When Millennials Become Moms

This week’s episode dives into the hidden role plastics play in our food, especially when eating out. With most meals now prepared outside the home, we explore what that means for our daily exposure and why this topic is often overlooked in culinary training. We also get a look into her personal kitchen habits, the ingredients she swears by, and what she avoids completely. From restaurant oils to easy healthy meals, this conversation is packed with practical takeaways for anyone looking to reduce their toxic load.

Plastics in Restaurants

1:28 – Why is this so important, and what are we missing about plastic in our food?5:00 – What is not taught in culinary school about the dangers of plastic7:00 – Almost 60% of meals are eaten outside the home, meaning more than half of what we eat is prepared elsewhere. What does that mean for our plastic exposure?11:30 – Her background and how she got into this work15:30 – What is the first place you would remove plastic in a home kitchen?18:00 – Her most underrated ingredient19:00 – What is one thing she would never feed her son?23:00 – Her easiest, go-to healthy meal25:00 – A look at what oils are being used in even the best restaurants32:00 – If someone walks into your restaurant and leaves feeling different, what do you hope they feel?

This week we’re talking all about tantrums and what’s really going on beneath them. We start with a few life updates including making our own cream-top coffee at home (and the cups we love from Elk & Friends) and Emily’s latest obsession with Dubai chocolate. Then we dive into a real-life parenting moment when Natasha helped a friend navigate her four-year-old’s meltdown and what it revealed about how kids process big emotions.

From there, we break down practical ways to prevent tantrums before they start including preparing the night before, recognizing that different kids need different approaches, and how to handle older kids who may show their frustration through defiance. We also talk about the surprising lessons these moments teach us about ourselves as parents, the importance of modeling how to calm our own bodies, and how the environment in a child’s bedroom can actually influence behavior and emotional regulation.

Links:

Dubai chocolates - https://amzn.to/4lzsQ8Q

Irish soda bread  - https://www.wowbakesla.com/shop/8o9q3co15z1lo26fgizex9vyg0yurd

1:00- Making our own cream top coffee and elk and friends cups 

1:30 - Emily enjoying dubai chocolates 

3:00- 4 year old tantrum and how Natasha walked her friend thru her daughters tantrums 

7:00 - Preparing the night before to prevent tantrums 

13:00- Different kids - different approaches 

16:00 - Helping older kids who are defiant 

17:00- What we learned about ourselves in these teaching moments with our kids 

18:00- Modeling ways to calm our bodies 

22:00 - setting up the kids room to help prevent tantrums 

23:00- How a kids bedroom impacts their behavior

In this quick episode, we’re recapping our time at Expo West, the biggest natural products show of the year. While we always remind people that packaged foods shouldn’t make up the bulk of your diet, Expo is a fascinating window into where the food industry is heading.

We share the biggest trends we noticed across the show floor, including the continued explosion of protein-packed snacks. We talk about some of the protein granolas that caught our attention, the growing category of creative hot sauces, and a few dips that we couldn’t stop going back for.

We also highlight some standout products like pistachio butter, a crunchy new quinoa snack, and even some interesting innovations in maple syrup.

It’s a quick tour through the booths, flavors, and trends that had everyone talking at Expo West.

0:44- Not encouraging people to eat packaged food 

1:15 - Trends at Expo West 

2:25 - Protein Granola 

3:25- Hot Sauces 

3:30 - Dips we loved 

4:40 - Pistachio Butter 

5:30 - Quinoa Wow 

6:30 - Maple Syrup

Peptides with Dr. Vodjani (And the Truth About Collagen, Estrogen, Mold and More) — PART 2

In Part 2, Dr. Vodjani breaks down the rising popularity of peptides: what they are, who they’re for, and why they’re not a cure-all. We also cover hair growth, collagen, colostrum, hormone imbalances (including stubborn high estrogen), mold and mycotoxin testing, and when to consider nutrient and gut health testing for kids. This episode is a practical deep dive into what’s hype versus what’s actually helpful in functional medicine.

Topics covered:

Peptides in Functional Medicine


What are peptides, and how are they being used in functional medicine today?

Before Starting Peptides


What should people understand before beginning peptide therapy?

The “Cure-All” Hype


Are peptides being overpromoted as a magic solution?

Peptides for Weight Loss & Skin


The truth about peptides for weight loss, wrinkles, and skin concerns.

Peptides & Skin Tissue Repair


How peptides may support tissue healing and skin integrity.

Over-the-Counter Skincare with Peptides


Do topical peptide products actually work?

Hair Growth


What truly works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to hair growth?

Collagen Powders


Dr. Vodjani’s take on collagen supplementation.

Colostrum

Is colostrum worth the hype? Who might benefit?

High Estrogen Despite a “Healthy” Lifestyle


If someone lives an 80/20 healthy lifestyle but still has high estrogen, what could be contributing?

Mold & Mycotoxins


Are blood tests for mycotoxins reliable? What should people know about mold exposure?

Testing Kids’ Nutrient Levels & Gut Health


What are the best ages to test children for nutrient deficiencies and gut imbalances?

In Part One with Dr. Vojdani, Natasha shares her personal experience
with Epstein-Barr Virus and the symptoms that led her to seek answers. Dr. Vojdani explains what EBV is, how to properly test for it, and why
many conventional approaches miss reactivation. We discuss immune
triggers, ferritin levels, environmental toxins like PFAS, and why EBV
seems more reactive in recent years. The conversation also covers
Thymosin Alpha 1, peptides, sourcing concerns, breastfeeding safety, and
how EBV can impact both adults and children. This episode lays the
groundwork for understanding EBV from both a personal and clinical lens.

Notes:
1:00 – Natasha shares her experience with Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV).
2:50 – What is Epstein-Barr Virus?
6:00 – How do you properly test for EBV, and what are the issues with
how most doctors are currently testing for it?
7:45 – Explaining the Thymosin Alpha 1 shot.
8:30 – Natasha shares some of the symptoms she was experiencing.
10:00 – Dr. Vojdani explains more about peptides and how they work.
13:00 – Concerns about peptides coming from China.
14:25 – Dr. Vojdani responds to the Medical Medium protocol for
Epstein-Barr.
15:30 – Can EBV be treated safely while breastfeeding?
16:52 – Are peptides safe during breastfeeding?
17:30 – Conditions Dr. Vojdani sees triggered by EBV in his clinic.
18:00 – Why EBV cases have increased over the past five years.
20:00 – Does mycoplasma bacteria play a role in EBV or other chronic
conditions?
21:00 – The impact of ferritin levels and whether low ferritin can
contribute to reactivation.
22:00 – Questions about children recovering from Epstein-Barr Virus.
24:00 – PFAS and immune conditions.