Food For Thought

Careers, Babies & Botox is about the trajectory of American women to “do it all”. Women today are expected to get an education, have children, a successful career, manage a household, while staying fit and looking youthful. In 2004, my guest Jennifer Wallace-a Holistic Nurse Practitioner spearheaded The Holistic Wellness Program at NYU Fertility Center to address the stress of Infertility & IVF. In 2008, she became a mom and returned to her home state of MA where she presently works in Aesthetic Dermatology. Jennifer believes, “We are bombarded with icons like Angelina Jolie, who have a full career, raise a big family and remain stunningly beautiful. This isn't a realistic existence for most women. Yet Jolie has become the standard marketed image of a truly “successful woman”. Jennifer has also seen the pressures to “doing it all” rob women of their self worth when the “goal” isn't achieved. Can having it all sometimes mean letting something go or being open to doing it differently

Our muscular skeletal structure is like a shield of armor, protecting us from physical and emotional hits experienced in daily life. What if TMJ, sciatica or heartburn is our body’s way of expressing emotional ache? My next guest, Mackenzie Chambers- Pilates teacher and body coach with over 25 years of experience, will help us understand how today's stressors create a myriad of physical symptoms. Mackenzie’s believes, “Stress is a vague word but any time we feel we must defend ourselves, run away, or feel any tension at all, our muscles will clench. When we freeze up repeatedly, we create our very own pain map or body's stress landscape. I've developed techniques that anyone can learn to undo these habits that may show up as back pain, headaches, strain, bad posture and even fibromyalgia. We'll discuss how to discover your own stress landscape, as well as tips for undoing it! Tips you can take into the workplace, sitting on a plane, or even into your own fitness regimen.

My upcoming guest, Alina Frank is considered the leading EFT-Matrix Reimprinting trainer and coach in the United States. I've studied with her and as a practitioner, I found Alina's work exquisitely profound and life changing. She will be sharing in her knowledge by showing you the mystifying connection between your libido, health, and having an outrageously passionate life. Alina believes, ...many women experience lack of interest in physical intimacy at various stages in their lives such as after childbirth, or during menopause. What if that were only half the story? What if their hormones followed their emotional states and not the other way around? What if there are some easy and effective tools that can light up the circuits in that part of a woman's life? And, what if those tools could positively affect their ability to make money, follow their dreams, reverse aging, and enhance your mood? This is WHY, I am so excited to have Alina on my show!

I thought it might be fun to switch things up a bit on Food For Thought! Over the years, I’ve had the honor or working with extraordinary clients. Their issues ranging from “unexplained infertility”, adrenal burn-out, hormonal imbalances, including disordered eating. The outcome for many of these women, resided in the awakening and birthing of a new-self. Their way of “being and self-nurturing” became pivotal in how they continued to move through daily life. These clients were no longer spinning their wheels, but steering through life’s ups and downs without crashing. They could experience a calm within a stormy world! These women understood self-nurturing as a way of creating optimal health- body, mind and soul. My upcoming guests, Ana Tucker and Lisa Tornell are two of these extraordinary clients. They'll be sharing personal stories about their hormonal health and challenges along the way to becoming working moms while navigating today's world!

Anyone working in the area of infertility- whether it’s a physician or some one, like myself – our every intention is to help women or couples, achieve their dream of having a child. I believe it’s important to consider various perspectives and avenues, while addressing the challenges of infertility. Frequently, it’s a combination of practitioners setting a woman along that path to become a mother. My upcoming guest, Dr. Jonathan Scher, MD, is one of those extraordinary individuals. He believes much of unexplained infertility is explainable AND treatable. Accord to Dr. Scher, “ Women and men need to know what these treatments are: what questions to ask their doctors; and how to ensure that they are being offered the most appropriate treatment, rather than being told to keep trying again and again... Repeated Failure of IVF treatments in particular may have an immunological cause. It's not just about age and chromosomal issues!

Something as seemingly innocuous as a child’s bowl of cereal can trigger fidgetiness or acting out at school. 18 million people have gluten sensitivity (protein found in wheat, barely, rye, spelt, kamut and oats). The link between gluten sensitivity and problems with brain function- learning disabilities and behavioral issues such ADHD, are rising. My guest, Ron Hoggan, Ed.D., was diagnosed with Celiac in 1994- his subsequent research brings deep understanding to the gluten crisis. Dr. Hoggan says it best, “I am fascinated by the way gluten induces illness and impedes learning while it alters mood, behavior, and a host of other facets of human existence. Mood disturbances, learning disabilities, and the loss of quality of life due to psychiatric and neurological illness are even more tragic than the plethora of physical ailments that are caused or worsened by gluten. The further I go down this rabbit hole, the more I realize that grains are a good food for ruminants - not people.”

Do you feel like your sex drive is stuck in low gear? Are you feeling tired and a bit frazzled around the edges? According to a recent survey published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, more than one in three women admitted to experiencing low sexual desire in the past month. That translates into 40 million, not so happy goddesses. Many factors can influence a woman’s libido and age is NOT the only deciding one! My next guest, Tierney Salter is one of the leading Herbalist in the U.S. For the past 12 years, she has been my go to “herbal consultant” for many patients. Tierney and I will take you on a journey to clarify WHY present day stressors, lifestyle and dietary choices are directing women’s hormones down the path to a low libido. Tierney will share how specific herbal formulas and strategies can women help women feel their best- body, mind, soul... and mojo.

Psychiatric disorders like depression, anxiety, bipolar disease or autism are complex- environmental and biological factors are part of the picture. These biological factors include genetics, neurotransmitter and receptor activity, as well as medical conditions mimicking psychiatric disorders. Imagine having tangible and specific bio-markers in psychiatry as clinically useful as any standard tests. My up coming guest, Dr. Jay Lombard believes we’re almost there! He is the Chief Scientific Officer and Medical Director of Genomind- a trusted partner to clinicians keeping them informed of the rapidly changing landscape of personalized medicine. The Genomind’s saliva-based genetic test can help clinicians understand their patients’ genetic and biological profiles. In turn, helping them make more informed treatment decisions. The test can be used to avoid the current “trial and error” approach. Dr. Lombard will discuss this panel and share case studies from clinicians using the test.

We all know someone who suffers from an allergy or autoimmune disorder. The prevalence of these maladies has increased recently to levels never before seen in human history. We seem newly, and bafflingly, vulnerable to immune system malfunction. My upcoming guest is the renowned science writer Moises Velasquez-Manoff and author of An Epidemic of Absence. He will explain the latest thinking about this problem and explore new treatments in the works. According to Moises - in the past 150 years, improved sanitation, water treatment, and the advent of vaccines and antibiotics have saved countless lives, nearly eradicating diseases that had plagued humanity for millennia. Growing evidence suggests the very steps we took to combat infections also eliminated organisms that kept our bodies in balance and presently setting the stage for other ailments that include crohns, lupus, autism and multiple sclerosis. To address this global “epidemic of absence,” we must restore the human ecosystem.

Early winter of 2005, I attended a “Red Tent” event in NYC, where women gather to rest, renew and share powerful stories about their lives. I also, happened upon one of the most prolific books written on being female in our society and the prevalent struggle of disordered eating via storytelling. Anita Johnston Ph.D. is the acclaimed author of Eating in the Light of the Moon and my next episode’s special guest. Over 30 years ago, I reached out to my doctor, “I’m bulimic and need your help in finding a good therapist!” I’ll never forget his words, “Meg, you just took the first step towards recovery.” Because of my journey, I get why many women are grappling with their relationship to food, a distorted body image or just “sitting” with uncomfortable feelings. Learning how to discern between the physical and emotional hunger is paramount. Anita Johnston will share how women can break free from struggles with food, fat and dieting while reframing the concept of who they really are.

Is your doctor telling you that you’re thyroid is in normal range with a TSH of 4.8? But, are you fatigued, experiencing severe pms, irregular cycles or pcos? Do you still feel cold when others are not? Are you gaining weight and noticing hair loss? Are you having difficulty getting pregnant? Are you at your wit’s end? Welcome to the insane world of hypothyroidism! An epidemic that is plaguing over 30 million American women and counting. It is grossly misunderstood, under diagnosed and poorly treated. The good news is that Dana Cohen, MD, one of NYC’s leading Integrative Physicians will be joining me for an extraordinary conversation on this episode of FOOD FOR THOUGHT. Dr. Cohen will discuss WHY she goes beyond the conventional parameters for thyroid testing, in addition to detailing various protocols for treating hypothyroidism- including the importance of iodine, nutrition, supplements and natural Armour medication, as well as providing invaluable thyroid lifestyle do’s and dont’s.

In light of Angelina Jolie going public with her decision to have a preemptive double-mastectomy to potentially lower her risk for breast cancer, I felt it timely for lifestyle medicine expert Dr. Robert Rakowski to join me in discussing women’s breast health on my next installment of Food For Thought. According to the National Cancer Institute, the lifetime risk for women developing breast cancer is 12.8% or 1 in 8. Another interesting statistic is that approximately 10% of breast cancer is linked to genetics, which means that the other 90% of breast cancer diagnosed today is being triggered by factors in our environment and lifestyle choices. Dr. Rakowski will discuss various strategies on how women can diminish their risk for cancer, including minimizing exposure to xenoestrogens, anti-cancer dietary guidelines, lifestyle tips, nutritional supplementation, and so much more. You won't want to miss this one!

We live in a culture with little regard for “self nurturing”. Women of all ages are traveling at a velocity that is truly out of rhythm with who they are. We’re not wired for modern day stress! On today’s Food For Thought, I'll show you how to buffer the impact with smart lifestyle choices to slow down the tiger and keep your fight or flight response in check. Women are modern day warriors caught in a vicious battle. Years of chronic pushing and pulling on the adrenals, 10+ hour work days, raising families, little sleep, financial struggles and eating on the go, are typical stressors contributing to hormonal imbalances. Even though it may feel like it, you don’t suddenly wake one morning with pms, rheumatoid arthritis, pcos, night sweats or weight gain. I’ll help connect the dots to take you off the hormonal roller coaster. I’ve assisted hundreds of women turn their lives around and I’d like to help you. Your inner goddess totally rocks!