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In this episode of The NeuroCollective Podcast, Dr. Michael & May Bagnell, IHP continue the powerful Rooted in Balance Series, diving into the first two pillars of the D.E.-STRESS Protocol — Diet & Digestion and Exercise & Movement. 

If you missed Part 1, make sure to go back — it sets the stage for everything we unpack today.  

🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode 

• Why diet and digestion are the foundation of healing
• How gut health influences your brain, hormones, immunity, and mood
• Why the gut is known as the “second brain” and how the brain-gut axis actually works
• The top 3 foods to eliminate immediately — gluten, dairy, and sugar — to reduce inflammation and gut stress
• What the “Rain Barrel Effect” is and how toxic overload affects weight, sleep, mood, and brain health
• How the Detox Protocol supports toxin breakdown, mobilization, and elimination
• Why movement is medicine for the brain — and how both exercise and gentle movement (movement snacks) reshape your health
• The difference between training vs. overtraining, especially for those with anxiety, fatigue, or hormonal imbalance

 
 Highlighted Key Takeaways
 

• “Diet and digestion are the foundation of healing.”
• “The gut and brain are in constant conversation — they affect each other dramatically.”
• “Eliminating gluten, dairy, and sugar is the fastest way to reduce gut stress.”
• “Your body is like a rain barrel — when it overflows with toxins, symptoms begin.”
• “Movement is not optional for the brain — it activates blood flow, oxygen, and neuroplasticity.”
• “Overtraining can worsen anxiety. Sometimes the answer is slower: breathwork, tai chi, pilates.”
• “You don’t have to add more — sometimes healing begins by removing what harms you.”

 
 Simple Action Steps From This Episode
 

1. Eliminate gluten, dairy, and processed sugar for 21 days.
2. Add colorful whole foods: vegetables, clean proteins, healthy fats — Mediterranean-style eating.
3. Begin movement snacks — 3–5 minutes every hour: walk, stretch, ankle pumps, rebounding, dance.
4. If you're metabolically stuck or overwhelmed, try a 7–21 day Detox Protocol to reset liver and gut.
5. Ask yourself: Am I under-training, over-training, or training the wrong way for my stress load?

 
🎧 Why You Should Listen

This isn’t just information — it’s an invitation to unpack slowly, reset your body, and take actionable steps toward longevity, brain health, and resilience.

As always, we leave you with this truth:

You can heal. We can help.