What if your body already knows how to heal - and the only thing standing in the way is you?

That's the question at the heart of this conversation with Alayna Bellquist, marine scientist, speaker, and author of Resilient by Nature: A Memoir of Curing Chronic Lyme Disease. After nearly two decades studying how ecosystems recover from stress and collapse, Alayna found herself applying those exact same principles to her own body after a devastating battle with chronic Lyme disease.

This is not a scary Lyme episode. This is a story of full recovery, radical self-honesty, and what happens when you stop fighting your body and start treating it like the resilient, intelligent system it actually is.

Whether you're navigating a chronic illness, burnout, or just a body that feels like it's working against you, this conversation will leave you with more hope than you came in with.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and welcome
00:45 Why Alayna felt compelled to share her story and challenge the dominant Lyme narrative
02:29 How the tick bite happened in 2017 and why it went undiagnosed for three years
04:57 Peak COVID, a riding accident, and the moment everything fell apart
06:29 The terror of a chronic Lyme diagnosis and what the internet told her to expect
07:17 The deeper wake-up call: overachieving, people pleasing and a worth tied to productivity
10:25 Why burnout shows up as chronic illness and why it would have been something eventually
13:35 Finding a Lyme literate specialist and building a full treatment protocol
15:12 When the antibiotics stopped working and the emotional work began
16:31 Adding breathwork, cold therapy, Chinese medicine, EMDR, and talk therapy
17:02 Testing negative and reaching full recovery by 2024
19:26 What Alayna knew about health before Lyme and what she ignored
21:02 How diet culture and productivity culture fed the same harmful stories
22:02 Where the stories of worthiness and identity come from and how early they form
25:11 Why zero to seven is the most important window for children's belief systems
27:08 Neuroplasticity and the hope that what was learned can be unlearned
28:31 Applying marine ecosystem recovery principles to the human body
31:00 Treating the body like a degraded ecosystem: removing what jeopardizes resilience
33:03 Why humans are the only species with the belief they can exist outside of nature
34:32 The body is always moving toward healing when you stop blocking it
36:06 What even small connections to nature can do for your nervous system
38:19 Why nature does the work for you without effort or optimization
41:35 The four spheres of healing: western medicine, alternative therapies, mental and emotional work, and nature
44:15 The first dietary changes Alayna made and why simplicity was the point
46:49 What has remained the hardest pattern to break even after full recovery
48:02 Getting comfortable with discomfort as a core skill in healing
50:37 Sleep, pressure, and why trying too hard makes everything worse
54:32 The one morning habit Alayna credits for supporting sleep and circadian rhythm
57:08 About the book Resilient by Nature and where to find Alayna

About Alayna Bellquist

Alayna Bellquist is a marine science and policy expert, speaker, and author of Resilient by Nature: A Memoir of Curing Chronic Lyme Disease, available September 15, 2026. After nearly two decades studying ecosystem resilience, collapse, and recovery, Alayna turned those same principles on herself during a harrowing battle with chronic Lyme disease - and came out the other side healthier than she had ever been.

📸 @elenabelquist on Instagram
🌐 elenabelquist.com
📖 Resilient by Nature - available for pre-order now, releasing September 15, 2026

Meet Kylie:
Instagram: @within.nutrition
Apply for 1:1 coaching here.

Check out some of our recipes as mentioned in this episode here.

Welcome to the Within Nutrition Podcast.

There is so much noise in the health world that often sounds so convincing but doesn't actually work for you so we're here to breakdown the science, challenge the common myths and share the strategies that truly make a difference for you.

If your energy has been feeling flat, heavy, or just inconsistent - this episode is a breath of warm air. Kylie shares five simple, practical things she's doing this summer to feel her most energized, grounded, and well. No complicated protocols, no expensive supplements. Just real, accessible habits that work with your body and your gut to help you feel genuinely good.

Whether you're in the middle of a heat wave or just looking for ways to make the most of the longer, warmer days, these are things you can start today.

In this episode, Kylie covers five summer energy habits rooted in gut health, blood sugar balance, and nervous system support - including the truth about fruit and blood sugar that the wellness world has overcomplicated, why bookending your day with walks is one of the most underrated health tools available to you, how fresh herbs can meaningfully improve your gut microbiome diversity, the right way to build a smoothie that actually stabilizes your energy, and what the research really says about grounding.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and welcome
01:30 Why energy is such a central theme in the Within Nutrition coaching program
03:30 Habit one: eating more seasonal fruit and why fruit is not the enemy
06:00 The truth about blood sugar, fruit, and what the wellness world gets wrong
09:00 How fat intake affects insulin sensitivity and your ability to eat fruit
12:30 Habit two: bookending your day with morning and evening walks
15:00 Why a walk is a nervous system tool, not just a fitness tool
17:00 Morning light, circadian rhythm, and the gut microbiome connection
19:00 A note on intermittent fasting and women in their fertility years
21:30 Habit three: adding fresh herbs for gut microbiome diversity
24:00 How to use mint and basil practically in summer meals and drinks
25:30 Habit four: leaning back into smoothies and how to build one that works
28:00 The key three method applied to smoothies
30:00 Habit five: grounding - what the research actually says
32:00 Final thoughts and information on the Within Nutrition coaching program

Meet Kylie:
Instagram: @within.nutrition
Apply for 1:1 coaching here.

Check out some of our recipes as mentioned in this episode here.

Welcome to the Within Nutrition Podcast.

There is so much noise in the health world that often sounds so convincing but doesn't actually work for you so we're here to breakdown the science, challenge the common myths and share the strategies that truly make a difference for you.

If you've ever felt like you're doing all the right things but still feel exhausted, out of alignment, or like something just doesn't fit - this episode might be the missing piece. Kylie sits down with Emma Dunwoody, Behavioral Specialist and author of Human Design Made Simple (Penguin Life), to explore how understanding your unique energetic blueprint can completely shift the way you approach your health, your habits, and your life.

This isn't about astrology or personality tests. Human Design is a system that blends modern science and ancient wisdom to map how your energy actually operates - how you process stress, make decisions, manage your nervous system, and maintain balance. And as Emma explains, when you stop fighting your design and start working with it, everything gets easier.

In this episode, Emma and Kylie explore how Human Design connects to energy, healing, and whole-person wellness - including why so many women are exhausted not because they're doing too little, but because they're doing it all wrong for their type, how your energetic blueprint affects your nervous system, stress response, and emotional wellbeing, and why consistency, discipline, and productivity look completely different depending on who you are.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and welcome
00:45 Emma's personal story: depression, panic disorder, and the journey to human design
06:37 What human design actually is and how it differs from personality profiling
09:22 Deconditioning: removing the masks we built to stay safe and receive love
12:26 How childhood conditioning from ages zero to seven shapes who we become
14:45 Human design, parenting, and raising kids in alignment with their design
15:51 How human design connects to women's health and breaking repeated patterns
17:30 Energy types explained: sacral vs non-sacral beings and what that means for your body
19:52 Why health advice is not one size fits all and how to find what works for you
20:51 Can your type change? Life cycles, saturn return, and the shift in your early 40s
25:01 Strategy and authority: the two most important things to understand in your chart
28:00 Profiles explained: what your two numbers reveal about how you move through life
29:29 How knowing your design builds confidence in decisions and health choices
31:31 Why 90% of the global population is designed to wait before they act
34:50 Alignment over hustle: why doing less of the wrong things gives you more energy
36:14 Redefining consistency for women and why the 24-hour model is designed for men
40:56 Perfectionism, dropping the ball, and why starting over is not failure
43:00 Human design in business: building around your energy instead of someone else's system
46:10 Raising teenagers with human design and letting go of parenting guilt
50:51 Trusting yourself in an era of information overload
52:49 Building the muscle of internal authority and sovereign decision-making

About our Guest

Emma Dunwoody is a Behavioral Specialist with over 20 years of experience helping people understand how their mind, body, and energy are uniquely designed to work together. She is the author of Human Design Made Simple, published by Penguin Life, and host of The Human Design Podcast. Emma's work has been featured in Elle, The Washington Post, MindBodyGreen, Women's Health, Forbes, and more.

📸 @the_human_design_coach on Instagram

Meet Kylie:
Instagram: @within.nutrition
Apply for 1:1 coaching here.

Welcome to the Within Nutrition Podcast.

There is so much noise in the health world that often sounds so convincing but doesn't actually work for you so we're here to breakdown the science, challenge the common myths and share the strategies that truly make a difference for you.

Welcome to the Within Nutrition Podcast.

There is so much noise in the health world that often sounds so convincing but doesn't actually work for you so we're here to breakdown the science, challenge the common myths and share the strategies that truly make a difference for you.

If you've tried sleeping more, eating healthier, and taking all the right supplements but you're still exhausted - this episode is for you. Kylie breaks down the real reason so many women struggle with low energy, fatigue, and that frustrating wired-but-tired feeling: your gut.

This episode covers the science behind the gut-energy connection, why your mitochondria can't do their job when your gut is compromised, and three things you can start doing today to support your energy from the inside out.

Whether you're waking up tired, crashing in the afternoon, or running on stress hormones and caffeine, the root cause may be closer to your gut than you think.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction: the gut and energy connection
02:30 The three types of low energy and what they mean
05:00 Kylie's personal experience with gut health and energy
08:00 What energy actually is at a cellular level: ATP and mitochondria
10:00 Why a healthy gut is a nutrient delivery system, not just digestion
11:30 The three gut mechanisms that drain your energy
12:00 Malabsorption: how a damaged gut lining limits nutrient absorption
14:30 Gut-driven inflammation, dysbiosis, leaky gut, and fatigue
18:00 The gut-brain axis: serotonin, GABA, and neurotransmitter production in the gut
22:00 How to know if your gut is behind your low energy
25:00 Recurring iron and B12 deficiency as a gut health signal
27:30 Lab markers worth checking: ferritin, active B12, CRP, and thyroid
30:00 Three things you can start doing today
30:30 Adding plant diversity to feed your microbiome
35:00 Meal spacing and the migrating motor complex
38:00 Getting the right labs and using optimal ranges
40:00 Final thoughts and what's coming next

Meet Kylie:
Instagram: @within.nutrition
Apply for 1:1 coaching here.

Welcome to the Within Nutrition Podcast.

There is so much noise in the health world that often sounds so convincing but doesn't actually work for you so we're here to breakdown the science, challenge the common myths and share the strategies that truly make a difference for you.

Welcome to the Within Nutrition Podcast.

There is so much noise in the health world that often sounds so convincing but doesn't actually work for you so we're here to breakdown the science, challenge the common myths and share the strategies that truly make a difference for you.

If you've ever wondered what it actually takes to slow down aging - not just on the surface, but at the cellular level - this episode is for you. Kylie sits down with Dr. Jeff Gross, a neurosurgeon turned regenerative medicine pioneer and founder of ReCELLebrate, to talk about everything from the foundational habits that protect your cells, to the cutting-edge world of stem cells, exosomes, and peptides.

What we loved most about this conversation is that Dr. Gross doesn't just geek out on the advanced stuff - he keeps bringing it back to what your grandmother already knew. Sleep. Move your body. Eat your vegetables. And yes, eat your pomegranates.

We also got into something I haven't talked about on the podcast before: mitochondrial health and why it might be the missing piece when it comes to your energy, your hormones, and even your brain. If you're in your 30s or 40s and feeling like something is just off, this episode might give you some answers.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction & welcome
03:28 Why aging is really a cellular inflammation problem
08:00 The foundational pillars: diet, sleep, exercise, and why grandma was right
10:05 Why you can't skip the foundations, even with access to cutting-edge treatments
12:00 Calorie restriction vs. intermittent feeding: what the science actually says
15:30 Muscle mass as the longevity organ and why body composition matters more than weight 16:23 Mitochondrial health: what's really happening inside your cells
20:38 The gut-pomegranate-urolithin A connection
22:56 Plant exosomes: why your resveratrol supplement probably isn't working
26:42 Dr. Gross's proprietary exosomal longevity supplement
31:43 Stem cells 101: from pluripotent to multipotent and how they're used clinically
36:00 Why exosomes are now replacing stem cell injections in practice
38:44 How stem cell-derived exosomes are sourced and screened
39:40 Beyond joints: all the ways exosomes are being used
40:17 Peptides 101 and why they've become the most popular entry point
40:42 GLP-1s, muscle loss, and the newer generation of peptides
42:36 The anti-inflammatory peptide stack: BPC-157, TB-500, KPV & GHK-Cu
45:31 Mitochondrial repair peptides for energy, brain fog, and post-viral recovery
46:34 How Dr. Gross personalizes peptide protocols for each patient

About Dr. Jeff Gross

Dr. Jeff Gross graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in biochemistry and molecular cell biology and earned his MD from George Washington University School of Medicine in 1992. He completed his neurosurgical residency at UC Irvine and a Fellowship in Spinal Biomechanics at the University of New Mexico. Board-certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, Dr. Gross has been recognized by Top Doctor as a leading neurological surgeon since 2020 and received HealthTap's 2022 Top Doctor Award.

He is the founder of ReCELLebrate, a regenerative medicine practice built on the philosophy that surgery should be a last resort - and that modern biochemistry offers powerful tools to help the body heal and age well.

@recellebrate on Instagram
@recellebrate on TikTok
YouTube: @stemcellwhisperer

Meet Kylie:
Instagram: @within.nutrition
Apply for 1:1 coaching here.

Welcome to the Within Nutrition Podcast.

There is so much noise in the health world that often sounds so convincing but doesn't actually work for you so we're here to breakdown the science, challenge the common myths and share the strategies that truly make a difference for you.

Welcome to the Within Nutrition Podcast.

There is so much noise in the health world that often sounds so convincing but doesn't actually work for you so we're here to breakdown the science, challenge the common myths and share the strategies that truly make a difference for you.

Most conversations about testosterone leave women out entirely - and according to Dr. Mohit Khera, that's a serious problem. Women produce five times more testosterone than oestrogen, yet it remains the most overlooked hormone in women's health. In this episode, we sit down with one of the leading voices in testosterone science and sexual medicine to break down why the "PET triangle" (progesterone, oestrogen, and testosterone) is incomplete without all three hormones, and what women are losing by not understanding their own androgens.

We cover everything from testing correctly, to the surprising impact of the birth control pill on SHBG, to why sleep is the most underrated testosterone tool you have.

If you've ever been told your hormones are "fine" but still feel off - this episode is for you.

Timestamps:

00:10 Why testosterone has always been seen as a "male" hormone - and why that's wrong
00:42 Women have been using testosterone for over 80 years
02:36 How to test properly - total T, free T, SHBG, and what mimics low testosterone
04:38 What markers to run and the "four pillars" that make everything work better
07:25 What causes low testosterone in women (it's not just ageing)
09:30 PCOS and the testosterone paradox
10:08 The male weight-loss/testosterone connection - and why women are different
11:49 GLP-1s, muscle mass loss, and what's coming next 1
2:09 The pill, cortisol, gut health, and other overlooked causes
13:11 Stress, cortisol, and the direct impact on arousal and sexual function
17:08 The gut microbiome, endocrine disruptors, and declining testosterone levels
18:00 Why testosterone is the single best marker of men's health
20:08 Sexual dysfunction as the gateway to men's health
21:46 Why testosterone is still a scheduled drug - and the push to deregulate it
23:31 Is it easier for men to raise testosterone through lifestyle?
24:37 The research gap: what we still don't know about women
26:23 Why pharma companies haven't pursued a women's product - and what's changing
29:30 The case for testosterone in bone density and why it's not in the conversation
31:11 Exercise recommendations: 160 minutes cardio + 60 minutes weight training
34:07 DHEA, ashwagandha, zinc, boron, and supplement quality concerns
36:13 Mediterranean diet, anti-inflammatory eating, and why extremes don't work
36:59 Sleep and testosterone: why the first part of your sleep cycle matters most
40:19 The downward spiral - and how to reverse it
41:06 The Testosterone Project: resources and advocacy for men and women

About our Guest

With an extensive clinical background and a patient-first approach, Dr. Khera is especially passionate about bringing testosterone into the women's health conversation, where research has historically lagged and access remains unequal. He translates complex science into practical insight without the promotional spin - something that is rare, and needed.

🔗Learn more about Dr. Khera

Meet Kylie:
Instagram: @within.nutrition
Apply for 1:1 coaching here.

Welcome to the Within Nutrition Podcast.

There is so much noise in the health world that often sounds so convincing but doesn't actually work for you so we're here to breakdown the science, challenge the common myths and share the strategies that truly make a difference for you.

If you've tried everything - the elimination diets, the supplements, the protocols - and still feel exhausted, bloated, and hormonally off, this episode is for you.

Meg Langston, Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and founder of Empower Formulas, joins the show to share why so many women are chronically depleted, how iron is one of the most misunderstood markers in women's health, and why creatine might be the supplement your body has been missing all along.

We also get into the wellness pendulum - from doing too little to stressing about forever chemicals in leggings - and why getting back to the foundations will always move the needle more than the latest biohack.

If you're exploring why your energy, hormones, or gut still feel off despite doing everything right, this one is worth a listen.

Timestamps:

00:58 What Meg is seeing most in her practice right now
01:52 From "I didn't know enough" to "I'm scared of everything" - the pendulum swing
04:03 Why stressing about leggings and supplements is missing the point
05:00 The hardest things to sell in wellness (and why they're the most important)
07:23 How family dynamics, faith, and community impact your health
09:01 What a real rest day looks like - honest answers from a busy practitioner
11:34 Micro moments, nervous system regulation, and letting go of perfect
13:28 Coming back to your breath - small daily practices that actually work
14:24 The most common conditions Meg sees: mineral depletion, iron issues & gut dysfunction
16:21 Iron overload vs. iron dysregulation - what's actually going on
19:30 The nightclub analogy: how copper, ceruloplasm, and retinol move iron through the body 2
4:01 Why standard iron labs miss the full picture
25:37 Vitamin D, magnesium, and why low levels are a symptom not a deficiency
27:30 The best foods to support iron metabolism (copper, retinol, organ meats)
28:58 Why long-term zinc supplementation is a problem
30:33 Why food maintains mineral balance better than supplements ever will
33:25 Sodium and potassium depletion - why Meg sees it constantly
35:46 Why we're so depleted: lifestyle, stress, and not eating enough variety
39:30 Creatine: why every woman needs it and what it actually does
43:00 How creatine fluctuates with your cycle - ovulation, luteal phase & PMS
47:20 Creatine monohydrate vs. other forms - what to look for and why it matters
49:00 Why Meg formulated Empower Formulas (and what makes it different)
54:30 Why food sensitivity results aren't always the full story

About our Guest

Meg Langston is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner of almost 10 years and founder of Meg Langston Wellness and Empower Formulas. She helps women restore hormone and gut health through comprehensive testing and personalised root-cause nutrition - without restrictive protocols or quick fixes. Meg created Empower Formulas Creatine after seeing firsthand how overlooked women are in the creatine conversation.

Access our exclusive discount on My Empower Formulas here: https://myempowerformulas.com//within-nutrition

@meg_langston


Meet Kylie:
Instagram: @within.nutrition
Apply for 1:1 coaching here.

Welcome to the Within Nutrition Podcast.

There is so much noise in the health world that often sounds so convincing but doesn't actually work for you so we're here to breakdown the science, challenge the common myths and share the strategies that truly make a difference for you.

Think you're doing everything right for your gut? In this episode, Kylie breaks down five habits that seem healthy but could actually be working against your digestion, energy and hormones - and none of them are the obvious ones like alcohol or processed food.

From constant snacking to raw salads to food sensitivity testing, these are the well-intentioned habits that quietly keep women stuck. If you've been eating clean, taking your supplements and still feeling bloated, exhausted and inflamed - this episode is for you.

What You'll Learn:

• Why constant snacking disrupts your gut's natural cleaning cycle - even when you're snacking on healthy things
• The truth about raw vegetables and why cooking your food can actually increase nutrient absorption
• The supplement mistakes Kylie sees most often - and why more supplements can mean more harm
• How going too high fat (even with healthy fats) shifts your gut microbiome toward an inflammatory profile
• Why food sensitivity tests are not evidence-based - and the food fear they create that makes gut healing harder

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction: the gut habits nobody talks about
02:00 Habit #1: Constant snacking and the migrating motor complex (MMC)
06:30 Why even healthy snacking disrupts your gut rhythm and keeps insulin elevated
09:00 How to figure out why you're snacking and what to do instead
13:00 Habit #2: Overdoing raw vegetables when your gut is already struggling
17:00 Why cooking your vegetables can actually increase nutrient absorption
20:00 Habit #3: Too many supplements or the wrong ones
25:00 Why probiotics can make things worse if you have bacterial overgrowth
29:00 How to assess supplement quality and what a COA is
33:00 Habit #4: Going too high fat to flatten blood sugar spikes
37:00 How excess fat shifts your gut microbiome to an inflammatory profile
40:00 The fat approach Kylie actually recommends
43:00 Habit #5: IgG food sensitivity testing and why it creates food fear
48:00 What IgG antibodies actually mean (and what they don't)
51:00 Testing that does have evidence behind it and when you need it
54:00 Spring 1:1 coaching spots and what working with Kylie looks like

Connect with Kylie:
Instagram: @within.nutrition
Apply for 1:1 coaching here.

Welcome to the Within Nutrition Podcast.

There is so much noise in the health world that often sounds so convincing but doesn't actually work for you so we're here to breakdown the science, challenge the common myths and share the strategies that truly make a difference for you.

Welcome to the Within Nutrition Podcast.

There is so much noise in the health world that often sounds so convincing but doesn't actually work for you so we're here to breakdown the science, challenge the common myths and share the strategies that truly make a difference for you.

Welcome to the Within Nutrition Podcast.

There is so much noise in the health world that often sounds so convincing but doesn't actually work for you so we're here to breakdown the science, challenge the common myths and share the strategies that truly make a difference for you.