Heather Tesch Functional Medicine Consulting

As the New Year approaches, I find myself pondering the age-old tradition of resolutions. Why do we kickstart a new chapter by loading ourselves with vows of massive transformation? Who wrote this script of perpetual & relentless self-improvement?

Don't get me wrong, I've been an advocate for bettering myself for eons and my belief in the importance of growing and evolving is one reason why I became a coach.

But lately, I've had an epiphany. My own pursuit of improvement didn't spring from self-love; it stemmed from a longing to be someone else entirely. Because I didn’t accept myself for who I was. And I'm not alone in this journey.

Especially, in today's externally driven world, the race for perfection dominates. However, behind curated content lies a craving for authenticity, vulnerability, truth, and acceptance.

For most, resolutions and vows to make massive transformation doesn't work. So, why not approach the New Year differently?

Read my blog for the new narrative I am proposing! Perhaps it might bring some peace and ease to your 2024.

https://www.heather-tesch.com/wisdom/2023/12/28/a-new-new-years-narrative

For most of my life I struggled with:
💩 Constipation
🌵 Eczema
🌼 Seasonal allergies
😥 Muscle/joint pain
😴 Sleep issues
😤 Horrible PMS
🥱 Chronic fatigue
🤧 Sinus issues

After a series of life events in my late 20's and early 30's, my health took a turn for the worst.

I got so sick, myself and my family were concerned for my life.

Today, the majority of the symptoms I've experienced most of my life are gone. This healing didn't happen from pharmaceuticals, rather it happened from digging deep and doing the work.

Diet change, nervous system work, trauma healing, mindset work, spiritual growth, energetic healing and more.

The journey hasn't been easy. It's been filled with lots of ups and downs (physically, mentally and emotionally).

And while it's been challenging, it has also been the greatest gift for myself and now the greatest gift to those I serve. I feel blessed. 😇

I recently was interviewed on Kristina Owens podcast, The Power of Our Body! Tune in to this 15 minute interview to hear a snapshot of my story, what I believe is the #1 thing you can do to be healthy, and leave inspired by what's possible.

You don't have to be stuck surviving in your symptoms. It's time for you to THRIVE!

https://tinyurl.com/28xxnfyp

Did you know that our nervous system is responsible for controlling and coordinating all the activities in our body? When it becomes dysregulated, it can lead to a range of symptoms that can affect our daily lives. 🤯

Here are some signs that may indicate nervous system dysregulation:

🔸 Headaches or migraines that just won't quit
🔸 Feeling dizzy or lightheaded for no apparent reason
🔸 Muscle pain and tension
🔸 Cognitive challenges like memory loss or trouble focusing
🔸 Increased sensitivity to light, sound, or touch
🔸 Sleep disturbances or abnormal sleep patterns
🔸 Mood swings, irritability, or emotional changes
🔸 High blood pressure
🔸 Digestive issues

A dysregulated/imbalanced nervous system can cause chronic dis-ease all by itself.

Drop a 😵‍💫 if this resonates with you.

🌟 Stress: It's More Than Just Emotional 🌟

Did you know that stress isn't limited to emotional and mental strain?

Stress is the body's natural reaction to perceiving a threat to our survival.

Our thoughts and perceptions of life situations can create a stress response in the body (aka fight/flight/freeze).

We very much have control over how we perceive our life and the thoughts we think.

However, the body can also have a stress response to physiological stressors.

Most of these physiological stressors we also have control over, though, there are some that are bit more difficult.

AND many of these you wouldn't think would cause stress on the body.

Check out my recent blog to learn more so you can be empowered to support your body appropriately. https://www.heather-tesch.com/wisdom/2023/6/13/stress-isnt-just-in-your-head

Take a look at the improvements Melissa had after the 10 day detox:

✅ More energy and better mood
✅ Improved emotional wellbeing
✅ Lost 4.5lbs, 1 inch around her waist
✅ She no longer had pasta or sugar cravings
✅ She learned easier ways to make meal prep easier
✅ Created new healthy eating habits
✅ Deeper respect for her body
✅ Greater awareness of how food impacts her body

Here's the thing...

You eat food because you’re hungry and you want to live. However, most of the “food” people are eating, isn’t actually food.

It’s packaged junk that are high in calories and low in nutrients… leaving people overfed and malnourished.

ANNNDDD, these “foods” contain additives that not only don’t provide nutrients, but also can create harmful effects – and that’s perfectly legal.

More than 10,000 additives are allowed for use in food sold in the U.S. These chemicals are added to products for a variety of reasons, including to add color or shine, to stabilize artificial flavors and to extend shelf life.

Many food chemicals have not been thoroughly reviewed for safety or have not been re-reviewed for decades with the newest science in mind. Scientists have recently expressed concern about the potential health harms associated with some of these additives.

🚫 BHT: linked to cancer
🚫 Artificial colors like Yellow 6, Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1: contain carcinogens, cause allergies
🚫 Pesticides/Fungicides: Carcinogenic, endocrine disruptors, and more
🚫 And way more!

We are organic, natural beings that are meant to live in harmony with nature - not be consuming man made chemicals.

This is why it’s important to:
👍Try to reduce your toxic burden as much as possible and
👍 Support your detox pathways regularly
👍 Participate in medicinal detoxes at least once a year.

I’m holding my Bloom & Thrive 10 day detox in June and would love to support you in feeling massively better!

Registration closes today! Click this link to learn more and register! https://www.heather-tesch.com/events/2023/4/23/bloomandthrivedetox

In the United States, we encounter over 80,000 different chemicals,

and

4 billion pounds of chemical pollutants from plastics, pesticides, solvents, heavy metals, etc. enter into our environment and eventually, into our bodies.

Scientists now estimate that everyone of us carries at least 700 contaminants within our bodies! 😱

The science behind the major impact of toxins on our health is solid at this point; what is lacking is simply our awareness and daily action to avoid toxins and support the body in clearing them.

We can't completely avoid toxins, but we can:
🌟 Reduce our exposure,
🌟 Live a lifestyle that supports detoxification
🌟 Engage in regular cleanses

Check out my recent blog post to learn if your body is over burdened with toxins and if a detox is right for you: https://www.heather-tesch.com/wisdom/youliveinatoxicsoup

If you're ready to start your summer feeling fantabulous, join me for my upcoming Bloom & Thrive detox! Register here: https://www.heather-tesch.com/events/2023/4/23/bloomandthrivedetox

I want to celebrate life with you by offering my 2nd group medicinal detox program!

The first one went over with great success, so I want to offer another! 😍

This is MUCH different than a juice cleanse or a fad diet.

A metabolic, medicinal detox is designed specifically to support your detoxification pathways while keeping you satiated and nourished. It’s much safer than juice cleanses or fad diets.

How do you know if you need to detox?

You are exposed to numerous toxins that can affect the way you feel. Every year more than 4 billion pounds of pollutants from plastics, pesticides, heavy metals, medications, and other sources are released into our environment. They are in your water, food, soil, dust, air, medications, and many other everyday products in your home and workplace. Over time, buildup of toxins affects your vitality and can lead to many health issues.

Do you struggle with:
✅ Fatigue - aka needing Coffee to get going!
✅ Constipation (less than 1 p**p per day)
✅ Food sensitivities or allergies
✅ Environmental allergies
✅ Bloating, Gas
✅ Muscle aches
✅ Joint pain
✅ Dark circles under your eyes
✅ Brain fog
✅ And more

If this sounds like you, then a detox would be beneficial for you!

AND you could have similar results as Suzanne - in just 10 days!

I'd love to support you for these couple of weeks. Check out the detox details here: https://www.heather-tesch.com/events/2023/4/23/bloomandthrivedetox

Registration ends Friday, May 26th.

REAL TALK: your fatigue and digestive issues may be “common.” But they aren’t “normal.”

Don’t let your doctor (or anyone else for that matter) dismiss your symptoms or give you a vague catch-all diagnosis.

You deserve to feel incredible.

And you also deserve to know what’s going on with your body.

One significant reason many individuals are experiencing fatigue, bloating, abdominal pain, distension, constipation, diarrhea is due to an overflowing bucket of toxicity.

Here are a few ways to know your body is overburden with toxins.... (again: none of these are “normal” things that you have to deal with for the rest of your life. they’re all figureoutable) >>>

✅ bloating after every meal
✅ constipation (we’re looking for 1-3 BMs per day)
✅ frequent diarrhea
✅ stomach pain
✅ loads of food sensitivities
✅ hormone issues
✅ autoimmune conditions
✅ acne or other skin issues
✅low energy
✅weight loss resistance
✅ insulin resistance

Once more: These symptoms aren’t “normal.”

You weren’t born with them, and you don’t have to live with them forever.

I’ve helped dozens of people get rid of bloating, heal their gut pain, increase their energy and improve their mental clarity.

If you’re ready for that, check out my Bloom and Thrive 10 day detox- my signature bi-annual cleanse. https://www.heather-tesch.com/events/2023/4/23/bloomandthrivedetox

A buildup of toxins may be making you feel run-down, sluggish, and dull.

Every year more than 4 billion pounds of pollutants from plastics, pesticides, heavy metals, medications, and other sources are released into our environment.

They are in our water, food, soil, dust, air, medications, and many other everyday products in our home and workplace.

We are literally surrounded by them everywhere.

We add to our toxic load every day, however it isn't until our "bucket" is filled to the point of overflowing that we begin to experience numerous symptoms throughout the body.

If you have the following symptoms, then you might need a proper detox:
✅Chronic fatigue
✅Allergies
✅Brain fog Poor memory
✅Skin issues
✅Mood imbalances
✅Chronic pain
✅Dark circles under your eyes/puffy eyes
✅Hormone imbalances
✅Headaches
✅Gut issues
✅Stubborn weight

Reducing your exposure is the first step, however you also need to support your body in excreting the toxins already affecting you.

Let me know in the comments if you want to know how to support your body's detox capabilities. 👇

And this is why I do medicinal detoxes 2 times per year.... in addition to avoiding toxin exposure as much as I can.

But let's face it. Toxins are everywhere so it's nearly impossible to be completely toxin free.

Hence, why we do our best to reduce our exposure where we can AND support our body's detoxification pathways regularly.

Yes, our body's have natural detox pathways that help excrete toxins, HOWEVER most people's exposure to toxins is way more than their body can handle AND their detox pathways are sluggish.

Here's the full NY Times article: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/03/well/live/consumer-products-toxic-chemicals.html

I'm hosting my bi-annual Bloom and Thrive Detox in June. Join me if you want to start your summer fresh - feeling and looking amazing! It's 10 days of loving support for your body! https://www.heather-tesch.com/events/2023/4/23/bloomandthrivedetox

Happiness is an inside job. Period.

It’s not something that’s readily made. It’s created by our daily thoughts and actions.

It’s not created by NOT having problems. Problems are actually opportunities to grow.

Without problems we wouldn’t know what happiness feels like.

It’s kind of like we can’t have light without darkness.

Problems in life, shine on what needs to be healed in ourselves.

They reveal what actions and thoughts we can engage in regularly to make us more resilient and happy throughout life’s ups and downs.

It’s also about the meaning we give to those problems.

A stormy day could be an awful day or one you look forward to - it depends on the meaning you give it.

Same with problems. What meaning do you give the problem?

When we shift our mindset and engage in regular rituals that create happiness, you’ll find yourself much more resilient to life… and much happier!

When your phone📞 stops working, you shut it off for a few moments and then turn it back on. It somehow magically starts working again. 🪄

When your computer 🖥️ starts freaking out, shutting it down for awhile and turn it back on. Boom 💥... it works again.

Just like your electronics need to unplug, so do you!

As Jason Mraz says "there's no need to take a vacation when there's nothing to escape from."

Meaning allow yourself to unplug and rest regularly instead of waiting until you're so burnt out you can't function.

You don't have to wait until a vacation to unplug. And quite frankly, you shouldn't wait.

Instead of being reactive, let's be PROactive so you can remain ACTIVE.

Living isn't about doing, pushing, and forcing more. Living is in the moments where we're BEing, relaxing, laughing, loving, creating, and unplugging. 🧘‍♂️

Unplugging IS productive.

It's when your body heals. It's when creativity blooms. It allows focus to become supercharged.

And it allows your body to do all the things you want it to do - have healthy weight, beautiful skin, great digestion, and simply glow from the inside out.

Are you unplugging at least once per week? Let me know! 👇

Most of our every day household products contain endocrine disruptors (hormone disruptors) and even carcinogens. One of my favorite hand soaps is Puracy as it contains mostly clean, healthy ingredients that I can feel good about.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to researching the health of everyday products. Upon researching EWG's rating of Puracy liquid hand soap, I learned that EWG ranks it as a 2, which is pretty darn good. However, I try to aim for a 1 - the "best" ranking.

There are 2 ingredients within this product that lower it's standing. One is BENZISOTHIAZOLINONE, which is a chemical known for immunotoxicity and the other us DECYL GLUCOSIDE known for immunotoxicity and developmental/reproductive toxicity. You can see the full EWG rating/review of Puracy Liquid Hand Soap here: https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/products/919662-Puracy_Natural_Liquid_Hand_Soap_Cucumber__Mint/

Will I remove this product from my repertoire? I will, though, I'm not going to stress about it since it's still a pretty clean product and much better than a lot of the standards in conventional stores.

If you're looking to clean up your household items, I highly recommend EWG as a resource for verifying the health of any of your beauty, hygiene and/or home cleaning products.

Your greatness exists on the other side of your current comfort zone.

If you stop now, what could you be missing?

What could be?

It sounds counterintuitive, but letting audacious goals go and concentrating on daily actions is the best approach. Whenever my clients focus too much on results (e.g. numbers on scales, eliminating pain, eliminating insomnia ) they feel afraid of leaving their comfort zones.

If they do daily tasks (meditate, eat more veggies, x minutes of walking, etc.), they don't notice that they are far in a growth zone.

Have your end goal in mind and then surrender it to the Universe while focusing on little steps - one at a time.

Common symptoms such as fatigue, bloating, constipation/diarrhea, mood imbalances, sinus issues, insomnia and more are NOT normal.

However our society has marketed them as the body just being stupid and not knowing how to work right - so take a pill for it. As if the body is meant to be reliant on medications.

This is FAR from the truth.

The body is designed and intended to function optimally, but our modern lifestyle has gotten us away from our intended design.

We are organic, living beings - same as the animal world, that are meant to thrive off of nature.

Having symptoms isn't a deficient of medications, it's an abundance of dis-ease promoting choices and a lack of health promoting lifestyles.

The more we get back to living with nature, the more balanced our bodies will become. And the more vibrant we'll feel!

There has been one mineral that continues to be demonized by mainstream media and allopathic medicine in the hopes to protect heart health. However, it is actually one the most healing minerals on this planet.

Can you guess what it is?! And are you getting enough of it? Or maybe too much?

Everything, even nutrients are about balance to allow the body to work in harmony across systems. Everything is connected and you'll get a glimpse of that concept in this blog.

In today's musings, I briefly discuss the physical, emotional, and spiritual healing benefits of this miraculous mineral that so many people are being told to cut out of their lives. I'm here to tell you not to cut it out completely, rather focus on the quality.

https://www.heather-tesch.com/wisdom/2023/2/20/the-1-mineral-that-heals-mind-body-amp-spirit

The Healing Properties of Salt — Heather Tesch This one mineral that has been demonized by the mainstream media and conventional medicine in the hopes to protect heart health, is actually one the most healing minerals on this planet. In this blog, I briefly discuss the physical, emotional, and spiritual healing benefits of this miraculous minera

Sodium and Potassium are 2 minerals that work together in a delicate symphony.

Most American's consume way too much sodium via processed foods (chips, breads 🍞, canned soups🍲 , processed meats🌭 etc). Salt is important, we absolutely need it, but in appropriate balance with Potassium and other minerals.

You can think of Sodium as an excitatory mineral and Potassium as a relaxant.

Too much sodium can drive down Potassium. Potassium is critical for numerous functions in the body.

Potassium helps the body regulate fluid, send nerve signals and regulate muscle contractions.

It also plays an important role in your nervous system... hence how it impacts sleep and mood!

Your nervous system sends messages from your brain to your body, which is delivered by nerve impulses. Nerve impulses are generated by sodium ions moving into cells and potassium ions moving out of cells.

When there isn't ample potassium levels it can affect the ability of these nerve impulses to be generated.

Also, potassium binds to neurotransmitter GABA receptors. GABA is responsible for calming nerve activity (kind of like the pharmaceutical drug, Gabapentin!). By helping to quiet the nervous system, potassium can help you fall asleep faster.

What to do next? Don't completely ditch the salt (just the processed crap) and increase potassium from veggie consumption!

If you love to feel calm, write CALM 👇

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1 in 3 adults in the United States reported not getting enough rest or sleep every day.

And not getting enough sleep is linked with many chronic diseases and conditions—such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and depression.

Are you getting enough sleep? Here are 5 tips to know if your body needs more....
1. You're always hungry: Running low on sleep can increase the production of ghrelin. Too much ghrelin makes your body crave fatty and sugary foods.

2. Poor Memory: Being overly tired stops protein synthesis from occurring in the hippocampus section of the brain, which controls memory, learning, and emotions. Additionally, sleep deprivation induces oxidative stress (an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in your body), which further impairs learning and memory processes.

3. You're moody & irritable: Some research suggests that sleep deprivation enhances negative moods due to increased amygdala activity (a brain structure integral to experiences of negative emotions such as anger and rage) and a disconnect between the amygdala and the area of the brain that regulates its functions. Essentially, this means sleep loss leads to increased negative mood, and a decreased ability to regulate anger!

4. You get sick often: Sound sleep improves immune cells known as T cells. People who get poor sleep, stress hormones rise and may inhibit the ability of T cells to function as effectively.

5. Your skin is aging quickly: Research shows that the release of growth hormones during sleep stimulates collagen production. Lack of sleep can also increase cortisol. Elevated cortisol levels can trigger inflammatory responses shown to inhibit healthy skin function. Cortisol can also impair circulation and breakdown collagen and hyaluronic acid reserves in your skin.

Are you experiencing any of these symptoms of sleep deficiency?

Sleep is truly miraculous - it amazes me how the body knows how to slip into unconsciousness for 8 hours/day and then come back out of it! Truly amazing!

But to get real, deep sleep, your body needs loving support.

And the support it needs boils down to 1 word..... CALM.

1. Magnesium Glycinate: A combo of Magnesium and amino acid, Glycine. Magnesium helps regulate GABA, a calming neurotransmitter. Glycine acts like GABA. Studies have shown that glycine improves sleep quality and promotes healthy sleep patterns and REM cycles.

2. Strenuous exercise can raise your stress hormones. Stress hormones are supposed to be at their lowest point at night to allow Melatonin to rise.

3. Eating at night disrupts your circadian rhythm (wake/sleep cycle). Your body isn't designed to be eating at night....

4. Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors. Adenosine is a sleep-promoting chemical
that is produced in the brain during our waking hours. Normally, adenosine builds up in the brain the longer we’re awake. The more it builds up, the sleepier we become. When caffeine blocks this process, we remain alert and vigilant.

5. Artificial light also disrupts the circadian rhythm. Essentially blue light confuses your brain whether it's day time or night time. If the brain thinks it's daytime, it's not going to send the message to release Melatonin.

Which of these steps do you follow?

How do you feel about New Year Resolutions? Did you set one for 2023?

No matter your perspective on resolutions, most likely you do set goals for yourself throughout various times in your life.

Goals are amazing - they help us actualize our dreams. However, we often go about setting them in an inefficient and misaligned way.

To create goals that are truly meaningful to you, understanding the energy that lies within your specific life cycle and knowing who you want to become are keys to transforming your life.

In my latest blog, I share how to learn your specific 2023 energy and how to set intentions and goals that are aligned with who you want to be and where you want to go.

https://www.heather-tesch.com/wisdom/2023/1/1/the-power-of-intentions-and-being-for-success

Cultivating a new way of being and a new life requires doing things differently….. and being different than you’ve been in the past.

Who do you admire? Why do you admire them? What inspires you about them?

Use their qualities as inspiration for how you can embody them in your own life!

Perhaps start with some of the ideas listed in this post!

Which one(s) call to you?

For me, I’m working on expressing myself! Not easy for someone who’s always been a people pleaser and prefers to avoid conflict! But expressing can be done from a place of love.

Tell me yours 👇

What does your success, your wellbeing, and your longevity rely on?

🥦 Yes, food matters, and plays a huge role in your health, but it's not the be all end all.
😴 Yes, sleep matters, & is probably THE most important gift to yourself... other than this!
💧Yes, hydration matters, after all 70% of our body is made of water. Water is life, but so this this!

What I'm talking about is something most of us know about and even agree with it, but very few actually DO it.

What is it?

FILLING YOUR CUP!!!! ☕

Check out my recent blog to learn the TRUTH about your filling your cup!
https://www.heather-tesch.com/wisdom/2022/12/10/the-truth-about-filling-your-cup