In this powerful conversation, Andrew and Kat sit down with coach and entrepreneur Nick Ross to unpack the life-changing journey that took him from a farm in rural Pennsylvania, to a cancer diagnosis at age 32, to rebuilding every aspect of his life through health, mindset, and purpose.

Nick shares the moment a doctor told him he had cancer, the brutal reality of chemotherapy, and the lesson that ultimately transformed his future: you don't have to wait for rock bottom to change your life.

Along the way, he explains why certainty drives human behavior, how fitness became the catalyst for rebuilding his confidence, and why your lack of growth doesn't just affect you, it affects everyone you love.

If you've been putting off the changes you know you need to make, this episode is a reminder that the future version of yourself is built by the decisions you make today. Inspired by Nick Ross's story and lessons shared throughout the episode. 

00:00 — Growing up on a horse farm and the lessons that shaped Nick
08:50 — The cancer diagnosis that changed everything
14:30 — The doctor who gave Nick certainty when he needed it most
22:00 — Why most people wait for rock bottom before they change
35:00 — How hiring a coach transformed Nick's health, confidence, and future

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

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In this episode, Andrew and Kat break down the hidden gut-health connection behind insulin resistance, stubborn weight gain, sugar cravings, and energy crashes. They explain why so many people are told to simply “eat less sugar” without ever addressing the deeper metabolic dysfunction happening underneath the surface.

You’ll learn how inflammation, gut dysbiosis, fatty liver, bile flow, and stress can all impact blood sugar regulation, why some people stay insulin resistant despite eating “healthy,” and the real reason low-calorie dieting often backfires. They also unpack the connection between gut health and cravings, plus practical ways to support your metabolism without spiraling into restriction or food fear.

06:10 — What insulin resistance actually is (and why it’s not just about sugar)
10:20 — The gut inflammation connection most people miss
16:45 — Fatty liver, digestion, and why metabolism slows down
24:30 — Practical ways to improve blood sugar without extreme dieting

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

Follow Kat https://www.instagram.com/katbestwellness/

In this episode, Andrew and Kat break down one of the most misunderstood concepts in fitness: body recomposition.

Can you really build muscle and lose fat at the same time? The answer is yes, but only if the right pieces are in place.

They explain why chronic dieting can slow progress, how gut health impacts nutrient absorption and recovery, and why stress, sleep, and training quality matter just as much as protein intake. You'll learn who is most likely to succeed with body recomposition, the biggest mistakes keeping people stuck, and how to know whether your body is actually ready to recomp in the first place.

If you're training consistently, trying to eat healthier, and wondering why your body still isn't changing, this episode will help you connect the dots.

(03:30) What body recomposition actually means
(08:45) Why eating less can backfire
(14:20) The gut health connection to muscle growth and fat loss
(20:10) Stress, recovery, and the hidden reason progress stalls
(29:00) Creatine, protein, and common body recomp mistakes

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

Follow Kat https://www.instagram.com/katbestwellness/

In this episode, Andrew and Kat sit down with ALTA's lead functional nutritionist Alexa to unpack what it actually takes to build a body and a mind that lasts. 

Alexa shares her journey from a kid growing up overweight in an Italian household, to bodybuilding competitor, to coaching clients through their own physical and mental transformations.

You'll hear why she calls nutrition and fitness "the gateway drug" to deeper mindset work, what her SIBO diagnosis taught her about the limits of dialing in macros, and the practical playbook she uses with clients: train hard, eat your food, trust yourself, and stop trying to do it alone. 

If you've ever felt like you're doing everything "right" and still spinning your wheels, this one's for you.

04:30 — Alexa's journey: Staten Island kid to bodybuilding stage
10:00 — How a SIBO diagnosis rewrote her relationship with food and fitness
17:00 — Why mindset beats macros (and the pyramid that explains it)
25:30 — Alexa's playbook: train hard, eat your food, trust the process

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

Follow Kat https://www.instagram.com/katbestwellness/

AI can build you a meal plan, calculate your macros, and even explain your lab results in seconds.

So why aren’t people getting better results?

In this episode, Andrew and Kat break down where tools like ChatGPT actually help when it comes to health and nutrition… and where they fall short.

Because while AI is incredibly powerful, it’s still just giving you information.

And information alone isn’t what gets people results.

They walk through what AI does well, where it can mislead you, and why so many people end up stuck even though they “know what to do.”

If you’ve ever used AI for your health, or are thinking about it, this will help you use it the right way.

(00:00) Why more information isn’t leading to better results
(04:26) Where AI actually helps with nutrition and fitness
(11:42) Where AI falls short (and can mislead you)
(19:48) Why information isn’t the problem, execution is

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

Follow Kat https://www.instagram.com/katbestwellness/

Most people don’t connect these symptoms:

Brain fog
Bloating
Skin issues
Constant sugar cravings

But when they show up together, it’s usually not random.

In this episode, Andrew and Kat break down one of the most overlooked root causes behind this cluster of symptoms: Candida overgrowth.

Candida is a yeast that naturally lives in your body. But when your gut environment shifts, it can overgrow and start driving symptoms that most people try to fix one at a time.

That’s why you end up chasing solutions that don’t stick.

They explain what causes it, why it’s often missed, and why things like cutting sugar or taking random supplements don’t actually fix the problem.

If you’ve been told everything is “normal” but you’re still dealing with these symptoms, this will help you connect the dots.

(00:00) Why your symptoms aren’t random
(03:47) What Candida is and how it shows up
(08:06) Root causes: gut imbalance and low stomach acid
(14:49) Real client story and how fixing the gut changes everything

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

Follow Kat https://www.instagram.com/katbestwellness/

You cut out gluten. Then dairy. Then processed foods. Maybe you even tried low FODMAP.

But somehow, you’re still bloated.

And now even “safe” foods like chicken, rice, eggs, broccoli, or potatoes feel like they’re betraying you.

In this episode, Andrew and Kat explain why bloating on clean, simple foods usually isn’t about the food itself. It’s often a sign that your digestive system isn’t breaking food down properly, which can lead to excess fermentation, trapped gas, distension, and a gut that feels reactive to almost everything.

They also break down the role of stomach acid, enzymes, bile flow, motility, leaky gut, protein fermentation, and why simply cutting more foods usually makes the problem worse long-term.

If you feel like your diet keeps getting “cleaner” while your gut keeps getting more sensitive, this episode will help you understand what’s actually happening.

 (00:00) Why “safe” foods can still make you bloated
 (06:51) Fermentation, trapped gas, and digestive dysfunction
 (14:14) Leaky gut, protein fermentation, and what labs can reveal
 (24:49) Simple fixes for bloating, motility, and sparkling water

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

Follow Kat https://www.instagram.com/katbestwellness/

You feel anxious… but nothing is actually wrong.

Your life is stable. Things are “fine” on paper.
But your heart is racing, your chest feels tight, and your mind won’t slow down.

Most people assume anxiety is purely mental.
But what if it’s not?

In this episode, Andrew and Kat break down the physical drivers of anxiety that almost no one talks about. Blood sugar crashes, under-eating, poor sleep, hormones, even how you train — all of these can create a stress response that feels exactly like anxiety.

The key insight is simple. Your brain doesn’t distinguish between emotional stress and physiological stress. Low fuel and unstable energy can trigger the same response as a real threat.

If you’ve ever felt anxious “for no reason,” this episode will help you understand what’s actually going on — and where to start.

(00:00) Why you can feel anxious even when nothing’s wrong
(05:42) Blood sugar, under-eating, and metabolic anxiety
(16:32) Real client story: fixing anxiety by fixing physiology
(21:02) The simplest way to reduce anxiety this week

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

Follow Kat https://www.instagram.com/katbestwellness/

Have you ever had random itching that makes no sense? Your scalp itches at night, your hands itch after eating, your arms or legs get itchy when you sweat. You try creams, switch products, maybe even take antihistamines, but nothing really solves it. Because a lot of the time, it is not actually a skin issue.

In this episode, Kat and Andrew break down why histamine overload is one of the most overlooked causes of chronic itching, and why so many people are treating the symptom without understanding what is actually driving it.

They explain how histamine works in the body, how it builds up, and why things like gut health, hormones, stress, and even alcohol can impact how your body handles it. They also walk through why itching often shows up without a visible rash, why it can feel random or cyclical, and why it is commonly worse at night.

They also cover why antihistamines and steroid creams can help temporarily but do not address the root cause, and how relying on them long term can make it harder to understand what is really going on.

If you have ever felt like your skin is reacting for no reason, or you have tried everything and still feel itchy, this episode will help you start connecting the dots.

(06:05) What histamine actually does in the body
(13:00) Common triggers like food, stress, and hormones
(16:30) A real client case and what actually worked
(20:13) What to do if you think histamine is the issue

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

Follow Kat https://www.instagram.com/katbestwellness/

Have you ever taken a food sensitivity test and suddenly it says you’re sensitive to everything?

Eggs, dairy, almonds, wheat, chicken, tomatoes, half the foods you eat every week. Now you’re staring at this list wondering what you’re even supposed to eat, and the advice is usually to remove all of it and hope you feel better.

The problem is, a lot of those tests are not actually measuring what people think they are.

In this episode, Kat and Andrew break down the difference between food allergies, intolerances, and sensitivities, and why many popular IgG food sensitivity tests can be misleading. They explain why these tests often flag the foods you eat most, why that creates so much confusion, and why removing everything on your list is not the solution.

They also talk through what is actually happening in the body when you have a true sensitivity, why symptoms can show up hours or even days later, and why that makes it so difficult to connect food to how you feel. If you have ever felt like certain foods are “off” but you cannot figure out which ones, this will likely make a lot more sense.

Finally, they cover a more accurate way to approach food sensitivities, how to think about testing in a practical way, and why the goal is never to keep shrinking your food list, but to understand what your body is reacting to and why.

(00:01) Why food sensitivity tests feel so overwhelming
(06:47) The difference between allergies, intolerances, and sensitivities
(09:53) Why IgG tests often flag the foods you eat most
(28:41) How to approach elimination without over restricting

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

Follow Kat https://www.instagram.com/katbestwellness/