This episode is an eye-opening look at the modern food system and how it impacts our energy, vitality, and everyday well-being.
We’re joined by Health Coach and Founder of Superhuman, Mike Schmidt, a passionate advocate for food awareness and clean living. Together, we unpack what’s happening behind the scenes in the grocery store aisles, how food culture in the U.S. differs from other countries, and the unseen effects of ultra-processed, high-sugar diets.
We also talk about how today’s food environment—while abundant—is often lacking in real nourishment. Mike shares his perspective on how we can reconnect with food in a way that supports not just our physical health, but also our mental clarity, emotional resilience, and capacity to thrive in every area of life.
When we become more conscious of how we fuel ourselves, we build the foundation to show up more grounded, clear, and fully expressed—in business, in relationships, and in the way we live our lives.
0:02: Welcome to the Fully expressed podcast.
0:03: We are your hosts, Samantha and Karenna.
0:06: This is a show where we invite you into your fullest express self and life, relationships, and business.
0:11: We believe that if you crave more, you are meant for more.
0:14: There is room for all of us to be fully expressed.
0:17: Enjoy this new episode.
0:20: Hey, it’s Samantha.
0:21: If you’ve ever stared at your plate wondering if you’re eating the right thing, you’re not alone.
0:26: Karenna and I have both been there.
0:28: For years, we chased answers, trying literally every diet from vegan to carnivore, obsessing over ingredients, reading every label.
0:36: If you’ve listened to our earlier episodes, you know our relationships with food.
0:40: Haven’t always been easy.
0:41: There were times it wasn’t just about health.
0:43: It was about control, anxiety, and trying to feel good enough.
0:47: And honestly, we know we’re not alone in that.
0:50: So many people are stuck in the same loop hearing 1 1000 voices telling them 1000 different things about what they should or shouldn’t eat.
0:57: It can be so overwhelming.
1:00: But what if it didn’t have to be that complicated?
1:03: What if the real path to feeling better, more energized, more in tune with our bodies wasn’t some extreme plan, but just going back to the basics, clean, organic, whole foods.
1:16: That’s what today’s episode is all about.
1:18: We’re sitting down with Mike Schmidt, the founder of Super.
1:21: Food superhuman.
1:22: He shares his personal journey of how small, realistic changes and a shift toward natural organic eating completely transformed his health.
1:31: His story is a reminder that it’s not about following trends.
1:34: It’s about reconnecting with real food and making it work for you.
1:38: And hey, if someone you care about is feeling lost in all the noise, confused about what to eat, or just trying to feel a little better, send this their way.
1:47: Sometimes hearing someone else’s journey is exactly the encouragement we need.
1:51: All right, let’s dive in and hear how Mike found his way and how you can start taking those first small steps toward a healthier, more connected life.
2:00: Welcome.
2:01: Thanks so much for having me.
2:02: I’m stoked to be here.
2:04: Thank you so much for coming on.
2:05: We get to talk about health, nutrition, food, and toxins, spirituality, all the things that you like fully embody as superhuman and our subjects.
2:17: And yeah, yeah, I’m super stoked.
2:20: I’m really excited to be here and, yeah, it’s just really cool to see the journey that I’ve been on and how much nutrition has kind of led to this spirit spiritual journey and allowed me to.
2:31: Yeah, I fully express myself through the tool of nutrition.
2:34: So yeah, really grateful to be in this present moment with you guys here today.
2:38: What was the thing that like kind of pulled you into wanting to deep dive into nutrition and food?
2:44: I think it was again really growing up with that athlete mindset, just kind of always having that ambition and, you know, obviously sometimes that optimization can be our worst enemy, but can also be our best friend and how we achieve and you know, yeah, create our own lives and.
3:01: You know, just having the athlete mindset, I think, again, from the get-go was probably the main reason, but the real journey was suffering from chronic acne for like 10 years, along with like hemorrhoids.
3:12: And yeah, when like dermatologists, dermatologists, and all they would ever say is like, drink more water, have more fiber, and I never even like thought to put 2 and 2 together that food might have something to do with it.
3:22: And, I was doing like the tretinoin.
3:24: I did like the.
3:25: , was it like the IQV, I almost said I almost said the Accutane and I was also put on an antibiotic, which, you know, some people listening to this might realize that it’s not the best thing because yeah, it kills the bad bacteria, but it kills the good bacteria, And yeah, a little TMI but it kind of, it came to a point where I literally had like an operation on like one of the hemorrhoids that I had and it was like, just like the most uncomfortable thing and made me feel even worse, and I knew it wasn’t like getting to the root.
3:56: And the biggest silver lining was I started getting into calisthenics and I had a shoulder injury.
4:01: I tore my labor in my left shoulder and I started like studying human body that got me into nutrition.
4:06: I started like shopping at Whole Foods and then I was like looking at all the labels and I realized all the best foods are coming from California so I grew up in Massachusetts.
4:14: And I was like, all right, I just got to go where the food is.
4:17: and then, yeah, long story short, I came out here about, 6 months before the pandemic happened and then that was like a huge silver lining like the first time in my life where I was really forced to just like slow down and actually think about what was going on, was I actually happy in the life I was living and, I got introduced to a nutrition course and literally within like 4 to 6 weeks of just like changing my awareness and then integrating that awareness, like all my acne and all my hemorrhoids totally eradicated.
4:44: And that was like an awakening in and of itself.
4:45: And I was like, how come nobody knows this?
4:48: Like this is crazy.
4:49: So then I just kind of felt this pull to start sharing with the universe.
4:53: I dealt with acne my growing up my whole life and it’s one of those things where like you go to the dermatologist and they’re like, this is what you need to treat it or put this on your skin or take this supplement, take this thing, and not one time that they were asked me like, how are your hormones doing?
5:06: How is your gut doing?
5:07: what else what other symptoms you have and it’s like something that quote unquote was like so embarrassing growing up with and It was so hard on like my self-esteem or my self worth and all those things and I also went through something similar where I was like I started one, calming my nervous system, 2, learning how to just like balance out my hormones.
5:24: Like the other day I bought this like new shampoo for example, and it was like a cleaner shampoo, but something in it was just not sitting really well and I started breaking on acne again.
5:33: I was like, no, gotta change that.
5:34: And then I went to clear stem and all of it went away just from like shampoo product because my hair touches my jawline and it’s like hormonal, so it’s just crazy that there isn’t this conversation about like how these toxins or these things that we’re eating are also contributing to our skin and our skin is our largest organ.
5:54: Right.
5:55: Yeah, I was literally just gonna say that you put the words in my mouth.
5:57: Our skin is our largest organ, and it’s our literally our first line of defense to our immune system.
6:01: And something that Mark Hyman said that always sticks with me.
6:04: It’s like, if you wouldn’t put it.
6:06: In your body, why would you put it on your body?
6:07: And you know, there are some people that are pretty in tune with their health and they maybe even use like let’s say magnesium spray before they go to bed because it is, it’s more bioavailable.
6:17: It hits your bloodstream even faster.
6:18: So then you think about all these like, yeah, cleaning products and yeah, things we put on our skin and women using like certain makeup and sometimes that can actually make the issues worse and.
6:29: You know, it’s like, I think when you just are able to like objectively audit your life and like kind of look at some of the facts and also listen to your body, you can be like, all right, like, what am I doing that might be contributing to what is happening?
6:41: Because the reality is, you know, I feel like our reality is just an internal reflection of what’s going on in our mind and like the things that we’re subjecting our bodies to on a daily basis.
6:49: So, yeah, it’s like.
6:51: I first started with the food and then I’m like, OK, well, what is, what are these like chemicals that are in my cookware?
6:58: What is like in the shampoo that I’m wearing, and I, I, I think when it comes back to like what you said about the doctors, like I don’t, I really genuinely don’t think a lot of them like mean like that I mean that it’s not, it’s not ma intended, it’s just like yeah we’re never taught, right?
7:14: And so, yeah.
7:14: Yeah, so, yeah, it’s really interesting when you think about that.
7:18: it’s not just what you what you put into your body, but also what you put on your body.
7:22: So what were you consuming before when you were dealing with the acne and all like what were the what were the biggest shifts you made dietarily because I think it is both diet and mindset.
7:32: It’s like the diet cleans up your mind and then all of a sudden you become more aware and then you shift your mind.
7:36: and that’s like I think they go hand in hand, but what we’re like for people listening, because I also think sometimes people don’t realize what they’re eating is toxic, so I know we want to go into toxic foods, but maybe you could start with your personal journey like because especially as an athlete, I think one would assume, oh, they’re healthy or they eat healthy.
7:54: So what did that look like?
7:56: Yeah, thank you for that.
7:58: I was eating the standard American diet, sad diet, and yeah, yeah, I I can’t take credit for it, but yeah, so it’s kind of transferred from, you know, again, the emotional intelligence has kind of gone into like I call it the sound now, the sad American lifestyle.
8:18: But yeah, a good place to start is the diet, because I didn’t know how much it was affecting me, but yeah, I mean if you’re an American kid growing up in this country, there’s a very good chance that And it’s to no fault of your parents, but they’re never taught either.
8:30: And so it’s like we all know candy is not good for us.
8:33: We all know like pizza is not great for us.
8:35: We all know fried food is not good for us, but it’s like I hear that every day.
8:38: It’s like I know what I need to do, but for some reason I just don’t do it.
8:40: And I think some of that is like your own why so like why you want to be healthy.
8:44: And then secondly, it’s like just like sheer education and awareness, because you can’t change anything you’re not aware of.
8:49: So yeah, for me, I mean like.
8:52: I was literally eating like Subway before a basketball game.
8:56: we had these like weekend tournaments with our team and like our coach would always buy us like pizza and I was having like cereal and you know, just the typical things that like a lot of high school kids eat like pop tarts and like buffalo chicken calzones and just like tons of conventional dairy, meaning like non-organic, and typical gluten and, yeah, probably like too much caffeine and so my body was just super stressed out and.
9:21: Stress can come from multiple different places.
9:23: I don’t think people realize how much food literally stresses your body.
9:28: and so this is the thing is like sometimes we don’t know how bad we felt until we start feeling good and we don’t know like what is causing our issues until we remove them.
9:37: so yeah, I was eating just like tons of cheese and yeah, like sandwiches and gluten and bread and just like literally the standard American diet, that’s what we’re pretty much prescribed to.
9:47: , so until you start like educating yourself, those habits are really never going to change.
9:52: And that’s like a huge realization I’ve had on a psychological level when it comes to like your emotional intelligence, but also nutrition.
9:58: It’s like, there’s a lot of people out there that are eating as 40 year olds, but acting like they’re 4 based on how they’re eating, right?
10:06: You know what I mean?
10:06: like still eating cereal and like, like these deli meats that are like proven to cause cancer and just like, honestly, like a childish diet, and it’s not their fault.
10:14: It’s just they’ve never been taught how to change and so like, You know, if nothing changes, nothing changes, right?
10:20: I’d also say it’s difficult when you go into a grocery store like an Albertson’s or Ralph’s and not like a Jimbo’s or a Whole Foods and you see all these things on the shelves and you feel like, well, if they’re in here, if they’re being sold, then A part of me is like I can eat that, you know what I mean?
10:37: Like it’s kind of hard not to.
10:38: Like you walk down the aisles, there’s like an entire aisle for cereal.
10:41: Like I love cereal as a little girl, you know what I mean?
10:44: Like I love my pops and things like that, but it’s hard because if it’s on there you’re like, if I can buy this thing then I’m quote unquote assuming that it’s good for me or that it’s allowed to do these things for me, you know, like what I hate, it makes me sad about grocery stores sometimes I’m like the smallest, sometimes the smallest part is the The vegetables and the fruit and the rest of it is all these processed things and it’s very difficult when you’re just waking up to this you’re like, wait, I can’t, I can’t eat that, but it’s here.
11:12: Yeah, it’s here a lot, yeah.
11:14: Like why can’t I buy that?
11:15: I remember in 2012 I lived in Australia and I Lived with a with another girlfriend and her and her mom, they like invited, they brought us like 4, the three of us went to a talk from a woman who owned a farm and you know, Australia is kind of behind us a little bit in terms of industry and food and everything, but obesity was starting to become an issue.
11:36: And I remember listening to this talk and she was saying how her kids were never sick.
11:40: They only ate the They grew on the land.
11:42: They never had to go to the doctor, like they were so vibrant, and she looked vibrant and healthy, and she had written this book about like 4 ingredient recipes, and every recipe in this book was like 4 or 5 ingredients because she was saying like eating clean is is not as hard as you think.
11:56: And she was saying when you go to the grocery store, like stick to the outside aisles, you know, and all this stuff.
12:00: And I’ll never forget like that stuck.
12:02: With me so much like you did, again, it’s like you’re saying it’s education.
12:05: Like I didn’t even realize that I was eating so poorly.
12:09: I mean the only good grace was like I was allergic to dairy, so I never ate dairy growing up.
12:13: But other than that, like, yeah, I lived off cereal and dies and like red vines and just bread that you can buy at the store.
12:19: Yeah, and I was like, yeah, homemade sourdough, gluten-free.
12:24: Yeah.
12:25: Yeah.
12:26: No, that’s such a good point.
12:27: I think, like I’m not here to define the definition of healthy, and I think that’s like the beautiful thing about like sovereignty and like being your own being.
12:34: It’s like you get to find that for yourself.
12:37: But a lot of people like that are athletes kind of just like assume that they’re healthy and.
12:41: That’s exactly where I was.
12:42: It was like this.
12:43: I was like skinny fat.
12:44: I was like I, I wasn’t like externally fat, but I was eating buffalo chicken calzones and pizza and Subway and like so I just burn it off or like same thing in college, like, you know, it was like blacking out like 4 nights a week and I would just go run like 5 miles.
12:57: So it’s like how toxic is that?
12:59: And it’s just, I mean, the body’s super resilient, but I think that can almost be like a blessing and a curse because.
13:04: It’s like, you know, it starts to like whisper to you, then it starts to talk to you.
13:07: It you eventually.
13:09: But, yeah, it’s like, you know, someone eating like tons of carbs all the time or like constantly spiking their blood sugar.
13:16: Like they don’t, I mean, yeah, obviously there’s mood swings and energy crashes, but sometimes you don’t really understand that compound effect.
13:21: It’s the same thing with like finances like if you’re not investing in a savings account every single day, like eventually that’s going to show and it’s the same thing with nutrition.
13:29: , but back to your point, yeah, it’s, it’s pretty mind boggling.
13:32: I mean, the FDA is literally basically admitted that they don’t have the capacity to like monitor every single ingredient that goes into these foods.
13:39: So there’s so many different loopholes and so many different terminologies where these companies like find ways to just make it work, and it is, it is.
13:49: Yeah, just mind blowing.
13:50: Even like when I was back home, for the holidays with my parents, like they went into some grocery store and I wasn’t in there to like buy anything.
13:58: I mean, obviously most time when you go to the grocery store you’re there like purchase things and you’re looking for things.
14:01: I was just like following them around because I was with them for the holidays.
14:04: And this happens to me every now and then, but I’ll just like walk through the aisle and be like, I just kind of have this like a zoom out moment like, holy crap, like you just like look at these aisles and you’re like, what is this?
14:15: And we talk about like the food shortage like in the country and around the world.
14:18: It’s like if we like reallocated all the money that we put into this fake food and put it into real food and farmers’ markets and supporting farmers and regenerative agriculture, like can you imagine how different the world would be and Another thing is that a lot of people don’t realize that the cigarette industry bought the food industry in like 1980 or like 1970.
14:38: So now they’re really applying the exact same tactics to food as they did with cigarettes because when the cigarette industry started going down and like CVS started pulling the cigarettes from their shelves, OK, like holy crap, like what do we do?
14:49: So they bought like Kraft, they bought Heinz, like Marlboro and Phillip Morris.
14:54: And so they’re literally using the same addictive tactics and strategies to like.
14:59: It’s terrible.
15:00: They’re addicting like young kids.
15:01: They’re putting the cartoons on like all the gummies and the cereal and everything is super colorful and it’s like, and then the parents are like, well, what do I do?
15:10: Like my kid like he’s begging for this food.
15:12: I’m not gonna not give it to them or else they’re gonna cry all day long and it’s like we’re literally indoctrined into this again, sad diet, standard American diet where we’re addicted to sugar basically like from day one and then we have to dig ourselves out of a hole and it’s like there’s so much.
15:29: There’s so much bullshit about like the fact that like, oh, can’t like sugar might not cause cancer, like we have to like have like a double blind placebo study to show that like, you know, this is actually true.
15:39: It’s like, dude, let’s use some common sense.
15:41: Let’s look at Americans.
15:43: Let’s look at the Americans from 197024 and it’s like unrecognizable and it’s like, you know, little kids like.
15:51: Like childhood diabetes that tripled since like 1990 and it’s like there’s so much pushback it become so political.
15:58: It’s like, dude, let’s just look at the objective facts and see what’s happening and maybe we can be open to trying something new.
16:04: Yeah.
16:05: And then that becomes radical.
16:07: Yeah, we went to Disneyland recently and it blew my mind how like the number of, you know, you would say like thin or fit people was 2%, 3%, like it’s just, yeah, it’s so crazy that food is so.
16:20: Politicized and just like villainized and I’m like and what’s crazy to me and Krina and I talked about this too because we both like pretty well traveled.
16:28: You go to Europe and they have the same companies making the same food but with better ingredients.
16:34: Like there’s no excuse, you know, like that’s why I try to tell people like if you went to England and you bought a Hershey bar, it’s real chocolate.
16:41: Like there’s no natural flavors or weird shit in it.
16:44: Now it’s like, why can’t we hold that to the same standard?
16:48: It’s, I mean, America is innocent until proven guilty and they’re going to keep the same ingredients.
16:52: They’re gonna keep doing the same things until someone tells them not to.
16:55: And it’s like you maybe people have seen that the, what is it, red ye 3, red dye 40 or whatever, like they’re finally banning it in foods, which was banned in cosmetics in like 1980.
17:04: Yeah, we’re just eating it every day and it’s like it’s no problem.
17:07: And so it just goes to show you though, you have to.
17:09: You have to be aware and like you don’t want to like live in a bubble and like be super scared all the time, but you just gotta like take a look around, you gotta ask yourself how you feel and just maybe ask a question like this food have something to do with how I feel.
17:20: That’s the biggest thing I think is like I feel, I say this all the time.
17:23: I think people have gotten so used to feeling just OK like just mediocre.
17:27: They don’t know what vibrant feels like.
17:28: They don’t know what energy feels like.
17:30: They’re just like, oh.
17:31: I mean, even some of like our family members will be like, I feel fine.
17:34: It’s like you have one working kidney.
17:36: Like, what are you talking about?
17:38: You had 3 hip replacements and knee replacements all the time.
17:45: They’re like, I, I, you know, it’s, it’s wild.
17:51: I mean the amount of times I’ve like met someone from A different country that isn’t from America, whether it’s someone from Turkey or like Australia or Italy, it’s like, it’s just like the objective truth is just like I’m hearing it like straight from this person’s mouth is like the first thing that happened to me when I came to America is like I started getting sick.
18:08: Yeah, and gaining weight like they all get bloated.
18:11: I remember when my, the girl I lived with in Australia came here, the first thing she said is like, why is your bread so sweet?
18:18: All your bread is really sweet because there.
18:20: sourdough, like there’s no sugar bread.
18:22: I mean, maybe now there is, but there is no sweet bread, you know, and she’s like, I feel like I’m eating a dessert as a sandwich, like I’m grossed out, you know.
18:36: It’s sad and I think that’s why like because like not all bread is created equal and You know, I feel for people because like you scroll on Instagram for 4 seconds and someone says like, oh, like this isn’t good for you or like you can’t have coffee or bread’s bad for you, or like, don’t eat sugar, don’t have fruit, and it’s like, what do I do?
18:51: And I think that’s really the skill that I teach people is like how to listen to your body, like literally like cancel out and stop listening to what everyone else is saying and listen to like what your body is saying because it’s like, you know, there’s all these like carnivore influencers out there that say you have to do this and that and like, I think that’s why the diet wars happen is because The commonality with those diets is that they stop eating processed food and they just start eating real food and then people are like, holy crap, I’ve never felt like this in my entire life.
19:17: I got to tell everybody keto is the best carnivore’s the best.
19:20: Kaleo is the best, vegan is the best.
19:22: And so that’s where I think we can start to find a commonality like I’ve Don’t really like to put labels on anything for that matter, but if I had to say, I feel like I’m kind of just like an omnivore.
19:30: It’s like anything that’s nutritionally dense that gives me energy and vitality, like I’ll eat it.
19:38: I was gonna say like yeah, I mean we talk about the body so much like you.
19:41: your power.
19:42: I think what’s difficult for people is that they are so badly looking for like, you tell me what I need to eat and they’re also not wanting to take on that responsibility themselves.
19:51: I feel like, wait, my body’s all within me.
19:53: I get to make the answer, the choices and feel that.
19:55: But if you do think about it, like, especially like I had this journey specifically where I’d eat certain foods and I get a headache.
20:02: Instead of like taking the Tylenol right away, I’d look back at my entire day and it’d be like, what are the foods today that I ate that gave me the headache and I could pick up on those things.
20:10: And so I think there’s like an invitation for anyone that’s listening is just start to pay more attention to your symptoms and then what you ate and see if they’re connected.
20:19: That’s super powerful and that’s kind of how we’ve been in doctrine is like, oh, if you feel bad then like just do this or take this to like numb it away and make it go away, which is fine.
20:28: That’s understandable because that’s how we’re hardwired as humans is either away from pain or towards pleasure.
20:32: But you can’t heal what you can’t feel.
20:35: And, that’s why I think again, like, you don’t realize something’s affecting you until you remove it.
20:40: And for me, like during my burnout journey, personally, I just noticed that like caffeine and like too much coffee was actually making things worse.
20:48: And it was like, OK, let me sit here and like chug a cold brew and like try to get more work done.
20:52: But then I realized like my stress and my cortisol was already super high, and we’re all like primal monkey beings that aren’t really meant to stare at a screen, so like this is just making things worse.
21:01: , so yeah, that’s just like one example, but then also obviously like eliminating conventional gluten and dairy.
21:06: It’s like I didn’t know that was causing my acne and hemorrhoids.
21:09: So, yeah, just like objectively auditing without like judgment or like attachment or like there’s something wrong with you.
21:16: It’s like, hm like I wonder.
21:18: How I can do things differently and to start feeling differently.
21:20: Can you speak to to like, I’m, I’m gonna assume here because I’ve also cleansed off of processed foods and sugar long ago and like the detox portion of it because I also think like when at least for me and people I know like when when I quit sugar like processed sugar and processed foods, I had I feel like I can define this, let’s talk about sugar really is, right?
21:41: Yeah, like fruit and sugar, like I’m talking about candies and dyes and fast food and all of that stuff.
21:49: I had like a huge detox like flu symptoms and Sickness and like I felt way worse before I felt better.
21:59: so maybe you can speak because I feel like I’m sure you’ve seen that in your journey yourself and with your clients.
22:04: I’m curious for you to speak on that because I know a lot of people don’t talk about that part.
22:09: Yeah, thanks for bringing that up.
22:09: I think that’s that’s pretty symbolic of all like outlets appealing.
22:13: I think sometimes you start feeling worse before you start feeling good.
22:16: but yeah, I mean that again, going back to like the standard American diet, like we’re taught to basically Have our own taste bud taste buds be hijacked and be addicted to sugar.
22:25: So like the body becomes really good at what you, yeah, constantly give to it and.
22:31: Then I think like people are so used to like carb burning and sugar burning their whole lives, which is like good because that’s our first most preferred source of energy, right?
22:41: But it’s kind of like the Kindle sticks to a fire like it gives you a quick burst, but then eventually it burns out and that’s what happens if people get all these like afternoon energy crashes, like they need a coffee at 2 o’clock, obviously like stress and all that plays a factor as well.
22:53: But yeah, I think that, you know, intermittent fasting gets a lot of bad rap and Again, one of my biggest concepts I teach my clients is biodividuality, meaning like, you got to do what works best for you and listen to your body.
23:06: I think that like, especially for women that are like really stressed out, their cortisol is really high, like fasting is just another micros stress on the body, just like working out is in an ice bath, so like it’s all like hormetic stress, meaning it’s making you more resilient, but too much of anything is never a good thing.
23:21: but anyway, like I recommend that people that are so used to the standard American diet, or they are eating a lot of carbs, or they are eating a lot of sugar.
23:29: The reason it’s called intermittent is because it’s like a therapeutic tool.
23:32: And the reason that people like might get headaches or they might feel different, it’s just the same thing when they, when they stop stop drinking coffee.
23:39: Why is that?
23:39: Because caffeine is a drug.
23:41: Well, why do they get the headaches when they start fasting is because sugar is a drug.
23:46: so yeah, sometimes people will, will get those symptoms, but, ultimately you’re kind of like flushing out your body and you’re teaching your body how to run off of a different, Like fuel source, which is like fat burning.
24:00: And so, you know, a lot of people demonize fat and there was the whole low fat craze of like the 90s, like, oh, I low fat yogurt and all this stuff, but like I actually recommend that clients, especially women, like eat full fat like yogurt and full fat items because it’s so good for your hormones.
24:15: Like fat is literally the building blocks of your hormones.
24:18: and so the irony is like, that’s why keto works so well for people is because they start eating more fat and they actually lose fat.
24:24: It’s like, huh, like what’s going on there?
24:26: So there’s a doctor, Doctor Lustig at a UCLA.
24:30: His whole career is basically dedicated to, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which is basically liver disease that is not caused by alcohol, and people don’t realize that sugar to an extent and at a certain point is literally toxic to the liver.
24:46: And now they’re starting to see non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in like children, kids that are like less than 12 years old, because they’re just consuming liquid sugar all day long.
24:56: They’re drinking soda and like high fructose corn syrup, right?
25:00: It was not even invented until 1960 and then it’s like you look at the grass and it’s like, OK, like, obviously glyphosate, but also like high fructose corn syrup, like all these like additive ingredients and chemicals, like it all makes a huge difference, but I think that.
25:13: Sugar is, yeah, probably one of the biggest issues.
25:17: And so so many people are so used to using that as a main fuel source, and most of it’s like processed sugars or, you know, processed carbs.
25:25: So that’s why you kind of get those symptoms of like, well, it’s kind of like a shock to my body.
25:30: so I want to talk about this a little bit like sugar as someone who has dealt with an eating disorder and just diets in general whole life when I would hear that, I would say like, well, then I have to cut all sugar.
25:40: I meant fruit as well.
25:42: Like I did not add any fruit to my diet or anything like that because I was like I don’t need that.
25:46: Now in the summertime specifically because we’re given so much fruit, like I’ll dabble in more fruit and actually support myself.
25:52: Can you talk a little bit to that too?
25:54: Yeah, yeah, I think.
25:56: I think the biggest issue is getting people off processed food.
25:59: We shouldn’t be telling people not to eat fruit.
26:01: We shouldn’t be telling people not to eat vegetables, like, especially like all the carnivore people are like, oh, plants are bad for you.
26:06: And when you go too far into that, you just start driving yourself nuts and maybe there’s some legitimacy to some of that stuff, but again, you have to like be able to listen to your body and that’s the number one thing.
26:17: And to be honest, like I intermittent fasted for a long time, like probably 2 years straight where I was intermittent fasting for like 16 hours a day, and like I felt amazing.
26:25: Like I really did feel really good.
26:27: So it’s like, wow would I change?
26:28: But then that was when I my corporate job and then like I tacked up my business and then I was also doing ice baths.
26:33: I was doing sauna, I was reading, like I was waking up at like 4:30 every morning.
26:37: I was just like, I was trying to trying to break up from this relationship that wasn’t good for me and it was just like too much stress on the body.
26:44: And so yeah, I’ve, I’ve kind of switched now to like circadian fasting, which is essentially just the idea of like sun up, sundown, like just like we’re wired with our sleep, yeah, with our sleep pattern.
26:54: So like I’m like starting to eat breakfast more but I’m also like.
26:58: Like cutting my dinner at like 4 or 5.
27:01: So it’s like kind of automatically already like a 12 to 14 hour fast.
27:04: And I think that for most people in this country, especially if you’re so used to carb burning and you are eating a lot of sugar, like, yeah, I think intermittent intermittent fasting, like therapeutically could actually be really helpful because you kind of need to like, yeah, change the system.
27:18: and then once you get a period that like feels right for you, kind of continue doing that.
27:21: But, yeah, honestly, like, I’ve been surfing a lot more recently.
27:25: And the reason I brought you all the sourdough is because I’ve been eating a lot more bread and like I’ve been eating more sugar and like honestly kind of getting in that like tropical vibe, which is obviously, you know, fruit is abundant in that kind of environment.
27:38: but yeah, at the end of the day, the biggest thing there is that like sugar from fruit, obviously it’s from the earth, it’s from nature, it has fiber in it, it has all these like polyphenols and compounds and vitamins and minerals that are like that our body recognizes and again, too much of anything is never a good thing.
27:53: So if you like start your day with a fruit smoothie that’s like bananas and apples and mangoes and like it’s just it’s only fruit, like it’s great, you’re still getting all those like antioxidants and stuff, but.
28:04: , not a lot of people realize the sometimes damage of too much sugar in any form, how that affects like your metabolism and your energy levels.
28:13: And so, what I always recommend is like adding a healthy fat, add an avocado or add in some yogurt, add some protein to kind of balance out your blood sugar.
28:22: but yeah, no, I, I think it’s a huge mistake that people are telling people not to eat fruit.
28:26: It’s just Obviously, sugar is sugar sugar, but eating it from the earth is a lot better than from a packaged food.
28:35: If someone wants to start living their life more in tune to their bodies and start eating more foods that are essentially nourish them, what would be like a day in the life that you would recommend for them to start practicing that?
28:48: Yeah, I mean, everyone’s in their own journey, and I think here in Southern California, a lot of people are pretty attuned.
28:53: I mean, I think that something I want to stop doing is like assuming because I’m so deep into like nutrition that I live in a bubble.
29:00: Yeah, a lot of the stuff I know I kind of take for granted.
29:02: I’m like, yeah, like you don’t know that.
29:04: OK, like that’s fine.
29:05: , but yeah, I think like if you’re if you’re if you’re like they’re like, I like.
29:20: I do that too because a lot of people don’t even know what glyphosate is, but yeah, we can get that for sure.
29:28: Yeah, so I think ultimately, how about if you’re living in the Midwest because I think in California we are so exposed to health.
29:35: It could be both, but I feel like, like you say, when you go into a grocery store in Virginia, it’s a lot different than when you go into like a Whole Foods or or natural grocers or a Lazy acres.
29:45: I don’t know, like both because I think a lot of people like I look at some of my family that lives in the Midwest, like they get discouraged, you know, because they’re like I go in, there isn’t an organic section or like there’s one little small part and it’s the dead of winter, like what do I eat?
29:58: Yeah, that’s a good question.
29:59: I mean, I think there’s a reality of the political system, and that’s really the root cause of all of this.
30:06: And honestly, since I started my business like 5 or 6 years ago, that was.
30:10: Kind of always the dream is like, how can I really make the biggest impact here that I’m here to make and, and, you know, we have to go for the head of the snake, so to speak, and it starts in the politics.
30:19: And so, yeah, I think seeing RFK get elected was honestly like.
30:24: It’s pretty emotional thinking about it, like when I started this business and like seeing how much in the past, even just like 6 months, how much it’s been covered in the news versus the past 6 years since I started this healing journey, like it’s really inspiring and encouraging to know that like the work we’re doing is actually like creating a ripple effect, But yeah, I think the first thing is just the, the word I always teach my clients, number one is like industrialization.
30:48: So just like first off, even realizing how far removed we are from our food in the first place and realizing like when you pick up a box or a bag, even if it’s healthier and it’s got better ingredients, it’s like, OK, was this made from Mother Earth or was made in like a factory or like how many steps did it take for this item that’s about to go in my grocery cart?
31:08: Like how many steps did it take to actually make this product and like go into my mouth like an apple goes from, you know, the orchard to the truck to the grocery store and into your mouth, whereas like in Oreo is obviously a drastic example is like who even freaking knows how that thing is made and like how many chemicals and like what the process in in a in a factory, right?
31:28: But I think at the end of the day, like, it’s such an like simple answer, but the more you can just eat real whole food, the better you’re gonna feel.
31:36: And I think it’s also important from like an emotional and spiritual perspective, to realize that, like, there’s nothing wrong with you, and there’s something wrong with like, The fact that you like to indulge in sugar, like you want to have the chocolate or like you feel like you have a whole bag of chips or the whole carton of ice cream because it’s literally how they design these foods and they know how we are primarily wired, which is for carbohydrates and for sugar.
32:01: And so when your body knows it can get a dense hit of energy, why would it not?
32:06: Or if you’re really stressed out and your cortisol is super high, this might be the last food I ever eat in my life.
32:10: So therefore, I’m gonna eat the whole carton of ice cream.
32:13: And it also tricks your mind, where it’s like, I’m having this potato chip and it kind of tastes like a potato, so like you kind of get that flavor on the back of your tongue.
32:20: But then you’re not actually getting the nutrients and nutrition.
32:23: So I was like, OK, like I get the taste, but I’m not actually getting nourished.
32:25: My body’s literally not getting nourished.
32:27: So like, let me have one more, let me have one more and then it’s gone.
32:30: And so this is what Mark Hyman always says is like, we live in a world where we’re overfed but undernourished.
32:35: So it sounds like a simple answer, but I think when you, you can just think about that main concept of like industrialization, like, holy crap, we’re so far removed from our food system.
32:43: What I’ve been eating like.
32:45: By definition, when you look at the definition of food, like, this might not actually be food.
32:49: And then you’ll also think about the cigarette industry by the food industry, you’re like, wow, like, this really isn’t food.
32:53: This is just chemicals in a box.
32:55: And when I teach my clients like the ingredients, Like it’s always their most, like their favorite exercise because it’s such like an awakening and they’re like, holy crap.
33:04: And now again with RFK getting elected, it’s like, the truth is starting to come out and that’s exciting.
33:08: And so, a lot of the stuff that we’ve kind of been hypnotized into honestly is like, oh, I just been eating food and then now I’m 40 years old and like, I have cancer.
33:18: And like, obviously there’s so many different factors and that’s why the lifestyle and all that stress and makes a ton of sense and like.
33:24: It definitely matters, but I mean, think about it, we eat food every single day, most of us at least 3 times a day.
33:31: Same thing with water.
33:31: It’s like, are you filtering your water, you’re drinking water every single day.
33:34: So that’s where it comes back to like how do we objectively audit what’s going on?
33:38: But I guess the more directly answer your question, like if I’m ever in a situation where.
33:42: My resources are limited or there’s not really a lot of healthy foods around.
33:47: yeah, I think just like choosing a healthy protein or a healthy source of fiber, which obviously comes from real fruits and vegetables and real food and healthy fats to like actually satiate you.
33:58: obviously, I, you know, I’m grateful to say I live here in Southern California, and that there’s Whole Foods and there’s Jimbos, and there’s always like healthy stores, but, I mean, I imagine in somewhere in the Midwest, like there’s probably some local farmers’ markets you can go to, and if you care enough about something, like you’ll find a way.
34:14: So you’ll find the local plug, the local guy that’s, you know, you know, actually producing organic foods or you’ll go to the grocery store and you’ll find the, you know, little section that might be healthy and so yeah.
34:25: There’s also like websites, I’m totally blanking the entire time we’re talking.
34:28: I was like, what’s that one website that you can like get like healthier snacks even, you know, like.
34:32: and there are.
34:42: I think there’s like let’s say you go to the grocery store, but you can get to your home.
34:47: I do know people that are hormone people that live in the middle of nowhere and they just use like thrive.
34:54: They get all these healthy stuff for their kids.
34:56: Yeah, I think kids, for example, like Marisa is one of our really good friends who is very health conscious and makes sure that her son gets every little snack, but she’s like, there’s options now at this time too.
35:06: We’re like CFA chips and all these products and really good people that are really trying to create foods that are easily accessible and packable if needed for you to get access to if you don’t get access to Whole Foods.
35:20: Yeah, if you can if you can.
35:21: You know, order something on Amazon within 2 hours if you want a pair of shoes, like you can also get some food, you know, and I posted about this the other day.
35:28: It’s like, you know, your bank statement is just proof of what you actually care about.
35:31: So like, what are you spending your money on?
35:33: How can you reallocate, you know, like organic groceries?
35:36: Yes, by default, because of the system, because of politics.
35:38: Yeah, they’re a little bit more expensive, but also like how much are you spending on Netflix?
35:42: How much are you spending on one order of Uber Eats, which is like $32 versus a $14 grass fed steak, and it’s just like, we really make up our own mind before we actually like.
35:51: Realize what the real truth is, like the objective truth.
35:54: So that’s why I think when you remove the judgment or the shame or the blame, it’s just like, all right, like what am I doing?
35:58: What am I spending my money on?
36:00: What kind of food am I eating?
36:00: And like, as a result, how am I feeling?
36:02: I think something that Nick and I talk about a lot because of like his mental health and like my own journey with health and things like that, like food is just a standard that we will not cut back on.
36:10: Like, no matter how we’re going or wherever our budget is that month or something like that, that is just something that we’ve chosen for ourselves because once you’ve experienced what it feels like to feel good.
36:22: It’s the one thing that you prioritize and if you are high achieving or you want to make a really great impact in this world, you’re going to have to be healthy to do it.
36:30: And so you can’t, you will not be able to make the impact or show up the way that you want to show up in your life, relationships or business if you aren’t healthy.
36:38: I just think health is like the number one factor contributing to all those things that we don’t realize, right?
36:43: Like I talk about this in my talks all the time.
36:45: I’m like, the toxins in your foods are legitimately impacting your nervous system just as much, right?
36:51: You can do all the meditations and breath work and things like that and you’re going to calm down, but food is just a stressor, and when you realize it’s a factor, you’ll hold that standard, and I really think the rest of your life will also meet you in that way financially.
37:03: Yeah, I resonate with that so deeply.
37:05: I think food is a form of self-respect and like.
37:10: It’s literally like a vibration.
37:12: Like what is the vibration of a Cheez-it versus, let’s say, I don’t know, watermelon.
37:18: Like this is literally giving you energy and taking away energy and I always bring it back to Mark Heman because he’s just someone I really respect and have a lot of, get a lot of influence from.
37:29: But yeah, it’s like, do you want to be made from Oreos or do you want to be made from avocados like food is literally the building blocks of who we are.
37:35: And it’s such a good point you say that because if I’m being fully transparent, like.
37:38: As an entrepreneur, like, it’s hard.
37:40: This game is hard and like finances aren’t always like the most consistent thing, especially when you’re starting off, and there’s, you know, so many things we can spend money on, but I believe I’ve actually posted about this before as well, but like that, like food and like my wellness is just like the number one thing I will never compromise on because I know how good it makes me feel and people don’t really look at a big picture where it’s like, well, if I have this avocado instead of these Cheez-its, then, you know, then I’ll feel better and then I’ll perform better at work and that means I make more money and then I’m more abundant and I can do the things I want.
38:13: It’s just like, oh, I’m in a rush, like I need to like have this like frozen burrito, I need to like stop at Chick fil A because I want to treat myself.
38:18: It’s like, no, like.
38:19: Let’s ask yourself before you even do that, like, what is Who’s the type of person you want to be?
38:24: What’s the vibration that you’re on and you want to be on and then like, does this decision actually match that?
38:30: I think it’s just an empowering decision because I think maybe all of us in this room have experienced like extreme burnout.
38:36: We’ve experienced the rough end of it where we’re like, I don’t want to feel like that anymore.
38:41: Let’s say you’re someone that feels really good in your life.
38:44: Just imagine how you could feel if you optimized, and I don’t like there’s a version of you that can bring in even more.
38:51: So it’s just a beautiful thing and I totally get it.
38:54: I mean, that’s a whole another topic.
38:55: About like entrepreneurship and finances and like how to balance that and like putting it into the energy of things that are not only going to invest in you now, but keep carrying you to where you really want to go.
39:06: Yeah.
39:07: I also feel like as an entrepreneur in the moments where I’ve been worried or stressed about money because I always prioritize my nutrition and like my health, I was able to get through those difficult times.
39:17: I mean, I would say probably more than 60% of my Money goes to food, goes to like high quality food and that’s from someone like we live in California, it’s a 100% more expensive than any other states.
39:30: So it’s like when I hear people say, oh, like some of our family members that don’t live in California will be like, organic so expensive.
39:36: I was like, you were at the bar every day buying vodkas like you can afford organic.
39:41: Groceries, you know, it’s just, it’s like you said, it’s a choice.
39:44: And again, I think it just goes back to lack of education and it’s so interesting because RFK obviously is very controversial and I think people fight the food system without even knowing why they’re fighting it.
39:54: I mean, we know why the politicians are fighting it because they all have a hand in the marketing and like they’re invested in it.
40:00: They’re invested in us being sick.
40:02: But I think people don’t realize how much food really plays a role, which is why it’s so beautiful that you’re here to share this message, because I think we need more and more and more people talking about how vital it is that we change our food system, because we are going to see kids dying younger.
40:17: We are going to see 30 year olds with cancer, like it’s sky cancer is skyrocketing in 30 and 40 year olds, which is insane.
40:23: And it, like you said, there’s a multitude of factors, but food fuels all of it, I think, like at the base of it.
40:28: And it sounds like you’re saying kind of the same thing that it’s like such a huge pivotal role.
40:33: Yeah, yeah, 100% and like maybe it seems biased coming from me, but I mean, I don’t think I’d be like here speaking on these types of stages if I didn’t like really see the power of it.
40:42: And that’s how we’re wired as humans is like when we feel this like transformation and we know how good we can feel like we’re just like, yeah, wired to want to share with other people and.
40:51: Yeah, I mean, I’m super grateful for all the breath work and meditation, the reiki and all that, like that’s made a huge, huge difference.
40:58: But again, like the daily inputs, it’s again, like I think the, the analogy is like, so many people are so obsessed with saving for retirement, like they’ll gladly put in 200 bucks a month or invest in the stock market, but like they’re literally not investing in their self and in their health, and then they get to a certain age and they’re like, Oh my God, like this is so unlucky.
41:17: Like I can’t believe like I got cancer or this or that.
41:19: And I’m not saying like, I’m not here saying that like I’m bulletproof to cancer, any disease, but like, I’d be damned if I didn’t give myself a chance, you know, to like be the healthiest person that I can, and.
41:30: I mean, at this point, the time we live in is like the default is literally failure.
41:35: So you pay you pay for it, saving retirements.
41:45: Even like I think about that and I’m like.
41:47: I’d rather be present and feel good today.
41:49: Like tomorrow is a promised, you know, like, yes, I, I care about retirement.
41:54: I understand I need to do these things for that, but I was like, I want to feel good today because I really don’t know if tomorrow is going to happen.
42:00: I was like, when you live your life that way and you’re like, I want to be me, I want to feel good, I want to be energized, I want to be present.
42:06: I want to be regulated, I want to feel connected.
42:09: And yes, we’re humans and we get to feel the full expression of emotions, but today is what matters, I think, and they bring you back to this.
42:16: Yeah, that’s a good point.
42:17: You know, it’s funny, for some reason, I feel like a few people have asked me this recently, but they’re like, yeah, you had like one final meal like on death row, like what it would be like what what would be, and now it’s like.
42:28: You know, a lot of people would say like, oh, like the ultimate thing you would want to indulge in and just like, who cares because you’re about to die.
42:34: And like, you know, part of me thinks that that could be cool and be fun, but then I was sitting there thinking like, what I really wanna just like feel super lethargic and kind of like shameful about the food that I was eating like the last moment before I took my last breath.
42:46: And I was like, no, like I wanna like remember myself and be remembered for like.
42:50: Yeah, nourishing my body and like wanting to feel good and taking actions that reflect that.
42:55: And so like for me, I feel like I would, yeah, I want to have a super nutritious meal whether it’s just like a superfood bowl or like tons of amazing fruit and vegetables and like a grass fed steak like that’s what I want.
43:07: I don’t want the, you know, Chick fil A or whatever like processed food people would say it’s like, no, I want to like feel good and be remembered for that.
43:14: I love that.
43:15: I’d love to transition a little bit to talk about this like spiritual journey that you’ve been on in parallel to this health journey, because you talked that you want to talk a little bit about that and I’d love to hear what that means to you.
43:26: Yeah, it’s opened up a can of worms, but, yeah, I mean long story long story short, I think like the commonality, the two kind of like evolutions I’ve gone through in the past like 5 years is just that two times in my life where I was kind of forced to slow down.
43:42: Number 1 was the pandemic.
43:43: And then I started meditating and I honestly, if, if anyone’s out there like just super overwhelmed about where to start, or like they don’t know what they’re supposed to eat, and there’s just like so much conflicting information out there, like, what do I do?
43:55: Like it sounds like lip service or it might not be the best advice, but like, honestly, just like sitting in silence and meditating and being more grateful and more aware, because like, that’s literally how I started my business was I got introduced to a Deepak Chopra meditation.
44:12: And then my awareness changed, my gratitude changed, and then I started like kind of questioning and auditing my life like, am I happy?
44:19: because now I’m seeing things differently and that’s how I started my business.
44:23: and then the second evolution was going from corporate to full-time entrepreneurship and the freedom is awesome and it’s amazing, but as I’m sure both of you know, like it’s literally just a rocket ship to self development, you know, like.
44:36: Having to sit in your own emotions, I had all this extra time in my calendar and I was forced to sit with my feelings and I was so burnt out from like doing both jobs.
44:44: I mentioned some of the stuff earlier like breaking up out of a relationship and just, just trying to do too much honestly.
44:49: And, and then I started getting like gut health issues and like afternoon energy crashes, which are like things that I had never dealt with before.
44:56: And as the health coach, like that was like the ultimate identity crisis and like aposter syndrome and I was like, yeah, OK, like I’m questioning my whole life right now.
45:03: , and so like all this like anxiety and depression and ADHD and procrastination, at least what I had labeled, was what I realized was just my body and my mind trying to signal to me like, hey, the way you’re doing things like, isn’t working.
45:17: But most people will not sit in their emotions, and again, I give you grace and I don’t blame you, but that’s where all the answers lie.
45:25: And so, You know, I was doomed scrolling a ton and to be honest, I was like stress eating and just like all these coping mechanisms that weren’t serving me.
45:34: And so I think what I’ve realized is that, yeah, there’s always like treasure in the in the work that we’re avoiding.
45:43: But yeah, I realized that I.
45:46: was basically addicted to suffering for like 16 months and, you know, I’d like, I honestly got so bad, like there were like 4 specific times I remember being like, oh, like maybe, maybe I swallow my pride, like maybe I do take some medication, like, maybe that’ll help.
45:59: And that could have helped temporarily, but ultimately it’s not getting to the root.
46:03: You’re just still numbing out what you need to feel in order to actually heal and to change.
46:08: , so when I look back, I really just kept putting 1 ft in front of the other, even though it was like really confusing.
46:13: I just kept having faith, and that’s something I still try to remind myself of is that like fear and faith are actually the same thing because they’re both unknown and you just get to choose which one that you want to lean into.
46:24: but yeah, I think the biggest lessons was just that I was like suppressing my emotions, way too much.
46:30: I was overextending myself.
46:32: I wasn’t building boundaries and how much that actually was a huge missing piece of my health because.
46:37: I had the breath work, I had the meditation.
46:39: I was eating well, I was sleeping well, but that was like such a huge missing piece was the nervous system, and that’s why I’ve become so passionate about it.
46:46: And I’ve realized that whether it is alcohol or food, or it’s vaping or shopping or staying busy, like it’s all just a way to avoid what we need to feel, and it really just comes down to the nervous system, and this is where I think, try to like encourage my clients and others just like have grace.
47:02: Like, there’s a reason that you’re reaching for that vape, there’s a reason you’re reaching for that sugary food.
47:06: , it’s because like your body is overwhelmed, it’s overstimulated.
47:10: So like, when you think about the how, the sad American lifestyle, you’re like, OK, like this isn’t really my fault.
47:15: We’re not really designed to live in these boxes and be subjected to this amount of stress that we are on a daily basis.
47:20: And so when I think about the toolbox that I’ve created.
47:25: Like objectively, I’m like, how do people like live without this?
47:28: And I realized the answer to that question to what you said before is like not very well.
47:32: People have just like accepted their life as is, or they’re resulting to like medication or things that aren’t actually getting to the root.
47:40: So I’m just really grateful for the toolbox that I built both nutritionally and emotionally and what it’s done for me and my happiness.
47:47: One thing that you were talking to, I talked about this in my presentation.
47:50: She went to one of my speaking engagements this week and I have this list of basically like energy red flags.
47:55: So if you dabble in like dream scrolling or wanting to eat all this food or wanting to go on a run or find these things that are essentially coping and not really feeling.
48:05: I was like, if you start to play in any of these things, that’s just a sign that you’re not feeling, that you’re not in your body.
48:11: If you find yourself overthinking, comparing, like those are really great signs.
48:15: And if you continue to play in that, in a lot of ways they’re energy takers because then you’re also consuming your energy, you’re wasting your energy and it’s going to deplete your nervous system and you’re gonna hit burnout.
48:24: But they’re beautiful signs and red flags to be like, oh, I’ve been dabbling in this a lot right now.
48:30: Maybe I should just check in with myself and see how I’m really feeling.
48:33: But that’s so scary for people because they’re like, I don’t want to feel this.
48:37: What do you mean?
48:37: I can numb out.
48:38: It’s so much easier to numb out.
48:39: I know how to do this and it’s just like if you dabble in this, it means your body, you’re not feeling what’s really in here and it’s such a beautiful opportunity and I love that you like dabbled in that and gave yourself grace because that takes so much courage and bravery to like dive deep into like fuck I got to feel all this stuff that I haven’t felt in so long.
48:57: And if you suppress it for so many long, for so long, it’s gonna feel like a lot, so.
49:01: How beautiful that you’re teaching that now.
49:02: Yeah, thanks.
49:03: It’s, it means a lot to me.
49:04: I mean, I just know how dark of a place that I got to, Yeah, I mean, there were like suicidal thoughts.
49:12: It was like, you know, I’ve never really like came to the point I was like, I was actually gonna do anything, but it was really just like, wow, life would be so much easier if it just wasn’t here, if it wasn’t a thing.
49:21: And then of course when I got to the other side of the burnout I was like holy crap like I need to live to like 150 years old.
49:25: Like I’m so happy like, so yeah, just like I think that faith is so important because like even when it’s really fucking confusing, you’re just like, OK, like that’s that’s why I think like having a vision is so important because you’re like there’s gotta be a lesson here that someone just like going through their life and like stuff is happening to them like this sucks.
49:41: I feel terrible like I’m so unlucky and it’s like, well, it’s because you don’t have a vision like you don’t see what the silver lining is here.
49:47: , and like, it’s just, especially for men, it’s like the male suicide rate is 4 times higher than it is for women, and that breaks my heart and I think it also just screams like ego.
49:57: And I think that like as men, we are designed to be protectors and providers and we’re born with more testosterone for a reason and all these things, but I think that again, the abnormality of the world that we live in, everybody’s cortisol is super high, everyone’s stress is super high.
50:12: So I actually argue that trying to suck it up, trying to suppress your emotions, not talking about it.
50:18: Well I know for a fact that actually makes you sicker because I’ve experienced it and there’s science around that, but it’s also just like, it actually makes you less manly because that plummets your testosterone and your because cortisol is the antithesis to testosterone.
50:32: So when I was burnt out, I like did a test and my testosterone was like 300.
50:36: And then after my burnout, it was like 8:50.
50:39: So it just goes to show you that like, yeah, sometimes like being a man is just speaking up.
50:44: Damn, you should say that.
50:45: I need to give you access to this course.
50:47: do you know who David Ghay is?
50:49: Yeah, yeah, he’s the man.
50:53: I don’t know, but he talks so much about like how our souls come here and they bring the lessons and so like the reason why you face these things in your life is just so you can create a bigger vessel for the light to come in.
51:09: And one thing that he says to a lot of people that are having suicidal thoughts and be like, you can go and do it, but you’re gonna come back and do it again.
51:16: So you try and figure it out now and like work through it or you’re gonna come back and your soul’s gonna have to correct that because every single soul in this life is meant to essentially the people that we’ve met, the parents that we’ve had, anyone that you meet in your life, you’ve literally already chosen before you came to.
51:32: This world.
51:33: And so it’s either you work through the shit that comes up in those relationships and he calls it correct your course, or you can come back and do it all over again.
51:42: And so in a lot of ways that everything that you’ve gone through is essentially expanding your vessels so you can hold more light, but then also that your soul can correct in the next lifetime, they’ll experience even more light.
51:55: That’s really, really highly recommend it.
51:59: Yeah.
52:00: I feel like it’s relevant even in what you said, which is like now you want to live to 10.
52:04: I think if you don’t go to the, you can only experience life to the extent that you could go to the depths of your own darkness.
52:11: And then once you’ve experienced that, you can experience like the complete opposite side.
52:16: I was to give it like a rubber band, like consciousness is that’s happening now in the world, right?
52:20: We’re being pulled into the darkness like pretty far.
52:22: We’re like, oh shit, are we gonna make it out of this?
52:25: But then I just think about when that rubber band snaps and we just like fly into the new way of being and we’re seeing like little, little things happening where people are, are really having these conversations like 10 years ago, we would, none of none of us would be having this conversation.
52:39: So I think that for anyone that’s listening that’s in the darkness, it’s like there is light on the other side.
52:45: And as deep as you can go into the darkness of yourself, you can be in that much light too.
52:49: And that’s the part.
52:50: Now that’s like I want to live and share my message and like live to be 180 years old, you know.
52:55: And when anything hard comes up in my life, and thank goodness for David Gym for this, but I think people have used this.
53:00: It’s like when hard things happen, I’m like, what a pleasure.
53:04: Thank you.
53:05: Thank you for giving me the stretchiest overwhelming moments because it’s expanding me for what’s going to flow in and having that mindset, especially when hard things are happening or you decide to dive deep into like feeling your emotions, you’re like.
53:18: OK, there’s going to be another light where I’m going to be able to hold the duality of being in my emotions, but then also hold the faith to what you were saying.
53:25: So it’s like, I know the fear is here, but I can also hold the faith here and be with both because I think fear is showing us something, right?
53:32: But we get to still choose the faith and the hope to keep us going, and we need that in order to access the light.
53:38: Yeah, that’s super powerful and honestly to like tie it back to nutrition.
53:41: I think a lot of people out there hit a certain point where they’re just like.
53:44: They literally have this like fuck it moment like like I already messed up for like 3 days in a row like I might as well just let this whole week go and the next thing you know it’s a month and it’s a year and it’s 10 years and you’re like holy shit how did I get to this point in my life and so like just having faith that you can heal, whether it’s your relationship with food or whatever the case is for you like.
54:04: Sometimes like when you’re in the dumps and you’re in the dark like it again, it kind of feels cliche or it feels like lip service, but.
54:11: You know, that’s where the magic happens is in the uncertainty and continuing to put 1 ft in front of the other.
54:15: And if you have a vision that’s strong enough, like the how always happens.
54:20: Yes.
54:20: And I love that you said come back to grace for yourself because, you know, both Kern and I have struggled with food and we’ve spoken about it on the podcast and something I never thought was that I would have a healthy relationship with food and something you said, which I thought was really powerful is talking about intermittent fasting at night from sunset to sunrise, because I feel at least for myself, and I think it’s true for anyone.
54:39: At night is when we calm and so that’s when we eat them when we’re in our loops or we’re eating shitty food like that’s when I would snack the most.
54:46: That’s when I binge eat.
54:47: That’s when I do all these things because I’m like, it’s too quiet.
54:49: I don’t want that you were in all day and it’s like slaps you in your face and you’re like, wait, you got, you got all I need more I’m gonna make cookies and 12 of them.
54:59: And so I think one, having grace, like you said in those moments tying it back into what you just said of like just because you ate 12 cookies last night doesn’t mean you need to wake up and then eat a burrito or eat something that makes you feel worse.
55:10: Like you can start again tomorrow.
55:11: It’s a new day.
55:12: But also intermittent fasting, I think is a beautiful way like that’s something that really helped me break out of that and sit with my emotions and really like.
55:21: I think it’s so good to challenge ourselves.
55:23: I feel like we live in a world of ease, and I think when we, there’s so much scientific evidence to show that when we challenge ourselves, it creates new neural pathways and intermittent fasting is like a great challenge to, I think, and, and that’s like so doable, you know, like you eat dinner at 5 and then you don’t eat until morning.
55:38: Yeah, no, I appreciate you saying.
55:44: Yeah, it’s like, I mean, yeah, the biodividuality is important.
55:45: I mean, like when I first started, like I was working with some women that were like literally going through menopause.
55:50: I was working with, you know, athletes that wanted to lose 10 to 15 pounds and so, yeah, like, obviously the woman that was going through menopause, I was like, yeah, you shouldn’t be fasting for more than 12 hours.
56:01: Like I wouldn’t advise that.
56:02: , whereas like the athlete that wanted to lose weight was like, OK, cool, like, let’s switch you from carb burning to fat burning and like, let’s see this magic happen and really change your body and like your relationship with food.
56:13: but I think the overall biggest benefit of it is just having more awareness around food and not snacking and grazing all day long and just like.
56:21: You know, 8 o’clock comes around and you’re just like, oh, let me have like another bite of this, or like 9 o’clock.
56:26: I already have like a couple of nuts before I go to bed, which isn’t the end of the world, but when the sun goes down and we’re like supposed to be sleeping, we’re supposed to be sleeping, not digesting, and that’s gonna affect your sleep and then it’s that whole cycle, right?
56:37: So, yeah, I think the beauty of it is just like having more awareness and like having at least some sort of structure, not having to be super stringent on it, just being like, OK, knowing kind of the consequences, like, right, for me, like I try to always do at least 12, I’m like, OK, well, if I eat at like 8 p.m., like I’m probably not going to sleep as well.
56:52: I might wake up more tired in the morning, so like I’m not gonna be able to, you know, be at my highest expression.
56:56: I have like a big podcast in the morning or I have to do X, Y, Z.
56:58: So like, that’s where you can start to make different decisions because you actually have a reason to.
57:03: and so, yeah, I think that’s the real thing is like, there’s a lot of research too on like how much like fasting is tied to like spirituality and like the four major religions all practice some form of fasting because It creates more mental clarity and literally they actually created the keto diet, which is pretty similar to fasting in terms of what it does to your metabolism in your body.
57:22: To help, people overcome epilepsy and like it was like actually, the John Hopkins Foundation created the keto diet in like 1960 or 1970 specifically to help people like basically change their brain and I just goes to show you how much like what we eat affects our mind and our brain and like they’re actually even deeming Alzheimer’s as type 3 diabetes now because of how much insulin is interconnected to our brain and our.
57:48: Yeah, constant glucose spikes.
57:53: So thank you so much for sharing all of that.
57:56: We’re going to shift it just a little bit more to you.
58:00: we ask all of our guests this question, is that where in your life are you feeling called to be more of your fullest expressed self?
58:06: This can be life, relationships, business, anything, health.
58:11: Yeah, I think just stepping into.
58:13: Like, fully voicing how I feel without worrying about what other people think.
58:19: I feel like I’ve done a really good job of this from like a vulnerability perspective, which is a skill I take for granted, cause that is a skill that can be learned for sure.
58:27: But I think especially as it comes to like, Like, look, I’ve probably been the most neutral dude you could ever meet when it comes to politics, like my entire life, and still to this day I am, but seeing what’s happening with RFK and the food system actually starting to change, is really inspiring and I’ve recently started to post more about how I feel in that space and it feels good.
58:49: you know, sometimes I think about maybe what my family would think or other friends or other people will I lose followers, but honestly, like at this point.
58:57: Like, I, my duty and my calling is to like serve people at the highest level and sometimes that means telling the truth even when it hurts or even when people don’t want to hear it.
59:09: so yeah, I think just like continuing to step into my, yeah, unmuted voice and just like really speak how I feel, knowing that it’s actually serving other people, even if in that moment they don’t think that that’s the case, And yeah, now I’ve been in this business for like 4 or 5 years now and.
59:29: I’m really grateful that I’m able to be surrounded by folks like you, and I think that our life is just, it really is just a mirror, and it’s really cool, like start meeting people on this vibration, and it’s interesting.
59:42: I feel like in the health space, it’s, it’s a lot of women, which is cool, and I’m totally fine with that.
59:47: I’m really grateful for it because we all need that feminine energy, and I know I needed that deeply, right, when I was like burnt out, but I also just wanna like, Start voicing my, yeah, my masculine and kind of like my my warrior and my king within and like allow and inspire other men to do the same, and just be surrounded by other powerful men as well, and just encourage men to get into the health space because sometimes it is chalked up as like a feminine thing, like whether it’s yoga or like Pilates or Like, I mean, every breath work class I go to, it’s like me and maybe like two other guys and like I don’t give a shit like it’s fine.
1:00:21: Like I’m just doing what I feel good and I don’t care what other people think.
1:00:24: But I think there’s a lot of ego that stops a lot of men honestly from doing these types of things and like.
1:00:30: Sometimes people would literally rather save their own ego than save their own life, and that shows up in a lot of different ways.
1:00:37: so yeah, just like unleashing more masculine energy and encouraging other men to step into the health space and step into their highest self.
1:00:46: Yeah, so we need more men in that.
1:00:48: It’s amazing.
1:00:49: Yeah, we we always need a container.
1:00:52: The feminine needs a container.
1:00:54: We do, and I just love that you’re stepping into just like really owning your opinion.
1:00:58: I think it’s or however you think about it or just speaking your truth, I think it is such an important factor of being fully expressed and it’s scary, you know, and we talk about that so much on the podcast, like owning that and I think especially on social media where you get the haters and something that we had.
1:01:14: Josh Church on on here and he said something that his friend says he’s like, if you got haters, you’re doing something right.
1:01:19: Yeah, you know.
1:01:20: And I think about that all the time and I saw another quote around authenticity, like 50% of the people are going to love you and then 50 other 50% are not necessarily going to hate you.
1:01:28: They’re just really not going to understand and it’s going to come through as they don’t get me, they don’t accept me, they don’t want to.
1:01:35: and especially when you’re like a leader like this as a man trying to do things differently, you’re going to essentially attract both and It’s going to be the dance of you building that strength within us and that’s something that you and I are constantly doing as well and owning as well.
1:01:52: Yeah, and I think it’s like, it just goes to show you how backwards it is, but the most radical thing you can do in today’s world is take care of your health.
1:02:02: Start looking at ingredients like asking where this food is coming from, asking how this food is making me feel, and somehow that’s chalked up as a conspiracy theory.
1:02:11: But it’s like when you look at the objective facts and like.
1:02:13: How, yeah, like childhood diabetes has tripled since 1990, like one in two people will get cancer in their lifetime.
1:02:20: Like, all these stats that are just like, like you can’t deny it anymore.
1:02:25: And I think that’s kind of what like the pandemic showed is that that was like a macro awakening for the world is like we have 4% of the world’s population, yet we had 20% of all COVID deaths across the world and it’s like something’s got to be up like something’s going on and.
1:02:43: There’s so many people that are paid off and there’s these articles and it’s like trust the science and it’s like holy crap, what do I believe?
1:03:10: And so honestly, I, I think the biggest thing is like believing in yourself and believing what your intuition is telling you that’s a I think it’s like.
1:03:12: Sometimes not even about the money.
1:03:13: They’re just like, I’m afraid of like losing my friends or I’m afraid of like, I can’t do this anymore.
1:03:18: And I think what people don’t realize is that a lot of what they’re doing now and this like intuition that brought them to even being on a call with me in the first place is like they got to realize that what they were doing before isn’t actually serving them, even if they feel like that’s the thing that makes them happy, like deep down, it’s not actually.
1:03:33: And I think another part of my mission too is like.
1:03:36: Teaching people that you can be healthy and you can have fun and as a matter of fact you can actually have more fun when you’re healthy.
1:03:42: Yeah, the packs, but we had so much fun at Disney, it’s like I I love the name of this podcast, like fully expressed.
1:03:55: I couldn’t find the notes on my phone, but I could have sworn that when I first started my business, I was like building up my why and like just trying to like vocalize and communicate why I actually wanted to do this.
1:04:04: And when I think of like the, the brand name of like superfood superhuman, I’ve always been an athlete.
1:04:10: I’ve always wanted to like do fun things.
1:04:12: I grew up like 2 years old doing like all these water sports, like just always being super active and being like the primal beings that were designed to be.
1:04:19: And I was thinking like superfoods, OK, cool.
1:04:20: Superfoods like gives you a lot of energy that allows you to like do a lot of things.
1:04:23: So just like mixed in perfectly, but like the ultimate goal, going back to my point is like was just like.
1:04:29: Like, fully express my myself and my my humanness, and that can come in a lot of different forms, but, yeah, it’s, I think it’s really fun to be healthy.
1:04:39: We agree.
1:04:40: It’s an important factor to being fully expressed.
1:04:43: Well, thank you so much.
1:04:44: This was such an epic.
1:04:47: It’s one of our favorite topics to talk about like the podcast.
1:04:54: It’s it’s what we do.
1:04:55: But yeah, you’re just such a beautiful and we.
1:04:59: What you’re doing in the world and we just like can’t wait to see what’s next.
1:05:03: That means a lot.
1:05:04: Thank you so much for having me.
1:05:05: I appreciate it.
1:05:06: And then you want to share where people can find you?
1:05:08: Yeah, pretty straightforward.
1:05:10: I’d say Instagram is my main platform, so superfood, superhuman, all one word, all singular.
1:05:15: I’m also on TikTok.
1:05:17: I’m on Facebook, LinkedIn.
1:05:18: , pretty much all the platforms, and this is now my 15th, guest appearance on the podcast.
1:05:26: So thank you guys so much.
1:05:27: Maybe one day I’ll start my own, but I’m just really grateful for the platform and the space to build a.
1:05:32: Share my message, which means a lot to me and hopefully, even if just one person I can impact today means the world.
1:05:38: I’ve.
1:05:39: Yeah.
1:05:40: Thank you.
1:05:41: Thank you.
1:05:42: Today’s highlights the power of simplicity in our food choices.
1:05:46: At the Fully expressed podcast, we believe that nourishing our bodies with real ingredients is essential, as our health forms the foundation for living authentically.
1:05:54: We know how challenging it can be to our habits, especially when it feels like a big overhaul might be necessary.
1:06:00: But what if it’s just about starting small, as Mike suggested?
1:06:02: Maybe it’s shopping at your local farmers’ market, exploring the organic section of the grocery store, or avoiding those middle aisles filled with processed options.
1:06:10: Remember, these little changes can lead to big wins, setting us on a path toward healthier, happier lives.
1:06:17: Thank you so much for tuning in.
1:06:18: We really appreciate you being here.
1:06:20: If you enjoyed this episode, we’d be grateful if you could leave us a review and share it with a friend.
1:06:26: Also, we would love to hear from you.
1:06:28: Reach out to us on Instagram and let us know where you feel inspired to express yourself as you embrace this next era.
1:06:35: We’re here to support you and encourage you.
1:06:38: Before we go, we want to remind you that you are powerful and deserving of fully expressing who you are.
1:06:44: Embracing your journey toward authenticity is a vital part of that process, and we’re grateful to be alongside you.
1:06:50: If you’re looking to dive deeper and connect with others who celebrate their true selves, we invite you to join our community.
1:06:56: It’s a virtual space for connection and accountability where you can share your experiences and grow together.
1:07:02: You can find the link in our show notes.
1:07:04: We can’t wait to welcome you.
1:07:06: See you on the next one.
0:03: We are your hosts, Samantha and Karenna.
0:06: This is a show where we invite you into your fullest express self and life, relationships, and business.
0:11: We believe that if you crave more, you are meant for more.
0:14: There is room for all of us to be fully expressed.
0:17: Enjoy this new episode.
0:20: Hey, it’s Samantha.
0:21: If you’ve ever stared at your plate wondering if you’re eating the right thing, you’re not alone.
0:26: Karenna and I have both been there.
0:28: For years, we chased answers, trying literally every diet from vegan to carnivore, obsessing over ingredients, reading every label.
0:36: If you’ve listened to our earlier episodes, you know our relationships with food.
0:40: Haven’t always been easy.
0:41: There were times it wasn’t just about health.
0:43: It was about control, anxiety, and trying to feel good enough.
0:47: And honestly, we know we’re not alone in that.
0:50: So many people are stuck in the same loop hearing 1 1000 voices telling them 1000 different things about what they should or shouldn’t eat.
0:57: It can be so overwhelming.
1:00: But what if it didn’t have to be that complicated?
1:03: What if the real path to feeling better, more energized, more in tune with our bodies wasn’t some extreme plan, but just going back to the basics, clean, organic, whole foods.
1:16: That’s what today’s episode is all about.
1:18: We’re sitting down with Mike Schmidt, the founder of Super.
1:21: Food superhuman.
1:22: He shares his personal journey of how small, realistic changes and a shift toward natural organic eating completely transformed his health.
1:31: His story is a reminder that it’s not about following trends.
1:34: It’s about reconnecting with real food and making it work for you.
1:38: And hey, if someone you care about is feeling lost in all the noise, confused about what to eat, or just trying to feel a little better, send this their way.
1:47: Sometimes hearing someone else’s journey is exactly the encouragement we need.
1:51: All right, let’s dive in and hear how Mike found his way and how you can start taking those first small steps toward a healthier, more connected life.
2:00: Welcome.
2:01: Thanks so much for having me.
2:02: I’m stoked to be here.
2:04: Thank you so much for coming on.
2:05: We get to talk about health, nutrition, food, and toxins, spirituality, all the things that you like fully embody as superhuman and our subjects.
2:17: And yeah, yeah, I’m super stoked.
2:20: I’m really excited to be here and, yeah, it’s just really cool to see the journey that I’ve been on and how much nutrition has kind of led to this spirit spiritual journey and allowed me to.
2:31: Yeah, I fully express myself through the tool of nutrition.
2:34: So yeah, really grateful to be in this present moment with you guys here today.
2:38: What was the thing that like kind of pulled you into wanting to deep dive into nutrition and food?
2:44: I think it was again really growing up with that athlete mindset, just kind of always having that ambition and, you know, obviously sometimes that optimization can be our worst enemy, but can also be our best friend and how we achieve and you know, yeah, create our own lives and.
3:01: You know, just having the athlete mindset, I think, again, from the get-go was probably the main reason, but the real journey was suffering from chronic acne for like 10 years, along with like hemorrhoids.
3:12: And yeah, when like dermatologists, dermatologists, and all they would ever say is like, drink more water, have more fiber, and I never even like thought to put 2 and 2 together that food might have something to do with it.
3:22: And, I was doing like the tretinoin.
3:24: I did like the.
3:25: , was it like the IQV, I almost said I almost said the Accutane and I was also put on an antibiotic, which, you know, some people listening to this might realize that it’s not the best thing because yeah, it kills the bad bacteria, but it kills the good bacteria, And yeah, a little TMI but it kind of, it came to a point where I literally had like an operation on like one of the hemorrhoids that I had and it was like, just like the most uncomfortable thing and made me feel even worse, and I knew it wasn’t like getting to the root.
3:56: And the biggest silver lining was I started getting into calisthenics and I had a shoulder injury.
4:01: I tore my labor in my left shoulder and I started like studying human body that got me into nutrition.
4:06: I started like shopping at Whole Foods and then I was like looking at all the labels and I realized all the best foods are coming from California so I grew up in Massachusetts.
4:14: And I was like, all right, I just got to go where the food is.
4:17: and then, yeah, long story short, I came out here about, 6 months before the pandemic happened and then that was like a huge silver lining like the first time in my life where I was really forced to just like slow down and actually think about what was going on, was I actually happy in the life I was living and, I got introduced to a nutrition course and literally within like 4 to 6 weeks of just like changing my awareness and then integrating that awareness, like all my acne and all my hemorrhoids totally eradicated.
4:44: And that was like an awakening in and of itself.
4:45: And I was like, how come nobody knows this?
4:48: Like this is crazy.
4:49: So then I just kind of felt this pull to start sharing with the universe.
4:53: I dealt with acne my growing up my whole life and it’s one of those things where like you go to the dermatologist and they’re like, this is what you need to treat it or put this on your skin or take this supplement, take this thing, and not one time that they were asked me like, how are your hormones doing?
5:06: How is your gut doing?
5:07: what else what other symptoms you have and it’s like something that quote unquote was like so embarrassing growing up with and It was so hard on like my self-esteem or my self worth and all those things and I also went through something similar where I was like I started one, calming my nervous system, 2, learning how to just like balance out my hormones.
5:24: Like the other day I bought this like new shampoo for example, and it was like a cleaner shampoo, but something in it was just not sitting really well and I started breaking on acne again.
5:33: I was like, no, gotta change that.
5:34: And then I went to clear stem and all of it went away just from like shampoo product because my hair touches my jawline and it’s like hormonal, so it’s just crazy that there isn’t this conversation about like how these toxins or these things that we’re eating are also contributing to our skin and our skin is our largest organ.
5:54: Right.
5:55: Yeah, I was literally just gonna say that you put the words in my mouth.
5:57: Our skin is our largest organ, and it’s our literally our first line of defense to our immune system.
6:01: And something that Mark Hyman said that always sticks with me.
6:04: It’s like, if you wouldn’t put it.
6:06: In your body, why would you put it on your body?
6:07: And you know, there are some people that are pretty in tune with their health and they maybe even use like let’s say magnesium spray before they go to bed because it is, it’s more bioavailable.
6:17: It hits your bloodstream even faster.
6:18: So then you think about all these like, yeah, cleaning products and yeah, things we put on our skin and women using like certain makeup and sometimes that can actually make the issues worse and.
6:29: You know, it’s like, I think when you just are able to like objectively audit your life and like kind of look at some of the facts and also listen to your body, you can be like, all right, like, what am I doing that might be contributing to what is happening?
6:41: Because the reality is, you know, I feel like our reality is just an internal reflection of what’s going on in our mind and like the things that we’re subjecting our bodies to on a daily basis.
6:49: So, yeah, it’s like.
6:51: I first started with the food and then I’m like, OK, well, what is, what are these like chemicals that are in my cookware?
6:58: What is like in the shampoo that I’m wearing, and I, I, I think when it comes back to like what you said about the doctors, like I don’t, I really genuinely don’t think a lot of them like mean like that I mean that it’s not, it’s not ma intended, it’s just like yeah we’re never taught, right?
7:14: And so, yeah.
7:14: Yeah, so, yeah, it’s really interesting when you think about that.
7:18: it’s not just what you what you put into your body, but also what you put on your body.
7:22: So what were you consuming before when you were dealing with the acne and all like what were the what were the biggest shifts you made dietarily because I think it is both diet and mindset.
7:32: It’s like the diet cleans up your mind and then all of a sudden you become more aware and then you shift your mind.
7:36: and that’s like I think they go hand in hand, but what we’re like for people listening, because I also think sometimes people don’t realize what they’re eating is toxic, so I know we want to go into toxic foods, but maybe you could start with your personal journey like because especially as an athlete, I think one would assume, oh, they’re healthy or they eat healthy.
7:54: So what did that look like?
7:56: Yeah, thank you for that.
7:58: I was eating the standard American diet, sad diet, and yeah, yeah, I I can’t take credit for it, but yeah, so it’s kind of transferred from, you know, again, the emotional intelligence has kind of gone into like I call it the sound now, the sad American lifestyle.
8:18: But yeah, a good place to start is the diet, because I didn’t know how much it was affecting me, but yeah, I mean if you’re an American kid growing up in this country, there’s a very good chance that And it’s to no fault of your parents, but they’re never taught either.
8:30: And so it’s like we all know candy is not good for us.
8:33: We all know like pizza is not great for us.
8:35: We all know fried food is not good for us, but it’s like I hear that every day.
8:38: It’s like I know what I need to do, but for some reason I just don’t do it.
8:40: And I think some of that is like your own why so like why you want to be healthy.
8:44: And then secondly, it’s like just like sheer education and awareness, because you can’t change anything you’re not aware of.
8:49: So yeah, for me, I mean like.
8:52: I was literally eating like Subway before a basketball game.
8:56: we had these like weekend tournaments with our team and like our coach would always buy us like pizza and I was having like cereal and you know, just the typical things that like a lot of high school kids eat like pop tarts and like buffalo chicken calzones and just like tons of conventional dairy, meaning like non-organic, and typical gluten and, yeah, probably like too much caffeine and so my body was just super stressed out and.
9:21: Stress can come from multiple different places.
9:23: I don’t think people realize how much food literally stresses your body.
9:28: and so this is the thing is like sometimes we don’t know how bad we felt until we start feeling good and we don’t know like what is causing our issues until we remove them.
9:37: so yeah, I was eating just like tons of cheese and yeah, like sandwiches and gluten and bread and just like literally the standard American diet, that’s what we’re pretty much prescribed to.
9:47: , so until you start like educating yourself, those habits are really never going to change.
9:52: And that’s like a huge realization I’ve had on a psychological level when it comes to like your emotional intelligence, but also nutrition.
9:58: It’s like, there’s a lot of people out there that are eating as 40 year olds, but acting like they’re 4 based on how they’re eating, right?
10:06: You know what I mean?
10:06: like still eating cereal and like, like these deli meats that are like proven to cause cancer and just like, honestly, like a childish diet, and it’s not their fault.
10:14: It’s just they’ve never been taught how to change and so like, You know, if nothing changes, nothing changes, right?
10:20: I’d also say it’s difficult when you go into a grocery store like an Albertson’s or Ralph’s and not like a Jimbo’s or a Whole Foods and you see all these things on the shelves and you feel like, well, if they’re in here, if they’re being sold, then A part of me is like I can eat that, you know what I mean?
10:37: Like it’s kind of hard not to.
10:38: Like you walk down the aisles, there’s like an entire aisle for cereal.
10:41: Like I love cereal as a little girl, you know what I mean?
10:44: Like I love my pops and things like that, but it’s hard because if it’s on there you’re like, if I can buy this thing then I’m quote unquote assuming that it’s good for me or that it’s allowed to do these things for me, you know, like what I hate, it makes me sad about grocery stores sometimes I’m like the smallest, sometimes the smallest part is the The vegetables and the fruit and the rest of it is all these processed things and it’s very difficult when you’re just waking up to this you’re like, wait, I can’t, I can’t eat that, but it’s here.
11:12: Yeah, it’s here a lot, yeah.
11:14: Like why can’t I buy that?
11:15: I remember in 2012 I lived in Australia and I Lived with a with another girlfriend and her and her mom, they like invited, they brought us like 4, the three of us went to a talk from a woman who owned a farm and you know, Australia is kind of behind us a little bit in terms of industry and food and everything, but obesity was starting to become an issue.
11:36: And I remember listening to this talk and she was saying how her kids were never sick.
11:40: They only ate the They grew on the land.
11:42: They never had to go to the doctor, like they were so vibrant, and she looked vibrant and healthy, and she had written this book about like 4 ingredient recipes, and every recipe in this book was like 4 or 5 ingredients because she was saying like eating clean is is not as hard as you think.
11:56: And she was saying when you go to the grocery store, like stick to the outside aisles, you know, and all this stuff.
12:00: And I’ll never forget like that stuck.
12:02: With me so much like you did, again, it’s like you’re saying it’s education.
12:05: Like I didn’t even realize that I was eating so poorly.
12:09: I mean the only good grace was like I was allergic to dairy, so I never ate dairy growing up.
12:13: But other than that, like, yeah, I lived off cereal and dies and like red vines and just bread that you can buy at the store.
12:19: Yeah, and I was like, yeah, homemade sourdough, gluten-free.
12:24: Yeah.
12:25: Yeah.
12:26: No, that’s such a good point.
12:27: I think, like I’m not here to define the definition of healthy, and I think that’s like the beautiful thing about like sovereignty and like being your own being.
12:34: It’s like you get to find that for yourself.
12:37: But a lot of people like that are athletes kind of just like assume that they’re healthy and.
12:41: That’s exactly where I was.
12:42: It was like this.
12:43: I was like skinny fat.
12:44: I was like I, I wasn’t like externally fat, but I was eating buffalo chicken calzones and pizza and Subway and like so I just burn it off or like same thing in college, like, you know, it was like blacking out like 4 nights a week and I would just go run like 5 miles.
12:57: So it’s like how toxic is that?
12:59: And it’s just, I mean, the body’s super resilient, but I think that can almost be like a blessing and a curse because.
13:04: It’s like, you know, it starts to like whisper to you, then it starts to talk to you.
13:07: It you eventually.
13:09: But, yeah, it’s like, you know, someone eating like tons of carbs all the time or like constantly spiking their blood sugar.
13:16: Like they don’t, I mean, yeah, obviously there’s mood swings and energy crashes, but sometimes you don’t really understand that compound effect.
13:21: It’s the same thing with like finances like if you’re not investing in a savings account every single day, like eventually that’s going to show and it’s the same thing with nutrition.
13:29: , but back to your point, yeah, it’s, it’s pretty mind boggling.
13:32: I mean, the FDA is literally basically admitted that they don’t have the capacity to like monitor every single ingredient that goes into these foods.
13:39: So there’s so many different loopholes and so many different terminologies where these companies like find ways to just make it work, and it is, it is.
13:49: Yeah, just mind blowing.
13:50: Even like when I was back home, for the holidays with my parents, like they went into some grocery store and I wasn’t in there to like buy anything.
13:58: I mean, obviously most time when you go to the grocery store you’re there like purchase things and you’re looking for things.
14:01: I was just like following them around because I was with them for the holidays.
14:04: And this happens to me every now and then, but I’ll just like walk through the aisle and be like, I just kind of have this like a zoom out moment like, holy crap, like you just like look at these aisles and you’re like, what is this?
14:15: And we talk about like the food shortage like in the country and around the world.
14:18: It’s like if we like reallocated all the money that we put into this fake food and put it into real food and farmers’ markets and supporting farmers and regenerative agriculture, like can you imagine how different the world would be and Another thing is that a lot of people don’t realize that the cigarette industry bought the food industry in like 1980 or like 1970.
14:38: So now they’re really applying the exact same tactics to food as they did with cigarettes because when the cigarette industry started going down and like CVS started pulling the cigarettes from their shelves, OK, like holy crap, like what do we do?
14:49: So they bought like Kraft, they bought Heinz, like Marlboro and Phillip Morris.
14:54: And so they’re literally using the same addictive tactics and strategies to like.
14:59: It’s terrible.
15:00: They’re addicting like young kids.
15:01: They’re putting the cartoons on like all the gummies and the cereal and everything is super colorful and it’s like, and then the parents are like, well, what do I do?
15:10: Like my kid like he’s begging for this food.
15:12: I’m not gonna not give it to them or else they’re gonna cry all day long and it’s like we’re literally indoctrined into this again, sad diet, standard American diet where we’re addicted to sugar basically like from day one and then we have to dig ourselves out of a hole and it’s like there’s so much.
15:29: There’s so much bullshit about like the fact that like, oh, can’t like sugar might not cause cancer, like we have to like have like a double blind placebo study to show that like, you know, this is actually true.
15:39: It’s like, dude, let’s use some common sense.
15:41: Let’s look at Americans.
15:43: Let’s look at the Americans from 197024 and it’s like unrecognizable and it’s like, you know, little kids like.
15:51: Like childhood diabetes that tripled since like 1990 and it’s like there’s so much pushback it become so political.
15:58: It’s like, dude, let’s just look at the objective facts and see what’s happening and maybe we can be open to trying something new.
16:04: Yeah.
16:05: And then that becomes radical.
16:07: Yeah, we went to Disneyland recently and it blew my mind how like the number of, you know, you would say like thin or fit people was 2%, 3%, like it’s just, yeah, it’s so crazy that food is so.
16:20: Politicized and just like villainized and I’m like and what’s crazy to me and Krina and I talked about this too because we both like pretty well traveled.
16:28: You go to Europe and they have the same companies making the same food but with better ingredients.
16:34: Like there’s no excuse, you know, like that’s why I try to tell people like if you went to England and you bought a Hershey bar, it’s real chocolate.
16:41: Like there’s no natural flavors or weird shit in it.
16:44: Now it’s like, why can’t we hold that to the same standard?
16:48: It’s, I mean, America is innocent until proven guilty and they’re going to keep the same ingredients.
16:52: They’re gonna keep doing the same things until someone tells them not to.
16:55: And it’s like you maybe people have seen that the, what is it, red ye 3, red dye 40 or whatever, like they’re finally banning it in foods, which was banned in cosmetics in like 1980.
17:04: Yeah, we’re just eating it every day and it’s like it’s no problem.
17:07: And so it just goes to show you though, you have to.
17:09: You have to be aware and like you don’t want to like live in a bubble and like be super scared all the time, but you just gotta like take a look around, you gotta ask yourself how you feel and just maybe ask a question like this food have something to do with how I feel.
17:20: That’s the biggest thing I think is like I feel, I say this all the time.
17:23: I think people have gotten so used to feeling just OK like just mediocre.
17:27: They don’t know what vibrant feels like.
17:28: They don’t know what energy feels like.
17:30: They’re just like, oh.
17:31: I mean, even some of like our family members will be like, I feel fine.
17:34: It’s like you have one working kidney.
17:36: Like, what are you talking about?
17:38: You had 3 hip replacements and knee replacements all the time.
17:45: They’re like, I, I, you know, it’s, it’s wild.
17:51: I mean the amount of times I’ve like met someone from A different country that isn’t from America, whether it’s someone from Turkey or like Australia or Italy, it’s like, it’s just like the objective truth is just like I’m hearing it like straight from this person’s mouth is like the first thing that happened to me when I came to America is like I started getting sick.
18:08: Yeah, and gaining weight like they all get bloated.
18:11: I remember when my, the girl I lived with in Australia came here, the first thing she said is like, why is your bread so sweet?
18:18: All your bread is really sweet because there.
18:20: sourdough, like there’s no sugar bread.
18:22: I mean, maybe now there is, but there is no sweet bread, you know, and she’s like, I feel like I’m eating a dessert as a sandwich, like I’m grossed out, you know.
18:36: It’s sad and I think that’s why like because like not all bread is created equal and You know, I feel for people because like you scroll on Instagram for 4 seconds and someone says like, oh, like this isn’t good for you or like you can’t have coffee or bread’s bad for you, or like, don’t eat sugar, don’t have fruit, and it’s like, what do I do?
18:51: And I think that’s really the skill that I teach people is like how to listen to your body, like literally like cancel out and stop listening to what everyone else is saying and listen to like what your body is saying because it’s like, you know, there’s all these like carnivore influencers out there that say you have to do this and that and like, I think that’s why the diet wars happen is because The commonality with those diets is that they stop eating processed food and they just start eating real food and then people are like, holy crap, I’ve never felt like this in my entire life.
19:17: I got to tell everybody keto is the best carnivore’s the best.
19:20: Kaleo is the best, vegan is the best.
19:22: And so that’s where I think we can start to find a commonality like I’ve Don’t really like to put labels on anything for that matter, but if I had to say, I feel like I’m kind of just like an omnivore.
19:30: It’s like anything that’s nutritionally dense that gives me energy and vitality, like I’ll eat it.
19:38: I was gonna say like yeah, I mean we talk about the body so much like you.
19:41: your power.
19:42: I think what’s difficult for people is that they are so badly looking for like, you tell me what I need to eat and they’re also not wanting to take on that responsibility themselves.
19:51: I feel like, wait, my body’s all within me.
19:53: I get to make the answer, the choices and feel that.
19:55: But if you do think about it, like, especially like I had this journey specifically where I’d eat certain foods and I get a headache.
20:02: Instead of like taking the Tylenol right away, I’d look back at my entire day and it’d be like, what are the foods today that I ate that gave me the headache and I could pick up on those things.
20:10: And so I think there’s like an invitation for anyone that’s listening is just start to pay more attention to your symptoms and then what you ate and see if they’re connected.
20:19: That’s super powerful and that’s kind of how we’ve been in doctrine is like, oh, if you feel bad then like just do this or take this to like numb it away and make it go away, which is fine.
20:28: That’s understandable because that’s how we’re hardwired as humans is either away from pain or towards pleasure.
20:32: But you can’t heal what you can’t feel.
20:35: And, that’s why I think again, like, you don’t realize something’s affecting you until you remove it.
20:40: And for me, like during my burnout journey, personally, I just noticed that like caffeine and like too much coffee was actually making things worse.
20:48: And it was like, OK, let me sit here and like chug a cold brew and like try to get more work done.
20:52: But then I realized like my stress and my cortisol was already super high, and we’re all like primal monkey beings that aren’t really meant to stare at a screen, so like this is just making things worse.
21:01: , so yeah, that’s just like one example, but then also obviously like eliminating conventional gluten and dairy.
21:06: It’s like I didn’t know that was causing my acne and hemorrhoids.
21:09: So, yeah, just like objectively auditing without like judgment or like attachment or like there’s something wrong with you.
21:16: It’s like, hm like I wonder.
21:18: How I can do things differently and to start feeling differently.
21:20: Can you speak to to like, I’m, I’m gonna assume here because I’ve also cleansed off of processed foods and sugar long ago and like the detox portion of it because I also think like when at least for me and people I know like when when I quit sugar like processed sugar and processed foods, I had I feel like I can define this, let’s talk about sugar really is, right?
21:41: Yeah, like fruit and sugar, like I’m talking about candies and dyes and fast food and all of that stuff.
21:49: I had like a huge detox like flu symptoms and Sickness and like I felt way worse before I felt better.
21:59: so maybe you can speak because I feel like I’m sure you’ve seen that in your journey yourself and with your clients.
22:04: I’m curious for you to speak on that because I know a lot of people don’t talk about that part.
22:09: Yeah, thanks for bringing that up.
22:09: I think that’s that’s pretty symbolic of all like outlets appealing.
22:13: I think sometimes you start feeling worse before you start feeling good.
22:16: but yeah, I mean that again, going back to like the standard American diet, like we’re taught to basically Have our own taste bud taste buds be hijacked and be addicted to sugar.
22:25: So like the body becomes really good at what you, yeah, constantly give to it and.
22:31: Then I think like people are so used to like carb burning and sugar burning their whole lives, which is like good because that’s our first most preferred source of energy, right?
22:41: But it’s kind of like the Kindle sticks to a fire like it gives you a quick burst, but then eventually it burns out and that’s what happens if people get all these like afternoon energy crashes, like they need a coffee at 2 o’clock, obviously like stress and all that plays a factor as well.
22:53: But yeah, I think that, you know, intermittent fasting gets a lot of bad rap and Again, one of my biggest concepts I teach my clients is biodividuality, meaning like, you got to do what works best for you and listen to your body.
23:06: I think that like, especially for women that are like really stressed out, their cortisol is really high, like fasting is just another micros stress on the body, just like working out is in an ice bath, so like it’s all like hormetic stress, meaning it’s making you more resilient, but too much of anything is never a good thing.
23:21: but anyway, like I recommend that people that are so used to the standard American diet, or they are eating a lot of carbs, or they are eating a lot of sugar.
23:29: The reason it’s called intermittent is because it’s like a therapeutic tool.
23:32: And the reason that people like might get headaches or they might feel different, it’s just the same thing when they, when they stop stop drinking coffee.
23:39: Why is that?
23:39: Because caffeine is a drug.
23:41: Well, why do they get the headaches when they start fasting is because sugar is a drug.
23:46: so yeah, sometimes people will, will get those symptoms, but, ultimately you’re kind of like flushing out your body and you’re teaching your body how to run off of a different, Like fuel source, which is like fat burning.
24:00: And so, you know, a lot of people demonize fat and there was the whole low fat craze of like the 90s, like, oh, I low fat yogurt and all this stuff, but like I actually recommend that clients, especially women, like eat full fat like yogurt and full fat items because it’s so good for your hormones.
24:15: Like fat is literally the building blocks of your hormones.
24:18: and so the irony is like, that’s why keto works so well for people is because they start eating more fat and they actually lose fat.
24:24: It’s like, huh, like what’s going on there?
24:26: So there’s a doctor, Doctor Lustig at a UCLA.
24:30: His whole career is basically dedicated to, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which is basically liver disease that is not caused by alcohol, and people don’t realize that sugar to an extent and at a certain point is literally toxic to the liver.
24:46: And now they’re starting to see non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in like children, kids that are like less than 12 years old, because they’re just consuming liquid sugar all day long.
24:56: They’re drinking soda and like high fructose corn syrup, right?
25:00: It was not even invented until 1960 and then it’s like you look at the grass and it’s like, OK, like, obviously glyphosate, but also like high fructose corn syrup, like all these like additive ingredients and chemicals, like it all makes a huge difference, but I think that.
25:13: Sugar is, yeah, probably one of the biggest issues.
25:17: And so so many people are so used to using that as a main fuel source, and most of it’s like processed sugars or, you know, processed carbs.
25:25: So that’s why you kind of get those symptoms of like, well, it’s kind of like a shock to my body.
25:30: so I want to talk about this a little bit like sugar as someone who has dealt with an eating disorder and just diets in general whole life when I would hear that, I would say like, well, then I have to cut all sugar.
25:40: I meant fruit as well.
25:42: Like I did not add any fruit to my diet or anything like that because I was like I don’t need that.
25:46: Now in the summertime specifically because we’re given so much fruit, like I’ll dabble in more fruit and actually support myself.
25:52: Can you talk a little bit to that too?
25:54: Yeah, yeah, I think.
25:56: I think the biggest issue is getting people off processed food.
25:59: We shouldn’t be telling people not to eat fruit.
26:01: We shouldn’t be telling people not to eat vegetables, like, especially like all the carnivore people are like, oh, plants are bad for you.
26:06: And when you go too far into that, you just start driving yourself nuts and maybe there’s some legitimacy to some of that stuff, but again, you have to like be able to listen to your body and that’s the number one thing.
26:17: And to be honest, like I intermittent fasted for a long time, like probably 2 years straight where I was intermittent fasting for like 16 hours a day, and like I felt amazing.
26:25: Like I really did feel really good.
26:27: So it’s like, wow would I change?
26:28: But then that was when I my corporate job and then like I tacked up my business and then I was also doing ice baths.
26:33: I was doing sauna, I was reading, like I was waking up at like 4:30 every morning.
26:37: I was just like, I was trying to trying to break up from this relationship that wasn’t good for me and it was just like too much stress on the body.
26:44: And so yeah, I’ve, I’ve kind of switched now to like circadian fasting, which is essentially just the idea of like sun up, sundown, like just like we’re wired with our sleep, yeah, with our sleep pattern.
26:54: So like I’m like starting to eat breakfast more but I’m also like.
26:58: Like cutting my dinner at like 4 or 5.
27:01: So it’s like kind of automatically already like a 12 to 14 hour fast.
27:04: And I think that for most people in this country, especially if you’re so used to carb burning and you are eating a lot of sugar, like, yeah, I think intermittent intermittent fasting, like therapeutically could actually be really helpful because you kind of need to like, yeah, change the system.
27:18: and then once you get a period that like feels right for you, kind of continue doing that.
27:21: But, yeah, honestly, like, I’ve been surfing a lot more recently.
27:25: And the reason I brought you all the sourdough is because I’ve been eating a lot more bread and like I’ve been eating more sugar and like honestly kind of getting in that like tropical vibe, which is obviously, you know, fruit is abundant in that kind of environment.
27:38: but yeah, at the end of the day, the biggest thing there is that like sugar from fruit, obviously it’s from the earth, it’s from nature, it has fiber in it, it has all these like polyphenols and compounds and vitamins and minerals that are like that our body recognizes and again, too much of anything is never a good thing.
27:53: So if you like start your day with a fruit smoothie that’s like bananas and apples and mangoes and like it’s just it’s only fruit, like it’s great, you’re still getting all those like antioxidants and stuff, but.
28:04: , not a lot of people realize the sometimes damage of too much sugar in any form, how that affects like your metabolism and your energy levels.
28:13: And so, what I always recommend is like adding a healthy fat, add an avocado or add in some yogurt, add some protein to kind of balance out your blood sugar.
28:22: but yeah, no, I, I think it’s a huge mistake that people are telling people not to eat fruit.
28:26: It’s just Obviously, sugar is sugar sugar, but eating it from the earth is a lot better than from a packaged food.
28:35: If someone wants to start living their life more in tune to their bodies and start eating more foods that are essentially nourish them, what would be like a day in the life that you would recommend for them to start practicing that?
28:48: Yeah, I mean, everyone’s in their own journey, and I think here in Southern California, a lot of people are pretty attuned.
28:53: I mean, I think that something I want to stop doing is like assuming because I’m so deep into like nutrition that I live in a bubble.
29:00: Yeah, a lot of the stuff I know I kind of take for granted.
29:02: I’m like, yeah, like you don’t know that.
29:04: OK, like that’s fine.
29:05: , but yeah, I think like if you’re if you’re if you’re like they’re like, I like.
29:20: I do that too because a lot of people don’t even know what glyphosate is, but yeah, we can get that for sure.
29:28: Yeah, so I think ultimately, how about if you’re living in the Midwest because I think in California we are so exposed to health.
29:35: It could be both, but I feel like, like you say, when you go into a grocery store in Virginia, it’s a lot different than when you go into like a Whole Foods or or natural grocers or a Lazy acres.
29:45: I don’t know, like both because I think a lot of people like I look at some of my family that lives in the Midwest, like they get discouraged, you know, because they’re like I go in, there isn’t an organic section or like there’s one little small part and it’s the dead of winter, like what do I eat?
29:58: Yeah, that’s a good question.
29:59: I mean, I think there’s a reality of the political system, and that’s really the root cause of all of this.
30:06: And honestly, since I started my business like 5 or 6 years ago, that was.
30:10: Kind of always the dream is like, how can I really make the biggest impact here that I’m here to make and, and, you know, we have to go for the head of the snake, so to speak, and it starts in the politics.
30:19: And so, yeah, I think seeing RFK get elected was honestly like.
30:24: It’s pretty emotional thinking about it, like when I started this business and like seeing how much in the past, even just like 6 months, how much it’s been covered in the news versus the past 6 years since I started this healing journey, like it’s really inspiring and encouraging to know that like the work we’re doing is actually like creating a ripple effect, But yeah, I think the first thing is just the, the word I always teach my clients, number one is like industrialization.
30:48: So just like first off, even realizing how far removed we are from our food in the first place and realizing like when you pick up a box or a bag, even if it’s healthier and it’s got better ingredients, it’s like, OK, was this made from Mother Earth or was made in like a factory or like how many steps did it take for this item that’s about to go in my grocery cart?
31:08: Like how many steps did it take to actually make this product and like go into my mouth like an apple goes from, you know, the orchard to the truck to the grocery store and into your mouth, whereas like in Oreo is obviously a drastic example is like who even freaking knows how that thing is made and like how many chemicals and like what the process in in a in a factory, right?
31:28: But I think at the end of the day, like, it’s such an like simple answer, but the more you can just eat real whole food, the better you’re gonna feel.
31:36: And I think it’s also important from like an emotional and spiritual perspective, to realize that, like, there’s nothing wrong with you, and there’s something wrong with like, The fact that you like to indulge in sugar, like you want to have the chocolate or like you feel like you have a whole bag of chips or the whole carton of ice cream because it’s literally how they design these foods and they know how we are primarily wired, which is for carbohydrates and for sugar.
32:01: And so when your body knows it can get a dense hit of energy, why would it not?
32:06: Or if you’re really stressed out and your cortisol is super high, this might be the last food I ever eat in my life.
32:10: So therefore, I’m gonna eat the whole carton of ice cream.
32:13: And it also tricks your mind, where it’s like, I’m having this potato chip and it kind of tastes like a potato, so like you kind of get that flavor on the back of your tongue.
32:20: But then you’re not actually getting the nutrients and nutrition.
32:23: So I was like, OK, like I get the taste, but I’m not actually getting nourished.
32:25: My body’s literally not getting nourished.
32:27: So like, let me have one more, let me have one more and then it’s gone.
32:30: And so this is what Mark Hyman always says is like, we live in a world where we’re overfed but undernourished.
32:35: So it sounds like a simple answer, but I think when you, you can just think about that main concept of like industrialization, like, holy crap, we’re so far removed from our food system.
32:43: What I’ve been eating like.
32:45: By definition, when you look at the definition of food, like, this might not actually be food.
32:49: And then you’ll also think about the cigarette industry by the food industry, you’re like, wow, like, this really isn’t food.
32:53: This is just chemicals in a box.
32:55: And when I teach my clients like the ingredients, Like it’s always their most, like their favorite exercise because it’s such like an awakening and they’re like, holy crap.
33:04: And now again with RFK getting elected, it’s like, the truth is starting to come out and that’s exciting.
33:08: And so, a lot of the stuff that we’ve kind of been hypnotized into honestly is like, oh, I just been eating food and then now I’m 40 years old and like, I have cancer.
33:18: And like, obviously there’s so many different factors and that’s why the lifestyle and all that stress and makes a ton of sense and like.
33:24: It definitely matters, but I mean, think about it, we eat food every single day, most of us at least 3 times a day.
33:31: Same thing with water.
33:31: It’s like, are you filtering your water, you’re drinking water every single day.
33:34: So that’s where it comes back to like how do we objectively audit what’s going on?
33:38: But I guess the more directly answer your question, like if I’m ever in a situation where.
33:42: My resources are limited or there’s not really a lot of healthy foods around.
33:47: yeah, I think just like choosing a healthy protein or a healthy source of fiber, which obviously comes from real fruits and vegetables and real food and healthy fats to like actually satiate you.
33:58: obviously, I, you know, I’m grateful to say I live here in Southern California, and that there’s Whole Foods and there’s Jimbos, and there’s always like healthy stores, but, I mean, I imagine in somewhere in the Midwest, like there’s probably some local farmers’ markets you can go to, and if you care enough about something, like you’ll find a way.
34:14: So you’ll find the local plug, the local guy that’s, you know, you know, actually producing organic foods or you’ll go to the grocery store and you’ll find the, you know, little section that might be healthy and so yeah.
34:25: There’s also like websites, I’m totally blanking the entire time we’re talking.
34:28: I was like, what’s that one website that you can like get like healthier snacks even, you know, like.
34:32: and there are.
34:42: I think there’s like let’s say you go to the grocery store, but you can get to your home.
34:47: I do know people that are hormone people that live in the middle of nowhere and they just use like thrive.
34:54: They get all these healthy stuff for their kids.
34:56: Yeah, I think kids, for example, like Marisa is one of our really good friends who is very health conscious and makes sure that her son gets every little snack, but she’s like, there’s options now at this time too.
35:06: We’re like CFA chips and all these products and really good people that are really trying to create foods that are easily accessible and packable if needed for you to get access to if you don’t get access to Whole Foods.
35:20: Yeah, if you can if you can.
35:21: You know, order something on Amazon within 2 hours if you want a pair of shoes, like you can also get some food, you know, and I posted about this the other day.
35:28: It’s like, you know, your bank statement is just proof of what you actually care about.
35:31: So like, what are you spending your money on?
35:33: How can you reallocate, you know, like organic groceries?
35:36: Yes, by default, because of the system, because of politics.
35:38: Yeah, they’re a little bit more expensive, but also like how much are you spending on Netflix?
35:42: How much are you spending on one order of Uber Eats, which is like $32 versus a $14 grass fed steak, and it’s just like, we really make up our own mind before we actually like.
35:51: Realize what the real truth is, like the objective truth.
35:54: So that’s why I think when you remove the judgment or the shame or the blame, it’s just like, all right, like what am I doing?
35:58: What am I spending my money on?
36:00: What kind of food am I eating?
36:00: And like, as a result, how am I feeling?
36:02: I think something that Nick and I talk about a lot because of like his mental health and like my own journey with health and things like that, like food is just a standard that we will not cut back on.
36:10: Like, no matter how we’re going or wherever our budget is that month or something like that, that is just something that we’ve chosen for ourselves because once you’ve experienced what it feels like to feel good.
36:22: It’s the one thing that you prioritize and if you are high achieving or you want to make a really great impact in this world, you’re going to have to be healthy to do it.
36:30: And so you can’t, you will not be able to make the impact or show up the way that you want to show up in your life, relationships or business if you aren’t healthy.
36:38: I just think health is like the number one factor contributing to all those things that we don’t realize, right?
36:43: Like I talk about this in my talks all the time.
36:45: I’m like, the toxins in your foods are legitimately impacting your nervous system just as much, right?
36:51: You can do all the meditations and breath work and things like that and you’re going to calm down, but food is just a stressor, and when you realize it’s a factor, you’ll hold that standard, and I really think the rest of your life will also meet you in that way financially.
37:03: Yeah, I resonate with that so deeply.
37:05: I think food is a form of self-respect and like.
37:10: It’s literally like a vibration.
37:12: Like what is the vibration of a Cheez-it versus, let’s say, I don’t know, watermelon.
37:18: Like this is literally giving you energy and taking away energy and I always bring it back to Mark Heman because he’s just someone I really respect and have a lot of, get a lot of influence from.
37:29: But yeah, it’s like, do you want to be made from Oreos or do you want to be made from avocados like food is literally the building blocks of who we are.
37:35: And it’s such a good point you say that because if I’m being fully transparent, like.
37:38: As an entrepreneur, like, it’s hard.
37:40: This game is hard and like finances aren’t always like the most consistent thing, especially when you’re starting off, and there’s, you know, so many things we can spend money on, but I believe I’ve actually posted about this before as well, but like that, like food and like my wellness is just like the number one thing I will never compromise on because I know how good it makes me feel and people don’t really look at a big picture where it’s like, well, if I have this avocado instead of these Cheez-its, then, you know, then I’ll feel better and then I’ll perform better at work and that means I make more money and then I’m more abundant and I can do the things I want.
38:13: It’s just like, oh, I’m in a rush, like I need to like have this like frozen burrito, I need to like stop at Chick fil A because I want to treat myself.
38:18: It’s like, no, like.
38:19: Let’s ask yourself before you even do that, like, what is Who’s the type of person you want to be?
38:24: What’s the vibration that you’re on and you want to be on and then like, does this decision actually match that?
38:30: I think it’s just an empowering decision because I think maybe all of us in this room have experienced like extreme burnout.
38:36: We’ve experienced the rough end of it where we’re like, I don’t want to feel like that anymore.
38:41: Let’s say you’re someone that feels really good in your life.
38:44: Just imagine how you could feel if you optimized, and I don’t like there’s a version of you that can bring in even more.
38:51: So it’s just a beautiful thing and I totally get it.
38:54: I mean, that’s a whole another topic.
38:55: About like entrepreneurship and finances and like how to balance that and like putting it into the energy of things that are not only going to invest in you now, but keep carrying you to where you really want to go.
39:06: Yeah.
39:07: I also feel like as an entrepreneur in the moments where I’ve been worried or stressed about money because I always prioritize my nutrition and like my health, I was able to get through those difficult times.
39:17: I mean, I would say probably more than 60% of my Money goes to food, goes to like high quality food and that’s from someone like we live in California, it’s a 100% more expensive than any other states.
39:30: So it’s like when I hear people say, oh, like some of our family members that don’t live in California will be like, organic so expensive.
39:36: I was like, you were at the bar every day buying vodkas like you can afford organic.
39:41: Groceries, you know, it’s just, it’s like you said, it’s a choice.
39:44: And again, I think it just goes back to lack of education and it’s so interesting because RFK obviously is very controversial and I think people fight the food system without even knowing why they’re fighting it.
39:54: I mean, we know why the politicians are fighting it because they all have a hand in the marketing and like they’re invested in it.
40:00: They’re invested in us being sick.
40:02: But I think people don’t realize how much food really plays a role, which is why it’s so beautiful that you’re here to share this message, because I think we need more and more and more people talking about how vital it is that we change our food system, because we are going to see kids dying younger.
40:17: We are going to see 30 year olds with cancer, like it’s sky cancer is skyrocketing in 30 and 40 year olds, which is insane.
40:23: And it, like you said, there’s a multitude of factors, but food fuels all of it, I think, like at the base of it.
40:28: And it sounds like you’re saying kind of the same thing that it’s like such a huge pivotal role.
40:33: Yeah, yeah, 100% and like maybe it seems biased coming from me, but I mean, I don’t think I’d be like here speaking on these types of stages if I didn’t like really see the power of it.
40:42: And that’s how we’re wired as humans is like when we feel this like transformation and we know how good we can feel like we’re just like, yeah, wired to want to share with other people and.
40:51: Yeah, I mean, I’m super grateful for all the breath work and meditation, the reiki and all that, like that’s made a huge, huge difference.
40:58: But again, like the daily inputs, it’s again, like I think the, the analogy is like, so many people are so obsessed with saving for retirement, like they’ll gladly put in 200 bucks a month or invest in the stock market, but like they’re literally not investing in their self and in their health, and then they get to a certain age and they’re like, Oh my God, like this is so unlucky.
41:17: Like I can’t believe like I got cancer or this or that.
41:19: And I’m not saying like, I’m not here saying that like I’m bulletproof to cancer, any disease, but like, I’d be damned if I didn’t give myself a chance, you know, to like be the healthiest person that I can, and.
41:30: I mean, at this point, the time we live in is like the default is literally failure.
41:35: So you pay you pay for it, saving retirements.
41:45: Even like I think about that and I’m like.
41:47: I’d rather be present and feel good today.
41:49: Like tomorrow is a promised, you know, like, yes, I, I care about retirement.
41:54: I understand I need to do these things for that, but I was like, I want to feel good today because I really don’t know if tomorrow is going to happen.
42:00: I was like, when you live your life that way and you’re like, I want to be me, I want to feel good, I want to be energized, I want to be present.
42:06: I want to be regulated, I want to feel connected.
42:09: And yes, we’re humans and we get to feel the full expression of emotions, but today is what matters, I think, and they bring you back to this.
42:16: Yeah, that’s a good point.
42:17: You know, it’s funny, for some reason, I feel like a few people have asked me this recently, but they’re like, yeah, you had like one final meal like on death row, like what it would be like what what would be, and now it’s like.
42:28: You know, a lot of people would say like, oh, like the ultimate thing you would want to indulge in and just like, who cares because you’re about to die.
42:34: And like, you know, part of me thinks that that could be cool and be fun, but then I was sitting there thinking like, what I really wanna just like feel super lethargic and kind of like shameful about the food that I was eating like the last moment before I took my last breath.
42:46: And I was like, no, like I wanna like remember myself and be remembered for like.
42:50: Yeah, nourishing my body and like wanting to feel good and taking actions that reflect that.
42:55: And so like for me, I feel like I would, yeah, I want to have a super nutritious meal whether it’s just like a superfood bowl or like tons of amazing fruit and vegetables and like a grass fed steak like that’s what I want.
43:07: I don’t want the, you know, Chick fil A or whatever like processed food people would say it’s like, no, I want to like feel good and be remembered for that.
43:14: I love that.
43:15: I’d love to transition a little bit to talk about this like spiritual journey that you’ve been on in parallel to this health journey, because you talked that you want to talk a little bit about that and I’d love to hear what that means to you.
43:26: Yeah, it’s opened up a can of worms, but, yeah, I mean long story long story short, I think like the commonality, the two kind of like evolutions I’ve gone through in the past like 5 years is just that two times in my life where I was kind of forced to slow down.
43:42: Number 1 was the pandemic.
43:43: And then I started meditating and I honestly, if, if anyone’s out there like just super overwhelmed about where to start, or like they don’t know what they’re supposed to eat, and there’s just like so much conflicting information out there, like, what do I do?
43:55: Like it sounds like lip service or it might not be the best advice, but like, honestly, just like sitting in silence and meditating and being more grateful and more aware, because like, that’s literally how I started my business was I got introduced to a Deepak Chopra meditation.
44:12: And then my awareness changed, my gratitude changed, and then I started like kind of questioning and auditing my life like, am I happy?
44:19: because now I’m seeing things differently and that’s how I started my business.
44:23: and then the second evolution was going from corporate to full-time entrepreneurship and the freedom is awesome and it’s amazing, but as I’m sure both of you know, like it’s literally just a rocket ship to self development, you know, like.
44:36: Having to sit in your own emotions, I had all this extra time in my calendar and I was forced to sit with my feelings and I was so burnt out from like doing both jobs.
44:44: I mentioned some of the stuff earlier like breaking up out of a relationship and just, just trying to do too much honestly.
44:49: And, and then I started getting like gut health issues and like afternoon energy crashes, which are like things that I had never dealt with before.
44:56: And as the health coach, like that was like the ultimate identity crisis and like aposter syndrome and I was like, yeah, OK, like I’m questioning my whole life right now.
45:03: , and so like all this like anxiety and depression and ADHD and procrastination, at least what I had labeled, was what I realized was just my body and my mind trying to signal to me like, hey, the way you’re doing things like, isn’t working.
45:17: But most people will not sit in their emotions, and again, I give you grace and I don’t blame you, but that’s where all the answers lie.
45:25: And so, You know, I was doomed scrolling a ton and to be honest, I was like stress eating and just like all these coping mechanisms that weren’t serving me.
45:34: And so I think what I’ve realized is that, yeah, there’s always like treasure in the in the work that we’re avoiding.
45:43: But yeah, I realized that I.
45:46: was basically addicted to suffering for like 16 months and, you know, I’d like, I honestly got so bad, like there were like 4 specific times I remember being like, oh, like maybe, maybe I swallow my pride, like maybe I do take some medication, like, maybe that’ll help.
45:59: And that could have helped temporarily, but ultimately it’s not getting to the root.
46:03: You’re just still numbing out what you need to feel in order to actually heal and to change.
46:08: , so when I look back, I really just kept putting 1 ft in front of the other, even though it was like really confusing.
46:13: I just kept having faith, and that’s something I still try to remind myself of is that like fear and faith are actually the same thing because they’re both unknown and you just get to choose which one that you want to lean into.
46:24: but yeah, I think the biggest lessons was just that I was like suppressing my emotions, way too much.
46:30: I was overextending myself.
46:32: I wasn’t building boundaries and how much that actually was a huge missing piece of my health because.
46:37: I had the breath work, I had the meditation.
46:39: I was eating well, I was sleeping well, but that was like such a huge missing piece was the nervous system, and that’s why I’ve become so passionate about it.
46:46: And I’ve realized that whether it is alcohol or food, or it’s vaping or shopping or staying busy, like it’s all just a way to avoid what we need to feel, and it really just comes down to the nervous system, and this is where I think, try to like encourage my clients and others just like have grace.
47:02: Like, there’s a reason that you’re reaching for that vape, there’s a reason you’re reaching for that sugary food.
47:06: , it’s because like your body is overwhelmed, it’s overstimulated.
47:10: So like, when you think about the how, the sad American lifestyle, you’re like, OK, like this isn’t really my fault.
47:15: We’re not really designed to live in these boxes and be subjected to this amount of stress that we are on a daily basis.
47:20: And so when I think about the toolbox that I’ve created.
47:25: Like objectively, I’m like, how do people like live without this?
47:28: And I realized the answer to that question to what you said before is like not very well.
47:32: People have just like accepted their life as is, or they’re resulting to like medication or things that aren’t actually getting to the root.
47:40: So I’m just really grateful for the toolbox that I built both nutritionally and emotionally and what it’s done for me and my happiness.
47:47: One thing that you were talking to, I talked about this in my presentation.
47:50: She went to one of my speaking engagements this week and I have this list of basically like energy red flags.
47:55: So if you dabble in like dream scrolling or wanting to eat all this food or wanting to go on a run or find these things that are essentially coping and not really feeling.
48:05: I was like, if you start to play in any of these things, that’s just a sign that you’re not feeling, that you’re not in your body.
48:11: If you find yourself overthinking, comparing, like those are really great signs.
48:15: And if you continue to play in that, in a lot of ways they’re energy takers because then you’re also consuming your energy, you’re wasting your energy and it’s going to deplete your nervous system and you’re gonna hit burnout.
48:24: But they’re beautiful signs and red flags to be like, oh, I’ve been dabbling in this a lot right now.
48:30: Maybe I should just check in with myself and see how I’m really feeling.
48:33: But that’s so scary for people because they’re like, I don’t want to feel this.
48:37: What do you mean?
48:37: I can numb out.
48:38: It’s so much easier to numb out.
48:39: I know how to do this and it’s just like if you dabble in this, it means your body, you’re not feeling what’s really in here and it’s such a beautiful opportunity and I love that you like dabbled in that and gave yourself grace because that takes so much courage and bravery to like dive deep into like fuck I got to feel all this stuff that I haven’t felt in so long.
48:57: And if you suppress it for so many long, for so long, it’s gonna feel like a lot, so.
49:01: How beautiful that you’re teaching that now.
49:02: Yeah, thanks.
49:03: It’s, it means a lot to me.
49:04: I mean, I just know how dark of a place that I got to, Yeah, I mean, there were like suicidal thoughts.
49:12: It was like, you know, I’ve never really like came to the point I was like, I was actually gonna do anything, but it was really just like, wow, life would be so much easier if it just wasn’t here, if it wasn’t a thing.
49:21: And then of course when I got to the other side of the burnout I was like holy crap like I need to live to like 150 years old.
49:25: Like I’m so happy like, so yeah, just like I think that faith is so important because like even when it’s really fucking confusing, you’re just like, OK, like that’s that’s why I think like having a vision is so important because you’re like there’s gotta be a lesson here that someone just like going through their life and like stuff is happening to them like this sucks.
49:41: I feel terrible like I’m so unlucky and it’s like, well, it’s because you don’t have a vision like you don’t see what the silver lining is here.
49:47: , and like, it’s just, especially for men, it’s like the male suicide rate is 4 times higher than it is for women, and that breaks my heart and I think it also just screams like ego.
49:57: And I think that like as men, we are designed to be protectors and providers and we’re born with more testosterone for a reason and all these things, but I think that again, the abnormality of the world that we live in, everybody’s cortisol is super high, everyone’s stress is super high.
50:12: So I actually argue that trying to suck it up, trying to suppress your emotions, not talking about it.
50:18: Well I know for a fact that actually makes you sicker because I’ve experienced it and there’s science around that, but it’s also just like, it actually makes you less manly because that plummets your testosterone and your because cortisol is the antithesis to testosterone.
50:32: So when I was burnt out, I like did a test and my testosterone was like 300.
50:36: And then after my burnout, it was like 8:50.
50:39: So it just goes to show you that like, yeah, sometimes like being a man is just speaking up.
50:44: Damn, you should say that.
50:45: I need to give you access to this course.
50:47: do you know who David Ghay is?
50:49: Yeah, yeah, he’s the man.
50:53: I don’t know, but he talks so much about like how our souls come here and they bring the lessons and so like the reason why you face these things in your life is just so you can create a bigger vessel for the light to come in.
51:09: And one thing that he says to a lot of people that are having suicidal thoughts and be like, you can go and do it, but you’re gonna come back and do it again.
51:16: So you try and figure it out now and like work through it or you’re gonna come back and your soul’s gonna have to correct that because every single soul in this life is meant to essentially the people that we’ve met, the parents that we’ve had, anyone that you meet in your life, you’ve literally already chosen before you came to.
51:32: This world.
51:33: And so it’s either you work through the shit that comes up in those relationships and he calls it correct your course, or you can come back and do it all over again.
51:42: And so in a lot of ways that everything that you’ve gone through is essentially expanding your vessels so you can hold more light, but then also that your soul can correct in the next lifetime, they’ll experience even more light.
51:55: That’s really, really highly recommend it.
51:59: Yeah.
52:00: I feel like it’s relevant even in what you said, which is like now you want to live to 10.
52:04: I think if you don’t go to the, you can only experience life to the extent that you could go to the depths of your own darkness.
52:11: And then once you’ve experienced that, you can experience like the complete opposite side.
52:16: I was to give it like a rubber band, like consciousness is that’s happening now in the world, right?
52:20: We’re being pulled into the darkness like pretty far.
52:22: We’re like, oh shit, are we gonna make it out of this?
52:25: But then I just think about when that rubber band snaps and we just like fly into the new way of being and we’re seeing like little, little things happening where people are, are really having these conversations like 10 years ago, we would, none of none of us would be having this conversation.
52:39: So I think that for anyone that’s listening that’s in the darkness, it’s like there is light on the other side.
52:45: And as deep as you can go into the darkness of yourself, you can be in that much light too.
52:49: And that’s the part.
52:50: Now that’s like I want to live and share my message and like live to be 180 years old, you know.
52:55: And when anything hard comes up in my life, and thank goodness for David Gym for this, but I think people have used this.
53:00: It’s like when hard things happen, I’m like, what a pleasure.
53:04: Thank you.
53:05: Thank you for giving me the stretchiest overwhelming moments because it’s expanding me for what’s going to flow in and having that mindset, especially when hard things are happening or you decide to dive deep into like feeling your emotions, you’re like.
53:18: OK, there’s going to be another light where I’m going to be able to hold the duality of being in my emotions, but then also hold the faith to what you were saying.
53:25: So it’s like, I know the fear is here, but I can also hold the faith here and be with both because I think fear is showing us something, right?
53:32: But we get to still choose the faith and the hope to keep us going, and we need that in order to access the light.
53:38: Yeah, that’s super powerful and honestly to like tie it back to nutrition.
53:41: I think a lot of people out there hit a certain point where they’re just like.
53:44: They literally have this like fuck it moment like like I already messed up for like 3 days in a row like I might as well just let this whole week go and the next thing you know it’s a month and it’s a year and it’s 10 years and you’re like holy shit how did I get to this point in my life and so like just having faith that you can heal, whether it’s your relationship with food or whatever the case is for you like.
54:04: Sometimes like when you’re in the dumps and you’re in the dark like it again, it kind of feels cliche or it feels like lip service, but.
54:11: You know, that’s where the magic happens is in the uncertainty and continuing to put 1 ft in front of the other.
54:15: And if you have a vision that’s strong enough, like the how always happens.
54:20: Yes.
54:20: And I love that you said come back to grace for yourself because, you know, both Kern and I have struggled with food and we’ve spoken about it on the podcast and something I never thought was that I would have a healthy relationship with food and something you said, which I thought was really powerful is talking about intermittent fasting at night from sunset to sunrise, because I feel at least for myself, and I think it’s true for anyone.
54:39: At night is when we calm and so that’s when we eat them when we’re in our loops or we’re eating shitty food like that’s when I would snack the most.
54:46: That’s when I binge eat.
54:47: That’s when I do all these things because I’m like, it’s too quiet.
54:49: I don’t want that you were in all day and it’s like slaps you in your face and you’re like, wait, you got, you got all I need more I’m gonna make cookies and 12 of them.
54:59: And so I think one, having grace, like you said in those moments tying it back into what you just said of like just because you ate 12 cookies last night doesn’t mean you need to wake up and then eat a burrito or eat something that makes you feel worse.
55:10: Like you can start again tomorrow.
55:11: It’s a new day.
55:12: But also intermittent fasting, I think is a beautiful way like that’s something that really helped me break out of that and sit with my emotions and really like.
55:21: I think it’s so good to challenge ourselves.
55:23: I feel like we live in a world of ease, and I think when we, there’s so much scientific evidence to show that when we challenge ourselves, it creates new neural pathways and intermittent fasting is like a great challenge to, I think, and, and that’s like so doable, you know, like you eat dinner at 5 and then you don’t eat until morning.
55:38: Yeah, no, I appreciate you saying.
55:44: Yeah, it’s like, I mean, yeah, the biodividuality is important.
55:45: I mean, like when I first started, like I was working with some women that were like literally going through menopause.
55:50: I was working with, you know, athletes that wanted to lose 10 to 15 pounds and so, yeah, like, obviously the woman that was going through menopause, I was like, yeah, you shouldn’t be fasting for more than 12 hours.
56:01: Like I wouldn’t advise that.
56:02: , whereas like the athlete that wanted to lose weight was like, OK, cool, like, let’s switch you from carb burning to fat burning and like, let’s see this magic happen and really change your body and like your relationship with food.
56:13: but I think the overall biggest benefit of it is just having more awareness around food and not snacking and grazing all day long and just like.
56:21: You know, 8 o’clock comes around and you’re just like, oh, let me have like another bite of this, or like 9 o’clock.
56:26: I already have like a couple of nuts before I go to bed, which isn’t the end of the world, but when the sun goes down and we’re like supposed to be sleeping, we’re supposed to be sleeping, not digesting, and that’s gonna affect your sleep and then it’s that whole cycle, right?
56:37: So, yeah, I think the beauty of it is just like having more awareness and like having at least some sort of structure, not having to be super stringent on it, just being like, OK, knowing kind of the consequences, like, right, for me, like I try to always do at least 12, I’m like, OK, well, if I eat at like 8 p.m., like I’m probably not going to sleep as well.
56:52: I might wake up more tired in the morning, so like I’m not gonna be able to, you know, be at my highest expression.
56:56: I have like a big podcast in the morning or I have to do X, Y, Z.
56:58: So like, that’s where you can start to make different decisions because you actually have a reason to.
57:03: and so, yeah, I think that’s the real thing is like, there’s a lot of research too on like how much like fasting is tied to like spirituality and like the four major religions all practice some form of fasting because It creates more mental clarity and literally they actually created the keto diet, which is pretty similar to fasting in terms of what it does to your metabolism in your body.
57:22: To help, people overcome epilepsy and like it was like actually, the John Hopkins Foundation created the keto diet in like 1960 or 1970 specifically to help people like basically change their brain and I just goes to show you how much like what we eat affects our mind and our brain and like they’re actually even deeming Alzheimer’s as type 3 diabetes now because of how much insulin is interconnected to our brain and our.
57:48: Yeah, constant glucose spikes.
57:53: So thank you so much for sharing all of that.
57:56: We’re going to shift it just a little bit more to you.
58:00: we ask all of our guests this question, is that where in your life are you feeling called to be more of your fullest expressed self?
58:06: This can be life, relationships, business, anything, health.
58:11: Yeah, I think just stepping into.
58:13: Like, fully voicing how I feel without worrying about what other people think.
58:19: I feel like I’ve done a really good job of this from like a vulnerability perspective, which is a skill I take for granted, cause that is a skill that can be learned for sure.
58:27: But I think especially as it comes to like, Like, look, I’ve probably been the most neutral dude you could ever meet when it comes to politics, like my entire life, and still to this day I am, but seeing what’s happening with RFK and the food system actually starting to change, is really inspiring and I’ve recently started to post more about how I feel in that space and it feels good.
58:49: you know, sometimes I think about maybe what my family would think or other friends or other people will I lose followers, but honestly, like at this point.
58:57: Like, I, my duty and my calling is to like serve people at the highest level and sometimes that means telling the truth even when it hurts or even when people don’t want to hear it.
59:09: so yeah, I think just like continuing to step into my, yeah, unmuted voice and just like really speak how I feel, knowing that it’s actually serving other people, even if in that moment they don’t think that that’s the case, And yeah, now I’ve been in this business for like 4 or 5 years now and.
59:29: I’m really grateful that I’m able to be surrounded by folks like you, and I think that our life is just, it really is just a mirror, and it’s really cool, like start meeting people on this vibration, and it’s interesting.
59:42: I feel like in the health space, it’s, it’s a lot of women, which is cool, and I’m totally fine with that.
59:47: I’m really grateful for it because we all need that feminine energy, and I know I needed that deeply, right, when I was like burnt out, but I also just wanna like, Start voicing my, yeah, my masculine and kind of like my my warrior and my king within and like allow and inspire other men to do the same, and just be surrounded by other powerful men as well, and just encourage men to get into the health space because sometimes it is chalked up as like a feminine thing, like whether it’s yoga or like Pilates or Like, I mean, every breath work class I go to, it’s like me and maybe like two other guys and like I don’t give a shit like it’s fine.
1:00:21: Like I’m just doing what I feel good and I don’t care what other people think.
1:00:24: But I think there’s a lot of ego that stops a lot of men honestly from doing these types of things and like.
1:00:30: Sometimes people would literally rather save their own ego than save their own life, and that shows up in a lot of different ways.
1:00:37: so yeah, just like unleashing more masculine energy and encouraging other men to step into the health space and step into their highest self.
1:00:46: Yeah, so we need more men in that.
1:00:48: It’s amazing.
1:00:49: Yeah, we we always need a container.
1:00:52: The feminine needs a container.
1:00:54: We do, and I just love that you’re stepping into just like really owning your opinion.
1:00:58: I think it’s or however you think about it or just speaking your truth, I think it is such an important factor of being fully expressed and it’s scary, you know, and we talk about that so much on the podcast, like owning that and I think especially on social media where you get the haters and something that we had.
1:01:14: Josh Church on on here and he said something that his friend says he’s like, if you got haters, you’re doing something right.
1:01:19: Yeah, you know.
1:01:20: And I think about that all the time and I saw another quote around authenticity, like 50% of the people are going to love you and then 50 other 50% are not necessarily going to hate you.
1:01:28: They’re just really not going to understand and it’s going to come through as they don’t get me, they don’t accept me, they don’t want to.
1:01:35: and especially when you’re like a leader like this as a man trying to do things differently, you’re going to essentially attract both and It’s going to be the dance of you building that strength within us and that’s something that you and I are constantly doing as well and owning as well.
1:01:52: Yeah, and I think it’s like, it just goes to show you how backwards it is, but the most radical thing you can do in today’s world is take care of your health.
1:02:02: Start looking at ingredients like asking where this food is coming from, asking how this food is making me feel, and somehow that’s chalked up as a conspiracy theory.
1:02:11: But it’s like when you look at the objective facts and like.
1:02:13: How, yeah, like childhood diabetes has tripled since 1990, like one in two people will get cancer in their lifetime.
1:02:20: Like, all these stats that are just like, like you can’t deny it anymore.
1:02:25: And I think that’s kind of what like the pandemic showed is that that was like a macro awakening for the world is like we have 4% of the world’s population, yet we had 20% of all COVID deaths across the world and it’s like something’s got to be up like something’s going on and.
1:02:43: There’s so many people that are paid off and there’s these articles and it’s like trust the science and it’s like holy crap, what do I believe?
1:03:10: And so honestly, I, I think the biggest thing is like believing in yourself and believing what your intuition is telling you that’s a I think it’s like.
1:03:12: Sometimes not even about the money.
1:03:13: They’re just like, I’m afraid of like losing my friends or I’m afraid of like, I can’t do this anymore.
1:03:18: And I think what people don’t realize is that a lot of what they’re doing now and this like intuition that brought them to even being on a call with me in the first place is like they got to realize that what they were doing before isn’t actually serving them, even if they feel like that’s the thing that makes them happy, like deep down, it’s not actually.
1:03:33: And I think another part of my mission too is like.
1:03:36: Teaching people that you can be healthy and you can have fun and as a matter of fact you can actually have more fun when you’re healthy.
1:03:42: Yeah, the packs, but we had so much fun at Disney, it’s like I I love the name of this podcast, like fully expressed.
1:03:55: I couldn’t find the notes on my phone, but I could have sworn that when I first started my business, I was like building up my why and like just trying to like vocalize and communicate why I actually wanted to do this.
1:04:04: And when I think of like the, the brand name of like superfood superhuman, I’ve always been an athlete.
1:04:10: I’ve always wanted to like do fun things.
1:04:12: I grew up like 2 years old doing like all these water sports, like just always being super active and being like the primal beings that were designed to be.
1:04:19: And I was thinking like superfoods, OK, cool.
1:04:20: Superfoods like gives you a lot of energy that allows you to like do a lot of things.
1:04:23: So just like mixed in perfectly, but like the ultimate goal, going back to my point is like was just like.
1:04:29: Like, fully express my myself and my my humanness, and that can come in a lot of different forms, but, yeah, it’s, I think it’s really fun to be healthy.
1:04:39: We agree.
1:04:40: It’s an important factor to being fully expressed.
1:04:43: Well, thank you so much.
1:04:44: This was such an epic.
1:04:47: It’s one of our favorite topics to talk about like the podcast.
1:04:54: It’s it’s what we do.
1:04:55: But yeah, you’re just such a beautiful and we.
1:04:59: What you’re doing in the world and we just like can’t wait to see what’s next.
1:05:03: That means a lot.
1:05:04: Thank you so much for having me.
1:05:05: I appreciate it.
1:05:06: And then you want to share where people can find you?
1:05:08: Yeah, pretty straightforward.
1:05:10: I’d say Instagram is my main platform, so superfood, superhuman, all one word, all singular.
1:05:15: I’m also on TikTok.
1:05:17: I’m on Facebook, LinkedIn.
1:05:18: , pretty much all the platforms, and this is now my 15th, guest appearance on the podcast.
1:05:26: So thank you guys so much.
1:05:27: Maybe one day I’ll start my own, but I’m just really grateful for the platform and the space to build a.
1:05:32: Share my message, which means a lot to me and hopefully, even if just one person I can impact today means the world.
1:05:38: I’ve.
1:05:39: Yeah.
1:05:40: Thank you.
1:05:41: Thank you.
1:05:42: Today’s highlights the power of simplicity in our food choices.
1:05:46: At the Fully expressed podcast, we believe that nourishing our bodies with real ingredients is essential, as our health forms the foundation for living authentically.
1:05:54: We know how challenging it can be to our habits, especially when it feels like a big overhaul might be necessary.
1:06:00: But what if it’s just about starting small, as Mike suggested?
1:06:02: Maybe it’s shopping at your local farmers’ market, exploring the organic section of the grocery store, or avoiding those middle aisles filled with processed options.
1:06:10: Remember, these little changes can lead to big wins, setting us on a path toward healthier, happier lives.
1:06:17: Thank you so much for tuning in.
1:06:18: We really appreciate you being here.
1:06:20: If you enjoyed this episode, we’d be grateful if you could leave us a review and share it with a friend.
1:06:26: Also, we would love to hear from you.
1:06:28: Reach out to us on Instagram and let us know where you feel inspired to express yourself as you embrace this next era.
1:06:35: We’re here to support you and encourage you.
1:06:38: Before we go, we want to remind you that you are powerful and deserving of fully expressing who you are.
1:06:44: Embracing your journey toward authenticity is a vital part of that process, and we’re grateful to be alongside you.
1:06:50: If you’re looking to dive deeper and connect with others who celebrate their true selves, we invite you to join our community.
1:06:56: It’s a virtual space for connection and accountability where you can share your experiences and grow together.
1:07:02: You can find the link in our show notes.
1:07:04: We can’t wait to welcome you.
1:07:06: See you on the next one.
In This Episode, We Dive Into:
- Why the FDA can’t truly regulate everything in our food supply
- What you’ll see (if you really look) in the aisles of your grocery store
- The state of American food culture vs. Europe—and why it matters
- What happens in your body with high-sugar, high-carb diets
- The truth about being overfed but undernourished
- The link between burnout, inflammation, and lifestyle
- How to start healing through food, rhythm, and intentional living
- What it means to eat with the sun and live in sync with nature
- Why bio-individuality is essential—not every diet works for everybody
Links & Resources:
All platforms: https://linktr.ee/superfoodsuperhuman
Connect with Mike:
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@superfoodsuperhuman
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mike.schmidt.167527
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/superfoodsuperhuman/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-schmidt-b8484694/
About Mike:
Mike Schmidt is the Founder, Owner, & Head Nutrition Coach of SuperfoodSuperHUMAN. Mike grew up as an athlete in the suburbs of Boston playing basketball, baseball, lacrosse, and water sports.
After a shoulder injury, he moved to San Diego in August of 2019 in search of his highest possible expression & happiness by diving head-first into the wellness space. He earned both his Nutrition & Hormone Health certifications through IIN in May of 2020 and as a result, instantly healed his 10 years of chronic acne & hemorrhoids. He has now coached over 85 clients, hosted 3 retreats, appeared on over 13 guest podcasts, overcame 16 months of burnout, and ran 8 half-marathons in the last 8 months.
Through his acne and burnout spiritual-awakenings, Mike felt compelled to help others transform. So he created an online course & community that teaches ambitious humans, life-long learners, athletes, & entrepreneurs how to discover who they truly are and what they ACTUALLY want in life. He teaches the foundation of a healthy relationship with food through an unrestrictive, consistent, long-term healthy lifestyle while having fun, being happy, feeling good, & having more energy, all without feeling overwhelmed.
His mission is to change the world one bite at a time by empowering HUMANS to become the absolute best version of themselves so that they can connect deeply to their highest most authentic expression, and carry an undeniable energy and happiness that others are magnetized to and inspired by.
Ready to eat with intention, live in rhythm with nature, and finally understand why no diet has ever “stuck”? Hit play, babe. Your body’s been waiting for this one.
Join The Fully Expressed Community, where you can be surrounded by other women who are also on the same path of personal growth, healing, and uncovering their authentic expression. Being in a community surrounded by others can truly be one of the most supporting and healing containers to support your personal invitation.
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