ReThink Health with Dr. Autumn Smith

IN THIS EPISODE What if rising rates of depression, anxiety, and aggression are connected to what's missing from our plates? In this episode of the ReThink Health Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Joseph Hibbeln, a psychiatrist, distinguished visiting professor at the University of Bristol, and one of the world's leading experts on omega-3s and the brain. He has spent 40 years studying how the fats we eat shape our moods, behavior, and relationships. This conversation means a lot to me. About 13 years ago, I was struggling with depression, anxiety, and substance use. I changed my diet for digestive reasons, and over the next year my mental health transformed so dramatically that I went back to school to understand why. I also lost an aunt who lived with bipolar disorder, and I often wish I'd known then what I know now. Dr. Hibbeln's path was personal too. Growing up with a brother who struggled with severe mental illness led him into a career searching for answers. In our conversation, he makes a powerful case that the changes to our food supply over the past century aren't just a physical health problem. He believes they affect how we think, feel, and treat one another, and that restoring the brain's critical nutrients could benefit families, communities, and society as a whole. You'll learn: How many people may be falling short on omega-3s, and why the amount you need depends on how much omega-6 you eat What happened to homicide rates across countries as diets changed, and what clinical trials show about omega-3s and aggression The staggering economic cost of violence and repeat offenses, and how much better nutrition might save The difference between EPA and DHA, and why your brain depends on both The omega-3-rich chicken developed for the U.S. military, and how it could change school and prison meals Why Dr. Hibbeln believes fear of mercury in fish may be doing more harm than good for babies' brains Which type of omega-3 supplement the research supports most for mood How giving omega-3s to kids reduced their aggression and, surprisingly, changed their parents' behavior too If you or someone you love has struggled with mental health, this episode offers hopeful insights and important questions to ask both yourself and your doctor.   HELPFUL RESOURCES Paleovalley Omega-3 Complex >>> Feed your brain the omega-3s it's built from, to support mood, focus, and healthy brain function. Save up to 20% on Paleovalley Omega-3 Complex.

IN THIS EPISODE What if your bloating, gas, or reflux had a deeper story to tell? In this episode of the ReThink Health Podcast, I sit down with my dear friend Dr. Izabella Wentz, a pharmacist, bestselling author, and one of the most trusted voices in functional medicine for thyroid health. Her new book takes on a condition that affects millions of people and often leaves them without answers: irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS. This topic is personal for both of us. Izabella was diagnosed with IBS in pharmacy school. Over time, her symptoms grew to include anxiety, hair loss, acid reflux, and joint pain, and she was eventually diagnosed with Hashimoto's.  I also struggled with IBS and was told it was stress, handed a few remedies, and wished good luck. Learning to work with food and digestion changed everything for me. Izabella explains why an IBS diagnosis is a starting point, not an answer. Drawing on her training as a pharmacist and her work with thousands of clients, she shares why there's no one-size-fits-all IBS diet and why your symptoms are clues worth following. She also explains how an unhappy gut may be connected to issues far beyond digestion, from mood to autoimmunity. You'll learn: The many possible root causes of IBS, including infections, enzyme gaps, hormone imbalances, mold, and medications Why some infections may linger long after a stomach bug or food poisoning seems to be gone How H. pylori may set the stage for reflux, food sensitivities, and SIBO, plus a simple toothbrush tip to avoid reinfection The surprising connection between vitamin B1 (thiamine) and digestion How nickel sensitivity, including from cutlery and certain foods, may affect your gut The food additives Izabella avoids most, including some common in "keto" snacks Why some people react to raw vegetables, and what it may mean if you only feel good on a carnivore diet The tests Izabella uses to uncover root causes, and how to think about food sensitivity testing Simple mealtime habits and supplements Izabella uses to support digestion If you've been told your digestive symptoms are "just IBS," this episode offers a new way to look for answers and better questions to bring to your healthcare provider. HELPFUL RESOURCES Paleovalley 100% Grass Fed Bone Broth Protein >>> Nourish your gut lining with the collagen, gelatin, and amino acids found in real bone broth, in an easy, delicious powder. Save up to 20% on Paleovalley Bone Broth Protein.  

IN THIS EPISODE What if one of the most widely accepted pieces of nutrition advice was never backed by solid evidence? In this episode of the ReThink Health Podcast, I sit down with Nina Teicholz, investigative journalist and author of the New York Times bestseller The Big Fat Surprise. It's one of my favorite books. In fact, it was the first one I read that pulled together the full history of how saturated fat, animal foods, and vegetable oils came to be viewed the way they are today. Nina wasn't always a critic of low-fat diets. She was a vegetarian for more than 20 years and struggled with her weight. When a magazine assigned her a story on trans fats, she began calling researchers and found that many were afraid to talk to her. That fear sparked nearly a decade of research and thousands of scientific studies. In our conversation, Nina traces the story from the arrival of Crisco in 1911 to today's dietary guidelines. She explains how vegetable oils went from industrial byproducts to "heart-healthy" staples, how one charismatic scientist shaped national policy, and why large clinical trials that challenged that policy were left unpublished or ignored for decades. You'll learn: Why researchers have been afraid to question the low-fat, low-saturated-fat message, and what happens to those who do The flaws Nina found in the Seven Countries Study, the main evidence behind early fat guidelines The large clinical trial whose results went unpublished for 17 years, and what it found What more than 20 recent scientific reviews have concluded about saturated fat and heart disease How conflicts of interest may shape the committees that write national nutrition policy The food rating system that scored sugary cereals higher than eggs and beef What Nina believes the research shows about seed oils, oxidation, and inflammation Why dietary cholesterol is no longer listed as a "nutrient of concern," and why most people never heard If you've ever felt confused by conflicting nutrition advice, this episode will help you understand where it came from, and give you better questions to bring to your healthcare provider. HELPFUL RESOURCES Paleovalley 100% Grass Fed Beef Sticks >>> Enjoy a nutrient-dense, protein-packed snack made from 100% grass fed and grass finished beef, with no seed oils or added sugar. Save up to 20% on Paleovalley 100% Grass-Fed Beef Sticks.  

IN THIS EPISODE Is grass fed beef really worth the extra money? And how do you know you're getting what you pay for? In this episode of the ReThink Health Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Lucas Krusinski, an assistant professor of animal science whose research looks at how farming practices change the nutrients in our food. I read many of his papers while preparing for my own dissertation on beef nutrient density, so this conversation has been a long time coming. Dr. Krusinski explains why not all beef is created equal. He walks us through how a cow's diet, pasture diversity, and feed supplements can change the omega-3s and plant compounds that end up on your plate. He also shares findings from his newly published paper on a surprising gap in the food system: many labels promise better nutrition, but almost none actually test for it. He even shares early results from a study in which he tested 40 brands of beef liver supplements. What he found may change how you shop for them. You'll learn: Why "grass fed" and "pasture-raised" labels may not tell you as much as you think The one nutrient Dr. Krusinski would use to judge the quality of beef, and why How a national survey found huge differences in the omega-3 content of beef that was all labeled "grass-finished" The levers ranchers can pull to raise omega-3s in beef, including pasture diversity, hay, fermented forage, and flaxseed What testing 40 beef liver supplements revealed about vitamin A, minerals, and quality How eggs, chicken, and pork compare to beef when animals are raised on pasture How Dr. Krusinski shops for beef, including the visual clues he trusts more than labels Whether you're a conscious meat shopper or a rancher who wants to raise more nutritious food, this episode will help you look past the label to make more informed decisions. HELPFUL RESOURCES Paleovalley Beef Organ Complex >>> Support energy, immunity, and overall vitality with pure, grass fed organ meats. Save up to 20% on Paleovalley Beef Organ Complex.