I am crazy passionate about tapping into the rhythms and pace of the natural world. Not just because it feels good, although it does, but because we have evolved for thousands of years to function at the pace of nature and our body has aligned with, adapted to, and depends on this for so many systems to function properly.  When we move away from this, slowly, our system responds. 

I am obsessed with learning how our body’s interact with our environment (food, lifestyle, the world around us) and researching ways to support people to feel their best in their body and optimize their health and resilience. 

The more science I dig into, the more studies and research I lose myself in, the more I return to the fact that we are meant to be in sync with the pace of the wild and the natural world.  It is hard to study scientifically because it is slow to change, it is not a shiny magic bullet, there is no medicine for it, it is not an A + B = C. It is slow, it is quiet, it is cumulative, interconnected to so much, and we are just starting to see and appreciate how important it is.

Our hormone balance depends fiercely on natural cycles of the day/month/year/phase of life. Our stress hormones are tied to the day and we depend on a spike in the morning and decline as the day goes on. Our thyroid hormone changes with the season, insulin sensitivity changes with the day and our sex hormones align with the month. Our sleep hormones depend on cycles of light and dark. Our hormones involved with metabolism interact with our environment around us and respond each day accordingly. Working for us or against us depending. All of these hormones talk to one another and rely on rhythms and pace of the natural world.

Our immune system has adapted over thousands of years to examine our environment and world around us and then to identify friend verse foe and mount an appropriate attack.

Our nervous system desperately needs the quiet and calm of nature to restore and balance.

Our gut and our microbiome are impacted by our environment and exposure to natural microbes, night/day rhythms, and seasonal changes in food and timed eating.  

We are systems based creatures that are impacted by the world around us.

  Everything is interrelated.  We have tried to break things up and separate things- physically, medically, emotionally, socially, environmentally- but the truth is all these systems are interrelated.   When you dig into it, you cannot separate the gut from the brain, or our health from the food we eat, or the food we eat from the quality of the dirt it grows in, and so on. Maybe for a while, but not over time.

That which drives symptoms and chronic disease inside our body- gut health, inflammation, and our stress response– these are all impacted by the world around us.

The new science emerging is mind blowing and confirms that our microbiome alone plays an important role in hormone balance, neurotransmitter balance, it’s important for brain health, immune function, detoxification, digestion, inflammation levels, and so much more than we ever knew.  Our microbiome is an ecosystem that communicates to every part of our body. We need a healthy population of microbes, we need to feed them appropriately, and we rely on their metabolites (post-biotics) for our physical and mental health. This system relies on us regularly eating a diverse range of plants and fermented foods, being exposed to a variety of microbes, as well as avoiding unnecessary meds, chronic stress, highly processed foods, and toxins. 

I will be posting more studies, research and interviews on my website around this, this summer, but for now, just try tapping into the rhythms and pace of the natural world, eating close to the earth, and see how you feel. 

Of course sometimes we need to dig a bit deeper and heal a bigger imbalance but don’t miss this important and often overlooked foundation.  It is subtle but I believe it has a big impact on our body, mind, soul and health of each over time.

So what might that look like to tap into the natural world?  Here are some ideas-

• Get sunshine during the day,
• Keep the lights dim after sunset,
• Eat whole/real/colorful/diverse foods especially plants,
• Limit exposure to toxins/fertilizers/chemicals,
• Drink clean water,
• Breath clean air
• Move your body everyday outside,
• Play in the dirt,
• Eat naturally fermented foods,
• Sleep well and go to bed when you are tired,
• Rest when you need it,
• Eat only when you are relaxed,
• Light candles,
• Drink herbal teas,
• Sweat,
• Say no to being needlessly busy, 
• Listen to the birds and the wind in the trees,
• Jump in the lake,
• Walk in the woods,
• Take time to mindfully breath,
• Sleep under the stars,
• Give birth vaginally when possible and breastfeed your babies,
• Put down your phone,
• Turn off the TV,
• Get bored,
• Howl at the moon,
• Notice what is happening with the trees and plants each season,
• Eat seasonally,
• Hum a tune,
• Rise before the sun and set out for a sunrise adventure,
• Paddle down a river canyon,
• Reduce the stressors coming into your life, where you can. 

I believe these small changes over time will bring a robust richness to your life and change how you feel and function profoundly.

The pace of nature is slow, unlike the pace of our modern world. Give it time.

Pick one each week or month and try to incorporate it into your life.

We aren’t going for perfect or fad diets or a fast fix because they don’t work long term.  We are going for small changes that support the interconnectedness of your body and the earth.  

Give it a try this summer.  See how you feel.  I dare you.  Jump in! 

Cover photo credit- Ashly Wiley

“Then a great peace came over me…….and I seemed to hear the pines and the wind and the rocky shores say to me “you …. lover of the wild, are part of us…..” Sigurd F. Olson

“And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.”

Take the pace of nature, her secret is patience

This is a crazy phenomenal discussion by two physicians about the science of how the microbiome impacts every system in the body. Have a listen!

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Janel can usually be found either playing out in the wild, getting lost in a book, or preparing food in the kitchen. Janel is a Functional Nutrition and Lifestyle Practitioner, is a board certified holistic nutritionist and has her doctorate in natural medicine. She obsesses over understanding how lifestyle choices and food choices impact peoples unique body and health. Learn more about Janel here

Check out the Women’s Hormone Club that happens each winter

Check out the Spring Cleanse

Check out the NEW FOUNDATIONS IN HEALTH CLASS

Hear what people are saying about working with Janel

Download my cheat sheet for Building A Meal

ReplyForward

ONLINE Course ON HOLD FOR 2022!!! BACK AND BETTER THAN EVER IN 2023

Pssssst, there is no one magic bullet, super food, secret herb, or fad diet that will bring health to all.

What you can do is learn to listen to what your unique body is saying, eat what is best for YOU, help your body to function better top to bottom, and take simple daily action steps to feel and age your best.

No matter where you are on your health journey, these are the powerful FOUNDATIONS OF HEALTH.

We are either moving towards greater health or away from it. Join me and establish or re-establish the most powerful daily habits to drive health on every level and understand your body better.

Use food and lifestyle to reduce chronic inflammation, to support digestion, immune health, mental health, the microbiome, leaky gut, energy, weight, mood, and more.

Are you interested in Health and digging into what you can do with food, herbs, supplements and lifestyle to optimize how you feel and function and how you can age your best? THIS IS FOR YOU! We are going to have a blast.

You have access to this information for 2 years, come back to it as often as you want. Make this part of your life to ensure you function and age your best.

This is the information I wish I had time to go over with all my clients, along with specific action steps to turn the dial towards health and shift the internal terrain for longterm wellness, all while allowing plenty of room for personalization.

Join us to add sustainable steps over 12 weeks to help your body function better. If you are interested, LEARN WHY we are doing these things and the science behind them. I hope you feel stronger, more energized, more clear headed, sleep better, get to your desired weight, feel more confident, and give your body what it needs to work its best.

The layout is designed to meet you where you are. There are the basics and then I add places each week where you can dive deeper if you are ready to and interested.

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WHAT YOU GET

• 12 week of tips to add small and sustainable steps to help your body function better. Just following these will provide huge benefits alone.
• Optional weekly videos with course content– topics include sleep, energy, digestion, immune health, stress, inflammation, functional labs, mitochondria, the nervous system, detox, supplements, pain, preventative health, genetics, and loads more.
• Accountability chart to help you stay on track implementing new habits
• Supplement recommendations from Janel
• Access to purchase trusted and researched supplements at a discount
• 3 week clean eating menu including snacks, lunch, breakfast, dinner, elixirs, teas– Pick which level you want to join (1- whole foods based, 2- basic elimination, 3- full elimination, 4- paleo, 5- autoimmune paleo)
• Included is 3 week menus, food lists, recipes, shopping lists
• 4 Live and Optional Q& As online with Janel starting in September– Thursdays Sept 22, Oct 20, Nov 17 and Dec 15th.
• Questionnaire’s to help you understand what is going on in your body better and to help tap into your body
• Support to track what is going on in your body
• Information about specific functional labs that might help you on your health journey (bloodwork, Stool tests, Organic Acids Test, Food Sensitivity Test, Hormone Tests, and more)
• Optional breakouts on specific topics like cholesterol, aging, endurance, mental health, headaches, anxiety, sleep, fad diets, autoimmunity, and more
• Loads of science and research articles if you want to go there

We go live each september for 12 weeks

or

You can sign up ANY TIME OF THE YEAR and do it on your own and then have the option to meet us in September for the Q&A’s.

SIGN UP NOW FOR 12 WEEKS IN SEPTEMBER

SIGN UP NOW FOR INDEPENDENT STUDY and START ANYTIME (you will have access to Q&A’s when they happen in Sept)

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Who is this for??

Foundations is for you if you want to feel and age your BEST

It is for you if you want to learn about WHY certain health recommendations are given

It’s for you if you have want help weeding through the excess of information out there and get to the facts.

It is for you if you want support setting or RE-establishing healthy habits

It is for you if you want support and accountability on this journey.

It is for you if you want to take an active role in your health in a methodical and informed way.

Foundations is for you if you enjoy learning the science of what is going on in your body

It is for you if you want help navigating supplements

It is for you if you want to prevent future health issues

It is for you if you want to address the ROOTS OF HEALTH so that all body systems benefit and improve

It is for you if you are suffering from any chronic symptoms such as headaches, skin issues, stubborn weight gain, insomnia, low energy, brain fog, anxiety, depression, and more.

It is for you if you are trying to prevent diseases like cancer, Alzheimers, Parkinsons, cardiac disease, autoimmune issues, and more.

It is for you if you want to OPTIMIZE HOW YOU FUNCTION

It is for you if you want to reduce chronic inflammation

It is for you if you want tips on supplements, herbs, foods, superfoods, lifestyle practices, and more

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Plus- Join Janel for live online office hours to ask questions. These WILL BE RECORDED

Email Janel if you have any questions about the program- janel@mountainrebalance.com

Join our optional Facebook group for additional accountability and to connect to others learning alongside you

Take the front seat in your health and wellness journey

____________________________________________________________

All of this for $350 (payment plans available). Or, add it to a one-on-one package and assessment for the ultimate health package. $100 off if done with an assessment.

Format will be online and you can work at your own pace. Come back to this information when you want for 2 years. There will be 20 minute videos each week, valuable handouts, cool graphics, helpful forms, and weekly action steps.

BONUS- ADD THE HEALING FOODS CLUB now for $59 (50% savings)- Get instant access to the healing foods club!!! This is loaded with recipes, videos, superfoods, nutrient info, menu, healing plans, and more! Lifetime access to use any time.

SIGN UP NOW HERE

The first 10 week session starts September 12th. Don’t miss this chance to improve how you feel and function. Yearly group starts in September each year.

Listen to what people say about working with Janel here – testimonials

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Hello. I am Janel, owner of Mountain Rebalance. I am a board certified holistic nutritionist, a certified functional medicine nutritionist, I have my doctorate in natural medicine, am a family herbalist and I started out as an Ayurvedic yoga therapist and Doula. I obsess over why. Why symptoms and disease manifest and how food and lifestyle impact how we function. I help people understand their own body and explore possible root causes of symptoms. Learn more about Janel here

Janel Ferrin Anderson FNLP NC

Booking Provided by Healthie

Who needs some new breakfast ideas to help you rock your day?

What we eat for breakfast can set us up for stable energy for the day or set us up for the up and down roller coaster.

Making time to start the day off with a nourishing breakfast is an awesome way to optimize energy, hormones, sleep, mental clarity, and overall gusto to rock the day like you want to. We now know that a calorie is NOT just a calorie but instead information for every cell in our body. These breakfasts here are all full of micro nutrients to protect your body from damage so you can function your best, they have a balanced ratio of macro nutrients to fuel your day, they are anti-inflammatory, and void of many of the foods that can damage your gut.

Boom! Start your day using food as medicine.

Some days I am fueling a mountain adventure while other days I am fueling my brain for a big day at the office, other days it’s chasing kids around- regardless I need to function my best and I would like to feel this great for as many decades as I can.

When thinking about breakfast to function your best I suggest focusing on a few things-

1. Think outside of the (cereal) box , focus on whole foods instead
2. Make your breakfast colorful- How many different colors can you add? Ask yourself this every morning.
3. Add booster foods when you can– A sprinkle here and a pinch there can add awesome nutrients that your body needs to function optimally.
4. Include a protein, fat, and fiber in breakfast. This combo makes breakfast slower to digest and slows down the absorption of glucose into our blood, keeping you fuller longer, with more stable energy longer, and can even set you up for better sleep. Yes please. Say it again, Fat, Fiber, Protein.

• Protein– I encourage everyone to start their day with a good protein source. Protein provides the important amino acids that our body needs for so many vital functions as they are used in almost every cell and fluid in our body! Protein is the building block of cartilage, bone, skin, and blood. Plant proteins include nuts, seeds, their butters, lentils, beans, and tempeh. Animal proteins include eggs, poultry, fish, beef, and bone broths.
• Fat– Fat is crazy important and as long as it is a healthy fat it is awesome to include in every meal, especially breakfast. Fat is important for hormone balance, cell membrane integrity, is a source of energy, helps keep blood sugar stable, is important for brain function, keeps us satiated, is needed for absorption of vitamins A, D, E and K, for our nervous system, and more. Healthy fats include coconut oil/milk/meat, avocados, olives, olive oil, flax oil, organic butter.
• Fiber- Fiber is wildly important for gut health (which we now know impacts all body systems). Fiber helps keep the bowels moving which is even important for hormone balance and toxin excretion. Fiber feeds the good bacteria in our gut which we now know is an important player in immune health, chronic inflammation, vitamin production ( vitamins B and K), mental health, and more. There is soluble and insoluble fiber and good sources include veggies, fruit, seeds and more. Sometimes you need to start slowly with introducing fiber as your gut microbes adjust.

Of course everyone has to consider their own unique body, gut health, metabolic goals, food sensitivities, eating/fasting window, blood sugar, etc.

But….

Here are the 7 balancing breakfasts we ate at our house this week. They are all anti-inflammatory, gut friendly, nutrient dense, and good for hormone balance.

Look for smoothie week, pancake week, baked goods, and favorite kids breakfasts coming soon! All Clean and nutrient dense, of course.

Monday- Paleo Porridge

I love this warm breakfast porridge for a lot of reasons. First off, it is grain free and for some people grains can cause inflammation or blood sugar dysregulation (paleo friendly). But it’s more about what its loaded with- tons of vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, clean protein, and lots of fiber, plus it powers me through hours of stable energy, oh, and its delish.

1. Combine dry ingredients in a and blend until finely ground
2. Pour boiling water into vitamix, cover with lid
3. Blend very carefully starting on low setting, then moving to high, until porridge is smooth (you can also just do this in a bowl, which is what I do most days)
4. Transfer porridge to a bowl
5. Garnish with sunflower seeds, or shredded coconut

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Tuesday- Veggie and protein scramble

I crave this breakfast and when I do eat it my energy and blood sugar are stable for hours plus I know I am getting tons of phytonutrients from plants that all my cells need to do their jobs and function their best. WIN

• olive oil to sauté
• chopped onions and garlic
• chopped veggies, whatever you have works! I love kale, spinach, broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, etc
• ground beef, turkey, or lamb (organic and grass fed when possible)
• favorite herbs, I like to sprinkle on oregano and parsley
• sea salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat up pan to medium (we use cast iron)
2. Put in olive oil, onions, garlic and protein. Cook until meat is about halfway done
3. Add other veggies and cook until meat is fully cooked and veggies cooked to liking. Sometimes I add more olive oil or broth to help it cook.
4. Sprinkle on sea salt and herbs if you want. Enjoy

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Wednesday- Overnight Chia Oats

This sweet breakfast is a big dose of comfort food that I can feel awesome about. It feels like a big treat but has all the necessary components to keep me charging hard til lunch. Plus, blueberries are one of the greatest antioxidants and anti-inflammatory foods you can put in your body.

1. Combine oats, almond milk, chia seeds, maple syrup, cinnamon and water together in a large glass bowl. Stir well to mix. Seal and place in the fridge overnight (or for at least 8 hours).
2. Remove oats from fridge. Use single-serving size mason jars and place a large spoonful of the oat mix in the bottom of each, then a layer of blueberries followed by a layer of slivered almonds. Repeat until all ingredients are used up. Store in the fridge until ready to eat. Enjoy hot or cold!

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Thursday- Sweet Potato Hash Browns, Sauteed greens and Fried Eggs

I love eggs for breakfast! This mix is so satisfying and the bright colors have so many cell protecting nutrients, plus is the perfect mix of fat/fiber/protein. Somedays I even throw this in a burrito to change things up. You can use whatever veggies you have, including kale, spinach, mustard greens, collard greens, etc.

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Friday- Stewed Apples

Holy wow does my gut LOVE stewed apples as it is the perfect food to feed the good microbes in my gut (which supports my immune system, brain health, hormone balance and so much more). Loading it up with nuts and seeds gives it the fat and fiber I need to take me through to lunch. Boom!

• 6Apples (organic of choice)
• 1/2 cupWater
• 1/2 cupOrganic Raisins (optional addition for sweetness and fiber)
• 2 1/2 tspsCinnamon
• 1 tbspGround Flax Seed
• 1 tbspChia Seeds ((or hemp seeds, sunflower, pumpkin, walnuts, etc))
• 1 tbspMct Oil

1. Peel, core, and slice apples
2. Place all ingredients in saucepan and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, give or take.
3. Cook until soft
4. Smash or crush the apples together with cinnamon and raisins if adding.
5. Scoop desired amount into bowl. Eat warm or chill in fridge and enjoy cold.
6. Add MCT oil and mix up. Sprinkle ground flax and ground chia or other boosters on top. ENJOY (your gut will too)

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Saturday- Morning Miso

This one warms my heart and soul and makes me talk kinder even just thinking about. It not only tastes good but it feels so good to start the day off with a warm cup of miso soup. Plus this will last for days making it a quick and easy one too.

• 3 cupsWater
• 1 cupVegetable Broth
• 1 1/2 cupsShiitake Mushrooms (sliced, optional, I always have dried on hand)
• 6 ozs Tofu (drained, rinsed and cut into cubes)
• 1 tsp Ginger
• 1 tbsp Tamari
• 3 tbspsMiso Paste
• 2 cupsKale Leaves (roughly chopped)
• 2 stalksGreen Onion (optional, sliced)

1. Add the water and broth to a medium sized pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and add the mushrooms. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the tofu, ginger and tamari and ensure the broth is lightly simmering. Continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes more.
3. In a small bowl, add the miso paste, and ladle in some of the hot broth and whisk. Add the miso mixture to the pot and stir to combine. Add the kale leaves and simmer for 1 minute more.
4. Divide the miso soup into bowls and top with green onion, if using. Serve and enjoy!

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Sunday- Avocado Toast with Soft Boiled Egg and Grapefruit

This satisfies everything! My taste buds, cravings, sweet tooth, belly, cells, energy and everything in between are happy with this breakfast, plus it’s a beautiful sight. There are so many wonderful textures and flavors and it is rich in antioxidants, healthy fats, clean protein, and delicious fiber. Yum

• Gluten Free bread, toasted
• Sprouts
• Sea salt
• 1/2 lime
• Chopped onions (optional)
• Ground flax seeds
• Soft boiled egg
• Grapefruit, orange berries, other seasonal fruit

Put all together, notice how beautiful it is, and Enjoy!

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Other favorite breakfast include coconut yogurt with clean granola, viking sauce and berries, breakfast burritos, breakfast tacos, smoothies, clean pancakes, bone broth, homemade sausages, oat bars, quinoa/egg bowls, and chia pudding. Look for more soon and show us your favorites!! Tag me @mountainrebalance

Check out our Digestion Club starting in Fall 2021

Join us for our Spring Cleanse! April 2021

Don’t miss the Women’s Hormone Club winter 2022

I love a delicious sauce! They bring the yum factor to any dish, especially boring  leftovers or any dish that needs a boost! 

I am a big advocate of always making enough for leftovers when I cook, or batch cooking large amounts of a variety of roasted/steamed veggies and a gluten free grain for the week. That strategy makes for easy and nutrient dense meals in a flash……. 

What makes that crazy fun and delish?  Sauces!! 

Teaching clients to use flavorful sauces is so great because it’s easy and satisfying. 

We usually have 2 sauces on hand each week to reuse and mix things up. 
You can add sauces to salads, bowls, tacos, roasted veggies, soups, eggs, raw veggies, grilled meats, grains, or whatever else you can think of. 

We go through so many different ones but we have our standard 5 that I will share here. I would love to hear what sauces you love.

My favorite 5 sauces are-

1. Cumin Tahini sauce
2. Amazing almond curry sauce for veggies or meat
3. Cilantro tamari sauce
4. Miso ginger sauce or dressing
5. Vegan cheese sauce for a dairy free veggie/noodle sauce
6. Avocado lime dressing
7. Ginger lime tahini sauce
8. AND MORE

One of the dishes photographed here is of leftover fajita veggies and chicken thrown on a bed of lettuce, with added black beans, tomatoes, and avocado lime dressing. Everyone loved it and I would argue it was better than fajitas the night before.

Download the recipe pack for all 5 sauces here (10 bonus ones now)

Tell me what you try and what you like! Tag Mountain Rebalance @mountainrebalance so I can see!! Enjoy every bite

Read what people say about working with Janel at Mountain Rebalance

Fall Digestion Club starting fall 2021!!!

Spring Cleanse Spring 2021

Womens Hormone Club Winter

People have loved our Group Programs so much (Winter Women’s Hormone Club, Spring Cleanse, Ongoing Replenish/Rebalance) that I added a Fall Digestion Club to the mix. I am pumped and I hope you are too.

As we are learning more and more, so much of health begins in and depends on the GUT. This includes mental health, immune health, digestive health, physical health, hormone health, energy, sleep, and so much more.

This club is for anyone looking to

• enhance their overall health and decrease pesky symptoms
• optimize digestion and learn about how it works and what impacts it
• learn a ton about your own unique body and what it is saying
• use food and lifestyle as medicine
• receive lots of new recipes and organizational tips for the kitchen
• discover what various supplements might be helpful to improve digestion

Groups are an awesome and affordable way to get a jumpstart on health, further your health journey, connect with others, start feeling better, and learn a ton.

This will be a 6 week program with weekly live (online or in person options) group meetings with Janel to ask questions and connect. There will be educational videos to watch on your own, handouts, questionnaires, and a food/lifestyle protocol to help “clear the muddy waters” as we call it in Functional Nutrition.

You will learn a ton about digestion top to bottom, why it is important, what impacts it, and how to read your own body, all while following a food/lifestyle protocol to decrease overall inflammation, boost nutrients, and support digestion.

Digestion is one of the 3 Root Causes to address when addressing any chronic disease or pesky symptom (the other 2 roots are inflammation and genetics- we will be impacting all 3).

There will be lots more info coming soon but mark your Calendars for September/October 2021. These groups fill up fast!!

Find out what people are saying about working with Janel at Mountain Rebalance

Learn more about Janel

Spring Cleanse info here

Winter Women’s Hormone Club info here

3 ideas for building resiliency, health, and calm in 2021

This bread is delish plus it is loaded with health promoting ingredients that are an awesome balance of fat, fiber and protein to help set the stage for hormone balance.

The women in this years winter Hormone Club are enjoying this recipe along with other nourishing recipes to promote hormone balance. We have been talking over the last 6 weeks all about hormones, what impacts them, how they interact with each other, and how to use food and lifestyle to support hormone balance and minimize symptoms of imbalance.

I am obsessed with understanding the science around how the body works and what impacts it.

The digestive tract is the intersection between the outside world and what goes on inside our body. How our brain takes in and experiences the world is another way the outside world becomes part of our physiology. I love helping people use food and lifestyle to promote health and teaching people how to listen to their own body and discover what is true for them.

This anti-inflammatory blueberry banana bread is gluten, dairy, soy and white sugar free. It has flax for fiber and healthy fats, hemp seeds for protein, phytonutrients in blueberries and bananas, healthy fats plus protein and loads of nutrients in eggs, and anti-inflammatory olive oil. Give it a try and enjoy 😊. Let me know what you think

Ingredients

• 1 cupAlmond Flour
• 1/4 cupCoconut Flour
• 1 tspBaking Soda
• 1/2 tspSea Salt
• 1 tspCinnamon
• 1 tbspGround Flax Seed
• 1 tbspHemp Seeds
• 2Banana (mashed)
• 2 tbspsExtra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3Egg (whisked)
• 1/4 cupMaple Syrup
• 1 cupBlueberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC).
2. Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well. In a separate mixing bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until a creamy consistency forms. Add in the oil, eggs and maple syrup and mix well. Pour the dry ingredients in with the wet ingredients and mix well. 
3. Gently fold in your fresh or frozen blueberries with a spatula. Distribute the blueberries evenly throughout the batter, but be careful not to over mix as this will break the berries and cause your bread to turn purple. (It will still taste just as good but may not look as pretty!)
4. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and pour in the batter. Bake in oven for 45 – 50 minutes. Test if it is cooked through by sticking a toothpick in the middle. If it comes out clean, the bread is done. When fully cooked, lift the parchment paper out of the pan and let cool before slicing. Enjoy!

Check out our awesome group wellness offerings! We go into a ton about the science of your body and how food and lifestyle can make an impact. Offerings include The Winter Women’s Hormone Club, Spring Detox and Liver Love, Summer Badass For the Long Haul, and The Fall Digestion Club. Join us and take charge of your health!

Janel is a Board Certified Holistic Nutritionist, a Functional Medicine Nutritionist, has her doctorate in Natural Medicine, is a certified family herbalist and a certified yoga therapist. ‘I am dedicated to empowering people to feel their best and to take charge of their health. I help people understand their body and how to use food and lifestyle to improve health and resilience. I obsess over the science so you can choose what is best for you.’

Your Microbiome is hugely influential to your everyday and longterm health, and here is the thing, your microbiome is malleable, meaning it changes depending on your lifestyle and your food choices. 

Your microbiome, according to microbiome scientist extraordinaire Dr. Joseph Petrosino, is important for mental health, immune health, hormone health, healthy weight and energy levels, brain function, digestive health, inflammatory levels, cardiovascular health, and more (1)! 

I am loving all the new science and appreciation that is happening around these important microbes and how they influence us.  We are learning more and more each day.  Here are just a few ways we know the microbiome influences our health.

First, the gut microbiome is the totality of all the organisms, bacteria, yeast, fungi, in your gut as well as their genetics, in relation to you, the host. What happens to them, happens to you, and vice versa.

The crazy thing? We have more microbial cells than human cells in our body. Even crazier.. according to microbiome scientist Kiran Krishnan, new science has made it clear that these microbes control around 90% of our genes (2). Humans have around 7 pounds of influential microbes in their gut alone!

Why is it important?

Among many other important functions, our microbiome provides a barrier system, between the outside world, or the foods and substances you ingest, and the inside world, your bloodstream and your immune system. Making sure you have a robust barrier is key to your health.  We want to keep out what does not belong in our bloodstream but absorb what we do need.

In particular the microbiome and the balance of microorganisms in your body influences your immune function, in fact, according to Krishnan, your immune system would not exist with out it. Your microbiome acts as watch guards to help find invaders, and then communicates via inflammatory markers with the rest of your immune system if back up is needed (so your immune system can act on invaders and keep you safe).

Another incredibly important role of the microbiome is the production of Short Chain Fatty Acids and the impact of butyrate in particular.   These substances, that healthy microbes produce, directly impact your brain, your immune system, and more.  (check out my short videos on feeding the microbiome to support immune health below)

Your microbiome is also key to your metabolism by helping you digest and utilize foods. We can eat the best foods in the world but we need out microbes to help us use them. In fact it helps us not only process foods but also process medications (5).

Your microbes send messages to your nervous system and can influence what foods you crave and how satiated you feel, says Krishnan. They can influence which part of the nervous system is activated, the rest/relax or fight/flight one, impacting your mood as well as cravings. In addition, studies have confirmed the influence of the gut microbiome on neurodegenerative diseases, neurotransmitters, and behavioral disorders (3).

According to health expert Chris Kresser the microbiome plays a critical role in hormone balance as well, influencing hormonal symptoms, diseases and cancers (4).

This is just the start, as we are only now starting to understand how influential our microbiome is on every part of out physical and mental health. Since your microbiome influences so many aspects of your body and your health it is worth taking care of. The crazy cool thing? It is the choices you make everyday with food and lifestyle that make the biggest impact.

When considering the health of your microbiome, it is important to

1. Ingest healthy microbes to ensure diversity
2. Feed the microbes in a way that promotes a healthy population
3. Protect our microbiome from damage. 

Ways to enhance a healthy and diverse microbiome- 

• From the get go, vaginal births seed the microbiome with healthy microbes and Breastmilk feeds these microbes exactly the right foods to thrive.
• Avoid unnecessary antibiotics and medications
• Eat fermented foods like Kvass, sauerkraut, yogurt, Kimchi, or other fermented veggies to get good microbial diversity
• Eat loads of fiber, phytonutrients, and prebiotics from veggies, fruit, nuts, seeds, legumes (this is what feeds your healthy microbes)
• Sleep 7-8 hours per night
• Exercise or move your body daily 
• Reduce everyday stress and learn to process stress (breath work, meditation, guided imagery, etc)
• Avoid pesticides on your food and in your life like Round Up
• Keep inflammation under control 
• Play in the dirt including organic gardening

Look for more coming around the importance of the microbiome and practical steps to help you maintain a healthy balance of these incredibly influential little critters.   For now, check out my videos below on 2 ways to feed your microbes the right foods.

Two microbiome scientists I love, who are doing really great research, and to keep an eye on are Dr. Joseph Petrosino and Kiran Krishnan. You can also check out the Microbiome Summit if that interests you.

AND keep an eye open for my Healthy Digestion Club coming soon!

References-

1. Romm, Aviva. (2018) Frontiers in Microbiome Research with Dr. Joseph Petrosino
2. (2020) The Healthy Terrain Summit. Krishnan, Kiran. Our Microbial Terrain. The Science Of Community
3. Strandwitz P. Neurotransmitter modulation by the gut microbiota. Brain Res. 2018 Aug 15;1693(Pt B):128-133. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.03.015. PMID: 29903615; PMCID: PMC6005194.
4. Kresser, Chris. (2017) The Gut Hormone Connection.
5. Jandhyala SM, Talukdar R, Subramanyam C, Vuyyuru H, Sasikala M, Nageshwar Reddy D. Role of the normal gut microbiota. World J Gastroenterol. 2015 Aug 7;21(29):8787-803. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i29.8787. PMID: 26269668; PMCID: PMC4528021.
6. Functional Nutrition Lab. FBS. Digestive Intensive 2018

Janel Ferrin Anderson NC FNLP PhD is a Board Certified Holistic Nutritionist, a Functional Medicine Nutritionist, has her doctorate in Natural Medicine, is a certified family herbalist and a certified yoga therapist. ‘I am dedicated to empowering women to feel their best and to take charge of their health. I help people understand what is going on in their body and how to use food and lifestyle to improve health and resilience.’

Read more about Janel here

3 Ways To Add Calm and Resilience in 2021

Read what inspired me to study the body and to support people in their journey towards health

Welcoming in a new year feels vastly more important this year.  Although a new year will be appreciated on many levels and brings with it the potential for needed change, it is not a free ticket to better or easier times.  But the cool thing is there are some awesome habits you can adopt to increase how well you feel and how resilient you are this new year. 

I could easily name 10 (or 20) but I am going to keep it to 3 and they will all be about adding, not taking away……..

1. Add booster foods to your life.  I love booster foods.  They are such a simple way to add nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, clean proteins and fiber to your day.   They will help you become more resilient in so many ways as your body restores and refuels a little bit more every day.  What are booster foods exactly? They are a group of foods that are nutrient dense power houses.  They are loaded with the constituents your body needs to function its best but are sorely lacking in so many foods today.  The key to incorporating them into your life is making a place for them in your home that you see everyday which helps you to remember to add them.  Here is a post I wrote on booster foods if you want more.  I have a special shelf in my fridge dedicated to these foods alone. Some of my favorites include flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, camu powder, maca powder, a mix of sesame/pumpkin/sunflower seeds, gogi berries, mulberries, kelp flakes, nutritional yeast, collagen, and cacao.   I try to add them when I can throughout the day to salads, yogurt, smoothies, soups, toast, nut butters, potatoes, bars, etc.  Sprinkle that nutrient dense magic everywhere.  The key is being organized and creating the space.

2. Eat the rainbow, seriously, I know you’ve heard it, but do it each time you eat.  It’s not about eating perfectly is’s just about adding color. At every meal and snack ask yourself, “how can I get more color?”.  Colorful whole foods are loaded with important phytonutrients (which means nutrients from plants) that our body needs to operate it’s best. Our immune system needs colors, we need colors to fight off cancer, our brain needs colors, our gut needs colors, colors fight of oxidative damage, our heart and our hormones all need colors.  I know you know it, but now let’s make it happen.  -Eggs and toast for breakfast? What can you add? Blueberries and kale chips.  Great. The rainbow.  -A bowl of chilli for lunch?  What can you add? Sliced cucumbers on the side and chopped cilantro and pumpkin seeds on top. Yum. A rainbow.  -Roasted chicken, potatoes and a simple salad for dinner?  Get out the grater and grate a couple carrots and beets for the top of your salad and add a few chunked pieces of broccoli to boot with, a squeeze of lemon of course. Rainbow beauty there.  -Your kids having mac and cheese again for lunch? Ask them what colors they want to add on the side.  Roasted brussel sprout chips, strawberries, a tamari seaweed snack, green apples, red pepper strips, or carrots would bring in awesome colors.  Find what works for you but just think ‘what other colors can I add?’.  The key is shifting your mindset each time you eat to consider the rainbow.

3.  Make time for quiet.  Shhhhhhh. Honestly, it does not have to be fancy or timed or structured.  Although those things help some people, find small things you can do daily that are quiet,  just for you and that feels good.  For me I love lighting a candle every morning in the fall/winter/spring.  I take some breaths there, think of what I am grateful for, that’s it.  My sweetie walks outside each morning and spends just a few moments breathing in the cool air.  Some people spend time meditating, or doing breathwork.  Doing some gentle stretching is lovely each day.  Even a walk, all alone, with no phone.  Maybe watch the sunset each night.  Give your brain, your heart and your soul some quiet where there is nothing to do, no electronics on, no to do list.  Not even reading or music.  No pressure. Just quiet. And it can be only a few minutes each day.  What quiet will you add each day?  The key is doing it every day and keeping it simple.

I hope 2021 brings you calm, health, and resilience. 

Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.

Wildly, Janel at Mountain Rebalance

There is a lot more than willpower involved with hunger/satiety.  There are many hormones involved with both and there is a lot we can do to impact them.

Hormones interact with the world and they communicate with one another about what is going on. With hormones there is always a stimulus, a receptor, and an effector.  Our environment impacts each of these. 

We want our hormones to turn on at the right time, to be received successfully, to do their work, and then to turn off. Here, with hunger/satiety hormones, we want to feel hungry at the appropriate time and then we want to feel full after we eat.

Raise your hand if you want to feel satisfied with food and well energized all day. I do! 

What you eat, when you eat, how you process stress, how you move your body, and how well you sleep all impact our hunger/satiety hormones.

Meet some of your hunger hormones………

Leptin – Made primarily in fat tissue.  This hormone acts on the brain (hypothalamus) to inhibit or reduce appetite and induce fat burning (tells you you are full).  It was only discovered in 1994!  This has a circadian rhythm to help you sleep. Leptin resistance (and insulin resistance) is a big factor in over eating. We want our cells to ‘hear’ our hormones so they can do their jobs.  Optimizing blood sugar, reducing inflammation and excess sugar/starches, reducing stress, and removing nutrient-poor and highly palatable foods will help with this. 

CCK or cholecystokinin– This is our main satiation hormone and it is produced in the small intestine.  It slows the emptying of the stomach to promote fullness. It suppresses appetite and signals satiety.  It is especially stimulated by eating proteins such as slow cooked meats (which have specific amino acids and umami to signal fullness), long chain fats such as omega 3s, and fermented foods. 

PP or pancreatic polypeptide– Due to vagal nerve stimulation this is released from the pancreas and inhibits food intake.  This is released in response to chewing.  Chew Chew Chew (and note the importance of the vagus nerve). 

Ghrelin– Made primarily in the stomach and only discovered in 1999.  This hormone stimulates hunger by acting on the brain (hypothalamus) and tells you that you are hungry.  It interacts with leptin and others.  This hormone is impacted by stress and implicated in stress-induced eating and food/reward behavior.   It is released when blood sugar drops, when you are stressed, with high fructose consumption, or when you did not get enough sleep, all making you feel hungry.  A 2006 study by American Society for Clinical Nutrition suggested a breakfast high in protein was better at reducing ghrelin (making you feel full). 

Takeaway?

A calorie is not just a calorie.  Our food and lifestyle is information for our body, for our cells, and for our brain.  Our hormones are impacted by our environment.  

What 4 things can you do to ensure your hunger/satiety hormones are working for you? 

1. Focus on whole, nutrient dense foods that your body can recognize (and make sure you are digesting them).  

2. Work on reducing stress, learning to process stress, and never eat when stressed out.  Take at least 3 calming breaths before each meal. 

3. Make sure you are gettting enough sleep each night, 7-9 hours

4. Eat a healthy fat, a clean protein, and fiber at every meal and snack. 

• Healthy fats include avocados, coconut oil, olives, nuts, seeds, fatty fish, organic butter, olive oil, coconut
• Clean proteins include eggs, grass fed beef, bison, chicken, lamb, beans, lentils
• Fiber is in veggies, fruit, nuts/seeds, legumes

Even small changes can have a positive impact on hormones:) 
Eat up, rest up, and enjoy

Wildly, Janel

• Jones, David. (2010) Functional Medicine Textbook. The Institute for Functional Medicine
• Nakayama, Andrea.  (2018) Full Body Systems. Functional Nutrition Lab. Endocrine System.
• Bauman, Ed. (2018) Therapeutic Nutrition- Weight Loss

Janel Ferrin Anderson NC FNLP PhD is a Board Certified Holistic Nutritionist, a Functional Medicine Nutritionist, has her doctorate in Natural Medicine, is a certified family herbalist and a certified yoga therapist. ‘I am dedicated to empowering women to feel their best and to take charge of their health. I help people understand their body and how to use food and lifestyle to improve health and resilience.’