026: Is Your Thyroid Actually Normal? The Optimal Truth | Ashley Cruz Arata & Kristin Collins

026: Is Your Thyroid Actually Normal? The Optimal Truth | Ashley Cruz Arata & Kristin Collins

Optimal vs normal thyroid levels is not just a technicality, it is the reason you can have "normal" bloodwork and still feel exhausted, foggy, and stuck in your midlife body. If your hair is thinning, your sleep is wrecked, your weight will not budge, and you are constipated more than you would ever admit out loud, your thyroid and your gut may be the missing piece your last doctor never fully investigated. On this episode of Eat the F*cking Food, Kristin Collins, certified nutrition coach and menopause coaching specialist, sits down with Ashley Cruz Arata, a board certified integrative health practitioner, to break down why a TSH between 0.8 and 6 is technically normal but 1 to 1.5 is where most women actually feel their best. Ashley shares the three day stool testing she uses to catch root cause gut and hormone imbalances, why constipation is one of the most overlooked signs of low thyroid function, and the two limiting beliefs, "I don't have time" and "I'm not ready," that keep women stuck longer than they need to be. Press play and stop settling for normal when optimal is possible. In this episode, you’ll discover: * The difference between normal and optimal thyroid lab ranges, including why a TSH of 0.8 to 6 is considered normal but 1 to 1.5 is where most women actually feel their best. * Why functional medicine testing goes beyond a basic TSH and T4 panel to look at gut health, nutrient status, and whole body patterns most conventional doctors never test. * Why constipation, defined as fewer than one to two complete bowel movements a day, is one of the most overlooked signs of an underactive thyroid. * Why Kristin Collins and Ashley Cruz Arata both point to gut health as the piece conventional care skips when women complain of stubborn weight, mood swings, and poor sleep in midlife. * Why "I don't have time" and "I'm not ready" are the two limiting beliefs Ashley sees holding women back most, and how to work around both. * How daily journaling and scripting in the present tense helped Ashley shift her mindset and health outcomes before she even got her lab results back. We talk about: 00:00 Welcome back and the free maintenance calories masterclass 01:01 Meet Ashley Cruz Arata, board certified health practitioner 02:45 Ashley's burnout, thyroid nodules, and life at Amazon 07:14 What functional medicine really means 09:30 Two questions to ask before choosing a provider 11:41 Why normal thyroid labs are not the same as optimal 17:00 Why your gut controls your entire hormone system 18:44 What counts as a drama free bowel movement 22:40 How to choose the right gut and hormone testing 24:50 Journaling and scripting to change your health story 28:30 The two limiting beliefs holding women back 34:25 Where to find Ashley Cruz Arata and The Reveal Connect with Ashley * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleycruzarata/ [https://www.instagram.com/ashleycruzarata/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ashleycruzarata [https://www.youtube.com/@ashleycruzarata] * Website: https://ashleycruzarata.com/ [https://ashleycruzarata.com/] Connect with me * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ [https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins [https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins] * Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ [https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/] #ThyroidHealth #FunctionalMedicine #GutHealth #HormoneBalance #MidlifeWomen #RootCauseHealing #ThyroidLabs #WomensHealthAfter40 #EstrogenDominance #IntegrativeHealth #EatTheFuckingFood #KristinCollins #AshleyCruzArata #HormoneHealth #ThyroidNodules #NormalVsOptimal #GutHormoneConnection #WomensHormones #FunctionalMedicinePractitioner #MenopauseSupport

025: Is Soy Bad for You? The Truth About Soy in Menopause | Attessa Bradley & Kristin Collins

Is soy bad for you in menopause? That myth has kept women away from one of the most protective foods available in midlife, and it is time to set the record straight. If you swapped your soy latte for almond milk because someone warned you it messes with your hormones, you are not alone, and you were misinformed. Kristin Collins, certified nutrition coach and menopause coaching specialist, sits down with Attessa Bradley, founder of Standing Tall Foods and a 25 year veteran of the natural food industry, to break down why soy protects your heart, your bones, and your brain as estrogen declines. Attessa explains the science behind phytoestrogens, references a recent Journal of Menopause report on plant protein and hot flashes, and shares what it took to launch a soy snack brand at 48. If you have been avoiding soy out of fear, this episode gives you permission to eat it. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER: * Why the fear that soy raises breast cancer risk or disrupts hormones is a myth * How soy's phytoestrogens work in the body, gently binding to estrogen receptors instead of acting like synthetic estrogen, and why that matters as your own estrogen declines in midlife. * The specific ways declining estrogen affects heart health, bone density, and cognition, and why soy is one of the only plant foods with an FDA heart healthy seal of approval. * What a recent report from the Journal of Menopause found about eating more plant protein, including soy, and its effect on managing weight and reducing hot flash frequency. * Why Attessa Bradley left a 25 year career in natural foods to launch Standing Tall Foods at 48, and what it has actually been like building a company with her husband in midlife. * How to start adding soy back into your diet without overthinking it, from edamame and tofu to a one ounce roasted soybean snack you can keep in your car, bag, or desk. We talk about: 00:00 Meet Attessa Bradley, founder of Standing Tall Foods 04:00 Where the name Standing Tall Foods came from 08:00 What is Standing Tall Foods and why soy 12:00 Is soy bad for you? Debunking the breast cancer myth 16:00 What are phytoestrogens and how do they work 20:00 Why estrogen protects your heart, bones, and brain 24:00 What the new Journal of Menopause report on soy found 28:00 Starting a food company at 48 in a second act 32:00 What surprised her most about building a business in midlife 36:00 The power of community when you start over 40:00 Simple ways to add soy back into your day 44:00 Where to find Standing Tall Foods Connect with Attessa * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/standingtallfoods/ [https://www.instagram.com/standingtallfoods/] * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61584017549826 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61584017549826] * Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@standingtallfoods [https://www.tiktok.com/@standingtallfoods] * Website: https://standingtallfoods.com/ [https://standingtallfoods.com/] Connect with me * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ [https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins [https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins] * Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ [https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/] #IsSoyBad #SoyForMenopause #Phytoestrogens #MenopauseNutrition #AntiDietCulture #MidlifeWomen #WomensHealth #HormoneHealth #BoneHealthWomen #PlantProteinForWomen #EatTheFuckingFood #SecondActAt50 #WomenFoundedBrand #StandingTallFoods #EdamameBenefits #NaturalFoodIndustry #EatTheFood #KristinCollins #AttessaBradley #MenopauseMyths

024: Misogi and Midlife Health Habits with Anne & Avery | Kristin Collins

Building healthy habits before perimenopause is one of the most powerful things you can do for your body, and most women don't start until things are already falling apart. If you're eating the same way you did in your 20s, doing the same workouts, and wondering why nothing is working, it's not a willpower problem. Your body is changing, and what used to work just doesn't anymore. In this episode of Eat the F*cking Food, certified nutrition coach and menopause coaching specialist Kristin Collins sits down with Avery and Anne of Noos Worthy, a health coach and registered dietician duo dedicated to helping women in early perimenopause build real, lasting habits. Together they break down the fiber and carbs conversation women are scared of, the "canary in the coal mine" mindset shift for perimenopause prep, and why one hard challenge a year, what Avery and Anne call their Misogi, can rebuild your relationship with what your body is capable of. If you've been waiting for permission to stop doing health the hard way, this episode is it. In this episode, you’ll discover: * Why fiber keeps getting skipped and how to actually get more of it without cutting the foods you love, even when carbs feel off limits in perimenopause. * The difference between mindless habits and intentional ones, and a simple journaling practice Avery and Anne use with clients to spot which is which. * What the Misogi challenge is and why doing one physically hard thing a year, from a 20-mile run in a snowstorm to your first in-person event, can change how you see your limits. * Why what used to work in your 30s is not going to work in perimenopause, and what Anne says you need to let go of before you can actually make progress. * Why building healthy habits before the hormonal noise gets loud is the foundation Kristin wishes she'd had starting in her late 30s. We talk about: 00:00 Welcome and free maintenance calories masterclass 00:48 Meet Anne and Avery of Noos Worthy 02:10 How Noos Worthy started and what it covers 04:00 The boring basics: what baseline healthy habits actually are 07:15 Are carbs the enemy? Breaking down fiber vs. sugar for perimenopause 10:00 How to spot habits that aren't serving you 12:04 Mindless snacking, social media scrolling, and the habits you don't notice 13:00 What topics are resonating most with Noos Worthy readers 16:04 Anne's 40th birthday essay and the perimenopause canary in the coal mine 17:55 Is it hormones or lifestyle? What to actually look at first 18:21 What you need to accept when perimenopause changes your body 19:30 Why building habits before perimenopause matters most 21:37 What is a Misogi? 22:57 Anne and Avery's Misogi: 20 miles in a snowstorm on Anne's 40th birthday 25:03 Why challenging yourself physically translates everywhere 26:30 How to scale a Misogi to your life if a 20-mile run isn't happening 28:20 Noos Worthy's first News Night in-person event as their own Misogi Connect with Anne + Avery * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noos_worthy/ [https://www.instagram.com/noos_worthy/] * Substack/Podcast: https://noosworthy.substack.com/podcast [https://noosworthy.substack.com/podcast] * Website: https://www.noos-worthy.com/ [https://www.noos-worthy.com/] Connect with me * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ [https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins [https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins] * Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ [https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/] #HealthyHabitsPerimenopause #PerimenopauseNutrition #MidlifeHabits #AntiDietPerimenopause #FiberAndCarbs #ProteinFatFiber #MisogiChallenge #DoHardThings #MindfulEating #MidlifeWomen #HormoneHealth #HabitsForWomen #BreakBadHabits #IntentionalLiving #NoosWorthy #EatTheFuckingFood #KristinCollins #AnneAndAvery #PerimenopausePrep #MidlifeNutrition

023: 5 Diet Myths Holding You Back in Midlife | Kristin Collins

Diet myths for women over 40 are keeping you tired, stuck, and frustrated, and most of them have been baked into your brain since childhood. If you've been cutting back when the scale creeps up, avoiding carbs because they're "bad," beating yourself up for cravings, or waiting for the scale to move before you trust the process, this episode is going to shift something for you. Kristin Collins, certified nutrition coach and menopause coaching specialist, breaks down five of the biggest diet lies midlife women are still holding onto. She covers why chronic undereating trains your body to slow down and cannibalize muscle, why your brain alone needs 125 grams of carbohydrates a day, why willpower is a finite resource (not a character flaw), why scale stagnation doesn't mean nothing is changing, and why the cookie might actually be the healthy choice. This is a snack-size solo episode with zero fluff and five things you can let go of today. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER: * Why eating less in midlife backfires: chronic undereating slows your metabolism, causes afternoon crashes, and leads your body to burn muscle for fuel instead of fat. * The truth about carbs and your brain: your brain alone needs 125 grams of carbohydrates daily, and cutting them causes brain fog, fatigue, and the cravings you've been blaming on weakness. * Why the scale not moving is not a red flag: during the first 12 weeks of eating up to your needs, the scale stays put while your sleep, energy, hunger cues, and body composition all improve. * Why willpower has nothing to do with it: cravings and overeating at night are almost always a sign of undereating earlier in the day, not a lack of discipline or self-control. * How removing moral value from food is the first step to sustainable eating: no food is good or bad, and variety, satisfaction, and abundance are just as important as any macro count. We talk about: 00:00 Welcome and today's topic: diet myths in midlife 01:13 Myth 1: Eating less is always better 02:38 Why muscle loss is the real cost of undereating 03:32 Myth 2: Carbs are the enemy 05:33 Myth 3: If the scale isn't moving, you're doing it wrong 08:02 Myth 4: You just need more willpower 09:25 Myth 5: Healthy eating has to be boring and restrictive 12:08 Which myth are you holding onto? Kristin wants to know Connect with me * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ [https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins [https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins] * Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ [https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/] #DietMythsDebunked #MidlifeNutrition #EatingLessBackfires #CarbsAreNotTheEnemy #WillpowerMyth #WomensHealth #Perimenopause #AntiDietCulture #MaintenanceCalories #ScaleNotMoving #BodyRecomposition #FoodFreedom #MidlifeWomen #HormoneHealth #EatTheFuckingFood #KristinCollins #NutritionCoach #IntuitiveEatingMidlife #MenopauseNutrition #UndereatingSymptoms

022: What 11 Weeks of Real Nutrition Coaching Looks Like | Kristin Collins

Nutrition coaching for women in midlife is not about another set of rules. It is about learning how to eat enough, build real energy, and stop starting over every time life gets messy. In this episode of Eat the F*cking Food, certified nutrition coach and menopause coaching specialist Kristin Collins sits down with her actual client Laura Dumont, a teacher, runner, and self-described child of the "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels" era. Laura shares what made her finally reach out for help after years of restrictive programs that worked until they didn't. They talk through what 11 weeks inside Kristin's Game On Nutrition program actually looked like, from reintroducing carbs and eating breakfast earlier to watching her energy stabilize and her body composition shift without the scale budging. The biggest surprise? She did not have to blow up everything she was already doing. If you have been afraid to hire a coach because you feel like you should be able to figure out eating on your own, this episode is for you. In this episode, you’ll discover: * Why nutrition coaching for women in midlife works differently from a standard program, and what it actually looks like inside 11 weeks of working with a coach * How Laura went from fearing carbs her entire adult life to eating them at every single meal and feeling more energized and satisfied than ever before * Why your body composition can change dramatically without the scale moving, and why that is actually the goal * What maintenance calories are, why Kristin starts every client there first, and why that approach feels completely counterintuitive until it suddenly clicks * How eating as a teacher with an unpredictable schedule requires a different strategy than any rigid program can give you * The mindset shift that helped Laura stop calling imperfect weeks a failure and start recognizing them as progress * Why restricting the foods you love the most is the exact reason you keep thinking about them We talk about: 00:00 Meet Laura: a real client's story and why she finally reached out 03:00 What made hiring a coach feel scary even when you know what healthy eating looks like 05:30 Why one-size-fits-all programs stop working in midlife 07:00 How eating as a teacher makes fueling your body a daily challenge 09:30 What 11 weeks inside Game on Nutrition actually changed about Laura's eating 11:00 Reintroducing carbs at every meal and what happened to her energy 13:00 Why are women so afraid of carbs? The diet culture history behind it 16:00 Learning what an actual serving looks like without measuring forever 18:00 Why Kristin starts every client in maintenance, not a deficit 21:00 What does maintenance actually mean and why it is the foundation for everything 24:00 The moment Laura stopped waiting to lose weight and started trusting the process 27:00 Body recomposition: why your pants fit better even when the scale doesn't move 29:00 Food is energy: the mindset shift that changes everything Connect with me * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ [https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins [https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins] * Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ [https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/] #NutritionCoachingForWomen #MidlifeNutrition #EatTheFuckingFood #AntiDietPodcast #DietMentalityDetox #CarbsFearNoMore #WomensNutrition #MidlifeWellness #BodyRecomposition #MaintenanceCalories #PerimenopaueNutrition #NutritionCoach #EatingForEnergy #WomenOver40 #BalancedPlate #StopDietingStartEating #MidlifeHealthCoach #NutritionPodcast #GameOnNutrition #EatTheFuckingFoodPodcast