Hello, My Dear,
Welcome — we’re so glad you’re here.
You have some celebratory goodness in store for you this month:
Hot off the Press: Six-Month Haven Anniversary Celebration & Haven Merch Store Launch 🥳
March in The Haven:
Read & Enjoy: Women’s History & Endometriosis Awareness Month
Recipe of the Month: Cinnamon Walnut Congee
Body Care Recommendations: Food & Endometriosis
Active Duty & Veteran Corner: Your Emergent Care Options
Hot Off the Press
We are celebrating six months in The Haven! To commemorate this milestone, we’re excited to announce —
The Official Haven Merch Store Launch
As we roll into month six of supporting women’s holistic health education and creating a safe space for learning, we’re officially opening The Haven merch store to you.
These are purchases you can feel good about — all proceeds directly support the writing, editing, and recording of this publication!
If you enjoy our designs or want to support the publication in a way that’s accessible and comfortable to you, browse the store and grab what’s jumping out to you:
I’ve been rocking The Haven sweatshirt for months (see the photo above, taken by my aunt during my December trip to visit her in Pasadena, CA), and I’m here to tell you: It is cozy, comfortable, and perfect for transitional seasons!
If you missed us last month or are new to The Haven —
READ:
March in The Haven
Ah, Spring — the perfect time for new beginnings. You can see, hear, and feel the world awakening around you.
I hope you also notice beautiful energy awakening within you.
If you feel the pull to be outside as the days lengthen and the weather warms up, lean into it — the sun, the fresh air, and the movement that comes from exploring the outdoors are all amazing healers and supporters of your health.
Read & Enjoy —
In March, we’re focusing on Women’s History & Endometriosis Awareness Month.
🗓 Mark your calendar!
What’s in store for you the rest of this month?
Tuesday, March 18th: Endometriosis — There’s Hope: How to Begin Your Journey to Healing
Tuesday, March 25th: Blood Work — Why It’s Crucial for Your Health as a Woman
Sunday, March 30th: Guided Meditation & Breathwork — To Bring You a Deep, Restorative Sleep
Recommended Recipe of the Month
In January, I attended a restorative Winter Yoga Nidra event hosted by Senna from Sahkara Acupuncture & Apothecary.
We created vision boards, received acupuncture and sound healing, practiced yin yoga, and experienced a nidra meditation. I needed this event so much — each beautiful element supported the energy of the winter season and the invitation to slow down.
The highlight of the event, and what I’m sharing today, was Senna’s delicious and nourishing cinnamon walnut congee. Let me tell you — I enjoyed it and then some!
What is Congee?
Congee is a Chinese rice porridge that can be either slightly sweet or savory.
Traditional Chinese medicine highly recommends that women with heavy, painful periods, endometriosis, or other reproductive challenges consume and enjoy warm foods and beverages, especially during colder months. This practice keeps the womb warm, promoting comfortable digestion and increased blood flow. Congee is a perfect option for this purpose.
When I tried Senna’s congee — the comforting warmth, the honey’s subtle sweetness, the dark, rich color from the He Shou Wu (a longevity Chinese herb), and the tartness of the blueberries and blackberries I placed on top — I immediately knew I needed this recipe, and I’d be making it.
Here is the recipe for you:
Cinnamon Walnut Congee
Servings: 4
Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Ingredients*
4–6 cups water
1⁄2 cup short-grain rice
1⁄4 teaspoon Celtic salt
1 cup raw chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
1–2 teaspoons cinnamon
2–3 tablespoons goji berries
1–2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon He Shou Wu (also known as Fo-Ti root or fleece flower root)
*I tend to add extra of everything because I like to taste all the flavors, so feel free to add or subtract to your taste!
Directions
Combine 1 1⁄2 cups of water, rice, and salt in a pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium, then add the walnuts, black sesame seeds, goji berries, cinnamon, and honey.
Let all the ingredients marinate together for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Lower the heat and let it simmer at medium-low with the lid slightly ajar for about 45 minutes.
In a separate small pot, combine the He Shou Wu and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil.
Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low and let simmer 20 to 30 minutes, or until the water becomes a deep brown.
Strain the He Shou Wu mixture out and set the liquid aside. Discard the pulp.
Return to the pot of rice. When the rice has noticeably absorbed the water and softened, add the He Shou Wu liquid. If the porridge seems dry, add more water as needed. It should turn into a rice porridge-like consistency.
Let simmer on very low heat for 20 minutes.
Scoop some into a bowl, add desired toppings (I love adding either fresh or frozen blueberries), and enjoy!
I hope you give this recipe a go and love it as much as I did!
Body Care Recommendation: Food & Endometriosis
There is still, sadly, no definitive conclusion about what causes or cures endometriosis — however, there are steps you can take to alleviate symptoms and bring relief in your daily life.
Here, I’m showing you the thought process that helped me approach my healing effectively.
From reading the front matter of The 4-Week Endometriosis Diet Plan, I learned to view endometriosis as:
A hormonal disease
An immune/inflammatory issue
A gut issue
A malnutritional issue
What is at the intersection of these four concerns? Food!
I noticed the biggest transformation in how I felt when I changed the way I ate.
How you eat can be one of the hardest habits to change — I’m not going to sit here and tell you it’s easy — but not making those changes can be just as trying for your mental and physical health.
For so long, I felt like I was living half a life because I was in so much pain due to my endometriosis. I didn’t know when a flare-up would happen, so I often just decided to stay home to be safe. The mindset shift that carried me through to new habits was the realization that I didn’t want to feel that pain anymore.
As someone with acute symptoms and Stage 4 endometriosis, it wasn’t enough for me to just eat “well.” Research shows that women with endometriosis are frequently malnourished. Because of this, I had to eat intentionally and focus on nutrient-dense options. I took onboard the nutritional considerations of endo, and wow, did it pay off for me and my health!
Give yourself the best chance for healing and explore all the options for your own nutritional journey, no matter how small they may seem. It is the small, consistent choices every day that transform your long-term health.
There’s hope!
Here are some resources to support your exploration of food and do what feels good to your body:
The Moon Cycle Cookbook by Devon Loftus and Jenna Radomski
Ayurveda for Women by Emily L. Glaser
Better Broths & Healing Tonics by Jill Sheppard Davenport and Kara N. Fitzgerald
The Living Well Without Lectins Cookbook by Claudia Curici
The 4-Week Endometriosis Diet Plan by Katie Edmonds
Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François
Love is Served by Café Gratitude and Seizan Dreux Ellis
California Soul by Tanya Holland
Our March women’s health article: Endometriosis — There’s Hope: How to Begin Your Journey to Healing (publishing on Tuesday, March 18th)
Active Duty & Veteran Women’s Corner
As you navigate the demands of service or prior service and how it has challenged your health, we want to ensure you know the resources available to you to learn more about your body, support your health, and help you heal.
Your Emergent Care Options
Civilian emergent care is a resource available to you, and TRICARE covers your visit.
Why would you need civilian emergent care? Likely, for one of two reasons:
You are in an extreme medical emergency and need to go to the closest facility rather than the base emergency.
You’ve visited sick call, had a doctor’s visit, or been to base emergency, and you don’t feel you’re getting the care you need — you continue to have the same pain and acute symptoms.
I’ve used civilian emergent care three times in my career. Twice — because it was the closest option for me. Once — because it was the closest option to me and, by that time in my career with the experiences I’d had with sick call and medical, I knew I’d receive the care I needed to figure out what was going on. And I did.
Some context: I thought my appendix had burst — that was the level of pain I was experiencing and why I needed to go to the closest facility. The doctors, thankfully, did their due diligence and ordered a CT Scan. Turns out I had a 10-cm cyst (endometrioma) wrapped around my uterus.
I took all my documentation to Navy medical and they streamlined my care in a way I’d never experienced before. We didn’t have to go through the trial and error of slow-rolling tests, exams, and appointments.
After that experience, I had the revelation that the civilian emergent care and Navy medical combo saved me a lot of stress and a lot of emotional, mental, and physical pain.
Later, after a sailor on my ship told me about the pain they were experiencing and shared that they weren’t getting the care and concern they needed from sick calls over several months, I started strategically sharing this option with others and educating them on TRICARE coverage.
And now I’m sharing it with you.
Here is a portion of TRICARE’s Emergency Care Policy:
Type of Emergency: Medical
Description: The sudden and unexpected onset of a medical condition or the acute exacerbation of a chronic condition that:
Threatens life, limb, or eyesight
Requires immediate medical treatment
Manifests painful symptoms requiring immediate response to alleviate suffering
Learn more about TRICARE’s Urgent Care Policy.
I hope you are receiving compassionate care and this is not an option you feel you need to explore; however, if you are not receiving that level of care, know that you have options and avenues to receive the care you deserve.
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