blood sugar

The Hidden Link: Mitochondria, Metabolism & Your Energy

The Hidden Link: Mitochondria, Metabolism & Your Energy

We often think of energy as a willpower issue.
If I just pushed harder…
If I was more disciplined…
If I had more motivation…

But what if your lack of energy isn’t a personal failure — what if it’s a cellular signal?

Your energy comes from your cells.

Literally.

Inside every cell in your body, you have these tiny structures called mitochondria — often called the “powerhouses” of the cell. These are what generate energy for everything your body does: thinking, breathing, healing, hormone balancing, digestion, sleep, mood… all of it.
When your mitochondria are functioning well, you function well.

When they aren’t, you may feel:
  • Brain fog
  • Low energy or motivation
  • Anxiety, mood swings, or trouble sleeping
  • Sluggish metabolism or weight gain
  • Chronic symptoms that don’t go away
  • Blood sugar crashes
  • Hormonal imbalances
  • And more…

Metabolic health isn’t just about weight.

It’s about how well your cells can create and use energy.

That’s why I believe so strongly in taking a root-cause approach — supporting our cellular health rather than chasing symptom after symptom.

One of the best books I’ve read recently is Good Energy by Dr. Casey Means. It connects the dots between how modern life — with its stress, processed food, poor sleep, light exposure, and chemicals — disrupts your mitochondria and creates the chronic symptoms we normalize.

Healing doesn’t mean adding more.
It often means subtracting what’s making us sick in the first place.

✨ A Few Daily Shifts That Can Improve Energy at the Root:

  • Start your day with natural light. Go outside within 30 minutes of waking. This helps your circadian rhythm, hormones, and sleep quality.
  • Eat protein + fiber first. Then carbs. This keeps your blood sugar stable, reducing crashes and cravings.
  • Walk for 10 minutes after meals. Movement helps your body use glucose properly and supports mitochondrial health.
  • Use low-toxin products. The air in your home and what you put on your skin affects your hormones and energy.
  • Sleep in a cool, dark room. Your mitochondria restore during rest. Poor sleep = poor energy.
  • Pause stress, even for 5 minutes. Your cells need space to repair — not just go, go, go.

🌱 Want to Start Making Changes?

Here’s what I use:

🧼 For cleaning products:
I use this home kit from Young Living — simple swaps that make a big difference. Or try making your own with natural ingredients. Our skin is the largest organ and absorbs those toxic chemicals from cleaning products!

🧬 For metabolic support:
This protocol is what helped me regulate blood sugar, reduce symptoms, and get my energy back — naturally.

Small Shifts → Big Energy

You don’t have to do everything at once.
But starting somewhere matters.

Your symptoms aren’t random. They’re signals.
Your energy isn’t broken. It’s speaking.

And your mitochondria?
They just might be the key to the vitality you've been missing.

Want a daily rhythm to follow or help building your plan?
📥 Hit reply — I’d be happy to share what worked for me.

Rooting for your healing,
Rachel xo
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The Hidden Link: Signs of Insulin Resistance in Menopause

The Hidden Link: Signs of Insulin Resistance in Menopause

If you’re a woman in midlife and your body suddenly feels like a stranger… you’re not alone.
You’re not crazy. And you’re definitely not broken.

You may just be insulin resistant — and not even know it.
In today’s Rooted Reset, let’s talk about something many women aren’t told in their annual check-ups:

Hormonal shifts in perimenopause and menopause can dramatically increase insulin resistance.
And it affects more than just your blood sugar.

💥 What Does That Actually Mean?

Insulin resistance happens when your cells stop responding effectively to insulin — the hormone that helps your body use glucose for energy.
When that happens, your body produces more insulin just to keep things stable. Over time, that can lead to:
  • Fatigue
  • Brain fog
  • Belly weight gain
  • Mood swings
  • Cravings (especially for carbs or sugar)
  • Skin tags or dark patches of skin
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Irregular or heavy cycles (in perimenopause)
  • And yes… worsened menopause symptoms

😣 Why Midlife Women Are So Vulnerable

During perimenopause and menopause, three major hormonal shifts make insulin resistance more likely:
  1. Estrogen drops — and estrogen protects insulin sensitivity.
  2. Cortisol spikes — stress makes your body hold onto fat and crave glucose.
  3. Sleep quality declines — disrupted sleep messes with blood sugar and appetite hormones.
The result? Your body feels like it’s working against you, even if you haven’t changed anything.

🔄 What Happens When You Reverse Insulin Resistance?

This part is important. When your cells can use insulin again, everything starts to shift:
  • You sleep better
  • Cravings settle down
  • Weight stabilizes
  • Energy improves
  • Inflammation decreases
  • Hormonal symptoms ease (yes — even hot flashes and mood swings)
Personally, I no longer have perimenopause symptoms — and it’s not because of magic.

I started supporting my body with a protocol focused on fiber, mate' and gentle fasting.
My “Mate + Fiber” routine helps my cells function better — and now, so do I.

🚦 What Can You Do?

Start by noticing your own signs. Are you:

  • Struggling with stubborn belly weight?
  • Waking up tired or wired?
  • Feeling foggy or low in motivation?
  • Craving carbs or sugar after meals?
  • Holding tension in your shoulders or jaw?
Those are signs your body is asking for help — not discipline.

🧠 This Isn’t About Perfection — It’s About Clarity

You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight. But you deserve to understand what’s happening inside your body.
Your symptoms aren’t random. They’re messages.

And the good news is: when you support your body’s biology, everything gets easier.

💛 One Last Thing...

Please don’t ignore how you’re feeling. You are not lazy, dramatic, or “just getting older.”
You’re wise, intuitive — and ready to feel better.

If you want to know what helped me finally feel like me again, I’d love to share.
Just hit reply or come join the conversation in our community.

You’re not in this alone.

Rooting for you,
Rachel xo

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The Pause Is Part of the Progress

The Pause Is Part of the Progress

Protecting Your Peace Isn’t Selfish — It’s Self-Care

Let me guess…

You’re tired. But you keep going.
You feel it in your bones that you need a break. But the list is long. The people are counting on you. The guilt creeps in.

So instead of slowing down, you keep pushing.

Because somewhere along the way, we were taught:
  • Rest means we’re falling behind
  • Saying “no” means we’re letting people down
  • Pausing means we’re giving up
But what if the truth is the exact opposite?

🧠 Your Nervous System Needs You to Slow Down

Our bodies are incredible — they’re built to help us adapt, push through, and care for others.
But they’re also designed to rest, regulate, and recover.

When we’re stuck in stress — even low-level, background stress — our nervous system stays on high alert. And over time, this affects everything:
  • Cortisol stays elevated
  • Blood sugar becomes harder to manage
  • Sleep gets disrupted
  • Hormones shift and symptoms worsen
  • Cravings, inflammation, and mood swings creep in
It’s not “just stress.”
It’s the foundation of your health.

🪞We Don’t Have to Earn Rest

I’ve had to learn this lesson many times:
You don’t have to reach your breaking point before you give yourself permission to stop.

And I see it in so many of the women I talk to.
They’re not “failing.”
They’re exhausted.
From the pressure.
The invisible expectations.
The caregiving.
The push to always keep going, even when their body whispers, “please… not today.”

If that’s you, you’re not alone.

💡 This Week’s Rooted Reset

Here’s your gentle invitation:

Take 5 minutes and ask yourself:
  1. Where am I feeling stretched too thin right now?
  2. What’s one thing I can release, postpone, or soften this week — without guilt?
  3. What does protecting my peace look like today?
It doesn’t have to be a big change.
It just has to be honest.

Maybe it’s going to bed earlier.
Maybe it’s letting yourself say “not today” to something you usually say yes to.
Maybe it’s giving yourself permission to feel tired without needing to fix it.

The pause is part of the progress.
Rest is healing.
And your peace matters.

📥 Want more tools to support your hormones, stress, and energy — naturally?

I’d love to share what helped me feel better than I have in years — especially in the most overwhelming season of my life.
No pressure. No programs. Just real support.

Hit reply — and I’ll share exactly what worked for me.

Rooting for you,
Rachel xo
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Why Fiber Can Make You Feel Bloated — and Why That’s Not a Bad Thing

Why Fiber Can Make You Feel Bloated — and Why That’s Not a Bad Thing

You’re doing everything right — so why does your stomach feel off?

If you’ve recently added more fiber to your diet — whether through Balance or food — and now you’re feeling bloated, gassy, or just not quite right… you’re not alone.
In fact, it’s one of the most common (and temporary!) side effects of increasing fiber. Let’s break down why it happens, how to ease it, and why your body is actually saying “thank you.”

🚨 First, let’s bust the myth:

Bloating from fiber doesn’t mean it’s not working.
It means your body is adjusting. And that’s a good thing.

💡 What is fiber, really?

Fiber is the indigestible part of plant foods that helps regulate blood sugar, support digestion, feed good gut bacteria, and keep us full longer.

There are two main types:
  • Soluble fiber: dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance (great for slowing sugar absorption and binding cholesterol)
  • Insoluble fiber: adds bulk and helps move things along (hello, regularity)


🌬️ Why fiber makes some people feel bloated or gassy

When you first increase fiber, your digestive system goes through a mini “bootcamp.” Your gut bacteria are being fed more than usual — and they’re partying hard (aka fermenting, which releases gas).
This shift can lead to:
  • Temporary bloating
  • Increased gas
  • Mild cramping
Especially if you’re also changing your eating patterns or reducing processed foods.

✅ 5 Simple Tips to Reduce Fiber Bloat

1. Start low and slow.
By going slow you allow your body time to adjust. 
2. Drink more water.
Fiber needs water to move through your system smoothly. Dehydration = stagnation = bloat.
3. Stay consistent.
The more regularly you take it, the faster your body adapts.
4. Pair with movement.
Even a short walk after meals can ease digestion and reduce pressure.
5. Give it time.
Most people notice bloating fades after 7–10 days. Stick with it.

🧠 Why this phase is actually a good sign

That gassy, bloated feeling? It means your gut is waking up.

You're:
  • Feeding beneficial bacteria
  • Clearing out old buildup
  • Resetting your blood sugar response
  • Laying the groundwork for improved digestion, immunity, and mood
It’s not just about gut health — it’s about metabolic health.

✨ The bottom line?

Temporary bloat is a small price for long-term benefits like…
  • Fewer cravings
  • Balanced blood sugar
  • A flatter belly over time
  • Improved energy and digestion
  • Long-term disease prevention
Your body is adjusting to a new normal — one that supports your health from the inside out.

💬 Want help figuring out your rhythm?

If you’re exploring intermittent fasting, fiber support, or just trying to feel better in your body — you’re not alone. This journey takes time, and every body responds a little differently.
You’re not doing it wrong. You’re doing something new — and your body is learning how to adjust.

Curious about adding a diverse, plant-based fiber supplement to your routine?

We’re happy to help you figure out what works best for your rhythm.

In wellness,
Rachel & Ed

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Meet Rachel

 
Hi, I’m Rachel — a nurse, author, Reiki Master, and holistic health educator.

I’m also a daughter, a mother,  a caregiver, and a woman who believes that healing is possible — at any age, and especially after 50.

After years working in hospice care, I saw what happens when chronic illness is treated with pills instead of root-cause solutions. That experience lit a fire in me — to advocate, educate, and empower women to take their health back naturally.

Today, I help women understand the real cause behind symptoms like fatigue, belly weight, brain fog, and cravings — and how they’re often signs of insulin resistance, not just aging.

Through science-backed protocols, mindset shifts, and deep energetic healing, I guide women back to the vibrant, purposeful life they were always meant to live.

You were never meant to “manage” your way through life.

You were meant to heal, rise, and live rooted in who you truly are.


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