Looking at Health With a New Lens
We often forget the extent to which health is closely linked with our daily habits. We all want to feel full of energy, in order to be able to live life on our own terms. What’s interesting is that we often don’t know how bad we were feeling, until we actually feel better. This was a revelation I had myself after suffering from fatigue and nutrient depletions years ago. I’ve since rebuilt my health from the inside out, restored my energy, and now use food as medicine to help clients do the same.
The good news: your health is more in your control than you may think, and it’s multifactorial. We can either build health, or move toward chronic disease based on our repeated daily habits; you have the power to take back your health, after all you are the CEO of your own body! Food, movement, sleep, stress management, and connection are the major pieces we can work on to layer in sustainable, and life-changing habits to get you feeling your best, little by little. With clients, I most often start with tweaking nutrition, since we eat at least 3 times a day, there are endless opportunities to start building the right habits to begin feeling the way you actually want to feel. Feeling great isn’t a pipe dream, it’s achievable for everyone.
Running on Clean Fuel
It’s simple; our bodies are like cars, we need proper fuel to run properly. If we put the wrong fuel source in our car instead of gas, we wouldn’t be surprised when our car didn’t turn on. Yet the average American fills their body with foods that are the wrong fuel for the body, then get disappointed when they don’t have any energy, the scale goes up, or symptoms start to arise.
What we need is the right fuel for our bodies to do what they’re meant to do. Our bodies know how to run well; we just need to give it the proper inputs to do so. As a functional medicine nutritionist, I often talk to clients about gut healing, how to eat to reduce inflammation, (which is at the root of most symptoms) and talk about how to balance blood sugar to avoid the 3PM slump. As a Physical Therapist, I also know the incredible benefits that movement has on our bodies as well. Nutrient-dense foods and physical activity are examples of optimal fuel to energize the body, though each person’s needs may be slightly different, so personalization is key for optimal outcomes.
Love Your Liver
In digging deeper, often we find that the liver (our main detox organ) is sluggish and not doing its job well. It’s not surprising, we all get bogged down by the incoming and daily exposures to toxins in our external environment; in air, water, via food, personal care products, and household products we use all the time.
The body’s ability to detox actually requires a lot of nutrients to run well (hello antioxidants, B vitamins, minerals, protein, cruciferous veggies, and fiber). You can get all of these from food, but do you? If we learn how to give our bodies the optimal fuel sources for things such as liver detox, our organs and body will run smoothly and as a result, you feel better and reduce the risk for many conditions and diseases.
The wellness world is really confusing. The real secret to better health? It’s consistency. It’s showing up and doing the so-called boring things that build true energy, vitality, and allow you to live the life you want. I run a few annual group programs to make functional medicine accessible to more people, plus it’s always more fun to do something as part of a group!
Not Your Average Detox
Most “detoxes” I see advertised are simply low or no calories, or look like some sort of juice cleanse. These are severely lacking in the nutrients needed to properly fuel the liver to do its job, and thus are less effective. I’ve curated an evidence-based reset, hence the name ‘Not Your Average Detox’ to shift the body back into balance, starting to create energy from the inside-out, with a focus on the liver and the gut as a starting place.
In it, we take six weeks to take out the major foods potentially causing harm and creating inflammation, while at the same time adding in the most supportive nutrients and foods. By the last week of the program, we discuss how to transition into a healthy lifestyle for the long-term. Short-term fixes lead to short-term results. Let’s make long-term fixes for long-term results.
Registration for the 6-Week Not Your Average Detox is officially open, and we’d love to have you join! We start January 4, 2026. Visit corerestorenutrition.com for more details, and if you’re looking to learn more about health topics, I host a podcast, The Restore Lab, on Spotify, and on Youtube, both linked on the website. I also have a monthly newsletter, Restore Reads, which you can sign up for. Follow on social media, at sabro_restore on Instagram, or Core Restore Nutrition or Wellness on Facebook, for frequent tips and tricks for how to live a healthier, more vibrant life. Be well.
Sara Brown PT, DPT, MS, CNS is a Certified Nutrition Specialist and Physical Therapist, who uses functional medicine principles to help clients reduce inflammation, restore health, and energize the body using food as medicine. She is the owner of Core Restore Nutrition and Wellness LLC, and works with clients either individuallyin person or via Telehealth, as well as offering group nutrition programs. She provides corporate and community nutrition presentations, and is also the host of The Restore Lab podcast, on Spotify.