Podcast Summary
Ancestral diets and community support: Ancestral diets and community support are crucial elements for holistic healing, as emphasized by Olivia's journey from severe health issues to wellness through traditional practices, muscle mass building, and community connection.
People's healing journeys are deeply connected to their self-worth and community support. Olivia, a clinical herbalist, shared her story of growing up in a family that relied solely on western medicine, but discovered her Italian and Macedonian ancestors' traditional plant knowledge. She witnessed her parents' health issues due to their extreme work ethic and sacrifice of their well-being for productivity. Olivia herself experienced severe health problems, including IBS, cystic acne, and mental health issues, due to the individualistic, capitalistic culture's convenience foods. However, she found healing through ancient medicine, blood sugar balancing, and self-discovery. In her journey, she emphasized the importance of honoring ancestral diets, muscle mass, and community support to hold one's vision. Ultimately, Olivia's story highlights the need for a holistic approach to wellness, incorporating both modern science and traditional practices, and recognizing the value of self-worth and community.
Interconnected body systems: Antibiotics for acne can improve digestive symptoms and anxiety, and undiagnosed autoimmune diseases highlight the limitations of Western medicine. Traditional medicine values patient-practitioner relationship and advocates for caution with everyday product ingredients.
The body's systems are interconnected, and what affects one area can impact another. The speaker shares her personal experience of how taking antibiotics for acne improved her digestive symptoms and anxiety. She also mentions how her autoimmune disease didn't show up in lab work for 10 years, highlighting the limitations of Western medicine in diagnosing conditions in the gray area. The speaker advocates for traditional medicine, which serves people in the gray area and values the relationship and collaboration between the practitioner and the patient. Additionally, she emphasizes the importance of being cautious about the ingredients in everyday products, like toothpaste, and encourages using brands like Bite that offer clean, sulfate-free, and convenient alternatives.
Clearstem Skincare, Self-worth: Clearstem Skincare addresses anti-acne and anti-aging concerns with effective products, free from hormone disruptors and poor clogging fillers. Self-worth and community play a crucial role in achieving long-term health goals.
Clearstem Skincare offers a trustworthy solution for those seeking effective skincare products that cater to both anti-acne and anti-aging concerns, while being free from hormone disruptors and poor clogging fillers. The founders, Danielle and Kaylee, have a deep understanding of the struggles with acne and the importance of getting to the root cause. Clearstem's acne lab tests and lifestyle-based recommendations have helped thousands in their journey. Additionally, the importance of self-worth and community in achieving long-term weight loss and overall health was emphasized. Trusting relationships, be it with a practitioner, coach, or friend group, can provide the necessary support and encouragement to make lasting changes.
Right Relationships: Maintaining right relationships with oneself and others involves recognizing when an extreme, rigid approach is no longer helpful and pivoting accordingly.
True health and wellness involve being in right relationship with oneself, others, nature, and everything around us. This means moving beyond looking at things for what they can do for us and instead witnessing them for what they are. At certain stages of our journey, an extreme, rigid approach to achieving our goals may be necessary, but it's essential to recognize when it's no longer helpful and pivot accordingly. The speaker's experience of losing weight was marked by both self-hatred and intense discipline, followed by a period of no structure and eventual burnout. Through it all, she learned the importance of being in right relationship with herself and the world around her, even if that meant experiencing both extremes.
Sleep and Skincare: Improving sleep quality with mouth tape and eco-friendly detergent, while addressing metabolic dysfunction through muscle building, fat loss, and insulin-sensitizing foods, can benefit overall health and well-being.
Improving sleep quality through the use of mouth tape with added skincare benefits, like Dream Tape from Dream Recovery, and switching to eco-friendly, sensitive skin-friendly laundry detergent, like Earth Breeze EcoSheets, can significantly enhance overall health and well-being. Metabolic dysfunction, a state of having unhealthy body composition with more body fat mass in relation to muscle, can lead to insulin resistance, regardless of weight. Focusing on building muscle, losing body fat, and utilizing insulin-sensitizing foods and herbs can help reverse metabolic dysfunction and improve overall health. Additionally, being mindful of skincare and laundry products, especially for those with sensitive skin, can contribute to better health and reduced environmental impact.
Muscle health and metabolic function: Maintaining muscle mass is crucial for stable blood sugar levels, preventing metabolic health issues, and promoting overall health and well-being. Low-impact activities like walking can be a good starting point for those intimidated by weightlifting or with limited mobility.
Our physical health and metabolic function are intricately linked to our circadian rhythm, muscle mass, and stress levels. Disruptions to these factors can lead to insulin resistance, metabolic health issues, and a cycle of inflammation and stress. Building muscle is crucial for maintaining stable blood sugar levels and preventing harmful spikes. The importance of muscle goes beyond physical appearance and serves as a foundation for overall health and well-being. Walking and other forms of low-impact movement can be a valuable starting point for individuals who are intimidated by weightlifting or have limited mobility. However, it's essential to remember that everyone's journey is unique, and progress should be made at a pace that feels right for the individual. Reevaluating and adjusting routines as needed is an essential part of maintaining a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. In summary, focusing on our circadian rhythm, muscle mass, and stress management can significantly impact our metabolic health and overall well-being. Embracing a balanced approach to movement and self-care, tailored to our individual needs, can lead to lasting improvements in our physical and mental health.
Embracing imperfections: Every experience, including challenges, can serve as a way to grow and learn, and embracing imperfections is key to spiritual growth and well-being.
Spiritual growth and well-being are not limited to perfect circumstances or appearances. The speaker shares her personal experiences of learning to embrace imperfections and find meaning in challenges, such as struggling with fertility or acne. She emphasizes that every experience, even difficult ones, can serve as a way to grow and learn. The speaker also discusses her evolving relationship with food and dieting, sharing how her experiences with weight loss and restriction have shaped her understanding of health and nutrition. She highlights the importance of consuming adequate protein to preserve muscle mass during calorie deficits. Overall, the speaker encourages embracing the duality of life and finding meaning in both the good and the challenging experiences.
Building capacity: Focus on a balanced approach combining Western science, body compassion, spirituality, herbs, polyphenols, and whole foods to build capacity for overall health and wellbeing. Prioritize simple, easy-to-prepare protein sources and a variety of plants in meals.
Building capacity in our bodies and minds is key to overall health and wellbeing. This can be achieved through a balanced approach that combines Western science with body compassion, spirituality, herbs, polyphenols, and a whole foods diet. It's important to focus on simple, easy-to-prepare protein sources like eggs and chicken to ensure adequate protein intake, while also incorporating a variety of plants into each meal. The goal is not to restrict ourselves to an extreme diet, but rather to build our capacity to handle various foods and stressors. Health is about more than just physical appearance; it's about building the capacity to be with our own pain and discomfort, both mentally and physically. Confusion and conflicting opinions in the health industry can make it difficult to navigate, but focusing on basics and what works best for our individual bodies can lead to improved health and wellbeing.
Ancestry and health: Exploring ancestral diets, practices, and rituals can help customize diets and lifestyles to better suit unique needs and heritage, while deep relationships can serve as catalysts for growth and healing.
Our ancestry and heritage play a significant role in our health and wellbeing. Genetic and epigenetic factors, as well as ancestral diets and practices, can influence our nutritional needs and susceptibility to certain health issues. For instance, some populations may be lactose intolerant due to their ancestral diets, while others may have a higher tendency towards inflammation due to their ancestral history of surviving plagues and famines. To restore a healthy relationship with ourselves and improve our overall wellbeing, it's essential to reconnect with our ancestry and explore the traditional foods, practices, and rituals that nourished our ancestors. This can help us customize our diets and lifestyles to better suit our unique needs and heritage. Moreover, our relationships, particularly our deepest and longest-lasting ones, can serve as powerful catalysts for growth and change. By engaging in open and curious dialogue with our partners, we can uncover hidden patterns and traumas that may be contributing to our health issues and work together to address them. In summary, understanding and honoring our ancestry and relationships are crucial steps on the journey towards optimal health and self-discovery.
Authenticity in relationships: Being true to oneself in small everyday choices leads to greater authenticity and connection in relationships. Listen to intuition, say no to things that don't align with values, and support body's natural production of GLP-1 for improved health.
Being true to oneself, even in small everyday choices, can lead to greater authenticity and connection in relationships. The speaker shares an example of how she learned to underline her lips in a way that felt true to her, rather than societal expectations. She also discusses the importance of listening to one's intuition and learning to say no to things that don't align with one's values, even if they may be aesthetically pleasing or socially rewarded. Additionally, the speaker touches on the idea that our modern environment may impact our body's natural production of GLP-1, a hormone that can aid in satiety and blood sugar regulation. By using herbs and other holistic remedies, we can support our bodies in producing more of this hormone and improve our overall health.
GLP1 hormone: GLP1, a hormone found in certain foods and medications, can aid in fat loss and muscle building, but should be used in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle for optimal results.
GLP1, a hormone found in certain foods and used in medications, can aid in fat loss and muscle building, making it a potential tool for those struggling to make significant changes to their diet and lifestyle. However, it's important to note that GLP1 is not a magic solution and should be used in conjunction with a healthy diet, exercise, and other lifestyle changes. For some individuals, particularly those with severe health conditions, Western drugs may be necessary. Additionally, GLP1's anti-inflammatory properties make it a promising option for those with neurological and autoimmune disorders when used in low doses. Ultimately, the decision to use GLP1 should be based on an individual's unique circumstances and needs. It's also important to remember that true holistic medicine involves addressing the root causes of health issues, rather than just treating symptoms.
Herbal remedies, personalized protocols: Herbal remedies can enhance health when used with personalized protocols, emphasizing the importance of understanding each plant's unique properties to address specific health concerns, like poke root for lymphatic support.
Herbal remedies, like poke root, can provide extra benefits when used in conjunction with a personalized protocol, even if they aren't necessary for everyone. The speaker emphasized the importance of understanding the unique properties of each plant and how they can be used to address specific health concerns. For example, poke root, known for its lymphatic properties, can be beneficial for those experiencing stagnant lymph or swollen lymph nodes. Additionally, the speaker discussed her passion for helping women with PCOS and her belief that addressing the underlying metabolic dysfunction requires addressing multiple factors, including insulin resistance, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and nutrient deficiencies. She has created a two-part herbal kit, called the "Sisters Kit," to help address these issues. Wellness, according to the speaker, means accepting and being present with oneself and others in their entirety, including their conflicting nature. It's a lifelong practice. To learn more about the speaker and her products, visit her online apothecary at organiclivia.com, follow her on Instagram @organic\_Olivia, or listen to her podcast, "What's the Juice?"