WholisticMatters Podcast powered by Standard Process

HOST: Betsy Miller, MS, CNS, RH(AHG), DCN-c GUEST: Weston Bussler, PhD Host Betsy Miller, MS, CNS, RH(AHG), DCN-c talks with Weston Bussler, PhD about the intersection of agricultural science and nutrition science, and how farming practices influence nutrient density in crops. They discuss the differences between conventionally, organically, and regeneratively grown food. Weston highlights the micronutrient shortfall in current US food supply, and how practitioners can help patients fill these nutrient gaps with diet and whole food supplementation. Weston Bussler, Ph.D., is a product development manager at Standard Process Inc., where he works within the Nutrition Innovation Center (NIC). The NIC is Standard Process's clinical research facility, designed to advance nutrition science specific to the whole-food health advantage. Weston is passionate about helping physicians and patients support health and wellness by maximizing the nutritional density of whole foods. In his work, he is focused on conducting and adopting the latest scientific research and technologies into whole-food nutritional products and translating science into evidence-backed insights for healthcare practitioners.   Show Summary 1:50 The influence of farming practices on nutrient density: intersection of agricultural science and nutrition science 3:11 Crop choice, strain selection, environmental influences, soil quality and other factors that affect the nutrient content of crops 5:36 Nutrient density of plants grown conventionally versus organically and regeneratively 7:34 The importance of phytonutrient density and diversity of colorful plant compounds in fruits and vegetables 11:25 Stressors applied to plants during the growing process can influence the density of phytochemicals and nutrients produced in the plant 14:02 Discussion of studies that looked at yield-focused intensive agriculture and it's affect on nutrient density in foods – decline in crop varieties' nutrient uptake ability as compared to ancient varieties, and how we can remedy this decline 20:29 Sourcing ancient varieties for optimal nutrient content 25:16 Differentiation between genetic plant breeding versus genetically modified crops 28:17 Micronutrient shortfall in current US food supply: how practitioners can help patients fill these nutrient gaps 31:33 Whole food supplements as a bioavailable option to fill nutrient gaps 35:35 The importance of a healthy diet along with targeted whole food supplementation for optimal health

Host: Betsy Miller, MS, CNS, RH(AHG), DCN-c Guest: Nathan Rose, BHSc (Naturopathy) Nathan Rose is the Head of Education at Integria Healthcare, leading practitioner education across MediHerb, Eagle and Eagle Clinical in ANZ, the US, UK and South Africa. With over 20 years of industry experience in clinical practice and leading teams in education, innovation, and research and development, Nathan brings a broad skill set and passion to deliver cutting-edge, engaging and clinically relevant information. Combining his background in naturopathy with his innate curiosity, Nathan has a relentless drive to uncover and broadcast new solutions to common clinical presentations. As a recognized international speaker and industry-thought leader, Nathan's presentations are novel and insightful, and at times question the status quo, all in attempt to continue to progress the power and efficacy of natural healthcare.  Nathan Rose and Betsy Miller sit down for a conversation about the influence bitter herbs  have on digestion, appetite regulation, and weight loss. They discuss weight loss, GLP-1 medications, neuroinflammation, and the vagus nerve. Betsy asks Nathan about the importance of whole food nutrition, especially fiber and protein, in influencing the incretin hormone pathway that includes GLP-1, CCK, and PYY. Nathan also cites several important studies on weight loss and appetite regulation, including a study on how mindset and framing language around food can influence appetite regulation and metabolic signaling.   EPISODE SUMMARY 2:18 Bitter herbs, bitter taste receptors, and their influence on digestion, appetite regulation 5:18 Evidence that bitter herbs influence digestion and appetite regulation 8:23 Effectiveness of taking bitter herbs on the tongue versus ingesting bitter herbs in a tablet form 10:51 How bitter herbs influence weight loss 15:13 Maintaining weight loss after discontinuation of GLP-1 medications 21:22 Metabolic set point – regaining weight after weight loss 25:59 Ability of bitter herbs to communicate with the brain via the Vagus nerve 27:26 Neuroinflammation as a potential driver of the stuck metabolic set point – reduce neuroinflammation with neuroprotective herbs to reduce the metabolic set point 29:53 Importance of whole food nutrition, especially fiber and protein, in supporting the GLP-1 pathway 38:36 How mindset can influence appetite regulation and metabolic signaling 47:04 Clinical takeaway – working with patients through a multisystem condition like obesity and unwanted weight gain requires using bitter herbs, as well as whole food nutrition and reframing language around food to help shift the needle

Host Amy Malek and Guest Betsy Miller engage in a fun and informative conversation about holistic strategies to help kids stay healthy as they head back to school. They cover the common concerns – immune support, focus, sleep, and anxiety. They discuss diet, supplements, and lifestyle routines to support an easy transition. Betsy shares strategies that work for her school age children, like creative methods for getting kids to take supplements, nutrient dense colorful whole food recipes, and how to encourage a healthy relationship with food. Betsy Miller is a Registered Herbalist and Certified Nutrition Specialist, and the manager of Clinical Product Support at Standard Process. Betsy specializes in nutrition and herbs for women's reproductive health, particularly fertility challenges, prenatal care and postpartum support. In addition to her work with Standard Process, Betsy adjunct faculty in the herbal medicine program at the School of Integrative Health at the Notre Dame Maryland University where she is also a clinical nutrition doctoral candidate. Podcast Summary 2:21 Supporting brain health and focus in school age children with supplements and whole food nutrition 5:24 Supplementing to fill nutrient gaps in children 7:44 Immune support for back-to-school 12:28 Choosing supplement formats and formulas designed for children 15:17 What to look for when choosing a pediatric multivitamin 17:52 Sleep hygiene for school age children including herbal remedies, routines, and lifestyle recommendations 23:11 Managing anxiety around social and academic concerns 26:28 The color of food and it's impact on immunity and overall health for kids 30:09 Cultivating a healthy relationship with food  

HOST: Dr. Daina Parent, ND GUEST: Cheryl Cuozzo, MSN, APRN, ANP-C, FNP-C, FAIHM   Cheryl Cuozzo, an integrative Nurse Practitioner, shares her personal story overcoming Lyme Disease with host and Naturopathic Doctor Daina Parent. They discuss early signs and symptoms, issues with testing and protocols, and the limits of the conventional model when dealing with complex conditions such as Lyme, co-infections and other chronic conditions. Cheryl's inspiring story led her to design an integrative foundational healing program for her patients that she based of off the holistic care that helped her recover from Lyme. Both practitioners share diet, lifestyle, supplementation and herbal remedies that support the multisystem recovery process from complex conditions.   Cheryl Cuozzo, MSN, APRN, ANP-C, FNP-C, FAIHM, is a dual Master's–prepared clinician with graduate degrees in Nursing Education and Nurse Practitioner studies. She is double board-certified as an Adult and Family Nurse Practitioner and is a Fellow of the Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine (FAIHM). Cheryl is the first and only Nurse Practitioner in Connecticut to earn FAIHM distinction.  Cheryl's work emphasizes foundational nutrition, neuroimmune regulation, detoxification support, and whole-body lifestyle strategies. She is the founder of Intentional Wellness, a worldwide virtual consulting platform born from her Connecticut-based practice, Cuozzo Health Integrative Medicine. Having personally recovered from Lyme disease using integrative, non-drug approaches, her clinical focus centers on supporting individuals with Lyme disease, co-infections, and other complex, multisystem chronic conditions.   2:00 Cheryl's personal Journey with Lyme: early symptoms and signs 5:25 Cheryl's personal Journey with Lyme: Laboratory testing discrepancies and working Dr. Sensenig 10:28  Cheryl's personal Journey with Lyme: Navigating conventional and holistic strategies 13:15 Five Healing Foundations: integrative strategies as the foundation of Cheryl's practice, modeled after her own experience 18:30 The importance of whole food nutrition in the healing process 19:12 The importance of starting a detoxification/purification protocol with a qualified healthcare practitioner before incorporating strong herbs to address Lyme 24:05 Targeted movement and regenerative sleep as part of the healing process 33:54 Neuroimmune and Endocrine regulation 35:42 Herbal supplementation for energy and nervous system regulation 37:28 Toxic load reduction – through a focus on diet, personal and household care products, and detoxification/purification 42:26 Clinical tip: prescribing lifestyle and sleep recommendations to patients for greater compliance 45:21 Integrative care as a Nurse Practitioner: Differences between the conventional model and an integrative approach 49:22 Dr. Sensenig quote "The minute you reduce medicine to protocols you remove the patient from the equation" – looking at each person as an individual 50:03 Supplements and herbal remedies for neuroinflammation in Long COVID and EBV antibody reactivations 52:17 Supplementation and herbals for Lyme coinfections 54:09 Timeline for working with long COVID – when do patients start to feel better? 56:35 Cheryl's mentorship program - training other practitioners in whole food nutrition and integrative strategies: www.cuozzohealth.com 58:57 Shift from conventional mindset to integrative approach - "what's good for the patient?" 1:00:35 Not a one-size-fits-all strategy for Lyme, long COVID and coinfections; remembering the foundation of whole food nutrition

Rebecca Jankowski and Theresa Kopac, co-owners of Interwovxn, join host Dr. Daina Parent, ND for an insightful and important conversation about postpartum and perimenopause. Rebecca and Theresa share their unique experiences supporting women during these two major life transitions, and what happens when these two phases happen simultaneously. They share diet, herbs, lab testing, and lifestyle routines that set their clients up for improved overall well-being and better health outcomes. Rebecca and Theresa share the importance of embracing change and seeking support through the transitions of motherhood, postpartum and perimenopause. Rebecca states "I believe that by addressing the unique needs of women at every stage, we can create an ecosystem of understanding, empowerment, and connection that benefits individuals and communities alike." Theresa echos a similar sentiment, saying  that "Mental health and well-being are deeply interconnected with how we show up in the world, and creating environments where women feel valued and understood is essential. Together, we can create a ripple effect, nurturing ourselves and building thriving, supportive communities." Please join us and listen in as we deepen our knowledge and empower ourselves with education.   Rebecca Jankowski, L.Ac, MSOM, FABORM Rebecca Jankowski has been practicing Acupuncture for nearly 20 years, and is a board-certified women's health acupuncturist. While she has specialized training in women's health and fertility, her approach extends to anyone seeking greater wellbeing, resilience, and balance in everyday life. In addition to acupuncture, Rebecca is board certified in Chinese herbal medicine and specializes in creating personalized formulas to support whole-body health.   Theresa Kopac, Reiki Practitioner, Wellness Consultant, Doula (Motherhood, Postpartum, and Hysterectomy) Theresa brings years of experience as a postpartum and motherhood doula, with a focus on matrescence—the profound transition of becoming a mother. Her approach blends compassionate listening with tailored resources, empowering you to feel more grounded, resilient, and supported in your unique motherhood path. Supporting women through the intricacies of postpartum and perimenopause is now at the core of her work, as she strives to create space for them to thrive, honor their needs, and reclaim joy. Theresa also brings years of experience in Reiki.   3:01 Matrescence and it's affects on identity and women's health 4:37 Postpartum depletion 5:20 How personal experiences shaped Rebecca and Theresa's work in postpartum and perimenopause – women's health stages often are interwoven 9:34 What the body and mind experience during postpartum through the lens of TCM 12:15 The rewiring of the brain for the new maternal demands 15:19 "There is no bouncing back" – but there is a rebuild 15:58 Traditional Chinese Medicine nourishment for postpartum 20:32 Shifts in identity during Matresence and Perimenopause 22:15 The need for education around perimenopause 24:24 "The Second Spring" – how TCM views perimenopause 25:51 The hormone shifts from child bearing years through menopause 28:11 The secret to change: using your energy not to fight the old but to embrace the new 30:02 What happens when postpartum overlaps with perimenopause – sleep deprivation, adrenal fatigue, anemia, thyroid function and more 35:02 Botanicals and nutrients to nourish the body during postpartum and perimenopause 37:00 Supporting with doula care – the power of a prepared meal and offering space to heal 38:33 Clinical takeaways – meet her where she's at, celebrating the small wins, and educating on diet to support symptoms 39:53 Be willing to ask for support – Interwovxn offers partner guides and resources to educate partners, increasing understanding and awareness 41:07 Seeking Support – find practitioners that can help at interwovxn.com, with additional educational resources like podcasts, newsletters, and social channels