Naturally Savvy

Aloe vera is known for its application for sunburns, but it can also provide benefits when ingested.Aloe vera is a fantastic and natural means of healing the body. Kim McClure, Director of Marketing for Natural Brands at Lily of the Desert, explains that aloe vera contains over 200 active components. These include vitamins, minerals, digestive enzymes and amino acids. People often take aloe vera for digestive issues. It helps balance the pH in the gut. Polysaccharides present in aloe vera act as nutrient carriers, carrying those nutrients to cells in need. Kim recommends taking aloe vera gel, juice or liquid for internal issues. It’s also a common salve after sun exposure. Listen as Kim joins Andrea Donsky to describe the wonders of aloe vera.

Improve memory and brain health through nutrition.Medications have many side effects. Treating conditions with nutrients first can improve health conditions without those side effects. Throughout her medical career, Dr. Kristen Willeumier learned that obesity affects brain health. Her studies of sports concussions led to nutrient-focused treatment to improve brain health. Omega-3s (healthy fats) N-cetylcysteine (antioxidant) Huperzine A (boosts neurotransmitter for memory) Acetyl-L-carnitine (aids cellular energetics) Gingko biloba (increases blood flow) A cocktail of these nutrients has been shown to improve brain function and healing. Support your family’s brain health with at least one gram of omega-3s daily along with a brain-directed multivitamin. Listen as Dr. Willeumier joins Andrea Donsky and Lisa Davis to discuss how to improve brain health naturally.

Take control of your PCOS with changes in nutrition and lifestyle.Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the leading cause of female infertility. It is often discovered during the fertility journey and is a metabolic endocrine disorder. Symptoms include irregular menstrual cycles, lack of ovulation, and hormonal imbalance. Amy Medling explains that the hormonal imbalance often means more androgen hormones are present. This can lead to male-pattern hair loss, hair growing in unexpected places, and hirsutism. Insulin-resistance symptoms can also appear, like skin tags, spare tire and darkened skin patches. Acne, brain fog and joint pain may be present. Mood disorders, depression and anxiety are common. Most women with PCOS can get pregnant with fertility intervention. They tend to become fertile later in life. They often have higher ovarian reserves and experience menopause later in life. Between 50 and 75 percent of women with PCOS are undiagnosed. Examine your diet. Take care of yourself with nutrient-rich food. Be kind to yourself. Listen as Amy joins Andrea Donsky and Lisa Davis to discuss how her new book can help holistically treat PCOS.

The Paleo diet can help anyone address blood sugar issues.The Paleo diet isn’t just about eating big hunks of meat. It’s a framework for providing the right nutrition for blood sugar control. This makes eating Paleo an option for diabetics. Jill Hillhouse points out that humans are genetically made for a diet of unprocessed, whole foods. Today’s processed foods provide cells with misinformation, activating disease in genes. Blood sugar rises in response to glucose in the blood. Glucose comes from eating carbohydrates. Eating carbohydrates or sugars at every meal raises blood sugar, and, in turn, insulin levels. Over time, the insulin receptors on the cell get tired and down regulate. The sugar can’t move out of the blood and into the cells. Lisa Cantkier shares that legumes can have a similar affect on the body as grain consumption. Too many legumes can behave like carbohydrates in the system, raising the glucose. Personalizing the diet through documentation, trial and error is the best option for finding the foods you need. Listen as Jill and Lisa join hosts Andrea Donsky and Lisa Davis to discuss how the Paleo diet works and how it can be beneficial for diabetics.

How can you be proactive about a type-2 diabetes diagnosis?A type-2 diabetes diagnosis can be a shock, especially if you feel like you’re living a healthy lifestyle. There are 35 million Americans with diabetes. About two million cases are diagnosed every year. Charles Mattocks has learned about the business of diabetic treatment. It seems like the prescription-driven methods of busy physicians reduces patient options to address diabetes. His new documentary, The Diabetic You, addresses issues in medical treatment of diabetes. His goal is to enlighten patients on how to be proactive with the diagnosis. Charles also created the television show “REVERSED.” This reality program introduces eight patients to specialists who help treat diabetes. Listen as Charles joins hosts Andrea Donsky and Lisa Davis to share his personal journey with diabetes and his vision for educating those with diabetes through his programs.

The human body was originally designed for abundant health and energy. But, we've since strayed from that path. How can you get back on track?The human body was originally designed for abundant health and energy. But, we’ve since strayed from that path through our sedentary lifestyles, poor diets and emotional imbalance... which in turn has left us overworked, worn out and spiritually depleted. Dr. Mark Shannan believes there’s an easy way to get us back on track. We just need to do what comes naturally to us; that is, return to "The Original Design" (the basis for the title of his new book, The Original Design for Health).  The book provides a practical yet easy step-by-step guide to restoring and maintaining the human body, mind and spirit. A practicing chiropractor for more than 20 years, Dr. Shannan fuses scientific evidence with relatable storytelling to create a powerful, common sense case for cleaner, purer -- and ultimately healthier -- living. Listen as Dr. Shannan joins host Andrea Donsky to explain why it's so important to get back to this way of living.

All too often, we yearn for a more spiritual life but tell ourselves it's too difficult. But, the smallest prayer is heard and answered.All too often, we yearn for a more spiritual life but tell ourselves it's too difficult. But, the smallest prayer is heard and answered. The simplest overture meets with a loving response. Each of the prayers in Julia Cameron's new book, Life Lessons: 125 Prayers and Meditations, is a starting point. Taken collectively, they offer an approach to God that is powerful as well as simple. These prayers not only allow us to reach out to God, but they allow God to reach out to us. The book is called Life Lessons because each entry is a corrective to commonly held misconceptions of the divine. Like the postures assumed in hatha yoga, they stretch us gently. Through these prayers, we learn more of ourselves and the divine. Listen as Julia joins hosts Andrea and Lisa to share insights from the book.

With so much going on in the world today we need to learn how to navigate. Learn simple tips to help with the stress of living in this wacky world.A shaman is a conduit between the physical world and the spiritual world. Think of it as an tribal life coach. Connecting to the spiritual world is difficult in the world of technology. Here are some tips from Shaman Isabella Stoloff to navigate the modern world with children: Set an example by putting your devices away when spending time with others, including your children. Monitor what your kids post on social media. Be a good role model with your own posts. Teach your kids the responsibility of what they post on social media. Notice how many hours per day your children are playing video games and what games they’re playing. Work on social interactions and interpersonal relations. Have conversations with your kids. It’s also important to learn to listen to intuition. Stop relying on the Internet for every piece of advice and trust your gut. Tune in to your inner thoughts. Listen as Isabella joins Andrea to discuss how to navigate technology, deal with stress, and trust yourself.

Ambition is a valuable personal quality to have, but oftentimes individuals get too wrapped up in doing more, more, more.Ambition is a valuable personal quality to have, but oftentimes individuals get too wrapped up in doing more, more, more. That was Courtney Carver's reality... until she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The stress of constantly being busy fueled her symptoms even more.  It became clear that she needed to root out the physical and psychological clutter that were the source of her debt and discontent. In her book, Soulful Simplicity: How Living with Less Can Lead to So Much More, Courtney provides tips on how to "pursue practical minimalism so we can create more with less—more space, more time, and even more love." She invites us to look at the big picture, discover what’s most important to us, and reclaim lightness and ease by getting rid of all the excess things. Listen as Courtney shares her personal journey to simplicity and how you can get on that path as well.

Some people are just born entrepreneurs. Others need a little help. If you have something you'd like to take to market, there are a few educational pieces that can help you out.Some people are just born entrepreneurs.  Others need a little help.  If you have something you'd like to take to market, there are a few educational pieces that can help you out. Michael Farca has become a "serial entrepreneur" in three different industries. He offers this advice: The hustle is on every day. You're often working non-traditional hours; the demands of the job exceed 9-5. Income is not guaranteed. You have to become your own human resources department, accounting department, and operations department. Remember, time is money. Despite the challenges, Michael believes owning your own company is incredibly personally rewarding. As he says, "There's no equity like sweat equity." The hard work pays off. He also offers this critical tip: Get yourself a mentor -- someone who has expertise in the industry you're trying to break into. Listen as Michael joins host Lisa Davis to share his expertise in bringing a product or service to market.

Probiotics can be confusing. Do they actually work?Probiotics can be confusing. Do they actually work? According to Kiran Krishnan, Chief Scientific Officer at Just Thrive Probiotic and Microbiome Labs, most consumer probiotics aren't doing what you think they should be doing, which leads to "doubters" of their effectiveness -- even if they've been established in the market for 15-20 years. Science has improved since those "established" products took to market.  Krishnan explains that for a probiotic to be truly effective, it must be able to survive the gastric system. Otherwise you're just moving "dead" bacteria through your system.  Bacillus Indicus HU36® is one of the ingredients in Just Thrive's probiotic and has been designed to survive digestive acids. It is currently one of the subjects of a number of clinical trials Krishnan is involved with, including trials on obesity, diabetes, gingivitis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Krishnan also discusses leaky gut, which is a major driver of chronic illness. Essentially, toxins from your intestinal colonies leak through your gut lining into your bloodstream, resulting in chronic, long-term inflammation.  Listen as Krishnan joins host Lisa Davis to provide the 411 on probiotics.

While we all look for what will make us happy in life, we don't always make the choices we should when it comes to sustaining that happiness.There are a myriad of things you have to deal with when going through a career change. What is most difficult is deciding to make the change, especially when you are good at what you do, and wonder whether you should just stick it out in an unhappy (albeit well-paid) environment instead of taking a risk and starting over doing something you love. And, while we all look for what will make us happy in life, we don't always make the choices we should when it comes to sustaining that happiness. In her book, This Time I Dance!, Tama Kieves shares the inspiring wisdom that led her from being a successful Harvard lawyer to an even more successful writer and life coach.  Tama joins Naturally Savvy host Lisa Davis to discuss how to stay happy and employed doing something you love, and what it takes to stop being a stressed-out worker and make peace with your career... and, most important, with yourself.

As Dr. Joyce Knudsen explains, "kicking ass" is not a violent action, but rather a proactive mindset.Age doesn't mean you have to stop being active or progressing in life's successes. Individuals well into their 70s, 80s and 90s are doing amazing, productive things. Similarly, kids aren't limited by their young age, either. Guest Dr. Joyce Knudsen describes the incredibly athletic feat a nine-year-old from Florida accomplished -- something many adult athletes would find challenging.  As Dr. Joyce explains, "kicking ass" is not a violent action, but rather a proactive mindset.  Listen as Dr. Joyce joins Andrea and Lisa to share her own history of ass-kicking, how to improve self esteem, and how to survive in a competitive social media world. 

With a frenzied family schedule, it can be difficult to really turn your focus to your kids' activities, development and growth. "Hot Mess to Mindful Mom" Ali Katz offers tips to work through the chaos.With a frenzied family schedule, it can be difficult to really turn your focus to your kids' activities, development and growth. "Hot Mess to Mindful Mom" Ali Katz joins hosts Lisa and Andrea to offer tips to work through the chaos.  Prepare in advance. Let "Sunday set you up." Prepare meals in advance, tidy up the house, etc. Make to-do lists and coordinate daily tasks with your master calendar.  Schedule a few minutes to do some deep breathing or recite affirmations in order to center yourself.  Make eye contact whenever possible when asking for tasks and actions to be done, in order to avoid eventual yelling and screaming. Take some time to think before you dole out consequences, much like your own "time out." This will prevent you from assigning ones that are unrealistic.  Plus much more... Listen in for more insight and tips from Ali, as well as how she navigated her journey to mindful expertise.

You might say, "It's winter -- I don't need sunscreen!" You'd be wrong.You might say, "It's winter -- I don't need sunscreen!" Actually, it's advised to put sunscreen on every day you spend time outside, whether it's sunny and warm or not. What is the best and safest type of sunscreen to use? “Natural sunscreens have always been the better choice, but now we know it is even more important to avoid chemical sunscreens in light of recent research indicating that Oxybenzone, a harmful chemical used in many conventional sunscreens, is absorbed directly into the bloodstream," explains Goddess Garden Organics CEO Nova Covington. "Oxybenzone has been associated with an increased risk of hormone disruption and closely tied to endometriosis and fertility problems in both adults and children.” Listen in as Nova explains the dangers of conventional sunscreens, as well as safer options. The Roots of Goddess Garden Organics Goddess Garden Organics was founded by husband and wife team Nova Covington and Paul Halter after their daughter had a serious reaction to conventional skin care products. Nova, with an herbalist background and Paul with a nutrition science degree were inspired to develop safe skincare solutions using the pure minerals of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide as the active ingredients for sun protection.