Is ultra-processed food making mental and gut health worse—especially for kids and teens?

In this episode of **The Dr. Haley Show**, Dr. Michael Haley sits down with Lexi, a real-food advocate and social media creator whose personal journey through anorexia led her to uncover a powerful truth: healing doesn’t come from ultra-processed “nutrition,” but from real food, gut health, and mindset change.

This conversation isn’t about fad diets, weight loss, vegan vs carnivore, or extreme rules. It’s about stepping back and asking bigger questions about **food, mental health, gut health, faith, and long-term healing**—especially for young people.

Lexi shares her experience being diagnosed with anorexia at 13, the harmful nutrition advice she was given, how gut health and serotonin affect mental health, and why so many people relapse when recovery focuses on weight instead of healing.

Dr. Haley adds perspective for parents, families, and anyone concerned about how modern food systems are impacting physical and mental health—one bite at a time.

In this episode:

* Why ultra-processed food can make eating disorder recovery harder

* How gut health affects serotonin, mood, and mental health

* Why “everything in moderation” often fails people who are struggling

* What *real food* actually means in simple terms

* How to spot fake food at the grocery store

* Better energy alternatives to energy drinks

* Why kids and teens are especially vulnerable to food misinformation

* How faith, purpose, and mindset play a role in healing

The Dr. Haley Show is dedicated to helping you optimize your health by challenging conventional wisdom, exploring root causes, and returning to foundational principles that actually work—nutrition, gut health, lifestyle, and purpose.

### 🎧 EXCLUSIVE LISTENER PERKS

Listeners may hear **exclusive coupon codes** for Haley Nutrition products, including raw aloe vera to support gut health and digestion.

Visit 👉 **[https://www.haleynutrition.com](https://www.haleynutrition.com)**

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⏱️ CHAPTERS

00:00 – Eating Disorders Nearly Destroyed My Life (Here’s What Actually Healed Me)

01:20 – Why Ultra-Processed Food Makes Recovery Harder, Not Easier

02:45 – Welcome to The Dr. Haley Show

03:50 – This Episode Isn’t About Diets (It’s About Real Health)

05:00 – Meet Lexi: Faith, Fitness, and Real Food

06:30 – Diagnosed With Anorexia at 13: What No One Told Me

08:20 – The Dangerous Nutrition Advice I Was Given

10:15 – Why “Everything in Moderation” Failed Me

12:10 – How Real Food and Faith Changed My Mindset

14:20 – Gut Health, Serotonin, and Mental Health Explained

16:30 – Why Eating Disorders Often Relapse After Treatment

18:40 – Parents: Why Your Kids Are Being Set Up to Fail

20:50 – Buy or Bye: How to Spot Fake Food at the Grocery Store

22:30 – Best Grocery Stores for Real Food (What I Actually Buy)

24:30 – Divine Treats: Making Desserts Without Junk Ingredients

26:20 – What “Nutrient-Dense” Really Means (Simple Definition)

28:10 – Who This Real Food Message Is (And Isn’t) For

30:10 – Raw Aloe Vera, Gut Healing, and Listener Discounts

31:45 – Handling Hate, Criticism, and Nutrition Dogma Online

33:40 – Meeting RFK Jr. & The New Food Guidelines Explained

35:30 – Shocking Ingredients Hidden in Everyday Foods

37:10 – The #1 Health Message for Young People

38:50 – Energy Drinks vs Real Food Energy (What Actually Works)

40:30 – Best Real Food Swaps for Junk Foods

42:40 – Faith, Healing, and Treating Your Body Like a Temple

44:50 – Final Thoughts: You Are the CEO of Your Health

Dr. Yolanda Cintron is President of the International Center for Dental Excellence in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She has been a dentist for nearly 40 years and a biological dentist for nearly 30 years. Dr. Cintron is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in biological and holistic dentistry. Dr. Cintron is known for integrating advanced restorative, cosmetic, and implant dentistry with a comprehensive, whole-body approach to oral health. Patients travel from across the United States and around the world to seek her expertise in complex, health-focused dental care.

Dr. Yolanda Cintron's practice is centered on the identification and removal of oral toxic loads and the restoration and rebuilding of not only the oral cavity, but all systems connected to the mouth. Dr. Cintron’s clinical philosophy is grounded in the understanding that oral health and systemic health are inseparable, and that true healing requires addressing the body as an integrated whole. Through precision diagnostics, biocompatible materials, and evidence-based protocols, she also places strong emphasis on patient education in whole-body wellness—recognizing that when one part of the body is compromised, the entire system is affected.

On this podcast, I found out that Dr. Cintron is bold in her faith. She prays for her patients and gives the glory to God.

RESOURCES:

Visit this episode's blog page:

https://drhaley.com/holistic-dentistry/

Visit Dr. Yolanda Cintron – International Center for Dental Excellence https://fortlauderdaledentistry.com/

Documentary: *Root Cause* (available on Tubi)

https://tubitv.com/movies/507721/root-cause

00:00 – Introduction: How Dental Health Affects the Whole Body

01:18 – What Is Biological & Holistic Dentistry?

03:45 – Why Root Canals Are Always Infected

06:30 – How Dr. Cintron Became a Biological Dentist

09:10 – Mercury Fillings and Neurological Toxicity

12:05 – Why Biological Dentistry Is Controversial

14:40 – Oral Infections and Chronic Disease

18:20 – The Mouth–Body Connection Explained

22:05 – Teeth, Meridians, and Organ Health

26:10 – Dental Infections and Heart Health

29:45 – Advanced Diagnostics in Biological Dentistry

33:20 – Bone Cavitations and Jawbone Infections

37:15 – Safe Removal of Root Canals and Mercury

41:30 – Zirconia Implants vs. Metal Implants

45:10 – Preventive Care and Daily Oral Habits

48:25 – Clenching, Grinding, and Modern Stress

51:40 – Sedation Dentistry and Patient Comfort

54:35 – Faith, Prayer, and Whole-Body Healing

57:20 – Final Advice for Patients Seeking Healing

59:10 – Where to Learn More & Closing Thoughts

What if you could have better physical performance and less pain 10 years from now? How would you like to have more strength and flexibility in your Seveneties than you had in your 30's? Jerzy Gregorek is a four time world weightlifting champion and co-creator, along with his wife, also a world champion, of "The Happy Body Program"; a program that combines mindful exercise, nutrition, and emotional eating intelligence.

RESOURCES:

Get the Book "The Happy Body Program" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4jprfBp

Visit this episodes blog page: https://drhaley.com/happy-body/

Visit Jerzey Gregorek's website: https://thehappybody.com/

This episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJSKafgKMn8

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Intro Snip

01:57 What were you awarded by the polish government and why?

03:52 What felt better, being awarded medals for being a freedom fighter or winning medals for powerlifting?

05:25 What power words were spoken into your life that you apply to your life?

07:05 What happened at the first fire you went to that affected you the rest of your life?

09:30 What do you mean by lose everything to gain everything?

10:30 What were Jerzy Gregorek's powerlifting records?

12:12 What are your secrets to success for getting strong?

13:13 What is the "Power" that makes people strong, lean, attractive, and more?

17:00 What is best in the gym for powerlifting, full range of motion repetitions or partial range repetitions?

18:45 Discussion about Jerzy Gregorek's YouTube short of snatch on a balance board

21:35 How do you learn balancing boards using microprogression?

22:35 How does training speed relate to the aging process and dementia?

23:20 What is "senile atrophy?

25:46 What is "Hard Choices, Easy Life. Easy Choices, Hard Life"?

29:36 What is micro-progression and could it be the cure of cerebral palsey?

33:23 What is the "Happy Body: Lifestyle Medicine Program"?

40:00 What is your call to action and where is the best place to go for more information?

46:30 Dr. Haley askes the forbidden question

48:24 What advice do you have for someone that has no motivation and wants to give up?