Eat for Life

If I were to pick the top two master nutrients for optimum health, they would be iodine and zinc. I've talked extensively about the importance of zinc, particularly in mental health, for several years. In this episode, I talk about iodine with Dr. David Brownstein , a world leader in holistic medicine. We tend to associate iodine with thyroid health, but it’s so much more than that. Dr. Brown...

We have been told many times over that exposing your skin to the sun is a big no-no, and sunscreens are the way to go. But in reality, there are tons of sunscreen dangers that we may be ignoring, slowly and painfully killing our bodies – and the entire environment. Samantha Gilbert talks with Dr. Elizabeth Plourde to discuss the life-threatening effects of sunscreen chemicals. She dives deep into...

Pregnancy is one of the most magical moments in a woman's life. It feels powerful to know that you are creating another human inside of you. It is a very exciting and enjoyable time that may also bring fears and uncertainties to both mother and baby. A woman's body is forever altered by pregnancy. Without proper nutrients, it can be weakened by the physical and psychological changes in p...

Are amalgam fillings really safe? Do antibacterial mouthwash and fluoride-based toothpaste live up to their claims? What about Waterpiks and flossing up into the gumline? Is it possible that these conventional approaches to oral health create more problems? The relationship between your gut and oral microbiome is profound, so it stands to reason that it’s important to investigate the role poor die...

According to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, an estimated 27 million Americans have thyroid disease, and more than half of those individuals are undiagnosed and unaware that they have a thyroid condition. However, it’s important to understand that if more comprehensive thyroid testing was used by doctors and functional reference ranges were used to interpret that testing ins...

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is the most common cause of hypothyroidism. In 2014, it was estimated that 14 million people in the US alone were impacted by this disorder. And women are seven times more likely than men to have Hashimoto’s. When left untreated can create a cascade of debilitating symptoms, which is why today's conversation with pharmacist Donna Mazola is so important. We talk about t...

Many people are confused about how to balance hormones and are overwhelmed by all the misinformation about bioidentical hormone therapy for both men and women. It’s easy to be confused because the symptoms of an excess hormone can also mimic symptoms of deficiency. Plus many people are unaware of the role diet and your gut microbiome play in regulating hormones and how nutrient deficiencies and ov...

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in women.  And all too often, women are told that hormonal birth control is the best treatment option. Today, I invited Dr. Felice Gersh back to the show to discuss PCOS and why the pill is not the answer, the different types of PCOS, and the role diet and the gut microbiome play in treating this disorder. Dr. Felice Gersh is b...

Have you ever watched a vegan documentary and been so sickened and repulsed that you decided then and there to go vegan? I know I have. And I was vegan for many years until my health fell apart. While it’s evident that factory farming isn’t the answer, the politically-charged vegan agenda isn’t either. As I shared in Episode 50 , I’m deeply committed to asking big questions about food sustainabili...

In celebration of Eat for Life’s 50th episode, I’m exploring food. What role does your relationship with food play in your life? Do you see it as good, bad, or neutral? Do you eat to live or live to eat? Is food merely a means to an end or could it have a deeper significance than what the mainstream narrative tells us? And what really is food, anyway? How have we gotten so far away from the most b...

If you’re struggling with constant brain fog and fatigue despite lifestyle and dietary changes, biotoxin illness due to mold exposure may be to blame. Mycotoxins are dangerous byproducts of some molds and can be stored in your body’s fatty tissues. It’s something I commonly see in women with breast implants and autoimmune disease. Today, Dr. Lauren Tessier joins me for a very important conversatio...

If you’re a parent with an extreme picky eater, meals can be an incredibly frustrating experience. Which is why today, I’m talking with Jenny Friedman about picky eating, food aversions, and how parents can better understand and navigate supporting their picky eaters and take some of the stress out of mealtimes. Jenny Friedman, MS, RD , is a registered dietitian who specializes in pediatric extrem...

Our world is filled with dis- mis- and mal- information. I am amazed at how many articles and papers have diametrically opposed views about copper and zinc. So no wonder people are confused about the role these important nutrients play in human health.  To be clear copper isn't bad and zinc isn't bad. Ideally, we want them in healthy, functional ranges. But myriad factors, including gene...

Kidney stones are a commonly known side effect of oxalate toxicity, but many people are unaware of the other serious symptoms oxalates can create. Over-consumption of oxalates can lead to joint pain, gastrointestinal issues, genital and rectal pain, and other health issues. Oxalate toxicity was uncovered over 100 years ago, yet few doctors are aware of the impact oxalates can have on human health,...

There is so much misinformation out there about hormones and women’s health, especially estrogen. So I’m excited to share my in-depth conversation with Dr. Felice Gersh about women’s hormones and the different phases of perimenopause and menopause. We discuss the flawed study that generated so much fear and misinformation about estrogen and cancer, the difference between synthetic and bioidentical...

Today I’ve brought back Steven Wright of the Healthy Gut Company to talk about the tremendous impact short-chain fatty acids have on the gut microbiome. Short-chain fatty acids are produced when the good bacteria in your gut break down certain dietary fibers, which is why dietary and supplemental fiber sources are so important for optimal health. Both clinical application and peer-reviewed researc...

If you feel like you’ve tried everything you can to heal your gut from very low carb or low FODMAP diets to pre and probiotic therapies, and you are still struggling with digestive problems, this episode was made for you. For years, Steven Wright struggled with a wide variety of severe digestive problems, which led him to create the SCD Lifestyle, and now the Healthy Gut Company . In today's...

2021 was quite the year, but we made it to 2022! To kick off the new year, my producer, Sean McMullin is flipping the script and interviewing me. Today I’m sharing my personal journey to better health and wellbeing after surviving trauma and physical and mental health challenges. From overworked, overstressed and struggling to keep my head above water, I’m telling the story of the wrong turns and...

For December, I’m sharing a couple of my favorite episodes while we take a little break to spend time with friends and family. I hope you are also able to make room for the things you love this season, you so deserve it after the year we've had. My second favorite episode for this month is my conversation with Kiran Krishnan about the gut microbiome. I love this episode because of Kiran’s abi...

For December, I’m sharing a couple of my favorite episodes while we take a little break to spend time with friends and family. I hope you are also able to make room for the things you love this season, you so deserve it after the year we've had. The first one is a powerful conversation with Dr. Albert Mensah about how flawed the MTHFR (the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene) testing app...

We talk a lot about toxins and you may think you’ve heard it all before, but hear me out! We are exposed to environmental toxins every single day, by doing normal, everyday activities like eating, showering, using beauty products, and cleaning. Many exposures are unavoidable, but there are many that you can address, especially when it comes to products that come into your home. You might think tha...

In part two of our discussion, Danielle Valoras returns to dig into the science behind breast implants, why they cause some women to develop symptoms of Breast Implant Illness, and what we can do to hold the FDA, manufacturers, and surgeons accountable. Despite increasing evidence that breast implants can and do cause complications and immune responses for many women, too many providers still dism...

If you have breast implants and are experiencing symptoms, please hear me. You are not crazy. It's not all in your head and yes, you can do something about it. If your medical provider isn’t hearing you or is dismissing you, then I encourage you to find someone else who will truly listen to your concerns and provide a compassionate approach to healing. I'm passionate about this topic bec...

To this day, I get asked if gluten is problematic. And I often get pushback from people who tell me that they have no reactivity to it and that their doctor or nutritionist doesn’t think it’s problematic. But when they work with me and we dig deeper into their medical and family history, I see a wide variety of symptoms related to the gluten in their diets. To make matters worse, gluten is often f...

Half of the American diet is composed of highly processed wheat and gluten-based food products, making it a major contributor to diseases that impact the brain and body. Gluten impacts not only mental health, but is connected to the staggering and continual rise in autoimmune diseases, especially pain syndromes and gut inflammation. But if going gluten-free is the answer, why do autoimmune disease...