Dear Friends,

Ch-ch-ch-changes! You might’ve noticed things look just a bit different here on the blog. That’s because I’ve undergone a name and domain change! When I started this blog, two years ago almost to the day, my focus was on writing. I built a blog site to coincide with my journalism degree. Well friends, in exactly one year, after only four more classes, my degree will be complete!

Over the last two years on the blog I’ve found both my voice, and my passion. I began this blog as a basic lifestyle blog, but it has definitely taken a hard right turn to health and wellness. Because…that is my passion! For the last decade (and counting), I’ve spent countless hours researching diet and its impact on overall health, diet and disease, and a holistic — meaning seeing the body as a whole rather than in pieces — lifestyle. So it only makes sense that is what I would end up writing about most.

For that reason, I’ve decided to move from a “catch-all” lifestyle blog, to a health and wellness website, focusing specifically on plant based nutrition. I have so many plans for the coming year, and I hope you will stick around for the expansion!

You might’ve noticed I said website instead of blog. That is because I want to move beyond “just” blogging and share more resources. One of the items on my “wish list”, so-to-speak, is to give my recipes their own menu (already implemented into the design), and also work on getting the plugin to truly format them as recipes — meaning to be printable, shareable, and contain a “jump to recipe” button.

This requires upgrading from a premium plan to a business plan, which is more than double the annual price, just to have access to that plugin. So while this is a wish list item, and something I likely will do in the not-too-distant future, for right now it is more of a want than a goal.

What is a goal right now, is to get certified. I’ve spent years self-teaching on nutrition. I’ve read books, articles and studies. I’ve watched interviews and documentaries. I’ve even taken a couple of elective courses in college that were centered around diet and nutrition. What I know now that I am nearing the end of my journalism degree, is that I want to write about diet and nutrition, specifically the link between diet and disease. While it may be too late to declare a minor in nutrition, it isn’t too late to get some formal education.

My intention is to enroll in a certificate program on nutrition, which would be the equivalent of having minored in that subject area, and then I will be, first and foremost, more credible as a diet and lifestyle writer, but also be certified to coach people on nutrition and lifestyle choices. This will allow me to provide real, one-on-one help for people who are trying to adopt or maintain a healthy way of life.

I haven’t made my final decision just yet — but my top pick for certification is on holistic nutrition. I’ve found a program with an impressive course list that I’m really excited about, and will very likely be enrolling soon! It is pricey, but there is so much in the courses that I very much want to learn and I think it will be money well spent.

With that said, my more long-term plans are to move into coaching and counseling. I also have several ideas in mind to coincide with this, such as meal plans, meal prepping, cooking videos (hello YouTube channel??), writing more about yoga, meditation, sleep, movement, posture…all of the things that come together to make up “holistic” health…newsletters, recipes, etc.

I do hope those of you who have been following the blog will come along for this new ride! And if this is your first time on this site — welcome, and I hope you will join the journey!

Love,
Loren