Annie shares her story of how the bulimia she developed as a teenager morphed into food sensitivity restrictions while she was enrolled in a “wellness” program. She developed chronic health problems and believed that food was the cause and that a restricted diet was the cure. Annie shares how these restrictions impacted her life and how she broke out of the trap and is now enjoying freedom from food. Annie is a recovered trauma-informed eating disorder mentor and intuitive eating facilitator...

Amy Slabaugh is a returning podcast guest. We released an episode in September 2023 talking about her journey with chronic, debilitating headaches and the importance of taking one road at a time (i.e. systematically trialling new treatments). Through this approach, she discovered brain training tools that dramatically improved her quality of life. Amy Slabaugh is a registered dietitian nutritionist specializing in intuitive eating and the dietary management of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)....

Dr. Biesiekierski discusses her groundbreaking research, highlighting the interaction between mind and body in food sensitivity reactions in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Her research was a key finding to support IBS (and other conditions) being classified as Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction (DGBI).   Dr. Biesiekierski's research focuses on improving diet management for gastrointestinal disorders (particularly irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia) through mechanistic...

Dr. Laurie Keefer discusses how a flexible, curious and resilient mindset makes food reintroduction easier. She will also share her expertise and practical tips on how to make this change. Dr Laurie Keefer, PhD is a GI Health Psychologist and Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. She has a more than 20 years of experience in the development and implementation of behavioral therapies for chronic digestive disorders, including...

Health psychology focuses on how biological, social and psychological factors influence all aspects of health. However, many people are reluctant to see a health psychologist because the recommendation can sound like, “Your symptoms are in your head” or “Your symptoms are caused by stress; just relax, and you will feel better.” This is such a prevalent problem that I wanted to learn more about this field and explore the difference between health psychology and general mental health...

Food sensitivity is rarely a simple cause and effect. Biological and psychological factors interplay to produce symptoms. We will talk about the role of symptom expectancy (i.e., nocebo response) in exacerbating symptom severity and how minimizing expectancy can dramatically improve quality of life. Dr. Simons is a GI psychologist in the Digestive Disease and Surgery Institute at the Cleveland Clinic and specializes in treating motility related gastrointestinal conditions. She is...

We will discuss how signals between the gut and the brain (gut-brain access) become amplified in irritable bowel syndrome and strategies for calming this communication. The brain similarly communicates with other body parts, so the concepts and strategies apply to symptoms throughout the body. Joanna Baker is a Dietitian & a Nurse who loves food. Her passion for digestive health stems from a long history of living with gut problems. Joanna knows first-hand how debilitating gut problems...

When there is no clear treatment path for your symptoms, you may feel lost or confused by the contradicting treatment options. The frustration often leads to not doing anything (being stuck) or jumping from one thing to the next. Amy will talk about her journey exploring one road at a time. Amy Slabaugh is a registered dietitian nutritionist specializing in intuitive eating and the dietary management of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In my practice, I love working with people to foster a...

You are probably familiar with the vicious cycle of food avoidance leading to additional sensitivities. Dr. Burton Murray will share her clinical experience, and research showing this cycle can be reversed! She describes avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) and how cognitive behaviour therapy can help patients regain a full quality of life. Dr. Helen Burton Murray is the Director of GI Behavioral Health in the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Neurointestinal Health. Dr....

When patients do not have a diagnosis and concrete management plan for their symptoms, they typically feel helpless and out of control. Johannah Ruddy shares her story of working with Dr. Drossman to take charge of her health. Subscribe to receive a  summary of the valuable tips after each episode. Get off the elimination diet roller coaster, rebuild your food trust and expand your diet with support from the FAST Freedom Program. Johannah is a doctoral student in the School of Pharmacy...

Language around food sensitivities is often black-and-white, and foods get labelled as "safe" or "unsafe." Dédé Wilson and I will talk about the impact of this black-and-white approach. Softening your language can change your relationship with food and make space for freedom. Subscribe to receive a summary of the valuable tips after each episode. Get off the elimination diet roller coaster, rebuild your food trust and expand your diet with support from the FAST Freedom Program. Dédé...

Food and health struggles can drain your body's energy - leaving you feeling weak, helpless and frustrated. Lisa Marie Rankin will share self-care rituals and practices to re-energize and strengthen your ojas. Start 2023 on the right track with Lisa's inspiring tips! Lisa Marie Rankin is an author, teacher, and Ayurvedic wellness coach. She helps women heal their bodies and ignite their feminine power so they can live with health, radiance, and inspiration. Visit her website at...

When done properly, elimination diets can be extremely beneficial. Unfortunately, most people approach elimination diets haphazardly and jeopardize their long-term physical and mental health. I will discuss my top nine tips for planning and working through systematic diet elimination. With a career spanning 30 years, Wendy has had the privilege of working with and learning from hundreds of food-sensitive clients. Her passion is creating engaging online programs to help clients struggling...

Retraining your brain is a common buzzword these days. But what exactly does it mean and how does it apply to food sensitivities? Simone Albert will share her insights on the overlap between fear and food reactions and how to change these automatic reactions.   Simone is the principle counsellor and founder of Food Allergy Counselling in Australia. She's a registered counsellor, registered nurse, author and mum of two teenagers living with allergies. She provides support, guidance and...

Traumatic experiences associated with food can quickly pull us into the FAST and lead to conditioned food sensitivity. Makena Osborne shares a scary event that she recently went through and how she navigated through the fear. Makena is a student at the University of British Columbia, majoring in psychology! She models internationally (Paris Fashion Week, Vancouver Fashion Week, Western Canada Fashion Week and modelling for clothing companies around Canada). Currently, she lives in Kelowna,...

Shame - an inevitable part of chronic illness - can be a roadblock to recovery. Johannah shares the impact of shame on her health and how she found the courage to move past it. In addition to softening her symptoms, this journey has positively influenced every aspect of her life.   Johannah has a master’s degree in education and a career in non-profit management. She is also the executive director of the Rome Foundation and secretary-treasurer for the center for education and practice of...

I discuss five key points to help you reflect on this crucial question. I challenge black-and-white misperceptions about sensitivities and offer listeners a different perspective on how to approach food and their health.

When you have sensitivities, food can dominate your life. Batch cooking may be the answer to help you spend less time thinking about food or working in the kitchen. Kathlena (aka The Allergy Chef) tells us how batch cooking can bring time, financial, emotional and mental freedom. You can reach Kathlena through her website TheAllergyChef.com.

Audrey has been a FAST Freedom coach for six months and has done a fantastic job helping her clients move past their restricted diet struggles. She shares inspiring stories and examples of what changes have made the most significant difference in her clients' lives. Audrey is an IBS specialist dietitian, co-author of The 28-Day Plan for IBS Relief: 100 Low FODMAP Recipes to Soothe Your Symptoms of IBS, and FAST Freedom practitioner. Many people with IBS or unexplained symptoms have...

Depression is common for those suffering from food sensitivities or mysterious symptoms. I will discuss the reasons for this connection and strategies to get out of the rut and live a full life.

Johannah tells her moving story of feeling helpless when every doctor dismissed her symptoms. Eventually, she withdrew from the medical system and assumed her only option was to live with her debilitating symptoms. Luckily, Johannah met Dr. Drossman and learned that her symptoms stemmed from a previous food poisoning incident that led to disordered gut-brain communication. She worked with Dr. Drossman to create a management plan that addressed her body and brain. Johannah has a master’s...

Communicating with your doctor can be challenging – especially if your symptoms are difficult to explain and there is no straightforward treatment. Patients often feel disrespected and shut down during their appointments. However, a supportive partnership with your doctor is possible. Dr. Drossman will share his insightful tips from his book Gut Feelings - Disorders of the Gut-Brain Interaction and the Patient-Doctor Relationship: A Guide for Patients and Doctors. Dr. Douglas Drossman is...

Dr. Drossman explains how we need to look at the big picture when searching for the cause of distressing symptoms (i.e. disorders of the gut-brain interaction). For example, when patients focus exclusively on the role of food, they may miss the treatments that are most likely to help them get back to a good quality of life. Dr. Douglas Drossman is trained in both gastroenterology and psychiatry. He is professor emeritus of medicine and psychiatry at the University of North Carolina,...

Shelly answers one of my burning questions about the benefits of observing the breath vs regulating it. She takes us through a meditation to encourage longer, smoother and softer breathing (but not necessarily deep). This practice can help calm the nervous system, decrease hypervigilance and minimize a variety of physical or mental health symptoms. Shelly also explains that "deep" breathing can sometimes lead to over-breathing with the upper chest and neck muscles, which can activate the...