The Nutritional Therapy and Wellness Podcast

Jamie Belz, FNTP, MHC - The Nutritional Therapy Association
The Nutritional Therapy and Wellness Podcast

#ReverseTheTrend of preventable poor health with the Nutritional Therapy Association as we dive into the multi-faceted world of holistic health and wellness. Explore science-based wellness, traditional wisdom, and common misconceptions as we provide clinical insights for optimal health. This is for YOU as an individual striving for vibrant well-being. We honor bio-individuality while discussing all of the inputs and outputs, including nutrition, digestion, elimination, blood sugar regulation, inflammation and pain management, detoxification, sleep, stress, mindset, fitness and exercise, supplementation, how nutrient deficiencies manifest in our bodies, diabetes, and other lifestyle (and non-lifestyle) diseases, holistic pregnancies, raising healthy kids, traditional/specialty/fad/elimination diets, how to prepare foods for maximum nutrient availability thoughtfully, and so much more! PLUS, we cover the business side, from how to become a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner or Professional Health and Wellness Coach to how to level-up your existing wellness practice. Please SUBSCRIBE and visit us at www.nutritionaltherapy.com. The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have. The views and opinions stated on this podcast are not necessarily those of the NTA or its associates. Reliance on any information provided in this podcast is solely at your own risk.

  1. Ep. 029 - Quick Tips for Blood Sugar Regulation

    12/05/2024

    Ep. 029 - Quick Tips for Blood Sugar Regulation

    Blood sugar dysregulation spans well beyond the diagnosis of diabetes or the prevalence of prediabetes. As you learned in Episode 28 with Amanda Jones, a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and lead instructor for the NTA, as well as many additional things - - - blood sugar dysregulation impacts every single function within the body and is a precursor to many chronic diseases - - - but there is hope - - - intentional dietary and lifestyle adjustments can often catalyze the reversal of these diagnoses while simultaneously reducing inflammation, increasing energy, promoting healthful weight loss, and improving overall wellbeing. In today's episode, host Jamie Belz welcomes Amanda back to The Nutritional Therapy and Wellness Podcast to share her roster of "Quick Tips for Healthy Blood Sugar Regulation." Amanda highlights many considerations and offers some "low hanging fruit" action steps that can be easily implemented into your life while potentially producing noticeable results sooner than you'd imagine. In regard to optimizing blood sugar regulation, Amanda will cover some tips on: What to eat How to eat Lifestyle hacks If you missed Episode 28: Blood Sugar 101 - Hope for Reversing Pre- & Type II Diabetes, be sure to listen to that for an entirely different and deeper look at the fascinating science of blood sugar regulation and how its imbalances impact the body. Please give us five star reviews, subscribe, and share episodes! Thanks for listening!

    20 min
  2. Ep. 028 - Blood Sugar 101: Hope for Reversing Pre- & Type II Diabetes

    12/02/2024

    Ep. 028 - Blood Sugar 101: Hope for Reversing Pre- & Type II Diabetes

    In this episode of The Nutritional Therapy and Wellness Podcast, host Jamie Belz and guest Amanda Jones dive into the fascinating science of blood sugar regulation and how its imbalance impacts the body. They explore how prediabetes and type II diabetes—like many chronic diseases—can often be reversed through strategic diet and lifestyle changes. Discover how achieving balanced blood sugar not only improves energy and vitality but also reduces or eliminates many associated health risks altogether. Amanda Jones is a dedicated instructor with the Nutritional Therapy Association (NTA) and an experienced Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner since 2013. In addition to being an FNTP, Amanda holds a master's degree in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine, a bachelors degree in communications, she's a certified ADAPT Functional Health Coach, a certified GAPS Practitioner and a licensed massage therapist. 2:55 Diabetes, pre-diabetes, insulin - Blood Sugar 101 4:00 Why blood sugar regulation matters 4:45 Blood sugar regulation impacts everything in the entire body - nothing is NOT impacted 5:20 Current statistics for the prevalence of diabetes and pre-diabetes 6:50 Subclinical blood dysregulation - insulin resistance (PRE-PRE-DIABETES) 7:50 Reversing the pathway toward diabetes 10:45 How blood sugar dysregulation impacts the cardiovascular system - cardio-metabolic disease 11:50 Atherosclerosis as a result of blood sugar dysregulation 13:54 Glucose conversion to body fat 14:22 Blood lipids - triglycerides - hyperlipidemia 14:37 Why SUGAR is contributing to obesity rather than fats - as well as circulating lipids - 15:33 How elevated blood sugar drives elevated blood pressure and high blood pressure 16:20 How high insulin levels inhibit the production of nitric oxide levels 18:00 Immune regulation and meta-inflammation - inflammation driven by metabolic problems 19:30 Endocrine disruption from blood sugar dysregulation 21:10 Changes to the nervous system, gut motility, our microbiome, and other things negatively impacted by blood sugar dysregulation 21:40 The stages of dysglycemia 22:37 Insulin is a GOOD hormone! - What it's supposed to do in the body - how it brings sugar into the cells - how energy is produced 24:33 Excess glucose and insulin - reactive hypoglycemia 25:00 The Blood Sugar Rollercoaster - why you're tired at 10:30 AM, 2:30 PM, 8:00 PM 27:02 Insulin resistance 28:12 Fasting Glucose Levels - lab testing - Fasting Insulin Levels 30:20 The progression continues - feeling lethargic, gaining weight, etc. 30:30 Pre-Diabetes diagnosis 31:00 A1C - glycation 31:41 Metabolic Syndrome 32:40 Pancreas damage - insulin injections 33:04 Six small meals per day versus fasting 37:30 Fasting and time-restricted eating 38:09 Our blood sugar is synced with our circadian rhythms 39:58 Walking after meals versus other workouts for blood sugar regulation 41:46 There is HOPE! This doesn't need to be a miserable process. YOU can do it and you can enjoy it! ______________________ Catch Episode 29 to learn quick tips for improving blood sugar regulation for optimal health. Hit Subscribe! Connect with us at www.nutritionaltherapy.com

    46 min
  3. Ep. 027 - Health Care Unity: Why Can’t We Be Friends?

    11/28/2024

    Ep. 027 - Health Care Unity: Why Can’t We Be Friends?

    CLICK HERE! Transcription: It's time to escape the health monopoly and end the government's stranglehold on wellness. I'm your host, Jamie Belz - - - and THIS is the Nutritional Therapy and Wellness Podcast. Today’s episode is a rallying cry—a call to action to break the chains holding back holistic wellness practitioners and, most importantly, to give YOU the freedom to choose your bio-individual path to optimal wellness.  The Nutritional Therapy Association is on a mission to reverse the trend of preventable poor health. Right now, we’re living in a nation plagued by chronic illness, obesity, and skyrocketing healthcare costs. Meanwhile, millions of people are searching for solutions—but instead of finding freedom, they’re stuck navigating a failing system that prioritizes government-controlled insurance dollars, surgeries, and pharmaceuticals over personalized care pathways that promote sustainable change and truly transformative healthful outcomes. It’s an absurd contradiction we face. We're mandated to pay sky-high insurance premiums and hefty deductibles to maintain a safety net for catastrophic health issues—which most of us - THANKFULLY - never need. - - - That money - ((thousands and thousands of dollars for my family each year)) - is just gone. It's a carnival game we're forced to play, and the insurance companies win every year. Yet, at the same time, we’re paying out of pocket for the wellness modalities and practitioners we truly value. These professionals offer personalized, preventive care that keeps us healthy and helps us avoid those catastrophic situations altogether. It’s a frustrating system that forces us to invest in reactive care while actively limiting our ability to choose proactive, holistic approaches that align with our values and promote lasting wellness. Here’s the kicker: the very professionals who can help—highly trained, deeply passionate practitioners—have been targeted, silenced, and even prosecuted in some states simply for doing what they do best: helping people live healthier lives.  Today, we’re breaking this down - - - We desperately need an overhaul of how we do things. What we've been doing - our current "health care" system - IS NOT WORKING. The health of our nation is absolutely unacceptable. - **42% of U.S. adults are obese.**  - **6 in 10 adults** have at least one chronic illness, and **4 in 10 have two or more.**  In the U.S. alone - $400 BILLION dollars are spent on prescriptions each year - - - and we're getting sicker and sicker. We spend $4.1 trillion on healthcare in the U.S. each year - if that $4.1 was making us the healthiest humans have ever been - I'd be all for it!! - - - but 90% of that 4.1 trillion dollars is going toward managing chronic diseases. Here’s the hard truth: most of these conditions are preventable. They don’t need another prescription—they need a personalized, holistic approach that addresses the root causes of dysfunction. People are desperate for solutions tailored to their unique needs—their bio-individual path to wellness—but they’re stuck in a system that’s failing them. And that’s where Nutritional Therapy Practitioners and holistic practitioners step in to fill the gap.  As Nutritional Therapy Practitioners (NTPs), we undergo rigorous, science-based training to support individuals on their wellness journey. We specialize in:  Anatomy, physiology, and the body’s interconnected systems. Root cause analysis—not just managing symptoms but understanding and addressing the foundational imbalances that cause dysfunction. Empowering people with bio-individual strategies, recognizing that no two bodies are the same. Providing education in nutrition truth. We're not owned by big food or big pharma - we'll tell you the truth about that ingredients lists and help enlighten you about why certain foods - like most of the 10,000 industrially produced chemicals the FDA has approved for human consumption in the United States - should be avoided. We're a threat. What we teach is real, and it can't be patented for profit. We discovered this on our own after being exhausted - or sometimes even injured by - the BIGs - big food, big ag, big pharma - the BIG Money Machine. Most of us found this path because of our own life-changing experiences. Most holistic wellness providers - many NTPs - discovered this work after a personal health breakthrough or helping their child recover from a debilitating condition. We’ve lived it. We’ve felt the frustration of a system that didn’t have answers - we were told, "you can't, you won't, you'll never," - "when in doubt, cut it out" - "where do you want me to send this prescription?" - - - but we pushed back on the prognosis - and we realized that there is another way! You have to be willing to take off the blinders and look. There are incredible licensed medical professionals who have done exactly that - - - they've come over to this side and have seen, felt, and heard what cannot be unseen, unfelt, or unheard - and we’re all passionate about sharing what we’ve learned. Let’s be clear: this isn’t about demonizing any one group - and it's not about competition. This is about collaboration and abundance.  The health crisis is far too big for any one group of professionals to handle alone. We need registered dietitians, doctors, NTPs, health coaches, and more—all working together to create a system where everyone has access to the care they need.  When there are no more sick people left to help, THEN we can talk about competition. Until that day comes, we need boots on the ground. We need practitioners working in communities, meeting people where they are, and providing diverse options for care.  We’re all allies in this fight. And the more offerings we have, the more likely each person will find their bio-individual path to wellness.  Here’s the reality - the big problem - and why I need YOUR help. In some states, Nutritional Therapy Practitioners (NTPs) and other holistic practitioners - including RNs, functional medicine doctors, Chiros, NPs, MDs, DOs, and other licensed professionals, as well as alternative practice practitioners - are facing absurd restrictions and fear-driven enforcement. These are highly trained professionals offering alternative and innovative approaches to health, yet anyone challenging the status quo or “the machine” is met with unnecessary roadblocks, intimidation, and legal threats - fear of financial repercussions - the swipe of a pen can pull someone's license - their entire career gone if they don't get in line and play the conformity game. It’s a system that stifles solutions and prevents people from accessing the personalized care they need and deserve. We have an NTP in Minnesota who was working alongside a naturopathic doctor, providing nutrition education to a mere five or six clients. She was given a cease and desist from the Minnesota Board of Dietetics because someone called in an anonymous phone call complaint, which was apparently enough to launch a taxpayer-funded investigation - - - and I am telling you - they had nothing - she did NOTHING wrong. Nothing even close to wrong - - - but because of an anonymous phone call and the current laws - she was immediately shut down and forced to spend her precious time and her family's money to fight back - - - ultimately conceding. Think about how absurd that is. We’re trained, we’re educated, and we’re passionate—but the law ties our hands while the public suffers.  This isn’t just frustrating—it’s wrong. It limits your choices, perpetuates the health crisis, and prevents qualified practitioners from helping people who desperately need it.      The MAHA movement has ruffled some feathers - but I don't understand that - because EVERY. SINGLE. PERSON. should want to see Americans - all people - everywhere - get healthy again.  This is a Non-Partisan Issue. This fight for health freedom isn’t about a specific politician —it’s about people, plain and simple. And let’s be clear: this isn’t about saying that licensed professionals or hospitals are bad. Dietitians, doctors, and hospitals are absolutely essential, and many people rely on them for life-saving care. But this is about freedom—the freedom for every individual to choose the approach and the professional that resonates with their values, aligns with their goals, and helps them meet them. Whether you prioritize personal liberty, innovative healthcare solutions, or reducing the overwhelming strain on our medical system, this issue affects us all. Chronic illness doesn’t discriminate by political affiliation, and neither should the solutions. This is bigger than party lines; it’s about breaking down barriers and creating a system where everyone can access the tools, resources, and guidance they need to achieve optimal wellness. By lifting these restrictions, we’re not undermining traditional healthcare - we’re expanding the choices available to empower people to take control of their own health. Every ethical provider should be able to get behind that. This is about escaping the health monopoly that drove us to the health crisis we're in. This is about ending the government's stranglehold and unlocking bio-individual pathways to wellness. Here’s where YOU come in. This isn’t just about practitioners - it’s about YOU and your right to access care that works for your bio-individual needs.  I’m asking you to take action. Click THIS LINK and sign the petition to lift the legal restraints on holistic and functional health practitioners. By signing this petition - you're supporting empowered health - a system that champions true preventative care, like nourishing the body with nutrient-dense, whole foods! - and focuses on addressing root causes rather than masking symptoms with bandaid solutions that trap patients in

    13 min
  4. Ep. 025 - Allergies Don't Have To Be A Life Sentence - Pediatric Prognosis Pushback

    11/11/2024

    Ep. 025 - Allergies Don't Have To Be A Life Sentence - Pediatric Prognosis Pushback

    On this episode of the Nutritional Therapy and Wellness Podcast, Corinne Trimarchi shares the story of her son's very challenging start to life - having struggled with a complex case of food allergies. Corinne is a wife, mom of two boys, a board-certified holistic nutrition practitioner, and a Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach. Corinne received her nutrition training from the Nutritional Therapy Association and coaching training from the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy. She specializes in allergies, eczema, digestion, and gut health in babies, children, and adults. As Corinne tells of having her world turned upside down following the birth of her second son, she discusses working with various specialists, a long list of prescription medications, various diagnoses, referrals to more specialists, and still - no answers. She has committed her life to helping other parents navigate the challenges of childhood allergies, offering hope for the reversal of these conditions which were once considered a life sentence. Corinne honors the bio-individual approach, taught through the Nutritional Therapy Association while working with her clients. She says, "We are all biochemically unique and our wellness should be approached with that in mind." Corinne helps families better understand how food and environmental factors influence the expression of genes and the trajectory of health.   Resources: Corinne's Website: www.holisticnutritionnj.com Instagram: theautoimmunesolution https://documentinghope.com ________________________ Please remember to hit "SUBSCRIBE" and tell a friend you're listening. https://nutritionaltherapy.com

    34 min
  5. Ep. 024 - The Challenge of Leading Yourself - Conversation with Miles Welch of Northstar Training Solutions

    08/26/2024

    Ep. 024 - The Challenge of Leading Yourself - Conversation with Miles Welch of Northstar Training Solutions

    On this episode of the Nutritional Therapy and Wellness Podcast, host Jamie Belz talks with Miles Welch, Founder and CEO of North Star Training Solutions, about the importance and difficulties of being a good leader - for ourselves. Miles is a leadership expert who is passionate about helping business owners build their leadership bench and develop their leadership potential. He has impacted thousands of executives, entrepreneurs, and business owners through his speaking and coaching, as well as the industry-leading developmental programming he has designed. Miles's varied leadership assignments include serving as a Platoon Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps, pastoring one of the largest churches in the United States, serving as the Executive Director of the John Maxwell Leadership Center, and launching two successful businesses. Miles and his family live in the Atlanta area. During their conversation, Jamie and Miles cover many topics in relation to building resilience and having the discipline to level-up and ultimately succeed in all areas of life. 04:07 Entropy 06:25 Busyness 07:12 Resilience and the difference between pressure and stress 10:53 The shame of not "succeeding" 14:56 The key to high performance 15:14 Midlife Crisis 16:25 Doing a life audit and recalibration 21:18 Tips on resilience and holding yourself accountable 22:28 Staying up late versus getting up early 23:12 Stream of consciousness writing 25:09 Television detox 26:36 Journaling, reading (growing/learning) and Miles's morning routine 29:44 The reshaping of friendships as life gets busy - kids' activities and youth sports 33:12 Miles's evening routing 34:10 Quit eating earlier in the evening - the blood sugar rollercoaster - craving carbs at night - blood sugar's impact on sleep - waking up in the night 36:46 The upward or downward spiral of wellness and healthy versus unhealthy habits 37:26 Having accountability partners 37:45 Miles's primary core values #1 38:54 Hiding things in life - vulnerability - talking with others - working with a counselor 40:36 Life hack for "receiving counseling from Brene Brown and other high-level professionals" 42:05 The three-pronged system for working through being "stuck" in life 44:30 Wisdom and the benefit of having mentors 45:53 Miles's primary core values #2 46:47 Miles's primary core values #3 46:58 Having a life that is integrated - having a surrendered relationship with the truth 47:39 Miles's primary core values #4 49:42 The hardest challenge in leading yourself 51:08 The lie we tell ourselves about "the season coming" when everything will be different or easier - not living in the now 53:43 Don't squander another minute, hour, day, week, month, year, decade… 54:18 The upward spiral or the downward spiral 54:36 The best pre-workout 55:48 Being kind to yourself 57:24 Getting better at failing 58:37 Bounce-back rate - falling off the wagon - small vices 59:54 Miles's favorite self-improvement resources   Email Miles Welch: Miles@northstartraining.com Website: https://northstartraining.com/ Socials: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themileswelch/ https://www.instagram.com/themileswelch/ Books mentioned: Developing the Leader Within You - John Maxwell The Endurance: Legendary Antarctic Expedition - Caroline Alexander The Greatest Generation - Tom Brokaw ________________________________________   Thanks for listening! If you like what you're hearing, please don't forget to subscribe and give us those five start ratings!   Email Jamie: Jamie@nutritionaltherapy.com Connect with us online: www.Nutritionaltherapy.com

    1h 8m
  6. Ep. 023 - The Poop Episode - Why you need to know your $#!t

    08/12/2024

    Ep. 023 - The Poop Episode - Why you need to know your $#!t

    POOP (ewww) What goes in, must come out!   In this episode of the Nutritional Therapy and Wellness Podcast, host Jamie Belz, FNTP, MHC, and fellow FNTP, Stephanie Ewals, CNS, Licensed Nutritionist, owner of Out of the Woods Nutrition, and host of the Help For Hashimotos podcast talk about the end product of digestion - poop. Talking about pooping is a total taboo, but it's an important topic.   The prevalence of GI disorders such as diarrhea, constipation, and alternating diarrhea and constipation is extremely common, with 3-5% of the U.S. population experiencing chronic diarrhea. Globally, 16% of adults experience chronic constipation - up to 19% of adults in the U.S. and a whopping 33% of adults over the age of 60 experience chronic constipation.   Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) with Alternating Diarrhea and Constipation, characterized by symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, and variability in bowel habits, affect 10-15% of the global population. Among those with IBS, a significant portion (around 25-30%) experiences alternating diarrhea and constipation (IBS-M, mixed type). *Mehta, S. R., Patel, D., Rana, B., Kumar, N., Singh, A., & Sharma, P. (2023). Title of the article. Frontiers in Public Health, 11, Article 1061453. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1061453   1:42 Bristol Stool Chart - shows what the shape and consistency of your poop means   4:11 More about what your poop should look like   4:57 Why should we care about what our poop looks like?   5:25 Bristol Stool Chart Types 5-7   5:54 Loose stools with full food particles (some of it looks like it did when you ate it)   6:35 Bristol Stool Chart Types 1 & 2 - Constipation - toxins - excess estrogens   7:19 Bristol Stool Chart Types 3 & 4   7:43 It's not normal to have diarrhea, constipation, or alternating diarrhea and constipation every day.   8:39 Irregularity with our bowel movements are symptoms of dysfunction somewhere in the body.   10:02 Motility/transit time - testing how long it takes from eating to defecating (aka pooping)   11:21 Hope/help for Type 1 & Type 2 - things that help relieve constipation and determine what is causing it   13:12 If you're not eating fiber now, ease into it! Notes on fiber intake and ways to get more fiber in your diet   16:12 Diarrhea - within a few hours of eating, fiber will not help, look elsewhere for solutions - food inflammatory tests - elimination diet - Whole 30 -  your body is telling you something!   18:52 Protocols AND or VERSUS bio-individuality?   21:10 Where nutritional therapy really excels…   22:57 How stress impacts digestion - anxiety - adrenals - cortisol   24:47 Not digesting properly - whole food particles in poop   25:09 What you can do if you're struggling with GI disorders   26:12 Physical activity/movement   26:52 Squatty Potty    28:28 Preworkouts, gels, anything you're putting in that are flushing through…   29:05 Magnesium, Vitamin C     Please remember to hit SUBSCRIBE and give us a 5-Star Review if you're loving what you're hearing!       Stephanie's business - Out of the Woods Nutrition - "Help For Hashimoto's Podcast"   Podcast:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/help-for-hashimotos-podcast/id1395020956 Website:  https://www.outofthewoodsnutrition.com/ Download The Definitive Guide To Hashimoto's:  https://mailchi.mp/0e5555d60258/the-definitive-guide-to-hashimotos

    34 min
5
out of 5
27 Ratings

About

#ReverseTheTrend of preventable poor health with the Nutritional Therapy Association as we dive into the multi-faceted world of holistic health and wellness. Explore science-based wellness, traditional wisdom, and common misconceptions as we provide clinical insights for optimal health. This is for YOU as an individual striving for vibrant well-being. We honor bio-individuality while discussing all of the inputs and outputs, including nutrition, digestion, elimination, blood sugar regulation, inflammation and pain management, detoxification, sleep, stress, mindset, fitness and exercise, supplementation, how nutrient deficiencies manifest in our bodies, diabetes, and other lifestyle (and non-lifestyle) diseases, holistic pregnancies, raising healthy kids, traditional/specialty/fad/elimination diets, how to prepare foods for maximum nutrient availability thoughtfully, and so much more! PLUS, we cover the business side, from how to become a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner or Professional Health and Wellness Coach to how to level-up your existing wellness practice. Please SUBSCRIBE and visit us at www.nutritionaltherapy.com. The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have. The views and opinions stated on this podcast are not necessarily those of the NTA or its associates. Reliance on any information provided in this podcast is solely at your own risk.

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