Friends! I cannot wait for you to meet Alana Hess. Alana is magical, truly. I learned so much from her and you will to. For those of you just meeting Alana, she is a plant advocate who started her journey after discovering the medicinal magic within plants. During a series of confusing experiences in the modern medical world, she found a clear truth within nature: that plants are medicine. Alana hopes to share this ancient truth so that we can all remember the nurturing care that’s provided all around us by plants and to restore our innate human connection to nature. 

In this interview, you will learn so much including:

• The role chronic stress plays in our overall health and how plants can help us manage it
• What adaptogens are and the role they play in stress reduction
• How plants, specifically adaptogens, can support your health and improve your quality of life
• What to look for when purchasing adaptogenic supplements and how to use them
• Some of her favorite adaptogens, like ginseng and ashwagandha, and what each does in the body

You can get in touch with Alana on Instagram at @naptownflo or via email at [email protected]. If you're in Indy, you can also find her at local farmers' markets and shops. Visit her site at www.naptownflo.com to learn more.

Ya'll, I'm so excited to introduce you to brain expert Jason McCloskey. Jason is a chiropractic neurologist who specializes in childhood neurodevelopment. He moved into this field because of his deep desire to facilitate healing of complex issues. Jason’s mission is to empower and equip children and their families by expanding their tools with cutting-edge research, nutrition, and neuro-immunological rehabilitation modalities. Jason’s experience with the human form is extensive, having secured a degree in sports medicine, post-graduate certifications in strength and conditioning, as well as advanced graduate work in the field of sports injury management. Jason graduated from Chiropractic school in 2017 and earned his post-doctorate fellowship in the International Board of Functional Neurology through courses in Childhood Developmental Learning Disabilities and Behavioral Disorders taught by Brain Balance's founder, Dr. Robert Melillo.

You'll want to tune into this episode because you'll learn:

• What inflammation actually is and what it does in the body
• How the brain and gut communicate to one another and why this communication matters
• The impact stress has our bodies and brains and what to do about it
• How to reverse neurological damage and prevent it from happening in the future
• Why food choices impact our mood, energy, and thought patterns 

You can connect with Jason by calling or visiting the Brain Balance Center of Greenwood or by emailing him at [email protected].

Friends! I could not be more excited to introduce you to fitness veteran Mark Morgan. Mark has over 20 years of experience in the fitness space and has the certifications and titles to prove it. He is the owner of Fit, Flex, Fly - a killer gym in Indianapolis - and is also a conditioning coach, personal trainer, TRX suspension training expert, and Power Plate I and II certified trainer. Mark specializes in developing holistic training approaches, which promote lifestyle changes for permanent results in weight loss, athletic performance, strength, dynamic flexibility, balance, proprioception, and whole-body functional strength and power.

Tune into this episode if you want to learn:

-Why you can't manage what you don't measure

-Why Body Mass Index (BMI) is an antiquated metrics and the tool he prefers

-How improving your health affects can everything you do in and out of office

-What functional fitness is and the movement towards it (pun intended)

-Where he thinks the fitness industry is going and why he's excited about it

You can connect with Mark through his gym Fit, Flex, Fly (also known as F3) online at www.fitflexfly.com or on IG at @fitflexfly.

On this episode, I sit down with Michael Huber, CEO of the Indy Chamber of Commerce, to discuss the role health has played in up-leveling his productivity and outlook on life. Michael is a passionate father, musician, and working professional. Juggling all three has been a challenge in the past so he discusses how his health journey has helped him focus on what’s TRULY important in his life. We discuss:

• How food and drink choices affected his sleep, productivity, fitness, and overall health
• The importance of being fully present in the moment
• Why a routine actually FREES your time instead of filling it
• The benefits of sticking to your routine (even on those days when you don’t want to!)

Michael didn’t start his health journey until the age of 40; so, it’s not too late for you, either, friends! To get in touch with Michael, you can find all his contact information at www.indychamber.com.

I am so excited to introduce you to Missy Bunch and Ryan Steenrod. This is truly one amazing  couple, friends. I learned so much in this episode and you will too as these two mobility experts breakdown what to do to stay mobile, how to handle aches and pains, and what movements you can do to release tension and stiffness at the workplace. They also give us training on how to work our shoulders and hips to reduce pain and provide mindset tips to help you "stick with it" this time.

Basically, Missy and Ryan are pretty freakin' great. So, tune in and learn: 

• Why mobility matters and what you can do to improve your mobility right now
• How important it is to ask for help when you’re in pain
• What tech neck is and the simple fix to breaking that habit and elongating your neck
• The most common desk stressors and how to adjust for them at the office
• How to sit, stand, and walk correctly (because, apparently, I’ve been doing it wrong)

To learn more about Missy and Ryan, visit http://deathofthedesk.com/. You can also follow them on IG for real time mobility tips at @missybunch15 and @ryansteenrod. And p.s. they are gifting listeners 25% off Death of the Desk membership. Use the code FULLPLATE to get in on that deal. 

Friends - You are in for a treat today as I am talking with Dan Mendilow. Dan is a speaker, author, Evolved Empowerment Coach, and CEO of the Breakthrough Mastery Academy. Like many coaches, Dan was first client. He struggled with major depression for the first 28 years of his life, but, through powerful transformational techniques, he replaced his depression with lasting genuine happiness, created a thriving 6-figure business within 6 months, and, today, leads a fulfilling, abundant life that he now devotes to helping others do the same.

As you can imagine, we had a phenomenal conversation and talked in-depth about how mindset and health affect one another. So, tune in to learn: 

• How your unconscious mind affects everything from how you brush our teeth to whether or not you go to the gym in the morning 

• When the best time to deal with the issues holding you back from taking steps forward

• Why the way you do one thing is actually the way you do everything

• How our thoughts create the reality in which you live

Check out Dan Mendilow at www.danmendilow.com or on Instagram @danmendilow. You can also check him on his podcast Mind Mastery, available on iTunes and anywhere you listen to podcasts.  

On this episode, I’m talking with WNBA All-Star Katie Douglas and, man, is it good one. Over the course of her 14-year basketball career, Katie did a lot. She helped the Indiana Fever win their first WBNA Championship in 2012, took multiple teams to the WBNA Finals on multiple occasions (2004, 2005, 2008, 2012), and juggled an international career playing in Greece, Spain, Turkey, Lithuania, Russia during the WNBA off-season. After leaving the WNBA, Katie returned to her hometown of Greenwood, Indiana, where she opened her first Orangetheory Fitness studio. She recently opened a new location in downtown Indianapolis and is excited to be helping her fellow Hoosiers improve their health.

In this episode of The Full Plate, Kate explains:

• Her journey from “little Katie” from Greenwood Indiana to WNBA All-Star
• How food impacted her body and performance and why she views food as fuel
• What the transition looked like from WNBA star to Orange Theory Fitness franchise owner
• How she got involved with Orange Theory Fitness and why she loves it so much
• Why she is so passionate about health and wellness and the one question she wants people to ask themselves

Katie Douglas

WNBA All-Star

You can find Katie hanging at OrangeTheory Fitness Greenwood or OrangeTheory Fitness Downtown Indianapolis. You can follow both locations on Instagram at their handles @otfgreenwood and @otfdowntownindy.

Friends - I am so excited to introduce you to Beth Blessing, nutritionist and co-founder of Green Bean Delivery. Beth is an amazing mother of three who loves supporting family farms and searching for unique, artisanal products. Her goal is to help others eat better and live a more natural, holistic life through healthy recipes and practical tips.

Beth definitely delivers on that goal in this podcast episode. So, tune in to learn:

-How Beth and her husband discovered sustainable farming, and why they created Green Bean Delivery, a locally-sourced, organic and natural grocery delivery service

-Why fat promotes good health and what you need to be on the look out for when sourcing oils, lards, and animal by-products

-The right way to cook with fat, i.e. which fat to use at which temperature for the best flavor

-What fermented foods are, the benefits of them, how to get started with fermented foods, and top sources for your every day diet

-The one thing Beth thinks people should do to improve their health today (trust me, it's a good one)

You can find Beth on Facebook at Organic Beth. You can also find her on the Green Bean Delivery Blog. And as a gift to podcast listeners,  Beth is offering 20% off your first 3 orders with the code “TheFullPlate”.

Friends, I'm so excited to introduce you to Sonja Overhiser. Sonja is a fellow Hoosier and also an author, recipe developer, podcast host, and healthy and sustainable food advocate. She, along with her husband, Alex, are the cooks behind A Couple Cooks, a collection of whole foods recipes and inspiration for healthy and sustainable eating. While Sonja is a boss in the kitchen now - it wasn't always like this. She has spent the past 10+ years learning how to cook and shares with us how she got from novice cook to cookbook author and how you can make waves in your own kitchen.

In this episode, you will learn how to:

• Overcome your fears in the kitchen and create meals you love to eat and share
• Build your pantry and fridge organically (no pun intended) and economically
• Enjoy the process of cooking and celebrate what it does for your body, mind, and soul 
• Pace yourself in the kitchen to avoid burnout and cooking fatigue
• Eat healthy when you can't cook, particularly when on the road for work or pleasure

Check out Sonja at her and her husband's website: www.acouplecooks.com and on Facebook and Instagram as A Couple Cooks. You can also stop by Amazon or wherever books are sold to check out her new cookbook, Pretty Simple Cooking.

Friend - Buckle up because Kevin Carr is about to answer so many of your exercise questions on this episode. That's because Kevin is a total movement guru. He is the co-owner of Movement as Medicine and is a certified functional strength coach, certified strength and conditioning specialist, and licensed massage therapist. Kevin has amassed a wealth of experience in the field of sports performance and personal training and works with everyone from US Olympians looking for a competitive edge to the Average Joe looking to shed some pounds and get healthier. He has helped countless clients move better and live better and, now, he's going to help us. So, tune in because this interview rocks. 

In this week’s episode, we cover: 

• Exercise and nutrition concerns shared by both the professional athlete and the Average Joe
• What to eat pre- and post-work out to maximize your movement
• How exercise impacts your brain health and improves your quality of life
• The best movements to increase brain functioning and up weight loss
• What workouts he does when traveling and why consistency always trumps intensity

Kevin references the following books: Smart Moves: Why Learning Is Not All in Your Head, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, and Go Wild: Free Your Body and Mind from the Afflictions of Civilization. You can follow Kevin on Instagram at @kev_in_carr or visit him at www.movement-as-medicine.com.