Ashley Castle // Wellness Women.

Happy April, y’all! What the WHAT?

I swear this year is flying by so fast. Besides January… January dragged on FOR-EV-ERRRRR.

But in all seriousness, I hope you had a great start to your month, whether you celebrate Easter or April Fools Day or both (or neither)! #itsallcool

We spent our Easter morning differently than we have in years past.

Hiking Enchanted Rock.

Nature seems to be my sanctuary these days. And I am loving it.

It’s probably pretty obvious that I’m a spiritual person, but I don’t openly talk about my beliefs because frankly, they look a little different than before. (That’s another story for another time.) I don’t think you have to sit in a pew to experience it. And I don’t think you have to meditate to experience it.

But I do think you have to be present + consciously aware, that we are all a part of the same, and there is more going on here in this life than meets the eye.

If you were to ask me what I believe, the best I can give you is: You’ll find me somewhere between woo-woo and religious. But one thing that I will always believe to be true: there is a Greater Whole that connects us all. It’s just a matter of if we are open to receiving it.

Perhaps you want to throw me in the looney toon box, but maybe not.  #tellmeimnotalone

Wherever you are in your walk in life, may your curiosity, Intuition + Presence continue to lead your footsteps to a Greater Knowing, even if you can’t quite put words it.

Now, let me introduce you to one of my sweet soul sisters, Ashley.

 

MEET ASHLEY

Ashley Castle is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner currently living in Colorado. She specializes in empowering people to get in the kitchen and fuel their health with whole, real food, while also addressing the importance of a loving, healthy mindset with food. Through her fast and easy recipes, humor, and deep desire to encourage and motivate, she’s here to inspire you to live your healthiest life—both in and out of the kitchen. When she’s not taking pictures of her food, you can find her frequenting local quirky coffee shops, recording and editing her new podcast, Nutrition Unscripted, snuggling her sweet dog Loca, and enjoying hikes in the luxurious mountain air. 

FAVORITE FOOD, TREAT OR INDULGENCE?

Favorites are always my nemesis, especially when it comes to food! I’d say salmon and any variation of veggies are always a win for me. Treat? Siete Foods cassava chips, anything from Simple Mills, and Cappello’s sheep’s milk pizza. Indulgence? Coffee or my homemade chocolate chip cookies

MUST HAVE SELF-CARE ITEM?

Epsom salt baths and a Beautycounter mask (charcoal is my fave)

WHAT TYPE OF MOVEMENT BRINGS YOU JOY?

Lifting weights, yoga, and hiking in the sweet mountain air!

SHARE A BIT ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL HEALTH JOURNEY:

With a past of disordered eating and a stint with anorexia at a young age, nutrition didn’t play a truly nourishing role for me until after college. Newly married and making lots of new dishes every day, I found my interest in sustainable sourcing and quality ingredients ever increasing. I had always aimed to eat “healthy” in various ways, but that meant buying the stuff with the most convincing label claims (like heart healthy, low fat, whole wheat, etc). I discovered the Nutritional Therapy Association in 2014, and their curriculum and paradigm for true health through real food resonated with me in such a deep way. It’s what I had always been looking for and it solidified my built-in instincts for what health truly looks like. Now working to shift the standard of conventional eating to one of deep nourishment through quality foods, I’m so grateful for the path I’ve been on and the path I’m continuing to forge for health, both in mind and in body.

IF YOU ARE IN THE HEALTH REALM, PLEASE SHARE MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU DO!

I do! I’m currently the Nutritional Therapy Practitioner behind Ashley Castle Nutrition. I don’t have a specialty per se—I really want to work with those who are ready to make the changes and improve their health for good. But I do fall into a lot of mindset work and helping clients shift their deep rooted emotional ties with unhealthy eating.

 

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO CONVEY TO OTHER WOMEN SEEKING OPTIMAL HEALTH?

You are worth it, and your time is now! Making your health a priority is so important. Feeling your best means you can do your best in whatever life hands you.

IF YOU COULD GIVE ONE TIP TO SOMEONE JUST STARTING OUT ON THEIR HEALTH JOURNEY, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Start small. Choose one thing that you can change today. Master that change, and then move on to the next. Don’t start out too lofty and ambitious—that sets you up for disappointment when you can’t reach those goals. Stay motivated, find accountability, but also give yourself grace for the process.

SHARE YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE OR SOURCE OF INSPIRATION.

Oh boy…those favorites again!! There are sooo many. I would say “grace for the process.” It’s something I’m always telling my clients.

HOW CAN SOMEONE REACH OUT TO CONNECT WITH YOU?

You can find me online at ashleycastlenutrion.com, on Instagram @ashley.castle.nutrition, on Facebook, or via email, ashleycastlenutrition@gmail.com. I love connecting with people! It’s what fuels me!

ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE? A FUN FACT OR HIDDEN TALENT? 

Hmm…growing up I always wanted to be an astronaut. That dream still lives on deep down!

 

IF YOU COULD PICK TWO WORDS TO REPRESENT YOUR PERSONAL MANTRA, WHAT WOULD THEY BE AND WHY?

GIVE GRACE. Grace to others and the path they’re on and the battles they fight, and grace for yourself and your own journey. We’re all going through things, and practicing grace and understanding first and foremost allows us to best connect with ourselves and those around us.

____

Thank you for sharing with us, Ashley!

Tune in next week to see the next #WellnessWomen feature, and if you or someone you know should be featured, email us and tell us a little more about you! 😉