Balancing Hormones Series – Healing Hormonal Acne for Glowy Clear Skin

September 18, 2018 Yvonne Matthews

This is a very personal post for me. This is where huge change started for me and really how I got to where I am now.

I’ve posted the detailed story here and here. But the short version is that back when I was in high school I was put on birth control to help alleviate the debilitating cramps that came with my period plus the teenage acne that embarrassed me so much. About 14 years later, in 2012, I had a steady partner (now husband) and decided to try getting off the only prescription medication I was on, not to get pregnant, but simply because I kept reading more and more how it wasn’t great for women to be on these synthetic hormones and not have a Real monthly cycle. Little did I know what I was in for! All that hormonal acne from my teens came rushing back, along with the total embarrassment and shame. How could I, a seemingly healthy 20-something year old, STILL have a face full of acne!?!?

Foundations of Nutrition - A Balanced Approach

September 12, 2018 Yvonne Matthews

Sometimes starting is the hardest part. I hear it all the time from my clients. And honestly, I go through it too. For me, I have found that creating a plan and taking that initial baby step forward is the best (and maybe only) way out of this sometimes-paralyzing place. I teach a 2-hour workshop on just this topic. And it’s always one of my favorites. So, I wanted to share today an easy step-by-step plan to building your foundation of nutrition and health.

So often we get caught up in the latest research or article on fish oil supplements, or this mushroom powder, or that one antioxidant rich fruit. It can get overwhelming and disorienting. Where do you start?

The Sobriety Series: Thinking About Sobriety and How to Get Started

August 28, 2018 Yvonne Matthews

You may have seen a few of my stories and posts on Instagram lately talking about my recent but long-coming choice to be sober. With all the support and love have also come a lot of questions about it, how I feel, how I made the decision, how I started, etc. So, rather than just leave it on Instagram I thought it might be well time to share some thoughts here on this topic and the beginning stages of thinking about or starting sobriety.

Balancing (Women's) Hormones Series - A Healthy Easy Cycle

August 20, 2018 Yvonne Matthews

Did you know that over 40 million women in the US struggle with hormonal issues?!?

I’ve noticed a lot more questions and general awareness from my clients and others around hormone balance. It’s something I am glad we are talking more about, not just with the other women in our lives but men and everyone! It’s a natural and quite miraculous function of women’s bodies. And though I do work with men and their hormones as well, today is all about the ladies! I encourage everyone to share this with the men in their lives. This is something we should all know and no longer hide or look away from.

First let’s define what a healthy menstrual cycle is.

A Personal Life Update & the Top 5 Holistic Ways to Ditch or Cut Back on Alcohol or Cravings

July 31, 2018 Yvonne Matthews

Many of you have been following along on my journey of kicking alcohol to the curb. I thought I would share a few of the things I have learned on my journey over the past few months and some tips and tricks for starting this process and continued success. As someone who has struggled on and off with alcohol, it’s been a long and winding road to get to where I am today, a culmination of events, decisions and experiments to find and see what works for me.

Here’s a summary of what led me to where I am today. Please don’t read these as excuses, they are not, I hold myself fully accountable for my own decisions and actions. I also think it’s important to look at where habits and beliefs might come from. And share so that others don’t feel so alone. It can feel like a lonely journey to be on sometimes. You are not alone.

From Athlete to Desk Job to Nutritionist - My Health and Wellness Journey

June 28, 2018 Yvonne Matthews

My health and wellness journey started before I even knew it, as it does for so many. So grab a cup of tea or bulletproof coffee and settle in.

I grew up with a very nurturing mom who was a high school health teacher, professional tennis coach, sports medicine master, and legit Boston Marathon Qualifier. We lived in the desert mountains above the Coachella Valley, in Southern California. As a young child, I remember going on long hikes with my mom and our dogs and learning about different plants and herbs that were native to our local desert. We would gather a few and take them home and drink some as tea and add others to the food we ate. It was a wonderful way to grow up and at the time I didn’t even realize it!

My next realization came when I was an adult. I made a conscious decision to stop taking birth control after 12 years of use. As a result, horrible acne started appearing on my face at the age of 28. I wasn’t in my teens anymore, why was I having such horrible acne? I went to some of the best estheticians in Los Angeles, I worked out most days of the week, I took all the supplements I thought I should, I ate a pretty clean and healthy diet, I even did juice cleanses! So what was going wrong? I also went to see a naturopath doctor, got some blood work and did a serious elimination diet. The acne got a little better but still nothing was completely clearing up my face.