Dr. Alyssa McPeak, DC, CFMP Few things make parents more anxious than seeing their child’s temperature climb. We’re often taught that fevers are dangerous and must be reduced immediately — but in most cases, a fever is actually one of the body’s most powerful healing tools. Don't fear the fever! At Roots Wholistic Health, our approach is to respect the purpose of a fever while supporting children naturally so they stay comfortable and recover well. Let’s talk about why fevers

By Dr. Alyssa McPeak, DC, CFMP Traveling with kids is one of my favorite ways to make memories as a family — beach days, pool days, sunshine, and slow time together. But as a mom of four, I’ve learned that the right travel essentials can make the difference between a stressful day at the beach, or a smooth, joy-filled one. Over the years, I’ve simplified what we pack for sunny vacations to a handful of tried-and-true favorites that support safety, skin health, and easy mom li

By Dr. Alyssa McPeak, DC, CFMP Worried about your milk supply? You’re not alone. Many moms experience dips in supply at some point—especially during growth spurts, sleep deprivation, stress, or postpartum hormone shifts. The good news: your body is incredibly responsive to support. When you nourish your nervous system, hydrate deeply, and fuel your body with the right nutrients, milk supply often improves naturally. Let’s walk through the most effective, gentle ways to increa

By Dr. Alyssa McPeak, DC, CFMP ADHD is often labeled as a “brain disorder,” but in functional medicine and chiropractic care, we see something much deeper happening: the brain and body are struggling to communicate clearly. For many kids (and adults!) with ADHD symptoms like inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, anxiety, emotional outbursts, and poor focus, the root cause isn’t just a chemical imbalance—it’s nervous system dysregulation plus underlying imbalances in the bo

By Dr. Alyssa McPeak, DC, CFMP For decades, cholesterol has been framed as the villain of heart health. But here’s the plot twist: cholesterol is essential for women’s hormones, brain function, and overall vitality.  When we aggressively lower cholesterol—especially with medications that block your body from making it—we often see ripple effects in energy, libido, skin and hair health, mood, memory, bones, and muscles. Let’s clear up the confusion and talk about what choleste

By Dr. Alyssa McPeak, DC, CFMP When preparing for birth, most women focus on baby—but your body deserves just as much support. Labor and delivery are an intense, athletic event, and just like training for a marathon, how you prepare matters . One gentle, time-honored tool we often recommend at Roots Wholistic Health is Red Raspberry Leaf Tea (RRLT) . Used for centuries by midwives and supported by modern research, RRLT can be a powerful ally in preparing the uterus for a more

By Dr. Alyssa McPeak, DC, CFMP When it comes to whole-body health, oral care is often overlooked—but what you put in your mouth every single day  matters more than you think. Toothpaste isn’t just about fresh breath. The ingredients you use twice (or more) daily are absorbed through the gums and oral tissues and can directly impact your brain, hormones, gut, and overall health —especially for children. At Roots Wholistic Health, we believe oral health is foundational health.

By Dr. Alyssa McPeak, DC, CFMP For many women, the desire to have a natural, unmedicated birth comes from a deep, intuitive knowing: “My body was designed for this.” And it's true. Birth is a powerful, primal, physiologically intelligent process — not a medical emergency waiting to happen. For thousands of years, women birthed without epidurals, Pitocin, bright lights, and machines. Today, even with the rise in medical interventions, natural, unmedicated birth is absolutely s

By Dr. Alyssa McPeak, DC, CFMP If you’re a parent, you’ve probably been tempted by melatonin. Your child won’t fall asleep…You’re exhausted…And melatonin gummies are sitting there at Target looking like harmless, magical bedtime candy. But here’s the truth: Melatonin is not a vitamin. It’s a hormone. A powerful one. And giving it to children—especially regularly—can disrupt far more than their sleep. At Roots Wholistic Health, we want parents to understand what melatonin real

By: Dr. Alyssa McPeak - Roots Wholistic Health Picky eating is one of the most common concerns we hear from parents—and you’re not alone if you’re struggling with it. What many families don’t realize is that picky eating rarely starts as a “behavioral issue.” It often begins much earlier, rooted in how babies are introduced to food, textures, and digestion. Today, we’re breaking down the three most overlooked causes of picky eating  and how small changes in early feeding habi

By: Dr. Alyssa McPeak, DC, CFMP - Roots Wholistic Health “Detoxing” is trending right now—teas, powders, cleanses, supplements, challenges, etc... But here’s the truth: your body already has built-in detox systems , and when they’re supported properly, they work beautifully. And at the center of that system?👉 Your bowel movements and your sweat. If you’re not pooping daily…If you’re not sweating daily… Your body is not detoxing the way it was designed to. Let’s break down wh

By Dr. Alyssa McPeak, DC, CFMP — Roots Wholistic Health Concussions are far more common than most people realize—especially for athletes, kids, active adults, and anyone who has ever taken a hard fall or hit their head. What’s even less talked about is how incredibly frustrating , isolating , and slow  concussion recovery can feel when you’re not given the tools you actually need. I know this first hand. My Personal Journey: When Rest + Pain Meds Weren't Enough Growing up, I

By: Dr. Alyssa McPeak If you sit for more than 6 hours a day , you may be experiencing what we call “sitting symptoms.” Whether you work at a computer, meet with clients all day, drive, or sit through long meetings—your body wasn’t designed to be in a flexed, seated position for hours at a time. And here’s the truth most people don’t realize: Sitting is a posture. And just like any posture you hold too long, it creates stress, tension, and compensation patterns throughout you

By Dr. Alyssa McPeak High blood pressure seems to be everywhere these days. Nearly half of American adults have it, but here’s the truth: high blood pressure is not the problem—it's the signal . It’s your body’s built-in alarm system telling you something underneath the surface needs attention. At Roots Wholistic Health, we don’t just medicate numbers. We look deeper. We ask why is your body raising your blood pressure in the first place?  And more importantly— what can we do

By: Dr. Alyssa McPeak Motherhood is humbling. It stretches you, grows you, softens you, exhausts you, and transforms you. And even though everyone has advice—and your own mom has probably told you these things five times—some lessons you simply don’t understand until you live them. Over the years (and through the chaos of raising kids, working and managing several businesses, running a home, and still trying to be a human), these are the truths I’ve learned the hard way. This

By: Dr. Alyssa McPeak If you’ve been trying to get pregnant and something just isn’t clicking, you’re not alone — and you’re not broken . So many women are told that their struggles are “normal,” “unexplained,” or something that only medication or IVF can fix. But the truth is: 👉 Your fertility is a reflection of your whole-body health. When something is off in your hormones, gut, thyroid, stress response, or lifestyle, your cycle feels it — and so does your fertility. At Ro

By: Dr. Alyssa McPeak Belly sleeping is one of the most controversial topics in the baby world . Many parents notice that their baby sleeps deeply, peacefully, and longer on their belly and they start to wonder: 👉 “Is belly sleeping really dangerous?” 👉 “Is it actually the position, or the situation around it?” 👉 “Why is this so confusing?” At Roots Wholistic Health , we understand that sleep is emotional, overwhelming, and often filled with conflicting advice. Our goal is

By: Dr. Alyssa McPeak It used to be that girls got their first period (menarche) around age 12 to 14 . Today, we’re seeing it happen as early as 8 or 9 years old  — and it’s becoming increasingly common. While some may assume it’s “just how things are now,” early puberty isn’t normal — it’s a sign that something deeper is going on  in the body. At Roots Wholistic Health , we believe it’s important not just to manage these symptoms, but to understand the root cause  behind the

By: Dr. Alyssa McPeak As parents, we all want to give our babies the best start when it comes to nutrition. For decades, the standard...

By: Dr. Alyssa McPeak Bedwetting, or nocturnal enuresis , is one of the most common concerns parents bring up after potty training. While...