Category: Nutrition

Introduction

[00:00:00] Detective Ev: What is going on, my friends? Welcome back to another episode of the Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition. My name is Evan Transue, aka Detective Ev. I will be your host for today’s show on infertility.

We are talking to Dee Davidson. She is one of the few people who we’ve ever interviewed that are actively training in the FDN course. Most people that we interview have either already graduated from FDN, or they might be another type of professional that aren’t necessarily in line to do FDN. We know that they might not ever do it but bring them on for their respective expertise. So, this is kind of a unique episode where we bring someone on who is actively training.

The reason we brought on Dee is because she had a tremendous amount of success in the affiliate marketing space of health and has done very well for herself. It’s something to be very proud of. But what was happening is, despite her being into this very healthy lifestyle and knowing much, much more than probably the average person walking down the street, she still found herself not in the place that she wanted to be.

She was struggling with unexplained infertility at a younger-ish age. She should have been able to get pregnant. That actually ended up working out really well, which you’ll find out about in the podcast itself. But the other thing that was happening is, you know, she was doing okay. And I think this happens a lot of times in the health space.

Dee’s Story: Unexplained Infertility

We try some things, and we end up doing okay. We know we’re not doing great, but we’re not as bad as we once were. So, we kind of just accept it and stay at this little line of neutrality where it’s not that great, but it’s not as bad as it used to be. But as FDNs we want to be great. We want to take this to the highest level possible.

So, what’s really cool about Dee’s story is when you hear what she learned from going through FDN, at least so far, and getting her lab results back, but she has gotten pretty far into the course, she found that there was still plenty to work on, even though she has been doing this for decades. I think it shows the level that FDNs are at. It’s not a lack of a testament to Dee, it’s a testament to FDN. This is what people need to be doing if they want to take their health to the highest level.

A little bit more about her before we get started here. Coach Dee has been living a healthy lifestyle consistently for decades. During that time, she’s refined her healthy living strategy to provide the best results, but more importantly, to get those results while having fun.

After struggling with this unexplained infertility, Dee decided to investigate the possible causes of her diagnosis. Unexplained didn’t really sit well, and she wanted to uncover what was hidden under this blanket term. Fast forward 14 years later, she’s now helping other women with infertility and hormone challenges.

Using Infertility Journey to Help Others

I must mention in here, she actually had two successful pregnancies. One was with IVF (in vitro fertilization), but the other was without any at all.

Coach Dee’s favorite thing to do is now help others regain their health, happiness, and live a fulfilled life. With so much data and Dr. Google at our fingertips, Dee is helping her clients understand their bio-individual matters.

We’re excited to talk to her, and again, it’s a huge compliment that we’re having her on with her not yet being an FDN, just going through the course. I’m sure we’ll have her back on in the future to share some additional knowledge, and it’s probably going to be business related when we do that. Without further ado, let’s get to today’s episode.

All right. Hello Dee. Welcome to the Health Detective Podcast. I’m glad we got this finally worked out.

[00:03:20] Dee Davidson: Yes, thanks for having me.

[00:03:20] Detective Ev: Dee is a trooper. We screwed up some things on my end, so I’m glad that we got this on. She was nice enough to come on a couple days before Christmas here, so that was kind of cool. This is actually my slow time, but this is the time that no one else wants to get on podcasts with me. So, I thank you very much for that.

Infertility Journey: “Healthy” Lifestyle Habits Stopped Working

The reason we wanted to bring Dee on is because she’s no novice to this space. I mean, she already has her own business. She’s been doing these things for a while and wanted to add on FDN as an additional thing. We’ll talk about why you wanted to do that later in the podcast. What I’m most curious about is your story. I know that you had talked about, you listened to the podcast, so you already know which question I start off with.

I like to know how people got into this space because it’s never accidental. At the very least, they saw health issues happen in someone else, or usually it was something going on with themselves. So, what made you get into this kind of alternative space and how did that look for you to start off with?

[00:04:14] Dee Davidson: Thanks for asking. My story is really, I like to say, a few different parts. I’m going to take you back to the beginning and walk you to where I’m at today. My story in this type of holistic health space starts when I was about 30. I was going to the gym, eating healthy, doing all the things. All of a sudden, I was just putting on weight and those things weren’t working anymore for me.

I would look at pictures and think like, who is this person? Why is this happening? I was going to the gym five or six days a week, and again, eating things that are marketed to be healthy, whole-wheat bread, low-fat yogurt, and all those things. I am fortunate that I met a health coach who went to the IIN through a women’s networking group that I run.

Infertility Journey: Learning the Truth About Food and Fitness

Something just spoke to me that day that said, you need to connect with this woman, Shannon. Talk to her about what’s going on with your body. I didn’t even know anything about that type of coaching. So, I hooked up with Shannon and she said, you know, you can pay me for a grocery store tour.

I went with her to the grocery store, and we went aisle by aisle. Literally, I told her, I’m eating this whole wheat bread. She educated me on all of that stuff, ingredient labels.

She gave me this huge, I’ll never forget, it was like a milli folder with all this paperwork, tips, and all of this stuff. It was really eye-opening to me that all of the marketing that’s going on with food and we don’t know, right? It wasn’t my fault that I was eating the stuff that wasn’t necessarily helping my body or really nourishing my body. It was really eye-opening.

In conjunction to that, I also met a woman who did women’s fitness training, and it was all natural. No drinking shakes and doing all that stuff. She’s a wonderful lady. She taught me a little bit about the type of exercise to do. I was doing a lot of cardio and things like that, that really just weren’t working for me anymore with my changing into thirties.

With those two things, I started to become aware of holistic options, food, how to nourish my body, and things like that. I was able to release about 40 pounds and have been able to keep that off, which is a big thing.

A Great Business Idea Suggestion

We know a lot of people get on these yo-yo diets and never really truly heal. They’re on and off losing weight, gaining weight, things like that. That was initially how I learned about holistic health.

Do you have any questions about that before I move on to Part B?

[00:06:40] Detective Ev: Well, I’ve got to comment on one thing cause I think it’s a genius business idea that could be very easily applied in today’s world. Man, if I lost everything, I’m thinking about this. I think one of the fastest ways to get clients is to do things in public, like do public talks. Many people don’t want to do that.

Okay, well, instead of a public talk, people are intimidated by the stuff at the grocery store and the health food store. I would be calling my local health food store. I got some good relationships with them here. But even if I didn’t, a lot of these are mom-and-pop shops, right? They want business.

I’d call them up and say, hey, what’s your slowest time? 11:00 AM on Tuesday. Okay, cool. Do you mind if I bring in like five, 10 people to do a tour of your store so they can learn about how good your products are and why they should be purchasing it? Yeah, come on in whenever you want. Who would say no to that?

Then I charge $20 – $25 a person, so there’s some skin in the game. Now I got myself some money, but I also gave myself an opportunity to establish myself as an expert as I go through this one by one and show them how much I know about the products on the shelves or the supplement section, whatever it might be.

A Diagnosis of Unexplained Infertility

So yeah, please go to part B, but I had to say that on the side note. There’s a good business idea and there is no shortage of people who need that.

[00:07:42] Dee Davidson: You know, I still keep in touch with this woman, Shannon, although it’s been a long time. I’m approaching 50 now, so it was a long time ago. But I did reach out to her as recent as last year and said, you changed my life cause I really do believe that information changed my life and put me on the path that I’m on now going deeper and deeper with those layers. That gets a little bit addicting when we’re in this space, right?

The second piece was, fast forward, I like to make the joke that some of us spent a lot of time trying not to get pregnant. I was on birth control for a long time and all that. Then you’re like, all right, I do want to have a family and nothing’s happening. You’re like, what the heck? I spent all this time trying to prevent it, and now it’s not happening.

That brings me to the Part B, which is my unexplained infertility. The reason that hormone health is so near and dear to my heart is because I went through this unexplained infertility journey where we had all these tests under the sun, blood work and all of these things, dye tests and everything.

The diagnosis they came back with was unexplained infertility. No diagnosis is good but that was a very frustrating one for me because I was thinking, I want to know the reason. There’s gotta be a reason why this isn’t happening.

Infertility Journey: Detoxing, Technology, Medicine, and IVF

It’s so frustrating when people will say to you, just relax, it’ll happen. That’s like the last thing you want to hear when you’re going through an infertility journey.

[00:09:03] Detective Ev: It’s like, I think you could have told them that too, like unexplained infertility. It’s like, yeah, that’s what I came in for. What kind of diagnosis is that? I have the problem, that’s why I’m here.

[00:09:11] Dee Davidson: Exactly. So, the person that I am is like, I just am very tenacious with things. I want answers to things, I will drill deep. So, I started to explore and join some support groups for infertility. I met another woman in my community who had gone through a long infertility journey, same thing. I’m going to explain infertility.

I opened that Pandora’s box of learning about detoxification, environmental toxins, the Bath and Body Works that I was using for years and layered on like lotion and sprays. I didn’t know. I tell people you can’t feel bad or blame yourself. There’s so many unknowns you can’t say it was this or it was that. But it really opened my eyes to this whole world of health and how we are born with certain genes. However, lifestyle factors and environmental factors really pull that trigger.

So, I went through this unexplained infertility journey. Never got a diagnosis, by the way. But I was able to conceive my first son, God bless technology and medicine through IVF.

Infertility Journey: No Problem with Child #2

Then during that time, I also had been cleaning up my lifestyle. I had been changing over not only food, but at that time I had not been thinking about yet my shampoo, my lotions, my soaps, my toothpaste, all of that stuff that, your skin’s your largest organ, it’s going right into your bloodstream. I don’t know why, I always thought of my skin as a shell, I guess. It’s certainly not that. So, I started to clean all of that stuff up.

Then, fast forward two years after I had my first son. Is it coincidence or is it because I did some of these things and started to detoxify and clean up my everyday lifestyle that I had no problem with my second child? That’s the story I think we hear a lot, whether it’s that our body all of a sudden knows what to do because it’s gone through it once or if it was lifestyle, I’m not sure.

That brought me to the part of looking at other factors beyond food and exercise. I think many of us start with, I gotta work out and eat healthy. But then there’s all the other factors.

[00:11:10] Detective Ev: Wow! That is so awesome. I love hearing these types of stories.

I’ve never attempted to have kids or anything, but I’m still very aware that this is an important thing for people, especially for women. There’s this kind of unknown but mostly known time limit on this stuff, right? We kind of have this idea in our head that, okay, this is getting to the point where maybe I can’t do this.

Infertility Journey: Working Through the Stuff

I love these stories of someone who, technically, by definition, you were getting older, but actually increased your health so much that you were able to do this.

I had a doctor on a while ago, Aumatma Simmons. I’m not actually suggesting anyone do this, this is certainly not medical advice. But she was researching a tribe that the women were still giving birth into their late fifties and early sixties, healthy pregnancies. I’m not saying that we’re going to pull that off even with the best of functional medicine in today’s world with everything else that we have going on, but it does kind of make you wonder.

We have to know this. We can all agree on this. If 40 would be the upper end that most people would say in America, maybe you should be careful with the pregnancy, we know it has to be higher in the wild. Right? Cause like, we do everything wrong.

[00:12:07] Dee Davidson: Absolutely. I think of my dad. My dad is the youngest, he was the oops baby. His older brother was 20 years older than him. But I think my grandmother was like 49 or something when she had my dad. So, you know.

[00:12:22] Detective Ev: We always know with Western Medicine, it’s like whatever narrative was pushed, if it’s 40, I know it’s higher. I don’t know how much higher. That would take a lot of research, probably, but it’s definitely higher than that.

I like your objectivity with the western side too. You’re very thankful for IVF and what you’re able to do for that. Then still, working through the stuff, doing what you had to do, and then the second pregnancy can happen in a healthy way and totally naturally.

Infertility Journey: Going Full Throttle, Then Scaling it Back

I think that’s what we need. We need people, especially as FDNs, we gotta be objective to both sides. There’s a time and place for both things. But yeah, at the end of the day, if we look from a totally biological perspective, and I’m a spiritual person, but from a purely biological perspective, we are here to reproduce.

So, if one partner or both partners can’t do that, we should clearly be having red flags go off in our head where it’s like, all right, something must be wrong with my body right now. What can I do to fix it? Like you said, you kept peeling back those layers, right? Cause it starts with the food and then it’s like, okay, wow, everything’s toxic.

[00:13:16] Dee Davidson: Then you kinda reverse. I tell people now; I have a coaching business now. One of my clients the other day was asking me, she loves dark chocolate, and we know the benefits of dark chocolate. She’s like, these brands have lead in them.

I’m like you gotta kind of rewind too. You can get to that place where you can overwhelm yourself or feel like I can’t go out to eat or do anything. You go full throttle, that’s my experience. Then you kind of scale it back to be realistic too.

[00:13:42] Detective Ev: That’s not talked about enough, so thank you.I was on that full throttle for probably two years longer than I needed to be. I’m starting to let up a little bit.

I believe there was a part C to this, correct? Was there three parts?

Post Infertility Journey: Looking for Non-Toxic Products

[00:13:53] Dee Davidson: Yes. I left my corporate job. My background is in the investment world. I worked for a large investment corporation, very boring nine to five job but good pay. It’s what the society tells you to do, right? Go to school, and then go into the corporate world.

But I left when I had my first son. My dream was to be home with my kids and be at all the play dates and do all those things. So, I had left. I had a one-year-old and a three-year-old. And I found this company.

I was always looking for non-toxic products, healthier products. I stumbled upon this company called Pure Haven. You know, I stumbled upon this company, long story, very short, is that my son had eczema, and nothing was helping.

The doctors had said, try the steroid cream, but not too often cause it’s linked to childhood leukemia. Again, knowing everything I know, I’m like, no, I’m going to look for an alternative to this.

So, I stumbled across this company called Pure Haven. I discovered another issue, which is something called greenwashing. I’m sure you’re familiar with how companies greenwash and say their products are all natural, green, free and clear. I met this woman through this company, Pure Haven. She had responded to something in Mom’s group about my son’s eczema.

I bought the cream, and it cleared up his eczema literally in three nights. It has like calendula in it and was totally all natural, real deal, organic ingredients. Made it right in Rhode Island. I was blown away. I was like, these products are pretty good. I’ll buy the cream and the wash or whatever for my child. He was three.

Post Infertility Journey: Hooking up With Pure Haven

What ended up happening was, she tried to recruit me for the company. I’m like, no, I’m good. I’m home and I already use all natural, non-toxic products. I shop at Whole Foods. And I do still shop at Whole Foods, but now I am also aware that not everything at Whole Foods is truly good for you, right?

[00:15:34] Detective Ev: It’s a scary place sometimes, honestly.

[00:15:36] Dee Davidson: She said, I think we need to talk. You think you’re doing better and spending more money. But she gave me this, kind of like Shannon did with the food, she gave me this list of top 20 toxins to look for in your personal care products, what those toxins could do to your health.

I’ll admit being home with a one and a three-year-old, I had lost a piece of myself, Evan. I was thinking, I feel a little guilty cause I thought I wanted be a stay-at-home mom. However, I feel like I’ve lost myself and the days are long and I’m counting down till my partner gets home and all this stuff.

So, I saw an opportunity with this company. It was a brand-new company out of Rhode Island. I’m like, I could really partner with them, get behind this. The reason I share that is because it connected me with so many other wellness professionals. Which is also what I love about FDN, is that we have this large community, and we continue to learn from different experts, right?

I joined this company and just thought I could get outta the house a few days and do some seminars and educate people on what’s in their everyday products.

Post Infertility Journey: Going into Health Coaching

It really is a bigger part of where I am now because it connected me to so many chiropractors, acupuncture people, nutritionists, and all these people that I learned from and improved my family’s health. My kids are 10 and 12 now. I’m also able to incorporate those tools and things that I didn’t have. I didn’t grow up with any of that. So, I feel fortunate to have that community.

How did I end up in FDN? Fast forward a little bit. I still partner with Pure Haven. I don’t actively go out and recruit for that business. I’ve been able to have a successful residual income from that and I still partner with them very much. I think they’re the safest products on the market.

However, over the years, I gained all this knowledge from all these different experts and applied it. People kept asking me, how do you stay fit? You know, you’re almost 50 and you look like you’re in your thirties, and all of these things they were attracted to that I was doing.

I started to think about is there value in me going into health coaching and helping people beyond understanding toxins in their everyday products and sharing these non-toxic personal care products. I just kind of put the feelers out there and I had a lot of interest.

That’s when I started doing the health coaching stuff, enrolled in IIN, which was great. I even did their hormone health certification and that was great. For two years I was doing some group health coaching and a few one-on-one clients.

Post Infertility Journey: Choosing FDN

As time went on, I really realized that a lot of my clients saw improvements in their health with the general health coaching that I was doing. But then there was this percentage of people who, no matter what they were eating, or doing for exercise and mindset, all that stuff, and the inner healing, still, something was up with them.

I had been intrigued by the FDN program because my son, who is 10 now, when he was three, he had a GI issue. He had this juvenile polyp syndrome, or he has that. That’s a genetic disorder. We had gone to countless doctors, and they just told me he’s low in iron. But as a mother I knew something more was going on.

I met an FDN who is a couple towns over, and she just blew me away with all of this, the questions and the things that she detected with my son’s health back then. I’m in touch with her now. She sees my post and she’s like, hey, you’re in the FDN program! Which is cool because the community is so supportive.

But what happened with my traditional? Nothing wrong with it, but IIN coaching and generic coaching, I felt like I didn’t have enough information about these clients. I remembered Maggie, my FDN, that helped with my son. I thought, how can I gain knowledge on these tests and put the pieces together for my clients in a different way, in a deeper way to look at the whole health approach.

That is when I started to look into FDN and asked her, hey, what is this FDN program? That’s how I got where I’m at now. I want to have those tools to say to my clients, we’re not guessing, we’re testing. We have this picture of what is really truly going on here.

Doing All the Health Things but It’s Still Not Working

[00:19:37] Detective Ev: Nice. This is awesome. As someone who listens to the podcast, you know this, I love the uniqueness in all the stories. But then really it all comes down to one major similarity, whether, again, it’s for the clients or for themselves.

They just get to the point where they’re doing a bunch of the stuff. They’re doing actually things better than probably 95% of people that they know, at least. Sometimes it’s like 99% of the people that they know and it’s still not working, at least not working to the way that they want to.

That’s what happened to me, right? I’m like 21 years old, I wasn’t drinking. I was eating organic at 21. I’m like spending all my money on that. And my friends, I’d watch them go kill half a handle of vodka and wake up on four hours of sleep and go to work the next day. If I even tried to touch one drink of alcohol, I would’ve had a migraine for the next 48 hours.

I’m like, this doesn’t make sense. I’m taking way better care of myself and you’re doing nothing, yet I feel like crap and you’re totally fine. So, yeah, it gets to the point where it’s just obvious that something else is needed here. I’m glad that you ended up knowing that person and just kind of got connected with them.

I want to revalidate that idea from before, whether it’s a public talk or doing that grocery store thing. You said yourself, you were just blown away by the questions this individual was asking and the insights that they had. The way that you’re able to talk as an FDN once you graduate doesn’t mean you have to be perfectly verbally fluent.

FDN Exceeded Expectations

You don’t have to be a podcast host or a speaker, I’m not saying that. It’s the content that you’re able to spew out afterwards. It impresses people, man. We’re really talking their language. Like, oh wow, this person gets me so maybe they can help me. And I think it kind of sells itself in that way.

I think this is cool that you’re still actively kind of going through it. We are very objective. You could say whatever positive, whatever things you’d like to see improved. How has the FDN course been for you in terms of like the expectations that you had prior to going in?

Has it exceeded it, maybe matched it, maybe a little bit less than in certain places? I’d like to hear thus far what’s been going on for you.

[00:21:19] Dee Davidson:Yeah. Oh my gosh, it has so exceeded it. We keep it real here, right? I am thinking, okay, I’ve been through some health coaching programs. This is fine.

You know, I already have a pretty successful coaching business and I am, you know, single mom of two boys. All of a sudden, I’m getting into the material. I’m like, wow, this is like nothing that I have ever really studied before even with the hormone health certification. It’s like, Okay. You can learn how things work, but totally different. Exceeded my expectations. I’m blown away.

FDN Changes Health, Mindset, and Marketing

You know, things like the metabolic typing have made so much sense for my own body. I was a little afraid. I came back as carbo type and I’m like, no way. I’m not eating more carbs, I’m 48 years old. But then once you really study it and you put it together, it makes so much sense. The whole bio-individuality that there’s so much of like, if you’re in this age range or this is going on, do the paleo, do this, do that.

But it has really exceeded my expectations and I’ve had so many comments. My marketing has changed too, to speak to that bio-individuality and not just jumping on the bandwagon of you’re in this demographic, or you have Crohn’s, eat this way. You do this, you’re in this demographic.

The course has really, really just been amazing. I can’t wait to get out and really implement this stuff and help people heal as a whole.

[00:22:43] Detective Ev: Cool. And I know that you said that you like the sense of community, like in general, even with the work that you do outside of this. I think that’s one of the most fun parts about FDN now, as a trainee.

When I went through five and a half years ago, we did not have that FDN trainee Facebook group. Now, I’ve seen your name in there multiple times, right? It’s a place where people can post their progress and just share something that they’re proud of. It’s a place where people can ask a question or even get connected with other FDNs.

FDN’s Support and Community is Amazing

I know that you’ve posted in there, so maybe I’m asking this kind of with the answer in mind. But I’m curious, did you find that to be particularly useful? As you’re going through the course, is that something that you believe people should be utilizing or was it more just like a fun thing to have in the background?

[00:23:18] Dee Davidson: No, I think it’s really great to have the support, especially in the beginning when I started to dive into the content and feel overwhelmed to know that other people may feel the same, ask questions. I think the community is huge and even outside of the Facebook community page when Maggie saw that I was posting about FDN and my stories and all that, it was such a great feeling that she reached out to me and said, hey, I’m so excited to geek out on this stuff with you and that she’s one town over.

It wasn’t like that whole competitive, like, oh no, there’s another FDN coming into the area. She’s already helped me with some scenarios with clients and things. I’m like, wow, this is really awesome that you have this whole support system. Again, going back to experts in different things, experiences that people have had.

The community is just really awesome. The calls, the Friday calls and all the questions that come up from that, and having the access to Reed right there, I’m just blown away by all his knowledge and him being right there with us.

FDN Leader Loves What He’s Doing

[00:24:19] Detective Ev: Yeah, I hope people get that cause it is cool. Reed Davis is almost 70 years old. He’s been doing this for decades. The guy could have retired a very long time ago. I mean, he’s still traveling, he’s speaking, he’s getting on podcasts. He’s directly working with the trainees as they’re going through.

Does that mean it’s perfect? No. I mean, you can’t argue to me that the guy doesn’t care. That’s for sure. This could have been done a while ago. We have other great teachers too. It’s not like we don’t have great mentors that could cover it. I think that’s just love. He just loves what he’s doing. He loves working with these people.

What’s cool for you is you were already in a much better space health wise, like you said. I mean, I totally agree with that. I wouldn’t have been the first to say it cause I never know to make these comments, even if it’s a positive one. But yes, when you told me you’re almost 50, I’m like, holy crap. Obviously, you do not look 50.

So, you’re doing many things right with the health side. But when you were going through FDN, because you have the metabolic typing thing, I’m curious, are there any other things that you found that you could course correct on with your health or do to improve your health?

I also know too you said you’re just in the beginning stages of the practical, so you might not even have had these, for those listening, what is called a results and recommendations session with her mentors. So, they’re going over your live lab results with you, and we include labs in the cost of tuition.

You Have to Be Open to Information and Science

Maybe we can’t even say this fully yet, but I’m curious, have there been any insights into your own health that could be improved with FDN? Have you gotten that far?

[00:25:31] Dee Davidson: Oh my gosh. I’m so glad that you asked this, Evan. Because I have had my R&Rs and it was a little bit like, whoa, when I got them.

Also, I have to back up to say in this space, and I know I hear it over and over again, you have to be open to information and science changing all the time. You have to be humble enough to rethink things that you might have thought even a month ago. The program has really made me rethink certain things about my own health, my health coaching, not using the one size fits all approach type of thing.

Those results, yeah, they were really eye-opening for me and made sense too. When I got my test results back, I was in, or I am in the exhaustive phase. And I don’t know if you want to explain what that is to anyone that’s listening.

[00:26:20] Detective Ev: I’ll give them a quick rundown if they don’t know. Because actually I was just entering that myself as well as a 21-year-old freaking guy, like I was already entering that. The exhaustive phase of HPA axis dysfunction, which is, I mean, some people are still using the term adrenal fatigue. Thankfully it’s dying out a little bit.

But HPA axis dysfunction is technically what it is. If someone’s in that exhaustive phase, guys, it means there has been a lot of stress going on with the body for a pretty long amount of time.

You Can’t Judge a Book by Its Cover

I mean, I guess if someone had like a severely traumatic event, you could get very rapidly into there, maybe in a matter of six months to a year. But like even with something that severe, it would take that long.

Most people, for the exhaustive phase, this was probably the case for you, certainly the case for me, it’s a lot of excess stress over time for a good period of time. Then all of a sudden, the body’s just like, dude, we can’t do this anymore. We can’t handle all this extra stuff. That would be my little simple explanation so that I don’t take up too much time from you.

[00:27:10] Dee Davidson: Yeah. For me it was an opportunity, right? It is an opportunity to reevaluate what’s going on with my health because, people look at me and again, I look great on the exterior.

This is what I tell people. You can see people walking around. I have a good friend who did triathlons, did all these things. Then she just had, all of a sudden, from one day to the next, she has pneumonia a couple times, she’s got leukemia, right? And they’re like, well, they’re the healthiest person, right?

So, you cannot judge a book by its cover. When I got those results back, a few things, again, exhaustive phase. I thought about my beliefs and all of the workouts and pushing myself that I’m doing to scaling that stuff back. Again, how I was eating was totally off for my body. You know, not processing, breaking down protein, all of those things really were eye-opening for me because I don’t feel exhausted, but my body’s exhausted inside.

FDN Is for Everyone

To think like, all right, I have a chance right now to work on rebuilding my health, because most people don’t see that till they have that diagnosis. I think that’s a huge thing that, not just for people who aren’t feeling well, but that everyone kind of get a read on like, what is my state of health.

[00:28:20] Detective Ev: Yes, that’s a major point with this. FDN is for everyone. You could take the sickest of the sick and we could find many things to optimize with them. But it’s also that course corrector for someone who overall feels like they’re in a pretty good space.

I mean, I knew I wasn’t healthy when I went through the course. But I was 21. I’d been doing this thing for like three years. I went through IIN as well. I’m eating organic. I’m doing the things. I’m certainly not doing the stuff that every average 21-year-old was engaging in at that time around me.

Yet I’m still sitting here like not doing overall great. The good news about this is, because it could be a little bit, I’m speaking for myself at least, it could be a little bit of a check to the ego. Almost like, I thought I knew more about this and I’m still in that spot.

We could look at it that way or we could flip that perspective and say, wait a second. I’m so lucky I found this now so that I don’t go back into that other place that I was in before. This means, even if I think I feel good right now, I can, by definition, feel better. Like I have to be able to feel better.

Reverse Aging with FDN

What I have found, I mean, I’m 27 now, it’s not that I didn’t get the bulk of my healing from FDN within the first year. I did. The major percentage points came from that. But I have still found to this day that I continue to learn. I continue to get more intelligent with how I approach this and I’m feeling better and better.

I mean, I had a broken foot in addition to the health issues and the broken foot was a way lagging injury, like lasted for years. I went from running and basketball all the time to really not running for almost four years straight. Now I’m getting back into pickle ball. We’re doing that, jujitsu, boxing, all these cardiovascular things.

I’m like this is the guy that couldn’t even do three workouts a week before without catching a cold. Every time I would go to the gym as a kid, I was so sick that I was getting these colds and flus from going. Now it’s like I am 27. If anything, not that that’s old, but I should feel somewhat worse than 18. Yet I got like three different sports going on, lifting, a career, all these things, and I feel better than I ever have.

You almost kind of get a little feeling of reverse aging in the world of FDN. I can’t literally promise that, but that is sometimes how it feels.

[00:30:15] Dee Davidson: I totally agree. Even just implementing some of this stuff throughout like the metabolic typing, the food sensitivity testing. I always thought like even with food sensitivity, like, oh, if you don’t have a headache or you’re not having a skin rash, I don’t need to know.

An FDN Trainee Already Utilizing Course Knowledge with Clients

I’m understanding now how that taxes the body and how you’re taking away energy and function from other things.

Just implementing that stuff with my current clients is just, seeing how quickly that stuff turns around and translates to better sleep, more energy, right? The bloating, the digestion, all of that stuff, all of those little pieces is really cool to watch.

[00:30:55] Detective Ev: I actually want to ask you a question about that from your perspective with the FDN course.

You just said that you’re applying some of these things with clients. And this is my own fault. I think one of the issues when I do these podcasts is, of course all of us love the labs. We get super nerdy with that. It can sometimes be misrepresented that yes, even though we are a very technical school that teaches you advanced lab analysis, in a sense, the FDN course, even though that’s more than enough to have a career with this, that’s just the surface.

If you really want to nerd out and take this to the next level, you could talk to some weirdos here at FDN that just, they know more about labs than you could have ever possibly imagined. But you’re not someone with access to the labs yet because you’re still working on the graduation and stuff.

So, you’re already able to apply principles though from the course that are helping clients. At the end of the day, I mean, I consider FDN a lifestyle-based program that utilizes the labs as a tool. Clearly that’s what you’re finding to be the case as well, right? Because otherwise you wouldn’t be able to add anything into these clients.

So, you’re changing in things just from knowledge, not even from the labs.

Metabolic Typing

[00:31:50] Dee Davidson: Definitely. And that metabolic typing and the food sensitivity thing alone as a basis, I know when we go through our own R&Rs, I say that’s priceless. That’s valuable. That is your makeup right there. You know, food sensitivities can change, but that metabolic typing is who you are.

It’s like a gift that you get. That thing is so accurate too. He has a little booklet that says this is how your body works best, how you convert food to energy best. These are the foods that are going to really fuel you. That right there, that one thing I think everyone needs to know.

[00:32:29] Detective Ev: The metabolic typing one’s always funny. As two people who went through IIN, we learned a bunch of different dietary theories, right? Yet I had never heard about metabolic typing personally until I came through FDN. I’m like, this is the best one I found. Why do people not talk about this?

You realize, well, it’s complicated, right? Like people that are on the diet trends, and I’ve been subject to this, I’m talking about myself too. We want simple. Just tell me what I can and can’t eat. Metabolic typing, you kind of have to go a little farther than the surface to really understand it.

It’s not just as simple as what to eat and what not to eat. It’s kind of the combinations. I think it was Bill Wolcott himself that said this, you know, bad food is bad for everyone, but good food is only good for some people. That’s really what metabolic typing is. Versus in the world of dietary theory, normally, it’s not that way.

Cookie Cutter Trainings

It’s black and white. It’s, good is good and bad is bad. Good is good for everyone though. Everyone should be doing the paleo thing a hundred percent, or everyone should be doing the vegan thing a hundred percent. That’s not the case, especially, you brought it up. When you bring in food sensitivities into the mix, now you truly can see that good food is not good for everyone. People are sensitive to avocados. What’s wrong with avocados? It might be bad for the person if they’re having an immune response every day.

So, I want to talk about like what’s in the future for you. You’ll be graduated here, from the time of recording this, if you’ve already done the R&Rs within a month or two basically. That’s very exciting and congrats in advance. You’re already working with the clients; you’ve been doing that for a while. You’re helping them implement things from the FDN side.

Do you have clients waiting and ready to do labs or will that be a new introduction for them once you graduate?

[00:33:50] Dee Davidson: Oh yes. I have had people through my group coaching. My whole approach has gotta change now as far as my business model. Because my group coaching is something that I’m like, hey, my demographic is women 40 plus with hormone health curiosity.

What I learned through my hormone health certification and the studies that I’ve done over the last 20 years on hormone health, it was very cookie cutter, if you will. It’s like you take all the information that you’re taught, how the body works, lifestyle factors, it’s packaged into my program and they’re in a group for community. That’s all great.

Utilizing all the Testing to See the Bigger Picture

Now, with all of the knowledge that I have, understanding that everybody has different things going on at a deeper level, how they integrate and work together, that approach is no longer really resonating for me.

Right now, I’m questioning this is good, but not for everybody. Doesn’t go through this cookie cutter program and get the same results. Many of them do with changing some of these factors, but there’s still that percent of people that don’t. That is definitely going to shift for me.

I see myself always offering a group because we know there’s a place for that. However, my practice is going to be more FDN and one-on-one coaching, going through all of the testing and seeing what’s going on in the bigger picture. As opposed to, again, going back to saying, well, let’s try this. Now, let’s try that. No, that’s not working for you. Let’s, change your macros. You know all the things that we hear out in the health coaching space that’s more guessing.

That’s definitely where my coaching business is going in 2023, to more personalized, bio individualized, using the FDN methods. Then the group, there is a place for that. It’s a different setting.

[00:35:35] Detective Ev: Yes. If we can for the last little bit here, I want to ask you some business stuff since you’ve had success with this. I knew I forgot this so I gotta go back.

I love this point that you made about someone can look good externally but that doesn’t mean it’s great internally. And I feel so bad for kind of my generation, but like a little younger too.

Great External Doesn’t Mean Healthy Internal

They are seeing these things online of these jacked dudes and girls that look phenomenal, let’s be honest. But these people, a lot of the times, are very sick. Or they’re like on drugs. I’m not saying all of them.

[00:36:05] Dee Davidson: Or they’re lining themselves up for unhealthy patterns with high protein diets and again, exhaustive workouts that I did, boot camps, and all this stuff, right.

I’m at the gym looking at these people and I’m going, oh my gosh. What is their future health looking like? Right?

[00:36:22] Detective Ev: Indeed. The beautiful part about it is my girlfriend and I just moved into this apartment, so I’m back near a YMCA. I love the YMCA. I love that I can go to any one in the country. Because there’s no small town LA Fitnesses or like big name gyms, but you might find a small-town YMCA. So, it’s nice to be able to do that when I’m traveling.

I went back to the Y for the first time. Five, six years I’d lived somewhere else. I always remember, my former high school is right across the street from it. We’d go for the high school; we’d go to the Y afterwards.

Now, when you’re a 16-year-old guy, again, I’m not that old, I’m 27. But 10, 11 years ago, you’re screwing around, you kind of didn’t know what you were doing. You know, you picked up some weights, everyone bench pressed seven days a week pretty much, right? Like that was it.

Fearful That Kids Are Being Misled About True Health

The good side about this is there are these young men in there at 2:30 in the afternoon every time. I can’t even go there anymore at that time cause they take over. Not only are all of them squatting and deadlifting, the things that they actually should be doing, it’s perfect form. They’re learning from online how to do this.

But then my heart worries for them. They’re clearly motivated by these jacked dudes online. What happens when they realize that they can’t actually look like some of these people who are doing some extra stuff to look the way that they look year-round?

I’m so proud of these guys for coming in, learning the form and doing the stuff. I never even went down close to 90 degrees on a squat when I went to the gym at that age. They’re like full depth, 315, 400 pounds, like holy crap. But I hope that that next level works out for them.

I won’t mention his name, I have a good friend who’s competed at literally the highest levels in the country at Strong Man, and he’s won. It’s a name that people would actually not know as a layperson, but easily could find. He got COVID. For whatever this is worth of someone listening, he was not vaccinated. So, it’s pure COVID. He almost went to the hospital from this. I mean, he was coughing up blood, whatever. This is an elite level athlete that has like an incredibly aesthetic build.

Then myself, I mean, I’m fit. I’m minorly athletic, right? Not the biggest dude in the world, certainly nothing compared to him. I got COVID, without a vaccine personally, for a day and a half and was completely back to normal afterwards.

Post Infertility Journey: Pure Haven Residual Income

So don’t let that stuff trick you, guys. We put these people on a pedestal for fitness, automatically assuming that equates with health. Sometimes it does.

Very often, especially if it’s like the thing that’s getting a hundred thousand likes in your Instagram reel, yeah, that might not be the person that you necessarily want to look up to for health advice sometimes. So, I appreciate you saying that and just being transparent with it. Cause yeah, it matters and it’s very misleading.

[00:38:33] Dee Davidson: And especially for women. I know my clients are a little bit older, but women will hire the women that look a certain way and it’s not always the healthiest way that they’re getting there. Again, what is the future of that? What are you doing to your metabolism and your body and all of that?

[00:38:50] Detective Ev: Yeah. Well, at the very least I know there’s a bunch of 17 year olds that can kick my butt. So, I need to keep working harder right now cause that’s what my future’s holding right now.

In terms of business stuff, to throw that to you, I believe, I could be wrong, but that Pure Haven thing, just based on how you described it, I mean that sounds like a direct sales, affiliate marketing type of thing.

I had done one of those actually in the past. I know how hard that is. So, to be getting any form of residual, even if it was a few hundred dollars a month from a network marketing company, that is tough. That’s very tough. It takes a special type of person to be able to pull that off. You’ve also had success with the coaching.

Focus the Business Mindset

I know many people, and I’m just saying something I’ve seen objectively. I know many people who have went through IIN and that alone was not able to ever help them have a sustainable business. And you still were able to figure out the business side with that even without maybe all the tools that you could have had.

When I’m thinking about this from the outside, I’m looking at two things that people don’t typically have a lot of success with, and yet you’ve had success with both. The common variable there is obviously you. So, what would you say are some tips that have led you to success with business, with like, just starting out, maybe as someone who wasn’t in that entrepreneurial space before, cause you were doing something else.

[00:39:54] Dee Davidson: Great question. I’ve mentored a lot of businesspeople and entrepreneurs as well in the direct selling space, as well as just people who are starting up their own business.

The thing that I think people get caught up in is all of the marketing, and I’m going to start a podcast, and what does my Instagram look like, rather than thinking about why am I so passionate about this, what is the purpose, what’s the message that I want to get out there, how do I want to help people?

When I go back to the Pure Haven business, I remember thinking, how am I going to get this thing going? Like you said, you see people joining these businesses every day.

Telling the Story Instead of Selling the Stuff

I remember having a conversation with the owner of that company. Brilliant businesswoman. She said, here’s what you need to do. You need to sit down with eight people this month, not talking to them about the company or what we sell, but the issue, right?

That’s what I love about Pure Haven is it’s more than products. They say that they started the company to get a message out, not the other way around. So, you need to sit down with people and tell them to bring a picture of their shampoo, their deodorant, and their toothpaste labels. Take it from an educational perspective. Then what’s going to happen is once people are educated on what you’re doing and how important their health is and how they need to care about this stuff, they’re going to be attracted to learning more and wanting to do better.

Does everyone get attracted to it? No. However, if you do lead with your mission, your purpose, what you believe is helping the other person, that’s just a ripple effect. People are attracted to that, focusing on the positives.

I think a lot of times, whether it be direct selling, health coaching, or any business, people use fear-based tactics or negativity. But really focusing on the positive and how whether it’s FDN or the Pure Haven products can enhance people’s lives, make them feel better, or bring them more joy whatever that thing is.

I think those two things leading with how this thing impacts you and what it did for your life, sharing the real stories. Stories sell as you know. It resonates with people when you start telling stories instead of selling them stuff, packages, and I’ve got this, and I’ve got that.

Share Your Story and Give Someone Hope

That’s how you build a business and that’s how you get your name out there as the person. You gotta talk to Dee Davidson about infertility because she went through it and her story is blah, blah, blah. It’s not, you gotta talk to Dee Davidson because she’s a health coach and she’s going to have this package for you.

[00:42:17] Detective Ev: That’s awesome. There’s a magnetism about people who have that passion. That’s some of our favorite TV personalities or celebrities or whatever. It’s those people that exude that energy from that passion.

It’s so funny, some people will like listen to things like this, like, oh, I don’t have that. Dude, if you got into FDN, you would be the first person I’ve ever met in FDN who didn’t do this for a specific reason. You have the passion; you have to let it out. And that can come through personal development, certain other things.

I wasn’t always this outwardly, in-your-face type of person. I was actually quite reserved. So, we need to allow that passion to truly come through, be our authentic selves and you’re going to relate with someone. You’re going to resonate with someone.

[00:42:52] Dee Davidson: Share your story. That’s what I say over and over again. We all have stories. You can spark something, shine your light and give someone else hope. It’s cool to see how you can help other people.

I’m a huge believer in if you take yourself outta the equation and you think about how you’re helping others, it works out for everybody involved.

Where to Find Dee Davidson

[00:43:13] Detective Ev: Yeah. Facts tell, story sell. It’s one of my favorite phases.

All right. So, who is your demographic that you work with now? I know we’ve kind of alluded to it, but I always like to give people an opportunity to say it specifically because we have people listening that want to work with our coaches. Who do you normally help?

[00:43:28] Dee Davidson: My market is hormone health, right? A lot of people referred to me because of my infertility journey. Their friend told them what I’ve gone through, so they want more information on infertility. That is, part of my demographic.

Then the larger part of my demographic really is women, 40 plus, who have been challenged. They’ve gone to the doctor and the doctor says, you’re now 40 and this is what your health looks like. Just deal with it. Exercise more, eat less, it just is what it is. That is the majority of my demographic is women 40 plus who is exhausted, can’t sleep, don’t have any energy, whatever those things are. They suspect that it’s their hormones being off, imbalanced.

I love now that I’m going to have this FDN to be able to help them with, because now I am understanding that it’s not just your thyroid or it’s not just this one thing. Hey, let’s look at everything and balance the body, seeking that balance. It’s going to be such a great thing to be able to offer my clients.

[00:44:26] Detective Ev: Very cool. And where could people find you if they’d like to work with you?

[00:44:30] Dee Davidson: They can go right to my website, confidentlyloveyourself.com. Same thing on Instagram, confidently_love_yourself.

Signature Question: Bio-individuality

[00:44:34] Detective Ev: Excellent. All right. You know it is time for the signature question on the Health Detective Podcast. That question is, if we could give you a magic wand and you could get every single person in this world to do one thing for their health, whether that is literally do one thing or stop doing one thing, what is the one thing that Dee would get them to do?

[00:44:51] Dee Davidson: I would get them to look at their bio-individuality as we’ve been talking over and over again, is getting a picture of what’s going on with them. What does that look like for them? To really just sit down with someone and go through all of the key areas of their lifestyle, their health history, and really just look at themselves as individuals and stop comparing themselves to their sister that did keto or their brother that does hit workouts. Just look at themselves as individuals. That’s my biggest piece of advice to people.

[00:45:21] Detective Ev: Awesome. Thank you so much for coming on with us today.

[00:45:23] Dee Davidson: You’re welcome. Thanks for having me.

Conclusion

You can always visit us at functionaldiagnosticnutrition.com.

To hire an FDN coach, go to fdnthrive.com.

For a FREE health review, go to fdnthrive.com/match/.

It’s common for many of us to procrastinate starting new health habits. There are a myriad of reasons why – it doesn’t seem like a good time (or you don’t have enough time), there’s a holiday or celebration coming up, it appears too difficult or stressful, your family or partner won’t get on board – but there are many health habits that don’t require an extreme amount of effort, time and financial resources.

Instead of looping through a cycle of punishing or restrictive diets, or detoxing after an extended period of gluttony, we’d like to throw an idea out there: what if you were able to maintain your health habits every day, all year round? What if health habits could be effortless?

These 10 health habits are straightforward, simple, inexpensive and don’t subscribe to any fad diet philosophy. They are attainable, which means you can start practising them after you finish reading this post and won’t get sick of them by next week.

After all, today is the day!

10 Health Habits To Start Right Now

Drink water.

Water is fundamental to our health. It keeps us hydrated, aids digestion and elimination, keeps our skin and joints supple, and ferries nutrients, proteins, hormones and chemical signals around the body. Confused about the best type of water to drink? We have all of the options to consider here.

We like to start the day by drinking a cup of water with a tablespoon of lemon juice to help to kickstart digestion, encourage detoxification and alkalize the body. Plus, since some of us struggle to drink water throughout the day, coming right out of the gate with a full glass of water hydrates you and will perhaps encourage you to drink more of it!

Use fresh-squeezed lemon juice (not juice from a lemon-shaped bottle, please) to receive the best health benefits. If you find it a pain to cut and squeeze your lemons every morning, juice several lemons at once and keep the juice in a jar in the fridge. It will last for about a week, and you can use the juice in other recipes like salad dressings or other condiments.

If you need help remembering to drink water during the day, fill up a bunch of water bottles or set a reminder on your phone. Remember, there are other ways you can add excitement to your water, including:

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Move your body each day.

Our bodies aren’t meant to sit in front of computers all day. We’re sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but using your thumbs on your smartphone doesn’t count as a workout.

While working up a sweat is great for detoxification (remember, our skin is our largest elimination organ), gentle exercise every day helps to improve circulation, bring oxygen to our tissues and lift our mood. Try walking, cycling, rebounding, dancing, swimming, yoga or whatever exercise you enjoy to get yourself moving.

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Eat at least one green thing daily.

Green foods – including dark leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, seaweeds, green herbs like parsley, mint, dill and more – are jam-packed with a plethora of nutrients that support our overall health.

Antioxidants, healthy fats, fibre, anti-cancer compounds, amino acids, anti-inflammatory phytochemicals, blood-building minerals – green-pigmented foods are like taking a multivitamin. With the wide variety of green foods to choose from, you’ll be sure to find at least a few that you can rotate throughout your meals daily.

If you’re looking for ideas and inspiration, check out this post detailing ways to enjoy them. .

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Pack your own lunch.

If you attend school or work outside your home, pack yourself a lunch and snacks to keep your health goals on track and keep your blood sugar levels balanced. This saves you a ton of money, too! You don’t have to make healthy lunches complicated – choose easy recipe-free dinner bowls, Mason jar soups and salads, fruit, fresh veggies, and dips or spreads.

For lunch inspiration, try:

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Reduce your refined sugar consumption.

Sugary foods are a scourge to our health – and eating them can lead to a host of conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, hormonal issues, poor moods, and cavities. This is one of the more challenging health habits to kick! But doing so can be life-changing.

We know it’s hard to drop the sugar and these tips on how to deal with sugar cravings can really help. Give yourself time and space to reduce your consumption, if needed.

If you do find yourself in the mood for a treat, try: one of these natural sweeteners and use a smaller amount in:

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Try to eat more vegetables.

Whether you’re vegan, Paleo or omnivorous, you’ll want to eat more vegetables. Fresh veggies provide us with fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that work to support optimal health.

But eating more veggies is easier said than done, especially if your broccoli and Brussels sprouts tend to languish in the crisper. How can you get more veggies in your diet without being overwhelmed by cooking? With these 14 ideas, you can learn how to eat more vegetables and enjoy them thoroughly!

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Meal prep or batch cook for easy eating.

Here’s a secret for you: the key to healthy eating isn’t actually cooking – it’s meal prepping and batch cooking. Once you’ve got your ingredients prepped and ready to go, it’s easier to whip up a one-pot meal, throw something in the slow cooker or Instant Pot, or assemble a recipe-free dinner bowl. If you batch cook recipes, all you need to do is defrost and reheat!

Cultivate healthy habits in the kitchen with:

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Fuel yourself with high-quality protein sources.

Good quality protein is crucial to daily function, and some of us don’t get enough of it. Protein helps us to produce digestive enzymes, generate hormones, build our immunity and blood, structure our bones, teeth, hair, nails and skin, and offer us energy. Try these 21 Ways to Get More Protein in Your Diet if you’re struggling to eat enough!

It’s important to choose protein sources carefully, particularly if you eat animal products. We recommend purchasing organic animal protein sources, preferably from a local farmer that you know and trust. If you opt for plant-based protein, ensure you choose organic, non-GMO soy products, and choose raw, organic nuts and seeds to avoid pesticides.

To make nuts, seeds, beans and legumes more digestible, soak them and cook them using these tricks.

More tips and recipes:

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Make good use of food leftovers.

Cooking from scratch is overwhelming if you try to make 3 different meals and two separate snacks every day – that adds up to over 30 recipes per week! Instead, learn to breathe new life into leftover meals and ingredients to save an immense amount of time and money. Plus, transforming leftovers into something new helps to vastly reduce food waste.

Discover the vast multitude of ways you can use up leftovers here.

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Practice gratitude.

Gratitude lowers our stress levels, enhances our relationships and improves sleep. Gratitude is a muscle that we need to ‘work out’ daily – and here are some fantastic tips for how to practice it.

Think about the things you are grateful for: food, partners, parents, friends, children, a roof over your head, a warm bed to sleep in, sunshine – the possibilities are endless. Write down what you are grateful for, either in a list you can consult to remind yourself of your blessings or on post-it notes that you can display around the house where you can see them. If you feel so inclined, write someone a love letter to tell them why you are grateful to have him or her in your life.

The more gratitude you display, the more likely it is that gratitude will return to you and enhance your daily life.

What are your daily, easy-to-incorporate healthy habits? Please share in the comments!

Are you looking to find a cleaner drink to enjoy for 2023? Tonight I am enjoying my Volley Tequila Seltzer. I have joined their clean drinking movement to help make alcoholic beverages cleaner for us to enjoy! Volley is the cleanest Seltzer on the market that I have found. Made with just 3 ingredients, organic juice, 100% Agave Tequila, and sparkling water.

Happy New Year! 

We’re kicking off with a review of last year. As many people think about diet at this time of year, you may like to re-visit the August posts about the energy balance model vs the carbohydrate insulin model of obesity. If you’re planning a January diet, one model suggests that your goal should be to create a calorie deficit; the other argues that managing carbohydrates and insulin is key. The diet that you might choose would be quite different based on these beliefs. 

We had another really popular post this year – “Why eat carbohydrate?” (May). This was a freestyle post with me trying to answer that question from my years of research and experience. It seemed to resonate with many people who had undergone a similar learning journey.

This was another very varied year for topics – ranging from weight gained during lockdowns to the protein in plant burgers. There’s plenty on red meat and saturated fat, as ever. These nutrients keep getting battered, so the defence needs to continue also. A couple of big questions were also addressed. How much exercise is enough? Which is the best diet for type 2 diabetes? Is depression related to serotonin?

Here’s a quick summary of each post and a link to the full article for convenience.

January

Which diet is best for type 2 diabetes? This (umbrella) review sought to find out which diet is best to achieve and maintain weight loss in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). It found 19 meta-analyses of relevance. The review concluded that the greatest weight loss was reported with very low-energy diets, (intake of approximately 400–500 calories per day) and that low-carbohydrate diets were no better for weight loss than higher-carbohydrate/low-fat diets. However, there were several flaws in the study.

Saturated fat – a reprieve? Data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC) were used for this study. The aim was to assess associations between dietary fat intake among people who developed heart disease vs those who didn’t. The researchers found that there was no association between the amount of saturated fat participants consumed and their risk of developing heart disease. It was claimed that people who ate more saturated fat from red meat and butter were more likely to develop heart disease and that those who ate more saturated fat from cheese, yoghurt, and fish were less likely to develop heart disease. Again, there were many flaws.

Who follows a carnivore diet? A study was published, which reported the results of a survey of over 2,000 people who followed a carnivore diet for at least 6 months.  The study made no claims – it merely reported the characteristics, eating patterns, health perceptions/measurements and level of satisfaction of those following a diet based on animal foods.

Sarcopenia & Protein. A study was published that claimed 1) a lower Sarcopenia Risk Score (SRS) was associated with a higher protein intake and 2) a lower SRS was associated with increasing plant protein and reducing animal protein, while keeping total protein intake constant. The first claim made sense, the second claim didn’t. I explored further.

February

Metabolism, dieting & reaching goal weight. A paper was published, which examined the impact of a very low-calorie diet on metabolism and the time it takes to reach goal weight. It concluded that the drop in resting metabolic rate accounted for almost two thirds of the variation in the time taken to reach goal weight. This study provided further evidence that eating fewer calories leads to the body needing fewer calories. It’s a vicious cycle best avoided.

An insulin index of food. This post looked at a historic and influential academic paper – the Holt et al paper, published in 1997, which reviewed the insulin (and glucose) responses of 38 different foods. This paper made so many errors in design, making it a missed opportunity in an otherwise classic study. I went through what it found, the flaws, and what it should have done instead.

Cochrane review of low-carb diets. A 456 page Cochrane review was published. It examined low-carbohydrate diets vs balanced-carbohydrate diets for reducing weight and cardiovascular risk. This note focused on the weight comparisons.

March

Global burden of disease. One of the most important challenges in the field of nutrition was published in The Lancet. It was a letter challenging the reliability of The Lancet flagship project “The Global Burden of Disease” (GBD). The letter focused on the dietary assumptions in the most recent GBD report (2019). Substantial changes occurred between the 2017 and 2019 reports and the impact was that deaths attributed to diets high in red meat (not even processed meat) increased 36-fold. This note examined what was challenged and why.

Will cutting meat & dairy make you live longer? A paper was published which generated the headline “Cutting down meat and dairy could help you live up to a decade longer.” The paper was a modelling exercise and so assumptions made determined outcomes. This modelling exercise relied on other collations of nutritional population studies. These are inherently flawed and thus the flaws have been built upon and reiterated throughout this modelling process.

Legumes – optimal intake.  Legumes are increasingly being promoted as the food group we should be consuming instead of animal foods. This note looked at recommendations for legumes in a number of global diets (EAT Lancet, Global Burden of Disease (2019)) and the evidence for those recommendations. This note also compared lentils with chicken liver for macro and micronutrients. There was one clear winner, and it wasn’t the lentils.

Low-carb diets, cortisol & testosterone. This was an impressive and well-conducted review, which examined the effect of low-carb diets on cortisol and testosterone in young, healthy, active, men. It shared non-findings as well as findings. Both were interesting.

April

Meat & Life expectancy. A paper was published, which examined meat intake and life expectancy at a global level. It used data for 175 populations, which covered approximately 90% of the world’s population. The top-level finding was that life expectancy increases as meat consumption increases and child deaths are lower when meat intake is higher. The paper still had limitations, but at least it made more sense than papers claiming “our most ancient food – meat – is trying to kill us.”

Avocados & heart disease.  This week’s academic paper generated global news coverage. The headlines were “An avocado a week can cut heart disease risk by a fifth.” The headline claim came from comparing non-consumers with those who consumed one avocado or more each week. This was for men and women pooled together. However, two tables in the paper confirmed that there were no significant results for women. i.e., avocado intake made no difference for women. This should have been made clear. There were many other subgroups for which the headline claim did not hold. These should also have been made clear. All epidemiological papers suffer from limitations. This paper suffered even more limitations than usual.

Fiber, CVD & inflammation. This week’s note reviewed a paper about fiber (total, cereal, vegetable and fruit fiber) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and markers of inflammation. The researchers claimed that cereal fiber intake was consistently associated with lower inflammation and cereal fiber intake was associated with lower CVD incidence. The claims were false. The claims were based on non-fully-adjusted models. There were no relationships between fiber (any type) and CVD incidents in fully adjusted models.

Meat & saturated fat. It is generally believed that meat is “full of saturated fat.” This note presents four facts about fat, which undermine this belief. It does more than this, to completely undermine the notion that meat is full of saturated fat.

May 

A new look at statins, LDL-Cholesterol & CVD. Most papers presenting the benefits of statins do so in relative risk terms – with claims of benefits of approximately 20% being typical. This week’s paper set out to evaluate the absolute risk reduction for relationships between statins, LDL-cholesterol and deaths/disease. The differences were striking and could/should have an impact on the patient-doctor consultation.

Weight gain during lockdown. This was a review of three meta-analyses (pooling together many papers) which examined weight gained in lockdown. The meta-analyses collectively covered hundreds of thousands of people of different ages and from different regions of the world. The evidence showed that lockdowns made obesity worse.

Why eat carbohydrate? This was a ‘freestyle’ post – me setting out general observations from throughout my research career – and it proved to be the most popular post I’ve ever written! Why do we eat carbohydrate? Why should we? Why shouldn’t we?

Fiber & dementia. This was a poor paper. It examined 4,000 Japanese people and it looked for associations between fiber intake and dementia diagnoses. Some things were not adjusted for. The adjustment that was done didn’t look right. Non-significant results were presented as findings. There were more non-findings than findings. There were claimed findings for soluble fiber, but not insoluble fiber. There were claimed findings for people with dementia without stroke, but not for dementia with stroke. There were claimed findings for potatoes, but not for fruit and vegetables. All of this needed explaining, but this didn’t happen.

Cholesterol & Coffee.  This note looked at the association between coffee consumption and total cholesterol. Coffee contains two substances that are reported to increase cholesterol levels. There were a number of inconsistent findings that weren’t explained. In fact, there was more unexplained, than explained.

June

Sweeteners & cancer. This week’s paper was the latest output from the French NutriNet-Santé population study. It examined the association between artificial sweeteners and cases of cancer. The study found a smaller association than might be expected. It suffered from the usual flaws of epidemiology.

Time restricted eating & weight loss. This note reviewed a randomised controlled trial, which assessed whether calorie restriction with time-restricted eating was better than calorie restriction alone. There were no significant differences between the two groups for any measure of interest. Time-restricted eating made no additional difference beyond the calorie restriction. The rest of the note reviewed the wider literature on time-restricted eating to see if the right study had been done and what we know generally about this topic of increasing interest.

Should we be vegan? This note summarised the history of the Public Health Collaboration conferences since the first one was held in 2016. It contained the link to my presentation from the 2022 conference. The presentation was called “Should we be vegan?” It summarised and countered the three arguments that are central to the notion that we should be vegan: 1) The nutritional argument – it’s healthier; 2) The animal argument – it’s better for animals; and 3) The planet argument – it’s better for the planet.

Is HDL cholesterol bad? A paper claimed that very high HDL-cholesterol levels are associated with higher risk of dying in individuals with coronary artery disease. The researchers described this finding as “paradoxical” because HDL-cholesterol is called good cholesterol. (It’s only paradoxical to those who believe this). There were other interesting findings.

July

What do Americans eat? This note, published on Independence Day, reviewed what Americans eat. The source was an official publication estimating food consumed. The report focused on whether Americans achieve the Dietary Guidelines; not whether the guidelines are healthy.

Reflections on The Great Plant Based Con. This was a guest post by Jayne Buxton, who had written “The Great Plant Based Con.” Its focus was the vitriol that she got after the book was published.

Kellogg’s, milk & sugar. In an effort to address general, and specifically childhood, obesity, the government in England proposed restrictions on promotions of foods deemed unhealthy. In April 2022, Kellogg’s took the government (England) to court to try to stop the restrictions. This note covered the restrictions, Kellogg’s objections and the outcome of the court case.

Eggs, cholesterol & mortality. Yet another population study. Yet another attack on eggs. The study was in two parts. Both had inconsistencies and flaws and lacked plausible explanations or consideration of the nutritional value that would be lost without eggs or dietary cholesterol.

August

Keto vs Mediterranean diet for T2D. This was a review of a randomised controlled trial, which compared Keto and Mediterranean diets. The study concluded that there was no significant difference between the HbA1c levels at the end of the two diets (the measure of glucose in the blood over 3 months). That was not the whole story.

Fats & bladder cancer. This reviewed a paper which examined the association between dietary fat intake (all fats, saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat and dietary cholesterol) and incidence of bladder cancer. The paper was reported in the media as “Saturated and animal fats ‘could increase bladder cancer risk in men.” The study found nothing related to saturated fats. The claim for animal fats was based on a 0.06g difference in intake, which is barely measurable. There were other issues.

Energy balance vs carbohydrate insulin model of obesity – Part 1. There is a debate going on between Ludwig et al and Hall et al about the best model of obesity. Ludwig et al favour The Carbohydrate-Insulin Model of obesity. Hall et al favour the Energy Balance Model of Obesity. Part 1 looked at the Hall et al paper.

Energy balance vs carbohydrate insulin model of obesity – Part 2. This second note reviewed the most recent article by Ludwig et al (July 2022), which was a response to Hall et al’s May 2022 paper. It presented areas of agreement and ongoing disagreement. It also presented my view of the debate.

How much exercise is enough? This looked at a population study of almost half a million US adults, followed for approximately 18 years, to assess how much and what type of exercise is associated with lower mortality. It may encourage some people that enough may not be as much as they think.

September

Lean Mass Hyper-Responders. The term “Lean Mass Hyper-Responder” was developed by Dave Feldman in reference to those with the combination of very high LDL and HDL cholesterol alongside low triglycerides. This seemed to be a common pattern among those who were lean, fit, and metabolically healthy when adopting a low carbohydrate diet. This week’s note looked at two papers, which have examined this phenomenon.

The lipid energy model. This note built on the one about lean mass hyper-responders. It examined why cholesterol is observed to rise in these people. It looked at a hypothesis called the Lipid Energy Model, which offered an explanation. It also looked at alternatives proposed by Dr Nadir Ali and Dr Malcolm Kendrick.

Is depression related to serotonin? This was an interesting and important study, which examined evidence for “the serotonin theory of depression.” It asked six good research questions. It found no convincing evidence that depression is associated with, or caused by, lower serotonin concentrations or activity. It should change the way we treat depression, but it won’t.

Protein in meat vs Beyond Burger. A number of studies have looked at the nutritional value of meat vs plant burgers. This one looked at the amino acid (protein) response in the body post digestion. Overall, the plant burger was poor in comparison with three meats. There were some study design issues, which were unfortunate as otherwise this was an important and interesting paper.

October

Fibre – ask why, not how. The paper reviewed this week assumed that there is an optimal fibre intake (25-30g daily) and it investigated how people can be encouraged to consume this. It didn’t ask why people should consume fibre. It should have done.

Plant-based diets & mortality. This week’s paper looked at plant-based diets in three ways – intake of all plants, intake of ‘healthy’ plants and intake of ‘unhealthy’ plants. It made some positive conclusions about plant-based diets but failed to report findings that didn’t support the plant-biased narrative.

Estimating the environmental impacts of 57,000 ‘foods’. This paper was one of the worst I have reviewed. It was a modelling exercise, based on other modelling exercises. The assumptions were vital but not transparent. It concluded that ruminants grazing in fields are the worst foods and sugary drinks are the best.

Vitamins, cocoa & cognitive function. A large, long, randomised controlled trial investigated whether cocoa extract and/or a multivitamin-mineral could impact cognitive function. The study found that cocoa extract had no effect on cognitive performance, but that the multivitamin-mineral did. That wasn’t the whole story.

Does meat cause CVD & T2D? An umbrella review was conducted with the aim of examining all evidence related to meat intake and cardiovascular disease (CVD) and Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). This review tested associations from all available studies against the Bradford Hill criteria. It found nothing to implicate any meat (processed or unprocessed) and CVD. It claimed one finding for unprocessed meat and T2D, but that did not withstand scrutiny.

November

TRE, HIIT and HbA1c. A 7-week randomised controlled trial was conducted with 131 women doing 4 interventions: a control group; a time restricted eating (TRE) group; a high intensity interval training (HIIT) group and a group doing both TRE and HIIT. The primary outcome did not change significantly, but a number of secondary outcomes did. This note explored whether TRE was better than HIIT, or if the combination was better than both? And for which measures?

Diabetes Unpacked. This note fell on World Diabetes Day, so I shared the introduction that I wrote for a book called “Diabetes Unpacked.” This was a collaboration with a number of authors to raise funds for The Noakes Foundation and to assemble consistent alternative views on diabetes.

Saturated fat – an end to the myth? This note was about an article that investigated the claim that saturated fat clogs arteries and causes heart disease. It concluded that there is no evidence to support this claim. I reviewed the paper and the impact that it sadly won’t have.

The only diet to have reversed heart disease? A recent TV debate between proponents of animal-based vs plant-based diets revealed that the primary piece of evidence relied upon by vegans is a study from the 1990s. The study in question was a randomised controlled trial (RCT) which, over a five-year period, demonstrated a reversal in one measure of atherosclerosis. The RCT involved five significant changes and a vegan diet wasn’t even one of them!

December

Can governments nudge away obesity? This reviewed a report written by an organisation called the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT). This organisation had a substantial impact manipulating human behaviour during Covid-19 measures. The BIT appears to want to maintain its influence and took it upon itself to review government obesity measures. It did a poor job of critiquing them.

Does intermittent fasting raise the risk of early death? The short answer is “no”! The longer answer is that there were non-findings, as well as findings. Many findings contradicted each other. Most important was the fact that meal skipping was a marker of an issue that could increase the risk of death (e.g., poverty, having insufficient access to food). Skipping meals was not a cause of anything in itself.

Who knows what the topics will be this year? Thank you so much for your continued support as I await the next diet and health story to unpack.

Introduction

[00:00:00] Detective Ev: Hello my friends, and welcome back to another episode of the Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition. My name is Evan Transue, aka Detective Ev. I will be your host for today’s show as we continue our series where we are doing a multiple part episode for our 200th Episode Special. So, I won’t be doing much hosting again.

What we did for our 200th episode is we compiled the best advice from every single guest and put it into one very long episode that needed to be broken down into multiple parts. You might be saying, how could you possibly get the best advice from every single guest? Were you tracking it the entire time? Well, no, we can do you one better.

Our final question, as you may know on the show, is if you could get every single person in the world to do one thing for their health, whether that’s literally do one thing or stop doing one thing, what’s the one thing that you’d get them to do? What we did is we took these answers and compiled them all together and made a mega long episode.

This one today is a little shorter than normal. I mean, we’re still hitting, you know, the higher 30-minute mark. But the reason it is a little shorter is because I realized, all right, we technically have three parts here. The first part was a normal length. The second and third part is going to be the same length basically, but not as long as the first episode. It evens things out. It makes it so that it’s not just 60 minutes of different voices.

200th Episode: Take Responsibility for Your Own Wellbeing

I feel like that’s super confusing for the brain. Also, it is a ton of work on our team’s end to actually go back through and take all of these. If we had originally thought of this idea at episode number one, well, that would’ve been genius. Because then we could have been making this as we went along, but we were not so smart. So yeah, going back and working with about 200 episodes and trying to fit 40 plus people into each one, that is a little tricky.

Without further ado, let’s continue our compilation episodes of the best answers of every guest on the Health Detective Podcast so far.

Todd Erb: It would have to be realized that they are 100% responsible for their wellbeing and achieving the health goals that they desire, whatever that may be. The sooner you come to that understanding and you embody that 100%, the sooner you will achieve your results and get that goal. (The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition: #65: Bedridden At Age 16, Misdiagnoses, and Bioenergetics w/ Todd Erb, FDN-P on Apple Podcasts)

200th Episode: Sleep & Breathe Appropriately

Christine Transue: Absolutely go gluten free. I don’t know why people think that’s such a hard, difficult thing to do. I wish they knew me. If you know me, if I could do it, anyone could do it.

And freaking get some sleep. Let’s put it this way. If you’re going to bed at two and you’re like, oh, this is great. That’s not normal, okay? Not sleeping is not life’s plan. It’s not God’s way or the universe or whatever you believe in, okay? You need to re-energize. You need to charge. Your body needs that time to dump the junk in your trunk. It’s gotta go out. Your body has no time to do what it’s supposed to do on two hours of sleep at night. It doesn’t. (The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition: #66: How FDN Changed Ev‘s Mom‘s Life (Pt. 1) w/ Christine Transue on Apple Podcasts)

Monica Boyle: Ooh, breathe appropriately. Breathe from the belly as many times as you can throughout the day and become aware of your breathing. Because I think that’s another true root cause of all dysfunction is irregular breathing. I guess that’s the first thing that came to mind. But of course, there’s so many now that I think about it. (The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition: #69: SIBO, Anxiety, and 40+ Rounds of Antibiotics w/ Monica Boyle, FDN-P on Apple Podcasts)

200th Episode: Get in Nature & Meditate

Brianna Diorio: Walk outside, go spend time in nature. Honestly, I mean, endorphins from vitamin D, getting negative ions from the sea, getting terpenes from the forest. Literally nature therapy is one of the easiest, most simple, free things that you can do for your health.

There is research that talks about when you exercise outdoors how that can actually increase learning capabilities, cognitive function, so go outside. It’s free and it’s good for literally everything in your body. (The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition: #72: How to Recover From Being a ”Super-Spaz” w/ Brianna Diorio, MS, FDN-P, and soon-to-be PhD on Apple Podcasts)

Xavi D: I would say that I would demand that every individual on this planet spend at least five minutes a day in silence and meditation, loving the parts of themselves they wish they could change. Because that is the true catalyst to the change process that allows any health and root wellness related goal to flourish and actually manifest in a functional way. (The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition: #73: From Fat-Camp to Functional Medicine Wiz w/ Xavi D., ADAPT Practitioner, CHEK HLC 2, CHEK IMS 2, RYT 500, NASM CPT on Apple Podcasts)

200th Episode: Eat Your Fruits and Veggies

Dr. Peter Kozlowski: Eat nine to twelve servings of fruits and vegetables a day. There’s so many benefits to fruits and vegetables. Each color of the plant you eat is amazing. But at the same time, when you’re eating that many servings of fruits and vegetables, you don’t have room for all the other junk, right? It’s a simple but not simple way to clean up your diet. Because our traditional American breakfast of pancakes and cereal and French toast and Pop Tarts, no vegetables, our traditional lunch of hotdog, pizza, sandwiches with iceberg lettuce, which doesn’t count. Then we have a side of broccoli with dinner like that’s our kind of typical American diet.

But if you start to focus on three servings for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it’ll completely change the way you eat, and it’ll completely change your health. (The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition: #74: Truth About The Conventional Healthcare System w/ Dr. Peter Kozlowski, M.D. on Apple Podcasts)

200th Episode: No Breakfast Carbs & Let Go of Judgement

Awais Spall: Some of your guests have mentioned some really important things already, so I’m going to mention something that I have not heard that I think is very important, and this works super well for a lot of my clients. No carbohydrates for their first meal of the day. That does so much to train the body to use energy efficiently throughout the day.

We talk about this in Ayurveda in other ways of how to manage energy. Where should your biggest meal of the day be? Something I find consistently is no sugar, no carbohydrates for that very first meal to help your body better burn calories. Be a more metabolically flexible machine throughout the day. This does so much wonders for people. And if there’s one thing people could do, I think it’s that thing. (The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition: #75: Ayurveda Meets Functional Medicine w/ Awais Spall, FDN-P on Apple Podcasts)

Andy Petranek: I would say to love themselves, accept where they are, treat themselves with kindness and compassion, just like they would a three-year-old kid. Have the same level of love, acceptance, and compassion for themselves, no matter what they’re struggling with, no matter where they are. That’s the foundation of real change. That’s also the foundation of true health. There might be pain, but there’s no suffering. The suffering comes from the lack of self-acceptance and the judgment of yourself. So, letting go of that judgment. (The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition: #76: Becoming Superhuman, Simply w/ Andy Petranek on Apple Podcasts)

200th Episode: Raise Glutathione & Look at Life as a Range of Possibilities

Gian-Carlo Torres: Like you said, you know the answer, raise your glutathione levels. Okay. I would’ve talked to Dr. Jimmy Gutman, and he told me that he expects next five to 10 years for glutathione to be as popular as vitamin C. You know, just the term, right? Vitamin C, antioxidant, cholesterol – these are words that everybody understands. Not everybody understands glutathione.

So, the number one thing for your health, again, any treatment, any diet you have, cool. I respect that. Awesome. But there’s one thing I have to tell you, raise your glutathione levels. And I know everything you do extra, they’re going to love that you’re raising glutathione. (The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition: #77: Glutathione – A Missing Key to Wellness w/ Gian-Carlo Torres on Apple Podcasts)

Isabel Chiara: Ah, good one. You almost had me stumped, but I got it. It’s to look at their life as a range of possibilities.

We sit there sometimes, and we judge ourselves or our life and we’re judging it under the scope of some kind of, maybe a negative perception. It’s to open that perception up and look at it as a range of possibilities that is like, it’s happening. This is happening for us. If it’s happening for us, this is like a positive experience that we’re going through that will bring us and lead us to this other greatest possibility in our life. (The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition: 79. How to Heal Emotional Eating w/ Isabel Chiara on Apple Podcasts)

200th Episode: Get off the Phone, Get Your Sleep

Esther Blum: I would tell them to sleep. It’s that important. Sleep rules the metabolic mistress. And as a dietician you may think I can’t believe she’s not telling them to eat more protein. It is a toss-up, okay. But honestly, I think sleep is so foundational and so important in health.

That means getting the blue light out of your room, shutting off routers, no phone next to the bed. You don’t need 5g, military grade, electromagnetic fields next to your head raising your cortisol all night. If you do absolutely have to have it, you have kids who are driving and on the road, or aging parents, keep it a minimum of 10 feet from your bed, but off the screens at eight.

I always tell people, nothing good happens after 8:00 PM on a phone, like nothing. So, get off the phone, get your sleep. And just watch yourself lose weight, watch your insulin receptors improve your cravings go down, your appetite regulated, and your mood and your libido be really happy. (The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition: 81. The Paleo Diet and Integrative Dietetics w/ Esther Blum, Dietician, CNS, BCNS on Apple Podcasts)

200th Episode: Slow Down & Get in the Sauna

Margot Shute: Gosh, Evan, that is hard just having one thing.

Well, I think in midlife, so I’m going to kind of just narrow it in on midlife, just to make it a little easier. By the time you get to midlife is that you have to pay attention to sleep. Your sleep, your quality of your sleep, and the timing of it. I know we haven’t even spoken about sleep, it’s not just about the weight. But I’ve just found that sleep is the healer of all healing modalities. (The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition: 82. Bulimia, Body-Shaming, and Why Calories In Doesn’t Work w/ Margot Shute, FDN-P on Apple Podcasts)

Rachel Smith: There are so many things. Okay. I’m going to put two together cause I want to give something that’s free, easy, and you can go do it right now. Go outside, walk, get in the sun.

So, you’re getting your movement in, you’re getting your sunshine exposure to help balance your circadian rhythm, which will help your hormones and your sleep. And you’re getting that fresh air, you’re getting nature, you’re getting out of the house. That would be my one thing for everybody to go do. (The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition: 84. Asthma, Digestive Issues, and Heart Surgery w/ Rachel Smith, FDN-P on Apple Podcasts)

Skye Gallagher: Wow. Great question. I mean, sauna and sit with it. Just be. Slow down for a few seconds. Get in the sauna. Allow that space to be where you slow down. (The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition: 88. How Trauma Is Secretly Keeping You Sick w/ Skye Gallagher on Apple Podcasts)

200th Episode: Sunrise, Ketosis, and Drink Water

Dr. Courtney Hunt: Sunrise and ketosis. (The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition: 90. Ketosis, Sunshine, and Healing Humanity w/ Dr. Courtney Hunt, MD on Apple Podcasts)

Anna Crescitelli: Oh gosh. I feel like it’s so stupid to say, but drink water. I feel like people don’t drink water. And when people come to me, we’re doing their skin consultation and everything, I’m always like, what are you doing like with fluid wise? Are you drinking water? They’re like, no. I’m like, okay. Then they tell me about how wrinkled and dehydrated their skin is. I’m just like, okay. Oh, can I do another one too?

Detective Ev: By all means.

Anna Crescitelli: Okay. Do you know the whole like earthing, grounding thing? Yes. Being in nature? That works for anxiety, depression. At least for me, it worked for both of those things. I know that that’s something that everyone struggles with. (93. Using Light to Heal, and Why Sunscreen Is Bad w/ Anna Crescitelli, Holistic Esthetician, IINHC – The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition | Podcast on Spotify)

Steve Baum: Sleep eight hours a night, solid. Like solid restful sleep, eight hours a night. Number one. (95. Triumph After Tragedy w/ Steve Baum, FDN-P, CHEK ||| – The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition | Podcast on Spotify)

200th Episode: Take Algae Every Day

Catharine Arnston: Take algae tablets every single day. Absolutely.

And when we’re bigger, we want to donate this to children’s schools for lunches, for assisted living homes, disaster areas. This stuff is the answer. It’s going to save the world. If you haven’t seen the Netflix movie, Seaspiracy, please watch it. Even they talk about how the commercial fishing industry is destroying the oceans. And even they, twice in the movie, say the answer to saving the oceans is to eat algae. So, I am not alone on this. I’m just a few years ahead of the rest of you.

I was where you were 11 years ago not knowing anything about algae. I’m going to try to make it easier for you to get on board cause the world is discovering algae. The nations discovered it in 1974. The Japanese discovered it in 1950. Why should the Asians be the only ones benefiting from longevity, great health, great skin, low cancer rates? I want you to have those same benefits too. Absolutely my answer to that question, take algae, spirulina and chlorella every day and you’ll never look back. (97. Algae – Nature‘s Forgotten Superfood? w/ Catharine Arnston, MBA, BA, IINHC – The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition | Podcast on Spotify)

200th Episode: Get Educated About Food & Strength Train

Kathlena “The Allergy Chef”: I think I would get them to have like this magic like blessing of their brain of education and information about food and nutrition. Like where it comes from, the importance of it all, like why you should be limiting high fructose corn syrup. Honestly, you shouldn’t be having it at all. Especially for those who are eating Western foods and things like that, just understanding how that’s one of the best things that you can do for yourself and your family is just to consume the right kinds of foods that nourish you.

Because even still, maybe tomatoes don’t nourish you the way an apple does. And it’s understanding your bio-individual needs where food is concerned. Because when you do that, mostly everything will fall into place. (99. A Survival Guide to 200+ Food Allergies and Sensitivities w/ Kathlena, ”The Allergy Chef” – The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition | Podcast on Spotify)

Barbara Madimenos: You know, if I’m going to speak again in general, putting aside, the topic that we spoke of with eating disorders, I think one of the most important things that both men and women should do is strength train. You know, muscle is an endocrine organ. It is probably the most beneficial thing you could not just do for your physical health, but for your mental health as well. (Missing Periods, Anorexia, and Osteoporosis w/ Barbara Madimenos, IIN, FDN-P – The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition | Podcast on Spotify)

200th Episode: Eat Whole Foods & Do Cold Exposure

Courtney Hayes: Eat more whole foods. It has to be one? Because my mind is going off with bunch of things.

Detective Ev: So many people have thrown in two. Feel free.

Courtney Hayes: I’d say eat more whole foods, and just like we talked about, listen to your gut. Listen to your body. You know, if your body’s rejecting something, if your mind’s rejecting something, like listen to your body. Tune into yourself and ultimately take care of yourself. (https://www.podbean.com/site/EpisodeDownload/PB1180959F2MZS)

Dustin McFarland: You know, I mean, super, super loaded, right? Because we have so much we can do. This has not been brought up. Certainly, oxalates and all these things have been, and they’ve been helping me, but this has not been brought up. I would say if I had a magic wand, I’d have everybody out there do cold exposure because that’s one thing that I can tell you has made me a stronger, healthier, fitter person.

You know, getting into cold showers, cold lakes, cold streams. Haven’t been able to experience cryotherapy. Nobody around me I know of does that. But I would say that would make a huge difference in everyone’s health. I really believe it. (Root Canals, Oxalates, and Over-Exercise w/ Dustin McFarland, FDN-P, CNC – The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition | Podcast on Spotify)

Dr. Lulu Shimek: Meditation, hands down. There’s no other thing that can shift your life as much as meditation. Cause you’re really going inward, listening to yourself, discovering about yourself, and calming the entire body. When we’re in that place of rest and peace, we can see unimaginable change. (Naturopathic Medicine, Emotional Healing, and Changing Our DNA w/ Dr. Lulu Shimek, ND – The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition | Podcast on Spotify)

200th Episode: Prioritize Sleep

Mollie McGlocklin: It would be all about prioritizing sleep in that process. If you’re someone that’s listening and you are looking to improve your health to kind of restructure that pyramid of health that you might be thinking of. Okay, well it’s a new year, so I’m going to get the nutritionist and the personal trainer and the this and the that. Instead, how can we learn about and prioritize our sleep and put that on the really most crucial foundational rung? Because from that place, then the going to the gym, and the eating well, and all those things are much more likely to happen consistently.

Cause what is the first thing that kind of gets cut often? If we’re not sleeping, then suddenly it’s, we’re too tired to get to the gym and we make the poor choices cause our glucose levels are higher and all these things are happening with our sleep. So, prioritizing that sleep.

I don’t know if I can have like an asterisk with it. But with that is to bring in that one thing that we called out throughout this conversation which is that light prioritization. Sunlight. Hunger to seek out sunlight as much as we possibly can, and ideally anchored on the earlier half of the day. Just because that can be such a grounding practice for people and just such a tangible and almost innate thing of like, yes, this feels right for most people.

A Late First Shot of Bright Light Means Getting Sleepy Later

Once they start doing that, and it can just kind of help all the other practices fall into place. Because if I didn’t explain it well enough, I want to just also say that based on when you see that first shot of bright light in your day, that kind of creates this invisible countdown clock, where from that point, then it will kind of choose the time that you are going to get tired later on in the evening.

There’s a very real cause and effect if you’re not seeing your brightest shot of light until later. You know, back when I used to wake up so late, it might be 12:00 PM, one in the afternoon when you’re getting that big bright shot of light. Then of course from that place, I’m not going to get tired for another 16 hours after that. It’s going to be really late. So, you want to also get that there’s a very clear mechanism happening here, and it’s not just sort of like a nice thing to do. (Sleep is a Skill, and Here’s How To Master It w/ Mollie McGlocklin – The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition | Podcast on Spotify)

200th Episode: Slow Down

Detective Ev: I normally have a signature question on this podcast where it’s specifically about health in general. But of course, from my understanding, it’s not like you were sitting here dealing with a cancer or some specific autoimmune disease. I think the final question for today could actually be best asked for this specific topic.

In this case it would be, if we could give Tricia a magic wand and you could get everyone who is out there emotionally eating to do one thing for their emotional eating or stop doing one thing, what is the one thing that you get them to do?

Tricia Nelson: There’s so many things to do and they’re hard to do without support. Most people with emotional eating want to figure it out on their own cause they’re embarrassed about it. You could save yourself a lot of time by getting support.

But in terms of a first step, I will say, if you want to do it on your own, you’re like, screw you, I don’t want to get support. Basically, slow down, like slow the heck down. Stop going at break-neck speed because you’re just making your situation worse. That’s whatever health problem you have, cause everything’s connected. You know, stress kills. Stress kills and emotional eaters are really stressed out. We’re in a full flight from ourselves. So, you gotta slow down.

200th Episode: Grounding & Sunrise

But besides slowing down, having a morning routine, really taking some time to be with yourself, to connect with your source, your divine spirit. That’s going to make a huge difference and give you answers that you need.

Again, reach out for help as well because it’s so much easier to do this when you have support. And if you could have figured it out on your own, you probably would have. So, there’s no shame.

We have no issues getting a health coach if we’ve got some kind of health problem or getting a trainer if we want to get fit and train for triathlon or something. But when it comes to eating, we’re like, no, I got it. I got it. I’m good. Yet it’s the problem we’ve had the longest. It’s the hardest to overcome cause it is an addictive habit. Yet you have to eat. You probably aren’t going to figure it out on your own because you need to take a different tack. Diets will not do it. (Download – How to Heal Your Hunger For Good (Beat Emotional Eating) w/ Tricia Nelson | Podbean)

Debbie Potts: The first thing that popped in my head, I have to say is, wake up and get outside. Get out in nature, grounding, sunrise, see the sun. Start your day that way. Get outside. (Download – How To Get Younger As You Age w/ Debbie Potts, FDN-P | Podbean)

200th Episode: Listen Without Judgement

Freddie Kimmel: I think the one thing that I would ask everybody on the planet to do is, oh man, it’s so hard to pick one. I’m going to pick one. I’m going to go against my gut. My gut was breathe. My gut was to take in a deep breath every hour. Do an eight count in hold for two and out for eight and hold for two. You would be a different human being if you did that every hour on the hour.

Cause as human beings, we tend to ride the adrenaline rocket, the cortisol rocket towards bedtime, and then we wonder why we can’t just shut it off. Humans were designed to eat, sleep, play, make love, and roam around the world. We are not living it. We don’t live that way. It’s a different world. The rules that applied to your genetic design haven’t changed that much. We’re not living in alignment or resonance with that fact, that truth. So, we’ve gotta work with these aspects of downregulation.

I totally cheated. I’m going to give you two. The other thing I would ask is that when you listen to another human being, on social media, in real time, when we’re talking and you’re engaging in their eye and you’re really present with them, you’re not just waiting for your turn to talk, is that you try, every time you listen, to pull away judgment of what they’re saying.

Realize Everyone is Struggling

If we could remove judgment and just feel into the reality that they have a different upbringing, set of experiences, financial income, housing, relationship status than you do, and just be so humble about that. That if we just remove judgment, I don’t think we’d have war anymore. I don’t think there’d be famine or kids locked in cages.

I think that would all resolve because we would have this self-realization, wow, everybody’s struggling. Everybody’s having a weird time on this rock spinning around a ball of fire in the middle of a universe who knows what’s beyond that. And we’re all walking each other home in this human experience.

Nobody gets out alive. Nobody’s taking all the money you’ve made or the rockets or the boats or the Teslas and putting them in a case somewhere. You don’t end a monopoly with a stack of cash, we all will go with nothing. Just remember that.

I think that would be such a great little mantra if we broke out that sound bite and just played it to people on your morning alarm. I am removing judgment every time I engage with another human being. If I’m pulling that out of my listening toolbox, I would respond in a different way. I think that would be just a transformational thing for the human race. (Download – Freddie Beats Testicular Cancer, Lyme, and Mold (Pt. 2) w/ Freddie Kimmel | Podbean)

200th Episode: No Seed Oils, Veggie Oils, or Sugar

Liz Georges: Stop and smell the roses. Just take a break. Take a break from the stress. Give yourself that break. Take a moment to breathe.

I had no idea how important breathing was until started this journey with coaching, allowing yourself to not get caught up in all the chaos. Because whether you get caught up in it or not, it’s going to exist around you. So take care of yourself. (Download – Serving In Iraq, Selling Mercedes-Benz, and Becoming an FDN w/ Liz Georges, FDN-P | Podbean)

Katie McKersie: Stop eating seed oils and vegetable oils would be a big one. (Download – Attacking Acne With Functional Medicine, and The Ugly Truth About Coming Off Birth Control w/ Katie McKersie, FDN-P | Podbean)

Mary Ann May: It’s pretty easy, stop eating sugar. Just get all the sugar and the carbs that are not healthy for you out and just pay attention to the other foods. (Download – The Missing Keys to Midlife Health w/ Mary Ann May, FDN-P | Podbean)

Dr. Aumatma Simmons, ND: I think it would have to be really good, high-quality sleep every single night, and optimized for them. So not everyone needs to sleep eight hours or nine hours. There are different body types that need different amounts of sleep. Then really making sure that that sleep that we are getting is super high quality and that we wake up feeling rested, rejuvenated, and revitalized to go on with our day. (Download – The Secrets To Beating Infertility w/ Dr. Aumatma Simmons, ND | Podbean)

200th Episode: Daily Self-Care Practice & No Overscheduling

Rhoda Schofield: I would say to introduce a self-care practice into their day. It can even be for as little as five minutes, but some kind of self-care practice.

I feel that the balance between the doing and the resting is not there for most people in today’s day and age. So, just trying to kind of create that sort of parasympathetic rest state. I need to follow my own advice there as well.

You know, that could be a five-minute meditation, which is really easy to find online. It could be breathing, just a 10-minute breath work. Again, something you could find online. It could be just going out and taking a dog for a walk. Anything that kind of just stops you from the doing on a daily basis would do a world of good for so many people. (Download – Chronic Asthma = GONE w/ Rhoda Schofield, FDN-P | Podbean)

Kelly Murray: That would be to stop over scheduling yourself and find time to rest. Rest during the day leads to better rest at night. (Download – Mastering Sleep For Adults AND Kids w/ Kelly Murray, FDN-P | Podbean)

Fast from Technology & Social Media

Cory Firth: Get off social media. I can explain that further, but I don’t think I have to.

Actually, the best way to describe it, and I’ll try to be quick, is there’s this theory or this idea of digiophrenia. It’s trying to exist in multiple places at once. We’ve got this physical being and how we live today and the reality of the world that I’m in, that I’m not seeing you in. Then there’s the digital version of who I am, my identity online, which varies between LinkedIn, where I’m buttoned up and professional, or Instagram where I’m sharing my food or maybe some silly, best of my experience, which isn’t realistic. Then there’s Facebook where I’m yelling about politics or whatever it might be.

We’re trying to exist in all these different places at once, but we’re having a hard time existing here in the physical, real material world. So, if we can just take a step back. I don’t think you have to delete it, but fast from it. You guys talk about fasts from food. There’s a real benefit from fasting from technology and I think there’s an even bigger benefit from fasting from social media. I would say give that a shot. (Download – Psychedelics – Medicine For Our Mental Health? w/ Cory Firth, FDN-P | Podbean)

Listen to Your Body, Act Accordingly, & Be Grateful

Sandy Eggers: Listen to your body and act on it. If it’s given you warning signals, do something now, not two years down the road when you’ve flared into autoimmune disease like my body did. Listen to your body.

You should have good energy. You should be able to have a decent, stable mood. And if you’re a woman, regular cycles. (Download – Diagnosis of Celiac and Helping Busy Moms Get Healthy w/ Sandy Eggers, FDN-P | Podbean)

Debi Robinson: Vitamin G. I’d get them to close their eyes, connect to their breath, feel their body, feel their seat, feel their feet, feel their tushy in the chair, feet on the floor, and start bringing into their awareness all that they have. Vitamin G, Vitamin G, Vitamin G. I’d even say to take overdose on vitamin G. And that’s really where happiness is, Evan.

And what the heck are we here for? What are we doing in our lives? Right? We get so caught up in everything else, and then you need to come to like, stop, right here. So, that’s the one thing is the gratitude piece.

What do I have? Because we spend so much time on what we’re not or what we don’t have. The vitamin G every day. How many doses? I don’t know. That’s what I should come up with. Right. The doses of vitamin G. Lots. Unlimited. (Download – Beating Osteoporosis The Natural Way w/ Debi Robinson, FDN-P | Podbean)

Michael Vasconez: Taking care of yourself is taking care of the world. (Download – How Healing Our Relationships Heals Our Health (Pt 2) w/ Michael Vasconez | Podbean)

Conclusion

Kristin Thomas: I’d say sleep more. I truly believe that if you’re not sleeping, your body’s not healing. And pretty much every ailment could be improved by sleeping more. That’s when your body regenerates, and most of us are very sleep deprived these days. So, I would say sleeping more. (Download – From Terrible Gut Issues To Having a Wait List FDN Biz w/ Kristin Thomas, FDN-P | Podbean)

You can always visit us at functionaldiagnosticnutrition.com.

To hire a coach, go to fdnthrive.com.

For a FREE Health Review, go to fdnthrive.com/match/.

Celebrations often include family dinners, edible gift-giving, reflection and enjoying precious moments with our loved ones – as well as treats and boozy cocktails. Excess alcohol places pressure on the liver, impacts blood sugar, and can leave you with a killer hangover the next day. Why not skip the pain and try healthy mocktails instead?

Mocktails are highly underrated beverages. By using whole ingredients like fruits, natural sweeteners, herbs, bitters or fermented foods, you can blend or infuse a healthy mocktail that is so delicious no one will miss that booze.

And so, here are our 20 Best Healthy Mocktails. We hope you enjoy clinking glasses and sipping some of this goodness!

For more beverage inspiration:

20 Best Healthy Holiday Mocktails

Mulled Wine Mocktail

Mulled Wine Mocktail by Heal Me Delicious

Don’t let the name fool you – this drink is completely non-alcoholic. The combination of juices, fruit and spices (plus the bright red colour) makes this recipe one of the most refreshing healthy mocktails around.

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Ginger Pear Cider with Vanilla Bean

Ginger Pear Cider with Vanilla Bean by The First Mess

A delicious twist on traditional cider that uses pears instead of apples, a boost of anti-inflammatory ginger and the sweetness of vanilla bean. No press needed – this is a blend ‘n strain situation, which makes is super easy.

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Strawberry Orange Mango Kombucha Cocktails

Strawberry Orange Mango Kombucha Cocktails by The Roasted Root

Kombucha is a fermented beverage and it actually has a faint boozy scent and odour to it, making it a perfect ingredient for non-alcoholic healthy mocktails. We love how this recipe tempers the fermented sourness of the kombucha with bright, sweet fruits.

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Blueberry Lavender Fauxito

Blueberry Lavender Fauxito by Wife Mama Foodie

A gorgeous take on a non-alcoholic mojito using blueberries, lavender, lime and mint. A family-friendly recipe that has the digestive boost of mint and lime, as well as the nervous-system supportive properties of lavender. Perhaps this healthy mocktail is the answer to family squabbles?

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Jasmine Ginger Iced Green Tea

Jasmine Ginger Iced Green Tea by Kingfield Kitchen

Everyone probably has a box of antioxidant-rich green tea in the cupboard, right? Brew up a batch and chill it to make this delicious and refreshing mocktail.

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Strawberry Basil Smash Drink

Strawberry Basil Smash Drink by Life and Lemons (*Culinary Nutrition Expert)

These healthy mocktails combine the potent flavour combo of strawberry and basil, and you get to have fun muddling them. Win-win!

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Homemade Fruit Punch

Homemade Fruit Punch by Consciously Kosher (*Culinary Nutrition Expert)

This fruit punch is a beautiful addition to any celebration or meal, or just because you want to treat yourself.

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Red Wine Vinegar + Champagne Vinegar Shrubs

Red Wine Vinegar + Champagne Vinegar Shrubs by The Everyday Chef + Wife

These two recipes using tart vinegar and digestive bitters are incredible pre-dinner digestifs that will help you get those digestive juices flowing. (And if you’re looking for good bitters, we suggest this one.)

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Refreshing Cucumber Lemonade

Refreshing Cucumber Lemonade by Maya Kitchenette

This is a vibrant and tangy drink that is packed with lemons and cucumber – two amazing sources of cold and flu-fighting Vitamin C. So it’s a refreshing drink and immune booster wrapped up into one!

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Spiced Pumpkin Seed Maple Horchata

Spiced Pumpkin Seed Maple Horchata by The Bojon Gourmet

This creamy and fragrantly spiced horchata uses a mix of rice, almonds and pumpkin seeds to create an amazing vegan alternative to eggnog. It’s a light and refreshing way to celebrate!

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Probiotic Strawberry Soda

Probiotic Strawberry Soda by Fermented Food Lab

This mocktail recipe bottles up strawberry puree with water kefir (or coconut water kefir) so it gets nice and bubbly. With its probiotics that help with immunity and digestion, this healthy drink is an exponentially better alternative to typical sodas.

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Lemongrass Ginger Mockito

Lemongrass Ginger Mockito by Francoise la Prune

This tangy, zippy and slightly spicy drink is sure to brighten your day.

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Healthy Grapefruit Paloma Mocktail

Healthy Grapefruit Paloma Mocktail by All The Healthy Things

Got five minutes? Then you can mix up this utterly quick and easy healthy mocktail – it’s a single serving, but you can double, triple or quadruple (or more!) for additional servings.

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Sober Festive Sangria

Sober Festive Sangria by Use Your Noodles

This beautiful sangria is so full of fruits and flavourful spices like cinnamon, clove, star anise, peppercorn and ginger that you won’t even notice there isn’t any alcohol in it.

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Sobolo: Spiced Hibiscus Drink

Sobolo: Spiced Hibiscus Drink by The Canadian African

Learn how to make this stunning, spiced and nutrient-packed drink from West Africa – it’s rich in antioxidants, plus it’s wonderful for digestion.

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Pomegranate Sparklers

Pomegranate Sparklers by Simple Bites

These three-ingredient healthy mocktails are extremely kid-friendly, making them a great option for the little ones when they’re ready to shout, “Cheers!”.

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Blueberry Ginger Bellini

Blueberry Ginger Bellini by Self-Proclaimed Foodie

A sweet bellini with a kick of spicy bite from the ginger. No chemicals, no fake drink mixes. Just pure blueberry bliss.

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Cucumber Mint Fruit Cooler

Cucumber Mint Fruit Cooler by Yes to Yolks

This delightful green mix of cucumber, green grapes, lime, mint and kimi is naturally sweet enough that you don’t need to use any added sugar. Love it!

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Pomegranate, Mint + Rose Spritz

Pomegranate, Mint + Rose Spritz by The Healthy Hunter

This drink includes a recipe for a Middle Eastern-inspired homemade syrup with pomegranate molasses and sumac. We could probably drizzle that syrup on anything, but it’s amazing in these festive-looking healthy mocktails.

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Cranberry Spice Tea

Cranberry Spice Tea by Gourmande in the Kitchen

Who needs cranberry sauce when this tart and delicately spiced tea is on the scene? We adore that this recipe has stovetop or slow cooker options – and it can be served chilled. It’s a multi-faceted healthy mocktail!

Introduction

[00:00:00] Detective Ev: Well, hello my friends. Welcome back to another episode of the Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition. My name is Evan Transue, aka Detective Ev. I will be your host for today’s show where we’ll be talking about sugar addiction and the trauma surrounding this.

If you listened to our last episode, which was the 200th Episode Special, I had said that we were going to immediately be putting out continuations of that. In the 200th episode, what we did was take the best advice from every guest we’ve ever had so far and put it into one giant compilation. I figured it might be better, more digestible for people if I do it kind of every other. We will be continuing that compilation and going through all of the people that we have talked to so far.

This one is good though, and it’s very timely around this holiday season. The guest that I have today, her name is Danielle Daem, and she is awesome. The 50 minutes flew by on this one. We actually needed a few extra minutes because I looked down and realized the time had already passed.

What was particularly impressive about this interview is, if you’ve been in the space for longer than a week, you really can’t not hear something about sugar, trauma, whatever. I mean, these are hot topics and they’ve been hot topics for a very long time, especially sugar. The idea that this woman was able to still come on our show and really bring me one of the more engaging podcasts in a long time, let alone on two subjects that are grossly overdone, is very impressive.

A Little About Danielle Daem

Her expertise shows throughout this, especially at the end. You’ll see her make an assumption about something that seems totally disconnected and she was a hundred percent correct. This is a real professional. You guys are going to like this. She knows what she’s talking about.

Danielle Daem is a sugar freedom coach and speaker who is passionate about helping women reshape the relationship with sugar so they can reclaim control over their health and energy once and for all. Having struggled with sugar addiction herself, she knows exactly how difficult and overwhelming the journey can be.

Using her extensive knowledge in nutrition, personal experience, and coaching, Dani helps her clients discover a new way of living in which sugar cravings and guilt no longer controls their health. She is also the host of the top-rated podcast Beyond Sugar Freedom, where she dives deep into conversations about the root causes of sugar dependency and total body health and wellness.

This is one of those there’s nothing to hype up. I want to get right into the meat and potatoes of this, no pun intended, because we’re talking about sugar and that really, okay. That was just terrible overall. I’m not going to edit it. If I do edit it, I won’t learn anything. I need to stop making those jokes.

Without further ado, let’s get to today’s episode. Alright. Hey there Dani. Thanks so much for coming on with us today.

[00:02:47] Danielle Daem: Hey, it’s so great to be here. Thanks for bringing me on.

[00:02:50] Detective Ev: Absolutely. We are pretty far apart. We got Western Canada over there, Eastern United States. Really cool. One awesome thing about the world of podcasting and just the internet in general is the fact that we can do this.

Anything Permitted Increases

We might never see each other in person but can do a 50-minute podcast together. That’s always cool. I think this is, I was saying this before we started, a very timely podcast. We’re recording this stuff about sugar during the holiday season, but there is something even worse than the holiday season, I think, at least when it comes to the sugar issues.

When we’re in the holiday season, it’s not like we necessarily, depending on how severe the person is with their health stuff and what they’re trying to accomplish, most of the time we’re not really going to recommend complete abstinence during the holidays anyway. What happens is we allow certain triggers back in.

Like for me, I’ve definitely been addicted to sugar in my life. I’ve noticed it’s almost better for me to just abstain completely because if I allow a little bit in, it’s one of those things. I always heard this saying that anything permitted increases, right? That’s both good and bad. If I permit myself to read two pages a day, it’s probably going to turn into 10. And if I permit myself to just have a little bit of sugar around the holidays, then the subsequent new year could be an issue. Now there’s nothing to look forward to. I’m kind of just sitting there.

Before we get into the how-tos and stuff like that, I want to know a little bit about you and how you got into this. Like most people that come on our show, very few people get into this specific line of work because that was their childhood dream. Most likely some things occurred that led you to doing what you’re doing now.

Trauma and Sugar: It’s a Big Part of Culture

[00:04:10] Danielle Daem: Absolutely. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a vet. I’m not doing that. I wanted to help animals, but instead I’m helping humans. So yeah, thank you for that. I’m really excited to dive into this topic.

I think, yeah, the timing of whenever this comes out is a good time. It’s always an issue. It’s always a conversation that needs to be had around our relationship to food and our addictive patterns and sugar and all the things.

You’re right. My journey to sugar and my sort of sugar wake-up kind of happened six years ago. It wasn’t in childhood. But when I look back, that’s really where my story started. I think for all of us, that’s where it starts. Definitely in childhood when we start being bombarded with all these sweet things, right?

We start just getting hooked on the sugar, even the sweet taste of our mother’s breast milk, really starting to bring us comfort and starting to have those emotional connections to food. From there it just compounds in the world that we live in every angle and every direction we look we’re being hit with it.

My upbringing was very typical. I was in a nuclear family. We loved sugar more so on my mom’s side of the family, like very addicted to sugar. I’m of Danish descent. If you think of Denmark, often we think of pastries and Danishes. They love sugar. That’s a fact. That’s true. I’ve been there many times. It’s definitely something that is a big part of the culture. Wherever you’re from, it is a big part of the culture.

Trauma and Sugar: Raised Eating a Lot of Sugar

Growing up in that way, looking back now, I was always addicted to sugar. I was a picky eater. Often, I joke that I only ate white things, so white bread, white pasta. I didn’t want vegetables or meat. I just wanted the cheese and the pasta and the bread and the hotdog bun with ketchup on it. Of course, all of the other more obvious sugar, the ice cream, the candy, the treats, it was a really big part of my upbringing.

That was a time when we just didn’t know what we were doing. My mom didn’t know, right? We didn’t know that it was a problem. We thought it was just how we eat, it’s delicious, and it’s good. Therefore, it must be good for us. Needless to say, I was raised eating a lot of sugar.

I’ve always been very active. I was a soccer player my whole life and I’ve always loved hiking and being outdoors and being active. Luckily, that combination helped me relatively deal, I would hope, with a lot of that sugar at a young age.

Things started really kind of shifting for me, I went off to university. Then after university, eating the typical university diet of pizza and pasta, binging on the weekends, and drinking. I went off and worked in actually one of the largest banks here in Canada and started this new phase of my life. Like, I’m going to be successful and wear high heels and be all important and do big things and help people with their money, which used to be my passion. It was in that two-year span that I worked at this place that I look back now and understand that that was really my rock bottom of emotional eating.

Trauma and Sugar: Noticing Others’ Food Related Cultures

That was a rock bottom for my addiction to sugar and processed food and using every single escape mechanism that I could think of outside of illegal drugs to numb my pain, to numb my depression, my anxiety, my total disconnection from myself and from life. I was drinking, I was eating sugar, I was binging on Netflix. I was just trying to escape life for almost that full two years because I was so miserable for many reasons, which is neither here nor there.

Luckily, both my husband and I, at the time, I say luckily because I’m very grateful that in the span of those two years, we both actually got miserable enough that we really hit the breaking point and really started tuning in and understanding that there’s more to life. We actually both quit our jobs, and this was the first of many leaps of faith.

So, we quit our jobs and actually went and lived in South America for a year. We went and traveled for a year. I wanted to learn Spanish. I love travel. We both love travel. It was on that journey that things started clicking for me around seeing how other cultures actually related to food and how they actually cooked their own food. Can you even imagine?

They went to the market, they knew where their vegetables came from, they cooked. Eating out was a special occasion, not like this daily occurrence which it was for me at the time. So, just starting to really notice things as well as eating horrible myself while we were traveling on 30-hour bus rides, just eating junk.

Trauma and Sugar: Accidental Sugar Detox

Starting to notice my body really starting to slow down and starting to gain weight. Starting to notice the emotional roller coaster that I was on, how gross I was feeling in my body, how sore I was starting to feel, just all these things. At the end of that trip was really where the catalyst really started. We were, for the first time in my life, living completely off the land.

We were at a yoga retreat in the middle of the Columbian jungle of all places. I do not recommend doing your sugar detox there, but I just wasn’t aware. I didn’t know what was going on. We were living completely off of whole foods.

It was during that two-week period of time that I obviously went through a sugar detox. I went through what I call my accidental sugar detox. We both did. I remember just feeling miserable. I remember waking up in the night at weird times, being hungry, having headaches, feeling tired, even though I was literally laying in a hammock all day doing yoga and like enjoying this beautiful, beautiful nature.

My body was obviously going through some things. I had digestive problems. I had all the symptoms of withdrawal and just what my body was trying to clear out, this lifetime of processed food. So, for me, that was a huge catalyst in reflecting on my relationship with processed food and my relationship with myself.

During that trip, I also started tapping into my spirituality and my deep desire for being connected to something bigger and knowing that I am connected to something bigger. So, I started meditating, obviously learned yoga. I learned about Ayurveda and a few different things on that trip.

Trauma and Sugar: Renewed Taste Buds

Coming home, two weeks after that jungle experience, I, in my body, started noticing how my taste buds had changed. I remember having this huge list of things that I wanted to come home to Canada to have – a caramel Frappuccino from Starbucks, a toasted bagel with cream cheese from Tim Horton’s. So Canadian of me, right? I had this huge list of things that I wanted to have.

Coming home, I landed in the airport in Vancouver and had that Starbucks drink. I remember not being able to drink it. I remember my mouth had changed and it was actually disgusting to me. That was just the start of really percolating this understanding for me of these cravings and this control that sugar and processed food have had over my decisions, my life, my health, my mental capacity, and my energy, and just the control that it had over me. I started just getting curious and getting clean and wanting to eat clean.

My husband and I both went into clean eating and really wanted to get back to learning to nourish our bodies with whole real foods. Understanding that if we didn’t do that, my genetic predispositions are not the best. I’ve got some things in my family line that are not diseases that I want. That was a really big motivator for me in looking, especially at my maternal line and the genetics that I carry there.

Just seeing the list of diseases and difficulties that they struggle with and not wanting that for myself, there was a lot of reasons why I really wanted to wake up and start nourishing my body and looking after myself. Through doing that myself, obviously, entered the passion to do that for other people.

Trauma and Sugar: Assumed it Was a Sickness

It’s changed my life, right? It’s absolutely changed the way my body looks and feels, my relationship with myself, my ability to slow down and not live in a stress state all the time, to not need something outside of myself to cope or get through and to numb out and escape difficult emotions. Just all the beautiful gifts that I’ve given myself of this inner work as I’ve been healing over the last six years myself.

[00:11:15] Detective Ev: Awesome! There’s a lot to unpack here. I want to start with actually something relatively simple. I’m not clear on this. When you were experiencing what clearly is withdrawal from the sugar stuff as you’re doing that kind of retreat, more or less, were you instantly aware that this was related to the food, or did you not understand why you felt bad at the moment?

[00:11:33] Danielle Daem: Not at all. I had no idea what was going on. This is all hindsight for me because I didn’t know that it was a problem until I got it out of my system. That’s why I call it an accident. Cause I was totally not aware of what was going on.

I thought I was sick. I thought there was something wrong with me. It didn’t help that at the tail end of that, we both actually got a parasite from drinking the water. So, then we were just catapulted into absolute terror of how we felt and how we were healing.

When we came home to Canada, it was just that catalyst to get us to clean up our diet. We’d gained weight. We done all these things, so we wanted to just get clean, both of us.

Withdrawal Symptoms can be Elusive

That was really where I started clicking, oh, that’s what happened. I started learning about sugar. I took my education as a holistic nutrition coach, and I started learning about that. For myself, started putting those dots together, like, oh, that’s what was going on there. I was getting off the processed crap.

[00:12:20] Detective Ev: Gotcha. I was curious about that cause the way that you described it, it did sound like this incremental realization. But I couldn’t tell if in those initial stages there was any awareness of this.

I imagine how many people out there might unintentionally, I mean, not the exact situation, but they might unintentionally be going through similar things to this, but they would never register it as withdrawal symptoms.

I’m in the mental health space as well. When we hear about drug withdrawal symptoms, if you don’t know any better, if you’ve never heard the phrase drug withdrawal, the symptoms that occur as a result of you not using your drug of choice anymore are very disconnected for some people. If you had no education around that, you’d be very confused as to what is happening to you.

Now I’m thinking about all the people out there, even maybe myself in the past, I’m wondering how fast this sets in. I’m like, well, what if I just went a day unintentionally without sugar and I was addicted to it before? Am I having a terrible day not really realizing that I’m actually withdrawing from sugar?

Do you recall? How fast did it happen? Was it one day of this, couple days, three days?

Trauma and Sugar: Pretty Quick, Weird Symptoms

[00:13:18] Danielle Daem: Really great question. I’ll come back to that in a second. I just want to comment.

Totally, I get what you’re saying. It’s very rare, I feel like. I’ve never met somebody who would go into an accidental sugar detox withdrawals without knowing it. For most people, sugar is there until we actually get aware and conscious and make the choice to go off of it.

It’s sneaky. It’s in everything. That’s not the case for a lot of your listeners who are hopefully now on whole, real foods and really nourishing their body. But most people I find, I mean, you would obviously be able to speak to this more, but even with drugs, right?

There’s almost this like, I know I’m going to go off coffee. I know I’m going to go off this other drug of choice. Kind of being intentional with that does definitely call for needing to prepare yourself and having hopefully the right support and somebody to guide you through what to expect.

Even my clients in my programs who come in, we spend a couple weeks getting ready before actually withdrawing and detoxing from sugar. Even then I prepare them and there’s always surprises that come up. Like, why do I feel like I have the flu, or my bones are aching, or I feel more moody than normal. It’s all part of the journey.

To come back to your question, looking back, it was definitely within a few days for me personally. I would say maybe two or three days I started noticing like lower energy and weird symptoms and those things turning to come on for me. A lot of my clients, it is definitely within the first few days or that week. It’s very different, right?

Trauma and Sugar: Bio Individuality and Frequency of Use Matters

For some people, it could be one day without sugar they’ll notice it big time, right? And some people may not notice a day without sugar. I think it really depends on, obviously all of our bio individuality as well as how much sugar you’re actually eating in a day.

If you’re eating 500 grams of sugar every single day and then you go off it, you’re probably going to notice some big symptoms. You’re probably going to be hungry all day. You’re going to be exhausted. Your body’s going to be confused.

But if you’re not eating that much and maybe there’s less sugar in your life, then going off it a day isn’t going to be as big. If you’re having 12 cups of coffee a day and you go off it, you’re going to notice it a lot quicker than you are a one-a-day kind of person sort of thing. So, it depends.

[00:15:14] Detective Ev: Got it. I was curious because I mean, if it takes a couple of days, I’m absolutely in agreement then that no one would ever really do this without being intentional about it. I was kind of thinking like if someone, especially in our hustle bustle lifestyle, if someone’s not registering the idea that they may be addicted to sugar, this is just such a part of what they do.

They’re not even understanding that this is a real addiction that could cause real withdrawal symptoms. Okay, well, they’re just busy that morning. The kids were screwing around, and they had to get to work. Now they haven’t eaten in 12, 13 hours.

Trauma and Sugar: There’s a Promised Land on the Other Side of Withdrawals

Well, if you were addicted to a strong drug, you would know, okay, I’m addicted to this drug. I didn’t have it; this is why I feel like crap. Where I’m like, how many people walk around, if it can happen to some people, maybe real excess level sugar people, like 500 grams in a day? How many people do have these temporary withdrawal things and think it’s just a bad mood, or I’m tired, but really, they’re going through actual withdrawal? I’m kind of fascinated by that side of this.

The other good side about withdrawal is it really is like being sick. If you can help someone understand that when they’re going through that, it is a temporary thing. Your brain’s tricking you. You get through that and then there’s a promised land on the other side, you’re going to feel phenomenal. That’s worth it.

And I’m lucky, I was absolutely someone who met the diagnosis of substance abuse, but addiction was tough for me. It sounds so weird, but even with the harder drugs that I used when I was in high school, I would cycle them. It was crazy.

Like, I was aware of the danger of getting physically addicted to something that I couldn’t necessarily afford, but marijuana was always my thing. I would smoke that all day. Of course, I’m not going to insult anyone by acting like I went through some severe withdrawal by stopping weed versus someone that stops heroin. But it was strange.

Soul Searching

I found that as I started that journey of starting to stop, I needed to train my brain to realize, all right, Ev. Yes, the next three days, the sleep’s going to suck. You’re not going to feel a hundred percent good. But this too shall pass. Then on the other side of that, you will actually feel amazing.

You start to get level energy again. You have better sleep than you did before. It’s almost like you’re trading some temporary pain for this wonderful promise on the other side, which you experienced, you and your husband experienced.

How did you make the transition then eventually? I understand that it was pretty profound for you. But still, I mean, that’s a heck of a career switch. You went from this banking originally, no job, kind of traveling and stuff, to then doing this. When did you decide that I want to go do this, I want to help other people with this stuff?

[00:17:22] Danielle Daem: Such a great question.

For me it’s really just unfolded naturally. When I got back from that trip, we both actually had no idea what we wanted to do with our lives. I was doing a lot of soul searching. I was learning to meditate, and I was learning how to actually tune in and connect with my inner wisdom and my truth and what lit me up.

In that process, I was really getting clear that I was passionate about nutrition, and I wanted to learn more about nutrition. Within a couple months of getting home from that trip, I’d signed up for a yearlong nutrition coaching program. I was studying and learning nutrition.

Niching Down to My Sugar Addiction Story

I was having that inclination that, hey, I want to help people start eating better, building healthy habits, and start supporting them. I have this deep desire in me to help where people are struggling, and people are struggling with their health. So, that was a big calling.

I started working with clients at the beginning first two years helping more generally. Helping women make meal plans or helping them learn how to cook again and nourish their bodies, learn what felt right in their bodies, build healthy habits. I was kind of in that broad spectrum for the first few years.

About two years into that work and my journey, I finally got to a place with my relationship with sugar where I felt back in control. So, at the time of helping others, I was still dealing with my own stuff, right? I was still also growing and learning and trying to figure out what’s going on with these cravings and this addiction and this dependency that I have emotionally and physically and psychologically on this substance.

Once I finally got to that place, I actually had a good friend of mine, we were out for coffee somewhere. We were talking about niching down in business. She just looked at me and said, well, what about sugar? It dawned on me. I was like, oh yeah. That’s my story. That’s my big piece and something that I was really passionate about, talking about, and something that I had over my own struggles.

I’ll make this clear. I became aware that I had a dependent problem with sugar. It took me a good two, two and a half years to actually feel free from that and to actually get back in the driver’s seat.

Trauma and Sugar: The Journey is Full of Ups & Downs

I don’t abstain from sugar, there are reasons why. But I believe that we can get to a place of moderation and do the inner healing that we need to do to get there. It took me two and a half years to do that for many reasons. With no support, nobody around me, I was the black sheep in the family and didn’t have any community.

Honestly, I didn’t even know that I could go on Google and research “support with sugar”. I didn’t even know that was a thing or that other people were doing this. No one in my family had navigated this. So, I was kind of making a blueprint for myself starting from scratch.

There was a lot of ups and downs and that’s really important for anyone who’s listening. This is not a straight line. This is not a straight line to success, whether you’re growing a business or getting off sugar or anything, right? It’s full of ups and downs and learning. So, that process took me a while.

And it was at that point that I finally really started solidifying that this was what I wanted to focus on and wanted to help women through, because it doesn’t have to take two years. I went through the gauntlet and came out with this strategy and this structure that I use now with my clients that really creates lasting change and doesn’t have to take two years. It doesn’t have to be lonely and as difficult as I went through. That’s where that real desire came from.

Helping Others While Still on a Healing Journey

That was about four years ago. Every year it’s deepening. My real deep purpose, I’m clearer and clearer on this every year, is really helping women uncover the real root causes, the reasons behind the physical addiction that are actually why we’re quote/unquote, “needing food to numb out” and to escape and to perpetuate, to get something. This inner healing and the inner work is really my jam. That’s what I really support my clients with now.

[00:20:40] Detective Ev: Cool. My gosh, you’re going to be preaching to the choir here. One thing I love that you already said is this idea that you were helping people before you were perfect, right?

I think a lot of our practitioners, because the nature of our company, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition, is that, generally speaking, people have been through the ringer with health by the time they get to something like this. So naturally, it isn’t going, even if you do everything right, it’s not going to take three months, six months to get perfectly to where you want to be.

I would say I’m still reaping the benefits of the things that I’ve learned five and a half years later, where I’m getting physically stronger, I’m getting more athletic. That’s wonderful. I feel like I’m reverse aging sometimes, but that’s the point. It can take a while to really see all these things. To suggest that I wouldn’t have been able to help other people during these last five and a half years or during those two and a half years when you’re on your journey still, that’s ridiculous.

Trauma and Sugar: Sugar is Often Not the Core Problem

Clearly, you know more than someone out there. That is really the only thing that you need to be qualified to help someone else is do you know enough more than them to be able to support them in some way? That’s all it is, right? We don’t have to pretend to be perfect, that would be lying. But you could tell them where you’re at. Tell them how you could help them. I think that just makes a lot of sense.

One of the things I want to talk about is exactly like how we do help them in your case. I love that you mentioned already this kind of deeper side to this. This is conceptually similar to what one might support someone with if we’re talking about a drug withdrawal thing. I keep bringing this up cause I think it’s something many people can relate to. If it’s not in themselves, they’ve had it in their family, probably someone they know of has dealt with this.

So typically, not always, but typically when you break down the stories of drug addiction or even substance abuse, very rarely is that the core problem. It is a piss poor solution to the core problem. There are those freak cases I’ve heard, maybe one out of a hundred, if I’m being honest, where someone was like, no, I was actually totally happy. I started doing the things that my friends were doing. I couldn’t believe how good it made me feel, and I just kept doing it. All right. Some brains are wired like that. I get it.

But more often than not, the person did not feel good to begin with. They started doing the other things that the people around them were doing.

Danielle’s Ideal Client

It was a quick, easy, and cheap sense of relief. It does work for a little bit until it doesn’t. I feel like this is very conceptually similar to the sugar thing. So, if I’m your client and I start working with you, what is the process? I guess an even better question before that is who is the ideal person that you work with? I already have this kind of picture in my head, but I’d love to hear it more explicitly from you.

[00:22:57] Danielle Daem: Thank you for that. I have so many things I want to say to this. Ideally, I work with women who are usually anywhere between 35 and actually 65. I actually have a client right now in one of my programs who’s 70, which is so inspiring. It’s so amazing to see women at any age doing this.

I do, right now, work exclusively with women and create groups for women in safe spaces for us to actually talk about our pain and heal in a really collective environment. This journey that I’ve understood, and I want to come back to what you said, cause I think this is so important.

One of the things that I really follow, and maybe you’re familiar with the work of Gabor Mate. You definitely need to go look him up. He is a prominent addiction specialist who’s worked here with drug and addiction in the downtown east side of Vancouver for decades. He’s quite well known.

He’s been studying addiction essentially his whole life. His angle, which I agree with and what I’ve seen, it totally parallels with our relationship with food and our addictions to food is this understanding that addiction is actually rooted in trauma.

Energetic Imprint as Children

The traumas, environmentally and experientially, that happened to us as children, whether it’s lack of love in a household, or a bigger event, actually shape the way that we feel and see ourselves and obviously shape the way that we think about the world around us.

We get this energetic imprint as children that causes us to, for most of us, to feel very disconnected from our true selves, very disconnected from our truth. We’re taught to live in a box, to conform to society, and how to essentially not trust our bodies anymore.

You know, the world that we live in is very jarring for a human being whose basic needs are to be free and to be heard, to be seen and to be loved. The truth is most of us haven’t gotten those. We have some wounding, some patterning. Also, we can get into ancestral traumas and ancestral wounding that is passed down, that is now creating this environment within us where we don’t know who we are.

Actually, we don’t know how to be with and experience our emotions. This is a big area that I work with my clients, because most of us have been closed off. Feeling is not okay. Feeling and expressing emotions, especially as women, it means you’re weak.

Oh, as men as well, right? Like, don’t cry. You can’t cry. It’s not safe. That is really the generation that most of us were raised in, is this environment of be seen and not heard.

Trauma and Sugar: The Need to Escape

There’s this real energetic blueprint of not feeling safe in our bodies and not feeling safe to feel. We don’t know how to handle our pain or express our pain or anger in a safe way and know that it’s okay to have those emotions and those expressions of grief, sadness, anger, depression, anxiety, and all of these, what we would call negative emotions, which is a term I don’t use.

We feel this discomfort come in our body as human beings and we just want to escape. There’s this need to escape. I cannot handle this pain that I’m feeling. Enter the alcohol, enter the sugar, enter the heroin, enter the drug. I do not have the tools, and it is not safe in my body, therefore, I need a dopamine hit, right? I need to escape and get out of it.

This is a very survival mechanism. I really encourage anyone to go and look at Gabor Mate’s work. It’s really helped me draw a lot of lines between my own patterning as a child and how I wasn’t emotionally supported. How I used food to give me a sense of love and to give me a sense of feeling whole and just to escape this inner turmoil that I was dealing with cause I didn’t have any other tools.

This isn’t something we learn in our society, right? So, here we have a society that is just riddled with addiction problems, mental health problems. This is even bigger than just talking about sugar. This is a huge issue when we’re not actually supporting those who have lived through traumatic events.

To Be Free, Ask the Deep Questions

We all have trauma. I’m going to say that, we all have trauma, whether it’s little “t” or big “T”. We all have these imprints. We all have this trauma. Whether or not we’re willing to actually look at that and see how that created those neuro pathways and those patterns in our brain that are telling us every time we feel uncomfortable to reach for food, for sugar, or a drink, or cocaine, whatever it is.

These patterns are very deeply rooted. If we ever want to actually feel free from the addictions, especially to sugar, I can only speak to that personally, we have to be willing to ask those questions about why that exists. Why does that dependency actually exist beyond the physical addiction?

[00:27:07] Detective Ev: Yeah. Are there any common themes? I obviously understand the concept of trauma, something that’s been brought up on the podcast many times. But I’m wondering if there’s any specific themes that you’re seeing commonly come up in the women that you’re working with.

I know trauma can come in many forms, but I’m wondering if there’s something that, more often than not, it’s like this type of relationship was missing or this event kind of happened, or is it just across the board? I mean, I could be wrong with this, it’s just a genuine question.

[00:27:31] Danielle Daem: I love this question.

There are definitely some commonalities. We all have unique brands of this, right? But some of the most common things that I’ve seen are, for most humans it’s this not actually getting our needs for unconditional love met. Maybe our parents are too busy or whenever we’re reaching for their support, they just push us aside cause they’ve gotta do all the things, right?

Commonalities in Energetic Imprints

We get caught up in a whirlwind of life. So, there’s kind of this being pushed away. There’s a lot of ways that that can kind of show up in just a child not feeling accepted for who they are. Parents may be trying to control or change or telling a kid, don’t do that. Do this. Like, this whole kind of shaping of well, maybe it’s not okay to be who I am. Or I’m not lovable. So, a lot of my clients are still carrying this core wound of I’m not lovable or I’m not worthy of love. This is a huge one.

Another one is around that emotional piece that I kind of alluded to earlier, and this is one of my unique brands is, my mom was not emotionally available. So, I never fully felt safe and connected to her because she had a lot of protectors and walls up and still actually does to this day. Maybe she’s listening to this podcast. She knows this, we’ve talked about it.

But you know, this energetic wall up as a young child, to me, meant I am not connected to this person who’s supposed to keep me alive. I don’t know if I’m safe, therefore I’m not safe. As an infant and a child, these energetic imprints of this human needs to keep me safe, that attachment needs to be there, emotionally, I didn’t have that. A lot of people, especially women, are walking around with this and the emotional piece of not feeling safe.

Like, it was not okay to express emotions in your home growing up. This is a big one. It’s not okay. It’s not welcomed, right?

Trauma and Sugar: Stuffing our Emotions & Trauma

And if you were ever angry or you misbehaved, you were told to go and deal with it on your own, which in itself is an act of trauma. When a child is having a difficult moment, whether they’re having a temper tantrum, or they’re angry, or they’re crying, that is the moment that they need love, they need support.

But our culture tells us to punish that child for having an emotional expression. We start to learn that that’s not okay, and it’s not safe. Now we do anything we can to stuff our emotions or to stuff these difficult things because it’s not safe in our body and we don’t know how to deal with it.

These are just a couple of the common ones. A lot of women I do work with as well have had some sort of sexual abuse or sexual trauma as well, which is huge. That’s the next level trauma when we need to reconnect to our body and release some of that.

[00:29:50] Detective Ev: Got it.

I wasn’t necessarily thinking about asking this before, but I could just tell you’re obviously well versed with the trauma side. I was thinking about this prior to you bringing up the sexual assault type of thing. With that dismissed, and I’m just focusing on the other things that we talked about, I’m someone who’s had to recognize certain things that happened in my past. So, I’m not dismissing trauma, that’s for sure.

But I kind of wonder the more and more I listen to the long never-ending list of things that could traumatize someone, I kind of start to wonder, at what point do we draw a line between trauma and life.

Trauma and Sugar: Being Alone in the Pain

This 3D reality that we are subject to at this moment in this body, it’s tough, man. I mean, I could be as happy as could be and could be driving down the highway tonight when my girlfriend and I have to go to this hotel, and we can get into a car accident. I’m not being pessimistic, I’m just saying, clearly this reality is intense.

Regardless of how you think we got here or where you think we’re going, it is intense. So, if I’m a listener, cause I’ve heard people say this, I’m more actually regurgitating a question I commonly hear, cause I don’t have an answer for it necessarily. I hear a lot of people say sometimes, and I think they are dismissing their own trauma, but that’s my opinion.

They will bring up this idea of like, at what point is this just life and we have to work through those things. How do you define that? What is the difference between actual trauma versus, hey, life’s just tough or do those intermingle and there’s a way to deal with it?

[00:31:04] Danielle Daem: I so love this question. This is so great.

I’m almost getting this feeling like, they are intermingled, right? Life is hard. We live in a very complicated time, and we’ve all grown up with difficult things happening around us and to us and for us. And I think the difference is how we support ourselves with those.

I love this definition. This is something that Gabor talks a lot about. The trauma isn’t the actual thing that happens, maybe your car accident or even the abuse, it’s being alone in the pain that’s the actual trauma.

Trauma and Sugar: Life is Traumatic

When we don’t have support, like deep support to navigate through life when it’s difficult, when things happen and we’re getting yelled at at the store around the holidays, I know some people have been talking about that lately, these things that can really impact. You know, if we don’t have a safe space to actually unpack it or talk about it or cry about it, or to actually release the energy that has been put on us in those moments, that’s where we get into actually, holding onto these traumatic events.

For example, I’m experiencing trauma all the time, and I’m very aware of it. Not necessarily all the time, but I mean even the last couple years that we’ve all been through a mass trauma together. I’m very aware of this. I’m like, okay, this is a trauma.

I lost my cat a few months ago, which to me was like losing a child. I’m very aware that that was a huge trauma for me. I’m very aware, I can come at it from understanding that this was a traumatic event, or this had a really big wounding effect on me and a very deep, deep wound. Supporting myself through that is about really honoring the emotions.

I’ve done a lot of crying, a lot of yelling, and a lot of grieving in this example specifically. And I’ve gotten a lot of support with people who are a safe space for me to unpack this and help me go into my body and somatically clear out the energy of that trauma.

I think, yes, life is traumatic. I’m going to say that, life is difficult, life is traumatic. I think they go hand in hand.

Trauma and Sugar: Trauma is Complicated and Nuanced

We all take events differently. Like somebody yelling at you in the grocery store may be traumatic because of your past and your old pathways and your challenges. But somebody might yell at me, and I don’t take it on energetically at all, it’s not a trauma for me.

So, I think, yes, trauma is such a hot word right now. It’s complicated and nuanced and there’s no black and white answers. We all have a different way of that showing up in our bodies. It’s dependent on the person. Is this a hard life situation or is this actually like a really big, traumatic piece that’s wounding me that I need to get support with?

[00:33:27] Detective Ev: I’m glad I asked that cause I liked your answer. I had a good feeling that this was something that you’ve thought about before and had something to say with it. I really appreciate that.

And I’m already connecting two different things. One is just sheer perspective on the event or events that occurred. I do speaking in schools, that’s what I do for the mental health stuff now. Every now and then, I’ve actually found it’s more teacher related than anything else. Some people will say demographics, some people will say the poverty level and those things do matter. But honestly, it’s how the teachers handle the kids that is the biggest indicator of the kids paying attention or not.

I went into a school; the teachers are completely out of control. They’re not listening. The kids aren’t listening to the teachers when they’re telling them to be quiet, let alone the guest speaker. I remember telling this to my girlfriend and she was very sympathetic. But she was like, oh my gosh, it’s gotta be so tough.

Trauma and Sugar: Trauma is Gauged by the Support Systems or Lack Thereof

I’m trying to ideally pour out a heart-wrenching story of mental health stuff and you have kids screwing around. But my perspective on it, and this is genuine, I never take offense to that cause I was the kid like screwing around. I just have such a vivid memory of, I didn’t know it was this at the time, but my brain not being developed enough to have the empathy for another human being sharing something serious in front of me.

I take zero offense. It affects me in no way emotionally when the kid’s screwing around in the back. I get that. I was that kind of kid and I’m actually glad that they don’t understand this cause that means they don’t relate to this. Otherwise, they’d be shutting up just like the kid in the front that I can tell is getting this a little too well. That’s one thing is the perspective on it.

And then two, I like what you said about almost anything can be a trauma, not because someone’s being dramatic, nothing like that. But because of the support systems or tools that they have in place, or lack thereof.

I’m thinking of a good friend of mine, she lost a five-year boyfriend, very serious, clearly going to get married one day type of thing. She lost him to a car accident just like a year and a half ago. It was a good friend of mine as well. It was a wild thing to even hear, it’s one of those things you can’t believe, right? You’re like, wow, that just happened.

Supported Versus Not Supported

I am not saying this to not take an emotional toll of this person. But you know, she comes from nice little Christian family. They’re very deep in their faith and they’d always had a pretty good life. So, to see something like this happen, that is the true test of faith, regardless of what anyone’s faithful too. I’m like, wow, you people actually believe this. The way that she handled that situation!

I know me and I like to believe that I’ve built a lot of tools and I have a good support network now. I know for me, something like that, I don’t mean to be dramatic, but I’m just saying that is the one thing that could get me back to a place where I am contemplating, like taking my own life type of thing.

The strength that this woman exhibited to deal with such a situation like that was unbelievable. But I’m thinking about it. She has her faith, she has wonderful friends, she has a wonderful family. She can be open about these things. I’m realizing, yes, it’s not that it’s not traumatic. I’m sure that this has an effect.

But yeah, how that’s dealt with versus someone that maybe has a similar experience, but they don’t talk to their family. They have faith in nothing and only have a couple friends. But they didn’t really know how to handle such a trauma. They do love them, but don’t really talk to her because you know how it can be weird when someone’s grieving, you don’t really know how to handle it. And you don’t want to upset them any worse.

Trauma and Sugar: Surrounded by People but Feeling So Alone

Now they’re completely isolated. And that situation becomes something that does lead to maybe a suicide attempt. Versus someone who, yes, they got affected greatly, but they are going to push through this. I have faith in my heart that she’s going to somehow use this to help other people in some way. It’s kind of amazing how that can happen.

I’m sorry to go off on such a long thing, but you really made me think when you brought up that idea of what do they have already in place to deal with the traumas that are occurring. Because that’s a severe situation and she handled it as about as good as anyone can handle it, that I know of.

[00:36:53] Danielle Daem: Can I add to that? Because what’s really coming up for me there, this is actually like very personally. What I’m still healing through is this deep, energetic imprint of being alone. Like at some point, this is another one of the pieces that we all, at some point in our life, might be experiencing, especially in childhood.

Maybe if your parents didn’t have time for you, or you didn’t really have that attachment to your caregivers that were keeping you alive. There’s this very big wounding of being alone. This has been really amplified the last few years for a lot of us, and really being ostracized and feeling alone. You know?

I don’t know if you’ve ever had this experience where you’re like surrounded by people, but you still feel alone. There’s a huge spectrum of connection. Like what is real connection and support versus superficial everyday kind of like connecting with your colleagues?

Trauma and Sugar: The Slippery Slope into Addictive Behavior

Those are the relationships that I used to have, friendships that were very surface level. I didn’t really fully feel seen. This is what I’m saying, and this is this big piece in this conversation is understanding that we need to have people in our life that really see us and unconditionally love us for who we are so that we can feel safe.

We need a safe space to, like your friend has going through this really horrible event, you know, obviously beautiful having her faith, which is very supportive and this group of people that she feels like she can talk to, or she can cry to or not feel judged, right?

Like, I am having a hard day today. The tears are pouring and really feeling held and maybe, hopefully, hugged a lot in that situation. These are the types of support networks that we are, most people, are missing. This is where when we start feeling that deep sense of loneliness. This is where it’s that quick slippery slope into addictive behavior, into contemplating suicide. When we feel so disconnected from society and those around us, that is when those things start to really come into play.

[00:38:40] Detective Ev: This is interesting, it’s an odd example, but if people listen to the whole thing, they’ll get what I’m saying here.

My family on my dad’s side is very large, a lot of people, a lot of little cousins, aunts, uncles, everyone’s hanging out. We had an aunt pass away just a couple years ago now from brain cancer. She passed away and of course it’s a sad thing, I’m not saying that. But I couldn’t believe what would happen when we got together for these memorials or the funerals or whatever.

Trauma and Sugar: Grieving Together or Ignoring Emotions

I’m always the weird one, looking at this from the outside type of thing. I’m amazed how well everyone’s handling it, because it’s not that they don’t care. Everyone loves this person. But the ability for them to deal with this type of thing. The core thing seemed here like, yes, everyone’s having a few drinks, they’re eating some crappy food. I’m like, that’s not what’s leading to this though right now. What’s leading to this is the family unit, the cousins and all these things.

Do you find that that loneliness is a core component in the people that you’re working with? Because I felt like there is something that the tribal thing does that prevents us from dealing with devastating effects of loss, it seemed to me at least. Cause I had never seen anything like that. I thought that was interesting.

Is loneliness a key component in a lot of your clients?

[00:39:51] Danielle Daem: Absolutely. I have to add to that cause I would be very curious.

I totally agree with what you’re saying. When we have the right type of open, connected, support network in a tribe situation, in a family, and we’re all going through a loss together, that’s a really, really important part of the grieving process. What I see more than not is these family units coming together.

I would be curious, in your situation, only you know this obviously, that the patterning in that family is to ignore emotions, right? It’s to just suck it up, pretend everything’s okay, put on a brave face, try to be positive. Is there avoidance of actually feeling the pain that exists?

Saying “I Love You” is Like Pulling Teeth

There’s a fine line between like, we’re all just going to pretend it’s okay and have some drinks and celebrate auntie versus actually being together, being sad together, allowing that and supporting each other in the hurt that is going to come up. There’s a fine line between avoidance and acceptance of that.

[00:40:45] Detective Ev: You, my friend, are an expert in your craft. I think that proves it.

I’m trying to think about this from an outsider’s perspective. If you know nothing about this topic, there is nothing that I said to indicate that what you just suggested is correct, and yet you are correct. That side of the family has historically been one that even though they are close, and everyone clearly loves each other, one of the things that my dad had always talked about is they don’t say, I love you.

Even my grandmother, who is a sweet little old lady. This isn’t some like tough grandmother. This is a sweet old lady who doesn’t even like really like driving by herself cause she’s afraid of driving. It’s someone that you naturally want to have that connection with and just kind of take care of her. It’s like splitting hairs to get her to say this first.

So, that is an astute observation. Not even an observation cause you don’t know that yet necessarily, but an astute question, a suggestion, right? Like, hey, is this actually going on? Because yes, that family, as close as they are, as much as they do care, there has been, historically, those problems of we can all hang out and everyone can drink together but the “I love you”, that is like pulling teeth with some of those people there.

So very interesting that you discussed that.

Trauma and Sugar: Different Levels of Closeness

[00:41:50] Danielle Daem: Not to make you feel any less special, but I said that because this is most family units. This is literally how most people and every one of my clients have been raised in this type of family and myself as well.

Even in my journey, I really do, even to this day, I’m thinking about my in-laws who I’ve been in their life 14 years. And my family, oftentimes, like, I deeply feel like they don’t really know who I am. They don’t really know the true Dani, the deep spiritual, like this deeper part of me. And I’m okay with that cause I have other people in my life who do know that part of me and can actually understand and comprehend me in that space and in my true essence in that way.

So, as close as I am with my family, it’s okay that they don’t necessarily know me at the depth, but I think that’s really common. It’s like, we can feel close to our family, but I think there’s a very different level of closeness that comes through vulnerability and pain.

A lot of families are in this, let’s just always have fun together mode. That doesn’t necessarily create that depth of closeness and connection without the deep vulnerability and being seen in your worst places, being seen in your ugliest spaces, you’re angry, you’re sad, all of the myriad of emotions. Being able to actually hold each other in that space is really sort of that next level of connection. It’s really common.

Actively Re-patterning and Reaching Out for Support

[00:43:09] Detective Ev: I still think that there’s probably something to this idea of human connection that makes these things more easy. But that’s very interesting what you’re saying and it’s changing my perspective. There’s a difference between helping each other versus hiding with each other and distracting with each other.

[00:43:23] Danielle Daem: I’ll give a simple example of this just recently for me in the passing of my little kitty. I reached out for support cause now this is a skill that I’m learning. I know that I’m not going to go through this alone, even though it feels really painful and I kind of want to hide and not tell anybody.

This was something that I was very aware of. This is me re-patterning how I actually get the support that I need to not go through this alone. I reached out to my mom, and I didn’t feel the support that I needed in various ways because I know that she didn’t just have the capacity emotionally to be with me in my pain. She still has her emotional walls up.

Versus my other friend who came right over and is crying with me. She is crying with the loss with me. We’re holding each other and we’re just ugly crying together. That is a small nuance of, can we be in this together? That’s where I think that collective community, obviously, when you really feel in pain together and you know that the other person is feeling it maybe at a different level than you, but still feeling it with you.

That, to me, feels like that really wonderful level of, I’m not alone in this. And I’m deeply supported here.

Trauma and Sugar Really Do Connect Together

[00:44:27] Detective Ev: Totally makes sense. I think this is simple then for me at this point. So, the family dynamic that I was talking about on my dad’s side would be kind of this distracting version. Whereas that friend that I was talking about who lost her, probably soon to be fiancé at the time, that is real, yeah, ugly cry. Like we are dealing with this together.

I guess the bittersweet side was that the person that she was with was so close to so many of her friends and her family, like lived at the house four or five days out of the week. It’s impossible not to go through it together to some degree. Very interesting kind of noticing those differences now.

Obviously, we’re almost at 50 minutes, but I want to steal a few more minutes of your time, if I may, just to make sure we cover everything in your business of course.

Let’s begin with where can people find you? We touched on a lot today, and it’s interesting. I didn’t necessarily expect it to take this route when we first started. You know, I’m thinking about the nuances of sugar, and we ended up talking about this. But clearly this is one of the major, if not the major, underlying theme with people who are addicted to sugar.

So, where can people find you if they’re like, I love this person. I want to work with them. They really get this for me. Where can they find you and what do you offer specifically?

[00:45:31] Danielle Daem: Before I answer that, I have to comment on what you just said. I think that is often what my clients come and say to me.

Trauma and Sugar: Where to Find Danielle Daem

They’re like, I came to talk about food and sugar, why are we talking about all this other stuff, what’s going on? The thing that I always say is really just understanding that our relationship with food is a direct example or a relation of our relationship with ourselves. It’s just a mirror of our relationship with ourselves.

We can try to abstain from sugar, do a 30-day detox, try to make all these habits and changes in our life on the surface level, but if we don’t get to the foundation, actually get into what is going on with our relationship with ourself and our beliefs, nothing’s actually going to change in the long run. You’re not going to make any lasting change.

You’re going to be on this roller coaster with sugar, with food, with guilt and shame your whole life. This is what I do and why it’s so unique, especially in the sugar addiction space. Getting curious about the deep inner wounds and healing from the inside out so that we can essentially repair our foundation, be strong, connected, grounded, love ourselves, and be confident in ourselves, speak our truth and set healthy boundaries, all of these really empowering things. That ultimately affects how we want to naturally nourish ourselves with healthy foods.

I would love to connect with any of your audience members. A really great place to come and start is to listen to my podcast. It’s called the Beyond Sugar Freedom Podcast. I had Reed on recently, which was really exciting.

Then you can come and find me on my website, danielledaem.com. I’m on Instagram and Facebook as well. Same Danielle Daem links as well.

Those would be the best places to connect with me, for sure.

Trauma and Sugar: Group Settings is Where Healing Happens

[00:46:58] Detective Ev: In terms of clients, do you do one-on-one group? Both?

[00:47:01] Danielle Daem: Actually, I don’t do one-on-one anymore unless it’s within the container of my group. I do host group programs; I do a few a year, a couple different ones every year. Also, I have a monthly membership community for my clients after they’ve done one of my programs. So, we are ongoing supporting each other.

The truth of that, I want to be really honest with this cause this was a shift I made last year and this kind of sounds funny coming from a coach, I realized that we don’t heal one-on-one. We heal in community. A lot of all the women that I work with have been wounded around being in other groups of women, not being heard, not being seen, not feeling safe to share.

So, creating these really safe spaces to talk about our pain and navigate our deepest wounds and most shameful parts is a really, really important part of our healing journey. We just can’t do that one-on-one. That’s something that I really started taking away from my practice because I feel like it’s doing a disservice to my clients. In that group setting is actually where the healing happens. That’s my passion now is really seeing that and supporting in that way.

[00:47:59] Detective Ev: I would back that up. I’ve either been involved in the planning of, or even directly hosted retreats of several different types, all focused around health and healing to some degree. It’s just a little different. First of all, I was amazed by how you feel during those things, cause it instantly makes you realize that all the stuff, the technology, the fast foods, all bs.

Health Detective Podcast Signature Question – Connect with Yourself

All we ever needed was other good human beings who have our best interest and they’re actually decent and care about us. Most of them are that really at the core. When I realized that, I was like, wow. This is how these things can happen quick. So, I definitely agree with you with that.

My final question for you is the signature one on the podcast. This is interesting cause you have a lot of different things that you’ve done and approaches that you take.

If we could give you a magic wand and you could get every single person in this world to do one thing for their health, whether that’s actually get them to do one thing or alternatively you could get them to stop doing one thing, what is the one thing Dani would get them to do?

[00:48:54] Danielle Daem: Ooh, okay. Trusting my intuition here, the first thing that came to me is getting them to spend time every day just connecting with themselves. Taking a minute to just be with yourself and learning to look inward and just connect with that beautiful human that has been hiding in there.

[00:49:11] Detective Ev: Awesome. Thank you so much for coming on. This was great.

[00:49:13] Danielle Daem: Thank you so much for having me. This is such a fun conversation. You asked some really great questions that I really appreciate.

Consider Leaving a Five-Star Review

[00:49:20] Detective Ev: All right guys. That’ll do it for today’s episode with Danielle Daem. I hope that you guys did enjoy this one, and you understood what I meant in the beginning when I said, this is kind of a unique episode. This really isn’t like the ones that you might expect when we’re talking about sugar or trauma.

It’s not even the people’s fault necessarily. I just think they’re so overdone that it’s tough to hear unique content or something that really engages you when you might have heard it before. I don’t know if I’m just being too personal because maybe there were certain things that she said that I found relatable, but I thought she nailed this one today.

If you guys liked it, please consider leaving us a five-star review on Spotify and or Apple. Even more importantly though, reach out to her, tell her that you liked the episode. We would appreciate that. I think she deserves it.

With that said, I will be back soon, very soon, with another episode that will be a continuation of our 200th episode special. I’m excited to bring that one to you guys.

Just a heads up, if you are still listening to the podcast right now, of course we will be taking a little bit of a break for the holidays. We are United States based and Christmas is a major holiday in the United States. We will be taking the day off from posting. After that, December 26th and New Year’s Day, we will not be posting either. But we are still here with you, ready to bring some great new content in 2023.

Conclusion

Thank you, guys, so much. We will talk again soon.

You are always welcome to visit us at functionaldiagnosticnutrition.com.

To hire a coach, go to fdnthrive.com.

For a FREE Health Review, go to fdnthrive.com/match/.

We love the holidays, but we definitely don’t love feeling overstuffed and uncomfortable after a holiday meal. We wholeheartedly believe that the holiday season can be delicious, satisfying and support our health all at once. During a holiday dinner, the main focus of the meal – the turkey or another bird – is fairly simple to cook nutritiously by using an organic source and using simple seasonings like healthy oils, herbs and sea salt. It’s everything that goes along with the holiday meal, particularly those holiday sides and appetizers, that tend to be loaded with processed foods, excess sugar, inflammatory oils, gluten and various dairy products.

That’s why we’re sharing our 25 best healthy holiday sides and appetizers you can use to brighten up your table and aid your vibrant health at the same time!

And if you’re looking for more holiday recipes, check out these posts:

25 Best Holiday Sides and Appetizers

Sweet Potatoes with Kale + Caramelized Onions

Sweet Potatoes with Kale + Caramelized Onions by Calm Eats

This is one of those easy and healthy holiday sides that everyone in the family will adore.

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Maple Cranberry Brussels Sprouts

Maple Cranberry Brussels Sprouts by Pure  + Simple Nourishment

Brussels sprouts are one of those vegetables that many people hate until they’ve had them cooked the right way. With a hint of sweetness from dried cranberries and maple syrup, this recipe is sure to convert the haters.

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Chickpea-Free Hummus 3 Ways

Chickpea-Free Hummus 3 Ways by Eat Spin Run Repeat (*Culinary Nutrition Expert)

Love hummus, but don’t want your guests tooting all evening? Try these 3 bean-free hummus recipes using beets, carrots and zucchini. Of course, they are delicious, but they also make a gorgeous and fancy-looking holiday plate.

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Herby Gluten-Free + Vegan Biscuits

Herby Gluten-Free + Vegan Biscuits by A Saucy Kitchen

Can it be true? Yes! These fluffy gluten-free and vegan biscuits are perfect for your holiday table. You may want to double the batch – otherwise fighting over the last one may ensue!

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Vegan Cultured Butter

Vegan Cultured Butter by Full of Plants

‘Cause you’ll need something to spread on your gluten-free + vegan biscuits. Plus, you’ll get the awesome benefits of fermented foods.

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Celeriac, Apple, and Lentil Salad with Cumin Seed Dressing

Celeriac, Apple, and Lentil Salad with Cumin Seed Dressing by Feasting at Home

This tasty recipes gives you an excuse to eat more celery root – plus, it serves well as a side for meat-eating guests and as a main for the vegans or vegetarians.

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Maple Bacon Roasted Butternut Squash

Maple Bacon Roasted Butternut Squash by Paleo Running Momma

Given the popularity of the Paleo diet, you’re likely going to have a Paleo dieter at your table. This simple, grain-free holiday side is Paleo-friendly and we’re sure that nobody else at the table will complain about the chance to eat organic bacon.

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Harvest Wild Rice Salad

Harvest Wild Rice Salad by Girl Heart Food

By adding bright pomegranate arils, this hearty winter salad immediately becomes festive and will put everyone in a good mood.

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Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad

Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad by All The Healthy Things

A side dish rich in plant-based protein, as well as more festive ingredients like cranberries, Brussels sprouts, squash and apples.

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Berbere Roasted Kabocha Squash with Tahini Dill Dressing

Berbere Roasted Kabocha Squash with Tahini Dill Dressing by Vegan Richa

Take advantage of the wide variety of winter squashes and roast ’em up for a sweet and caramelized healthy holiday side dish. Yum!

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Green Beans and Golden Beets with Tarragon and Almonds

Green Beans and Golden Beets with Tarragon and Almonds by Floating Kitchen

Skip the green bean casserole this year include this this elegant and light dish as one of your healthy holiday sides + appetizers.

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Cranberry Sauce with Blood Orange, Balsamic & Rosemary

Cranberry Sauce with Blood Orange, Balsamic & Rosemary by Meatified

Homemade condiments are so much tastier than the canned and store-bought versions – and this fresh cranberry sauce really sings!

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The Creamiest Whole 30 Mashed Cauliflower

The Creamiest Whole 30 Mashed Cauliflower by Nyssa’s Kitchen

Everyone at the table will love this creamy, Paleo + Whole 30-compliant side dish (and it has a vegan option). It goes perfectly with cranberry sauce or gravy!

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Sweet Potato & Lentil Goulash With Pumpkin Seed Oil

Sweet Potato & Lentil Goulash With Pumpkin Seed Oil by Wife of a Grocer (*Culinary Nutrition Expert)

A nutrient-packed one-pot meal that makes a great holiday dish. Candra created this recipe for an assignment in the Culinary Nutrition Expert Program (we have the BEST homework) and we love seeing the delicious results!

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Easy Roasted Okra

Easy Roasted Okra by All We Eat (*Culinary Nutrition Expert)

Okra is an uncommon ingredient in some parts of the world – but if you can find it, roasting it makes it one of those truly delectable holiday side dishes + appetizers.

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Maple Dijon Vegan Cheese Ball

Maple Dijon Vegan Cheese Ball by Connoisseurus Veg

Impress both the vegans and the non-vegans with this flavourful vegan ‘cheese’ ball. It’s perfect with your favourite gluten-free crackers or crudites.

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Vegan Walnut, Sage + Cranberry Stuffed Holiday Mushrooms

Vegan Walnut, Sage + Cranberry Stuffed Holiday Mushrooms  by Blissful Basil

This healthy twist on stuffed mushrooms really takes holiday appetizers to the next level. The next extremely delicious level.

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Balsamic Roasted Vegetables

Balsamic Roasted Vegetables by Meghan Telpner (*ACN Founder + Director)

Please make some room in your oven for these easy roasted vegetables. You won’t regret it.

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Paleo Cornbread Stuffing

Paleo Cornbread Stuffing by Cook Eat Paleo

This faux ‘cornbread’ stuffing doesn’t actually have any corn in it at all. Make a batch ahead of time and freeze it to use in this recipe!

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Miso Turmeric Zucchini Salad

Miso Turmeric Zucchini Salad by Sheena Scott (*Culinary Nutrition Expert)

An easy and refreshing mostly raw salad that is rich in anti-inflammatory nutrients. It’s got great flavour and the oh-so-important crunch factor.

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Roasted Artichoke Salad

Roasted Artichoke Salad by Sunday Supper

We love the tangyness of this roasted veggie salad and we know your guests will, too.

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Roasted Delicata Squash Tian

Roasted Delicata Squash Tian by Hungry Hobby

This elegant dish will garner many ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ at the table. We like to ditch the cheese on top to make this dairy-free.

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Crunchy Plantain Chips

Crunchy Plantain Chips by Ginger and Sea Salt

It doesn’t get easier than a one-ingredient recipe (and a little oil and salt). These easy plantain chips have baked and fried options, and are great for munching along with dips or hummus as guests wait for the main attraction.

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Golden Turmeric Rice with Raisins

Golden Turmeric Rice with Raisins by Sondi Bruner (*ACN Head Program Coach)

Add some sunshine to your holiday festivities with this 5-ingredient side dish.