Dr. Christina Bjorndal shares her journey into naturopathic medicine after a suicide attempt left her hospitalized, revealing how conventional medications failed to fully treat her mental health issues. She emphasizes treating patients holistically by addressing their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being, not just symptoms, explaining the four pillars' interconnected roles in health.
Simple changes like reducing sugar, coffee and carbonation intake make a difference by supporting the body's natural functions, while eating nutrient-dense whole foods better nourishes the physical, mental and gut microbiome. Mindfulness practices like recognizing unhelpful thoughts, relaxing into stillness and rephrasing narratives cultivate presence and self-compassion, countering inner critics and core wounds driving self-sabotage.
Dr. Bjorndal unravels cases by considering neurotransmitters, hormones and the immune-gut axis, gleaning insights from symptoms' origins to pinpoint each person's unique macro-system imbalances. Our subconscious dialogues shape our lives, but conscious awareness allows redirecting thoughts to healthier beliefs, as she demonstrated overcoming rejection fears to transform her career path.
Struggling with debilitating fatigue, depression, and an unexpected thyroid cancer diagnosis, Tiffany's conventional treatment path seemed to falter, failing to bring substantive relief to her myriad of symptoms. Frustrated with traditional approaches that did little to alleviate her condition, she embarked on a transformative nutrition journey, discovering that eliminating gluten, dairy, eggs, and soy brought significant improvements. This dietary overhaul not only lessened her inflammation and mood issues but also spearheaded a healing process for her gut, something conventional medicine had failed to address.
As her health odyssey persisted, Tiffany stumbled upon the benefits of functional medicine, which offered a more holistic view of her health woes. Through self-advocacy and a relentless pursuit for answers, she added T3 medication to her regime under the guidance of a more understanding and holistic provider, witnessing a marginal but promising improvement in her extreme depression, anxiety, and fatigue. This pivotal moment underscored the importance of empowerment, advocacy, and the right to seek second opinions in the maze of healthcare.
Tiffany's journey didn't just stop at personal discovery; it transformed into a mission to support others navigating similar health challenges. Through her website Rock Bottom Wellness, she offers a membership program that promises guidance, resources, and personalized support to those battling fatigue, depression, anxiety, and weight loss resistance. Her story is a testament to the power of individual advocacy, the potential of dietary changes, and the importance of seeking healthcare providers who listen and validate patient experiences.
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On this episode of the Holistic Health Bites podcast, host Functional Nutritionist Andrea Nicholson has special guest Divya Dhawan discussing holistic health, with a particular focus on autoimmunity and its relationship with metabolic health. Divya shared her personal journey with an autoimmune disorder and her research on alternative medicine, emphasizing the importance of eating organic, seasonal, and local foods. She also discussed the challenges faced by individuals with autoimmune conditions and unexplained symptoms, the potential negative impacts of high cortisol levels on blood sugar and the risk of diabetes, and encouraged viewers not to give up on their health.
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In this episode of the Holistic Health Bites podcast, Chelsie Ward, a nurse and toxin expert, shares her personal journey into holistic healing and the importance of removing toxins from our bodies. She discusses strategies for transitioning to non-toxic products and ways to clean up and replace common household cleaning supplies with safer alternatives. Chelsie also highlights the presence of toxins in the body and how it affects a person's health, as well as the need to adopt a long-term detox lifestyle.
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On this episode of the Holistic Health Bites podcast, Functional Nutritionist Andrea Nicholson and Dr Susan Fox discussed the topic of fertility, with Susan sharing her story and expertise. They explored lifestyle factors affecting fertility, the dangers of environmental toxins, and the importance of physical activity and sleep. They emphasized the role of self-reflection, mindfulness, and supportive relationships in maintaining healthy habits. Susan advised seeking a specialist for fertility issues and stressed the importance of identifying physiological imbalances. They concluded by discussing prenatal care and the need for targeted use of supplements.
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