We hear a LOT about the microbiome these days with splashy headlines and head-turning articles. But what does science actually tell us about the microbiome and its influence on human health? Is it really as the media tells us, or is there a gap between what researchers say and what journalists write?

Kristina Campbell is a professional in the field of the microbiome. In today’s show, she disseminates facts and dispells myths when it comes to microbes and humans. Hear everything from risks and rewards of fecal matter transplants (FMT) to how much to worry about sanitizing your kids’ toys. We’ll talk about microbes and chronic disease, as well as surprising insights about dysbiosis. I can’t wait to share this with you!

In today's episode, Jennifer McGurk will help us understand some of the truths and myths about eating disorders. In particular, we'll cover these three truths and discuss the myths behind them.

Truth #1: Many people with eating disorders look healthy, yet may be extremely ill.

Truth #4: Eating disorders are not choices, but serious biologically influenced illnesses.

Truth #5: Eating disorders affect people of all genders, ages, races, ethnicities, body shapes and weights, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic statuses.

What is an eating disorder?

Psychological disturbance in the brain that comes out with disordered eating patterns.  If you're like a lot of people, you might think of anorexia as an eating disorder. But that's only one piece of what makes up disordered eating. Did you know that “disordered eating” is everywhere?

Some eating disorders are easier to recognize, such as anorexia or binging and purging. But did you know that disordered eating can arise from chronic dieting, thinking about food a lot, and even strict attempts to "eat clean"?

Dietitians, clinical nutritionists, and therapists are often the first health care professionals to see disordered eating habits/patterns with clients (who may not even realize it’s a problem).

Here are some of the forms that eating disorders can take:

1. Binge-eating: dieting
2. Bulimia
3. Anorexia
4. Disordered eating: chronic dieter, thinks about food a lot
5. Orthorexia:
6. Extreme picky eating: avoidant restrictive feeding disorder (ARFD)
7. Ellyn Satter: normal eating

I don't specialize in eating disorders, but I can't avoid it in my practice. It often sneaks a ride when my patients are working through other issues, like these:

Food Sensitivities & Digestive Disorders:

People with food sensitivities often develop disordered eating patterns because of fears that certain foods will harm them. I love helping people find freedom from this fear by finding the foods that truly do support their well-being.

Chronic Dieting: 

People who diet often usually complain that they're always thinking about food, rarely enjoying it, and worry about all the confusing information around food. Restricting foods also often leads to the rebound "binge" eating, which usually marks the end of the diet. Before the next diet, last supper eating ensues (because you may never get the foods you really want again!). Constant food restriction and extreme diets also slows the dieter's metabolism, making their relationship with food all the more challenging. As you can imagine, it takes a big toll on the body, too!

Clean Eating:

In the sincere quest for clean, healthy eating, disordered eating often sneaks up on us. This can lead to fears about "unclean" or "unhealthy" foods. Lots of food rules and food trends can trigger obsessive thoughts about food. Sometimes, a person will follow an extreme food trend that sacrifices their mental, emotional, and even physical well-being.

The Academy of Eating Disorders declared these as the official truths about eating disorders:

Truth #1: Many people with eating disorders look healthy, yet may be extremely ill.

Truth #2: Families are not to blame, and can be the patients’ and providers’ best allies in treatment.

Truth #3: An eating disorder diagnosis is a health crisis that disrupts personal and family functioning.

Truth #4: Eating disorders are not choices, but serious biologically influenced illnesses.

Truth #5: Eating disorders affect people of all genders, ages, races, ethnicities, body shapes and weights, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic statuses.

Truth #6: Eating disorders carry an increased risk for both suicide and medical complications.

Truth #7: Genes and environment play important roles in the development of eating disorders.

About our guest: Jennifer McGurk, RDN, CDN, CDE, CEDRD is the owner of Eat With Knowledge in Nyack, NY and specializes in the treatment of eating disorders and emotional eating.  Her passion is to help people find peace and balance with food.  She is also the author of the Pursuing Private Practice series on how to start and grow a business.   

With all the fury, feuds and frustrations the media plays over and over, you're probably feeling some increased anxiety and tension. From social unrest, to political furor, to health issues and financial concerns, we have our plates (and heads) more than

Most people experience heartburn at one point or another in life. Some people find the symptoms to be severe and taxing. Many people take antacids or proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) as a normal part of life. However, as recent studies are showing, PPIs and

In this episode with Susan Linke,  guest expert on food sensitivities and functional nutrition, we'll cover the following:

1.     What is your microbiome's influence on your genes?

2.     How does this connect to leaky gut?

3.     How are the immune system, depression and the gut linked?

4.     How are food sensitivities and microbiome linked?

5.     How is muscle pain triggered by food sensitivities?

Labs mentioned:

• Oxford (provides the MRT food sensitivities test)
• Spectracell (provides micronutrient panels and much more)
• Cyrex

Who is Susan Linke, MS, MBA, RDN:

www.susanlinke.com

Susan Linke is a registered and licensed dietitian, Certified LEAP Therapist (CLT) and Certified Gluten Practitioner, and a sought-after speaker and lecturer.  She received her MBA from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX, and a Master of Science degree in Nutrition from Texas Woman’s University in Denton, TX.   She is a member of the Institute of Functional Medicine, and various dietetic practice groups of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics including Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine, SCAN,  Nutrition Entrepreneurs, Medical Nutrition Practice Group and Dietitians in Gluten Intolerance Diseases (DIGID).  

She is on the advisory boards for the Integrative and Functional Nutrition Academy as well as Oxford Biomedical Technologies, Inc. and is the recipient of the 2015 “Excellence in Practice Award” from the DIFM dietetic practice group.

Susan has received extensive training in immunology, adverse food reactions, and practical application of dietary treatment for chronic inflammatory conditions.  

Considered one of the most experienced LEAP therapists in the country, she has spent the last 10 years  training and mentoring thousands of dietitians nationwide who are interested in incorporating anti-inflammatory protocols through food sensitivity testing and expanding their knowledge of functional and integrative medical nutrition therapy.

She is a sought-after speaker and lecturer, having presented at numerous local, state, and national dietetic association conferences, in addition to radio interviews and contributions to magazine articles.

Susan resides in Dallas, TX where she is the owner of an integrative and functional nutrition-based private practice, and also counsels clients through telecommute.  In her spare time, her favorite thing to do is spend time playing with her 3 grandchildren who live in Arkansas.  

Have you ever wanted to end the dieting rat race? Today, hear why diets don?t work, and what to do instead. Joining me is Dietitian and Health Coach, Maria McConville. She?ll help unravel the importance of eating, sleeping, and critical thinking in the pr

Detoxification is occurring all the the time.

It is a biological process in which your body converts waste products into exceretable material, which you then eliminate from your urine, skin, breath and poop.

You're doing it right now!

We do it naturally all day long. Because we're a bit overloaded with environmental pollutants, genetic variations & toxins, carcinogens and more right now, it's a great idea to give your body a little extra detox boost.

There are a number of things you can do to help your body release toxins with nutritious food and lifestyle.

What Mary Purdy and I cover in this show:

• What it really means to detox (in scientific terms!).
• Why it's a good idea to detox
  • Nutrigenetics: variations on genes involved in enzyme production in liver. Genes are deleted often, which can compromise ability to detox. Two phases for detox in liver, gene variants can disrupt chemical pathway.

• Pollutants: plastics & other endocrine disruptors, estrogen-mimicking compounds, heavy metals, herbicides, pesticides, antibiotics from our food supply, and even medications can be harmful!

• HOW detoxification works

Mary will bust some of the most pervasive myths about detoxification and cleansing.

For example, did you know that a using starvation or an intense master cleanse is a really terrible way to try to cleanse? 

A Master cleanse very detrimental, especially for someone who hasn’t had good nutrition already built up.

You see, detoxication requires a LOT of nutrients. You can't starve your way through a detox and expect optimal results!

[ctt title="Detoxication requires a LOT of nutrition. You must eat to properly cleanse. (Can you tweet this please?) " tweet="#Detoxication requires #nutrition. You must eat to properly #cleanse. http://ctt.ec/kO9p0+ @MaryPurdyHere @FrancesLArnold" coverup="kO9p0"]

Food supports detoxification pathways

Here are some of the many nutrients needs to detox: Magnesium, B-vitamins, vitamin C, folic acid, magnesium, zinc, glutathione, N-acetylcysteine, lipoic acid, selenium, among others.

In addition, you'll need plenty of protein for the amino acids, especially the branch chain amino acids.

You'll want to eat these things too:

• healthy fats in their whole form: avocado, nuts, seeds, olives, coconut
• Herbs and spices: turmeric, smoked paprika, garam marsala, curry, cilantro, parsley, basil, harissa, garlic, ginger,
• Fiber: binds toxins to poop it out
• Drink plenty of fluid for kidneys

And be sure to take in herbs and supplements that support detox.

herbal formulations: dandelion, artichoke, milk thistle, green tea, sulfurophane (broccoli sprouts), formulations with amino acids, NAC (makes glutathione), GST enzymes made by NAC, probiotics (help with digestion & stool formation) 5-25 billion blends.

And of course, there are some foods that are helpful to eliminate, especially during a full elimination-detoxification diet:

processed foods, foods that create adverse reactions (gluten, dairy, alcohol, soy, eggs, processed sugars and artificial everything.)

Today's Brilliant Guest:

MARY PURDY MS, RDN: holds a Master’s Degree in Nutrition from Bastyr University. She was in private practice for 8 years and now works as a coach with the Scientific Wellness Company, Arivale using personalized genetic data and cutting edge science to guide clients in improving their health. She remains adjunct professor at Bastyr University and clinical supervisor at their teaching clinic. Mary has provided online detox programs and given over a hundred wellness presentations for local businesses. She is Past President of the Greater Seattle Dietetic Association and currently Communications Chair for Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine. She has been interviewed on Seattle’s Public Radio & quoted in national publications like Prevention, Health, and Today’s Dietitian. Mary’s participation in this podcast is reflective of her own professional beliefs, and are not reflective of Arivale.

Twitter: @MaryPurdyHere

Mary's You Tube Show

As some of you noticed, I stopped recording the health and nutrition Namaste Nutritionist podcast in 2014. This was the result of simply too many priorities. My client practice ballooned by 400% in a few short months; I had foot surgery; I launched a new weight loss program; I was speaking professionally; and business was, shall we say, gloriously busy.

Before I knew it, I was behind in my recordings. At first, it looked like I could just catch up, as I was only a couple of recordings behind. But then, as time and demands marched on, I fell further and further behind. Weeks became months, and it became apparent that catching up was no longer the option. I had unintentionally abandoned my podcasting efforts.

Now, let me just say that it’s an honor to produce content that you find valuable and supportive of your health, happiness and nutrition goals. Let’s be honest: Keeping up with the blog, the podcast, recipes, social media, the newsletter are a lot of energy to maintain. It’s work that I produce at my own expense of time, money and energy, and I’m happy to do it. So long as it’s helping people.

So as you can see, there are a lot of demands to running a business. Despite this, I feel tremendously grateful for the opportunities to serve my people. I love serving you. Your interest and stories of improvement keep me motivated because I know that I’m making a difference. You keep me energized to continue sharing. Thank you for this.

Please accept my apologies in not publishing a podcast in the last ten months. If you’ve been reading my blog or my newsletter, you know that I’m still active. Going forward, here is the plan that will help keep podcasts easier to keep up on:

• You can expect the podcasts will be shorter - around 15-30 min.   I hope that shorter recordings will make them easier for you to consume, and faster for me to produce.There are some interviews I’ve already recorded that are around an hour, and those will be exceptions.

• You can anticipate about one - two podcasts per month. Sometimes, there may be more, and sometimes less.

• You will hear some interviews, and some podcasts with just me.

It’s really meaningful to hear from you, dear Listener. Do you have follow-up questions, or comments? How do you like the length? Anything you want to share with me, please share it on my Facebook page: NamasteNutritionist1. Or Twitter @FrancesLArnold. When you reach out and connect with me and my team, it keeps us going.

Namaste Nutritionist will continue to serve you by providing high-value content that addresses nutrition, lifestyle, and happiness. To receive these podcasts regularly, Make sure you’re subscribed in iTunes. Oh, and if you like the work, please share it with your friends and family.

This summer, I launched a recipe collection of many of my favorite meals. There are over 50 pages of recipes and health advice, inspired by my private sessions with clients. You can grab your free copy on the right-hand side bar. You can let your friends and family know about that too.

As always, thanks for being here. You’re my motivation to keep sharing.

 If people have been eating wheat for thousands of years, how could it possibly be bad for us? Why is bread so addictive, making it feel hard to give up? How does gluten damage the body?

Bio: Anne Buzzelli is a Registered Dietitian who offers nutritional strategies designed to support your unique biochemical make-up. Your individuality does not stop at your fingerprints so cookie-cutter approaches are not enough! Anne uses a whole foods approach because that's what humans ate before we started making food with heavy machinery. She got her Masters in Nutrition at Bastyr University in Seattle after deciding to leave her former career as a computer programmer. Anne owns an Integrative Nutrition Practice in historic Staunton, Virginia (BuzzNutrition.com), and also enjoys teaching classes and leading corporate nutrition programs.

Bio: Hello, I'm Frances Arnold,  co-founder of NamasteNutritionist.com and the Namaste Nutritionist Podcast. My mission is to help make nutrition sane, intuitive, and deeply satisfying. My nutrition advice is anti-fad, free of special interests, and supports deep health. I specialize in helping people improve their weight, improve their energy, their digestion, and their aches & pains (whether it's a headache or joint pain or fibromyalgia). My approach to health addresses mind, body and spirit helps people transform their wellness from the inside-out.

You can easily subscribe to the Namaste Nutritionist podcast here. Please rate the show!

Keeping up with bills passing Congress can be something of a full-time job. And the bills Congress passes affects every aspect of our lives, whether we understand it or not.

How are we to keep up with congressional legislation, and talk to our representatives about our concerns, when keeping up is a demanding (if not nearly impossible) task? Worse, how do the people make their voices heard when new legislation favors the rich and powerful, and not the everyday citizen?

In this podcast, I catch up to Jennifer Briney, hostess of "The Congressional Dish". I ask her to help break down the food and water legislation that is currently up for serious debate in the House of Representatives. Jennifer is enormously passionate, and she dishes up helpful insights regarding what the House is looking at passing (or killing), and what it means for YOU and ME, dear ordinary citizens. She disseminates inspiration and hope for how we - the average, non-wealthy, non-corporation citizen - can talk to our representatives and make a difference in the law-making process.

What we address:

• What was the "Monsanto protection act", and how did it happen?
• How does the food bill work (gen overview)? Can you highlight some of the biggest topics at stake?
• What is the Trans Pacific Partnership? How is this potentially risky to citizens?
• Which committees address safety of water, and what are they currently saying about fracking?
• Who are the consumers best allies in terms of protecting our food and water? How would you recommend that we talk to them (letters, phone calls, etc)?
• How can the avg person understand food legislation and stay more informed (in light of all the ways that life gets overwhelming)?
• What is your advice to consumers about staying engaged and about fact-finding?
• The healthcare reform is very confusing.Tell us about what you're covering on your podcast to help us understand it better?

Shortly after completing this interview with Jennifer, she tweeted me the next day to tell me that the Monsanto Protection act was killed in Congress. Phew!

Carole Bartolotto, a respected dietitian and Huffington Post columnist, opens up about her concerns regarding Genetically Modified Organisims (GMOs). She made headlines earlier this year after her controversial dismissal from a committee tasked with setting policy on GMOs. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (aka "The Academy") was overdue for updating its policy on GMOs at the time, and to date, still has not accomplished this.  Carole was suddenly removed from the committee - without discussion - after pointing out that two of its members had ties to GMO companies.  (Her story made the NY Times here.)

In her article about the Academy's reflexive dismissal after Carole challenged conflicts of interests among panel members,  Carole wrote "Is the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Committed to Telling Americans the Truth About Genetically Modified Foods?" for the Huffington Post:

. . . Is it appropriate to have people involved with the biotech industry, which could benefit from the outcome, sit on a biotech-related work group? I don't think so. Additionally, I found it alarming that the Academy was intent on moving forward with a position paper, written by Christine M. Bruhn, PhD, to be published before the evidence review was complete. She wrote the Academy's 2006 position paper, which said that GMOs "...enhance the quality, safety, nutritional value, and variety of food available for human consumption and increase the efficacy of food production, processing, food distribution, and environmental and waste management." I am guessing her 2013 version will offer up more of the same.

Sadly, it is the American people who are the losers in this situation because they will probably not get clear, unbiased and balanced information about what to eat from the organization that represents the largest group of nutrition-related health professionals in the country.

The Academy is the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals, and is criticized by many dietitians for its questionable sponsorships from junk food companies such as Pepsi, Coca-Cola, and General Mills. The Academy is expected to update their position on GMOs sometime this year (2013). As of this publication, the Academy still has not released its position statement about GMOs. We'll find out if it dishes up favortism for GMO foods or not.

In this passionate interview, I ask Carole to address the following:

• Tell us about your story with the Academy suddenly dismissing you from its volunteer committee
• How did the Academy address conflict of interest with GMOs?
• How does the FDA approve GMOs (it is considered Generally Recognized as Safe)?
• What are you hearing about patients regarding GMOs (anecdotal, Elle story)?
• What noteworthy tactics have you seen used by the opposition?
• What can you tell us about our food supply being contaminated?
• Health impacts of GMOs - can you talk about the studies?
• What do you see happening in the future of GMO?

Resources mentioned in this podcast:

Dietitians for Professional Integrity: a group of concerned dietetics professionals advocating for greater financial transparency, as well as ethical, socially responsible, and relevant corporate sponsorships within the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Articles:

• Corporate giant comes out against GMOs
• Allergy Risks from Genetically Modified Foods, by Dr. Michael Hansen
• “Is GMO labeling Anti-Science?”, by Carole Bartolotto
• You think the FDA gets to approve all food additives as safe? Not a chance. by Dr. Marion Nestle

Phone Apps:

Buycott

Non-GMO shopping guide

Ten apps to help you eat GMO free (resource list)

Carole Bartolotto is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in exercise physiology. She worked in the field of diet and health for over 20 years. She likes to stay on top of the latest research and translate it into actionable steps that can transform your health.