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.
On this episode of the Holistic Health Bites podcast, Functional Nutritionist Andrea Nicholson explains the Glucose-Ketone Index.
The Glucose-Ketone Index (GKI) presents a valuable tool for monitoring metabolic health by measuring the ratio of blood sugar to blood ketones, offering insights into one's energy production mechanisms. This index underscores the misconception that the body needs dietary carbohydrates to maintain adequate blood sugar levels, pointing out the body's innate ability to produce glucose from non-carbohydrate sources. It highlights the processes of gluconeogenesis, which allows the body to create new glucose, thus negating the necessity to consume carbohydrates for energy.
Insulin's role is highlighted as a regulatory hormone that manages blood sugar and signals the storage of excess energy, thus influencing the body's ability to burn fat or lose weight. To optimize insulin levels, the post recommends limiting intake of foods that cause the highest spikes in blood sugar and insulin, alongside adopting dietary practices that encourage lower insulin levels, such as intermittent fasting and reduced carbohydrate consumption. This approach advocates for a deeper understanding of the body's metabolic processes to achieve ideal body weight and enhanced energy levels.
Exploring the advantages of ketones as an alternative energy source, the post reveals how ketones take metabolic priority over glucose due to their ability to be used by nearly every cell in the body, their water solubility, and their capability to cross the blood-brain barrier to fuel the brain. The method for testing and interpreting one's Glucose-Ketone Index is detailed, offering a practical guide for individuals seeking to improve their metabolic health, achieve weight loss, and enhance energy levels naturally. Recommendations are provided for those struggling to achieve desired GKI levels, emphasizing patience and adjustments in diet, lifestyle, and eating patterns.
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In this episode of the Holistic Health Bites podcast, holistic nutritionist Thais Harris shares insights on integrating self-love into the journey toward ideal health. Thais emphasizes the critical role of self-love, distinguishing it as a practice that nurtures self-esteem and acceptance through mindfulness and present-moment awareness. Her approach underscores the importance of valuing oneself without conditions, a principle that has guided her both personally and professionally.
Through her work with women and cancer patients, Thais discovered how a deepened sense of self-love, extending beyond mere mindfulness, can significantly enhance health outcomes. She shares intimate details of her own battle with skin cancer, revealing how self-love practices such as mirror work, positive affirmations, and gratitude light-beam visualization played crucial roles in her healing process. Despite undergoing surgery, Thais credits these self-love practices with facilitating recovery and managing recurrences, highlighting their power in fostering resilience and acceptance.
Expanding on the concept of "DIET" as the daily intake of all influences—including thoughts, media, movement, and environment—Thais and her husband have observed how small, love-guided choices can profoundly impact one's health. This holistic perspective encourages listeners to reconsider their approach to health and well-being, emphasizing the transformative potential of self-love in achieving optimal health.
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On this episode of the Holistic Health Bites podcast, I welcome special guest Katrina Foe to discuss the importance of self-advocacy in health matters, the need for testing to identify underlying health issues, and the impact of environmental factors on health. She also emphasized the role of genetics and lifestyle choices in cancer prevention and treatment. The conversation focused on the importance of nutrition, particularly in relation to cancer treatment. She also touched upon the challenges and misconceptions related to transitioning to a ketogenic lifestyle. Towards the end, she discussed the importance of understanding cancer causes and effective treatments, and the potential benefits of alternative treatments for cancer.
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This marks the 100th episode of the Holistic Health Bites podcast, and we're diving deep into metabolic health, particularly the often-overlooked topic of insulin resistance. Studies suggest that nearly half of adults worldwide have insulin resistance, yet many remain unaware of its implications.
In this episode, I'll be rapidly covering a comprehensive list of conditions related to insulin resistance. These conditions range from those directly caused by insulin resistance to those exacerbated by it, forming a complex web of health challenges. This is NOT an exhaustive list...essentially every chronic disease or persistent condition is caused by or exacerbated by insulin resistance and poor metabolic health.
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