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You’re eating well and exercising, and on paper you’re doing everything right. So why is the scale going up instead of down? If that frustration sounds familiar, this episode is for you.

This month on Aligned to Rise, we’re digging into inflammation and all the ways it can affect your health and your life. Today I’m joined by double board-certified hormone nutritionist Monika Eva to talk about one of the most confusing parts of it: how inflammation can quietly get in the way of weight loss.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why weight gain can happen even when your lifestyle looks “perfect”
• How inflammation affects your body’s ability to release weight
• The connection between inflammation, hormones and metabolism
• How functional lab testing can help uncover what’s really going on
• Where to look that your doctor hasn't looked before
• What you can gain in your life when you lose the inflammation and that stubborn weight

About Monika Eva
Monika Eva is a double board-certified hormone nutritionist who has helped over 1,300 women regain their energy, release stubborn weight and feel confident again through holistic nutrition and functional lab testing. She also hosts the Balanced Body Podcast, where she covers the health topics women won’t hear about from their doctors.

Connect with Monika:

Weight Loss & Energy Blocker Assessment
Instagram
Listen to The Balanced Body Podcast

Subscribe to the Aligned to Rise Podcast:
Apple | Spotify

Connect w/ Alyssa:

• Instagram
• Website

Work w/ Alyssa:

• Free Period Pain Playbook
• Work with me 1:1
• Cycle Clarity Panel

Learn more about Alyssa

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only. This may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here.

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"You're just inflamed." If you've heard that and walked away with more questions than answers, this episode is for you.

This kicks off a month-long series on inflammation, one of my favorite topics to nerd out on. Inflammation is one of the most overused and least understood words in health. Too often it's treated as the end of the conversation, when it should be the beginning.

In this episode, I break down what inflammation really is: a normal, protective immune response that your body needs to heal. It can also go sideways and stick around far longer than it should. Using a fire analogy, we look at the cast of characters inside your immune system. There are the "arsonists" that light the fire, the "firefighters" that put it out, and the accelerants and retardants that turn the flame up or down. You'll learn why chronic inflammation shows up so differently from person to person, and why there's no one-size-fits-all fix.

Being in a state of chronic inflammation doesn't mean you have to stay there. It just means that's where you are right now.

In this episode

• The difference between acute inflammation and chronic inflammation
• Three ways inflammation can go wrong
• Signs of acute inflammation
• Signs of chronic inflammation
• Conditions linked to chronic inflammation, from endometriosis and autoimmune disease to IBD, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease
• Why inflammation is never random: it's always your immune system responding to something
• The immune "fire crew": frontline pro-inflammatory cells, resolving cells like M2 macrophages and T regulatory cells, and the molecular signals (DAMPs, PAMPs, SAMPs) that turn the fire up or down
• Why balance, not elimination, is the goal

Timestamps

• 00:00 Welcome and the October inflammation series
• 01:14 What inflammation is (and isn't)
• 02:05 Acute vs. chronic inflammation
• 03:28 The fire analogy, and three ways inflammation goes wrong
• 06:03 What acute inflammation looks and feels like
• 07:35 Signs and symptoms of chronic inflammation
• 08:58 How common this is, and conditions linked to chronic inflammation
• 10:35 Why understanding your body matters
• 11:24 Inflammation is your immune system at work
• 12:40 Meet the arsonists, firefighters, accelerants, and retardants
• 15:39 What happens when the balance tips
• 18:01 What's coming up in the series

Subscribe to the Aligned to Rise Podcast:
Apple | Spotify

Connect w/ Alyssa:

• Instagram
• Website

Work w/ Alyssa:

• Free Period Pain Playbook
• Work with me 1:1
• Cycle Clarity Panel

Learn more about Alyssa

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only. This may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here.

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So many women are told their hormones are "off" and sent home with birth control and no real explanation. I know that was my story. But hormones are chemical messengers: they respond to signals from the rest of your body. When they're out of balance, it's a sign something deeper needs support.

In this episode, I break down the seven main things I look at in my practice that impact your hormones, so you can see the bigger picture and know there's something you can do about it.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why hormone imbalance is a symptom, not the root cause
• How your gut affects estrogen detox (and why I always start there)
• Your liver's role in hormone detox and thyroid conversion
• Everyday toxins, endocrine disruptors, and a slow-and-steady way to reduce them
• How stress, cortisol, and your nervous system affect your hormones
• Why blood sugar balance might be the most impactful dietary change you can make
• The nutrients your body needs to build hormones
• How your thyroid and sex hormones interact

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Why hormones aren't the problem
• 01:47 A client story: from birth control to real answers
• 04:01 #1: Your gut
• 06:18 #2: Your liver
• 07:51 #3: Your environment and toxins
• 12:30 #4: Your nervous system
• 14:46 #5: Blood sugar
• 16:51 #6: Nutrition
• 20:26 #7: Your thyroid
• 21:58 Quick recap

Resources mentioned:

• Episode 146: The Gut–Hormone Connection
• Free Hormone Assessment: find out if your gut might be impacting your hormones
• Book a free consultation with me

Subscribe to the Aligned to Rise Podcast:
Apple | Spotify

Connect w/ Alyssa:

• Instagram
• Website

Work w/ Alyssa:

• Free Period Pain Playbook
• Work with me 1:1
• Cycle Clarity Panel

Learn more about Alyssa

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only. This may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here.