I never buy pancake mixes — they usually have questionable ingredients, and the better-for-you mixes are expensive. These refined sugar-free, gluten-friendly blender pancakes turn pantry staples into a feel-good breakfast the whole family will love.

Ingredients

• 1 cup organic rolled oats (buy gluten-free oats if you need to be strict with gluten)

• 1 apple, cut into large chunks

• ½ ripe banana

• 1 cup milk of choice (I love soy for the extra protein)

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• ½ tbsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• 1 tbsp avocado oil, for the pan

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients (except the avocado oil) to a high-speed blender — I love my Vitamix. Blend on high for 1–2 minutes, until smooth.

2. Heat a well-seasoned cast iron pan (🔗my favorite, use code platefulhealth) over medium heat for 2 minutes.

3. Add the avocado oil and swirl to coat the pan evenly.

4. Pour the batter onto the pan and cook for 2–3 minutes, until bubbles form on top. Flip and cook another 2–3 minutes, until golden.

5. Stack, top with berries, maple syrup, or a dollop of yogurt — and enjoy!

There are certain experiences that leave such an indelible impact, and being at the TED annual conference in Vancouver with LUMEBOX was definitely one of them…sharing some insights and a new feature on my Substack today!

True story: When TED reached out and wanted to feature LUMEBOX at their annual flagship conference in Vancouver this year, I initially thought it was a prank! But I’m glad I answered that email. Getting LUMEBOX in front of thought leaders and attendees felt surreal.

📢 Speaking of which, LUMEBOX is currently 50% off for the next 3 days - the lowest price you will find it. If you’ve been considering red light therapy for things like temporary pain relief, skin and collagen support, faster healing and recovery, this is one of the few 3rd-party tested, FDA-registered devices, and you can snag it at the LOWEST price 🏃‍♀️ for 3 more days - you can use FSA, and there is a payment plan too.

50% off LUMEBOX

💐P.S. If you’re looking for a Mother’s Day gift, I pulled together a few of my mom’s (and my) favorite things here 🎁, the ones she always asks me to bring back to the UK. A lot of them are currently on sale too 🙌

Back To TED:

I’ll be back to my regular health & wellness content with my next email, but I truly relished how much TED stimulated my brain and made me think and look outside the box.

Here are two of the talks they have published from the conference, in case you wanted to take a peek:

• The Power of Prediction - A thought-provoking talk by an Oxford professor on how predictions can be used as ‘weapons of power” - important to be aware of this in the age of AI.

• What I got wrong about changing the world - by the incredible Malala.

  “The bigger the fight, the bolder you have to be. I don’t have all the answers on how to change the world; I don’t think anybody does. But if we start with something, work together, and stay ambitious, hope stops being the thing we wait to feel and becomes something we create.”

There were also many talks about AI, of course. It’s an uncertain time, especially for young people and parents of youngsters. Will AI take my job? Will my kids have a job when they graduate?

If I’m honest, I’ve never loved the idea of AI. If anything, I feel like it’s eroding our brains. But I’ve come to realize that whether I like it or not, it’s here to stay. So the question isn’t whether to use it. It’s how to work and pivot with it.

TED Also Made Me Rethink My Substack

We’re living in a time where information is no longer scarce. If anything, it’s overwhelming.

The skill is no longer gathering information. It’s discernment.

What’s real? What’s misinformation? What can I trust?

You can access studies and summaries in seconds - but what does it actually mean?

Nuance, context, discernment? That’s the challenging but important part.

That’s Where I Come In

After 15 years in medicine, I’ve learned that clinical experience matters - it’s what gives some seasoned doctors that ‘gut hunch,’ which I’ve come to learn is not random, but the accumulation of knowledge with real-world experiences to inform a decision.

Combining that with science-backed information is probably how I can best serve you. So I’m starting something new here:

⭐️ ⭐️ “Ask Dr. Viv.” ⭐️ ⭐️

A space where you can bring your questions: See something online but don’t quite know whether to trust it? Have a burning question about a hot trend? Bring it.

If you’re a free subscriber, I’m so glad you’re here. You’ll be able to read these as they’re published.

If you want to submit a question, this will be a paid subscriber perk - please drop your question into our community chat!

🙋‍♀️ Ask Dr Viv Here!

I Left TED Feeling More Confident In Humanity Than When I Walked In

Not because the problems we’re facing have simple solutions.

But because what my internet and social algorithms feed me isn’t the full truth.

The world can feel divided, disrupted, and upside down.

But here’s what I don’t see enough of: the MANY people, everywhere, doing thoughtful, meaningful work to make this world a better place.

People like Drew McCarter, founder of Pure Earth, are working to remove lead from contaminated soil and protect an estimated 550 million children from lead poisoning by 2033.

Or Robbie Schingler, co-founder of Planet Labs, which operates the world’s largest network of Earth-imaging satellites, capturing the entire planet daily and using AI to turn that data into real-world action, like directing support to farmers in drought-affected regions without them having to ask for it.

And so many more…

These incredible change makers moved me in a visceral way and lit a fire in me I didn’t know I needed.

And here’s something I want to hold onto: We are more alike than we are different.

Find common ground with the person you don’t see eye to eye with. There is far more that unites us than divides us. And when we push in the same direction, not pulling apart, we can do great things together.

A beautiful example of this was in Washington this week, where a (terrible) proposal to extend legal protections for pesticide manufacturers was scrapped after pushback from public health advocates, environmental groups, and people across the political spectrum who came together around one shared goal: protecting human and planetary health.

The TED talk left me feeling genuinely uplifted in a way that surprised me a little.

And I do not think that would have happened through a screen.

There is something about being in a room with people, sharing ideas, and feeling the energy shift, that simply does not translate virtually.

So one thing I am leaning into more intentionally this year is building more of that - cultivating in-person community and connection that exists beyond comments and DMs.

I would love to plan a small meetup this fall and actually meet some of you in person. ❤️

Comment below if you would be interested in something like that!

Leave a comment

Plateful Health is my passion project to review facts, data, and analyses on environmental toxins and lifestyle medicine. Please subscribe—it’s free.

Subscribe now

If you feel called to support my work, I’d be deeply grateful for an upgrade to a paid subscription. Paid subscribers have access to my entire archive, can comment, join our community chat, and ask questions.

This year, all subscription proceeds will be donated to the Zero Foodprint, a non-profit organization with a cause close to my heart. I have a dream that one day we won’t need an “organic” label, because all food will support both human and planetary health.

When you subscribe, you’re not only helping to amplify my work, but you also help strengthen the health of our food, our environment, and the generations to come. I appreciate you more than I can say! ❤️

Upgrade Now!

I'm an affiliate for some of the products linked on my website. I get asked about products I use and love all the time, and by being an affiliate, I can negotiate discount codes to share with you, plus earn a small commission if you use my code or link to purchase. This helps me to support my research so that I can continue to provide the content on my platform, thank you so much for your support.

I’ve wanted to switch off our WiFi router for years, but could never get my husband on board. With this little hack, it became easy to control the 4 high EMF outlets near my bedroom.

🔗 The gadget in the video is linked HERE.

🔗 Shop ALL my favorite Low-Tox products HERE.

🔗 My top 5 tips to reduce EMF here.

EMFs have become one of those topics that tends to split people into two camps:

On one side, people assume EMFs are nothing to worry about and never think twice about sleeping with their phone next to them like it’s a lovie. 🧸

On the other, every electrical device gets a raised eyebrow and suspicion.

The truth, as usual, sits somewhere in the middle.

Why It Matters 🧐

We are surrounded by electromagnetic fields all day. Phones, Wi-Fi, wall wiring, appliances, hair dryers, baby monitors, charging cables, and power lines.

The science is still evolving, but enough research has raised reasonable questions around chronic high exposure, especially in places where we spend long stretches of time, like bedrooms, nurseries, and home offices - that I want to take reasonable steps to reduce my exposure without going to extremes.

[If you missed my previous article on what the science currently says about potential harms of EMF, here it is]

This doesn’t mean I should fear my own home.

It does mean there are some practical ways to reduce unnecessary exposure, often with very little inconvenience.

If you remember only two principles, make them these:

✨ Increase distance
✨ Reduce duration

Start Where It Matters Most: Your Bedroom

Because this is where we spend 8-9 hours a day, small changes here can lead to big impacts.

1. What surprised me most after testing my own home

Many of you know I had my home assessed last year for toxins and EMFs, and even though I thought I understood this topic fairly well, there were still blind spots I had completely missed 😫.

⚡️ I used a company called Lightwork Home (I liked them so much I signed up to be an affiliate - mention Plateful Health, and they will give you a 10% discount 🙌)

One of the biggest surprises was how many ordinary bedside items were generating measurable electric fields, even when switched off (and I thought I was ‘safe’).

My bedside lamp was one example 🤯.

It looked harmless because it was off, but because it was still plugged in, it was contributing to a pretty high AC electric field exposure right beside my head constantly 😫.

Another was the power strip right next to my husband’s side of the bed - it was generating high AC electric fields too.

💡Any plugged-in device can still create electric fields even when the device itself is turned off.

Practical steps - Unplug devices before you go to bed or use a kill switch:

• Lamps

• Chargers

• Clocks

• Power strips

2. Put your phone (and other devices like Kindle) on airplane mode at night ✈

This takes five seconds, costs nothing, and is one of the easiest and high-ROI habits to adopt.

🚨But here is what many people miss: they switch on airplane mode and forget that Bluetooth can still remain active!

Practical steps:

• Turn on airplane mode.

• Manually switch Bluetooth off too.

  

• Keep your phone at least six feet away if possible, rather than on your bedside table, if it’s charging overnight.

The same applies to devices like Kindles if they sit beside your head overnight.

3. Turn Wi-Fi off at night where practical

My husband would never allow me to hardwire our house and remove Wi-Fi, so the practical, middle-ground solution is to turn Wi-Fi off at night using a kill switch, which Dom Francks from Lightwork Homes recommended when he tested my house ( 🔸mention Plateful Health for a discount if you also want to have your home tested).

Some practical steps:

• Move the router out of the bedroom.

• Do not put it beside your desk if you work there all day.

• Shut it off overnight with a kill switch (this is a multi-outlet one) if you do not need it while sleeping - this video shows you how I do it in my home.

Be more thoughtful with devices near kids

If you have kids and use a baby monitor, remember that these can emit high levels of radiofrequency radiation in order to transmit audio and video signals.

The recommendation is to use Ethernet-enabled devices if possible, or if not, use an RF blocking shield and place the monitor as far away from the child as possible.

Some practical steps:

• Do not mount it right beside the crib if you can avoid it.

• Maximize distance if you can.

• Consider wired or Ethernet-enabled options.

• Distance matters a lot here.

Share

🛍️ P.S. I get asked all the time about the products I personally use —so I’ve put together a list to make it easy for you to find everything in one place. Hope it helps! Click 👉 here!

4. Move your bed away from the wall

Wall wiring in bedrooms can be a very common source of electric field exposure.

That means if your headboard is flush against the wall, especially one shared with wiring, outlets, or appliances, even a modest distance away can help (ideally 6 inches, but any is better than nothing).

You do not need your bed floating in the middle of the room like a design statement. But a little space can dilute the intensity and reduce the impact. If you’ve had your bedroom tested and know there are no issues with the wall, you don’t have to do this.

5. Keep chargers away from your body

I mentioned this above, but my husband had a power strip right now to his side of the bed, and it was generating a high AC electric field through the night.

Not ideal. We moved this, which also had the added benefit of his phone not charging right next to his head 🙌

Ideally, you don’t want to be in close contact with a device when it’s charging:

• No charging cable under the pillow

• No laptop charging on your lap

• No hand wrapped around a charging phone for half an hour in bed

• No power strip tucked right beneath the head of your bed

🚨Be Careful With Shielding Products

You will see many ‘stickers’, ‘cases’ for phones, or ‘cages’ for your wifi router promoted for EMF blocking - but a) if it fully did its job, you wouldn’t be able to use your devices, and b) shielding can redirect radiation in unexpected ways and unintentionally make the problem worse. This applies to ‘grounding devices’ too.

There are some instances where shielding and grounding products may be helpful - but please consult with an expert like Lightwork Home before adopting them in your home.

Now, let’s talk about the one device we all have with us pretty much all the time that is the biggest culprit when it comes to EMF exposure…

6. Mind your phones!!

• Stop putting your phone directly on your body

• Ladies, stop keeping it in your bra or leggings.

• Men, stop parking it in your jeans or shirt pocket all day.

• Put it on speaker when taking calls.

• Reduce using AirPods or wireless headsets - instead, use wired headphones where you can.

Now, does this mean I’m at the gym trying to manage wired headphones around weights?

No.

The benefits of exercising easily outweigh the EMF exposure from Bluetooth headphones during a workout.

But once I’m done, I take them out and switch to wired headphones for calls or anything more prolonged.

You do not have to be perfect here. You just want less direct, prolonged contact.

The Third Type of EMF Most People Don’t Think Of

Everything above covers electric fields and radiofrequency radiation, which are the types most people think of when they hear “EMF.”

But Lightwork also tests for a third type: magnetic fields.

Magnetic fields are created by electrical current flowing through wiring and external power infrastructure. They can be caused by wiring errors, current running through plumbing, nearby power lines, and other infrastructure you may not even be aware of.

Here is the tricky part: unlike the tips above, there is very little you can do about magnetic fields without testing first. Every home is different, and it is nearly impossible to say anything reliable about the magnetic field levels in a particular house without measuring them directly.

Why does this matter?

Believe it or not, the research on health effects from magnetic fields is actually the strongest out of all three types of EMF.

In particular, there is some evidence linking elevated magnetic fields to an increased risk of childhood leukemia1 - at levels that Lightwork finds in roughly 25% of the homes they test!!

Unfortunately, this is not one of those areas where I can give you a simple checklist. Magnetic fields really do require direct measurement to understand what is going on in your home.

Luckily, my home tested extremely low for this - but if you are curious, this is another reason to consider having your home assessed by a professional.

The Service I Used 🚐

Dom Francks, General Manager for Northern California at Lightwork Homes, came to my home last December and spent half a day thoroughly assessing everything from air and water to EMFs and lighting. They also test for mold, although that was not something I needed.

After the assessment, he sent me the most comprehensive report and took me through the changes I should make on a call. What I appreciated most was the science-based, non-fear-driven approach and clarity on so many topics like Faraday cages, dirty electricity, and more.

I have shared many of their recommendations here in this article, but if you are interested in having your home assessed, mention Plateful Health for a 10% discount.

6 EMF Needle-movers

If you want a practical, non-chaotic way to reduce EMFs at home, here is the version I would actually tell a friend who is getting started:

Start with the bedroom.

• Put your phone on airplane mode and toggle Bluetooth to “Off” at night.

• Turn off the Wi-Fi router overnight if that works for your household - use either a timer or a kill switch (linked above ☝️).

• Move your bed 6 to 8 inches off the wall (unless you’ve tested and know there is no questionable wiring in there, like I have).

• Avoid sleeping next to chargers, cables, power strips, or plugged-in items like lamps.

• Unplug or use a remote outlet kill switch for bedside devices if it’s too onerous to switch them all off one by one.

• Keep baby monitors farther from the crib.

Do you think I’ve missed anything out? Leave a message below and let me know what you think! ❤️

Leave a comment

Plateful Health is my passion project to review facts, data, and analyses on environmental toxins and lifestyle medicine - stuff I don’t share on social media. Subscribe so you never miss content like this —it’s free.

Subscribe now

If you feel called to support my work, I’d be deeply grateful for an upgrade to a paid subscription. Paid subscribers have access to my entire archive, can comment, join our community chat, and ask questions.

This year, all subscription proceeds will be donated to the Zero Foodprint, a non-profit organization with a cause close to my heart. I have a dream that one day we won’t need an “organic” label, because all food will support both human and planetary health.

When you subscribe, you’re not only helping to amplify my work, but you also help strengthen the health of our food, our environment, and the generations to come. I appreciate you more than I can say! ❤️

Upgrade Now!

I'm an affiliate for some of the products linked on my website. I get asked about products I use and love all the time, and by being an affiliate, I can negotiate discount codes to share with you, plus earn a small commission if you use my code or link to purchase. This helps me to support my research so that I can continue to provide the content on my platform, thank you so much for your support.

You’ve likely seen influencers donning all kinds of ridiculous gadgets (the more ridiculous, the more viral their posts go!) - while standing on a vibration plate.

Promoters claim everything from ‘fat loss’ to ‘increased bone density’ to hormonal boosts.

But what does the PubMed-indexed clinical evidence really show?

Let’s walk through the claims.

🚨 Before I do… Some pretty insane deals on my favorite things (skincare, SPF, air, and water purifiers) are ending in a day or so - all linked HERE 🛍️ - don’t want you to miss these if you are shopping.

Claim #1 — “Vibration Plates Help You Lose Fat or Weight”

The claim: Standing or exercising on a vibration plate burns a meaningful number of calories and causes fat loss.

Small increases in energy expenditure

• Whole body vibration (WBV) does increase oxygen uptake compared to standing still — in other words, your muscles work a bit harder to stabilize against the vibration. One translation of this metabolic cost suggests ~1.6 watts per kg of body weight1 — i.e. less than walking at a very slow pace. In other words, walking is better.

• Another meta-analysis found statistically significant reductions in fat mass when vibration therapy was combined with diet and exercise interventions — suggesting added value when integrated into broader programs.2

• Some individual studies report decreases in fat metrics, but results are mixed and inconsistent across protocols.

What to take away

Walking, especially if briskly, is probably better for fat loss than standing on a vibration plate. If you cannot walk or exercise, it could be a good option and also might have a place as part of a program that incorporates regular exercise and diet - but don’t expect to lose weight or fat by just standing on the plate alone.

Claim #2 — “Vibration Increases Lymphatic Drainage & Detox”

The claim: Vibration plates can stimulate lymphatic flow, helping move fluid and “detoxify” the body.

Important nuance from the literature

Here’s where precision matters:

• I could find no PubMed evidence that WBV alone directly improves lymphatic drainage in healthy adults as a standalone therapy.

• One randomized controlled trial in women with lipedema showed that low-frequency vibration plus manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) was more effective at reducing limb volume than MLD alone.3 But there was no vibration-only group.

  This means we cannot conclude vibration plate alone “drains lymph” — only that, in conjunction with massage, it may improve lymph drainage.

• Reviews on lymphedema therapy do not list vibration as a primary, standalone, evidence-based lymphatic treatment mode.

There are some animal and mechanistic studies suggesting mechanical vibration can affect superficial lymphatics or local tissue fluid movement, but these are not clinical evidence of improved drainage in humans.4

What to take away

If your goal is lymphatic drainage, the evidence does not support that vibration plates alone are an effective treatment. Again, walking or any form of exercise is likely going to be just as, if not more beneficial (and it’s free) - just lying on the floor and putting your legs up the wall is likely to be more effective (and free) 😆.

Claim #3 — “Vibration Increases Blood Flow and Circulation Significantly”

The claim: Standing or moving on a vibration platform dramatically improves blood flow throughout the body.

What the studies show:

• One controlled study found that short-duration passive WBV significantly increased skin microcirculation, with skin blood flow more than doubling immediately after vibration and remaining elevated for 10 minutes.

• These circulation effects appear localized to the area stimulated and do not reflect systemic cardiovascular changes (like heart rate or whole-body circulation), at least in healthy subjects.

• Importantly, the other groups in that study combining vibration with exercise did not show the same post-vibration microcirculation increase — suggesting that exercise itself (even brisk activity) may modulate blood flow differently.

So does WBV “boost your circulation”?

Yes — but mostly only locally for a short window. This is not the same as the body-wide circulatory improvement that you get from sustained aerobic or resistance exercise. Again, exercise wins out over vibration plate alone.

🛍️ 🛍️ I get asked all the time about the products I personally use —so I’ve put together a list to make it easy for you to find everything in one place. Hope it helps! Click 👉 here!

Claim #4 — “WBV Improves Balance, Flexibility, and Neuromuscular Function”

The claim: Vibration plates enhance balance, flexibility, and muscle control in ways that traditional exercise does not.

Balance

A meta-analysis suggests5:

• Low-frequency vibration may modestly improve balance compared to no treatment or traditional rehab.

• Medium to high frequencies showed trends but not statistically significant superiority.

• Balance improvements appear modest, and strength-related balance doesn’t clearly outperform traditional approaches.

Flexibility

Several trials report6:

• Acute increases in range of motion with vibration added to stretching routines.

• Longer-term vibration protocols can produce moderate flexibility gains versus doing nothing.7

• However, the incremental benefit over standard stretching alone is small and varies by study.

What to take away

WBV may have value for balance and flexibility — especially in older adults who have poor mobility and cannot undertake balance/flexibility-enhancing exercises.

For other adults, it should be used as a supplement to other interventions — there are better ways to improve your balance and flexibility, like yoga or a BOSU ball.

Claim #5 — “WBV Enhances Strength and Athletic Performance”

There is a mix of study results here8:

• WBV does seem to improve leg muscle strength in older adults and boosts functional metrics like jump height compared with no intervention.

• Some meta-analyses find modest strength and lower-body power gains with WBV, especially over 12+ weeks and with higher frequencies, but this is often not superior to conventional resistance training.

• Small but significant improvements may be seen in muscle power contexts like countermovement jumps and lower limb strength — especially in populations like post-menopausal women.

What to take away

Like the claim above, this may be helpful in older adults with limited fitness or mobility. However, if you are fit and mobile, use it as a ‘supplement’ to your usual resistance training, not instead of it.

Share

Claim #6 — “WBV Improves Bone Health and Density”

This is one of the more promising but nuanced areas.

• Some meta-analyses and trials report statistically significant improvements in bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women at specific sites (like the total hip) with high-dose, high-frequency protocols.

• Other reviews noted little or mixed effects on lumbar spine or femoral neck BMD, suggesting the size of the impact may be small or dependent on protocol design.

• Importantly, some bone benefits appear when vibration is combined with other treatments — like vitamin D, calcium, or resistance training.

What to take away

There is some evidence supporting WBV as a bone health adjunct, especially in populations unable to perform high-impact exercise.

Claim #7 - “WBV Provides Pain Relief”

There is some evidence for this.

• A systematic review9 of 6 studies found that 4 studies on people with mild to moderate chronic lower back pain found relief.

• Another meta-analysis10 of 10 studies found that WBV improved pain, function, and quality of life in those with non-specific lower back pain.

What to take away

There is some evidence that WBV could help with lower back pain - but I’m going to guess this depends on severity and cause. Check with your doctor first to make sure vibration would not exacerbate the cause of your back pain, and I personally prefer a more pleasant modality like a high-quality, powerful red light therapy device.

Have I Started Using A Vibration Plate?

No. I’m saving my money.

They are not magical health machines that melt fat or flush out lymph on their own.

The scientifically supported effects are small and conflicting when used alone. They seem to have more powerful effects when combined with other modalities like an exercise program.

That said, WBV can be a useful adjunct in certain populations — particularly older adults or people with mobility limitations — and may help with balance, flexibility, bone density, and muscle gains.

If you’re curious about vibration plates, think of them as one more tool, not a substitute for real movement - unless your mobility is limited.

Want to save your money? There’s nothing a vibration plate can do that good old exercises like lifting weights, running, and yoga can’t do! 🙌

Have you tried vibrating plates? What’s your experience? Share your experience in the comments!

Leave a comment

Plateful Health is my passion project to review facts, data, and analyses on environmental toxins and lifestyle medicine. Please subscribe—it’s free.

Subscribe now

If you feel called to support my work, I’d be deeply grateful for an upgrade to a paid subscription. Paid subscribers have access to my entire archive, can comment, join our community chat, and ask questions.

This year, all subscription proceeds will be donated to the Zero Foodprint, a non-profit organization with a cause close to my heart. I have a dream that one day we won’t need an “organic” label, because all food will support both human and planetary health.

When you subscribe, you’re not only helping to amplify my work, but you also help strengthen the health of our food, our environment, and the generations to come. I appreciate you more than I can say! ❤️

Upgrade Now!

If you’ve been in the Plateful Health community 👋 for a while, you’ll know that I was one of the first online doctors/educators to sound the 🚨 alarm about the harm of plastic.

Fast forward 10 years, everyone, including major news outlets, is talking about it, and as much as I wish we didn’t have to talk about it (😭 let’s face it, it’s depressing) - it’s an important conversation because it is fast becoming a crucial but under-recognized disrupter of our hormones, with downstream impacts on our fertility, metabolic health (weight, blood sugar control), and even immune health.

By the way, have you watched “The Plastic Detox” documentary on Netflix? If so, what did you think? Let me know in the comments.

Before we dive into ovaries…

🛍️ BIG SALE on what helps reduce my microplastics at home 🏠

Did you know that inhalation 💨 is a MAJOR route of entry for micro- and nanoplastics into our bodies?

We spend about 93% of our lives indoors, so indoor air is quietly contributing a larger share of microplastic exposure than many people realize.

This is why I always have professional-grade Ultra-HEPA air filters on in my home, 24/7 - at the highest filtration speed that is at an acceptable noise level for me - which should capture 99% of microplastics floating in my air from furniture, clothing, carpeting, shower curtains, dust, and more.

🙌 Right now, the air filters I use are having a 🚨HUGE sale, and you can save up to $620 on bundles (I personally love these new AD4000 ⬇️, which offer the perfect combination of efficacy, aesthetics, and portability).

Air Filter SALE

Another exposure is 🚰 WATER:

Reducing consumption of plastic-bottled water (yes, including those water deliveries) and investing in a high-quality water filter is another effective way to significantly reduce plastic exposure - 💧🛍️Water filter sale here 🛍️

Ok, Back To Ovaries…

A 2025 study1 detected microplastics in ovarian follicular fluid (the fluid that surrounds and supports developing eggs in the ovary).

What does this mean?

Before we spiral, let’s put in some context:

• It’s a small study, only 18 participants.

• Samples came from women undergoing IVF - i.e., we don’t know what it looks like for women without fertility issues.

What the researchers found:

• Out of 18 women, 14 had microplastics in their ovarian follicular fluid.

• Follicular fluid provides the environment for the developing egg, providing nutrients, cellular signals, and more.

What Did The Presence Of Microplastics In This Fluid Do?

We don’t fully know yet. But the study found a positive correlation between microplastic concentration and FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) levels.

In other words, women with higher microplastic concentrations also had higher FSH.

What does this mean?

This is where nuance matters.

🤓 A higher FSH might suggest reduced ovarian reserve or changes in reproductive function. However, a single FSH reading is only one piece of the puzzle. It is not a diagnostic tool on its own, especially in pre-menopausal women, because levels naturally fluctuate across the menstrual cycle.

My take:

This study tells us that microplastics are now being detected in human ovaries. What it does not tell us is whether these microplastics affected reproductive function. Some preliminary animal studies suggest microplastics may affect reproductive biology, but we don’t know if this is the case in humans yet.

The sample size in this study was small, and the women were undergoing IVF (where hormone stimulation itself can influence FSH levels) - so we need more human data to draw definitive conclusions.

I Don’t Think Microplastics Are Innocent, Though 🤔…

We now have multiple HUMAN studies showing a correlation between microplastics and alarming health impacts, and it would be wise to take heed:

• A 2024 study2 published in the New England Journal of Medicine looked at patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy, a procedure that clears plaque from blocked neck arteries. Those whose plaque contained detectable microplastics had a 4.5-fold higher risk of heart attack, stroke, or death from any cause during follow-up than those without detectable particles.

In addition, plaques containing microplastics had higher inflammatory markers like IL-6 and TNF-a - in other words, there was more inflammation in the arteries when microplastic was present.

• This 2022 study3 showed that patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease had more microplastics in their stools, and that the higher the amount, the more severe the disease activity.

• This 20244 study showed that patients with dementia had more micro-/nanoplastic in their brains.

What Can We Realistically Do?

​​It’s Earth Month 🌎, and honestly, I can’t think of a more important time to talk about the small ways we can start reversing some of the damage we’ve done to our shared home 🌎.

Our health can only be as strong as the environment we live in.

You can take all the probiotics, detox supplements, or sauna sessions you want - but if the world around us stays polluted, we are just bandaging over a gaping hole.

Now, I am far from perfect.

Plastic is so woven into modern life that avoiding it completely is unrealistic. But the more I learn about how deeply it has entered our environment, our food system, our air, and our bodies, the more intentional I’ve become about reducing both my own exposure and the amount of plastic I contribute where I can.

The good news is, SO MUCH of it is within our control, and you don’t have to make every change overnight. Do one at a time; small changes can lead to transformative shifts over time.

A Few Simple Shifts I’ve Personally Made, In The Order I Made Them

1. Invested in an NSF-certified water filter

2. Invested in an ultra-HEPA air filter and run these in my home 24/7.

3. Avoid plastic food containers when possible, and if I do use them, I never heat food in them. I transfer food to a glass or ceramic before microwaving.

   Just 3 minutes of microwaving plastic (even the ones marked ‘microwave-safe’) can release millions of microplastics and billions of nanoplastics, not to mention harmful chemicals like BPA and BPS, into your food.

4. Swapped plastic water bottles for glass or stainless steel (18/10 or 18/8 stainless steel is my go-to) - My favorite bottle.

5. Ditched tea bags for loose-leaf or this tea crystal - plastic tea bags can release millions of microplastics into your tea.

6. Reduced ultra-processed food consumption - the processing can introduce a lot of microplastics into the food.

7. I keep reusable cotton shopping bags with me so I am not constantly bringing more plastic home, and I avoid storing produce in plastic bags.

8. When I update clothing or home textiles, I lean more toward natural fibers like cotton, hemp, linen, or wool.

🛍️ Plastic swaps I use and love at home are all linked here 🛍️

How Do We Get Rid Of The Accumulated Plastic In Our Bodies?

1️⃣ The first and most important step is to reduce our exposure - practical steps are above.

Research is still actively unfolding on what happens to microplastics when they enter our bodies - clearly, they can accumulate in organs, even in our brains 🧠. However, the pathways by which they leave our bodies are still being studied.

2️⃣ What we know is some are excreted in our poop 🚽 - which is why daily bowel movements matter. Aim for 1-2x a day, large, sausage-shaped stools - increasing fiber and hydration can help you get there.

3️⃣ We also know that chemicals often found in plastic, like BPA and phthalates, have been found in sweat 💧. That means exercise to work up a sweat, a hot bath, or better still, sauna sessions may support elimination.

And of course, I can’t talk about ‘detoxification’ without mentioning broccoli sprouts - you likely have heard me sing the praises of broccoli sprouts many times over the years, and for good reason.

It contains 2-50x more sulforaphane, the active compound in broccoli, which activates liver detoxification, as well as increasing antioxidants, which can protect us from the harmful effects of plastic (like oxidative stress).

Read more about it here ⬇️

What’s one step you’ve taken to reduce microplastic in your daily life? Drop it below and share with the community! ❤️

Leave a comment

Plateful Health is my passion project to review facts, data, and analyses on environmental toxins and lifestyle medicine. Please subscribe—it’s free.

Subscribe now

If you feel called to support my work, I’d be deeply grateful for an upgrade to a paid subscription. Paid subscribers have access to my entire archive, can comment, join our community chat, and ask questions.

This year, all subscription proceeds will be donated to the Zero Foodprint, a non-profit organization with a cause close to my heart. I have a dream that one day we won’t need an “organic” label, because all food will support both human and planetary health.

When you subscribe, you’re not only helping to amplify my work, but you also help strengthen the health of our food, our environment, and the generations to come. I appreciate you more than I can say! ❤️

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I’m an affiliate for some of the products linked on my website. I get asked about products I use and love all the time, and by being an affiliate, I can negotiate discount codes to share with you, plus earn a small commission if you use my code or link to purchase. This helps me to support my research so that I can continue to provide the content on my platform, thank you so much for your support.

A recent study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings found:

80% of women experience one or more menopause-related symptoms, but only 54% seek medical attention for them.

What were the most commonly reported symptoms? You might be surprised to see that hot flashes are not at the top!

• Sleep problems (54%)

• Weight gain (51.7%)

• Sexual problems (43.1%)

• Physical and mental exhaustion (40.1%)

• Joint and muscular discomfort (37.1%)

• Hot flashes and sweating (36.9%)

• Vaginal dryness (33.6%)

• Depressed mood (29%), Anxiety (26.9%)

• Irritability (26.5%)

Unfortunately, OBGYNs are not all well-versed in menopause care; most did not receive specific training about menopause.

Only 30% of OB-GYN residency programs have formal menopause education1, so one reason so many women leave appointments feeling dismissed could be that only 6.8%2 of OB-GYN trainees report feeling adequately prepared to manage menopause symptoms.

My personal HRT journey definitely reflected these stats - it was difficult to find a doctor to provide care and even harder to find someone who would listen when I experienced side effects with HRT and needed personalized care to navigate.

You are not alone

If you are struggling too, you are definitely not alone. This transition can feel unsettling, but that’s why the conversations we are having about it openly are so important.

You deserve attention and care. Menopause can be a deeply empowering life stage marked by wisdom, clarity, and renewed confidence - and I’m here for it.

If you are experiencing symptoms, you do NOT have to suffer through it in silence. There is value in sharing with other women and finding support.

If you have booked an appointment to speak with a doctor, well done; you’ve taken the all-important first step.

Preparation is key, so today, I’m sharing how I personally prepared for my own appointment, in case it is helpful for you.

Step 1: Track and Record Your Symptoms

Appointments are short. It is easy to forget details. Spend one to two weeks writing down what you notice so you can summarize them succinctly when asked.

For example:

“I wake up at 4 am several times a week and cannot fall back asleep.”

“I feel anxious for no obvious reason, 3-4 days a week.”

“I have gained [x]lb, even though my routine has not changed.”

Common symptoms of perimenopause include:

• Sleep disruption

• Mood changes, especially anxiety

• Brain fog

• Joint and muscle pain

• Irregular cycles, hot flashes, changes in sexual desire

• Bladder issues

Step 2: Ask Directly About Perimenopause

If your symptoms are dismissed as stress or ‘getting older’, be direct and ask:

“Could this be related to perimenopause?”

Menopause technically occurs on one specific day. The day you have gone twelve months without a period.

But perimenopause often begins years earlier. Sometimes in the early forties, or occasionally even the late thirties, and the symptoms are harder to pinpoint.

At the same time, not every symptom should automatically be blamed on hormones! (something I’m seeing a lot of online) A careful clinical evaluation is important, and your doctor might want to run labs to rule out serious conditions (see below).

Step 3: Know Your Options

Since 2002, there has been a lot of (unwarranted) fear around hormone therapy (HT) due to the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) clinical trials.

Although subsequent analyses of the WHI data strongly suggest that HT use is safe for the majority of recently postmenopausal women (those within 10 years of the final menstrual period or younger than 60 years of age), the hesitation to use HT for the management of menopause symptoms remains pervasive among both patients and clinicians.

That pendulum seems to have swung, however.

Some clinicians jump straight to hormone prescribing without a comprehensive assessment of non-hormonal treatment options or lifestyle management.

It is ok to ask about ALL your options: hormonal, non-hormonal, lifestyle, and you shouldn’t be guilted or rushed into any decisions. Here are some questions to ask:

What are the different ways we could approach this?

Is hormone therapy my only and best option? What are some of the side effects and risks I should know about for each of the treatment options you shared?

What are the different forms of hormone therapy available to me?

For some women, hormone therapy is appropriate. But lifestyle (sleep, stress management, diet, and exercise) interventions should always be in the picture.

Non-hormonal treatments may be helpful if you don’t want to use hormone therapy, and you should know what these are.

A good physician should walk you through the benefits, risks, and trade-offs for all of these and signpost you to lifestyle strategies to optimize your long-term health.

🛍️ P.S. I get asked all the time about the products I personally use —so I’ve put together a list to make it easy for you to find everything in one place. Hope it helps! Click 👉 here!

Thinking Long Term

Beyond symptom relief, the menopausal transition is also an important time to think about prevention and reducing the risks of conditions that increase after menopause.

• Cardiovascular disease - still sadly the biggest killer of women 😭

• Dementia

• Osteoporosis

Depending on your history, conversations with your doctor might include:

• Bone density screening

• Cardiovascular risk markers

• Blood sugar and insulin resistance testing

For example, current guidelines recommend bone density testing starting at age 65.

This may raise some eyebrows, but personally, I believe that this is too late. If I had thinning bones, I would want to know earlier rather than later so I could take proactive steps BEFORE I had osteoporosis.

I had my DEXA scan done at age 45 because a) I have a strong family history of osteoporosis, and b) I wanted to intervene and take action to prevent myself from developing osteoporosis.

My annual labs

Blood tests are not required to ‘diagnose’ menopause. In the perimenopausal period, hormones can fluctuate wildly, which makes their interpretation difficult.

However, your doctor may want to do some labs to exclude other conditions and also to optimize your health during the transition.

Here are the annual labs I chose to monitor with my physician.

1. Complete Blood Count - Checks for anemia and abnormal white blood cell levels.

2. Comprehensive Metabolic Panel - Evaluates liver and kidney function.

3. Lipid Panel - Includes cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, ApoB, and Lp(a).

4. Homocysteine - A marker associated with cardiovascular risk.

5. HsCRP - A marker of inflammation.

6. HbA1c - Your average blood sugar over three months.

7. Fasting blood glucose - to assess a snapshot of your blood sugar and to help calculate HOMA-IR, a measure of insulin resistance.

8. Fasting insulin - so I can calculate my HOMA-IR

9. Thyroid Panel - TSH, free T4, free T3, reverse T3, anti-TPO, and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies.

10. Vitamin D - Important for bone and immune health.

Optional tests I also get:

• Red blood cell magnesium - most Americans don’t consume enough.

• Zinc - important for immune, skin, and hair health.

• Omega-3 index - important for brain health, can also affect inflammation in the body.

Final Thoughts

Perimenopause can feel confusing. Symptoms vary widely. Research is still evolving. And menopause-informed care is not always easy to find.

My biggest takeaway: Give yourself grace, stay curious, and most importantly - listen to your body and don’t let anyone dismiss you.

Track changes. Ask questions. Work with clinicians who are willing to listen and explore the nuances with you.

And remember that what works beautifully for one woman may not work the same way for another. If you don’t fit into an expected ‘pattern’ - get to the bottom.

I was not going to share my hormone therapy journey - but I’m glad I did because so many of you reached out and said it made you feel less alone.❤️

Leave a comment

Plateful Health is my passion project to review facts, data, and analyses on environmental toxins and lifestyle medicine. Please subscribe—it’s free.

Subscribe now

If you feel called to support my work, I’d be deeply grateful for an upgrade to a paid subscription. Paid subscribers have access to my entire archive, can comment, join our community chat, and ask questions.

This year, all subscription proceeds will be donated to the Zero Foodprint, a non-profit organization with a cause close to my heart. I have a dream that one day we won’t need an “organic” label, because all food will support both human and planetary health.

When you subscribe, you’re not only helping to amplify my work, but you also help strengthen the health of our food, our environment, and the generations to come. I appreciate you more than I can say! ❤️

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If you’ve been here for a while, you may remember that I wrote about the sudden subtle shifts in my health a year ago: rising cholesterol and a 5 lb weight gain, even though I was eating and exercising the same (and if you missed it, here is the article).

I realized that perimenopause was probably upon me.

Since then, I’ve spent a lot of time behind the scenes researching hormone therapy. More specifically, menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) - because, turns out, I also have osteopenia, aka the beginning of thin bones - disappointing to learn, but not exactly surprising given my strong family history and poor nutrition in the early years when bone mass is set down.

After about 6 months of reading the studies and weighing up the pros and cons, I decided I wanted to give it a try.

Not because I had overt symptoms: no hot flashes or mood swings.

The only thing I really noticed was something subtle but annoying: word-finding difficulty. You know when the word is right there, at the tip of your tongue… but you can’t quite grab it?

That.

And my DEXA (bone density scan).

According to the Menopause Society’s latest position statement1:

“Hormone replacement has been shown to prevent bone loss and fracture. For women aged younger than 60 years or who are within 10 years of menopause onset and have no contraindications, the benefit-risk ratio is favorable for treatment of bothersome VMS and prevention of bone loss.”

So, starting hormone replacement might make sense for my bones.

How about my word-finding issues? 🤔 We know estrogen plays an important role in brain function and cognition, but whether hormone therapy actually improves these symptoms or reduces the risk of dementia is still debated. The research is mixed.

Still, I was curious. Sometimes, you don’t know how much better (or worse) you could feel until you make that change. So I decided to seek medical care.

Finding a Doctor Was… Not Easy

Finding a menopause-literate doctor was harder than pulling teeth.

My primary care physician referred me to someone about an hour away from me - supposedly someone with a great reputation. But the appointment was horrendous.

And I say that as a doctor with extensive medical training and 15 years of clinical experience.

I knew what questions to ask. I understood the research. I knew what treatment options I wanted to discuss. And yet, I was patronized.

So I can only imagine how challenging navigating this stage of life without a medical background can be. That is why I’m pulling the curtains back, getting vulnerable, and sharing my story with you today.

Not because my experience should guide YOUR care or decision.

But because it might make you feel less alone.

This first OBGYN I saw spoke to me for about 10 minutes and immediately jumped to prescribe compounded estradiol/estriol cream and a compounded progesterone cream.

Price: $300 for both

Now, to be clear, compounded medicines can have a place. There are many clinical reasons for using them.

However, in my opinion, the first line should always be an FDA-approved bio-identical hormone (yes, these exist, and they are much cheaper too, as well as being more rigorously regulated on purity and safety).

I never went back to that first OBGYN.

The Second Doctor

Eventually, I found another OBGYN who is far more collaborative and actually listened and talked to me.

He prescribed an FDA-approved estradiol patch and micronized oral progesterone, and off I went.

The First Changes

In the first week, I started to become constipated and bloated - I have never had issues with this before.

After three weeks, I stepped on the scales. I had gained five lbs.

Now, a few pounds on the scale is not necessarily concerning. Weight fluctuates for many reasons.

But what got my naturally curious brain thinking was, why?

My diet was the same. My exercise routine was the same.

The Real Shock

Three months later, I had my routine labs done. I was utterly shocked when it showed that my HbA1c had jumped from 5.3% to 5.7% - in other words, over the course of 6 months (since I last had it checked), I had somehow become prediabetic?

🤯 Me?

I had never had blood sugar issues before. And if there is one area where I consistently check the boxes in terms of lifestyle, it is a whole-foods-based, high fiber and protein diet, and regular exercise.

My curious brain churned even more - Could hormone therapy be contributing to this?

It was the only new variable in the previous three months.

My Little Experiment

I spoke with both my primary care physician and my OBGYN. They were baffled.

Based on current research, hormone therapy is usually associated with improved metabolic markers in many women. Also, my blood sugar has always been stable and was normal just 3 months prior to starting hormones.

In other words, this result did not really fit the typical pattern, and the change was too quick and abrupt to be simply attributed to ‘perimenopause.’

My PCP suggested I wear a continuous glucose monitor. So I did. I wore one for 2 weeks while on hormone therapy, and then I came off, just to see what would happen to my blood sugar control.

What I’ve Found So Far

My blood sugar readings, according to the CGM, have improved since I’ve stopped HRT. My daily average was 115 mg/dL on hormone therapy.

This is my latest ⬇️:

I have not changed my diet. I have not changed my exercise routine.

I will repeat my HbA1c (this lab measures blood sugar control over 3 months) - in a couple of weeks, and I will share that update when I have it.

🛍️ P.S. I get asked all the time about what products I personally use —so I’ve put together a list to make it easy for you to find everything in one place. Hope it helps! Click 👉 here!

A Very Important Caveat

If you are currently on menopausal hormone therapy, please do not take my N=1 experience as evidence that it causes insulin resistance or prediabetes.

Health is complex; we are all different. I strongly suspect I may simply be an outlier here, and I have a suspicion from my previous experience with hormones that progesterone may be the culprit for me. I will continue to dig until I get to the bottom of this.

I am living proof that you can do everything right and still get a curveball, and if you weren’t doing everything right, you may have gotten that curveball sooner.

My goal in sharing this story is not to tell you what decision you should make. It is to remind you that if it could happen to me, it could happen to anyone… and your experience matters and deserves to be heard.

The sobering state of current menopause care is:

• 80% of OB/GYNs are untrained in menopause.

• 75% of physicians are uncomfortable talking to patients about menopause symptoms.

• 75% of women who seek care don’t receive any treatment.

If something in your body feels off, keep asking questions until you find someone who will take those questions seriously.

P.S. I am writing a guide on how to prepare for your perimenopause/menopause appointment, with questions and labs to ask for - so stay tuned - I will try to get that to you in the next few weeks - be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss it

Subscribe now

A Resource I Wish I Had Known About

I needed a ‘3rd opinion’’ and while researching, I came across a service called 👩‍⚕️Midi Health. You’ve probably seen them on social media, and I must admit, I was skeptical at first.

I had two appointments with them, and I was pleasantly surprised to receive very practical steps to navigate my particular issue. I plan to continue working with their clinicians to find a solution that suits me and then switch care back to my OBGYN.

If you have a physician who is knowledgeable about peri-/menopause, stick to that. I think this is still the best option.

However, if you are struggling to find a good clinician knowledgeable about peri-/menopause, or just want a second opinion, check out MIDI (I decided to partner with them; this is a partner referral link).

What’s your experience with perimenopause/menopause?

Leave a comment

Plateful Health is my passion project to review facts, data, and analyses on environmental toxins and lifestyle medicine.

If you found this helpful, please share it! 🙏

Share

This newsletter is free - but if you feel called to support my work, I’d be deeply grateful for an upgrade to a paid subscription. Paid subscribers have access to my entire archive, can comment, join our community chat, and ask questions.

This year, all subscription proceeds will be donated to the Zero Foodprint, a non-profit organization with a cause close to my heart. I have a dream that one day we won’t need an “organic” label, because all food will support both human and planetary health.

When you subscribe, you’re not only helping to amplify my work, but you also help strengthen the health of our food, our environment, and the generations to come. I appreciate you more than I can say! ❤️

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I'm an affiliate for some of the products linked on my website. I get asked about products I use and love all the time, and by being an affiliate, I can negotiate discount codes to share with you, plus earn a small commission if you use my code or link to purchase. This helps me to support my research so that I can continue to provide the content on my platform, thank you so much for your support.

There is a lot of deceptive marketing in the cookware world. Many brands claim to be “non-toxic,” yet offer very little transparency about materials, coatings, or testing.

Today, I’m sharing exactly what I use in my home — and why.

Why Cookware Matters

Home-cooked meals are one of the best things you can do for your health.

But your cookware itself may be a source of some of the most concerning environmental chemicals — PFASs (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), often referred to as “forever chemicals.”

They’re called that for a reason.

If there is one class of toxins I would go to great lengths to avoid, it is PFAs.

PFAs do not break down easily. They persist in the environment and in the human body for years. There are now over 10,000 chemicals in this class - these chemicals can disrupt our immune and hormone signaling, and mounting research has linked PFAs to:

• Fertility issues and pregnancy complications (like low birth weight)1

• Certain cancers (strongest evidence for kidney and testicular, but also breast, ovarian, prostate, and liver) 2

• Weight gain and weight-loss resistance (with research showing people with high PFAs more easily regain weight they lose via dieting).3

• Thyroid and other autoimmune conditions4

• Early menopause(!)5

• Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes6

• Cardiovascular disease7

The more I read, the more I find myself wondering: what have PFAs NOT been associated with?

And the two places I would start to reduce my exposure are:

1. Water (install a point-of-use water filter — you can see my favorites here)

2. Cookware

Is There a Perfect Cookware?

No.

There is no 100% perfect option. They all have their pros and cons.

But in my opinion, these are “better” choices:

• Stainless steel (18/10 or 18/8 only)

• Non-coated cast iron

• Heavy-metal-leach-tested 100% ceramic

• Non-coated carbon steel

Instead:

• Identify what you use your non-stick cookware for most often.

• Replace it for that use case first, using my guide below.

• Slowly upgrade the rest as finances allow.

I personally rotate cookware depending on what type of food I’m cooking.

(P.S. it’s taken me 9 years to collect all the various cookware I list below, so please don’t let this overwhelm you. Pick just one to swap if you are starting out.)

🛍️ You can find ALL my favorite cookware + discount codes linked here. 🛍️

What I Use — By Cooking Type

1️⃣ Acidic Foods (Tomato Sauce, Lemon, Vinegar)

Acidity increases the leaching of heavy metals:

• Nickel from stainless steel

• Iron from cast iron (not necessarily a BAD thing if you are iron-deficient, but I prefer to get my iron from food sources and not a metal pan 🤣. Some people also say that iron from a metal source can cause oxidative stress in the body (I am not able to find data to substantiate that)

What I use: For acidic foods, I use third-party leach-tested 100% ceramic cookware. If you do use ceramic, it is important you look for third-party testing for heavy metal leaching - a common problem.

The one I use (Affiliate code: Platefulhealth 15% off on top of website prices, including sales) - is third-party leach tested for heavy metals to CA Prop 65 standards.

I primarily use their 2.5-quart saucepan and their Dutch oven—these pieces conduct heat extremely well and are perfect for:

• Stews

• Soups, broths

• Baking, roasting

• My daily morning oatmeal!

Did you know? A rat study showed that the special fibers in oats may bind to PFAs and reduce absorption and body load!8

We need human studies to confirm this, but it’s one of many reasons oatmeal is my daily go-to breakfast.

And no — it is not “peasant food.” It can be very healthy when you use whole oats (rolled or steel cut) and avoid instant or quick-oats.

2️⃣ Non-Stick Cooking (Eggs, Tofu, Pancakes, Crepes)

My favorite option here is cast iron.

I have tried many cast-iron pans and have personally struggled to season them to true non-stick levels. If you are someone who can do this well, a Lodge from Costco or Target works perfectly.

If you’re like me and cannot get the seasoning right 🫣 :

This cast-iron pan (Code: PLATEFULHEALTH for 15% off) comes pre-seasoned and is essentially non-stick right out of the box. With continued use, it improves, and I’ve had mine for 9 years; it gets better with time!

P.S. They just launched a new #5, Chef’s egg pan - perfect if your only needs for cast iron is to cook eggs without toxins!

On average, a nonstick pan needs to be replaced every 1-2 years. Each one is around $100, give or take. So over the last 9 years, I’ve saved $500+ by not having to replace my cast iron pan - if you have the funds, it is an investment that pays off over time.

Cooking with Stainless Steel

If you only own stainless steel (18/10 or 18/8), you can cook eggs and tofu successfully - you just need to know how. My favorite stainless steel pan is THIS (Affiliate discount Code: Platefulhealth 👋 NOTE: I do not use their ceramic-coated cookware, please read below for why):

3️⃣ Fried Rice or Noodles

I have not yet mastered fried rice in cast iron or stainless steel. If you have, please teach me 🙏.

For this, I use a carbon steel wok. Honestly, I got a $50 one off Amazon, but they have since gone out of business, so it's not available anymore.

I have found two others (listed here) that look great too - make sure you follow instructions to pre-season them properly!

What I Avoid (And Why)

⛔️ “Ceramic Nonstick” (e.g., Caraway, Our Place, Hexclad, etc.)

These are not true ceramic pans.

Most are:

• A sol-gel (silicon/silicone-based) coating

• Over an aluminum core

Advantages:

• Lightweight

• Cook more like the Teflon pans.

• Often third-party tested for PFAS (like PFOA) and heavy metals (lead, cadmium)

But here are my concerns:

• Many companies do not provide aluminum leach testing after a few months of use. If the coating scratches, aluminum is exposed - is this leaching into our food?

• The coating often wears down within 3–6 months. If it is wearing down, where is it going? Could these break up into nanoparticles in our food? Possibly!

When I contacted a couple of these companies, I was told the formulation is “proprietary” but “food-safe.” - I will be the judge of whether it is food-safe, thank you! 🤣—Just tell me what’s in it!

Are they better than Teflon? Probably. But I don’t know for sure.

Until I see full transparency and long-term data, I personally do not use them.

Unlike my cast iron or stainless steel pans, which have lasted years and not needed replacing, these ceramic-coated pans will likely need replacing frequently - that’s another factor to consider. They cost around $120 each, so by the time you factor the cost of replacement into the equation, cast iron and stainless steel are MUCH more cost-effective - you just have to take good care of them!

⛔️ PTFE (Teflon) — Even If It’s “PFOA-Free” and thought to be “safe”

A quick background 🙋‍♀️:

• PTFE is a non-stick coating often used on the black Teflon nonstick pans.

• Before 2015, PFOA was used in its manufacturing.

• After harmful effects were linked to PFOA, companies voluntarily phased it out.

But here’s the key question:

What replaced PFOA?

There are newer perfluorochemicals, such as GenX, for which we do not yet have sufficient safety data. Some evidence suggests they may be similarly hazardous.

Given that:

• These are still technically “forever chemicals.”

• They persist in the body and environment.

• We lack long-term safety data.

I am not prepared to take that risk.

Until we have more definitive research, I personally avoid all PTFE-coated non-stick pans — even those labeled “PFOA- free.” - don’t fall for the marketing.

❓Not sure about - Titanium cookware

These are becoming ever more popular - my biggest issue with most of them is that they are usually made with a thin layer of titanium coated over, you guessed it, an aluminum core 😖.

Now, I do believe that there is a way the titanium could be bonded permanently to the construction of the pan, i.e., it doesn’t scratch off as a coating could.

I tried one that said it was “bonded”, and honestly, after 2 weeks, the food ‘stuck’, and I’m not sure why - so I can’t really recommend it.

If I find one that is fully bonded and works well - I will share. ❤️ Let me know in the comments if you have a brand of cookware you love, or any questions!

Leave a comment

Plateful Health is my passion project to review facts, data, and analyses on environmental toxins and lifestyle medicine.

If you found this helpful, please share it! 🙏

Share

This newsletter is free - but if you feel called to support my work, I’d be deeply grateful for an upgrade to a paid subscription. Paid subscribers have access to my entire archive, can comment, join our community chat, and ask questions.

This year, all subscription proceeds will be donated to the Zero Foodprint, a non-profit organization with a cause close to my heart. I have a dream that one day we won’t need an “organic” label, because all food will support both human and planetary health.

When you subscribe, you’re not only helping to amplify my work, but you also help strengthen the health of our food, our environment, and the generations to come. I appreciate you more than I can say! ❤️

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I'm an affiliate for some of the products linked on my website. I get asked about products I use and love all the time, and by being an affiliate, I can negotiate discount codes to share with you, plus earn a small commission if you use my code or link to purchase. This helps me to support my research so that I can continue to provide the content on my platform, thank you so much for your support.

A major source of forever chemicals (PFAs) - which have been linked to fertility issues, cancer, weight gain, heart disease, thyroid and autoimmune diseases (… and more!) - come from nonstick cookware.

You can 100% cook eggs on stainless steel pans - you just need to know how! 🙌

🛍️ For the full list of cookware I like and use in my own home: Click here 🛍️

Summary of steps:

1. Heat up pan on low/medium - around 2 minutes

2. Do water test. If it forms balls and dances (See video) - it’s ready

3. Let the water dry up

4. Add oil

5. Sprinkle salt sparingly (this helps to create that non-stick interface) - but if you are salt-free, you can skip

6. Add food. Keep the heat on low/medium.

7. Let the food cook for a good 2-3 minutes, until it starts to separate from the pan. Don’t lift or flip it too early - as this will result in sticking

8. That’s it!

Let me know if you try - and how it goes

A lot of people are struggling right now 💔.

Physically. Emotionally. Financially. Mentally.

And if I’m honest, I’ve been feeling it too - my heart has been heavy for most of 2026.

I’ve had to make a conscious effort to remind myself of the good that still exists in the world (and you are absolutely on that list). Thankfully, there is still so much of it.

I’m deeply grateful for the people who are shining their light brighter than ever.

Nine years ago, when I moved from the UK to San Francisco, I felt a visceral pull to use my medical training and clinical experience to share a different approach to health, one that focuses on root causes instead of band-aids.

I’ve built my platform around making health feel less overwhelming.

And lately, trying to decide what should be “free” versus “paid” has started to feel impossible.

More importantly, I don’t feel comfortable knowing that these decisions could stand in the way of someone who genuinely wants to improve their health, especially during a season when life already feels so heavy.

🎁 So, moving forward, I’m removing paywalls from my emails.

What This Means for You

Starting now, every new Substack article will land in your inbox in full 📧 — free.

📧 And instead of sticking to a weekly cadence, I’ll write when there’s something timely and genuinely helpful to share.

Let’s face it, our inboxes are already full, and I only want to take your time and attention when I have something truly worth sending.

If You’d Still Like to Support My Work…

If you feel called to support the time, research, and care that go into my work, I would be deeply grateful for a paid subscription or for using my affiliate links on products I share.

✨ A paid subscription allows you to:

• Browse and read all previous Substack articles in my archive.

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P.S. In 2026, I’ll be donating all subscription proceeds to the Zero Foodprint. It’s a small step toward a big dream of mine: a future where we don’t need an “organic” label at all. Where all food is grown in a way that restores our soil, supports farmers, and nourishes both human and planetary health.

🙏 So, if you are a paid subscriber, you are not only supporting my work, but the regeneration of our planet (and therefore human health).

Thank You (Truly)

Whether you’re a free subscriber, a paid subscriber, someone who shares my posts with a friend, or someone quietly reading along in the background…

❤️ Thank you…

Thank you for taking control of your health…

Thank you for caring…

Thank you for spreading this vital information…

You’re the reason I keep showing up here even when it feels hard.

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Plateful Health is my passion project to translate the latest science and data on environmental toxins and lifestyle medicine into practical daily steps you can take to improve your own health.

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Can taping your mouth shut at night transform your sleep, stop snoring, give you fresher breath, and even sharpen your jawline? Or does it come with potential risks (yes, ever considered that? 😳) - let’s dive in.

What Is Mouth Taping?

Mouth taping is exactly what it sounds like: before bed, people place a piece of tape across their lips to keep the mouth closed during sleep. The goal is to “force” nasal breathing instead of mouth breathing.

This idea has been around for decades in fringe wellness circles, but it really took off in the 2020s. Books like Breath by James Nestor popularized nasal breathing as a cornerstone of health, and social media amplified the message.

By 2023, a survey from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that about 1 in 10 U.S. adults had tried mouth taping at least once.1 That’s a staggering number, so of course I had to dig to see if science actually supported this trend.

Proponents claim mouth taping can:

• Stop snoring

• Improve sleep quality

• Reduce bad breath

• Lower cavity risk

• Improve jawline definition and reduce double chin

• Even boost athletic performance
  

It’s an appealing list. But let’s see what the evidence says.

Why Nasal Breathing Matters

To understand the logic behind mouth taping, you first need to know why nasal breathing is superior to mouth breathing.

The nose isn’t just a hole in the middle of your face. It’s an advanced filtration and conditioning system. When you breathe through your nose:

• The air is filtered, removing dust, allergens, and pathogens.

• It’s warmed and humidified, making it easier on your lungs.

• Nitric oxide (NO) is produced in your nasal passages, which helps dilate your airways and blood vessels, improving oxygen delivery throughout your body.

Studies show nasal breathing can improve oxygen uptake efficiency compared to mouth breathing.2 That’s why athletes and even yogis emphasize training themselves to breathe through the nose.

So the proponents got this part right ✅: We SHOULD try to breathe through our nose as much as possible!

What’s Wrong With Mouth Breathing?

So if nasal breathing is so great, what’s the downside of mouth breathing—especially at night?

1. Oral health issues

When your mouth hangs open, your saliva dries up. Saliva is essential for protecting teeth and gums because it neutralizes acids, washes away food debris, and maintains a healthy oral microbiome. Mouth breathing has been linked to:

• Increased gum inflammation

• Higher plaque buildup

• Potentially higher risk of cavities

One study found that children who were mouth breathers had more pathogenic oral bacteria and signs of oxidative stress in their saliva compared to nose breathers.3 Another systematic review suggested teens with mouth breathing were more prone to gum disease.4

2. Craniofacial development (in children)

In kids, chronic mouth breathing can literally change how the face develops. Research shows it can lead to longer, narrower faces, a retruded chin, and altered jaw alignment.5 This is less of a concern for adults, but in growing children, it can have long-term consequences.

3. Airway mechanics

Mouth breathing is linked to increased collapsibility of the upper airway during sleep, which can worsen snoring or sleep apnea. In other words, it can make nighttime breathing less stable.

4. Dryness and inflammation

Anyone who has ever woken up with a sore, dry throat after breathing through their mouth knows how uncomfortable it can be. Chronic dryness also increases the risk of infection and discomfort.

So another part the proponents of mouth taping got right ✅- Mouth breathing CAN lead to negative consequences!

P.S. I get asked all the time about the products I personally use —so I’ve put together a list to make it easy for you to find everything in one place. Hope it helps! Click 👉 here!

…But does taping your mouth shut at night ACTUALLY help?

I mean, it makes logical sense, right? If we should breathe through our nose, and mouth breathing is undesirable, then if you tape shut your mouth, then you can FORCE your body to breathe through the nose!

But here’s where things get interesting… just because it’s popular doesn’t mean there is science.

Despite the hype, the actual body of evidence on mouth taping is conflicting and not consistent. Let’s dive in.

The 2025 Systematic Review

The most comprehensive look so far was a 2025 systematic review of mouth taping and chin straps (which have a similar effect of keeping the mouth closed). It included 10 studies, covering only 213 participants total—a very small sample size for a review.6

Key findings:

• Only 2 of 6 studies that measured sleep apnea severity (a measurement of whether people stop breathing during their sleep) found an improvement with tape alone. These were small studies with people who had mild sleep apnea and no nasal obstruction. A modest improvement was observed, but it was insufficient to change the clinical diagnosis. Participants who began with mild sleep apnea continued to meet the criteria even after using mouth taping.

• One study found taping only improved sleep apnea when combined with a mandibular advancement device (a dental appliance for sleep apnea that moves the jaw forward). Mouth taping alone did not make a significant difference.

• Several studies reported reduced snoring—sometimes by half. That’s promising for partners of snorers, so something to consider…

• One study found more REM sleep with tape, but results were inconsistent. REM or Rapid Eye Movement sleep is 1 of 4 different sleep phases. It has been implicated in consolidating memory, emotional regulation, and helps the brain clear cellular waste, preparing it for better function during waking hours. One study estimated for every 1% reduction in REM sleep, there is a 9% increased risk in dementia.7

• Now here’s the part I want to draw your attention to because I never see any influencers caveat this when sharing about mouth taping - four studies in the review warned of potential asphyxiation risk if someone has nasal blockage or reflux. In the US, it is estimated that around 1 in 4 people have gastric reflux disorder.8 However, up to 40% of people with gastric reflux are not aware of it…9

The review concluded: evidence is weak, results are inconsistent, and there are real risks.

Other Studies Worth Knowing

• Asthma trial (2009): In 50 asthma patients, mouth taping overnight was generally tolerated. The study measured asthma control instead of sleep quality and found there was no significant difference in asthma control.10

• Professional Body Recommendations: Both the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American Dental Association recommend against mouth taping.

The Risks Nobody Talks About

Social media tends to gloss over the potential downsides. But they matter.

• Skin irritation: Many people develop rashes or discomfort from adhesive on delicate lip skin.

• Claustrophobia or panic: If you already struggle with anxiety, taping your mouth can feel unbearable.

• Breathing problems: If you have nasal congestion from allergies, a cold, a deviated septum, or enlarged tonsils/adenoids, taping can shut off airflow during the night when your body would naturally default to mouth-breathing in order to compensate for blocked nasal passages.

In other words, your body is not misbehaving - it is LITERALLY mouth-breathing to save you! So how can the solution be just to slap a piece of tape over your mouth? 🤷🏻‍♀️

• Undiagnosed sleep apnea: Sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed. If your nasal passages aren’t clear, taping can actually make your sleep apnea worse by unintentionally impeding your nasal airflow.

• Asphyxiation risk: If you vomit or regurgitate in your sleep, having your mouth taped shut ‘may’ be a hazard - I have not come across real reports of these though..

Should You Try It?

Well, that’s up to you! My job is to present the data.

The strongest evidence we have says mouth taping may reduce snoring and slightly improve mild sleep apnea—but only in people with open nasal passages. If you have compromised nasal passages e.g., due to allergies or structural changes, I recommend you consult with your doctor BEFORE taping your mouth.

Root cause approach

We are NATURALLY programmed to breathe through our nose - that is our ‘factory setting’. So if we are breathing through our mouth, there MUST be a reason why! Our bodies are smart, mouth breathing is usually not a ‘mistake’ - it is a sign our bodies are compensating for something.

If you’re tempted by mouth taping, consider what’s making you breathe through your mouth first:

1. Fix the root cause of nasal obstruction

• Allergies? Treat them.

• Deviated septum? Enlarged adenoids/tonsils - See an ENT.

2. Explore myofunctional therapy

These are breathing and tongue-posture exercises that retrain nasal breathing and oral muscles. According to the prestigious Cochrane Review, there is some evidence that this may help reduce daytime tiredness and improve sleep quality in the short term.11 Speak to a speech therapist who can discuss this with you further. There are also some apps that have been shown to help in randomized controlled trials, but I’ve not had experiences with them.12

3. Get tested for sleep apnea

• Snoring, daytime sleepiness, or gasping at night are red flags.

• Sleep studies (at home or in a lab) can reveal what’s really going on.

4. Use proven therapies if needed

• CPAP is the gold standard for moderate to severe sleep apnea.

• Mandibular advancement devices work for many with mild to moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea.13

5. Try positional strategies

• Sleeping on your side (sometimes called Positional Therapy) can reduce snoring and mild apnea, although it is less effective than CPAP.14 There are even pillows or devices that help you do this.

The Bottom Line

Mouth breathing isn’t ideal—it can affect oral health, sleep, and even facial structure in kids.

Nasal breathing is absolutely better for your body.

But is taping your mouth shut a science-backed strategy? While a handful of small studies suggest mild benefits in very specific cases, most sleep experts agree the practice is largely unproven, and potentially carries a small risk if there is nasal obstruction.

If you’re struggling with poor sleep, snoring, or fatigue, the answer isn’t a strip of tape on your mouth. It’s figuring out why you’re mouth breathing in the first place—and addressing that root cause.

If you’ve had experience with mouth taping, I’d love to know how you found it. Comment below!

Leave a comment

I’m an affiliate for some of the products linked on my website. I get asked about products I use and love all the time, and by being an affiliate, I can negotiate discount codes to share with you, plus earn a small commission if you use my code or link to purchase. This helps me to support my research so that I can continue to provide the content on my platform, thank you so much for your support.

Then, while speaking at a conference last year, the organizer generously gifted me a comprehensive home assessment by Light Work Home. My initial reaction was, “Sure, this could be interesting, but I doubt they’ll find anything meaningful, though.”

Oh, the smugness… That assumption turned out to be very wrong! 😭

Despite all the steps we’d already taken, the testing revealed several important blind spots where I could be doing much better, especially when it comes to AC electrical current, lighting, and (gasp) water filtration!! It was genuinely eye-opening and a good reminder that low-toxin living isn’t a box you check once and move on from…

It’s a process. Not a destination. And definitely not all-or-nothing.

Why Does It Matter?

Environmental toxins are one of the most underappreciated drivers of chronic disease today, and I believe they often sit at the root of many vague, hard-to-explain symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, skin issues, and more.

They rarely cause immediate problems. Instead, they accumulate quietly in our bodies over time, which makes them difficult to identify.

A growing body of research links common environmental exposures, including air pollutants such as PM2.5, nitrogen dioxide, and volatile organic compounds, to a wide range of health outcomes.

These include fertility challenges, metabolic dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative conditions like dementia, and multiple forms of cancer.1234

When you look at the leading causes of death in the United States—heart disease, cancer, and dementia, environmental exposures show up again and again as contributing factors.5 And yet it is the one area most doctors are still not talking to their patients about.

It Starts with Water

The FIRST thing I’d do in any home is to install a water filter.

Why?

45% of US tap water test positive for PFAs, aka forever chemicals, which have been linked to hormone disruption, increased cancer risk, fertility issues, high blood pressure, and more.6 There are also often heavy metals (neurotoxins), pesticides, and even pharmaceuticals found in US drinking water—so water filtration is KEY.

Now, my water filter was one of the first things that SHOCKED ME.

As you saw, Dom tested both my kitchen drinking water and my shower water.

I had chosen a kitchen filter that specifically targeted the main contaminant of concern in my water: trihalomethanes.

I even verified that it was working immediately after installation:

🛍️ I use TapScore to test my water (PLATEFUL10 for 10% off - valid until Feb 20 only). This is the at-home water-testing kit I personally use. If you have a water filter, I highly recommend you test the water quality to ensure it is doing what it says it should be doing…..

But the follow-up testing by Dom 4 months later told a very different story.

Despite the filter being only 4 months old (and I’m supposed to change them every 6-12 months according to the manual), my kitchen water showed outrageously high levels of trihalomethanes. 🤯

This was a clear wake-up call that having a water filter doesn’t automatically mean consistently clean water.

In my case, because the THMs in my tap water were astronomically high (a sobering thought for my neighbors who don’t use a filter at all 🙀), the filter started declining far earlier than the 6–12 month replacement window the manufacturer suggested…

Based on guidance from Light Home, I’ve since switched to a different filtration system, just so I don’t have to keep changing filters every 2-3 months.

I’ll be re-testing the water again at the four-month mark to see how it performs compared to the previous filter, and report back.

🛍️ For air/water products I use in my home 👉 Click here 🏡

Moving onto Air

Luckily, he found my indoor air quality to be excellent and recommended that I continue to use my air purifiers since they seem to be working very well (I have one in each room).

This is the air filter (Affiliate discount link) I use in my home (BIG sale on right now):

💡Hot TIP from Light Work Home: Ensure air purifiers are always on and set to run continuously instead of “auto.” Air purifiers set to “auto” mode are often triggered only when particulate matter reaches certain concentrations and particle sizes, which means smaller particles can accumulate in the meantime. We recommend running the air purifiers continuously at whichever setting is most comfortable in terms of noise.

Additionally, ensure the filters are changed regularly.

Dirty Electricity/EMF?

Dom also covers dirty electricity and EMF in the video and shares several genuinely low-hanging fruit strategies you can start implementing right away.

I recommend watching the videos in full.

I’ll be sharing a separate article shortly that goes deeper into practical, realistic ways to reduce EMF exposure in the home, without aiming for perfection or turning daily life upside down. Stay tuned, but he identified this power strip next to my work desk which was constantly emitting high electrical fields - and I sat there 7-8 hours a day 😫 - an easy solution is to switch the power strip off, and only turn it on when I need to charge something.

The tip he gave about Kindles in the video is another low-hanging fruit.

If you’re interested in home testing:

Light Work Home

This is the comprehensive testing service I used (you can get a sense of what they did in my home in the video above). If you mention “Dr. Vivian Chen”, you’ll receive a 10% discount if you decide to work with them.

I like that Dom from Light Work Home took a nuanced approach and busted a LOT of common myths around:

• Light flicker

• Dirty electricity (TLDR: save your money on those ‘plugs’)

• The shocking items that were spiking insanely high EMF in my home were smart plugs for lighting that my husband installed, his blood pressure cuff (??), and also the cordless phone we have - which my husband sits next to a lot! So that got moved.

• The detailed steps and swaps they recommended to help me reduce the AC electrical field and improve the lighting in my house were very helpful, too.

Quick Links:

🎁 Quick heads up: Pique - my favorite triple-toxin tested tea (up to 20% off via my commissionable link) - just brought back their Red Pu’er 🙌 and they’re gifting a free box ($38 value) on $120+ orders until Feb 14th 🤎. It was only around for a short time before it sold out. If you’ve been around for a while, you’ll know that I love their:

• Matcha (for calm energy, antioxidants, gut and liver health)

• Black Pu’er for metabolic and gut health

• LA ginger (my favorite ginger tea)

• Nandaka (also for calm energy, antioxidants, adaptogens)

• Also love all their other teas too…

🛍️ Product I use in my home - I only share products that I love and use in my own home. Click to see more

My water filter article - Want to learn more about how to choose the right water filter for YOU? Click here

My air quality article - Air pollution is a huge health issue, as highlighted in the 2025 report from the Royal College of Physicians. Read more about it here.

Leave a comment

I'm an affiliate for some of the products linked on my website. I get asked about products I use and love all the time, and by being an affiliate, I can negotiate discount codes to share with you, plus earn a small commission if you use my code or link to purchase. This helps me to support my research so that I can continue to provide the content on my platform, thank you so much for your support.

👉 Most people never opened the full 90-page scientific report. They saw the picture - the new inverted food pyramid.

And many understandably formed opinions based on the graphic alone. And that worries me.

Not because people did anything wrong; these guidelines are intended for healthcare professionals and policy makers - people who are supposed to read the entire 90-page document.

However, if you looked only at the inverted pyramid and did not read the scientific report, you most likely did not get the full picture. Let’s dive in.

The Nuance

There is real progress in this new guideline. And there are many positives worth celebrating.

If there is one thing different diet camps can agree on, it is this: we need more whole, real foods and fewer ultra-processed foods. This report clearly moves in that direction, along with several other encouraging shifts I will outline below.

I want to be clear about where I stand. I am not in ANY diet camp. I do not pick sides in vegan versus carnivore versus paleo or other ‘diet’ debates. Science is nuanced. It evolves as more research gets carried out. And I will change my point of view along with emerging data.

So, I am on the side of science and on the side of using evidence to help you optimize your health. And my job here is not to convince you of anything but to share the science with you so that YOU can make your own informed decision on what’s best for you. 💪❤️

💫 P.S. I get asked all the time about the less toxic products I use at home — so linking it all here! 🛒 Bookmark this page.

🛍️ NEW Olive Oil find 🛍️ I recently tried the 🫒 Neuroreserve (code: BHKEVOO for 5% off, no affiliation, purchased with my own money) by Dr. - Organic, cold-pressed, and 3rd party tested to have high polyphenols (the heart- and brain-healthy compounds we look for) - it’s delicious with a strong peppery aftertaste… thought I’d share since olive oil is recommended as a healthy fat in the new guideline :)

Let’s get back to the report!

The Small Print You Should Not Ignore

Most nutrition research is observational. These studies can only show associations, not direct cause-and-effect.

That is why I do not rely on one study to form conclusions when it comes to nutrition. I look at the totality of evidence and whether findings remain consistent across many different studies.

And I ALWAYS glance at one small but important section.

The “Conflict of Interest” section. 🕵️‍♀️

The Dairy And Cattle Industry Ties

When I read the 90-page report, this jumped out at me.

Four of the nine Scientific Review Authors who shaped and approved the final guidelines disclosed financial relationships with beef or dairy industry organizations. This includes groups such as the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the National Dairy Council, and the Dairy Research Foundation. (To their credit, they actually disclosed it!)

Here’s a screenshot from page 14 of the report showing just two of these authors’ ties:

This does not mean the guidelines are corrupt or should be dismissed.

But we would be remiss not to consider potential bias, particularly when several evidence-based recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee were not carried into the final report.

One notable example is the recommendation to prioritize beans, peas, and lentils over red and processed meat — an evidence-based proposal, but not adopted 😞 despite a substantial body of research linking legumes with improved cardiometabolic (i.e., heart and metabolic) health and the WHO classification of processed meat as a Group 1 carcinogen (particularly relevant given the alarming rise in colon cancer in younger adults 😢). 123

The Good News 🎉

There is a lot to like here.

🍓🥬 Fruits and vegetables take up (a large) space.

👩‍🍳 Whole, nutrient-dense, home-prepared foods are encouraged.

✋ Ultra-processed foods are discouraged.

🧂 Salt: <2300mg sodium for adults (um, have you checked how much is in your favorite electrolytes?).

🍭 Refine Sugar: Limit to <10% of calories (i.e., translates to about 12 tsp for the average adult).

🧬 The gut microbiome gets a mention - fiber-rich ‘plant foods’ are recommended.

Where It Gets Muddy

We’ve already touched on the issue of conflict of interest — four out of nine advisors disclosed ties to the beef or dairy industry. Whilst this doesn’t automatically invalidate the recommendations, it does mean we owe it to ourselves to ask:

• Is there strong evidence that regular and abundant consumption of steak, butter, cheese, and full-fat dairy - as the graphic would suggest - with the inevitable baggage of saturated fat- leads to better long-term health outcomes?

My thoughts: No. In fact, quite the opposite. This4 study from JAMA (graph above) showed that the higher the saturated fat in the diet, the higher the mortality rate. Also, decades of research have shown that higher saturated fat in the diet is associated with worse cardiometabolic parameters and even damage to the gut barrier - leading to toxins like lipopolysaccharides leaking through into the bloodstream, where they can cause inflammation.

The shift can occur quickly.

Just 5 days of an animal-based, high-saturated fat diet can shift the gut microbiome and lead to an increase in Bilophila wadsworthia and Alistipes - gut bacteria associated with colorectal cancer and inflammatory diseases.5

Am I telling you to cut out meat, dairy, or cheese altogether? Not at all.

In the context of a fiber- and antioxidant-rich diet built primarily on whole, unprocessed foods, a small amount of animal products can be perfectly compatible with health. They can be valuable sources of protein, B12, iron, and other nutrients.

What I question is their placement—at the top of the chart—suggesting frequent and abundant consumption.

In Defense of “Peasant Food”

The placement of whole grains on the pyramid also puzzled me.

When it comes to whole grains, the evidence is consistent: they’re associated with lower all-cause mortality and improved cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes.

Does that mean every grain works for every person? Of course not.

We’re bio-individuals. Some people do poorly with specific grains—and I’m one of them. I have non-celiac gluten sensitivity and don’t tolerate wheat well, and if I ate it, my inflammatory markers would go up. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat it - if you tolerate it.

I thrive on oats—yes, oats—the so-called “peasant food” that’s been vilified for ‘spiking your blood sugar’ and causing inflammation in some corners of the internet (I have articles on this; please check them out if interested in the science on oats).

Large population studies link oats to better blood sugar outcomes and lower insulin resistance.6 It is also rich in beta-glucan - a prebiotic fiber linked to better gut and immune health.7 8

The Contradictions

The pyramid also doesn’t correspond with the advice in the written recommendations.

🧈 Saturated Fat

Start with the visual: Animal-based foods like meat, cheese, full-fat dairy, and butter are placed high and take up almost 1/3 of the pyramid - with the implied suggestion that these should be consumed abundantly, in the same quantity as the fruits and vegetables to the right.

But here’s the catch: the written report recommends keeping saturated fat below 10% of daily calories. That’s near impossible to do if you were to abundantly consume steak, chicken, cheese, and full-fat dairy as the picture suggests.

🌾 Whole Grains

Visually, grains are near the bottom of the pyramid — to me, a clear message to limit them.
But dig into the written recommendations, and it’s a different story: two to four servings of fiber-rich whole grains per day are encouraged, tailored to calorie needs.

In other words, a reader who only sees the chart receives a different message than someone who reads the written guidance - and the two are not mutually achievable.

It is one or the other… so which do you pick? The chart? Or the written guidance?

Where This Leaves Us

60% of American adults live with a chronic disease.

40% have two or more. And our children are not far behind on this troubling trajectory.

Something desperately has to change.

There’s a lot to appreciate in these guidelines. The headlines are loud and clear: Cutting down on refined sugar, reducing ultra-processed foods, and eating more fruits and veggies 🙌.

I’d love to see the nutrition camps work together instead of tearing each other down.

To acknowledge that bio-individuality is real; no single diet works for everyone. But also to commit to sharing the totality of the evidence, instead of cherry-picked studies that prop up personal preferences.

But guidance alone isn’t enough.

I can’t help but think of the increasing number of Americans struggling to put food on the table right now — or the schools trying to nourish children on shrinking budgets. How are they expected to turn these guidelines into daily realities? Many of the items at the top of the pyramid 🥩🐓 are expensive, especially when you throw labels like ‘regenerative’, ‘organic’, or ‘grass-fed’ into the equation.

When my daughter and I volunteered at local food banks, one thing became painfully clear:

Most of the people we served already knew those ‘headlines’ of what healthy food is. They knew soda was not healthy, but fresh fruits and veggies are. But they continue to reach for the soda instead of fruits.

We can publish all the guidelines we want. But if we don’t address the social, psychological, and socio-economic determinants that shape how people actually eat, nothing changes.

• Access

• Affordability

• Time

• Chronic stress

Dietary choices don’t happen in a vacuum. They’re made inside systems that either support real food… or make ultra-processed foods an irresistible ‘choice.’

They need a food system where ultra-processed foods aren’t artificially cheap through subsidies and where fresh produce doesn’t cost more than a Big Mac and a bag of Doritos. They need real access to fresh food. They need support for the time, energy, and space at the end of the day to cook.

If we want people to follow the pyramid, the system and policy-makers have to make those foods realistic, not aspirational.

Leave a comment

I'm an affiliate for some of the products linked on my website. I get asked about products I use and love all the time, and by being an affiliate, I can negotiate discount codes to share with you, plus earn a small commission if you use my code or link to purchase. This helps me to support my research so that I can continue to provide the content on my platform, thank you so much for your support.

Social media has done an impressive job convincing people that carbohydrates are inherently harmful and that blood sugar spikes are something to fear (my thoughts on the new, inverted, food pyramid coming soon).

Over the past year, I’ve seen a flood of supplements claiming to “regulate blood sugar” and “curb cravings” and even likened to GLP-1 (e.g. Ozempic) - But do they actually work? Or are supplement companies capitalizing on the recent GLP-1 craze?

The forever skeptic, I decided to find out for myself.

To see if this supplement I’m trying delivered results, I wore a CGM (a continuous glucose monitor) for 1 month - and I learned A LOT. P.S. I don’t advocate for the regular use of CGM in healthy individuals; however, this was an exception.

Before I delve into the 5 biggest takeaways and mistakes people are making about blood sugar regulation, I wanted to just bust 2 common myths.

Myth 1: Carbs Are Not The Enemy

The right type of carbs are essential for:

• Sustained energy

• Hormone and cognitive health

• Gut microbiome diversity (fibers and prebiotics are ‘carbs’)

Myth 2: Your Blood Sugar Is Not Meant To Be A Flat Line

A gradual rise in blood sugar after eating, followed by a return to normal within 2 hours, is completely normal.

Let me say that again. A rise in your blood sugar after a meal is NORMAL.

The goal isn’t a flat line, contrary to what social media will have you believe.

What we don’t want:

• Frequent large, rapid spikes, often driven by refined carbohydrates or highly processed sugars or insulin resistance.

• Prolonged elevation, where glucose stays high for a long time after a meal instead of coming back down - this is usually due to insulin resistance (or diabetes).

• Repeated spike-crash cycles, where sharp spikes are followed by dips that can trigger fatigue, mood changes, or cravings.

It’s also important to know that not all glucose spikes come from food. As you’ll see in my CGM examples, strenuous exercise and acute stress, like giving a presentation, can temporarily raise blood sugar.

That’s by design. Glucose is fuel. Your body releases it into the bloodstream to help you perform, focus, and meet demands.

So no, not all blood sugar spikes are “bad.”

But frequent high, rapid meal-related spikes, or persistently elevated blood sugar that takes a long time to return to normal, are not ideal. These patterns, over time, have been associated with increased inflammation, weight gain, and a higher risk of metabolic dysfunction and chronic disease.

🎯 5 Blood Sugar Strategies That Let Me Keep Dessert

As you can see from the screenshots below of my own CGM reading, several factors influenced my blood sugar on a ‘typical’ day. Further, the same food, in different forms, under different circumstances, had different effects on my blood sugar.

Read more

It’s January. Cue the detox ads.

If you read only one sentence today, let it be this: 🧠 “Detox” must begin with our gut — not the liver.

And definitely not juice cleanses.

Here’s the Science

Your liver plays a critical role in biotransformation: It modifies toxins into forms the body can excrete.

But it does not actually remove them from the body.

That job belongs to your gut and kidneys (and to a smaller extent, sweat). And here’s the part most detox conversations skip:

If your gut barrier is compromised, or you have gut dysbiosis (disrupted gut microbiome), detoxification stalls. You cannot eliminate or detox efficiently. This is why detox must begin with your gut.

Toxins processed by the liver are secreted into bile, which empties into the intestines. From there, they rely on a healthy gut to leave the body.

If the gut is inflamed, overly permeable (often called “leaky gut”), or has an unhealthy microbiome, those toxins are far more likely to be reabsorbed, not eliminated. The result is an increasing toxic burden, ongoing immune activation (leading to autoimmune conditions), and chronic inflammation rather than detoxification.1 2

Hi to the newcomers from IG 👋

I’m really glad you’re here.

I bring together 20 years of medical training, clinical experience, and scientific literacy to cut through the wellness noise and offer evidence-based guidance that goes deeper than headlines, algorithms, or trends.

Inside this newsletter, I tackle popular topics you might be confused about, like mouth-taping, creatine, probiotics, HRT, and more. The goal is simple: clarity, nuance, and science you can actually use, so you can take steps towards health rather than wasting money on gimmicks or stalling from confusion.

Here’s what you’ll find:

🧬 Free membership: One full-length, in-depth newsletter each month
✨ Paid upgrade (for the cost of a coffee): Two additional full newsletters.

And because I’ll be spending far less time on Instagram this year, I’m adding a new section called » 🛍️ Product Finds «. This is where I’ll share products I personally use in my own home, genuinely love, and any discount codes brands offer me.

🛍️ You can also find my favorite products + discount code 👉 HERE 🛍️

Speaking of which, OSEA just launched their new bio-retinol body serum (Use my new affiliate discount code: PLATEFULNEWYEAR for the rest of Jan) - I’ve tried it for a month and love it. I apply it straight out of the shower, layer their anti-aging body balm on top, and my skin has stayed plump, hydrated, and glowy despite the cold dry weather 🧖🏻‍♀️.

Okay. Back to gut health.

🦠 What is Leaky Gut?

Your intestinal lining is just one cell layer thick. Those cells are held together by structures called tight junctions.

They have two essential jobs:

• Allow nutrients and water into the bloodstream
• Keep harmful substances like toxins and pathogens out

When those tight junctions loosen, we get increased intestinal permeability, often referred to as leaky gut.

Why does that matter?

Certain bacteria carry a potent immune-triggering molecule called lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Under healthy conditions, these LPS stays inside the gut, away from our bloodstream.

When the gut barrier becomes permeable or leaky, LPS can slip into the bloodstream, where it activates the immune system and drives inflammation.

Additionally, a compromised gut barrier allows environmental toxins to cross into circulation. Once there, they can travel throughout the body and contribute to inflammation, hormone disruption, oxidative stress, and even DNA damage.

It’s not surprising then that intestinal permeability (aka leaky gut) has been associated with a wide range of chronic conditions, some of the common ones being:

• Autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s - In fact, widely cited researcher, Dr. Alessio Fasano, believes leaky gut is one of the precursors of many autoimmune conditions. On the other side of the very thin gut barrier sits 70% of our immune system!

• Hypertension

• Inflammatory bowel disease

• Type 2 diabetes

• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease - the gut-liver axis (i.e., the close connection between the gut and liver) could explain this.

• Even fertility, reproductive health, and joint issues!

So if you truly want to detox, or have a healthy heart, brain, skin, hormones, you have to start with your gut.

🎯 The science-backed way to heal a leaky gut

If you stepped on a nail, you wouldn’t just slap a Band-Aid on it - would you? Hopefully, you’d remove the nail first before you apply the band-aid.

Gut healing works the same way. But this is where many people go wrong.

Trendy supplements get all the attention and are mistaken for “root cause solutions” simply because they’re “natural” - Collagen, bone broth, colostrum, and glutamine - Some have data behind them. Most don’t (I reveal which to include/avoid below).

Taking supplements without first removing the causes of leaky gut is like pouring water into a leaking bucket.

Remove the culprits first

Let’s start with a surprising disruptor of gut integrity most people don’t think about, that many have been indulging (a little too much) last month 😅 :

• Alcohol - it increases gut permeability and raises circulating LPS even at low doses. Doing Dry January? Great idea! In fact, alcohol does more than cause leaky gut - it negatively affects our sleep, brain, and hormones - the healthiest amount of alcohol is ZERO.

🛍️ Product Finds 🛍️: If you’re looking for an alcohol alternative that actually can help you unwind, I tried this drink over the holidays and loved it - Most mocktails are sugar bombs. This one isn’t. And it’s made with functional ingredients like adaptogens, so it works to support relaxation, winding down. I also love gentian root, a bitter known to support the liver.

P.S. You can get 10% off through my affiliate link on subscription (cancel anytime, and they have a 90-day money-back guarantee if it’s not for you).

Other zero-proofs (that don’t have functional ingredients, but are good ‘taste’-replacers):

• This non-alcoholic wine (I like the white, not so much the red)

• This non-alcoholic beer

Now, let’s look at other gut barrier disruptors

These are some of the most well-described factors that can compromise gut barrier integrity:

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (like ibuprofen)
Fine for occasional use, but long-term use can damage the intestinal lining and increase permeability, plus increase the risk of ulcers.

• Ultra-processed foods
Additives, preservatives, emulsifiers, and excess sugar can disrupt the gut microbiome and weaken barrier function.

• Pesticides
Here’s an important caveat. Eating fruits and vegetables is always a net positive for health, even when they are conventionally farmed. The fiber and antioxidants they provide are hugely beneficial for the gut microbiome. That said, pesticide exposure may still act as a gut stressor, and if you have the means to buy organic, especially for high-residue foods like spinach and strawberries, it is a good idea. If you do not, don’t stress.

• Chronic stress
Stress directly alters gut barrier function through nervous system and hormonal signaling. This is exactly why nervous system regulation topped my list in last week’s post.

• Gluten
But only if you are sensitive or intolerant. If you are not gluten-sensitive, traditionally fermented sourdough can be a great choice.

• Saturated fat
This one tends to ruffle feathers, but the data is fairly consistent. Meals high in saturated fat (yes, those burgers and steaks) are associated with increases in circulating lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a marker of impaired gut barrier.

In other words, saturated fat appears to make it easier for bacterial toxins to cross into our bloodstream and drive inflammation.

Ok, now that we’ve reviewed gut saboteurs, let’s look at what supplements could help heal our gut.

💊 Foods and supplements for leaky gut

Read more

🛍️ P.S. If you’re looking for more travel favorites, products I use and love at home, and discount codes, I’ve got you covered 👉 Click here

Now, a gentle reminder before we head into 2026 with resolutions in hand: health isn’t about overnight transformations. It’s about doing what actually works, consistently, one small habit at a time.

There are plenty of shiny bells and whistles on the scene, from peptides to expensive gadgets that promise the world. As always, look for actual science before buying into the hype.

That said, I wanted to share a few things that truly served me in 2025 and that I’m doubling down on even more in 2026.

1. Nervous system regulation as the foundation

I’ve stepped away from a version of “functional medicine” that made it feel like health required 40 different supplements a day. Instead, I’ve focused on rebuilding trust in my body and reclaiming my nervous system from the constant demands.

Chronic sympathetic activation is rampant - most of us are stuck in ‘always on,’ ‘fight or flight’ mode, and it is not benign. It drives inflammation, insulin resistance, poor sleep, hormone disruption, and gut dysfunction. If the nervous system is dysregulated, everything else becomes harder, and healing feels like two steps forward, one step back.

What worked for me in 2025:

• Setting better boundaries and saying “No” more often. The mindset reminders “I am enough” and “I have enough” were surprisingly powerful.

• Managing my phone use more intentionally by downloading this app (thank you, !) - game changer!

• Making morning meditation a non-negotiable, paired with a 6-minute LUMEBOX session - this habit has become the highlight of my mornings.

• Committing to an evening wind-down routine instead of pushing until bedtime.

• Treating sleep as a nervous system intervention, not a luxury.

I’ve experimented with a few vagus nerve stimulation gadgets, and so far I haven’t found one with science compelling enough to rely on. If I ever find one, I’ll be sure to share it here.

My honest take? We didn’t dysregulate our nervous systems because we had a gadget deficiency. Tools can support, but they are often just bandaids. Regulation comes from safety and consistent habits that are HARD, but they will likely work better than gadgets and are well worth our time and commitment.

2. Metabolic Health Without Dieting

Metabolic health has been the quiet saboteur for me this year thanks to perimenopause. Almost a year ago, I wrote about how shockingly my HbA1c (a blood sugar marker) and cholesterol began to creep up, even though my diet and exercise routine have remained the same.

If that’s you too, you are not alone - hormonal shifts during peri- and menopause are REAL - I have a few articles in the archive on this and will continue to share more this year.

What helped me recalibrate in 2025:

• More strength training - I added this in 2-3 times a week for bone health & preserving lean muscle mass (which tends to decline from the late 30s).

• Letting go of diet labels. I’ve always leaned toward plant-based eating, but I no longer identify with rigid categories. In my experience, pigeonholing how we eat often creates more stress than benefit.

• Wearing a CGM. On my PCP’s advice, I wore a continuous glucose monitor to understand how food affected my blood sugar, and it was eye-opening. I’ll share a full post soon, but the biggest takeaway is carbs/sweets earlier in the day. Stress and sleep have a huge impact on glucose regulation, and this deserves far more attention!

• More fiber, not just more protein. Protein matters, but I think we’re overshooting, especially with animal sources (which come with the baggage of environmental toxins, way more than plants ever will!). I aim for around 30g of protein per meal, prioritizing mostly plant-based sources, which naturally deliver the fiber my metabolism and gut thrive on… which leads me to my next point…

3. Gut–Liver–Hormone Axis

The gut and liver play a central role in estrogen clearance, metabolic health, immune signaling, and inflammation. In our 30s and beyond, this becomes increasingly important as hormones shift and our cumulative exposure to environmental toxins rises.

What many people don’t realize is that gut and liver health are also deeply tied to metabolic health. If these systems are under strain, blood sugar regulation, inflammation, and energy all tend to suffer.

What worked for me in 2025:

• Daily bitter greens and cruciferous vegetables. Arugula, mustard greens, broccoli sprouts, daikon, endives, and artichokes have been staples for supporting bile flow and liver detoxification.

• Fermented foods most days. I rotate different types for microbial diversity. If you have histamine intolerance or ongoing gut issues, talk to your doctor, as fermented foods could temporarily worsen them.

• Nervous system regulation. When the nervous system is stuck in fight-or-flight, digestion, hormone metabolism, and liver detoxification take a back seat. Creating more safety and rhythm in my day made everything else work better.

LUMEBOX over my abdomen is extremely soothing for my digestion when it needs a little helping hand.

PSA - If you take hormone therapy (birth control, menopause hormone therapy), supporting your gut and liver health should be a non-negotiable.

4. Circadian Living

This one is for those of you who say, “I’m doing everything right, but I still don’t feel great.” - Have you considered what your “Light Diet” looks like?

It wasn’t until earlier this year that I really dug into the research on how light impacts our health, and my mind was truly blown.

Studies link light exposure to lower mortality risk, improved metabolic health, better mood, and stronger immune function. I’m not suggesting reckless sun exposure, but I am intentionally spending more time outdoors, getting safe, healthy light during the day.

In the 1800s, humans spent roughly 50% of their time outdoors. Today, Americans spend about 93% of their time indoors. We are light-deficient during the day and exposed to the wrong type of light (artificial and blue light) at night, which erodes our sleep quality.

This creates circadian misalignment, which disrupts cortisol, melatonin (wired but tired, anyone?), insulin sensitivity, and overall metabolic and immune health.

What worked for me in 2025:

• Morning light exposure for at least 10 minutes, even on cloudy days. It still counts. This helps me sleep better at night too.

• Midday light exposure for another 10 to 15 minutes, usually in the form of taking my lunch outside. When I can’t get outside, I use my LUMEBOX. A fascinating study from Professor Glen Jeffery at UCL showed that just 15 minutes of red light exposure reduced blood sugar spikes after a 75 g glucose load.1

• Keeping evening light soft and low to support melatonin production.

• Staying off my phone one hour before bed. This is the hardest one. When I can’t fully unplug, I switch my phone to red mode to minimize circadian disruption.

5. Being kind to myself

As a perfectionist, this one was REALLY hard. I did some Internal Family System work and started to understand why I was being so hard on myself, but if I’m honest, I’m still a work in progress, so this is going to feature heavily for me in 2026.

What worked for me in 2025

• Constant reminders to be "better, not perfect” - letting go when I can’t control external circumstances, learning to enjoy things as they come, and remembering that I don’t need to be 100% perfect to be healthy.

• This year stretched me as I balanced work and motherhood. Accepting that I can’t do it all at once and finding peace with “good enough” in some areas has been a game-changer.

Traveling to Costa Rica, home to one of the world’s Blue Zones (regions with some of the highest numbers of centenarians - people who live to and beyond 100), has been a quiet reminder of what we’ve forgotten in the West:

Health doesn’t require fancy I.V. infusions, constant optimization, or the latest gadgets. If you have the means, some of these tools might be helpful, but they are not the foundation.

Our bodies already know how to be healthy. We just have to remove the obstacles standing in the way.

In the West, we spend so much time debating the “best” or “healthiest” diet, with “experts” tearing each other down online (which, by the way, is not healthy!) - when diet is only one piece of a much larger picture.

How we move through our days, how we manage stress, and how we connect, rest, and find meaning all matter just as much. It may feel like swimming against the tide, given everything that flies at us on a given day, but we have to find our way back to these foundations if we want true health. The kind that doesn’t disappear once the Band-Aids come off.

Now your turn - Let me know in the chat what made the biggest difference for YOU in 2025 and what habit changes you are looking to make in 2026 - please share in the chat so we can all learn from each other. ❤️ Happy New Year!

I'm an affiliate for some of the products linked on my website. I get asked about products I use and love all the time, and by being an affiliate, I can negotiate discount codes to share with you, plus earn a small commission if you use my code or link to purchase. This helps me to support my research so that I can continue to provide the content on my platform, thank you so much for your support.

The holidays are a time of joy and connection, but they can also carry tenderness, grief, and strain — and if that’s you, you’re not alone. You’re always supported here as an insider of the Plateful Health community ❤️ - feel free to drop us a message via the chat💫.

Even though connection is a powerful pillar of longevity and health, this season often brings more stress, less sleep, and a little extra sugar and alcohol — all of which can quietly nudge inflammation higher.

So I’ll keep this one short and simple.

Today, I’m sharing my top five tips and three daily foods that help me keep inflammation in check as I move through a very full season, including the supplements I reach for when all else fails 😅.

1. Get more light

Most people are missing this. Light isn’t just something we see — it’s information our cells respond to.

Emerging research shows that light doesn’t only orchestrate our internal body clock.

It also influences blood sugar regulation, hormone signaling, mood, and immune function — all of which are tightly linked to inflammation.

This becomes especially important during the holidays, when many of us: Sit more. Move less. Spend less time outdoors - we are not getting the beneficial rays our bodies crave.

Because of that, light becomes a non-negotiable for me during this season.

🎯 Dr. Viv’s routine

First thing in the morning, I bundle up — hat, scarf, the whole works — and step outside for morning light. Even on cloudy or overcast days, this still matters. Natural morning light helps anchor the circadian clock, supports energy and mood, and studies suggest it may also benefit metabolic health. I also try to get my exercise done outdoors when possible (and it’s not always possible).

For those living in climates where this simply isn’t realistic, a full-spectrum white light device can be a helpful alternative. I personally prefer a red light therapy session — about six minutes — while I meditate, because it also brings me the added benefit of skin rejuvenation (collagen production & glowing skin).

Red and near-infrared light are natural components of daylight that can penetrate the skin and reach our cells. These wavelengths interact directly with mitochondria, which supports:

• ATP (energy) production

• Improved circulation

• Healthier inflammation

This is one of the reasons light can feel so grounding and restorative — it’s not just psychological, it’s cellular.

» Get 40% off LUMEBOX «

2. Calm the Nervous System (Because Inflammation Follows Stress)

One of the most overlooked drivers of inflammation is chronic nervous system activation.

When the body stays in a constant “fight or flight” state, cortisol remains elevated, digestion slows, immune balance shifts, and inflammation rises.

The holidays — the never ending to-do lists, commitments, and parties - can keep us locked in a high cortisol state.

Rather than removing stressors, focus on adding signals of calm to your day, the small things can make a big difference:

• 6 minutes of box breathing with your LUMEBOX session in the morning before everyone gets up.

• A warm Epsom salt bath with candles

• I love coffee, but when I’m under stress, it can sometimes send my anxiety (and blood sugar) soaring. If that sounds familiar, swapping coffee for a cup of matcha can be a great option. Matcha contains calming L-theanine alongside caffeine and gives me a steady, focused lift without the crash or jitters. (You can get up to 20% off for life via the link, cancel anytime, and they give a 90-day money-back guarantee).

• They also just launched a low-sugar, non-alcoholic aperitif that I love the ingredients of (many nervines and adaptogens to support the stress response) - I just ordered it for the holidays to have instead of wine (you can get 20% off that too).

3. My 3 Must-Have Anti-Inflammatory Foods

I don’t ever think of anything as a ‘superfood’ - if you know me, you’ll know I love variety. But… If I had to narrow inflammation support down to just three foods during the holidays, these would be my daily anchors.

Broccoli Sprouts

Broccoli sprouts are one of the most concentrated sources of sulforaphane, which activates your body’s own antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer pathways. In fact, if I ever drink alcohol, I will make sure to eat a good serving of broccoli sprouts either before or right after :) - P.S. Don’t fall for those January ‘detox’ gimmicks - make broccoli sprouts your friend instead if you like supporting your liver detoxification with a science-backed tool.

I grow my own broccoli sprouts at home, but you can also buy them from grocery stores. When I travel and don’t have access to broccoli sprouts as a food, I will take a supplement (up to 28% off via my link).

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Cold and flu season is upon us. And more than half of my friends and family have been hit with a nasty mystery bug in the last month… So I’m popping into your inbox today to remind you of a few #foodasmedicine ingredients to keep on hand, and sharing some recipes I have on repeat right now that incorporate powerful immune-supporting ingredients, so you can strengthen your resilience with each meal you eat.

P.S. The star of the show has to be my Immunity Broth (see recipe below).

But first, let's explore the immune-supporting 8 ingredients I love:

1. Garlic

Garlic has been used as a medicine for centuries. It's not only delicious but also contains compounds that help the immune system fight germs. Studies have shown that eating garlic often reduces the risk of getting sick in the first place, as well as how long you stay sick and the degree or severity of your symptoms.1 

2. Turmeric 

It's known for its anti-inflammatory effects, but turmeric also plays a massive role in regulating the immune system. Studies show that turmeric can modulate the activation of many cells in our bodies, renewing them and strengthening our immune system, and down regulating various pro-inflammatory cytokines, making us feel tired when we start to get sick.2 

I can’t get enough of turmeric right now - and I share how I get this in on the daily below.

3. Ginger

A close relative of turmeric, ginger is also a powerful ingredient for immune health. The bioactive ingredient, gingerol, is responsible for its potent medicinal properties, like reducing oxidative stress.

A result of excess free radicals in the body, which are unstable molecules that damage cells. It also inhibit the growth of many viruses and bacteria in the body, lowering your risk of infection. It's also warming for the colder months and helps digestive health too. 

This is my “I don’t have time to make ginger tea” hack.

4. Cocoa

Chocolate has a bad name because of the dairy milk and sugar often added to it. High-quality cocoa, however, is heart/gut/skin healthy and has many bioactive ingredients with antimicrobial properties, including an inhibitory effect on the influenza virus.3

Cocoa is rich in polyphenols, which act as antioxidants neutralizing free radicals; this keeps you healthy and protects against various illnesses and diseases. Choose minimally processed, fair trade, organic.

My go-to brand is Santa Barbara because they 3rd party test for heavy metals - discount code platefulhealth) - I use their chocolate chips and cacao powder. Their cacao nibs are also DELICIOUS.

5. Berries

Berries of all kinds contain a high amount of antioxidants and provide a ton of nutrients like vitamin C, manganese, and vitamin K1, which are vital nutrients for building immune health. They are not in season right now, but fear not - frozen is just as good!

Bonus: Dried Goji berries - most people sleep on these, but they are a great source of immune-healthy vitamin A!

6. Herbs

Herbs like rosemary, thyme, and oregano don't just add fantastic flavor to our dishes; they also provide us with so many antioxidant benefits. Parsley and thyme are loaded with vitamins C, A, and K, and thyme has been used as a natural cough and sore throat remedy.

Oregano is an anti-microbial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal plant - great in pasta or sauces.

Lemon Balm is another fantastic anti-viral herb with nervine properties I like to make into a tea for the evening. 

7. Seaweed

There are many types of edible seaweeds, like Nori, Dulse, Kombu and wakame, that are known to be a great source of iodine, which is necessary for proper thyroid function and a healthy metabolism (if you have thyroid disease, however, be sure to check with your doctor first, as too much iodine can worsen thyroid conditions).

You may be surprised to learn that seaweed is also an immune-supporting food due to the marine plant compounds that have antioxidant, disease-preventing properties. It is also rich in minerals, adds a delicious umami flavor to broths, plus it contains gut microbiome-loving prebiotics - gut health IS immune health. 

8. Mushrooms

Even plain white button mushrooms contain immune-healthy beta-glucans that have been associated with a reduced cancer risk. But if you want to get fancy, my favorite when it comes to immune healthy is shiitake mushrooms - I am able to find fresh shiitake mushrooms in Asian grocery stores or sometimes even in Costco - saute them up.

Or, I always keep dried shiitake mushrooms in my pantry to throw into broths.

P.S. 🛍️ Want to browse ALL my favorite products? Click here 🛍️

Here’s the supplement (10% off via my affiliate link) I use to support my immune system when I need it.

6 recipes that are on repeat in my house right now

Now that you know why these ingredients are so powerful in immune health, here are 6 recipes that help you incorporate them into delectable everyday meals - and right now, I always have some frozen immunity broth on hand.

Breakfast:

Read more

Every December and January, my inbox and feed fill up with the same thing:
Detox teas. Liver cleanses. $180 juice resets. Powders promising to “flush toxins.”

And every year… people buy them.

Not because they’re foolish — but because hype and “going viral” now get confused with… efficacy and evidence.

So before 2026 rolls in, I want you to hear this from someone who has spent way too many late nights down PubMed rabbit holes reading about toxins and (true) detoxification:

📌 True detox is not juices, powders, or cleanses.

You can support detox with things you already have in your home.

Let’s break this down.

First: Why Detox Even Matters

Your body detoxes all day, every day — through real, science-backed pathways:

• Healthy, regular bowel movements (1–2 per day, a long S-shaped sausage in the toilet… yes, graphic, but essential because most people do not understand that this is what normal poop looks like. And unless your poops look like this, any attempts to ‘detox’ will probably backfire or do nothing at best.)

• Bile flow

• The liver

• The kidneys

• Sweat + lymphatics

These organs would have served us well 100 years ago, in a different world — one with fewer chemicals, less pollution and microplastics, BPA, PFAS, pesticides, or heavy metals.

So supporting our detox organs, in my opinion, isn’t a luxury anymore. It is important if we want vibrant health.

Before we even think about detoxing, we must reduce what’s filling our bucket in the first place. (If you’re new here, I have entire articles on everyday toxin exposures.)

But the step most people miss is this: Detox starts in your gut.

If your gut isn’t moving and eliminating, nothing else you do matters.

And the #1 science-backed tool to support your gut — before you buy any expensive protocol — is:

FIBER.

More than protein.
More than supplements.
More than any trendy “detox” kit.

Why Fiber Should Be the First Thing You Focus on in 2026:

1. Fiber binds toxins—juices don’t.

Without fiber, toxins in the bile (which carries toxins from our liver to the gut) are reabsorbed. In other words, toxins just recirculate in your body. Not ideal.

2. Fiber stabilizes blood sugar and appetite.

This matters for metabolic health, cravings, and gradual, sustainable weight loss.

3. Fiber supports your microbiome.

Your gut bacteria turn fiber into short-chain fatty acids like butyrate that lower inflammation, improve insulin sensitivity, and even improve brain/mental health.

4. Fiber improves hormone balance.

Estrogen metabolites are excreted in the gut—if there’s not enough fiber, or if you have gut dysbiosis (unhealthy gut bacteria) - estrogen can accumulate and contribute to what people call “estrogen dominance.”

5. Fiber protects against heavy metal accumulation.

Across multiple studies, higher fiber intake consistently correlates with lower cadmium and lead burden.1

Are there studies that show higher fiber intake = lower toxic burden?

A resounding YES. This is where the research gets really interesting.

Several studies have shown that fiber intake is associated with lower heavy metals—these are toxic chemicals that can accumulate and are notoriously difficult to eliminate.

Across multiple human studies:

• Higher fiber intake = lower cadmium and lead levels

• Higher fiber intake = less metabolic damage from lead exposure

• Higher fiber intake = menopause-age women with lower cadmium burden (cadmium has been associated with osteoporosis)2

• Higher fiber intake = better mental health outcomes in those with cadmium exposure
  

Even more:

• In seafood eaters, fiber lowered cadmium and lead levels.3

• In people with low fiber intake, lead was strongly linked to dyslipidemia (high cholesterol)— but that link disappeared in people with high fiber intake.4

• In adults with low fiber intake, cadmium was linked to higher depression risk — but again, this link vanished in those eating enough fiber.5

👋 P.S. I get asked all the time what I personally use—so I’ve put together a list to make it easy for you to find everything in one place. Hope it helps! Click 👉 here!

So… How Much Fiber Do You Actually Need?

Most people in America are only getting 11–15 g/day.

And we should be getting at least 25 g/day.

👉 I aim for 30–40 grams of fiber a day, NOT from a supplement but from whole foods (fruits, veg, beans, whole grains, nuts, and seeds).

If you are in the 11-15g range, don’t suddenly increase overnight. Build it up slowly—e.g., increase by 1-2 spoonfuls of beans a day so that your gut microbiome gets used to it, otherwise, bloating and discomfort await…

What are my favorite ways to get fiber in?

• Lentils—a fiber and protein powerhouse! Throw them onto a salad or make a soup or a stew. Very versatile.

• Oatmeal—a morning staple. Despite what the internet says, oats are a great source of beta-glucan, a type of fiber that was found in an animal study to help eliminate PFAs (forever chemicals).6

• Veggies, especially asparagus, leeks, and onions—these contain prebiotics, which our gut bugs LOVE.

• Nuts and seeds—a surprising one most people don’t think about—but nuts and seeds can be a delicious source of fiber, and I love grinding up chia/flax seeds and adding a spoonful into my oatmeal.

The REAL January Detox Plan

✔ Make sure you are pooping 1-2x/day, and look at your poop (gross, I know, but how else would you know? Make sure it is a long sausage. But if it is not, you need to work on this first and foremost). Start by ensuring you are having enough fiber (if you have IBS or digestive issues and are sensitive to FODMAPS, speak to a practitioner who can work with you to improve your gut health).

✔ Add 1–2 servings of cruciferous vegetables daily (broccoli, broccoli sprouts, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, daikon, radishes). These are rich in sulforaphane which switches on our anti-oxidant pathways and liver detoxification enzymes.

✔ Aim for 30–40g of fiber/day—the easiest way is to aim for 10g at every meal: fruits, veg, beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.

✔ Include garlic regularly—a randomized controlled trial showed that garlic powder lowered mercury levels! It is also a sulfur powerhouse, which aids liver detoxification.7

✔ Hydrate with filtered water. I aim for ½ my body weight in lb in oz of water. I weigh 118 lb, so that is around 60 oz of water a day. Water is the universal solvent in our bodies - helping filter out toxins and waste materials through our kidneys and sweat.

✔ Get outdoors—light is an underrated health tool, exposure to light first thing in the morning can impact our stress levels and sleep quality. Both of these impact how well our bodies can detox. In fact, liver detoxification is a very ATP-(energy)-dependent process - NIR and red light can activate our mitochondria to make more ATP. Even if it’s overcast, getting outdoors is beneficial.

✔ Move daily—lymph depends on movement, and sweating can help eliminate toxins.

This is the detox backed by science and clinical data. Can supplements play a role? Sure, some people may need it—but unless you have the foundations above, your money is just making very expensive pee and poop.

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