Alter Life

DISCLAIMER: We are NOT experts when it comes to gardening, farming, or soil science. BUT, we do know and appreciate the benefits of growing your own food, and we are sharing that with you in this episode today! I know a lot of people have been thinking and talking about growing more of their own food lately, especially since the current state of the environment, as well as the food shortages that...

Dr. Walls is a dermatologist local to the Roaring Fork Valley in Colorado and has a uniquely holistic approach to her practice with a strong focus on diet and lifestyle. In this conversation we discuss the most common skin conditions that most people deal with at some point in their lives; acne, eczema, and skin cancer. Like any good holistic health practitioner, Dr. Brooke shares what is really g...

So there's a viral pandemic... now what!? This week, we stay tuned in with current events to give you our grounded and evidence based take on ways to naturally support optimal immunity through diet, lifestyle, and nutritional supplementation. While we cover A LOT of tips in this conversation, it is important that supplementation with herbs and nutrients is a personalized process and should be...

Chana Studley and I connected relatively recently via social media. She and I are both in the 3 Principles community with passions in holistic health and the mind body connection. Chana has a fascinating story, which is to some degree recounted fictionally in her book, The Myth of Low Self-Esteem. In this conversation we discuss her past traumatic experiences and how she has largely transcended th...

Anger, resentment, and all other human emotions, regardless of how disgusting and intolerable they feel, are completely and utterly normal. In this conversation, we don't talk about being completely free from these emotional experiences - that would of course be impossible! We discuss moving beyond and through anger and resentment with grace by understanding where these emotions come from. So...

A little over a year ago, these Australian dudes sent me a message on Instagram. They were about to go on a fasting journey together, that they intended to document and share with the world. I was excited to connect with Saxon and Sinclair in this conversation and learn about their experiences with prolonged fasting and other detoxification practices. Some highlights include...  The spark of inspi...

There are LOTS of people out there who want to LOOSE weight fueling the growth of the $70 billion weight loss industry. Some also want to GAIN weight, and healthfully. Especially athletes, those recovering from eating disorders, or those struggling with digestive issues. In this conversation we talk about the important things to focus on to gain weight healthfully without sacrificing health or ath...

"There are no problems..." Dr. Amy Johnson's approach to change probably flies in the face of everything you've been told about habits and change. No will power. No problems. No forcing. Just understanding. At Alter Health we also support people in changing in this way as well, based on the understanding of the 3 Principles of Mind, Consciousness, and Thought. It was wonderful...

There are many nutrition nuances, and food combining is certainly one of them, that matters a lot! In this conversation we talk about the foods to optimize digestion and metabolism, and more importantly how to eat them/what to eat them with. Spoiler alert: steak and potatoes are not a healthy combination, but tune in to find out exactly why! Some important takeaways include... The difference betwe...

I've always truly appreciated the fine work being done at Mastering Diabetes and was introduced to it through Robby Barbaro back at Episode #68. in this conversation, we dig a little deeper to truly get to the bottom of some hard questions and confusion that so many people still struggle to wrap their minds around when it comes to diabetes, insulin resistance, and controlling blood sugar opti...

We've done all these episodes without digging directly into inflammation which is definitely at the "root" of so many (/every!) health condition. BUT, what is at the root of inflammation...??? In this conversation we get to the bottom of the main things that contribute to inflammation in the body, which, by the way, is not a deficiency of advil, turmeric, steroid creams, or fish oil...

Glen John Jones is a solid guy with a pure message.   He wrote a book about adopting a plant based vegan lifestyle for health and physical performance. In this episode we dive into his journey as a plant-based personal trainer.   Some highlights include...  The 5 stages of adopting a vegan diet How eating plant based has supported Glen John's physical performance Glen John's process of c...

Digestion issues are SO prevalent in our world today, and lie at the root of so many chronic health complaints from fatigue, to joint pain, to thyroid issues, skin health, autoimmunity, and more.   There are 2 major reasons for digestive issues: The food we eat Stress   Most people struggle with some combination of these two, and neither one of us have yet to meet someone with digestive complaints...

I've read many of Dr. Katz articles and books over the years, and have always been inspired by his ability to articulate the hard facts in such a clear, yet engaging way. In fact, years ago he really was instrumental in fueling my own interest and enthusiasm that moved me in the direction of holistic lifestyle medicine. In this conversation, we traverse topics in nutritional science, and most...

ANXIETY! An epidemic. We hear so many share their experience of increasing levels of anxiety throughout life. Health, money, relationships, work, politics, climate change... all these things can lead us to think anxious thoughts! And then, due to the brilliantly wired biofeedback system of the bodymind, we feel and experience this in our emotional and/or physiologic state. In this conversation we...

Soon after moving to Carbondale, I learned of the local organization, Bridging Bionics, which served the community through state of the art physical therapy made accessible from those who have limited mobility due to neurological conditions or paralysis. In this conversation I connect with the inspirational woman behind Bridging Bionics, Amanda Boxtel. We hear about her life changing skiing accide...

SO many people struggle with sugar cravings in our world today, which is quite ironic as more and more people adopt a low carbohydrate (low sugar) diet. The truth is that SUGAR from real whole natural food sources is completely health promoting in the context of a whole food plant based diet. In this conversation we tweeze apart some nuances having to do with various sweeteners out there and give...

I googled "plant based athlete roaring fork valley" and found TJ... and I sure am glad that I did! TJ is not your typical extreme outdoorsman. He is mindful, grounded, soulful, creative, restorative... and plant powered! OK - so, I might be making some generalizations about mountain athletes, but he's a super cool guy and we had a great conversation. Some highlights include...  How...

This is a big topic that we just recently scratched the surface of in the WFPB Challenge currently happening in the Plant Based & Stress Free FB group (we've got another one happening around the corner at the end of February, if you'd like to join the fun!) I know a lot of people struggle with this, so hopefully our unique perspective sheds some light and brings some insight to your...

Susanna and I met Rita the week we moved to Carbondale. It's a small town, and was only a matter of time before our paths crossed, but I believe fate expedited the process! Rita is the founder of Davi Nikent Center for Human Flourishing, a non-profit dedicated to promoting health and wellbeing for individuals, families, and the community. Rita is like the "quarter back" of all the h...

Weight release typically isn't the sole focus for the patients and clients that we work with. That being said, pretty much everyone that we do work with starts effortlessly moving towards their ideal weight! In this conversation we start off by busting current popular philosophy when it comes to weight loss and provide an alternative health-based perspective. Hopefully with these tips, you&ap...

Next on the locals series is fellow Carbondalian, also relatively new to the Roaring Fork Valley, Arthur Franklin. Arthur's brilliance is grounded in such a peaceful and compassionate presence, and I am thrilled to call him a new friend.   In this conversation we cover a lot of ground, much of which is completely new to me, though topics I've always been curious about.   In this conversa...

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or seasonal depression is a diagnostic label that effects many in the world.   In this episode we cover what you need to know about this condition including some potential root causes as well as our top tricks for staying healthy and cheery in the winter time, regardless of where in the world you live!   We both have our own experience with seasonal blues and have...

WE are the guests on the podcast this week! We are still in the "locals series" of the Alter Your Health podcast and Dr. Susanna and I are indeed locals now, being in Carbondale for a bout 10 months at the time of this recording. This was a great opportunity to take some time and reflect on 2019 as we both share some of the biggest learning experiences and insights over the year that hav...

We did our best to tackle a very big topic that we feel passionate about - self-work, resolutions, and behavioral change. A lot of us have a loud inner-dialogue filled with many "should's" pertaining to our habits, lifestyle, and need/desire for change, especially as we move into a new year/decade! In this episode we speak to the place of inner peace and wisdom where all health and...