When I first started Wellness Mama I couldn’t have imagined where this journey would take me. All of the research, connecting with you, and interviewing dozens of health experts. I still pinch myself that this has become such a shared adventure. It’s humbling, a little surreal, and deeply meaningful to reflect on everything I’ve learned, changed, and still believe after all these years.
The Start of Wellness Mama
At its heart, Wellness Mama was born from a single moment. I was holding my very first newborn at the doctor’s office when I read a line in a magazine that changed the course of my life. It said that for the first time in two centuries, our children’s generation would have a shorter life expectancy than their parents.
That one sentence hit me like a tidal wave. I didn’t know how, but I knew I wanted to help change that number. What started as a mother’s research project grew into a mission, and eventually a podcast, a business, and a community I’m endlessly grateful for.
Over time, I’ve evolved right alongside Wellness Mama. My babies aren’t so little anymore and my oldest, the one who inspired me to start Wellness Mama, is already an adult. I’ve healed from Hashimoto’s, learned more about how the body actually works, and discovered that the more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know.
Over all the years of interviews, research, and first hand lessons, a few truths have emerged.
The Most Common Expert Advice (and Why It Still Matters)
Across a thousand interviews, one of the biggest takeaways is that the simple things matter most. Yes, biohacks can be fun and supplements are helpful. However, the advice that comes up again and again from the brightest minds in health can be summed up in a few beautifully simple ideas.
Prioritize Sleep
Not a single expert has ever said that sleep doesn’t matter. Quality sleep is foundational to everything else. It impacts our hormones, blood sugar, mood, and even how well we detox. Just one or two nights of disrupted sleep can throw off hormones like cortisol and insulin.
As a mom of 6 I’m no stranger to sleepless nights and disrupted sleep. The good news though is that our bodies are wise and forgiving when it comes to us parents in certain seasons. We were designed for resilience, and the body seems to have protective mechanisms during times like these. I’ve written plenty about sleep and how to have better sleep over the years, and you can find all of that here.
Light is Medicine
This is one of the most underrated pieces of wellness wisdom I’ve learned. Light exposure affects every system in the body, from our circadian rhythm to our hormones and mental health. Getting sunlight throughout the day, avoiding blue light at night, and watching the sunrise are simple shifts that can profoundly change sleep, energy, and even mood. Light, like sleep, is free, powerful, and impossible to sell, which might be why it’s often overlooked.
Minerals Matter
Over the years, I’ve come to see minerals as the unsung heroes of wellness. They’re the “spark plugs” that keep our cells communicating and our bodies conducting energy efficiently. We talk a lot about electrolytes and hydration. However, understanding the body’s electrical nature has given me a whole new appreciation for how minerals support everything from nervous system balance to energy production.
Small Consistent Steps
Early in my wellness journey, I chased perfection. From strict diets and elaborate supplement protocols to rigid routines. What I’ve learned through both personal experience and expert wisdom is that baby steps win every time. Consistency builds momentum.
Tiny, sustainable changes are far more powerful (and peaceful) than all-or-nothing overhauls. And the thing about all-or-nothing is that it can quickly become overwhelming. So we end up doing nothing or getting burnt out!
Movement is More Than Exercise
Exercise is a necessity, but I’ve learned to think of movement as something much bigger. Walking barefoot outside, dancing with my kids, or playing frisbee in the yard all count. Movement nourishes the body in subtle ways. It supports fascia, lymph flow, and even our cellular battery charge. As one guest beautifully said, “Motion is lotion.” It’s not about punishing workouts but joyful movement that keeps us fluid, strong, and connected.
The Blue Zones around the world are famous for having the longest living, healthiest people. So what’s their common denominator? It’s not just what they eat, their location, or how many supplements they take. Longevity isn’t just about diet or fitness, it’s deeply tied to belonging and connection.
People in Blue Zones have strong communities and connections with others. We thrive when we feel seen, supported, and loved. This truth has shaped my priorities so much that I even opened a local wellness center. Not just for the saunas and cold plunges, but for the community those tools create.
The Healing Power of Nature
The term “nature deficit disorder” refers to the silent epidemic of modern life. We were meant to live close to the earth, barefoot on the ground, and in the sunshine. Natural light, fresh air, and time outside regulate our hormones, soothe our nervous system, and literally recharge us at an electrical level. Even a few minutes of sunlight or grounding each day makes a difference.
The more disconnected we become from nature, the more disconnected we are from our own bodies. And the good news is that the remedy is as easy as stepping outside!
Your Primary Healthcare Provider
After all these years, I’ve become more convinced than ever that no one knows your body better than you. Expert guidance is invaluable, but the most powerful data comes from your own body’s feedback. Your energy, mood, sleep, and intuition. Every expert I’ve spoken with, in their own way, points back to that truth. I say it so many times, but we are each our own primary healthcare provider.
What I’ve Changed My Mind About
Things have certainly changed a lot since I started Wellness Mama back in 2006! And I’ve changed a lot too. You may have noticed this if you’ve read the blog for any amount of time. Here are some of the biggest ways I’ve learned and grown over the years.
Food Dogmas
In the early years of my healing journey, I approached food with the mindset that there was one right way to eat. When I was deep in the process of reversing Hashimoto’s, I relied heavily on strict elimination diets. Each one served its purpose for a season and taught me a lot about how food affects things like inflammation and energy.
But I also noticed that the more I restricted, the more disconnected I felt from my body’s natural cues. These diets helped me heal physically at first, but it also created a subtle fear around food. Now, I see nourishment through a much softer and more intuitive lens.
I still believe in real, whole foods, but I also believe in flexibility. I eat seasonally, choose foods grown close to home when possible, and pay attention to how I feel after meals instead of following strict rules. I’ve learned that true wellness isn’t about perfection or restriction, it’s about resilience. The healthiest people I know are the ones who can travel, share a meal with friends, and enjoy food with gratitude instead of guilt. My current philosophy: food should fuel, heal, and bring joy, not fear.
Supplements
At one point, I had an entire cabinet (and spreadsheet!) full of supplements. I believed I could optimize my health by filling every possible nutritional gap. While some of those tools were incredibly helpful at times, I eventually realized I was leaning too heavily on external inputs and missing the bigger picture. I was trying to out-supplement lifestyle habits that couldn’t be replaced, like deep rest, mineral balance, and nervous system regulation.
Today, I take a much more minimalist and intentional approach. My focus has shifted to supporting my body’s innate intelligence rather than trying to micromanage it. Instead of dozens of pills, I rely on high-quality minerals, magnesium, and occasional targeted supplements based on lab work or life stage.
I use herbal remedies and tinctures when needed and prioritize food first. I’ve found that supplements should support, not try to compensate for being undernourished or overstressed.
Exercise as Punishment
In my twenties, exercise was something I did to “earn” food or to change my body. I pushed hard with long runs, intense HIIT workouts, and heavy training. It was about chasing a certain aesthetic (that never came) rather than listening to how my body felt. Eventually, that approach led to burnout and hormonal imbalances. I realized I was missing the real purpose of movement which is to build capacity, strength, and joy.
Now, I move to feel alive, not to punish myself. I still strength train several times a week because muscle really is the “organ of longevity.” However, I’ve also added things that nourish my nervous system, like daily walks, dancing with my kids, fascia release, sauna sessions, and time barefoot outside.
Movement should be diverse and intuitive, a mix of strength, mobility, play, and rest. I think of it now as movement nutrition. A variety of inputs that keep the body flexible, strong, and balanced for a focus on connection.
Parenting and Presence
When my kids were little I had a very different approach. I believed good parenting meant doing everything “right” from healthy meals to perfectly managed emotions. But real life quickly showed me that kids don’t thrive on perfection, they thrive on presence. Trying to control everything created unnecessary stress for both them and me.
Over the years, I’ve learned to let go of the idea that I can (or should) protect my kids from every struggle. Instead, I focus on connection and modeling emotional regulation. My goal now is to raise children who trust themselves, understand their emotions, and know they are loved unconditionally.
That means fewer lectures and more listening, fewer rules and more rhythm. I still set boundaries, but I try to do it with empathy and curiosity. This approach has brought so much more peace into our home, and honestly, more joy into motherhood.
Fear vs. Trust
For a long time, I saw my body as something fragile or even broken, especially after my Hashimoto’s diagnosis. I viewed symptoms as problems to fix and spent years trying to control every possible variable. Looking back, I realize I was operating from fear. Fear of illness, fear of aging, fear of doing it wrong.
But the more I learned the more I saw how deeply our systems are designed for balance and healing. My body wasn’t betraying me, it was communicating with me. Now I see my body as trying to work for my benefit and symptoms are beautiful messages. Instead of trying to micromanage my health when something feels off, I get curious and try to listen. Calm and confidence are some of the best healing tools at our body’s disposal.
What I Still Believe (Now More Than Ever)
Some beliefs have only deepened with time:
- The body is wise. It’s not your enemy; it’s your ally. Every symptom is communication, not betrayal.
- The basics matter most. Sleep, light, real food, movement, minerals, and connection are the true “biohacks.”
- Curiosity heals. Approaching health with wonder instead of fear changes everything.
- Nature is medicine. The sun, the soil, the sea…they offer what no pill can replicate.
- Community changes lives. The truest healing doesn’t happen in isolation. We need each other.
- Progress beats perfection. Always.
Life Lessons and Understanding
In the beginning, I chased wellness like a puzzle to solve. One lab result, one supplement, one new protocol at a time. But after years of research, experimentation, and thousands of conversations, I’ve realized that wellness isn’t something we achieve. Instead, it’s something we align with.
Our bodies are constantly moving toward balance. The best thing we can do is to help create the conditions where it can naturally unfold. That means less doing and more listening. Less fear, more trust. Less rigidity, more rhythm.
These days, my wellness routines are a whole lot more intuitive than they once were. My daily non-negotiables include things like drinking mineral-rich water, getting morning sunlight, and pursuing peace. I’m aiming for connection, with myself and with others, and working with my body instead of trying so hard to control it.
The Journey Ahead
If you’ve been on this journey with me from the start, thank you. You’ve watched Wellness Mama grow from a mom’s late-night research project into a shared exploration of what it means to live well. If you’re new here, welcome to this kitchen table of curiosity. We’re all learning together.
I still believe, as I did holding that tiny baby all those years ago, that we can change the story for the next generation. We can raise children who trust their bodies, understand nature, and know that real health is woven through connection, joy, and purpose. Health doesn’t have to be complicated and it’s often the simplest things in life that are the most impactful.
What are some ways you’ve changed and grown in your health journey? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!
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