006: This Gene Mutation Might be Making it Harder to be in Good Health, With Rhiannon Neuharth

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Welcome to the Real Food Mental Health Podcast, where we explore the powerful connection between mental and physical health.My name is Cody Cox, a holistic nutritional psychotherapist, and I'm here to guide you on a journey to true wellness, mind, body and spirit.If you're tired of quick fixes and want real solutions that address the root cause, you're in the right place.Let's get started on your path to lasting wellness.If you want to support this podcast, go to kofi.com/codycox.That's kofi.com/codycox.Welcome to Real Food Mental Health with Cody Cox.Today's guest is Rhiannon Neuharth.Rhiannon is a certified functional nutrition counselor, board certified health coach with the American Association of Natural Wellness Coaches, a board certified member of the American Association of Drugless Practitioners, and a certified trauma informed coach.She began her journey in functional nutrition after struggling to maintain her chronically ill child's health with antibiotics.Exhausted and overwhelmed, she delved into research, eventually finding her passion in supporting neural spicy women with MTHFR on the path to optimal health and wellness.As her focus is on neural spicy women with MTHFR, Rhiannon provides simple, customizable solutions to go from frustration to focus, using your unique genetic blueprint without endless hours on Google.Welcome, Rhiannon.Thank you, Cody.It's a pleasure to be here today.Just in your bio, I already have questions.So, neural spicy, tell me what neural spicy is.I haven't heard that before.Yes.As a neural spicy person myself, basically, it's somebody with a neurodiversity.So I work a lot with women with ADHD.For them, their children and their families, my myself and my children all are neural spicy as well.So it's kind of part of the MTHFR gig.Okay.And then for the listeners, tell us what MTHFR is.It actually doesn't stand for what it looks like it stands for.So what is it on a clinical level?Yes.So MTHFR stands for Methylene Tetrahydrofolate Reductase.And this is an enzyme on a gene.And when it doesn't work properly, it can cause all sorts of different issues with methylation.And there's about 200 different things that are tied to methylation, such as ADHD, autism, chronic fatigue, IBS.The list goes on and on.Like I said, there's a couple hundred things that are tied to methylation.And so the people that I see with my practice that are chronically coming in are struggling with particularly brain fog, ADHD, low energy hormone imbalances, focused concentration, any of those types of things.So MTHFR can be a big deal for some people, but some people have it and they don't have any symptoms.So lifestyle is a huge factor in that.Yeah, lifestyle is a huge thing where I think as a therapist myself, people come in for therapy, they have this medical model mindset where they want to come in and be fixed, not realizing that they actually do have to do the homework outside of therapy to get better.And that's what I tell everyone.It's like the people who do the homework are the ones who get better.The people who just come to therapy to complain, those are the ones who they might drop off my schedule after a few sessions.Maybe they continually come, but they're not really improving.So as far as like lifestyle factors, what would you say are the most important things for people to address first?That's a great question.And a lot of things for me have done this so long in my personal life that I kind of forget that not everybody looks like I do.So really starting small little things like breathwork, tapping is a great one, yoga, just minimizing and finding ways to reduce stress.You hear all the time, stress is a silent killer and it really affects our body in a multitude of ways.And stress can activate genes.We don't want to activate it.So that's why some people can have them THFR and be totally fine because they have either a low stress lifestyle or they found ways to manage their stress in ways that's effective.That even include going on a walk, nothing crazy.It's just something small for yourself.But then there's other things.And I work with all these things with my clients is not only just the lifestyle piece of meditation, yoga, journaling, whatever that looks like, but also detoxing your home from chemicals.So all the chemicals in your environment also play a huge factor.And those of us with MTHFR struggle with detoxing.And as methylation happens in the liver, it's very, very important that you're making sure to reduce your toxic load by getting rid of endocrine disruptors that can also throw off your hormones.So things like storing your food in plastic and reheating in plastic, making sure you're eating the clean 15 and avoiding the dirty dozen.And if you're not familiar with that, that's the food that EWG puts out every year.It says these are highly covered in pesticides, avoid these and get organic in these if possible.And then there's other things like what you're putting on your body.So deodorants, body care, what you're cleaning your home with, what you're cooking with.And it sounds like a lot, but this is all a process I guide my clients through.So this podcast is overwhelming in the process.It can be really overwhelming, but taking these really small steps can go a long way.And the EWG, I love their resource.It's just awesome.I'm glad that you mentioned that, because sometimes I forget about it.But they come out with new data every, I think it's every March, where they update their Dirty Dozen list, which essentially is the list of produce items that you really should avoid unless they're organic.And the Clean 15 list, which are things that are probably okay to buy conventional if you're on a budget, because they tend to have the lowest pesticide residue.Aside from lifestyle factors too, I was wondering about the genetic blueprint.How do you assess for somebody's genetic blueprint?That's a great question.So some people will come to me already knowing that they have MTHFR, but really aren't sure what to do with it.And unfortunately, there's a lot of practitioners that are uneducated in that, in any field, whether that be medical field or anything thereof, or somebody saw it on Google and just ordered a random test, or it could be like my kid's pediatrician and just only do one specific gene, and that was the C677T.So there's two varieties, I like to say.And then the A1298C.Well, my child's practitioner never tested for the second one, so we would never even know what the compound, if they're compound heterocaeus or any of that.So it really is important to have a broader look, to zoom out, I always say, to zoom in.So some people will just be like, oh, I have MTHFR, and I'm like, that's great, but that's not enough data for us to actually run with.Because if you have other issues with hormones or cardiovascular issues or issues losing weight, any of those things, that's what a comprehensive blueprint can do.So we test 165 genes with a simple cheek swab, send it off, and you get a report back that's going to show you what foods to eat, what lifestyle changes to make, and what supplements to support your genes.And then actually we can pull other genes if you're experiencing certain things at this time and go, that's curious, let's see what genes could be playing a factor in that, that could be activated right now and contributing to those issues.So we can target our approach instead of just going willy-nilly and being like, oh, I have MTHFR, let me try every supplement under the sun, because that's not effective either.Are there certain protocols that tend to work better for more people?I know there's no one size fits all solution, but have you noticed that you're making some of the same recommendations to just about everybody?Yeah, so obviously, the key ones, right?Vitamin D, D3 is a huge one.Most people are vitamin deficient in D3.And D3 is actually a hormone.And D3 should also be taken with K2 and magnesium.So it's important that you don't skip those cofactors, because otherwise, it's not going to go into the bones where we want it and where it makes that big impact.So if you do have high levels in your serum of vitamin D, you could still actually be low where we need it to go, because it's just floating around in your blood instead of going into the bones where we need it to.So vitamin D3K2, magnesium, always.Magnesium itself is needed to help with neurological processes, like helping those synapses fire and transmitting that information.So making sure that you're getting that magnesium.Most people are also magnesium deficient, and that can be tied back to restless leg syndrome.So a lot of people are like, oh, I can't be legs.And I'm like, get some magnesium, watch it go away.And I know that from personal experience just with my children.So before we started this journey, my kids were magnesium deficient, and they were having chronic headaches and leg pain, and they were little, and we ate healthy.So it was like, what's going on here?And so we ended up putting them on a supplement, and ever since then, they've been fine.But even kids that are eating a quote unquote healthy diet can definitely still be deficient in items as well.So those top three there.And then one other one which most people don't know about is called sulforaphane.Have you heard of sulforaphane before?I have.Yeah.Tell us more about it, though.Yeah.So sulforaphane is kind of, I feel like it's a secret.Most people don't know about it, because they're like, what is that?And sulforaphane actually comes from cruciferous veggies.And so I recommend sulforaphane as a supplement.And the three-year-old broccoli sprouts is the ones that we use, and they're just powdered and pulverized and put in a capsule for you.And that's going to give you the most bang for your buck, so to speak.And that's going to open up that Inter F2 pathway, which is going to help with detoxing.And kind of like a back door, so to speak, for those of us that maybe jam up the log and kind of create a dam in that process.So it helps to open that up, let that start to move, because we do struggle with detoxing and get that stuff through our body.So everyone with MTHFR, I always recommend those top three.And then we build from there.Like, what other things can we have going on here that we need to look at specifically for you?And surprising sometimes to see what things come up for each individual person.Yeah, vitamin D is so important, I think especially this time of year.Yes.We've got seasonal affective disorder, which technically isn't an official diagnosis anymore.I think it's just more lumped into major depressive disorder these days.But it's still a thing.It's seasonal depression.And often, it's a vitamin D deficiency.But you're right, those co-factors are so important.I'm a huge proponent of getting our nutrients from food first.But sometimes that's not always possible.And so supplementation can be very valuable in those cases.But it's like I tend to follow the Weston A.Price Foundation, which teaches eating whole foods and prepared in an ancestral way.And so they teach the idea of eating or taking cod liver oil every day, which essentially provides you with the vitamin D and the co-factors that are necessary for proper absorption.But then also you mentioned magnesium.I think it's like 70% of Americans now are deficient in magnesium.I would say maybe even more.And it's not just from not eating enough vegetables.Only 10% of Americans eat enough vegetables every day.But even if we are eating organic vegetables, we're eating them every day, we're eating a lot of them, they're coming from depleted soils.And I would say magnesium especially is one that we probably need to supplement with.Absolutely.We're not getting it from food, at least not in the amounts that we need.Magnesium is so important.You mentioned how it can help to reduce restless leg syndrome.On a mental level too, it helps reduce anxiety, stress, helps improve sleep, so many things.But if I remember right from my training, magnesium supports over 300 processes in the body.Yeah.And I did a podcast too with a lady that, her whole podcast is about magnesium.And so she goes on there and talks about all the important factors when it comes to magnesium, because it is so overlooked that people just are like, oh, magnesium.I was like, no, magnesium.You need it.It's important.And we're not getting enough of it.So for my kids, for example, we went to chiropractic, all the things that we thought were right for them at that time to get them relief from their headaches and their leg pain.And just it was simple as the Magnesium Division.And there are different types of magnesium too.So I'm inclined to recommend magnesium bisglycinate, but have you found any particular types of magnesium that work better?It depends.Sometimes a blend is good for people, depending on what they're needing.So if they have issues with sleeping, or if they have issues with bowel movements, any of those types of things.But I generally, based on the symptoms that my clients have and they're exhibiting, is L-thoronate, because it does cross the blood-brain barrier, and that's the only one that does.And then they can also have a calmer brain and things like that.So having the NeuroSpicy groups that I do, that's the one that I generally recommend.Okay.I kind of wondered, different types of magnesium for different things.And I mean, they're all valuable, but in different ways.So if we can kind of back up a little bit, I'd be interested in hearing a little bit more about your story.How did you get into the MTNHFR research?And I mean, I kind of read that a little bit in your bio, but if you wouldn't mind filling in a little bit more detail, I'd be really curious to hear that.Absolutely.So my daughter was born missing part of her immune system, and we didn't know that until she was almost two.She was chronically sick every four to six weeks for about two weeks at a time.She had upper respiratory infection.After upper respiratory infection, she had ear infections.She had MSPI, if you're unfamiliar with that, set milk-soy protein intolerance.She had reflux.I mean, you name it.This poor kid had the things.And we couldn't figure out what's wrong with her, and it was mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting.We had done all the things, you know, Western medicine, so to speak, would push you through, right?Like, oh, here's another medication, here's another medication, here's another medication.And though it was a viral infection each time, she did also end up with bacterial pneumonia.And after almost two years of living like that, I'm like, this, this just isn't working.She ended up with her gut essentially fried from taking so much antibiotics.But before that, we had started like essential oils, we had started herbs, like kind of an herbalist, and you know, done all those things too, is kind of to supplement what we were already doing with the medication.And when her, we moved to Missouri from Nebraska, and when her new pediatrician just so worked out that we were kind of coming in for the intake, because she was booked out like six weeks, and she'd had a yeast infection is what we uncovered.But she had this traveling rash, and we didn't know what was wrong with her, right?Like it was like, wow, why do you have this rash all over you?And it doesn't itch, and it doesn't bother, but we would give her an antihistamine and go away.And I'm like, hmm, that's curious.And so, you know, being a research mom, doing all the things I used to teach anatomy and physiology.So I'm no, I don't shy away from research.You know, I'm a good nerd over here.I did the research.I was like, you know, I think she's got a yeast infection.So took her in, talked to her new pediatrician.She ran labs, gave her, you know, a diet flu can, was like, yeah, I think you're right.Sure enough, we got the results back.And she was, and I was like, okay, we're done.We're done with antibiotics.We're not doing this anymore.This is clearly wreaking more havoc and hurting more than it's helping.And so that's when we really started to shift, like our approach.And I was like, this, this just isn't going to work anymore.And we'd already started that, right?With the essential oils, with the herbs.But then it was like, okay, well, what other things can we do?We started on CBD oil a while later.That made a huge difference.And we did some food sensitivity testing.And that food sensitivity testing is eventually what led me down the rabbit hole of looking at IgA antibodies.And that's how we figured out that she had an IgA deficiency.I texted her pediatrician one Sunday night at like 10 o'clock and was like, hey, you know, I think that she's gotten an antibody deficiency.Our pediatrician back in Nebraska was amazing.And she was like, I think you're right.Let's go get her tested.$29 test.Sure enough, that's what the deal was.And for us, it was no, there's no cure, right?But it would give me an answer.And we started putting her on colostrum and all sorts of other supplements because her pediatrician, then when we moved to Missouri, did testing, was like, she's deficient this, this, this.She needs A, you know, to boost this.And she needs magnesium and all the things.And so that's where we really started taking a targeted approach to supplementing, to making sure that she, you know, we were dairy, gluten free.We've made all these changes to accommodate her body, to support her immune system the best that we could, because she didn't have part of it, right?Like that's why she was chronically getting sick.And it wasn't until we moved here to Florida, that we got a new pediatrician, and came in with the binder of medical records and talked to her.I was like, hey, here's what's going on.You know, we're just kind of doing a will visit here.We just want to establish care with you.And she's the one that tested for MTHFR.I had never heard of it before, but again, she only tested for C677T, so it was like I have a tiny bit of information, but not enough information to do anything with.But I never had learned about it, I didn't hear about it.And I used to work in a genetics lab.I used to want to be a cytogenesis.So I had that background of like, oh, nerdy me, go look at these genes again, right?So that's where I dove down the rabbit hole, and got in groups, and was educating myself, and made more changes for my kids' lifestyles, and our lifestyles.And after a couple of years, I was working with a video coach for another company I was doing stuff with, and he's like, follow this format, and do a video on something you're passionate about.So I did one on MTHFR, and it went viral.And I was like, oh, okay.And he's like, maybe you should do something about that.I was like, I'm just a mom.What are you talking about?He was like, no, you're passionate about this.People love what you have to say clearly.And so that's when I went and got my certification for functional nutrition.Because I knew the, my kid was my science project.I knew the process that I went through.I knew what worked.I knew what didn't work.And then adding in that comprehensive blueprint just like sealed the deal after I got my certification.It makes it so much easier to support my clients with going there.So I know that's a long story, but that's what got me to doing what I do now.I think we all have a similar story.Like that's essentially what brings us to holistic health.There's some kind of personal experience or the experience of a loved one, and we just feel compelled to do something about it.Where doctors, like they've got their place, they're doing certain things, but they're not quite doing the right things that we need.So we have to go and do our own research and figure out what's missing.And I've seen that so many times with so many people where it's like, oh, I've taken my kid to therapy for years and they still have autism, they still have depression, they still have whatever it is and they're never going to get better.So it's almost like we've been taught to believe that these diagnoses are completely permanent.And that's not always the case.In many cases, it's diet and lifestyle related.And so how would you say MTHFR affects mental health?Yeah, so with MTHFR, there's serotonin, dopamine, all the neurotransmitters can be affected by this, right?So when you have somebody that has MTHFR and it's expressing, they can experience anxiety, depression, and that also goes back to their gut health, right?And so looking at their gut and going like, what is your lifestyle like?And I hear so many people go, oh, I eat a healthy lifestyle.And then I start having the food journal, and I'm like, this is unhealthy.I don't know who's healthy you're talking about, but this is not what we're going for here.You know, and like parasites, things like heavy metals, all those things can be impacted because you can't detox, especially the heavy metals, effectively when you have MTHFR.And so those things can build up in the body and cause symptoms of autism, cause symptoms of other things.And so it's important to look at that as a whole person.And I think one of the things that drives me crazy as a functional practitioner is all these people that go to an endocrinologist or a cardiologist, and none of those people make the connection with all the systems.And it's like you are a whole being.Looking at one part is not going to fix all of the things.We got to figure out why that that thing is not working properly.And so same thing for autism, anxiety, ADHD.And in the genetic testing that I do, we also look at dopamine receptors.So do you have adequate amounts of dopamine receptors?Are they producing enough?You know, all this stuff.So all of your neurotransmitters are and can be affected by not only MTHFR, but also the DRD family of genes as well.So they all interplay.And additionally, with that got helped.So it's a whole big picture that people have to kind of sort through individually and then try to put those pieces together and they end up giving up a lot of times.And just looking for a quick fix, like just make me feel better, tired feeling like this.In my opinion, that's why doctors don't really help us as much as we feel like they should is because they specialize.They don't see how one system connects with another and how they're all interrelated because they're simply not that way.And honestly, you can't blame them.They go through so many years of medical school and they're taught this dogma that they think there's nothing better.And so they just continue that after medical school until they find something like functional medicine.I also wondered, you mentioned how those with MTHFR have a hard time detoxing, fatty liver disease.Yep.It's very common with MTHFR.Yeah.And that would make it really hard to detox as well.I mean, it's very common in general.I don't remember exactly what the statistics are, but fatty liver, a lot of people have a fatty liver.Yeah.And I would be willing to bet that most of them, if not all of them, have MTHFR.And so, you know, making sure that you're doing simple things like milk thistle and things like that to support the liver and that detox process, and then along with lifestyle and reducing those toxic loads so you can.Sweating is also a really good one.Some people have trouble sweating.We need to look at that.Why is that a problem for you?But there's a lot of ways, you know, moving that lymphatic drainage as well is important, even through a vibration, vibration plate or through a rebounding or dry brushing.You know, there's so many different little modalities you can do that are not very time consuming.Castor oil packs, but they can be effective to be able to support the liver.Yeah, I'm gonna share a little bit of my story here because you mentioned vibration plates.So, I got arthritis, oh, maybe eight years ago.And I was trying my best to eat whole foods.This was before I got my nutrition training.So I didn't quite know what I was doing, but I at least had this idea that I need to eat whole foods organic, which actually did help a lot if I was able to avoid the refined carbs, particularly, I know it has something to do with blood sugar.But then, oh, it was just a few months ago, I got a vibration play because somebody had recommended it.And like I still kind of had some inflammation in my knees, got the vibration play.I stand on it 10 minutes a day now, and I feel so much better.And so they're really into that lymphatic drainage thing that you mentioned.Yeah, yeah, absolutely.And things like, you know, massage, I'm going to get a massage here as soon as we're off of this call.Massage is something that in your blueprint, it'll tell you like if massage is a good option for you.And I always joke with my clients like, oh, darn, you're being, you know, told that you need to get massages on a regular basis.Such a terrible thing, right?And so, you know, people need that for stress.There's so many beneficial factors for a good massage.And lymphatic massage is one of those two.And if you have a good massage therapist that works all those things, you're not only gonna get stress relief, but you're gonna get that lymphatic massage and be able to move that stagnant lymph from your body.So that way you can work effectively and better and reduce inflammation and do those things.You mentioned refined carbs, and I've got a story about that.So my youngest, we were starting to go through this process and, you know, she's 12 now.But a couple years ago, she was getting bloody noses all the time.And we live in Florida, you know, in the cold weather in the wintertime, that's kind of a normal thing for anybody, right?With dry air.Well, we live in Florida.It's humid.Like, we don't have that problem here.And so she was having this issue repeatedly, and I was like, you know what?I think you got a dirty gene.We need to clean and scrub that gene and get this process over with.And so we removed refined carbs from her diet.Again, we're eating organic, we're doing all those things, but there's a lot of gluten-free organic stuff out there now that's still processed from refined carbs.And so not only did her behavior improve, so she wasn't as crabby and defiant, which is helpful as a parent.Not that she's not, you know, still some in some degrees, but as a parent, it's very helpful for that.But then her bloody nose has stopped.And so now we know that that's something her body just can't take.And she's homozygous for C6, C7, C7T.So, you know, we already know that she's got other issues with the detoxing and, you know, her immune system issues and things like that.So just that small tweak.Even though we were eating healthy, they, you know, whole foods, all these things, that one thing for her, you know, chips or whatever, seed oils are inflammatory, just taking that out made a huge difference for her.So that's where food is medicine, right?We eat the right things.It can be medicine or poison.Yeah.And the thing about medicine too, is it is bio individual.Like even in conventional medicine, pharmaceutical medicine, they're not going to just prescribe the same thing to everyone.Yep.And we see that in nutrition as well, where it's like your body needs certain things, or maybe we can't handle as much of this thing as the next person can.And so we need to reduce that.We need to adjust and continually learn.And so it's important to recognize that, to where it's like it's okay to keep reassessing.What do our bodies need?And make those adjustments as we keep going.Right.And eating the same thing over and over and over again, isn't it good either, right?Like you need to have that variety.And something that I see quite often with my clients is they tend to have a higher propensity for things with histamine issues.So, mast cell, those types of things too.And that can obviously trigger a whole host of other things, like headaches and nausea and all sorts of things.And especially with hormones, for women, that's going to, it's like a pendulum.It's going to swing back and forth for the histamine during different parts of the cycle.Then you got PMDD, you got POTS, EDS, all these other comorbidities, ADHD, you know, autism, all these things are being kind of, finally people are kind of having a light bulb going like, oh, okay, this could be connected.But it doesn't mean it's like, you know, I always tell people it's a piece of the puzzle, it's not the whole puzzle, right?So once you have that knowledge, it's now, now what do you do with it?And how can you move forward with that information and see what else can be contributing to it?I'm kind of against diagnosing because it's so limited in the way that we perceive a diagnosis.And so very rarely will I tell somebody, you have post-traumatic stress disorder, or you have a generalized anxiety disorder, because to me it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, for one thing, kind of puts people in that mindset of, oh, I'm broken, I have this label, I'm gonna have this label for the rest of my life.And we see similar things in medical diagnoses as well, where I'm not qualified to give such diagnoses, but I try to take it with a grain of salt when I hear these labels where it's like, oh, I've got this and I've got that, I was diagnosed with this, because to me, it's like, it's all interconnected.And the labels make it sound like they're these separate things.Yeah, because the symptom is being caused by something, whether that's the gene being expressed, whether that be their lifestyle, whether that be whatever happens, because the lifestyle is going to contribute to that gene being expressed or not, and that's where epigenetics is a huge thing.But people will see things online and they'll just run with it like, oh, this is what's wrong with me and let's try to do one supplement and be the cure for everything.Like, I've seen some influencers with this methylfolate because that's what people say all the time to take if you have MTHFR, and that doesn't work for everybody.But you'll see these influencers, and it's like the background noise of all this chatter, and then they'll take the supplement and then their brain is quiet.Like, that's not how it works.You're selling a lot of product, but you're not actually helping people, and that's frustrating.So, you know, that's why we're zooming out and looking at other genes like Comtea, especially if someone has MTHFR.It can cause and trigger anxiety and depression and suicidal tendencies if they are taking a methylated vitamin and their body simply can't process it because they have another gene that's messed up, which is Comtea, it may be slow.And so I have had clients that have come to me and they have said, you know, my practitioner put me on a methylated vitamin and within three days, I was suicidal and they told me to keep taking it and put me on an antidepressant.And I was like, I am horrified for you.That is the worst advice.I am so sorry that you went through that.And it's frustrating because it's like, all she had to do was either switch to a hydrophilinic or, you know, some other form of folate.And she likely wouldn't have exhibited those symptoms.But I always ask people when they've started with me, are you taking methylfolate?And how are you feeling?Are you more anxious?Because a lot of people are already on an anxiety or, you know, depression medication of some sort when they come to me.And so it's like, I want to get off this.I don't want to be on this forever.I'm with you.Let's figure out how, you know, how we can do that.But, you know, obviously talk to your practitioner provider.I'm not going to just do all that stuff.But, you know, if that's their goal, then that's what we work for.And you can only do that when you're taking the right supplement.So, I feel like sometimes I'm screaming into a void when people see all these influencers.And they're like, oh, yeah, it's great.And then I'm like, but are you feeling more anxious that you took it?And they're like, yeah.And I'm like, ding, life holds on.Let's change it.It's amazing what a messed up world we live in, in some way, where I saw an article, oh, it's been several months now, but I don't even remember where it was.It was a news article about how dieticians sometimes are paid to be influencers on social media and to promote certain dogmatic principles.And it's like, for my nutrition training, it's like, whoa, they're giving really terrible advice.But they're being sponsored to give that advice.There are so many people out there who are like, oh, it's a dietician, therefore whatever they say is going to be good information.That's not necessarily the case.No, I agree with you there.And you just never know, you know, when somebody is genuine about their stuff.And that's why I've constantly kind of feel like a rebel a little bit that I'm just like out there, like trying to debunk, like, no, because there is a guy I spoke in an event with and he got bought out by Grant Cardone.And initially when I met him, him and I were like, hit it off, you know, had a good conversation.And then one of that video went viral.I was looking to partner with him to do the genetic testing.And that just, the energy wasn't right there.It felt really off.Like it was just weird.And so I'm glad I didn't end up doing that because he did get bought out by Grant.Now you see his face everywhere.And now he's given all this information and it's selective information, just like all these other influencers out there.And it's like, oh, well, if your kid's got ADHD, just give him methylfolate.And I'm like, and then they're anxious and depressed because you don't know if they've got Comti issues.Like that is the worst advice ever.So when people come to me, which is often on social media and say, what can I take for my MTHFR?I'm like, I'm sorry, I don't do that.You're never going to get me to do that for you because I need to look at a broad spectrum of what else could be going on.So we can make sure you're getting the right things that you need and not have to stumble through the process, wasting time, energy, mental capacity, money, all of that on things that aren't necessarily going to work for you.And talking back to what we were talking about earlier, it's not simply taking something to instantly feel better.We don't have that pill for every ill mentality because it very much is about lifestyle too, the epigenetics.Yeah.Yeah.Yeah.And that's the thing that most people don't understand.Like, obviously, we want to work to help you feel better.The symptoms are giving us a direction of what to work with, but we don't also want to chase the symptoms too.We want to work to support the system overall.So that's where that vitamin D3 can come in handy with those co-factors, right?For things that they don't even know that are bothering them, that's their quote unquote normal, right?Because in our country specifically, normal is not really normal.Like, we don't feel optimal.We're likely run down because lifestyle choices that we're making, we're constantly over giving our time, our energy, and our effort.We're not necessarily taking care of ourselves and we don't really know how to take care of ourselves and what that looks like.So when people hear, oh, I just need to go for a walk or, oh, I just need a journal or stand on this plate for 10 minutes, I'm going to feel better.Yeah, it's really sometimes that simple, but your body needs it.And we just aren't taught in the mainstream world how to effectively care for our bodies in a way that doesn't require medication or a quick fix.Yeah, and it's so much more than just standing on a vibration plate for 10 minutes a day too.Like, I didn't mention all the other things that I'm doing.Like, that's not the only answer to what my problems have been.Yep.And people cherry pick, right?They'll just be like, oh, I've tried that yet, let me try that and see if it works.And then it doesn't work for them.And it's just like, it's not just one thing, it's a combination of things together.It is very bio individual.Have you found in your work that by helping people improve their diet and lifestyle, is it possible for them to overcome the MTHFR issue, or is that just kind of a lifelong thing in your opinion?Yeah.So, I mean, methylation is important.So when people will see influencers that says, oh, go take methylfolate, well, first off, you need to know if you're overmethylating, you're undermethylating, that's important to know.And second off, you need to know what your homocysteine levels are like.Because if it's really high, yeah, you probably want to do something about it.But if it's normal, you're probably not being as affected by MTHFR as you think.It may be something different, which is why taking that broader approach is important.So, you know, when it comes down to it, it's important to look at everything, not just one thing.As you go, because, I don't know, I get so frustrated by all of that stuff.And I have clients that will start with me in six weeks.They're off all their medications.They're off their antidepressants.They're off their antihistamines.They're off their migraine medications because they have balanced their body in a way that they know how to effectively take care of it, how to eat properly, even though they thought healthy was what they were eating beforehand.And in that example, that client there, she ended up losing 55 pounds.Over the 12 weeks we worked with her of inflammation, because she was just so swollen, right?Not eating the right foods for her body, the histamine that she had going on.And so every person's situation is going to be different.But as long as she maintains the lifestyle choices, that's going to be there forever.And she's going to have the tools and equip it.And as I tell my clients, listen, at some point, you're human, you're going to fall off.The holidays come, a travesty comes, stress happens, something rocks your world.You're likely going to fall off in some way of that lifestyle that you've acquired.Most people, right?Like not everybody is mental toughness to just be like keep plowing through that.And so I give them that reality of like, accept that and give yourself grace.But now you have the tools that you can go the next time that this happens and you can start fresh again, right?You know what you need to do.You can put these things in place again.And that's something for me when I lost all my weight, I used to be 175 pounds and I've kept it off.I've lost it.Well, I think it was like 20, like 1920 when I started that process.And I obviously am human.Anytime that I get a stray from my path, I'm like, oh, now I know what I need to do.Just got to get back on my path, get back to doing those things and I'm right back on track.So, it's just really giving yourself grace, understanding life happens, but also being equipped with how to take the next step and initiating working to get back on track of where you were.So, you have the knowledge and you don't have to go seek it from somebody else and go back to Google and be like, what's wrong with me?Because you've done the things, you know how to do it and your genes are telling you exactly what you need to do to take care of them.And the sooner you can get back on those things, the better.Yeah.And I always tell people that it's like, I feel like the holidays are a challenge for a lot of people who are trying to eat well.Yeah.Or have a healthy lifestyle or whatever, just improve themselves.But it's so much easier to just jump right back on your healthy lifestyle as soon as you possibly can.So, for instance, we just had Thanksgiving, this is a really good time of year to talk about these things, actually.But we just had Thanksgiving.So if you're listening to this and you probably did have something like pie, ice cream, things that you probably shouldn't have been eating.But it's okay, give yourself some grace.It doesn't have to be 100 percent.I like to follow the rule of 90 percent whole foods for my dog.The other 10 percent can essentially be whatever I want within my individual reason, you know?Like sometimes we just have to avoid gluten altogether or something particular.But 90 percent whole foods, 10 percent, go ahead and give yourself some grace and indulge.Yeah, absolutely.And that there's so many alternatives now to, I want to say junk food or crappy food, like pies and things like that.We used to be loaded with sugar and all these things.Well, there's other like date syrup, like we use date syrup on our stuff.And you can use agave or you could use maple.So there's so many alternatives now with cooking.I feel like cooking and baking has come a long way over the last decade for sure.That you still eat relatively healthy and within your diet, if it is a piece of pie.We had a gluten-free crust, we looked at there was no added sugar, all these things on there.You can still work it.You just got to find the places to do it and get creative with how you want to accomplish that, if it's really important to you.Like pumpkin pie is my weakness.I have to have me some pumpkin pie, but it also had my dairy-free whipped cream.And there's some things in there, probably I shouldn't have necessarily had, but I don't eat it on a regular basis.It's a treat periodically once a year.So give yourself the grace and don't, it's hard enough already when you have dietary changes to feel like you fit in.And so if you are going to a holiday and you need to prep your food, because we've done that, we've prepped our own food, brought it to the event, all that stuff, it does sometimes suck.It makes you feel isolated.And people are like, why are you eating that?You know, and you get crap from other people sometimes.But it's like, what would you rather have?Stick with in what works for you or have people judge you?Your body, you gotta live in it.Yeah, and we don't have to do a huge overhaul.Like it's not an all or nothing thing where it's like, oh, well, I just had Thanksgiving and I just ate whatever was served to me.So therefore, I'm just gonna keep eating that way until New Year's.You can make simple swaps.So like you were mentioning, like you can swap out your refined sugar for a more natural form of sugar.You can swap out your refined grains for a whole grain.Like all these different things that you can do to improve nutrient density in your diet that will go a long way.And you would still be able to eat some of your treats.Like it's not necessarily a lifestyle of deprivation.Right, right.And I think, I mean, when I started on the dairy and gluten-free journey, I was nursing obviously for the MSPI for my youngest.And that was miserable.I mean, 12 years ago, they just didn't have the type of things that they do now as alternatives.And so I lived off bread.It was awful.And, you know, it was one of those things like after eight months, eight months, I think it was, I just couldn't admit it was just too much, you know.And so now knowing that there's alternatives, we still have our green bean casserole.Like we still do all the traditional things.We just do it differently than we have.And we still love how it tastes.It's just, you know, I think it's better because you're using real green beans, not from a can.And it's just better for you.So, you know, find, find those alternatives and don't feel guilty, but don't fall so far off the rails that you're like, oh, it's too hard to do it again.Like, just know going in, this is my day and have a pep talk with yourself.I feel like, like I've worked with another coach and she used to do ABA therapy.And so, you know, she gives that whole thing to like, you don't have to eat everything on the plate.Like, don't, don't overstuff yourself too.That's not what we need to do.Like the food will still be there tomorrow.Like you can, it's not going to disappear.Like you can still enjoy that over the next couple of days.Just don't overstuff yourself.So knowing your limits, knowing what you can swap out is super important too.Yeah, and I have to agree with you that like organic whole foods really do taste better.Like I, I'm so used to eating that way.And just, just yesterday, actually, I ate something that wasn't organic whole food.And I was like, I used to really like this thing, but now it tastes awful.Like it's strange how it tastes the same as I remember it.It hasn't changed, but it tastes awful because I know the organic nourishing whole foods actually more delicious.And so my favorite simple swap is instead of using seed oils or vegetable oils or whatever you want to call them, use butter, little butter, because you're getting so much better nutrition from just that simple swap and reduced inflammation.And so much better in terms of flavor as well.Yeah, and a lot of people that I work with, we just take off dairy.And even the dairy alternative butters can have like canola and things like that.And that's where it's one of those things.It's like, it's a day.Like, enjoy your gluten free roll with a tiny slice of butter on it.Like, if that's all you're going to do, that's your one thing for the day.Make that your one thing for the day.Like, I need me some butter, you know, like whatever it is.You know, I use the plant-based butters, but it's hard, I feel like, right now, because so many things that are even organic have seed oils.And so, it's like one of those things, it's like, pick your poison.And that's literally what I tell my clients all the time.Sometimes you've just got to pick your poison.Which did you prefer?You know, like, I have tattoos, okay?That's my poison.Like, I know my lymphatic system needs to push that through.I know that's why I'm going to get a massage.That's my poison.I picked that, right?But there's other things that you can do in your diet, too, that you need to be aware of.And what percent do you have to...It's like the 90-10, right?Like, you have to give yourself some sort of ability to live life, right?You only get one.So being so consumed with, like, VOCs and EMFs, and, like, they're all important and crucial to our health, too.But, like, where do you draw the line and not become obsessed with everything around you and making sure your body can still function the way it needs to and that you have good mental health?Because that can be extremely deteriorating to your mental health to feel like, the world is against me all the time, and I can't do anything about it.You know?So I always like to just tell people, literally pick your poison.What is the trade-off?If it's one day, it's one time a week that you're doing that, where's your 90-10 rule, right?Yeah, I'm like, I really enjoy my kombucha, and I know that it has sugar in it.But at least it's fermented.I'm not drinking Coca-Cola or something else.So yeah, kombucha and kava are my two things that I will enjoy happily.Kombucha, definitely several times a week, because it's just like, hey, it's good because it's fermented.Yes, there's sugar in it, but it's also getting the green and black tea, which is also good for several different genes too.So it's again, somebody with histamine issues, not a good recommendation for kombucha or anything fermented.But that's why it's not a one-size-fits-all.Everybody has to have that unique and individualized approach.So we're coming up on the end, and I just wanted to ask you one thing.Sure.If there were one thing you could change about the way people approach health and wellness, what would it be?Oh, that's a loaded question.I think really seeing that it's not just what you eat, but it's how you serve your body.And that can be mentally as well.So what you're putting in your brain has just as much of effect as what you're putting in your body.And that can be poison just as much as it can be beneficial.So, you know, working with understanding both and understanding the gut-brain connection and how those two are so intricately connected in that process is a big piece that I would really own in on letting everybody know.Yes, love it.Okay, awesome.Thank you so much, Rhiannon.And one more thing, how can people find you if they want to look up your services?Yeah, absolutely.You can find me on TikTok at mthfr underscore coach and on Instagram as well.Or you can go to www.revitalizingwellness.com, and you can schedule a free 15-minute consult on there and learn more about comprehensive testing as well.Hey, I hope you enjoyed this episode.I just wanted to offer one quick thing before we wrap up, and that is that I'm offering a 20% discount on my packages before December 31st.So go to my website, beavercreekwellness.com, click on Appointments, and click on Book Now under one of the packages, using the promo code podcast24.That's podcast24 for 20% off your first purchase.Real Food Mental Health is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only.The information presented on this podcast is not intended to replace any medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.While I am a health care provider, I am not your provider.Always seek the advice of an appropriate health care practitioner with any personal questions you may have regarding a medical condition.Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast.Reliance on information provided by this podcast is at your own risk.