One breath of cinnamon and butter can turn a crowded kitchen into a time machine. We dig into why scent doesn’t just remind you of moments—it transports you back into them—by following the direct pathway from the nose to the amygdala and hippocampus, the brain’s hubs for emotion and memory. No detours, no filters, just a visceral flash of home, comfort, and belonging that feels like you’re there again.

Happy Thanksgiving! 

If holiday stress creeps in, you’ll have a clear, evidence-based way to reset in seconds—no app, no device, just your breath and a familiar aroma. I'd be forever grateful for your review on this podcast and if you shared it with your friends and family on social media. Have a great holiday! 

Note: This podcast episode is sponsored by Dr. Rewire's Brain DNA test. Learn more at Unshakeablebrain.ai. If you're a practitioner and you're interested in adding this at-home lab test to your toolkit, go to Unshakeablebrain.ai/expert.

I, Dr. Kylie, no longer work with clients in any endeavor. If you'd like more support for your health, I recommend working with the physicians at the EllieMD telemedicine platform. To get started, go to https://elliemd.com/?bp=drkylie. For health and wellness experts looking to provide this resource to your clients, get started at https://elliemd.com/join-us/?bp=drkylie.

Thank you for joining the Unshakeable Brain community. Dr. Kylie

On this special edition of a Tuesday brain bite, since it's the week of Thanksgiving, I wanted to share with you the power of GRIT and what the research says about it. 

For all those seeking to reach goals, how important is GRIT? Inside this brain bite we break down why grit beats talent, how passion and perseverance work together, and how to train your brain for long-term goals. A simple two-question check and one small weekly action help you build sustainable commitment without burnout.

Loving this new podcast? Please share it on your social media and leave a review so it's easier for others to find as well. Let's build Unshakable Brain's together.

Note: This podcast episode is sponsored by Dr. Rewire's Brain DNA test. Learn more at Unshakeablebrain.ai. If you're a practitioner and you're interested in adding this at-home lab test to your toolkit, go to Unshakeablebrain.ai/expert.

I, Dr. Kylie, no longer work with clients in any endeavor. If you'd like more support for your health, I recommend working with the physicians at the EllieMD telemedicine platform. To get started, go to https://elliemd.com/?bp=drkylie. For health and wellness experts looking to provide this resource to your clients, get started at https://elliemd.com/join-us/?bp=drkylie.

Thank you for joining the Unshakeable Brain community. Dr. Kylie

What if your strongest muscle isn’t a muscle at all? We make a bold case that mental fitness—not just physical training—is the real foundation for performance, health, and resilience. You’ll hear why a brain-first routine can protect you from burnout, sharpen focus, and steady your emotions when life gets loud.

We break down the core capacities that mental fitness trains: 

• sustained attention, 
• emotional regulation,
•  cognitive flexibility, 
• resilience, 
• and stress management. 

Using clear, science-backed language, we connect daily habits to brain systems—the prefrontal cortex that keeps you calm under pressure, the hippocampus that accelerates learning, and the amygdala that reacts less when you practice regulation. Then we map out practical, five‑minute tools you can start today.

By the end, you’ll have a weekly challenge to start your own mental fitness streak and a clearer view of how small, deliberate practices can rewire your brain at any age.

If this sparked a shift in how you think about training, follow the show, share it with a friend who loves the gym but skips “brain day,” and leave a quick review to help more people build an unshakeable brain.

Note: This podcast episode is sponsored by Dr. Rewire's Brain DNA test. Learn more at Unshakeablebrain.ai. If you're a practitioner and you're interested in adding this at-home lab test to your toolkit, go to Unshakeablebrain.ai/expert.

I, Dr. Kylie, no longer work with clients in any endeavor. If you'd like more support for your health, I recommend working with the physicians at the EllieMD telemedicine platform. To get started, go to https://elliemd.com/?bp=drkylie. For health and wellness experts looking to provide this resource to your clients, get started at https://elliemd.com/join-us/?bp=drkylie.

Thank you for joining the Unshakeable Brain community. Dr. Kylie

What if releasing the life you built is the only way to grow the brain you need next? We sit down with Sandy Wesson—ICU nurse turned functional nutrition practitioner and spiritual healer—to trace a courageous arc from clinical certainty to intuitive service, and to map how thoughts, traumas, and toxins shape every step of that journey.

Sandy shares practical reframing tools to loosen the grip of recurring stories, find neutrality, and transform pain into usable wisdom. This isn’t about pretending life was kind; it’s about reclaiming agency so the nervous system can finally downshift. Learn more about Sandy on her YouTube channel at sandywessonrn or her website: brainworksforlife.com

Dr. Kylie then opens up about her "letting go" journey of 2025, choosing steadier dopamine over crash cycles, and learning to put fear in the back seat rather than waiting for it to disappear.

If this resonates, subscribe, share with a friend who’s in transition, and leave a review so more people can find Unshakable Brain. Your support helps us build stronger, calmer minds—one brave release at a time.

Note: This podcast episode is sponsored by Dr. Rewire's Brain DNA test. Learn more at Unshakeablebrain.ai. If you're a practitioner and you're interested in adding this at-home lab test to your toolkit, go to Unshakeablebrain.ai/expert.

I, Dr. Kylie, no longer work with clients in any endeavor. If you'd like more support for your health, I recommend working with the physicians at the EllieMD telemedicine platform. To get started, go to https://elliemd.com/?bp=drkylie. For health and wellness experts looking to provide this resource to your clients, get started at https://elliemd.com/join-us/?bp=drkylie.

Thank you for joining the Unshakeable Brain community. Dr. Kylie

One 10 second breath exercise can stimulate the vagus nerve so your clear thinking comes back online when you're perceiving stress. Inside this episode, you get a guided 4‑6 breath, practical ways to train it, and a reminder that breath can lower stress and inflammation.

• the stress cascade: amygdala alarm, cortisol surge, prefrontal dimming
• sympathetic versus parasympathetic: why mode matters
• the vagus nerve as a direct line to calm
• the power of a longer exhale for safety signals
• the 4‑6 breath: how to do it and when to use it

Take on the weekly challenge associated with every Brain Bite episode as you're taking one step towards an Unshakeable Brain. 

If you're loving these episodes, share them on your social media and invite others to join us. I'd greatly appreciate it! 

Note: This podcast episode is sponsored by Dr. Rewire's Brain DNA test. Learn more at Unshakeablebrain.ai. If you're a practitioner and you're interested in adding this at-home lab test to your toolkit, go to Unshakeablebrain.ai/expert.

I, Dr. Kylie, no longer work with clients in any endeavor. If you'd like more support for your health, I recommend working with the physicians at the EllieMD telemedicine platform. To get started, go to https://elliemd.com/?bp=drkylie. For health and wellness experts looking to provide this resource to your clients, get started at https://elliemd.com/join-us/?bp=drkylie.

Thank you for joining the Unshakeable Brain community. Dr. Kylie

Your brain runs the show—energy, mood, gut motility, immune tone—yet many of us chase supplements and diets while missing the real bottleneck: scrambled brain-body communication driven by hidden infections. We pull back the curtain on how a simple CBC with differential can reveal bacterial, viral, and parasitic pressure that inflames the command center and drains your energy budget. Using clear, memorable thresholds—neutrophils near or above 60%, lymphocytes above 30%, monocytes above 7%—we translate “normal labs” into a practical map for anxiety, depression, brain fog, chronic fatigue, and autoimmune tendencies.

We share how these immune patterns hijack neurotransmitters and mitochondria, why a compressed neutrophil-to-lymphocyte 1:1 ratio can hint at autoimmune reactivity, and how leaky gut primes a leaky brain, opening the door for neuroinflammation. Along the way, we walk through a real-world case of a high-performing teen who suddenly couldn’t get out of bed—and how reframing labs through a brain-first lens explained the crash. No scare tactics, no jargon—just actionable interpretation you can apply the moment you pull up your results.

You’ll learn how to spot low-grade infections that rarely trigger positive pathogen panels, when to suspect bacterial-fungal pairings, and how to think about restoring nervous system signaling before chasing yet another protocol. We also highlight where standard blood work stops and how brain-focused genetic insights can fill the gap to personalize support for energy, mood, and resilience.

Ready to read your labs like a brain map and stop playing whack-a-mole with symptoms? Listen now, grab your CBC, and follow along. If this helped, subscribe, share with a friend who’s stuck in “normal labs” limbo, and leave a review so more people can find a brain-first path to feeling their best.

Note: This podcast episode is sponsored by Dr. Rewire's Brain DNA test. Learn more at Unshakeablebrain.ai. If you're a practitioner and you're interested in adding this at-home lab test to your toolkit, go to Unshakeablebrain.ai/expert.

I, Dr. Kylie, no longer work with clients in any endeavor. If you'd like more support for your health, I recommend working with the physicians at the EllieMD telemedicine platform. To get started, go to https://elliemd.com/?bp=drkylie. For health and wellness experts looking to provide this resource to your clients, get started at https://elliemd.com/join-us/?bp=drkylie.

Thank you for joining the Unshakeable Brain community. Dr. Kylie

Free snacks, clear jars, and oversized plates were quietly reshaping a tech giant’s waistline—until a few smart tweaks rewired the cafeteria and the choices inside it. We break down how Google used nudge theory to cut millions of calories without killing morale, then show how to use the same environmental design to upgrade your food, focus, and phone habits at home.

We start with the behavioral science: small changes in visibility, reach, and defaults can shift behavior while preserving choice. You’ll hear the specific moves—candy in opaque containers, healthy snacks at eye level, water framed behind clear glass, sodas lowered and frosted, smaller plates framed by a simple sign, and color-coded foods that reduce decision fatigue. The numbers tell the story: water intake up, soda calories down, candy consumption falling, and not a single complaint. From there, we connect the dots to everyday life and the energy-hungry brain that makes convenience king.

You’ll get a one-nudge challenge you can start today: pre-fill a water bottle before work, charge your phone in another room to cut late-night scrolling, place a book on your pillow to make reading the default, and stage healthy snacks where you actually reach. We also share a candid look at our own workspace setup and how proximity to food and water shapes whether we fuel or fade. The takeaway is simple and powerful: willpower is the backup generator; environment is the grid. Make the good choice the easy choice, and let your context carry you toward an unshakeable brain.

I hope you're loving these Brain Bite episodes as much as I do. If so, I'd honored if you shared this on your social media and even left a review so others can find it too. Together, we can create Unshakeable Brains.

Note: This podcast episode is sponsored by Dr. Rewire's Brain DNA test. Learn more at Unshakeablebrain.ai. If you're a practitioner and you're interested in adding this at-home lab test to your toolkit, go to Unshakeablebrain.ai/expert.

I, Dr. Kylie, no longer work with clients in any endeavor. If you'd like more support for your health, I recommend working with the physicians at the EllieMD telemedicine platform. To get started, go to https://elliemd.com/?bp=drkylie. For health and wellness experts looking to provide this resource to your clients, get started at https://elliemd.com/join-us/?bp=drkylie.

Thank you for joining the Unshakeable Brain community. Dr. Kylie

We explore how leaky gut and a compromised blood-brain barrier amplify inflammation, behavior changes, and brain fog, then lay out simple steps to protect both barriers and rebuild energy. Practical swaps, light and sleep routines, and paced detox strategies show families a realistic path to calmer brains.

• functional medicine journey from nursing to root-cause care
• why tight junctions fail in the gut and brain
• modern triggers: processed flour, sugar, dyes, antibiotics, stress
• kids’ behavior shifts with gluten, dyes, and sugar removal
• histamine, mast cells, and leaky brain explained
• gentle detox pacing, binders, and regressions
• mitochondria and ATP: sleep, light, and movement
• red light tools, morning light, circadian support
• stepwise diet upgrades: good, better, best
• raw dairy, fermented foods, and ancestral skills
• reading research critically and following outcomes

If you could share this podcast on your social media and leave a review, I would greatly appreciate it. 

Note: This podcast episode is sponsored by Dr. Rewire's Brain DNA test. Learn more at Unshakeablebrain.ai. If you're a practitioner and you're interested in adding this at-home lab test to your toolkit, go to Unshakeablebrain.ai/expert.

I, Dr. Kylie, no longer work with clients in any endeavor. If you'd like more support for your health, I recommend working with the physicians at the EllieMD telemedicine platform. To get started, go to https://elliemd.com/?bp=drkylie. For health and wellness experts looking to provide this resource to your clients, get started at https://elliemd.com/join-us/?bp=drkylie.

Thank you for joining the Unshakeable Brain community. Dr. Kylie

Grind isn’t grit when your brain is bouncing checks. We explore the “body budget” idea—how your brain manages metabolic deposits and withdrawals—and why chronic sleep debt, stress, and chaotic schedules quietly bankrupt focus, mood, creativity, and decision-making. Instead of hacks or harder coffee, we map the boring, powerful fixes that actually work: regular sleep windows, morning sunlight, fewer early flights, tighter meeting boundaries, and a pace that respects your chronobiology.

I share how I protect late mornings on purpose, not out of laziness but alignment—because predictability is the language the brain trusts. We unpack what happens in a deficit: the brain cuts corners, emotional regulation weakens, and leadership skills are the first to go. We also spotlight deep sleep’s glymphatic cleaning system, which ramps up at night to clear waste and make space for learning and healing. If you’ve ever worn exhaustion like a badge, this is your invitation to trade performative busy for durable capacity.

You’ll leave with a quick audit to spot your biggest withdrawals—late nights, skipped meals, back-to-back meetings—and one daily deposit you can install right away: a consistent bedtime, 20 minutes of morning light, or a real, undistracted meal. These practices compound because they change the brain’s predictions and restore the budget behind your best work. If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs permission to slow down, and leave a quick review to help more people protect their brains. 

I'm so honored that you have join me. Recruit those you care about and let's create Unshakeable Brains together. 

Note: This podcast episode is sponsored by Dr. Rewire's Brain DNA test. Learn more at Unshakeablebrain.ai. If you're a practitioner and you're interested in adding this at-home lab test to your toolkit, go to Unshakeablebrain.ai/expert.

I, Dr. Kylie, no longer work with clients in any endeavor. If you'd like more support for your health, I recommend working with the physicians at the EllieMD telemedicine platform. To get started, go to https://elliemd.com/?bp=drkylie. For health and wellness experts looking to provide this resource to your clients, get started at https://elliemd.com/join-us/?bp=drkylie.

Thank you for joining the Unshakeable Brain community. Dr. Kylie

We trace Dr. Manuela Powell’s journey from Brazilian cancer surgeon to U.S. trainee, mom, coach, and entrepreneur, and show how questioning your thoughts can protect and strengthen brain health. We connect identity shifts, rest, and resilience to create a practical path toward an unshakable mind.

• moving from Brazil to the US to requalify
• caring for a father with a rare cancer during USMLE prep
• landing at Sloan Kettering then rejecting a second residency
• sabbatical in Hawaii and redefining identity beyond surgeon
• motherhood, inner patriarchy and reclaiming agency
• stress, immunity and nuanced links to cancer risk
• shifting from perfectionism to experimentation in business
• practical mindset tools to handle failure and ambiguity
• one core principle: don’t believe everything you think
• resources and where to connect with Manuela

If you would be so just take a minute and leave a review and send this podcast to a friend, I would greatly appreciate it.

By the way, if you're a health and wellness expert looking for a pivot in your own business, check out doctorspivot.com to have Dr. Manuella assist you.

Note: This podcast episode is sponsored by Dr. Rewire's Brain DNA test. Learn more at Unshakeablebrain.ai. If you're a practitioner and you're interested in adding this at-home lab test to your toolkit, go to Unshakeablebrain.ai/expert.

I, Dr. Kylie, no longer work with clients in any endeavor. If you'd like more support for your health, I recommend working with the physicians at the EllieMD telemedicine platform. To get started, go to https://elliemd.com/?bp=drkylie. For health and wellness experts looking to provide this resource to your clients, get started at https://elliemd.com/join-us/?bp=drkylie.

Thank you for joining the Unshakeable Brain community. Dr. Kylie