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The Habit Healers

The Habit Healers

By: Laurie Marbas MD MBA
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 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
  • Weight loss cooking tips for the holidays!

    Weight loss cooking tips for the holidays!
    Dec 3 2025
    (From Today’s Substack Live Cooking Session!)Today’s Substack Live was one of those wonderfully chaotic, unexpectedly educational sessions where you learn something… and also watch a cucumber get assaulted with a rolling pin.Martin and I dove into one of the biggest challenges this time of year:How do you enjoy the holidays without feeling heavier, puffier, and more sluggish by January?The answer isn’t deprivation.It’s strategy.During the live, we walked through four simple, fast, and surprisingly flavorful tools you can use immediately, starting tonight, to stay grounded, nourished, and metabolically stable during the season of sugar, salt, and second helpings.Let’s break down the highlights from the video so you can try them for yourself.The Secret European Herb–Salt Trick for Sodium ControlMartin revealed a classic European flavor trick almost no one uses in the U.S.:Make your own 2:1 herb–salt mix.Grind dried herbs (thyme, basil, oregano, parsley, marjoram) super fine, then mix two parts herbs to one part salt.Why it works:* Massive flavor* Automatically cuts your sodium intake in half* Helps avoid the fluid retention and next-day “I gained 3 pounds?!” panic* Supports blood pressure and keeps arteries from stiffeningFrom the medical side:When sodium goes up, water follows.That extra water volume pushes your blood pressure higher, distorts the scale, and stresses your cardiovascular system.This herb–salt mix gives you flavor without the metabolic hangover.The 10-Minute Freezer Veggie Soup That Saves Your EveningsThe star of the live may have been the simplest thing of all:Frozen veggies + vegetable stock + blender = a big bowl of creamy soup for 60–100 calories.It works because it’s:* High fiber* High water* Low calorie* Nutrient dense* FastEat a bowl before holiday meals or parties and you’ll naturally eat less of the calorie-dense foods later—without relying on willpower.The veggies also bring in multiple phytonutrients, beautiful colors, and a huge micronutrient boost that your metabolism will thank you for.Batch tip:Make one pot, portion it into jars, refrigerate or freeze, and you have an easy “metabolic safety net” ready all week.The Smashed Cucumber Salad I’m Still Thinking AboutYes, he smashed a cucumber.Yes, it was hilarious.Yes, it works.By cracking the cucumber open with a rolling pin, pot, or even your fist, you get:* Chunkier texture* More surface area for dressing* A refreshing, crunchy, 15 calories-per-100-grams masterpiece* And a salad you can eat huge bowls of for almost no caloriesThe dressing was simple:* Grated ginger* Shallots* Garlic* Rice vinegar* A drizzle of date syrup* A whisper of roasted sesame oil (or peanut flavor if sesame is off-limits)* Fresh herbs to brighten everythingThis salad does triple duty:* Low-calorie volume → fills the stomach* Slow glucose absorption → blunts blood sugar rises* High fiber → supports cravings, digestion, and metabolismIf you want one “holiday hack,” this is it:Eat volume first. Eat heavy foods second.And Then… Dessert That Lowers CholesterolWe finished with a creamy, bright, lemon–silken tofu dessert topped with passionfruit.The magic came from:* Silken tofu → protein + creaminess* Lemon zest with pith → high pectin = helps bind cholesterol* Dates → whole-food sweetness* Passionfruit → tangy, crunchy, fiber-rich toppingBlend tofu, lemon peel, lemon juice, and dates until silky.Chill it, top it, and you have a high-protein, low-calorie, artery-friendly dessert that tastes decadent without all the holiday heaviness.Want to Learn to Cook Like This With Us Every Week?Even though today was a Substack Live, this style of cooking, simple, flavorful, metabolism-friendly, is exactly what we teach inside Culinary Healing, our weekly live cooking + metabolic health program.Inside Culinary Healing, you get:* Chef Martin’s Kitchen where you learn to cook stress free and break the bonds to recipes* Metabolic, medical, and habit coaching from me* A library of stress-free, low-calorie, nutrient-dense recipes* Real-time help turning food into a tool for weight loss and metabolic health* Community, accountability, and a system that actually sticksIf you enjoyed today’s energy, the teaching, and the practical tips…You’ll love Culinary Healing. Join Culinary Healing here: Culinary HealingCome cook with us, ask questions live, and turn your kitchen into the most powerful health tool you own, especially during the holidays. Get full access to The Habit Healers at drlauriemarbas.substack.com/subscribe
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    55 mins
  • The Case of Brain Fog and Fatigue

    The Case of Brain Fog and Fatigue
    Nov 28 2025

    In this episode of The Habit Healers Podcast, Dr. Laurie Marbas takes you inside the mind of a physician with a powerful clinical vignette designed to uncover the real, often-overlooked roots of persistent brain fog and unrelenting fatigue.

    You’ll meet a 47-year-old woman who feels like she’s “wading through molasses”—struggling to think clearly, waking up exhausted, and slowly losing control of her energy. Her story mirrors the experience of millions, but the cause isn’t as simple as stress, age, or “being busy.”

    Dr. Marbas walks you step-by-step through the diagnostic reasoning process:

    * How physicians think through uncertainty

    * The key clues that matter most in cases of fog + fatigue

    * Why a cluster of symptoms tells a deeper story than any single complaint

    * How sleep disruption, insulin resistance, stress physiology, and midlife hormonal shifts can intertwine to cloud the brain

    You’ll also learn the surprising lifestyle patterns that quietly sabotage clarity—late-night screen time, skipped breakfasts, fragmented sleep, evening carb surges—and why women in midlife are especially vulnerable.

    Most importantly, this episode highlights what actually helps:

    * Rebuilding sleep architecture

    * Giving the brain steady, predictable fuel

    * Simple post-meal movement that sharpens afternoon focus

    * Restoring daily light and stress rhythms

    * Identifying when symptoms signal something more serious

    This isn’t about guessing or self-diagnosing. It’s about learning to see your health through a more connected, compassionate lens—one that empowers you to ask better questions and make changes that really move the needle.

    If brain fog and fatigue have become your “new normal,” this episode will help you understand why—and what small, repeatable habits can begin to turn things around.

    Clearer thinking and better energy aren’t luxuries—they’re signals your brain can thrive again.

    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
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    6 mins
  • Starving in Plain Sight: Why Obesity Is a Hidden Form of Malnutrition

    Starving in Plain Sight: Why Obesity Is a Hidden Form of Malnutrition
    Nov 26 2025

    In this eye-opening episode of The Habit Healers Podcast, Dr. Laurie Marbas unpacks one of the most misunderstood truths in modern health: you can be overweight, overfed, and still profoundly undernourished.

    Through stories, science, and global insights, Dr. Marbas explains the health paradox unfolding worldwide—where obesity and nutrient deficiency often exist in the same body. From South African children who appeared well-fed but were lacking essential nutrients, to the millions of adults in the U.S. who consume plenty of calories yet remain low in vitamin D, magnesium, fiber, or iron—this episode reveals why “eating enough” no longer means “being healthy.”

    You’ll learn:

    * Why malnutrition isn’t about calories—it’s about the quality of those calories

    * How ultra-processed foods create “hidden hunger” even when the stomach is full

    * The real-life signs of nutrient deficiencies: brain fog, fatigue, brittle nails, mood changes, digestive issues, sugar cravings, and more

    * The deeper structural forces—cost, access, marketing, culture—that shape the modern food landscape

    * Why the “double burden of malnutrition” is rising globally, affecting families, communities, and entire countries

    * How nourishing your body with whole, nutrient-dense foods creates a foundation for healing, energy, and resilience

    This episode is not about guilt, restriction, or blame. It’s about understanding what your biology truly needs—and how even small, consistent upgrades can shift your energy, metabolism, and long-term health.

    If you’ve ever wondered why you’re tired despite eating enough, why cravings won’t let up, or why changing your diet hasn’t “worked” before, this conversation offers clarity, compassion, and a path forward.

    When you nourish better, you feel better. Your body already knows how to heal—you just need to give it the right materials.

    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
    5 mins
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