Ever feel your heart race at the sound of a sudden noise or tense up when you’re running late? That’s your sympathetic nervous system kicking into gear—your body’s own ‘fight or flight’ mode. In this Tour of the Body post, we’ll dive into the our sympathetic system, exploring how it works, what chemicals like norepinephrine, epinephrine, and cortisol do to keep you alert, and the real impact of being ‘on’ too often. Plus, we’ll share actionable tips for shifting back into balance so you can manage stress and feel more at ease in your body.

Our autonomic nervous system (ANS) works tirelessly behind the scenes, managing essential functions like heart rate, digestion, and stress response—even while we sleep. In this post, we dive into the ANS and its three branches: the sympathetic (“fight or flight”), parasympathetic (“rest and digest”), and enteric (our “second brain” in the gut) systems. Discover how these systems shape your daily experience and set the foundation for balanced health. Join me in noticing how your body responds throughout the day as we prepare to explore each system in depth over the coming weeks.

The “Tour of the Body” Series continues with the nervous system—our body's software and connection network. This is a brief intro. This is a complex system, I'll do my best to make it easy, engaging, and of course, empowering!

Welcome back to the Tour of the Body series! This week, we’re diving into one of the most mysterious and least understood glands of the endocrine system—the pineal gland. Often called the body’s “sleep regulator,” the pineal gland does far more than just help you rest. From supporting brain health to balancing hormones, this tiny gland plays a crucial role in keeping your body in sync. Let’s explore the surprising ways the pineal gland impacts your health, and how you can keep it functioning at its best!

In Part 2 of our series, we continue exploring the lesser-known effects of gonadal hormones on the nervous, immune, and digestive systems. Learn how these hormones contribute to your body's overall health and function in ways you may not expect. Dive deeper into the world of hormonal balance and discover why these hormones matter far beyond reproduction.

In Part 1 we discover the powerful role gonadal hormones (testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone) play beyond reproductive health. In this post, we explore how these hormones impact your bones, muscles, joints, and cardiovascular system, revealing their critical role in overall well-being. I hope this two part series helps you understand why hormonal balance is essential to your whole body.

Welcome back to our Tour of the Body series! This post is all about the lovely liver, and its sidekick the gallbladder. The heart might be the hardest working muscle in the body, but the liver is probably the hardest working organ.

The “Tour of the Body” Series' endocrine system continues with The Pancreas (Revisited): The Sugar Regulator. This dual-roles organ-gland is responsible for making our digestive enzymes and the hormones that help us regulate our blood sugar. But it needs your help! Eating whole foods, rich in fiber and anti-oxidants, and moving your body helps your insulin get blood sugar into your cells, and out of your blood stream.

The “Tour of the Body” Series' endocrine system continues with The Adrenal Glands: The Stress Responders. These pair of pyramid shaped glands on top of our kidneys are incredibly hardworking, and unfairly vilified. They are crucial to responding to stress, in an over-stressed world.

The “Tour of the Body” Series' endocrine system continues with The Thyroid Gland: The Metabolism Manager. This butterfly-shaped gland is really the lynchpin of so many of our bodily functions from temperature regulation and heart rate, to fertility and mood. Read on to learn more about the thyroid gland and what being The Metabolism Manager really means!