Realfoodology - Is Your Diet Causing Anxiety? with Meg DeJong

Episode Date: February 22, 2023

134: On this weeks episode, we will be talking all about anxiety.  I like so many others struggle with anxiety which is why I am bringing on Meg DeJong who is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist specializing in anxiety.  We talk about what you can do, things that cause anxiety, why diet may be contributing to your anxiety, the gut brain connection and so much more.  Topics Covered: What’s actually making you anxious? The issue with not talking enough about side effects of pharmaceuticals  Hormones, depression and anxiety  Birth control and depression  Neuroinflammation  Should you take probiotics long term? Glyphosate and the gut  Soil health  Blood sugar Magnesium deficiency and anxiety  Nutrient deficiency and anxiety  Foods to help prevent anxiety  Artificial sweeteners  Emotional trauma  Where to start  Check Out Meg: Instagram Online Sponsored By: KION Save 20% on monthly deliveries and 10% on one-time purchases by going to getkion.com/realfoodology Organifi www.organifi.com/realfoodology Code REALFOODOLOGY gets you 20% Off BiOptimizers: www.bioptimizers.com/realfoodology  REALFOODOLOGY gets you 10% off all BiOptimizers products BiOptimizers: Magnesium Breakthrough www.magbreakthrough.com/realfoodology Code REALFOODOLOGY gets you 10% off any order. Check Out Courtney: **REALFOODOLOGY PODCAST IS NOW ON YOUTUBE!** Courtney's Instagram: @realfoodology www.realfoodology.com My Immune Supplement by 2x4 Air Dr Air Purifier AquaTru Water Filter EWG Tap Water Database Further Listening: Glyphosate, GMO's and How to Navigate the Food System with Zach Bush MD

On today's episode of The Real Foodology Podcast. What's like the one thing I can do to like help my anxiety with my diet? And it's like, really, it's going back to the basics of like, is your diet made primarily of whole foods? And by whole foods, it's really just foods found in nature and minimally processed. Hi guys, welcome back to another episode of The Real Foodology Podcast. I'm your host, Courtney Swan. So grateful that you're here today. Today's episode is all about anxiety. It is no secret. If you have been following me for a while, you probably know a little bit too much about my anxiety journey. I went through something super traumatic, a couple of things super traumatic as

a kid that I've shared many podcasts on. And as a result of not dealing with the trauma that I went through as a kid, I developed some pretty severe anxiety throughout my life. And as I share in this episode, it ebbs and flows, depending more so on how much I'm taking care of myself. And, you know, as someone who has struggled with anxiety for a really long time, I feel like I've tried every supplement under the sun. I have done everything I can to dial in my diet. I've gone off coffee. You name it, I pretty much have tried it. And as I always try to do with this podcast is I want to provide as much information as I possibly can to help you with anything that you're struggling with health-wise. And so I figured why not make an entire episode all about anxiety,

what you can do, things that affect it, why our diet affects anxiety. We touch really briefly on SSRIs. We talk about the connection between the gut and the brain and why oftentimes if we're having gut issues, we are also going to be dealing with anxiety and other things having to do with mental health because of that direct connection between the gut and the brain. We talk about something that maybe a lot of people aren't aware of is there is a connection between our blood sugar and our anxiety levels. So it is more important than ever, especially as someone like myself who deals with anxiety on a day-to-day basis, to really make sure that we are optimizing our blood sugar and

eating really well-balanced, high-quality meals that have high-quality animal protein, high-quality fat, and a good amount of greens and fiber, vegetables, to balance our blood sugar. Because that can also be causing anxiety as well as a whole slew of other health issues. I usually try to keep these intros pretty short. So with that, let's get into the episode. Actually, before we dive into the episode, if you're loving the podcast, if you could just take a moment to leave a rating and review, it would mean so much to me. Appreciate your support. Without you, the listener, this would not be possible. So I just want to always take a moment to express my gratitude because I am so grateful that you

were listening. With that, let's get to the episode. Thank you guys. I hope you have a great day. One of my goals this year is to get more protein in. There's been a lot of conversation around longevity and the importance of having good lean muscle on your body, especially as we age, because our muscle deteriorates, especially if we are not actively working on making sure that we maintain that muscle mass. And maintaining muscle mass is more than just working out. Yes, you need to work out in order to maintain your muscle mass, but also protein is a key component here. And making sure that you get enough protein every day is going to help make sure that you keep on that good, healthy, lean muscle. So this is how I am getting more protein in every single day. I am prioritizing good, healthy, clean animal protein sources. So like

eggs, organic grass-fed pastures, meats, chicken, ground beef, and I'm also drinking amino acids and a protein shake every single day from the brand Keon. Keon's protein is made from whey isolate it's also from grass-fed and pasture-raised cows which is really important there's nothing artificial in there there's no artificial sweeteners if you guys want to try Keon go to getkeon.com slash realfoodology that's g-e-t-k-i-o-n dot com slash realfoodology and you're going to save 20% on monthly deliveries and 10% on one-time purchases. If you're like me and you struggle with insomnia and stress, you're going to want to listen to this. Four out of five Americans are actually magnesium deficient.

And almost everyone is at suboptimal levels. And the problem is that magnesium is involved in more than 600 biochemical reactions in your body. And as a result, if you have suboptimal levels of magnesium in your body, it can lead to irritability, anxiety, insomnia, muscle cramps, twitches, constipation. The list of symptoms is almost endless. So what do you do about it? You need to find a really good, high quality magnesium supplement. This is why I love Bioptimizer's Magnesium Breakthrough. It has all seven critical forms of magnesium. Pretty much every function in your body gets upgraded from your brain to your sleep, pain and inflammation. You have less stress. This is the first supplement that I've seen of its kind. It's the only full spectrum magnesium supplement that has all seven unique forms

of magnesium that your body can actually use and absorb. And if you're like me and you want to take it a step further and really optimize your deep sleep and REM sleep, I highly recommend their Sleep Breakthrough. It's a sugar-free drink that you have before bed, and it really does help to give you the best sleep ever. If you want to try any of the BiOptimizers products, please go to bioptimizers.com slash realfoodology and you are going to save 10%. That's B-I-O-P-T-I-M-I-Z-E-R-S.com slash realfoodology and use code realfoodology. I'm so excited to have you on today. I have spoken a lot on my Instagram and my podcast about my own personal struggles with anxiety. I've dealt with anxiety pretty much my whole life and I've had various, it's been like a rollercoaster ride where I feel like I've figured it out and then it's come back really strongly and it's just kind of, you know, I've

had a very interesting relationship with anxiety my whole life. So I'm really excited to talk to you about anxiety and diet and lifestyle and what people can do to improve their anxiety and stress. And yeah, so I just want to dive into it. Perfect. Let's do it. Yay. Okay. So first and foremost, just for people to understand kind of where you're coming from. So can you give people a little bit about your background and what really brought you into the world of wellness and talking about anxiety and mental health and all that? Absolutely. Yes. Like yourself and probably a lot of people listening um I too have had a really long journey struggling with anxiety and I think you know when I look back now I think my date as early as I was like five or six years old and I remember just being a kid and like breaking down

and crying and my mom was like what's wrong and I'd be like what if this person gets sick or just like these like really irrational fears and it was like now I look back I'm like wow I was just like a really anxious kid um and then I actually had my first kind of diagnosed anxiety condition when I was 14. And I started developing a really bad eating disorder. And again, now looking back, I can link it all back to my anxiety. And it was like, when I was starting high school, and yeah, a really ungrounding stressful time. And then yeah, so I guess since pretty much the age of 14, I've really been on a journey of understanding my anxiety and managing it. And I like to say that I feel like I've tried nearly every anxiety remedy under the sun.

And I'd love to share a little bit about that because I know it's a confusing field to navigate. And especially in today's day, it's like anxiety is rampant, you it's, it's a confusing field to navigate. And especially in today's day, it's like anxiety is rampant, you know, and it's a lot of the population is struggling with it. And for me, at such a young age, I was super resistant to it. It's like, I hated the idea that I had anxiety that I had an eating disorder, I was in complete denial. You know, my parents were super supportive, and they would, you know, bring me to my doctor and try to get me to go to therapy. And I just like sat in the chair and would cry. And like, I just, I did not want to manage it. Tried to put me in an eating disorder clinic and I lied on the

form and just, you know, wouldn't, wouldn't go in. And so eventually my doctor actually recommended that I go on anti-anxiety meds. And at the time I was like, okay, fine, I'll do this because like, I don't wanna do anything else. And everyone was like, you have to do something. And yeah, I just wanna make the side note too. Whenever I talk about meds, it's like, I always feel like, you know, there's so many different reasons people go on

anti-anxiety meds or depression meds or whatever it is. And I'm never here to judge and I will share my experience with it. But I know for a lot of people, it is kind of like the last resort and it can be really, really helpful. And for me, when I went on them, it was kind of like instant, like I did start to feel a lot less anxious. But also I did now again, looking back, I realized I experienced a lot of the side effects from it. So I like instantly gained weight. I didn't really change my diet, even though I still had all of these really unfortunate, really, really unfortunate relationship with food. I was like really tired all the time. I would come

home from school and I would sleep like two hours and everyone's like, Oh, you're just growing. Like it's all good. And like, I even like had teachers kind of hold me back and be like, Megan, like what's, what's wrong like it seems like you've changed like it seems like you don't really care anymore and like at that point you know I was just like well I don't like whatever um and then yeah it was once when I got to university I studied kinesiology so I was like always really interested in the human body um and then I learned about the gut brain connection and you you know, SSRIs and, you know, just certain like, because like I was on an SSRI and I was like, oh, like, you know, I kind of put all these pieces together

where it's like, wow, I never actually tried to understand my anxiety. And I took these meds and there was like this intuitive sense in me where I was like, okay, I think it's time I go off of these and I figure things out naturally. And, you know, I was like, okay, I think it's time I go off of these and I figure things out naturally. And I was very certain that that was what I wanted to do. And so, yeah, from there on, I've had a long journey of kind of managing my anxiety from like a bit more of a holistic place. Wow. Yeah. Okay. Wow. That's such a journey that you went through. And also thank you for sharing all of that with us. I really appreciate that. So what was your experience?

I mean, so you said that you were, if you're comfortable talking about this, that you were on SSRIs and then you ultimately went off of them. What was your experience and what made you want to get off of them? I've heard from many people, well, similar to what you said is that they felt like they weren't themselves anymore.

It was like they didn't care about anything anymore. And they were so just blase about life and not really concerned about anything to the point where it was actually hindering them from living their lives. Exactly. I felt very similarly. And I think, you know, the only thing I can really bring it back to is just sort of like this intuitive feeling I had. I was young, I was like 19. And I was like, I think it's time I go off of these and like try because like, I knew that the way I, you know, ignored my anxiety and tried to deny it and, you know, didn't didn't get to the root of things. I knew it wasn't healthy. But it also was just like, I didn't have it in me as a teenager to want to face it. But then as I was, you know,

kind of at this stage in my life where I felt really independent, I was at like moved across the country away from my family I was like yeah I think I'm gonna I'm gonna give this a go and um I don't know do you know Dr. Ellen Vora have you ever heard heard of her no okay she she's an amazing psychiatrist and she focuses a lot on anxiety she has a book called the anatomy of anxiety and she actually just like brings up some really awesome points about just this idea of meds and the fact that a lot of the time, doctors, first of all, it's like, we don't, we don't try the natural routes or things like diet and lifestyle and like, okay, what's actually making you anxious in the first place? You know, those kind of things. But secondly, we don't talk about the side effects very often. And thirdly, we don't talk about withdrawal symptoms and coming off of them. And I feel really grateful that, I mean, it's a blessing and a curse that I was like really stubborn. And I was like, you know

what, I'm going off of these and I don't recommend people do this, but I did just kind of go off of them cold turkey. And it was really hard. I spent months like feeling really depressed and like having inconsolable crying and not knowing what was going on. But spent months like feeling really depressed and like having inconsolable crying and not knowing what was going on. But I also knew I'd read enough about it that I was like, okay, I know this is just like part of coming off of these, but it's really challenging and it's, it's a hard thing. And I think it's like something that we need to talk about more. It's not an easy process to transition off of them too. Yeah. I've actually heard this. I heard a psychiatrist talk about this

one time and she shared her, her experience was actually shocking to me. So she was trained in the conventional allopathic, you know, route and was putting all of her patients as many do on SSRIs and all these other medications. And as she started feeling like they weren't, not for everyone, but she felt like for a lot of her patients, they weren't helping them anymore. And as she started feeling like they weren't, not for everyone, but she felt like for a lot of her patients, they weren't helping them anymore. And as she started trying to get them off, she said at one point in her words, she said, I felt like I was, I had like a rehab clinic. Because she was like everyone coming off the drugs were, she was like it was as if everyone was coming off like heroin and cocaine and all these like really crazy drugs. And that's when she started digging into more other lifestyle and diet changes because she was like, one, I felt like for many people, the drugs weren't helping them anymore past a certain point. And two, she saw the withdrawals that people were going through. And she was like, I don't even want to put people through this,

you know, in the first place. And I want to be very careful. And I want to say this for everyone listening. And I always try to say this, you know, anytime I talk about medication or anything like this, one, I don't want anyone to feel ashamed if they are on medication. And I don't want to say that, that there isn't a time and a place that we need them because I absolutely believe in, in having medications for when we really need them. So I'm not advocating against them. My whole thing is that I really believe in informed consent. And I think many people are not, they're not given the whole truth of it. And I think many times, especially in America, we are so quick to prescribe drugs before actually sitting down and having a conversation with someone like, okay,

well, what's your social life like? What's your diet like? Are you getting enough sleep? There are certain foods that we're eating that are contributing to our anxiety, our hormones. I'm going through this right now where I'm realizing that my hormones are all out of whack. So I'm working with a doctor trying to figure that out before I go on any sort of medication because there really is, I like to practice root cause and I just want people to have informed consent. So knowing, first of all, that there are things that you can do, which is something I wanna talk to you about today,

before taking that step. And if you have exhausted everything else, you've done it, you've seen all the doctors, you've gotten all the blood work done and you're still feeling this way and that you need to go on medication, then great, that's what we have it for. Exactly. Yeah, I'm so right there with you.

And it's like, I actually work with a lot of people who, yeah, like they're still on their meds and they're, you know, it's like, it's working and we're also doing diet stuff and it's like, it doesn't have to be one or the other. You like can do both. And like you said, it's like, yeah, there, there gets to that point where, you know, maybe you have tried everything and then that is the right, right time. But it's like everyone has their own level of what is right and what isn't. Exactly, and I'm not here to judge what that level is for people.

I just want everyone to be fully informed on all the facts, make the decisions that are best for themselves, and that's great. Exactly, yeah, and for people to feel empowered and inspired because I think there's sometimes, with the idea of anxiety or any mental health condition, there sometimes is this like language that you're broken or there's, you know, something wrong with you. And it's like, that, that is not true. And that couldn't be further from the truth. It's, it's such a big picture thing to look at. Absolutely. It's a

huge picture thing. Well, and one of them too, which I would love to talk about a little bit, because I don't think this is spoken about enough. And I mentioned this was hormones. So hormones can have a huge effect on your depression, anxiety. And I read that there was a study done. I wish I could remember the exact percentage, but it's a really high percentage amount of women that end up going on antidepressants or SSRIs after they go on birth control because birth control is directly linked to depression in women. And it's like a lockstep. You go on birth control and then all of a sudden you're depressed and you don't know why. And so then they put you on antidepressant medication instead of just informing the women in the first place like, well, it could be your birth control because

messing with your hormones is causing anxiety and stress. Totally. Yeah. I wanted to say, yeah, I appreciate so much. I, I, um, obviously follow you on Instagram a lot and I, I love that you're so open and do share about birth control. Cause there really is such a link to that. And a lot of the time too, um, sometimes it's just like a, I don't want to say simple, but it is just like a hormonal imbalance. Like even for people who aren't on birth control, um, that is causing them to be super anxious. Like, especially leading up to their periods. A lot of women see that. And one of the most common hormonal imbalances we see is like sky high

estrogen levels and too low progesterone levels. And that is like textbook. You are going to feel anxious before your period likely if you're facing that. So it's like, yeah, you're so right. And then there is that correlation of being on birth control. And yeah, it's wild. Let's explain this for people. Like, why would our diet and our gut health be directly affected to our anxiety and our hormones? So I know 70% or something of our serotonin is made in our gut. And then we have that connection of the vagus nerve from our gut to our brain. What exactly is happening there?

Yes, great question. Yeah. So I think you, you kind of nailed the two main areas I like to talk to people about. So the first one is neurotransmitters. So it's actually 90 over 90% of serotonin is produced within our gut. Over 50% of dopamine is produced within our gut. And then we also have gut bacteria that help to synthesize and increase reception of GABA in the brain. And GABA is like our best friend when we're feeling anxious. It's an inhibitory neurotransmitter that's super calming.

So these are kind of like, yeah, really main examples. And if we don't have this like beautiful, healthy, diverse gut biome, we're not going to be producing those neurotransmitters in our base or we'll be producing them, but not in the adequate levels we need. So that is a really big one. And then, yeah, the vagus nerve. So that's like our largest nerve connecting our gut and our brain. A lot of communication goes on there between the gut and the brain. And that's a huge impact as to why. So if we have a super inflamed gut, our vagus nerve is going to communicate with our brain and that's going to, you know,

create inflammation, which is now a new huge, or it's not new, but it's more talked about field of research, this idea of neuroinflammation, which is inflammation within our brain. And so, and then it also works other ways. So like if you're feeling, you know, super anxious, your vagus nerve is going to communicate with your gut and be like, oh yeah, like, you know, send the stress signals down there. And that's oftentimes why there's such a link between anxiety and digestive issues, IBS, you know, so many of these other kind of conditions that are showing up. They really are such a two-way street.

And it's kind of like the chicken or the egg, you know? Yeah, exactly. Yeah. How does someone maybe that is dealing with anxiety or depression listening kind of get to the bottom of like, okay, is it my gut bacteria? Like what's happening? What would you suggest people do? Yeah, great question. LabWorks, amazing. And even getting like a gut GI test and do GI mapping and see, because they can even show up like, oh, you're actually really low in this bacteria that's, you know, super beneficial to help produce these neurotransmitters or whatever. But it's usually a safe bet in today's day and kind of like the

state of our food system. It's like a safe bet most people are struggling with gut issues if they are also struggling with anxiety. And yeah, you bring up a really interesting question about the probiotic. Like I think a lot of nutritionists, and I know you're a nutritionist too, Courtney, I'd love to hear your perspective. Because like, there's, it's, most people are just like, yeah, like, take a probiotic, like, it's great, whatever. But I think there is this idea where we've kind of like made them the new like magic bullet solution. And it's like, just take a probiotic and like, your gut health should improve. And it's like, for some people they do, but a lot of newer research is coming out saying it's actually best just for like short term.

And if we're just kind of constantly taking the same probiotic of the same strains, we're not actually diversifying our microbiome the way that we need to, to really have this healthy thriving gut. And I'm personally a huge fan of fermented foods. You know, so anything from like naturally fermented sauerkraut to kimchi, you know, kefir, like high quality yogurts, miso paste, like all of these things are amazing and they're living. And I think they're a great way to really support your gut health. And I always try to encourage my clients. It's like, OK, let's get you on at least one fermented food a day and focus on that.

Yeah, actually, I very much agree with you too. But had we talked about this a couple of years ago, I would have said something differently. But I feel the same way that we got so probiotic happy. And then everyone was taking the same probiotic, you know, the same one day in, day out for years. And after a while, it's like, okay, well, you're feeding your gut the same bacteria every single day with our probiotics. So I'm of the mind, similar to you, where I think we need to be getting our probiotics from all these different sources of sauerkraut, fermented yogurts, et cetera, all this stuff that you mentioned. And then if you were recently on antibiotics or maybe went on a trip and your stomach is messed up, like things like that,

where you actually need to be probably adding more in good gut bacteria, then that's when I would say do a good probiotic. And then also too, like I still take, I really like just Thrive probiotics, but I like to switch them out. Like I've been taking a different probiotic each month and just trying to build up my gut bacteria with different strains and from different companies, really good probiotics that I know that are actually like sourced well and bioavailable and all that. But I think it's, yeah, it really is about diversifying your gut microbiome. Yes. Let's really focus on a probiotic is if you've been on antibiotics and if you've been traveling and, you know, maybe pick something up. And I love that idea too, of cycling probiotics and trying different ones. And for some people too, like certain strains

actually just like, don't, don't feel that good for other ones. Like, you know, and we all, we need different ones. So I think that's a very brilliant call. Well, it goes back to, you know, we're also bio individual. And I think people are finally starting to really wake up to this, that we can't just give a blanket statement and say, okay, everyone needs to be on this one probiotic. Because like you said, different strains affect different people. It's also like, I have a totally different microbiome than you do. Then, you know, we have different microbiomes than everyone listening. So, I mean, it's kind of like, and how do we, I mean, unless if you get extensive testing done of your gut, like you're probably going to have to maybe experiment a little bit with what

works for you, try different ones, see what makes you feel better. And, you know, if you're really concerned, get some tests done. Absolutely. I completely agree. Yeah. And then just kind of on this topic of gut health too, I think sometimes, yeah, we sort of like stop the conversation around probiotics and, you know, now kind of like a little bit about fermented foods, but it's like, there's so much more we can do for our gut health. And, you know, whether that's be like increasing the diversity in our diet, I think that it's like, there's so much more we can do for our gut health. And, you know, whether that's be like increasing the diversity in our diet, I think that one's huge, you know, eating a wide variety of different types of veggies and plants and, you know, whole foods, that kind of thing is, is a really awesome one. And then even just like nature and like being,

you know, I'm, I know you're a fan of Zach Bush as well. And like, he always says that. Love him. Yeah. He's the best. But like, he has that like hashtag that he kind of founded, which was like, breathe your biome. And it's like, that is so brilliant. And I think, again, tying it back to the anxiety piece, I think, you know, of course, anxiety is so multifaceted and it's diet, it's lifestyle, it's, you know, all of these things. And another big piece of the puzzle is like time in nature and like connection to who we truly are, which is like, you know, we're a part of nature. And I think, you know, it's such a, such a cool thing to like get to go on a hike and breathe in all the diverse diversity within

your ecosystem and unplug and, you know, be, be connected and slow down. So yeah, that's, and that's just like scraping the surface. There really is so much we can do to support our gut. Yeah. What are some other ways that people can support their gut outside of the microbiome aspect of it? One big thing that I'm super interested in is just like, I guess it's still kind of related to our food system, but just like focusing on the quality of their food. And again, going back to anxiety and the link with all of it there, like glyphosate, which is, you know, the most commonly sprayed herbicide worldwide, it's actually been found now to, first of all, impact our gut membrane and really has a huge impact on the diversity

in our biome. And also like it harms the tight junctions of our gut membrane. So that's a huge one. And then it's also recent studies have found that it actually has an impact on our nervous system. So really focusing on, and we get so caught up in like, this food's bad, this food's good, blah, blah, blah. And it's like, no, no, no. Like, let's look at the quality and like how things were growing and like, is it sprayed with chemicals that are going to be inflammatory and, you know, are going to impact your nervous system and your gut health and, and that kind of thing. And I know that's like a huge topic we could dive into because I think that it's a huge reason as to

why we're facing so many gut issues is we've lost this quality in our soil and we've lost the kind of integrity with the way we grow food. There's nothing more comforting than a warming cup of hot chocolate before bed. I know coming from me, that may sound a little counterintuitive because you're probably thinking, how is hot chocolate healthy for you? But I've got a little hack for you and it's called Organifi's Gold Chocolate. First and foremost, the most important thing here, it has one gram of total sugar in it. So you get the satisfaction of having a comforting, cozy little sweet treat after dinner without all the loaded sugar.

And it's like with this one, you get a twofer, a two for one, because you also have the added bonus of things like turmeric, lemon balm, turkey tail. There's also magnesium and there's reishi in there. So whenever I drink this at night before bed, it gets me really sleepy and ready to wind down. And it really improved my sleep. There's also a blend in there that helps with digestion. There's acacia, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, and turmeric. So if you have this after dinner, it's also going to help with your digestion and it's going to get you ready for bed. My favorite thing about Organifi products outside of them being all organic, they're also glyphosate residue free. If you have listened to this podcast long enough or paid attention to my Instagram, you know that glyphosate is a huge, huge concern for all of us in this country.

Glyphosate is a known carcinogen that is being sprayed. It's an herbicide. It's being sprayed on all of our crops that are not organic. And it's also being leaked into organic products as well, organic foods. So this glyphosate residue-free stamp is so incredibly important. And it's one of my favorite things about Organifi outside of their actual products, which I love. If you want to try this hot cocoa from Organifi or any of their other products that I mentioned today,

make sure that you go to Organifi.com slash realfoodology, and you are going to save 20% on your order. Again, that's O-R-G-A-N-I-F-I.com slash realfoodology. Well, and to go back to that diversity piece, we're losing the diversity in our soil as well. With all the different plants, we're killing off the ecosystem of the soil essentially. And we are now learning that we are only as healthy as our soil is. Our plants get the nutrients from the soil and we are killing the whole ecosystem of the soil

by spraying it with glyphosate and all these other herbicides and pesticides. plants get the nutrients from the soil and we are killing the whole ecosystem of the soil by spraying it with glyphosate and all these other herbicides and pesticides. And then I want to add on to that as well. This is such a great point that glyphosate has been known to be an antibiotic as well. So it's literally killing off the bacteria in our bodies. We are more bacteria than we are human cells and we are killing all that bacteria off and acting like, you know, it's no big deal. Well, I think it's more that just people don't really know yet what's really happening with the glyphosate, you know? It's so true. Yeah. And then like kind of circling back again, it's like, because like our soil is

so depleted of nutrients, like our bodies and brains aren't getting the nutrients they need. And like, you know, we see this anxiety all the time, like low levels of magnesium, of zinc, all of these really, really important trace minerals that once upon a time we found in our soil. And it's like the levels are just getting lower and lower. And then, you know, I think that's another huge one I see in people struggling with anxiety is this, you know, like being nutrient deficient. And yeah, that's like a huge factor in our soil health. Okay. So let's talk about that too, because this is another really big one as well. I've noticed that when my magnesium is low and I actually just got some blood work done and my magnesium was pretty low and I was like, no

wonder my anxiety is through the roof right now. So I've been supplementing magnesium. Yeah. Let's talk about that. So what are some of the deficiencies that you're seeing and why so for example you're seeing magnesium deficiency linked to anxiety why is that yeah well I think you know magnesium is it's funny it's like the one supplement well not the one I have a couple supplements that I truly love but like magnesium is like my holy grail of supplements it's like I would say goodbye to all of them as long as I could still have my magnesium. And I just like, I take it before bed and I find it super calming. And it's just like a very, very calming mineral. And, um, you know, it's, yeah, it's so important for brain function. And, um, also like anyone that has like tight achy muscles and they're not sure why it's

like, that can be a magnesium deficiency issue. And, and it's funny cause like, uh, too, I think sometimes we like limit nutrients and we're like oh this nutrient is good for this one thing but it's like no they work in this like beautiful cascade together and the minute we're deficient in one the other one gets thrown off and it's like it's this funny thing where like we we need them all in these in these healthy balance levels but yeah I'm a big big fan of magnesium um and yeah I also like some of the other ones in terms of deficiencies like vitamin d is a huge one and I know, well, I'm in California right now, but I'm from Canada. And it's like people that don't supplement with vitamin D in Canada winters. It's like,

guys, we have to. And you know, it's like, you know, we probably, we do, I still do here in California and encourage most people too. But it's like, yeah, vitamin D deficiency is a huge one that affects our brain. Omega threes. And just, you know, I know Courtney, you're from all of your amazing food videos on Instagram and stuff, like talking about like inflammatory seed oils and things like that. And this like high ratio of omega six to omega three, like we need those omega three fatty acids. And yeah, there's, there's so many vitamins and minerals that we're kind of like missing just by the way of our food system.

Yeah, and this is a big problem. I had someone recently DM me and they were trying to kind of fight me on this saying like, no, we can get all of our nutrients from our food. And I used to be of that mind. When I first started going to school, I stopped taking all supplements actually, except for probiotic, which is so funny. Cause I was like, that's the one that I felt like

I needed a supplement. Um, but as I started learning about the depleting health of our soil and realizing that even with organic food, even the foods that we are not directly spraying with like glyphosate and all these other herbicides and pesticides, they're still not getting as much nutrients from the soil because we've in one way or another killed the soil with the monocropping and the tilling. Like we're doing a lot of stuff right now to really destroy that soil health. And as a result, our plants do not have as much bioavailable minerals and vitamins as they once did. It's just a sad reality of our modern times. I know. Yeah. I'm right there with you. And it's like, yeah, I was the exact

same where I was like, I just like, I'm a nutritionist. I focus on whole foods and like, you know, everyone's going to like get it from their diet. Their diet is going to be so amazing. And then it's like, I look at my diet and it's like, I feel like I eat really, really well. And it's like, I still feel like there's things that I'm missing and that I do need to supplement with. And another factor is too, is just like stress in and of itself is depleting. And like our body uses more resources if we are anxious or stressed. And so even just, you know,

these simple things to really support our immunity and, you know, support that stress function. It's like, if we have the ability to give our bodies that extra little boost, as long as it's like good quality and you're not going, you know, supplement happy and, you know, just focusing on that. I think they are an important part, unfortunately, in a way in today's day. Do you think that there are foods that are proliferating the problem and causing more anxiety

and stress in the body? When you kind of like look at our grocery store shelves, it's like a lot of the foods that we see there. And it's like, it's not even foods. It's like ingredients because it's like whole foods. It's like, I'm the biggest advocate. As long as you're not like allergic to certain food. It's like, I think all whole foods are amazing and you know, high quality animal proteins. And these things are so, so important and, and what make up a healthy diet. But it's like the red dye number 40, the, um, you know, all the additives, the seed oils, like these are the things that I think in so many, there's so many different mechanisms that it impacts our brain. A huge one is just

inflammation. Another one is like, just like impacting our nervous system, like these red, you know, the dyes and stuff, they're actually found to impact our nervous system. So I think like just so much of our, our modern food system and the ingredients that we put in our food are really impacting our brain health and triggering anxiety. And then I guess just like an area we haven't touched on yet, which is so important when we're talking about anxiety and nutrition is blood sugars. And like the fact that so many of our, you know, processed foods and refined grains, refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup, that's like, you know, in a lot of these like foods that

we see on the shelves, they, you know, cause huge spikes in our blood sugars. And especially if we're not paying attention to, you know, eating balanced meals throughout the day. And, you know, if we do have something sweet, it's like, are we having it as a dessert, as a little treat after, you know, after a balanced meal? Are we eating this on an empty stomach and it's going to cause our blood sugar, our blood glucose levels to spike and then cause a quick release of adrenaline and then a slower release of cortisol and like kind of throw us off all day. So I think just sort of like the way foods are so processed these days and void of nutrients, void of fibers. And then, you know, added with all of these other

kind of weird ingredients. It's all this huge, huge issue that's, that does make us anxious. Yeah, absolutely. The blood sugar component is a huge thing right now too, because yeah, there's so much sugar and everything, sugar and things that people don't even realize. I mean, there's, God, I found a high fructose corn syrup in salad dressing the other day. I also found white sugar in feta crumbles. Yeah, it's becoming to the point of complete absurdity. And we need to be more careful than ever of the ingredients that are in our food.

You know, I tell people this all the time. I'm like, save your sugar for where it counts. Save it for when you have that cookie or, you know, that dessert that you really want that you're craving or the dark chocolate or whatever it is. You do not need to be having 10 grams of sugar in your salad. Totally. You know, and you're not going to miss it if you're buying the salad dressings that don't have sugar, but yeah, that's a huge one. So, um, you know, with our blood sugar constantly spiking and then crashing, that's going to cause stress and anxiety in the body. And then guess what? When your body is stressed and inflamed,

then you're also going to feel stressed. So that is a really big one. And I think being more mindful of eating more high quality protein, high quality fat with our carbohydrates so that we're not, you know, constantly spiking and then crashing with the blood sugar is a big one too. Absolutely. Yeah. I think that's when that one is so huge. And too, I think in our day, we're getting so caught up in the world of nutrition. It's like, should I be paleo? Should I be keto, vegan, like, you know, intermittent fasting, all of these things. And like, you know, I think they all kind of have their best benefits and, you know, downfalls and whatnot, but it's like, can we just go back to this idea of whole foods, eating a whole foods based diet, you know downfalls and whatnot but it's like can we just go back to this idea of

whole foods eating a whole foods based diet you know and it's just like I think that that is where um you know so many people are like what I didn't know like anxiety and nutrition was a thing and so when I kind of tell them what I do and then um you know people ask like okay well what's like the one thing I can do to like help my anxiety with my diet. And it's like, really, it's going back to the basic basics of like, is your diet made primarily of whole foods and by whole foods, it's really just foods found in nature and minimally processed, you know, and it's like the things you said, it's nuts, it's seeds, it's high quality animal proteins, pasture raised eggs, complex carbohydrates, like yams, carrots, beets, like all of these things that are really grounding and leafy greens, all of those kinds of things. That's where the true money is when it comes to our diet and mental health. Yes. I love this. Well, because I think

too is just in general eating the more hyper-processed, highly palatable food-like products, I like to call them because they're them, because most of them are real food. So if we can get back to a place where we're focusing on eating whole real foods, yeah, it's going to obviously overall help your body and your gut and everything. And as a result, things are going to start falling into line. And I think this is a really important part of the conversation because we're not eating real food anymore. And then we're wondering why we're all stressed out and our guts are inflamed. And maybe we have the five pounds that we wish that we could get rid of that we can't like, you know, there's all these things happening.

The blood sugar issues, and we need to be focusing on eating whole real foods. Absolutely. And a lot of those issues will go away. Yeah. Yeah. It's so true. And when I went off my anxiety meds, I was kind of like in this place of like blank canvas and I was like, okay, I will do anything. Like, you know, at that point I was feeling in my lowest of lows and it's like, it actually took like three years because like I was so slow to like, not that I was slow, but it's like this stuff wasn't talked about. I didn't have the resources and it was talked about. just probably couldn't find it but it's becoming more mainstream

but it was like yeah kind of like at that place of um you know feeling really anxious and you know my anxiety was almost getting worse and worse um I actually was diagnosed with OCD and I was like had these moments where I was like terrified to leave my house and it was really really crazy and I you know I was going to talk therapy and um doing these different things but it was like, had these moments where I was like terrified to leave my house. And it was really, really crazy. And I, you know, I was going to talk therapy and, um, doing these different things, but it was like, finally, um, it was like all of these little pieces that I started to like, put together where it was like, okay, I need to start going to yoga. I need to slow down. I need to get in touch with nature. Um, I ended up going to CBT, which is like cognitive behavioral therapy. And that was amazing. And then I started to like,

kind of eventually the diet piece came where it was like, okay, I need to, and I, this was before I was a nutritionist. I didn't really understand blood sugars, but I had this idea where I was like, if I got hungry, I would start to feel really anxious. And now I call that hangshous. Like, you know how people get hangry? It's like, you can get hangshous too. It's like, you know, when you're hungry and you feel your blood sugars drop, but those were the kinds of things that really helped me. And also like giving up coffee, that was huge. And it's like, I'm not like someone to say like all coffee's bad, but it's like the way we chronically caffeinate in our society. It's like that, that is bound to that, that does impact our brain and our cortisol levels. And it's like finding, finding that healthy balance. So yeah, I just kind of wanted to bring that back to people. Cause it's like, there is, it can feel

overwhelming to like, be like, okay, what do I do? What don't I do? And it's like, it really is this beautiful opportunity when we are feeling anxious and we are open to trying these different things. It's like, you got to experiment and like, see what things work and stick and, and don't, but it really does go back to the basics of like, you know, whole foods diet and, you know, nourishing from that place of body, mind, self-love and, you know, and then, and then the other components too of like, do, you know, finding a therapist that works or a type of therapy that works, you know, slowing down. Yeah. There's so many, so many amazing things we could talk about, about the journey of really learning to manage our anxiety and finding that place of peace.

Okay. You just said so many things and there's so many different avenues I want to go down right now. I want to say something very quickly because I don't want to touch on this because I just did a whole podcast episode about this, but I just had Samantha Gilbert on and we did an entire episode about OCD and nutritional deficiencies that are often linked to OCD. So I think it's really interesting that that component even came up because oftentimes, not always, but often if those nutritional deficiencies are addressed, things like OCD, anxiety, all of us that we're talking about

go down, you know, if not completely diminished, depending on whatever your personal journey is. We should talk a little bit more about this. I know you had mentioned food dyes. Are there other things, or maybe you can talk more about food dyes. Are there things that are, that we are eating that maybe are directly causing more stress and anxiety? And I know that I think there is that component with the food dyes and the fact that our FDA allows us in our food and they're generally recognized as safe, but like, that's kind of a bullshit term if you ask me, because there's a lot of things that are generally recognized as safe that are on the market that shouldn't be. Totally. Yeah. I mean, the food dyes

is, is a huge one. It's just like, it's, it's an interesting one because it's so, in my eyes, it's like so unnecessary. First of all, like you can dye food with really cool things these days, like beets and turmeric and you know, like it's, it is really cool. But yeah, that, that I would say is a really big one. And then another one, and this kind of links back to blood sugars, but like that, the high fructose corn syrup that, you know, really is just like so sweet. Our bodies and our minds, like that's too much for them to like be able to take on and process and things. So that's a really big one. Another one I see a lot is like the artificial sweeteners, like aspartame can really impact our nervous system. It's hard because people are like, no, just a little bit

though. It doesn't hurt, but it's like this bioaccumulation of all these different things every single day has a huge impact on our nervous system. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's a big one. Oh, and the caffeine thing I think is really important for people to understand too. People are drinking like three to four coffees a day, and then they're scratching their head wondering why they're anxious. Well, I can tell you why you're anxious. You're drinking too much caffeine. Exactly. So that's a big one too. And I had to really check myself with that.

I allow myself one cup of coffee a day and that is it. And I mean, mine's like I make my own like cold brew at home and I dilute it with water. So I feel like the caffeine that I get is very, very low. But for a while when I was really, really struggling with anxiety, something that really helped me a lot was taking out the coffee entirely and I was doing matcha. But now that I've gotten to a more like steady place with it, I feel like I can have one cup of coffee and be fine. But if I have more than that, I am like a jittery mess and I can't

function and the anxiety is through the roof. So that's a really important one to note too, I think. I kind of want to go a little bit into addressing emotional traumas, addressing things with a professional. So in therapy or someone who's licensed to help you move through maybe traumas or whatever that you've dealt with in your life, because that's also a really big one. I mean, I have a friend whose name I don't want to mention, but he was telling me recently that after he addressed some of his traumas, he released some of his emotions that he was holding onto for a long time, that he was able to eat more foods again because he was not dealing with all this trauma and stress

that he had been carrying around for a long time. And he used to be really, really, really rigid with his diet. And I'm not saying like that you shouldn't not be eating, you know, the food dyes and stuff like that. Like he still eats organic and healthy, but I'm just saying that there's a huge testament to the fact that we could also be carrying around traumas or emotional things that we have not dealt with that also really affect our nervous system. And we could be totally subconscious, you know, it's like all subconscious. We're not even consciously aware of it. Yes. That's such a good point you make. And it's know, it's like all subconscious. We're not even consciously aware of it. Yes, that's such a good point you make.

And it's like, it's so true. It's like our body really does store trauma. And I think it's like, it's this hard thing because we can't see it. And, you know, we can't, sometimes you can't even feel it until it's healed. And then all of a sudden you just like feel lighter. And that's a really cool story about the foods. Yeah, from that friend you mentioned. It doesn like, it doesn't surprise me at all. It's very cool.

Yeah, it was like the foods that used to affect me, like gluten and stuff just don't even affect me anymore because he's like, I really healed myself around a lot of this. And he's still like in the health world and he eats organic and healthy foods. Like he's like, I still focus on eating whole real foods, but he's like, I'm not so regimented and strict in the sense that like, I won't eat like X, Y, and Z

foods because before they were really affecting his gut. And now that he's healed some of his emotional traumas, they're not affecting him as much. That's amazing. That's so beautiful. And yeah, it's so liberating. And that's always a place that I hope people can get to. Especially, you know, like when I work with my clients and stuff, because there is this whole other piece of like, I never want the food to become the anxiety, you know? And it's like, if, you know, if we're not dealing it from that true, true holistic place and looking at all these things, it can be so easy to just become obsessed with our food and be like, okay, well, I can't eat this and I can't eat this because it's gonna make me anxious, it's gonna

make me anxious. And it's like, no, but we're missing the point there. Like we're using our diet is just a tool. I always say that it's like a tool to live our best life. And the minute it gets in the way of that, then it's like, okay, let's dial it back. And, and for me, it's like, I, I like to share, like when I was like eating my cleanest quote unquote, it's like, I, I was in some ways like the most anxious part of it because I didn't understand like deeper parts of nutrition, like nutrient deficiencies and things like that and whatnot. But like, I think another part of it is because I was putting so much pressure on myself. And it's like, yeah, now in the same way, it's like I'll eat organic, you know, pretty much

all the time unless it's like I would at a restaurant and stuff. But then it's like, I do feel so much more liberated. And I have things that like back in the day, like I didn't eat any dairy and now I can have some like amazing organic feta cheese or goat cheese and I feel great. And it's like, I used to feel really sick from this. And I think it's like, you know, finding that balance and like giving ourselves that space to feel free in our diet is another huge piece. I love the way that you just put that because this is incredibly important. And I do think that, you know, obviously on my Instagram, you go to my Instagram and even on my podcast, I talk all the time about the importance of avoiding

these hyper palatable foods and really focus on eating whole real foods. But then, you know, I have people write me and say, well, you're just perpetuating an eating disorder. And obviously that's the last thing I want to do is create more anxiety for people around food. What my message that I'm really trying to get out, and I think you and I are very aligned in this is what we said earlier, is that I want to broaden your spectrum of whole real foods. What I'm saying is that these like, like, let's say they're like Cheetos and Doritos and like, I don't know, hostess cupcakes, whatever people are eating. In my mind, I don't even consider those to be food. Like in my mind, that's Play-Doh. We don't eat Play-Doh. So I'm trying to help people understand that if we

can broaden our spectrum of all of the amazing whole real foods that we can eat, that are accessible to us, that we, that are so delicious and give us life and help us not live with so much anxiety and don't have these effect on our nervous system and our blood glucose levels and all that stuff. If we can just get in our mind that those highly palatable food like products that really just exist

because they make these companies a lot of money and they really do nothing for our bodies, then to me, like I don't feel any stress and anxiety around it because I see a bag of Doritos and I'm like, oh, that's Play-Doh. We don't eat Play-Doh. Yes. Totally. You know, like it's not even an option for me. Yeah. Yeah. It's so true. And it's like, also it's like 2023 and I feel like you do such a good job, like I said, on your videos where it's like there are like you know not perfect you know completely unprocessed foods but they're like healthier versions of all our favorites like you know buying some organic chips with avocado oil like these kind of things it's like there's often always just like a better alternative for these

like really low quality not food foods that that we're being faced with on on the shelf so I think that's such a good point and it's like yeah another great like I was just thinking I I feel really similar like I'm the biggest chocolate fan and I love like you know good dark chocolate and stuff but it's like if someone gave me like a Mars bar or KitKat I'm like that's not chocolate like you, you know, like in my head, because it's like, I know that the other things that are in it, it's like, I don't, I don't see it. It's like, I don't, I don't miss it. But if it was like a beautiful, like whatever other kind of chocolate bar, it's like, oh my goodness. Like, yeah, I can have the whole thing.

Oh my God. Put a Hugh kitchen chocolate bar in front of me and good luck getting it back. Exactly. Yes, exactly. So I want people to understand that we're not trying to create more anxiety around food. I'm trying to give you freedom, you know, because these foods, these. So I think Shawn Stevenson was on my podcast recently, and I really liked the way that he put this. And he was like, look, we live in modern times. We're not saying that you can't ever eat a food that's packaged. Because, yes, like there he's like there's a huge difference between hyper processed foods versus a food that's packaged because yes, like there, he's like, there's a

huge difference between hyper processed foods versus a food that's processed. So like, for example, um, like, uh, I would say like, okay, like a simple mills cracker, for example, where you look at the ingredients on the back. Yes, that is a processed food, but it still resembles like real food. Like, um, maybe this isn't like a great example of it but still you can tell that like the crackers made with almonds and sea salt like it's pretty like self-explanatory and there's not a ton of ingredients on there and every single ingredient on there you recognize as real food it's not like fillers and all this other crap whereas like let's say a twinkie he's like you look at a twinkie and you're like, literally, what is this even made out of? Like, there's not even remotely any hint of any resemblance of food at all. Like,

what is that made out of? Yeah. You could never buy those ingredients from the grocery store, right? To like remake it. Yes. Exactly. So I just felt like it was really important for people to understand this, especially as we're talking about anxiety and what you said, like, I don't want to create more anxiety around food. I want people to understand that there's so much freedom that comes along with when you start nourishing your body with whole real foods and you can still find the foods that you love and enjoy. Just they're not going to be like Doritos. Totally. Totally. I think you said that so well. And it's, yeah, it's, it's a really important topic, because there is such a fine line of becoming obsessed versus just knowing like, and I think that it kind of goes back to this place that we mentioned with the meds, where it's like,

it's education. And it's like, like, just making sure that like, we know, like, you know, that these, you know, the impacts and whatnot. And I think like, unfortunately, we don't learn it in school unless you go to nutrition school. Exactly. I know. Added to the list of things that we should be learning in school that we don't, that would actually be helpful. Totally, totally. Like doing our taxes. Yeah.

So is there, are there any things that we haven't covered yet that you think is really important to cover regarding anxiety stress um our diet our guts just just knowing that like alcohol can be a huge trigger and there's like a term i didn't coin this one but it's called like oh what do they say it's hang anxiety anxiety like you know and it's like you're gonna feel anxious if you're hung over and it's like so like that's a big one too, where like when I was, yeah, trying to, trying to really tackle my anxiety head on. It's like, I just gave up alcohol for a few years because it, it was really triggering. Like I'd have a few sips and I would be like, oh my gosh, like I'm through the roof. So I think again, if someone's feeling super, super heightened, it's like, it's important to look at these things and, and it probably doesn't need to be forever. So that's a cool one.

Yeah. And isn't it so interesting that so many of us, myself included, so I'm not pointing fingers here, but so many of us drink to quell like social anxiety or if we've had a really bad day or if we're feeling anxious, it's pretty, you know, considered like normal to just have like a glass of wine. Like, oh, I've had a terrible day or I've been so anxious all day. I really need a drink. And then the next day, like I've, I've noticed the same thing. I've really been, I've really been cutting back on my drinking. I rarely drink anymore because I have that thing. Like sometimes even I'll have one glass of wine on next, I'll wake up the next day and be so

anxious. I can't even handle it. And I'm like, Oh my God, it was the wine last night. Like what the hell? Or like the one margarita that I had really, really did me dirty, you know? Totally. Yeah. I'm, I'm the exact same way. And it's, yeah, it's, it's again, just education and being aware. And like, also I find like, like a good example was like, like I got married in August and it was like I definitely had thank you I had like you know way more drinks than I probably had in years and it's like I wasn't really that hungover because it was just like high vibes and it was fun and we were eating and drinking and dancing all day so it's like like I think there is that like place of like

celebration and it's like the same for like certain foods and stuff it's like um you know it's we we want people to like live a whole life and for some people it's like the same for like certain foods and stuff. It's like, you know, it's, we, we want people to like live a whole life. And for some people it's like absolutely no alcohol. And that, that is like the place. And then for other people, it's like, it maybe is a part of, of celebration or whatever it is, but just like knowing what works for you and like, what are your limits? And yeah, I feel like it, like, it can be really fun to not drink and just like have to, have to face some of that social anxiety a little

bit and realize like, oh, I'm actually really great when I'm sober, you know, I'm pretty chatty and charming or whatever. Okay. So I like to always leave people with kind of a tangible thing of like, okay, so if like, let's say someone's listening and they're like, okay, I'm dealing with anxiety. What are some of the first steps as far as like taking back a hold of their life, you know, trying to get rid of the anxiety or like, I'll say number one, I would say get test, get your hormones tested and test for nutritional deficiencies and start there. Absolutely. I think that's a great place to give you kind of like a base level of, of where you're at. I think that's huge um I think another one would be like in terms

of like really tangible things I think just uh going back to this idea I like to like kind of teach teach people in like the idea of like a blood sugar balancing plate so it's like I like to say okay have half your plate as some sort of veggie leafy green whatever it is and then including a quality protein source, you know, healthy fats throughout your meal, whether that's cooking with some beautiful avocado oil or using like our olive oil, or, you know, like doing a really healthy salad dressing on your leafy greens, adding avocado, whatever it might be. And then also including like a complex carbohydrate, you know, whether that's some baked yams or beets or quinoa or whatever, and like really building your meals balanced. And it's like, I know for some

people that may be like, okay, I'm, I'm a bit far away from that. But just going to this idea of really including these whole foods in your meals, and it can just be like these simple, simple swaps, but like really eating, I like to encourage people to eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, balanced meals. Like, you know, it doesn't need to be anything like crazy different. It's just like really focusing on the balance and the whole foods. Yeah, I really love that. And then I think I would add on top of that, if you're able to, to be mindful of, you know, buying more organic foods, because like we said earlier, the pesticides, the herbicides. And then my last piece would be get in nature every day if you can. Cause I've noticed with myself, this is something we didn't really talk about a lot. I actually went on a hike this morning with a girlfriend. We went at seven 30 and I looked at her and I was like, we got to get out

here earlier more often. I think there, I also believe there's something about those morning hours, the birds chirping and just being in nature where it's quiet, your phone isn't going off. You're not like, you know, no one's trying to reach you. There is really something to be said about just having that quiet time in nature that really helps to calm your nervous system and bring you just back down to earth. Totally. Yeah. And then kind of like adding that like like, um, other component that you mentioned there on the walk is like connecting, connecting with friends and community. And yeah, it's funny. Cause like I, um, so I moved, I used to live on a small Gulf Island

off the coast of Canada, Vancouver. And like, we lived in a little cabin and we like grew all, grow our own food. And it's like, I'm so excited to one day go back and do all of that. But it's like, I did notice at points, I felt super lonely and anxious. And it's like, I was like doing all the holistic stuff and it, you know, it did wonders for my gut health, I think. But it's like adding in that like community and connection piece, I think is so big

and true like connection. And I think we spend so much time on our phones or, you know, whatever it is, I'm guilty of it. And I think we spend so much time on our phones or, you know, whatever it is, I'm guilty of it. But I think just like, yeah, if you can get in nature with a friend or a group of people, it's like that is, you're just like, you know, doing, doing wonders for your whole, your whole being. So I think that's a great one. I will add to that. Like, like, cause when I used to garden, I always say like, don't garden with gloves on. Cause you want to like touch the soil and like touch all the, all And two, like with nature, it's like,

touch the dirt, touch the leaves, like really like be in it, like breathe your biome and like be a part of your ecosystem. Wow. I love that. Oh, now I want to go, wish I could go like put my hands in soil somewhere. I know. I would love to have a garden someday. I really hope to. I feel like you will. You will make it happen. I would love that. Well, okay. So my last question for you before we go that I ask everyone is what are your personal health non-negotiables? So things that you prioritize no matter how crazy your day is, these are things that you do for your health. Amazing. Okay. Well, the first one is actually going for a walk or run every single morning. Um, and just like having that solo time. And it's like,

I feel, or it doesn't have to be solo. I like doing it with people too, but just having that outdoor time. And it's like, I, I will say to my partner, it's like, I actually feel like I'm not living my day unless I've like taken it. It can be 10 minutes. It can be an hour, like whatever it is, but like, I need be an hour, like whatever it is that like I need that like time outside to move my body and just like, wake up for the day and stuff. So that's like a huge non negotiable. And then another one, I have a cup of chamomile tea every single night before bed. And it's like, I literally am like, we'll bring tea bags with me wherever I go. I'd like sometimes go through great lengths to try to get some hot water for my tea but it's truly a non-negotiable I just love that again kind of like going back to

that um place to to kind of calm down and it's like they kind of uh anchor my day in really really good ways um and then I would say the other one would be like just yeah I mean those are like kind of like the two always non-negotiables, but then like really just focusing on getting in, like, you know, if the day is crazy and it's like really just like one solid, like super blood sugar balancing meal, like I always just like feel like I need that kind of meal to feel alive and really have like lots of greens and, and things like that. And, you know, animal protein and just like the whole balanced meal feels, feels really good for me. So I try to make that happen every day. greens and, and things like that. And, you know, animal protein and just like the whole balanced meal feels, feels really good for me. So I try to make that happen every day.

Oh, that's good. Yeah. That's awesome. Well, thank you so much for coming on. Also, can you share with everyone where they can find you? Yeah, totally. So best place would be Instagram, um, for like just daily daily connection and stuff so I'm meg m-e-g d young d-e-j-o-n-g dot nutrition um and then yeah I have like a website which I'm sure we can like link below just meg young nutrition dot com and I just joined tiktok I'm still trying to figure it all out but I'm an anxiety nutritionist on tiktok and then, those are the best ways. And yeah, I work with people one-on-one. I have a eat to ease anxiety online course. And yeah, I'm always doing just kind of like some workshops and offerings and things like that. So lots of ways. Amazing. Well, thank you so much. This was really informative and I think it's going to help

a lot of people. So thank you for coming on. Oh, well, thanks for having me, Courtney. It was like just so nice to connect with you and I really appreciate all the work you do too. Thank you. I really appreciate that. And everyone, thank you for listening. I'll see you guys next week. Thank you so much for listening to this week's episode of the Real Foodology Podcast. If you liked the episode, please leave a review in your podcast app to let me know. This is a resonant media production produced by Drake Peterson and edited by Mike Fry. The theme song is called Heaven by the amazing singer Georgie. Georgie is spelled with a J. For more amazing podcasts produced by my team, go to resonantmediagroup.com.

I love you guys so much. See you next week. The content of this show is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual medical and mental health advice and doesn't constitute a provider- patient relationship. I am a nutritionist, but I am not your nutritionist. As always, talk to your doctor or your health team first. Looking to build a more robust foundation in your health and well-being?

From the producer of the Real Foodology podcast comes one of the most popular alternative health shows on Apple Podcasts, The Dr. Tina Show. Dr. Tina Moore is a naturopathic physician and chiropractor, traditionally and alternatively Thank you. better for yourself, your family, and your community. Resilience is the name of the game, and Dr. Tina is here to guide you on your way. Listen to The Dr. Tina Show today on your favorite podcast app. New episodes every Wednesday. Produced by Drake Peterson and Resident Media.