Hi there! Allow me to (re)introduce myself!

My name is Alexandra Lucier. I’m a Windsor-born writer, globe-trotter, yoga teacher, Registered Holistic Nutrition Practitioner (R.H.N.P), and certified Ayurvedic and Women’s Health Coach.

I’ve had the privilege of travelling the world, meeting beautiful people, exploring different cultures and sampling equally colourful flavours – from ceviche and tostones in Ecuador, to golden pine honey in Crete, Cacio e Pepe in Rome, tteok-bokki (spicy rice cakes) in South Korea, and even dubious chicken and rice in Ghana, Africa (with added fruit flies for extra protein!).

I’ve also worked under Red Seal Chefs in restaurant kitchens and had the opportunity to train alongside a variety of holistic health and nutrition practitioners during my years of professional experience in the wellness space.

As a practitioner, I’m fascinated by the intricate and nuanced ways that food interacts with both our physiology and our psychology, and I’m inspired by its power to nourish our bodies, our families, our relationships, and our communities. I recognize that every body is different, and I believe in an intuitive and inclusive way of eating in which all foods serve a purpose.

Through Well Fed, I hope to inspire you, not only through helpful, science-backed health and nutrition information and recipes, but also by applying the same curiosity that I had travelling through other countries to my own community of Windsor-Essex, and hopefully serving as a resource for quality, local food producers and suppliers, and also as a hub for fun and collaborative food and fitness events.

What does this mean for you?? Starting in June, I will be rolling out a new subscription-based program, delivered as bi-weekly e-blasts. As a subscriber, you will receive:

A new healthy recipe feature

3-day nutritionist-designed meal plan

Shopping list

Local ingredient sourcing recommendations

Health/nutrition-related blog post

Bonus feature on a rotating theme (yoga, Ayurveda, supplements, etc.)

For just $9.99 per month*, all of this will be delivered straight to your inbox, with new content every two weeks!

There will be NO auto-renewals, so you can cancel anytime! Simply Contact Me to sign up!

* First e-blast to go out June 1st; minimum 3-month subscription required.

I am still offering individualized consultations as well (see my Services & Pricing for details), and be sure to stay tuned for exciting upcoming events!

Thank you so much for being here and enjoy this beautiful Summer!!

January is a popular time to clean house – to organize your kitchen cupboards, purge your closets and crawlspace, and, for many, take stock of physical health goals and maybe even partake in a cleanse or detox to help counterbalance holiday indulging.

In Ayurvedic Medicine,”āma” is the term used to describe the build-up of toxins that can result from overindulgence of food or substances, or from the consumption of anything through any of the five senses that interferes with the flow of life force energy. Naturally, this includes chemical toxins such as those present in ultra-processed or congesting foods, alcohol, nicotine and other drugs; but it can also refer to heavy, undigested emotions, psychological distress, and negative thoughts and feelings, particularly in regards to the self.

The holidays can be an especially stressful time, one in which we’re primed for over-extension, both physically and emotionally. Besides attending more parties and eating and drinking more than we perhaps normally would, many of us are also sleeping less, stressing about holiday shopping or finances, and playing Tetris with our already hectic schedules. And all of this before the drama that commonly ensues when you force family members together (particularly those who wouldn’t normally spend time together) for a “special” dinner.

Anything we consume, be it through diet, media, relationships, etc. has the potential to increase “āma” – to manifest as the accumulation of toxicity in our system – if it is not utilized as energy or eliminated as waste. This includes stressors such as suppressed emotions, resentments, anger, traumatic experiences and disappointments.

Āma, whether it’s mental, emotional, or physical, begins its accumulation in the gastrointestinal tract, hence the axiom, “listen to your gut”. It’s the reason many of us experience stomach aches or disturbed appetite when we’re under stress, and also why Ayurveda puts such a strong emphasis on diet and digestion.

In more modern or Western healing models, this idea is exemplified by the Vagus Nerve, the longest of the cranial nerves which runs from the root of the brain stem to our digestive tract. Also known as the “Gut-Brain Axis”, the Vagus Nerve represents the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system, and governs crucial bodily functions like mood regulation, immune and heart health, nutrient assimilation, cellular repair, and much more. We also know that up to 95% of serotonin (the primary “feel-good” hormone that helps to fight depression and anxiety) is produced in the gut.

Since the central G.I. tract houses the doshic “home sites” in Ayurveda (the stomach, small intestine, and colon), when āma is left to linger there for a long time, it can spread to the deep tissues and plant the seeds for disease formation. By blocking nutrient and energy supply to vital channels, āma can eventually lead to the damage of healthy tissue and the poisoning of the entire system, including all three (physical, mental, and emotional) bodies.

In each dosha, the accumulation of āma may manifest in different ways. In Vata, for example, it may present as exhaustion or joint pain or stiffness, while in Kapha it can manifest as congestion or lack of appetite. Some general signs and symptoms for everyone, though, are feelings of weakness or heaviness, lethargy or even depression, indigestion or constipation.

So, as we begin detoxing our physical bodies this New Year, let’s not forget about our mental and emotional bodies, too. A digestive cleanse is a great time to clear out space in your home or environment as well as your body, or to evaluate and maybe even purge some toxic relationships.

Besides cleansing or eliminating mental and emotional āma through practices such as journalling or talk therapy, we can also “metabolize”, or “put to use” that accumulated energy. Just as we can put excess food to use by working out, so too can we make mental/emotional āma work to our advantage. By reflecting on the lessons and growth that challenging experiences may have brought us, or by channeling our thoughts and feelings into a new creative pursuit, or a meaningful project that serves others going through something similar, we can give our pain purpose.

And by channeling otherwise stagnant and destructive energy into something positive, we may finally begin to heal, clearing our path to flourish in the year to come.

Hey friends!  

Happy New Moon in Sagittarius! 

Some of you may have noticed that I’ve been quiet lately… As the year winds down and we move into the last complete lunar cycle in 2022, I find myself leaning into softness in a new and welcome way. 

I’ve been quietly working on some things, and in all likelihood, will still be working on those things for a long while yet. It’s a project which has required me to be very intentional about conserving energy, rejecting distractions, and releasing any lingering perfectionism leftover from the dumpster fire of “information gathering” that was my twenties. 

For the first time, for the sake of a dream, I’m forced to do things a little less well. Grace, and radical acceptance of myself, my life, and the people in it, has become a regimen, as sacred as caring for myself through nutrition and movement. 

Perfection, as the old proverb goes, is 80%. I find myself rejecting all-or-nothing, black-and-white perspectives and embracing the grey areas of life, the reality that many things (sometimes contradictory things) can coexist in truth and beauty. 

Speaking of beauty, I’ve also been leaning into the non-essentials of life. You know – those simple things we used to do that made us feel alive or comforted or delighted but that we no longer indulge in because we’re more focused on what we “should” be doing than on what is going to nourish our souls.  Like a milky cup of tea in the afternoon  or a few delicious hours spent perusing the shelves of a used book store  or buying flowers for the kitchen table at the Farmer’s Market, just because. 

(On a side note, if anyone out there finds as much joy in spending a wholesome day thrifting or book-shopping, supporting local farmers and creators, or sharing space over a nourishing meal or coffee, let’s make plans!)  

All of this is to say that, as we transition into a New Year, I’m choosing to transition Well Fed, as well, into a slightly softer, earthier, even more holistic resource to serve as both a home for creativity and nourishment and an inspiring and comforting resource for anyone still interested. 

I will always continue to share wholesome recipes and food-related content, but my intention is to do so in a more inclusive way. I believe all foods have a place in a “healthy” lifestyle. It’s been a long time since I’ve put any kind of label or restrictions on my diet, and I invite anyone else with whom this resonates to do the same. 

The principles of Integrative Nutrition teach us that the food we eat is actually our Secondary Diet. Our Primary Diet consists of all the things that feed us beyond our plates – the things that, when aligned with our well-being, bring us joy, meaning, or fulfillment, that make life worth living. For me, cooking itself falls within this realm.  But also yoga, travel, Ayurvedic medicine, nature, writing, slow-living, and intimate friendships.

All of the things we consume, be it food, spirituality, media, our jobs, activities, or relationships have the potential to impact our health, to either nourish us or harm us. I want to be a contributor to the nourishing, to create content that is as inclusive of our Primary Diet as it is of our Secondary One. I want Well Fed to be a space to feed our whole selves, in body, mind and soul. 

I haven’t decided yet whether I’m going to continue doing one-on-one nutrition consults (if you have prepaid bookings with me, don’t worry! I’ll always honour them), or if I want to try serving myself and my community in a different way.

My hope is that you’ll stick with me while I explore this, and that you’ll join me in building this community. If not, that’s okay too. 

See ya on the other side!  

#namaste