Are you taking birth control pills? Do you get little sleep at night? Are you approaching or currently going through menopause? All of these things affect your hormones which can impact your weight. On this episode, we take a deep dive into certain hormonal factors that impact your weight. For example, did you know your metabolic rate is lowest early in the morning so you will actually lose more weight if you sleep in rather than getting up early to hit the gym. Listen in with hosts Darlene Kvist, Britni Thomas and Katie Vigesaa as they explain more and what you can do to balance your hormones to start losing weight.

We know depression in teenagers is on the rise and at Nutritional Weight & Wellness, we know there is a food connection. Let’s picture the brain. What does your son or daughter’s brain need to work? For many young people, their brains and bodies are powered on processed foods, sodas, energy drinks, fast food and candy causing brain stress that sets them up for anxiety and depression. Listen in with hosts Katie Vigesaa and Lea Wetzell to learn how you can help your kids heal their brains so they experience more balanced moods.

It’s Valentine’s day and February is American Heart Month. There’s no better time to think about what you can do to keep your heart healthy. But there is a lot of contradicting health information out there and you may be surprised to learn the true facts about heart disease. Surprise #1: The biggest killer of American women is not breast cancer, as many believe, it is actually heart disease. On this episode, hosts Darlene Kvist and Kate Crosby address several other surprises about heart health. They also go over Nutritional Weight & Wellness’ plan to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system. Are you ready to get your heart as healthy as it can be? If you’re thinking “YES!,” then tune into this podcast!

Both the cold and the flu viruses are transmitted very easily.  As people travel and congregate for work or get-togethers, it’s easy to pick up the virus from the person next to you on the airplane, in line at the checkout counter, or when you kiss grandma on the cheek. So what can you do to support your immune system and ward off these nasty infections, even if you come into contact with it? Listen to hosts Brenna Thompson and JoAnn Ridout to find out how you can keep your immune system strong all year long.

At least 24 million people of all ages and genders suffer from some type of an eating disorder, but only 1 out of 10 of those men and women receive treatment. Sadly, eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. Research is showing that better outcomes with treatment occur when nutrition therapy is combined with cognitive and behavioral therapy. Listen in to learn more with hosts Darlene Kvist, Kara Carper and Marcie Vaske. Darlene and Kara talk to Marcie about her personal struggles with anorexia and disordered eating and what she has done to live a healthier life.

To feel your best, start by changing your eating. Stop eating sugar and processed carbohydrates and stop consuming bad fats. Instead, choose real foods. Often, choosing real foods eliminates aches and pains, helps us sleep better at night, revs up our metabolism and so much more. But sometimes people need added support by way of quality supplements to heal their bodies. What supplements could help you feel better? Find out with Darlene Kvist, Brenna Thompson and supplement expert Greg Peterson from NutriDyn.

Is your child exhibiting defiant behavior at home or school? Unbalanced blood sugar could be part of your child’s problem. In addition, if your child’s brain is low in serotonin, he/she might experience depression, have cravings for sweets, worry excessively, and some studies even show kids with low serotonin have an increase in outbursts and violent behavior. Eating enough protein is key to increasing serotonin. A healthy digestive tract is also important for brain health—yes, you read that right. Ninety percent of the body’s serotonin is made in the gut, so an unhealthy gut can contribute to bad behavior because the body isn’t able to produce enough serotonin. The good news is there is a lot you can do for your child. Listen in with hosts Darlene Kvist, JoAnn Ridout and Angela Makepeace to discover all the ways you can help your child improve his or her behavior.

Does obesity run in families or does insulin resistance run in families; and what effects do the family’s food choices have? Is it a tradition to make and eat lefse, Christmas cookies, bars, Jell-o salads, mashed potatoes, Rice Krispie bars and take trips to the Dairy Queen for Blizzards? All those family traditions I mentioned include high sugar, highly processed foods. Nutritionists call these high-glycemic foods, another name for high-sugar foods, that lead to insulin resistance and a slow metabolism. Listen in with hosts Darlene Kvist and Lea Wetzell so you can learn to change your habits, avoid or reverse insulin resistance and rev up your metabolism.

What is wellness? If we asked 10 different wellness experts we might get 10 different answers. Each person has their own definition, and as they grow and change, so does their understanding of wellness. So how do you develop an attitude of wellness for yourself? What do you need to do? It doesn’t happen overnight, it is a continual process. It may start with making a connection between eating holiday cookies and the achy joints you feel the next day. It may start with noticing how much better your sleep is after eating a healthy bedtime snack. Listen in with hosts Darlene Kvist, Kate Crosby and Britni Thomas to learn how you can develop an attitude of wellness in 2015.

After eating all the Christmas treats, are you now suffering from cravings? On this episode, we talk about the actual science of cravings. In the past, people believed that cravings were “just a lack of will power” or an emotional problem. Today we understand that there is a biochemical connection to cravings. Stop beating yourself up for having cravings! Instead, learn what actually causes your cravings and what you can do about them with hosts Darlene Kvist and Brenna Thompson.