Aviva Romm Sign Up Information

Dear Ava,

One of the new mommas in my online #Ideservebirthsupport prenatal course posted this message for me on Facebook last night, along with a gorgeous photo of her newborn (who also looks like she's smiling!) - still connected to a beautiful, deep red placenta, the umbilical cord gently twisted into the shape of a heart:

"Willow was born safely at home on Friday night! I went from planning a hospital birth with all the pain meds to switching to midwifery care at 20 weeks and embracing the idea of natural birth. Aviva Romm, I could not have done this without your online classes. This feels like such an accomplishment for me and I can't thank you enough for the beautiful gift you have given myself and countless other mamas."

What online class is she talking about? #ideservebirthsupport which will be free through the summer. You'll find 16 videos covering the full range of questions and concerns you might have from first trimester through newborn care, with supplemental PDFs, and an ongoing, weekly support circle (also free).

To be clear: my goal is not to convert all mommas to home births or any specific type of birth. Mommas in the group also have epidurals and cesareans. It''s all good. The course is here to provide pregnant folks with empowering information, resources, and support to help create to the birth experience they want and deserve. An experience where momma feels safe, confident, respected, and supported. Including during this pandemic. It's a continued pleasure and an honor to be able to share space and information with the pregnant women and new parents in this group.

I invite you to join us if you are pregnant, postpartum, thinking about conception, or a new mama. You'll find information on everything from prenatal vitamins to how to process birth trauma, but also a beautiful community of women cheering each other on and supporting one another through a time that no one had expected to navigate a pregnancy through. Plus, a lot of really, really cute newborn pictures along with stories of real challenges and triumphs that mommas are going through. We keep it real over there.

One of the top - if the not the # 1 - questions I've received since launching the course is about Group B Strep (GBS).

It's practically impossible to pick up a newspaper or magazine, or browse the internet these days, without coming across an article on the importance of a healthy microbiome for our overall health. If you've been educating yourself about the microbiome, you've probably learned that antibiotics are one of the things that can have a negative impact on it. You may also have heard that when young babies are exposed to antibiotics, it can increase their risk for eczema, allergies, and asthma in childhood, and even obesity and diabetes later in life, an issue that has gotten significant attention because of its relationship to birth by cesarean section, which keeps baby from being exposed to the mom's vaginal flora during birth. So it's understandable that pregnant moms, and even some health care professionals, are concerned about antibiotic overuse, particularly during pregnancy, labor, and for babies in the newborn period or early childhood.

So what do you do if testing shows you have Group B Strep (GBS) in pregnancy and are facing the decision about using antibiotics in labor as preventative treatment. Many women are unsure which is the greater risk - take the chance on your baby developing a GBS infection if you don''t do the antibiotics, or take an antibiotic that can impact your baby''s microbiome.

In my latest article and podcast here, I answer the numerous questions mommas have sent to me, explains what Group B Strep is, reviews the risks to baby if untreated, and will discuss the validity and safety of some of the common GBS testing "hacks" being used in pregnancy, as well as alternative methods of preventing/reducing GBS colonization to achieve a negative prenatal test.

Love and Sweat: Free Zoom Pilates Push

I'm very excited to share that I'm hosting a FREE class - Pilates Push, with my dear longtime friend Khetanya Henderson (and daughter of the midwife who trained me!) this Friday, July 17th at 1 pm ET. Not only is this woman an extraordinary fitness teacher, she's an actress and former Alvin Ailey and Cirque du Soleil dancer.

This full body pilates-based class with a little extra "push" is a really fun sweaty workout that I recently did as a private class with Khetanya. Is was too fantastic not to share the love (and sweat) with you! So she offered to hop on Zoom with me and get us all moving! No equipment is necessary - you can add weights and a booty band if you want - and all levels are welcome. And with Zoom, you can have your camera on for personal guidance from Khetanya, or you can keep it off for privacy.

To join us, go here Friday, July 17th at 1 pm ET. And if you want to get to know Khetanya, an absolutely gorgeous human being, beforehand, you can learn about her in the "At Home In Your Body + Overcoming Racism In Dance" video in my IGTV from a couple of weeks back.

With love,

Dear Ava,

At the end of each year I take time to pause - to think about the year behind me, what has changed and evolved for me personally and professionally, how I've grown, what I've learned.

I find this practice not only helps to remind me of my "wins" - and to be gentle with myself - it taps me into my gratitude, and it helps shape the path I want to take in the coming year.

At tomorrow''s end of year gathering (via Zoom) - let's do this together - pause, reflect, and celebrate our wins, share and congratulate each other for making it through 2020 so well - because don't we all need that right now? And let''s dream ahead to 2021.

Plus we can chat about whatever's on your mind - motherhood, balance, herbs, food, self care, birth, mental health, and beyond. As always, this will be a private, safe space, so please trust that you can share openly - and without any judgment.

I'll be sipping a Mind and Mood Soothing Tonic during the gathering. If you feel inspired to make a cup as well, you can find the recipe here.

When: Friday December 18th at 1 to 2:30 pm ET

Where: Zoom

Access: You can find the link for the event here.

I hope to see you tomorrow!

With love,

Dear Ava,

It's been a hard year for most - and I know that this holiday season is going to feel especially heavy for many who cannot be close to loved ones. I've been having a lot of 'heart to hearts' with the people in my circle, the ones I would usually be cozied up next to around the fireplace at this time of the year.

Which brings me more to the heart of this note to you. I'd love to say the reason that I've sent fewer emails lately (which I apologize for as I always want you to have these to look forward to) is how busy I am doing other things. That's true - I'm building a whole new website that's going to bring so much more of me to you, going through the final edits for my book which is for real, finally coming out in Spring 2021, creating a whole new membership for mamas, and another for practitioners, and more. But part of why I've written a bit less lately, is that I also go through my own moments of overwhelm about the moment we're in and the vulnerability I feel for my family members. And I never want to write to you unless to uplift you! On the other hand, I always want to be real, open, and transparent - not some social media curated illusion that I have it all together. Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don't. These are the strangest times I think most of us remember.

For me, constancy (rhythm), perspective, and giving is the trifecta that keeps me grounded, focused, and emotionally centered. I won't pretend that this fully takes away the pain of not being able to see my kids this holiday season, or not having hugged my grandkids since Feb., but it does work to keep me rooted in the here and now, so that I can be there for my loved ones when they need me, and for myself when I need me.

Here are some of the ways I go about it.

• Keeping a healthy sleep-wake rhythm and eating healthful meals consistently are the pillars in my daily life.
• Solo-dance parties (that would be me and Joan Jett or The Clash), handwork (these days I'm doing a large macrame and knitting fingerless gloves), with a good hike thrown in, are my releases.
• Phone and Zoom convos with family and friends keep me connected, as does the occasional socially distanced walk with a friend.
• Service for me is also really important - it's how I'm fundamentally wired - and this works for me. It's also been well-established that when we give we're less focused on our own concerns - a win-win antidote or preventative dose of 'feel good' for you and those who are on the receiving end. I'm not saying give more if you're already tapped - but when you start to feel you're imploding with worry or anxiety as so many are right now - consider reaching out to someone, making soup for a neighbor, sending a check-in note, or simply making a lovely meal for your family.
• I also make sure to keep my own self-care on my non-negotiable''s list - those dance parties and quiet moments of reading a book or zoning out into macrame or into my steps and breathing on a hike, provide the 'juice' to keep on keeping on.
• And importantly right now - I stay off of social media and don't check the news more than once a day, if that - knowing my partner or one of my kids who do enjoy following the news will let me know when there's something I need to know. Perhaps the greatest secret to my inner peace when I do have to be on social media is to always, always, always remember we can't compare our insides - or outsides - to anyone else's outsides - which are typically heavily curated on social media to only reveal what's 'perfect.'

I hope any of the above offerings will inspire you to weave in moments and practices that ground you. I hope you will continue to know that I'm here, keeping you in my meditations, truly, always, sending you a collective wish for your health, safety, happiness, security - and one for your loved ones.

And let's get together for one more live online event in 2020! A bit of a celebration, a bit of a fireside chat. We'll have time to sip tea together and talk about being home full-time with kids, more about homeschooling, how to stay healthy - immune and mood - during this time, and about resilience if you're a front line worker - and anything else you want to.

Friday December 18th at 1 to 2:30 pm ET

Where: Zoom, TBA in my Stories on Instagram. I'll also email you with the deets.

And I do have a new blog and podcast for you today, as well as a recipe to share to nourish you.

How to Raise an Eco-Conscious Family

(and Why It''s So Important)

When my kids were little I was 'mean mama' for not letting them wear the kinds of PJs their friends wore at sleepovers, meaning the polyester kinds with flame retardant. I was adamant in fact. Now, 3 decades later, the evidence is clear: flame retardants are endocrine disruptors and can have a serious impact on children's hormonal development.

Fast forward and now it's on trend to be ecologically conscious. And that's awesome. And incredibly important because the same underlying factors leading to global warming are also playing out on the landscape of our personal health - and our children's health from preconception on. And we can't wait for industry or the next administration to deal with the ecological crisis our planet is facing.

While it can feel overwhelming to rethink one's lifestyle, it's important to be proactive - for our planet, and for our health and that of the next generations. It's what's inspired me to raise my children - and live my own life - as close to 100% naturally as possible. I'd love to share some common sense ideas with you on how you can raise your family as an eco-warrior in my latest article and podcast.

What''s Cooking!

Try My Immune Goddess Bowl

Winter one bowl meals, and easy, warm, nourishing food. This is one of my favorite one dish meals - and I can''t wait for you to try it.

In this video on IGTV video I show you, step-by-step, how to make a delicious, immune-supporting Goddess Bowl that''s good for you and oh so comforting, easy, and delicious.

Get what you can organic, fill your plate with an array of colors, and take a minute to thank the earth for the bountiful harvest nourishing your body. Watch the video here.

xo,

Dear Ava,

This week is Maternal Mental Health week, How mamas feel and whether they feel supported is something tremendously dear to my heart. As a mama of four, those early days and weeks of the postpartum support, meals, and care I received remain indelible memories of being held and loved and not alone. It also wasn''t always easy. For example, while I was

so looking forward to a first 30 days of quiet with my fourth baby, home with my partner and kids, we had a very close and tragic death in my husband's family when my baby was just a week old, totally up-ending that magical time, but also interfering with me getting the care and support I needed from my family - and my partner. Many of you experiencing postpartum in this time know just what I mean about it not going according to how you'd hoped or planned. But I was still able to make it a special time by calling on friends and making sure to do things like rest when my baby rested, and accept the wonderful meals that friends dropped on my doorstep.

These experiences powerfully informed my care as a midwife. But it was a patient of mine many years ago who had postpartum depression due to an untreated thyroid condition that her midwife and doctor had missed that really got me onto the road of making postpartum care a priority in my work - and led to my writing Natural Health After Birth - one of the first books to use the term "the fourth trimester" and the first to talk about placental encapsulation!

What we really need is maternal mental health week EVERY SINGLE DAY until all moms are cared for properly. Right now, 1 in 5 pregnant and new mothers suffer from postnatal depression and anxiety, and sadly, fear of judgment from friends, family, and even their medical providers leads at least 70% of women experiencing prenatal or postnatal anxiety or depression to minimize their symptoms or not tell anyone - so they suffer in silence, alone, losing their joy at a time when they deserve to be reveling in their new baby. And postnatal depression and anxiety disproportionately affect women of color.

Our medical system is woefully underprepared to diagnose and care for mothers facing mental health challenges - women seeing OBs often don't even receiving an initial postpartum visit until 6 week after baby is born.

And now, depression and anxiety are emerging as an invisible pandemic in the shadow of the COVID one. As always, mothers (especially mothers of color), are especially at risk. Mothers are losing support systems as they raise a newborn, and quarantined mothers are at risk of burnout from juggling the lion's share of income earning, childcare, and household responsibilities.

I truly believe that the most important thing with treatment of depression and anxiety is to realize you are not alone, and that there is no shame or failure. Along with that, it's terribly important to get the help that''s going to be most effective for you - even if that means using a medication. While I understanding the commitment to a 100% natural approach, many women are so committed to going only natural that they end up suffering unnecessarily or for too long when a medication could have helped. That said, there are risks that do need to be acknowledged with medication use in pregnancy that women aren't always adequately informed of. Further, doctors may be quick to prescribe when an underlying condition is what really needs to be addressed- whether those be social and economic, or nutritional (i.e. iron deficiency) or medical (hypothyroidism, GDM), go unrecognized and treated, mimicking depression when there is a simple root cause that can be reversed. In this article I talk about using natural medicines as an adjunct - or core - part of addressing some of the overlooked physical root causes. In this one I highlight some of the pros and cons of using antidepressants with mommas in pregnancy.

For those of you who don't know about this, I've been offering a FREE series of online classes for mommas for about 4 weeks now. It's been a vital lifeline for many mommas in this time, and anyone can join over at #ideservebirthsupport on Facebook. There are already a half-dozen classes anyone can watch on everything from how to have an empowered birth to birth self-advocacy to natural postpartum health. There's also a weekly support group on Thursdays at 1pm ET. I'm teaching the classes and leading the support groups, and now graduates from my courses are also joining as volunteers - a perk of studying with me is being involved in amazing projects like this!

If you do want to study with me, it's particularly relevant in light of maternal health week: my courses include robust content on supporting mommas in pregnancy and postpartum, including preventing and helping women with natural support for prenatal and postpartum depression. Herbal Medicine for Women is on sale now thru May 9th. To learn more or join, head on over here. And if you're pregnant now and want to start with the pregnancy and birth module, that can happen!

Wherever this email finds, my hope is that you and yours are safe, well, and well supported during this very strange and surreal time. I hope that Spring's start is bringing you moments of brightness, and that you know that you are not alone - and that I'm thinking of you for sure!

With love,

If you''re interested in learning about adaptogens for women, join me today (Saturday 5/9) at 2 pm ET on my Instagram page for an IG Live Q&A. PLUS Herbal Medicine for Women sale Ask Me Anything.

Dear Ava,

How often have you felt not heard about your own body in a medical appointment or had a woman tell you she had the experience of being ignored or dismissed about a health concern? Or were just handed a prescription without any word about potential side-effects or alternatives? In fact, more and more medications have been found to have inadvertent side effects - and get this: most of the drugs on the market haven't been tested on women. Further, more unnecessary surgeries are done for women's gynecological problems than for any other health issues.

It's very likely that you - or someone you care for - is one of the MILLIONS of women suffering from endometriosis, fibroids, PMS, thyroid, or menopausal issues. In fact, over 10% of women have PCOS - which is often missed - or misdiagnosed - and carries the same risks of heart disease as diabetes, 1 in 10 has endometriosis, and 1 in 8 a thyroid problem. Then on top of it there's anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and so much more that we're struggling with while we try to keep our lives in balance and juggle it all. It can feel like a circus with all the juggling we're doing!

So many women are being subjected to dismissal, missed diagnoses, unnecessary meds and surgeries - never having been told about root causes, or alternatives to treatment.

Here's the thing. We don't have to live this way and it's really time for another way.

Herbal Medicine for Women is about the centuries-old herbal and botanical wisdom easily available to us all - sometimes the only path to healing and sustained health for many of us. It invites you to welcome a healthier, slower pace into your life. It's a reminder that it's essential in the midst of taking care of everyone and everything else in your life, to take care of you, too. One way we return to our roots is to make time to feel our feet on the earth, to breathe deeply, and remember to drop into our own bodies and feel our connection not only to ourselves - but to our planet and natural rhythms. Something we need to relearn now more than ever in the chaos we're experiencing in this pandemic.

Also, as women, we're the ones who ought to take care of other women.

That's why I created Herbal Medicine for Women - this course brings you home to yourself, while offering you an opportunity to learn (virtually) with other women, and gives you a incredible library of natural solutions - many of which literally grow all around us.

This training is more than facts and data; it's the "how to" wisdom to chart a path to wellness and to restore and maintain our gynecologic and reproductive health, to rediscover the core of our well being - in the most natural way possible. This is a course that embraces the ART of well-being and the SCIENCE of being well.

It also gets you up close and intimate with the herbs that have been used for centuries by our foremothers, with new and updated uses for our needs as women today. Motherwort is my personal favorite herb to go to when I need a special dose of inner calm and emotional smoothness. Here''s an excerpt of a monograph you''ll receive as part of the course - you''ll learn much more about ''her'' in the course...

Motherwort

Botanical name: Leonurus cardiaca

Plant part(s) used: leaves, flowering tops

Actions: nervine, antispasmodic, emmengagoue, hypotensive, cardiotonic, anxiolytic

Motherwort means "mother's herb"; the botanical name means "lion hearted." Originally from Central Asia and southeastern Europe, it is now found worldwide, spread largely due to its use as a remedy to tonify the female reproductive system

Clinical uses:

• Irritability and emotional lability, especially when associated with hormonal changes (e.g., PMS) and exhaustion (e.g., postpartum).
• Commonly included in a wide variety of formulas for gynecologic concerns ranging from amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, and PMS to anxiety and stress in the perimenopause.
• It is also a useful tonic and uterine antispasmodic, imparting tone while relieving spasticity, thus useful in the treatment of cramping and uterine pain.
• Relieving heart palpitations associated with anxiety as well as due to hyperthyroidism.

Preparation and dose: Tincture: 2-4 mL, 1-3 times daily

Major safety information: No known side effects within recommended doses. Contraindicated for use during pregnancy. Traditionally used for emotional support during lactation.

I'd love to have you join me as you discover ways to help yourself and other women take control of their health, well being and bodies. As a Yale-trained physician, THIS is what I have worked my whole life to know - and what I live to teach others.

The course is a relaxed journey - you can start when you want, there''s no expiration date, and FOR REAL - you can work entirely at your own pace, even if you participate in the new group study model starting later this month.

Yet it''s rigorous enough to offer substantial CEs to CNMs through ACNM (most nurses/NPs can use these), NDs, acupuncturists, health coaches, and we have an application in process for dietitian CEs.

There is a POWERFUL online community of women to support one another inside - including NPs, CNMs, MDs, NDs, LAcs, health coaches, dietitians and nutritionists, herbalists, and so many others - as well as women who just want to learn this for themselves.

And the course is on sale now - with the sale extended through Monday May 11 for those of you who wanted to give this to yourselves as a Mother's Day Gift!

I'll send a quick reminder on Monday before registration closes, but this weekend, my little team of me and two other mamas who have joined me in this work, are taking time off to go within and connect with our mothers, daughters, daughter-in-laws - and ourselves.

Today I also have some fun special giveaways! In honor of Mother's Day weekend, I am giving away signed copies my 3 mama books - The Natural Pregnancy Book, Natural Health After Birth, and Naturally Healthy Babies and Children - to 3 women! One super lucky winner will win the set of books + an herbal self care box. (Giveaway for continental US residents only due to shipping). To enter, go to my Instagram post for today (5/9) and tag some mamas in the comments (each tag done in a separate comment will count as its own entry!), I will choose 3 winners tomorrow at noon ET.

However motherhood has shown up for you in your life - easily, generously, joyously, or with the loss and pain that is the other side of wearing our hearts on our sleeves - all the range shared by women in my world, in my practice, in my course - and in my own life - I wish you ease and peace of heart this weekend, and always.

Dear Ava

Happy evening if you''re reading this when I''ve just sent it out! I hope this email finds you well - whenever you''re having a moment to read it. Cup of tea in hand? Stolen moment to yourself? Ahhh....those moments we all feel so grateful for.

There are so many things I'm grateful for in my life. Perhaps one of the most important to me is that I was fortunate at a young age to find my life's purpose. Or perhaps it found me. Or both.

When I was 15, it all came together in a sort of vision of my life that wove social justice, health justice, and birth together - and I became a midwife. Having purpose in one's life is truly a gift. My studies and work have taken me from the heart of Roxbury MA to the wilds of Southern Utah to Haiti and to the hospitals in big and small cities, to homes, birthing rooms, Labor and Delivery rooms, to the OR.

So many mommas, so many babies, and a life worth living every day.

But for many birthing mamas, especially right now in COVID, and especially for black mamas now and for a long, long time in history, COVID or not, there's a lot of overwhelm, confusion on what to choose, do, who to trust, and fear based on the normal fear of the unknown - from scary birthing stories you heard, or some of the stark statistics on cesarean section, birth trauma, postpartum depression, and particularly if you are a black momma, maternal and infant mortality statistics.

It's why I got inspired and got to work. In the past couple of months I''ve created an online series of now 14 classes, with the final and 15th in the series coming tomorrow, on everything pregnancy, birth, and new momma. There's also an additional class on preventing and healing birth trauma.

These classes live in a private (but FREE ACCESS!) Facebook group at #ideservebirthsupport. They are completely free now and at least through the summer (there's been so much demand that we're thinking of creating an affordable two-year membership to take mommas through pregnancy and thru the first year after birth), and will take you from first trimester through to being a new momma with two classes on newborn care also - so you can have your mind at ease. I walk you through major decisions like home/birthing-center/hospital, GBS, and what to do if you're told you need a cesarean - but you're not so sure you do.

There are downloadables with recipes for making postpartum baths and a pregnancy tea, and much more, and a whole class on what to eat through the trimesters! And there's a goofy but great video on labor and birthing positions you can use, and a partner or doula can support you with - featuring yours truly because hey, we've been sheltering in place - so I had to be the 'model' and my husband Tracy had to be my support partner - even though our youngest baby is now 26 years old!

If you are a black birthing person - I don't mean to be scary here - but the reality is that you are more likely to be ignored, mistreated, emotionally, verbally, or even physically abused when you enter the hospital. You're less likely to have pain taken seriously. Potentially life-threatening symptoms you report may be ignored (think @SerenaWilliams). And black women birthing are 4-5x more likely to die in childbirth than white women; in NYC that risk may be up to 12x. Black trans men are also at high risk of medical mistreatment and abuse.

So please, especially please, do take advantage of this program - it's all there for your use! I hope these resources support and empower you as they have so many mommas, some of whose stories you can read about on the #ideservebirthsupport page.

Can''t wait to see you over there. And YES, PLEASE share the deets and the link! All are welcome.

Oh, also, if you haven''t had a chance to catch my interview with midwife Shafia Monroe on IGTV (it''s still there) or have been awaiting the podcast version - you can find that right here - hot off the press!

An Easier Way to Take Your Thyroid Medication

For anyone taking a medication, you know that one of the biggest obstacles is simply remembering to take it. The same can be said of even a daily multivitamin or other supplements. For women with hypothyroidism, this is often an especially big problem: you've been told that your levothyroxine (L-T4, Synthroid, etc.) not only has to be taken in the morning, but then, for it to be absorbed (and therefore effective!) you also can't eat or drink for an hour. But be damned Synthroid if you're gonna' skip that morning coffee, chai, or matte! Only thing is, coffee/caffeine is one of the big 'interferers.'

What if I told to that you could simply take your levo before bed and forgeddaabout it in the morning! (Angels singing?).

Well you can! New research - a meta-analysis and systematic review of 10 of the best quality articles on the topic - shows that taking levothyroxine at bedtime is equally as effective (as long as you haven't eaten or drank within 3 hours of bed, which is also better for your health anyway!), doesn't interfere with sleep, and may even result in better FT4 levels!

So if you've been skipping your morning thyroid dose now and then because you're too busy to remember it, cursing that pill because you really want your coffee or brekkie, or are just ignoring the one hour rule - there's a whole new horizon ahead. Brush and flosses, take your medication, and pop off to bed! Convenience! Isn't that nice for a change?

Reference: Xiao Pang; Tao Pu; Li Xu; Ru Sun Effect of L-Thyroxine Administration Before Breakfast vs at Bedtime on Hypothyroidism: A Meta-Analysis. Clin Endocrinol. 2020; 92(5):475-481.

High Summer Grilled Corn, Sweet Potato & Kale Salad

There are few flavor combos I love more than corn-black beans-and cilantro hitting my palette, and right now, the cilantro is in full force in my garden.

I not only love the flavor of cilantro, but it's got a story behind it for me that is formative and sentimental. It was the first herb I grew once I knew that herbal medicine was a thing. My at-the-time boyfriend's mom, world renown philosopher (the late Ruth Anna Putnam), mother, and avid gardener, taught me how to grow it indoors in pots, and got me started on my first plants, which I hung from macram? planters I made (of course, but no, I didn't own a pair of Birkenstocks - not yet, anyway!) and I'd nibble the leaves, then the flowers, and eventually it went to seed, producing beautiful brownish coriander seeds - also nibble-able, while I was studying

herbal medicine from books and anywhere I could learn. She was an incredible woman who embraced me at a time when my relationship with my own family was rocky, and I was already 'emancipated' and living on my own (yes, I have quite the life story!).

What's been a surprise to me is just how eager cilantro is to grow. I didn't even plant any in my garden this year, but she's volunteering all over - in the beds, even in the pea-gravel paths. But I'm not complaining. If cilantro wants to grow like a weed, I'm happy for it.

Now some people HATE the taste of cilantro. If you're old enough to have experienced the corporal punishment - or even the threat - of having your mouth washed out with soap (yes, I am that old, and it did happen to me - sassy girl that I was), or have just accidentally gotten soap in your mouth, you'll understand the poor souls who can't enjoy cilantro. A small but very real percentage of people have genetic variation that makes cilantro taste like soap! You folks - just skip the cilantro in this recipe and use dried cumin instead - it's still mighty delicious.

Okay, so back to this salad. Black beans are so healthy for you. They are good for your hormones, heart, cholesterol, microbiome, and with that your mood, weight, and daily BM habits. It's because they're loaded with great sorts of fiber that balance blood sugar, insulin, and estrogen. Beans give you gas? Not in this recipe! Cilantro and/or cumin take care of that for you - their carminative (herbalist-speak for gas preventing/relieving) actions will make it easier to enjoy beans than you ever knew possible.

Then there are the sweet potatoes. Masanobu Fukuoka, of the One Straw Gardening Revolution, aka "do-nothing farming," a very early book on organic farming and sustainability (I told, you I made macram? plant hangers - so I just know this old hippie stuff like the back of my hand) said sweet potatoes were one of the best things we could eat for our gardens.

What? Eat FOR our gardens? I know you think I've made a grammatical error. But I haven't. You see one of the ways Fukuoka nourished his gardens was using night soil. I'll leave that for you to look up - but suffice it to say it's a widely used practice to transform human excrement into good, organic compost. Sweet potatoes, also with their high fiber content, are great for the bowels and microbiome (if you're a proponent of the ancient practice of the doctrine of signatures, where the appearance of a plant suggests the organ it's used for, well a healthy sweet potato does look like a healthy number two which on the Bristol Stool Scale is actually #4 (Google image that one - it's a handy scale to know about!).

And then of course, there's the kale. Fiber, phytoestrogens, and phytochemicals that balance your hormones, support natural liver detoxification, and more goodness to support your microbiome. Who said eating your greens isn't the best thing ever?

Finally, the grilled corn! Don't have a grill? I grill frozen corn kernels right in a skillet on my stovetop. Takes about 7 minutes to create golden grilled corn this way. Easy.

Ready for this recipe already? Fantastic! I'm ready to share it! Head on over right here to make your own fantabulous summer Grilled Corn, Sweet Potato & Kale Salad.

Hint: Make enough for leftovers, because you'll definitely be wanting more!

Dear Ava,

You'll often hear me say that we need a new paradigm for women's health. What do I mean by that? Women in the US are misdiagnosed, mistreated, and over-medicated, and we need safe, natural, affordable alternatives to current medical treatments for common women''s health problems. In our own hands.

That is exactly what I teach you - whether for yourself, your friends + family, or your practice - in Herbal Medicine for Women.

HMW is a powerful, comprehensive 400-hour course that uniquely integrates traditional herbal wisdom, clinical experience, and critically reviewed botanical and nutrition scientific evidence for the prevention and treatment of common women's health concerns. The course emphasizes a whole-woman approach to health, taking into consideration body, mind, and the whole woman in the context of her life.

This course will help you to:

• Take back your health and responsibility for your own wellness.
• Recognize, listen to, and trust your body knowledge and help others learn to do the same.
• Let go of fear created by a disease-based medical model and embrace a woman-centered approach to healing.
• Develop the skills needed to promote health and prevent and treat common women's health conditions.
• Learn to bring nutrition into your practice.
• Develop a strong knowledge of herbal medicine for women's health.
• Deepen your connection to the Earth and learn how natural rhythms influence health.
• Enhance your professional clinical practice.
• Specialize in women's herbal medicine.
• Clarify your personal path (practitioner, teacher, writer, medicine-maker, entrepreneur)
• Deepen your awareness and understanding of the psycho-emotional and spiritual influences on health.

HMW is also the only herbal course recognized by midwifery, naturopathic medicine, health coaching, and acupuncture accrediting bodies.

One of my favorite things about running this course for the past 16 years has been hearing how the course has changed the lives and the practices of my students. Here's a little glimpse into what they've said:

"I absolutely love the student/instructor dialogue and the excellent documents available to us on the website. The wealth of information and your virtual support gives me confidence in my own ability to become a competent provider for my community. Whenever I pick up my course books, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for your hard work to create a rigorous but understandable curriculum that is rich with historical, cultural, and medicinal relevance. All that to say, I am blessed - and blissed - to be a part of this group of wise women!" - Sarah W.

"Quite honestly, the course is superior to anything I have seen. For women''s practitioners such as myself, there is no better course. I also think that those who desire to be practitioners for all ages and genders would be able to provide much better care with this program under their belt. This course has reinforced my inner passion for herbs and greatly expanded my knowledge about them." - Ani C.

"I am enrolled in this course and am loving everything in it. I have never seen a more comprehensive or visually beautiful course and I have looked! I am a homeschooling mom of 6 and an herbalist who works from home. It is totally doable even with our busy lives." - Jonelle

While admission is open year round, you have two more days to grab this special 20% off discount!

This is the only discount offer until late spring of next year. The discount applies to both individual + group rates and is open until 10 pm ET on October 27th.

__________________________

Want to give herbal medicine making a try? In HMW you''ll learn how to leverage herbs to make potent tonics, balms, tinctures, and teas to nourish your overall health.

Sleep Easy Tea

If you have been experiencing difficulty falling and staying asleep these days - you are not alone. With the stress of this past year, the heightened demands on parents, plus the upcoming election...many women are finding it difficult to find the time or the resources to relax and unwind. So by the time bedtime comes, you''re not only too stressed to fall asleep, but stressing out over the fact that you can''t fall asleep. And the cycle continues. Sound familiar?

A nightly routine of a cup of herbal tea about an hour before bed (not too close to sleep that you''ll have to wake up to pee!!!) can be a powerful antidote to this vicious cycle. Sipping tea in the evening is in itself a restful practice, and the herbs below are relaxing to body and mind.

Ingredients

1 tsp each of:

• chamomile blossoms
• peppermint leaf
• lavender blossoms

Directions

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Steep the combined herbs, covered, for I0 minutes. Strain. Drink warm, plain or with a tiny bit of honey (also good for sleep), inhaling the aromatic vapors as you drink to benefit from the medicinal tea and the aromatherapy effects.

This is safe to drink daily, and is safe for pregnant and breastfeeding moms.

Hope this brings you restful sleep in these very strange times!

xx,

RETURN TO YOUR ROOTS: The Herbal Medicine for Women sale is going on NOW!

Dear Ava

Most of us spend a decade trying not to get pregnant - and then for so many women, when they're finally ready, the path to getting pregnant is anything but easy or direct. And right now, with COVID-19, the whole fertility treatment landscape has been turned upside down, as many infertility treatment centers and doctors have closed for the time being.

In the midst of this pandemic, one of my patients gave birth to a beautiful baby after a very smooth labor, and she couldn't have been more overjoyed. Not just because this is her second healthy baby, but because this was her second healthy baby after years of carrying an infertility diagnosis. While fertility is complex, and every woman has her own journey, there is hope, and there are real tools you can use to nourish your ovaries and uterus, support immunity, reduce inflammation, and rebalance your hormones.

When Elena came to me for fertility treatment, she'd all but given up on getting pregnant naturally, but she really wanted to give it one more try.

Click here for the nutritional strategy that I started Elena on, and that I turn to with confidence over and over in my practice. The article is live now - and the podcast episode is coming tomorrow morning!

xo,

Aviva

All this Herbal Medicine in One Convenient Online Course? YUP!

Can you believe you can learn all of this in one place?

The Healthy Menstrual Cycle . Menstruation and Adolescents . Painful Menstruation (Dysmenorrhea) . Menstrual Irregularity . Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) . Fibrocystic Breasts and Breast Pain . Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome . Endometriosis . Vaginal Infections . Urinary Tract . Infections and Interstitial Cystitis . Uterine Fibroids . Issues in Unplanned Pregnancies . Safety of Herbs During Pregnancy and Lactation . Fertility Problems . Pregnancy Wellness, Nutrition, and Body Care . Miscarriage Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy . Hyperemesis gravidarum . Constipation and Hemorrhoids . Iron Deficiency Anemia . IBS During Pregnancy . Premature Labor and Uterine Irritability . Skin Problems . Insomnia and Nervous Disorders . Breech Presentation . Post Dates Pregnancy . Prolonged Labor . Pain and Exhaustion in Labor . Perineal Care . Postpartum Depression . Breastfeeding Problems . Healthy Menopause . Hormone Replacement Therapy . Hot Flashes and Night Sweats . Insomnia, Anxiety, and Depression . Uterine Bleeding . Vaginal Dryness . Uterine Prolapse . Low Libido . Prevention of Heart Disease . Osteoporosis

Good!

Because in Herbal Medicine for Women, we seriously cover all of that and more, including medicine making, plant ID, growing herbs, working with clients, and setting up an herbal business (and for the record, my students have set up really incredible and even lucrative herbal businesses - one was even featured in Forbes!)

This 400-hour course is recognized by midwifery, nursing, naturopathic medicine, and acupuncture accrediting agencies that uniquely integrates traditional herbal wisdom, clinical experience, and critically reviewed botanical and nutrition scientific evidence for the prevention and treatment of common women's health concerns.

But you don''t have to be a practitioner or have science or herbal knowledge to join.

It's also really fun.

And it's on sale now through May 9th only, with a new, special virtual classroom that you won't want to miss!

So ready to do this? Don't miss this special sale - and an opportunity to study together while you're sheltering in place, or to nourish your body, mind, and soul with herbs when you come home at the end of being out in this big wild world we're in.

Oh - BTW - you can purchase the course now and start anytime, go at your own pace, and there''s no ''expiration date'' so you can chill and enjoy while you learn.

ZOOM Hangout Reminder: Detox 101

Who: you and me, sister

What: A FREE WEBINAR where I'll unpack what the detox fuss is all about, what's hype and what's real, the risks and benefits, and how you can support your body's natural daily detox pathways - right from home!

Where: Your computer or Ipad. Here's the link to join.

When: This Sunday (5/3) at 2 PM ET (or sign up to watch the replay when you can)

What to wear: Your comfy clothes

What to bring: A cup of tea, a virtual pal, a pen and notebook if you like to write notes or doodle while you learn

From 'It's All in Your Head' to 'It's All Your Fault:" Eight Medical Myths Keeping Women from Getting Proper Diagnosis and Treatment

Dear Ava,

If you've been made to feel - or have been told - that your symptoms could be all in your head, whether just stress, anxiety, or overwork, you're not alone. Well into the 1970s, many common women's symptoms were attributed to personality types and women's emotional 'whims' or hysteria, a condition that persisted in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), until the 1980s. "It's All in Your Head" is one of eight common medical myths that I break down in my latest article.

I've written this article so you can spot these medical myths in action, to help you realize that it's not all in your head and it's not your fault - and I give you tools to get more health empowered so that these myths never prevent you from getting medical care you might need.

If you prefer to listen, the podcast version is coming soon so stay tuned wherever you subscribe to podcasts - or to my Instagram Stories where I''ll announce when it goes live - but there are lots of important links in the written article.

This is THE BEST Chaga Mushroom Hot Cocoa - and It's Vegan and Healthy!

Medicinal mushrooms support immunity, are anti-viral, calm the stress response (they're adaptogens), and promote energy and vitality.

Chaga, which grows at the base of paper birch trees - abundant where I live, like other medicinal mushrooms, contains compounds called beta-glucans, a form of polysaccharide, which enhance immunity and reduce inflammation. But chaga also contains important medicinal compounds, like betulinic acid, from the birch trees they grow on and help to protect.

Chaga has been in use as a medicine for thousands of years, and has been included in the medical pharmacopoeia in Russia for nearly 75 years.

Chaga:

• Promotes energy and reduces fatigue
• Supports immune health
• Reduces inflammation
• Calms the stress response
• Acts as an antiviral
• Improves overall resilience

To prepare Chaga Hot Cocoa:

• Make 2 cups of cashew milk (soak ? cup cashews in 2 cups cold water for 1 hour, strain, blend with 5 pitted medjool dates and 2 tsp vanilla extract for 2 minutes.
• Put 2 tsp chaga powder (ie from Mountain Rose Herbs) in a cup, cover with 2 TBS boiling water - let sit for 5 minutes.
• Heat cashew milk gently - don't boil.
• Stir 1 TBS organic good quality cocoa powder and a dash of cardamom powder into chaga 'paste.'
• Add 1 cup cashew milk, stir well.
• Dust with cocoa powder.

Enjoy up to 1 cup daily.

Not for regular use in pregnancy; safe while BF'ing.

Check with your care provider if you have diabetes or autoimmune disease.

In this video I show you a piece of chaga that was harvested near my home recently, and how to make this creamy plant-based chaga 'shroom hot cocoa - from dried chaga powder - that''s beyond believable delicious, and healthful. Plus you get a peek into my kitchen.

Want to learn more about medicinal mushrooms? Click here.

Enjoy, with big love!

Dear Ava,

Someone recently told me that in 2020 there's been March, second March, third March, hot March, hot hot March, and now it seems we're in early autumn March.

Indeed, it does seem like the year when time stood still. I personally can't believe it's September! And I''ve said that to my husband about 10 times this week already.

For many, the time vortex is also taking a toll - we've now gone through late winter, spring and summer cycles of sheltering in place - some of us more (I''ve been fully sheltered with the exception of some very socially distanced visits with our kids) and some less - depending on your work and where you live.

No doubt, for all of us, it's been a trying time - and certainly more for some. I hear a lot of the different struggles folks are going through not just in the news or amongst friends and family, but from this wonderful online community we''re all a part of together. Just today I received an email from someone whose husband's work 'reconfigured' and he is now completely out of a job. Earlier this week from a midwife who is struggling with isolation and overwhelm. And from the myriad pregnant people about to give birth - with no ability to get postpartum help from family or friends because they're concerned to get sick - or have a loved one get sick en route to them.

And of course, the overwhelm of families figuring out school and work right now. One of my own dear friends is keeping her kids home from school though the school opened for classes. Her children are offered distance learning - but they have almost no support and are already feeling like outsiders just a week into classes starting (the school is offering a hybrid model with some families choosing to send their kids to the classroom and others opting for online learning from home) .

Many, if living alone and respecting sheltering in place, have not had any physical contact - hugs, handholds, embraces, intimacy - in nearly 6 months! The stress many have felt since the pandemic started hasn't lifted, and for some the weight of this on our shoulders is starting to get really, really heavy. Stress and anxiety may be showing up in new and intense ways, or old patterns may be rearing their heads - causing chronic worry, anxiety, distraction by our problems to the point of disrupted sleep and eating. One study showed that for some women, eating disorders are cropping up or worsening. And in my home, where my husband and I not only live, but work together - we have to remember to find ways to diffuse tension. Hence, the ping-pong table we now have in our basement!

As we enter the fall-winter landscape in the Northern Hemisphere (for those of you south of the equator, I hope the coming spring brings you a welcome relief!), we're entering the more quiet, insular, part of the year. Yet this year has already been extremely quiet and insular - most of us haven't left home much. I want to remind you that you are not alone - and that I''m on my Instagram connecting in real time, checking my inbox, and on Facebook - so please connect with me and with the wonderful like-minded and like-hearted members of my community who are also there. connecting with each other. This is a time when we can give social media a well-needed PR facelift and use it for good - for community, to really be ''friends.'' Nobody should feel alone in this time when we can reach out and connect.

I also want to share some of the things that have been providing me with calm and centering - more so when I do these proactively - but still helpful for getting out of a ''spiral'' - and that I'm sharing with my patients, and friends and family who ask:

#1: Reduce your triggers. We all have triggers that spark our anxiety. Learning what triggers you have can help you avoid the avoidable when possible. If your morning cup of coffee is putting your jitters over the line - try my chai turmeric latte. If scrolling through your IG feed isn't serving you right now, take a social media break. And no, you do not have to watch the news every single day - if that's a trigger, then take a step back from it and ask someone in your life to fill you in on anything dire. Please give yourself permission to be gentle with yourself and scale back on anything that isn't serving you right now.

#2: Give yourself 'worry time.' Allow yourself a certain amount of worry time every day. You can start with an hour and work your way down to 15 minutes. I give myself what I call "my moment of doubt." Take some time to yourself, set a timer, and let your mind wander into worry land. When your time is up, so is your worry for the day.

#3: Give yourself 'feel good time.' At least once a day schedule in something that just FEELS GOOD. Not something productive, not something that serves the family - something that just. Feels. Good. For me these days, that's been a lot of time in my garden. It''s been making sure I step away from all electronic devices. Except my food processor because one of my delights has been making my new Tahini-Date Chocolate Fudge Bars that I am obsessed with, my family loves, and which I teach you how to make below in this newsletter.

#4: Exercise. Simple, yet so powerful. Exercise helps your body get rid of anxiety hormones and neurotransmitters like cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine more quickly. Walk it off. Dance it off. Do yoga. Jump rope. Go for a run. Punch a punching bag. Do ten push-ups. Repeat. Even just 30 minutes a few times a week can make a difference. Want a great and affordable way to do yoga, Pilates, and more at home? Check out www.glo.com (this is not an affiliate link) for unlimited streaming classes from some of the top teachers at a reasonable monthly membership price. It's my go-to and is great whether you're a beginner, experienced, or advanced.

#5: Keep your blood sugar balanced. Here are the basics: Eat a balanced, non-sugary breakfast and don't skip meals. Eat a good quality protein at each meal and snacks, eat something every few hours, and include high quality fats (olive oil, walnut oil, coconut oil, nuts and seeds) at each meal. Avoid foods (and non-food junk) that lead to blood sugar drops. Sugar, white carbohydrates, and caffeine are the most common examples.

#6: Support with Supplements. Supplements can help support your mind, mood, and sleep in this time. For my go-tos, head over here - and for my archives on everything from stress to migraines, head over here and search for what you need. Taking Vitamin D is especially important in this time - for mood and immune health. 2000 IU D3 daily is a safe and effective amount for most adults - including in pregnancy and while BF''ing.

#7: Take Herbs. In addition to providing us with important 'phytochemicals' that work on resetting pathways within our nervous system, many botanical alternatives work as well as pharmaceuticals and rarely cause side effects - unlike their pharmaceutical counterparts. Check out the 7 herbs I recommend for anxiety, stress, and panic attacks here.

#8: Follow your bliss and give to others. I'm super fortunate that my passion - the work I do - is also of service - and perhaps you have that, too. Giving - whether through your work, volunteering for a hotline, or offering to do a virtual craft class for kids in your neighborhood who can't attend school right now - can lift you up while calming your stress response. So can getting into "flow" - that state of engagement we feel when we're doing something we're passionate about and lose sense of time (in a way that feels good) and stress. So if you have something you''ve always wanted to study or learn to do, now's a really good time to invest in a few books, those art supplies (for me it's macram? - you can see me at work here), or that course. And hey, if it happens to be herbal medicine, look no further than here!

I've also been getting a lot of questions about homeschooling and how to find balance with work and life and being a mom - and I get it. It is hard! But it is doable - I homeschooled my four kids for 20 years, two thru high school, two thru middle school - and I am going to share what I learned over the years on some upcoming mini podcasts. So stay tuned and send in any specific questions you want me to cover to support@avivaromm.com.

Obsessed with Tahini-Date Chocolate-Fudge Bars

This recipe came about as I was looking to create a healthful way for pregnant women to eat

dates to facilitate labor starting around 36 weeks to when baby is born (though, yes, it's still safe to eat them throughout pregnancy), while also looking for a way to help women include more hormone-healthy, calcium-rich sesame seeds into their diets. After a little poking around on the internet for what ingredients would bring it all together, I came up with a version of what's a cross between halvah and fudge. And seriously, it's so good that my family keeps asking for more. I'm

obsessed with how good and simple these are (5 minutes to prepare, no cooking) and weirdly, they're not high in sugar. Folks are tagging me on IG about how much they love this little treat! The recipe is here - where you can also watch me make it in my kitchen.

I hope they add some cheer and variety to you days! And remember, chocolate is a healthful, natural mood-lifter!

Protecting Your Baby's Microbiome From the Start

Another thing I'm obsessed with is gut health - and newborn health! And it all starts with the newborn microbiome.

The development of the adult microbiome begins at birth and the health of the microbiome from birth to age 2, in part, sets the tone for lifetime health. For example, the status of the early microbiome influences the development of our immune system, and when it is disrupted, we run the risk of all manner of inflammatory and allergic conditions developing sooner or later, including allergies, food intolerances, eczema, asthma, and autoimmune diseases. Obesity, diabetes, depression, endometriosis, and other chronic adult problems can also be consequences of an early disrupted microbiome.

So it's no wonder that nourishing and protecting baby's microbiome from birth is a very important topic to me - and one I hope I can interest you in! There are very specific steps we can take to help set our babies up to thrive throughout their lives - from a good quality probiotic for mama to vaginal birth and breastfeeding whenever possible, to a good quality probiotic for baby if mom's had antibiotics in labor or a cesarean. To learn more about the newborn microbiome, and what you can do to protect your baby's gut flora, head over here to my blog/podcast, Protecting Your Baby's Microbiome From the Start.

DearAva,

It''s that time of year - sales and more sales. Sometimes spending our money on things that don''t fully add value to our lives. I don''t do Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or other gimmicky sales. But I do want to make sure you have a chance to study herbal medicine if that''s something you''ve been dreaming of.

To say that herbs have been a huge part of my life would be an understatement. After 36 years as a midwife, herbalist and MD, herbs continue to be my first point of call as powerful medicinal allies. And as a mama of 4 and grandmama of 2 - for my family as well.

When I created my online course - Herbal Medicine for Women - my vision was to pass down my then over 20 years of knowledge and practice with these powerful plant allies in order to help empower women to take care of themselves and the people in their lives in a way that is effective, sustainable, and gets to the root cause of so many symptoms we experience as women.

Now, another sixteen years later and Herbal Medicine for Women is the oldest, most respected, and most comprehensive women's herbal program in the world (I'm not just saying that for effect, it really is!), with students and graduates around the globe.

And it''s on flash sale thru Tuesday October 27th!

Why now? Because we all need a little extra calm in the storm - and joining together to reclaim our health and herbal wisdom is deeply nourishing!

Who is this course for?

Any woman who...

• wants to bring herbal medicine into your life in a more substantial way
• is interested in a balanced blend of traditional wisdom and herbal science
• is looking to add natural remedies to their toolkit to help their patients thrive
• is thinking of a career in herbal healing or medicine making
• wants something rich to sink into and study right now
• feels a calling to plant medicine, the earth, and the ways of your ancestors.

If you sign up by Tuesday, October 27th at 10 pm ET, whether as an individual or a study group (3 or more students), you'll receive 20% off of the tuition.

You'll also be able to join the special monthly study sessions I'm hosting via zoom thru December 2021. This is a journey I launched this past July - each month we get together on Zoom to go over a lesson from the course, share our experiences with herbal medicines, and geek out on all things plant medicine.

If you're looking for a new, off the grid path for self-care - or your career - it's the perfect time to join - and I hope you will - because sharing this knowledge, experience, and wisdom with you is exactly what I'm here to do!

Learn more about the course and join here.

See you in the online herbal classroom,

Dear Ava,

When I worked in the hospital, resuscitating patients was a normal, often daily, part of the work. While, no doubt, you've seen CPR done in movies or Gray's Anatomy (I'm a fan!), it's not as 'simple' as all that. Squeezing an unbeating heart back into sinus rhythm by compressing it between the chest wall and the back requires a significant amount of force - and the bigger the patient, the more force required. It's not something one can sustain indefinitely. I can do about 3 straight minutes before being unable to move my arms any longer. It's strenuous. And emotional. And intense. So when we're resuscitating a patient, the doctors in the room form a line. When the doctor doing the CPR can't keep going any longer, they call it out, give a 3-2-1 countdown, step away, and the next in line seamlessly steps in to take over.

We move to the back of the line. We rest. We step up again. Rinse and repeat as needed.

This is really how it works. I've done it more times than I can count.

And it's also a metaphor. For now.

There's hard work happening right now - some of you have been doing this hard work your whole life because the color of your skin has demanded it. Deep respect to you. I'm listening. Learning.

Some of you are showing up at protests, being medics, doing the painful inner work of uncovering your biases. It's hard. Less hard than living with racism as your whole-life-experience, but hard. Brava if you're doing it.

Some of you are new to resistance or to understanding why we can't just say ALL lives matter - that we have to stand behind BLACK LIVES MATTER. In every aspect that life is unsafe for any woman, it's exponentially more unsafe for black women, from pregnancy and childbirth to going into the hospital with chest pain - or any pain.

If, however, this isn't something you understand, this article can help you. And check out my recent IGTV episode with my first midwifery mentor, the "Queen Mother of Midwifery," Shafia Monroe to learn more about the impact of racism on black mothers and babies.

2020 has been nothing short of just about every human emotion possible: shock, awe, fear, anger, frustration, overwhelm, despair, grief, rage, confusion, just to name a few. For some of my readers - perhaps you - based on your life circumstances - or the color of your skin - these emotions - and others - may be as familiar as your name. For some of you, COVID-19 has brought loss - loss of expectations, safety, connection, joy, support, perhaps you've even lost someone close to you. I have colleagues and friends who have. It's been a nightmare. And again, still worse of a nightmare for those who are black and brown.

My commitment is to be here with you and respond to what's going on in the world around us, and in your life, to the extent I can by trying to understand how the world is impacting you and your loved ones, and to the extent that you let me know - especially over on my social media pages where I check read and respond to comments daily. It''s a commitment to provide you with a space that is always safe, that nourishes you as a woman, because as the world turns - and churns - and yearns - for something new and better (at least I hope everyone here does), women's bodies, minds, hearts, souls, still need care. Fibroids don't just up and walk away. Endometriosis doesn't just say hey, not a good time? I'll come back later! And you still deserve to enjoy the joys of pregnancy and motherhood honored, your losses fully acknowledged, and your wounds tended and healed, rather than your emotions being lost or drowned in the current collective emotions. And you still have questions that need answering.

So while my little team and I will continue to do the inner and outer work we do to make sure that our business is an ongoing living example of equity and racial and reproductive justice (you can read some of the specifics of what we do here in this Instagram post), we will also be resuming our women's health focus - the day to day needs of being in women's bodies - and I will be doing this with a widened lens to be more fully inclusive of the needs of all of the various beautiful shades and colors of women in this community - your unique and also universal concerns.

Nourishing Radical Resilience

Back to CPR. The resistance work needs to keep happening until the system changes and everyone is safe and respected. But for any one person, without replenishment, it's not sustainable. Resistance is hard hard work. And COVID has been draining.

We all need rest, and permission to rest, and we need to know that there are many in line to do the work, so we can rotate and replenish. We need to be able to still listen to our bodies and continue to care for ourselves. If we burn out and can no longer resist, and then the system has won in yet another way. I believe this is the self-care Audre Lorde referred to when she said it was an essential act of civil disobedience.

To stay resistant, we have to intentionally nourish resilience to avoid burnout - and also keep our immune system strong and resistant in its own way. While herbs can't change the society we're living in, they are part of the original medicine we can turn to for support in these times - especially the adaptogens like ashwagandha and holy basil that literally support stress resilience, and medicinal mushrooms like reishi and maitake for immunity.

You can use lemon balm, chamomile, and lavender for anxiety and stress, passionflower or skullcap for sleep, or kava kava for in--the-moment anxiety or panic. And remember to take magnesium and B-complex for adrenal, mind, and mood support, and Vitamin D for immunity.

You can learn all about these herbs on my website: search for adaptogens, medicinal mushrooms, anxiety, and sleep. Those articles will give you doses and instructions, and tell you what's safe/not safe in pregnancy and while BF'ing.

How to Protest and Still Protect Yourself

Did you know that tear gas is actually a powder, and that wearing sunscreen can make tear gas particles stick to your skin, making it harder to wash off and increasing the risk of burns? That coughing from tear gas increases the risk of COVID-19 spread? Or that at protests there are legal aid people there prepared to defend you and help you post bail should you get arrested? Did you know that street medics are being targeted by police, physically assaulted and tear gassed in PEACEFUL PROTESTS? And did you know that during times of war, soldiers aren't allowed to attack medics. It's in the Geneva Convention!

Right now, I'm hearing from a lot of people, especially those in their 20s and 30s (including some in my family!) that being at protests feels like an incredibly important part of contributing to the social change that so desperately needs to happen to change a society build on a foundation of racism and oppression to one that is just and equitable. Indeed, protest has been an important and effective vehicle for social change. If you are unfamiliar with how, watch the movie Selma.

But protesting isn't for the faint of heart - and it does carry risks to your personal safety. For those of you who are taking on this struggle as your own - and showing up on the front lines to protest or provide medical care, it's important to know how - and remember - to protect yourself. So, I wanted to share a few of the resources out there to help you protect yourself individually if you are a protestor, or as a medic.

See this quick and informative downloadable infographic from Amnesty International

See this free street medic guide

Read this article about street medics

Stay safe!

It's an honor to be here with you in this time - and always. Thank you for continuing to read my words, for writing to me and sharing your lives. I wish you and yours peace, power, strength, support and safety, and I look forward to enjoying the better world we are creating - together.

RETURN TO YOUR ROOTS: The Herbal Medicine for Women sale is now live!

Dear Ava,

A quote I''ve been reflecting on lately is "Bone by bone, hair by hair, Wild Woman comes back. Through night dreams, through events half understood and half remembered..." This is from Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes. For me, it''s a profound reminder to stay true to a deeper, inner wise woman that I know is within me, and connects me to the deep wisdom of nature.

Practicing herbal medicine has always been a practice of reclaiming my roots and staying in touch with this inner wild, inner wisdom. And right now, in this crazy time, it''s also these roots that are helping me to nurture my mood, mind, energy, resilience, and even hope.

I invite you to join me in connecting - or reconnecting - with your roots in herbal medicine. In doing so we move beyond band-aid medical solutions that don't actually heal the numerous common and chronic women's health conditions increasingly impacting us and our quality of life. We must go to our roots for this wisdom, and go to the root of an illness to heal it.

Herbal Medicine for Women, my online herbal training program, teaches you - at a professional but completely accessible level - how to use over 150 herbs as medicines and foods for women''s health and personal healing - as well as the foods, supplements, and lifestyle shifts - to help yourself - or the women you care for - reset and reclaim well-being and health.

Who is this course for:

Any woman seeking to:

• Have deeper knowledge of her own body and reclaim agency over her health
• Learn gentle and effective medicines to reach for as a first point of call
• Support women friends & her community with herbal knowledge and practices
• Target specific concerns: fertility difficulties, common gynecologic problems, pregnancy concerns, and menopause
• Join a dynamic community of powerful wise women, and support each other. The current course 'tribe' includes midwives (CNMs, CPMs, direct entry), nurses, MDs, NDs, doulas, childbirth educators, acupuncturists, chiropractors, and so many more women doing interesting work!
• Access practical know-how on building a successful, independent, woman-owned herb business
• Deepen a healthcare/healing practice

There's no expiration date for the course - and it's all online, and at your own pace, because as a busy mom and professional myself I know how important flexibility is when it comes to adding in these 'extras' for our own personal development. And you can start very soon after enrolling with the materials that are online while waiting for my textbook, Botanical Medicine for Women''s Health to arrive!

So many of you have written to me over the past weeks saying that while this is such a crazy time we're living in, and partly because of it, you feel more inspired than ever to learn how to use herbal remedies at home - to take care of yourself, your daughters, or for those of you already in health care - to add something more natural and holistic to the offerings you have for your clients or patients.

And so - here it is! The Herbal Medicine for Women Return to Your Roots Sale.

For 10 Days ONLY, Herbal Medicine for Women is 30% off if you''re studying solo, 35% off if you''re joining as a group (3 or more).

+ Given the financial uncertainty of our time, for those of you using our payment plan option we've dropped the usual initial payment by 30% as well. So you can learn what you're called to, without so much worry

Join me in Herbal Medicine for Women today!

ALSO! For the first time ever, we are going to go through HMW as a community with a NEW virtual herbal classroom. Think of it as herbal medicine homeschooling for grown-ups!

Starting mid-May I'll be leading a monthly 90-minute interactive ZOOM GROUP CLASS to review lessons and cases with you, show you even more deeply how to formulate herbs, make herbal medicine, and I''ll share amazing pearls of herbal and natural living wisdom. All sessions will be recorded, as always, so you never have to worry about missing a class!

At a time when a new paradigm for healing is so needed, and so is connection to each other, I invite you to join me in Herbal Medicine for Women, starting today!

I can't wait to see you in my "herbal classroom."

WHAT IS DETOXIFICATION - and DO YOU NEED IT?

A FREE (come as you are) WEBINAR SUNDAY (5/3) at 2 PM ET

Every day it seems there is a new detox program or cleanse promising to help us get healthier, slimmer, sexier. Perhaps you''ve even tried one. Is detoxification a real thing? What led us to believe that we needed to get 'cleaner'' or to detox? And if you are going to do one, is there a safe way? And should some people avoid it? Join me to get a taste of how foods, herbs, and lifestyle can support your liver and elimination to naturally detoxify every day, and avoid potentially harmful or fad detoxes that can tank your health.

SIGN ME UP!

Dear Ava,

Some of us find our path in life early, whether due to adversity, chance, or some fire in the soul. I was fortunate to get woke about food and health when I was 15, when I began reading about the interconnections between food access disparities around the world, poverty, and disease - and industry. I came to see that reclaiming food sovereignty - one's ownership and connection to healthy eating and to the land - was one of the most radical and important paths to reclaiming our authority over our bodies.

Food activism is what led me on my path to what I do today. It's what brought me to herbal medicine and midwifery, as reclamations of traditional practices that are gentler on the earth, free us from depending on "Big Agri and Big Pharma," and put the power back in our hands, all while connecting us to our roots and to the earth.

My guest today on Natural MD Radio, Leah Penniman, also got a fire in her soul early on in life. It has shaped her work and life, and has led to her becoming the powerful leading food activist she is today. Leah has been tending the soil and organizing for an anti-racist food system for over 20 years. She is a founding co-executive director of Soul Fire Farm in Grafton, New York, a people-of-color led project that works toward food and land justice. Listen to this new episode here, or wherever you listen to podcasts, to be truly inspired and find out how you can be a part of the food justice movement - right from home.

But before you head over to listen to the podcast, mark your calendar!

....For an end of year get together!!!

Let''s get together, share a cup of tea from our respective homes (and screens), and bring closure to 2020 and set our sights on a new year together.

I''d love to see you, meet you, connect, and talk about anything on your mind.

And, of course, there will be plenty of time to ''ask me anything'' on staying balanced and healthy during the holidays, motherhood, homeschooling, mental health, pregnancy + birth, and anything else you want to dish about with me.

When: Friday December 18th at 1 to 2:30 pm ET

Where: Zoom

Access: The link will be in my Instagram Stories + FB the morning of the event.

See you then!

Much love,

Dear Ava,

I deeply hope that this email finds you and yours safe and well, in all the ways that one can be well - physically, emotionally, spiritually, and also professionally, economically - and in the support you experience within your community as we continue to move through this pandemic.

In the crazy time we''re living in, as much as it feels things might be going in slow motion, life does keep happening - and with it, women are still going through the ups and downs of our cycles, fertility, menopausal symptoms, and so much more. While there''s endless news coverage and information about how to protect yourself in the pandemic, my aim is to make sure that you continue to feel cared for and informed about the rest of the hormonal, gynecologic, and other challenges you might be facing.

As I''ve been sharing a lot about on my Instagram and Facebook feeds, and with you in newsletters over the past few weeks, pregnant women have been going through tremendous upheavals as they''ve been prevented from having a support person with them in labor, are facing separation from their babies if mom is COVID-19 positive, and other challenges. Toward this, I launched a totally free course and support network called #Ideservebirthsupport (a working title for now!) which you can join for prenatal, birth, and postpartum education. Over 3000 mamas have joined in the last two weeks.

But there''s more to pregnancy for many women than ease and joy. For many, it is preceded by years of infertility challenges (and I want to honor that while most women will, some will not be able to get pregnant) and also many different stages and types of pregnancy loss.

I want to honor those of you who have experienced fertility challenges and pregnancy loss. Today you''ll find the start of a new body of work from me, starting with an article on miscarriage at home (see below), that I feel is important in this time, as we''re trying to stay out of the hospital due to our current global health situation. I welcome your emails about topics you''d like me to cover on the full range of women''s health concerns, and also around fertility and pregnancy-related losses or trauma.

With love,

A Complete Guide to Empowered Miscarriage at Home

When we're pregnant, there's no shortage of happy chatter about becoming a mom, nor shortage of options for childbirth education classes. However, there's very little that prepares us either emotionally or physically for something that remains a hushed topic, and yet which 1 in 4 women will experience: miscarriage.

In upcoming articles, I'll walk you through the physical and emotional nuances of miscarriage: why they occur, how to heal physically and emotionally, how to prevent recurrent miscarriage, and much more. But today I want to focus in on what happens in an early pregnancy loss - a miscarriage before 13 weeks - and how to experience a miscarriage at home: why you might want to, the options for doing so safely, and when to seek urgent medical care.

Miscarriage remains so absent from conversations, hidden and secret, that few women really understand what it is or what happens. It''s also so routinely treated as a medicalized event that most women believe that it's a dangerous process that requires hospital treatment. So let''s talk about it and bring it into the light.

You can read the article here.

Or listen to this latest episode of Natural MD Radio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

And please SHARE this article with the women in your life who might need this important, healing information. It''s not talked about openly enough.

Savory Mexican Roasted Sweet Potato & Curly Kale Salad

I eat kale 3 to 4 times a week. Sweet potatoes at least twice. Between the two, which are fiber-rich, anti-inflammatory, and loaded with nutrients like Vitamins C and A, I feel confident that I''m supporting hormonal, immune, and digestive health. And they''re delicious, with no shortage of ways they can be prepared. This is one of my all-time favorites, and it''s easy, too.

The unexpected naturally sweet and savory flavor of the oven roasted sweet potatoes with smoked paprika, with the slight tang of lime drizzled over massaged kale, bring a perfect taste to this salad. It''s savory and satisfying. You also get the benefit of healthful kale and sweet potatoes, both of which are full of minerals, vitamins, and immune supporting antioxidants. This side-dish goes especially well with any black bean dish and a side of guacamole - which will make you want to lick your plate!

Learn how to make it here - and enjoy!

Dear Ava,

I counted this morning. It's been 140 days since I began to shelter in place. I was an early adopter. I wonder often, as I'm working on an article, a social post, reading comments, etc., how YOU are doing. Are you safe? Secure? What's happening in the lives of the women this email reaches.

Most days, I feel safe in the moment. And I can't even begin to convey the gratitude of this.

And I also have many moments that remind me that safety is fragile in this time. A story of a loss, suffering, or even more simply, the struggle of living with uncertainty that I hear right now especially from so many people in their 20s and 30s. And I miss hugging my kids and my grandkids. My daughter-in-law asked my oldest grandchild what he missed most and the response was "hugging Biba' (that's me!). Yes, I cried when I got off of the phone, because I just don''t know when that will be.

Uncertainty is really hard for most of us: it's the most anxiety producing state of being we can experience! And we're all in it! I try to remember the wisdom of the elders I've known over my life. Those who have seen the trajectory of human experience. Or those who have been through deep loss or suffering. They remind me that we are indomitable in our spirits. Bottomless in the love we can give. And that even in the most trying times, it is good to find joy.

My joy is truly in these connections with you - the emails, the notes, the pictures of babies born; my garden (that's me with our 'softneck garlic' harvest - the variety you can turn into beautiful garlic braids); in the moments of laughter (like this morning when I learned that goop sells a This Smells Like My Vagina scented candle, and Erykah Badu sells a vagina-scented incense that sold out the first day she put it on her website - seriously, you can't make this shit up). And all the precious moments of connection with my dearest friends and family.

I am also trying to be gentler with myself than I usually am. Reframing my expectations, spending more time finding gratitude for what I am getting done rather than what I'm not.

I'm truly embracing the importance of healthy immunity through reducing stress in this time. So I'm enjoying more downtime sprinkled into my week. I know not everyone has this luxury right now - or ever - but I do encourage you to hit pause now and then, regularly, to take some deep breaths, feel your feet on the earth, sip tea slowly while reading a book - or an article if that's all you can fit in, to take that long shower, or that online yoga class. Because you are needed, and needed for the long run. Oh, and take your Vitamin D daily; a panel of five leading international health organizations recently stated that it truly may be health protective in this time. I''m the worst about taking supplements. But I''m taking the D.

I hope you are being gentle with yourself, too. No doubt you're managing new concerns, juggling competing responsibilities and trying to give your best to all, and likely you''ve lost much of your "BC" (before this pandemic whose name if I write, will get this email sent to your spam folder) down time - those precious moments when the kids or your partner went off to school or work, you had a few moments on the way to your job, or you could hit up the gym).

Speaking of stress: it's a trigger for one of the most common symptoms that bring women to the doctor's office, that get dismissed as 'all in our heads' or for which we get the proverbial take two Tylenol. Headaches and migraines. But not just headaches and migraines, the ones especially related to our hormonal cycles and shifts - premenstrual migraines, post-ovulation headaches, post-pregnancy, and during perimenopause. I'll give you a clue, then you'll have to read the article or listen to the podcast for yourself: it has to do with estrogen. I'll also tell you what you can do to start to improve hormone 'balance' (a funny term since our hormones are in constant, second to second, flux!), and get yourself as headache or migraine-free as possible using the foods, nutrients, and herbs that are known to be effective and safe. And yes, I talk about which are safe if you're pregnant or breastfeeding, too!

Click here to read or listen to this latest article and podcast: Hormonal Headaches and Migraines. And please pass it along to anyone who you think it might serve.

Not a headache or migraine sufferer but wanting something juicy to listen to? Here are some of my personal favorite podcast interviews:

• Restoring Baby's Microbiome After Cesarean
• Enough Already - Protecting Kids from Environmental Toxins
• Or head over here to find a topic that strikes your fancy.

Also, remember to check out my ever expanding episodes on IGTV - especially the herbal recipes that you can make in your own kitchen - no fancy equipment or prior skills needed!

Please know, I am actually thinking of you. It's a collective thought, though I imagine the faces of the women in this community, reading this email at your desk, on your phone while getting dinner on the table, out for a run. And I am sending much love and wishes for your health and ease.

Until next time!

Dear Ava

Unfortunately, for the half of all menstruating people who experience it, period pain, and its common companions, digestive symptoms, and PMS, don't just hit pause for a global crisis. As is so often the case, in fact, our bodies respond to stress by amping up our symptoms. For a substantial number of people, that pain was already bad enough to cause missed work, school, and nights out with the girls.

So today I have a new article and podcast for you - an interesting twist on my own herbal medicine history, along with the history and uses of a plant that you've no doubt heard of, may have tried recreationally or medicinally, may be curious about, or even a little afraid of: Cannabis.

Now before you start thinking, "Ach, just when I found a doctor online I thought I could trust, she turns out to be a pothead," no, I'm not, nor do I have any financial relationships with any weed or CBD companies. I'm an herbalist who knows the history of Cannabis, a midwife with healthy respect for its use for women's concerns, and an MD who had a front row seat to the early stages of what became the opioid epidemic, and how this plant kept - or got - patients off of that potentially dangerous path.

So take a journey with me today, whether you choose to read or listen, into the fascinating world of Cannabis medicine, what the ancient Egyptians and Queen Victoria had in common, and if you listen carefully, I bet you'll hear an herbal word you're not familiar with - oxymel - a product made when one combines herbs with honey - and where our ancestors were putting these to get relief from period pain!

Are You a Health Professional Not On My Professional Mailing List?

That's right - I've got a whole separate newsletter, currently totally free, that goes out every couple of weeks, with news, tips, insights, and announcements - and it's just for health professionals. If you haven't been getting it, I've got a really easy way for you to get on that list! Register here for my FREE Thyroid and Women's Health Webinar happening at 7 PM ET tonight (Wednesday, July 1, 2020). Can't make it on short notice but really want to check it out? No worries! Sign up anyway. You'll get access to the replay, and I'll add you to the pro list so you never miss an event again.

Also, if you're not on the pro list, you might not have heard the news. Registration is open for the 2020-21 Women's Integrative and Functional Medicine Professional Training Program. This program is too good to miss, especially if COVID-19 is pushing your practice in new directions, and it''s on sale now with an Early Early Bird Registration Special (a $2000 discount!) thru July 6th at 11 pm. This program is for health professionals only. If you're interested and meet that description, learn more about the course here.

From Sun Tea to Sun Popsicle!

It's hot here right now. And something about this summer heat - perhaps it's memories of my NYC childhood and Steve's Ice Cream truck - makes me think POPSICLES! But no matter how much they were a coveted treat back then, I don't eat the sugary kind of my childhood with red and blue dye (as in yes, Rocket Pops), or any of that similar stuff.

How do I roll? Herbally, of course! Simply take 1 quart of my recently shared Ruby Sun Tea recipe, blend well, in a blender, with 2 cups of your favorite summer fruit (organic strawberries are my fave, with seeded watermelon close behind), and pour into an ice pop mold. Freeze. Done.

If you're pregnant in the summer? I'm fanning you in my imagination! But also, you can take Pregnancy Nourishment Tea, add a little honey if you'd like, or blend it with fruit, and turn it into ice pops. It's great anytime, and also refreshing in labor!

And finally, summer colds are miserable, especially for kids, but they happen. And fevers make kids miserable any time of year. While I generally prefer to give 'warming foods' during a cold (i.e., soups), herbal ice pops are a nice way to get ease those aches and irritability, and get mildly fever-reducing herbs in while helping your little person to stay hydrated. Here a simple herbal ice pop recipe:

• Make 1 pint of lemon balm tea (handful of fresh or dried lemon balm leaves steeped in 2 cups of water
• Make a cup of concentrated strawberry, raspberry, or cherry puree by blending 1/2 cup of fruit (cherries without pits!!!) at high speed with 1/2 cup of water
• Strain out the chunks
• Add 2 Tbsp. of echinacea tincture and if you have the flu, 2 Tbsp. of elderberry syrup (stir in, don''t blend)
• Mix all the ingredients super well and distribute evenly into popsicle molds
• Freeze, serve. Make sure to try one yourself! Yum!!!

Even a young child can safely have several of these per day. And of course, adults can use these, too.

With love,

Dear Ava

Sunshine and fresh air. Can you believe that even as late as the 20th century, doctors thought these were bad for our health? They were considered to carry the risk of 'bad air' and 'foul soil' - known as 'humors,' it was believed that they could cause disease.

Now we know about germ theory. And words like pandemic and epidemiology are rolling off of our tongues daily in light of COVID-19.

If you've spent any time hanging out with me in a podcast, article, or event I've offered, you know that while I use integrative and natural therapies as my first go-to whenever possible - I'm not one to jump onto wellness fads and trends. In fact, quite the opposite; I speak out against falling into the trap of these when we're desperate for anything to work. I've walked away from companies - and individuals - peddling wellness BS - sometimes even when they''ve had an MD after their name.

But when there's evidence suggesting that something natural might help, it's generally safe when used as recommended, and has the added plus of affordability, I do think it's worth exploring further. And Vitamin D for COVID-19 prevention now meets all of these criteria of mine, with compelling evidence to support it.

Join me for this latest article (podcast coming Saturday) to learn the science behind why I''ve encouraged my family to take Vitamin D daily for COVID-19 prevention, what to take, and how to dose it - from babies to adults, and in pregnancy and breastfeeding.

It may be a small step - or a big one - we don''t know - but it''s one I think worth taking.

To all of our health!

Dr. Aviva

Thyroid Health for Mamas

Being a new mama is hard enough - doing it with a thyroid problem is like doing it while pushing a piano up a hill with one hand!

I've supported countless mamas through the maze of postpartum depression, as well as thyroid problems - and would love to help you - or someone you love, prevent postpartum thyroid problems - and with it, a major cause of postpartum depression, breastfeeding, and body image challenges.

Join me for a FREE Women's Wellness Wednesday, today on Instagram Live or Facebook Live at 2 PM ET. We can talk about new mamas and thyroid problems, or you can ASK ME ANYTHING.

If you're not already following me on Instagram - please do! There's a lot of action happening there including announcements of events happening regularly that I don't want to clutter your inbox with - because I know too many emails are annoying.

Chai Turmeric Latte

I don't know about you, but having my morning and afternoon coffee drinking partner and daughter home full-time, has me drinking more coffee, too. That aroma - and the body of it - compared to tea just does it for me. But coffee also gets my nerves a bit rattled and amped up - even my usual, which is dark roast decaf. So today I'm switching it up with some gentler chai tea.

It's still rich and soothing, and to give mine a little extra body, I've blended it with homemade almond milk blended (made with 1-2 dates per 2 cups almond milk to give a little sweetness to the chai). I've also given my chai tea an anti-inflammatory, immune, and adaptogenic boost with fresh turmeric grown in a local greenhouse; but if you don't have fresh on hand, add 1/2 tsp. of turmeric powder. Just be careful working with turmeric - it stains! That's why I'm serving this brew in a darker mug, too - as you can see in this video of my making this brew.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of hot Masala chai (I used Rishi brand)
• 1 cup non-dairy milk of choice (I used homemade almond milk which I teach you how to do here)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. fresh grated or 1/2 tsp. powdered turmeric
• If you don't sweeten your almond milk by blending in the dates, you can use 2 tsp. raw honey

To prepare:

• Heat the almond milk until just gently simmering.
• Blend with the remaining the ingredients until smooth.
• Fill 2 mugs half way with the chai tea, then top off with the almond milk blend.
• Stir gently and enjoy.

There are so many delicious ways to turn your everyday foods and drinks into healing medicines, and to bring herbs into your life!

Dear Ava,

Did you know that there's an end of year 'celebration' called Good Riddance Day? It's inspired by a Latin American tradition in which New Year's revelers stuff dolls with objects representing bad memories, then set them on fire. Technically, it's December 28th. But just in case you missed it, I thought I'd offer up the opportunity today for you to join me. ?Today I'm having an outdoor fire to release the pressure to always be better, to always do more, and instead, welcome in deeper self love, self-compassion, and more counting my wins rather than my self-perceived deficits. Write down the bones of what you want to leave behind from 2020 - and blaze it up - your fire may fit in a smudge bowl, fireplace, or a full on bonfire. But light it up - and welcome in what you want to invite - an intention, a quiet wish, even just a moment of solitude. No place for a fire? Take a shower or bath and wash away whatever you need to leave behind. ?

Speaking of solitude, I recently watched the documentary This Mountain Life - which I highly recommend. It's an epic mother-daughter outdoor adventure - and for me, not only has it got me to push myself to take more rigorous hikes, even in 20 degree weather; it was a profound reminder of the grit we're all made of - how much we can sustain - and how much stronger we come out when we take the time to go within, connect to nature, connect to our values, and find stillness - even when we face what might seem to be insurmountable challenges. It's also a powerful reminder of the stillness and strength we can find in nature, the solitude I'm speaking of, and simpler living.

That said, each new year I've historically felt huge internal pressure to enter the new year cycle in full force - new projects, new goals, new things to accomplish. This year, I'm trying to take a gentler approach. Because no matter how you reframe it into a growth-mindset, 2020 has been one-helluva-year for most everyone - and burnout is a word I'm hearing - often - and also find myself flitting around - having to remember that going slower has wisdom in it.

So I'm trying to give myself a deeper pause right now - beyond just this holiday moment, but as a new way of being. I'm giving myself permission to go more slowly, choose what (and whom) I put my energy into more wisely, being more selective about projects, and not pressuring myself to rush into this new year with my typically giant ambitions - but instead, scale to a healthier pace.

As you're bombarded with the barrage of ways to 'make yourself better' with this program or challenge, make sure to also give yourself the time and space to pause - even if it's 20 minutes alone here or there to sip an herbal tea and read a book or write in your journal - it may just be the best gift you get this holiday season. And remember to count your wins.

Unfortunately the hardships that 2020 brought are not going to be wiped clean as soon as the clock strikes midnight on December 31st. When the ball drops in Times Square this year - the reality of those we've lost, those that are sick, and the social, mental, and financial repercussions that this pandemic has had and will continue to have in 2021 will still be here. Our task now is not to wake up on January 1st hoping to wake up in a brand new world, but to wake up equipped with what we've learned about how to take care of ourselves and each other. With the knowledge of what we're made of, what we've been through, and how we can turn our hardships into wisdom. The year may not change much, but we sure have. And I''m hopeful that this will mean a little more ease, a little more grace, a little more light.

I so deeply look forward to being able to offer you more support in the coming year. Toward this, I will be completing a healing trauma training in the new year with the Center for Mind Body Medicine, to support everyone going through these trying times with even more skills in my medicine bundle. I will also be bringing more to the online universe around healing birth trauma and women's health. It's all going to really start to unfold in late January with the birth of my new website - which I'm beyond excited to reveal - and a new range of offerings - including community memberships that will connect us in richer ways than ever - starting with a membership for pregnant/birthing/new mamas as an extension of the program I launched for free online this past year.

I also want to take a moment to say thank you - genuinely. Thank you. I am so grateful for each member of this community - every comment I've received on IG and FB, every email response to a newsletter, every comment on a blog, every participant in an event. As hard as these times are, it's a blessing to have purpose and passion - and every opportunity I've had over the past year to interact with you, learn your story, and answer your questions has given me this time and time and time again.

I''d also like to thank everyone who purchased supplements through my online formulary - thanks to these sales we were able to donate to a number of organizations that are making a difference in maternal and community health. This year, commissions generated from supplements you purchased were given to:

• Mamatoto Village
• Soul Fire Farm
• AncientSong Doula
• The SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective
• Educated Birth
• Bumi Sehat
• Birth Center Equity Fund
• Volunteers in Medicine
• Shafia Monroe''s Full Circle Doula Training
• Business of Birth Control

We were also able to give away a tremendous amount of scholarship support to those wanting to join my online training programs - and in 2021, your continued support will make my new online membership for pregnant/birthing/new mamas available for free to anyone who cannot afford to join otherwise.

Last but not least, I''d like to close out the year by extending gratitude to a few folks behind the scenes - Gabby Lester-Coll, Katherine Wohl, and, of course, my life and biz partner, Tracy Romm (this is us enjoying a trip to Tulum a few years ago, when travel was a real thing!), as well as the phenomenal volunteers who stepped up for the Mama Support Group, a special offering in addition to the 40+ hour #ideservebirthsupport program that's been free since it began in April.

Although this past year has brought us all unprecedented hardships, members of my team included, I am so proud of what we''ve been able to accomplish, and what we will be able to share with you in the next months, ever committed to your health and total wellness.

Wishing you a happy, healthy New Year, filled with beauty, peace, and love,