Helene Leeds & Penelope Popken: Breaking Food Addiction, A Mother–Daughter Revolution

Cellular freedom begins when we understand what drives compulsive eating, emotional hunger, and the metabolic patterns that keep people stuck. This episode brings forward a lived journey of transformation that moves beyond willpower and into deep rewiring of the nervous system and the mother–daughter bond.

In this episode of the C3 Podcast, we sit down with Helene Leeds, functional nutrition expert and wellness educator, and Penelope Popken, founder of the Eating with Freedom community, to uncover how food addiction takes hold in the brain and how relational healing can shift lifelong patterns. We break down the drivers of emotional eating, the impact of chronic stress on metabolic signaling, and how real recovery begins when the body learns to feel safe again.

We also explore how practical, consistent interventions like structured nourishment, somatic practices, and identity-focused coaching can help people rebuild trust with their bodies and redefine their relationship with food.

Helene Leeds is a leader in functional nutrition and integrative healing, known for her work guiding clients toward metabolic repair, emotional regulation, and sustainable weight wellness. Penelope Popken is a food freedom mentor whose approach blends lived experience, compassionate guidance, and community-based support to help individuals break the cycle of addiction and reclaim their health.

What We Discuss:

• (00:02) How Food Addiction Forms in the Brain and Body
• (04:18) Emotional Hunger vs Physical Hunger and Why the Difference Matters
• (08:33) The Mother–Daughter Dynamic and Its Impact on Eating Patterns
• (13:05) Nervous System Dysregulation, Safety, and Compulsive Eating
• (17:22) Identity, Shame, and the Psychology of Long Term Change
• (21:40) Structured Nourishment and Somatic Tools for Real Recovery
• (26:12) Stress, Metabolism, and How Survival Patterns Shape Appetite
• (30:44) Rebuilding Trust With the Body and Ending All or Nothing Cycles
• (35:58) Community, Coaching, and the Path to Sustainable Food Freedom

Learn More About CODE Health

• Instagram: @codehealth
• Website: https://codehealthshop.com

Learn More About Helene and Penelope:

• Website: https://www.stepitup.life/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stepitups/