Functional Nutrition & Lab Testing: Stress, Burnout & Your Gut with Elizabeth McLaughlin, MS, RD

<p>In this conversation, Kayla connects with one of her dearest colleagues and friends, Elizabeth McLaughlin, a registered dietitian and creator behind The High-Functioning Hot Mess.</p><p></p><p>In this episode, you'll hear about:</p><ul><li>Why so many dietitians get into the field (spoiler: to manipulate their own bodies)</li><li>Functional nutrition vs. conventional nutrition</li><li>Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA)—what this test reveals and common trends seen in high-performing women</li><li>The stress-mineral-depletion cycle and why supplements alone won't fix a (stress) bucket with a hole in it</li><li>GI Map testing—what a stool test can uncover about gut bacteria, low stomach acid, motility, and more </li><li>Practical tips to naturally support digestion and stomach acid production </li><li>The role of nervous system regulation, hobbies, and faith in healing the whole person</li></ul><p></p><p>Whether you're brand new to functional nutrition or just starting to question why the conventional approach hasn't worked, you’ll get a real framework for understanding what your body might actually be asking for.<br /></p><p><b>Chapters:</b></p><p>00:00 Introduction and Podcast Origins<br />02:48 Elizabeth's Journey to Dietetics<br />06:47 Navigating Personal Challenges and Health Issues<br />17:22 Unlearning Diet Culture<br />18:42 The High-Functioning Hot Mess Concept<br />20:15 Understanding Highly Sensitive People (HSPs)<br />23:50 Emotional Awareness and Processing<br />27:47 Understanding Functional Nutrition<br />31:19 Comparing HTMA and Blood Tests<br />32:47 Identifying Patterns in High-Performing Women<br />36:17 Interpreting HTMA Results<br />42:05 Stress Less, Play More<br />49:24 Exploring the GI Map Test<br />53:12 Stimulating Digestion in a Low-Acid Environment<br />58:30 Faith and Mental Health<br />01:06:51 Upcoming Projects &amp; Closing Thoughts<br /></p><p><b>Keywords:</b><br />functional nutrition, highly sensitive person, HSP, hair tissue mineral analysis, HTMA, GI map, stool test, gut health, nervous system regulation, mineral depletion, low stomach acid, stress and weight gain, burnout recovery, panic attacks, women's health<br /><br /><b>🔗Links Mentioned In This Episode</b><br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.elizabethalicellc.com/main-page" target="_blank">Elizabeth’s website</a></p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/thehighfunctioninghotmess/" target="_blank">Follow Elizabeth on Instagram</a></p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@highfunctioning_hotmess" target="_blank">Follow Elizabeth on TikTok</a></p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-high-functioning-hot-mess-podcast/id1856379411" target="_blank">Listen to the High Functioning Hot Mess podcast</a></p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://howwefeel.org/" target="_blank">How We Feel app</a></p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.abidingtogetherpodcast.com/" target="_blank">Abiding Together podcast</a></p><p></p><p><b>More from Kayla:</b></p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://forms.gle/KX5ryZeHmc8Lyjup8" target="_blank">Apply to Work with Kayla</a></p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/kaylagirgenrd/" target="_blank">Follow on Instagram</a></p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/@kaylagirgenrd" target="_blank">Subscribe on YouTube</a></p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://kaylagirgenrd.com/" target="_blank">Kayla's Website</a></p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://wintheweek.gr8.com/" target="_blank">Kayla’s 🏆Win The Week Newsletter</a></p>