Episodios

  • What works to treat the common cold?

    What works to treat the common cold?
    Sep 26 2025

    Wondering how to get rid of a cold fast? In this episode of Healthy Looks Great on You, Dr. Vickie breaks down evidence-based remedies that actually work to relieve symptoms. Learn which supplements may help, which ones to skip, and how lifestyle habits like sleep, nutrition, and handwashing protect your immune system. Stay healthy this season with simple, science-backed strategies.

    'Tis the Season to be Sneezing

    The Ultimate Guide to Avoiding Sickness

    Does Prevagen work?

    Growing Echinacea
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    17 m
  • Stop Calling Yourself a Bad Sleeper

    Stop Calling Yourself a Bad Sleeper
    Sep 12 2025
    Do you think of yourself as someone who just can't sleep? I know you want to sleep better, but I'm not sure you really believe you can. You have all the information you need. You even heard about my sleep course, but you're still worried. That it's not enough to fix you. Well, you're not broken, and I can help. Sleep matters. You already know that. But do you think you just don't sleep and change isn't possible? I can prove that it is possible. Take my client, Claire. Claire was a sleep tracker, you know, smart bed with all the bells and whistles and the app on the phone that shouted disappointing score every single morning. Someone who tried everything and finally decided that good sleep was for other people. But after doing a sleep inventory with me, I was able to pinpoint the specific issues that made sleep elusive. And guess what happened? That sleep score average skyrocketed from the sixties to the nineties. And no, I am not talking about going from being a hippie to a yuppie. I'm talking about a complete sleep transformation with just a few interventions. Does sleep feel kind of mysterious to you? Have you tried white noise and sleep apps? Or maybe the 3, 2, 1 bedtime routine or the 3 3 3 or the ten, three, two, one zero? I'm not making this stuff up. Sleep has become so complicated. We forget that really it's a physiologic process necessary for the basic functions of life. And listen, you can't sleep better by trying harder. That just makes it worse. In fact, that's exactly what I cover in my sleep Masterclass. Everything You're Doing to Sleep Better is Keeping You Awake at Night, where I guide you through proven evidence-based ways to sleep better. Ask Claire how they work. Last week I shared one of my favorite tools to turn off your mind so you can sleep. It's called cognitive switching or Cognitive shuffling. I'll put a link to that episode in the show notes because it is highly effective. Someone commented on my Facebook page, "Dr.Vickie, I'll try it tonight." That's the spirit. Put it to the test, and I asked her to let me know how it worked and the next day she commented, "Yes, it worked. I used the word faithful and then went on to smart, but only got as far as the A in smart." Imagine falling asleep in less than 15 minutes instead of tossing and turning for an hour. That's a real story. It's not fantasy. It is transformation and it's possible for you, and I want to help you get there. I'm personally acquainted with sleeplessness too. It was my constant companion for years, even before delivering babies kept me up in the middle of the night. I come from a long line of poor sleepers. When I was a kid, we used to bump into each other in the hallway during the night. That's just one of the reasons I am so passionate about helping others get the sleep they need for their health and wellbeing. And that's why I created my digital course, "Unlock the Secret to Sleep Your Personal Sleep Solution." Inside, I'll walk you through simple evidence-based steps to reset your sleep so you can finally feel like yourself again. And because I know that sleep isn't a one size fits all when you join before September 17th, you'll get a personal one-on-one sleep evaluation with me. We'll look at your unique patterns and I'll help you identify the very first step that will get you moving toward better sleep right away. 📍Step one, enroll in Unlock The Secret to Sleep. 📍Step two, complete the sleep inventory and send it to me. 📍Step three. I'll give you a unique scheduling link to meet with me one-on-one. And together we'll choose the best place for you to start seeing results now. 📍Step four, change your sleep identity. You can do it and I can help. Now if you're still staring at the ceiling at two o'clock in the morning thinking that's just me. I'm a poor sleeper. Nothing works and it will never change. Then visit healthy looks great on you.com and click the link. Unlock the Secret to Sleep. And see what's truly possible. By the way, you have one more opportunity to catch the free Live masterclass tomorrow Saturday, September 13th, 2025 at 9:00 AM Central Standard Time. Hurry and sign up. now it's free, but registration is required. There is a link in the show notes, or you can visit my website, healthy looks great on you.com. And even if you can't show up live, I'll send you a replay if you sign up before nine o'clock in the morning. Or, you could just binge watch Netflix all night or get your sleep tips from TikTok or Instagram. But if that's never worked for you and you're tired of being tired. This is your chance. Let's face it. If you could sleep better on your own, you would've already found the thing that helps. But if you're still struggling, check out. Unlock the Secret to Sleep, and let's do this together. Then you could be like one of my sleep students who said, "For years I was running on empty and feeling the effects. After taking, Unlock the Secret to Sleep, my sleep improved, and now I...
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    8 m
  • Turn off your mind and sleep with cognitive switching

    Turn off your mind and sleep with cognitive switching
    Sep 5 2025
     Counting sheep does not work, but this does. You likely learned to count before you went to kindergarten. So counting sheep is pretty simple. Your mind can easily flip between 45, 46, 47, and all of a sudden you're thinking about getting laundry detergent at the store tomorrow. Cognitive switching, or sometimes called cognitive shuffling is a more effective tool to help you put your mind in neutral and drift into dreamland. The idea is to mentally shift gears and focus on something slightly harder than counting sheep, and there's more than one way to do it. But first, I have a story. Big surprise. I know. Recently I sat on the couch with my husband and planned a big trip for my birthday. Did you know that you can search Pinterest for trip itineraries? But that's another story. Now I'm a master planner and give me some must see sites and I am all in. So I researched options, booked hotels, flights, a rental car, and several must see activities. The trip was booked and my mind was buzzing with excitement. The good kind. But then it was bedtime, and even though I went through my usual routine, slipped on my silky sleep mask to block out the light, I couldn't block out all those amazing adventures I had planned. Essentially, my brain was still in high gear, and even though the plans were taken care of, the excitement was keeping me awake. I knew what to do to change mental gears. I used cognitive switching, and I'm going to tell you how to do it. Think of a word. Any word, it doesn't matter how long or how short, but I thought of vacation. Then start with the first letter of the word you selected, and think of five other words. Begin with that letter. So I started with V and thought of victory vice voracious value and vapor, and then I moved on to A and thought of airplane administration armor askew. Acre and then C for castles and so on. Now, I would caution you not to spend too much effort coming up with a word. You don't want to engage your brain at a high level, but positive words are always nice too. But just go with the first thing that comes to your mind and let the words flow. Now, it can take a little while to change directions when you're coming in mentally hot. But I almost never get through a second word. So if you're still a wake and alert. When the first word is complete, repeat the process. Now, why does this work? Well, when you're drifting off to sleep, your brain starts a mental sorting process, throwing out random fragments of information. To make room for what will be stored overnight. There's a lot of work that goes on while you're sleeping. Cognitive shuffling allows your brain to focus, but is boring enough to transition from alertness to relaxed and ready to rest. So when you can't turn off your mind, give this a try and let me know how it works for you. And if you find this technique helpful, then you will not want to miss my free live online masterclass that I have coming up. It's called Everything you're Doing to Sleep Better is Keeping you Awake, and it is free. But registration is required and there are three available dates. There is Monday coming up this Monday on September 8th at noon, September 10th, which is Wednesday at 6:00 PM and Saturday September 13th at nine o'clock in the morning. So you have three options to attend this free live masterclass, just go to my website, healthy looks great on you.com, and sign up for one of those three sessions and you will get a free workbook that contains all the tips I'm going to give, but it's not going to give you all the information you need. You need to sign up and attend. If you can't attend live, go ahead and sign up anyway. You'll still get the workbook and you'll even get a replay. But what you won't get is the Food As Sleep Medicine Recipe Collection. You have to be there live to get that. And this is not just a recipe collection. This talks about the different foods and how they help you sleep. Foods that are high in things like magnesium and B vitamins and tryptophan and serotonin and melatonin. So it gives you some foods and the reasons they work. And then I have six recipes that I will share with you. I've tested all of them and they're good, and they've got all the things that a healthy gut microbiome needs for you to get a good night's sleep. But the only way you can get this recipe collection is to show up live for these free live masterclasses. So choose one. Go to my website healthy looks great on you.com, and sign up to get proven tips. And a bonus recipe collection because what if everything you're doing to sleep better is keeping you awake at night? Everything You're Doing to Sleep Better is Keeping You Awake at Night ​ 
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    6 m
  • Should you take melatonin?

    Should you take melatonin?
    Aug 30 2025

    Melatonin is one of the most popular over-the-counter sleep aids in the U.S. But, are you using it correctly?

    In this episode of Healthy Looks Great on You, Dr. Vickie separates science from hype when it comes to melatonin supplements. She breaks down the difference between what your body naturally produces and what comes in the pill or gummy, and why timing and dosage matter way more than you think. If you're struggling with sleep and relying on melatonin to help, you'll want to know: When melatonin helps (and when it doesn’t) Why taking too much can backfire Who should not take melatonin What the research says about quality control in supplements How to maximize your body's natural melatonin.

    Whether you're facing jet lag, restless nights, or just want to know what works, this episode is your guide.

    Don't miss "EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING TO SLEEP BETTER IS KEEPING YOU AWAKE," free, live masterclass. Three dates available September, 8, 10, & 13. This event is FREE, but registration is required. https://healthylooksgreatonyou.com/everything-youre-doing-to-sleep-better-is-keeping-you-awake-at-night/

    Plus there's a free bonus for attending, "Food as Sleep Medicine," collection of recipes. #melatonin #sleep #insomnia 00:00 Melatonin
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    15 m
  • Melatonin: Help or Hype?

    Melatonin: Help or Hype?
    Aug 29 2025

    Melatonin is one of the most popular over-the-counter sleep aids in the U.S.

    But, are you using it correctly?

    In this episode of Healthy Looks Great on You, Dr. Vickie separates science from hype when it comes to melatonin supplements. She breaks down the difference between what your body naturally produces and what comes in the pill or gummy, and why timing and dosage matter way more than you think.

    If you're struggling with sleep and relying on melatonin to help, you'll want to know:

    • When melatonin helps (and when it doesn’t)
    • Why taking too much can backfire
    • Who should not take melatonin
    • What the research says about quality control in supplements
    • How to maximize your body's natural melatonin

    Whether you're facing jet lag, restless nights, or just want to know what works, this episode is your guide.

    Don't miss "EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING TO SLEEP BETTER IS KEEPING YOU AWAKE," free, live masterclass. Three dates available September, 8, 10, & 13. This event is FREE, but registration is required. Plus there's a free bonus for attending, "Food as Sleep Medicine," collection of recipes.

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    15 m
  • Screen Addiction with Dr. Anna Lembke

    Screen Addiction with Dr. Anna Lembke
    Aug 22 2025

    If you’ve ever wondered why you can’t resist “just one more”—one more scroll, one more drink, one more chapter—this episode is for you. 🎧

    Dr. Vickie sits down with Dr. Anna Lembke, Stanford psychiatrist and author of Dopamine Nation, to break down how our brain’s dopamine system fuels both pleasure and pain. Dr. Lembke explains the “see-saw” of homeostasis, why modern addictions like screens and social media are so powerful, and most importantly—where hope and recovery can be found.

    👉 What you’ll learn:

    • The science of dopamine and how it drives cravings

    • Why screens and social media are designed to be addictive

    • How repeated exposure changes the brain

    • Why abstinence (even short-term) can reset your brain’s balance

    • How lifestyle medicine can protect you from modern “digital drugs”

    This is neuroscience made practical—and a must-listen if you’re curious about cravings, addiction, or how to reclaim balance in your life.

    📖 Dr. Lembke’s book Dopamine Nation ✨ Subscribe for weekly evidence-based lifestyle medicine insights with Dr. Vickie.
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    19 m
  • Tips on Sleeping in a Hotel

    Tips on Sleeping in a Hotel
    Aug 15 2025

    How to Sleep Better When You Travel

    There’s nothing like the thrill of travel! New sights, new smells, new experiences. But if your sleep doesn’t come with you, your dream vacation can feel like a jet-lagged fog. In this episode of Healthy Looks Great on You, Dr. Vickie explores the science behind why we struggle to sleep away from home (hello, “first night effect”) and what you can do to sleep better while traveling.

    From the brain’s hemispheres to pillow hacks and scent cues, you’ll learn practical, doctor-approved strategies to help you sleep soundly—whether you’re in a five-star hotel or a rustic cabin. Plus, she shares her top bedtime routine tricks and what not to eat if you want to avoid tossing and turning all night. Whether you travel often or just want to make your next getaway more restful, this episode is packed with tips to help you feel refreshed wherever you wake up.

    Jet Lag

    Dr. Stacey Funt Adventure Travel

    3 Simple Strategies to Sleep Better Tonight
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    14 m
  • How to fall back to sleep

    How to fall back to sleep
    Aug 9 2025

    Solving Insomnia: 5 Proven strategies to help you sleep through the night is a series published in Authority Magazine. This episode is part of that interview. Shawna Robins asked, "What would you advise for people should do if they wake up and can't fall back to sleep. Dr. Vickie's answers might surprise you.

    Check out Authority Magazine for the full interview coming soon.

    5 Proven Strategies to Help You Sleep Through the Night

    1. Adjust your expectations: It is normal to wake up 5-7 times during the night. But trying harder to sleep makes sleeping harder.

    2. Don't do clock math. Calculating how much sleep you'll get if you fall asleep now is counterproductive.

    3. Rest, just rest. Embrace non-sleep restorative rest.

    4. Turn off your mind. This one is definitely hard. Try cognitive shuffling.

    5. Get out of bed if laying there is distressing. If you can't relax, get up and leave the bedroom and do something boring or soothing until you feel sleepy.

    Solving insomnia isn't easy. Check out the resources on my website.

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    4 m