In this episode of Power Up Recovery with Nutrition, Christina Veselak sits down with dietitian Sarah Thomsen Ferreira to explore how food fuels neuroplasticity and supports BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor). Together, they dive into the science of brain health, functional nutrition, and the role of food as medicine for mental wellness and recovery.

You’ll learn how to:

• Support brain growth and resilience with nutrition

• Reduce inflammation and boost mood naturally

• Incorporate neuroplasticity-boosting foods into daily life

• Use food as a tool for mental health and addiction recovery

Whether you’re on a healing journey or simply want to optimize your brain, this episode will give you practical, science-based strategies to fuel your mind and body.

Meet our Guest

Sarah Thomsen Ferreira, MS, MPH, RD, LD, IFNCP is an integrative and functional dietitian, educator, and founder of Food and Mood Nutrition Therapy, LLC. Her clinical expertise lies at the intersection of nutrition, neurological health, food choice, and emotional well-being, with a special focus on eating psychology, thyroid health, and coaching-informed counseling principles. She is also the creator of The Brain Food Digest and host of The Nourished Brain podcast, where she explores topics such as nutritional psychology, gut-brain health, and the role of nutrition in supporting nervous system function.

Website: https://www.foodandmoodnutritiontherapy.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nourishedbrainrd/
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/nourished-brain-podcast/id1414067445
Brain Health Nutrition Updates: https://brainfooddigest.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Discover More Unlock a world of resources at https://aminoacidtherapy.com/ where you’ll find expert insights, transformative training, and actionable tools to support your recovery journey. Whether you're looking for professional courses like our Level 1 Core Training

Learn more at https://feedtherecoveringbrain.com
Support Our Mission Check out our nonprofit initiative, Eating Protein Saves Lives, at https://eatingproteinsaveslives.org/ Learn how we’re improving lives and communities through better nutrition, the science of amino acid therapy, and our simple yet powerful message: Eat protein every 4 hours.

Also, if you’re just starting out or want a solid foundation, check out Eat: A Guide to Radiant Recovery Using Food and Amino Acids to Repair the Addicted Brain and Reduce Cravings by Christina Veselak. It’s a clear, powerful intro to the core concepts. Grab your copy here: https://www.eatforrecovery.com/

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information shared is meant to inform and empower listeners but should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider for personalized care and treatment.

Music by: Bensound
License code: GFZAESIUP3ZUNGXM

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Let’s make nutrition part of the conversation for lasting recovery.

In this episode of Power Up Recovery with Nutrition, host Christina Veselak sits down with Paige Speers, founder of the Choose Greater Health Community, to share her inspiring journey of healing from brain injury caused by blood clots and oxygen deprivation. Paige reveals how nutrition, supplements, neurofeedback, movement therapies, and functional medicine helped her rebuild her health and emotional resilience.

After surviving pulmonary embolism and anoxic brain injury at 32, Paige channeled her innate resilience into recovery, finding whole person focused therapies centered around bringing all systems into balance in a way that would fill in the pieces and complement standard medicine. This brought in Paige’s entrepreneurial vision of connecting other undersupported brain injury survivors with integrative and functional medicine resources and professionals, providing options to choose in alignment with their highest health potentials. Additionally speaking and writing about her recovery path have been a focus.

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/19mPD6AyGn/?mibextid=wwXIfr
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/paige-speers-a9a38b62

Discover More Unlock a world of resources at https://aminoacidtherapy.com/ where you’ll find expert insights, transformative training, and actionable tools to support your recovery journey. Whether you're looking for professional courses like our Level 1 Core Training

Learn more at https://feedtherecoveringbrain.com
Support Our Mission Check out our nonprofit initiative, Eating Protein Saves Lives, at https://eatingproteinsaveslives.org/ Learn how we’re improving lives and communities through better nutrition, the science of amino acid therapy, and our simple yet powerful message: Eat protein every 4 hours.

Also, if you’re just starting out or want a solid foundation, check out Eat: A Guide to Radiant Recovery Using Food and Amino Acids to Repair the Addicted Brain and Reduce Cravings by Christina Veselak. It’s a clear, powerful intro to the core concepts. Grab your copy here: https://www.eatforrecovery.com/

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information shared is meant to inform and empower listeners but should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider for personalized care and treatment.

Music by: Bensound
License code: GFZAESIUP3ZUNGXM

Like this episode?
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Let’s make nutrition part of the conversation for lasting recovery.

In this episode of Power Up Recovery with Nutrition, Christina Veselak talks with breathwork and trauma expert Alyse Bacine about how healing childhood wounds and nourishing the brain support lasting recovery. Alyse shares her journey from an eating disorder to discovering breathwork, and how her Metamorphosis Method helps clients break free from trauma patterns. Together, they reveal the link between nutrition, trauma, and emotional healing and why feeding the brain is key to thriving.

Alyse Bacine is a leading expert in trauma healing and transformational breathwork with over 25 years of experience and a Master’s in Counseling Psychology. She is the creator of The Metamorphosis Method™, a groundbreaking system that integrates clinical psychology, somatic practices, and energy healing to deliver predictable, lasting transformation. A former school counselor, Alyse has been featured in Oprah Magazine, Well + Good, and Nylon, and has guided hundreds of women to release trauma, reclaim their power, and thrive.

Website: https://www.alysebreathes.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alyse_breathes/

Discover More Unlock a world of resources at https://aminoacidtherapy.com/ where you’ll find expert insights, transformative training, and actionable tools to support your recovery journey. Whether you're looking for professional courses like our Level 1 Core Training

Learn more at https://feedtherecoveringbrain.com
Support Our Mission Check out our nonprofit initiative, Eating Protein Saves Lives, at https://eatingproteinsaveslives.org/ Learn how we’re improving lives and communities through better nutrition, the science of amino acid therapy, and our simple yet powerful message: Eat protein every 4 hours.

Also, if you’re just starting out or want a solid foundation, check out Eat: A Guide to Radiant Recovery Using Food and Amino Acids to Repair the Addicted Brain and Reduce Cravings by Christina Veselak. It’s a clear, powerful intro to the core concepts. Grab your copy here: https://www.eatforrecovery.com/

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information shared is meant to inform and empower listeners but should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider for personalized care and treatment.

Music by: Bensound
License code: GFZAESIUP3ZUNGXM

Like this episode?
Subscribe, rate, and share it with a friend or colleague who needs this information.
Let’s make nutrition part of the conversation for lasting recovery.

In this episode of Power Up Recovery with Nutrition, host Christina Veselak sits down with Andrea Nakayama, founder of the Functional Nutrition Alliance. Andrea explains how functional nutrition offers a powerful framework for mental health and addiction recovery, from balancing brain chemistry with amino acids to reducing inflammation and supporting digestion. Listeners will discover simple, science-based strategies to calm the nervous system, improve mood, and reclaim their well-being.

As the host of the 15-Minute Matrix Podcast and the founder of Functional Nutrition Alliance, Andrea is leading thousands of students and practitioners around the globe in a revolution to offer better solutions to the growing chronic illness epidemic. By highlighting the importance of systems biology, root cause methodology, and therapeutic partnerships, she helps historically underserved individuals reclaim ownership of their health.

Website: https://www.andreanakayama.com/
Website:https://www.fxnutrition.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ReplenishPDX
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreanakayama/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndreaNakayama.page

Discover More Unlock a world of resources at https://aminoacidtherapy.com/ where you’ll find expert insights, transformative training, and actionable tools to support your recovery journey. Whether you're looking for professional courses like our Level 1 Core Training

Learn more at https://feedtherecoveringbrain.com
Support Our Mission Check out our nonprofit initiative, Eating Protein Saves Lives, at https://eatingproteinsaveslives.org/ Learn how we’re improving lives and communities through better nutrition, the science of amino acid therapy, and our simple yet powerful message: Eat protein every 4 hours.

Also, if you’re just starting out or want a solid foundation, check out Eat: A Guide to Radiant Recovery Using Food and Amino Acids to Repair the Addicted Brain and Reduce Cravings by Christina Veselak. It’s a clear, powerful intro to the core concepts. Grab your copy here: https://www.eatforrecovery.com/

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information shared is meant to inform and empower listeners but should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider for personalized care and treatment.

Music by: Bensound
License code: GFZAESIUP3ZUNGXM

Like this episode?
Subscribe, rate, and share it with a friend or colleague who needs this information.
Let’s make nutrition part of the conversation for lasting recovery.

In this episode of Power Up Recovery with Nutrition, host Christina Veselak speaks with Carolyn, who shares her extraordinary journey of surviving trauma and more than 40 surgeries—and how nutrition became the life-changing key to healing her brain and body. Carolyn opens up about the role of supplements, food, self-care, and boundaries in both her own recovery and in guiding clients toward lasting transformation.

Carolyn Rae always wanted to see people living a healthy life considering it goes faster than we think. There as so many obsticles and navigating them if a balancing act. I have been a person very connected to nature my whole life. I have survived a car accident that took my kide and gave it back to me with a different lens. I have achieved formal degrees in Behavioral Science, Public Administration and Service Technologies. I have worked as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor, Family Support work. I was a chsen Stakeholder and Presenter by the Bangor Health Board fo the Substance Abuse forum. I have advocated at the State level for holistic healing and the implementation of nutitional and merged recovery for optimum results.

Website: https://consciouspossibilities.net/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-b-rae-bb547244/

Discover More Unlock a world of resources at https://aminoacidtherapy.com/ where you’ll find expert insights, transformative training, and actionable tools to support your recovery journey. Whether you're looking for professional courses like our Level 1 Core Training

Learn more at https://feedtherecoveringbrain.com
Support Our Mission Check out our nonprofit initiative, Eating Protein Saves Lives, at https://eatingproteinsaveslives.org/ Learn how we’re improving lives and communities through better nutrition, the science of amino acid therapy, and our simple yet powerful message: Eat protein every 4 hours.

Also, if you’re just starting out or want a solid foundation, check out Eat: A Guide to Radiant Recovery Using Food and Amino Acids to Repair the Addicted Brain and Reduce Cravings by Christina Veselak. It’s a clear, powerful intro to the core concepts. Grab your copy here: https://www.eatforrecovery.com/

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information shared is meant to inform and empower listeners but should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider for personalized care and treatment.

Music by: Bensound
License code: GFZAESIUP3ZUNGXM

Like this episode?
Subscribe, rate, and share it with a friend or colleague who needs this information.
Let’s make nutrition part of the conversation for lasting recovery.

In this episode of Power Up Recovery With Nutrition, Christina Veselak talks with Noel Sierra about his journey from nearly 400 pounds to a healthier, stronger life. Hear how cutting sugar, eating real food, and staying active transformed his recovery and inspired his family.

My name is Noel Sierra, I identify as a Latino man in long term recovery, I’ve been working in the recovery community since 2015. I started working with the recovery community as a House Manager, moved forward and Worked as a Recovery Treatment Coordinator, took a break and returned as a Recovery Coach & Recovery Coach Supervisor. My journey brought me to MOAR as the Southeast Regional Coordinator. Through the building of relationships and hard work I have become the Executive Director at MOAR. There are many things in life that encourage change, but truly Nothing Changes if Nothing Changes!

Website: https://www.moar-recovery.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MOARRecovery/

Discover More Unlock a world of resources at https://aminoacidtherapy.com/ where you’ll find expert insights, transformative training, and actionable tools to support your recovery journey. Whether you're looking for professional courses like our Level 1 Core Training

Learn more at https://feedtherecoveringbrain.com
Support Our Mission Check out our nonprofit initiative, Eating Protein Saves Lives, at https://eatingproteinsaveslives.org/ Learn how we’re improving lives and communities through better nutrition, the science of amino acid therapy, and our simple yet powerful message: Eat protein every 4 hours.

Also, if you’re just starting out or want a solid foundation, check out Eat: A Guide to Radiant Recovery Using Food and Amino Acids to Repair the Addicted Brain and Reduce Cravings by Christina Veselak. It’s a clear, powerful intro to the core concepts. Grab your copy here: https://www.eatforrecovery.com/

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information shared is meant to inform and empower listeners but should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider for personalized care and treatment.

Music by: Bensound
License code: GFZAESIUP3ZUNGXM

Like this episode?
Subscribe, rate, and share it with a friend or colleague who needs this information.
Let’s make nutrition part of the conversation for lasting recovery.

In this episode of Power Up Recovery with Nutrition, Christina Veselak sits down with health and wellness coach Ketino Beim to explore how targeted nutrition, amino acids, and lifestyle shifts can transform mental health. Ketino shares her powerful personal journey from burnout and postpartum depression to renewed vitality, and how she now helps other women overcome anxiety, sleep issues, and emotional imbalances by feeding the brain what it truly needs.

Ketino Beim specializing in functional nutrition for mental health, I am a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC) with advanced training in the connection between brain chemistry and nutrition. By uncovering biochemical imbalances, I guide you toward restoring well-being. Together, we’ll create a personalized "roadmap to health" tailored to your unique goals and lifestyle.

Website: https://ketinobeim.tilda.ws/moodbiochemistry
Instagram: @mood_biochemistry
Facebook: MoodBiochemistry

Discover More Unlock a world of resources at https://aminoacidtherapy.com/ where you’ll find expert insights, transformative training, and actionable tools to support your recovery journey. Whether you're looking for professional courses like our Level 1 Core Training

Learn more at https://feedtherecoveringbrain.com
Support Our Mission Check out our nonprofit initiative, Eating Protein Saves Lives, at https://eatingproteinsaveslives.org/ Learn how we’re improving lives and communities through better nutrition, the science of amino acid therapy, and our simple yet powerful message: Eat protein every 4 hours.

Also, if you’re just starting out or want a solid foundation, check out Eat: A Guide to Radiant Recovery Using Food and Amino Acids to Repair the Addicted Brain and Reduce Cravings by Christina Veselak. It’s a clear, powerful intro to the core concepts. Grab your copy here: https://www.eatforrecovery.com/

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information shared is meant to inform and empower listeners but should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider for personalized care and treatment.

Music by: Bensound
License code: GFZAESIUP3ZUNGXM

Like this episode?
Subscribe, rate, and share it with a friend or colleague who needs this information.
Let’s make nutrition part of the conversation for lasting recovery.

In this episode of Power Up Recovery with Nutrition, Christina Veselak speaks with Laurelle Meijer, a woman in long-term recovery who was once written off by the medical system and placed in palliative care. Laurelle shares her incredible journey from near-death to thriving, all by taking recovery into her own hands—starting with nutrition.

Laurelle opens up about her experience with trauma, PTSD, and the limitations of traditional treatment programs. She reveals how she discovered amino acid therapy and nutritional strategies through Christina’s Academy, which helped her heal her brain, access buried memories, release long-held anger, and finally find peace.

Laurelle Meijer is a Certified Holistic Nutrition and Wellness Recovery Coach, and the founder of Unapologetic Recovery — a platform dedicated to helping women in recovery reclaim their clarity, energy, and confidence. After overcoming her own battle with alcohol and reaching a point where sobriety alone wasn’t enough, Laurelle created the support she wished she’d had: one that goes beyond just quitting drinking.

She now blends lived experience with professional training in nutrition, amino acid therapy, and nervous system regulation to address the root causes of emotional cravings, burnout, and feeling stuck after sobriety. Through her coaching, app, and signature programs, she helps women rise, radiate, and live unapologetically — in recovery and beyond.

Website: www.unapologeticrecoveery.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unapologetic_recovery_wellness?igsh=MWlodHQ5YmRldW10Nw==

Discover More Unlock a world of resources at https://aminoacidtherapy.com/ where you’ll find expert insights, transformative training, and actionable tools to support your recovery journey. Whether you're looking for professional courses like our Level 1 Core Training

Learn more at https://feedtherecoveringbrain.com
Support Our Mission Check out our nonprofit initiative, Eating Protein Saves Lives, at https://eatingproteinsaveslives.org/ Learn how we’re improving lives and communities through better nutrition, the science of amino acid therapy, and our simple yet powerful message: Eat protein every 4 hours.

Also, if you’re just starting out or want a solid foundation, check out Eat: A Guide to Radiant Recovery Using Food and Amino Acids to Repair the Addicted Brain and Reduce Cravings by Christina Veselak. It’s a clear, powerful intro to the core concepts. Grab your copy here: https://www.eatforrecovery.com/

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information shared is meant to inform and empower listeners but should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider for personalized care and treatment.

Music by: Bensound
License code: GFZAESIUP3ZUNGXM

Like this episode?
Subscribe, rate, and share it with a friend or colleague who needs this information.
Let’s make nutrition part of the conversation for lasting recovery.