute. We had a few modules specifically addressing gut microbiome in the child and how to help support both the parents and children navigating this. I’ve also attended several functional neurology conventions that also addressed this issue. I’ve also had a little experience personally with my own daughter who is now 18 months.

Primal Endurance Blueprint has taught me to consider my lifestyle as my workout. Isn’t it odd that in today’s society we “go to workout?” And yet, our hunter/gatherer ancestors moved throughout their day as a by product of survival. Running through the forest, ducking under branches, jumping over logs, fast bursts of movement followed by long steady movement.

“The Reset Diet is designed to reduce inflammation, improve digestion, burn fat, identify food sensitivities, reduce allergic reactions, boost energy, regulate blood sugar, and stabilize your mood.” - Chris Kresser

I’ve struggled to write this post for a long time now. Mainly, because I want to ensure that what I am writing is clearly not to be taken as medical advice or recommendations. I hope my journey inspires you to recognize that there is hope to improve your quality of life and to research the possibilities for your own health journey!

Stroke is the leading cause for disabilities in the US according to the National Association of Neurology. Because my symptoms were recognized (by my husband) immediately, diagnosed fairly quickly (by the ER staff at Kaiser), and the blood clot removed (by Dr. Fields who performed a thrombectomy) all within 6 hours since my first symptom, my brain was able to “bounce back’ fairly quickly. I’ll explain what I mean by that later on. :) Trust me, there was still quite a bit of unseen challenges and dedicated recovery.

We became farmshare owners at Helios farms about a year and a half ago.

This alone has made a drastic impact on our health and I want to share with you some of my favorite reasons to be a part of a farmshare program!

Yo-yo this crunchy outdoor enthusiast mama has got some news!! I’m enrolled in Chris Kresser’s Functional Medicine ADAPT Health Coaching Institute! Meaning, by June of 2020 (if all goes well) I’ll be running my own health coaching business. Woot woot!

You may be thinking, “well that’s great and all, but what in the world is an ADAPT Health Coach?”

I get it… essential oils have basically turned into a “buzz” word these days. Somebody has always got an oil for that... and the tricky thing? Yeah. There are no clinical trials to back the science behind WHAT oils work for WHAT ailments. PLUS most reputable oil brands (as in oils i’m going to trust to put in and on my body) are multi-level marketing companies. Did I get all the elephants out of the room about essential oils now? HA! Now, hopefully with all that said… you’ll still read on and head me out about WHY i use oils for backpacking/camping and WHAT oils have become my tried and true travel companions in the outdoors for EIGHT YEARS now.

Not only is getting sick annoying and inconvenient in and of itself, but when it derails my weekend plans to get outside… then you can bet this mama bear is NOT happy! Although I haven’t taken an antibiotic in over 5 years, I’ve still had my share of seasonal colds. However, this year, even while being pregnant and having a lower immune system, I’ve been able to keep the colds at bay and no outside plans have been ruined (fingers crossed!)!