Let's talk about the hormone Estrogen and it's impact on our health. There are three types of estrogen: Estrone (E1) predominant in menopause, Estradiol (E2) predominant in reproductive years, and Estriol (E3) predominant during pregnancy. The most potent is Estradiol, important for sexual and reproductive development, produced mainly in the ovaries, and after menopause a small amount can be made in the adrenals and fat cells.

It's the last day of February, and tomorrow kicks off Women's History Month. As such, the focus of my newsletters in March will be all things female. This should not dissuade my male clients and readers from engaging with the information, as it may very well concern you too, not to mention you may learn a thing or two:-)

You may not be aware of your Vagus Nerve, but it's doing some very heavy lifting for you. As the largest component of our parasympathetic nervous system, which regulates essential body functions, it also balances our fight/flight/freeze responses. The Vagus Nerve is the most complex of the cranial nerves, originating in the brain stem, it runs down both sides of the neck into the chest and abdomen, connecting our brain and our body, and regulates our emotional states.

Given that we recently talked about cold plunging and sauna bathing, it seemed natural to talk about the BREATH - important in all of life to improve our physical and mental health, and a necessary component in hot + cold environments.

Breath is the first thing we take upon entering this wild world, and also the last. I've spent vast amounts of time figuring out how to breathe properly to best serve the activities I was engaged in as a competitive athlete (gymnastics, swimming + skiing) in my early years, and professional dancer, yogi, Pilates instructor later on.

It's February and winter has arrived❄️ Spending time in a hot sauna sounds like a good idea to me! I suspect something in my Swedish DNA has created a genuine sauna lover out of me. I find there's little better in life than being in a sauna (or a hot bath) for an hour - it's pure heaven to me!

Research out of Finland, is showing that there are important health benefits, that are perhaps just as critical to our lifespan as nutrition, exercise and sleep, that improve the quality of our life for a longer period of time.

Welcome to 2024!

Over the new year I found myself in beautiful Yosemite National Park with friends. Enjoying sunny hikes in nature, eating delicious food (one of my dear friends is a private chef:), and cold plunging in the crystal clear, and very cold river water the park so generously offered us. YES! Very cold water can take your breath away.. but that's actually part of the practice: BREATHING. Breathwork has been a part of my practice - from my days in the dance world, to Pilates, yoga, and beyond. Breathwork is a powerful healing modality and has become increasing popular, especially by Wim Hoff - you can read about his work here: https://www.wimhofmethod.com/

Salt. Where to begin with these magical grains that so beautifully enhance the flavor our food, while providing minerals crucial to the cellular function of our bodies, lending to our overall health and vitality? And, this mystical compound called salt, has also been maligned over the years, so I'd like to clear up some confusion.