How Protein Optimizes Healing & How to Find the Best Sources

If you’re new to functional medicine or natural foods, you’ve probably heard about the importance of a healthy diet. 

You’ve also probably heard of many ways to approach a healthful diet. Should you be vegan? Paleo? Carnivore? Keto? Low fat? High fat?

Admittedly I am biased toward animal proteins. But that doesn’t mean I’m anti-vegan or anti-vegetarian.

As a functional medicine physician specializing in individualized care, my team and I honor our patients’ choices, beliefs, and intuition about the best type of proteins for them.

No matter what dietary guidelines you follow, I want to help you understand the vital role protein plays in healing and a healthy lifestyle and why protein should be a central part of any diet. 

It’s important to acknowledge that everyone is different in their nutritional needs, beliefs, and goals. And sometimes, those needs, beliefs, and goals will shift and change throughout a lifetime.

But, the importance of optimizing for dietary consumption of protein doesn’t change – in fact, the need for protein goes UP as we age. 

Therefore, anyone interested in learning more about the role of protein in health and healing can benefit from the general information here.

And the sooner you understand the importance of optimal protein consumption and how to implement that, the better you will support healthy aging, healing, and more.

Here’s what you’ll learn in this protein-intensive article:

• What type of protein I eat and what’s on my average plate
• Why protein and specific amino acids are so important
• How much protein the average person needs
• What type of animal protein is best (organic, grass-fed, pasture-raised, free-range, etc.)
• The best types of protein powders I recommend that are free from contaminants and how to source them
• The surprising nutritional benefits of eating meats from pasture-raised animals.
• How to source high-quality meats.
• And we’ll address the environmental impacts of choosing quality meat too

There is a lot of information swirling around about protein out there—some of it good and some downright confusing and/or misleading.

This article will help you cut through the hype and half-truths and empower you with the information and tools you need to optimize your protein intake and sources to fuel your healing and healthy lifestyle.

What I Eat For Protein (and why)

As a functional medicine doctor and mother of 3, I get a lot of questions about what I eat and why. So here it goes!

After much dietary experimentation over the years, I’ve settled into life as an omnivore. This means eating a variety of foods with an emphasis on high-quality protein.

My plate may vary a bit depending on how much and what type of exercise I’m getting (if I’m really pushing it and doing a lot of strength training, for example, I’ll eat more carbs).  

Here’s what my typical plate consists of:

• 1/4-1/2 clean protein, and I aim for variety here—chicken, beef, turkey, buffalo, pork (and I’m really picky about my pork!), eggs, salmon, cod, sardines, and maybe organic tempeh. Ideally, I am reaching 30 grams of protein for my morning or evening meal—or at every meal depending on how my day goes (more on this to come). 
• 1/2 colorful vegetables, like leafy greens, bell peppers, cucumbers, broccoli, asparagus, summer squash, etc. This is typically topped with a healthy fat like my favorite organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil plus RealSalt.
• Up to 1/4 starchy vegetables or carbs like purple potatoes, sweet potatoes, roasted root veggies or whole fruits. I may also include gluten-free grains like Basmati rice or quinoa. Sometimes I skip the starch in favor of more protein or vegetables (hence the odd ratios here). The amount depends on my energy needs because starchier carbs are ideally eaten just before or just after exercise or other higher-energy/demanding activities.

So as you can see, I’m very much plant-forward (with a heavy emphasis on organic foods), but also protein-centric.

I’ve learned my body functions best when I focus on clean animal protein and a variety of phytonutrients from mostly colorful veggies with some complex carbs.

A Crash Course On Protein Anatomy & Why It Matters

Everyone wants to know how much protein they need, but first, let’s talk about what protein is and why it’s important.  

Protein is an essential nutrient for health, healing, and basic survival.

Proteins play a role in various bodily functions, including: 

• Maintaining cell integrity
• Blood sugar balance
• Building and maintaining muscle
• Making/serving as energy
• And supporting tissue repair, regeneration, and growth. 

Amino Acids Found In Proteins Are Also A Cornerstone Of Proper Detoxification 

You’ve probably heard of amino acids in proteins, like l-lysine, l-tyrosine, etc. 

Here’s why they’re important for detoxification, healing, and more: We have over 30 trillion cells in our body, and each of them contain DNA. The ONLY job our DNA has is to make proteins. DNA codes for all of our enzymes (which play an essential role in every chemical reaction that takes place a billion times every second), neurotransmitters, antibodies, detoxification molecules, receptors and signaling molecules (like cytokines and myokines), and more.

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein.

There are a total of 20 amino acids that make up proteins.

Nine are essential amino acids, meaning they must be obtained through the diet, and eleven are non-essential amino acids, meaning the body makes these on its own.

Different amino acids are supplied by different protein sources in varied amounts, and some amino acids appear to play a bigger role than others.

Out of the nine essential amino acids, three are especially important to be mindful of consuming: 

1. Leucine
2. Methionine
3. Lysine

Here’s a breakdown of these mighty three aminos, and why it’s so important to optimize them through adequate protein intake.

1: Leucine 

Leucine is an important nutrient signal for muscle synthesis and maintenance. 

While most think of muscle as necessary for locomotion and maybe “nice to have” for aesthetics, healthy muscle is also critical for the following purposes:

• Supporting overall metabolic health, including weight, cardiovascular function, digestion, and more. 
• Blood sugar and blood lipid regulation, both of which impact cardiovascular and cognitive health via the consumption of sugars in the blood. You have probably heard how diabetes, high cholesterol and/or triglycerides can increase systemic inflammation and negatively impact cardiovascular and cognitive health. So the more muscle you have, the better you regulate these energy sources in the blood. This provides a protective mechanism against cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease, and more.

2: Methionine

This sulfur-containing amino acid is essential for the synthesis of cysteine, one of three amino acids that make the master antioxidant glutathione. This makes methionine critical for detoxification.

Methionine also makes creatine, an amino acid mainly used in muscle and brain tissue for rapid energy production (and one of the most researched and safe supplements for supporting muscle growth), and is a precursor to carnitine, an amino acid that plays a role in how we use fat as an energy source.

3. Lysine 

Lysine is necessary for the synthesis of many proteins throughout your body, most notably collagen, which makes up connective tissue, tendons, ligaments, the lining of your gut, and more. 

Like methionine, lysine also plays a role in making carnitine and supporting immune function.

How Much Protein Do You Need Daily For Healing & Health Optimization?

In functional medicine, we recommend individualized dietary and protein recommendations based on several factors, including your physical activity, age, biological sex, dietary preferences, access to food, and overall state of health.

General protein recommendations are commonly based on the RDA, which is currently set as a minimum of 0.8g/kg. 

However, the International Protein Board, the global authority on protein, recommends a minimum of 1.1g/kg. 

Note: these numbers are based on ideal body weight, not someone’s current weight.

So, which is it?

Based on protein’s role in overall health and clinical observations, I recommend optimal protein consumption as follows:

• Eat at least 1.1-1.6 grams of protein per kg of ideal body weight (or roughly 0.7-0.8g per pound of ideal body weight)
• Break up the total amount of protein over at least 2-3 meals (although we’d rather see you have satiating protein at every meal versus just two meals per day)¹
• Emphasize a minimum of 30 grams or more per meal for the first and last meal of your day.

Let’s do the math. 

If you’re a woman with a current or goal weight of 150 pounds, you’d want to aim for about 81 to 109 grams of protein per day, or more if you have strength training goals or are recovering from surgery, illness, etc.  

Here’s what this looks like on an average day to meet the lower end of the goal: 

• A minimum of 30g (about 5oz) at breakfast, a big omelet with 3 whole eggs plus 3 egg whites (or the equivalent of 3 egg whites—12 grams of proteins—in the form of shredded chicken, smoked salmon, breakfast sausage, organic nitrate-free bacon, etc.), or a big scoop or 2 of high-quality protein powder
• 21g (about 3.5-4oz) at lunch, a salad with a palm-size portion of meat, fish, or seafood
• 30g (5oz) at dinner, a slightly larger than palm-size portion of meat, fish, or seafood along with veggies, etc. 

As you can see, this isn’t an extreme or difficult dietary approach to follow. I mean, how empowering to start your morning with so much delicious and satisfying food—it’s a beautiful way to take care of yourself.

Yet, many of my patients aren’t even coming close to this goal when we first meet.

Why Aim for 30 Grams of Protein at the First and Last Meal?

I’ve noticed a ton of advice flying around on social media about aiming for 30 grams of protein at each meal. 

Yet, this advice is often lacking in substance and evidence apart from, “I lost 30 pounds and balanced my hormones doing this, so you should do this exact thing too!”

So, here’s the deal.

Literature has shown that if we get a minimum of 30 grams of protein per meal, which adds up to about 90 grams per day, we will get the optimal amount of the amino acids we need, most notably, leucine. 

For example, research has shown we need at least 2.5 grams of leucine per meal for the body to signal muscle synthesis, which supports healthy muscle maintenance.², ³

The minimum of 30 grams per meal will need to go up if you are only eating plant-based sources (or collagen peptides) because these sources tend to be lower in at least one of the aforementioned essential amino acids: leucine, methionine, and lysine.⁴

Breaking up our protein requirements throughout the day also helps promote: 

• Satiety—especially when eaten at breakfast
• Blood sugar regulation
• The prevention over-eating or cravings for empty calories, which often stem from imbalanced hunger hormones, like leptin or ghrelin

As discussed in What I Wish I’d Known About Stress And Autoimmune Disease, I have also observed that eating enough protein helps calm the nervous system, reduces chronic stress, and increases feelings of safety and satisfaction. 

This goes a long way in meeting and helping to heal our emotional wounds and needs, which are just as important as our physical needs.

This approach to meeting and optimizing daily protein needs is especially helpful as we age, when issues like sarcopenia—the age-related loss of muscle mass—become a real threat to longevity as our body’s ability to break down protein, and other protective nutrients, decreases.⁵

This approach also helps halt catabolism after a night of fasting (morning meal) and prepares the body for a night of fasting (nightly meal), so there are muscle-protective benefits too. Plus, it helps you feel satiated at the start and end of your day.

There are also benefits to adding protein to your snacks—especially if you have blood sugar dips, and this first and last meal deal allows you that flexibility.

Can you do 30 grams of protein at every meal if that works better for you? Sure you can. 

The point is to get your minimum daily amount without stressing yourself out or over-eating in the process.

Ultimately, the 30 grams of protein every 2-3 meals is all about making hitting optimal protein targets simple while reaping the benefits of protein consumption throughout the day without over-eating.

I do want to stress that although we recommend this approach to most patients, this amount is not optimal for everyone.

For example, those with chronic kidney disease may need to consume less protein, while those training to add a lot of muscle or those suffering from certain conditions may need more.

However, this ballpark amount is a good starting point for those in otherwise good health.

What Does 30 Grams of Protein Twice or Three times a Day Look Like?

As a general rule, it’s ideal to have a minimum of 30 grams of protein for your first and last meal of the day (to support muscle maintenance and health). 

Ideally, you would get 30 grams of protein containing at least 2.5g leucine (one of nine essential amino acids needed for muscle synthesis). 

See below for a list of 30 gram portions of common protein sources (both animal- and plant-based sources included). 

There are major differences in other macro- and micronutrients (such as carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, etc.) and calories.  This list is only equivalent for protein (30g). 

Note: if using plant-based sources, it’s best to combine more than one plant source to get a fuller, more complete range of amino acids.

30 grams of Protein At-A-Glance

• 3 whole eggs plus 3 egg whites
  • If this is too many eggs for you, you can add in the protein equivalent—12 grams—of shredded chicken, organic, nitrate-free, preferably pastured bacon—turkey, beef, pork, breakfast sausage, smoked salmon, wild canned or leftover cooked salmon, etc.)
• 3.8 oz flank steak (grilled)
• 4 oz lean pork chop or tenderloin (broiled)
• 4 oz sirloin steak (broiled)
• 4 oz 90% lean ground beef (grilled)
• 4 oz 93% lean ground turkey (broiled)
• 4.7 oz chicken breast (baked)
• 4.8 oz sirloin steak (broiled)
• 5 whole eggs
• 5 oz chicken thighs (baked)
• 5.3 oz salmon (grilled) 
• 5.3 oz ounces shrimp (steamed)
• 5.3 oz tempeh (cooked)
• 5 oz 90% lean ground beef (raw)
• 6 oz 80% lean ground beef (raw)
• 10.5oz non-fat, plain greek yogurt (for those who can tolerate dairy)
• 11.25o z or about 1 ½ cups of cooked, firm tofu (about one, whole refrigerated package, choose organic, non-GMO)
• ~¾ cups peanuts
• ~1 cup cottage cheese (for those who can tolerate dairy)
• ~1 cup soy beans (edamame, choose organic, non-GMO)
• ~1 ¼ cup almonds or pistachios
• 1 ½ – 2 cups cooked lentils, navy beans, black beans, pinto beans
• 1 ½ cups walnuts, cashews, pine nuts, hazelnuts

Based on USDA FoodData Central. 

What About Plant-Based Proteins?

Variety is essential in meeting our nutrient requirements. Therefore we do recommend mixing things up by adding in plant-based protein sources.

However, keep in mind that nutrient-dense plant proteins from things like organic beans come with additional carbohydrates and anti-nutrients (such as phytates and lectins) that can make them harder to digest and absorb for some people.

Ultimately, your ability to digest and utilize plant proteins depends on your genetic makeup and digestive health.

So, while not all your protein sources need to come from meat, meats do provide the most bioavailable form of amino acids, which may be a factor for some people more than others.

Although I do recommend plants in addition to meats as a source of high-quality protein (and exclusively for vegans and vegetarians of course), I do not, however, recommend regular consumption of lab-grown, cultured, cultivated, or “fake” meats from GMO soy.

These food products are controversial for many reasons.

The idea is that this will eliminate the need to raise and slaughter large numbers of animals and thus help save the planet.

The controversial aspects are many, but a few obvious issues are:

• The plant proteins being used, mainly legumes, are mono-crops…which are no bueno for the environment due to the amount of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, tilling, water, etc., required to create that type of unnatural, non-diverse plant environment.
• There is evidence that although this may benefit the planet in the short term, that it will have negative long-term effects.⁷
• The advocates of these lab-grown, cultured meats (made using animal cells) do not take into account the very positive effects regenerative farming and ranching have on the environment and specifically, our carbon problem.⁸
• Lab-grown meats (coming soon to supermarket shelves) and plant-based alternatives compete with generational farmers and ranchers who depend on livestock production for their livelihood.
• And since they’re new to the market, we have no idea of their long-term effects on the human body. As a functional medicine doctor and nutrition expert, this is the issue that really gives me pause in terms of human health.⁹

Instead, I choose to rely on (and recommend) regeneratively raised real food proteins to nourish myself and the planet.

What type of animal protein is best (organic, grass-fed, pasture-raised, free-range, beef, poultry, seafood, pork, etc.)?

I laughed a little when I wrote this heading because knowing what type of meat to eat has become super confusing.

Let’s start with some general guidelines for choosing high-quality meats.

Ideally, your meat should come from organic, pasture-raised animals who lived their whole lives (or at least most of their lives) on grass.

Animals raised on pasture are healthy animals because they live the way nature intended.

Out on the pasture grazing all day vs. stuck in a feedlot standing on grates and eating genetically-modified corn and soy feed. This is not a cow’s (or a pig’s) natural diet. However, it will make them fatter faster, which yields a better profit.

I won’t go into much detail on Confined Animal Feeding Operations or CAFOs because there are many good documentaries and books about this topic.

But I will cover the basics to help paint a more complete picture of why choosing pasture-raised meats is so important.

Picture hundreds or thousands of cows standing up to their knees in manure, with no room to roam and no grass to eat.

This environment is incredibly cruel and unhealthy, which is why these animals require antibiotics to survive until slaughter.

Chickens, turkeys, and pigs all have their own CAFOs, which are equally (if not more) disturbing, cruel, unhealthy, unnatural, and inhumane.

In addition to the cruelty factor, these CAFOs produce an insane amount of waste that pollutes the creeks, streams, rivers, and soil around them. ¹⁰

So, if you’ve been led to believe that choosing grass-fed beef is a waste of money, a trend, or just an unnecessary expense, I hope you can see why it’s so important based on the above information below.  And, if you still need more convincing, I will provide more nutritional differences later in this article—keep reading!

Meats labeled as ‘grass-fed”—even 100% grass-fed—can be misleading, so it’s important to look for additional terms like non-GMO/no GMOs, no antibiotics, no artificial hormones, no distillers’ grains (often abbreviated as DDGs), no grains, or lifetime grazed to ensure that your meat has truly come from a pasture-raised animal.

If you can’t find grass-fed meats and poultry in your area, or if they’re not affordable, I highly recommend checking out some of the delivery options—Wild Pastures being my favorite and most trusted (and what I get at home).

I’ll explain more about them coming up, but they offer American Grassfed Certified (AGA) pasture-raised meat delivery service that is about 40% less expensive than competitors.

And they source all their meats from American farms that practice regenerative agriculture—a beautiful form of farming that not only honors the animals by mimicking nature but also has the potential to draw down crazy amounts of carbon.

What type of animal protein is best (beef, chicken, turkey, pork, lamb, seafood, etc.?)

The best type of meat for you depends on what makes you feel good. And by “feel good,” I mean what makes you feel energized, nourished, and not weighed down after eating.

For some people, this means sticking to poultry and seafood only. Others thrive on denser proteins like beef, lamb, bison, ostrich, and pork. And some people prefer only to eat wild game like venison, rabbit, or boar.

Many people can eat any type of animal protein and feel great.

My best advice is to experiment through mindful eating to see what type of animal protein benefits you.

And, as always, I am a fan of diversity when possible.

I’ll emphasize a couple of points concerning seafood, pork, lamb, and red meat sensitivities:

• When eating seafood, I recommend sticking to sustainably caught, low-mercury-containing fish. A helpful way to remember this is the acronym SMASH: Sardines, Mackerel, Anchovies, Salmon, Herring. If you’re still into tuna, I recommend SafeCatch because they test each fish to ensure they have less mercury than wild-caught salmon.
• If you like pork and lamb (like we do), definitely get it from a source you trust that raises them on pasture. The reason is that pigs and sheep are susceptible to parasites. Therefore, you want to ensure the animals are raised on grass with responsible animal stewardship and processing practices. Trust me; intestinal parasites are no fun to experience.
• If you have difficulty digesting meat and feel extra tired or nauseous after eating meat, consider low stomach acid (aka hypochlorhydria). Hydrochloric acid is critical to proper digestion and helps you break down proteins and absorb nutrients. If you don’t have enough stomach acid, a supplement called Betaine HCI with meals may help—but they are not for everyone, so talk to your doctor about this one.
  • You can read more about this in my article: IBS Not Going Away? Here are 5 Reasons You Can’t Heal.
• Although more rare, meat sensitivities or reactions may also be due to Alpha-gal Syndrome. This is an allergic condition associated with Lone Star tick bites and Lyme Disease that can cause a meat allergy or sensitivity to mammal meat.¹¹ Symptoms can be moderate to severe, so it’s helpful to test so you know if you just have a red meat sensitivity vs. a full-blown allergy. Alpha-gal can be found in meat (pork, beef, rabbit, lamb, venison, etc.) and products made from mammals (including gelatin, cow’s milk, and milk products).

The Health Benefits Of Choosing Grassfed/Pasture-Raised Meats

It should come as no surprise that animals raised on genetically modified grain in highly stressful confined animal feeding operations—where they may have no access to the outdoors or even room to turn around—are not healthy animals.

Healthy animals live outdoors, with access to their natural diet, plenty of fresh air and sunshine, and the ability to just be a cow, pig, chicken, turkey, duck, ostrich, etc.

For cows, this means 24/7 access to fresh green grass, tons of room to roam, and a herd to call their own.

For pigs, this means the ability to forage and root for things like acorns, mushrooms, roots, and other tasty vegetables.

And for chickens, it means spending their days in the fresh air so they can scratch around for bugs, grubs, and worms and stretch their wings.

If you’re interested in learning more about how regenerative agriculture farms accomplish this within a controlled farm setting, definitely check out these documentaries: Kiss The Ground or Michael Pollan’s infamous Omnivore’s Dilemma (it’s fascinating!).

The point is: when animals are allowed to live a natural life as God intended, they generally don’t need to be medicated or supplemented with fake food like feedlot animals.

This produces healthier, leaner, and more nutrient-dense meat for us omnivores to enjoy. Commonsense, right?

Here are five health benefits of eating pasture-raised meats

• Studies have shown that exclusively grass-fed animals have much higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their flesh. This is important because many of us don’t get enough omega-3 fatty acids in our diets, which can cause a cascade of inflammatory-related health effects.¹²
• Pastured meats contain higher concentrations of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a proven anti-cancer nutrient ¹³ that also benefits blood sugar. ¹⁴ They also contain more significant amounts of trans vaccenic acid (TVA), a precursor to CLA.
• Higher levels of antioxidants, such as vitamin E, vitamin A (which produces a yellowish appearance on the fat), glutathione, and superoxide dismutase (SOD). ¹⁵
• Less fat than conventionally-raised meats, resulting from the animals’ natural diet and ability to exercise.
• Reduced risk of foodborne illness. A 2015 study from Consumer Reports ¹⁶ tested 300 samples of ground beef from 103 grocery, big-box, and natural food stores across the country for a variety of bacteria. They found that conventionally-raised beef was more likely to have disease-causing and antibiotic-resistant bacteria than sustainably-raised beef.

I’d also add that red meats specifically (regardless of how they’re raised) are a good source of essential amino acids, vitamins A, B6, B12, D, E, and minerals, including iron, zinc, and selenium. ¹⁷, ¹⁸

However, since grass-fed meats contain healthier fats (like omega-3s, which are required to facilitate the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins like A, E, D, and K), I’d wager that grass-fed beef provides a more absorbable source of those fat-soluble vitamins.

My Go-To Source For High-Quality Meats

As I mentioned earlier, my new favorite source for high-quality, pasture-raised, American-raised, and processed meats is Wild Pastures.

I’ve tried other pasture-raised meat and seafood delivery services, and their products were very good.

However, I know the owners of Wild Pastures personally and can confidently say that their products are authentic and of the highest quality.

Plus, their prices are up to 40% less than other grass-fed meat delivery services, which is helpful when you’re already investing a good amount of money in your health.

They can offer these lower prices by using the whole animal, sourcing 100% from the United States, and through creative shipping practices.

Of course, I also support getting your meat directly from a regenerative grass farmer you trust or your local farmer’s market.

You can also find high-quality grass-fed meats from local farms in your local grocery or natural foods store.

What me, my team, my colleagues, and many of our patients like about using a grass-fed meat delivery service is:

• It saves time (I have a practice, an online business, and three kids here! Who can relate?).
• It saves money.
• I can customize each order based on the types and cuts of meats I want.
• They also offer sustainably sourced seafood.
• I know I always have what I need in my fridge or freezer.
• And the meats are incredible in flavor, texture, and consistency…which is big when you’re trying to please three hungry kiddos! And you can ask my (slightly apprehensive) husband… their meat tastes better and cooks cleaner.

If this sounds like something you’d like to try, visit them online at: wildpastures.com. By using this link, you’ll get 20% off plus free shipping on every box for life. So with this deal, you’re essentially saving 60% off what you’d normally pay for a grass-fed meat subscription service.

What About Protein Powders?

Protein powders can be an excellent way to boost your protein consumption (especially if you have dietary restrictions or do not eat meat), but most store brands are full of junk. Sorry, but it’s true!

For example, recent reports have sounded the alarm on concerning levels of heavy metals, like lead, in many popular vegan and plant-based proteins.

This is why I recommend sourcing protein powders in the same way you source supplements from a pharmaceutical-grade company that does raw material and end-product testing for contaminants.

For example, for vegan protein powder I recommend products from Xymogen, Designs for Health, or Metagenics which you can find on Fullscript.

For omnivores, I like Vital Proteins collagen peptides in my smoothies, coffee, etc. and Biotic Research Whey for those who can tolerate dairy.

Note: Although collagen peptides are a good source of protein they do lack certain amino acids, like leucine. Be sure to consider this within the context of your daily protein intake, goals, and needs.

In Summary: Prioritize Protein And Lots Of Veggies To Go With It! 

In my opinion, as a functional medicine doctor, health nut, and mother—and based on the research shared in this article—high-quality meats must be pastured-raised or at least organic.

Getting pasture-raised meats used to be a time-consuming chore (believe me, I’ve been at this for a while!). Thankfully, services like Wild Pastures have made this a no-brainer that is also more affordable than ever (Use This Link for 20% off plus free shipping for life on every box).

I recommend checking out local CSAs who offer pasture-raised meats, cow pools, etc., through Wildharvest.Org.

Need some help on your healing journey? If you’re in my tri-state area (Colorado, Michigan, or Texas) my team and I would love to hear from you.

Click here to learn more about our functional medicine approach and how to apply to become a patient.

For everyone else, I’d love to stay connected via Instagram or through our monthly newsletter.

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4018950/
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32666115/
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16365106/
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26224750
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6864927//
7. ]https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-11-cultured-meat-problems.htm[/efn_note}
8. The nutritional composition of these products remains unclear, especially in terms of micronutrients and iron.⁶https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32118026/
9. https://rodaleinstitute.org/education/resources/regenerative-agriculture-and-the-soil-carbon-solution/
10. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25541372/
11. https://www.nrdc.org/resources/cafos-what-we-dont-know-hurting-us
12. https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/alpha-gal/index.html
13. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20807460/
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17. https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/food/how-safe-is-your-ground-beef
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19. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2846864/#B18