Are you familiar with a CSA?  CSA, in farming terminology, stands for Community Supported Agriculture.  Many local farms offer CSA programs and I highly recommend it!  How does it work?  You pay your farmer at the beginning of the growing season so they have funds to buy seeds and other farming necessities for their growing season.  In turn, you get a box of produce over a certain time span.  This year we decided to support Raisin’ Roots Farm right here in Fort Collins and I am so happy we did!  As you can see in the picture, this week we received cucumbers, bib lettuce, romaine lettuce, fresh spring greens, collard greens, kale, and hidden underneath is some fresh basil.  By participating in a CSA you are able to support local farms and get fresh produce right from the farm, which decreases transit time and emissions.  Produce loses vitamin and mineral content once it is harvested.  By eating fresh food right after it is harvested, you are getting higher nutrient content.  Another amazing benefit is variety!  I would never go to the grocery store and buy 5+ batches of lettuce.  I am eating more vegetables, which increases fiber, vitamin and minerals, and healthy gut bacteria…all wins!  Do you have any local farms you like to support?  Have you looked into buying into a share?  I challenge you to research a local farm and buy some fresh produce from them!

We have a pond near our house and there have been so many cute mamas with their baby ducks.  Watching them try to swim in formation made me think, have the last couple of months during quarantine made you feel like your ducks aren’t in a row?  It has been a tough transition for everyone! Those who are used to working away from home are now working from home, kiddos are home for the summer, and the “normal” that we were used to just 3 months ago is gone.  I don’t know about you, but my stress levels have been higher than normal and my diet hasn’t been the most optimal.  It is important to be kind to yourself and realize we are going through an incredibly trying time.  Make small goals for yourself and build upon those.  Some great examples are eating 5-6 servings of vegetables per day, drinking half of your bodyweight in ounces of water each day, and aiming to get 8 hours of sleep per night.  Looking for an overall nutrition and wellness assessment complete with attainable goals?  Let’s talk!

Over the last week I have been glued to the news regarding the murder of George Floyd and all the other black individuals that have lost their lives in senseless acts of murder. My parents have raised me to be accepting of all individuals and to not discriminate based on the color of your skin, your religion, your sexuality, or your gender. Growing up I always lived in places where the predominant race was white and now, living in Fort Collins, it is no different. I wish we had more diversity here for not only myself but for my kiddos to see that there are many different people in the world, making it rich and interesting. As a white woman, I immediately thought, “what can I do to make a difference?” I immediately talked to my children about what happened (toned down to grade school language) and started collecting resources about racism. They already love their books about Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks, so they have a clue about how people are treated differently based on skin color and how it is not right. I have started to follow black leaders who are creating awareness of how messed up America is regarding race and giving examples of what we can do to make a difference. Educate, read, research, find ways you can provide value in this world and make it a better place. As a nutritionist, I know there is a huge racial nutrition disparity, with many Black and Hispanic people being at high risk. How can you eat the right foods that nourish your body without the proper education of knowing what those foods are? If you know of a family that is in need of nutrition education and is willing to take the journey of eating more nutritious foods, please let me know and I will work with them for free. It’s not much, but this is my way of paying it forward and trying to make a difference. Have you thought about this, too? What ways can you help? Let’s use our skills to build a brighter future for all. Black lives matter.

Did you know that vitamin D is actually a prohormone that helps with gene transcription, blood pressure regulation, insulin secretion, bone health, and most importantly in the COVID-19 era…immunity? In a 2020 study out of Indonesia, those with deficient or insufficient vitamin D died at higher rates than those with normal levels from COVID-19. Want to check out the article?…here is the link:
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3585561
From a functional standpoint, vitamin D3 blood levels should definitely be above 30 ng/mL and most do best between 40-60 ng/mL. You can ask your healthcare provider for a blood test or even get a finger prick test sent right to your home to check your level.
Vitamin D is best synthesized by the human body by sunlight…so get outside and get some sun! Afraid of getting burned? Me too! Check out the app D-Minder so you know how much D you are getting and how long you can be outside before you start to burn…those with fair skin should use this time as a guideline and not an absolute as all skin types are different. Vitamin D can be found in some foods such as salmon, tuna, cod liver oil, mushrooms, egg yolks, and fortified foods (OJ, cereal, milk). Always contact your healthcare provider before supplementing, but if you do want to supplement, always choose vitamin D3, as it is best absorbed by the body. Since vitamin D3 is a fat soluble vitamin, which means it is stored in your fat cells, take it with a fat containing food (eggs, avocado, olive oil) to aid in absorption. Feel free to DM if you have any questions! 

Hello friends! I have been pretty MIA over the past year. I was busy finishing up my Masters in Nutrition and Integrative Health degree from Maryland University of Integrative Health. I was supposed to graduate on Sunday, but since we are in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, graduation was cancelled. I am so proud of my accomplishment and all the hard work I put in over the last 5 years. I am ready to get back in action and do what I can to help you live your healthiest life and bring it!