The Addiction Nutritionist – Details, episodes & analysis

You will not want to miss this episode; it is near and dear to my heart! Jolene Park was one of three people who personally changed the trajectory of my life. When someone told me to check out Jolene Park's famous TED Talk, and her resources on Gray Area Drinking, I said, "Huh? Gray Area Drinking? What the heck is that?"....Little did I know in that moment that that phrase, and Jolene's description of what it means to be a Gray Area Drinker, would ultimately lead me to give up alcohol for good. Leaving alcohol behind has changed my life in such profound ways that it's difficult to capture in words. It often brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it.

I am so excited to bring this episode to the world because I know that so many people, especially women, are seriously struggling in this area. I see it in my friends, I see it on social media, and I see it in my community, even in my FAITH COMMUNITY, which Jolene and I decided was an important topic to discuss, so we did!

I can't wait to hear how this episode blesses you, your family, your loved ones, your sisters in Christ, and beyond. It's a long one, but so worth your time friends.

**************************

Jolene Park is a sought after speaker and leading authority on Gray-Area Drinking. Her pioneering TED talk has been viewed 400,000 times! Wowza! She’s a functional nutritionist and health coach who provides a new and revolutionary way to rewire, replenish and repair the nervous system after quitting drinking. Her NOURISH method is applicable to anyone questioning their drinking, or who has already quit — especially those who don’t have a crash-and-burn drinking story. Today, Jolene guides clients through the missing physiological pieces that they need to reduce excessive alcohol consumption, anxiety and cravings. She also trains healthcare practitioners on the importance of nourishing neurotransmitters and supporting their client’s nervous system in a comprehensive way. Her work has been featured on NPR and many other outlets. Jolene is a Colorado native and currently lives in Charleston, SC. 

To learn more about Jolene and her offerings, you can find her at the following links:

Website https://grayareadrinkers.com

Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/jolene__park/

Coach Training https://healthydiscoveries.mykajabi.com/nourish

TED Talk https://www.ted.com/talks/jolene_park_gray_area_drinking?language=en

In this episode I chat with my teacher and mentor, Christina Veselak! I took Christina's course on Recovery Nutrition and Amino Acid Therapy in 2017. Her Level 1 training program helped launch me into the world of addiction nutrition and taught me what NO OTHER PROGRAM is teaching: how to feed a recovering brain! Christina is the founder of The Academy for Addiction and Mental Health Nutrition, and she is on a mission to spread a vital message. If you are a clinician working in the field of addiction recovery, this episode will be of special importance. I had so much fun catching up with Christina, discussing her newest project, the non-profit Eating Protein Saves Lives, and her nationwide campaign.

  Christina Veselak has over 40 years of experience in the field of psychotherapy and is a dynamic public speaker with an enthusiastic following. Her vision as a global changemaker is to make this life-saving information available to all people, from a kitchen in a mud-house in Africa to the White House.

To learn more about Christina, the Academy, her non-profit, and all the programs she offers, please visit the following links.

Options for Discovering & Experiencing more about Amino Acid Therapy and Nutritional Recovery.

Option 1 - FREE Practice Enhancement Session with Christina                 https://calendly.com/aminoacidtherapy 

Option 2 - FREE Practice Enhancement Session with Mark              https://go.oncehub.com/AcademyforAddictionandMentalHealthNutrition 

Option 3 - “Discover The Power of Nutrition in Recovery” 6-Hour Introductory Training $180                

https://aminoacidtherapy.com/peer-coach-training-and-recovery/           NEXT COURSE: Sat 16th September

Option 4 - “How To Do Amino Acid Therapy” On-demand training + 1 Coaching Call $129                  

https://aminoacidtherapy.com/course-lesson-1/# 

Option 5 - Christina's Weekly Amino Club Weekly group ‘Using Amino Acid Therapy’ Case Coaching  $50 per month 

https://aminoacidtherapy.com/the-amino-club/  

Option 6 - ”Feed the Brain, First!” 12-Hour On-demand training $900

[ Deductible from any Full Coaching and Certification Courses]                  https://aminoacidtherapy.com/two-day-intensive-course/ 

Option 7 - Full Coaching and Certification Courses $398 per month                  https://aminoacidtherapy.com/course-all/                    

NEXT On-Demand Core Training COURSE: Starts DAILY                  

NEXT LIVE Core Training COURSE: Starts Tue 21st September    

Eating Protein Saves Lives Website - 

https://eatingproteinsaveslives.org/

Feeding Recovery Network Meetings - https://eatingproteinsaveslives.org/feeding-recovery-network-meetings/ (Resumes on October)

In today's episode I speak with Dr. Mary Braud, a Colorado based Psychiatrist and Functional Medicine Practitioner. Dr. Braud details for us the differences between conventional medicine and a functional approach, why she shifted her practice to a more functional model, and the limitations of the standard model of care we still have today. She introduces us to the term "orthomolecular medicine", her experience with it and how it shifted the way she practices. We discuss nutrient therapy and its implications in treating psychiatric disorders like anxiety, depression and more. We discuss the labs that she uses in her practice and how they can help identify imbalances in the body that may be leading to symptoms. We discuss specific nutrients and their potential impact on mental health, why metabolism matters and the role that bioindividuality plays in our health. Dr Braud gives her perspective on whether or not nutrient deficiencies are as rare as we've been told, and how using functional labs and prescribed nutrients can lead to a reduction and possibly even total elimination of certain psychiatric medications. We also get into the highly controversial topic of Keto, Keto for recovery and Keto for mental health. This was a great discussion that really highlights the benefits of using a functional medicine approach in psychiatry and how critically important nutrition is in mental health.

In her practice Dr. Braud sees patients of all ages, who may be dealing with a wide range of psychiatric conditions. She can be reached through her website here: https://denverfunctionalmedicine.com. You can also inquire there about her Saturday morning donation based Groove dance group.

In today's episode I chat with Rebecca Vigelius, a sought-after Holistic Sleep & Stress Coach and behaviour-change specialist. Rebecca shares with us the various barriers that get in the way between you and your best night's sleep. In the majority of podcasts I have listened to about this topic you will commonly hear about sleep hygiene and other practices you can enable like blue light blocking glasses, and not eating 3 hours before bedtime, but in this episode we focus on something called "sleep mindset". Rebecca shares with us how mindset is likely the number one thing getting in your way, and what simple shifts you can make to get to sleep faster and stay asleep longer, so you can show up as your best self the next day. She clears up some myths for us and tackles all the questions, like can someone switch from being a night owl to a morning person, how much sleep do we actually need, what is "revenge bedtime", is it normal to wake up throughout the night, is insomnia a real thing-and if so what is the most effective treatment? We also discuss the connection between sleep and stress, and most importantly-stress resilience! I hope you'll give this episode a listen and find the tips highly practical. If you'd like to learn more about Rebecca and her services, you can reach out to her on Instagram. We have also provided a link below to book a sleep and stress audit with her. Sleep well friends!!

IG: @rebeccavigelius Here’s the link to book the free 30-minute Sleep & Stress Audit. https://calendly.com/rebeccavigeliusinc/sleep-and-stress-audit

My guest today has spent more than 25 years in the mental health space in a number of different capacities, including suicide prevention and addiction recovery.   She has a harrowing story of how she ended up in mental health, and a deep personal connection to nutrition, sugar consumption, depression and cancer.

After years of battling different types of depression and a subsequent cancer diagnosis, Mark Kay was introduced to a book that challenged everything she believed to be true about food, health and nutrition, including being told as a child that she was hypoglycemic. This book, and the paradigm shift it created, initiated her journey into holistic health and the world of functional medicine.  After purging her cupboards and changing her diet she experienced a remarkable and rapid improvement in her clinical depression symptoms. This led to her diving deeper into the literature to explore the connections between food and mood. Eventually Mary Kay obtained additional training in mental health nutrition, so she could continue to help both herself and her clients in the best way possible.

Mary Kay and I also discuss the theory of chemical imbalance, the role MTHFR plays in depression as well as the differences between folate and folic acid.  It’s a wonderful and enlightening conversation that I hope will inspire you to look closer at your own nutrition, its’ links to low moods, anxiety and depression, and how you can start making changes today to improve your mental health through the healing power of food!

Mary Kay Irving can be reached at support@marykayirving.com

Website: www.marykayirving.com

To learn more about her 12 week program and access her free guide, sign up for her email list here:https://pages.marykayirvingcoach.com/guide-1

In today's episode I chat with Mikkel Clark, a friend and colleague in the health and wellness space who after years of doing the corporate grind found himself over weight, stressed to the max and generally unsatisfied with life. After two life changing events Mikkel decided to grab life by the horns and pull a full 180. He began to make radical changes like putting his health front and center, leaving his high stress career, rediscovering his love for surfing and eventually taking the big leap into business ownership with health and wellness coaching. Mikkel's story of arriving at midlife and feeling grossly overwhelmed and underwhelmed at the same time is not uncommon. What's different about Mikkel is that he recognized the potentially deadly role that stress was playing in his life, and made the brave and inspiring decision to slow down, change course, and create a life he loves and is proud of. Mikkel saw the opportunity to create a new legacy for his family and his story is incredibly inspiring!

https://mikkelclark.com/about-me

In today's episode I speak with Andrea Nicholson, former Crime Scene Investigator turned Holistic Health Practitioner. Andrea now spends her time as a Metabolic Health Investigator helping her clients discover and investigate their own blood sugar patterns, optimizing them for better mood, brain function and overall well being. This is one of my FAVORITE topics and highly relevant to people in recovery, because mismanaged blood sugar is a top relapse trigger! Listen to Episode #4 for more info on that topic. Andrea details what blood sugar management is, and why it's considered the gateway to all things health, wellness and longevity. She lays out the different pieces of evidence that she analyzes with her clients to determine if blood sugar regulation is wreaking havoc on their health or contributing to their symptoms. She shares with us some shocking statistics about the state of health of the average American, as well as which laboratory tests can be valuable in assessing your own personal state of blood sugar. Hint hint the most valuable test is probably one you have never had or hear of! Andrea and I discuss different ways you can become your own health advocate, and get real time data using devices like CGM's or other monitoring devices. This is a highly valuable episode packed with lots of practical tips about how you can start managing your blood sugar today!

Andrea's Virtual Practice Healthy Life with Andrea: https://www.healthylifewithandrea.com/

Andrea's Podcast Healthy Bites with Andrea: https://www.healthylifewithandrea.com/holistic-health-bites-podcast/

******************************************

If you would like more information about working with Kelly or you'd like to book a free consultation visit https://www.theaddictionnutritionist.com

Recovery U:https://recoveryu.mn.co/

In today's episode, Nikki and I discuss what it's like to move from a life of Reactivity, to Resilient Recovery. We define what each of these states looks like and how they tend to show up in peoples lives (hint hint it's not just people in recovery that live reactively). We describe what it looks like to be fully present in your own life. We also discuss how to recognize when you are living out of a reactive state, and which area of the brain is in charge when we're reacting vs responding. We also go into what can happen when we consistently ignore our needs, and how that chaos will manifest in our lives. This episode really highlights the premise of what we are trying to accomplish with Recovery U, helping individuals live in alignment with their values, recognizing what shifts need to be made in order to bring that alignment about, and how to take action to accomplish your goals.

**************************************

If you would like more information about working with Kelly or you'd like to book a free consultation visit https://www.theaddictionnutritionist.com

Recovery U:https://recoveryu.mn.co/

In today's episode we discuss weight loss with Susie Thomsen, a NASM Certified Nutrition Coach, PN Certified Master Health Coach and owner of Unchained Wellness, a virtual practice that seeks to serve and equip women in the area of weight loss. Susie herself is in recovery from an eating disorder and has developed a unique approach to helping women find their own healthy weight in a sustainable way. We discuss the differences between eating disorders and disordered easting, both of which have huge overlaps with substance abuse, especially for women. Susie takes us through her 4 part program that educates her clients on the fundamentals of nutrition, the role blood sugar plays in weight management, how the metabolism really works, which hormones need to be optimized in order for the body to feel safe enough to release weight, and what is actually driving those pesky cravings that we all seem to struggle with.

I was so blown away by Susie's knowledge of the body and how it responds to cues, her humble honesty about how long sustainable weight loss really takes, and her ability to take a complicated topic like metabolism, and translate it into accessible and approachable chunks of information. She really highlights the importance of including each of the 4 concepts of her program so her clients can achieve their goals and sustain a healthy weight for the rest of their lives. No more yo-yo dieting! Although Susie specializes in women in her private practice, men will still be able to take away the same valuable information, because her principles apply to everyone!

If you'd like to learn more about Susie and what she has to offer, you access her website here: https://www.unchainedandfree.com/

Matt Salis is a researcher and writer focused on addiction prevention and recovery, with a particular focus on the impact of addiction on various relationships. He co-hosts and produces the Untoxicated Podcast, writes for and edits the Sober and Unashamed website and blog, facilitates trauma and addiction recovery writing and support groups, coaches high school soccer, and is married to his business partner, the mother of their four kids. Together Sheri and Matt authored their 2020 Amazon best new release, Soberevolution: Evolve into Sobriety and Recover Your Alcoholic Marriage. This book reads like a literal roadmap to healing your relationships after alcohol has taken it's toll on a marriage. It's a personal favorite in my alcohol literature library!

In this episode Matt and I discuss the relationship wreckage that's left behind when someone suffers from addiction. Matt shares that often times the person embarking on a new recovery journey may think that once the alcohol or substance is removed, everything is fixed and things can go back to "normal". But early recovery is often the very beginning of what can be a long road back to restoring relationships. Matt answers my pointed questions regarding how long it takes and how much work is it really when you're walking the path of relationship recovery. He also shares his thoughts on how often things actually do work out. Matt is point plank about what is to be expected during this process, provides a few non-negotiables if there's going to be hope for success, and provides us with very realistic expectations. He also gives some amazing practical tips on how to start the process and shares the number thing that must happen if relationship restoration is to take place.

On Matt's Podcast Untoxicated, Matt and his wife Sheri bare their souls with their personal stories and unearth all the good bad and the ugly of restoring relationships in recovery. The result after years of hard work between them is both beautiful and inspiring. There is hope in restoring relationships if you have two willing partners and the right tools. Although Matt's work focuses mainly on married couples, his practical steps can be applied to almost any relationship dynamic, parents and children, family members, friends etc. This episode is a must listen. I believe you'll take away a new perspective and renewed hope in relationship recovery!

Podcast: https://un-toxicated.com/ https://thestigma.org/author/mattsalis/ Soberevolution:https://soberandunashamed.com/books/