If you're breathing, it's assumed you've been exposed to bad diet advice. Growing up in the '80s and '90s, I lived through what some consider the peak of 'crazy diet advice.' From cabbage soup to grapefruit diets and liquid fasts, the '90s were anything short of one wild idea to the next that might help someone achieve their desired outcomes. Bad diet advice didn't just emerge in the last few decades; history proves it has been circulating throughout different millenniums. It's part of our history and still part of our culture. Yet, under the surface, there is more to dieting than meets the eye. It may feel like an approach to reach a better destination, whether through weight loss or another metric, but dieting creates a sense of safety, no matter how artificial it may be. It feels strange to combine dieting and safety—even contradictory. But if you dig deeper, you'll find that people seek diets to create order in what feels chaotic or dysregulated. They seek a system that provides safety when they don't feel safe. Safety is a human need (not a wish), and diets provide just enough safety to keep people needing them. In the podcast, I share a shift in understanding diet culture. I also share where it's led us astray and how to use it to better your life. Bad diet advice is only bad because we misunderstand what we need. This is different from your average conversation about bad diet advice. It's deeper and yet more profound. Listen to the podcast to understand the full story. Listen to today's episode to learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/341. Listen To The Rest Of The Health School Episodes: https://thelivingwell.com/health-school   Don't forget to track where your energy level using: This FREE energy quiz to determine your metabolic output. This FREE download to track your body temperature and pulse rate. Take things to the next level: Get health advice that works delivered straight to your inbox. The only place guaranteed to make you healthier and happier. Join The Weekly Fill here. Ready to go deeper and take back your health? Learn how to nourish yourself in a way that is personal to you while also helping you to fully embrace all of you. Take back your hormones, get more energy, and learn how to thrive inside Health Made Simple. Follow my day-to-day life plus mini tidbits of health encouragement on Instagram.  

Self-confidence doesn't exist. Only holy confidence does. I spent most of my life looking for confidence in a place it doesn't exist. I lived chasing an idea, attempting to prop myself up enough to believe I had what it took, and if I believed it, then I would be confident. It's similar to assuming you'll be more confident when you look a certain way or secure a set amount of money in your bank account. While those may bring some confidence, they don't make you confident. Unfortunately, I chased a version of confidence that left me getting swallowed in the pit of endless self-help books, leaving me longing to uncover what my problem was. No amount of self-help led me to true confidence because true confidence is not found in self-power or self-perfection. It's found in something outside of yourself, which stems from recognizing, even owning, the weaker parts of yourself.   Listen to today's episode to learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/340. Listen To The Rest Of The Health School Episodes: https://thelivingwell.com/health-school   Don't forget to track where your energy level using: This FREE energy quiz to determine your metabolic output. This FREE download to track your body temperature and pulse rate. Take things to the next level: Get health advice that works delivered straight to your inbox. The only place guaranteed to make you healthier and happier. Join The Weekly Fill here. Ready to go deeper and take back your health? Learn how to nourish yourself in a way that is personal to you while also helping you to fully embrace all of you. Take back your hormones, get more energy, and learn how to thrive inside Health Made Simple. Follow my day-to-day life plus mini tidbits of health encouragement on Instagram.

The idea of discipline used to repulse me. It felt like I was forcing myself into a box I didn't choose. In many ways, discipline equated to hate. I assumed self-disciplines were the same. Instead, I stuck with setting goals. But as my life progressed, I quickly realized that setting goals is one thing, and meeting them is entirely different (learn what has and hasn't been working in my health here). Ironically, achieving my goals required self-discipline. As I started to study self-discipline, I came upon a new understanding of discipline. One that is more about protection and purpose, even pushing you forward, and less about dictatorship and punishment. In all areas, growth requires self-discipline, which creates the action to birth the outcome. I realized I needed to incorporate self-discipline to achieve my goals. All good things in life take work. That work comes from healthy self-disciplines. But honoring that and even living it means you must change your view of discipline. I share more about that inside this podcast and the five self-disciplines that have changed my relationship with my husband, God, and myself. Listen to today's episode to learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/339. Listen To The Rest Of The Health School Episodes: https://thelivingwell.com/health-school   Don't forget to track where your energy level using: This FREE energy quiz to determine your metabolic output. This FREE download to track your body temperature and pulse rate. Take things to the next level: Get health advice that works delivered straight to your inbox. The only place guaranteed to make you healthier and happier. Join The Weekly Fill here. Ready to go deeper and take back your health? Learn how to nourish yourself in a way that is personal to you while also helping you to fully embrace all of you. Take back your hormones, get more energy, and learn how to thrive inside Health Made Simple. Follow my day-to-day life plus mini tidbits of health encouragement on Instagram.

It's easy to assume nutritionists don't struggle with food. But it's often the opposite. At least it has been for me. Recently, I took a very unexpected break that happened for a million and one reasons, including some current health struggles (or what I labeled as health struggles based on what I saw on the surface).   Luckily, the space gave me time to reflect. In this podcast, I share my current health struggles and my wins. As much as it's easy to miss the wins, I don't want to discount that regardless of what I see, this is what I know. Listen to the podcast to get my vulnerable conversation about what I'm dealing with. Listen to today's episode to learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/338. Listen To The Rest Of The Health School Episodes: https://thelivingwell.com/health-school   Don't forget to track where your energy level using: This FREE energy quiz to determine your metabolic output. This FREE download to track your body temperature and pulse rate. Take things to the next level: Get health advice that works delivered straight to your inbox. The only place guaranteed to make you healthier and happier. Join The Weekly Fill here. Ready to go deeper and take back your health? Learn how to nourish yourself in a way that is personal to you while also helping you to fully embrace all of you. Take back your hormones, get more energy, and learn how to thrive inside Health Made Simple. Follow my day-to-day life plus mini tidbits of health encouragement on Instagram.

  If it feels like we’ve been here twenty times over, asking what is good and what is bad food. While it might seem elementary, food is still the most debated topic in health. The health space seems to continuously change what food they claim is ‘good.’ It’s like the flavor of the day. Fifty years into the bloom of the health era, we’re still asking the same question: what should we eat? It’s the same question I asked when I set my life path as a nutritionist. I wanted to help break the noise and define what foods create health. But that path was harder than anticipated. It wasn’t straight or clear but it felt narrow, even elusive.  Many people find themselves in the same boat. Just when you think you have it figured out, your ideas about what is healthy change again.  Yet, the longer I’ve been in the space and recognized patterns, the more I’ve realized it’s really not about a list of healthy and unhealthy foods. It’s about what your body needs. Your diet is personal. JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE SAYS IT’S HEALTHY DOESN’T MEAN IT’S HEALTHY FOR YOU.  Of course, I know that’s not as sexy as telling you exactly what you should eat. I do hope you can see the freedom that health isn’t as complex as we’ve made it. It’s just showing up daily and feeding your body what it needs to thrive.  With all of that said, there are still some frameworks to follow. A set of boundaries that helps clarify what is more healthy and potentially what is less. In this podcast, I lay out that framework by teaching you how to determine the difference between healthy and unhealthy food. That begins by learning how it interferes, influences, and alters your internal energy. Inside the podcast, I break it all down. Listen to today's episode to learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/336. Listen To The Rest Of The Health School Episodes: https://thelivingwell.com/health-school   Don't forget to track where your energy level using: This FREE energy quiz to determine your metabolic output. This FREE download to track your body temperature and pulse rate. Take things to the next level: Get health advice that works delivered straight to your inbox. The only place guaranteed to make you healthier and happier. Join The Weekly Fill here. Ready to go deeper and take back your health? Learn how to nourish yourself in a way that is personal to you while also helping you to fully embrace all of you. Take back your hormones, get more energy, and learn how to thrive inside Health Made Simple. Follow my day-to-day life plus mini tidbits of health encouragement on Instagram.

Even after getting my nutrition degree, I spent a lot of time thinking that health was a to-do list. I believed health was the product of what you did or didn't do. And in a lot of ways, this is true. But there is something more true. What is more accurate is that your body isn't just responding to what you do. It's responding to your perspective of what you do, your essence, how you show up, and your motivation. It's really about responding to how safe or unsafe you are, which is determined by your presence. I invited Jessica Ash to come on the show and talk more about embodying your healthy masculine and feminine energy, how this reacts inside your biology, changing your metabolic output, and how it changes your view of life. Learn how to embrace your feminine side through the four feminine archetypes. Listen to today's episode to learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/335. Listen To The Rest Of The Health School Episodes: https://thelivingwell.com/health-school   Don't forget to track where your energy level using: This FREE energy quiz to determine your metabolic output. This FREE download to track your body temperature and pulse rate. Take things to the next level: Get health advice that works delivered straight to your inbox. The only place guaranteed to make you healthier and happier. Join The Weekly Fill here. Ready to go deeper and take back your health? Learn how to nourish yourself in a way that is personal to you while also helping you to fully embrace all of you. Take back your hormones, get more energy, and learn how to thrive inside Health Made Simple. Follow my day-to-day life plus mini tidbits of health encouragement on Instagram.

We might be living in our rest era, but are you really resting? Or maybe you're resting too much. Rest is essential, but like hustle culture, too much of anything can become toxic. If you're resting too much, your body will get bored. Just like if you're not resting enough, your body will get sick. Both lead to similar results. In this podcast, learn all about rest, whether you're resting too much, and the difference between real rest and artificial rest.  Listen to today's episode to learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/334. Listen To The Rest Of The Health School Episodes: https://thelivingwell.com/health-school   Don't forget to track where your energy level using: This FREE energy quiz to determine your metabolic output. This FREE download to track your body temperature and pulse rate. Take things to the next level: Get health advice that works delivered straight to your inbox. The only place guaranteed to make you healthier and happier. Join The Weekly Fill here. Ready to go deeper and take back your health? Learn how to nourish yourself in a way that is personal to you while also helping you to fully embrace all of you. Take back your hormones, get more energy, and learn how to thrive inside Health Made Simple. Follow my day-to-day life plus mini tidbits of health encouragement on Instagram.

Weight loss isn't one of my favorite topics, but it is important. I decided to answer the question of how to lose weight in a way that helps you understand why the traditional way hasn't worked and what will. There are many ways to lose weight, but not all are healthy. If you want to keep it off, you must choose the healthy route from an expansion form of health, not reduction. Body fat, like all biological components, serves a purpose and is necessary for our well-being. However, it's all about balance. Excess or insufficient body fat can lead to issues. The key to achieving a healthy weight lies in understanding the purpose of body fat. This knowledge will help you comprehend why your body might be reluctant to let go of excess fat. In this podcast, I explain how to lose weight, where it goes, and what a healthy body weight looks like. You'll also learn why doing hard things is important (because your body thrives in work). Listen to today's episode to learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/333.   Listen To The Rest Of The Health School Episodes: https://thelivingwell.com/health-school   Don't forget to track where your energy level using: This FREE energy quiz to determine your metabolic output. This FREE download to track your body temperature and pulse rate. Take things to the next level: Get health advice that works delivered straight to your inbox. The only place guaranteed to make you healthier and happier. Join The Weekly Fill here. Ready to go deeper and take back your health? Learn how to nourish yourself in a way that is personal to you while also helping you to fully embrace all of you. Take back your hormones, get more energy, and learn how to thrive inside Health Made Simple. Follow my day-to-day life plus mini tidbits of health encouragement on Instagram.

When I lost my health, doing everything right, and by everything, I mean eating all of the ‘right’ foods and working out at least once a day, I realized everything right wasn’t right for me. No matter what anyone said, the best health plan didn’t pan out for me. At the time, I had no idea how much of a blessing this was. It felt like a battle I had lost.  My body failed, and everything I knew about health was wrong. I was left with nothing.  But a few years into my healing journey, I started to realize it wasn’t necessarily what I was doing that was wrong. I had just failed to recognize how it was influencing my internal state. I lived fixated on the external metrics of health. What I could count, measure, or time. It was always about what I did and never about how my body reacted to what I did.  It was always about doing more and attempting to arrive at some far-off destination. But this was wrong. I was wrong. Arguably, the entire health space has it wrong. It’s not about what you do. Health is about how your body reacts to what you do. This understanding eliminates the idea that there is a to-do list or a perfect health plan that will fix you. Things aren’t good or bad, healthy or unhealthy; they can be either, depending on how your body reacts. How your body reacts is understood through the foundations of bioenergetics. In this podcast, I introduce the study of bioenergetics and how it connects your entire lifestyle, proving that health is more than what you eat and how you move. Health is everything about your life, from the air you breathe to the relationships you interact with. Proving why even the best health plan might not work for you. Everything may be separate, but it’s all connected, and we need to focus on that connectedness.  Listen to today's episode to learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/332.   Listen To The Rest Of The Health School Episodes: https://thelivingwell.com/health-school   Don't forget to track where your energy level using: This FREE energy quiz to determine your metabolic output. This FREE download to track your body temperature and pulse rate. Take things to the next level: Get health advice that works delivered straight to your inbox. The only place guaranteed to make you healthier and happier. Join The Weekly Fill here. Ready to go deeper and take back your health? Learn how to nourish yourself in a way that is personal to you while also helping you to fully embrace all of you. Take back your hormones, get more energy, and learn how to thrive inside Health Made Simple. Follow my day-to-day life plus mini tidbits of health encouragement on Instagram.

Today, I interviewed Dr. Jolene Brighten, asking her all of your hormonal questions, including if you should take hormone replacement therapy, how to prepare for menopause, how to tell when you're in perimenopause, what blood sugar has to do with your hormones, and so much more. Listen to the podcast and check out Dr. Brighten's latest book, Is This Normal: Judgement-Free Straight Talk About Your Body. Hormone replacement therapy is becoming increasingly common. The conversations are so familiar it feels like if you're not on hormone replacement therapy, you might be doing something wrong. It's the same for all other hormones. Everywhere you look, someone else is telling you they're a problem, making you assume you have a problem, even if you don't.  I'd even argue that hormones are one of the most wrongfully villainized body processes today. But that's a story for another day. The reality is that we encounter a lot of chatter about hormones. Nearly all of it is negative, making you believe that you probably have some hormonal problem, even if you don't.  I know all too well it's easy to fall into this predicament. Not long ago, I found myself questioning if my hormones were the problem and perhaps I needed some form of external therapy to fix it.  Listen to today's episode to learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/331.   Listen To The Rest Of The Health School Episodes: https://thelivingwell.com/health-school   Don't forget to track where your energy level using: This FREE energy quiz to determine your metabolic output. This FREE download to track your body temperature and pulse rate. Take things to the next level: Get health advice that works delivered straight to your inbox. The only place guaranteed to make you healthier and happier. Join The Weekly Fill here. Ready to go deeper and take back your health? Learn how to nourish yourself in a way that is personal to you while also helping you to fully embrace all of you. Take back your hormones, get more energy, and learn how to thrive inside Health Made Simple. Follow my day-to-day life plus mini tidbits of health encouragement on Instagram.

Hormones are the conversation everywhere right now. Honestly, it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing you probably have a hormonal problem just because it sounds like everyone does. But the common causes of hormone imbalance are not what you think. Just the other day, I was on Instagram, and ten posts in a row made me think my hormones were out of whack. How must someone who doesn’t study nutrition feel if I’m overwhelmed by the fear-inducing information? When it comes to hormones, there are many thoughts, ideas, and modes of healing. But I want to show you that most hormonal issues are actually a deeper issue that stems from your nervous system response. Hormonal problems are very real and need attention. It’s good to get them measured once in a while. But I think we need to look harder at how we heal them because it rarely has to do with our hormones. On this podcast, I've continually made clear that hormones are messenger molecules. They don’t write the message your actions take but only ship it. This proves that the problem is rarely with your hormones, but what message is your body sending that requires a different flow of hormones, and why? In this podcast, you will learn how your hormones function and the control that powers them. I also share the three most common root causes of hormone imbalance—you might be surprised to hear what they are.  Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/330.   Listen To The Rest Of The Health School Episodes: https://thelivingwell.com/health-school   Don't forget to track where your energy level using: This FREE energy quiz to determine your metabolic output. This FREE download to track your body temperature and pulse rate. Take things to the next level: Get health advice that works delivered straight to your inbox. The only place guaranteed to make you healthier and happier. Join The Weekly Fill here. Ready to go deeper and take back your health? Learn how to nourish yourself in a way that is personal to you while also helping you to fully embrace all of you. Take back your hormones, get more energy, and learn how to thrive inside Health Made Simple. Follow my day-to-day life plus mini tidbits of health encouragement on Instagram.

I was sitting in an old lecture hall, daydreaming about health. As my professor scribbled on the whiteboard different caloric equations, I couldn’t help but question if there was something more my education had failed to teach me.  I couldn’t understand the idea that health, or at least weight, could be summed up into basic equations. There had to be more. I just couldn’t put a finger on what it was.  As I sat through those lectures, my questions ran deeper, but my understanding was slim. I had come here to find the answers to why so many people all over the world, especially those I loved, still struggled with their health no matter how many times they attempted the ‘perfect equation.’ I can’t say I ever found it in my college education, but I am grateful for the path that led me to look deeper. The path led me to understand, not only for myself but for a world of people, that health is not about what you do. It’s about what you perceive about what you eat.    Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/329.   Listen To The Rest Of The Health School Episodes: https://thelivingwell.com/health-school   Don't forget to track where your energy level using: This FREE energy quiz to determine your metabolic output. This FREE download to track your body temperature and pulse rate. Take things to the next level: Get health advice that works delivered straight to your inbox. The only place guaranteed to make you healthier and happier. Join The Weekly Fill here. Ready to go deeper and take back your health? Learn how to nourish yourself in a way that is personal to you while also helping you to fully embrace all of you. Take back your hormones, get more energy, and learn how to thrive inside Health Made Simple. Follow my day-to-day life plus mini tidbits of health encouragement on Instagram.

I know a thing or two about stress. No matter how much I hate it, or at least hate to admit it, I find a lot of comfort in being stressed. Somewhere along the path, I attached the idea that stress is a measurement of productivity keeping me stuck in the stress response. If I wasn't stressed, was I being lazy? Learn more about this and how to get out of this response in today's podcast.   Learn More: https://thelivingwell.com/328 Listen To The Rest Of The Health School Episodes: https://thelivingwell.com/health-school   Don't forget to track where your energy level using: This FREE energy quiz to determine your metabolic output. This FREE download to track your body temperature and pulse rate. Take things to the next level: Get health advice that works delivered straight to your inbox. The only place guaranteed to make you healthier and happier. Join The Weekly Fill here. Ready to go deeper and take back your health? Learn how to nourish yourself in a way that is personal to you while also helping you to fully embrace all of you. Take back your hormones, get more energy, and learn how to thrive inside Health Made Simple. Follow my day-to-day life plus mini tidbits of health encouragement on Instagram.

There's a lot of chatter in the health space about seed oils, which has opened up all kinds of room for confusion. But today, I want to clarify the answer to the question: Are seed oils bad for you? Not to throw shade at another food. We all know we can't possibly risk losing one more staple in our diet and feel okay about it. We've shamed sugar, potatoes, carbs, and even fats. Fats were the first food on the chopping block as the health industry began exploding in the early 80s. It was the same then and the same now. Researchers were trying to identify the cause of our rising health problems, which seem to grow exponentially every year. The study responsible for the correlation made between fat consumption and rising disease has since been debunked. But that study opened the door to a fear of food we've repeated over the following decades. The food industry willingly and quickly picked up on this fear, leaving you turning to their "healthier" options like factory-made butter known as margarine. Ironically, the same fats we once thought were the vain of our existence we now understand as critical to survival. But the part that leaves me most upset and you most confused is that we've misunderstood how our body responds to fats. We've neglected to understand the role of certain fats inside the body, which is the only way to identify what is good or bad for you. While this is a personal question, like all concepts in the health space, in this podcast, I provide an overarching framework on if and how to consume seed oils. Learn More: https://thelivingwell.com/327 Listen To The Rest Of The Health School Episodes: https://thelivingwell.com/health-school   Don't forget to track where your energy level using: This FREE energy quiz to determine your metabolic output. This FREE download to track your body temperature and pulse rate. Take things to the next level: Get health advice that works delivered straight to your inbox. The only place guaranteed to make you healthier and happier. Join The Weekly Fill here. Ready to go deeper and take back your health? Learn how to nourish yourself in a way that is personal to you while also helping you to fully embrace all of you. Take back your hormones, get more energy, and learn how to thrive inside Health Made Simple. Follow my day-to-day life plus mini tidbits of health encouragement on Instagram.

The rain was pounding on my window to the same degree that tears were streaming down my face. I had just left a counseling session talking through my sense of self-identity. I was desperate to uncover who God made me. The problem was I had spent most of my life trying to be something others would respect. I wanted to be something that others would need. You could say it's part of being an , but more likely, it's birthed out of the broken places in me. I had picked up the desire to be needed. The issue was that I had spent most of my life striving to earn others' respect. I aimed to become someone others would rely on. You could attribute it to being an enneagram two, but it's more likely rooted in my own brokenness. I adopted the longing to be needed. Out of this, my identity became a conglomeration of many different things that masked who I was more than it helped me live true to who God made me. From there, I created my own form of identity crisis. I struggled to understand myself and my purpose, creating this gaping wound that seemed to fester in all areas of my life. In many cases, leaving me feeling worthless while also falling victim to anything promising to help me 'become.' There is a lot of chatter in the world about self-identity. It's the theme of the self-help industry that has taken over bookshelves worldwide. I don't disagree; we need to understand ourselves (to have a solid self-identity) to live our best selves. But it's not so much about understanding who you are but whose you are. It could be the word 'self' in self-identity that throws us for a loop, leaving us chasing what it was never intended to be. But your self-identity is less about amplifying yourself and more about your connection to something greater. It's recognizing your place not as an independent being but interconnected with God. Your self-identity is your sense of self, not your created self but your God-created being. Understanding this changes things because when you change your self-identity, you change how your body responds to all of your life. That includes the food that you eat. Learn More: https://thelivingwell.com/326 Listen To The Rest Of The Health School Episodes: https://thelivingwell.com/health-school   Don't forget to track where your energy level using: This FREE energy quiz to determine your metabolic output. This FREE download to track your body temperature and pulse rate. Take things to the next level: Get health advice that works delivered straight to your inbox. The only place guaranteed to make you healthier and happier. Join The Weekly Fill here. Ready to go deeper and take back your health? Learn how to nourish yourself in a way that is personal to you while also helping you to fully embrace all of you. Take back your hormones, get more energy, and learn how to thrive inside Health Made Simple. Follow my day-to-day life plus mini tidbits of health encouragement on Instagram.

Health is difficult, and not in the way you think. It's difficult not because you don't know what to eat but because it's emotional, making healing less about food detox and more about emotional detox. It might feel like food complicates things. But it's not food but the reason you eat what you do. If you remove the emotional aspect, eating healthy food would be easy. But it's not or hasn't been, like exercise and every other health tip on the planet, because there is an emotional attachment. All of life is emotional or at least stirs an emotion inside you. That's because humans are emotional beings. Emotions are part of the human experience. Even when you don't think you're feeling anything, you are. You've likely become great at suppressing, numbing, shoving, or distracting yourself from what you say you're not feeling, making it appear like you feel nothing. I say this because I, too, lived this. But you can't escape emotions. They are part of you, as are your fingers and toes. However, you can learn how to use them to improve your life and health. This is where health and happiness coexist. On the podcast, we explore emotions and prove why they are responsible for biological functions. Inside, you'll learn the connection between cellular health and emotional health and how to boost both. Learn More: https://thelivingwell.com/325   Don't forget to track where your energy level using: This FREE energy quiz to determine your metabolic output. This FREE download to track your body temperature and pulse rate. Take things to the next level: Get health advice that works delivered straight to your inbox. The only place guaranteed to make you healthier and happier. Join The Weekly Fill here. Ready to go deeper and take back your health? Learn how to nourish yourself in a way that is personal to you while also helping you to fully embrace all of you. Take back your hormones, get more energy, and learn how to thrive inside Health Made Simple. Follow my day-to-day life plus mini tidbits of health encouragement on Instagram.

Calories tend to be another controversial and somewhat confusing subject. But I'd argue that is only because we don't understand how they interact with our bodies. If you've ever wondered if calories matter, the answer is yes and no. Let me explain. Calories are a metric of energy often used to describe the nutritional value of food. Technically, a calorie is a unit of energy equivalent to the heat energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by one degree Celsius. Our simplistic view of calories does not determine nutritional value. It's the nutrients within those calories that truly matter. Calories are only significant to the degree they influence energy levels. Understanding this is much easier when you break through the misunderstanding of energy and thus understand the role of food. In this podcast, we dive deep into the misinterpretation of caloric energy while diving into the only thing that matters: your internal energy. Calories cannot change you, but they can influence your internal energy, which matters more than how many calories you consume. Learn More: https://thelivingwell.com/324   Don't forget to track where your energy level using: This FREE energy quiz to determine your metabolic output. This FREE download to track your body temperature and pulse rate. Take things to the next level: Get health advice that works delivered straight to your inbox. The only place guaranteed to make you healthier and happier. Join The Weekly Fill here. Ready to go deeper and take back your health? Learn how to nourish yourself in a way that is personal to you while also helping you to fully embrace all of you. Take back your hormones, get more energy, and learn how to thrive inside Health Made Simple. Follow my day-to-day life plus mini tidbits of health encouragement on Instagram.

Metabolism is a sexy word in the health space. Everyone wants that flourishing metabolism. The same one we assume is why some people can eat anything and never gain an ounce. It's easy to envy those people while hating our bodies for not functioning in the same way. But truth be told, this understanding is a bad perception of your metabolism. Yes, it does change the structure of your body, which is why a higher metabolism is associated with a lower waistline. But you can't misrepresent metabolism by thinking it will help you eat anything you want and never gain a pound. Learn More: https://thelivingwell.com/323 Don't forget to track where your energy level using: This FREE energy quiz to determine your metabolic output. This FREE download to track your body temperature and pulse rate. Take things to the next level: Get health advice that works delivered straight to your inbox. The only place guaranteed to make you healthier and happier. Join The Weekly Fill here. Ready to go deeper and take back your health? Learn how to nourish yourself in a way that is personal to you while also helping you to fully embrace all of you. Take back your hormones, get more energy, and learn how to thrive inside Health Made Simple. Follow my day-to-day life plus mini tidbits of health encouragement on Instagram.

How do you get healthy? The typical approach is certainly not working. In fact, it seems to be doing the opposite. It's not making you healthy, but there is something that is. Learn the key to living healthy so you can stop asking the same questions. The first episode of the new podcast series, Health School, starts with quite a bang. I share what I consider the most critical element of health, yet the most overlooked. That is energy. Discover the profound impact of energy on our biology, mind, and soul. This understanding will revolutionize your perception of health, empowering you to take control of your well-being and make it simple. Learn More: https://thelivingwell.com/322 Don't forget to track where your energy level using: This FREE energy quiz to determine your metabolic output. This FREE download to track your body temperature and pulse rate. Take things to the next level: Get health advice that works delivered straight to your inbox. The only place guaranteed to make you healthier and happier. Join The Weekly Fill here. Ready to go deeper and take back your health? Learn how to nourish yourself in a way that is personal to you while also helping you to fully embrace all of you. Take back your hormones, get more energy, and learn how to thrive inside Health Made Simple. Follow my day-to-day life plus mini tidbits of health encouragement on Instagram.

Your body’s not that sensitive. It can be, but only because it’s been pushed into forms of dysregulation so long it’s turned to survival. Survival means your body will do anything to keep you alive, even if that means it works against what is healthy. It’s not the intended design. The intended design is to thrive. But when forced, it will revert to survival. I had to learn this the hard way. For years, I believed my body was just overly sensitive. It tended to react to everything, from foods to different beauty products and even occasionally the sun. My body felt overwhelmed in all areas. I could find nothing that would settle. While I knew how sensitive a body could become, it wasn’t my own health that made me confront the question as to why our bodies seemed to become so weak. It was one of my clients. He was only a child but had taken a few tests out of desperation to realize his body was reacting to everything. Not just environmentally, but nearly every food was causing a chain reaction inside his body. What was supposed to nourish him was slowly killing him. At a loss for how to feed him, his parents came to me for help. When I laid eyes on him, I could tell his body was overwhelmed, but I also saw something beneath the rash on his skin and the dark circles under his eyes. He had life in him. He was just so undernourished it couldn’t surface. It left me questioning how to nourish him when he couldn’t consume anything that would sustain him. Here, I began in-depth research into food sensitivities. I wanted to know why we are experiencing them more frequently than ever before. What I found was alarming and provides a solution to health the health space has repeatedly overlooked. In this podcast, I highlight why we are becoming more sensitive but also remind you this was not the design. You were not designed in weakness but strength. Your body can heal and thrive amongst several healthy and even unhealthy things. But it can only do that when it has the nourishment and support. You must change the paradigm and see your body as good to get healthy.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/321

For decades, health has existed in a black-and-white space. It’s been a series of rash and often unrealistic lifestyle changes, leaving one to believe the extreme lifestyle is the only one that will help you reach your goals. It’s also why resolutions have become such a focus of the new year. They bring the hope that you can change. The more extreme those resolutions, the faster things will change. But change rarely comes. You can blame yourself, or you can blame the resolutions. But I’d argue neither is wrong. The failure happens because of the process or lack thereof. On the podcast, I teach you how to create a process you’ll love based on the habits lived out by the healthiest people on the planet. It begins by learning how to romanticize the process and not the destination, knowing if you stick with the process, the destination will come. Check out these resources to get you started building better patterns and setting healthier resolutions: Upgrade Your Wellness Routine With This Tip 5 Ways To Guarantee Health Success 15 Healthy Habits To Take Into The New Year Why I Gave Up Finding Myself (Real Story) The Power of A Habit   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/320

  I spent many years attempting to hack my behavior. Forcing change, trying to make something budge. It’s the typical approach to life and health that appears like it should work. Logically doing something should create something different. And it does, but only if you change the pattern because your pattern produces the outcome you experience. If you have a problem, that problem was birthed out of a pattern. Change requires shifting the pattern, and that starts by understanding the pattern (learn your pattern here). When you know the pattern, you can influence it by creating better skills. Skills reinforce behaviors, even those you want to change. I am skilled at sleeping past my alarm. I’m skilled at waiting too long to prepare food until I’m ravenous and will eat anything. I’m skilled at overthinking, worrying, and anxiety. I’m skilled at things that reinforce the outcomes, creating the problems I want to change. Changing this requires influencing the pattern with better skills. Part two of this podcast mini-series teaches you how to transform the goal into skills you need to develop to create a better outcome. Change requires you to focus on developing the skills you need to create change. Ask yourself what skills you want to develop this year. I’m not talking about your average skill, like getting skilled at weightlifting. But the everyday mundane skills necessary to influence your patterns.   Learn More: https://thelivingwell.com/319   Additional Resources to get you started building better patterns and setting healthier resolutions: Upgrade Your Wellness Routine With This Tip 5 Ways To Guarantee Health Success 15 Healthy Habits To Take Into The New Year Why I Gave Up Finding Myself (Real Story) The Power of A Habit

I’ll be the first to admit I’ve set many resolutions. Yet I’ve never achieved a single one. At least not that I can recount. Yet, I keep going back to the same approach, hoping one of these years it will work. I never blamed the act of setting resolutions for why they didn’t work, but I always blamed myself. In the last few years, I re-evaluated the traditional resolution approach. I even begged you not to set resolutions, claiming it’s not the answer to what you are seeking. But then I started to question if that was another extreme approach that neglected the answer. What if resolutions do work, but the problem is how we work or don’t work to achieve them. What if the answer was our actions? The problem is we’re attempting resolutions with the wrong approach. Inside the three-part mini-series, I’m breaking down the three important steps to set the resolutions and actually achieve them. It begins by understanding you don’t have a problem. You have a pattern. And that pattern feeds or enables the problem. When you know what pattern you are living in, you can break it to create a new one. That changes everything about your outcome. Learn more by listening to this episode and be sure to read the blog post to get all of the details: https://thelivingwell.com/318   Additional resources to get you started building better patterns and setting healthier resolutions: Upgrade Your Wellness Routine With This Tip 5 Ways To Guarantee Health Success 15 Healthy Habits To Take Into The New Year Why I Gave Up Finding Myself (Real Story) The Power of A Habit

Leaky gut seems to be a national crisis. While diet is certainly a factor, the larger issue is stress or the lack of safety inside your physiology. Maria-Victoria Albina of The Feminist Wellness Podcast came on this podcast to share the response of the nervous system on our GI tract and the fight for safety within our biology. We talk about the polyvagal theory, co-dependence, and how to regulate your nervous system to heal your biology. Healing your gut is more than a food issue. It's a lifestyle response.    OTHER RESOURCES TO CHECK OUT:    7 Signs Your Nervous System is Dystregulated:  https://thelivingwell.com/317   5 Ways To Use Your Nervous System To Get Healthy: https://thelivingwell.com/5-ways-to-use-your-nervous-system-to-get-healthy/   How To Feel More Energized And Stop Storing Body Fat: https://thelivingwell.com/how-to-feel-more-energized-and-stop-storing-body-fat/   How You Heal: Regulate Your Nervous System: https://thelivingwell.com/how-you-heal-regulate-your-nervous-system/   Put An End to Schedule Shaming and Create A Life You Love: https://thelivingwell.com/2024-nourished-planner

It’s easy to get sucked into the black-and-white trap of health. It’s either good or bad, healthy or unhealthy. Leaving many people attempting tasks and eating foods that perhaps are healthy for some but not others. The problem with this picture is it diminishes the secret of health. That secret is what your body is doing with what you provide. And that shifts the focus from perfecting the external ideas to understanding how your body reacts. Health requires internal awareness. Of course, health takes work. You’re going to have to do things to create it. But don’t get so lost in doing that you miss how your body is responding. Pay attention to what your body needs and do more of that. And remember, anything out of balance becomes unhealthy—even healthy things taken to a new level become unhealthy. In this podcast, I share three healthy things making you unhealthy. It’s always about balance.     Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/316

My therapy journey began because I wanted to stop feeling. Most therapy begins because you want to change how you feel. At least feeling the things you didn’t want to feel. Just like I wanted emotional control in the form of only feeling what I wanted to feel and never feeling what I didn’t. Arguably, we’d all love that superpower. To feel the good without ever experiencing the bad. But it doesn’t exist, and for good reason. All feelings are valid. They have a purpose, even the painful ones. But most people have gotten good at avoiding or numbing feelings as a way to deal with them. But it never deals with them. It just masks them. Feelings are part of being human. You were created to feel, which means you should feel. The journey to healing is not by suppressing the feeling but by learning how to feel without being controlled by the feeling. CHANGE HOW YOU FEEL BY UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU FEEL. When I went to therapy, I didn’t know how much control I had over how I felt or at least the ability to change it. I spent so much time trying to run from feelings and create a life where I wouldn’t have to feel the things I didn’t want to that I missed the beauty of healing emotions and using those feelings to create a better life. I realized the superpower we’re looking for is not diminishing our feelings but creating better ones. It’s being able to feel everything while using what you feel to shift your actions because you know how to heal them. Emotional regulation is the superpower. That happens through healing your nervous system. I brought Mandy L. Harvey on the podcast to talk about emotional regulation, healing from trauma, and how to feel without getting hurt by what you feel but using it to thrive.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/315

Health has been hard. I want to emphasize the has as a past-tense explanation. Because while it might have been difficult, it doesn’t have to be that way. You don’t have to live complicating health. It’s only difficult because we’ve let it become that. Perhaps not you personally, but the endless external ideas about what health means are overwhelming, even confusing, but only because we’ve neglected to understand health for what it is. And in the process, we’ve over-romanticized the outcome of health that we’ve neglected the process. When you romanticize the outcome while hating the process, you create a fantasy of health rather than the reality of it. I get it. The end goal is enticing. I don’t think anyone can argue that we’d love to rock our skinny jeans and never have to worry about getting sick again. We’d love to arrive at that destination of health forever and always. But health doesn’t look or work like that. Honestly, I think that’s more of a gift than we let ourselves believe. Health is a flow. It’s growth and movement that is changing as we change. Because of that, it requires you to embrace the process. The process of living health makes it personal and practical. In this podcast, we talk about romanticizing the process of living healthy and the top five ways to stop complicating health so you can start living it.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/314

Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) seems to be trending right now. While traditionally, I shy away from the fads of the moment. I had my eye on this one. Rather than another shot in the dark, continuous glucose monitoring offered tangible results in real-time. Unlike the scale, CGM opened up the internal workings of my biology to understand how it responded to what I did. In real time, I was able to see how my body was responding. More than what I do, health is truly how my body responds. Understanding this piece of data allowed me to create change, not on ideas, but facts. It helped me feel better than I have in a long time. I loved it so much that my husband also decided to take it for a test spin. Inside this podcast, we talk about our results (some that were shocking) and the changes we’ve made to help regulate our blood sugar. And we both share our opinions on whether continuous glucose monitoring is worth the investment.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/313

Food can be such a fight. In one breath, you genuinely enjoy food and want to enjoy the process of it. But in other, it’s terrifying. Your mind races with questions on what to eat, how much, will this make me fat, or what if it’s not good for me? There are so many messages and ideas it’s hard to imagine thinking anything but dread when it comes to food and your body. But this is not the intended design of food. Food isn’t to be feared. It’s to be enjoyed and used to nourish yourself, just as your body isn’t to be hated but loved and cherished for its role in helping you live your life. It may not be a common thought, but you can experience food freedom. You can have the best of both worlds, enjoying food and loving your body. In this podcast episode, I interview Jessi Jean, Mind Body Eating Coach, on what it looks like to experience food freedom and how we get there. If you intellectually know how you want to act with and around food but can’t seem to get yourself to do it, this podcast is for you. Learn how to change your patterns to stop emotionally eating.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/312

Managing blood sugar is not a new conversation, but it is worth having, especially considering the health benefits you could experience by learning how to lower blood sugar levels. Common thought has been to eliminate sugar and restrict all carbs, but blood sugar management is more than just a food problem. It’s a lifestyle. I interviewed Dr. Casey Means on the podcast to discuss blood sugar regulation and what she has learned since co-founding the company Levels. Levels provide an easy-to-use app connected to a continuous blood glucose monitor to give you results in real time. I took it for a test run and was shocked by the results. Inside the podcast, I ask Dr. Means about the diet and lifestyle recommendations she has found to be the most successful in regulating blood glucose levels. I was surprised to hear her number one tip had nothing to do with food.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/311

Getting healthy requires hasn’t been easy. But are you overcomplicating what should be simple? Here are five truths to change your health. I’ve spent some time pondering how many things in life I overcomplicate. The conclusion came to nearly everything. In the past, I have complexified my health routine, how it should look to spend time with God, and overthought nearly every hard conversation I’ve ever had. I spend so much time in confusion that I suffocated any new idea or thought that might pull me out. It wasn’t until I realized confusion was the fuel keeping me stuck that I stopped letting confusion be an answer. I stopped letting it be the final say. Health happens to be considered one of the most confusing topics of today. But I’m arguing it shouldn’t be. Confusion is only holding you back from living out health. But doing that means breaking down what you thought about health, redefining it, and choosing to live it even when you don’t fully understand it. Health is an action. Inside this podcast, I break down the five critical tools of healing and how to use them to change your health.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/310

Forgiveness is hard. It’s messy, overwhelming, and scary. And it often feels better left alone. Yet, it is one of the most powerful healing modalities we have. Forgiveness is considered one of our most significant forms of freedom. Learning to embrace forgiveness as a way of life changes the entire outcome of your story. I know firsthand the power of forgiveness. I also know how difficult it is to forgive. At least until you learn what true forgiveness is, outside of what you’ve been told. There’s more to the story of forgiveness. I don’t want the overwhelming artificial beliefs to prevent it from being the powerful tool of healing that it is. Inside the podcast, I dive into the biological response to a lack of forgiveness and what forgiveness can do for your health. I also break down what forgiveness is, what it is not, and how to make forgiveness a way of life to experience more life.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/308

Healing requires you to consume more healing foods. Foods that make you feel light and alive. Learn the difference between negative energy foods and positive energy foods designed to help you heal. Food isn’t just food. It can be, but it’s also so much more than that. Yet, at the same time, it’s nothing like what we have understood it to be. Common thought leaves you believing food can change how you look and even how you feel. In a roundabout way, it can. But your body ultimately determines the outcome you experience. Meaning the power of food is what your body makes of it. Your health is determined by what your body chooses to do with what you provide. You can’t change your body. That is up to your body. But you can influence what your body does by learning how to support the body based on what it needs. Food can not change you, but it can support you.  Healing requires the support provided by food through the nourishment it contains. Healing and healing food is not a metric of energy but the nutrients the food contains.  Inside this podcast, I dive into the power of healing foods, what they are, and how to pattern your diet to support health and healing. I also share common “health foods” you should avoid.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/308

It feels ironic I am writing a post on emotional mastery. If I’m honest, I still have more moments than I’d like to admit where my emotions get the best of me. But, I do realize, like all things in health, perfection doesn’t exist.  Emotional mastery is not about never feeling but acknowledging how you feel and controlling your feelings so they don’t control you. It’s here your entire biology shifts from stress to health by learning how to manage your emotions. YOUR FEELINGS RUN YOUR BIOLOGY. Understanding your feelings run your biology makes a lot of sense if we look at diet history or even health history. Perhaps it even makes sense of what hasn’t made sense. No matter how many ‘right’ things you do, if you’re working from a negative emotional state, doing things doesn’t have the same impact. Because the negative emotional state has more hold over your biology than simply trying to eat better, making it nearly impossible to change when you feel terrible about yourself. Of course, food matters, and it can change the way you feel. It’s why we eat emotionally. A pint of ice cream can ease the pain. Food can change how you feel. If it didn’t, you wouldn’t come back to it. The problem isn’t emotional eating. It’s exchanging your power, giving it to food rather than holding the power to choose food based on how you want to feel. It’s using food to dictate how you feel rather than understanding the power you hold to change how you feel.  Emotions hold a massive amount of power.  The key to a healthier life is working for the long-term good, not the temporary feeling. Working to achieve a place where you do it when you feel like it and even when you don’t because you know, in the end, it is good. Emotion is the power driving the outcome of what you do.  Inside this podcast, we dive into the emotional component of biology and how to create emotional mastery. I teach you the art of re-parenting yourself, sitting in hard feelings, and creating confidence even when you don’t like where you are.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/307

One of the leading problems in the health space, really in life, is how we segment everything into specific parts or systems. We separate our work life from our home life and health from our spiritual life. Even within the body, you have endless systems you work to fix. This separation of the parts of your life is preventing you from healing. Healing requires you to understand no matter how unique each is, they are all connected. In the process, we overcomplicate health by segmenting it into parts rather than seeing the theme running through the whole. That theme is energy. When I was sick, I just wanted to feel better. I wanted to feel light, vibrant, and healthy. I wanted to feel energized. But instead of keeping it simple, by supporting my energy, I dove deep into the complexities. I had a hormonal problem and several diseases. All of which felt overwhelming and all-consuming, leaving me unable to see the whole picture and the rest of me. I didn’t see that my emotional baggage was weighing me down, both figuratively and literally, changing how my body responded. And I certainly didn’t understand how my thoughts created my need to keep body fat around. I failed to understand that while my mind, body, and soul may be different, they are all connected. And it’s this connection that changes the outcome. Meaning it’s not just about how you eat or what you do to change your body. But it’s understanding how those changes are equally affecting your mind and soul but even more how your whole is interacting and relating to others, your environment, and the world around you. They may be separate, but they’re connected. Healing isn’t just personal, it’s communal, and the connecting link is energy and healing your energy field. Inside the podcast, we talk about this intimate connection within the energy movement of your mind, body, and soul and how that radiates out of you to create your energy field.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/306

Love heals. Specifically self-love. But it requires a healthy ego that works to connect your mind, body, and soul. Learn how to heal your ego inside this post. I got into the health space wanting desperately to fix people, believing if I could fix them, I could fix myself. I didn’t call it that at the time. Honestly, my heart hurt over how much time people invested into the health space that seemed to take more than it gave back. Growing up, I watched countless women I know give everything, even losing themselves to something that made them more miserable than when they started. They chased a place people told them would make them happy. Yet, few arrived. It was a vicious cycle of self-hate that I desperately wanted to break, for them, but also for me. It wasn’t until years later that I realized the hard way no one in the history of the world has ever hated themselves healthy. Hate and healing do not go together. They’re antagonists. Yet the only thing we know about getting healthy has been a form of self-escape related to self-hate. But this isn’t the way. It can’t be. In this podcast, I tell you why self-hate and disassociation prevent you from healing. I also share the survival mechanism of your ego that turns self-hate into self-inflammation, masking self-hate in artificial forms of self-love but in ways that leave people sick, lonely, overwhelmed, and even hopeless. Instead, the answer is love, and yes, even self-love.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/305

I’ve long lived looking for something that would ‘fix’ me. A resource that would make all of my problems disappear. Some call it the easy button. Others are looking for the pill or the quick fix. No matter what it was, we’d all agree it needed to create healing without the pain and potential for failure. I used to think it was the work people (including myself) tried to escape by seeking the easy solution. But after walking through my healing journey, I know it’s not the work I’m afraid of. It’s the potential of the work not working out. It’s the fear that nothing will change. Most people are willing to do crazy things and hard things. In some cases, it seems like they would do almost anything if it would guarantee results. It’s not the work people are trying to escape. It’s the fear no amount of work will create healing. But healing is possible, not for the minority but everybody. The key is understanding how you heal so your work is done in the right direction. Far too many people invest their efforts into an external approach when all healing happens internally. All healing happens the same way: creating safety in your nervous system to produce balance that opens up energy flow, allowing you to thrive. Inside this podcast, I teach you how to create safety in your nervous system by understanding the polyvagal theory. I also give you practical tools based on the scale of affect regulation to help you know where you stand from regulated to dysregulated and how to regain balance. The key to health is not perfection. It’s not arriving at a destination. It’s knowing and surrendering to the understanding that life will pull you out of balance. You will become dysregulated. Health is knowing how to regulate yourself to create safety and open up your energy flow no matter what is happening around you.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/304

Healing wasn’t a part of my plan. My goal in nutrition was to prevent anything that would require healing by preventing disease and injury. I believed I could control myself from needing to heal by living healthy forever, not knowing that health is a daily healing, not the prevention of it.  When I crashed, I was forced into healing. The only other option was to live stuck in my illness.  Before getting sick, I had spent so much time trying to prevent health problems by securing the arrival at a destination I thought would bring me permanent health that I completely misunderstood what it meant to live healthy. Health is not the absence of disease or injury (although limiting this is ideal). It’s not the prevention of a place that requires healing. Health is learning how to heal. It’s daily action that supports healing. And when you learn to heal and practice healing, your body will become far healthier. But getting there means changing your view of what healing means. It’s changing your view of what health means. Moving away from the external chase and into the internal healing by building a new story of health that leans into daily healing. Inside the first podcast in this eight-part series called How You Heal, I help you understand the story your current life revolves around and how that is changing your biology. In the process, you will learn to shift that story, opening up to an internal approach to healing.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/303

Most people want to live healthy. The question isn’t about desire. It’s how do you achieve it?  I got into the health space to save people from their health struggles (namely weight loss). I thought if I could help you lose weight, I could make you happy, and this passion fueled my work. But five years in, I realized many people are fighting through health, doing all of the ‘right things’ and not getting results. These same people have poured their lives into something that has never given back to them. A problem so large that it left me questioning the method of chasing health. I realized there had to be something different. I realized we are missing health because we’re neglecting the only thing that creates change within your biology, your level of safety. No matter how many “right things” you do, if your body isn’t safe, it won’t change. The outcome you experience is directly related to your level of safety. It’s the untold truth about health and the very thing you need to understand to change. Inside this podcast, we dive into how to create safety inside your body and produce the outcomes you desire. Stop being your own worst enemy and create the lasting change you’ve been looking for. Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/302

Change is hard, but it doesn’t have to be impossible. Learn the secrets to making change happen in this podcast episode. Discover the five ways to guarantee success, including self-discipline, consistency, and pleasure. Find out how to think abundantly and live confidently to achieve your goals to guarantee health success. Change is hard. Even good change can feel impossible. But on some level, don’t we all want to change? The question is how? How do you do the things you know you should? Spoiler alert: Willpower or good intentions won’t create change. They’re needed but not essential. The essentials to change, and the only way you’ll do it, is by making change safe and pleasurable. The two metrics we often disregard for a metric of change that looks like deprivation, starvation, and restriction. The path of change I thought was required to make it happen. I had spent the better part of six years beating my body into submission while believing subconsciously that my self-hate would force me to be healthy. In reality, hate and health do not go together because hate and change conflict. They work against each other, leaving you running for your old patterns, the ones you desperately want to change. But that doesn’t make change impossible. It just makes the way we’ve been trying to change impossible. Inside this podcast, I share the secrets of change that guarantee success. Plus, I challenge you to engage with something hard. Because your body craves hard things. It was made for hard things. But only when you balance that with pleasure and desire. Learn the secrets inside.  Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/301

The connection between our body, mind, and soul is wildly understudied. Yet understanding the connection and communication between the three is vital in changing your life. Inside all of us is a specific language that directs your outcome. This doesn’t mean your body is speaking a foreign language, but the language of health is what you speak about yourself and how you speak about the world around you. Think of your language as your perception. That perception creates your reality. Take the language of body fat. If you repeatedly tell yourself, “I’m so fat,” that becomes your perception, creating your reality. It seems crazy, perhaps because we don’t want to believe our words have that much control. But they do. What you speak is powerful, creating or reinforcing the story you live. Learning a better language can change your outcome shifting your reality to create health. Inside this podcast, Registered Dietician and mindset coach Cole Berschback of Total Potential shows us how to build a better language in health through learning how to feel, release past hurts and rewrite your story. We also talk about the importance of posture and family systems in health.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/300

Learn how shame affects your identity and how God’s love can replace shame with a new story through the powerful example of the woman at the well in John 4. Discover the difference between guilt, sin, and shame and how to confront your deep places to allow God to change your story and shift the way you live. I grew up in a culture of scary faith. Not only did I constantly question my salvation, but I also lived by checking off the boxes of being a ‘good’ Christian girl. It felt like an impossible battle that kept me in a place of shame. I don’t want to blame shame for my sin. Biblically, sin came before shame (Genesis 3:1-11). But shame has a way of pushing us further into sin. Because shame, unlike sin, acts on our identity, shifting our belief about who we are. Instead of sin being what we do, shame makes it who we are. And when it becomes who you are, it becomes part of your life. Like an appendage, you may not like it, but you can’t escape it, at least not without changing your identity and your story. This podcast talks about God’s view of shame using the story of the woman at the well in John 4. It’s a story that shows God’s deep devotion to changing your story, removing your shame, and being filled with his love. God wants to write a new story through you. To shift your identity and replace the shame with his love. I pray this podcast brings you a better understanding of God’s deep and immense love for you and why He sent His only son to rescue you. A gift you cannot earn but only accept.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/299

You’ve been told wrong. Happiness isn’t a place. It’s a way of life. Learn how to find happiness in the backward approach to living with joy. There’s a healing benefit to happiness. Research has shown happiness boosts your immune function, heart health, and productivity. It also changes the way people experience pain. The question is, is it happiness that changes your biology or happiness that leads you to engage in healthier activities? The answer is both. Happiness seems to be the elusive emotion most people strive for, but few experience it. Unfortunately, finding happiness is more complicated than it should be. One, because our definition of happiness is wrong. Two, because the backward law proves the more you try to be happy, the more unhappy you’ll be. In this podcast, my husband Payton and I dive into happiness and why you should stop trying to find happiness and learn to create it. We also talk about the energetic frequency of emotion and how to use ‘glimmers’ to create safe patterns inside your brain.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/298

What if your body isn't the problem? I know that doesn't fit the health space's stereotypical norm, but the message invigorates me. A message that reminds you that your body is for you. Your body wants to be well, and it has the tools and resources to live well. More than trying to change your body, the secret to living well is learning how to support your body. That is exactly the path of homeopathy. Homeopathy is a 200-year-old system of medicine that uses diluted forms of natural substances (mostly plants and minerals) to stimulate a healing response in a person. It supports the body, allowing it to do the job it was designed - to heal. Rather than mask your symptoms or suppress them, the goal is to help your body heal itself by understanding what your symptoms are and what underlying imbalance you are dealing with. Today on the podcast, I invited expert Jennie Hogland to talk about homeopathy, what it is, and why it might benefit you. In the words of Jennie, "Our bodies are capable of so much more than we give them credit for. With the gentle nudge of Homeopathy, I have seen hundreds of people come alive and experience their own innate healing power."   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/297

Health has been washed down and overcomplicated. It wasn’t until I quit health that I realized health for what it is. Learn my unpopular health opinions that changed my health inside. Five years ago, I quit health. I got into the health space to save the world from its health problems. The problems the health space seemed to be capitalizing on and the same ones that seemed to follow you around like your own shadow. These were the problems I was determined to fix. I seemed to be making progress, at least in other people’s lives, until one day, I lost my health while doing everything right. In weeks, I had turned into the person I had gotten into the space to fix. The problems were so overwhelming I decided fighting for health wasn’t worth it, so I quit. The problem was I still wanted to be healthy. On some level, I think everyone wants to be healthy even more than they want to be skinny. But getting healthy seemed impossible. A system of cycles that too often led you right back to the same place you started, broken, swollen in problems, and chasing a solution. But when I quit health, I also set down everything I had believed. In the process, this opened up space for me to see health in a new way. It shifted my perspective on health to experience it in a new way. Quitting health is what led to my health. Inside this podcast, I share seven unpopular health opinions I learned from quitting health and why they helped me finally get healthy. To fully soak this podcast in, I encourage you to come with an open mind.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/296

A few years ago, I heard a presentation on adrenaline dominance, and I never forgot it. It was one of those moments that shifted some understanding in me, helping me make sense of what didn’t fully make sense. Adrenaline is a hormone most commonly associated with the body’s fight-or-flight response. The adrenaline rush of the body helps you react in dangerous situations. But there is another purpose of adrenaline that is less commonly talked about, to ensure the brain has received enough fuel (sugar). Many people force a need for adrenaline onto the body through restrictive diets or excess stress, sometimes leading to adrenaline dominance. Adrenaline dominance is a condition that creates problems such as; anxiety, cold hands and feet, IBS, muscle tension, fibromyalgia, over-active bladder, teeth grinding, restless leg syndrome, ADHD, headaches, and incurable disorders like PMDD. Many of these symptoms can feel overwhelming and even permanent. But when you understand the role of adrenaline in producing these symptoms, you can create a concrete solution to experience healing. Inside today’s podcast, I invited leading expert Dr. Michael Platt to talk about adrenaline dominance and the role of progesterone in treating it. Dr. Platt is the founder of Platt Wellness and the author of several books, including Adrenaline Dominance. Make sure you tune in to learn more.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/295

Should you like yourself? In this honest post, I share how to distinguish between self-like and self-obsessing and why learning to love yourself matters. There are some, perhaps even Biblical assumptions, that all humans love themselves and potentially a little too much. But I still questioned, does loving yourself mean liking yourself? Or does a dislike for yourself take self-love and turn it into a self-idol? There’s no doubt the world is fascinated with self. We’re all concerned with who we are, what we are, and what we’re trying to become. We quickly get so wrapped up in ourselves that we put ourselves on a pedestal of judgment or praise. We make life all about ourselves, which might be why you don’t like yourself. Not because self-like is selfish but because our self-worship shines a spotlight on ourselves, leaving plenty of room, time, and energy to judge ourselves. We can’t help but see our flaws, which leaves us self-protecting and often self-worshiping. But it’s not because we actually like ourselves (or even love ourselves) but the opposite, because we don’t. I know it sounds crazy, but I think it’s more true to say that we’re a self-worshipping kind of people, not because we like ourselves but because we don’t. And if we could embrace true self-like, it would allow us to invest more in others because we already have what we need. The problem is, this becomes confusing to the naked eye because we’re good at masking self-hate in things like self-care and calling it self-love. Inside this podcast, I invited my husband Payton to come on and discuss how to like yourself and why you might be acting in self-hate more than you realized. Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/294

What does it take to get healthy? I've asked myself this question numerous times, but it wasn't until my health crashed that I realized how my emotions were impacting my health and how my health was impacting my mind. I had to address the two-way street of my mind and body to experience the healing I longed for. The mindset and health spaces often overlook this intimate connection between your mind and body. But understanding each and how they work together proves the health of your body influences the health of your mind and visa versa. Likewise, what has happened to your body or mind will affect how the other responds.  If you're human, you have dealt with some form of emotional or physical trauma. Trauma shapes your way of life, how your biology runs, and even what you think.  But it doesn't have to stay this way. If you feel like nothing is okay in your life, let this remind you that it doesn't have to stay that way. In this podcast, I talk with Elise Healzer, a licensed therapist specializing in a holistic approach to assessing whole-person health. Today we talk about healing the mind-body connection through changing mindset loops, healing the mind-body connection, and getting comfortable with uncomfortable things.  We even dive into the question, should you go to therapy?    Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/293

You want to be well, but do you know how to get there? The western world of medicine has confused healing and made it about fixing. But healing has to be the goal. Learning to heal will teach you what medicine doesn’t know. “Do I even want to be well?” I found myself asking that question after years of treatment that helped me get better, but treatment I had become addicted to. Not by choice, although I don’t think anyone becomes addicted on purpose. But I honestly couldn’t live without it. When I first got sick, I didn’t bat an eye. I would do whatever and whenever to feel better. I needed help, and lots of it. But after a year of weekly (sometimes bi-weekly) treatments, I started to recognize a pattern. Go to treatment, get patched together, live a day or two before the crumbling began, and I would limp myself back into treatment. It felt like this had become my new way of life. Until one rainy spring day, as I was driving to another appointment, I started questioning if there was something I was missing. Was this what my life would amount to? I loved what it had done for me but hated what it had created in me. Deep down, I knew I was missing something. Something that was bound to help me get over my hurdle of dependence and break into health. It was the answer to my lingering question, did I even want to be well? In asking this question, I learned healing was a choice more than a treatment. Inside this podcast, Dr. Ed Cohen shares a similar story journeying through learning to heal. If you’re struggling to heal, I encourage you to listen to this podcast that dives deeper into what it means to heal.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/292

Change is hard but not impossible. The problem isn't what you're doing. It's your perspective behind what you do. Learn why you can't change inside this post! Change is hard, almost impossible. Especially if you continuously focus on the fact that you struggle to change. I don't know how many times I have made a promise and committed to the fact that I was going to change but didn't. I was going to stop. I was going to try harder. I was going to wake up to my first alarm I was going to stop eating sugar. I was going to change _ (fill in the blank). We all make a lot of promises to ourselves, many of which we'll never keep. Instead, we tend to keep doing the things we want to change, feeling frustrated and even guilty that nothing ever changes. Leaving me to question maybe your thought that you need to change is preventing you from living it.Not because change isn't possible but because how we try to change makes it impossible. Inside this podcast, I dive into the science of change, the top five reasons you're making change impossible, and how to stop trying to change to create it. It's a prime example of the backward law that states the more you try to change, the less likely you are to experience it. Inside this podcast, you learn why you can't change. Spoiler: you're trying too hard!   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/291

I’ve thought of many things, most of which were never true. Or at least it never came to fruition. Although, I still let my mind wander into the black hole that can take a common headache and make it a death sentence with one quick conclusion that it must be brain cancer. Looking back, it seems silly to have thought such things. But there are other normalized thoughts that are just as silly, but because they’re normal, they get overlooked. In time, they become our reality. What you think creates your action, no matter how much you will yourself to do something different. Researchers estimate we have upwards of 70,000 thoughts each day. Contrary to popular belief, these thoughts aren’t floating around in the space between your skull. They have a biological impact, changing the action you live and the outcome you experience. Ironically, of those 70,000 thoughts, at least 95% are the same as they were yesterday. Our mind follows loops and repeated patterns because patterns are a form of safety. You must understand your thought loops and why you have them to healthify your thoughts. Inside this podcast, my husband Payton and I talk about our five years process of doing the work to improve our minds with healthy thoughts and what we found in the process. It may shock you as it goes against the self-help norm.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/290

I’m a headache person, or at least I used to be. When I got too tired, fell out of my normal routine, or got close to the menstruation point in my cycle, I could almost guarantee a nagging headache would surface. Sometimes they were more of a nuisance than a day-altering issue. But other times, it left me stuck in bed with a full-on migraine. If you’re a headache person, I know the struggle. But it doesn’t have to stay that way. Over the years of healing my body, adding energy, and changing my perspective on stress, I’ve cleared 98% of my headaches, leaving me to go months and months without symptoms. I believe you can get here too. Of course, everyone is different, but changes are possible for all of us. I invited an expert in headaches, Dr. Meg Mill, to come on the show and explain why we get them, how to relieve them, and even prevent headaches from popping up. Listen to this podcast to learn more about headaches.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/289

To diet or not to diet? That’s the million-dollar question that has flipped in the last decade. The number of people looking to diet or jumping into one has fallen drastically. Not because they don’t want health but because they’ve watched dieting fail time and time again. Yet, I’d have to argue most people still want to achieve health. The question is, how do you get it without jumping into another diet program? Reverse dieting could be the answer. But to understand reverse dieting, you must recognize the dangers of traditional dieting. In this podcast, I invited metabolic expert Ashley Filmore to talk about metabolic damage, using reverse dieting to heal your metabolism, and what it looks like to begin the process.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/288

If you're tired, you're not alone. Most of the population falls somewhere between exhausted and just going through the motions. Being tired seems to be the American way of life. But it's not supposed to be that way. Energy is something we all have. It's inside of us. The first law of thermodynamics proves this by stating; energy is neither created nor destroyed but only altered. You have what you need. Even if it feels like your energy is lacking, it's not. It's just being suppressed or channeled in a way that makes you feel like you have no energy. How your body channels energy changes what you feel, producing action accordingly. Think of it like a lightbulb. A lightbulb can exist, but without energy, the bulb never glows. The same holds true for your body, the energy is there, but you must turn the switch on to experience it. How you turn that switch is determined by the safety of your body. In times of stress, your body down-regulates your energy production, leading it to store, hoard and conserve energy rather than use it. In times of safety, health, and nourishment, your body has abundant energy to use to live. The question isn't, what happened to your energy, but why is your body altering the flow of energy to conserve it rather than use it? You don't have to be tired all the time. Your body was made to thrive. Learning how to live that way is the secret to health. Inside this podcast, I dive into what energy is and how to get more energy. Take a listen to learn this life-giving health information.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/287

“Just think more positively.”  I heard that advice over one thousand times in my healing journey. It’s the mental health advice heard worldwide – just think better. But when I put it into practice, disciplined practice, I didn’t feel any more optimistic. In fact, I felt like I was falling further into a dark place, not just because of my thoughts but because what was supposed to work wasn’t. If it didn’t work, what was left? I know so many people who want to change. They need to change. I was one of them. Living as an actual pain addict, I didn’t know another way. Even though I hated the pain, it was also incredibly comforting to me. It was my normal, even if it wasn’t healthy. I had to change, so I invested time into talk therapy. It was incredibly beneficial – something I recommend to most people. But I found the process exhausting. It worked but only for so long. As soon as we started to dive into the deeper places, my entire body shut down, and I stalled out. The healing didn’t happen the way I had expected. At least not until I added the extra component to mental healing (and biological healing), the deep intimate connection of our body, mind, and soul. When I began to nourish my body by energizing and feeding it well, my mind went a little deeper, allowing me to heal the things I had been unable to deal with. Things that were running and ruining my life because I wasn’t in a place I could deal with them. Today on the podcast, I talk with Niecia Nelson about the desperate need for physical health in mental healing. You can’t heal your mind without supporting your body. Learn the tools to heal inside this podcast, broken up into two parts.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/286

“Just think more positively.”  I heard that advice over one thousand times in my healing journey. It’s the mental health advice heard worldwide – just think better. But when I put it into practice, disciplined practice, I didn’t feel any more optimistic. In fact, I felt like I was falling further into a dark place, not just because of my thoughts but because what was supposed to work wasn’t. If it didn’t work, what was left? I know so many people who want to change. They need to change. I was one of them. Living as an actual pain addict, I didn’t know another way. Even though I hated the pain, it was also incredibly comforting to me. It was my normal, even if it wasn’t healthy. I had to change, so I invested time into talk therapy. It was incredibly beneficial – something I recommend to most people. But I found the process exhausting. It worked but only for so long. As soon as we started to dive into the deeper places, my entire body shut down, and I stalled out. The healing didn’t happen the way I had expected. At least not until I added the extra component to mental healing (and biological healing), the deep intimate connection of our body, mind, and soul. When I began to nourish my body by energizing and feeding it well, my mind went a little deeper, allowing me to heal the things I had been unable to deal with. Things that were running and ruining my life because I wasn’t in a place I could deal with them. Today on the podcast, I talk with Niecia Nelson about the desperate need for physical health in mental healing. You can’t heal your mind without supporting your body. Learn the tools to heal inside this podcast, broken up into two parts.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/285

Fasting is one of the oldest recorded health practices. Arguably it has been around since the beginning of creation, first noted as a religious practice more than a health practice. But even most religious traditions have incredible health benefits. Like prayer, singing, connecting, and seeing beyond yourself. I’d love to dive into all these at some point, but today we will talk about intermittent fasting. There seems to be controversy popping up with intermittent fasting, questioning if it’s harming your metabolism forming two camps of people. One camp is those who follow a strict fasting protocol. The other believes you should eat when your body is hungry regardless of timing. Honestly, there is valid information on both sides. But this information feeds the confusion that already exists in this space. On this podcast, I dive into the science on both sides, working to find a common balance. Get the full details answering the question, is intermittent fasting bad for your metabolism, inside the podcast.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/284

Health hasn't been easy. Truthfully it's not for the majority of people. Yet, I can't help but think it shouldn't be this complicated. I've often been my own worst enemy. I seemed to be a master at creating a self-fulfilling prophecy surrounding my happiness and the health of my relationships. Yet, I couldn't imagine that was the case for something I had worked so hard for, given up so much for, and genuinely invested in my life. I couldn't imagine I was the one self-sabotaging my health. I know we don't like to look at it that way, that our problems could be because of our own making. Even if it is the case, there is no room to blame yourself or beat yourself up over. What's been done is done. But we can change how we move forward. Today on the podcast, I'm sharing a health update and why I feel like I've made so much progress and still feel stuck. Inside this episode, I'm joined by my husband as we talk openly and vulnerably about this crazy health journey we're on—a story of health freedom.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/283

Want to get healthier as an enneagram nine? Let your enneagram number be your guide. Inside, I share the enneagram nine health tips that include an ultimate guide on how to get healthy based on your enneagram strengths and weaknesses.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/enneagram9

Want to get healthier as an enneagram nine? Let your enneagram number be your guide. Inside, I share the enneagram nine health tips that include an ultimate guide on how to get healthy based on your enneagram strengths and weaknesses.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/enneagram9

Want to get healthier as an enneagram eight? Let your enneagram number be your guide. Inside, I share the enneagram eight health tips that include an ultimate guide on how to get healthy based on your enneagram strengths and weaknesses.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/enneagram8

Want to get healthier as an enneagram eight? Let your enneagram number be your guide. Inside, I share the enneagram eight health tips that include an ultimate guide on how to get healthy based on your enneagram strengths and weaknesses.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/enneagram8

Want to get healthier as an enneagram seven? Let your enneagram number be your guide. Inside, I share the enneagram seven health tips that include an ultimate guide on how to get healthy based on your enneagram strengths and weaknesses.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/enneagram7

Want to get healthier as an enneagram seven? Let your enneagram number be your guide. Inside, I share the enneagram seven health tips that include an ultimate guide on how to get healthy based on your enneagram strengths and weaknesses.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/enneagram7

Want to get healthier as an enneagram six? Let your enneagram number be your guide. Inside, I share the enneagram six health tips that include an ultimate guide on how to get healthy based on your enneagram strengths and weaknesses.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/enneagram6

Want to get healthier as an enneagram six? Let your enneagram number be your guide. Inside, I share the enneagram six health tips that include an ultimate guide on how to get healthy based on your enneagram strengths and weaknesses.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/enneagram6

Want to get healthier as an enneagram five? Let your enneagram number be your guide. Inside, I share the enneagram five health tips that include an ultimate guide on how to get healthy based on your enneagram strengths and weaknesses.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/enneagram5

Want to get healthier as an enneagram five? Let your enneagram number be your guide. Inside, I share the enneagram five health tips that include an ultimate guide on how to get healthy based on your enneagram strengths and weaknesses.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/enneagram5

Want to get healthier as an enneagram four? Let your enneagram number be your guide. Inside, I share the enneagram four health tips that include an ultimate guide on how to get healthy based on your enneagram strengths and weaknesses.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/enneagram4

Want to get healthier as an enneagram four? Let your enneagram number be your guide. Inside, I share the enneagram four health tips that include an ultimate guide on how to get healthy based on your enneagram strengths and weaknesses.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/enneagram4

Want to get healthier as an enneagram three? Let your enneagram number be your guide. Inside, I share the enneagram three health tips that include an ultimate guide on how to get healthy based on your enneagram strengths and weaknesses.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/enneagram3

Want to get healthier as an enneagram three? Let your enneagram number be your guide. Inside, I share the enneagram three health tips that include an ultimate guide on how to get healthy based on your enneagram strengths and weaknesses.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/enneagram3

Want to get healthier as an enneagram two? Let your enneagram number be your guide. Inside, I share the enneagram two health tips that include an ultimate guide on how to get healthy based on your enneagram strengths and weaknesses.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/enneagram2

Want to get healthier as an enneagram two? Let your enneagram number be your guide. Inside, I share the enneagram two health tips that include an ultimate guide on how to get healthy based on your enneagram strengths and weaknesses.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/enneagram2

Want to get healthier as an enneagram one? Let your enneagram number be your guide. Inside, I share the enneagram one health tips that include an ultimate guide on how to get healthy based on your enneagram strengths and weaknesses.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/enneagram1

Want to get healthier as an enneagram one? Let your enneagram number be your guide. Inside, I share the enneagram one health tips that include an ultimate guide on how to get healthy based on your enneagram strengths and weaknesses.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/enneagram1

Is testosterone replacement healthy in men? Get the real facts as Alexa interviews Dr. Morgentaler, an associate professor at Harvard medical school and doctor at Men's Health Boston, to give us the low-down on men's sexual wellness. Common misconceptions in men's health The issue of testosterone and symptoms of low-testosterone Are younger men struggling with low testosterone Should you get treatment for testosterone (and is it safe?) Testosterone replacement compared to what bodybuilders are doing The damage of too much testosterone Lifestyle factors that are sabotaging testosterone Natural ways to boost testosterone How to know if you need testosterone replacement What to look for on a hormone test - how to read it How is pornography affecting men's health The average size of erection - is it normal? Erectile Dysfunction and sexual health - psychological or physical The Viagra myth The influence of vasectomy on men's health The association between sleep apnea and testosterone Advice for men to boost sexual health Learn More About Testosterone Replacement and Men's Sexual Wellness The Sex Talk Podcast Series Men's Health Boston The Viagra Myth The Truth About Men and Sex How To Have Great Sex 5 Ways to Enhance Sexual Desire (For Men + Women) The 5-Day Hormone Reset Mini-Course   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/264

What does healthy sexual wellness look like in a relationship? Get a real-life perspective as Payton and Alexa talk about the good, bad, hard, and amazing things they've learned in building a healthy sexual relationship. The Sex Talk is wrapping up with just one more episode to release, and I wanted to end with a real-life guest. Inside this podcast, learn from my husband, Payton, as he shares his experience and perspectives. He also gives you a boost of encouragement. Truthfully, there is no perfect way to experience sexual intimacy. But sexual health is a critical aspect of your overall life. You can't deny the benefits beyond great sex - healthy sexual wellness births confidence, creativity, and curiosity. My hope with this series is that you shifted your perspective, healed old wounds, and opened up to a new way of viewing sexual health. Thank you so much for tuning in to this incredibly personal series! Let this spark new conversations in your relationships and thoughts in your mind! Don't forget to check out every podcast episode (even the ones specifically for men and/or women).   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/263

Pleasure comes in a lot of forms, some positive and some negative. But if used in a nourishing way, pleasure is one of the best catalysts to change. Learn the science of pleasure and how to use it to change. You won't follow through with anything if you don't enjoy it. Not because you need better willpower but because your brain was hardwired to crave pleasure and participate in it. In fact, pleasure is a survival response of the body. What you find pleasure in, you continue. That's why eating, connections, sex, and even work can be so pleasurable. Anything that keeps you or the human species alive contains a sense of pleasure. Of course, not all pleasure is created equal. But if healthy pleasure is fostered, it is the catalyst for change. This podcast talks about what pleasure does to your brain and the difference between superficial and artificial pleasure and natural. I also share how to create change, either away form unhealthy pleasure that could lead to addiction and into using pleasure to foster healthy change.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/262

Here's what you'll learn in this week's episode of The Sex Talk Why sexual trauma happens so easily How we are influenced by sexual trauma The effect of porn on your marriage and future relationships How your younger self effects your life today The benefits of true intimacy How to heal from past trauma The importance of rebuilding trust in a relationship What healthy and secure attachment looks like How to help others heal from their own trauma How to best love your spouse What to do if your spouse has a porn addiction? How to regain an attraction to your spouse Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/261

You can't change what you don't know. Learn how to have better overall sexual wellness with this expert advice to strengthen your pelvic floor. Pelvic dysfunction comes in a lot of different shapes and problems. The crazy thing is incontinence could be the least of your worries with dysfunction. Our pelvic floor is the core foundation, literally holding our lower extremities to our core – which means it also can affect everything in our body.  The problem is the pelvic floor gets stressed – a lot. From birthing children to aging, to normal daily activities and even more intense activities like running – the pelvic floor takes a lot of stress. That stress can lead to fatigue and even sagging, which equates to dysfunction.  The good news – it is fixable and even preventable and we talk all about it in today’s episode.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/260

In this week's Episode, Alexa continues her interview with Dr. John Gray, author of Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, and dive into various topics about sexual health. Learn More: https://thelivingwell.com/259

In this week's Episode, Alexa interviews Dr. John Gray, author of Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, and dive into various topics about sexual health. Learn More: https://thelivingwell.com/258

In this episode, Alexa interviews Tiffany Dawn as they get into topics such as: The importance of education around sexual wellness Defining sexy The importance of communication with your spouse How giving vs. receiving should be handled in your relationships Stages of life and sexual function The effects of body image on your sex life How to balance what you "should" do compared to your desires The effects of modesty on women and sex Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/257

Everyone thinks that all men can think about or talk about is sex, but there are some key misconceptions about a Man’s Libido. It’s not just about how much you desire sex, but it is so much more. Inside this podcast you’ll learn some common misconceptions about a man’s libido and why I think we have so many issues in our society today with low testosterone and low sex drives. Your libido is a life force. Let me show you how to open up and live it out.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/256

A woman's libido is often lumped into one generic category regarding how much you desire sex. But your libido is so much more than that. More than a metric of desire, it is reading the health of your body and responding accordingly to how much energy you have. Making your libido a great tool for understanding your health. There are many myths surrounding libido, especially women’s libido. The truth is, your libido isn’t eluding you. It’s inside of you. You have everything you need. The key is learning how to nurture it. Inside this podcast, I share every detail you need to know about a women’s libido, including how to boost it, allowing you to experience a new sense of passion for life. Your libido is a life force. Let me show you how to open up and live it out. Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/255

Welcome to The Sex Talk series by the host of the Made For Living Well Podcast, Alexa Schirm.

If you’re confused, you’re not alone. The health space has been notorious for overwhelm, and it’s working in their favor. Complexity likes to keep you stuck in the place of wanting health but not knowing how to move forward. If we’re not careful, complexity will crush any form of growth. I’ve always had a hard time believing health was as difficult as we made it. Growing up, I watched countless women I love give up their life to a diet promising them a better life, only to leave empty-handed. How could people work so diligently and faithfully and still not accomplish it? We had to be missing something, and I would make it my life mission to figure it out. Eventually, I found that we missed health, not because it wasn’t possible, but because we were running after it in the wrong direction. Health is not an external equation or system. Health is in you – it’s in all of us. Learning how to live out of health is the secret you’ve been looking for and the answer to doing what you know you should. It makes health simple. But you have to avoid these five health mistakes to make it simple. Inside Health Made Simple, I teach you how to achieve health for life. It’s not a fancy system but a new approach that is personal and relatable, allowing you to experience health today. If you want a sneak peek at what you’ll learn inside, check out lessons one and two right here! In this episode you'll get a preview of the second lesson in this class, The Power Of The Mind. Be sure to check out episode 252 for lesson one.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/253

If you’re confused, you’re not alone. The health space has been notorious for overwhelm, and it’s working in their favor. Complexity likes to keep you stuck in the place of wanting health but not knowing how to move forward. If we’re not careful, complexity will crush any form of growth. I’ve always had a hard time believing health was as difficult as we made it. Growing up, I watched countless women I love give up their life to a diet promising them a better life, only to leave empty-handed. How could people work so diligently and faithfully and still not accomplish it? We had to be missing something, and I would make it my life mission to figure it out. Eventually, I found that we missed health, not because it wasn’t possible, but because we were running after it in the wrong direction. Health is not an external equation or system. Health is in you – it’s in all of us. Learning how to live out of health is the secret you’ve been looking for and the answer to doing what you know you should. It makes health simple. But you have to avoid these five health mistakes to make it simple. Inside Health Made Simple, I teach you how to achieve health for life. It’s not a fancy system but a new approach that is personal and relatable, allowing you to experience health today. If you want a sneak peek at what you’ll learn inside, check out lessons one and two right here! In this episode you'll get a preview of the first lesson in this class, Metabolism 101.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/252

Do you feel the urge to do something different, clean things up, and feel energized? If you're feeling sluggish, a quick health reset even for one day can rebalance your body creating space for you to feel well. Let me show you how to do it.  Most of us get to this place, feeling heavy after winter and wanting to toss stuff to lighten the load. It's where 'spring cleaning' got its name, and just like our homes, our body's natural tendency is to do the same.  But it's not just a mental desire. It's a biological one.  Your body undergoes a massive biological change, shifting nearly one-quarter of its DNA to prime for the warmer months of summer. This means what your body needs are going to change as well. During this transition, you'll probably notice a craving for a health reset, which I define as nothing more than creating space for your body to heal by opening up energy flow. Energy is the most vital life force in the body. I like to think of it as a nutrient. I know we rarely talk about it like we do other nutrients such as vitamin D or C, but it's vital to our health. Without enough energy, your body shifts its biological response to store, hoard, and conserve energy rather than open up to use it. Everything in your body works based on energy flow and is the focus of a productive health reset.  Inside this podcast, I dive into how to create a health reset by understanding why you need it. We also talk about building an anti-fragile life on health that is unshakable to life—allowing you to live healthy no matter where life takes you.    Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/251

What is the metabolic diet? Is it right for you? Like most things, it depends on what your body needs. But more than a diet, the pro-metabolic eating lifestyle is designed to support metabolic health, the topic of this post. If you haven’t heard of metabolic eating, which some call pro-metabolic eating, you will soon. It stands out against the traditional diets as a means of working with your body rather than working to change your body, a subtle but powerful difference. The traditional model of health supports the idea that if you micromanage what you consume and how you live, your body will change in direct relation to what you do. This idea has led people to cut calories and eliminate entire macronutrients from their diets, hoping to see results that correspond. But the new model is founded on how your body responds—shifting the focus of health from external things to how your body responds. The pro metabolic eating plan focuses on nourishing your body based on what it needs. It is an approach that works with your metabolism, knowing how to support it moving your body from surviving to thriving. Inside this podcast, I interview metabolic eating expert Fallon Danae to hear her story of losing her health and using the pro metabolic plan to regain health and what that looks like inside our lives.

Is intermittent fasting healthy? Or is it another sexy health term that puts health inside a new box? Inside this podcast, I interview Dr. Michael Breus, America’s Sleep Doctor to learn more about circadian living – using sleep to energize you to live. There are a lot of healthy things the health space has taken to the extreme and made unhealthy. In some cases, I think that’s what has been done with intermittent fasting. We’re quick to hear it might help you lose weight so we go all in, taking the twelve-hour fast and pushing it to eight hours. If it speeds up results, why not? But is it speeding up results? Or is it giving you quick but fleeting results? Remember, health is not about pushing your body to the extremes. This leads to burnout and exhaustion. The answer to health has always been and will always be about energy flow. Creating a personalized tool that allows you to feel how your body is responding. How you feel, energetically not necessarily emotionally, is the easiest way to track your health. Everything we do is working towards energizing the body or draining it. Not to say we can’t do both, but the key is to find a balance. It’s always about creating and sustaining a healthy flow of energy. That’s the importance of sleep, of the food that we eat and even when we eat it. Everything we encounter in life is interacting with our energy. It’s the key thread running through the whole of who you are. Inside this podcast, we talk with Dr. Michael Breus, America’s Sleep Doctor on energy. How to use energy to change not only how you feel but how you feel leads to a change in how you look. It’s the outcomes we’ve all been longing for but created through energy flow.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/249

Let's talk about sexual wellness. I'm not just talking about sex, although that does matter to your health but the full spectrum including the pelvic floor, genital health, hormones, and even connection. Learn why you need a sexual wellness routine and how it can help your entire life.    Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/248

Nervous system regulation is a fancy way of packaging up a lot of annoying and sometimes painful symptoms. In my own life, it looked more like digestive issues that led to nighttime bloating, making others question if I was four months pregnant. When really, it was just the bloating. It also came out in an overreaction to harsh lighting (a.k.a. sunlight), an intense sense of smell that led to dull yet constant headaches, and a systemic inflammatory reaction that made me feel like a walking zombie. I tried to link symptoms to food sensitivities, poor sleep patterns caused by toddlers, and the dreaded hormone problems. But these are just surface issues that are easy to blame. In a way, it was tangible, quantifiable data that made sense of my issues without dealing with the root problem. The real problem was my dysregulated nervous system. A system responsible for communicating bodily action, like how to digest food and what hormones to release. A system responsible for connecting your brain to your biology -- your psychology to your physiology. Your nervous system is in direct communication with your brain and biology, including your enzymes, neurotransmitters, hormones, and subsequently your cells based on what it's experiencing in and around you. Learning how to nourish your nervous system is a game-changer in your health. You can't get healthy without it. Inside this podcast, I interview Jessica Maguire, an expert in Nervous System Regulation. We discuss why your nervous system is important, how it's creating your health and how to use your nervous system to get healthy.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/247

It’s fair to say I’ve generally been a skeptic of meditation. Getting my mind to a state of nothingness has felt more like a chore than an act of self-care. Trying to perform a task I’m not even sure I’m capable of all while spending time doing it. It seemed like a lose-lose situation until I learned what meditation is supposed to be. When I was able to get outside my stereotypical idea of what meditation was and see it for what it was intended to be – I started to develop more interest in it. Surprisingly, I learn that I was already practicing meditation. I just didn’t call it that. I know how critical creating mind-space is to my current self and future self. But it started by setting down my preconceived ideas about what meditation is and learn what it means. That’s what I hope we can all do today. To set aside what we think we know about meditation and learn what it really means. Unlike common thought, the goal is not “nothingness.” It’s an act of shifting what you think—choosing instead to fill the mind with truth. Understanding this gives meditation more substance. It makes it practical, igniting a desire within you to experience the benefits. Today on the podcast (and the third episode inside the latest series – 8 life-transforming health tips you need), I am interviewing the queen of meditation and founder of the Muse Meditation Devise, Ariel Muse. Inside this podcast, you will learn common misconceptions about meditation, how to get started and why retraining the brain is the secret to health. This is your guide to meditation.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/246

You know you should get healthy, you even want it, but you fail to do it. The truth is, you’re not even lazy. Like most people, you’re struggling to pinpoint why you can’t do what you know you should – like saving money or getting in your devotional. This post has the answers you’ve been looking for to answer the nagging question, why can’t I do what I know I need to do? The answer is, you’re human. I know that doesn’t help you and it’s certainly not intended to be an excuse. But it’s the truth. It’s human nature to reject change, even good change, because change is scary. At least to your body and your mind. It’s the pattern of survival, to stay stuck doing the things that have kept you alive even if they’re not the best for you. Things that your body has grown used to and created around. But also because some of these actions induce a reward, at least temporarily. In either case, it makes change appear harder than it is, leaving you running for the temporary fix. It’s why we run to the candy stash mid-afternoon when we’re feeling a bit tired and overwhelmed. Or why you feel like you deserve that midnight ice-cream binge. It’s why you reset your alarm, allowing you to sleep in rather than wake up and move. On some level, your body is exhausted, and the best place to get a boost, even temporarily, is from an immediate reward. But it doesn’t have to stay this way. You can do the things you know you should, the things you want to, but it has to be done with a different twist. Inside this podcast, I interviewed a behavior change specialist, Dr. Heather McKee. Dr. Mckee’s work focuses on habit formation to help people make lasting change using research-driven methods to find freedom and joy in their healthy habits. She answers your nagging question, why can’t I do what I know I need to do? And it’s one to listen to.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/245

What does it take to get healthy? Not quick weight loss. But actual lasting health? If you’re wondering this question, this brand new podcast series is exactly what you need. Eight life-changing health tips you need to know, starting with the question, how would you define health? I hate cliche. There is nothing more cliche than telling you I know eight life-changing health tips. While I don’t want to be one more health expert promoting blanket statements, I do think these eight tips that you personalize could answer a lot of the questions you’ve been looking for. Shifting the narrative from looking outside your body for answers and seeing your body is the answer. Not to give you a spoiler alert, that statement could change the entire scope of your health. Your body is the answer. It’s always been the answer. We’ve just missed it in the process of hating our bodies. We’ve missed it because it feels so contradictory to find the answer in the thing you desperately want to change. But you have to trust me on this one. Your body is the answer. It is the only way. It happens to also be why so few people have found it. Health will never be found in external solutions. It’s always and forever how your body responds to what you do – making your body the answer. Inside this podcast, we kick off this series by redefining health. Twisting your original beliefs into true beliefs creates a solid foundation to produce the change you’ve been longing for. Listen to the podcast to see a new beginning in the first of eight foundational health tips you need. Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/244

Are you looking to take your health to a new level? Or maybe you’re just looking to gain a sliver of health. Wherever you are starting from, this simple practice will upgrade your wellness routine this year to help you live out of health. What if things could be different? What if things could be better? A new year is here, and while there is nothing strikingly different about December versus January, it certainly feels different. The possibility of a new chapter a fresh start is invigorating and helps you think outside the norm. This year, I want to do that. To help you think outside the box and get away from the “traditional” health ideas to return to your roots. Helping you invest in something that works for you by seeing yourself inside the equation. The boxed approach to health and life hasn’t worked. At least not long-term. While I think it’s human nature to desire better, even strive for it, I don’t want you to spend another year looking for better while living outside yourself. The best is when you open up to who you were created to be, not an idea someone told you to be. This year my dream is to help you live out of the real you, not create a new you. Because the world needs the real you, the passions and desires contained within the soul of who you are. This year, it’s time to break up with the diet plans, the resolutions, the hard and fast goals, and start to live. I’m not talking about ‘keeping up with the Jones’ kind of living, but living as in learning, growing, adventuring, and unearthing the real you. We don’t have time not to. And once you taste it, you’ll never go back. Inside this podcast, I share my health revelation that changed everything, and I want to share it with you. If you’re interested in your own health revival, check out this podcast.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/243

Your conscious mind is more powerful than you've been told. Learn how to use your conscious mind to create the change you desire with guest Leonard Perlmutter.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/242

Today I want to tell you to stop worrying because I believe God has more for you. I’m a worrier by nature. I was born into a worrying family. To me, worrying was an act of love. If you weren’t worried about me or my five-minute trip across town, did you even love me? I had married the two together, making worry a part of my story just as much as love was. But I had to learn that worry wasn’t my intended design, and it’s not yours. It’s not giving you life. It’s stealing it. I wonder what would change if we surrendered our constant need to worry and control the future and laid it at his feet—allowing us the space to fully step into his perfect design for our life and live that out. To finally live. If you’re like me, you’re thinking, this is all too good to be true. It’s a good thought, but practically speaking, it feels impossible. Your heart says yes, but logic says that’s a terrible idea. I know the fight is real. So far, logic may be winning. But today, I want to get your logical mind on board, allowing you to let down what is keeping you stuck and to walk into the promises God created specifically and individually for you. Inside this podcast, I present you with a new way to see your life, not as an author but as a character in the greatest story ever told. Allowing you to set down your need to create your own ending and live in the peace that God showed us the ending and it’s perfect—creating room for you to live right now. The place where life is happening. Where memories are made, and change is created. Let this be your permission slip to stop worrying because you know God has more for you.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/241

Everything you need to know about eating carbohydrates. Because you should be eating them, inside this podcast, learn what types of carbs you should be eating, how many, and at what times. It sounds complicated, but we’re making the carb conversation simple on this controversial topic of how to eat carbohydrates.  The easy answer to health is to focus on external problems and will yourself into eliminating them. Clearly, we’ve watched it work over and over in the health space. Eliminating entire food groups in the name of health but for quick weight loss. The problem is, it works in the short term, but long-term eliminating an entire macronutrient group like carbohydrates has lasting consequences. A long-term study that took a deep dive into the eating habits of more than 447,000 people around the globe found cutting carbs from your life, like on keto, might help you lose weight or feel great in the short term, but with long-term consequences. The study pushing in The Lancet Public Health showed that 25 years after the start of the study, those who ate the lowest amount of carbohydrates had the highest risk of death. But I know, the arguments still exist. The questions still loom. And the appeal of quick weight loss still lingers. The truth is, food elimination is not our problem. The problem has never been about external situations or things that we encounter, but why our bodies are so sensitive to the things we consume? And why do we overconsume them or crave the wrong ones. These are questions we should be asking, why is my body reacting this way, not what foods are good foods or bad foods. Of course, getting here takes time. Seeing food for what it does inside your body rather than what it contains is transformation in your health. The short answer is, eat carbohydrates. Not too many, not too little, and in the right form. Inside this podcast I tell you how to eat carbohydrates, walking through carbohydrate cycling, fasting, how many is too many and all of the details in between.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/240

If you’re a carb lover, you’ve never felt so out of place in the health world. The low-carb diet is trending. Leaving you to wonder if you need to jump that train and how you’ll possibly manage. Because carbs are life. But today I want to tell you, carbs aren’t the enemy. In fact, they’re necessary. The enemy is the power you give food. Before we get into that, let’s break down why carbs aren’t the enemy. Carbohydrates are surrounded by a great deal of controversy in the health space. No matter what way you swing the argument, you can find research to back it up. That seems to be a trend in the health space, increasing confusion and pulling the attention we should be placed on our body onto new systems. But the truth is, this subject isn’t as dicey as the world has made it out to be. The better news, carbohydrates are a part of a healthy diet. In fact, they’re essential. It’s not the elimination you need, but the knowledge on what your body is doing with carbohydrates and how to tell how your body is using them. Health is more than what you consume. It’s how your body uses what you consume. Don’t focus so much on what you eat or what you shouldn’t eat that you miss what your body needs. In most cases, 99.9% of them, your body needs healthy carbohydrates to a certain degree. On this podcast, we dive into the science on carbohydrates, why your body needs them, the process of ketosis, and the real cause behind your drive for another flash diet. It’s a good one and will give you arguing points to let go of the shame you might feel when you sink your teeth into that granola bar. Making peace with carbs once and for all.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/239

  We’ve all heard the definition of insanity. It is doing the same thing but expecting different results. While I know the definition, I’m no stranger to living this way, desiring change, even investing everything into it but living stuck in my old patterns. Of course, I don’t intentionally keep myself stuck. It’s an unintentionally subconscious response repeated when we fail to live aware of our drive to self-sabotage. Let me define self-sabotage to give you an adequate description of what we’re talking about. Self-sabotage is when we actively or passively take steps to prevent ourselves from reaching our goals. Most likely, you don’t go around bragging about your latest attempt to self-sabotage, but if we’re not careful or aware of it, self-sabotage will be the very thing that keeps you from moving forward. We all do it or have done it until we learn how to undo it. Self-sabotage is the natural pull of life, but when we know better, we can do better. We can learn to overcome self-sabotage. Today on the podcast, I talk with mindset expert, licensed clinical psychologist, and certified weight management specialist Dr. Candice Seti. We dive into the habit of self-sabotage and the key steps to overcome it. Trust me, it’s not as difficult as we make   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/238

The world tells you to write a new story and burn the old one day. But what if that old story, the one you've been trying to escape, is meant for good? Inside this episode, we dive into the story of the Israelites crossing the Jordan and into the Promised Land and how we can relate to them. Learn how to stop looking over your shoulder, allowing the past story to keep you stuck wandering in the wilderness and how to face your Jordan-sized problem to walk into the promised. You don't need a new story. You just need a new ending. Let's write that.  Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/237

You want to change, and you want to achieve health. But there is a right and wrong way to do that. We can't change one area of our body without recognizing how it's influencing all areas. Don't worry. This isn't another thing you have to do. Seeing all systems of the body creates simplicity in health. Instead of trying to change your body, try this approach.    Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/236

It’s time to shift your view of anxiety. Because it’s not what you think or what you’ve been taught. Learn the truth about anxiety and how to use it for good using my anxiety diet plan found inside this post. I’m no stranger to anxiety. I’ve spent many years either pretending that I didn’t struggle with the beast I called anxiety or being so overwhelmed with it I thought I was anxiety itself.  It sounds extreme, but I knew through my inner daily battle that the beast was terrifying. Always there threatening to overtake me, consuming me without an ounce of remorse. So I stayed as far away from the topic as possible, choosing to blame my inner pain, my inner beast, on outward things. My best mode of protection was either distraction or blame. The problem was, these things only worked part of the time. And the times it did work, it exhausted me, forcing me to sit in a place where I couldn’t stay busy in distraction, so I’d fall back to blame. Blaming everything for the pain, I was feeling. Fearing that if I looked inside to the real problem, I would give the beast credit I didn’t want it to get. The problem was the blame, and the distraction only fed the beast. Allowing it to grow stronger until it started to control more areas. Until it started to control more of me. Pushing me to a place I hated. A place void of any joy, of any dreams, of any feeling. A place where I lived so scared I became numb, completely disassociating myself from the person I was. But I’ve learned that while anxiety is a beast, one with great strength, there are many ways to tame the beast, and I can even see some beauty in it. I don’t want to say you make friends with the beast, but I think that changing how you view anxiety changes what you do with it and how much power you give it. Inside this podcast, I work to change your view of anxiety. Not to get rid. of it, which is an impossible feat and honestly not one we want to do, but help you see the role of anxiety, making friends with it, so you no longer live co-dependent on it. And below, I share the anxiety diet that has allowed me to maintain a healthy relationship with it.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/235

I remember the last time I wished for more self-discipline. I was feeling overwhelmed with anxiety as I sat with baggy sweatpants and my hair in a messy bun scraping the bottom of the bowl of cinnamon Chex. Wishing that I could somehow find the secret to self-discipline. Allowing me to actually do the things I knew I should be. On that day, I opened up a journey of uncovering the true definition of self-discipline that took years of looking beneath a mound of my insecurity and shame that seemed to keep me stuck wishing but never living. What I realized is self-discipline isn't eluding you. It's not something you have to chase down, but it's a way of life. One that has allowed me to enjoy many more bowls of Cinnamon Chex without the guilt and shame I used to feel. Inside this podcast, I share the secret of self-discipline and how to live that out. You're going to like this one.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/234

Balance is one of those tricky subjects I wanted to believe in, and I even fell into trying to achieve on some level in my life, but the chase for balance only led to more stress, leading me to question if balance exists. So I broke up with balance. I declared it unrealistic, and I found approximately 350 google articles in support of my argument. But like most things in my life, when I make a hard stance in one direction, I often make a full circle that brings me face to face with that reality. Of course, the case for balance was no different. Ironically, as I've been embarked on a five-year healing journey, I quickly realized, my life not only needed balance, it required it. So how did the two meet? In one obvious and distinct idea that allowed me to fall in love with balance again. Here's the big point: Balance is not a destination or another place you have to achieve or chase to arrive, balance is an action that you take.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/233

I’m no stranger to stress. In some ways, I thrived in stress, even though I hated it. It sounds crazy to crave the very thing you hate. But in some subconscious way, I would create stress if there wasn’t enough of it. It sounds rather dramatic. But I think we’re all subject to this. Living stuck in places we long to get out of because, in some way, they’ve become safe. They’ve become our home leading us to find stress when we feel like it’s missing. Making us masters of our own misery. But we know that stress is a leading culprit in the disease process. Throwing our bodies out of balance and neglecting the very essence of health inside of ourselves. That’s why this topic is so important and why I’m thankful to have stress-expert Trudy Stone on the podcast. In this podcast, we dive into her guide to making stress work for you. Ending the co-dependent relationship with stress and helping you to create a life of thriving.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/232

Your brain is a powerful organ. In fact, you could say it's one of the most powerful organs and the energy it needs to run proves that. Your brain is responsible for consuming 20% more energy than any other organ. And a reduction in energy can lead to more than just brain fatigue.  An energy-deprived brain can cause a range of debilitating diseases including depression. What was once formally thought of as a chemical imbalance, we now understand as an energy-starved brain.  Inside this podcast, I interview Dr. Doug Pucci on brain energy and how to boost your energy flow to enhance your brain power.  Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/231

Emotional energy or emotional healing is a hard topic. But what if it is the topic we need to be talking about? Of course, I do wish health was just a matter of what you eat and how much you exercise. I wish it were as easy as a calculation, even though I know my rebellious spirit could never get on board.  But that's not how health works. If you've followed any sort of calculation, you know it's not as easy as adding up the food you eat or inserting it into the app. There's more at play than an equation of calories in equals calories out, and that is what your body does with what you provide. Making health more complicated than paying attention to only the external factors of health like how much you eat or how much you move. But what your body does with what you provide is the key to health. And learning this can change your health for life.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/230

PODCAST Alexa Schirm          How To Get More Energy and Stop Storing Body Fat                            Looking to feel more energized? Inside this podcast, I share the secrets you need to feel more energized and stop storing body fat. Take this quiz to pinpoint where your energy level currently is and how to get an energy fix. If you’re feeling exhausted, you’re not alone. We can look at Starbucks stock and recognize this world lives on caffeine, and if you’re not tired, are you even human? I get it. I remember the days of owning a gym and teaching the 5:00 am class with a toddler and a newborn. After waking up numerous times a night to feed the baby and a few times to put the toddler back to bed, it felt like I was a walking zombie for years. I look back and wonder if that was even safe? And I certainly know it wasn’t healthy. But sleep deprivation was my life state. And the only way I could figure out how to survive was caffeine, food, and sleep whenever I could get a moment of shutting my eyes. The truth was, everything in life felt out of control, from home life to my eating patterns and my mood. The exhaustion was real, and I thought I just needed to die to the reality that this was my new normal. But I didn’t want to live that way.  Luckily, I found the answer to exhaustion wasn’t another complex system but simplicity. It was more straightforward than tracking foods and more life-giving than being defeated by the number on the scale. Health is not as simple as a calculation. While it may seem like the easy answer, it doesn’t seem to work that way.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/229

How many carbohydrates should you eat? Are they good for you? What about protein and fat...   And the great macronutrient debate continues, but it's time to put it to rest. In this episode, I share what you need to know about macronutrients and how many you should eat.    Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/228

Health is a feeling. I know it sounds cliche but understanding this changed my health. It took a far off destination and turned it into something I could live every day. If you listen to no other podcasts, you have to hear this one. Because I believe you can experience health today and inside I show you how.    Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/227

If you're struggling to get healthy, you're not alone. Health has been a hard thing to come by. It feels like all of the stars in the universe need to align at the perfect time and in the perfect environment for you to get close to living healthy. It feels like a long lost dream. But I've questioned, is this the purpose of health? Or have we made it more difficult than it needs to be? Inside this episode, I share the reason you're not getting healthy and how to fix it.   Learn more: https://thelivingwell.com/226

Simple Roots Radio may be coming to an end but something new is just about ready to launch. That is a brand new podcast, aimed at practical everyday steps to help you live out health. I believe it's inside of you, you just need to activate it. The new show will be called Made For Living Well - learn everything you need to know about the changes inside this episode. 

Cravings are powerful, but you are more powerful. Inside this post, you'll learn how to stop sugar cravings without changing what you eat by learning how cravings work. It's not about getting rid of the cravings but channeling them for something good. If I could just quit sugar? Why can't I stop eating carbs? If I could just stop the sugar cravings? They feel suffocating and all so real. I have first-hand experience with cravings, but who doesn't. It's in our design to have cravings - we were made to crave. So if you feel like you're overwhelmed by your cravings, remember, it's a human thing.  But just because humans crave, does not mean our cravings should control us!  While powerful, they are not more powerful than you. Rather than living your life craving and then trying to avoid your cravings, what if you could learn the biology of craving and turn it to use for good?  Cravings are the beginning of desire that we can use to unleash health in your life.  It's not about getting rid of cravings but channeling them in a healthy and positive way. Inside today's podcast, we talk about how you can change your cravings, even those sugar cravings, from unhealthy behaviors to desire. And it has nothing to do with what you eat and everything to do with what you perceive.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/224

Stress gets a bad wrap. In fact, I believe we've gone as far as to fear stress that now we're stressed because of the fear that we might be stressed. It's a violent trap that leaves us looking for a faraway land of perfection, comfort, and safety in a place it doesn't exist - not with a stressed based mindset at least.  Stress has been villainized and while this is partially true, it's not completely accurate.  There are different forms of stress that are birthed from your perception that take on different meaning in our lives.  But if we go back to the original design of humans, one thing is clear - our bodies are designed to encounter stress and not just encounter it but thrive off of it.  If those two things sound counterintuitive, this podcast is for you.  Inside, I break down why your body needs stress, especially to lose weight and get healthy and how to change your view of stress to open up true healing inside of your body.  Did I mention, health is not nearly as complicated as we make it out to be?   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/223

Most people believe you're stuck with the DNA you are born with. While this is partially true, it's not what really matters. The defining point in health is not your DNA but how your DNA is expressed. Inside this blog, we're going to talk about how you can use energy to change your DNA and change your health.   Energy is the name of the game - specifically, how do you get more energy? But energy can be a confusing subject and one that doesn't get much air time. Ironically, we tend to measure everything outside the body in terms of energy, yet we fail to see how powerful it is inside the body.  Energy is the very thing our body needs to thrive, and yet it's the one thing, so many of us wish we had more. But what would change if you started to see energy for what it is? Not a matter of how much or how little you have but recognizing that you have an infinite amount.  The problem isn't in lacking energy but in how you channel it knowing that energy can neither be created nor destroyed. Dr. Misak came on the show to talk about the power of energy inside of your body and the effect it has on how it can change your DNA. In this podcast, we dive into longevity, stress, emotional energy, and so much more.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/222

Hormones get a bad rap. They are known to cause everything under the sun, including weight gain, exhaustion, and acne. But what if your hormones weren't actually to blame? I'm going out on what could be a very controversial limb to argue that your hormones aren't to blame for what ails you - but your energy is. The typical hormonal equation is; hormones become imbalanced = weight gain, exhaustion, hot flashes, etc. But today I want you to see, your hormones don't just fall out of balance and when they do, it's not your hormones you need to fix as much as it is the root and that is your energy. Which means the real equation looks more like this: decrease in healthy energy = imbalanced hormones = weight gain, exhaustion, hot flashes What would change if we shifted our focus from hormones to energy? You might just find that your hormones don't rebalance, but everything in life seems healthier.  Inside today's podcast, we talk about this and how your energy is responsible for your hormones. And more importantly, we break down how to change your energy flow to walk in hormonal health.  It's no longer the chicken or the egg, it's always energy before hormones. Learn more in today's podcast.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/221

We all want more energy, the question is how much energy will you spend trying to get more energy? Inside, you'll learn the one thing you need to change to get more energy instantly.  Do you want more energy? Welcome to the club they say - but what if I told you it wasn't an exclusive club but inclusive? Inside I share the one thing you need to change to get more energy instantly.  Energy has been my focus for the last year. After years and years and years of nutrition work, studying, questioning, more questions, and more studying why we haven't settled on anything that works for the majority of people in the health space - I was determined to uncover something that would.  That's when I came face to face with the concept of energy.  I know the word energy can feel a little woo-woo, especially in the faith space. It seems bizarre to talk about energy as the driving force of health, happiness, and joy. But I promise you're going to want to hear me out, especially today as I talk about the overarching determining factor of your health - that is your beliefs.  Inside today's podcast, I share the one thing you need to change to get more energy instantly. You will learn how your beliefs determine your thoughts, which are the driving force behind your actions. How our beliefs dictate how much energy you have and what you can do to transform your health.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/220

What if you didn't need another diet, you just needed more energy? Inside this post, I share how you how to boost energy to lose weight and get healthy.   Exhausted? Welcome to the world of adulting! It feels like a right of passage in today's world, but this concept of energy is more valuable than we give it credit. It's not something to brush off and learning to boost your energy could be the very thing that helps you lose weight and get healthy.  Welcome to the healthy energy series - the place where I talk in-depth about energy and how to get more of it. It is the very topic that we hear little about and yet ends the confusion.  If you want to get healthy - you must know about energy, and that is what this entire series is for - understanding how you can move from energy debt into abundance.  Today on the podcast, we are diving into the concept of energy, what energy means, how to measure it in the body and determine if you're living in energy debt or abundance.  On the show, we talk about energy abundance - which sounds a little fishy right off of the bat. While scarcity is prevalent, it doesn't mean it's normal, and that is what we break down today on the podcast.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/219

Essential oils, where do you even start, and what do you really need to know? Today I interview an essential oil expert and outline 7 ways to use essential oils for health.  I'm an amateur when it comes to essential oils. From all of the research about health, I haven't tapped into or shared about essential oils, honestly, for no other reason than just time. The funny thing about essential oils is I've used them for a very long time.    While it's always intrigued me, I tend to stick with the basics. It wasn't until my personal health journey enticed me into using essential oils to open up my body and allow healing that I felt intrigued to learn more.    Even more, numerous podcast guests and health experts have mentioned during the show, about their usage of essential oils. So today, I wanted to declare my love of oils, jump that bandwagon and expose you to another tool of health.   Today, I am breaking down how to use essential oils for health with my friend, Leatha Arant. The one I've learned from, trust, and am always so encouraged by. Learn more about essential oils in today's podcast and follow along as I share seven ways to use essential oils for health.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/218

Mornings aren't everyone's cup of cold brew. They can be an abrupt awakening to peaceful slumber when all you want is five more minutes! But I promise, you can develop a morning routine you'll actually stick to and you're in the right place to learn how.  Rhythms are a natural part of life - you may not call them rhythms but this is our unconscious behavior. They are the patterns of life that shape what we do. I like to think of rhythms as our natural flow of life and behavior.  Rhythms are truly where we see our lives start to shape around. Whether for good or for bad. That is why, even more than habits it is important to take notice of your daily rhythms and start to understand the little things that you do habitually that could add up over time.  On today's podcast, I have Rebekah Lyon's on to talk about Rhythms of Renewal. We dive into healthy rhythms, why they are important, and how she established them in her own life. She also shares her favorite rhythm and that is a morning routine. Keep reading to learn how to develop a morning routine you'll actually stick to.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/217

Hormones, they feel heavy {and I don't mean that literally}. It seems like every woman everywhere is struggling with hormonal control but what is the answer? Today we dive into the most commonly asked questions I get about hormonal imbalance and what to do about it. Hormones are a sensitive subject for many people. They seem overwhelming and annoying. Trust me, I get it. I've had my own share of hormonal struggles that I've work hard to overcome in the past. Through that, I realized the hormone help I needed wasn't as far off as I thought. Today on the podcast, I interview Dr. Anna Cabeca. Dr. Anna is a triple-board certified OBGYN who has worked with thousands of women one-on-one to help them understand and improve their health and manage their hormones.  On today's show, I ask Dr. Anna the most pressing health questions I receive and they all relate to the dreaded hormonal symptoms such as: Why do I have hot flashing during menopause? I can't seem to stop my body from packing on the pounds? My hair won't stop falling out. I have no sex drive And many more. It's a show worth listening to that will answer the entire range of hormonal questions you may have.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/216

You want to get healthy and make habits that last. You know what you should be doing, the question is how do you get yourself to do. Inside I share 10 tiny habits that will change yourself without taking all of your time. Six weeks of repetitive behavior is the key to creating habits - or is it?  I've long thought that if I just repeated something healthy long enough, it would automatically stick. The only discipline I needed was that initial six-weeks, and then it would just be a part of who I was.  On some level - it seemed realistic. Most good things come with a level of discipline. On the other side, no matter how long I prevailed, nothing seemed to stick, at least not in the way I had hoped.  These habits I was trying to form always seemed like an uphill battle that went well some days, and yet others felt like a miserable failure. Until I realized I had the wrong view of habit formation.  It wasn't strictly about pushing through and using willpower - but behavior modification involved more of me - my drive, motivation, and ability.  Inside today's podcast, I interview behavioral scientists, BJ Fogg, Ph.D. He founded the Behavior Design Lab at Stanford University and is the leading scientific authority on habits. I ask him questions about what creates a habit, how hard we have to push ourselves, and how to make things stick.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/215

How do you fix your hormones? It feels like a million-dollar answer that is looming out in the unknown. While it has felt impossible in the past, thanks to the new work being done on genetics, we have a new personalized view of how your hormones work and how to optimize them.  What we know doesn't work is standardizing hormones.  You can't put a number on it - making it extremely difficult to prescribe hormonal medication, because even on a day-to-day level your hormones are reacting in unique ways.  But what if we could personalize hormones? What if you could figure out precisely what your body needs and provide that - could we then heal our hormones without just slapping a bandaid on them?  Inside today's podcast, I speak with a leading geneticist in the field of hormones, Dr. Mansoor Mohammed. He is the founder of The DNA Company and is doing extensive work on understanding hormones, personally, on a genetic level. What I love most about Dr. Mansoor is his drive to take what we commonly look at as a vocabulary {genetic code} and instead works to understand the language. How does the vocabulary work together to make sense as a language?  This changes the game.  Inside today's podcast, I talk with Dr. Mansoor about: The difference between men and women's hormonal flow What women should know about "fixing" their hormones? If the birth control pill is helpful or hurtful.  How we can predict menopause.  And so much more. Make sure you listen to the podcast to learn how to personalize your hormones.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/214

There are a few critical elements, true facts that needed to be stated about anxiety before we can learn to deal with it. Inside this post, I share how you can deal with anxiety in just 10 minutes. We are living in uncertain times - which always brings anxiety to the forefront, even more so. But isn't that the truth about anxiety - it can show it's ugly head in a matter of moments during any uncertain event?  But what I hope and pray you that you know about anxiety is that it doesn't have to define you - at least not in the way you've been told. Even more, you have power over your anxiety. Inside today's podcast, I talk with Ali Damron about a subject plaguing our nation - that is the grips that anxiety and uncertainty are having on us.  In the podcast, we talk about the true cause of anxiety, how to regain power over anxiety and your mind, build confidence and move forward even when life seems risky.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/213

Vagus nerve stimulation is something we should all be familiar with. It is the key to rest and relaxation. Inside this post, I teach you what your vagus nerve is, why it's important and 5 free ways to stimulate it. There's nothing that puts fire in my bones quite like understanding how the body works together as one unit. As much as we like to break our body down into specific units and parts to understand the intricate workings better - we can't argue that it's not how each system works separately but how it works as a whole unit.  Even our emotions and thoughts are influencing the whole system and why I'm so passionate about bringing this area to light. Mostly because it doesn't seem to get the attention it deserves.  To understand the system - from emotions to our hormones - we have to follow the workings of the central nervous system. Inside's today podcast, I talk with nervous system excerpt Dr. Katinka van der Merwe founder of The Spero Clinic.  Dr. Katinka has done fantastic work in healing the central nervous system helping those who have no hope. She specifically works with patients with chronic pain syndrome, and the testimonials are amazing.  If you suffer from chronic pain or other conditions, check out The Spero Clinic to learn more if it could help you.  On today's podcast, I talk with Dr. Katinka about the central nervous system, how it controls our bodies functioning, how and where blockages occur, and how we can prevent nervous system problems in our lives.  Inside the podcast, Dr. Katinka dives into vagus nerve stimulation and how this can impact the health of your body. So what is the vagus nerve? Let me explain and teach you at home-ways to stimulate the vagus nerve.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/212

We all experience seasonal changes, we even see the seasonal changes that affect the landscape around us - but did you know, those changes are changing your body as well? It's easily one of the most overlooked and potentially beneficial aspects of health, eating seasonally. Learn what you need to know about the seasons and how it affects your metabolism inside this post.     Seasons affect us just as much as the landscape around us. The animals gather and store for winter, and the leaves shed, allowing the trees to go dormant and bud in the spring. Just as much as the plants experience seasonal change, so does your body. In fact, nearly all functions in your body change with the changing of the seasons. Your gut bacteria turn over {1}, your immune system changes {2}, and your hormones and mood changes {3}. Your body is changing with the changing of the seasons, regardless of if you live in a climate-controlled 68 degrees all year long and eat the same foods 365 days a year.  The problem isn't the changes that occur but failing to change with the changing of seasons. Inside this podcast, we dive into the biological changes that happen as the season's change and how you can provide to enhance the function of your body.  To work with it instead of against it.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/211

Stress isn't something I have to explain. It seems to be the way of life. But in our attempts to de-stress, I wonder are we actually getting more stressed?  Hear me out.  It seems we have more 'self-help' books and classes than ever before. Combine that with the trend of self-care and the desire to be healthier, I fear we're getting more overwhelmed with information than we are taking action because we're truly informed.  I have more people than I can count tell me, "I do everything right, I eat well and exercise and yet I still gain weight." Do you relate?  Or maybe you better relate to this statement, "There's so much information out there, I don't even know what to do." I think we're taking something intended for the good of ourselves, health and we're twisting it into the very thing stealing our health. Even more, we're ruining our lives by allowing our fixation on the outcome to deter us from fully living where we are.  So my question that I want to answer today, what if what we thought was bad, is actually good and the good actually bad? Maybe better said, what if our fixation on health is causing more stress, taking something intended for good and making it bad? And what if a little bit of the right stress can actually be used for our good?  Today on the podcast, I break down good stress vs. bad stress and how to use stress to your advantage - for health and life.  Deep breathes - this could be the beginning of something new and beautiful.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/210

Self-love is a confusing topic in this day in age. In one breath you are told to love yourself no matter your size and yet the world still feels like it's constantly forcing us to be a certain size. What is right and how do you actually love yourself no matter your size?  Self-love is a topic that comes with a lot of fluff. It looks glamorous, and Instagram worthy, something to be documented and recorded. But is that love, or is a formulated version of what we think will make us feel love?  And if it's not love, what is? How do we unearth ourselves to love but also live loved?  These are all questions I'm pondering and considering as I dive into the true meaning of health, and there is no better person to help me do this than Sean Mulroney of The Obesity Revolution. I don't want to share Sean's full story here; you'll hear him tell you himself inside the podcast. But I did want to ask Sean, a formerly 687-pound man, what does it mean to love yourself even at 687 pounds?  I also ask Sean what sparked the change in his life, how his mindset plays a role, and what he is currently learning on his journey of health, not just weight loss.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/209

"I can look at a piece of food and gain weight." She said it with laughter under her breath, even though her tone said it all - she really believed it, but didn't want to.  The questions and blanket statements so many of us throw around, looking for something to grasp onto an answer to the question of why your weight won't budge.  We want to know, what is the deal with fat and why does it seem to pack on so much easier than we can let it go?  Inside this podcast, we dive into the nature of fat - or maybe better said, the attitude of fat and learn can you think yourself fat? We'll also dive into: The difference between body fat and dietary fat. What the purpose of fat is. How we gain fat and how we burn it. The emotional nature of fat. How to release it for good.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/208

Balance, balance, balance - this is the answer you've been looking for. Being in alignment is the key to having an efficient metabolism, improving posture, reducing pain, and increasing your immune system.  It's not about the extremes, about pushing your body to the max, eliminating, restricting or hating yourself healthy. What it all comes down to is achieving balance and alignment inside your body - one big player in this game is a little known but mighty organ called fascia.  Some call fascia the "secret" organ as it's quickly gaining traction in the medical world with tons of research coming out about this powerhouse. Inside today's podcast, I break down fascia with fascia expert Lauren Roxburgh. Inside today's podcast, we break down: What fascia is and why it's so important. The link between fascia and weight {including cellulite} How to tell if you have unhealthy fascia How to improve your fascia to create body balance.  Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/207

There's a common health lie floating around, that you just need to exercise more. Push your body, work harder and beat it into submission. But today I ask the question, is this good and does it even work? I used to own a gym. For six years, I was one of those trainers pushing people to move their bodies more. I'm somewhat ashamed at what I allowed some of my clients to do, but I suppose it brought me to this place and a deep dive into exercise and what that looks like for health.  The thing about exercise is that movement is critical for longevity in our bodies. It's one of the healthiest things we can be doing for our bodies - to strengthen our fascia, move our lymphatic fluid, build lean tissue, boost our metabolism and immune system and regulate our hormones.  SO much good in movement.  But like anything too much or the wrong kinds can be equally as detrimental.  That's why today, on the podcast, I am breaking down the lie that you need to work out more. We'll also talk about: What type of exercise is best. How much is too much or not enough. How to eat around your workout for optimal results.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/206

One common lie I hear is that your hormones are responsible for your weight problem. But the truth of the matter, we're focusing on the wrong systems. Your hormones are a by-product of a number of other factors that we have way more control over. Learn more inside this podcast.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/205

Fasting was one of the hottest wellness trends of the last few years - specifically, intermittent fasting. But fasting isn't something new, in fact, fasting has been around since the beginning of creation. It was a part of human history.  However, since the industrial revolution and the birth of the food industry, fasting has fallen by the way-side. It has only been in the last few years that science has started really digging into the health benefits of fasting that we have started seeing trends back toward this practice.  But there is a massive difference between intermittent fasting, which should be considered more of a way of life and not fasting in itself and a prolonged fast. While there are pros to intermittent fasting, for everyday health, the massive health benefits are found in prolonged fasting of 3-5 days. Inside today's podcast I speak with one of the leading researchers from the Longevity Institute out of the University of Southern California, Dr. Joseph Antoun. Inside this episode, I ask Dr. Antoun: The difference between intermittent fasting and prolonged fasting. The latest research in prolonged fasting and cancer healing. What we know about fasting from history. How long is long enough to achieve the benefits. How to effectively incorporate prolonged fasting into your life rhythms. It blew my mind and was exactly the message I feel we all need to hear. Make sure you listen and keep reading for my review of a five-day fast.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/204

Today we overcome the common unspoken lie that there's something inherently wrong with me. That I'll never be healthy. This couldn't be further from the truth and I share the actual definition of health to unfold your vicious cycle allowing you to step into true health.  I believe everyone wants to be healthy. In fact, I think it's an innate desire in all of us. That underlying all of the things we strive to make us comfortable is our body working to keep us alive and preferably thriving. While most of us would agree we want health, we don't always believe it can happen as there seems to be an underlying belief that there's something wrong with me. That I'll never be healthy.  You work for it; you may even do everything right and yet nothing. Only more inflammation, more weight gain, more movement in the wrong direction - bringing you back to this lie that gets fed over and over again, I'll never be healthy.  But today is the day we put that lie to rest, and I fill you with hope. That no matter where you find yourself, health is always a possibility. It's always an option, and today I break down how.  You'll learn what this means to your body to create a new vision of health. Most importantly, how to let go of what weighs you down. It's honest, vulnerable, and most likely not what you expect - tune in here to listen!   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/203

Calories in equals calories out seem to be the longest-running diet claim in history. While the equation is partially true, it's not entirely accurate. Today I share the truth about calories and what matters most.  Confused - this is the number one answer I got when I asked you the most significant health hurdle you face. Confusion, chaos, and overwhelm. I couldn't agree more.  But where do we go from here?  I sat to ponder this question and dive back to the roots of who I am and why I started this in the beginning. What I found was simple. I want to teach you exactly how your body works, so you no longer have to question the millions of diet claims you're sure to see in the next decade.  Today we start by breaking down everyday health and wellness lies, bringing in the truth of how our body works, even more, why it was designed.  Lie number one happens to be the longest-running claim in history: calories in equals calories out. Are you questioning what the truth about calories is? Today I break down everything you need to know about: If the equation matters? Are all calories created equal?  How calories influence my weight?  And so much more! Make sure you listen to the podcast to get all of the details.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/202

I haven't lost the weight but I'm still declaring my health. What I've learned in my healing journey is that you can't lose weight to get healthy - you have to get healthy to lose weight. So now I'm healthy and it's time to lose weight. Check out my journey and what this means moving forward.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/201

Memory engineering may not be a common thought passed around the health community. Still, it's the only factor that creates lasting change - at least in a positive way - as our memories are what create our beliefs, which become our thoughts and actions. Inside this podcast, you learn the importance of memory engineering and how to speak truth to create change.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/200

Have you ever asked, why can't I do what I know I should be doing? Why can't I do what is healthy?  It's a frustration so many people have and it's what we're answering inside this podcast. Trust me, it's not as complex as you think it is - but a simple mindset shift that changes the entire biochemistry of your body.  Dr. Alexander Loyd is on the show to talk about memory engineering and how we can become people who make the change that sticks. Living true to who you actually are. This show is MIND-BLOWING!   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/199

Fifth grade, it was the first encounter I had with my physical appearance. I had on jean shorts that had gotten a little snug over that year.  You could say I was early to blossom and I didn't quite know what to do or how to dress the new-found curves and extra pudge my legs have developed through the winter.  It was our end of the year class party - at the swimming pool. The sun was beaming, and finally, the brisk chill of spring had left. Summer was here. I remember that morning, before the start of the last few days of my fifth-grade year - trying on my swimsuit. The one that too had grown a little snug for me.  But I slipped it on, dressed and was giddy with excitement that finally it was our turn for the epic pool party that ended the last days of elementary school and welcomed us into middle school.  As we walked to the pool that day, I remember giggling with my friends. Planning the next birthday party where we'd finally have a chance to finalize the dance routines we'd been making up. As we were walking, I started hearing one boy and then multiple boys, chanting, "thunder thighs."  The words seemed to echo throughout the entire town.  "Thunder thighs, thunder thighs, thunder thighs." Followed by a massive roar of laughter. I turned, knowing exactly who they were speaking of - as I was one of the first and only to blossom in my class that year. They were directly talking about me! About my thighs that stuck out below my too-tight shorts. I was mortified, holding back tears that stung my eyes. We hadn't even gotten to the pool, to reveal my full body in skin-tight spandex that has no mercy. That moment changed me for life. It's etched in my brain and has carried me to my now 31-year old body. I doubt I'm alone - and I realize that few people can escape the negative stigma that comes with body appearance. The bar that is so hard to reach with far too many people falling short. But don't we try?  Even today as I type these words, I can't say that my thighs bother me, but I would say it's one area that I'm most likely to not-like when I look in the mirror. I doubt it's me talking but that nasty-fifth grade boy that ruined the way I think about them.  But what do we do with this?  How do we overcome body image issues and step into true body love - embracing the movement of body positivity? That's what I talk about inside today's podcast - the revival of the body positivity movement for what it's supposed to be.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/179

Sometimes, feeding my kids reminds me of that old saying, "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink." Some days it's a challenge to get your kids to eat a single thing, let alone complain about it. Right? But the truth is, eating healthy as a family can be easier than you think. As a mom myself, who believes the actual 'witching' hour in every home is between the hours of afterschool until supper, I'm always on the hunt for smart and easy food ideas my kids will love. But how do you actually get them to eat it? This week on the podcast, I'm interviewing kitchen expert and mom who is on a mission to get kids more hands-on in the kitchen. Kiran Dodeja Smith runs the site Easy Real Food, and she is on a mission to help you find the love of real food for your family, and mealtime will no longer be a daily dread for you. On today's podcast, I ask her how she transitioned her family to whole foods, complications she encountered, and how we can get kids more interested and active in the health world. Listen to the podcast to get more information on raising healthy eaters - and stick around to get my top favorite kid-friendly recipes.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/178

The food fight - you know the one. Where you make a healthy and delicious meal only for all of your children to turn their noses up at it and walk away complaining that you never make anything good.  Just me?  I didn't think so - this is the common battle between parents and children, what to eat, how much and when. Trust me, I know the frustration that kids eating patterns can be. One week they like it, the next they don't. One week they eat everything, the next week nothing.  It's often unpredictable and somewhat uncharted territory. BUT, there are a few things as parents we can do to ensure we raise healthy eaters - and it probably isn't what you think. In fact, I think the best way to raise healthy eaters is to let go of the process in which we think it's going to take to get there. That process of forcing, depriving, and dominating over their food independence.  Those are harsh words, I know but the food fight is a common and yet dangerous one I think we need to be aware of. Inside today's podcast, I share my ten tips for raising healthy eaters and why I think we should stop forcing our kids to clean their plates.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/177

Emotional healing has been taboo in our culture for most of history. Yet, I feel like there is an awakening of sorts, a revival happening that is desperately needed to change the course of history. That is mental health work, work I'm no stranger to. Today, I wanted to share 10 lessons I learned from my therapist that I thought might help you too.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/176

I feel a lot of things - in fact, I often tell my husband I wish I could feel less. The grip of emotions is strong in my life, but I've learned, it's not necessarily the emotion but the perception and what I do with that feeling. That's why I want to teach you the difference between emotions and feelings and how you can use it for your good.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/175

Forgiveness is something we all know we should do. We've been taught at a young age to forgive, but we rarely recognize that forgiveness isn't just to other people, but it's for ourselves. In this podcast, I question, have you forgiven yourself?    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/174

The highs and lows - we've all experienced them, male and female. Although, we'd argue that females have a more significant swing than most. But the challenging aspect of this topic is that our hormones can affect our mood and our emotions can affect our hormones. So what gives and how do you manage it all?  Before we get into this topic, I think it's fair to state that we all deal with emotional swings. Don't feel like you're alone in this struggle - it happens because that's human nature.  Today on the podcast, I want to address the hormonal implications of our mood and vice versa. But to fully understand how this happens, we need to be absolutely clear on what our hormones are.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/173

The in-between. Do you feel the pressure here, too? The questions, the doubts, the fear, the unknown, and yet the yearning to find the ending? The messy-middle is where I've found myself for the last five years. It's been painful, irritating, and downright debilitating at times.  In this podcast, we talk about the messy middle and give you the perspective change that changed everything for me! Tune in to be amazed.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/172

Cravings are part of human nature. None of us escapes them and for a good reason. Cravings can be a catalyst for the growth of good things and the birth of new habits.  The question is not should we trust our cravings, but how do we use our cravings for good?  Inside today's podcast, we dive into the three forms of cravings, how you can learn to trust your cravings and use them for good. To crave healthy living.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/171

'This has to work."  So many e-mails come through my inbox with pleas of help. Begging for answers in another system they're looking to sign up for. A part of me senses that they've already begun thinking "what if it doesn't work out? Playing the story out in their mind, attaching their last string to this one last thing.  Funny, therapy for me was no different. Maybe I didn't voice the words, but I think we've all voiced them, at least in our head in times of desperate measures. We are clinging to hope in others, in solutions from systems and our prayers in programs.  But have you ever stopped to think, what if therapy fails?  Or is the possibility too grim?  Today on the podcast, I interview a special guest, Lina Salazar. Lina shares her journey with failed therapy attempts, bad body image, disordered eating, and how she created sanity around food. She'll reveal how she learned to nourish her mind, body and soul.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/170

Is coffee making anxiety worse? It’s the question no one wants to ask, but deep down we wonder. How good is caffeine for us? Inside this short podcast episode, I break down what coffee {caffeine} is doing to our anxiety and how we can fix the problems that may exist.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/169

The Merriam-Webster diction defines health in four ways: "the condition of being sound in body, mind or spirit." "freedom from physical disease or pain." "the general conidtion of the body" "a condition in which someone or something is thriving or doing well": wellbeing" They're all similar and yet I question how different each one is as well. But isn't that just it with health - how differently we can define one word? Like the word color, where there could be a million different variations of different colors, and yet it's all summed up into color. I think of health the same way - there are a lot of different variations to being healthy - but yet health is defined by you.  Now we could get all political or scientific and we have - but then again where has that gotten us? Instead, I question maybe we're all more right, more healthy, more on to it than we've ever believed we are. That instead of focusing so much on "fixing" what isn't necessarily broken we fill what is just empty? Inside today's podcast, I give you an honest and vulnerable take on my health journey and what I believe to be a better definition of what health is and how you get there.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/168

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Anxiety, fear, worry could all be clumped into unease. We know when we're feeling it, and it tends to leak out in every area of our life. But without looking closely, it's hard to identify other than being a  big mess of unidentified feelings. But today, we're ending that, calling anxiety by name and learning how to stop an anxiety spiral with expert Alli Worthington.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/166

Research is mounting for the health benefits of positive thinking. From enhancing your mood, reducing anxiety and depression, lessening pain, and even helping your body to heal - the power of the mind is monumental. But there is a reason to believe that positive thinking isn't enough. That you need more than just a mind change - you need action. Learn why positive action makes all the difference.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/165

You've changed your mind, and you're starting to see more good than bad. But yet you seem to keep stumbling around with change. You find yourself repeating the same bad habits. Inside this podcast, you'll learn why it's so hard to change even with a positive mind. And how to implement change that lasts with Dr. Nicole Avena.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/164

Anxiety isn't something you can think yourself out of. It pulls you in and makes you get stuck inside your head. But if you can learn how anxiety works, what it feasts on, then you can start to regain power over your anxiety.  This power comes from creating a battle plan for anxiety. Learn how to make your own battle plan inside this podcast.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/163

Anxiety is an overwhelming thing. Sometimes sucking you so far into fear it's hard to imagine another way. But that's exactly what anxiety wants to do. It has a field day with whatever you feed it, and it wants to be fed something substantial. Something that gives it purpose in your brain. But today, I interview Hannah Brencher as she shares her story with anxiety and depression and how she learned to come through it. It’s the practical tips from someone who’s lived through it and is committed to continuing to fight it.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/162

Before you do something, you've probably envisioned yourself doing it. Maybe unconsciously and sometimes consciously but in almost every experience, especially the new ones, your mind will naturally start writing a story using visualization. In this post, I share how you can use positive visualization to reach your goals through changing your brain chemistry resulting in a change of action.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/161

We all have a story, some good, others are great and sometimes not so great. But it's how you choose to use your story or transform that story that influences the course of your life. In this podcast, I interview Mike Foster of Fun Therapy as we dive into healing and owning your story to be used as your superpower.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/160

Self-care is a popular topic in our culture, but I question how satisfying self-care is. Has it become just another 'thing' you feel you need to do? Just another stress in your life? Today we're going to learn why you should reinvent self-care into soul care and why this gives self-care more value. It’s the personal approach to a fad topic.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/159

Nothing exists outside of our mind, body, and soul. It's who we are as living creatures and what drives us into action. Unfortunately, we can lose sight of one or more of these categories causing friction in our lives. In this episode, I interview Nicole Unice as we learn how to connect your mind, body, and soul into perfect harmony.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/158

I remember reading books as a little girl, hearing stories about kids who kept journals. I never really understood it - definitely not something that fit into my personality. Not because I was necessarily out of touch with my emotions, but the act of writing seemed so daunting. Let's say, writing was never a skill of mine, and it certainly wasn't one I had intentions of using.  Funny how the tables have turned. Now, I'm more passionate about journaling than ever. In fact, I have come to rely on it daily as a form of health. Today, I want to share just why journaling is one of the best tools in healing, in health, and how to get started.  Inside today's podcast, I share the healing benefits of journaling, why its crucial to everyday life, and how to get started.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/157

I'm no stranger to the effects food had on my mood. I realized this nearly two years ago when I eliminated the top allergens like gluten and dairy from my diet. Of course, when it's not in your diet, you don't always recognize how well you feel. But when you put it back in man do you notice.  Or at least I did. I've narrowed down my specific mood culprit to gluten. It hits me like a freight train roughly 24 hours after exposure and takes a solid 24 hours for me to become rational again. It's not like I feel bad, I just can't seem to shake the mood. The constant annoyance and anger that lurks under my skin, waiting for the moment to erupt.  It's not pretty and something I consciously work to avoid for the sake of my health and my family.  While I know it's not readily understood - that food can impact your mood - there is actual science to why this happens and what you should know about eating for your mood. Inside this podcast, I break it all down and share my healing strategies for health.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/156

Many scientific studies, including research by renowned psychologists Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough, have found gratitude is one of the highest forms of healing known to man. People who consciously focus on gratitude experience greater emotional well-being and physical health than those who don't. In fact, it's more than just a feeling, their research has shown that people who consistently practice gratitude; Feel better about their lives as a whole Experience more significant levels of joy and happiness Felt optimistic about the future Got sick less often Exercised more regularly Had more energy, enthusiasm, determination, and focus Made more considerable progress toward achieving important personal goals Slept better and awoke feeling refreshed Felt stronger during trying times Enjoyed closer family ties Were more likely to help others and offer emotional support Experienced fewer symptoms of stress If we link this back to health, then we know gratitude must be part of the equation. It's essential if you want more happiness, joy, and energy. Inside today's podcast, we dive into why gratitude is better than a diet and your challenge to start practicing gratitude today.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/155

It's a bold statement to say, the story you tell yourself is determining your health. I know it sounds big and possibly just another woo-woo thing someone would try to convince you makes a difference - but there is actual science to back it up. Inside this post, we dive into how the stories you tell yourself changes your brain chemistry and drives action. Check it out here.  "Sticks and stones can break my bones but words will never hurt me."  I remember saying this all the time, threatening hurtful words and convincing myself that they wouldn't hurt - but boy did they sting.  Words hurt, and sometimes bad. In fact, some of the most damaging things to the human body are words. I know, words and thoughts used to be believed to be things that just happened and floated around in space without any real implication.  But we know that isn't true and we can even see and feel the implications of words as the emotions race through our body. Just as your face gets flushed when you're embarrassed or butterflies emerge in your stomach when you're nervous or excited. Words have a purpose and great depth in our lives.  And the stories you tell yourself can change the entire outcome.  This week on the podcast, I dive into stories and the chemical effect they are having on our brain and actions. We'll answer the question, can changing your brain chemistry, through stories, change your outcome. Make sure you listen in to get all of the details.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/154

Looking to the left or the right seems to be a part of human nature. Our drive to be where we're not is fed by beautiful pictures on social media, a world telling us to work harder and hustle more, combined with a nagging feeling that we're never enough. But has comparison ever helped anyone achieve anything? It doesn't tend to be a motivating factor, instead quite the opposite. That's why it's time to put to rest comparison and step into contentment which leads to fulfillment. In this episode of Monday Motivation, you'll learn five ways to end comparison.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/153

How would you rate your relationship with wellness - wellness being anything in the health, nutrition and mindset space? Is it healthy, vibrant, nourishing, thriving or do you feel like your grasping for straws questioning if anything will ever work and hating the very thing giving you life? Inside today's podcast, we talk about healing your relationship with wellness and five places to get started.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/152

Anxiety is a sneaky thing that most are familiar with. It tends to lurk around, waiting for a moment of insecurity to the surface threatening to sabotage your day. But today, we’re going to take a different approach to anxiety - we’re going to tell it who it’s messing with. In this episode of Monday motivation, you’ll learn why you shouldn’t just tell your anxieties to God but why you need to tell your anxieties about God.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/151

Disordered eating comes in many forms whether physical or mental or both, today on the show I interview someone who’s walked through it all. In this brave, untold story Whitney shares her journey with disordered eating through anorexia and eventually orthorexia and healing. We talk through triggers and end with identifying what it looks like to balance health without an obsession with it. A discussion everyone must listen to.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/150

There has to be more on this quest to health - I just can’t settle for what we’ve been given to work with. Questioning does it even work? Is the true meaning of health tangled in a web of the uncertainty of counting of calories and macros? What does health actually mean? Today on the podcast I share my thoughts on this journey to uncovering health and I’m finding it looks different than anything we’ve ever been taught! Buckle up - it’s just the beginning. Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/149

Light therapies are popping up all over the place. Even though light therapy isn’t new - but something we’ve known the power of for a while - the specifics and the science is getting more detailed. Inside this podcast, I interview a red light therapy expert and ask him all the questions. From how it works, the benefits, the risks and how long it takes to see results. Ultimately answering the question, should you try red light therapy? Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/148

Adaptogens are all the rage right now but how do you know what’s right for you? Inside this episode, we dive into what adaptogens are, how to know if they’re right for you and where to start. Plus, I share my top five adaptogen list that I use and what I use them for.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/147

I'm not an organized person. It just doesn't come naturally. But I've learned that you don't have to be an 'organized person' to have a plan. Inside this podcast, we dive into how to make meal planning work for you. Plus I share my brilliant time-saving hacks you need.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/146

Maybe you've never heard of it, polycystic ovary syndrome {PCOS}, but it's the most common endocrine disorder in women. Affecting one in five of us and yet many don't even know they have it. On today’s episode, we dive into PCOS with leading expert Dr. Gersh. We also talk about why you should stop fearing estrogen, how to use it for good, if you should take birth control and what about menopause.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/145

Eat less and more fresh and move more - that's the heart of spring & summer. Yes, the warmer weather is upon us and this warm-up means great changes for your body. Learn how to live through this Seasonal Guide for Spring & Summer: What to Eat & How to Live.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/144

From incontinence to mom pouch, Kegels and sexual health in men and women this podcast talk through the eight top myths about the pelvic floor. I interview pelvic floor expert MaryEllen Reider on our beliefs about the pelvic floor, the actual role of it, why it’s so important and how to make it stronger.   SENSOR ALERT: Inside this podcast, we talk about sex, male and female anatomy so if you have small ears listening with you - just be warned.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/143

While metabolism happens to be about so much more than weight loss - I still get the question, how can I boost my metabolism. Inside this podcast, I give the answer - not just as it relates to your weight - but how you can boost your metabolism for a healthier mind, more energy, better hormonal flow and more. Check out this podcast as I spill all the details and wrap it in a pretty bow!   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/142

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Stressed? Who isn’t? Inside this bonus podcast, I share why chronic stress is harmful to our hormones and how a simple one-day stress fix can reset your body to get back to health. I lay out the simple steps - that don’t involve changing what you eat - to live less stressed and why one day can change the entire course of your week.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/140

We’ve been led to believe that the only way to get healthy is to force your body into doing what you want - in some ways to beat your body into submission. From cutting calories to eliminating entire food groups we think we can achieve our goals. But in this podcast I break that myth and why force creates resistance that’s hard to overcome. I also share the true secret to lasting health and health that comes easy. Get healthy, live awesome by uncovering this brain hack.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/139

Metabolic flexibility - it sounds sexy, and it is. Metabolic flexibility is the capacity to switch between fuel sources like carbohydrates and fats and match that to what is needed to be burned in the body. But so many of us are metabolically inflexible making weight loss nearly impossible. Inside this podcast, I interview Brian St. Pierre and ask him how we can utilize metabolic flexibility to get healthy and lose weight.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/138

This is a quick bonus episode that emphasis’s where we eat food matters just as much as what we eat. It’s a drastic concept but one with a lot of science to back it up.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/137

Our mind connects our nervous system to the rest of our body. Hear how your mindset could change your metabolism through this critical control system in the body called the autonomic nervous system.   Learn more: https:/simplerootswellness.com/136

Sugar detoxes are all the rage and rightfully so – we’re a nation obsessed with cravings, and we hate it. But what if cravings weren’t the problem? What if cravings could be a good thing? What if you could crave healthy food? Learn 5 ways to crave healthy food in this podcast.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/135

Have you ever wondered why you don't binge on broccoli? Or brussels sprouts, carrots, cucumbers or even tomatoes? Maybe you haven't even thought about it - but today you're going to learn why. It's a big topic, food addictions, and one that needs some light. Today we're exposing it all.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/134

There are a lot of tips to help you succeed at health, like switching your morning drink for some warm lemon water or counting your carbs. But we all know how those go down - three days in, five tops and you're flirting with your old lifestyle. So how do you create health success and not in a just quick-fix kind of way but one that lasts? That's what we dive into on this podcast with expert Adam Schaeuble of Million Pound Mission. Adam is a rockstar expert in the field of health and fitness - even living the life of losing over a hundred pounds himself. On this podcast episode, we dive into the black hole of fitness doom and discuss: Why weight loss is so hard to achieve. What are some simple strategies for losing weight and keeping it off. How to create weight loss momentum. It's a powerful episode with a ton of practical steps you can incorporate today. Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/133

I’ve never heard of anyone overeating broccoli. It’s rarely something you would see someone closet eating. So the question becomes why and how do these food preferences control our metabolism. This gets into the psychology of why we eat what we eat and how it’s impacting our biology.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/132

There's one critical hormone that can change your entire metabolism. More powerful than insulin this hormone speaks truth over your hunger cues and how your body burns or stores energy in the form of fat. Learn how to hack this hormone to create peace with your metabolism.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/131

By this point in health history - we know that calories in / calories out is a refuted topic. But no one really explains how you burn calories, rev metabolism and lose the weight. Welcome to Intro 101 of metabolism and the basics of what no one is telling you.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/130

I’m such a geek for wellness trends. The predictions of where people are pushing and moving in the health field get me pretty excited. Okay, giddy excited. I read many articles about them and talk endlessly about them for a while. So here we are with the 2019 wellness trend predictions. I have to say that that wellness trends are looking better and better. In fact, I am so excited about where health is going and I think we’re finally in a good rhythm of improving.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/129

Motivation seems to be one of those tricky words that fall into the same category as willpower. I've debated and questioned if it is a limited resource just like willpower and the more we rely on it the more we expend it. Or is it like a muscle that the more you use it the more you can build it to stronger and longer proportions. We all know what motivation is - the drive that causes us to act by creating movement, growth, and change. It's also what we can lack - feeling frustrated or stuck in our current situation. The messy middle and in between of knowing where you want to go but not being in reach of it. We know the goal, the habit we want but now the bigger question is how can we get the motivation to get it done. Because those goals don't just fulfill themselves. Today on the podcast I interview Jenni Hulbert who is a holistic fitness expert and top rank wellness advocate with doTerra. I'll be asking her what motivation is, if it's something good to rely on and how we can use motivation to reach bigger goals in the new year. Make sure and listen to the podcast and stay tuned as I share three unexpected ways to get more motivated.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/128

Do you get jitters going into the new year? So many big hopes and dreams and wishes and yet fear that they'll all come crashing down around you? Or is this just my worst nightmare? Today on the podcast I talk with Laurie Gerber - an expert in designing a life you love. Laurie is a renowned life coach with Handel Group where she has been coaching for over 15 years. On the show, I'll be asking Laurie, the difference between goals and resolutions and how you decide which to set, why it's so hard to stick to something if positive reinforcement is the key and more. It's got a lot of information so grab a pen and be prepared to take some notes. After the podcast, I started pondering some of my own thoughts around the concept of designing a year. Stay tuned in this post to find out my plan headed into a new year.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/127

This is the question spoken around the world, well at least spoken internally. Why, why, why? I hate to admit it, and I never wanted to get here but "why" has become a common question in my life. Sometimes it's just out of selfish desire to take away the hard, the pain and the struggle that comes with this life. Even struggle that provides so much growth - it doesn't make it easy. But I've been finding myself questioning most recently, why can't I change and why can't I help other people change? Which is a bold and dangerous statement to speak life into - as any lie is. As I dug into this, desiring to rip it out of my life from the roots, I knew I needed help. That's why I turned to Dr. Kelly Forys Donahue - Licensed psychologist, nutritional therapist, advanced life coach and author over at Everyday Therapist. She has done incredible work and continues to do. On today's podcast, we dive specifically into behavior change, and I point blank as her why we struggle so much to change for good. We also dig into our subconscious and conscious thoughts, practical ways to set goals and see change and more. It's such a good show! WARNING: Before you listen I do want to warn you/apologize for the poor sound quality. With that being said, even though there is some unnecessary static, I do feel the show was too good not to share, so take a listen, and I know you'll be inspired.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/126

"Sleep like a baby," The common saying that so many wished could happen. Do you ever wonder when and how sleep become such a problem, considering it could be classified as the most important element of health? Sleep tends to be more of a fleeting thing with adults, with many suffering from sleepless nights. So the question becomes, what has gone wrong and how can we reach deeper sleep every night? That's what we answer in today's podcast with Erin Stokes, ND and Medical Director at MegaFood. Listen as we take a deeper dive into sleep, what it means for our body, how our circadian clock affects every cell and ultimately how you can sleep deeper.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/125

This may come as a surprise - or you're just used to it around here - but hand sanitizer may not be all that they said it was. I'm claiming that you should stop using hand sanitizer altogether. Sure, hand sanitizer does it's job - of killing germs - but unfortunately, it doesn't just stop at the bad ones but the good ones as well. Think of it as an antibiotic to your gut bacteria. It doesn't just get rid of the bad - it gets rid of the good, and that good is serving a purpose. Inside today's podcast, I share all the reasons why hand sanitizer could be making you more susceptible to illness and disease and what to do instead. Of course, to fully understand this podcast, you'll want to make sure and listen to episode 123 which lays the basics. Then tune in below to find out why you should stop using hand sanitizer and what to do instead.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/124

'Tis cold and flu season which means all things sniffles, tissues, and early bedtimes. But are you tired of being plagued year in and year out by the nagging sickness that seems to knock you out at least once a year? Here are my 6 cheap and easy immune boosting tips.   The immune system is a fascinating subject and one that surprisingly doesn't get a ton of stage time. We hear about cancer, heart disease, Alzheimers, depression, and autoimmunity. We even hear about good hand washing, flu vaccines and what your mom always told you - to have a warm bowl of chicken noodle soup. But my question is, why aren't we talking more about the very system that could also keep us well? The one that is continuously running, even without us knowing, working to get rid of invaders in the never-ending battle that our body faces every single day. What if we learned about it, and instead of trying to take matters into our own hands we understood the very system that could keep us well? The immune system is what we're breaking down on today's podcast. From what it is, how it works and ultimately how we can support it because the supportive aspect is the key. Like everything, things change when we learn to work with our body instead of against it. Inside today's podcast, you'll learn a lot - maybe more than you care to know - about your immune system. From what it needs to thrive and how you can create the right environment to prevent illness this year and in the many years to come.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/123

One of my favorite posts of the year is the holiday gift guide. Most likely because I love scanning them as well. Plus, does anyone else have a hard time coming up with unique gift ideas? This is just one great way to find small companies or unique gifts that you can gift in love. On today's podcast, I share my top 10 brands {plus I share some more insight into my recent Lyme Disease diagnosis - it's a special edition of breakfast with Alexa}. Take a listen and learn through my own words why I like these companies.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/122

The holidays are here - the most wonderful time of the year. That's not even sarcasm. I really do love everything about the holidays - I mean I love the pool too - but twinkling lights, laughter, lots of parties, what isn't there to love? Of course, there is one big problem with the holidays and that's what you should be eating. The food fears that leaves you strapped and starving or binging because you just don't care. What if we could come to a happy middle ground where you can enjoy good food without the need to binge in rebellion to deprivation? That's what today is all about. On this podcast, I share 5 quick tips to help you stay healthy through the holidays without worrying about food. Can that get an amen?   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/121

How could you practice gratitude all wrong? It seems like such a simple little task. Buy a journal, keep a list, repeat. Not too difficult. But let me ask you this - when's the last time the practice of gratitude changed your life? If it's the highest form of healing then shouldn't we be noticing a difference from this practice alone? This is the question I found myself asking after I attempted for the hundredth time to start a daily practice of gratitude. It wasn't working - even my accountability partner didn't help it stick. It just made me feel guilty and stressed for not completely yet another list. Funny isn't it?  That something so easy could be one of the greatest struggles. I mean if I can wake up and workout at 5:15 am four mornings a week, why can't I practice gratitude? Maybe I had it all backward? Maybe I was doing it wrong? Maybe I didn't know the system? All the things I asked and all the stuff I'm answering on today's podcast.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/120

Happiness is - fill in the blank. I don't know what happiness is to you but I'm do know what it's not. Thanks to learning this the hard way and chasing my way through life trying to catch up with it. Fortunately, I'm realizing very abruptly that happiness is none of the things I thought it would be and yet all of the things it needs to be. Today on the podcast I interview the queen bee of happiness, through walking her own battle to find it, Alli Worthington. She is a three-time author, speaker, podcaster and one of my mentors who recently released her latest book The Year of Living Happy.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/119

Your mama probably told you a thousand times in your life and those exact words come out of my mouth no less than a hundred times every dinner at our home. I don't know if it's human nature to just keep moving, all day every day but my girls can't sit down to eat. They may start out on their chair but slowly they begin squatting, then one leg on the chair one leg off, sometimes they're under the table others on the table and occasionally running around the table. It's nonstop. But what I hope to teach them, once the wiggly early elementary years pass is there is a true health benefit to sitting down to eat and you'll better digest, absorb and utilize your food, plus it's good on your gut microbiome. I mean double bonus right? Make sure you listen to today's podcast to learn in less than 10 minutes why you should sit down to eat. It matters I promise you'll see changes in how you digest food, in how much you consume and how satisfied you are when you sit at the table with good company, or no company and really just focus on the goodness going in your belly. Get all the details inside the podcast.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/118

If you've never had a craving then I question if you're even human? Because as biology states, cravings are necessary and normal. So the question is less about how you stop them and instead how you manage them for success. Because if you're human, you're going to crave things. Now I know that can be frustrating, but I promise you, learning to free yourself from the power of the craving and learning to channel that into health can make all of the difference. Inside the podcast, I share the anatomy of a craving. Everything including the purpose, where cravings come from and how you can manage them. As you will learn, it's not just a matter of willpower, and you aren't weak if you can't overcome them. They are true biological and physiological process happening inside your body through many different enzymes, neurotransmitters, and hormones. Complicated, sure? But the truth, the answer to overcoming hormones is the answer I give for everything else. Find out the five ways to overcome your cravings inside. And keep reading to uncover the best kinds of sugar and chocolate you should be consuming.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/117

Does our physical appearance tell us anything about what we should eat, how we should exercise and live? That's what we're uncovering today. Specifically what your body type tells you about what to eat and the concept of individual design.  Each body is different, we know that, and we can see that yet we still like to slap the same standards on a billion different bodies. The real truth is, one system will never work for everyone. So what does work and how do you lose weight? That's the question we dive into today on the podcast as I interview Megan Dalhman who will answer questions on individual design, somatotypes {or what your physical appearance could mean biologically} and the hierarchy of fat loss.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/116

Diets, fads, weight loss, it's all a part of the main-stream culture. And so deeply rooted into many of our lives. But do you ever wonder why it's so difficult to lose weight, let alone keep it off? That's what we're talking about today and how our weight set point determines how we lose, if we lose and how we'll keep it off.  I'm continually fascinated by the human body and reminded at just how powerful and intricate it can be. And body fat the dreaded thing we fear is no different. In fact, many experts now distinguish body fat as it's own organ system. I'm half tempted to believe that body fat is so intricate we still are in the infancy stage of what we know about it. But what we do know is that losing weight is more complicated than just a generic equation dealing with calories. We know that it can't possibly be a simple equation, because if it were, wouldn't we be a nation of thin, healthy people? If there were a simple solution, we'd all be thin. But the question becomes, are we able to lose weight and keep it off? To beat the disturbing statistics that 97% of people who lose weight will gain it back an more. What? Why? I wanted to know it all and bring the answer to you. Today on the podcast we answer the questions: Can you lose weight and keep it off? What does this mean for your hormones and biology? And more. We dive into the broad subject of weight, body mass composition and give you answers on how to change it. SPOILER ALERT: It's not what most diets teach. Tune in to find out.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/115

I was convicted this weekend sitting at a conference, Jen Wilken is the speaker, and she spoke words that shot straight to the heart. Not in just one area but multiple, including our inner self-critic. Who it is we call ourselves and how we talk to that person that we've made yourself to be. It was a powerful message on standing true to your new name, who you are in Christ and positioning yourself to talk as any good parent would raise their child to talk to someone else and themselves. Like a ton of bricks, it all came rolling in, what makes me think that continually beating myself up and talking worse to myself than I would to any other thing was okay? I mean did these insults I daily flung inside my mind change me? Did they make me better? Did they bring results? No, none of it and believing that they would is a bunch of lies. These words weren't just sitting in my mind, they were being stored, they were being used, and they are the driving force creating my actions. What I preach to myself every day, and what you preach to yourself every day is ultimately what our brain perceives and therefore responds accordingly. So what are you thinking? What do you believe to be true and how is this driving your life. Thes questions are just a little glimmer of what we talk about on the podcast with guest expert Amy Van Slambrook. Amy Van Slambrook is a licensed psychotherapist working to help heal past trauma's, strengthen relationships and help you live up to who you were designed to be. On the show I'm asking Amy: How do your past trauma's affect your biology and beliefs? How we can heal from past trauma's The benefit of community and relationships in our mindset. And so much more.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/114

To everything, there is a season, including us. As much as we don't have to live seasonally in the way we eat, thanks to the fresh produce section at the grocery store supplying everything nearly all year long or even live seasonally, our body still adjusts to the changing of the season. You might not recognize it at first, but I think if we all peered a little longer we could see our bodies needs change with the seasons. Your need for sleep increases, your cravings change and your bodies ability to stay warm diminishes. That's just the tip of the iceberg. Often our thirst increases, our ability to handle stress decreases and our urge to cuddle up under warm blanket skyrockets. These changes are all part of the seasonal cycle at work in and on your biological processes that are working to control your immunity, mind, metabolism, hormones, sleep cycles and more. The problem is, we live in an age where we aren't forced to change seasonally, even though our body always is. This resistance to change is causing a lot of harm to these biological processes leading to seasonal affective disorder, weight gain, moodiness, exhaustion, weakness and more. The good news - it's so easy to change. It just means working with your body instead of against it and helping it to stay warm and moist all winter long. In this podcast, I tell you exactly how to do that.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/113

Our entire metabolic and biological make-up is changing with the changing of weather patterns. Do you know that using these changes is one of the best ways to make lasting health changes? Find out why you need a seasonal routine inside.  With the changing of weather comes the change of clothes, whether it's from cold to warm to hot or the exact opposite. We tend to adjust what we wear with the changing of seasons. Not to mention our entire environment can flip-flop with the changing of weather patterns. Whether the leaves start to fall in the cooling of fall or bud with the warming of winter a lot happens and responds to the changing of weather patterns. But did you know our body, those metabolic processes that are occurring on a daily basis change with the seasons as well? Research is just starting to pop up about the profound process our body goes through during the different seasons - bringing up the question can we change our health by changing what we do and how we live in each season? That's what we're answering today on the podcast. Why the season's matter, what happens biologically and how we can work with it to see more significant results.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/112

Those are questions I've found myself pondering in the past and questions I often get from others. What should buy organically and what things don't matter quite as much? Inside today's podcast, we dive into the truth about organic foods, what you need to know, what foods you should focus on buying organically and how this impacts the health of our bodies. It's a show to listen to, especially if you wrestle with these same questions. Also, make sure to keep reading the post where I share five ways to get organic on a budget. But before we get to either, can I get on my soapbox? Okay, good, because I'm going there. While I do believe this is a valid conversation and in some cases debate, the truth of the matter is that the most important thing is just choosing to eat more whole foods. If you're still working on that aspect, do NOT worry about whether it is organic or not. Because if we look at death rates in America, the number one and number two cases of death still boil down to what type of diet people are eating, processed versus whole. And if we go another step then we can grasp that produce only accounts for a small percentage of chemical usage, so switching from processed foods to more whole foods is still going to decrease the chemical exposure in general. So rather than arguing so hard over organic or not, I think we first need to clarify that the most critical element is still whole foods, whether that is organic or conventionally raised. After you achieve that massive step, then you may want to consider what is inside this podcast.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/111

Hormones are a hot topic, as they should be. They can make the difference between brain fog and clarity, weight gain and loss, drive and passion versus brain fog and fatigue, and so much more. The question becomes, why do so many people suffer from hormonal imbalance and how do we make it right? We're diving into hormones on today's podcast along with a few other topics like birth control, menopause and how men and women can use their hormones to connect at a deeper level.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/110

Poor posture, mom pouch, hip pain, back pain, and incontinence are some of the signs your pelvic floor isn't as strong as it could be. I'm no stranger to this. Let's say I need extra protection when we're headed to the jump park. Of course, blaming the three babies I birthed for the struggle while giggling with my friends at the absurdity of incontinence. But the truth of the matter is, Kegels are a struggle. I along with much of the population fail to practice Kegels regularly, let alone the correct form. But my posture seems to be worsening and my hip pain is intense at times. No matter how much I workout that mom pouch is still there. This got me thinking, what is the exact culprit, the source behind it all? It's your pelvic floor which is the core and linkage point that when strong can impact your entire body. Today on the podcast I'm interviewing a pelvic floor expert, MaryEllen Reider on: How to strengthen your pelvic floor The proper way to do Kegels If it will get rid of the mom pouch and help my posture And so much more! It's a great episode and dives into pelvic floor health for both men and women.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/108

In the last episode of "Your Most Embarrasing Health Quesions, Answered" we're talking about Warts, Painful Sex and Hair Loss.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/107

The best way to get healthy is to make it a part of your life. The easiest way to do this is by creating a wellness program that works for you. Get all the info on how to create a wellness routine right here.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/106

If you're struggling with vaginal odor, don't worry. Every single woman has a smell, and this odor is normal. If we're going to get to the bottom of it right now it's this, aiming for odorless is an impossible and unnatural feat. However, there are some odors we need to be wary of and additional measures to fight bad smells. But all in all some odor is normal, and as always, it's never a bad thing to take care of the space down there. It does serve some pretty essential functions. Listen to the podcast to get all of the details on vaginal odor, what the different smells could mean and natural ways to take care of your V.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/105

Our five sense, the standing force providing pleasure to your life. But how often do you think about the way your senses are changing your perception? Have you ever thought about using your senses to change your health?   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/104

The only kind of white flakes I want to see Christmas and snow. Outside of that, we have problems, and that could be dandruff. With one in two people suffering from it, I'd say it's time we learn what causes it and give you five natural remedies for dandruff.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/103

In today's podcast, we'll be discussing three reasons that it's taking so long to reach your goals, plus five ways to start meeting your goals starting today.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/102

I've dabbled with faith and health here on the podcast but I haven't done the whole shebang. Drawing out why this is such a critical component in lasting health and how you can use faith to create a new view of your health. But if I had to sum up health, this would be the foundation. Yet often, it's the most overlooked. We talk all day about nutrition, movement, even relationships, self-care, balance, and mindset but rarely do we hear about spirituality and the faith connection. Today, I want to state my belief, that being planted in faith. Because without it, we are without hope and hope is the driving force behind our change, our joy, our happiness and our health. The good news is these aren't just my "thoughts" but researched truths that are popping up all over the scientific community. Of course, they are using religion as a general terminology in the belief of a higher power. However, my belief is that there is only one true power and that is Jesus - believing in Him above all other things transcends all hope because He backs it up with the truth of His promises. Which I'll be sharing a few of my favorites inside.   Learn More: https://simplerootswellness.com/101

No one likes to talk about poop but we all encounter it. Not to mention, it can tell you a lot about your health. Here is the inside scoop on what your poop is telling you and how to fix it!    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/100

Breaking Bad habits is less about taking out and more about what you add back in. It's being so emotionally invested in the good you can't say no. Here you'll learn how to break bad habits and build new ones.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/099

Personality types are all the rage these days, but can they tell you practical information about your life? Specifically, do you have a health personality? Learn right here how knowing your personality can change everything!   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/098

There are few things in life worse than you're deodorant not working only to end up a sweaty, hot and smelly mess half way through the day. In this post, you'll learn how to do an armpit detox and how to get rid of body odor for good.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/097

Weight loss, promotions, marathons, becoming debt free, having a life plan are all goals, dreams and hopes that many of us wish to accomplish. But do you feel like you always end up back at square one? In this post, we talk about how to get rid of what's holding you back.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/096

    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/095

Question one in our series on your most embarrassing health questions answered, how do you get rid of bad breath naturally? We're breaking it all down right here. Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/094

What if health as more than just an accumulation of our habits and forcing ourselves to eat well and move more? What if health was compromised of what's inside your mind? In this post we're breaking down the mind/body connection and how to achieve health by simply creating a healthy mindset.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/093

Change starts with your thinking and your thinking is a choice. In this post, you'll learn the 5 mindset shifts to change your health for life.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/092

Summer is here and the last thing you want is to be stuck in the kitchen. But on the other hand, it's one of the seasons where you crave health. So how do you get the best of both worlds? Today we break down how to create healthy meals on the fly.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/091

I used to be a person who didn't like the idea of supplements. I specifically remember in college having a massive and somewhat heated debate with husbands roommate over his protein supplement. Of course being a nieve collagen student studying nutrition I thought I already knew everything. But I didn't. At the time, I clearly wasn't a fan of supplements. I thought it was a cop-out to just eating healthy and nourishing foods. Fast-forward a solid 10 years and my view has changed dramatically. In fact, my life has forever been helped because of supplementation. I can honestly say I may not be the person I am now without them. I learned, through my own health journey and blood work that I was actually very deficient in many nutrients even though in the health world, I was doing "everything" right. I was eating well, exercising and eating all my veggies. Trust me when I say my eyes were opened to the power that "supplements" can have on our bodies daily functioning as well as in prevention and healing. Today on the podcast I have guest expert Dr. Erin Stokes to talk more in-depth about supplementation, and answering the question, do you need supplementation?   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/090

Stop working to achieve habits and step into rhythms. Lasting change is found here and in this podcast, you'll learn five ways to set healthy summer rhythms.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/089  

What if you could detox your body for free? Would you do more of it? Today I'm sharing 5 free ways to detox daily. Is it time to say goodbye to that cayenne lemon mixture?   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/088

Lyme disease is one of the most misunderstood diseases of all time. In fact, the confusion around Lyme disease is so great that it’s shocking. Today we're going to uncover the answers to healing from Lyme disease and give you a natural tick repellent. When it comes to Lyme, you can find information on all sides, do this not that and then the exact opposite information from another practitioner. While I have my own thoughts on what I've studied I did want to take time to interview a Lyme's expert to dig into his. On today's podcast, we dive into what Lyme's disease is, how you can get infected and most importantly healing tips and in the post below I share a quick homemade tick repellent that takes the place of harmful DEET. Today I interview Dr. Darin Ingels author of the new book, The Lyme Solution: A 5-Part Plan to Fight The Inflammatory Auto-Immune Response and Beat Lyme Disease.  It's tick season and even if it's not, there are an estimated 823 new cases of Lyme Disease reported every day. This is no longer a subject to take lightly and I hope this interview answers some of your questions whether you have Lyme disease or are working to prevent it. Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/087

There is a lot of opinions on cleansing and detoxing and if it is safe. Some good, others not but in this podcast I undercover the truth about the best way to detox your body and the one thing you need to know.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/086

There is so much controversy, so much confusion, and so much frustration in the health world today. So today on the podcast I wanted to break down hormones into the nitty-gritty and share the five hormone balancing rules to live by.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/085

The world of saunas can be confusing. From wet saunas to dry saunas, infrared, far infrared or your typical steam sauna, how do you know what to use? Today I share your guide to infrared saunas.  Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/084

In the past few months, I've received a handful of questions around the concept of seed cycling and I thought I would answer them here. Now I have to be honest, while I had heard of seed cycling I really didn't know a ton about it. So of course, I decided to go on a quest to learn more about seed cycling and the value of it. If you combine what we already have known, that food can be used as medicine and add the value of cycling nutrients at specific times, seed cycling does make sense. Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/083/

I get a lot of questions about organic versus not organic and what about herbicides and pesticides they're spraying on the food? What is it really doing in our body and is organic better for you? Listen in to hear my take on this controversial topic.   Learn More: https://simplerootswellness.com/082

How do you live with more joy? Find out my five best tips in this special bonus episode. Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/081

Could confidence change your health? There is a lot of talk that our mindset matters more than diet and exercise combined. Today I show you 6 ways to have more confidence. Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/080

Taking back your hormones and cycle syncing were two things I never knew existed. But I can surely tell you I would have done more if I had known. Like most people, I just thought that cramps, PMS, and an irregular menstrual cycle were all part of being female. I thought we had to learn to deal with it. Now I know that couldn't be farther from the truth. Today on the podcast we overcome that myth and talk about how to take back control of your hormones.  Yes, today it's for women only and we dive into fixing your hormones with something called cycle syncing. Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/079

I'm answering my top 5 most asked questions in this Q&A. It's all about poop, libido, sleep and more!

Menopause, PMS, moodiness, pregnancy, menstruation, you've probably at some point heard about all of these, or maybe even been lucky enough to experience being a bystander to one of these. These moments in a woman's body that are strictly hormonal. The 28-day cycle of what seems like highs and lows in energy, mood, and even libido. But did you know, that men suffer from a similar swing in hormones? While woman run off of a more well-known 28-day cycle, there is some speculation that men have their own monthly cycle as well. However, as of now, you are still recognized to be fluctuation on a strict 24-hour cycle. Regardless, they are finding that men are undergoing the same hormonal swings as women, maybe just not in the same fashion. Of course, all of this research is coming off the startling statistics about men's testosterone levels, rates of erectile dysfunction and even sperm counts. Today on the podcast, I bring an episode just for the men. We dive into the core of the issues, testosterone, from how it's regulated, what is causing low testosterone and how to get more of it to achieve optimal performance.

There is a lot of movement in the work of what our environment is doing to our health. Which is exciting coming off an age when all we focused on and talked about and treated were symptoms. An age where dieting was the answer, not to mention all the rage. But times are changing. We're learning more and discovering that while diet and exercise are beneficial and necessary, they definitely aren't the end all be all. We know this because of the countless thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people who eat right and exercise well and yet cease to see any results. The dreaded fear we all think about when embarking on yet another health regimen. But I'm here to tell you that we know there is so much more to the health equation than simply what we eat and how much we exercise. In fact, our lifestyle, our environment, our mindset equate to over half of that equation. So it's time to start talking about it and today we're doing just that. Today's podcast is with expert Dr. Hannah Anderson. We dive into everyday items that could be destroying your hormones. It's not something to fear but something to take action on because in most cases we still have control.

Today we're digging into menopause. On the podcast, we have a menopause expert and here in the post 7 facts, every woman needs to know about menopause. The truth comes out. Speaking of truth, I've learned, there isn't a lot of solid information on menopause. Instead, it tends to be this looming phase of life that nearly everyone dreads and few talk about, aside from the table talk complaints of the latest annoying symptoms it's pestering women with. Today I hope to uncover that with guest expert Cynthia Thurlow who breaks down menopause. I'll be asking her what menopause actually is if we have to suffer from symptoms, how to treat it naturally, the prevention methods younger woman should start taking now and her thoughts on hormone replacement therapy. We really dig it all up into one thought-provoking and insightful podcast I know is going to revolutionize how you think about menopause.

Humans are fascinating, well life in general is. Every day I marvel at the intricacy of life itself and that is no different than the human body. What is even more amazing is that by structure we are all nearly the exact same and yet when we look closer we are incredibly different. Just like a snowflake, there are no two humans that are exactly alike. Given this, I've always wondered why scientifically speaking and nutritionally speaking we've always been given the same recommendations. We are told we need the same amount of water, the same ratio of food groups, the same type of exercise, etc. Even looking at most clinical research studies, we see that in nearly every study it is dominated by men in a near 3:1 ratio. And we wonder why woman have a hard time seeing results, feeling better and healing? This could be the answers. So today in this Friday Five in Five I wanted to give five stand-out points that make men different from women and what to do about it.

Today we're breaking down the fat burning hormone leptin. We'll discuss what it is and how in the world do we regulate it in our favor, along with how to lose weight, gain energy and feel better.

Why does knowing your values really matter? In this episode, I interview my husband and explain why this made all the difference for him.

The scoop about caffeine and your hormones. Everything you need to know and why you should consider this painless caffeine detox. 

Fight fear and overcome anxiety with this no-nonsense approach that will encourage you how to cut through the daily clutter of life and step out in fierce faith. Expert Alli Worthington gives all the advice we need to overcome fear and live fiercely.

The 2018 wellness trends and predictions were just released and I have to say I'm impressed. I picked my top five favorite trends I think will change your health.   Learn more: http://simplerootswellness.com/069

How do you actually love to eat healthy? It's a big feat, isn't it? I mean it sounds good initially but once we get in it seems so scary, so unrealistic and not something you are willing to do. So what is the secret? It's right here inside this podcast!

Getting healthy isn't just about how many macronutrients you eat or how much you move. It's about living nourished. Here are my 5 essentials to living well nourished to create health that lasts.

Looking to improve memory, concentration and eliminate brain fog? Stop eating these six foods for better brain health with Dr. Steven Masley.  Learn more: http://simplerootswellness.com/066

Today on the podcast we have Trisha Hughes who has opened up to us about her own journey with mental health illness and what drove her to seek help. It's deep, raw, vulnerable and healing all in one.

First ask yourself, have you ever meet the resolutions you've set? Don't worry if you haven't, the majority haven't either, at least in the way we know resolutions. Today we're going to uncover why you should stop making health resolutions and what to do instead!   Learn more: http://simplerootswellness.com/064

There seems to be a theme running in the holistic health world today where more and more we tend to look at the body as one living organism rather than broken into separate components. Granted there is a time and place for that but at the end of the day, we have to see how our body is working together as a unit. Even when one system gets sluggish, it tends to affect numerous other systems. That's why you rarely see just one health symptom and if you do you're like most of us {including myself} you most likely ignore it. It's like the domino effect, once the first one crumbles they are start to get knocked down one right after the other. Which brings us to the question, which system kicks it off? What is that master foundation of health and how can we heal that to experience healing throughout our entire system? Today on the podcast I interview Dr. Stephanie Gray and we dive into her concept of looking at your body as a house blueprint. Learn More: http://simplerootswellness.com/063

Outside of the food, the family and friends, endless games, laughter and conversation comes the gifts. Oh how I love to give during the holidays. and I'm happy to share my favorite gifts for 2017. Learn more: http://simplerootswellness.com/062

Calories have been such a hot topic in health for the last fifty plus years. They go away and come back and in the end really never go away. New things always manage to sneak their way in the mix but don't you wonder why counting calories in food never seems to work? Learn more: http://simplerootswellness.com/061

Vibrational frequency may sound like some term you fell asleep learning in physics class, but this term is a new topic in the health world. Learn more: http://simplerootswellness.com/060

Whether you have mold-illness or not, this episode is good for anyone looking to better understanding where healing comes from in any disease case. It’s something you do everyday, you just have to expand on it. Tune in to find out more and get the final details on my health crisis and what made the final change in my journey. Learn more: http://simplerootswellness.com/059

No one likes to think about it, I mean it's our home. A Place of shelter and comfort, a place of rest. Yet, I think the question, "is your house making you sick" is definitely valid, especially if you have a "mysterious" illness that you can never seem to shake.  Whether you think you struggle with mold or not, the scary statistic is they estimate over 85% of buildings in America have some elevated levels of mold and if you happen to be one of the 25% of the population who has a genetic variation that doesn't allow your body to break it down, eventually you could have symptoms.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/058

Two years ago I found myself on a high, or a high in the world of nutritionist status. I had finally figured out an eating plan that seemed to be working. I had energy {or so I thought}, I had lost the majority of the baby weight I carried for over a year and I had just completed a half marathon. Yet, what I didn’t realize that while my external appearance seemed to be paying off my internal show was a mess. Stressed, overworked, fatigued and ready to buckle I didn’t realize that on this high I was about ready to crash into a health-obsessed individual's worst nightmare. Sickness, weight gain, depression, and more fatigue than I could possibly tell you. Yes, right after this crash, of having the best Christmas we had in a long time, I lost it all. It started out with just a minor cold, which quickly turned into a raging fever, weakness, dizzy spells, unknown diagnosis at doctor appointments, headaches, steroids, body aches, weight gain, blood tests, daily doctors appointments, x-rays, and depression. I literally had lost it all in a matter of weeks. Listen in to see the 5 tips that I've learned through it all and have started the process of changing my health for the better.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/057

Back pain runs in my family. In fact, I'm not immune to it having my own share of back struggles well before the age of 30. I often question what my life will be like in 30 years if I already struggle with pain. I have a feeling I'm not alone. Pain is everywhere and is often just chalked up to the 'aging' process, but what if there was a way to retrain your brain to overcome pain? I interviewed a leading expert in the pain field, Dr. Joe Tatta, and his response will blow your mind! Yes, you can actually retrain your brain to overcome pain and create a new lifestyle free of it! Listen to the podcast to get all of the details and make sure you check out his book, Heal Your Pain Now.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/056

I have yet to talk much about the nitty-gritty of losing my health and fighting to get it back. Actually, it's been less of a fight and more of a learning process. The short story is I was doing everything right, eating well, exercising and living the traditional busy life of hustle. Not to mention raising three little girls all under the age of six. I was doing it, chasing the shiny objects all while forgetting the essentials of life. I was giving, going, doing and becoming. I was trying desperately to be everything for everyone. Unfortunately, this all came crashing down and quickly. Just after the first of the year in 2016, I found myself in multiple doctors offices, medical tests, blood work and ultimately begging for someone to help get my health back. Fortunately, I found a practitioner who helped change not only my health but my overall beliefs about health. It was here, through daily {yes daily} appointments I had for a few weeks that I had an epiphany. Not just one but many along with many wake-up calls and many decisions I had to make about my lifestyle. This "healthy" life I thought I was living was actually making me sick and I believe it could be making you as well.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/055

Unhappiness. Some say it's our greatest epidemic of our day. In fact, statistics show that nearly 50% of Americans are unhappy at work and less than one-third of people describe themselves as "very happy." That means that nearly 70% of the American population are considered unhappy. To me, this is one of the most startling statistics we are faced with. Not just because the majority of the population is walking around in a less than exciting trance, but that this is a direct relationship to our overall health. Yes, stress {happiness} is one of the biggest factors underlying health and one that is hard to measure and impossible to fight against. The bottom line, happiness is a make it or break it factor in our health. Not to mention what fun is living without happiness? Today on the podcast I am beyond excited to have a very special guest who has lived to make her life happier with simple and easy steps, Sarah Von Bargen. Sarah is the founder of the site Yes and Yes helping people all over the globe have more fun. Her slogan states, "Because yes is more fun than no," and she shows us exactly how to do this in a chaotic and busy world.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/054

A question I've pondered all the way back to my pre-adolescent phase; how to get rid of body odor? The thought {and smell} of body odor takes me back to my 6th grade classroom. The time and place when everyone starts to smell but no one knows how to take care of it. Only to soon be masked through the 7th and 8th grade by body sprays, perfume, cologne and every other measure that is humanly possible to take away the awkward conversation of body odor. I'm sure we've all had our fair share of embarrassing encounters with personal body odor issues. Or maybe you haven't and in that case go on and judge me. Because let me tell you body odor runs through my pores, literally. While I could be alone, I'm going to assume by the statistics on deodorant sales we all have issues with body odor. Yes I'm proud to now know statistics on body odor. Don't bother looking it up, I got your back. In the latest podcast you can hear about my body odor detox and how to stop smelling for good. I'm a proud testimonial that it can happen. And I'm not joking when I say I literally have struggled with body odor for as long as I can remember. Find out how you can detox and overcome your own smell by listening to this podcast.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/053

There is a lot of hype around detox diets and cleanses. While the stigma holds out that most detox for a quick weight loss scheme, I think it is due time we talk about how detoxing is so much more than that. In fact, it is essential and critical that our body detoxify itself daily. The good news is we have plenty of mechanisms to help us do this. The bad news is the "traditional" lifestyle can slow this process down, making our body slow, sluggish and even clogged. Today we are going to learn about one powerful supplement that not only enhances your liver health encouraging natural detoxification. But this supplement also is a foundation in keeping your body youthful, strong, vibrant and healthy. Today we're breaking down collagen and detoxification. In addition to this, on the podcast, we break down five additional ways to enhance your detox today. The better news, there is no tricks, gimmicks or crazy potions you need to do this. Just real food, simple lifestyle changes and the right mindset. Learn about these five ways to detox on this week's podcast here.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/052

Today we uncover a lot of heated topics, from cellulite, bloating, cancer and detoxing we're going to see how each of these is actually related into one intricate system that is often overlooked and understudied, the lymphatic system. Each of these subjects is something we're all affected by whether directly or indirectly. Although the common thought is that detox diets don't work, I may twist the tables and show you exactly why a detox diet could be exactly what your body needs to help fight off and reduce {or eliminate} cellulite, bloating, cancer and just help you feel better overall once you fully understand the function of the lymphatic system. Be sure to listen to today's show and learn 10 simple ways to get your lymphatic system revving today click play below. It's an exciting show that will help answer a lot of your questions and shed some light on this confusing subject.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/051

The gut has become a hot topic for debate, especially when we talk about how to restore healthy gut flora. In this post I wanted you to know why I stopped taking a probiotic and how my gut health is better than ever. Yet, I know this is an area of contention for many with different ideas, views, and thoughts on how we can do this. This is also why we have the influx of probiotic and prebiotic rich foods and supplements on the market. Think kimchi, kombucha, resistant starch and yogurt for days. The question; are these foods and supplements doing any good? How do we fix our gut for good? On today's podcast, we uncover the world of probiotics and prebiotics. Why your probiotic may be a waste of money and natural ways to fix your GI system including the one product I stand behind that isn't a probiotic. Listen to the show to get the full breakdown of everything you need to know about probiotics, prebiotics, resistant starch and healing your gut forever.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/050

Slowing down and success generally aren't found in the same sentence. The way of the world seems to be, do more - be more, work longer, work harder and just hustle. While I'm not saying that we shouldn't be doing any of those, I think we must also consider why slowing down could be your key to success. On todays podcast episode we uncover why nothing seems to be working, even though you are doing everything right. We also talk about what under-eating and over exercising are doing to our bodies. Finally, we uncover the simple solution, rest based living. Listen now to learn ten ways to practice rest based living and transform your body starting today.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/049

Join Alexa as she takes you inside her morning routine and shares with you some of the things she's enjoying the most right now.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/048

The question heard around the world, how do we balance hormones? Hormones have been the villain for years. Now more than ever, we have a hormonal epidemic on our hands. From irregular periods, PMS, early menopause, hot-flashes, low-libido, erectile dysfunction, depression, anxiety, PCOS, endometriosis, joint issues, and countless others, we have a real issue going on. While traditional medicine takes you on a very narrow journey of trying to mask all of these things with a simple daily pill or cream there are other ways that actually work to fix the root. In the end to create an even harmony of your body doing the job it was designed. Now I'm not saying that modern medicine isn't working, for some, it is working quite well. In other situations we need it. But outside of that, the solution has been only one your doctors can prescribe. But today we're going to learn about the treatment you don't have to sit around and wait for but things you can do today to find relief. On this podcast, we go in-depth to five natural ways to balance hormones starting today.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/047

Feel like you’re doing everything right and still not losing weight? Well, you’re not alone. But that probably doesn’t help, knowing you’re drowning in this sea of negativity simply because you do everything right and still can’t get your weight to budge. Today I want to uncover 3 reasons you’re not losing weight even though you’re doing everything right. On today’s podcast, I also give you five things you could change in order to see the scale start to move, but more importantly than just pounds being lost a whole new weight being released from your mental state. Listen to the full explanation of why you’re not losing weight and five realistic things to do about it.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/046

Metabolism is the sum total of all chemical reactions that are going on in your body on any given day. It this the machine that runs homeostasis. There is a lot of chatter about metabolism including; metabolism slowing down with age and wrecking your life just to name a few. While we can talk about metabolism and weight {because everyone wants to know} we first need to acknowledge how to reset your metabolism. We need to understand how to get your metabolism unjammed and working smoothly. In this post, we're going to learn 4 ways to reset your metabolism. To learn the four ways as well as five metabolic killers and what you need to do today for your metabolism, then listen to this podcast I recorded with leading Metabolic Expert Dr. Jade Teta.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/045

If we're honest with ourselves goal setting, resolution making and planning are often times just great thoughts. In my own life I've experienced this on one too many occasions. Spending hours planning but never following through with the plan. Or better yet, setting unrealistic expectations (a.k.a. goals) that will never have a possibility of getting met. Last year was a great example. I was going to conquer the world. Okay, maybe not the world, but I had set some pretty high goals that weren't necessarily unrealistic. I had ultimately set an expectation that this was going to be my year. I even bought a shirt that said those exact words, this was my year (because that makes if official). Yet not two weeks into the new year my life began to crumble around me. It happened slowly at first but quickly started compounding until I found myself nearly breathless and hopeless in a heap on my bathroom floor sobbing. From there I spent one too many months in this heap of hopelessness questioning my purpose. Wondering how and if I would ever move beyond this point and seeking but never managing to find joy. I was broken, shaken and beat down. I've recorded a podcast (along with my friend and mentor Mikaela Kate) to help you walk through this journey. To get your life back even when nothing seems to go as planned. It starts with emotion, with knowing and feeling where you've come from and creating a vision and an emotion for where you want to go. This is how you meet your dreams. This is how you find success. It's not through good intentions. It's through purposely living. Doing everything with a purpose. Listen to the podcast and get my own story, my redemption story, and the initial steps you can also take to get your life back.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/044

There is a new era of health upon us and it is looking up. We've been plagued the last few years by disease and a decreasing length of life. But we have had enough. The health trends for 2017 predict that there is a new wave of hunger on the horizon and it doesn't involve cravings but rather true health and self awareness. The tide is turning and gone are the days of restriction, starvation and rules. I can't be more excited for what's ahead. You can find all of the health trends for 2017 here.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/043

Who knew that writing, yes the physical act of taking pen to paper could affect your health in such profound ways. If you’re questioning what I’m even saying, then you’ll want to listen to this episode and learn why our paperless society could be making you sick and fat. It’s simple changes like going back to paper, at least some of the time, that could make all of the difference.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/042

So many of us are really good at dieting. Yet, we know that long-term statistically all diets fail. But why? Maybe there is an aspect that you are really good at dieting but really bad at living life. Living life is the critical element that we can’t forget. In this episode, we’ll dive into weight, emotional eating, dieting and the perfect way we should be eating.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/041

It’s the lightened up episode where Alexa fills you in on all of her favorite things that keep her healthy and loving life. She even shares a bit of her own health journey and what she is doing to overcome that and what she's looking forward to this Christmas season.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/040

Listen to the story, the heart and the passion behind creating a physical, printed project. It's the full story from the heart, the passion, the vision and how it all came together in perfect timing. The Nourished Planner has a lot to offer and I know you'll learn so much from listening to the full story with co-founder Heidi Larson.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/039

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t want to stay healthy this holiday season, yet at the expense of what? Restriction, deprivation, and starvation. The three words no one wants to talk about when all of the Holiday gatherings tend to involve food. Here is a list of 5 realistic tips to stay healthy through the holidays while still enjoying delicious food with good company.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/038

Candida is becoming a common phrase in today’s society. Yet there is great controversy on the actual recommendations for curing candida. Here we get to the bottom and learn what candida really is, what's more common and how to treat it in a matter of weeks.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/037

There is only one commodity we can’t get more of, that is time. So instead of fretting about how much or how little time you have, lets just start embracing time and truly live life by learning how to get more done in less time.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/036

We like to believe that only diet and exercise matter. And the more we do and the little we eat the thinner we get. Fortunately, there’s a better way to lose weight but it means working with your own specific genome and creating an environment for rest. Find out if your bedroom could be making you sick and what sleep has to do with weight anyways with leading sleep expert, Dr. Michael Breus.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/035

If we are honest with ourselves, life rarely goes as planned. For good or bad there is a lot of broken expectations. But our actions through these broken expectations determine our joy. This show is all about learning to love the life you didn't choose. Of finding joy through it all.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/034

It’s the lightened up episode where Alexa fills you in on all of her favorite things that keep her healthy and loving life. She even shares a bit of her own health journey and what she is doing to overcome that.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/033

There are so many shiny gimmicks and tricks to get you to lose weight these days. But do any of them work and how good are they for your health? Follow along as I fill you in on the five ways your diet is ruining your life and the first step in getting it back.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/032

What if what we knew about water and hydration were false? What if those 'water rules' were actually doing more harm than good. You may be surprised to learn that pure H2O is not a hydrating beverage and in excess can actually cause harm to your GI tract and hormonal flow. It could be the cause of the plateau you may find yourself in. In this episode we'll uncover the truth about hydration and how to do it right.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/031

Just like our personality, we are all different types of sleepers. We have different chronotypes. But what if just knowing what chronotype you are and living based off of your inherent needs changed everything in your life. What if when you sleep to make you more productive, successful, a better spouse, parent, child, student, and worker? What if it were really as easy as determining your sleep needs and knowing when you work best? Check this podcast out to learn from the leading natural sleep expert Dr. Michael Breus.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/030

There is a lot of controversy when it comes to how many meals a day we should eat verses snacks creating excess confusion. In this episode we’ll take a deep yet simplistic look at when and how often we should eat to answer the question is snacking healthy.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/029

From acne to headaches, cramps, missed periods and even serious conditions like PCOS we’re often told just take birth control. Hormonal contraceptives have become the norm, the standard in masking symptoms, helping you to feel as normal (or masculine) as possible. Yet, there is something missing, more we need to know to make the most informed choices possible. Check out this episode on hormonal contraceptives, vasectomies, natural family planning, regulating hormones naturally and so much more.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/028

There is a big disconnect in the world when it comes to food and agriculture. In fact, some don't even know how or where their food is grown. And that is no different when we look at meat. We hear about grass-fed meats but don't really understand the difference. This episode uncovers the science and respect for agriculture when we specifically look at animal production.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/027

Life is hectic and overwhelming. Most days you wonder how you could possibly make time for cooking, yet you still want health. In this show we’ll dive into my secrets on what to cook when you don’t feel like cooking anything. You’ll also get top five go-to meal ideas. Its time to simplify meal planning.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/026

We’re often looking for the perfect way to lose weight and gain health. A pill, a diet, a set of rules yet those things are only fleeting. Instead we miss the only way to achieve these things and that is through you. Fully knowing and understanding you and why you want it. It’s about taking ownership and that is exactly what you’ll find in this episode.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/025

The mentality of health is tricky. Its easy to focus on nutrition and exercise alone but what if we’re missing the real answer in doing this? In working so hard for things that are secondary to the truth that will set your health free? It’s the foundation of health and that is your mentality. The choices you make and what labels you place on yourself. This episode is on the one thing you must stop doing for your health.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/024

Alexa’s husband Payton and sister Whitney tell all the secrets about Alexa and her true health antics. You'll learn what a nutritionist really eats and how she deals with her un-cooperative family. This is Alexa exposed.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/023

I can remember walking to the swimming pool on a sunny May day in 7th grade. In lines, hanging out with friends who would have been the popular crowd. Although I always teetered on the edge of that. Mostly hanging in there because we had been friends before we defined popular by looks. So as you can guess I wasn't the prettiest of my friends nor was I a stand out in really anything I did. I was just mediocre. But I was content and happy with who I was. I definitely followed a crowd more than I should have, as my personality is really to go against the grain. But owning that came later in life. So there I was, walking with the "in-crowd," trying to fit in when out of nowhere I had my first realization that I was more mediocre than I had thought. I can hear it just like it happened today, Thunder thighs, Alexa has thunder thighs. Heart stops. What? Am I hearing this, thunder thighs, thunder thighs, thunder thighs? Over and over and over, I couldn't' stop hearing it. At that moment, the first moment I began getting defined by looks. Heart-wrenching and heartbreaking is what it is. For the hold that had on me for longer than it should. I never verbalized it, for the shame of that, but obviously, it never left. Those words clung to me and began the spiral of lies that I wasn't enough. Fortunately, something bigger was planned for my life and somewhere along the way I mustered the strength to move beyond that, yet it still defines a part of my journey. Yet it wasn't until I was able to accept that, to deal with the hurt and fully move beyond that that I was truly able to blossom into a greater value and respect for myself, regardless of how large my thighs were. Yes, getting dressed on a warm summer day I still consider hiding my thighs in black leggings or jeans, dreading shorts will cause other people to judge the very thing that began my spiral of self-defeating lies. But now I know better, I know I'm worthy of more, that even in my darkest days my thighs don't define me, I'm not controlled by a number and instead, I choose to respect and value even when it's hard. But getting here is all about the journey. Of knowing, accepting and moving on for the past and choosing something better. Of letting go of what and how everyone else has defined you and fully living for who you are. And today on the show there is a very wise friend and mentor who is full of wisdom, a past and someone who will ignite your future. It's bright I can tell you that so now will you choose to use your force, the wellness force inside of you to live for something bigger?   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/022

Raising healthy eaters is a battle. But do we make it more of one than it needs to be? What if raising healthy eaters meant letting go, becoming a good negotiator and really fostering their own eating cues and patterns? It's not as rigid or strict as we've made it out to be. In fact, feeding your kids can be a pleasant experience. Learn how and exactly what in this episode.    Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/021

In today's show you will learn: What intuitive eating means How our food preferences develop Why removing emotion from a child's eating is key Why you shouldn't expect your kids to eat anything that you won't The importance of using experiences as a reward instead of food Why you should never force your kid to eat when they don't want to What our role as parents is and how we can shape our children's intuitive eating principles Why my husband still won't eat his peas How to get your kids to think about the food choices they are making How we've taught our oldest daughter to connect the food she eats to how she feels   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/020

Expectations have a way of wreaking havoc on life. It can really suck the joy out of all things. I say this knowing full well what living in a life full of expectations can do. The problem was for the longest time I never realized that expectations were the root of a lot of arguments, anger, and let-downs. I truly believed that expectations were, well expected in this life. I mean it's kind of ingrained in us from the time we were little ones. There's no escaping it, from expecting our children to behave well, to expect to get paid on time, to expecting everything in your day to go perfectly planned or how about expecting to lose weight on your next "diet". And the list continues. But what happens when reality strikes, your kids fall apart, your paycheck comes in a few days late or you get stuck in traffic only to be late for your 8:00 am meeting? You become reactive. In my case, reactive means angry, distraught and anxious about the realities that have actually happened that seem to be far from what I expected. Maybe it's the fantasy land we create or believe others are living simply because of the perfection of social media. Maybe it is just a human tendency to want to be right. I'm not really sure where the urge to create unending expectations comes in but the reality, they're sabotaging our chances of actually getting what we've set out to get, of meeting our goals. So before you get into today's episode on preventing expectations and all of the reasons you should change it up and forget them I want to ask you, are your expectations met? What happens when they aren't? How does it make you feel and why do you even make them? Just a little light thinking for you ;)   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/019

This episode is very near and dear to my heart. It's my personal story of hitting my lowest of lows and through that learning, growing and transforming myself and Simple Roots with a new direction. I'll take you on a journey of finding myself and fully believing in something bigger than me and my recommended steps for you to write your own story.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/018

You asked and I delivered. In this bonus episode I will give you advice, tips, tricks and hacks on how to get the most vibrant and youthful skin. From why birth control pills work, the alternatives, balancing hormones for clear skin, my favorite beauty products and more.

Our mouth is one of the most overlooked and under-appreciated systems of the body. But if we dig further we can see just how vital the mouth is. If you thought dentistry was just about cleanings and fillings you're going to want to tune in.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/017

One transformation story of a self-sabotaging young girl turned fitness model who experienced rejection over 40 times before realizing what it takes to succeed in life. It's an episode to showcase that if you struggle with shame and lack of confidence, you are not alone. That even cover models have been through it, experience it and yet no matter who you are there are simple ways to overcome this. Find out more in this deep and meaningful episode with Lori Harder.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/016

Here's what you'll learn in episode #015 of Simple Roots Radio: The role of the skin to our body. The gut-brain-skin axis. How much our skin absorbs. How our hormones affect our skin. How to eat to regulate our hormones and even out our skin. The skin as a detoxification pathway. The skin microbiome and its benefit. The impact that cosmetics and other beauty products are having on our hormones. How to tell the difference between safe and unsafe beauty products. The action you can take today for healthier skin tomorrow.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/015

There are those times in your life where you feel like your reality just gets slapped across your face. Mostly because I like to keep myself too busy to notice the obvious, especially when the obvious is hard. Alli's book was handed to me in one of those moments. One of those seasons where I was drowning in everything from the endless amount of e-mails in my inbox, to school snacks that I kept forgetting, mounds of laundry (we’re talking like an entire pack-n-play full (which makes a rather nice clothes basket) and twenty different projects I said yes to, eighteen of which I was regretting. Fortunately, it wasn’t an angry moment when my sister handed me this book and declared the entire family was going to read it. I actually looked at the title and started salvaging because I knew my life was mass chaos. No beautiful mess here, just grimy, icky, horrible mess. As I dug into the book, I couldn’t put it down. It was as if she was speaking to me word by word, page by page. I needed it, I soaked it in and I wished for more when it was over so I just read it again. My life was far beyond busy and I had reached every end of overcapacity. I realized I was a hypocrite a liar and that was just getting through the shell. Here I was someone promoting and posting to the world advice that I wished I could take but knew I didn’t have the means to. I mean the laundry never ends, looking for work never ends, the to-do list is never, ever gone. I surely couldn’t break free of busyness but I wanted everyone else to because I knew the damage. But I hit the pit. What seemed like a bottomless pit of shame, guilt and still a never-ending to-do list was pretty rocky. I got bruised and battered on the way down but looking back it was exactly the jolt I needed to get my head back above water and breathe. What started out as gasping for air has now just turned into a lot of daily deep breaths. And while I’d like to tell you I’ve broken free, I haven’t yet. I’m still plagued with fear, worry, and anxiety about what is next, about letting go and ultimately missing out. Yet the other side of me recognizes and realizes and sees that in breaking busy I’m actually more free to be me. The journey never ends I’m sure but I’m hoping today’s show will be the boost of encouragement you need to get rid of the things that hold you back and truly become the person you know you can be. Today’s episode will rock your socks off!   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/014

Today we're fortunate to have one of my dearest friends on the show. My go-to for support, encouragement, and ramblings all things health and mom to six. Yes, six under the age of seven. I'd say that a child's eating patterns and habits are more than just a scientific talk but one of real and raw life and there's no better person than a mom who's birthed six different children, with different eating habits, patterns, and palates.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/013  

Being a mom isn’t a glamorous job. While TV commercials and movies can make motherhood sappy, a fairytale and a dream, the reality it is far from it. While I can’t explain the love you have for your child, through the good and the really, really bad, the truth being a mom has got to be the hardest job in all the world. It is the prefect storm of greatest thing in the world, yet biggest challenge. I hope that this special short episode brings you great joy as we head in to Mother's day this year. Moms, you are ENOUGH!

The mirror can be a frightening thing. It's unforgiving, never lies and speaks a lot of harm into many of our lives. And yet we look as if we are constantly drawn into looking at ourselves. With skeptical eyes and harsh judgements, we pick apart every flaw on our body wishing for something better. Yet, what is better? How is it defined? I think we all want something a little bit different but as standards show the lady on the cover of the next fitness magazine, well she will do. But have you wondered if you really ever did get to that point, then would you be happy? If we can get beyond the surface level of what our world is telling us will make us happy and truly understand what happiness is, is an image that? The very thing we need in order to be and live the life we want? Or is it fleeting, never enough? I think we all deep down know the truth. But hearing a story of one young beautiful soul who found herself wrapped up in her own cellulite or lack thereof and the need for image only to find something so much more. We all struggle with body image, but why? How can we learn to embrace it? You'll want to hear Maddy's story as we journey through her life from fitness model turned body loving advocate, bursting with passion to help you and love and embrace who you are regardless of what the mirror shows.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/012

There are a lot of emotions attached to the scale or better yet the number that glares back at you when you step on the scale. Fear, anxiety, panic, dread, failure or on the other spectrum, excitement, success and joy. It's amazing that a cheap hunk of plastic from the store can attract so much emotion. In fact, it's one of the few overlooked things in  our society that carries the weight of not just you but the emotional weight as well. So what happens when you look at the scale? Are you getting squirmish already? Maybe you don't even own a scale. I didn't have one for many years myself. I held my fist high in the pep rally to just toss the scale that happened a few years ago. To get rid of it, purge the very thing causing all of the pain. But I learned that this didn't help. It didn't help at all. You'll want to tune into this episode to find out why ditching the scale may not be the best answer and learn all the reasons you should actually make friends with it.   Learn more:  https://simplerootswellness.com/011

Life is about choices which boiled down even further can leave us feeling happy or angry and frustrated. But it's all a choice. Even in the midst of trials we still have the option to choose happiness. In this episode we are interviewing Trish Hughes from Eat Your Beets and she radiates happiness and will help us learn to live this out in our own life.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/010

When we realize health is more than just a boxed plan we can understand that our own ability through strengths and weaknesses can make or break out health. It all boils down to self-awareness and having an understanding of what works for you.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/009

It seems like such a weird question, but in todays episode I will talk about the importance of bowel movements and if it is actually okay to hold it in. It's a question that a lot of people have, but nobody talks about.

In this episode, we’ll chat with Courtney Carver. Courtney is founder and author at Be More with Less. She is the creator of Project 333, a capsule wardrobe, which is a minimalist fashion project helping you to look and feel better with less. Her mission is to help you simplify your life and start to really live. She is completely amazing and has so much wisdom as she has completely transformed her life and helps the lives of thousands of others do the same thing. Courtney is one of those people who shines wisdom and I can’t wait to see what she has to share with us today.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/008

How do we burn fat? It's the age-old question that so many of us are still trying to answer. It's like the secret code that can't be cracked, until now. Yuri Elkaim has become known as the fat-burning expert and we'll uncover all of the fat-burning secrets in this episode.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/007

We'll uncover the truth about the latest lemon water fad and if it has any basis to be a part of your morning routine.

There is one health strategy that everyone could be doing to enhance their health. The better news is that it doesn't take changing what you eat, just when. This episode gives you all the details on this life-changing secret.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/006

In this bonus episode I talk about my motto for this year and why all of the little things we do add up to big things.

Kristin and her husband Dustin have an overwhelming passion to help others. As they watched food heal their son they have taken a real food life to heart, made it overly practical and easy for everyone to achieve.  Kristin is a master in natural DIY home cleaners and cosmetics, a hidden mastermind that takes a challenge head on and comes out the other side with a win. Her energy and passion help make this real foods life possible and more importantly delicious and that is why I'm so excited to share this episode with you. There is truth immersed into nearly every minute of this show and countless tips that you can incorporate today to make this a family trend.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/005

Where did the long standing equation of calories in equals calories out come from and is it valid? A question from a reader gets into the daily calorie restrictions, where they came from and whether you should follow them or not. Tune in to find out the answers.

Can you "fake it to make it"? When we embrace and learn from stress it makes us a better person, but stress also plays an important role on your health. What is a healthy balance of stress? Listen to this episode to learn my five tips to embrace stress for your health.   Learn more: https://simplerootswellness.com/004

The discussion around autoimmunity and disease is scary, but can you heal yourself with food? My interview with Dr. Terry Wahls answers this question. Dr. Terry Wahls is generally recognized as a hero not only in her own story but in the story of thousands of others. While it is heartbreaking to see so many struggle with autoimmunity and the negative consequences and symptoms that plague them, Dr. Wahls did not escape this either. Being wheelchair bound and almost bed-ridden Dr. Wahls never lost hope and instead, clinged to her purpose in life. There had to be answers, she was a fighter and she was determined to take back her health. After countless changes that slowly lessened the severity of the disease, she hit a home run with a formula that worked, reversing her Multiple Sclerosis back to near normal functioning. As you can imagine, this lit up the eyes of so many who were watching her struggle on this journey. Her recovery was a miracle and paved the foundation for a support system that would later help thousands of others reverse their symptoms of disease. It is a fascinating story with a person who has a deep passion for others to live their best life. You'll want to tune into this episode as it is yet another example of someone listening to the cries of their own body figuring out a way to heal it.

We've been led to believe for years that calories matter and that health just boils down into one simple equation; Calories in = calories out If and only if we could get this right we would be a nation of thin healthy people. But come on, how can we believe this? We have to look around and realize that 90% of all people on diets are doing it through calorie counting and are many of them getting anywhere other than deprived? We're not going to deny the fact that calories have an impact, yet what we must realize is that not all calories are created equal. And understanding this is what really matters. If you're tired of starving your body and restricting yourself from the pleasures of life you must listen to this episode to learn why you must eat more to eat less.

Today's guest Mikaela is an expert at unleashing the inner you and helping us to deep down know who we are, what we're good at and where our values lie. Learn more at http://simplerootswellness.com/001

In this introductory episode, host Alexa Schirm describes who the podcast is designed for, what the podcast is and is not, as well as some valuable resources for those looking to make the most of their commute, workout and running time. Learn more here: http://simplerootswellness.com/000