Just Ingredients

In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with Jared St. Clair, owner of Vitality Nutrition, to talk about the connection between cortisol, metabolism, sleep, gut health, and overall wellness. Cortisol is often called the “stress hormone,” but as Jared explains, it’s not inherently bad. In fact, healthy cortisol patterns are essential for energy, focus, and helping our bodies respond to everyday stressors. The problem arises when chronic stress disrupts those natural rhythms, leading to imbalances that can affect everything from sleep to blood sugar regulation. We also dive into the powerful relationship between sleep, cortisol, and gut health. Jared shares how even one night of poor sleep can negatively impact insulin sensitivity and why ongoing stress may contribute to issues like leaky gut and metabolic dysfunction. Finally, we discuss GLP-1 and its role in appetite regulation, blood sugar balance, and metabolic health. Before turning to medications, Jared encourages listeners to address foundational factors like stress management, sleep quality, and gut health. We also cover lifestyle strategies and nutrients that may help support healthy GLP-1 production naturally. Here are a few key takeaways from our conversation: Why cortisol is essential for health—and what happens when levels are too high or too low How chronic stress can impact metabolism, blood sugar, and overall wellness The connection between poor sleep and reduced insulin sensitivity How elevated cortisol levels may contribute to gut health challenges The role GLP-1 plays in appetite regulation and metabolic health Natural ways to support healthy GLP-1 production, including prioritizing protein intake and key nutrients like berberine and bitter melon Practical tips for improving sleep and managing stress Whether you're struggling with energy, weight management, sleep, or blood sugar balance, this conversation offers practical tools to help you better understand your body and support your long-term health. Bio: Jared St. Clair has spent his life helping people optimize their vitality through education and supplementation. He grew up behind the counter of his family's health store, started managing it at 15, and bought it from his parents at the age of 22. Thirty-plus years later, Vitality Nutrition is one of Utah's most respected independent supplement retailers. As the host of Vitality Radio Podcast and formulator of his own supplement line, including the nationally recognized Vital Five, Jared has built a reputation for translating complex health science into real, actionable answers. With well over 30 years of one-on-one experience working directly with real people, his knowledge isn't built in a lab or lifted from a textbook. It's been earned across tens of thousands of conversations with real people chasing real results. His gift is making the complex simple, so you can stop guessing and start making supplement decisions with real confidence. Connect with Jared St. Clair: Instagram: vitalitynutritionbountiful Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vitality-radio-podcast-with-jared-st-clair/id1499760048 Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6kCZkN354nQZebuE9FyIBs Website: VitalityNutrition.com and VitalityRadio.com YouTube: VitalityNutritionForLife Facebook: VitalityNutrition Facebook Group: Vitality Radio Podcast Listener's Community Summer means more time on the go, and Skout Organic makes it easy with simple, organic snacks made from real ingredients you can recognize. Use code JUSTINGREDIENTS for 20% off at skoutorganic.com Looking for more Just Ingredients content? Instagram Stories: @just.ingredients Podcast Instagram: @just.ingredients.podcast Facebook Community: Join our group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I’m joined by Dr. Mallorie Cracroft, an OBGYN turned functional medicine expert. We talk about perimenopause, menopause, postpartum health, hormone balance, and what’s really happening in your body during these major transitions. So many women are told that their symptoms are “normal” — but just because something is common doesn’t mean you have to suffer through it. Dr. Cracroft helps us break down what’s actually going on hormonally and how to support your body in a more holistic way. In this episode, we talk about: • The different phases of perimenopause and how to recognize the signs.• What hormone balance really means and when HRT may or may not be appropriate.• How to tell the difference between high estrogen and low estrogen symptoms — and why that distinction matters.• The role of lifestyle factors.• Annual screenings — including pap smears and mammograms — and understanding your options so you can make informed decisions.• Preconception health and important lab tests to consider before trying to conceive, so you can set yourself (and your future baby) up for the best possible start. We also touch on postpartum health — a season that is often overlooked — and why ongoing hormone and nutrient support matters long after the six-week checkup. If you’re navigating perimenopause, walking through menopause, thinking about getting pregnant, recently postpartum, or just wanting to better understand your hormones — this episode is for you. Bio: Dr. Mallorie Cracroft is a board-certified OB/GYN, integrative women’s health specialist, mom, wife, and busy woman—just like many of the women she cares for. After nearly 15 years of practicing in a traditional clinical setting, she founded Uplift For Her, a groundbreaking clinic in Salt Lake City that delivers integrated, whole-woman care. Her goal? To revolutionize what healthcare looks like for women who are tired of feeling dismissed or misdiagnosed. At Uplift For Her, Dr. Cracroft leads a collaborative team of providers, dietitians, health coaches, and mental health professionals—all working together to provide individualized support that helps driven women feel well and stay well. Her approach is bold, entrepreneurial, and deeply evidence-based, blending the best of conventional and functional medicine to get to the root of symptoms and restore true wellness. As a doctor and a woman navigating the same demands of life, Dr. Cracroft understands how hard it can be to build healthy habits while juggling everything else. But she also knows that when we don’t prioritize our health, everything else feels harder. That’s why she’s passionate about helping women understand how their bodies work and feel empowered to make the best decisions for themselves. Because when you feel your best, you can be your best. Connect with Dr. Cracroft: Instagram: upliftforher Website: www.upliftforher.com/ Podcast: www.upliftforher.com/free-content Free Resources: htwww.upliftforher.com/free-content For 20% off at skoutorganic.com Use code JUSTINGREDIENTS Looking for more Just Ingredients content? Instagram Stories: @just.ingredients Podcast Instagram: @just.ingredients.podcast Facebook Community: Join our groupDiscover our non-toxic product line: Shop Just Ingredients Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode I sit down with Emily Stembridge — a mom-turned-lobbyist who is making waves in public health and food safety. This conversation left me inspired, and I know it will do the same for you. Emily’s story is such a beautiful reminder that you don’t need a perfect background or a political title to make a difference. You just need a heart for change and the courage to speak up. Here are a few of the biggest takeaways from our conversation: Emily shares how she went from being a stay-at-home mom to advocating for real change on Capitol Hill. With a background in public health and guidance from her father-in-law, who has been a lobbyist for decades, she found herself stepping into a role she never imagined — and now she’s helping shape policies that protect families. One of my favorite parts of this conversation was hearing just how much everyday people can influence legislation. Emily explains how simple actions like sending a text, making a phone call, or leaving a public comment truly matter. She also shares how community voices helped pass the Utah food additives bill, which works to remove harmful chemicals from school lunches. Emily is currently working on several impactful bills, including one that would require labeling heavy metals in menstrual products and another that would create no-spray zones for pesticides around schools. This episode is such an encouragement that your voice matters more than you think. Emily’s passion for protecting families and children is contagious, and I can’t wait for you to hear her story. Bio: Emily Stembridge graduated with a degree in Public Health and is a policy advocate and lobbyist. She has tailored her work to focus on the food system, health, holding government agencies accountable, and social impact. Driven by a deep passion for root-cause health, Emily helped champion Utah’s food dye bill in 2025. Emily has expanded her efforts to the federal level and strives for policies that support long-term public health. She loves empowering everyday people to engage with policy to drive meaningful and lasting change. Emily was raised in a health-conscious family that questioned the status quo, did their own research, and felt inspired to use natural healing –especially through food- to heal her mother’s breast cancer. This has greatly influenced how Emily approaches health. After diving deep into the root cause of her perioral dermatitis over 5 years ago, Emily fell down the rabbit hole of true, holistic health. This turned into diligently swapping out many of the foods and products her family consumed, and the realization that she wanted to help reform the system that continues to allow so many toxic exposures in our everyday environment. Connect with Emily Stembridge: Instagram: emilystembridge Utah Legislature homepage: https://le.utah.gov/ Find your particular house representative and senator: https://le.utah.gov/GIS/findDistrict.jsp Bills due in the 2026 session: https://le.utah.gov/billlist.jsp?session=2026GS Homeopathy bill: https://homeopathychoice.org/legislative-update/ Federal senators: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm Federal house representative: http://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative Moms across America movement: https://www.momsacrossamericamovement.org/ Exciting news! Just Ingredients is now available nationwide at Target — making it easier than ever to find your favorite products, in-store and online. Looking for more Just Ingredients content? Instagram Stories: @just.ingredients Podcast Instagram: @just.ingredients.podcast Facebook Community: Join our groupDiscover our non-toxic product line: Shop Just Ingredients Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I’m joined again by Dr. Jared Price, a functional medicine doctor who helps patients find the root cause of their health issues. We talk about his “four-door system,” a framework he uses to simplify healing and help people understand where their body is truly struggling instead of chasing the wrong problem. We start with the nervous system and vagal nerve regulation, and how chronic stress can keep the body stuck in fight-or-flight. Dr. Price shares simple tools like humming, breathing techniques, and understanding cortisol to support adrenal health. Next, we discuss gut health, methylation, and how B vitamins and protein play a role in energy, brain health, and hormone balance. Dr. Price also explains how stress and poor gut health can contribute to estrogen dominance. We then move into drainage and detox pathways, including the lymphatic system, kidneys, and bowel health. He explains why you should never detox unless your body can properly drain, and shares ways to support lymphatic flow through movement, magnesium, and sleep. This episode is full of simple, practical ways to understand what your body truly needs so you can start healing with clarity and confidence. Bio: Dr. Jared Price, DNP, is a Family Nurse Practitioner and owner of Ultimate Health and Wellness in Lehi, Utah. He specializes in integrative, whole-person care, treating everything from hormonal imbalances and gut issues to urologic conditions and chronic disease. Dr. Price is passionate about helping patients achieve their optimal health through individualized plans and root-cause healing. When he’s not caring for patients, he enjoys traveling, exploring national parks, staying active, and spending time with his son, Rocky. Connect with Dr. Jared Price: Instagram: dr.jared.price.dnp and ultimatehealth_andwellness Facebook: Ultimate-Health-and-Wellness- Website: www.uhwclinic.com/ Therasage: therasage.com/?rfsn=7038717.7d9d09&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=7038717.7d9d09 Pulsetto: pulsetto.sjv.io/kOKzVn Apollo Neuro: apolloneuro.com/jaredprice Queen of Thrones: affiliatestore.shopqueenofthethrones.com/JAREDPRICE Interested in becoming a patient? Fill out the form at uhwclinic.com and their team will reach out For 15% OFF at Coconu Use code JUST15 at https://coconu.com?ref=justingredients- Looking for more Just Ingredients content? Instagram Stories: @just.ingredients Podcast Instagram: @just.ingredients.podcast Facebook Community: Join our group Discover our non-toxic product line: Shop Just Ingredients Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I’m joined by Ruston, food scientist at Just Ingredients, and our Director of Product Development, Lindsey, to unpack one of the most confusing and misleading parts of modern food labels: natural flavors. We break down what “natural flavors” really mean, why they’re so widely used, and how much can legally hide behind that single term. Ruston explains how these flavors are often made up of many components and why they’re designed for consistency, shelf life, and cost rather than true nutrition. We also share why Just Ingredients chooses to use real food instead, even when it makes formulation far more challenging. From failed batches and clogged machines to last-minute reformulations before launch, this conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to avoid shortcuts. We talk about why flavors like strawberry are especially difficult to work with, the bone broth protein journey, and why real food will never taste exactly the same batch to batch. Finally, we discuss why real ingredients matter, from preserving nutrients like polyphenols, fiber, and antioxidants to changing our relationship with food. This episode is an honest look at how food is made today, why most companies don’t do it this way, and why we believe the harder path is always worth it. Guest Bio Ruston is a chemist by education and a food scientist by profession. He has worked in multiple food and supplement co-manufacturing facilities as an R&D scientist and has extensive experience in formulation, ingredient validation, supplement facts panel verification, and batch corrections for major brands in the industry. He is deeply familiar with the ways companies use deceptive marketing, hide ingredients, and cut corners. Ruston has also studied analytical testing methods used to validate label claims and ensure product integrity. At Just Ingredients, Ruston serves as the Quality and Compliance Manager. He oversees and audits our co-manufacturers, protects product quality, and creates scientific substantiation files to ensure our supplement claims are accurate, compliant, and backed by strong research. Sponsor Function HealthGet $135 off with code KCALL11 at functionhealth.com More from Just Ingredients Instagram Stories: @just.ingredients Podcast Instagram: @just.ingredients.podcast Facebook Community: Join our group Discover our non-toxic product line: Shop Just Ingredients Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices