Caitlin Weeks blogs at her site, grassfedgirl.com, and is the author of several cooking books, including the paperback cookbook, Mediterranean Paleo Cooking, she co-authored with her husband, Nabil Boumrar and Diane San Filippo.  

In this interview with functional medicine expert Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, we talk about the rarely acknowledged gut-brain connection.  With modern research, we are gaining a deeper understanding of how digestion and the gut micro-biome effects the brain, and common symptoms of mood disorder, and poor concentration.

Does what you eat matter for your mental health?  According to Dr. Ann Childers, MD, it sure does.  

Dr. Childers is a child and adult trained psychiatric physician with a passionate interest in regaining our physical and mental health through nutrition and sleep. 

Are you trying to reduce the amount of carbohydrates in your diet, but don't know what to cook instead?  Come check out this episode with Maria Emmerich, co-author of the Ketogenic Cookbook:  Nutritious Low-Carb, High-fat, Paleo Meals to Heal Your Body.

Mira was a busy publicist in New York City, living the dream, except for increasing, debilitating pain.  She was diagnosed with advanced osteoporosis, and advised to move home with her family and recuperate.  

In her search to figure out her osteoporosis, she met Jayson Calton, a clinical nutritionist who did not specialize in osteoporosis,  but agreed to dive into this project with Mira.  Her osteoporosis was completely reversed, and meanwhile she and Jayson fell in love and got married.

Broth Bar is bright and clean, with a little counter space to watch the rain while having a cup of hot broth with a friend.  It also offers the other products made by Salt, Fire and Time, as well as other locally-made healthy foods.  Tressa also stocks some non-local favorites, like high-quality cod liver oil.

Tom talks about:

• How removing inflammatory foods eliminates symptoms throughout the body
• How doing an elimination diet can be as easy as learning a dozen new recipes
• How children's moods (and adults!) can be effected by foods
• Why we are sensitive to foods in the first place

I wanted to share a new breakfast I made up this summer that could be called "my big, fat breakfast."  If you heard me on a recent podcast with low carb expert Jimmy Moore, you know I'm interested in the idea of a ketogenic diet.  If you missed that episode, you can check out this link.  

I'm not yet doing a full experiment in ketosis (a high fat, low carb, moderate protein diet in which you burn ketones for fuel,) but I have been trying to up my fat intake and lower my carbs more than before.

Even this brief experiment in high fat diet has made me feel slimmer, and I can go longer after a meal before getting hungry.

Cindy Haas was a Dental Hygienist for many years before also becoming a Certified Holistic Health Coach.

She published a book called Over the Lips and through the Gums to teach others about the mouth and how our choices effect our oral health.  She also educates dental professionals who want to incorporate more holistic methods into their practices at Integrative Dental Concepts.  

Cindy was nice enough to answer my myriad of questions about oral hygiene. 

If you are experiencing new hormonal symptoms as you age, check out this episode.  

Our guest Andrea Thorpe, of Lotus Center of Integrative Medicine in Los Angeles, is an acupuncturist, a functional medicine practitioner, and PhD candidate in Chinese Medicine.  She specializes in treating women's health and infertility in her practice, and is often treating women who are 35 and up and stuggling with their hormones.