Harness Your Health

Charis Sederberg
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Alternative Health
  • Updated Weekly

Harness Your Health: Rebuilding Health from the Ground Up is a podcast for individuals and practitioners who feel overwhelmed by conflicting health advice and frustrated by approaches that focus on symptoms instead of systems. Hosted by former oncology nurse and holistic nutrition practitioner Charis Sederberg, this show helps listeners step back from quick fixes and rebuild health through foundational practices that support how the body is designed to heal. Through a balanced lens that bridges conventional medicine and holistic nutrition, each episode offers clarity, context, and practical steps to help you become the builder of your own wellness.

  1. 3d ago

    Foundations Series, Gut Part 2: How to Heal Leaky Gut: The Trifecta Behind Autoimmune Disease, Skin Issues, and a Gut Barrier That's Already Broken

    Having Hashimoto's in remission for seven years with clean bloodwork is not just luck. It's what happens when you treat leaky gut as a foundational issue instead of a side note. That's the lens I bring to this episode, and it's why I keep coming back to the gut barrier as the starting point for understanding so many conditions that seem completely unrelated to digestion. In this episode, Alex and I break down what the gut barrier actually is, how it gets compromised, and what you can realistically do about it. We talk through the cumulative effect of foods that cause leaky gut, from seed oils and emulsifiers to alcohol and NSAIDs. We also get into the autoimmune disease and gut health connection, including the trifecta of genetics, leaky gut, and stress that tends to set autoimmunity in motion, and why people with one autoimmune condition are at higher risk for a second. Alex is a nutrition student who brings a grounded, practical perspective to every conversation. Her questions throughout this episode push the discussion toward real-life application, which I think makes the science a lot easier to act on. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN: How leaky gut increases your risk of recurring food poisoning by allowing pathogens to bypass the mucosal immune response that a healthy barrier would handle silently (approx. 08:10) Why the gut barrier being just one cell layer thick means repeated exposure to seed oils, emulsifiers, NSAIDs, and alcohol gradually erodes your protection rather than one meal causing sudden damage (approx. 11:25) Why autoimmune disease and gut health are linked through a three-part trifecta of genetic predisposition, intestinal permeability, and a major stressor, and why having one autoimmune condition significantly raises the odds of developing a second (approx. 23:05) How bone broth supports the tight junctions in your gut barrier through its glutamine and collagen content, and why that support gets canceled out if you're still pouring fuel on the fire with inflammatory inputs (approx. 29:44) Why skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis can be traced back to LPS compounds from gram-negative gut bacteria leaking through a compromised barrier and triggering a whole-body immune response (approx. 35:05)   COMING UP IN THE FOUNDATIONS SERIES: Next week: Microbiome, Gut pt. 3 Week 5: Nervous System Week 6: Hormones And stay tuned for the rest, hormones, nervous system and going back to the basics with nutrition!  RESOURCES MENTIONED Health Foundations Assessment: https://foundations.primetonourish.com CONNECT AND SUPPORT THE SHOW Subscribe to the podcast for upcoming episodes on nutrition, digestion, nervous system regulation, and circadian health. To begin identifying your own healing priorities, visit Prime To Nourish (https://primetonourish.com/) and take the Health Foundations Assessment (https://foundations.primetonourish.com/).

  2. Jul 14

    Foundations Series, Gut Part 1: The North-to-South Framework for Heartburn, Bloating, and Regularity

    In this first episode of our series, I walk through the entire digestive process from north to south, explaining why each step sets up the next and why so many common symptoms like bloating after eating, heartburn, and irregular bowel movements trace back to what's happening in your mouth and stomach long before anything goes wrong further down the line. If you've ever wondered "why am I so bloated after eating?", or why certain foods seem to cause problems no matter what you cut out, this episode gives you the actual mechanism behind it. I'm joined by Alex, a nutrition student, and together we cover why elimination diets often fail to fix digestive issues long term, how your nervous system state at mealtime directly affects whether your stomach acid even activates, and why normal bowel movement frequency and stool consistency are more useful health indicators than most standard lab work. The smoothie story I share about a client with IBS who resolved her symptoms simply by slowing down how fast she drank is one of the clearest examples I have of how small, precise changes produce real results. Alex is a nutrition student with a keen interest in gut health and the digestive foundations that underpin overall wellness. She brings a curious, grounded perspective to these conversations that I think you'll enjoy throughout this series. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN: Why most people chew their food only 1 to 3 times per bite when 20 to 30 is what actually kicks off digestion (approx. 08:40) How one client's IBS symptoms disappeared the moment she started sipping her morning smoothie slowly instead of chugging it on the school run (approx. 11:50) Why bloating and burping right after a meal points to low stomach acid, and the specific nutrients — zinc, B12, B6, folate, magnesium — your body needs to make more of it (approx. 14:35) What a truly "complete" bowel movement looks like, and why tracking yours against the Bristol Stool Chart for two weeks reveals more than you'd expect (approx. 28:03) Why parasite and candida cleanses keep failing long-term if low stomach acid, not the parasite, is what let them take hold in the first place (approx. 30:41) Why a short walk beats a Tums after a heavy meal, and how cutting off eating by 7 PM changed her own next-morning bowel movements (approx. 33:30) COMING UP IN THE FOUNDATIONS SERIES: Next week: Leaky Gut, Gut pt. 2 Week 4: Microbiome, Gut pt. 3 And stay tuned for the rest, hormones, nervous system and going back to the basics with nutrition!  RESOURCES MENTIONED Health Foundations Assessment: https://foundations.primetonourish.com Bristol Stool Chart: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/bristol-stool-scale#healthy-bowel Mineral Episode with Desiree: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0HJWF95WBPo9PtSVCYSozb?si=4f70c09f889f4c44  CONNECT AND SUPPORT THE SHOW Subscribe to the podcast for upcoming episodes on nutrition, digestion, nervous system regulation, and circadian health. To begin identifying your own healing priorities, visit Prime To Nourish (https://primetonourish.com/) and take the Health Foundations Assessment (https://foundations.primetonourish.com/).

  3. Jul 7

    Foundations Series Kickoff: The Bookends Framework for Energy, Sleep, and Blood Sugar

    This is the first episode of our Foundations Series, four weeks of episodes covering the fundamentals of how your body actually works. This week we're laying the groundwork with the daily habits that govern your energy, hormones, and sleep. Over the next three weeks, we'll build on that with episodes on gut health, nervous system regulation, and hormones. I wanted this to feel like a real conversation, not a lecture, so I brought in my friend Alex to sit down with me and work through it together. Alex is a nutrition student, but she's not here as an expert, she's here as someone curious who asks the questions I want you to be asking too. The core of what we cover is the bookends framework I use with almost everyone I work with. Morning light and the cortisol cascade it triggers. Blood sugar and how a carb heavy breakfast sends you crashing before lunch. Evening eating windows and how late meals suppress your body's own melatonin production. It sounds simple, and it is. But most people are doing the opposite of all of it without realizing there's a specific hormonal reason they wake up tired, crash at 3 PM, and can't fall asleep at night. Once you understand what your body is actually asking for, the habits stop feeling like discipline and start feeling like alignment. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN: Why morning sunlight is the single most important habit for setting your energy, appetite, and sleep for the whole day (00:09:00) How a carb-only breakfast sends blood sugar from 80 to 150 and why that spike is what leaves you exhausted and hungry two hours later (00:21:00) Why you wake up tired even after a full night's sleep, and how your evening eating window is often the real cause (00:36:00) How eating fiber and protein before a sugary food blunts the blood sugar spike so a treat doesn't derail your afternoon (00:29:00) Why eating after 8 PM raises insulin and blocks your body's own melatonin production before bed (00:34:00) COMING UP IN THE FOUNDATIONS SERIES: Next week: Digestion, Gut pt.1 Week 3: Leaky Gut, Gut pt. 2 Week 4: Microbiome, Gut pt. 3 And stay tuned for the rest, hormones, nervous system and going back to the basics with nutrition!  RESOURCES MENTIONED: Health Foundations Assessment: https://foundations.primetonourish.com Bookends PDF Guide: https://www.primetonourish.com/bookends-support-tool CONNECT AND SUPPORT THE SHOW: Subscribe so you don't miss the rest of the Foundations Series. New episodes drop weekly. To begin identifying your own healing priorities, visit Prime To Nourish and take the Health Foundations Assessment.

  4. Jun 30

    Live Health Assessment: Circadian Health, SIBO, and Nervous System Regulation with Clarke

    Most people trying to fix their health are starting in the middle of the story. What Clarke's Health Foundations Assessment revealed is that his digestion wasn't actually the problem, it was a consequence. His circadian rhythm and nervous system regulation were quietly running the show, shaping everything from his morning energy to when he finally felt hungry enough to eat dinner at 9 PM. In this live assessment review, I sit down with Clarke to walk through his results and talk honestly about the habits that have been part of his routine for over a decade. We get into morning light exposure, the cortisol and appetite connection, why eating late disrupts sleep even when sleep feels fine, and how small, consistent shifts in daily rhythm can change the way your body responds to stress. Clarke brings a lot of self-awareness to this conversation, and I think you'll find his perspective on implementing these strategies genuinely relatable. Clarke was the first person to kick off my new series where real people walk through their actual results with me so you can see what this process looks like from the inside out, not just in theory. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN: Why a history of SIBO doesn't mean your digestion is broken, and what actual recovery tells you about your body's resilience (00:04:30) How morning light exposure sets your cortisol curve and why it's the foundational circadian rhythm tip most people skip (00:11:00) Why high cortisol during a busy workday suppresses appetite and sets up late-night overeating (00:22:00) How to down-regulate your nervous system before meals so your body can actually digest what you eat (00:25:00) Why you literally cannot have high melatonin when insulin is elevated, and what that means for sleep quality (00:19:30) RESOURCES MENTIONED Health Foundations Assessment: https://foundations.primetonourish.com CONNECT AND SUPPORT THE SHOW Subscribe to the podcast for upcoming episodes on nutrition, digestion, nervous system regulation, and circadian health. To begin identifying your own healing priorities, visit Prime To Nourish and take the Health Foundations Assessment.

  5. Jun 23

    Why Do I Feel Sick After Eating? Anna Kluver-Fensler, on IBS, Chronic Bloating, and Learning to Listen to Your Body

    Most people assume feeling sick after eating is just their normal. Anna Kluver-Fensler thought the same thing for years, until a Friday night pizza and beer left her convinced something was about to come ripping out of her stomach, and she finally couldn't ignore it anymore. In this episode, I sit down with Anna to walk through what her path actually looked like, from that first alarming episode to a Breckenridge trip where she felt bloated after every meal and couldn't enjoy a single margarita without brain fog hitting within 20 minutes. We talk about her IBS diagnosis, her decision to refuse medication, and how personalized nutrition coaching changed the way she understood her own body. What I love most about Anna's story is that it isn't a straight line. There were summers full of sugary canned cocktails, moments of sliding off track, and real-life situations where rigid rules would have set her up to quit entirely. We also get into alcohol and blood sugar, why chronic bloating causes vary so much from person to person, and why the goal was never perfection. Anna Kluver-Fensler is a client and longtime friend who has been doing this work for several years. She's also a wellness coach and former teacher who brings genuine curiosity and self-awareness to everything she does. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN: - Why bloating after every meal isn't something you just have to live with, and what finally pushed Anna to stop accepting her symptoms as normal (00:03:00) - How alcohol and blood sugar are connected, and why that one margarita made Anna feel horrible within 20 minutes (00:08:00) - Why chronic bloating causes look completely different from person to person, even when the symptoms seem identical (00:13:30) - How to stop thinking in "on or off the wagon" terms and build an approach that actually holds up through holidays, camping trips, and girls' nights (00:23:30) - Why adding foods in gradually works better than elimination for building a lasting healthy relationship with food (00:39:00) RESOURCES MENTIONED Health Foundations Assessment: https://foundations.primetonourish.com CONNECT AND SUPPORT THE SHOW Subscribe to the podcast for upcoming episodes on nutrition, digestion, nervous system regulation, and circadian health. To begin identifying your own healing priorities, visit Prime To Nourish and take the Health Foundations Assessment. Learn more about Anna and her walking journal.   https://www.lemonadelivingllc.com/

  6. Jun 16

    The Hair Mineral Test That Reveals What Blood Work Misses, featuring Desiree Reed

    What if the reason your bloodwork keeps coming back "normal" but you still feel exhausted, emotionally flat, and completely depleted isn't in your head... it's in your cells? Hair tissue mineral analysis looks at what's been happening on a cellular level for the last three to four months, and for a lot of high-achieving women, the picture it reveals is eye-opening. I sat down with Desiree Reed to talk about what HTMA actually is, how it differs from a standard blood test, and why so many driven, fitness-focused women are unknowingly running on empty. We get into the four main minerals the test measures, what heavy metal detox symptoms can signal about displacement, and the calcium shell pattern that shows up when the body has been under prolonged stress. We also have a real conversation about intermittent fasting for women and hormones, and why skipping breakfast has quietly become an excuse that feels virtuous but makes everything worse for women with dysregulated energy. Whether you've heard of a hair mineral test before or this is brand new, this episode gives you a grounded, practical look at what your minerals are actually telling you. Desiree Reed is a former nurse with a master's in nursing and a newly completed master's in clinical nutrition, as well as a certified nutritional therapy practitioner at RR Integrative Nutrition. She specializes in functional lab testing, with HTMA as a cornerstone of her practice, and works with high-achieving busy women to uncover the root causes behind fatigue, burnout, and the symptoms that conventional testing keeps missing. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN: Why a hair tissue mineral analysis captures what blood tests miss, and what "normal" labs actually mean for your body's mineral reserves. (10:30) What magnesium deficiency signs look like on an HTMA test, and why high or low readings don't mean what most people think. (13:30) How the calcium shell pattern connects emotional numbness, zero motivation, and relentless gym attendance to a stress response happening below the surface. (20:30) Why intermittent fasting and skipping breakfast can backfire for women with depleted minerals and dysregulated hormones. (28:30) How a client with severe chronic constipation finally got resolution after years of work, once her minerals were properly addressed. (33:30) RESOURCES MENTIONED Desiree Reed on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desiree.reednutrition Work with Desiree at RR Integrative Nutrition: https://www.rrintegrativenutrition.com Jensen Schoonover's HTMA Course (Test Don't Guess): https://prime2nourish--testdontguess.thrivecart.com/instant-htma-professional-work/  Health Foundations Assessment: https://foundations.primetonourish.com Connect & Support the Show: Subscribe to the podcast for upcoming episodes on nutrition, digestion, nervous system regulation, and circadian health. To begin identifying your own healing priorities, visit Prime To Nourish and take the Health Foundations Assessment. *Contains Affiliate Links*

  7. Jun 9

    How to Increase GLP-1 Naturally (Before Reaching for the Shot) with Stephanie Flores

    What if the reason you can't stop eating, can't lose weight, and feel exhausted all the time isn't a willpower problem, it's that your body has stopped producing one of its most powerful metabolic hormones? Your body already makes GLP-1 naturally, and there's a good chance you can get it working again without a prescription. I sat down with Stephanie Flores to talk about what GLP-1 actually is, a hormone your body already makes in the gut, and why so many women are seeing diminished natural production without realizing it. Stephanie and I walk through the foundational strategies that support your body's own GLP-1 output: rebuilding the microbiome with fiber and fermented foods for gut health, protecting muscle with adequate protein and strength training for women over 40, and managing the cortisol load that quietly suppresses it all. We also address Ozempic constipation and other GI side effects head-on, explaining why people with pre-existing digestive issues need extra support, and what to actually do about it. Whether you're on a GLP-1 medication, considering it, or just trying to get your metabolism working better, this episode gives you a clear starting point. Stephanie Flores is a holistic nutrition therapist and health coach at Rooted & Radiant who specializes in helping women succeed on GLP-1 medications while protecting their muscle and metabolism. She works with clients to reduce side effects and build the kind of sustainable habits that produce results whether they're on the medication or not.   In This Episode, You'll Learn: - Why GLP-1 is a hormone your body already produces, and how the synthetic version differs from your natural one (11:30) - How Ozempic constipation and other GI symptoms happen, and why pre-existing slow digestion makes it worse (14:00) - What Akkermansia is, why it acts like a VIP in your gut lining, and how fermented foods for gut health help feed it (19:30) - How to increase GLP-1 naturally through fiber, protein, walks after meals, and stress reduction — before turning to medication (38:30) - Why eating at least 25 to 30 grams of protein at breakfast makes a measurable difference in cravings and energy (33:00) - How bloating causes signal a depleted microbiome, and why gradually increasing fiber is the right first move (39:00) - Why strength training for women over 40 is non-negotiable on a GLP-1, and what else to have in place to prevent muscle loss and rebound weight gain (45:00) Resources Mentioned: Stephanie Flores on Instagram: @stephaniefloreswellness Rooted & Radiant Coaching Services Overview: LINK HERE Health Foundations Assessment: https://foundations.primetonourish.com Connect & Support the Show: Subscribe to the podcast for upcoming episodes on nutrition, digestion, nervous system regulation, and circadian health. To begin identifying your own healing priorities, visit Prime To Nourish and take the Health Foundations Assessment.

  8. Jun 2

    Why You're Still Puffy and Foggy (And What Your Lymphatic System Has to Do With It) with Leah Levitan

    What if the reason you still feel puffy, foggy, and exhausted has little to do with your diet or your supplements, and everything to do with a system in your body you've barely heard of? If you've tried a lot and still feel stuck, this episode is for you. I sat down with Leah Levitan to talk about what the lymphatic system actually does, how to recognize the signs of sluggish lymphatic flow, and what you can do about it starting tomorrow morning. Leah walks through lymph node locations throughout the body and explains the difference between lymphedema and lipedema, then introduces the Big Six, a free, at-home lymphatic drainage routine you can do in your pajamas. From there we get into the nervous system connection: why chronic stress tightens the very vessels that need to stay open, and why doing less is sometimes the most healing thing you can do. It's a practical, grounded, and insight-rich conversation. Leah Levitan is a lymphatic therapist, educator, and founder of the Lymph Love Club, a global self-care community helping women understand the connection between the lymphatic system, fascia, the nervous system, and chronic inflammation. Through her clinical work and online education, she's built a reputation for making complex body science feel accessible, hopeful, and genuinely useful. In This Episode, You'll Learn: What the lymphatic system actually does and why a third of your lymph nodes in the abdomen are so important for digestion (8:10) How to recognize sluggish lymphatic system symptoms including brain fog, morning puffiness, swollen nodes, and ankle heaviness (14:30) Why everyday movement, not gym sessions, is what actually keeps lymph flowing (20:00) How to do the Big Six, a simple daily routine for lymphatic drainage at home, for free (25:00) Why chronic stress causes vasoconstriction and directly slows lymphatic flow (31:40) How the "I'm Back" technique from Josh Paez's book can help regulate your nervous system in real time (41:40) What the Lymph Love Club is and how to join a community focused on lymphatic massage benefits, fascia, and nervous system healing (45:00) Resources Mentioned: Lymph Love Club (website): https://www.lymphloveclub.com Lymph Love Club (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/lymphloveclub/ Lymph Love Club (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/@lymphloveclub Health Foundations Assessment: https://foundations.primetonourish.com Connect & Support the Show: Subscribe to the podcast for upcoming episodes on nutrition, digestion, nervous system regulation, and circadian health. To begin identifying your own healing priorities, visit Prime To Nourish and take the Health Foundations Assessment.

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Harness Your Health: Rebuilding Health from the Ground Up is a podcast for individuals and practitioners who feel overwhelmed by conflicting health advice and frustrated by approaches that focus on symptoms instead of systems. Hosted by former oncology nurse and holistic nutrition practitioner Charis Sederberg, this show helps listeners step back from quick fixes and rebuild health through foundational practices that support how the body is designed to heal. Through a balanced lens that bridges conventional medicine and holistic nutrition, each episode offers clarity, context, and practical steps to help you become the builder of your own wellness.

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