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This recipe is really flexible, so feel free to add whatever veggies you have, just be sure to include those wild mushrooms. They bring so much incredible flavor (umami) to this dish.
We used as many early Spring vegetables as we could find and supplemented with pantry staples and additional vegetables to taste.
I hope you enjoy!
I sat in bed Sunday morning drinking tea, reading, and savoring the coziness of my down comforter.
I made soup.
I took a long walk in the woods to see the brilliant trees changing to vibrant oranges and reds.
I adore AUTUMN.
You may feel the desire to pull inwards and reflect, rest, and restore a bit more as well.
You may have noticed that urge for more warming fall foods to nourish your body as well.
Now that another fall season is upon us, you may feel ready to let go, forgive, and heal as you watch the leaves fall to the ground yet again.
All of these intuitive knowings are exactly why SYNCHING up with the SEASON is a brilliant practice. When we SYNC up with nature we also maximize our MOJO.
Our life force lights up.
Each season in Traditional Chinese Medicine is linked to a specific energy, organ, color, sense and element.
Fall is the season of downward and inward energy, lungs and large intestine, letting go of sadness and grief, the metal element, our sense of smell, and the color white.
As we descend this fall, we have the opportunity to both let go and purify physically and energetically for the rest of the season to bring us more vibrant health and radiance.
The trees are about to show us how lovely it is to let the dead things go.
Here are my favorite 5 HEALTH HABITS to SYNC up with the SEASON to make a magnificent impact on your health, harmony and happiness.
Warm
Keep you lungs and chest warm (and the rest of your body). You can try:
Warming foods: Foods that are slow cooked, root veggies that carry the downward and inward energy such as ginger, onion, leak, garlic and beats.
Herbal Teas: Many herbal teas are good for their lung support, immunity and warming qualities. (ginger, nettles, cinnamon spice, chai, osha root, spiced mate, or mullein)
Essential oils: Oils are great to use during the fall season. You can difuse the oils, use topically, or even in your cooking: Frankinsence, vitiver, cedarwood, sage, fennel, or oregano oil
Wear Warm clothing: To insulate and nourish the lungs we must be warm. Even if the weather is warmer than an average fall day, stay attentive to the season, the cooler nights, and the need to take deep care with warming up the core. Your immune system will thank you.
Breathe
As I mentioned, fall is known as the season associated with the lungs in Chinese medicine. It is often a time when children come home from school with upper respiratory coughs and weakness as the weather changes. It is important to strengthen the lungs in the fall. This can be done in a variety of ways but here are a few of my favorites:
Make sure you and your family exercise regularly. Pump the lungs often so they are strong and cleansed with rigorous life-giving breath.
Many foods in the fall are known to support the lungs. Root vegetables such as onions, leeks, and ginger are supportive to the lungs. Fruits such as apples and pears care for the lung tissue as well. Eating with the season is the perfect way to maintain healthy lungs.
Detox
The season of fall is the perfect time to gently detoxify and cleanse our bodies, our homes and our minds.
We all come across toxicity each day in our foods, in our environment, and with our daily stresses.
When we cleanse our body, you strengthen your immune system for a healthier fall and winter season. (Check out the Fall seasonal SYNC up here)
When we cleanse our homes and our environment by cleaning with natural cleaners, letting go of old clutter and creating a sacred space in our home, we have the perfect place to rest and restore as the season often pulls us to spending more time at home resting and restoring.
When we cleanse our minds through meditation and mindfulness practices, we create a healthier and more calm relationship to daily stressors that can throw us off balance. We deepen our connection to ourselves, and we stay more centered in our lives.
Ground
As you watch the leaves falling from the trees and becoming the earth‘s nutrients for next year’s planting, it becomes obvious that fall has an energy that flows downward and inward (as opposed the upward and outward energetics in the spring). What are the aspects of your life that ground you? Make a list and practice these grounding activities regularly in the fall.
It is a nice time to take long walks in the colorful forest and feel the leaves crunching under your feet. Consider collecting nuts, pinecones and fall treasures for an altar or a fairy garden with your children. These small autumn rituals and habits help us harmonize ourselves with autumn. It is natural to sleep more, rest more and begin to turn inward towards introspection and healing.
Gratitude
Lush sunflowers, tucked in with the plump orange pumpkins, are an abundance to celebrate. The colors, foods and celebrations of fall are profuse. Feel gratitude for the beauty of the harvest. Set a seasonal outdoor table rich with a cornucopia of color and nature’s gifts to warm the heart for any celebration. Share a gratitude blessing before your meals, as it promotes health and happiness.
Light a bonfire to take away the chill of the evening and join in a circle of friends celebrating fall in its glory.
Take it in! The abundance is around you and within you. Your only job is to notice and appreciate its radiance. Remember all you need exists within. You are the strength, you are the love.
Want to take your FALL practices a little deeper?
Check out the FALL COZY Seasonal Sync up (Local or Remote)
If you want to join our group, we start October 12th (introduction October 11th). If you are ready to begin on your own, just let me know, we have you covered.
If you have been a Boulder Nutrition reader for a while, you probably already know how I feel about breakfast.
This summer I published a summertime breakfast blog called Breakfast Bliss and Blood Sugar that became the most read blog in the history of Boulder Nutrition. I am so glad you all liked it!
What I am really interested in is WHY?
I have a good hypothesis as to WHY for you today, and an even more exciting breakfast menu for you to explore this fall.
Listen, I would be surprised if your mornings are totally serene, peaceful, and quiet.
I know some of you are the exception and have your morning routine down, but if you are like most of us, mornings can be hectic, scattered, and rushed .I have focused my attention on my morning routine for years.
As I have shared before, the mornings when I am on my game I am good at giving myself at least 30 minutes to rise and shine before my kids, to have some time to meditate, practice, and nourish myself well.
I have found mindful mornings tend to make ALL the difference.
The truth is, sometimes it just doesn't go that way. Did you forget you were out of milk? Push the alarm one extra time? Have a teenager whose hair just wasn't working out? Or forget about that extra stop you have to make for gas on the way to work or school? All it takes is something small to throw our mornings into a tail spin.
Can you relate?
These reasons (plus many more) might be why breakfast is the most challenging, rushed and stressful meal of the day.
So with the idea of giving you more of what you seem to really like reading, here are my 5 favorite FALL COZY breakfasts to settle into this fall.
Each of these breakfasts have a little flavor of the weather changing, fall seasonal energetics, and of course you can trust me to keep the glycemic index LOW and your blood sugar BALANCE and BLISS in mind.
Quinoa Apple Pie Bowl
Health Nugget: What I love most about quinoa (pronounced KEEN WOA) is that it is a complete protein and the highest protein content of any grain. It is also known to dry up dampness in the body according to TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). What does that mean? Well, dampness is like a code word for inflammation or phlegm. The less we have of this during the fall season - the season with the most coughs and colds - the better.
1 Cup Cooked Quinoa (easiest if cooked ahead of time for morning efficiency)
1 Steamed apple warmed with cinnamon
1 Tsp butter or coconut oil
1/4 cup pecans
Pinch of sea salt
1 tsp maple syrup or raw honey (optional)
Toss all ingredients in a bowl and enjoy.
Chai Chia smoothie
Health Nugget: Smoothies are one of my favorite ways to pack your breakfast of all the food groups and super foods you want to add to your breakfast. Smoothies are also easy to transport to your office. My favorite feature in this smoothie is that it is not frozen but rather warming as the weather changes those brisker fall mornings. The warm chai tea and warming spices are perfect to synch up with the fall season.
2-3 leaves of romaine lettuce
1 TBSP Chia seeds
1 fleshy fruit of choice (i.e. 1/2 banana)
6-8 cups Herbal Spice Chai tea (warm)
Vanilla protein powder or raw egg
1 T chopped ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom (optional)
1 T fresh grated ginger
Place ingredients in the blender and mix well.
Paleo Zucchini Muffins
Health Nugget: These high protein muffins, disguised as a carb, are a quick and easy breakfast for on the go mornings. Spread with some organic butter or almond butter for another boost in good protein and fat and you will notice that your energy is even keeled all day. Pack all of that nutrient dense zucchini in there and get an extra couple servings of veggies. Prepare them ahead of time, freeze if you like, and enjoy.
1 cup of garden fresh zucchini
3 organic eggs
1 1/2 cups almond flower
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 organic chocolate chips (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup raw honey or coconut sugar
Mix ingredients and bake at 375 for about 45 min or until golden brown.
Pumpkin Protein Pancakes
Health Nugget: These pancakes are a great way to get a sweet breakfast without sacrificing your blood sugar in the process. Adding in the scoop of protein powder is a trick I have been using with my kids for years to ensure pancake breakfasts still include a healthy dose of protein. Along with the yummy seasonal pumpkin, a great source of vitamin A and beta carotene, full of fiber, and potent antioxidants, these make for a great fall breakfast.
2 cups gluten free pancake mix
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
2 organic eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 1/2 cups liquid (milk, almond milk, coconut milk or water)
pinch of salt
1 TBSP maple syrup (for top)
Mix together ingredients and fry up in your ideal pancake size in a cast iron pan until golden brown. Top with organic butter and maple syrup.
Caprese Scramble
Health Nugget: Organic eggs are chock full of the amino acid, tryptophan, which is a key player in a good mood and inner calm. The protein in eggs is one that will not only satiate your blood sugar due to its delicate balance of protein and fat, but will also keep you feeling brighter and cheerier all day long.
1 small organic tomato
1 3-5 basil leaves chopped fine
3-4 slices of raw mozzarella cheese
2-3 organic eggs
Pinch of salt
Saute the tomato and basil in a pan in butter or olive oil. Stir in the eggs to scramble. Toss in raw mozzarella at the end until it begins to melt slightly. Serve up.
Want to take your FALL practices a little deeper?
Check out the FALL COZY Cleanse Program (Local or Remote)
If you want to join our group, we start October 12th (introduction October 11th). If you are ready to begin, you can start anytime you are ready.
5 Springtime Aphrodisiacs to Master your MOJO
Aphrodite, known as the Greek Goddess of love, pleasure, sensuality and beauty, is one of my favorite of the Goddesses to invoke. Can you see why?
In the stories of Aphrodite, she has the magical ability to compel anyone to desire her.
Aphrodite is said to be born from the foam of the sea. She is revered, cherished, and known for her sensual allure, her delicate beauty and her ability to activate the sensuality of her lovers. This spring you too can invoke her into your pleasure practices, and into the art of sensual eating so that you can explore a more mystical in your body and your bliss.
The sensual art of eating is a journey deep into your relationship with your own sensuality, pleasure stimuli through the senses, and a celebration of food and sensuality that has been present in cultures far and wide throughout history. Sensuality happens with cooking, preparing, presenting and opening are hearts through our meals, just as it does when we prepare, adorn ourselves and wake up our senses to make love to our beloved. This art is as delicate, smooth, succulent and artistic as a love poem or as crazy and free as an artist’s eccentric expression.
The sensual art of eating combines our love for ourselves and those we cook for along with our inseparable senses, especially smell and taste.
Let’s start with the olfactory orgasm…
It is said the olfactory sense, our sense of smell is our oldest sense from the viewpoint of evolution. Our sense of smell creates strong memories with its powerful, swift and precise presence. The sense of smell is more developed in a woman than it is in a man. Our sense of smell is deeply connected to our sensual relationship to food, to a woman's eroticism, and to our intuition. Just as we can be enticed by the smell of our lover, we can be excited by the lure of fresh prepared foods, conscious cooking and the throb of desire and erotism that food can evoke in us as woman and as Goddess. It is not unusual for a mouth watering dish to evoke nostalgia and pleasure waking up our emotions and creating a spiritual + sensual experience with our food.
On to our TANTALIZING taste buds…
It is said in the world of senses, taste is the QUEEN. It is a pleasure, but also a protection that can tell the difference between what's good to eat and what could be harmful. The taste buds activate relating to 5 different flavors, according to Chinese Medicine: Sweet, Salty, Bitter, Sour and Pungent. Each flavor represents a different quality of emotion and energy that we can use to balance ourselves out and heighten our experience around taste. UMAMI is the ultimate taste sensation that brings us the most tantalizing taste experience in just one bite. It is most like a food orgasm that activates all 5 tastes and increases pleasure exponentially. APHRODISIACS
An aphrodisiac is a substance known to increase sexual desire and sexual pleasure. The word APHRODISIAC throughout history has pertained to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, passion and pleasure. There have been many foods considered aphrodisiacs throughout time, and the thing that they all have in common is that they ALL fully engage the senses. Aphrodisiacs are sensual foods create a heightened pleasure experience related both to eating and to our own sensuality. We can make love to ourselves through our food, and we can use food as foreplay for ourselves or with our beloved, a practice written about for centuries in almost every culture known to humankind. 5 SPRINGTIME Aphrodisiacs For you to EXPLORE
Asparagus
This lily plant derivative is known to stir up lust for both woman and man. They are known to boost histamine production known to boost orgasm in both male and female.
Watermelon
Known as natures VIAGRA due to 2 compounds. First watermelon has high levels of citrulline (found in highest concentration in the white of the melon rind) has the power to dilate blood vessels and support erection in a man. Second, the high amounts of lycopene are known to balance and support a healthy prostate. This may be the perfect sensual fruit to entice your lover
Maca
This peruvian wonder has proven to have a number of health benefits. Some of these include increasing energy and stamina, balancing hormones for both PMS and menopause, repairing adrenal function and enhancing sexual function and libido. Ooh la la! Maca is available in a powdered form and can be added to smoothies or yogurt, or you can buy maca in a capsule to take a more concentrated dosage.
Artichoke
The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that artichokes had such a strong aphrodisiac effect that women were prohibited from eating them as they were said to make women more desirable.
Chocolate
The aphrodisiac quality of chocolate is nothing new…but rather something that is embedded in history of the western civilization. The great Aztec ruler Montezuma, one of the first red hot lovers to tap into chocolate’s strengths, was said to have consumed as much as fifty cups of chocolate elixir before heading off to his harem. In the late 20th century it was proven that the phenylethylamine (PEA) in chocolate releases the same hormone as does sexual intercourse. The compounds in chocolate are also known to raise dopamine and seratonin levels offering energy, mood enhancement and pleasure to the body.
Is WINTER faking you out? This morning I was driving my son to school on the icy roads and he said:
"Sheesh, really Boulder? "
These crazy weather patterns we experience here in Boulder are a little hard on the system and hard to predict at this time of year. One day it is springy and warm and I feel my spring fever bubbling up, and the next we are shoveling 2 feet of snow off of our driveway and I am back in hibernation mode.
Even though my son was born and raised here in Colorado, it still boggles his mind to witness the Colorado weather patterns. It is a confusing time of year for the body and immune system and so many people have been struggling with cold and flu this year.
There is a saying in Chinese Medicine that says:
"Dress for the season, not the day."
I have adopted this moto and added my own little spin:
"Eat for the season, not the day."
It is still winter for most of us, and although I am excited about the upcoming spring season and enjoying the occasional warmer day, it is still helpful to stay warm and well nourished for the remaining days of winter.
February and March are often the months with the most irratic weather. Our bodies are going through a lot to keep ourselves strong and healthy.
We have to be sure to stay AHEAD of the weather.
How you may ask?
When we stay in the season with our eating, our self care, body care, we will naturally be more attuned to the season, and strengthen our immune systems for this final push of winter.
Want a few immune boosting tips?
Keep reading...
Just tired of Winter?
Come with us on a goddess journey to Bali. We have a few spots left. Click here for details.
Winter Immunity Insights
1. Stay warm.
Keep your kidneys and bladder warm (and the rest of your body as well). You can use warming foods, teas, topical essential oils, sesame oil, and warm clothing to insulate and nourish the your core. Scarves are a nice addition to protect the windgate – the space at the back of your neck – where pathogens can enter.
Even if the weather is warmer than an average winter day, which often happens in my home state COLORADO, be sure to “DRESS FOR THE SEASON, NOT THE DAY”. Stay insulated to keep the immunity strong.
2. Oil of Oregano
Are you fighting the common winter cold, or flu this winter? Oil of Oregano is one of my favorite treatments for both immune boosting and anti-bacterial and anti-viral support.
Did you know just a few drops of Oregano Oil in the diffuser or vaporizer can give you some relief?
Even better – add a few drops to your cooking and enjoy the delicious flavor and immune boosting qualities with your dinner.
Because this potent oil is so strong, make sure you dilute it substantially or take it in a protective capsule. With my big pot of homemade chicken soup I only use 2 drops…3 is too many, and too strong. (See recipe below)
(avoid if you are pregnant, or breastfeeding or an infant)
3. Ritual Baths
There are many many benefits to baths at this time of year. Aside from the warming and relaxing qualities there are also deeper support from certain types of baths. You can always resort to the simple Epson salts bath if you like, but here I am going to provide you with some specific and unique baths to use to synch up with winter – mind, body and soul.
The stores are shouting back to school, the air starts to have a slight nip in its evening breeze and the yearning for a life with some sense of structure and rhythm is before us. Summer is fleeting. The long days at the pool and late night BBQ’s drift into our memories and come to an end for another year. We feel the little twinge of letting go as we settle back into another school year.
I always think of the new school year as a new beginning. Many people consider this a time to revamp, recharge and get in gear for a great year with their families, and themselves. Upping the anti in the area of health is a big focus for many families as we start anew.
One of the biggest challenges I hear from parents as we settle back into the fall is: How do I create the every day SCHOOL LUNCH keeping kids happy, healthy and strong?
Don’t fret. It is possible to make lunch box ingredients enticing, nutrient dense and yummy for your kids. You can find your groove; it just might take a little shift in your thinking and a little preparation in your life for the ease to flow this fall.
Your school lunches are never going to be easier, tastier, and more efficient than if you follow these tips below, and, you will also see some great lunch ideas to get you started. You are off to a GREAT start.
1. GO CONTAINER SHOPPING: I know it sounds simple, but having the appropriate carrier makes all the difference in your ease and efficiency.
2. CREATE YOUR MENU: I always think in terms of having some easy default plans. You know, the ones where you have to think very little. Find 3 top lunches (check out the list below) that work for you and your kiddo and try to keep as much of that around for a quick and stress free assembly. It does not have to be gourmet, complicated or require a lot of time to be healthy and for your kids to love lunching.
3. THINK IN TERMS OF FOOD GROUPS: A balanced meal is made of 4 building blocks. A protein, a fat, a carbohydrate (in its whole form is best – includes fruit) and a veggie of some kind. If you can think in this formula you will be golden. Need an example? No problem.
(Feel free to include some flax crackers or carrot sticks for dipping)
4. MAKE A LIST: Being prepared is ALWAYS the best road to success. This is also true in the world of school lunches. Once you get your GO-TO lunches down it is easy breezy, you’ve just got to be prepared. Go to the store EVERY SUNDAY to gather what you need for the week. Then it is a SURE THING. Make your list for the week and don’t forget to include enough ingredients for dinner leftovers – they make the best school lunches.
5. LOVE YOUR LITTLE GUY/GAL: This year, amidst a cold winter dark morning when I had just about had it with school lunches all together, I stood in my kitchen in my cozy bathrobe with my hot cup of morning tea. I stood there blank, empty, and done. “I can’t make another lunch. I am fried.” It took a few mystical moments but soon after my first thought I was flooded with love. Love for my kids, and love and passion for health.
Every school lunch is like a daily practice for me, loving my kids through food and nourishment. So when I totally dry up in the world of creativity, I can dig deep into that well of love, and there it is.
I have made thousands of school lunches at this point. My kids are 17 and 13. They have never eaten lunch from the cafeteria regularly, always homemade. You can do it. Do it for love.
6. TAKE CARE OF SELF: I know we hear it all the time, but sometimes we NEVER REALLY hear it! You have to take care of yourself first. Parenting will drain you. It is joyful and magical, and it is challenging and hard. The only way out of this is to feed yourself, love yourself, and give as much attention to your lunch as you do to theirs.
Keep your cup filled up and you will have more to give. Food is such a primary way we show love to others, and food is such an important way we nourish ourselves.
I have many ideas to share with you. Some have been my go-to’s for years:
Some favorite lunches are gathered from a potpourri of the other health practitioners in this community. When asked what their kids favorite lunches are here is what they said:
“The practice of doing more than necessary works best when packing lunch boxes” ― Josh Stern
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHES? SHARE WITH US BELOW AND LET'S MAKE LUNCH TIME LOVABLE...
Brassica is not just any vegetable, it is a super powered veggie family that strikes up a health potency like no other. Brassica is made up of veggies like kale, cabbage, brussel sprouts, watercress, radish, and even maca (a cousin of the well known radish).
They all have something in common. That special Brassica ingredient, is a specialized molecule known in the supplement world as DIM (di-indol-3-carbinol) that is one of the best estrogen metabolizers out there.
DIM regulates hormones, balances out menopausal symptoms, PMS, and is a huge contributor to breast cancer prevention.
Dr. Robert Roundtree told us that day in the seminar that a recent study came out in the Journal for Americian Medicine. This study stated that eating just 5 servings of the brassica family per week decreased the chances of breast cancer by 50%. That is HUGE!!!
That means if you try to eat just something every day from the brassica family you are doing GREAT. You are using food to contribute directly to your health and vitality.
You can throw a leaf or two into you smoothie as we mentioned in our last post - LIQUID LOVE. You can steam up some broccoli for dinner, throw some radish into your salad, or get ready for some yummy brussel sprouts just in time for Thanksgiving.
We are going to HOOK YOU UP!! Click the link below for the perfect fall brassica recipes. Let me know if you need a little more brassica, and I can set you up with your very own DIM supplement. Easy BREEZY.
....and Learn 3 secrets that will change your relationship to food for good!
I know many of you have heard the term "localicious" before, the term referring to eating local + delicious. Some of you may have even explored eating local, buying organic and upgrading your diet to a more healthful, and nutrient dense style. What you may NOT have heard is how eating local can change your relationship to food and your body.
Here are a few specialized BOULDER NUTRITION secrets that will transform how you THINK about your food from here forward.
These 3 small do-able TWEAKS will transform your summer.
Start now... REClAIM your health once and for all.
PLUS, click here and --> download your free LOCALICIOUS guide today and you will be ready to ROCK your summer ASAP!
1. The Secret is in the SOURCE
Have you ever tried a recipe passed down from your mother's Italian grandmother, or made yourself a garden salad that you and your children planted seeds for on mothers day? Better yet, have you ever watched your child pick carrots from the local community garden and then smack their lips and open their hearts in joy? There is something very magical that happens when we connect with our food, the places it grows, and the love that goes into it.
There is no mistaking that a current lack of connection is a primary root cause to our countries health and obesity issues. When we buy the majority of our food in vacuum sealed bags, large wholesale quantities, or eat fast food on the run - we lose the connection.
The food-heart connection is one secret that permeates many layers into your relationship with food. This connection literally can shift OVER EATING, BINGING, and EMOTIONAL EATING patterns. Eating local is a wonderful place to start. When you sit down to a meal full of a heart connection to your plate, a totally different savoring occurs. Just like the age old Italian grandmother's recipe, eating local allows us to treasure, enjoy and feel the love being passed down from our forks to our fondness.
2. LOVE your Farmer, LOVE your self
The organic farmers of today remind me of good kings (or queens). They rule the land with care, they nourish the people of the kingdom (community) and they ensure good health for all. Good kings ward off the evil villains (a.k.a. Monsanto) while protecting the lineage and age old traditions for generations to come. Sound familiar?
Loving your farmer provides a vital link between eaters and the importance of protecting our precious farmland. Loving your farmer directly translates into self love with every bite of fresh local food that nourishes you directly down to a cellular level. Famers love support from the local community and YOU feel supported by your own health choices.
3. Eating for a GREATER CAUSE
Just like anything we do, when we do it in service, it juices us up and raises our vibration. Running a race for a cause, buying concert tickets to raise money for a global mission, or eating to support the health of our communities raises the COLLECTIVE vibration. When every bite has meaning and passion, we then have more pleasure and gusto with our food. Truthfully, it is more ETHICAL to eat locally. In addition to being fresher and riper, the food hasn’t cost an ecological fortune in fossil fuels coming across the continent. We are making an impact with our food choice for a happier planet. Eating for a greater cause changes the dynamic between you and your plate.
YOU can do this! The Free Download-localicious summer guide will help you to navigate your recipe book, cruise your kitchen, the local section of the grocery store and local farmers' markets with confidence. Make this summer a localicious movement that changes your health and relationship to every bite.
