The Elevated Health Podcast

Episode 22: Why Detox Teas Don’t Work — The Science of Detoxification

This episode explains what true detoxification means: a continuous, physiological process led primarily by the liver through two phases — transformation (phase 1) and conjugation (phase 2). It clarifies why many marketed detoxes, cleanses, and laxative teas fail or harm you, and why your body doesn’t need gimmicks to remove toxins.You’ll learn the three main exit routes for waste — defecation, urination, and sweating — and why regular bowel movements, adequate hydration with electrolytes, and healthy sweating matter. The episode covers how phase 1 can feel worse because intermediate compounds become more reactive, and why phase 2 requires protein, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and sufficient calories to safely eliminate those compounds.Practical, evidence-based tips are provided: prioritize protein, fiber from whole foods (or supplements if needed), electrolyte-rich hydration, movement and exercise (including strength training and saunas), nervous-system regulation, and sensible steps for recovering from alcohol or excess sugar. Avoid starvation cleanses, detox teas, and short-term juicing that dehydrate you and slow detox pathways.The host emphasizes supporting the body’s natural systems rather than punishing or restricting yourself, offers a daily checklist for better detox support, and encourages consulting trusted clinicians for personalized guidance.

Episode 21: Re-release Macros Made Simple: Protein, Fat & Carbs Demystified

In this re-released episode, Amanda Jones breaks down macronutrients—protein, fat, and carbohydrates—explaining what they do, how many calories each contains (protein and carbs 4 kcal/g, fat 9 kcal/g, alcohol 7 kcal/g), and why all three matter for health.She reviews common diet approaches (keto/low-carb, high-protein, low-fat) with their benefits and drawbacks, emphasizes moderation over extremes, and warns against “weaponizing” food or cutting out essential pillars of nutrition.Practical tips include using short-term macro tracking to gain awareness (apps like ProteinPal, Cronometer, and MyFitnessPal), simple starting targets (protein around 75–100% of your goal body weight in grams per day and roughly 100 g of carbs as a baseline), and adjusting based on activity and goals.Amanda encourages a balanced, individualized approach, enjoying food while hitting nutrition goals, and listening with fresh ears as a guide to sustainable habits.

Episode 20: Cheers to Health! How to Drink Smarter.

In this episode, Amanda Jones breaks down how alcohol is metabolically active and quickly affects blood sugar, sleep, hormones and mood. She explains two common blood sugar patterns after drinking — a spike-and-crash from sugary cocktails and an immediate drop from straight liquor — and why the liver prioritizes clearing alcohol over producing glucose.
Amanda reviews the longer-term effects of repeated drinking, including increased insulin resistance, disrupted cortisol rhythms, poorer sleep quality, stronger cravings and impacts on women’s hormone cycles and PMS. She connects these effects to common next-day symptoms like anxiety, headaches and hunger.
Most importantly, the episode offers practical, non-restrictive strategies to minimize harm: eat 30–40 grams of protein before drinking, choose lower-sugar drinks (dry wine, club soda mixes), have a meal when possible, pace drinks with water and electrolytes between them, and add gentle movement after meals to help regulate glucose.
Amanda closes with realistic advice for New Year goals: pick a few sustainable habits, be gentle with yourself, and focus on small changes that fit your life instead of perfection.

Episode 19: Blue Christmas: How to Grieve When the Holidays Hurt with Shelly Moss

In this special, cozy episode of the Elevated Health Podcast the host records from her brother’s childhood bedroom and welcomes back her mother, Shelly Moss, a counselor with over 30 years of experience. Together they explore what grief really is, why it can feel like a violent loss, and how grief shows up differently for everyone — from sadness to anger, guilt, and physical exhaustion.The episode covers common mental and physical symptoms of grief (sleep and appetite changes, fatigue, forgetfulness, vivid dreams), why the holidays can intensify loss, and practical ways to cope during holiday events: honor the missing person with a set place, stories, music, letters, or charitable acts; create new traditions; and be kind to yourself when emotions surface.Shelly also shares personal experience and emphasizes the importance of talking about loss, seeking support from friends, family, or a professional when grief becomes overwhelming, and holding onto the message of hope that the fog will lift with time.

Episode 18: Surviving Holiday Stress: How Cortisol Hijacks Your Cravings

In this episode, Amanda Jones breaks down why the holidays can leave you feeling wired, tired, and constantly craving sugar. She explains how stress and late nights raise cortisol, trigger glucose and insulin swings, and create a ‘‘glucose rollercoaster’’ that drives cravings, irritability, and fatigue.
Amanda covers how alcohol affects blood sugar, the idea of "foods with no breaks" (like cookies vs. a protein-rich meal), and practical, realistic strategies to feel better during the season: start the day with 25–30g of protein, pair treats and drinks with protein, move after meals, protect sleep (especially 10–2 a.m.), hydrate before alcohol, and aim for maintenance rather than big weight loss in December.
The episode emphasizes compassion and practical fixes over perfection—simple habits can stabilize hormones, help you enjoy the holidays, and keep you feeling more present and energized.
Link to 1st Phorm protein powder:
https://1stphorm.com/products/level-1?a_aid=elevatedhealthtexas

Episode 17: A Clear Guide to the 28-Day Cycle

In this episode Amanda Jones of Elevated Health walks through the key reproductive hormones women experience during their reproductive years and explains what each hormone commonly does for mood, energy, sleep, bone and vaginal health.
She gives an easy 28-day cycle overview (follicular, ovulation, luteal) and describes typical symptoms people may feel at each phase, why symptoms can appear before labs change, and what normal versus abnormal bleeding and cramping look like.
The episode defines PMS versus PMDD, lists red flags that warrant medical evaluation (heavy bleeding, severe pain, long or irregular cycles, new acne or hair loss, lack of ovulation), and explains when conditions like PCOS or endometriosis may require further testing.
Amanda outlines practical testing to ask your provider for—estradiol, testosterone, DHEA, LH and FSH—and emphasizes foundational treatment steps first: nutrition, exercise, sleep, supplementation, and targeted hormone support when needed.
She discusses the hormonal shifts that can begin in your 30s and 40s during perimenopause, why baseline testing is helpful, and common myths about birth control and testosterone.
Finally, the episode encourages self-advocacy with health providers, open conversations with family about the cycle, and steps to seek help when symptoms are severe or worsening.
Cycle PDF  
Hormone Cycle Chart
 
 

Episode 4 Re-release: From Anxiety to Peace with Shelly Moss

In this re-released favorite episode, host Amanda sits down with her mother, licensed clinical social worker Shelly Moss, to explore how negative thoughts fuel anxiety and impact both mental and physical health. They discuss the brain’s fight-or-flight response, cortisol and inflammation, and how unresolved trauma can show up as physical symptoms.Shelly explains why quiet moments often trigger worry, how the amygdala overrides the thinking brain, and why modern stressors keep our bodies in a chronic alarm state. They share examples that link anxiety to symptoms like jaw pain and elevated glucose.The episode offers practical, actionable tools you can use right away: diaphragmatic breathing and the physiological sigh to engage the vagus nerve and calm the body; simple CBT techniques to reframe unhelpful thoughts; a dedicated “worry time” to process concerns before bed; quick behavioral shifts like walking through a door or stepping outside; and the value of regular nourishment for stable blood sugar and mood.They also include a short meal segment with an easy, nutrient-dense dinner idea and point listeners to Shelly’s counseling services. Overall, the conversation blends compassionate therapy wisdom with clear steps you can use to quiet the mind and support your body.

Episode 16: Five Years of Elevated Health: Tears, Trials & Triumphs

In this emotional anniversary episode, Amanda Jones — family nurse practitioner, diabetes educator, and founder of Elevated Health — reflects on the five-year journey of building her practice through the chaos of 2020 onward. She shares how COVID-era travel testing led to pivots into telemedicine, functional medicine, and aesthetics, and how creating an LLC in November 2020 set the foundation for her work.
Amanda recounts personal and professional challenges including travel assignments, starting a family, serious health setbacks, and everyday hurdles like broken supplies and construction delays while her husband built the clinic office. She explains how those experiences shaped her approach to patient care and practice management.
She celebrates key wins: opening a downtown office, hiring a trusted team member (Cambri), launching a podcast, tripling practice numbers since staff growth, and expanding services like GLP-1s, wellness coaching, and plans for future IV therapy and collaborations.
Amanda closes with five lessons learned — prioritizing time and connection, supporting realistic nutrition habits, trusting the body’s ability to heal with the right tools, balancing calling with entrepreneurial chaos, and relying on community — and offers gratitude to patients, listeners, and supporters.
This episode is a heartfelt mix of vulnerability, practical takeaways for clinicians and patients, and hopeful plans for the future of Elevated Health.

Episode 15: Self-Care Is Survival with Gloria Hargrave, LMT

In this episode Amanda Jones talks with licensed massage therapist Gloria Hargrave about what true self-care looks like and why massage can be medicinal rather than merely a luxury. They discuss the importance of rest, listening to your body, and individualized approaches to touch — from Swedish relaxation to deeper therapeutic work.Gloria shares her path to massage therapy, how intuition and hands-on experience shape her practice, and why regular maintenance (not just waiting until you hurt) helps prevent chronic issues. They also cover practical, low-cost self-care habits like walking, stretching, elevating your legs, and small daily choices that improve health.Financial and time concerns are addressed with realistic tips for fitting self-care into a busy life, plus why self-care is not selfish — it supports your ability to care for others. The episode wraps up with simple takeaways: hydrate, rest, move, and set healthy buffers so you can better honor your body each day.

Episode 14: Clinician Bias, BMI, and Shaming

Join Amanda Jones of Elevated Health as she explores the history and shortcomings of Body Mass Index (BMI). She explains how BMI began as a 19th-century population statistic, how it was popularized in the 1970s, and why it is a poor measure of individual health.Amanda outlines the many limitations of BMI — it excludes women, children, and non-European bodies, doesn’t distinguish fat from muscle or bone density, and ignores sex and ethnicity. She gives concrete examples of how BMI can misclassify athletes, shorter or taller people, and many women.The episode also digs into clinician bias and fat phobia, with real stories showing how weight is often used as a catch-all explanation instead of investigating other causes. Amanda urges clinicians to separate the number from the person and listen before making assumptions.As practical alternatives, Amanda reviews better measures for health monitoring: waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, body fat percentage, waist-to-height ratio, and useful lab markers like fasting glucose, fasting insulin, triglycerides, and HDL. She also emphasizes subjective measures — energy, sleep, strength, and how clothes fit — as important indicators of wellness.For a lighter note, Amanda shares her “better meal of the week”: homemade enchiladas made with carb-balanced tortillas, a mix of beef and shredded chicken, enchilada sauces, cheese, and refried black beans, plus macro estimates and simple swaps to lower calories and fat.Key takeaway: health is about habits, nourishment, recovery, and joy — not a single chart number. The episode encourages more nuanced, compassionate care and practical tools for measuring health beyond BMI.