Okay, no witches, but who frequently wakes up between 1-3 AM?

I call this the “liver hour” which in Chinese Medicine is a 2-hour window of time located on the Chinese Meridian Clock which correlates with the liver physically and energetically.

If you consistently wake between 1-3 AM, your liver is trying to communicate with you whether it be the emotional, physical, and digestive. The liver has over 500 jobs. I remember having this many jobs in college!  Everything we consume must be shuttled to our liver to be broken down into pieces and parts to be utilized in the body.  

Here are a few examples of the liver’s role in our health:
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Paige Kelly has worked in the healthcare field for over two decades. She graduated from the University of New Orleans and later returned for postbaccalaureate work in Biology. Paige ended up graduating with honors from New York Chiropractic College, receiving a Masters of Science in Applied Clinical Nutrition.

Her nutrition and therapeutic massage experience comes from working in chiropractic offices, physical therapy clinics. As well as owning a wellness office in Louisiana called “All About Health” which included colon irrigation and therapeutic massage. Paige began her journey toward health long ago when she was presented with several of the chronic lifestyle diseases many of us face today. Paige brings a unique understanding and compassion to her clients based on many years of trial and error with her own experiences which have been heightened by research and higher education. 

Paige Kelly is very passionate about sharing nutritional information and the tools to use in order to make changes in your health. Nutrition is an integral part of everyone’s health and healing. 
​
“I feel privileged to share my knowledge with you and grateful for your trust in me. I hope in writing these monthly blog posts I can help you begin your new journey toward optimal health.” - Paige Kelly
​

Paige Kelly  BA, MSACN, CNS
paige@FunctionalNutritionVt.com
802-644-8440
​Follow me on Facebook  ​

Hi Everyone! In this installment of our Can We Talk series, I wanted to discuss how our busy lifestyles can negatively affect our general health and well-being.
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​Self-care is something many of us women are lacking in today’s chaotic world. The majority of women interpret self-care as selfishness, but that is the furthest thing from the truth! 

As women, we are natural caretakers, but it’s also expected from us. From our husbands to children, grandchildren, and even sick family members; we bend our lives around the needs of those close to us and tend to forget about ourselves. 

I have been right there with all of you. There are moments where I feel like a dumping ground for all of my family's problems. While I’m trying to help, give advice, and lend a hand wherever I can it can be draining. That’s why we need to slow down and remember to take care of ourselves, because if we aren’t around to do everything then all hope is lost for the rest of them!

I know many of us feel like we can do it all, but unfortunately, there aren’t enough hours in the day. We are all superwoman for what we can accomplish, that’s not even a question! Still, we’re not responsible for the whole world without any breaks in-between. 
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​I recently had a wake-up call about this very issue. I feel as if I give myself enough time to recharge and incorporate some self-care weekly. Where I do fall short though are matters of health in terms of the long haul. 

I tend to cancel or reschedule doctors' appointments for myself. At the time, it never seems of immediate importance. Now if my husband or daughters did this I would get on the phone and make the appointment myself. So we need to start taking our own advice. 

Maybe I unconsciously postpone doctor appointments because I’m scared of hearing bad news. Logically this is counterproductive. 
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The surgery was much more difficult to recover from than I thought. Even after my surgery I still wasn’t listening to my body and taking care of myself properly! It sounds a little crazy, but that’s what happened.

I thought I should be feeling better but I wasn’t. I was exhausted and stressed, feeling overwhelmed because I couldn’t get the things done that needed doing. I wasn’t sleeping well which didn’t allow for my body to heal. 
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My good friend and nutritionist, Paige Kelly, just wrote about this topic in her monthly article for the blog. We all know someone, or we are that someone, whose health is affected by this constant whirlwind life we lead. 

Check out her post by clicking here.

She has some great tips on how to slow down and take care of our bodies. Exactly what we have been talking about here.
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​Back in the 1970s, there was this idea that women could have it all. There was even this commercial, I think it was for a perfume, and I still remember the words. Here goes: 
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Good God, I’m exhausted!! She probably has to clean the pan too! 

This concept still extends in today’s culture only tenfold, and without the added sexism. This is an ideal version of life, but it isn’t reality. You will face plenty of roadblocks and bumps along the way derailing your plans to “have it all”.

Having it all, unfortunately, does not mean that we can DO it all. We might try but eventually, you will fall short in some area of your life. If something suffers usually it’s our health that gets neglected first. 
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So how can we start to care for ourselves? I think a great way is to start saying “NO”. Say NO to overextending ourselves. Say NO to adding one more thing to our to-do list. As a matter of fact, say NO to the damn to-do list.

Take time for yourself to do exactly what you want to do. 
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• Quiet time is not overrated. Take a nap! Sleep is something that so many of us are lacking and that plays major havoc with our health if we don't get enough. 
• I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Exercising, in any form, is a great stress reliever. So how about hitting the gym or hitting something in the gym! Boxing classes are everywhere now and there’s no better stress reliever than punching that bag! 
• Take some time out of the day to detox from technology, or take a whole day if you can on the weekend. 
• Have a spa night. 
• Read a good book.
• Take a walk on a beautiful day and appreciate everything around you. 
• Lay in the sun and soak up some Vitamin D, just put your sunscreen on first. 
• Most importantly, get your yearly medical check-ups and mammograms. Listen to what your body is telling you. Listen to what your doctor has to say. Also, most importantly, make sure your doctor listens to you. Don’t leave that office until all your questions or concerns have been answered.​

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​So let’s start to think about ourselves first. Take some pressure out of our lives and put some joy in its place. Find that thing that makes you happy and do it. Even if it’s just closing your bedroom door, putting a face mask on and relaxing for an hour. 

Let’s all show ourselves some self-love. Take care of yourself before you are forced to. Our families will thank us for it!

Does any of this sound familiar to you? 

Do you know someone who can’t sit down and take a minute for themselves, or is that person you? Let me know if you can relate in the comment section. I would love to hear some of your stories on this subject! 

What do you do for your self-care? If you paused to think about that then your routine might need some work. If you come up with nothing as an answer I hope this post will encourage you to change that!
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​Digestion is a HOT topic in my Functional Nutrition practice as all roads lead back to digestion.  

Are you a Gasey Gus? Or a Stinky Pete? Well, this is due to fermentation of, no not beer, your food!

If what you consume isn’t moving through the digestive tract in a timely fashion, it ferments; creating gas, bloating, undigested food in the stool, constipation, nutrient deficiencies, and more.

FYI: Rotting food AKA compost should stay on the outside of the body, like in the vegetable garden, not in your “gut garden”. Gas, cramping, constipation, reflux, are all signs of digestive imbalance. Below are simple steps toward improving your digestion:

1. Fermented foods(2) such as cabbage, carrots, and beets support a healthy “gut garden”.
2. Drinking 1 Tablespoon Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar + 1 Teaspoon of raw honey of dissolved in 6-8ozs water 1-3x per day is helpful with digestion, immunity, weight loss.(1). 
3. Maintaining a balanced, and acidic pH in the stomach is the beginning of balanced digestion and the maintence of health.

Stay tuned for next month’s topic, “The Witching Hour” – why you may be waking at 2:00AM. Remember, there is no shortcut to health - small changes over time= long term wellness!

This information above is not designed to diagnose, treat, cure, or is a substitute for medical intervention.
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Paige Kelly has worked in the healthcare field for over two decades. She graduated from the University of New Orleans and later returned for postbaccalaureate work in Biology. Paige ended up graduating with honors from New York Chiropractic College, receiving a Masters of Science in Applied Clinical Nutrition.

Her nutrition and therapeutic massage experience comes from working in chiropractic offices, physical therapy clinics. As well as owning a wellness office in Louisiana called “All About Health” which included colon irrigation and therapeutic massage. Paige began her journey toward health long ago when she was presented with several of the chronic lifestyle diseases many of us face today. Paige brings a unique understanding and compassion to her clients based on many years of trial and error with her own experiences which have been heightened by research and higher education. 

Paige Kelly is very passionate about sharing nutritional information and the tools to use in order to make changes in your health. Nutrition is an integral part of everyone’s health and healing. 
​
“I feel privileged to share my knowledge with you and grateful for your trust in me. I hope in writing these monthly blog posts I can help you begin your new journey toward optimal health.” - Paige Kelly
​

WHO LOVES BREAD, PASTA, AND PASTRIES?! 

Well me too! I think that goes without saying for most people. But some things you should be aware of before treating yourself to a generous serving of spaghetti and meatballs.
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​Do you have a foggy head, bloated belly, the inner tube around the middle – consider ditching your wheat.

Why is this food such a terror to our bodies when spread with butter, tastes so delicious?

Because the wheat we eat today is not our grandmother’s wheat. Our traditional wheat, such as Einkorn, Emmer, and other wild strains of wheat of long ago has been replaced by higher-yielding crops resistant to disease, drought, and heat in order to feed the masses. (1) This wheat has been genetically altered for this purpose. (1)  

In addition to the altering of this grain, we also spray these crops with glyphosate. (2)  Glyphosate is a known carcinogen in addition to being a chemical which not only alters our own gut microbiome but over time can create disturbance in our gut lining. (3) Our gut lining contains approximately 70% of our immunity. (4) The bottom line, the consumption of wheat, because of genetic changes and chemicals used on crops, has shown to be connected to many chronic diseases such as Celiac Disease, Insulin Resistance, Heart Disease, psoriasis/eczema and more. 
 
So you might be saying to yourself, “I am going to go gluten-free”

BUT WAIT! Not so fast, the problem with gluten-free bread – it is still made with gluten-free WHEAT – which is still the genetically modified version and contains glyphosate.  
 
Where to start:

• Consider using alternatives like almond flour, coconut flour for cooking.  
• Also, replace wheat and opt for quinoa, wild rice, brown rice.   

 
Remember, there is no shortcut to health - small changes over time, long term wellness!
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Paige Kelly has worked in the healthcare field for over two decades. She graduated from the University of New Orleans and later returned for postbaccalaureate work in Biology. Paige ended up graduating with honors from New York Chiropractic College, receiving a Masters of Science in Applied Clinical Nutrition.

Her nutrition and therapeutic massage experience comes from working in chiropractic offices, physical therapy clinics. As well as owning a wellness office in Louisiana called “All About Health” which included colon irrigation and therapeutic massage. Paige began her journey toward health long ago when she was presented with several of the chronic lifestyle diseases many of us face today. Paige brings a unique understanding and compassion to her clients based on many years of trial and error with her own experiences which have been heightened by research and higher education. 

Paige Kelly is very passionate about sharing nutritional information and the tools to use in order to make changes in your health. Nutrition is an integral part of everyone’s health and healing. 
​
“I feel privileged to share my knowledge with you and grateful for your trust in me. I hope in writing these monthly blog posts I can help you begin your new journey toward optimal health.” - Paige Kelly 

Paige Kelly  BA, MSACN, CNS
paige@FunctionalNutritionVt.com
802-644-8440
​Follow me on Facebook  

A dear friend of mine was recently diagnosed with a serious illness and her life dramatically came to a standstill. Before her diagnosis, her life was very full of checklists, kids, and work. A non-stop life that she loved but it was very stressful, all gas pedal no brakes. After the diagnosis, everything grinded to a halt for her healing to begin. We all have a story like this to tell, either it is ours or that of someone we love.

Why do many of us allow ourselves to get completely run down, exhausted, and sick before we nurture our precious bodies? Yes, Yes, Yes, taking time off can be stressful. The planning, coordinating the kids/pets/house/office just to leave for the weekend. However, vacation from daily life is a necessary tool in maintaining a healthy body. Nurturing yourself to maintain an optimal and healthy YOU instead of waiting until your body is screaming “STOP!” by manifesting an illness is essential. 

What in the WORLD does this look like???!!!!

Consider finding a cabin/hotel/house within your budget for 2-3 days. Unplug all internet/phone/tv as these disturb your nervous and immune system – just be in the quiet. Consider the location such as on a lake, stream, or even in a cabin in the woods. Allow your body to spread out mentally/emotionally/physically. Go to bed with the sun, and rise with the sun. Maybe do some light yoga, meditation, and napping is a must. Just rest, rest, rest. Notice during this time how your breathing changes, priorities shift, and time slows down.  Allowing your body to settle down in this way will reset the connection with yourself and create a healthier baseline within your body. 

As a nutritionist, nurturing the body is one piece of the puzzle for true wellness. Consider trying to live with an attitude of loving kindness toward yourself each day (see below), then when you need a few days off as stated above, it will be to enhance what you are already doing daily, and not because you are completely exhausted from life. 
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A few ideas for daily nurturing;

1. Go to sleep 1 hour earlier than normal.
2. “Bird TV”: listen to nature in the morning with your favorite cup of tea.
3. Read your favorite book instead of surfing the web or watching TV.
4. A hot bath with Epsom salts, your favorite candle.

I hope these tips are inspiring as you must put yourself first. As we say in the south, “If mama ain’t happy, ain't nobody happy!”

Here’s to nurturing and napping for health!
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Paige Kelly has worked in the healthcare field for over two decades. She graduated from the University of New Orleans and later returned for postbaccalaureate work in Biology. Paige ended up graduating with honors from New York Chiropractic College, receiving a Masters of Science in Applied Clinical Nutrition.

Her nutrition and therapeutic massage experience comes from working in chiropractic offices, physical therapy clinics. As well as owning a wellness office in Louisiana called “All About Health” which included colon irrigation and therapeutic massage. Paige began her own journey toward health long ago when she was presented with several of the chronic lifestyle diseases many of us face today. Paige brings a unique understanding and compassion to her clients based on many years of trial and error with her own experiences which have been heightened by research and higher education. 

Paige Kelly is very passionate about sharing nutritional information and the tools to use in order to make changes in your health. Nutrition is an integral part of everyone’s health and healing. 
​

“I feel privileged to share my knowledge with you and grateful for your trust in me. I hope in writing these monthly blog posts I am able to help you begin your new journey toward optimal health.” - Paige Kelly 

Be kind to yourself,


Paige Kelly  MSACN, CNS
paige@FunctionalNutritionVt.com
802-644-8440
Follow me on Facebook  

For me, the first two years of going through menopause were, simply put, miserable. I’m sure most women would agree with me here. I was extremely depressed and uncomfortable in my own skin. I ended up gaining about 25 lbs and it took a lot for me to start actively dealing with menopause in a healthy way. I've talked openly about menopause in my "Can We Talk Series", but this post is specifically about how to lose weight during this time in your life. 

You always hear the warnings about how terrible menopause can be, but it’s not until you actually experience it that you understand. At some points I was like, “Why did no one tell me about this?” Throughout this time, the most difficult part was finding the support and answers that I so badly needed, which weren’t easily available. 

Menopause affects and changes essentially every woman’s weight. However, when you look around for information, it’s impossible to find. I often heard comments such as:

​First, your body is going through extreme hormonal changes, so weight gain during this time is a real thing! You can have healthy eating habits before you experience menopause, but during and after, your body can react differently to certain foods you’ve always eaten. I don’t know why there isn’t more information out there on this subject, but let’s try to fix that here. 

Together with my good friends and experts in their field, Paige Kelly BA, MSACN (functional nutritionist) and Charlotte Brynn (my physical trainer) we will give you 10 tips on how to lose weight during menopause! The information here is based on my personal experiences, as well as credible advice from professionals. Hopefully you can find the answers that you’re looking for here, and get back to feeling like yourself again. Please, please, please: Whatever questions you have after reading this, leave them for us in the comments below and we’ll get right back to you!

Hi Everyone! Here is my third and final Health & Fitness video for this series, which I filmed with my trainer and good friend Charlotte Brynn. If you haven’t watched our first 2 videos you can find the links below. 

#1 Health & Fitness with Charlotte Brynn - Expert Video
#2 Health & Fitness with Charlotte Brynn, Month 2 - Expert Video​
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In the first video we cover tips on how to get started if you’re new to working out, as well as a first month plan to get yourself ready! In the 2nd video we add some strength training exercises that you should incorporate during that second month. We demonstrate a 6 part workout routine you can do from the comfort of your home. 

This final video we go over some of the workouts I am currently doing. These are a little more advanced. Since I have been working out with Charlotte for about 5 years now I definitely had to build up my strength to get to where I am today. If you are someone who is more advanced hopefully you can incorporate these workouts into your own routine. 

To get the PDF version for this video check out the link below. Let me know in the comment section what you guys think or if you come across any issues when trying to download the PDF. Hope you enjoy:) 

Hi! Before I get right into my first monthly post I wanted to introduce myself and give everyone some background information about myself. My name is Paige Kelly and I have worked in the healthcare field for over two decades. I graduated from the University of New Orleans and later returned for postbaccaulaureate work in Biology. I ended up graduating with honors from New York Chiropractic College, receiving a Masters of Science in Applied Clinical Nutrition.

My nutrition and therapeutic massage experience comes from working in chiropractic offices, physical therapy clinics, and owning a wellness office in Louisiana called “All About Health” which included colon irrigation and therapeutic massage. I began my own journey toward health long ago when I was presented with several of the chronic lifestyle diseases many of us face today. I bring a unique understanding and compassion to my clients based on many years of trial and error with my own experiences which have been heightened by research and higher education. 

I am very passionate about sharing nutritional information and the tools to use in order to make changes in your health. Nutrition is an integral part of everyone’s health and healing. I feel privileged to share my knowledge with you and grateful for your trust in me. I hope in writing these monthly blog posts I am able to help you begin your new journey toward optimal health.

In my first post I wanted to go over some of the most common questions I receive from new patients:
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Q: Why is weight loss later in life, such a challenge?

A: Weight loss and Diet – for women a lot of negative emotions, expectations, and stress come with these two words.  Re-thinking the approach to your body is the first step to optimal wellness, see how I did that – not diet and weight loss – but OPTIMAL WELLNESS.
In life, we have 3 Cycles of life in years:

• 1-30   
• 30-60
• 60-90

We cannot expect our bodies to function or look the same as they did in our twenties when we are 30-60 years or 60-90 years old as our hormones are different, body chemistry shifts, and our life experiences shape our wellbeing (which can be an awesome asset!).  What years are you currently living in? Are you placing demands on your body to lose weight, but may not understand the underlying reasons for achieving your optimal wellness goal?

Q: Why is optimal wellness a challenge?

A: Here are some of the reasons you might be struggling with your optimal wellness. This can include skin issues, weight loss, and even organ functions. Some might seem obvious. But take a good hard look at your lifestyle and choices when reading over this list. You might find a few that you could improve on. 

• SUGAR
• Food Sensitivities - you might be unaware of a certain food sensitivity until you get tested. In these cases keep in mind when you have an upset stomach or any other symptoms when eating certain foods. It’s helpful to keep a food journal to keep track. 
• Trans Fats from processed food 
• Equal, Splenda, sweet n low, diet drinks/foods – can make you gain weight
• Eating low fat – eating healthy fats do not make you fat!
• DNA – your genetic makeup
• Environmental toxins – makeup, lotions, or gas fumes. 
• Emotional, Mental, and Physical Stress
• Not consuming enough fresh vegetables
• Dehydrated – how much water do you really drink?
• Underlying health challenges
• Nutrient deficiencies from pharmaceuticals, poor diet, poor digestion, GERD, Thyroid conditions, diabetes, and many more.

Over the next few weeks, consider shifting your perspective from Diet/Weight loss to Nourish/Optimal Wellness.  

Keep it Simple:  

• Drink approximately  ½ your body weight in water.   Urine should remain a light yellow – the color of lemonade.  Majority of people are chronically dehydrated!
• Remove any fake sugars from your diet – research has shown that these fake sugars can cause a decrease in stomach health and weight gain.

I hope my first blog post was helpful! If you would like me to focus on any specific topic please feel free to let me know in the comment section. 

Be kind to yourself,

Paige Kelly  MSACN, CNS
paige@FunctionalNutritionVt.com
802-644-8440
Follow me on Facebook 

Hi Everyone! Here is my second video (of a 3 part video series) with my trainer and good friend Charlotte Brynn. If you haven’t watched our first video you should check it out. In that video we cover tips on how to get started if you’re new to working out, as well as a first month plan to get yourself ready! 

In this video we add some strength training exercises that you should incorporate during that second month. We demonstrate a 6 part workout routine you can do from the comfort of your home. 

To get the PDF version for month #2 check out the link below. Let me know in the comment section if you are unable to download it. 

Hi Everyone! I'm really excited to publish the first installment of a 3 part video series with my trainer, and good friend, Charlotte Brynn!! Charlotte is one of the experts I wanted to collaborate with for my blog. If you have been following along you will see that I make it a priority to give you expert advice for some specific topics. I enjoy giving everyone my perspective and sharing my experiences, but hearing from someone who does have expertise is twice as valuable. Charlotte is definitely one of those people! 

She has over 30 years experience within the health and fitness field and devotes most of her time helping others improving their health. Charlotte has a very impressive background, which she does cover in the video above. She is currently the Executive Director of TSH Non- Profit Community Pool & Fitness Center in Stowe, VT. This is where we have our training sessions, and it's an amazing local establishment. ​Charlotte also has a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from Otago University in New Zealand. Plus, she is a certified swim instructor, swim coach, personal trainer, and a group fitness instructor.

When I started working out with Charlotte I never thought it would be such a life-changing decision. I look back on pictures and I can barely recognize myself. As you can see from the pictures above I have made some major strides, but it definitely didn't happen overnight. I have personally been working out with Charlotte for over 5 years now, and it has been a wonderful experience all around. I always hated working out, and sometimes still do, but Charlotte knows how to motivate me and make it fun. 

The key is consistency! By uploading these pictures of myself I hope it helps motivate some of you if you're feeling uneasy about where to begin. It's not easy for me to look at these pictures either, but it is a great reminder of how far I have come. 

For our first video, we wanted to sit down and answer the most popular questions I have received about weight gain in relation to menopause. We will also be giving you ladies tips on how to get started as well as workouts for when you start to progress. In this video, we will cover the first month of where to begin, but first, we suggest you consult your doctor before starting any new program. Below I have attached a downloadable PDF covering the first month's plan and some key points we review in our interview. Please notify me in the comment section if you are having trouble with downloading the document below:)