Candidly Kasi

Kasi DeStefano

Candidly Kasi is a space for real conversations about the seasons of womanhood—motherhood, marriage, parenting, perimenopause, and everything in between. No filters, no pretending, no “having it all” pressure. Just honest stories, hard truths, lessons learned, and the reassurance that you’re not alone in what you’re feeling. If you’ve ever thought “Is this normal?”—this podcast is for you.

  1. Sep 8

    #24| Packing Up for New Jersey: My Journey to Being Present

    I’m pressing pause. ❤️ In this season finale of Candidly Kasi, I’m recording one last episode before packing up the RV and heading to New Jersey for two months of family time, slowing down, and—hopefully—doing a whole lot less rushing. For the first time in a long time, I feel… calm. My anxiety has been noticeably quieter, and I’ve been thinking a lot about what’s contributed to that shift—from finding a medication dose that seems to be working for me, to therapy, craniosacral massage, and the confidence I’ve gained since getting my teeth done. I’m still healing, but I’m also starting to feel more like myself again. I’m also talking about the unexpected lessons that have come with my soft-food diet, including how my entire relationship with food has changed and the post-meal dental routine that has become a whole production! Somehow, it’s actually made me more aware of what I’m eating and how my body feels. And then there’s New Jersey! I’m beyond excited to meet my new nephew, spend time with family, take a pottery class, thrift, read The Hunger Games, find some good gluten-free food, and just BE. I’ll still be testing foods with my Nima, of course. 😉 I’m intentionally taking this break without the pressure of recording, editing, and posting on a schedule. I want to be fully present for this chapter and give myself permission to enjoy it. I’ll be back around mid-November, and when I return, Candidly Kasi will be getting a little refresh—including an upgraded podcast room! Thank you for being here for this season. Thank you for listening, laughing, relating, and letting me share the real-life stuff with you. Now… it’s time for a little pause. ❤️  Follow Along: https://www.tiktok.com/@natural_minded_mama https://www.instagram.com/natural_minded_mama_ Episode Sponsors: Shop GET BLESSED BOTANICALS and use code KASI to save 15% https://getblessedbotanicals.com/KASI Shop NIMA Gluten Detecting Sensor and use code KASI to save 15% https://nimanow.com/KASI Shop Primal Queen Female Focused Beef Organ Supplements and save 25% at checkout https://www.primalqueen.com/KASI Shop Bees & Trees Honey and use code KASIDESTEFANO for 10% off at checkout https://www.beesandtrees.com/?ref=KASI

  2. Sep 1

    #23 | Getting Candid With Nima Partners CEO Mike Glick

    Welcome Back! In this episode of Candidly Kasi, I sit down with Mike Glick, CEO of Nima Partners, for an honest conversation about one of the biggest challenges of living with celiac disease: trusting your food when you’re not the one preparing it. Mike takes us behind the scenes of Nima’s journey—from its MIT origins and original launch in 2015, to being put on the shelf during the pandemic, and ultimately being purchased, rebuilt, and relaunched in January 2026. We talk about what’s changed with the new Nima sensor, how it tests for gluten down to 10 ppm, its expanded ability to detect gluten from wheat, rye, and barley, and the testing and validation behind the technology. Mike also explains why cross-contact is such a complicated issue in restaurants and how Nima is designed to give people an additional layer of confidence when they’re eating away from home. We also get into the questions and concerns the celiac community has raised—including pricing, accuracy, travel, restaurant testing, and the misconceptions surrounding what Nima can and can’t tell you. And because this is CandidlyKasi, we don’t shy away from the bigger conversation: What does it actually take to feel safe eating out when you have celiac disease? Mike also shares what’s next for Nima, including new app features, continued improvements to the technology, and plans to make the product more accessible around the world. Whether you already use Nima, have been thinking about getting one, or are simply trying to navigate life with celiac disease, this conversation gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the technology—and the person leading the company bringing it back to the celiac community.f you have celiac disease, you know that “gluten-free” doesn’t always mean gluten-free enough to feel safe. Follow Along: https://www.tiktok.com/@natural_minded_mama https://www.instagram.com/natural_minded_mama_ Episode Sponsors: Shop GET BLESSED BOTANICALS and use code KASI to save 15% https://getblessedbotanicals.com/KASI Shop NIMA Gluten Detecting Sensor and use code KASI to save 15% https://nimanow.com/KASI Shop Primal Queen Female Focused Beef Organ Supplements and save 25% at checkout https://www.primalqueen.com/KASI Shop Bees & Trees Honey and use code KASIDESTEFANO for 10% off at checkout https://www.beesandtrees.com/?ref=KASI

  3. Aug 25

    #22 | Artificial Intelligence, Real-Life Anxiety

    Welcome Back! This week, Kasi catches up on life—from surviving a very real perimenopause hot flash to watching Kiley turn 20 and head off on her first Royal Caribbean cruise to Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and The Bahamas. Kiley had the time of her life; Kasi, meanwhile, was busy imagining every possible disaster from dry land. She also shares plans for an extended New Jersey stay, dreams of creating a soundproof podcast studio/homeschool space, and the ongoing struggle of eating soft foods after getting her new teeth. Then things take a turn into AI territory. After a ChatGPT commercial gets her thinking, Kasi dives into what makes her uneasy about how quickly artificial intelligence is becoming part of everyday life—especially when it comes to privacy, kids, AI toys, therapy, and jobs. She also shares a personal experience with a company that used AI to alter her voice and repurpose her content for ads without paying her. Plus, why she specifically chose a therapist who doesn’t use AI, some exciting upcoming podcast guests, and the usual completely unfiltered detours along the way. Follow Along: https://www.tiktok.com/@natural_minded_mama https://www.instagram.com/natural_minded_mama_ Episode Sponsors: Shop GET BLESSED BOTANICALS and use code KASI to save 15% https://getblessedbotanicals.com/KASI Shop NIMA Gluten Detecting Sensor and use code KASI to save 15% https://nimanow.com/KASI Shop Primal Queen Female Focused Beef Organ Supplements and save 25% at checkout https://www.primalqueen.com/KASI Shop Bees & Trees Honey and use code KASIDESTEFANO for 10% off at checkout https://www.beesandtrees.com/?ref=KASI

  4. Aug 18

    #21 | Balancing Fatherhood, Faith & Fitness: Building a Gym Habit That Sticks with Mike Tait

    This week, I’m catching up with an old high school friend, Mike Tait—who also happens to be the guy behind the Candidly Kasi intro song—to talk about getting older, fatherhood, fitness, and what it really takes to build habits that last. After years of being a self-proclaimed gym addict, a car accident and depression completely changed his routine. He shares how he eventually found his way back to fitness through 4:30 a.m. workouts and how that one commitment transformed his energy, mental clarity, and overall outlook on life. We talk about making fitness part of your identity, finding time when life is already busy, cleaning up your diet, cutting back on social media, and why becoming a father gave him an even bigger reason to take care of himself and lead by example. Plus, we get into realistic ways to move more throughout the day, his thoughts on dairy and sugar, gym pet peeves, favorite workouts, and whether those brutally early mornings ever actually get easier.  Follow Along: https://www.tiktok.com/@natural_minded_mama https://www.instagram.com/natural_minded_mama_ Episode Sponsors: Shop GET BLESSED BOTANICALS and use code KASI to save 15% https://getblessedbotanicals.com/KASI Shop NIMA Gluten Detecting Sensor and use code KASI to save 25% https://nimanow.com/KASI Shop Primal Queen Female Focused Beef Organ Supplements and save 25% at checkout https://www.primalqueen.com/KASI Shop Bees & Trees Honey and use code KASIDESTEFANO for 10% off at checkout https://www.beesandtrees.com/?ref=KASI

  5. Aug 11

    #20 | Trigger Warning: Blood, Surgery, and a New Beginning

    Welcome back! In this episode, I’m sharing the full, unfiltered story of getting all of my teeth removed and replaced with dental implants at Done in One in Jacksonville—from surgery day to finally seeing my new smile. I talk about the anxiety leading up to surgery, making sure every medication was gluten-free because of my celiac disease, taking Halcion, and even filming parts of the extractions and implant placement. And yes… we need to talk about the bleeding afterward and the absolutely horrifying “liver clot” that I had to remove. 🤢 I also take you through the temporary teeth process, multiple try-ons, adjusting the size, rotation, bite and overbite, and finally getting my smooth final set about nine days after surgery. Plus, I share what recovery has really been like: pain, oxycodone nausea, living on soft foods and protein shakes for 90 days, learning to talk normally again, cleaning restrictions, my bone graft, and some unexpected changes I’ve noticed in my bite, inflammation and even my anxiety. It’s been a wild process, but I’m incredibly grateful for my family, everyone who supported me through it, and the team who gave me a smile I finally feel good about. And this isn’t the end of the teeth talk—Dr. Dan, owner of Done In One, will be joining me for an upcoming episode to answer all the questions I know you guys have. Follow Along: https://www.tiktok.com/@natural_minded_mama https://www.instagram.com/natural_minded_mama_ Episode Sponsors: Shop GET BLESSED BOTANICALS and use code KASI to save 15% https://getblessedbotanicals.com/KASI Shop NIMA Gluten Detecting Sensor and use code KASI to save 25% https://nimanow.com/KASI Shop Primal Queen Female Focused Beef Organ Supplements and save 25% at checkout https://www.primalqueen.com/KASI Shop Bees & Trees Honey and use code KASIDESTEFANO for 10% off at checkout https://www.beesandtrees.com/?ref=KASI

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Candidly Kasi is a space for real conversations about the seasons of womanhood—motherhood, marriage, parenting, perimenopause, and everything in between. No filters, no pretending, no “having it all” pressure. Just honest stories, hard truths, lessons learned, and the reassurance that you’re not alone in what you’re feeling. If you’ve ever thought “Is this normal?”—this podcast is for you.