Alter Your Health

Kids are humans, too! And they, too, can THRIVE on plants.

That being said, there are for sure some considerations to kid-specific nutrition to ensure healthy growth and development.

Long story short, keeping toxins out while loading up on high quality fuel and nutrients matters a lot when it comes to keeping youngsters growing strong and healthfully.

Of course, there are individual considerations that ch...

Next up in the plant-based lifecycle nutrition series is TODDLERS!

We aren't there yet personally in our family with our little one, but it's helpful to know how to keep little ones thriving on plants.

In this episode, Dr. Susanna get's into the plant-based nutritional science to support growing kiddos. This is important info considering the importance of nutrition for childhood development... and &...

Babies Thrive on Plants, TOO!

... but they still need mother's milk/formula.

It is generally advised that babies to start eating real, solid foods around 6 months. However through ~ 1 year of age, babies still get a dwindling majority of calories and nutrition from breastmilk.

So, what foods should plant-based babies be eating???

Most any real, whole food are wonderful for adults and babies alike. But...

Nutrition is pretty simple when you're a baby... MILK.

Human breastmilk is the optimal source of nutrition for early infancy (0-6 months). Commercial baby formula (of which there are MANY) are considered the only acceptable alternative to breastmilk.

In this episode you'll learn the amazing properties of breastmilk and how it is indeed the perfect food... for babies!

One amazing fact is that bre...

In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Susanna shares her recent trials and tribulations with nutrition and lifestyle through all phases of pregnancy and postpartum.

With our little Grace being now 8 months, Dr. Susanna is 110% back to her normal and healthy self. She's got an extra 10% (at least!) from the innate superwoman powers that come through motherhood!

While different individuals may struggle with follo...

The postpartum and lactation phase of life demand intake of high quality nutrition in order to replenish and restore the mother’s nutritional stores, but also to provide the highest quality of breastmilk production for her baby. 

Eating a plant-based diet is not only provides the the postpartum body all that it needs in this phase of life, it also provides benefits for both the mother’s and babies health - one of the bigge...

Is it healthy to eat plant-based while pregnant?

This is a big question that often comes up from plant-based skeptics. The short answer is YES! But with any pregnancy, no matter the diet of the mother, proper nutritional awareness and planning is necessary I order to support the best health for both mother and baby. 

We’re going to discuss all the important nutrition considerations for a plant-based pregnancy in t...

Preconception is a lifecycle phase that is often overlooked. However, it is extremely important to prepare a mother’s body for a graceful pregnancy and healthy baby! 

Several factors play into optimizing egg quality, sperm quality, and a healthy environment for a fertilized eggs to thrive in - nutrition is certainly one of the biggest factors. 

In this episode we'll explore all the nutritional considerations ...

Becoming a mom has really reminded me (Dr. Susanna) how different phases of life require different nutrition. Some phases of life have much more physical growth where more fuel, more fat, more everything in needed compared to other times in our life when we are maintaining, or perhaps even wanting to shed some excess growth.

We are excited to be entering into a little mini-series within the podcast where we will be coverin...

There are a million and one ways to eat Whole Food Plant-Based!

... and they don’t all promote health and healing!

Preparing a BALANCED WFPB meal can be super easy! But if you don't know WHAT to focus on or HOW to make it balanced, you might run into some obstacles.

In this episode, Dr. Susanna walks you through the 3 steps of preparing a balanced WFPB meal that supports HEALING.
Step 1: Focus th...

Orthorexia is defined as "excessive preoccupation with eating healthy food."

Well, "normal" is most definitely NOT healthy in our world today. Furthermore, focusing on health and creating healthy habits is essential for being healthy!

So are you orthorexic? Does eating WFPB make you orthorexic?

It's a big topic and an important question that is worth diving into.

In a rec...

A weight loss drug? Yes, there is a "new" weight loss drug on the market (beginning of 2023). But, don't get to excited just yet...

Remember things like Fen-Phen, Ephedrine,  or Dinitrophenol (DNP)? There are many other drugs that have proven to be effective for weight loss, but also dangerous and even  deadly. Smoking meth or snorting cocaine are also pretty effective ways to lose weight...

The new...

In the vast and complex human body, the digestive system is responsible for what is maybe the most mysterious and nuanced processes - transforming foods into the nutrients that sustain life.

The enzymes, juices, sphincters, muscles, and microbiota are all uniquely working together to carry out the physiologic roles of digestion.

But, what is in control of all of these nuanced physiologic processes? The autonomic n...

"Seed oils" have taken on the role of the proverbial whipping boy, taking the blame for everything that is wrong in packaged and processed foods.

Yes, seed oils are bad for your health. But that is generally where the conversation stops. Or maybe you've heard other conflicting information around eating more saturated fats like butter, lard, and animal products.

In this episode we break down WHY seed...

The topic of heavy metal toxicity is a big one... and for good reason!

Heavy metals (like mercury, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and others) can be toxic to the body, especially when accumulated over a lifespan... which is "normal" in today's toxic world. Once in the body, these sort of metals can be hard to get out. Therefore, they accumulate to cause or contribute to numerous chronic conditions - metabolic healt...

Less than 1% of population has celiac disease, a condition in which gluten consumption causes direct destruction of the gut lining. The issue of avoiding gluten in this rare disease isn’t really up for debate.

Non-celiac gluten sensitivity is something different. Some suggest 20% or more may have this sort of "gluten sensitivity," meaning that consumption of gluten causes gastrointestinal issues, potentially lead...

We already recorded a pretty comprehensive podcast on the topic (Episode #257), but there have been requests to revisit NIGHTSHADES.

So, here's the deal...

There is NO - zero - evidence to even consider that eating nightshade vegetables can potentially cause or contribute to any health issues.

Unless of course you are eating belladonna, dartura, or maybe green/sprouted potatoes. These plants are high...

Phytoestrogens = “plant” estrogens.

These compounds attract quite a bit of controversy, almost as much as the lectins, oxalates, phytates, and goitrogens we’ve talked about previously.

Here are direct links to episodes on...
Oxalates - Episode 365
Lectins - Episode 366
Phytates - Episode 368
Goitrogens - Episode 369

First things first. The term “phytoestrogen” is actually a bit of a misnom...

Continuing our discussion around “anti-nutrient” compounds in plants takes us to goitrogens.

This term refers to substances that can interfere with iodine uptake by the thyroid and lead to decreased thyroid function, thereby leading to the formation of a “goiter.” The classic goitrogen is actually the deficiency of iodine, an essential mineral for thyroid activity. This, of course  led to the iodination of table salt, whic...