A Blueberry a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Vitality101 Newsletter

Hello Reader,

Move over, apples. Blueberries might be about to take over your famous health slogan.

Two recent studies are shining a spotlight on a group of powerful dietary compounds called phenols, and the results are juicy. These natural substances are found in some of our favorite foods, including dark berries, red wine, tea, coffee, dark chocolate, nuts, and vegetables. Even your gut bacteria make phenols (yes, your microbiome is more talented than we give it credit for). And if some of these names sound familiar—dopamine, serotonin, adrenaline—that’s because several of the most famous feel-good brain chemicals are, in fact, phenols.

Although medical science has known about phenols for decades, their importance is only now beginning to reach the mainstream research spotlight. It’s a bit like when vitamins were first discovered. And now suddenly everyone is asking, “How did we miss this?” As it turns out, phenols may play an important role in protecting your heart, metabolism, brain, and more.

Confidence & Beauty Summit

If you’ve been struggling with exhaustion, chronic pain, or thinning hair — you’re not imagining it. These symptoms are deeply connected.

In my talk at the Confidence and Beauty Summit: Real Root Cause Resolutions That Reverse Women’s Hair Loss Naturally, I share how stress and energy crises in the body trigger a domino effect of hormonal and nutritional imbalances that lead to hair loss, weight gain, and low libido.

You’ll learn how chronic stress impacts the hypothalamus — your body’s “master switch” for hormones, sleep, and energy — and how to restore balance using natural, research-backed solutions. We’ll cover how to rebuild energy, support your immune system, and help your body heal from within.

Join me for this empowering conversation that will give you hope and practical steps to feel strong, vibrant, and confident again.

Finally Asleep: A Step-by-Step Guide to Overcoming Insomnia Naturally

— a New Book by Shirley Plant

For people living with fibromyalgia, a full night of restful sleep can feel out of reach. Natural remedies and even prescription treatments may offer relief for some, but many still struggle to get the rest their bodies desperately need.

If you’re struggling with severe insomnia that hasn’t responded to other treatments—or you’re simply sensitive to anything taken by mouth—here’s a new approach that may help you finally get the sleep you’ve been missing.

Shirley Plant knows the struggle of sleepless nights firsthand. As a nutritionist living with fibromyalgia and severe, stubborn insomnia, she searched for answers when medication and supplements failed her. What finally changed her life wasn’t a medication at all. It was light.

Shirley believes modern life bombards us with “junk light,” disrupting our sleep just as junk food harms our health. In her book Finally Asleep, she introduces a structured program, starting with seeing the sunrise, in a way that helps people reset their sleep-wake cycle and restore deeper sleep.

For people living with fibromyalgia, a full night of restful sleep can feel out of reach. Natural remedies and even prescription treatments may offer relief for some, but many still struggle to get the rest their bodies desperately need.

If you’re struggling with severe insomnia that hasn’t responded to other treatments—or you’re simply sensitive to anything taken by mouth—here’s a new approach that may help you finally get the sleep you’ve been missing.

Shirley Plant knows the struggle of sleepless nights firsthand. As a nutritionist living with fibromyalgia and severe, stubborn insomnia, she searched for answers when medication and supplements failed her. What finally changed her life wasn’t a medication at all. It was light.

Shirley believes modern life bombards us with “junk light,” disrupting our sleep just as junk food harms our health. In her book Finally Asleep, she introduces a structured program, starting with seeing the sunrise, in a way that helps people reset their sleep-wake cycle and restore deeper sleep.

Question to Dr. T on Getting Off Ambien

Question:

I have fibromyalgia. I have been taking Ambien (10 mg) for three years and would like to stop taking it.  Would one of your sleep aids help me in that? I take also nortriptyline (10 mg) 1x day,  buspirone (5 mg) 1x day for anxiety (which doesn’t help), and Norco (10 mg) 1/2 tab 3-4 times a day.

Answer:

If you’re coming off Ambien, the key is going slow. I usually suggest lowering the dose by just 2.5 mg every couple of months, and slowing down even more if you need to. Stopping cold turkey is rough and often leads to a nasty stretch of rebound insomnia—sometimes a full 7–10 nights of barely sleeping.

Do you have a question for Dr. T? Visit Ask Dr. T at our website and send it to us (if a generally helpful question, we may ask for your permission to publish it here anonymously).

Featured This Week

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