This month on Metabolically Speaking, we’re joined by pediatric neuropsychologist Dr. Kendra Bjoraker. With specialized expertise in rare genetic and metabolic conditions, Kendra has dedicated her career to supporting individuals and families as they navigate challenges, celebrate strengths, and hold onto hope.

Kendra, and host Maridith Baker, dive into the realities of living with both a mental health condition and a metabolic condition, and how persistence, adaptation, and cognitive flexibility are essential parts of the journey. From formal definitions of depression and anxiety to stark statistics and practical coping strategies, Kendra sheds light on what it means to care for our mental health, just as we do our physical health, and how this can look different at every stage of life. She talks about the emotional, psychological, physical, and spiritual processes involved following lifelong and life changing diagnoses.

At the heart of this conversation is connection and hope. Kendra leads us through her simple 5-4-3-2-1 activity to reset and recenter and shares with us her own quote on hope and the powerful story behind it; “When all you need is a drop of hope; and many times, a drop is all you have... For without hope there is nothing.”

Whether you are living with a lifelong condition or supporting a loved one, this episode offers validation, encouragement, and tools you can carry with you forever.

If you'd like to know more after listening to this episode, you'll find resources and links in the show notes below. Thank you for joining our conversation.

Show Notes

• Find out more about Cambrooke:

o Cambrooke About Page

o Cambrooke LinkedIn

o Cambrooke Instagram

o Cambrooke Facebook

• Get in touch with Cambrooke:

o metabolicallyspeaking@cambrooke.com

• Dr. Kendra Bjoraker:

o Bjoraker Neuropsychology Consultants, PLLC | neurological care

• Maridith Baker:

o www.instagram.com/phenylketonuriaandme

o www.linkedin.com/in/maridithbaker

o www.facebook.com/maridith.baker

Organizations that Educate and Offer Help

• National Alliance on Mental Illness 1-800-950-NAMI (1-800-950-6264)
• Anxiety and Depression Association of America 1-240-485-1001
• National Institute of Mental Health 1-866-615-6464
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Mental Health 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636)
• American Psychological Association 1-800-374-2721
• American Psychiatric Association 1-703-907-7300
• https://www.anxiety.org
• http://www.childanxiety.net
• https://locator.apa.org
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255

Welcome to the very first episode of Metabolically Speaking!

We’re kicking things off with an inspiring conversation you won’t forget. Our first guest is a community advocate, leader, and founder of Cambrooke; Lynn Paolella.

In this episode, Lynn shares her experience on receiving not one, but two PKU diagnoses in her family and how those life-changing moments ignited the creation of Cambrooke, a global innovator in the field of advanced medical nutrition. She shares the highs, the lows, and all of the moments in between.

Joined by host Maridith Baker, we explore the defining moment that shaped Lynn’s journey into creating low-protein foods and formulas. From classroom anecdotes to huge milestones, Lynn shares her why. She delves into her desire to provide better, palatable nutrition options for her children and families living with inherited metabolic disorders, and how her and her husband’s mission was driven by love and determination.

At the heart of this episode is a powerful theme; community. Through cooking meet ups with other PKU Mom’s to working alongside healthcare professionals to develop good-tasting, low protein options, Lynn shares how building a community has been the secret ingredient in her story.

Lynn’s unwavering commitment to supporting families navigating life with rare metabolic disorders is nothing short of extraordinary. Whether you’re a parent, a patient, or just curious to know more, this episode is here to educate, inspire, and uplift.

If you'd like to know more about Lynn and Cambrooke after listening to this episode, you'll find resources and links in the show notes below. Thank you for being here with us from the very beginning.

Show Notes

Find out more about Cambrooke:

• www.cambrooke.com/about

o www.linkedin.com/company/cambrooke-therapeutics

o www.instagram.com/ajinomoto_cambrooke

o www.facebook.com/AjinomotoCambrooke

• Get in touch with Cambrooke:

o metabolicallyspeaking@cambrooke.com

• Lynn Paolella:

o www.linkedin.com/in/lynn-paolella-a827b510

• Maridith Baker:

o www.instagram.com/phenylketonuriaandme

o www.linkedin.com/in/maridithbaker

o www.facebook.com/maridith.baker

• New England Connection for PKU and Allied Disorders (NECPAD):

o https://www.necpad.org/

• National PKU Alliance (NPKUA)

o https://www.npkua.org/

• Flok

o https://flok.org/

• Patients and Providers for Medical Nutrition Equity

o https://nutritionequity.org/

• California Coalition for PKU and Allied Disorders

o https://www.ccpkuad.org/

• E.S.PKU

o https://www.espku.org

Living with a metabolic condition is about embracing more. More things you can do, more you can enjoy, and more adventures along the way.

Metabolically Speaking unpacks the perceived challenges facing individuals and families living with inherited metabolic conditions. Host Maridith Baker, who knows firsthand what it means to live fully with PKU, brings her unique spark, energy and deep curiosity to every conversation.

Through expert interviews and shared experiences, each episode blends metabolic knowledge with practical advice. Covering topics such as identity, relationships, mental health, advances in research and the ordinary moments that make life extraordinary.

Subscribe to Metabolically Speaking to join your tribe, breaking through barriers and living without limits. Help others find this community by leaving a review or sharing with a friend.