The Positively Altered Podcast

Episode 72: What If Everything You’ve Been Told About Hormones Is Incomplete—Or Flat-Out Wrong?
 
In this episode of Positively Altered, Dr. Cindy sits down with hormone expert Dr. Devaki Lindsey Berkson to unpack decades of misinformation around hormones, aging, and women’s health. They dive into why hormones matter at every stage of life, how fear replaced science after flawed studies, and why oxytocin may be one of the most powerful—and misunderstood—hormones of all. This is a bold, research-backed conversation that will change how you think about hormones, health, and longevity.
 
In this episode, we cover:
(5:00) Why have doctors turned away from teaching about hormones over the years?
(8:00) How to get people unafraid and fully informed. 
(11:00) Hormones rule the wifi of your physiology. 
(12:00) Hormones rule the wifi of your physiology. 
(14:00) What hormones should patients have checked?
(22:00) A deep dive into Oxytocin. 
(29:00) A natural way to boost your Oxytocin. 
(31:00) Hormones and Aging
(35:00) Rapid-fire questions
 
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About Dr. Lindsey Berkson:
As a Distinguished Hormone Scholar from the highly praised Center for Bioenvironmental Research at Tulane and Xavier  Universities, Dr. Berkson worked shoulder-to-shoulder with
pioneering scientists who discovered the first hormone receptors. Her breakthrough book, Hormone Deception (McGraw-Hill 2002, Awakened Medicine Press 2016), earned her this prestigious invitation, as she exposed the public health emergency of environmental toxins assaulting our hormones and provided the original guidelines for reducing exposure.
 
Her impact on medical literature continues to grow. Dr. Berkson’s book Healthy Digestion the Natural Way (Wiley & Sons, 2000) was the first gut, nutrition, and mindfulness book to sell over 1 million copies. Her work Sexy Brain (Awakened Medicine Press, 2017)
further explored endocrine disruption and gender-bending, while her latest book, Oxytocin Medicine, reveals how the “hormone of connection, empathy and calm” is under attack – and what we can do about it.
 
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Episode #71: Flashback Friday: Getting to know your brain with Dr. Matthew Antonucci
 
What happens when you injure the part of your body that controls everything else? Dr. Antonucci and I will talk about concussions, the debate about contact sports among children, the ADD movement, dopamine detoxes, and much more. Join me and don’t forget to bring your notepad–and your brain! 
 
In this episode, we cover:
(5:00) What is functional neurology?
(8:00) Left brain, right brain, and 100 percent of our brain.
(12:00) Visualizations vs. real experiences.
(15:00) The Truth about Concussions.
(18:00) Did Dr. Cindy’s concussion lead to love?
(19:00) Long-term symptoms of concussions.
(24:00) The debate about contact sports in children.
(29:00) Learning more about spatial awareness.
(32:00) Analyzing ADD and movement.
(38:00) Rapid-fire question
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Infinedi: https://infinedi.net/
 
About Dr. Matthew Antonucci:
Dr. Antonucci is an experienced chiropractic neurologist, functional neurology practitioner, researcher, and international lecturer with more than 15 years of clinical experience. He proudly has participated in the health transformation of thousands of patients with complex neurological conditions and performance challenges, through the prescription and administration of client-specific functional neurology rehabilitation programs. 
He is a highly sought-after speaker who has delivered thousands of hours of education, to tens of thousands of healthcare providers both domestically and internationally and has authored several peer-reviewed publications. 
He is a loving husband and the father of five amazing boys, whom he hopes to inspire to follow in his footsteps.
 
Follow Dr. Antonucci:
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www.carrickinstitute.com
 
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Episode 70: What If Your Calendar Is Quietly Tattling On You?
 
Dr. Cindy reunites with longtime friend and powerhouse coach Margaret White for a candid, laugh-filled conversation about quiet cracking—that sneaky misalignment between what you value and how you actually live. They dig into why “being picky” is a power move, how your calendar reveals your true priorities, and why alignment beats hustle every time. Expect practical tools, playful banter, and a gentle (but firm) nudge to stop scheduling your life around everyone else. Alignment never sounded so fun. 
 
In this episode, we cover:
(3:00) Margaret and Dr. Cindy are reliving their high school days together. 
(5:00) Defining quiet cracking while grinding through day after day. 
(10:00) Do you have a weekend or a work-end?
(13:00) Analyzing the workday in other parts of the world. 
(15:00) Will quiet cracking lead to quiet quitting?
(19:00) Your calendar shows you what you are valuing.
(24:00) Rapid-fire questions
 
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About Margaret White: 
Margaret White is a transformational Empowerment and Leadership Mentor and the visionary creator of The Personal Revolution CodeTM and SELF MasteryTM. With a specialization in the Woman-Centered Coaching ModelTM, she activates and empowers women to align external success with soul-level fulfillment, creating a legacy of impact, freedom, and authentic power. 
 
Her holistic, heart-centered coaching helps women reclaim their divine purpose, shatter their inner glass ceilings, and build extraordinary careers and lives from the inside out. Whether navigating career transitions, reigniting purpose, or stepping boldly into leadership, she equips her clients with the clarity and tools to design a life where professional brilliance and personal fulfillment converge.
 
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BONUS EPISODE: What If The Bravest Move You Make This Year Is Admitting You Were Wrong?
In this solo episode of Positively Altered, Dr. Cindy does exactly that. She unpacks why her original “word of the year” didn’t work, why it’s okay to change your mind, and how growth sometimes looks like recommitting—not starting over. This honest reflection challenges the pressure to reinvent yourself every January and invites you to keep what’s working, release what isn’t, and shift with intention. No resolutions. No guilt. Just truth, clarity, and forward momentum.  
 
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Episode #69: Journalist Rob Polonsky: What Great Interviewers Know… and Leaders Forget
 
If you’ve ever wished leadership came with a “real-world settings” menu, this episode is your shortcut. Dr. Cindy sits down with Rob Polonsky—award-winning journalist, storyteller, and the guy who’s interviewed everyone and kept his sanity—to talk about leading with curiosity instead of ego. They dive into why transparency builds trust faster than strategy decks, how to stay human when the pressure gets loud, and the surprising connection between great interviews and great leadership. Rob brings the wisdom; Cindy brings the punchlines. Together, they deliver one of the most refreshing conversations you’ll hear all year.
 
In this episode, we cover:
 
(4:00) Rob’s story about his suitcase and his dream!
(7:00) Defining what a mentalist is and how it helps to further connect with people. 
(9:00) How Rob leans into his anxiety to showcase his gifts and talents. 
(16:00) What does it mean to show up with laughter?
(19:00) How to use humor appropriately so it doesn’t cause self-destruction.
(24:00) Adding a twist to the negative internal voice in your head to help shift your mindset. 
(26:00) Where do you go when you get out of your comfort zone?
(36:00) Rapid-fire questions
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About Rob Polonsky:
 
Rob Polonsky is a comedy performer, mentalist, keynote speaker, and musical storyteller who believes that humor isn’t just for fun(ny); it’s a powerful tool for transforming disconnection into connection, self‑doubt into courage, and anxiety into action.
 
Throughout his 15+ years at Google, Amazon, and Disney, Rob led creative teams and used humor to build trust, foster belonging, and create environments where people felt safe to speak up, express themselves, and take bold action, resulting in deeply connected teams that collaborated with ease, pushed creative boundaries, and fully showed up for themselves and each other.
 
As one of YouTube’s early top creators with the channel Chad, Matt & Rob, Rob pioneered interactive storytelling and engaged hundreds of millions of viewers around the world through humor-driven videos.
 
And now, as a full-time performer, he regularly performs comedy mind reading, improv, sketch comedy, and character-driven storytelling, honing his craft as an advanced-level student at the renowned Groundlings Theatre in Los Angeles.
 
Through Rob's signature Show Up with Laughter™ experiences, including dynamic keynotes, interactive improv-based team-building workshops, and unique entertainment shows, he helps people conquer fear and anxiety so they can fully show up for themselves and others so that they can thrive in work and in life. 
 
After all,  when we laugh together, we thrive together!
 
Follow Rob: 
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Episode #68: Warning: This Episode May Cause Major Life Perspective Shifts
 
If you’ve ever wondered why women can survive everything from breakups to biopsies but still apologize for taking up space, this episode is your new pep talk. Dr. Cindy sits down with author, speaker, and coach Dana Lyons—a woman who has lived through enough plot twists for three memoirs and still shows up with grit, grace, and a wicked sense of humor. Together, they unpack what it really takes to move from surviving to thriving, why “broken” isn’t a bad word, and how learning to use your own voice can change everything. It’s raw, bold, and beautifully human.
 
In this episode, we cover:
(4:00) Learning about the many hats that Dana Lyons wears daily. 
(7:00) How Dana pushed through during a vulnerable time while putting her story down on paper. 
(12:00) We’re not trained to look within ourselves when we need to make changes. 
(16:00) Dana’s journey through Cancer.
(25:00) The difference between surviving and thriving. 
(35:00)Rapid-fire questions
 
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Dr. Cindy’s Partners:
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Infinedi: https://infinedi.net/
 
About Dana Lyons:
Dana Lyons is an author, speaker, and coach who knows what it means to face hard battles and still choose joy. A wife, mom of five, grandmother of five, cancer survivor, and everyday woman in her 50s, Dana speaks honestly about walking through fear, learning to care for herself after years of caring for everyone else, and finding strength in the middle of change. She is passionate about helping women discover that it’s never too late to get well and live fully—body, mind, and spirit. 
 
Follow Dana:
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LinkedIn for Dana
Facebook for Dana 
Facebook for Grit & Grace
Facebook for The Lyons Group 
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Episode 67: The Silent Stressor in Your Home, Office, and Hotel Room
 
What if one of the biggest drivers of fatigue, brain fog, and inflammation isn’t what you eat—but what you breathe? In this eye-opening episode of Positively Altered, Dr. Cindy sits down with Mike Meade, air-quality expert and distributor of Triad Air, to unpack the invisible stressor most of us overlook: indoor air. Mike explains how oxygen levels, VOCs, mold, and everyday chemicals quietly impact metabolism, energy, immunity, and focus. You’ll learn why common air filters fall short, how proactive air purification works, and simple ways to rethink the air you live in—at home, work, and while traveling. 
 
In this episode, we cover:
(4:00) Taking a deep dive into the air we breathe. 
(11:00) Learning about off-gassing and how these chemicals can negatively impact our health. 
(15:00) Learning how to get oxygen into our bodies in the proper way. 
(20:00) Learning about how effective HEPA filters are and whether they are worth spending money on.
(23:00) Helping people detoxify from mold the right way.
(27:00) The benefits of Triad-Aer Purification Systems.
(30:00) Rapid-fire questions
 
Dr. Cindy’s Socials:
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Dr. Cindy’s Partners:
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Stopain Clinical: https://www.stopainclinical.com/
Infinedi: https://infinedi.net/
 
About Mike Meade: 
 
Mike Meade has been a lifelong learner, always eager to explore new ideas and ask fresh questions. He graduated cum laude from the Robbins School of Business at the University of Richmond in 1975. In his twenties, Mike took on a leadership role in Junior Achievement, a nonprofit focused on practical business education for young people. Over three years, he transformed a small organization with 90 participants and one board of directors into one with three boards and over 5,000 active participants.
 
At 30, Mike sought guidance from five of South Florida’s most successful businesspeople, asking how they achieved success. These one-on-one meetings shaped his lifelong philosophy: "To be successful, you must have the ability to see and understand what others might overlook and the courage to act on that knowledge."
 
In the mid-1980s, he collaborated with Rockwell Aviation and the space shuttle program to design a skill-transfer program for over 800 Rockwell employees who were displaced when the shuttle contract was transferred to Lockheed. There was no way to find new jobs based on their last job. This program helped highly specialized workers, like the 3rd inspector of space shuttle tiles, translate their unique skills to new positions despite being perceived as overqualified by job interviewers.
 
Later, Mike owned a baseball cap manufacturing company and attended the first e-retail conference in New York in 1997. With Intel and SAP software, he developed a way for customers to design custom baseball caps online, selecting colors and features from crown to closure. Although ahead of its time, this innovative project laid the groundwork for future e-commerce personalization.
 
Twelve years ago, Mike turned his focus to proactive air purifiers and quickly recognized the importance of understanding indoor versus outdoor air quality. Today, his passion lies in collaborating with healthcare professionals to elevate the conversation around protecting our immune systems by optimizing indoor air quality and achieving the best ion balance.
 
Follow Mike: 
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Episode #66: GLP-1: The Hype, the Hope, and the Real Talk
 
If you’ve ever wondered whether GLP-1 stands for “Girls Love Popcorn,” this episode’s for you. In this lively, no-nonsense episode, Dr. Cindy and pharmacist-turned-root-cause-whisperer Dr. Amanda Yue break down what GLP-1 meds actually do, who really needs them, and why your cravings might calm down long before your prescription runs out. They dive into smarter ways to support your body, the side effects no one wants to talk about, and the deliciously simple habits that help you stay healthy without losing your mind (or your muscle). It’s honest, hopeful, and hilariously human.
 
In this episode, we cover:
 
(4:00) What is GLP-1?
(7:00) Learning how to rest your body during fasting periods. 
(16:00) Dr. Cindy’s longest fast of 105 hours. 
(17:00) GLP-1 is not going away, so let’s address these medications from all angles. 
(27:00) Addressing your lifestyle and how you can make small adjustments to improve your health. 
(40:00) Rapid-Fire question
 
Dr. Cindy’s Socials:
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Dr. Cindy’s Partners:
Professional Health Products: http://www.phpltd.com
Stopain Clinical: https://www.stopainclinical.com/
Infinedi: https://infinedi.net/
 
About Amanda Yue:
Amanda is a functional medicine practitioner, pharmacist, MELT and yoga instructor, and an Insulin IQ-certified coach. She is known as the Root Cause Pharmacist.
 
She is passionate about healing the whole body—not just addressing symptoms.
 
As a retail pharmacist for over 30 years, Amanda grew increasingly frustrated with how our conventional healthcare system focuses on treating symptoms rather than addressing the root cause. When she became unwell, she turned to holistic approaches outside the conventional system to restore her health.
 
Through these holistic modalities, she transformed her own health. Her mission now is to help others achieve sustainable health outcomes by addressing the root cause of their conditions.
 
She discovered a simple protocol that often works better than medication for chronic health issues. Along the way, she learned that insulin resistance is at the root of most chronic health conditions, yet it is rarely addressed (or tested for) in conventional care.
 
It’s time to shift the focus toward prevention and root-cause solutions.
 
Follow Amanda: 
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Episode 65: Healing Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All: Danielle Pashko’s Story
 
Danielle Pashko has been to hell and back—and made a wellness career out of it. From childhood cancer to thyroid disease to a crushing diagnosis that changed everything, Danielle’s story is equal parts heartbreak and healing. In this episode of Positively Altered, she opens up about navigating misdiagnosis, trusting your intuition, and rejecting the “just manage it” mentality. She’s bold, she’s brainy, and she’s calling B.S. on one-size-fits-all wellness advice. If you’ve ever felt dismissed by doctors or defeated by your diagnosis, Danielle’s story will empower you to demand better—and live well on your own terms.
 
In this episode, we cover:
 
(4:00) How thyroid cancer changed the course of Danielle’s health journey. 
(8:00) Why are so many young women getting thyroid cancer?
(11:00) From Thyroid Cancer to Lyme Disease
(15:00) When can a wellness journey go too far?
(22:00) How Tai Chi transformed Danielle’s physical wellness. 
(35:00) Rapid-fire questions
 
Dr. Cindy’s Socials:
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Dr. Cindy’s Partners:
Professional Health Products: http://www.phpltd.com
Stopain Clinical: https://www.stopainclinical.com/
Infinedi: https://infinedi.net/
 
About Danielle Pashko                                                                                             
Danielle Pashko is a functional nutritionist and chronic illness coach with extensive experience in helping people manage their metabolic health. She works with clients who struggle with fatigue, digestive issues, glucose regulation, hormonal balance, weight management, and complex chronic illnesses. She also specializes in integrating mind-body modalities such as Tai Chi and Qigong through her online platform Soulhakker. 
 
Danielle is the author of "Weight Loss Mistakes Even Healthy Chicks Make"​ and "Smile At Your Challenges" and has contributed to articles and videos on holistic health for The NY Post, Fox & Friends, Pix11 News NY, NY1 News, ABC News, CBS News, The Vitamin Shoppe, Chase Bank, Women's Health Magazine, Reader's Digest, USA Today, YPO (Young Presidents' Organization), I24 News and more.
 
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Episode #64: The Blooper Episode: When Things Got . . . Positively Unscripted
 
To wrap up the year, Dr. Cindy’s pulling back the curtain with a brand-new tradition: the Positively Altered Blooper Reel. Because connection beats perfection every time, she’s celebrating the moments that made her—and her guests—crack up, stumble, and start again. If you’ve loved the heart of this show, you’ll love the humanity even more. Grab a smile and enjoy the outtakes.
 
Dr. Cindy’s Socials:
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Dr. Cindy’s Partners:
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Stopain Clinical: https://www.stopainclinical.com/
Infinedi: https://infinedi.net/
 
Follow, rate, and review Dr. Cindy on Apple and Spotify!
If you love Dr. Cindy's episodes, here's how to follow her so you never miss one!
 
For Apple, click the “Follow” button at the top of the page on the right. 
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