Bonus Ep. 231 Organ Meats & The Illusion of Health with Chef James Barry

I’m delighted to connect and have a discussion with James Barry today! James is a private chef who has launched an amazing product called Pluck, an organ-based seasoning I have been using for the last several years. James is also co-author of the recipes in Dr. Alejandro Junger’s book Clean 7.

James has always enjoyed working with food! Recently, he realized that cooking is his way of expressing love! In this episode, we dive into his background and passion for cooking. We discuss dogma, the illusion of health, the psychology of food, farm subsidies, orthorexia, phobias, manifestation, and alignment. We get into food privilege, the lack of transparency in the processed food industry, the health benefits of eating organ meats, and hurdles to consuming organ meats. We also talk about how Pottenger’s Cats and indigenous cultures have influenced him and how Pluck can be a gateway to organ meat consumption.

I hope you will enjoy listening to today’s discussion with James Barry as much as I did recording it! Stay tuned for more!

Ep. 230 All the Things You Want to Ask Your Doctor About Vaginal and Pelvic Health, but Are Afraid to Ask

I’m delighted to have the honor of connecting with Dr. Betsy Greenleaf today! She’s a premier women’s health expert and bestselling author specializing in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery. She is the first female in the United States to have become board-certified in urogynecology.
In med school, Dr. Betsy started specializing in general surgery. She soon realized that there was no emotional connection with the patients, so she changed to OB-GYN.

In this episode, I ask her the questions that many listeners have asked me privately. Dr. Betsy talks about her background in surgery, and we dive into the vaginal and gut microbiome, urinary incontinence, risk factors, chronic urinary tract infections, interstitial cystitis, uterine prolapse, vulvovaginal conditions, and various changes that occur in perimenopause and menopause. We also discuss the impact of the Women’s Health Initiative and therapies in addressing all of these issues.

I hope you will enjoy this conversation! Stay tuned for more!

Ep. 229 Ways to Reduce Anxiety and Better Understand your Brain and Body

I had the honor of connecting with Dr. Ellen Vora today. She is a board-certified psychiatrist, acupuncturist, and yoga teacher. She is also the author of the best-selling book The Anatomy of Anxiety, which is one of my go-to resources on mental health.

Dr. Vora takes a functional medicine approach to mental health, considering the whole person and addressing the imbalance at the root.

In this episode, Dr. Vora and I dive into some ongoing real-world issues from the perspective of a mental health provider. We talk about some of the limits of traditional modalities, the impact of the pandemic, and the ensuing collective trauma. We discuss the root causes of substance abuse, promiscuity, alcohol, the avoidance of uncomfortable feelings, and resiliency. We discuss the physiology of the brain and gut and how they pertain to food addictions. We speak about gender differences with an emphasis on the impact of synthetic oral contraceptives on inflammation, micronutrient depletion, changes in the gut microbiome, and libido. We also talk about changes that occur in the body during perimenopause and menopause.

I loved having this discussion with Dr. Vora! You can follow her on social media and check out her book, The Anatomy of Anxiety!

Stay tuned for more!

Ep. 228 Longevity, Fitness & Metabolic Flexibility with Brad Kearns

I am delighted to connect with Brad Kearns today! Brad is a New York Times bestselling author, Guinness World Record setting professional Speedgolfer, #1 ranked USA high jumper, and a former US national champion and triathlete. He hosts the B.rad podcast covering healthy living, peak performance, and personal growth.

Brad has always had high standards and a competitive edge that he never wants to let go of, especially as he ages. In this episode, we define fitness and dive into the cultural programming within the western medicine mindset. We talk about avoiding overtraining or training when we are stressed or sick, stress hormones, and the importance of having an ancestral health perspective on your physical activity. We also spoke about nutritional dogma, nutritional philosophies, critical thinking, and more.

I hope you enjoy listening to today’s conversation with Brad Kearns as much as I did recording it! Stay tuned to learn how to pursue peak performance with passion throughout your life!

Ep. 227 The Upgrade: A Unique Perspective on Perimenopause and Menopause with Dr. Louann Brizendine

I was happy to connect with Dr. Louann Brizendine today! She is the founder of the Women’s Mood and Hormone Clinic at UCSF. She completed her degree in Neurobiology at UC Berkeley, graduated from Yale School of Medicine, and did her internship and residency at Harvard Medical School. She also served on both the faculties of Harvard University and the University of California at San Francisco. Dr. Brizendine founded the Women’s Mood and Hormone Clinic at UCSF. Her New York Times bestseller, The Female Brain, and its follow-up, The Male Brain, continue to be read around the world.

Today, we dive deeply into her new book, The Upgrade: How the Female Brain Gets Stronger and Better in Midlife and Beyond, which was released in April 2022.

Ep. 226 The Ultimate Superfoods: Spirulina and Algae with Catharine Arnston

Today, I am honored to connect with Catharine Arnston, the Founder, CEO, and Chief Scientific Officer of ENERGYbits.
I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet Catharine in person this past July at KetoCon in Austin. Much of her work focuses on optimizing mitochondrial function and recognizing that mitochondria are pivotal to our metabolism, longevity, brain and gut health, sleep, digestion, and almost everything else.
In our conversation, we dive into what got Catharine passionate about algae. We speak about her transition from a corporate economic development role into a budding entrepreneur, the distinctions between micro and macroalgae, and the more than 100,000 studies that have been done- especially in Asia, that show algae are of the most alkaline and nutrient-dense foods available. We differentiate between spirulina and chlorella and explain their roles in our mitochondrial health. We also discuss how our stressful lifestyles impact our cellular health and talk about autophagy, red light therapy, immune function, and more.
I hope you enjoy today’s eye-opening discussion about the value of consuming microalgae daily. Stay tuned to find out what microalgae are and what they do to keep you healthy!

Bonus Ep. 225 Gut Health and Autoimmunity with Margaret Floyd Barry

I am delighted to have Margaret Floyd Barry joining me today! Margaret is a highly sought-after expert clinician, author, and educator in the field of functional nutrition.

It is in our listeners’ best interest to learn more about gut health and the gut microbiome because middle-aged women often develop health issues without realizing that they are related to their gut not being as healthy as before.
Margaret became interested in understanding the connection between food and health because she witnessed her mother suffering from Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. In this episode, we dive into her mother’s medical miracle, how our modern-day lifestyles impact our gut health, and the physical effects of inflammatory foods. We share some strategies for elimination diets and explain why gluten and dairy are
particularly unhealthy for the digestive system. We also get into common dietary misconceptions, testing for gut health, five areas for gut healing, strategies for eliminating seed oil, the benefits of grass-fed meat, and reducing exposure to toxins.

I hope you will gain from this podcast and enjoy listening to it as much as I did recording it. Stay tuned to find out all you need to know about overcoming autoimmune issues and maintaining optimum gut health!

Ep. 224 The Fascinating Connection Between Melatonin, Inflammation, Infections and Mitochondrial Health with Dr. John Lieurance

Today, I’m happy to welcome Dr. John Lieurance as my guest! Dr. Lieurance is a doctor of chiropractic and naturopathic medicine and the author of Melatonin: Miracle Molecule (Melatoninbook.com).

Melatonin is a very misunderstood hormone that is astonishingly impactful. It has profound, significant, and far-reaching effects that go all the way to the cellular level. Most of us are shocked to hear the story of the connection between melatonin, inflammation, infections, and mitochondrial health and discover that much of what we do in our modern-day lives harms our melatonin production.

In this episode, Dr. Lieurance and I dive into the role of melatonin plays in stress protection, anti-aging, and brain function. We talk about hormesis, discuss what depletes melatonin, and explain why those who are sympathetic dominant in our modern-day lifestyles need to be highly attuned to this crucial hormone. We get into the role of sleep, the role of deep sleep in brain health, autophagy, and autoimmunity.

We touch on the gut microbiome and explain why specific populations, including shift workers, should be concerned about supporting melatonin secretion. We also discuss the role of SandMan and other products Dr. Lieurance created, including Fast Track Fast, which contains Nad, Methylene Blue, and other senolytic products.

I hope you will enjoy this conversation and find it as valuable as I did! Stay tuned for more!

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.