The Functional Aesthetician

Dr. Samantha Dench
  • 5.0 (25)
  • Alternative Health

Functional medicine practitioner and licensed esthetician Dr. Samantha Dench helps women 40+ get to the root cause of what’s going on with their gut, hormones, and skin. Each week, we go beyond surface-level fixes and "normal labs" to understand what your body has been trying to tell you all along. Real healing starts with understanding why, not just masking symptoms.

  1. 1d ago

    His Heart Failure Was “Permanent” Then Everything Changed

    Kerry was told his congestive heart failure was permanent and would only get worse. He reversed it along with a lifelong irregular heartbeat, crippling depression, and years of chronic pain, using nothing but a carnivore diet.  In this episode, Kerry shares his health collapse, the YouTube video that changed everything, and how that same healing spread to his family and people around the world.  We also talk about his upcoming documentary, Healing Humanity, premiering October 23, which follows real people healing chronic disease through food. In this Episode, You’ll Learn: Kerry’s health decline: he was overweight, suffered from IBS, crippling depression, and congestive heart failure The YouTube video that changed everythingHow his sleep apnea, brain fog, and stomach issues started resolving within weeksThe heart echo showing his “permanent” congestive heart failure had fully reversedHow his daughter’s severe skin condition cleared up in 30 days after years of no improvement on anything elseHow his vegan daughter transitioned to carnivore and healed her depression and acneInflammation and insulin resistance are the real drivers of heart diseaseInside his documentary, Healing Humanity, premiering October 23, and how to pre-order itConnect with Kerry Preorder the Documentary YouTube Channel

  2. Oct 13

    50 Episodes In: I Almost Lost My Business Before This Podcast Even Started

    This week marks 50 episodes and one year of The Functional Aesthetician Podcast, and I’m telling the story I haven’t told. What led me into shifting into functional medicine and starting this podcast. 🎉 To celebrate, I flipped the mic and let my boyfriend, Clint, interview me.  We get into why I built this show around women 40+ navigating perimenopause, what functional medicine labs catch that a standard doctor’s visit misses, and where I want to take this podcast next. If you want to hear my side of the story, this episode is for you. In this Episode, You’ll Learn: How my business fell apart, and what led me to start this podcastWhy I decided to focus on functional medicineThe difference between the labs a medical doctor runs and the labs a functional medicine practitioner runsWhy standard lab panels can come back “normal” while you still feel terribleWhy I built this podcast around women 40+ navigating perimenopauseWhat I’ve learned from doing a carnivore diet, and the changes I’ve seen in my own hormones and skinThe social side of eating this way: alcohol, restaurants, and feeling like the “weird one”What’s next for the podcast? My best piece of advice if you don’t know where to startConnect with me on Instagram Website

  3. Oct 6

    The Full-Body Scan That Found Her Brain Cancer With Zero Symptoms

    This week on The Functional Aesthetician Podcast, we're talking about a full-body scan that found brain cancer with zero warning signs And how a metabolic approach helped beat cancer without chemo or radiation. My guest is Andrea Schaffer, an oncology nutrition consultant whose own cancer diagnosis came out of nowhere. A preventative full-body Prenuvo scan found a mass in her brain before she ever had a single symptom.  Three and a half years later, she's cancer-free, and walking us through how she approached her cancer diagnosis. The ketogenic diet, the toxins she avoided, the labs she runs, and why she advocated for a very different path than standard of care. If you've ever wondered whether a full-body scan is worth it, what cancer treatment looks like outside the conventional system, or how stress, sleep, and toxins factor into your risk, this episode is for you. In this Episode, You’ll Learn: How a routine full-body MRI scan caught Andrea's brain cancer before she had a single symptomWhy she chose a ketogenic diet and why cancer cells are so sugar-hungryWhy her neurosurgeon supported skipping chemo and radiation in favor of a metabolic approachWhy cancer is more than just a tumor and what it means to treat the whole "terrain" of the bodyThe truth about contrast dyes and why she's won’t have contrast in a scanThe toxin panels Andrea recommendsHow heavy metals, plastics, and mold can impact a cancer diagnosisHow to advocate for yourself inside the medical system Why regular labs matter, and how often you should run themFasting protocols for metabolic flexibilityWhy sleep may be one of the most overlooked pieces of cancer prevention➡️ Connect with Andrea Website Instagram Sunshine Sessions- Free group community gatherings every other week Book an Introductory Consultation Get 20% off with Code: Broccoli-20

  4. Sep 29

    The Truth About Gut Health (When Your Labs Say You're Fine)

    This week on The Functional Aesthetician Podcast, we're talking about nutrition, gut health, hydration, and supplements worth taking. We also talk about why so many women hear "your labs are normal" and still don't feel like themselves. My guest is Jackie Klein, a board certified holistic health practitioner and author of Holistic Healing From the Inside Out.  Jackie builds her approach on the foundational things that move the needle before testing or supplements even come into play. If you've ever been told everything looks fine on paper but you still feel bloated, tired, or stuck, this episode is for you. In this Episode, You’ll Learn: Why so many women get "normal" labs but still don't feel normalThe first food Jackie removes from almost every client's diet, and whyThe 4 supplements Jackie considers non-negotiable — and the ones that aren't worth itWhy vitamin D deficiency is so common (hint: it's not just about diet)How toxins get stored in fat cells, and why "keto flu" usually isn't the keto fluWhy hydration alone can't fix constipation without electrolytesWhy walking beats HIIT and cardio for women 40+The truth about alcohol and your gut microbiome, especially during perimenopause➡️ Connect with Jackie Website Instagram Facebook Grab a copy of her book: Holistic Healing From the Inside Out

  5. Sep 22

    Brain Health Starts in Your Gut (Here's Why)

    This week on The Functional Aesthetician Podcast, we're getting into the gut-brain connection, hidden toxins, and the sleep habits that can quietly disrupt your mental health with integrative psychiatrist Dr. Krishna Taneja. Dr. Taneja treats the whole person instead of just prescribing and moving on, looking at gut health, toxin exposure, nutrition, and sleep alongside traditional psychiatric care.  If you've ever wondered why medication alone isn't fixing how you feel, or how something like mold in your walls could be driving your anxiety, this episode is for you. In this Episode, You’ll Learn: 🔹 Why medication alone doesn't address the root cause of anxiety and depression 🔹 How mold and environmental toxins worsens mental health symptoms 🔹 The link between viral infections and PANS/PANDAS and OCD-like symptoms 🔹 70% of your body's serotonin is made in your gut, not your brain 🔹 How an anti-inflammatory or Mediterranean diet supports brain health 🔹 The sleep habits Dr. Taneja recommends 🔹 Why movement timing matters for better sleep 🔹 The one simple thing to start doing today: building awareness ➡️ Connect with Dr. Krishna Website  Facebook Instagram LinkedIN YouTube

  6. Sep 15

    The Truth About Protein: Why Whole Food Beats the Powder

    This week on The Functional Aesthetician Podcast, we're talking about protein and sleep, the two habits doing more for your energy after 40 than almost anything else. Plus we do a quick gut-check on the avocado oil controversy and why so many women over 40 are eating "clean," sleeping enough hours, and still feel tired, puffy, or stuck. My guest is Lillie Kane, YouTube creator and certified nutrition health coach whose own turnaround started far from a health studio.  She didn't learn how to actually feed her body until she met her now-husband in her twenties.  Since then she's built a following teaching people how to eat, sleep, and think about food differently. If you've ever wondered why "eat your veggies first" might be backwards, why doing everything right still leaves you exhausted, or whether the avocado oil in your pantry is really avocado oil, this episode is for you. In this Episode, You’ll Learn: 🔹 Lillie's health turnaround 🔹 Why being the "black sheep" at dinner might be the healthiest thing you do 🔹 Complete vs. incomplete protein, and why whole-food protein beats the powder 🔹 The case for putting meat on the plate first, salad second 🔹 What's driving skin aging (hint: it's not just sun) 🔹 The sleep habits Lillie swears by 🔹 Why chronic stress can undo even the healthiest diet 🔹 The avocado oil controversy and what recent testing found, and how to read a label ➡️ Connect with Lillie: Website YouTube Instagram

  7. Sep 8

    EMFs, Hormones & Sleep: The Hidden Cost of a Connected Home

    This week on The Functional Aesthetician Podcast, we brought Zuzu back to talk about something most of us don't think about until something feels off. EMFs, electromagnetic frequencies, the invisible fields coming off your phone, your WiFi router, your smart meter, and just about everything else plugged in around you.  If you've been doing all the "right" things for your health and still can't figure out why you're not healing, this episode might be the missing piece. Back again is Karen "ZuZu" Armes, founder of Holistic Health Educators and Lily Fields retreat center. A longtime EMF researcher and author, ZuZu has spent decades studying how the electricity in our environment interacts with the body, and she shares her perspective and practical recommendations for reducing exposure at home. In this Episode, You’ll Learn: What are EMFs?Why "the field" around you matters more than you'd thinkThe four things you can control today: time, distance, shielding, and nutritionWhy you should turn WiFi off at night The routers hiding in your appliances Smart meters, dirty electricity, and simple, affordable ways to shield your homeEMF-blocking phone stickers and what to use insteadNutrients for cellular healthGrounding practices for better sleep, travel, and everyday recoveryZuzu’s take on how EMF exposure affects fertility and hormone health➡️ Connect with Zuzu Sign up for Zuzu’s Email list to grab a copy of her book Instagram Facebook Website

  8. Sep 1

    Why Your HRT Isn't Working (And What Your Doctor Isn't Testing)

    This week on the Functional Aesthetician Podcast, we're talking about pelvic floor, painful sex, and HRT; three topics women in perimenopause and menopause aren't getting straight answers on.  If your labs came back "normal" but you don't feel normal, or your HRT isn't doing what you hoped, this episode is for you. Joining me is Kim Bilyk, an occupational therapist, trauma-informed pelvic health therapist, and self-titled "Queen of Turn On."  Kim's own journey into this work started when she lost her period for eight months after a bikini competition, and her doctor's only answer was birth control.  That experience sent her deep into women's hormones and pelvic health, and she's been helping women get real answers ever since. In this Episode, You’ll Learn: Why doctors only offer birth control instead of answersWhat your pelvic floor is The crystal yoni egg practice Painful sex and vaginal dryness after 40, plus options beyond "just deal with it"Why HRT stops working, and the labs your doctor isn't runningThe DUTCH test and getting to the root cause of perimenopause symptomsStrength training vs. cardio after 40Why old trauma resurfaces during perimenopauseThe "calm container" and "womb tuition" practices to try todayConnect with Kim Website Instagram

See All (51)

5
out of 5
25 Ratings

About

Functional medicine practitioner and licensed esthetician Dr. Samantha Dench helps women 40+ get to the root cause of what’s going on with their gut, hormones, and skin. Each week, we go beyond surface-level fixes and "normal labs" to understand what your body has been trying to tell you all along. Real healing starts with understanding why, not just masking symptoms.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Samantha Dench
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    51
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Functional Aesthetician
  • Show Website
    The Functional Aesthetician