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This all started when my psoriasis got bad enough that I was being prescribed a biologic. A quarterly injection that cost almost as much as a used car. Sure it was covered by insurance, but with the Big, Beautiful Bill starting to strip away coverage at an alarming rate, becoming reliant on an budget busting medication right now didn’t seem like the right move, unless I had exhausted EVERY available option known to man.

I was miserable 24/7 with constant itching, flaking, and open sores on my scalp. I suffered debilitating back pain that made it painful to bend down to clip a leash on my dog. I felt exhausted and worn down, and I remember thinking, “How am I 49 years old, but feel closer to 70? This can’t be the baseline for the rest of my life.”

So I started looking for other options. Then I stumbled across a podcast that was referenced at the end of a random Reddit thread on the psoriasis board, that quickly became a deep dive.

I cleaned up my diet, cut out alcohol and inflammatory foods, focused on gut health, and spent more than I care to admit on supplements. I took curcumin, milk thistle, ox bile, and probiotics to the tune of about $150/month,

I even went to a naturopath for testing, but when I discovered their path to healing meant a $5000 investment for a mere 3 months of treatment, I ultimately decided to research what my results meant, take what I learned, and try my own approach. If It didn’t work, I’d reconsider the investment.

Over the next nine months, things started to shift. The itching went away first (which truly felt like a miracle. I was going to bed wearing an ice cap meant for chemotherapy patients to calm my inflamed scalp. Ask my husband, it was dead SEXY!), then the sores healed, and eventually the flaking stopped. (You haven’t been completely demoralized until you watch your sweet husband vacuum up half of your scalp from navy blue flannel sheets without a single complaint. He’s the best.) I didn’t fully trust that I was in remission until I made it through a long Iowa winter, because bone dry, ice cold with little sunlight is the real test.

When April came and I was still symptom-free, (and not using ANY medicated shampoos or prescription steroids at all) it felt like I got my life back. During this time, I also tapered then quit all the expensive supplements. After I was off the supplement stack, occasionally, I felt a tingle of itch, and I did use the shampoo a time or two, but never refilled the prescription. I still haven’t.

My dermatologist was in shock. She’d never seen anyone bounce back like I had without pharmaceutical intervention.

That experience changed how I think about my health. It made me more curious, more willing to experiment, and more aware of how much daily habits actually matter. Your body wants to heal. If you give it what it needs, it will amaze you.

Later, I started hormone replacement therapy (estradiol patches and progesterone), which helped with several lingering symptoms like night sweats, heart palpitations, and a bit of the memory and brain fog. Sleep was still an issue, though, I woke up every morning at 2:00 am as if I’d set an alarm. My regular doctor suggested magnesium glycinate, and that ended up being a surprisingly simple win. I took it for 30 days and started sleeping more deeply and for longer stretches, and I also felt noticeably calmer. Now I am able to sleep in until 4:30 or 5 am, most mornings. (I’m the odd duck that loves to be up early when no one else is awake, and my quiet mornings are when I write my books.)

My back pain has improved, though it hasn’t disappeared. It’s psoriatic arthritis, and at this point, it’s good enough that I’ve been able to stop it from progressing. I’ve gone from two 500 mg prescription ibuprofen per day to just one over-the-counter Aleve (280 mg), and it manages things fairly well.

Coming to terms with the fact that it won’t fully go away has been challenging, but with a heating pad, movement, and a few stretching routines, I’ve learned how to work around it.

But even then, I was still dealing with debilitating fatigue. I could get through the day, but I crawled in bed at 6pm for the night, and exercise felt draining. This is not unusual for people with psoriatic arthritis.

At my next appointment, my doctor asked if I was eating enough protein. Around the same time, I came across a few articles on Substack from Victor connecting protein intake, hormones, and energy levels. The first article caught my eye, Your Liver Is the Reason You Can't Lose Weight (And Nobody Is Talking About It). I also realized that based on how I was eating, I shouldn’t be 25 lbs overweight. Since psoriasis is directly related to liver function, it made me wonder if the two might be connected.

Then I read:

Victor

The Protein Crisis Nobody Talks About: Why Women Over 35 Are Losing Muscle, Gaining Fat, and Aging Faster — on "Healthy" Diets

You noticed it in the dressing room…

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16 days ago · 163 likes · 38 comments · Victor

The article (and honestly all his posts) really resonate with me. It’s like he’s been following me around for a decade. And that’s when I decided to experiment with something called “glop” (not the most appealing name, but it gets the job done) after reading another Substack article. Below is my riff, on ‘s creation.

I’m about 10 days in on GLOP now, and the biggest difference has been my energy. Not in a jittery, over-caffeinated way, just steady, consistent energy and strength that lasts throughout the day. The debilitating exhaustion I was fighting through everyday is lifting. I have more energy and the ability to do more things around the house every day. I finished a women’s fantasy series this week that required major brain power due to the time travel aspect. I was able to find inconsistencies and create a better story because the brain fog was gone. It like I have been reset back to my 40’s brain (with some back pain, but I’m not complaining.)

My husband noticed the shift before I even said anything, which says a lot.

There have been a few unexpected improvements too. There was an open sore on the inside of my nose I’ve had since September, that I had seen both my PCP and a specialist about, and neither of their prescriptions did anything to heal it. It was cracked, bleeding, and extremely irritating. After 10 days on the glop, it is COMPLETELY HEALED.

Looking back, I suspect I simply wasn’t getting enough protein. I was probably averaging around 50 grams a day, when I likely needed more than double that. Once I started hitting those higher levels consistently, my body bounced back quickly, almost like it had been starving for it.

I believe my body has responded to the glop because I was very deficient and still struggling with (psoriasis driven) inflammation. Full disclosure: I don’t like meat, I have to force myself to eat it, and eggs aren’t very high on my desirable list either. So I was lucky if I was getting 50g per day. According to most doctors and nutritionists, you should aim for .7 to 1g per pound of your goal weight. For me, that’s about 110–145g per day. When I started hitting that consistently for several days in a row, my energy came roaring back.

I have also lost about half of my hair volume, and I’m hopeful this will improve with glop as well, but hair regrowth is slow and it will likely take a year before I really know if it’s helping.

During this journey I have discovered that gut health is the ANSWER to almost any ailment. Glop addresses it, skirting around my aversion to meat, and packs the protein punch I need for energy.

Alcohol is poison. Any amount is detrimental to my liver. If I want to be flake and itch free, I can’t drink it anymore. At first, this felt like a punishment, I was the girl who lived for tacos and margaritas. Now, my guy makes me a virgin version of a Paloma that scratches that itch so my scalp doesn’t.

Also, I hated Greek yogurt, but when it’s mixed with protein powder and wild blueberries, it becomes a lot more palatable. The prebiotics in the psyllium husk and the probiotics in the yogurt shifted my gut health in a week, and the difference in such a short time was so profound, my husband has decided undertake his own experiment. After a week, even a taste shift has happened. I now look forward to my glop, have become a glop evangelist, trying to force it on every person I know and love. It is straight up nourishing.

So if you’re tired, if you have any of the autoimmune challenges I have (or your own), or if you simply know you aren’t getting the protein you need, I urge you to give this a try. Read the articles I linked, learn more about what your body needs, and give it that. There are answers to be found if you’re willing to do the work. Do your own research, start asking questions, and understand that the healthcare system isn’t always designed to get to the root of the issue. Doctors are pressured to treat and street, even the good ones. Most people want to take the easy route, the pill, the shot, and continue eating for taste. Eating for health is a different path and now after a year and a half, I know it is the only one for me.

Have I lost the 25 lbs I’ve always wanted to? Not yet. Resetting my hormones will take longer than 10 days, and hormonal weight is often the last thing to go. But even if it doesn’t…DANG, I feel GOOD! The energy alone makes this experiment a huge success.

Every body is different, and I’m just sharing what’s working for me as a 50-year-old perimenopausal woman with psoriatic arthritis, psoriasis, hypothyroidism, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. If you have similar challenges, maybe some of this will help. If not, start researching your own. You deserve to feel your very best.

XOXO,
Blair Bryan

P.S. The first three bowls of original glop I ate were ROUGH. I added high protein milk because the consistency was like eating a brick of cream cheese. It was not easy to choke down, especially first thing in the morning before coffee. Now I wake up, drink an Oikos protein shake for a quick 30g to start my day before coffee like Victor suggests, then have my coffee, and eat my glop around 10 a.m. The rest of the day, I focus on eggs, chicken or beef, real foods, to get the other 30–40g I need to hit my goal.

P.S.S I also write hilarious and heartwarming Paranormal Women’s Fiction with fierce, 50+ heroines teaming up with Karma to take down bad men. If that is your jam, order my books here.

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Ingredients

Night before (base):

• 1/2 cup Oikos Pro Greek yogurt

• 2/3 scoop Peanut Butter Cookie protein powder

• 2 tsp psyllium husk powder

• 2 tsp ground flaxseed

• 2 tsp chia seeds

• 2 tsp PB2

• 1/2 cup Fairlife milk

Morning toppings:

• 1 T walnuts

• 2 tsp pumpkin seeds

• 1/2 medium banana (sliced or mashed)

Instructions

Night before:

Combine night base ingredients together in a bowl, then into a mason jar. Seal and refrigerate overnight. Will thicken overnight.

In the Morning:
Scoop mixture into a bowl. Top with walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and banana.

Includes: 465 calories and 45 g of protein. I add 2 Brazil Nuts for the Selenium as I am hypothyroid.

All published first draft chapters of this book will be available until June 30, 2026. They will be removed when the final version hits bookstores on September 1, 2026.

I’m grateful for your support and can’t wait to hear what…

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All published first draft chapters of this book will be available until June 30, 2026. They will be removed when the final version hits bookstores on September 1, 2026.

I’m grateful for your support and can’t wait to hear what…

Read more

The Midlife in Aura Cove series is pure fun. My readers laugh through Katie’s antics while falling in love with three generations of supernatural women who team up with karma to make sure the bad guys get exactly what they deserve. It’s a satisfying blend of humor and justice, delivering the accountability and comeuppance women are hungry for right now.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Funny, Suspenseful, and Compelling. Best Fantasy series For Women over 50!”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “I Literally Laughed Out Loud. It Was so Relatable.”

Laugh-out-loud humor, quirky characters, and heartfelt moments await in this best-selling paranormal women’s fiction series. Perfect for readers looking for uplifting escapes that celebrate women over 50.

💜 Order from Blair Bryan

💜 Get the complete audiobook collection (40% less than Audible!)

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Aura Cove’s Temporal Traveler is Your Next Fantasy Escape.

Set in the same magical world of Aura Cove, a freak lightning strike during Mercury retrograde unlocks Nevermore LaRue’s ability to time travel, hurling her into the past with only her sharp, neurodivergent instincts and her snarky, feathered companion, Peregrine, to guide her. It’s a fast-paced midlife fantasy adventure!

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Chapters 1-7 of Never Enough are now live in The Book Club!

A paid subscription to the book club directly supports my work and helps me remain independent from Amazon and other major retailers.

Never Enough is the FINAL book in the Aura Cove Temporal Traveler series and book club members will get to read it as I write it, comment, and become part of the process.

Book Club Members will also receive a special shout-out and thank you in the acknowledgements of Never Enough for being part of my creative process. If you’re a member, make sure to respond to the email I sent with your information to be included!

JOIN THE BOOK CLUB

Written for Every Mother: Up in the Middle of Nowhere

Inspired by true events, Up in the Middle of Nowhere, is a bittersweet tribute to the empty nest.

One mother. One daughter. One adventure of a lifetime that will change their relationship forever.

When her troubled teenage daughter, Nova, is hell-bent on self-destruction, Tessa Donahue makes a desperate bid to save their future.

Free to read with Kindle Unlimited

The Final Draft of Never Enough is Almost Complete!

This final chapter of the Aura Cove Temporal Traveler series feels like a chef’s kiss. It is an ending you won’t want to miss. Saying goodbye is never easy, especially to characters I’ve loved so much.

Watching Neve evolve (sometimes by choice, sometimes by circumstance, and with a little help from her feathered sidekick, Perry) has been such a journey. The conclusion gave me goosebumps, and I can’t wait to hear what readers think.

Audiobook Lovers: Production begins this summer!

Book Review: Susan, You’re the Chosen One.

Read the Full Review Here.

The Weekly Gift Card Winner for April 26th is: *olor*dogirl*273gmail. com

(The asterisks indicate missing characters to avoid spam.) Contact us here from this email address to claim your gift card. We appreciate any shout outs and tags on social media to help more readers find our books.

When magic and a supposed destiny enter the picture, the story leans into fun and unpredictability without losing its emotional core. Beneath the humor, it’s a relatable story about reinvention, resilience, and starting over later in life, one that will especially resonate with women over 40 looking for both escapism and a bit of truth.

Disclaimer: Links in this post are Amazon affiliate links. This means I may earn a few pennies from Amazon if you make a purchase (at no extra cost to you.) It’s a free way to support my writing.

All published first draft chapters of this book will be available until June 30, 2026. They will be removed when the final version hits bookstores on September 1, 2026.

I’m grateful for your support and can’t wait to hear what…

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All published first draft chapters of this book will be available until June 30, 2026. They will be removed when the final version hits bookstores on September 1, 2026.

I’m grateful for your support and can’t wait to hear what…

Read more

• 🐶 A Good Dog

• 🤣 A Good Laugh

• 📕 A Good Book

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Funny, Suspenseful, and Compelling. Best Fantasy series For Women over 50!”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “I Literally Laughed Out Loud. It Was so Relatable.”

Laugh-out-loud humor, quirky characters, and heartfelt moments await in this best-selling paranormal women’s fiction series. Perfect for readers looking for uplifting escapes that celebrate women over 50.

💜 Order from Blair Bryan

💜 Get the complete audiobook collection (40% less than Audible!)

Thanks for reading Teal Butterfly Press! Subscribe to The Wing for your weekly shot at winning our bookstore gift card. Scroll to the end of this post to find out who won this week.

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Perry is the Original Angry Bird…

Enjoy this Exclusive Excerpt straight from Peregrine himself:

“Nevermore?” Amos let out a burst of a laugh. “He done lost himself. Fool thinks he’s a raven.” He wagged his smug finger at me and I wanted to chomp it off.

“Perhaps he angry birds?” Rosa suggested.

Angry birds? If she only knew the goldmine that would turn out to be in two decades! Still, I was offended by the reference, and I wouldn’t have any of it! “Angry?” I echoed, my voice high and mocking. “I’m not angry, I’m apoplectic! I am livid! I am incensed! A weak mind employs a weak vocabulary!” I paced and swished the confines of the cage, waiting for my insults to land. My word choices were far better than theirs. They had a certain cadence. Seemed more accurate. More important.

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Chapters 1-6 of Never Enough are now live in The Book Club!

A paid subscription to the book club directly supports my work and helps me remain independent from Amazon and other major retailers.

Never Enough is the FINAL book in the Aura Cove Temporal Traveler series and book club members will get to read it as I write it, comment, and become part of the process.

Book Club Members will also receive a special shout-out and thank you in the acknowledgements of Never Enough for being part of my creative process. If you’re a member, make sure to respond to the email I sent with your information to be included!

JOIN THE BOOK CLUB

Behind the Scenes: Up in the Middle of Nowhere

Inspired by true events. Here’s a video glimpse of the real adventure that inspired the one I wrote in my women’s fiction novel, Up in the Middle of Nowhere. It’s a bittersweet tribute to the empty nest.

Free to read with Kindle Unlimited.

Check out this Fantasy Kickstarter! Tales of Ferrês: A Special Anniversary Collection

• Do you love epic fantasy with dragons, dragon riders, elves, dwarves, and all types of magical creatures?

• Are you looking for young adult stories filled to the brink with adventures that promote the bonds of friendship and the the inner strength of our hearts.

• Do you enjoy stories with unlikely heroes and strong female heroines?

  BACK THE KICKSTARTER

The Weekly Gift Card Winner for April 12th is: *itto*og3@gmail. com

(The asterisks indicate missing characters to avoid spam.) Contact us here from this email address to claim your gift card. We appreciate any shout outs and tags on social media to help more readers find our books.

Inspired by true events.

In the summer of 2022, I set out on a treehouse tour with my youngest child for one last adventure before they left the nest. What began as a simple getaway turned into an unforgettable week of making memories with the bittersweet awareness that this chapter of motherhood was changing.

That experience stayed with me long after we returned home. From that incredible setting, I wrote my women’s fiction novel, Up in the Middle of Nowhere, a story rooted in connection, transition, and the powerful bond between mothers and daughters.

With Mother’s Day approaching, it feels like the perfect time to share it with you. The book is currently free to read with Kindle Unlimited, please enjoy the excerpt below.

“I hate you!”

“You’re not too high on my list of favorite people right now, either,” Tessa argued as she cranked up the volume on the radio and hummed along as frustration thrummed through her limbs. Taking her rage out on the gas pedal as she drove them home, she slammed her foot down on the accelerator. She wasn’t going to fall for it. At seventeen, Nova loved to push her buttons and often had a penchant for the dramatics. Instead, Tessa kept her thoughts to herself, clamping her lips together to prevent a negative torrent of them from escaping. She knew words said in anger cut the deepest scars and could never be taken back, but containing them at the moment was proving a monumental task.

“I’m going to go live with Dad!” Nova shouted to her mother over the music.

Appalled by this declaration, Tessa yanked the steering wheel hard to the right to pull off on the shoulder and slammed on the brakes. Forcing the car into park, she turned toward her daughter’s petulant face. Dressed in black from head to toe, wearing six-inch black platform boots and copious amounts of smudged black eyeliner, Nova’s recently favored style was gothic punk. Of all the versions of her daughter she’d experienced through the years, it was Tessa’s least favorite. During the last few months, Nova’s chosen armor was sharp edges and dark colors, a physical look that matched her daughter’s often melancholy and combative mood. A spiked choker circled the porcelain skin of Nova’s throat, and black fishnet gloves encased her delicate wrists.

As a budding artist, Nova adored theatrical clothing and dramatic makeup that made a statement and turned heads when she was in public. Nova relished the attention from random strangers, their long stares and shy compliments, but Tessa’s boyfriend, Jason, did not. He became flat-out embarrassed to be seen with Nova in public when she segued from concert t-shirts and jeans into a full-blown gothic costume. It was one of many bones of contention between Nova and Jason that had made living under the same roof lately an arduous task. Nova and Jason faced off from opposite corners of the ring, reducing Tessa to referee their frequent arguments. It was a draining dynamic Tessa fought her way through daily.

“Let me get this straight. You’re talking about going to live with the same dad that moved a thousand miles away last year without so much as a goodbye?”

READ MORE...ORDER HERE

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Meet the parrot who’s more judgmental than your mother-in-law!

Peregrine was living his life as a con man until his life choices send him reeling into the body of the closest creature. An African Grey Parrot. He brings undeniable main-character energy to the Aura Cove Temporal Traveler series, whether the universe likes it or not.

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Chapters 1-5 of Never Enough are now live in The Book Club!

A paid subscription to the book club directly supports my work and helps me remain independent from Amazon and other major retailers.

Never Enough is the FINAL book in the Aura Cove Temporal Traveler series and book club members will get to read it as I write it, comment, and become part of the process.

Book Club Members will also receive a special shout-out and thank you in the acknowledgements of Never Enough for being part of my creative process. If you’re a member, make sure to respond to the email I sent with your information to be included!

JOIN THE BOOK CLUB

What’s Next in the Aura Cove Universe?

Here’s a Few Hints:

• An anonymous truth-teller stirs up chaos

• Two tiny, talkative animal sidekicks named after a famous comedy duo

• Set in Golden Cove (Aura Cove’s friendliest retirement community) think The Villages in Florida…but with magic.

Book Review: Dear Debbie

I’m almost embarrassed to admit that I reach for Freida McFadden when I don’t want to think too hard. It’s the literary equivalent of Justin Bieber music (which I also reluctantly admit I enjoy) and vanilla ice cream.

She delivers an outrageous story, not entirely plausible, and spoon-feeds you the information along the way. And yet, it’s fast-paced and entertaining.

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(The asterisks indicate missing characters to avoid spam.) Contact us here from this email address to claim your gift card. We appreciate any shout outs and tags on social media to help more readers find our books.

All published first draft chapters of this book will be available until June 30, 2026. They will be removed when the final version hits bookstores on September 1, 2026.

I’m grateful for your support and can’t wait to hear what…

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Escape into the Aura Cove Temporal Traveler…the second series in the Aura Cove universe.

A freak lightning strike during Mercury retrograde unlocks Nevermore’s ability to time travel, her Neve into the past with only her sharp, neurodivergent instincts and her snarky, feathered companion, Peregrine, to guide her. It’s the dynamic duo…

Read more

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All published first draft chapters of this book will be available until June 30, 2026. They will be removed when the final version hits bookstores on September 1, 2026.

I’m grateful for your support and can’t wait to hear what…

Read more

Peregrine

I came to with the distinct feeling that someone had used my head as a cannonball. The world swam into…

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All published first draft chapters of this book will be available until June 30, 2026. They will be removed when the final version hits bookstores on September 1, 2026.

I’m grateful for your support and can’t wait to hear what you think!

Chapter 3

Peregrine

I coasted down to perch on the kitchen windowsill at dawn, watching Nica help Yuli prepare breakfast through the salt-streaked glass. My talons gripped the painted wood so tight I was leaving scratches, but I couldn’t look away. She moved across the kitchen floor on her tiptoes like she was navigating a live minefield, shoulders hunched forward, arms tucked into her body, flinching when Yuli reached past her for the salt shaker on the counter.

Every protective gesture was a testament to the trauma I’d caused her. The way she angled her body to keep the wall at her back. The fact she kept the kitchen island between herself and Yuli, eyeing escape routes even in this safe haven. How she jumped, then froze when the sea breeze blew the cabinet door shut. I was the first domino in a long line of men that taught her she was worthless, and every bastard after me just confirmed the lesson I’d carved into her heart.

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The finale is almost here! I’m polishing up Never Enough, the fourth and final book in the Aura Cove Temporal Traveler series, and it’s shaping up to be the wildest ride yet.

Neve returns to 1992 to uncover a dark secret, and the truth about her father’s research, with Perry by her side.

Early release …

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In this return to Rocky’s world, we find her back home in Western Massachusetts with her husband Nick, their daughter Willa, h…

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Thanks for being part of this journey! As a paid subscriber, you get exclusive early ac…

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A vanished father. A ticking clock. One last chance. Midlife just got personal.

One final time, Nevermore grips her crystal geode and jumps straight into 1992 and the heart of NovaCure’s darkest secret. Building on Dr. Elaine Feldman’s research, …

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