Optimal Metabolism

So many women feel broken, exhausted, and out of alignment with their bodies—and their faith.

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Dr. Austin Lake, Christian functional medicine practitioner and founder of Wholly Health, to explore the deeper root causes of hormone imbalance, infertility, adrenal dysfunction, and weight gain through a biblical lens.

Dr. Lake shares how disrupted circadian rhythm, chronic stress, nutrient depletion, and over-medicalization are keeping women stuck—and how true healing begins by returning to God's design.

What We Discuss in This Episode:

• Why hormone issues like infertility, PCOS, and fatigue are often misunderstood

• The dangerous over-reliance on birth control and hormone replacement

• How circadian rhythm, light exposure, and rest impact female hormones

• The spiritual consequences of idolizing productivity over healing

• The importance of restoring biblical identity in the healing journey

• Why women must return to foundational health—before reaching for hormones

🌟 AND… something big is coming:

I'm hosting a FREE LIVE webinar on Wednesday, Sept 10 I'll teach you all about GLP-1 hormone, GLP-1 agonist meds, how to come off these meds if that's your goal, and natural alternatives to cholesterol and weight loss meds.

👉 Save your seat now: shanahussinwellness.com/programs-courses/webinar/

Whether it's your circadian rhythm, adrenals, gut, or insulin resistance—you'll leave with clarity on what your body truly needs to heal.

You don't want to miss this!

Summer may have been fun, but if your energy, weight, or motivation feel off, you're not alone. This solo episode is your permission slip to stop the extremes and start fresh—with a metabolism reset grounded in balance, not burnout.

Shana walks you through why so many women feel worse after summer, and what to do now to feel amazing again—without restrictive dieting or relying on medications like Ozempic, metformin, or statins.

If you're feeling puffy, tired, or stuck, this episode will show you how to gently reset your metabolism, support your hormones, and finally feel great again.

• The real reason summer throws off your hormones and blood sugar

• Why cortisol, GLP-1, and insulin are the key players in weight gain and cravings

• What NOT to do in September (hint: it's not more fasting or keto)

• What the Feel Great System is—and why it works

• 3 simple strategies to reset this week

• Sneak peek of Shana's upcoming free webinar on weaning off GLP-1 meds naturally

• 🎓 Register for the Free Webinar (Sept 10 @ 12PM CT)

• 🌿 Learn More About the Feel Great System

• 💻 Shana's Courses & Programs

• 📱 Follow Shana on Instagram

• 🎙 More Podcast Episodes

In this powerful episode of Hormones, Metabolism & You!, board-certified endocrinologist Dr. Cassie Smith sits down with nutrition pioneer Shana Hussin, RDN, for an open-hearted conversation about why the health trends we follow can sometimes backfire—especially when stress and burnout are involved.

What You'll Hear:

• How fasting backfired during a season of high stress and adrenal exhaustion.

• The role of hormones like leptin and cortisol in regulating appetite, sleep, and metabolic balance.

• Why one-size-fits-all health plans fail, especially around hormone and gut health.

• Shana's personal pivot—from rigid fasting to listening to her body and honoring circadian rhythms.

• The healing power of grounding, gut support, and restoring rhythm over restriction.

✨ Feel Great System – Clean, effective daily support for metabolic health

🎓 Courses & Programs – Including Low Insulin Academy, Cortisol Calm, and more

💬 Follow Shana on Instagram – Daily tips, truth bombs, and healing insights

🎙️ More Podcast Episodes – Optimal Metabolism podcast archive

If you've ever wondered what it actually feels like when your metabolism turns back on, or whether insulin resistance can creep back in after reversing it—this episode is for you. Shana Hussin, RDN, shares powerful answers to real questions from her community, including how the Feel Great system can support healthy cholesterol levels and even help some people get off statins. These bite-sized insights are perfect for anyone feeling stuck in their weight, blood sugar, or hormone healing journey.

• What real metabolic healing feels like (and how to know it's happening)

• Why insulin resistance can return—but how to prevent it

• How the Feel Great system impacts cholesterol, digestion, and medication use

• Tips for keeping weight off after a win

• 🌟 Low Insulin Academy (Signature Course): https://shanahussinwellness.com/programs-courses/low-insulin-academy-on-demand/

• 🌿 Cortisol Calm: https://shanahussinwellness.com/programs-courses/cortisol-calm-signature-course/

• 💛 Feel Great System: https://shanahussinwellness.com/programs-courses/feelgreat/

• 📘 Feel Great Implementation Guide: https://shanahussinwellness.com/feelgreatopt-in/

• 📚 ALL Free Guides + Ebooks: https://shanahussinwellness.com/additional-resources/freebies/

• 🏡 Homepage: https://shanahussinwellness.com

• DM "FEEL GREAT" to get the Feel Great System link & guide

• DM "FREEBIES" to grab all my free guides + ebooks

👉 Follow me here: @shana.hussin.rdn

In this powerful episode, Shana Hussin sits down with fellow registered dietitian Shannon Davis to unpack her personal and professional journey through infertility, insulin resistance, and metabolic disease. Shannon shares how shifting to a low-carb lifestyle—and later discovering the Feel Great System—transformed her health, helped her conquer intense sugar cravings, and brought her cholesterol and triglycerides back into balance.

You'll hear how Shannon now uses these same strategies to help her clients reverse type 2 diabetes and regain control over their blood sugar, cravings, and energy.

✨ SPECIAL EVENT ALERT: On August 13th, join Shana and Shannon LIVE on YouTube for the Metabolic Marathon, a powerful day of collaboration between dietitians and doctors with the American Diabetes Society. Sessions run from 12–6 p.m. CT — don't miss it!

🛒 Explore the Feel Great System: https://shanahussinwellness.com/programs-courses/feelgreat/

🔗 Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• Home: https://shanahussinwellness.com

• Feel Great System: https://shanahussinwellness.com/programs-courses/feelgreat/

• Metabolic Marathon (August 13):

• Shannon's personal story of overcoming infertility and insulin resistance

• How going low-carb shifted everything

• What makes the Feel Great System so effective (Yerba mate + fiber blend)

• The impact of metabolic health on cravings and cholesterol

• Shannon's client results: weight loss, blood sugar stability, and diabetes reversal

• Why this system makes intermittent fasting easier—and sustainable

• Upcoming Metabolic Marathon collaboration on August 13

Episode Description: In today's episode (originally recorded as an Instagram Live), I'm answering some of your most pressing questions about insulin resistance and the buzz around GLP-1 medications—through the lens of real healing, root cause solutions, and God's design for the body.

We're talking about:

• Why you might still have insulin resistance even if your labs look "normal"

• What actually happens when insulin is high—even if your blood sugar isn't

• How long it takes to reverse insulin resistance (and what most people get wrong)

• Why some people struggle with insulin resistance even when they're not overweight

• What GLP-1 is, and why it affects hunger and fat loss

• How to naturally support GLP-1 function without meds

• What happens when you stop taking medications like Ozempic or Mounjaro

• And the truth about whether GLP-1 meds fix root issues or just mask symptoms

Plus: I'm sharing the exact free resources and tools I use with clients to naturally support insulin, blood sugar, and hormone balance—without gimmicks or restriction.

🧰 Free Resources Mentioned: Browse all my freebies here: https://shanahussinwellness.com/#freebies

• Insulin Resistance Starting Guide – DM or comment "GUIDE"

• Circadian Reset Foundations Guide – DM or comment "FOUNDATIONS"

• 3AM Wake-Up Fix – DM or comment "3AM"

• Hormone-Friendly Fasting Guide – DM or comment "SAFEFAST"

🛍️ Product Recommendations & Tools I Trust: My curated favorites for metabolic and hormone support: 👉 https://shanahussinwellness.com/products

💛 The Feel Great System (Unicity): Want to try the system I personally use and recommend to clients to support insulin balance, blood sugar stability, and energy? Start here 👉 https://ufeelgreat.com/c/SHANAH Don't forget to use code SHANAH at checkout!

f you're stuck in a cycle of poor sleep, cravings, fatigue, and stubborn weight gain, this episode is for you. I sat down with Jill McRae, co-founder of Inactive Co., to dive into the often-overlooked link between sleep and insulin resistance—especially for midlife women battling hormone chaos.

We explore how modern life disrupts your natural sleep-wake rhythms and what it really takes to restore deep, healing rest without pills or complex protocols. Jill shares powerful insights from the Sleep 7 Playbook, a faith-rooted and biology-based approach to resetting your nervous system and supporting your metabolism through rest.

Whether you're dealing with adrenal fatigue, high cortisol, or a constant "wired but tired" feeling—this episode will bring clarity and practical tools for transformation.

Use code SLEEP25 for 25% off your sleep mask and free shipping!

• 🛏️ Grab the Sleep 7 Playbook from Inactive Co.: inactiveco.com/sleep-7-playbook

• 🧠 Book your GET UNSTUCK Wellness Audit

• 🌐 Visit Shana's Programs + Courses: shanahussinwellness.com

• Jill's personal story of sleep struggles and transformation

• Why poor sleep is a root cause of insulin resistance and weight gain

• How circadian rhythm disruption leads to hormone chaos

• The difference between "active body" and "active mind" sleep problems

• The impact of artificial light, evening stress, and overstimulation

• The 7 core foundations of sleep from the Sleep 7 Playbook

• How to honor rest as a spiritual and biological necessity

• Simple shifts you can make tonight to sleep deeper and wake up more energized

🔎 Episode Summary: Are your high blood sugar readings truly coming from what you're eating—or is your nervous system the real culprit? In this solo episode (taken from Instagram LIVE), Shana unpacks the hidden connection between cortisol and glucose, sharing her personal journey of dealing with high morning blood sugars, plus how to identify whether you're dealing with insulin resistance or a stress response. She explains how to test and interpret both cortisol and blood sugar levels, and how to know whether Cortisol Calm, Low Insulin Academy, or the new Get Unstuck Audit is the right next step for you.

Shana also answers powerful listener-submitted questions about fasting patterns, morning glucose spikes, and how to approach healing when clean eating alone isn't cutting it.

🧠 Topics Covered:

• Cortisol-driven vs food-driven blood sugar spikes

• The truth about high morning glucose and Dawn Phenomenon

• When stress—not sugar—is the problem

• Cortisol and blood sugar testing 101

• Personal story: How I solved my high AM blood sugars

• How to choose between Cortisol Calm and Low Insulin Academy

• Who should consider the new Get Unstuck Audit

• Listener Q&A on CGMs, stress, fasting, and insulin resistance

📌 LINKS & RESOURCES: 💻 Get the "Get Unstuck" Wellness Audit – use code AUDIT47 to save $47! 🎓 Low Insulin Academy 🧘‍♀️ Cortisol Calm Course 🏡 Home Page 📲 Message "AUDIT" on Instagram to get your discount!

We've been told cancer is genetic… or just bad luck. But what if that's not the whole story?

In this deeply personal and eye-opening episode, I share the journey of my mom—a nurse, a night-shift worker, and a fighter who passed away just 7 months after her pancreatic and liver cancer diagnosis. For well over a decade, she was told to "watch" elevated liver enzymes while living in a circadian storm of artificial light, disrupted sleep, and minimal sun exposure.

Her story—combined with the latest research—is a powerful case study for rethinking cancer as a metabolic disease rooted in mitochondrial dysfunction, circadian disruption, and environmental chaos.

Inside this episode:

• Why blue light and lack of infrared may be more dangerous than we think

• How 90% of melatonin is made inside your cells—and why that matters

• The truth about seed oils, vitamin D, and sun exposure

• The lifestyle "storm" that quietly builds cancer risk

• What you can do NOW to reset your light, rhythm, and repair systems

📩 Get my FREE Circadian Reset Guide by commenting or DMing FOUNDATIONS on Instagram.

🎧 Resources & Mentions:

• The Light Doctor by Dr. Martin Moore-Ede

• Circadian light hygiene and red light therapy product recommendations

• MyCircadian app by Sarah Kleiner Wellness

• Cortisol Calm and Low Insulin Academy courses to overcome metabolic dysfunction

Could the invisible waves around us be damaging our children's brains, hormones, and fertility? In this critical episode, Shana Hussin, RDN, interviews Arthur de Calenge, founder of HAVN (Havnwear), about the powerful yet often overlooked effects of EMF (electromagnetic field) exposure on human health.

Arthur breaks down what EMFs really are, how they affect our biology—especially in children and reproductive health—and why 5G presents new concerns. They also explore how silver-lined clothing can serve as a powerful shield, and how you can take simple, meaningful steps to protect your home and family.

If you're struggling with fatigue, hormonal imbalance, fertility challenges, or raising children in a tech-heavy world—this episode is for you.

• 🛡️ HAVN EMF-Blocking Apparel: havnwear.com Use code OPTIMAL for 10% off your order

• 🧠 Learn More About Shana's Courses: Low Insulin Academy Cortisol Calm

• What EMFs actually are and where they come from

• Why children are more sensitive to EMF exposure

• Symptoms of EMF overload most people ignore

• The link between EMFs, fertility, and hormone disruption

• What changed when we went from 4G to 5G

• How HAVN's silver-lined apparel blocks over 99% of EMFs

• Simple steps to protect your family—without going off-grid