Happy Belly Nutrition, LLC

{New Article} ❤️ To finish up heart month, I wrote a deep dive on why the low salt diet is likely not helping your heart or your health.

In this article I address:
🧂why low salt is not the answer
🥔what minerals we need more of to help reduce the risk of heart disease
🥑how to evaluate mineral wasters in your diet and lifestyle
🍅what foods to add to your diet to reduce the risk of heart disease
🚰what supplements may be helpful

To read the whole article head to Substack and check out The Belly Muse. Follow along if you value thorough, quality nutrition information! 💛

{New Article} What is more foundational to your health than nutrition and exercise? Light ✨Today’s article reviews how we live in misalignment with the natural light/dark cycle of the Earth. Not only is this misalignment leading to sleep disorders but also disease. If you have not evaluated your light exposure, then I highly recommend reading this article.

☀️ 🌙☀️🌙☀️🌙☀️🌙☀️🌙☀️🌙☀️🌙☀️🌙☀️

NEW {Creative Musing} ….WEEKLY RELEASE…..all about my favorite form of joyful movement to release stress and let go. Enjoy a poem and a curated playlist to help you experience creative movement in the comfort of your own home.

New *must read* article release! This often overlooked or disregarded foundational aspect to health and wellness is discussed in today’s article.

The freeze has captured my creative flow ❄️

New Recipe Post on Substack! {German Goulasch Recipe}

New article released on The Belly Muse ✨

9 months in vs 9 months out 😆

It’s insane how the body changes to carry your baby and to feed your baby. I am in awe every time. The complex process, the beautiful design, everything. It’s humans finest and hardest work.

Stay tuned for my postpartum update 🌻

Zinc plays an ESSENTIAL role in insulin production, storage, and release. Therefore, it is not surprising that zinc deficiencies (and insufficiencies) can lead to glucose intolerance and insulin resistance.

The best way to evaluate an individual's zinc status is via plasma zinc and/or a hair tissue mineral analysis, along with other signs and symptoms of insufficiency such as loss of appetite or smell, nail or hair changes, hormone imbalances and infertility. Furthermore, individuals that are at an increased risk of zinc deficiencies are those that are eating a low bioavailable zinc diet (vegan/vegetarian), have digestive issues, are on a PPI, are elderly, pregnant or postpartum, or are struggling with alcoholism. Mood disorders like depression/anxiety are also related to zinc imbalances.

Interestingly, I have also found a correlation between very low fasting insulin levels (

Are you planning on getting pregnant or already pregnant? Then come check out the Birth Fair this weekend at Zuanich Park in the Squalicum Boathouse.

Meet health care professionals and businesses that support women in Whatcom county on their perinatal journeys. Plus enter our raffle to win free services and other pregnancy related goodies!

See ya there! 🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

Should you drink coffee or tea? Well it depends. BUT for most people I know and many clients I have had, I would say, take a break! Your nervous system will thank you!

Imagine this....

You slowly stretch in bed as you wake up to no alarm feeling fully rested. A gentle breeze awakens your senses as you look out over beautiful blue waters and you look forward to a day of lounging on the beach, in the sun, with no worries to be had. You make your way down to the kitchen and a breakfast of eggs, tropical fruit, and coffee awaits you. You sit down, and enjoy your meal.

vs this....

Your alarm wakes you up at 4:45am. You groan and wish you had gone to bed earlier. You jump out of bed, make a pot of coffee, and start the morning routine to get to work on time. You are not looking forward to work, because a huge project is looming overhead and everyone is feeling stressed. You grab a bar to eat on the road.

If you are living a life more like scenario 2, although you might feel like you need a caffeine boost, you likely don't! Instead, opt for a caffeine free beverage because your nervous system is already taxed. If you are living a life more like scenario 1, then yeah, coffee might be just fine, especially if you drink it with your breakfast or after.

Of course most of us don't live a life like scenario 1 most days. So it's up to you to realize when is the right time to caffeinate or when you should maybe leave it and instead grab a peppermint tea, or my favorite, just hot water. When you start to listen to your body, and give it some TLC, you just might be surprised.

And although I know it can be hard to break a routine, I know you can do it too (yes you, you tired Mama)

With love,

Selva

At Happy Belly Nutrition we pride ourselves in being Bellingham's go to nutrition clinic for gut health! We go above and beyond the simple recommendations for generic probiotics and prebiotics. We assess your unique gut health with PCR comprehensive stool analysis testing along with a in depth review of your full health history, big life events, blood work, etc. Since the gut is the foundation of health, an unhealthy gut can lead to far reaching symptoms that are not just GI related. For example, skin issues such as acne, eczema, rashes, etc are rooted in gut health imbalances as well.

So if you want gut detectives on your health team, please apply online for a discovery call. We want to help you feel your best self!

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I am sure you have guessed why I have been quiet on here lately....

We welcomed our little golden girl Aspen last Thursday on a brilliant fall day. After an amazing birth experience, we have been living in newborn baby bliss this last week as we soak up all of her beauty. I am beyond thankful for everything that life has given me. Luckily, I am ready to leave my cozy cocoon just in time to share delicious food with friends and family tomorrow.

Although I haven't shared Thanksgiving recipes or meal inspiration with you all, I am sure you have found delicious recipes elsewhere. And if you are still looking, you could make my cranberry relish, because it is unique and super delish. Anyways, I promise I will return with more recipe inspo and nutrition content here soon. For now, I just want to be present with my family in every single way.

I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving and start to the holiday season!

💛💛💛 Selva

I love getting at the root cause of my client's digestive symptoms because then together we can make a BIG difference. I use functional stool testing (like the GI MAP or the Gut Zoomer) in all my Signature clients to help discover why they are having X,Y,and Z digestive symptoms. For example, bloating can happen for a wide variety of different reasons (low stomach acid, chronic constipation, poor bile output, low digestive enzyme output, chronic stress, SIBO, etc). By investing in testing we increase the efficacy and efficiency of functional nutrition therapy, and address why YOU are having bloating. It helps highlight what your areas of digestive weakness are, what bugs are overgrown (or missing), and how well your gut immune system is functioning. There is so much I can glean from these tests to help unravel and then rebuild the gut health of my clients….and not to mention save them a lot of time (and money) trying to figure it out on their own.
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It is always my pleasure to guide my clients towards a better place in their body and in their health.

If you are ready to invest in yourself, please apply on our website 💛

I am currently not accepting new clients but Victoria Witrak is.

Got irritating gut symptoms?

Then join me (Selva Wohlgemuth), a registered dietitian and certified gastrointestinal nutritionist, to learn how to use gentle herbal remedies to help soothe your tummy woes. Using a north to south approach to gut health I will guide you through the digestive tract highlighting the benefits of certain herbs and spices for specific gut symptoms.

This class is going to be full of great information and take home recipes. Plus, sample some of my favorite herbs including pomegranate husk powder, codonopsis root, and a carminative tea blend.

Space is limited to 15 students.
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Excited to see you there!!! 🤓
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Spaghetti bolognese is the ultimate comfort food for me. It is uncomplicated and delicious. However, if you struggle with digestive issues and can't tolerate garlic and onion (hello fructans), well then, spaghetti quickly becomes a "no go". But wait....what if you don't have to give it up? Well, then you can have the best of both worlds, no bloat and a bowl full of delicious spaghetti.

This LOW FODMAP SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE is just that. Plus, NO complicated ingredients or online purchases necessary. My favorite pasta is hands down Jovial spaghetti, the texture and the taste is perfection! My other highly recommended staple is Organico Bello Imported Italian Passata (strained tomatoes). The sauce is smooth and creamy and only contains tomatoes and salt. It's also an excellent source of potassium which I find many of my patients are NOT getting enough of. If you want to use garlic infused olive oil you can, but honestly I NEVER use it. Choosing a quality extra virgin olive oil with robust flavor really makes this dish shine, especially if you toss your noodles in it as well. Plus, you get all those healthy polyphenols to boost! I usually add a splash of red wine to my bolognese sauce, but you don't have to. Just add a little bit of balsamic vinegar instead (don't use the super sweet concentrated kind).

If you can tolerate garlic and onions, feel free to add them to this recipe along with the dried herbs (1-2 minced garlic cloves and 1/2 diced yellow onion should be just fine.)
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I missed this. SO. MUCH.

Homemade bone broth (made with local grass-fed bones from herbs, and kombu) with a ton of mushrooms (shiitake and oyster), and some diced kale and tomato. Served with toasted GF sourdough bread.

I am so ready for Fall foods and Fall weather!! Anyone else with me?

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Watermelon Electrolyte Popsicles 🍉☀️🍉☀️🍉

Just in time for the PNW heatwave! You are going to want to have this treat in your freezer over the next week to keep you cool, hydrated, and refreshed.

And this is NOT your typical watermelon popsicle because……

it has added sea salt (I like to use Redmond’s sea salt) and collagen peptides!!!

The added salt is necessary when the heat is soaring and our bodies attempt to keep cool by sweating. When we sweat, we lose electrolytes mostly sodium, chloride, and potassium. In smaller amounts you lose magnesium, calcium, and iodine. Sea salt provides sodium chloride and luckily watermelon (and all melons) are an excellent source of potassium. And please note that children need salt (sodium chloride) too!!!

Although optional, the collagen adds a little protein punch to help keep blood sugars more stable, which is always something I keep in mind, especially when enjoying this treat away from a protein rich meal.

So stay cool my friends and make some Watermelon Electrolyte Popsicles 😃☀️💦
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BEET BERRY MUFFINS {new recipe}

These gluten free, dairy free optional, muffins are inspired by my son’s favorite TV show called Tumble Leaf. With a few adaptations to my banana chocolate chip muffins, I quickly had my own healthy version of this treat. Now every morning when Toren watches Tumble Leaf, he eats a beet berry muffin topped with butter. It’s a great opportunity to add some gut friendly polyphenol rich foods to his diet 😃

If you don’t want to steam your own beets, pick up some pre-steamed beets from TJs. Although typical blueberries work great for this recipe, smaller wild blueberries disperse more easily and don’t add as much moisture. So depending on your preference, or what you have at home, you can go either way.

Boost your phytonutrient intake and share your beet berry muffin creations with me! 😊

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Unfortunately, many women of childbearing age are deficient in critical nutrients that support conception, pregnancy, and postpartum.

This especially rings true to anyone who has been on a restricted diet, cut calories for weight loss, or struggles with gut health. Medications such as the birth control pill can also impact nutrient status drastically. Therefore the factors to your current nutrient status are endless!

With pregnancy and postpartum periods being the most nutrient demanding times of a woman’s life, supplementation can be very helpful, especially in the above scenarios. However, not all prenatals are created equal!!

Gummies and once daily prenatals often lack critical nutrients because the delivery format doesn't allow many nutrients to be in a single serving. Keeping this in mind the prenatals I like best usually have a daily serving of 8 CAPS PER DAY to provide the mama and baby with valuable amounts of critical nutrients.

However, with that being said, I am a big proponent of checking nutrient status prior to conception or early on in pregnancy, in the late 2nd trimester, and then again postpartum to best guide my recommendations based on what the client truly needs. Generalized recommendations can do more harm than good. This is especially the concern with iron, which often gets over prescribed or recommended during the perinatal period.

The 4 prenatals I recommend most often include:
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👉 .health Prenatal (capsules or chocolate protein powder)
👉 Organ Complex or another grass-fed liver alternative (although this is not technically a “prenatal”)

Based on the client’s labs and health history I select a prenatal, or perhaps a combination of supplements to meet the client’s unique nutrient needs during their pregnancy and postpartum periods.

If you are looking for guidance on your pregnancy and postpartum journey, please schedule a discovery call today, for unique-to-you expert nutrition guidance and support!

GF toddler friendly, low sugar, fiber packed muffins for a hearty snack on the go! They also happen to be if you use peanut butter and a non-dairy or lactose free milk.

We are going camping and I am making some easy snacks for the road including these yummy muffins!

✨These muffins are only lightly sweetened. Depending on your taste you can add an extra tablespoon or two of sugar if desired.

CHOCOLATE CHIP BLENDER MUFFINS
Makes 8

INGREDIENTS
2 medium bananas
1 egg
1/4 cup milk (of your choice)
1 cup organic GF rolled oats
1/4 cup ground flaxseeds
3 tablespoons salted nut/seed butter
2 tablespoons organic sugar
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and oil/butter 8 spots of a regular muffin tin. Add all the ingredients, except the chips, to a blender and blend until smooth. Then pulse in the chocolate chips.

Using a spatula evenly divide the mixture into the 8 muffin spots. Bake for 30 minutes.

Using a knife gently cut along the sides of the muffins to loosen them away from the tin. Remove and allow to cool. Once cooled store in an airtight container in refrigerator or cool spot in the house. Can easily be warmed up in the microwave.
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Exciting NEWS!!!! 🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼

Happy Belly Nutrition is GROWING!!

Please welcome the first addition to the HBN team, Victoria Witrak 🎉

With a MS in Nutrition from the leading integrative and functional nutrition program at Bastyr University, Victoria will help you peel back the layers that have left you feeling stuck. Regardless of where you are on your health and wellness journey, Victoria is ready to help you rediscover the innate wisdom you already hold within you, so that you can move through life creating a rippling effect from a place of nourishment and resilience.

If you are looking for individualized, UNIQUE TO YOU, nutrition therapy that utilizes functional nutrition testing, then Happy Belly Nutrition is here for you! Victoria is taking new clients and is ready to help.

Are you interested in addressing your health concerns with functional nutrition therapy? Then head to our website, apply, and we will reach out to schedule a discovery call.

I have been gluten free for many years…actually almost a decade.

And very time in the past I would try to reintroduce gluten, coincidentally I would have some sort of symptoms, usually skin or brain fog related.

Over the years I have done A LOT of work on my own gut, and thought I would try challenging gluten again. This time with a Rufous sourdough country loaf which I couldn’t resist at the Bellingham Farmer’s Market on Saturday. As a German, crusty hearty sourdough bread is pretty much in my genes 😆

Today marks day #5 where I have had a slice of bread with butter along with my soft-boiled egg, and so far so good!

So now what?? I will take a break from the bread (and all gluten) again for a month and then challenge the same bread again at another time. Just to make sure. If that goes well a second time, then I will enjoy high quality sourdough bread occasionally when the mood strikes 😃

If you heal the gut, often food sensitivities improve or are gone completely! However, they are still a vulnerable area for you, and under times of stress, illness, or poor nutrition and lifestyle habits, can reoccur. So please don’t go hog wild after a dietary challenge if that food protein was a trigger for many years. Slow is good 😃

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As a pregnant gut health dietitian, these are my favorite ways to relieve & prevent constipation for a more symptom free pregnancy.

🎉 Congrats! You are pregnant! But with that now comes all the fun digestive symptoms you may have been anticipating such as bloating, constipation, & heartburn. We mostly have the progesterone surge to thank for that. The natural progesterone surge that happens during pregnancy delays stomach emptying, slows GI motility, & relaxes GI muscles. This contributes to constipation & indigestion. Plus later in pregnancy the growth of the baby can impede movement of food through the digestive tract. So today I will touch on my favorite ways to keep constipation at bay (including 4 recipes) & help negate some of the not so fun hormonal effects of progesterone.

💦Drink More Water! Aim for 100oz (12cups) of fluids per day, with 8 cups of that coming directly from water. The rest can come from other beverages, water rich 🍉, & soups.

🍈Boost Potassium & Sodium: We need both of these minerals to help support muscle contractions along with GI tract & to make stomach acid. Don't shy away from salt & increase potassium rich foods in your diet.

💩Magical Magnesium: Magnesium Citrate provides gentle constipation relief by supporting muscle contractions throughout the GI tract and drawing a little water into the colon to support easy elimination.

🥗Increase Fiber: Most of us are not getting enough fiber. However, if you are already backed up, start with the above recommendations first, to clear the back up. Then gradually increase fiber intake via whole foods.

🚶‍♀️Daily Movement: Just like dogs, we need daily movement to support elimination. Walking after meals can help move food through the digestive tract.

Check out the full IG post for more detailed info & tips, including 4️⃣ RECIPES, to help you stay on top of your constipation & enjoy a more symptom free pregnancy!

Share your tried and true tips below 👇

Unfortunately, most women are not eating enough iodine in the US. This could be for a variety of reasons:

👉Don't eat seaweed
👉Avoid/limit seafood & dairy
👉Eat more processed foods
👉Switched from iodized salt to unrefined salt (good thing IMO)
👉Undereating in general.

This is of concern because 70-80% of our iodine is stored in the thyroid and used to make thyroid hormones! It requires 4 iodine molecules to make T4 (inactive) and 3 iodine molecules to make T3 (active). Inadequate iodine intake can therefore be a contributor to hypothyroidism.

My favorite ways to make sure I am getting enough seaweed is via the following foods:

💦Pacific Kombu: I love to add one sheet to soups, broths, and beans while cooking. But beware! This seaweed is VERY high in iodine, so monitor how much you are using of this on a regular basis.

💦Kelp Snacks: These baked snacks are a great alternative to corn chips and provide a good serving of iodine.

💦Dulse Granules: If you don't like the strong flavor of kelp then try dulse. I like to sprinkle it on lots of things.

💦Pacific Wakame: This can easily be reconstituted and added into hearty grain based salads.

💦Nori Sheets: Nori is used for sushi and is pretty mild in flavor. It contains the least amount of iodine of all the seaweed types.

💦Seaweed Snacks: Made from nori sheets and roasted in olive oil with salt, these can be a great option for kiddos and adults alike. Plus they are easy to pack around.

💦Seafood: Fish & shellfish are also good sources of iodine as well as selenium which is also a critical mineral when it comes to thyroid health, acting as a cofactor to make active T3 from inactive T4. Therefore, eating seafood can help provide a balance of both iodine and selenium.

💦Dairy: Dairy can be a good source of iodine if the dairy cattle are getting adequate iodine in their diet or if iodine washes are used to sterilize the utters prior to milking the cows.

If you…
Struggle getting in any of the above foods
Sweat a lot (iodine is lost in sweat)
Are pregnant
Are breastfeeding

…then you need to focus on getting enough iodine in your diet. Check your multivitamin to see how much it provides and then make up for the rest via diet.

Salmon cakes for the win! {New Recipe}

Want an easy breakfast, lunch, or dinner protein?? And are you struggling to eat wild caught fatty fish 2-3x per week for all those amazing omega-3’s?? Then this recipe will be a hit for sure! Plus, to all my IBS folk out there, this recipe is naturally and has been loved by many of my gut clients.

You can easily double this recipe if you want to have extras on hand over the week or to freeze for later. I often reheat mine for a breakfast side or for a quick salmon sandwich at lunch.

Selva’s Salmon Cakes
Makes 4-5 cakes

INGREDIENTS
~12-14oz of salmon with the skin
1 egg
1 tablespoon mayo
1 tablespoon capers
1/4 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
1 slice sandwich bread (I used Little Northern Bakehouse Wide Slice to keep it GF)
2 tablespoons tapioca flour
Generous pinch sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
Sprinkle garlic powder (optional)
EVOO
Butter

DIRECTIONS
Cut the salmon meat off the skin as best as possible and dice up into chunks. You should have about 8-10oz of diced meat remaining. Sauté the salmon skin if desired until crispy for a nice snack.

Meanwhile, mix together the egg, mayo, capers, dill, salt, and pepper. You can add a little extra mayo and capers to your liking. Mix and mash together with a fork. Then crumble up a piece of toast bread and mix with a fork until we’ll combined. Let it sit for 10 minutes to allow the bread to soak up excess water and liquids and bind the mixture.

Then divide the mixture into 4-5 even amounts and form into little cakes. Mix together the tapioca flour with salt, pepper, and spices of choice. Sprinkle the mixture over the cakes until coated on both sides. This step is optional but does give the cakes a little crispy edge.

Pan fry in olive oil and butter (or any oil/fat of your choice) on each side for 3-4 minutes until cooked through.

Serve with a slice of 🍋 and dip if desired. Pictured I drizzled a garlic yogurt sauce over top.

Let me know if you give this recipe a whirl!

Yep, LIVER for breakfast 💪

I always try to rotate between my staple breakfast choices. The more variety, the more variety in nutrients, the less likely there will be a deficiency.

The breakfast above is VERY nutrient dense. With 2-3oz of liver I am getting a BIG dose of nature’s multivitamin. The papaya is rich in vitamin C and digestive enzymes that support digestion, the blueberries provide an excellent source of phytonutrients. While the avocado toast is my fiber rich vitamin E boost.

I made the same thing for my toddler and all he ate was the LIVER. Yep, he intuitively knows what’s up 😃

Do you eat liver for breakfast? Let me know below 👇