Constantly tired, gaining belly weight, craving sugar, and feeling foggy? You might have insulin resistance — and you might not even know it. In this episode, we break down exactly how it develops, the silent warning signs, who’s at risk, and the proven natural strategies to fully reverse it. No prescriptions. No gimmicks. Just root-cause healing.

Work with Laura Giles https://lauragiles.org

You already know fight, flight, and freeze. But did you know your nervous system actually has five built-in survival responses — not three?

In this episode, we go beyond the basics to explore all five trauma responses: fight, flight, freeze, submit (the fawn response), and attach (the social engagement response). If you've ever snapped at someone over something small, said "yes" when you meant "no," felt restless the second things got quiet, or gone completely blank in a hard conversation — this episode connects the dots.

We talk about where these patterns come from, why they show up even when you're safe now, and why they're not personality flaws or character defects — they're old survival strategies your body built to protect you. You'll hear about the "fawn" and "cry for help" responses that rarely get discussed, plus a powerful example from trauma researcher Dr. Janina Fisher on how multiple defenses can show up in one person at once.

This episode won't diagnose you or replace therapy — but it might just be the reframe you've been looking for. Because these patterns don't mean you're broken. They mean you survived.

🎧 Listen now if you've ever wondered why you can't relax, why you can't stop people-pleasing, why conflict makes you disappear, or why you feel "too much" or "not enough."

This episode is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care. If anything here brings up strong feelings, please consider reaching out to a licensed therapist or counselor.

Work with Laura Giles https://lauragiles.org

Bloated, uncomfortable, and going fewer than three times a week? You might have chronic constipation — and your gut is trying to tell you something. In this episode, we dig into the root causes no one talks about: from sluggish motility and dysbiosis to thyroid dysfunction and nervous system dysregulation. You’ll learn the real warning signs, who’s most at risk, which foods and habits are silently making it worse, and the proven natural strategies to get things moving again — without becoming dependent on laxatives. Root-cause healing only.

Get your Squatty Potty here: https://amzn.to/4ppGMo1

Work With Laura Giles: https://lauragiles.org

Tired of chronic diarrhea ruling your life? Discover the real root causes — including the trauma-gut connection nobody talks about — and natural remedies that actually heal.

🌿 SUPPLEMENTS MENTIONED:

• Saccharomyces boulardii
• Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG
• L-Glutamine
• Zinc Carnosine
• Psyllium Husk
• Slippery Elm & Marshmallow Root
• Magnesium Glycinate

• 
  

  ⚠️ DISCLAIMER: This video is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your diet, supplement routine, or health care plan.

  
  

  Work with Laura Giles https://lauragiles.org

Are you working out consistently but still gaining weight — or stuck at the same number no matter what you do? The answer might have nothing to do with how hard you're training.

In this episode, we dig into the overlooked science behind exercise-related weight gain, including the role of trauma, chronic stress, cortisol, and sleep disruption in shaping how your body stores fat, regulates hunger, and responds to physical activity.

What you'll learn:

• Why exercise causes temporary weight gain — and when it's more than just water retention
• How unresolved trauma keeps stress hormones elevated, promoting fat storage especially around the abdomen
• Why a dysregulated nervous system can interpret exercise as a threat rather than a benefit
• The direct connection between sleep deprivation and weight gain — including what it does to your hunger hormones
• Why poor sleep and trauma create a feedback loop that makes weight loss much harder
• What trauma-informed movement looks like — and why "pushing harder" often backfires
• Practical tools to regulate your nervous system, improve sleep quality, and support your body from the inside out

This episode is for anyone who has ever felt like their body is working against them — especially if your weight patterns seem tied to stressful periods, poor sleep, or emotional difficulty more than to your fitness routine. Your body isn't broken. It's doing exactly what it was designed to do.

Topics covered: exercise and weight gain, cortisol and belly fat, trauma and metabolism, sleep and weight loss, nervous system regulation, somatic healing, trauma-informed fitness, stress hormones, emotional eating, ghrelin and leptin, fight-or-flight response, visceral fat, sleep deprivation and cravings.

Laura Giles https://lauragiles.org

What if struggling to eat has nothing to do with body image? For many trauma survivors, people with anxiety, and those navigating depression, forgetting to eat — or finding food physically impossible — is a nervous system response, not an eating disorder. In this episode, we explore the often-overlooked connection between trauma and appetite loss: why chronic stress shuts off hunger signals, what dissociation has to do with forgetting meals, and why this experience is so frequently misunderstood or misdiagnosed. We also cover ARFID, practical strategies for rebuilding structure around eating, and where to find support that actually fits your experience. Resources and helplines included in the show notes.

Work with me: Laura Giles https://lauragiles.org

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• National Alliance for Eating Disorders Helpline: 866-662-1235 (M-F, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. ET)
• ANAD Helpline: 888-375-7767 (M-F, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. ET)
• SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357 / text your zip code to 435748 (24/7)
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org
• Veterans Crisis Line: call 988 and press 1, or text 838255

This episode is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice. If you're struggling, please reach out to a healthcare provider or one of the resources above.

A listener asked us to tell her story — not her name, not her history, just her day. One ordinary day, lived from the inside of a life shaped by trauma, so that the people around her might finally understand what they cannot see.

In this episode, we walk through her full day: the 6am hypervigilance that wakes her before her alarm, the emotional flashbacks that strike at 2pm without warning, the social masking that drains her, the loneliness of being surrounded by people who don't understand why she can't just let it go — and what she needs the people in her life to know.

This episode covers:

• Hyperarousal and why trauma survivors can't "just relax"
• Dissociation and what it really feels like from the inside
• Emotional flashbacks (C-PTSD) and the body's trauma memory
• Shame, triggers, and masking in social settings
• The impact of judgment and dismissal on survivors
• What compassion actually looks like in practice
• Evidence-based treatments: EMDR, CPT, somatic therapy, IFS

Whether you are a survivor yourself, or love someone who is, this conversation is for you.

For integrative trauma coaching, contact Laura Giles at https://lauragiles.org

Not all flashbacks look like flashbacks. For survivors of complex trauma (CPTSD), emotional flashbacks can arrive without any visual memory — sudden waves of shame, terror, abandonment, or helplessness that seem to come from nowhere. In this episode, we break down the concept popularized by Pete Walker, explain the neuroscience of why the body stores trauma as feeling rather than memory, and explore how to begin recognizing and working with these experiences. Whether you're a trauma survivor, a loved one, or a mental health professional, this episode will change how you understand the connection between your past and your present emotional life.

Website: https://lauragiles.org