Spring Time Allergy Solutions

Spring is upon us once again, and as we begin to leave the solace and warmth of our homes where we were holding up during the cold winter months, we are attacked by everyone’s favorite thing about nature - pollen. Allergies are about to reach their peak season, and no one wants to miss out on the family picnic because of sinus pressure.

The number one thing that everyone should try for nasal congestion is a neti pot. The flowing water with a saline solution is really the best way to clear out those nasal passages and restore airflow and to get rid of the sinus pressure. Another good thing to try out, if the neti pot is too cumbersome, is a waterpik. Waterpiks are generally used by dentists for the teeth, but they do have nasal attachments for the nose. The soft, gentle pulsing of water is a wonderful way to clear out any congestion, so go ahead, give it a try!

Perhaps cleaning out the nasal passages with water seems intense, or too difficult, a nasal spray may be more your style. When it comes to nasal sprays, you want to be sure you’re using the best products for your body. It’s worth noting that one should use a nasal spray made with grapefruit extract such as XLear's Nasal Spray, which is a saline nose wash that includes grapefruit seed extract. Grapefruit seed extract is quite a good fungicide and often fungi inhabit the nasopharyngeal passage.  This nasal spray costs only about $13.49 and even taking 2 puffs 3 times daily for a few weeks can help tremendously.

To find this product, look no further than healthwavehq.com/welcome/superlativehealth (here you will find all your supplementary needs! Give it a look.)

A product made by Solaray called QBC seems to work well for allergic individuals.  The "Q" stands for quercetin. This citrus bioflavonoid seems to block the receptor sites on allergy cells, thereby limiting binding of pollens.  The "B: stands for bromelain, often used for inflammatory problems, and the "C" stands for vitamin C.

Herbs, used by people for centuries, seem to be specific to each individual case of allergy. A very toxic individual may have to detoxify prior to worrying about their allergies. 

The ecology of the intestines is crucial, and when this is out of sync (a condition called dysbiosis), allergic reactions can occur.  If, for example, you've had horrible allergies since taking birth control pills, steroids, or antibiotics, it is likely that these pills could have altered the terrain of the bowel enough to bring about the allergies. This being the case, try some probiotics, which is a good bacterial replacement therapy for the small and large intestines.

Don’t let allergies keep you from enjoying the great outdoors, the sun, the fun, and time with your loved ones! Give some of these a try!

Our lovely Liver

Do you know how important your liver is? Or how about where it is located in your body?
In the past two weeks a handful of phone calls, messages and questions have come in asking for help with the liver.

The liver is second only to the skin for being the largest eliminating organ. It sits very snugly under our right rib cage and filters everything; allowing your body to absorb everything it needs to keep the body running.  If that isn't clear enough, than here is a list of some of its major duties:

• Metabolizes proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, thus providing energy and nutrients

• Stores fuel in the form of glycogen, which is especially important to you brain function, and can supply "quick energy"

• Metabolizes drugs (Prescription and over the counter) and breaks down alcohol

• Stores vitamins, minerals, and sugars

• Filters the blood and helps remove harmful chemicals and bacteria

• Creates bile, which breaks down fats

• Regulates the body's ability to clot

• Governs the transport of fat stores

• Helps assimilate and store fat-soluble vitamins (A,E,D,K); stores iron

• Stores extra blood, which can be quickly released when needed

• Crates serum proteins, which maintain fluid balance and acts as carriers for hormones like estrogen and other substances

• Helps maintain electrolyte and water balance

• Creates immune substances, such as gamma Globulin

• Regulates levels of sexual hormones: manufactures estrogen, testosterone, and breaks down and eliminates excess sexual hormones

Maybe it is that Spring is finally in the air.  If you have found your self asking these questions , or feeling the need to love your liver, it may just be time to do some Spring cleaning, starting with a great Liver Flush.

One of my instructors I had while I was in school  training to become a Master Herbalist, was Christopher Hobbs and the following is from his book Natural Therapy For Your Liver.

The Liver Flush

1) Mix any freshly squeezed citrus juices to make 1 cup of liquid.  Orange and grapefruit juices are good, but always mix in some lemon or lime.  The final mix should have a tart taste-the more sour, the more cleansing and activating.  This mixture can be watered down to taste with spring or distilled water.

2)  Add 1-2 cloves of freshly squeezed garlic, plus a small amount of fresh ginger juice, which you can obtain by grating ginger on a cheese or vegetable grater and then pressing the resulting fibers in a garlic press.

3)  Mix in 1 TBSP of high-quality olive oil, blend , and drink

4)  Follow the liver flush with 2 cups of cleansing herbal tea.

5)  Drink the liver flush in the morning, and do not eat any other food for one hour.

To do a liver flush you should prepare this drink every morning for 10 days, usually once in the Spring and once in the Fall.  If this causes any mild nausea or an upset stomach, try an encapsulated liver formula which can be found in any health food store or one I have used in my practice is Dr Christopher's Liver Gall bladder Formula. This formula contains herbs that tone, cleanse and will help you love your liver: Barberry root , Wild yam root, Cramp bark, Fennel seed, Ginger root, Catnip leaf and flower and Peppermint leaf.

Fall and Winter Food

What can you eat this fall and this winter, that will help you look lean, young and beautiful - yet fill you up? Look no further than:
RICE! 

Let's take a look at 3 benefits of brown and wild rice:

1. Fiber
2. Good source of trace minerals (manganese, selenium, phosphorus, copper, magnesium & niacin)
3. Disease prevention: Type 2 diabetes, asthma, gallstones, breast cancer, bone health, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, cholesterol, & weight

Look for organic sprouted long grain brown rice. Costco has big bags to love on your pantry storage!

“What do you eat for fall and winter and keep your health up?”

Rice is such a great option for filling you up as a healthy filler in addition to greens, steamed veggies, a pan of oven roasted veggies during the fall and winter months. 

Grab some organic wild rice or brown rice (or mix both), add your greens, pile on the fall vegetables & squashes and top with some real Parmesan Cheese or better yet, Nutritional Yeast, and WHALA!

“Good Rice is healthy, filling and adds that warm element to your meals.”

Coffee with an Aeropress

Aeropress Coffee and Pottery

Making some freshly roasted Ethiopia Dori Kochowa - Kifle Station (my roaster husband made 2 days ago) to bring back to the office with me.
If you haven't tried an Aero Press for your brews yet, I encourage you to try it sometime. It is brewed in a vacuum, making a full bodied cup. You have more control with the high acidity beans (think Kenya) by stirring before you plunge.

Click Here to get your AeroPress Coffe Maker

Click here to get the re-usable GREEN filter

Get the Aero press we use here:

Aromatheraphy Massage

Recently I have had Psychologists referring patients in for Aromatherapy massage, which reduces stress while alleviating stress induced anxiety. 
My morning was made when a patient walked in and exclaimed that her doctor has said she has "turned the corner!"

What is "Aromatheraphy Massage?" You ask? 
I use Aromatheraphy Oils, specific to what you need the day you come in, and the oils actually boost your immune system and enhance mental, physical and emotional energy! 
 

AROMATHERAPY MASSAGE

The Science Behind Scent, the Nervous System, and Hands-On Healing

I have been incorporating aromatherapy into my massage practice for many years, and the results I observe consistently in my patients go well beyond what most people expect when they hear the word. Aromatherapy is often dismissed as pleasant-smelling indulgence. What the clinical research actually shows is something far more specific — and far more powerful.

What Aromatherapy Actually Is

Aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of volatile aromatic compounds extracted from plants — their essential oils — to produce measurable physiological and psychological effects in the human body. These are not fragrances. They are concentrated biochemical compounds that interact directly with your nervous system through the olfactory pathway — the only sensory system in the human body with a direct neural connection to the brain.

When you inhale an essential oil, aromatic molecules travel through the nasal passage and bind to olfactory receptor neurons. These neurons send signals directly to the olfactory bulb, which has immediate projections to the limbic system — the part of the brain responsible for emotion, memory, stress response, and autonomic nervous system regulation. Within that system, the amygdala is the primary structure at work. The amygdala processes threat, fear, and emotional memory. It is also one of the primary triggers of the fight-or-flight stress response — the physiological state that keeps so many of my patients locked in chronic tension, pain, hyperreactivity, and fatigue.

Essential oils that activate calming olfactory pathways can directly downregulate amygdala activity and shift the autonomic nervous system from sympathetic dominance — fight-or-flight — toward parasympathetic dominance, which is the state in which the body heals, repairs, digests, and restores. This is not anecdotal. Published research in journals including the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine has demonstrated measurable reductions in cortisol levels, heart rate, blood pressure, and anxiety following aromatherapy exposure, with lavender, bergamot, frankincense, and clary sage among the most consistently studied compounds.

Some essential oils also contain compounds — linalool in lavender, for example — that cross the blood-brain barrier and directly modulate GABA receptors, producing an effect on the nervous system comparable to certain pharmaceutical anxiolytics, without the dependency risk or cognitive dulling.

What I Choose and Why

I select oils specifically for each patient on the day they come in, based on what their body and nervous system appear to need in that session. There is no single formula I use on every person. A patient presenting with acute anxiety and adrenal exhaustion receives a different blend than a patient dealing with chronic pain and inflammatory tissue damage. A patient recovering from grief or emotional trauma receives a different combination than an athlete in recovery.

Some of the oils I work with most frequently in clinical practice:

Lavender — Broad-spectrum calming. Lowers cortisol, reduces pain perception, promotes parasympathetic response. Consistently supported in clinical literature for anxiety and sleep.

Frankincense — Deeply grounding. Shown to modulate inflammatory cytokines and support immune regulation. Particularly valuable for patients carrying significant emotional or stress burden.

Bergamot — Uplifting and regulating. Research has demonstrated significant reductions in anxiety and fatigue with bergamot inhalation. I use this frequently for patients with depression-adjacent presentations.

Peppermint — Stimulating and analgesic. Menthol activates cold-sensitive receptors that reduce pain signal transmission. Valuable in sessions addressing muscle pain, headaches, and sluggish circulation.

Clary Sage — Hormone-regulating and calming. Particularly relevant for female patients dealing with hormonal fluctuation, PMS, and perimenopausal symptoms. Has demonstrated direct cortisol-reducing effects in clinical study.

Eucalyptus — Anti-inflammatory and respiratory-opening. I use this in sessions where the patient presents with systemic inflammation, sinus congestion, or immune stress.

The Massage Itself

I am a licensed Medical Massage Therapist with over twenty years of clinical experience, and the massage I practice is not a standardized sequence of strokes. It is a clinical assessment and treatment that changes with every patient and every session.

When a patient comes in, I first evaluate their presenting concerns — where they are holding tension, what structures are restricted, what compensation patterns have developed, and what their nervous system is doing. That evaluation informs everything that follows.

The modalities I draw from are extensive, and I select from them based on what the tissue is telling me: Deep Tissue work for chronic muscular restriction and adhesion, Myofascial Release to address the fascial web that connects every structure in the body, Neuromuscular Therapy to interrupt the pain-spasm-pain cycle that perpetuates so many chronic pain patterns, Trigger Point Release to deactivate the hyperirretable nodules in muscle tissue that refer pain to distant sites, Lymphatic Drainage to reduce inflammation and support immune function, Active Release Technique for soft tissue injuries and nerve entrapment, Craniosacral Therapy for nervous system regulation and headache patterns, and Positional Release and Strain-Counter-Strain for acute and post-surgical presentations.

With aromatherapy integrated into this clinical work, the effect is compounded. The oils begin calming the amygdala and shifting the autonomic nervous system toward parasympathetic before my hands have done a single stroke. By the time I begin working in the tissue, the patient's nervous system is already beginning to release its grip — which allows the manual work to go deeper, produce longer-lasting change, and require less force to achieve meaningful results.

I have had psychologists refer patients to me specifically for aromatherapy massage when the body has been so locked in sympathetic overdrive that talk therapy alone cannot access the level of regulation the patient needs. I have seen patients leave sessions reporting that their doctor said they had "turned the corner." I have watched people walk in with their shoulders at their ears and walk out with their nervous systems finally, genuinely quiet.

The oils set the stage. The hands do the clinical work. Together, they produce something that neither achieves alone.

→ Book your Aromatherapy Massage session with me at Superlative Health in Burke, Virginia →

Get Rid and Stop Itchy Eye

Do your eyes feel like they are burning and are you seeing red? (we'll address the orange fingers in a later post :))

I have had several patients enter my office itchy all over or their eyes on fire and tearing. With the beautiful leaves changing color, the dropped foliage starts biodegrading which is great for the environment, but hard on those suffering from allergies. Red irritated eyes can also be the aggravation after working at the computer.
Here are some great alternatives from a natural pharmacist, Suzy Cohen. Get out and enjoy the wonderful weather and beautiful scenery!

Relieve Itchy Eyes and Hay Fever Misery

by Suzy Cohen on July 15, 2014 
"Dear Pharmacist,
I take loratadine all spring because of my allergies to pollen and grass. Is that the best antihistamine and are there natural ones?" — S.M., Orlando, Florida

Answer: I like loratadine (Claritin) when it comes to choosing antihistamines because it’s not sedating. I take it on occasion, and I break the 10mg tablets in half, to get 5mg daily, because that works for me, and doesn’t dry me up as much. I use plain tablets, because you can’t break long-acting ones.

Diphenhydramine is another popular antihistamine, but it’s very sedating so take it at night. Expect a morning hangover. These antihistamine and also Zyrtec, Allegra and Chlor-trimeton are constipating. Well, of course! They’re intended to dry you, so they dry up everything! Ask your practitioner about some of the following natural options and home remedies which also help:

Probiotics- Top of the list. Numerous well-designed clinical trials, including one in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition prove that probiotics reduce allergy symptoms. In this particular trial, the participants noticed a reduction in hay fever symptoms but it took a couple of months of daily supplementation to see that. Another interesting study found that babies born to mothers who supplemented with probiotics had fewer problems with allergies and asthma. The results were not as supportive if the babies were started on probiotics after birth, so ladies, take your probiotics before and during pregnancy.

Quercetin- It’s a pigment found in plants and citrus. It’s also a potent natural antihistamine in high doses, like 500mg two to three times daily; this smacks down histamine, the chemical that triggers the assault, all the sneezing and bloodshot, itchy eyes. Vitamin C can be substituted.

Vitamin C- This is a powerful and inexpensive allergy treatment because it can reduce histamine, help with sinus stuffiness, reduce sneezing and increase production of collagen which is helpful when you are making all that mucus. Vitamin C’s actions on the body are like an antihistamine, and very similar to quercetin. You would try one, not both of those. It’s okay to use vitamin C with traditional antihistamine medications too. Smaller doses taken more frequently, may work better for some of you, than large doses all at once. Vitamin C is depleted by more than 100 popular medications.

Green tea- This improves your chance to fight against germs, and it reduces histamine and inflammatory chemicals (called cytokines).

Butterbur- This is the same herbal extract I talked about in Headache Free for migraine prevention, and guess what? It is also useful for allergies for the same reason. It reduces leukotrienes which are compounds that upset your body, just like histamine. Leukotrienes are the chemicals that actually sustain the misery, the swelling and inflammation, the stuffiness in your nose and so forth. Rather than get addicted to those nasal sprays, you can just reduce the production of the compounds with Butterbur. It’s sold at health food stores nationwide and online like all the other supplements above.

Steam inhalation- I love easy! Heat up water in a pot, and carefully inhale the warm steam (add a drop of eucalyptus oil).

Eye Wash- Every home should have this in case a household cleanser splashes in your eye! It’s sold at pharmacies and online, by various brands including Bausch & Lomb. Rinsing your hot, red eyes feels amazing, then you can put a cool compress on it. Try not to scratch! Natural Similasin Allergy Eye Relief eye drops are soothing, and you can also ask for a prescription for Zaditor (ketotofin) antihistamine eye drops.

Now hopefully you have tools that can help you fight away that pesky itchy eye this season!

Greens for Energy

Did you know that plants provide all the building blocks necessary to fuel and give energy to your body to keep you healthy and alive?
We have all heard of the importance of the twenty-two amino acids (which are found in the body). Protein anyone? Well, we have also heard of the eight essential amino acids that we must get from an outside source. These must be derived from food/bacteria. Did you know that all eight essential amino acids are found in raw plant foods, some of which are green leaves, spirulina, blue-green algae, bee pollen, maca, goji berries, and hemp seeds.
So for your protein, go grab your greens and superfoods!

The Science of Why Your Body Runs Better on Green

You Are Not Tired Because You Need More Coffee.

You might be tired because your cells are not getting what they need to produce energy at the level your body is capable of. And one of the most consistent, research-supported, and profoundly underutilized sources of cellular energy available to you is also the most overlooked item on your plate.

Greens.

Not a supplement. Not a powder. Not a protocol. The actual living plant — eaten consistently, in meaningful amounts, as a daily foundation of how you eat — has the power to change your energy at a level most people have never experienced because they have never been consistent enough with it long enough to feel what it actually does.

Here is the science of why.

How Greens Produce Energy in Your Body — The Biology

Your cells produce energy through a process called cellular respiration, which takes place inside tiny structures called mitochondria. The primary fuel for this process is glucose — but glucose alone isn't enough. Your mitochondria need a specific set of cofactors, vitamins, minerals, and electron donors to run the energy-production cycle efficiently. Without them, the process slows, stalls, or produces far less ATP — the energy currency your cells run on — than your body is designed to generate.

Greens provide an extraordinary number of those cofactors in a single, bioavailable package.

Magnesium — found abundantly in chlorophyll, the molecule that makes plants green — is required for over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body, including every single step of ATP synthesis. Most people are significantly deficient in magnesium, and that deficiency shows up as fatigue, muscle tension, poor sleep, and brain fog before it ever appears on a blood test. Eating greens consistently is one of the most direct ways to restore magnesium at the cellular level.

B vitamins — particularly folate, B2 (riboflavin), and B3 (niacin), all found in high concentrations in leafy greens — are essential cofactors in the mitochondrial energy cycle. Without them, your cells cannot efficiently convert food into usable energy regardless of how well you eat otherwise.

Iron — particularly abundant in spinach, kale, and dandelion greens — is required for the production of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to your cells. Oxygen is what drives the entire energy production process. Low iron means low oxygen delivery. Low oxygen delivery means low energy, full stop.

Vitamin K — found in very high concentrations in arugula, kale, and Swiss chard — plays a role in mitochondrial function and has been shown to support the electron transport chain, the final and most energy-productive step of cellular respiration.

Chlorophyll itself — the green pigment in plants — has a molecular structure remarkably similar to hemoglobin, with magnesium at its center where iron sits in human blood. Research suggests that chlorophyll may actually support the body's own oxygen-carrying capacity and has antioxidant properties that protect mitochondria from the oxidative damage that accumulates with stress, poor diet, and aging — damage that is one of the primary drivers of chronic fatigue.

When you eat greens consistently, you are not just adding vitamins to your diet. You are feeding the machinery that makes energy at the cellular level — and that machinery responds.

The Truth About Protein in Greens

One of the most persistent myths in nutrition is that plant foods — and greens especially — don't provide meaningful protein. This is simply not accurate, and understanding why changes how you think about food entirely.

Your body requires 22 amino acids to build and repair proteins. Of these, eight are considered essential — meaning the body cannot synthesize them and must obtain them from food. For decades the assumption was that only animal products provided all eight essential amino acids in sufficient quantities. What the research actually shows is that all eight essential amino acids are present in raw plant foods — including green leaves, spirulina, blue-green algae, hemp seeds, bee pollen, maca, and goji berries.

Here is how the protein in greens actually becomes usable in your body:

When you eat a green leaf, your digestive system breaks down the plant cell walls and releases the amino acids contained within. These amino acids enter your bloodstream and are transported to cells throughout your body, where they are assembled — with the help of ribosomes inside each cell — into the specific proteins your body needs. Muscle tissue. Enzymes. Hormones. Neurotransmitters. Immune cells. All of it built from the amino acid pool your digestive system has assembled.

The key difference between plant protein and animal protein is not completeness — it is concentration and digestibility. Greens contain lower concentrations of protein per gram than meat or eggs, which means you need volume and variety to meet your protein needs from plants alone. But for someone eating greens as a consistent, abundant part of their daily diet — alongside other plant proteins like legumes, seeds, and whole grains — the amino acid pool is more than sufficient, and it comes with none of the inflammatory burden that excessive animal protein can carry.

Some of the highest-protein greens per serving: Spirulina — up to 70% protein by dry weight, with all eight essential amino acids · Kale — 3g protein per cup cooked · Spinach — 5g protein per cup cooked · Watercress · Edamame · Peas · Hemp leaves

Why Consistency Matters More Than Quantity

The energy benefits of greens are not immediate — they are cumulative. A single green smoothie will not change your energy levels in a measurable way. But greens eaten daily, as a consistent foundation of your diet over weeks and months, produce changes that are genuinely felt — because the underlying cellular machinery that was running on insufficient cofactors is finally getting what it needs to operate the way it was designed to.

This is one of the reasons Melody consistently returns to greens in her nutritional guidance with patients. Not as a trend, not as a detox, but as a daily non-negotiable that pays dividends that compound over time.

Melody's Daily Green Smoothie

The easiest and most efficient way to get a meaningful serving of greens into your day — especially on mornings when food preparation feels like too much. This recipe is simple, genuinely delicious, and designed to maximize both energy and protein.

Melody's Daily Green Energy Smoothie

A daily foundation for cellular energy, plant protein, and living nutrients — ready in five minutes.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large handfuls of fresh spinach or arugula

• 1 frozen banana (peeled before freezing)

• 0.5 cup frozen mango or pineapple chunks

• 2 tbsp hemp seeds

• 1 tsp spirulina powder

• 1 tsp maca powder

• 1 cup unsweetened coconut or almond milk

• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

• 0.5 cup cold water (add more for desired consistency)

STEPS

1. Add liquids first: Pour 1 cup unsweetened coconut or almond milk and 0.5 cup cold water (add more for desired consistency) into your blender first — this protects the blades and helps everything blend smoothly.

2. Add greens: Add 2 large handfuls of fresh spinach or arugula. Blending the greens with liquid first before adding frozen fruit gives you a smoother, less fibrous result.

3. Add remaining ingredients: Add 1 frozen banana (peeled before freezing), 0.5 cup frozen mango or pineapple chunks, 2 tbsp hemp seeds, 1 tsp spirulina powder, 1 tsp maca powder, and 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice.

4. Blend until smooth: Blend on high for 45–60 seconds until completely smooth. The spirulina will turn the smoothie a deep green — that is exactly what you want.

5. Taste and adjust: Taste before pouring. If you want it sweeter, add a few drops of raw honey or a couple of pitted dates. If you want more protein, add another tablespoon of hemp seeds or a scoop of your favorite plant protein powder.

NOTES

Why these ingredients: Spinach or arugula for magnesium, iron, and folate. Banana for potassium and natural sweetness. Hemp seeds for all eight essential amino acids and omega-3s. Spirulina for concentrated protein and chlorophyll. Maca for adrenal support and sustained energy. Lemon for vitamin C, which increases iron absorption from the greens significantly — don't skip it.

Melody's tip: Make this five days in a row and notice how your energy feels by day four or five. The cumulative effect is real. This is not a one-time cleanse — it is a daily practice.

→ Want personalized nutritional guidance based on your actual deficiencies? Melody's OligoScan and Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis can show you exactly what your body is missing, and build a food and supplement plan around what your cells specifically need. Book your consultation at Superlative Health in Burke, Virginia or virtually →

Grab the Greens, one Grocery Visit at a time

FARMER'S MARKET GREENS

Change Your Health One Grocery Visit at a Time

Know Your Farmer. Know Your Food.

Know my Farmer. There is something powerful about looking someone in the eye and asking how they grew what you're about to put in your body. Farmers markets make that possible — and in the Northern Virginia and Burke area, you have access to some genuinely wonderful ones.

When you shop at a local farmers market, you are not just buying vegetables. You are employing a family. You are supporting someone who woke up before dawn to tend their soil, who made choices about what to spray and what not to spray, who takes pride in what they grow because their name is attached to it. That relationship — between you and the person who grew your food — is one of the most meaningful health decisions you can make, and it costs no more than the grocery store.

Local markets worth knowing in the Burke and Northern Virginia area:

Burke Farmers Market · Springfield Farmers Market · Falls Church Farmers Market · Old Town Fairfax Farmers Market · Reston Farmers Market · Del Ray Farmers Market in Alexandria

Go early. Bring a bag. Talk to the farmers. Ask what's freshest that week, what they're most proud of, and what they'd bring home for their own families. You'll learn more in ten minutes at a farmers market stand than you will reading labels at a grocery store for an hour.

Can't Make It to a Market? Grow Your Own.

If farmers market access is limited, or if you simply want the satisfaction of eating something you grew yourself — there are two approaches I love and recommend.

I grow my own greens in my own kitchen! I have a hydroponic tower garden with grow lights, right in your own kitchen. The one I have at home produces fresh greens year-round regardless of season or weather. Hydroponic tower systems use water and light instead of soil, taking up minimal space and delivering fresh, living greens in days rather than weeks. If you've never grown food indoors before, this is one of the most rewarding places to start.

The second is as old as agriculture itself — seeds in soil. If you have a patch of outdoor space, a raised bed, a patio, or even a sunny windowsill, you can grow greens from seed with very little investment and very little effort. The one thing Melody always recommends: use GMO-free heirloom heritage seeds. These are seeds that have been passed down through generations, grown without genetic modification, and chosen over centuries for their flavor, resilience, and nutritional density. They are the seeds that grew the food that built civilizations — and they are still the best option available. Look for them at your local nursery, farmers market seed stand, or online from trusted seed companies like Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds or Seed Savers Exchange.

When you go to the Grocery store, that is the MAJORITY of your choices! Choose Green

Running to the Store? Here's What to Look For.

When the farmers market isn't an option and the tower garden needs a few more days, here is Melody's quick guide to choosing the best greens at the grocery store:

1. Look at the color — and mean it. The deeper and more vibrant the green, the higher the chlorophyll content, and chlorophyll is where most of the nutritional power lives. Pale, yellowish, or faded leaves have already lost significant nutritional value. You want greens that look alive because they still are. Dark green, almost glossy, with no yellowing at the edges.

2. Check the stems and edges. Wilting starts at the edges and the stem. If the tips are browning or the leaves feel limp and soft rather than crisp and firm, that bunch has been sitting too long. Fresh greens hold their structure. They snap, not bend. Avoid anything that's already given up.

3. Buy whole, not pre-cut when possible. Pre-washed, pre-cut, bagged greens are convenient — but the moment a leaf is cut, it begins losing nutrients. A whole head of romaine, a bunch of kale with the stems still attached, or loose-leaf spinach will hold its nutritional value significantly longer than the pre-shredded version in the sealed bag. Buy whole, wash yourself, and eat within a few days.

Get Variety. Your Body Needs It.

One of the most common green mistakes is loyalty to a single variety. Spinach every day, every meal, every smoothie — and while spinach is genuinely excellent, every green has a different nutritional profile, a different set of phytonutrients, and a different contribution to make. Rotating your greens is one of the simplest things you can do to ensure your body gets a broader spectrum of what it needs.

Here are the greens Melody reaches for most — and what makes each one worth including:

Arugula — Melody's personal favorite. Peppery, distinctive, and loaded with vitamins K, A, and C. It's also one of the richest plant sources of calcium and folate, and its bitter compounds actively stimulate liver and digestive function. Arugula is the green that does the most work quietly.

Spinach — The classic for good reason. Rich in iron, magnesium, potassium, and folate. Excellent raw in salads and smoothies. Just rotate it with other greens rather than relying on it exclusively, as its high oxalate content can affect mineral absorption when eaten in very large quantities daily.

Mixed Greens — A blend of baby lettuces, mizuna, radicchio, and tender leaves that gives you a variety of nutrients in a single handful. The easiest way to rotate without thinking about it.

Kale — One of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. Vitamins K, C, A, B6, manganese, calcium, copper, potassium, and magnesium all in one dark, sturdy leaf. Massage it with a little olive oil if eating raw — it softens the texture and makes it far more digestible.

Swiss Chard — Beautiful and underused. Rich in vitamins K, A, and C with a magnesium content that makes it particularly valuable for anyone dealing with muscle tension, poor sleep, or stress.

Dandelion Greens — Bitter and powerful. One of the best liver-supporting greens available and a natural diuretic. If you see them at a farmers market, grab them.

Watercress — One of the most nutrient-dense greens by weight of any food measured. Peppery like arugula and rich in compounds that support detoxification and cancer prevention.

Romaine — Often overlooked as "just lettuce" but genuinely rich in folate, vitamin K, and vitamin C. A great base green for salads and wraps.

Microgreens — Baby versions of herbs and vegetables harvested just after sprouting, containing up to 40 times the nutrient density of their full-grown counterparts. If you grow one thing at home, grow microgreens.

Your Meal Should Be 75% Living.

Here is the rule Melody comes back to again and again, in the clinic and in her own kitchen: aim for 75% of your plate to be high in live, raw nutrients. Greens are the easiest way to get there. They are inexpensive, accessible, fast to prepare, and the most nutrient-dense food group available to you.

The hardest health decision most people make happens at the grocery store — not in the kitchen, not at the table. What goes in your cart is what ends up in your body. Choose green. Choose living. Choose often.

Change your health one grocery visit at a time!

Good rule of thumb, how many greens do you have? Your meal should be 75% high in live raw nutrients-greens are perfect in this! #grabthegreens

The Hardest decisions start with the ones at the Grocery store.  Remember when you are going up and down the isles, think Greens. Your choices at the Grocery Stores MATTER! Think Fresh, Think Green, Think Great!

→ Ready to take your nutrition further? Melody offers personalized nutritional guidance as part of her Wellness Package and Naturopathic consultations at Superlative Health in Burke, Virginia — in-clinic and via telehealth.