Eat for Life

Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) and histamine intolerance have been buzzwords for quite some time now, but these conditions are still highly misunderstood and impact 1 in 8.5 people. That’s up to 17% of the general population!

Mast cells are our immune system’s first responders, sensing and communicating back to the brain about incoming pathogens, toxins, injuries, and other stressors.

When these amazingly complex cells are overtaxed and dysregulated, they will respond to anything as a threat, creating inflammation and a buildup of immune mediators like histamine and cytokines that create a wide range of symptoms from hives and itchy eyes to gastrointestinal distress, migraines, fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, and others.

Today's special guest has been personally impacted by these conditions and is an amazing testament to the power of a functional and holistic approach to healing.

Beth O'Hara is a Functional Naturopath specializing in complex chronic immune conditions related to MCAS and Histamine Intolerance.

She is the founder and owner of Mast Cell 360 Functional Naturopathy, where she looks at all factors surrounding health conditions: genetic, epigenetic, biochemical, physiological, environmental, and emotional. She holds a doctorate in Functional Naturopathy, a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy, and a bachelor’s degree in physiological ecology. She is certified in functional genomic analysis and is a research advisor for the Nutrigenetic Research Institute.

She designed Mast Cell 360 to be the kind of practice she wished had existed when she was severely ill with MCAS, histamine intolerance, neuroinflammation, Lyme disease, mold toxicity, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue.

Her mission today is to be a guiding light for others with MCAS, histamine intolerance, and these related conditions in their healing journeys through her Mast Cell 360 Root Cause process.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• The role mast cells play in a healthy immune system, and what happens when they never get a break from environmental toxins and psychosocial stress
• The difference between Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and Histamine Intolerance
• Why the standard diagnostic criteria and testing leave out a large number of MCAS sufferers
• Root causes and triggers for MCAS, including GI inflammation and mold, and how modern technology influences them
• Steps to take now if you suspect you may be struggling with MCAS or Histamine Intolerance

Click here to read the full transcript and resources.

Drastic behavior changes. Extreme irritability. Developmental regressions. Why did your child become someone you barely recognize seemingly overnight?

Radical, sudden changes in a child’s behaviors and mood can be signs of Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder (PANDAS) and Pediatric Acute Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS).

These infection-induced autoimmune encephalopathies were once considered rare disorders that are only recently becoming more well-recognized by the conventional medical community.

Which is why I'm so excited to share this powerful conversation with special guest expert, Dr. Jill Crista, who shares her own story of how she healed her twin sons of PANS and herself of Lyme disease and how that set her on a path to helping children and families heal from these conditions.

While the root causes are often not readily identified, and treatment may not be straightforward, both PANDAS and PANS are caused by an autoimmune response to an infection that results in severe inflammation in the brain.

Not all infections start this process because not everybody is going into the infection in a compromised state. And this is key to understanding and treating these conditions.

Dr. Jill Crista is a naturopathic doctor and one of the leading experts in the treatment of mold-related illnesses. After 20 years of working with patients and having toxic mold sprout in her own home, she was inspired to write her book, Break the Mold.

The book clearly and simply outlines the tools that everyday people can use to conquer mold. Dr. Jill also trains doctors to become mold literate, and supports mold canaries through her membership portal. Her motto? “Break the mold, take back your health.”

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• A breakdown of infection-induced autoimmune encephalopathies and how the stage can be set for immune system confusion
• Diagnostic criteria for PANDAS and PANS, and why early stage PANS may hide in plain sight
• How compulsions and tics in children don’t look like the movies and how to approach a child with a new or troubling behavior pattern
• Why taking healing fundamentals one step at a time is necessary for you and your child to keep from getting overwhelmed
• Immune system variables that make PANDAS and PANS difficult to test for, and testing adjustments that may be necessary

Click here for resources.

Lots of people are talking about the vagus nerve, but do you know just how many of your body’s organs and functions it interacts with?

In this episode, I'm talking with Dr. Navaz Habib, author of Activate Your Vagus Nerve: Unleash Your Body’s Natural Ability to Heal.

Dr. Habib explains beautifully what the vagus nerve is and why it's so important for optimum health.

He gives us an overview of the anatomy and primary functions of the vagus nerve, including its major role in afferent communication–sending information from many of your major organs back to the brain–and the role of that communication in mental health and beyond.

Dr. Habib also breaks down four primary types of stressors that impact vagal function, and what you can do to support this essential component of your health.

Dr. Navaz Habib is the founder of Health Upgraded, an online functional medicine and health optimization clinic.

He works with high-performance professionals, athletes, and entrepreneurs who want to experience optimal health, feel the way their bodies were meant to feel, allowing them to have a greater impact and serve more people.

Having gone through his own personal experiences with poor health and weight struggles, Dr. Habib is well-equipped to identify root causes of health imbalances and to implement personalized recommendations to address them naturally.

By activating the vagus nerve, we can optimize our productivity, focus our energy levels, and experience the effects of upgraded health.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• Why Dr. Habib calls your vagus nerve a “thriving nerve,” not a surviving nerve
• The vagus nerve’s central role in your mental health
• The four types of stressors that impact vagus nerve function and your health
• Simple, do-it-yourself steps you can take today to improve your vagal tone

Click here for resources.

Have you ever thought about how your perceptions can significantly influence your body's reaction to food?

Food should be pleasurable, but unfortunately for so many people, it's a source of fear, anxiety and overwhelm.

In our world of influencer marketing and Dr. Google, it’s no wonder we’re more confused than ever about what and how to eat.

The anxiety and confusion that happens when we view food as bad or evil, can lead to beliefs that create poor health perceptions, and even a stress response that can impact the body in more ways than we realize.

In today's episode, I'm talking with Wendy Busse, a registered dietician from Alberta, Canada, and nationally recognized food sensitivity expert.

Wendy has over 25 years of experience in the field of food allergies and sensitivities. Her interest in the mind-body connection and experience in seeing clients in the “gray zone,” who do not fit neatly into any clinical practice guidelines and often fall through the cracks, led her on a journey to develop the food avoidance and sensitivity trap FAST model, and the theory of conditioned food sensitivity.

Currently she is the director of the FAST Freedom Program, a guided self-reflection process that helps food-sensitive clients rebuild body and food trust so they can expand their diet and enjoy the simple pleasure of a good meal.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• The definition of conditioned food sensitivity and common red flags you might be stuck in this cycle
• How mistrust of our bodies can lead to a cascade of symptoms and restrictions
• Why taking research holidays can be key to accepting that there isn’t always an answer
• What you can do to start healing your relationship with food and your body

Click here for resources.

Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability in the world.

2020 CDC statistics estimate that 1 in 54 children in the United States is born with autism spectrum disorder. That's 1 in 37 boys and 1 in 151 girls.

And epidemiological studies estimate a global prevalence of 1 in 132 children!

What is happening to create this disturbing statistic?

And more specifically: how are our genes interacting with our environment that would cause such an exponential rise?

In this week's episode, I've brought back Dr. Judith Bowman MD, co-founder of Mensah Medical, to talk about the underlying causes of this multifactorial condition.

We talk about the role folic acid plays in the in utero environment, gut inflammation, and high oxidative stress, as well as copper's impact on the brain and body.

We also clarify that vaccines are an environmental insult in those who are genetically susceptible.

Dr. Bowman and her colleague, Dr. Albert Mensah, combine traditional medicine with a biochemical approach to treating behavioral and cognitive disorders, autism spectrum disorder, depression, including postpartum depression and women's health anxiety, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other biochemical imbalances.

Dr. Bowman has treated over 30,000 patients using all-natural, non-pharmaceutical targeted nutrient therapy, trains physicians in advanced nutrient therapy techniques, and facilitates outreach clinics all over the United States.

My hope is that this episode will give you a better understanding of how autism impacts us all and how we can reduce, and dare I say, eliminate the occurrence of this disorder.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• The “Bermuda Triangle” of autism – high oxidative stress, undermethylation, and epigenetic insults
• The role severe oxidative stress and genetic predisposition play in the occurrence of autism spectrum disorder
• The effect folic acid has on the in-utero environment and how copper overload impacts the brain
• Why lumping autism and Asperger’s syndrome together is based on a lack of understanding
• Some common misconceptions and myths surrounding autism spectrum disorder

Click here for resources.

Sound nutrition and equal education are the birthrights of every child.

This is the rallying call that today’s guest Dr. Vaishnavi Sarathy bases her life’s work – confronting the false belief that children with disabilities are incompetent.

She rightly believes that when we bring dignity and respect to all children, regardless of their assumed level of intelligence, anything can happen.

For this first episode in National Autism Awareness Month, I am excited to share my conversation with Dr. Sarathy about the assumption of competence placed on children with disabilities.

Are the assumptions we have about children with disabilities impeding their healing process? Are these assumptions blocking access to the support and resources that most of us take for granted?

It's an important question and one that Dr. Sarathy addresses beautifully.

Dr. Sarathy is a chemist turned teacher and functional nutrition practitioner focused on children with disabilities, especially Down syndrome and autism.

She is also the host of Functional Nutrition and Learning for Kids, a weekly podcast about out-of-the-box learning and nutrition ideas for kids with down syndrome and autism.

Her TEDx talk, Who Decides How Smart You Are, has been hailed as mindblowing and eye-opening. Practitioners and parents alike have attributed 180-degree changes in their attitude towards working with kids with Down syndrome and autism to conversations with Dr. Sarathy.

Her perspective is shaped by her 13-year-old son Sid who has Down syndrome and autism, is non-speaking and is slowly carving his space as a poet in the neurodivergent space.

This conversation is a passionate and moving call to action that is not to be missed.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• The history of Assumption of Competence and how it differs from Assumption of Intelligence
• How assumption of competence is an important foundation for children to feel comfortable in their own bodies
• How posturing towards children impacts them more than we know
• The internal stressors children with disabilities deal with every day – stressors that most of us are completely unaware of!
• How reframing care can help parents and practitioners

 Click here for resources. 

Anxiety, anger, and stress are a normal part of the human experience. But if you find yourself unable to tolerate even the smallest amount of stress without feeling lots of anxiety and anger, you may have a little-known stress disorder known as Pyrrole disorder.

Pyrrole disorder (also called Pyroluria) occurs when a biochemical abnormality results in the overproduction of pyrrole molecules. Pyrrole molecules are excreted continuously in the urine and are normal by-products of hemoglobin synthesis and other bodily processes.

For the average healthy person, this is not a problem. However, for someone with Pyrrole disorder, nutrient deficiencies occur because these molecules have an affinity for zinc and vitamin B6, causing them to latch onto and excrete them in the urine before the body can adequately absorb them, leading to severe oxidative stress.

Pyrrole disorder is connected to a plethora of symptoms and disorders such as extreme anger and rage, rapid mood swings, night owl tendencies, high anxiety, depression, morning nausea, alcoholism, and bipolar disorder.

Pyrrole disorder is something I regularly test for in my clinic. It is typically seen in people of all ages and is often genetically inherited in Northern European people groups such as the Irish and Scandinavian populations.

In today’s episode, I take a deep dive with Dr. Judith Bowman of Mensah Medical into what this disorder is and how it may be impacting your mental and physical health as well as myths that could be potentially harmful.

I hope this episode leaves you empowered and educated on this stress intolerant disorder and how focusing on root causes instead of symptoms is how true healing occurs.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• How Pyrrole disorder can be a root cause of alcoholism and addiction
• The connection between stress intolerance and Pyrrole disorder
• The role genetics plays in Northern European people groups
• Why zinc and B6 for important for optimal brain function
• What the differences are between omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids
• The disturbing myth that manganese is required to treat Pyrrole disorder

 Click here to read my article on Pyrrole disorder and get research links.

What if we viewed addiction as a response to something, rather than the common viewpoint that someone is a lost cause and can’t get their life together?

What if we embraced people with compassion and empathy, while also acknowledging that addiction is the result of a combination of genetics, who we are exposed to, trauma, abuse, family dynamics, and biochemistry?

In this week’s episode, I talk all things recovery with Bryan Vasquez, a Certified Addiction Treatment Counselor in Newport Beach, California.

Bryan’s journey to becoming an addiction counselor began with the turmoil surrounding opiate use. Bryan offers concepts from the scientifically supported processes that helped him to realize his own recovery.

These techniques do not impose change, but instead, support change in a manner congruent with each individual's goals and values.

Bryan has worked in all facets of addiction treatment, including psychiatric hospitals, residential and outpatient programs, and private practice. He conducts both group and individual counseling as well as third-party assessments.

He serves as a Smart Recovery Group Facilitator and is versed in traditional as well as holistic modalities for treating addiction in individuals and within the family unit.

I can't wait for you to listen in as we talk about genetics, how we become addicted, why one size fits all programs don't work, the difference between abstinence and moderation, and why kindness and compassion are important components to healing from any addiction.

I loved how Bryan spoke to the importance of treating addiction through the lens of we are all unique, each requiring different treatment options, and that there is no right or wrong way for healing to occur.

As Bryan shared, there is a way out of addiction and it doesn't have to consume you for the rest of your life. There is a way that is unique to you that can lead to sustainable peace and happiness.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• Why the path to recovery is never one size fits all
• How addiction is a result of a combination of genetics, who we are exposed to, family dynamics, trauma, abuse, and biochemistry
• An introduction to the SMART Recovery Program as an alternative to more well known recovery programs
• The difference between abstinence and moderation and how to find a solution that works best for you

Click here for resources.

In honor of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, I am so honored to share my very real and raw conversation about eating disorders with my friend, colleague, and eating disorder survivor Mindy Gorman-Plutzer.

In this episode, Mindy and I share our own experiences with disordered eating and how the path to healing is one that includes deep empathy and a holistic approach that looks at all aspects of a person's health, including gut inflammation, hormonal dysregulation, and early childhood development.

As you'll learn, eating disorders are about a disordered relationship to self, brought on by family dynamics, abuse, and genetically inherited biochemical imbalances.

Mindy brings 25 years of experience to her private practice as a Certified Functional Nutrition and Lifestyle Practitioner and Eating Psychology Coach. Mindy's life experience and training inspired her to create a framework that combines functional nutrition, positive psychology, and mind-body science, introducing a compassionate resolution to physical and emotional challenges resulting from chronic and complex health issues as they relate to eating disorders.

Not only is Mindy a health practitioner but she’s also the author of The Freedom Promise: Seven Steps To Stop Fearing What Food Will Do To You and Start Embracing What It Can Do For You.

If you're currently struggling with disordered eating, please know you are not alone. You are not at fault and healing is always possible. And be sure to go back and listen to episode 20 with my personal physician, Dr. Judith Bowman, on the genetic and biochemical imbalances that cause eating disorders.

 Click here for resources.

For over 25 years I carried around an immense amount of guilt and shame because of my disordered relationship with food and my body.

No matter how hard I tried, I felt like I wasn't strong enough or smart enough to figure out why I had allowed this to take over my life. In my mind, I was a failure and total fraud for pretending everything was fine when in truth, I was in so much pain.

When I understood the "why" I was finally able to give myself a much-needed break, free myself of the guilt and shame, and finally begin the healing process.

In honor of Eating Disorder Awareness, I brought back my personal physician, Dr. Judith Bowman, to talk about the genetic, environmental, and biochemical causes of eating disorders.

Dr. Bowman has treated over 30,000 patients using all natural non-pharmaceutical targeted nutrient therapy. She trains physicians in advanced nutrient therapy techniques and facilitates outreach clinics all over the United States and abroad.

If you're currently struggling with disordered eating (or any addiction), please know you are not alone. You are not at fault and healing is always possible.

Eating disorders can be safely healed with dietary and nutrient therapy, therapies that literally saved my life.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• Genetic conditions that create disordered eating such as undermethylation, zinc and B6 deficiencies, as well Pyrrole disorder
• How folic acid acts as a "double agent" on our DNA
• How these conditions affect neurotransmitter and hormonal development

 Click here for resources.