Ground &amp; Root Podcast – Details, episodes &amp; analysis

1- Previous Podcast Episode with Dean on Exercise as a Doorway

What If Coherence Is The Real Medicine

Episode 36

mercredi 3 juin 2026 • Duration 28:11

Your healing plan doesn’t need to be perfect, it needs to be yours.

This month on the podcast, we’re exploring a simple framework I'm calling the “Doorways to Healing”. It's built around one big idea: energetic coherence & finding the path that will enhance your coherence.

When your cells and systems communicate clearly across the physical body, the nervous system, and your emotional and energetic layers, you create the conditions for balance, repair, harmony, and vitality in the body.

When coherence breaks down, the body gets pulled toward inflammation, stress physiology, and the kind of mis-signaling that can support disease...including cancer.

In today's episode, we walk through the first three doorways, starting with the most practical paths related to our physical wellness.

Here's some of what we're covering today:

• First an overview of the framework of coherence across physical, emotional, spiritual, and energetic layers
• Removing disruptors & stressors like toxins, inflammation, blood sugar issues, infections, chronic stress, and stuck emotions so the body can heal itself...as one doorway.
• Deepening nourishment through real food, plant allies, herbs, supplements, sleep, and self-care as another doorway.
• Movement as yet another doorway to healing through exercise, walking, strength, yoga, tai chi, qigong, dance, and vibration.

If this gives you a clearer starting point for your healing journey please subscribe, share the episode with someone who needs some renewed hope and structure, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

👉 Resources mentioned on today's episode:

2- Previous Podcast Episode with Kylie on Building Muscle

3- Previous Podcast Episode with Lauren on Sound Healing

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What If Your Next Meal Changed Your Cancer Risk?

Episode 27

mercredi 18 mars 2026 • Duration 28:05

Most “anti-cancer diet” advice either turns into fear-based restriction or becomes so vague it’s useless.

At Ground & Root we take a different path: a clear, balanced, research-informed way to nourish your body so it’s harder for cancer to grow...whether you’re actively in a cancer journey or focused on prevention and staying cancer free.

In today's episode we break down our anti-cancer dietary approach and explain why balance and variety beat rigid restriction for long-term healing. We also share a research-backed grocery list of foods that support detox pathways, blood sugar balance, inflammation control, immune function, and healthy cell signaling.

Here's some of what we're covering:

The four hallmarks of our dietary approach including nutrient density, macro balancing, system support, and personalization
Our top anti-cancer foods to prioritize including cruciferous vegetables, alliums, leafy greens, beets, carrots, mushrooms, berries, citrus, spices, and green tea
What these foods may support including DNA repair, apoptosis, lower inflammation, immune surveillance, and detoxification
How certain foods and phytonutrients may help suppress cancer stem cells linked with relapse and metastasis
Plus lifestyle practices that can complement food choices to target cancer stem cells

If you’re ready to make food feel empowering again, hit play, take notes, and build your next grocery list with intention.

👉 And once you've listened if you decide you'd like more nutrition guidance, here are 3 ways we can support you:

1- Receive a personalized plan inside our coaching program. Schedule a FREE strategy session to learn more

2- Join the self‑paced Enhance Your Plate course

3- Grab the Cancer Diet Cookbook for 100 recipes that put these ideas on your plate (or get it FREE when you join either the course or our coaching program)

As always, if you're enjoying our content, please help us spread the word by sharing, subscribing, & leaving a review. 🙏

🌿 Let's Connect 🌿

👉 Lauren's Thyroid Inflammation Lab Decoder Guide

What Your Thyroid Reveals About Inflammation, Immunity, And Cancer Prevention

Episode 26

mercredi 11 mars 2026 • Duration 41:05

What if one small gland quietly shaped your energy, your immune surveillance, and your long-term cancer risk?

In today's episode we are joined again by guest expert Lauren Papanos to look at the thyroid’s role in metabolism, detox, and cellular defense & why eating for organ support is important in an anti-cancer nutrition plan.

We break down what to test beyond TSH, how to interpret early clues, where inflammation hides in plain sight, and we'll connect the dots between autoimmunity, oxidative stress, and cancer risk.

Here's some of what we're covering:

thyroid as master speed regulator across systems
why autoimmunity starts silent and how to screen
why a full thyroid panel plus antibodies and oxidative markers is important to monitor
the role of iodine in thyroid health & cancer prevention
immune drains from viruses, gut issues, toxins, training
antioxidants that protect thyroid and lower risk
postpartum shifts, perimenopause, and hormone monitoring

You will also learn which foods can help move the needle...like selenium from Brazil nuts, sulfur-rich veggies for glutathione, vitamin E from olive oil, vitamin A from organ meats & more.

By aligning smarter screening with a stepwise plan—lower inflammation, rebuild resilience, and only then fine-tune iodine—you reinforce the same systems that keep cancer risk low and daily energy steady.

If this helped you see your thyroid in a new light, tap follow, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a quick review so more people can find the show.

More about today's guest & how to connect with her:

Lauren Papanos, MS, RD, CSSD is a registered dietitian, board certified sports nutritionist, and functional medicine expert providing solutions for thyroid, hormones and autoimmunity in active women and athletes. She holds advanced certifications in functional endocrinology, environmental toxins, advanced blood chemistry and is internationally licensed as a Micro-immunotherapy practitioner. She's been featured in Forbes, Shape, Insider, and national TV. Lauren runs her private practice, Functional Fueling Nutrition, and hosts the Strength in Hormones Podcast.

👉 Website: www.functionalfueling.com

👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/functional.fueling/

👉 Podcast: https://functionalfueling.com/category/podcast/

PLUS resources shared on today's episode:

👉 Lauren's Functional Thyroid Foundations

👉 Episode 9 Interview with Lauren: Hidden Link Between Thyroid health & Breast Cancer

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Designing An Anti‑Cancer Diet You Can Actually Follow

Episode 25

mercredi 4 mars 2026 • Duration 24:53

Are you tired for sifting through all the conflicting & confusing information online around diet & cancer prevention?

With recommendation and arguments on every side of this debate...from Raw Vegan to Keto or Carnivore it can feel impossible to know which diet is best for you.

In today's episode we strip nutrition down to what actually supports healing: a nutrient‑dense plate, smart macro balance, and habits that strengthen the body’s core systems.

I walk you through five clear principles that make food choices easier and more effective, without forcing you into an extreme plan or a second career in meal prep.

Here's some of what we're covering:

• our Ground & Root 3‑pillar approach
• five core principles for real‑world meals
• macro balance with higher protein and lower carbs
• meal timing, overnight fasting and seasonal ketosis
• blood sugar and insulin control strategies
• anti‑inflammatory foods and what to limit
• immune support and microbiome nourishment
• personalization with labs, lifestyle and preferences

If you’re ready for more nutrition guidance, we have 3 ways to support you:

1- Receive a personalized plan inside our coaching program. Schedule a FREE strategy session to learn more

2- Join the self‑paced Enhance Your Plate course

3- Grab the Cancer Diet Cookbook for 100 recipes that put these ideas on your plate (or get it FREE when you join either the course or our coaching program)

As always, if you're enjoying our content, please help us spread the word by sharing, subscribing, & leaving a review. 🙏

🌿 Let's Connect 🌿

Can Vibration Enhance Healing? A Survivor’s Journey To Coherence & Calm

Episode 24

mercredi 25 février 2026 • Duration 48:53

A cancer diagnosis at 27 can steal your breath. On today's episode we share Lauren’s path from stage III melanoma to a career blending ICU nursing with Reiki and sound therapy.

We dig into the practical side of Reiki & how it can downshift the nervous system. Then move into the benefits of sound therapy: crystal bowls that lift, metal gongs that move energy deep, & drums that mirror the heartbeat.

You’ll learn more about how it all works as well as how vibration travels through our water-rich tissues to nudge cellular balance, reduce inflammation, & enhance coherence.

Here's some of what we're covering:

• Reiki as intentional relaxation and safety
• acupuncture, yoga, & mindfulness for nervous system support
• sound baths and brainwave entrainment
• bridging hospital care with integrative modalities
• building a personal healing toolbox and protecting rest

If you’re navigating cancer, caregiving, or burnout, this conversation is a roadmap to capacity. And if this resonates, don't forget to subscribe, share with someone who needs it, and leave a review to help others find the show.

More about today's guest & how to connect with her:

Lauren Nielson (Aloisio) is a New England–based Registered Nurse, Shamanic Reiki Master/Teacher, and Sound Practitioner/Teacher. A melanoma cancer survivor, Lauren brings a uniquely integrative perspective to healing, bridging evidence-based medicine with supportive energy practices.

After being diagnosed with Stage III melanoma in 2015, Lauren turned to tools like Reiki, sound meditation, breathwork, and mindfulness to support her nervous system, emotional health, and overall resilience throughout treatment and recovery. These practices became foundational in both her personal healing and her professional work.

Lauren went on to bring the first offerings of Sound Therapy to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, where she supports healthcare staff in managing burnout, anxiety, and caregiver fatigue. Her mission is to increase education, awareness, and access to integrative wellness practices as complementary support within mainstream medical settings.

👉 Website: https://laurenaloisio.com/

👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.energy.nurse/

👉 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@energynurse

👉 Insight Timer App: https://insighttimer.com/energynurse

PLUS resources shared on today's episode:

👉 Book: The Healing Power of Sound: Recovery from Life-Threatening Illness Using Sound, Voice, and Music By Dr. Mitchell L. Gaynor

👉 Book: The Tao of Sound: Acoustic Sound Healing for the 21st Century By Fabien Maman and Terres Unsoeld

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Rewire Your Nervous System To Rewire Your Health

Episode 23

mercredi 18 février 2026 • Duration 23:05

What if healing starts by teaching your body to feel safe again?

In today's episode we dig into the practical side of stress recovery and show how quick daily signals of safety—sunlight, slow breathing, grounding, gentle movement—can flip you from fight or flight into rest and repair.

When your nervous system settles, your immune system, sleep, digestion, and inflammation all shift in the right direction, making every other therapy more effective.

We break down the feel-good chemistry behind resilience. You’ll hear how to naturally boost dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin with simple habits like nature time, touch, massage, music, laughter, exercise, intimacy, and light exposure. These aren’t fluffy add-ons; they are actionable levers that lower cortisol, reduce pain, improve mood, and support cancer prevention by creating a biology that heals instead of defends.

Here's some of what we're covering:

• why regulation starts with the nervous system
• nature, breathwork, meditation, gentle movement as fast resets
• feel-good hormones and how to raise them daily
• overlap between exercise, touch, sunlight, and mood chemistry
• somatic release for stuck emotions
• gratitude, mindset shifts, and community for resilience
• simple, repeatable practices that compound over time

Step 1 in our 3-Part Recovery System is to calm the stress response. To help you do this, we are offering a FREE personalized flower remedy for anybody who joins our coaching program this month. Schedule a FREE strategy session to learn more!

As always, please help us spread the word by sharing, subscribing, & leaving a review. 🙏

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👉 Screening tool for Adverse Childhood Experiences

Healing Starts Within: Stress, Trauma, And Cancer Care

Episode 22

mercredi 11 février 2026 • Duration 42:08

What if the turning point in cancer care isn’t another protocol, but a deeper conversation with your own nervous system and story?

In today's episode we sit down with Integrative Psychiatrist Tracy Peng, MD to explore how stress, trauma, and suppressed emotions shape the cancer journey and why mental health support is a core part of care.

We unpack the data on confidants and outcomes, the Adverse Childhood Experiences link to cancer risk, and the common pattern of people pleasing and emotional suppression. Tracy also shares tools for accurate narrative, grief work, boundaries, and nervous system regulation to restore coherence and inner wisdom.

Here's some of what we're covering:

• emotional stress as a driver of disease and what to do about it
• how integrative psychiatry supports cancer care
• confidants, anxiety, and outcome differences
• unhealed trauma mirroring nonhealing wounds
• childhood coping patterns and adult triggers
• ACEs research and cancer risk
• reconnecting to inner wisdom over quick med checks
• acupuncture, tapping, bodywork, and food as stabilizers
• grief as a core skill for resilience
• composting anger into clarity and action

Listen to learn how to create a care plan that includes your emotions, your body, and your soul. And if this resonates, subscribe, share with someone who needs it, and leave a review to help others find the show.

More about today's guest & how to connect with her:

Tracy Peng MD is an integrative and holistic depth psychiatrist in private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. She practiced at UCSF’s Osher Center for Integrative Health for over 20 years, which is where she met and became a fan of the luminous Dionne! She has worked extensively with patients with chronic or terminal illnesses and has a special interest in spiritual and mindfulness-based approaches to the mental health care of women with cancer. She is a graduate of the End-of-LIfe Care Practitioner Program offered by Zen Hospice Project (and later offered through the Metta Institute).

👉 Tracy's Website: www.tracypengmd.com

PLUS Resources shared on today's episode:

👉 https://www.rachelremen.com/

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How Chronic Stress Shapes Cancer Risk And Recovery

Episode 21

mercredi 4 février 2026 • Duration 30:50

Stress isn’t just a feeling you push past. It’s a biological signal that can suppress immune surveillance, push inflammation higher, and quietly set the stage for cancer risk and recurrence.

In today's episode we're digging into the science of how cortisol, adrenaline, and pro-inflammatory cytokines change the terrain of the body, from natural killer cell activity to blood sugar, sleep, & metabolism. Plus why calming the nervous system often needs to come before diet, fasting, supplements, or anything else.

Here's some of what we're covering:

• links between chronic stress and immune suppression
• differences between acute hormetic stress and chronic overload
• early life stress shaping sensitivity and reactivity
• suppressed emotions as epigenetic drivers of risk
• research connecting anger repression and grief to cancer
• common “cancer personality” traits and why they matter
• & more

Pulling these threads together, we outline a practical three-part plan to reduce load, regulate the nervous system, and build resilience while addressing suppressed emotions and key personality patterns.

If this resonates, hit play, subscribe for weekly episodes, and share it with someone who needs the nudge to put stress work first. Your feedback matters—leave a review and tell us which stressor you’re ready to drop next.

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From Leukemia To Lymphoma To Life: Dean Hall On The Power of Resilience, Nature, & Purpose

Episode 20

mercredi 28 janvier 2026 • Duration 01:14:13

In today's episode we sit down with therapist and endurance athlete Dean Hall for a raw, energizing, & inspiring story of resilience amidst a rare leukemia profile, profound grief, a lymphoma surge, & the unlikely decision to train for a 187-mile swim in 42-degree water.

Dean walks us through the exact choices that shifted his trajectory, healed both of his cancers, and transformed his life. We explore practical tools you can use today, including his “Nervous System First Aid” playbook, the Wild Me Manual, and simple weekly practices to recharge.

If you’re navigating cancer, burnout, or anxiety, this conversation offers both science and soul—showing how joy, play, and purpose...along with a healthy dose of nature...can be part of a serious healing plan.

Enjoy the show & share it with someone who could use a new perspective and renewed hope in their healing journey.

More about today's guest & how to connect with him:

Dean Hall is a licensed therapist with over 35 years of clinical experience and more than 60,000 hours working face-to-face with clients recovering from trauma and anxiety.

After losing his wife to cancer and later being diagnosed himself, Dean became the first person in history to swim the entire 187-mile length of Oregon’s Willamette River. Immersed daily in cold, moving water for weeks, the experience profoundly changed how he understands healing, resilience, and humanity’s relationship with the natural world. His doctors believe this sustained immersion was responsible for the spontaneous remission of his leukemia.

That lived transformation, combined with decades of clinical practice, gave rise to BioWild Psychology, a nervous system first, nature-based approach to restoring safety, clarity, and emotional regulation by working with the body’s biological signals rather than willpower or Mindset.

Dean now teaches this work through books, keynote speeches, retreats, and his LifeText platform, helping people remember how to regulate, heal, and belong anywhere on Earth.

👉 Dean's Website: https://www.thewildcureway.com/

👉 Grab Dean's Books: https://www.thewildcureway.com/books

👉 Follow Dean on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deanhallofficial/

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