As an avid fan of Seeking Health, their mission and the quality of their products, most of what you will find in my home when it comes to supplements and caring for our bodies outside of food will be the Seeking Health brand.

In this season my focus is on lowering inflammation, detoxing heavy metals, mold exposure and possible candida, repairing gut health, and boosting immunity. As many of my readers and clients are in need of the same support (as are most people), I've listed my current favorite lineup below (not all pictured above). 

Already an affordably priced supplement line (which is a beautiful thing for allergen-free, non-gmo products that use no artificial colors or flavorings), I also have a coupon code for my readers and clients for their first order - just use NOSHNURTURE10 upon checkout for 10% off. 

Without further adieu, here are my daily go-to's. 

Also, again, I am not a doctor. I can not diagnose, treat or cure any disease. I am just passionate about natural health and supplementing our bodies with what we need. I am under the care of a naturopathic physician who helps guide me on what my body needs and I order accordingly. 

• Pure Greens
  This is HANDS DOWN the BEST greens powder I've ever tasted. PACKED with vegetables, probiotics, antioxidants, fruits and a rainforest blend, it delivers SO much goodness in a powder that tastes almost non-existent in a smoothie of fresh organic fruits and almond milk. NO sweeteners needed. I can't rave about this enough. 
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• Prenatal Chewable
  I have been on their Prenatal Powder since 2016 and recently made the switch to the chewables so I can take this in the AM and use the greens powder for my smoothies. I find this works best to double up on the nutrients my body is receiving. 
  
  
• Probiota Sensitive
  I love all of their probiotic blends, it's just finding the one that you prefer. I've been on the general probiota, the Probiota Women's and the Probiota Sensitive. I'm opting for this one at the moment due to my detox. I have Grey on the Probiota Infant as well. 
  
  
• Liposomal Vitamic C
  Liposomal supplements are in a liquid form and are most easily absorbed into the body without loss of nutrients. I take this every morning to keep my immunity boosted. 
  
  
• Liposomal Curcumin
  Again, the liposomal form of curcumin (turmeric) is readily absorbed, therefor I know I'm getting the most out of this anti-inflammatory powerhouse. 

• Liposomal Glutathione
  Our bodies utilize glutathione for our detox pathways to work optimally. If you have a MTHFR defect or other genetic factors that deplete your bodies glutathione, this supplement helps rid our bodies of the toxicity we are exposed to daily. A great addition for if you're traveling, exposed to chemicals, renovating a home, exposed to mold or recovering from or fighting illness. 
  
  
• Liver Nutrients
  This one is tailored to my specific needs as I am also on a couple of binders. This helps my liver to detox and protects it as it works hard to clean up my body. 

Again, you can see their entire  line here. Just use NOSHNURTURE10 upon checkout for anything you may try. If you want to chat supplements, you can contact me here and I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have or get them answered by Seeking Health. I have a heart and a passion for helping others live their healthiest life. 

As someone who's personally been using essential oils for nearly two years, I felt it was time to move from simply using oils, to sharing what they've done for me and my family. 

Authenticity means everything to me, which is why it's taken so long for me to move into the space of sharing and selling oils. As I really, whole heartedly began to believe in them and fall in love with this non-toxic lifestyle we are leading with our homes, health and bodies, I began speaking more of them and sharing them with those around me and with my clients and readers. 

Many have asked how they can get started, I have all that info on my oils page. 

This post, however, serves to inform on how you can best utilize the oils that come in the Premium Starter Kit. It's how I got started, it contains some of my very favorite oils that are versatile for your everyday life and it is how many of my friends and clients are starting their oily journeys as well. 

Below I've outlined what's included in the Premium Starter Kit, and how each oil is best used. If you have any questions, would like to try an oil or are interested in getting started, contact me. I'd be happy to chat! 

​4. Keep A Journal. By keeping a journal, I am able to share food ideas as well as my specific struggles along the way. I can reference back to how it went the last time each time I embark on a new cleanse, and it gives me hope to read about the days I felt lighter, lost weight or felt super energized!
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5. Don’t Beat Yourself Up. Remember that you are doing this for YOU. For you to feel GOOD. To feel LIGHT and HEALTHY. If you mess up, it’s OK. Be kind with you

Last year I guest posted on Around My Family Table on my Honest Girl's Guide To Surviving Sugar Cleanse. And as many of you are working hard at your resolutions, getting healthy and striving to stay healthy if you're on a good health path, I wanted to share it here in this space this year. 

t’s that time of year again.  When we all set out to refresh. Wipe the slate clean. Become A “New” Person, whatever that last one means. This intention is masked with words like “resolutions”, “goal setting” and “complete turnaround”, and while the effort we make is commendable, sometimes we are setting ourselves up for disappointment if our January 1st To-Do list isn’t completed by the next time the ball drops.

Today I wanted to focus on healthier goal setting, specifically one of the most popular trends on every social media feed and that is “Completing a Sugar Detox” or a “Sugar Cleanse”.  If you are unfamiliar with the concept, it’s a basic whole food diet that eliminates starches, breads, pastas, starchy vegetables and sugar in any form. As someone who has personally done a sugar detox in the past, and as someone who doesn’t consume dairy, my diet looked a little something like this.

– Grass-Fed and Free-Range Organic Meats
– Organic Vegetables and Some Organic Fruits
– Nuts and/or Seeds
– Healthy Fats (Avocado, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil)

Diets rich in these foods with help to cleanse and reset your system from all the holidays treats that it had to endure over the last few months and it will help you realize what you crave, what you’re sensitive too and what you can most likely live without.

As someone who has been through this,  I am here to paint the honest picture of the roller coaster that you might, er, will endure, and how to fight off your sugar dragon like a superhero.

Day One – You’re going to feel great. Powerful. Determined. You’ve spent your paycheck on the cleanest of clean foods and you’re ready to take on the world with a version of yourself that’s fitter, more energetic and healthier. Hold on to her. Hold on to this feeling and vision, because I am about to tell you that she will disappear or turn on you, but that there’s hope and she DOES come back.
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Days Two – Four. Or Ten.  Not going to sugar coat it, mmmm sugar coating, this is the hardest stretch and this is how your mind will start to work. Everything you look at will resemble a donut. Your energy levels will drop drastically and you may experience an onslaught of detox symptoms. One may wonder, why would I continue on with such a wretched lifestyle? Because you’re worth it. Your health is worth it and it gets…  So. Much. Better.

Days 10-14 – Your energy will surprisingly pop up sometime this week. You will actually want to work out instead of dragging yourself out of bed from your nap, and you will wonder how you still have energy to clean the house or walk the dog. You will start to see fat melting off and definition setting in, (more so if you’ve been working out along the way.)  It’s a good time. Enjoy this time.Skip along joyfully with your bag of washed carrots in hand and easily turn away the offers of sugar and starch filled foods at the office or your kiddo’s play date.
Days 14-20 – Halfway there! This is where I really got into the groove of making recipes, experimenting and eating more variety of approved foods.  I started to get more confident of my time in the kitchen and I had cooking and packing my husband’s lunch down to a science.
Days 21-29 – The sugar dragon strikes again! Around day 21, I almost gave up. The dragon kept saying, “You’ve done well enough.” “A three week detox is just as good as a four week detox.” “Coooooookies.” Don’t give in. Don’t listen to it. You made a commitment to go 30 days on your new healthy plan. Stick it out. Remember on Day 8 when you didn’t want to get out of bed, your head was throbbing and all you wanted was a gallon of hot coffee? Ok, maybe that was just me, we all have our own story, but the point is, don’t let it win.
Day 30 – You did it! Most of the stories you see on the detox plans is simply “I felt great. I got healthier. I was more energized!” And while truth be told, that is the gold at the end of the rainbow, getting there is a journey in itself. Like anything worth having it takes hard work, dedication and a good support system if you can rally one together. When I finished I went to a light grain, low sugar diet and I plan to start another sugar detox, this time my goal is to be strictly Paleo upon completion.

I would love to hear your experiences in taming your own dragon, and what worked for you. I will end with my top five tips for a successful detox.

While it's important to detox year round, the holiday season is a crucial time to take care to detox our bodies, mind and souls regularly. The change in weather, family and added financial stressors, additional caloric intake and cold and flu season all threaten our health on a daily basis. Below I share my detox routine that helps keeps me balanced overall. 

​Always looking for ways to aid my body in detoxing, I've asked Santa for a rebounder (translation: adult trampoline) which aids which also gets the lymph system moving. 

The gym I joined has a dry sauna which is king in ways to detox. I plan to start slow and steady under the care of my doctor and increase my time in the sauna. 

I also have more tests scheduled on my detox pathways. Always growing, learning, but most importantly praying for healing.

You may have noticed detox baths (usually a mix of warm water, Epsom salt and essential oils) are missing from my list. I found each time I did one I got sick. My doctor told me they are probably to intense for me right now (which is why everyone is different) and that a foot soak is probably a better way for me to go right now. 

Anything missing that you swear by to detox this time of year? Or do you have a favorite from the list? Also, for those of you that have experience rebounding or hitting the sauna, what's been your experience? 

Something I've learned in the nutrition world - as well as in the gluten-free community, Paleo community, Whole 30 community, and so forth, is you either smoothie or you don't. 

Some people are totally against it, others find it intimidating (you don't have to, get my easy recipes here!), others argue about the way the sugars of liquid-form fruits work in your body (and as a nutritionist, I understand these points too, which is why I always add veggies to mine for balance) and others find them to be a luxury.

Especially when you add in protein powders. Protein powders can be quite pricey, especially the good quality brands with high health benefit profiles, and so in turn many associate protein = luxury item. 

But to me, it's a non-negotiable and it comes down to my priorities. If I'm blessed enough to have the means to stay on mine regularly, I choose to make it a priority, every morning. I feel better, I feel healthier and I perform better when my body is getting all of the nutrients, vitamins and amino acids it needs. And whether you're on the Standard American Diet, an elimination diet or special diet, its easy to miss out on essential nutrients your body needs. 

I start every day with one of three smoothies. On weekends, when I cook a gourmet breakfast, I have my smoothie for lunch. I like to put them in rotation so that my body is regularly getting high doses of not only the things I'm deficient in, but things that my Dr. has prescribed for me, things that help my body to heal, to be energized and things that keep my immune system boosted. 

• The first is a prescribed, anti-inflammatory formulated powder that is obtained through my Naturopath. 
  
• The second is a new one for me, also prescribed, it's a pre-natal, fertility smoothie loaded with high levels of methylated B-12 and Folate to aid my MTHFR and fertility. 
  
• And last but not least, the fitness star, is the protein and amino-acid packed Everlast protein powder that helps me when I'm working out, running, in yoga and in dance to give me energy and help to repair my body and muscles. If you are vegan, and can tolerate rice, this is a great option. It's a vanilla-flavored blend of pea, rice and hemp protein and packs a whopping 22 grams of protein per serving. That's over half my daily requirement for my weight! AND, NO GMOS and NO SUGAR. It's naturally sweetened with Stevia. It shares so many characteristics of the ones prescribed to me, I felt confident in adding it in to my rotation. 

As a Brand Ambassador for Everlast Nutrition I get pretty cool perks - yummy product, free shipping, awesome coupon codes, free gifts - and the most awesome part of these perks is that I get to extend the same perks to my nutrition clients! 

Going above and beyond that, this week I'm also extending them to my blog readers and social media followers. ALL the perks.  

Visit www.EverlastNutrition.com to see all of the goodies & if you want to snag some for yourself just enter in my promo code NOSHEVERLAST to take advantage of all the goodies listed above.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out! Also if you join the mailing list before September 1st you could be one of ten chosen to get Everlast Vegan Protein COMPLETELY free to try it out! 




This is a sponsored post as I received complimentary product from Everlast Nutrition for review. All opinions, as well as photography, are my own. Nosh and Nurture believes in authenticity and only in products that nurture well-being and health. 

Tip of the day. Everyday. 

Know what you're putting in your body.

It's important to be aware of what you're consuming. We get one body and what we fuel that body with determines how we feel, both physically and mentally. Starbucks recently released the sugar content for their latest six new flavors of Frappuccino's that everyone is going nuts over and I have to say, honestly, these numbers are almost criminal.  102 GRAMS of SUGAR?! 

As someone who tries to abstain from sugar completely, sometimes I will have a treat using honey, agave and in rare cases, organic cane sugar, but I limit myself to 10-14 grams. 10-14 grams and I can still feel the adverse effects of sugar. So I can't IMAGINE what putting 10x that into my body would feel like at this point. And I wouldn't want to know. Sugar is toxic and sugar addiction is an epidemic in our country. Starbucks just continues to take advantage of that fact. 

There's also a big trend in people giving their children these sugar-laden drinks, the ones made without coffee, but I would suggest MUCH healthier alternatives. Make a shake at home. I have a recipe for a dairy-free and sugar-free shake that tastes remarkably like a restaurant chocolate shake that is loved by toddlers in my home. Childhood obesity and diabetes is growing at alarming rates and we the power to stop and slow that trend by making health-conscious decisions. 

I am not saying we don't deserve the occasional treat, and if you must get a treat when you're out, know the sugar content. Opt for a sweetened tea or order a hot cocoa. Or work on a sugar-cleanse to benefit you, so that next time you will be satisfied with an herbal tea, warm lemon water or black decaf. Peppermint tea with a dash of honey is so sweet & satisfying to my palette now it feels like dessert. Make these easy swaps and your health, and your wallet, will thank you. 

I haven't done many personal posts in a while, so I thought, "hey, today's a good as time as any."  I'm still floating on cloud 9 since our Universal deal announcement and I'm loving school. As always, I have many irons in the fire, mainly because it's my nature and a little because my heart and soul is wanting a little one and I want, ok, I need to keep myself as busy as possible while we continue trying. 

Summer has been a blur so far, but exciting. Between putting out the Summer issue of Runway, class, the new record deal and freelancing, it hasn't left much time for a social life, but we try to make it a priority. We went and saw Pitch Perfect 2 on opening night which was insanely fun and a big personal accomplishment, as in previous years, my anxiety wouldn't have let me attend a crowded movie. YAY for healthier living! 

My diet has looked a little different as of late. While I strive to live as close to Paleo as possible, ensuring many vegetables, lean meats and fruit fibers get into my diet, sometimes it doesn't always work best for what my body is needing. That's a process I'm learning not only for myself, but for my future clients. I believe in the power that food has to heal, and that for some of my former issues/current issues, grains can cause more damage than good, but right now my body is telling me in moderation, it's what I need. 

I'm mixing in a little gluten free oatmeal once a week and some high quality, organic rice or rice products as it's actually improved my digestion in the last couple of weeks, and sorry for the information, made me more regular than when I'm just on plants and meats. I also noticed, especially when I was pregnant, that my ketone levels were getting quite high, and healthy carbs, even in the form of sweet potato or starchy vegetables will help prevent that. 

But sugar, aside from fruit and honey, sugar is still a non-negotiable. In all it's refined forms, sugar is toxic. Which is why I've added a link to my Honest Girls Guide To A Sugar Cleanse from my guest post over at Around My Family Table. It gives an in-depth look on what it's REALLY like to cut sugar from your diet. Teaser: IT GETS EASIER. You'll have more ENERGY. Less illness. Better skin. I mean, why not give it a shot?

As a bonus, you'll also get access to my 5 Tips For A Successful Detox. 

I've learned that a lot of my fitness habits went to the wayside by my own excuses.  When I was touring my workout regime was on point.  I was dancing regularly, and even though I lived solo and didn't have a workout partner, I still hit the gym daily to do free weights, cardio, and abs.  Lots and lots of abs.

And then I grew up, stopped touring, got a full time job in journalism that put me at a desk all day and my health took a turn that for some reason makes cardio leads to me getting sick sometimes. 

But I've realized that I can excuse it away all day long, but when it comes down to it I've learned that I am good when it comes to eating healthy, I'm just not so good at working out on a regular basis.

And that's ok.  The important thing is that I learn what I can work with.  On days, like yesterday for example, when my energy is soaring (and I'll say I was on day 11 of the Whole 30 meal plan), that I get in a good workout.  That I try to lift weights, do cardio or power yoga.

And then, on the days when I have no energy, when I'm not feeling well, when I'm experiencing my pelvic pain, or I've put in 10 hours of writing and leaving the house is the last thing I want to do, I will improvise and dedicate to doing something good for my body.

And that can be a number of things, for you as well.  You all know your bodies better than anyone.  The beauty about this journey is that I've learned to tune in to know when I'm just being lazy or when I know my body really does just need to rest or sleep. 

I've put together a list of low-impact, easy exercises to do when your exhausted or just need to decompress or you need a good stretch session. 

1. Restorative or Relaxation Yoga.  This is my favorite.  It relaxes me and it helps me to really stretch.  After the half hour or hour I put in I am refreshed, feel like I got a gentle workout and am relaxed enough that I can do it at night and not be too energized to go to sleep. Tamal Dodge is my favorite instructor on DVD, or you can find a local yoga studio that offers these classes. 
   
2. Walking.  Simple as that.  Getting out in fresh air, getting my blood moving and taking time to pray and connect to God changes my whole day.  When I make the time to go out and take a walk I feel so much better.  And one of my best girlfriends and I have started making this a way we hang out in the morning.  We usually do 2 miles and walk while we catch up. 
3. Specified Stretches.  Sometimes when I don't do a yoga class or video, I will do a specific 15-30 minute set of stretches from my physical therapist or pelvic pain book.  If you have a specific pain issue or you just generally feel tight in a certain body part, shoulders, legs, etc. locate easy and effective stretches either with a book or online videos that will help you regularly stretch out.  It's a fact that we hold a lot of emotions in our psoas area (the muscle that runs from under your ribs, down to your inner thigh, deep inside) and when mine is tight I feel much more anxious and irritable. 
4. Low Impact Cardio Machines.  I adore the elliptical machine.  It's low impact and you can use as much energy, or not, that you are feeling on a particular day.  I used to employ the rule that if I wanted to watch FRIENDS (my favorite show of ALL time, if you know me at all) or read my latest issue of SHAPE, I had to be on an elliptical or treadmill to watch it. (I told you, I was hard core back in the day).  I have decided to start using the reward system for myself again, as I know this works really well for me, only now I use new issues of Gluten Free Living or Natural Health as my sweet reward.

I'd love to know what you do when you're not feeling to hot or want to hide under the covers? Fitness first! :) 

As we head into the warmer months, runners will be wanting to head indoors.  Our gym has an awesome indoor track that I love to use year round, especially in Arizona when temperatures can creep up to 120 degrees.  Not so conducive to running outside.  Here is a great one-hour treadmill workout to take with you when you go to the gym.  Keep the incline at 1% throughout this workout, and if the pace seems too fast for you, you can alter it to your comfort level.