Episode 302
The "Yes, And" in Healthcare (feat. Andrea Nakayama)
Our healthcare system treats us like it’s one size fits all, yet that’s not how true healing works, especially when it comes to chronic conditions. Today’s guest will help us understand how to fill the gap we experience with Western medicine, including the difference between signs vs. symptoms, and empowers our individualized healthcare.
On this episode of Salad with a Side of Fries, host Jenn Trepeck welcomes Functional Medicine Nutritionist and educator Andrea Nakayama to explore why chronic conditions require more than just a diagnosis and a prescription. They unpack Andrea’s “three roots, many branches” model, revealing how digestion, inflammation, and genetics lie at the heart of chronic illness—and how nurturing the "soil" around them can lead to true healing. From nutrition habits to the importance of bio-individuality, this conversation empowers you to become an informed partner in your health care.
The Salad With a Side of Fries podcast is hosted by Jenn Trepeck, who discusses wellness and weight loss for real life, clearing up the myths, misinformation, bad science & marketing surrounding our nutrition knowledge and the food industry. Let’s dive into wellness and weight loss for real life, including drinking, eating out, and skipping the grocery store.
IN THIS EPISODE:
- (00:00) Intro: Our healthcare system is one size fits all
- (05:08) Andrea shares her motivation for her journey into functional nutrition, and a discussion of Western medicine
- (07:41) Should every person receive the same treatment for the same chronic condition
- (11:45) How to choose a guide in the health equation
- (16:40) Knowing the difference between your signs vs. symptoms
- (21:59) Andrea walks us through the “three roots and many branches” model
- (28:36) The roles digestion and inflammation play in our health
- (33:37) Tiers to nutrition mastery. Tier one is our non-negotiables
- (36:40) Don’t neglect your passion and purpose
- (38:48) Andrea’s non-negotiable trifecta: Sleep, poop, and blood sugar
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Chronic health conditions must be understood through a systems-based lens, not just symptom management. Every chronic issue has three core roots—genes, digestion, and inflammation. Healing begins by nurturing these “roots” and the surrounding “soil,” rather than chasing individual symptoms alone. Western medicine excels in acute care but often falls short in managing chronic conditions. Patients are frequently seen through the lens of their diagnosis rather than as whole individuals, resulting in treatments that overlook their unique health histories and personal needs.
- One of the most powerful tools patients can use is specific, emotion-free communication based on personal health tracking. By clearly distinguishing between signs (measurable indicators like fever or rash) and symptoms (subjective experiences like fatigue or pain) and offering detailed timelines of when and how issues arise, patients empower providers to better understand and address their unique health needs.
- Supporting foundational health can start with three simple, non-negotiable nutrition habits: include fat, fiber, and protein at every meal or snack to help stabilize blood sugar; eat the rainbow to boost fiber and phytonutrient intake while feeding your microbiome; and know your yes-no-maybe list to understand better how specific foods impact your body. Tracking what makes you feel great, what doesn’t, and what you’re unsure about builds awareness and equips you to have more productive, personalized conversations with your healthcare provider.
QUOTES:
(07:41) “The first two gaps I encountered were that people are treated like their diagnosis. So, when you are in the medical system, you are your endometriosis, your fibroids, your breast cancer, your PMS. You are your symptom. The other gap was that everybody with the same symptom or diagnosis was treated the same.” - Andrea Nakayama
(09:34) “A chronic condition means you're sick and you're not getting better. There's things going on for a long time, and our medical system isn't trained to address chronic conditions.” Andrea Nakayama
(25:32) “The three roots of any chronic condition are always our genes, digestion and inflammation. All three need to be tended to for the branches to express themselves more fully.” - Andrea Nakayama
(36:53) “We have an episode called the Longevity Equation, and one about Blue Zones and one of the big factors there that everybody seems to overlook is community and connection.” - Jenn Trepeck
RESOURCES:
Become A Member of Salad with a Side of Fries
A Salad With A Side Of Fries Merch
A Salad With a Side of Fries Instagram
Nutrition Nugget: Genes and Epigenetics
Salad With a Side of Fries: The Longevity Equation
Salad With a Side of Fries: Blue Zones: A Blueprint for Physical and Mental Health
Salad With a Side of Fries: The Down and Dirty
GUEST RESOURCES:
Functional Nutrition Alliance - Website
Functional Nutrition Alliance - YouTube
Andrea Nakayama, Functional Nutritionist & Educator
Andrea Nakayama - Functional Nutrition Alliance | LinkedIn
GUEST BIOGRAPHY:
Andrea is a Functional Medicine Nutritionist and educator who has led thousands of clients and teaches even more coaches and clinicians worldwide. Together, they are revolutionizing the ownership of their own and their clients’ health.
As the 15-Minute Matrix Podcast host and the founder and former CEO of Functional Nutrition Alliance, Andrea draws on systems biology, mental models, root-cause methodology, and therapeutic partnerships to offer long-awaited solutions for the rapidly growing chronic illness epidemic.
After losing her young husband to a brain tumor in 2002, she discovered a passion for using food as personalized medicine and is now regularly consulted as the nutrition expert for the toughest clinical cases in the practices of many world-renowned doctors. She trains nearly four thousand practitioners each year in her methodologies so that they can, too, become the last stop for their clients and patients and a trusted referral partner for doctors in their area.
