The Wellness Mama Podcast

What if your health problems were caused by a gut infection? How would you know? And how would you begin to heal yourself? Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), Protozoa, and Candida are common infections that can wreak havoc on the immune system. In this episode, I’m joined once again by clinical nutritionist Christa Orecchio to discuss …

Why is gut health so important? The truth is that understanding the microbiome is critical to our long term health. In this episode, I’m joined once again by clinical nutritionist Christa Orecchio to discuss the basics of gut health, and what you can do to rejuvenate yours. Christa is the founder of TheWholeJourney.com and the Gut Thrive …

Pregnancy doesn’t have to be hard. With a natural, healthy approach, you can successfully prepare and optimize your fertility, your pregnancy, and your postpartum period. In this episode, I sit down with clinical nutritionist Christa Orecchio to discuss how to make pregnancy easier, healthier and happier. Fertility Preparation Christa is the founder of TheWholeJourney.com and …

Once again, we are joined by Mary Lee Snodgrass in this podcast, this time to discuss how to tie together the conventional approach and the natural approach to health. As a pharmacist, Mary Lee studies and deals with conventional medicines daily but has a unique perspective due to her study of nutrition and natural health …

Pharmacist Mary Lee Snodgrass is with us again to discuss the common misconceptions about digestive health and how the drug cascade we discussed in an earlier episode is causing a rise in digestive health issues. Misconceptions About Common Medications… First, she gives us insight from the pharmaceutical side on how certain prescriptions given to pregnant women and babies …

Pharmacist Mary Lee Snodgrass and I discussed the overmedication of America in our last episode, and she is back to talk about one of the root causes for health problems (and one of the leading causes of prescription medication use), hormone imbalance. In this episode, we discuss how pharmaceuticals can affect and deplete hormones and how …

In this episode, pharmacist Mary Lee Snodgrass talks about how and why the trend of overmedication has become so prevalent in America. As a second generation pharmacist, Mary Lee has a first hand account of how prescriptions have doubled and tripled over the last few decades. After arthritis spread through her body, her sisters (who were also pharmacists and getting into nutrition and alternative methods) suggested that the deeper issue could be caused by a leaky gut. She ignored their diagnosis for a while but when Mary Lee started to examine her diet she couldn’t help but realize that this actually could be the issue. She switched up the food she was eating, began taking supplements and probiotics, and overtime she was off her medications and the arthritis was gone. This is when her journey with natural wellness began. The Overmedication of America Since then she has studied the two-fold problem of how doctors prescribe medications for every condition and illness (the drug cascade) and patients who do not w

This is the last segment in a podcast series all about thyroid health. In this episode, I continue my conversation with thyroid specialist Dr. Izabella Wentz. Dr. Wentz’s expertise has been spurred on by her own personal struggle with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Through extensive research as well as trial and error on herself, Dr. Wentz has greatly …

We’re in the midst of a podcast series all about thyroid health, featuring the expertise of Dr. Izabella Wentz and in this episode, we’re focusing on positive solutions including thyroid diet and lifestyle interventions. Dr. Izabella Wentz and I cover a lot of ground, including medication, dietary triggers, adrenal health, treatment myths and supplements. We’ll also share …

We’re in the midst of a podcast series all about thyroid health. In this episode, I’m excited to introduce you to thyroid specialist Dr. Izabella Wentz. Dr. Wentz’s expertise has been spurred on by her own personal struggle with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Through extensive research as well as trial and error on herself, Dr. Wentz has greatly improved her condition. And she will be sharing her knowledge with us on the podcast for the next three episodes! Getting a Correct Diagnoses for Thyroid Disease Dr. Wentz and I have had similar journeys with thyroid disease. Both of us experienced the frustration of recurring symptoms while receiving “normal” test results from doctors. For me specifically, stress, lack of sleep, unhealthy eating and pregnancy all acted as triggers for thyroid disease symptoms. I felt cold all of the time, experienced hair loss, and I had trouble losing weight after the baby was born. I actually went through 8 doctors before I was able to get a correct di

Welcome to the new and updated version of the Wellness Mama Podcast! After a long hiatus, we’re finally back! Each month, I’ll focus on one main topic, offering deeper knowledge in more digestible doses each week. I’m also excited to introduce my friend Whitney, who will be a co-host on the show. Whitney will be …

School is starting again in many places… Whether we are sending our children to a traditional school or beginning school in our own schoolrooms, this time of year tends to bring with it more time inside and more exposure to illness. It seems hard to believe as we enjoy these last weeks of summer, but cold and flu season isn’t far away as the days get shorter, we get less Vitamin D from the sun and we are exposed to more illness while spending time indoors. Natural Remedies for Back to School I always begin preparing many of my natural remedies for Fall and Winter when we begin school again and this almost always ends up as the perfect time to start. We don’t typically need these remedies for a few months (and hopefully not at all because we are ill), but making them now is helpful because some traditional remedies, like tinctures, take months to make. My favorite remedy for warding off illness or helping kick a cold or flu once it hits is elderberry syrup. This one can be made in

Did you know that there are single-celled organisms that produce up to 90% of the Earth’s oxygen, help purify the ocean, are the food source for some of the longest-living species on the planet and can reproduce multiple times per day? I’m referring to microalgae like Spirulina, Chlorella, and Phytoplankton. These microscopic but mighty organisms may be a part of the puzzle for the future of natural health care and sustainable nutrient sources. What is Microalgae? Microalgae are tiny, single-celled organisms. There are hundreds of types and they come in many forms, but certain specifics strains of microalgae may be extremely beneficial for human health. They are extremely effective energy producers and most can reproduce at least once a day (sometimes much more). Organisms like Spirulina and phytoplankton are examples of microalgae. Phytoplankton grows in the ocean and makes up 1/4 of plant life on the planet. Spirulina can grow in fresh water. Though most common in the ocean and in fresh wa

In natural health circles, it is common to hear that ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is over-diagnosed and that too many children are being medicated for “just being kids.” John Gray, famous for his bestseller “Men are From Mars, Women are from Venus,” would agree that too many children are medicated, but he believes that ADHD is actually under-diagnosed. Gray struggled with ADHD most of his life before finding relief and became an expert in natural health in the process. Though he is known as a relationship expert, he has spent the past 15 years researching and becoming an expert in natural health after receiving (and eventually reversing) a Parkinsons diagnosis. Now, he has written a book called Staying Focused In A Hyper World: Natural Solutions For ADHD, Memory And Brain Performance, that details the steps he used to help recover from ADHD and Parkinsons and resources he has used to help many other people recover as well. In This Episode, We Discuss Why Gray

Have you ever met a friend online and had an instant connection? And then met in real life and realized that you could chat for hours over some healthy real food coffee? That is how I feel about today’s podcast guest, Kelly (the Kitchen Kop), author of the book Real Food For Rookies. Kelly and I knew each other online for a while before we met in person, and I am happy to now call her a real life friend too! In this episode, Kelly shares over a decade of practical tips and real food wisdom from her own journey and experience with real food. In This Episode, You’ll Learn About Kelly’s own journey to real food What she learned when helping her kids learn to like real food Some simple switches that instantly increase the nutrition of common foods 10 common ingredients to avoid and 10 to consume more regularly Her number one trick for taking Fermented Cod Liver Oil without gagging Kelly’s favorite “fast foods” that you can make at home using real food ingredients Why she

In episode 37, Dr. Trevor Holly Cates addresses many common skin problems like acne, aging, eczema and other and provides actionable tips to improve your skin. Dr. Trevor Cates was the first woman licensed as a naturopathic doctor in the state of California and was appointed by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to California’s Bureau of Naturopathic Medicine Advisory Council. Known as “The Spa Dr.,” Dr. Cates sees patients at world-renowned spas and in her Park City, Utah private practice with a focus on anti-aging, hormone balance and glowing skin. In This Episode, You’ll Learn How your skin is a great indicator of your overall health Why external solutions won’t ever fix your skin if you don’t address the inside as well The foods that affect your skin (positively and negatively) Are antibiotics a good solution for acne? Why the pill can do more harm than good for long-term skin health How hormone balance affects skin health Why you want your skin care products

I really enjoyed this podcast episode because I got to chat with one of my dear friends, Hannah Crum. Even though I’ve been making Kombucha and Kefir for years, I learned some new tips and tricks for better brewing (and some really cool ideas of ways to use Kombucha!) Why Homemade Kombucha? Hannah runs Kombucha Kamp, where she provides information, tutorials and kombucha-brewing equipment. Known as the “Kombucha Mama,” Hannah is largely considered one of the country’s foremost experts in kombucha brewing and fermentation. If you are already a ‘bucha fan like I am, check out this episode for some new ideas. If you are just starting out with Kombucha, this interview will be a great starting point. In this Episode, we Talk About Why Kombucha is so beneficial The difference between it and Kefir or Kvass How to brew it The difference between batch brewing and continous brewing The benefits of homemade kombucha vs. purchasing store bough If you really have to use black

In this episode Leah Segedie of Mamavation.com and I talk about motherhood, problems in our food supply, GMOs and how to test for glyphosate. GMOs & How to Test for Glyphosate Leah Segedie is the founder of the Mamavation website, a highly passionate online community of moms. She started this community after she lost 100 pounds and learning the true meaning of health. She now teaches “digital moms” healthy living practices to combat disease in their home. Her Mamavation community members have lost over 3,500 lbs collectively. Leah is a very passionate food activist and she regularly organizes petitions, twitter parties and blogging efforts to support her real food activism. Leah was named as Mom of the Year by Shape Magazine and has received various other awards for her blogging and activism. In this Episode, You’ll Learn The true power of moms that many of us don’t even realize How we (as moms) control trillions of dollars each year The real way to affect lon

Do you feel like I am a broken record about magnesium lately? I am, but with good reason… The more I research, the more I am convinced that magnesium deficiency is going to be one of the biggest health problems of our time for a variety of reasons. Why Are We Deficient? Some expert estimate that over 80% of the population are deficient in magnesium while others argue that it’s closer to 95+%. Either way, the statistics aren’t good and it is something we need to remedy, but the question remains why are we deficient to begin with? Several reasons: An abundance of dietary calcium and an absence of dietary magnesium Depleted soil levels of magnesium means less magnesium in the food Fluoride use in the water supply since fluoride binds to magnesium and makes it unusable in the body Consumption of caffeine and sugar, which deplete magnesium Rampant stress (which depletes magnesium) This magnesium deficiency can manifest as fatigue, mental problems, immune problems, hormone imbalance, cardiovas

Elite athlete and author of Beyond Training, Ben Greenfield, joins me in this podcast to talk about fitness for women, creating a truly natural home from the ground up and providing tips for raising active children. Ben blogs at BenGreenfieldFitness.com about health, fitness and lifestyle. He lives with his wife and twin boys in Washington state where they sustainably homestead. Ben’s approach to fitness and lifestyle is unique because he focuses both on elite performance and longevity and core health principles. In this Episode, we Talk About Ben’s journey and his history as an elite performance athlete The mistakes that women make when working out Why women and men should work out differently A simple formula that women can use to figure out what type of exercise they should do How the timing of food and carbohydrates can make a big difference for fitness and sleep Ben’s natural home Why Ben doesn’t have Wifi in his house and why he has kill switches on the power in each room