In this BONUS episode, I’m talking to Erica Ballard. She's a leader in the wellness space, specifically focused on workplace wellness, she’s done a lot of work investigating why we have to focus on food to optimize our power and performance and understanding the role stress plays on our food choices and overall health. And we all are experiencing stress right now! 

Listen in and find out what you can do to give yourself space and grace, change behavior and figure out why getting back to basics is so important.

02:19 - Intro : Who is Erica Ballard

04:05 - The Gut Microbiota - getting back to basics and starting small

07:19 - How the gut microbiome impacts our mental health

10:02 - Feeding the “bad” bacteria & why we don’t “feel” good

12:50 - How to keep healthy food on the plate & save some dollars

20:07 - Access to healthy food isn’t just a community of color issue

22:35 - A customized approach to eating healthy & getting clear about goals

26:32 - The What, When & How to Eat - Erica’s B Method

30:22 - Changing behavior, self talk & Atomic Habits

34:40 - Is being unhealthy serving you? A coping mechanism…

38:06 - Giving yourself space and grace…