The Body Wisdom Podcast

Parents are asking a fair question: is what's on the school tray really food? In this episode of the Nutritional Therapy and Wellness Podcast, host Jamie Belz and guest Shari Gilford, NTP (Full Table Nutrition) open the lunchbox and get practical about raising healthier kids—at school and at home.

The conversation swings from frustrations to solutions. Listeners will hear why many "kids' foods" are hyper-processed, hyper-palatable, and nutrient-void—and how families can pivot to real, brain-fueling meals without perfectionism or overwhelm.

Shari Gilford is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner who helps children and families build nutrition habits for lifelong health. Through Full Table Nutrition, she educates and inspires families to enjoy fresh, whole foods and be nourished for life. Diagnosed with hereditary kidney disease at age 11, she understands how poor health can disrupt childhood—and why preventing obesity and type 2 diabetes (a leading cause of kidney disease) matters. Her mission is to help transform the health of an entire generation.

In this episode, expect:

• Clear, compassionate guidance on sugar, dyes, and ultra-processed "food-like products," including why kids average ~17 teaspoons of added sugar/day, how that relates to focus, mood, and classroom behavior, and why protein-first breakfasts change the school day.

• Practical lunchbox wins: muffin frittatas; meatball "muffins"; leftover taco meat with crunchy chips; tuna or salmon salad for omega-3 brain power; beef sticks; hard-boiled eggs; colorful produce that packs and keeps.

• Picky-eater strategies that actually work: involve kids in choosing veggies (beet or grated carrot salads, jicama "dippers"), taste-training away from constant sweetness, and fun "compare & prepare" nights to find favorite veggie textures.

• Smart swaps & step-downs: the sugar-cube visual (4 g = 1 cube), gradual transitions from sweetened to unsweetened peanut butter and yogurt, and moving from juice to whole fruit.

• A simple at-home experiment kids love: three days of protein-strong breakfasts vs. one high-sugar morning—then track energy, mood, focus, and "battery level."

• Parent empowerment: how to teach kids the "why," build a two-week rotation of packable meals, and make real food doable on busy school mornings.

This conversation is hopeful and hands-on—less about guilt, more about doing the next right thing with real food that steadies minds, builds bodies, and sets kids up to thrive.

Resources & Related Episodes:

• Episode 35: Childhood Obesity

• Shari's Web Page For Recipe Book Recommendations

• Shari's Book Recommendation: Getting to Yum: The 7 Secrets of Raising Eager Eaters by Karen Le Billon

When looking for quality recipes, I always check to see if they use whole, nutrient-dense, properly prepared foods: quality proteins (grass-fed meats, pastured eggs, wild-caught fish), traditional fats (butter, coconut oil, olive oil, tallow), and a colorful variety of vegetables, with limited natural sweeteners and no refined/processed ingredients. Be sure to cook with saturated fats and add the olive oil later!

NOTE: To date, NTA/Jamie are neither affiliated nor receiving compensation of any kind for this or any other product or service featured on The Nutritional Therapy and Wellness Podcast. We simply love connecting good people with other goodness.

FROM SHARI:

Enrollment is now open for Super Fuel for Super Kids, Shari's online nutrition course for kids ages 5 to 11! This action-packed learning experience for the entire family is filled with interactive activities, experiments, recipes, and challenges. Your kids will learn 12 Super Fuel Habits and earn points to receive prizes. Registration closes on September 27th to allow time for the Super Fuel Action Package (extra goodies to make the course even more fun) to travel to your mailbox before the six-week course goes live on October 7th . CLICK HERE to register!

Please remember to hit SUBSCRIBE and leave us reviews! Also, connect with us in the comments section on Spotify!

You'll often hear host Jamie Belz, FNTP, MHC say that the Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP) program changed her life. In this fun, personal, and insightful roundtable episode of the Nutritional Therapy and Wellness Podcast, Jamie sits down with three current NTP students to share how the program is already transforming their health, their families, and their futures.

Just over three months into their studies with the Nutritional Therapy Association (NTA), these students are proving how powerful it is to learn the Foundations of Health—digestion, nutrient-dense diet, blood sugar regulation, sleep, stress, movement, and hydration. No band-aid fixes here—this is about getting to the root cause of health and disease, and honoring the truth of bio-individuality: there is no one-size-fits-all approach to wellness.

Discover how nutrition and lifestyle foundations are changing lives in real time:

• Michlind shares her passion for filling the nutrition gap in youth who have aged out of foster care, parents reuniting with their children, and anti-human-trafficking recovery programs.
• Katie, a culinary pro living with Crohn's disease, explains how bio-individual nutrition transformed her gut health and daily life.
• Alyson opens up about her journey from residential eating disorder treatment to vibrant health through nutrient-dense, whole foods and the power of bio-individuality.

Together, they open up about:

• The sleep stages and circadian rhythm hacks that blew their minds.
• Why digestion truly is the cornerstone of health—and how even chewing changes everything.
• The myths of the low-fat movement, the truth about fats and gallbladder health, and how diet culture has failed us.
• Simple, practical wins you can try today—like apple cider vinegar before meals, soaking and sprouting grains, or turning off screens before bed.
• What it really means to be your own health advocate when mainstream solutions fall flat.

This episode is packed with nutrition tips, digestion insights, and inspiring stories of transformation. If you've ever thought, "It's all too much—where do I start?" this conversation will offer a variety of starting points as well as some of the science backing the foundational teachings of the NTA.

Tune in, laugh with us, and get inspired by the next generation of Nutritional Therapy Practitioners who are already changing the world with the truth that food really is medicine and while "UNhealth" might be normal, it's certainly not the only way to go.

INTERESTED IN THE NTP PROGRAM? Click HERE to schedule a call with an Academic Advisor by Friday to jump in with the September 2025 cohort.

Please be sure to click SUBSCRIBE and give us a five-star review. Connect with us in the comments on Spotify!

Life is short, distraction is deadly, and the average human only gets about 4,000 weeks on earth. In this episode of the Nutritional Therapy and Wellness Podcast, we wrap up our four-part Distraction Detox series. Host Jamie Belz shares what she has learned while studying the subject of intentionality and how to live better. She draws interesting parallels from brilliant minds throughout thousands of years of recorded history, such as Plato, Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, C.S. Lewis, Billy Graham, and modern voices like John Maxwell, Jim Rohn, and David Goggins—alongside her own story of cutting distractions, reclaiming time, and living with discipline.

You'll hear how centuries of philosophers, faith leaders, and motivational giants all echo the same truths. You'll learn what they said about meaning coming from living with focus, boundaries, and urgency, to practical steps for reclaiming your health, energy, and relationships. This episode is your call to action.

If you've been feeling "dizzy busy and dying inside," this Distraction Detox finale will show you how to stop numbing, start living, and say yes to what truly matters - - - so you can live immediately.

Check out these complimentary episodes to help you get where you want to be!

->>> Episode 31: Cold Turkey: From Overwhelmed to Unstoppable Ditch the "I'll start tomorrow" mindset and embrace radical action instead—break free and build momentum today.

->>> Episode 4: Bio‑Individuality: A Freedom You've Never Known

Free yourself from one-size-fits-all wellness and conduct a personal health inventory.

If you've missed the prior episodes in this series, catch up now:

Episode 51: Death by Distraction – Rewire Your Rhythms, Restore Your Health Episode 52: The Hidden Health Cost of Distraction (and How to Fight Back) Episode 55: Distraction Detox - Dizzy-Busy and Dying Inside

Episode 56: Distraction Detox: Cluttered Spaces, Cluttered Brains

Episode 57: Distraction Detox - THE MONSTER! THIS ONE!!

Visit the Nutritional Therapy Association online!

Leave us 5-Star Reviews! Comment and chat with us on Spotify!

Thanks for listening!

What if being "so busy" is why you're carrying stubborn low belly fat that just won't budge—no matter how clean you eat or how much you move? Let's talk about "The Monster" of all distractions!

We live in an age of endless input: podcasts, social media, news updates, YouTube rabbit holes — even "healthy" content can become unhealthy when it overwhelms the nervous system and keeps us in perpetual consumption mode with constant micro-stressors. In this third episode of the four-part Distraction Detox series, Jamie Belz unpacks the science of content overload, how dopamine-driven input loops sabotage focus, and why consuming too much information is quietly destroying your energy and your health. With insights from neuroscience, the Foundations of Health, and practical workshop steps.

We'll talk about why your mind feels scattered, why your body feels stuck in survival mode, and why your health foundations—digestion, blood sugar, sleep, stress, and movement—can't fully reset when you're drowning in constant input.

This isn't about doing more. It's about recognizing what's stealing your focus and sabotaging your biology. And most importantly—it's about learning how to reclaim your attention so you can think clearly, rest deeply, and finally see your body respond the way you want it to.

If you've been feeling "dizzy busy" and like you're slowly fading under the weight of too much noise, this episode will be your first step toward breathing again.

___________________

After listening, come back for these "pick your own adventure" action steps:

Tech-Free Meal — Make at least one meal per day phone-free and TV-free. Notice the difference in digestion, conversation, and presence.

Screen-Free Morning Start — No screens for the first 30–60 minutes after waking. Replace with stretching, prayer, journaling, or simply being quiet with your coffee.

Sleep Reset — Turn off all screens at least one hour before bed and replace with reading, light stretching, or talking with someone in your house.

Digital Sabbath — Pick one half-day (or full day if brave!) this week where you intentionally go without TV, social media, or streaming.

Prune the Feed — Unfollow, unsubscribe, or mute 10 accounts, channels, or subscriptions that don't serve your health, peace, or purpose.

Notification Audit — Turn off all non-essential notifications for the week. No more Pavlovian dings pulling at your nervous system.

Replacement Habit — Every time you feel the urge to scroll, swap it with one Foundation of Health-aligned action: drink water, walk outside, deep breathe, or prep a healthy snack.

Family Challenge — Try one screen-free family activity this week: board games, a walk, cooking together, or even sitting in the living room without the TV.

Digital Curfew — Set a hard stop each night where the phone goes on the charger in another room. Give your nervous system permission to downshift.

Track the Scroll — Keep a small notebook or notes app log this week. Every time you catch yourself scrolling mindlessly, jot down time + feeling. Awareness is the first step to reclaiming energy.

*NOTE: We are NOT trying to drive you to more screens, but these are the comedy bits Jamie mentioned - - - because sometimes, laughter IS the best medicine. :-)

Nate Bargatze - SNL - George Washington's Dream

Nate Bargatze - SNL - George Washington's Dream 2

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Visit www.NutritionalTherapy.com

Are distractions silently running your life? Maybe you're too busy to notice they are!

In Part 2 of the four-part Distraction Detox workshop series, Nutritional Therapy and Wellness Podcast host, Jamie Belz, takes you beyond awareness into action—showing how your physical space and digital environment directly shape your focus, stress, energy, and - most importantly - your health.

Last week we tracked our biggest "time leaks." This week, Jamie shares her own discoveries—how constant family interruptions, endless email and Slack checks, and online shopping spirals were draining her focus and fueling stress. With humor and honesty, she unpacks how clutter—whether in your kitchen, car, or inbox—isn't just about aesthetics or productivity. Research shows disorganized environments trigger higher cortisol, unstable blood sugar, poor sleep, digestive issues, slower healing, and overall - poorer health outcomes.

You'll learn:

• Why environment is the "invisible hand" that shapes your daily habits (James Clear, Atomic Habits).
• How over-analysis paralysis keeps us stuck—and how Jamie used her "backpack boundary" strategy as an effective tool to reclaim time and sanity.
• The surprising ways visual clutter, digital chaos, and constant notifications keep your brain in survival mode - driving cortisol with each micro-stressor thing and ping.
• How your surroundings influence the Foundations of Health—digestion, blood sugar regulation, nutrient-dense diet, sleep, stress, and movement.

If you've been feeling stuck, scattered, or stressed, this episode will help you take the first step in the direction of unstuck, un-scattered, and de-stressed—equipping you with a simple but powerful framework to start turning your environment into an ally instead of an enemy.

And yes, there's a brand-new Distraction Detox challenge waiting for you at the end of this episode—one that will help you reclaim calm, restore focus, and set the stage for deeper transformation in the weeks ahead.

This episode can stand alone, but if you haven't listened to the prior, complimentary episodes, go back to:

Episode 55: Distraction Detox 1 of 4 - Dizzy-Busy and Dying Inside

Episode 52: The Hidden Health Cost of Distraction (and How to Fight Back) - The deep dive on health impact episode.

Episode 51: Death by Distraction - Rewire Your Rhythms, Restore Your Health - With Jacob Spehar—licensed mental health and addiction counselor and founder of Courageous Way Counseling

Please subscribe and give us 5-star reviews!

If you're following along on Spotify - leave comments! Let us know how you're doing with YOUR Distraction Detox action steps. What have you learned? What has worked well? What might help someone else? - We love hearing from you!

Back in Episode 52, we dug deep into what distraction does to the body—how it hijacks your nervous system, wrecks digestion, disrupts sleep, and drives chronic stress. This week, we're moving beyond the problem and into the start of the solution.

In this heartfelt opening to the four-part Distraction Detox series, Jamie Belz gets real about life in "dizzy-busy" mode—running on someone else's schedule, juggling endless obligations, and watching joy and energy slip away. From stress hormones bullying your body's systems to nutrient deficiencies, late nights, and skipped movement, you'll learn exactly how busyness erodes your Foundations of Health: digestion, blood sugar regulation, nutrient-dense diet, sleep, stress, and movement.

This isn't just theory—Jamie is in the middle of this reset right alongside you. Together, you'll start with two action steps for this week that will set the stage for resetting your priorities and presence, and reclaim your energy, focus, joy, and overall health.

Next week, we'll move into Part 2: Clearing Your Environment—turning your physical space into an ally, not a combat zone.

If you're ready to break free from "dizzy-busy" living and start experiencing clarity, vitality, and presence again, grab a notebook and let's get to work—together.

This episode is a great one to share with friends! Please send it to a few people who need to slow down a bit and remove some distractions.

Learn more about the Nutritional Therapy Association at: www.nutritionaltherapy.com

What happens when a 16-year-old boy runs away from chemotherapy—and survives?

In this gripping episode of the Nutritional Therapy and Wellness Podcast, Jamie Belz sits down with Billy Best, the teen who became a national sensation in 1994 when he fled conventional cancer treatment in search of something different. Diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, Billy rejected chemotherapy after watching it ravage his aunt's health and instead placed his trust in faith, intuition, and the wisdom of thousands of everyday people who reached out to introduce him to a whole new world of natural healing.

Billy's story is more than a medical anomaly—it's a powerful testimony of medical freedom, holistic healing, and the suppressed potential of natural medicine. His healing protocol included nutritional therapy, Essiac tea, and 714X lymphatic injections, along with a radical mindset shift, spiritual surrender, and a deep belief in the body's ability to heal. Within months, his cancer was gone.

Billy didn't just survive. He healed. And in the early days of his recovery, he believed—with everything in him—that his story would change the world. That people would wake up. That natural medicine would finally be heard. That the truth would matter.

But it didn't.

Instead, Billy faced the crushing reality of censorship, media manipulation, and corporate control. His miraculous outcome wasn't celebrated—it was buried. Stories were pulled at the last minute. Reporters were silenced. And the very system that claims to be searching for a cure wanted nothing to do with the one he'd found.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• The viral true story behind Billy Best's escape from chemotherapy
• What 714X is, how it works, and why it's banned in the U.S.
• How bio-individuality, nutrition, and mindset played key roles in his healing
• The power of belief, faith, and spirituality in the healing process
• Why Billy believed he'd found the cure for cancer—and what happened when no one wanted it
• The disturbing link between pharma-funded media, cancer fundraising, and censorship
• Insight into Codex Alimentarius, glyphosate, GMOs, and the global food agenda
• Why we must reclaim health freedom and medical sovereignty now more than ever

Billy also speaks candidly about the emotional aftermath—how addiction, trauma, and grief shaped the decades following his recovery—and why he's still fighting, 30 years later, to help others awaken, question, and heal.

This is more than a survival story. It's a raw, unflinching testimony of what happens when someone dares to trust their gut, break the rules, and walk a path no one else will. And it's a heartbreaking reminder that sometimes, even when you've found the truth, the world just isn't ready for it.

Whether you're a practitioner, cancer survivor, or someone seeking health freedom, this conversation is a must-listen.

Resources Mentioned:

• The Nutritional Therapy Association: ⁠https://www.nutritionaltherapy.com⁠
• The Nutritional Therapy and Wellness Podcast Episode with Scott Tips: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/episode/4EkpRYFCciDdwZ1A1gIhf7?si=1334c0b3b24e4440⁠
• Make a donation to The National Health Federation to help support health freedom: ⁠https://thenhf.com/make-a-donation/⁠
• Learn more about CODEX: ⁠https://thenhf.com/codex/⁠
• Checkout Billy's First Book: ⁠https://www.amazon.com/Billy-Best-Story-Alternative-Medicine/dp/1937920283/ref=asc_df_1937920283?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80401987005810&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=87545&hvtargid=pla-4584001450967570&psc=1&msclkid=5682c8a9fc9d13ffd119a038cedf016a⁠
• ⁠The Billy Best Story⁠ (aka the Pasadena Speech)

If this episode inspired you, please subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share it with someone who needs to hear this. Follow us on Spotify and help us keep the conversation going about truth, healing, and health freedom.

In this empowering, fascinating, and fun episode of the Nutritional Therapy and Wellness Podcast, host Jamie Belz is joined by internationally respected hormone expert, best-selling author, and educator Dr. Lindsey Berkson. With over four decades of experience in clinical practice, hormone research, and medical education, Dr. Berkson brings unmatched depth to the conversation about one of today's most pressing and misunderstood health issues: hormone disruption.

Together, they unpack how declining hormones—especially estrogen, testosterone, and oxytocin—are impacting intimacy, energy, fertility, and long-term health. Drawing from her background as a Distinguished Hormone Scholar at the Center for Bioenvironmental Research at Tulane/Xavier Universities, Dr. Berkson explains why libido is not just about desire—it's a vital sign of overall health.

She also shares her personal journey as a DES-exposed daughter, cancer survivor, and thought leader in functional endocrinology, giving the episode rare perspective and actionable clarity.

Tune in, take notes, and begin rebuilding the biochemical foundation of your vitality.

Some of What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• How endocrine disruptors like plastics, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals interfere with hormone signaling
• The global rise in Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin (SHBG) and its role in locked-up hormones and low libido
• Why loss of oxytocin is contributing to anxiety, disconnection, and immune decline
• The impact of elevated SHBG, cytokines, and inflammation on fertility, mood, and aging
• The link between hormone disruption and early-onset estrogen-driven cancers
• How safe, bioidentical hormone therapy differs from conventional approaches—and why it matters
• Why "loss of libido" should be treated as a clinical warning sign, not dismissed as a lifestyle issue
• Foundational tools for supporting hormone health through detox, nutrient therapy, and intimacy
• The key lab markers most conventional providers overlook—and how to find a properly trained hormone specialist
• Why hormone health is central to brain protection, immune resilience, and emotional regulation

More from Dr. Berkson:

Dr. Berkson is the author of numerous books including Hormone Deception, Safe Hormones, Smart Women, and Sexy Brain. She holds patents in bioidentical hormone therapy, has collaborated on research in estrogen receptor science, and consults internationally on nutrition for hormone-driven cancers, inflammatory bowel disease, renal disorders, and more.

She teaches continuing education for medical professionals and is the founder of multiple educational platforms for both clinicians and the public.

Resources Mentioned:

• Six-Week Foundations of Healing Course: https://www.nutritionaltherapy.com/foundations
• Website: www.drlindseyberkson.com
• Memberships: drlindseyberkson.com/membership
• Substack: drlindseyberkson.substack.com
• Everything Hormones CME Course: drlindseyberkson.com/everythinghormones
• Vilified to Vindicated Course (V2V): drlindseyberkson.com/v2v
• Nutritional Medicine by Dr. Alan Gaby: https://doctorgaby.com

Looking for personalized support? Search the Nutritional Therapy Association Practitioner Directory to find a virtual or in-person Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (FNTP), or Professional Health and Wellness Coach (PHWC): ⁠⁠NTA Practitioner Directory⁠⁠

Connect with Jamie! Record a question or comment ⁠⁠HERE!⁠

Leave a five-star review, subscribe, and chat with us on Spotify!

If you're constantly overwhelmed, yet unsure where all your time goes, you're not alone! In this raw and refreshingly honest episode of the Nutritional Therapy & Wellness Podcast, host Jamie Belz pulls back the curtain on digital distraction, multitasking, overcommitting, and how our chaotic, screen-saturated world is silently draining our energy, metabolism, focus, joy - - - and our overall vitality. More importantly, this episode walks you though what to do to get started with SOLUTIONS.

With stats like the average person checking their phone 150+ times a day, Jamie uncovers how our constant dopamine-driven behaviors—from email whack-a-mole and social media time vacuums to productive procrastination and online shopping—are wrecking our nervous systems, gut health, blood sugar regulation, sleep cycles, and even our relationships. She shares vulnerable stories from her own life and offers a hope-filled blueprint to reclaim your time, restore discipline, and start living with intention and vitality again.

This episode dives deep into:

• The health consequences of chronic distraction
• How boundaries and discipline create freedom
• Why multitasking and over-researching sabotage your health goals
• Practical swaps to support your Foundations of Health: digestion, blood sugar, stress, sleep, movement, and a nutrient-dense diet
• A personal challenge to join Jamie in three weeks (Upcoming Episode 55!) as she begins her own Distraction Detox.

Whether you're a practitioner, a parent, or simply someone craving more clarity and peace, this episode is your invitation to slow down, simplify, and reconnect with what truly matters.

Listen now and take the first step toward a more grounded, focused, and nourished life.

Find a Certified Practitioner

Looking for personalized support? Search the Nutritional Therapy Association Practitioner Directory to find a virtual or in-person Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (FNTP), or Professional Health and Wellness Coach (PHWC): NTA Practitioner Directory

Connect with Jamie!

Leave comments on Spotify or record a question or comment HERE!

In this culturally timely episode of the Nutritional Therapy and Wellness Podcast, Jamie Belz talks with Jacob Spehar—licensed mental health and addiction counselor and founder of Courageous Way Counseling. Together, they unpack the concept of "Death by Distraction"—how our dependence on screens, overstimulation, social media, hustle culture, and avoidance behaviors are not only numbing us but quietly stealing our joy and dismantling our families, physical and mental health, spiritual connection, and connections to one another.

Jake shares both clinical insights and practical tools for interrupting the dopamine loops, rewiring your life with intention, and simplifying your environment for healing and joy. Jamie gets vulnerable about her own struggles, and together, they explore what it really takes to step off the conveyor belt and start living. Expect raw call outs, practical ideas, and a push for radical change - starting with bold, countercultural choices.

This episode invites you to slow down and start leading your life and family with presence and purpose.

You're not powerless. Start small. Go countercultural. It only seems hard until you do it. It only seems weird until everyone else starts doing it, too.

Topics Covered:

• Screen addiction, social media, dopamine dysregulation
• Time as our most valuable and fleeting asset
• Trauma as a root cause
• The link between distraction and self-medication
• Parenting and restoring the family unit
• Men's mental health and community
• Why family meals, boredom, and silence matter
• Reclaiming mornings for neuroplasticity and spiritual alignment
• The invisible cost of overcommitment, youth sports, and the hustle
• How boundaries, presence, and "no" create better outcomes

Resources Mentioned:

• Find a PHWC or NTP

• The Body Keeps the Score, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk
• Codependent No More. Melody Beattie
• The Myth of Normal. Dr. Gabor Maté
• Raising Emotionally Healthy Kids, Eliza Huie
• The Mel Robbins Podcast (with Tay Gibson)
• The Huberman Lab Podcast (alcohol)
• The Anatomy of Trust, Brené Brown
• Dr. Gabrielle Lyon
• Gabe Bult

Connect with Jake: [email protected]

Connect with Jamie!⁠