Root + Ritual Functional Medicine

04/07/2026

Your body is detoxing right now. Not just sometimes. Not just on a cleanse. Every second of every day.

But most people have been taught to think detox is something you start.

It’s not.

Your body is constantly clearing out:
• Used hormones (like estrogen)  
• Old cells (like your gut lining)  
• Toxins from food, water, and your environment  

You already have built-in detox systems: your liver, gut, kidneys, lymphatic system.

Detox isn’t something you do.  
It’s something your body is already doing.

Your job? Support it.

That looks like:
• Eating real, whole foods  
• Staying hydrated  
• Moving your body  
• Getting enough sleep  
• Getting daily sunlight  
• Spending time outside / in nature  
• Supporting digestion  

Most people don’t need more detox products. They need better support for the systems they already have.

Keep it simple.  
Keep it consistent. 

This is slow medicine. 

(And there’s an even deeper layer most people miss…).

09/08/2023

We’re soaking up the last days of summer exploring a new beach town, Cape Charles. It’s on the eastern shore of Virginia and so far, it’s darling.

We love doing quick family trips and our rental is this amazing 1910 renovated home. 💕

07/27/2023

Attention! 🚨🚨 If you’re a medical provider and feel burnt out, then check out Lara Salyer’s 5 day symposium coming up on August 14th. She’ll give you the science AND the actions on how to leverage flow and creativity to combat burnout.

She’s my personal functional medicine mentor and also happens to be wildly funny, super smart, and down to earth.

Here’s the link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/catalyst-symposiumtm-for-medical-professionals-reimagining-their-worklife-registration-660514736357

It’s normally $69 but use the code EARLY for $10 off the early bird registration that ends August 4.

5-day anti-burnout boot camp for healthcare practitioners who want to reignite their creativity and rekindle their passion for medicine.

07/21/2023

Anxiety. It’s real. And it’s not always readily apparent why you may be experiencing it.

💡 There’s a huge mindset shift when you go from running *away* from a symptom and instead run *toward* a ritual. Especially an anchoring ritual.

Exercise relives anxiety. Period. It also decreases inflammation, improves digestion and motility, balances circadian rhythms (when timed properly and outside), positively impacts the gut microbiome, and decreases blood glucose. To name a few!

Movement can help complement other anxiety relieving tools in your toolbox. I like to “meditate” on an affirmation while walking or running.

My mantra for today: I am not my thoughts. I can only control my actions and myself.

What’s your favorite way to shift your energy?? My top faves are connecting with my kids and husband (no screens), spending time outside barefoot, and going for a walk (or in this case a walk-run)! Comment below 👇

07/11/2023

Question: how long do you typically spend with your practitioner during each visit? 🤔

Did you know that on average functional medicine has 2-4 times longer practitioner-patient consultations?!

Most providers in the US spend on average from 12 to 17 minutes ☝ on one consultation. In a public system, time is often constrained by having many patients waiting and in private practice, it’s simply ‘more patients = more profit.’

How much can you *really* cover in this limited time?

What if instead, you could spend 30 to 60 minutes ONE-ON-ONE with your doctor?

Functional medicine practitioners 👩‍⚕ tend to have longer consultation times to hear YOUR story, properly investigate it, and try to get to the root cause of your illness, rather than concentrating on its manifestation (aka symptoms).

👉Are you ready for your story to be heard? Head over to our website to book a call and get started!

06/18/2023

Happy Father’s Day to the front row of the coaster rider, the teacher, the costume maker, the gardener, the handyman, the jokester, the cuddle bear, and the best all around Dad! We love you, Paul! 💕

05/23/2023

A year ago, this fiddle leaf fig had 4.5 leaves and was on its way out. The fiddle caught a second wind after my kitchen unexpectedly flooded and it was moved to a new location. 🪴

Humans are just like my fiddle. Sometimes, you just need a new environment so you can flourish.

Think about this… what in your environment is possibly contributing to your symptoms? What do you need to avoid? What do you need to add? What do you need to emphasize?

With functional medicine, we identify what environmental factors are perpetuating dis-ease in your body and help you figure out actionable ways to modify your environment.

05/11/2023

Happy 4th birthday, sweet Ellie Grace!

I remember clearly the day you were born. It was such a beautiful day. You are my rainbow baby, and life is so much better with you in it. You have this zest for life that’s infectious.

I marvel at your deep appreciation for nature. You are the lover of dirt, rocks, and weeds. You usually wake up grumpy but spend of the rest of the day happy silly. You’re the single best Candyland player of all time. Your love for vegetables is impressive. I think it’s adorable how much you love wearing dresses. You’re adventurous, wicked smart, hilarious, and spicy. I love watching you grow into a woman.

We can learn so much from you, wild child. 🌙 “Hey, Mommy, even kids can be teachers.” “Yes, they can my baby, yes, they can.”

05/04/2023

I’m finishing up a long day of seeing patients and I’m reminded over and over again of how nutrition is so nuanced.

Fiber can relieve one person’s constipation while it can cause another person’s bloating.

I don’t believe there’s one single best diet for anyone. It’s not keto, Paleo, vegetarian, vegan, or any of the other diets. We are all so different with our genetics, microbiome, environment, needs, etc.

But the major point I’m trying to make here is focus on diversity of as many real foods as possible. Repeat after me: Elimination diets are not addressing the root cause if you have to remain on it long-term. That’s a band aid solution.

Sometimes they’re very necessary as part of the treatment plan. Don’t get me wrong. But if you’re getting at the root cause then you should be able to reintroduce more foods and variety.

That’s all for today! 🤗

04/22/2023

On Earth Day, the kids spent their lemonade stand money at our neighbor’s yard sale and bought “new” toys: a puzzle, frisbee, ball, 4 little trucks, and some coloring books. ♻️

I like to encourage easy ways for my kids to be kind to our planet:
🌎 Donate toys, repurpose toys, purchase fewer toys to begin with
🌎 Eat leftovers
🌎 Plant a garden and grow some food
🌎 Use metal or glass reusable water bottles and a water filter
🌎 Use reusable food storage containers
🌎 Use towels for messes and cloth napkins for dining (we used to exclusively use cloth napkins for dining and we stopped after we had Poppy… we’ve been talking about making the switch again!)

Happy Earth Day! 🌎