In today’s episode of Girls Gone Wellness, we’re joined by Mark, a weight-neutral strength coach, personal trainer, and nutritionist, who is changing the narrative around fitness. Mark’s refreshing approach to strength training moves beyond the number on the scale, focusing on health, self-confidence, and becoming stronger in mind and body.

This conversation highlights the numerous benefits of weight training that go beyond aesthetics, such as improved bone density, metabolism, energy, and stress management. We dive into how to build confidence in the gym, the differences between home workouts and gym workouts, how often and what types of exercises you should be doing, and whether supplements are worth it for new lifters. Plus, we discuss how much protein you really need, the importance of recovery and rest days, making progress, and debunking common myths in the weight training space.

If you're ready to shift your fitness mindset and train for health and strength rather than a number, this episode is for you!

For more on Mark: 

Follow him on instagram 

Follow him on tiktok

Listen to his podcast

Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @girlsgonewellnesspodcast for updates and more wellness tips. You can also subscribe to our Youtube Channel @Girlsgonewellnesspodcast to watch our episodes! Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review—we truly appreciate your support. Let's embark on this journey to wellness together!

DISCLAIMER: Nothing mentioned in this episode is medical advice and should not be taken as so. If you have any health concerns, please discuss these with your doctor or a licensed healthcare professional.

Painful sex is something so many women experience, yet it's often brushed off as "just the way it is." Spoiler: it’s not—and you don’t have to just deal with it. That’s exactly why we’re dedicating this episode to breaking the stigma, debunking the biggest myths, and giving you real, evidence-based answers.

We’re bringing back Keri Martin Vrbanac, a Registered Physiotherapist and Pelvic Floor Expert, to dive deep into why sex can be painful—from stress and trauma to underlying physical conditions—and, most importantly, what you can do about it.

If you’ve ever wondered why sex hurts, whether it’s normal (hint: it’s not), and how to actually fix it, this episode is for you. Let’s talk about it, because you deserve better.

To connect with Keri:

Her clinic: www.abodyinmotion.ca
Instagram: @kerivpelvicpt
Facebook: Keri V Pelvic PT

Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @girlsgonewellnesspodcast for updates and more wellness tips. You can also subscribe to our Youtube Channel @Girlsgonewellnesspodcast to watch our episodes! Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review—we truly appreciate your support. Let's embark on this journey to wellness together!

DISCLAIMER: Nothing mentioned in this episode is medical advice and should not be taken as so. If you have any health concerns, please discuss these with your doctor or a licensed healthcare professional.

Welcome back to another episode of Girls Gone Wellness! We’re thrilled to have Dr. Brennan Dedecker, ND back on the podcast for a deep dive into one of the most frustrating wellness concerns, hair loss. Whether you're noticing extra shedding, dealing with thinning hair, or struggling with regrowth, this episode is packed with answers.

In this episode, we’re covering:

• The different types of hair loss and their root causes
• Lab tests to consider
• The role of diet in hair growth
• Supplements that actually work (and ones that don't)
• Topical treatments
• Pharmaceutical options
• Advanced therapies: PRP, microneedling, and red light therapy
• Does gluten cause shedding? 
• Can you regrow all lost hair? 
• What about home-made hair masks?

If you're frustrated with slow progress or just want to understand the science behind hair loss and regrowth, this is a must-listen episode.

Here's where you can learn more about Dr. Dedecker:

Follow him on Instagram here

Book with him here

Enjoy the episode!

Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @girlsgonewellnesspodcast for updates and more wellness tips. You can also subscribe to our Youtube Channel @Girlsgonewellnesspodcast to watch our episodes! Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review—we truly appreciate your support. Let's embark on this journey to wellness together!

DISCLAIMER: Nothing mentioned in this episode is medical advice and should not be taken as so. If you have any health concerns, please discuss these with your doctor or a licensed healthcare professional.

This week, we’re diving into a topic that affects all of us—our brain health. Whether it’s memory lapses, difficulty focusing, or a family history of dementia, cognitive decline is something we all want to prevent. But with so much misinformation out there, it’s hard to know what actually works.

That’s why we’re thrilled to have Dr. Pamela  Hutchison, a naturopathic doctor focusing in neurological health, on the podcast. Dr. Pamela  has focused her 24-year career on supporting people with neurological and mental health concerns live healthy lives.

 In this episode, we break down real, science-backed ways to protect your brain, including:

• When you should start thinking about brain health (hint: it’s earlier than you think!)
• The biggest risk factors for cognitive decline and how to reduce them
• How mental health conditions like depression and anxiety impact brain aging
• The role of diet, including the MIND diet and the surprising power of leafy greens
• Whether Alzheimer's should really be called "Type 3 Diabetes"
• Genetic risk factors like APOE4—should you get tested?
• The best lifestyle changes that actually slow cognitive decline

Connect with Dr. Hutchison below:

Instagram: @dr_pamela_hutchison_nd

Her clinic: https://acaciahealth.ca/

Her podcast: The well nurtured brain

Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @girlsgonewellnesspodcast for updates and more wellness tips. You can also subscribe to our Youtube Channel @Girlsgonewellnesspodcast to watch our episodes! Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review—we truly appreciate your support. Let's embark on this journey to wellness together!

DISCLAIMER: Nothing mentioned in this episode is medical advice and should not be taken as so. If you have any health concerns, please discuss these with your doctor or a licensed healthcare professional.

This week, we’re joined by the hilarious and incredibly knowledgeable Shyla Cadogan, a Maryland-based media dietitian and food enthusiast known as @healthyshyla on socials. Shyla has built a reputation for breaking down the wildest wellness trends with evidence-based insights, all while keeping it real (and making us laugh).

In this episode, we dive into the most viral nutrition trends, from the protein obsession to fiber-packed snacks that may not be doing your gut any favors. We also tackle the biggest myths floating around the internet, like whether flaxseeds are really the same as five birth control pills (spoiler: they’re not). Shyla shares her thoughts on intuitive eating, blood sugar tracking, protein diet coke, detoxing hormones and why so many social media “nutrition experts” get away with making the wildest claims. 

Plus, we discuss how to build a balanced plate, the power of getting back to nutrition basics, and why extreme diets like carnivore and keto might not be the miracle solutions they claim to be. Shyla also gives us her controversial takes on things like "building a healthy relationship with food" and seed oils. 

If you're tired of the confusion online and just want straight-up, evidence-based advice (with a side of humor), this episode is for you.

You can (and definitely will want to) follow along with Shyla below: 

Follow Shyla on Instagram and Tiktok 

Follow Shyla on Youtube 

Sign up for Shyla's substack

Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @girlsgonewellnesspodcast for updates and more wellness tips. You can also subscribe to our Youtube Channel @Girlsgonewellnesspodcast to watch our episodes! Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review—we truly appreciate your support. Let's embark on this journey to wellness together!

DISCLAIMER: Nothing mentioned in this episode is medical advice and should not be taken as so. If you have any health concerns, please discuss these with your doctor or a licensed healthcare professional.

This week we have the wonderful Dr. Andrea Gri, a naturopathic doctor, Menopause Society Certified Practitioner and past personal trainer. She is passionate about helping women navigate their hormones, lose weight, and feel like that better version of themselves again.

We focused this episode on body composition, weight loss, and building muscle for women over 40, but even if you are under 40, this information is still very relevant to your health and your future health as well. In this episode we focused  on:

-The importance of building muscle and maintaining muscle, especially for those over the age of 40 

-How to get started in the gym with lifting weights

-How much protein you actually need  plus the best time of day to get your protein in (and the idea of protein resistance)

-Sustainable weight loss strategies for those specifically in perimenopause that focus on adding rather than eliminating

-Body composition scans, supplements… and much more!

You can connect with Dr. Gri here:

https://drgri.com/

Instagram: @andrea.gri.nd

Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @girlsgonewellnesspodcast for updates and more wellness tips. You can also subscribe to our Youtube Channel @Girlsgonewellnesspodcast to watch our episodes! Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review—we truly appreciate your support. Let's embark on this journey to wellness together!

DISCLAIMER: Nothing mentioned in this episode is medical advice and should not be taken as so. If you have any health concerns, please discuss these with your doctor or a licensed healthcare professional.

We talk a lot about burnout, but do you actually know if you have it?

Is it stress? Depression? "Hormonal imbalance"? Or something deeper? In today’s episode, we’re diving into all of it with Dr. Ashley Margeson, a naturopathic doctor who is leading the charge in what she calls a Self-Care Revolution.

In this episode, we get into what burnout actually is, how to tell the difference between burnout, depression, and just feeling off, and what you can do about it—from diet and lifestyle shifts to the role of cortisol and stress hormones. We talk about who's most at risk, how burnout can mimic perimenopause, what labs and tests to ask for, and how to truly get to the root cause.

Oh, and if you love a good analogy, you’re in for a treat—Dr. Ashley has a way of explaining things that makes everything click. This is a fun, informative, and super actionable episode, so let’s get into it!

Interested in more from Dr. Margeson? 

Subscribe to her incredibly popular podcast The Superwoman Code

Follow her on IG 

Check out her website and booking information here

Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @girlsgonewellnesspodcast for updates and more wellness tips. You can also subscribe to our Youtube Channel @Girlsgonewellnesspodcast to watch our episodes! Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review—we truly appreciate your support. Let's embark on this journey to wellness together!

DISCLAIMER: Nothing mentioned in this episode is medical advice and should not be taken as so. If you have any health concerns, please discuss these with your doctor or a licensed healthcare professional.

Over 90% of women in Canada deal with at least one symptom of PMS, and for some, this can be extremely debilitating. PMDD, which is a more severe form of PMS, effects between 4-9% of the Canadian population.

Dealing with PMS is often dismissed as being ‘normal’ and we are often told just to suck it up. But, the truth is while some of these symptoms may be common, they are not normal and you shouldn't have to miss work, school, or other social obligations for 1-2 weeks because you are in pain or uncomfortable. The good news is, we have Dr. Keara Taylor, ND on the pod to discuss  actionable things you can start incorporating into your life right now to help relieve some of these symptoms that you may be experiencing. We chatted about:

The role of hormones in PMS & if you need to get your hormones tested for this condition

Diet and lifestyle tips to help relive PMS symptoms (acne, bloating, mood swings, cravings..etc)

Evidenced based supplements for PMS that are backed by research

PMDD and how to get support for this condition specifically

& more!

To connect with Dr. Keara:
Instagram: @drkearataylor.nd
Website: https://drkearataylor.com/

Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @girlsgonewellnesspodcast for updates and more wellness tips. You can also subscribe to our Youtube Channel @Girlsgonewellnesspodcast to watch our episodes! Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review—we truly appreciate your support. Let's embark on this journey to wellness together!

DISCLAIMER: Nothing mentioned in this episode is medical advice and should not be taken as so. If you have any health concerns, please discuss these with your doctor or a licensed healthcare professional.

This week on Girls Gone Wellness, we’re joined by the incredible Dr. Alison Danby, a naturopathic doctor with over 17 years of experience. Dr. Danby is the founder of The Autoimmune Academy and The Autoimmune Integrative Clinic, and she’s also the host of the Autoimmune Simplified podcast. She’s a passionate educator and international speaker dedicated to empowering patients and practitioners alike to rethink how autoimmune conditions are understood and treated.

In this episode, we cover:

• What an autoimmune process is and what’s happening in the body.
• Common autoimmune markers like ANA and next steps when they’re positive.
• The role of gut health and the microbiome in autoimmune conditions.
• Diet strategies like the AIP diet, anti-inflammatory diets, and gluten-free eating—what works and what doesn’t.
• The connection between trauma, stress, and autoimmune diseases.
• Treatment approaches: are we curing autoimmune conditions or managing symptoms?
• Supplements, including omega-3s, vitamin D, melatonin, and more.
• Rapid-fire myth-busting: Can you cure autoimmune conditions? Should everyone with autoimmune issues go gluten-free?

This episode is packed with practical insights, science-based information, and plenty of actionable takeaways to help you better understand autoimmune health.

If you're interested in learning more about Dr. Danby:

Podcast: Autoimmune Simplified 
Instagram: Dr. Alison Danby, ND
Website & booking information: click here 

Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @girlsgonewellnesspodcast for updates and more wellness tips. You can also subscribe to our Youtube Channel @Girlsgonewellnesspodcast to watch our episodes! Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review—we truly appreciate your support. Let's embark on this journey to wellness together!

DISCLAIMER: Nothing mentioned in this episode is medical advice and should not be taken as so. If you have any health concerns, please discuss these with your doctor or a licensed healthcare professional.

This episode is all on sleep. We talk about sleep in probably majority of our episodes but we thought it deserved its own episode because it is so important and so many people struggle with sleep issues. You’ll see the importance of it as you listen to the episode, but the bottom line is, if you’re not sleeping, you’re not going to be able to  move the needle on your health.

Today we have Dr. Leigha Saunders, a Naturopathic doctor based in Ontario to help break all this down. Turning her post-partum sleep deprivation into an opportunity to serve the millions of women who suffer in sleeplessness, Dr. Leigha Saunders is a naturopathic doctor and mom of two who deeply understands the struggle of insomnia. 

In this episode we talk all about:

-Sleep chronotypes and how to change yours (perfect if your New Year’s resolution was to wake up earlier)

-Sleep apnea and what to look out for

-Supplements for sleep

-Diet and lifestyle tips for sleep

-Perimenopause and its impact on sleep

-Debunking common myths along the way!

Connect with Dr. Leigha below:
Work with her here: http://www.leighasaundersnd.com/
http://www.bettersleepbootcamp.com/ COUPON CODE: SAVEMYSLEEP100
Instagram: @drleighasaundersnd

Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @girlsgonewellnesspodcast for updates and more wellness tips. You can also subscribe to our Youtube Channel @Girlsgonewellnesspodcast to watch our episodes! Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review—we truly appreciate your support. Let's embark on this journey to wellness together!

DISCLAIMER: Nothing mentioned in this episode is medical advice and should not be taken as so. If you have any health concerns, please discuss these with your doctor or a licensed healthcare professional.