Backyard Health

Protein has become one of the most polarizing topics in nutrition — some people are turning everything into a “high-protein” version (hello, protein popcorn and protein cookies), while others roll their eyes and swear it’s just another fad. So what’s the truth?

In this episode of Backyard Health, Erin cuts through the noise and breaks down exactly what protein does in your body — and why it might be the missing piece between you and the steady energy, satiety, and fat loss you’ve been chasing.

Here’s what you’ll learn when you tune in:

• The difference between hunger, appetite, and satiety — and why protein is the nutrient that actually quiets cravings.
• How the Protein Leverage Hypothesis explains why willpower alone never works when protein needs aren’t met.
• Why protein has no storage tank (unlike carbs and fats), and what the daily turnover of amino acids means for your metabolism.
• How much protein you really need per meal and per day to hit your goals — and what happens when you fall short.
• The importance of protein quality: animal vs. plant sources, leucine thresholds, and how to mix and match foods to get it right.
• The truth about protein powders: when they’re helpful, what to avoid on labels, and the best types (whey, casein, beef isolate, plant blends).
• What to do if you struggle with protein aversions — whether it’s from illness, stress, pregnancy, or just “I can’t look at another chicken breast.”
• Simple, real-life meal and snack examples that prove eating enough protein doesn’t have to be boring, obsessive, or extreme.
  
  

If you’ve ever felt like you’re “always hungry an hour after eating,” or if you’re tired of trying to fight cravings with willpower alone, this episode will show you how to finally work with your body instead of against it.

📌 Book your 1:1 package here: Click to apply for our fall openings
📌 Or DM me the word GUT on Instagram and we’ll chat about your next step.

🔔 Don’t forget to:
📩 Subscribe for more episodes!
⭐ Leave a review if you love what you hear!
📱 Tag me on Instagram with your biggest takeaway!

Links & Resources For This Episode:

🔗 Want personalized support? Explore my 1:1 integrative nutrition coaching at www.integrativeweightandwellness.com

🔥 This summer, get the full Fat Loss Flow program — my 21-day self-paced method for understanding how fat loss actually works — for just $97

Join Fat Loss Flow Today!

No fluff. No pressure. Just the real mental and metabolic tools to help you build momentum and make fat loss feel doable again.

I'd love to hear from you! Let's connect vibes on socials: Instagram | Youtube | TikTok | Facebook

When you think of grief, you probably think about losing a loved one. But what about the grief that comes with changing your health? The truth is—anytime you let go of foods, routines, or identities you’ve loved, you go through a grieving process.

In this episode of Backyard Health, I share my own postpartum story of running advanced labs that revealed elevated thyroid antibodies, gut barrier dysfunction, and food sensitivities. The results meant big changes for me—going gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free while navigating a surprise update and real life.

I’ll walk you through:

• The moment I realized “normal” labs weren’t enough postpartum
• What my functional testing uncovered and how it shaped my healing plan
• The stages of grief that show up when you have to change your diet or lifestyle
• Why skipping grief often leads to sabotage and yo-yo patterns
• The mental skills that help me (and my clients) move through change with more ease

This isn’t a story about perfection. It’s about being honest with the anger, sadness, and frustration that come with health changes—and learning how to move through grief so you can actually find healing.

If you’ve ever felt resentful about what you “have” to give up in order to be healthy, this episode will remind you that grief is not a sign of failure. It’s part of the process.

We throw the word “sluggish” around all the time — sluggish digestion, sluggish circulation, sluggish detox — but what does that actually mean in the body?

In this episode of Backyard Health, I break down the physiology behind sluggish systems and show you how they connect to mineral imbalances that we can actually measure with HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis) testing.

You’ll learn:

• The body systems that can truly become sluggish — from digestion and circulation to thyroid, adrenals, liver, immune function, and more.
• The key mineral ratios on an HTMA that reveal slowdowns in stomach acid, thyroid activity, adrenal resilience, and detox pathways.
• How sluggish systems show up in real life through fatigue, bloating, gout, inflammation, and that “wired but tired” energy pattern.
• Two real-world HTMA case examples that connect mineral ratios to symptoms, labs, and root causes.
• Why the solution isn’t another detox tea or quick fix — it’s restoring the mineral balance that powers your body’s electrical systems.
  
  

By the end of this episode, you’ll see “sluggishness” not as a vague feeling, but as a measurable slowdown with clear root causes and actionable ways to address it.

And if today’s episode has you thinking, “This is me. I need someone to walk me through this step-by-step,” that’s exactly what I do inside my 1:1 Digestive Wellness Packages. We run the right functional tests for your body, figure out exactly what’s driving your inflammation, and build a gut repair plan that actually fits your real life — so you can eat without symptoms running the show.

📌 Book your 1:1 package here: Click to apply for our fall openings
📌 Or DM me the word GUT on Instagram and we’ll chat about your next step.

🔔 Don’t forget to:
📩 Subscribe for more episodes!
⭐ Leave a review if you love what you hear!
📱 Tag me on Instagram with your biggest takeaway!

Links & Resources For This Episode:

🔗 Want personalized support? Explore my 1:1 integrative nutrition coaching at www.integrativeweightandwellness.com

🔥 This summer, get the full Fat Loss Flow program — my 21-day self-paced method for understanding how fat loss actually works — for just $97

Join Fat Loss Flow Today!

No fluff. No pressure. Just the real mental and metabolic tools to help you build momentum and make fat loss feel doable again.

I'd love to hear from you! Let's connect vibes on socials: Instagram | Youtube | TikTok | Facebook

In this episode of Backyard Health, I’m pulling back the curtain on food sensitivity testing so you can finally understand what those results mean — and more importantly, how to actually use them without cutting out everything you love.

We’re going to talk about:

• The real difference between allergies, sensitivities, and intolerances (because most people mix these up)
  
  
• How IgA and IgG antibodies tell us where in your body your immune system is reacting — and why it matters
  
  
• The specific pattern that means a food is really worth pausing for a while
  
  
• Why the “cut everything forever” elimination approach doesn’t work — and what to do instead
  
  
• My exact framework for lowering inflammation, healing your gut, and reintroducing foods without flares
  
  

If you want to go even deeper, I have a full episode on one of the most common reactive foods I see — dairy — in Episode 1. Listen here: Lactose Digestion: intolerances vs sensitivities, tracking your symptoms & digestive tools

And if today’s episode has you thinking, “This is me. I need someone to walk me through this step-by-step,” that’s exactly what I do inside my 1:1 Digestive Wellness Packages. We run the right functional tests for your body, figure out exactly what’s driving your inflammation, and build a gut repair plan that actually fits your real life — so you can eat without symptoms running the show.

📌 Book your 1:1 package here: Click to apply for our fall openings
📌 Or DM me the word GUT on Instagram and we’ll chat about your next step.

🔔 Don’t forget to:
📩 Subscribe for more episodes!
⭐ Leave a review if you love what you hear!
📱 Tag me on Instagram with your biggest takeaway!

Links & Resources For This Episode:

🔗 Want personalized support? Explore my 1:1 integrative nutrition coaching at www.integrativeweightandwellness.com

🔥 This summer, get the full Fat Loss Flow program — my 21-day self-paced method for understanding how fat loss actually works — for just $97

Join Fat Loss Flow Today!

No fluff. No pressure. Just the real mental and metabolic tools to help you build momentum and make fat loss feel doable again.

I'd love to hear from you! Let's connect vibes on socials: Instagram | Youtube | TikTok | Facebook

You don’t binge because you’re broken.
 You binge because your body doesn’t feel safe.

In this episode of Backyard Health, we’re peeling back the layers of boredom eating—not just the habit, but the deeper biology and emotional patterns underneath it.

If your evenings are filled with snacks you didn’t really want…
 If stillness makes you restless…
 If “being good all day” always ends in “blowing it” at night…

This episode will change how you see yourself. For good.

We’ll explore:

• Why you keep eating even when you’re not hungry (hint: it’s not about willpower)
• How safety in the body impacts fat loss, metabolism, and cravings
• What the nervous system does when it doesn’t feel safe—and how that drives nighttime eating
• How emotional suppression, Liver Qi stagnation (TCM), and somatic disconnection all play a role
• The difference between regulation and relaxation (and why it matters more than calories)
• What real safety feels like in the body—and how to create it without food
• And the truth about healing: it doesn’t happen in your head, it happens in your body
  
  

Plus, I’ll walk you through functional and somatic tools to interrupt the autopilot, rebuild self-trust, and come back to your body in a way that feels grounded—not overwhelming.

🌿 If you’re ready to stop coping with food and start connecting with yourself, this one’s for you.

🔗 And if you want deeper support, join me inside Fat Loss Flow—my 21-day program that teaches you how to lose fat without losing your mind, through nervous system-informed, science-backed behavior change that lasts.

Links & Resources For This Episode:

🔗 Want personalized support? Explore my 1:1 integrative nutrition coaching at www.integrativeweightandwellness.com

🔥 This summer, get the full Fat Loss Flow program — my 21-day self-paced method for understanding how fat loss actually works — for just $97

Join Fat Loss Flow Today!

No fluff. No pressure. Just the real mental and metabolic tools to help you build momentum and make fat loss feel doable again.

I'd love to hear from you! Let's connect vibes on socials: Instagram | Youtube | TikTok | Facebook

You don’t need to live on Tums. And reflux doesn't have to mean forever — when you understand the system.

In Part 2 of this upper GI series, Erin walks you through the 5R functional healing framework — the exact method she uses with clients to address reflux at the root and finally relieve pressure, inflammation, and digestive chaos.

You’ll learn:

• How to remove symptom triggers without starving or fearing food
• What to replace when stomach acid and enzymes are missing
• How to reinoculate your microbiome without making reflux worse
• Which herbs and supplements help repair the gut lining (and what to avoid with SIBO or gastritis)
• Daily lifestyle practices to rebalance vagus nerve tone, improve motility, and reduce pressure from above and below

We’ll also cover:

• What to eat (and not eat) when healing the esophagus and stomach lining
• Why posture, sleep position, and nervous system support are non-negotiable
• How to know if you’re ready to start weaning off acid blockers (with practitioner guidance)
  
  

If you’re ready to step off the PPI hamster wheel, calm the chaos, and trust your digestion again — this is the roadmap.

Mentioned in this episode:

• DGL, marshmallow root, aloe vera, and mucosal healing strategies
• Nervous system tools to support digestion (vagus nerve, sleep, breathwork)
  
  

Links & Resources For This Episode:

Digestive Wellness Series–

Episode 24: The Gut-Hydration Link No One’s Talking About: Digestive Wellness Series

Episode 26: How Gut Imbalances Sabotage Your Metabolism: Digestive Wellness Series

🔗 Want personalized support? Explore my 1:1 integrative nutrition coaching at www.integrativeweightandwellness.com

🔥 This summer, get the full Fat Loss Flow program — my 21-day self-paced method for understanding how fat loss actually works — for just $97

Join Fat Loss Flow Today!

No fluff. No pressure. Just the real mental and metabolic tools to help you build momentum and make fat loss feel doable again.

I'd love to hear from you! Let's connect vibes on socials: Instagram | Youtube | TikTok | Facebook

Think reflux is just about acid? Think again.

In Part 1 of this deep-dive series, Erin unpacks why most GERD sufferers are misdiagnosed, mistreated, and still stuck on PPIs — even when the real issue isn’t too much acid, but too much pressure in the wrong places.

You’ll learn:

• The anatomy and purpose of the upper GI tract (and what happens when it breaks down)
• The 4 distinct types of reflux (GERD, LPR, refractory GERD, and non-erosive) — and why they require different strategies
• How stress, vagus nerve dysfunction, and digestive stagnation play a major role in reflux
• Why hiatal hernias, SIBO, H. pylori, and low stomach acid are often the true culprits
• Why long-term acid suppression can make symptoms worse — and how to spot it

This is the episode for anyone who’s been told to “just take the meds” but still doesn’t feel better. Whether you’re struggling with hoarseness, bloating, chest pressure, or mystery nausea — this one’s going to reframe everything.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Functional medicine insights on vagus nerve tone, LES dysfunction, and microbial imbalance
• Research from JAMA, Gut, and Frontiers in Nutrition on PPI risks, reflux subtypes, and misdiagnosis
• Clues that your reflux may actually be a gut-brain axis issue
  
  

✨Ready to go deeper? Listen to Part 2 (episode 31) for natural solutions and functional treatment strategies.

Links & Resources For This Episode:

Digestive Wellness Series–

Episode 24: The Gut-Hydration Link No One’s Talking About: Digestive Wellness Series

Episode 26: How Gut Imbalances Sabotage Your Metabolism: Digestive Wellness Series

🔗 Want personalized support? Explore my 1:1 integrative nutrition coaching at www.integrativeweightandwellness.com

🔥 This summer, get the full Fat Loss Flow program — my 21-day self-paced method for understanding how fat loss actually works — for just $97

Join Fat Loss Flow Today!

No fluff. No pressure. Just the real mental and metabolic tools to help you build momentum and make fat loss feel doable again.

I'd love to hear from you! Let's connect vibes on socials: Instagram | Youtube | TikTok | Facebook

Think you’re failing because you’re hungry, tired, or not seeing the scale move? Think again. In this episode of Backyard Health, Erin pulls back the curtain on what a real fat loss phase feels like—physically, mentally, and emotionally.

You’ll learn:

• Why hunger is a normal and necessary part of a true calorie deficit
• Functional signs of active fat loss that go way beyond the scale
• The surprising hormonal and metabolic shifts that happen when your body starts burning stored fat
• How to interpret your biofeedback (like sleep changes, cravings, and mood swings)
• The mindset reframes that make fat loss sustainable instead of stressful
• Why most plans fail to prepare you for this phase—and how Fat Loss Flow was built to guide you through it

Whether you're in the middle of a fat loss phase or considering one, this episode will give you the clarity, compassion, and science-based insight you need to keep going with confidence.

🔔 Don’t forget to:
📩 Subscribe for more episodes!
⭐ Leave a review if you love what you hear!
📱 Tag me on Instagram with your biggest takeaway!

Links & Resources For This Episode:

3-part Body Comp Series–

Episode 04: What’s the Scale Really Telling You?

Episode 05: Hunger Hormones Unleashed: How to Stop Cravings and Finally

Episode 06: Is Your Metabolism Stuck?

🔗 Want personalized support? Explore my 1:1 integrative nutrition coaching at www.integrativeweightandwellness.com

🔥 This summer, get the full Fat Loss Flow program — my 21-day self-paced method for understanding how fat loss actually works — for just $97

Join Fat Loss Flow Today!

No fluff. No pressure. Just the real mental and metabolic tools to help you build momentum and make fat loss feel doable again.

I'd love to hear from you! Let's connect vibes on socials: Instagram | Youtube | TikTok | Facebook

You’re showing up. You’re pushing through. You’re doing “the hard things” because that’s what it takes to get healthy… right?

But here’s the question no one asks:
 🍋 Is that stress helping your body grow—or is it keeping you stuck?

In this episode of Backyard Health, we dive into one of the most important distinctions in your healing or weight loss journey:
the difference between a challenge that strengthens you… and a stressor that sabotages you.

Because not all effort leads to results. And not all discipline is healthy.

Erin walks you through:

• The physiology of stress and how it impacts fat loss, hormones, and your nervous system
• How to spot when your metabolism is in “defense mode” (aka why your clean eating and workouts aren’t working)
• The subtle signs that your body is adapting and healing—versus shutting down and burning out
• A personal story about an exhausting family trip that turned into a powerful metaphor for growth
• The exact questions you can ask yourself to figure out if your body is saying keep going or please stop
  
  

If you've ever wondered, “Why am I doing everything right but still not feeling better?” — this episode will feel like a permission slip and a reset button, all in one.

🔔 Don’t forget to:
📩 Subscribe for more episodes!
⭐ Leave a review if you love what you hear!
📱 Tag me on Instagram with your biggest takeaway!

Links & Resources For This Episode:

🌿 Erin’s offering her free Summer Grocery List to help you simplify food and eat in a way that supports your metabolism without stress.
 Get yours here: FREE Fat Loss Grocery List

🔗 Want personalized support? Explore my 1:1 integrative nutrition coaching at www.integrativeweightandwellness.com

🔥 This summer, get the full Fat Loss Flow program — my 21-day self-paced method for understanding how fat loss actually works — for just $97

Join Fat Loss Flow Today!

No fluff. No pressure. Just the real mental and metabolic tools to help you build momentum and make fat loss feel doable again.

I'd love to hear from you! Let's connect vibes on socials: Instagram | Youtube | TikTok | Facebook

What’s actually better for your body — a handful of supplements or a plate of real food?

In today’s episode of Backyard Health, we’re answering one of the most common questions I get:
Should I be taking supplements… or can I just get what I need from food?

We’ll unpack:

• How supplements deliver minerals differently than whole foods
• The risks of high-dose, isolated nutrients (and why they sometimes make you feel worse)
• Why whole foods offer minerals in a more balanced, body-friendly way
• The power of biodynamics — and how your body decides what to absorb
• When supplements are helpful, and when they might be doing more harm than good

If you’ve ever felt confused in the supplement aisle or wondered why you're still tired despite “doing everything right,” this episode will help you shift from overwhelm to clarity.

Because it’s not just about what you take — it’s about how your body receives it.
And whole foods may be doing more than you think.

🔔 Don’t forget to:
📩 Subscribe for more episodes!
⭐ Leave a review if you love what you hear!
📱 Tag me on Instagram with your biggest takeaway!

Links & Resources For This Episode:

🧬 Get 10% off all third-party tested supplements through my Fullscript account: Erin’s Fullscript Account

These are the same professional-grade products I use with clients in my Integrative Nutrition Intensives — trusted, pure, and stored properly (no sketchy Amazon suppliers).

🔗 Want personalized support? Explore my 1:1 integrative nutrition coaching at www.integrativeweightandwellness.com

🔥 This summer, get the full Fat Loss Flow program — my 21-day self-paced method for understanding how fat loss actually works — for just $97

Join Fat Loss Flow Today!

No fluff. No pressure. Just the real mental and metabolic tools to help you build momentum and make fat loss feel doable again.

I'd love to hear from you! Let's connect vibes on socials: Instagram | Youtube | TikTok | Facebook