The Wellness Mama Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Episode Highlights With Katie

• Why what annoys you in others often points to unhealed parts of yourself
• How Carl Jung’s shadow work explains projection and self-recognition
• Practical tools to turn triggers into growth opportunities
• Real-life examples of how “spotting it” led to personal breakthroughs
• Journaling prompts and self-inquiry methods to reframe irritations into insights

Resources Mentioned

• Carl Jung's books
• Journal

Episode Highlights With Carolyn

• Yeast is normal, yeast overgrowth is not
• What to know about yeast 
• The introduction of penicillin and how this affected yeast 
• How yeast can turn into a mycelial yeast that pokes holes in the small intestine
• Yeast produces 78 known toxins in the body 
• It's possible to have enough yeast overgrowth that produces alcohol byproducts that it will make a person fail a breathalyzer test 
• How dentistry comes into play and common dental things used contribute to yeast overgrowth
• The difference between SIBO and yeast overgrowth and why yeast is almost always present if there is 
• How hormones come into play and why magnesium is so important
• The lesser known symptoms of yeast and why things like rashes can be a good sign
• The thyroid, yeast, and magnesium connection and how supporting magnesium and managing yeast can improve thyroid health
• How hormones, including birth control pills, can lead to yeast overgrowth 
• Unique protocols for supporting the body in beating yeast overgrowth and getting back into balance
• The immune system is so affected by yeast that with yeast overgrowth it's easy to develop other infections and conditions
• How parasites come into play and why fixing yeast also helps the body eliminate parasites
• Her protocol for addressing yeast without stressing the body out
• Importance of food based vitamin C and ascorbic acid 
• Yeast overgrowth and mineral deficiency are directly related to autoimmune disease and she explains how!

Resources Mentioned

• RnA ReSet
• Pico Silver supplement
• Flora Revive supplement
• The Yeast Connection - book

Episode Highlights With Georgia

• How the inner critic turns off when we drink
• We think we have a drinking problem, yet it's often a thinking problem or a stress problem
• There's always an emotional reason for regular over-drinking
• Why some people drink to “become a better version of ourselves” if we believe we are more fun, relaxed, etc., when we drink
• How this also relates to food and eating
• Tools to train the deeper parts of the mind that it’s safe to be thin, attractive, etc.
• Addressing patterns like “I’ll do ___ when I lose the weight” and flipping the script
• A self-hypnosis technique you can try and use today for free at home right away
• How to use affirmations in the most powerful way including “it’s safe to be me”
• What the future technique is and how to use it

Resources Mentioned

• Georgia's website - use code Katie001 for 25% off all progams (limited time!)
• Follow Georgia on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

Episode Highlights With Dr. Erika Gray

• Important perspective about genetics and how to use this information for the biggest advantage
• The nuance when it comes to children and genes 
• Genes do not exist in isolation and why focusing on one gene is not helpful
• How understanding genetics helped her teens (and mine)
• What COMT is and how this comes into play with influencing our worldview
• Fast COMT break down dopamine and norepinephrine faster (linked to moving around, not sitting still, etc.)
• How this understanding of genetics can relate directly to how we parent 
• Yet another reason protein is so important, especially for kids and teens 
• Genes related to serotonin and dopamine and neurotransmitters
• We have 2-5 lbs of bacteria in our gut, and there is a gene called FUT2 that ties to lower levels of bifidobacteria, and this can be linked to anxiety, longevity, and more
• Understanding choline genes and why this is a game changer for so many people, and this is critical for pregnancy and brain development 
• Some caveat around MTHFR and why we might be overdoing our response to this
• Serotonin-related genes to look at if you get your kids' genes tested
• What BDNF genes can tell you
• MC4R is a snacking gene, and how to understand this
• Bitter taste receptor genes and how these can make kids more picky

Resources We Mention

• My Toolbox Genomics - Use code wellnessmama for a discount
• Kion Aminos

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.

In 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.

2:02- Steve’s own health problems
2:52- Why his family called him “the gas man”
4:07- Why Steve got in trouble with his boxx
4:37- The pivotal moment for him
5:37- How he got in to health education
6:35- The Leaky Gut- Is Poop Leaking in to the body
6:52- The small intestine is only one cell thick
7:55- How food and toxins can escape into the body
8:52- What causes heartburn and indigestion
11:22- Why antacids and PPIs are dangerous
12:37- The underlying causes of stomach problems and how to find your cause
13:22- Two Supplements to help increase stomach acid
14:31- 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 gut
16:16- How intestinal permeability (leaky gut) leads to disease
18:22- How gut problems manifest differently in different people
19:22- What causes diarrhea
20:00- The fastest way to stop diarrhea
20:42- Why you might not be absorbing your food
21:10- What causes constipation
21:20- How gut infections lead to constipation and diarrhea
22:02- How to poop more easily
22:32- The hormonal component of digestion
23:22- Three things you MUST do everyday
24:03- The major factors that harm gut health
24:32- Why stress is so important
24:30- The triggers of leaky gut
25:02- Head injuries and gut health
25:32- SIBO
25:52- Two things to improve gut health fast
26:52- Things to do to help your gut- paleo autoimmune diet
27:22- One reason to binge on gluten
29:22- Another reason to eat healthy fats
30:07- Tips to help kids with digestive issues
30:52- Interesting study about feeding kids candy
32:37- The advice he wishes he’d gotten
33:22- One action step to take now
24:55- Resources he likes

Book: Why Stomach Acid is Good for You by Jonathan Wright
Supplement:

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.

0:30- Random brain facts like why you can’t tickle yourself
1:40- Katie’s ten foundational habits for a healthier family
2:00- The struggle to balance it all
2:20- Katie’s “Core Four” = Environment, Nutrition, Time and Budget
3:00- One thing at a time approach- Monday missions
3:40- One simple switch that makes a big difference
4:15- Katie’s three budget friendly real foods that she makes daily
5:00- The super inexpensive way her family gets probiotics
6:15- 3 foods that seem scary but aren’t
8:00- The simple way to make homemade yogurt
11:00- Real food really does cost more
11:45- How to stretch an organic chicken and make multiple batches of broth
15:35- How to prepare beans if you are going to eat them
18:45- A tip to fix crunchy beans
20:20- Her quick and easy natural way to get rid of sugar ants
22:20- Lines that insects can’t cross
22:38- Katie’s natural tip to get rid of wasps
23:53- The biggest struggle Katie thinks the next generation will face
24:30- Battling the sugar giant
26:50- My battle cry
27:30- The advice she wishes she’d gotten earlier in life
29:20- Easy action steps to take right now
31:11- The two books she can’t live without

• Katie’s start here page with her foundational habits
• Homemade yogurt recipe
• Natural tips for killing ants naturally
• Natural ways to deal with wasps
• How to cook dried beans
• Book: Crock On
• Website: TraditionalCookingSchool.com
• Katie’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.

3:20 – Why as a doctor, he doesn’t want to see his patients all the time
4:30 – The frustration that doctors face
5:20 – Why stress can be good and why we need it
5:45 – The physiological effects of too much stress
6:30 – How stress impacts fertility and memory
6:55 – The continued effects of stress on the body
7:50 – How to become more resilient to stress and how stress is like a light switch
8:28 – How to turn stress on and off
9:02 – Tips to Practically reduce stress (Book: The Relaxation Revolution)
9:45 – What is the relaxation response
10:20 – How to activate your relaxation response to deal with stress
12:45 – What happens when your body doesn’t recognize stress
16:15 – What causes chronic pain
17:10 – Pain is all in the brain
17:45 – The biology of pain vs. the mental side of pain
20:00 – The core four for reducing stress and pain: Movement, Eating Right, Mindset, Avoiding Problems
24:00 – Understanding the mindset of doctors
28:00 – The frustration of the current medical system
32:00 – The shocking statistic on how a small percentage of the population is using 95% of healthcare resources
35:00 – The seven questions you should know the answers to before you see your doctor
38:00 – Health advice Kevin wishes he had gotten earlier in life
41:15 – Kevin’s recommended books and resources (and see below)

• Book: Switch by Chip and Dan Heath
• Book: The Relaxation Revolution
• Book: Unlearning Pain
• Book: Back in Control by David Hanscom
• Kevin’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.

1:50 – Why the name Mommypotamus?
2:20 – Heather’s own health struggles
3:20 – Her life-changing moment at her wedding
3:55 – How her honeymoon was a catalyst for realizing the connection of food and health
4:45 – Heather’s turning point
6:28 – And YES to the hippopotamus!
7:00 – How and why she started Mommypotamus.com
7:20 – What are lip and tongue ties?
7:50 – Why we are seeing more tongue and lip ties
9:00 – Different symptoms related to tongue/lip ties and how they present
9:45 – Heather’s own struggle with her son’s lip and tongue ties
11:15 – How tongue ties are typically treated
11:27 – When fixing a tongue ties can cause more problems
12:03 – The solution that finally worked for them
12:20 – How to tell if your child has a tongue or lip tie
14:17 – Symptoms mom may see while nursing a tongue tied baby
14:55 – Symptoms baby can have with tongue and lip ties
16:03 – Long term problems associated with uncorrected tongue and lip ties
17:10 – How lip ties can affect oral health
18:00 – Why we should eat dirt
18:30 – The fascinating research between bacteria and belly buttons
19:30 – The “Chuck Norris” of beneficial bacteria and how to get them
21:12 – What they take to keep their gut bacteria healthy
22:15 – Heather’s favorite natural beauty care recipes
22:35 – Why natural personal care products are so important
23:41 – Heather’s simple homemade makeup that doubles as dry shampoo
24:11 – Heather’s own beauty routine
24:20 – The unusual ingredient she uses every day
25:50 – Heather’s typical day on the farm
29:25 – The most crunchy thing Heather has ever done and the weird things that have gone mainstream
31:45 – The advice she wishes someone had told her
33:06 – One step to start doing right away
34:15 – Heather’s top health resources

• Heather’s post on  how to diagnose Tongue and Lip Ties
• How Heather remineralized her daughter’s teeth
• Homemade Tallow Balm Recipe
• Dirt: The Superfood that Makes You Happier and Healthier
• Flux 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.

As 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 food
2:25 Her lightening bolt moment and how she made lasting changes
3:15 Her “last supper”
5:23 The factors that helped her with quitting sugar, lose 60lbs, and keep it off for over 15 years
6:16 How accountability helped her
7:23 How long it takes to detox from sugar and how to do it
8:20 Why she has hope for the health of future generations
10:45 Natural pregnancy, parenting, and birthing tips
16:00 The crunchy thing she can’t do and the crunchiest thing she’s ever done
16:45 The thing she recommends to help have a natural birth – Hint: it starts in the 2nd trimester
17:46 Why Fermented Cod Liver Oil & exercise can improve birth
18:00 Tips to help baby’s position before birth
19:00 Crunchyest thing she’s ever tried, and what weird foods she ate after she gave birth
21:28 Her best advice for listening to your body
23:00 Number one health step to take now
24:07 The book she recommends everyone should read

• Learn more about Genevieve and MamaNatural here
• Genevieve’s special page for Wellness Mama Readers with resources for healthy pregnancy and birth
• How to stay in touch with Genevieve
• My (super long) birth saga
• Top 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.

Katie: 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

It was wonderful to interview Lauren of EmpoweredSustenance.com who is a rising star in the blogging world and an incredibly smart researcher.

Lauren and I talk about several topics that we are both passionate about, including the problems with canola oil, the benefits of gelatin and the importance of balancing hormones.

• Why canola oil is so dangerous and how we are both working to spread the word. (Read my full explanation here and check out Lauren’s campaign to get Whole Foods to remove it from pre-made foods)
• What foods are a “freak of nature” in both good and bad ways
• Why gelatin is an amazing superfood and how to consume enough
• Lauren’s own journey with debilitating autoimmune disease and how she overcame it
• Natural beauty care options and why it is important to avoid many conventional beauty products
• The unexpected factors that contribute to hormone balance
• How you can “Quit PMS“
• Lauren’s simple step for better health
• The advice she wishes she had gotten about health
• Her favorite health resources

• Why to avoid vegetable oil and margarine (Wellness Mama)
• The health benefits of near infrared saunas (Lauren)
• Natural hair care ideas (Lauren)
• Balance hormones with gelatin (Lauren)
• 12 uses for Gelatin (Wellness Mama)

Katie: Hi, this is Katie from wellnessmama.com. Welcome to Episode 4 of the “Wellness Mama” podcast, where I provide simple answers for healthier families. Today’s interesting fact is that, while blondes may or may not have more fun, they definitely have more hair. Hair color helps determine how dense the hair on your head is, and natural blondes top the list. There are about 100,000 hair follicles on the average head, and each follicle produces about 20 individual hairs during the person’s lifetime. Blondes average 146,000 follicles, where people with black hair tend to have about 110,000. Brown hair are right on target with about 100,000 follicles, and redheads have the least dense hair, averaging about 86,000 follicles.

Today’s guest has actually written quite a bit about natural hair care and has become the expert in natural and holistic hair and body care as part of her journey towards recovery. Lauren writes at empoweredsustenance.com. She’s a quickly rising voice in the blogging community as she writes about her recovery from ulcerative colitis, her own healing regimen, and all of the great natural tips and lessons she’s learned along the way. Welcome, Lauren. Thank you so much for taking your time to b