“Can we stop counting our calories consistently? Can we stop trying to figure out the grams? Can we stop trying to figure out the macros all the time and instead just look at our plate?” This episode of The Whole Health Cure reframes wellness beyond a number on a scale. I am joined by Sam Cutler, a Harvard-trained nutrition health coach and the founder of MINDFULL. Sam shares her own journey with chronic inflammation, mental health, and adult acne that propelled her to explore nutrition and wellness. “We just have too many women feeling like this worldwide. This is not an American issue or a North American issue. This is a worldwide issue.” Sam recommends approaching your own health from a research perspective. While metrics may show a patient is fundamentally healthy, or “normal,” there can be room for qualitative improvements. Sam explains that minor symptoms, like difficulty sleeping, fatigue, or pain after eating, indicate possible needs for lifestyle changes. The next time those symptoms arise, pay close attention to the factors that could have caused them. “Can you identify some of those factors so you can start bringing a little bit more research into how you've reacted to those substances, food, habits, or lifestyle factors so that you have more data literally on yourself, like your own research.” Listen to the full episode to learn more about building health-supporting habits, lowering inflammation through diet, and the importance of the brain-gut connection. Here are the details of our conversation: [00:01:41] Sam’s journey with diet, health, and wellness [00:05:01] Testing “normal” versus feeling normal [00:12:49] Choosing wellness and minimizing stress [00:19:58] Retooling diets to meet your goals [00:25:28] Building habits and trust in yourself