PRETTY WELL - Anti-Aging, Beauty, Balanced Hormones, Inflammation, Gut Health, IBS, Evidence-based

I've had the chance to interview a lot of incredible experts over the years, and every now and then something lands on my radar that makes me stop and say, "Okay...I need to learn more about this."That's exactly what happened here.
When I first heard about a molecule called Carbon 60, I'll admit it—I wasn't convinced. There are plenty of products that promise more energy, healthier aging, and better everything.
Most don't live up to the hype.But instead of dismissing it, I started digging into the research.The more I learned, the more curious I became.So I decided to try it myself.
I wasn't expecting some dramatic overnight change.Honestly, I expected...well...not much.But after using it consistently for a while, I started noticing some exciting changes I wasn't expecting. And my next thought was, "Okay...why?"
That's when I knew I wanted to have this conversation. So I invited Chris Burres onto the show. Chris has spent years researching Carbon 60 and studying its potential role in mitochondrial health and oxidative stress. 
In this episode, we unpack what C60 is, what it does in the body (that nothing else can do), and why healthy mitochondria may play a much bigger role in how we slow aging more than we've realized.
We also have a really honest conversation about something I deeply appreciate: there are no magic bullets. Sleep, nutrition, movement, and mindset still come first. 
But if you've ever wondered whether there's something new on the horizon that's actually worth paying attention to, I think you'll love this conversation.
What I learned has completely changed the way I think about aging and mitochondrial health.
If You've Ever Wondered:Why do I feel older than I actually am?Why am I still tired even when I'm sleeping well?What exactly do mitochondria do?Can oxidative stress make us age faster?What's the connection between mitochondria and slowing aging?Why is everyone suddenly talking about mitochondrial health?Is there really anything new in anti-aging science that's worth paying attention to?
If you're curious about mitochondria, healthy aging, reducing oxidative stress, or simply understanding why you don't quite feel like yourself anymore, I think you'll really enjoy this conversation.
🎙And if you're loving the Pretty Well Podcast, would you do me a quick favor?Follow the show, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who's been wondering why they feel so different these days.You never know whose life it could change, and I truly appreciate your support.
🔗 Resources & Links:$30 off coupon for first-time orders of ESS60 from My Vital C.http://myvitalc.com/prettywell 
✨Join the conversation:Share your thoughts with us on social media or in the comments!
Contact Lisa:Website: www.lisasmithwellness.com  IG: https://www.instagram.com/prettywell_podcast/ 
Disclaimer: Nothing in this podcast is to be taken as medical advice, please take informed accountability and speak to your provider before making changes to your health routine.The primary purpose of The Pretty Well Podcast being to educate. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice nor to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. By listening to this content, you agree to consult your own physician or qualified health professional regarding specific health questions. Neither Lisa Smith, The Pretty Well Podcast, nor any guest takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons following the information in this educational content. All listeners of this content, especially those who are pregnant or taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program. The Pretty Well Podcast is for private non-commercial use and our guests do not necessarily reflect any agency, organization, or company that they work for. In addition, opinions of interview guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lisa Smith and/or The Pretty Well Podcast. This content is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date.

Wonder If Your Supplements Are Working? With Reed Davis of Functional Diagnostic Nutrition®
You don't feel any different after taking them. So...how do you know if your supplements are actually working?
It's a question millions of people ask—but according to Reed Davis Founder of Functional Diagnostic Nutrition® (FDN), it may not be the first question you should be asking.
In this episode of the Pretty Well Podcast, Reed and I dive into why so many people continue chasing symptoms while the real problem quietly gains traction beneath the surface.
He calls it metabolic chaos—the slow, invisible breakdown that can begin years before you're diagnosed with diabetes, heart disease, an autoimmune condition, or another chronic illness.
The scary part? Metabolic chaos doesn't announce itself. It quietly churns beneath the surface until one day, it's affecting your life in a big way.
We also explore why supplements aren't a substitute for understanding what's really happening inside your body, why masking symptoms (even with supplements) can delay healing, and how functional lab testing can help uncover what's driving your fatigue, digestive issues, inflammation, hormone imbalance, brain fog, and other chronic symptoms.
Reed also shares his D.R.E.S.S.® framework—Diet, Rest, Exercise, Stress Reduction, and Supplementation—and explains why getting these foundations right is essential if you want to stop guessing and start making meaningful progress.
If you've ever wondered:
-Are my supplements doing anything for me?-Why don't I feel any different even though I'm doing all the right things?-Is there a hidden reason I don't feel my best?...this episode is for you.
Timestamps03:42 How do you know if your supplements are working?11:18 The hidden danger of metabolic chaos22:51 Food sensitivities vs. food allergies35:07 Why pain is a message—not the problem46:35 Stop chasing symptoms and start asking better questions
🎙️ If you're loving the Pretty Well Podcast, would you do me a quick favor? Follow the show, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend or family member. It means so much to me—and you never know whose life it could change.
Contact Reed:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/FunctionalDiagnosticNutrition/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fdntraining/ You Tube - YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7xDnEKCe9gKeWZ2vbE3C8w Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/san-diego-natural-heal
Contact Lisa:
Website: www.lisasmithwellness.com 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prettywell_podcast/
 
Disclaimer: 
Nothing in this podcast is to be taken as medical advice, please take informed accountability and speak to your provider before making changes to your health routine.
The primary purpose of The Pretty Well Podcast being to educate. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice nor to take the place of such 
advice or treatment from a personal physician. By listening to this content, you agree to consult your own physician or qualified health professional regarding specific health questions. Neither Lisa Smith, The Pretty Well Podcast, nor any guest takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons following the information in this educational content. All listeners of this content, especially those who are pregnant or taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program. The Pretty Well Podcast is for private non-commercial use and our guests do not necessarily reflect any agency, organization, or company that they work for. In addition, opinions of interview guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lisa Smith and/or The Pretty Well Podcast. This content is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date.
 

He Lost 80 Pounds (and Not How You Think). Ben Azadi Spills the Tea.
Metabolism is about so much more than the number on the scale. It's the foundation of your energy, brain function, hormones, and long-term health.
When it's working well, you feel energized, focused, and resilient. When it's not, it can feel like you're doing everything "right" but still struggling with fatigue, stubborn weight, and frustrating symptoms.
My guest today, Ben Azadi, understands that journey firsthand. After losing 80 pounds and reclaiming his own health, he dedicated his career to helping others improve their health and metabolism through nutrition, fasting, lifestyle changes, and education.
In this episode, we dive into what metabolic flexibility really means, why it's one of the biggest predictors of long-term health, and how fasting and ketogenic nutrition can support metabolism when used appropriately.
Ben also shares important considerations for women, common mistakes people make when trying to improve their metabolic health, and practical strategies you can begin implementing today.
Whether your goal is more energy, better blood sugar balance, improved brain function, or simply feeling better in your own body, this conversation is packed with practical takeaways you can start using right away.
Ben also just released the updated edition of his bestselling book, Keto Flex, this week. If you're looking for a deeper dive into metabolic health, fasting, and ketogenic nutrition, be sure to check it out.
In this episode, we discuss:-What metabolic flexibility is—and why it matters-The connection between metabolism, energy, and longevity-How fasting can support metabolic health-What mental obesity is-Important differences in how women respond to fasting and keto-Simple habits that have the biggest impact on metabolic health
-Ben's mission to help reverse type 2 diabetes on a global scale
About Ben AzadiBen Azadi is a bestselling author, educator, and the founder of Keto Kamp. For more than 16 years, he has been teaching people how to improve their metabolic health through evidence-based nutrition and lifestyle strategies. He is the host of the Metabolic Freedom Podcast and the author of several bestselling books, including the newly released Keto Flex. Ben's mission is to educate one billion people about metabolic health and help reverse type 2 diabetes in one million individuals through education and lifestyle medicine.
 
Listen & Follow
New episodes of Pretty Well drop every week. If this episode resonates, follow the show, share, and leave a review — it helps more women find conversations like this one.
Get Ben's new book + free bonuses: ketoflexbook.com
Contact Lisa:
Website: www.lisasmithwellness.com  
IG: https://www.instagram.com/prettywell_podcast/ 
 
Disclaimer: 
Nothing in this podcast is to be taken as medical advice, please take informed accountability and speak to your provider before making changes to your health routine.
The primary purpose of The Pretty Well Podcast being to educate. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice nor to take the place of such 
advice or treatment from a personal physician. By listening to this content, you agree to consult your own physician or qualified health professional regarding specific health questions. Neither Lisa Smith, The Pretty Well Podcast, nor any guest takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons following the information in this educational content. All listeners of this content, especially those who are pregnant or taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program. The Pretty Well Podcast is for private non-commercial use and our guests do not necessarily reflect any agency, organization, or company that they work for. In addition, opinions of interview guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lisa Smith and/or The Pretty Well Podcast. This content is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date.
 

You finally decide to do it. You're going on HRT.
You're so excited to feel better.
And then…
Nothing changes.
—or—
Everything gets worse. Like, way worse.
 
More anxiety. More bloating. More mood swings.
Or no response at all. 
So you try a different dose or a different formulation, but nothing gets better.
 
So now you’re left wondering:
👉 Is it me?
👉 Is this just how it’s going to be?
👉 Why does this work for everyone else—but not for me?
This episode gets to the root of what's happing — but not in the way you expect.
 
🔥 Why This Episode Is a Must-Listen
This isn’t another conversation about adding more hormones.
It’s about why your body might not be responding to what’s already there.
 
And once you see this piece, a lot of confusion starts to make sense, fast.
Especially if you’re in perimenopause or menopause and things are feeling more intense, less predictable, and harder to “figure out” than they used to be.
 
⏱️ Timestamps You’ll Want to Bookmark
[00:01:00] – The question that changes how you think about hormones
[00:03:00] – What’s actually happening in perimenopause (that no one explains clearly)
[00:05:00] – Why your symptoms can feel amplified, messy, and unpredictable
[00:08:30] – The two patterns so many people fall into with hormone therapy
[00:11:00] – The hidden layer that determines whether hormones help… or backfire
 
🧠 The Shift That Changes Everything
Most conversations stop at:
👉 “You need more hormones.”
👉 “You need a different dose.”
 
But what if the real issue isn’t what you’re taking but how your body is handling it?
 
There’s a difference between:
Having the right inputs
And your body actually using them
And when that gap exists, it creates symptoms that feel confusing, unpredictable, and incredibly frustrating.
 
🚩 If This Sounds Like You, Press Play:
👉Hormone therapy made you feel worse instead of better
👉You’ve tried different forms or doses with no real change
👉Your symptoms feel stronger or more chaotic than expected
👉You’re being told your hormones are “declining”… but your body feels anything but calm
 
There’s a reason for that and it’s not random.
 
FAQs:
Why doesn’t hormone replacement therapy work for some women?
Because the issue may not be hormone levels—it may be how the body processes, responds to, and uses those hormones.
Why do I feel worse on estrogen therapy?
In some cases, underlying imbalances can amplify the body’s response, making symptoms feel more intense.
Why do I feel nothing on hormone therapy?
The body may not be properly responding to or registering the hormones at a cellular level.
 
🎯 The Real Takeaway
This isn’t about forcing your body into balance.
It’s about understanding why it’s not responding the way you expected so you can finally work with it instead of against it.
 
💬 Final Thought
When something doesn’t work, it’s easy to assume it’s the wrong solution.
Sometimes… it’s just the wrong starting point.
🔗 Resources & Links:
  The Morning Mindset Journal https://lisasmithwellness.com/the-morning-mindset-journal
✨Join the conversation:
Share your thoughts with us on social media or in the comments!
🎙 Subscribe, Share & Review:
If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more people who need to know they're not alone and there is hope. Thanks for tuning in to Pretty Well! See you next week!
Contact Lisa:
Website: www.lisasmithwellness.com 
IG: https://www.instagram.com/prettywell_podcast/
 
Disclaimer: 
Nothing in this podcast is to be taken as medical advice, please take informed accountability and speak to your provider before making changes to your health routine.
The primary purpose of The Pretty Well Podcast being to educate. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice nor to take the place of such 
advice or treatment from a personal physician. By listening to this content, you agree to consult your own physician or qualified health professional regarding specific health questions. Neither Lisa Smith, The Pretty Well Podcast, nor any guest takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons following the information in this educational content. All listeners of this content, especially those who are pregnant or taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program. The Pretty Well Podcast is for private non-commercial use and our guests do not necessarily reflect any agency, organization, or company that they work for. In addition, opinions of interview guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lisa Smith and/or The Pretty Well Podcast. This content is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date.

Your hormone symptoms are unpredictable. Your mood is all over the place. Some months are fine, some months are a disaster — and nobody has been able to tell you why.
You've tried the supplements. Maybe even hormone replacement. And something is still off.
Here's what even functional medicine and a holistic approach are still missing: it might not be a hormone problem at all. It might be a hormone processing problem. And the place to look isn't your ovaries. Your hormonal balance starts in your gut.
In this episode I'm breaking down the estrobolome (the part of your microbiome that controls how much estrogen is actually circulating in your body at any given time). When it's off, everything feels off. And it's way more common than anyone is telling you.
What we get into:
Why your body can produce the right amount of estrogen and still have too much of it cycling through your system
The enzyme that pulls estrogen off the elimination track and sends it right back through your body (and how to get it back on track)
Why this shows up as unpredictable cycles, mood swings, bloating, and weight that won't move ...and keeps getting mistaken for a hormone imbalance
The everyday habits sabotaging your estrobolome and easy fixes that start to turn it around
What to do before ever going to hormone replacement
Your gut is actively deciding whether your used estrogen gets eliminated or recycled back into your body.
This often overlooked piece has everything to do with how you feel and how your hormones are functioning.
Next week: already on hormone replacement and it's still not working — or making things worse? That's exactly where we're going.
 
🔗 Resources & Links:
 The Morning Mindset Journal https://lisasmithwellness.com/the-morning-mindset-journal
✨Join the conversation:
Share your thoughts with us on social media or in the comments!
🎙 Subscribe, Share & Review:
If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more people who love this type of content. Thanks for tuning in to Pretty Well! 
Contact Lisa:
Website: www.lisasmithwellness.com 
IG: https://www.instagram.com/prettywell_podcast/
 
Disclaimer: 
Nothing in this podcast is to be taken as medical advice, please take informed accountability and speak to your provider before making changes to your health routine.
The primary purpose of The Pretty Well Podcast being to educate. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice nor to take the place of such 
advice or treatment from a personal physician. By listening to this content, you agree to consult your own physician or qualified health professional regarding specific health questions. Neither Lisa Smith, The Pretty Well Podcast, nor any guest takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons following the information in this educational content. All listeners of this content, especially those who are pregnant or taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program. The Pretty Well Podcast is for private non-commercial use and our guests do not necessarily reflect any agency, organization, or company that they work for. In addition, opinions of interview guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lisa Smith and/or The Pretty Well Podcast. This content is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date.
 

The Seed Oil Truth the Food Industry Doesn't Want You to Know.
You've probably heard that seed oils are bad. But do you actually know what they're doing inside your body and why swapping them out could be one of the most powerful things you do for your health?
Cherie Calbom, The Juice Lady — bestselling author, nutritionist, and author of The Truth About Seed Oils — joins me to pull back the curtain on the fats we've been cooking with for decades, and what the science actually says about how they're driving inflammation, hormonal disruption, and chronic symptoms that most women have just accepted as normal.
What we get into:
Why seed oils were never designed with your health in mind and what they're actually doing at the cellular level
The fat-hormone-metabolism connection and why the type of fat you eat matters more than how much
Cherie's own story of rebuilding her health from chronic illness in her 20s... and what finally worked
Why you can be eating "clean" and still feel inflamed, puffy, and exhausted
What to cook with instead and how to navigate labels that are designed to confuse you
The nervous system piece that most nutrition conversations completely skip
Why healing isn't a destination and what consistency actually looks like in real life
Cherie has sold over 3 million books and spent decades helping people get answers their doctors couldn't give them. This conversation is the kind of straight talk your body has been waiting for.
📖 Find Cherie at juiceladycherie.com
A few moments worth listening twice:
05:30 – From chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia to rebuilding her health11:45 – Why healing is never linear (and how to think about it differently)18:00 – Diet vs. stress: which one matters more?22:30 – The backstory on seed oils (and why it’s not as simple as it sounds)31:00 – What your cells are actually made of and why that matters38:30 – The inflammation connection44:30 – The two shifts that make the biggest difference
 
🔗 Resources & Links (As An Amazon Associate I Earn A Small Commission From Qualifying Purchases At No Extra Cost To You):
The Truth About Seed Oils by Cherie Calbom https://amzn.to/3OJRbwT 
 The Morning Mindset Journal https://lisasmithwellness.com/the-morning-mindset-journal
✨Join the conversation:
Share your thoughts with us on social media or in the comments!
🎙 Subscribe, Share & Review:
If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more people who need these insights. Thanks for tuning in to Pretty Well! 
Contact Lisa:
Website: www.lisasmithwellness.com 
IG: https://www.instagram.com/prettywell_podcast/
 
Disclaimer: 
Nothing in this podcast is to be taken as medical advice, please take informed accountability and speak to your provider before making changes to your health routine.
The primary purpose of The Pretty Well Podcast being to educate. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice nor to take the place of such 
advice or treatment from a personal physician. By listening to this content, you agree to consult your own physician or qualified health professional regarding specific health questions. Neither Lisa Smith, The Pretty Well Podcast, nor any guest takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons following the information in this educational content. All listeners of this content, especially those who are pregnant or taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program. The Pretty Well Podcast is for private non-commercial use and our guests do not necessarily reflect any agency, organization, or company that they work for. In addition, opinions of interview guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lisa Smith and/or The Pretty Well Podcast. This content is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date.

What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About "Normal" Women's Symptoms.
If you've ever walked out of a doctor's appointment feeling dismissed, confused, or like you somehow did it wrong — this one's for you.
Award-winning health journalist Meghan Rabbitt has spent years investigating what women haven't been told about their own bodies. And what she's uncovered is equal parts infuriating and empowering.
This is the user manual for your health that no one handed you.
What we get into:
Why women are still underdiagnosed, under-researched, and misunderstood — and how it's affecting your care right now
The silent connection between pregnancy complications and heart disease that most doctors never mention
Why your stress response is biologically different from a man's — and what it's doing to your brain
The symptoms you've been taught to ignore that are actually critical data about your future health
The breast cancer risk test most women have never heard of
How to walk into any doctor's appointment like a CEO, not a bystander
The shift that changes everything: just because something is common doesn't mean it's normal. Pain, heavy periods, brain fog, exhaustion — these aren't things to push through. They're things to investigate.
This episode doesn't just give you information. It changes how you relate to your body.
🎙️ Find Meghan at meghanrabbitt.com
Links & Resources (as an Amazon affiliate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to yo):
New Rules of Women’s Health: Your Guide to Thriving at Every Age  https://amzn.to/4e6aNFL 
Tyrer-Cuzick Assessment (Calculator) for Breast Cancer Risk https://magview.com/ibis-risk-calculator/
The Morning Mindset Journal https://lisasmithwellness.com/the-morning-mindset-journal
✨Join the conversation:
Share your thoughts with us on social media or in the comments!
🎙 Subscribe, Share & Review:
If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more people who need these insights. Thanks for tuning in to Pretty Well! See you next week!
Contact Meghan and buy The New Rules of Women's Health from her website: https://newrulesofwomenshealth.com/
 
Contact Lisa:
Website: www.lisasmithwellness.com 
IG: https://www.instagram.com/prettywell_podcast/
 
Disclaimer: 
Nothing in this podcast is to be taken as medical advice, please take informed accountability and speak to your provider before making changes to your health routine.
The primary purpose of The Pretty Well Podcast being to educate. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice nor to take the place of such 
advice or treatment from a personal physician. By listening to this content, you agree to consult your own physician or qualified health professional regarding specific health questions. Neither Lisa Smith, The Pretty Well Podcast, nor any guest takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons following the information in this educational content. All listeners of this content, especially those who are pregnant or taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program. The Pretty Well Podcast is for private non-commercial use and our guests do not necessarily reflect any agency, organization, or company that they work for. In addition, opinions of interview guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lisa Smith and/or The Pretty Well Podcast. This content is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date.

The Real Reason For Your Cravings and Emotional Eating. It's Not What You Think.
You eat well. You do the work. And you still feel like something is missing — a kind of emptiness that has nothing to do with what's on your plate.
For high-achieving women, food often becomes the answer to a question the body is asking about something else entirely.
And until you understand what you're actually craving, nothing will fill it.
Amber Caudle has lived this — and spent decades helping women find their way through it. She's a chef, author, and founder of The Source Cafe in Hermosa Beach, CA.
In this conversation, we go beneath the surface of emotional eating, perfectionism, and the exhausting cycle of overgiving to explore what your body is really hungry for — and why your nervous system keeps reaching for food when the real need is something else.
-In this episode:Why high-achieving women often use food to manage emotions they don't have language for-The difference between physical hunger and emotional hunger and how to tell them apart in real time-How perfectionism and people-pleasing quietly drive depletion and disconnect you from your actual needs-Why guilt, productivity addiction, and "never enough" thinking aren't personality flaws, they're nervous system patterns-The surprising link between emotional nourishment and your relationship with food-What your body is really asking for when you reach for something out of stress or exhaustion-How to start giving yourself what you actually need and why it's harder than it sounds-Why healing isn't linear, and how to stay compassionate with yourself through the process
If you've ever eaten well and still felt empty (or reached for food when what you really needed wasn't food at all), this episode will give you language for something you've felt for a long time but couldn't explain.
The Part Worth Sitting With:
Many women spend years trying to fix themselves when they were never broken.
The constant drive to do more, achieve more, help more, and be more isn't always coming from ambition. Sometimes it's coming from a deeper belief: that rest must be earned, worth must be proven, love must be deserved.
And no amount of productivity can satisfy a need that was never about productivity in the first place.
When we start to understand what we're truly hungry for (connection, peace, play, purpose, support, or simply permission to slow down) something shifts. Not just in our relationship with food, but in our relationship with ourselves.
If this episode resonated, send it to the woman in your life who always seems to have it together... and always seems exhausted.
And if you want a simple way to stay grounded in what actually matters day to day, the Morning Mindset Journal is linked below. No protocol. No pressure. Just a place to come back to yourself. ❤️
Timestamps
00:00 Why so many women never feel fully nourished04:30 The hidden connection between food and emotional needs10:15 When success and productivity stop feeling fulfilling16:40 Why rest feels dangerous for so many high achievers22:10 The relationship between self-worth and overachievement28:20 Emotional hunger versus physical hunger35:00 What you're really craving when food isn't the answer37:00 Why a 15-minute break can feel so hard to take39:00 The deeper beliefs underneath the inability to slow down40:00 Rebuilding self-trust and learning to receive42:00 Why healing isn't linear — and how to stay compassionate with yourself
Resources & Links(As an Amazon Associate I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you)
Amber's book Hungry: https://amzn.to/4xb0PcY
Amber's website: https://www.nourishyourpowers.comAmber's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ambercaudlela/
The Morning Mindset Journal: https://lisasmithwellness.com/the-morning-mindset-journal
 
✨ Join the conversationShare your thoughts in the comments or tag us on Instagram @prettywell_podcast
🎙 Subscribe, Share & ReviewIf this episode hit home, please subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps more women find this conversation when they need it most. Thank you for being here — see you next week.
Contact Lisa:
Website: www.lisasmithwellness.com 
IG: https://www.instagram.com/prettywell_podcast/
 
Disclaimer: 
Nothing in this podcast is to be taken as medical advice, please take informed accountability and speak to your provider before making changes to your health routine.
The primary purpose of The Pretty Well Podcast being to educate. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice nor to take the place of such 
advice or treatment from a personal physician. By listening to this content, you agree to consult your own physician or qualified health professional regarding specific health questions. Neither Lisa Smith, The Pretty Well Podcast, nor any guest takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons following the information in this educational content. All listeners of this content, especially those who are pregnant or taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program. The Pretty Well Podcast is for private non-commercial use and our guests do not necessarily reflect any agency, organization, or company that they work for. In addition, opinions of interview guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lisa Smith and/or The Pretty Well Podcast. This content is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date.

Your Body Finally Got Better. So Why Don't You Feel Fine? With Best-Selling Author Amy Kurtz
You fought for answers. You finally started to heal. And everyone — including you — assumed that was the hard part.But what if your nervous system never got the memo?Amy Kurtz — patient advocate and bestselling author of Kicking Sick and her new book But You Look Fine — is back, and this conversation goes somewhere most health podcasts never do: what happens after the illness.Because for a lot of women, that's where a different kind of struggle begins.Amy spent years seeing 30+ doctors before getting answers. And when she finally started healing physically, she was blindsided by something no one warned her about — debilitating anxiety, hypervigilance, and a nervous system that had been in survival mode so long it didn't know how to stand down.She calls it Medical Trauma Brain. And if you've ever thought "why can't I just relax?" — this episode will finally give it a name.What we get into:
What Medical Trauma Brain actually is — and why it shows up even after your labs look normalThe "shadowlands" — that in-between place where you look fine but internally you're still bracing for impactWhy your nervous system doesn't automatically catch up just because your body improvesThe grief of lost time, missed seasons, and a life that didn't go as plannedThe fawn response in healthcare — and why it feels so hard to advocate for yourselfWhat it actually looks like to start teaching your body it's safe again
The part that stays with you: you can spend years fighting to get better, finally get there, and still feel trapped. That's not failure. It's just that no one told you there's an aftermath to surviving something this hard.If this is you, there's a way through — and the steps are more doable than you'd think.🎙️ Find Amy at amykurtz.com 
🔗 Resources & Links (As an Amazon Associate I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you):
Amy Kurtz's new book: But You Look Fine https://amykurtz.com/
But You Look Fine: Trapped in the Hell Between Sick and Well and How to Break Free by Amy Kurtz https://amzn.to/4upNgUY 
Amy Kurtz's first book: Kicking Sick https://amzn.to/4fZVRtp 
✨Join the conversation:
Share your thoughts with us on social media or in the comments!
 
🎙 Subscribe, Share & Review:
If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! By subscribing and reviewing, you help us (more than you know) to reach more people who are looking for great health information. Thanks for tuning in to Pretty Well! See you next week!
 
Contact Lisa:
Website: www.lisasmithwellness.com 
IG: https://www.instagram.com/prettywell_podcast/
 
Disclaimer: 
Nothing in this podcast is to be taken as medical advice, please take informed accountability and speak to your provider before making changes to your health routine.
The primary purpose of The Pretty Well Podcast being to educate. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice nor to take the place of such 
advice or treatment from a personal physician. By listening to this content, you agree to consult your own physician or qualified health professional regarding specific health questions. Neither Lisa Smith, The Pretty Well Podcast, nor any guest takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons following the information in this educational content. All listeners of this content, especially those who are pregnant or taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program. The Pretty Well Podcast is for private non-commercial use and our guests do not necessarily reflect any agency, organization, or company that they work for. In addition, opinions of interview guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lisa Smith and/or The Pretty Well Podcast. This content is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date.

Bloated and Inflamed? Groundbreaking Research in Gut Health.
You've run the protocols. Worked with practitioners. Spent real money on testing and supplements. And you're better — but not all the way there.This episode is about that gap.Oscar Coetzee from Designs for Health joins me to talk about what's missing from the gut health conversation — and why the model most practitioners are still using doesn't fully explain why so many women keep cycling through solutions without ever fully getting to the other side.What if the problem isn't that you haven't been aggressive enough? What if it's that the approach itself is missing something?What we get into:
Why the standard gut protocol looks right on paper but stalls in real lifeWhat newer microbiome research is starting to suggest that changes everythingWhy aggressive approaches can sometimes work against the very system they're trying to fixThe in-between space where so many women get stuck — not sick enough for a diagnosis, not well enough to feel fineThe shift from controlling your gut to creating conditions where it starts regulating itselfWhat this actually looks like with food and real life — without living in a perfectly controlled environment
The reframe that changes everything: what if the goal isn't another protocol — it's building an ecosystem that can handle real life without constantly needing one?
And if you want a simple way to stay consistent with what actually matters day to day, the Morning Mindset Journal is linked in the show notes. It helps you stay grounded without turning your life into yet another protocol. ❤️
🔗 Resources & Links:  The Morning Mindset Journal https://lisasmithwellness.com/the-morning-mindset-journal
 
✨Join the conversation:Share your thoughts with us on social media or in the comments!
🎙 Subscribe, Share & Review:If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more people who need these insights.
Thanks for tuning in to Pretty Well! See you next week!Contact Lisa:Website: www.lisasmithwellness.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/prettywell_podcast/
Disclaimer: Nothing in this podcast is to be taken as medical advice, please take informed accountability and speak to your provider before making changes to your health routine.The primary purpose of The Pretty Well Podcast being to educate. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice nor to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. By listening to this content, you agree to consult your own physician or qualified health professional regarding specific health questions. Neither Lisa Smith, The Pretty Well Podcast, nor any guest takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons following the information in this educational content. All listeners of this content, especially those who are pregnant or taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program. The Pretty Well Podcast is for private non-commercial use and our guests do not necessarily reflect any agency, organization, or company that they work for. In addition, opinions of interview guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lisa Smith and/or The Pretty Well Podcast. This content is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date.