#58 - From “Not Sick” to Optimal: Dr. Melissa Piercell on nutrition that upgrades performance
Today’s guest is Performance Nutrition Specialist Dr. Melissa Piercell
Melissa is solving the “I’m functioning but not thriving” problem—where high performers feel tired, inflamed, foggy, or stuck with weight/metabolic issues because modern stress + ultra-processed food + hidden toxins quietly push them toward “not sick” instead of healthy and optimal. Her approach is to identify gaps (often via blood work), reduce toxic load, and build realistic nutrition routines that support energy, mood, and long-term disease prevention.
In today’s conversation Melissa Piercell explores how we move along the health spectrum from disease → not sick → healthy → optimal using practical, high-impact nutrition and lifestyle changes. She and Dr. Wells unpack epigenetics (how lifestyle influences gene expression), why toxins and processed foods can amplify inflammation, and how digestion and “detox” really work in day-to-day life. Melissa shares simple rules for hydration, fiber, fats for brain health, stress routines, and time-restricted eating—tools that help busy people perform better without getting extreme.
You will learn how epigenetics connects daily habits (stress, food, toxins) to long-term health outcomes. You will learn practical “detox” fundamentals—especially the role of daily elimination, fiber, and hydration. You will learn how fats (omega-3 vs omega-6, trans fats, and cooking oils) influence brain function and inflammation. You will learn why chronic stress changes immunity, recovery, and metabolism—and how routines support hormonal rhythms. You will learn realistic strategies for weight/body composition (including time-restricted eating and “no eating after dinner”).
You will discover that the biggest breakthroughs often come from small, repeatable upgrades—like consistent sleep timing, daily fiber + water, and nutrient-dense meals—because these changes reduce physiological stress and improve how your body adapts over time.
Melissa helps listeners solve the challenge of feeling depleted in a high-demand life—by turning nutrition into a realistic system that stabilizes energy, mood, digestion, and performance (even when schedules are chaotic).
Key take aways:
Don’t chase perfect—build routines your hormones can predict.
Aim for daily fiber and one complete bowel movement.
Drink roughly half your bodyweight (lbs) in ounces.
Eat more omega-3s; avoid trans fats and overheated oils.
Stop eating after dinner—your metabolism will thank you.
Today’s guest is Performance Nutrition Specialist Dr. Melissa Piercell
Dr. Melissa Piercell is a Toronto-based Naturopathic Doctor (ND) with a background in neuroscience and more than 15 years of clinical experience. She runs a private practice focused on helping professionals and athletes improve health and performance, and she serves as the Naturopathic Doctor for The National Ballet of Canada. In her clinical work she uses individualized nutrition planning, supplementation protocols, and modalities such as acupuncture and lifestyle counselling to help patients progress from “not sick” to truly optimal.
Melissa’s approach is distinct because it blends high-performance thinking with real-life practicality: she looks for the smallest changes that create the biggest physiological payoff—especially around nutrient status, inflammation, digestion, and stress biology. Rather than generic advice, she emphasizes individualized plans (often informed by blood work and symptoms) and builds sustainable routines that support energy, brain function, immunity, and long-term disease prevention.
One actionable takeaway from today’s conversation is to pick one non-negotiable daily anchor for the next 14 days: eat 4 big handfuls of vegetables per day (add to every meal). This single habit increases fiber and antioxidant intake, supports detoxification/elimination, and improves nutrient density without requiring perfection.
Follow Dr. Melissa Piercell on Instagram & Linked In.
Check out her website.
This podcast contains advice and information relating to health and wellness. It should be used to supplement rather than replace the advice of your doctor or another trained health professional. If you know or suspect that you have a health problem, seek your physician’s advice before embarking on any medical program or treatment. All efforts have been made to assure the accuracy of the information contained in this podcast / interview / article as of the date of publication. The author and publisher disclaim liability for any medical or other outcomes that may occur as a result of applying the methods suggested in this material.
