Cutting Edge Nutrition
Week of July 18, 2026
Nutritional Resilience & PerformanceNutritional Resilience & Performance
Saliva is far more than a digestive fluid—it is a dynamic biological system involved in oral immunity, microbial balance, digestive signaling, and the body’s broader stress-response network. In this research-informed session, explore how chronic stress, anxiety, and dietary patterns can alter saliva flow and composition, potentially influencing digestion, immune defense, recovery, and overall resilience. Participants will examine the emerging science linking saliva to homeostasis, mucosal immunity, and nutritional status, while also identifying hidden dietary and lifestyle factors that may compromise this first line of defense. You will leave the presentation with actionable steps to support healthy saliva production, strengthen resilience, and optimize digestive and immune function.
Unlocking the Keys to Eat This, Feel That! – Parts I & II
Food does more than provide fuel—it influences neurotransmitters, blood sugar regulation, circadian rhythm, inflammatory signaling, and the physiologic state in which we move through the day. In this two-part session, participants will explore the relationship between food choices and measurable outcomes such as energy, mood, focus, sleep quality, stress response, immune resilience, and travel recovery. Through the framework of Eat THIS, Feel THAT, Perform like THIS, this program examines how strategic eating can help stabilize mid-afternoon fatigue, support calmer nervous system function, improve sleep readiness, and enhance performance capacity. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of how to align food choices with the demands of the next few hours—and ultimately, with the life and health they are designing.
Patti T. Milligan, PhD, RD, CNS, has been in the nutrition field for 38 years. She just completed her doctorate in Neuroscience of Taste with her thesis on saliva and its impact on jet lag and kids’ taste buds. She has conducted nutritional research with US national athletes, as well as created and taught corporate wellness programs throughout the US and Europe. She has authored hundreds of articles and has appeared on numerous national TV news segments. She consults with high level executives and C level leadership on human resilience, performance brain nutrition and regenerative nutrition protocols.