Did you know, in addition to ensuring happy couples, St. Valentine is also the patron saint of beekeeping, epilepsy, the plague, fainting and traveling?

Every February, we celebrate our love for family, friends and community (and dark chocolate) and express gratitude for our abundances and health. This year, why not also focus on self-love?

Recently a colleague asked me to share my top three tips for anyone who wishes to improve nutrition. Initially, I thought, “that depends.” Each person’s nutrition needs are unique.

But the more I think about it, several food enhancements absolutely drive my conversations about improving nutrient intake through customizable, flexible, and totally doable meals.

With the increase in environmental toxins in our food, air, soil and water, we are more susceptible than ever to the potential damage to our body. As we age, we are more likely to experience intercellular damage resulting in degenerative disease.

Every day, more than 82,000 chemicals are released into our air, water, soil, food and consumer products. Chemicals are not well regulated, and only a fraction of them have been tested for toxicity. Thus, we know little about the long-term consequences3 of these pervasive pollutants.

Most parents welcome the transition back to school and a return to routine, yet packing school lunches can pose unsettling challenges – how do we create nutritious, homemade lunch that our kids will actually eat?

Autoimmune disorders are more common today than ever in the recorded past, and 80+ types of autoimmune diseases have been identified1. Autoimmunity is part of the immune system’s natural way of protecting itself, and plays a major role in wellness. Still, every human possesses the potential to trigger an autoimmune disease (when the same autoantibodies that normally combat disease end up attack themselves).

The average person makes over 200 daily food decisions1, many of which relate to price. How do our food expenditures reflect our wellbeing? We Americans spend less money on food than our grandparents did, and more on our health.

Hundreds of thousands of Americans venture into the woods or along rocky trails, marvel at alpine vistas, then return to camp to eat… hot dogs and chips. Seriously, we breathe in nature, absorb the elements, then eat convenience food? That’s just not right.

As an inadequate gardener, I marvel at the complexities of plants and their ecosystems. With whole foods at the root of my nutrition practice, I seek to understand their role in the human body. One plant continues to intrigue me: cannabis. Some consider cannabis only a drug, while others are touting its herbal and fibrous qualities.

With two kids under five, being caught without a pre-planned snack is dangerous. It’s vital to avoid having hungry kids, a hangry mom, and an unsuitable snack.

Though we live where the sun is iconic, we Idahoans are likely deficient in vitamin D – “the sunshine vitamin” – due to our geographical location, layering clothes during long winters, and lathering sunscreen during intense summers. This week, many of us are probably vacationing closer to the equator, basking the sunshine of Southern California, the Mexican coast or Florida – ideal locations for vitamin D intake

Like a close friend, chocolate is intimately woven into my life. It was present during tough family times, amidst lonely travels and prominent at festivities. Growing up in the age of ding-dongs, I scorned chocolate and received “special” treats at birthday parties. Exploring the world as a young adult, I found that pudding-like, Italian drinking chocolate far surpassed Belgian white chocolate confections. What is it about quality of chocolate repels or lures me?

One of the most important things we parents can do for our children is to help create a positive relationship with food. With the increasing prevalence of childhood chronic disease, lack of institutional education about healthful eating, and misguided commercial messaging about nutrition, our children are at risk of developing lifelong physical, emotional and cognitive issues related to food.

Every January I undertake one behavior change, and one dietary shift. This year, those two categories merge, and stem from the same concept: mindfulness.

Most of my behaviors reflect being a mother of young, impressionable children. While we have made great strides during mealtimes, this year I will invite my kids to routinely share in dinner preparation.