ALL EPISODES
The Funk’tional Nutrition Podcast
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- ACNE
- ANTINUTRIENTS
- AUTOIMMUNE ILLNESS
- AUTOIMMUNITY
- BLOATING & GAS
- BLOOD SUGAR
- BOUNDARIES
- BREATHWORK
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- PMDD
- PMS
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- SIBO
- SOURCING
- STRESS
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- THYROID
- UNDERSTANDING AUTOIMMUNITY
- VITAMIN D
- WEIGHT LOSS
Episode 244: Thyroid Dysfunction 101
Thyroid dysfunction affects approximately 28 million Americans–8 out of 10 of which are women. In fact, hypothyroid is so commonplace that Levothyroxine is consistently one of the top-prescribed drugs year after year. There are a lot of ways to support the thyroid before it gets to this point, so we have to ask ourselves WHY this issue is so common and how we can be proactive about achieving optimal thyroid health.
Like most other areas of our health, thyroid health is multifaceted, and there are plenty of possible causes for dysfunction. In under 60 minutes, Erin breaks down the symptoms of hypothyroid; the impact of root causes such as caloric restriction, liver health, and non-thyroid hormonal balance; things your conventional medicine practitioner might miss in lab results; and the relationship between the energetic body and the thyroid.
Episode 243: Balance Your Hormones in Under An Hour
Today Erin is teaching you how to balance your hormones using the 5 key elements of hormone health – do these things and you WILL balance your hormones.
Episode 242: Hormones & Your Brain Chemistry
In this episode re-release, we're discussing how the brain directly affects your hormones, the distinction between consuming and integrating information, and ways to train your brain to be more resilient to life's stressors.
Episode 241: Post-Birth Control Syndrome
Birth control - it’s a hot topic in more ways than one. There are many misconceptions and misguided information when it comes to understanding birth control and its effects on your body. So today Erin sits down with Rachel Mistry, RD, MSN, the Lead Practitioner on our team, as we dive in and discuss what is “Post-Birth Control Syndrome”, how birth control affects our cycle and different systems in the body, post-pill detoxification, and more. They also discuss therapeutic interventions and what to do when you’re on or off the pill.
In this episode, please keep in mind that we are not anti-birth control, we are pro-education. That being said, Erin’s stance on birth control is “You are the authority on you. You decide what to do with your body. I believe in informed consent. But in order for you to give informed consent, you must first be informed.”
Episode 240: Neurobiology of Chronic Conditions
Today, Erin dives into key concepts of neuroplasticity, understanding how our brain functions from start to finish whenever our body’s health has been compromised, factors that lead to chronic conditions, why certain hormones make us feel certain emotions (hint: it involves the amygdala & insula), and the three main areas of focus when it comes to retraining our brain to veer away from this loop of symptoms.
In this episode, we want you to keep in mind that everyone is coming to this show at different levels of their healing journey, and if you are dealing with a chronic ongoing issue, all of your experiences and emotions are valid.
By the end of this episode, you’ll have a deeper understanding of how your mind can help you overcome the stresses - and symptoms - of chronic conditions at your own pace and strength. Our hope & my intention is that this episode provides healing strategies that may not have been presented to you before.
Episode 223: Fragrances, Hormones & Simple Steps to Healthy Living
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.
Episode 220: Hormone Lab Testing: A Non-Algorithmic Approach
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.
Episode 219: Endometriosis & the Overlap of Hormone, Gut & Immune Health with Dr. Lara Briden
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.
Episode 213: Understand Your Cycle; Take Back Your Power with Lisa Hendrickson-Jack
Erin sits down with Lisa Hendrickson-Jack, Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner and Fertility Awareness Educator, to get into the nitty gritty of everything you ever wanted to know about your period. Tune in to hear Lisa highlight why your cycle is a vital sign, the role blood plays, what’s considered “normal” with periods and PMS, how to know your fertile window, differences in birth control options, and how cycle tracking can not only give you insight into your reproductive and overall health, but also help you plan your life.
Whether you’re trying to get pregnant, trying to NOT get pregnant, or just trying to understand your body better, this is an especially relevant episode that offers up powerful information to take charge of your fertility. Reproductive health affects EVERYONE, so share this episode with anyone you care about!
Episode 212: A Functional Medicine Approach to Labs
Today on the show Erin highlights the differences between functional medicine and conventional medicine in terms of how we approach lab testing. While oftentimes healthcare can be cost prohibitive for some, Erin discusses how you can utilize very basic lab work—that doctors will run and is covered by insurance—through a functional lens. Tune in to hear the differences in functional and conventional lab interpretations, limitations of conventional lab reference ranges, and real world examples of how to approach common lab markers with a functional lens.
Episode 210: Coffee & Adrenals: Do You Have to Wean the Caffeine?
You’ll hear this time and time again on the show: there’s a lot of nuance and gray area when it comes to our health. What’s right for one person may not be right for another. It’s your unique context that determines not just WHAT is appropriate for you, but also WHEN—because context can change. Sometimes knowing what’s right for us gets confusing, especially when we hear conflicting health information. Today Erin offers insight into coffee, caffeine and the health signs to consider when evaluating your intake. Tune in to hear how caffeine affects our stress response, how to recognize what your body is asking for when you want to drink more and more coffee, how to lessen caffeine withdrawal symptoms, and coffee alternatives to try.
Episode 207: Gallbladder, Bile, Gut Health & Hormones: What You Didn’t Know
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!
Episode 194: The Hormone-Brain Connection
An often overlooked topic when we are talking about hormone imbalance or adrenal fatigue is how to support hormones by supporting the brain. The brain literally tells our organs and glands how and when to make hormones. So in order to have “healthy hormone balance”, the brain has to be healthy, resilient and balanced.
This episode has lots of nuggets of info, with one major message: Your thoughts and stress levels influence your brain and your physical body. If we want to change the physical body and feel better, then we have to start at the top. Listen in as Erin dives into the upstream factors of hormonal health, why information alone won’t solve your problems, and her top 3 tips for paying attention to thought patterns.
Episode 193: The Emotional Body: Breathwork, Hypnosis & Manifestation with Andrea Mitchell, LCAT
Erin often thinks of the work that she does in 2 parts. While it’s true that we have to work on the physical body - nutrition, movement, lab testing - we have to be open to the fact that our energy body and emotional body impact our physical health as well. This conversation with Andrea Mitchell, intuitive wellness coach and founder of Andrea Mitchell Wellness, explores the other half of healing that often goes overlooked.
A lot of folks have been asking us for more “woo”-ish episodes, so we’re bringing this conversation to you and hope you can pull some little pieces to use in your day-to-day life! Tune in as Erin and Andrea discuss the purpose of art therapy, somatic healing, breathwork, and hypnosis - as well as diving into some high level topics like the ego and consciousness. Stay through to the end to hear Erin and Andrea’s hot takes on manifestation, and how Erin uses it in her life, work and healing.