Amanda Luukinen

The Follicular Phase is the first 7-10 days after your menstrual phase (period) ends.  Hormone levels are at their lowest and begin to rise during this phase. This results in gradually increasing energy levels which need proper fuelling. You’re likely to be feeling lighter just…

I was clinically diagnosed with depression at the age of 24.  There are only a handful of people in the world that know this fact about me.   The diagnosis used to riddle me with shame.  I’m choosing to end my cycle of shame by…

Before a serious health scare I experienced, I certainly didn’t treat my annual appointment at the gynecologist as a precious gift I give myself.  It was more like an item I dreaded having to check off my to-do list.  That all changed after my annual…

As menstruating women, we crave comfort during our periods, the menstrual phase of our cycle.  Warming soups and stews are an easy way to support your menstrual flow and provide the comfort you seek. This ramen dish will support re-mineralization, hydration, and restoration of the…

In honor of the upcoming International Day of Action for Women’s Health, it’s time again to look at how IMPORTANT it is for women to visit to the gynecologist regularly.  It’s a simple action you can take to support your health. Why?   Reproductive health is…

 What’s the deal with menstrual cups?  If you’re reading this, it shows you’re ready to learn more.  And well-deserving of a life-changing little device. Ladies, it’s time to get intimate… really intimate with your period… and talk about using a menstrual cup!  It’s been a…

Many women go through a menstrual cycle each month thinking it only lasts for about one week – when they’re bleeding.  But a menstrual cycle is much more complex and dynamic than simply bleeding each month. Following up on my previous post about why you…

Hormone swings, painful cramps, anxiety over leaks, social stigmas, expensive feminine products, and so on – periods can be a real burden.   That’s how I felt about my period for nearly two decades – a monthly burden.  Ladies – you know we’ve all felt this…

I’ve been obsessing over Golden Milk lately.  Have you heard of it?  You’ve likely seen it on a healthy cafe menu or from my recent Instagram post. So, what’s the obsession all about?  I’ll give you a hint – its DELICIOUS and super HEALTHY (yes…

Also published on PurelyB.com. Chances are you’ve seen these bright orange beauties at your local market recently. Like me, you may have passed them by not realizing how much they have to offer. Native to Asia and abundant in the U.S., these peculiar-looking fruits are…

Autumn in Malaysia doesn’t look or feel like the autumn I’m used to in North America. The only similarity I see is the rain, since it’s monsoon season in Malaysia currently.  Otherwise, the weather is a sunny, tropical 90-95 degrees Fahrenheit every day.  Not ideal…

October! My favorite month of the year.  I’m certainly missing home and the colorful spectrum of falling leaves, hot apple cider, and brisk autumn air.  But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy slipping on a bikini last week and sunbathing in the…

I turned 35 last week. (sigh) 35! In the months leading up to 35, I was essentially in denial of my upcoming birthday. Whenever talk of birthdays came up in conversation, I would reluctantly state, “I’ll be 35 in October.” I cringed every time I…

I was a Whole Foods Market frequent shopper for two years between residency in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, and visited several locations in between (Manhattan, Raleigh, Portland, etc.).  Whole Foods is “America’s Healthiest Grocery Store.” Clutching my reusable paper Whole Foods bags (and my…

“What is different in Malaysia?” I ask my new Korean students, carefully enunciating each word.   “So hot.  Ma-lay-si-a so hot.  Korea have the winter.  So cold.  Here, always sun,” a student explains as she points out the window to the blazing afternoon sun. She…

  I’ve noticed that “life” likes to test me when I’ve been triggered by something.  By “triggered” I mean a situation that upsets me. Here’s how it happens: The triggering situation happens and instantly negative feelings and emotions arise –misunderstanding, frustration, anger, or hurt.  It’s that feeling…

Before my site went under construction last month, I published an honest post about what this “wonderlustful” expatriate life can sometimes feel like over 8,000 miles away from the place I would call “home.” It was a lower point on the roller coaster of my journey. Later that evening, my…

As I was driving through the drizzling rain today, a song I didn’t recognise began playing on my Spotify station.  The lyrics hit me right in my heart.  Just in the spot that is so homesick I want to turn the car around and head straight for the…

One of the most beautiful and equally challenging aspects of life is communication.  We all know how assuring it is to speak or write and feel as though your words are understood by another.  In contrast, we’ve all felt the confusion and humiliation of our…

    I find myself sitting here in my apartment in Hat Yai, Thailand approaching a pivotal time in my life.  I have seven more school days left of teaching English in Thailand.  As the soft echo of Spotify’s “Chill House” bounces from my computer…

Some blessings come as great disguises. One of the English teachers at my school was absent for the past two days, which meant I covered all of her first and second grade classes in addition to all of mine.  It also happened to be testing day…

I just passed the midway mark of my TESOL course in Chiang Mai, Thailand.  TESOL stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.  So far the course has been packed full of adventures, full days of classroom learning, and college dorm style living.  We’ve…

I found myself feeling the first real sting of homesickness tonight. After 8 hours of class today I was exhausted and laid down for a nap, a rarity for a non-nap taker like me.  I woke up to the familiar sounds of rain falling on…

I fell in love in Bali. With the people, with the natural beauty, with the culture, with travel, and with myself. A Balinese friend told me yesterday that “everyone leaves Bali with a broken heart.”  To some extent that is true, that once in Bali,…

Hugs, kisses, dinosaur “rawwwrrrrs,” sippy cup “ahhhhs,” mosquito bite attacks, mid-day neighborhood walks, and late-night life talks have filled up the past 12 days of my life.  My heart is exploding with love, tears streaming down my face as I write this blog post on…