The Food Factor Podcast

As a parent, feeding your kids can be a struggle, but have you thought about it from THEIR perspective? I recently had the opportunity to eat lunch with a group of 1st graders and I learned a LOT about what kind of foods they are given in their lunch box. I asked a couple of them more about their lunches and I was surprised to learn that they actually WANTED to have veggies in there (but didn't)....

 "I'm so tired."  "I need a nap."  "I don't feel like doing anything." If you wake up and already feel like you need a nap, you may be suffering from fatigue. Whether it's easily explained like you didn't get a good night's sleep one night, or it's more of a chronic problem, feeling tired is not fun! Have you ever thought if how you were eating could help? As it turns out, ther...

"Kids can not focus when their body is inflamed and their blood sugar is on a rollercoaster." There's no secret that nutrition is important, especially when it comes to our kids. Why, though, have our priorities shifted when it comes to fueling our kids properly? We tend to start the blame game and punish the kids for "not behaving" or getting bad grades, but is it really their fault? The food in...

This title may be triggering for you. I'm personally a positive person and like to believe that we are all perfect beings in our own way and nobody should tell us anything negative. As I discuss in this episode, this title is not meant to bring shame. In fact, it can be eye opening what reading that title brings up for you. It may help shine a light on areas you need additional support in healing....

Fibromyalgia has previously been a heavily debated condition and one that brings a great deal of frustration to those who suffer from the symptoms. You or someone you know may have been told that the pain and discomfort you are feeling is "all in your head" but this condition is very real. The latest research shows there can be a number of risk factors and contributing conditions including: a...

Have you thought about the ripple effect when it comes to your nutrition? How one little change can ripple out into major impact on not only your health but also those around you? Many times when we set goals or intentions around eating a certain way, we only focus on what we are missing out on or giving up. A huge part of setting lasting goals and making lifelong habits is paying attention to the...

We've probably all heard at one point that "stress kills" or were given the advice to "lower your stress", but what if that wasn't the true killer? What if there was something else that actually determined if stress is harmful to you or not. What if THAT was the thing you focused on and not trying to "lower your stress"? There are a number of ways that stress can harm your health. Everything from...

What phase of life are you in currently and how does that reflect your nutrition goals? The way you eat NOW may not match with how your body NEEDS you to eat. Is it possible that the reason you feel "stuck" or that you aren't achieving your health goals could be that you are eating in a way that was helpful for you previously, but not as helpful to you now?   In this episode we talk about: -&...

Did you know that close to half the time, we are on autopilot? Have you ever had a situation where you reach for a trashcan that's been moved or walked into a room and forgotten why you did? That's a form of autopilot and we make a scary number of decisions daily without truly thinking about them. When it comes to your nutrition, how much of your food choices (type, timing, quantity) are mindlessl...

Many people crave sugar. We even started labeling ourselves as "sugar addicts" or having a "sweet tooth".  It's no secret that sugar in excess can lead to chronic conditions such as diabetes, insulin resistance, arthritis, tooth decay, high blood pressure, weight gain, kidney issues, and more. Some people report their sugar cravings as almost impossible to ignore, while others can pinpoi...

Major depressive disorder affects 1 in 5 people in their lifetime worldwide. Many people don't know that your mood and mood disorders are inflammatory conditions and can be linked to your gut! Can we prevent chronic inflammation and thus, inflammatory conditions? What can we all do to help prevent or manage depressive symptoms when it comes to our food and lifestyle? What does sugar have to do wit...

You've likely set goals before. Maybe you do this regularly. Maybe you've sworn off goal setting after years of not achieving them. Wherever you stand when it comes to this, you may not be setting up your goals correctly. I for one believe that SMART goals are NOT the best way to goal set, despite being the most common form. It misses the boat right off the bat and tends to keep people surface lev...

You've seen them. At this point in the year, it's impossible not to. The ads for weight loss shakes, powders, and potions that try to convince you that you need to eat this or drink that and you'll lose weight. Will they actually work? Surely with new technology these will work, right? Let's look at one of the popular weight loss powders on the market and discuss the ingredients and what that may...

You probably know that fitness is "good" for you. It strengthens your heart, lungs, and muscles. It helps reduce stress. It helps build confidence. It changes body composition.  It's easy to look at someone who is in "good shape" and assume they workout in extreme ways. What if that wasn't the case? What if you didn't need to do hours and hours of cardio to get the results you are looking for...

So often people think they need to live up to their labels. "Picky eater". "Sugar addict". "Big appetite". "Eats like a bird". All of these are simply labels that someone else gave to you and at some point you kind of take this on as your food identity. I have seen it over and over that adults are still holding onto their food identities from long ago even though that's not how they want to eat no...

High protein. Low carb. Low fat. High fat. Keto. Paleo. Intermittent Fasting. Eating 5 mini meals per day. Eating 3 square meals per day. With so many options in how we eat, which way is the best for you? There is a lot of research on food frequency and in this episode I break it all down so that you understand what's right for you. Have you been going about things all wrong? In this episode we ta...

"1 mini snickers bar is an hour on the treadmill", "you ate birthday cake so you better get to the gym tomorrow." These statements are often found on social media and promoted by people in the diet industry. Is it true? Do you have to burn off everything you eat? Notice that they don't say that about apples or cucumbers, right? 🤔 It's only the "bad" foods that are then used to guilt/shame you int...

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is most likely something you have heard of before. If you look at food labels, you DEFINETELY have seen it listed in ingredients. It's found in many commonly eaten foods and beverages. In fact, HFCS represents around 40% of sweeteners consumed in the U.S. So with something so prevalent we must ask, what is it doing to our health?   In this episode we talk about...

It's not hard to find the phrase "natural flavor" on ingredients labels. In fact, it's the 4th most listed ingredient in the U.S! So what does it mean, and is it really a healthier alternative? In this special series, I'm diving deeper into what actually is IN our foods so you can make the educated choice on if it's something you want you and your family to eat. This week the focus is on the phras...

How does a clinical nutritionist eat? What does she feed her family? What kind of workouts does she do? Well let me tell you! I get asked all the time what a typical day looks like with my nutrition. People are often shocked that I don't do more "nutritionist" things when it comes to my diet. I think they assume that I'm eating rare herbs or juicing things daily. Not at all! Being "healthy" looks...

We've all said it, thought it, or heard it said by someone. The 'ole "I know what to do, I just need to do it." I hear this so often. Knowing what to do it not the issue. It's not a lack of information that's keeping us from achieving our goals. We live in the age of Google and cell phones. At anytime, we can search for and receive an answer to any question we have. The application of what we "kno...

No. The reason you jump from diet to diet and don't see lasting results is not what you THINK I'm going to say. Yes, I believe that diets are designed to fail. Yes, I believe that restricting anything (foods, calories, carbs, etc) leads to nothing but guilt, shame, and self-loathing. But the reason you feel the need to jump from diet to diet without seeing the results you hope for has little to do...

How many diets have you been on in your life? If you're like most people, it's probably a LOT! Maybe too many to count. Where has this gotten you? Maybe some initial weight loss that wasn't sustainable. Maybe it's gotten you absolutely nowhere. You likely didn't dream as a child about being a chronic dieter but here you are now as an adult with very little to show for years of dieting.  You a...

Do you "inhale" your food? Have you felt guilt or embarrassment when eating because you are always the first one finished? Have you tried to slow down your eating previously but weren't successful? If you think slowing down your eating is something you need to improve on, this episode is for you! There are many health benefits to eating at a slower pace, but how do you do it? How can you make it s...

Let's talk some 💩 for a second. We need to get comfortable having conversations around poop. When it comes to your bowel habits, most people aren't doing the BASICS. You may "know" what to do. You may "understand" the general process of digestion. But if you are having issues pooping, you need to take action ASAP! Being in a healthy routine when it comes to pooping is one of the BEST things you c...