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

Rachel Carta, RN
  • 5.0 (10)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

Living Inspired is a podcast for women who feel overwhelmed by their health, frustrated by normal lab results, and are looking for a calmer, more grounded way to feel better. Hosted by Rachel Carta, RN, Functional Nutrition Counselor, and Life Coach, this podcast explores women’s health through a functional, root-cause approach. We talk about fatigue, stress, hormonal changes, sleep issues, metabolism, and chronic symptoms, and how small, sustainable changes can restore energy and build resilience—without quick fixes or rigid protocols. Learn More: RachelCartaRN.com IG: @peaceinperimenopause

  1. 17h ago

    100. Surviving Your Life, or Living It

    You're doing all the things you've always done, and somehow your body is pushing back anyway. You're tired in a way sleep doesn't touch, reactive over things that never used to rattle you, moving so fast that whole days disappear before you've actually been inside any of them. You keep telling yourself you'll slow down once everything calms down and everyone else is taken care of. This is episode 100 of the Living Inspired Podcast, and instead of a guest, Rachel sits down to reflect on what 100 episodes, two decades with women, and the last three nights of her father's life have taught her about the difference between surviving your life and actually living it. If you've forgotten what it feels like to be fully present in your own days, this one was made for you. Key Takeaways Your symptoms are rarely the problem. They are your body's response to a load that's been building for years, and that means they can be read and answered rather than only silenced. Your body was always paying the price. Midlife is simply the season it stops letting you defer the bill, which is information, not a verdict. Living inspired means living at a pace your body and soul can actually sustain, and slowing down enough to notice you are alive now, not eventually. Rachel's Free Resources: Mood Swings? Get the 5 minute audio to calm them now. https://rachelcartarn.com/sos Do 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. Ready to Talk: Book a Clarity & Relief Session here.

    24 min

  2. May 29

    99. Why Your Cravings Aren't a Willpower Problem

    You've made it through the day. You ate well, you stayed focused, you held it together. And then the evening comes and something shifts. Suddenly you're standing in your kitchen reaching for bread, or something sweet, or anything that will quiet the noise. You tell yourself you'll do better tomorrow. But tomorrow looks exactly the same. If this is your life right now, this episode is going to explain something nobody has taken the time to tell you: your cravings have a physiological root cause, and willpower was never the solution. In This Episode Blood sugar mechanics and why refined carbohydrates trigger a craving cycle that feels nearly impossible to break Cortisol, sleep deprivation, and the direct connection between a hard night and a carb-heavy next day Insulin resistance, what it actually means, and why it makes cravings more intense even when you're eating enough The brain chemistry behind why sugar temporarily calms a stressed nervous system, and what that means for women who think they're "just emotional eaters" The gut microbiome's role in what you reach for and why certain imbalances can make sugar cravings feel relentless The fat, fiber, protein principle Rachel teaches every client and why it's the most consistent shift she sees make a real difference Why restrictive dieting keeps failing and what your body is actually asking for instead Resources Website: RachelCartaRN.com  Instagram: @peaceinperimenopause Rachel's Free Resources: 1. Mood Swings? Get the 5 minute audio to calm them now. https://rachelcartarn.com/sos 2. Do 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. 3. Ready to Talk: Book a Clarity & Relief Session here.

    16 min

  3. May 23

    98. Mud Before Wings: What Nobody Told You About the Woman You're Becoming

    You've done the labs. Everything looks normal. But you still don't feel like yourself and nobody has been able to tell you why. In this episode, Rachel sits down with Dr. Ellen Albertson, psychologist, self-compassion researcher, and the Midlife Whisperer, to talk about what is actually happening in your body and mind during perimenopause and why feeling lost in this season doesn't mean something is wrong. It means you're becoming. Dr. Ellen introduces the dragonfly as a metaphor for midlife — the nymph stage, the murky water, the slow and often uncomfortable process of transforming into something with 360-degree vision and the freedom to fly. This conversation is for any woman who has felt dismissed, confused, or quietly exhausted by a season of life nobody prepared her for. In this episode: Why your operating system is updating and what that actually means in your brain and bodyThe estrogen veil: what happens when it lifts and why so many women finally say "enough"Why we cannot put everything in the perimenopause bucket and what else to look atThe three elements of self-compassion and why the research says it changes your health, not just your mindsetDestination vibration: how to access the felt sense of feeling well even when you're not there yetWhy self-care is not a spa day and what it actually looks like when your nervous system needs supportHuman design, the dragonfly framework, and understanding your unique wiring in midlife Key Takeaways: Your symptoms are not a malfunction. They are a recalibration.Self-compassion is a muscle. The more you practice treating yourself like a good friend, the more your relationship with yourself changes.Small hinges swing big doors. You don't need an overhaul. You need to find the one or two things creating the most drag and start there. Resources: Dr. Ellen Albertson: themidlifewhisper.comInstagram: @the_midlife_whisper Rachel Carta: RachelCartaRN.comInstagram: @peaceandperimenopause Rachel's Free Resources: Mood Swings? Get the 5 minute audio to calm them now. https://rachelcartarn.com/sos Do 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.

    44 min

  4. May 18

    97. The Hidden Cost of Urgency in Midlife

    If you’ve been feeling more overwhelmed, emotionally reactive, mentally exhausted, or disconnected from yourself lately, this episode is for you. And no, I don’t think it’s “just hormones.” In this conversation, I’m talking about something I see constantly with women in midlife: the hidden cost of living in a constant state of internal urgency. Everything feels important.Everything feels immediate.Everyone needs something. Over time, the nervous system starts treating life like one ongoing emergency, and eventually that pressure impacts far more than stress levels. It affects sleep, digestion, hormones, focus, emotional regulation, energy, and your ability to actually feel present in your own life. Inside this episode, I share a powerful framework from one of my Root & Rise coaching calls that helps explain why so many women feel emotionally overloaded all the time, even when they’re “doing all the right things.” We talk about: Why many women are not just tired, but stuck in chronic reaction mode The connection between nervous system overload and midlife symptoms How urgency quietly steals peace, fulfillment, and emotional capacity The difference between what feels urgent and what actually moves your life forward Why many healing practices get abandoned first when life gets busy The four zones that shape how you feel every day Simple ways to reduce mental overload and create more nervous system safety This episode is not about becoming less responsible or getting everything perfectly balanced. It’s about recognizing that many women have spent years operating from pressure and reaction, and that healing often begins by slowing down enough to become more intentional again. Because peace does not come from getting everything done. Peace comes from learning what really matters. If this episode resonated with you, send it to a woman who feels like she’s carrying the weight of everything right now. And if you enjoyed this conversation, I’d love for you to leave a review or share the episode on Instagram and tag me at @peaceinperimenopause. Learn more about working with me:⁠ RachelCartaRN.com⁠

    36 min

  5. May 8

    96. Burnout In Midlife: Why Your Body Is Pushing Back

    If you’ve been feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, emotionally reactive, wired but tired, or like your body suddenly isn’t responding the way it used to, this episode is for you. In this powerful conversation, I sit down with functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner and HTMA expert Dori Martin to talk about what burnout really is, why so many women in midlife feel stuck in survival mode, and how chronic stress impacts everything from hormones and sleep to energy, mood, and healing capacity. We talk about the hidden emotional and physiological load many women are carrying, especially in midlife, and why symptoms are often connected instead of random. This episode is not about doing more. It’s about understanding what your body has been trying to tell you. Inside this conversation, we discuss: why midlife often feels like “everything stopped working” the connection between burnout, nervous system stress, and hormone symptoms how your body prioritizes survival over repair why so many women feel exhausted even when they’re trying everything the role of mitochondria and energy production why women in midlife often feel stuck in fight or flight the emotional load of caregiving, perfectionism, and over-functioning simple shifts that can help your body feel safer and more supported why sunlight, hydration, breathing, and slowing down matter more than people realize Dori also shares her personal story of caregiving, chronic stress, and burnout, and we talk honestly about the shame many women feel when their bodies can no longer keep up with the pace they’ve been forcing themselves to maintain. Resources: Learn more about Dori Martin: https://dorimartin.com Follow Rachel on Instagram: https://instagram.com/peaceinperimenopause Learn more about working with Rachel: https://RachelCartaRN.com Living Inspired Podcast Episode 7: Meditation for Stress Relief Living Inspired Podcast Episode 12: Medication to Just Be Living Inspired Podcast Episode 37: Feel Stress Release Now If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who needs this conversation right now, and if you haven’t yet, I’d be so grateful if you left a review for the podcast.

    54 min

  6. May 2

    95. You’re Not Crazy. Your Body Is Trying to Tell You Something

    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 changes why hormones are part of the story, but not the whole story how stress, blood sugar, inflammation, and the nervous system all play a role what it actually looks like to make small shifts that create meaningful change Amanda 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.

    24 min

  7. Apr 27

    94. Lifestyle Medicine: How Daily Habits Shape Your Health and Long-Term Disease Risk

    In this conversation with Dr. Ann Hester, we talk about what’s missing in traditional healthcare, and why lifestyle is not just a side note, but a major driver of how you feel day to day. This isn’t about doing everything perfectly or overhauling your life overnight. It’s about understanding how your daily habits are shaping your energy, your hormones, your inflammation, and your long-term health in ways most people have never been taught to look at. We also talk about why change feels hard, even when you know what to do, and how small, consistent shifts can create meaningful results without overwhelm. What We Cover The gap in medical training around nutrition and lifestyle How daily habits impact hormones, energy, and inflammation The role of lifestyle medicine in long-term health Why change feels hard (and what actually works instead) How to start making small, sustainable shifts Your body is responding to what you do every single day. When you understand that, you stop chasing fixes and start seeing patterns. Resources Mentioned Dr. Ann Hester’s website: https://ptrreset.com Take the Survey: Click Here. If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear what stood out. You can send me a message on Instagram:👉 https://instagram.com/peaceinperimenopause Or explore more resources here:👉 https://rachelcartaRN.com

    44 min

  8. Apr 17

    93. Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late to Live Your Life

    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@peaceinperimenopause I’d love to hear from you. What stood out to you the most? What are you changing in your life? Email: rachel@rachelcartarn.com Send 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.

    27 min
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5
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About

Living Inspired is a podcast for women who feel overwhelmed by their health, frustrated by normal lab results, and are looking for a calmer, more grounded way to feel better. Hosted by Rachel Carta, RN, Functional Nutrition Counselor, and Life Coach, this podcast explores women’s health through a functional, root-cause approach. We talk about fatigue, stress, hormonal changes, sleep issues, metabolism, and chronic symptoms, and how small, sustainable changes can restore energy and build resilience—without quick fixes or rigid protocols. Learn More: RachelCartaRN.com IG: @peaceinperimenopause

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