For the first time in history, right now everyone across the world, all together, all at the same time, are living through the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. And accessing joy is one of the most important and powerful tools we all have that can help us not only survive in difficult times like these, but also thrive in good times.

On today's show, Dave Raymond, the Original Phillie Phanatic and Key Note Speaker, joins us for an inspiring, personal and fun conversation about positive psychology, his own remarkable journey, and well... FUN! We'll talk about the benefits and biological affects fun, play, and freedom has on your body. Lucia and Dave also share simple and real things you can do right now to access your own happiness and your own power of fun.

​So join us now this very special episode with legendary mascot and professional fun expert to reduce stress and anxiety, to live better, happier and healthier for your rise and comeback through these times of challenges and crisis!

So often, many of us turn to food to help us cope through tough and challenging times. On today’s show, we welcome back Rachel Molenda, Intuitive Eating Nutritionist and Certified Holistic Nutritionist (CNP), to help us better understand the connection between our food choices and our mental and emotional health, especially during these unchartered times of uncertainty, rapid change, stress, and anxiety. We’ll share our own experiences as well as real and simple things you can do during these time of crisis.

​We hope you’re finding this Coping Through Crisis series full of helpful and useful information, care and compassion, and also familiar voices from our experts and friends of the show. We are all in this together and we are here for you. So join us now as we dive into the food and mood connection and help you form a better relationship with yourself, others & life!

On this very special edition of Lucia at Night, Lucia welcomes back Dr. Chelsea Page, sex therapist, psychotherapist, and online coach as we help you through the reality and impact that the coronavirus has had on our relationships with ourselves, partners, and loved ones. Some of us might be sharing more space with our partners and loved ones, while some of us are feeling isolated more than ever. We also talk about real solutions of what you can do to help navigate these challenging times. Lucia is also joined (virtually) by her crew, where they get close and personal about how their interactions with loved ones has changed due to social distancing.

As part of our Coping Through Crisis series, you won’t want to miss this special show on how you can laugh, connect, love yourself and others more well, even in these unprecedented times of social distancing and also close quarters!

I am a big fan of cake. I love all of it, especially the frosting, As time has passed though and my list of allergies have grown, cake without consequences is a thing of the past.

Although I don't do it perfectly, the diet that helps me most is one called the AIP diet (Autoimmune Protocol) and helps reduce inflammation and some side effects of autoimmune issues. Needless to say, cake isn't on that list... until now!

I found this recipe for the a chocolate cake a few years ago and through the years have tweaked it to make it (what I consider) perfect. I always find it unreal how a few bananas, cocoa and spices can make this wonderful creation.  I have used a pastry bag full of this avocado frosting to add decor (and of course the sprinkles are not AIP, but they were fun so I went for it anyway.)

If you want to make this cake check out the recipe HERE and for my tweaks, I add the extra sprinkles, and I use three 6" pans to make it a small but fierce three layer cake.

We hope this cake adds some wellness, brightness and fun to your day and night!

x

Lucia

According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Eating disorders in young men and women are on the rise (Source). In the United States alone, as many as 10% of females are reported to suffer from a clinical eating disorder. When you consider non-reports, males and eating related issues like binge eating, the number can be much more significant. So how do we know if our child is struggling with an eating related issues? How do we talk to them and how do we find help?

On today's show, Michelle Felton, LMHC, CEDS, is back.  Michelle is the Clinical Director of Laurel Hill in Medford, MA and has her own private practice as well. Join Lucia and Michelle as they talk about eating disorders, how they present in kids and how today's current landscape contributes to the issue. They also will talk about signs, symptoms and hope for those struggling.

Men, adolescents, athletes and so many other populations are never considered to struggle with eating related issues, but the facts are - THEY DO! So what does it look like when different populations have eating related issues and how can we help?

On today's show Lucia and guest Michelle Felton, LMHC, CEDS joins us to talk about athletes and other populations who may be struggling, how we can help and the hope that exists. 

If you or anyone you know struggles with body image, eating related issues, or an eating disorder we encourage you to listen and to share today's show.​

Eating related issues are a part of almost everyone's lives in some way. According to statistics, at least 30 million people of all ages and of all genders suffer from a clinical eating disorder, with estimates much higher for those that go unreported.  Even more shocking is the every 62 minutes, at least one person passes away as a direct result of an eating disorder & that eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of ANY mental illness. 

On today's show, Kelly McAdams, MSW, LICSW and New England Regional Outreach Manager at Monte Nido & Affiliates, joins us to talk about how we can talk to a loved one who we may think has some sort of eating related issues.

Have you ever struggled with an eating related issues? What about body image? If you have you're not alone. 

Eating related issues can range from issues with body image, self confidence, obsession over caloric intake to a clinical diagnosis of anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating.  Wherever you are with food and your body, today's show is a MUST listen if you have ever struggled with body image or food related issues. 

Join Lucia and former professional dancer, turned professional makeup artist, Campbell Ritchie as she shares her experience of finding her own story of well with food and how she had to rise and come back from an eating related issue that nearly took her life.

If you or anybody you know struggles with food, body image, or self confidence - this show is a MUST listen.

We are so excited to be back with Season #3 of WellSeekers focused on rising and coming back from whatever life throws your way - using a holistic approach from the mind down!

Our first 6 weeks are dedicated to falling back into a better relationship with food.  Over the course of the next few weeks we will look at prevention, treatment, personal stories and solutions for overcoming eating related issues to remind you that you can always RISE & COMEBACK to a place of well, happiness and peace with FOOD & LIFE!

Life has gotten so fake, hasn't it?  Fake professionals, fake pictures, fake news and we want to keep this totally honest and REAL! To kick off our series we are having a REAL and HONEST conversation about what diet culture is, how we can break free from it, and what feeding your body well really means today!

This week's guest Rachel Molenda, Certified Holistic Nutritionist (CNP) and Disordered & Emotional Eating Coach based in Toronto, Canada joins us to talk about breaking up with diet culture and feeding yourself well to help you find your story of well.  How? Click below and find out how and make sure to subscribe to our show to get the latest episode each week!

Rising and coming back from a difficult relationship with food is not an easy task.  There are many apps out there to help with food related issues. One that I have been testing out (and loving) lately is one called itakecontrol! 

Developed by a team at Drexel University, this app was specifically designed by researchers to focus on those with binge eating disorder and emotional eaters.  As someone who is in recovery from an eating disorder, (but can still need to track her emotional eating,) I have found the app helpful for noticing patterns and trying to stop emotional eating before it starts; a key to my own recovery.