In this episode of The Connected Health Podcast, we’re breaking down the gut-health basics every woman needs to know. Whether you're dealing with bloating, food sensitivities, cravings, brain fog, breakouts, or hormone issues—your gut is likely at the root.
You’ll learn:
What common gut symptoms actually mean
How digestion influences mood, skin, and hormones
The truth about leaky gut, candida, SIBO, and dysbiosis
Functional tests that go deeper than basic labs
Daily habits that heal your gut—naturally and sustainably
If you’ve ever felt like your symptoms are “random” or dismissed, this episode will empower you with real answers and tools to start healing.
Tune in to learn how to understand your body, support your gut, and create real health from the inside out.
Take this FREE GUT HEALTH QUIZ to dive into your symptoms and see what kinds of imbalances you might have in your gut!
This episode is your deep-dive into the emotional blueprint—the powerful mix of thoughts, biology, and beliefs that shape your daily mood and long-term health.
We’ll explore:
Why anxiety and overwhelm are so common (and how they affect your body)
The link between limiting beliefs and emotional patterns
The role of neurotransmitters, hormones, and inflammation in your mood
How your subconscious, Reticular Activating System (RAS), and quantum physics influence how you feel
Tools to raise your emotional frequency, reframe your inner dialogue, and support your nervous system
This isn’t just mindset work—it’s whole-body healing.
Whether you’re navigating burnout, emotional fatigue, or just want to feel better, this episode will help you understand what’s really going on under the surface—and how to shift it.
Listen now and take your first step toward emotional freedom.
https://www.connectedhabits.com/https://www.instagram.com/connectedhabitscoaching/?hl=en
Think you need a fancy juice cleanse to detox? Think again.
In this episode, I’m teaching you how to support your body’s natural detox pathways with simple, sustainable habits that actually work. We’re exposed to thousands of toxins daily—but your body is built to handle them if it’s supported properly.
You’ll learn:
Why so many symptoms are rooted in toxic overload
What your liver, lymph, and gut need to function well
The “rain barrel effect” and how to prevent overflow
Easy lifestyle changes to detox your food, home, and body
No fear-based fads. No extreme protocols. Just the real, research-backed ways to start detoxing your life from the inside out.
💻 Learn more at connectedhabits.com
IG: Follow along @connectedhabitscoaching
Are you sleeping but still waking up tired?
You may be missing one of the most foundational health habits: rest.
In this episode, I teach the difference between rest and sleep, how to build supportive habits for both, and why your body needs nervous system calm—not just hours in bed—to truly heal.
You’ll learn about:
The role of circadian rhythm in your health
How stress affects your ability to fall and stay asleep
Rest rituals and sleep hygiene habits to restore your energy and vitality
This is a must-listen for anyone dealing with fatigue, burnout, or poor sleep.
Let’s rebuild your evening routines and help your body rest the way it was designed to.
#sleephygeine #rest #meditation
We’ve all heard that exercise is good for us—but do you know just how powerful it really is?
In Episode 12, we dive deep into the research on movement and mortality. You'll learn why going from doing nothing to doing something has the biggest health impact—and how even just 10–15 minutes a day can start to transform your longevity.
Inside this episode:
Why muscle mass is key to a long life
What the science says about exercise and early death risk
The truth about the 150-minute guideline
How to start simple and build a routine you can actually stick with
Why strength training + walking is a winning combo
If you’ve struggled to stay consistent with exercise or feel like you “don’t do enough,” this episode will shift your mindset, simplify the science, and help you take back control of your health—one habit at a time.
Nourish to Flourish: Foundational Nutrition Habits for Lifelong Health
In this episode, we're cutting through the noise of diet culture and bringing it back to the basics—because nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective.
After trying every diet under the sun (yes, even keto), I realized something critical: the secret to sustainable health isn’t restriction—it’s rebuilding a healthy relationship with food and learning how to nourish your body consistently.
We'll explore:
Why most people know what to eat, but still struggle to follow through
The real reason fad diets fail and what to do instead
The foundational nutrition habits that work for nearly everyone
What a balanced plate actually looks like (and how to build it daily)
The truth about the food pyramid, macro/micronutrients, and eating for energy
How to time your meals and why overnight fasting helps with healing and detox
Daily tips like drinking warm lemon water, getting 30g of protein per meal, and how to get started with sustainable changes
Whether you're just starting your wellness journey or ready to ditch restrictive eating for good, this episode will empower you to take your health back—one plate at a time.
MEAL PREP HELP: https://go.connectedhabits.com/meal-prep-like-a-pro-1891700176
Episode 10: Your Wellness Questions, Answered — Weight Loss Resistance, Gut Health, GLP-1s & More
In this Q&A episode, I’m answering YOUR submitted questions about all things wellness—from why your body may be resisting weight loss, to the truth about popular GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro, to food sensitivities, gut health, and the supplement world.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything “right” but not seeing results, this episode is for you. I’m breaking down complex topics in a way that makes sense, giving you the clarity and tools to move forward with confidence on your holistic health journey.
Topics include:
• Weight loss resistance & hormone connections
• GLP-1 drugs: benefits, risks & what to consider
• Gut issues, bloating & food reactions
• How to approach supplements strategically
• And more...
💻 Visit: www.connectedhabits.com
📲 Follow: @connectedhabitscoaching on Instagram and Facebook
👥 Join the community: Connected Habits: A Community for Holistic and Sustainable Health
If you’re ready to take your health into your own hands but feel overwhelmed by where to begin, this episode is your blueprint. I'm walking you through the real foundations of holistic, sustainable health—not the fads, not the extremes, but the habits that actually work.
In this episode, we cover my spin on the DESTRESS protocol and the seven pillars that form the foundation of a healthy life:
Mindset
Nutrition
Movement
Sleep
Stress & Rest
Emotional Well-being
Detoxification
You’ll learn practical, simple shifts you can start making today—like eating 3 balanced meals, hitting 30g of protein per meal, moving your body with intention, and detoxing your home and habits one step at a time. Plus, I’ll share some of the biggest mistakes people make when starting a health journey (and what to do instead).
🎧 Start here. Build your health from the inside out. And take the next step toward a more vibrant, energized you.
https://www.connectedhabits.com
📲 Follow on Instagram & Facebook: @connectedhabitscoaching
👥 Join the FB community: Connected Habits: A Community for Holistic and Sustainable Health
In this eye-opening episode of The Connected Health Podcast, we're exploring what it truly means to take an integrative and holistic approach to your health. You’ll learn how your body already contains every system it needs to fight disease, inflammation, and imbalance—and how environment, lifestyle, and daily choices either support or sabotage those systems.
We’ll talk about the concept of toxic load (including the “rain barrel effect”), why so many people feel sick even without a diagnosis, and what the 200+ toxins found in umbilical cord blood reveal about our modern world. Then we’ll dive into the history of modern medicine—including how the Rockefeller Foundation and the Flexner Report shifted healthcare away from natural healing toward pharmaceutical-based sick care.
This episode will challenge your assumptions, empower you with knowledge, and give you practical steps to start supporting your health the way nature intended.
—
✨ Links & Resources:
🌿 Visit my website: https://www.connectedhabits.com
📸 Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connectedhabitscoaching
📘 Join the free Facebook group: Connected Habits: A Community for Holistic and Sustainable Health
🎧 Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who needs to hear it!
This final episode in the habit series breaks down the brain science behind why habits stick—or don’t. If you’ve ever felt like your intentions are strong but your follow-through falls apart, this is the missing link.
In this episode, I explain how the Reticular Activating System (RAS) acts as your brain’s filter, deciding what information gets through based on your focus and beliefs. I also dive into the role of dopamine in motivation, reward, and consistency.
You’ll learn:
What the RAS is and how it shapes your focus, attention, and behavior
How dopamine drives habit loops and why it can work for or against you
Why it’s so hard to break old patterns and what to do instead
Actionable strategies to retrain your brain and align your habits with your goals
This is about rewiring your internal systems so that the healthy habits you're trying to build feel natural, doable, and aligned with who you're becoming.
Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.
Follow along on Instagram @connectedhabitscoaching and join the Facebook group Connected Habits: A Community for Holistic and Sustainable Health.
More resources at connectedhabits.com
Why do we know what to do to be healthy, but still struggle to do it? In this powerful follow-up to the habit series, Vanessa pulls back the curtain on what's really happening underneath the surface—introducing the Internal Family Systems (IFS) framework and the “Parts” of you that influence your choices, reactions, and resistance.
You’ll meet the Inner Critic, the Achiever, the People Pleaser, and more—parts that often sabotage your goals not because they’re bad, but because they’re trying to protect you. When we learn to see, hear, and lead these parts with compassion, true transformation becomes possible.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why self-sabotage isn’t a character flaw (it’s a part of you trying to help)
How internal conflict derails even your best health habits
Journal prompts to identify your dominant Parts
What the “Self” is—and how to step into it for lasting habit change
Tools to begin reprogramming your Parts so your habits finally stick
This episode is for the deep thinkers, the ones ready to stop starting over and start healing from the inside out.
Why do we fall off track—even when we really want to change?
If you’ve ever felt stuck in the all-or-nothing cycle, this episode is for you.
In this episode of The Connected Health Podcast, we’re digging into the psychology of behavior change and how to go from start-stop habits to sustainable routines. You’ll learn why willpower isn’t the answer, how your brain actually builds (and breaks) habits, and how to create a system that supports your health long-term—even when life gets busy.
What we cover:
The 3-phase habit loop and how to use it to your advantage
What keeps you stuck (and how to break the cycle)
How to shift your identity so habit change feels natural
The truth about consistency, motivation, and discipline
Why building “connected habits” leads to real transformation
Whether your goal is better energy, balanced hormones, or a healthier lifestyle—this episode gives you the tools to build change that actually lasts.
Listen now and start reconnecting with your healthiest self—one habit at a time.
https://www.connectedhabits.com/
Suddenly gaining weight, waking up at 3am, feeling more anxious or irritable, or wondering where your energy went? You’re not broken—and you’re definitely not alone. These are some of the most common signs your body is transitioning through perimenopause or menopause, and it can feel like it happens overnight.
In this episode, I’m walking you through what’s really going on with your hormones—especially estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone—and how they impact your metabolism, mood, sleep, and body composition during this phase of life. We’ll also cover:
What actually causes the weight gain and fatigue in perimenopause
How muscle loss and blood sugar shifts are making you feel more off than ever
The difference between perimenopause and menopause (and what postmenopause looks like)
The power of strength training, nutrition, and functional lab testing to restore balance and energy
You don’t have to accept this as your “new normal.” There are real, doable solutions—and I’m here to walk you through them.
Tap play to learn how to support your body with grace, strategy, and a whole lot more compassion.
https://www.connectedhabits.com/#Perimenopause
#Menopause
#HormoneHealth
#WomensHealth
#PerimenopauseSupport
#MenopauseWeightGain
#MenopauseSymptoms
#HolisticHealth
#FunctionalMedicine
#HormoneBalance
We’ve been taught that painful periods, PMS, and hormonal birth control are just part of being a woman—but what if they’re actually signs your body is out of balance? In this episode, I break down the most common period problems, what they really mean hormonally, and how birth control impacts your natural hormone rhythms (including why it may be contributing to infertility or long-term imbalance).
You’ll learn how to identify the difference between a healthy and unhealthy cycle, what symptoms to never ignore, and how to start improving your periods through nutrition, lifestyle shifts, and functional hormone testing. If you're ready to understand your body and finally feel like yourself again—this is a must-listen.
Want to dive deeper? Take the free hormone quiz or join our community: Connected Habits – A Community for Holistic and Sustainable Health on Facebook.
Cortisol often gets a bad rap — but the truth is, this misunderstood hormone is trying to protect you. In this episode, Vanessa breaks down what cortisol really does in the body, how it responds to modern-day stressors like traffic and deadlines, and why your body treats those the same as actual danger.
You’ll learn how cortisol impacts energy crashes, stubborn belly fat, burnout, anxiety, and hormonal chaos — especially in women juggling a “go-go-go” lifestyle. Vanessa also shares simple, science-backed tools to calm your cortisol, including meals, movement, breathwork, and functional hormone testing that she uses with clients inside her Radiant Woman Reset program.
✨ Want to understand your own hormone patterns? Take the free hormone quiz below!
Quiz: https://go.connectedhabits.com/free-hormone-assessment-5377-3346
Our first episode will start a series talking about your key hormone players in your body, what drives metabolism, energy, mood, and what can happen when they're out of balance symptoms that you can pay attention to, and real world solutions that will help you get those hormones back into balance.