
Hosted by Amanda Montalvo · EN

Master your minerals. Harmonize your hormones. Start your mineral journey here. What if the root of your child’s health struggles isn’t another cream, pill, or quick fix, but something much deeper? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Nina Marie Rueda, a naturopath who works with children and families through a functional, integrative lens. Her own journey started during her first pregnancy, when she realized how little she’d supported her body and baby with nutrition. This pregnancy completely changed her perspective, and she went from wanting to become a university professor to birth work, nutrition training, and eventually naturopathy.We get into why minerals matter so much for kids, especially when it comes to challenges like picky eating, eczema, and sleep struggles. Dr. Nina explains how testing works, why hair analysis often gives a clearer picture than blood work for children, and what common mineral patterns she sees in practice. The conversation is raw, practical, and full of insights for parents trying to make sense of their kids’ health struggles without getting lost in overwhelm.You’ll Learn:How a Bradley Method class shifted Dr. Nina’s path to naturopathyWhat minerals actually do in kids’ bodies and why they’re essentialThe link between taste buds, zinc, and picky eatingWhy hair mineral tests show the long game while blood work is a snapshotCommon mineral patterns seen in children with eczemaHow heavy metals disrupt gut microbes and fuel skin issuesThe mineral imbalances behind sleep struggles in kidsWhy parents’ own mineral status affects mealtime stressThe reason some kids’ multivitamins should avoid iron and copperHow minerals shape digestion, detox, and resilience in childrenTimestamps:[00:00] Introduction[05:47] Why minerals are the non-negotiable foundation for children’s health[07:40] Hair testing versus blood work for understanding mineral balance in kids[13:05] Why picky eating in kids often comes down to mineral imbalances and taste buds[22:46] Eczema in kids and the role of mineral imbalances and heavy metals[39:43] How mineral imbalances and heavy metals disrupt children’s sleep patterns[45:22] Choosing the right multivitamins for kids and why avoiding copper and iron matters[49:10] Making supplements part of daily family routinesResources Mentioned:Minerals & Gut Health Connection for Eczema Course | WebsiteGut and Minerals Free Resource | WebsitePicky Eaters Protocol | WebsiteFind more from Dr. Nina:Nerdy Notes with Nina Marie | SubstackDr. Nina Marie | WebsiteDr. Nina Marie | InstagramFind more from Amanda:Hormone Healing RD | InstagramHormone Healing RD | WebsiteHormone Healing RD | FacebookHormone Healing RD | YouTubeHormone Healing RD | TikTok
In this episode, I am doing a deep dive on cholesterol and the many different things it does in the body as well as how it impacts our hormones. I’ll also be covering how certain minerals can impact cholesterol and go through some things to consider when looking at your cholesterol lab test results. This podcast episode is for informational purposes only. While I will be discussing lab tests and possible interpretations for results, you can’t interpret a lab completely without having a whole person to compare it to. If you have concerns about your cholesterol, please share them with your doctor or medical provider. Links/Resources:Free thyroid training: https://bit.ly/3uDbDBi Free Training: Optimizing Hormone Health with Mineral Balance: https://bit.ly/3iwRDMk Mineral Imbalance Quiz: https://bit.ly/3ycEn4h Gallbladder episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gallbladder-health-your-hormones-with-olivia-haas/id1568547321?i=1000582123453 Iodine episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/iodine-the-miracle-mineral/id1568547321?i=1000560008653 Top 5 Nutrition Myths: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/top-5-nutrition-myths/id1568547321?i=1000526229343 Macro Minerals episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/minerals-101/id1568547321?i=1000527073902 Copper and Iron episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-connection-between-copper-iron/id1568547321?i=1000528570432 The Salt Fix by Dr. James DiNicolantonioReferences: Steroid hormones: https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1743-7075-7-47 Cell membranes: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6383291/#:~:text=Cholesterol%20is%20the%20major%20sterol,the%20lipid%20bilayer%20on%20average. Myelin: https://www.nature.com/articles/nn1426#:~:text=Myelin%20cannot%20be%20synthesized%20without,limiting%20factor%20for%20myelin%20growth. Bile acids: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2712638/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2712638/#:~:text=Bile%20acids%20are%20synthesized%20from%20cholesterol%20in%20the%20liver