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The Habit Healers

The Habit Healers

Written by: Laurie Marbas MD MBA
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 Welcome to The Habit Healers Podcast—where transformation starts with a single habit. Hosted by Dr. Laurie Marbas, this podcast is for anyone ready to break free from chronic health struggles, rewire their habits, and create lasting healing. Through powerful stories, science-backed strategies, and real-world tools, we dive deep into the micro shifts that lead to massive health transformations. You’ll learn how to heal beyond prescriptions—how to nourish your body, reprogram your mind, and build the habits that make vibrant health effortless. Whether you’re looking to reverse disease, boost energy, or finally make health a way of life, this podcast will show you how. Because true healing isn’t about willpower—it’s about design. And you’re always just one healing habit away.

drlauriemarbas.substack.comLaurie Marbas, MD, MBA Alternative & Complementary Medicine Hygiene & Healthy Living
Episodes
  • Increasing omega-3s in your food with Chef Martin Oswald

    Increasing omega-3s in your food with Chef Martin Oswald
    Feb 21 2026
    Thank you Marg KJ, Afsi, Lydia R, Tony, and many others for tuning into my live video with Chef Martin Oswald! This week on Habit Healers Live, Chef Martin and I turned brain science into brain food, literally. Inspired by Dr. Dominic Ng’s recommendations for the Brain Health Substack Summit happening next week, Chef Martin prepared two stunning salmon dishes designed to preserve omega-3 fatty acids and pack as many brain-boosting ingredients as possible into every bite.The result? Seven of Dr. Ng’s recommended brain health ingredients in a single recipe. Here’s what we learned.The Science Behind Today’s CookDr. Ng’s brain health food list breaks down into several key categories, and Chef Martin built today’s dishes around them:Gut-Brain Axis: Kimchi, kefir, sauerkraut, and leeks — Chef Martin chose leeks as the foundation for his vegetable sides.Cerebrovascular Blood Flow (or as I put it, “blood to the brain”): Roasted beets, spinach, and kale — beets and spinach both made it into today’s dishes.Neuroinflammation: Extra virgin olive oil, berries, and turmeric — olive oil was used in cooking, and turmeric appeared in the French spice blend.Neuroplasticity: Sardines and anchovies — a Moroccan sardine dish is coming later this week (stay tuned!).Neurotransmitters: Eggs, pumpkin seeds, and turkey — eggs showed up in the gribiche sauce, and crushed pumpkin seeds became the crust on the salmon.Dish #1: Pumpkin Seed-Crusted Salmon with Sauce GribicheChef Martin’s first dish was a thick-cut Atlantic salmon fillet with a crushed pumpkin seed crust, served over water-sautéed leeks, French lentils, beets, and spinach, topped with a classic French sauce gribiche.Key Cooking Tips for Preserving Omega-3sWhy it matters: Omega-3 fatty acids begin to oxidize at around 160°F. The whole goal is to cook salmon slowly at lower heat to preserve these essential brain nutrients.Cook skin-side down first. The skin acts as a protective barrier, shielding the omega-3-rich oils from direct heat. Sear skin-side down for 5–7 minutes on medium heat.Don’t flip too early. If the skin sticks, it’s not ready. When properly cooked, the salmon will release from the pan on its own. Use a stainless steel pan. Chef Martin recommends stainless steel to avoid particles from coated pans breaking off with use.Bring fish to room temperature first. Let salmon sit out for about 30 minutes before cooking. Cold fish won’t cook evenly, it’ll stay raw in the center.Sear the sides. A restaurant trick: briefly press the sides of the salmon against the pan to seal all around. This prevents those white protein spots from forming on top.Use the paper towel trick. After cooking, rest the salmon on a paper towel to absorb the oxidized cooking oil before plating. This is what the best restaurant chefs do.Check temperature: For home cooks, use a thermometer — 125°F is the target for medium-rare salmon that preserves the most omega-3s.Oven method alternative: You can also slow-bake salmon at 250°F for about 45 minutes (for a one-inch fillet). It comes out buttery, creamy, and incredibly nutrient-rich.About Sauce GribicheThe word of the day! Gribiche (G-R-I-B-I-C-H-E) is a classic French sauce made with hard-boiled eggs (for choline and neurotransmitter support), capers, parsley, shallots, mustard, and apple cider vinegar. The acidity of the sauce balances the richness of the salmon, a key flavor profiling principle.The Vegetable SideChef Martin kept this intentionally low-calorie to balance the richness of the fish: leeks cut into strips and water-sautéed (no butter, no oil), French lentils (recommended by Dr. Chris Miller for fiber), pre-cooked beets (for nitrates and cerebrovascular blood flow), and fresh spinach wilted in at the end.Get the full recipe for the Pumpkin Seed–Crusted Salmon with Sauce Gribiche, Roasted Beets & Leeks here. Dish #2: Matcha Salmon Noodle BowlThe second dish was inspired by Dr. Julie Brantantoni’s recommendations. Chef Martin used the belly portions of the salmon, the fattiest part with the highest concentration of omega-3s, cut into small, fingernail-sized pieces and cooked very quickly to avoid oxidizing those delicate fats.What’s in the BowlThe base is konjac noodles (also called sweet potato starch noodles), a great option for anyone managing blood sugar, as they have essentially no carbohydrates. Just rinse with hot water and they’re ready.The star is a matcha dressing made with matcha, tahini, garlic, ginger, and date syrup. Chef Martin’s advice from legendary German chef Witzigmann: when you name a sauce after an ingredient, that ingredient should be the star. Let the matcha shine.Finished with shiitake mushrooms sautéed in a touch of sesame oil (only about 30 calories to flavor an entire dish, compared to 120 calories of olive oil for the same impact), leeks, spinach, hemp seeds (plant-based omega-3s and protein, added at the very end to preserve nutrients), black ...
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    50 mins
  • Why Is Pickleball Sending So Many People to the Emergency Room?

    Why Is Pickleball Sending So Many People to the Emergency Room?
    Feb 18 2026

    In this episode, I’m digging into a question that sounds almost absurd until you look at the data: why is pickleball—arguably the “sweetest, safest-looking” sport in the park—sending so many people to the emergency room?

    Pickleball looks harmless. The court is small. The serve is underhand. The ball is basically a wiffle ball. And yet, ER records tell a different story: fractures (especially wrists), sprains, strains, and a pattern that’s hard to ignore—older adults showing up for pickleball injuries at rates that started to rival tennis. I walk through what’s really happening, and why the sport’s design quietly creates the perfect setup for falls, tendon overload, and sudden-stop injuries.

    I explain how two rules—the double bounce and the kitchen—shape the way your body has to move: quick lunges, short sprints, abrupt decelerations, and reactive steps at the net. It doesn’t look like sprinting, but it often acts like sprinting in bursts. And that mismatch—between what the game demands and what many bodies are prepared for—is where trouble starts.

    But I’m not here to villainize pickleball. In fact, I make the case for why it’s one of the most powerful “stealth health” activities out there: it’s fun enough that people actually show up, it can hit moderate intensity, and studies suggest benefits for lower-body power, cognition, and even chronic pain when it’s introduced with a smart ramp-up. The problem isn’t pickleball—it’s the gap between enthusiasm and preparation.

    We also get specific about the injuries that worry clinicians: the Achilles rupture story (tendons adapt slowly, even when you feel “fit”), the rare-but-serious eye injuries that can threaten vision, and the overuse problems the ER doesn’t capture—things like tennis elbow and shoulder tendinopathy that creep in when you play back-to-back without recovery.

    And then I give you the practical fix: how to make pickleball safer without ruining the fun. I walk through a simple warm-up framework (RAMP), the strength and balance basics that reduce fall risk, and the small decisions that matter more than people realize—court shoes, gradual play-time build, rest days, and yes, eye protection if you’re living at the net.

    This isn’t about playing harder. It’s about playing longer.Dr. Marbas Substack: https://drlauriemarbas.substack.com/

    A Big Thank You To Our Sponsors:

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    16 mins
  • Anti-inflammatory foods for your brain with Chef Martin Oswald

    Anti-inflammatory foods for your brain with Chef Martin Oswald
    Feb 12 2026
    Thank you Marg KJ, Afsi, Sherrie McGraw, Eve Franco, Tony, and many others for tuning into my live video with Chef Martin Oswald! Brain Food That Actually Tastes Good: A Feast for Your Neurons (and Tastebuds)We went live today from Las Vegas to Vienna, and if you missed it, you missed a masterclass on how to turn “medical advice” into a culinary masterpiece.We are gearing up for the Brain Summit (Feb 23rd–28th), where we’ll be interviewing experts like Annie Fenn, MD , Jud Brewer MD PhD , Chris Miller MD, Julie Fratantoni, PhD, and Dr. Dominic Ng. But today wasn’t just about talking science; it was about putting Dr. Chris Miller’s anti-inflammatory protocols directly onto a plate.The goal? Decreasing stroke risk, fighting atherosclerosis, and keeping those blood vessels wide open to feed your brain.Here is the breakdown of the “strategic dishes” Chef Martin whipped up.The Strategy: Avoiding “Flavor Fatigue”Chef Martin Oswald introduced a fascinating concept today: Flavor Fatigue.When you eat a dish that tastes exactly the same from the first bite to the last, your palate gets bored. To keep healthy eating exciting, you need layers. You need a mix of hot and cold, cooked and raw, spicy and tart.Here is how he built the ultimate Anti-Inflammatory Bowl.1. The Roasted BaseMartin didn’t just throw veggies on a pan; he layered the antioxidants:* The Power Move: He started with cauliflower (cruciferous) and dusted it with turmeric.* The Fiber: Chickpeas went in for their soluble fiber to help grab cholesterol and feed gut bacteria.* The Spice: He used Garam Masala. It’s Martin’s favorite spice blend because it is loaded with high-polyphenol spices like clove.Chef’s Tip: Watch your oil. Instead of free-pouring olive oil, Martin suggests using a teaspoon or even a splash of water to keep the calorie density low, which is crucial for stroke prevention.2. The “Raw” element (Vital for Vitamin C)Here is something we often forget: Vitamin C is heat-sensitive. If you cook your peppers or fruits, you lose a significant amount of that nutrient.To solve this, Martin created a raw Purple Coleslaw right in the middle of the bowl:* The Crunch: Red cabbage (the cheapest, most effective antioxidant bang for your buck).* The Surprise: He added blueberries directly into the slaw instead of raisins.* The Dressing: A mix of tahini, lemon juice, and a touch of date syrup to break down the cabbage fibers.3. The Endothelial BoostersTo finish the bowl, he added cooked beets and raw arugula. Why? Nitrates. These are essential for the endothelial lining of your blood vessels, ensuring good blood flow to the brain.Get the Full Anti-Inflammatory Bowl Recipe Here.Dessert: “Carolyn’s Clafoutis” (The Healthy Remake)We can’t talk brain health without talking about berries. Dr. Jud Brewer loves them, and so do we.Martin’s wife, Carolyn, makes a healthy version of the classic French Clafoutis, that usually loaded with heavy cream, butter, and sugar. Martin is sharing her recipe and how she turned it into a brain-healthy powerhouse without sacrificing that custard-like texture.The 5-Ingredient Fix:* Frozen Blueberries: He used frozen because they are picked at peak ripeness and retain their nutrients.* The Liquid: Almond milk (or oat milk) mixed with a little yogurt for acidity.* The Binder: Tapioca flour (or arrowroot) mixed with almond flour.* The Omega-3s: Soaked ground flaxseeds.* The Sweetener: A touch of date sugar or maple syrup.The result? A purple, custard-like treat that melts in your mouth, minus the saturated fat.Eat the RainbowBy the time Martin finished plating, we counted nearly 15 different plants in just one meal. From the shiitake mushrooms to the fresh parsley garnish, this is what gut diversity looks like.Read my article on “The Rainbow Plate: A System So Simple It Will Change the Way You Eat Forever”Coming Up NextWe are back next Wednesday for another live cooking session. We’ve covered veggies and berries; next week, we are diving into healthy fats. Martin will be demonstrating the smart way to cook Salmon (for those who eat fish) so you don’t destroy the delicate Omega-3s with high heat.See you then! Get full access to The Habit Healers at drlauriemarbas.substack.com/subscribe
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    52 mins
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