In this episode I chat with my right hand gal, Romana Brennan. Romana is our other functional medicine registered dietitian here at Functional Fueling. In this episode we provide our best holiday survival tips, sharing with you how we navigate the holiday season, and what to do and what not to do to make this your healthiest year yet. You can find all of the practical strategies we discuss in this episode in this year's Holiday Guide here.

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LISTEN TO THE FULL PODCAST EPISODE! 🔊

Watch us in the studio on Youtube!

If you're struggling with fatigue, stubborn weight gain, or irregular cycles, insulin resistance could be at the root. Insulin Resistance affects far more than just blood sugar. In this episode, we break down everything you need to know to identify, understand, and correct insulin resistance.

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How to spot insulin resistance and confirm it with the right labs

Common symptoms you might be overlooking

The connection between insulin resistance, PCOS, thyroid health, and fertility

Why the “just cut carbs and exercise more” approach doesn’t work

Nutrient deficiencies that can worsen insulin resistance

How mitochondrial health impacts energy, metabolism, and blood sugar

Hormone shifts in perimenopause and menopause and their effect on insulin sensitivity

Practical strategies for using carbs, fats, and exercise to improve insulin function

Which labs to track and the optimal ranges for monitoring your progress

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In this episode, I share a powerful case study of a client struggling with bloating, acne, low cortisol, and low progesterone — symptoms that had left her feeling hopeless after working with multiple practitioners.

We take a deep dive into what was actually going on behind the scenes, including:

Brain-to-ovary communication imbalances

Gut microbiome and digestive juice issues

Mold, heavy metals, and endocrine disruptors

Elevated blood sugar response from “healthy” meals

Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress

Adrenal and nervous system dysregulation

Vitamin and mineral deficiencies

I walk you through how we addressed each of these root causes to help her finally feel balanced, energized, and — most importantly — get pregnant with ease.

Whether you’ve been struggling with persistent gut or hormone issues, or just want to understand the power of root-cause healing, this episode breaks down the exact systems we targeted and why a surface-level approach isn’t enough.

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This is a long overdue podcast episode that you have been asking for, for YEARS!

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How I Started Solids and What Feeding Looks Like Now

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Do you find yourself waking up at 2 or 3 a.m., staring at the ceiling, wondering why you can’t stay asleep? In this week’s episode of The Strength in Hormones Podcast, I dive into the root causes of nighttime waking and what your hormones—like progesterone, thyroid, and cortisol—have to do with it.

You’ll learn why sleep disruptions often flare during certain phases of your cycle, how thyroid function impacts your ability to stay asleep, and practical strategies to finally get deeper, more restorative rest. 

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00:00 Introduction to Sleep Disturbances

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Inflammation isn’t always the enemy. In fact, it’s exactly what your body needs after a workout to repair muscles, stimulate growth, and get fitter. But when exercise-driven inflammation becomes chronic, it can lead to hormonal chaos.

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✅ The difference between acute (helpful) and chronic (harmful) inflammation

✅ Why short-term oxidative stress from exercise is actually a signal for repair and hypertrophy

✅ Signs your workouts are creating more harm than good

✅ The types of training that create the most oxidative stress vs. lower-stress options

✅ Nutrient timing strategies to better control inflammation and support recovery

✅ How mitochondrial dysfunction, low thyroid, toxins, and nutrient gaps can turn a healthy workout response into damaging chronic inflammation

By the end, you’ll understand how to train in a way that maximizes the benefits of inflammation—without tipping your body into overtraining, poor recovery, or systemic stress.

If you’ve been wondering whether your workouts are helping your hormones—or secretly working against them—this episode is for you.

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PCOS is often talked about in terms of hormones, blood sugar, and fertility—but minerals are one of the most overlooked tools for managing symptoms and restoring balance. In this episode of the Strength in Hormones podcast, we explore how specific minerals like magnesium, chromium, zinc, selenium, and electrolytes can directly impact insulin resistance, thyroid health, adrenal function, and hormone balance.

You’ll also learn about the double-edged role of iron in PCOS, why testing matters, and how to individualize your mineral needs for better energy, cycles, and metabolism.

Whether you’re newly diagnosed or have been navigating PCOS for years, this conversation will give you practical, science-backed insight into how minerals can be the missing link in your hormone health journey.

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Why minerals matter for PCOS

Understanding PCOS Diagnosis and Treatment

The Role of Magnesium in PCOS

Chromium and Insulin Resistance

Zinc’s Impact on Androgenic Hormones

Selenium and Thyroid Health and How This Impacts PCOS

Electrolytes and Adrenal PCOS

Iron: The Double-Edged Sword

Testing and Individualizing Mineral Needs

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If your hair is thinning, shedding faster than it’s growing, or just won’t regain its fullness, the problem may go deeper than shampoo or supplements. In this episode, we uncover how key mineral imbalances—especially zinc, copper, iron, selenium, and iodine—can make or break your hair health.

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Why low zinc or iron can shorten your hair’s growth phase and trigger excess shedding

How high copper or iron drive oxidative stress and immune dysfunction

The role of the immune system in hair follicle health—and how autoimmunity (like alopecia areata or Hashimoto’s) plays a role

Environmental triggers such as mold, infections, and toxins that sabotage hair growth

How thyroid health (especially low T3, reverse T3 dominance, or Hashimoto’s antibodies) impacts the hair cycle—and why thyroid hormone medication alone may not be enough

The androgen connection: DHT, testosterone, PCOS, insulin resistance, and how stress can ramp up androgen output

Top food sources and supplementation for essential minerals and nutrients that support healthy, strong hair

We’ll also cover lab testing strategies to restore your hair’s natural growth cycle.

If you’ve been told your hair loss is “just aging” or “just genetics,” this episode will give you a deeper, root-cause lens—so you can finally see lasting improvement from the inside out.

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