The Kick Sugar Coach Podcast

What if your struggle with food isn't just about food?

You can change your diet, break old habits, and work hard to improve your health but what happens when the deeper patterns driving those habits remain unchanged?

In this thought-provoking conversation, Florence Christophers sits down with Dr. Robert Lufkin, physician, medical school professor at UCLA and USC, and New York Times bestselling author of Lies I Taught in Medical School, to explore the often-overlooked connection between trauma, addiction, the nervous system, and metabolic health.

Dr. Lufkin shares his perspective on how early-life experiences and later trauma may shape the way we see the world, respond to stress, and develop patterns of addictive behavior, including our relationship with food.

Together, Florence and Dr. Lufkin explore why addressing eating habits alone may not always be enough. When food serves as a way to cope with distress, changing what you eat without addressing the underlying drivers may leave you vulnerable to falling back into old patterns—or turning to another addictive behavior.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• The connection between trauma and food addiction
• Why willpower may not tell the whole story
• How trauma affects the nervous system
• Why changing your diet may not be enough
• The risk of replacing one addiction with another
• The relationship between stress, mental health, and metabolic health

If you've ever wondered why you keep returning to the same food patterns despite knowing what you want to change, this conversation offers a different perspective to consider—one that moves beyond blame and invites a deeper understanding of what's driving your behavior.

Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!

Support the show

Florence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:
www.FlorenceChristophers.com

Connect with Florence on:
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

What’s really driving your desire for sugar and why can it be so difficult to break free from cravings?

In this episode of the Kick Sugar Coach Podcast, we’re joined by Julia Ross, a pioneer in the field of eating disorders and addiction and author of The Craving Cure, The Mood Cure, and The Diet Cure, to explore what may be driving our desire for sugar.

Julia shares her perspective on the connection between brain chemistry, nutrition, and food cravings, explaining why the struggle with sugar may be more complicated than simply having enough willpower.

We explore how the brain’s reward system may influence our eating habits, the role of neurotransmitters and amino acids, and how highly processed foods may reinforce the desire to keep eating. Julia also discusses the importance of protein, blood sugar balance, and nutrient-dense foods in her approach to managing cravings.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why some foods can feel so difficult to resist
• How brain chemistry may influence sugar cravings and eating behavior
• The connection between food addiction and other addictive behaviors
• What amino acids do and why Julia incorporates them into her approach
• How protein, blood sugar, and everyday food choices may affect cravings
• Why restrictive dieting may not address every factor behind persistent cravings
• Julia’s approach to understanding cravings and changing your relationship with food

If you’ve ever felt caught in a cycle of craving sugar, trying to cut back, and finding yourself reaching for it again, this conversation offers a different perspective on what may be happening beneath the surface.

Listen now to discover what may be driving your desire for sugar and explore a different approach to understanding your cravings.

Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!

Support the show

Florence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:
www.FlorenceChristophers.com

Connect with Florence on:
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

Why do some foods feel almost impossible to resist?

Why can you decide to stop eating sugar or certain processed foods, only to find yourself craving them again later?

In this episode of the Kick Sugar Coach Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Claire Wilcox, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist and addiction specialist, to explore the science behind food addiction, cravings, and overeating.

Dr. Wilcox explains what happens in the brain when we repeatedly consume highly rewarding foods and why certain foods can become powerful triggers for wanting, seeking, and eating.

We also explore the connection between food, emotions, habits, conditioning, and self-control, and why the struggle with certain foods may be more complicated than simply having enough willpower.

In this conversation, you'll learn:

• How the brain's reward system responds to highly rewarding foods
• Why food cues can trigger powerful cravings and habitual eating
• How emotional states can contribute to addictive eating patterns
• What happens when repeated eating strengthens the connection between food and reward
• Why some people may experience their relationship with food through an addiction framework
• And what understanding the brain can teach us about changing our relationship with food

If you've ever wondered, “Why can't I stop eating this even when I really want to?”, this conversation offers a fascinating look at what may be happening beneath the surface.

Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!

Support the show

Florence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:
www.FlorenceChristophers.com

Connect with Florence on:
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

Why are so many people struggling with sugar cravings, binge eating, obesity, and chronic disease — even when they desperately want to stop?

In this episode of the Kick Sugar Coach Podcast, we explore the growing scientific movement to recognize ultra-processed food addiction as a legitimate medical condition. Joined by clinical health psychologist Dr. Jen Unwin, we unpack the evidence behind food addiction, why ultra-processed foods may hijack the brain’s reward system, and why official recognition could change the future of treatment, research, and recovery.

Dr. Jen Unwin shares her personal journey with sugar addiction, her work helping people reverse type 2 diabetes through low-carb and whole-food approaches, and the international effort to have “Ultra-Processed Food Use Disorder” recognized by major medical organizations like the WHO and DSM.

🎙️ IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL DISCOVER:

• Why ultra-processed food addiction is a legitimate medical condition — not a lack of willpower
• The groundbreaking work Dr. Unwin and her husband Dr. David Unwin have done helping over 150 patients achieve drug-free type 2 diabetes remission
• The ongoing campaign to get ultra-processed food use disorder recognized by the WHO's ICD and the American Psychiatric Association's DSM
• The CRAVED screening tool — 6 simple questions that can help identify food addiction symptoms
• Why official recognition would unlock research funding, treatment programs, and real change
• How GLP-1 medications relate to food addiction treatment
• What YOU can do right now to support the movement

If you’ve ever wondered why some foods feel impossible to control, this conversation offers both insight and hope.

Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!

Support the show

Florence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:
www.FlorenceChristophers.com

Connect with Florence on:
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

Most people think sugar is just a health issue—but the truth goes much deeper.

In this episode, we uncover the dark history behind sugar no one talks about—a story that goes beyond cravings and calories and into slavery, sugar plantations, and systems like convict leasing that continued forced labor long after emancipation.

Registered nurse Shun Foreman shares how her journey started with understanding sugar’s impact on the body—diabetes, metabolic disease, and chronic illness—and led her to a much bigger realization: the story of sugar has been largely left out of what we’re taught.

This conversation connects the dots between:

• the historical roots of sugar production
• the exploitation tied to sugar plantations
• the long-term impact on communities and health
• and why sugar continues to affect behavior and well-being today

We also explore why awareness alone isn’t enough to break free from sugar—and how understanding your deeper “why” can change the way you approach it for good.

If you’ve ever struggled to cut sugar, felt stuck in cycles with food, or sensed there’s more to the story than “just eat less,” this episode will give you a perspective you likely haven’t heard before.

Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!

Support the show

Florence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:
www.FlorenceChristophers.com

Connect with Florence on:
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

Is eliminating sugar a symptom of an eating disorder, or is it the key to ultimate food freedom?

In this episode of the Kick Sugar Coach podcast, Florence sits down with Toronto-based psychotherapist Brian Maummel to untangle the complex intersection of food addiction, binge eating, and weight management. Drawing from his own lived experience with exercise bulimia and binge eating, as well as his deep clinical expertise, Brian breaks down why the popular "all foods fit" model simply doesn't work for everyone—and why choosing an abstinence model might be the most self-loving decision you can make.

Tune in to discover:

• The "All Foods Fit" Trap: Why traditional binge-eating recovery advice often fails people on the food addiction spectrum.
• The Trigger Food Test: A practical framework (3 days, 3 weeks, 3 months) to identify the foods causing your cravings and quiet your mental "food noise."
• Healing the Root: Why addressing low self-esteem and body shame must happen if you want to find lasting peace with food.
• Brian’s 1-Year Milestone: How going completely sugar-free erased Brian's chronic back pain and transformed his mental clarity.

If you are tired of the restrict-and-binge cycle and want to learn how to nurture a positive, sustainable relationship with food and your body, this episode is for you.

Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!

Support the show

Florence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:
www.FlorenceChristophers.com

Connect with Florence on:
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

Most people trying to beat sugar addiction focus entirely on what they eat — cutting sugar, eliminating flour, cleaning up their diet. But according to certified food addiction counselor Amanda Leith, that's only half the battle. And without the other half, relapse is almost inevitable.

In this episode, Amanda breaks down why abstinence-based food plans alone are not addiction treatment — and what the missing piece is that keeps so many people stuck in the cycle of quitting and starting over.

In this episode you'll discover:

• Why removing sugar isn't enough to recover from sugar addiction
• The "roundabout" of addiction — and how the physical and mental sides trap you in a loop
• What the mental obsession really is (it's not what most people think)
• Why "just this once" is the most dangerous thought in recovery
• How your emotional barometer fills up — and why sugar is always waiting when it does
• The difference between treating obesity, emotional eating, and food addiction
• Why sugar addiction may be harder to treat than drug and alcohol addiction
• What full recovery actually looks and feels like

If you've ever quit sugar, cleaned up your eating, and still found yourself back at square one — this episode explains why. Real recovery from sugar addiction isn't just about what's on your plate. It's about healing the whole person: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. And according to Amanda, that kind of freedom is possible for everyone — no matter how long you've been struggling or how many times you've tried.

Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!

Support the show

Florence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:
www.FlorenceChristophers.com

Connect with Florence on:
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

What if the foods we were told are “healthy” are actually driving the modern epidemic of obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes?

In this episode, Daniel Trevor — citizen scientist and heart attack survivor — breaks down the science behind his book Unholy Trinity and explains how refined carbohydrates, sugar, and industrial seed oils are fueling insulin resistance, metabolic dysfunction, and chronic disease.

After suffering a heart attack despite believing he was healthy, Daniel dove deep into peer-reviewed research and uncovered what he believes is the true root cause of modern illness: hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why 93% of Americans are metabolically unhealthy and don't know it
• The one blood test your doctor almost never orders — but could save your life
• How big food engineers your food addiction at the molecular level
• The 70-year cholesterol lie that's still driving billions in statin prescriptions
• Why "heart healthy whole grains" may be spiking your blood sugar more than a Snickers bar
• The silent role of insulin resistance in heart disease, Alzheimer's, cancer, and fatty liver disease
• How to reverse metabolic disease through diet — without expensive supplements or prescriptions

If you’re concerned about obesity, prediabetes, heart disease, cholesterol, fatty liver, or metabolic health, this conversation will challenge what you think you know.

Most chronic diseases don’t start with symptoms — they start with silent metabolic dysfunction.

Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!

Support the show

Florence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:
www.FlorenceChristophers.com

Connect with Florence on:
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

You're eating clean. You're exercising. You're doing everything right. But your blood sugar is still unstable, your energy crashes, and nothing seems to work. What if the problem isn't your diet—it's your light?

In this episode, I sit down with Danielle Hamilton, a metabolic health expert and quantum circadian practitioner, who reveals the shocking truth about how artificial light is disrupting your metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and hormonal balance—without you even realizing it.

Danielle breaks down:
• How morning sunlight improves insulin sensitivity and metabolic flexibility
• Why blue light at night raises cortisol and blood sugar
• The link between circadian rhythm, mitochondria, and glucose metabolism
• How red and infrared light support cellular repair and healing
• Why vitamin D from sunlight is different from supplements
• How seasonal eating impacts blood sugar regulation
• The connection between EMFs, sleep quality, and metabolic health
• Practical strategies to reset your light environment starting today

If you're struggling with blood sugar, insulin resistance, or metabolic issues despite doing "all the right things," this episode will change the way you think about health. The answer might be simpler than you think—and it's right outside your window.

Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!

Support the show

Florence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:
www.FlorenceChristophers.com

Connect with Florence on:
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

Are you stuck in yo-yo dieting, sugar cravings, or binge-restrict cycles—and blaming yourself for it?

If food feels like it’s calling you, if one meal can spiral into weeks or months off track, this episode may change how you see your struggle forever.

In this powerful conversation, Dr. Tro Kalayjian, board-certified physician in internal medicine and obesity medicine, breaks down the 3 clinical signs of food addiction—and why willpower, discipline, and “trying harder” often make things worse, not better.

You’ll learn how compulsion, loss of control, and continuing despite consequences show up in real life, why so many people feel out of control around sugar and processed foods, and why shame and self-blame are not the solution.

This episode is for you if you’ve ever:

• Tried everything to lose weight but can’t keep it off
• Felt addicted to sugar, bread, chocolate, or ultra-processed foods
• Wondered why you have discipline in other areas of life—but not with food
• Experienced binge eating, emotional eating, or constant cravings
• Been told to “just eat less” or “have more willpower” and felt defeated

Dr. Tro also explains:

• The 3 C’s of food addiction (used clinically)
• Why one “off-plan” meal can trigger relapse for months
• The difference between obesity and food addiction
• Why some people need support, not restriction
• How metabolic health, insulin resistance, and blood sugar play a role
• What actually helps people achieve long-term weight loss without shame

If you’re a health professional, coach, or caregiver, this episode will also help you recognize food addiction in patients and loved ones—and respond with compassion instead of blame.

Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!

Support the show

Florence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:
www.FlorenceChristophers.com

Connect with Florence on:
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

What if the real challenge isn’t losing weight… but keeping it off?

In this powerful interview, Susan Peirce Thompson, PhD—adjunct associate professor of brain and cognitive sciences, bestselling author, and founder of Bright Line Eating—breaks down the surprising psychology of weight loss maintenance and why so many people regain weight even after making progress.

Most programs focus on short-term weight loss. But lasting success comes from learning how to maintain your results without living in constant food obsession, diet mentality, or the exhausting cycle of starting over.

In this episode, we explore the three deep identity shifts that make long-term weight maintenance possible. We also discuss the psychology behind food addiction, why ultra-processed foods hijack the brain, and what it takes to build a sustainable eating plan in today’s modern food environment.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in the dieting merry-go-round, struggled with food noise, or wondered why weight loss doesn’t last—this conversation will change how you see the journey.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
• Why weight loss maintenance is the missing piece of the conversation
• The psychology of keeping weight off long-term
• How to stop the constant mental battle with food
• Why willpower isn’t reliable (and what works instead)
• The identity framework behind lasting transformation
• How to move from dieting → to a sustainable lifestyle
• Practical strategies to maintain weight without obsession

Whether you're still trying to lose weight or you’ve already lost weight and want to keep it off, this episode is about creating a life where you feel free, peaceful, and stable—not constantly gaining and losing.

Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!

Support the show

Florence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:
www.FlorenceChristophers.com

Connect with Florence on:
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

If you’ve ever asked yourself “Why can’t I stop craving sugar?” or “Why do I feel out of control around carbs?”—this interview will change how you see your body, your brain, and your sugar cravings.

In this powerful conversation, Eric Edmeades (founder of WildFit, author of Post Diabetic and The Evolution Gap) explains why sugar cravings are not a character flaw, a lack of discipline, or “just emotional eating.” They’re often ancient survival wiring—a deeply human instinct designed to keep us alive when sweet foods were rare and seasonal.

But today, sugar isn’t seasonal. It’s constant. And when your environment changes faster than your biology can adapt, the result is cravings, overeating, metabolic dysfunction, weight gain, and blood sugar instability.

In this interview, Eric breaks down the difference between natural sugar in whole foods (fruit, honey, root vegetables) versus refined sugar and ultra-processed foods—and why modern “food-like substances” keep your appetite switched on. You’ll also learn how ancestral food rhythms, metabolism, and food psychology can help you reduce cravings and rebuild trust with your hunger signals—without obsessing over meal plans, calorie counting, or extreme restriction.

You’ll Learn:

• Why sugar cravings feel irresistible (and why it’s not about willpower)
• The truth about sugar: it’s not evil—it’s too available
• Why refined sugar and corn syrup behave differently in the body than real food
• The seasonal way humans evolved to eat (and why it matters today)
• How “always-available” carbs impact insulin, appetite, and cravings
• Why meal plans often backfire (and what to do instead)
• The 3 metabolic states humans evolved to run:

• Sugar burning
• Fat burning
• Autophagy (cellular cleanup through fasting)

• How to retrain your intuition around food when your appetite has been “hijacked”
• A food-first approach to improving blood sugar, energy, and long-term health

If you have ever felt powerless against sugar cravings, or wondered why you can’t maintain weight loss despite "trying everything," this conversation will change your biological perspective forever.

Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!

Support the show

Florence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:
www.FlorenceChristophers.com

Connect with Florence on:
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

If willpower, meal plans, and “just quit” advice actually worked, sugar addiction wouldn’t keep coming back.

In this deeply honest conversation, Florence sits down with Dr. Ann Weiser Cornell, a pioneer in trauma-informed healing and Inner Relationship Focusing, to explore the real reason so many people relapse with sugar and ultra-processed foods — and why it has far less to do with food than we’ve been taught to believe.

This episode unpacks how trauma, emotional shutdown, and inner conflict drive compulsive eating, why control and restriction often make cravings worse, and how learning to relate differently to our emotions can dissolve the inner war that keeps us stuck.

You’ll learn:

• Why sugar is often used to avoid overwhelming emotions
• How trauma disconnects us from body wisdom and choice
• Why “shoulds,” discipline, and control backfire with addiction
• What it actually means to heal the root of cravings
• How self-led decisions create peace — not inner rebellion

This is not a conversation about dieting.

It’s about safety, presence, and learning how to meet what comes up when the sugar goes down.

If you’ve ever wondered why you keep going back to sugar — even when you don’t want to — this episode will change how you see addiction, healing, and yourself.

Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!

Support the show

Florence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:
www.FlorenceChristophers.com

Connect with Florence on:
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

Most of us know what it feels like to “fall off track” with food — that sting of disappointment, the self-talk that spirals, the quiet panic of “Why did I do that? And why can’t I stop?”

But what if those moments aren’t failures at all?

What if they’re signals — invitations — pointing to something deeper happening inside us?

That’s the conversation I had with Connie Bennett, a former sugar and carb addict turned journalist, bestselling author, and coach who has spent years digging into the real reasons we relapse… and the surprisingly simple tools that can pull us back.

This is one of those interviews where you feel both understood and empowered — at the same time.

Connie has written three books on sugar, relapse, and recovery, including her newest, I Blew My Diet… Now What? After losing her mother, she herself fell into a months-long spiral of popcorn, chips, crackers, grief, PTSD, and what she calls “carbage.”

That experience changed the trajectory of her work — and led her to uncover 21 core reasons people relapse, along with practical tools that actually work in the moment when cravings hit.

This episode is part storytelling and part strategy. It shares practical techniques you can use today.

Episode Highlights:

• Why Connie relapsed after a decade of eating clean — and what it taught her
• How “carbage” (processed carbs) can trigger 30+ old symptoms
• The 21 reasons people blow their diets — and why willpower fails
• The FAST method for navigating cravings in real time
• Why self-compassion works better than self-criticism (and the study that proves it)
• A simple tapping sequence you can use at a party when cravings hit
• What to do immediately after a relapse — and what not to do

If you’ve ever slid back into old habits and need a little help getting some traction, this is the episode for you. And Connie’s new book is the book for you! It took her 7 years to research and write it. It is fabulous! Really, really fabulous.

Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!

Support the show

Florence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:
www.FlorenceChristophers.com

Connect with Florence on:
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

If there were a way to get steadier energy, fewer cravings, and a little more calm from a handful of tiny green tablets… would you be curious?

In this week’s episode of the Kick Sugar Coach Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Catharine Arnston, founder and CEO of EnergyBits, to talk about algae—specifically spirulina and chlorella—and why she believes they’re some of the most powerful, overlooked superfoods for sugar-sensitive people.

Catharine shares how her sister’s cancer diagnosis sent her deep into the research, eventually leading her to become of the world’s authorities on algae’s remarkable ability to:

• Supply the body with clean, steady fuel at the cellular (mitochondria) level
• Quiet sugar cravings by deeply nourishing the body
• Support focus and mental clarity without stimulation or jitters
• Detox toxins and support gut and immune health with chlorella

We also talk about the differences between spirulina and chlorella, why quality matters, and how people are using them to repair, rejuvenate, and replenish the body.

It’s a grounded, hopeful conversation that offers a very simple tool you can experiment with to see which of the 20+ benefits you experience. (And if you decide to try EnergyBits, there is a 10% off code below.)

One of algae’s great features is that you can grab it when you’re on the go or travelling. No cooking, slicing, dicing, or refrigeration needed. Chlorella is so powerful at detoxifying the body that it is used to sober someone up when they have consumed too much alcohol. It also helps with hangovers. Crazy but true.

A final amazing feature is that algae contains over 40 essential minerals and vitamins in easy-to-digest form, making it ideal for those who don’t love or don’t eat enough veggies. (You rascals!)

Here’s to magical green pellets, clean fuel, and your well-being!

Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!

Support the show

Florence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:
www.FlorenceChristophers.com

Connect with Florence on:
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

Every so often, I have a conversation that stays with me long after the recording ends — not because it’s dramatic, but because it quietly shifts how I understand the body and the brain. This episode is one of those conversations.

Today on the Kick Sugar Coach Podcast, I’m talking with Dallin Hardy, a biochemist from Hardy Nutritionals, about something most of us were never taught: how deeply the brain and our mitochondria depend on micronutrients to function well, and what happens when those nutrients get depleted. (And best of all, how 60 peer-reviewed studies show we CAN replenish them. This interview will tell you how.)

Dallin has a gift for translating complex biochemistry into everyday language. He shares the story behind their well-known formula, Daily Essential Nutrients, why researchers keep studying it, and what he sees every day working with people who are rebuilding their mental health from the inside out.

Episode Highlights

• What happens to energy (ATP) production when micronutrients are low
• How to dramatically improve mitochondrial function
• Why sugar depletes the body of needed nutrients and how to replenish them
• How micronutrients can improve ADHD, depression, bipolar disorder, stress, and sleep
• The unexpected findings in pregnancy and infant development

If you’ve ever felt like your energy, focus, or emotional resilience wasn’t matching the effort you’re putting into your health… this episode offers a different way to look at it.

Sometimes the body isn’t malfunctioning. It’s just missing what it needs. I think one graphic in particular, where Dallin details all the micronutrients needed to produce clean, efficient energy in our cells, will take your breath away. It did mine.

*Click here to watch the slides

https://youtu.be/5547H6I4WYQ?si=ojtSyd4JHBOcx6dD

Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!

Support the show

Florence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:
www.FlorenceChristophers.com

Connect with Florence on:
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

I recently sat down with Martha Carlin, founder of BiotiQuest — one of the most trusted names in microbiome science. Her company is breaking new ground in understanding how gut bacteria influence nearly every system in the body.

In this episode, Martha shares how her husband’s Parkinson’s diagnosis sparked two decades of research into the microbiome, including what she discovered about how gut bacteria produce key hormones, vitamins, and neurotransmitters, and how damage to the microbiome impacts our metabolism.

We talk about the biggest disruptors of gut health — sugar, antibiotics, stress, and chemicals — and how they tip the microbial balance toward pathogenic strains, leading to inflammation, cravings, mood swings, hormone issues, blood sugar swings and more.

Most importantly, Martha explains how to repair your microbiome and assures us it is possible. (This is where the interview really shines.)

She walks us through the research behind Sugar Shift® (including its impact on A1C and insulin) and why her new formula, Perfect Peace, is helping people feel calmer and more regulated.

If you want a clearer understanding of gut health and how to experience the profound benefits of targeted probiotics — clearer skin, fewer cravings, better digestion, deeper sleep, and more — this episode is for you.

In addition to her expertise, Martha is also offering an exclusive deal:

Buy 2 bottles of Sugar Shift®, Get 1 FREE + an extra 10% off with code 2025KSS10

👉 Claim your special offer here

Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!

Support the show

Florence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:
www.FlorenceChristophers.com

Connect with Florence on:
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

Molly Rucker's path to health wasn't straightforward. After struggling with obesity as a teenager and disordered eating in her twenties, she found herself "skinny" but far from healthy. This disconnect sparked a deep curiosity about what true wellness actually means beyond appearances.

Working at a health food store became the unexpected turning point in Molly's journey, introducing her to traditional foods and the beginning of her exploration into how genetics, neurochemistry, and physiology influence our well-being. Unlike many health approaches that focus on treating symptoms, Molly advocates for making the body "inhospitable to disease" by understanding our unique biological needs.

Molly's fascination with neurochemistry eventually led her to co-found Keto Brains, a nutraceutical company offering a nootropic formulation that enhances cognitive function without the jitters or crashes associated with caffeine. The product combines alpha-GPC to boost acetylcholine (essential for focus), lion's mane mushroom to promote neuronal health, and L-theanine to create calm alertness—all delivered in a creamy MCT oil base that simultaneously supports ketone production.

Beyond supplements, Molly shares profound insights about emotional regulation, explaining how emotions are essentially chemical reactions that typically run their course within 60 seconds. By creating space to observe these reactions rather than feeding them, we can develop resilience that supports our health goals instead of sabotaging them when challenges arise.

Whether you're struggling with caffeine dependence, looking to optimize your cognitive performance, or simply wanting to understand the connection between your emotional responses and your brain chemistry, this conversation offers practical wisdom from someone who's personally walked the path from illness to vibrant health. Molly's science-based yet deeply personal approach reminds us that the journey toward optimal health starts with understanding our individual biology and honoring what our unique systems need to thrive.

Molly shared a discount code for first-time customers of KetoBrainz during the interview. If you're curious about trying her 4-ingredient nootropic blend, use code KICKSUGAR for 20% off your first order.

Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!

Support the show

Florence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:
www.FlorenceChristophers.com

Connect with Florence on:
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

Dr. Stephen Hussey was 34 when he had a heart attack. As a chiropractor and functional medicine practitioner who already lived a healthy lifestyle, he was stunned. But what shocked him even more was what doctors found during his angiogram: zero atherosclerosis. No plaque. Just a massive spontaneous clot.

That discovery sent him down a research rabbit hole that completely changed how he thinks about heart disease—and how the human body actually works.

In this mind-bending conversation, Dr. Hussey shares discoveries that flip conventional cardiology on its head. Like why your heart doesn't actually pump blood. Why cholesterol has nothing to do with heart attacks. And why your body is essentially a walking battery powered by something called "structured water."

Sounds crazy? The science is there. Dr. Hussey breaks down research showing how water in your body can hold an electrical charge, how trauma literally gets stored in your tissues as damaged water crystals, and why people with chronic fatigue can't seem to "hold a charge."

He also explains why the sun might be the most powerful medicine on the planet, how grounding your feet to the earth can improve blood flow, and why that constant fatigue you feel might have more to do with damaged water than damaged mitochondria.

This isn't your typical heart health interview. Dr. Hussey challenges everything from the cholesterol theory to why we're told the sun causes cancer. He makes a compelling case that most of what we think we know about cardiovascular disease is not just wrong—it's keeping us sick.

Whether you're dealing with heart issues, chronic fatigue, or just curious about how your body really works, this conversation will change how you think about health.

Dr. Stephen Hussey is the author of "Understanding the Heart" and "The Health Evolution." He offers functional medicine consultations and speaks internationally on metabolic health.

Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!

Support the show

Florence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:
www.FlorenceChristophers.com

Connect with Florence on:
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

When Jan Ellison Baszucki's 19-year-old son Matt had a manic episode at UC Berkeley, it started five years of hell. Psychiatric hospitals. Twenty-nine different medications. Therapy after therapy. Nothing worked.

"I thought we'd lost him," Jan says. Matt wasn't the energetic, intellectual kid they knew. He was barely functioning, even when he wasn't manic or depressed.

Then they tried something radical: a ketogenic diet. Within four months, Matt was in remission from bipolar disorder.

Jan, who runs the Baszucki Group and founded Metabolic Mind, has spent the last few years diving deep into the science of metabolic psychiatry. Her message is simple but revolutionary: your brain needs the right fuel to function properly.

In this conversation, Jan gets real about what it's like to watch your child disappear into mental illness—and what it feels like to get them back. She talks about the emerging research showing ketones can stabilize mood in ways medications often can't. And she shares practical advice for families who feel stuck in the traditional treatment system.

This isn't about ditching medication or therapy. It's about understanding that sometimes the brain just isn't getting what it needs to heal. For some people, changing how they eat changes everything.

If you're dealing with mental health issues in your family, or you're curious about this growing field of metabolic psychiatry, this conversation will give you a lot to think about.

Jan Ellison Baszucki is a Silicon Valley executive turned mental health advocate whose family's story is helping pioneer new approaches to treating serious mental illness.

Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!

Support the show

Florence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:
www.FlorenceChristophers.com

Connect with Florence on:
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE