Sparking Wholeness

Inflammation is a word getting a lot of attention lately, and for good reason. Many health experts consider it a major cause for chronic illness.

Dr. Mark Sherwood is an ex-professional baseball player and 24-year retired veteran of the Tulsa Police Department who now is a Naturopathic Doctor on a mission to help others achieve wellness. He and his wife, Dr. Michele L. Neil-Sherwood, have a successful medical practice, the Functional Medical Institute, along with a number of books and a television and radio program.

Key Topics:

- What is inflammation?

- The difference between acute and chronic inflammation

- Foods that drive inflammation

- Foods that reduce inflammation

- The gut connection to inflammation

- The impact of inflammation on mental health

- How inflammation impacts the immune system and resistance to Covid-19

Learn more about Dr. Mark and his practice at fmidr.com

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As mental health issues in teens continue to rise, increased substance abuse can be a side effect.

Richard Capriola spent 11 years working as an addictions counselor for Menninger Clinic, one of the top ten psychiatric hospitals in the US, before retiring in 2019. During his tenure there he worked in the Adolescent Treatment program and the adult Comprehensive Psychiatric Assessment and Stabilization program. His book, The Addicted Child, along with the workbook, is available now.

In this episode we dive into the root of the addicted child, discuss how adolescent addiction differs from adult addiction, the causes of addiction, the difference between process addiction and chemical addiction, how to help your child, and how to foster an environment of understanding.

Learn more about Richard at helptheaddictedchild.com

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Can your diet impact your sex life? The answer is yes! It involves the same function that keeps your heart and brain healthy - blood flow.

For this special Valentine’s episode, I welcome Leslie Bumpas back to the show. Leslie is a certified Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner whose passion is helping women thrive in all ages and stages.

In this episode, Leslie shares all the tips and tools to redeem romance in your life - using nutrients in food!

Key Topics:

- Superfoods every woman should include to increase bloodflow and act as an aphrodisiac

- Men's health topics: foods to boost testosterone, decrease erectile dysfunction, and support blood flow

- The vitamin D/testosterone connection

- Herbs that improve libido in women

- What spinach does for your sex drive

- Improving female health through nutrients

- The real truth behind "an apple a day"

- What to avoid and look for with hormonal imbalances

Learn more about Leslie and her approach to health at redeemingwellness.com

There are so many tools to mental WEALTH! In this packed episode, we cover the importance of mindfulness and meditation, why they help, and how to incorporate them into our daily lives.

Colleen Long is President of Adventum Mental Health Network in East Texas.  She is a Registered 200 hour Yoga Teacher, Master Reiki Practitioner, and creator of all things Adventum.

Key topics:

- Colleen’s mental health story and how meditation and mindfulness played a role in her healing

- How the Adventum Mental Health Network was started

- How to have a daily practice of meditation

- Different examples of meditation and breathing exercises

- Tuning into your body and losing judgment toward yourself

- A brief intro into reiki and energy healing and why it’s not as “woo woo” as you may think

Learn more about Adventum at adventumnetwork.org or find Adventum on Instagram @adventumnetwork

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Get $100 off your first month of therapy with Talkspace at talkspace.com with the code sparkingwholeness.

Children's mental health issues continue to rise, and now one of every four children will be diagnosed with a chronic condition by the time they are eight years old.

How can we support the health of our children through nutrition?

Reed Davis, Founder of Functional Diagnostic Nutrition, joins the podcast once again to offer his expertise after decades of helping thousands of clients get to the root of their health issues.

Key Topics:

- Why kids today experience so many health concerns

- A deeper dive into the root of ADHD

- How food affects mental health and behavior

- The role of food sensitivities and kids' health

- Sugar addiction in children

- Nutritional support that heals

- The function of a child's nervous system and how screen time disrupts it

- Environmental chemicals and toxins that negatively impact health.

To learn more about the program at Functional Diagnostic Nutrition and become your own health detective, go to fdn.today/kerry

Don't forget to grab your free cup of delicious, plant-based yogurt from Forager Project at foragerproject.com/cultivatehealth

The blood sugar conversation is more important than ever. We have to understand how to manage our blood sugar before it starts managing us. Like most “common” health concerns, it shouldn’t have to be normal to have blood sugar that is on a continual roller coaster.

Kris DeFoer is a Nutritional Therapist and owner of Happy Body Health. She is passionate about helping women optimize their nutrition and lifestyles to look and feel their best. She believes that healthy digestion and blood sugar regulation are critical to good health and that a healthy diet and lifestyle can address many of the chronic issues that people deal with today.

This discussion with Kris breaks down why we want to fuel our bodies with food that helps to stabilize our blood sugar, and keep our brain and immune systems strong!

Key Topics:

- What blood sugar is and why we should care about it

- The difference between hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia

- Kris’ history with dieting and finding a way to regulate her blood sugar naturally

- How many meals a day should I actually eat?

- The stress and blood sugar connection

- What to eat to support a healthy insulin response

- How to eat enough nutrients

- How to support a healthy immune system through food

- The key to salad-building (and a listener challenge)

Learn more about Kris and sign up for her informative emails at happybodyhealth.net

Thomas Thompson has led churches in Oklahoma, Texas, and Colorado for over 25 years.  He now works with a coaching ministry, Lead Self Lead Others, as well as a city focused non-profit, COSILoveYou.

In this episode, Thomas shares practical ways for us to cancel out the noise and live with an intentional focus in the new year.

Key Topics:

- The way that 2020 exposed us all

- How increasing connection with others may not be a good thing

- Why harnessing our focus and being intentional is important

- How to prioritize the information we receive

- Dealing with overwhelm, anxiety, and worry

- Daily rhythms to implement

- Why we need to train our brains to direct focus

- How to ask ourselves the right questions and practical tools

Learn more about Thomas and his work at leadselfleadothers.com/thomas-thompson/

In this episode we dig into all things related to building a healthy brain, in order to create stable moods and minimize risk of cognitive decline.

Cathy Williams studied naturopathy and nutrition straight out of high school, and she has worked in the health industry in various ways. Now she coaches clients on how to implement healthy habits that last in order to prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Key Topics:

- Risk factors for cognitive decline

- Nutrients necessary for brain health

- Easy ways to create brain-nourishing meals

- Why our brains need us to build habits

- How can we change our habits and start newer, healthier ones?

- More tools for a healthy brain

For more information on brain health and beyond, follow Cathy on Instagram at @cathywilliamshealth and visit her website: cathywilliams.co.uk

He is a pioneer of research on the gut-brain connection and had a moral obligation to his patients. Because of it, he lost everything. Now, Andy Wakefield is an award-winning filmmaker with three thought-provoking films highlighting disparities in medical treatment for the medically injured and marginalized.

In this fascinating conversation, we cover these key topics:

- The gut-brain connection in autism

- How the film “Who Killed Alex Spourdalakis” is the first film in American history to become instrumental in commuting a murder sentence.

- How Vaxxed revealed a research coverup that impacted male children, specifically with African American males

- The problem with vaccine hesitancy vs vaccine failure

- The effect of antibiotics and glyphosate on the gut

- How The Act in 1986 changed everything for the medically injured, and the new film that highlights the history

- The importance of medical freedom and being your own health advocate

- The role of biological maternal instinct and intuition

To access the research and documents mentioned, go to 7thchakrafilms.com

Use the code GIFTOFTRUTH to receive 30% off all three of the films discussed in this episode at:

https://7thchakrafilms.com/7th-chakra-store/triple-combo-dvd-download-detail

The holiday season can often trigger painful memories and feelings. This year brings an unusual set of circumstances.

Michael Sweeney is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Dallas, Texas and works often with people who are processing grief.

In this episode, Michael breaks down the topic of grief, how grief may not take the form we expect, and ways to process and manage our grief that are helpful to us.

Learn more about Michael and his practice at magnoliacounselinggroup.com