Anna M Toker, MD

03/16/2026

The more steps it takes to make your food, the more likely something got added that your gut never asked for.
Whole, raw ingredients are always going to be easier for your body to recognize, digest, and use.

Fewer ingredients.
Less processing.
Less confusion for your gut.

Ultra-processed foods don’t just fill you up. They introduce additives, stabilizers, and fillers that disrupt digestion and bacterial balance over time.

Simple is best.
Food was never meant to be complicated.

If you want to learn how to make better choices without obsessing, showing up to weekly gut health trainings changes everything.
Every week, Dr. Anna Toker and Zive 7 creator Mark Macdonald teach what actually matters for gut health and how to optimize it in real life.

👉 Join the Zive Alive Facebook Group for weekly live trainings.

Request to join and mention you’re a friend of Dr. Anna, and we’ll make sure you’re accepted.
Better digestion starts with simpler food and better education.

03/16/2026

50 mph winds in Texas caught my door right as I grabbed the handle. This little piggy cried wee wee wee all the way home. Thank you Superpatch for making this crushing development tolerable!

03/13/2026

“You are what you eat.”

We’ve all heard that one.
But the truth is…
👉 you are what you ABSORB.

You can be eating all the right foods — the vegetables, the protein, the “clean” meals — but if your digestive system isn’t absorbing those nutrients properly, your body still ends up running on empty.

Poor absorption can show up as:
Low energy
Nutrient deficiencies
Bloating
Hormone issues
And a gut that just feels… off.

That’s exactly what we’re diving into in next week’s Gut Check — how digestion and nutrient absorption actually work, and what you can do to help your body get the benefits of the healthy foods you’re already eating.
Because eating well is only half the equation.
Your body still has to use what you give it.

👉 COMMENT “GUT CHECK” and we’ll send you the link so you can join before this topic drops for subscribers on Monday.

03/11/2026

Great podcast!

Why do so many people say they can eat pizza and pasta in Italy and feel better, instead of worse? 🍝🍷

In the newest episode of A New Life in Italy, Samantha Wilson sits down with Dr. Anna Toker, a board-certified colore**al surgeon and nutritional specialist, to talk about what may really be going on.

This conversation looks at more than just ingredients. It explores the bigger picture:

🍅 the slower pace of meals in Italy
🚶‍♂️ the connection between stress, movement, and digestion
🌾 differences in food quality and processing
🍽️ portion sizes and eating habits
🌿 why the Mediterranean lifestyle may play such an important role in how people feel

One of the most interesting takeaways from this episode is that feeling better in Italy may not only come from the food itself, but from the entire lifestyle around it — eating more slowly, walking more, sharing meals, and giving yourself permission to actually enjoy food again.

If you’ve ever come back from Italy wondering why your body felt so different there, this episode is worth a listen.

🎧 Listen here: www.sentiremedia.com/show/anewlifeinitaly/

Have you ever noticed a difference in how you feel eating in Italy versus back home? Share in the comments below!

03/11/2026

… this just got interesting. 😏
My son and his college rugby team (.rugby) just challenged me — and you know I couldn’t let that slide.
So yeah, I’m IN.

We’re joining the VINIA Hydration Challenge () and committing to 30 days of leveling up our health with simple daily habits that actually move the needle.

Better hydration.
Better blood flow.
Better energy.

Now let’s be honest… these college guys probably assumed they’d outlast the middle-aged surgeon mom.
Cute.

If I can keep up with a rugby team (and out-hydrate a bunch of college guys who have clearly had some practice with beverages 🍻)… then trust me, you can do this too.

Game on, boys.
I’m here to win.
Who’s joining us?

💧 Comment “CHALLENGE” and I’ll send you the link to jump into the VINIA Hydration Challenge with me and the team.

DrAnnaToker viniapartner viniahydrationchallenge viniabloodflow

03/10/2026

March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month, which means we’re talking about the organ I spend a lot of my life thinking about… your colon. 💩

One of the things I say all the time is this:
so much disease begins in the gut.
Your microbiome, inflammation levels, and what you feed your gut bacteria all play a role in long-term colon health.

Today I’m talking about turmeric — a plant compound that research suggests may help reduce inflammation and could even play a role in slowing the growth of certain colon polyps.
Now before anyone runs off and starts treating turmeric like a miracle cure, remember:
This is about supporting gut health, not replacing real medical care.
So here’s the practical takeaway:
✔️ Diversify your microbiome
✔️ Pay attention to gut inflammation
✔️ Eat plants that support your gut bacteria
✔️ And yes… get your colonoscopy
Watch the video and let’s keep the conversation about colon health going this month.

DrAnnaToker

03/09/2026

Diet Coke isn’t harmless.
And the fact that it’s addictive should tell you everything you need to know.
Between phosphates, artificial sweeteners, microplastics, and chemicals that hijack appetite and gut signaling, this isn’t a “better choice.” It’s a gut disruptor hiding behind zero calories.
If something is engineered to keep you coming back, that’s not health. That’s chemistry working against you.

Showing up for weekly gut health trainings is how you start making different choices and actually stick to them in 2026. Education creates awareness. Awareness creates change.
Every week, Dr. Anna Toker and Zive 7 creator Mark Macdonald go live to break down what’s hurting your gut and what actually helps it thrive.

👉 Join the Zive Alive Facebook Group for weekly gut health trainings.
Request to join and mention you’re a friend of Dr. Anna, and we’ll make sure you’re accepted.
Your best health doesn’t happen by accident. It happens with better information.

microbiome bloat healthchoices zivealive

03/06/2026

Your weight won’t budge?
THIS could be why.
Insulin resistance is everywhere in the conversation right now. And for good reason. Obesity is rising at an alarming rate and insulin resistance is quietly becoming a full-blown pandemic.
Here’s what most people miss: elevated blood sugar is a silent damaging force. You may not feel it happening, but metabolically, it changes everything. Fat storage. Energy. Inflammation. Even your gut.

If you feel like you’re doing “all the right things” and the scale still won’t move, this is a conversation you need to hear.
We’re breaking down insulin resistance in Monday’s Gut Check and it might be exactly the missing piece.

Comment GUT CHECK and I’ll make sure it hits your inbox.

03/04/2026

Alright, Colon Cancer Awareness Month friends… let’s talk about something very 2026 of us.
📱💩 Your phone… in the bathroom.

Studies have shown that scrolling while you’re sitting on the toilet can increase your risk of hemorrhoids. Why? Not conspiracy. Not drama. Just gravity.

The longer you sit and scroll, the longer you’re increasing pressure in a very delicate area. That tissue was not designed for a 12-minute Instagram session.

And while we’re on the topic of phones…
For years we’ve heard concerns about holding a phone to your head. Now there’s emerging discussion about what happens when that same device lives in your back pocket all day. Some researchers are exploring possible associations with colore**al health.

Am I making dramatic claims? No.
I’m looking at the science.
I’m staying curious.

Curiosity and education matter. That’s how prevention starts.
So maybe… don’t turn the toilet into your office.
And maybe rethink where your phone “lives.”

Keep listening. Keep learning.
That’s how we protect our colons. 💙

03/03/2026

Seeing some new faces around here… so let me officially say 👋 welcome.
If you’re new, you might not know that I have a weekly insider touchpoint called GUT CHECK.
It’s where we go deeper.
More science.
More strategy.
More actionable steps to actually improve your gut — not just talk about it.

And because I don’t believe in asking you to commit to something you haven’t experienced…
🎁 I’ve got a FREE SNEAK PEEK for you.

It’s a test drive of the Gut Check subscription program so you can get a real leg up on your health and see exactly how I deliver this program and my decades of experience to help you level up your gut health.
No pressure. Just education.

If you want it delivered straight to your inbox…
👉 Comment SNEAK PEEK and I’ll send it your way.
Let’s get your gut working the way it was designed to.

03/02/2026

March is that magical month when everyone suddenly starts thinking about what I think about every single day…
💩 P**p.
It’s Colon Cancer Awareness Month, and while most people are just warming up to the conversation, I’ve been living in it for decades.

So I’m launching a new mini series all month long where we’ll cover:
• What you actually need to know about colon cancer
• How to reduce your risk
• Early warning signs you should never ignore
• Screening facts (yes, we’re going there)
• And simple, smart prevention strategies

We’re keeping it educational.
We’re keeping it real.
And yes… we’re keeping it a little witty. Because if we can’t talk about p**p like grown adults, we’ve got bigger problems. 😉

If you’re ready to be informed, proactive, and maybe just slightly more comfortable talking about your colon…

🙋‍♀️ Raise your hand in the comments if you’re here for it.

Let’s make March the month we stop avoiding the conversation and start protecting our health.

02/27/2026

Call it “vegetable oil” and it sounds healthy, right?
Wrong.
Seed oils have quietly infiltrated almost everything in the standard American diet. The average American consumes close to 400 calories a day from seed oils alone. And here’s what most people don’t realize… these oils can remain in your tissues for years.

Years.

If you care about your gut, inflammation, and long-term cellular health, this is not a small detail.
I’m breaking it all down in Monday’s Gut Check and once you see the data, you won’t look at “vegetable oil” the same way again.

COMMENT GUT CHECK and I’ll send you the invite so it lands straight in your inbox.