The Elevated Health Podcast

Recovery Reset: Fatigue, Burnout & How to Rebuild Your Energy

Feeling constantly run down, exhausted, or stuck in a cycle of stress and illness?
In this episode, we break down what true recovery requires — from immune resilience to nervous system regulation and metabolic repair.
You’ll learn:
• Why chronic stress depletes energy• How poor sleep disrupts hormone balance• The role of protein, hydration, and micronutrients in recovery• Why cortisol dysregulation prolongs fatigue• How illness and burnout overlap physiologically• Practical steps to rebuild energy and resilience
Recovery is not just rest. It is a coordinated biological process involving the nervous system, immune system, hormones, and metabolism.
If you feel like you never fully bounce back from stress, sickness, or busy seasons, this episode offers a clear framework for resetting your energy.

The Gut-Brain Axis: How Gut Health Affects Anxiety, Depression & Brain Fog

Your gut and brain are in constant two-way communication.
In this episode, we explore the gut-brain axis and how gut health influences anxiety, depression, brain fog, focus, and stress tolerance. Inflammation, microbial imbalance, and poor detox pathways can alter neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA.
You’ll learn:
• How the vagus nerve connects the gut and brain• Why gut inflammation affects mood and cognition• The role of serotonin production in the digestive tract• How constipation and diarrhea impact detox and brain function• Why treating mental health symptoms requires a whole-body approach• Practical strategies to support both gut and brain health
Mental health is not isolated to the brain. It is deeply influenced by metabolism, inflammation, and digestive function.
If you struggle with anxiety, low mood, poor concentration, or brain fog, this episode explains why addressing gut health may be an essential part of the solution.

Detox Explained: Why Detox Teas Fail & How the Body Actually Detoxifies

Do detox teas actually remove toxins?
In this episode, we break down the science of detoxification — how the liver, gut, kidneys, and lymphatic system work together to eliminate waste — and why most detox teas fail to deliver what they promise.
You’ll learn:
• How phase I and phase II liver detox pathways function• The role of bile, stool, and regular bowel movements• Why constipation can impair toxin clearance• How diarrhea reduces nutrient absorption• The difference between marketing claims and physiology• What truly supports healthy detoxification
Detox is not a 7-day cleanse. It is a continuous biological process.
If you’ve been told you need a special tea, powder, or cleanse to “reset” your body, this episode explains what actually matters — and how to support your natural detox systems through nutrition, sleep, hydration, and metabolic health.

Macros Explained: Protein, Fat & Carbs for Metabolism and Blood Sugar (Revisit)

This foundational nutrition episode is worth revisiting.
Understanding macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat) is essential for metabolism, blood sugar stability, hormone balance, and sustainable weight management.
In this episode, we break down:
• What macronutrients are and how they differ from micronutrients• How protein supports satiety, muscle, and recovery• How carbohydrates affect insulin and blood sugar• The role of dietary fat in hormones and inflammation• Why balance matters more than restriction• How to structure meals for metabolic stability
Macros are not just numbers. They influence energy, cravings, body composition, and long-term health.
If you’re confused about how to build balanced meals or optimize nutrition without extreme dieting, this episode provides a clear and practical framework.

Alcohol & Health: How to Drink Smarter Without Harming Your Metabolism

How does alcohol actually affect your metabolism?
In this episode, we break down how alcohol impacts blood sugar, liver function, hormones, sleep, and weight gain — and how to approach drinking in a way that protects your long-term health.
You’ll learn:
• How alcohol affects insulin and blood sugar control• Why drinking disrupts sleep and cortisol regulation• The connection between alcohol and triglycerides• How alcohol slows fat metabolism• What “moderation” really means• Practical strategies to reduce metabolic damage while drinking
Alcohol is not neutral in the body. It directly influences liver function, inflammation, and hormone balance.
If you enjoy social drinking but want to better understand how it impacts weight, energy, and metabolic health, this episode gives you a clear and balanced framework.

Blue Christmas: Grieving During the Holidays with Shelly Moss, LCSW

The holidays are not joyful for everyone.
For many, Christmas and the holiday season intensify grief, loneliness, and emotional pain. In this episode, Amanda Jones sits down with licensed clinical social worker Shelly Moss, LCSW, to discuss how to navigate grief during the holidays.
You’ll learn:
• Why loss feels heavier during the holiday season• The difference between grief and seasonal depression• How traditions can trigger emotional pain• Practical coping tools for holiday gatherings• How to set boundaries while protecting your mental health• Ways to honor loved ones while creating space for healing
Grief does not disappear because the calendar says it is time to celebrate.
If you are navigating loss, strained relationships, infertility, illness, or unmet expectations during the holidays, this conversation offers compassion, validation, and practical guidance.

Holiday Stress & Cortisol: Why Stress Hijacks Your Cravings

Why do cravings feel stronger during the holidays?
In this episode, we break down how stress hormones — especially cortisol — impact blood sugar, appetite regulation, and emotional eating. Holiday stress does more than affect your mood. It changes your physiology.
You’ll learn:
• How cortisol influences insulin and blood sugar• Why stress increases cravings for sugar and refined carbohydrates• The connection between sleep loss and hunger hormones• How chronic stress contributes to weight gain• Practical strategies to regulate cortisol during busy seasons• How to enjoy holidays without metabolic backlash
Stress is not just emotional. It is hormonal and metabolic.
If you struggle with holiday overeating, late-night cravings, or seasonal weight gain, this episode explains what is happening in your body and how to regain balance.

The 28-Day Menstrual Cycle Explained: Hormones, Ovulation & Cycle Phases

The menstrual cycle is more than just a period.
In this episode, we break down the 28-day menstrual cycle, explaining what happens hormonally during each phase and how estrogen, progesterone, and ovulation shape mood, metabolism, energy, and fertility.
You’ll learn:
• The four phases of the menstrual cycle• What estrogen does in the follicular phase• How ovulation affects energy and insulin sensitivity• Why progesterone rises in the luteal phase• Why PMS symptoms occur• How cycle timing influences sleep, cravings, and workouts
Understanding your menstrual cycle is foundational to hormone health, fertility awareness, and metabolic stability.
If you want to better interpret mood shifts, cravings, energy changes, or irregular symptoms, this episode offers a clear, physiology-based guide to what is happening each week.

From Anxiety to Peace: A Mental Health Conversation with Shelly Moss, LCSW (Revisit)

This episode is one of our most listened-to conversations — and it is worth revisiting.
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health challenges today. But what actually drives it, and how do we move toward peace?
In this conversation, Amanda Jones sits down with licensed clinical social worker Shelly Moss, LCSW, to discuss anxiety, stress, nervous system dysregulation, and emotional resilience.
You’ll learn:
• What anxiety is from a clinical perspective• The difference between stress and anxiety disorders• How nervous system dysregulation fuels chronic overwhelm• Therapy tools that help restore emotional balance• The connection between physical health and mental health• Practical strategies for moving toward peace
This conversation remains timely and relevant — especially in seasons of stress, illness, or burnout.
If you struggle with anxiety, emotional overload, or persistent stress, this episode offers both compassion and clinical clarity.

Building a Functional Medicine Practice: 5 Lessons from Five Years of Elevated Health

What does it really take to build a functional medicine practice from the ground up?
In this five-year anniversary episode, Amanda Jones reflects on launching Elevated Health in 2020, navigating COVID-era pivots, expanding into telemedicine and metabolic care, and growing a practice centered on root-cause medicine.
You’ll learn:
• How functional medicine fits into a modern healthcare landscape• The realities of entrepreneurship in medicine• What building a private practice teaches about patient care• Lessons learned about time, energy, and sustainability• Why metabolic health and realistic nutrition remain foundational• The importance of community, resilience, and long-term vision
Amanda shares both challenges and milestones — from travel testing during the pandemic to opening a downtown clinic, growing a team, expanding GLP-1 and wellness services, and launching a podcast.
This episode is not just a celebration. It is a reflection on what sustainable healthcare, business ownership, and patient-centered medicine require.
If you are a clinician, entrepreneur, or patient curious about the behind-the-scenes of modern functional practice, this conversation offers honest insight and practical perspective.