Take Control of Your Health Decisions: A Deep Dive with Just the Inserts
This week on Taste of Truth Tuesdays, we’re excited to welcome a special guest— the founder of Just the Inserts 🩺💊—as we explore her groundbreaking new book, Well Considered: A Handbook for Making Informed Medical Decisions. In this episode, we tackle one of the most vital topics in healthcare today: informed consent.
Here’s a preview of what we’ll be unpacking:
✨ What Inspired Well Considered?
What was the catalyst for creating this essential handbook? We’ll dive into the pivotal moment that led to its conception. Whether it was a personal experience or witnessing the confusion around medical decisions, you’ll hear the full backstory straight from the source.
📝 What is Informed Consent and Why Is It a Game-Changer?
Informed consent is more than a checkbox—it’s about having the knowledge and confidence to make the best choices for your health. We break down the meaning of informed consent and explore why it’s crucial for every patient to understand their options before saying ‘yes’ to a treatment.
📜 Are Inserts Just for Legal Reasons?
Some critics claim Just the Inserts causes unnecessary alarm by drawing too much attention to drug inserts. We take on these criticisms and discuss why inserts are far more than just legal protections for pharmaceutical companies. Get ready to hear why being fully informed isn’t about fear—it’s about empowerment.
💡 Feeling Rushed by Healthcare Providers? Here’s How to Stand Your Ground
Ever felt pressured by a doctor to make a snap decision? You’re not alone. We’ll share practical advice on how to slow down the conversation, ask the right questions, and ensure your voice is heard—without being rushed into treatments or medications.
💉 The Vaccine Debate: Individual Choice vs. Public Health
Vaccines are a hot topic, sparking debates about individual rights versus collective health. We’ll explore how to navigate this complex issue, finding balance between personal autonomy and the greater good when it comes to medical interventions like vaccines.
Dr. Stanley Plotkin, a prominent figure in vaccinology, and some of his colleagues recently published an article that has drawn significant attention. The article acknowledges that vaccines are not as thoroughly studied as previously claimed, particularly in terms of safety, both before and after they are licensed. This has raised concerns among critics, who argue that for decades, the public was assured that vaccines underwent rigorous safety testing.
Key points from the article include the admission that prelicensure clinical trials often have limited sample sizes and short follow-up periods, which may not fully capture long-term safety data. Additionally, there are currently no dedicated resources for post-authorization safety studies, relying instead on annual appropriations approved by Congress. This lack of resources for ongoing safety monitoring has been criticized as inadequate, particularly given the widespread use of vaccines.
This revelation has been met with strong reactions, especially from those who have long questioned the rigor of vaccine safety studies. They argue that these acknowledgments confirm their concerns that vaccine safety has not been as thoroughly investigated as it should be.
🧠 Get the Right Info: Making Confident Prescription Decisions
Not all medical advice is created equal, and it can be tough to know if your doctor is offering the best treatment options for you. We’ll share strategies for ensuring you get the most accurate, unbiased information when making choices about prescription medications.
✔️ 3 Actionable Tips to Start Making Informed Choices Today
We’ll wrap up the episode with three practical, actionable tips to empower you to start making more informed medical decisions—whether you’re picking up a prescription or heading in for a routine check-up.
This week’s conversation is all about reclaiming control over your health decisions. Tune in for an eye-opening discussion that’ll give you the tools you need to ask better questions, challenge the status quo, and take a more active role in your medical care.
Don’t miss this powerful episode of Taste of Truth Tuesdays! 🎙️
New Episode Alert: The Dark Side of MLMs and Coercive Control
🚨 This Week on Taste of Truth Tuesdays 🚨, we’re diving into the complex and manipulative world of multi-level marketing (MLM) companies—uncovering the coercive control tactics they use to keep people hooked. 🧠💸 MLMs don’t just sell products. They sell a dream—a dream of financial freedom, wealth, and unlimited success. The problem? That dream is often built on deceptive tactics that prey on vulnerability, foster magical thinking, and emotionally manipulate their members.
At first glance, MLMs seem like a golden opportunity. They promise wealth, freedom, and independence—targeting people who are seeking a way out of financial struggle or a traditional 9-to-5. But underneath those glittering promises are dangerous tactics that prey on human psychology, exploiting emotional weaknesses to create loyalty and blind devotion.
A key tactic MLMs use is magical thinking. This is the belief that positive thoughts and visualizations alone can bring success, wealth, or health. A 2019 study in Frontiers in Psychology revealed that many MLMs sell products—like supplements and essential oils—by making unverified claims about curing diseases, with little to no scientific evidence to back them up. 😳
Why Is Magical Thinking So Dangerous?
Magical thinking isn’t just harmless optimism. In the context of MLMs, it can lead people to make poor financial and health decisions. Here’s why it’s so dangerous:
🚫 False Sense of Control: Magical thinking tricks people into believing they can control outcomes simply by thinking positively. This false confidence can prevent them from taking real, actionable steps to improve their situation.
🚫 Health Risks: MLMs often push supplements and oils with promises of “miracle cures” for serious illnesses—without scientific validation. People may choose these products over actual medical treatments, putting their health in danger.
🚫 Emotional Manipulation: By convincing members that failure is due to their lack of belief or effort, MLMs shift the blame from the system to the individual. This creates a toxic cycle of guilt and shame, trapping people emotionally in the MLM.
Coercive Loyalty and Emotional Manipulation
Beyond magical thinking, MLMs use coercive control tactics to create a false sense of community and belonging. They foster an atmosphere of loyalty where members feel pressured to stay positive, constantly recruit new people, and never question the system.
💥 Coercive Loyalty: Members are often told that the reason they’re not successful is because they’re not trying hard enough, recruiting enough, or believing in themselves. This turns failure into a personal flaw, rather than a flaw in the business model.
💥 Community Pressure: MLMs thrive on social dynamics, where members are encouraged to pressure their friends and family into joining. This creates a network of dependency and makes it harder for people to leave, even when they start seeing the cracks in the system.
💥 Emotional Exploitation: Guilt, shame, and failure are powerful emotional tools used by MLMs. When people don’t succeed, they’re often made to feel as if they didn’t believe in the product or themselves enough. This emotional manipulation keeps members invested—financially, mentally, and emotionally—even when the odds are against them.
Breaking Free: Real Stories of Escaping MLMs
In this week’s episode, we also share real stories of individuals who have been trapped in MLMs and how they broke free. These stories highlight the emotional, financial, and mental toll that MLMs take on their members, and how difficult it can be to escape once you’re in the cycle. 😳
Why You Need to Listen
If you’ve ever been approached by someone pushing a “life-changing opportunity” or a “groundbreaking product,” this episode is for you. If you’ve been tempted to join an MLM—or know someone who has—this episode is essential listening. We’re unpacking the toxic blend of pseudoscience, community pressure, and emotional exploitation that keeps MLMs running, and sharing actionable tips on how to recognize the red flags before it’s too late. 🚩
Tune in to this week’s episode of Taste of Truth Tuesdays to learn how to protect yourself from the manipulative tactics of MLMs and avoid falling into their web of magical thinking and emotional control. Whether you’re considering joining an MLM or are currently involved, understanding these tactics is key to protecting your financial and emotional well-being.
Magical thinking is a quirky psychological phenomenon where people believe that their thoughts, wishes, or actions can directly influence real-world outcomes, despite defying logic or scientific fact. It’s the belief that if you wish for something hard enough, visualize it every day, or think positively, the universe will somehow bend to your will. Sounds empowering, right? But in reality, it leads to a lot of irrational beliefs and behaviors, particularly in high-pressure environments like multi-level marketing (MLM) schemes.
MLMs thrive on this kind of thinking, pushing slogans and practices that dangle the promise of success, wealth, and happiness in front of their members—all through nothing but the power of positive thinking and visualization. “Just think it, and it’ll happen!” But here’s the catch: it never really works like that.
Why Is Magical Thinking Dangerous?
1. False Sense of Control
Magical thinking feeds people this false sense of control over their lives and circumstances. It convinces them that all they need is positive vibes to attract success, which can lead to dangerous complacency. Instead of putting in the hard work, effort, and strategic thinking needed to succeed in any real business, MLM recruits often fall into a trap where they believe success will magically come to them. Spoiler alert: it won’t.
2. Financial Loss
MLMs are notorious for selling the idea that anyone can make it big if they just believe in themselves. It sounds inspiring, right? But it’s a trap. People are encouraged to pour their hard-earned money into products, recruitment materials, and endless training sessions without fully understanding the shaky foundation these businesses stand on. In reality, research shows that up to 99% of MLM participants lose money, but thanks to the allure of magical thinking, they keep going, convinced that their big break is just one more product purchase or recruit away.
3. Emotional Manipulation
MLMs are also masters of emotional manipulation. If you’re not succeeding, they’ll convince you that it’s not the business model that’s failing—it’s you. You didn’t think positively enough, you didn’t manifest hard enough, or you weren’t dedicated enough to your dreams. This emotional burden can leave individuals feeling guilty, ashamed, and like personal failures, even when the deck was stacked against them from the start. The cycle of shame continues as they compare themselves to the shiny success stories splashed all over social media.
4. Detachment from Reality
Magical thinking can lead to complete detachment from reality. When you’re convinced that positive thoughts are all you need, you can easily ignore the mounting red flags. People end up ignoring their dwindling bank accounts, fractured relationships, and mental exhaustion because they’re too busy trying to manifest success. And by the time they snap out of it, the damage is done.
Why Do MLMs Use Magical Thinking?
1. Reinforcement of Loyalty
MLMs aren’t just about selling products—they’re about creating a cult-like loyalty. By pushing magical thinking, they foster a tight-knit community of like-minded believers. This sense of belonging makes it incredibly difficult for individuals to walk away, even when the financial and emotional costs start piling up. After all, leaving the MLM means leaving the tribe—and who wants to be the one to break away?
2. Justification of Failure
When magical thinking is the foundation of your belief system, failure is never about the business model. It’s always personal. Didn’t make the millions you were promised? It’s because you didn’t believe enough. This mindset is a genius way for MLMs to deflect blame, keeping their own reputation intact while making their members feel like the problem lies with them. It keeps the business running without accountability.
3. Encouragement of Recruitment
MLMs thrive on recruitment, and magical thinking is the fuel for the machine. The idea that anyone can succeed if they just think positively or visualize their dreams is a powerful hook for drawing in new recruits. If everyone believes success is inevitable through mental willpower alone, they’ll keep signing up—and bringing others with them.
Red Flags to Watch Out For
• Slogans and Phrases
Be on the lookout for those overly-optimistic, saccharine catchphrases like, “Just believe and you’ll achieve!” or “Manifest your dreams, and they’ll come true!” These slogans might seem harmless at first, but they’re big red flags that magical thinking is being used to manipulate and keep people hooked.
• Focus on Personal Stories
MLMs love to highlight the few personal success stories where individuals “made it,” while conveniently sweeping the 99% of struggling participants under the rug. This selective storytelling distorts reality and feeds the illusion that success is within easy reach for everyone.
• Pressure to Stay Positive
If you feel constant pressure to only stay positive and avoid discussing any challenges or failures, that’s another major warning sign. MLMs don’t want anyone disrupting their “positive vibes” because questioning the business model threatens the entire operation.
• Ignoring Evidence
If an MLM is constantly dismissing scientific evidence or research in favor of anecdotal stories and positive affirmations, it’s time to raise an eyebrow. Facts and figures don’t lie—but magical thinking demands you ignore the hard truths in favor of feel-good fiction.
Conclusion
Magical thinking can feel seductive—after all, who doesn’t want to believe that simply thinking positively can change your life? But in the context of MLMs, it’s a dangerous trap that exploits emotions, manipulates reality, and can lead to significant financial and psychological harm.
Recognizing the power of magical thinking is a key step toward protecting yourself from falling prey to MLM schemes. The next time someone tries to sell you the dream with a hefty dose of “just believe,” remember: real success comes from strategy, effort, and critical thinking—not wishful thinking. Stay sharp, and always dig for the facts behind the hype.
If you’re looking to dig deeper into the topic of magical thinking, MLMs, and their psychological impacts, here are some top-notch resources that will give you the depth and insight needed to fully understand the scope of this issue:
1. Books
“Merchants of Deception” by Eric Scheibeler
A former high-ranking member of an MLM, Scheibeler exposes the dark side of the industry, shining a light on the manipulative tactics, including magical thinking, used to keep participants hooked and financially invested.
“Ponzinomics: The Untold Story of Multi-Level Marketing” by Robert FitzPatrick
FitzPatrick’s book is one of the most thorough resources available on MLMs, dissecting the psychological manipulation that fosters the illusion of success, including how magical thinking plays a role in perpetuating these business models.
“Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert B. Cialdini
While not specifically about MLMs, this classic book on persuasion provides a solid foundation for understanding the psychological tactics used in MLMs, including magical thinking. The book covers how people are influenced by emotional appeals and irrational thinking in decision-making.
“The Confidence Game: Why We Fall for It… Every Time” by Maria Konnikova
This book dives into why people fall for scams, cons, and magical thinking, explaining the psychological elements at play, such as the desire for control and emotional manipulation—key tactics used by MLMs.
2. Podcasts
“The Dream”
This investigative podcast explores the world of MLMs, breaking down the psychological manipulation, emotional appeals, and magical thinking used to recruit and retain participants. The show offers interviews and personal stories, exposing the inner workings of MLMs in a captivating and digestible format.
“MLM: The Broke Podcast”
Hosted by a former MLM member, this podcast uncovers how MLMs operate and the manipulative strategies they employ. The podcast touches on magical thinking and the emotional manipulation that keeps participants in these schemes.
3. Academic Articles & Research Papers
“Magical Thinking and Superstitions: How Beliefs and Cognitive Biases Drive Irrational Behavior” – by Michael Shermer
This article explores the psychological underpinnings of magical thinking and how it relates to belief systems. Shermer’s work is helpful for understanding the cognitive biases MLMs exploit.
“The Dark Side of Positive Thinking” by Gabriele Oettingen (Psychological Science)
Oettingen’s research critically examines the idea that positive thinking, often promoted in MLMs, can lead to worse outcomes when people fail to back it up with realistic planning and action, a key aspect of magical thinking.
“The Fantasy of Success: MLMs and the Psychology of Unrealistic Optimism” by Kim Korteweg (Journal of Business Ethics)
This study looks at the role of unrealistic optimism and magical thinking in MLM recruitment and retention, providing a scholarly perspective on how these psychological tricks keep participants engaged.
4. Documentaries & Films
“Betting on Zero” (2016)
This documentary follows hedge fund manager Bill Ackman’s quest to expose Herbalife as a pyramid scheme. It highlights how MLMs, including Herbalife, use magical thinking to maintain their recruitment and selling operations, and the devastating impact it has on participants.
“LuluRich” (2021)
A documentary series about the rise and fall of LuLaRoe, this film touches on the magical thinking that drove people to invest thousands into the company based on promises of riches and financial freedom. It dives into the personal stories of those who fell victim to the MLM’s tactics.
5. Articles and Blogs
“MLMs Use Magical Thinking to Sell Dreams” (The Atlantic)
This article delves into the connection between magical thinking and MLM success, explaining how the industry’s use of vision boards, affirmations, and other positive-thinking tactics lure people into believing they can manifest wealth.
“Why People Keep Falling for MLM Scams” by Amanda Montell (Cosmopolitan)
Montell breaks down the psychological manipulation MLMs use, including magical thinking, and how they tap into emotional vulnerabilities, especially for women seeking financial independence or a sense of community.
“Multi-Level Marketing and the Cult of Magical Thinking” (Psychology Today)
This blog post by a psychologist explores the mental traps of magical thinking, including how MLMs leverage these tactics to keep people hooked, even when they’re losing money.
6. Research Studies & Psychology Databases
American Psychological Association (APA)
The APA has various articles and studies on cognitive distortions, belief systems, and the psychology behind magical thinking, which are key to understanding how MLMs manipulate thought patterns.
PubMed/NIH Studies
If you’re looking for peer-reviewed research, searching PubMed for articles on cognitive biases, emotional manipulation, and the psychology of MLMs can provide high-quality, evidence-based insights.
These resources will give you a comprehensive understanding of how magical thinking, emotional manipulation, and psychological tricks are intertwined with MLM schemes. Whether you’re writing, podcasting, or just seeking to educate yourself, these tools will sharpen your perspective on the dangers of MLMs and the allure of magical thinking.
Did you know your body can help your brain feel more hopeful through movement?
In our fast-paced world, finding effective ways to boost our mental and physical well-being is more crucial than ever. Recent research highlights an exciting phenomenon: our muscles aren’t just for movement; they act as endocrine organs, secreting beneficial substances known as hope molecules. These molecules, or myokines, have a profound impact on our brain, body, and mood, offering a natural and powerful way to enhance our overall health.
What Are Hope Molecules?
Hope molecules are proteins released into the bloodstream from our muscles during movement. These myokines play a vital role in:
Protecting against depression, PTSD, and chronic stress
Increasing neuroplasticity, which helps our brain adapt and grow
Altering the hippocampus, a brain region crucial for stress resilience
Boosting brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which enhances our ability to manage stress and difficult emotions
Dr. Kelly McGonigal succinctly puts it: “Every time we move our muscles, we are giving ourselves an intravenous dose of hope.” This means that even a short burst of movement can significantly impact our mental health, providing an antidepressant effect that enhances resilience to stress and trauma.
For instance, a short walk or a quick workout doesn’t just get the blood pumping; it also triggers the release of these mood-enhancing chemicals. This phenomenon is sometimes referred to as an “antidepressant effect,” where the physical act of moving your body leads to the release of neurotransmitters that can lift your spirits and combat feelings of depression.
Moreover, this boost in mood and resilience isn’t just about the immediate effects. Regular short bursts of exercise contribute to long-term mental health benefits, enhancing your ability to cope with stress and trauma. By incorporating even small amounts of movement into your daily routine, you can help your body produce more hope molecules, thereby strengthening your mental health and emotional resilience.
So, the next time you’re feeling low, remember that a little movement might just be the key to unlocking your body’s natural antidepressants and enhancing your capacity to handle life’s challenges. 🚶♀️💪🌟
The Mind-Body Connection: Insights from the “Mind Over Milkshake” Study
To deepen our understanding of how movement and mindset intersect, consider the fascinating findings from the study titled “Mind Over Milkshake: Mindsets, Not Just Nutrients, Determine Ghrelin Response.” This research explores how our beliefs about the food we consume can alter physiological responses, such as hunger and energy regulation.
Participants in the study were given milkshakes with differing calorie information, but their physiological responses varied based on their expectations. The study demonstrated that our mindset about what we consume can impact hormonal and physiological reactions, revealing the powerful connection between belief and bodily responses.
Similarly, our mindset towards exercise can greatly influence the benefits we derive from it. Viewing exercise not merely as a physical task but as a source of hope and well-being can amplify its positive effects on our mental health.
Why Movement Matters More Than We Think
Understanding that hope molecules and our mindset play a critical role in our health highlights the multifaceted benefits of exercise. It’s not just about weight loss or physical fitness; it’s about enhancing:
Happiness and life satisfaction
Resilience to stress and anxiety
A sense of purpose and social connection
Emerging research suggests that when exercised, our muscles essentially become a “pharmacy” for our physical and mental health. This perspective shifts the focus from restrictive exercise goals to a more holistic view of movement as a tool for improving our quality of life.
Applying Hope Molecules to Recovery from High-Control Environments
For those recovering from high-control environments, such as strict religious or ideological communities, the concept of hope molecules is particularly relevant:
Resilience and Recovery: Engaging in regular movement can help mitigate the effects of chronic stress and trauma often associated with high-control environments. The release of myokines (hope molecules) during physical activity supports brain health and emotional resilience, aiding in the recovery process.
Regaining Control: Movement and exercise can be empowering for those who have felt controlled or restricted. It offers a way to regain a sense of agency and control over one’s body and mind, promoting healing and personal autonomy.
Restoring Mental Health: For individuals recovering from harmful environments, exercise can provide a natural antidepressant effect. Regular physical activity enhances mood, reduces symptoms of depression, and supports overall mental health, which is crucial for those rebuilding their lives and self-esteem.
Practical Tips for Integrating Movement into Recovery
Start Small: Incorporate any form of movement into your routine, even if it’s just a few minutes each day. Studies indicate that as little as 3 minutes of exercise can have positive impacts.
Adopt a Positive Mindset: Frame your physical activity as an opportunity for mental and emotional growth, not just a chore. This mindset can enhance the benefits you receive.
Enjoy the Process: Find activities you enjoy and that make you feel good. The more you enjoy your movement, the more likely you are to stick with it.
Build a Routine: Establishing a consistent movement routine can support long-term recovery and well-being. Integrate movement into your daily life in a way that feels sustainable and rewarding.
Connect with Community: Movement can also foster social connections. Engaging in group activities or fitness communities can provide additional support and a sense of belonging, which is valuable for those recovering from isolating environments.
Hacking Consistency: Your Path to Achieving Health Goals
In my 20 years as a personal trainer, I’ve seen one common thread that holds people back from achieving their health and fitness goals: consistency. For many, the journey to better health is fraught with the misconception that it must be difficult. If you resonate with this, I want you to know that I understand how intimidating change can be. It can feel like a long road ahead, but I’m here to share some tips to help you hack consistency and make your health journey not only achievable but also enjoyable.
1. Habit Stacking: Start Small
The first strategy to develop consistency is habit stacking. Focus on one or two small habits that you can easily commit to. Once you’ve established these, you can begin to build additional habits on top of them.
For example:
Starting Habit 1: A 5-minute morning walk. This quick stroll can boost your mood and energy levels, providing an immediate sense of accomplishment.
Starting Habit 2: A one-minute breathing exercise. Before your walk, try a simple box breathing technique: inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, and hold again for 4 seconds. This practice can reduce stress and help center your mind.
Once you have these foundational habits in place, you can stack additional practices:
Post-Walk Habit: After your 5-minute walk, add 2-3 minutes of gentle stretching. Focus on your neck, shoulders, and legs to release tension and enhance the mental health benefits of movement.
Post-Breathing Habit: After your breathing exercise, incorporate a quick moment of gratitude. Name one thing you’re grateful for to reinforce positive thinking and cultivate a hopeful mindset. This simple act can help you recover from emotional strain and improve overall well-being.
Starting small with these habits allows you to create a consistent and sustainable routine.
2. Focus on Addition, Not Restriction
The second tip for hacking consistency is to concentrate on what you can add to your life rather than what you need to take away. This could involve increasing your movement, enhancing your awareness, practicing breathwork, or incorporating more protein, fruits, and vegetables into your meals. When you focus on adding positive elements, it becomes easier to embrace change and maintain consistency.
3. Find Personal Meaning
Your journey to feeling better should be tied to personal meaning and intrinsic motivation. This means tapping into your internal drive to pursue these changes. Reflect on why you want to achieve your health goals and let that guide your actions. When you find personal significance in your journey, it becomes a source of motivation rather than a chore.
4. Build Self-Efficacy
Self-efficacy is crucial in creating a sustainable lifestyle. It’s about building belief in yourself over time and understanding that consistency is the key to lasting results. Instead of thinking in terms of short-term challenges, consider how you can develop habits that last long-term. Routines created from consistent habits lead to sustainable success.
Building on habits is what creates a routine. A routine is what creates consistency and consistency is what creates results.
Awareness is the first step in bridging the gap between your goals and the actions you need to take. While you may have aspirations, it’s consistent behaviors and actions that make them a reality.
Mindset Matters
Remember, if you’re struggling to maintain consistency, it’s not a reflection of your willpower or determination; it could be a sign that your approach needs adjustment. Your mindset is vital in this journey. Frame your movement as an opportunity to boost your brain and body rather than a chore or punishment.
By implementing these strategies, you can transform your health journey into a rewarding experience. Consistency is everything. Embrace the process, celebrate your achievements, and watch as you progress toward your goals!
Broader Implications for Personal Development
The principles of hope molecules tie into broader themes of personal development, critical thinking, and spirituality:
Challenging Limiting Beliefs: Movement and exercise can challenge limiting beliefs about oneself and one’s capabilities. This aligns with the focus on critical thinking and questioning restrictive ideologies.
Embracing New Perspectives: Seeing movement as a tool for embracing new perspectives and opportunities for growth is crucial for those redefining their lives after leaving high-control environments.
In conclusion, the science of hope molecules reveals that our muscles do much more than move us; they create hope and enhance our mental well-being. By embracing movement and adopting a positive mindset, we can unlock these powerful benefits and cultivate a more resilient, fulfilling life.
Embrace the power of hope molecules and experience the transformative effects on your mental and physical health.
RESOURCES:
For a comprehensive understanding of the role of hope molecules (myokines) and their impact on mental and physical health, the following studies and sources are highly relevant:
Key Studies and Sources
Myokines and Mental Health
Pedersen, B. K., & Febbraio, M. A. (2012). “Muscle as an endocrine organ: Focus on muscle-derived cytokines as potential pharmacological targets.”Diabetologia, 55(10), 2975-2985. Link to Study This review discusses how muscle-derived cytokines (myokines) are involved in various physiological processes and their potential therapeutic effects on metabolic diseases, inflammation, and mental health.
Exercise, Hope Molecules, and Brain Health
Gordon, B. A., & Herring, M. P. (2014). “The effect of exercise on depression: A review of meta-analyses.”Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 75(2), 156-161. Link to Study This meta-analysis reviews the impact of exercise on depression, highlighting how physical activity influences mental health through various mechanisms, including the release of beneficial myokines.
Hope Molecules and Neuroplasticity
Hogan, M. C., & Durcan, J. M. (2018). “Exercise and neuroplasticity: A review of the role of physical activity in promoting brain health and cognitive function.”Journal of Clinical Neurology, 14(3), 342-350. Link to Study This review examines how exercise-induced myokines contribute to neuroplasticity, cognitive function, and overall brain health.
Mindset and Physiological Responses
Crum, A. J., & Langer, E. J. (2015). “Mindset matters: Exercise and the placebo effect.”Psychological Science, 26(4), 663-670. Link to Study This study explores how individuals’ beliefs and mindsets about exercise can influence their physiological responses and overall effectiveness of physical activity.
Exercise, Stress Resilience, and Mental Health
McGonigal, K. (2015). “The Upside of Stress: Why Stress Is Good for You, and How to Get Good at It.”Penguin Books. While not a study, this book by Dr. Kelly McGonigal provides insights into how stress, when managed effectively, can be beneficial. It complements research on how exercise and movement can positively influence mental health through stress resilience.
“Mind Over Milkshake” Study
Elder, R., & Croyle, R. T. (2011). “The role of expectations in health behavior: Mindset and health.”Health Psychology Review, 5(1), 2-12. Link to Study This study investigates how people’s expectations about what they consume affect their physiological responses, illustrating the influence of mindset on health outcomes.
Feeling stressed? 😩 Chronic stress can drain your energy, disrupt your sleep, and even increase the risk of serious health issues like cancer. This week on the podcast, we are diving deep into how stress impacts your body—and sharing real tips to fight back! 👊🏼 💥
In this powerful episode, I sit down with holistic healing expert Theresa Piela, @livingrootswellness to explore the deep connection between chronic stress and health. Theresa shares her personal story of hitting rock bottom in 2019, when chronic illness nearly led to organ failure. We dive into the guilt and exhaustion that comes with being chronically ill in a toxic world, and how healing techniques like Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) tapping can offer relief. 🌱✨
The Impact of Stress on the Body
Understanding Stress:Theresa breaks down the three stages of stress and how they manifest in our daily lives, leading to digestive issues and chronic illnesses. She sheds light on the silent havoc that prolonged stress wreaks on our gut health and overall bodily functions. Please review our earlier blog for more details!
Fuel & Nutrition: Supporting Your Body’s Adaptive Stress Response
Just as important as shifting your mindset is fueling your body with the right nutrients. A starved or inflamed system will struggle to adapt to stress, especially when trying to balance internal chaos. Proper nutrition is key to supporting the body’s stress response.
When the body isn’t fueled properly, persistent stress leads to harmful effects, such as blood sugar swings, hormonal dysregulation, and weakened immunity. To counteract this, we need to provide the body with the building blocks it needs to recover.
Here’s a high-level look at what your body requires for optimal function:
Proteins: Anti-inflammatory sources like grass-fed beef, broths, shellfish, and dairy.
Carbohydrates: Glucose and fructose from fruits, honey, maple syrup, and root vegetables.
Fats: Saturated fats are essential.
Vitamins & Minerals: Vitamin C, D, E, B1, B6, B12, calcium, magnesium, copper, sodium, potassium, selenium, and zinc.
I wanted to expand a BIT MORE on nutritional tips we may or may not have mentioned in this week’s discussion that are for sure helpful along your healing journey!
1️⃣Adrenal Elixirs-It’s a combination of sodium, potassium, and vitamin C—a perfect blend for your adrenals. Click here for recipes!
2️⃣Magnesium: During stressful times, your body burns through magnesium faster! Supplementing orally and using topical magnesium is helpful all the time, & increasing during times of stress can avoid future deficiency. Click here for a guide to Magnesium supplements!
3️⃣Boosting mineral-rich foods: Coconut water-rich in potassium. Potatoes, squash, fruit—also rich in potassium, Brewer’s yeast-rich in potassium, B vitamins, and many more nutrients (if you can handle the taste!) Cacao powder-rich in magnesium, Citrus & vitamin C rich foods-support adrenals and copper balance.
4️⃣Consistent timing for meals & snacks with proteins carbs and fats to help support blood sugar. Meal tips here!
5️⃣Prioritize Daily Routines with your non-negotiables like: Reading, meditation, walks, eating, movement, winding down time. Stay consistent! Research shows that it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days for someone to form a new habit. Let’s talk more about morning and bedtime routines!
Morning Routine:
☀️ Morning person or not, having a set routine can be beneficial. First, a good morning starts the night before-am I right? Be sure to prioritize getting to bed at a decent time to support incorporating the new routine. ⏰ A great morning routine is the one that works for you. Not everyone will be able to have a lengthy routine due to time constraints or family obligations and that’s okay.
Here are some ideas:
Don’t pick up your phone right away: Scrolling Instagram and reading emails can wait. When you reach for your phone right after you wake up, you put yourself directly into reactive mode. This can cause you to lose focus and get stressed before you’ve even made it out of bed.
Making your bed takes about two minutes and it gives you a quick, easy sense of accomplishment right off the bat. Plus, it makes your room look neat and tidy even if the rest of your space is messy.
Eat Something Even if you’re not a big breakfast person, getting some nutrients in your body can really turn on your brain. Having a balanced meal can go a long way toward improving your mood and energy levels right off the bat. Whatever constitutes breakfast for you, just get some food into your body.
Do something for yourself each morning. Even if you just have five minutes, you can stretch, do a quick meditation, journal or work on a crossword puzzle while you drink your morning coffee. (Catching up on social media can also count as self care if this activity truly brings you joy. )
Write—or review—your daily to-do list and calendar Check over what’s on deck for the day so you don’t run into any surprises. You might even block off ten minutes or so to look over emails and address any messages that need to be taken care of right away. 📧
Bedtime Routine:
Sleep is consistently the most underrated aspect of any health & wellness journey. Creating & maintaining a bedtime routine is the best way to prioritize a good night’s sleep.
It’s best to be consistent with the time- set an alarm or notification on your phone. It will be a help signal that it’s time to unplug and start your bedtime routine.
The circadian rhythm regulates the body’s temperature, lowering the thermostat to 65 degrees is a good temperature for sleep. The body will adapt to the lower room temperature and you will begin to feel drowsy. Turning off or lowering bright lights can help with the process. As we know with screen time, exposure to bright lights before bedtime affects the circadian rhythm.
Screens from TVs, smartphones and laptops emit blue light that stimulates the body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm), keeping you buzzing long after it’s time to hibernate for the night. Sleep studies have shown that exposure to high amounts of blue light before bed can lower melatonin levels, resulting in sleeplessness and delayed REM sleep.
Journaling is good for mental health by reducing stress and helping you remember good ideas before sleep.
Using foam rolling and yoga for sleep will help relax your muscles and ground your mind before bed. They decelerate the mind and body, relieve tension and improve sleep quality.
Aromatherapy are used to help with stress management.
❔HOW LONG should my bedtime routine be? About 30 to 60 minutes. This will give you enough time to unwind without feeling rushed.
Okay back to the final aspect of today’s post for supporting your body during stressful times:
6️⃣TOXINS – Specific chemicals called halogens (bromine, chlorine, and fluorine) compete with iodine and bind to thyroid receptors, preventing thyroid hormones from working properly. Filtering fluoride and chloride out of your drinking and bath/shower water helps those with thyroid dysfunction. More Information here
Research says about 90% of cancers are a result of a lifetime of dysfunction: stress, poor nutrition, toxin exposure, chronic hormone imbalance etc. It is estimated that it takes up to 10 years for cancer to develop in the body. Every day our environment and personal choices provide information to cells, in a constant feedback loop. Research has shown us many factors that cause cancer cell development—we can use this information to optimize our environments, nutrition, hormones, etc, create a healthy terrain, and mitigate cancer risk. The body is always responding to us, and healing is possible! One of my favorite resources is here! Leigh Erin Connealy, M.D.
In summary
Addressing intestinal permeability, blood sugar imbalances, and other stress-induced dysfunctions through proper nutrition will help rebuild resilience. For those with severe gut issues, a nutrient-dense, elimination-style diet—like carnivore plus easy-to-digest carbs—may be necessary short-term to restore balance. In the end, listening to your body is critical. Experiment with what makes you feel good, trust yourself, and remember: you know best.
By shifting your mindset and supporting your body with proper fuel, you can navigate life’s stressors with resilience and strength.
🎙️ Tune in now to learn how to take control of your stress before it takes control of you!
In this week’s episode, we dive into the power of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) tapping — a unique blend of traditional Chinese medicine and modern psychology. By tapping on specific meridian points while addressing emotional struggles, EFT helps release energy blockages, reducing stress, anxiety, and even trauma. 🌱✨
In this powerful episode, I sit down with holistic healing expert Theresa Piela to explore the deep connection between chronic stress and health. Theresa shares her personal story of hitting rock bottom in 2019, when chronic illness nearly led to organ failure. We dive into the guilt and exhaustion that comes with being chronically ill in a toxic world, and how healing techniques like Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) tapping can offer relief. 🌱✨
We’ll explore how EFT has shown promising results in mental health, from lowering cortisol levels to easing PTSD symptoms in veterans. However, with its roots in spiritual and energetic practices, EFT has sparked controversy in some Christian communities. Join us as we unpack these perspectives and discuss how EFT can be a powerful tool for both emotional and physical healing.
The Impact of Stress on the Body
Understanding Stress:Theresa breaks down the three stages of stress and how they manifest in our daily lives, leading to digestive issues and chronic illnesses. She sheds light on the silent havoc that prolonged stress wreaks on our gut health and overall bodily functions.
The Three Stages of Stress and the Fawning Response: Understanding How High-Control Religions Impact Emotional Well-Being
Stress is an inevitable part of life, but how our bodies and minds respond to it can vary significantly depending on the intensity and duration of the stressor. Hans Selye, a pioneering endocrinologist, developed the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) to describe the body’s physiological response to stress. This model helps explain how prolonged stress affects overall health and well-being. While the three stages of stress capture the body’s core reactions, the behavioral response known as fawning—especially common among individuals who have come out of high-control environments like fundamentalist religions—adds another layer to this discussion.
The Three Stages of Stress: General Adaptation Syndrome
Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome describes how the body responds to stress over time, detailing three distinct stages:
1. Alarm Stage
This is the initial, immediate response to a stressor. When faced with a perceived threat, the body goes into “fight or flight” mode, releasing adrenaline and cortisol. These stress hormones increase heart rate, sharpen focus, and provide a surge of energy to prepare you to either confront the threat or escape it. In modern life, this could be triggered by anything from a work deadline to an argument with a loved one.
2. Resistance Stage
If the stressor continues beyond the initial shock, the body enters the resistance stage. While the outward signs of the fight-or-flight response might fade, internally, the body is still on high alert. Stress hormones like cortisol remain elevated, and the body tries to adapt and cope. However, this stage can’t last forever. Prolonged exposure to stress at this level takes a toll on the body, potentially leading to mental and physical exhaustion.
3. Exhaustion Stage
When stress continues for a prolonged period without adequate recovery, the body eventually reaches the exhaustion stage. Here, the body’s resources are depleted, and it can no longer function normally. Symptoms such as fatigue, depression, anxiety, and even burnout may manifest. The immune system weakens, making the individual more vulnerable to illness and disease.
Understanding these stages is crucial for recognizing when stress becomes chronic and dangerous. But there’s more to the picture when considering how stress affects behavior—especially in people who have experienced trauma or high-control environments.
Enter the Fawning Response: A Behavioral Reaction to Trauma
Fawning doesn’t fit neatly into the General Adaptation Syndrome model because it’s a behavioral rather than a purely physiological response. Still, it’s crucial to understanding how certain people cope with chronic stress or trauma, particularly in interpersonal or high-control environments.
The “Four Fs” of trauma responses—Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn—describe various ways people react when they feel threatened. While fighting, fleeing, or freezing are instinctive survival responses, fawning is a more subtle and less discussed way of coping, often rooted in a need to appease the threat to maintain safety.
What Is Fawning?
Fawning involves appeasing or placating others to avoid conflict or harm. People who fawn try to please or appease the person or situation causing the stress in order to de-escalate the threat. Instead of confronting the stressor (fight), avoiding it (flight), or becoming immobilized (freeze), a person who fawns seeks to reduce the danger by submitting, people-pleasing, or over-accommodating.
This behavior often develops in individuals who have experienced prolonged stress or trauma, especially in abusive, manipulative, or high-control environments like toxic relationships or fundamentalist religions.
How Fawning Fits into the General Adaptation Syndrome Model
Although fawning isn’t a stage of stress, we can still see how it might manifest within the GAS framework:
Alarm Stage: Fawning could be an immediate response to the initial stressor. Rather than fleeing or fighting, someone might instinctively try to placate the threat. For instance, in a high-control religion, a person might conform instantly to avoid punishment or conflict.
Resistance Stage: If the stress persists, fawning can become a habitual response during the resistance stage. The person continues engaging in appeasement behaviors, attempting to manage the ongoing stressor while sacrificing their own needs and well-being in the process.
Exhaustion Stage: Over time, relying on fawning as a coping mechanism can lead to emotional and physical exhaustion. Constantly trying to meet others’ demands, avoiding conflict, and suppressing one’s own needs results in burnout and emotional depletion.
Fawning and High-Control Religions: The Long-Lasting Impact
People who come out of high-control religions often exhibit the fawning response as they attempt to navigate new environments and relationships. These religions typically operate with strict rules, strong hierarchies, and harsh consequences for dissent. As a result, members often suppress their own needs and opinions to avoid punishment or ostracism.
Even after leaving these environments, the pattern of fawning often persists. The deeply ingrained survival mechanism of appeasing authority figures to avoid conflict becomes habitual. This behavior may manifest in various ways:
People-pleasing: Going out of their way to accommodate others, even at the expense of their own well-being.
Difficulty asserting boundaries: Struggling to say no or express personal needs and preferences, often feeling guilty for doing so.
Fear of conflict: Avoiding disagreements or confrontations out of fear of rejection or punishment.
Self-silencing: Suppressing thoughts, feelings, and opinions in order to maintain harmony and avoid disapproval.
For those deconstructing from high-control religions, the fawning response can be particularly challenging to recognize and unlearn. Many may not even realize that their behaviors are rooted in a trauma response. Helping individuals understand and break these patterns is essential for their emotional recovery.
Moving Forward: Unlearning Fawning and Rebuilding Self-Worth
Breaking the cycle of fawning involves learning to assert boundaries, rebuild self-worth, and reclaim personal autonomy. This is not an easy process, especially for those who have spent years in environments where appeasement was essential for survival. Therapy, support groups, and self-compassion can be powerful tools in helping people regain their sense of self after leaving high-control environments.
By recognizing fawning as a response to trauma and stress, individuals can begin to unlearn these behaviors, reclaim their identity, and create healthier relationships—both with others and with themselves.
Understanding stress responses, both physiological and behavioral, is key to supporting individuals who are recovering from trauma. Recognizing the fawning response and how it fits into the broader stress picture can open the door to healing for those emerging from high-control situations like fundamentalist religions.
Mindset & Thought Shifting: Changing How We React to Stress
We must first accept that stress is a normal and natural part of life. Short-term stress, when followed by ample recovery, can enhance cognition and boost our capabilities. It’s like strength training: with proper recovery, the stress we place on our muscles leads to gains. However, persistent stress, if not managed properly, can be damaging. This is why we must shift our relationship with stress.
In times of severe depletion and exhaustion, recovery takes time and commitment. Start by meeting yourself where you are. Shift your mindset by deliberately choosing thoughts that signal to your body that everything is okay. Surround yourself with calming influences—whether it’s people, sounds, colors, or landscapes—that make you feel safe and hopeful. This isn’t a luxury; it’s a requirement for healing. Equally important is removing stimuli that drain you and recognizing that your body has an incredible capacity to heal when given the right tools.
As the Dalai Lama once said, “If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it’s not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever.”
Fuel & Nutrition: Supporting Your Body’s Adaptive Stress Response
Just as important as shifting your mindset is fueling your body with the right nutrients. A starved or inflamed system will struggle to adapt to stress, especially when trying to balance internal chaos. Proper nutrition is key to supporting the body’s stress response.
When the body isn’t fueled properly, persistent stress leads to harmful effects, such as blood sugar swings, hormonal dysregulation, and weakened immunity. To counteract this, we need to provide the body with the building blocks it needs to recover.
Here’s a high-level look at what your body requires for optimal function:
Proteins: Anti-inflammatory sources like grass-fed beef, broths, shellfish, and dairy.
Carbohydrates: Glucose and fructose from fruits, honey, maple syrup, and root vegetables.
Fats: Saturated fats are essential.
Vitamins & Minerals: Vitamin C, D, E, B1, B6, B12, calcium, magnesium, copper, sodium, potassium, selenium, and zinc.
Addressing intestinal permeability, blood sugar imbalances, and other stress-induced dysfunctions through proper nutrition will help rebuild resilience. For those with severe gut issues, a nutrient-dense, elimination-style diet—like carnivore plus easy-to-digest carbs—may be necessary short-term to restore balance.
In the end, listening to your body is critical. Experiment with what makes you feel good, trust yourself, and remember: you know best.
By shifting your mindset and supporting your body with proper fuel, you can navigate life’s stressors with resilience and strength.
Ever wonder why stress keeps you up at night?
Sleep Disruption and Hormones: How Stress, Trauma, and Hormonal Imbalances Impact Sleep Quality
Sleep is one of the most critical factors for overall health, and yet, it’s often disrupted by stress and hormonal imbalances. In this section, we’ll dive into how stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline interfere with sleep, explore the impact of early life trauma on sleep quality, and discuss how the menstrual cycle and hormonal imbalances can further complicate our ability to achieve restful sleep.
Stress Hormones and Sleep Disruption
Stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline play significant roles in the body’s response to stress, but when they’re constantly elevated, they can wreak havoc on our sleep.
Cortisol: Often referred to as the “stress hormone,” cortisol follows a natural rhythm called the circadian rhythm. In healthy individuals, cortisol levels are highest in the morning to help us wake up and get ready for the day, and they naturally decline in the evening to prepare the body for rest. However, when we are under chronic stress, cortisol can become dysregulated. Instead of dropping at night, elevated cortisol levels can keep us in a state of alertness, making it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. This leads to frequent waking, shallow sleep, and feeling unrefreshed in the morning.
Adrenaline (Epinephrine): Adrenaline is the hormone responsible for the fight-or-flight response, which prepares the body to face a threat by increasing heart rate, blood flow, and energy levels. If adrenaline surges before bed—due to stress, anxiety, or even unresolved trauma—it can make falling asleep nearly impossible. You might feel restless, agitated, or have racing thoughts, all of which disturb the calm necessary for a good night’s sleep.
Practical Strategies for Managing Stress Hormones for Better Sleep
Create a Wind-Down Routine: Establishing a relaxing pre-sleep routine helps signal to your body that it’s time to rest. This can include dimming lights, turning off electronic devices (which emit blue light and can increase cortisol), and engaging in calming activities like reading, gentle stretching, or meditation.
Balance Blood Sugar: Blood sugar spikes and crashes can trigger cortisol release. Eating a well-balanced meal with protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates before bed can stabilize blood sugar levels and prevent cortisol surges during the night.
Supplement Support: Some supplements, such as magnesium, have been shown to help reduce cortisol levels and promote relaxation. Herbal adaptogens like ashwagandha and holy basil can also support the body’s stress response and reduce cortisol.
Mind-Body Techniques: Practices like yoga, deep breathing exercises, and progressive muscle relaxation can help lower cortisol and calm the nervous system before sleep.
The Impact of Early Life Trauma and Adverse Events on Sleep
Early life trauma or Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have profound effects on the body’s stress response systems, which can manifest later in life as sleep disturbances. Research shows that people who have experienced trauma, particularly in early development, often have overactive sympathetic nervous systems and altered cortisol levels, leading to difficulty achieving deep, restorative sleep.
Hypervigilance: Trauma survivors often experience hypervigilance, a heightened state of awareness where the body is constantly scanning for potential threats, even during sleep. This state of heightened arousal makes it hard to relax, and the individual may have trouble entering deeper stages of sleep like REM (Rapid Eye Movement) or slow-wave sleep.
Fragmented Sleep: Those with a history of trauma may wake frequently during the night, as their bodies remain on high alert. This fragmentation prevents the deep, uninterrupted sleep necessary for physical and emotional recovery.
Nightmares and Flashbacks: Trauma-related nightmares are common and can disrupt sleep, causing the individual to wake in distress. Flashbacks, even during waking hours, can trigger the body’s stress response, elevating cortisol and adrenaline and making sleep difficult.
Strategies to Address Sleep Disruption in Trauma Survivors
Trauma-Informed Therapy: Engaging in trauma therapy, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), can help individuals process traumatic memories and regulate their nervous system responses, ultimately improving sleep.
Grounding Techniques: Practicing grounding exercises, such as focusing on your breath or engaging your five senses, can help bring your body back into the present moment, reducing hypervigilance and promoting relaxation before bed.
Sleep-Friendly Environment: Creating a sleep environment that feels safe and secure is crucial for trauma survivors. Using weighted blankets, soothing sounds, and minimizing noise or light disturbances can enhance feelings of safety during sleep.
The Role of Menstrual Cycles and Hormonal Imbalances in Sleep Disruption
For many women, sleep disturbances can be closely tied to the fluctuations in estrogen, progesterone, and other hormones that occur throughout the menstrual cycle. Hormonal imbalances, especially during perimenopause or menopause, can further exacerbate sleep issues.
Estrogen and Progesterone: These hormones play vital roles in regulating sleep. Estrogen promotes sleep by increasing serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood and sleep patterns. Progesterone has a calming, sedative effect on the brain and helps prepare the body for sleep. However, imbalances in these hormones—whether due to the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, or menopause—can lead to insomnia, night sweats, and difficulty staying asleep.
Premenstrual Sleep Disruption: Many women experience disrupted sleep in the luteal phase of their cycle (the days leading up to menstruation), when progesterone levels spike and then rapidly drop. This sudden shift can lead to insomnia or restless sleep, often accompanied by PMS symptoms like bloating, mood swings, and cramps.
Perimenopause and Menopause: As women approach menopause, declining estrogen and progesterone levels can lead to hot flashes, night sweats, and other symptoms that interfere with sleep. The lack of estrogen can also cause vaginal dryness and discomfort, further disrupting rest.
Cortisol and Menstrual Cycles: High cortisol levels, often due to stress, can also impact the menstrual cycle by suppressing the release of sex hormones, leading to irregular periods or exacerbating PMS symptoms, which in turn disrupt sleep.
Practical Strategies for Hormonal Sleep Issues
Track Your Cycle: By tracking your menstrual cycle, you can become more aware of patterns in sleep disturbances and adjust your habits accordingly. For instance, you might prioritize stress management techniques and good sleep hygiene during the luteal phase.
Herbal Support: Certain herbs like chasteberry (Vitex), black cohosh, and red clover can help balance estrogen and progesterone levels, potentially reducing sleep issues related to PMS or menopause.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): For women in perimenopause or menopause, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) can help restore hormone balance, improving sleep quality. Consulting a healthcare provider about HRT options may be helpful.
Takeaway: Supporting Hormonal Balance for Better Sleep
Stress, trauma, and hormonal imbalances each play a major role in sleep disruption, but by managing stress hormones, addressing trauma, and supporting hormonal health, you can improve your ability to achieve deep, restorative sleep. Prioritizing sleep hygiene, engaging in calming practices, balancing blood sugar, and supporting hormone levels with natural or medical interventions are key strategies in restoring balance and reclaiming restful nights.
Nutritional and Lifestyle Adjustments: Theresa shares actionable tips on how to nourish your body for better sleep. From balancing blood sugar to enjoying nutritionally dense meals, she emphasizes the importance of tuning into what your body needs, rather than following rigid dietary rules. We also explore the benefits of bedtime snacks like fructose, carbs, and chamomile tea to promote restful sleep.
Emotional Resilience and Self-Compassion: In a world that demands so much from us, Theresa encourages us to meet ourselves with curiosity and compassion. She reminds us that it’s okay to feel frustrated, angry, or tired—these emotions are part of being human. Through self-experimentation and treating ourselves with the kindness we would offer a child, we can navigate the healing journey with more grace.
Tune in to this episode for a heartfelt and insightful discussion that will leave you with practical tools and a renewed sense of hope on your path to healing. Whether you’re struggling with insomnia, chronic stress, or just trying to find balance in a chaotic world, Theresa’s wisdom is not to be missed.
For helpful tapping videos, be sure to check out TappingwithT.com, where you can explore a variety of free resources without needing to sign up. You can also take advantage of a 7-day free trial to the membership and app! Additionally, if you’re interested in personalized support, 30-minute discovery calls are available for those considering 1:1 sessions.
This week we have been diving into conspiracies chronicles, exploring how the 20th century marked a turning point in the rise of political paranoia and corporate influence, as conspiracies began to shape public perception and policy. With the rapid technological and social changes of the Second Industrial Revolution, powerful corporate interests gained unprecedented sway. From the Fletcher Report to the invention of Crisco, and the deeply flawed research by Ancel Keys on dietary fat and heart disease, lobbying, payoffs, and conflicts of interest paved the way for decisions that continue to shape public health policies to this day.
The integrity of our food system has been called into question with a 2020 study revealing that 95% of the members on the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) have conflicts of interest with major industry actors. These include ties to companies like Kellogg, General Mills, Kraft, and Dannon. Such conflicts arise through research funding, board memberships, and other forms of collaboration, raising concerns about the impartiality of public health recommendations. With industries like food, pharmaceuticals, and even agriculture involved, the guidelines that shape what Americans are encouraged to eat may be heavily influenced by corporate agendas.
This issue is particularly worrying because dietary guidelines play a critical role in shaping national health policies. A lack of transparency around these conflicts undermines public trust and can skew the focus of health advice, potentially shifting attention away from critical issues like diet-related diseases. Researchers have emphasized the need for stronger regulations and safeguards to mitigate these conflicts, suggesting that more unbiased committees could help prevent corporate interests from unduly shaping the nation’s nutrition policies.
In the realm of public health and pharmaceuticals, there’s a well-documented phenomenon known as the “revolving door” between regulatory agencies and the pharmaceutical industry. This term refers to the cyclical movement of personnel between roles as regulators or policymakers and positions within the industries they oversee.
What Is the Revolving Door?
The revolving door concept highlights a pattern where high-ranking officials from organizations such as the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) transition into influential roles within pharmaceutical companies, and vice versa. This fluid movement raises critical questions about the integrity and impartiality of regulatory oversight.
Notable Examples
Several prominent examples illustrate this phenomenon:
Scott Gottlieb, who served as the FDA Commissioner from 2017 to 2019, joined Pfizer’s board of directors shortly after his tenure at the FDA.
Julie Gerberding, the CDC Director from 2002 to 2009, transitioned to an executive role at Merck following her time at the CDC.
Stephen Hahn, FDA Commissioner from 2019 to 2021, took on a role at Flagship Pioneering, the venture capital firm instrumental in founding Moderna.
The Debate: Conflicts of Interest vs. Expertise
The revolving door sparks intense debate. Critics argue that this cycle of movement can create potential conflicts of interest. Regulators may be more lenient or biased towards the industries with which they have personal or future professional connections. This concern is particularly significant in the pharmaceutical sector, where regulatory decisions have profound implications for public health.
On the other hand, defenders suggest that this movement ensures that regulatory bodies benefit from the expertise and insider knowledge of seasoned professionals. They argue that these individuals bring valuable industry insights that can enhance regulatory practices and decisions.
The Impact on Public Health
The dynamics of the revolving door are crucial in discussions about the impartiality of regulatory oversight. In an industry where public health and safety are at stake, maintaining transparency and objectivity in regulatory processes is paramount. The potential for conflicts of interest necessitates ongoing scrutiny and reforms to ensure that the primary focus remains on safeguarding public health.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been vocal about the issues with U.S. food systems, particularly targeting ultra-processed foods and the conflicts of interest surrounding federal dietary guidelines. He emphasizes how powerful food industry lobbies, including companies behind highly processed products, have influenced organizations like the USDA and FDA. RFK Jr. argues that this corruption has resulted in dietary guidelines that are detrimental to public health, prioritizing corporate profits over scientific integrity. He has criticized the ties between NGOs, including groups like the NAACP and diabetes associations, and the processed food lobby, which he claims skews their advocacy away from public health concerns and toward protecting industry interests.
Kennedy has connected these issues with broader systemic problems in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, asserting that ultra-processed foods contribute to a wide range of health problems, including metabolic disorders, cancer, and mental health issues. He also stresses that these foods disproportionately affect low-income communities and marginalized groups due to their accessibility, exacerbating health disparities. His stance resonates with his broader critique of government agencies being compromised by corporate interests, echoing his calls for transparency and reform across various sectors
As this debate continues, it is essential for the public to stay informed about these connections and advocate for transparency and accountability in the regulatory process. The revolving door is more than a mere career path—it’s a vital issue that affects how health policies and safety standards are shaped and enforced.
If you’re looking to explore the topic of conflicts of interest in the U.S. food system, including the influence of corporate lobbying on dietary guidelines and public health, here are some credible resources:
Marion Nestle’s Work Marion Nestle, a renowned nutritionist and public health advocate, has extensively written about the politics of food and how corporate interests shape food policies. Her book “Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health” is a foundational resource that explores conflicts of interest in detail. She has also published several articles and blog posts that can be found on her website, Food Politics.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) CSPI is a non-profit organization that advocates for public health and transparency in the food industry. They regularly publish reports and articles on how industry lobbyists influence dietary guidelines and public health policies. Visit their site for comprehensive resources: CSPI.
The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) JAMA has published several peer-reviewed articles on the conflicts of interest within the committees that develop dietary guidelines. You can access these studies through JAMA.
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) UCS focuses on the intersection of science, policy, and industry influence, and they have published reports on the food industry’s role in shaping guidelines. You can find their reports here: UCS Food System Work.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Health Freedom Platform RFK Jr.’s organization, Children’s Health Defense, provides reports and articles on corporate influence in healthcare and the food system. While this source may reflect RFK Jr.’s specific views, it offers insights into his arguments and data regarding industry control. Children’s Health Defense.
These resources provide a deep dive into the systemic issues within the food industry, helping you critically examine how corporate interests shape dietary guidelines and health outcomes.
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