The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition

Reed Davis

We bring you interviews from people who have conquered the trickiest of health challenges using the Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Philosophy and similar healing modalities. You’ll hear from experts who have been through the wringer with their health issues, and yet managed to come out on the other side. If you are interested in natural healing and/or functional medicine, this is the podcast for you! Visit www.functionaldiagnosticnutrition.com to learn more about the Functional Diagnostic Nutrition program.

  1. 13 hr ago

    GLP-1s for Weight Loss & Metabolic Health: Benefits, Risks & Practitioner Guidance | Brandy Buskow

    What happens when weight loss becomes about more than the number on the scale? In this episode of the Health Detective Podcast, Michele Scarlet sits down with FDNP Brandy Buskow for an honest conversation about GLP-1 medications, obesity, metabolic health, gut health, weight loss, and the role of Functional Diagnostic Nutrition practitioners in supporting clients through this changing health landscape. Brandy shares her personal journey with lifelong obesity, severe IBS, anxiety, digestive issues, and years of trying diets and other approaches to lose weight. After discovering Functional Diagnostic Nutrition and improving many aspects of her health, she still struggled to lose weight and maintain it. By 2024, she was dealing with elevated fasting insulin, rising blood pressure, sleep apnea, and concerns about following the same path of diabetes, cancer, and heart disease she had seen in her family. That led her to discuss GLP-1 medication with her healthcare provider. Brandy explains how GLP-1 signaling works, including its connection to appetite, fullness, digestion, blood sugar, and the gut. She also shares what it was like to experience less “food noise” and why her gradual weight loss has involved much more than medication alone. The conversation then turns to an important question for Functional Medicine practitioners, FDN practitioners, and health coaches: how can they responsibly support clients who are using or considering GLP-1s? Michele and Brandy discuss practitioner scope, medication dosing, referrals, ethics, nutrition, movement, sleep, muscle maintenance, body image, and the mental-emotional side of sustainable change. They also explore the risks of gray-market and black-market peptides, misinformation, unrealistic expectations, and the importance of working with qualified prescribers. If you're interested in GLP-1 weight loss, metabolic health, obesity, food noise, gut health, Functional Medicine, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition, health coaching, or responsible practitioner education, this episode offers practical perspective on using GLP-1s as a tool while keeping long-term health and client support at the center. GLP-1 Practitioner Week | September 14–18 Your clients are already asking about GLP-1s. Make sure you’re equipped to support them knowledgeably, responsibly, and within your scope. Join GLP-1 Practitioner Week FREE: http://www.fdntraining.com/glp1 Use code 'GLP1' at checkout. Educational content only. Medication decisions, including whether to start, stop, or change a dose, should be made with a qualified prescribing healthcare professional.

  2. 3 Sept

    Emotional Eating, Self-Worth & Mindset Healing | How Your Mind Impacts Cortisol & Gut Health with Amber Romaniuk

    What if lasting physical healing requires more than changing what you eat or taking another supplement? In this episode of the Health Detective Podcast, Michele Scarlet sits down with Amber Romaniuk, an emotional eating, digestive, and hormone expert, to explore the powerful connection between mindset, self-worth, emotional healing, nervous system regulation, gut health, hormone health, and physical wellbeing. Amber shares her deeply personal health transformation, including her experiences with food addiction, binge eating, bulimia, emotional eating, body image struggles, self-sabotage, and tying her self-worth to her weight and appearance. She explains how years of negative self-talk, unworthiness, stress, and difficulty processing emotions influenced her relationship with food and her body. The conversation explores why mindset work can be an important part of a broader root cause healing approach and why supporting the gut, hormones, blood sugar, and nervous system while doing emotional and mindset work may create more capacity for lasting change. Michele and Amber discuss nervous system dysregulation, cortisol, gut dysfunction, hormone imbalance, emotional triggers, perfectionism, people pleasing, boundaries, self-love, inner child healing, and the importance of learning to trust your own body and intuition. They also explore the difference between simply checking wellness practices off a list and actually becoming connected to what your body needs. Amber shares practical tools including conscious breathing, journaling, tapping, movement, sunlight, grounding, and learning to pause before making decisions. Most importantly, this episode is about empowerment: understanding that healing is not a quick fix or a one-time protocol. It is an ongoing process of building awareness, rewiring old patterns, developing self-worth, regulating the nervous system, and learning to work with your body rather than against it. If you are interested in emotional eating, food addiction, mindset healing, gut health, hormone health, nervous system regulation, self-worth, body image, functional health, functional medicine, root cause healing, or holistic health, this conversation offers a powerful perspective on the deeper side of health transformation. GLP-1 Practitioner Week | September 14–18 Your clients are already asking about GLP-1s. Make sure you’re equipped to support them knowledgeably, responsibly, and within your scope. Join GLP-1 Practitioner Week FREE: http://www.fdntraining.com/glp1 Use code 'GLP1' at checkout.

  3. 27 Aug

    GLP-1s & Peptide Therapy: Weight Loss, Food Noise, Metabolic Health & Longevity | Laura Young

    GLP-1 medications and peptide therapy are everywhere right now, but are they simply weight loss tools, or is there more to the conversation? In this episode of the Health Detective Podcast, Michele Scarlet sits down with holistic health practitioner Laura Young to discuss GLP-1s, peptide therapy, metabolic health, food noise, inflammation, healthy aging, and the importance of building strong health foundations first. Laura shares her own experience using GLP-1 peptides after struggling with metabolic changes following pregnancy, including how reducing food noise changed her relationship with hunger and helped support her weight loss goals. They discuss: How GLP-1s work alongside nutrition, movement, sleep, and lifestyle Food noise, cravings, hunger, and metabolic health Why GLP-1s should not be viewed as a magic fix Potential GLP-1 side effects Muscle loss and the importance of strength training and protein Peptide therapy beyond weight loss Inflammation, recovery, mitochondrial health, and healthy aging Why bioindividuality matters when considering any health intervention How to become a more informed advocate for your own health Whether you're curious about Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, GLP-1 medications, peptide therapy, weight loss, insulin resistance, or longevity, this conversation explores the bigger picture behind one of the fastest-growing areas in health and wellness. GLP-1 Practitioner Week | September 14–18 Your clients are already asking about GLP-1s. Make sure you’re equipped to support them knowledgeably, responsibly, and within your scope. Join GLP-1 Practitioner Week FREE: http://www.fdntraining.com/glp1 Use code 'GLP1' at checkout CONNECT WITH LAURA lytotalwellness@gmail.com https://www.totalwellnessolutions.com MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice or to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Discussion of medications, peptides, supplements, or other therapies does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting, stopping, or changing any medication, peptide, supplement, or treatment.

  4. 20 Aug

    Red Light Therapy & Infrared Sauna Benefits for Inflammation, Detox & Lyme Disease | Robby Besner

    What are the real benefits of red light therapy and infrared saunas, and how could infrared therapy support detoxification, inflammation, pain, recovery, and overall cellular health? In this episode of the Health Detective Podcast, Michele Scarlet sits down with Robby Besner, Chief Science Officer and co-founder of Therasage, whose work with infrared technology began after his teenage daughter was diagnosed with Lyme disease. Robby shares his daughter’s Lyme disease journey, the limitations they experienced with conventional treatment, and why he began researching infrared therapy as another way to support her quality of life. They also explore: • Red light therapy vs. infrared therapy • Near, mid, and far infrared wavelengths • Infrared sauna benefits and how often to use one • Infrared therapy for inflammation, pain, and recovery • Detoxification and supporting the body's elimination pathways • Why consistency matters more than having the “perfect” wellness routine • Full-body infrared saunas vs. targeted infrared pads • How sunlight, nature, and infrared may influence cellular health • Taking a more active role in your own health journey Robby also shares how his daughter’s experience ultimately became the catalyst for his mission to make infrared technology more accessible to people looking for additional ways to support their health. If you are interested in red light therapy, infrared sauna benefits, Lyme disease, detoxification, inflammation, holistic health, or functional medicine, this conversation offers a fascinating look at the story and philosophy behind infrared therapy. GLP-1 Practitioner Week | September 14–18 Your clients are already asking about GLP-1s. Make sure you’re equipped to support them knowledgeably, responsibly, and within your scope. Join GLP-1 Practitioner Week FREE: http://www.fdntraining.com/glp1 Use code 'GLP1' at checkout Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information shared is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare professional regarding your individual health needs.

  5. 13 Aug

    Chronic Bloating & Constipation | What Functional Lab Testing Can Reveal with Chandra Marin

    What if you’ve spent years being told that everything is “normal,” while your body is telling you something completely different? In this episode of the Health Detective Podcast, Michele Scarlet sits down with Chandra Marin, a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, to explore her decades-long journey with chronic symptoms, digestive dysfunction, brain fog, anxiety, fatigue, and unexplained health challenges. Chandra’s story began in her teens with severe constipation, episodes of passing out, chronic headaches, painful periods, and a feeling that her metabolism simply wasn’t working like everyone else’s. After contracting West Nile virus, her energy declined even further, making exercise, hiking, dancing, and everyday activities increasingly difficult. For years, conventional testing continued to come back “normal,” while her symptoms persisted. Everything changed when Chandra discovered Functional Diagnostic Nutrition and Functional Lab Testing. Instead of relying on generic advice, she finally received personalized information about what was happening inside her body. Testing revealed significant gut dysfunction, food sensitivities, bacterial imbalance, digestive issues, and other areas requiring support. One of the biggest turning points came from identifying foods her body was reacting to. Within about three weeks of following a personalized food-sensitivity-based protocol, her severe bloating and gas dramatically improved, her stomach felt normal, her energy began returning, and she lost 10–12 pounds. Chandra also shares how personalized healing protocols, metabolic typing, hormone support, and a deeper understanding of her nervous system helped improve her energy, concentration, mood, anxiety, and brain fog. Most importantly, this conversation explores the emotional side of chronic health challenges, including losing hope, gaslighting yourself, feeling ashamed, and eventually learning to trust your body again. Discover why Chandra believes your body is not the enemy, it is the authority, and why becoming your own “health detective” can be the beginning of a completely different relationship with your health. GLP-1 Practitioner Week | September 14–18 Your clients are already asking about GLP-1s. Make sure you’re equipped to support them knowledgeably, responsibly, and within your scope. Join GLP-1 Practitioner Week FREE: http://www.fdntraining.com/glp1 Use code 'GLP1' at checkout If you’re interested in Functional Medicine, Functional Nutrition, Root Cause Healing, Gut Health, Functional Diagnostics, or personalized health transformation, this episode offers an honest and deeply personal perspective on finding answers and reclaiming your life. CONNECT WITH CHANDRA chandra.marin@gmail.com ⚠️ DISCLAIMER This content is for education only and is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes.

  6. 6 Aug

    Functional Lab Testing, Metabolic Health & the 100-Pound Transformation | Lori Balue

    What if sustainable weight loss isn't about eating less, but about fixing what's happening beneath the surface? In this inspiring episode of the Health Detective Podcast, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner (FDN-P) Lori Balue shares how she transformed her health after decades of obesity, Metabolic Dysfunction, PCOS, Prediabetes, Depression, Anxiety, Chronic Inflammation, asthma, and failed dieting. Despite trying countless calorie-restricted diets, lasting results only came after addressing the hidden stressors driving her body's dysfunction. Lori explains how Functional Diagnostic Nutrition, Functional Lab Testing, and a Root Cause Healing approach helped uncover the underlying factors affecting her metabolism. Through Food Sensitivity Testing, GI-MAP analysis, HTMA mineral testing, metabolic typing, nervous system support, circadian rhythm optimization, and personalized nutrition, she developed a Functional Wellness strategy that ultimately helped her lose more than 100 pounds and maintain her results. During this conversation, Michele and Lori discuss why Metabolic Health is about far more than calories. They explore how chronic inflammation, Food Sensitivities, Gut Health, insulin resistance, protein intake, Blood Sugar regulation, Nervous System balance, and personalized Healing Protocols influence long-term health, body composition, and healthy aging. Lori also shares how removing inflammatory trigger foods, improving Gut Function, supporting Hormone Balance, restoring mineral status, and prioritizing protein transformed her energy, eliminated chronic asthma symptoms, reduced joint pain, improved mobility, and allowed her to confidently hike challenging mountain trails well into her sixties. Whether you're struggling with Weight Gain, PCOS, Prediabetes, Chronic Inflammation, Gut Dysfunction, Food Reactions, Metabolic Dysfunction, or simply want to optimize your health through Functional Medicine, Functional Nutrition, and evidence-based lifestyle strategies, this episode offers practical insights and real hope that lasting Health Transformation is possible at any age. ______________________________________ GLP-1 Practitioner Week | September 14–18 Your clients are already asking about GLP-1s. Make sure you’re equipped to support them knowledgeably, responsibly, and within your scope. Join GLP-1 Practitioner Week FREE: http://www.fdntraining.com/glp1 Use code 'GLP1' at checkout ______________________________________   Subscribe to the Health Detective Podcast for more conversations on Functional Health, Root Cause Medicine, Functional Diagnostics, Healthy Aging, and natural strategies for lifelong wellness. ⚠️ DISCLAIMER This content is for education only and is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes.

  7. 31 Jul

    Bloating, Gas And H. Pylori: What A GI Map Test Reveals | Jaime Dadd

    In this episode of the Health Detective Podcast, Michele Scarlet sits down with recent FDN graduate Jaime Dadd to unpack what a GI Map test finally revealed after a lifetime of guessing: H. pylori, low pancreatic elastase, bacterial overgrowth, and gut inflammation that had likely been building since her teenage years. In this episode: Why bloating and gas on a clean diet almost always point somewhere deeper than food What low stomach acid looks like decades before anyone connects the dots How ten rounds of antibiotics for recurring mastitis reshaped her gut What her GI Map, MRT, and cortisol results actually showed The blood sugar and inflammation thread running through her whole story Her breast cancer diagnosis at 45, and the shame that came with being "the healthy one" Why healthy on paper and healthy in your labs are not the same thing Six months after running her own labs and following her protocol, the gas is gone, the headaches are gone, and the afternoon crash is gone. Connect with Jaime Instagram: @functionally_well_with_jaime GLP-1 Practitioner Week | September 14–18 Your clients are already asking about GLP-1s. Make sure you’re equipped to support them knowledgeably, responsibly, and within your scope. Join GLP-1 Practitioner Week FREE: http://www.fdntraining.com/glp1 Use code 'GLP1' at checkout         Medical disclaimer This episode is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. FDN Practitioners do not diagnose or treat disease. They investigate, coach, guide, and address underlying imbalances. Always consult your licensed healthcare provider before making changes to your health protocol.

  8. 23 Jul

    The Root Causes Behind Hormone Imbalance, Gut Issues & HPA Axis Dysfunction | Betsy Stevenson

    What happens when every medical test comes back "normal," yet your body is telling you something is seriously wrong? In this powerful episode of the Health Detective Podcast, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner (FDN Practitioner) Betsy Stevenson shares her remarkable journey through years of unexplained neurological symptoms that mimicked mini-strokes, debilitating fatigue, digestive dysfunction, insomnia, hormone imbalance, and overwhelming burnout. Despite extensive medical testing, including MRIs, heart evaluations, CT scans, blood work, and specialist visits, she was repeatedly told everything looked normal. Everything changed when Functional Lab Testing revealed profound HPA Axis dysfunction, extremely low cortisol, disrupted hormone health, impaired detox pathways, and deeper physiological imbalances that conventional testing had overlooked. Betsy explains how discovering Functional Diagnostic Nutrition, a true Health Detective approach, helped uncover the hidden stressors driving her chronic health challenges. Together, Michele and Betsy explore why Root Cause Healing requires more than symptom management. They discuss the importance of Functional Medicine, Functional Diagnostics, personalized healing protocols, metabolic typing, nervous system regulation, lifestyle changes, restorative sleep, stress reduction, and bio-individual nutrition. Betsy also shares how improving Gut Health through comprehensive testing uncovered IBS, colitis, bacterial imbalances, Candida, and digestive dysfunction, allowing her to rebuild health from the inside out. This conversation highlights why Holistic Health means treating the entire body as an interconnected system rather than focusing on isolated symptoms. If you've been struggling with Chronic Fatigue, Brain Fog, Hormone Issues, Digestive Problems, Food Sensitivities, Bloating, Blood Sugar instability, Metabolic Dysfunction, Burnout, or have been told your labs are "normal" despite feeling unwell, this episode offers hope, education, and practical insight into a different path forward. Whether you're searching for Natural Healing, considering working with an FDN Practitioner, exploring Functional Nutrition, or looking for answers beyond conventional medicine, Betsy's story demonstrates how identifying hidden dysfunction can create lasting Health Transformation. _________________________________ GLP-1 Practitioner Week | September 14–18 Your clients are already asking about GLP-1s. Make sure you’re equipped to support them knowledgeably, responsibly, and within your scope. Join GLP-1 Practitioner Week FREE: http://www.fdntraining.com/glp1 Use code 'GLP1' at checkout __________________________________ CONNECT WITH BETSY Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/functionallybalancedwithbetsy/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Functionally-Balanced-with-Betsy-LLC-61578846883630/   Subscribe, follow, and share the Health Detective Podcast for more expert conversations on Functional Health, Root Cause Medicine, Practitioner Education, and evidence-informed strategies for lifelong wellness. ⚠️ DISCLAIMER This content is for education only and is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes.

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

We bring you interviews from people who have conquered the trickiest of health challenges using the Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Philosophy and similar healing modalities. You’ll hear from experts who have been through the wringer with their health issues, and yet managed to come out on the other side. If you are interested in natural healing and/or functional medicine, this is the podcast for you! Visit www.functionaldiagnosticnutrition.com to learn more about the Functional Diagnostic Nutrition program.

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