Good morning my friends, this is Dr. Deb Ford, Dietitian and doctor of clinical nutrition and today we’re diving into a topic that’s both shocking and vitally important for your health: plastics — and how they’re silently invading your heart- creating disease, your brain- creating discord, your immune system- creating confusion and your hormones- creating havoc. It is some pretty heavy stuff but I think you have to know and act on this information for your health and longevity.

Today, we’re shining a bright light on one of the most overlooked nutrients in modern health — magnesium — the mighty mineral that fuels every heartbeat, every muscle contraction, and even your mood.

If you struggle with fatigue, poor sleep, anxiety, muscle cramps, headaches, or stubborn blood sugar… this episode is for you.

The Unsung Hero of Cellular Energy is magnesium

It is a behind-the-scenes hero in more than 300 enzymatic reactions in the body. Think of it as your cellular spark plug.
Without magnesium, ATP — your body’s energy currency — simply can’t be activated.

Let’s talk about something you can’t buy in a bottle — but it’s as essential as food.
That nutrient is light.

We’ve spent decades counting carbs and macros, but very few people count the hours of sunlight on their skin or the quality of light around them. Yet light directs every cell clock in your body — from your brain to your liver, from your thyroid to your fat cells.

When your light rhythms are off, hormones misfire, metabolism slows, and sleep suffers.
But when you live in sync with natural light, energy can flow again.

So let’s explore how sunshine, sleep, and even red-light therapy can reset your circadian rhythm — the 24-hour internal clock that governs everything from hunger to healing.

Let me start with a story I hear almost every week.
A woman tells me, “I’m eating clean. I’m exercising. I’m doing everything right — but I’m still tired, inflamed, and stuck.”
She’s counting calories, skipping desserts, yet the scale won’t move and her clothes fit the same.

The truth? It’s not a lack of discipline — it’s hidden inflammation.
Your body isn’t ignoring your effort; it’s trying to protect you.

Today, we’re going to talk about the silent saboteurs — the inflammatory triggers that block weight loss, drain your energy, and accelerate aging — and how to calm the fire naturally through a functional nutrition lens.

This is a perfect time to reset your metabolism. Slow down and take time for yourself. Focus inward and take charge of what you might have neglected in your health before it can become a health problem.

This is National Menopause Month so this topic will be perfect for you ---
If you’re a woman in your 40s, 50s, or 60s and you’ve felt like your body has suddenly changed the rules — the weight won’t budge, sleep is off, your patience is thin, and your get-up-and-go got up and went — this show is for you.

Today, I want to walk you through what SSRI’s are, how they work, what the science says and how functional nutrition looks at it.

Now, you may not know them by that technical name, but I bet you’ve heard their brand names: Prilosec, Nexium, Protonix, Prevacid. These are the purple pills and little capsules that so many people take for acid reflux, indigestion, ulcers, or heartburn. Some of them are available by prescription, and many are available over the counter.

They are powerful. They are effective. They can be life-saving in certain situations. But here’s the nasty rub: we now have decades of research that tells us that long-term use of these drugs may come with some very real risks. And yet, millions of Americans take them day in and day out, often for years, sometimes even decades, with no reevaluation.

When September hits, I always say it’s like a second “New Year.” Schedules tighten, routines reset, and — let’s be honest — the germs start flying. It is cootie season! packed classrooms, sports getting kids run down while exposure is increased. Between classrooms, sports teams, offices, and the changing seasons, our immune systems can be suddenly challenged. And this year, I want your family armed and ready — not with fear, but with resilience.

I am going to talk about the basics, the foundations of immune health: the basics I wrote about in my book, get out of hormone hell.  sleep, nutrition, hydration, and those sneaky daily habits that can either help or hurt. Because before you even think about supplements or fancy immune tonics, the truth is, like with any illness or complaint: if the basics aren’t in place, your defenses are only half-built.

So grab a notebook, maybe even your kids, and let’s dive in.

Today I’m tackling a common medication that some of us have in our purse, our glove compartment, and our nightstand—Tylenol, also known as acetaminophen. It’s considered so “safe” that hospitals hand it out like candy, pediatricians recommend it for teething babies, and it’s included in hundreds of over-the-counter products—cold remedies, sleep aids, sinus medicine, and pain relievers.

But here’s the truth: just because something is common, doesn’t mean it’s safe. In fact, acetaminophen is the leading cause of acute liver failure in the United States. Yes—you heard me right. The most trusted household painkiller is also one of the most dangerous when misused.

Today, I want to break this down into six major problems: liver toxicity, gut and kidney problems, narrow safety margin, blood pressure and heart disease, Autism and ADHD, and masking problems, not curing them.

I’ll unpack and give you important alternatives that work.