The BeingBrigid Show: Top Science-Backed Women’s Health Podcast for Hormones, Inflammation, Gut Health & More

Your gut health impacts far more than digestion. From inflammation and blood sugar balance to your immune system, hormones, skin, and mood, your gut microbiome plays a powerful role in how you feel every day. So, what can you actually do to support it?
In this episode of The BeingBrigid Show, Brigid shares seven research-backed habits to improve gut health, support a diverse gut microbiome, and reduce chronic inflammation. Learn how to build an anti-inflammatory diet with more plant diversity, fiber, and fermented foods, plus practical ways to improve digestion without unnecessary food restrictions or overwhelming routines.
What You’ll Learn In This Episode:
Why your gut microbiome influences inflammation, immune function, blood sugar, hormones, and mental health.
Four key markers of a healthy gut microbiome, including microbial diversity and a healthy gut lining.
Why eating 30 or more different plant types each week can support gut health.
How smoothies, fermented foods, chia seeds, and fiber can nourish beneficial gut bacteria.
How chewing slowly, managing stress, and spacing meals three to four hours apart can support digestion.
What your bowel movements may reveal about your digestive health.
Why increasing fiber too quickly can cause bloating and how to make adjustments.
When persistent digestive symptoms may warrant working with a dietitian or exploring further testing.

Timestamps:
00:00 — Why gut health is essential for overall health
02:20 — The gut-brain connection, hormones, skin, and immunity
04:40 — Four goals for a healthy gut microbiome
07:02 — What your bowel movements can tell you
08:00 — Habit #1: Eat 30+ different plant types per week
09:17 — Habit #2: Protect your gut lining
11:36 — Habit #3: Add a nutrient-packed smoothie
13:52 — Habit #4: Incorporate fermented foods
16:11 — Habit #5: Increase fiber with chia seeds and other foods
17:30 — Habit #6: Sit down and chew your food
18:23 — Habit #7: Space meals three to four hours apart
19:30 — Why healthy, high-fiber foods can cause bloating
20:43 — Common reasons for increased bloating and how to adjust
23:00 — When to investigate underlying gut imbalances
25:14 — Final thoughts and episode wrap-up

Resources & Links:
+ Watch the full episode on YouTube
+ Join The Being Collective
+ Brigid’s Website
+ Brigid’s Instagram
If you're ready to take a more personalized, science-backed approach to your health, start by making small, consistent changes that support your gut. Subscribe to The BeingBrigid Show for more practical insights on Functional Nutrition, Women's Health, and using food as medicine.

Could your blood sugar be influencing your long-term health in ways you've never considered? In this powerful episode of The BeingBrigid Show, Brigid sits down with Dr. Dawn Mussallem, a double board-certified physician in hematology, oncology, and lifestyle medicine who spent more than 20 years at Mayo Clinic and founded its integrative breast oncology program. Together, they explore the connection between insulin resistance and breast cancer, why fasting insulin deserves more attention, and how everyday nutrition choices can support metabolic health, cancer prevention, and healthy aging.
Dr. Dawn also shares her remarkable personal journey through stage four lymphoma, heart failure, and a heart transplant—and how it shaped her mission to help people prioritize aliveness, not just survival. This conversation is a reminder that food is medicine, personalized nutrition matters, and taking care of your health doesn't have to mean following restrictive rules or striving for perfection.
What You’ll Learn In This Episode:
The connection between blood sugar, insulin resistance, and breast cancer risk.
Why fasting insulin may reveal important information about your metabolic health.
How sleep, exercise, and balanced meals influence blood sugar regulation.
The role of fiber, protein, healthy fats, and colorful plant foods in an anti-inflammatory diet.
What the research says about plant-based diets, animal protein, soy, and breast cancer.
How personalized nutrition and advanced testing can help identify individual nutrient needs.
Why berries, purple sweet potatoes, green tea, turmeric, and other plant foods offer valuable phytonutrients.
How Dr. Dawn's experience with cancer and heart failure transformed her perspective on healthy aging, gratitude, and living fully.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to Dr. Dawn Mussallem and Her Journey
02:21 Explaining the Blood Sugar and Cancer Connection
05:38 The Significance of Hemoglobin A1C and Fasting Insulin
08:33 Insulin's Role in Cancer and Heart Disease
12:18 The Importance of Vegetables, Fruits, and Fiber
14:36 Advanced Testing and Personalized Medicine
17:01 Detecting Heart Disease with Quantitative CT Scans
22:30 The Future of Precision Medicine and Data Analysis
26:25 Dietary Patterns for Longevity and Healthy Aging
39:02 Dr. Mussallem’s Personal Health Journey and Resilience
56:51 Living Fully and Embracing Aliveness
01:02:38 Connecting with Dr. Mussallem and Her Mission

Resources & Links:
+ Watch the full episode on YouTube
+ Dr. Dawn Mussallem’s Instagram
+ Learn more about Fountain Life
+ Join The Being Collective
+ Brigid’s Website
+ Brigid’s Instagram
Enjoyed this episode? Follow or subscribe to The BeingBrigid Show and leave a rating and review to help more women discover science-backed strategies for better health, balanced blood sugar, and healthy aging.

What if losing fat and improving your metabolic health had less to do with eating as little as possible—and more to do with improving your blood sugar and insulin sensitivity?
In this episode of The BeingBrigid Show, Brigid breaks down 7 science-backed strategies she uses with women to support lower blood sugar, improve insulin sensitivity, reduce inflammation, and lose fat without extreme dieting or calorie obsession. From fiber and protein to meal timing, chewing your food, polyphenols, and strength training, these strategies go beyond the outdated “calories in, calories out” approach and focus on supporting your metabolism as a whole.
What You’ll Learn In This Episode:
Why insulin resistance can impact weight, energy, cravings, mood, inflammation, and metabolic health—even before pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes
Why a mild caloric deficit may be more sustainable for women than aggressive calorie restriction
How tracking waist circumference and body composition can provide more insight than the scale alone
Why eating 25–30 grams of fiber per day—and getting a variety of fiber sources—can support blood sugar, gut health, satiety, and metabolic health
How to moderate carbohydrates without relying on long-term keto or extremely low-carb diets
Why protein is essential for satiety, muscle preservation, and insulin sensitivity
How meal timing and sleep can influence hunger hormones and blood sugar
Why chewing your food more slowly can support digestion, satiety, and food intake
Which nutrients—including polyphenols, magnesium, omega-3s, and vitamin D—Brigid prioritizes for metabolic health
Why movement throughout the day and strength training are powerful tools for glucose clearance and insulin sensitivity
Why consistency—not extreme strategies—is what truly moves the needle

Timestamps:
00:00: Why traditional weight loss advice isn't working
02:12: The connection between insulin resistance, blood sugar, and fat loss
03:40: Why high fasting insulin matters
06:51: The benefits of improving insulin sensitivity
07:30: Strategy #1: Eat in a mild caloric deficit
09:11: Why calories aren't the whole story
10:00: Why waist circumference matters
11:27: Strategy #2: Eat 25–30g of fiber + diversify your sources
13:47: High-fiber foods to add to your diet
16:04: Strategy #3: Moderate carbohydrate intake
18:15: Strategy #4: Prioritize protein
19:00: Strategy #5: Train your hunger hormones
20:26: Meal timing, sleep, and hunger cues
21:00: Strategy #6: Chew your food 20–40 times per bite
22:46: Strategy #7: Focus on nutrients for metabolic health
25:07: Recapping the 7 strategies
25:40: Bonus strategy: movement + strength training
27:21: Why consistency and identifying your personal barriers matter
29:37: Brigid's approach to transparency and brand partnerships

Resources & Links:
+ Watch the full episode on YouTube
+ Sign up for the Fall Blood Sugar Reset
+ Join The Being Collective
+ Brigid’s Website
+ Brigid’s Instagram
If this episode helped you rethink the way you approach weight loss, blood sugar, and metabolic health, share it with a woman in your life who needs to hear it. And remember: nutrition is never one-size-fits-all. The goal is to find the strategies that support your body and build habits you can actually sustain.

What if the exhaustion, bloating, inflammation, and afternoon crashes you’ve learned to live with aren’t “just aging”? Hallie Abrams spent years feeling exhausted, struggling with sleep, bloating, thyroid antibodies, blood sugar concerns, and inflammation while searching for answers. In this episode, she shares the functional medicine journey that helped her make meaningful changes to her health—including the Blood Sugar Reset, improving her gut health, supporting her hormone health through menopause, and making small, sustainable lifestyle shifts that added up over time.
Hallie is the founder of The Wardrobe Consultant and a personal stylist known for helping women over 40 feel confident in their clothes. She joins Brigid to talk about both sides of her transformation: the nutrition and lifestyle changes that helped her feel significantly better and the practical styling strategies she uses to help women feel confident in their bodies.
What You’ll Learn In This Episode:
Hallie’s journey from chronic exhaustion, afternoon crashes, bloating, and inflammation to feeling significantly better
Why her thyroid antibodies became an important part of her functional medicine journey
How the Blood Sugar Reset changed the way she approached breakfast, fiber, protein, and satiety
Why Hallie’s blood sugar-friendly smoothies became one of her go-to tools for staying full and energized
The role of gut health, fiber, probiotics, and personalized testing in her health journey
How menopause, sleep, circadian rhythm, and hormone health intersect with overall well-being
Why sustainable health changes don’t have to mean completely overhauling your life overnight
Hallie’s approach to creating a healthier relationship with food after years of dieting
Her five wardrobe staples every woman should consider
How to dress for your body, lifestyle, budget, and personal taste
Hallie’s advice for building confidence through clothing—and having more fun with your closet

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to Hallie Abrams' Health Journey
02:10 Initial Health Challenges and Symptoms
04:49 Medical Tests and Frustrations with Traditional Healthcare
10:12 Starting the Blood Sugar Reset and Dietary Changes
15:06 Impact of Lifestyle Changes on Inflammation and Energy
19:52 Thyroid Health and Autoimmune Insights
24:50 Gut Health and Leaky Gut Healing Strategies
29:54 The Role of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms
35:01 Style Tips for Women Over 40
39:55 Building a Capsule Wardrobe and Personal Style
44:47 The Power of Play and Experimentation in Fashion
49:48 Supporting Women in Business and Personal Growth
54:57 Final Thoughts and Encouragement for Listeners

Resources & Links:
+ Watch the full episode on YouTube
+ Hallie’s Instagram
+ Hallie’s Website
+ Hallie’s Style Resources
+ Hallie’s AI
+ Sign up for the Fall Blood Sugar Reset
+ Join The Being Collective
+ Brigid’s Website
+ Brigid’s Instagram

What if the advice to "lift heavy" is actually hurting more women than it's helping?
Lindsey Bomgren, certified personal trainer, mom of three, and founder of the 1M-subscriber fitness brand Nourish Move Love, returns to The BeingBrigid Show for a raw, honest follow-up conversation. A year after nearly landing in the hospital from overexertion, Lindsey shares how she rebuilt her health, her training, and her business from the ground up.
Brigid and Lindsey talk pelvic floor conditioning, the connection between strength training and blood sugar, and why "doing it all" quietly breaks so many high-achieving women, plus what actually changed once Lindsey asked for help.
What You'll Learn In This Episode:
Why your body needs to be conditioned, not just motivated, to lift heavy
The pelvic floor breathing cue that changed Lindsey's training for good
How under-sleeping raises your injury risk
Why muscle-building doesn't automatically fix insulin resistance
How Lindsey's progesterone journey improved her sleep, anxiety, and cycle
Why following a plan beats chasing random workouts or recipes
The real, unfiltered story behind running a fitness business
Why hiring help at home was Lindsey's hardest, and best, decision

Timestamps:
[01:01] Introducing Lindsey Bomgren and why "lift heavy" is the wrong question
[04:31] Pelvic floor conditioning and Lindsey's postpartum story
[09:23] Working with a pelvic floor specialist and managing your breath
[10:22] Hitting rock bottom and rebuilding a year later
[12:18] Sleep, injury risk, and starting progesterone
[16:28] The Blood Sugar Reset and Lindsey's key takeaways
[18:47] Strength training, muscle, and insulin resistance
[22:33] Food as medicine and plant diversity
[25:09] Why a plan beats one-off workouts and recipes
[27:10] Launching the Nourish Move Love app
[42:46] How Lindsey really "does it all"
[45:13] Margin, boundaries, and burnout recovery
[48:15] Hiring help and letting go of guilt

Resources & Links:
+ Watch the full episode on YouTube
+ Sign up for the Fall Blood Sugar Reset
+ Join The Being Collective
+ Brigid’s Website
+ Brigid’s Instagram
Enjoyed this episode? Leave a rating and review, and hit follow or subscribe so you never miss a new episode. Here’s to using food as medicine, taking ownership of your health, and feeling your absolute best.