Stay ConnectedHolistic Health | Real Food Nutrition | Functional Medicine | Mind-Body
Honest and eye-opening conversations with functional nutritionist Erin Holt. Erin shares insight into hot topic nutrition, plus interviews with thought leaders in the functional medicine and wellness world. Get informed and empowered with this funky spin on mainstream health information.
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In part two of the Understanding Autoimmunity series, Erin unpacks the immune system. If you missed part one of the series, Episode 226, it is recommended you go back and listen to that episode first.
Today, Erin discusses the components of the immune system, things that can get dysregulated with autoimmunity, and some conventional lab testing you can use to establish a baseline that will help you monitor your progress. She will provide some more clarity on what to look for in your lab results and some guidance on how to interpret the numbers.
If you have questions about autoimmunity, shoot us an email with your question and we will capture some of them to share more information in future episodes.
In this episode:
-How to submit listener questions [3:30]
-Two parts of the immune system: innate and adaptive [4:30]
-Key features of autoimmunity [15:30]
-Two types of autoimmunity: systemic and organ-specific [18:00]
-Using the Cyrex Array 5 lab test to test for tissue-specific antibodies [26:30]
-Three stages of autoimmunity explained [30:30]
-Conventional and routine labs for autoimmunity [38:30]
FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO:
https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/227-autoimmunity-series-part2-components-stages-conventional-testing
When Erin was diagnosed with an autoimmune illness, she found herself in a new, somewhat unknown, world. Her autoimmune illness allowed her to grow to a new level in her career and expanded her understanding of her body and health. She realized that autoimmunity is widely misunderstood by both professionals and patients.
Many people are searching for information on autoimmunity and they don't know what to do or where to turn. Erin's goal with this series is to thoroughly explain every aspect of autoimmunity. This series will provide you with information to help you understand autoimmunity and act as a resource you can share with people in your life who can use it. In this episode:
- Celebrating The Funk'tional Nutrition Podcast's 5th anniversary [1:01]
- Why it's important to share information on autoimmunity [4:45]
- Disclaimers and intentions of the series [8:00]
- We need to create better resources, understanding, and treatment for autoimmunity [14:00]
- What is autoimmunity? [21:00]
- Red flags that you might be dealing with autoimmunity [24:00]
- Is there a cure for autoimmunity? [28:00]
- Two different ways of looking at autoimmunity, conventional health care and functional medicine [33:30]
- What causes autoimmunity? [39:00]
- Contributing factors to autoimmunity [48:30]
FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/226-autoimmunity-series-part-1
One of Erin's Instagram posts recently received a lot of attention and A LOT of comments. The post was a video showing how to make a no-soak, no-strain (read: CONVENIENT) nut milk. Many of the comments expressed the concern for antinutrients in nuts. Today Erin sits down with nutrition vet Deanna Minich to tag team the antinutrient discussion and answer the question: how concerned should you be with antinutrients?
Deanna Minich is a nutrition scientist, international lecturer, teacher, and author. She has over twenty years of experience in academia and in the food and dietary supplement industries.
This discussion will provide you with more context and perspective on antinutrients and dietary diversity, equipping you to make the best - and safest - choices for your health.
In this episode:
- Why we're talking about antinutrients [2:30]
- All about Deanna [6:00]
- Nutrition is not black and white [8:00]
- Deanna's background and education [9:30]
- Digging into the literature to see what the data says about antinutrients [12:30]
- What are antinutrients? [16:00]
- Environmental contaminants are a bigger concern than antinutrients [18:00]
- What do we have control over when it comes to environmental contaminants? [20:30]
- Lectins explained [35:30]
- Oxalates explained [40:00]
- The importance of diversity in all things [45:00]
- What does clear communication have to do with health? [49:00]
FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/225-antinutrients-deanna-minich
Have you ever wondered what Erin means when she talks about “going deeper” with her clients? This episode explores exactly that.
Functional medicine promises a “root cause approach” but in order to do this, we must go deeper than blind testing and cookie cutter protocols. Critical thinking, individuation & a deep reverence and understanding of the mind-body connection is key.
Approaching health from a subconscious, brain & emotion-based level creates the most profound, long lasting and sustainable change in the body.
In her practice, Erin demystifies the seemingly “magical mystery realm” of the mind-body connection to bridge it with practical strategies that work.
If you feel like you’ve tried everything and you’re still stuck…
If you’re looking for a new approach to health…
This episode is for you.
In this episode:
-Why there is hope for healing autoimmunity, despite the grim stats [6:11]
-Erin’s education background - why she loves functional medicine AND why it’s not a panacea [10:48]
-When the “root cause” is deeper than the physical body [12:37]
-Can your mind, thought process & beliefs prevent your body from healing? [13:47]
-Funk’tional Alchemy: creating a process that actually works [19:46]
-A body-up AND mind-down approach to health [23:08]
-Somatic work & the gut-brain connection [24:11]
-Medical intuition and collecting energy data: why it matters [25:04]
-Clearing and recoding for optimal health [40:18]
-How belief patterns permeate all aspects of our lives [44:00]
-An exclusive and limited time offer from Erin [51:38]
-Advice for practitioners who want to get more into the mind-body connection [54:04]
FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/224-alchemy-clearing-coding-rewiring-health
In this re-release, Erin answers your questions about the effect of fragrance on your hormones - plus what to be aware of with the products we use on our bodies and in our home.
Most people have no idea how harmful synthetic fragrances can be - or how often we are using them! The chemicals used to create or prolong these “fresh” scents impact our neurological health, metabolism, and immune system.
We’re bringing this topic back to the forefront because Erin will be doing a deep dive on autoimmunity here on the show soon, and exposure to certain chemicals is part of why autoimmune diseases are on the rise.
Tune in to hear why cutting out fragrance is a simple, easy step to healthy living.
In this episode:
-Small steps we can take to get closer to non toxic living [9:04]
-Starting with the basics [11:08]
-Fragrance and endocrine disruptors [12:22]
-“Overly sensitive” or canaries in the coalmine? [14:37]
-A non exhaustive list of product types that contain artificial or synthetic fragrances [16:29]
-The real problem with fragranced products [20:44]
-How these fragrances can affect our health [22:56]
-Why and how synthetic fragrances linger [28:03]
-VOCs: what they are and common sources [29:22]
-Best way to protect yourself from outdoor pollution [31:14]
-Let’s talk about phthalates [31:56]
-Xenoestrogens and estrogen dominance [33:46]
-How these chemicals impact our metabolism [34:43]
-Mitochondrial dysfunction symptoms [36:55]
FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/223-fragrances-hormones-healthy-living
There is this old, pervasive omnipresent idea that women can’t handle information about our own bodies. We’ve been fed a storyline that our bodies are too complex – AND that we’re ill equipped to handle information about the complexity.
This is bullshit, and it’s one of the reasons so many of us are so twisted up about our bodies.
Today on the show Erin is discussing why knowledge is power…but *just* having the information doesn't necessarily create the changes we desire.
Creating space to integrate that information is KEY, and Erin is unpacking exactly how to do that in today’s episode – including how to cultivate intuition and inner guidance to assist your own health and healing.
In this episode:
-Cultivating balancing between the Divine Masculine & Feminine [2:20]
-The one question to ask yourself every morning [7:30]
-An outdated (and bullsh*t) reaction from a pediatrician [12:26]
-How the idea that women can’t handle information about our own bodies causes harm [14:28]
-The link between your hormones & your gut - and why you CAN handle it [15:45]
-Why integration is the missing link to your healing journey [17:51]
-Why “I already know this” blocks you from transformation [19:59]
-Subconscious reprogramming work and somatic release to clear and recode [21:43]
-Energy audits: one of the most important thing you can do for your health [23:28]
-The link between ACEs (adverse childhood experiences), empaths & health struggles [26:24]
-Practicing conscious consumption (and why it matters) [29:45]
-What is “energy data” and how do we access it? [35:10]
-3 steps to cultivating self trust [43:00]
-Your experience IS evidence: why this is a radical concept in healthcare [46:08]
-An update (and a little secret share) from Erin [51:24]
FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/222-creating-sacred-space-healing-transformation
In the past Erin referred to the lymphatic system as an unsung hero of the body. It’s responsible for maintaining fluid balance, for circulating hormones and immune cells throughout the body, as well as transporting toxins out of the body—but it wasn’t something many people talked much about. Increasingly over the past few years, however, lymph is getting its time in the spotlight: more and more folks in health spaces are discussing lymph and lymph work. Perhaps you’ve seen some tutorial videos on lymph drainage massage or how to use gua sha stones and dry brushes.
While it’s great the lymphatic system is getting the credit it deserves, it’s important to know how to approach your lymph and lymph work in a mindful way. That’s why Erin sat down with Leah Levitan, licensed massage therapist, massage instructor, and Vodder Certified Manual Lymphatic Drainage Practitioner, to dive into the nitty gritty of the lymphatic system, what it does, how interconnected it is to the rest of our body, and things you can do to improve lymph health—in a way that’s safe for your body.
The thing about lymph work is that it’s very gentle, yet very powerful. After listening you’ll understand why Leah’s work with lymph comes from such a grounded and comprehensive place.
If you feel bloated, puffy, wake up with puffy circles under your eyes, or if you’ve been curious about lymph drainage and lymph work, this will be a helpful episode to hear!
In this episode:
-All about Leah [2:33]
-Why Leah loves lymph [4:34]
-Lymph goes viral [7:48]
-Taking it from the top with lymph [11:21]
-Stagnant lymph [14:29]
-Things you can do to improve lymph [16:03]
-Movement, lymph & the connection to our gut [17:39]
-Breathing & how to know if you have a tight diaphragm [21:57]
-Can you be too aggressive with lymph drainage? [26:18]
-Signs you may be dealing with a lymphatic drainage issue [30:19]
-Changing your breast tissue through lymph work [37:07]
-Bras: to wear or not to wear for lymph flow [40:18]
-How to support our lymphatic system at home [42:54]
-Vibration for lymph flow [46:51]
-Where (& how) to start practicing lymphatic work [49:13]
-Tattoos and the lymph system [54:55]
-Injectables: yay or nay? [59:09]
FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/221-lymph-love-leah-levitan
Functional lab testing has been gaining in popularity over the last few years. More and more folks are seeking answers to their health issues, and providers are responding by offering various options for hormone and other functional lab testing. But not all providers provide in the same way, and we’re increasingly seeing an algorithmic, “if this, then that” approach to labs in the functional medicine space. This doesn’t give folks the answers they need, it doesn’t get to the root of their issues, and it doesn’t help them feel better.
Hormone testing is a great tool to help uncover and confirm imbalances in the body, but it doesn’t answer ALL the questions you might have. Namely, WHY and HOW the imbalance came to be in the first place. This is where a la carte lab testing falls short because it doesn’t consider your full, unique picture.
On today’s episode Erin explains the approach she and the Funk’tional Nutritionist Team takes to health, healing, and hormone testing in our private practice and in Your Hormone Revival, our 3-month balancing program to revive adrenal, thyroid, and hormone health through root cause restoration. You’ll hear not just what kind of hormone testing we do, but also WHY we do it the way that we do, all while sprinkling in answers to a lot of your questions about hormone testing along the way. By the end you’ll understand the value of a provider who can not only look at lab markers, but also interpret what those lab markers mean in conjunction with one another, AND in conjunction with YOUR unique context.
Whether you’re looking to test your thyroid hormones, you’re wondering about your estrogen or progesterone levels, or perhaps you suspect something is up with your adrenals or cortisol, you’ll want to tune in to this episode! This also provides valuable information to practitioners who want to understand the true meaning of taking a functional, root cause approach to labs and supporting their clients.
In this episode:
-Big news [1:09]
-Questions about hormone testing & how to get it [3:27]
-Two schools of thought when it comes to health [4:38]
-A third school and why it exists [6:04]
-The thing that separates clinicians who take a true, root cause approach… and those who don’t [8:08]
-How we practice at The Funk’tional Nutritionist [14:15]
-What a hormone lab test won’t be able to tell you [17:46]
-The importance of knowing what to do with lab information [20:05]
-Red flags when looking for a functional provider [27:10]
-Signs you’re a good candidate for hormone testing [31:10]
-What to do if your labs are normal (but you feel suboptimal) [34:13]
-The different ways to test hormones [35:27]
-How hormone testing can help someone with endometriosis [40:57]
-New organic acid markers for the DUTCH test (& a word of caution for utilization) [43:41]
-When is retesting recommended? [46:00]
-What to do if your provider won’t run tests [48:53]
FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/220-hormone-testing
There’s a bit of a misunderstanding in the health world that endometriosis is just a hormone problem, but this line of thinking is incomplete. Hormones can absolutely contribute to the endometriosis picture, but they are not the cause of endometriosis. And part of treating endometriosis should include strategies to support the hormones, though that’s not where the support should end.
Today on the show Erin speaks with Dr. Lara Briden all about endometriosis and why it’s such a complex thing to treat. Tune in to hear Lara dive into the immune side of endometriosis, epigenetics, gut dysbiosis, and how all these things can be interconnected. Erin and Lara also discuss testing options and strategies to treat endometriosis, plus and natural remedies you can try at home and lifestyle factors to consider. This episode is important to hear if you’ve been struggling with endometriosis or suspect you might have it, have been diagnosed with IBS but think there may be more going on, or if you’re a practitioner looking to deepen your understanding on the complexities of endometriosis.
In this episode:
-Lara Briden is kind of a big deal [2:50]
-The misunderstanding with endometriosis [4:02]
-Looking at endometriosis as a disease of immune dysfunction [7:25]
-Lara’s philosophy towards women’s physiology and women’s health [8:57]
-What is endometriosis? [13:26]
-Retrograde menstruation [16:20]
-Autoantibodies associated with endometriosis [20:31]
-The link between endometriosis and GI dysfunction [21:47]
-The importance of the immune cells macrophages [23:14]
-Focusing on bacteria as part of endometriosis treatment [25:30]
-The overlap between SIBO, IBS & endometriosis [28:54]
-Epigenetic involvement in endometriosis [31:11]
-Visceral sensitivity [37:52]
-How hormones like estrogen & progesterone can impact endometriosis [39:41]
-Why the pill isn’t always the best option for endometriosis [44:34]
-Progesterone resistance, and what it means for endometriosis [46:26]
-Testing options, natural remedies and treatment strategies [48:46]
-The role nickel allergy plays [55:13]
-The regulating effects of vitamin A [59:20]
-Reducing endometriosis lesions [1:00:22]
-What to know about taking iodine [1:01:49]
FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/219-endometriosis-hormone-gut-immune-health-lara-briden
If you’ve been considering joining the next round of the Funk'tional Nutrition Academy in September, but want to know what the experience of being in the school is all about, listen up! Hear directly from current FNA student Lori Fish Bard, MS, CNS, LDN as she shares why she joined and her experience thus far.
Also…Extended Financing for FNA Now Available! Check our full show notes with the link below for more details!
FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/218-hear-from-an-fna-student
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