Momlight

Muzammil Ahmad is a medical student and a nutrition coach on a mission to raise awareness about the health benefits of plant-based diets and the importance of the role of diet in disease prevention, disease risk and disease progression. Muzammil believes in 'food as medicine' and utilizing lifestyle changes to optimize one’s health. As a medical student, he is passionate about transforming a reactionary approach to medicine to a more proactive approach. In this episode, Muzammil shares how his journey to a plant based lifestyle helped him conquer his health problems and how we can all lean into science behind plant-based diets to live a life of radical vitality. Learn more at www.drplantbased.ca and follow Muzammil on instagram @dr.plantbased

If you are tired of the nutrition wars, mindless bickering among so called health experts and diet debates and are looking for REAL solutions for optimal brain and overall health, this conversation is for you. Drs. Ayesha and Dean Sherzai are clinicians, researchers and educators on a mission to help us prevent Alzheimers disease, prevent cognitive decline and enjoy optimal brain (and overall) health through the power of science-based dietary and lifestyle measures. Learn about the best diet for brain health based on the scientific evidence and other key lifestyle practices that can help you show up as the sharpest version of yourself so you can share your gifts with the world, be present for those you love and essentially live a life of radical vitality. Pick up their new book THE 30 DAY ALZHEIMER'S SOLUTION here and follow them on Instagram @sherzaimd. About the Sherzais: Dr. Dean Sherzai is a behavioral neurologist / neuroscientist whose entire life has been dedicated to behavioral change models at the community and population level. He has revolutionized the world of public health nationally and internationally. Dean finished his medical and neurology residencies at Georgetown University with a subsequent fellowship in neurodegenerative diseases at the National Institutes of Health, followed by a second fellowship in Dementia and Geriatrics at the University of California, San Diego. He also holds two master’s Degrees; in advanced sciences at UCSD and in lifestyle epidemiology from Loma Linda University. He has received a PhD in Healthcare leadership focused on community empowerment from Loma Linda/Andrews University. Finally, he completed the executive leadership program at Harvard Business School. His vision has always been to revolutionize healthcare by empowering communities to take control of their own health. Dr. Ayesha Sherzai finished two residencies at Loma Linda University; preventive medicine and neurology. She also holds a master’s in advanced sciences from UCSD. Subsequent to completing her residency Dr. Sherzai completed a fellowship in vascular neurology from Columbia University, and is currently enrolled to finish a PhD in women’s leadership. Knowing the importance of empowering her patients, and their communities Ayesha completed an extensive culinary training program and now teaches large populations how to make tasty, easy, and healthy food for their brain health.

If you are ready to go from feeling effing tired to effing fantastic, this episode with the wise and inspiring Dr. Amy Shah is a must listen. Dr. Amy Shah is a Cornell, Harvard and Columbia trained double board certified physician who realised she herself was on the brink of burnout. When a dark moment in a car crash served as a wake up call, she decided that this sense of constant fatigue wasn't ok or normal and there had to be another way. Combining the science around circadian rhythms, time restricted eating, fasting, microbiome and emotional health, Dr. Shah's blueprint is a game changing, revolutionary, science backed approach to reclaiming your energy and your life so you can enjoy Radical Vitality in this lifetime. You can buy Dr Shah's brand new critically acclaimed book I'm So Effing Tired here and follow her on instagam @fastingmd.

Dr. Ana-Maria Temple has been practicing medicine since 1995 and has treated over 36,000 patients. In her revolutionary new book The Rule of 5, Dr Temple shares her blueprint to transform our kids' (and families') health so we can live long, vibrant, disease-free lives. Dr Temple's approach focuses on less not more medications, recognising that food and lifestyle can be our most potent solutions.Dr Temple also knows that in our modern world, this isn't always easy. Her own experience with her kids and their health struggles have led her to develop a very practical, step up step, compassionate and actionable road map where wellness is a family affair and every baby step adds up to more vitality for your kids and yourselves. In this episode, Dr Ana-Maria educates, inspires and empowers us to raise healthy, strong, resilient kids by focusing on progress not perfection. She has inspired me to take the baby steps towards better family health and I know she will do the same for you. Pick up Dr. Ana-Maria's book The Rule of 5 or learn more about working with her here. You can also follow her on instagram where she is always sharing valuable uplifting content to inspire radical vitality for our families and ourselves.

Anna Yusim went to the best colleges in America, got her medical degree from Yale University and did a Psychiatry residency at NYU. On paper, everything looked perfect, but somehow, despite all the external accomplishments, Dr. Yusim felt unfulfilled. In her journey to find personal fulfilment and happiness beyond that which is promised by the material world, she discovered the science of spirituality and began to integrate her discoveries into her own life and the lives of her patients, affecting their mental and overall health in profound ways. In this heartfelt conversation, Dr Yusim shares the thesis of her incredible book FULFILLED: HOW THE SCIENCE OF SPIRITUALITY CAN HELP YOU LIVE A HAPPIER MORE MEANINGFUL LIFE. Her tips are practical, powerful and will result in a profound deepening of your wellbeing as it has done for so many of her patients. To learn more about Dr. Anna Yusim and her important work, visit https://www.annayusim.com/ and grab a copy her game changing book FULFILLED here.

Jennifer Anderson, MSPH, RDN is a social media sensation with her Instagram account kids.eat.in.color now at over a million followers and her pragmatic, inclusive, empathetic and knowledgable advice on how to feed kids with minimal stress often going viral (for good reason)! I had the good fortune of being able to sit down with Jennifer to chat about the inspiration for her platform, her powerful and down-to-earth approach to nourish our kids (and ourselves as moms!), her own health struggles and how she overcame them, and all her incredible programs, offerings and free resources to help more parents raise adventurous eaters without the stress and anxiety that is all too common these days. This chat was honest, refreshing and packed with insight. You can follow Jennifer on instagram @kids.eat.in.color or visit her website at www.kidseatincolor.com

This episode is sponsored by MegaFood but all opinions and discussion points are my own. When it comes to recommendations on nutrition and health, the unique needs of women are often overlooked. In this episode, packed with information and insight, Dr. Erin Stokes, the Medical Director at MegaFood guides us through specific micronutrients and other aspects of health that women need to pay attention to for optimal vitality. If you are a woman looking to access your deepest health and radiance of body AND mind, this is a conversation you do not want to miss. More about Dr. Erin Stokes Erin received her Naturopathic Doctor degree from Bastyr University in 2001. Shortly afterwards she pursued her passion for education by becoming an instructor at Southwest Acupuncture College. Erin combines her experience in private practice as a Naturopathic Doctor with an extensive background in the natural products industry. In her role as Medical Director at MegaFood, she has the opportunity to educate on health and wellness topics via webinars, podcasts, and radio shows. She is a registered Naturopathic Doctor in the state of Colorado, and lives with her family in Boulder, Colorado. More about MegaFood MegaFood is a leader in the natural supplements industry and the first company to have harnessed the nutritional power of farm fresh foods to make vitamins and supplements from scratch. They are a certified B corp, joining together with some of the world’s best brands to not just be the best in the world, but to be the best for the world by being committed to meeting rigorous standards for social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. You can learn more about MegaFood and their top quality supplements and products here.

What we eat doesn't just impact our physical health but also has powerful implications for our mental health. In fact, the body and the mind are intimately connected and to help us understand how we can optimize our brain health with food, I sat down with Dr. Uma Naidoo, a rare kind of medical doctor who is not just a Harvard trained psychiatrist but also a nutrition expert AND a chef!!!! Dr. Naidoo recently released the bestseller, THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON FOOD and shares potent tips to help us improve our brain health with delicious food starting right now. You can learn more about Dr Uma Naidoo here and follow her on Instagram @drumanaidoo More about Dr. Uma Naidoo Michelin-starred chef David Bouley described Dr. Uma Naidoo as the world’s first “triple threat” in the food and medicine space: a Harvard trained psychiatrist, Professional Chef graduating with her culinary schools’ most coveted award, and a trained Nutrition Specialist. Her nexus of interests have found their niche in Nutritional Psychiatry. Dr. Naidoo founded and directs the first hospital-based Nutritional Psychiatry Service in the United States. She is the Director of Nutritional and Lifestyle Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) & Director of Nutritional Psychiatry at MGH Academy while serving on the faculty at Harvard Medical School. She was considered Harvard’s Mood-Food expert, has been featured in the Wall Street Journal.

When it comes to chemicals in our food supply, homes and environment, ignorance is sadly, not bliss. Mounting research continues to suggest that these chemicals, all too rampant in our modern world, are wreaking havoc on our health. In this actionable and insightful episode, Dr. Aly Cohen, author of the newly released Non-Toxic and founder of www.thesmarthuman.com helps us understand WHY we should care about chemicals and what to do about them without feeling the need to be perfect or paranoid. If you want to take your health or the health of your families seriously, this episode is an invaluable resource to detoxifying your life in an approachable, practical and accessible way. More about Dr. Aly Cohen Dr. Aly Cohen is tripled board certified in internal medicine, rheumatology, and integrative medicine, and she is also a trained specialist in environmental health. She specializes in a variety of rheumatologist ailments as well as mental health issues, migraines, dementia prevention, diabetes, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, obesity, and women’s health. Dr. Cohen received her undergraduate degree at the University of Pennsylvania. She went on to medical training at Hahnemann University Hospital School of Medicine in Philadelphia, and completed her internship and residency in internal medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. Dr. Cohen continued her specialist training in rheumatology and autoimmune diseases at Montefiore Hospital/Albert Einstein University Hospital in the Bronx, New York. Dr. Cohen is currently in private practice in Princeton, New Jersey. Her practice, that she founded in 2011, Integrative Rheumatology Associates P.C., focuses on both traditional western medical management of rheumatologic ailments, as well as integrative options for total “wellness”, such as biofeedback, acupuncture, cognitive therapy, diet and exercise counseling, environmental toxin counseling, smoking cessation, stress management and sleep evaluations. Learn more at www.thesmarthuman.com and follow Dr. Aly Cohen on Instagram @thesmarthuman

Intermittent fasting is an ancestral practice that has become ultra trendy in the modern day. But is all fasting created equal? And how can we leverage the science of circadian biology and fasting to properly implement these age old practices in our modern lives? To help us navigate these important issues, I sat down with double board certified, Cornell, Columbia and Harvard trained medical doctor, Dr. Amy Shah also know as @fastingmd. Amy experienced the transformative effects of what she calls CIRCADIAN FASTING in her own life and has helped countless patients experience the same shift in their energy levels, digestion, hormonal and overall health through fasting done correctly. In this conversation, Amy shares incredibly valuable, nuanced strategies to practice intermittent fasting correctly for both short term gains and longer term health and vitality. Amy also points out the most common mistakes people, especially women, make when beginning a fasting protocol. If you are interested in how to leverage the power of fasting to live your best life, this conversation is a must listen. You can learn more about Amy's work and mission on instagram @fastingmd or at https://amymdwellness.com/

In this episode, we dive deep into the magic of herbs for health with Rachelle Robinett, an Herbalist & Holistic Health Practitioner combining plant-based and natural medicine with practical lifestyle habit reshaping to help people find balanced, lasting health. Rachelle holds certificates in Complementary and Integrative Health, and Clinical Herbalism, and has been studying the relationship between plants and people her entire life - be that on a farm in the Pacific Northwest (where she grew up) to time with healers, specialists, and shaman in farther-away places. Rachelle is the founder of Supernatural, a New York based company dedicated to real-world wellness and including Supernatural cafe, a product line of herbal gummies (HRBLS), ongoing workshops and events, and one-on-one health coaching. Entrenched in the wellness world but with an eye on the rest of the world, Rachelle brings a global perspective to individual health. Follow Rachelle on social at @rachellerobinett and use the code SPICE for a discount on all her offerings.

In this episode of Momlight, I sat down with Dr. Robert Graham, founder of FRESH MED that is pioneering a whole new way of treating patients for radiant health. We talked about the integrative medicine approach and how the FRESH FIVE are the key pillars to health. Dr Graham rightfully believes that “food plays a major role not only in the treatment of existing diseases, but also in health promotion and disease prevention.” Dr. Graham is the real deal as he is one of the less than 20 doctor/chefs worldwide helping patients thrive by combining conventional medicine with an integrative approach. Dr. Graham is a Harvard-trained physician, Board Certified in both Internal and Integrative Medicine and has over 15 years of clinical experience. Dr. Graham received a Master’s of Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health while completing fellowships in General Internal Medicine and Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies at Harvard Medical School and Medical Education at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He also completed course-work in Mind/Body Medicine, Positive Psychology, Lifestyle Medicine, Culinary Medicine, Botanical and Traditional Chinese Medicine. In 2018, Dr. Graham became a rare breed of doctor chefs as he obtained his culinary degree from the Natural Gourmet Institute. In the summer of 2016, Dr. Graham started FRESH MED, an integrative health and wellness center at SHIFT WELLNESS, where he currently sees patients. FRESH is an INTEGRATIVE HEALTH practice that represents a paradigm shift from the conventional approach of "a pill for an ill" to one that "addresses the root cause of disease." The FRESH model of healthcare combines the best of conventional medicine including diagnostic testing, tools and technologies, as well as clinical nutrition, functional medicine, health coaching (grounded in positive psychology), complementary therapies, and extensive and innovative testing. Dr. Graham believes healing should be a fully collaborative meaningful partnership between the doctor and the patient, and believes wellness is just as important as treatment. To learn more about Dr. Graham and to work with him as a patient, visit https://www.freshmednyc.com/dr-robert-graham-integrative-medicine-nyc.

In this episode, I sat down with Dr. Jed Fahey to talk about sulforaphane, arguably one of the most beneficial plant-derived phytochemicals currently known to man. Dr. Fahey (who will soon retire from his successful career at Johns Hopkins Medical School) is a world expert on sulforaphane and other plant-derived compounds called isothiocyanates that have tremendous benefits for our health. I may be biased but this episode truly feels akin to attending a lecture at a world-renowned university on an incredibly important subject of human health, namely leveraging the potency of some of the most powerful plant-based compounds to prevent disease and optimize our health. You will learn about sulforaphane and a similar compound found in the moringa tree. We discuss how to ingest these plants for optimal benefits, the mechanism of action that confers health benefits, supplements, and caveats around TREATING rather than preventing diseases like cancer with these compounds. Get your notebooks out, get comfortable and let's dive deep into the health-boosting magic of plants. Dr Fahey is a nutritional biochemist with broad training and extensive background in plant physiology, human nutrition, phytochemistry and nutritional biochemistry. He is currently the Director of the Cullman Chemoprotection Center at Johns Hopkins Medical School, where plant-based cancer prevention agents are being developed. His research addresses the induction by phytochemicals, of cytoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant responses in mammalian systems. His work draws on elements of natural product chemistry, enzymology, nutritional epidemiology and clinical research to develop nutritional strategies for chronic disease prevention in humans. Many of these studies deal with the glucosinolates and isothiocyanates that are found primarily in cruciferous vegetables and in a nutritious tropical tree called the drumstick tree or Moringa oleifera. Other work focuses upon a variety of flavonoid and phenolic secondary metabolites from ginseng, honey, ginger, ashwagandha, black cohosh, and other plants. BRANDS DISCUSSED: Kuli Kuli Moringa that is bringing high quality, organic moringa from Africa to the US and empowering women farmers in the process. Use code CHIEFSPICEMAMA for 15% off at www.kulikulifoods.com Avmacol sulforaphane supplements (note the caveats discussed in the episode that supplementing with high doses may be counterproductive once full blown cancer has already developed).

As the chief medical resident at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Dr. Will Bulsiewicz was crushing his goals professionally, yet personally, his health, anxiety levels and confidence were at rock bottom. When he started dating his now wife who ate a plant-based diet, he became intrigued and decided to give it a try. Taking baby steps away from his standard American diet, Dr. B began to experience a monumental shift in his weight, energy levels and gut health! When he dove into the scientific literature, he was astounded to find scores and score of studies linking plants to optimal gut health and began incorporating this evidence into his gastroenterology practice. The transformation he witnessed among his countless patients propelled him to write FIBER FUELED, his latest bestselling book on the science behind why a plant-forward diet is the ONLY way to have a healthy gut and bullet proof overall health. In this episode, Dr. B shares his top tip for optimal gut health, why gut health is intimately linked to every aspect of overall health, why FIBER is the game changer, issues with fad diets and trends, supplements that are hype versus genuinely helpful and common myths that are holding us all back from the gut and overall health we all deserve. You will finish this episode empowered and inspired to begin to transform your health TODAY. You can learn more about Dr. B and his inspiring work at www.theplantfedgut.com , pick up your copy of his bestseller FIBER FUELED, and follow him on instagram @theguthealthmd

Jules Horn was living on a predominantly animal protein heavy diet in the hopes that it would deliver fitness and health results for him as a successful NYC based model. One day on set in Miami, he looked great on the outside but felt lousy on the inside and began chatting with his photographer, who recommended Jules switch to a whole food plant based diet. Jules made the switch overnight (that's the kind of guy he is) and hasn't looked back since. Now Jules is on a mission to help the world experience the transformational power of a vegan diet through his own story and awe-inspiring metamorphosis. Jules is also focused on educating us that more isn't always more, that fad diets and trends do more harm than good and ultimately, once we realise that there is a connection between the food we eat, planet earth, all living beings and our own internal energetic vibration, we will see why a plant based diet is the sure shot way to health and happiness. You can catch Jules on Instagram where he shares inspiration for how to live an elevated, conscious, plant-based life.

As we find ourselves in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, the burden of chronic disease has become an important consideration. Diabetes is one of the underlying conditions that increases the severity of coronaviral infections and yet, when it comes to treating diabetes, there is more confusion than there is consensus. Importantly, the prevailing paradigm states that carbs are bad and fat and protein are good. But Cyrus Khambatta, PhD and Robby Barbaro, MPH are here to enlighten us that the science tells another story. A large body of scientific evidence that goes back as far as the 1920s suggests that for insulin resistance (the underlying common denominator in all forms of diabetes), it is saturated fat NOT carbohydrate that is the problem. In this enlightening, informative episode, Cyrus and Robby take us through the science and reveal their revolutionary, highly effective program, Mastering Diabetes, that has helped thousands of people reverse insulin resistance whilst celebrating earth-grown, nutritious carbohydrates (hello fruit and veggies) and unlock their true vitality for a long, disease-free life. Pull out your notebooks, buckle up and have a listen. And while you're at it, check out their amazing new NYTimes best seller, Mastering Diabetes, and follow them on Instagram @mangomannutrition @mindfuldiabeticrobby

When Brooklyn borough president, Eric Adams, was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, he refused to resign himself to a life of medication and mere symptom management. Putting on his ex-cop detective hat, he dug deep for root cause solutions and discovered Whole Food Plant Based nutrition. A couple months into this new diet, his diabetes was reversed, including vision loss! Since then, Eric is on a mission to bring the power of food as healing medicine to Brooklyn and New York City residents. In this inspiring episode, Eric shares his journey overcoming diabetes and why he is now a passionate advocate of plant-based nutrition for the health of our bodies and our planet. You can learn more Eric and his story here. For the past three decades, Eric L. Adams has served the residents of Brooklyn as borough president, state senator, police officer, and coalition builder. In November of 2017, he was reelected for a second term to represent all of Brooklyn as borough president. Born in Brownsville and educated in the City’s public school system, Eric is committed to ensuring Brooklyn’s bright future by helping each and every Brooklynite reach his or her full potential. Eric has worked to make the popularity of Brooklyn’s brand translate into prosperity for the over 2.6 million Brooklynites that call the borough home. He is a big believer in the power of connections, of bringing together people in need of services with resources that have long existed but have been underutilized. As a legislator, Eric’s record in the New York State Senate was one that underscored his strong commitment to the rights of those from every walk of life, including protecting the right to privacy, supporting marriage equality, defending a woman’s right to choose, as well as fighting for students’ rights, workers’ rights, and animal rights. His work involved efforts to prevent racial profiling, gender discrimination, domestic violence, and elder abuse.

In this powerful episode I sat down with Pia Schiavo-Campo also known as @MIXEDFATCHICK to talk about how we can learn to love, honor and embrace ourselves no matter our size. Pia is a fat writer, social justice warrior, style enthusiast, and a certified coach. She is also co-author of the book, Love It!: 234 Inspirations and Activities to Help You Love Your Body. You might be familiar with her by way of the Internet, public speaking or from features in Good Morning America, People magazine, and Yoga International Magazine. She made waves through the web with Chronicles of a Mixed Fat Chick, a blog that questions conventional notions of beauty and empowers women to take up as much space as they damn well please while dismantling the patriarchy. Pia believes that when women work together, they can heal and lead the world. While writing articles about body image, she has also spent the last ten years working in social justice at both the direct service level and policy level. She is currently a partner, and brand strategist with the social impact firm, Momentum Solutions Team. Pia is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park and the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. She is Black and Sicilian, speaks Italian fluently, and lives in South Los Angeles her awesome husband, Will and hilarious son, Paolo.

Dr. Marvin Singh was a classically trained MD who began to feel frustrated with the tools at his disposal to help patients with chronic disease. When a colleague at Johns Hopkins Medical School turned him onto an Integrative Medicine fellowship to expand his tool kit, his medical practice and his own health changed forever. Dr Marvin Singh is now one of the very few integrative gastroenterologists focused on personalized medicine in the world. Instead of focusing on just nutrition, Dr. Singh invites us to think of gut health the same way we think of overall health i.e. impacted by a host of factors ranging from sleep, stress status, toxin exposure, exercise, social relationships and diet. Dr Singh's ultra personalized, cutting-edge functional medicine Gastroenterology practice, Precisione Clinic, uses a highly customized, individualized approach to helping patients address the root cause and optimize gut health. Precisione conducts virtual or in person visits and is a truly revolutionary approach to gut health optimization and disease prevention. Learn more about Dr Singh and his innovative approach at www.drmarvinsingh.com

Nir Eyal knows a thing or two about the power of technology and other distractions to suck us in. As the New York Times bestselling author of Hooked: How To Build Habit Forming Products, Nir began noticing how the very technology he admired for all the good it could do in the world also had the power to distract us from the things we valued. When a sweet and poignant exchange with his young daughter was something he couldn't even remember because of 'a ding' from his phone, he knew he had to come up with strategies to manage modern day distractions in a sustainable way. In this true gem of an episode, Nir helps us understand that distraction is not a modern day challenge but something that has plagued humanity for centuries (it's just taken different forms). Nir discusses the internal triggers that drive us to get distracted in the first place and how we can manage them. He also teaches us how to hack back habit forming apps and technology so that they can serve us instead of us serving them. My favorite part of the conversation was Nir's advice on raising indistractable kids (take notes)! Instead of seeing ourselves as victims of 'evil' technology, Nir's framework leaves us empowered so we can move forward with our goals while enjoying the benefits of technological advancements. In a time when so many of us feel helpless and paralyzed by omnipresent distractions, INDISTRACTABLE is a breath of fresh air and hope so we can become the masters of our health, happiness, productivity and ultimately, our lives. Follow Nir and his valuable insights at www.nirandfar.com , on Instagram @neyal99 and check out his amazing, ultra helpful book Indistractable wherever books are sold.

Acupuncture has been around for centuries but still evokes a 'this is woo woo' reaction from many. It turns out that the science is catching up to this ancient practice and even institutions like Harvard Medical School recognize it's utility as a healing tool. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Shari Auth to help demystify acupuncture and herbal medicine for us. And if you're in the NYC area, I HIGHLY recommend getting a session with her at her beautiful new spa WTHN. I felt completely rejuvenated after my treatment! Sought after by clients from around the world, Dr. Shari Auth, has been a leading holistic health practitioner in New York City for over two decades. Her signature treatments combine ancient wisdom from global traditions with scientific knowledge and deep intuition to treat a wide range of conditions including chronic and acute pain, mental health, women's health, insomnia, digestion, and postural issues, among others. Dr. Auth has studied the healing arts globally from China to India, Peru, Thailand and beyond – becoming steeped in ancient healing practices that have woven the rich tapestry of her healing practices today. She studied at the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine and is a licensed and NCCAOM certified Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. She has a Master’s in Herbology and is a Board Certified Chinese Herbalist also with extensive training in Vedic and Western herbs. Among her many other accreditations, she is a licensed massage therapist, guild-certified in the Rolf Method of Structural Integration and a Faculty Member of the Swedish Institute, NYC. She founded The Auth Method of Therapeutic Massage and has trained thousands of practitioners on this method. From her work at Deepak Chopra’s Center in Southern California to her own wellness practice in New York City, Shari has attracted celebrity clientele with her signature blend of acupuncture, herbs and bodywork. Learn more about Dr. Shari Auth at https://www.shariauth.com/about Learn more about WTHN at https://wthn.com/ Follow Dr. Auth on social https://www.instagram.com/drshariauth/?hl=en

Madeleine Shaw became a health and wellness warrior when the word 'wellness' was barely a part of our lexicon. In fact, I started following Madeleine's blog back in the day in 2014 and was so inspired by her fresh and holistic approach to health and 'getting your glow'. In this heartfelt and fun chat, Madeleine opens up about her own early health challenges with IBS and how a mindful, 360 approach helped her heal. Now she is helping others do the same through her truly revolutionary 'Happy Gut Guide' online program that she designed with a a Clinical Nutritionist that puts mindfulness front and centre in the IBS conversation. Madeleine shares her tips on how to get that elusive glow in #momlife and being a mother of a toddler, she has sure been in the trenches like the rest of us. Madeleine's approach is gentle, compassionate and delicious (her recipes will make you salivate truly). Don't miss our chat for just hearing Madeleine and tuning into her calm, genuine vibe will bring you closer the glow. You can follow Madeleine on instagram, subscribe to her blog for delicious weekly inspiration, and check out her revolutionary IBS healing program.

Kimberly Snyder has worked with some of the most beautiful, A-list stars in Hollywood but knows that real beauty is anything but skin deep. In this rich episode packed with actionable tips and authentic, heartfelt wisdom, Kimberly shares her four pillars of wellness, why self-care is about going within (not about seeking pleasures outside of ourselves), how her #GGS smoothie saves her in #momlife, how to deconstruct and approach sugar and other unhealthy cravings and why difficulty losing weight is an emotional, not just a physical issue + SO MUCH MORE. Buckle up and get ready for this is a chat you don't want to miss. Kimberly Snyder, C.N. is the multi-time New York Times bestselling author of The Beauty Detox book series and Radical Beauty, co-written with Deepak Chopra. She is the founder of Solluna, a holistic lifestyle brand and the #FeelGoodMovement, which promotes eating and living to be connected to our unique bodies, intuition and true worth. Snyder is also a nutritionist, renowned speaker, meditation teacher, certified yoga instructor, and holistic wellness expert. She hosts the top-rated Feel Good Podcast with Kimberly Snyder, which airs on the PodcastOne network. 
 Kimberly has worked with dozens of A-list celebrities, such as Drew Barrymore, Reese Witherspoon and Channing Tatum, and has been featured in media outlets including Ellen, Today, Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, The New York Times, Vanity Fair, The Wall Street Journal, Elle, and InStyle, and is a member of the Wellness Council for Well + Good. Named one of the top “results-oriented nutritionists” by Vogue, she runs her Solluna organic juice and smoothie bar at the iconic Four Seasons hotel in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles.

Amrit-Sadhana’s path to wellness started from a young age. She was raised in a yogic home where early mornings, meditation and cold showers were a part of her every day life. She went on to live her life, received her BA in Voice Performance from the University of Oregon and moved to Los Angeles. It was there that she worked for a holistic chiropractor and her passion for health and wellness was relit. She has found that no matter how much trauma you survive, how depressed or anxious you are, or how hopeless you feel, you can heal and live in joy in your body, mind and spirit. You can conquer all the fears and programming that is holding you back and follow your deepest dreams. It was her experience in changing her relationship with her own anxiety that she realized she could help others to do so. She uses her lifelong experience with yoga and meditation and her deep knowledge of food and nutrition to give you a grounded base in which to work from. She’s committed to a career in helping others heal, fall in love with themselves and live their absolute best lives. Amrit-Sadhana attended the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and here we are. She is a passionate, compassionate and supportive coach who is here to help you find peace and joy in your life. You can follow her @bodyblisslife

Disclaimer: While this podcast episode was not sponsored by SEED, I am engaged in a paid partnership with the company whereby if you purchase their daily SYNBIOTIC (pro and pre-biotic combination) here, I make a commission at no extra cost to you. You can use the code MOMLIGHT for 15% off your first month's purchase. Now onto the show! This week I sat down with Ara Katz, mompreneur extraordinaire and a profoundly thoughtful and wise human to dive deep into the world of bacteria and particularly, our microbiome. Ara is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Seed, a consumer life science company pioneering applications of bacteria to improve human and planetary health. Seed (the consumer division of Seed Health, Inc.) develops broad spectrum and targeted consumer probiotics from strain-specific research validated in human clinical trials. Seed’s life science approach brings much-needed precision, efficacy and education to the rather unregulated global probiotics market. Ara’s breastfeeding experience led her to the microbiome and inspired a personal mission to bridge science and consumer health. A serial entrepreneur, Ara previously Co-Founded and served as CMO of mobile commerce marketplace, Spring (recently sold to Shoprunner), was on the Founding Team of social commerce company, BeachMint (sold to Conde Nast), advises various companies across health, tech, and consumer, including Violet Grey, Tamara Mellon and, Stadium Goods, which was recently acquired by FarFetch and is an angel investor to companies like Mahmee (women’s health startup) and Hong Kong-based ALLIES. Ara has been a fellow at the MIT Media Lab’s Center for Future Storytelling and CCA’s Design MBA program. She was named in Marie Claire’s “The New Guard: The 50 Most Influential Women in America”, listed on Business Insider’s “Silicon Alley Top 100” and “36 Rockstar Women in NYC Tech”, and was recently included in Create + Cultivate’s 100 List for STEM. Ara was the Founding Board Member of International Non-profit, I AM THAT GIRL, a community and movement for any badass young woman who is looking to find her purpose, lift her voice, and make positive change in her world. She lives in Venice, California with her husband and three-year-old son, Pax–without whom Seed wouldn’t exist. Oh, and she’s the proud owner of several tardigrades who now live at Harvard’s Museum of Natural History. You can follow Ara on instagram @arakatz @seed @seeduniversity

Dr. Stephan Guyenet is a world renowned expert on the neuroscience of obesity and author of the New York Times bestseller, The Hungry Brain. In this episode of Momlight, Stephan sheds light on why so many of us struggle with overeating, weight gain, and obesity in the modern day. Stephan explains that the hardwired, brain-derived impulses that allowed us to thrive in an ancestral environment of food scarcity backfire and cause us to eat too much of the wrong foods in modern times. This is not a matter of low will power but rather, innate, non-conscious brain circuits that are "doing exactly what they are supposed to" but have now been placed in a new, mismatched environment where, for most of us, food excess rather than scarcity is the biggest challenge. Armed with this understanding, Stephan makes valuable recommendations on how we can maintain a healthy weight without it seeming like a constant uphill battle. If you or a loved one have ever struggled with losing weight and keeping it off, or if you're curious about the science of body weight regulation, you will find this conversation fascinating and thought-provoking. Learn more about Stephan's work at www.stephanguyenet.com, The Hungry Brain and his new non-profit that provides unbiased reviews of popular health and nutrition books so you can separate fact from fiction at www.redpenreviews.org

In this information-packed episode, Dr. Christian Gonzalez popularly known as Doctor G shares his vast knowledge of diet and lifestyle changes that can profoundly lower your risk of developing cancer. Dr. Gonzalez subscribes to the belief that the body has an innate ability to heal itself when given favourable conditions to thrive. He completed his Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine at the University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine in 2014. His doctorate work included a thesis reviewing the current and complementary treatments for bladder cancer. As part of his training, Christian completed clinical rotations in pediatrics, general medicine, oncology, homeopathy, botanical and mind-body medicine, along with a preceptorship at the NYU Langone Integrative Urology Center. Dr. Gonzalez completed a two-year residency position at the competitive Cancer Treatment Centres of America in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Here, he became proficient in Integrative Oncology through exposure to various disciplines and modalities. Dr. Gonzalez’s rare balance of focus and bedside manner during his residency caused him to grow very popular amongst his peers and patients. He provides optimal patient care, by incorporating Naturopathic modalities, such as botanicals, homeopathy, nutrient and nutritional support as well as various other therapeutics. He integrates the latest understanding of Naturopathic therapeutics into all types of medical conditions. Don't walk but run to listen to this actionable, useful and super important conversation that will empower you beyond belief. You can follow @doctor.g_ on instagram for amazingly useful tips and tools for cancer and disease prevention and also listen to his wildly popular podcast Heal Thyself.

In this solo episode, I dive into the science and the basics of time restricted eating and intermittent fasting especially focused on mothers and busy #momlife. I suggest actionable steps you can take to implement these science-backed powerful practices in your life as a mom with potentially game changing health benefits. Hope you enjoy!

Nicole DeLeon is a surfer, yoga instructor and teacher who has battled anxiety before and after becoming a mother and is now creating a forum and safe space for other mamas to do the same. Through her platform and podcast ,SoulMamasPodcast, Nicole speaks to women navigating the challenges and changes that come with motherhood whether its a new identity, new body or new set of worries and anxieties. Nicole's journey and wisdom inspired me to soften into motherhood and let go a little because as she explains, only then can mental, physical and spiritual health and vitality emerge. Listen to Nicole and a host of amazing and inspiring mamas at https://www.soulmammas.com/podcast-2/

Anu Sehgal was a successful, health conscious, busy mama in her 40s with no genetic predisposition to cancer when she was blindsided by a breast cancer diagnosis. In this episode of Momlight, Anu shares her journey from feeling utterly shell-shocked, helpless and afraid to going into 'warrior mode' to get the job done and get past the cancer. This conversation is incredibly inspiring and shows us how in the face of the most intense challenge, we all have an inner strength that helps us rise to the occasion. Anu shares changes that she has made in her life after her battle with cancer including intermittent fasting, a mindfulness practice and an attempt to slow down and sleep more #workinprogress I know you will find this episode moving and inspirational. Anu Sehgal is the Founder of The Culture Tree. She lives in New York with her husband and her two sons. She is a marketer by profession. She holds an MBA from Yale University and has worked in the corporate sector for almost 15 years. Anu grew up in India and is a native Hindi speaker. She is an active parent and believes an awareness of one’s heritage, culture and language is key for children to become self-aware and confident individuals. Anu founded her company The Culture Tree four years ago, with a desire to fill a vacuum for quality and educational South Asian events and classes in the New York City area. Her company continues to grow and expand. As a cultural educator, she is always looking forward to providing children with authentic, immersive and inspiring experiences. In general her focus is at providing children and their families cross-cultural exposure that can help develop knowledgeable, open-minded and respectful individuals. Anu is a health enthusiast, she leads an active and healthy lifestyle. For exercise she swims and does yoga regularly. She is also into mindful eating and healthy cooking, she is constantly making delectable Indian dishes that are healthy and made with fresh and seasonal ingredients. She teaches cooking classes both to children and grownups and is an active volunteer at WITS (Wellness In The Schools).

In this episode of Momlight, Lisa Roberts Hurd, the founder of Food.Body.Soul and M.Phil in Classical Archeology from Oxford University, shares her journey to sobriety and vitality. Lisa used alcohol and prescription drugs to escape her reality where she wasn't living her truth. When she hit rock bottom and entered rehab, she finally had her metamorphosis and felt like she had been given a second chance at life. Her goal now is to inspire others to take care of themselves through food, lifestyle and being present even when it can get uncomfortable. You can learn more about Lisa and how to work with her at http://www.foodbodysoul.net/ and follow Lisa on Instagram at @food.body.soul

In this episode, I chatted with the lovely and wise Noelle Kovary, an Ayurveda practitioner, holistic health counselor and author of the powerful new book, 'The Self-Healing Revolution: Modern Day Ayurveda with Recipes and Tools for Intuitive Living'. Noelle's trajectory, like so many others in the health and wellness space who are here to serve and help others, began with her own debilitating illness as a teenager. Her journey led her to discover yoga and Ayurveda, the ancient Indian medical system dating back to over 5000 years. Noelle was so taken by the wisdom and healing that she found in these teachings that she decided to become an Ayurveda practitioner so she could help others heal themselves. We talked about our connectedness with nature, how Ayurveda classifies us based on which natural elements dominate our constitution and how we can leverage that knowledge to find profound inner and outer health and vitality. Noelle has become famous for her ability to modernize these ancient techniques so they can be more accessible to us in this day and age. Trust me when I say this is a conversation you do not want to miss. You can learn more about Noelle and working with her at www.noellekovary.com and get her beautiful and informative book (which I highly recommend) here https://www.amazon.com/Self-healing-Revolution-Modern-day-Ayurveda-intuitive/dp/1782496971

In this episode I pick the brain of the lovely Nicole Silber, registered pediatric dietician and nutritionist behind the new game-changing baby and kid food brand, FoodieKid. Nicole shares her tips for getting kids to eat well - her number one tip is to relax a little (phew) - and how not to forget about your own health in the process. You will learn about hydration training (yes it's a thing), how kids can have herbs and spices too (you know I LOVE that mantra) and how FoodieKid is helping parents cook for their kids (and themselves) in a more effortless and nutritious way. Nicole runs her own private practice in NYC and teaches Tiny Tasters Workshop series. My health and vitality seems to be very interconnected with how well and joyfully my kids eat and if that's the case for you, I know you will love the show. You can learn more Nicole and FoodieKid at www.nicolesilber.com and www.foodiekid.com

In this episode, our host Kanchan Koya, a PhD turned spice mama shares the science behind turmeric's health benefits and some important points to keep in mind when buying and using it. She also shares her 5 must have spices for health and flavor. More on the other 4 in future episodes! You can learn more about spices and feel inspired to cook with them at www.spicespicebaby.com or through Kanchan's book Spice Spice Baby..

On this episode of Momlight, Registered Dietitian Noelle Martin describes her battle with endometriosis and how she turned to diet and movement to not just manage her condition but to thrive despite it. Noelle's faith in divine timing through her fertility challenges, her emphasis on self-care, and her tips for moms looking to find more health and vibrancy in simple and sustainable ways are going to uplift and inspire you. I love the actionable, sustainable and practical suggestions that Noelle shares with us on this episode and I plan on implementing them in my own #momlife stat! You can find Noelle on instagram @motherhoodandmeals and through her website www.motherhoodandmeals.com. She also works with clients (both moms and kids) at www.nourishedbeginnings.ca. Noelle's Book Recommendation: The Best Yes by Lysa TerKeurst

This week's guest, the lovely Taesha Butler, is the founder of www.thenaturalnurturer.com where she shares her passion for natural living, veggie loaded everything (for kids and adults!), delicious recipes, and wise parenting tips. Taesha is a truly conscious mama who is helping elevate the mom game in a light hearted and genuine way. In this episode, we chat about why she founded The Natural Nurturer, how she has a coffee date with her husband every morning

Melanie Darnell, the founder of www.fitmomma.com teaches us how byte-sized, mini workouts done daily (even while giving your kids a bath!) can transform your fitness and your life as a mother. Through her Instagram page @fitmomm4three, her website and youtube channel, Melanie shows us how Daily Doses of Movement even in busy momlife has transformational effects. She is passionate about Veganism and raising a plant-based family for optimal health, wellness an vitality. Melanie also shares compassionate and gentle parenting tips that have inspired me to become a more mindful mom. Melanie's book recommendations include Eating Animals, No Drama Discipline and Siblings Without Rivalry. I love following and learning from Melanie and I know you will too.

Dan Pardi PhD is the founder and CEO of the cutting-edge platform, www.humanOS.me which leverages a novel behavior model to promote health fluency, skill development, and lifestyle insights so people can master their health practice. He does research with the Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Department at Stanford, and the Departments of Neurology and Endocrinology at Leiden University in the Netherlands where he investigates how lifestyle factors, like sleep, influence decision making, cognitive performance, and metabolism. In this episode, Dan shares simple, practical sleep hacks for sleep-deprived moms and the science of why sleep is SO important and can't be cheated. He also talks about the often underappreciated importance of light and how it impacts our health. I walked away with so many tangible tips that I have immediately put into effect in my life and I know you will feel the same way! You can learn more about Dan and his work at www.humanOS.me

Dr. Felice Gersh is a rare kind of medical doctor combining a top notch MD and Residency in OB/GYN with an Integrative Medicine specialization. Because of this unique combination of skill sets, Dr Gersh works with women with PCOS and other hormonal imbalances in a truly revolutionary way through her medical practice and her incredibly informative and moving book where in seven simple but revolutionary steps, Dr Gersh shows women how to beat PCOS naturally, replacing pills with powerful and scientifically-backed lifestyle interventions that harness the body's capacity to heal. This was a truly special interview and I know you are going to derive so much value from it whether you have PCOS or not.

Tyler Jean, founder of the wildly popular Instagram and Facebook communities, functional.foods and soon to be Naturopathic Doctor, is a wealth of knowledge, much of which he shares with us in this episode. Tyler's journey from junk food athlete to whole, real food focused educator and wellness warrior is packed with lessons for all of us seeking a more vibrant existence without the drudgery of dieting or unexciting exercise routines. Tyler says that if you want it badly enough, you will FIND A WAY. Follow Tyler https://www.instagram.com/functional.foods/?hl=en and https://www.facebook.com/eat.functional.foods/

Tasha Rose was a plant-loving, vibrant little girl who developed a debilitating and mysterious set of symptoms in her 20s. She leaned into her intuition and healed herself from what was severe Candida overgrowth (This book by Linda Page was pivotal in this process). This experience, together with her first yoga class, catapulted her on a journey as a wellness warrior where she learned to journey with plants and bow down to their medicinal magic. She now uses this connection with nature to create beautiful and effective herbal elixirs and remedies at www.tasharoseremedies.com. She also shares her simple yet grounding morning routine and other practices that help her feel amazing and vibrant in momlife. Tasha's recommendation for online, affordable and amazing yoga: https://www.glo.com/

Dr. Vivian Chen was practicing conventional medicine in the UK when her own debilitating symptoms of fatigue, brain fog, mood swings, and acne were dismissed as 'normal' by the medical community. She took matters into her own hands, became her own health detective, and uncovered a deep, holistic approach to understanding health at a whole body level and healed herself. She is a certified Integrative Health Practitioner and founder of www.platefulhealth.com through which she helps her clients find true, long lasting vitality of body and mind. In this episode, she shares her challenges with heavy metal toxicity, her way out of the fog, why listening to the body's wisdom is the most powerful thing we can do, and her tips for optimal wellbeing. You can learn more about Dr. Vivian Chen at www.platefulhealth.com and follow her on instagram @plateful.health

Kayla Mangione is a vibrant mother who radiates health and vitality but this wasn't always the case. In this episode, Kayla gets raw and real about her struggle with Crohn's disease and how she overcame her health challenges using food as medicine, helping us all see how sometimes our biggest difficulties can be our greatest gifts. You can follow Kayla for inspiring and delicious recipes and family food tips on instagram @thefamilyfoodproject

Today on Momlight, I had the amazing opportunity to chat with Renee Jain, founder and Chief Storyteller at GoZen!. Renee is recognized as a pioneer in marrying technology and child psychology. Through her writing, product invention and development, masterclasses for parents, and children’s advocacy, she works to build the emotional intelligence of kids, including resilience, empathy, kindness, and critical thinking. Renee is a certified life coach, and holds a MA in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. She's also a wife and a mom, and can often be found reading a comic book, doodling or sipping a cup of coffee in a quiet nook in LA. In this heartfelt chat, Renee shares valuable nuggets of wisdom and actionable advice to help us find more zen in #momlife. Whether it's taking a character strengths survey at http://www.viacharacter.org/www/Character-Strengths-Survey or repeating "I am enough" (and even potentially getting it tattoo'd on our arm LOL), this conversation gave me so much to ponder and work with as I try and find lightness of being in chaotic and beautiful momlife. You can learn more about Renee and her incredibly powerful work to combat anxiety in kids (and parents!) at www.gozen.com

Welcome to the Momlight podcast! In this first episode (woohoo!) I share a bit about my journey, my personal struggles with heaviness, and why that inspired me to create the Momlight podcast. I want this podcast to help mothers find lightness in body, mind and spirit. I'm so excited (and nervous!) to embark on this exciting podcasting journey with you but I know that as we hang out together with my amazing guests, we are going to feel inspired and empowered to shine our MOMLIGHT bright bright bright into this world. Stay tuned!