Purely Daniela Lawler

Maybe all sickness is homesickness?

When I’m here, surrounded by mountains, I feel like I can finally take a full breath.

My shoulders soften. My thoughts grow quieter. Time opens up. I can sit and look at the world without feeling that I should be doing something else.

I feel at home.

There is something deeply familiar about the earth beneath us, the sound of water, the warmth of sunlight. We belong to this world. Yet we spend so much of our lives behind glass, under artificial light, looking down at a screen.

We’ve made ourselves available to everyone, almost every moment of the day. But when did we become so unavailable to the world around us? To each other? To ourselves?

I think modern life has cost us more than we realise. We’ve given up quiet evenings, meals around a table, daylight and room to rest. We’ve come to accept exhaustion as ordinary.
And I wonder how much we’re missing when we talk about health without talking about how we live.

Homesickness is the word that comes to me here. A longing for connection. For food grown in the earth. For friendship without a phone between us. For the sky to tell us when the day is ending.

Out here, I remember how much beauty there is.
And how much I need it.

When was the last time you went somewhere and felt yourself come home? 🤍

Maybe all sickness is homesickness?

When I’m here, surrounded by mountains, I feel like I can finally take a full breath.

My shoulders soften. My thoughts grow quieter. Time opens up. I can sit and look at the world without feeling that I should be doing something else.
I feel at home.

There is something deeply familiar about the earth beneath us, the sound of water, the warmth of sunlight. We belong to this world. Yet we spend so much of our lives behind glass, under artificial light, looking down at a screen.

We’ve made ourselves available to everyone, almost every moment of the day. But when did we become so unavailable to the world around us? To each other? To ourselves?
I think modern life has cost us more than we realise. We’ve given up quiet evenings, meals around a table, daylight and room to rest. We’ve come to accept exhaustion as ordinary.
And I wonder how much we’re missing when we talk about health without talking about how we live.

Homesickness is the word that comes to me here. A longing for connection. For food grown in the earth. For friendship without a phone between us. For the sky to tell us when the day is ending.

Out here, I remember how much beauty there is.
And how much I need it.

When was the last time you went somewhere and felt yourself come home? 🤍

“Don’t eat liver while you’re pregnant.”

It’s one of the most repeated pieces of pregnancy advice, and it’s where I strongly disagree.

The warning traces back to a 1995 study that linked birth defects to high doses of preformed vitamin A, mainly from supplements. When researchers compared liver and supplements directly, liver produced much lower levels of the compounds linked to birth defects.

Food is not the same as a pill.

Meanwhile, vitamin A is one of the key nutrients guiding your baby’s development: the heart, eyes, lungs, kidneys, limbs, brain and spinal cord. And many women convert plant beta-carotene into vitamin A poorly.

I ate small portions of liver three times a week throughout my pregnancy and tested my levels at month 1 and month 7. They stayed the same. No deficiency, no build-up.

The goal isn’t to avoid vitamin A. It’s the right amount, from the right source.

This is my approach and my experience. Always work with a practitioner who can test your levels and guide you.

Save this, and send it to someone who’s been told to avoid liver. 🫀

Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies worldwide, especially in menstruating women, pregnant and postpartum mothers, and children. Yet it’s rarely the first thing people consider when sleep falls apart.
Iron helps make the neurotransmitters behind melatonin, keeps your mitochondria producing energy, and supports thyroid function. When stores run low, sleep often suffers.

But more iron isn’t always the answer. Absorption, inflammation, gut health, and blood loss all shape your iron status. That’s why I always test and look at the whole picture before supplementing.

👉 Save this post if this sounds like you.

functionalnutrition circadianrhythm mitochondria rootcause womenshealth foundationsofhealth

What I eat in a day as a 44-year-old Functional Nutritional Therapist 🌿

When I diagnosed myself with Hashimoto’s over a year ago, the first change I made was to my diet. I chose a fully Paleo approach—free from gluten and grains—and I haven’t looked back.

My meals are built around nourishing whole foods: quality protein, vegetables, healthy seeds, animal fats and plant fats. I eat three substantial meals each day rather than constantly grazing or snacking, choosing foods that genuinely nourish my body and support steady energy.

I stopped drinking coffee because I simply didn’t enjoy it without milk! Now, I have matcha with Elmhurst hazelnut milk instead.

Hydration is equally intentional for me. I mineralise and structure my water, and I include fresh green juices and Tulsi tea for the naturally structured water found within plants—supporting hydration from the inside out.

This isn’t about deprivation or perfection. It’s about choosing real, nutrient-dense food that supports my body and makes me feel well. 🤍

My Hashimoto’s is fully in remission but that’s for another story.