On this episode of White Mountain Garden Talk, we sat down with Dr. Sexton from Compass Health Clinic for a powerful conversation about nutrition, natural healing, and why food truly is medicine. We talked about how modern farming practices, processed foods, and nutrient-depleted soils have led to widespread vitamin and mineral deficiencies—and how those imbalances often show up as fatigue, inflammation, brain fog, and chronic health issues. One of the biggest takeaways was that symptoms are not the enemy; they’re your body’s way of asking for support.

We spent time digging into what’s actually in our food today, from artificial sweeteners like aspartame to preservatives, dyes, and misleading “natural flavors” that are banned in other countries but still allowed in the U.S. Dr. Sexton explained why blindly taking supplements can sometimes do more harm than good and why whole, unprocessed foods—especially those grown locally and in healthy soil—are the best foundation for long-term wellness. Reading labels, cooking at home, and slowing down around food came up again and again as simple but powerful steps anyone can take.

One of the most fascinating parts of the show was Dr. Sexton’s philosophy behind his upcoming book, Eat Like a Bear. The idea is that our bodies thrive when we eat seasonally, locally, and in a way that aligns with our ancestry—just like bears do in different regions. Not everyone should eat the same diet, and extreme food trends miss that reality. This conversation was a great reminder that real health comes from reconnecting with our food, our environment, and our own intuition—and sometimes the best way forward is getting back to the basics.