What if the flavors you crave aren’t random but clues from your body about what it needs?

In this solo episode of Energy Works, Blaine breaks down the five flavors in Food Energetics and explains how each one supports your body in specific, medicinal ways.

Sweet, salty, sour, bitter, pungent… these aren’t just taste sensations. In Chinese Dietary Therapy, these flavors have energetic properties that influence digestion, energy, mood, and even emotional patterns.
Blaine shares practical examples of how to notice these patterns in your own cravings and meals, how to use the flavors of food more intentionally, and why this ancient approach to eating still makes so much sense in modern life (especially if your “what should I eat?” brain feels a little frazzled)..
What You'll Learn:
The Basics of Food Energetics: What it is, and why it matters.

The five flavors of food (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, pungent) and their energetic properties

What each flavor does in the body

Simple ways to experiment with flavor for balance and well-being

Why eating this way is about support, not restriction

Takeaway:

Food isn’t just fuel. It’s energy, language, communication, and self-care.
When we understand the energetics of flavor and how it makes us feel, we can move from autopilot to awareness, use meals as medicine, and build a more nourishing relationship with ourselves and our bodies.


🔗 Listen now and begin your journey toward more intentional, balanced eating.

✨ Like, subscribe, and share your own experiences with food energetics!

The food on your plate does more than just keep you going—it influences your mood, energy, and overall well-being. In this solo episode of Energy Works, Blaine breaks down food energetics, showing how what you eat affects not just your body but also your emotions and mental clarity.

From warming and cooling foods to the subtle ways your diet shifts your energy levels, Blaine explains how to eat in a way that supports your body’s natural rhythm. If you’ve ever felt sluggish, overwhelmed, or out of sync, small shifts in what you eat could help you find more balance. Tune in for practical, easy-to-apply tips that make a real difference.
What You'll Learn:

Food as Energy: How different foods affect your mood, digestion, and vitality.Warming vs. Cooling Foods: Why some foods rev you up while others help you unwind.Eating for Your Body’s Needs: How to listen to your cravings and what they might be telling you.Balancing Yin and Yang in Nutrition: Ancient wisdom meets modern eating habits.Practical Tips for Energized Eating: Simple changes that can make a big difference.
Takeaway:

Food isn’t just fuel—it’s information. Learning to read what your body needs can help you feel clearer, more balanced, and energized every day.

🔗 Listen now and start eating in a way that supports your energy and well-being!

✨ Like, subscribe, and share your experiences with food energetics.

When does pushing through turn into pushing too hard? In this episode of Energy Works, Lauren and Blaine discuss the fine line between commitment and burnout. They also talk about the role of rest, the risks of overtraining, and the messages our bodies send when we’re not listening.


Lauren shares how ignoring her body’s signals led to an injury - and how looking at the emotional side of her pain helped her heal faster. Blaine, an experienced athlete and coach, breaks down how to balance movement and recovery, why rest days don’t always mean doing nothing, and how paying attention to your body can keep you moving for years to come.
What You'll Hear:

The Rest Day Myth – Why full recovery doesn’t always mean total stillness and how gentle movement can actually help.


Balancing Commitment and Intuition – When pushing through becomes a problem and how to recognize the warning signs.


Emotional Lessons in Injury – How Lauren connected her back pain to deeper emotional patterns.
 The Power of Yin – Why slowing down matters, especially as we age.
 Practical Tools – Quick body check-ins, breathwork, and small habits to stay in tune with what you need.


Takeaway:

Injury doesn’t usually come out of nowhere - it starts with whispers before it turns into a shout. The more you tune in, whether through movement, rest, or breath, the better you’ll feel in the long run.


🔗 Listen now and learn how to trust your body’s signals for better health and clarity.

 ✨ Like, subscribe, and share your experience with finding the right balance between movement and rest!

In this episode of Cool People Big Ideas, Lauren talks with Ann Hood, author of The Stolen Child, Comfort, and Morningstar, to talk about storytelling, grief, and the choices that shape our lives. Ann shares her thoughts on creating characters that feel real, balancing truth and fiction, and using art as a way to heal. They talk about time travel in stories, the fun and challenge of writing in different genres, and how personal loss affects creative work. Ann talks about the power of decision-making, explaining how every choice can affect a lifetime in surprising ways. If you're a writer, a reader, or someone interested in the power of art, this episode offers a look at life's important moments and the stories we tell to understand them.

What to Listen For:
- The Essence of Fiction: Why fiction matters and how it helps us understand the world.

- The Role of Art: How creativity—from knitting to writing—helps and changes us.

- Decisions and Regret: Talking about the “what-ifs” of life through stories.

- Grief and Writing: How personal loss affects Ann’s work and her journey to creating the Gracie Belle imprint.

- The Stolen Child: The story behind Ann’s novel, including the connection of time, memory, and art.

- Knitting and Healing: The calming practice that helped Ann's recovery.


Takeaway:

Every decision is a part of life. Through her writing and personal stories, Ann Hood reminds us that it’s never too late to use creativity, find meaning in grief, and enjoy storytelling.

🔗 Tune in now to discover the stories behind Ann Hood’s most profound works and her reflections on life, loss, and literature.


✨ Like, subscribe, and share your favorite Ann Hood book with us!

What does it mean to truly let go? The metal element in Five Element Theory represents endings, refinement, and the wisdom that comes from life's experiences. When out of balance, it can cause grief, rigidity, or detachment. In this episode of Energy Works, Lauren and Blaine talk about the metal element—its strengths, its challenges, and how to work with it in a way that helps growth and clarity.
Blaine, whose primary element is metal, and Lauren, who has worked to develop more metal energy, talk about how this element influences the body, emotions, and mindset. They also share practical techniques to balance metal energy, allowing for healthy detachment, clarity, and faith in life's cycles.

What You’ll Hear:
Metal and the Body – How this element connects to the lungs, large intestine, skin, and the process of release.

The Alchemist and The Sage – Talking about the archetypes of metal energy and how they show up in leadership, discipline, and clarity.

Grief and Letting Go – Why grief is a normal part of life and how to process it in a healthy way.

Finding Balance in Metal Energy – Breathwork, neurovascular holds, and sound techniques to move from grief to faith.

Metal in Daily Life – How the energy of endings can help us refine our purpose, relationships, and personal growth.

Takeaway:
Metal energy teaches us the art of release and refinement. When in balance, it allows us to process grief, extract wisdom, and move forward with faith. By learning to accept endings, we open ourselves up to new beginnings.

🔗 Listen now to discover how to harness the wisdom of metal energy in your own life!


✨ Like, subscribe, and share how metal energy has shown up for you!

To get a free quiz to learn your primary element, use this link: https://emyoga.thinkific.com/enroll/2213777?price_id=2979517

In this episode of Energy Works, Lauren and Blaine break down the Earth element in Five Element Theory. As they continue around the elemental wheel, they look at how Earth energy shapes balance, nourishment, and emotional well-being.

Lauren shares a personal story about caring for her aging dog in his final days and the lessons it brought about love, devotion, and the need to balance giving and receiving. Blaine explores Earth archetypes and why caretakers—whether parents, healers, or teachers—often struggle with boundaries and self-care.



What’s Inside This Episode:


The Earth Element – How it supports stability, nourishment, and life transitions.
Earth Archetypes – The nurturers, caregivers, and empaths who hold it all together.
Worry and Self-Love – Why excessive worry drains energy and how self-care shifts everything.
Keeping Earth in Balance – The challenge of giving too much and why receiving matters.
Energy Techniques for Earth Types – The Ujjayi breath and a neurovascular hold to restore inner harmony.
Key Takeaways:


- Earth energy governs nourishment—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Caretakers can’t pour from an empty cup—giving without limits leads to exhaustion.
- Worry often disguises itself as care, but real love is rooted in trust.
Self-care isn’t selfish—it’s the foundation for lasting well-being.


🔗 Listen now and learn how to work with Earth energy for more balance, nourishment, and self-care.


Like, subscribe, and tell us—how does the Earth element show up in your life?
To get a free quiz to learn your primary element, use this link: https://emyoga.thinkific.com/enroll/2213777?price_id=2979517

In this episode of Energy Works, Lauren and Blaine break down the Fire element in Five Element Theory. As they move around the elemental wheel, they explore how Fire shapes passion, connection, and emotional balance.
Blaine explains how Fire types are natural social connectors—full of charisma, warmth, and joy—but also prone to anxiety and burnout. Lauren discusses the link between anxiety and inspiration, why discernment matters, and how Fire influences the heart and emotional well-being. They also touch on surprising stories about heart transplants and the mysteries of the heart’s energy field.

What’s Inside This Episode:
- The Fire Element – How it fuels joy, passion, and relationships.
- Fire Archetypes – The expressive, magnetic, and deeply emotional nature of Fire types.
- Anxiety vs. Inspiration – When Fire energy tips from excitement into overwhelm.
- Keeping Fire in Check – Why boundaries, discernment, and emotional regulation matter.
- Energy Techniques for Fire Balance – The HAA breath and a neurovascular hold to restore calm and focus.

Key Takeaways:

- Fire energy drives passion, connection, and emotional expression.
- Anxiety is Fire out of balance—grounding techniques help restore calm.
- The heart is more than a pump; it carries emotional and energetic intelligence.
- Fire types need strong boundaries to avoid burnout.

🔗 Listen now and learn how to work with Fire energy for more balance, connection, and clarity.


Like, subscribe, and let us know—how does the Fire element show up in your life?
To get a free quiz to learn your primary element, use this link: https://emyoga.thinkific.com/enroll/2213777?price_id=2979517

Is your energy pushing forward—or pushing too hard? The wood element in Five Element Theory is all about growth, movement, and getting things done. But when it’s out of balance, it can show up as frustration, tension, or burnout. In this episode of Energy Works, Lauren and Blaine discuss the wood element—its strengths, its challenges, and how to work with it instead of fighting against it.

Lauren, whose primary element is wood, and Blaine, whose secondary element is wood, share how this energy influences the body, emotions, and leadership style. They also break down practical ways to balance wood energy using simple techniques that anyone can try.
What You’ll Hear:

🌿 Wood & the Body – How this element connects to muscles, tendons, ligaments, nails, and its ties to the liver and gallbladder.
⚔️ Archetypes of Wood Energy – Understanding the warrior, pioneer, and commander personalities and how they show up in daily life.
😠 The Role of Anger – Why anger isn’t always bad and how to channel it productively.
🔧 Balancing Wood Energy – Practical tools like a specific breath and neurovascular holds to help keep wood energy steady.
🌍 Wood Energy in Society – How this element fuels activism, leadership, and social change.
Takeaway:

Wood energy is what drives action, leadership, and momentum—but when it’s off, it can lead to burnout or frustration. Learning to balance it can make a big difference in handling challenges, emotions, and personal growth.

🔗 Listen now to learn how to work with wood energy and make it work for you.✨ Like, subscribe, and share how the wood element shows up in your life!

To get a free quiz to learn your primary element, use this link: https://emyoga.thinkific.com/enroll/2213777?price_id=2979517

In this episode of Energy Works, Lauren and Blaine talk about the water element, one of the five elements in ancient Chinese medicine. They cover what makes water energy different, how it influences emotions and physical health, and why keeping it balanced can help you feel more steady and strong. You’ll learn how water connects to fear and courage, why it plays a key role in resilience and simple ways to work with this energy in daily life.
What to Listen For:

🌊 The Water Element – What it represents and how it affects your body and mind.
💧 Fear and Courage – How these emotions connect to water and ways to work with them.
🔄 Balancing Water Energy – Simple techniques to help you feel more steady and strong.
🧘‍♀️ Water in Daily Life – How this element shows up in emotions, relationships, and habits.
🌟 Emotional Resilience – Using water’s wisdom to manage fear and build confidence.
Takeaway:

The water element plays a more significant role in your life than you might think. It influences your emotions, energy, and how you handle stress. In this episode, Lauren and Blaine break it down and share ways to work with water energy so you can feel more balanced and at ease.


🔗 Listen now and learn how working with the water element can bring more steadiness into your life.

✨ Like, subscribe, and share your thoughts on how water energy shows up for you!
To get a free quiz to learn your primary element, use this link: https://emyoga.thinkific.com/enroll/2213777?price_id=2979517

In this episode of Energy Works, Lauren and Blaine break down the five elements of Chinese medicine—water, wood, fire, earth, and metal—and how they’re woven into Energy Medicine Yoga. These elements aren’t just abstract concepts but the threads connecting everything in the universe, from seasonal changes to our moods.

Lauren shares her journey of studying these elements with Donna Eden and how it changed how she approaches energy work. Blaine explains how these elements fit naturally into traditional yoga practices, making it easier to balance your energy without overthinking it.
They discuss how each element shows up in both the physical and emotional aspects of life, setting the stage for future episodes where they’ll tackle each element in more depth.

What You’ll Hear:

🌊 The Five Elements: Water, wood, fire, earth, and metal—what they are and why they matter.
💖 Emotions & Energy: How each element is linked to specific emotions and how to keep them in check.
🌟 Donna Eden’s Energy Systems: A quick look at her approach and why it complements the five elements.
🍂 Seasons & Cycles: The connection between the elements and the changing seasons.
⚡ Practical Tips: Simple ways to work with the elements for better health and emotional balance.
💫 Emotional Resilience: How the elements can help you feel more grounded and steady.


Takeaway:

Understanding the five elements isn’t just about theory—it’s about tuning into your own energy and learning how to shift things when they feel off. This episode gives you the foundation to start using these tools to create more balance in your life, both on and off the yoga mat.

🔗 Tune in to discover how the five elements can transform your approach to health, energy, and emotional well-being.

✨ Like, subscribe, and share your thoughts on which element resonates with you most!

To get a free quiz to learn your primary element, use this link: https://emyoga.thinkific.com/enroll/2213777?price_id=2979517