Show Notes
Real Food Recovery Podcast developed from a society wrestling with processed food addiction and the deep ache that comes with feeling trapped in destructive patterns. After decades of obsession, frustration, and starting over more times than can be counted, Paige Alexander holds this space to speak honestly about what it takes to heal. Each episode opens the door to the real, raw, and often messy journey of recovery; offering compassion, lived experience, and the practical tools that helped rebuild a life grounded in peace instead of chaos. Welcome back to Real Food Recovery. We took a short, intentional pause over the past month, and today we’re stepping into a new season of the podcast, one that’s more deeply aligned, more focused, and grounded in the full picture of healing. Moving forward, you can expect conversations that go beyond food to include grief, trauma, nervous system regulation, and motivational, real-life stories that offer a roadmap for sustainable recovery. This time away strengthened the direction of this work, and we’re excited to be back and moving ahead with greater clarity and purpose. During this brief pause, Paige was able to complete additional training in trauma- and grief-informed support, which has helped further shape the direction of the conversations you’ll be hearing here. It’s deepened our focus on the nervous system and the root causes behind our relationship with food. With that being said we have the honor of being here w Shae today, our resident certified functional nutrition counselor and certified health and life coach, with trauma-informed and nervous system training; here to help us make sense of our bodies, minds, and stories, while aiming to keep us grounded in real, honest, and raw ways, all while staying totally human along the way. Today we wanted to talk about a topic that’s been heavy on our minds, and that isVerbal Grounding: Say It to Stay Safe: Using Verbal Grounding in Recovery and Grief!!!
Every conversation is an invitation to feel less alone. Alongside personal stories, Paige takes time to share listener questions about addiction, recovery, mindset, and the emotional work that makes lasting change possible. If you’re searching for hope, understanding, or simply someone who “gets it,” this podcast is here to walk with you. Questions, stories, or thoughts can be shared anytime at [email protected], and more resources can be found at www.realfoodrecovery4u.com. CHAPTERS: 00:00 "Verbal Grounding for Healing" 07:20 "Verbal Grounding: Biology and Control" 10:54 "Articulating Feelings Reduces Fear" 14:33 "Silence and Emotional Struggles" 17:51 "Abandonment, Suppression, and Self-Soothing" 22:56 "Verbal Grounding and Self-Reassurance" 31:15 "Pain Signals Presence and Regulation" 38:11 "Escaping Stress, Finding Presence" 43:30 "Facing Cravings with Self-Trust" 49:00 "Daily Grounding Practices Explained" 53:19 "Silence Isn't Brokenness" 58:22 "Real Food Recovery Insights"
© 2026 Paige Alexander — Real Food Recovery. All rights reserved. Real Food Recovery™ is an original educational podcast focused on sustainable nutrition, self‑trust, and recovery‑aligned living. Unauthorized use, reproduction, or distribution of this content is prohibited. This podcast feed and all episodes are original works created and owned by Paige Alexander under Real Food Recovery™
More from Real Food Recovery Podcast
Food addiction, emotional eating, ultra processed food patterns, and sustainable recovery are explored in this episode of Real Food Recovery Podcast™ with TEDx speaker and transformational nutrition coach Katy Landis. Katy shares how years of emotional eating and self sabotaging behaviors led her to gain and lose control repeatedly before discovering that lasting healing was not about dieting, restriction, or willpower. After losing 80 pounds by addressing the emotional and nervous system roots underneath her food patterns, she now helps others break free from the stress, eat, regret cycle and rebuild trust with themselves.
Real Food Recovery Podcast™ was created from a society wrestling with ultra-processed food addiction and the deep exhaustion that comes from feeling trapped in destructive patterns. After decades of obsession, frustration, and starting over, Paige Alexander holds this space to speak honestly about what it takes to heal—offering lived experience, grounded perspective, and practical tools to rebuild a life rooted in peace instead of chaos. In this episode, Paige sits down with JD Tremblay, integrated engineer, ultra-endurance triathlete, certified naturopath practitioner, and best-selling author, to explore nervous system regulation, stress, and what it really takes to sustain resilience under pressure. With a background in the military, firefighting, and search and rescue, JD brings a lived understanding of how the body and mind respond in high-stress environments. As one of only three people in the world to complete the EpicDeca, JD now focuses on helping people simplify complexity into repeatable systems that support stability, structure, and long-term well-being. Through his work with Hungry Warrior Academy, he teaches how to regulate the nervous system, build sustainable habits, and create consistency without burnout. Together, Paige and JD explore how chronic stress impacts the nervous system, decision-making, emotional regulation, and daily behavior patterns. They also discuss what it looks like to build real resilience, not through intensity or perfection, but through simple, grounded systems that actually hold in real life. Find more about JD at: https://hunger4more.com/ and hungrywarrioracademy.com If you are feeling overwhelmed, stuck in cycles of stress, or looking for a more sustainable way to support your mind and body, this conversation will meet you where you are. Questions, stories, or thoughts can be shared anytime at [email protected], and more resources can be found at www.realfoodrecovery4u.com. © 2026 Paige Alexander — All rights reserved. Real Food Recovery Podcast™ is an original educational podcast focused on sustainable nutrition, self-trust, and recovery-aligned living. Unauthorized use, reproduction, or distribution of this content is prohibited. This podcast feed and all episodes are original works created and owned by Paige Alexander under Real Food Recovery™. Click Here for YouTube: https://youtu.be/EU4hw6OoBH8?is=DufUGlQlgsNfpt53
Low energy, fatigue, brain fog, and rising blood sugar levels have become so common that many people assume it’s just part of aging, but it doesn’t have to be. In this episode of Real Food Recovery™, Paige Alexander sits down with Axay Shah to explore how whole, natural foods can help reverse prediabetes, restore energy, and support the body the way it was designed to function. After facing a serious decline in energy in his 50s, Axay experienced a wake-up call that led him to completely change his approach to food and health. Now at 66, he shares how he maintains high energy, mental clarity, and endurance, including completing multiple marathons, by returning to simple, natural nutrition. In this conversation, they discuss the root causes of fatigue and brain fog, what it really means to eat “what Mother Nature made,” and the concept of the Five Slow Poisons that silently drain energy over time. They also break down how prediabetes can be reversed without medication, what a typical day of eating looks like for sustained energy, and whether a whole-food or raw approach is realistic in everyday life. You’ll also learn about “energy bankruptcy,” how to recognize it in your own life, the connection between food and long-term vitality, and the single most important shift you can make starting today. If you’re struggling with low energy, blood sugar issues, or feeling disconnected from how your body is meant to function, this episode offers a grounded, practical path forward rooted in simplicity and awareness. Find more about Axay Shah and his book at: RawFoodiest.com
Food addiction, ultra processed food patterns, and recovery are explored in this episode of Real Food Recovery Podcast™. This conversation focuses on how food addiction impacts behavior, cravings, and emotional regulation, and what sustainable recovery can look like in real life. Real Food Recovery Podcast™ was created from a society wrestling with ultra processed food addiction and the exhaustion that comes from feeling stuck in destructive patterns. After decades of frustration and starting over, Paige Alexander holds this space to speak honestly about what it takes to heal, offering lived experience, practical tools, and a path toward peace with real food. In this episode, Paige sits down with Amanda Leith to discuss: Why you cannot stop eating certain foods and what is actually happening in the brain during food addiction. Amanda, Operations Director and Addiction Counselor with Shift Recovery by Acorn, explains how ultra processed foods drive cravings, loss of control, and repeated cycles that go beyond willpower. This conversation focuses on recognizing food addiction, understanding early recovery, and taking practical steps toward lasting change.
Real Food Recovery Podcast™ was created from a society wrestling with ultra-processed food addiction, binge eating, and the deep exhaustion that comes from feeling stuck in destructive patterns. After decades of obsession, frustration, and starting over, Paige Alexander holds this space to speak honestly about what it takes to heal, offering lived experience, grounded perspective, and practical tools to rebuild a life rooted in peace instead of chaos. In this episode, Paige sits down with Colleen Clifford, author of Life Beyond the Binge, to explore the deeper layers of recovery from binge eating, bulimia, and the emotional patterns that keep people stuck. This conversation moves beyond surface-level solutions and into the real work of untangling shame, learning how to sit with discomfort, and discovering who you are outside of coping cycles with food, alcohol, and other behaviors. Colleen is an author, speaker, and health coach who helps people understand cravings, grief, and the hidden survival patterns many carry quietly. Drawing from her own lived experience, her work focuses on shame-free change and rebuilding trust with yourself. Together, Paige and Colleen discuss shifting from perfection to progress, building awareness without self-judgment, and what it actually looks like to give yourself grace when you are not getting it right. They also explore the connection between emotional eating, mental health, and ultra-processed food patterns for anyone working to rebuild self-trust and create a life that no longer revolves around food. If you are searching for clarity, understanding, and a more grounded path forward in recovery, this conversation will meet you where you are. Questions, stories, or thoughts can be shared anytime at [email protected], and more resources can be found at www.realfoodrecovery4u.com. © 2026 Paige Alexander — All rights reserved. Real Food Recovery Podcast™ is an original educational podcast focused on sustainable nutrition, self-trust, and recovery-aligned living. Unauthorized use, reproduction, or distribution of this content is prohibited. This podcast feed and all episodes are original works created and owned by Paige Alexander under Real Food Recovery™. Colleen Clifford | Life Beyond the Binge (@purepotential.health) • Instagram photos and videos Colleen Clifford | Substack Book The Exhale Retreat/Bali https://www.linkedin.com/public-profile/settings/?trk=d_flagship3_profile_self_view_public_profile&lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base%3BTW2hSvBFTAC3s%2FJcd%2BEl1w%3D%3D