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

Instagram

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.

If your child has chronic constipation, skin rashes, bedwetting, brain fog, or sensory issues that nobody can explain, this episode might be the missing piece.

I sat down with Dr. Joshua Sharp, chiropractor and founder of Discover Health, and we went deep on one of the most overlooked frameworks in holistic health: the body's drainage funnel. This is the system that determines whether your child's body can actually detox, heal, and function at its best.

We also connected the dots to picky eating, because when a child's gut is clogged, inflamed, or riddled with parasites, their appetite, food preferences, and mealtime behavior all shift in ways that look behavioral on the surface but are actually biological.

This one is a must-listen for any parent whose child is stuck, whether they're a picky eater, a chronically constipated toddler, or a kid with skin symptoms that keep coming back.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

1. Start at the bottom of the funnel.

The colon is the easiest place to get clogged and often the highest-impact place to start. If your child is not having one to two bowel movements per day, that is not a variation of normal. Start there.

2. Everyone has parasites.

Lab tests are unreliable. The real question is whether your child's terrain is healthy enough to keep them in check. Improving gut health, drainage, and diet shifts the terrain. Jumping straight to a parasite cleanse without opening drainage pathways first will likely make things worse.

3. The light in your home is affecting your hormones and health more than you think.

LED and fluorescent lights suppress melatonin production significantly. Poor sleep disrupts healing, detoxification, and appetite regulation. Changing the light in your bedroom is a high-impact, low-cost intervention.

4. Clutter is a stressor.

Piles of stuff are piles of unmade decisions. Every time your nervous system registers them, cortisol goes up. Start with one surface in your bedroom. Set a timer for five minutes. That is enough.

5. Healing the gut takes months or years.

There is no supplement that fixes this overnight. Dr. Sharp walks through a layered process: open drainage, bind toxins, address parasites, detoxify chemical elements. Be patient and consistent.

6. Go outside.

Morning sunlight on your eyes and skin sets your hormonal clock for the whole day. Bare feet on the ground gives your body information from the earth's electrons. This is free and available right now.

Resources Mentioned

Dr. Joshua Sharp

• Website: discoverhealthfm.com
• Instagram: @discoverhealthfm
• YouTube: Joshua Sharp Discover Health
• Podcast: The Discover Health Podcast
• Program: Gut Rescue Odyssey

Practitioners Referenced

• Dr. Todd Watts (The Parasite Guy)
• Mandy Allercon (Health Coach, Decluttering)
• Dr. Alexis Cowan (Light and POMC research)

If this episode connected the dots for you around your child's gut health, constipation, or food refusal, here are your next steps:

• Download Lena's free 10 Simple Daily Habits to Reverse Picky Eating Guide
• Book a free Clarity Call with Lena 

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 lives on pasta, crackers, fruit, and snacks and refuses meat, eggs, or protein… this episode is for you.

This is one of the most common patterns I see as a pediatric feeding specialist and one of the most misunderstood.

In this episode, I break down why picky eating is not just a phase or a behavior problem, but a signal that something deeper is going on in your child’s body. We walk through the real root causes behind carb-heavy eating patterns and why pushing, bribing, or forcing protein often backfires.

You’ll learn how oral motor skills, sensory sensitivities, nervous system regulation, and gut health all play a role in what your child is willing to eat and how to support them in a way that actually leads to progress.

If you’re a natural-minded mom who wants a more holistic, whole-child approach to picky eating, this episode will give you clarity and practical next steps.

If you’re tired of guessing what’s causing your child’s picky eating, take my Picky Eating Root Cause Quiz linked below.

And if you want real support, join my next live workshop where I walk you step-by-step through what to do next.

🎯 Take the Picky Eating Root Cause Quiz: [link]

🎥 Join my upcoming workshop: LenaLivinsky.com/workshop

In this episode, we cover:

• Why picky eating is a signal, not a diagnosis
• The real reason kids prefer carbs over protein
• Oral motor challenges and how they affect eating
• Sensory sensitivities and food textures
• Nervous system dysregulation and food choices
• Gut health, blood sugar, and cravings
• Why pressure at the table backfires
• What to do instead (practical steps)

Key Takeaways

• Picky eating is not just behavior, it’s biology
• Carbs feel safe, predictable, and easy for many kids
• Protein requires more skill, coordination, and regulation
• You cannot force a regulated eater
• Safety at the table always comes first

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.

When a child struggles with food, parents are often told one of two things:

“They’ll grow out of it” or “you need to push harder.”

But what if neither of those is actually helpful?

In this episode of The Livin’Sky Podcast, I sit down with eating disorder expert, educator, and speaker Jessica Setnick to talk about what’s really happening beneath picky eating, food anxiety, and eating challenges in children.

We talk about how to recognize red flags without panicking, why ARFID is often misunderstood, how stress and family dynamics shape a child’s relationship with food, and why parents’ own food histories matter more than they may realize.

This conversation is compassionate, practical, and incredibly freeing for parents who want to raise healthy, resilient eaters without pressure, shame, or control.

In This Episode, We Talk About

• Why Jessica prefers the term “problem eating behaviors” over eating disorders in children
• The difference between normal selective eating and something more concerning
• Early red flags parents should watch for
• Why a sudden change in eating is often more important than a label
• Stress, trauma, and how they can affect a child’s eating
• Why children should not be put on restrictive diets for weight loss
• What ARFID actually is and why it is often misunderstood
• Who should be part of a feeding support team
• The role anxiety plays in food struggles
• Small, practical ways parents can reduce food stress at home
• Why food exposure does not always mean taking a bite
• How shame around food develops
• How adults’ own childhood food experiences shape family feeding patterns
• Why kids need safety, autonomy, and trust around food
• What it really means to raise resilient eaters

Key Takeaways

• Picky eating is often more normal than parents think
• A child can be healthy without eating a huge variety of foods
• Red flags are often about change, growth, stress, and function
• ARFID is a descriptive diagnosis, not a root cause
• Food anxiety can be supported without pressure or force
• Family food patterns often go back generations
• Kids need safety and autonomy, not shame, around food

Resources Mentioned

• Jessica Setnick: https://jessicasetnick.com
• Healing Your Inner Eater: https://healingyourinnereater.com
• Discount code from Jessica: podcast

Connect with Lena

• Website: https://lenalivinsky.com/
• Podcast: The Livin’Sky Podcast
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lena.livinsky/
• Workshop: Beyond Picky Eating 

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.

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In this bonus episode of The Livin’Sky Podcast, I’m sharing a replay of my Beyond Picky Eating workshop.

If your child eats a limited number of foods, refuses certain textures, or mealtimes feel stressful, this episode will help you understand what’s really going on.

You’ll learn why picky eating is often not just behavior, but a reflection of the child’s nervous system, sensory experience, gut health, and overall development.

We’ll walk through a whole-child approach to help children feel safer around food and begin expanding their food choices naturally, without pressure, bribing, or mealtime battles.

📍 Book your Personalized Feeding Game Plan session:

[BOOK HERE]

If you’re ready to understand your child’s picky eating and get a clear, personalized plan for what to do next, I would love to support you.

This episode is only available for a limited time, so be sure to listen soon.

Grab your Bon Charge gear here, code LenaL for 15% off your purchase 

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.