Healthy eating shouldn’t be complicated, but it so often is. We’re here to change that. Join Kevin (the noob) and Michelle (the nutritionist) on a light-hearted journey to discover the many ins-and-outs of nutrition. Each episode focusses on a specific topic, as Michelle simplifies the surprisingly complicated world of nutrition and food. About your hosts: Michelle Pierce-Hamilton is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, former faculty instructor at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition and ...
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Ep 40 - Michelle guests on Plant-Based Canada podcast
1:04:53
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1:04:53Recently, Michelle was a guest on the Plant-Based Canada podcast, and had a fascinating interview with Stephanie Nishi. We wanted to share that episode with our Noobs. And if you're interested in subscribing to the Plant-Based Canada podcast, you can connect with them here: Instagram (@plantbasedcanadaorg) Facebook (Plant-Based Canada, https://m.fa…
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When people (yes, I'm talking to you, my fellow noobs!) start thinking about incorporating more plant-forward food in their diets, they often wonder what to buy and keep on hand to make those last-minute meals. Well, thankfully, we have Michelle to break it all down for us and provide some amazing suggestions for what to keep on hand in your pantry…
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Ep 38 - Microbiome in the news - recent news about the microbiome and emulsifiers
32:20
32:20
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32:20Michelle shares two recent articles about environmental impacts to our microbiome. The first is all about emulsifiers, and how they can impact the good little buggies that live in our guts, and what to look for (and possibly avoid) on lists of ingredients. She also shares an interesting study about astronauts, and how living in the 'purity' of the …
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Ep 37 - To be taken with a grain of salt - is salt good or bad for you?
49:33
49:33
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49:33We got a listener question that was wide open: "What's the deal with salt?" so Michelle did her best to answer it (and did an amazing job of it). We discuss salt, how much you need, how much might be too much, how to read food labels, and the importance of the type of salt you use (yes, it matters!). And Michelle grosses out Kevin with lots of talk…
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Ep 36 - Redefining comfort food at RMH - with special guest Chef Kim Sutherland
1:11:23
1:11:23
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1:11:23This week, we're pleased to have a great discussion with another special guest - Chef Kim Sutherland, Manager Nutrition & Wellness of Ronald McDonald House in Southwestern Ontario Chapter. Chef Kim talks about the journey RMH made under her guidance to encourage their guests to be more engaged and thoughtful with their food and nutrition during the…
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Bonus - Ep 35 - The myth of chocolate ceremonies
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29:56
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29:56In this bonus episode, recorded when we were chatting with María Mancini Cenobio from Mayana Cacao (see episodes 33 and 34 for those 'official' discussions), we started talking about chocolate ceremonies, and their origin and continuing influence. María shared with us the surprising origin of these ceremonies, and it's definitely not what you think…
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Ep 34 - Food of the Gods part 2 - the nutrition of chocolate (with María from Mayana)
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45:27In this episode, Michelle goes full-nerd on us and breaks down some of the nutritional benefits of quality chocolate. It makes you want to drink a cup every morning for health! (Really!) This is part two of our conversation with María Mancini Cenobio, who owns and operates Mayana Cacao. María sources heirloom cocao from her native Mexico to create …
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Ep 33 - The Food of the Gods (talking chocolate, with special guest María from Mayana)
37:44
37:44
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37:44In this episode, Michelle and Kevin sit down with María Mancini Cenobio, who owns and operates Mayana Cacao. María sources heirloom cocao from her native Mexico to create high quality chocolate - and we pick her brain all about the history of chocolate in that country, as well as some of its benefits. You can find María's chocolate at mayana.ca, an…
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Ep 32 - The year in review - top food trends from 2024
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46:16Michelle discusses a few of the top food trends that consumer reported throughout 2024 - it's a bit of a test to see how on-point we are here at N4N (spoiler alert: we're REALLY on trend!) But it's also nice to know that perhaps we're not all alone in seeking better nutrition - so let's hear what "average consumers" are thinking about the foods the…
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Ep 31 - We're back after our brief hiatus - time for an update
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44:13New year, new attitude! After a hiatus for the last few months, we're back in your podcast feed, and ready to talk (and laugh) about food, travels and everything in between. In this inaugural episode, we get caught up on what we've been up to since the summer, among other topics. Got a question for Michelle? A topic suggestion? Send them all to n4n…
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Ep 30 - Hail Caesar - Kevin's quest for the perfect plant-based Caesar salad dressing recipe (spoiler: he found it)
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7:18In our final summer short, Kevin flies solo (heaven help us!) and shares his becoming-infamous plant-based Caesar salad dressing recipe. As promised in the episode, here is the ingredients list. You'll have to listen to find out the steps to make it. ½ cup hummus 2 tbsp panko 1 tbsp nutritional yeast dash of garlic powder 2 tablespoons lemon juice …
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Ep 29 - Tools of the trade - our favourite kitchen equipment
18:10
18:10
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18:10In this week's summer short, Michelle breaks out her kitchen tool belt and talks about some of her favourite kitchen equipment and utensils, that can make cooking and baking a whole lot easier. And more fun! Got a question for Michelle? A topic suggestion? Send them all to [email protected]. And don't forget to rate us on Apple Podcasts (or where e…
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Ep 28 - Plant-based ingredient substitutions - easier than you think!
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22:25
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22:25Another summer short for you. This week, Michelle shares some of the most common plant-based ingredient substitutions, for when you’re baking or cooking and trying to adapt a ‘traditional’ recipe that calls for milk, eggs, oil, etc. Got a question for Michelle? A topic suggestion? Send them all to [email protected]. And don't forget to rate us on A…
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Ep 27 - Summer sneezes - hay fever and allergies... and how to cope
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14:35In this week's summer short, Kevin and Michelle discuss one of the downsides of summertime: hay fever. Michelle shares some possible ways to help deal with the sneezing, water eyes, itchy throat - you know the score. Darn you, ragweed! Connect on Facebook or email at [email protected]. We love to hear from you!…
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Ep 26 - What the heck is nutritional yeast anyway?
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14:44Summer is here, and while Michelle and Kevin are out enjoying the weather, they're not inside recording podcasts. So throughout summer, they will bring you shorter "snack-size" episodes they're calling "summer shorts." This week, Kevin gets an answer to a question about an ingredient he has been using for years, but never knew what, exactly, it was…
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Ep 25 - Lessons in longevity - Blue Zones and what we can learn from them (part 2)
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52:33In a continuation of episode 24, Michelle now switches to a discussion on blue zones conducted by Dan Buettner, which was an update about 35 years after Leaf’s study. Michelle talks about Blue Zones and the ‘power nine’ commonalities between these communities. She wraps up with a real-life example of a recent Blue Zone in action (yes, we’re talking…
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Ep 24 - Lessons in longevity - Blue Zones and what we can learn from them
1:00:19
1:00:19
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1:00:19We all want to live longer - and healthier - lives. But is there a template we can follow? While there’s no guarantees (of course!), we might be able to find some clues by looking at regions of the world where people, on average, live longer and healthier. What are their lifestyles like? Michelle breaks out her atlas and we join her on a journey to…
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Ep 23 - Listener question: Are all carbs bad?
21:42
21:42
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21:42Michelle takes a question from the audience based on our previous carb episode. Plus we take a few unexpected detours along the way as we get around to answering the question (of course)!! Got a question for Michelle? A topic suggestion? Send them all to [email protected]. And don't forget to rate us on Apple Podcasts (or where ever you listen to u…
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Ep 22 - All about carbohydrates and how they are misunderstood
42:04
42:04
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42:04The holy trinity of nutrition: fat, protein and... carbs! We've discussed the first two, and now it's time for Michelle to bust the many many many rumours about carbs. (Spoiler: they're really not that bad - in fact, they're great for you!) She discusses how to healthily include carbs into your eating, and what carbs to avoid, as well as some of th…
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A listener question leads us down a deep rabbit hole in this episode. Independently, the WHO and government of Canada have recently updated their recommendations on alcohol consumption, bringing the recommended amounts down to (practically) zero. Michelle dives into the science behind how alcohol effects the body and overall health, to make sense o…
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Ep 20 - Listener question: is ghee (clarified butter) good for you?
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33:57
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33:57Michelle answers a listener question that harkens back to our “fat” episode. (If you haven’t already listened to episode #10 all about fat, you may want to go back and listen to that first to give you some background, but it’s not strictly necessary.) The question is about ghee (Indian clarified butter) and what Michelle thinks about it. Plus, of c…
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Ep 19 - How food science evolves - recently-developed plant-based proteins
1:07:23
1:07:23
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1:07:23Michelle subscribes to some weird email lists. In this episode, she shares some more recent developments in plant-based protein research and new products. Some of them are really innovative and interesting. Some are just downright… weird. Hear all about plant-based meat, seafood, and just how grossed out Michelle is about eating insects - all with …
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ENCORE - Ep 2 - Food guide recommendations
31:41
31:41
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31:41We're taking a short break this week, so we're rebroadcasting our very first 'food' episode. Back in 2019, Canada made one of it’s first major updates to the food guide since 1977. It’s not unusual to change food guides over the years, as times and nutritional information develop. Michelle talks about this most recent round of changes, and what the…
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Ep 18 - I guess we're a travel podcast now? (Just for this episode)
1:06:09
1:06:09
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1:06:09Michelle just returned from a 4 week Yoga retreat in Bali, so she and Kevin get caught up and Michelle shares some of her stories from that trip. (Yes, we even mention nutrition once or twice.) Connect on Facebook or email at [email protected]. We love to hear from you!By N4N Productions
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Ep 17 - The differences between plant-centered diets
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29:59
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29:59Vegetarian. Vegan. Plant-based. Whole foods plan based. There are so many different terms being used these days, it’s hard to keep up. And it’s not just me getting confused! Michelle tackles a listener question who asks for some clarity around the differences between some of these nutritional plant-centered models. Connect on Facebook or email at n…
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Ep 16 - Let's spill the T on tea - how tea impacts your body
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24:49
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24:49In this second of two parts (part 3? part 2B?), Michelle shares hot-off-then-press learnings from the International Scientific Symposium on Tea and Human Health that she recently attended last year. Of course, tea is very close to Michelle’s heart, and she happily geeks out on new scientific studies about the benefits of tea. In this concluding par…
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Ep 15 - Let's spill the T on tea - how tea can benefit your health
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37:32
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37:32In this episode, we build off what we learned in the last discussion about tea and its properties. Michelle shares some hot-off-then-press learnings from the International Scientific Symposium on Tea and Human Health that she recently attended last year. Of course, tea is very close to Michelle’s heart, and she happily geeks out on WHO data and new…
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Ep 14 - Let's spill the T on tea - the nutrition of tea
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54:07
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54:07Ah, Michelle is in her element for this one! We talk about the basics of tea - what it is (versus tisanes), how caffeine effects you in tea versus coffee, and how tea could just be one of the best whole foods out there (yes, that's right, tea is a food, not just a beverage!). And along the way, there's our usual tangents (no, this isn't clickbait..…
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Ep 13 - What are phytonutrients and how do they benefit your health?
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54:10
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54:10Break out your dictionaries! Michelle dives in to explaining all about phytonutrients, angiogenesis and other words Kevin isn't brave enough to try to pronounce. But don't worry - they really aren't that scary... in fact, they are the nutritional superheroes! They can help your body fight lots of nasty diseases and conditions - and they're so easy …
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Ep 12 - Tips and tactics for changing your eating habits - part 2 - eating out
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30:30
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30:30In a continuation of last episode's discussion, Michelle shares some practical tactics on how to manage eating out when you're adjusting to new eating habits. Not all restaurants are plant-forward friendly, so how do you still enjoy going to restaurants and dining out with friends and not fall into old routines? While you can certainly listen to th…
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Ep 11 - Tips and tactics for changing your eating habits - part 1 - eating at home
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1:01:57
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1:01:57Michelle breaks out her inner Project Manager and responds to a listener question with some practical tips on how to break out of old habits when you're trying to change your eating and nutrition habits. After years of making the same meals and eating a certain way, it can be tough to change and make those changes stick. We discuss some ways to hel…
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Ep 10 - The skinny on fat - all about fat... the good, the bad and what to avoid
47:12
47:12
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47:12We've heard about all the different types of fat - monosaturated, polysaturated, unsaturated, trans, cholesterol (good and bad), animal vs plant-based fats, and then there's different types of oils for cooking, frying, salads and everything else. So.... what's up? Why are there so many types, and which ones (if any) are actually good for you? Today…
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Ep 9 - Were ancient humans carnivores or herbivores? An anthropological look
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37:19
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37:19Humans have been around for a while - we started as hunters and gatherers, then settled down and became farmers in small communities, and now we create podcasts. But the term “hunter/gatherer” implies two very different activities - so, genetically and anthropologically speaking, were ancient humans hunters (carnivores), gatherers (herbivores), or …
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Ep 8 - A comparison of plant-based beverages
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50:56
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50:56In episode 7, we learned a bit about why we should consider removing milk & dairy products from our diets. We use dairy in so many ways - from coffee and tea to grilled cheese sandwiches to lasagne to smoothies, and there are so many options for plant-based milks - where to begin? But fear not! In this episode, we'll talk a bit about the various pl…
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Ep 7 - Why you might want to consider replacing dairy
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36:36
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36:36Way back in episode 2, we learned that milk and dairy products were officially removed from the Canadian food guide. Today, we talk a little bit about why - what’s up with milk and dairy, and why should we consider removing it from our diet. And why is it so darned hard to do so? Connect on Facebook or email at [email protected]. We love to hear fr…
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Ep 6 - How to transition to a more plant-based diet
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42:34
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42:34In Episode 4 we talked about protein, and in episode 5, we covered the gut biome and how we (literally) are what we eat. But for anyone wanting to transition their diet to being more plant-forward, the big question becomes “how?” Thankfully, we have Michelle to guide us. In this episode, she talks us through some of the steps you can take to improv…
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Ep 5 - The fascinating world of the gut microbiome... and why you should care about your gut
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35:30
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35:30We’re a massive ecosystem, and - if everything is balanced - you never know about it. You’ve got teeny-tiny predators and prey living out life and death dramas every moment of your life. Basically, you are planet earth in miniature. In this episode, we’re going to ignore the rest of our planet body, and just focus on the continent (or ocean?) of th…
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Ep 4 - All about protein - what is it, what it does, and how much you really need
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40:34
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40:34Let’s talk protein. This is probably one of the most contentious issues surrounding nutrition, separating the carnivores from the herbivores from the downright bores. We leave ethics aside, and dig into the facts around protein - what it’s for, how much you need (really) and various sources of it. Resources: The China Study: The Most Comprehensive …
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Ep 3 - How much water does your body actually need daily?
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44:40
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44:40Humans are made up of between 60-70% water, yet according to several major studies, most of us are perpetually dehydrated and don’t even realize it. Michelle dives into the world of water - how much to drink, how it helps, and how people with tiny bladders (Kevin, we’re talking to you!) can cope. Connect on Facebook or email at [email protected]. W…
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Ep 2 - The building blocks of healthy eating - food guide recommendations
30:11
30:11
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30:11Back in 2019, Canada made one of its first major updates to the food guide since 1977. It’s not unusual to change food guides over the years, as times and nutritional information develop. Michelle talks about this most recent round of changes, and what they mean, and perhaps where they will lead in future updates. Connect on Facebook or email at n4…
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An introduction to your hosts Michelle and Kevin, as we lay out what this podcast is all about. Michelle will be talking about everything nutrition-related, simplifying it for dummies like Kevin to understand. Connect on Facebook or email at [email protected]. We love to hear from you!By N4N Productions
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Trailer: Nutrition for Noobs - science for your brain, food for your ears
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0:53Trailer for the upcoming podcast Nutrition for Noobs. Learn all about nutrition in a non-judgemental and fun discussion with Michelle (who is a nutritionist) and Kevin (who's the nutrition noob). There's so much to learn, and so many food puns!By N4N Productions
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