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.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podscribe – https://podscribe.com/privacy
Copyright: © Copyright Erin Holt
When it comes to overall gut and hormonal health, the gallbladder is an unsung hero. It plays a crucial role not just in digestion and your ability to access nutrients in food, but also with detoxification and your hormone systems.
Unfortunately early gallbladder issues are often missed in conventional treatment, leading to the formation of gallstones and eventual gallbladder removal surgery. While there are certainly instances when gallbladder removal is necessary, removing the gallbladder typically doesn’t resolve the gallbladder issue. This is because it doesn’t address WHY the gallbladder issues arose in the first place. It’s not a root cause approach.
Today Erin packs an information-heavy episode all about the importance and roles of the gallbladder, bile production, and alerts you to some of the warning signs you may be having issues with your biliary tract. The purpose of sharing this is so you can not just take in this information and comprehend it, but to really take preventative measures BEFORE you get to the point of surgery.
If you deal with bloating, acid reflux, constipation, hormonal issues, thyroid issues, leaky gut, and particularly if you’re female (and over 40)… you’ll want to listen up!
In this episode:
-The body is the subconscious mind & a new approach to healing [2:07]
-The difference between comprehension and embodiment [9:03]
-One of the most common procedures in the US [10:38]
-The gallbladder and its functions [13:19]
-Why gallbladder removal surgery may not resolve gallbladder problems [17:45]
-Why gallbladder issues are often missed in conventional treatment [21:02]
-Symptoms of sludge and inefficient bile release [22:23]
-Why bile is so important [27:52]
-The link between toxins and hormones [31:05]
-Signs you’re not effectively clearing estrogen [32:19]
-Various roles of bile in the gut [33:27]
-The impact bile has on hormones, and metabolic health [36:34]
-Factors that can increase risk of gallstones [42:09]
-How to support overall bile production [44:58]
-The importance of bitters for improving bile health [49:31]
FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/207-gallbladder-bile-gut-health-hormones
Menopause is a phase in women’s lives that involves big physiological changes. Like during puberty and pregnancy, women going through menopause experience huge hormonal shifts that can have cascading effects on blood sugar, gut microbiome and adrenal health. These changes can also affect body composition: women who never struggled with weight are suddenly dealing with more belly fat and love handles. Understandably feeling a lack of control, many seek out answers to help understand what’s going on.
However, many in conventional health still tell women going through perimenopause and menopause to simply work out more and eat less, which can oftentimes exacerbate the new issues these women face.
Like Erin discussed in last week’s episode: if the approach isn’t working, try a new approach. If the physiology changes, we NEED to change the approach.
Today Erin peels back the layers on not just what is happening during perimenopause and menopause, but WHY these changes occur and highlights underlying factors that can lead to problems like insulin resistance, adrenal fatigue, cortisol dysregulation, sleep issues, gallbladder problems and weight gain. She also outlines things to consider for adjusting to these physiological changes and ways to support your health during this phase. If you or someone you know is going through menopause and wants to know what a new approach could look like, this will be a valuable episode to hear.
In this episode:
-Space to have a deeper conversation about weight [5:18]
-Preframing the discussion on menopause [9:49]
-Understanding the aging body [15:08]
-What the hormonal changes during menopause have to do with weight [17:31]
-Questions to ask if you notice body composition changes [20:23]
-Hormone changes and a potential shift with insulin signaling [21:06]
-Imbalanced cortisol and other metabolic changes [23:01]
-Signs you might be dealing with insulin resistance and high blood sugars [27:39]
-The two huge needle movers when it comes to menopausal changes [30:30]
-Building muscle, movement & other ways to improve insulin sensitivity [31:58]
-How sleep impacts glucose metabolism [35:40]
-Food and gut health considerations for blood sugar during menopause [37:37]
-The 3rd most common GI issue for women over 40 [41:04]
-The link between insulin and gallbladder problems [43:34]
-Symptoms of potential bile issues [45:41]
FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/206-weight-gain-menopause
Women hear an enormous amount of “you should…” statements on a daily basis—from social media to our family to our friends to our own self-talk. And when it comes to weight, body image and our intentions surrounding it, women often receive messaging that promotes weight loss as salvation AND anti-diet messages that promote body acceptance.
These conflicting, black and white, either/or messages creates fragmentation within ourselves and shame surrounding whichever direction we lean. There’s no room for gray area, for both thoughts to be true, and this can be especially pronounced for those who have struggled with eating disorders or even dealt with chronic illness. It’s not wrong to have a body image goal, but in order to achieve sustainable change, health and wellbeing, it’s necessary to understand the “why” behind these goals first.
Today on the show Erin taps into these whys to really get to the root of our body intentions and offers up thought provoking questions to uncover our own belief patterns. You might hear yourself in some of the examples Erin showcases, and you wouldn’t be alone if you did—these are conversations Erin has had with others both in her group programs and 1:1 work, as well as in real life with friends and family.
If, like so many others, you’ve ever found yourself somewhere in the gray area between diet culture and anti-diet culture, this will be an especially important episode to hear!
In this episode:
-Body composition goals, our sense of worth and shame [5:32]
-Fragmentation and lack of safety as it relates to food [9:56]
-Healing Diet Orthorexia and interoceptive awareness [13:47]
-Why it’s hard to “just let things go” when it comes to emotions, mindset & weight [17:33]
-Subconscious reprogramming and identifying the fragmentation [19:48]
-Building new pathways in the brain [24:59]
-How to approach a structured food plan without restriction [28:00]
-Using self-inquiry to better understand ourselves [34:34]
-Questions to ask yourself to challenge old belief patterns [39:30]
-Why confusion is a good thing when it comes to change [45:23]
-The thing that holds people back from making change [46:32]
-Shifting into self compassion for deeper understanding [53:19]
-What’s needed for a true root cause approach to healing [56:36]
FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/205-shoulds-shames-weight-loss-goals
Being healthy in today’s world can often come with a high price tag. Fortunately sleep doesn’t have to be one of those things, and in today’s episode Erin discusses the top three things that might be impeding your sleep at night and what you can do about them. From circadian rhythm to cortisol, bladder function to blood sugar, Erin highlights why making sure you’re getting the basics down is the very first thing you should be doing to improve sleep hygiene.
If you have trouble falling asleep, if you often wake up at night needing to pee or wake up with a racing heart, or feel tired and sluggish no matter how many hours you slept, this will definitely be an episode for you to hear!
In this episode:
-Free wellness and starting with the basics [4:57]
-Bladder health and night wakings [7:50]
-The first place to start for better sleep [14:55]
-The most important thing you can do to help regulate your circadian rhythm [17:34]
-How cortisol is related to melatonin and sleep [22:12]
-Reasons why cortisol might increase at night [27:12]
-Is your dysregulated blood sugar waking you up at night? [30:40]
-Pelvic floor health and sleep disruption [37:13]
-The potential problem with Intermittent Fasting and sleep [39:02]
-Nervine herbs to support our nervous system [41:31]
-Effects of CBD and CBN on sleep [44:02]
-The power of GABA and L-Theanine [46:06]
-Should you use melatonin supplementation? [48:03]
-Listener question about sleeping with window curtains open [51:12]
FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/204-cortisol-blood-sugar-improving-sleep-hygiene
If you’ve got gut problems, have you considered your pelvic floor function?
The pelvic floor is a grouping of muscles that encompasses the center of your body and today, Erin brings back to the show Dr. Cristin Zaimes of Oceanside Physical Therapy to discuss all things pelvic floor and why it’s so important to our overall health. Cristin is an expert in pelvic floor physiology and brings deep knowledge on the subject. Tune in to hear her highlight how pelvic floor health is about so much more than doing Kegals - our gut, bladder, sexual health, and even breathing can be tied to how well our pelvic floor is functioning.
If you’ve ever experienced leakage when you sneeze or exercise, have experienced back pain when lifting, have any sexual pain or dysfunction, or have gut problems like constipation, diarrhea or even recurring SIBO, this will be a really informative episode for you!
In this episode:
-Why Erin recently worked with Dr. Cristin Zaimes [7:09]
-What the pelvic floor actually is [8:57]
-The relation of the diaphragm [10:20]
-How to access your pelvic floor muscles [13:31]
-Telltale signs you have a pelvic floor dysfunction [16:18]
-Trauma, shame & treating the whole person [20:37]
-The crossover between the pelvic floor & GI dysfunction [23:21]
-Benefits to having a team [31:43]
-When health feels like a struggle [37:48]
-A game changer for those with chronic SIBO [40:35]
-Next steps for finding pelvic floor therapy [46:51]
FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/203-bladder-dysfunction-gut-problems-pelvic-floor-health
What do you do when your doctor doesn’t listen? When your provider doesn’t believe you?
A 2019 interview with Selma Blair on Good Morning America brought to light a scary fact: women are not being heard by their medical providers. Chronic conditions are going undiagnosed for YEARS, despite the fact that women are reporting real physical problems. When you layer in intersectionality, the issue gets even worse. This lack of care can have irreversible consequences, and despite increased awareness, the problem still persists today.
In this episode, Erin interviews Dr. Cristin Zaimes of Oceanside Physical Therapy to discuss how sexism in healthcare creates shame and distrust in our own bodies. While this episode originally aired in March 2019, Erin and Cristin highlight why this conversation is just as relevant and important today. Tune in as they discuss what we can do to change this—including ways to tap into our innate power to heal.
Dr. Cristin Zaimes holds a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Simmons College and has specialized in the field of orthopedics and pelvic floor dysfunction for over 15 years. She opened Oceanside in 2011, when her frustrations with the healthcare and medical system became overwhelming to her as a practitioner and she broke away to create an environment that supported healing and thrived on providing the best clinical care.
She has extensive advanced training in pelvic floor, bladder, bowel and sexual dysfunction for all people. She believes in allowing all those against whom the traditional medical system has biases, to have access to care that supports, connects and empowers. Dr. Zaimes spends much of her time advocating for patients through community connections, workshops and speaking engagements. Her passions include advocating for proper menstrual health and the awareness of abnormalities in period and ovulatory health, supporting new mothers and parents and fighting cultural norms that impede the healing process after delivery, and providing knowledge, guidance and support to women transitioning toward and after menopause.
In this episode:
-Cristin’s real passion points & the relevancy of this conversation [5:51]
-Sexism in healthcare [7:43]
-Scary statistics that highlight medical sexism [9:37]
-Why women aren’t being listened to [11:09]
-Why does chronic pain go on so long? [16:26]
-Neural networks [22:01]
-Hypervigilance in the body [25:54]
-Re-establishing resiliency in your body [36:22]
-Stepping away from generalized health recommendations [39:04]
-Building out a health care team [48:42]
-Your power to heal [58:32]
-How to find trust in healthcare again [1:03:23]
FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/202-when-your-doctor-doesnt-believe-your-pain-sexism-healthcare
Today on the Funk’tional Nutrition Podcast, Erin sits down with Naturopathic medical student and TikTok aficionado Natosha Ash to separate fact from fiction with the latest fad diets trending on social media. Speaking from both personal experience, through research and in working clinically with real people, Erin and Natosha clear up the confusion surrounding parasite cleansing, food combining and alkaline diets. On top of bringing evidence-based research to the table, they also touch on bigger picture topics like orthorexia, body resiliency and mindfulness surrounding health information sources.
If you’ve ever wondered about the validity of trending diets on social media or have gut issues and considered one of these diets, this will be a great one to hear!
Natosha Ash is a Naturopathic medical student, also studying nutrigenetics & nutrigenomics. She has a passion for sustainable health and wellness practices. Natosha believes that you shouldn’t have to go to medical school to understand the basics of the body which is partly why she created her IG health page. Natosha is also a genetics and biochemistry junkie. She previously earned her BA in pre-Law and is currently working to merge her passions of health and law together.
In this episode:
-Why people gravitate to how Natosha puts out information [4:32]
-Parasites and “rope worms” [9:52]
-What is mucoid plaque? [14:00]
-The problem with obsessing over cleanses and cleanliness [17:52]
-Food combining: what it is and what you need to know [21:16]
-GI confusion: is it gut dysbiosis or are you improperly combining foods? [27:15]
-Stress and resistance with food rules [34:16]
-The popularity of the alkaline diet [36:30]
-The false premise behind acidic foods [38:24]
-Potential Renal Acid Load and why this is important [41:08]
-Fads, experiments and the resiliency of our bodies [43:11]
-Being mindful of where you find health information [45:30]
-How distrust in the system affects beliefs [48:24]
FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/201-parasite-cleansing-food-combining-alkaline-diets-natosha-ash
Today on the show Erin celebrates some big podcast milestones: 200 episodes and 2 million downloads!! Tune in to reminisce with Erin and hear answers to a smorgasbord of listener questions ranging from career pivots (is it ever too late? How about with a baby?) to whether coffee enemas are actually beneficial (and how to do one properly!) She also covers questions about molecular mimicry with gluten and thyroid, detoxing mycotoxins, what you should know about binders and serves up thought provoking questions to ask yourself when healing feels like a struggle.
We’d like to extend a huge THANK YOU to you all–our listeners–for tuning in and sharing this podcast over the last 4.5 years. It’s your continued support that gives Erin the motivation and inspiration to show up week after week. Here’s to another 4 years, 200 more episodes, and 2 million more downloads!
In this episode:
-The different reasons people come to the podcast [5:36]
-How it started, how it’s going [7:22]
-Reciprocity and changing the culture around expectations and entitlement [12:46]
-Alignment with brands [18:23]
-Is it ever too late to make a career pivot? [20:03]
-Showing up despite feelings of failure and lack of validity [23:12]
-The immunology and molecular mimicry of thyroid and gluten [30:41]
-Antigenicity and cross reactivity [35:48]
-Where to begin when detoxing mycotoxins [41:47]
-What are binders and what you should know about them for mold exposure [44:19]
-Are coffee enemas actually beneficial? [48:49]
-Questions to ask yourself when healing feels hard [53:33]
FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/special-200th-episode-how-it-started-how-its-going-answering-listener-questions
What did you do to grow your business? What strategy did you use to expand your social media presence? How do you get more clients? These are the questions so many business owners and health practitioners ask when trying to grow or expand their own business; however, the answers don’t lie in steps and how-to’s.
Our subconscious beliefs and how they influence our health has been a theme on the show lately, and today Erin highlights how these beliefs can affect how we show up (or don’t show up) in our work, our business and our life. Tune in to hear takeaways from conversations about business and life that Erin has had with other business owners and practitioners, how she uses intuition to guide decisions, creating authentic connections on social media (or any platform), investing in personal growth and why creating a safe space for you to exist in your own work is paramount to success.
While she does talk shop about running business, this discussion extends well beyond business and can be applied to your health and life, too. If you’re a business owner or practitioner who’s looking to grow your business in a way that feels good to you, if you’re someone who feels unfulfilled in your work or your life, if you identify as a people pleaser or codependent, or if you’re looking for ways to gain more awareness and tap into your intuition, this will be a powerful and thought provoking episode for you!
In this episode:
-Creating a space in your work for you to exist [5:56]
-How work and health intersect [7:22]
-Life aspects that contribute to overall health [11:49]
-Your inner pilot light [14:54]
-How to show up authentically in business [19:43]
-The importance of creating space for intuition to come through [23:53]
-Why inner work is required in business [25:51]
-The one thing you must understand in order to grow on any platform [29:30]
-Parallels of personal growth and business growth [34:37]
-Shame, self expression and subconscious beliefs [39:42]
-The foundation of any powerful brand or platform [46:07]
-Do you know what your Personal Philosophy is? [49:09]
-Cascading effects of setting boundaries in business [51:57]
-Where Erin’s marketing & sales differs from others [55:41]
-A real-world example of staying aligned in business [57:03]
-Women, financial goals and building wealth [1:01:30]
-Pressure to get the sale [1:07:31]
FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/199-creating-space-for-you-to-exist-in-your-work-life
A functional approach to healing is a root cause approach. It attempts to unearth, understand and resolve unique root causes of any imbalances going on within the body. Where it can get a bad rap is when it becomes too cookie cutter, relying too heavily on protocols, elimination diets and supplements.
Today’s conversation is with clinical nutritionist Jessica Flanigan and taps into this growing trend in the wellness world. Erin and Jessica discuss problems seen in our modern culture of healing, how to find a skilled clinician, authority and power versus experience, how restriction can affect oral tolerance and the power that belief work and spirituality have on our healing.
While this interview originally aired in 2018, Jessica showcases why, even today, she’s always been lightyears ahead of the functional medicine space by offering ways practitioners can approach going deeper with clients to find the root cause of their issues… and ways we can go deeper with ourselves. If you’re struggling to get to the root of your health issues, feeling exhausted by the pursuit of wellness, or are wondering if the health answers you seek fall outside the echo chamber, this conversation is definitely one to hear.
Jessica Flanigan is an authority on the autoimmune, paleo movement & well beyond. For 25 years she has been a clinical nutritionist and worked extensively in private practice with medical doctors, chiropractors, acupuncturists and body workers. She’s the author of The Loving Diet, which she created to help clients have a more comprehensive plan for healing. Using Loving as a way to better health, The Loving Diet is a revolutionary approach to healing. Original air date: November 7, 2018
In this episode:
-What is a functional medicine approach? [4:39]
-Looking past the echo chamber both in health and in your life [9:41]
-Pursuing health and wellness from a place of lack versus abundance [20:59]
-The #1 question to ask yourself before attempting any diet [27:04]
-Personalized medicine and judgements in the wellness world [29:04]
-How to find a skilled provider and the importance of clinical experience [32:56]
-Tribalism and modern authorities in health movements [36:22]
-The lie you’ve been told about food sensitivities [39:05]
-Oral tolerance - what it is and why it matters [41:30]
-How restriction can lead to inflammation, gut problems and autoimmunity [43:20]
-Plant-restrictive diets: yay or nay? [49:45]
-What to do when we feel stuck [52:02]
-Our unconscious belief systems [54:22]
-Hot seat coaching [1:03:48]
-A different orientation to trauma and safety [1:07:57]
FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/198-protocols-elimination-diets-the-pursuit-of-wellness
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
