The Funk'tional Nutrition Podcast

You’ll hear this time and time again on the show: there’s a lot of nuance and gray area when it comes to our health. What’s right for one person may not be right for another. It’s your unique context that determines not just WHAT is appropriate for you, but also WHEN—because context can change. Sometimes knowing what’s right for us gets confusing, especially when we hear conflicting health information. Today Erin offers insight into coffee, caffeine and the health signs to consider when evaluating your intake. Tune in to hear how caffeine affects our stress response, how to recognize what your body is asking for when you want to drink more and more coffee, how to lessen caffeine withdrawal symptoms, and coffee alternatives to try.This episode packs an informational punch, so be sure to tune in if you have a hard time getting through your day without lots of caffeine, if you have increased stress or anxiety, if you have trouble sleeping at night, or if you’re looking for some alternatives to coffee and caffeine. In this episode:-What to do when you hear conflicting health advice [1:16]-A tip for practitioners about taking clients through caffeine elimination [7:41]-Why it’s important to evaluate your coffee intake [10:40]-How increased caffeine intake can affect your health over time [12:53]-How caffeine affects our stress hormones & signs it may be affecting yours [16:07]-Recognizing what your body is really asking for [19:18]-Signs you may want to avoid or reduce coffee [24:00]-Caffeine withdrawal and coffee substitutes to try [24:54] FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/210-coffee-adrenals-caffeine

On the Funk’tional Nutrition Podcast we typically bring you interviews with clinicians and experts in the health and wellness world—folks in the trenches working with clients to impact real change and transformation. While today’s guest isn’t a health practitioner, their commitment to building quality relationships, sourcing quality ingredients for their products, their reverence for the environment, and focus on conscious consumption over and above profit speaks volumes.Today Erin sits down with Ret Taylor, cofounder of Ned & Co, to give us a high overview of Ned’s full spectrum hemp, how CBD, CBG and CBN interact with our body and affect stress and sleep, plus the importance of magnesium for our overall health. Tune in to hear Erin and Ret discuss consumerism culture, health and environmental effects of sourcing and farming practices, and how Ned truly puts their money where their mouth is.Ned’s purpose is to help people feel better and live better through simple means and a deeper connection to the natural world, and after listening you’ll understand why we’re such big fans and honored to be partnered with a company who cares just as much about their product as they do the people behind the product, their relationships with farmers, and their relationship with the environment.In this episode:-The surprising thing Ned asked before partnering with TFN podcast [2:40]-A high-level overview of hemp and the interplay within the body [6:27]-What is CBG and CBN, and how these cannabinoids affect our stress and sleep [9:42]-Why sourcing, sustainability and the extraction process matters [15:01]-Ned’s commitment to diversity in farming [19:51]-The people behind the brand [25:01]-Putting more thought into conscious consumption [28:07]-Does full spectrum hemp contain THC? [32:55]-Broad spectrum vs full spectrum [35:18]-Dosing and where to start with Ned’s full spectrum hemp products [36:35]-The importance of magnesium for health [38:08]-How Ned sources magnesium [41:15] FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/209-cbd-full-spectrum-hemp

Explore the complexities of weight loss beyond food and diets. Discover why your body might resist shedding pounds and the vital questions to consider before starting that journey. Learn how societal beliefs mislead us into equating weight loss with better health. Prioritize overall wellness by understanding the impacts of stress, sleep, and nutritional choices. This episode challenges common myths, encouraging a more mindful and compassionate approach to weight management.

When it comes to overall gut and hormonal health, the gallbladder is an unsung hero. It plays a crucial role not just in digestion and your ability to access nutrients in food, but also with detoxification and your hormone systems.Unfortunately early gallbladder issues are often missed in conventional treatment, leading to the formation of gallstones and eventual gallbladder removal surgery. While there are certainly instances when gallbladder removal is necessary, removing the gallbladder typically doesn’t resolve the gallbladder issue. This is because it doesn’t address WHY the gallbladder issues arose in the first place. It’s not a root cause approach.Today Erin packs an information-heavy episode all about the importance and roles of the gallbladder, bile production, and alerts you to some of the warning signs you may be having issues with your biliary tract. The purpose of sharing this is so you can not just take in this information and comprehend it, but to really take preventative measures BEFORE you get to the point of surgery.If you deal with bloating, acid reflux, constipation, hormonal issues, thyroid issues, leaky gut, and particularly if you’re female (and over 40)… you’ll want to listen up!In this episode:-The body is the subconscious mind & a new approach to healing [2:07]-The difference between comprehension and embodiment [9:03]-One of the most common procedures in the US [10:38]-The gallbladder and its functions [13:19]-Why gallbladder removal surgery may not resolve gallbladder problems [17:45]-Why gallbladder issues are often missed in conventional treatment [21:02]-Symptoms of sludge and inefficient bile release [22:23]-Why bile is so important [27:52]-The link between toxins and hormones [31:05]-Signs you’re not effectively clearing estrogen [32:19]-Various roles of bile in the gut [33:27]-The impact bile has on hormones, and metabolic health [36:34]-Factors that can increase risk of gallstones [42:09]-How to support overall bile production [44:58]-The importance of bitters for improving bile health [49:31]FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/207-gallbladder-bile-gut-health-hormones

Menopause is a phase in women’s lives that involves big physiological changes. Like during puberty and pregnancy, women going through menopause experience huge hormonal shifts that can have cascading effects on blood sugar, gut microbiome and adrenal health. These changes can also affect body composition: women who never struggled with weight are suddenly dealing with more belly fat and love handles. Understandably feeling a lack of control, many seek out answers to help understand what’s going on.However, many in conventional health still tell women going through perimenopause and menopause to simply work out more and eat less, which can oftentimes exacerbate the new issues these women face.Like Erin discussed in last week’s episode: if the approach isn’t working, try a new approach. If the physiology changes, we NEED to change the approach.Today Erin peels back the layers on not just what is happening during perimenopause and menopause, but WHY these changes occur and highlights underlying factors that can lead to problems like insulin resistance, adrenal fatigue, cortisol dysregulation, sleep issues, gallbladder problems and weight gain. She also outlines things to consider for adjusting to these physiological changes and ways to support your health during this phase. If you or someone you know is going through menopause and wants to know what a new approach could look like, this will be a valuable episode to hear.In this episode:-Space to have a deeper conversation about weight [5:18]-Preframing the discussion on menopause [9:49]-Understanding the aging body [15:08]-What the hormonal changes during menopause have to do with weight [17:31]-Questions to ask if you notice body composition changes [20:23]-Hormone changes and a potential shift with insulin signaling [21:06]-Imbalanced cortisol and other metabolic changes [23:01]-Signs you might be dealing with insulin resistance and high blood sugars [27:39]-The two huge needle movers when it comes to menopausal changes [30:30]-Building muscle, movement & other ways to improve insulin sensitivity [31:58]-How sleep impacts glucose metabolism [35:40]-Food and gut health considerations for blood sugar during menopause [37:37]-The 3rd most common GI issue for women over 40 [41:04]-The link between insulin and gallbladder problems [43:34]-Symptoms of potential bile issues [45:41]FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/206-weight-gain-menopause

Women hear an enormous amount of “you should…” statements on a daily basis—from social media to our family to our friends to our own self-talk. And when it comes to weight, body image and our intentions surrounding it, women often receive messaging that promotes weight loss as salvation AND anti-diet messages that promote body acceptance.These conflicting, black and white, either/or messages creates fragmentation within ourselves and shame surrounding whichever direction we lean. There’s no room for gray area, for both thoughts to be true, and this can be especially pronounced for those who have struggled with eating disorders or even dealt with chronic illness. It’s not wrong to have a body image goal, but in order to achieve sustainable change, health and wellbeing, it’s necessary to understand the “why” behind these goals first.Today on the show Erin taps into these whys to really get to the root of our body intentions and offers up thought provoking questions to uncover our own belief patterns. You might hear yourself in some of the examples Erin showcases, and you wouldn’t be alone if you did—these are conversations Erin has had with others both in her group programs and 1:1 work, as well as in real life with friends and family.If, like so many others, you’ve ever found yourself somewhere in the gray area between diet culture and anti-diet culture, this will be an especially important episode to hear!In this episode:-Body composition goals, our sense of worth and shame [5:32]-Fragmentation and lack of safety as it relates to food [9:56]-Healing Diet Orthorexia and interoceptive awareness [13:47]-Why it’s hard to “just let things go” when it comes to emotions, mindset & weight [17:33]-Subconscious reprogramming and identifying the fragmentation [19:48]-Building new pathways in the brain [24:59]-How to approach a structured food plan without restriction [28:00]-Using self-inquiry to better understand ourselves [34:34]-Questions to ask yourself to challenge old belief patterns [39:30]-Why confusion is a good thing when it comes to change [45:23]-The thing that holds people back from making change [46:32]-Shifting into self compassion for deeper understanding [53:19]-What’s needed for a true root cause approach to healing [56:36] FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/205-shoulds-shames-weight-loss-goals

Explore how cortisol impacts your sleep and its surprising connection to melatonin. Discover why managing your bladder health can help reduce nighttime awakenings. Learn actionable tips for regulating your circadian rhythm, including light exposure and hydration. Delve into how blood sugar levels might be waking you from slumber and the potential pitfalls of intermittent fasting on sleep quality. Find out about supportive herbs, GABA, and whether melatonin supplementation is right for you!

Dr. Cristin Zaimes, a Doctor of Physical Therapy and pelvic floor specialist, enlightens listeners about the crucial connection between pelvic floor health and various bodily functions. She discusses how pelvic floor dysfunction can lead to issues like bladder and gut problems, sexual dysfunction, and even back pain. Cristin emphasizes that healing is about more than just Kegels—it involves a holistic approach, emotional well-being, and innovative treatments for chronic conditions like SIBO. Expect valuable insights that can transform your understanding of pelvic health!

What do you do when your doctor doesn’t listen? When your provider doesn’t believe you?A 2019 interview with Selma Blair on Good Morning America brought to light a scary fact: women are not being heard by their medical providers. Chronic conditions are going undiagnosed for YEARS, despite the fact that women are reporting real physical problems. When you layer in intersectionality, the issue gets even worse. This lack of care can have irreversible consequences, and despite increased awareness, the problem still persists today.In this episode, Erin interviews Dr. Cristin Zaimes of Oceanside Physical Therapy to discuss how sexism in healthcare creates shame and distrust in our own bodies. While this episode originally aired in March 2019, Erin and Cristin highlight why this conversation is just as relevant and important today. Tune in as they discuss what we can do to change this—including ways to tap into our innate power to heal.Dr. Cristin Zaimes holds a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Simmons College and has specialized in the field of orthopedics and pelvic floor dysfunction for over 15 years. She opened Oceanside in 2011, when her frustrations with the healthcare and medical system became overwhelming to her as a practitioner and she broke away to create an environment that supported healing and thrived on providing the best clinical care.She has extensive advanced training in pelvic floor, bladder, bowel and sexual dysfunction for all people. She believes in allowing all those against whom the traditional medical system has biases, to have access to care that supports, connects and empowers. Dr. Zaimes spends much of her time advocating for patients through community connections, workshops and speaking engagements. Her passions include advocating for proper menstrual health and the awareness of abnormalities in period and ovulatory health, supporting new mothers and parents and fighting cultural norms that impede the healing process after delivery, and providing knowledge, guidance and support to women transitioning toward and after menopause.In this episode:-Cristin’s real passion points & the relevancy of this conversation [5:51]-Sexism in healthcare [7:43]-Scary statistics that highlight medical sexism [9:37]-Why women aren’t being listened to [11:09]-Why does chronic pain go on so long? [16:26]-Neural networks [22:01]-Hypervigilance in the body [25:54]-Re-establishing resiliency in your body [36:22]-Stepping away from generalized health recommendations [39:04]-Building out a health care team [48:42]-Your power to heal [58:32]-How to find trust in healthcare again [1:03:23] FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/202-when-your-doctor-doesnt-believe-your-pain-sexism-healthcare

Today on the Funk’tional Nutrition Podcast, Erin sits down with Naturopathic medical student and TikTok aficionado Natosha Ash to separate fact from fiction with the latest fad diets trending on social media. Speaking from both personal experience, through research and in working clinically with real people, Erin and Natosha clear up the confusion surrounding parasite cleansing, food combining and alkaline diets. On top of bringing evidence-based research to the table, they also touch on bigger picture topics like orthorexia, body resiliency and mindfulness surrounding health information sources.If you’ve ever wondered about the validity of trending diets on social media or have gut issues and considered one of these diets, this will be a great one to hear!Natosha Ash is a Naturopathic medical student, also studying nutrigenetics & nutrigenomics. She has a passion for sustainable health and wellness practices. Natosha believes that you shouldn’t have to go to medical school to understand the basics of the body which is partly why she created her IG health page. Natosha is also a genetics and biochemistry junkie. She previously earned her BA in pre-Law and is currently working to merge her passions of health and law together.In this episode:-Why people gravitate to how Natosha puts out information [4:32]-Parasites and “rope worms” [9:52]-What is mucoid plaque? [14:00]-The problem with obsessing over cleanses and cleanliness [17:52]-Food combining: what it is and what you need to know [21:16]-GI confusion: is it gut dysbiosis or are you improperly combining foods? [27:15]-Stress and resistance with food rules [34:16]-The popularity of the alkaline diet [36:30]-The false premise behind acidic foods [38:24]-Potential Renal Acid Load and why this is important [41:08]-Fads, experiments and the resiliency of our bodies [43:11]-Being mindful of where you find health information [45:30]-How distrust in the system affects beliefs [48:24]FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/201-parasite-cleansing-food-combining-alkaline-diets-natosha-ash