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What do you do when your labs look “normal,” but you feel anything but? Amanda Soukoulis was a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader finalist with a thriving career in private equity. From the outside, she looked like the picture of health. But in her mid-20s, her energy crashed, brain fog stole her focus, and she gained 35 pounds despite no changes to her diet or workouts. After spending $70,000 searching for answers, Amanda discovered gut dysfunction, mold exposure, and postmenopausal estrogen levels. Being dismissed by doctors became the turning point that led her into functional medicine and nutrition, first to understand her own body, then to help others. In this episode of Food Heals, Allison Melody sits down with Amanda to explore her recovery journey, the connections between gut health and hormones, and the role peptides played in her experience. In this episode, we cover: • Why “normal” labs don’t always explain persistent symptoms• Amanda’s journey through fatigue, brain fog, bloating, and hormonal imbalance• How stress, nervous system regulation, and sleep fit into the bigger health picture• What Amanda discovered about mold exposure and her gut health• Her experience with peptides and why testing, sourcing, and individualized guidance matter• Her U3 framework: Uncover, Uproot, Unleash• What it means to become the CEO of your own health If you’ve ever been told everything is fine while knowing something feels wrong, this conversation will remind you that your experience deserves to be heard, and that asking more questions can be the beginning of a new chapter. Connect with Amanda: Instagram: @amandasouksWebsite: amandasoukoulis.com DM Amanda “FOODHEALS” on Instagram to learn about her Peptide Playbook and the custom health blueprint session discussed in this episode.

At 22, Miguel Bautista was so sick that his 75-year-old grandmother had to feed him and help him bathe. He experienced debilitating fatigue, brain fog, heart palpitations, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. After seeing dozens of specialists, his tests kept coming back normal. He was a medical mystery, and no one seemed to have answers. Eventually, he landed in the ICU and was ready to give up. Then a psychiatrist reviewing his records identified something the tests hadn’t revealed: his nervous system was stuck in survival mode. Learning to regulate it became the turning point. Within a month of working with that doctor, Miguel went from bedridden to walking on his own and leaving the hospital. Today, he exercises, travels, and helps others navigate their own recovery journeys. So what did that doctor see that everyone else had missed? In this episode of Food Heals, Allison Melody sits down with Miguel, founder of CFS Recovery, to explore his experience with chronic fatigue and the turning point that helped him rebuild his life: understanding his nervous system and learning to move out of survival mode. Miguel shares the three pillars he teaches, why constantly pushing harder can backfire, and how he approached symptoms with less fear. Allison opens up about her own experience with functional freeze after losing her parents, financial security, and sense of safety. She also shares how her rescue beagle Dolly is learning to feel safe, one small experience at a time. In this conversation, we explore: • Miguel’s journey from being bedridden to reclaiming his independence.• The frustration of feeling seriously unwell while tests show nothing abnormal.• Fight, flight, freeze, and what it can feel like to stay in survival mode.• Miguel’s three pillars: understanding what’s happening, responding to symptoms, and gradually building capacity.• Neuroplasticity, repetition, and the practice of creating a sense of safety.• Why community and support matter when recovery feels lonely.• The resources Miguel offers people navigating chronic fatigue, long COVID, and related symptoms. Plus, Miguel shares a free Recovery Roadmap Protocol for Food Heals listeners, including his Recovery Stage Identifier and a personalized recovery report. Access Miguel’s gift for Food Heals listeners:https://cfsrecovery.co/foodheals

Could we see the end of factory farming within our lifetime? What if the answer is not convincing everyone to stop eating meat, but completely changing how meat is made? In this episode of Food Heals, Allison Melody sits down with Bruce Friedrich, president of the Good Food Institute and author of Meat: How the Next Agricultural Revolution Will Transform Humanity’s Favorite Food and Our Future. Bruce is vegan. Allison is vegan. And they both support cultivated meat, which is real meat grown directly from animal cells instead of raising and slaughtering animals for food. Cultivated meat has the potential to give meat eaters the same product they already want without factory farming, animal slaughter or animal suffering. It will also reduce the environmental destruction, food contamination, antibiotic resistance and pandemic risks connected to conventional animal agriculture. Bruce explains the difference between plant-based and cultivated meat, why cultivated meat could eventually become more affordable than conventional meat and why some of the world’s largest food and meat companies are investing in this technology. They also discuss why global meat consumption continues to rise, the surprising enthusiasm cultivated meat receives from heavy meat eaters and whether this agricultural revolution could end factory farming within our lifetime. • What cultivated meat is and how it is made• The difference between plant-based and cultivated meat• Why cultivated meat does not require animal slaughter• How factory farming affects animals, human health and the environment• The connection between animal agriculture and antibiotic resistance• Why cultivated meat may reduce bacterial contamination• Why governments and major food companies are investing• What needs to happen before cultivated meat becomes widely available• Whether factory farming could end within our lifetime The Good Food Institute:https://gfi.org Get Bruce’s new book, Meat:https://meatbook.org

You’ve been lied to about menopause. Hot flashes, brain fog, weight gain, low libido, mood swings, and exhaustion are not symptoms you simply have to accept. Dr. Anna Cabeca is here to bust the biggest myths about women’s hormones, reveal what may really be driving your symptoms, and explain why healing is possible. Your body is not broken, and suffering is not inevitable. The triple-board-certified OB-GYN, bestselling author, hormone expert, and woman known as The Girlfriend Doctor has lived this transformation herself. After being diagnosed with early menopause and infertility at 39, she traveled the world searching for answers. At 41, after more than two years without a period, she naturally conceived the child she had been told she could never have. Dr. Anna shares why menopause may be natural and mandatory, but suffering through it does not have to be. She explains how stress, cortisol, insulin resistance, nutrition, sleep, trauma, and emotional health can all influence the way women experience perimenopause and menopause. In this episode, you’ll discover: • Why oxytocin-building practices like laughter, gratitude, pleasure, connection, and playing with your pets may help counter chronic stress• The two hormones Dr. Anna says women need to pay special attention to in midlife• Why women may need to approach intermittent fasting differently than men• How morning sunlight, sleep hygiene, hydration, greens, healthy fats, and adaptogens can support the body• The connection between trauma, functional freeze, the nervous system, and hormonal health• Why emotional healing may be an important part of physical healing• How EMDR, tapping, somatic movement, and community support may help women process trauma• What women should know about vaginal dryness, painful sex, bladder health, incontinence, and pelvic pain• Why you are the CEO of your health and how to build a supportive healthcare team Dr. Anna’s message is one every woman needs to hear: Menopause is mandatory. Suffering is optional. Explore Dr. Anna Cabeca’s hormone-support, wellness, and intimate-care products at DrAnnaCabeca.com and use code FOODHEALS to save 20%.

Today’s episode is a full-circle moment. After months of covering the fight to save the beagles from Ridglan Farms, Allison is sharing the behind-the-scenes story of what happened in Wisconsin, what it was like to be tear-gassed during the attempted rescue, how the media narrative unfolded, and why this mission has become one of the most meaningful animal rights stories she has ever been part of. And now, the story has become even more personal. Allison has officially adopted one of the Ridglan rescue beagles. Meet Dolly. Dolly spent her entire life in a cage. She was used as a breeding dog. She did not have a name, only a number. She had never known the simple joys that every dog deserves, like walking on a leash, playing in the grass, feeling safe in a home, or being loved as someone’s family. Now, Dolly is home with Allison and big sister Lily, learning how to be a dog one tiny brave step at a time. In this episode, Allison shares what Dolly’s first days have been like, how Lily is helping teach her, the sweet story behind her name, and why watching these rescued beagles discover freedom is both heartbreaking and deeply healing. Allison also shares updates on the remaining Ridglan beagles, how rescuers are continuing to put pressure on companies connected to animal testing, and what you can do right now to help. This is a story about rescue, resilience, animal liberation, and the power of people refusing to look away. In this episode: How Allison became part of the Ridglan Farms rescue mission What really happened during the attempted rescue in Wisconsin Why the media narrative around the rescue mattered The emotional news that 1,500 beagles were being released How Dolly came into Allison’s life through Beagle Freedom Project What it’s like helping a former breeding beagle adjust to home life How Dolly got her nameWhy these beagles are so resilient, forgiving, and brave How you can help the remaining dogs and future rescue missions Links mentioned in this episode: Watch Food Heals on Spotify: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1xUvFm2zn5ebgfsKnCBnK8⁠⁠ Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/food-heals/id1031143256⁠⁠ Follow Allison Melody TV on Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/allisonmelodytv/⁠⁠ Follow Food Heals on Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/foodhealsnation/⁠⁠ Follow Ella Magers / Sexy Fit Vegan: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/sexyfitvegan/⁠⁠ Beagle Freedom Project Ridglan rescue updates: ⁠⁠https://bfp.org/ridglan/⁠⁠ Take action for the Ridglan beagles: ⁠⁠https://stopridglan.netlify.app/⁠⁠ Save the Dogs campaign: ⁠⁠https://savethedogs.io/⁠⁠ Watch UNCHAINEDTV: ⁠⁠https://unchainedtv.com/⁠⁠ If this story moved you, please subscribe, leave a rating and review, and share this episode with someone who loves dogs, believes in animal rescue, or needs to know what is still happening to beagles in laboratories. We will not stop speaking for the animals.

Mansi Goel and Allison Melody had just met. They were on their way to what they thought was a beagle rescue training session when the call came in: “It’s happening now.” In a shocking turn, they were suddenly headed straight into the historic Ridglan Farms rescue, where more than a thousand people showed up to stand for beagles who had spent their lives inside a breeding facility. In this episode of Food Heals, Allison Melody sits down with animal rescuer, executive coach, and fellow Ridglan Farms rescuer Mansi Goel to talk about what really happened that day, how quickly everything changed, and why neither of them will ever forget it. What started as a trip to Wisconsin to help rescue beagles turned into hours of fear, heartbreak, courage, pepper spray, rubber bullets, and the kind of devotion that only comes from people who refuse to look away. Mansi shares what it felt like to arrive at Ridglan Farms, see the first hay bale rolled into the trench, make the choice to stay, and realize she was capable of more than she ever imagined. She also opens up about why she did not walk away feeling traumatized, but empowered. For Mansi, this was the moment she discovered what it meant to put her whole being on the line for animals. This conversation goes beyond one rescue. It’s about the moment ordinary people become rescuers.The moment outrage becomes action.The moment fear gives way to purpose.And the question so many of us are asking now: If we would never allow this to happen to beagles, why do we allow it to happen to any animal? Allison and Mansi also talk about the emotional days after the rescue, when they learned the beagles were finally coming out, and the videos began showing them touching grass, receiving care, and being given names for the first time. For Mansi, that moment was sacred. These beagles had been treated like products. Naming them was not just a formality. It was a recognition of who they had always been: living beings, individuals, fellow earthlings. They also explore the connection between animal rescue, healing, compassion, and the systems that keep suffering hidden from public view. This is an episode about rescue, resilience, and the day thousands of people refused to walk away. Follow Mansi Goel:Instagram: @manstermagic Follow Allison Melody:Instagram: @allisonmelodytv

Most people will never see what really happens behind closed doors inside a place like Ridglan Farms. Scotty Gilbertson did. Scotty is an undercover whistleblower who went inside the beagle breeding facility and witnessed cruelty most people could not imagine. He saw the cages. He saw the suffering. He bonded with the dogs. And instead of walking away, he exposed the truth. In this episode of Food Heals, Allison Melody is joined by co-host Ella Magers for an emotional conversation with Scotty Gilbertson, whose undercover footage and testimony helped ignite the movement to free the Ridglan Farms beagles. And the timing could not be more unbelievable. Minutes before this interview, the breaking news came in: the beagles are being released from Ridglan Farms. This is a massive full circle moment for Scotty. He has been exposing Ridglan, fighting for these dogs, and helping lead this rescue mission for years. He is the reason so many people finally saw what was happening behind those walls. For Allison and Ella, this news is also deeply personal. They were on the ground at Ridglan with Scotty. All three were tear-gassed. All three witnessed peaceful rescuers being met with violence. And all three refused to give up on the dogs still trapped inside. This episode captures the shock, the tears, the celebration, and the reality of what it took to get here. Scotty shares what he saw undercover, why he could not stay silent, and what it means to finally hear that the dogs he fought for may get the chance to feel the sun, touch the grass, and know love. This is a story about courage, whistleblowing, public pressure, animal rescue, and the power of people who refuse to look away. Because these beagles were never just part of a case. They were never just footage, headlines, or numbers. They are living, breathing souls who deserve the sun on their faces, grass beneath their paws, and a family to finally call their own. Follow: ⁠Scotty Gilberston: @scotty_gilby⁠ ⁠Ella Magers: @sexyfitvegan⁠ ⁠Allison Melody: @allisonmelodytv⁠ Links: Save the Dogs:https://www.savethedogs.io Born on Death Row documentary:https://www.bornondeathrow.com

What happens when people stop looking away and start showing up? In this emotional episode of Food Heals, Allison sits down with Trey, co-founder of Animal Activism Collective, right as breaking news comes in that the beagles at Ridglan Farms may finally be released after months of public pressure, rescue efforts, and relentless campaigning. Trey shares what it was like being part of the first Ridglan rescue effort, how 22 beagles were brought to safety, and why the movement to free animals from labs, farms, cages, and cruelty is bigger than one rescue. Together, Allison and Trey talk about the trauma, hope, heartbreak, and power of direct action, including Allison’s experience being tear-gassed at the second Ridglan Farms rescue. They also explore how everyday people can turn their love for animals into meaningful action, even if they’ve never considered themselves activists before. Trey also shares the story behind Animal Activism Collective, their free mentorship program, their work in anti-fur and foie gras campaigns, and how grassroots pressure has helped push major brands and companies to end cruel practices. This episode is for anyone who has ever seen animal suffering and thought, “There has to be something I can do.” Because there is. And every animal deserves love. Learn more about Animal Activism Collective:animalactivismcollective.com Follow Animal Activism Collective on Instagram:@animalactivismcollective Save the beagles:https://www.savethedogs.io

We came prepared to carry beagles to safety. Instead, we walked into tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets, manure trenches, chaos, fear, and what felt like a war zone. In this raw episode of Food Heals, Allison sits down with fellow beagle rescuers Hannah, Ella, and Alex to talk about what really happened at Ridglan Farms, where thousands of beagles are still trapped inside a facility breeding dogs for research. We trained to carry 15 to 30 pound dogs. We prepared for possible arrest. We knew there could be resistance. But we did not expect to be tear-gassed, pepper-sprayed, and shot with rubber bullets. We did not expect to see people choking, crying, falling, getting injured, and helping each other breathe. We did not expect police and security to use force against people who were there for abused dogs. Allison, Hannah, Ella, and Alex share the moments they cannot stop replaying: the tear gas canisters, rubber bullets, hay bales, manure trenches, panic, fear, strangers holding each other up, and the heartbreak of leaving without the beagles. They also push back on the false media narrative that rescuers came to hurt anyone. They came to help dogs who have never known freedom, grass, sunlight, or loving human touch. And the fight is not over. Because the beagles are still inside.We wo’nt give up until every beagle is free to feel the sun on their face, the grass on their paws, and the love of their family. Follow the rescuers on Insta: Hannah Golanski: @hannahgol11 Alex Tello: @furthestfromthewild Ella Magers: @sexyfitvegan Allison Melody: @allisonmelodytv Learn more: blog.simpleheart.org Take action now: SaveTheDogs.io

They were born into cages, raised for experiments, and when brave people tried to get them out, those were the people placed in handcuffs. In this episode, Allison is joined by Ella Magers and Jennifer Tourkin for an emotional conversation about the beagles at Ridglan Farms and the growing movement to rescue them. Jennifer shares the story of carrying a beagle to safety during the March 15th rescue. Allison, Ella, and Jennifer also share why all three of them are going back on April 19 to help save the nearly 2,000 beagles still inside. Jennifer also opens up about what she witnessed on the ground, what happened when police showed up, and why the arrests only strengthened the urgency of this movement. If you love dogs, this episode will move you. If you care about justice, it will light a fire in you. Join us April 19: SaveTheDogs.io. Follow for updates: Jennifer: @jetmissionbeagle Ella: @sexyfitvegan Allison: @allisonmelodytv

He went from mocking vegan videos to being arrested for carrying a rescued beagle to safety. In this episode, I sit down with vegan animal activist Pete Reimann to talk about the unexpected path that led him here, from a single video that changed his mind forever to the rescue effort that put him on the front lines at Ridglan Farms. Pete shares how he went vegan in an instant after watching one video, why he devoted his life to animal activism, and what it was like getting arrested for saving beagles from a life of testing, torture, and abuse.  He also tells the story that stayed with me most: carrying a terrified beagle to safety while the dog fought to get away, until Pete called him by the name of his childhood dog, Tracker. In that moment, the fear shifted, the dog calmed down, and what happened next is something I’ll never forget.  We also talk about what really happened during the rescue, the dogs who made it out, the ones who were taken back, what activists are risking, and why people are returning on April 19. Pete also shares more about The True Cost Project, his new nonprofit aimed at exposing the financial incentives behind animal testing and pushing for real change. If this episode moves you, please share it, post it, and send it to someone who needs to hear it.  Resources + LinksSave the dogs:savethedogs.io Pete on Instagram:@for.petes.sake.official The True Cost Project:gofundme.com/f/help-launch-the-true-cost-project Donate to Help Pete save the rest of the beagles on April 19th:givesendgo.com/helppetesavethedogs Take action by contacting Dane County authorities and urging them to rescue the remaining dogs: (608) 266-4211 [email protected] [email protected]

Dogs like my beagle Lily are being bred for experiments in the U.S. Kept in cages.Used. Abused. Denied sunlight, freedom, play, safety, and love. But there are a brave group of people fighting back. In this episode of Food Heals, I share what happened when Wayne Hsiung and fellow rescuers entered Ridglan Farms in Wisconsin and carried 31 beagles out of a breeding facility tied to animal testing. Some made it to safety. 8 beagles were taken back.  As a beagle mom, this story hit me hard. What Wayne and these rescuers did took extraordinary courage. They refused to look away. They risked everything to expose the truth and bring these dogs into the light.  This episode is about cruelty.But it is also about heroes.About hope.And about how you can help. Listen to hear what happened, why this rescue matters, and what you can do for the beagles still waiting to be saved.  Accounts worth following: @waynehhsiung@kameronwaters@animalactivismcollective@[email protected]@sexyfitvegan Resources:SaveTheDogs.ioblog.simpleheart.org  Take action by contacting Dane County authorities and urging them to rescue the remaining dogs: (608) 266-4211 [email protected] [email protected]

Eight out of nine people writing the U.S. dietary guidelines had ties to Big Meat and Big Dairy. Hmm. So what does that mean for the nutrition advice we’re all supposed to trust? I asked a doctor to break it down. And why is cheese so hard to quit? Spoiler alert: it might not be your willpower. There’s actual biology behind it. You know how much I love talking to doctors who are plant-based, and today’s guest is bringing the receipts. Dr. John Lewis is a plant-powered physician, former associate professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and a researcher who has published more than 180 scientific papers. His Alzheimer’s research has shown significant improvements in cognitive function using plant-derived nutrients that support the brain. In this conversation, we connect the dots between diet, brain health, Big Food influence, and the chronic diseases affecting millions of Americans. If you’ve ever wondered whether Alzheimer’s is inevitable… or whether what’s on your plate could actually help protect your brain… this episode will change the way you think about food. In this episode you’ll discover: • The real reason cheese is so addictive, and why quitting it feels impossible for many people • The massive fiber crisis in America and why it’s wrecking gut health • Why the carnivore, keto, and high-protein craze may be setting people up for long-term health problems • The simple dietary shifts that can dramatically improve digestion and inflammation • What actually happens inside your body during fasting and why it may activate powerful cellular repair • The plant foods that may help support memory and brain health Some of what you’ll hear may sound shocking. But once you understand the science, it changes everything you thought you knew about nutrition. And once you hear it… you can’t unhear it. Support Your Brain Health: If you want to support your brain health right now, check out Daily Brain Care by Dr Lewis Nutrition®, a daily formula designed to help protect and restore brain function. Go to: ⁠https://drlewisnutrition.com/foodheals⁠ Use promo code ALLISON to save 10%.

Why do people get so angry about vegan food? Why do the same illogical arguments about meat keep showing up over and over again? And what happens when someone finally starts dismantling them… one by one? Today on Food Heals, Allison Melody is joined by plant-powered content creator Danny Ishay, Instagram’s favorite vegan. If you’ve ever heard someone say: “Humans need meat for protein.” “It’s the food chain.” “Plants feel pain.” …and you’ve wanted to stick a carrot in their face and ask who actually feels pain, Danny has probably already made a video about it. Using logic, satire, and a little sass, Danny has built a massive following by calmly dismantling the myths people cling to about meat, dairy, and vegan diets. In this episode we talk about how he got started, why humor works better than yelling, and what really happens when trolls flood his comment section. You’ll hear: • Why comedy disarms people faster than confrontation • What actually happens when trolls show up in Danny's comments • The psychology behind why people defend meat so passionately • What made Allison say, “Follow the money.” • Why misinformation about nutrition spreads so easily • The surprising role community plays in sticking with a plant-based lifestyle If you’ve ever had one of these debates at a dinner table, in a comment section, or with that one friend who swears they “need meat for protein”… This episode might change the way you respond at next year's Thanksgiving. (You're welcome:) Follow Danny on Instagram: @dannyishay Get his book HERE.

Today's episode is a deeply personal one. I was devastated to hear of the passing of James Van Der Beek. Like so many of you, I grew up watching Dawson's Creek. But for me, it was even more than a show. My very first job was working on Dawson's Creek in Wilmington, North Carolina. My parents got to see their little girl step onto a set they watched in our living room every week... and that memory means everything to me. Years later, I had dinner with James and his wife Kimberly (who was one of the very first guests ever on Food Heals episode 6). That night, James sat with me, looked me in the eyes, and told me my parents were proud of me. He held space for me in a way most people never do. He didn't have to. But that's who he was. In this episode, I'm joined by: Reality TV producer Jessica Sirikulbut, who shares her heartfelt reflections on James' character, his spiritual depth, and the emotional impact this loss has had on our generation. Ryan Bailey, host of So Bad It's Good, who brings his thoughtful pop culture lens to James' legacy and the profound way he shaped so many of our lives. Together, we reflect on: • The impact Dawson's Creek had on our generation • James' powerful final interviews about love and worthiness • What cancer teaches us about presence and perspective • The emotional and spiritual layers of healing • Why "I am worthy of love" might be the most important mantra of all James wasn't just a talented actor. He was a light. A father of six. A devoted husband. A man who meditated, journaled, and led with love. And in a world that feels so divided, his passing feels like a wake-up call to return to what actually matters. Love. Presence. Connection. Forgiveness. Sweetness in life. If this episode moves you, and you feel called to support his family during this unimaginable time, you can contribute here: 💛 GoFundMe for James Van Der Beek's Family: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-james-van-der-beeks-family Thank you for being part of Food Heals Nation. Hold your loved ones close. Forgive quickly. Believe you are worthy of love. Because you are. 💛