Most of us spend our days in a state of overdrive. Rushing through each experience, leaning into the next: shoulders tight, breath shallow, muscles taut, awareness dimmed. Life ends up passing us by. Not only do we miss out on most of life when we spend it in this state of overdrive, we also create a breakdown in the self-healing and self-regulating capacity of the body. A balanced brain and nervous system is essential for robust health. What are some simple ways that we can start to slow down and engage the aspects of the nervous system's that promote healing and repair? Here are some of my top picks: 1. Earthing 2. Eat regular meals to keep blood sugars balanced 3. Spend time in nature 4.

Have you ever considered turning the simple activities of your day into a meditation?Even though you probably know that the benefits of meditation are astounding, a regular practice of meditation can be difficult to commit to. Even 5-10 minutes per day will make a big difference in your life. Whether or not you are able to commit to a formal meditation practice, expand the ways in which engage more fully in your life. Get into the habit of bringing your awareness into the activities of your day - be it washing the dishes, folding laundry, making dinner, brushing your teeth or nursing your infant. You can use your breath or body sensations as an anchor, to keep the mind from going haywire. Ea

Research continues to point to the importance of the microbiome on our overall state of health. It influences not only our digestion, but also our metabolism, brain and nervous system, immune system, hormones, and our risk of many common chronic degenerative diseases. The first 3-5 years of life are decisive in how our gut microbiota defines its unique “fingerprint”. This unique fingerprint will then decide how our microbiome expresses itself for the remainder of our lives. Taking steps to optimize our gut microbiota maybe one of the most important things we can to to improve our overall level of health. Factors that Have an Adverse Effect on the Gut Microbiome The cumulative and inter-gen

Taking probiotics has health benefits - primarily that of strengthening and regulating immune system function and strengthening gut integrity. Your best source of probiotics comes from naturally-fermented foods. Learn to make your own fermented foods. These are best made from highest quality vegetables grown on soil that is microbially robust and nutritionally balanced. In addition to lactic acid and bifidus strains of bacteria, many other strains of bacteria are proving to be benefial to our health. Microbial diversity is paramount to a healthy microbiota. A high diversity of species creates a healthy ecosystem, which increases resistance to disease. Soil-based organisms are important to m

Instead of depending on taking probiotics to heal our gut, we need to change the terrain within the body to alter the balance of our microbiota. We can do this by avoiding the foods, toxins and environmental factors that encourage the growth of unhealthy bugs. Another important way to change the terrain of the gut is to provide the beneficial microbes with their preferred fuel source, allowing them to proliferate with ease and make your gut their preferred residence. Prebiotics are substances that feed the beneficial microbes in the gut. When someone's gut is out of balance, taking prebiotics may initially cause a worsening of digestive symptoms. This varies with the individual and the type

Every day, our bodies are working hard to stay on top of the process of internal housekeeping. Just as in our lives, we need to stay on top of the never-ending cycle of washing the dishes, doing the laundry and sweeping the floor, our body too goes through daily this routine. We deal with toxins that have their origins both from within the body and from the environment around us - be it the air we breath, the water we drink and bathe in, the foods we eat, and the products we use on our skin. The body itself produces waste products through normal metabolic functions that also need to be excreted. Other toxins that are produced within the body itself can originate from the metabolic waste pro

If our body's metabolism works efficiently and we are not overburdened with toxic exposure or a disrupted microbiome we can stay on top of the daily process of elimination through the normal routes of elimination: the lungs, skin, kidneys, liver and bowels. Many of us however, especially those whose health has tanked, who have had more severe toxic exposure, or who have genetic predispositions that make it more challenging to clear out the garbage, can benefit from ongoing detoxification support. Earth The most simple way to access earth in the process of detoxification is to get yourself grounded. Grounding, or earthing as it's commonly referred to, helps get the body's physiology into a pa

Across cultures and across the world, clay has been prized for its healing properties. Some types of clay are food grade and may be taken internally. Most clays are used externally. Use the highest quality clay you can get your hands on. Keep in mind that clay absorbs toxins, so you want to be careful from where you source it. Clay is usually available in powdered form. To use, mix the powder with a small amount of water to form a paste. Be sure to test the clay on a small area of skin initially to make sure that it does not irritate. Do not wash large amounts of clay down the drain as this could clog your pipes. Here are a few of my favourite ways to use clay. To Make a Clay Paste Take ab

Focus your diet on high quality, nutrient dense, real food, that is individualized for your unique metabolism. Choose local, seasonal, organic, wild-caught, pastured and grass-fed whenever possible. Choose foods that are minimally processed and as close to their natural state as possible. Limit canned foods. Avoid food additives and preservatives, and foods stored in plastic and styrofoam. Avoid refined carbohydrates and starches, such as products made with added sugars, refined flour, corn syrup, corn starch and puffed cereal grains. Avoid also processed gluten-free products as they are usually made with highly refined starches. If tolerated, you can include some non-gluten grains in the di