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In this episode, Kirsten further explores stocking up on food for what may be a very bleak winter. She includes sourcing tips, how to store seasonal produce, and what to have in your freezer. The time to get prepared is now and this episode gives you plenty of resources on how to do just that. Episode 68 is a great companion episode.

What happens to a restaurant in a pandemic? We have all heard the alarming predictions that 30-to even 75% of privately owned restaurants will close permanently due to the virus. Restaurants employ over 15 million in the United States and have created a whole sector of industries that support them.  Restaurants that have survived so far are now going into fall and winter which will likely be the biggest challenge yet. Kirsten details how her family is running their restaurant in a pandemic. So far (fingers crossed), it's working.

Food Smarts is back after a long hiatus!  Catch up with Kirsten as she discusses how she has been struggling (who hasn't?!) and shares her back-to-basics self-care tips. When everything seems wrong, where do we start?

What is the culture clash between traditional food wisdom and modern convenience and why does it matter? We know we should eat better, so why don't we? How do we bring together authentic "real food" wisdom that takes some of our time while accessing modern convenience and making it all work in our busy lives? This is the crucial question that holds people back from eating better. Food literacy is about the skills we need to eat well in the modern world. Kirsten and Amie also chat about the Potty Brigade. Here is a link to Kirsten's blog post about Traditional Wisdom & Modern Convenience

Kirsten interviews friend and farmer Abby Abbott-Rider about raising 100% pastured/grassfed meat at Thistle Byre Farm. Find out why it is important to buy and consume good meat, what it takes to raise it, and ways to save on top quality meat. You can reach Abby at 765-202-0100.

Kirsten details 5 ways to improve your resilience to meet the challenges of a broken food system and the climate emergency.  Not only do we need to build skills to be more self-reliant, but to be productive community citizens who can react wisely to local disasters. 

Kirsten explains how inflammation in your brain triggers everything from your bad mood and brain fog to serious psychiatric disorders and dementia.  The all-important takeaway is that your body's "Inflammation Highway" starts with what you eat.  Kirsten discusses her own health crash and the brain fog and nervous breakdown that came with it. This is ground-breaking information. Don't miss out. 

This is episode 1 in a series leading up to the launch of my book Eat to Your Advantage. Defending your body and brain starts with your plate. Listen to find out what a balanced, truly healthy plate looks like.  

You've heard me say it again and again---you need to get busy growing food.  If you don't know where to start, I can help.  In this episode, I detail the three-part course to Plan, Source & Construct, and Plant your garden that I am giving away for free. You can do this!  Visit Small Wonder Food, sign-up for my newsletter and I will send you the free course. 

My first show from quarantine is all about the two things you need to do to cultivate resilience at this time. This is your wake-up call. If you were looking for one, the time is now. Things have gotten really real for us all, and the time has come for you to take control of your health and your family’s health for good and build better immunity.

Whether you are preparing for a pandemic or just want the peace of mind that comes with having food on hand, Kirsten walks you through setting up a pantry and tells you some of her favorite tips and products for stocking up. Here's a link to my favorite online source, Thrive Market. 

Eating better means cooking more, but it doesn't have to be hard. This podcast is a preview of some of the content for Kirsten's upcoming book Eat To Your Advantage. Kirsten breaks down 5 meal types to help you get nutritious meals on the table with minimum stress.  Dinner is easier to tackle when you have a plan.  Kirsten details the meal types she uses to relieve the time and mental burden of what's for dinner. 

Kirsten tells you what will be included in her book coming out fall 2020.  Eat To Your Advantage is your survival guide to the American food system written by a nutrition expert, farmer, restaurateur, and consumer of nutrition therapy.  The book answers the question of how to eat for the health of your body and brain without giving up modern convenience. If you are confused about food, worried about the dangers inherent in our unsustainable food system, and want real-world solutions, Eat To Your Advantage is the book you need. 

I love this interview! Shannon Stanis, Watershed Coordinator with the Wabash River Enhancement Corporation and I discuss fermentation. Shannon shares their love for making sauerkraut and kombucha. We discuss how fermentation works, how it builds health, and how sharing a ferment is sharing a little bit of yourself. Don't miss this. 

Kirsten, Amie, and guest co-host Marshmallow the chinchilla talk about the importance of elimination and reintroduction diets in identifying what foods work for and against you.  Kirsten is certified in both the Autoimmune Protocol and the Wahls Protocol and helps individuals uncover what food really works for them while teaching folks how to deeply nourish and heal.  Amie is going through an elimination/reintroduction right now and speaks to the challenges and benefits. We also talk about goat poop, book editors, crap-free holidays, and more.  Join us!

Kirsten explains her 2020 Make It Count Food Challenge.  This is not a diet! The Make It Count Challenge is all about eating a diverse variety of foods.  You can participate as an individual, group, or family.  The challenge is designed to build food knowledge, get you reading food labels, and eating seasonally/locally.  Listen to the podcast, read the guidelines, and join the challenge Facebook group.  Let's do this!

Kirsten interviews friend and living miracle, V Capaldi (aka Paleo BOSS Lady) about her miracle status (V is the most healed person from MS using diet and lifestyle) and the upcoming free CBD Health Revolution Summit which she is co-hosting.  Find out how living consciously took V from suicidal to world-changer.  V talks about how important CBD has been in her own life and the amazing amount of info that will be shared in the CBD Summit January 13-19.  Make sure you register for this summit and get your free gifts--including V's own ebook with all the instructions you need for making DIY CBD bath and body products. 

Kirsten interviews Justin Morrissette.  Justin is a Crossfit trainer and gym manager as well as a published children's author.  He talks about making the leap from engineering to fitness as well as writing about fitness for kids.  Justin's first book, Playground WOD, is available now and his new book, Gym Tales and Barbells, will be available very soon.  Justin's books are geared toward kids ages 3-5, but we talk about the need for all kids to be up and moving.   The CDC and WHO both recommend a minimum of 60 minutes of activity daily.  

Kirsten and Amie interview special guest Polly Barks. Polly is a zero-waste educator, climate activist, and social media influencer.  We talk about what motivates Polly's activism and how she markets activism to build community and make change. Listen in to find out how Polly and a few others have been able to mobilize local residents. Definitely check out Polly online and on Instagram.  She has everything you need to get active in the climate crisis--from a home trash audit to petitioning your local government. 

Join us in having a plastic crap-free holiday season.  Kirsten has worked up a list of 12 (*plus one) holiday gifts ideas that focus on experiences, health, education. and deliciousness. Get Amie's bonus picks too.  Many of the items are on sale now or will be soon.  You can also see the full list on the blog. We also talk about bats, Huey Lewis, and people driving slow in the left lane.