It's finally here. This most loved and hated season. The one so many of us rely on for our paychecks, and the one we so look forward to in the depths of winter. And yet, it's inextricably one that many of us despise in equal measures with the onslaught of traffic, never ending construction zones and myriad of alternative transport options that invade the sidewalks.

There are lots of obvious foods and drinks that we know to exacerbate anxiety: caffeine, too much sugar, alcohol … but what if we could eat our way to being calm instead of fueling the symptoms?

Refined sugar, while giving us that initial high, can cause massive crashes in energy, lethargy and mood swings. Caffeine has a similar effect on the body after that initial burst of fire.

In the first part of this series we talked about the prominence of overwhelm in today's society and how more and more people are finding themselves stuck in "fight or flight" mode, leading to an unprecedented amount suffering from chronic illness.

Do you ever wake up with a tight chest feeling like you can't quite catch your breath? Have you found yourself immobilized in a busy street while the world rushes on around you? Are there days when you notice that you can't seem to calm your mind, like it's jumped on a runaway train that's going around in circles, incessantly honking, asking you to take notice but you've no idea how to address the thoughts, or even where exactly they're coming from?

A woman inhabits her body in a new way during pregnancy. A change we might be most familiar with is the foods she desires and emotions she experiences. Her growing belly will also shift the way her body relates to gravity.

For the past two weeks we've been talking about spring cleaning your health in this section: making the switch to spring eating, and beginning to eliminate processed and refined sugar from your diet in order to expel toxins from your body and in turn cleanse, nourish and support your liver during the change of season.

Generally speaking, we all feel a little more inspired and uplifted come spring time. Once you catch sight of a few buds on the trees trying to burst open and there's a run of 60 degree days, we're able to start thinking about shedding a layer or two and everything seems a little more possible. It's easiest at this time of year to adopt a more positive outlook toward the future, set some goals, and let go of the heaviness and introspective nature of winter.

We're all about detoxing for spring over these next few weeks, both physically and emotionally, in our houses and our diets. With that in mind, embodying a fresher mindset and starting to make the switch from earthy, warming foods, to a lighter, more cleansing palette. This is a great time of year to eliminate stimulants such as coffee and tobacco as we find ourselves being naturally boosted by the budding blossoms, change of light and overall sense of renewal.

It is no secret that stress and trauma affect nearly everyone. Developmental trauma, accidents, falls, loss, abuse, violence, witnessing a horrific event, medical and/or dental procedures, ongoing fear and conflict, and chronic stress are just a few of the many experiences that can leave us feeling like we are just surviving — not thriving.

WHAT IS SOMATIC EXPERIENCING® (SE)?

Somatic Experiencing® was developed by Dr. Peter Levine following his observation that animals in the wild do not appear to suffer from post-traumatic stress, even though daily they are faced with life threatening situations. Dr. Levine observed the mechanisms by which animals are able to shake off the high levels of nervous system arousal and return to their daily lives. He then developed an approach to working with the human nervous system to not only reduce symptoms of stress and trauma but to also release the energy that is embedded in the underlying system. A holistic and multidisciplinary approach, SE now has over 45 years of successful clinical application in the treatment of shock and developmental trauma and is taught throughout the world as an effective method for resolving symptoms of traumatic stress.

Being in a motor vehicle accident has many scary components to it but fear of getting good healthcare should not be a part of it. It is important to know that your (or the at-faults drivers) car insurance company has a set amount that is "guaranteed" (usually $15,000 per person) in their Personal Injury Protection (PIP) for medical bills.

Five out of six children will have at least one ear infection by their third birthday and it is at this particular time of year that the little ones might be coming home from school repeatedly with runny noses, coughs and … ear infections.

Most ear infections are a consequence of colds that ascend along the auditory tube: in infants and preschool children we see uncharacteristic symptoms such as refusal to eat, restlessness, fidgeting with ear and even diarrhea.

There is a crispness in the air and twilight comes too early. During this time, you may find yourself noticing aches and pains that were perhaps masked by the flurry of summer activity or wrestling with the reality that you weren't able to do as much as you had hoped or with the intensity that you had envisioned due to some injury or condition of life.

These cooler weather seasons are the perfect time to address those nagging issues that may be limiting you, but you struggle to find time to deal with. It is a time for healing and preparation, and Structural Integration can put you on the path toward that optimal Tahoe life.

Growing up on the outskirts of a tiny village in the hills of Wales with a mother who loved to garden meant I was lucky to be brought up eating in line with the seasons.

We harvested apples and blackberries in early autumn; we picked elderflowers in the spring for cordials, we waited for the berries at the end of summer to make syrup. We had plums and cherries and damsons that we packed into the deep freeze to keep us in supply of pies and cobblers during the cold months.