The Habit Healers cover art

The Habit Healers

The Habit Healers

By: Laurie Marbas MD MBA
Listen for free

About this listen

 Welcome to The Habit Healers Podcast—where transformation starts with a single habit. Hosted by Dr. Laurie Marbas, this podcast is for anyone ready to break free from chronic health struggles, rewire their habits, and create lasting healing. Through powerful stories, science-backed strategies, and real-world tools, we dive deep into the micro shifts that lead to massive health transformations. You’ll learn how to heal beyond prescriptions—how to nourish your body, reprogram your mind, and build the habits that make vibrant health effortless. Whether you’re looking to reverse disease, boost energy, or finally make health a way of life, this podcast will show you how. Because true healing isn’t about willpower—it’s about design. And you’re always just one healing habit away.

drlauriemarbas.substack.comLaurie Marbas, MD, MBA Alternative & Complementary Medicine Hygiene & Healthy Living
Episodes
  • The Secret to Brain Health: Elevating Flavor to Replace Sodium

    The Secret to Brain Health: Elevating Flavor to Replace Sodium
    Feb 4 2026
    Thank you Cindy Chance, Marg KJ, Afsi, Cathy Moffitt Boyd, Denise Tarasuk, and many others for tuning into my live video with Chef Martin Oswald! The Secret to Brain Health: Elevating Flavor to Replace SodiumWe have a massive announcement!We are thrilled to officially announce the upcoming Brain Health Mini Substack Summit, a mini Substack summit taking place the last week of February (Feb 23rd - 28th). I think this will be the first of its kind! (Please share this with your friends and family who would enjoy this amazing event!)I will be interviewing five incredible experts, including Annie Fenn, MD , Dr. Dominic Ng , Julie Fratantoni, PhD , Chris Miller MD , and Jud Brewer MD PhD, live for 30 minutes each day. But here is the best part: Chef Martin Oswald is creating a specific brain-health recipe for each interview based on the ingredients provided by those experts. Then on the last day of the summit, February 28th, Martin and I will go live to talk about the recipes and answer any and all of your questions.Don’t miss out on this unique event where medicine meets culinary art. Subscribe now so you don’t miss a single interview or recipe. Want to go deeper with us? Join Martin and me in our Culinary Healing Group for exclusive community support and deeper dives into food as medicine and weekly private group meetings with me. Join the Culinary Healing Group here. The Silent Enemy: Why Sodium Matters for Your BrainToday, we are diving deep into sodium and brain health. You hear about “low sodium” all the time, but why is it actually important?High blood pressure is a leading cause of death worldwide, and often, it’s undetectable unless you are actively measuring it. Excess sodium is a major driver of high blood pressure, especially for those with metabolic disease or insulin resistance.Think of it this way: “Where the sodium goes, the water flows”.When you consume excess sodium, fluid retention increases blood pressure within your vessels. But beyond that, sodium actually stiffens the blood vessels. This forces your heart to work harder and can starve the brain of nutrients, leading to fatigue, forgetfulness, and even cognitive decline.But here is the challenge: Everything tastes better with salt. It’s the default setting for flavor. So, how do we protect our brains without resigning ourselves to bland food? Martin has the answers.The Chef’s Toolkit: How to Engineer Flavor Without SaltChef Martin Oswald walked us through a fascinating “Flavor Wheel” designed to replace the sensation of salt with other potent characteristics. It’s not just about removing sodium; it’s about building layers of flavor that outshine the need for it.1. The Herb LayerDon’t just look for “salt substitutes.” Look to herbs that mimic the profile of sodium.* Celery Leaves: This is Martin’s top recommendation. The leaves have a flavor profile very close to sodium.* Lovage: Known in Europe as the “Maggi herb,” it has a complex, herbaceous flavor that crosses parsley, celery, and basil.* Rosemary & Thyme: Use the whole sprig in soups and stews to let the leaves cook off and impart deep flavor.2. The “Sting” (Acid & Spice)Salt gives a little “prickle” on the tongue. To replace that, we need ingredients that offer a similar sensation.* Sichuan Peppercorns: These provide a unique numbing or prickly sensation that distracts the palate from the lack of salt.* Sumac: A spice with a sour, prickly characteristic. It’s fantastic in hummus or sprinkled over risotto.* Citric Acid: The secret ingredient in many salt-free blends. It provides that sharp sourness and “sting” found in candy and processed foods, but can be used as a cooking tool.3. Umami: The Fullness FactorUmami provides the roundness and satisfaction we usually get from salt.* Mushrooms: While Porcini is the gold standard, dried Shiitake mushrooms are a budget-friendly way to get massive umami flavor. You can even grind them into a powder to use as a spice.* Nutritional Yeast & Tahini: Great for adding savory depth.* Seaweeds (Kelp/Nori): These provide that “ocean” flavor and are a critical source of Iodine. Note: If you cut iodized salt, ensure you are getting iodine from other sources for thyroid health.4. The Fermentation Game-ChangerFermented foods are perhaps the most powerful tool for replacing sodium because their “funkiness” and tanginess mimic the sensation of salt.* Fermented Cashew Butter: Martin revealed a new “Flavor Bomb”, cashew butter fermented with miso and lemon zest. It eats like sour cream and adds incredible richness.* Miso: While it contains sodium, the high potassium content can help negate blood pressure effects, and you can dilute it with other ingredients.* Almond Milk Kefir: A great way to add thickness and tang to dressings.5. Sweet & Sour ReductionsWe also discussed using glazes to fool the palate.* Blueberry Balsamic Coulis: Instead of sugary store-bought glazes, reduce vinegar by 75%, ...
    Show More Show Less
    58 mins
  • Are Animals the Most Powerful Medicine We Have?

    Are Animals the Most Powerful Medicine We Have?
    Feb 4 2026

    In this episode, I’m asking a question that sounds a little wild until you start looking at the evidence: are animals the most powerful medicine we have? And I’m not talking about magic—I’m talking about biology, behavior, and the quiet ways other species seem to “read” us better than we read ourselves.

    I start with Oscar, the hospice cat who stunned a nursing home staff by repeatedly curling up beside residents just hours before they died. From there, I zoom out into the bigger pattern: the silent, constant conversation between human bodies and animal senses—smell, breath, posture, rhythm, routine. I explore how we communicate across species without words, from the way dogs (and even cats) follow our pointing and gaze, to the oxytocin loop that kicks in when a dog holds eye contact, shifting both of us toward calm and connection.

    Then I go deeper into the long history of partnership—wolves at ancient campfires turning into dogs, cats showing up where grain attracted mice, and how co-evolution didn’t just change them… it shaped us. I talk about attachment, why a dog can feel like a “secure base” the way a parent does for a child, and what research suggests about stress, cortisol, blood pressure, loneliness, and even immune training in kids raised around pets.

    We also get practical: what happens when animals become part of the treatment plan—therapy dogs on hospital floors, service dogs helping veterans with PTSD, animals acting as bridges for kids with autism, and horses used in rehab. And yes, I go to the edge of the map: sea lions that may keep someone afloat, elephants that appear to mourn, a pig that saved a woman’s life, and dogs that can sometimes detect seizures, low blood sugar, or even cancer.

    But I don’t skip the fine print. I talk about zoonotic risks, bites, hospital infection control, and the ethical line between partnership and exploitation—because if animals are part of health, their wellbeing has to be part of the equation too.

    By the end, I’m left with the real question: if animals already function like quiet, unpaid members of the healthcare team… what would it look like to treat that bond as something we plan for—on purpose?

    Dr. Marbas Substack: https://drlauriemarbas.substack.com/

    A Big Thank You To Our Sponsors:

    If you want the best supplement to help you on your plant-based journey, you have to try Complement: https://lovecomplement.com/?aff=62



    Get full access to The Habit Healers at drlauriemarbas.substack.com/subscribe
    Show More Show Less
    33 mins
  • The Generosity Paradox: Understanding the Complexities of Giving and Getting

    The Generosity Paradox: Understanding the Complexities of Giving and Getting
    Feb 2 2026

    In this episode of the Habit Healers podcast, Dr. Laurie welcomes Dr. Jud Brewer to discuss his Substack article, "The Generosity Paradox." Dr. Brewer explores the complexities of generosity, emphasizing that it is not as straightforward as many believe. He delves into the emotional aspects tied to giving, such as guilt and giver's remorse, and highlights that generosity encompasses more than just monetary donations. The conversation introduces three different types of generosity, starting with the "transactional loop," where giving is linked to an expectation of receiving something in return. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion that unpacks the deeper components of generosity and its impact on our lives.Link to Dr. Jud's article: https://judbrewer.substack.com/p/the-generosity-paradox-why-your-brainDr. Marbas Substack: https://drlauriemarbas.substack.com/A Big Thank You To Our Sponsors:If you want the best supplement to help you on your plant-based journey, you have to try Complement: https://lovecomplement.com/?aff=62



    Get full access to The Habit Healers at drlauriemarbas.substack.com/subscribe
    Show More Show Less
    31 mins
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.