The Habit Healers

Thank you Chris Russo, Diane Urbani de la Paz, Violet Hunter, Paul k, Susie Renard, and many others for tuning into my live video with Chris Miller MD!

Notes from my live conversation with Chris Miller MD about her article, Your labs are normal, so why don’t you feel well?

If you have ever been told, “Your labs are normal,” and you still feel exhausted, foggy, sore, puffy, or unlike yourself, you are not alone. Dr. Chris Miller and I did a live today because this is one of the most common reasons people end up in her integrative clinic and in my inbox.

This post is the cleaned-up, reader-friendly version of what we covered. It is educational, not personal medical advice. Use it to organize your next conversation with your clinician and to take your own symptoms seriously.

What “normal range” really means

A “normal range” is not a personalized stamp of health. It is a statistical range based on a population curve. Most labs define normal as values that fall within the middle portion of results seen in a reference group.

That reference group is not made up of people carefully selected for optimal health. It is usually people who are not diagnosed with anything obvious. That matters.

This is why someone can fall inside a normal range and still feel unwell. It is also why someone can sit just outside a range and feel completely fine. White blood cell counts are a good example. People eating a very anti-inflammatory, plant-forward diet often run lower than average without it meaning something is wrong.

The real question becomes: what is normal for you, and what is changing?

The pattern that matters most: trends

Symptoms often line up with trends long before a single number crosses a cutoff.

Thyroid drift

If your TSH usually runs around 1.5 to 2 and later comes back at 3.4 or 3.5, many clinicians will say it is normal. That value may still represent a meaningful shift for you, especially if fatigue, cold intolerance, weight changes, or brain fog are showing up.

I shared a story from my Air Force years. A JAG officer came in frustrated because she felt awful and kept getting told her thyroid was fine. Her TSH was high-normal. We made a small adjustment, and six weeks later she felt like herself again.

A1c and fasting glucose creep

A1c reflects average blood sugar exposure over roughly three months. If you usually sit at 5.1 or 5.2 and drift up to 5.6, you may still be labeled normal, yet your metabolism may be shifting toward insulin resistance.

The same thing happens with fasting glucose. Values that move from the low 80s into the 90s and then just over 100 often get ignored until a line is crossed, even though the direction was clear years earlier.

Ten common reasons labs look “fine” while you feel bad

Not every point applies to every person. The goal is to help you recognize where a deeper look may be needed.

1) Labs are in range but moving the wrong way

Direction matters. Thyroid markers, glucose markers, inflammatory markers, and lipids often signal trouble through gradual change rather than a sudden abnormal value.

2) Iron deficiency without anemia

You can have a normal blood count and normal iron levels while still having low iron stores. Ferritin reflects storage. Many people feel poorly when ferritin is low, even if the lab flags it as acceptable.

Fatigue, hair shedding, restless legs, poor exercise tolerance, and shortness of breath can all fit. If iron is low, the work does not stop at replacement. The cause matters. That can include absorption problems, gastrointestinal blood loss, kidney disease, bone marrow issues, or heavy menstrual bleeding in perimenopause.

3) Inflammation that CRP does not capture

CRP is useful, but it reflects only certain inflammatory pathways. Autoimmune conditions and localized inflammation can cause symptoms while CRP stays normal.

Vascular inflammation, gut inflammation, thyroid inflammation, and immune signaling through non-CRP pathways may require different markers or a different type of evaluation, guided by symptoms.

4) “TSH normal” with incomplete thyroid assessment

TSH is a feedback signal. It does not tell the whole story. Looking at Free T4, Total T3, and thyroid antibodies can help clarify whether production or conversion is an issue.

Timing matters too. Acute illness, major stress, or recent medication changes can temporarily distort results. Repeating labs after recovery is sometimes necessary. Over-treatment also carries risks, including palpitations and bone loss, so nuance matters.

5) Perimenopause and menopause

Hormonal shifts often start years before periods stop. Estrogen declines, progesterone becomes erratic, and the brain pushes harder with LH and FSH.

Symptoms can include joint pain, brain fog, sleep disruption, mood changes, midsection weight gain, rising insulin resistance, and cholesterol changes. Labs do not always line up neatly with symptoms during this phase.

6) Gut barrier problems

The gut lining is a single-cell barrier designed to absorb nutrients while keeping larger particles and microbes out. When that barrier becomes more permeable, symptoms often appear after eating and may be delayed by a day or two.

Routine blood work usually does not detect this problem.

7) Sleep debt and stress physiology

Chronic stress paired with insufficient sleep is one of the most common causes of fatigue. Many people stay in a high-alert state all day and never fully downshift at night.

Wearables can sometimes reveal patterns that labs miss, such as low restorative sleep or elevated overnight heart rate.

8) Post-viral or immune recovery lag

After viral infections, the immune system can stay activated longer than expected. People may experience lingering fatigue, heart rate instability, lightheadedness, gut issues, or cognitive slowing even after the acute illness resolves.

9) Nutrient depletion not covered by basic panels

Standard panels do not assess many nutrients that affect energy, cognition, and muscle function. Depending on symptoms, this may include functional B vitamin status, vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, omega-3 status, iodine, or iron stores.

Absorption and conversion vary widely between people, even with similar diets.

10) Your baseline is not the lab’s baseline

Some people naturally run lower or higher on certain markers. A value that looks normal on paper may represent a meaningful shift for you. The reverse is also true. Someone who normally runs low may appear abnormal on paper while feeling well.

Questions to bring to your next lab review

* How have these values changed over the past several years?

* Do my symptoms match the direction of change?

* Are we looking at the right markers for this system?

* Are there common misses for this symptom pattern, such as iron stores, sleep, perimenopause, or post-viral recovery?

* If something is low, what is the underlying cause?

Annual labs help establish a personal baseline, which makes these questions much easier to answer.

One last thought

Normal ranges are a starting point. They are not the end of the conversation. If you feel unwell and your labs look fine, that is a signal to ask better questions, not to stop asking.

Tomorrow I am publishing a deeper piece on metabolic labs, optimal ranges, and the lifestyle habits that reliably move them. Subscribe now so you don’t miss it and share this post with someone who it might help!

Thank you Michelle Seguin MD, Marg KJ, Levee, Afsi, Shirley Brilleaux, and many others for tuning into my live video with Chef Martin Oswald!

Subscribe to Chef Martin Oswald’s Healing Kitchen Substack here!

If you want to learn how to cook in a way that actually supports your immune system, your metabolism, and your energy, without sacrificing flavor, this is exactly what we do inside Culinary Healing.

Chef Martin Oswald and I bring together culinary skill and medical science to show you how food becomes medicine in real life, in real kitchens.

Join the Culinary Healing group by clicking here.

This live session started the way most good kitchens do: a little chaotic, a little joyful, and full of curiosity.

Chef Martin joined me from Austria, and what unfolded was not just a cooking demo, it was a masterclass in how mushrooms, technique, and restraint can completely change how food tastes and how it affects your body.

What follows are the core lessons from that conversation.

Why Mushrooms Are Winter Medicine

Mushrooms are one of the most underused immune-supporting foods we have.

They’re rich in bioactive compounds like ergothioneine and glutathione, contain meaningful fiber and minerals, and provide deep umami flavor with very little caloric load. Shiitake, cremini, oyster, trumpet, and portobello mushrooms all showed up in this session, each used differently, each with intention.

Chef Martin emphasized something important early on:Mushrooms don’t need heavy fats to taste good.They need technique.

Technique #1: Pickled Shiitake for Instant Umami

One of the simplest and most powerful techniques Chef Martin shared was quick-pickling shiitake mushrooms.

Thinly sliced shiitake are briefly cooked in a hot vinegar-water mixture infused with spices like bay leaf, coriander, pepper, and chili. After a short boil and an overnight rest, the mushrooms retain a slight crunch and absorb intense umami.

These become:

* Salad toppers

* Garnishes for soups and risottos

* Flavor bombs for grain bowls or stir-fries

This is how you add acidity and depth without oil-heavy dressings.

Important safety note that came up during the live: do not eat shiitake or enoki mushrooms raw. Raw shiitake can cause a rash in some people, and enoki mushrooms have been associated with foodborne illness when eaten raw. Cooking matters.

Technique #2: The “Nutella Soup” That Isn’t Dessert

This was the moment everyone leaned closer to the screen.

A mushroom soup built on cremini mushrooms, onions, hazelnuts, and cashews, slowly developed to create a deeply savory, creamy texture without cream.

The secret:

* Roast hazelnuts low and slow to deepen flavor

* Use cashews for natural creaminess

* Blend partially for texture, not total smoothness

The result is a soup that tastes indulgent but eats clean. Garnished with dukkah (a hazelnut-based Egyptian spice blend), it becomes something people would happily pay for in a restaurant.

This is culinary medicine in action: flavor first, physiology respected.

Technique #3: Browning Without Overdoing Oil

Chef Martin returned again and again to one principle: most flavor lives on the surface of food.

To maximize that flavor:

* Use one layer of mushrooms in the pan

* Let them brown deeply on one side before flipping

* Use the smallest amount of oil necessary

This is why restaurant food tastes rich, it’s browned correctly. But unlike restaurant cooking, this approach keeps calories in check and blood sugar stable.

A Plant-Based Bourguignon Without the Butter Load

One of the most instructive moments came during the mushroom bourguignon.

Traditional versions rely on butter, oil, and wine. Chef Martin showed how to recreate the structure, tannins, acidity, depth, using:

* Vinegar instead of wine

* Chokeberry (aronia) juice for tannin-like complexity

* Mushroom stock for body

* Arrowroot or nut butter for thickening

The result looks and tastes like a classic bourguignon but without the metabolic hit.

This is the difference between “plant-based substitutions” and true culinary thinking.

Portobello as an Entrée, Not a Afterthought

The final dish was pure visual poetry.

A flattened portobello mushroom, gently cooked and layered with:

* Fresh basil

* Thin tomato slices

* Delicate rounds of yellow squash

* Simple spices

Broiled briefly, it becomes an entrée that works for holidays, guests, or weeknights. Served over cauliflower purée or alongside greens, it adapts to different metabolic needs without feeling restrictive.

How This Ties Back to Not Getting Sick

Before closing, we circled back to winter health.

Alongside eating antioxidant-rich plants like mushrooms, I shared a few evidence-informed reminders:

* Keep indoor humidity around 40–50% to protect nasal passages

* Gargle with salt water when traveling or exposed

* Prioritize sleep and ventilation

* Wash hands, but don’t forget air quality

Food is powerful, but it works best when paired with supportive habits.

This Is Exactly What We Do Inside Culinary Healing

If this session sparked something for you, curiosity, hunger, inspiration, that’s not an accident.

Inside Culinary Healing, Chef Martin and I teach:

* How to cook for flavor and physiology

* How to lower calorie density without losing joy

* How to build meals that support immunity, metabolism, and energy

* How to think like a chef and a clinician at the same time

Join the Culinary Healing group by clicking here.

This is where cooking stops being confusing and starts becoming a form of self-care that actually works.

Thank you Heidi Krol, Jay Clapp, Janie McManus, Rosemary, and many others for tuning into my live video with Chris Miller MD!

Cold Water, Real Talk: What Chris Asked Me (and What the Science Suggests)

Chris Miller MD interviewed me on Substack, which was a nice change, because I’m usually the one asking her the questions. She asked the things people actually want to know: why cold water is suddenly everywhere, what it does in the body, and whether you really have to suffer for three minutes to get any benefit.

If you watched the live, this is the written version to sit under the video. If you have not watched yet, the video is right above this post.

The Habit Healers subscription price will increase for new members on January 1, 2026, but anyone who is already a paid subscriber (or becomes one before that date) keeps their current rate permanently. No changes will ever be applied to grandfathered accounts. If you’d like to lock in your rate for life, upgrade before January 1, 2026

Why I wrote a cold water series (click here to find the series)

Cold water exposure has been around forever. What’s new is how loud it has gotten online. Once something turns into a trend, it’s easy for claims to outpace evidence. That’s usually where I step in.

I pick topics based on what readers ask for, what I’m curious about, and what seems useful enough to justify the time it takes to research properly. Cold water kept coming up in reader prompts and in conversations at home. So I decided to do a deep review.

Then I started reading the research and realized one article would be too small for what I was finding. That’s why it became a five-part series.

The Dutch shower study that caught my attention

Early on, we talked about a study out of the Netherlands that used a simple approach. People took their normal warm shower, then switched to cold water at the end for 30, 60, or 90 seconds. They did that for 30 days.

What stood out was what happened after the study ended. A majority kept doing the cold finish. The figure I shared on the live was 64%. These were not people who were already doing ice baths. They were regular participants who tried something uncomfortable and chose to keep it.

They reported feeling better. That does not explain the mechanism by itself, but it does raise a worthwhile question. Why would someone voluntarily keep doing something unpleasant unless they felt a benefit on the other side?

My longest cold exposure habit is not a plunge

I shared a personal story that surprised me once I said it out loud.

Growing up, we had one bathroom. The rule was no morning showers for kids under 18. Everyone showered at night. In the morning, I started splashing cold water on my face to wake up. I’ve done it ever since. I’m 55 now, and it’s still part of my morning.

I never labeled it as “cold exposure.” It was just practical. When I started researching cold water physiology, it made me look at that habit differently. It also made me think about why it has always felt so effective.

Cold exposure has a long history, even if the hype feels new

Cold water therapy is old. Hippocrates wrote about water-based treatments. Roman bathhouses had cold plunge pools, the frigidarium, built into the routine. In later centuries, physicians experimented with cold water in ways that would not be acceptable today.

What’s different now is measurement. We can track heart rate, blood pressure, inflammatory markers, metabolic changes, and signaling chemicals in the blood. That helps separate “people say it works” from “here’s what the body does when it happens.”

The first minute can feel brutal for a reason

Chris and I spent time on what happens in the first 60 seconds because that’s the part that scares people.

Cold water can trigger the cold shock response. You gasp. Your breathing gets jagged. Your heart rate jumps. Your blood pressure rises. Your body reads the situation as a threat.

I told a story from a Spartan race in Snowmass where one obstacle involved getting into an ice-filled container and going under a bar to the other side. The first time I went under, I hit my head, came up, and realized I hadn’t made it through. That meant I had to go back under while already stressed and short of breath.

Then a man blocking the exit asked me to retrieve his headband from the ice water.

That was a firm no.

The point is simple: the cold shock response is real and intense. If you have ever jumped into a cold river and felt your chest tighten or your breath catch, you’ve experienced the basics of it.

Why some people feel calm right after feeling panicked

Right after the shock, another reflex can kick in, especially when cold water hits the face.

It’s called the mammalian dive reflex. In plain language, it’s a built-in system that helps conserve oxygen during submersion. It can slow heart rate and shift the body toward a calmer state.

That creates a strange overlap where the stress response is firing while a slowing response is also turning on. I used the term autonomic conflict in the live, meaning two opposing systems are active at the same time.

This helps explain why people describe cold exposure as intense at first and then oddly settling.

Do you have to stay in for three minutes?

Chris asked the question most people ask: if you jump in and jump out, do you still get anything, or do you have to stay in for the full “three minutes” people talk about online?

My answer was: it depends on your goal, your safety profile, and what you can tolerate consistently. That’s why the fifth article in the series is a protocol piece with options.

For some people, cold water on the face is plenty. For others, a short cold finish to a warm shower works well. For others, full immersion is the tool they want.

We also talked about cold air exposure. Water pulls heat from the body much faster than air, but some research suggests cold exposure in general can improve insulin sensitivity, likely through activation of brown fat.

Brown fat is not the fat most people think of

Brown fat is metabolically active tissue that helps generate heat. It is different from white fat, which is primarily storage. When brown fat is activated by cold, it takes up glucose and fats from the bloodstream and burns them to produce heat. That process can improve insulin sensitivity over time.

This is one of the most plausible explanations for why cold exposure is studied in metabolic health.

Immune effects: less sickness or better tolerance?

People often say cold plunges “boost immunity.” That’s not a clean claim, and it depends on what someone means by “boost.”

Cold exposure is a stressor. It can raise inflammatory markers in the short term. With repeated exposure, the body may adapt and become less reactive. People may not get sick less often, but they may handle stress and illness differently.

Chris framed this through hormesis, meaning a controlled stress that can lead to beneficial adaptation when the dose is appropriate. Like exercise.

The neurotransmitter piece helps explain why people keep doing it

Chris brought up her favorite section of the series: neurotransmitters.

I talked about studies where short cold water exposure was followed by large increases in norepinephrine, sometimes reported in the 200% to 300% range in some individuals. Norepinephrine is tied to alertness and focus. It’s one reason cold can feel like flipping a switch.

Dopamine tends to rise more gradually and can stay elevated longer. Dopamine supports motivation and drive. Some people describe an “after effect” that lasts. This may be part of it.

Endorphins also rise. These are opioid-like chemicals your brain produces that can reduce pain perception and lift mood.

When you combine increased alertness with a mood lift, it makes more sense why someone finishes a cold shower and says, “I feel clear.” They’re not imagining it. Their body chemistry has shifted.

Chris also asked about timing. Morning or evening? Research does not consistently show sleep disruption for everyone, but because cold exposure can be stimulating, many people do better earlier in the day, especially if they’re sensitive to stimulation or already use caffeine.

A key caution for strength training

I also flagged an important nuance.

If your goal is muscle growth and strength, doing cold water immersion immediately after lifting may blunt some of the adaptive response. Post-exercise inflammation and blood flow are part of how muscle rebuilds. If you reduce that response right away, you may reduce some of the gains you are training for.

That does not mean cold exposure is “bad.” It means timing matters. An in-season athlete trying to recover for the next game has a different goal than someone training to build strength in the off-season.

Who should avoid cold immersion

Chris emphasized safety, and she was right to do it. Cold shock can increase heart rate and blood pressure. That can be risky for some people.

I previewed that the next article in the series covers who should avoid cold water immersion and why. I also mentioned a reader comment about neurodivergent individuals who may find cold exposure dysregulating. For some people, “pushing through” is not the right approach. Modifying the exposure, or skipping it, can be the safer choice.

Cold exposure is a tool. It’s optional.

Poetry vs plumbing

Near the end, I shared an idea I heard on a podcast: people love the poetry of a big goal, but they forget the plumbing. The plumbing is the boring system that makes the goal work.

That concept applies to health goals every January. People announce a big outcome, then skip the daily structure that would make it possible.

For some people, cold exposure can function as part of the plumbing. Not because it’s magic, but because it’s a simple lever that may support alertness, mood, and resilience. It can be built into a day without turning into a whole identity.

What’s coming next

The cold water series continues with an article focused on risks and who should avoid it, followed by the final article with protocols based on goals and tolerance.

I also shared what’s ahead more broadly: deeper monthly topic series that end in mini-courses inside Substack for paid subscribers, more “learn your body” content in a mini medical school style, daily tiny habit posts for people who want the simplest version, and a short weekly meditation experiment with a transcript included.

And yes, I’m working on a book proposal too.

The takeaway

Cold water is not required. It’s not a badge. It’s one more lever some people can use.

For the right person, used the right way, it may support focus, mood, and metabolic flexibility. The key is matching the tool to the person, the goal, and the realities of their health and nervous system.

That’s the work. Tools, used wisely.

In this episode, Dr. Marbas and guest Dr. Jud Brewer delve into the concept of gratitude and its significance in our lives. They discuss the recent article by Dr. Brewer titled “Be Grateful to Everyone,” exploring what gratitude truly means. Dr. Brewer highlights how gratitude is more than just a trending topic; it’s a practice that can shift our focus away from ourselves and enhance our well-being. The conversation covers the rise of gratitude practices, such as keeping gratitude journals, and examines the psychological benefits and challenges associated with them. Tune in to gain insights into how cultivating gratitude can positively impact our lives and why it resonates on a deeper level.Link to Dr. Brewer's article: https://substack.com/home/post/p-180180901Dr. Marbas Substack: https://drlauriemarbas.substack.com/A Big Thank You To Our Sponsors:If you want the best supplement to help you on your plant-based journey, you have to try Complement: https://lovecomplement.com/?aff=62

Thank you Camilla, Marg KJ, Suzette Jensen, Roxy Fort, and many others for tuning into my live video with Chris Miller MD!

We went live today with a question that comes up all the time and can make people feel genuinely confused.

If fiber is so good for us, why do some people feel amazing when they increase it… and others feel bloated, gassy, inflamed, or just plain worse?

Dr. Chris Miller and I unpacked what’s going on, why it’s not “in your head,” and what a smarter stepwise approach can look like.

This live was based on Dr. Miller’s most recent article, which I’ll link below along with her Substack and her practice website.

The premise: Fiber is still the goal, but the path matters

Both of us teach fiber. The long-term data is compelling, and in most people a higher-fiber, more plant-forward pattern is associated with better health outcomes.

But in real life, we see two very different experiences:

Some people increase fiber and get all the “expected” benefits, better digestion, lower inflammation, clearer skin, improved cholesterol, improved blood pressure.

Other people increase fiber and get gas, bloating, discomfort, and sometimes signs that inflammation is actually going up.

So we asked: what’s different about the second group?

The Stanford study that changed how Dr. Miller practices

Dr. Miller described a Stanford study published in 2021 that helped explain this divide.

Participants were assigned to one of two approaches for about 10 weeks:

* High-fiber group: worked up to at least 45 grams of fiber per day from plant foods (vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds).

* Fermented foods group: worked up to about six servings per day of fermented foods.

The researchers expected the high-fiber group to have the best microbiome and immune improvements. That is not what happened.

What stood out:

* The fermented foods group showed a consistent increase in microbiome diversity and a drop in inflammatory markers.

* The high-fiber group had mixed results: some improved, some barely changed, and some had increased inflammation and no meaningful rise in microbiome diversity.

Even when the groups crossed over, the fermented foods pattern continued to show a strong signal toward lower inflammation.

The “why”: You can’t benefit from fiber if you don’t have the gut bugs to use it

Here’s the key idea Dr. Miller emphasized.

Fiber is not digested by us. It’s digested by our gut microbes.

When your gut ecosystem is diverse and functional, fiber gets fermented into helpful compounds (including short-chain fatty acids) that support the gut lining and calm inflammation.

But if your microbiome is narrow, damaged, or out of balance, and you suddenly “flood the system” with fiber, you may not have the microbial machinery to process it. The result can be gas, bloating, discomfort, and sometimes more inflammation.

So in those people, the smarter move may be:

Build tolerance and microbial diversity first, then gradually increase fiber.

What narrows the microbiome in the first place?

We talked through common reasons gut diversity can shrink over time, including:

* Years of low-fiber eating (little to no food reaching the colon for microbes)

* Antibiotic exposure

* Chronic stress and poor sleep

* Environmental exposures and pollutants

* Ultra-processed foods and additives that disrupt gut balance

* Early-life factors such as C-section delivery and limited microbial exposure

Then we widened the lens to practical ways people can support diversity outside of food:

Time outdoors, exposure to nature, gardening, travel, interacting with other people, and yes, even pets.

Fermented foods help, but not always and not for everyone

The headline from the study makes it tempting to say, “Everyone should eat a ton of fermented foods.”

But Dr. Miller made an important clinical point: some people do not tolerate fermented foods well, especially:

* People with autoimmune disease during an active flare

* People with histamine intolerance or mast cell activation issues

* People with significant dysbiosis who are not ready for that “bioactive load” yet

For those people, the priority is calming the gut and immune response first, then building back up gradually.

“Put out the fire before you start planting”

This ended up being a central metaphor in our live.

If the gut and immune system are inflamed and reactive, the immediate goal is not to force more fiber or fermented foods. The goal is to reduce the reactivity.

Dr. Miller talked about strategies that can help people ease in:

* Starting with gentler forms of fiber (often cooked, blended, or softened foods before big jumps in raw/high-fiber legumes)

* Using anti-inflammatory foods and spices (she mentioned options like ginger, turmeric, and berries)

* For histamine issues, using a stepwise plan that may include lower-histamine choices and targeted support, sometimes with medication under physician supervision depending on the case

The goal is always temporary support to calm things down so you can eventually return to a more robust, fiber-rich, diverse plant pattern.

Dr. Miller’s personal story: “I thought it was my fault”

Dr. Miller also shared that she has lived this from the inside.

When she first tried increasing fiber during a period of active illness, she felt worse. She had major food sensitivities and histamine reactions, including rapid joint pain after foods many people consider “healthy.” Beans were not possible for her at that time.

She kept thinking she must be doing something wrong.

But what she learned (and what this study helped validate) is that sometimes the body isn’t ready yet. With a stepwise approach and calming inflammation first, she was able to rebuild tolerance over time.

That’s the message I wanted everyone to hear.

If you struggle with fiber, it’s not a moral failing. It’s a physiology problem with a physiology solution.

Practical benchmark to aim for once you’re tolerating fiber

When things are stable, the focus becomes:

Diversity.

Not eating the same “healthy” foods on repeat, but rotating fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices so your microbes have a wider menu.

During the Q&A, someone asked about what I’ve been adding to oatmeal. I shared a simple hack:

Lupini bean flakes (L-U-P-I-N-I).

I mix them into oatmeal, add them to stews, blend them into smoothies, and even stir them into chili. They’re mild tasting and can be an easy way to increase fiber and protein for many people. If you try them, check that the ingredient list is just “lupini bean flakes.”

A quick note on what’s coming next

I also shared that I’m building a new series next year called Mini Medical School, monthly series with mini courses, plus more live interviews and mini Substack summits with collaborators (including Dr. Miller), along with Culinary Healing content with Chef Martin Oswald.

Link to the One Tiny Healing Habit store where you can check how to wear your Healing Habit and share it with others!

More soon on all of that.

Links to Dr. Chris Miller

Here are the links mentioned in the live:

* Dr. Chris Miller’s article: Not Everyone Thrives on High-Fiber Diets. This Study Explains Why

* Dr. Chris Miller’s Substack

* Dr. Chris Miller’s website: ChrisMillerMD.com

Ninety days. Two groups. One tiny hip stretch. In this episode, Dr. Laurie Marbas unpacks a surprising study showing that when you do a habit can matter more than what you do — with the morning group reaching “autopilot” seven weeks faster than the evening group, just by aligning with their body clock.

We explore how your internal circadian rhythm quietly directs everything from hunger and hormones to focus and mood — and how living “off-beat” (late-night scrolling, irregular sleep, all-day snacking) can contribute to what researchers call Circadian Syndrome: a cluster of weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep issues, depression, and memory problems.

You’ll learn:

* Why habits don’t fail from lack of discipline, but from poor timing and weak cues

* How your morning cortisol spike can actually help you lock in new behaviors

* Simple, evidence-informed shifts with light, sleep, and food that make change feel easier, not harder

* The power of “pre-steps” — like laying out your shoes or dimming lights — to do more work than motivation ever could

If you’ve ever tried to be “more disciplined” and felt like you were pushing a boulder uphill, this conversation will show you what happens when you finally let your habits sync with your clock instead of fighting it.

Dr. Marbas Substack: https://drlauriemarbas.substack.com/

A Big Thank You To Our Sponsors:

If you want the best supplement to help you on your plant-based journey, you have to try Complement: https://lovecomplement.com/?aff=62

Thank you Marg KJ, Afsi, Paul k, Michael Galante, Ellen Harrison, and many others for tuning into my live video with Chef Martin Oswald!

Today, Chef Martin Oswald and I spent time inside the real engine of healthy cooking: flavor. Not gourmet tricks. Not complex recipes. Just understanding how your tongue works, how your brain responds to taste, and how to use spices in a way that makes whole-food meals deeply satisfying.

We began with heat. If you love Cajun flavors, cayenne is your friend. If you prefer a gentler warmth, reach for chili powders. Spices aren’t just about fire, they’re anchors that create direction in a dish. Once you understand their role, you can build flavor with confidence instead of relying on oils or sugar to carry the meal.

From there, we explored something essential: the sweet–sour dynamic. Sweetness is the very first taste receptor that fires when food hits your tongue. It’s fast. It’s rewarding. It’s why sugar becomes a familiar shortcut. But instead of eliminating sweetness entirely, the goal is to use it with intention, balancing it with acids like vinegar, citrus, or fermented ingredients so that your food feels bright, layered, and satisfying without drifting into dessert territory.

We also looked at nut butters as foundational tools. Peanut butter and almond butter behave differently in sauces, and each creates its own flavor base. Depending on what you’re making, one will offer warmth and roundness, the other a lighter, more neutral platform for spices.

The livestream was hands-on, exploratory, and aligned with the same principles we use in Culinary Healing: start with what you enjoy, understand the mechanics of taste, and practice building flavor patterns that make healthy cooking not just doable but genuinely delicious.

As promised, this video will stay here for replay. A full article on spices arrives tomorrow, including more guidance on using heat, acid, sweetness, and balance to elevate your meals, and how these simple practices help reinforce your healing habits in the kitchen.

Thank you to everyone who joined live. Martin and I appreciate your curiosity, your presence, and your commitment to learning how to cook in a way that supports your health. If you do this at home please share how it worked for you. Would you like to see more of this?

If you are interested in joining us in our Culinary Healing group where fuse flavorful healthy cooking with habits that heal check it out here!

(From Today’s Substack Live Cooking Session!)

Today’s Substack Live was one of those wonderfully chaotic, unexpectedly educational sessions where you learn something… and also watch a cucumber get assaulted with a rolling pin.

Martin and I dove into one of the biggest challenges this time of year:How do you enjoy the holidays without feeling heavier, puffier, and more sluggish by January?

The answer isn’t deprivation.It’s strategy.

During the live, we walked through four simple, fast, and surprisingly flavorful tools you can use immediately, starting tonight, to stay grounded, nourished, and metabolically stable during the season of sugar, salt, and second helpings.

Let’s break down the highlights from the video so you can try them for yourself.

The Secret European Herb–Salt Trick for Sodium Control

Martin revealed a classic European flavor trick almost no one uses in the U.S.:

Make your own 2:1 herb–salt mix.

Grind dried herbs (thyme, basil, oregano, parsley, marjoram) super fine, then mix two parts herbs to one part salt.

Why it works:

* Massive flavor

* Automatically cuts your sodium intake in half

* Helps avoid the fluid retention and next-day “I gained 3 pounds?!” panic

* Supports blood pressure and keeps arteries from stiffening

From the medical side:When sodium goes up, water follows.That extra water volume pushes your blood pressure higher, distorts the scale, and stresses your cardiovascular system.

This herb–salt mix gives you flavor without the metabolic hangover.

The 10-Minute Freezer Veggie Soup That Saves Your Evenings

The star of the live may have been the simplest thing of all:

Frozen veggies + vegetable stock + blender = a big bowl of creamy soup for 60–100 calories.

It works because it’s:

* High fiber

* High water

* Low calorie

* Nutrient dense

* Fast

Eat a bowl before holiday meals or parties and you’ll naturally eat less of the calorie-dense foods later—without relying on willpower.

The veggies also bring in multiple phytonutrients, beautiful colors, and a huge micronutrient boost that your metabolism will thank you for.

Batch tip:Make one pot, portion it into jars, refrigerate or freeze, and you have an easy “metabolic safety net” ready all week.

The Smashed Cucumber Salad I’m Still Thinking About

Yes, he smashed a cucumber.Yes, it was hilarious.Yes, it works.

By cracking the cucumber open with a rolling pin, pot, or even your fist, you get:

* Chunkier texture

* More surface area for dressing

* A refreshing, crunchy, 15 calories-per-100-grams masterpiece

* And a salad you can eat huge bowls of for almost no calories

The dressing was simple:

* Grated ginger

* Shallots

* Garlic

* Rice vinegar

* A drizzle of date syrup

* A whisper of roasted sesame oil (or peanut flavor if sesame is off-limits)

* Fresh herbs to brighten everything

This salad does triple duty:

* Low-calorie volume → fills the stomach

* Slow glucose absorption → blunts blood sugar rises

* High fiber → supports cravings, digestion, and metabolism

If you want one “holiday hack,” this is it:Eat volume first. Eat heavy foods second.

And Then… Dessert That Lowers Cholesterol

We finished with a creamy, bright, lemon–silken tofu dessert topped with passionfruit.

The magic came from:

* Silken tofu → protein + creaminess

* Lemon zest with pith → high pectin = helps bind cholesterol

* Dates → whole-food sweetness

* Passionfruit → tangy, crunchy, fiber-rich topping

Blend tofu, lemon peel, lemon juice, and dates until silky.Chill it, top it, and you have a high-protein, low-calorie, artery-friendly dessert that tastes decadent without all the holiday heaviness.

Want to Learn to Cook Like This With Us Every Week?

Even though today was a Substack Live, this style of cooking, simple, flavorful, metabolism-friendly, is exactly what we teach inside Culinary Healing, our weekly live cooking + metabolic health program.

Inside Culinary Healing, you get:

* Chef Martin’s Kitchen where you learn to cook stress free and break the bonds to recipes

* Metabolic, medical, and habit coaching from me

* A library of stress-free, low-calorie, nutrient-dense recipes

* Real-time help turning food into a tool for weight loss and metabolic health

* Community, accountability, and a system that actually sticks

If you enjoyed today’s energy, the teaching, and the practical tips…

You’ll love Culinary Healing.

Join Culinary Healing here: Culinary Healing

Come cook with us, ask questions live, and turn your kitchen into the most powerful health tool you own, especially during the holidays.

In this episode of The Habit Healers Podcast, Dr. Laurie Marbas takes you inside the mind of a physician with a powerful clinical vignette designed to uncover the real, often-overlooked roots of persistent brain fog and unrelenting fatigue.

You’ll meet a 47-year-old woman who feels like she’s “wading through molasses”—struggling to think clearly, waking up exhausted, and slowly losing control of her energy. Her story mirrors the experience of millions, but the cause isn’t as simple as stress, age, or “being busy.”

Dr. Marbas walks you step-by-step through the diagnostic reasoning process:

* How physicians think through uncertainty

* The key clues that matter most in cases of fog + fatigue

* Why a cluster of symptoms tells a deeper story than any single complaint

* How sleep disruption, insulin resistance, stress physiology, and midlife hormonal shifts can intertwine to cloud the brain

You’ll also learn the surprising lifestyle patterns that quietly sabotage clarity—late-night screen time, skipped breakfasts, fragmented sleep, evening carb surges—and why women in midlife are especially vulnerable.

Most importantly, this episode highlights what actually helps:

* Rebuilding sleep architecture

* Giving the brain steady, predictable fuel

* Simple post-meal movement that sharpens afternoon focus

* Restoring daily light and stress rhythms

* Identifying when symptoms signal something more serious

This isn’t about guessing or self-diagnosing. It’s about learning to see your health through a more connected, compassionate lens—one that empowers you to ask better questions and make changes that really move the needle.

If brain fog and fatigue have become your “new normal,” this episode will help you understand why—and what small, repeatable habits can begin to turn things around.

Clearer thinking and better energy aren’t luxuries—they’re signals your brain can thrive again.

Dr. Marbas Substack: https://drlauriemarbas.substack.com/

A Big Thank You To Our Sponsors:

If you want the best supplement to help you on your plant-based journey, you have to try Complement: https://lovecomplement.com/?aff=62

In this eye-opening episode of The Habit Healers Podcast, Dr. Laurie Marbas unpacks one of the most misunderstood truths in modern health: you can be overweight, overfed, and still profoundly undernourished.

Through stories, science, and global insights, Dr. Marbas explains the health paradox unfolding worldwide—where obesity and nutrient deficiency often exist in the same body. From South African children who appeared well-fed but were lacking essential nutrients, to the millions of adults in the U.S. who consume plenty of calories yet remain low in vitamin D, magnesium, fiber, or iron—this episode reveals why “eating enough” no longer means “being healthy.”

You’ll learn:

* Why malnutrition isn’t about calories—it’s about the quality of those calories

* How ultra-processed foods create “hidden hunger” even when the stomach is full

* The real-life signs of nutrient deficiencies: brain fog, fatigue, brittle nails, mood changes, digestive issues, sugar cravings, and more

* The deeper structural forces—cost, access, marketing, culture—that shape the modern food landscape

* Why the “double burden of malnutrition” is rising globally, affecting families, communities, and entire countries

* How nourishing your body with whole, nutrient-dense foods creates a foundation for healing, energy, and resilience

This episode is not about guilt, restriction, or blame. It’s about understanding what your biology truly needs—and how even small, consistent upgrades can shift your energy, metabolism, and long-term health.

If you’ve ever wondered why you’re tired despite eating enough, why cravings won’t let up, or why changing your diet hasn’t “worked” before, this conversation offers clarity, compassion, and a path forward.

When you nourish better, you feel better. Your body already knows how to heal—you just need to give it the right materials.

Dr. Marbas Substack: https://drlauriemarbas.substack.com/

A Big Thank You To Our Sponsors:

If you want the best supplement to help you on your plant-based journey, you have to try Complement: https://lovecomplement.com/?aff=62