Millennial Body Image Project

Lopa Van Der Mersch is an Ayurvedic practitioner. Mother of two. Sustainability advocate. TEDx speaker and recovering cult member. Her adventures have taken her around the world in search of health, spiritual fulfillment, and deep energy. Two years ago, she added a new chapter to her life story: Founder and CEO of Rasa, the adaptogenic coffee alternatives revolutionizing people’s relationship to their energy. On today’s episode we’ll be talking about how to manage burnout, the whitewashing of adaptogens, how biohacking trends take us away from our body’s internal wisdom, and the problem with coffee and burnout. 

Thanks to Just Thrive Health for sponsoring today’s episode – use the code DANA to grab 15% off researched-backed gut health supplements at justthrivehealth.com

Exciting announcement – the podcast is evolving and we’re getting some new and fun updates around here! Cristina Hoyt will be joining me as co-host of the podcast, we’re getting a new name, new cover art, all of the new! 

Like me, Cristina is a non-diet clinical nutritionist, but she specializes in working with clients with eating disorders, trauma, anxiety, and with new parents – whereas I specialize in working with clients with GI conditions, Adrenal Fatigue & Hormonal Imbalances, and Binge Eating, so it’ll be fun to bring a new perspective to the table in our interviews with guests. 

What’s not changing? I’m not going anywhere! The podcast will still be releasing weekly episodes and having kickass guests and interviews about no BS, non-diet clinical nutrition, healing your relationship with food, your body and exercise. 

​On the NEW Whole-Hearted Eating™ Podcast (peep the new name!) we’re bringing the real talk (no BS) vibe with tangible tools to get you officially out of the all or nothing mentality, learn to accept your body, and how to untangle nutrition from diet and wellness culture and I know y’all are going to love it. The show will be a mix of solo episodes and interviews with guests with diverse skill sets, who challenge the status quo of diet and wellness culture to work towards a more inclusive, safe environment for all bodies. Together we’ll have conversations that will help you dig deeper to learn to embody Whole-Hearted Eating.

Today we’re discussing:

Lopa’s journey of healing her nervous system, hunger, and relationship with food after leaving a cult and dealing with some serious traumas and health issues. 

Adaptogens – what are they, why have they become so popular in the last few years?

The whitewashing of adaptogens

Biggest myths about adaptogens – many of the herbs commonly labeled as adaptogens actually aren’t!

How biohacking trends take us away from our body’s internal wisdom. 

The SAS – sympatho adrenal system – adrenal-endocrine pathway 

Coffee and the adrenals/nervous system : when you’re feeling burned out, why is regular coffee NOT the best thing for you?

Hang out with Lopa & Rasa!

* Instagram: @wearerasa 

* website: wearerasa.com 

Want more from Dana? 

1×1 Nutrition & Coaching services: Schedule a free 15 minute consult worldwide via video or phone – https://p.bttr.to/3dFylPU

Online courses: breaking free of the diet cyc...

Carrie Eckert is a holistic health coach, a friend of mine from grad school, and the author of the new book Going with my Gut. On today’s episode we’re chatting about neuroplasticity healing for mold and chronic inflammatory response syndrome, the effect of mold on the brain and the immune system, and how to tune in and listen to to your body to aid the healing process. 

Big thanks to Just Thrive Health for sponsoring today’s episode! Grab 15% off researched-backed gut health supplements at justthrivehealth.com with coupon code “DANA”. 

Discussed on today’s episode: 

Carrie’s health journey from dysfunction and dis-ease to recovery

How the illusion of control and perfectionism can contribute to your health challenges 

Mold and CIRS (Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome)

Your brain on mold & neuroinflammation

Listening to your body during the healing process

Hang out with Carrie:

* Instagram @avocado.to.zen

* Website: www.avocadotozen.com

* New book: Going with my Gut – How Intuition Healed by Body and My Life

More from Dana: 

1×1 Nutrition & Coaching services: Schedule a free 15 minute consult worldwide via video or phone – https://p.bttr.to/3dFylPU

Online courses: breaking free of the diet cycle, healing from body image issues, and how to incorporate non-diet nutrition into healing chronic health conditions. Learn more at wholeheartedeating.com

Have a topic you’d love me to cover? email me at [email protected] OR comment on a podcast episode blog post (linked below) with your idea!

If you love the podcast, please subscribe to get all new episodes and write a five-star rating & review on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts – you guys are the beeeest! It really helps the show grow and reach more people. I appreciate you!

Want to support the show and get some freebies / discounts? Here you go!

Just Thrive: 15% off researched-backed gut health supplements at justthrivehealth.com with coupon code “DANA”. 

Clearly Filtered: Grab 20% off with code REALFOODWITHDANA on advanced water filters to support whole-body health here.

Better Help: Real Talk with Dana listeners get 10% off their first month at www.betterhelp.com/dana!

Israel Passwater is a co-owner of Clearly Filtered and today we’re talking about how not all water is created equal – and why clean water for gut health is so important. We talk all the time on this podcast about how food, mindset, stress, exercise affect our health – but we don’t talk as much about environmental factors. A huge one that has a major impact every day on our health and overall wellbeing is water – a factor that is overlooked a lot. On today’s episode we’ll be discussing the importance of finding out what’s in your water locally, the different kinds of contaminants that are commonly found in tap water, how they may be negatively impacting your health, and what you can do about it (without totally freaking out or spending thousands of dollars)!  

Big thanks to this month’s show sponsor – Just thrive! You can get 15% off gut-supportive supplements at justthrivehealth.com with coupon code “DANA”. 

We’re discussing today:

What’s the deal with water? Why is it so important to be talking about this as an essential part to health? 

What are some easy steps people can do in terms of water to start minimizing the toxins they are exposed to every day? 

What’s still in water that typical filters don’t get out?

Is something like a Brita, Pur, or Zero filter good enough to filter out these toxins? How can you find out? 

What’s the deal with chlorine and gut + skin + thyroid health? 

The importance of filtering your shower water, not just drinking water

How can people find out what’s in their local water supply? 

If you’re  interested in trying out a new filter, you can grab 20% off with code REALFOODWITHDANA on advanced water filters at clearlyfiltered.com

More episodes on gut health and water:

65 | Total Body Burden and the impact of environmental toxins + stress on health with Dr. Stephen CabralGut Health, Immune Support & Probiotics Problems with Tina Anderson87 | Prebiotics & Probiotics 101: Your Questions, Answered!Cutting out foods won’t fix your skin issues, and the gut-skin connection with Jennifer Fugo

 

Want more from Dana? 

1×1 Nutrition & Coaching services: Schedule a free 15 minute consult worldwide via video or phone – https://p.bttr.to/3dFylPU

Online courses: breaking free of the diet cycle, healing from body image issues, and how to incorporate non-diet nutrition into healing chronic health conditions. Learn more at wholeheartedeating.com

Join the *free* Non-Diet Community for episode discussion + support and our quarterly free book club!

Want to support the show and get some freebies / discounts? Here you go!

Just Thrive: 15% off researched-backed gut health supplements at

This month we’re going to be digging into all things gut health and healing from the inside out – of course, from a non-diet, neutral nutrition approach. This week we’re starting out by talking about some questions around the most popular gut-supportive nutrients and supplements you’ll hear about, including probiotics, prebiotics, mucosal support and immune gut support. And to talk about this, I invited back Tina Anderson, a co-founder and CEO of Just Thrive Health, which is one of the brands I trust and recommend for my own clients. Tina’s background is really interesting because she used to work in the pharmaceutical industry, and became really frustrated by many of the abuses in the industry – so she switched to working in natural health, disease prevention and health maintenance. Gut health products on the market are EVERYWHERE. Tina and I have talked about before how she knows that most of the probiotics on the market don’t work – so we’re starting off busting some of the top gut health myths and probiotics problems! 

If you do want to try some of the gut health products we’re discussing in today’s episode, you can get 15% off your order at justthrivehealth.com with coupon code “DANA”. 

Discussed on today’s episode: 

The biggest gut health supplement and probiotic myths

How and why most of the probiotics on the market don’t work – and how brands get away with this 

Why “just take a probiotic” isn’t going to fix all your gut issues

Spore based vs. soil based probiotics 

Bacillus Indicus HU36® & science behind it 

Antioxidant-producing probiotics – most bioavailable type of antioxidant 

Myths or misconceptions about probiotics 

Beyond probiotics: the mucosal barrier and why it’s so important to our health. How do you know if you need mucosal support?  

The connection between gut health and immune health – supporting your gut health can help support your immune health. Studies coming out recently that are showing ties between the gut microbiota composition and susceptibility to COVID-19 – shows that our microbiota balance in our gut plays a huge role in our immunity!

Resources mentioned on the show:

* 87 | Prebiotics & Probiotics 101: Your Questions, Answered!

* 91 | Top Probiotic Myths & Behind the Scenes of Big Pharma with Tina Anderson

* COVID-19 & Gut Bacteria Study: Gut microbiota composition reflects disease severity and dysfunctional immune responses in patients with COVID-19 

Want more from Dana? 

1×1 Nutrition & Coaching services: Schedule a free 15 minute consult worldwide via video or phone – https://p.bttr.to/3dFylPU

Online courses: breaking free of the diet cycle, healing from body image issues, and how to incorporate non-diet nutrition into healing chronic health conditions. Learn more at wholeheartedeating.com

Join the *free* Non-Diet Community for episode discussion + support and our quarterly free book club!

Have a topic you’d love me to cover?

Ashley Wray is the founder and CEO of Mala Collective.  The company works with artisans in Asia (from Bali to India to Nepal) to create products supporting a mindfulness and meditation practice. Ashley has taught meditation across North America, taken meditation trainings from LA to NY to India and Bali, and has worked to make meditation and mindfulness more accessible and fun. This whole month of episodes we’ve been talking about the nervous system, stress and burnout – this week we’re talking about some tools you can use to help manage it!

Huge thanks to Better Help for sponsoring today’s podcast. Real Talk with Dana listeners get 10% off their first month at www.betterhelp.com/dana!

Today we’re chatting about: 

The people who need meditation the most are the ones who think they’re too busy or stressed to make time for it – talk about how to ease into a meditation practice 

Perfectionism in mindfulness and meditation 

How comparison distorts our values and what we think we want, or measure as success

How bringing a meditation and mindfulness practice into your life can help with stress management and burnout

The #1 limiting belief most people have and how to start overcoming it

Hang out with Ashley!

Ashley’s Instagram: @ashley__wray 

Mala collective: www.malacollective.com

Free I Am Enough Meditation series: https://www.malacollective.com/pages/i-am-enough-21-day-meditation-series-signup

WANT MORE FROM DANA? 

1×1 Nutrition & Coaching services: Schedule a free 15 minute consult worldwide via video or phone – https://p.bttr.to/3dFylPU

Online courses: breaking free of the diet cycle, healing from body image issues, and how to incorporate non-diet nutrition into healing chronic health conditions. Learn more at wholeheartedeating.com

Join the *free* Non-Diet Community for episode discussion + support and our quarterly free book club!

If you love the podcast, please subscribe to get all new episodes and write a five-star rating & review on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts – you guys are the beeeest! It really helps the show grow and reach more people. I appreciate you!

Want to support the show and get some freebies / discounts? Here you go!

* Better Help: Real Talk with Dana listeners get 10% off their first month at www.betterhelp.com/dana!

* Clearly Filtered: Grab 20% off with code REALFOODWITHDANA on advanced water filters to support whole-body health here.

Britt Reuter is a Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Nutrition Specialist. She uses a whole-body, nutritional and functional medicine approach to help women experiencing hair loss. It’s Britt’s personal experience with chronic inflammation coupled with her formal training in functional medicine that empowers her to help women overcome the symptoms they feel stuck with. On today’s episode we’re chatting about a root cause approach to hair loss and hormone health, stress, and inflammation. 

Huge thanks to Better Help for sponsoring today’s podcast. Real Talk with Dana listeners get 10% off their first month at www.betterhelp.com/dana!

Today we’re chatting about: 

A root cause approach to hair loss – what does that mean?

Surface level symptoms vs. root cause issues for hair loss and hormone health

The trifecta of stress, inflammation, and hair loss

The main root causes of hair loss 

How gut issues can be related to scalp problems and hair loss 

Hormonal issues – what is androgen rebound? 

Hang out with Britt!

Website: www.brittreuter.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/nutritionbritt

Instagram: www.instagram.com/nutritionbritt

WANT MORE FROM DANA? 

1×1 Nutrition & Coaching services: Schedule a free 15 minute consult worldwide via video or phone – https://p.bttr.to/3dFylPU

Online courses: breaking free of the diet cycle, healing from body image issues, and how to incorporate non-diet nutrition into healing chronic health conditions. Learn more at wholeheartedeating.com

Join the *free* Non-Diet Community for episode discussion + support and our quarterly free book club!

If you love the podcast, please subscribe to get all new episodes and write a five-star rating & review on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts – you guys are the beeeest! It really helps the show grow and reach more people. I appreciate you!

Want to support the show and get some freebies / discounts? Here you go!

* Better Help: Real Talk with Dana listeners get 10% off their first month at www.betterhelp.com/dana!

* Clearly Filtered: Grab 20% off with code REALFOODWITHDANA on advanced water filters to support whole-body health here.

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Dr. Jannine Krause is a naturopathic doctor and acupuncturist and today we’re diving into neuroinflammation, the nervous system, and the stress-disease process. Dr. Krause is also a podcast host of The Health Fix, where she is dedicated to empowering people to take charge of their own health.

Huge thanks to Better Help for sponsoring today’s podcast. Real Talk with Dana listeners get 10% off their first month at www.betterhelp.com/dana!

We’re digging into: 

Overview of the nervous system and the fight or flight vs rest and digest nervous system

The signs of stress taking over the body 

The main contributing factors and root causes to stress-related illness and symptoms 

The pathophysiology (disease process) of neuroinflammation and chronic pain 

How the immune system and the nervous system are intricately connected 

The connection between stress, leaky gut, food sensitivities, and “leaky brain” with the blood-brain barrier

How we can start to activate the rest and digest nervous system 

Hang out with Dr. Krause:

* Facebook

* Website: https://doctorjkrausend.com/

* Free Course: How to Manage Stress Naturally! 

* Podcast: the Health Fix

WANT MORE FROM DANA? 

1×1 Nutrition & Coaching services: Schedule a free 15 minute consult worldwide via video or phone – https://p.bttr.to/3dFylPU

Online courses: breaking free of the diet cycle, healing from body image issues, and how to incorporate non-diet nutrition into healing chronic health conditions. Learn more at wholeheartedeating.com

Join the *free* Non-Diet Community for episode discussion + support and our quarterly free book club!

Have a topic you’d love me to cover? email me at [email protected] OR comment on a podcast episode blog post (linked below) with your idea!

LISTEN TO REAL TALK WITH DANA ON ITUNES HERE !

LISTEN ON STITCHER HERE !

CHECK OUT THE SHOW ON SPOTIFY HERE!!

If you love the podcast, please subscribe to get all new episodes and write a five-star rating & review on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts – you guys are the beeeest! It really helps the show grow and reach more people. I appreciate you!

More episodes on stress and the nervous system:

* How to Manage Adrenal Fatigue and Chronic Stress (part 1) with Noelle Tarr

* Nervous system survival mode and how to get back to thriving with Nathan Chilton

* Codependency and the Nervous System, and Managing Stress in a Pandemic with Victoria Albina

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Nathan Chilton is a Chiropractic and Wellness Coach specializing in regulation of the nervous system and the body’s stress response. Today we’re talking about the body’s stress response, and what happens when it becomes overtaxed by physical, mental, and emotional stressors. Nathan believes that people are stuck in nervous system survival mode and is passionate about helping people get from survival mode back to thriving. 

Huge thanks to Better Help for sponsoring today’s podcast. Real Talk with Dana listeners get 10% off their first month at www.betterhelp.com/dana!

Monthly theme: stress and mental health – including adrenal health, burnout, and how to help heal the nervous system.

Today we’re discussing:  

The biggest misconceptions about the chiropractic practice 

The different types of stress that can create physical symptoms coming from the nervous system response

Why people may feel guilty about taking breaks, doing vagal toning or self-care practices

The signs that someone might be stuck in survival mode, and how they can get un-stuck to thriving 

Exercise vs. movement – how movement is a powerful tool for mental health and healing, but not necessarily “exercise” 

Toxic positivity 

Tools to help regulate an overtaxed, burned out nervous system

Hang out with Nathan!

* Learn more about Nathan: http://www.chiltonchiropractic.co.uk/

* Instagram @chiltonchiropractic

Want more from Dana? 

1×1 Nutrition & Coaching services: Schedule a free 15 minute consult worldwide via video or phone – https://p.bttr.to/3dFylPU

Online courses: breaking free of the diet cycle, healing from body image issues, and how to incorporate non-diet nutrition into healing chronic health conditions. Learn more at wholeheartedeating.com

Join the *free* Non-Diet Community for episode discussion + support and our quarterly free book club!

Have a topic you’d love me to cover? email me at [email protected] OR comment on a podcast episode blog post (linked below) with your idea!

LISTEN TO REAL TALK WITH DANA ON ITUNES HERE !

LISTEN ON STITCHER HERE !

CHECK OUT THE SHOW ON SPOTIFY HERE!!

If you love the podcast, please subscribe to get all new episodes and write a five-star rating & review on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts – you guys are the beeeest! It really helps the show grow and reach more people. I appreciate you!

Want to support the show and get some freebies / discounts? Here you go!

* Better Help: Real Talk with Dana listeners get 10% off their first month at www.betterhelp.com/dana!

* Clearly Filtered: Grab 20% off with code REALFOODWITHDANA on advanced water filters to support whole-body health here.

Mindy Gorman-Plutzer is Certified Functional Nutrition and Lifestyle Practitioner and Eating Psychology Coach.  Mindy has created 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. Today we’re digging into disordered eating recovery and nuance in the “all foods fit” mentality.

What we’re focusing on today: 

A functional approach to eating disorder recovery 

What it means to be “doing recovery” vs. being fully recovered 

The pitfalls of conventional eating disorder recovery treatment protocols – symptom management vs. root cause resolution 

The nuances of the “all foods fit” philosophy when you have serious gut imbalances and symptoms as a result of an eating disorder or restrictive eating patterns

The gut-brain connection: how to approach healing when you have a background of disordered eating and eating disorders

Resources from today’s episode:

Mark David – Institute for the Psychology of Eating 

Mindy Gorman-Plutzer – the Freedom Promise

Masterclass: How to say goodbye to your disordered eating for good

Want more from Dana? 

Join the *free* Non-Diet Community for episode discussion + support and our quarterly free book club (next book club starts in February!)! 

1×1 Nutrition & Coaching services: Schedule a free 15 minute consult worldwide via video or phone – https://p.bttr.to/3dFylPU

Online courses: breaking free of the diet cycle, healing from body image issues, and how to incorporate non-diet nutrition into healing chronic health conditions. Learn more at wholeheartedeating.com

This month’s episodes on non-diet, health-promoting behaviors:

The dark side of the wellness industry, and how all-or-nothing thinking prevents long-term health and happiness, with Robyn Conley DownsHealing from the root cause with mindset work, with Lana ShlaferThe Invisible Corset & Issues with the Body Positivity Movement with Lauren Geersten

Have a topic you’d love me to cover? email me at [email protected] OR comment on a podcast episode blog post (linked below) with your idea!

LISTEN TO REAL TALK WITH DANA ON ITUNES HERE !

LISTEN ON STITCHER HERE !

CHECK OUT THE SHOW ON SPOTIFY HERE!!

If you love the podcast, please subscribe to get all new episodes and write a five-star rating & review on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts – you guys are the beeeest! It really helps the show grow and reach more people. I appreciate you!

Lauren Geertsen is a body connection coach and nutrition consultant, and the author of the new book the Invisible Corset:  Break Free from Beauty Culture and Embrace Your Radiant Self. In today’s episode you’ll learn about Lauren’s journey from being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease at age 14, to becoming a nutrition consultant focusing on food as medicine, to transforming to a body connection coach focusing on liberating women from unrealistic beauty standards.

In today’s episode we’re discussing:

Orthorexia and a a fear-based vs. a love-based relationship to food

Subconscious reasons people struggle with food

Psychological gaslighting as it relates to women’s appearance

Some of the issues with the body positivity movement – and why these can often make self-criticism even worse for those who are trying to improve their body image and self-perception

How racism has dominated the history of beauty and appearance culture that still continues today? (disclaimer: we are two white women talking about this, but this isn’t something I felt could be left out of this discussion)

Resources Mentioned:

the Invisible Corset:  Break Free from Beauty Culture and Embrace Your Radiant Self

Lauren’s Website: Empowered Sustenance

Instagram: @body_connection_coach 

Book recommendation: Drinking: a Love Story

More about racism in the beauty industry from BIPOC authors:

The Body is Not an Apology, by Soyna Renee Taylor

Fearing the Black Body: the Racial Origins of Fatphobia, by Sabrina Strings 

 The theme for this month’s podcast episodes and guests is pursuing TRUE health and feeling good without diets or protocols. Want more of these episodes? Check them out below!

Healing from the root cause with mindset work, with Lana ShlaferThe dark side of the wellness industry, and how all-or-nothing thinking prevents long-term health and happiness, with Robyn Conley Downs

Want more from Dana? 

Join the *free* Non-Diet Community for episode discussion + support and our quarterly free book club! 

1×1 Nutrition & Coaching services: Schedule a free 15 minute consult worldwide via video or phone – https://p.bttr.to/3dFylPU

Online courses: breaking free of the diet cycle, healing from body image issues, and how to incorporate non-diet nutrition into healing chronic health conditions. Learn more at wholeheartedeating.com

Have a topic you’d love me to cover? email me at [email protected] OR comment on a podcast episode blog post (linked below) with your idea!

LISTEN TO REAL TALK WITH DANA ON ITUNES HERE !

LISTEN ON STITCHER HERE !

CHECK OUT THE SHOW ON SPOTIFY HERE!!

If you love the podcast, please subscribe to get all new episodes and write a five-star rating & review on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts – you guys are the beeeest! It really helps the show grow and reach more people.