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We often think of exercise as something we do to look a certain way or hit fitness goals, like losing weight or getting stronger. But what if I told you that exercise is actually the secret to a better life, not just a better body? I’m here to share why, beyond its physical benefits, moving your body regularly can improve your mental and emotional health too.

Let’s start with something simple: walking. Remember the last time you took a walk outside? Chances are, after you finished, you felt more energized, your mood lifted, and your mind was clearer. It’s not just in your head—there’s science behind this! Studies show that any form of physical activity, no matter the intensity, can make a positive difference in how we feel. In fact, research from Harvard highlights that just 7,500 steps a day can boost your longevity and reduce your risk of heart disease. Another study found that any amount of physical activity can elevate your mood and energy levels...

As I've been very open about, my son has been having health challenges. Another layer was added and then thankfully removed this week, thanks to a sweet beagle named Bagel. He's a mold-sniffing dog who stopped by our home this week. 

Another Week, Another Challenge

I’m sure we are also getting to the core of my son's health problems, and we're leaving no stone unturned. We recently had him tested for mold toxicity and the results were shocking! One mold toxin was about 20 times what a normal kid his age would test for. A second was a little high, as well. His doctor already started treatment for mold toxicity right after he took the test so that we didn’t waste any time.

She also told us about a mold sniffing dog named Bagel. He's a cute little beagle that has been trained to sniff out mold in the same way that dogs are trained to sniff out drugs or bombs at the airport. He was going to be in our town the day after we called so we jumped right in and...

Sleep is one of my favorite topics, especially because it impacts just about everything—just like gut health. What’s even more fascinating is how closely linked these two are: your gut health affects your sleep, and in turn, the quality of your sleep influences your gut!

Sleep has been a struggle for me in recent years, especially as I entered perimenopause. I wish I had known five years ago about the role of declining progesterone in sleep quality. Since starting a progestin supplement, I’ve been sleeping through the night, and it’s been an absolute game changer.

But for now, let’s dive into how your gut health is tied to your sleep—and vice versa.

Gut Health and Sleep: A Two-Way Street

Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria—your microbiome—and maintaining a balanced microbiome is essential for your overall health. This includes your mood, brain function, heart health, digestion, your immune system… And sleep! 

The...

Lately, I've been putting more focus on exercise. Not just because it helps me de-stress, boosts my creativity, and makes me sleep like a baby, but because I genuinely enjoy it! Plus, it's well known that exercise does wonders for your immune system, mood, muscles, and heart.

But did you know that exercise also plays a key role in your gut health? Yes, research shows that working out benefits your digestion and whole gut in ways you might not expect.

Let’s Talk Gut Health

I’m sure you’ve heard that taking a light walk after a meal helps your digestion. It turns out that’s not just an old wives’ tale. In fact, post-meal walks can help food move through your system up to 30% faster and can balance your blood sugar levels. Keeping your digestive system moving also means you’re likely to be more “regular”—which is always a good thing!

Even more interesting is that regular exercise doesn’t just help after you eat; it helps...

This week I’m sharing something about your gut that you might not know about, and it’s a bit of a “which came first, the chicken or the egg?” situation.

Think about a time when you’ve felt nervous, on edge, or worried about something. That’s definitely been me lately, worrying about my son. It’s been a rough week as he hasn’t been improving as quickly as we had hoped and it’s impacting his ability to attend school and focus.

Like me, you might have had an uneasy feeling in your stomach about it. That’s because a big part of your stress response happens inside your gut, inside your “second brain” that resides in your digestive tract. It’s called your enteric nervous system. It’s made up of layers of cells (more than 100 million of them) that line your gastrointestinal tract, all the way from your esophagus to your rectum.  

Your Second Brain

Your enteric nervous system communicates directly...

It makes sense that if you want a healthy gut, you should eat healthy… But where to start? There’s so much information out there and it can be overwhelming to sift through it all, let alone overhaul your entire diet…. Which is exactly why I’m making things simple for you! 

What Your Gut Wants to Eat

Your gut is so important to your health because it impacts everything from your digestion to your brain to your heart and even your mood. As you get older, it becomes even more important to focus on your everyday wellness routine – and that includes your diet and your gut health! Even if you’re not experiencing any symptoms of poor gut health, you’ll want it to stay in tip-top shape. 

A simple way to support your gut health is to feed it properly. All the bacteria in your gut need to eat to survive, just like you. The “good” bacteria love to nibble on insoluble fiber (prebiotics) that are tough enough to survive the trip...

Right now, I’m busy working on my first gut health book to help you improve everything from your digestion to your immune system. Before I get to all that, though, I thought I would share why I’m so passionate about gut health: It’s been a key part of my family’s well-being (and not-so-well-being) over the past decade. 

Where It All Started

Up to eleven years ago, I wasn’t really concerned about gut health other than I knew to avoid antibiotics if I could and that it wasn’t a bad idea to take probiotics. But then my almost seven year old son was diagnosed with osteomyelitis (a bone infection) in his femur. He had been really sick for a few days and finally the doctor on call at the emergency department tested him for staphylococcus aureus (staph infection). When she got the results, she told us to go directly to the nearest children's teaching hospital.

Within about 24 hours, they confirmed that the infection was in his bone. They put him on...

This summer I’ve been watching bits and pieces of the Olympics, especially the cycling, swimming, gymnastics, and running. I spend half the time in tears because I’m so happy for whoever wins! Coming from an active and competitive family, I know how long and hard they’ve worked for their achievements. It takes daily, monthly, and yearly dedication and commitment to get where they are. It’s inspirational, for sure. 

Even if you aren’t in the spotlight, you can take some tips from the athletes to achieve your own goals: You need to focus on what you want and surround yourself with the right people to help you get there. That’s exactly what I’m doing to achieve my own goals! 

My First Goal: Swimming

I’m coming up on my short-term goal of swimming the Donner Lake open water swim this Saturday. I’ve swam it three times before, once 34 years ago, once 8 years ago, and again last year. I checked my times for each race, and it...

Right now I’m feeling an urgency to physically and mentally feel the best I can as I approach my 55th birthday in September. Strength and mobility are very important as we age and I had a bit of a wake up call several months ago.

My First Mistake

I had been experiencing hip pain, probably partly because I’d been driving more than normal to support the high school and middle school mountain bike team that I direct. Life was busy, as it always is, and I had let my posture therapy exercises fall to the side. I knew I should have been doing them, but I just didn’t make the time. That was my first mistake. 

My Second Mistake

So, one busy afternoon in between running errands for the Mountain Bike team party, I decided to wash my dusty car. I bent over to clean one of the wheels, and my hip and back spasmed like I’d never experienced before. Being me, I managed to complete the car washing and the other two errands for the party, which was my second mistake, and...

It’s been awhile since I wrote a blog post, and I should really be packing for our family’s two-week trip to The Netherlands, but I’m just too excited about my next project. Life has been full of ups and downs for our family the past year or so, and it’s inspired me to write a book filled with all the health knowledge I’ve expanded on and learned over that time. But wait - I think I may be getting ahead of myself, here. Let me explain how I got to this place in the first place. 

A Lifelong Health Journey

I’ve always been interested in the science of health, which makes it so frustrating when my family or I’m not well. Being diagnosed with high cholesterol was a big surprise to me early this year, and I’ve also been suffering from many symptoms of early menopause. It’s even worse when one of my kids is unwell, and my teenage son has been navigating his own health challenges this year, too. 

I was supporting him with the...