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In this episode we talk about something that doesn’t get said enough…
 the anxiety hangover that can linger after being sick.

After recently having the flu (hello Japan travel germs), Sammy and Nat share what it’s like when your body is technically “better”… but your nervous system is still in overdrive.

This episode is a gentle, honest conversation about those in-between days when you want to be back at full capacity, but your body needs a slower re-entry.

We explore:
 ✨ Why anxiety often spikes after illness or exhaustion
 ✨ How the nervous system stays in protective mode even once symptoms pass
 ✨ Why pushing yourself to “go full steam ahead” can backfire
 ✨ The difference between healing and forcing momentum
 ✨ Why toe-dipping back into life is sometimes the smartest move
 ✨ How to recalibrate gently instead of demanding instant normal
 ✨ Permission to rebuild capacity slowly, without guilt

This isn’t a polished, high-energy episode, and that’s kind of the point.
It’s a real-time reminder that healing isn’t linear, readiness can’t be rushed, and sometimes the bravest thing you can do is dip your toes in before you run and jump.

If you’ve been sick, burnt out, overwhelmed, or wondering why anxiety feels louder “for no reason” this episode will help you feel less broken and more understood 🧭

Support the show

👉 Grab your free Anxiety Compass download here

👉 Grab a copy of Sammy's Book, Anxiety, The Best Teacher You Never Asked For here

Follow us @theanxietycompass

Connect with Sammy @nutritionwithsammy or website

Connect with Natalie @nataliemarieinbalance or book discovery call here

Send us a text

In this episode we dive into The Great Unwiring... what it actually means to break free from the survival patterns your nervous system learnt years (or decades) ago.

So many of us live with a brain that’s stuck in fight, flight, freeze, or fawn, running the same old protective programs on loop. These patterns often come from childhood, trauma, overwhelm, or seasons of life where our body had to adapt fast… and never switched back.

In this episode, we unpack:

✨ Why your nervous system gets “stuck” in survival mode
 ✨ How chronic fight-or-flight affects digestion, mood, sleep, hormones and clarity
 ✨ The patterns we unknowingly repeat (even when we want to grow)
✨ Why up-levelling in life can trigger old wiring
✨ How to gently disconnect from survival mode
✨ Practical tools to rewire your brain and body with safety
✨ The LISTEN framework...Sammy’s own method for calming her system
✨ What true nervous-system “rebooting” really looks like

With a mix of science, stories, humour, and lived experience, this episode helps you understand why your body reacts the way it does and how to guide yourself back to True North.

Support the show

👉 Grab your free Anxiety Compass download here

👉 Grab a copy of Sammy's Book, Anxiety, The Best Teacher You Never Asked For here

Follow us @theanxietycompass

Connect with Sammy @nutritionwithsammy or website

Connect with Natalie @nataliemarieinbalance or book discovery call here

Send us a text

In this episode, we explore why humans are basically walking Wi-Fi routers, constantly broadcasting emotional signals, syncing with each other’s nervous systems, and accidentally connecting to energy we don’t even want.

We break down co-regulation in a way that actually makes sense:
 ✨ Your body is always sending out a “signal”
 ✨ Other people’s bodies pick it up instantly
 ✨ Kids and teens borrow YOUR nervous system state
 ✨ Why you auto-connect (Bluetooth-style) to certain people
 ✨ How energy drains, emotional airdrops, and boundary breaches happen
 ✨ And how to protect your own signal so you stop absorbing everyone else’s stress

Using humour, nervous-system science, metaphors, and lived experience, we unpack why your mood shifts around certain people and how to take back control of your frequency.

Support the show

👉 Grab your free Anxiety Compass download here

👉 Grab a copy of Sammy's Book, Anxiety, The Best Teacher You Never Asked For here

Follow us @theanxietycompass

Connect with Sammy @nutritionwithsammy or website

Connect with Natalie @nataliemarieinbalance or book discovery call here

Send us a text

Why do we say yes when every cell in our body is screaming NO?

In this episode, Nat and Sammy dive into the messy, very human world of people pleasing... the survival strategy so many anxious, sensitive humans master without even meaning to.

We explore the real root of people pleasing through the lens of the nervous system, childhood patterns, fear of conflict, and that deep desire to keep the peace… even at the cost of your own needs.

This episode is honest, spicy, validating and full of “oh wow, same” moments... especially if you grew up being the “good girl,” the easy one, the peacekeeper, or the emotional shock absorber.

🎧 Tune in to learn how to recognise people pleasing in real time, how to regulate before responding, and how to choose yourself without burning bridges.

Support the show

👉 Grab your free Anxiety Compass download here

👉 Grab a copy of Sammy's Book, Anxiety, The Best Teacher You Never Asked For here

Follow us @theanxietycompass

Connect with Sammy @nutritionwithsammy or website

Connect with Natalie @nataliemarieinbalance or book discovery call here

Send us a text

Welcome to Part 2 of our nervous system nutrition episode!

In part 1, we unpacked the foundations... blood sugar, gut–brain, hormones, protein anchors and healthy fats. In part 2, we’re diving into the rest of the puzzle… the part that brings everything together.

Nat and Sammy explore how carbs, nutrients, portion sizes and meal structure can either calm your nervous system or leave it feeling overwhelmed, overstimulated and spinning.

It's practical, reassuring and full of “ohhh that makes sense” moments... especially if you’ve ever felt confused about carbs, cravings or why certain foods make anxiety worse.

🎧 Tune in and discover how small tweaks to your meals can help your body feel calmer, clearer and more grounded.

Support the show

👉 Grab your free Anxiety Compass download here

👉 Grab a copy of Sammy's Book, Anxiety, The Best Teacher You Never Asked For here

Follow us @theanxietycompass

Connect with Sammy @nutritionwithsammy or website

Connect with Natalie @nataliemarieinbalance or book discovery call here

Send us a text

Did you know your lunch, your hormones, your sensitivity levels, and even your breakfast choice can change the way anxiety feels?

 In this two-part series, Nat and Sammy dive deep into how food affects the nervous system... starting with the foundations your body absolutely depends on to stay calm.

In Part 1, we break down why certain foods steady your inner compass… while others spin the needle wildly. 

This episode gives you the science, the reassurance, and the practical steps to understand what your body is trying to tell you... without the overwhelm.

Part 2 will explore slow carbs, key nutrients, portion sizes, meal ideas and lunchbox inspiration. Go Check it out after this episode. 

🎧 Tune in and discover how the right foods can help your body find ease, steadiness and true north.

Support the show

👉 Grab your free Anxiety Compass download here

👉 Grab a copy of Sammy's Book, Anxiety, The Best Teacher You Never Asked For here

Follow us @theanxietycompass

Connect with Sammy @nutritionwithsammy or website

Connect with Natalie @nataliemarieinbalance or book discovery call here

Send us a text

Every year, as the clock strikes midnight, we’re hit with the same message: “New year, new you!”
 

And honestly… that pressure can send even the calmest nervous system into a spiral.

In this episode, Natalie and Sammy unpack why the start of a new year can feel overwhelming, emotional and strangely anxiety-fuelled... especially when it feels like everyone else is suddenly reinventing themselves. 

This one is grounding, honest and full of relief, a reminder that you don’t need to become a brand-new person on January 1st. You just need to take one aligned, compassionate step in the direction your body is already pointing you.

Tune in and discover why the smallest shift often creates the biggest change.

Support the show

👉 Grab your free Anxiety Compass download here

👉 Grab a copy of Sammy's Book, Anxiety, The Best Teacher You Never Asked For here

Follow us @theanxietycompass

Connect with Sammy @nutritionwithsammy or website

Connect with Natalie @nataliemarieinbalance or book discovery call here

Send us a text

Ever feel a bit… strange between Christmas and New Year?
 

That foggy, floaty, unmotivated, slightly “off” feeling is more common than you think (and no, there’s nothing wrong with you!)

In this episode, Nat and Sammy dive into what actually happens to your body and brain in the “in-between days” of the year. You’ll hear:

• why your nervous system feels ungrounded after Christmas
 • how sugar, sleep changes, alcohol and leftovers mess with your mood
 • the emotional crash that follows big social events
 • why doing “nothing” feels both good and uncomfortable
• simple ways to reset your body so you feel more settled

This one is honest, comforting, and full of those “ohhh that explains everything” moments...perfect if you’ve been wandering around your house not knowing what day it is.

Tune in and find out why feeling weird right now is actually completely normal… and what your body might be trying to tell you.

Support the show

👉 Grab your free Anxiety Compass download here

👉 Grab a copy of Sammy's Book, Anxiety, The Best Teacher You Never Asked For here

Follow us @theanxietycompass

Connect with Sammy @nutritionwithsammy or website

Connect with Natalie @nataliemarieinbalance or book discovery call here

Send us a text

We all know the Christmas season comes with twinkly lights, carols… and a whole lot of hidden anxiety triggers no one warns you about.

In this episode, Nat and Sammy unpack the five biggest holiday anxiety triggers and why your body might feel overwhelmed, overstimulated, or one mince pie away from combusting. You’ll hear:

🎄 The family dynamics that fire up your nervous system
 💸 Why money pressures and expectations hit harder in December
 🍗 How food comments, overeating, and body talk mess with your mood
 🎉 The social overload that pushes sensitive systems into shutdown
 ⏰ And how losing your normal routine (sleep, structure, sanity) flips everything sideways

You’ll learn simple, compassionate tools to support your body, regulate your nervous system, and find your “true north” even when Christmas feels a little… extra.

This one’s honest, warm, and sprinkled with giggles because sometimes the holiday season is less “silent night” and more “why is everyone yelling and where’s my calm?”

Tune in and discover how to navigate the festive season without losing yourself in the chaos.

Support the show

👉 Grab your free Anxiety Compass download here

👉 Grab a copy of Sammy's Book, Anxiety, The Best Teacher You Never Asked For here

Follow us @theanxietycompass

Connect with Sammy @nutritionwithsammy or website

Connect with Natalie @nataliemarieinbalance or book discovery call here

Send us a text

We’ve all had that moment...when your body goes into full panic mode at the worst possible time...like in the middle of a supermarket!!

In this episode, Nat and Sammy share what happens inside the body during a panic attack especially when you’re surrounded by fluorescent lights, background chatter, and discount signs. You’ll hear:

• What triggered our attacks
• How to recognise the body isn't broken...it is just trying to protect us
• The tools we used to calm our nervous system 
• And why anxiety often shows up when we least expect it

This one’s a mix of chaos, compassion, and a few giggles...because sometimes, your biggest breakdowns happen in the fruit and veg section.

Tune in and find out why panic isn’t the enemy, even when it hits you in aisle three.

Support the show

👉 Grab your free Anxiety Compass download here

👉 Grab a copy of Sammy's Book, Anxiety, The Best Teacher You Never Asked For here

Follow us @theanxietycompass

Connect with Sammy @nutritionwithsammy or website

Connect with Natalie @nataliemarieinbalance or book discovery call here