Podcast | Cynthia Thurlow

Cynthia's Podcast

Ep. 223 Why Natural/Biodynamic Matters When it Comes to Alcohol

I was happy to connect with Todd White today! Todd is the founder of Dry Farm Wines, a company I have frequently sent gifts from to friends and family over the last few years.

Todd has always taken his health and fitness seriously. He is a wine lover, but it used to make him feel bad. Looking for low-alcohol wine led him to accidentally discover natural wines via the natural wine revolution, which was starting to happen in France at the time.
Todd and I dive deep into the differences between conventional and biodynamic wines. We speak about government regulations, the lack of transparency in the wine industry, the components of organic, biodynamic, and natural wines, the alcohol content of natural wines versus that of conventional wines, and how age and gender differences relate to alcohol consumption. We discuss the toxins, herbicides, and pesticides found in conventional wine products, the impact of irrigation on grapes, and what comprises sugar-free wine. We also get into why wine consumers need to educate themselves on the significant differences between conventionally produced wines in the United States and biodynamic wines.

I hope you enjoy listening to my conversation with Todd White of Dry Farm Wines! Stay tuned to learn all you need to know about the difference between conventional wines and biodynamic wines.

Ep. 222 Strategies for Naturally Healing the Gut Microbiome with Dr. Vincent Pedre

Today, I have the honor of connecting with a friend and colleague, Dr. Vincent Pedre. Dr. Pedre is the Medical Director of Pedre Integrative Health and President of Dr. Pedre Wellness. He is also a board-certified internist and incorporates philosophy and the practice of both western and eastern medical traditions.

While growing up, Dr. Pedre often got sick. He remembers taking more than twenty rounds of antibiotics throughout his teenage years. Looking back now, as a gut health expert, he understands that antibiotics cause dysbiosis that leads to a leaky gut. As a result, his immune system stopped working properly, and he became reactive to certain foods.

Dr. Pedre and I speak about the gut microbiome, gut health, the power of manifestation, the role of the gut microbiome in the brain, the value of elimination diets, and why plateaus are not to be feared. We talk about the metabolism of certain neurotransmitters and the vagus nerve and discuss circadian biology, fermented foods versus fibrous foods, and the need for tapping into the parasympathetic for proper gut microbiome health and digestion. We also get into proactively supporting the gut microbiome and talk about Dr. Pedre’s book, Happy Gut.

I hope you enjoy today’s fascinating discussion with Dr. Pedre! I look forward to having him back once he has completed his next book.

Ep. 221 Part 1- An Integrative Approach to PCOS and Menstrual Irregularities with Dr. Felice Gersh

I have the honor of connecting with Dr. Felice Gersh today! Dr. Gersh is an incredible resource! She is a multi-award-winning physician with dual board certification in OB-GYN and Integrative Medicine. She is also a recognized expert on PCOS.

PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) is a syndrome of inflammation, imbalanced hormones, and insulin resistance. It is the most common female endocrine disorder and the leading cause of infertility in women.

This episode is the first part of a two-part series with Dr. Gersh.

We dive into PCOS, discuss its foundation, and explain how we are often genetically predisposed to it. We discuss the symptoms and how they can predispose us to autoimmunity and endometrial cancer. We speak about estrogen, the role it plays in PCOS, and how it systemically impacts the ovaries, pancreas, liver, and intestines. We talk about how PCOS modulates inflammation and how shift workers and women with PCOS tend to struggle with circadian rhythm disruption. We also discuss lifestyle changes, supplements, and medication we can use for PCOS.

Dr. Gersh will return to the podcast in the fall to speak about perimenopause and menopause.

I hope you enjoy listening to our discussion as much as I did recording it! Stay tuned for more!

Ep. 220 A Detailed Guide to Healthy Hormones with Dr. Lara Briden

I am excited to connect with Dr. Lara Briden today! She is one of my favorite naturopathic doctors and the author of the bestselling books Period Repair Manual and Hormone Repair Manual. She has 25 years of experience in women’s health, and she currently has consulting rooms in Christchurch, New Zealand, where she treats women with PCOS, PMS, endometriosis, perimenopause, and many other hormone- and period-related health problems.

Dr. Briden is a wealth of information! She brings a fresh perspective and a positive voice to the health and wellness space, and I often recommend her book, Hormone Repair Manual, to my clients and patients.

Today, she and I dive into her background as an evolutionary biologist and discuss how she became passionate about supporting women and advocating for them throughout their lifetime. We talk about perspectives on aging, what the second puberty (perimenopause) is, and the impact of histamine, mass-cell granulation, and estrogen. We discuss fat redistribution in middle age and the loss of insulin sensitivity. We speak about how using alcohol impacts brain health, sleep, the gut microbiome, appetite, cravings, and hinders estrogen metabolism. We also touch on ways to address dysfunctional uterine bleeding in middle age and explain how to advocate for your health, how middle age impacts the nervous system, and the role of inflammatory foods, including dairy.

I hope you enjoy our discussion as much as I did! Stay tuned for more!

Ep. 219 Breaking Down Calorie Restriction, Protein Intake and The Ketogenic Diet with Chris Irvin

I had the honor of reconnecting with Chris Irvin today! (He was with me once before, on Episode 175.)
Chris is a nutrition researcher, writer, and educator specializing in low-carb dieting for metabolic health and human performance. He is the author of Keto Answers, The Carnivore Diet for Beginners, and Mommy, Do I Have to Eat This? He is also the Chief Marketing Officer at BioCoach, a company dedicated to taking down prediabetes and diabetes.

Chris is an incredible resource on the value of keto and low-carb diets! His book, Keto Answers, is one of my favorite keto resources to recommend to clients! In this episode, Chris and I get into the differences between micro and macronutrients. We talk about the therapeutic uses of keto, low-carb, hormesis, and carnivore diets, the role of metabolic health, the value of protein, balancing longevity and sarcopenia, and the results of over-fasting, over-restricting, and creating too much stress on the body. We also dive into questions from listeners about the impact of low-carb and ketogenic diets on cholesterol panels and endurance, how to troubleshoot digestive distress, protein excess, and Chris’s favorite gadgets and supplements.

I hope you enjoy listening to this podcast as much as I did recording it! Stay tuned for more!

Ep. 218 Achieving Sustainable Metabolic Flexibility with Mark Sisson

Today I feel privileged to connect with the legendary Mark Sisson, the New York Times bestselling author of The Keto Reset Diet and bestselling book, The Primal Blueprint! Mark has been integral in turbo-charging the growth of the Primal Paleo movement. He is a prolific writer, blogger, and founder of Primal Kitchen and Primal Nutrition.

Our body’s ability to supply the cells with energy is critical to our lives. In all his work, which spans decades, Mark emphasizes the importance of metabolic health, which means that every cell in the body gets supplied with enough energy to function optimally. Metabolic flexibility is the body’s ability to extract energy from multiple sources, including fat stored in the body, and access energy from ketones to fuel the brain.

In this episode, Mark and I dive into metabolic health and flexibility, nutritional dogmatism, disordered eating and extremes, and the misguidedness of the “calories in, calories out” approach. We discuss food scarcity, intermittent fasting, impulse control, and mindset, and Mark also shares how he has managed to have a healthy, happy, and well-adjusted family despite his success.

I hope you enjoy our conversation and gain a lot from listening to it! Stay tuned for more!