Once Upon A Food Story

Have you ever felt daunted by parenting in this pressure-laden time? Knowing how to support our kids' mental health and academic journey as they navigate life in today's competitive world is no simple feat, especially during their adolescent years.  Often the hardest part is striking a balance between care and concern without micromanaging or helicopter parenting. Sometimes that means allowing our...

There is no one size fits all for health. Luckily, we now realize the personalization of wellness and how many factors such as sleep, exercise, mindset, spirituality, and general lifestyle patterns affect your overall well-being. As the Institute for Integrative Nutrition's (IIN) business and community leader and head coach, Jim Curtis has his finger on the pulse of exactly what's happening in wel...

Even if you don't think you're a writer, you're a writer. Being a writer doesn't mean you have to be a famous author; you don't even have to ever publish a book. Being a writer is all about connecting with yourself on a deeper level, expressing yourself openly, and really tapping into writing's power to heal.  Linda Sivertsen, also known as "Book Mama", is an author, podcaster, and self-proclaimed...

If you're looking to actively strengthen your immune system, your gut health plays a pivotal role!  Board-certified gastroenterologist, bestselling author, microbiome expert, and the gut health queen, Dr. Robynne Chutkan, shares the dramatic link between the health of our microbiome – the trillions of bacteria that live in our digestive tract – and the likelihood of getting viruses and disease. Al...

If you've ever wanted to change your body or felt uncomfortable in your own skin, you're not alone. Research shows that about 95% of women are dissatisfied with their bodies. Usually this body dissatisfaction shows up in the way we speak to ourselves with harmful conversations in our own minds. Even though we live in a world that tells us that we aren't "good enough" or need to eat and exercise a...

It's the 100th episode! To celebrate, I'm sharing my five biggest takeaways from past episodes. I narrowed it down, but I could've given you hundreds of life-changing lessons from all these incredible conversations. I started Once Upon a Food Story with the idea that if I could share other people's food stories, then I could help you tap into your own. Even though there is a lot of guilt and shame...

Women around the world often think about menopause with a sense of dread and shame. But did you know that your nutrition, fitness routine, and approach to mental health actually has a big impact on reducing menopausal symptoms? Amanda Thebe, Canada's leading menopause coach and educator and author of " Menopocalypse: How I Learned to Thrive During Menopause and How You Can Too !" believes that sup...

Have you ever thought about how the word "should" is running your life? Like, I should work harder. I should be thinner. I should go workout. I should be more motivated. I should . . . fill in the blank. Tricia Huffman, aka Your Joyologist and author of F the Shoulds. Do the Wants: Get Clear On Who You Are, What You Want, and Why You Want It, believes that this one word holds us back, steals our j...

Have you ever thought about how what you eat can impact your sexual health? We don't often think about how our diet affects us in this way or even how other lifestyle factors can strengthen (or weaken) our sex life! Lisa Davis, a lively media personality with over 25 years in radio and television and the author of " Clean Eating, Dirty Sex: Sensual Superfoods and Aphrodisiac Practices for Ultimate...

We are constantly being bombarded with messages about food, fashion, and beauty that make us feel "not enough" – not healthy enough, thin enough, pretty enough, youthful enough, put-together enough. While it is impossible to avoid all the noise, we can control how we respond to it. Lauren Dimet Waters, co-founder of the blog Fountain of 30 and host of the podcast Beauty is a Bitch, has been throug...

There is so much confusion around nutrition as adults and when it comes to feeding our kids, it can be even more anxiety-provoking!  We worry about nutrients, growth and development, if our kids are eating too much of this… or not enough of that. For many families, mealtime can be stressful. But it doesn't have to be that way! You can bring joy back to the family table and teach your children what...

Did you know that a regular walking practice can improve your mood, lower stress levels, reduce your risk of several types of cancer, enhance cognitive function, combat depression, and add years to your life?    Joyce Shulman, founder of 99 Walks and Jetti Fitness, is on a mission to get a million women walking and reaping all these benefits. But instead of just going on a 'walk,' Joyce encourages...

There is no denying that stress is a part of everyday life. But sometimes we don't even realize that certain activities, habits, and thoughts are stressors that can impact our health and happiness. Dr. Doni Wilson, a naturopathic doctor and best-selling author, has helped thousands of people manage stress and thrive naturally. But Dr. Doni's definition of stress includes so much more than what we...

Have you ever wondered how the food choices you make every day impact your hormones, your happiness, and the health of our planet?  Brittany Fuisz, culinary chef and founder of Malibu Mylk, believes it's all connected! While trying to get pregnant, Brittany was struggling to conceive and visited a fertility doctor who recommended an elimination diet. When she cut out dairy, nuts, gluten and soy, s...

Does your upcoming birthday bring you dread? Do you have limiting beliefs about what you can accomplish now that you're a certain age? With all the messages we receive from our youth-obsessed culture, it's no wonder so many of us have a hard time embracing getting older.  Katie Fogarty, a former journalist turned career coach and podcast host, is on a mission to put an age-positive spin on midlife...

We talk so openly about our physical health, so why does talking about mental health feel taboo? Mental health advocates, Allison Walsh and Dr. Angela Phillips, want to shatter the stigma around mental health issues and have more collective conversations about mental wellness. As co-hosts of the Dear Mind, You Matter podcast, they're on a mission to share mental health tools that empower as many p...

When it comes to dramatically improving health, reducing stress, and impacting quality of life, sleep is a superfood! And it may seem like a no brainer, but EVERYTHING improves when you're well-rested. Yet, most of us aren't getting enough zzzs. Elizabeth Grojean, founder of the wellness brand, Baloo Living, believes sleep is not just a way to make a difference in your physical health but in your...

There is no denying that our collective anxiety is at an all-time high, affecting 40 million Americans… and rising. Yet, culturally we have been taught to suppress it. Acclaimed psychiatrist and author of The Anatomy of Anxiety , Dr. Ellen Vora, believes our anxiety can offer critical guidance about something in our bodies and/or our lives that needs our attention.  While we often think of anxiety...

Let's be honest, we're living in stressful times. And for many of us, the way we eat and live has been turned upside down. Does your relationship with food need some TLC? Maybe your food story could use some revisions? Imagine a new chapter where all that energy you put into worrying about food was available for your life. It can be, and according to Marc David, bestselling author and founder of t...

For many, the mother-daughter relationship can be complicated. Throw food and body image into the mix, and there are bound to be challenges. But our mothers play such an integral part in our food stories. They're the first ones to feed us. We bond with them over food, and we inherit some of their patterns, tastes, and eating issues. Then we may pass this all on to our daughters… Peggy and Megan Cu...

Does "taking climate action" feel daunting to you? You might think of environmental issues as outside your control and wonder how you could possibly make a difference. According to environmentalist and founder of OneGreenThing, Heather White, you can… and we each have a unique role to play! Heather believes by adopting a daily practice of sustainability, all of our individual efforts add up to cre...

What is hunger? Sure, there is physical hunger. But hunger is also spiritual, emotional, and psychological. Sometimes our desire for food is actually a deeper hunger that seeks to be understood. Surprisingly, even though we have different circumstances and backgrounds, there are some universal hungers that we all long for. Dr. Adrienne Youdim, a n internist who specializes in medical weight loss a...

With the busyness of our day-to-day lives, it can be challenging to create daily rituals that make us feel grounded and centered. But what if practices like meditation, mindfulness, and breathwork actually felt accessible (even exciting) and easy to integrate, too? Globally recognized thought leader, yoga and meditation teacher, author, and SheEO, Faith Hunter believes that we all can use these to...

Have you ever thought about making a face mask using pantry staples such as matcha, oats, real fruit, and other ingredients from your kitchen?  By now, you might be aware of some of the harmful ingredients that could be lurking in your products. And while that information is useful on what to avoid, it doesn't lead to an explanation of what to include.  Graydon Moffat, founder and superfood mixolo...

A huge part of our food stories is shaped at a very young age. The words we hear and the language used around food and bodies stick with us well beyond childhood. As parents, we need to be aware of how we speak to our children about their choices, their behaviors, and their mindset with food. (No pressure!) But this can also feel like one more thing to worry about getting right when you already fe...