The Positively Altered Podcast

Episode #107: What a BBC War Zone Veteran Knows About Feeling Safe Melanie Marshall has led news teams through war zones on six continents, and she'll tell you certainty was never on the menu. The former BBC journalist explains why feeling uncertain doesn't make you powerless, and shares a simple trick for the news story that keeps you up at night. Then there's the tear gas canister in Tunisia and the strangers who ran back to carry her out.    In this episode, we cover:  (3:00)  “Got a Fungus? She’s Your Doctor. Got a Tech Problem? You’re on Your Own.”  (6:00)  “Breaking News: We’re Pausing the Podcast for an Eyeshadow Emergency.”  (7:00) She Did WHAT to My Face?! The Makeup Artist Deserves an Award.”  (12:00) Afghanistan: Great People, Great Humor, and Unexpected Airport Compliments.”  (20:00) Only Two Drones and a Couple of Mortars? Sounds Like a Normal Workday.”  (40:00) Forget the Sightseeing. We’re Going to Israel for the Hot Soldiers.”  Dr. Cindy’s Socials: https://linktr.ee/drcindyspeaks Dr. Cindy’s Merch   Dr. Cindy’s Partners: Professional Health Products: http://www.phpltd.com Stopain Clinical: https://www.stopainclinical.com/ Infinedi: https://infinedi.net/   About Melanie Marshall Melanie Marshall is a Peabody, RTS, and Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist who spent 20 years reporting from some of the world's most high-risk places for the BBC, including Afghanistan, Ukraine, Syria, and Israel/Gaza, where she served as Deputy Bureaux Chief.  After two decades on the frontlines, Melanie walked away from the career that defined her to rebuild from scratch: a new country, a new business, and a whole new relationship with fear. Today, she is a keynote speaker and narrative strategist whose work is built around a simple, hard-won truth: you don't need certainty to act. You just need to see in the dark.   Her signature frameworks, "Accidental Bravery" and "See in the Dark," draw on everything she learned about courage, crisis, and showing up when the plan falls apart. Her forthcoming book, Accidentally Brave: Notes from a Terribly Beautiful World, is part memoir, part how-to for anyone who has ever had to make the next move without knowing where the ground is. Melanie is the founder of Imrama, a narrative strategy and content studio, and lives in Toronto with her dog, Sonora.   Follow Melanie Tik Tok You Tube Follow, rate, and review Dr. Cindy on Apple and Spotify! If you love Dr. Cindy's episodes, here's how to follow her so you never miss one!   For Apple, click the “Follow” button at the top of the page on the right.  For Spotify, click the “Follow” button below Dr. Cindy’s show tile.   Questions about her content? Please visit Dr. Cindy’s disclaimer at the bottom of the page. www.drcindyspeaks.com/podcast    If you enjoyed today's conversation, the Daily Dose newsletter delivers more insights straight to your inbox—short, real, and made to SHIFT how you see things. Sign up at drcindyspeaks.com/send.   

Episode #106: Why Dieting Makes You Binge (and What Your Nervous System Wants Instead)   Say "I can't have sugar," and your nervous system hears scarcity. Say "I don't eat sugar," and it hears choice. Dr. Sherry Shaban explains why fearing food drives the very bingeing you're trying to stop, and why your poop and sleep know more than your macros ever will. By the end, Dr. Cindy admits she's the one on the couch. Pull up a seat next to her.   In this episode, we cover: (1:00) Have peace with food.  (3:00) Unwanted eating behaviors and how they affect our nervous system.  (9:00) Emotional eating is digging up events from the past.  (13:00) What F-word is off limits for Sherry.  (16:00) Poop and sleep can tell you so much about how your body functions.  (17:00) Changing your language to train your body and regulate your nervous system.  (25:00) Great advice to break the fear of food! (26:00) Rapid-fire questions   Dr. Cindy’s Socials: https://linktr.ee/drcindyspeaks Dr. Cindy’s Merch   Dr. Cindy’s Partners: Professional Health Products: http://www.phpltd.com Stopain Clinical: https://www.stopainclinical.com/ Infinedi: https://infinedi.net/   About Sherry Shaban Sherry Shaban is the creator of Make Peace with Food™ and a practitioner with 25 years of experience in health, fitness, and life coaching. BSc, CAT(C), D.O., Sherry is an extraordinary coach who transformed her own life after a near-paralysis experience, redefining what it means to heal, grow, and thrive. Known for challenging conventional wisdom around dieting, fitness, and self-sabotage, she empowers individuals to move beyond limitations and create lasting transformation—both inside and out. A nervous system expert, Sherry integrates intuitive eating, movement, chronic pain recovery, and mindset strategies to help clients achieve true food freedom and holistic wellness.   Sherry is also a certified hypnotherapist, yoga practitioner, and osteopath based in Montreal, QC. Sherry is the founder of Make Peace with Food Podcast, the HIIT Decks™ App, and Transformation in Paradise Retreats, where she combines yoga, meditation, hypnotherapy, and nervous system regulation in stunning destinations around the world.  Follow Sherry WEBSITES www.makepeacewithfood.com www.sherryshaban.com www.hiitdecks.com   SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS Facebook⁠ Facebook ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠TikTok LinkedIn⁠ ⁠YouTube   Follow, rate, and review Dr. Cindy on Apple and Spotify! If you love Dr. Cindy's episodes, here's how to follow her so you never miss one!   For Apple, click the “Follow” button at the top of the page on the right.  For Spotify, click the “Follow” button below Dr. Cindy’s show tile.   Questions about her content? Please visit Dr. Cindy’s disclaimer at the bottom of the page. www.drcindyspeaks.com/podcast    If you enjoyed today's conversation, the Daily Dose newsletter delivers more insights straight to your inbox—short, real, and made to SHIFT how you see things. Sign up at drcindyspeaks.com/send.   

Flashback Friday Episode #105: Lessons from Mr. America Chris Zaino: A Transformation from Illness to Inspiration   In this episode, host Dr. Cindy Howard interviews Dr. Chris Zaino, Mr. America 1998 and Mr. Universe winner. Chris shares his powerful journey of overcoming ulcerative colitis after doctors told him he needed his colon removed. Through chiropractic care, his body healed from what was considered an incurable disease. Chris discusses his philosophy of living as "Zero percent secret identity, 100 percent hero" and how his inspiring principles serve both men and women seeking authentic lives. The conversation explores the importance of finding your authentic self, recognizing your "why," and embracing life's challenges as growth opportunities rather than viewing them as obstacles.   (3:31) Welcome, Mr. America!  (5:45) A life-changing story for Dr. Zaino. (14:22) Something can always be done to improve your health. (16:14) Nobody can call BS on your story. (20:04) 100% Hero (27:03) The HOW is simple: the WHY holds us back. (30:31) Let’s talk about men! (37:01) We may not realize the guilt and shame that men feel. (41:46) Rapid-fire questions   Dr. Cindy’s Socials: https://linktr.ee/drcindyspeaks   Dr. Cindy’s Partners: Professional Health Products: http://www.phpltd.com Stopain Clinical: https://www.stopainclinical.com/ Infinedi: https://infinedi.net/   About Dr. Chris Zaino:    Dr. Chris Zaino is a world-renowned speaker, author, entrepreneur, former Mr. America, Mr. Universe, and IFBB professional bodybuilder.    After defying a deadly terminal disease in his late 20s, Dr. Zaino leveraged his experience to get his doctorate and become one of the largest wellness clinics in the world, seeing thousands weekly.    Dr. Zaino created the “The Stallion Project,” to resurrect heroes from the complacency of their secret identity, so they may live heroic lives once again, by expressing and experiencing true love, now, in every area of their lives, through his four-step methodology: Brain, Body, Boardroom, and Bedroom.    Currently, Dr. Zaino is one of the top “Secret Weapons” as a private holistic coach to executives, entrepreneurs, professional athletes, celebrities, influencers, sheiks, and kings internationally, with a focus on Male Vitality.    Follow Dr. Zaino: Website Instagram  Facebook   Follow, rate, and review Dr. Cindy on Apple and Spotify! If you love Dr. Cindy's episodes, here's how to follow her so you never miss one!   For Apple, click the “Follow” button at the top of the page on the right.  For Spotify, click the “Follow” button below Dr. Cindy’s show tile.   Questions about her content? Please visit Dr. Cindy’s disclaimer at the bottom of the page. www.drcindyspeaks.com/podcast    If you enjoyed today's conversation, the Daily Dose newsletter delivers more insights straight to your inbox—short, real, and made to SHIFT how you see things. Sign up at drcindyspeaks.com/send.   

Episode #104: Your Diagnosis Isn't the End of the Road: What Your Gut Wants You to Know   Jennifer Germain was hitting the bathroom 22 times a day when a colonoscopy finally named it: Crohn's and ulcerative colitis. Her specialist prescribed biologics for life. She politely declined, emptied every scrap of sugar from her pantry, and was off her meds within nine months. You'll learn why your gut runs your mood and why athletes aren't as healthy as you think. Plus a post-practice snack that left Dr. Cindy genuinely appalled.   In this episode, we cover: (4:00) Am I just addicted to sugar or is it more severe than that? (9:00) How healthy are athletes nowadays? (14:00) Your body is more than just calories in and calories out.  (16:00) How Jennifer’s relationship with her doctor helped her heal. (20:00) Unique aspects of the gut microbiome and how it can affect your mood.  (25:00) Don’t wait until you get sick to heal yourself.  (27:00) Top food to help gut health! (30:00) Rapid-fire questions   Dr. Cindy’s Socials: https://linktr.ee/drcindyspeaks Dr. Cindy’s Merch   Dr. Cindy’s Partners: Professional Health Products: http://www.phpltd.com Stopain Clinical: https://www.stopainclinical.com/ Infinedi: https://infinedi.net/   About Jennifer Germain Jennifer Germain is a Functional Medicine Health Coach, Certified Personal Trainer, and the founder of Compass Health Coaching, LLC in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Her journey into health coaching began in 2020 after being diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease following months of illness. Determined to take control of her health, Jennifer pursued lifestyle and functional health strategies that significantly improved her well-being and ultimately inspired her to help others do the same. She later trained and became certified through the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy and launched Compass Health Coaching in 2022. Today, Jennifer works with individuals one-on-one, delivers health and wellness seminars, and partners with businesses to support employee wellness initiatives. Her mission is to empower people to take control of their health and create lasting change—because genes are not destiny, and no one should feel defined by a diagnosis.    Follow Jennifer Instagram   Follow, rate, and review Dr. Cindy on Apple and Spotify! If you love Dr. Cindy's episodes, here's how to follow her so you never miss one!   For Apple, click the “Follow” button at the top of the page on the right.  For Spotify, click the “Follow” button below Dr. Cindy’s show tile.   Questions about her content? Please visit Dr. Cindy’s disclaimer at the bottom of the page. www.drcindyspeaks.com/podcast    If you enjoyed today's conversation, the Daily Dose newsletter delivers more insights straight to your inbox—short, real, and made to SHIFT how you see things. Sign up at drcindyspeaks.com/send.   

Episode #103: Tierra Duncan on the Birth Control Illusion   Tierra Duncan got diagnosed with endometriosis at 17 and spent over a decade on birth control before anyone tested her hormones. She joins Dr. Cindy to unpack what that pill is really doing, why "your labs are normal" doesn't mean you're fine, and what she'd tell her teenage self about advocating for her own body. Practical, overdue, and full of things nobody taught either of them in health class.   In this episode, we cover:    (5:00) How blackberry brandy relieves menstrual cramps.  (6:00) Why do most women think, “What’s wrong with my body”? (8:00) Looking at blood levels to see why you are broken in the first place.  (9:00) Looking further into the birth control pill. (15:00) What advice would you give your seventeen-year-old self? (16:00) What is endometriosis, and what are ways to help support the body? (20:00) The stages of sleep and how most women struggle to get good-quality sleep.  (22:00) Making fitness approachable for women.  (26:00) Do’s and don’ts with nutrition.  (29:00) Rapid-fire questions   Dr. Cindy’s Socials: https://linktr.ee/drcindyspeaks Dr. Cindy’s Merch   Dr. Cindy’s Partners: Professional Health Products: http://www.phpltd.com Stopain Clinical: https://www.stopainclinical.com/ Infinedi: https://infinedi.net/   About Tierra Duncan: Tierra Duncan is a women’s health educator, author, and coach with over a decade of experience helping women understand their hormones and feel at home in their bodies. Through her writing and her publishing company, Duncan Milam, she challenges outdated health narratives and shares practical, science-backed strategies for natural hormone balance. Tierra lives in Maryland with her husband and daughter.    Follow Tierra Instagram Website Book: The Birth Control Illusion   Follow, rate, and review Dr. Cindy on Apple and Spotify! If you love Dr. Cindy's episodes, here's how to follow her so you never miss one!   For Apple, click the “Follow” button at the top of the page on the right.  For Spotify, click the “Follow” button below Dr. Cindy’s show tile.   Questions about her content? Please visit Dr. Cindy’s disclaimer at the bottom of the page. www.drcindyspeaks.com/podcast    If you enjoyed today's conversation, the Daily Dose newsletter delivers more insights straight to your inbox—short, real, and made to SHIFT how you see things. Sign up at drcindyspeaks.com/send.