The Livin'Sky Podcast

What if one of the most powerful things you can do for your child's attachment, nervous system regulation, and resilience starts not at the dinner table or the sleep routine but at the diaper?

This week I sat down with Andrea Olson, founder of Go Diaper Free, author, podcaster, and one of the world's leading experts on elimination communication. Andrea has helped hundreds of thousands of families rethink one of the earliest parts of parenting by showing that babies are capable of communicating their toileting needs from birth.

But this conversation is about so much more than diapering. It is about trusting our babies. Understanding their biology. Building secure attachment from the very beginning. And recognizing how modern conveniences, as helpful as they are, have quietly disrupted the deep attunement between parents and children that humans have always had.

We talked about what elimination communication actually is and why it is not potty training. We talked about how disposable diapers disrupted the parent child connection and why that matters for attachment. We talked about resilience, boundaries, presence, and what it actually means to raise a child who can handle hard things. And we talked about how all of this connects to feeding, picky eating, and the themes we come back to on this show again and again.

This one is warm, honest, and deeply grounding. I think you are going to love it.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• What elimination communication actually is and why it is not potty training
• Why a third to half of all baby cries are actually communication about needing to go to the bathroom
• How to read your baby's cues for elimination from birth and what the easiest starting points are
• Why 92 percent of American toddlers were fully potty trained by 18 months in 1957 and what changed
• How disposable diapers disrupted the deep attunement and connection between parents and children
• Why elimination communication is flexible and works even part time alongside diapers
• How EC connects to secure attachment and why attunement causes security
• Why potty training between 12 and 18 months is developmentally appropriate and actually reduces tantrums
• Why Andrea recommends being present with your baby instead of escaping into scrolling
• How connection is the foundation of resilience and what that means for how we parent
• Why failure is not something to protect our children from but something essential for their development
• The one piece of advice Andrea would give every parent who wants to raise healthier more resilient kids

The Picky Eating Connection

This episode takes the themes I talk about every week and applies them to an area most parents never think about in this way.
Connection. Attunement. Cue reading. Responding to your child's biology instead of trying to control or override it.
These are the exact same principles that underlie everything I teach about picky eating in the BLOOM Framework. And hearing Andrea articulate them through the lens of elimination communication was one of those moments where I thought yes, this is exactly it.

Key Takeaways

1. Elimination communication is not potty training.
It is responding to your baby's natural elimination cues the same way you respond to their hunger cues. It is something parents have done for all of human history. It is flexible, part time friendly, and does not require giving up diapers completely.

2. A third to half of all baby cries are about needing to go to the bathroom.
Most parents have no idea. When we learn to read this cue, fussiness often resolves dramatically and connection deepens in ways that ripple through every part of parenting.

3. Attunement causes secure attachment.
When we accurately respond to our baby's needs, whether that is hunger, sleep, or elimination, we build a foundation of trust and security that shapes everything that comes after. Including how they eat, how they sleep, how they regulate, and how resilient they become.

4. Diapers disrupted the parent child connection.
Not because they are evil but because they were marketed as a replacement for part of parental attunement. We were taught to ignore our instincts and our babies' signals. And that interruption in connection has had consequences we are still working through.

5. Potty training between 12 and 18 months is developmentally appropriate.
It is not harmful. It is not too early. It actually normalizes behavior and reduces tantrums because children at this age developmentally want to take care of themselves. The science saying otherwise was manufactured.

6. Connection is the foundation of resilience.
Not protection from failure. Not a perfectly scheduled day. Not the right supplements or the right strategies. Connection. Being present. Seeing your child with fresh eyes. Responding to who they actually are. That is what builds a resilient child.

Resources Mentioned

Andrea Olson:
 Website: godiaperfree.com
Potties and undies: tinyundies.com
Instagram: @godiaperfree
TikTok: @godiaperfree
YouTube: Go Diaper Free
Facebook: Go Diaper Free
Podcast: Go Diaper Free

Books Referenced:
 Go Diaper Free by Andrea Olson
 Andrea's potty training book (18 to 20 months method)
 The Continuum Concept by Jean Liedloff

If this episode resonated and you are thinking about what is really driving your child's feeding challenges, picky eating, or struggles at the table, connection and attunement are always the place to start.

Book a free Clarity Call with me. We will look at your child's whole picture and figure out your next best step together.

Grab your SIGNALS shake at 10% off with code Lena10

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes.

If your child has ever struggled with breastfeeding, has a narrow palate, snores, grinds their teeth, mouths breathes, or only eats soft foods and you have never been able to figure out why, this episode is going to connect every single dot.

This week I sat down with Emily Hussey, speech language pathologist, feeding therapist, myofunctional therapist, and founder of Eats and Speaks. Emily takes a whole person approach to uncovering the root causes behind feeding challenges, speech delays, tongue ties, and orofacial dysfunction. And this conversation is one of the most practical and eye opening I have had on the show.

We talked about what myofunctional therapy actually is and why it is essentially physical therapy for your mouth and breathing. We talked about tongue ties, when to release and when not to, and why the first stop should never be the surgeon. We talked about infant feeding red flags that most parents miss and what to look for before your baby even arrives. We talked about oral motor development and how a child who only eats soft foods may not be picky at all but actually unable to chew effectively. And we talked about pacifiers, when to use them, which shape to choose, and why Emily wants them gone by twelve months.

This one is a masterclass. Take notes.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• What myofunctional therapy actually is and why it is physical therapy for the mouth and breathing
• The four main goals of myofunctional therapy and why nasal breathing is the foundation of everything
• Why the first stop for a potential tongue tie should never be the release provider or surgeon
• How to know if your baby has a tongue tie and what the right timing for release actually looks like
• Why a tongue tie release without proper preparation beforehand often does not fix the problem
• What oral motor dysfunction looks like in picky eaters and why a child who refuses meat may not be picky at all
• Why chewing is deeply connected to vagus nerve stimulation and nervous system regulation
• The infant feeding red flags every parent needs to know before their baby arrives
• Why Emily recommends finding a lactation specialist before you give birth not after
• Which pacifier shapes Emily recommends and which she does not
• Why Emily wants pacifiers gone by twelve months and what to replace them with
• Why doing too many things at once can actually make your child's situation worse
• The one piece of wisdom Emily would leave every parent with

Key Takeaways

1. Myofunctional therapy is physical therapy for your mouth and breathing.
The four goals are nasal breathing, tongue resting up in the palate, a normal swallow pattern, and elimination of oral habits. It requires a cognitive age of at least four and daily exercises to be effective.

2. The first stop for a tongue tie concern should never be the surgeon.
You would not call a surgeon if your foot hurt. The same logic applies. See a feeding specialist or myofunctional therapist first who can evaluate function not just appearance.

3. A tongue tie release without preparation often does not fix the problem.
Just like releasing an arm that has been tethered does not immediately restore function, releasing a tongue tie without bodywork, oral motor therapy, and wound care support before and after rarely produces the outcomes families are hoping for.

4. Picky eating is often an oral motor issue disguised as a preference.
Children who cannot lateralize food, who have a munch chew instead of a rotary chew, or who have restricted tongue mobility will avoid harder textures and stick to safe predictable foods. That is compensation not pickiness.

5. Chewing stimulates the vagus nerve.
This is why soft processed diets are not just a nutritional problem. They are a nervous system regulation problem. Every time we remove the need to chew we remove a powerful self-regulation tool from our children.

6. Find your lactation support before the baby arrives.
Having a specialist you already trust in your back pocket before birth is one of the most important things an expecting mother can do. Most families wait until they are exhausted and struggling and then have to find someone in a blur.

7. Just because you can do it does not mean you should.
When parents are doing too many things at once, it can blur the reasons for doing them and create more stress for everyone. Go slow. Take it one thing at a time.

Resources Mentioned

Emily Hussey:
 Website: eatsandspeaks.com
Instagram: @eatsandspeaktherapy
Facebook: Eats and Speaks Therapy
Location: Rockford, Illinois
Services: Speech therapy, myofunctional therapy, feeding therapy, infant breast and bottle feeding, lactation counseling

If this episode connected dots for you around your child's picky eating and you are wondering whether oral motor function, airway health, or tongue tie might be part of the picture, I would love to talk through it with you.

Book a free Clarity Call with me at lenalivinsky.com. We will look at your child's whole picture and figure out your next best step together.

You do not have to keep guessing.

Grab your SIGNALS shake at 10% off with code Lena10

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes.

What if the answer to so many of the struggles we face as modern mothers, the exhaustion, the disconnection, the mealtime battles, the overwhelm, has been hiding in the way humans have always lived?

This week I sat down with Maggie and Meara, the hosts of Women Folk Revival, a community and podcast dedicated to helping women rediscover a slower, more intentional way of living rooted in faith, family, traditional wisdom, and caring well for the people we love.

Meara brings over a decade of nursing experience and now focuses on prevention, holistic wellness, and supporting families through a more ancestral lens. Maggie is an artist, homemaker, homesteader, and mom who has built a beautiful life centered around creativity, nourishing her family, and living closely with the rhythms of the seasons.

This conversation wandered beautifully through slow living and why we are all craving it, homemaking and why it is some of the most important work a woman can do, community and why we were never meant to do this alone, and picky eating and what a slower more connected family life actually does for a child's relationship with food.

This one is warm and grounding and full of grace. Exactly what overwhelmed moms need right now.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• How Maggie and Meara found their way to slow intentional living and why they both felt like outsiders before they did
• Why the pandemic was actually a wake up call for so many families about what they were missing
• How slowing down and staying home more changed the way their children eat and explore food
• Why including children in cooking, cleaning, and homemaking is one of the most powerful feeding strategies available to parents
• What texture sensitivity in picky eaters actually looks like and how to approach it with openness instead of pressure
• Why low muscle tone and oral motor challenges are often mistaken for picky eating and what to watch for
• How homeschooling and learning at home creates the kind of deep connection that makes children more open to trying new things
• Why homemaking is biologically wired into women and what happens to our health when we are forced away from it
• The role of faith and community in sustaining mothers through the hard seasons
• What one overwhelmed mom of a picky eater needs to hear right now
• Why grace for yourself is the foundation of everything

Key Takeaways

1. Slowing down is not a luxury. It is medicine.
When we stop rushing and start being present in our homes, everything changes. For our children. For our mealtimes. For our nervous systems. For our relationships with food. The research on co-regulation tells us that a calm connected parent is one of the most powerful regulatory tools a child has. And a slow home creates the conditions for that.

2. Including children in home life is one of the best feeding strategies available.
Before we ever sit down at the table, we can be building our children's relationship with food. In the kitchen. In the garden. At the grocery store. At the butcher. Familiarity without pressure is the foundation of food curiosity.

3. What looks like picky eating might be something else entirely.
Low muscle tone, difficulty swallowing, oral motor challenges, sensory sensitivities, these all show up at the table as food refusal. Zooming out and actually observing your child instead of just trying to get food into them is how you start to see what is actually happening.

4. Community is not optional. It is biological.
We were never designed to do this alone. The village is not a nice idea. It is a necessity. And when we find our people, whether that is Women Folk Revival or another community of like-minded moms, everything feels more possible.

5. You do not have to be perfect to start.
Meara and Maggie both say this and I love it. You are already a homemaker. You are already doing this. Just start small. One intentional meal. One moment of connection. One day without social media. Start there and build from it.

6. Grace for yourself is the foundation.
You are not failing your child. You are not behind. You are doing the best you can with the information you have. And now you have more. That is enough to start.

Resources Mentioned

Maggie and Meara:
 Podcast: Women Folk Revival
Facebook Community: Women Folk Revival

If this episode resonated and you want to be in a room full of families and practitioners who are asking the same questions we talked about today, I would love to meet you in person.

I will be speaking at the Documenting Hope Health and Healing Expo on November 21 and 22 in Orlando, Florida. I am on the picky eating panel and I cannot wait to have this conversation live with the families who need it most.

There is also a virtual option if you cannot make it in person.

Grab your ticket at the link below. Come find me. I would love to meet you there.

Documenting Hope Health and Healing Expo
 

Grab your SIGNALS shake at 10% off with code Lena10

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes.

If you have been running on empty since you had your baby and your child will not eat anything you put on their plate, this episode is going to connect dots you did not even know needed connecting.

This week I sat down with Dr. Hilary Claire, clinical psychologist, holistic parenting mentor, and host of the Wild and Well podcast. Dr. Hillary specializes in nutritional and environmental medicine and supporting mothers to move out of exhaustion and reclaim a thriving healthy identity in motherhood.

We talked about postnatal depletion, what it actually is, why so many mothers are living with it without knowing it has a name, and why it can follow you for years if you never address the root causes. We talked about the signs of mom burnout that we normalize but absolutely should not. We talked about free nervous system reset strategies you can do in thirty seconds when you are about to lose it.

And then we went deep on picky eating from a completely different angle. Not just what is happening in your child's body, but what is happening in yours. Because the nutrient deficiencies, gut dysbiosis, and nervous system dysregulation driving your postnatal depletion are the same root causes showing up in your child's picky eating. And the energy you bring to the table before a single bite is offered is affecting your child's appetite in ways you have never been told.

This one is for the mom who is tired of being tired and tired of mealtime battles. And it is going to change how you see both.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• What postnatal depletion actually is and why it is not just being tired in the first few weeks after birth
• Why postnatal depletion can follow a mother for years or even decades if left unaddressed
• The signs and symptoms of mom burnout that we normalize but should not
• Why the village matters biologically and what happens to our nervous systems when we try to do this alone
• The physiological, psychological, and practical reasons mothers end up depleted and burnt out
• Why nutrient deficiencies, gut dysbiosis, leaky gut, and sleep deprivation are at the root of postnatal depletion
• Simple free nervous system reset strategies you can do in thirty seconds or less
• What the vagus nerve is and why it matters for your digestion, your appetite, your mood, and your child's picky eating
• Why the energy you bring to the table affects your child's appetite and willingness to try new foods
• How your own relationship with food is silently being modeled to your picky eater
• Why connection always comes first before any picky eating strategy
• What Dr. Hillary wishes every parent understood about the whole child that we almost always miss

Key Takeaways

1. Postnatal depletion is not just being tired.
It is a syndrome. An accumulation of physical, mental, and emotional symptoms that can follow a mother for years or even decades if the root causes are never addressed. And it is far more common than we talk about.

2. You are not meant to do this alone.
Biologically we are wired for a village. When we try to do motherhood in isolation, our nervous systems pay the price. Building community and asking for help is not weakness. It is biology.

3. The energy you bring to the table affects your child's appetite.
If you sit down to dinner already stressed and bracing for a battle, your child's nervous system reads that before a single bite is taken. Their appetite shuts down. Working on your own regulation before mealtimes is one of the most powerful feeding strategies available to you.

4. Postnatal depletion has physiological roots.
Nutrient deficiencies, sleep deprivation, gut dysbiosis, and leaky gut are at the foundation of why so many mothers feel so depleted. Getting blood work done and understanding where you are nutritionally is one of the most important things you can do for yourself and your child.

5. The vagus nerve connects everything.
It is the superhighway between the gut and the brain. It regulates digestion, appetite, hunger cues, food preferences, and the gut microbiome. Toning it through humming, singing, slow breathing, gargling, and getting outside supports both your nervous system and your child's relationship with food.

6. Picky eating always starts with connection.
Before any strategy, before any root cause investigation, before any feeding approach, the relationship comes first. A child who feels safe and connected is a child who is more open to trying new things at the table.

7. Look at your own relationship with food.
Even when we think we are hiding our anxiety around food, our children see it. They are modeling themselves after us. Healing our own patterns around eating is one of the most transformational things a parent of a picky eater can do.

Resources Mentioned

Website: www.drhilaryclaire.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/drhilaryclaire/
Books: https://www.drhilaryclaire.com/books
Picky Eating Guide: https://www.drhilaryclaire.com/offers/AU5Sf56A/checkout
Wild and Well Podcast: www.drhilaryclaire.com/podcast

If this episode resonated and you are ready to understand what is actually driving your child's picky eating while also getting support for yourself as a mom, I would love to meet you in person.

I will be speaking at the Documenting Hope Health and Healing Expo on November 21 and 22 in Orlando, Florida. I am on the picky eating panel and I cannot wait to connect with you live.

There is also a virtual option if you cannot make it in person.

Grab your ticket here. I hope to see you there.

And if you want to talk through what is happening with your child before then, book a free Clarity Call with me. 

Grab your SIGNALS shake at 10% off with code Lena10

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes.

What if the answer to your child's picky eating has been hiding in ancient wisdom for thousands of years?

This week I sat down with Hilda Labrada Gore, also known as Holistic Hilda, a world traveler, speaker, and educator who has spent years living alongside indigenous and traditional cultures around the world to uncover the simple health principles that have sustained human families for generations.

Hilda has traveled to Ethiopia, Mongolia, Ecuador, Peru, Australia, and beyond, eating with indigenous families, observing what their children eat, and bringing that wisdom back in a way that is accessible and practical for modern moms. And what she has found challenges almost everything we have been told about feeding our children.

We talked about why nutrient density matters more than variety, why fat is not the enemy but the foundation, what children in traditional cultures actually eat and why they are not picky, and what the Weston A. Price research from the 1930s still has to teach us about raising healthy kids today. We also talked about the Mother Code, Hilda's course on the six ancient habits that support endless energy for moms.

This one is warm, wise, and completely grounding. Exactly what overwhelmed moms need right now.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• What Hilda discovered traveling with indigenous communities in Ethiopia, Mongolia, Ecuador, Peru, and Australia that completely changed how she thinks about feeding families
• Why the Weston A. Price research from the 1930s is still the most important nutritional science parents need to know
• What the lost diet is and why eating local, organic, seasonal, and traditional foods is the single most powerful thing you can do for your child's health
• Why children in traditional cultures are not picky and what that teaches us about food exposure and family mealtimes
• Why fat is not the enemy and why saturated fat from butter, tallow, and lard is essential for children's brain development and nervous system regulation
• What the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K have to do with picky eating, jaw development, and cognitive function
• How to sneak organ meats into everyday meals without your family ever knowing
• Why eating outside changes blood glucose response and what that means for mealtimes with picky eaters
• The six ancient habits Hilda teaches in the Mother Code and how they support mom's energy and resilience
• Why sunrise before screen rise is one of the most powerful things you can do for your child's nervous system and appetite
• What a Quechua community in Ecuador did during COVID that resulted in zero hospitalizations and zero deaths
• The one piece of wisdom Hilda would leave every family with to change the trajectory of their health

Resources Mentioned

Holistic Hilda:
 Website: holistichilda.com
Instagram: @HolisticHilda
YouTube: HolisticHilda
Substack: HolisticHilda
Course: The Mother Code (six ancient habits for endless energy)

Books Referenced:
 Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Weston A. Price
 Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon Morell

People Referenced:
 Sally Fallon Morell (Weston A. Price Foundation)
 Mary Ruddick (ancestral health researcher)
 Dr. Jack Kruse (quantum biology)
 Dr. Gabrielle Lyon (muscle and longevity)
 Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride

Products Referenced:
 Pluck organ based seasonings
 Birthright whole food animal based supplements
 Farm Match (farmatch.com) to find local farms near you

If this episode sparked something in you and you are ready to understand what is actually driving your child's picky eating so you can stop guessing and start seeing real change, I would love to connect.

Book a free Clarity Call with me (Lena). We will look at your child's whole picture and figure out your next best step together.

You do not have to figure this out alone.

Grab your SIGNALS shake at 10% off with code Lena10

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes.

What if the foods you have been told are the healthiest choices for your child are actually some of the most problematic ones?

This week I sat down with Sally K. Norton, Ivy League trained nutritionist, public health researcher, and bestselling author of Toxic Superfoods: How Oxalate Overload is Making You Sick and How to Get Better. Sally earned her nutrition degree from Cornell University and a master's in public health, spent years in medical education and research, and then spent decades trying to figure out why eating as healthily as she possibly could was destroying her own health.

The answer was oxalates. And what she shares in this conversation is going to completely reframe how you think about feeding your child.

We talked about why spinach gives your baby zero calcium and actually causes them to lose calcium from other foods. Why sweet potatoes, almonds, kiwi, beets, and quinoa are among the most problematic foods for children. Why almond milk is one of the worst things you can give a kid. Why fiber is not the answer to constipation. And what parents of picky eaters should actually feel relieved to hear about vegetables.

This is one of those episodes that makes you rethink everything. Take notes.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• What oxalates actually are and why parents need to know about them
• Why spinach has been known since the 1930s to cause severe calcium and iron deficiency in infants and why nobody is talking about it
• The foods parents commonly think are healthy that may actually be causing chronic symptoms in children
• Why almond milk, cashew milk, and oat milk are among the worst things you can give a child
• What the best first foods for babies actually are according to ancestral nutrition science
• Why dairy is one of the most important foods for growing children and how to find the best quality
• The truth about fiber and why a high fiber diet can actually make constipation worse
• What oxalates have to do with ear infections, mood, focus, anxiety, and autistic behaviors in children
• Why cholesterol is not the enemy and what low cholesterol actually signals in the body
• Why your picky eater not wanting vegetables might not be as big a problem as you think
• What Sally would feed her own child starting from birth

The Picky Eating Connection

This episode hits differently when you look at it through the lens of picky eating. And I want to make sure every mom listening understands why.

We spend so much time worrying that our picky eaters are not getting enough vegetables. We panic about the fruits they refuse. We feel like failures if they will not touch a salad or eat their spinach.

But here is what Sally shared that I want you to really sit with.

Your child's body may actually know something.

The foods that are highest in oxalates, spinach, sweet potatoes, almonds, beets, kiwi, quinoa, Swiss chard, are also the foods that many children instinctively resist. And while picky eating has many root causes, the fact that a child's nervous system and gut are being affected by these compounds means that some of that resistance may be protective.

Sally was clear: what children actually need are minerals and protein. And those do not come reliably from plants. They come from eggs, meat, liver, dairy, sardines, and bone broth. The foods that many picky eaters will actually eat when they are prepared well and offered without pressure.

So if your child refuses spinach and sweet potatoes and reaches for eggs and cheese instead, that is worth looking at differently. Not as failure. As information.

Episode Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction to Sally K. Norton and Toxic Superfoods
 00:55 - What are oxalates and why should parents know about them
 01:50 - How oxalates grab and kidnap minerals in the body
 02:41 - Kidney stones and what doctors should be telling patients
 03:03 - What we knew about spinach and infant nutrition in the 1930s and chose to ignore
 04:47 - The dairy conversation: why it became regulated and what happened to quality
 05:42 - Why dairy is one of the easiest ways to get enough nutrients into your child
 09:03 - Why almond milk and oat milk are terrible choices for children
 10:17 - How spinach creates calcium deficiency even when it appears high in calcium
 11:47 - Oxalates, calcium ions, and heart palpitations
 12:54 - Foods parents think are healthy that may be causing problems
 15:21 - Ear infections, strep, and the immune system connection to oxalates
 17:06 - What are the best first foods for babies
 18:10 - Plants, heavy metals, and why animal foods have fewer contaminants
 20:33 - How plants literally defend themselves with calcium oxalate crystal shards
 23:47 - Seasonality and why eating high oxalate foods year round is a modern problem
 28:31 - Vegetables for babies: what is actually okay and what to avoid
 29:21 - What mothers torture themselves about and what kids actually need
 31:02 - Animal foods as the true human staple
 33:00 - Plant based diets, the cult of veganism, and why young women are repeating old mistakes
 37:57 - The truth about cholesterol: what the numbers actually mean
 42:03 - Hiccups, belching, constipation, mood, and autistic behaviors as oxalate symptoms
 43:07 - The fiber myth and why 30 plants a week may be making things worse
 45:28 - Why low fiber often resolves constipation faster than high fiber
 47:06 - How the gut heals and why you do not need perfect digestion to start getting well

Key Takeaways

1. Spinach is not a superfood for children.
We have known since the 1930s that spinach given to infants causes severe calcium and iron deficiency. The calcium in spinach is not bioavailable. It not only fails to deliver calcium but actually causes the body to lose calcium from other foods in the diet.

2. The foods we have been told are healthiest are often highest in oxalates.
Kiwi, beets, sweet potatoes, quinoa, Swiss chard, spinach, almonds, cashews, peanuts, and chocolate are among the highest oxalate foods. These are also the foods most heavily marketed as superfoods and healthy choices for children.

3. Almond milk is one of the worst things you can give a child.
Its watery consistency makes oxalic acid highly bioavailable, meaning it gets into the bloodstream quickly and efficiently. Even added calcium does not fully offset this. If you cannot use dairy, almond milk is not the answer.

4. What children actually need are minerals and protein.
These come reliably from animal foods: eggs, meat, liver, sardines, dairy, and bone broth. The idea that vegetables are the backbone of children's nutrition is not supported by the science.

5. Fiber does not fix constipation. It often makes it worse.
Too much fiber can cause an overgrowth of bacteria in the colon, creating more work for the immune system and more digestive distress. Many of Sally's clients with constipation improve significantly on a low fiber diet.

6. Your picky eater avoiding vegetables may not be the crisis you think it is.
If your child is reaching for eggs, meat, and dairy and refusing spinach and sweet potatoes, their instincts may be worth listening to. Focus on quality animal foods and stop torturing yourself about the vegetables.

Resources Mentioned

Sally K. Norton’s book, “Toxic Superfoods: How Oxalate Overload Is Making You Sick and How to Get Better” is available everywhere books are sold. The Data Companion to Toxic Superfoods is available at https://sallyknorton.com/toxic_superfoods/data_companion. Sally’s cookbook, Sally’s Recipe Collection, is filled with amazing recipes and can be found at Shop.SallyKNorton.com. For more information, visit SallyKNorton.com or follow Sally on YouTube and social media. She’s @sknorton and @toxicsuperfoods_oxalate_book on Instagram, @BeFreeToThrive on Facebook, and @BetterLowOx on X.

Links:

Website: https://sallyknorton.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sknorton
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toxicsuperfoods_oxalate_book
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeFreetoThrive
X: https://twitter.com/BetterLowOx
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFpmJtV19QCyjzaC5U691-A
Toxic Superfoods: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0593139585?tag=randohouseinc7986-20
Data Companion: https://sallyknorton.com/toxic_superfoods/data_companion
Sally’s Recipe Collection: https://shop.sallyknorton.com/products/low-oxalate-recipe-book-pdf-only

Grab your SIGNALS shake at 10% off with code Lena10

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes.

What if one of the most powerful things you could do for your child’s health…was completely free?

As parents, we’re often told to focus on nutrition, supplements, therapy appointments, and the latest products promising better sleep or behavior. While those things certainly have their place, we rarely stop to ask an even bigger question:

What kind of environment are our children growing up in?

In this week’s episode of The Livin’Sky Podcast, I sit down with Heidi Sime, co-founder of Dreamwalkerz.ai and an educator passionate about circadian health, to discuss how light, nature, and our daily rhythms may influence overall well-being.

We explore why so many families spend nearly all of their time indoors, how modern lighting differs from natural sunlight, and why creating simple daily habits around outdoor time may support healthier sleep, mood, and daily routines.

One of my favorite parts of this conversation is that Heidi continually reminds us that many of the most supportive habits don’t cost anything at all.

Go outside.

Watch the sunrise.

Open a window.

Take your shoes off in the grass.

These simple moments often get overlooked because they seem…too simple.

But sometimes the simplest habits are the ones we’ve drifted furthest away from.

As a pediatric feeding specialist, I couldn’t help but connect so much of this conversation back to the children I work with every day.

Many picky eaters struggle with regulation before they ever sit down at the table.

They’re indoors most of the day.

They’re moving less.

They’re exposed to artificial lighting for long periods.

They’re disconnected from nature.

Food is only one part of the picture.

Our environment matters too.

Throughout this episode, Heidi shares her perspective on:

• Why morning sunlight helps set our body’s daily rhythm
• The connection between light exposure and sleep
• Creating healthier morning and evening routines
• Practical ways to improve your home’s lighting environment
• Nature-based schools and outdoor play
• Supporting children through daily movement and time outside
• Reducing overwhelm by focusing on simple habits first
• Creating a calmer home environment for the whole family

We also have a thoughtful conversation about parenting in today’s world.

How do we raise resilient children?

How do we protect childhood while still preparing kids for adulthood?

How do we create homes that feel both safe and nurturing?

These questions don’t always have simple answers, but I hope this episode encourages you to zoom out and look at your child’s environment with fresh eyes.

You don’t have to change everything overnight.

Start with one small habit.

Open the curtains.

Eat breakfast outside.

Take a family walk after dinner.

Read books by an open window.

Watch the sunrise together.

Small changes, repeated consistently, often become the foundation for lasting change.

If this episode encouraged you, I’d love for you to share it with another parent who’s trying to build a healthier home.

Resources Mentioned

• Dreamwalkerz.ai
• Heidi Sime
• Thaddeus Owen
• Dr. Jack Kruse
• Mary Ruddick
• Sally Fallon Morell
• Weston A. Price Foundation
• Living Libations
• Primally Pure

https://dreamwalkerz.ai/discount/LENA10

Grab your SIGNALS shake at 10% off with code Lena10

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes.

If you have ever wondered why your child is obsessed with crackers, bread, pasta, and that one specific brand of chicken nugget and absolutely nothing else, this episode is going to change how you see that.

I sat down with Shandy Watters, an integrative speech language pathologist, functional nutrition therapy practitioner, and founder of Speaking of Health and Wellness. Shandy works with parents of children with complex picky eating, including kids with autism, ADHD, sensory processing disorders, Down syndrome, PANS, PANDAS, and more. And her framework for understanding what is actually driving picky eating is one of the most thorough and practical I have ever heard.

We talked about the difference between developmentally appropriate picky eating and complex picky eating. We talked about the opioid excess theory and why some children are biochemically driven to certain foods in a way that looks like preference but is actually much deeper than that. We talked about zinc deficiency, gut health, blood sugar regulation, leaky gut, and why the most commonly missed root causes of picky eating are the biochemical and nutritional ones.

We also talked about what parents can do tonight to shift the energy at mealtimes without any pressure, any bribing, or any one bite rules.

This one is for every overwhelmed mom who has tried everything and still cannot figure out why nothing is working.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• What complex picky eating actually is and how it is different from developmentally appropriate picky eating
• The five root cause domains of complex picky eating inside Shandy's framework
• What the opioid excess theory is and why some children are biochemically driven to gluten and dairy in a way that looks like obsession but is actually a gut issue
• How zinc deficiency distorts taste and smell and drives food refusal in ways that have nothing to do with behavior
• Why low stomach acid makes protein feel heavy and uncomfortable and why your child may be refusing meat for a reason
• How candida overgrowth creates extreme sugar cravings that no amount of willpower or strategy can override
• Why leaky gut allows undigested food particles into the bloodstream and what that has to do with picky eating
• What blood sugar dysregulation looks like in a grazing child who never wants to sit for a meal
• The one mindset shift that will change the energy at your next mealtime tonight
• Why outsourcing to a feeding therapist once a week is not enough and what parents can do at home that makes the biggest difference
• What Shandy wishes every overwhelmed mom understood about her own power in this process

Key Takeaways

1. Complex picky eating is not the same as typical picky eating. If your child eats fewer than 20 foods, if changing a brand causes a meltdown, if mealtimes are consistently creating anxiety and quality of life issues for your whole family, that is complex picky eating. It needs a different approach than standard picky eating advice.

2. The most missed root causes are biochemical and nutritional. Zinc deficiency, gut dysbiosis, low stomach acid, candida overgrowth, leaky gut, blood sugar dysregulation, and food sensitivities are driving picky eating in ways that no behavioral strategy will ever fix. You have to get to the body.

3. The opioid excess theory is real and it changes everything. Some children are not just preferring gluten and dairy. They are biochemically driven to them because of an opioid-like response triggered by improperly broken down food particles crossing a compromised gut lining. This is not a willpower problem or a preference problem. It is a gut problem.

4. Zinc deficiency distorts taste and smell. A child who refuses food because it tastes wrong or smells wrong may not be exaggerating. Zinc deficiency, which is extremely common in complex picky eaters, can genuinely distort sensory perception of food, making eating feel unreliable and unsafe.

5. Pressure makes picky eating worse, always. If you force a bite and it works, you have not won. You have created a negative association with that food that makes it less likely your child will choose it independently ever again. The goal is a long term healthy relationship with food, not obedient consumption at this meal.

6. You hold more power than you think. Your energy, your regulation, and your presence at mealtimes matter more than any strategy. When you are calm and connected, your child has the opportunity to co-regulate with you. That is the foundation everything else is built on.

Resources: 

Shandy's website: speakingofhealthandwellness.com

Grab Shandy’s free guide The Dos and Don’ts for Parents of Complex Picky Eaters: https://www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com/freebies

podcast: https://www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com/podcast

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Lena's Website: https://lenalivinsky.com/

Grab your SIGNALS shake at 10% off with code Lena10

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes.

If you have ever been told your child's autism, ADHD, or picky eating is just genetic, just behavioral, or just how they are, this episode is going to change how you see everything.

I sat down with Greer McGuinness, registered dietician, functional medicine practitioner, and founder of Biomedical Healing for Kids. Greer has spent years helping families look beyond surface level symptoms and understand what is actually happening inside their child's body. And she knows this world not just as a clinician, but as a mom whose son regressed into autism at 19 months.

We talked about the wild west of social media health advice and how to spot who is actually qualified to help your child. We talked about why autism is no longer accurately described as just a genetic diagnosis. We talked about Miralax, GI mapping, gluten, heavy metals, ARFID, and what it actually looks like to work on a child from the inside out.

This conversation is honest, direct, and packed with things nobody else is saying out loud. You are going to want to take notes.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• Why Greer's son regressed into autism at 19 months and what happened when she stopped following conventional advice
• How to spot unqualified practitioners online who are selling one-size-fits-all programs to desperate parents
• Why autism is now understood as a medical diagnosis, not purely a genetic one, and what that means for your child
• How heavy metals, oxidative stress, and gut dysfunction show up differently in kids with autism and ADHD
• Why Miralax is not the answer to constipation and what to look for instead
• What the GI MAP test shows that other stool tests miss, and why that matters
• Whether gluten free and casein free diets are necessary for every child on the spectrum
• How Greer's son went from a VB MAPS score of 56 to a 6 in less than a year using biomedical interventions
• What ARFID actually looks like in a child whose sensory system is off, and how taste perception can be completely distorted
• Why nutrition is the most overlooked piece of the whole child puzzle

Key Takeaways

1. Autism is a medical diagnosis, not just a genetic one. The rates of autism are rising too fast and too unevenly across geography and demographics to be explained by genetics alone. Research has found higher levels of heavy metals, lower glutathione, and significant biochemical differences in kids with autism. Treating the body matters.

2. Constipation is a signal, not a condition to manage. There is no such thing as a Miralax deficiency. When a child is constipated, something is happening on the inside. Stool testing, dietary changes, and gut support get to the root. Miralax just keeps the drain open while the clog stays in place.

3. Taste and sensory perception can be genuinely distorted. A child who says food tastes wrong, or who cannot explain why they refuse something, may not be exaggerating. Their sensory system may be giving them completely inaccurate information. This is a body issue, not a willpower issue.

4. Labs are not all created equal. The GI MAP shows both the bad and the good in the gut. Many tests only show pathogens, which means you can kill beneficial bacteria without ever knowing it was low to begin with. Who you test with and what you test for matters enormously.

5. Vet your practitioners. Google their name. Ask in Facebook groups. Check their actual credentials. Anyone can call themselves a practitioner. A licensed professional went through regulated education, sat for board exams, and has their reputation on the line with every recommendation they make.

6. One thing at a time. For overwhelmed families, trying to change everything at once causes shutdown. Greer starts with the highest impact basics: filtered water, cleaner food, supplements. Then layers from there.

"There is no such thing as a Miralax deficiency." - Greer McGuinness

Resources Mentioned

Greer McGuinness: 

Website: BiomedicalHealingForKids.com 

Instagram: Biomedical Healing for Kids 

Facebook Group: Biomedical Healing for Kids 

Free eBook: Beyond the Basics

Tests Referenced: GI MAP (stool testing) Wheat Zoomer and Dairy Zoomer (blood testing) Organic Acids Testing Toxin and Heavy Metal Testing

Programs Referenced: Duke University Stem Cell Treatment Trial (IMPACT Study), TruDose Platelet Therapy, Brain Balance

If this episode connected some dots for you around your child’s picky eating, selective eating, constipation, sensory challenges, or mealtime struggles, I want you to know this:

Picky eating is rarely just about the food.

There is often a deeper story underneath the behaviors, and you do not have to figure it out alone.

If you are tired of guessing, overwhelmed by conflicting advice, or feeling stuck trying to help your child eat better, book a free Clarity Call with me

We will talk through what is happening with your child, what may be getting missed, and what your next best steps could look like from a whole-child perspective.

There are answers. And there is a calmer way forward.

Grab your SIGNALS shake at 10% off with code Lena10

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes.

If you are a parent navigating an autism diagnosis, an ADHD diagnosis, or simply watching your child struggle in ways the medical system cannot explain, this episode is your permission slip to question everything you have been told.

I sat down with Paul Voss, a father of eight and the author of Autism Sucks, Finding Hope in the Chaos. His youngest daughter was diagnosed with autism three and a half years ago, post-COVID. What followed was sleepless nights, a pediatrician who fired the family for asking about vaccines, a school that rejected their medical exemption, and a relentless search for answers no one was offering them.

Paul does not sugarcoat the hard parts. But he also does not stay there. He walks us through the interventions that produced immediate, observable change — a grounding mat that gave his non-speaking daughter six hours of sleep on night one, CBD oil that helped her start walking on her own again, screen removal that dropped her frustration dramatically, and nicotine patches that stopped a years-long biting habit.

And the part I cannot stop thinking about: the same dietary changes they made for their autistic daughter completely reversed their 13-year-old son's ADHD symptoms. He is now an honor student with no accommodations. One diet, two transformations.

This episode is for any parent in the early, exhausting fog of a new diagnosis who needs to hear that there are real, practical tools and that hope is not naive. It is hard-earned.

What you'll learn:

• The first ASD signs Paul and his wife noticed after their family had COVID
• How an MTHFR mutation reframed everything that went into their daughter's body
• Why a $50 grounding mat produced six hours of sleep on night one
• The CBD oil turnaround that helped a child who insisted on being carried start walking on her own
• What nicotine patches did for chronic biting
• Why they said no to ABA from day one
• The same diet that supported their autistic daughter reversed their son's ADHD
• Paul's picky eating playbook
• The one piece of advice he gives every parent at the start of the journey

Connect with Paul Voss: Instagram: @paulvoss055 Book: Autism Sucks, Finding Hope in the Chaos (Amazon)

Take the Picky Eating Root Cause Quiz: [link]

Grab your SIGNALS shake at 10% off with code Lena10

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes.