Your Body Isn't Broken with Kelly Lutman

Hello, and welcome to today's episode of Thrive After 45. I'm Denise Drinkwalter, midlife mirror and mentor, and every week I am honored to share energy and space with inspiring guests whose stories reflect so many possibilities of thriving beyond 45. Together, we uncover the whispers of the heart, the power of midlife transformation, and the wisdom that fuels expansion, because when one woman turns her light on, the rest of the room catches fire What if your body isn't broken, it's just asking the wrong questions for years? That's a belief my next guest has built her entire career on. It started decades ago while her- while she was homeschooling her son. He couldn't focus, he couldn't sit still, and every answer she tried had come up totally empty. And then one day on the radio, she heard a panel of parents describing children with ADHD, and with an incredible jolt, she realized they were describing her own son. And rather than accept a diagnosis and a prescription, she went looking for the root cause. A library book by a pediatric allergist led her to a theory that many cases of ADHD trace back to allergic reactions to artificial colors and flavors in food. She stripped those ingredients from her son's diet, and within two weeks she had a calmer, more focused child, by changing what he ate. Well, that discovery launched a 13-year journey into the connection between food, lifestyle, and health. Today, she works as a functional wellness health coach, using functional medicine principles to help clients get to the root of the chronic that conventional medicine often struggles to explain. Things like Type 2 diabetes, IBS, PCOS, autoimmune activations such as Hashimoto's, lupus, rheumatoid arthri- arthritis, and Where traditional medicine tends to overlook the microbiome and the body as a whole, she brings a holistic lens that connects the dots. She also supports cancer patients through treatment, helping build resilience in the rest of their body while their medical team focuses on the disease, because without that support, the body can actually become collateral damage in the fight of cancer. So over the past 13 years, she's personally coached and guided several hundred clients and reached hundreds more through her book, Thriving Through Cancer: A Holistic Approach for Your Journey. It is an honor and a privilege to welcome Kelly Lutman to our show today. Thank you for being here. I know. I'm so excited to have this conversation. We were, I'm gonna start off with a bang because we were talking before the show started, and there is an incredible that occurred when I was told about the book, and I'm gonna hold it up for those of you who are on YouTube, Thriving Through Cancer: A Holistic Approach for Your Journey. And that book came actually to my front door, what's today, the 15th? It came five days ago. because I had a friend that I met along my journey of the podcast, and she suggested I, I find this book because we have a recent diagnosis, in our family. My husband has been diagnosed with another cancer. And I was like, cancer number two, I think we need to do something, not different, but look at all the pieces of the puzzle here. how can I support him in his journey now and support myself?" Well, lo and behold, folks, I was told to c- purchase this book by Kelly Lutman, and then it never dawned on me that I had already scheduled to have Kelly on our show because, I get so many guests and we book... How far ahead did we book this? Like- It was months ago. Yeah, yeah. I think we booked in the spring maybe. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. So- It was out of both of our minds, but then- Right? it comes up on the calendar, and amazing to find- Yeah that you find I'm the one you're speaking to- Yes and you just received my book. That's amazing. Like, just so incredible. So it, it's, it's a even a bigger honor than I even imagined, because of the situation. And the, and not the situation, because of the journey that we are going on- Mm-hmm in the next little while as a family. So I am honored and thrilled to share this space with you, and I can't wait to dig in to learn how important, crucial, lifesaving it is to understand the wholeness of one's self. Yes. So can you give us- Yes yeah, give us an idea of why is it so important for us to understand whole? When you say whole, W-H-O-L-E, what exactly are we referencing here? All of you Which is body, we're familiar with our body, and that's what we think of when we go to see the doctor. Right. But mind plays into it, too. Mind-body medicine is becoming much more prolific, and- Yeah sci- scientific studies are coming out all the time talking about how the mind affects what happens in the body, and the body can affect the mind. Mm-hmm. And then there's the spiritual aspect that I- Mm added into the book as well because we need to have hope. We need- Mm to live in gratitude. Yeah. We need to understand and the, the com- the vi- vitality that comes from being loved and- Mm loving others. Mm-hmm. All of those pertain to our spiritual side. Right. But they affect our overall health. And, medicine has been developed over the 100 years or so, prob- probably 150 years that medicine has really been becoming more prominent. Right. But it is designed to separate a person into portions. You've got- Okay the orthopedic and you've got the endocrinologist and, y- the OBGYN, and all these different specialties. Mm-hmm. But they don't look at the whole person. Mm. They don't look at how it all works together. I find clients come to me, and they've seen- Right a cardiologist, and they've seen the endocrinologist, and they've seen these different ones, and they have- Yeah prescribed different things, but they never looked at how it all comes together. Right. And I pull back, instead of looking- Mm-hmm at the branches of the tree, I wanna pull back and look at- Mm the whole tree. Mm-hmm. The whole piece, and what is interacting here and here and here? Because- Mm-hmm often we have symptoms, which I don't consider symptoms to be something you just shut down with a medication. Mm-hmm. Symptoms are my roadmap. Right. That's guiding me. It's the body's way of messaging because- Right we don't have an internal text system in our body. Right. Mm-hmm. And we don't have this cursor on our forehead that says- Right "Hello, I need this." the body speaks- Right through symptoms. Okay. And if we spend our time- ignoring, shutting down the symptom. You have a headache, so you grab a pill and a glass of water. Mm-hmm. Sometimes you just needed that glass of water- Mm because you were dehydrated. You didn't really need the pill. Right. And if you lean for those pills too often, even- Mm-hmm the over-the-counter pills, painkillers especially- Right. Yeah have a negative effect in your body- Mm-hmm if you use them repeatedly on a lot of basis. Right. So I look at the body as a whole system. Mm-hmm. And I listen to my clients' observations, 'cause they're in the body. Right. I need their observations of what are they experiencing. What's it like when you first wake up in the morning? What do you notice as you progress through the day? How does your body change and its feelings? Mm-hmm. And those are vital messages for us to use to be able to find the root problem in their body. I don't believe anyone's body is broken. Okay. I was just gonna... Yeah. We're not broken. Yeah. We're just needing a different support. Right. And a lot of the support, we, we look to, okay, n- I need a medication, I need this, I need that, but how many thousands of years did humans live without- Mm our medical system and our medications? And we used food, and we used lifestyle changes in your environment. Right. That was how you supported the body. Right. And our bodies are designed to be out in nature. Yes. But the more, the more urbanized we become- Mm-hmm the less we encounter nature. We need sunlight in our eyes first thing in the morning for our circadian rhythm. Mm-hmm. We need contact with the ground on bare feet- Mm-hmm for, to be, to be able to receive the negative electrons that come up from the ground and balance our bodies out. That can be a great pain reliever. Mm. Go stand in the grass or on the sand. If you want, stand on dirt. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. All of that allows your body to send electrons up into your bo- or receive electrons. Mm-hmm. And it can be relaxing and relieve pain. It's amazing. Mm. Wow. It didn't need a pill. Wow. That's incredible. I didn't... I, I've seen, I've seen those, I'm gonna say carpets. They're not carpets, but I've seen those, they've developed- The grounding pads? Yeah, the pads. Oh, Yeah. Do they- Yeah is that the same concept? I don't know. It's the concept. Yeah. There you go. But I'd rather be grounded with the- Yeah real ground, with the real earth- Yeah than through a wire in the socket on the, on the wall. Yep. Nope, I, yep. there are times that you need extra, and so- Sure you can use shee- grounding sheets under your bedsheets on the bed. Yep. And there are even shoes that are made that, when we, we'll go around in rubber shoes, rubber does not conduct- Right the- Yep the electrons, and so they make shoes leather based, leather b-bottom shoes. Okay. Will. Yeah. Yeah. So the more natural it is- Interesting. Yeah the better you can connect with the ground. Mm-hmm. And that is nourishing to our bodies. Love that. Is it your understanding and/or belief and/or both that when we are out of balance in our whole body- Mm-hmm and we don't understand or reach for figuring out what the symptom is telling us, if we just keep ignoring it, does it stay stuck, the energy stay stuck and can morph into ailments? Mm-hmm. I've heard that. Yeah. I've heard that. Yeah. But I, I don't know. Yeah quiet messages, gentle messages, but if you ignore or you shut it down with medication, then that, that con- that source continues- Yeah to be a problem, and even taking the medication doesn't fix the, the root- Right of the problem. Yeah. It's just Band-Aids. I tell my clients it's like the brake light comes on your dashboard- Mm but because it's a pain and it's bothering and aggravating you, you reach behind and you cut the wire- Mm that turns off the light, but that doesn't fix the brakes. Right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And you're gonna have a bigger problem later. Right. Yeah. So, so realizing that- Yeah having a headache can be a gift. Mm-hmm. It's your body giving you a relatively gentle way of saying, "I need some support." Mm-hmm. Maybe you need more water. Maybe you need magnesium. Maybe you need to slow down- Mm and give yourself some rest. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Which way too many peop- the- the person that originated sleep is overrated was- Yeah I, I want to meet that person because I bet you they were not healthy. Yeah. Right? No. Oh. Yeah. Some of the things that people, that or, that's okay, I'll sleep when I'm dead. Yeah. It could come sooner than you expected. Right. Yeah, yeah. Don't, don't- There's a problem with that. Say out loud what you're wishing for, Yeah. By mistake. And I speak to business owners- Yeah. Mm-hmm and say, especially if you are a solopreneur, an entrepreneur- Yeah. Yeah your body is one of the most important things to your business. Mm. Because if you push, you, you may have a fabulous service, you may have a fabulous vision for what you're going to do. Mm-hmm. And when you get things started, it takes a lot of work, but if you don't mind the support of your body- Mm-hmm it can shut your business down. Mm. And quickly, right? Yes. Oh, yeah. So be mindful. Yeah. It's important. Yeah, yeah. The power that you have, and, and our whole show is based on what are you going to do for you, by you, because of you. Mm-hmm. So this conversation is so rich because what I'm hearing you say is your opportunity, and I'm gonna even push the button even further, it's your responsibility- Yes to ensure that you not only pay attention to your whole self, messages included, but respond to it- Yes in a way that treats you as you are as important as all the family members you try to take care of at all times, right? Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. I, I talk to moms often. Yeah. And I've had... I've got three daughters-in-law with my grandkids. Yes. And I say, it's just like when you get on the airplane, and they-" Yeah give you the safety briefing, the air s- air mask drops down. Oxygen mask, yeah. You put yours on first because you can't support these kids if you are run down. Yeah. Yeah. It goes across the board. But, but beyond opportunity or responsibility- Yeah my desire is to empower people. Mm. You have the power to make a difference in your health before you even see the doctor. Right. Yes. And it's through the power of food. Mm-hmm. Maybe you're feeding your body stuff that's not nourishing it- Mm-hmm or that your body is reacting to, and you don't realize- Mm. Mm-hmm the reaction messages you're getting. Mm-hmm. Maybe your body needs a different support, a different supply of food. Yeah. Yeah. And then the, the lifestyle things, the food, the, not only the food, but, but movement. Yes. How many of us sit at a desk- Yeah hours in the day and don't- Right move our bodies? Mm-hmm. movement, outdoor time, sleep, nourishment, Yes. Water. Yeah. Yeah. so important. Yeah. But then relationships. Mm. It's something that a lot of coach- Oh, you froze But there are those outliers who maybe feel like, "I'm happier without people." Yeah. Yeah. But most of us need connection with people. Right. We need that interaction. Yeah. We need relationships. That's a part of our healthy- Yeah empowerment as well. Right. So I want to empower people with these are some of the basic things can do- Yeah to support you- Mm-hmm so that you can do for others. Yeah. Because if you don't fill your jug, fill your pitcher, you can't pour out to others. Yeah. Yeah. And we conceptually understand that, where- Mm-hmm I find women in particular have the biggest struggle is putting that into practice. Yes. Yeah. And how do help change that so it doesn't become other than... Like, the oxygen mask is brilliant because they always show it, and it's true. If you can't breathe, you can't help the kid beside you. You can't help your husband. Yeah. If you're not breathing, you're- And you don't have to be on an airplane. Yeah, it's like- It doesn't have to be only on an airplane. It's- Yeah all life every day. Right? Yeah. So yeah. Yeah. It's... You take steps. Yeah. So, first steps. I- and I always am looking at, at analyzing, w- what, where are we now? What are your greatest concerns? Yes. But one of the things I start with is hydration. Yeah. Because most people are not hydrated. They drink a lot of liquids, but they're liquids that don't hydrate because- if they've got a lot of added ingredients, if they've got sugar in them, sugar dehydrates. Mm-hmm. So if your is super sweet and tasty- Yeah it's not helping your body. Mm-hmm. You need water. In fact, I encourage my clients, start with a full glass of water that you drink before you even get your coffee in the morning. Yeah. Yeah. Then, sca- stage it. You, another glass of water before lunch, another- Mm-hmm in the afternoon. Mm-hmm. several in the afternoon. Don't chug all your water for the day in the evening because you won't sleep real well. Right. Exactly. Yeah. And sometimes it's, "Okay, let's get a pitcher and fill the pitcher of water and leave it on the counter." It's... Yeah, it's- And that's your reminder, w- how am I doing on my water intake? Why do I need extra? Mm-hmm. And some are like, "All I drink is coffee and sodas." Okay. Mm-hmm. Let's trade one. Mm. Yeah. One cup of coffee for water. Yeah. Yeah. Get comfortable with that. Then we'll trade- Yeah another one. Yeah. And so we can slowly crowd out what's working against you- Mm-hmm so that it's not a overwhelming change. Right. Yeah. There's different ways to bring it in. And then switching what you're eating in your food. How much fiber are you getting in your food- Mm. Mm-hmm that feeds the microbiome that is symbiotic with us us vital for our health. Mm-hmm. And so, I'm sorry, but french fries are not vegetables- in, in a full allowance, Mm-hmm. Yeah. We need a variety of different types of vegetables because each has different kinds of fiber feeds different species in our gut. Right. So being mindful of you're not just eating for you, Mm-hmm. It's not just when you're pregnant that you're eating for two. Right. Yeah. But you are also eating to feed and support the microbiome that then supports you with supporting your immune system, giving... The microbiome, when it eats what we can't digest, it puts out vitamins and things that our bodies need. Okay. And so it's, it's very much a symbiotic relationship. Who knew when we saw- Right? all the science fiction shows about something living inside- that we really have it. Right. Although, I don't think it comes out as a head out of the belly button. No. But, Thankfully, it does not. They did take it a little further. Thankfully not. wonderful information. I, one thing that I remember, and I don't remember where it's from, but I remembered it, when we shop for groceries- Mm-hmm the outside, and is this still true? You're nodding your head yes- Yes for those who aren't seeing- Mm-hmm YouTube version of this. But the outside, around the outside edges are the most non-processed food. Yes. So when you get your vegetables... Yeah, go ahead. It's perishable food. Okay. The perishable food. Okay. I, I joke with my clients, I say, "If a, if any self-respecting bacteria won't eat it, you shouldn't either." Because the food that you find on the shelves has been processed so that- Yeah it can stay on the shelves- Stay and look the same for months. Yeah, yeah. Good point. And it's basically dead. It's lost most of its nutrients. Mm-hmm and they may say, "Oh, we fortified. We took stuff out, but we put stuff back in." But what they put in is synthetic- Right that your body doesn't register. Your does- doesn't a- absorb and use. Right. And looking at the produce section, looking at the dairy section- Yeah looking at the meat section, all of those are very valuable. Yeah. and as little processed, as little packaged. Right. Minimal ingredients. Yeah, yeah. If you look, my boys- Mm-hmm used to just go, "Oh, Mom," because I wouldn't look at just the front of the package, I'd turn it around to see the ingredients. Yeah. And, they'd like, "Don't look at that, Mom. Don't look at that." Because they know I'm gonna say, "Okay, I can't pronounce half of these ingredients-" Yeah, yeah which means they're chemicals, and I don't want to put that in my body." Mm-hmm. And so they're like- Mm-hmm "Okay, we can't have that," Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I remember, but it's a, it's a juggle because we've, our food is engineered- Yes, yeah to be addictive. Yeah. Mm-hmm. I hate to say it that way, but literally there are f- food engineers that engineer flavoring to be- Mm-hmm addictive to make you want to eat more. Pringles, when Pringles chips came out, one, once you pop, you can't stop. That was a red flag for me. Yeah. Because that just told me they- Sure fixed it that way. Yeah. And I'm not even gonna pop then. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Because I know it's designed- Sure to draw my body in to want more, and that's not gonna nourish. It'll fill my stomach. It'll taste great. Right. Yeah. But it doesn't feed my body. Yeah, yeah. And that's important. It is important, and it's important for so many reasons that we've already started talking about in terms of our, our health and our response- Mm-hmm to the ailments that we can experience, whether they're momentarily small, a headache here- Sure and there- Mm-hmm or something more, yeah, life-altering, let's say. Significant diagnosis. Right. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Exactly. Exactly. so I hear people talking about treating your body like a temple. and I, what I'm hearing from you is the body is one piece. We've got the soul, the mind, and the heart. Mm-hmm. Right? All of it. So you're talking- Mm-hmm wholeness, so I appreciate the depth and width of which you share. And I'm not half done the book. I'm about a third way through, but- Mm-hmm I'm getting into those next pieces, and that's the- Yes work that I love to do is how are you feeling, your emotions? Where are you sitting? Right. What's real? What's not real? Let's pull it apart and understand it in a deeper way, right? Exactly. Yeah. And realizing that- Yeah what your body is thinking is your bo- the rest of your body is hearing. Right. So- Right being aware, m- medicine has made, made fun of placebo effect for years. Mm-hmm. For generations, Mm-hmm. And, and it's always looked at in medicine as a negative thing. Right. But now studies are showing it's real. If someone takes a pill that could be just basic sugar, but they are convinced in their head that it's going to make a difference for their health, their body picks up on that and does it. So instead of poo-pooing the p- Yeah placebo effect, why not put it into action? Yeah, yeah. Why not take advantage of if I can feed my mind- Yeah with the positive and the direction that I want to go and believe that, even saying the blessing over my meal, "Thank you for all this amazing nourishment that's gonna come into my body- Mm-hmm and support me in its function." Mm-hmm, yeah. That opens things up for all the possibilities. Yeah, yeah. It's crazy. Yeah. Because your brain- do- it doesn't have the capacity to see if what you're saying is true or not. Exactly. Anything you say is truth. It's all it knows, right? Like, 'cause that's what it does. That's how it works. So it's- And it's what you repeat, repeat- Oh, yeah over and over and over again. It's, it picks up on those things. Oh, yeah. And so you just have to- Yeah reframe- Yeah the way you're talking and thinking. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And we're talking about it as though everything makes so much sense. Is it harder to do than not? What is, what has been your experience when you work with your clients? Is it harder to actually action? Does... Do you find your clients who are in a more challenging diagnosis, let's say- Mm-hmm have more long-term conviction or is there, is there no correlation there? Partly it depends on their why for coming to me. Perfect. Yeah. Often, often they hear about me, and they come, they, reach out and we have our initial call- Yeah because they've been to numerous practitioners. They don't feel like they've been heard. Yes. They don't feel like anyone really wants to understand what they're dealing with. Mm-hmm. Or they're asking for why, they're asking for answers, and they don't receive answers. Right. Because when it's a chronic disease that is multi-system in the body- Sure medicine doesn't really know how to handle those very well. Mm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. But that's where I take the time to listen, and I draw- Mm asking the questions and drawing things out. Yeah. And then evaluating where do we start, what are the first steps? And honestly, one of the things I'm looking for- Mm-hmm is what is something that we can get some quick relief? Mm. Mm-hmm. the low-hanging fruit they talk about. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. What is something that can maybe give them some quick relief so they can see, aha- Right something can make be- get better. Sure. Then that re- sets them for pushing into the deeper stuff- Yeah that need to work on. Yeah. And it's always in the concept, context of- What are your goals? Yeah. And what is your body asking for most? Mm. And how can we strategize your application of this? Nice. Because it's, we go to doctors, the doctor says, "Do this and do this," and you walk out of there going, "How?" Oh, yeah. I don't know how. Right. But- Yeah but when you've got someone there who already understands a little bit of your life- Yeah and is, is asking the questions, "What about this? How would this work?" Right. And giving some ideas to support how you can incorporate it- Mm-hmm so that it's- Mm-hmm not such a, a drastic- Yeah change. Yeah, yeah. That, that can make it easier. Absolutely. But sometimes it's just a long road, and we have- Yeah, yeah to peel the onion little by little- Right and work on things as we go. Yeah. But most of the time they're finding, they're finding changes in just a few weeks. Yeah. And amazed at how it, how they can feel, It's like- Yeah that's the goal because the body- Yeah, exactly can be resilient. Yeah. The body is resilient when it's provided what it needs. Right, yeah, when it has the foundation to be able to. Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Exactly. Love that. Love that. Is there, what's the primary way that you view supporting health differently than medical practitioners do? You've alluded to it, but is primary. I think we've, yeah, we've alluded to it. Mm-hmm. But to, to make it more specific- Yeah when you go to the doctor they ask you about your symptoms, and they- Yeah prescribe medication that shuts down the symptom. Mm-hmm. I ask about symptoms, but I view those symptoms as the body's messages. Yeah. And I cherish your- Mm y- I really value your observations of what you're feeling in your body because that's our roadmap. That's how it goes. Yeah. And so I'm- Yeah listening to the symptoms, listening and explaining what's going on. Right. Also, just educating, this is what is likely happening. Yeah. And it's because it's tied in in this way. Right. So that when we plan or strategize a change, you understand why behind it. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. If you're just told, "Do this," but you- Yeah don't understand the purpose- Yeah behind it, it makes it difficult. Mm-hmm. But I try to do the education along the process so that they're understanding why we're doing this and what- Yeah what their body is asking for- Love that in the process. Love that. So bit, bit of a difference. Yeah. big bit of a difference. And we are so grateful that you have- Found your path, and the way that you found it is incredible, but not surprising based on what I know of you and your book that I've been reading, and- Mm-hmm the accolades that are, that are in the front of the book. I think, what, what did you call it? Let me re- like, I was like, "What did she call that?" advanced praise for the book, and there's gotta be, what, 20, Mm, mm-hmm people that have written snippets about what the power of the book, and the power of Kelly's knowledge and experience, and doing good in the world as a result of- Yeah help, wanting to help people live their lives in full wholeness, right? Yes. Yeah. And I discovered this whole career, this whole path- Yeah long after I was 45. Right? Yeah. Yes, of course you did, because that's when you were ready for it, right? Yes. Yeah. It, it... The, the seeds were planted with my son. Yeah. But I finished homeschooling all three of my sons before I started back to school- Mm to learn and train in this. Yeah. And my husband gra- my husband retired a year and a half ago, but I said- Yeah "I'm not ready to retire." I'm not doing that. I, I've got too much to do still. Well, and it's your form of retirement, because if you love it, is it really- Yes a job, really at the end- No of the day? We know it's not. No, it's- It's... Yeah it's a passion, and- Yeah if, if what I share, w- whether it's on, on, on social media or my blogs- Yeah or my book or whatever, if it makes- Yeah a difference for someone else- Yeah then I've won. That's awesome. I love that. That's exactly- Yeah what I want. Love it. I love it. has there, been any conversation where bringing, marrying your full approach with the medical field in a way that when a person goes into an office, they get a team of support, and you would be on that team? Has that ever been- I haven't really teamed up with- particular practitioners, no. But I tell my clients, "I am not your practitioner. I'm not your doctor." Right. No. I'm not licensed that way. Yeah, yeah. They need... In fact, in my client agreement, they have to agree- Yeah that they still have a practitioner on the, on the side. Absolutely. Yeah. But I join the team. Okay, you do. Yeah. I join the team. Perfect. And so I, and, and often I will, if the practitioner is open to it, I will- Yeah communicate and- Yeah send them emails and advise them on what we have done- Right and what the purpose is. There are times that I'm asking through the client- Yes "Could we do these testing, this testing?" Right. "Is it possible?" And I will explain the why. Sure. so as much as possible, I try to- Yeah work alongside. Perfect. But rarely do the cl- do the practitioners have more than seven to 10 minutes with the client. Of course. yeah. And I spend over an hour- Yeah each session with them. Of course. So it's a little difference in the communication side. Yeah. Of course. Yeah, understandable. But I do like the idea of the team piece. Yes, yes. And I'm sure it's individualized, and I'm sure other, everybody has their, reasons, whether it's the client, whether it's the doctor, whatever. Mm-hmm. I'm just glad that you're doing the work that you're doing in such an extensive way. And we will have in the show notes all the ways to get ahold of Kelly so that if- Awesome this is resonating, which I'm sure everybody in, in the listening audience are raising their hand going, "How... Get the number out, Denise. Get the number out." Give her a call. It's not ma- probably a call, but an, an email or whatever, right? yeah, yeah. Perfect. That's awesome. I would, I would welcome a conversation with someone. Thank you, Kelly. Is there anything you would love to make sure our listeners hear before we wrap up this incredible conversation today? Anything, golden nuggets you want everybody to hear? If they've heard nothing else, hear this. Dr. Mark Hyman is a functional medicine practitioner, and he has said, "Take care of the body you have. It's the only place you have to live." Hmm. Well, there it is. Mm-hmm. There it is. Well, if that's not food for thought, pardon the pun right? Exactly. Yeah. It ju- it makes you stop and pause- Yeah But- Absolutely but yeah. Thank you for that. That's brilliant. You're welcome. Thank you so much for sharing your time, expertise, brilliance with us today. I know our community will be forever more richer from the conversation we've had today. So thank you for joining us and sharing so much wisdom. And before we close, I do want to share something that's gentle and very clear to me, that I will be hosting a live in-person two-day experience called Ignite the Inner Uprising. It'll be an immersive gathering for women in midlife years who feel the quiet pull to something more truthful, more embodied, more fully themselves. It's an extension of the conversations we have on Thrive After 45, where reflection becomes embodiment and insight becomes integrated. Women who have held so much for others are going to gather to stand fully in their own sovereignty. So if something in today's conversation has stirred in your body or you started leaning in or putting your hand up, that is not accidental. The wait list is open, so if Ignite feels like something your future self will thank you for, I invite you to add your name. The link for that will be in the show notes. And as always, make sure you follow, like, share, leave us a review so more women can find these incredible conversations. And may you all thrive after 45 for you, by you, because of you. Have a wonderful day. Bye everyone. Hello, and welcome to today's episode of Thrive After 45. I'm Denise Drinkwalter, midlife mirror and mentor, and every week I am honored to share energy and space with inspiring guests whose stories reflect so many possibilities of thriving beyond 45. Together, we uncover the whispers of the heart, the power of midlife transformation, and the wisdom that fuels expansion because when one woman turns her light on, the rest of the room catches fire What if your body isn't broken, it's just asking the wrong questions for years? That's a belief my next guest has built her entire career on. It started decades ago while her... while she was homeschooling her He couldn't focus, he couldn't sit still, and every answer she tried had come up totally empty. And then one day on the radio, she heard a panel of parents describing children with ADHD, and with an incredible jolt, she realized they were describing her own son. And rather than accept a diagnosis and a prescription, she went looking for the root cause. A library book by a pediatric allergist led her to a theory that many cases of ADHD trace back to allergic reactions to artificial colors and flavors in food. She stripped those ingredients from her son's diet, and within two weeks she had a calmer, more focused child, simply by changing what he ate. Well, that discovery launched a 13-year journey into the connection between food, lifestyle, and health. Today, she works as a functional wellness health coach, using functional medicine principles to help clients get to the root of the chronic conditions that conventional medicine often struggles to explain. Things like Type 2 diabetes, IBS, PCOS, autoimmune activations such as Hashimoto's, lupus, rheumatoid arthri- arthritis, and psoriasis. Where traditional medicine tends to overlook the microbiome and the body as a whole, she brings a holistic lens that connects the dots. She also supports cancer patients through treatment, helping them build resilience in the rest of their body while their medical team focuses on eliminating the disease, because without that support, the body can actually become collateral damage in the fight of cancer. So over the past 13 years, she's personally coached and guided several hundred clients and reached hundreds more through her book, Thriving Through Cancer: A Holistic Approach for Your Journey. It is an honor and a privilege to welcome Kelly Lutman to our show today. Thank you for being here. Oh, I'm so excited to have this conversation. We were, I'm gonna start off with a bang because we were talking before the show started, and there is an incredible synchronicity that occurred when I was told about the book, and I'm gonna hold it up for those of you who are on YouTube, Thriving Through Cancer: A Holistic Approach for Your Journey. And that book came actually to my front door, what's today, the 15th? It came five days ago. because I had a friend that I met along my journey of the podcast, and she suggested I, I find this book because we have a recent diagnosis, in our family. My husband has been diagnosed with another cancer. And I was like, "You cancer number two, I think we need to do something, not different, but look at all the pieces of the puzzle here. how can I support him in his journey now and myself?" Well, lo and behold, folks, un- I was told to c- purchase this book by Kelly Lutman, and then it never dawned on me that I had already scheduled to have Kelly on our show because, I get so many guests and we book... How far ahead did we book this? Like- It was months ago. Yeah, yeah. I think we booked in the spring maybe. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. So- It was out of both of our minds, but- Right? then, it comes up on the calendar, and amazing to find- Yeah that you find I'm the one you're speaking to- Yes and you just received my book. That's amazing. Like, just so incredible. So it, it's, it's a even a bigger honor than I even imagined, because of the situation. And, not the situation, because of the journey that we are going on- Mm-hmm in the next little while as a family. So I am honored and thrilled to share this space with you, and I can't wait to dig in to learn how important, crucial, lifesaving it is to understand the wholeness of one's self. Yes. So can you give us- Yes yeah, give us an idea of why is it so important for us to understand whole? When you say whole, W-H-O-L-E, what exactly are we referencing here? All of you Which is body, we're familiar with our body, and that's what we think of when we go to see the doctor. Right. But mind plays into it too. Mind-body medicine is becoming much more prolific, and- Yeah sci- scientific studies are coming out all the time talking about how the mind affects what happens in the body, and the body can affect the mind. Mm-hmm. And then there's the spiritual aspect that I- Mm added into the book as well because we need to have hope. We need- Mm to live in gratitude. Yeah. We need to understand and the, the com- the vi- vitality that comes from being loved and- Mm loving others. Mm-hmm. All of those pertain to our spiritual side. Right. But they affect our overall health. And medicine has been developed over the 100 years or so, prob- probably 150 years that medicine has really been becoming more prominent. Right. But it is designed to separate a person into portions. You've got- Okay the orthopedic and you've got the endocrinologist and y- the OBGYN, and all these different specialties. Mm-hmm. But they don't look at the whole person. Mm. They don't look at how it all works together. I find clients come to me, and they've seen- Right a cardiologist, and they've seen the endocrinologist, and they've seen these different ones, and they have- Yeah prescribed different things, but they never looked at how it all comes together. Right. And I pull back, instead of looking- Mm-hmm at the branches of the tree, I want to pull back and look- Mm at the whole tree. Mm-hmm. The whole piece, and what is interacting here and here and here, because- Mm often we have symptoms, which I don't consider symptoms to be something you just shut down with a medication. Mm-hmm. Symptoms are my roadmap. Right. That's guiding me. It's the body's way of messaging, because- Right we don't have an internal text system in our body. Right. Mm-hmm. And we don't have this cursor on our forehead that says- Right "Hello, I need this." the body speaks- Right through symptoms. Okay. And if we spend our time- ignoring, shutting down the symptom. You have a headache, so you grab a pill and a glass of water. Mm-hmm. Sometimes you just needed that glass of water- Mm because you were dehydrated. You didn't really need the pill. Right. And if you lean for those pills too often, even- Mm-hmm the over-the-counter pills, painkillers especially- Right. Yeah have a negative effect in your body- Mm-hmm if you use them repeatedly on a lot of basis. Right. So I look at the body as a whole system. Mm-hmm. And I listen to my clients' observations, 'cause they're in the body. Right. I need their observations of what are they experiencing. What's it like when you first wake up in the morning? What do you notice as you progress through the day? How does your body change and its feelings? Mm. Mm-hmm. And those are vital messages for us to use to be able to find the root problem in their body. I don't believe anyone's body is broken. Okay. I was just gonna... Yeah. We're not broken. Yeah. We're just needing a different support. Right. And a lot of the support, we, we look to, okay, n- I need a medication, I need this, I need that. But how many thousands of years did humans live without- Mm our medical system and our medications? And we used food, and we used lifestyle changes in your environment. Right. That was how you supported the body. Right. And our bodies are designed to be out in nature. Yes. But the more, the more urbanized we become- Mm-hmm the less we encounter nature. We need sunlight in our eyes first thing in the morning for our circadian rhythm. Mm-hmm. We need contact with the ground on bare feet- Mm-hmm for, to be, to be able to receive the negative electrons that come up from the ground and balance our bodies out. That can be a great pain reliever. Mm. Go stand in the grass or on the sand. If you want, stand on, stand on dirt. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yep. All of that allows your body to send electrons up into your bo- or receive electrons. Mm-hmm. And it can be relaxing and relieve pain. It's amazing. Mm. Wow. It didn't need a pill. Wow. That's incredible. I didn't... I, I've seen, I've seen those, I'm gonna say carpets. They're not carpets, but I've seen those... they've developed- The grounding pads? Yeah, the pads. Oh, uh-huh. Uh-huh, uh-huh. Yeah. Do they- Yeah is that the same concept? I don't know. It's the concept. Yeah. There you go. But I'd rather be grounded with with the real earth- Yeah than through a wire in the socket on the, on the wall. Yep. Nope. I, yep. there are that you need extra, and so- Sure you can use shee- grounding sheets under your bedsheets on the bed. Yep. And there are even shoes that are made that, when we, we'll go around in rubber shoes, rubber does not conduct- Right, yep the, the electrons. And so they make shoes leather-based, leather b- bottom shoes. Okay. Will. Yeah. Yeah. So the more natural it is- Interesting. Yeah the better you can connect with the ground. Mm-hmm. And that is nourishing to our bodies. Love that. Is it your understanding and/or belief and/or both that when we are out of balance in our whole body- Mm-hmm and we don't understand or reach for figuring out what the symptom is telling us, if we just keep ignoring it, does it stay stuck, the energy stay stuck, and can morph into ailments? Mm-hmm. I've heard that. Yeah. I've heard that. Yeah. But I, I don't know. Yeah quiet messages, gentle messages, but if you ignore or you shut it down with medication, then that, that con- that source continues- Yeah to be a problem, and even taking the medication doesn't fix the, the root- Right of the problem. Yes. It's just Band-Aids. I, I tell my clients it's like the brake light comes on your dashboard- Mm but because it's a pain and it's bothering and aggravating you, you reach behind and you cut the wire- Mm that turns off the light, but that doesn't fix the brakes. Right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And you're gonna have a bigger problem later. Right. Yeah. So, so realizing that- Yeah having a headache can be a gift. Mm-hmm. It's your body giving you a relatively gentle way of saying, "I need some support." Mm-hmm. Maybe you need more water. Maybe you need magnesium. Maybe you need to slow down- Mm and give yourself some rest. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Which way too many peop- the- the person that originated sleep is overrated was- Yeah I, I want to meet that person because- I bet you they were not healthy. Yeah. Right? N- nope. Like- Oh. Yeah. Some of the things that people, that or, that's okay, I'll sleep when I'm dead. Yeah. It could come sooner than you expected. Right. Yeah, yeah. Don't, don't- There's a problem with that. Say out loud what you're wishing for, Yeah. By mistake. And I speak to, I speak to- Yeah business owners- Mm-hmm and say, especially if you are a solopreneur, an entrepreneur- Yeah. Yeah your body is one of the most important things to your business. Mm. Because if you push, you, you may have a fabulous service, you may have a fabulous vision for what you're going to do. Mm-hmm. And when you get things started, it takes a lot of work, but if you don't mind the support of your body- Mm-hmm it can shut your business down. Mm. And quickly, right? Yes. Oh, yeah. So be mindful. Yeah. It's important. Yeah, yeah. The power that you have, and, and our whole show is based on what are you going to do for you, by you, because of you? Mm-hmm. So this conversation is so rich because what I'm hearing you say is it's your opportunity, and I'm gonna even push the button even further, it's your responsibility- Yes to ensure that you not only pay attention to your whole self, messages included, but respond to it- Yes in a way that treats you as you are as important as all the family members you try to take care of at all times, right? Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. I, I talk to moms often. Yeah. And I've had... daughters-in-law with my grandkids. Yes. And I say, it's just like when you get on the airplane and they-" Yeah "give you the safety briefing, the air s- air mask-" Oxygen mask "drops down." Yeah. "You put yours on because you can't support these kids if you are run down." Yeah. Yeah. It goes across the board. But, but beyond opportunity or responsibility- Yeah my desire is to empower people. Mm. You have the power to make a difference in your health before you even see the doctor. Right. Yes. And it's through the power of food. Mm-hmm. Maybe you're feeding your body stuff that's not nourishing it- Mm-hmm or that your body is reacting to and you don't realize- Mm. Mm-hmm the reaction messages you're getting. Mm-hmm. Maybe your body needs a different support, a different supply of food. Yeah. Yeah. And then the, the lifestyle things, the food, the, not only the food, but, but movement. Yes. How many of us sit at a desk- Yeah hours in the day and don't- Right move our bodies? Mm-hmm. movement, outdoor time, sleep, nourishment, Yes. Laughter. Yeah. Yeah. So, so important. Yeah. But then relationships. Mm. It's something that a lot of coach- Oh, froze But there are those outliers who maybe feel like, "I'm happier without people." Yeah. Yeah. But most of us need connection with people. Right. We need that interaction. Yeah. We need relationships. That's a part of our healthy- Yeah empowerment as well. Right. So I want to empower people with these are some of the basic things you can do- Yeah to support you. Mm-hmm. So that you can do for others. Yeah. Because if you don't fill your jug, fill your pitcher, you can't pour out to others. Yeah. Yeah. And we conceptually understand that, where- Mm-hmm I find women in particular have the biggest struggle, is putting that into practice. Yes. Yeah. And how do we help change that so it doesn't become other than... Like, the oxygen mask is brilliant because they always show it, and it's true. If you can't breathe, you can't help the kid beside you. You can't help your husband. Yeah. If you're not breathing, you're- And you don't have to be on an airplane. Yeah, it's like- It doesn't have to be only on an airplane. It's- Yeah all life every day. Right? Yeah. So yeah. Yeah. It's... You take steps. Yeah. So, first steps. I- and I always am looking at, at analyzing, w- what, where are we now? What are your greatest concerns? Yes. But one of the things I start with is hydration. Yeah. Because most people are not hydrated. They drink a lot of liquids, but they're liquids that don't hydrate, if they've got a lot of added ingredients, if they've got sugar in them, sugar dehydrates. Mm-hmm. So if your drink is super sweet and tasty- Yeah it's not helping your body. Mm-hmm. You need water. In fact, I encourage my clients, start with a full glass of water that you drink before you even get your coffee in the morning. Yeah. Yeah. Then, sca- stage it. You, another glass of water before lunch, another- Mm-hmm in the afternoon. Mm-hmm. several in the afternoon. Don't chug all your water for the day in the evening because you won't sleep real well. Right. Exactly. Yeah. And sometimes it's okay, let's get a pitcher and fill the pitcher of water and leave it on the counter. It's... Yeah, it's- And that's your reminder, w- how am I doing on my water intake? What do I need extra? Mm-hmm. And some are like, "All I drink is coffee and sodas." Okay. Mm-hmm. Let's trade one. Mm. Yeah. One cup of coffee for water. Yeah. Yeah. Get comfortable with that. Yeah. Then we'll trade another one. Yeah. And so we can slowly crowd out what's working against you- Mm-hmm so that it's not a overwhelming change. Right. Yeah. There's different ways to bring it in. And then switching what you're eating in your food. How much fiber are you getting in your food- Mm. Mm-hmm that feeds the microbiome that is symbiotic with us? us and vital for our health. Mm-hmm. And so, I'm sorry, but french fries are not vegetables- in, in a full allowance, Mm-hmm. Yeah. We need a variety of different types of vegetables because each has different kinds of fiber that feeds different species in our gut. Right. So being mindful of you're not just eating for you, Mm-hmm. It's not just when you're pregnant that you're eating for two. Right. Yeah. But you are also eating to feed and support the microbiome that then supports you with supporting your immune system, giving- Yeah the microbiome, when it eats what we can't digest, it puts out vitamins and things that our bodies need. Okay. And so it's, it's very much a symbiotic relationship. Who knew when we saw- Right all the science fiction shows about something living inside- that we really have it. Right. Although, I don't think it comes out as a head out of the belly button. No. But Thankfully, it does not. They did take it a little further. Thankfully not. wonderful information. I, one thing that I remember, and I don't remember where it's from, but I remembered it, when we shop for groceries- Mm-hmm the outside, and is this is still true? You're nodding yes- Yes for those who aren't seeing- Mm-hmm YouTube version of this. But the outside, around the outside edges are the most non-processed food. Yes. So when you get your vegetables... Yeah, go ahead. It's perishable food. Okay. The perishable food. Okay. I, I joke with my clients, I say, "If a, if any self-respecting bacteria won't eat it, you shouldn't either." Because the food that you find on the shelves has been processed so that- Yeah it can stay on the shelves- Stay and look the same for months. Yeah, yeah. Good point. And it's basically dead. It's lost most of its nutrients. Mm-hmm and they may say, "Oh, we fortified. We took stuff out, but we put stuff back in." But what they put in is synthetic, that your body- Right doesn't register, your... does- doesn't absorb and use. Right. And so, looking at the produce section, looking at the dairy section- Yeah looking meat section, all of those are very valuable. Yeah. and as little processed, as little packaged. Right. Minimal ingredients. Yeah, yeah. If you look, my boys- Mm-hmm used to just go, "Oh, Mom," because I wouldn't look at just the front of the package, I'd turn it around to see the ingredients. Yeah. And, "Don't look at that, Mom. Don't look at that." Because they know I'm gonna say, "Okay, I can't pronounce half of these ingredients." Yeah, yeah. Which means they're chemicals, and I don't want to put that in my body. Mm-hmm. And so they're like- Mm-hmm "Okay, we can't have that," Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I remember, but it's a, it's a juggle because we've... our food is engineered- Yes, yeah to be addictive. Yeah. Mm-hmm. I hate to say it that way, but literally there are f- food engineers that engineer flavoring to be- Mm-hmm addictive, to make you want to eat more. Pringles, when Pringles chips came out, one, "Once you pop, you can't stop." That was a red flag for me. Yeah. Because that just told me they- Sure fixed it that way. Yeah. And I'm not even gonna pop then. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Because I know it's designed- Sure to draw my body in to want more, and that's not gonna nourish. It'll fill my stomach. It'll taste great. Right. Yeah. But it doesn't feed my body. Yeah, yeah. And that's important. It is important, and it's important for so many reasons that we've already started talking about in terms of our, our health and our response- Mm-hmm to the ailments that we can experience, whether they're momentarily small, like a headache here- Sure. Mm-hmm and there, or something more, yeah, life-altering, let's say. Significant diagnosis. Right. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Exactly. Exactly. Um, so I hear people talking about treating your body like a temple. and, I'm hearing from you is the body is one piece. We've the soul, the mind, and the heart. Mm-hmm. Right, all talking- Mm-hmm wholeness, so I appreciate the depth and width of which you share. And I'm not half done the book. I'm about a third way through, but- Mm-hmm um, I'm getting into those next pieces, and that's the work- Yes that I love to do, is how are you emotions? Where are you sitting? Right. What's real? What's not real? Let's pull it apart and understand it in a deeper way, right? Exactly. Yeah. And that- Yeah what your body is thinking is your bo- the rest of your body is hearing. Right. So- Right being aware, medicine has made, made fun of placebo effect for years. Mm-hmm. generations, Mm-hmm. And it, it's always looked at in medicine as a negative thing. Right. But now studies are showing it's real. If someone takes a pill that could be just basic sugar, but they are convinced in their head that it's going to make a difference for their health, their body picks up on that and does it. So instead of poo-pooing the p- Yeah placebo effect, why not put it into action? Yeah, yeah. Why not take advantage of if I can feed my mind- Yeah with the positive and the direction that I want to go and believe that, even saying the blessing over my meal, thank you for all this amazing nourishment that's gonna come into my body- Mm-hmm and support me in its function. Mm-hmm, yeah. That opens things up for all the possibilities. Yeah, yeah. It's crazy. Yeah. Because your brain- do- it doesn't have the capacity to see if what you're saying is true or not. Exactly. Anything you say is truth. It's all it knows, right? Like, 'cause that's what it does. That's how it works. So it's- And it's what you repeat, repeat- Oh, yeah over and over and over again. It's, it picks up on those things. Oh, yeah. And so you just have to- Yeah reframe the way- Yeah you're talking and thinking. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And we're talking about it as though everything makes so much sense. Is it harder to do than not? What is, what has been your experience when you work with your clients? Is it harder to actually action? Does... Do you find your clients who are in a more challenging diagnosis, let's say- Mm-hmm have more long-term conviction? Or is there, is there no correlation there? Partly it depends on their why for coming to me. Perfect. Yeah. Often, often they hear about me, and they come, they, reach out and we have our initial call- Yeah because they've been to numerous practitioners. They don't feel like they've been heard. Yes. They don't feel like anyone really wants to understand what they're dealing with. Mm-hmm. Or they're asking for why, they're asking for answers, and they don't receive answers. Right. Because when it's a chronic disease that is multi-system in the body- Sure medicine doesn't really know how to handle those very well. Mm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. But that's where I take the time to listen, and I draw- Mm asking the questions and drawing things out. Yeah. And then evaluating where do we start, what are the first steps? And honestly, one of the things I'm looking for- Mm-hmm is what is something that we can get some quick relief? Mm. Mm-hmm. the low-hanging fruit they talk about. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. What is something that can maybe give them some quick relief so they can see, aha- Right something can make be- get better. Sure. Then that re- sets them for pushing into the deeper stuff- Yeah that we need to work on. Yeah. And it's always in the concept, context of- What are your goals? Yeah. And what is your body asking for most? Mm. And how can we strategize your application of this? Nice. Because it's, we go to doctors, the doctor says, "Do this and do this," and you walk out of there going, "How?" Oh, yeah. "I don't know how." Right. But- Yeah but when you've got someone there who already understands a little bit of your life- Yeah and is, is asking the questions, "What about this? How would this work?" Right. And giving some ideas to support how you can incorporate it- Mm-hmm so that it's- Mm-hmm not such a, a drastic- Yeah change. Yeah, yeah. That, that can make it easier. Absolutely. But sometimes it's just a long road, and we have- Yeah, yeah to peel the onion little by little- Right and work on things as we go. Yeah. But most of the time they're finding, uh, they're finding changes in just a few weeks. Yeah. And amazed it, how they can feel, Yeah. It's like that's the goal because the body- Yeah, exactly can be resilient. Yeah. The body is resilient when it's provided what it needs. Right, yeah, when it has the foundation to be able to. Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Exactly. Love that. Love that. Is there, what's the primary way that you view supporting health differently than medical practitioners do? You've alluded to it, but is primary. I think we've, yeah, we've alluded to it. Mm-hmm. But to, to make it more specific- Yeah when you go to the doctor they ask you about your symptoms, and they- Yeah prescribe medication that shuts down the symptom. Mm-hmm. I ask about symptoms, but I view those symptoms as the body's messages. Yeah. And I cherish your- Mm e- I really value your observations of what you're feeling in your body because that's our roadmap. That's how it goes. Yeah. And so I'm- Yeah listening to the symptoms, listening and explaining what's going on. Right. Also, just educating, this is what is likely happening. Yeah. And it's because it's tied in in this way. Right. So that when we plan or strategize a change, you understand why behind it. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. If you're just told, "Do this," but you- Yep don't understand the purpose- Yeah behind it, it makes it difficult. Mm-hmm. But I try to do the education along the process so that they're understanding why we're doing this and what- Yep what their body is asking for- Love that in the process. Love that. So bit, bit of a difference. Yeah, big bit of a difference. Yeah. And we are so grateful that you have- Found your path, and the way that you found it is incredible, but not surprising based on what I know of you and your book that I've been reading, and- Mm-hmm the accolades that are, that are in the front of the book. I think, what, what did you call it? Let me re- like, I was like, "What did she call that?" Um, advanced praise for the book, and there's gotta be, what, 20, that have written snippets about what the power of the book, and the power of Kelly's knowledge and experience, um, and doing of- Yeah help, wanting to help people live their lives right? Yes. Yeah. And I discovered this whole career, this whole path- Yeah long after I was Yes, of course you did, because that's when you were ready for it, right? Yes. Yeah. It, it, the, the seeds were planted with my son. Yeah. But I finished homeschooling all three of my sons before I started back to school- Mm to learn and train in this. Yeah. And my husband gra- uh, my husband retired a year and a half ago, but I said- Yeah "I'm not ready to retire." I'm not doing that. I, I've got too much to do still. Well, and it's your form of retirement, because if you love it, is it really- Yes a job, really at the end- No of the day? We know it's not. No, it's- It's... Yeah it's a passion, and- Yeah if, if what I share, w- whether it's on, on, on social media or my blogs- Yeah or my book or whatever, if it makes- Yeah a difference for someone else- Yeah then I've won. That's awesome. I love that. That's exactly- Yeah what I want. Love it. I love it. Um, has there, uh, been any conversation where bringing, your full approach with the medical field in a way that when a person goes into an office, they get a support, and you would be on that team? Has that ever been- I haven't really teamed up with- particular practitioners, no. But I tell my clients, "I am not your practitioner. I'm not your doctor." Right. "I'm not licensed that way." No. Yeah, yeah. They need... In fact, in my client agreement, they have to agree- Yeah that they still have a practitioner on the, on site. Absolutely. Yeah. But I join the team. Okay, you do. Yeah. I join the team. Perfect. And so I, and, and often I will, if the practitioner is open to it, I will- Yeah communicate and- Yeah send them emails and advise them on what we have done- Right and what the purpose is. There are times that I'm asking through the client- Yes "Could we do these testing, this testing?" Right. "Is it possible?" And I will explain the why. Sure. so as much as possible, I try to work- Yeah alongside. Perfect. But rarely do the do the practitioners have more than seven to 10 minutes with the client. Of course. Um, yeah. And I spend over an hour- Yeah each session with them. So- Of course it's a little difference in the communication side. Yeah, of course. Yeah, understandable. But I do like the idea of the team piece. Yes, yes. And I'm sure it's individualized, and I'm sure other, everybody has their, reasons, whether it's the client, whether it's the doctor, whatever. Mm-hmm. I'm just glad that you're doing the work that you're doing in such an extensive way. And we will have in the show notes all the ways to get ahold of Kelly so that if- Awesome this is resonating, which I'm sure everybody in, in the listening audience are raising their hand going, "How... Get the number out, Denise. Get the number out." Give her a call. It's not ma- probably a call, but an, an email or whatever, right? So yeah, yeah. Perfect. That's awesome. I would, I would welcome a conversation with someone. Thank you, Kelly. Is there anything you would love to make sure our listeners hear before we wrap up this incredible conversation today? Anything, golden nuggets you want everybody to hear? If they've heard nothing else, hear this. Dr. Mark Hyman is a functional medicine practitioner, and he has said, "Take care of the body you have. It's the only place you have to live." Hmm. Well, there it is. Mm-hmm. There it is. Well, if that's not food for thought, pardon the pun right? Exactly. Yeah. It ju- it makes you stop and pause- Yeah But- Absolutely but yeah. Thank you for that. That's brilliant. You're welcome. Thank you so much for sharing your time, expertise, brilliance with us today. I know our community will be forever more richer from the conversation we've had today. So thank you for joining us and sharing so much wisdom. And before we close, I do want to share something that's gentle and very clear to me, that I will be hosting a live in-person two-day experience called Ignite the Inner Uprising. It'll be an immersive gathering for women in midlife years who feel the quiet pull to something more truthful, more embodied, more fully themselves. It's an extension of the conversations we have on Thrive After 45, where reflection becomes embodiment and insight becomes integrated. Women who have held so much for others are going to gather to stand fully in their own sovereignty. So if something in today's conversation has stirred in your body or you started leaning in or putting your hand up, that is not accidental. The wait list is open, so if Ignite feels like something your future self will thank you for, I invite you to add your name. The link for that will be in the show notes, and as always, make sure you follow, like, share, leave us a review so more women can find these incredible conversations. And may you all thrive after 45 for you, by you, because of you. Have a wonderful day. Bye, everyone.