Out of Pocket

You know something isn’t right. You’re tired, bloated, stuck, and your doctor says your labs look fine. So you’re ready to get help, but now there are functional medicine doctors, insurance-based “holistic” telehealth companies, health coaches, and a hundred people on Instagram promising to fix your hormones.

So who should you actually work with? Andrew and Kat break it down and give the Pros/Cons for all 3 options.

06:19 — Why getting help in the conventional system feels so scattered
13:35 — How social media changed the way we choose health providers
23:23 — Option zero: why you still need conventional care
24:37 — Option one: functional medicine doctors
37:23 — Option two: insurance-based “holistic” care like Midi and Allara
44:52 — Option three: comprehensive functional health programs like Alta360
55:25 — Why labs are the starting line, and why eating healthy isn’t the same as the right nutrition

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

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Protein is suddenly everywhere, protein cereal, protein coffee, protein chips, and yes, even a protein espresso martini at Buffalo Wild Wings. So this week Andrew and Kat are asking the obvious question: do we actually need all this protein, or did a macronutrient just become a personality?

They start with the health headline of the week, a study showing a lot of "avocado oil" snacks are actually cut with cheaper oils, and honestly it's the same story as protein, marketing gets ahead of what's actually in the package. Then Kat gets into what protein is really doing for your body, why the RDA is basically the bare minimum and not a real goal (her retirement account comparison is a good one), and the number that actually matters: you need roughly 25 to 30 grams per meal to trigger muscle protein synthesis, not just a big number crammed in at the end of the day.

They also get into whether more protein actually helps with weight loss (yes, mostly because it keeps you full), and why protein Doritos and protein cookies aren't doing what you think they're doing, ten grams of protein next to five hundred calories of junk isn't really a win. If you've been chasing a protein number without thinking about where it's actually coming from, this one's for you.

04:20 — Turns out a lot of "avocado oil" snacks aren't really avocado oil
10:49 — What protein is actually doing for your body, and why the RDA is just the bare minimum
17:26 — Does more protein actually help you lose weight?
23:25 — The problem with protein Doritos, protein cookies, and protein everything

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

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Do you ever wonder if there's just too much medication floating around right now? Statins, painkillers, allergy pills, whatever's sitting next to the protein bars at Walgreens, and nobody ever stops to ask if it's actually necessary. Andrew and Kat get into it this week, and it gets personal fast. Andrew tells the story of getting handed a Parkinson's drug for restless leg (side effects: addictive gambling and shopping, not kidding) and just throwing it straight in the trash.

They go through the stats, almost half of US adults are on at least one prescription and it climbs fast from there, and why almost nobody's ever asked if they can come off what they're already taking. Turns out a lot of this is a cascade: one medication causes a side effect, that side effect gets treated as a brand new problem, and now you're stacking a second or third prescription without anyone connecting the dots. They also get into the over the counter world (antacids, ibuprofen, Tylenol, allergy meds, sleep aids) and how supplements and functional medicine fall into the exact same trap, just with a fancier bottle.

So basically, the question this whole episode circles back to is why is this happening, not what should I take.

12:49 — Are we over-medicalizing life in 2026?
19:11 — The question nobody asks: who's actually deprescribing you?
21:35 — How one medication's side effect turns into your next three prescriptions
31:07 — Why "why is this happening" beats "what should I take"

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

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Have you ever gotten your blood work back, heard "everything looks totally normal," and thought... then why do I feel like garbage? Andrew and Kat are getting into exactly that this week — what your standard labs are actually checking for, what they're not even looking at, and why "normal" doesn't mean you're fine.

Kat walks through what she's actually looking at when someone comes to her exhausted, bloated, and stuck even though their doctor gave them a clean bill of health — energy, sleep, digestion, workouts that aren't paying off, and yes, ferritin that won't budge no matter how much iron you eat. They also get into why reference ranges are so much wider than they should be (someone barely inside the "normal" line and someone thriving get treated the same), and why your doctor probably never looked at your diet even once.

And a lot of this really does come down to time and money — doctors get basically zero nutrition training in med school, insurance is paying to keep you alive, not to make you feel good, and functional testing costs a lot less than most people think. So if you've been told your labs are fine and you still feel off, this one's for you.

13:18 — Trivia: doctors get zero hours of nutrition training (and other wild healthcare stats)
20:20 — What Kat actually looks for when someone feels awful but tests "fine"
29:45 — The reference range problem: why "normal" is such a low bar
38:47 — The tests your doctor never orders, and how to actually ask for them

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

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We've been promised the "this changes everything" weight loss fix for 50 years straight — Fen-Phen, Hydroxycut, Atkins, Paleo, Keto, cleanses, apple cider vinegar, and now Ozempic and Zepbound. So Andrew and Kat dig into the question everyone's actually wondering: are GLP-1s different, or just the next name on that list?

Kat's been coaching people on GLP-1s for years now, and she's seen both sides up close - clients who finally build the habits they'd been avoiding for years, and clients eating 500-800 calories a day with wrecked relationships with food. They get into what the research actually says (not just what social media says): real cardiovascular and diabetes benefits, but also gut issues in over 80% of users, muscle and bone loss, hair shedding, and the fact that most people regain two-thirds of the weight within a year of stopping.

They also cover the FDA news that just dropped on compounded peptides, play a GLP-1 trivia round (do you know what percentage of Americans have actually tried one?), and land on the real question: is taking a GLP-1 "cheating," or is that even the right way to think about it.

04:15 — The FDA just voted to let pharmacies compound six new peptides
16:12 — What Kat sees every day coaching people who are on GLP-1s
24:19 — The real research: the benefits, the gut issues, and the muscle and bone loss nobody mentions
40:03 — Is a GLP-1 "cheating"? Kat's honest take

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

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Andrew and Kat get into why autoimmune disease feels like it's everywhere lately, and whether that's actually true or just feels that way because more people are talking about it now. They go through the real numbers on how many women vs. men actually get diagnosed, and honestly it's kind of wild how long it takes people to get an answer, we're talking years and a handful of different doctors.

Then they get into the gut side of things, and turns out a leaky gut might show up before autoimmune disease even develops, not after, like most people assume. Kat runs through all the everyday stuff that adds up over the years, antibiotics, birth control, NSAIDs, alcohol, years of dieting, none of it feels like a big deal in the moment, but it adds up.

Also in this one: P&G buying Thorne for $3.8 billion and what that actually means for supplements, a real take on colostrum, and one easy thing you can start doing this week for a healthier gut.

03:44 — P&G buys Thorne for $3.8 billion, and what that means for supplements
09:33 — Trivia: the real numbers on autoimmune disease in women vs. men, and how long it takes to get diagnosed
17:48 — Turns out leaky gut might come before autoimmune disease, not after
23:34 — The everyday stuff, antibiotics, NSAIDs, alcohol, birth control, that adds up over the years and messes with your gut

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

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What if the answer isn't to try harder, but to help your cells work better? Andrew and Kat get into cellular health and oxidative stress this week, and why piling on more workouts, more supplements, or more discipline can actually slow your progress instead of speeding it up.

Kat breaks down what's really happening when your body is under too much stress for too long: your cells stop getting clean instructions, free radicals start damaging your DNA, and everything from fat loss to energy to recovery gets less efficient. She walks through the real warning signs (stalled fat loss, brain fog, workouts that never seem to pay off, feeling puffy or inflamed), the 8-OHdG test that can actually measure it, and the simple, unglamorous stuff that fixes it, starting with food.

06:14 — Apple's new perimenopause tracking feature, and the good news/bad news behind it
12:20 — What's actually happening at the cellular level when your body can't keep up
17:21 — The real signs your cells are struggling: stalled fat loss, brain fog, and workouts that don't pay off
20:04 — The 8-OHdG test: the one marker that finally gave Kat a clear answer

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

Follow Kat https://www.instagram.com/katbestwellness/

We've all done it. Had a great week of eating clean and blown it all on a Friday night. Bought the program, watched every video, and never actually done the thing. Andrew and Kat get into why we keep doing this to ourselves, and it has way less to do with discipline than you'd think.

Kat breaks down the three patterns hiding behind almost every self-sabotage moment: perfectionism (if it can't be perfect, why even try), upper limiting (getting scared of your own success and quietly dragging yourself back down), and resistance (staying "busy" so you never have to face the thing that actually matters). She also gets real about torching an actual modeling contract years ago because she couldn't handle the fear that came with it.

This one's not about calling yourself lazy. It's about finally naming the fear that's been running the show.

06:06 — The calcium supplement headline everyone's talking about (and why it's not the whole story)
16:16 — What self-sabotage actually is and why your brain is doing it on purpose 22:57 — The three patterns: perfectionism, fear of success, and staying "busy" to avoid what matters
37:52 — The 60-second fix: how naming your fear kills its power
46:00 — Habit draft picks: the tools that actually break the cycle

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

Follow Kat https://www.instagram.com/katbestwellness/

Let's be honest, most of us were handed birth control with very little explanation of what it's actually doing inside the body. Kat and Andrew dig into the real conversation that rarely happens at the doctor's office: what the pill does to your hormones, your gut, your nutrients, and your mood over time.

Kat breaks down how the pill works (hint: it's not just "preventing pregnancy" — it's shutting down your whole cycle and replacing it with synthetic hormones), why low energy, bloating, mood swings, and low libido years into being on it are not a coincidence, and what you can actually do about it whether you're staying on it, coming off, or just trying to understand your body better.

This one's not about telling you what to do. It's about finally having the information you deserved from day one.

07:00 — How the pill shuts down your natural cycle and what that means long-term
10:30 — The nutrient depletion nobody warns you about: B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, and more
17:00 — Your gut on the pill: the estrobolome, Crohn's risk, and why the bloating isn't random
22:30 — Coming off the pill: what to expect, how long it really takes, and how to support yourself
32:00 — Did the pill kill your sex drive? (Yes, and here's exactly why)

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

Follow Kat https://www.instagram.com/katbestwellness/

In this episode, Andrew and Kat break down three ways your gut is quietly controlling your weight in ways that have nothing to do with how much you're eating. They cover how your gut bacteria produce their own version of GLP-1, why estrogen keeps recirculating when your gut is off, and a wild twin study that showed the same food can result in completely different amounts of fat gained, all based on gut bacteria alone.

This isn't about throwing out everything you know about nutrition. It's about understanding why eating less has felt so hard, why the weight keeps coming back, and why two people can eat the exact same thing and get completely different results. The answer is almost always in the gut.

If you've ever felt like you were doing everything right and still not getting anywhere, this one is going to make a lot of things click.

06:45 - Why GLP-1 isn't just a shot. Your gut bacteria make it too
10:30 - The study where one supplement cut weight regain in half during maintenance
14:55 - The estrobolome: how your gut decides how much estrogen stays in your body
18:00 - The twin study that proved obesity can be transmitted through gut bacteria
22:10 - Why your calorie tracker has no idea what's actually going on inside you

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

Follow Kat https://www.instagram.com/katbestwellness/

In this episode, Andrew and Kat break down one of the most overlooked reasons people can't shake belly fat, even when they're eating well and working out. Kat walks through what LPS (lipopolysaccharide) actually is, why it ends up in your bloodstream, and how it quietly drives the kind of chronic inflammation that makes fat around your midsection almost impossible to lose.

She explains why this isn't just theory. There's real research showing that diet alone can spike LPS levels by 71% in four weeks, and that even a tiny dose of LPS dropped insulin sensitivity by 21% within hours. She also shares her own experience running a GI map on herself, finding three overgrown gram-negative bacteria, and what she did to clear them.

If you've been doing everything "right" and still feel stuck, this one's for you. The problem might not be your effort. It might be a loop your body is stuck in that behavior alone can't break.

00:00 - Hot tubs, bacteria, and why you should probably skip the Airbnb hot tub
05:10 - What LPS is, where it comes from, and why it's normally not a problem
07:30 - The 2012 study that showed diet alone moved LPS levels 71% in four weeks
10:45 - How LPS drives insulin resistance and turns into stubborn belly fat
13:50 - Kat's own GI map results and the protocol that cleared three gram-negative bacteria
17:45 - The one thing to add to every meal this week

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

Follow Kat https://www.instagram.com/katbestwellness/

In this powerful conversation, Andrew and Kat sit down with coach and entrepreneur Nick Ross to unpack the life-changing journey that took him from a farm in rural Pennsylvania, to a cancer diagnosis at age 32, to rebuilding every aspect of his life through health, mindset, and purpose.

Nick shares the moment a doctor told him he had cancer, the brutal reality of chemotherapy, and the lesson that ultimately transformed his future: you don't have to wait for rock bottom to change your life.

Along the way, he explains why certainty drives human behavior, how fitness became the catalyst for rebuilding his confidence, and why your lack of growth doesn't just affect you, it affects everyone you love.

If you've been putting off the changes you know you need to make, this episode is a reminder that the future version of yourself is built by the decisions you make today. Inspired by Nick Ross's story and lessons shared throughout the episode.

00:00 — Growing up on a horse farm and the lessons that shaped Nick
08:50 — The cancer diagnosis that changed everything
14:30 — The doctor who gave Nick certainty when he needed it most
22:00 — Why most people wait for rock bottom before they change
35:00 — How hiring a coach transformed Nick's health, confidence, and future

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

Follow Kat https://www.instagram.com/katbestwellness/

In this episode, Andrew and Kat break down the hidden gut-health connection behind insulin resistance, stubborn weight gain, sugar cravings, and energy crashes. They explain why so many people are told to simply “eat less sugar” without ever addressing the deeper metabolic dysfunction happening underneath the surface.

You’ll learn how inflammation, gut dysbiosis, fatty liver, bile flow, and stress can all impact blood sugar regulation, why some people stay insulin resistant despite eating “healthy,” and the real reason low-calorie dieting often backfires. They also unpack the connection between gut health and cravings, plus practical ways to support your metabolism without spiraling into restriction or food fear.

06:10 — What insulin resistance actually is (and why it’s not just about sugar)
10:20 — The gut inflammation connection most people miss
16:45 — Fatty liver, digestion, and why metabolism slows down
24:30 — Practical ways to improve blood sugar without extreme dieting

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

Follow Kat https://www.instagram.com/katbestwellness/

In this episode, Andrew and Kat break down one of the most misunderstood concepts in fitness: body recomposition.

Can you really build muscle and lose fat at the same time? The answer is yes, but only if the right pieces are in place.

They explain why chronic dieting can slow progress, how gut health impacts nutrient absorption and recovery, and why stress, sleep, and training quality matter just as much as protein intake. You'll learn who is most likely to succeed with body recomposition, the biggest mistakes keeping people stuck, and how to know whether your body is actually ready to recomp in the first place.

If you're training consistently, trying to eat healthier, and wondering why your body still isn't changing, this episode will help you connect the dots.

(03:30) What body recomposition actually means
(08:45) Why eating less can backfire
(14:20) The gut health connection to muscle growth and fat loss
(20:10) Stress, recovery, and the hidden reason progress stalls
(29:00) Creatine, protein, and common body recomp mistakes

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

Follow Kat https://www.instagram.com/katbestwellness/

In this episode, Andrew and Kat sit down with ALTA's lead functional nutritionist Alexa to unpack what it actually takes to build a body and a mind that lasts.

Alexa shares her journey from a kid growing up overweight in an Italian household, to bodybuilding competitor, to coaching clients through their own physical and mental transformations.

You'll hear why she calls nutrition and fitness "the gateway drug" to deeper mindset work, what her SIBO diagnosis taught her about the limits of dialing in macros, and the practical playbook she uses with clients: train hard, eat your food, trust yourself, and stop trying to do it alone.

If you've ever felt like you're doing everything "right" and still spinning your wheels, this one's for you.

04:30 — Alexa's journey: Staten Island kid to bodybuilding stage
10:00 — How a SIBO diagnosis rewrote her relationship with food and fitness
17:00 — Why mindset beats macros (and the pyramid that explains it)
25:30 — Alexa's playbook: train hard, eat your food, trust the process

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

Follow Kat https://www.instagram.com/katbestwellness/

AI can build you a meal plan, calculate your macros, and even explain your lab results in seconds.

So why aren’t people getting better results?

In this episode, Andrew and Kat break down where tools like ChatGPT actually help when it comes to health and nutrition… and where they fall short.

Because while AI is incredibly powerful, it’s still just giving you information.

And information alone isn’t what gets people results.

They walk through what AI does well, where it can mislead you, and why so many people end up stuck even though they “know what to do.”

If you’ve ever used AI for your health, or are thinking about it, this will help you use it the right way.

(00:00) Why more information isn’t leading to better results
(04:26) Where AI actually helps with nutrition and fitness
(11:42) Where AI falls short (and can mislead you)
(19:48) Why information isn’t the problem, execution is

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

Follow Kat https://www.instagram.com/katbestwellness/

Most people don’t connect these symptoms:

Brain fog
Bloating
Skin issues
Constant sugar cravings

But when they show up together, it’s usually not random.

In this episode, Andrew and Kat break down one of the most overlooked root causes behind this cluster of symptoms: Candida overgrowth.

Candida is a yeast that naturally lives in your body. But when your gut environment shifts, it can overgrow and start driving symptoms that most people try to fix one at a time.

That’s why you end up chasing solutions that don’t stick.

They explain what causes it, why it’s often missed, and why things like cutting sugar or taking random supplements don’t actually fix the problem.

If you’ve been told everything is “normal” but you’re still dealing with these symptoms, this will help you connect the dots.

(00:00) Why your symptoms aren’t random
(03:47) What Candida is and how it shows up
(08:06) Root causes: gut imbalance and low stomach acid
(14:49) Real client story and how fixing the gut changes everything

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

Follow Kat https://www.instagram.com/katbestwellness/

You cut out gluten. Then dairy. Then processed foods. Maybe you even tried low FODMAP.

But somehow, you’re still bloated.

And now even “safe” foods like chicken, rice, eggs, broccoli, or potatoes feel like they’re betraying you.

In this episode, Andrew and Kat explain why bloating on clean, simple foods usually isn’t about the food itself. It’s often a sign that your digestive system isn’t breaking food down properly, which can lead to excess fermentation, trapped gas, distension, and a gut that feels reactive to almost everything.

They also break down the role of stomach acid, enzymes, bile flow, motility, leaky gut, protein fermentation, and why simply cutting more foods usually makes the problem worse long-term.

If you feel like your diet keeps getting “cleaner” while your gut keeps getting more sensitive, this episode will help you understand what’s actually happening.

(00:00) Why “safe” foods can still make you bloated
(06:51) Fermentation, trapped gas, and digestive dysfunction
(14:14) Leaky gut, protein fermentation, and what labs can reveal
(24:49) Simple fixes for bloating, motility, and sparkling water

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

Follow Kat https://www.instagram.com/katbestwellness/

You feel anxious… but nothing is actually wrong.

Your life is stable. Things are “fine” on paper.
But your heart is racing, your chest feels tight, and your mind won’t slow down.

Most people assume anxiety is purely mental.
But what if it’s not?

In this episode, Andrew and Kat break down the physical drivers of anxiety that almost no one talks about. Blood sugar crashes, under-eating, poor sleep, hormones, even how you train — all of these can create a stress response that feels exactly like anxiety.

The key insight is simple. Your brain doesn’t distinguish between emotional stress and physiological stress. Low fuel and unstable energy can trigger the same response as a real threat.

If you’ve ever felt anxious “for no reason,” this episode will help you understand what’s actually going on — and where to start.

(00:00) Why you can feel anxious even when nothing’s wrong
(05:42) Blood sugar, under-eating, and metabolic anxiety
(16:32) Real client story: fixing anxiety by fixing physiology
(21:02) The simplest way to reduce anxiety this week

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

Follow Kat https://www.instagram.com/katbestwellness/

Have you ever had random itching that makes no sense? Your scalp itches at night, your hands itch after eating, your arms or legs get itchy when you sweat. You try creams, switch products, maybe even take antihistamines, but nothing really solves it. Because a lot of the time, it is not actually a skin issue.

In this episode, Kat and Andrew break down why histamine overload is one of the most overlooked causes of chronic itching, and why so many people are treating the symptom without understanding what is actually driving it.

They explain how histamine works in the body, how it builds up, and why things like gut health, hormones, stress, and even alcohol can impact how your body handles it. They also walk through why itching often shows up without a visible rash, why it can feel random or cyclical, and why it is commonly worse at night.

They also cover why antihistamines and steroid creams can help temporarily but do not address the root cause, and how relying on them long term can make it harder to understand what is really going on.

If you have ever felt like your skin is reacting for no reason, or you have tried everything and still feel itchy, this episode will help you start connecting the dots.

(06:05) What histamine actually does in the body
(13:00) Common triggers like food, stress, and hormones
(16:30) A real client case and what actually worked
(20:13) What to do if you think histamine is the issue

Ready to make sense of your symptoms and hit your goals for life? Get more info on our Alta360 program here - https://altaforlife.com/alta360application

Order a comprehensive functional lab here - https://app.altaforlife.com/labsoverview

(after checkout, you'll get a confirmation email and text. Mention this podcast in your reply and you'll get a free interpretation call with Kat)

Get your free Gut Health Assessment - https://atosolutions.typeform.com/to/VhvLsjG2

to get a step by step plan to feel less stuck

Follow Andrew https://www.instagram.com/andrewhayeslife/

Follow Kat https://www.instagram.com/katbestwellness/