In the holistic practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the shifting seasons guide our well-being practices through their unique associations with specific elements, organs, and patterns of energy. The radiant and active energy of summer, brimming with sunshine, creates a time of growth and expansion. By harmonizing our lifestyle choices and dietary habits with the dynamic qualities of summer, we encourage balance and foster the conditions for peak health.

The most profound lesson I learned from the recent pandemic reiterated the importance of reconnecting with nature in a way that I had not done since childhood. While certainly not undermining the heartache and tragedy that this time caused for many, COVID also provided us with the gift of time. When the whole world came to a complete standstill, we were left with nothing but time to contemplate our current situation. As I mused on our fate as beings on this planet, I had this sudden craving to return to my childhood farm and commune with the earth.

Approximately one in every five women has a mental health issue, such as depression or anxiety. Whether it stems from history of abuse, poor socio-economic conditions, or simultaneously juggling the roles of career and primary caregivers for children and/or aging parents, a woman’s resilience is tested on a daily basis. Add in the different life stages of puberty, perinatal and perimenopausal years, and it is no wonder that these sobering statistics are, in fact, very real.

Heart rate variability, otherwise known as HRV, is a measurement of the autonomic nervous system, a network of nerves that automatically regulate unconscious tasks like breathing and heartbeat. In other words, HRV gives us insight into how balanced the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of our nervous system are. By balancing these two systems, the autonomic nervous system allows us to properly respond to daily stressors.

One of the most important functions our body performs is detoxification. This physiological process can be either facilitated or hindered by various influences including our own genetic predispositions. In this blog, I would like to introduce some of the genetic variants to look out for if you’re interested in learning more about the efficiency of your own metabolic detoxification system. Keep reading to learn more. Please note, this information is complex but fascinating!

While women are generally aware of the symptoms that accompany the transition into menopause, they are often less knowledgeable of the increased risk of chronic disease, in particular, certain types of hormonal cancers.

Many of my clients ask me if there is a role for alcohol in their lives. I smile as I write this, considering that I grew up with a vineyard in my backyard in Italy. To a European, an alcoholic beverage is just another aspect of conviviality as we sit down to an evening (or lunchtime) meal together with family or friends.

By honoring our bodies through mimicking nature in the winter season, we can become more in tune with the natural world around us. Winter is the season to replenish our energy stores, stores that have been depleted by long days and late nights.

Pre-diabetes is a condition where an individual's blood glucose levels run higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetic. Even if not a full-blown condition, pre-diabetes can still lead to a host of health conditions including heart disease and stroke, and, of course, Type 2 Diabetes, the most common form of diabetes.

Many cultural traditions honor the link between the female cycle and the moon. Menstruation actually derives from the Greek word for moon, mene. As far back as Ancient Greece, doctors believed that a woman’s cycle and the lunar cycle were intricately linked. While not fully scientifically backed, cultures ranging from many indigenous ones to the Hindu and Buddhist all honor this connection between the female cycle and the moon.

Protein is an essential macronutrient for our survival, yet it is almost universally under-eaten in our current society. One of three macronutrients, the other two being carbohydrates and fat, protein takes the lead in terms of importance.

Here in the Northern Hemisphere, summer has finally arrived. For those of us who suffer from depression during those bleak winter months, summer is a welcome respite as our moods are often lifted and we naturally gravitate to the outdoors, eager to feel the sun’s rays on our skin once again.

The female cycle has been such a taboo subject for past generations that it is no wonder women today are still unsure of what a “normal” cycle means. In today’s blog I wanted to set the stage for the understanding of what is “normal” and help women gain an appreciation of how their cycles serve as an important marker of health.

Here at Intuitas Integrative Wellness, our goal is to educate our clients to the point where they become well informed advocates for their own health. Many have heard us talk about the dangers of sugar both for our mental and metabolic well-being. However, there may be one ingredient that we consider even more harmful than sugar when overconsumed: highly processed seed oils.

How often have you told yourself that you will stop eating sugar tomorrow, only to find yourself elbow deep in chocolate the next morning?

Keeping our respiratory system strong is of paramount importance, especially during this unprecedented time of the COVID-19 outbreak. I was inspired to write this blog since recently witnessing yellow clouds of pollen morph past me in various permutations. While a little early, the arrival of the pollen is not unexpected. What bears some consideration is how we can ensure that our airways, which often get irritated during pollen season, are kept clean and strong in order to maintain resilience to the virus that has us all concerned.

Every year without fail, we are faced with the knowledge of the upcoming flu season. In fact, we are all psychologically prepared for the forthcoming couple of months that follow when our children or loved ones bring home the sniffles that quickly manifest as fever, body aches and cough.

When faced with the threat of a global epidemic, our immediate reaction is to go to a place of fear and isolation. What we must remember is that operating out of fear, leads us more often than not to make rash decisions.

Eat warming foods, Cook your foods, Boost your immune system

One of the most inspiring takeaways from my studies in the principles of macrobiotics is the practice of seasonal attunement. While not a foreign concept to those familiar with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it was, at the time, an insightful discovery for myself. Seasonal attunement, or living in harmony with the seasons, is an ancient belief that seasons have a profound effect on human well-being. To be in harmony with nature as the days grow longer and warmer, or colder and darker, gives us the power to be more balanced and whole as human beings.

As this year, this decade, comes to an end, I invite you to ponder with me what it means to close 2019. Personally, I love

This might come as a surprise, but chocolate can be a wonderful tool in the practice of mindfulness. I write this post in honor of the upcoming holiday of Valentine’s Day and take the opportunity to make use of chocolate to give you an exercise in mindfulness!