You're Great with Unique Hammond

In This Episode:
In today’s episode, I’m catching up with Audrey, a client turned health coach whose story perfectly illustrates the power of alignment. Audrey shares her incredible two-year journey, which began with severe SIBO, hormonal issues, and extreme noise around wellness, and transformed into a life of complete health, deep spiritual peace, and abundant joy.
We explore how she moved from a state of chronic fear to profound inner calm, using the Bean Protocol alongside a spiritual awakening to find a simple, whole-person approach to healing. This conversation is a beautiful reminder of the power of intuition, the beauty of simple nourishment, and the resilience of the human spirit.
Key Topics Discussed:
The Initial Struggle: Audrey’s journey back in 2021, battling severe SIBO, hormonal acne, no period for five years, and the mental/emotional stress of complex, restrictive wellness protocols (like low FODMAP).
The Power of Simplicity: How she discovered that complex protocols were fueling her perfectionism and why the simple, humble bean became a cornerstone of both her physical and symbolic spiritual healing.
The Nervous System Connection: Audrey’s powerful realization that her chronic gut issues were tied to a baseline of fear and a dysregulated nervous system—and how the Bean Protocol provided an almost instantaneous feeling of calm she had never experienced.
A Call to Alignment: The decision to listen to her intuitive voice, quit her corporate job, and move across the country to Colorado, and how this act of trust led to a profound spiritual awakening.
Spirituality & Healing: A beautiful discussion on how opening herself to spirituality (finding her connection through Christianity and reading the Book of John) quieted the inner fear, brought back her period, and gave her a true sense of reverence for her body.
Divine Guidance and Intuition: We talk about seeing intuition as the voice of a higher power and learning to trust that your path is often preordained, allowing you to focus just on showing up today.
Food Freedom Defined: How Audrey’s relationship with food has changed from "perfect" restriction to "true" food freedom—using beautiful, abundant nutrients from the earth so she can go live her life and fulfill her calling.
Redefining Food Tolerance: A great discussion on reintroducing foods like sourdough gluten and finding joy in savory, nourishing meals.
Coming Full Circle: Audrey shares her exciting plans to move back home to North Carolina as a completely whole and integrated person, rewriting her story in the place where her healing journey began.
The Miracle of Timing: Audrey reveals her incredible "love story" with her partner, Austin—a path of divine connection that began when they were just 16.
Connect with Unique:
Visit www.youregreat.com to explore resources and learn more about working with me and my company The Bean Protocol ™.
Follow Unique on Instagram: @uniquehammond
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Connect with Audrey:
Follow Audrey on Instagram: @naturalblondi

Unique catches up with her client Nicole, a 57-year-old physiotherapist from South Australia who successfully healed her gallbladder, reversed severe fatty liver, eliminated pancreatitis, cured chronic eczema, and resolved metabolic syndrome using the Bean Protocol—all without surgery or medication. Huzzah!
Key Discussion Highlights
The Turnaround Moment: After ending up in the ER with a blocked bile duct and being scheduled for gallbladder removal, Nicole chose to discharge herself and find a root-cause solution.
Reversing "Irreversible" Conditions: Bloodwork and scans confirmed her fatty liver was gone in 6 months, her metabolic syndrome/pre-diabetes reversed, and her severe foot eczema disappeared in 3 months.
The Role of Fiber & Soluble Beans: How dedicated soluble fiber intake binds to bile, clears toxins, lowers cholesterol (Nicole’s dropped from 7.2 to 3.6), and supports liver detoxification.
Overcoming Coffee Dependency: Nicole details her journey off coffee (a staple during her 8-year battle with chronic/adrenal fatigue) and how breaking caffeine addiction restored her baseline daily energy.
Active Aging & Muscle Building: Nicole shares how she built 2 kg of lean muscle mass in her late 50s through resistance training and cycling, debunking age-related decline myths.
Practical Travel Hacks: How Nicole dehydrates her own home-cooked bean stews and packs freeze-dried chicken breast to stick to her health boundaries while traveling or camping.
Links & Resources Mentioned:
Unique’s 12-Week women's Fiber healing group w/ Karen Hurd.
https://www.youregreat.com/join-the-bean-protocol#register-here
Timestamps
00:00 – Refusing Gallbladder Removal & Welcome Back
02:15 – Unique’s Hiatus & Summer Reflection
04:10 – Announcement: 12-Week Women’s Health Group Enrollment
06:45 – Introducing Nicole: A Physiotherapist’s Belief in Body Self-Healing
09:30 – Root Canals, Infection, and 8 Years of Chronic Fatigue
13:10 – The ER Crisis: Blocked Bile Duct & Discharging Herself
16:20 – Discovering the Bean Protocol & Reversing Gallbladder Pain
19:05 – Dropping Cholesterol from 7.2 to 3.6 in 6 Months
21:40 – Reversing Eczema, Fatty Liver, and Fatty Pancreas
25:15 – Kicking the Coffee Addiction: Restoring Natural Energy
30:00 – Reversing Pre-Diabetic Markers & Metabolic Syndrome
34:20 – Building Muscle & Resistance Training in Menopause (At 57)
38:10 – The Ultimate Travel Hack: Dehydrating Beans & Freeze-Dried Chicken
43:00 – Chrononutrition & Pre-Gaming Treats (Gelato, Wine, & Sugar)
47:30 – Final Thoughts: Choosing Health Over Comfort

More on Nicole Brammy- https://corephysio.com.au

Deanna Minich, PhD, joins the podcast to discuss the critical intersection of circadian rhythms, hormone health, and phytonutrients. She breaks down the "Hierarchy of Health"—starting with Time, moving to the Endocrine System, and finally Metabolism. The conversation explores why light and dark should be treated as essential nutrients and how women in mid-life can use "chrono-nutrition" to navigate hormonal shifts like perimenopause.
The Power of Purples and Phytonutrients
The Rare Color: Blue and purple foods are the rarest in nature; 88% of people are deficient in these specific phytonutrients.
Brain Benefits: These compounds (polyphenols, flavonoids) are essential for cognition, memory, and mood.
Beyond Macros: Nutrition isn't just about protein, carbs, and fats; the thousands of phytonutrients in plants act as signaling molecules for our microbiome and genes.
The Hierarchy of Health: Time First
The Sequence: 1. Time (Circadian Rhythm) → 2. Endocrine System (Hormones) → 3. Cellular Processes (Metabolism).
The Problem: Most people try to fix metabolism (weight loss) or hormones (HRT) without first fixing their relationship with
Time.Circadian Syndrome: A modern condition involving disrupted sleep, mood issues, and metabolic dysfunction caused by "bucking nature."

Light and Dark as Nutrients
Lux Levels: Outdoor light (even on a cloudy day) can be 10,000 lux, while indoor light is often a meager 500 lux.
Morning Rituals: Sunlight in the morning stops melatonin and triggers the "Cortisol Awakening Response" to give us energy.
Darkness Deficiency: Over-exposure to artificial light at night acts as an endocrine disruptor, interfering with reproductive health and testosterone levels.
Chrono-Nutrition: The "When" of Eating
Melatonin vs. Insulin: As melatonin rises at night, insulin sensitivity drops. Eating large meals in the dark makes it harder for the body to process carbohydrates.
The 1-Hour Rule: Dr. Minich suggests hydrating immediately upon waking (with minerals) and waiting about an hour before the first meal to let digestive juices prime.
Eating with the Light: A simple rule of thumb—try to finish your last meal before or shortly after sunset.
Melatonin: More Than a Sleep Aid
Mitochondrial Shield: Melatonin is a master antioxidant that protects the "mother of the cell"—the mitochondria.
The Decline: By age 50, we produce only about 10% of the melatonin we had during puberty.
Supplementation: Dr. Minich discusses "Herbatonin" (plant-based melatonin) and why low-dose supplementation (0.3mg) can be a longevity strategy rather than just a sleep fix.
Connect with Dr. Deanna Minich:
Instagram: @deannaminich
You can sign up for legume love letters HERE
Enjoy! Unique
www.youregreat.com

In this episode, Unique Hammond sits down with Rick, who recently celebrated an incredible milestone: six years of stability on the Bean Protocol. Rick’s journey began in 2018 with a dire prognosis. Diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC)—a rare autoimmune liver condition—and Hemolytic Anemia, doctors told him nutrition couldn’t fix his condition and that he was facing the removal of both his liver and spleen.
Rick shares the raw reality of his medical trauma, spending months in the hospital, and the turning point when he decided to take his health into his own hands. Today, he lives a full life as an author and musician, proving that even with a "medical nightmare" diagnosis, there is a path toward grace, grit, and healing.
Highlights:
The "Mud and Rocks" Philosophy: A beautiful analogy for healing—you can't always get the "mud" out of a container, but you can fill it with enough "clean rocks" until that's mostly what remains.
Beating the Odds: How Rick moved his reticulocyte count (blood cell death rate) from a dangerous 20 down to a healthy range in 17 months.
The Medical vs. Nutritional Dialogue: Navigating a world where specialists said, "I've never seen nutrition fix this."
Trauma and Somatic Healing: Discussing the "T-line" of medical trauma and how emotional release is often the final key to a physical plateau.
The "Love Letter" to Your Body: Shifting perspective from "dieting" to viewing every meal as a love letter to your organism.Impact on the Gut-Liver AxisBile Acid Metabolism: Because PSC affects the ducts, it disrupts the normal metabolism of bile acids, which can negatively impact intestinal motility.Systemic Health: Imbalances in the gut microbiome and liver function can affect multiple "gut axes," including immune health, metabolism, and the brain.Secondary Effects: The disruption in bile flow can lead to an overabundance of detrimental bacteria, such as Proteobacteria, which promote systemic inflammation.
Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment

C. Rick Vella is a multi-talented creator whose life is a blend of music, storytelling, and hands-on craftsmanship. A veteran songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Rick spent over a decade touring the U.S. and recording 17 albums before expanding his creative reach into children’s book authorship, property investment, and even stand-up comedy.
But beneath the surface of a prolific creative career, Rick was navigating a harrowing health battle with a rare liver disease and hemolytic anemia. These challenges shifted his perspective from "managing illness" to "building resilience." Today, Rick shares how he uses creativity and foundational health to stay grounded and uplift others. A true overcomer, he lives by a simple mission: to leave every person and project better than he found them.

You can find out more about The Bean Protocol and working with Unique Hammond - www.youregreat.com

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Is histamine the villain of the health world, or a vital messenger your body can’t live without? In this episode, Unique Hammond sits down with Dr. Laura G. to demystify Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) and histamine intolerance. Dr. Laura shares her personal journey from "allergic to life" in Austin, Texas, to finding health through nomadic living and clinical expertise.
We dive deep into why the "pushing through" culture fuels the flame of inflammation, the surprising link between mast cells and mental health (anxiety, ADHD, insomnia), and how simple lifestyle shifts—like soluble fiber and blood sugar stability—can calm your immune system.
Key Topics Discussed:
What is Histamine? Why we need it for sleep, hormones, and digestion.
The "Histamine Bucket" Analogy: How stress, infections (like Long COVID), and environment overflow your system.
The Mental Health Connection: How histamine acts as a neurotransmitter triggering panic attacks and OCD.
Modern Triggers: Why Austin’s "Cedar Fever" and mold can be a tipping point.
Practical Tools: The role of soluble fiber (the "trash bag" for toxins), freezing leftovers, and the "New Salt" hack for potassium.
Exercise Intolerance: How to stay active without triggering a massive histamine flare.
Resources Mentioned:
Dr. Laura G.’s Website: www.drlauragouge.com
Unique Hammond (The Bean Protocol): https://www.youregreat.com
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