46. Digestive Health with Christina Van Es

In this episode, I’m joined by Christina Stapke, a Registered Dietitian and functional nutrition expert who brings a refreshing, non-restrictive approach to healing. Christina shares her personal journey of navigating digestive issues, fatigue, and hormonal imbalance—and how it led her to functional nutrition without falling into diet culture traps. We talk about how to shift out of a fear-based mindset around food, especially when you’re dealing with uncomfortable symptoms or exploring potential sensitivities. Christina breaks down what food intolerances really mean, what to know before jumping into sensitivity testing, and why curiosity is such a powerful tool in healing. We also dive into practical, anti-diet-friendly ways to support digestion—like breathwork, stress reduction, and digestive bitters (yes, they’re different from enzymes!). Plus, she shares what she wishes everyone knew about functional nutrition and the big red flags to watch out for when seeking support. Christina’s Website: www.seaandsprucenutrition.com Christina’s Instagram: instagram.com/sea.and.spruce.nutrition Christina’s LinkedIn linkedin.com/christinastapke Christina’s Facebook: facebook.com/sea.and.spruce.nutrition

Ever feel like you don’t have time to meal plan? In this solo episode, I’m sharing why I don’t have time NOT to meal plan—and how creating a “forever meal plan” has saved me tons of time, energy, and stress during the workweek. I walk you through the simple systems I’ve built to make meal planning take just 7 minutes (yes, really), including how I use meal kits, a go-to meal list, batch cooking, and a shared Google Calendar to keep everything running smoothly. Whether you’re brand new to meal planning or just looking to simplify your routine, this episode will show you how to set up a repeatable plan that actually works—for your schedule, your brain, and your body. Grab my Meal Ideas

In this episode, I’m joined by Colleen Kurtz—Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and Certified Integrative Mental Health Professional—who specializes in helping burnt-out moms ditch fatigue and anxiety without falling into diet culture traps. We talk about why exhaustion, brain fog, and low energy aren’t personality flaws or just “part of motherhood,” but signs your body is asking for support. Colleen shares practical, anti-diet ways to nourish your body and calm your nervous system, including small but powerful shifts in self-care, stress reduction, and meal planning that don’t require rigid rules or perfection. We explore how our culture normalizes burnout—especially for women—and how to reclaim your energy with compassion, curiosity, and a deeper understanding of what your body actually needs. Colleen’s Website: https://mindfully-nourished.com/ Breakfast Guide: https://mindfully-nourished.myflodesk.com/recipes Energy Leak Audit: https://l.bttr.to/QFBR0

In this episode, I’m sharing what it looks like to stay grounded when weight gain brings up old fears or negative self-talk. Yes—even as a body image coach, I still experience moments of discomfort. I recently sized up in clothes (including a bathing suit!) and felt some of that internalized fatphobia creep in. But instead of spiraling into shame or dieting, I talk myself down with compassion, curiosity, and care—and I’m walking you through that process today. You’ll hear how I check in on my physical and emotional health without judgment, how I reframe weight gain as a neutral body change, and how I make small supportive shifts without making it about shrinking myself. If you’ve ever felt triggered by the number on the scale or the size tag in your jeans, this episode is a soft landing and a reminder: you are allowed to take up space and still be fully worthy of care. The Emotional Eating Solution

In this powerful episode, I’m joined by Liza Katsman—ICF-Certified Life and Leadership Coach, Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, and queer-inclusive practitioner—for a conversation that goes far beyond the basics of body image. Liza shares her early struggles with food insecurity, body shame, and bulimia, and how healing her relationship with food became deeply intertwined with learning to trust herself as a leader and human. We dive into the unique and often overlooked ways diet culture shows up in the LGBTQ+ community—from the pressures and stereotypes faced by gay men, to the complex dynamics queer women face in decentering the male gaze while still experiencing body shame. Liza opens up about why coming out with an eating disorder was even harder than coming out as queer, how body checking is normalized in queer spaces, and why trans and nonbinary folks face heightened stakes when it comes to body image and safety. We also touch on the intersections of immigration, self-advocacy in medical settings, and the emotional layers of “shoulding” that come with navigating queerness and recovery.