Episode 299: The Hidden Ingredient Making Us Sick and Anxious with Katherine Reid, PhD

In this 300th episode special, host Erin Kerry shares about her six-year journey in podcasting and interviewing the world’s top health experts. Since starting the podcast, she has received training in applied functional medicine and continues to learn more about getting to the root of mental health issues. The five areas Erin discusses: - Functional lab testing and how it supports a root cause approach to mental health - Alternative options to antidepressant and anti anxiety medication - Exercise as a regulator of mood symptoms - Food is mood: how the nutrients we consume impact optimal brain function - The impact of physiological stress and emotional stress on physical health Host bio information: Erin Kerry is a health coach and mental health advocate. She encourages people to live beyond their labels, sparking hope and wholeness each week through her podcast, Sparking Wholeness. Erin knows how suffering from a chronic illness can infiltrate every area of life. By the age of18, she was given the labels PTSD, depression, and bipolar disorder. Today, she is living symptom-free. She empowers people to be their own health advocates so they don’t have to be limited by a label or diagnosis. She and her husband, Richard, live in Tyler, Texas, with their three kids: Isabel, Roman, and Rhett. Her first book, published with Tyndale Refresh, is available on September 16, 2025. Preorder Live Beyond Your Label here: erinbkerry.com/upcomingbooks. Apply to join Erin’s launch team now: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfsl3OcpOdHDoJYTCslelbIKl44dzwFSgg1G3qj9ZULeQ_oMA/viewform?usp=header Download Erin’s seven-day reading plan in the Bible YouVersion app, Reset Your Stress Response with Scripture, here: http://bible.us/r/FYO Join Erin’s monthly mailing list to get health tips and fresh meal plans and recipes every month: https://mailchi.mp/adde1b3a4af3/monthlysparksignup

Katherine “Katie” Reid, PhD is the founder of Unblind My Mind, Inc., a non-profit dedicated to improving health through informed food choices. With a background in biotech cancer pharmaceuticals, she brings a wealth of scientific knowledge to her work on chronic inflammatory illnesses. Dr. Reid is a co-author with Dr. Barbara Price of "Fat, Stressed, and Sick: MSG, Processed Food, and America's Health Crisis" which presents compelling scientific evidence that glutamate—commonly known as MSG—found in processed foods contributes to a range of preventable inflammatory diseases. Key Topics: - Dr. Reid’s journey to understanding the impact of MSG as a scientist as well as her personal journey as a parent - MSG’s impact on health conditions and how processed food items are creating the most issues - The hidden dangers in soy, whey, and hydrolyzed proteins - How glutamate wrecks neurotransmitter balance and contributes to mental and emotional dysregulation - Strategies for reducing processed foods - Glutamate sensitivity and how school foods affect it - Food industry labeling and regulations Learn more about Dr. Reid’s work at katherinereidphd.com Join Erin’s monthly mailing list to get health tips and fresh meal plans and recipes every month: https://mailchi.mp/adde1b3a4af3/monthlysparksignup Preorder Erin’s new book, Live Beyond Your Label, at erinbkerry.com/upcomingbook/ For video highlight clips of this episode and others, go to YouTube.com/@erinbkerry

Dr. Mary Claire Haver is a renowned expert in the field of women’s health, specializing in menopause and its various stages. With a deep understanding of the confusion surrounding menopausal terminology, Dr. Haver aims to educate and empower women to navigate this significant phase of their lives. In this episode, she sheds light on the intricacies of menopause and empowers women to understand and navigate the changes associated with declining ovarian function. Her educational background and her own experience led Dr. Haver to develop the national bestselling book and online program, The Galveston Diet, as well as The New Menopause, released in 2024. Key Topics: - The surprising timeframe of perimenopausal symptoms - Why perimenopausal symptoms get missed by some providers - The nutritional disparities in medicine today - Symptoms of perimenopause and how to support them sooner rather than later - Hormone Replacement Therapy – what it is and who needs it - Nutritional support for menopause - The micronutrients women need to stay healthy Get more perimenopause resources at thepauselife.com and galvestondiet.com. Join Erin’s monthly mailing list to get health tips and fresh meal plans and recipes every month: https://mailchi.mp/adde1b3a4af3/monthlysparksignup Preorder Erin’s new book, Live Beyond Your Label, at erinbkerry.com/upcomingbook/

Dr. Eric Weiss is a leader in advanced regenerative medicine and the co-author of Educating Marston. Founder of the North Florida Stem Cells Clinic, Dr. Weiss provides stem cell replacement therapy to treat various conditions such as Osteoarthritis (OA), Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), with a special focus on the treatment of Autism. In this episode, Dr. Eric Weiss, a plastic surgeon and stem cell therapy expert, discussed his journey into stem cell research after his son was diagnosed with autism, explaining the connection between brain inflammation and autism, and the potential of stem cell therapy in treating various conditions. Key Topics: - The connection between inflammation and autism - The success of stem cell therapy for autism - Other benefits of stem cell treatment - The gut-brain connection and its role in inflammatory disorders - Umbilical cord stem cell uses - Behavioral changes in kids with stem cell treatments - Why stem cell research has been controversial and why it shouldn’t be Learn more about Dr. Weiss’ work at ericweissmd.com. Grab his book at educatingmarston.com Join Erin’s monthly mailing list to get health tips and fresh meal plans and recipes every month: https://mailchi.mp/adde1b3a4af3/monthlysparksignup Preorder Erin’s new book, Live Beyond Your Label, at erinbkerry.com/upcomingbook/

Meg Gaic is a Holistic Nutritionist and Acne Expert who suffered from over a decade long journey with hormonal acne. After trying everything under the sun and spending thousands on things that didn't work, she took control of her own health, went to nutrition school and healed herself. The Get Glow Method was born out of what she so desperately needed when she was going through it and takes every aspect of acne healing into account: internal (root cause), external (skincare) and mindset. She now has helped over 2,500 clients worldwide get clear, balanced and have acne freedom both physically and mentally. Key Topics: - Meg’s journey with hormonal acne and hormonal birth control - Getting to the root of the internal causes of acne - The importance of subconscious reprogramming of negative mindsets - How food and nutrition play a role in acne - The dangers of Accutane and why it doesn’t address the root cause - Foundations to support acne healing - Myths of skincare, supplements, and popular treatment - Meg’s Get Glow approach Follow Meg on Instagram at @getglowmethod Head to getglowmethod.com to work with Meg. Join Erin’s monthly mailing list to get health tips and fresh meal plans and recipes every month: https://mailchi.mp/adde1b3a4af3/monthlysparksignup Preorder Erin’s new book, Live Beyond Your Label, at erinbkerry.com/upcomingbook/

Lara Briden is a naturopathic doctor and the bestselling author of Period Repair Manual, Hormone Repair Manual, and Metabolism Repair for Women. She currently has consulting rooms in Christchurch, New Zealand, where she treats women with PCOS, PMS, endometriosis, perimenopause, and many other hormone- and period-related health problems.  Key Topics: - Misconceptions about women’s metabolic health - The connection between metabolism and female reproductive hormones - How our relationships impact metabolic health - How the birth control pill negatively impacts overall health and suppresses hormone function - The PCOS epidemic and the connection to insulin resistance Head to larabriden.com for more. Join Erin’s monthly mailing list to get health tips and fresh meal plans and recipes every month: https://mailchi.mp/adde1b3a4af3/monthlysparksignup Preorder Erin’s new book, Live Beyond Your Label, at erinbkerry.com/upcomingbook/

Dr. Uma Naidoo founded and directs the first hospital-based Nutritional Psychiatry Service in the United States. She is the Director of Nutritional and Lifestyle Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) & Director of Nutritional Psychiatry at MGH Academy while serving on the faculty at Harvard Medical School. She was considered Harvard’s Mood Food Expert and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal. Dr. Naidoo is also the national bestselling author of This Is Your Brain on Food and her newest book, Calm Your Mind with Food is available now.  In this fascinating rerun episode (first aired in 2020), Erin and Dr. Naidoo discuss her 2020 book, This Is Your Brain On Food. Key Topics: * Dr. Naidoo’s journey as a psychiatrist and professional chef * How what we eat affects our brain * The origin of the gut/brain connection * The rise of mental health concerns * Food to avoid for mental well-being * Inflammatory foods * Orthorexia and food obsession * How to add more diversity in your diet * The impact of caffeine and alcohol on mental health Join Erin’s monthly mailing list to get health tips and fresh meal plans and recipes every month: https://mailchi.mp/adde1b3a4af3/monthlysparksignup Preorder Erin’s new book, Live Beyond Your Label, at erinbkerry.com/upcomingbook/

Dr. Alejandro Junger is a renowned cardiologist, functional medicine doctor, and the founder of the Clean Program, as well as a New York Times best-selling author. With decades of experience in medicine, Dr. Junger has dedicated his career to uncovering the root causes of complex health issues that often seem unrelated. His journey began with a profound intuition that a deeper understanding was needed, leading him to explore the intricate connections between Eastern and Western medicine, as well as ancient wisdom and modern science. Key Topics: - Dr. Junger’s personal story of struggling with depression and how he found functional medicine - The heart-gut connection you should learn about - The interconnections of neurons in the gut, heart, and brain - Cholesterol myth busting: what we really should look for - The stress-gut connection - How trauma plays a role in gut health - Dr. Junger’s clean program and the purpose behind it Learn more about Dr. Junger and purchase his clean program at cleanprogram.com. Join Erin’s monthly mailing list to get health tips and fresh meal plans and recipes every month: https://mailchi.mp/adde1b3a4af3/monthlysparksignup Preorder Erin’s new book, Live Beyond Your Label, at erinbkerry.com/upcomingbook/

Dr. Michelle Jorgensen is an author, speaker, teacher, biologic/holistic dentist, and health and wellness provider. After practicing traditional dentistry for 10 years, Michelle became very sick. Through her own path to return to health, she discovered she had mercury poisoning from drilling out mercury fillings for her patients. This path led her to discover ways to improve her family’s and her own health in all facets of life. She found answers in the kitchen, in the garden, and at home. She has found what it takes to live well in today’s world, and now with her book, Living Well with Dr. Michelle, she wants to share those ways to Live Well with you. Key Topics: - Dr. Michelle’s journey with mercury toxicity and removal - How mercury toxicity impacts people] - How to find an optimal detoxification protocol - Dr. Michelle’s cell well model for helping the body heal - The four things every cell needs for health - Remineralization and why mineral loss from purified water is a problem - Choosing the right mouthwash - Airway issues and sleep apnea - How to know where to start with your health Work with Dr. Michelle at totalcaredental.com Grab her book at livingwellbook.com Learn more about her at livingwellwithdrmichelle.com Join Erin’s monthly mailing list to get health tips and fresh meal plans and recipes every month: https://mailchi.mp/adde1b3a4af3/monthlysparksignup Preorder Erin’s new book, Live Beyond Your Label, at erinbkerry.com/upcomingbook/

Brad Kearns is Mark Sisson’s longtime writing partner, including their New York Times bestseller The Keto Reset Diet. A former U.S. national champion and #3 world-ranked professional triathlete, Brad also holds a Guinness World Record in professional Speedgolf. Today, he continues to compete as an elite masters athlete in sprinting and high jumping, currently ranked #1 in the USA for his age group. He hosts the top-10 Apple podcast The B.rad Podcast, where he shares performance, health, and lifestyle strategies for living a long, strong, and happy life. Key Topics: - How fitness culture has created confusion for people - Why running may not lead to weight loss - Why chronic cardio creates chronic carb consumption - How to integrate proper training - Brad’s journey of being an elite athlete to a wellness rebel - What humans are missing in modern life - What we can learn from kindergarten-aged children - How to flexibly adapt to gradual movement throughout the day. Listen to Brad’s podcast, The B.rad Podcast, wherever you find podcasts. Grab the book at borntowalkbook.com For barefoot shoes to correct your posture and gait patterns, head to peluva. Join Erin’s monthly mailing list to get health tips and fresh meal plans and recipes every month: https://mailchi.mp/adde1b3a4af3/monthlysparksignup Preorder Erin’s new book, Live Beyond Your Label, at erinbkerry.com/upcomingbook/