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Welcome Back

/ Cristina / Leave a comment

I am writing to you from a new dimension, from a place beyond the fourth trimester. I’ve had a lot of time with my hands full to think about what is to come and I’m excited to be getting started! 

That brings me here; over the coming weeks and months I will be starting a series on the chakras and how crucial they are in any wellness journey, as well as for general life. I’ll be approaching them from a neutral territory that draws on ancient Eastern wisdom, as well as some translation into books and resources from a Western perspective. That will leave you to do the work, whatever approach most resonates with you.

Let’s spend this winter strengthening our energetic base together, and I’m always here if you find you need a little support along the way. 

Note, I will be sharing my birth story in a post before I begin the chakra series as I believe that it is important for mothers to have access to real birth stories and experiences.

Water Heals

/ Cristina / Leave a comment

How easy it is to get wrapped up in the flow of the world around you, forgetting to take time to heal, nourish, and refresh. My posts have been sparse of late as I navigate the challenges of a complex injury affecting my right arm, most likely from the extremely demanding and repetitive nature of my job. So, thanks for bearing with me for a short post.

When was the last time you took a bath? If you can’t remember, it has been too long! From the classic bubble bath (Ducky or other bath toys encouraged) to a detoxifying salt and mineral soak, to a relaxing herbal blend, to a soothing oatmeal and milk bath there are so many lovely options. You don’t even need to take a long soak- 15 minutes is a fine start. Bring a book, or heck thanks to the laptop watch a favorite movie or show- whatever makes you happy. No bathtub? A footbath in a dish tub is remarkably restorative if you spend all day on your feet! Also, if you feel a migraine coming on try soaking your feet in a hot bath (add some rosemary and peppermint essential oils if you have them) with an ice pack on your head- you might be able to keep it at bay.

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Roasted Pepper and Heirloom Tomato Soup

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There is nothing like a fresh summer tomato, the sweetness they take on from the sun, and the delicate flavor that can’t be duplicated in the supermarket varieties available year round. I was a little bit late this year in realizing I could in fact relive the joy of summer tomatoes and produce as long as I got some soup in the freezer, but luckily found some beautiful organic heirloom tomatoes thanks to the long growing season here in the pacific northwest. If you are back east, I hope you canned, froze, or dehydrated some of your summer bounty (or the bounty of your local farmer) to warm you this winter as you dream of summer sun.   Continue reading →

Soup Season!

/ Cristina / 1 Comment

There is a damp chill in the air and I’m starting to think of sweaters and a whole blissful season of root vegetables (Beets! So many beets!) and making everything pumpkin. It also means my brain is shifting from salads and smoothies to soups, lots of meals from the slow cooker, and steel cut oats slowly cooking on the stove. Today, that means making a big batch of chicken stock (bone broth) with veggie scraps I’ve been saving in the freezer, and the leftovers of the last two week’s roast chickens. It is also getting to be cold and flu season and turns out the tradition of having chicken soup when you are sick originated with science! Dr. Stephen Rennard, a pulmonary specialist at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, found that chicken soup elicits an anti-inflammatory effect on the body, primarily due to the mineral-rich stock of its base. The viral bugs that cause a cold or flu stimulate formation of inflammatory compounds in the body, which are to blame for most of the icky symptoms.

Making your own chicken stock is not only cost effective (I do mine from scraps with a couple of additions) it also can be a great way to target the base nutrients you are looking to add to your diet.

So colorful and delectably fragrant. Yum!

So colorful and delectably fragrant. Yum!

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The Wonders of Tea

/ Cristina / 2 Comments

I love tea. No, really, I LOVE tea.  Just look at my tea drawer:

Did I not say I LOVE tea?

Did I not say I LOVE tea?

Partially, it is the ritual of slowing down, waiting for water to boil, needing to slow down and cradle my mug in my hand as it cools, bringing my face close and breathing in the hot fragrant steam while I wait. There are also the benefits of whatever tea is steeping in my cup- medicinally, nutritionally, and emotionally, but I’ll come back to this.

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