The Habit Healers

In this episode, I’m asking a question that sounds a little wild until you start looking at the evidence: are animals the most powerful medicine we have? And I’m not talking about magic—I’m talking about biology, behavior, and the quiet ways other species seem to “read” us better than we read ourselves. I start with Oscar, the hospice cat who stunned a nursing home staff by repeatedly curling up b...

In this episode of the Habit Healers podcast, Dr. Laurie welcomes Dr. Jud Brewer to discuss his Substack article, "The Generosity Paradox." Dr. Brewer explores the complexities of generosity, emphasizing that it is not as straightforward as many believe. He delves into the emotional aspects tied to giving, such as guilt and giver's remorse, and highlights that generosity encompasses more than just...

If you’ve ever felt like you have to choose between running for your heart or lifting for strength, I’m here to tell you that’s the wrong question. In this episode, I walk through the simple truth the research keeps repeating: cardio and resistance training do different jobs , and if you want your workouts to fight aging—not just burn calories—you need both. I’ll explain why cardio is great at sup...

Thank you We Are Getting Old? , Marg KJ , Afsi , Martha Leinroth , Steve D , and many others for tuning into my live video with Chef Martin Oswald ! We are back! After a little break, and a wonderful trip to Malta for Martin and Puerto Vallarta for me, we are diving straight into the “funky” side of the kitchen. With February 1st marking “Fermentation Day,” it is the perfect time to talk about one...

Ever been called “lazy” even though you can spend hours building something brilliant when it grabs your attention? In this episode, I walk through why that disconnect is basically the signature of ADHD—and why ADHD isn’t really an attention deficit so much as an attention regulation problem. I’ll break down what’s happening in the brain using a simple (and weirdly accurate) framework: the “Task Po...

I get asked about fish oil all the time. And I understand why. One study says it saves lives. Another says it does nothing. Some people swear by it. Others call it useless. So in this episode, I wanted to slow everything down and ask a simpler, more honest question: do you actually need fish oil—and if you do, how much makes sense for you? I walk through the trial that made omega-3s famous again,...

I want to talk about what no one tells you after you lose weight—what actually changes inside your body, and why keeping the weight off can feel so much harder than losing it in the first place. In this episode, I walk through what I’ve learned from decades of metabolic research and clinical medicine: when you lose weight, your body doesn’t reset. It remembers. And biologically, it fights to retur...

Thank you MagickMica , Mell Zillger , Afsi , Victoria , Shelly Mertz , and many others for tuning into my live video with Chef Martin Oswald ! I have a question for you. Why do you think, Japan, a nation with high life expectancy, maintains an obesity rate of roughly 5%, while in the United States, that figure hovers near 40%? The immediate assumption is usually genetic or focused on a single ingr...

Why do smart, motivated adults avoid the very actions that would improve their lives? In this episode, we unpack the hidden neuroscience behind procrastination—and why “just trying harder” rarely works. From glaucoma patients who risk blindness by skipping a simple daily task to professionals frozen by emails, taxes, or creative work, avoidance isn’t about laziness or poor discipline. It’s about h...

Thank you Marg KJ , Gwennie Speaks , DeeAnne Ashcroft , Jennifer , John L Close , and many others for tuning into my live video with Chris Miller MD ! If I told you that you could have “normal” inflammation markers on a standard blood test but still have a raging autoimmune fire burning inside your body, would you believe me? In a recent live conversation, I sat down with Dr. Chris Miller , an int...

I grew up when television had an end. Late at night, the anthem played, the screen went to static, and that was it. You did not “just keep watching.” The system shut down. Now the system never shuts down. Most of us carry it into bed. That is where Julie Fratantoni, PhD and I started in this conversation. Brain health gets marketed like you need a new personality. Julie’s approach is simpler. Pick...

Thank you Carl Rossini Jr. , Patti Wohlin , Jen Watts , MG , Janie McManus , and many others for tuning into my live video with Chef Martin Oswald ! Want to join our Culinary Healing community? Culinary Healing is an ongoing learning community focused on making nutritious food taste genuinely good. Chef Martin Oswald teaches his Healing Kitchen course, sharing techniques for building flavor, simpl...

Thank you Marg KJ , Robin White , The Wellspring Collaborative , Fiona M , and many others for tuning into my live video with Chris Miller MD ! In our latest live session, Chris Miller MD and I took a deep dive into one of the most powerful markers of health and longevity: Heart Rate Variability (HRV) . I also announced the launch of The Habit Healer Live Lab , a new series where I’ll be walking t...

Thank you MissLadyK , Trish Findlay , Kristin Maguire , MB Parker , Lizz Ruhren , and many others for tuning into my live video with Chef Martin Oswald ! To join Chef Martin Oswald ’s Substack, click here. Strategic Pre-loading to Stabilize Blood Sugar During our recent live session from Vienna, Chef Martin Oswald and I discussed how to handle the abundance of sweets typically found at a New Year’...

Ever feel like you’re “doing everything right”—eating plenty of protein—yet your strength and muscle just aren’t responding the way they used to? You’re not imagining it. In this episode, Dr. Laurie Marbas breaks down anabolic resistance : the very real midlife shift where the same protein-rich meal that once sparked muscle-building barely moves the needle. You’ll hear about the surprising “two-we...

In this episode, Dr. Laurie and Dr. Chris Miller dive into the fascinating world of fiber, discussing its various types and functions in the body. Dr. Chris explains the distinction between soluble and insoluble fiber, highlighting how soluble fiber can help with nutrient absorption while insoluble fiber aids in digestion and promotes regular bowel movements. The conversation also touches on Dr. C...

If holiday entertaining feels stressful, this live was for you. In today’s session, Chef Martin Oswald showed us how to turn simple, whole-food ingredients into elegant, crowd-pleasing appetizers that look restaurant-level but are completely doable at home. The focus was not perfection. It was smart preparation, flavor layering, and using what you already have. The unifying theme was amuse-bouche...

What if the biggest reason your habits don’t stick has nothing to do with motivation—and everything to do with timing ? In this episode, inspired by Dr. Laurie Marbas’s article “The Clock In Your Habits: Why Timing Can Make Or Break Change,” we explore the surprising science showing how your internal body clock silently shapes your success. You’ll hear the story of a simple hip-stretch experiment...

Thank you Chris Russo , Diane Urbani de la Paz , Violet Hunter , Paul k , Susie Renard , and many others for tuning into my live video with Chris Miller MD ! Notes from my live conversation with Chris Miller MD about her article, Your labs are normal, so why don’t you feel well? If you have ever been told, “Your labs are normal,” and you still feel exhausted, foggy, sore, puffy, or unlike yourself...

Thank you Michelle Seguin MD , Marg KJ , Levee , Afsi , Shirley Brilleaux , and many others for tuning into my live video with Chef Martin Oswald ! Subscribe to Chef Martin Oswald’s Healing Kitchen Substack here! If you want to learn how to cook in a way that actually supports your immune system, your metabolism, and your energy, without sacrificing flavor, this is exactly what we do inside Culina...

Thank you Heidi Krol , Jay Clapp , Janie McManus , Rosemary , and many others for tuning into my live video with Chris Miller MD ! Cold Water, Real Talk: What Chris Asked Me (and What the Science Suggests) Chris Miller MD interviewed me on Substack, which was a nice change, because I’m usually the one asking her the questions. She asked the things people actually want to know: why cold water is su...

In this episode, Dr. Marbas and guest Dr. Jud Brewer delve into the concept of gratitude and its significance in our lives. They discuss the recent article by Dr. Brewer titled “Be Grateful to Everyone,” exploring what gratitude truly means. Dr. Brewer highlights how gratitude is more than just a trending topic; it’s a practice that can shift our focus away from ourselves and enhance our well-bein...

Thank you Camilla , Marg KJ , Suzette Jensen , Roxy Fort , and many others for tuning into my live video with Chris Miller MD ! We went live today with a question that comes up all the time and can make people feel genuinely confused. If fiber is so good for us, why do some people feel amazing when they increase it… and others feel bloated, gassy, inflamed, or just plain worse? Dr. Chris Miller an...

Ninety days. Two groups. One tiny hip stretch. In this episode, Dr. Laurie Marbas unpacks a surprising study showing that when you do a habit can matter more than what you do — with the morning group reaching “autopilot” seven weeks faster than the evening group, just by aligning with their body clock. We explore how your internal circadian rhythm quietly directs everything from hunger and hormone...

Thank you Marg KJ , Afsi , Paul k , Michael Galante , Ellen Harrison , and many others for tuning into my live video with Chef Martin Oswald ! Today, Chef Martin Oswald and I spent time inside the real engine of healthy cooking: flavor. Not gourmet tricks. Not complex recipes. Just understanding how your tongue works, how your brain responds to taste, and how to use spices in a way that makes whol...