#5 in the Metabolic IQ Series Inflammation is indirectly related to insulin resistance, and impacts our metabolic function, too.  You’ll learn how inflammation is supposed to work, and what happens when it goes awry in places like our gut, heart, and fat cells – and what you can do about it. Have a podcast topic to suggest?  Please do!  Email me at [email protected] - suggestions always welcome. Join the community! Free private FB group for women, “Wellness Rising”: ...

#4 in the Metabolic IQ Series This episode gives us the good news:  we have the power to correct our insulin issues and revamp our metabolism!  You’ll hear five ways to test whether or not you have insulin resistance, as well as four ways to take your health into your own hands, begin correcting your metabolism and rediscover vitality in life. Have a podcast topic to suggest?  Please do!  Email me at [email protected] - suggestions always welcome. Join the community! Free private...

#3 in the Metabolic IQ Series It turns out that insulin is connected to nearly all chronic diseases: obesity, type II diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver disease, hypertension, and even infertility.   Chronic diseases take decades to develop, and this episode explains how that process happens, and WHY our metabolism seems to take a nose dive in our late 30s, 40s and 50s.   You’ll find out if you’ve been contributing to chronic illness in your life, too! Have a podcast topic to suggest? ...

#2 in the Metabolic IQ Series This episode helps unravel why our weight cannot change until our insulin levels do.  Your insulin is raised partly by poor stress management and lifestyle, and largely due to our nutrition.  When we pay attention to our insulin levels, we can act proactively in order to avoid disease and illness.  Tune in to understand how your insulin levels dictate what your body is doing with the food you eat on a daily basis. Have a podcast topic to suggest?  Please do! ...

#1 in the Metabolic IQ Series Currently, 6 of 10 adults in the US have one chronic disease.  Four out of 10 adults have TWO or more, and even our YOUTH are becoming chronically ill.   For the first time in history, the current generation will NOT outlive the past one - our life expectancy has now started to REVERSE.   Half of all adults globally now have metabolic syndrome.   Clearly there is a metabolic health crisis happening, and if we want to change it, we need to understand...

The new year is often a time when people evaluate their lives, and decide on any changes they might want to make. Many people set intentions for the year ahead, choose words that focus their efforts, or make resolutions. That reflection can be helpful for us in our personal growth.  What’s also true is that after a few weeks of intentions or resolutions, many people have a hard time sticking to them, and fall back into old patterns and behaviors.   This could be due to the way people...

Have YOU ever had a conflict in a relationship?  I’m not sure how many conflicts are created by misunderstandings and misinterpretations, but I’m guessing it’s a LOT, like over 90% of them.   What's interesting is that most of us end up with partners and family members who speak different love languages than we do, and therein begins the conflict. The holiday season is about giving - and giving comes from love - so if we can do a better job at showing love, that’ll make not only the season...

It’s arguably the most food-focused time of the year… Is there a way to maximize our body’s output for all the dietary input we do during the holiday season? Can we still indulge AND feel good about it? Yes!  This episode offers you ten tips to serve as a compass for you to navigate the festivities with joy and self-care. From giving up guilt, practicing gratitude for the moment, being present with your food, maximizing your hormonal response to it, choosing your foods powerfully, to...

“I already ate a dessert tonight, so I may as well sample these other ones, too.” “I already had pizza this week, so I might as well have a beer and burger with my buddies.” “I already pressed snooze, I might as well press it again.” “I already skipped my workout this week, I might as well just skip another one.” The “might as well” mentality is alive and well in our lives, especially in the realm of wellness.  Although it can be helpful, it’s usually an indicator of you relinquishing...

We’ve all heard how practicing gratitude boosts our mental health and happiness.  It’s like nutrition for our minds. This episode shares two other practices that boost health and happiness, and take your gratitude to a whole new level. You’ll learn about “mental subtraction” and how easy it is to implement, along with the practice of sharing your wins, which provides you with a way to measure your progress. Both of these practices help us cultivate a “gain” mindset, instead of living in a...

Blue zones are the places around the world where people reach 100 years of age at rates that are 10x greater than they do here in the United States.  They also tend to have low rates of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity rates. Blue zones are often considered examples of good health.   Currently, the five blue zones are: The Ogliastra and Nuoro region of Sardinia, Italy The Greek island of Ikaria Okinawa, Japan The Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica The Seventh Day Adventist...

I had heard of Intermittent Fasting long before I ever tried it. I was totally opposed to it at first, because I was someone who woke up hungry, ate about every 3 hours, and would get shaky if I didn’t.   Reluctantly, as I read more from experts, I opened my mind to the possibility of fasting.   I set about learning from the experts.  I was intrigued, to say the least, but I had many opinions and beliefs about it that turned out to be false.  This episode addresses five false beliefs I held...

A few listeners suggested it might be helpful to get an insider’s view into what I do on a regular basis.  I was hesitant, because I am NOT saying that what I do is what YOU need to do, or what would work for everyone.  This episode is NOT telling you what to do, or to be like me.   What you could hear, however, is a perspective shift, or a few ideas that you could tweak and incorporate into your life.   I share what my daily schedule is and why I do certain things. I share what my...

How much sugar do you eat every day?  Would you know in grams?  How about in teaspoons?   The average American eats 17 teaspoons of ADDED sugar a day, not counting naturally occurring sugar.  That’s 2-3x more than the daily recommendation for men and women.  It’s a little tricky, because nutrition info labels list sugar as grams, but here in the USA, we don’t measure things in grams, we measure in teaspoons, tablespoons, and cups.   The conversion rate is 4g of sugar equals 1 teaspoon.  So,...

Swiss Army knives - they’re pretty useful, right?  Well, did you know that humans are like the Swiss army knives of movement among animals?  This episode unpacks what that means, and how we can cultivate “wildness” in our movement, our minds, and our lives.   You’ll hear how to gain awareness and talk to the “lions” in your life, how to give your mind a retreat, how nature affects you, and more impacts of becoming more “wild”. Accessing our wild sides can help our bodies become healthier,...

What if we could move farther away from illness and closer to wellness by getting a little more wild?  This episode talks about how our specialized brains and bodies need wild conditions to thrive - especially its food source!   You’ll hear exactly what the acronym VPFC means, and how to apply it to your daily food choices, and you’ll hear what percent of our diet is made up by processed food these days.  Want to take a guess? Best of all, you can get a handy nutrition template and tracker...

This episode is the answer to the question I received:  “I hate to exercise.  Can I still be healthy?”   This question is so important it deserves a full episode. You’ll learn the difference between exercise and movement, as well as the benefits of physical activity you really don’t get anywhere else.   It’s worth a listen - and then I challenge you to share the way you are being active with me, because we could all use the accountability and inspiration from others.   Tag me on Instagram:...

We're starting off season two with a broader understanding of what wellness really is. You could think of wellness as one end on the “Health” continuum (with illness on the other side), or use the analogy of your wellness as your body’s retirement fund.  It’s important to make deposits while you can!  This episode will unpack those two ideas in ways that help you rethink how to achieve wellness in your life. Most of us know what to do, but we have a hard time doing it - mainly because our...

This episode marks the official end of Season ONE of Everyday Health, Simplified.  Season two will begin again in the fall. In the meantime, I would LOVE to hear from you: What do you want to hear about?   What are you curious to learn?   What is more helpful for you - topics on nutrition, or mindset?   What are the burning questions you have??  Send them to me!   You can either email them to [email protected] OR text me at 727-591-4959.   Truly, I welcome your input...

What phase of metabolism are you in?  Your metabolism is an integrated system of interconnected biochemical and cellular reactions, and together they coordinate ALL the functions in your body to keep you alive, and ideally, thriving!   Many people, as they age, experience what they call a slowing down of the metabolism.  Is it true? How much does your metabolism slow down?  What are the causes? What can we do?   Today’s episode explains the four phases of metabolism all humans share, and...

Is dairy healthy or unhealthy?  People have been eating dairy for thousands of years, and now there are scores of alternative milks on the market because dairy is said to be harmful.  What’s the truth?  Is it good or bad for you? The answer is: neither.  Like all the food we eat, dairy affects our bodies in different ways, and can impact our hormones and metabolic function, too. This episode unpacks the dairy debacle and helps you decipher what kinds might be best for you to try, or if...

Last week, I shared eight signs of fearing hope.  It’s in our best interest to take a look at our lives for signs of fearing hope, because as we gain awareness of where we do that, THEN we’re able to stop criticizing ourselves and, if we choose to, work to change.   Fear of hope doesn’t mean you feel less hopeful - it means you are connecting your sense of self worth with the outcome of your goal:  if you achieve it, you take it to mean you’re worthy. If you don’t, you take it to mean...

Whenever we have a goal that includes a personal change in some way - weight loss, behavior change, ways of communicating, parenting style, our role in a relationship… no matter what it is, we are always taking a gamble on ourselves when we are trying to change that thing about ourselves.  And gambling means risk - some of us do better with that than others.  To make personal changes, your level of hope matters.   Believe it or not, there is a state of mind called “fear of hope” that is...

If you had to pick, would you rather be hot or cold?  Turns out, being hot AND cold both have some great benefits for you! Chances are you’ve heard of cold plunging and ice baths.  You’ve also likely heard of saunas and steam baths.   Exposure to heat and cold is yet another example of how life is not an either /or situation - it’s more of a both / and.  This episode will take you through some of the science behind the advantages of being HOT and COLD.   I love seeing your posts and how...