Winter solstice is not a season for excess. It ’s a season for containment. The body wants warmth, steadiness, predictability. The nervous system wants quiet. Blood sugar wants rhythm—not spikes followed by crashes that masquerade as “holiday cheer” and end as 2 a.m. wake-ups. This is where intentional dessert belongs. Not as indulgence. As signal. This coconut cream cheesecake, paired with a bright citrus topping and grounding herbal tea, is designed to support winter physi

We don’t talk enough about the nervous system side of gifting. A lot of people don’t hate gifts—they hate the emotional contract that sometimes comes with them: the pressure to react a certain way, the obligation to keep something you don’t want, the requirement to uphold traditions you don't value, the silent debt you didn’t agree to carry, or the expectation to serve when you are depleted. That isn’t generosity. That’s entanglement dressed up in wrapping paper. A gift isn’t

Money is one of the most emotionally loaded substances in modern life. People talk about it like it’s “just practical,” but our bodies don’t experience it that way. Money can arrive carrying pressure, obligation, hierarchy, debt, shame, and control. For many people—especially those who’ve watched money used as a leash—currency doesn’t feel neutral. It feels contaminated. And when something feels contaminated, a wise nervous system tries to avoid it. That avoidance often shows

Diarrhea accompanied by pressure, fullness, or a pinching sensation under the right rib cage is not random—and it’s not “just IBS” by default. This symptom pairing often points to a functional disturbance within the bile–pancreas–liver system , a tightly coordinated network that governs fat digestion, gut motility, and metabolic signaling. Importantly, this pattern reflects a coordination problem, not necessarily structural disease. Understanding the Right Upper Quadrant The

When women come to me with pain — pelvic pain, low back pain, hip pain, or diffuse joint discomfort — the issue is rarely just mechanical. Even when imaging looks “normal,” the pain is real.

Why this book matters for women in perimenopause and beyond I really liked this book. Not in a casual, “this was interesting” way — but in a “this finally explains what so many women are experiencing” way. Dr. Stacy Sims’ Next Level picks up where ROAR leaves off and moves directly into the life phase that has been most misunderstood, under-researched, and poorly managed in women’s health: perimenopause and menopause. This book isn’t about decline. It ’s about recalibration.

Let’s be honest: the advice to “just exercise more” isn’t always realistic.

Recently, a patient said something to me that stopped me in my tracks. He looked at me and said, “You have the best bedside manner of any doctor I’ve ever had.” It was a genuine compliment that honored me and moved me at my core. But I also felt the need to explain why that is—because it isn’t accidental, and it isn’t performative. While I carry the title of doctor, what he was responding to wasn’t the title at all. It was the fact that I approach my work as a human being fir

We talk about “being good” or “falling off the wagon” like our health is a moral report card. But you’re not flaky or broken. You’re moving through stages of change  — your nervous system’s way of testing safety, capacity, and readiness. Here’s the real map 👇 1️⃣ Precontemplation – “It’s fine. I’m fine. ”Or: “If I look at this, I’ll fall apart.”This isn’t laziness; it’s protective numbness. Your system doesn’t feel safe enough to even see the problem yet.💡 Kind move: Gently

There is a phase in spiritual growth that feels profoundly neutral. Not emotionally intense, not symbolically loud, not energetically charged — simply quiet.

Hormones like rhythm. They like predictability, steady fuel, and signals that flow in a clear direction. When the menstrual cycle becomes irregular—swinging between 26 and 35 days, arriving early one month and late the next—it’s usually a sign that the hormonal “conductor” is getting mixed messages. Blood sugar, inflammation, stress chemistry, nutrient status, and even subtle shifts in neurotransmitters all influence the menstrual rhythm. The encouraging part? Food, timing, a

Neck pain is basically a modern epidemic. Screens, driving, old injuries, sports, stress, sleep positions, aging joints—your neck sits in the crossroads of all of it. For some people, it’s a deep ache at the base of the skull.For others, it’s stiffness turning to check a blind spot.For some, it’s burning, tingling, or numbness traveling down into the shoulder, arm, or hand. For some, it's headaches. You might have been told you have: “Arthritis” or “degenerative joint disease

Humans adore beginnings. New ideas glow. New projects sparkle. New goals whisper, “This time, everything might shift.” Starting something gives a hit of novelty—an internal sunrise of possibility. It’s biology, it’s psychology, and it’s a touch of existential excitement. The brain rewards the unknown far more enthusiastically than the slow, steady march of follow-through. The Biology of Beginnings: Why Dopamine Loves a Fresh Start There’s a biological reason humans light up

If your SI joint (where your spine meets your pelvis) and hip have been aching, pinching, or burning for a while, you already know how much it can affect your life.

Most people don’t come in saying,“Hi, I’d like a multi-layered, non-linear healing journey.” They come in saying, “Make this pain stop.” “Fix my gut.” “I just want to sleep again.” “I want this gone.” That’s human. When something hurts, the nervous system is wired to want it off. But there’s a big difference between: Chasing a symptom Committing to healing …and if we don’t name that difference, both patient and practitioner will end up frustrated. This is me naming it. What S

Most traditional holiday cookies are built on the same foundation: sugar, flour, and more sugar. They taste great for a moment — then leave you inflamed, fatigued, and hunting for more food an hour later. This recipe does the opposite. These Coconut Cranberry Cookies are nut-free, lower in sugar, gluten-free, and naturally rich in healthy fats and fiber.  They were designed with hormone balance, midlife metabolism, and blood sugar stability in mind — without sacrificing flavo

Dr. Stacy Sims’ ROAR has earned its status as a cornerstone in women’s physiology — and deservedly so. It’s one of the first mainstream texts to overturn outdated, male-centric exercise science and state plainly: Women are not small men. This book is a recalibration of decades of fitness and nutrition advice that never accounted for the hormonal, metabolic, and neurological realities of the female body. Sims blends exercise physiology, endocrinology, and clinical experience t

I’m going to be honest: When I first learned about Visceral Reflex Analysis (VRA), I thought it was hokey and weird. I was trained in science, anatomy, neurology, pathology—all the usual “respectable” things. We were somewhere in the mountains of North Carolina at a chiropractic office, when someone started talking about muscle testing and organ reflex points and also when my inner skeptic crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. “Sure. Touch a spot, push on an arm, and suddenly

Healing tends to move through recognizable phases—not in order like a checklist, but in cycles, like a spiral. You revisit them over and over, each time a little deeper. Phase 1: Inspiration – The Spark Something stirs. A book, a conversation, a lab result A moment of “I can’t keep living like this” A quiet whisper: “More is possible.” This phase is fueled by possibility. You feel a little more awake. Motivation rises. You might start gathering information, looking into new w

Your body isn’t just muscles, bones, and lab numbers. It also has a blueprint—a subtle architecture of light and sound that shapes how you feel, heal, and experience life. Kathara Bio-Regenesis Technique is a gentle, hands-on form of energy work that focuses on that blueprint. In the Solstace Sanctuary, that looks like: You lying fully clothed on a table in a calm, quiet room Light touch at specific points on the body A focus on safety and relaxation in your nervous system Me