Every Symptom Has a Story | Helping You Understand What Your Body Has Been Trying to Tell You

Can a diagnosis change your life without defining who you are? When we're diagnosed with a chronic health condition, it's easy to let that diagnosis become part of our identity. We begin making decisions through the lens of fear instead of hope, and sometimes we forget the person we were before our symptoms began. In this episode, I share my own journey with ulcerative colitis and the mindset shif...

What if your symptoms aren't the problem... What if they're the message? For years, I believed my ulcerative colitis diagnosis meant my body had failed me. Like so many others, I was told what I had—but not why my body had reached that point. Everything changed when I stopped asking, "What's wrong with me?" and started asking, "What is my body trying to tell me?" That single question transformed n...

Wendy Handy announces her podcast's refreshed name and purpose: to treat symptoms as communication from the body rather than problems to be silenced. Each episode will explore how gut health, hormones, metabolism, inflammation, blood sugar, stress, sleep, brain health, and aging connect to the signals your body gives. She invites listeners to become confident advocates by learning to read those cl...

Your gut bacteria make short-chain fatty acids like butyrate that strengthen the intestinal barrier, reduce systemic inflammation, influence appetite hormones (GLP-1), and boost brain health markers like BDNF, which together affect memory, mood, and stress resilience. This episode explains why low fiber and certain vegetable oils impair SCFA production and gives a simple, stepwise plan: calm the g...

In this episode, Wendy explains how insulin resistance can cause brain fog and links blood sugar problems to gut health and cognitive decline. She outlines how gut dysbiosis and inflammation worsen insulin sensitivity, starving brain cells of energy and leading to memory, mood, and focus issues. Actionable tips include stabilizing blood sugar with protein and fiber, regular movement (especially st...

Are you exhausted no matter how much you sleep? Struggling with brain fog, muscle weakness, or a gut that just won't cooperate? The answer might be hiding inside your cells — and it starts with your mitochondria.   In this episode of the Gut Fix Podcast, host Wendy Handy breaks down everything you need to know about mitochondria — the tiny powerhouses inside your cells responsible for producing 90...

As we head into a new year, the pressure to “start over” can feel overwhelming—especially if you’re already dealing with fatigue, digestive issues, chronic stress, or inflammation. In this episode, we take a different approach to New Year health goals, focusing on simple, sustainable habits that support the nervous system, gut health, hormones, and energy levels. You’ll learn why real healing does...

Can you eat the right foods, take the right supplements, and still struggle to heal? Yes—and your nervous system may be the missing piece. In this episode of The Gut Fix Podcast, Wendy Handy dives into the powerful connection between mindset, nervous system regulation, and healing, and explains why you cannot heal in fight-or-flight mode. Chronic stress keeps the body stuck in survival mode, disru...

Taking more supplements doesn’t always lead to better health. In this episode of the Gut Fix Podcast, we explore why supplements sometimes stop working, how poor absorption and timing can cause them to backfire, and the key differences between supportive and corrective supplements. Learn why testing matters, how chronic stress and digestion impact supplement effectiveness, and what to focus on ins...

Feeling anxious about holiday eating, weight gain, or digestive flare-ups? In this episode of the Gut Fix Podcast, Wendy breaks down a realistic and supportive approach to eating during the holidays—without restriction, stress, or regret. You’ll learn how to stabilize blood sugar, prevent bloating, avoid overeating, and bounce back quickly after a big holiday meal. We cover: ✓ Why saving calories...

Are you dealing with chronic fatigue, digestive issues, bloating, inflammation, brain fog, or symptoms that don’t make sense—especially when your labs look “normal”? You’re not imagining it. Your body is telling you something. In this episode, Wendy Handy, FDN-P, explains why the Mini Metabolic Breakthrough Session is the most effective first step when you’re trying to get to the root cause of you...

If you’re in perimenopause or menopause and suddenly dealing with bloating, constipation, mood swings, hot flashes, or feeling like your body has changed overnight, this episode is your new roadmap. Wendy Handy, FDN-P and gut health practitioner, breaks down the powerful connection between your gut microbiome and hormonal changes during menopause—and how supporting your gut can dramatically reduce...

Are you experiencing chronic fatigue, brain fog, bloating, or stubborn belly fat that won't budge no matter what you try? Your liver might be sending you distress signals. In this episode of the Gut Fix Podcast, functional health practitioner Wendy explores non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)—one of the most common yet overlooked metabolic conditions affecting women over 40.   What You'll Le...

Feeling drained, foggy, bloated, puffy, or just “off”? In this episode of The Gut Fix Podcast, Wendy Handy, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner and gut–brain health coach, uncovers one of the most overlooked causes of fatigue, inflammation, digestive issues, hormone imbalance, and brain fog: oxidative stress. You’ll learn what oxidative stress actually is (in normal-human language), how i...

When life forces you to hit pause, you start to see what really matters. In this deeply personal episode, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner Wendy Handy opens up about her journey from running a thriving health coaching business to becoming a full-time caregiver for her husband with Alzheimer’s then Parkinson's —and how that experience completely transformed her view of health, purpose,...

Struggling with poor sleep, constant stress, or unpredictable digestion? In this episode of Gut Fix with Wendy Handy, FDN-P, discover how your nervous system acts as the communication bridge between your gut and your brain — and why balance here is the secret to better energy, mood, and gut health. Wendy breaks down how the vagus nerve, sleep quality, and stress hormones influence inflammation, di...

Think your gut is fine because you’re not bloated? Think again. In this episode, Wendy Handy, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner and host of Gut Fix – Say Goodbye to IBD, Naturally, dives into a brand-new, cutting-edge gut health test that’s transforming how we understand digestive wellness — without the mess of stool testing. You’ll learn: 🌿 What this innovative microbiome test actuall...

Are you struggling with chronic fatigue, persistent brain fog, bloating, or unexplained inflammation? The secret to reclaiming your health might be hidden in your gut. In this episode of Gut Fix, host and Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner Wendy Handy unveils a revolutionary new at-home gut health test that goes beyond standard diagnostics to reveal the root causes of your symptoms.   Di...

In this episode, Wendy Handy, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner (FDN-P), unpacks one of the most overlooked drivers of fatigue, gut issues, and hormone chaos—chronic low-grade inflammation. You’ll learn: 💥 What inflammation really means (beyond swollen joints or sore muscles) ⚖️ The everyday triggers that quietly fan the flames—like stress, processed oils, and hidden food sensitivities...

Diversity in your gut microbiome isn’t just science talk—it’s the key to better digestion, higher energy, balanced hormones, and reduced inflammation, especially for women over 40 managing IBD, bloating, or chronic fatigue. In this episode of Gut Fix: Say Goodbye to IBD, Naturally, Wendy Handy, FDN-P and health coach, breaks down why gut diversity matters, how different diets (like Mediterranean,...

Are your 40s hitting differently? Many women with IBD, ulcerative colitis, or Crohn’s disease notice their symptoms shift as they move into perimenopause and menopause. Fatigue feels heavier, flare-ups seem harder to predict, and balancing mood and energy becomes a challenge. In this episode of Gut Fix – Say Goodbye to IBD, Naturally, Wendy Handy, FDN-P and health coach, breaks down the powerful c...

Are electrolytes and trace minerals the same thing? Not quite! In this episode, Wendy Handy, FDN-P and gut health coach, explains the key differences between trace mineral supplementation and electrolytes—and why both are crucial for gut health. You’ll learn: The role of electrolytes like sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium in hydration, bowel motility, and gut lining protection. How trace m...

In this episode of Gut Fix – Say Goodbye to IBD, Naturally, I sit down with Janeen Marino, a traveling homeschooling mama, to explore the fascinating world of bioactive peptides. These tiny protein fragments are gaining attention for their potential role in gut health, reducing inflammation, and supporting the body’s natural healing process. We dive into: What bioactive peptides are and how they w...

Are food sensitivities secretly sabotaging your gut health, energy, or immune system? In this episode of Gut Fix – Say Goodbye to IBD, Naturally, Wendy Handy, FDN-P, reveals why food sensitivities are one of the most overlooked drivers of inflammation, fatigue, and flare-ups—and how you can finally stop guessing and start testing. After years of sharing about food sensitivities on the podcast, Wen...

  Complete your gut healing journey with evidence-based supplementation strategies. This comprehensive guide to the functional medicine 5R protocol reveals how to use supplements systematically to accelerate digestive wellness and support long-term gut health.   What You'll Learn:   • The functional medicine 5R protocol:   Remove, Replace, Reinoculate, Repair, Rebalance   • When and how to use ant...