You’re Being Lied To About Your Food: Exposing The Industry’s Dirty Secrets | Courtney Swan

In this episode of The Art of Being Well, I get to talk with Courtney Swan, MS - Integrative Nutritionist, podcast host, and passionate food activist - to unpack what’s really happening in America’s food system. We discuss the dangers of glyphosate, GMOs, seed oils, and artificial dyes, why SNAP reform and public school nutrition are so important, and how to make real food accessible on any budget. Courtney shares her own health journey and the moment she realized the education system, and the food system, were failing people. If you’ve ever wondered whether what’s in your food is truly safe, this episode is a must-listen. You’ll walk away with tools to read food labels, shop smart, and advocate for better food for everyone.

Courtney Swan, MS, Integrative Nutritionist, is a passionate food activist working to fix America’s broken food system. As the host of the popular health and wellness podcast Realfoodology, she challenges misconceptions around nutrition, our food sources, sustainability, food policy, healthy living, and more. She is driven to dispel outdated nutrition myths that keep people stuck in unhealthy habits.

Courtney earned her Masters of Science in Nutrition and Integrative Health from Maryland University of Integrative Health. 

Her journey with nutrition began after she started suffering from debilitating gut pain, ultimately caused by an unknown gluten intolerance. This led her to question the origins of our food, and to uncover the dark side of America’s corrupt food system. She previously spent a decade in the music industry—six years as a tour manager and four years touring with artists as their on-site nutritionist, seamlessly blending her passion for nutrition with her love for music. In 2019, she left the music industry to focus entirely on transforming the food system—she could no longer ignore the mounting evidence in front of her. 

Today, Courtney is committed to exposing harmful food industry practices and advocating for life-saving alternatives like regenerative farming, organic foods, and non-GMO options. She promotes a real, whole foods approach over diet culture, making it accessible to everyone.

She currently resides in Denver, CO. You can connect with Courtney through Instagram and listen to her podcast, Realfoodology, for more insights.

A few of my favorite things we cover in this episode: 

•   Courtney’s personal journey with gut pain, gluten intolerance, and discovering real food
• The Kellogg’s protest and what it revealed about corporate food resistance
• Why removing artificial dyes is low-hanging fruit, and why it matters
• The difference between U.S. and European food policies
• How glyphosate, GMOs, and ultra-processed foods are linked to chronic health issues
• Courtney’s perspective on food accessibility, SNAP reform, and public school nutrition
• Why it's not elitist to care about real food, and how budgeting plays a role
• The conflict of interest in RD education and how food corporations influence public health messaging
• Courtney’s passion for functional nutrition, fertility health, and mitochondria
• Grocery store tips: how to read labels, prioritize organic, and shop on a budget

Links to things we talked about in this episode: 

• Find Maui Venison Bone Broth in the Broth aisle, available right now at Whole Foods stores nation wide.
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• Seed.com/willcole and use code willcole to get 25% off your first month.
• Get 30% off your first product order on Biosil.beauty website with code ‘drwillcole’.

Happy listening and we hope you learned a little bit more on the art of being well!

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In Health,

Dr. Will Cole