If you had told me ten years ago that I’d be the “natural remedies” mom… the homeopathy mom… the low-tox living mom…
I would’ve laughed.
Because for years, my entire identity was wrapped up in being a conventionally trained ER nurse.
Fast-paced. Evidence-based. Protocol-driven.
Do the labs, give the meds, follow the algorithm, stabilize the patient.
That was the world I lived in — and I was good at it.
But then I started planning to become a mom.
And nothing exposes the gaps in your worldview like planning for, preparing for, and holding your own baby for the very first time.
The Beginning: Preparing for Conception
My journey into natural living TRULY began when we started planning to conceive.
We had eaten organic for years, but the moment it wasn’t just about me anymore—everything shifted.
Preparing for pregnancy made everything matter more. The choices weren’t just about me anymore. They were about the health of the babies we hoped to have. When I started learning how parental health, toxic load, nutrient status, and mineral balance influence future children, it opened up a new world of understanding.
I wanted my body in the healthiest place possible before conceiving — and my husband’s too.
That led me deeper into research on detoxification, cleansing, functional wellness, and true healing.
The topics that once sounded ridiculous suddenly made sense. Six years ago, hardly anyone talked about parasite cleansing or heavy-metal detoxing. When I mentioned it back then, the looks I got were comical. My colleagues thought I’d lost it, so I quickly learned to stop bringing it up in the hospital.
* If you want to know where I started researching pre-conception, I read THIS book.
This link is an affiliate link, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
This book talked about how food, vitamins, minerals, and everyday exposures influence a developing baby — from their coordination, their eyesight, their immune development, their long-term cognitive health… literally all of it.
Pregnancy During a Worldwide Crisis
To our complete shock, we became pregnant for the very first time we tried in 2020. It was the height of the pandemic.
If you’re reading this, you may have walked a similar path. One where, from 2019 on, you started to notice inconsistencies and may have begun to ask questions.
When I was in nursing school (over a decade ago), I remember learning about a medication called thalidomide. It was in an ethics class. To summarize, this drug was prescribed to pregnant women and promoted as a “miracle cure” to help ease the symptoms of nausea and vomiting that often accompany pregnancy. These women were told it was 100% safe and effective.
Except that it wasn’t. And their babies were born missing entire limbs. Some had neurological impairments as well.
Our coursework went on to discuss multiple other accounts of medications that were deemed “safe” at the time, only to be proven catastrophic later. In addition, we discussed the ethical issues that surround testing medications for safety on pregnant women (as well as children). Many medications and vaccinations CANNOT ethically be tested on these vulnerable populations due to the high inherent risks associated.
Why am I sharing this?
While, at the time that I was pregnant — in the height of the pandemic — a brand new, never-before-used vaccination was being rolled out. We were being told it was “safe + effective.” That it had been tested extensively…
But given that it was new, and pregnant women weren’t able to be tested on from an ethical standpoint… and there wasn’t long-term testing and evidence of safety from pregnancy, to birth, to infancy, to childhood, and into adulthood — I asked, how COULD they say it was safe, truly?
My mind kept going back to all those children with missing limbs. And those mothers who trusted their doctors.
It went against every instinct in my body.
Even as more time passed during the pandemic, safety studies came out for the J&J vaccine in non-pregnant adults. Some products were even pulled from the market due to complications, including cardiac issues and heart failure.
Vaccines that were deemed “safe” and “effective” and “extensively tested” were — in fact — not.
These developments aligned with the concerns I held early on.
So naturally, I took a stance against receiving the COVID-19 vaccine while pregnant.
The Consequences of Speaking Up
As you can probably imagine, as an ER nurse, working in a modern medicine — the cost of that stance was high.
I was called crazy.
Some family members stopped talking to me.
I was blocked, I was deleted, I was verbally attacked.
I was unemployed for months—as a Level I trauma-trained ER nurse—during a time when the narrative said hospitals were desperate for help.
UN-EMPLOYED.
I think the biggest red flag was realizing that conversations about risk and safety weren’t allowed.
When I tried to discuss concerns, people got angry, they got hostile, and they shut it down.
It didn’t make sense to me.
I’ve always believed that if dialogue isn’t allowed, something is seriously wrong.
That environment pushed me deeper into research and reinforced my belief in TRUE + FULL informed consent AND respectful conversation. (p.s. what we are taught to say to our patients in nursing school IS NOT informed consent. Its cherry picked information disguised as informed consent.)
During my pregnancy, I even had an ER physician tell me that I would “kill my baby” if I didn’t receive the COVID-19 vaccine — that my placenta would “clot off and die.”
The language was fear-based and manipulative. It didn’t come from genuine concern. I can’t imagine what I would have done/felt/thought/acted on if I hadn’t been grounded in my intuition and research; I might have given in.
As I sit here years later, and as more information has surfaced about risks and outcomes, it’s only validated those early concerns.
Questioning the Standard Approach
During this season, it really made me start questioning everything else—especially medications routinely given for nearly every condition. Working in the ER, I saw how rarely people got better in a lasting way. The medications suppressed symptoms instead of addressing root causes.
When I looked at newborn care with the same lens, I felt the same disconnect. I had just spent months cleansing my body, preparing it, nourishing it, reducing toxins, ensuring that every molecule of food was organic + safe. So naturally, when I started to look into the ingredients of what is routinely given to newborns in their first moments of life, I had concerns.
I’m the kind of person who needs things to make sense.
I don’t adopt beliefs just because someone said them confidently — I need to understand the why.
Now, before you label me as “ANTI” something.
Let’s just pause. Hear my heart — And let me clarify something.
What I “am not” is “anti-medicine.”
I am “anti” lack-of-informed-consent.
I am “anti” not-allowed-to-have-conversations.
I am “anti” don’t-ask-questions.
That’s the difference.
But that’s a blog post for another day.
The Shift Into Holistic Motherhood
Anyways, let’s shift back to the time when I started to prepare my home (and medicine cabinet) for our new baby.
This led me to read the ingredient label in infant Tylenol — dyes, preservatives, high-fructose corn syrup — and I thought “WTF.” They want me to give that to a BABY?! And especially a baby who is SICK?!
Get. Out. Of. Here.
I knew that didn’t align with what I wanted for her. But I wasn’t prepared with other options. So, I started by purchasing a cleaner version like Genexa, still acetaminophen but without unnecessary additives. A “better” choice.
But then something deeper shifted.
I am a Christian. I believe that God designed the human body with intention. I believe that He does not make mistakes.
If my daughter had a fever, there was a purpose in it. So, instead of rushing to suppress it, I wanted to understand it and support her through it.
That realization led me into research on the physiology of fevers, immune response, and natural supports. I didn’t want fear to run the show; I wanted to understand (remember when I said I NEED to understand things?).
I began building a home toolkit — herbal tinctures, old school remedies, homeopathy, hydration, rest, observation, discernment—and over time, my confidence grew.
In turn, this process changed how I approached motherhood and health.
It didn’t happen overnight. It was hundreds of small choices, late-night research sessions, and quiet prayers for wisdom.
This wasn’t some slippery slope into extremism.
This was a steady, grounded shift into understanding how the body works and how to support it.
I Used to View Health as “All or Nothing”
When you work in the ER, you see everything:
Parents terrified.
Parents confused.
Parents doing the best they can with the information they were given.
You also see the other side:
Medication for everything. Quick fixes. Symptom-chasing.
Very little talk about root cause, nervous system, food quality, home environment, toxins, or prevention.
Medical professionals also carry a stigma against the holistic community. We are taught that natural remedies are “woo-woo,” and the people who use them are uneducated and dangerous.
But when I became a mom, that mindset shifted.
Not in a dramatic, overnight kind of way — but in a slow, steady unraveling.
I started to realize Modern medicine saves lives… but it doesn’t build health.
AND
That holistic wellness builds health… but sometimes you absolutely need Modern medicine.
Notice how its “this AND that.”
NOT – “this OR that.”
Two things can exist at once. Two things can be true at once.
And that “middle ground” is where I finally found myself.
Not 100% crunchy.
Not 100% conventional.
Not anti-anything.
And definitely not all-or-nothing.
Just realistically holistic.
What “Realistically Holistic” Means to Me
My philosophy is simple:
✨Natural first, conventional when it’s needed.
✨Root cause over symptom-chasing.
✨Grace over perfection — always. When we know better, we do better.
✨Intuition matters just as much as information.
✨Less toxicity, more nourishment.
✨Biology > trends. Everyone’s needs are different.
✨No fear. No extremes. No shame.
I don’t believe in scaring moms.
I don’t believe in “if you don’t do XYZ, you’re doomed.”
I don’t believe in making people feel wrong for the way they were taught.
What works for your family may not work for mine. And vice versa, and that is okay.
I believe in education, empowerment, and options.
What I Still Use From Western Medicine (and Always Will)
Here’s is a hard truth that not a lot of people want to say out loud:
Holistic moms get in trouble when they avoid care they actually need.
And conventional moms get in trouble when they rely only on meds and ignore the root cause.
Both extremes fail families.
As an ER nurse AND a holistic mom, I am fully committed to:
- Recognizing red flags
- Knowing when an illness is worrisome
- Understanding when labs, imaging, or antibiotics are life-saving
- Using evidence-based care when the situation calls for it
We do natural first — but we never hesitate when medical care is appropriate.
That balance is everything.
Why I’m Sharing This Now
This blog is my “home base.”
My Instagram community has grown quickly, and moms ask me daily:
- Where do I start?
- What do you believe?
- Why did you choose this path?
- How do I blend natural and conventional without going extreme?
- And so many more questions…
This is where I’ll answer all of it.
On Instagram, our attention spans are small. It’s not the best platform for long-form content.
How do you explain all the nuances that exist in a 7-second video?
Short answer: You can’t.
So, here we are. Blogging.
If You’re Here… You’re Probably Like Me
You may want better for your family.
You may want options.
You may want recipes that are easy + nourishing + kid approved.
You may want mindset shifts that help you reach your goals.
You may want to learn without feeling scared or judged.
You may want a community. A village.
You may want confidence, not perfection.
You may want a middle ground.
You definitely want to live a life rooted in VITALITY.
So, if that’s you?
You’re in the right place.
Here’s to the moms who stand in the middle.
Who choose both science and nature.
Who listen to their intuition.
Who lead their homes with wisdom, not fear.
You’re my people.
Welcome.
I’m so glad you’re here.
In love, health, and vitality, Ash
xo
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Disclaimer: The information shared on this website is for educational and informational purposes only and is based on my personal experience, training, and what has worked for my family. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified and trusted healthcare provider regarding your specific health concerns or before making changes to your health routine.