“When you're an entrepreneur, there's opportunities everywhere. And part of the art is the discernment of the opportunity that is not only going to be achievable but has the highest, long-term return. That comes with experience, but if you understand your tools better, you get there faster.” —Joni Kindwall-Moore

Our modern food system has become disconnected from nature's inherent wisdom. Agriculture prioritizes yield over nutrition, flooding our bodies with empty calories that lack phytonutrients and fiber. This imbalance is having disastrous health consequences, amplifying the rising rates of preventable diseases. Reconnecting agriculture with its original purpose of nourishment is key to reversing these trends.

Snacktivist Foods is a food innovation company that is transforming underutilized crops into healthier comfort foods using ancient grains and ingredients. Founded by former nurse Joni Kindwall-Moore, Snacktivist's mission is to elevate nutrition and sustainability through innovative plant-based products.

This week’s conversation aims to reestablish the linkage between agriculture, food, and human health by creating products from nutrient-dense crops that provide medicinal benefits. Listen in as Justine and Joni discuss why modern highly processed foods are leading to overeating, how creating better-for-you alternatives can help address diet-related diseases, how embracing imperfection and continuous improvement leads to more sustainable behavioral changes and success in wellness goals, and how lifestyle interventions can impact health outcomes.

Meet Joni:

Joni Kindwall-Moore is the founder and CEO of Snacktivist Foods, a food innovation company focused on elevating underutilized crops. She has over 15 years of experience as a registered nurse, where she worked in critical care units and saw firsthand the human suffering caused by diet-related diseases. This inspired her to leave healthcare and launch Snacktivist to create healthier comfort foods using ancient grains and ingredients with medicinal properties. Under Joni's leadership, Snacktivist has raised over $3 million in grants to further its mission of connecting agriculture to better health outcomes. When she's not running her company, Joni enjoys advocating for more responsive and sustainable food systems.

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Episode Highlights:

03:48 Nutrition and Microbiome Health

09:19 The Importance of Balance in Food Choices

12:44 Food Innovation for Health

17:21 Meeting the Challenges of Fundraising

20:58 How Diet Impacts Life Expectancy

“The industry responds to the consumer. If we would stop buying all of the processed foods, they would change. We have the ability to change the industry by where we put our dollars.” —Dr. Heather Stone

For many people, certain foods can trigger uncomfortable and sometimes debilitating symptoms. However, identifying the culprit foods isn't always straightforward. Through traditional trial-and-error elimination diets, it's possible to pinpoint sensitivities over time. But, by taking a holistic view of the body's systems and how they interact with diet and lifestyle, it is possible to uncover and address underlying imbalances that may be exacerbating sensitivity reactions.

Dr. Heather Stone is a functional medicine practitioner who helps clients overcome food sensitivities and autoimmune conditions by identifying and correcting imbalances in a holistic manner. By focusing on nutrition, lifestyle factors, and reducing inflammation, she empowers people to take control of their health and minimize symptoms naturally.

Listen in as Justine and Dr. Stone dive into the importance of addressing the root causes of health issues rather than just treating symptoms, how traditional and functional medicine can work together comprehensively for optimal patient care and health outcomes, how to clean up diet to manage blood sugar levels, reduce inflammation, and insulin resistance, what a balanced approach to moderation means, and the role of cultural competence and community in making lifestyle changes.

Meet Heather:

Dr. Heather Stone, DC is one of the top functional medicine practitioners in the world. She has over twenty years of clinical experience in private practice. During that time she has successfully helped thousands of women overcome the symptoms of hypothyroidism & Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.

In addition, her Thyroid Transformation Blueprint has been used by hundreds of doctors, and thus has helped countless women return to happy, healthy, & lean. Her mission is to change the face of healthcare through her private practice, books, masterclasses, webinars, educational programs, and retreats.

Dr. Heather believes the body was born to heal and works tirelessly to remind her patients that the power to heal always comes from within. When she is not working to help her patients achieve their goals she is spending time with her family, friends, and a menagerie of animals on her ranch. She is passionate about great food, cooking, regenerative farming, gardening, raising animals in a healthy and humane environment, and her quest to live to 120 years old. She currently resides in Texas where she runs Born To Heal Ranch, which is a retreat center for women dealing with hypothyroidism & Hashimoto’s.

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Episode Highlights:

01:27 More Than Just Symptoms

07:47 Integrating Traditional and Functional Medicine for Optimal Health

13:40 Continous Glucose Monitors for Improved Patient Care

18:25 Managing Food Sensitivities

24:51 Personal and Cultural Competence

“The food system is broken. There's no way around it… But can you make the best choice you can make with what's in front of you?” —Jamie Poe

The traditional camping aisle has long been due for an overhaul. Growing consciousness now allows us to see outdoor adventure not just as an escape, but as an extension of our values. We seek harmony with nature through mindful gear, sustainable practices, and nutrition in tune with the landscape.

Into this space have stepped innovators who understand the modern outdoors person. Poe&Co. is a catering and food products company founded by chefs and partners Jamie Poe and Jayson Poe. Driven by their passions for local, seasonal cuisine and the outdoors, they have established a thriving catering business while launching a line of plant-based camping meals.

Listen in Justine and Jamie also talk about how bootstrapping allows creative control over the business, how strong partnerships require balancing visionary and operational roles, why new ventures require flexibility, the challenges of choosing sustainable packaging, and the importance of supporting local economies and small businesses, as well as consulting with experts to improve products.

Meet Jamie:

Originally from Los Angeles, Jamie Poe attended The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. After graduating in 2005, she moved to New York City and cooked at Danny Meyer's Union Square Cafe and Michelin-starred Gramercy Tavern. Since then, Poe has worked as a Private Chef in New York City, The Hamptons, Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, and Santa Barbara. Jamie also managed a boutique olive oil company in Napa Valley and has contributed to multiple cookbooks and online publications.

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Episode Highlights:

04:38 Challenges of Building a Catering Company

08:21 Partnership and Division of Responsibilities

14:23 Making It Healthy and Accessible

18:33 Lessons in Launching a New Food Product

22:39 Packaging Focused on Sustainability

26:47 Catering with Plant-Based Options