Trust, Emotional Eating & the Nervous System (with Julie Daniluk) | Embodied Podcast

Some conversations feel like nourishment.

In this episode of Embodied, I’m joined by my friend Julie Daniluk—Holistic Nutritionist, bestselling author, and someone who has helped tens of thousands of people shift their relationship with inflammation, sugar, and the nervous system… with both science and compassion.

This season is devoted to trust—trust in ourselves, in life, in the body, in the timing of our becoming. And what I loved about this conversation is how practical and human it is. We talk about the exact moments where trust gets difficult: the moment before a binge, the moment before blame, the moment before you reach for anything that promises relief.

And then we explore what it looks like to widen that moment—so choice can return.

About Julie Daniluk

Holistic Nutritionist Julie Daniluk hosts Healthy Gourmet, a reality cooking show shown in over 78 countries. Her award-winning bestseller, Meals That Heal Inflammation, has helped over 100,000 people enjoy allergy-free foods that taste great. Julie’s book Hot Detox was the #1 Canadian health book in 2017 with 11 weeks on the bestseller list.

She has appeared on hundreds of television and radio shows, including The Dr. Oz Show, and is a resident nutrition expert for The Marilyn Denis Show.

Find recipes and nutrition tips at juliedaniluk.com, and connect with Julie on social media @juliedaniluk.

What we explored in this episode

1) Trust isn’t a thought. It’s a body state.

Julie shares how cravings, anxiety, and “I can’t handle this” urgency can be deeply linked to the nervous system—and how vagus-nerve-supportive practices can create a buffer so you’re not always living on the edge of a precipice.

We talk about simple regulation tools Julie uses in her “habit stack,” including practices like humming, tapping, and other grounding rituals that bring you back into rest-and-digest.

2) Emotional eating isn’t a lack of discipline—it’s an attempt to care for pain.

Julie speaks candidly about her own history with emotional eating and disordered patterns, and how healing began when she built pylons before the crash—small, doable coping steps that interrupt the autopilot spiral.

What stayed with me: the idea that you don’t need to be perfect. You just need one more conscious moment than you had yesterday.

3) The myth (and danger) of “intuitive eating” in a hyper-processed world

This was such an important nuance: Julie distinguishes between true inner guidance and cravings shaped by ultra-processed foods and gut imbalance.

In other words: sometimes what we call “intuition” is actually conditioning, chemistry, or a nervous system seeking relief.

4) Blood sugar balance as a foundation for emotional steadiness

We talk about why blood sugar stability can change your whole emotional landscape—clarity, mood, resilience, even that “calm confidence” you feel when your system is steady.

Julie also shares a simple sequence that many people find helpful:
fiber → fat → protein → carbs (last, if you’re having them)
(As always, experiment gently and listen to your body.)

5) Perimenopause, the “crone era,” and the rise of the no-bullshit truth

This part made me laugh and exhale at the same time.

We talk about how hormonal shifts can intensify the urge to blame or react, and how the real practice becomes expanding the moment of choice—so you can express what’s true without making it someone else’s fault.

Julie shares a surprisingly effective relational tool: naming what’s happening without aiming it at your partner—so the truth can move, without becoming an attack.

6) Why women’s friendships are literal medicine

Julie says it plainly: deep conversations with women are soul food. We close the episode on the power of female friendship, reflection, and being witnessed—because trust is not only built inside us. It’s also built between us.

A few favorite lines from our conversation

• “It’s not that temptations go away. It’s that you build pylons before the crash.”

• “Nothing tastes as good as healthy feels.”

• “The pressure’s a privilege. I get to do this.”

• “Women help women live longer.”

Listen to the episode

If you’ve been navigating cravings, anxiety, perimenopause intensity, emotional coping patterns, or simply that tender longing to feel more steady inside yourself—this episode will meet you kindly.

 Listen now:  

Connect with Julie

• Website: juliedaniluk.com

• Support group: thrivewithjulie.com

• Instagram/social: @juliedaniluk

Gentle note

This episode is for education and inspiration and isn’t medical advice. If you’re dealing with significant symptoms or complex health concerns, it can be supportive to work with a qualified healthcare professional who can see your full picture.