My September Favorites as a Gut Health Dietitian
Happy September!
Not going to lie, I'm more of a fall fan than a summer fan, mostly for the food and fashion. Give me a roasted veggie and a sweater any day, and I'm happy. I have always felt like September is the start of my new year more than January, and I love the feeling of getting back to routines and reestablishing the practices I know make me feel my best. Fall feels like an opportunity, and I hope you feel that too :)
So on that note, here are my 5 favorite things for September.
5 September Favorites
1. A Function Health panel (the fresh-start data I wish every doctor would run)
The best fresh starts come from a place of reflection, preparation, and planning, and that is where checking in on your health through deeper lab testing is so important. We can't prioritize what needs to be supported without first knowing what is actually going on.
Function Health is an in-depth blood panel that gives you deeper insight into your health with over 100 markers covering inflammation, metabolic health, nutrient levels, and even autoimmune risk. I know it can feel a little scary, especially if some markers come back different from what you were hoping for, but knowledge truly is power. Once we know what is happening, we can put supports in place to address it.
This is a much deeper panel than most primary care doctors will run. Trust me, I try so hard to get doctors to run these markers for our clients, and so often they leave many of them off, or sometimes simply say no. Function Health puts access to this information directly in your hands.
You can get $25 off the Function panel and jump-start your health this fall. And if your results show areas that need support, that is exactly what our Case Review Calls are for. Book with me to walk through your labs, understand what the markers mean, look at the patterns they may be pointing to, and decide together if we need to go deeper to find the drivers. We are here to support you. The first step is knowledge.
Sign up for Function Health here to get your comprehensive blood panel here.
Functional Health Blood Panel
2. Mouth tape (an oldie but a goodie for deeper sleep)
When it comes to routine and quality sleep, mouth tape can be a game changer. It has helped a lot of my clients reduce sleep disruptions and nighttime waking. It keeps the lips gently sealed and helps position the tongue at the roof of the mouth, which encourages you to breathe through your nose all night. Nasal breathing filters and humidifies the air, and it delivers the nitric oxide your sinuses produce down into your lungs, which supports healthy blood vessel dilation and cardiovascular health. Many people find it cuts down on snoring too.
I don't use a fancy mouth tape; I use 3M surgical tape from Amazon and have used it for almost 5 years now. If you have never tried mouth tape before, I highly recommend giving it a try, especially if you struggle with restless sleep, waking at night, or waking up not feeling rested.
Mouth Tape Every Night
3. More needlepoint, less phone
A big fall goal for me is building routines that don't revolve around my phone, so I am leaning into more grandma habits (said lovingly). I am new to needlepoint, and I already love it. Surprisingly, it is very hard to mess up, and it feels creative, predictable, and repetitive, which is a recipe for nervous system regulation. You will notice this pattern shows up in a lot of stress-reducing practices, like breathwork, coloring, and walking, all repetitive and predictable.
I got introduced through the brand Lycette Designs and have big goals of making Christmas stockings for my nieces. I just have to finish my first mini pillow, and then on to bigger goals from there.
Find Lycette Designs here; they are a great resource for getting started, and the couple that runs it is so sweet here.
More Needlepoint, Less Phone
4. Microgreens from the farmers market (tiny leaves, big nutrient density)
Microgreens are a staple in my farmers market hauls because these little leaves can actually pack more nutrient density than their full-grown counterparts. They are harvested young, just after the first true leaves appear, when their vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants are most concentrated by weight. That is what makes them such an easy nutrition upgrade. I especially like the spicy, peppery ones like radish, and the bright, herby cilantro.
Throw them onto salads, avocado toast, eggs, whatever you have. Such an easy way to add nutrient density to a meal.
All The Pumpkin Muffins
5. Support Beneficial Bacteria with Food Diversity, Polyphenols, and Fibers
This coffee cake muffin recipe is a staple, and I honestly can't remember if I have shared it in a past newsletter, but it is so good that I don't think anyone will complain about seeing it twice. Nothing says fall to me more than a coffee and a coffee cake muffin. And these muffins are not messing around; they have real nutritive value.
Tiger nut flour: The flour base is tiger nut flour, which is actually a small tuber, not a nut or a legume despite the name. It works as a prebiotic to feed your beneficial gut bacteria and is a solid fiber source that can help blunt blood sugar responses. It also has a subtly sweet flavor that makes these muffins delicious and satisfying. Order it on Amazon, as grocery stores haven’t caught on to this nutrient-dense flour yet.
Pumpkin: A great source of fiber, potassium, and the orange carotenoid antioxidants like beta-carotene, and it keeps these muffins moist and delicious.
The crumble topping: Do not skip it. It is everything when it comes to these muffins.
Grab the recipe from Meg Gerber of Grounded Nourish here.
Happy Fall Everyone!
Happy September, and I hope our favorites spark some ideas, a new supportive habit, or a fun new recipe you can enjoy.
In good health,
Abby & the Above Health team
Related Posts: Fall Health Routines
