Natural Living, Celiac Healing, and Everyday Calm

December used to be the month that wrecked me.

Between long work days, holiday chaos, decorations, gifts, late nights, and constant food temptations, my stomach was always the first thing to suffer.

With celiac disease, low stomach acid, a missing gallbladder, and a histamine issue, and hyperthyroidism even one stressful week can send my whole system into a spiral.

I finally realized something powerful:

I don’t need a perfect December. I just need a calm one.

So I created a gentle routine, a natural rhythm I follow each year. It keeps my gut soothed, my home peaceful, and my energy steady even through the holiday storm.

I call it The Calm December Method.

Here’s what it looks like.

🍵 1. Morning Healing Before Anything Else

My mornings make or break my digestion.

Before I look at my phone, before I start work, I do my healing ritual:

I call it GoGo Tea but essentially it’s licorice root, slippery elm, marshmallow root, collagen, 1/4 teaspoon of coconut oil and vitamin D drops. I take Protonix for my acid issues. It’s a slow, peaceful start — no rushing A few minutes of movement to wake up the lymphatic system with my vibration plate and stretching. Hydration with electrolytes

This single ritual keeps my stomach calm all day.

It’s simple, nurturing, and grounding — exactly what December requires to stay balanced.

🧘‍♀️ 2. Stress Management = Gut Management

Nothing activates my symptoms faster than stress — especially the holiday kind.

So I protect my nervous system the same way I protect my stomach:

No frantic mornings No bending and lifting heavy things No multitasking myself into panic, More softness, more pacing, more intention, more pauses Magnesium at night for relaxation Red light therapy for inflammation. I know I have a lot to do, so I plan it. I break it into little jobs so nothing overwhelms me.

I choose structure over chaos, because structure is soothing.

When my nervous system is calm, my digestion follows.

🍽️ 3. Simple, Healing Holiday Meals

December doesn’t have to be full of trigger foods.

My body feels best with:

Steak or chicken breast, Rice, Green beans, Sweet potatoes, Bone broth and Herbal teas. This is my base diet. It’s not a lot, but this is what I put my core food around. Do I allow myself some special things here and there but more like a snack instead of the main course meal. I have either vegetables and other meat, but this is what I try to stick to the most.

And I avoid:

Gluten like it’s a plague, there is no food that is worth the misery I suffer when I eat, gluten. I avoid Dairy an excess, and I avoid High-histamine foods, leftover chicken, Chocolate, Nuts Spinach, Mint, and Anything fried

I’ve learned that healing doesn’t mean missing out — it just means choosing foods that love me back.

✨ 4. Protecting My Time and Energy

December is my busiest month as a leader and a mom, between Black Friday, staffing, store resets, events, gift shopping, and coordinating multiple teams across the country. Christmas parties and Christmas morning my plate is full

So I refuse to run myself into the ground.

Instead, I:

Break my tasks into small daily blocks Clean and decorate in sections, not all at once Ask for help instead of injuring myself. I have learned this lesson in the hard way. Reset my home gently each day Wrap a few gifts at a time Keep calm lighting and soft music in the evenings. These little things help me feel like I keep life under control.

December is easier when you stop expecting yourself to be superhuman.

🌲 5. A Cozy Home That Helps Me Heal

My home used to overwhelm me during the holidays.

Now I decorate slowly, intentionally:

A peaceful tree Soft lights Clean counters A few meaningful touches A tidy playroom/sitting room A calm bedroom.

It’s not about perfection — it’s about creating a space that brings down my heart rate the moment I walk in.

Because for people healing their nervous system, your environment matters.

💛 6. Rest Is a Treatment, Not a Luxury

The holidays used to push me into burnout.

Now I rest on purpose:

I literally schedule my relaxed time, it makes me feel like it’s on the list instead of slacking. Early bedtime, Magnesium Warm socks, Soft pajamas, A heating pad if needed, Quiet evenings. Allowing myself to pause between tasks

Rest is not laziness — it’s medicine.

Especially for a body that’s constantly filtering stress and inflammation.

⭐ The Calm December Promise

This isn’t a diet.

This isn’t a strict plan.

This is a nervous-system–friendly, gut-soothing rhythm for the busiest season of the year.

When I follow The Calm December Method, I feel:

more grounded less bloated more centered more peaceful more connected to myself and actually able to enjoy the season

You don’t have to suffer through December.

Your body deserves peace — and you can create it, gently, day by day.