The Vital Spirit Podcast with Dr. Kelly Livingston

What if the biggest obstacle to your healing isn’t your symptoms but the way you’ve been taught to think about them?

In this episode of the Vital Spirit Podcast, I go deeper into the concept of a health awakening—this time focusing on the part that often gets missed: deprogramming. This is where healing shifts from just protocols and supplements into something much deeper. It’s about unlearning the belief that your body is broken, that symptoms are the enemy, and that someone else has to fix you.

If Part 1 helped you recognize the awakening, this episode helps you understand how to move through it.

In this episode, we cover:

1. 01:23 Why so much of healing isn’t about adding more
2. 04:08 What awakening really means
3. 05:15 What it actually looks like when you stop trying to “fix” symptoms
4. 08:02 Why symptoms are not the problem
5. 09:42 Anxiety, thoughts, and emotions
6. 12:19 Why nervous system regulation and physical healing create the foundation for emotional resilience and awareness
7. 14:42 The therapeutic order as a map
8. 17:09 Universal awakening stages
9. 19:44 Psychedelics vs embodiment
10. 22:23 Practical entry points
11. 26:07 How the brain becomes wired to seek problems and urgency
12. 28:30 Different approaches to healing the nervous system and subconscious patterns
13. 31:31 Inner guidance and discernment
14. 34:43 Guided self-worth practice

Links and resources:

1. Episode 53 Part 1. Health Awakening: The Health Crisis That Wakes You Up and Why Midlife Is the Portal: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/53-part-1-health-awakening-the-health-crisis-that/id1790365046?i=1000755916907
2. Episode 36. The Dark Night of the Soul: Descent, Healing, and the Alchemy of Midlife: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/36-the-dark-night-of-the-soul-descent/id1790365046?i=1000734013547
3. Episode 41 Part 1. SSRIs, Serotonin, and the Truth About Depression: What Women Aren’t Being Told: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/41-part-1-ssris-serotonin-and-the-truth-about/id1790365046?i=1000739475942
4. Episode 41 Part 2. SSRIs, Serotonin, and the Truth About Depression: What Women Aren’t Being Told: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/41-part-2-ssris-serotonin-and-the-truth-about/id1790365046?i=1000740607767
5. Episode 01. Midlife As A Gateway to Your Health Awakening: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/01-midlife-as-a-gateway-to-your-health-awakening/id1790365046?i=1000684965783

Connect with Dr. Kelly:

Website: drkellylivingston.com

Website Clinic: rootsdeepmedicine.com

Instagram: instagram.com/thevitalspiritmethod/

Facebook: facebook.com/rootsdeepnaturopathicmedicine

YouTube: youtube.com/@DrKellyLivingston

Thank you so much for joining The Vital Spirit Podcast.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast as it helps us reach more women who are ready to awaken their healing potential.

Remember, healing isn’t a destination; it’s a journey. Every step brings you closer to the vibrant health you were born to experience. Let’s walk this path together.

If you’re ready to dive deeper or work with me one-on-one, visit www.drkellylivingston.com for more resources and ways to connect.

Disclaimer:

The information shared on The Vital Spirit Podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. The content reflects the opinions and experiences of Dr. Kelly Livingston, ND, and her guests, and is not a substitute for personalized care from a licensed healthcare provider. Always consult your doctor or qualified health professional before making changes to your diet, supplement routine, lifestyle, or medical treatment. Listening to this podcast does not establish a doctor-patient relationship.

What if your symptoms aren’t a problem to fix…but a message trying to wake you up?

In this episode of the Vital Spirit Podcast, I’m opening up a deeper conversation about what I call a health awakening—the moment you start realizing that everything you’ve been taught about your body, your symptoms, and your healing might be incomplete.

This isn’t about “love and light” or bypassing what you’re feeling. It’s about understanding why midlife—especially perimenopause and menopause—can feel like everything is falling apart… when in reality, something deeper is coming online.

If you’ve been feeling off, questioning everything, or like you’re not the same person anymore, this episode will help you make sense of it.

In this episode, we cover:

1. 01:41 What a health awakening actually is and why it often starts with a health crisis
2. 04:32 How we’ve been conditioned to see health (and why that programming keeps you stuck)
3. 07:51 The therapeutic order as a roadmap
4. 09:46 Why menopause is more than a hormonal shift
5. 12:30 Subtle (and not-so-subtle) signs you’re going through a health awakening
6. 14:06 How awakening happens through the body
7. 17:08 A real-life case study: Sarah’s journey from burnout to awareness
8. 23:56 The “cocoon phase”—why you start pulling back and setting boundaries
9. 29:21 The truth about disillusionment, healing crises, and why things can feel worse before they feel better
10. 32:25 Why you cannot wake other people up (and what to do instead)
11. 33:27 Where psychology meets awakening—Maslow, Jung, and the deeper layers of healing
12. 36:53 The responsibility that comes with awareness—and what integration really looks like
13. 37:45 A grounding closing blessing to anchor your journey

Links and resources:

1. Episode 01. Midlife As A Gateway to Your Health Awakening: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/01-midlife-as-a-gateway-to-your-health-awakening/id1790365046?i=1000684965783
2. Episode 36. The Dark Night of the Soul: Descent, Healing, and the Alchemy of Midlife: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/36-the-dark-night-of-the-soul-descent/id1790365046?i=1000734013547
3. Episode 44. Why Healing Requires Learning to Feel with Dr. Jenn Rapkin, ND: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/44-why-healing-requires-learning-to-feel-with-dr-jenn/id1790365046?i=1000743291781
4. Join Burnout to Balance Waitlist: https://www.rootsdeepmedicine.com/b2bnew

Connect with Dr. Kelly:

Website: drkellylivingston.com

Website Clinic: rootsdeepmedicine.com

Instagram: instagram.com/thevitalspiritmethod/

Facebook: facebook.com/rootsdeepnaturopathicmedicine

YouTube: youtube.com/@DrKellyLivingston

Thank you so much for joining The Vital Spirit Podcast.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast as it helps us reach more women who are ready to awaken their healing potential.

Remember, healing isn’t a destination; it’s a journey. Every step brings you closer to the vibrant health you were born to experience. Let’s walk this path together.

If you’re ready to dive deeper or work with me one-on-one, visit www.drkellylivingston.com for more resources and ways to connect.

Did you know that vitamin D isn’t really a vitamin at all; and the real issue isn’t how much you supplement, but how much light your body receives?

In this episode of the Vital Spirit Podcast, I explore the deeper physiology of vitamin D and why thinking of it as just another nutrient misses the bigger picture. Vitamin D functions as a hormone that communicates information about light, safety, season, and rhythm to the body. That means when levels stay low despite supplementation, the real question often isn’t “How much should I take?” but rather “What upstream signal is missing?”

If your vitamin D levels have ever stayed stubbornly low or you’ve wondered whether supplements are really enough, this episode will help you understand the bigger biological story.

In this episode, we cover:

1. 03:32 Why vitamin D is technically not a vitamin
2. 04:54 Vitamin D’s role in gene regulation and nutrigenomics
3. 06:17 I explore the connection between vitamin D and immune regulation
4. 09:08 How the skin functions as an immune and endocrine organ
5. 10:03 The relationship between vitamin D, mood, circadian rhythm, and serotonin production, including how low levels can contribute to depression
6. 12:58 Why vitamin D becomes even more important in midlife
7. 13:49 The common reasons vitamin D levels remain low even with supplementation
8. 15:37 Which labs actually matter when evaluating vitamin D status
9. 17:12 Practical strategies for raising vitamin D
10. 25:28 I share my frustration about insurance companies increasingly refusing to cover vitamin D testing and why this matters for preventive medicine

Links and resources:

1. FREE Vagal Tone Guide: https://drkellylivingston.com/vagal-guide/signup
2. FREE Seeds of Health Journal: drkellylivingston.com/daily-journal
3. Rupa Health Lab Shop: https://labs.rupahealth.com/store/storefront_6G8Rzpn
4. Episode 51. Sunlight as Medicine: Restoring Rhythm, Mood, and Vitality Through Light: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/51-sunlight-as-medicine-restoring-rhythm-mood-and/id1790365046?i=1000753018736
5. Episode 41 Part 1. SSRIs, Serotonin, and the Truth About Depression: What Women Aren’t Being Told: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/41-part-1-ssris-serotonin-and-the-truth-about/id1790365046?i=1000739475942
6. Episode 41 Part 2. SSRIs, Serotonin, and the Truth About Depression: What Women Aren’t Being Told: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/41-part-2-ssris-serotonin-and-the-truth-about/id1790365046?i=1000740607767

Connect with Dr. Kelly:

Website: drkellylivingston.com

Website Clinic: rootsdeepmedicine.com

Instagram: instagram.com/thevitalspiritmethod/

Facebook: facebook.com/rootsdeepnaturopathicmedicine

YouTube: youtube.com/@DrKellyLivingston

Thank you so much for joining The Vital Spirit Podcast.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast as it helps us reach more women who are ready to awaken their healing potential.

Remember, healing isn’t a destination; it’s a journey. Every step brings you closer to the vibrant health you were born to experience. Let’s walk this path together.

If you’re ready to dive deeper or work with me one-on-one, visit www.drkellylivingston.com for more resources and ways to connect.

Disclaimer:

The information shared on The Vital Spirit Podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. The content reflects the opinions and experiences of Dr. Kelly Livingston, ND, and her guests, and is not a substitute for personalized care from a licensed healthcare provider. Always consult your doctor or qualified health professional before making changes to your diet, supplement routine, lifestyle, or medical treatment. Listening to this podcast does not establish a doctor-patient relationship.

Morning sunlight is not optional.

In this episode, I break down why sunlight is one of the most powerful upstream regulators of human physiology we have. This isn’t biohacking nor a trend. It’s remembering something ancient and foundational to how we’re built.

We talk circadian rhythm, cortisol, serotonin, appetite, metabolism, mitochondria, mood, and nervous system safety—and why so many modern health struggles are actually rhythm problems.

If you’re struggling with sleep, burnout, hormonal chaos, low mood, anxiety, food noise, or stubborn weight changes…light is not a small thing. It’s the foundation.

In this episode, we cover:

1. 01:03 Why I talk about light before supplements, labs, and almost anything else.
2. 02:12 Awareness check-in
3. 03:26 How sunlight was prescribed intentionally in nature cure sanitariums
4. 04:21 Circadian clock basics
5. 06:07 Eyes as timekeepers
6. 07:16 Morning light benefits
7. 08:59 Chronotypes and social jet lag
8. 11:08 Light, appetite, and metabolism
9. 14:49 Movement and timing
10. 16:24 Light and mood pathways
11. 20:10 Mitochondria and energy
12. 22:50 Why we feel better on vacation
13. 25:47 Dark nights matter
14. 27:51 Light boxes and devices
15. 28:46 Morning grounding practice
16. 31:16 Final takeaways

Links and resources:

1. Fullscript Link for Light Therapy: https://us.fullscript.com/plans/klivingston-light-therapy
2. Episode 30. Why Hydration Alone Isn’t Enough: The Power of Hydrotherapy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uO8wB8AOvY
3. Episode 46. Movement as Medicine: Restoring Flow, Safety, and Vitality in Midlife: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/46-movement-as-medicine-restoring-flow-safety-and/id1790365046?i=1000745111800
4. Episode 33. The HPA Axis Deep Dive (Part 1): Why It Comes Before Hormones: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/33-the-hpa-axis-deep-dive-part-1-why-it-comes-before-hormones/id1790365046?i=1000729491418
5. Episode 33. The HPA Axis Deep Dive (Part 2): Why It Comes Before Hormones: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/33-the-hpa-axis-deep-dive-part-2-why-it-comes-before-hormones/id1790365046?i=1000730776671
6. Episode 35. Sleep Masterclass: The Forgotten Medicine of Midlife: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/35-sleep-masterclass-the-forgotten-medicine-of-midlife/id1790365046?i=1000732944682
7. Episode 41 Part 1. SSRIs, Serotonin, and the Truth About Depression: What Women Aren’t Being Told: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/41-part-1-ssris-serotonin-and-the-truth-about/id1790365046?i=1000739475942
8. Episode 41 Part 2. SSRIs, Serotonin, and the Truth About Depression: What Women Aren’t Being Told: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/41-part-2-ssris-serotonin-and-the-truth-about/id1790365046?i=1000740607767
9. Join Burnout to Balance Waitlist: https://www.rootsdeepmedicine.com/b2bnew
10. Download the FREE Seeds of Health Journal: drkellylivingston.com/daily-journal

Connect with Dr. Kelly:

Website: drkellylivingston.com

Website Clinic: rootsdeepmedicine.com

Instagram: instagram.com/thevitalspiritmethod/

Facebook: facebook.com/rootsdeepnaturopathicmedicine

YouTube: youtube.com/@DrKellyLivingston

Thank you so much for joining The Vital Spirit Podcast.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast as it helps us reach more women who are ready to awaken their healing potential.

Remember, healing isn’t a destination; it’s a journey. Every step brings you closer to the vibrant health you were born to experience. Let’s walk this path together.

If you’re ready to dive deeper or work with me one-on-one, visit www.drkellylivingston.com for more resources and ways to connect.

Disclaimer:

The information shared on The Vital Spirit Podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. The content reflects the opinions and experiences of Dr. Kelly Livingston, ND, and her guests, and is not a substitute for personalized care from a licensed healthcare provider. Always consult your doctor or qualified health professional before making changes to your diet, supplement routine, lifestyle, or medical treatment. Listening to this podcast does not establish a doctor-patient relationship.

IBD is not just a diagnosis. It’s a pattern. And if we don’t understand the order in which healing needs to happen, we can unintentionally make things worse.

In this second part of the IBD Master Series, I step into the clinical side of care. We talk about labs, but we don’t reduce healing to numbers. I walk you through how I actually approach inflammatory bowel disease in practice—the sequence, the nuance, and why both extremes (food doesn’t matter vs. food is everything) miss the mark.

IBD healing requires regulation, precision, and a respect for the terrain. This episode is about how to move forward without fear, force, or rigid dogma.

In this episode, we cover:

1. 01:03 IBD series recap
2. 03:01 IBD types explained
3. 04:26 How to use labs
4. 05:44 Core bloodwork basics
5. 06:20 Why low ferritin is common in IBD
6. 07:24 Fats, micronutrients, and why you cannot rebuild an inflamed gut in a depleted body.
7. 08:37 Thyroid and celiac testing
8. 10:37 Stool markers to track
9. 13:23 Why rigid, one-size-fits-all diets fail
10. 15:08 Histamine and mast cells
11. 16:20 Infections and immune memory
12. 17:24 How I use glutamine, butyrate, and mucosal support to heal and seal the gut lining
13. 19:18 Healing order of operations
14. 21:36 Herbs and plant medicine
15. 23:12 RID and drainage sequencing
16. 24:54 Micronutrient rebuilding, tissue repair, and why remission stabilizes when we reinhabit the body and restore safety

Links and resources:

1. Episode 50. IBD Master Series Part 1: Inflammatory Bowel Disease Beyond the Diagnosis — A Terrain-Based Approach: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/50-ibd-master-series-part-1-inflammatory-bowel-disease/id1790365046?i=1000750306143
2. Episode 12. What Your Thyroid Is Trying to Tell You in Midlife: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/12-what-your-thyroid-is-trying-to-tell-you-in-midlife/id1790365046?i=1000706641159
3. Episode 32. What Your Doctor Might Be Missing About Midlife Fatigue (Epstein-Barr Virus EBV): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/32-what-your-doctor-might-be-missing-about-midlife/id1790365046?i=1000728187600

Connect with Dr. Kelly:

Website: drkellylivingston.com

Website Clinic: rootsdeepmedicine.com

Instagram: instagram.com/thevitalspiritmethod/

Facebook: facebook.com/rootsdeepnaturopathicmedicine

YouTube: youtube.com/@DrKellyLivingston

Thank you so much for joining The Vital Spirit Podcast.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast as it helps us reach more women who are ready to awaken their healing potential.

Remember, healing isn’t a destination; it’s a journey. Every step brings you closer to the vibrant health you were born to experience. Let’s walk this path together.

If you’re ready to dive deeper or work with me one-on-one, visit www.drkellylivingston.com for more resources and ways to connect.

Disclaimer:

The information shared on The Vital Spirit Podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. The content reflects the opinions and experiences of Dr. Kelly Livingston, ND, and her guests, and is not a substitute for personalized care from a licensed healthcare provider. Always consult your doctor or qualified health professional before making changes to your diet, supplement routine, lifestyle, or medical treatment. Listening to this podcast does not establish a doctor-patient relationship.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease is not rare. It’s not mysterious. And it’s not just “autoimmune.”

In this first part of the IBD Master Series, I expand the lens beyond conventional conversations and walk you through how I understand IBD as a whole-terrain condition—one that involves the gut, immune system, nervous system, hormones, microbiome, and life context.

This episode lays the groundwork. In Part 2, we’ll move into labs, sequencing, herbs, and clinical treatment. But first, we have to understand what we’re actually looking at.

In this episode, we cover:

1. 01:03 Why this IBD series matters
2. 02:05 The bigger picture: IBD and the terrain
3. 06:54 What IBD actually is (and isn’t)
4. 08:50 Ulcerative colitis explained
5. 10:36 Crohn’s disease explained
6. 12:27 IBS vs. IBD (and the gray zone)
7. 15:21 Root drivers of inflammation
8. 19:12 The microbiome and butyrate
9. 22:19 Midlife amplification + The Vital Spirit Method
10. 26:13 What’s coming in Part 2

Links and resources:

1. Episode 47 Part 1. The Gut–Brain Axis: How Your Body Shapes Mood, Stress, and Inflammation: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/47-part-1-the-gut-brain-axis-how-your-body-shapes/id1790365046?i=1000746015163
2. Episode 47 Part 2. The Gut–Brain Axis: How Your Body Shapes Mood, Stress, and Inflammation: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/47-part-2-the-gut-brain-axis-how-your-body-shapes/id1790365046?i=1000746987885
3. Episode 48. Why IBS Gets Worse in Midlife: A Gut–Brain Perspective: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/48-why-ibs-gets-worse-in-midlife-a-gut-brain-perspective/id1790365046?i=1000748001710
4. Episode 49. IBS vs. IBD: Understanding Gut Inflammation Through Clinical Cases: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/49-ibs-vs-ibd-understanding-gut-inflammation-through/id1790365046?i=1000749212470

Connect with Dr. Kelly:

Website: drkellylivingston.com

Website Clinic: rootsdeepmedicine.com

Instagram: instagram.com/thevitalspiritmethod/

Facebook: facebook.com/rootsdeepnaturopathicmedicine

YouTube: youtube.com/@DrKellyLivingston

Thank you so much for joining The Vital Spirit Podcast.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast as it helps us reach more women who are ready to awaken their healing potential.

Remember, healing isn’t a destination; it’s a journey. Every step brings you closer to the vibrant health you were born to experience. Let’s walk this path together.

If you’re ready to dive deeper or work with me one-on-one, visit www.drkellylivingston.com for more resources and ways to connect.

Disclaimer:

The information shared on The Vital Spirit Podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. The content reflects the opinions and experiences of Dr. Kelly Livingston, ND, and her guests, and is not a substitute for personalized care from a licensed healthcare provider. Always consult your doctor or qualified health professional before making changes to your diet, supplement routine, lifestyle, or medical treatment. Listening to this podcast does not establish a doctor-patient relationship.

What if your gut symptoms aren’t random, confusing, or “all in your head” but a story your body has been trying to tell for years?

In this episode of The Vital Spirit Podcast, I take you inside my clinical thinking as a naturopathic physician and walk you through how I differentiate IBS and IBD in real life, not just on paper. This is a case-based, detective-style episode where we look at gut inflammation through the lens of the gut–brain axis, nervous system regulation, immune signaling, and lived experience.

This conversation is for patients who feel misheard or misunderstood—and for practitioners who want to think more clearly, compassionately, and effectively about gut healing.

In this episode, we cover:

1. 01:03 Why I’m walking you through my actual clinical reasoning
2. 03:19 IBS vs. IBD: what really separates them
3. 05:26 How I approach gut cases in practice
4. 16:33 Real patient cases and what they reveal
5. 23:37 The healing order that actually works

Links and resources:

1. Episode 47 Part 1. The Gut–Brain Axis: How Your Body Shapes Mood, Stress, and Inflammation: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/47-part-1-the-gut-brain-axis-how-your-body-shapes/id1790365046?i=1000746015163
2. Episode 47 Part 2. The Gut–Brain Axis: How Your Body Shapes Mood, Stress, and Inflammation: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/47-part-2-the-gut-brain-axis-how-your-body-shapes/id1790365046?i=1000746987885
3. Episode 48. Why IBS Gets Worse in Midlife: A Gut–Brain Perspective: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/48-why-ibs-gets-worse-in-midlife-a-gut-brain-perspective/id1790365046?i=1000748001710
4. FREE Vagal Tone Guide: https://drkellylivingston.com/vagal-guide/signup
5. Calm Gut, Clear Mind: https://drkellylivingston.com/gutreset

Connect with Dr. Kelly:

Website: drkellylivingston.com

Website Clinic: rootsdeepmedicine.com

Instagram: instagram.com/thevitalspiritmethod/

Facebook: facebook.com/rootsdeepnaturopathicmedicine

YouTube: youtube.com/@DrKellyLivingston

Thank you so much for joining The Vital Spirit Podcast.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast as it helps us reach more women who are ready to awaken their healing potential.

Remember, healing isn’t a destination; it’s a journey. Every step brings you closer to the vibrant health you were born to experience. Let’s walk this path together.

If you’re ready to dive deeper or work with me one-on-one, visit www.drkellylivingston.com for more resources and ways to connect.

Disclaimer:

The information shared on The Vital Spirit Podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. The content reflects the opinions and experiences of Dr. Kelly Livingston, ND, and her guests, and is not a substitute for personalized care from a licensed healthcare provider. Always consult your doctor or qualified health professional before making changes to your diet, supplement routine, lifestyle, or medical treatment. Listening to this podcast does not establish a doctor-patient relationship.

When people hear IBS, they’re often told it’s “just stress,” “just food,” or worse—all in their head. In this episode, I slow things down and walk you through IBS as what it truly is: a gut–brain axis pattern, rooted in nervous system regulation, physiology, lived experience, and meaning.

In this episode, we cover:

1. 01:03 Understanding IBS through the gut–brain axis
2. 02:28 Why a holistic approach actually matters for IBS
3. 05:22 How IBS symptoms reflect the nervous system
4. 09:24 Top-down and bottom-up healing explained simply
5. 14:55 The Vital Spirit Method for IBS
6. 18:34 The mechanical and energetic layers most people miss
7. 24:10 Labs, testing, and real patient stories
8. 33:34 What IBS is really asking for—and what to do next

Links and resources mentioned:

1. Calm Gut, Clear Mind: https://drkellylivingston.com/gutreset

Connect with Dr. Kelly:

Website: drkellylivingston.com

Website Clinic: rootsdeepmedicine.com

Instagram: instagram.com/thevitalspiritmethod/

Facebook: facebook.com/rootsdeepnaturopathicmedicine

YouTube: youtube.com/@DrKellyLivingston

Thank you so much for joining The Vital Spirit Podcast.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast as it helps us reach more women who are ready to awaken their healing potential.

Remember, healing isn’t a destination; it’s a journey. Every step brings you closer to the vibrant health you were born to experience. Let’s walk this path together.

If you’re ready to dive deeper or work with me one-on-one, visit www.drkellylivingston.com for more resources and ways to connect.

Disclaimer:

The information shared on The Vital Spirit Podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. The content reflects the opinions and experiences of Dr. Kelly Livingston, ND, and her guests, and is not a substitute for personalized care from a licensed healthcare provider. Always consult your doctor or qualified health professional before making changes to your diet, supplement routine, lifestyle, or medical treatment. Listening to this podcast does not establish a doctor-patient relationship.

What if your mood, digestion, stress response, and inflammation aren’t separate problems but expressions of the same conversation happening inside your body?

In Part 2 of the Gut–Brain Axis series on The Vital Spirit Podcast, I move out of theory and into real clinical life. We talk about what the gut–brain axis actually looks like in practice—especially for women navigating IBS, IBD, and the amplification that happens in midlife.

This episode is about understanding why symptoms get louder, why so many people feel stuck despite “doing all the right things,” and how to work with the body in the right order so healing becomes sustainable instead of exhausting.

In this episode, we cover:

1. Join Calm Gut, Clear Mind: A 21-Day Journey to Restore Your Gut, Balance Your Hormones & Soothe Your Nervous System: https://drkellylivingston.com/gutreset/getting-started
2. Listen to Episode 47 Part 1: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/961dcff4-9948-4a9e-a0e7-d385e12c410d/

Links and resources:

1. 01:03 The gut–brain axis in real life
2. 01:56 Why IBS isn’t “just stress” or “just food”
3. 04:40 How inflammatory bowel disease reflects immune dysregulation, depletion, and loss of tolerance
4. 08:09 How perimenopause changes motility, permeability, inflammation, and stress resilience
5. 09:59 The healing order that actually works
6. 17:03 Why safety, meaning, co-regulation, and rest aren’t “extras”

Connect with Dr. Kelly:

Website: drkellylivingston.com

Website Clinic: rootsdeepmedicine.com

Instagram: instagram.com/thevitalspiritmethod/

Facebook: facebook.com/rootsdeepnaturopathicmedicine

YouTube: youtube.com/@DrKellyLivingston

Thank you so much for joining The Vital Spirit Podcast.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast as it helps us reach more women who are ready to awaken their healing potential.

Remember, healing isn’t a destination; it’s a journey. Every step brings you closer to the vibrant health you were born to experience. Let’s walk this path together.

If you’re ready to dive deeper or work with me one-on-one, visit www.drkellylivingston.com for more resources and ways to connect.

Disclaimer:

The information shared on The Vital Spirit Podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. The content reflects the opinions and experiences of Dr. Kelly Livingston, ND, and her guests, and is not a substitute for personalized care from a licensed healthcare provider. Always consult your doctor or qualified health professional before making changes to your diet, supplement routine, lifestyle, or medical treatment. Listening to this podcast does not establish a doctor-patient relationship.

#depression #midlifehealth #midlifewomen

The gut–brain axis explains something most mental health models miss.

In this episode of The Vital Spirit Podcast, I begin a two-part essential series on the gut–brain axis — the communication network between the gut, brain, immune system, hormones, and metabolism that shapes mood, stress resilience, and inflammation.

In Part 1, we explore why mood symptoms — including depression — often emerge during periods of chronic stress, immune activation, hormonal shifts, or gut dysfunction, even when life looks “fine” on the outside. This episode lays the biological foundation for understanding how the body enters survival states, and why healing requires working with physiology, not against it.

In this episode, we cover:

01:03 Why mood symptoms need a new biological framework

01:34 What the gut–brain axis is and why it’s foundational to healing

02:22 How the gut and brain communicate through neural, immune, endocrine, and microbial pathways

08:10 The vagus nerve and why your gut sends emotional signals upstream

10:54 Immune signaling, inflammation, and “sickness behavior”

13:15 Hormones, blood sugar, cortisol, and metabolic pathways

15:08 Microbial metabolites, short-chain fatty acids, and neurotransmitter terrain

19:52 Clinical examples that show why mood and gut symptoms are inseparable

21:30 Why this matters — and what’s coming in Part 2

Links and resources:

1. Join Calm Gut, Clear Mind: A 21-Day Journey to Restore Your Gut, Balance Your Hormones & Soothe Your Nervous System: https://drkellylivingston.com/gutreset/getting-started
2. Listen to Episode 4. Why Healing Your Gut Is the First Step to Hormone Balance: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/47733e90-298c-4bfb-bd76-46b443dd26a4/
3. Listen to Episode 6. What Happens in Vagus: The Missing Link to Resilience, Digestion & Hormone Balance: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/b278c36f-eb4e-4004-9cea-44bd78a8db8e/
4. Listen to Episode 15. Inflammatory Depression: What’s Really Behind Low Mood in Perimenopause: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/5abc8dca-592f-45c9-8c79-9d31e3327c62/
5. Listen to Episode 43. What Depression Really Is and What It Isn’t: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/448f31be-d209-41f3-a5f5-9a33be355b34/
6. Listen to Episode 45. How Depression Heals: The Therapeutic Order for Mind, Body, and Spirit: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/b16d549c-c78e-47b1-b6dd-17ae3f631d3f/
7. Listen to Episode 41 Part 1. SSRIs, Serotonin, and the Truth About Depression: What Women Aren’t Being Told: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/eef0556d-c3cf-41e5-b944-ef8a3b8a3c8a/
8. Listen to Episode 41 Part 2. SSRIs, Serotonin, and the Truth About Depression: What Women Aren’t Being Told: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/21b28c90-b987-4658-8429-87e06d3cc1ba/

Connect with Dr. Kelly:

Website: drkellylivingston.com

Website Clinic: rootsdeepmedicine.com

Instagram: instagram.com/thevitalspiritmethod/

Facebook: facebook.com/rootsdeepnaturopathicmedicine

YouTube: youtube.com/@DrKellyLivingston

Thank you so much for joining The Vital Spirit Podcast.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast as it helps us reach more women who are ready to awaken their healing potential.

Remember, healing isn’t a destination; it’s a journey. Every step brings you closer to the vibrant health you were born to experience. Let’s walk this path together.

If you’re ready to dive deeper or work with me one-on-one, visit www.drkellylivingston.com for more resources and ways to connect.

Disclaimer:

The information shared on The Vital Spirit Podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. The content reflects the opinions and experiences of Dr. Kelly Livingston, ND, and her guests, and is not a substitute for personalized care from a licensed healthcare provider. Always consult your doctor or qualified health professional before making changes to your diet, supplement routine, lifestyle, or medical treatment. Listening to this podcast does not establish a doctor-patient relationship.