Getting Started

Bloom for Life

 

meaning: “embrace the Universe as it embraces you”

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Welcome to Bloom for Life, a resource that exists to help you live a conscious and inspired life. Bloom for Life was founded in 2013 by holistic healer, writer, entrepreneur, and spiritual teacher Mandy Froelich.

When the site was founded, Mandy was living and working as a chef and RHN in the jungles of Costa Rica. Now, she lives in Colorado with her family. If you’d like to learn more about her story, click here.

Over the past five years, the platform has evolved into more than her personal blog and website to connect with potential clients. It has developed into a philosophy of thought that many people relate to.

To live a life in bloom is to…

    • Recognize that you are and come from love
    • Be aware of the interconnectedness of all life
    • To know that you are more than your body, your thoughts, your job, etc…
    • To be inspired and filled with child-like wonder
    • Be inspired to blossom into the best version of you (which is an ongoing and endless process)

To align with this way of being, I (Mandy) recommend the following:

    • Be honest with yourself and others
    • Pursue that which you love (or “lights you up”)
    • Offer value to the world — whatever way that may be
    • Recognize that suffering is primarily caused by a mentality of lack and the illusion of division
    • Strive to “do good” and treat others the way you want to be treated
    • Continue learning throughout your entire life

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Do you align with this resource?

Not everybody is ready to “wake up” to the reality of the world or take responsibility for their own actions. This is necessary, however, to bloom for life. Why? Because to live your best life, you must be in alignment with Spirit, your highest self, and aspire to serve not only yourself but the collective.

It requires a certain mentality to desire to be of service, but it develops naturally when you adopt a healthy lifestyle, become more mindful of your thoughts, and feel inspired on a daily basis to create and live your best life. That’s why Mandy Froelich is devoted to this work. It can be painful, but it is oh so worth it.

Please know that even if you are a skeptic of much of the information, recipes, or advice, it exists solely for your benefit. So, pick and choose from what resonates with you. And, if you like, sign up for the newsletter and visit the store (download eBooks or purchase print books). Better yet, let Mandy know exactly what kind of help you’re looking for so she can send you a previously published article or cover it in a new blog post.

The ancient natural medicine, herbs and medicines

Services

Are you looking to get healthier, live a more inspired life, and perhaps even develop a connection to Spirit/God? Perhaps I can help. I am a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, plant-based chef (vegan, vegetarian, paleo), detoxification specialist, and student of Spirit. I’ve worked around the globe helping others adopt healthier diet and lifestyle habits and fall in love with themselves. IMG_9001

Click on each of the following modalities to learn more:

Recipes

One of my greatest passions is to create delicious and healthy food. Some of my favorites follow:

Click here to find more recipes.

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What is healthy, anyway?

Depending on who you ask, the definition of “healthy” may change. This is likely due to several reasons:

    1. People relate to diet from an emotional standpoint 
      Food plays a huge role in every culture. It brings people together, it produces feelings of enjoyment, and it’s used as verification of love. When people learn they may need to change their diets to live healthier, they oftentimes feel defensive. Why? Because in many ways, people identify with food. Feel-good food that is high in fat, sugar, and refined substances is also a crutch, as it affects people on a biochemical level.
      Then, there are some people who heavily restrict their diets (this was Mandy for a long time) due to moral convictions about eating animals and/or animal products. While the decision to be vegan/vegetarian is a personal one, it isn’t sustainable for most people. For instance, Mandy was vegan for approximately eight years. She tried raw, vegan, macrobiotic, paleo vegan, and many other dietary “fads” to tackle the root issue(s) of her chronic health illnesses… and eventually realized that she was simply not ingesting the right foods due to dietary dogma. After considering the “circle of life” theory and researching Native American practices of giving thanks for animals and the flesh they leave behind, she found peace with a way of eating that prioritizes eating sustainably-grown/raised and local food. (More below)
    2. Studies may be skewed depending on the source of funding 
      It’s easy to find a study to support your dietary agenda. But, do you ever look into who funded the research? In many cases, it is by a private company with vested interests in the outcome. In other words, a lot of research is unreliable.
    3. Everyone is a nutrition expert nowadays, didn’t you know?
      Thanks to the internet, you can research everything. But, just because someone is a keyboard warrior doesn’t mean they are receiving accurate information. As #2 pointed out, much of the information on the internet can be biased or incorrect.

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So, what is “healthy”?

Every body is different. People have different genetics, live in diverse environments, repeat different thought patterns, are accustomed to different foods, and eat in different ways (and at different times). For this reason, Mandy doesn’t promote a specific diet (though there are hundreds of vegan, raw, paleo, primal, and gluten-free recipes to choose from). Instead, she proposes the following when looking to adopt a “healthy” diet.

Following is an excerpt from a recent blog entry: 

“Veganism vs Paleo vs Vegetarian vs GAPS and on, and on and on…

I used to be strictly vegan (for eight years, in fact) but soon after learned that a diet free of animal products is not optimal for my body. This is probably due to several factors, including genetics, the quality of food (specifically, fruit) that is shipped all over the world, climate, heritage, and more. Now, I enjoy a more sustainable diet of (as local as possible) vegetables, fruit, some meat, eggs (only occasionally), leafy greens, nuts and seeds, sprouted legumes, tubers (root vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, pumpkin and squash), and miscellaneous foods (like seaweed, sauerkraut, vegan protein powder, etc…).

I still love the idea of veganism. And, of course, I love indulging in vegan treats. But, you won’t find me advocating for a specific diet on Bloom for Life. More often than not, I’ll tell you to refer to the following rules:

    1. Listen to Your Body
      Your body is smart! She/he knows what you need to live your best life. That includes physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual needs. Most importantly, you are drawn to foods that contain nutrients you need. While you are adjusting your diet to be more wholesome, local, and nutrient-dense, don’t forget to take your desires into consideration.
    1. Eat More Plants
      I personally don’t think you can eat enough vegetables, leafy greens or sprouts. Eat those in abundance, followed by starchy vegetables, nuts and seeds. Add meat as desired, supplement with fruit, and bask in simplicity.
    2. Run away from dogma
      Dogma — especially dietary dogma (ugh!) — does nothing but create more separation (or, at the very least, feed the illusion). Every body is different (so is everybody). So, if you are being pressured into shaming someone or feel angry at someone for not living/eating the way you want them to, run from that organization. You clearly take yourself too seriously and it’s time to simplify, let go, and spend some time in solitude. Finally, when you hear your inner voice, you’ll intuitively know what kinds of natural, whole foods your body really needs.
    3. Get Active
      To develop a sense of intuitive eating, you need to become more active. Jump start a healthy metabolism and you’ll have a better sense of true hunger pangs — not pangs that stem from boredom. If you can, aim to exercise at least 3-5 times a week for 30 minutes. It doesn’t have to be intense exercise, you can simply walk, jog, or do yoga for this amount of time. But, don’t forget to switch it up, either. When you keep your “daily movement sessions” fun, you’ll want to do them more often.
    4. Consider Sustainability
      When deciding on the foods you’d like to eat, take sustainability into consideration. There is no need for humans to ship food halfway around the planet. All of the food we really need to obtain the necessary nutrients for optimal health can be cultivated in our own backyards. An indoor, vertical garden may need to be constructed first… but it’s possible!
      Until nutritious food is being grown on this scale, you can simply purchase food from local farmers, hunters, and butchers. Keep the carbon footprint of your dietary choices low and you’ll not only be benefiting yourself (eating local “speaks” to the body by helping your physical organism have a better understanding of the environment around it) but future generations.”

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Additional Resources to Get Started

If you’re ready to live your best life, make food your medicine, and tap into a Source of love and happiness, it is highly recommended you take advantage of the following resources: 

Final notes:

Your life and what you do with it matter. Though the majority of humans won’t be remembered in years to come, we each play a role in the creation of a New Earth. At this point in history, we are at a crossroads: we can either recognize our Divinity and live in alignment with our highest Source. Or, we can fuel division, hatred, and greed while separating ourselves from others. May you choose to take a chance on yourself, reunite with the wonderful Soul-being you are, and do good for the entire planet so that future generations inherit a bountiful safe haven.