While portion sizes don’t tell the whole story of good nutrition, it’s important to know the approximate portion sizes of different foods so that you’re not way off on your estimates (or nutritional goals). Here’s a handy way to use your hand for serving size suggestions.

One food that I highly recommend before, during, and after pregnancy is cod liver oil.  Not only is it a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids, which are great for break development, but it's a good source of Vitamin A and Vitamin D, both essential for pregnancy. 

Two sources I approve: Standard Process Cod Liver Oil and Green Pastures Fermented Cod Liver Oil

Vitamin A is critical for optimal genetic expression, bones, skin, eyes, mineral metabolism, hormones, mental stability, lung development, kidney health.  If it's lacking, organs may develop abnormally.  Vitamin A also protects against environmental damages like chemicals, toxins, estrogens, and pesticides.  While humans can convert carotenes from foods like leafy greens and orange veggies into vitamin A, this extra step/process may not be sufficient for the demands of pregnancy. 

The risk of Vitamin A toxicity is minimal as compared to the rewards. Essentially, risk comes in two mannors:...

Nutrition becomes one of the most important pieces of any pregnancy. All of the cells in the body are essentially grown from the nutrition we provide our bodies. Having a healthy base before getting pregnant, maintaining the essential nutrients during pregnancy to support healthy growth of the fetus, and continuing to supply those nutrients to the baby during breastfeeding is critical.

Having a clinical nutritionist in your back pocket is a great idea to ensure you're getting the nutrients needed via the foods you eat. Today, I just wanted to share two foods that you probably already have in your refrigerator, that you definitely don't want to skimp out on during this critical time of growth.

Pasture Raised Eggs

Here's why:

• The egg white contains protein.  Protein needs go way up during pregnancy, as proteins are the building blocks of our cells!
• The egg yolk is the powerhouse of nutrients. It supplies:
  • choline (for nervous system growth)
  • cholesterol (for hormonal...

What comes first? The chicken? The egg? or stress?

Well, that's not the question I'm answering today, but I do have a fun story to share with you about eggs and how the color of your egg yolks can tell you a little bit about your chickens! 

When I first began getting eggs from "The Egg Lady" who has a farm with pasture raised eggs in Napa, I was hooked. They were bright orange yolks and tasted delicious.  Then, one week, we picked up the eggs and the yolks were yellow.  Hmm... Did the chickens eat something different? Different chicken eggs? What happened? 

So we asked The Egg Lady and here's what she said: When the eggs are more yellow, it means that the chickens (or what they were eating) were stressed.  So, it got me thinking.  When we eat foods that aren't grown via nature, or if we eat in a stressed out state, or if we are chronically stressed, is the same thing happening in our bodies? Are our bodies not able to work as efficiently to produce the...

Are you in a hurry when you eat?

Do you find that you're swallowing your bites in big chunks simply out of habit or hurry?

Did you know that when you do that, you're asking your body to do a lot of things that it simply cannot handle.

Years of doing that?

Well, that leads to other gut issues like gas, bloating, indigestion, bad breath, etc.  Let me uncover why chewing your food is way more important than just "not choking." Watch my video below for all the crazy important things you may not have thought of when it comes to chewing your food!  (Like why not chewing can cause food to ROT in your intestines!)

When I had my daughter, 2 years ago. I entered a world that I never could have imagined existed.   You mean, I have to take care of this thing that came out of me and stop taking care of myself?  I know plenty of women feel instant love and instant "motherhood."  Me? Not so much.

The first year was full of fear, doubt, anxiety, depression, hormonal imbalance, weight gain, and worry.  After a stressful and complicated pregnancy that landed me in the hospital for 3 weeks just to keep the baby inside long enough to grow, I then had about every breastfeeding struggle known to (wo)man. Top that off with a baby that wasn't growing, and a medical system that made me feel like a failure for having a "failure to thrive" baby. 

The doctors told me I was harming my baby by trying to exclusively breastfeed. They told me if I didn't supplement with formula,  my baby would be in danger.  They made me fear that my baby was hungry and that I was the...

These past couple months, I’ve started feeling sick EVERY time I go to the grocery store! Here’s what I think is happening, and what I am doing about it.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the only place I really go out in the world to (besides my local hiking trail), is the grocery store. But after a couple of weeks/months, I noticed that I would leave the store and immediately feel ill. Sometimes I'd feel ill while in the store. Does this happen to anyone else?

It got me thinking... What is the common denominator? 

It's been over a decade since I really started to notice how sensitive to chemical cleaners I am.  I found that the more I removed them from my life, the more I noticed how they affect my body.  So, when I put 2 and 2 together, I realized that the grocery store really was making me sick. 

With the increase in cleaning chemicals being used in every store these days, I found that simply being in the store was a little overload for my body....

I've always been a little wary of cough medicine. As a kid, I used it any time I had a cough. Sometimes it worked, but most of the time, it didn't make any difference at all. I tried all the brands, tea and honey, lemon, etc. I tried all... the... things...

Two years ago I found the MediHerb product called Herbal Throat Spray, and now, I keep it on hand all... the... time... Literally, it even travels with me and stays on my nightstand for any middle of the night coughing.  

I use this spray not only for myself, but for my daughter who is now 2 years old anytime she gets a cough, sore throat, or starts getting sick.  (I started using it with her when she was about 12-18 months when needed).  

This spray is a combination of several herbs all with a specific purpose to help sore throat symptoms! 

Here are the great herbs (and their purpose) in the spray:

• Marshmallow Root: A very soothing herb that helps soothe throats and coughs.
• Sage: An herb that helps...

Let me share with you my go-to for all things skin related for myself and my daughter.  I use this for diaper rash, sunburn, dry skin, and more! Listen in as I talk about Standard Process's USF Ointment! 

Previous Kids Nutrition Topics: 

Check out all of the previous Kids Nutrition topics/blog posts found here on the Kids Nutrition page. (immune support, brain support, congestion support, sore throat support, skin support, multivitamin support, and more!)

Got gunk? You know, the sneezy, sniffly, achy funk? As our kids prepare to go back to school this year, let me tell you what I always keep in my “health cabinet” for the inevitable. 

Today, I share a message about FEEDING the immune system.  I share one of my favorite products that I always keep on hand (and take anywhere I travel), called Congaplex.  It's basically food for the immune system in a single supplement, and pairs very nicely with Immuplex for total immune boosting support to help drain the "gunk" out.  

I use Congaplex Chewables for my daughter at first sign of "not feeling well."  I beef up the amount for her if she is sick with a cold, fever, or infection. (and I do the same for myself.) 

Having Vitamins A and C from whole foods like alfalfa, mushrooms, carrots, as well as herbs like echinacea, minerals like calcium lactate, and so much more, this is supplement helps to feed the cells of the body the foods needed to...