Beyond the Basics: What Your Healthy Habits Might Be Missing
As a registered dietitian, I’m licensed to provide medical nutrition therapy, and I also have advanced training in functional lab analysis.
Every day, I see two types of clients:
✨ The ones doing all the things, tracking macros, exercising regularly, sleeping well.
✨ And the ones who are too depleted or unwell to even begin.
This post is for the first group, those who already have solid lifestyle foundations but still don’t feel like themselves.
When Lifestyle Isn’t Enough
In my opinion, medications can be a helpful bridge when someone feels too unwell to implement lifestyle changes. A skilled functional provider can often achieve similar results with nutrients, herbs, and peptides, though this process may take a bit more time and patience.
But even for those “doing everything right,” there comes a point where deeper dysfunctions begin to show up. I call these the S.T.A.I.N. factors, the hidden stressors that quietly throw your body out of balance:
S – Stress (emotional, physical, or environmental)
T – Toxicity (from chemicals, mold, or heavy metals)
A – Adverse Food Reactions (sensitivities or intolerances)
I – Infections (like H. pylori or candida)
N – Nutritional Imbalances (deficiencies or overloads)
Even “healthy” individuals can have:
High small dense LDL (the more dangerous type of cholesterol)
Gut infections like H. pylori or yeast overgrowth
Persistent acne
Iron overload → oxidative stress
Elevated inflammatory markers from autoimmunity or long-term birth control use
These are just a few examples of issues I see in my clients. That’s where we dive deeper. Today I’ll review what I call the 4 Powerful P’s: Peptides, Pregnenolone, Progesterone, and Protein.
Each of these could be its own masterclass, but let’s break them down simply.
🧬 Peptides
Peptides are short chains of amino acids that act as signaling molecules in the body. Examples like BPC-157 and GLP-1 have become popular because of their effects on inflammation, tissue repair, and metabolism.
They can reduce inflammation, improve gut and liver health, and support healing, but the question I always ask is:
👉 “Will you maintain the benefits after stopping them?”
Peptides can calm symptoms, but if the root cause of inflammation, like heavy metals, poor detox pathways, sugar-rich diets, trauma, iodine deficiency or histamine intolerance to name a few, isn’t addressed, symptoms usually return.
I view peptides as a treatment tool, not a healing tool.
They can absolutely support recovery, but true healing happens when we remove the “nail,” not just bandage it.
🌙 Pregnenolone & Progesterone
These two are closely connected and often used to support hormonal balance and brain health.
Pregnenolone is known as the “mother hormone.” It’s made from cholesterol and serves as the precursor to other hormones, including progesterone, cortisol, DHEA, estrogen, and testosterone. It supports memory, mood, and cognitive function, especially in times of high stress or fatigue.
Progesterone is the hormone that rises after ovulation. It supports sleep, calm mood, fertility, and a healthy menstrual cycle. Low progesterone can lead to anxiety, PMS, irregular periods, and even increase the risk for estrogen-driven conditions like fibroids, endometriosis, or certain cancers.
If you’ve recently come off hormonal birth control, your HPO Axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian) connection may need time and nutrients to recalibrate. This can show up as mood swings, acne, or delayed ovulation.
In my Reclaim Your Rhythm course, I teach strategies to help restore a natural cycle, starting with micronutrients that nourish your cells and support hormone production from the inside out.
🍳 Protein
Macronutrients are the foundation of metabolism and hormone balance. The blend of macronutrients you eat helps regulate blood sugar, reduce cravings, build muscle, and stabilize mood. When thinking about macronutrients, we want to make sure we are efficient at what’s called metabolic switching. Your brain and body thrives when you move in and out of your two metabolic pathways. This is why insulin resistance can be so detrimental. When the body is insulin resistant, burning fat for energy is very difficult. According to Dr. Mindy Pelz, author of Fast Like a Girl, when you metabolically switch, you alternate between two states, autophagy and mTOR. Autophagy is a cellular detox state, mTOR is a growth state.
So, while yes a higher protein intake (around 100–120g/day) can be helpful for many women, I also encourage flexibility depending on your cycle phase and stress levels.
There are times I focus more on fasting or plant-forward eating, which supports gut healing and detoxification.
Here’s why 👇
mTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin): a cellular pathway that controls growth and repair. It’s activated by eating protein. Too much activation (from constant eating) can actually cause inflammation, but strategic stimulation promotes regeneration of tissue (important for building muscle).
Autophagy: a cellular detox process that is blocked when mTOR is stimulated. Fasting and intense exercise both can stimulate this process.
Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs): beneficial compounds like butyrate, produced when gut bacteria ferment fiber. They reduce inflammation, strengthen the gut barrier, and support hormone detoxification.
With strategic planning, you can help your body alternate between growth and repair phases, both essential for longevity and hormonal balance. In my StrongHer Community course library you’ll learn to implement the steps to support metabolic switching and increase your body’s detox capabilities.
⚖️ Final Thoughts
Healing isn’t a straight line, it’s a process of peeling back layers. I combine functional lab testing, nutrition, and mind-body healing to uncover what your body is really asking for.
When we align lifestyle, nutrition, and internal biochemistry, that’s when true transformation happens.
If you’re ready for deeper support, I invite you to check out StrongHer Community to access my courses or book an Initial Consultation where we’ll review your health history, lifestyle, nutrition, and supplement plan together.
Let’s uncover what your body’s been trying to tell you, and start creating balance from the inside out. 💫
