When you are out and about enjoying the sites of Saratoga, you are probably not thinking too much about how your food choices impact your brain and body. However, what we eat can not only affect our health and mood in the long-term, but can also give us with more energy and vitality to...
Eating for Your Brain Part 1: Sorting Through Conflicting Health Information on How Food Can Feed Your Brain

Is Food Medicine for the Brain? We are living in a world where access to health information is abundant. Through AI, social media, the internet, and podcasts, people can easily find copious sources of education and a diversity of opinions on wellness topics. This vast amount of available knowledge is highlighting to the masses...
Phototoxicity: Avoiding the “Burn” By Sun-Unfriendly Essential Oils

Essential Oils in the Sunshine Essential oils can be a wonderful way to support mind-body balance in the summertime. Yet, it is important to be aware certain essential oils have been known to cause unwanted skin reactions when exposed to the sun’s rays. Although this does not negate their benefits, these oils should be...
More on Supporting Thyroid Health with Essential Oils

The thyroid gland is vital for various key physiological processes. It plays a role in regulating metabolism, emotions, brain function, heart rate, muscle contraction, cholesterol levels, liver function, and more. Due to its system-wide impacts, untreated thyroid disease can lead to a variety of disorders. These include cardiovascular issues, osteoporosis, pregnancy complications, infertility, and...
Essential Oils and Mind-Body-Spirit Medicine: Kathryn Faso Interviews Dr. Sarah on Naturopathic and Functional Medicine for Brain, Digestive, and Hormone Health, Spirituality, “Healthy Eating,” Body Acceptance, Detox, and Mindset

Just recently, I was honored to have Kathryn Faso interview me. We talked about my journey into naturopathic and functional medicine and my love for essential oils. It was a pleasure to reunite with Kathryn. She is a humble and self-taught holistic health expert that I met years ago. Kathryn and I first connected at...
The Benefits of Diffusing Essential Oils: An Easy Way to Incorporate the Aromatic Benefits of Essential Oils into Your Life

Breathing in Good Health Inhalation is the oldest, easiest, and safest way to use essential oils. Breathing in these aromatic molecules creates an instant shift in our mood as their constituents quickly reach our brain and travel throughout our respiratory system and into our whole body. Even if you are not an oils’ connoisseur,...
Essential Oil Quality, Standards, and Safety Part 3: Testing, Verification, and Criteria for Determining “Good Quality” and “Pure” Essential Oil

What Are “Quality Essential Oils?” Finding high-quality essential oils can be challenging due to differing opinions on what factors are important in evaluating them and the lack of regulation of their purity. Recently, I began a series aiming to clarify the criteria for identifying good quality essential oils for both new and experienced users....
Essential Oil Quality, Standards, and Safety Part 2: The Regulations, Standards, Quality, and Purity of Our Aromatic Allies

Finding “Good Quality Essential Oils” Finding high quality essential oils can be a complex process and confusing to the new oiler. This is because individuals have different preferences and beliefs about the “best oils.” Furthermore, what is deemed the most important aspects for selecting our aromatic allies varies between essential oils users, clinical aromatherapists,...
Essential Oil Quality, Standards, and Safety Part 1: The Search for the Best Quality Oils

Why is “Quality Essential Oils” Such a Charged Term for Essential Oil Users? One of the most common questions newcomers to aromatherapy ask me is, “How do I find good quality essential oils?” It seems like an innocent question, right? Actually, this inquiry has gotten quite complex and even contentious among experienced aromatherapists and...
Five of My Favorite Single Essential Oils and Blends for Happy Guts and Optimal Digestion

Healthy Gut, Happy Body Our intestinal tract profoundly impacts our overall wellness through its various functions, along with its well-known role in nutrient assimilation, absorption, and elimination. Recently, we’ve been exploring the importance of a healthy digestive system and the bugs that reside in our “inner tube.” We’ve also been highlighting how essential oils...