A Healthy Curiosity

Did you know just 8 weeks of a bodymind practice can change the way your brain is wired, helping you to stay calm and make sound decisions?

In Episode 37, Brodie shares a piece she wrote for Huffington Post about 10 reasons to get to know Qi Gong, plus some great research proving the efficacy of qi gong in keeping us healthy.

In this episode, we explore:

• What qi gong means
• How qi gong differs from yoga
• Health benefits of qi gong
• Research on the effectiveness of qi gong

Resources:

12 Treasures: Your Movement Multivitamin – Brodie's learn-from-home qi gong course

Brodie's Huffpost article: 10 Reasons to Get to Know Qigong: Yoga's Less Popular Cousin

When it comes to making changes in your own life, it's really easy to set yourself up – for success or for failure.

In Episode 36, Brodie shares some lessons she learned last week at a Yoga Coaching Conference about growth: what's helpful, what's not, who's helpful, and what you can do to set yourself up for success. The way we design our lives can have a huge effect on how much we can do and how closely we're aligned with who we want to be.

In this episode, we explore:

• The natural genius
• The five people who shape who we are
• Accountability buddies

Resources:

Basics of Chinese Medicine: Your Inner Ecosystem

Have you ever wolfed down a delicious meal only to find yourself met with the burning discomfort of acid reflux?

In Episode 35, Brodie talks with her colleague, Joe Moceus, L.Ac., about what you can do to avoid feeling the burn. Joe's family has been genetically plagued by acid reflux, but they've managed to not only soothe their symptoms but also alter their lifestyle choices to prevent acid reflux from bubbling up and becoming an issue in the first place.

In this episode, we explore:

• What causes acid reflux?
• What is the best symptom relief for acid reflux?
• How can acid reflux be prevented?
• Why are Tums not the answer?
• A few acu-points to help with acid reflux

Resources:

Ren 12/CV 12

ST 36

Did you know that most of your serotonin is made in your gut?

In Episode 34, Brodie talks with Jenn Malecha, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, about the connection between gut health and autoimmune disease. The connection between your intestines and your overall wellbeing may not seem very intuitive, but gut health can have a huge effect on your daily wellbeing. Listen in to find out how your diet, exercise, sleep, and stress reduction regimens could cause leaky-gut, in turn leading to increased risk of a wide variety of autoimmune disorders.

In this episode, we explore:

• The connection between gut health and autoimmune disease
• What is leaky-gut?
• What can one do to heal a damaged digestive system?
• What diet is best for someone with poor gut health?

Resources:

Jenn's Website

Jenn's Facebook Page

Last week, we talked about decluttering your space to make room for your best and brightest self. This week, we're talking about decluttering your fridge and simplifying your food, to make room for your healthiest and most energetic self.

In Episode 33, Brodie talks with Bianca Osbourne, Certified Holistic Nutritionist and private chef, about how to eat healthy without filling your kitchen with tools, appliances, and ingredients you won't use.

In this episode, we explore:

• What does eating healthy mean?
• How to simplify meal prep
• Using leftovers to make something new and amazing
• Changing your relationship with mealtime
• Organizing your fridge

Resources:

Bianca's Website

Bianca's Facebook Page

Do you have so much stuff that it gets in the way of you becoming your best and brightest self?

In Episode 32, Brodie talks with Dorena Kohrs, Space Doula, about how to unload shame, old versions of yourself, and lots of STUFF. Dorena helps people reclaim cluttered space that infringes upon their journey to being their best self, and in so doing she helps people unload a lot of emotional baggage. What could you be letting go of?

In this episode, we explore:

• The connection between our emotions and our stuff
• The 8 blocks to decluttering
• How things can keep us from moving on
• How decluttering can help us find ourselves
• The present as a time of action

Resources:

Dorena's Website

Dorena's Facebook Page

You've heard of the Atkins Diet, the raw food diet, Weight Watchers, and the South Beach Diet, but do you know anything about the Paleo Diet? You might be thinking cavemen… think again.

In Episode 31, Brodie hosts Amie Tollefsrud and Andrea Nordling, the nutritional therapist practitioners behind PaleoBossBabe, the personal nutrition course designed for people looking to improve digestion, mitigate PMS symptoms, address adrenal fatigue, nix "hangry" spells, and understand their body's cravings.

In this episode, we explore:

• What is the Paleo Diet?
• Who will benefit from the Paleo Diet?
• Who won't do well on the Paleo Diet?
• Does going Paleo really mean no carbs?
• The pitfalls of a low-fat diet
• The key to delicious veggies

Resources:

• Emily & Andrea's website, PaleoBossBabe
• Enroll in Emily & Andrea's 6-week PaleoBossBabe Course Here

This episode started out being a follow-up to Episode 25 on perimenopause, but we ended up covering so much ground that we decided to rename it and just call it what it is: a total geek-out on women's hormones.

In Episode 30, Brodie talks with Maria Claps, a certified health coach, mother of 4 grown children, and women's healthy aging advocate, about perimenopause, menopause, women's hormones, and so much more. As we discussed in E25, perimenopause can be a tumultuous time in the world of hormones, leading to side-effects like anxiety, depression, insomnia, and hot flashes. Learning how to test for, understand, and effectively balance our hormones can makes the process seem far less daunting.

In this episode, we explore:

• Perimenopause and menopause
• Hormones and how they change
• Eating our veggies
• Supplements that can help ease symptoms and balance hormones
• Talking to physicians and making them hear you
• The Dutch Test

Maria Claps is a certified health coach, mother of 4 grown children, and women's healthy aging advocate.

After receiving sub-standard care in NYC, Maria enrolled in the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) in pursuit of a solution for her perimenopausal symptoms that began when she turned 40. Inspired by her training at IIN, Maria pursued 3 additional hormone-centric trainings:

• Dr. Sara Gottfried's training program for practitioners;
• The Functional Diagnostic Nutrition program; and
• The UK-based 3rd Age Woman Certification program with Burrell Education.

When she's not facilitating her online community, Maria keeps current in her knowledge of functional health by attending Datis Kharazzian seminars on topics like thyroid, blood chemistry, and brain health. She also enjoys reading, recipe creation, and finding new things to eat at farmers markets.

Resources:

• Maria's Website, www.nourishandflourishhealth.com
• Maria's Hormone Balancing Guide

When tragedy strikes, it can be difficult to stay positive and present, but our mindset can really influence the way we deal with, overcome, or power through adversity.

In today's episode, Brodie talks with JJ Virgin, CNS, CHFS, celebrity nutritionist, health expert, and 4 time NY Times Bestselling Author about paying close attention to our mindset to overcome our greatest challenges. When JJ was about to release The Virgin Diet, her then 15-year-old son, Grant, was in a terrible hit-and-run accident that nearly took his life. Brodie and JJ talk about how JJ's mindset helped her power through this difficult time, be aggressive when she needed to, maintain her self-care, and keep her eyes on the prize. She never stopped believing that Grant would one day not only recover, but that he would be 110% - even stronger than before. Today, she's proud to say that against all the odds, he's nearly there.

In this episode, we explore:

• JJ's new book, The Miracle Mindset
• The importance of self-care in times of great upheaval
• Making it happen while still being imperfect (like everyone else)
• You can't course correct standing still
• Feeling worthy of good outcomes
• Role-modeling as a parent
• Tapping

Resources:

JJ's Website

Have you ever made a New Years resolution only to see it peter out a few months later?

Most of us have been there at some point. Changing old habits can be difficult, but there are certain things you can do to greatly improve your chances of success. In today's episode, Brodie talks about developing systems to create and maintain new, healthier habits in the new year.

In this episode, we explore:

• Getting started with small steps
• The three steps of a habit: trigger, behavior, reward
• Replacing old habits instead of eradicating them
• Creating reminders to inspire yourself
• Supportive community

Resources:

B.J. Fogg's Fogg Method