The Live Well Podcast

For those of us who deal with digestion issues like heartburn, indigestion, bloating, constipation, autoimmunity, and nutrient deficiencies make sure to stay tuned to this episode for a breathwork activity that you can do prior to eating.  Sometimes our digestive issues can arise when our bodies are not ready to receive food, and so this breathing exercise will help to support your body and digestive organs. I'd love to hear from you - let me know if this exercise helps you and what you normally do to support your digestion. 

In this episode we'll be talking about giving ourselves permission to rest, why we have so much resistance to resting, and how it can actually feel really scary to just slow down. Rest doesn't necessarily have to mean taking a day or week off but instead is something that we can simply build into small moments in our daily lives. I also share common beliefs that tend to hinder many of us from finding rest and accepting that we actually deserve to rest. This is one of the most important pillars of healing that I do in my work with my clients and a big way we start to create a life that feels healing, where our interventions can take root.

I've been working with clients for years to support their immune systems and live well with chronic illness and autoimmunity. With every single person, we work through the pillars of autoimmune health. This journey can feel confusing and overwhelming so that's why it's really important to seek out help and work in a framework that can be personalized to your specific needs.  As opposed to saying, "Here's a list of foods you can and can't eat, see you back in a few months!", I take a much more comprehensive approach because when it comes to chronic health issues it's the only way to get sustainable results rather than to keep chasing quick fixes. Together we go through, step by step, looking through this lens, to support your unique body to find its path to health.⁠ I've received so many messages about this topic, and so I decided to dedicate an entire podcast episode about it. Tune into this episode to learn more about these 3 pillars of autoimmune health.

In today's episode, we talk about habits: creating new habits and how to actually make them stick. I hear from so many people that they generally know what they should do, it's just that they're not doing it. This is not because you are a failure or due to a pure lack of motivation (although that's often the messaging we receive). It's because behavior change is a skill that needs to be developed! Especially if you're feeling stuck putting things into practice and taking action, I'll share more about how to uncover your personal blocks and how you can learn the skills and tools you need to successfully change and transform. Tune in to learn more and see how you can get started.

Our guest on this episode of The Live Well Podcast is a trailblazer when it comes to medicinal mushrooms, and he is one of the original people who brought medicinal mushrooms to the US market. Jeff Chilton studied ethnomycology at the University of Washington in the late 1960s. He then pursued work on a commercial mushroom farm in the late ‘70s. He is the founder of Mycomedia, and started the company, Nammex -- a company that provides certified organic mushroom extracts. We'll deep dive into all things mushrooms, and Jeff will speak more about the nutritional benefits and medicinal uses. We also discuss things you should think about when you're choosing a mushroom supplement or adding them to your cooking or recipes. This is one insightful episode that you shouldn't miss!  Where to find Jeff Chilton:Nammex: www.nammex.comReal Mushrooms: www.realmushrooms.com

Have you or someone you know taken acid-blocking drugs, particularly Proton Pump Inhibitors? In this episode, I talk about the dangers of PPIs and everything you need to know about these acid-reducing drugs including the effects they can have on our bodies. Tune in to learn more and if you want to support your gut in the most holistic and natural way possible, do check out The Love Your Gut Program. Also, if you are suffering from heartburn, this blog post might be helpful for you. 

On any healing journey, there are going to be ups and downs. Symptoms, bad days, and flare ups are to be expected. So I'm sharing a mini pep talk for when you're having a bad symptom day. I find that sometimes we just need a reframe. We just need that support, and a little bit of perspective. I wanted you to have this in your back pocket so that anytime you're having a bad symptom day or experiencing a flare up, you can pull it out, give it a listen, know that you're supported, and remember that this too shall pass.

In this episode of The Live Well Podcast, we dive deeper into how our reality is shaped by our beliefs, and that through this understanding we can have the ability to co-create our lives. We'll also explore how to uncover areas of your life where you might currently be blocked, and how to use this awareness to move through those blocks. I'm joined by Ean Wood who lives a life dedicated to personal development. His current passion lies in helping others through group facilitation, weekend retreats, online courses, and 1-on-1 coaching. Through his unique life experience as well as a lifetime immersed in mental health and holistic healing, he now seeks to use the knowledge and wisdom he's gained to help others reach for their highest potential. This is one empowering episode so make sure you stay tuned!

One of the most important pieces in making any behavior change stick for the long-term is knowing your why. In this episode of The Live Well podcast, I share the importance of understanding YOUR why and how this allows you to look beyond just the external factors when it comes to making lasting changes in your health choices. Without this, it can be very difficult to stay on the wagon when it comes to your health choices so make sure you tune in! 

In today's episode of The Live Well Podcast, we are joined by The Jedi of Calm herself, Kathleen Booker. Kathleen is passionate about Conscious Connected Breathwork therapy and knows first-hand the energy, healing, peace, and joy it creates in one's life. As a certified and insured Breathwork Coach, she has worked with many masters in the field of Conscious Connected Breathwork therapy. For over 10+ years, Kathleen has used her Breath Coaching and intuitive skills to support individuals in clearly identifying areas in need of growth, healing, and focused goal creation.  We speak about her journey, how she found breathwork, and the huge supporting role it plays with our body. Throughout this episode, we also experience what Kathleen teaches, and we are guided through a brief breathwork session. Just a note that we do talk about sexual abuse briefly in this podcast episode. You can learn more Kathleen and her work at www.kathleenbooker.net

On this episode of the Live Well Podcast, I'll be speaking with sisters Lauren Lee-Crane & Catherine Lee, founders of Semaine Health, about their experience with endometriosis and reducing period pain. Both Lauren and Catherine have had experiences with endometriosis throughout their lives, and they're on a mission to normalize the conversation about periods and period pains. This is the reason why they wanted to start their company, Semaine Health, a health & wellness company that takes women's pain seriously. Their first product which is natural, plant-based, and rigorously tested, helps empower women by specifically addressing period pain. Today we'll hear more about their story and learn more about the conventional and holistic tools that have helped them along their journey. To learn more, check out semainehealth.com.

In this episode of The Live Well Podcast, I have special guest Murlene Joseph joining me. Murlene is a registered nurse, board-certified holistic nurse coach, and the founder of Myrrh Wellness. We talk about the importance of mindset on your healing journey. When Murlene was diagnosed with chronic illness, she had a hard time figuring out what to do and where to go to start feeling better. This inspired Murlene to start her coaching business so she can help others who are navigating similar situations and to teach others how to cultivate self-acceptance and self-love in order to heal.  To learn more about her, check out myrrhwellness.com.

In today's episode, we explore the functional timeline which helps identify the root cause of a disease and how your history influences this. This is a very important tool, in my opinion, which is why I take all my clients through this at the very onset of our work together. We also talk about the ATMs or the antecedents, triggers, and mediators of health.  I'd like to hear your insights regarding your own functional timeline, and if you're confused and having a difficult time moving forward, I'd like to hear that as well. I'm always here to help you - that is my passion. You can check out my free 30-minute discovery call at christinatidwell.com if you're looking for support and guidance.

In this episode, I talk about wellness burnout which I define as a state of increased stress and overwhelm that comes from the constant pursuit of health and wellness practices. We have good intentions, and then we start to feel like we need to do all of the things all of the time. So, if you've gone from bringing in helpful, supportive practices to feeling like your daily wellness routines are a chore or something that's becoming really overwhelming then you may be dealing with wellness burnout.  This mini-training will share the importance of having a toolkit and a few questions that you can use as soon as you feel that your body needs it. Stay tuned!

Today I'll talk about how I support my energy and productivity while working from home. To me, this is a very timely topic as most of us have shifted to a work-from-home setup over the past few months. I made this transition myself and had to create new habits & routines when I went from working in a hospital as an RN to taking on this business and work full-time from home.  In this episode, I share some tips that revolve around personal boundaries, routines, transitions, and activities that will help you support yourself and your energy. Especially if working from home is feeling overwhelming, this episode is for you. 

In today's episode, I share with you the things that I do on a daily basis to keep myself healthy - physically, mentally, and emotionally. It's been a while since I shared what I do for my health on a daily basis! Those who have been following me will know that I never recommend anything to a client that I haven't personally tested. I'm going to go through my favorite healthcare routines that have stuck with me over the years. So stay tuned to get a glimpse of what my day looks like, from meditation to nutrition, and what I do to wind down to sleep.

This episode of The Live Well Podcast is a great discussion with Kelsey Cohrt about effective meal preparation. She is the founder of Northwest Health Coaching which helps people incorporate healthy eating habits and starting feeling good.  We talk about how you can feed yourself, and of course, prepare meals in a straightforward manner. Kelsey also shares her own food experience, the challenges, and her wins while on this journey. This is such a very important topic to discuss especially now when we are all asked to stay at home. We have all the time in the world to prepare our meals, right? Well, not all the time. Tune into this episode for more, and get to know Kelsey and her business. Check out www.northwesthealthcoaching.com.

How do you feel when you wake up in the morning? Rested? Content? Anxious? Stressed? Overwhelmed? The morning is our golden opportunity to tune into where we are at in the present moment and consciously decide how we want to feel that day. One of my mentors calls it “deciding which bus to get on” in the morning that's going to take you down a certain path in your day. Reclaiming the morning and deciding how you currently feel and how you WANT to feel before anyone else gets to tell you is the best practice I know for reducing stress and coming into the present moment. Tune in to this episode for tips on how to reclaim your morning to reduce your stress!

Have you ever found yourself following a diet plan or a protocol only to get bored or only last a few weeks before you “fall off the wagon” or revert back to your old way of doing things? Do you feel like you do ok when you're on a strict guideline but the minute life happens and you travel, go out to eat or have a stressful day you fall back into old habits? Does it feel like you're really black and white about your health and like you're either being “good” and adhering to a plan or you're being “bad” and doing whatever you want?  It can feel like a really frustrating cycle of trying something, falling off, trying something, and falling off. If you're felt this way you're certainly not alone! Sometimes we need specific protocols to support us during different phases of our healing journey, but in order to cultivate sustainability in our healing journey, what we really need to do is become experts at listening to what our bodies are telling us and turning inwards. Listening to our bodies has become a vague and somewhat challenging task because we've gotten so used to looking outside of ourselves for information and guidance on how to feel better. Instead of constantly searching and looking outside of ourselves for the answers, in this episode I'll share tips on how to look within as the only way to really figure out what works best for you and your beautiful body, and three questions to help you tune into your body.

On this episode of The Live Well Podcast, I have Audrey Sutton Mills joining me to speak about the collective fear and uncertainty that many of us might be facing in these times, and ways to connect back to ourselves.  Audrey believes we all have a light within us, but it gets covered up by life. Her purpose is to help you uncover your light and embody your worth that you are enough and you matter. I can think of no better person to speak into the big emotions that are coming up collectively right now, and how we can use simple tools to help bring us back to ourselves and find more calm and ease. 

If you've been experiencing stress and uncertainty recently around everything that's happening in the world, I don't want you to feel like you have to go through it alone. In this episode, I'll share some practical tips to help you navigate through these challenging times and some steps that we can all take to support our bodies, our immune systems, and our mental & emotional health. I've been working with clients and teaching this information for years, and I'll give you the tools to help you feel supported and empowered as well.

This Episode of The Live Well Podcast explores at the five traps where I commonly see people getting stuck and keeping them from where they want to go on their healing journey.  I'll share what these common traps are so you know what to look out for and some practical ways that you can bust through them. By shedding light on these traps, I hope you'll start to feel the confidence that you're doing the right things on a daily basis to help get you where you want to be on your healing journey.  It is possible to be healthy, to have energy, to feel good in your body, and be able to do the things you want to do. So especially if you're feeling stuck or overwhelmed, I hope this helps you to start putting the pieces together, understand the bigger picture, and get clarity about what to look out for along the way. 

Skin-related issues, whether it be acne, eczema or rashes, are often thought about topically, at a surface level. It might be helpful to consider how gut health or internal health affects skin health, and how to support our skin from the inside out. You may be dealing with inflammation, an infection or something on your skin, and a lot of times what we get prescribed are things like topical creams, steroids or antibiotics. Instead of looking at skin concerns as an isolated thing, what we really have to do, like with everything is look at the whole picture and look at the whole person. Your skin is telling you things, your skin is talking to you, and it can give you clues about what might be going on internally. We can work on improving gut health as a way to get clear skin from the inside out.

Do you feel that everything you eat affects you negatively? Do you feel very stressed out of overly irritated by everyday things? Does exercise leave you feeling exhausted for days afterward? If it seems like small changes to your environment, your food or your exercise really throw you off, this is where resilience comes in. Resilience is really the ability to accommodate change. I'll be going into more depth about both resilience of spirit and also physiological resilience. Tune into to learn more about how the concept of resilience can be applied to your health.

Join me as I introduce the concept of "Heal vs. Ideal" and how this can help you when making changes to your diet or lifestyle to improve your health. If you feel like you're always "on or off the wagon" when it comes to your health, this episode is for you!

Nadine Joseph, founder of Peak and Valley, speaks about the chronic stress response and the use of adaptogenic herbs and mushrooms! Tune in to learn about the potential benefits of these ancient herbs and how to incorporate them into your every day life.

Are you constipated? Join me as we speak about this common digestive issue, WHY it's so important to address it and my best tips for troubleshooting constipation!

Answering the question, "Can I still heal if I don't have a diagnosis?"

Is stress about the perfect diet causing your health to decline? Tune in to learn about the concept of the "beer and pizza diet" (It's a little different than you think!) and how to make sure your health goals are aligned with where you are at in the present moment.

Today on the Live Well Podcast I'll be speaking with Functional Medicine Practitioner Kristen Brown about the difficulty that arises when we put so much weight on finding and adhering to the perfect diet in the pursuit of health.

Today on The Live Well Podcast I'm speaking with Kari Owens about ending negative self-talk and self-sabotage. You might be aware of an “inner critic” or that voice in your head that constantly chatters or maybe just shows up at inopportune moments with less than kind thoughts. That voice that tells you you aren't enough, you aren't worthy, or that you won't succeed. Most of us have experienced this inner “voice,” but many do not realize the impact that this inner critic has on our overall sense of self and wellbeing. In this episode Kari speaks about the impact of this negative self talk, and what we can do to begin to shift our internal dialogue to better support ourselves.

Montel Williams was diagnosed with MS in 1999, but his disease had been undiagnosed for almost 20 years prior. Montel reflects back on his diagnosis as a mixed blessing, because it taught him the importance of willpower and advocating for yourself. He urges others diagnosed with MS not to let the disease define them, and to talk to their doctor about disease progression. Montel is an amazing advocate in the autoimmune and chronic illness community and I'm absolutely honored to speak with him! Join us as we speak about the importance of being your own advocate, the holistic approaches that most helped Montel heal, and his daily mindfulness practice that helps him stay positive and thrive with chronic illness!

Do you struggle with winding down in the evening? Do you find yourself carrying stress from your work day? Or still holding onto your to-do list? Do your thoughts keep you from relaxing or getting to sleep? Tune into to learn how to create supportive evening routine!  

What's the first thing you do in the morning when you get out of bed? Hit snooze a few times, grab your phone, or jump straight into helping others? How do you feel when you wake up? Energized? Not fully rested? Stressed out even before the day has begun?  Most of us wake up and feel like we're already behind. We may have emails to answer, kids to feed, and might not even feel rested from the night's sleep!  I felt like this for years, until I intentionally created a morning routine to give me some buffer time at the beginning of my day. I started small, by taking five minutes in the morning to breathe and decide how I wanted to feel that day. I've since changed and grown my morning routine and I'd love to share it with you in today's podcast!

Fran is a Functional Nutritionist and Yoga teacher with a passion for real food and holistic health. Her health journey started when she developed chronic fatigue and digestive issues as a teenager and again in her 20s, which sparked her determination to heal herself through food, movement and mindset. Fran supports her clients through 1:1 programs and her online detox program to get to the root cause of their symptoms, so they can lose weight, get more energy and take control of their health. I love Fran's real food approach to health and am so excited to speak with her today about overcoming chronic fatigue.

Firstly, everyone with autoimmunity, even with the same diagnosis is very different and the reasons for immune system dysfunction are going to be very different as well. I can't emphasize that enough. As with anything, it's not a black and white answer but rather, it depends! Join me as we explore the question; Does everyone with autoimmunity need to avoid gluten and dairy?

We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with information and stimuli from all angles. We may find ourselves constantly “on” from the moment we wake up until the moment our head hits the pillow at night.  So, what can we do about this? Once you have identified that you are experiencing a chronic stress response, the goal is to find ways to shift yourself away from the “fight or flight” mode into the “rest and digest” mode of your nervous system. There are many ways to do this, but one of my favorite ways is using this 4-7-8 breathing exercise demonstrated in this podcast. 

Today on The Live Well Podcast I'm speaking with Beth Chen about how to avoid toxins in our food and environment. Beth Chen is an AIP blogger, and self-taught cook and photographer. She finds joy in eating to heal and sharing her recipes and wellness tips, on her blog bonaippetit.com, with others. Join us as we speak about how to reduce the toxic load in your life. 

Kerry Jeffery is a clinical hypnotherapist, counseller and life coach living well with Hashimoto's, Celiac and Antiphospholipid Syndrome in Melbourne, Australia. After experiencing the profound emotional changes and challenges that chronic illness bought into her life when she was physically and cognitively disabled,  she found that there were no resources available to her on how to deal with the complex grief of becoming chronically ill.

Lesa Blackham is a Life Coach at Creating Calm. After struggling with anxiety for most of her adult life, Lesa decided it was time to take back control and find the answers she needed to live a more balanced, worry-free and happy life. Join us as we speak about cultivating calm and reducing stress amidst a busy life.

Having a good balance of beneficial bacteria in the gut is crucial for the overall functioning of the digestive system! We've heard a lot about gut bacteria or the microbiome recently as research in this area is exploding. Although there is still a lot we don't know, we do know that the bacteria in our gut have been linked to autoimmunity, cancer, mental health, heart disease, obesity and metabolic disorders.  Join me as I discuss the benefits of probiotics, my favorite brand, and how and why to incorporate probiotic foods into your diet!  http://www.christinatidwell.com/blog/probiotics-101

Joshua Gellert, P.T., D.P.T, S.C.S., is a physical therapist and board-certified sports specialist at the Sports Medicine Center at Husky Stadium. I brought my friend and colleague, Josh Gellert, on the podcast today because he is a wealth of knowledge about the physical body, and brings a really holistic, whole-body approach to his treatment and care. Join us as we explore resting postures and how you can incorporate them into your daily life!

Someone said to me recently, “I've found so much relief and joy from learning how to take care of myself, using food as fuel and living in an intentional way. I feel frustrated, though, that my husband and family aren't on the same page. I see so many people around me that could benefit from making some of the changes I have, and I just want to be able to help them! What should I do?”  In this episoide, I talk about why you can't "fix" another person, even though you love them and want the best for them, even though you have all the right answers and can really help.  True healing and ownership of self has to come from that person themselves.

Today on The Live Well Podcast I'm speaking with Alexa Federico of Girl in Healing all about Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Alexa is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Autoimmune Paleo Coach, an author of The Complete Guide to Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis: A Road Map to Long Term Healing.  Alexa was diagnosed with Crohn's disease at age 12 which set her on the journey to consider food as medicine and understand how to support her body holistically. She now works with others to help them learn how to utilize food in support of their health and not against it. Join us as we speak in depth about Inflammatory Bowel Disease and ways to support healing!

Building a care team over time helps us to address all the areas of our lives in which we need support.  In this podcast, I outlined the six major areas of our lives where different players in a care team can support us. Medical Root cause investigation Mind/Spirit/Emotional Nutrition Mindful movement Stress reduction I've given you some ideas to get started (this list is by no means exhaustive). You don't need to go out and employ six new practitioners today, but over time you will be able to gather a team that works to support your unique needs. Some facets of your care team may even include free yoga videos, friends and family, or a trusted podcast you go to for information and inspiration!

Today on The Live Well Podcast we're speaking with Claire Bradshaw about embracing all parts of ourselves in the healing journey. Claire Bradshaw is a life coach, yoga teacher and host of 'Becoming Whole' podcast. She supports women to empower themselves to ditch the stress and overwhelm so that they can connect with their whole selves and their life's purpose. She guides them to step into their own brilliance and express their personal gifts. In this episode, Clare speaks about her experience with burn out, declining health, discontentment with life and losing her connection with herself. Join us as we delve deep into the concept of “becoming whole” and learn tangible ways to reconnect with yourself.

Health and nutrition coaching is a relatively new area of support in our healthcare system. I sometimes get the question from potential clients, “I'm working with an integrative doctor, how does health coaching fit into this picture?” It's a great question and one I would love to bring some clarity to today!  

Today I'm speaking with Sarah Kolman about the importance of mindset in our healing journey. We're going to explore not just what we “do” to become healthy, but who we are as that person “doing” the tasks as we explore the “Be - Do - Have” model. Sarah Kolman a Registered Nurse, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, and Contemplative Psychotherapist. Sarah's unique one-on-one health coaching practice blends her nursing and psychotherapy experience with holistic and nutrition-based health concepts. A passionate student in the field of psychoneuroimmunology, she helps her clients heal by focusing on the brain-body connection and its profound impact on wellness. With Sarah's support and guidance, clients learn to manage stubborn symptoms that have persisted through countless traditional treatments. She is also the author of the book Full Plate: Nourishing Your Family's Whole Health in a Busy World. Get full show notes here: http://www.christinatidwell.com/blog/live-well-podcast-ep-47-how-to-use-the-be-do-have-model-to-get-what-you-want-of-life-with-sarah-kolman

I'm always reading books, listening to podcasts and attending trainings on the latest and greatest in nutrition and holistic health to make sure I'm up to date on what's going on and can best serve my clients. I was recently reading a great book about using nutrition and lifestyle shifts specifically to balance hormones. It had amazing information about getting to the root cause or hormonal imbalance in the body and at the end of the book proposed a 30-day “hormone balancing protocol” which included dietary advice and a supplement regimen. To be honest, this is one of probably 10 different protocols I've read about in the last 6 months, all somewhat similar but with their own nuances, restrictions and guidelines. As I was reading through I kept thinking about how many clients come to me saying they tried XYZ protocol and it didn't “work” or they're afraid they may not have “done it right.” What happens if you follow the protocol to a T but your symptoms get worse, or some get better but others get worse, or you have no idea if it's helping at all? Read the blog: http://www.christinatidwell.com/blog/why-your-healing-diet-isnt-working