The Wellness Mama Podcast

Today, I’m taking a break from normal podcast interviews to step on my soapbox for a few minutes. I love doing interviews (you can check them all out here), but a recent experience reminded me of the importance of this issue and I didn’t want to wait for an interview to talk about it.Any guesses as to what the issue is?I’ll give you a hint- it is an addictive substance that is linked to various types of disease and is especially harmful to children who are exposed.Nicotine? Nope.Illicit drugs? Those too, but no.Asbestos? Yes, but not today’s topic.Another hint- It is molecularly similar to cocaine and harmful to the liver.Alcohol? No.Vegetable oils? Nope, but those are bad too.Toxic cleaning chemicals? No, but I would recommend using natural alternatives to those as well.Today, I’m ranting about SUGAR.Why? Because I decided to count for a week and my children were offered refined sugar in some form 21 times! The scary part is that we avoid a lot of situations where they would most logically be offered it and these were just places like the bank, the gym (!!) and friends’ houses.All things in moderation….A little bit won’t hurt…It’s fuel for the brain…All justifications for consuming sugar in some amount. The question is: should sugar ever be consumed and if so, in what amount?I suggest that refined sugar should be avoided completely. Not so sure? Consider this:27 million+ people suffering from thyroid problems66% of the population overweight or obeseRates of cancer and heart disease skyrocketingestimated 95% of the population obese in next few decades1/3 of the population suffering from metabolic syndromeAlso, consider…In 1700, average sugar consumption was 4 pounds per year.In 1800, that number jumped to 18 pounds per year.In 1900, this had more than quadrupled to 90 lbs per year.Currently, Americans average one-half pound  PER DAY—translating to a whopping 180 pounds of sugar per year! (or roughly equal to a person’s bodyweight in sugar per year)I wrote about the problems with sugar in depth here, but a paper called The Harmful Effects of Sugar on the Body and Mind explains:Many times, so much calcium is used to neutralize the effects of sugar that the bones become osteoporotic due to the withdrawn calcium. Likewise, the teeth are affected and they lose their components until decay occurs and hastens their loss. …Refined sugar is void of all nutrients, consequently it causes the body to deplete its own stores of various vitamins, minerals and enzymes. If sugar consumption is continued, an over-acid condition results, and more minerals are needed from deep in the body to correct the imbalance. If the body is lacking the nutrients used to metabolize sugar, it will not be able to properly handle and rid itself of the poisonous residues. These wastes accu

In this episode of the Wellness Mama Podcast, I talk to my friend Dr. Pedram Shojai (founder of Well.org) about ways to improve the future for our children and how to create vitality in our lives.In This Episode We Discuss1:30- The problems that future generations will face2:04- Pedram’s new goals for future generations3:30- The problem with conventional medicine4:20- Why he felt trapped4:30- The “sick care” problem5:15- One of the flaws of the existing health care model6:05- What inspired him to create “Vitality”6:40- The wheel of vitality7:00- Sleep, mindset, diet and exercise7:50- Why kids have so much energy10:28- Changes to make to improve health10:45- The first stop10:50- Breakfast: say no to cereal11:00- Why cereal is a big deal11:30- Why our kids are disconnected from food12:01- How to make positive changes for your family12:47- The flaw with our method of teaching children13:40- The epidemic of kids not moving14:01- The mindset for kids- how to fix it14:25- What we have to teach our kids14:50- Your child’s future job hasn’t even been invented yet15:40- Victory gardens revisited16:30- How Big Ag messed everything up18:00- Pedram’s adventures and why his wife lost sleep19:12- Is organic food too expensive?19:30- Why we aren’t prioritizing health22:28- How you are wasting energy23:10- Subtle changes to start making24:06- Hope for adults25:16- Vitality screening26:15- Hang out with me and Pedram28:00- Advice he wishes he’d gotten earlier in life29:01- Let your kids blossomResources Mentioned in This EpisodeDr. Pedram’s site: Well.orgEnvironmental Working GroupFriends of the EarthMore about VitalityI recently got a chance to watch Vitality. Dr. Pedram talks about many of the things I’ve been talking about around health and lifestyle, succinctly said in a punchy, fun, informative, and short feature film.What is Vitality about?To start off, that the “sick care” model in the West is designed to make money off of illness and that’s why people are getting worse every year. Why drugs can’t actually “fix” anything…The solution?Pedram teaches us how to increase the vital energy in our lives so we can thrive instead of merely survive and stumble along. It breaks lifestyle down into the “wheel” of Vitality and gives a great structure for us to understand health in a simple yet powerful way. It is a sane look at an insane problem…very refreshing.Who is this movie for?EVERYONE. Whether you’re a physician who knows most of this already or someone who’s ailing and needs all the help they can get, Vitality’s message will move you. The country of Namibia is sharing this movie with school-aged children in order to help them thrive. There are governors of a couple US states in discussion to have this movie shown to families in need and foster children. It is endorsed by the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) and the American Academy for the Advancement of Medicine (ACAM).Long story short- doctors love it. Teachers use it. People are raving about it…and I recommend it

My post about 101 uses for coconut oil is one of the most popular posts on WellnessMama.com. I’m a huge fan of coconut oil and my family uses it for everything!Jake Carney of TheAlternativeDaily.com joins me on this informative podcast to talk about the coconut oil secret, natural remedies and healthy fats.Jake has an extremely popular book, The Coconut Oil Secret and you can get it at a discount by visiting this link.In this episode, Jake and I talk about2:03- How Jake became interested in alternative health2:34- His big struggle that started at age 65:05- A tragedy in his personal life that was a catalyst for his own struggles5:05- How his wife didn’t understand his struggle5:15- What his doctor suggested and why he left his doctor’s office7:35- What does everybody think?7:54- How a surfing website helped him find answers11:23- How TheAlternativeDaily.com got started12:07- The free gift that had a huge impact on Jake12:24- The site he will eventually start13:30- When Jake started learning about natural living15:05- How he first learned about coconut oil16:56- What happened when he first started using coconut oil and why it made him sick17:45- Why people looked at him strange19:05- The drink you should never drink after noon!21:20- An unusual use for coconut oil that I may or may not have tried22:05- One thing you should NOT do with coconut oil25:04- Is saturated fat bad for you?25:50- The bad research against saturated fat24:19- Is Saturated Fat causing heart disease?25:36- Why coconut oil is not stored as fat and how you burn fat faster with coconut oil28:21- Are trans fats really bad?30:15- Why Jake doesn’t like Whole Foods30:24- The problem with cottonseed oil and the nasty step in its manufacturing32:10- His favorite natural remedies.35:00- The 80/20 principle of green smoothies36:01- The controversial part of health40:26- PersonalizationResources We MentionThe Coconut Oil Secret BookMy coffee recipeApple Cider Vinegar– Jake’s Post & My PostThe Alternative Daily.comThanks as always for listening. Just a reminder, you can get a discounted copy of The Coconut Oil Secret at this link.Read TranscriptKatie: Hi, I’m Katie from wellnessmama.com. And this is episode 12 of the Wellness Mama Podcast where I provide simple answers for healthier families. Did

In this episode I talk to former professional football player and world renowned speaker, Bo Eason, on a very important topic.This episode deviates from my usual themes of nutrition and health but addresses another important aspect of life. When I first heard that Bo would be speaking at an event I was attending, I wrote him off, figuring I would not learn much from an ex-football player.I could not have been more wrong! He told a story that struck me to the core, and I realized that he and I had similar goals for our families.He said that after he retired from playing football, he took his children to a birthday party in their city in California. He talked about how these lavish parties for five year olds always seemed to try and one-up each other and how uncomfortable he felt at them.His son Axel, found a football in the bushes and Bo and Axel started tossing the ball back and forth. Bo noticed a group of the other dads watching him and whispering as they played.At one point, Bo’s son dropped the ball, and he told him “Don’t let the ball touch the ground. Don’t drop the ball.”He noticed more whispering from the other dads and eventually one of them walked over to him and said “Why did you say that to that boy?”Bo responded, “Well, that boy is my son, and in our house, it is a rule that we don’t let the ball touch the ground.”The conversation continued and the other dad asked Bo, “Why is this a rule in your house?”Bo told the other dad that growing up, he and his brother got a football for Christmas one year and would toss it to each other 1,000 times per day. They realized that it was a long time until next Christmas and that they had to make the football last, so they didn’t want it to touch the ground very often so it wouldn’t wear out too quickly, so that was their rule.The other dad asked him “Well, how did that work out for you?”Bo responded “Pretty well I guess since my brother and I both played in the NFL.” The other dad “humpfted” and walked away.That moment was a pivotal one for Bo, and he decided that he would not put up with mediocrity or those types of influences for his children.Bo’s message is about story telling and fostering success in his children (and in his own life). He set his goal to play in the NFL when he was 7 years old and he accomplished it. He is now a renowned speaker and teaches storytelling to others worldwide.In this episode, Bo mentions these books The Little Red Book of Talent

In this episode, Jonathan Bailor, author of The Calorie Myth breaks down the problems with the calorie theory of weight loss. Jonathan covers topics like why eating less or exercising more won’t ever truly solve a weight problem, how stress affects weight and clears up confusion with the often-misquoted Law of Thermodynamics.Jonathan and I Discuss1:45- The disconnect between technology and science3:00- Why Calories don’t count the way we think they do3:30- Weight isn’t a moral issue. People who weigh more aren’t lazy4:29- The idea of “just eat fewer calories” is akin to telling those with depression to just frown less and smile more6:45- How calories can count, we just don’t need to count them7:15- The “Calorie Myth”7:29- Calories in/calories out and why it doesn’t work7:44- The role of the hypothalamus10:55- The four laws of thermodynamics and why it isn’t as simple as eating less and burning more11:31- Why most interpretations of the laws of thermodynamics are completely wrong12:31- the problems with eating less13:46- Why you’ll lose muscle and fat if you just eat less14:16- How calories are different15:00- The four factors of quality food: satiety, Agression, Nutrition, Efficiency15:48- Foods that the more you eat, the healthier you get16:05- Foods to avoid16:38- How foods manipulate hormones17:13- How to get your brain to tell your body to do something19:44- How hormones signal the body to build muscle or gain fat18:55- Why exercise alone won’t help you lose weight19:45- Where “exercise” comes from21:15- One step to be healthierResources MentionedBook: The Calorie MythWebsite: SaneSolution.comArticle: Wellness Mama on CaloriesThanks as always for listening to the Wellness Mama Podcast. If you are enjoying the show, please leave a rating and review on iTunes or Stitcher. It helps my podcast to show up for those searching for health and wellness podcasts.Read TranscriptKatie: Hi, I’m Katie from wellnessmama.com. Welcome to episode 10 of the “Wellness Mama Podcast,” where I provide simple answers for healthier families. An interesting fact for your day, a 2010 study published in the “International Journal of Food Microbiology” found that 48% of fountain soda drinks contained fecal bacteria and 11% contained E. coli, just another on a long list of reasons to avoid drinking soda. On the o

In this episode, I welcome special guest Steve Wright from SCDLifestyle.com to talk about all things digestion.Steve is the co-creator of SCD Lifestyle and the Solving Leaky Gut System. He is a featured contributor for Wellness Media, and has worked with hundreds of people to help them improve digestive health. SCDLifestyle.com helps readers find answers to problems like Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Indigestion, Heartburn, Ulcerative Colitis, and other digestive problems.How Leaky Gut Effects DigestionIn this episode we talk about finding real solutions for digestive problems and how to know what your body needs to improve digestion. Steve shares why conventional treatments often don’t work and how sometimes the “cure” can be like throwing fuel on the fire.He shares the two supplements that often make a night and day difference for digestive health and tells his own story of recovery.Steve talks about three things you must do everyday for optimal health and gives practical tips that you can do to give your family better health everyday.Notes From This Episode2:02- Steve’s own health problems2:52- Why his family called him “the gas man”4:07- Why Steve got in trouble with his boxx4:37- The pivotal moment for him5:37- How he got in to health education6:35- The Leaky Gut- Is Poop Leaking in to the body6:52- The small intestine is only one cell thick7:55- How food and toxins can escape into the body8:52- What causes heartburn and indigestion11:22- Why antacids and PPIs are dangerous12:37- The underlying causes of stomach problems and how to find your cause13:22- Two Supplements to help increase stomach acid14:31- The supplement turned his life around.15:33- Other symptoms that can be caused by digestive problems (skin problems, fatigue, etc)16:00- How every disease can be traced back to the gut16:16- How intestinal permeability (leaky gut) leads to disease18:22- How gut problems manifest differently in different people19:22- What causes diarrhea20:00- The fastest way to stop diarrhea20:42- Why you might not be absorbing your food21:10- What causes constipation21:20- How gut infections lead to constipation and diarrhea22:02- How to poop more easily22:32- The hormonal component of digestion23:22- Three things you MUST do everyday24:03- The major factors that harm gut health24:32- Why stress is so important24:30- The triggers of leaky gut25:02- Head injuries and gut health25:32- SIBO25:52- Two things to improve gut health fast26:52- Things to do to help your gut- paleo autoimmune diet27:22- One reason to binge on gluten29:22- Another reason to eat healthy fats30:07- Tips to help kids with digestive issues30:52- Interesting study about feeding kids candy32:37- The advice he wishes he’d gotten33:22- One action step to take now24:55- Resources he likesResources We MentionedBook: Why Stomach Acid is Good for You by Jonathan WrightSupplement:

I had so much fun on this interview with Katie Kimball of KitchenStewardship.com. She is a fantastic writer and researcher, pregnant with her fourth child, and manages a household and her popular blog (and makes it all look easy). We recorded at 9 PM after our collective 8.5 children were sleeping and she provided a lot of great tips for cooking real food for a family. My apologies in advance for the little bit of audio feedback in this episode. The problem has been fixed for the future episodes.Katie shared some of her best tips for getting rid of pests like ants and wasps naturally without chemicals that can harm your children.Other Fun Topics We Talked About0:30- Random brain facts like why you can’t tickle yourself1:40- Katie’s ten foundational habits for a healthier family2:00- The struggle to balance it all2:20- Katie’s “Core Four” = Environment, Nutrition, Time and Budget3:00- One thing at a time approach- Monday missions3:40- One simple switch that makes a big difference4:15- Katie’s three budget friendly real foods that she makes daily5:00- The super inexpensive way her family gets probiotics6:15- 3 foods that seem scary but aren’t8:00- The simple way to make homemade yogurt11:00- Real food really does cost more11:45- How to stretch an organic chicken and make multiple batches of broth15:35- How to prepare beans if you are going to eat them18:45- A tip to fix crunchy beans20:20- Her quick and easy natural way to get rid of sugar ants22:20- Lines that insects can’t cross22:38- Katie’s natural tip to get rid of wasps23:53- The biggest struggle Katie thinks the next generation will face24:30- Battling the sugar giant26:50- My battle cry27:30- The advice she wishes she’d gotten earlier in life29:20- Easy action steps to take right now31:11- The two books she can’t live withoutResources MentionedKatie’s start here page with her foundational habitsHomemade yogurt recipeNatural tips for killing ants naturallyNatural ways to deal with waspsHow to cook dried beansBook: Crock OnWebsite: TraditionalCookingSchool.comKatie’s Kindle Books on Amazon

In this episode, I talk to Dr. Kevin Cuccaro of StraightShotHealth.com. I met him a few months ago at a conference and was impressed with his research on stress and dealing with chronic pain.Many people struggle with chronic pain and Kevin has some valuable strategies for helping recover from it. Kevin is a doctor who left his private practice to pursue patient education and to help address some of the (major) problems in the health care system.As a doctor, he also provides some valuable insight in how to understand and talk to your doctor so that you can get real answers.In This Episode, We Discus3:20 – Why as a doctor, he doesn’t want to see his patients all the time4:30 – The frustration that doctors face5:20 – Why stress can be good and why we need it5:45 – The physiological effects of too much stress6:30 – How stress impacts fertility and memory6:55 – The continued effects of stress on the body7:50 – How to become more resilient to stress and how stress is like a light switch8:28 – How to turn stress on and off9:02 – Tips to Practically reduce stress (Book: The Relaxation Revolution)9:45 – What is the relaxation response10:20 – How to activate your relaxation response to deal with stress12:45 – What happens when your body doesn’t recognize stress16:15 – What causes chronic pain17:10 – Pain is all in the brain17:45 – The biology of pain vs. the mental side of pain20:00 – The core four for reducing stress and pain: Movement, Eating Right, Mindset, Avoiding Problems24:00 – Understanding the mindset of doctors28:00 – The frustration of the current medical system32:00 – The shocking statistic on how a small percentage of the population is using 95% of healthcare resources35:00 – The seven questions you should know the answers to before you see your doctor38:00 – Health advice Kevin wishes he had gotten earlier in life41:15 – Kevin’s recommended books and resources (and see below)Resources We MentionBook: Switch by Chip and Dan HeathBook: The Relaxation RevolutionBook: Unlearning PainBook: Back in Control by David HanscomKevin’s

This week, I am so excited to welcome Heather Dessinger from Mommypotamus.com. She is a featured contributor to Wellness Media, author of several e-books and mom to three little ones. She and her husband Daniel recently moved to a farm and are working toward raising their own food.I was excited to talk to Heather because we both read each others blogs and I feel like we have a lot in common and I think she is an incredible resource for health and natural living.In This Episode, We Discuss1:50 – Why the name Mommypotamus?2:20 – Heather’s own health struggles3:20 – Her life-changing moment at her wedding3:55 – How her honeymoon was a catalyst for realizing the connection of food and health4:45 – Heather’s turning point6:28 – And YES to the hippopotamus!7:00 – How and why she started Mommypotamus.com7:20 – What are lip and tongue ties?7:50 – Why we are seeing more tongue and lip ties9:00 – Different symptoms related to tongue/lip ties and how they present9:45 – Heather’s own struggle with her son’s lip and tongue ties11:15 – How tongue ties are typically treated11:27 – When fixing a tongue ties can cause more problems12:03 – The solution that finally worked for them12:20 – How to tell if your child has a tongue or lip tie14:17 – Symptoms mom may see while nursing a tongue tied baby14:55 – Symptoms baby can have with tongue and lip ties16:03 – Long term problems associated with uncorrected tongue and lip ties17:10 – How lip ties can affect oral health18:00 – Why we should eat dirt18:30 – The fascinating research between bacteria and belly buttons19:30 – The “Chuck Norris” of beneficial bacteria and how to get them21:12 – What they take to keep their gut bacteria healthy22:15 – Heather’s favorite natural beauty care recipes22:35 – Why natural personal care products are so important23:41 – Heather’s simple homemade makeup that doubles as dry shampoo24:11 – Heather’s own beauty routine24:20 – The unusual ingredient she uses every day25:50 – Heather’s typical day on the farm29:25 – The most crunchy thing Heather has ever done and the weird things that have gone mainstream31:45 – The advice she wishes someone had told her33:06 – One step to start doing right away34:15 – Heather’s top health resourcesResources We MentionedHeather’s post on  how to diagnose Tongue and Lip TiesHow Heather remineralized her daughter’s teethHomemade Tallow Balm RecipeDirt: The Superfood that Makes You Happier and HealthierFlux app f

I’m so happy to introduce Genevieve from MamaNatural.com. Genevieve is mom to two children and she and her husband Mike work together to run the Mama Natural blog and their wildly popular YouTube channel. She’s a also a Wellness Media featured contribute.Mama Natural on Quitting SugarAs her name suggests, Mama Natural is an expert at all things natural parenting, natural pregnancy and breastfeeding. She is also the mind behind the hilarious video Sh*t Crunchy Mamas Say:In this episode, Genevieve and I discus:1:28 Her health struggle and how she came to real food2:25 Her lightening bolt moment and how she made lasting changes3:15 Her “last supper”5:23 The factors that helped her with quitting sugar, lose 60lbs, and keep it off for over 15 years6:16 How accountability helped her7:23 How long it takes to detox from sugar and how to do it8:20 Why she has hope for the health of future generations10:45 Natural pregnancy, parenting, and birthing tips16:00 The crunchy thing she can’t do and the crunchiest thing she’s ever done16:45 The thing she recommends to help have a natural birth – Hint: it starts in the 2nd trimester17:46 Why Fermented Cod Liver Oil & exercise can improve birth18:00 Tips to help baby’s position before birth19:00 Crunchyest thing she’s ever tried, and what weird foods she ate after she gave birth21:28 Her best advice for listening to your body23:00 Number one health step to take now24:07 The book she recommends everyone should readPosts we ReferenceLearn more about Genevieve and MamaNatural hereGenevieve’s special page for Wellness Mama Readers with resources for healthy pregnancy and birthHow to stay in touch with GenevieveMy (super long) birth sagaTop ten books for pregnancy (Wellness Mama)Pregnancy and prenatal care options (Wellness Mama)Please join us for a listen and to learn all things natural and organic when it comes to quitting sugar, pregnancy and breastfeeding.Read TranscriptKatie: Hi. This is Katie from wellnessmama.com. Welcome to episode 5 of the “Wellness Mama” podcast where I provide simple answers for healthier families.This episode’s interesting fact is that people who laugh a lot are much healthier than those who don’t. Dr. Lee Berk at the Lorna School of Public Health in California found that laughing lowers the levels of stress hormones and strengthens the immune system. In fact, six-year-olds have it best. They laugh, on average, 300 times a day. Adults only laugh 15 to 100 times a day.But today’s guest has improved my health by making me laugh many times with her funny yet always informative videos at mam