Blog - Kristi Cirignano

Blog

read my most recent blog posts
for healthy living and eating inspiration

Making Whole Food a Priority, Part 2

May 2, 2017

Hello friends! Last week, I gave you three of my favorite tips to help you in your efforts to eat a real, whole foods. After

Making Whole Food Nutrition a Priority, Part 1

April 24, 2017

Last week I made beef stock. Yep, I was pretty excited and proud of myself. I make chicken stock fairly often…every time I roast whole

Paleo Carrot Cupcakes

April 11, 2017

Happy Easter, friends! I absolutely love spring. It has been beautiful here the past few days and getting outside for soccer games and walks around

The Skinny on Vegetable Oils & My Go-To Salad Dressings

March 5, 2017

I hear a lot of questions about salad dressing, and with good reason. Bottled salad dressings are typically filled with highly questionable or downright harmful ingredients

Healing Chronic Inflammation & 3 Healthy Treats (Strawberry Smoothie, Banana Swirl Ice Cream & Healthy Mocha Frappuccino)

January 26, 2017

Hello friends! I’ve been working on some behind the scenes organizational things here at Nourished for Life and I have some really exciting things planned

Buckwheat Brownies

November 21, 2016

Happy Monday, friends! As we head into this hectic holiday season I have to confess, I am already worn out! In the past three weeks

Did you know ~2000 new chemicals are introduced into use every year and only ~2% of them are tested for safety beforehand? And what little safety testing that does take place only looks at the primary “active ingredient,” ignoring the separate, cumulative and synergistic effects of other toxic additives? Did you know the dose doesn’t actually make the poison? Tiny doses of some chemicals can have the same or even greater effect than larger doses—especially when it comes to endocrine disrupting chemicals. Did you know the skin is a giant mouth and that absorbing chemicals through the skin can be even more dangerous than ingesting them because they are absorbed directly into the bloodstream, bypassing import defenses in the digestive tract? We’re going to go into all of this and so much more, especially what we can do to protect ourselves in this toxic soup of a world we’re living in. Vibrant Life in a Toxic World begins tomorow and it’s not too late to join us!

Did you know ~2000 new chemicals are introduced into use every year and only ~2% of them are test...

If you’re being told your symptoms are from gallbladder issues, the gallbladder is almost always ...

Happy Easter, friends. He is risen! ✝️

Happy Easter, friends. He is risen! ✝️

What does Estrogen Dominance look like? Breast tenderness
PMS
Irregular cycles and/or heavy periods
Weight gain without significant changes to your food choices or decrease in movement;
Excess weight especially around the middle
Stubborn weight that won’t budge, even with changes to food choices and increased exercise
Feeling more emotional or weepy
Mood Swings
Anxiety or depression
Low libido
Histamine Intolerance
Infertility, difficulty conceiving or miscarriages
Hot flashes & night sweats (especially in perimenopause and menopause) Your liver is responsible for breaking down external AND INTERNAL toxins, which includes excess estrogen.
If your liver is overwhelmed with toxins to be processed from the things you inhale, ingest, inject or absorb through your skin it has a harder time dealing with endogenous toxins like excess estrogen. If your liver function is suboptimal (and many Americans are operating at somewhere around 20% optimal liver function!), breaking down excess estrogens to be excreted from the body is happening even more slowly or not at all. Leading to too much estrogen circulating in the body and Estrogen Dominance. So giving the liver a little love to support detoxification is one important step towards resolving this! If your liver needs a little love and you know you could benefit from a Daily Detox Lifestyle that supports ALL of your critical detoxification organs and pathways ...
Join us in Vibrant Life in a Toxic World
My 6 week program on Reducing Toxic Exposures, Supporting Detoxification and Avoiding Toxicity. We start April 12! Find the link to join in the bio or comment and I will send it to you #linkinbio #EstrogenDominanceAwareness #HormonalImbalance #LiverLove #DetoxifyForHealth #HealthyHormones #BalancedHormones #ToxinFreeLiving #HealthyLiverHappyLife #VibrantLifeInAToxicWorld #ReduceToxicExposures #DetoxForWellness #DailyDetoxLifestyle #SupportLiverFunction #NaturalHormoneBalance #HormoneHealth #HealthyDetox #DetoxProgram #DetoxChallenge #LiveToxinFree #HealthyLivingTips #HormoneReset #HealthyHabitsForLife #DetoxYourBody #CleanseYourBody #DetoxificationJourney #NaturalWellness #ToxinFreeLife

What does Estrogen Dominance look like? Breast tenderness PMS Irregular cycles and/or heavy peri...

The liver is a powerhouse organ with critical roles in our body! It makes most of the body’s cholesterol, produces bile for digestion, converts glucose to glycogen for storage, and detoxifies toxins. Diseases like Hepatitis, NAFLD, and liver cancer can damage the liver. Our modern lifestyle with overconsumption of unhealthy foods and a sedentary lifestyle has led to an increase in fatty liver disease. If your liver needs some love, join me for Vibrant Life in a Toxic World to learn how to reduce toxin exposure, support detoxification pathways, and reverse liver dysfunction safely and effectively.
Find the #linkinbio or comment below to request the link. #liverhealth #detoxify #vibrantlife #liverfunction #liverdetox #fattyliver #hepatitisawareness #livertoxicity #liverdisease #detoxification #healthyhabits #healthylifestyle #healthyliving #selfcare #wellness #holistichealth #naturalhealth #toxinfree #cleanliving #healthychoices #nutrition #healthandwellness #healthtips #healthylife

The liver is a powerhouse organ with critical roles in our body! It makes most of the body’s ch...

Your body is AMAZING and she has an absolutely incredible capacity to heal--when you love, care for and support her properly. When we're in a stressed, fearful state we don't have access to higher levels of consciousness. W need to pause and come back into our body. Breathe. Put your hands on your heart and Connect to your heart center. Trust the answers you receive. When you are connected to Self and Source, the Truth resonates deeply in your soul. You know it immediately because it sets you free. #bodylove #selfcare #healing #mindbodyspirit #holistichealth #wellness #selflove #selfcompassion #bodypositive #mindfulness #innerpeace #breathe #heartcentered #trusttheuniverse #higherconsciousness #selfawareness #selfacceptance #truthseeker #setyourselffree #empowerment #selfempowerment

Your body is AMAZING and she has an absolutely incredible capacity to heal--when you love, care f...

Is there a connection between Estrogen Dominance and Liver Health? Absolutely! Your liver is responsible for breaking down external AND INTERNAL toxins, which includes excess estrogen. If your liver is overwhelmed with toxins to be processed from the things you inhale, ingest, inject or absorb through your skin it has a harder time dealing with endogenous toxins like excess estrogen. If your liver function is suboptimal (and many Americans are operating at somewhere around 20% optimal liver function!), breaking down excess estrogens to be excreted from the body is happening even more slowly or not at all. Leading to too much estrogen circulating in the body and symptoms of Estrogen Dominance. So giving the liver a little love to support detoxification is one important step towards resolving Estrogen Dominance.

Is there a connection between Estrogen Dominance and Liver Health? Absolutely! Your liver is r...

Mini-course on the Liver for your enjoyment. 🏈⤵️⤵️ It's pretty stunning how important this one football sized organ is to our health and well being. Take good care of it!! (If your liver needs some love, link below to join us for my six week program on toxins and detoxification!)

Mini-course on the Liver for your enjoyment. 🏈⤵️⤵️ It's pretty stunning how important this ...

Every day I'm more and more convinced that instead of trying to address specific disease dynamics (although I absolutely help clients do this in 1:1 coaching) the magic really lies in creating vibrant wellness so all encompassing disease simply cannot co-exist with it. A healthy body with a balanced, healthy immune system does not get "cancer". (Although we all have cancer cells, a healthy balanced immune system sweeps them out every night long before they grow to diagnosable "cancer.") A healthy body with a healthy, balanced immune system does not develop "autoimmunity" or thyroid dysfunction other chronic disease dynamics (AND your body knows how to heal itself from these things when you love and care for and support her properly)! A healthy body is able to handle mold or heavy metals or all of the other chemical toxins we're exposed to every day. (Although we each have a different tolerance level for these things, so more or less action may be required to support the body!) A healthy body keeps Lyme or EBV under wraps so you can live symptom free without even knowing they are there. A healthy body with a healthy, balanced nervous system knows how to stay in a relaxed, sympathetic dominant state of internal peace and joy no matter how stressful life around her is or how much trauma she has had. And the way we create this level of Vibrant Wellness is through the Nine Essentials. When we optimize these nine areas of wellness, we bring the body back into balance so that she can support us and help us to thrive. This is the ultimate in self-love and self-care. Loving, caring for and supporting this amazing human vessel we have been gifted for this one lifetime. Reducing toxins and supporting detoxification is the next essential we're digging into in Vibrant Life in a Toxic World and it is going to be life and health changing!
More info in the comments or Click the link in my bio to register.

Every day I'm more and more convinced that instead of trying to address specific disease dyn...

THIS is really what it all boils down to. ⤵️⤵️ It’s very basic health math. When toxic exposure/intake exceeds the capacity of the body to break down and excrete toxins, the result is toxicity in the body leading to disease. The fewer nutrients we're bringing on board to support our bodies in being well, the harder time we have dealing with the toxins. Almost every single chronic health condition on the planet is, at its root, the result of a combination of toxicity in the body (ie too much of the bad stuff) along with not enough nourishment to the cells to help our detoxification systems, our immune system, our nervous system perform optimally and keep us feeling energized and amazing. It really is that simple. So we have to: ✨ Maximize the things our body needs to be Vibrantly Well. Real nutrient dense whole food. Restful restorative sleep. Fun. Faith. Connected supportive relationships. ✨ Minimize the things that are harming us. Toxic chemicals. Emotional stress. Leaky boundaries. In the Whole Food Makeover in January and February, we worked on increasing the nourishment every cell in our body needs to function optimally AND reducing processed, crap foods that are low in nutrients and high in toxic stressors. Starting next week, in Vibrant Life in a Toxic World, we’re digging into the next layer of toxic stressors beyond our food choices. We're going to be reducing and releasing all of these toxins that are harming us AND supporting our crucial detoxification pathways. These are the foundations for health and healing. It doesn't matter whether you are struggling with exhaustion, stress, anxiety, depression, autoimmune disease, thyroid dysfunction, IBS, IBD or other digestive dysfunction, skin issues, insulin resistance, pre-diabetes or diabetes, fatty liver, high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease ... It doesn't matter whether you've been told you have EBV or Lyme or mold or heavy metal toxicity ... It has its roots in these two basic things. And reversing them starts with these fundamentals.
Join me to begin this critically important work on your way to a lifetime of Vibrant Wellness! Link in bio for the details!!

THIS is really what it all boils down to. ⤵️⤵️ It’s very basic health math. When toxic exposu...

This isn’t surprising to anyone who understands basic chemistry (when you burn vinyl chloride, it creates dioxins—one of the most toxic substances in the planet) but it is concerning. It’s high time to pay attention to where your food is coming from and, most importantly, make sure your body’s detoxification systems are optimized and that you’re doing everything you can to support a healthy balanced immune system & reduce inflammation and risk of cancer and other diseases that flow from toxicity in the body. (This is not medical advice and I’m not making recommendations for you, do your own research and talk to your own healthcare provider) but in addition to my usual supplements I’m taking daily right now: NAC—an important precursor to glutathione (your body’s master antioxidant which is crucial to detoxification)
Quercetin—an incredibly potent antioxidant which has been studied for so many benefits in the body including anti-cancer effects, anti-viral effects and liver support
Toxin binding agents lIke chlorella I’m drinking my green smoothies & eating plenty of leafy greens, broccoli & things that contain Indole-3-Carbine which supports detox pathways. I’m only drinking filtered water. A carbon filter in your fridge probably isn’t sufficient. There are some better options for countertop filters I can share if you’re interested, although I don’t have definitive info on whether they filter out dioxins yet. And I’m going to be paying even more attention to where our food is coming from. Dioxins bioaccumulate & if you’re eating animal products especially—meat, dairy, eggs—from animals grazing on dioxin contaminated grass and soil, that’s *potentially* a really big problem. We need a lot more testing and info. I’m not sharing this to create fear or panic, no one needs that. But I believe in being informed & empowered to take what action you can to protect yourself and your family. The reality is that we live in a toxic world and this is just one example that hits way too close to home for many of us. We’ll be talking a whole lot more about all of this in “Vibrant Life in a Toxic World” starting April 3. Hope to see you there! So much love, Kristi

This isn’t surprising to anyone who understands basic chemistry (when you burn vinyl chloride, it...

Toxins come in all shapes and forms: -Chemicals in our air and water
-Chemical sprayed on crops and on our lawns
Chemicals in our carpets, mattresses and textiles
-Chemicals in our cleaning products and the personal care products we slather on our skin
-Additives in our food to enhance color, flavor, appearance or preserve shelf life
Our own toxic thoughts
Mold
Heavy metals
Emotional stress from our schedules, work, family or financial pressures and the world around us
Unprocessed trauma (Big T or little t traumas!)
Genetically Modified Organisms our bodies don’t recognize as “food”
Bacterial or fungal infections
Yeast overgrowth
-Microbial imbalances and the byproducts of our microbial friends
-Not enough quality sleep
-EMFs
-Blue and green spectrum light in our eyes at all hours of the night
-Excess hormones that aren’t properly broken down and excreted by the body
-Pharmaceuticals, even though they are sometimes necessary, are toxins that the body has to deal with
-Core programming & subconscious beliefs
-Suppressed emotions (perhaps the most harmful toxin of all) We are bombarded day and night. And while our detoxifications systems are incredibly designed, they struggle under the weight of the ever increasing levels of toxins that they have to deal with. And when the toxic load outweighs our body’s ability to metabolize & excrete — this is when we become toxic and that toxicity turns into dis-ease and disease in the body. So it’s important for us to (1) reduce exposure as much as possible and (2) support these vital detoxification organs and pathways for this herculean task we’re asking them to do. All of my 9 Essentials for Vibrant Wellness play a role in this process, but we focusing in specifically on chemical toxicity and detoxification in my upcoming program “ Vibrant Life in a Toxic World” because it is that important. Join us beginning April 3!

Toxins come in all shapes and forms: -Chemicals in our air and water -Chemical sprayed on crops ...

Every day I get messages and calls from people who are struggling with chronic health concerns. Sometimes they have been to a variety of conventional, functional and holistic practitioners and still aren’t getting well. One of the common storylines I hear includes:
A lot of time and frustration. Sometimes years.
A lot of dollars spent on testing and being told (from conventional providers) “We don’t know … “ or “You just need to lose some weight” or (the biggest insult of all) “Try this anti-depressant”. Or from functional practitioners: “You have Lyme!” or “You have SIBO!” or “You have heavy metal toxicity!” (often more than one thing, or one right after the other). Those seeing only conventional practitioners are left frustrated and seeking “answers” in the form of the “right” diagnosis that will lead to the “right” treatment protocol. Or they are given bandaids that might cover up the symptoms and temporarily silence the body’s warning cry, but don’t do anything to solve the underlying problem. Those seeing functional practitioners are often left with restrictive eating plans and supplement protocols focused on a specific test finding, and that might have helped to take care of that one lab finding in the short term. But then the issue came back, or another one cropped up to take its place in a revolving door of toxicity, infections, gut dysbiosis, symptoms and disease. “I’ve already tried this and this and this” I’m told. And the question is always: “Can you help?” The answer is usually, “Yes, I can.” But there isn't usually a quick fix or magic pill. I’m here to partner with you and help guide you back to yourself. Back to the vibrant wellness you were created to have. I’m pretty successful in doing that, but it’s a partnership between you, me and God. Vibrant wellness IS your natural state. When you learn how to listen, love and care for and support your body back to wellness. But it’s a process of learning to tune into and understand what your body is asking for. Learning to reconnect with yourself, your intuition and God and trusting the divine guidance you receive. And then doing the work every day to live and love and care for her well.

Every day I get messages and calls from people who are struggling with chronic health concerns. S...

Do you have blood sugar swings that cause you to get hangry, be irritable, moody or NEED to eat asap? Did you know that could be a sign of a distressed liver? Your liver is responsible for storing excess glucose as glycogen and then releasing it back into into the blood stream in between meals and overnight, to keep your blood sugar stable. This is a finely tuned process and if your liver is functioning well you should be able to go hours without eating and without feeling those blood sugar swings. When we experience blood sugar swings, low blood sugar often prompts us to reach for sugar or simple carbs for the quick energy fix, even though that is actually the worst thing to do. We're just perpetuating and exacerbating this cycle of high blood sugar followed by an energy crash, making the body pump our more insulin, over time leading to insulin resistance and diabetes, and creating even more stress on the liver. Sugar that can't be stored by the liver is then turned into triglycerides, increasing risk of cardiovascular disease. Bottom line: The choices you make every day matter! A whole lot. Reducing toxins and supporting your liver and other organs of detoxification can make a huge different in how you feel every day and in your risk from disease.

Do you have blood sugar swings that cause you to get hangry, be irritable, moody or NEED to eat a...

How do we know what our human needs? How to love, care for & support her back to Vibrant Wellness? When we’re in a stressed, fearful, human focused state we don’t have access to higher levels of consciousness. To our intuition & divine guidance to know what our human is asking us for. We often make fear based decisions that don’t make any sense or that aren’t based in Truth & what our higher self knows to be true. We must pause & come back into our body.
Breathe.
Connect to our heart center.
And plug into our spiritual power source. THEN we ask the big questions …
What is my next step?
What is my body asking me to do?
How do I love and care for and support her through this situation?
What is possible here? Then listen. Wait patiently. And trust the answers & divine guidance you receive. Maybe the answers come from a deep inner knowing. Maybe you hear actual words. Maybe they come in the form of a book or podcast or conversation with a friend or trusted coach. When you are connected to Self and Source, the truth resonates deeply in your soul. You know it immediately because it sets you free. There’s no stress, no questioning, no analysis paralysis. No fear. No rushing into a decision because "we have to do something now!!" Only deep abiding trust in yourself, your intuition, God and your body’s incredible capacity to heal and be well. If you don’t know the answers after going through this process--or none of the options you’re presented with resonates as Truth—sometimes our intuition needs to be educated and informed. Sometimes we need outside support to help us get there. That’s where a functionally trained, holistically and spiritually minded coach who looks at ALL of the layers can really help and support you. Reach out if this is where you are, I would be honored to be your mirror to help you get to the truth of what your body is asking you for and how you can best love and support her.

How do we know what our human needs? How to love, care for & support her back to Vibrant Well...

Did you know there's a strong connection between toxicity, liver health and cardiovascular health? The liver synthesizes LDL and HDL and sends them out to do their job in the body. Like most things in our bodies, we need these things to be in the perfect Goldilocks sweet spot. Not too much, not too little, but "just right". Even the so called "bad" LDL is necessary for our health. LDL acts as a transporter to carry critical passengers around the body. Things like cholesterol (necessary to make sex and adrenal hormones, make bile to digest fats, build healthy cell membranes and convert sunshine to Vitamin D), triglycerides, fat soluble vitamins (A, D, K and E) and CoQ10 ... A healthy, functioning liver makes optimal amounts of each. So if cholesterol or other markers of cardiovascular health are off (too high or too low), one important thing to look at is the health of the liver. It's pretty remarkable just how many different functions and health concerns are impacted by toxicity in the body and an overwhelmed, sluggish, damaged or fatty liver. We're going to be taking a close look at the many ways the liver serves and supports our health and how WE can serve and support the health and vitality of this critical detoxification organ in my new group program beginning April 3. Details & link to join in bio.

Did you know there's a strong connection between toxicity, liver health and cardiovascular h...

We live in a toxic world. We need to reduce our exposure & protect our environment as much as possible to reduce the burden on our detoxification organs. But the most important thing is YOU. Your overall health and the health of your detoxification systems determines how well you handle toxins. Whether your body is able to break them down and excrete them or whether they build up over time and create a cascade of dis-ease and disease. Millions of people around the world have a fatty, marginalized liver and don’t even know it. (Some are told they have a fatty liver but aren’t really given real help in reversing it.) Hundreds of thousands have impaired kidney function and don’t realize it until it shows up in their labs and they’re told their kidneys are failing & eventually they’ll need dialysis. And while there are often no clear symptoms that would cause your physician to look at liver and kidney function, toxicity building up in the body is a factor in almost every disease dynamic. From excess weight to fatigue to inflammation to cardiovascular disease to insulin resistance/pre-diabetes/diabetes to arthritis to digestive issues to cancer to autoimmunity. In April, we’re digging into how to reduce the toxic exposures in your life, how to care for your body well and how to support your body’s crucial detoxification pathways to reduce toxicity in the body. Link with all the details in my bio!

We live in a toxic world. We need to reduce our exposure & protect our environment as much as...

These kids… I feel so blessed to be part of their lives & watch them all shine. I got take a carload of kids to Districts for speech on Saturday. In International Extemp, Luca ended up 5th, their buddy Chris was 3rd and Elias, who has been such an amazing friend & mentor to my three freshmen, was district champ & is headed to nationals. In USX Matteo ended up 7th overall and Katelyn & Nathan, two other amazing kids who have been such sweet friends & mentors to my crew finished 2nd (Katelyn is also headed to nationals) and 4th. So happy for all of them! On to state next weekend!

These kids… I feel so blessed to be part of their lives & watch them all shine. I got take a ...

Did you know broccoli & broccoli sprouts are an amazing food for supporting the body’s detox pathways? I started growing these two days ago & they’re already sprouting! We’re living in some crazy time, friends. I have no idea how widespread the chemical exposure from the mess in eastern Ohio is going to be but when the powers that be decided to set train car loads of vinyl chloride on fire, the resulting explosion created dioxins, some of the most toxic substances on the planet. It’s almost inevitable that between water, air, soil and food grown or raised in one of primary bread baskets of the nation, we’ll all be exposed & impacted in some way. Toxin avoidance & optimizing the body’s detoxification pathways is one of my 9 Essentials for Vibrant Wellness. And it has never been more important to do everything you can reduce your toxic exposure and support your critical detoxification organs & pathways. So I’ve decided the next program I’ll be offering in March will be on this essential. More details to come, but if you want to be first on the list drop an emoji below. Much love, Kristi

Did you know broccoli & broccoli sprouts are an amazing food for supporting the body’s detox ...

One of my boys had chronic gas, constipation and discomfort as a baby. Then as he got just a bit older, the constipation turned into chronic diarrhea. Everything went straight through him. He wasn't gaining weight and was diagnosed failure to thrive. We saw 5 different pediatric specialists who found nothing. He was eventually diagnosed with "Ideopathic IBS" and we were told we needed to just put him on Miralax and Pediasure and learn to live with it. My response? Ummm, no. Not acceptable. IBS is a symptom, not a diagnosis. There IS a cause and I will find it. I kept copious records of everything that went in, everything that came out, and all of his symptoms for over a year. I knew this child better than anyone else on the planet and my intuition told me it was food related, even though he had tested negative for food allergies. 15 years ago the difference between IgE mediated food allergies (which usually have a fairly rapid onset reaction) and food sensitivities (often IgG or IgA mediated and with a slower, chronic reaction that builds up over time making it a lot harder to identify the culprit) wasn't well known or understood. I spent hours researching and found myself showing papers on food intolerances to pediatric GIs and allergists, trying to convince them and find some way to test for them. I finally found an allergist who would test for food sensitivities and he tested positive for gluten, dairy, soy, eggs and poultry. Once we removed all of these things, he was like a new kid within a month. His stools began to improve and the incessant gassiness and stomach pain disappeared, which completely changed his entire personality. It took about 6 months to get his little gut fully healed up. We were able to add locally raised, pastured eggs and poultry back in (my theory has always been that it was the soy feed, not the chicken or eggs themselves). (Cont in comments) ⬇️⬇️⬇️

One of my boys had chronic gas, constipation and discomfort as a baby. Then as he got just a bit ...

Autoimmune disease does not arise in a vacuum. You are not fine one day and the next day diagnosed with a chronic autoimmune disease. These dynamics arise over many months and years. And if we are tuned into our body and viewing these symptoms as messages from our human partner that we need to listen to, we can take action BEFORE they rise to the level of a diagnosable autoimmune disease OR reverse them before there is permanent organ damage or we add even more autoimmune diagnoses. If you already have one autoimmune disease, you probably know that you are at 3x greater risk of developing a second and third. This is because autoimmunity isn't a disease of the affected body part. It's an imbalance of the immune system. And when the immune system is out of balance and hyper-vigilant, it is likely going to continue to find new "victims" or affect new areas of your body. **UNLESS you take intentional and concerted action to soothe the immune system and bring it back into balance and health.** I view immune function and autoimmunity as a "spectrum". In the middle of the spectrum is the place of balance, tolerance and Vibrant Wellness. This is where our immune systems are appropriately primed and vigilant, but not overly vigilant. In this place we feel amazing, have plenty of energy and zero unwanted symptoms. But in between the healthy balanced immune system and diagnosed autoimmunity, there is a whole range of symptoms ... fatigue, pain, inflammation, skin issues, digestive issues ... that all place you on the autoimmune spectrum headed towards autoimmune disease.
The farther along this side of the spectrum you are, the more important it becomes for you to take action. The sooner you take intentional action to address these chronic symptoms, the more likely you are to be successful in completely and reversing them and avoiding an autoimmune diagnosis (or putting your autoimmunity into full remission).
If you'd like to see where you fall on the autoimmune spectrum, I've created a tool to help you do just this. Complete this quiz linked in my bio and you'll receive a copy to the key in your inbox, telling you what your score means. So much love, Kristi

Autoimmune disease does not arise in a vacuum. You are not fine one day and the next day diagnose...

Today is the day!! Join us TODAY at 11am CST for day one of this very special workshop. Self love is not being selfish or making yourself feel better by indulging in food or things because you deserve it. It is being wiling to heal what is wounded in you. It is coming back home to your self and your spiritual power source. It is loving and caring for this incredibly partner you have been gifted for this one lifetime as only you can. So that you can show up as your highest and best self and make the impact you were put here to make. Search for "Be Your Own Best Valentine" on Facebook and click to join the group! We'll see you there at 12 noon EST/11am CST today.

Today is the day!! Join us TODAY at 11am CST for day one of this very special workshop. Self ...

Sitting here with my infrared light & weighted blanket (practicing what I preach ✨) while Linda Gaal Downey and I finalize the plans for this year’s ❤️ Be Your Own Best Valentine ❤️ workshop!! We are SO excited to bring this free event to you & would LOVE for you all join us for these five days of self-love and true self care. Whether you have a valentine or not, this event is all about being your own valentine by giving yourself the love and care you need to be your healthiest & best self. Linda and I are always learning, growing and doing the work ourselves. We have both been marveling at our own growth and expansion since the first time we offered this program (this is year three!) And as we learn, grow and expand we share all of this goodness with you. So here’s the schedule: Friday 2/10 @ 11am CST/12 noon EST
Saturday 2/11 @ 8am CST/9am EST
Sunday 2/12 @ 8am CST/9am EST
Monday 2/13 @ 11am CST/12 noon EST
Tuesday 2/14 @ 11am CST/12 noon EST We’re going to talk about what Self Love and True Self Care really mean and look like, and it may not be exactly what you think! We’ll talk about the ways we sometimes block love and self sabotage having the greatest love and life experience imaginable. We’ll share some personal stories about the costs of being “selfless”. We’ll do some amazingly powerful healing practices together. And each day you will leave with new insight, inspiration & actions you can take right now, every day, to love and care for this incredible human partner you have been gifted for this one lifetime. The workshop will be live each day in this group: https://Facebook.com/groups/BeYourOwnBestValentine Bring a journal and join us live each day if you’re able! (Or catch the replays later on your own time).

Sitting here with my infrared light & weighted blanket (practicing what I preach ✨) while Li...

We’re halfway through the Whole Food Makeover and I’m still blown away by all of the material we cover in this program & the huge changes the beautiful women who joined me for these 40 days are making. I’m so incredibly grateful for them and their commitment to changing their health & creating a lifetime of Vibrant Wellness for themselves and their families. In our Q&A call Saturday morning we talked about the vibrational frequency of food. Did you know this is a real thing that can be measured? We are energetic beings and the healthier you are, the higher your energetic frequency will be. Instead of thinking of food as calories, or even *just* as vital nutrients needed as fuel for every cell in the body (which it is!), remember that food is also energy. And we can use things like fresh living foods, herbs & essential oils to elevate our own energetic frequency. The quality of the energy that you feed your body, mind & spirit every day determines how you experience life! Scroll through all of the images and then check the comments for sources for more info.

We’re halfway through the Whole Food Makeover and I’m still blown away by all of the material we ...

This is always one of my favorite free events each year with my dear friend & colleague Linda Downey Reinvent Your Life Coach. Join us here for five days of Self-Love and True Self-Care: https://Facebook.com/groups/beyourownbestvalentine

This is always one of my favorite free events each year with my dear friend & colleague Linda...

You are not the victim of genetics. With very limited exceptions, you are not the victim of “bad luck.” Your health is the sum total of the choices you make every day. How incredibly empowering is that!?!

You are not the victim of genetics. With very limited exceptions, you are not the victim of “bad ...

I am so over the moon excited about this program, my friends! Our first session is tomorrow and I’ve been putting the finishing touches on it today. We are covering it ALL: What is real food. How do we really know what is serving us. Why fake “food” is a double whammy. The very real biochemical reasons we struggle to made good food choices even when we know what we should be doing. It’s NOT about will power or lack thereof. Restoring our innate “wisdom of the body” so we can listen & trust our intuition on what we need to be vibrantly well. Why just eating the right food isn’t enough. There’s a whole lot more to the story! Practical tools & strategies for meal planning, prep, picky eaters & more. Asking ourselves powerful questions that serve us and our wellness. True self love and self care. Then in phase 2 we implement all of this with a 30 day jump start to a whole new, sustainable way of thinking about your food choices & creating Vibrant Wellness for a lifetime. Registration closes at noon tomorrow just in time for our first group teaching & coaching session. Hope to see you there!

I am so over the moon excited about this program, my friends! Our first session is tomorrow and ...

What is food to you? A source of nourishment & nutrients?
Security (abundance)?
A source of Pleasure?
Simply a necessity?
A Source of Comfort or Numbing?
A challenge or burden that you have to deal with every day?
A source of Shame or Judgment? We all have to eat to live. And our relationships with the food we eat are so amazingly deep and complex. An amalgamation of our genetics, history, experience, associations, expectations, assumptions, preferences and biological needs that all evolve over time. Our food choices are a root cause of Vibrant Wellness AND often a root cause of dis-ease and disease. And an absolutely critical piece of every health puzzle. An essential part of taking back the power over your own health and life and that of your family. Of becoming your healthiest and best self. Of creating Vibrant Wellness for a Lifetime. The 40 Day Whole Food Makeover officially kicks off TODAY! But it's not too late to join us. Our first teaching/coaching session in this Tuesday. We're digging deep into WHAT we eat, WHY we make the choices we do and the importance of HOW we eat. We're learning how to restore the natural, innate Wisdom of the Body that guides our choices and helps us love and support this beautiful vessel we have been gifted with the ultimate form of self-love and self-care through the choices we make every day. We'll talk about the basics of meal prepping and planning and picky eaters. And then together, we'll create a new, sustainable way of eating that serves your wellness on every level. You will be so grateful you gave yourself this gift! Link in bio to register.

What is food to you? A source of nourishment & nutrients? Security (abundance)? A source of ...

My goal is Vibrant Wellness for a lifetime. Vibrant wellness so all encompassing that dis-ease simply can't co-exist with it. I really don't worry about any of the circulating bugs, or cancer, diabetes, Alzheimers, heart disease or anything else. I'm focused on creating a terrain that is incompatible with those things. And the very first layer is what you are fueling your body with every day. You wouldn't put gatorade in the gas tank of your car and expect it to go very far or serve you very well for very long. If you tried it, just as an experiment, you know you'd end up stranded by the side of the road pretty quickly. And yet we put toxic fake "food" in our bodies and we don't understand why she is tired and sick and doesn't produce enough thyroid hormone or can't procreate or our immune system is hyper-vigilant and creating allergies, asthma or autoimmunity. And then instead of deciding to fuel her well and care for her in the ways she is asking for, we continue to give her fake "food" and throw some pharmaceuticals on top that aren't going to solve the problem. If you're seeing the issue here and you're ready to do things differently, join me for The 40 Day Whole Food Makeover, starting January 15. 🍎🍐🍊🍒🥑🥦🥬🥕🫑🍓🥝🍌🍉🍇🥥🍋🌶🍠🥚🧄🫒 We'll create a whole new way of thinking about your food choices and a new, sustainable way of eating that serves your health and wellness--body, mind & spirit. Link in bio for all of the details.

My goal is Vibrant Wellness for a lifetime. Vibrant wellness so all encompassing that dis-ease si...

Some of the stats I'm going to share in this masterclass will blow your mind! You'll be ready to rebel from the status quo. Join me today, 12 noon CST! Or if you can't be on with us live, register to get the replay link as soon as it's available.

Some of the stats I'm going to share in this masterclass will blow your mind! You'll b...

Most of us don't actually want the standard American life with the standard American dis-ease and diseases. But for some reason we think this is "normal" and that it's just the way it is. It is not! There is another way. I could not be any more excited about this new free masterclass I'm teaching tomorrow on how YOU can become a Healthy Deviant. We generally think of the word "deviant" as a negative. BUT when our cultural norms are creating incredibly unhealthy, often unhappy & unfilled people ... maybe its time to be a deviant.
If you want the standard American life and dis-ease, by all means carry on. But if you know you were put here for more. If you want energy that lasts all day, beautiful healthy skin and hair, balanced hormones, healthy digestion, immune system and libido. If you want to relieve fatigue, irritability, depression, anxiety, mood swings, brain fog, headaches, thyroid dysfunction, autoimmunity ... So that you can be your highest and best for everyone you love and serve and do the work God put you here to do then Join me for the really fun and inspiring look at what is going on in our world today and how we can choose to be A Healthy Deviant A bit of a rebel in the best possible ways. Registration link in bio. 💗

Most of us don't actually want the standard American life with the standard American dis-eas...

My health journey started in 2005-2006 when I went through three miscarriages. I was thin, I worked out, and if anyone had asked I would have said I was healthy. But I was working long hours as an attorney, living on Diet Coke & processed foods and it truly never occurred to me that what I put in my body every day impacted my physical, mental or emotional health. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ I was diagnosed with an endocrine disorder (“possible PCOS” bc I met some of the diagnostic criteria but not all). I stumbled on a book called “The Natural Diet Solution for PCOS” and figured “why not?” I was desperate. So we slowly began cutting out sugar & processed foods & moving towards more real, clean, whole food. Finally—with the help of food changes, some supplements I honestly didn’t know nearly enough about at the time, acupuncture, a low level fertility med that has a small risk of twins, and then ten weeks of bed rest and another ten weeks in the NICU—we brought our triplets home from the hospital. This was just the beginning of my wellness journey, and a lifetime of Aha moments, continual growth & evolution. In retrospect, the answer was pretty simple & clear: I wasn’t giving myself the nutrients my body needed to be healthy and function optimally, much less to grow another healthy little life. I’m eternally grateful for that wake up call… as it was the beginning of a whole new way of eating, living, thinking and being. Food choices is now one of the 9 Essentials for Vibrant Wellness I teach and coach on. For many people, changing the whole way you look at and choose foods is the perfect place to start because it is so incredibly impactful and you can see & feel the difference so quickly. What you put in your mouth every day matters. So much. With every bite you take, you are either creating Vibrant Wellness or you are fueling dis-ease and disease. You are either giving every cell, tissue and organ in your body what it needs to perform it’s job well or you are not. If you’re ready to create a new sustainable way of eating and living that helps you to thrive every single day and age well, join me for the 40 day Whole Food Makeover. We start January 15!

My health journey started in 2005-2006 when I went through three miscarriages. I was thin, I wor...

Do you have health related goals for 2023? If you don’t know where to begin, start with your food choices. I know all of the different diet advice out there can be overwhelming ... should you go Keto or Paleo or whole food plant based or low carb or Mediterranean or should you be counting macros and micros or calories or grams of sugar and fat or .... And add that to the fact that we are all so crazy busy being the best mom, partner, friend, boss, co-worker we can be and even if we know we need to do better with our food choices is just feels so HARD. Who on earth has the time or energy to make it all happen?!? BUT what if by making a few simple shifts in how you eat, you could dramatically INCREASE your energy so that you: --Go to sleep easily every night and Sleep like a baby
--Wake up rested and restored and excited to start your day?
--DON'T have that afternoon energy crash or need caffeine to get you through the afternoon and evening
--Are able to be present and enjoy every precious moment with your family and loved ones
--And then you're ready for bed at night and ready to get the restful, restorative sleep you need. You DON'T toss and turn, struggling to calm your body or turn off your mind and you actually get the restful, restorative sleep you need for your body to repair and rejuvenate at a cellular level, your immune system to thrive, your hormones to be balanced, your brain chemistry and mood to be balanced, and you to look and feel amazing? What if all of that could happen? Just with a few simple changes to the way you eat and live your life? It is absolutely possible. I'm living proof. And so are So Many of my beautiful, amazing clients who have done the work to completely change their health and lives and the health and lives of their children and family. If you're ready to THRIVE not just survive, join me for the Vibrant Life Whole Food Makeover starting January 15. You won't regret it.

Do you have health related goals for 2023? If you don’t know where to begin, start with your food...

In functional medicine we often say "Everything is interconnected!" We draw maps with arrows showing all of the connections between the things going on in our client's body. But many functional practitioners stop there, with the physical body. In the work I do with clients, we start with the physical body, working on one layer at a time to avoid creating more stress & overwhelm in the body, mind & spirit. But we don’t stop there. Vibrant Wellness encompasses all five of these pillars--the physical body, but also our thoughts, emotions, spirit and energy body. We start at the top of this graphic with the "basics", the essentials for the physical body to return to balance. But we definitely do not stop there. There are so many overlapping layers and each impacts the others in very real, tangible ways that effect how we feel and experience life every day now and for years to come. My goal is to teach my clients how to create Vibrant Wellness for a lifetime. Body, mind & soul. This requires a deep desire and willingness to turn inward; observe our symptoms, thoughts, emotions and life experience with objective, neutral curiosity and then a conscious choice to learn and grow and create the health and life experience you desire to have. In my Vibrant Life coaching program, we explore all of these layers. If you struggle with chronic health complaints like autoimmuity, fatigue, pain, inflammation, thyroid dysfunction, insulin resistance or pre-diabetes, hormone imbalances, stubborn weight that just won't budge ... If you're ready to take the next steps to bring your body, mind and spirit back into balance and vitality ... If you want to feel amazing every day now and ensure you age well with energy and vibrant wellness ... Join us for the first step in this journey with the 60 day Whole Food Makeover starting January 15. Food is an amazing first (or next!) step and this program just may be the catalyst to completely changing your health and life. It's an absolute steal at $225 for six weeks of education, coaching and support. (Link in bio) OR Schedule your Initial Wellness Consult for only $399 (January 1 it goes up to $450).

In functional medicine we often say "Everything is interconnected!" We draw maps with a...

Merry Christmas and many blessings for the new year, from our family to yours. ❤️

Merry Christmas and many blessings for the new year, from our family to yours. ❤️

Anyone feeling the pressure of this time of year? If you go through feelings of stress, anxiety or overwhelm, I invite you over to my private FB community where I’m going to do a short live on this topic. Those of you who have been around for awhile know I had pretty significant generalized anxiety for much of my adult life. Until one day I finally realized what it was, that it wasn’t normal & that I could do something about it besides just pretending it wasn’t there. I used to call it “chest crushing anxiety” bc the feeling of doom—like “I did something wrong” or something was going to go terribly wrong—felt like a 50lb weight was on my chest. Through a ton of study and work I figured out that there were both physiological/biochemical causes and mental/emotional/spiritual causes and I had to address all of them. I hadn’t felt that chest crushing anxiety in years … until just a few weeks ago, for just a couple of days, it was back. Thankfully I’ve been doing the work for years, I had the awareness of what was happening and was able to identify what was going on & correct it pretty quickly. So I want to share with you what happened, WHY it was back & what I did about it, so you can do the same, if you are or ever find yourself in that place of overwhelm or anxiety. Join me over in my private FB community at 10am CST. Much love, Kristi Facebook.com/groups/nourishedforlifecommunity

Anyone feeling the pressure of this time of year? If you go through feelings of stress, anxiety ...

When kids are home for Christmas break and we need enough berries to last them a day or two … 🤣🥰

When kids are home for Christmas break and we need enough berries to last them a day or two … 🤣🥰

I’m going to geek out on you for a minute here so stick with me. Especially if you’ve been told you have an MTFHR genetic mutation. Methylation is a biochemical process in the body that determines whether a particular gene is turned on or off. This process occurs thousands of times per second in every cell in your body. More than 200 vital functions rely on methylation. Impaired methylation is concerning when it fails to to turn off genes related to things like cancer, depression, heart disease, dementia & autoimmunity. But there’s more to it than just genetic expression. Methylation also Impacts cellular metabolism, energy and weight. Is key to creating healthy cell walls that let nutrients in while keeping harmful toxins out. Impacts brain and muscle health, neurotransmitters, our immune response, cardiovascular health and our stress response.
Methylation also plays a key role in detoxification—your body’s ability to eliminate chemicals that might be harmful, including heavy metals, mold, and excess hormones (leading to things like histamine intolerance and estrogen dominance, as well as toxicity leading to a variety of disease processes). If you’re struggling with chronic symptoms—anything from acne, headaches, anxiety, PMS or hypothyroidism to heart disease, diabetes or pre-diabetes—odds are good that you aren’t methylating properly. Methylation is impaired by genetics (an MTHFR genetic SNP) and many food and lifestyle factors. To get my suggestions for supporting healthy methylation (which we ALL need to do but even more so if you have an MTHFR genetic mutation -- (see the infographics).

I’m going to geek out on you for a minute here so stick with me. Especially if you’ve been told y...