The Health Investment Podcast with Brooke Simonson Brooke Simonson

EPISODE 237 - Heather Heynen is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Mental Health, Qualified Mental Health Professional, Life Coach, FMS Certified Exercise Professional, Health Coach & Podcaster. Heather has been working in private practice for over 20 years as a licensed mental health therapist, life coach & health coach. Along the way, she worked for some years as a part-time personal trainer, owned a Cross-Fit gym, and created an online weight-loss program. She is 50 years old and a mother to one child. She loves to travel and is an avid rock-climber, mountain biker and has taken on multiple solo multi-day bike-packing challenges over the past few years. Heather is a recovered binge-eater, restricter, yo-yo dieter and suffered with anxiety for years. This led her to creating and hosting the podcast Weight Loss & Wellness For Real and also creating online courses all with the purpose to help others find food and body freedom as well as purpose and joy in life. Her mission is to bring whole-person health (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual) to individuals so they can live their absolute best lives. In the episode, Heather shares the difference between mindful and intuitive eating, how to get emotional eating urges under control, a practical strategy to cut back on overeating…and more!

EPISODE WEBPAGE: thehealthinvestment.com/237

P.S. – If you’re liking The Health Investment Podcast, be sure to hit “subscribe/follow” so that you never miss an episode 🙂

QUESTIONS I ASK HEATHER IN THE EPISODE:



What do you define “mindful eating,” “binge eating,” and “emotional eating”?

Does mindful eating relate to intuitive eating? If so, how?

Can you discuss the connection between mindfulness and emotional eating?

If someone wants to stop binge eating/overeating for good, what do they need to understand?

What are some practical strategies people can use to overcome emotional eating?

How does paying attention to hunger and fullness cues impact our eating habits? What's the best way to get started with this? What role do protein and food timing play?



LINKS [SOME MAY BE AFFILIATE LINKS; PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO]:



Connect with Heather on Instagram, listen to her podcast, and visit her website

“My Unbiased Thrive Market Review (AND A Shopping List!)” – save money on your first Thrive Market order by clicking here

Click here when you're ready to lose weight permanently!

Follow The Health Investment Podcast on Instagram

Follow host Brooke Simonson on Instagram

Email Brooke: brooke@thehealthinvestment.com

Shout out to Christian Juarez for the theme music! (Click here to visit his Soundcloud!!)

EPISODE 236 - Michael Moss is a journalist and the author of two New York Times bestselling books on the processed food industry, Salt Sugar Fat and Hooked, published in 22 languages and now in development for the screen. He is a frequent guest on newscasts globally, from CBS This Morning to the BBC. His keynote speeches to corporations and organizations feature his work as an investigative reporter with The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting in 2010 for his investigation of the dangers of contaminated meat, and he was a finalist in 2006 for his reporting on the lack of protective armor for soldiers in Iraq, and in 1999 for a team effort on Wall Street’s emerging influence in the nursing home industry. He received an Overseas Press Club citation in 2007 for stories on the faulty justice system for American-held detainees in Iraq. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife, Eve Heyn, a public health communications expert. In the episode, Michael shares how the food industry uses the perfect mix of salt, sugar, and fat to hijack our taste buds; why the grocery store isn’t a level playing field; practical steps anyone can take to reduce their processed food consumption…and more!

EPISODE WEBPAGE: thehealthinvestment.com/236

P.S. – If you’re liking The Health Investment Podcast, be sure to hit “subscribe/follow” so that you never miss an episode 🙂

QUESTIONS I ASK MICHAEL IN THE EPISODE:



Can you discuss the relationship between processed foods and the obesity epidemic?

How do food companies manipulate salt, sugar, and fat to create addictive products?

How do you define "food addiction," and how does your understanding of addiction differ from traditional views?

If someone says "I can't stop eating potato chips" and feels like there's something wrong/broken inside of them, what's your response?

Are there commonalities in the strategies used to create and perpetuate addiction across other sectors (like tobacco)?

In a former interview, you said, "...the concepts of choice and free will may be something of an illusion when it comes to shopping for food. The grocery store is hardly a level playing field." Can you elaborate on that?

What are some practical steps that someone can take to reduce their consumption of salt, sugar, and fat, given the pervasive nature of these ingredients in the food supply?

Is consumer demand for healthier packaged products driving enough change?



LINKS [SOME MAY BE AFFILIATE LINKS; PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO]:



Visit Michael's website

“My Unbiased Thrive Market Review (AND A Shopping List!)” – save money on your first Thrive Market order by clicking here

Click here when you're ready to lose weight permanently!

Follow The Health Investment Podcast on Instagram

Follow host Brooke Simonson on Instagram

Email Brooke: brooke@thehealthinvestment.com

Shout out to Christian Juarez for the theme music! (Click here to visit his Soundcloud!!)

EPISODE 235 - CEO and Founder of technology Wellbeing Ltd, International, TEDx speaker, and Creator of “The Digital Detox Coach,” Colin is a technologist, digital wellbeing coach, and endurance triathlete based in the United Kingdom. He is fascinated by the collision between technology and psychology and how this relationship is changing our world, our health, and even the way we think. He is passionate about helping people and organizations achieve a healthier, more productive, and ethically sustainable relationship with technology. Colin has over 30 years of experience leading technology companies which, together with the mindset of an athlete, he brings to his technology wellbeing practice. He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Technology Management, a Bachelor of Science (Honors) in Mathematics, and is a member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and the International Coaching Federation (ICF). In the episode, Colin shares practical strategies for using your phone less, how to engage in digital detox “snacks,” the role of your environment in terms of phone and social media use…and more!

EPISODE WEBPAGE: thehealthinvestment.com/235

P.S. – If you’re liking The Health Investment Podcast, be sure to hit “subscribe/follow” so that you never miss an episode 🙂

QUESTIONS I ASK COLIN IN THE EPISODE:



Can you start off by telling us a bit about your background? (Specifically, what led you to become a "digital detox coach"?)

What is a "digital detox"? Does it require giving up phones/social media/computers/TV completely?

How can excessive screen time impact our mental and physical health? 

What are potential long-term benefits of incorporating regular digital detoxes into our lifestyles?

What makes digital detoxing so difficult?



LINKS [SOME MAY BE AFFILIATE LINKS; PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO]:



Connect with Colin on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube; visit his website; and download his "Couch To 5k" challenge

“My Unbiased Thrive Market Review (AND A Shopping List!)” – save money on your first Thrive Market order by clicking here

Click here when you're ready to lose weight permanently!

Follow The Health Investment Podcast on Instagram

Follow host Brooke Simonson on Instagram

Email Brooke: brooke@thehealthinvestment.com

Shout out to Christian Juarez for the theme music! (Click here to visit his Soundcloud!!)

EPISODE 234 - Joy Bracey, Ed.D., LPC, NCC attained her Doctor of Education in Executive Leadership at the University of Holy Cross in New Orleans, Louisiana and her Master of Education in Counseling at the University of New Orleans. She spent her early career in various leadership roles in the hospitality industry, then followed her passion for helping others by pursuing her Master's in Counseling and providing mental health services for New Orleans’ most vulnerable women and children. She has spent over 11 years as the President & CEO of a non-profit addiction treatment & mental health agency while serving in leadership roles on numerous local and national boards, coalitions, and advisory councils. Joy uses her background, education, and experiences to spread the message about the life-changing impact of self-love and mindfulness. She hosts retreats and provides coaching and counseling to individuals to help them along on their journey of discovering the freedom that comes with letting go of perfectionism, people-pleasing, defensiveness, and other tools of the inner critic so they can fully embrace self-love and experience inner peace. She’s an Adjunct Professor of Self-Awareness at Teacher's College-Columbia University, and is the host/creator of "The Easy Weigh Out" podcast. In the episode, Joy shares the advantages to weighing 300+ pounds, how she coped (and continues to cope with) “food noise,” how she broke free from emotional eating tendencies…and more!

EPISODE WEBPAGE: thehealthinvestment.com/234

P.S. – If you’re liking The Health Investment Podcast, be sure to hit “subscribe/follow” so that you never miss an episode 🙂

QUESTIONS I ASK JOY IN THE EPISODE:



What were the benefits to weighing over 300 pounds?

How did you reconcile the message of the “body positivity” movement and the idea of “self-love at any weight” with the desire for intentional weight loss?

What role did bariatric surgery and GLP-1 medications play in your journey?

How did you cope with overbearing “food noise” and the desire to use food to numb emotions?



LINKS [SOME MAY BE AFFILIATE LINKS; PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO]:



Connect with Joy on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok; visit her website; and listen to her podcast

“My Unbiased Thrive Market Review (AND A Shopping List!)” – save money on your first Thrive Market order by clicking here

Click here when you're ready to lose weight permanently!

Follow The Health Investment Podcast on Instagram

Follow host Brooke Simonson on Instagram

Email Brooke: brooke@thehealthinvestment.com

Shout out to Christian Juarez for the theme music! (Click here to visit his Soundcloud!!)

EPISODE 233 - Alison Escalante, MD, is a Pediatrician, author of the upcoming book Sigh, See, Start: How To Be The Parent Your Child Needs In A World That Won’t Stop Pushing, TEDx Speaker, writer, and woman on a mission to ease the epidemic of anxiety that has convinced us we are always failing and is stealing our joy. She has developed a 3-step method to help parents raise their kids mindfully and skillfully—AND enjoy doing it. Dr. Escalante has also presented this method at conferences and corporate events for professionals looking for greater effectiveness and wellness under pressure. She writes for Forbes on the science of human performance and Psychology Today on life in the culture of anxiety. She has degrees from Princeton in the history of ideas and Rutgers in medicine and did her pediatric training at Duke and University of Chicago. She is an adjunct faculty member of Rush University School of Medicine. In the episode, Dr. Escalante shares why parents are more anxious today than ever, when parenting advice is helpful (and when it’s not), how to approach any situation with your child feeling calm and confident…and more!

EPISODE WEBPAGE: thehealthinvestment.com/233

P.S. – If you’re liking The Health Investment Podcast, be sure to hit “subscribe/follow” so that you never miss an episode 🙂

QUESTIONS I ASK DR. ESCALANTE IN THE EPISODE:



Early in your career, you were seeing patients in a well-to-do area outside of Chicago and were surprised by what parents asked. What were they asking?

Before you became a parent, what kind of mother did you want to be or see for yourself? How has that changed? And why?

What is a "ShouldStorm"?

How is parenting today different than it was just one generation ago, during what you call “old school” parenting? Why is it so different today?

You talk about a lot of different parenting approaches that have been marketed to contemporary parents, including one which is rather popular now: gentle parenting. How do you feel about this parenting approach over any other?

How does Sigh, See, Start work? Can you describe the method?

In the book you say that Sigh, See, Start will NOT make you a perfect parent. What does Sigh, See, Start give parents that is so valuable?

How can parents effectively navigate challenges such as tantrums, defiance, or sibling rivalry?



LINKS [SOME MAY BE AFFILIATE LINKS; PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO]:



Visit Dr. Escalante's website and read her book

“My Unbiased Thrive Market Review (AND A Shopping List!)” – save money on your first Thrive Market order by clicking here

Click here when you're ready to lose weight permanently!

Follow The Health Investment Podcast on Instagram

Follow host Brooke Simonson on Instagram

Email Brooke: brooke@thehealthinvestment.com

Shout out to Christian Juarez for the theme music! (Click here to visit his Soundcloud!!)

EPISODE 232 - Suzi Sung is an advocate for self-development and a true believer in following your dreams even if they scare you, which is why she has created her self-help books to help you along your journey. She has had first-hand experience of the power of working on yourself and how it can really change your life. At the beginning of her own journey, Suzi found she would struggle a lot with staying motivated and believing things would get better, and when she turned to self-help books or positive Instagram pages, she felt that there was either too much jargon or not enough information to give her the comfort she needed. In the episode, she shares everything you need to know about staying consistent! 

EPISODE WEBPAGE: thehealthinvestment.com/232

P.S. – If you’re liking The Health Investment Podcast, be sure to hit “subscribe/follow” so that you never miss an episode 🙂

QUESTIONS I ASK SUZI IN THE EPISODE:



Can you start off by telling us a bit about your background? (Specifically, what led you to write The Consistency Formula?)

Why is consistency so important?

How can internal thoughts get in the way of staying consistent?

What role does goal-setting and planning play when it comes to consistency?

Is it helpful to anticipate challenges that may arise?

How does consistency relate to motivation and willpower?

What role does accountability play in maintaining consistency, and how can someone leverage it effectively



LINKS [SOME MAY BE AFFILIATE LINKS; PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO]:



Visit Suzi's website and follow her on Instagram

“My Unbiased Thrive Market Review (AND A Shopping List!)” – save money on your first Thrive Market order by clicking here

Click here when you're ready to lose weight permanently!

Follow The Health Investment Podcast on Instagram

Follow host Brooke Simonson on Instagram

Email Brooke: brooke@thehealthinvestment.com

Shout out to Christian Juarez for the theme music! (Click here to visit his Soundcloud!!)