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

June 28, 2018 Yvonne Matthews

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

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

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

Coffee: to drink or not to drink?

July 18, 2017 Yvonne Matthews

Like so many things we consume in this world there is no clear line to answer this question. It is more about you and your body - how it processes caffeine, are you allergic to it, the quality of coffee beans, how you drink it and of course the even bigger reason, why do you drink it. So, here's what you need to know:

1 // There is a gene and enzyme, both called CYP1A2, and because coffee is metabolized through the liver if you have the two copies of this gene (one from each parent) you are considered a fast metabolizer of caffeine, meaning it will affect you less than someone who has only one or none of this gene.

Herb of the Week #11 :: Eleuthero

February 28, 2017 Yvonne Matthews

I'm not sure about you, but I have started looking ahead at this year, making travel and work plans, and boy, it's filling up FAST! It's not even March yet! Whew! Additionally, I am studying to take a board exam in nutrition, that is totally optional, but being the type A personality that I am, if it's out there and I can... I must and I will. So... I am definitely feeling the pressure lately. On top of that I recently started upping my workout game a little. Before I get into that, I feel I have to share a brief history of why I took a break from working out, cause I am one of those weirdos that LOVES to workout and sweat. Back in the day, I used to be a high preforming, award-winning athlete through college, from high school volleyball where I made all-conference and represent Southern California in Amsterdam for an international conference to varsity crew at Georgetown and winning the big-east as a freshman.

Olympic Inspiration

July 20, 2016 Yvonne Matthews

Hi there again! Happy Hump Day! I wanted to pop on here for a quick post today. I just watched the 2016 Olympic anthem, "Rise" by Katy Perry. And it's breathtaking and so moving, I had tears in my eyes. I was so inspired I had to share it with everyone in case you haven't seen it yet.

I hope it inspires you as much as it did me. Enjoy!

My Year Alcohol-Free

June 14, 2016 Yvonne Matthews

I have been procrastinating writing this post for a few days. When I wake up in the morning it’s on my to-do list, but yet somehow SOMETHING or NOTHING always gets in the way of me writing it. So today, I am sitting here after procrastinating yet again for at least an hour or so, and I am finally putting some words to the proverbial paper. And yet all I can think about is going and checking my laundry. You know… maybe it’s done and needs to go into the dryer. You know, that’s SO much more important than this… hmmmm.

So what is so important and yet so hard to write, you ask?!? Well, a very personal topic to me. Drinking. No. Not soda or water. But Alcohol. It’s been a love/hate (mostly hate, if I am being honest with you) relationship. For those people that follow my somewhat inconsistent blog you probably are aware of this, whether we have discussed it together or not. And to those of you that don’t know me, here is a small glimpse into my decision to give up alcohol for a year.

The Female Body and Kindness

March 27, 2015 Yvonne Matthews

It seems most days bring a constant struggle between my mind and my body: Do I go to the gym today? How many calories is that? Can I eat that? What IF I eat/drink that? How much do I weigh? Can I wear those pants, will they fit? Remember those resolutions to lose 10 pounds, what happened?

My husband would tell you I don't need to lose any weight, and you would think that would be enough for me to hear. But it's not. I know I can do better. I Should be doing better. Why can't I do better?