The Lunar Body

As a cycle-syncing nutritionist, I’m asked all the time about what you should eat to have a happier period. While no one food is going to cure all of your menstrual woes, supporting the processes that are happening in your body throughout your cycle can certainly help. In this episode, you'll learn the basics of regulating your period through diet and lifestyle, different levels of meal planning to fit into a realistic schedule, what's happening in each phase of your cycle and how to support it all through food.

Listener perk: Get $100 off Cycle Magic, a cycle-syncing course for menstrual misfits, with the code LUNARLOVE — Available until season 3 ends!
View all podcast listener perks here.

Referenced in this episode:

• FREE DOWNLOAD: Syncing With the Moon for a Better Flow
• Workshop: Sleeping Your Way to Less Stress
• Funk It Wellness Seed Cycling Kits (use code KRISTEN15 to save 15%)
• Mocha Seed Cycling Cookies
• Pumpkin Spice Baked Oatmeal
• Veggie "Sushi"
• Cherry-Chocolate Smoothie

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Thanks for listening!

• Work with me 1:1
• Cycle Magic cycle-syncing course
• Virtual workshops
• Instagram
• Tip Jar

In order to connect to your intuition (or your spirit guides, the universe, your version of god, etc), it helps to nourish your brain. In this quick episode, you’ll learn about the food and nutrients that I recommend to enrich your brain, support your natural energy, promote focus and concentration, and help calm your mind so your third-eye portal is clear and open.

Listener perk: Get $100 off Cycle Magic, a cycle-syncing course for menstrual misfits, with the code LUNARLOVE — Available until season 3 ends!
View all podcast listener perks here.

Referenced in this episode:

• All the Greens! Blueberry-Coconut Salad
• Blueberry Chia Jam
• Intuition Nutrition workshop
• Cycle Magic
• Work with me 1:1

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

• Work with me 1:1
• Cycle Magic cycle-syncing course
• Virtual workshops
• Instagram
• Tip Jar

Dr. Cait Van Damm is a pelvic floor therapist specializing in treating pelvic pain across the gender spectrum. An experienced yoga teacher, Cait combines therapeutic movement and gentle manual therapy to calm the nervous system and increase self-efficacy for her patients. Her private practice, Ritual Pelvic Health, is based in Boston, where she lives with her partner and twin toddlers. You can also catch Cait's free newsletter, Adventures in Vaginas (and other parts), or work with Cait via her new online platform, Ritual Movement!

Listener perk: Get $100 off Cycle Magic, a cycle-syncing course for menstrual misfits, with the code LUNARLOVE — Available until season 3 ends!
View all podcast listener perks here.

Referenced in this episode:

• The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

• Work with me 1:1
• Cycle Magic cycle-syncing course
• Virtual workshops
• Instagram
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The Lunar Body is back for season 3! Given the state of reproductive rights in the U.S., I felt it was urgent to open this season with an episode on abortion. You'll learn about the different methods of abortion and what to expect with both an in-clinic (or surgical) procedure and medical abortion with pills, what you may want to know about after-care, what to do in states with restricted access, why it is strongly recommended to avoid herbal abortion, answers to common questions you may have, how to prepare for termination, how you can support others, and much more.

Disclaimer: This information in this episode, and in all episodes of The Lunar Body podcast, is for educational purposes only; it is NOT medical advice and it is your responsibility to speak to a qualified healthcare provider about your unique needs. The final decision when considering any diet, lifestyle change, or medical procedure, whether it’s discussed on the internet, in a podcast, or prescribed by your doctor, is always your own.

Listener perk: Get $100 off Cycle Magic, a cycle-syncing course for menstrual misfits, with the code LUNARLOVE — Available until season 3 ends!
View all podcast listener perks here.

Referenced in this episode:

• Women Help Women: Tips on keeping your abortion research private.
• Surveillance Self-Defense Guide
• Free Cycle Magic excerpt: Intuitive Cycle Tracking
• Misoprostol dosing information via Dr. Jen Gunter
• PlanCPills.org
• AidAccess.org
• Safe2Choose.org
• WomenOnWeb.org
• WomenHelp.org
• The Archive of Healing
• @blackpnwlady on TikTok
• National Abortion Federation
• Abortion funds by state
• AbortionFunds.org
• Resist Bot
• Fertility for Everyone workshop
• Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler
• The 5th Vital Sign by Lisa Hendrickson-Jack
• Period Power by Maisie Hill

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

• Work with me 1:1
• Cycle Magic cycle-syncing course
• Virtual workshops
• Instagram
• Tip Jar

The final episode of the season is a special Q+A episode about nutrition, menstrual health, intuitive eating, hormones, and more. I answer the following questions:

• Is protein-combining worth considering when it comes to your nutrition?
• Why am I so depressed before my period?
• How do you deal with burnout, particularly from work?
• Do you have any recommendations for working with or healing PCOS?
• If you don’t ovulate, which phase of your cycle are you technically in? 
• How can I track my cycle if the temperature is off from thyroid issues and inconsistent sleep?
• When it comes to intuitive eating, I have a hard time with the “food police” principle. That voice is hard to get rid of. Do you have any suggestions on how to focus on that?
• How can one manage hormone changes that affect your food intuition especially during menstruation or as we age?

This episode is supported by the Academy of Culinary Nutrition's 2022 Culinary Nutrition Expert Program. Read my review here, or head straight to the program page and sign up for an info session.

Listener perk: Get $100 off Cycle Magic, a cycle-syncing course for menstrual misfits, with the code LUNARLOVE — EXPIRES MAY 11, 2022.
View all podcast listener perks here.

Referenced in this episode:

• Virtual workshops
• Mindfulness and Mental Health: Part 1
• Mindfulness and Mental Health: Part 2
• Pomodoro Timer
• LetsGetChecked lab testing: 30% off with code GOODWITCH30
• Period Power
• Perimenopause Power

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

• Work with me 1:1
• Cycle Magic cycle-syncing course
• Virtual workshops
• Instagram
• Tip Jar

Society is returning to nature after being bombarded for decades with so many pills for every ill and much of our culture causing us to be out of sync with the world around us. Developing an herbal practice for yourself can help you cultivate a deeper connection with your body and with Earth's natural cycles. In this episode, we talk about different ways you can develop a stronger relationship with plants and some tips and resources for creating your own herbal practice.

Listener perk: Get $100 off Cycle Magic, a cycle-syncing course for menstrual misfits, with the code LUNARLOVE — EXPIRES MAY 11, 2022.
View all podcast listener perks here.

This episode is supported by the Academy of Culinary Nutrition's 2022 Culinary Nutrition Expert Program. Read my review here, or head straight to the program page and sign up for an info session.

Referenced in this episode:

• NowAge Travel
• Alexis Nikole Nelson on TikTok
• PlantSnap
• Boston herb shops: Cambridge Naturals + Artemisia Botanicals
• Episode 26: Plant Wisdom With Miranda Aponte
• Episode 27: What's In Your Underwear?
• Books
  • Wild Urban Plants of the Northeast
  • Healing Teas: A Practical Guide to the Medicinal Teas of the World
  • The Herbal Medicine Maker’s Handbook
  • Invasive Plant Medicine 
  • Recipes From the Herbalist’s Kitchen
  • Body into Balance: An Herbal Guide to Holistic Self-Care
  • The Herb Book
• Brands
  • Wooden Spoon Herbs: Anxiety Ally + Rose-Colored Glasses
  • IMBY: Rose Cardamom Hot Cacao
  • Rasa (get 15% off with code KRISTEN06342)
• Commonwealth Center for Holistic Herbalism 
  • Herbal Study Tips
  • Herbal Community Care Toolkit
  • Holistic Herbalism Podcast
• Mountain Rose Herbs
  • Handpicked list of herbal schools
  • Herbal Radio
  • YouTube channel
  • Blog

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

• Work with me 1:1
• Cycle Magic cycle-syncing course
• Virtual workshops
• Instagram
• Tip Jar

Intuitive eating is a gentle approach to health and life that prioritizes feeling good in your body. It helps you cultivate a much more relaxed relationship with food, but the process isn't always easy. It takes time and patience, and a lot of work to unlearn and reframe diet culture messaging we've learned over the years.

Weight-inclusive health coach Tomesha Campbell joins me to talk about how you can work through some common roadblocks that people typically come across when trying to adopt an intuitive eating lifestyle.

Tomesha Campbell is an experienced health coach, speaker, and blogger. She is driven by the desire to support women to break up with the scale and develop a positive body image through a weight-inclusive approach to health. Tomesha's journey with weight and body image has been a long one, but it's taught her that health is about so much more than weight. Tomesha has been featured on Autoimmune Wellness, the SPI Blog, and Boston While Black. She currently resides in Watertown, MA with her dog, Penny Deena.

Listener perk: Get $100 off Cycle Magic, a cycle-syncing course for menstrual misfits, with the code LUNARLOVE.
View all podcast listener perks here.

Referenced in this episode:

• Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch
• The Intuitive Eating Workbook by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch
• Robin Mallery's chocolate mindfulness exercise
• Podcast: Eating and the Enneagram with Health Coach Tomesha Campbell
• The Enneagram of Eating by Ann Gadd
• 10 Principles of Intuitive Eating
• Tomesha's website

How you can work with me:

• Apply to work with me 1:1
• Enroll in the Cycle Magic cycle-syncing course
• Check out my virtual workshops

Keep in touch!
Website
Instagram

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

• Work with me 1:1
• Cycle Magic cycle-syncing course
• Virtual workshops
• Instagram
• Tip Jar

If you’re wondering whether or not you can be a kitchen witch, there’s no initiation, there’s no gatekeeper, no certification or exam. You are one if you decide to be one!

I talk a lot about eating intentionally — thinking about how you want to feel and choosing foods that align with that goal. It’s about being present and empowered with your food choices.

But there is another type of way that we can eat intentionally, and that’s with kitchen witchery. This is choosing food for its magical or energetic properties. Making magic out of your meals, and incorporating food into your rituals.

We’ll talk about:

•  how to read a recipe
• essential kitchen items
• different ways you can infuse your energy and intentions into your meals
• my favorite books for going further
• rituals to try to get started

FREE GUIDE: Syncing With the Moon for a Better Flow
View all podcast listener perks here.

Referenced in this episode:

• Eating as a Spiritual Practice
• Sharpening your knife with a mug
• Potions With Purpose workshop
• Lizzie Arden on TikTok
• Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat
• How to Cook Everything + How to Cook Everything: The Basics by Mark Bittman
• The Vegetarian Flavor Bible by Karen Page
• The Green Witch by Arin Murphy-Hiscock
• The Book of Kitchen Witchery by Cerridwen Greenleaf
• Wicca in the Kitchen by Scott Cunningham
• The Good Witch's Guide by Shawn Robbins & Charity Bedell
• Blackthorn's Botanical Brews by Amy Blackthorn
• Self-Love Potion recipe
• Kitchen Witch Rituals

 How you can work with me:

• Apply to work with me 1:1
• Enroll in the Cycle Magic cycle-syncing course
• Check out my virtual workshops

Keep in touch!

Website
Instagram
Virtual Tip Jar

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

• Work with me 1:1
• Cycle Magic cycle-syncing course
• Virtual workshops
• Instagram
• Tip Jar

Are you the kind of person who gets nervous going to a place and not knowing the parking situation? Or you walk into a restaurant and *gasp* have to find the bathroom on your own? We love a roadmap in this house. Here's a handy guide to finding, vetting, and hiring an online nutritionist.

Referenced in this episode:

• Be There in Five - Hun For The Money (MLM & Insta Coaching Deep Dive)
• Open Path Healing Arts Collective (for clients / for practitioners)
• Academy of Culinary Nutrition

How you can work with me:

• Apply to work with me 1:1
• Enroll in the Cycle Magic cycle-syncing course
• Check out my virtual workshops

Keep in touch!

Website
Instagram
Virtual Tip Jar

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

• Work with me 1:1
• Cycle Magic cycle-syncing course
• Virtual workshops
• Instagram
• Tip Jar

When people were looking for ways to connect early in the pandemic, my friend Jenka came up with a brilliant way to bring a physical experience into the virtual realm. In this episode, we discuss her guided wellbeing experiences and her journey into hypnosis after using it to heal her chronic back pain.

Jenka Gurfinkel is a Principal User Experience Designer at athenahealth, a network of more than 160,000 providers and 110 million patients. She is also the founder of SPA x HOME guided wellbeing experiences. SPA x HOME began as Jenka's quarantine birthday party and has since grown into a social self care ritual shared by people all over the world. Through the SPA x Jenka combines digital tools with ancient healing practices to design experiences that relax, inspire, and transform. Jenka writes and speaks about how technology design affects public health and is fascinated by the exploration of health as a medium for creativity.

Listener perk: Get $100 off Cycle Magic, a cycle-syncing course for menstrual misfits, with the code LUNARLOVE.
View all podcast listener perks here.

Referenced in this episode:

• Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connectionby John E. Sarno, MD
• Suggestible You: The Curious Science of Your Brain's Ability to Deceive, Transform, and Heal by Erik Vance
• SPA x HOME
• Instagram: @spaxhome

 How you can work with me:

• Apply to work with me 1:1
• Enroll in the Cycle Magic cycle-syncing course
• Check out my virtual workshops

Keep in touch!
Website
Instagram

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

• Work with me 1:1
• Cycle Magic cycle-syncing course
• Virtual workshops
• Instagram
• Tip Jar