Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Chakra Nutrition Healing | The Positively Healthy Mom Podcast with Marquelle Brown
14 Plays5 days ago
Welcome back to another nourishing episode of The Positively Healthy Mom Podcast!
In this powerful conversation, your host Laura Ollinger is joined once again by Marquelle Brown—functional medicine nutritionist and betrayal trauma coach—for a deep dive into how food, energy, and emotion are connected.
Marquelle shares:
✅ How the 7 energy systems (chakras) relate to specific foods
✅ The impact of trauma on brain health, mood, and digestion
✅ Simple tools to help regulate the nervous system (like Havening and orienting)
✅ How color, creativity, and intention can support emotional healing
✅ Why small, consistent shifts in your diet and mindset really do matter
Whether you're healing from emotional wounds or just trying to feel more grounded and nourished as a mom, this episode is full of soul-fueling insights that meet you right where you are.
👉 If this conversation spoke to you, please like, subscribe, and share it with a friend who needs a little extra nourishment today.
Follow us for more:
📘 Facebook: @PositivelyHealthyCoaching
📸 Instagram: @positivelyhealthycoaching
#PositivelyHealthyMom #MarquelleBrown #FunctionalMedicineMom #ChakraNutrition #FoodMoodConnection #MindBodyHealing #BetrayalTraumaRecovery #EatTheRainbow #MomSelfCareMatters #HealingWithFood
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction: Laura Olinger with Markel Brown
00:00:00
Speaker
Welcome to the Positively Healthy Mom podcast, where positive parenting meets wellbeing.
00:00:09
Speaker
Hello everyone, and welcome to today's episode of the Positively Healthy Mom. I'm your host, Laura Olinger, teen and parent wellbeing coach. And today I'm excited to bring back my good friend, Markel Brown. She has made an appearance on the Positively Healthy Mom a couple of years ago, but I bring her back because we have some exciting, awesome new topics to talk about. And Markel is a functional medicine nutritionist and betrayal trauma coach.
00:00:34
Speaker
So Markel, hey, how's it going? Good,
00:00:40
Speaker
Yeah, and thank you for joining us. I know you're a little under the weather with some allergies going on, but I know you're going to do your best to get through it. So um hopefully we don't wear you out too much with your your voice.
Nutrition and Nurturing for Moms
00:00:51
Speaker
but um So today we decided ah great topic to talk about would be something relating to the nutrition that you do and kind of the healing and and the...
00:01:04
Speaker
um kind of nurturing we do for our bodies as moms, like what we need, how we keep ourselves active and going to be, um you know, there for our kids and how we take care of our kids. And so sometimes what that looks like is someone who's in rough shape, right? Like we're healing, we're recovering from some type of of trauma.
00:01:25
Speaker
And other times we're everything in our life is going just fine, but we still need to nurture ourselves. And so I really love the idea of talking about the energy centers or the chakras that we talk about and the nutrition that goes with those, because I had no idea that that was even a thing until you and I were talking um at a conference a few months ago.
Nutrition and Chakras: Dr. Deanna Minnick's Work
00:01:46
Speaker
And so tell us, like, what is the idea behind certain nutrition, behind certain energy centers or chakras in your body? Yeah, it's really an exciting topic. And ah All of this information came from Dr. Deanna Minnick, who actually just received the Linus and Ava Pauline Award through the Institute of Functional Medicine, which is so cool.
00:02:09
Speaker
And I love because I've been trained by her as well through the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy through the IFM Institute of Functional Medicine. So we both have that in common that we've both been trained by her, but completely in separate ways. So I love this. So Dr. Deanna Minnick is amazing.
00:02:24
Speaker
And her big thing is about, you know, what she talks about a lot is eating the rainbow. So share with us like what you've learned from her. Yeah.
Seven Systems of Health Overview
00:02:32
Speaker
And so she also, is into creativity and combining science and spirituality, which is pretty exciting.
00:02:39
Speaker
you So she has um different systems, seven systems of health. So we've got the root and I'm gonna go through the color scheme first, or maybe I'll just walk right up through them.
00:02:52
Speaker
yeah And so on the root, um that's red. And this would be anchoring into your beliefs and your values and your identity, your safe communities,
00:03:03
Speaker
um and things that you're passionate about. And that's also, we focus on protein there. And then then when we move up to the second energy system, ah she is called that flow.
00:03:19
Speaker
And it's that correlated with the color orange. And this is where we focus on water and hydration and fats and oils and emotions and how can we move those emotions and creativity and, um, again, movement, uh, so we can move through those emotions.
00:03:41
Speaker
And then that third energy system she calls fire and it's yellow. And that would be our carbohydrates, those quick burning foods that really have that, um, quick burning energy.
00:03:57
Speaker
And this is also where we're going to Notice the thoughts, you know, those charged thoughts. hello We could call them automatic negative thoughts, intrusive thoughts, imposter syndrome, and learning how to redirect those.
00:04:14
Speaker
ah Also, um when we go to the force system, that's actually um also known as the heart chakra. And usually when we think of the heart, we think of reds and pinks and purples and whites and and she's actually given this the color green.
00:04:33
Speaker
who And this is where we nourish our whole self. So this is where we bring the green colored foods, the lettuces, and, um you know, a just more of those greens for energy. And this is also where we're going to ah work on how do we nourish ourself with self-care, self-compassion, that love,
00:04:57
Speaker
you know, being curious without judgment.
Truth and Intuition Systems: Communication and Mood
00:05:01
Speaker
We go up into the um next system. And this is the truth system. And it's the color of blue.
00:05:10
Speaker
um Also like aquamarine blue hues. And this is where we speak our truth. We're learning how to use our voice. We're learning how to be authentic and vulnerable and This is also where we need to have more nourishing soups or if you like herbal teas, broths, um things that are going to um help to nourish that truth system here um and standing in our truth and and looking at things that empower us.
00:05:43
Speaker
When we go into the sixth energy system, which is also known as the third eye, if you're using the chakra systems, And that's intuition insight. The color is purple. Okay. and And this is also where we work on moods.
00:06:01
Speaker
And I like to, I have another program that I've titled food, mood and mental health. So that's where we really tap into the brain health and how those foods really impact our mood and our insight, our intuition, our discernment, our ability to think, you know, be in that space.
Brain Health and Nutrition
00:06:21
Speaker
prefrontal cortex, where we can clearly make decisions better, ah manage our emotions. That's also where the neurotransmitters, if we're thinking about brain health um and we've got the gut brain axis.
00:06:35
Speaker
So, you you know, what we're eating is going to affect our gut, which is going to affect our neurotransmitters. And so it really does make a big difference what we're eating as well as what we're thinking and how we're navigating those thoughts and emotions.
00:06:49
Speaker
Totally. And what's the food that goes with the purple? the Oh, yes. So that would be your purple foods like blueberries, blackberries, um red onions, red cabbage, any even the not red, the purple, the purple onions, purple cabbage, the purple potatoes.
00:07:11
Speaker
And ah the phytonutrients that go along with the purple, the anthocyanins, that is actually really important for brain health as well, um which is why they help with mood.
00:07:25
Speaker
They're high in antioxidants, and um so that's really going to help. With your immune system and boosting your mood. And then we go into that seventh energy system, the
Crown System: Spirituality and Fasting
00:07:37
Speaker
chakra. Yes.
00:07:38
Speaker
And that's, yes, that's your spirituality is spirit. And really, um she she makes it go in a full circle. So what's the color of the crown again? I mean, have've I've.
00:07:50
Speaker
It's white. Oh, white. Tans. So again, um this is also so often correlated with fasting. ah Some of the white foods would be like onions and garlic.
00:08:03
Speaker
So when we think of those, those are more of like our cleansing foods, which is why the fasting goes with that. Because a lot of times, even when you study religion and spirituality, there's a lot of fasting involved because it cleanses the spirit.
00:08:17
Speaker
yeah And then knowing that the um spirit and root makes it actually kind of like a circular system because the root and spirit go together. And so that's also where we can kind of tap into those pinks because we've got the blend of the root and the spirit.
00:08:34
Speaker
The pink and the red and the white or the white and the red. Okay. So let me review, um, because I did take notes and I typically don't take notes during a podcast, but this was so good. Okay. So, um,
00:08:46
Speaker
The red is the first one, and that correlates with protein. The orange correlates with water and fat. The yellow correlates with carbs. The green is with lettuce and green foods.
00:08:59
Speaker
The blue is with soups, teas, and broths. The purple is like any type of purple food, blueberries, blackberries, purple potatoes, purple onions. And then the white is fasting and then any white foods. And then we think about...
00:09:14
Speaker
um the white blending back into the red. did Did I get all that? Yes. And okay we think about that, you know, um if we're really grounded, a lot of people that are grounded and anchored, they have some sort of a spiritual practice as well.
00:09:29
Speaker
And so, um you know, that really helps to have both of those. And we also start wherever you're at. And so if you need to work on more grounding techniques, you like working on your identity and your beliefs, values to help anchor you.
00:09:48
Speaker
and then, you know, you're working up to continue to improve that spirituality and that spiritual practice or whatever that looks like for you. um You can definitely start wherever you're at.
00:10:00
Speaker
And the cool thing about this is that it's systems.
Interconnected Systems and Holistic Health
00:10:04
Speaker
So when we think about nourishing our whole self, you know, we've got mind, body, and spirit. And when we look at the different systems, they're all interconnected.
00:10:15
Speaker
so you might have like root flow or flow fire where you need to really focus on um or insight spirit or truth insight. Or sometimes you might have like ah a root in the love system um where you're really needing to nourish those areas. So I really like this because you can really fine tune things um When you're listening to somebody's symptom symptoms, it helps you tap into, okay, you know, like they've got some flow issues.
00:10:47
Speaker
So a lot of times women that have, you know, um women's health issues, um whether that's with fertility or their menstrual cycle, and we could look at that flow chakra and see how could we bring in more of ah creativity, more fats, and um as well as navigating those emotions to help move things. Oh, and one other, i forgot a very important one. Okay.
00:11:15
Speaker
In the fire system. That's also where we talk a lot about blood sugar dysregulation. Oh, wait, is the fire the red? Yeah. fire is the yellow. That's where we have our yellow.
00:11:28
Speaker
There's a lot going on there. You've got gut health, blood sugar dysregulation, and um that liver area so that we're able to, you know, move through things. So there's also a lot of, ah in that fire, when we think of fire, it's like transformation.
00:11:45
Speaker
So when we digest, we are transforming our food so that we can break it down and assimilate it, right? Same thing with those thoughts and emotions. We want to transform them so they're not holding us back.
00:11:57
Speaker
Instead, they're empowering us. You know, we're going to reframe so that we're so restoring the truth and we have thoughts that are actually going to empower us instead of drag us down.
Trauma Recovery Techniques
00:12:08
Speaker
This is like, I mean, I know you already taught me about this, but I get so excited when I learn something new. I'm having a good day because I'm learning something new. And feel like this is just so can be transferred. And so i do have two.
00:12:24
Speaker
Okay, so I have one friend who right now is recovering from significant trauma. And she said she is having significant brain fog and like memory problems. And so which of these relates to that?
00:12:38
Speaker
So if we're looking at brain fog and memory problems, you know, we are going to look at the brain health. um And so that would be their insight, intuition. A lot of times when there's trauma, you know, you've had the rug ripped out from under you. So you've have overwhelmed. Things are unbearable and unbelievable.
00:13:00
Speaker
And so we really need to navigate the thoughts and the emotions and maybe even doing some things to reground first. So ah remembering who she is you know, what is she fighting for? or What is she moving towards? What does she want? She might not even know right now because her reality is so turned upside down.
00:13:24
Speaker
And then with the, the second energy system, the flow, bringing in the creativity. so she could do some doodle art or if she likes to paint or draw or to so many things. If she likes to write, you know, the journaling there or sewing or, um working on a flower bed or a vegetable garden.
00:13:46
Speaker
And even you can bring creativity in with your food, you know, who how would you plate that on, on your plate, bringing in the different colors, which I always like to recommend three to five colors on your plate.
00:14:01
Speaker
And, uh, that's it It actually helps you be more satisfied and satiated when you have multiple colors on your plate because it's appealing to the eye um and it just all the colors, they they help your senses, which is also going to help boost your moods.
00:14:22
Speaker
So as something as simple as that. Also wearing more orange. So she just right now, she's probably feeling really stuck and stopped. or we call it a collapse freeze.
00:14:34
Speaker
Oh, she actually did say that. She said um she just, yeah, she literally, i think, I can't remember which word she used, but she literally said she feels stuck. Yeah. And so if she's feeling stuck, she could start wearing the color orange to energize through the color, which is flow. We want to start moving.
00:14:53
Speaker
What are those next steps? Also bringing in some movement and whether that's stretching because she might not feel like doing a lot of exercise. If she can, she could do some walking.
00:15:06
Speaker
I also like some somatic exercises, which is basically moving your body with the intention that I'm safe. I'm going to be okay. I've reached out. I'm getting help.
00:15:17
Speaker
So one of the famous somatic exercises that you can Google, it's called havening. Oh, yes. I know havening. Yes. I know a havening practitioner.
00:15:28
Speaker
I love it. Yes. Yes. so Putting your hands on your shoulders and sliding your hands down to the elbows. And then you do want to lift when you get to the elbows. Okay.
00:15:39
Speaker
And you want to have it be with the intention. I'm safe. I'm okay. Yeah, this is really hard. I know. And I'm going to get through this.
00:15:51
Speaker
You can even be curious. Like, yeah, that's so interesting that I feel so stuck right now and I can't hardly move. And I'm just going to do some things right now to just help my nervous system know that I'm okay. I'm going to get the help that I need.
00:16:06
Speaker
And so a lot of times when I do this one, it makes my hands and my feet tingle. hello And so um it's very relaxing. So whether we are in the fight or flight situation,
00:16:19
Speaker
Or in a dorsal vagal freeze, we want to use some of these somatic exercises to help bring us back into the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the calm, rest, relax, where we you know can be more motivated. We've got a little bit more flow.
00:16:37
Speaker
um And so another really interesting and another really simple tool, it's called orienting. And basically you just look around and name things. So I've got a mirror and a door and pictures.
00:16:51
Speaker
Out my window, it's super green. Behind me, I have a picture. you know I can see you've got a picture behind you. um your earrings.
00:17:03
Speaker
And what that does is it just starts redirecting the mind, helps to get you back into that prefrontal cortex. So you can think clearly, it starts to calm down that limbic system and those emotions.
00:17:17
Speaker
a And so if you can bring in a few of these tools, it's, they're very simple, gentle ways to help your system to move through
Dealing with Depression: Nutrition and Creativity
00:17:28
Speaker
the trauma. Mm-hmm.
00:17:31
Speaker
That's awesome. And I'm 100% sharing this episode with her. And I also have one, another person came to mind and I don't know if it's similar, but um there's someone in my life who is very clinically depressed.
00:17:47
Speaker
And, um, what would the, would that be the same as kind of the trauma part or because this person hasn't had any trauma, they are just clinically depressed without trauma. So, um, what would you have a different response or what would it be?
00:18:03
Speaker
So, you know, they could implement similar things. Um, uh, so being depressed. So one simple thing that they can do, so this also goes along with the fire system and insight, um,
00:18:17
Speaker
is bringing in spices. Spices, you know, they've got a lot of phytonutrients. You get ah you take get a little bit of spice and you get a lot of spark of life.
00:18:28
Speaker
And so that will help to bring in some creativity and some things for this individual to kind of bring us some spark to life back. My thought also is there's probably gut issues. We've got that gut brain access again. your gut's off,
00:18:43
Speaker
then a lot of times your moods are going to be off. Depression is one of those. So, yeah you know, bringing in more of these colorful foods, making sure they're getting good, healthy fats because our brain needs fat.
00:18:56
Speaker
Yes. And that's kind of one of those blood sugar hacks. If you're craving sugar, go find something with good, healthy fats and it'll probably take the sugar craving away. And that's because if your brain cannot find the fats it needs,
00:19:11
Speaker
it's gonna crave sugar and it'll convert it into fat. And just for those who off the top of their head need some reminders on what healthy fats are, I know avocados, nuts, ah seeds, ah what else?
00:19:24
Speaker
Olives. Olives, help um fish like salmon, like fatty fishes. Nut butters. Okay, good. So those are all some good ones.
00:19:35
Speaker
Okay, okay, awesome. Yeah, well and then the other thing that I was gonna say is um years ago when I was going through my own trauma recovery, aye ah before that happened, and I would sing to my kids and I was really upbeat and happy most
Personal Creativity and Joy after Trauma
00:19:55
Speaker
of the time. And I noticed, I was like, dang, I don't sing any anymore.
00:19:59
Speaker
Like, I just don't. And thought, wow, my spark of light is life is just totally out. And I would say, my Tinkerbell light is out. Let me say that again. My Tinkerbell light is out.
00:20:11
Speaker
yeah And so I started thinking, okay, well, what do I need to do to re-spark that life in me? you know So what is it that I love or what is it that I did love that I haven't done for a while that I could bring back?
00:20:24
Speaker
So thinking about things that you can utilize to help bring back that spark of life, that light you know where you're just feeling joy, And wanting to do good things. And when you have trauma or, you know, for those that are stuck in and depression, like it's just like this dark cloud over you. And it's like, it's really hard. So you have to be very intentional and purposeful and looking for those things. Okay, well, what would spark some some life in me that's within him my values and beliefs?
00:21:00
Speaker
And that's going to be good for me and maybe even good for others. So maybe we even um getting involved with a passion project, something that you love that could benefit you. And it's also going to benefit other people.
00:21:12
Speaker
And there's lots of different things that they could explore. So, oh, I have to tell you something super exciting. Oh, yay.
Insights from Functional Medicine Conference
00:21:21
Speaker
I went to the Institute of Functional Medicine's ah conference last weekend.
00:21:26
Speaker
Yes, I saw your pictures. And they said, we need to get back to the roots. We need to go from soil to systems. And so I was like, wow this is all what I've been learning you know with food and spirit, as well as um you know learning how to help people navigate the thoughts and emotions and redirect and anchor into their identity and who they are.
00:21:49
Speaker
And so that these things are the roots. we We only had just very little um presentations on food. It was all about wellbeing.
00:22:01
Speaker
You know, modifiable lifestyle factors, anchoring into, you know, your identity, your purpose, your values, your virtues, um you know, good, safe communities, you know, finding people that you that can listen.
00:22:17
Speaker
And um so I was just like, I love this because um in my nutrition, you know, I've really been super focusing on this myself. That spiritual side, that grounding side, really reconnecting with who you are, who you want to be, you know, what's your passion what passionate about, what do you want to do, what is your why.
00:22:42
Speaker
And so for them to say that this is the paradigm shift for shifting, you know, the medical paradigm, I was like, wow, how cool is that?
00:22:54
Speaker
So, you know, I've definitely got this in motion and I'm super grateful because that is what I have found when I've been working with nutrition clients before I can really help them with their food and making better choices there. We have got to go back to the roots.
00:23:13
Speaker
Like how do you navigate the thoughts and the emotions? What are your roadblocks? What do you think about yourself? Like people are so critical critical to themselves that they can't,
00:23:24
Speaker
you know, they're their own worst critic. They judge themselves, totally you know, and just put themselves down. And so we have to get to the point where we stop and interrupt that pattern and create a new pattern.
00:23:37
Speaker
And this is where having somebody to help guide you is so helpful because you might not realize you're doing that because it's just such a part of who you are in your daily daily life. And so when we can get back to weight what What are those thoughts?
00:23:54
Speaker
Yeah. are Are those helping you? Are they holding you back? Are they helping you to move towards what you want or keeping you stuck and you're
Mindset and Holistic Health
00:24:02
Speaker
not doing anything? Because that, you know, that's usually what we do is we're just so worried that it's not going to be good enough. So we just don't even start.
00:24:10
Speaker
And so really these root processes and systems, we have to implement those And then we're going to be able to do more with our, that's actually going to impact our overall health.
00:24:25
Speaker
It will actually help our digestion. It'll help our immune system feel better because if we're thinking better, it's going to elevate our moods and our dopamine, which is in our oxytocin. And that's going to help our immune system.
00:24:39
Speaker
100%. It's like all connected. And I think a lot of times we tend to compartmentalize these things. and And, you know, a simple way to think of it, I love kind of what you're saying is that take a dieter, right? And, you know, you've seen these people, they lose like, and I'm not talking about the new medications that people are using, but I'm just saying like your stereotypical dieter, right? Sometimes they like lose a whole lot of weight.
00:25:04
Speaker
But inevitably, they always gain it back, right? i mean, I'm not saying everybody, but they do. And why? It's because they haven't dealt with the thoughts and the feelings and these other things and their passions and their purposes, right? So it's not just, like what you're saying is it's not just about the food. It's not just about the intake. It's about dealing with the whole person And that we are whole beings. we We're spiritual creatures on on this planet. And this is, um you know, we have to think about how we're integrated, that mind, body, spirit. So you have done an amazing job. i mean, I'm just blown away. i feel like I always learn something from you every time we talk.
00:25:38
Speaker
And so, um you know, in the interest of saving your your sweet, precious voice, um is there any last words you have?
Building Healthy Habits Over Time
00:25:47
Speaker
And then how can people find you going forward?
00:25:50
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. So I would stay say start small and then you can build as you go ah because, you know, the small things over time really do make a big impact.
00:26:02
Speaker
And I really love that. So if you think, oh, that's not really going to make a difference, that's not going matter. It actually really will. So, you know, you could start with starting to talk to yourself better, creating some identity statements, bringing in some colorful fruits and vegetables,
00:26:20
Speaker
heavier on the vegetables and some green. If you're working on being kinder to yourself, lots of green leafy salads, spring mixes are going to help heal that heart system and as well as boost dopamine levels and help improve your mood.
00:26:38
Speaker
And so, and then watching your thoughts. And if you don't know how to navigate all these, you know, reach out because there is help. You don't have to try to do this alone.
00:26:50
Speaker
And it is absolutely amazing how your whole life will shift. Your quality of life will improve when you start doing these little things. And, you know, we set goals and it's really when we can instill the habits and the routines where we get the long-term benefit because we could set a goal and know that, okay, want to do that, but it's actually in the action.
00:27:15
Speaker
when We actually start doing things. that things will start to improve and get better. And then we'll be able to install those new habits and routines. And then we can just keep building upon those.
00:27:28
Speaker
So start a little bit at a time. I even like to encourage people, if you want to start to focus on just either one meal a day or one snack a day, and then when you get that down really good after a few weeks,
00:27:41
Speaker
then you can go to another meal. And that helps to take the overwhelm off because we know that everybody is busy. Yeah.
Finding Motivation and Purpose
00:27:50
Speaker
And ah these little steps that you're taking to improve your health will make a really big difference.
00:27:57
Speaker
So keep doing great things and and believe in yourself that yes, I can make these changes. I'm making these changes because I want this. And so also, if you know what your why is like,
00:28:09
Speaker
Why are you even wanting to work on your, your health, improve your quality of life? And then that will help to motivate you on those days that it's really hard and you don't feel like it.
00:28:21
Speaker
Yes. Yes. Well, those were wonderful tips. And how can people find you?
Conclusion: Contacting Markel and Self-Care for Moms
00:28:27
Speaker
So they could go to my website, MarkelBrown.com. And, um, know, you can book a session there. Um, I do a discovery call if you have any questions or concerns.
00:28:39
Speaker
Or you could also email me. Fantastic. Well, thank you, Markel. I so appreciate it. You're always just such a ray of light in my day. And I love all the information. And i I just feel like there's just so much here. And there's something for everybody. That's the thing. That's what I like about everything that we talk about. It's like that whole spectrum of people, wherever you are there's something that, um you know, because we all need to continue to pour into ourselves.
00:29:06
Speaker
and care for ourselves. And as moms, we're always caring for others. And so caring for ourselves is essential for that. So, okay. All right. Thank you so much. It was so great to see you. Okay. Bye. Bye.