Nutrition with Judy | Holistic Health | Carnivore

JUDY CHO RESOURCES

⛑️ Work with Us

🎙️ Podcast

📚 Articles

_____

*DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It should not replace professional medical advice.

If you want to try GTA-Forte II, you can get a discount here: https://www.nutritionwithjudy.com/podcasts/

404. The Hidden Cost of Making Your Health Your Entire Life Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

Get personalized root-cause care with Empower Functional Health.
Learn more at empowerfunctionalhealth.com
_____

What if the way you’re approaching chronic illness is making your life smaller while you’re trying to get better? In this episode, Judy Cho explores the connection between chronic illness, nervous system regulation, root-cause healing, and the tendency to postpone life until every symptom is resolved. From strict diets and supplement protocols to the constant search for the next answer, we examine how healing can gradually become the center of your identity, and why that may affect your sense of purpose, connection, and peace.

Drawing from conversations in Empower Functional Health and the Wholeness Method, Judy discusses the backwards law, the difference between pursuing healing and chasing perfect conditions, and how faith can provide perspective through difficult seasons. This conversation is for anyone navigating CIRS, mold illness, autoimmune conditions, chronic inflammation, or other long-term health challenges who feels caught between doing everything possible to recover and wanting to live again. It is not about abandoning treatment or ignoring real physical limitations; it is about asking a more difficult question: how do you continue healing without putting your entire life on hold?

Why we keep waiting for life to get better
Is complete symptom resolution required to live?
The backwards law and the pursuit of happiness
Why a good life is not the absence of struggle
When chronic illness becomes your entire identity
A different question to ask during chronic illness
How two healing paths begin to separate
Why waiting for perfect health can cost you years
When letting go of rigidity may be part of healing

_____

EPISODE REFERENCES

_____

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

_____

JUDY CHO RESOURCES

⛑️ Work with Us

🎙️ Podcast

📚 Articles

_____

*DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It should not replace professional medical advice.

403. Why You're Still Sick, Sensitive and Reacting after Removing the Trigger Sep 17, 2026

Show notes

Get personalized root-cause care with Empower Functional Health.
Learn more at empowerfunctionalhealth.com
_____

Why can mast cell symptoms, histamine reactions, brain fog, fatigue, food sensitivities, and inflammation continue even when your labs look normal or the original trigger is gone? In this episode, I break down the connection between stress, CRH, cortisol, mast cell activation, histamine, the nervous system, and chronic illness, including why mast cells can react before cortisol rises and why standard testing may not always capture what is happening in the moment. We also look at how mold exposure, infections, diet, psychological stress, and nervous system dysregulation can all feed into the same neuroimmune response.

If you have MCAS, histamine intolerance, mold illness, CIRS, chronic Lyme, food reactions, gut issues, or persistent inflammatory symptoms, this conversation may help explain why focusing on only one trigger is sometimes not enough. I also cover the feedback loop among the brain, hypothalamus, mast cells, immune mediators, and symptoms; why reactions can continue after an exposure has been removed; and what it means to address both the physical and nervous-system sides of chronic illness without dismissing either.

Why Some People Don’t Heal Even After Doing Everything Right
Your Stress Response Can Start Before Cortisol
Your Cortisol Test Can Look Normal While Your Body Is Still Stressed
Why Your Body Prioritizes Survival Over Thyroid
Mast Cells Are Like a Smoke Alarm That Won’t Shut Off
Mold Exposure and Fear of Mold Can Trigger the Same Stress Pathway
Why Normal Mast Cell Labs Can Miss a Flare
Stress Can Literally Make Your Gut More Permeable
Why You’re Still Sick After Removing the Trigger
Mast Cells Aren’t the Root Cause

_____

EPISODE REFERENCES

_____

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

_____

JUDY CHO RESOURCES

⛑️ Work with Us

🎙️ Podcast

📚 Articles

_____

*DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It should not replace professional medical advice.

If you want to try GTA-Forte II, you can get a discount here: https://www.nutritionwithjudy.com/podcasts/

402. The Real Reason We Fear Supplemental Iodine for Thyroid Health Sep 10, 2026

Show notes

Get personalized root-cause care with Empower Functional Health.
Learn more at empowerfunctionalhealth.com
_____

Iodine supplementation remains one of the most debated topics in thyroid health. Some practitioners warn that iodine, especially higher-dose forms such as Lugol’s iodine, may trigger thyroid dysfunction, Hashimoto’s, or hyperthyroidism, while others argue that iodine deficiency is widespread and often overlooked. In this episode, Judy Cho examines the Wolff–Chaikoff effect, iodine’s role beyond the thyroid, and why iodized salt may not provide enough iodine for optimal health.
The deeper history raises an even more important question: are we blaming supplemental iodine while ignoring other exposures that may have affected thyroid health for generations? Judy explores radioactive iodine, nuclear fallout, contaminated food supplies, and the historical events that may have shaped today’s fear around iodine. She also explains why the distinction between nutritional iodine and radioactive iodine matters before deciding whether iodine is helpful or harmful.

Is iodine dangerous for your thyroid?
The Wolff–Chaikoff effect explained
Iodine deficiency, bromide, fluoride, and chloride
The forgotten history of radioactive iodine exposure
What government research found about thyroid risk
Radioactive iodine exposure
Understanding the difference between supplemental iodine vs. radioactive iodine

_____
EPISODE REFERENCES

_____
WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
📫 Tips and Weekly Updates
JUDY CHO RESOURCES
⛑️Work with Us
🎙️ Podcast
📕 Inflammation Fix Book
📘 Carnivore Cure Book & Elimination Diet
📚 Articles
🎁 Free Resources
_____
*DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It should not replace professional medical advice.

401. What Every Pet Owner Should Know About Food, Vaccines, Medications & Vet Care Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

Get personalized root-cause care with Empower Functional Health.
Learn more at empowerfunctionalhealth.com
_____

Dr. Judi Keller is a veterinarian who spent roughly two decades practicing conventional veterinary medicine before shifting toward a more holistic approach. After becoming increasingly uncomfortable with how heavily veterinary care could rely on pharmaceuticals and symptom management, she pursued additional training in acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutrition, and integrative care. Her work has focused on helping dogs and cats build better health through species-appropriate nutrition, reducing unnecessary exposures, and looking more carefully at the individual animal rather than automatically following a one-size-fits-all protocol.

In this conversation, we question some of the most routine decisions pet owners are asked to make and why many of us rarely stop to examine them. We discuss what may be hiding behind familiar pet-food labels, how veterinary recommendations have changed over time, and how to think more critically about nutrition, medications, vaccines, parasite prevention, testing, and other aspects of everyday pet care. This episode is not about avoiding veterinary care; it is about becoming a more informed pet owner, understanding risks and trade-offs, and asking better questions so you can make thoughtful decisions for the animal you love.

We discuss the following:

Dr. Judy Keller’s background
Pet longevity versus quality of life
Foods dogs should never eat
What’s really inside kibble?
Urinary disease in cats
Are all pet vaccines necessary?
Potential risks of vaccination
Rethinking heartworm prevention
Flea prevention without routine medication
Rethinking spaying and neutering
Why fresh food isn’t considered
Why working dogs choose meat
When bloody diarrhea needs care

_____

EPISODE RESOURCES

Holistic Dog and Pet Wellness Article

_____

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

JUDY CHO RESOURCES

⛑️ Work with Us

🎙️ Podcast

📚 Articles

_____

*DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It should not replace professional medical advice.

If you want to try GTA-Forte II, you can get a discount here: https://www.nutritionwithjudy.com/podcasts/

400. Can You Really Eat Carnivore for Years? 4 Concerns You Should Know Aug 27, 2026

Show notes

Get personalized root-cause care with Empower Functional Health.
Learn more at empowerfunctionalhealth.com
_____

Can a carnivore diet actually be healthy long term? It’s one of the biggest questions around carnivore, especially when the conversation turns to nutrient deficiencies, vitamin C, magnesium and potassium, fiber, gut health, the microbiome, and whether an all-meat diet is simply too restrictive to sustain. In this 400th episode of the Nutrition with Judy podcast, I break down four of the most common concerns about eating carnivore long term and look at what deserves a closer examination.

We also get into what the nutrition research can and cannot tell us about long-term dietary safety, how nutrient variety differs from nutrient sufficiency, questions around fiber and digestive health, and what actually matters when evaluating whether a diet is working for an individual. If you follow a carnivore diet, are considering one, or are questioning whether carnivore can be sustainable for years, this episode walks through the arguments that deserve more nuance.

Concern 1: Is carnivore too restrictive?
Concern 2: Nutrient deficiencies and food variety
Concern 3: Fiber and gut health
Concern 4: Long-term carnivore research
What to consider for long-term carnivore

_____

EPISODE REFERENCES

_____

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

JUDY CHO RESOURCES

⛑️ Work with Us

🎙️ Podcast

📚 Articles

_____

*DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It should not replace professional medical advice.

If you want to try GTA-Forte II, you can get a discount here: https://www.nutritionwithjudy.com/podcasts/

399. He Ate Only Sardines for 5 Days. Then We Tested His Blood Aug 20, 2026

Show notes

Get personalized root-cause care with Empower Functional Health.
Learn more at empowerfunctionalhealth.com
_____

Robert Sikes put the viral sardine fast to a controlled test: five days of eating approximately 18 cans of sardines per day while maintaining roughly 3,000 calories. In this interview, Judy Cho and Robert examine what happened to his weight, blood glucose, ketones, energy, inflammation, hunger, and overall performance—and why his experience differed from the dramatic weight-loss results commonly shared across the keto and carnivore communities.

They also review Robert’s bloodwork before, immediately after, and several weeks after the sardine challenge, including arsenic, mercury, lead, cholesterol, thyroid markers, and SHBG. The conversation explores whether sardine fasting produces unique metabolic benefits, what may actually drive the rapid changes people report, and how extreme short-term diets can affect metabolic health, binge-restriction patterns, and long-term weight-loss success.

We discuss the following:

Sardine challenge preview
Why Robert tested sardine fasting
Eating 18 sardine cans daily
Glucose rose while ketones dropped
Why people do sardine fast
Restriction, bingeing, and quick fixes
Heavy metals after sardine challenge
The appeal of extreme fasting
Should people fear mercury in sardines?

_____

EPISODE RESOURCES

_____

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

JUDY CHO RESOURCES

⛑️ Work with Us

🎙️ Podcast

📚 Articles

_____

*DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It should not replace professional medical advice.

If you want to try GTA-Forte II, you can get a discount here: https://www.nutritionwithjudy.com/podcasts/

398. Why Perfectionism and Control Can Quietly Work Against Chronic Illness Recovery Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

**Our final Wholeness Method cohort of 2026 is open now.**

Can you follow a carnivore diet, improve your environment, take the right supplements, and still feel stuck in chronic illness? Judy Cho sits down with licensed clinical social worker and Wholeness Method practitioner Lauren Cogan to examine nervous system dysregulation, trauma responses, anxiety, people-pleasing, boundaries, CIRS, mold illness, and the mind-body patterns that can remain after the physical foundations are addressed.

This conversation explores why some behaviors that appear to be personality may actually be protective responses, why understanding a pattern is different from changing it, and how chronic illness can alter the way someone interprets every new healing strategy. This is not an argument against carnivore or functional medicine. It examines the additional layer that may matter when diet, sleep, lifestyle, and protocols have helped, but the body still does not feel safe.

How trauma and anxiety show up in the body
When anxiety can look like ADHD
Talk therapy, somatic work, and nervous system healing
How childhood shapes the stress response
When a trauma response feels like personality
A chronic illness transformation story
Why saying no can trigger fight or flight
The crash that can happen before a health issue

_____
EPISODE REFERENCES

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

JUDY CHO RESOURCES

⛑️ Work with Us

🎙️ Podcast

📚 Articles

_____

*DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It should not replace professional medical advice.

If you want to try GTA-Forte II, you can get a discount here: https://www.nutritionwithjudy.com/podcasts/

397. Can Eating Too Much Fat Make You Gain Weight on Carnivore? Aug 06, 2026

Show notes

Get personalized root-cause care with Empower Functional Health.
Learn more at empowerfunctionalhealth.com
_____

Can eating more fat stall weight loss, even on a zero-carb carnivore diet? In this episode, Judy Cho sits down with Craig Emmerich to examine why some people lose weight effortlessly on carnivore or keto while others gain weight, struggle with hunger, or see their metabolic health worsen. They discuss dietary fat, protein intake, calories, leptin resistance, muscle loss, fasting, thyroid function, hormones, and why postmenopausal women may respond differently than men.

The conversation also moves beyond macros into the limits of diet itself. Craig shares what years of strict carnivore could and could not resolve in his own experience with Lyme disease, mold illness, CIRS, inflammation, and chronic pain. This episode challenges several popular carnivore claims while offering a more individualized framework for weight loss, body composition, metabolic health, and long-term healing.

We discuss the following:

The fat debate
The Randall effect
Fat gain without carbs?
Stress, cortisol, and obesity
Fat threshold explained
Practical protein and fat targets
Leaner carnivore satiety
Nutrition misinformation online
Adjusting fat intake
Why carnivore harder isn't the answer
Why some people leave carnivore
Where to start for complex cases

_____

EPISODE RESOURCES

_____

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

JUDY CHO RESOURCES

⛑️ Work with Us

🎙️ Podcast

📚 Articles