The Liz Moody Podcast

My guest today is Lifeway Kefir CEO Julie Smolyansky. Julie has an incredible story—when she was just 27 years old her father died, and she took over the family business, becoming the youngest female CEO of a publicly traded firm. And she thrived, growing Lifeway Kefir from doing $12 million dollars in revenue to over $100 million dollars today. She’s been featured on Fortune’s 2014 40 under 40 list, and is just an entrepreneurial rockstar. On this episode, we talk about: the surprising silver linings to the pandemic for her business and her personal life the top mindset shift she recommends for entrepreneurs, and the top specific, actionable thing she thinks aspiring entrepreneurs should do today how to show up as your whole self at work (even with mental health struggles) how Joe Biden inspired her to come forward publicly as a sexual assault survivor finding joy through trauma why masturbation is one of her favorite forms of self-care We’d both ove to hear your thoughts on the episode, so screenshot and tag me @lizmoody and Julie, who’s @juliesmolyansky on Instagram. Enjoy!PS: My foodie preset pack is officially live. You can get all 8 presets, designed to make your food pics look as good as they taste, at lizmoody.com/presets.PPS: Healthier Together is officially a number one best-seller! You can get your copy on Amazon or at lizmoody.com/cookbook. Please keep sending me your creations on Instagram—they make me so happy!This episode is sponsored by Lifeway Foods, makers of America’s best-selling brand of kefir.Kefir has 12 different strains of live and active cultures and 25-30 billion Colony Forming Units (CFU), while the average yogurt can have anywhere from 1 to 5 strains with 6 billion CFU. Plus, it’s also up to 99% lactose-free. Lifeway Kefir comes in all sorts of delicious flavors, and they even have a dairy-free Plantiful line. Go to lifewaykefir.com and click “where to buy” to find a store that carries Lifeway near you!Healthier Together cover art by Zack. Healthier Together music by Alex Ruimy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to our third morning/evening routine episode! In these episodes, we shake things up a bit in this episode by going inside the morning and evening routines of some of the wellness world’s biggest celebrities. You can listen and just enjoy a sneak peek, or steal some of their genius ideas to try at home! In Part One, I shared the routines of Minimalist Baker, Kale Junkie, Rachael’s Good Eats and The Cutting Veg. In Part Two, we dug into the routines of Kelly LeVeque, Laura Lea, Inspiralized, and What’s Gaby Cooking. This week includes: Sarah Britton from My New Roots on free bleeding, vaginal steaming & her journey to balance her menstrual cycle—plus the coffee alternative to drinks for daily energy Chrissy King on the daily practice that helps her deal with trauma and negativity & the three books that have changed her life Jenea Brown on tricking herself to stay off her phone, plus three secrets to she uses to make her home calm, productive, and joyful Chelsean Culbertson from Choosing Chelsea on the one thing that’s helped her change the way she thinks about her body & the reality of quarantine parenting PS: Healthier Together is officially a number one best-seller! You can get your copy on Amazon or at lizmoody.com/cookbook. Please keep sending me your creations on Instagram—they make me so happy!PS: My foodie preset pack is officially live. You can get all 8 presets, designed to make your food pics look as good as they taste, at lizmoody.com/presets. It also includes a bonus preset for your lifestyle pictures AND my FREE guide to taking great photos with your phone.This episode is sponsored by Kyoto Botanicals, the first CBD brand I’ve recommended on this podcast! They believe every ingredient matters and should contribute to your overall health, which is why they only use USDA certified organic oils to deliver flavor with benefits. Their products only have organic, single-source plant extracts, not lab developed flavors and colors, so you get whole plant benefits as nature intended. Finally, their hemp is grown according to strict organic and biodynamic standards, and they only use only organic coconut MCT oil as a carrier. I recommend all of their products, but especially their tinctures. You can get a whopping 25% off your order (AND they always have free shipping!) by using the code “HEALTHIERTOGETHER” at kyotobotanicals.com.Healthier Together cover art by Zack. Healthier Together music by Alex Ruimy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the fourth edition of Ask the Doctor, where I ask functional medicine doctors a ton of questions in a single episode so you can reap the benefits of all of their knowledge (check out the first episode, featuring Dr. Will Cole talking about inflammation, hormone balance, birth control, and more, here; the second episode, which features Dr. Ellen Vora in the most comprehensive conversation about anxiety ever, here; and the third episode all about gut health with Dr. B, the Gut Health MD, here).I am so excited about today’s guest, who I think is one of the most brilliant women’s health experts in the country—Dr. Aviva Romm. Aviva is a Yale-trained, board-certified family physician with a specialty in women’s health and obstetrics; certified professional midwife; and herbalist. She’s been called “the face of natural medicine in the 21st century” by Prevention Magazine, she is a member of the Yale Integrative Medicine Program’s Advisory Board, and currently serves as an Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. She’s also written some brilliant books, including the Adrenal Thyroid Revolution, which we’re doing a little giveaway for on Instagram, if you want to go check it out.I asked her basically every hormone-related question I could think of, and all of the ones you shared with me on Instagram. This episode is truly SO comprehensive. We cover: What hormones are and why they matter for women Common signs you can look for at home that would your hormones are out of whack Exactly what tests to ask your doctor for to measure for thyroid issues, adrenal fatigue, and other hormonal issues Her thoughts on home hormone testing kits The relationship between hormones and energy, and how you can get take care of your hormones to boost your energy Easy lifestyle changes you can make to support your thyroid and her Thoughts on thyroid medication The relationship between hormones and anxiety and ways to support your hormones to lessen anxiety How hormones impact weight gain What a shorter or longer cycle means, and how to optimize your cycle generally Natural remedies for PMS, including the one food to eat before your period to get rid of PMS Her thoughts on seed cycling, which SO many of you asked about Steps you can take now to optimize your fertility in the future, and her thoughts on egg freezing Her thoughts on hormonal contraception, steps you can take to balance your hormones while on birth control, and how to detox from the pill if you choose to go off it The types of diets that are best and worst for hormones, and the individual foods that make the biggest difference in hormone health The relationship between hormones and low libido, and her tips to boost sex drive at different phases in your life You can find more from Aviva at her website, AvivaRomm.com and on Instagram @avivaromm. I’m of course @lizmoody on Instagram and we’d both love to hear any thoughts or reactions or even questions that come up as you’re listening, so screenshot and tag us both on Insta!Enjoy!PS: My foodie preset pack is officially live. You can get all 8 presets, designed to make your food pics look as good as they taste, at lizmoody.com/presets. They’re on sale for 50% off for a limited time only!PPS: Healthier Together is officially a number one best-seller! You can get your copy on Amazon or at lizmoody.com/cookbook. Please keep sending me your creations on Instagram—they make me so happy!This episode is sponsored by Garden of Life, one of my all-time favorite brands. I focused on stress-relieving products in this episode, including their Mood Plus probiotic, which is formulated specifically to help with stress and anxiety, and their magnesium chelate, which I take nightly to help avoid constipation and help alleviate anxiety.Healthier Together cover art by Zack. Healthier Together music by Alex Ruimy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest today is Jules Acree. Jules is a wellness writer, entrepreneur, and video content creator behind Om & The City. It’s her daily mission to bring wellness down-to-earth and to help others simplify life to find more joy. She is also the founder of The Homebodies, an online shop for low-waste, intentional living. On this episode, we discuss: How to actually set—and stick to—boundaries that will transform your career and relationships What financial minimalism is, and how Jules implements it in her life The one thing people get wrong when they embark on a sustainable lifestyle Jules’ personal mental health journey, including how she’s overcome struggling with depression and anxiety Her go-to mental health tools for feeling good, energized, and productive every day Her morning routine Her experience in couples therapy Amazing relationship advice FROM her couples therapist And so much more! You can find Jules on Instagram at @omandthecity, and we’d both love to hear your reactions to this episode, so please screenshot and write any thoughts or questions that come up as you’re listening and tag us both (I’m @lizmoody).Enjoy!PS: My foodie preset pack is officially live. You can get all 8 presets, designed to make your food pics look as good as they taste, at lizmoody.com/presets. They’re on sale for 50% off for this week only!!PPS: Healthier Together is officially a number one best-seller! You can get your copy on Amazon or at lizmoody.com/cookbook. Please keep sending me your creations on Instagram—they make me so happy!This episode is sponsored by Lifeway Foods, makers of America’s best-selling brand of kefir.Kefir has 12 different strains of live and active cultures and 25-30 billion Colony Forming Units (CFU), while the average yogurt can have anywhere from 1 to 5 strains with 6 billion CFU. Plus, it’s also up to 99% lactose-free. Lifeway Kefir comes in all sorts of delicious flavors, and they even have a dairy-free Plantiful line. Go to lifewaykefir.com and click “where to buy” to find a store that carries Lifeway near you!Healthier Together cover art by Zack. Healthier Together music by Alex Ruimy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest today is the incredible Glennon Doyle. Glennon is the author of the two number one NYTimes bestsellers, Love Warrior, and more recently, Untamed. She’s also the founder of Together Rising, an all-women led nonprofit organization that has raised over $25 Million for women, families and children in crisis. She lives in Florida with her wife who also just happens to be the Olympian soccer star Abby Wambach. On this episode, we talk about: How she deals with depression, anxiety, and “not losing her shit” daily How to find joy in a world that feels hard and scary How to show up for activism work without letting it drain you Why feeling depressed can be a GOOD thing Her Lyme disease journey (including bed ridden and taking 60-70 pills a day), and how it changed her life Practical tips to get in touch with your “knowing” or intuition—and how to differentiate it from the feelings anxiety produces Her thoughts on the concept of soulmates, and how to deal with the fear you might not meet yours Her best advice for new couples Her best advice for raising children The first step to take when you’re feeling stuck Her morning routine non-negotiables You can find Glennon on Instagram at @glennondyole, and we’d both love to hear your reactions to this episode, so please screenshot and write any thoughts or questions that come up as you’re listening and tag us both (I’m @lizmoody). Enjoy!PS: Healthier Together is officially a number one best-seller! You can get your copy on Amazon or at lizmoody.com/cookbook. Please keep sending me your creations on Instagram—they make me so happy!This episode is sponsored by Kyoto Botanicals, the first CBD brand I’ve recommended on this podcast! They believe every ingredient matters and should contribute to your overall health, which is why they only use USDA certified organic oils to deliver flavor with benefits. Their products only have organic, single-source plant extracts, not lab developed flavors and colors, so you get whole plant benefits as nature intended. Finally, their hemp is grown according to strict organic and biodynamic standards, and they only use only organic coconut MCT oil as a carrier. I recommend all of their products, but especially their tinctures. You can get a whopping 25% off your order (AND they always have free shipping!) by using the code “HEALTHIERTOGETHER” at kyotobotanicals.com.This episode is sponsored by Lifeway Foods, makers of America’s best-selling brand of kefir. Kefir has 12 different strains of live and active cultures and 25-30 billion Colony Forming Units (CFU), while the average yogurt can have anywhere from 1 to 5 strains with 6 billion CFU. Plus, it’s also up to 99% lactose-free. Lifeway Kefir comes in all sorts of delicious flavors, and they even have a dairy-free Plantiful line. Go to lifewaykefir.com and click “where to buy” to find a store that carries Lifeway near you!Healthier Together cover art by Zack. Healthier Together music by Alex Ruimy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest today is the amazing Stephanie Danler. Stephanie is the author of Sweetbitter, which was a NYTimes best-selling, phenomenally successful book and TV show, and now. She recently published her deeply personal memoir, Stray. On this episode, we talk about: how her publishing Sweetbitter impacted her decision to have a child how her huge success as an author and television show creator impacted her sense of purpose her postpartum depression how she broke the cycle of her unhealthy childhood how to know when you need to set boundaries, and how to know when you can be flexible with those boundaries how she deals with jealousy people having better childhoods than her how suffering as a child impacts as future romantic relationships the relationship between thinking about yourself and thinking about others in our growth as humans money anxiety, money attachment styles, and more taboo money-related topics her mental health journey, including her complicated relationship with medication her coping mechanisms to deal with anxiety how she manages her out-of-whack cortisol levels plant medicine and medicinal mushrooms as a treatment for depression You can find Stephanie on Instagram at @smdanler, and we’d both love to hear your reactions to this episode, so please screenshot and write any thoughts or questions that come up as you’re listening and tag us both (I’m @lizmoody).Enjoy!PS: Healthier Together is officially a number one best-seller! You can get your copy on Amazon or at lizmoody.com/cookbook. Please keep sending me your creations on Instagram—they make me so happy!This episode is sponsored by Kyoto Botanicals, the first CBD brand I’ve recommended on this podcast! They believe every ingredient matters and should contribute to your overall health, which is why they only use USDA certified organic oils to deliver flavor with benefits. Their products only have organic, single-source plant extracts, not lab developed flavors and colors, so you get whole plant benefits as nature intended. Finally, their hemp is grown according to strict organic and biodynamic standards, and they only use only organic coconut MCT oil as a carrier. I recommend all of their products, but especially their tinctures. You can get a whopping 25% off your order (AND they always have free shipping!) by using the code “HEALTHIERTOGETHER” at kyotobotanicals.com.This episode is sponsored by Lifeway Foods, makers of America’s best-selling brand of kefir.Kefir has 12 different strains of live and active cultures and 25-30 billion Colony Forming Units (CFU), while the average yogurt can have anywhere from 1 to 5 strains with 6 billion CFU. Plus, it’s also up to 99% lactose-free. Lifeway Kefir comes in all sorts of delicious flavors, and they even have a dairy-free Plantiful line. Go to lifewaykefir.com and click “where to buy” to find a store that carries Lifeway near you!Healthier Together cover art by Zack. Healthier Together music by Alex Ruimy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m excited to have on Jenné Claiborne, the founder of Sweet Potato Soul. Sweet Potato Soul is a crazy popular YouTube channel, a blog filled with the most DELICIOUS recipes, an Instagram community with over 300K members, AND one of my favorite plant-based cookbooks, Sweet Potato Soul: 100 Easy Vegan Recipes for the Southern Flavors of Smoke, Sugar, Spice, and Soul. On today’s episode, we chat about: The lessons she’s learned during the pandemic How she deals with her fears around money Her advice for helping with the divisiveness in politics, dietary preferences, and more Her thoughts on IIN and how to know how much to spend on your business when starting out Her motherhood journey, including her birth and how being a mom changed her relationship with her own mother How to find a good business coach The mistakes she made early in starting her business and how to avoid them Her secrets to making veggie-filled meals easier, more delicious, and less time consuming What type of nutrient she thinks is more important than protein and more often missing from the standard American diet How she gets her protein on a vegan diet Why she doesn’t drink coffee and what she does for energy instead Her struggles with anxiety, and what has helped The calming practice she’s relied on for more than a decade Her 37 hour labor and the practice that got her through it What she’d do if her daughter didn’t want to be a vegan How she recommends helping picky kids eat healthy The two things she thinks are missing in conversations about race in America Her secret to deep and lasting happiness You can find Jenné on Instagram at @sweetpotatosoul, and we’d both love to hear your reactions to this episode, so please screenshot and write any thoughts or questions that come up as you’re listening and tag us both (I’m @lizmoody).Enjoy!PS: Healthier Together is officially a number one best-seller! You can get your copy on Amazon or at lizmoody.com/cookbook. Please keep sending me your creations on Instagram—they make me so happy!Today’s episode is sponsored by Atoka Herbal Blends. They have two types of drinks, herbal shots and herbal tonics, and they have amazing ingredients—they’re 100% plant-based and non-GMO. More importantly, they’re super FUNCTIONAL—every single ingredient serves a purpose. You can get 25% off your first order using the code AtokaLiz25 at atokawellness.com.This episode is also sponsored by Garden of Life, one of my all-time favorite brands. I focused on stress-relieving products in this episode, including their Mood Plus probiotic, which is formulated specifically to help with stress and anxiety, and their magnesium chelate, which I take nightly to help avoid constipation and help alleviate anxiety.Healthier Together cover art by Zack. Healthier Together music by Alex Ruimy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am SO excited to share today’s episode, which is all about the pros and cons of having kids. It came out of an Instagram Q&A where someone asked what Zack and I were doing, and I said we were undecided and then asked people how they decided—and the responses were so fascinating, I knew I had to make it into a podcast. This episode features: Best-selling author Meghan Daum on the choice to remain childfree Ambitious Kitchen’s Monique Volz on birth, and how being a new mom impacts marriage Sophie Jaffe on an unexpected struggle of pregnancy and healing her own childhood through her parenting Plus, dozens of anonymous comments from listeners about the true realities of parenting AND being childfree I know that i can’t produce a comprehensive episode about a topic this deep and important—as Meghan Daum said in our interview, it’s perhaps the most existential decision we face—but I do think there’s a lot of food for thought here, and a lot for you to discuss with friends, family members, and partners. As I often say, I think a huge part of wellness is being as happy and healthy in all parts of your life, and having kids is a huge part of that, so I can’t wait to have this discussion with you.I can’t wait to hear what your feedback on this episode! Screenshot and tag me—i’m @lizmoody— and my guests—@meghan_daum, @ambitiouskitchen, and @sophie.jaffe and shares your thoughts, feelings, and reactions.PS: Healthier Together is officially a number one best-seller! You can get your copy on Amazon or at lizmoody.com/cookbook. Please keep sending me your creations on Instagram—they make me so happy!Healthier Together cover art by Zack. Healthier Together music by Alex Ruimy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, I sat down with one of my favorite guests ever, the amazing Ivirlei Brookes. Ivirlei is an actress and mindset mentor for creatives. Her company, Mavenelle, focuses on helping female creatives and entrepreneurs create a lifestyle around self mastery and wellness.You may know her from her recent viral video, White Women Who Truly Want To Help: Here’s How, which has over 5 million views on Instagram, and was re-shared by pretty much every huge celeb, including Hailey Bieber, Lili Reinhart, and Ellen Pompeo. She’s also creating online workshops for Fall, and currently at work writing her first non-fiction book about shaping your own identity and removing limiting beliefs. In this episode, we talk about: what scripting is, and how it helps her create her dream life the morning routine that sets her day up for success an example of how manifestation actually had real results in her life the one quality all of the mega-famous people she’s met have in common how to overcome limitations from your childhood the genius, simple phrase she uses to get people to actually listen to her how to be a good friend, and to cultivate incredible, deep female friendships what her love language is, and how to use love languages to strengthen all of your relationships her advice to people frustrated by dating how being in a inter-racial relationship has impacted her, especially at this moment in time what white people get wrong about anti-racism work her advice for people trying to incorporate anti-racism into their businesses, from corporate life to food blogging or wellness coaching how to diversify your income without starting your own business how to know if you’d be a good entrepreneur, and what people get wrong when they’re first starting their business how she developed sexual and body confidence, and why that was so important to her thriving in other areas of her life You can find Lauren on Instagram at @ivirlei, and we’d both love to hear your reactions to this episode, so please screenshot and write any thoughts or questions that come up as you’re listening and tag us both (I’m @lizmoody).Enjoy!PS: Healthier Together is officially a number one best-seller! You can get your copy on Amazon or at lizmoody.com/cookbook. Please keep sending me your creations on Instagram—they make me so happy!This episode is sponsored by Kyoto Botanicals, the first CBD brand I’ve recommended on this podcast! They believe every ingredient matters and should contribute to your overall health, which is why they only use USDA certified organic oils to deliver flavor with benefits. Their products only have organic, single-source plant extracts, not lab developed flavors and colors, so you get whole plant benefits as nature intended. Finally, their hemp is grown according to strict organic and biodynamic standards, and they only use only organic coconut MCT oil as a carrier. I recommend all of their products, but especially their tinctures. You can get a whopping 25% off your order (AND they always have free shipping!) by using the code “HEALTHIERTOGETHER” at kyotobotanicals.com.This episode is also sponsored by Garden of Life, one of my all-time favorite brands. I focused on stress-relieving products in this episode, including their Mood Plus probiotic, which is formulated specifically to help with stress and anxiety, and their magnesium chelate, which I take nightly to help avoid constipation and help alleviate anxiety.Healthier Together cover art by Zack. Healthier Together music by Alex Ruimy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s long overdue podcast is about why accessibility and diversity have been such a problem in the wellness world, and how we can all begin to support that changing. I wanted to feature people from different aspects of the wellness world to really paint a larger picture about the limiting factors at play, from doctor bias to the lack of diversity in workout studios to the unique challenges of breaking into the food startup world—to illustrate that there’s no part of the wellness world that’s untouched by this problem.My first guest today is Chrissy King, a writer, speaker, fitness and strength coach, as well as the teacher of the Anti-Racism for Wellness Professionals Class, which I’m signed up for. You can find Chrissy online at chrissyking.com, and on Instagram @iamchrissyking. We talk about why anti-racism work is fundamental to wellness, what you can personally do when your favorite wellness spots (gyms, restaurants) aren’t diverse, and what needs to happen AFTER we educate ourselves in order to create real change.My next guest today is Ibhraeem Basir, the founder of A Dozen Cousins, one of my favorite food brands. You can find A Dozen Cousins online at adozencousins.com and on Instagram @adozencousins. We talk about what anyone can do to support the expansion and success of Black-founded businesses, his advice for anyone worried about cultural appropriation in the food world , and his company’s social initiatives to help bring healthy eating to communities in need.My last guest today is Dr. Tosin Odunsi, an Obstetrics & Gynecology physician. She’s the founder of The Mentorship Squad, a community comprised of Black and Latinx women seeking mentorship along their journey to becoming U.S. physicians. You can find Dr. Odunsi on instagram @lifebytosin and online at lifebytosin.com. We discuss why many common wellness treatments today actually have their roots in the abuse of Black people, why Black people consistently have higher rates of acute and chronic diseases, including COVID-19, and why only 5% of doctors are Black, and only 2% are Black women—and how we can help change those numbers.This is an important episode, and I hope its startles you, inspires you, and makes you think, I’d love to hear your thoughts and learnings on Instagram–please screenshot and tag me (@lizmoody) and my guests and share your thoughts.PS: Healthier Together is officially a number one best-seller! You can get your copy on Amazon or at lizmoody.com/cookbook. Please keep sending me your creations on Instagram—they make me so happy!Healthier Together cover art by Zack. Healthier Together music by Alex Ruimy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices