Melanie Avalon’s Food Sense Guide is ranked as one of the top Food & Drink apps on iTunes. Often individuals face reactions to various “natural” compounds in foods that can create an array of health problems for them, from the GI tract to skin issues to neurological and hormonal imbalance. With a rating of 4.6 stars, and reaching #5 in the iTunes charts, the app helps users identify their potential food sensitivities while minimizing food reactions.
The secret behind Melanie’s innovative app is her resolve to address her own health challenges. Having struggled with food sensitivities herself (as well as labels of IBS and SIBO), Melanie was frustrated that there wasn’t a single source comparing all the different potentially problematic compounds in food, such as gluten, FODMAPs, oxalates, and lectins. So she rigorously researched the general levels of 11 potentially problematic compounds (gluten, lectins, FODMAPs, oxalates, salicyaltes, sulfites, thiols, amines, histamine, glutamates, and nightshades) in over 300 foods. The app also contains autoimmune Paleo (AIP) status.
“It was more difficult than I anticipated,” says Melanie. “I wanted to have resources for every single compound in every single food, and the scientific literature is actually often quite conflicting.”
Melanie’s journey as a SAG-AFTRA actress paved the way to her hosting the top iTunes podcasts The Intermittent Fasting Podcast (with NYT best seller co-host Gin Stephens), and The Melanie Avalon Biohacking Podcast. Collectively, the shows have received millions of downloads. The beautiful biohacker also availed the title of a published author for her book, What When Wine: Lose Weight and Feel Great with Paleo-Style Meals, Intermittent Fasting, and Wine.
“It’s still so surreal to see my book in Barnes & Noble, next to so many of my role models!” she says.
Melanie’s skills and intense desire for knowledge pushes her to explore new ideas every day. Her drive to find answers to her own health-related queries renders her a constant self-experiment, and she makes sure to intensely test brands and gadgets herself before sharing them with her audience. With her shows, she frequently interviews top figures in the health and wellness sphere, including the likes of David Sinclair, Robb Wolf, Dave Asprey, Wim Hof, Dr. Steven Gundry, Gary Taubes, James Nestor and many more. Her refreshingly unique perspective, sincerity towards her followers, and ability to cultivate their trust, are just some of the reasons behind her successful career in biohacking. As she says in her own words, “I never anticipated doing what I do now. I’m so grateful, and wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
