Non-Diet Yogi

Intuitive Eating is an incredible approach for people seeking to heal their relationships with food and their bodies. But it's not without its challenges. In this episode I speak with the Jenna Hollenstein, who brings years of experience as a non-diet dietitian and meditation teacher to the table to help us understand how to tolerate the discomfort that so often arises in one's journey into intuitive eating. We talk about:What do meditation and Buddhism have to offer those on the Intuitive eating path?The importance of eating enoughHow one starts to make peace with food, and challenge food rules that seem second natureWhat is interoception, and why is it important? The co-opting of mindfulness The difference between doing this work as self-improvement VS doing it as self careIntuitive eating and mindfulness can be doorways into a pleasure practice LINKS:Support the pod! BONUS episodes and exclusive goodies for subscribers:https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogiJenna's website: https://www.jennahollenstein.com/Jenna's Instagram: @jennahollensteinJenna's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennahollensteinJenna's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jennahollensteinrdCasey's website: https://www.funkyforest.com.auCasey's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/funkyforesthealthCasey's Instagram: @funky.forest.health    https://www.instagram.com/funky.forest.health/Non-Diet Yogi Instagram: @nondietyogi    https://www.instagram.com/nondietyogi/Grab your copy of my free e-book The Modern Yogi's BS-Free Guide to Wellbeing!https://www.funkyforest.com.au/a-modern-yogis-bs-free-guide-to-wellbeing.htmlSupport the showSupport the show

The Pre-Ovulatory Phase or "Inner Spring" starts from the cessation of menstrual bleeding to a few days before ovulation. In a typical 28-day cycle, this approximately corresponds to day 6 until day 11.  This phase has traditionally been seen as a time of dynamism, of rising energy levels and growing confidence. Here are my top tips for deeply nourishing yourself during this phase, nutritionally and otherwise. This is second in a series of FIVE on nourishing yourself throughout your entire hormonal cycle.LINKS:Support the pod! BONUS episodes and exclusive goodies for subscribers:https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogiRead this as an article online: https://www.funkyforest.com.au/blog/moontime-nutrition-part-2-nourishing-your-pre-ovulatory-phaseCasey's website: https://www.funkyforest.com.auCasey's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/funkyforesthealthCasey's Instagram: @funky.forest.health    https://www.instagram.com/funky.forest.health/Non-Diet Yogi Instagram: @nondietyogi    https://www.instagram.com/nondietyogi/Grab your copy of my free e-book The Modern Yogi's BS-Free Guide to Wellbeing!https://www.funkyforest.com.au/a-modern-yogis-bs-free-guide-to-wellbeing.htmlSupport the show

The cyclical nature of your menstrual cycle communicates your constantly changing needs: physically, mentally and emotionally. The Menstrual Phase starts from the first to the last day of bleeding, lasting around 3 to 7 days.  Here are my top tips for deeply nourishing yourself during this phase, nutritionally and otherwise. It might not be what you think!This is first in a series of four on nourishing yourself throughout your entire hormonal cycle.LINKS:Support the pod! BONUS episodes and exclusive goodies for subscribers:https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogiRead this as an article online: https://www.funkyforest.com.au/blog/moontime-nutrition-part-1-nourishing-your-menstrual-phaseCasey's website: https://www.funkyforest.com.auCasey's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/funkyforesthealthCasey's Instagram: @funky.forest.health    https://www.instagram.com/funky.forest.health/Non-Diet Yogi Instagram: @nondietyogi    https://www.instagram.com/nondietyogi/Grab your copy of my free e-book The Modern Yogi's BS-Free Guide to Wellbeing!https://www.funkyforest.com.au/a-modern-yogis-bs-free-guide-to-wellbeing.htmlSupport the show

What do you get when you combine a cacao ceremony, hypoxia-inducing breathwork, a bunch of influences from disparate spiritual cultures, partner yoga with intrusive eye-gazing, and really loud music? All that culturally appropriated pseudo-spiritual jazz, otherwise known as The Modern Spiritual Experience. Access the FULL episode by becoming a Patreon for as little as $2 US a month at https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogiFunky Forest Health & Wellbeing - online non-diet nutrition consulting services and in-person yoga classeshttps://www.funkyforest.com.auGrab your copy of my free e-book The Modern Yogi's BS-Free Guide to Wellbeing!https://www.funkyforest.com.au/a-modern-yogis-bs-free-guide-to-wellbeing.htmlFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/funkyforesthealthInstagram:@nondietyogi    https://www.instagram.com/nondietyogi/@funky.forest.health    https://www.instagram.com/funky.forest.health/Support the show

The 8 limbs of yoga fundamentally support anti-racism, diversity, and body acceptance - and yet yoga in the west has been largely inaccessible to anyone who isn't white, wealthy, thin, and able-bodied. In this episode I speak with the incredible Dianne Bondy, and she delivers truth-bombs with her characteristic vivacious spirit!We talk about the commodification and cultural misappropriation of yoga, performative activism, anti-racism in yoga, and ways we can decolonise yoga in the west and finally make it accessible for people who have historically been denied access to these life-affirming practices. LINKS:Support the pod! BONUS episodes and exclusive goodies for subscribers:https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogiDianne's website: https://diannebondyyoga.com/Dianne's Instagram: @diannebondyyogaofficial https://www.instagram.com/diannebondyyogaofficial/Dianne's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DianneBondyYogaOfficialCasey's website: https://www.funkyforest.com.auCasey's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/funkyforesthealthCasey's Instagram: @funky.forest.health    https://www.instagram.com/funky.forest.health/Non-Diet Yogi Instagram: @nondietyogi    https://www.instagram.com/nondietyogi/Grab your copy of my free e-book The Modern Yogi's BS-Free Guide to Wellbeing!https://www.funkyforest.com.au/a-modern-yogis-bs-free-guide-to-wellbeing.htmlSupport the show

My personal journey with movement: how I got into yoga, how yoga contributed to my developing and recovering from an eating disorder, discovering the benefits and limits of strength training, and what my practice looks like nowadays. Access the FULL episode by becoming a Patreon for as little as $2 US a month at https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogiLINKS:Casey's article on 15 Benefits of Strength Traininghttps://www.funkyforest.com.au/blog/15-benefits-of-strength-training-that-have-nothing-to-do-with-how-you-lookSupport the pod! BONUS episodes and exclusive goodies for subscribers:https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogiFunky Forest Health & Wellbeing - online non-diet nutrition consulting services and in-person yoga classeshttps://www.funkyforest.com.auGrab your copy of my free e-book The Modern Yogi's BS-Free Guide to Wellbeing!https://www.funkyforest.com.au/a-modern-yogis-bs-free-guide-to-wellbeing.htmlFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/funkyforesthealthInstagram:@nondietyogi    https://www.instagram.com/nondietyogi/@funky.forest.health    https://www.instagram.com/funky.forest.health/Support the show

By neutralising body size, not focussing on weight loss and instead emphasising the importance of enjoying movement and caring for our bodies, Anna Hearn is reimagining what the fitness industry could look like. Plus, we discuss the elephant in the room: thin privilege.SHOW NOTES:00:56    A personal update07:18    What is thin privilege?15:07    How and why Anna's body inclusive fitness and yoga studio, Haven Wellness was born18:28    Moving the focus away from body transformations, fat loss and “no pain, no gain” – and towards balance, self-compassion and body attunement19:30    Speaking to clients and fitness professionals about HAES, weight neutrality and body acceptance, and creating a safe and comfortable environment for movement30:32    The value of sharing your own story and vulnerabilities as a fitness professional32:02    Thin privilege, Lindo Bacon and the ways other forms of privilege show up in the HAES movement38:00    Anna's favourite resources and teachers in the HAES and body inclusive fitness and yoga worlds.LINKS:Support the pod! BONUS episodes and exclusive goodies for subscribers:https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogiAnna's website: https://www.havenwellness.com.au/Anna's Instagram: @havenwellnessstudio https://www.instagram.com/havenwellnessstudio/Anna's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/havenwellnessstudioCasey's website: https://www.funkyforest.com.auCasey's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/funkyforesthealthCasey's Instagram: @funky.forest.health    https://www.instagram.com/funky.forest.health/Non-Diet Yogi Instagram: @nondietyogi    https://www.instagram.com/nondietyogi/Grab your copy of my free e-book The Modern Yogi's BS-Free Guide to Wellbeing!https://www.funkyforest.com.au/a-modern-yogis-bs-free-guide-to-wellbeing.htmlSupport the show

Patriarchy seeks to control and exert power over nature generally, and the bodies of women specifically.  Beneath marketable wellness concepts like "clean eating" lie deep ties to body control, and culturally imposed shame over women's bodies and processes like menstruation. But there is an alternative, more feminist and inclusive approach to food and our bodies that is honouring of our menstrual cycles, seasonal cycles, and different life stages.Access the FULL episode by becoming a Patreon for as little as $2 US a month at https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogiLINKS:Support the pod! BONUS episodes and exclusive goodies for subscribers:https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogiFunky Forest Health & Wellbeing - online non-diet nutrition consulting services and in-person yoga classeshttps://www.funkyforest.com.auGrab your copy of my free e-book The Modern Yogi's BS-Free Guide to Wellbeing!https://www.funkyforest.com.au/a-modern-yogis-bs-free-guide-to-wellbeing.htmlFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/funkyforesthealthInstagram:@nondietyogi    https://www.instagram.com/nondietyogi/@funky.forest.health    https://www.instagram.com/funky.forest.health/Support the show

Here I offer some compassion and gentle guidance to anyone who has experienced an increase in their body weight that concerns them. By taking a naturopathic, holistic and HAES-aligned approach, I want to help you get on board with your body and understand at a deep level what might be going on. Hint: it's not just about “calories in, calories out”.SHOW NOTES:07:48: What is meant by "addressing the root cause"?12:25: 5 reasons people gain weight that we can't do much about – and how to make peace with and accept these26:40: 8 reasons why people gain weight that we could potentially address – usually involving bringing certain body systems back into balance – and the caveats of this57:05: Solutions! 7 things to consider when you're a practitioner faced with a client who wants to lose weight, or if you're that personLINKS:Support the pod! BONUS episodes and exclusive goodies for subscribers:https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogiCasey's website: https://www.funkyforest.com.auCasey's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/funkyforesthealthCasey's Instagram: @funky.forest.health    https://www.instagram.com/funky.forest.health/Non-Diet Yogi Instagram: @nondietyogi    https://www.instagram.com/nondietyogi/Grab your copy of my free e-book The Modern Yogi's BS-Free Guide to Wellbeing!https://www.funkyforest.com.au/a-modern-yogis-bs-free-guide-to-wellbeing.htmlSupport the show

There is an inherent fat phobia and weight stigma in the natural health and wellness communities. Leanness is conflated with health: we're consistently told that fat is the problem, and weight loss is the solution. But focussing on weight loss directly opposes the naturopathic principle of "first, do no harm". Here's why, and what we can do instead.  Support the show

Naturopathy was never intended to focus on weight loss. And when it comes to women's health - especially preconception care, postpartum and peri-menopause - taking the emphasis off of weight and shape and onto health becomes even more imperative. Dr. Caitlin O'Connor, a naturopathic doctor based in Denver, Colorado shares her wisdom.SHOW NOTES:09:08    What brought Caitlin to naturopathy and HAES® 14:25    The differences between naturopathic training in Australia vs. the USA20:07    How Caitlin navigates weight loss conversations with clients 26:27    How we can take what's helpful from naturopathic traditions without it causing harm33:00    Addressing weight bias in our clients, our colleagues, and ourselves34:08    Weight-neutral preconception health and fertility39:20    Avoiding the shame spiral for people who are not getting pregnant41:40    How long the 4th trimester really lasts47:50    The pressure postpartum mothers are under to return to their "pre-baby body"51:50    Uncoupling aesthetic goals from health goals55:40    All about peri-menopause, or “The Change” that occurs from age 35 onwardsRESOURCES mentioned:Caitlin's article for ASDAH: https://asdah.org/haes-and-naturopathic-medicine-using-haes-principles-to-facilitate-healing/ LINKS:Support the pod! BONUS episodes and exclusive goodies for subscribers:https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogiCaitlin's website: https://www.drcaitlin.com Caitlin's Instagram: @drcaitlino https://www.instagram.com/drcaitlino/Casey's website: https://www.funkyforest.com.auCasey's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/funkyforesthealthCasey's Instagram: @funky.forest.health    https://www.instagram.com/funky.forest.health/Non-Diet Yogi Instagram: @nondietyogi    https://www.instagram.com/nondietyogi/Grab your copy of my free e-book The Modern Yogi's BS-Free Guide to Wellbeing!https://www.funkyforest.com.au/a-modern-yogis-bs-free-guide-to-wellbeing.htmlSupport the show

What happens when you combine diet culture with MLM essential oil giants doTERRA and Young Living? Disordered eating, poor body image, and a burnt gullet. The practice of ingesting essential oils has been a wellness trend for the last few years thanks to essential oil MLMs. But most qualified aromatherapists and herbalists warn against it. Why the discrepancy? Let's spill the oil.Access the FULL episode by becoming a Patreon for as little as $2 US a month at https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogiSHOW NOTES for the full episode:The first time I encountered essential oil ingestion at a Young Living meeting The rise of mass essential oil ingestion Essential oils are not the "essence" of a plant Types of herbal medicine preparations and how they compare to essential oilsCan essential oil ingestion be therapeutic?The three problems with essential oil ingestionWhen diet culture and essential oil ingestion combine: doTERRA Slim & Sassy® and Young Living Slique®Poisonings on the riseIs CPTG (Certified Pure Tested Grade) really better than organic? LINKS:Support the pod! BONUS episodes and exclusive goodies for subscribers:https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogiFunky Forest Health & Wellbeing - online non-diet nutrition consulting services and in-person yoga classeshttps://www.funkyforest.com.auGrab your copy of my free e-book The Modern Yogi's BS-Free Guide to Wellbeing!https://www.funkyforest.com.au/a-modern-yogis-bs-free-guide-to-wellbeing.htmlFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/funkyforesthealthInstagram:@nondietyogi    https://www.instagram.com/nondietyogi/@funky.forest.health    https://www.instagram.com/funky.forest.health/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogi)

Yes, we can hold both conventional and natural medicine in the same hand. Yes, we can work with traditional wisdom philosophies, whilst using modern science to provide cognitive inoculation against COVID disinformation. And we can do it all whilst staying heart-centred. Salvatore Battaglia, founder of Perfect Potion speaks about true integrative medicine in the time of the pandemic.SHOW NOTES:10:10    Sal's journey from electrical engineer to aromatherapist, and how martial arts brought him to traditional Chinese medicine17:16    How Sal integrates traditional wisdom with modern science22:25    Holism in aromatherapy and the demand for standardisation23:50    How neurobiology and neurotheology help us understand how aromatherapy affects us at a subtle level25:45    The role of holistic health practitioners during the pandemic28:47    Using essential oils, taking herbs, and getting vaccinated can all go together29:33    Vaccination as a holistic approach to building acquired immunity30:00    Understanding vaccine hesitancy37:00    Providing cognitive inoculation against COVID disinformation whilst maintaining compassion39:00    The psychological and spiritual aspects of healing44:01    Vaccine mandates vs. taking the time to invite people into a conversation46:33    MLM essential oil COVID claims53:00    Important differences between essential oils and herbal medicine preparations56:55    Aromatherapy, anosmia and COVID-191:00:03    The misappropriation of indigenous knowledge and shamanic practices within the holistic health and yoga communities 1:06:00    Yoga, Jung, Freud and holistic spirituality1:08:12    Lessons from Julian of Norwich, a 14th century female mystic who lived during a pandemic RESOURCES mentioned:Sal's webinar on Julian of Norwich: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwnE5XC3ue4&t=2660sThe Complete Guide to Aromatherapy Third Edition Vol III - Psyche & Subtle: https://salvatorebattaglia.com.au/booksLINKS:Support the pod! BONUS episodes and exclusive goodies for subscribers:https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogiSal's website: https://salvatorebattaglia.com.au/Sal's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salbattagliablogSal's Instagram: @salbattagliaaroma https://www.instagram.com/salbattagliaaroma/Perfect Potion on Instagram: @perfectpotion https://www.instagram.com/perfectpotion/Casey's website: https://www.funkyforest.com.auCasey's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/funkyforesthealthCasey's Instagram: @funky.forest.health    https://www.instagram.com/funky.forest.health/Non-Diet Yogi Instagram: @nondietyogi    https://www.instagram.com/nondietyogi/Grab your copy of my free e-book The Modern Yogi's BS-Free Guide to Wellbeing!https://www.funkyforest.com.au/a-modern-yogis-bs-free-guide-to-wellbeing.htmlSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogi)

Working amongst wellness and yoga circles, and living in a permaculture eco village that draws many alternative lifestyle-seeking fringe dwellers, I'm embedded within multiple vaccine hesitant communities. Navigating both my personal stance and my role as a holistic health practitioner within this intersection has been a growth-inducing and revelatory process.Access the FULL episode by becoming a Patreon for as little as $2 US a month at https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogiSHOW NOTES for the full episode:Fear and loathing: the reasons why people are vaccine hesitantMy original vaccine hesitancy and how I came to my current stance on COVID What “doing your research” means to meLove, light, and care for community: figments of the hippy imaginarium?On dealing with the social anxiety of being attacked for my viewpointsScience denial or poor accessibility? Other reasons why people don't get vaccinatedThe perception of holistic health practitioners as anti-vaxxLINKS:Support the pod! BONUS episodes and exclusive goodies for subscribers:https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogiFunky Forest Health & Wellbeing - online non-diet nutrition consulting services and in-person yoga classeshttps://www.funkyforest.com.auGrab your copy of my free e-book The Modern Yogi's BS-Free Guide to Wellbeing!https://www.funkyforest.com.au/a-modern-yogis-bs-free-guide-to-wellbeing.htmlFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/funkyforesthealthInstagram:@nondietyogi    https://www.instagram.com/nondietyogi/@funky.forest.health    https://www.instagram.com/funky.forest.health/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogi)

In this episode I share why this podcast went quiet in the past year. I discuss divorce, compassion & critical thinking, and working as a holistic health practitioner in communities burdened by COVID misinformation. It contains a lot of personal details and reflections. If that's not your thing, no worries - scroll on.SHOW NOTES:02:30     On being a "muscles and bones" yoga teacher instead of a philosophising one05:40     Prajna and critical analysis as ways of inner knowing11:33   The place of compassion in reducing COVID transmission16:13    Moving through separation and divorce18:40    Career changes to make ends meet21:20    Working as a holistic health practitioner in communities burdened by COVID conspiracy theory and medical misinformation26:14    Vaccines and naturopathic medicine principles31:32    The value of combining compassion with analytical reasoning 42:37    How this podcast will evolveLINKS:Support the pod! BONUS episodes and exclusive goodies for subscribers:https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogiFunky Forest Health & Wellbeing - online non-diet nutrition consulting services and in-person yoga classeshttps://www.funkyforest.com.auGrab your copy of my free e-book The Modern Yogi's BS-Free Guide to Wellbeing!https://www.funkyforest.com.au/a-modern-yogis-bs-free-guide-to-wellbeing.htmlFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/funkyforesthealthInstagram:@nondietyogi    https://www.instagram.com/nondietyogi/@funky.forest.health    https://www.instagram.com/funky.forest.health/RESOURCES MENTIONED:Dr. Dan Wilson, PhD: A compassionate case for COVID vaccination:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-KdEgh4Ps8Max Cohen, ND: Are vaccines consistent with naturopathic medicine?https://ndsforvaccines.com/reconciling-the-irreconcilable-are-vaccines-consistent-with-naturopathic-medicine/Pennycook, Gordon. (2019). Who falls for fake news? The roles of bullshit receptivity, overclaiming, familiarity, and analytic thinking. Journal of Personality. 88. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jopy.12476Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogi)

Restrictive eating is a major pain, especially when it causes you to lose your period. Hypothalamic Amenorrhoea (HA) leads to infertility but also a bunch of other lesser known issues. Anti-diet naturopath Phoebe Jobson and I talk all things HA - a condition close to both our hearts as we each have experienced and recovered from this condition.In this episode:What is HA? Plus some signs, symptoms, and accompanying issues (short and long term)All about the food piece – how much, how often, and whether calorie counting to ensure minimum intakes helps or hinders (hint: it depends!)Why potatoes are not the devil (and carbs may actually be your secret weapon)Guidelines on exercise in HA recoveryWhy rest rocksThe importance of seeing a psychologist / psychotherapist / counsellor as part of your team Tips on dealing with diet mentality and diet culture Busting some common HA mythsPartial vs full recoveryThe problem with skipping the nutritional rehabilitation part of healing from HA and jumping straight to herbs, fertility medications and/or injectablesBody appreciationLinks:Phoebe's Website, Instagram & FacebookSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogi)

For our collective liberation, it is crucial that our wellness practices go beyond the mainstream representation of individualised, material self-care. Laura Jean, APD talks about community care as a form of self-care that creates space for everyone, including marginalised and oppressed people.In this episode:The "epiphany moment" book that turned both of us onto the non-diet pathSelf-care is an act of liberation, especially for oppressed and marginalised groups of peopleUnshackling ourselves from patriarchal ideas of what it is to be a "good mother"Differentiating commodified wellness from community care as accessible, equitable self-care"Who benefits?" and "What feels nourishing?" as ways of questioning self-care practices Why emotional and comfort eating are not “bad”Food is much more than medicineThe radical, feminist roots of self-careHow white supremacy shows up for health practitionersInvestigating needs, values based living, and self-compassionLinks:Laura's Website, Instagram & FacebookSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogi)

Did you know that many far-flung ‘superfoods’ carry a heavy environmental and social footprint?In this episode:WTF is a superfood? (and some brief thoughts on Juice Plus+)Rarity breeds desireIssues around the sustainable harvesting of quinoaYogis, food and karmaCost-effective alternatives to exotic $$$ superfoodsLinks:​Ep 15: Wellness Capitalism: Essential Oil MLMs, Whitewashed Herbalism, and "Naturopreneurs" with Katya Weiss-AnderssonEp 11. Wildly Accessible Food & Medicine: Foraging Edible Weeds & Bush Foods with Pat CollinsOriginal article this episode is based onSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogi)

It's time we explored capitalism in it’s indiscriminately elderberry syrup guzzling, MLM essential oil dowsed, $400 supplement protocol pushing form: Wellness Capitalism. In this episode:The value of healthy skepticism, and where Katya's comes fromHow capitalism takes holistic healthcare - which was traditionally accessible, deeply contextual and collectively empowering - and warps this to make it inaccessible, commodified and whitewashedThe trouble with smudgingCultivating a relationship with the plants you use in your healingEssential oils: would a simple tea do? Plus oral ingestion, COVID "cures", and MLMsOne-size-fits-all herbalism versus constitutional herbal traditions such as Ayurveda and TCMOver harvesting of medicinal herbs and "superfoods""Naturopreneurs", supplement-heavy protocols, and Tony RobbinsDisease mongering in holistic wellnessFinding a practitioner who will help, not harmKatya's recovery from anorexia nervosa and PTSD, and how lived experiences with disordered eating can make us better practitionersAstrology, tarot and the truth about cusps!Links:Katya's website, Instagram, and her podcasts: Kumbaya Confessional and Queer WellnessThe Dream: a podcast exposing the dangers of multi-level marketingFood Empowerment Project: a resource to help others recognise the power of their food choicesSupport the show!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogi)

There has been a phenomenal uptick of rising yoga and wellness influencers posting anti-racism sentiments on social media. Yet in stark contrast to the important message of bringing light to police brutality against BIPOC, or tackling underrepresentation of coloured folks in wellness spaces, these feeds are filled with white, thin, able-bodied, cis-het women striking yoga poses on beaches. Are these influencers for real?In this episode:The current phenomenon of performative activism in yoga social media, and why it comes across as disingenuousHow white yoga and wellness influencers can leverage their privilege to do betterMy personal experiences of racism growing up, how these pale in comparison to those of BIPOC, and how I'm responding to racial injusticeThe damage done by sentiments like, “No One Is Superior”, "We Are All One", or "I Don't See Colour"Spiritual capitalism and the ways white supremacy manifests in real-life white yoga studio culture3 tactics of defence and dismissal used by white wellness influencers to deflect accountability around racismPeople who are doing excellent work in allyship, de-centering themselves, raising the voices of BIPOC, and/or speaking out as BIPOC wellness and yoga influencers themselvesResources mentioned:Dianne Bondy on challenging racism and spiritual bypassing, on the triyoga podcastAcknowledgment of Country by Georgia Mae Capocchi-HunterCasey's article on The Spiritual, Sexy, Successful Woman IdealTranscript of this episode with links to posts mentionedYoga is Dead podcastSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogi)

There is a lack of representation of women aged 40+ in fitness. Rachelle Ballard-Clayton is shifting that pattern by basing her approach to training womxn on their shifting internal landscape and cyclical patterns.In this episode:A little pre-interview solo ramble on systemic racism and unrecognised privilege in yoga/wellness/spirituality worldsTraining womxn and running a fitness business, without body transformations or weight loss challenges (!)The importance of strength training – as opposed to just cardio and yoga - for womxn, especially those over 30 years of ageMovement and the menstrual cycle: adapting your training to the hormonal fluctuations of one’s menstrual cycle - or mood cycle for peri-menopausal womxnWhat movement might look like for a midlife womxn Why we might find ourselves at this stage of life feeling less likely to move, more burnt out than ever and what we can do about thatThrowing all expectations of what we should be doing out the windowUnderstanding what our bodies are doing by tracking cyclesHow to work with and not against your body Why some weight gain around menopause is normal and protective“Focus on what you can do, and understand YOU better”PLUS, some post interview-thoughts on:Rites of Passage in womxn’s lives, also known as the blood mysteries – menarche, childbirth, menopauseThe phenomenal benefits womxn get from strength trainingBetter indicators of fitness than six pack or how lean you are“Does weight training make you bulky?” #YogaEveryDamnDay – with no other form of movement - is non-sensicalWhat yoga is missing that strength training can provideWhat my own personal movement practice looks likeRachelle’s Bio: Rachelle Ballard-Clayton owns MEE Active a Womxn’s health and movement coaching practice on the Gold Coast, Australia and delivers her programs worldwide. She creates a safe space for midlife womxn to step off the sidelines & connect deeply with their mind & body.Resources mentioned: Wild Power by Alexandra PopeThe Optimised Woman by Miranda GreyThe work of Jane Hardwicke-CollingsCasey's articles on why strength training is especially helpful for breastfeeding women: https://www.funkyforest.com.au/blog/breastfeeding-and-barbellshttps://www.funkyforest.com.au/blog/youre-a-yogi-why-the-eff-are-you-powerliftingWill Lifting Weights Make Me Bulky?https://www.girlsgonestrong.com/blog/articles/heavy-bulky/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogi)

There are many parallels between our bodies as feeling, sensuous beings worthy of care and attention, and the kind of bodily care and movement encouraged in non-diet and weight neutral approaches like HAES.In this episode:Travel, yoga, energy healing, working with women’s health and indigenous populations: Shae’s path to becoming the multi-faceted non-diet practitioner she is todayThe experience Shae had that turned her path towards reikiReiki as an intuitive approach and avenue into body connectionThe connections between reiki, yoga and HAES, and what Shae’s reiki sessions look likeThe need to create more inclusivity in the non-diet, Health at Every Size and eating disorder worlds in terms of complementary and alternative healthcareEmbodied surfing as a form of intuitive movementEating disorders and the sexualisation of women in the surfing spaceOur bodies as oceansLinks:Shae's Website, Instagram & FacebookSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogi)

​Foraging for edible weeds is an accessible and inclusive healthcare skill. Pat Collins is a highly experienced herbalist, natural health practitioner and bush craftswoman with a passion for sharing her foraging know-how and instilling in people a deep appreciation of edible and medicinal weeds: nature's gifts. ​In this episode:How being able to support her children’s health by making at home remedies motivated Pat into studying herbal medicine formallyWhy familiarity with the abundance of edible foods around us - and how to harvest and use them - is so valuable, especially at this time in historyWhy Pat published her book The Wondrous World of Weeds (it wasn’t because writing books pays well!)“Once upon a time we were all wise women” – the need to take back our power by reclaiming our knowledge of foragingThe many uses of Chickweed (Stellaria media) and Paddy’s Lucerne (Sida rhombifolia)Weeds grow where the soil is right for them, and will tell you what is wrong with your soilHerbs in the time of COVID-19: Some of Pat’s favourite weed allies and ways to use them, to support immune and respiratory health, and to calm our nerves when “it all gets too much”Which native Australian bush foods are in season right now, how can to use it – think, lemon myrtle cheesecake and bunya nut curry (!)Pat’s views on MLM essential oil companies doTerra and Young Living, concerns about the safety of ingesting essential oils, and more affordable, practitioner grade alternatives to these brandsThe beauty of using whole herbsMenopause: How Pat views this powerful life stage, helpful plant allies, organ systems to take extra special care of, and how St John’s Wort helped Pat through her surprisingly tumultuous peri-menopausal years “If we as a culture respected our elders, we’d have far fewer problems with menopause”The call for wise, old womenLinks:Pat's Website & FacebookHigh quality, affordable alternatives to MLM essential oil companies:​ New Directions, Sydney Essential Oil Company, Essential TherapeuticsFunky Forest ApothecaryCasey's blogs:Chickweed: Medicine & MagicRock Your MenopauseThe Call for Wise, Old WomenSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogi)

Gym culture can be incredibly toxic for people struggling with body image and eating concerns. Monique Jephcote, APD, PT and Intuitive Eating Counsellor, is infusing weight-neutral principles into the fitness world with compassion, respect and gusto.In this episode:How and why Monique opened her non-diet private practice soon after graduatingHAES just makes sense: “Every single body deserves dignity and respect” (and weight loss dietetics is SO boring!)Monique’s lived experience of disordered eating recovery from her days as a competitive bodybuilder (including the fun, sassy “Beyonce” side of things)“We get obsessed with food when we’re under-eating”How Monique never disliked her body as much as she did when she was closest to society’s ideal body shapeThe contrast in body diversity and body acceptance between the bodybuilding VS powerlifting scenesThe myriad ways diet culture manifests in the gym settingOn being a non-diet dietitian in a gym, and dealing respectfully with weight-centric fitness professionals: “We don’t know what we don’t know”The way Monique is challenging perspectives on weight and health in the gym worldThe importance of informed consent, body autonomy and compassion regardless of whether clients take a weight-centric or weight-neutral approachLow energy availability or RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport), Hypothalamic Amenorrhoea in female athletes, and the problem with dismissing menstrual disturbances as “just what happens to active women”Monique’s experiences with Vipassana meditation, and where this fits in with her work as a dietitian and fitness professionalLinks:Monique's InstagramThe Intuitive Dietitian on FacebookMonique's websiteSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogi)

With great uncertainty comes fear and uprooted trauma. COVID-19 has seen an amplification of weight stigma, wellness wankery, and conspiracy theories that have the potential to magnify our stress and trauma. Here's what to look out for, as well as ways to ground, protect and nurture yourself and your loved ones at this uncertain time. Show notes:The 3 categories of BS “health advice” circulating in the age of COVID-19: The Seemingly Innocuous, The Social Media Misinformation Storm, and The Blatantly Fat PhobicPrivileged health advice Is cutting out sugar the most important thing to consider right now? (Clue: No, it's not.)Essential oils, colloidal silver, celery juice: should we be using these to "boost" immunity?What I really think about MLM (Multi-Level Marketing), and the ethics of downline recruitment and questionable advertising during a pandemicWeight control during COVID VS. just surviving COVIDHigher BMI is NOT a risk factor for contracting COVID-19, and may even be a protective factorConspiracy theories, and the appeal of these to healers and lightworkersWhat we really need to be focussing on right nowThe ways we deal with stress and trauma, and how this manifests in our relationships with food, eating, our bodies and movementHow coronavirus is impacting me personallyGentle ways we can support ourselves and othersSupplements and herbs can help support your immune health, but not having access to these is not the end of the worldAccessible nutrition counselling and yoga services I am currently offering during COVID-19Links:All Fired Up Podcast with Louise AdamsBringing The Body Into the Room: Somatics, Food and Eating Experiences with Tracy Brown and Fiona SutherlandDr. Jennifer Gaudiani – author of the book Sick EnoughDr. Kristin Neff on Self-CompassionStephen Harrod Buhner on herbal support for COVID-19 infectionCasey's LIVE yoga classes by-donationCasey's accessible COVID-19 Nutrition Counselling ServicesMugwort Herbal Body Oil GIVEAWAY!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogi)

In this episode:The book that pivoted both Fiona’s and my own trajectory (If not dieting)Fiona’s yoga teaching as embodied movement VS a fitness classThe 3 C’s: Care, consent and choice as essential factors in being inclusive dietitians, inclusive yoga teachers and inclusive humansDoing the work doesn’t always feel goodWhat determines whether the yoga we practice will help or hinder healing from disordered eating and body image issuesHealthsplaining, healthism and the actual determinants of health“We don’t sit separately from harm” – the way we show up in the world really mattersThin privilege, weight bias and systematic oppressionWorking with clients who want to lose weight, and what people might be actually looking for when they pursue weight lossSome of the 100's of evidence based things a non-diet dietitian can do that isn’t giving out a meal planThe power of the question “I wonder if you’re eating enough?”The pervasive expectation on women and femmes to be “nice” and never angry: how mindfulness is not the same as niceness, and how recognising compassion and kindness in all its forms (including a box of rage!) can help us move away from “nice girl” syndromeLinks:Fiona's InstagramThe Mindful Dietitian Facebook pageThe Mindful Dietitian Private Facebook group for practitionersSupport the podcast at the Non-Diet Yogi Patreon!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogi)

In this solo episode I riff about the ups and downs of motherhood, and my personal experience as a (mostly) work at home mum.In this episode:Being a mum is amazing, and it's also hardThe impact of parenthood on my friendships and relationshipsHow the Mother and the Warrior archetypes are one and the sameMy experiences with extended breastfeeding, tandem breastfeeding and co-sleepingThe insane expectations and judgements placed on mums, whether you’re a stay at home, a working mum or somewhere in betweenEarth mamas VS Creative Rainbow mamasHow it takes a village. And even then it's not easy.Links to Casey's articles:The Mother and the WarriorI'm no Earth mama, and it's OKWhy most mums need to eat more calories and carbsThe magic and medicine of mugwortHow the "Sexy, Successful, Spiritual Woman" ideal hurts usMy article discussing Aliens and intuitive eatingSupport the podcast at the Non-Diet Yogi Patreon!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogi)

A Health at Every Size (HAES®)-informed, weight neutral practice is old school naturopathy in its best sense. In this interview with Chandrika Gibson, ND we cover these topics surrounding HAES® naturopathy, yoga and yoga therapy:The co-opting of wellness to sell stuff and the accessibility issues this createsDifferences between health, wellness and wellbeingThe problematic belief that living a “clean” lifestyle guarantees you won’t get sickHealthism“Wellness is about the direction you’re facing” - you can live with chronic illness and still have high level wellnessThe trouble with naturopaths (!)How qualified naturopaths can set themselves apart from under-qualified people with questionable training (hint: client-centred practice!)Homeopathy, reiki, and “meeting the client where they are at”Navigating a client’s desire to follow extreme diets for cancerWhy a HAES-informed, weight neutral practice is "old school naturopathy in its best sense"Yoga therapy and the koshasFinding truly body inclusive and accessible yoga Chandrika’s research in head and neck cancer and her lived experience with skin cancerLINKS:Chandrika's personal Facebook page, Surya Health and Wisdom Yoga InstituteChandrika's articles on Medium:The Trouble With NaturopathsBody Positive YogaNon-Diet Yogi PatreonSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogi)

Research and experience tells us that in yoga teachers and practitioners, orthorexia may be the norm, rather than the exception.SHOW NOTES:Food rules in yoga and wellness circlesThat moment when Amy was holding a can of beans thinking, “I can’t eat this!” - and she realised something was upHow becoming a mum tipped the scales towards Amy’s recovery from orthorexiaThe study that showed 86% (yes, you read that right) of yoga teachers have orthorexic tendenciesPeople come to yoga classes and teacher trainings with woundsYoga teachers can be well-meaning and still disseminate dangerous nutrition advice to susceptible peopleWhen “everyone thinks they’re a nutrition expert” and the industry is not regulatedCrazy shit yoga gurus tell their students about food: The Rajasic Girls in my first yoga teacher training, and coming back as a cockroach in your next life if you eat the wrong foods (WTF!)Intuitive eating for yogis to prevent disordered eatingSelf-compassion in orthorexia recovery“Your tissues hold your issues” - partaking in psychological therapy as part of a yoga teacher trainingWeird stuff that becomes normalised in yoga bubblesAccessibility and social justice issues – how can we make our yoga and nutrition services accessible and sustainable?Amy’s professional education journey, from health coach to masters degree in nutrition“Sugar free” mania in parents, and raising kids who are competent, intuitive eatersLINKS:Where to find Amy:www.curatednutrition.com and www.SOSStressRelief.comAmy’s personal website, including art and music: www.amyreich.comFacebook: Amy Reich - Curated Nutrition and Health PromotionResources mentioned:Valera et al. (2014) Prevalence of orthorexia nervosa among ashtanga yoga practitioners: a pilot study. Eat Weight Disord. 2014 Dec;19(4):469-72. “Everyone’s a Nutrition Expert” by Tara LeongThe Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der KolkLearning opportunities:Social justice and accessibility in yoga www.yogaalliance.org/New_RYS_Standards/The_Ethical_CommitmentDianne Bondy https://diannebondyyoga.comLucy Aphramor https://lucyaphramor.comBody Positive Australia www.bodypositiveaustralia.com.auTrauma-informed yoga http://collectiveresilienceyoga.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogi)

Yoga teachers, please stop giving terrible dietary advice to your students. This episode is based on an article I wrote in 2017.SHOW NOTES:That time I gave terrible nutritional adviceWhy people ask yoga teachers for nutritional adviceSome of the crappy nutritional advice yoga teachers pass on to their studentsThe perils of getting nutrition advice from a yoga teacher, personal trainer, or health coachThe likely prevalence of disordered eating in yoga circlesMLM health products in yoga studiosEven when yoga teachers are also nutritionists, be careful!Where to go for safe, individualised dietary guidanceLINKS:Original blog post:https://www.funkyforest.com.au/blog/yoga-teachers-please-stop-giving-terrible-dietary-advice-to-your-studentsFunky Forest Health & Wellbeing - online non-diet nutrition consulting services and in-person yoga classesGrab your copy of my e-book The Modern Yogi's BS-Free Guide to WellbeingFunky Forest Health & Wellbeing Facebook pageCasey's InstagramSupport the show at Non-Diet Yogi PatreonSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogi)

Cleansing from a western fad perspective is pure diet culture BS. But in Ayurveda the "C" word takes on a somewhat different, multifaceted meaning. This can be both problematic and refreshing depending on your perspective. SHOW NOTES:How Ayurveda didn’t accompany yoga to the west, and the effects of this on contemporary yoga practiceDifferent spiritual practices (e.g. Vipassana, Tantra) are not suited to everyoneEverything can be medicine or harmful, depending on contextYour constitution informs the medicine you needDiet culture vs. the introspective curiosity inherent to AyurvedaOjas, or vitality: is your “cleanse” giving you that?Cleanses are effective at short-term weight loss, but not effective at long-term weight lossKeeping digestion healthy is key in AyurvedaCleanses and fasting can disrupt agni and metabolism, and aggravate vataThe Magic Bullet Syndrome: cleanses won’t fix the lifestyle problems causing your health issues in the first placeNara’s experience with chronic fatigue, discovering how stressful dieting was on his body, and how he recoveredPost-interview solo:Navigating the touchy issue of Ayurvedic “cleansing” amidst the sea of diet culture and accusations of pseudo-scienceThe differences between a juice cleanse, and pancha karma or “cleansing” in the traditional Ayurvedic senseWhere I feel a few days of kitchari might be appropriate, and where it definitely would not be appropriateHardcore cleanses in AyurvedaLINKS: Nara’s company Evolution Botanicals Website: https://evolutionbotanicals.com.au/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/evolutionbotanicalsInstagram: @evolutionbotanicalsNon-Diet Yogi PatreonPre-launch waiting list for interest in Casey’s Non-Diet Ayurveda Course: https://www.funkyforest.com.au/courses.htmlCasey's articles on Ayurveda, TCM and Intuitive Eatinghttps://www.funkyforest.com.au/blog/ayurveda-tcm-intuitive-eating-or-dietary-dogma https://www.funkyforest.com.au/blog/beyond-pitta-kapha-vata-ayurveda-tcm-intuitive-eating Funky Forest Health & Wellbeing - online non-diet nutrition & naturopathic consulting services and in-person yoga classes Grab your free e-book The Modern Yogi's BS-Free Guide to Wellbeing Funky Forest Health & Wellbeing Facebook page Instagram @nondietyogi @caseyaconroy @funkyforesthealthSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogi)

Why juice cleansing is so popular in yoga culture, how detoxification actually works, and what you can do to support your body's detoxification processes without starving yourself.· What is juice cleansing? How it’s marketed vs. what’s actually going on· Why it’s so popular in yoga culture· How tapas and saucha may underlie and amplify the tendency towards spiritually-endorsed disordered eating and body dysmorphia· Ayurveda and juice cleansing· Disordered eating and eating disorders in Yogaland· My personal experiences with harsh yoga practices, fasting and orthorexia· The physiology of detoxification and how juice cleanses impede this· Why those initial “detox symptoms” and later, that feeling of “energised bliss” occur on a juice cleanse (it’s not what you think)· What you can do to safely support detoxification (if you wish to do so)· The next level of cray: water fasting in yoga circles LINKS: My articles on Ayurveda, TCM and Intuitive Eating:https://www.funkyforest.com.au/blog/ayurveda-tcm-intuitive-eating-or-dietary-dogmahttps://www.funkyforest.com.au/blog/beyond-pitta-kapha-vata-ayurveda-tcm-intuitive-eating A biomedical look at the physiology of detoxification, how juice cleanses impede this, and what you can do to support detoxification:https://www.funkyforest.com.au/blog/detoxification-so-not-about-juice-fasts-colonicshttps://www.funkyforest.com.au/blog/your-bodys-lifelong-detoxification-kitMy article on the stress response of restrictive eating:https://www.funkyforest.com.au/blog/the-honeymoon-period Funky Forest Health & Wellbeing - online non-diet nutrition consulting services and in-person yoga classes Grab your copy of my e-book The Modern Yogi's BS-Free Guide to Wellbeing Funky Forest Health & Wellbeing Facebook page Casey's Instagram Support the show at Non-Diet Yogi PatreonSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogi)

Why this podcast needs to exist, creating a podcast as a mum, and a bit about me.LINKS:Funky Forest Health & Wellbeing - online non-diet nutrition consulting services and in-person yoga classesGrab your copy of my e-book The Modern Yogi's BS-Free Guide to WellbeingFunky Forest Health & Wellbeing Facebook pageCasey's InstagramNon-Diet Yogi PatreonSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/nondietyogi)