Shawn Stevenson is all over the internet, social media feeds, and bestseller bookshelves with his fresh and relatable takes on family nutrition, microcultures, and attainable health and wellness tips. Today, he joins the show to spotlight his new book, the Eat Smarter Family Cookbook. We dive right into the deep end, setting the stakes on how seriously he deems our food culture to be at risk, explaining how and why cultures and microcultures affect our health and longevity. We also get Shawn’s backstory, raised in a food desert with rare and concerning health issues of his own – severe asthma, a broken hip while running track, and a degenerative disc disease diagnosis at 20. From there, Shawn shines a bright light on his miraculous recovery and resulting lifelong dedication to informing and educating the masses on his learnings. Shawn’s powerful stream of consciousness on these subjects rivals anyone in the game – informed by his rich educational background and familiarity with modern research (see links below), packed with easy everyday tips and recipes, and ignited by a palpable passion to energize people of all walks of live to get moving in the right direction. We also cover… (02:00) Inspirations for the Eat Smarter Family Cookbook  Lifestyle shifts that occur with a growing family  Processed vs. ultra-processed foods  Artificial flavors, additive colors, and glyphosate Trends in Consumption of Ultraprocessed Foods Among US Youths (Study) Commentary on Chronic Disease Prevention in 2022 (Study) The Past 200 Years in Diabetes (Study) Epigenetic influencers on gene expression  Helping families to control the controllables (22:00) Shawn’s Upbringing, Background & Diagnosis   Growing up in a food desert  Breaking his hip as a standout track athlete Diagnosed with degenerative disc disease Taking responsibility for our lives  (40:00) Getting Serious About Your Menu at Home  Exposing your family to real foods  Tricky marketing by the ultra processed food industry  The impact of blood sugar on your health Food scientists have manipulated our desire to eat tasty things Flavor as an intelligence advantage (48:00) Actionable Tips to Transforming Your Microculture  Consuming real foods should be enjoyable  Eating foods that improve our metabolic health, cognitive function, our sleep quality, etc.  How to get kids involved Cost vs. convenience vs. nutrition  Example-setting power of eating as a family  Shared Family Meals Related to the Nutritional Health of Children? (Study) Effect of Family Meals on Children’s Fruit and Vegetable Intake (Study) Strategies to make family meals rewarding and consistent Resources: Read: Eat Smarter Family Cookbook by Shawn Stevenson Read: Eat Smarter by Shawn Stevenson Instagram: @shawnmodel The Model Health Show: themodelhealthshow.com YouTube: TheShawnModel Connect with Kelly: kellyleveque.com Instagram: @bewellbykelly Facebook: www.facebook.com/bewellbykelly Be Well By Kelly is produced by Crate Media. Mentioned in this episode: Cozy Earth | Get 35% off sitewide when you use the code 'BEWELL' at CozyEarth.com. AG1 | Get 1 FREE year of Vitamin D immune support along with 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase at drinkAG1.com/BEWELL. Primal Kitchen | Visit primalkitchen.com and use the code KELLYSFAVORITES at checkout for 15% off your order of $40 or more. BWBK Protein Powder | Get $10 off your order with PODCAST10 at bewellbykelly.com.