Ask an Expert: Gut Health, Guilt-Free Holidays with Emily Brown

Summary

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The Nikki & Brie Show

Episode: Ask an Expert — Gut Health, Guilt-Free Holidays with Emily Brown

Host: Brie Garcia (Nikki absent for this episode)
Guest: Dr. Emily Brown, Functional Nutritionist, Founder of Genetic Garden
Release Date: September 29, 2025

Overview

This episode dives deep into gut health, functional nutrition testing, and strategies for enjoying the holidays without guilt or burnout. Brie welcomes Dr. Emily Brown, whose innovative approach to wellness has transformed the Garcia family’s health, to discuss how testing and targeted nutrition can empower you to feel energized and thrive year-round. The conversation covers preparing your body and mind for the holiday season, managing stress, understanding the impact of food on mood, and practical steps to prevent the common pitfalls of holiday overindulgence. Listener Q&A rounds out a truly actionable and inspiring episode.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Importance of Functional Testing

(02:32 – 11:57)

• Bri’s Backstory: Brie recounts her personal health struggles at the start of 2025—persistent bloating, fatigue, mood shifts, and feeling "off." Testing with Emily brought her clarity and healing, not only for herself but for her kids and family.
• Dr. Brown’s Philosophy: Every body changes over time; what worked for you five years ago might not work now.
  • "Who we are right now in this life stage just simply isn’t who we were 5, 10, 15 years ago… So often we get stuck in the trap of trying to make those old habits work for the current us and it just won't." — Dr. Emily Brown [10:32]
• Testing Methods: Dr. Brown uses hair and saliva for bioenergetic testing—“very specific, very sensitive”—unlike blood or stool tests, it rarely produces false negatives and can pinpoint root causes.
  • "Bioenergetics just finds your root cause of your issues. It just does." — Dr. Emily Brown [12:13]

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2. Unlocking the Mystery of Parasites

(15:30 – 17:03)

• Many people think parasite infections are unlikely, but Emily explains how common and sneaky they are—their intelligence lets them evade conventional detection and manipulate your body.
  • "Some of them have a self-destructive ability… Or they put up these little molecules in front of them that tell your immune system and the test, there’s nothing to see here. It’s like an invisibility cloak." — Dr. Emily Brown [16:27]
• Symptoms vary widely—affecting mood, weight, appetite, even mental health.

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3. Gluten, Dairy & Food Sensitivities in America

(17:03 – 22:41)

• Dr. Brown details why gluten and U.S. dairy can trigger inflammation even for non-celiacs—proteins and processing methods differ from Europe.
  • "There’s non-celiac gluten sensitivity that is just rampant in America…Some of the Holstein cows in America…cause gut inflammation, but as you saw in your test, brain inflammation as well." — Dr. Emily Brown [17:48]
• Brie describes her transformation going gluten/dairy free: weight loss, glowing skin, and reduced bloating—proving “you can be healthy and still have hidden food issues."
• Key takeaway: Mindful removal of triggers can radically improve health and mood.

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4. Cultivating a Healthy Relationship with Food

(22:41 – 24:25)

• Brie discusses letting go of food “FOMO” and embracing food as sustenance, not entertainment. Dr. Brown cautions about developing orthorexia and encourages “finding a new normal” that supports social life and wellness.

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5. Mastering Holiday Eating Without Guilt

(24:25 – 29:56)

• Holidays are a notorious “weight-gain spiral” in America.
  • "About half of the weight we gain as Americans happens mid-October through December…then January is just the shame spiral, like nobody's business." — Dr. Emily Brown [24:37]
• Dr. Brown's Game Plan: “Stack your Mornings”
  • Brain: Start with protein and fat (i.e., matcha latte with coconut milk, eggs). Regulates mood and prevents nervous system overstimulation.
  • Body: Apple cider vinegar in water and a 15-min walk. Helps regulate blood sugar and improves resilience to holiday treats.
  • Spirit: Morning affirmations (personalized for each family member via testing). This “hugs your little soul” and creates a positive baseline.
  • "Do not compromise your morning routine… If you kind of check off your brain, your body, and your spirit all in the morning, then it gives you such a sense of fulfillment and then flexibility." — Dr. Emily Brown [25:26]

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6. The Profound Gut–Mood Connection

(30:58 – 36:32)

• Your gut is your “second brain”—90% of the communication goes from gut to brain, not the other way around.
  • "The mood-food connection is so much stronger than we ever thought possible…90% of the information is coming from the gut to the brain." — Dr. Emily Brown [31:23]
• Personalized food plans can target deficiencies in happiness/pleasure neurotransmitters. For Brie, protein-rich foods boost dopamine; for Nikki, serotonin-rich foods are key.
• Breakfast is critical for women’s energy and mood—skipping meals can cause the body to “steal” energy from thyroid or reproductive organs, leading to stress and fatigue.

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7. Alcohol, Treats & Holiday Moderation

(36:54 – 40:52)

• Alcohol is a toxin—body prioritizes detoxifying it over burning fat. Limiting consumption to two days per week allows your body to recover and get restorative sleep.
  • "If we're having a glass or two every night, we never really get there. Sleep will always be compromised." — Dr. Emily Brown [37:34]
• Treats and desserts should be structured as special occasions (family gelato outings), rather than everyday fare, to maintain healthy habits and joy.

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8. Preventing Burnout & Building Self-Compassion

(41:47 – 51:07)

• Dr. Brown shares four evidence-based “self-compassion” tactics (from Dr. Kristin Neff) for caregivers/moms:
  1. Mini Rests: Short pauses throughout the day (stretching, breathing, hand on heart).
  2. Basic Needs & Self-Care: Prioritize sleep, nutrition, and movement—"don’t push your own needs to the back burner."
  3. Boundaries, Limits & Delegation: Learn to say no and delegate—alleviates the “mental load” that leads to burnout.
     • "It preserves your energy so you can continue caregiving without burning out. And it really is not weakness to delegate." — Dr. Emily Brown [47:27]
  4. Sense of Purpose: Remind yourself why you do what you do—connection, family, love—to stay motivated amid holiday overwhelm.
• Brie shares her own experience simplifying the holidays and finding more joy by doing less.

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Listener Q&A Highlights

(51:07 – 57:10)

1. Systemic Inflammation: Identify your inflammatory triggers through testing—don’t follow TikTok trends blindly.

   • "If it's not right for your body, then it's just a waste of money and time." — Dr. Emily Brown [52:23]

2. Bloating: Apple cider vinegar in the morning; test for triggers; sometimes parasitic or brainstem causes.

3. Managing PCOS: Highly individual—testing and targeted intervention are crucial; apple cider vinegar can help with insulin, but don’t generalize.

4. Purium Diet: Dr. Brown prefers Chroma cleanse kits (with Dr. Will Cole)—nutrient-rich, thoughtfully formulated.

5. Fruit: Big fan; for optimal absorption, eat alone, but daily enjoyment (e.g., in smoothies) trumps rigid rules.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Sometimes I have clients that… take it a little too far into that realm of orthorexia, where then you don’t want to go over to your friend’s house and you avoid social situations. ... You have found the perfect delicate dance." — Dr. Emily Brown [22:41]
• "January is just the shame spiral… It’s so sad." — Dr. Emily Brown [24:37]
• "Your gut is now called the second brain... what we put in our stomach… controls the rest of our body." — Dr. Emily Brown [31:23]
• "Breakfast is critical for women… when you skip that breakfast… your body goes and steals it from the thyroid or reproductive organs." — Dr. Emily Brown [33:15, 34:13]
• "Self compassion is a way to not only refuel yourself so you can keep giving… it’s not weakness, it’s not selfish, it’s not self-indulgent." — Dr. Emily Brown [41:47]
• Affirmation for the season: “I am courageous.” — Dr. Emily Brown [58:26]

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Affirmation & Closing Inspiration

(58:26 – 59:03)

• Dr. Brown’s Affirmation: “I am courageous.”
• Holiday Intention: “Be generous—not with material goods, but with your sense of compliments and kindness and your helping hands. The amount of love you feel from acts of service is really profound.” — Dr. Emily Brown [58:35]

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Where to Find Dr. Emily Brown

• Website: genetic-garden.com
• Instagram: @genetic_garden_

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------|-------------| | Introduction, Brie’s Story & Emily’s Work | 02:02–11:57 | | How Functional Testing Works | 12:13 | | All About Parasites | 15:30–17:03 | | Gluten/Dairy Insights | 17:03–22:41 | | Relationship with Food/Orthorexia | 22:41–24:25 | | Holiday Health Game Plan | 24:25–29:56 | | Gut–Mood Connection | 30:58–36:32 | | Alcohol, Treats & Moderation | 36:54–40:52 | | Self-Compassion & Burnout Prevention | 41:47–51:07 | | Listener Q&A | 51:07–57:10 | | Affirmation & Closing Wisdom | 58:26–59:03 |

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This episode is chock full of practical wisdom and heartfelt encouragement for anyone hoping to feel their best, enjoy the holidays, and bring self-compassion into their daily lives.

Transcript

[Bri]

Okay.

[Nikki]

I am obsessed with this time of year because we finally get a dive into our fall clothes and look at all the new fall fashions. I'm just so excited to start layering up Brie and you know, wearing boots, just putting a little bit more on.

[Bri]

Oh my gosh. Scarves and gloves. I love it all.

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[Dana]

Morning Zoe. Got donuts.

[Jeffrey]

Jeff Bridges, why are you still living above our garage?

[Dana]

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Nice.

[Jeffrey]

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[Dana]

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[Bri]

Hey everyone. Welcome back to another episode of the Nikki and Bri Show. And that's right, it is a solo episode with Bri. Except I'm not going to be by myself today. I actually have a very special guest and I am so excited to bring this person on because I've talked about her a lot and I'm going to remind all of you. So do you remember when I was talking to you how I was doing all of this type of testing because I wasn't Feeling the best. So I was doing a lot of testing with Hone Health and then with a naturopath who's actually. She's a functional nutritionist. We were doing a lot of testing, and not only with me, but she was also doing a lot of testing with my kids. And I found out about a lot of allergies, a lot of emotional things going on. She's incredible. So I've always wanted to bring her on because I felt like when I opened up and was talking to all of you about the bloating, my hormones, the on and on sickness, that kind of felt like I was getting almost in a way, like I kept getting food poisoning, but it wasn't that. And just everything. Everything felt off in the beginning of 2025 for me. And I have to say, Emily, she has been a saving grace not only for me, as you could tell. I feel like a lot of you have noticed in the last six months, my body has changed, my skin has changed, my mood has changed. And if you know me, you know, my energy has changed, too. But also with my kids. You know, Emily was the one, and I talked about this in a solo episode, and then Nikki and I talked about it together, but she's the one who got us onto a detox with all these little drops. And then she did it with my kids, too. And I feel like she not only changed my life and even Brian's, but our kids as well. And it was very interesting because her testing deals with saliva and hair. And I remember I was going in on a solo episode, we were talking about Birdie, where a lot of her testing was dealing with a lot of emotional things that we saw with the brain. And I just feel like you guys are in for a treat today. The one thing that Emily and I were talking about, because I said, listen, if there's one thing I know about my listeners, they're like me. And with the holidays coming up, I feel like all of our health just goes out of whack. We fall into tons of sugar, tons of, you know, fatty foods, the breads, like, the things that aren't good for us, because that's what the holidays do. Like, those are the things that smell good and bring comfort and joy, right? And I always feel like it's good to prep before the holidays come and have a really good game plan, but also some great knowledge to go into the holiday season. So at the end of the season, you don't feel like one. You need to have dry January. I mean, it's good to do it but like, you don't feel you have to or you have to get into the gym January 2nd, or you feel like we gotta cut everything cold turkey. It'd actually be nice to enjoy the holidays as a healthy person feeling good. And then January is just January. So I'm going to bring Emily on. And so those are the things we're going to talk about. We're going to talk about, you know, she's going to go through all those holiday complaints and the things that you feel and you want to change. She's also going to go into that preventing burnout and weight gain during the holidays. And we're going to talk about her testing and how that can really unlock a lot of things you might not know about your body that might drive you crazy. Things like you're like, how can I not get these 5 extra pounds off? Why do I sleep 8 hours and still feel really tired? Emily's going to go through all of that. She's also going to go through the brain food you need, how mood food connects with your whole entire self. It's actually pretty cool when her and I went in a zoom on that. It's, it's you listen and you take notes. What she'll tell you will change you. Trust me. And even how if you have anxiety, that can be all rooted from your gut health. And that's what I've been working on is gut health. And you're going to love what she has to say. So she's going to really go through it. She also loves to go through, you know, alcohol and food and all the mindfulness of it. So I'm very excited to bring her on. So her name is Emily Brown. She's a functional nutritionist and she's the founder of Genetic Garden. And, you know, her passion has always been helping people understand food and how it truly fuels your body. She's also really big that, you know, we see we can do a little surface digging right on the health of our body. But she literally goes to that cellular level and why testing is so important. And she, her genetic guarding. Garden testing is a combined. It's a combination of a couple different things. Science, nutrition, sustainability, to empower others to take control of their health. And that's what I want with all of you. If there's one thing I've always loved about natural medicines is that you can't ever really just. And when I say go wrong, you can't hurt yourself. You can't ever do too much of it. Natural medicine's natural medicine and A lot of times, people, when they do natural medicine, they usually feel the best. So you all know me, since you watched me on Total Divas and Total Bellas. I've always been a big advocate for natural medicines. I always say, hey, I get it. Do some Eastern. You can mix it with a little bit of Western, but why not try Eastern medicines first? So I think always the natural way is the great way to start. And then if you have to work with different doctors or bring in different, you know, style of western medicines, then do it. I'm not against it, but it's always good to start natural, right? And so, without further ado, I am going to bring Emily Brown on. I. I also went on to my social media. I got some of your questions. Some of you guys had incredible questions, and I could tell you're gonna really love this episode. So I am going to bring on the one and only Dr. Emily Brown.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Emily, hello.

[Bri]

How are you?

[Dr. Emily Brown]

How are we doing, Bri?

[Bri]

Oh, my gosh, I'm doing great things. Good. I'm doing good, too. I was just singing your praises.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

You're so sweet. The Bella twins, just my hype, girls. I love it. I appreciate it.

[Bri]

Well, we honestly have every reason to hype you up. And, you know, Nikki was really sad she couldn't make this, but she had to go film a Netflix show, so she's cooking her little butt off today. But, girl, you know, I've talked. Actually, I feel like Nikki and I have talked a bunch of times on our podcast about not only your style of testing that you've done not only with us, but with our kids and actually our family members. I mean, you've done so many of, like, cousins, aunts, uncles, my mom. But, you know, for us, like, just we've taken everyone on the journey of really, our last six to eight months. And, you know, I don't. A lot of times, I think I'm in my 40s. What else can go wrong? Because I feel like every year so far, in my 40s, something has changed. But it was really incredible because when I talked to Kristen, for all of you listening, that's my cousin, and I saw the transformation in her after she worked with you. I was like, you know what? I have so many boxes that I need to check off of. Just feeling. I felt awful. I felt sluggish. I could tell something was wrong, not only with my hormones, but my bloating just with my gut. Like, I constantly felt like I had food poisoning. I was sick. And you were my savior. Like, you really helped Me change the game and my kids. So I can't wait to get into all of it today. And I already let the listeners know, kind of our game plan. But before we get into like the holidays and how, you know, we don't need to go down the rabbit hole of bad health and then hope January will save us all. Before we get into all of that, I would love to just talk to everyone of the importance of testing and listening to your symptoms and why we need to, you know, kind of like not look at the surface but really get down to that cellular level and really figure out what's going on in the inside.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Absolutely. So every, every body is changing every single day with the cellular turnover. And so who we are right now in this life stage just simply isn't who we were 5, 10, 15 years ago. So so often we get stuck in the trap of trying to make those old habits work for the current us and it just won't. And it's just maddening and frustrating. And so entering the holidays or entering any new life stage or for me, I typically do it every February because I don January chaos on my mind. I'll do a bioenergetic test and it's about where I am right now. The accumulation of the life I've lived. Whether those habits were a little bit top notch or maybe not quite so top notch. So what my hormones are doing, what kind of toxins I've accumulated, I love my sushi, I love swimming in the ocean. So there's going to be some little barnacles of life. So figuring out exactly what your needs are can really help navigate either the year ahead of you, the holiday is ahead of you because your needs are very different from even your partner, your kids, you know, imagining entering, having, having really chronic bloat. That person has different energetic, emotional, nutritional needs than somebody entering in a state of grief or a state of thyroid dysfunction. And so there isn't a one plan for every person. That's why testing is so invaluable.

[Bri]

Yeah. And what I loved is the testing which with that I did with you was so different from other testing because it's like the hair and the saliva, which I feel like everyone always goes to a blood test or like, you know, stool and all that, which are great. But what makes your testing different from other ones?

[Dr. Emily Brown]

First of all, it's very specific and specific and sensitivity are the two keywords you look for at testing. That basically means there's going to be no false negatives, which a lot of stool testing can give it misses a ton of parasites. I know parasites are hot topic, so it's just so specific. It's so sensitive. It doesn't miss anything. And that's just really why I love it. I typically have a lot of clientele that are. I've gone to everyone and I've. I've seen everyone, I've tried everything and they're feeling quite hopeless and at the end of their road. And so because this doesn't miss anything, bioenergetics just finds your root cause of your issues. It just does.

[Bri]

Yeah.

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[Dana]

Morning, Zoe. Got donuts.

[Jeffrey]

Jeff Bridges, why are you still living above our garage?

[Dana]

Well, I dig the mattress and I want to be in a T Mobile commercial like you. Teach me. So. Dana.

[Jeffrey]

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[Dana]

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[Dr. Emily Brown]

Nice.

[Jeffrey]

Jeffrey, you heard them.

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[Dana]

So what are we having for lunch?

[Jeffrey]

Dude, my work here is done.

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[Bri]

See, I love that. And you know, it's so interesting, Emily, because I kind of always heard about parasites. I was like, you know, like okay, yeah, parasite, parasite. I didn't actually think I could maybe have one until I did testing. And then I'm like, Nicole and I like Nicole had two parasites at a parasite, but then buddy had a parasite and then Birdie didn't. And I think it was so interesting because then when you go into the detail of where these parasites lay, it definitely it changes mood, it changes appetite, weight loss. I mean, can you go in a little bit of detail on parasites?

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Okay, well if they weren't so fascinating, I mean I would love them if they weren't so annoying in our body because of how smart they are, how fascinating they are. You know, the conventional style of stool testing misses them because some of them have a self destructive ability. So say you put your stool sample in the mail, they will have self destructed by the time it gets to the lab. And then there's a false negative.

[Bri]

Wow.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Or they put up these little molecules in front of them that tell your immune system and the test, there's nothing to see here. It's like an invisibility cloak. And so they're, they're just extremely, extremely smart. But yeah, to your point, there's a bunch of different types. How they enter our body is different. Some through the bare feet, typical in kids. They some through sushi or undercooked pork mostly. And so then they reside in different areas of the body. And that's why it's so hard to say if you have one, is it based on your symptoms because they're so wide in their symptomology yeah.

[Bri]

And, you know, before we get into just the holiday, talk something too. Just going to my testing, that was very fascinating because, you know, I always see these memes, like Americans of us saying gluten free. But honestly, when I went really strict, gluten free, and I still have been, since we've done the testing, gluten free and dairy free, been very strict. I mean, obviously, not only did I lose weight, but it is the best I've ever felt. I mean, you know, and it's true. And you know, people, when I do say gluten free, they're like, well, I mean, like, you know, it's like. Like some people kind of get bothered by hearing that. But can you just kind of tell everyone, especially I feel like in the United States the importance of, like, gluten. Gluten free diets?

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Totally. Okay. So the gluten and dairy, typically there's a little bit of a different protein in the United States that's very inflammatory for most people. So even if you're not celiac, you don't have the genetic predisposition that doesn't allow you to have gluten. There's non celiac gluten sensitivity that is just rampant in America. And then same goes for the. Some of the Holstein cows in America. They have a little bit, kind of a complicated protein that causes gut inflammation, but as you saw in your test, brain inflammation as well. So when we were struggling with all of that bloat, yes, you're getting the gluten and the dairy sensitivity right at the gut level. But also, if you recall, your brain stem, which is what controls our whole digestive tract from the brain down, was also sensitive to these kinds of food sensitivities. So you were really getting the effect top to tail inside and out from that. So it makes. It makes perfect sense that that would have such a huge improvement in your whole body.

[Bri]

Oh, yeah, and it did. I mean, it was, you know, and obviously the first couple of weeks, because do you remember too, when I started the detox, I text you and I go, do I have, like, acne now? Because, like, it was crazy. You toe. And it was just one week. And I literally woke up like the next day. I swear on like, day eight. And my skin was glowing. It was like all the bumps went away.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Purge, purge.

[Bri]

But it was crazy how much I purged and. But I was like, I just felt like I had to release so much. I just didn't realize how many toxins I had in my body. I was eating the wrong Foods, even though I'm a healthy person. And it was just so great, like doing the test and being able to just readjust, which is never hard on me. I mean, obviously going gluten free and like really being strict with dairy. Like, okay, the first two weeks was a little bit, but I kind of had fun, like looking for new recipes and new things to eat, you know?

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Yeah. I mean, that is part of why you are such a phenomenal client, because you're interested in this kind of stuff. You're interested in improving your health, the health of your family. So that's just the ideal client who's coming at it with just the level of motivation that you really had. But we just live in a world where gluten free is quite common now, so it's getting easier. And different kinds of goat and sheep products are really prevalent. So it's really easy to stay away from just the cow dairy.

[Bri]

Yeah.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

And the gluten.

[Bri]

No, I definitely agree. And even, I mean, I'll say when I'm in France, like, I did not dare say I was gluten free. I just stayed away from it and pick other things because I'm like, I don't know if they would even know, but there was places that actually had a gluten free menu and I was like, okay, this is like a global thing. Yeah, it was. It was actually incredible.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

You know what? I almost wish you would have had just regular dairy and gluten there, because it is processed differently. I know. So I'm about to go to Portugal. I'll probably fully indulge, even though what I shop for myself under my household is gluten free and non cow dairy. But, yeah, we'll probably get into it.

[Bri]

Yeah. Well, I can't actually wait to hear what happens because I wanted to, but then I'm like, oh, my gosh, I swear, if it's like a night on the toilet, I just. And I want it right. I would be.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

It's not worth the backstory.

[Bri]

Like, I was only in Paris for like, I think four or five nights, so I'm like, I can't have a night, you know, at the Airbnb on the toilet. I'm like, girl has to enjoy herself. So I sacrificed that totally.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Well. And then what you've cultivated is just this feeling of well being. You've got your neurotransmitters, those, the serotonin, the happiness molecule in check. You got all of these things just going for you that it's almost like, well, why risk it? What's What's a couple bites of that to go back to the way you were feeling before? It really isn't worth it.

[Bri]

No, not at all. And, you know, it's interesting because there's been a couple times I had some cross contamination stuff and it did damage on me with my stomach, and it reminded me how bad I used to feel. Feel and, like, how bloated I would get. And just, like, people don't even understand how much my toilet and I were best friends. Like, and we shouldn't have been as close as we were, but we were. And so I was like, you know, and it made me be like, I've made the greatest decision and I was a foodie, and I've really had to let go of that. And I do have to tell you, my relationship with food is different because I was the girl. Like, I walked in a place and you told me, this is the world's greatest donuts. I'm like, well, shit, I wasn't coming in here for a doughnut, but now I am. You get me that donut. Let me taste the world's greatest donut. So I've definitely let go of that part of me. And I always tell myself, like, just eat to survive. Like, you're good, Bri. And, you know, it's always hard in the beginning, and now it's like I just. I don't care about so many different things that I used to just really enjoy going and doing. So.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Yeah. Yeah. Well, first of all, how many people claim their thing is the world's best? It's like that elf scene where it's like, world's best coffee. This is a regular diner. But it's you. I think you have found the perfect delicate dance of finding a new normal for you that is still a healthy relationship with food. Sometimes I have clients that kind of get a little too fearful and they take it a little too far into that realm of orthorexia, where then you don't want to go over to your friend's house and you avoid social situations because you can't control everything in. In your food realm. And so that's just always a nice. A nice thing to monitor. And I think you've just cultivated the most. The most healthy balance.

[Bri]

I feel like I have too, for sure. I've actually, I've been lucky. I will say. Well, I say we get into some fun holiday, you know, stuff. It's very interesting to me because when the holidays come and I used to be. I used to fall into this. It was like A free for all. I'm like, I wanted anything that smelled good, anything that was pumpkin, I don't know, like cranberry. Well, you name it. From the breads to the sweets, I indulged. And then I was one of those. When it came to New Year's Eve, I felt awful. I gained weight and I couldn't wait for January 1st so I could do the whole dry January, get like, work out even harder pretty much. Like, not like I'd starve myself, but I'd do something crazy like a smoothie diet. And I finally got sick of that. I got sick of feeling like through the holidays, I got tired of, like, gaining the weight and having to lose it. So I, you know, I feel like for our listeners, it's like it is the end of September, perfect time to prep yourself going into the holiday season.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Yeah. How can we manage the holidays while maintaining a healthy mental health and metabolism? That's like the unicorn. Let's see if we can crack the code today.

[Bri]

Yes, exactly.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

You know, about half of the weight that we gain as Americans happens mid, no, mid October through December. That's it. So all of our kind of bad habits are concentrated right then. And then again that January is just the shame spiral, like nobody's business. It's so sad.

[Bri]

It's so sad. So what do you recommend, Emily, like, for people who it's really hard because you want to indulge and you want to like, you know, I'm lucky now. I can go to social things. And I used to be the girl who'd always be at the, like, kitchen table snacking on everything. And now I kind of stay away. I'm more at the wine table, which I know, you know, I got to be careful there, too.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

But it's like, I'm with you.

[Bri]

Is there anything that you recommend for our listeners as they go into the holiday season? Like, steps they can take?

[Dr. Emily Brown]

For sure. For sure. There's a couple things, like, I concentrate. This happens for me the whole year. And so this is a wonderful little thing through line that you can just carry into the holidays. And it's just putting your emphasis on the morning time. Do not compromise your morning routine. It's typically when you have a little bit of alone time anyways, you're not having to say no to any social situations in order to just take care of a couple steps for yourself. And so if you kind of check off and you have it stack your brain, your body and your spirit all in the morning time, then it gives you such a sense of Fulfillment and then flexibility the rest of the day. So for your brain I would start with some sort of like a matcha with, with a coconut milk, a goat milk, an A2 milk. So something that has protein and fat in your caffeine is really going to provide these lovely compounds that not only nourish your brain, but they're also going to prevent that nervous system over stimulation which we're going to get the rest of the day and the rest of the months anyways. So it kind of helps to sustain a level of anti anxiety throughout the rest of the day. So some sort of protein and fat first thing and then so that's the brain. So then for the body my favorite thing to do is starting the day with some apple cider vinegar and water. And then if you can just take a 15 minute walk outside. Now if you do the apple cider vinegar in the morning, it actually helps regulate your blood sugar for the whole day. So that means when the cookies are coming in later, when the wine is coming in later, you're going to be coming at it in a more resilient, well equipped space in terms of your blood sugar. So it's amazing how that can really pay dividends for you the whole rest of the day. And then I know you're a spiritual girl. The spirituality aspect. So brain, body and then spiritual spirit and the affirmations that we get, those personalized affirmations from the brain scan are just my favorite for nourishing the soul and the spirit. I love, I love those.

[Bri]

And even like the ones that it was crazy to see. Buddy, Mato and Birdie all have different ones and Nicole and I wrote them all out like you told us on the note cards and really make the kids, Sam and I see it transform them. Like I have seen such a difference in, in each child. I mean it's incredible.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Wow. You know, it sounds silly to say, but I wasn't a huge affirmation person before until I read mine and it honestly gave my little soul a hug in a way because I just didn't know what my little inner child needed to be told again and again. So they really hit home. So just checking off the brain, the body and the spirit in the morning and checking off the boxes for yourself and then, and then enjoy the rest of the day.

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[Bri]

My favorite flavor is raspberry.

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[Dana]

Morning Zoe. Got donuts.

[Jeffrey]

Jeff Bridges, why are you still living above our garage?

[Dana]

Well, I dig the mattress and I to be in a T mobile commercial like you teach me. So Dana.

[Jeffrey]

Oh no, I'm not really prepared. I couldn't possibly at T Mobile get the new iPhone 17 Pro on them. It's designed to be the most powerful iPhone yet and has the ultimate pro camera system.

[Dana]

Wow, impressive. Let me try. T mobile is the best place to get iPhone 17 Pro because they've got the best network.

[Bri]

Nice.

[Jeffrey]

Jeffrey, you heard them.

[Liberty Mutual Narrator]

T mobile is the best place to get the new iPhone 17 Pro on us with eligible traded in any condition.

[Dana]

So what are we having for launch?

[Jeffrey]

Dude, my work here is done.

[Liberty Mutual Disclaimer Voice]

24 monthly bill credits on experience beyond for well qualified customers + tax and 35 device connection charge credit sending balance due if you pay off earlier. Cancel Finance Agreement. IPhone 17 Pro 256 gigs $1,099.99 A new line minimum 100 plus a month plan with auto pay plus taxes and fees required. Best mobile network in the US based on analysis by Oaklove Speed Test Intelligence Data 1x2025 Visit T mobile.com well, you.

[Bri]

Know something that's interesting? That one thing I feel like the holidays bring is anxiety. And I feel like people at times think anxiety is from because the chaos around them when so much of what I learned from you can be the foods that we're eating. And I think sometimes we get all this anxiety in the holidays, but maybe it's what we're eating. Can you kind of tell our listeners the connection between anxiety and food?

[Dr. Emily Brown]

100%. The mood food connection is so much stronger than we ever thought possible. But all the leading health psychologists and mental health advocates are realizing that our gut is now called the second brain. And we used to think that about 90% of our control center was from the brain to the gut. But it's flip flop, 90% of the information is coming from the gut to the brain. That's how profound what we put in our stomach is. That's how much it controls the rest of our body. So for you and for you and Nikki, when we're getting down into your neurotransmitters, your feel good molecules, you each had different ones that you were low in. And so then we got to specify and personalize which foods are best for you. For instance, I think for. So yeah, you had, yours was dopamine. So dopamine is our pleasure molecule. And so we want to have foods that are rich in tyrosine. So this is sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, chicken and eggs. Whereas Nikki was low in serotonin, just the overall happiness molecule. And you nourish that with different foods. So when you get to understand exactly how to feed your mood, it's really simple.

[Bri]

It's so simple. Like literally my breakfast every morning and I wasn't a breakfast person because I kind of thought about the whole intermittent fasting and all that until you told me like, no, I need the protein in the morning. And so, and I remember at first it was hard for me to eat in the morning.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Yeah.

[Bri]

But I eat literally two hard boiled eggs. I put my sea salt and my pepper and I, I actually can't believe how much I think that's what gave me energy. I think I was like starving my energy in the morning. And then that was like how I just would like if I'm starting my day like that, there's nowhere to go up really. And it's changed everything. Having my hard boiled eggs in the morning and sometimes I throw turkey bacon depending my time.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Love it, love it. That's probably One of the hardest hurdles for women specifically is getting over all of these societal norms that we've been ingrained with that like, you gotta work out, fasted and skipping meals. It's just all about lower calories and moving more. But it's all to the detriment of our longevity and our current hormones and our mental health. And finally the research on women has caught up and it's like, don't go over an hour without eating food. Protein and fat are the building blocks of our energy molecules. So when you skip that breakfast and you're go, go, going, your body's like, okay, well this woman's body needs energy, but she hasn't given me the building blocks to make it. So what do I do? I go and steal it from the thyroid or I steal it from the reproductive organs. And that's sometimes where stress and adrenal stress and elevated cortisol actually damages your overall energy metabolism and fertility.

[Bri]

Yeah, see, that's so incredible when you say that because I fell into the whole like skipping meals to stay thin and the intermittent fasting, fasting, working out. And I remember there's times Nicole and I look at each other, I'm like, I think I'm going to pass out. And my trainer would be like, did you eat at all today? I'm like, no, not yet. He's like, like, oh my gosh, you're lifting, you need to eat. And that all changed. And it's weird because of my weight loss in the last six months, it's like I'm actually eating breakfast. And here I thought I was the other way was the better way. And it's been incredible. And even like the other day I remember because I'm good at food prepping, so making like big stir fries so I have food the next day so I'm not scrambling to eat. But the other day, I don't even think I ever sat down for large meals. I think I had like my hard boiled eggs. Then like I was picking like throughout the day on this stir fry I had and some like turkey bacon. But I ate very healthy. But I kind of grazed throughout the day. And I remember I slept the best I had all week. And I was like, that's so interesting. Maybe I was really tired, I'm not sure. I felt like I had great energy, but it's like, I don't know, I kind of went that every hour of like just grabbing. I ate an apple, like different things, a lot of nutrients, but I felt so good come bedtime. And I was passed out by nine and slept like nine hours.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Isn't that amazing? It's the simplest homework I get to give, but sometimes the hardest to receive. It's like, just eat more food. But it's like, wait, what if weight loss and body composition are my goal? That just doesn't make sense. It doesn't click. But it really. It really, really works.

[Bri]

Yeah, and eating healthy and. And working out on top of it, you know, for sure. Yeah, but. And I also think adding those affirmations into, I do think the whole mind, body, and soul. And that's why I'm like, everyone listening. You gotta go through Emily to get your testing. Because the mind, body, and soul, it's all so connected. And we forget that when we're getting healthy. I mean, we know about mind health. I feel like we've all, you know, since the pandemic, have taught ourselves, you know, with mental illness and everything. But the connection through, like, feeling really fit is that whole mind, body, totally.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

It could be like, for my first brain scan, the emotional blocks was my number one stressor. So that's what was holding me back in terms of all of my brain health and healing. That's how impactful it can be. I think. Sometimes people think it's just that last little tiny piece of the puzzle, but it is a third of your puzzle of the. The mind, body, spirit.

[Bri]

Yeah. See, I love that. Okay, so another thing I'm gonna have to ask you, and I know it's gonna break my heart, but you know of one thing that we love during the holidays is the. The drinks. I mean, I know I get invited to so many different social events, and I'm always actually, you know, people I think, think I'm a. You know, I drink a lot more than I do. I only allow myself to drink twice a week, and I usually never. I don't allow myself to get drunk unless I'm in Vegas with my sister and not with the kids. But when I'm home, you know, I try to only allow myself two, you know, glasses of wine. Nevermore. But what's the importance of our alcohol consumption?

[Dr. Emily Brown]

It all kind of depends on your goal. Because first of all, the reason we talked about doing two days a week is because when alcohol is present, it's a toxin. And so that becomes priority number one. We got to calm the inflammation and detox, detoxify the effects of alcohol. And so that'll take about 24, sometimes 48 hours. So if you just have alcohol Friday, Saturday, then come Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, you're hitting Your deep restorative sleep. Your body is focusing on hormone health, anti inflammation, and everything that we need to regenerate and restore the body. Whereas if we're having a glass or two every night, we never really get there. Sleep will always be compromised. And even if your eyes are closed for those eight hours, you can check your levels. You're not hitting every level that you need to actually have that restorative sleep.

[Bri]

Oh, yeah, I agree. I mean, when I was just in Vegas, I was there only two nights. Each morning I woke up, I was like, never drinking again. And then I'm like, I slept awful. Like, so bad. And then I was like, how? I woke up and I was fuzzy, and I'm like, can I just, like, go on vacation? Like, when I'm away from the kids and just, like, get a good night's sleep and do a spa day, I'm like, I get real excited because, like, I'm always about energy. So when, like, the music's going and, you know, I can just slam the.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Drinks at times, but yeah, I'm the exact same way. I get real fueled up by other people's excitement.

[Bri]

Oh, me too.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Yeah, totally.

[Bri]

Oh, yeah, totally. But I slept so bad in Vegas. Like, awful.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Exactly. And then so if people have some pretty strict weight loss goals, the processes that alcohol shut down, number one is your ability to burn fat. And so that will be halted for at least 24 hours. So then thinking about that in terms of a nightly use versus that kind of like, Friday, Saturday situation, that's kind of the best. The best approach for that as well.

[Bri]

For sure. And, you know, it's kind of fun because in my house, you know, the kids know they're not allowed to have any sweets until the weekend. And then for me, it's like, I can't have any wine till the weekend. So it's kind of fun for all of us. And, you know, I. It's. You know, the kids are young, and I've made that rule for a very long time, so they're just used to it, so they know not to ask me. They. They don't get bothered by it. It's just what it is. And then we have fun. Because I don't keep ice cream or anything in the house because Buddy will just go in and eat it. I keep actually no sweets in my house. But it's fun for us as a family to go do it on the weekend. Like, we go to this cute little gelato shop or we go like, you know, we find different things, and it becomes Like a family like affair and we all get worked up.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

It's like it should be a treat, it should be a celebration, it should be something special. But the way our food is produced in America, there's just sugar in everything. And so then there's nothing special special about it anymore. So saving it for a dessert, saving it for a treat rather than, you know, how, how kids foods are these days. Every breakfast food is just chock full of sugar and it's basically a glorified dessert. So. Yeah, you've, you've got just the most amazing structure going on there.

[Bri]

Yeah. Thank you. I know. I, I feel blessed too, that the kids are on board with it because, you know, it just makes it easier for me to control it with them and. Okay. So, you know, I feel like we've really nailed it. Talking about food, alcohol, just, you know, understanding going into the holiday season. But I think one thing as we're all gonna go crazy, hosting parties, getting gifts, I mean, I don't. Decorating, whatever, all the stresses we add to ourselves. The one thing I feel like I've always loved that you taught Brian and I, and even Nicole that I never knew I could actually get with a functional nutritionist is the mental part of it. Like, and I know we've talked a little bit about, you know, affirmations and what they do, but I would love for you to go over like the four simple techniques for self compassion and how they actually work to prevent burnout.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Okay. This is through Kristen Ness, who is the leading researcher in self compassion and she works. Her research is based on how to scientifically lower inflammation and cortisol in caregivers. And so self compassion is a way to not only refuel yourself so that you can keep giving. Right. Because so often as a caregiver, as a mom, you can reach burnout very, very quickly. And the biggest misconception about self compassion is that it's weakness, it's selfish, it's, it's self indulgent. And so let's go through a couple of her top four tips. So they're going to sound very, very simple. And they, and they are, and that's why they work. But again, these actually do markedly lower inflammation and cortisol. So the number one is mini resets or just mini rests. So this is integrating short pauses during your day, during your caregiving, during your tasks, to stretch, dance, hand on your heart. These little micro pauses can actually help help de. Escalate our stress response. Otherwise you can get stuck in that sense of guilt, anxiety, or or feeling like you've lost your identity only as somebody who provides.

[Bri]

I agree. And you know what's interesting is I feel like Brian and I feel like we have to ask each other when we could sit down. Do you know what I mean? I'm like, yeah. Like, he's like, oh, do. Do you care? I'm gonna, like, take a little rest on the couch. And I go, brian, you don't have to ask. Ask me whenever you need a rest rest. But I don't know if that's from like, when you have infants. So we always wanted to help each other out and maybe felt guilty if we take a rest. Like, the other partner doesn't think we're helping enough. But he and I both kind of had to have that talk where I'm like, brian, and I know you feel the same for me, whenever you got to kick them feet up, do it. I'm like, I don't care. I'm not gonna judge you. But I do think in a relationship it's important, Important, especially in a marriage, to talk about that with kids, because I feel like that parent guilt and also that spousal guilt of not helping out. Really, like, at least for Brian and I, maybe because we're people pleasers, like, sets in totally.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

People pleasing is coming in in just a second, but I love that. What a lovely, lovely point of communication that he just expressed that to you. And maybe even, you know, to help relieve his guilt, just be like, hey, in an hour, I'm going to do the exact same thing, you know?

[Bri]

Yeah.

[Travel Enthusiast]

I have so many conversations with my husband where we should take the kids.

[Bri]

I mean, I feel like traveling with.

[Travel Enthusiast]

Your kids, they really learn history. They get to see what different cultures look like, different cities, towns, mountains, lakes. Traveling is one of the greatest gifts you can really give your kids. And I'm already looking to see what we should do over winter break. I mean, I know Brian thinks I'm crazy, but that's the fun thing about Airbnb. You can make your wish list. I can start to look at cabins. I can start to see maybe do we want to go somewhere warm and get out of the cold? And there's nothing better when you get a house that you can make warm home cooked meals in, sit by a fireplace, and it's actually the perfect time for me to host my place on Airbnb. I mean, hosting your home on Airbnb is such a smart way to make a little extra income. You can put it towards future travel, home improvement, or that fun splurge item you've been eyeing and I've done the math. The money that I can make hosting puts my family from coach to business class and it lets us do a couple fun extra activities while we're away. Finding a little piece of home while you travel always makes a trip special. Your home could be that for someone else. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much@any Airbnb.com host Morning Zoe.

[Dana]

Got donuts.

[Jeffrey]

Jeff Bridges, why are you still living above our garage?

[Dana]

Well, I dig the mattress and I want to be in a T mobile commercial like you teach me. So Dana.

[Jeffrey]

Oh no, I'm not really prepared. I couldn't possibly at t mobile get the new iPhone 17 Pro on them. It's designed to be the most powerful iPhone yet and has the ultra ultimate Pro camera system.

[Dana]

Wow, impressive. Let me try. T Mobile is the best place to get iPhone 17 Pro because they've got the best network.

[Bri]

Nice.

[Jeffrey]

Jeffrey, you heard them.

[Liberty Mutual Narrator]

T Mobile is the best place to get the new iPhone 17 Pro on us with eligible traded in any condition.

[Dana]

So what are we having for launch?

[Jeffrey]

Dude, my work here is done.

[Liberty Mutual Disclaimer Voice]

24 month ago credits on experience beyond for well qualified customers plus tax and 35 device connections. Charge credit same and balance due if you pay off earlier. Cancel Finance agreement. IPhone 17 Pro 256 gigs $1099.99 and new line minimum $100 plus a month plan with auto pay plus taxes and fees required. Best mobile network in the US based on analysis by Ooklove Speed Test Intelligence data 1H 2025 visit t mobile.com oh that's okay.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

So number two is to remember your basic needs and self care. So making sure that your physical and emotional needs aren't pushed to the back burner and you can kind of pick one that's more manageable. You know, sleep, rest, good nutrition, physical movement. So maybe if it's even the nutrition is one for the day that you can do and that's where you take care of the brain, body and spirit in the morning. But these all support our stress resilience and our ability to tolerate stress. So basically that means we know there's potential shit storms coming our way with traveling across the country, having a house full of people. But this is how we're able to to not hit that burnout and cultivate more ability to share and give because that's going to be needed of us.

[Bri]

Oh yeah, for sure.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Okay. Number three is to set and honor boundaries and limits. That's me as a people pleaser as well. So this is just really taking an honest look at what you can realistically do and what's unsustainable, Making sure you're able to say no or maybe later or delegate is my favorite, favorite thing. And for some reason, caregivers have the hardest time delegating. So here's where you can schedule in short periods of rest, kind of similar to what Brian did, and then you get to schedule one in as well. So by delegating, what this helps do is lower our decision fatigue, which is one of the number one reasons caregivers and moms during the holidays, the top stresses they have is weight gain, burnout, loss of joy, and that invisible mental work. That's when moms are there doing all the scheduling, the cooking, the traveling, all of these things that aren't physical that are still weighing on the mental load. And so by delegating, we get to share that and really get to regenerate within ourselves. So the reason this one really works is it. It preserves your energy so you can continue caregiving without burning out. And it really is not weakness to delegate. It's so, so important. Bri, do you happen to watch the great British Bake Off?

[Bri]

So I've seen an episode.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Okay. Every single time, without fail, there's somebody that's like, I want to be a bit bold. And you're just like, no, simplify, simplify. It never works out. Why are you putting the words world on your shoulders for this task? Like, don't do it. So that's always kind of my approach, like, simplify during these times because there is so much added stress anyways that you can't avoid.

[Bri]

I agree. You know, I did it last year, and it changed my whole way. I enjoyed the holidays. It was my favorite holiday season. I just told myself, I, bree, you don't have to do it all, because I always feel the stress. I got to take my kids to this, to this, to this, to this. And then I got to get all here. And I was like, I actually said no to a lot. And I simplified how we did the holidays. I simplified how I decorated everything, and I enjoyed the holidays way more. Way more.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Fantastic. Yeah, you're gonna roll with that. Are you proselytizing, telling everyone to do the same?

[Bri]

Oh, yes.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

I love it.

[Bri]

Yeah.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Okay, so the fourth one is to maintain your sense of purpose and your meaning. So reminding yourself what really matters and tying that sense of purpose to whatever task it is. Like, for instance, connection, love, or service, if those are the things that fill you up, then tying your task to that. Like, why did I decide to cook all the sides for my family? Oh, yeah, that. That sense of service is what actually brings me joy. Oh, yeah, that. That means a lot to me or something. Like, why did I fly my whole family across the United States? Well, that. That sense of connection actually really does mean the world to me. So this helps to sustain that motivation through the tasks at hand.

[Bri]

Oh, I love that because we do. Because I'm someone who loves to host, but I'd love to see all my family together. And even though it can get overwhelming, it's still, like, the greatest joy because it rarely can happen at times because everyone's so busy living all over the place. And so that's good reminders because it's true.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Yeah, yeah. It's like the things that we are most fearful of during the holidays, the lack of support, lack of joy, excessive mental load. Those are the opposite of what we want the holidays to be about. Spirit, cheer, love. So how can we kind of reframe all of this? Simplify, delegate, and share the tasks?

[Bri]

Oh, my gosh. I so agree. Thank you so much, Emily. Well, now we're gonna have a little fun because I asked our listeners to send in some questions, and they did. So I picked out four that I'm going to hit you with. So this. This one's from King Elijah, 1996. And he asked, what is your approach to systematic. No. Systemic inflammation.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Systemic inflammation, yeah. Great question. So similar to what Bri and I talked about with her food sensitivities and brain sensitivities, it's about identifying what your inflammatory triggers are. Now, we can get very granular here. Some people are more prone to higher inflammation based on their genes, and I look at that too. And then if you have that specific genetic pattern, you can take certain steps for that. I mean, it's just all about understanding personalized triggers and doing what you can do to address those rather than throwing the kitchen sink. Because inflammation is one of the most nebulous terms out there. And people are just taking random things from TikTok, from Instagram, from. From their aunt's, you know, supplement covered.

[Bri]

Yeah.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

To try to help it. But if it's not right for your body, then it. Then it's just a waste of money and time. So that's again, why kind of testing just gets to the root of your inflammation.

[Bri]

Yeah.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Usually it's undiscovered toxins. And then we figure out, well, where are those toxins living? What kind of antifungals do you need? What kind of anti parasitics do you need? Need? Yeah, it's all tested and measured.

[Bri]

Wow, that's amazing. Okay, next question's from Salybabe. She asked how is it possible to avoid and reduce bloating after eating something? Love you girls. You're my fave.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Okay, bloating, probably one of the number one things I get asked about. And so a very simple tip is that apple cider vinegar in the morning, that's going to help set the digestive enzymes in motion and help you produce more. So that's what we're after. You can also do apple cider vinegar before each meal. Some people like to include some bitters or some bitter tea before they eat. But again, here, what is causing the inflammation and the reactivity to your food? That's where testing we'd get to know, are you eating something that your body just doesn't like? Sometimes it's as simple as that. And then you're getting that whole bloat reaction. Maybe there's an underlying parasite that kind of degrades those digestive enzymes and that's why you're chronically low in them. What about, like, Brie? You could have some brainstem stress there. And that's what actually controls the whole vagus nerve and is a huge route for bloating. So I would just want to get in and see what she's working with.

[Bri]

Yeah. And that's why it's important to get tests tested so that someone like Emily can really figure every little detail out for you. And then so our next question, I'm not going to say her handle just for privacy, but she asks, how can I manage my PCOS through diet, if that's possible.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

PCOS is a little bit of a trickier one because it's multifactorial. You have different, different categories contributing to pcos. So I would never make like an guesstimation here at all. That's where working with specialized test is going to be the most impactful. Because PCOS is so complicated. Yeah. I would just want to get. I would want to get some personalized testing with her. For sure.

[Bri]

Yeah, for sure.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

But it's about managing your insulin. It's about managing your hormones. And again, that apple cider vinegar is actually a great trick for insulin. There's tons and tons of, tons of things you can do for PCOS, but I just wouldn't want to list all 50 because you might only need a couple.

[Bri]

For sure. Okay, last question. I've never heard of this diet. But they were wondering your thoughts on the purium diet. P U R I U M. I don't know it. Okay.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Purium.

[Bri]

I don't. Yeah. I'm like, oh, okay.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

It's like a Prolon fast. Oh, I'd want to get in there. I'd want to get in there and look at the ingredients, for sure. In terms of those cleanse kits, I would go with Chroma. They're my favorite one. Dr. Will Cole is the functional health doctor who supervises all of the ingredients, the recipes. They're so incredibly thoughtfully made. And they might not hit the kind of fat in the. The fasting, mimicking diet that some of the other ones do, like Prolon, and maybe this purion one. But you will feel nourished, debloated. You will feel fantastic after those five days. And they actually make a really great beauty matcha that would check off all of those boxes for your morning nourishment, actually.

[Bri]

Oh, that's amazing. And then I. Here's another one I just saw. Someone would like to know your thoughts on eating fruit, which I do feel like this is always a thing you see on TikTok. It's good, it's bad, it's all these things.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Yeah. Fruit. I'm a huge fan. Some people. Okay, technically, you should eat it alone because the enzymes that break down fruit, first of all, they start in the mouth. We've got the amylase in the mouth, and they work at a different speed than the digestive enzymes for your meats and your other things that might be in a whole meal. And so technically, if you want the most absorption from your berries and your fruit and the vitamin Cs, you should be eating them alone. I'm not huge with that. I don't like to have a ton of restrictions with where and when I'm eating. I'll still put blueberries and blackberries in my smoothie and have it as a complete meal. So I'm a little bit flexible on that one, but there are technicalities.

[Bri]

Yeah. Oh, my gosh. Emily. Well, thank you so much for coming on the podcast.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Thank you.

[Bri]

Bri, can you tell everyone where can they find you on Instagram and your website? And if you ever need any more information, reach out to Emily. She's going to tell you where you can find her.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Yeah, the website is www.genetic-garden.com. i have a relatively new Instagram. Had to start that one over, so it's at Genetic Underscore. Garden Underscore. So come find me there.

[Bri]

Yes, you give amazing tips on there, by the way.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Thank you.

[Bri]

Even one tip which you guys need to go look at your video. I think I saw it in your IG stories, but I think you also put on your feed is certain workouts for your hormones. It was hormones, right?

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Or your body for sure. Yeah, yeah. There's certain workouts for your certain brain type, for your mental health, for your hormones, for where you're at in your life stage. If you're perimenopausal. I mean all sorts of things we get, we get hyper personalized in there. So just come send me a DM and I would love to start a conversation with you. I like to get specific in there.

[Bri]

You guys need to don't miss out on that. And Emily, we love to end our episodes. A little inspiration and affirmation. I think it would be nice if we all knew what your affirmation was.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

My affirmation right now is I am courageous.

[Bri]

I love that.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Yeah.

[Bri]

And then what's a little inspiration you can give us?

[Dr. Emily Brown]

I would say to especially coming into these holidays is to be generous, but not. And I don't mean in terms of material goods, but I mean in terms of your sense of compliments and kindness and your acts of service and your helping hands. We are such social animals, our social tribe. And the amount of love that you feel from an act of service is what really profound. So don't shy away from that generous sense of. Of service.

[Bri]

Oh my gosh, I love that. I am definitely taking that with me into this holiday season. Well, thank you everyone for listening. Today's episode. You can find videos of today's episode either on the Nikki and Bree Show, YouTube, IG page, Facebook, Tik Tok. You can also Hear us on Stars109 and you can also call us on our hotline 833 Garcia too. Even if you have questions about today's episode, I will send them over to Emily. So thank you everyone. Make sure to enjoy the holidays, but in a very mindful way. And Emily, thank you so much for coming.

[Dr. Emily Brown]

Thank you.

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