Integrative Medicine Options Newsletter, Spring 2026

Written By Elizabeth Monson

Spring and all its flowers Now joyously break their vow of silence. It is time for celebration, not for lying low; You too - weed out those roots of sadness from your heart.

-From Hafiz, Spring and all its flowers

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to my practice and first newsletter!

I am looking for healing partners who want to prioritize their health! I graduated from my Fellowship at the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona in 2025. After working as a nurse practitioner for 25 years in a traditional role, I was ready to launch a practice where health and healing are center stage. Whether you have chronic disease, acute conditions, or are already healthy and want to stay that way, this practice is for you!

Beginning in late August 2026, I am launching the first round of shared medical appointments focusing on the core four elements of health: diet, exercise, sleep, and stress reduction. These 90-minute shared medical appointments will be every other week with a small group of up to 10 participants in each class. You may enroll in the medical group on a Wednesday night or Saturday morning. Classes promise to be fun, informative and engaging. Whether you need to change many habits or want to hone a few more habits to maximize your health, this class is for you!

Health Core Class Outline:

  1. What To Eat and WHY (Virtual)
  2. Food as Medicine: A Culinary Anti-Inflammatory Adventure (In-Person)
  3. Movement Matters (Virtual)
  4. Motion that Heals: Acupressure and Yoga (In-Person)
  5. Sacred Sleep (Virtual)
  6. Meditation and Mindfulness (In-Person)
  7. Restoring Balance: Guide to Stress Management (Virtual)
  8. Acupressure to Relieve Stress (In-Person)

In order to sign up for these shared medical appointments, I need to meet with you individually first, either in-person or virtual visit. Then you can sign up for these class offerings through the website. More classes are in development for gut health, immunity, perimenopause symptoms, and anything else that you might suggest.

INTEGRATIVE INSIGHT

Spring is here, and as we emerge from our winter cocoons, we see the world anew with energy, light, and strength. We have the exuberance to start or finish new projects, organize, reframe, and above all set the vision for a new year and even a new life.

I receive questions about detoxification of the body in the spring, people wanting to cleanse the body from the inside out to shed a few pounds or feel an increased sense of vitality. I invariably get the question of what is the best way to detox the body and have been shown more than a few TikTok videos and Instagram recommendations about the latest cleanse, diet, or technique.

Evidence-based research has shown that the best cleanse is not a pill, liquid, or fad diet. 1

Here are my recommendations if you are seeking a detox solution:

EAT ORGANIC: these foods have decreased risk of harmful pesticides, herbicides, or other residues that congest the liver and disrupt endocrine balance. This is a great practice for year-round food consumption

ELIMINATE TOXINS: work on eliminating tobacco, alcohol, and any illicit drugs

CONSUME BRIGHTLY COLORED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, particularly cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale, cabbage, bok choy, cauliflower, brussels sprouts), spinach, berries, apples, pomegranate, grapes, lemon, grapefruit

SPICE UP YOUR LIFE: Incorporate these spices into your food: turmeric, rosemary, mint, garlic, ginger

THROW A TEA PARTY: Dabble with a new tea: green, black, honeybush, dandelion, rooibos, peppermint can be quite cleansing. If you are looking for an energy boost, matcha is a great choice. Fermented teas like Kombucha are good for gut health. Tea can be served hot or iced.

1. Hodges RE, Minich DM. Modulation of Metabolic Detoxification Pathways Using Foods and Food-Derived Components: A Scientific Review with Clinical Application. J Nutr Metab. 2015;2015:760689. doi: 10.1155/2015/760689. Epub 2015 Jun 16. PMID: 26167297; PMCID: PMC4488002.

RECIPES FOR REALITY

Here are a few recipes to celebrate spring!

Spring Detox Smoothie

  • 1 cup spinach (fresh or frozen)
  • 1/2 cucumber, peeled and sliced
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • A few ice cubes (optional)

Berry Mint Smoothie

  • 1/2 cup mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries)
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
  • 1 tbsp flaxseed meal
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  • A few ice cubes
Elizabeth Monson