This episode of Well-Bent is a little different — instead of interviewing an expert, I'm sharing a life-changing hack I recently adopted that's helped me to maintain a more consistent and beneficial morning routine.

One of the questions I love asking Well-Bent guests is what their morning routines look like — because I truly believe the habits you start your day with can set the tone for you mentally, emotionally, and even physically. Over the last year, I’ve experimented with a lot of different rituals, from dry brushing and gua sha to different kinds of breathwork and journaling, but as I kept adding more and more trendy practices it got to the point where my morning routine was no longer realistic or doable. I was actually overwhelmed by how much I had on my “to-do list” in the morning before I could get out the door or start my work day. And I realized something: having a morning routine that’s supposed to be for the sake of wellness but is actually stressing me out, is kind of counterproductive.

I was telling my therapist about this and she suggested a really helpful alternative approach: creating a "morning menu."

In this episode, I'll explain how to develop a morning menu, and how this strategy can help you build the best morning routine for your specific goals and lifestyle. Hope you find this helpful! And if you need some ideas for practices to add to your menu, head to the Well-Bent pod Instagram and comment "MORNINGS" on my latest post about this episode.

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PROMO CODES:

• Shop here and use code WELLBENT15 for 15% off your first order from Pact!

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Psychadelic-assisted therapy remains one of the hottest (and most controversial) topics in the mental health space today — and in this episode, you’re going to hear from a board-certified physician who has not only tried it but is calling it “the biggest breakthrough in mental health treatment in a generation.” That’s Dr. Sara (Gottfried) Szal, Director of Precision Medicine at the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health at Thomas Jefferson University, and multiple New York Times bestselling author. She’s a Harvard-educated medical doctor who treats professional athletes and executives alike, and I loved getting to hear about how MDMA-assisted therapy has been transformative on her journey to healing trauma. But first, here’s some context.

Only about 30% of people eventually recover from PTSD with treatment — so clearly, we’re missing a piece of the puzzle. The question is: Are psychedelics that missing piece? Multiple trials have shown participants who were given MDMA-assisted therapy for their PTSD experienced a significant reduction in the severity of the symptoms compared to people who were just given a placebo pill with therapy. In fact, in one 2023 trial, 71% of patients no longer met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD, and almost 50% were considered in remission 18 weeks after they started MDMA-assisted therapy. Of people who got the placebo with therapy, only 48% didn’t meet the diagnostic criteria anymore and 21% were in remission. Another meta-analysis found that psychedelic-assisted therapy can significantly reduce anxiety and depression, both of which often co-occur in people with PTSD.

Psychedelics aren’t for everyone, and there are risks to consider with taking any substance. The first meta-analysis that examined the safety of psychedelics in a medical context, which looked at 30 studies and was published in May of this year, revealed that in over 1,000 cases where psychedelic substances were administered to people, there were only nine serious adverse events. Most of the side effects were temporary symptoms like elevated heart rate, nausea, and lower appetite.

While Dr. Gottfried Szal shared her transformative experience with psychedelic-assisted therapy, we discussed:

• Is MDMA good for trauma?
• Has MDMA been approved for PTSD?
• How and why MDMA-assisted therapy works for PTSD
• What are the results of psychedelic-assisted therapy?
• What is happening in your brain when you add MDMA to a therapy session?
• Can psychedelic-assisted therapy be done virtually, or does it have to be in person?
• How to find psychedelic-assisted therapy near you
• The importance of finding a therapist you trust when using psychedelics
• How setting and environment play a key role in reaping the benefits of psychedelic-assisted therapy

PROMO CODES:

• Shop here and use code WELLBENT15 for 15% off your first order from Pact!

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Over the past year, I started dealing with some mysterious symptoms that my primary care doctor couldn’t seem to solve. They sent me to a bunch of specialists who prescribed medications to help manage my symptoms but didn't offer any answers about why I was having these symptoms. Sound familiar? If you're eager to figure out the root cause of your health issues, Function Health is a paradigm-shifting new platform that tests over 100 biomarkers — and the best part is, you don't need your doctor to order the labwork for you. You can book the appointment yourself and access the data through an online portal. Then, when your results roll in, you can see which biomarkers are "in range" (normal) or "out of range" (abnormal). Plus, you'll get super detailed analysis from a board-certified doctor explaining the significance of your results and offering personalized recommendations for optimizing your health.

Most health insurance plans will only cover a very limited selection of tests. To get all of the labwork Function offers, it could cost up to $15,000 out of pocket. But with Function Health, you get access to all of this valuable info twice a year for an annual subscription cost of $499.

The Function test looks at over 100 biomarkers, which cover almost every aspect of your health, including:

• Heart health
• Thyroid function
• Autoimmunity and immune regulation
• Hormone health
• Metabolic health
• Liver, kidney, and pancreatic health
• Nutrient deficiencies
• Stress and aging
• Heavy metals
• Urine
• Electrolyte levels
• Blood health

I had the opportunity to test out Function Health myself, and in today’s episode, I’ll share:

• How much does Function Health cost?
• How long is the Function Health waitlist?
• What is included in Function Health?
• Is Function Health worth it?
• What to expect from the process step by step, from sign up to receiving results

Then, you'll hear my interview with the founder Dr. Mark Hyman during which we talked about:

• The difference between "normal" and optimal lab ranges
• How to understand your Function lab results
• How you can use Function to make — and track — meaningful health improvements over time

Dr. Hyman is not only the cofounder and chief medical officer of Function Health, but also the Founder and Senior Advisor for the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine, the founder and director of The UltraWellness Center, Board President for Clinical Affairs for The Institute for Functional Medicine, founder and chairman of the Food Fix Campaign, and a fifteen-time New York Times best-selling author.

Function Health currently has more than 300,000 people on the waiting list but Dr. Hyman was kind enough to share a special code with our listeners to skip the line! Use code WELLBENT100 when you sign up to breeze past that waiting list!

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PROMO CODES:

Use the code WELLBENT100 at sign-up for Function Health — the first 100 people to use this code can skip the waiting list!

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Follow Dr. Mark Hyman and Function Health on Instagram:

• @drmarkhyman
• @functionhealth

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Athletes' success hinges on their ability to maintain optimal energy, endurance, strength, agility, and mental focus while also avoiding injury — which means fueling up with the right foods. Tom Brady knows this well: In fact, he'd probably be the first to admit that he might not be the G.O.A.T if he hadn’t been so strategic with what he was eating — and that’s where Allen Campbell came in. As Brady’s former personal chef, Campbell played a role in the 7-time Super Bowl winner’s day-to-day diet. He’s also worked with The NHL’s Patrice Bergeron, Charlie McAvoy, and Kevin Hayes, among other athletes. And he's contributed all of the recipes to multiple books, including The Game of Eating Smart and Brady’s first book, the New York Times bestseller The TB12 Method. It should come as no surprise that he's known as "the chef of peak performance."

The good news? You don’t have to be a professional athlete to eat like one thanks to AC Kitchen, Campbell’s fast-growing health-conscious meal delivery service — which currently services MA, NY, and CT. His fully-cooked meals are all made with organic, local ingredients and no gluten, dairy, refined sugars, or seed oils. AC Well, Campbell's corporate wellness program, includes virtual cooking classes, custom meal plans, and made-from-scratch snacks.

Not only does Campbell understand the KEY role food can play in reaching your fitness goals, but he’s proven time and again that you don’t have to sacrifice flavor and joy while prioritizing your health. In this interview, he shares:

• How he got the gig as a personal chef for Tom Brady and Gisele
• How an athlete's meal plan might change during the off-season, or while recovering from an injury
• How he helps his athlete clients reach their protein goals (and how he feels about supplementing with protein powder)
• Where and how he sources high-quality produce, meat, and seafood
• Which oils are best to cook with
• Why he prefers using coconut sugar to other types
• What to expect from AC Kitchen's new Snack Box Sampler (available for purchase nationwide!)
• Tips for parents to get their kids to eat their vegetables
• How he designs a meal plan for someone healing from gut issues like SIBO, candida, and IBS
• His honest, unfiltered take on jerky, mushroom coffee, Impossible Burgers and Beyond Burgers, and raw milk

Follow Allen Campbell on Instagram here!

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PROMO CODES:

• Shop here to get 10% off your Alkamind order:
• Click here to get 10% off Dr. Gioffre’s Gut Lab package
• For $60 off Apollo Neuro, shop here OR use code WELLBENT at checkout!

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If you feel like you’ve tried just about everything to cope with your anxiety — to no avail — you’re not alone. Researchers estimate that 50 to 60% of people with anxiety still suffer from symptoms even after trying first-line treatments. Why? Well, maybe it’s because anxiety comes in many shapes and colors. In fact, according to Dr. Nicole Cain, a naturopathic doctor and clinical psychologist, there are actually nine types of anxiety. And knowing your type is the best way to figure out which treatments are actually going to help you.

Dr. Cain is the founder of the Holistic Wellness Collective, a membership program designed to provide self-healing, cohost of the podcast Holistic Inner Balance, and the author of the new book Panic Proof: The New Holistic Solution to End Your Anxiety Forever.

We packed a lot into this conversation, including:

• The nine types of anxiety
• How do I know what type of anxiety I have?
• What does time anxiety feel like?
• What is your anxiety telling you?
• What are the digestive symptoms of anxiety?
• What does too much histamine in the body feel like? What happens when your body has too much histamine?
• EMDR for anxiety
• Can people pleasing cause anxiety?
• Can certain medications increase anxiety?
• Self-sabotaging habits and behaviors that make anxiety worse
• What bloodwork to get for anxiety
• Can a hormonal imbalance cause anxiety?
• What supplements are best for anxiety?

Trigger warning: Assault is briefly mentioned in this episode, but not described or discussed in detail.

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Dr. Cain’s quiz to find your anxiety type: https://drnicolecain.com/anxiety-quiz/

Drugs.com interactions checker

Dr. Cain’s recommended lab tests for anxiety:

• CBC & CMP
• Blood sugar
• Red blood cells
• Lipids
• Vitamin D
• Full thyroid panel
• Full iron panel
• Homocysteine
• Dutch test for hormones

Dr. Cain’s recommended supplements for anxiety:

• L-theanine
• MetaGenics Exhilarin

Follow Dr. Nicole Cain on Instagram here!

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PROMO CODES:

• Shop here to get 10% off your Alkamind order:
• Click here to get 10% off Dr. Gioffre’s Gut Lab package

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Dr. Frank Anderson is a legend in the realm of trauma treatment. Not only is he a trauma survivor himself, but he’s been studying neuroscience, and the effects and treatment of trauma, for three decades now. What sets him apart is that he’s both a board-certified psychiatrist and a licensed psychotherapist. He’s also cofounder of the Trauma Institute, and the writer of the powerful new memoir To Be Loved: A Story of Truth, Hope and Healing, among many other books.

Dr. Anderson completed his residency at Harvard Medical School and he currently splits his time between L.A. and Massachusetts — and because of that, I was fortunate enough to chat with him in person right at Big Night Live’s Studio B in Boston.

During this interview, we covered:

• What is complex trauma, and why is complex trauma so hard to treat?
• What is the best therapy for complex trauma?
• Why and how EMDR works for complex trauma
• How does IFS work with trauma?
• What is “parts work therapy” for trauma?
• How to release trauma from the body
• How to forgive someone who traumatized you
• Why do they say “Forgiveness is for you, not the other person”? Is forgiving someone for your benefit not theirs?
• Is trauma recovery possible? Can you ever fully heal from trauma?
• Is it true that no one can love you until you love yourself?
• Can you grow out of your attachment style? Is it possible for your attachment style to change? Can different people trigger different attachment styles?
• Can you heal if you don't forgive?

Trigger warning: Assault is briefly mentioned in this episode, but not described or discussed in detail.

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“To Be Loved: A Story of Truth, Trauma, and Transformation” by Dr. Frank Anderson

• Buy on Barnes & Noble here.
• Buy on Amazon here

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PROMO CODES:

For $60 off Apollo Neuro, shop here OR use code WELLBENT at checkout!

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Follow the guest:

• frankandersonmd.com/
• Instagram: @Frank_AndersonMD

Study on EMDR for treating emotional trauma:

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3951033/#

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Confused about what is truly healthy eating? You’re not alone. A recent survey found that about 8 in 10 Americans have found conflicting information about what foods to eat and what to avoid, and more than half said this conflicting info has them second-guessing the choices they make. That’s where a registered dietitian comes in. And Maya Feller is a registered dietitian nutritionist who really believes that eating for enjoyment and optimizing your health doesn't have to be mutually exclusive. You can have both!

In addition to running her own practice, Maya is a national nutrition expert on Good Morning America, cohost of the Slate podcast Well, Now, and author of two cookbooks. She’s also a much-needed voice of reason in this oft-unhinged space.

During this conversation, we answered SO many questions, including:

• Why would someone need to see a dietitian? What does a dietitian help you with?
• Does insurance cover seeing a dietitian?
• How do you reduce anxiety through diet?
• Why don't restrictive diets work?
• How does blood sugar affect anxiety?
• What is the purpose of glucose monitoring, and who should try it?
• Do whole grains spike blood sugar less than refined grains?
• Do I need to worry about antinutrients?
• Do soaking beans remove lectins?
• What is nutrient density? Which foods are most nutrient-dense?
• Are eggs really that bad for your cholesterol?
• How do you find the best types of magnesium to take?
• Does food combining really work? What foods work best together?
• What foods help are best for acid reflux and chronic fatigue?
• What foods are good to eat if you have high cholesterol?
• What foods help balance hormones?
• What are some trusted supplement brands?

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PROMO CODES:

• Use code WELLBENT for 15% off Maya’s on-demand nutrition courses.
• For $60 off Apollo Neuro, shop here OR use code WELLBENT at checkout!
• For 10% off your Alkamind order, shop here.
• Shop here for 10% off Dr. Daryl Gioffre’s Gut Lab package.

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FOLLOW THE GUEST:

• Instagram
• Click here for Maya’s courses
• Click here for nutrition counseling with Maya
• Click here to tune into Maya’s podcast, Well, Now
• Read Maya’s books here and here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Dave Rabin, a board-certified psychiatrist and neuroscientist, has been conducting research for years to answer one key question: How can we help people better regulate their fight-or-flight response by helping them feel safe? His studies showed that one of the best ways to promote this feeling of safety is through gentle, consensual physical touch. And Dr. Rabin used these research findings to design Apollo Neuro — the first scientifically validated wearable device that uses touch therapy to improve relaxation, calm, sleep, and focus.

Clinical studies have shown that 40% of Apollo Neuro users feel less stress and anxiety, and they experience up to 25% better concentration, up to 19% more deep sleep, and up to 30 minutes more sleep a night. And after using the Apollo Neuro daily for a few months, I can personally attest to all of these benefits.

I had a lot of questions for Dr. Rabin. Namely: Why does everyone seem to have ADHD now? Why is it so hard to meditate? And how can we all help our bodies get out of fight or flight mode? We tackled all of this and more, including:

• Is multitasking possible? / The negatives of multitasking
• Why you’re still tired after getting 8 hours of sleep
• How to measure vagal tone
• The fastest way to stimulate the vagus nerve

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PROMO CODES:

For $60 off Apollo Neuro, shop here: Apolloneuro.com/wellbent

Or use code WELLBENT at checkout!

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SHOW LINKS:

Apollo Neuro research:

• https://apolloneuro.com/pages/studies-roundup?
• https://apolloneuro.com/pages/science?

Studies on the difference in sleep needs for men and women:

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4164903/
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4868418/

AskMen article on Apollo Neuro

• https://www.askmen.com/fitness/health/is-apollo-neuro-legit-heres-how-this-wearable-can-improve-focus-sleep-resilience-to-stress.html

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FOLLOW THE GUEST:

• Instagram
• X

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