Discover what’s blocking your weight loss and energy:
Take the FREE Weight Loss & Energy Blocker Assessment to uncover the hidden imbalances that may be keeping you stuck:
https://www.monikaeva.com/whatsblockingyou

If your bloodwork has been called “normal,” but you’re still struggling with stubborn weight, fatigue, poor sleep, low energy, or other frustrating changes during menopause, your labs may not be telling the whole story.

In this episode of The Balanced Body Podcast, Monika is joined by Kristina Cole, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner and creator of the Designer Aging app. Kristina helps women in their 50s and 60s navigate the transition into menopause through movement, lifestyle changes, and personalized lab testing.

Together, Monika and Kristina discuss why standard blood chemistry may miss the nuances needed to understand a woman’s hormones, why focusing on one hormone or body system can prevent lasting progress, and how stress, blood sugar, gut health, thyroid function, and sex hormones influence one another.

They also explore why movement becomes even more important during menopause—not only for weight management, but for protecting muscle mass, bone health, energy, mobility, and longevity.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why “normal” bloodwork doesn’t always mean your hormones are functioning optimally
• What personalized lab testing can reveal beyond standard testing
• Why hormones and body systems cannot be assessed in isolation
• How movement supports metabolism, muscle, bones, energy, and healthy aging
• How to begin exercising when you feel exhausted, achy, or out of practice
• Practical first steps for women who no longer feel like themselves

Connect with Kristina Cole:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinamcole
Website: https://www.kristinacole.com
Download the Designer Aging app on the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Connect with Monika:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monikaeeva

Thanks for listening. Please rate & review so we can reach more women with this very important information. Share with a friend whom you know would benefit from listening to The Balanced Body Podcast.

Follow your host, Monika Eva, on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/monikaeeva

Take my FREE Weight Loss & Energy Blocker Assessment to find out what's blocking you from releasing the weight & being energized here:
https://www.monikaeva.com/whatsblockingyou

Learn more about working with Monika here:
https://www.monikaeva.com

Take the Weight Loss & Energy Blocker Assessment

If you’re eating well and trying to take care of yourself but still struggling with stubborn weight, low energy, brain fog or hormonal symptoms, there may be something deeper blocking your progress. Take Monika’s free Weight Loss & Energy Blocker Assessment to uncover which hidden stressors may be keeping your body stuck:

https://www.monikaeva.com/whatsblockingyou

Hashimoto’s is often treated as nothing more than an underactive thyroid, but thyroid hormone replacement alone doesn’t address why the immune system began attacking the thyroid in the first place.

In this episode, Monika is joined by Ryan Monahan, a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, nationally board-certified health and wellness coach, and founder of Functional Fast-Track.

Ryan spent more than 10 frustrating years and saw over 40 health professionals before finally being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s in 2012. By the time he received his diagnosis, his TSH had reached 150, and no, that is not a typo.

Ryan shares the symptoms that were missed, why being a man may have contributed to his delayed diagnosis, and what ultimately led him to uncover what was happening inside his body.

Monika and Ryan also explore the real root causes and hidden stressors that can contribute to thyroid autoimmunity, including chronic stress, gut dysfunction, infections, nutrient deficiencies and environmental exposures. They discuss the difference between having hypothyroidism and having Hashimoto’s, why a “normal” TSH doesn’t always tell the full story, and what thyroid medication can and cannot address.

You’ll also learn why Hashimoto’s is rarely caused by one isolated factor, how to distinguish an initial trigger from the stressors continuing to fuel autoimmunity, and what to investigate when you’re still exhausted, foggy, losing hair or struggling with your weight despite being told your thyroid is “normal.”

If you’ve been managing thyroid symptoms without understanding what is driving them, this conversation will help you look beyond the surface and begin asking better questions.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What Ryan experienced during the 10 years before his Hashimoto’s diagnosis
• How his TSH reached 150 before the condition was identified
• Why Hashimoto’s is diagnosed more frequently in women than men
• The difference between hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s
• The hidden stressors that can trigger or perpetuate thyroid autoimmunity
• Why genetics may create susceptibility but don’t tell the entire story
• How gut health, infections, stress, nutrient deficiencies and environmental exposures can affect the thyroid
• Why thyroid medication may improve hormone levels without addressing autoimmunity
• What to investigate when your TSH is “normal” but your symptoms persist
• What improving Hashimoto’s can realistically look like

Connect with Ryan Monahan

Website: https://www.themindfulnutrivore.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themindfulnutrivore
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themindfulnutrivore/

Connect with Monika

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monikaeeva

Thanks for listening. Please rate & review so we can reach more women with this very important information. Share with a friend whom you know would benefit from listening to The Balanced Body Podcast.

Follow your host, Monika Eva, on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/monikaeeva

Take my FREE Weight Loss & Energy Blocker Assessment to find out what's blocking you from releasing the weight & being energized here:
https://www.monikaeva.com/whatsblockingyou

Learn more about working with Monika here:
https://www.monikaeva.com

✨ STRUGGLING WITH STUBBORN WEIGHT OR LOW ENERGY AND CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GETTING IN THE WAY?

Take my FREE Weight Loss & Energy Blocker Assessment to uncover what may be keeping your body stuck in fat-storing, energy-depleted mode. In just a few minutes, you'll identify the area that may need the most support and get personalized next steps to help you start moving forward.

Take the free assessment here:
https://www.monikaeva.com/whatsblockingyou

We talk A LOT about nutrition, exercise, stress, sleep and nervous system regulation when it comes to our health.

But what about the environment we're living in every single day?

In Episode 126 of The Balanced Body Podcast, I'm joined by Crystal Keath, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner and health detective, to have the toxin conversation that often gets overlooked or becomes so extreme that women don't know what to actually pay attention to.

We're talking about the everyday environmental exposures that may be adding to the total stress load on the body, how they may intersect with hormones, energy and metabolism, and why meditation, mindset and breathwork aren't necessarily the whole answer when other stressors are still present.

And no, the solution isn't to throw out everything you own and live in a bubble.

Crystal shares how to think about reducing your toxic burden in a practical, realistic way so you can focus on what actually matters instead of becoming overwhelmed trying to eliminate every possible exposure.

In this episode, we cover:

• What we actually mean when we talk about toxins and toxic load
• The everyday environmental exposures many women overlook
• Why meditation, mindset and breathwork may not always move the needle
• How environmental exposures can add to the body's overall stress load
• The potential connection between toxins, hormone health, energy and metabolism
• How to navigate a world full of environmental exposures without becoming fearful or obsessive
• Where to start if you want to reduce your exposure
• The biggest misconceptions around "detoxing"
• How to support your body's natural detoxification processes

You don't need to create a perfectly toxin-free life. But understanding what's in your environment—and knowing which changes are actually worth making—can give you another piece of the bigger health picture.

CONNECT WITH CRYSTAL KEATH, FDNP

Instagram: @wellthyself.life
Substack: wellthyself.substack.com

CONNECT WITH MONIKA

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/monikaeeva

Love this episode? Follow The Balanced Body Podcast so you never miss a new conversation, and send this one to a woman who needs to hear it.

Thanks for listening. Please rate & review so we can reach more women with this very important information. Share with a friend whom you know would benefit from listening to The Balanced Body Podcast.

Follow your host, Monika Eva, on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/monikaeeva

Take my FREE Weight Loss & Energy Blocker Assessment to find out what's blocking you from releasing the weight & being energized here:
https://www.monikaeva.com/whatsblockingyou

Learn more about working with Monika here:
https://www.monikaeva.com

FREE WEIGHT LOSS & ENERGY BLOCKER ASSESSMENT

Struggling with stubborn weight, low energy, bloating or feeling like something is “off” despite your best efforts? Take my free Weight Loss & Energy Blocker Assessment to uncover what may be getting in the way of your results.

👉 Take the free assessment here

What if your hormone symptoms and autoimmune flares aren't two completely separate issues?

In this episode of The Balanced Body Podcast, I'm joined by Navy Veteran and Board Certified Functional Nutrition Practitioner Haley Morris, who helps women with autoimmune and chronic conditions uncover the root causes driving their symptoms and heal the patterns underneath them.

Haley shares her own experience navigating PCOS, achy joints and an autoimmune diagnosis — and how her journey led her to start looking at the deeper connection between hormones, inflammation and immune health.

We dive into how hormonal shifts may influence autoimmune symptoms and flares, the metabolic and inflammatory side of PCOS, and why looking beyond the ovaries can give us a much bigger picture of what's happening in the body.

We also talk about non-toxic living and environmental exposures, how everyday products may impact hormone health, and where to start without feeling like you need to replace everything in your home overnight.

And finally, we tackle something SO many women have experienced: being told their labs are “within range” even though they still don't feel well. Haley explains the difference between conventional and functional lab ranges and why looking at patterns alongside symptoms can provide a more complete picture.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE COVER:

• The connection between hormones, the immune system and autoimmune flares
• Why autoimmune symptoms may change alongside hormonal fluctuations
• The connection between PCOS, inflammation and metabolic health
• What PMOS means and why Haley looks beyond the ovaries
• How environmental exposures may impact hormone health
• Practical ways to reduce exposures without becoming overwhelmed
• Why being “within range” doesn't necessarily explain how you're feeling
• Conventional vs. functional lab ranges
• Why looking at the bigger picture matters when dealing with chronic symptoms

CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST, MONIKA EVA

Click here for Monika Eva's Instagram

Click here to take Monika Eva's free Weight Loss & Energy Blocker Assessment (this is the first step I recommend for everyone!)

Website: https://www.monikaeva.com

CONNECT WITH HALEY MORRIS

Website: https://www.thewholesomewoman.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewholesome.woman/

Curated Clean Living Shop: https://www.linkdolly.com/thewholesomewoman/

Thanks for listening. Please rate & review so we can reach more women with this very important information. Share with a friend whom you know would benefit from listening to The Balanced Body Podcast.

Follow your host, Monika Eva, on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/monikaeeva

Take my FREE Weight Loss & Energy Blocker Assessment to find out what's blocking you from releasing the weight & being energized here:
https://www.monikaeva.com/whatsblockingyou

Learn more about working with Monika here:
https://www.monikaeva.com

What if your fatigue, brain fog, hormone symptoms, and inflammation aren't separate problems—but different clues pointing back to the same place?

Feeling like something is blocking your weight loss or draining your energy, but you can't figure out what?

Take my FREE Weight Loss & Energy Blocker Assessment to uncover which areas may need more support, from your hormones and gut health to inflammation, stress and more.

👉 Take the free assessment here

In this episode of The Balanced Body Podcast, I'm joined by Divya Dhawan, Board-Certified Functional Health Practitioner, FDN-P, founder of The Sjögren's RESET Method™ and The Sjögren's Recovery Architect™.

Thirteen years ago, Divya was diagnosed with Sjögren's after months of unexplained pain and being unable to get answers. She was told this was simply something she'd have to live with. Instead, she began digging into functional health and the underlying drivers of autoimmunity. Within a year, she had reached remission and was able to come off medication.

Today, she helps women with Sjögren's uncover what's happening beneath symptoms like dryness, chronic fatigue, brain fog, pain, and inflammation—with a major focus on the gut-immune connection.

But this conversation goes far beyond Sjögren's.

We dive into why gut dysfunction can have such far-reaching effects throughout the body, including its relationship with immune regulation, nutrient absorption, estrogen metabolism, and the nervous system.

Inside this episode, we talk about:

• What Sjögren's actually is—and why it can be so easily overlooked
• The connection between gut health, inflammation, and autoimmunity
• Why chronic fatigue and brain fog aren't always "just stress" or aging
• How gut dysbiosis and poor nutrient absorption can affect B12, iron, magnesium, and energy
• The estrobolome and the surprising connection between your gut and estrogen metabolism
• Why gut dysfunction may contribute to symptoms during PMS, PCOS, and perimenopause
• How chronic stress and a nervous system stuck in survival mode can disrupt digestion, motility, and immune regulation
• Why addressing what's driving your symptoms matters more than simply trying to manage each symptom individually

Whether you have Sjögren's or you're simply wondering why you're exhausted, foggy, inflamed, or struggling with hormone and digestive symptoms despite being told everything looks "normal," this conversation will give you a different way to look at what your body may be trying to tell you.

CONNECT WITH DIVYA:

Take Divya's free Sjögren's Root Cause Quiz:
https://l.bttr.to/L4QK7

Book a free 20-minute 1:1 Sjögren's ROADMAP Call:
https://l.bttr.to/hN9Og

Thanks for listening. Please rate & review so we can reach more women with this very important information. Share with a friend whom you know would benefit from listening to The Balanced Body Podcast.

Follow your host, Monika Eva, on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/monikaeeva

Take my FREE Weight Loss & Energy Blocker Assessment to find out what's blocking you from releasing the weight & being energized here:
https://www.monikaeva.com/whatsblockingyou

Learn more about working with Monika here:
https://www.monikaeva.com

Feeling like you’re doing all the “right” things but still struggling with stubborn weight, low energy, hormone symptoms, or feeling unlike yourself?

Take my FREE Weight Loss & Energy Blocker Assessment to uncover what may be keeping your body stuck in fat-storing, energy-depleted mode and discover what to focus on next.

👉 Take the free assessment here

Your menstrual cycle can tell you far more about your health than simply when your next period is coming.

In this episode of The Balanced Body Podcast, Monika Eva sits down with Maureen Hilleary, Certified Women’s Functional Health Practitioner and Cycle & Fertility Awareness Instructor, to unpack what cycle charting can reveal about your hormones, ovulation, fertility, and overall health.

Many women have been taught to focus almost entirely on their period—but ovulation is a critical part of a healthy menstrual cycle. Maureen explains why ovulation matters beyond fertility, what cycle charting actually involves, and how learning to recognize your body’s patterns can give you valuable insight into your hormonal health.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What cycle charting actually is and how it differs from simply tracking your period in an app
• Why cycle literacy matters at every stage of a woman’s reproductive years
• What you can learn by paying attention to patterns throughout your menstrual cycle
• Why ovulation is about much more than getting pregnant
• The relationship between ovulation, progesterone, and hormone health
• Why having a bleed doesn’t necessarily mean you successfully ovulated
• How cycle charting can help women become more informed about their bodies
• Why menstrual cycle education should begin much earlier for tweens and teens
• Simple ways to start understanding and charting your own cycle

Whether you're trying to conceive, struggling with hormone symptoms, navigating irregular cycles, or simply want to better understand your body, this conversation will change the way you look at your menstrual cycle.

CONNECT WITH MONIKA EVA

Instagram: @monikaeeeva
The Balanced Body Podcast: Follow and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

CONNECT WITH MAUREEN HILLEARY

Instagram: @well.rooted.holistic.health
Website: wellrootedholistichealth.com

Thanks for listening. Please rate & review so we can reach more women with this very important information. Share with a friend whom you know would benefit from listening to The Balanced Body Podcast.

Follow your host, Monika Eva, on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/monikaeeva

Take my FREE Weight Loss & Energy Blocker Assessment to find out what's blocking you from releasing the weight & being energized here:
https://www.monikaeva.com/whatsblockingyou

Learn more about working with Monika here:
https://www.monikaeva.com

Have you ever wondered if your anxiety, low mood, overwhelm, or brain fog could be connected to what you're eating?

In this episode of The Balanced Body Podcast, I sit down with triple-certified health practitioner Sherry Taylor to explore the powerful connection between nutrition, mental health, and hormone balance. While many women are told their symptoms are simply a result of stress, aging, or hormones, Sherry explains why nutrient deficiencies, blood sugar imbalances, and poor food choices may be playing a much bigger role than most people realize.

We discuss how sugar and processed foods impact the brain, why so many women are operating from a depleted state, and the importance of eating in a way that supports your unique body's needs rather than following the latest diet trend.

If you've been struggling with anxiety, depression, low energy, mood swings, cravings, or feeling disconnected from yourself, this conversation will give you a fresh perspective on where healing truly begins.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

✔️ The connection between food, mood, and mental health
✔️ How sugar impacts anxiety, depression, and hormone balance
✔️ Why blood sugar stability matters for emotional resilience
✔️ Common nutrient deficiencies that affect mood and energy
✔️ What it means to replenish your body's "vital reserve"
✔️ Why nutrition should never be one-size-fits-all
✔️ How functional testing can uncover hidden stressors impacting your health
✔️ Simple first steps to support your mental and physical well-being

Ready to Discover What's Really Blocking Your Progress?

Take my free Weight Loss & Energy Blocker Assessment and uncover the hidden stressors keeping you stuck by clicking here.

Connect with Sherry Taylor:

Facebook: Sherry Taylor Facebook Page

Website: Providential Health

Free Resource: "Perfect" Diet Finder

Thanks for listening. Please rate & review so we can reach more women with this very important information. Share with a friend whom you know would benefit from listening to The Balanced Body Podcast.

Follow your host, Monika Eva, on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/monikaeeva

Take my FREE Weight Loss & Energy Blocker Assessment to find out what's blocking you from releasing the weight & being energized here:
https://www.monikaeva.com/whatsblockingyou

Learn more about working with Monika here:
https://www.monikaeva.com

What if some of the most important conversations about fertility are the ones we’re not having?

In this episode of The Balanced Body Podcast, I’m joined by Becca Thomas, a nurse turned nutritionist who helps couples support fertility naturally through mineral balancing, nutrition, lifestyle, and a deeper understanding of their health.

And this conversation goes places.

Becca shares her experience of losing her nursing job after refusing a flu vaccine in 2012 and how that experience changed the way she viewed healthcare, informed consent, and our ability to ask questions about the recommendations we’re given.

We also dive deeply into fertility — including what Becca believes the conventional fertility model gets wrong, where the holistic health world can miss the mark too, and why couples may need to look beyond simply being told that their labs are “normal.”

We discuss:

• Becca’s experience refusing a flu vaccine as a nurse and how it shaped her career
• Vaccines, informed consent, and why asking questions matters
• COVID-era conversations surrounding vaccination, pregnancy, fertility, and miscarriage — including what we know, what remains debated, and Becca’s perspective
• What conventional medicine may be overlooking when couples struggle to conceive
• Why holistic practitioners can get fertility wrong too
• The role minerals, nutrition, and lifestyle play in reproductive health
• Why “normal” lab results don’t necessarily tell the entire story
• Functional versus conventional lab ranges
• Why male fertility deserves significantly more attention
• What couples can start addressing before or alongside fertility treatment

This isn't an episode about telling you what to believe. It’s a conversation about informed consent, asking better questions, understanding the bigger picture, and becoming a more active participant in your health and fertility decisions.

FREE RESOURCE FROM BECCA:
Get Becca’s Fertility Lab Guide to compare commonly tested fertility markers with the functional ranges she uses in her work: freebies.faithfulfertility.co

As always, this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace individualized medical advice.

Thanks for listening. Please rate & review so we can reach more women with this very important information. Share with a friend whom you know would benefit from listening to The Balanced Body Podcast.

Follow your host, Monika Eva, on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/monikaeeva

Take my FREE Weight Loss & Energy Blocker Assessment to find out what's blocking you from releasing the weight & being energized here:
https://www.monikaeva.com/whatsblockingyou

Learn more about working with Monika here:
https://www.monikaeva.com