Spark Notes for "Improving your health 101"
Do you wish there were a simple way to improve your health and your family’s? Are you nervous about school starting again because you know your kids are going to start catching every little cold and bug that goes through their class? Would you like straight-forward tips that you can immediately apply to your life and theirs, to shore up what you've got and avoid the usual health pitfalls? Well, while your children may be going back to school, you don’t have to!
I have developed some simple Spark Notes (a/k/a CliffsNotes), gleaned from the health professionals I have interviewed on the Wise Traditions podcast, to help you improve your health this fall, without a whole lot of extra work on your part. These are quick, applicable tips that are essentially highlights from some of my favorite Wise Traditions podcast episodes of the summer.
People often ask me what sticks with me from the interviews I conduct on the show. For this reason, I am sharing with you some of the “stickiest” pieces that have stood out to me and have impacted my choices in the day-to-day! After checking these out, please let me know what sticks with you!
#83 “The power of real food to treat MS” – Dr. Terry Wahls has an exceptional story of healing, from being diagnosed with MS, to undergoing degeneration to the point of having to use a tilt wheelchair, to today where she rides bikes and sees patients in her clinic!
Sticky tip: Turn to food rather than supplements for optimal health. Most supplements just make expensive urine.
#84 “Ground zero of most health disorders” - Kiran Krishnan is a popular speaker and microbiologist. This episode is one of our most popular to date--it has had over 30K downloads. Kiran explains Hippocrates' saying: “All disease begins in the gut.” We must shore up the good bacteria in our digestive tract to attain (and maintain) good health.
Sticky tip: Add ferments to your diet (like kombucha, sauerkraut, etc.) or take a probiotic supplement like Just Thrive (I consider it an exception to the general rule of thumb re. supplements mentioned above) to make sure you’re getting what you need for gut health. I personally do both!
#85 "Let's heal the planet" - Sarah Savory is a mom, author, and passionate conservation advocate who is keen on leaving the world a better place for future generations. We can’t just “save the ____” (insert your favorite animal here). We must regenerate the soil. If we don’t do that, all of the animals (including us) are in jeopardy. The primary way to save the earth is to make conscious choices whenever we buy something--whether it’s food, clothing, or what have you.
Sticky tip: Buy food that is sustainably raised and local, whenever possible. Shop at the farmers market and know your farmer.
#88 “Get off the sugar rollercoaster” - Lindsea Willon is a brilliant Nutritional Therapy Practitioner who woke me up to the importance of eating more fat in my diet. When we just grab a piece of fruit or make a veggie or fruit juice smoothie for breakfast, it causes our blood sugar to spike (not unlike when you eat a candy bar). Lindsea calls this "eating sugar 'unopposed.'” Adding fat to the equation slows down the absorption of glucose into the blood. It’s the only way to keep our blood sugar stable, which is critical for optimal health and to get off the blood sugar rollercoaster!
Sticky tip: Add peanut butter to your banana or coconut oil to your smoothie. Make sure to have butter with your eggs or on your sourdough pancakes. Not only will it stabilize your blood sugar, it will taste absolutely delicious!
#89 “Migraine relief” - Jodi Ledley had debilitating migraines. She found no resolution from conventional medicine. But once she learned to avoid MSG (and other excitotoxins like it), she found herself on the path to healing. For years, she's eaten only at home. There, she has been able to control the quality of the food and avoid the additives that caused the neurological disruption that triggered her migraines.
Sticky tip: Eat at home more often. If you're going to go out, go to places like Chipotle--one of the few fast/casual places Jodi found where you can enjoy a meal that is MSG- and GMO-free! (By the way, I don’t have stock in that company, so I do not benefit from your eating there!)
#92 “Healing Lyme” - Robin Shirley is the founder of the Take Back Your Health conference. And it is appropriately titled because this is just what she has done! She was dealing with serious arthritis and chronic Lyme when she found healing through alternative therapies. Robin found relief through a three-pronged approach for healing--getting off antibiotics, cleansing her body of parasites, and chelating metals out of her body.
Sticky tip: Step one for Robin was tweaking her diet. Whatever the state of your health, switching to more nutrient-dense foods—think: eggs instead of cereal, butter instead of margarine, veggies instead of chips—can give you a leg up in fighting (or preventing) any condition.
Again, these are simply the Spark Notes from some of my favorite summer episodes. For the deep dive, click on the title for each episode and give a listen. You may find an even “stickier” tip that will help you on your journey toward better health. And if you are eager for more, you can check out any of the many Wise Traditions podcast episodes! I could not possibly include them all in the above list, since this is only a “101” class. Just go to Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts, subscribe, and get ready to go to the head of the "Improving your health 101" class!
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Hilda Labrada Gore is the host and producer of the Wise Traditions podcast. It is sponsored by the Weston A. Price Foundation for wise traditions in food, farming, and the healing arts! Hilda is also an integrative nutrition health coach and a fitness professional, the Director of Communications, and the DC Metro Regional Director for Body & Soul. In additions, she leads the contemporary music service for National Presbyterian Church. She lives in D.C. with her husband and children, their cat, Mia, and their dog, Summer.