Ep 135 5 Ways to Strengthen Your Brain-Gut Connection

Are you following the same health routines but finding that your body feels different in midlife? What worked in your 20s and 30s may not be enough to support your changing needs. In this episode, I talk about how to shift your focus beyond weight loss, support muscle and brain health, and build daily habits around nutrition, movement, sleep, and connection. I also share ways to be more proactive about your health, my personal supplement routine, and why getting the right labs and choosing trusted sources of advice matter. Tune in to discover steps you can take now to feel stronger, protect your long-term health, and make the most of midlife.

Disclaimer: This episode is brought to you in part by Shaklee Corporation.

What does it really take to build a body that's resilient enough to thrive through life's biggest challenges? Today, I'm joined by my dear friend Dr. Dawn Mussallem, a longevity expert, stage 4 cancer survivor, and heart transplant recipient who went from having to relearn how to walk to running a full marathon just one year after her transplant. We're talking about the nutrition habits, health tests, and lifestyle choices that can help you protect your long-term health, including the surprising deficiencies even healthy eaters can miss, why your genes don't have to determine your future, and how to know when your diet needs to change. Dawn also shares her incredible story of overcoming illness and devastating loss, and the lessons that have helped her build a life filled with energy, purpose, and joy. This conversation will inspire you to take a more personalized approach to your health and give you practical ways to start building a stronger, healthier future today.

Being told your labs are “normal” doesn’t always mean you have the full picture of your health. I learned that firsthand when I was struggling with brain fog, poor sleep, bloating, hormonal changes, and stress, yet my standard testing showed nothing was wrong. In this episode, I’m sharing the seven numbers I wish I had known then and the ones I believe women should pay attention to as they move through midlife. We’re going beyond weight and basic bloodwork to look at the markers that can give you a clearer picture of your metabolic health, heart health, bone strength, muscle function, sleep, and longevity. Think of this as your midlife health checklist to take to your next doctor’s appointment.

What if some of the health “rules” you’re trying so hard to follow aren’t actually helping you? In this episode, I’m sharing my hot takes on some of the biggest conversations happening in nutrition, gut health, and women’s health right now. From peptides and GLP-1s to the 10,000-step rule, supplements, hormone therapy, food sensitivity tests, and what really supports your microbiome, I’m breaking down where the science is more nuanced than social media makes it seem. My goal is to help you stop wasting your time, money, and energy on health advice that may not serve you and make more informed decisions about what actually deserves a place in your routine.