The Elevated Health Podcast

In this episode, Amanda Jones breaks down the emerging conversation around GLP‑1 medications and autoimmune disease, emphasizing that GLP‑1s are not a cure for autoimmune conditions but may influence symptoms.
She explains what autoimmune disease is, why different autoimmune illnesses behave differently, and why disease‑specific treatment from a specialist remains essential.
Amanda outlines how metabolic factors—like insulin resistance, visceral fat, blood sugar swings, sleep, stress, and nutrient status—can amplify inflammation and make autoimmune symptoms worse.
The episode reviews how GLP‑1 receptor agonists work, how they can improve insulin sensitivity, reduce appetite and weight, and potentially have anti‑inflammatory effects, while noting these benefits are often indirect and not a replacement for immunomodulatory therapies.
Practical safety points covered include GI side effects, effects on medication absorption, the importance of adequate protein and nutrients, preserving muscle with resistance exercise, monitoring labs, and coordinating care with your specialist.
Key takeaway: consider whether metabolic drivers are raising your inflammatory burden and discuss thoughtful, individualized care with your healthcare team rather than expecting GLP‑1s to be a universal autoimmune treatment.

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This episode explains how your gut and brain are in constant two-way communication and why digestive symptoms and mental symptoms often occur together. If you’ve experienced anxiety, depression, fogginess, or poor focus alongside bloating, constipation, diarrhea, or heartburn, those issues can be linked biologically.
We cover the main ways the gut and brain talk: the vagus nerve, immune signaling from gut inflammation, and chemical messengers like neurotransmitters and hormones. About 90% of the body’s serotonin is produced in the gut, and gut bacteria help regulate serotonin, dopamine, and GABA—so gut inflammation can disrupt mood, motivation, and calmness.
The episode discusses how slowed digestion or diarrhea can lead to toxin reabsorption or poor nutrient uptake, both of which affect the brain. It also introduces a practical 5R framework for gut healing: Remove irritants and pathogenic overgrowths; Replace missing digestive support (acid, enzymes, bile); Re-inoculate with appropriate probiotics or fermented foods; Repair the gut lining and barrier; and Rebalance through sleep, stress management, and improving vagal tone.
Practical tools and supplements discussed include magnesium blends for nervous system and bowel support, botanical antimicrobials for biofilms and overgrowth, Mimosa pudica for elimination support, targeted probiotics and Saccharomyces boulardii (useful around antibiotics), and curcumin for gut inflammation. Food-based probiotics (yogurt, kefir, kimchi) and strain rotation are also recommended approaches.
Ultimately, the take-home is that gut and brain are partners: treating one can support the other, but the best results come from addressing both physiology (digestion, inflammation, metabolism) and nervous-system factors (sleep, stress, therapy) together.

In this episode Amanda Jones welcomes Dr. Audrey Lamberson, a physical therapist with over a decade of experience, to discuss nasal release technique (NRT) and whole-body physical therapy. They cover how NRT is performed, why it can open airways, improve lymph and cerebrospinal drainage, and reduce headaches and brain fog.The conversation also explores the connection between breathing, pelvic floor function, and core activation, with real patient examples of dramatic improvements after combined treatments like tongue-tie release, breathing retraining, and nasal release.Audrey and Amanda talk about the emotional and trauma-related releases that can occur during treatment, practical insurance and access challenges patients face, and how physical therapists can combine specialties to treat the whole person rather than isolated symptoms.For listeners who want to learn more or book care, Audrey directs people to Rehab Visions (Canyon and Dumas locations) and recommends calling the clinic or visiting their website to request appointments or ask about coverage and treatment options.

In this mini episode Amanda Jones explains why waiting for the perfect moment keeps us stuck and introduces the idea of the "minimum effective dose" for health — the smallest realistic action that still produces meaningful benefit. She shares practical examples across protein, movement, meal planning, hydration, sleep, and stress, and contrasts momentum with motivation.Amanda gives concrete, doable suggestions like a protein shake for breakfast, a 10-minute walk, filling a water bottle before lunch, or shifting your wind-down time by 15–30 minutes. The goal is to keep habits alive so you can tap the brakes instead of hitting a full stop.She challenges listeners to pick one category for the week and choose a simple, repeatable action that fits real life instead of chasing an ideal. The episode is a quick, encouraging reminder that consistency comes from small, sustainable steps.

In this two-part episode of the Elevated Health Podcast, host Amanda interviews her mom, Shelly Moss, a counselor, about ADHD in adults with a special focus on how it presents in women. They discuss why girls are often overlooked in childhood, how ADHD can be mistaken for anxiety or depression, and why many adults are only diagnosed later in life.
The conversation covers practical, everyday strategies for managing executive function challenges: scaffolding tasks, chunking large projects, using calendars and point-of-action reminders (like location-based alerts), timers, mirroring, and study techniques that combine visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning.
They also explore sleep issues, the effects of caffeine, mindfulness tools (including progressive muscle relaxation and the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise), and the role of rest—mental, sensory, and emotional—in reducing overwhelm. Relationship tips highlight communication, kindness, and concrete systems to avoid resentment.
The episode reviews supplemental and medical supports: magnesium forms, NAD plus methylene blue for cognitive endurance, omega-3s, stimulant medications (Adderall, Vyvanse, Ritalin) and non-stimulant options, emphasizing individualized care and working with a clinician. Listeners are encouraged to try a few manageable tools at a time, be gentle with themselves, and seek tailored help when needed.

Please excuse the audio quality in this episode. Due to recording circumstances, some sections may sound rougher than usual. We appreciate you sticking with us and hope you enjoy the conversation.
In this episode Dr. Joshua Bowles, a licensed athletic trainer and doctoral graduate in executive leadership for healthcare, discusses his journey from high school athletic training to leadership in human performance. He explains what athletic trainers do, the various settings they work in, and how his experience led to the Seven Bricks framework for lasting improvement.
Dr. Bowles emphasizes building foundational habits over chasing quick fixes: focusing on structure rather than fleeting motivation, and prioritizing integrity and environment to make behaviors stick. He explores how consistency, identity, and small, sustainable choices lead to long-term success.
The conversation covers practical recovery and performance tips—sleep timing and quality, adequate protein, hydration and electrolyte balance, and the roles of heat versus cold therapies. He also offers cautions about biohacking and peptide use, advising listeners to do their homework and consult professionals.
Listeners will find takeaways for athletes of all levels and everyday people seeking better health and performance. Dr. Bowles’s book, The 7 Bricks, is available on Amazon, Walmart, and Kindle, and you can follow him on Instagram at @the7bricks.

This episode reframes muscle as a metabolic and endocrine organ—vital for blood sugar control, insulin sensitivity, energy, and long-term independence, not just strength or appearance.Muscle pulls glucose from the bloodstream through GLUT4 transporters, helps regulate hormones, and modestly increases resting calorie burn. Maintaining muscle supports metabolic flexibility and resilience as we age.New research shows weight loss (including from GLP‑1 medications) can reduce lean mass, but lean mass on scans includes more than just skeletal muscle. The point is intentionality: preserve muscle while pursuing weight or metabolic goals.Practical steps: prioritize protein (a common starting target is ~100 g/day), add resistance to daily life (bands, bodyweight exercises, carrying groceries, stairs), and use short bouts of movement—especially after carb-containing meals—to improve glucose use.Special considerations include hormonal differences in women and greater muscle loss with age, so plan intentionally to maintain muscle through life stages.Overall, preserving muscle is one of the highest-return investments for long-term health, metabolic control, and independence.

On this episode, host Amanda Jones, FNP welcomes LCSW Dayna Schertler, a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) specialist with over 30 years of experience. Dayna and the host discuss what CBT is, how it developed, and why its structured, goal-focused approach helps people make measurable changes in anxiety, depression, trauma, and everyday problems.
They cover the typical CBT session: setting an agenda, using Socratic questioning, assigning practical homework, and celebrating small wins to build momentum. Dayna emphasizes behavioral activation (starting small and building) and how testing new behaviors between sessions accelerates progress.
The conversation also explores how CBT can change the brain by creating new neural pathways, the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on lifelong mental and physical health, and the importance of integrated care that treats mental and physical health together. Dayna discusses the role of medication, nutrition, and sleep alongside therapy.
To wrap up, Dayna gives tips for choosing a therapist — ask about training, orientation, and whether they use homework — and reassures listeners that evidence-based therapy can be time-limited, practical, and focused on giving you tools to thrive.

This episode traces the history and purpose of the glycemic index (GI), created by David Jenkins in 1981 to compare how foods affect blood glucose in controlled tests, and explains why glycemic load (GL) was introduced to account for portion size.It highlights the limits of GI testing—fasting subjects and isolated foods—and why real-world meals, meal composition, and preparation methods change glucose responses, using examples like watermelon and cooled-and-reheated rice.The show covers modern findings that individual glucose responses vary widely, how continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) reveal personalized patterns, and the many factors that influence blood sugar including sleep, stress, muscle mass, microbiome, and timing.Practical tips include pairing carbs with protein, fat, and fiber, choosing less-processed options, moving after meals, improving sleep, and using GI/GL as tools rather than moral judgments about food.Overall, the episode encourages using data wisely—focusing on how high and how long glucose rises and how well it recovers—rather than aiming for a perfectly flat glucose line, and emphasizes personalization over universal food rules.

Dr. William Braudt of 806 Chiropractic joins Amanda Jones for a deep dive into what chiropractic care actually is — and what most people misunderstand about it.
The conversation explores the history and evolution of chiropractic medicine, how chiropractors are trained in the United States and abroad, and why the profession often sits at the intersection of conventional medicine, movement, mobility, and nervous system regulation.
Dr. Braudt explains how chiropractic care may support people across the lifespan, including newborns, pregnant women, athletes, working adults, and older adults looking to maintain mobility and quality of life. Amanda and Dr. B also discuss the mind-body connection, stress patterns stored physically in the body, posture, nervous system function, and how modern lifestyles may contribute to chronic tension and pain.
The episode also takes a fascinating turn into animal chiropractic, where Dr. Braudt shares how he expanded from human care into treating animals, the specialized training required, and the dramatic ways horses, dogs, and other animals can respond to treatment.
Along the way, they tackle:
Common myths about chiropractic care
How to choose a qualified chiropractor
Red flags patients should watch for
What realistic treatment plans look like
Why different chiropractors practice differently
How chiropractic fits alongside traditional healthcare
Whether you’re skeptical, curious, or already a fan of chiropractic care, this episode offers a balanced and practical look at one of healthcare’s most debated fields.