Why Your Hormones Are Making You Sick (And What to Do About It) | Gut Check Podcast Ep37 with Becca Chilczenkowski

Why Your Hormones Are Making You Sick (And What to Do About It) | Gut Check Podcast Ep37 with Becca Chilczenkowski

Is your gut wrecking your hormones — or is it the other way around? Becca Chilczenkowski (aka The Hormone Queen) joins the  @gutcheckpodcast  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCOwXXcdY_6VWVrNOdErG8LQ] to explore why so many women in their 30s and 40s are struggling with weight gain, exhaustion, brain fog, PMS, and hormonal chaos — and what's actually going on beneath the surface. Becca is a women's health practitioner and founder of Fit Life (fitmom.co) who went from CrossFit competitor to IVF patient to hormone expert, and she's sharing everything she learned along the way. In this episode we cover: -Why losing your period is a hormonal red flag even in your 20s -How chronic stress destroys sex hormones and why women feel it harder than men -The truth about HRT: bioidentical vs. synthetic hormones explained -What the Women's Health Initiative study got wrong and what HHS just changed -Why "normal" lab ranges are built on a sick population and what optimal actually looks like -The gut-hormone connection: bile, the estrobolome, and why constipation matters more than you think -How to prep your body hormonally before pregnancy -Why perimenopause is starting younger and what you can do about it -The real reason you have hormone migraines (hint: it's estrogen detox) -Sleep, cortisol, and why 8 hours beats a perfect diet every time ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 Introduction: Meet Becca Chilczenkowski, The Hormone Queen 02:15 From actuarial analyst to CrossFit coach: Becca's origin story 05:30 Overtraining, losing her period for 3 years, and the early warning signs 09:00 What losing your cycle really means for your hormone health 12:45 Why calories in/calories out fails women in their 30s and 40s 16:00 Rapid unexplained weight gain: when your body is screaming for help 19:30 Functional lab testing 101: why "normal" ranges are built on a sick population 24:00 What your doctor isn't testing (thyroid, iron, white blood cells and more) 28:45 How to get better labs even within the conventional system 32:00 HRT explained: the Women's Health Initiative study and what HHS just changed 36:30 Bioidentical vs. synthetic hormones: what you need to know and ask for 41:00 How to introduce HRT safely and why pellets may not be the best first step 45:30 Is perimenopause really starting younger or is it just marketing? 49:00 How chronic stress hijacks your hormones (and why women feel it harder) 53:30 The problem with fasting when your body is already stressed 57:00 Hormone migraines: the estrogen, histamine, and detox connection 1:01:00 The gut-hormone connection: bile flow, the estrobolome, and constipation 1:05:30 How to optimize your hormones before pregnancy and what you pass to your baby 1:10:00 Simple daily habits to start healing your hormones today 1:14:30 Why sleep is more important than your diet and how to prioritize it Whether you're dealing with PCOS, perimenopause, fertility challenges, or just feeling off, this episode will connect the dots in a way your doctor probably hasn't. Follow the Gut Check Podcast: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dailynouri/] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1bkEy29McE] The Gut Check Podcast is brought to you by the team at Daily Nouri. Daily Nouri makes the highest quality daily probiotic solutions for all ages and life stages. Learn more at https://dailynouri.com/ #HormoneHealth #GutHealth #HRT #Perimenopause #PCOS #WomensHealth #GutCheckPodcast #Estrogen #Progesterone #functionalmedicine

The Gut-Hormone Connection: Healing PCOS, PMS & Irregular Cycles | Gut Check Podcast Ep36 with Jenna Longoria

What does birth control really do to your hormones? Why are so many women struggling with PCOS, PMDD, painful periods, and irregular cycles? And how does the gut microbiome influence all of it? In this episode of the Gut Check Podcast, Caroline sits down with Jenna Longoria, known as The Period Guru, to unpack the deeper root causes behind women’s hormone issues. Jenna shares her personal story of being diagnosed with PCOS at 14, being prescribed the birth control pill in middle school, and eventually restoring her cycles naturally through nutrition, gut support, and lifestyle changes. Together, they discuss the gut-hormone connection, how birth control impacts ovulation and mood, why painful periods are not normal, and the practical steps women can take to support their bodies through PMS, PMDD, PCOS, endometriosis, and cycle irregularity. * How the gut microbiome affects estrogen balance and hormone health * What the birth control pill does to ovulation, nutrient levels, and mood * Why painful periods are common but not normal * The difference between PMS and PMDD * What PCOS actually is and why it’s rising * How to support blood sugar, ovulation, and cycle health naturally * Why fiber, protein, liver support, and cycle charting matter * Natural alternatives to hormonal birth control This is a practical, empowering conversation for any woman trying to better understand her body and take a more root-cause approach to hormone health. 00:00 Intro 01:28 Jenna’s personal story and how she got into this work 04:18 Diagnosed with PCOS at 14 and prescribed birth control 07:32 Birth control, depression, and losing connection to your body 10:05 Coming off the pill and dealing with post-birth-control symptoms 13:12 What women should know before stopping birth control 16:18 First steps to support the body after getting off the pill 18:58 Why painful periods are not normal 21:36 PMS vs. PMDD 24:55 Why PMDD can feel so debilitating 27:12 Why hormone issues are rising in modern women 29:44 What PCOS actually is 33:08 The ancestral lens on PCOS 35:58 Why PCOS is now a major cause of infertility 38:05 Why PCOS is often highly responsive to diet and lifestyle 40:42 The gut microbiome, estrobolome, and estrogen detoxification 43:18 Fiber, blood sugar, and hormone balance 45:18 Natural birth control alternatives and fertility awareness 48:12 Where to start if you have PCOS right now 50:50 What helps women heal and move forward 52:32 Jenna’s hopeful perspective on hormone healing 53:44 Where to find Jenna and her resources Follow the Gut Check Podcast:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gutcheckpod/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fBywgzPIAQP6Y0KjLaTeM?si=8262a8da6ff5492fThe Gut Check Podcast is brought to you by the team at Daily Nouri. Daily Nouri makes the highest quality daily probiotic solutions for all ages and life stages. Learn more at https://dailynouri.com/#PCOS #BirthControl #GutHormoneConnection #PMDD #HormoneHealth #GutHealth #PainfulPeriods #WomensHealth #CycleHealth #PMS #Endometriosis #FertilityAwareness #BloodSugarBalance #PostBirthControl #GutCheckPodcast #dailynouri

Why Is Testosterone Dropping? Men's Gut Health, Fiber Deficiency & Fitness | Gut Check Podcast Ep35

Why are we seeing men’s testosterone levels decline, colon cancer show up earlier, and chronic health issues rise even among people who work out and “eat pretty well”? Why does the U.S. allow so many food and supplement additives that are restricted elsewhere? And what does all of this have to do with the gut microbiome, fiber deficiency, and the day-to-day ingredients we barely think about? In this episode of the Gut Check Podcast, we sit down with Austin Greto — fitness coach, creator, and founder of Goodroot — to zoom out on the bigger health questions shaping modern wellness, then bring it back down to practical decisions: what to avoid, what to prioritize, and how to fuel energy and performance without wrecking your gut. We talk about: -The ingredients problem: artificial dyes, preservatives, and “why is this legal here?” -The gut-brain connection: how synthetic inputs can disrupt the microbiome and downstream health -The silent crisis of fiber deficiency (especially in fitness culture) -Why so many men are becoming proactive only after warning signs appear -Caffeine culture: jitters, cortisol spikes, crashes, and why “energy” isn’t the -same as performance -And how Austin built a botanical-based “performance drink” after rejecting most pre-workouts on the market Whether you lift, run, or just want more stable energy and better long-term health, this episode is a grounded conversation about how modern inputs shape modern outcomes and how to take your health back with smarter habits. ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00:00 – The bigger picture: ingredients, gut health, testosterone decline & men’s health trends 00:01:45 – Meet Austin Greto: fitness, coaching & founding Goodroot 00:05:10 – Why most pre-workouts fail: tingles, jitters & caffeine crashes 00:08:30 – Caffeine culture: cortisol spikes, empty stomach & energy crashes 00:11:45 – Building a cleaner performance drink: botanical alternatives 00:14:50 – Marketing in supplements: attention spans & industry challenges 00:18:20 – Why they stopped calling it “pre-workout” 00:21:00 – Ingredient red flags: banned in the EU & artificial dyes 00:24:00 – Red 40, preservatives & synthetic additives in U.S. food 00:27:10 – Botanical performance vs. synthetic compounds 00:30:00 – Gut health as the second brain: microbiome & mood 00:33:00 – Men’s health trends: colon cancer rise & proactive wellness 00:36:20 – Social media wellness: education vs. fear-based clickbait 00:39:00 – Fiber deficiency in fitness culture 00:42:00 – Cutting, digestion & satiety: why fiber matters 00:44:30 – Testosterone decline: shifting baselines & endocrine disruptors 00:47:30 – Whole foods, 80/20 balance & controlling your environment 00:50:30 – Masculinity, discipline & long-term health 00:53:00 – Optimism: wellness as a movement & delayed gratification 00:55:10 – Where to find Austin + Goodroot 00:56:38 – Outro Follow the Gut Check Podcast: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gutcheckpod/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fBywgzPIAQP6Y0KjLaTeM?si=8262a8da6ff5492f The Gut Check Podcast is brought to you by the team at Daily Nouri. Daily Nouri makes the highest quality daily probiotic solutions for all ages and life stages. Learn more at https://dailynouri.com/

Why Women Struggle with Anxiety: SSRI Myths, Hormones & Gut Health with Dr. Nicole Cain | Gut Check Podcast Ep34

Licensed naturopathic doctor and anxiety expert Dr. Nicole Cain joins the Gut Check Podcast and reveals what most women are never told about anxiety — and why real healing starts with the gut, the hormones, and the nervous system, not just a prescription. We unpack the real root causes of anxiety, including how SSRIs fall short, why birth control and estrogen swings wreak havoc on women’s mental health, and how the gut microbiome and childhood trauma can shape anxiety patterns that last for decades. Dr. Cain also shares her own panic attack journey and the evidence-based tools she now uses to help patients shift their identity from “anxious person” to empowered and resilient. We break down: ✔ Why SSRIs often fail to address root causes of anxiety ✔ The gut-brain-hormone axis and how it impacts mood ✔ The underestimated mental health side effects of birth control ✔ How early microbiome development shapes adult anxiety ✔ The link between hormone cycles and teen girl anxiety ✔ Tools for nervous system regulation, boundaries & healing ✔ How men and women experience and express anxiety differently Whether you're feeling anxious, on the pill, burnt out, or just want to understand your body and brain better, this episode delivers clarity, compassion, and real solutions. 👇 Comment below: What’s one thing you wish you’d learned earlier about anxiety? ⏱️Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: Anxiety, gut health & what women aren’t told 01:50 – Dr. Nicole Cain’s panic journey & what she learned 06:30 – Labels, identity & the “anxious person” trap 10:20 – SSRIs, symptom suppression & finding the root cause 14:10 – The gut-brain-hormone connection explained 18:50 – Psychobiotics, microbiome testing & nervous system healing 22:40 – Birth control & its overlooked impact on mental health 27:00 – Estrogen, anxiety & the female hormone cycle 30:20 – The first 1,000 days: Microbiome, trauma & mental health 34:30 – Children’s anxiety, overstimulation & dysregulation 38:40 – Teen girls, panic attacks & cyclical anxiety 42:10 – How men & women express anxiety differently 45:20 – Nervous system regulation & boundaries 49:10 – Trauma-informed care & breaking out of “stuckness” 52:00 – How to rewire the anxious brain 55:40 – Nutrition, gut support & holistic treatment options 58:50 – Building a personalized anxiety care plan 1:02:10 – Final tools: journaling, therapy, boundaries, gut support 1:05:00 – Where to find Dr. Nicole Cain online 🔗 Follow Dr. Nicole Cain: Website: https://drnicolecain.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/drnicolecain Follow the Gut Check Podcast: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gutcheckpod/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fBywgzPIAQP6Y0KjLaTeM?si=8262a8da6ff5492f The Gut Check Podcast is brought to you by the team at Daily Nouri. Daily Nouri makes the highest quality daily probiotic solutions for all ages and life stages. Learn more at https://dailynouri.com/#AnxietySupport #GutBrainConnection #HormoneHealth #WomenMentalHealth #BirthControlSideEffects #SSRIs #NaturalAnxietyRelief #TraumaHealing #Psychobiotics #GutHealth #DailyNouri #GutCheckPodcast #MicrobiomeHealth #HolisticAnxiety #MentalHealthMatters #functionalmedicine

How Modern Lifestyles Harm Children's Health: Avoiding Antibiotic Overuse, Early Gut Microbiome Disruption & Environmental Toxins with Intgrative Pediatrician Dr. Elisa Song | Gut Check Podcast Ep33

The state of children’s health in the U.S. is declining — with rising rates of obesity, pre‑diabetes, autoimmune conditions, allergies, and mental health challenges appearing earlier than ever. In this episode of the Gut Check Podcast, integrative pediatrician Dr. Elisa Song explains why the root of these issues often begins in the gut microbiome — starting before birth. Dr. Song, one of the first integrative pediatricians in the U.S., shares how antibiotic overuse, early gut disruption, environmental toxins, and modern lifestyles are shaping children’s immune systems, brain development, and long‑term health trajectories. She breaks down why symptoms don’t appear “out of nowhere,” how early microbiome imbalance impacts anxiety, ADHD, eczema, and allergies, and what parents can do now to build resilience from the inside out. We cover: -Why childhood chronic disease is rising — and how to intervene upstream -Antibiotics, gut disruption & long‑term effects on immunity and mental health -The gut‑brain connection in kids, ADHD, anxiety & mood disorders -Infant microbiome development, reflux, eczema & food allergies -Environmental toxins, ultra‑processed foods & microbiome damage -Practical, evidence‑based steps parents can take to support gut health -This episode is essential listening for parents, caregivers, clinicians, and anyone interested in prevention‑focused pediatric health. ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Why children’s health is declining 02:05 – Introducing Dr. Elisa Song & her integrative pediatric background 05:10 – Why conventional pediatrics misses root causes 08:20 – The explosion of chronic disease in kids 11:30 – Antibiotics, overuse & microbiome disruption 15:10 – How gut imbalance affects immunity, allergies & asthma 18:40 – Antibiotics, anxiety & depression risk 22:10 – Why symptoms don’t appear out of nowhere 25:00 – Eczema, steroids & when conventional care is necessary 28:30 – Infant reflux, antacids & early gut development 32:00 – The importance of bifidobacteria in babies 35:40 – Maternal gut health before and during pregnancy 38:50 – Gut microbiome & childhood mental health 42:20 – ADHD, anxiety & early brain development 46:00 – Environmental toxins, ultra‑processed foods & gut damage 49:10 – What parents can do today to support microbiome health 52:30 – Where to find Dr. Song’s work & final takeaways 🔗 Links & Resources Follow Dr. Elisa Song Website: healthykidshappykids.com Instagram: @healthy_happykids Book: Healthy Kids, Happy Kids (available wherever books are sold) Follow the Gut Check Podcast on socials! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gutcheckpod/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fBywgzPIAQP6Y0KjLaTeM?si=8262a8da6ff5492f The Gut Check Podcast is brought to you by the team at Daily Nouri. Learn more at https://dailynouri.com/