Why I Started Poppyseed Wellness: A Whole-Person, Bio-Individual Approach to Healing

Dec 23

Poppyseed Wellness began as Poppyseed Sourdough — my home for all the sourdough creations I made over the years. Why "Poppyseed"? That’s a story for another post. The account evolved into a mini blog chronicling my summer working at a restaurant in a tiny town in Tuscany, Italy. Later, it became a general cooking and baking space, with the occasional health and wellness post.

This year, Poppyseed Sourdough became Poppyseed Wellness when I finally took a step I’d been inching toward for years: I enrolled in IIN (Institute for Integrative Nutrition) and became a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. Yup — I’m officially an IINHC!

Why I Enrolled in IIN

Simply put: I love wellness. I love reading books, articles, and listening to podcasts about all things health. I grew up experimenting with wellness trends — my mother and sister were often right there with me — trying everything from juice cleanses to gut health protocols, all in the pursuit of feeling our best.

Some things worked. Some didn’t. Some were fun (my sister and I spent a summer eating desserts for breakfast after reading about it in Oprah’s magazine), and some, looking back, were pretty extreme (looking at you, water fasts and intermittent fasting marathons). The goal was always the same: to optimize our health.

What I appreciate now is that I’ve always been willing to try. I’m still open to experimenting, but now I have a much stronger foundation of what health is — and what it isn’t.

“Poppyseed Wellness began as a seed — a quiet idea rooted in the need for balance, compassion, and healing.”

Health Is More Than a Number

Health isn’t your weight, your calorie count, or your workout frequency. Health is about so much more. At IIN, we call it Multidimensional Health — a holistic lens that integrates mental, emotional, social, spiritual, and financial wellbeing.

If one of these “Primary Foods” is out of balance, your overall health will feel it — physically, mentally, and emotionally. And this is what’s missing from the modern healthcare system. You go to the doctor with an issue, and instead of seeing you as a whole person, you’re often handed a prescription and sent on your way.

My Experience with Anxiety and the Tools That Help

I live with generalized anxiety.

There’s often a low hum of worry running in the background, and while I’ve managed it well over the years, it’s been tested during major life transitions. When I sought help, I was immediately offered a prescription. While there’s nothing wrong with medication when it’s needed, I instinctively knew I wanted a more holistic approach.

So I turned to what I had learned at IIN and through my own lived experience. I nourished myself.

My Everyday Tools for Wellness

Here’s what I do to support my health:

I follow solid morning and evening routines
I eat whole, homemade, real food
I move my body — yoga, weightlifting, walks in nature
I prioritize sleep, hydration, and social connection
I journal, practice gratitude, sip tea, light candles, read books, and listen to music
I seek help when I need it
I create cozy rituals that help me feel grounded and safe

Are any of these things expensive, trendy, or revolutionary? No. But they are foundational, attainable, and transformative.

We’re all bio-individual, so these tools may look a little different depending on your life stage or needs. But if you’re skipping the basics and jumping to supplements, red light therapy, or peptides, you’re missing the point. Those things are fun and may be useful — but only if the foundation is solid.

What You’ll Find at Poppyseed Wellness

This space is here to help you come back to yourself — gently, sustainably, and in a way that fits your real life.

“Healing isn’t linear — it’s a practice of returning to yourself, again and again.”

I want to help you:

Optimize your routines
Balance your multidimensional health
Become the best version of you — not some unattainable wellness ideal

I'll also be sharing grocery lists, meal planning tips, recipes, product recommendations, and creative ways to experiment in the kitchen (one of my biggest joys).

I’m here to help you help yourself. You can read more about my background and approach here.

XO,