Living Inspired - A Functional Approach to Women’s Health, Energy, and Resilience

If you’ve been feeling more anxious, more reactive, or just not like yourself lately… this episode is for you.You’re trying to do the right things. You’re taking care of yourself, paying attention to your health, maybe even running labs… and still, something feels off.In this episode, Rachel sits down with a client, Amanda, who shares what it felt like to be in that exact place. After having her baby, Amanda experienced anxiety, exhaustion, mood swings, and a sense that she had lost herself. Even though she knew something wasn’t right, she wasn’t getting the answers she needed.What you’ll hear in this conversation is what changed when she stopped trying to fix the symptoms and started addressing what was actually driving them.Rachel breaks down:why mood swings, anxiety, and irritability are signals, not personality changeswhy hormones are part of the story, but not the whole storyhow stress, blood sugar, inflammation, and the nervous system all play a rolewhat it actually looks like to make small shifts that create meaningful changeAmanda shares how, within a matter of weeks, she went from feeling like a shell of herself to feeling safe in her body again and genuinely happy, without overhauling her life.If you’ve been feeling off and can’t quite explain why, this episode will help you start to see what your body might be trying to tell you.If you’re ready to go deeper, here are a few ways to get support:Book a call with Rachel: https://rachelcarterrn.com/schedule A simple conversation to talk through what’s going on and what your next step could look like.Mood Swings SOS (free 5-minute reset): https://rachelcarterrn.com/SOS A quick, practical tool to help you calm your system in the moment when everything feels heightened.Free Guide: The Real Reason You Still Feel Off https://rachelcarterrn.com/LastingHealth A deeper look at what’s actually driving your symptoms and how to start addressing them at the root.Partner Communication Guide https://rachelcarterrn.com/communication Because this season of life affects your relationships too. This will help you communicate what’s going on in a way that brings more understanding and support.

This is not our usual conversation. We’re not talking about hormones, gut health, or trying to figure out what’s causing your symptoms.This is a pause.A moment to step out of the constant doing… and come back to what it actually means to be living.In this episode, I sit down with Billy Duke, a 55-year-old living with ALS, a progressive neurological disease that slowly takes away the body’s ability to move, while the mind remains fully aware.What he shares is simple, but powerful. A reminder that most of us are moving through life too quickly… waiting for the right time… putting things off… assuming we have more time than we do.This conversation isn’t about fear. It’s about clarity. About what actually matters when everything else is stripped away.As you listen, notice what comes up for you.What have you been putting off?Where have you been moving too fast?What matters most right now?This episode is an invitation to slow down, look up, and come back to your life.What we talk about:What ALS is and how it impacts the body over timeWhy we spend so much of our lives working and rushingThe quiet regrets that come from waiting too longThe importance of people, connection, and shared timeHow to slow down and actually experience your lifeSimple reminders to stop, notice, and be present🎧 Listen to more episodes like this: 100 Years of Wisdom🤍 Connect with me on Instagram@peaceinperimenopauseI’d love to hear from you.What stood out to you the most? What are you changing in your life? Email: rachel@rachelcartarn.comSend me a message and share this episode with someone you love. These are the conversations that stay with us… and sometimes, they’re the ones that gently change how we live.

If you’ve ever gotten to the end of the day and thought… I did so much, so why does it feel like nothing actually moved forward? this episode is for you.In this conversation, we’re unpacking why you can feel busy all day and still feel behind. Not because you’re doing something wrong, but because the way you’ve been taught to work doesn’t always support how your brain and energy actually function, especially in this season of life.I’m joined by Steven Puri, founder of The Sukha Company and studio executive at 20th Century Fox and DreamWorks Pictures. After years working in high-performance environments, he now teaches how to access deeper focus, reduce distraction, and create meaningful progress without constantly pushing harder.We talk about what’s really keeping you stuck in that cycle of doing more but feeling behind, how distractions are draining your energy, and the one simple shift that can change how your entire day feels.This is not about doing more. It’s about doing what actually matters.Why you can feel busy all day but still feel behindWhat’s actually happening when your focus feels scatteredHow constant interruptions impact your energy and progressWhat “flow state” really means (in a practical, real-life way)The simple shift that helps you move your day forwardHow to start working with your energy instead of against itLearn more about Steven and his work: https://www.thesukha.co/Rachel's Free Resources:Mood Swings? Get the 5 minute audio to calm them now. https://rachelcartarn.com/sosDo you want to understand more of what's changing in your body in midlife and get a few simple tools to feel better now? Get the free guide: The Real Reason You Still Feel Off.

If your relationship has been feeling harder lately… this episode is for you. There are real changes happening in your body, your stress levels, your capacity… and most people have never been taught how much this can affect connection, communication, and intimacy.In this conversation, I’m joined by Jesse Robertson, the voice behind Husbands4Menopause, who is helping men better understand what women are going through in this season.We talk about:• Why relationships can start to feel tense, distant, or disconnected• What’s actually happening underneath mood swings, overwhelm, and irritability• Why intimacy often changes (and what most couples misunderstand about it)• How men can better support their partners without feeling confused or shut out• Simple shifts that can completely change the tone of your relationshipThis isn’t about blame. It’s about understanding what’s really going on… so you can feel more connected, supported, and on the same team again.If you’ve been thinking, “Why does everything feel harder right now?” — you’re not alone. And there’s a reason for it.🎧 Share this episode with your partner or listen together. It can open up a completely different kind of conversation.Find Jesse on all your social media platforms: @husbands4menopause📄 Download my Partner Communication Guide: rachelcartarn.com/communication

Have you ever been told your labs are “normal,” but you still feel exhausted, foggy, bloated, anxious, or just not like yourself?In this episode, Rachel explains why normal lab work does not always mean your body is functioning optimally and why labs should never be interpreted without the full story of your health.Through a functional nutrition lens, labs are not the final answer. They are clues. Rachel shares how she looks at patterns, symptoms, lifestyle, digestion, stress, and health history alongside lab work to better understand what may be contributing to fatigue, mood changes, and other chronic symptoms.If you’ve ever felt confused by lab results that say everything is fine while your body tells you otherwise, this conversation will bring clarity.Why “normal” lab results do not always mean optimal healthThe difference between functional and pathological lab rangesWhy labs are a snapshot in time, not the full storyThe problem with a lab-first, supplement-first approachThe three principles Rachel uses when looking at labsCommon patterns Rachel sees in women’s lab workWhy thyroid testing often needs a broader lens than TSH aloneHow improving the body’s “terrain” can help symptoms begin to shiftMood Shift Method LiveA live workshop where Rachel walks you through the deeper root causes behind mood swings, anxiety, fatigue, and feeling unlike yourself in midlife.Learn more and register here:https://rachelcartarn.com/moodshiftWebsite:https://rachelcartarn.com

Have you ever tried to relax, only to notice your mind speeding up or your body staying tense? In this episode, Rachel shares what these experiences may actually mean and why they often point to your nervous system rather than a personal shortcoming.Through a powerful client story and practical insights, she explains how mood, digestion, energy, and stress responses are deeply connected, and why real healing often begins with helping your body feel safe instead of pushing harder or adding more protocols. You’ll also learn gentle signs your system may be stuck in survival mode and one simple practice you can use to begin shifting toward calm.In This Episode:why your body may feel restless even when life looks calmhow nervous system state affects mood, digestion, and energysigns your system may still be in stress modewhy foundations matter more than quick fixesa simple way to signal safety to your bodyIf this episode speaks to you and you want deeper support, Rachel’s live Mood Shift Method workshop will walk you through how to understand your body and create lasting change. Join here: RachelCartaRN.com/moodshift

What if healing isn’t about fixing what feels wrong, but learning how to feel what’s been held for too long?In this episode of Living Inspired, I’m joined by somatic and transformational coach Soulla Demetriou for a grounded conversation about grief, self-compassion, and the nervous system, and why these are often the missing pieces in healing.We explore how grief shows up not only after loss, but in quieter, less visible ways when life doesn’t unfold as we hoped. We talk about how avoiding grief can keep the nervous system stuck in survival mode, and how this can ripple into fatigue, digestive issues, sleep struggles, and emotional overwhelm.This episode is especially for women who feel unsettled in their bodies despite “doing all the right things.” We discuss how self-compassion creates safety in the nervous system, and how healing often happens in small, steady moments rather than big overhauls.Why grief is not something to fix, but something to allowHow unprocessed grief can show up as physical and emotional symptomsThe role of nervous system safety in healingWhy self-compassion is foundational, not optionalSimple ways to help the body exhale and softenFind Rachel here: RachelCartaRN.comFree Guide: The Reason You Still Feel OffFree Mood Swings AudioInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/peaceinperimenopauseFind Soulla Here: Website: https://www.withsoulla.comBook: https://www.withsoulla.com/always-enoughInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/withsoullaFree Self-Compassion Course: https://www.withsoulla.com/courses/7-steps-course-sign-up

Strength training is often framed around appearance or fitness goals. But its real impact goes far deeper than that.In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Wayne Westcott, a leading researcher in strength training and exercise science, to talk about why building and maintaining muscle matters so much in midlife and beyond. Wayne has spent decades studying how resistance training affects the body across the lifespan, including adults in their 90s, and his research offers a hopeful, practical perspective on aging.We talk about how muscle loss affects metabolism, bone density, mood, and independence, what strength training actually looks like in real life, and how little time it can take to see meaningful benefits. Wayne also shares powerful insights from nursing home studies that challenge the idea that it’s ever too late to get stronger.This is a grounded, encouraging conversation for anyone who feels overwhelmed by fitness advice, unsure where to begin, or curious about how to support their body in a way that feels realistic and sustainable.Why muscle matters for healthy aging and daily functionHow strength training supports metabolism, bones, and moodWhat research shows about building strength later in lifeWhat strength training really means (and what it doesn’t)How to get results without spending hours in the gymDr. Wayne Westcott is a retired professor of exercise science and one of the most respected researchers in strength training. He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed studies, written 30 books, and taught at institutions including Harvard and Yale.Get: Strength Training Past 50Contact Rachel: rachel@rachelcartarn.comRachelCartaRN.com Free eBook: The Real Reason You Still Feel Off

You are not imagining it. Midlife health has turned into one long to-do list.From supplements and biohacks to hormone protocols and trackers, it can feel like everyone has an opinion about what you “should” be doing to feel better. If you are in perimenopause or navigating chronic symptoms, that constant noise can be exhausting.In this episode, I am sharing what I am actually focusing on this year as a midlife woman with a full plate, and just as importantly, what I am intentionally letting go of.We talk about how to shift from chasing every new thing to being “boringly consistent” with the habits that truly move the needle for your energy, mood, and peace.You will hear:Why the endless list of midlife “must dos” feels so overwhelmingHow my chronic migraines and a moment with my son became a turning pointWhat I am focusing on in 2026How to rethink your resilience in midlife and honor your real capacityThe power of seeing your symptoms as signals instead of enemiesA beautiful client story about moving from hopeless and burned out to hopeful and resourcedWhat I am releasing this year, including productivity as proof of worthThis episode is an invitation to step away from the pressure, listen to your body, and choose a simpler, more peaceful way forward in midlife.How to connect with Rachel + Free Resources:Book a Clarity and Relief Session and learn more about working together: RachelCartaRN.comFollow me on Instagram: @peaceinperimenopauseFree resources to help you feel more clear and calm in your body:Mood Swings SOSThe Real Reason You Still Feel OffPartner Communication Guide for Perimenopause

As we stand on the edge of a new year, it’s easy to feel the pressure to set big goals, fix what feels broken, or reinvent ourselves entirely.In this episode of Living Inspired, Rachel invites you into a very different way of approaching 2026. One that is gentler, more sustainable, and deeply rooted in who you are already becoming.Instead of resolutions, we explore the idea of tiny experiments. Small, low-pressure shifts that help you listen to your body, rebuild trust with yourself, and create real change without burning out your nervous system.This episode is especially for you if:You feel tired of starting over every JanuaryYou’ve tried diets, supplements, or protocols that didn’t stickYou’re navigating midlife changes, chronic symptoms, or emotional overwhelmYou want to feel calm, confident, and more like yourself againInside the episode, we talk about:Why resolutions often fail and what works betterHow identity, not willpower, drives lasting changeWhat “tiny experiments” are and why they’re so powerfulReflecting on who you became in 2025 (not just what you did)How curiosity can replace pressure and self-criticismWhy symptoms are signals, not failuresHow this approach supports healing, especially in midlifeRachel also shares how this framework has shaped her own life and work, and why rebuilding trust with your body is at the heart of true healing.Resources mentioned in the episode: Free Consultation: Find Clarity and Relief with Rachel. Mood Swings SOS (Free Audio Resource):A calming nervous system reset you can use in the momentInstagram: Follow Rachel at @PeaceInPerimenopause

In this bonus episode, we take a gentle pause from regular programming to honor something many people carry this time of year: grief. Whether your loss is recent or years in the past, the holidays often bring memories and emotions to the surface.Rachel opens the episode by sharing her own experience of losing her dad and a simple analogy that reframes how grief lives within us over time. She offers compassion, permission, and understanding for anyone moving through a tender season.This episode includes a special conversation from Rachel’s other podcast, Hospice Redefined, featuring three hospice professionals who have also experienced significant personal loss. Their stories offer comfort, validation, and practical tools for navigating the holidays with more ease.Why grief often intensifies during the holidaysA simple way to understand how grief changes over timeHow honoring a loved one can create connection and reliefReal stories of adapting traditions and creating new onesPractical strategies for lowering expectations and protecting your emotional energyGentle reminders that you don’t have to navigate this season aloneThis episode is for anyone grieving a loved one, anyone supporting someone in grief, and anyone who feels heaviness or emotional overwhelm during the holiday season.May this episode bring comfort, connection, and a little more breath to your season.Reach out to Rachel: rachel@rachelcartarn.com.Find out more about her work: RachelCartaRN.comLearn more about her passion project: HospiceRedefined.com

In this episode, I am inviting you into something that feels very close to my heart.On Black Friday morning, instead of running a sale, I felt led to simply open my Zoom room for 30 minutes and offer a live breath and meditation practice. No slides. No pitch. Just community, connection, and a space to allow whatever was present.If you are in midlife, or in any season where your hormones, emotions, and energy feel like they are all over the place, you might recognize yourself in this conversation. Mood swings, irritability, oversensitivity, grief, and feeling “not like yourself” can bring so much shame. In this episode I walk you through a gentle body scan, a simple journaling practice, and a way of relating to your inner world that is rooted in curiosity instead of judgment.Allowing what you feel is not weakness. It is one of the most powerful ways to get unstuck.In this episode you’ll hear about:Why allowing your feelings can open the door to healingHow trauma and “shoulds” can create patterns that leave you feeling stuckWhat it looks like to create space in your day for your nervous system to softenA guided body scan you can do lying down, sitting, walking, or even driving (eyes open)Simple journaling prompts to help you hear from your inner wisdomWhy practices like this are no longer “nice to do,” but essential when you are in a season of fluxMentioned in this episode:The Mood Shift Method (one of my core frameworks for stabilizing mood swings)Mood Swings SOS free audio (short audio you can use in the moment when your mood spikes)Blog + podcast archive: rachelcartaRN.com (click “Blog / Podcast” in the menu)If this episode supports you, it would mean so much if you shared it with a friend or left a review. It helps these conversations reach more women who need to know they are not alone.Find and follow Rachel on instagram: @peaceinperimenopause

What happens to marriage when hormones shift?For many women, midlife brings not only physical changes — but emotional distance, shorter tempers, and a quiet wondering: What happened to us?In this deeply personal episode, I sit down with Brooke Davis, creator of Marriage in Perimenopause, to talk honestly about what’s really happening inside relationships during this season of life — and how to find your way back to connection, compassion, and understanding.This conversation came straight from my own experience.When my perimenopause symptoms began, after working in a high-stress hospital environment, I didn’t recognize myself anymore. I felt irritable, foggy, exhausted, and disconnected. My husband once said, “I just wish you were like you used to be,” and it broke me. Because I wanted that too.Learning how much my hormones and nervous system were affecting my mood, my energy, and my relationships changed everything. And Brooke helped me see that clearly.Together, we talk about:✨ Why midlife can make relationships feel strained — and what biology has to do with it✨ The “Estrogen Veil” and why little things suddenly feel so big✨ How to communicate with your partner when brain fog and irritability take over✨ The real reason libido changes — and how to rebuild intimacy naturally✨ The emotional and practical tools that help couples reconnect✨ Why this season can actually become a turning point toward deeper love and understandingBrooke’s perspective combines relationship wisdom and hormone science in a way that brings instant relief — and hope. Whether you’re married, dating, or simply trying to understand yourself better, this episode will help you see that you’re not broken. You’re just changing. And there’s a way through.Connect with Brooke:Instagram: @marriageinperimenopauseCheck out her course The Hormone-Informed Midlife Marriage — a powerful resource for couples navigating this season together.Connect with Rachel: Website: RachelCartaRN.comInstagram: @peaceinperimenopauseGrab the Partner Communication Guide mentioned in this episode — it’s a free resource to help you start these conversations with more clarity and compassion.Get The Mood Shift Method to finally know what to do to navigate mood swings during perimenopause. More articles to check out regarding relationships and lower perimenopause symptoms: ➡️ Cacioppo & Cacioppo, Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2014➡️ Idiana HI et al., Menopause Research Journal, 2022;➡️ Tadayon et al., Journal of Midwifery & Reproductive Health, 2024