If you grow African Blue Basil—also known as Purple Mountain Basil—you know how abundant and fragrant this plant becomes in late summer. This raw, oil-free spicy blue basil chutney recipe is one of my favorite ways to preserve the harvest and support deep nourishment and wellness all year long. Made with fresh blue basil, lime juice, garlic, ginger, and Thai chili peppers, this chutney is anti-inflammatory, microbiome-supportive, and incredibly flavorful. I grow multiple types of basil every year—sweet basil, Thai basil, holy basil (tulsi), and of course, African Blue. These simple daily rituals of tending, harvesting, and preparing herbs are the foundation of my own health, infusing everyday meals with nourishment and rhythm.

Healing is a process of subtraction and addition. We begin by removing what's harmful—ultra-processed foods, hidden food sensitivities, and environmental toxins that burden our detox pathways. And then we rebuild—gently, intentionally, and from the inside out. At the heart of this restoration is your gut microbiome—a dynamic, intelligent ecosystem that not only helps digest food, but also regulates immunity, calms inflammation, supports detoxification, balances mood, influences metabolism, and supports natural weight regulation. And the simplest way to nourish this system is through prebiotics—compounds that feed your beneficial bacteria and restore the internal terrain of your body.

Watermelon radishes are one of my favorite root vegetables to ferment—especially in the summer and fall when they’re at their peak. Their vibrant pink interior and crisp texture make them perfect for lacto-fermentation, transforming into tangy, probiotic-rich bites that support digestion and gut health. If you’ve never fermented vegetables before, this is a beautiful place to start. You don’t need any fancy equipment—just radishes, salt, water, and a clean jar. In a few days, your countertop will be home to a bubbling jar of living food, alive with beneficial microbes.

You've probably heard of sauerkraut, kimchi, and sour dill pickles, right? These are all examples of lacto-fermented vegetables—a traditional form of food preservation that has supported human health for centuries. Before refrigeration, lacto-fermentation was a primary method for preserving the harvest through the winter. If you find yourself with a garden full of cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, or beets, consider transforming them into a few jars of tangy, probiotic-rich vegetables. When stored properly, these fermented foods can last for months—if they don’t get devoured first! Beyond preservation, they nurture your gut microbiome—your inner garden of health and healing.

When you've taken the courageous step of removing inflammatory foods and potential sensitivities from your diet, your body enters a remarkable phase. One of renewal and receptivity. This is the replace phase. The time to fill your plate with foods that rebuild, repair, and restore. Replacing isn’t just about substitutions, it’s about intentional nourishment. This is where food becomes medicine—where digestion begins to strengthen, the microbiome starts to diversify, and the nervous system begins to regulate. It’s not simply about finding a gluten-free bread or a dairy-free milk. It’s about delivering the nutrients your cells need, soothing inflammation at its root, and laying the groundwork for deep healing. When you feed your body this kind of nourishment, food becomes more than sustenance—it becomes sacred medicine.

Sometimes the deepest healing doesn’t come from adding more—but from letting go. When we release what no longer serves us, we create the space our body needs to restore balance and begin to heal. The remove phase of the elimination diet process invites us into a rare and sacred moment: a pause. Not just from inflammatory foods, but from the unconscious patterns and loops that have kept our bodies in distress and our minds disconnected from our inner knowing. This isn't about lack or restriction. It’s about reverence. The kind that allows us to create space for healing, listening, and nourishing ourselves on every level. Letting go can stir up more than just cravings. It can awaken grief, uncertainty, even identity questions. You may find yourself asking: Who am I without my morning coffee? Without that glass of wine to unwind? Without the comforting foods I reach for when life feels overwhelming?

Have you ever wondered if gluten could be silently sabotaging your health—affecting your digestion, brain, skin, hormones, or immune system—even if you’ve never been diagnosed with celiac disease? You’re not alone. More and more people are waking up to the realization that their daily discomforts—like bloating, fatigue, brain fog, anxiety, joint pain, migraines, or stubborn skin issues—might not be random…but rather connected to something as simple and foundational as what’s on their plate. Gluten is often viewed as harmless unless you have a medical diagnosis. But emerging research—and the powerful healing stories of those who’ve removed it—tell a different story. For some, gluten is just another protein. But for others, it’s a daily trigger for immune disruption, systemic inflammation, and a slow, quiet breakdown of the gut lining.

Autoimmune diseases are on the rise, affecting millions of people worldwide and leaving many struggling with unexplained symptoms, chronic pain, and fatigue. While genetics play a role, emerging research highlights the profound influence of environmental factors—especially diet—on the development and progression of autoimmunity. The foods we eat can either calm inflammation and support immune balance or trigger immune overactivity, leading the body to mistakenly attack its own tissues. This means that every meal is either contributing to healing or fueling disease. The connection between food and autoimmunity is powerful, and for those suffering from conditions like Hashimoto’s, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or inflammatory bowel disease, dietary changes can be life-changing.

What is one way to decrease inflammation, improve gut health, upregulate detoxification, and increase insulin sensitivity? It is to consume more brightly colored fruits and vegetables daily! Sometimes the busyness of life prevents us from adding in the recommended number of servings of fresh fruits and vegetables we need each day. That's where smoothies come in. Adding everything to a high-powered blender makes it much easier to consume what you need in a delicious way! This red antioxidant smoothie is something I make several times per week. The smoothie contains raw red cabbage, several different types of low-glycemic frozen berries, avocado, citrus, and a red polyphenol powder to help boost the overall phytonutrient content.

There are three different ways food can create inflammation in the body. The first is eating foods that are inflammatory, such as fried foods, highly processed and packaged foods, foods that contain rancid oils and fats, and highly processed meat products. The second way is by consistently eating too many sugars and carbohydrates for your body. High blood sugar can create a cascade of inflammatory events. The third way food can trigger inflammation in the body is by consuming foods your immune system has been primed to react to, which is called a food sensitivity. A food or food group that may be healthy and anti-inflammatory for one person could be the source of a lot of damaging inflammatory chemicals for another person.