The Heal Deal Podcast with Dr. Leona

Dr Leona Allen
  • 5.0 (12)
  • NUTRITION
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Real talk about metabolic health, weight loss resistance, and hormone balance. Hosted by Dr. Leona Allen, this podcast helps you uncover the hidden toxins and metabolic blocks keeping you stuck—and gives you the root-cause strategies to reverse chronic symptoms, balance your hormones, and reclaim your energy naturally.

  1. 3D AGO

    #87. Testing in Perimenopause: How to Time, Interpret, and Take Action on Your Hormones

    What if your perimenopausal symptoms aren't random, and the right test could finally show you why? In this episode of The Heal Deal Podcast, Dr. Leona Allen sits down with Dr. Kelly Ruef, a naturopathic doctor and clinical educator at DUTCH (Dried Urine Testing for Comprehensive Hormones), to break down what comprehensive hormone testing actually reveals and how women in perimenopause, menopause, on HRT, or navigating life after a hysterectomy can use that information to build a truly personalized plan. DUTCH urine testing goes beyond measuring hormone levels. It tracks how your body metabolizes estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, and androgens across an entire cycle, not just a single moment. The pathways your body uses to process these hormones can reveal information about inflammation, weight loss resistance, sleep quality, and even breast cancer risk that a standard panel will not show. Two women can have the same estrogen level and be metabolizing it in completely different ways and only comprehensive testing can tell you which one you are. Dr. Ruef also covers how DUTCH testing works alongside HRT to monitor estrogen metabolism pathways, how cycle mapping helps post-hysterectomy women understand whether they are still cycling, and the lifestyle strategies, from cruciferous vegetables to adaptogens, that follow directly from your individual results. Whether you are in perimenopause, menopause, navigating hormone therapy, or life after a hysterectomy, this conversation will change how you think about your hormones and your options. You will walk away knowing what comprehensive hormone testing measures, what to ask your provider, and how to use your results to create a real treatment plan built around you. 🎧 LISTEN NOW to discover: ✅ What DUTCH Testing Is and How Urine Hormone Testing Captures What Blood Work Can't ✅ Cycle Mapping: Tracking Your Estrogen and Progesterone Patterns Across Your Entire Cycle ✅ High Estrogen vs. Low Estrogen Symptoms — and What Each Is Telling You ✅ Why Estrogen and Progesterone Must Be Read in Relationship to Each Other — Not in Isolation ✅ How to Monitor HRT Safely Using DUTCH Estrogen Metabolism Pathway Testing ✅ Hormone Testing After Hysterectomy — With or Without Your Ovaries ✅ The Estrogen Metabolite Pathway Linked to Breast Cancer Risk — and How to Redirect It Through Diet and Lifestyle ✅ Cortisol Patterns, Gut Markers, and the Personalized Strategies That Follow From Your Results 🔗 Resources & Next Steps: ▶️ Take the Metabolic Reset Quiz: TheMetabolicResetQuiz.com 🔬 Interested in DUTCH testing? It requires a licensed practitioner to order. Book a call to speak with Dr. Leona to discuss your best options → TalkToDrLeona.com 💬 Let’s Connect: 📸 Instagram | 📘 Facebook | 🎥 YouTube | 💼 LinkedIn | 🐦 X | 🌐 Website   THE HEAL DEAL I'm making a deal with you to help you remove the physical, chemical, and emotional barriers holding you back from healing. All I need from you is to feel, deal, and heal. Those are the terms—that is The Heal Deal.   If you enjoyed today’s episode, seal the deal to heal by leaving a review and sharing this episode with someone who needs it. Thank you for listening! Until next time, stop chasing symptoms and start healing your metabolism. Take care.   — Dr. Leona Allen Host, The Heal Deal Podcast Founder, Freedom Health Systems Author: A Journey to Healing | Freedom in Chains | Shop & Savor 🛑 Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet, exercise, or health regimen, especially if you are taking medication or managing a chronic condition.

    51 min

  2. MAY 5

    #86. 7 Reasons Why You’re Always Tired (Even When Your Doctor Says Everything Looks Normal)

    What if your fatigue isn't a willpower problem… but a signal your body has been sending you for years? In this episode of The Heal Deal Podcast, Dr. Leona Allen breaks down why so many people are walking around exhausted, foggy, and running on coffee while being told their labs look "normal" and why that "normal" is exactly the problem. The truth is, only about 7 to 12 percent of American adults are considered metabolically healthy. That means nearly 9 out of 10 people are dealing with some level of dysfunction (blood sugar imbalance, hormone shifts, nutrient deficiencies, silent inflammation) long before any of it shows up on a standard lab panel. And the first signal is almost always the same thing: Fatigue. Dr. Leona walks through the 7 reasons you're always tired (even when your labs are "normal") what's actually happening underneath each one why it keeps getting missed and exactly what to do about it. If you've been tired for years and keep being told everything is "fine," this is the conversation for you. 🎧 LISTEN NOW to discover: ✅ Why "common" and "normal" are not the same thing — and how that distinction changes everything ✅ Reason 1 — Blood Sugar Rollercoaster: the early insulin resistance pattern that's draining your afternoons ✅ Reason 2 — Tired but Wired: how chronic stress flips your cortisol rhythm ✅ Reason 3 — Thyroid "Normal" but Not Optimal: the panel your doctor probably isn't running ✅ Reason 4 — Midlife Hormone Shifts: how perimenopause steals your energy years before menopause ✅ Reason 5 — Hidden Nutrient Deficits: ferritin, vitamin D, and magnesium gaps that get dismissed ✅ Reason 6 — Sleep Without Recovery: why 8 hours doesn't always mean 8 hours of recovery ✅ Reason 7 — Silent Inflammation: the energy drain you can't feel but is always running 🔗 Resources & Next Steps: ▶️ Take the Metabolic Reset Quiz: TheMetabolicResetQuiz.com 💬 Let’s Connect: 📸 Instagram | 📘 Facebook | 🎥 YouTube | 💼 LinkedIn | 🐦 X | 🌐 Website   THE HEAL DEAL I'm making a deal with you to help you remove the physical, chemical, and emotional barriers holding you back from healing. All I need from you is to feel, deal, and heal. Those are the terms—that is The Heal Deal.   If you enjoyed today’s episode, seal the deal to heal by leaving a review and sharing this episode with someone who needs it. Thank you for listening! Until next time, stop chasing symptoms and start healing your metabolism. Take care.   — Dr. Leona Allen Host, The Heal Deal Podcast Founder, Freedom Health Systems Author: A Journey to Healing | Freedom in Chains | Shop & Savor 🛑 Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet, exercise, or health regimen, especially if you are taking medication or managing a chronic condition.

    23 min

  3. APR 28

    #85. 7 Lab Tests Your Doctor Doesn't Order (But Should)

    What if "everything looks normal" on your labs… is actually the problem? In this episode of The Heal Deal Podcast, Dr. Leona Allen breaks down why so many adults over 40 are walking out of their annual physicals being told they're "fine", while still battling fatigue, stubborn weight, brain fog, hair thinning, broken sleep, and a body that just isn't behaving the way it used to. The truth is, the standard lab panel most doctors run is incomplete. And "normal" doesn't mean healthy; it means within the range of an average population that is largely metabolically unwell. You'll learn the difference between "normal" and "optimal", why most physicals miss the markers that actually predict metabolic disease, and the 7 specific lab tests every adult over 40 should be requesting at their next appointment: what each one measures, why it's missed, and exactly what to ask for. Dr. Leona also walks through how to advocate for yourself if your doctor pushes back, what to do if they refuse, and why your labs are not a verdict; they're the communication. If you've been told you're "fine" but you know something isn't right, this episode will shift how you think about your labs and your health. You'll walk away knowing exactly what to test, what to ask for, and how to stop chasing symptoms… and start understanding the root. 🎧 LISTEN NOW to discover: ✅ Why "normal" lab ranges don't mean healthy and the trap of population-based reference values ✅ The difference between "normal" and "optimal" and why optimal is the goal ✅ Test 1 — Fasting Insulin & HOMA-IR: catches insulin resistance up to a decade before A1C moves ✅ Test 2 — hs-CRP: the inflammation marker your doctor probably isn't running ✅ Test 3 — ApoB & Lp(a): the real cardiovascular particle count, far more accurate than LDL alone ✅ Test 4 — The Full Thyroid Panel: why TSH alone misses what's actually happening ✅ Test 5 — 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D: why it's a hormone, not just a "bone vitamin" ✅ Test 6 — Ferritin & Full Iron Panel: the iron marker hemoglobin won't catch in time ✅ Test 7 — Homocysteine: methylation, B-vitamin status, and cardio-cognitive risk ✅ How to advocate for yourself and the options you have if your doctor refuses 🔗 Resources & Next Steps: ▶️ Take the Metabolic Reset Quiz: TheMetabolicResetQuiz.com 💬 Let’s Connect: 📸 Instagram | 📘 Facebook | 🎥 YouTube | 💼 LinkedIn | 🐦 X | 🌐 Website   THE HEAL DEAL I'm making a deal with you to help you remove the physical, chemical, and emotional barriers holding you back from healing. All I need from you is to feel, deal, and heal. Those are the terms—that is The Heal Deal.   If you enjoyed today’s episode, seal the deal to heal by leaving a review and sharing this episode with someone who needs it. Thank you for listening! Until next time, stop chasing symptoms and start healing your metabolism. Take care.   — Dr. Leona Allen Host, The Heal Deal Podcast Founder, Freedom Health Systems Author: A Journey to Healing | Freedom in Chains | Shop & Savor 🛑 Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet, exercise, or health regimen, especially if you are taking medication or managing a chronic condition.

    25 min

  4. APR 22

    #84. Waking Up at 3 AM Every Night? It's Not Anxiety - Here's What Your Body Is Telling You

    What if waking up at 3 AM isn't a sleep problem... but a metabolic message? In this episode of The Heal Deal Podcast, Dr. Leona Allen breaks down why so many women over 40 are waking up in the 2–4 AM window night after night and why the standard answers of “it’s stress,” “it’s menopause,” or “try melatonin” are leaving the root cause completely untouched. You’ll learn what your body is actually supposed to be doing during those overnight hours, why the second half of the night is your most wake-prone window, and the four metabolic mechanisms most commonly pulling you out of deep sleep. Dr. Leona also walks through the hormonal layer of perimenopause and menopause and why it can stack all four mechanisms at once. If you’ve been dealing with this pattern for months or even years without real answers, this episode will shift how you think about your sleep and your health. You’ll walk away knowing what to test, what to address, and how to stop chasing sleep… and start addressing the root. 🎧 LISTEN NOW to discover: ✅ Why 2–4 AM is your body's most wake-prone window and what's tipping you over the edge ✅ The four metabolic mechanisms driving nighttime waking: blood sugar, cortisol, liver load, and the dawn phenomenon ✅ Why perimenopause and menopause stack all four mechanisms simultaneously ✅ What your doctor's standard sleep workup is missing and why it keeps you stuck ✅ The exact labs that actually tell the story and the functional ranges that matter ✅ Six actionable steps to stop chasing sleep and start addressing the root 🔗 Resources & Next Steps: ▶️ Take the Metabolic Reset Quiz: TheMetabolicResetQuiz.com 💬 Let’s Connect: 📸 Instagram | 📘 Facebook | 🎥 YouTube | 💼 LinkedIn | 🐦 X | 🌐 Website   THE HEAL DEAL I'm making a deal with you to help you remove the physical, chemical, and emotional barriers holding you back from healing. All I need from you is to feel, deal, and heal. Those are the terms—that is The Heal Deal.   If you enjoyed today’s episode, seal the deal to heal by leaving a review and sharing this episode with someone who needs it. Thank you for listening! Until next time, stop chasing symptoms and start healing your metabolism. Take care.   — Dr. Leona Allen Host, The Heal Deal Podcast Founder, Freedom Health Systems Author: A Journey to Healing | Freedom in Chains | Shop & Savor 🛑 Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet, exercise, or health regimen, especially if you are taking medication or managing a chronic condition.

    39 min

  5. APR 7

    #83. 5 Reasons Why High-Performers Struggle With Their Health

    Why do high achievers win in life but lose in health? In this episode, Dr. Leona Allen breaks down the 5 reasons why so many successful, health-conscious professionals are still struggling with fatigue, weight gain, blood sugar issues, inflammation, and chronic symptoms, even when they're doing everything right. We're talking root causes, conflicting health advice, chronic stress, symptom-chasing, and what it actually takes to restore lasting health. If you're a high-performing professional who's been chasing symptoms without getting answers, this episode is for you. 🎧 LISTEN NOW to discover: ✅ Why effort alone isn't enough when the strategy is wrong ✅ How chronic stress creates a physiological cost most doctors never discuss ✅ The five reasons high performers stay stuck, even when they're trying ✅ Why your body is communicating, not failing ✅ The one question to ask before trying another health program 🔗 Resources & Next Steps: ▶️ Watch Free Training: BeginHealingToday.com ▶️ Take the Metabolic Reset Quiz: TheMetabolicResetQuiz.com 💬 Let’s Connect: 📸 Instagram | 📘 Facebook | 🎥 YouTube | 💼 LinkedIn | 🐦 X | 🌐 Website   THE HEAL DEAL I'm making a deal with you to help you remove the physical, chemical, and emotional barriers holding you back from healing. All I need from you is to feel, deal, and heal. Those are the terms—that is The Heal Deal. If you enjoyed today’s episode, seal the deal to heal by leaving a review and sharing this episode with someone who needs it. Thank you for listening! Until next time, go out there and achieve more freedom in your health and your life. Take care. — Dr. Leona Allen Host, The Heal Deal Podcast Founder, Freedom Health Systems Author: A Journey to Healing | Freedom in Chains | Shop & Savor 🛑 Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet, exercise, or health regimen—especially if you are taking medication or managing a chronic condition

    12 min

  6. MAR 17

    #82. HOMA-IR: How to Detect Insulin Resistance (Even when your glucose and A1C are normal)

    Your labs are "normal." Why do you still feel terrible? If your doctor checked your glucose and A1C and sent you home with a clean bill of health, but you're still dealing with fatigue, stubborn weight gain, brain fog, or sleep issues, there's a good chance something critical was never measured. In this episode, Dr. Leona breaks down one of her favorite diagnostic formulas: HOMA-IR (Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance), a calculated index that can reveal insulin resistance before your standard labs ever flag it. Using a real client case, she walks you through exactly how to interpret it, what a healthy score looks like, and why this single formula has helped her turn around the health of so many patients. 🎧 LISTEN NOW to discover: ✅ What HOMA-IR is and why most doctors never order it ✅ How to calculate it using just two numbers from your labs ✅ Why "normal" glucose and A1C can still mask serious metabolic dysfunction ✅ What your pancreas may be doing behind the scenes, without you knowing ✅ What a healthy HOMA-IR score looks like and when to be concerned ✅ Why insulin resistance is the fire behind almost all metabolic issues ✅ How to stop chasing symptoms and start reading your body's actual signals 🔗 Resources & Next Steps: ▶️ Download the Food Shopping Guide: HealthyShoppingHabits.com ▶️ Take the Metabolic Reset Quiz: TheMetabolicResetQuiz.com 💬 Let’s Connect: 📸 Instagram | 📘 Facebook | 🎥 YouTube | 💼 LinkedIn | 🐦 X | 🌐 Website   THE HEAL DEAL I'm making a deal with you to help you remove the physical, chemical, and emotional barriers holding you back from healing. All I need from you is to feel, deal, and heal. Those are the terms—that is The Heal Deal. If you enjoyed today’s episode, seal the deal to heal by leaving a review and sharing this episode with someone who needs it. Thank you for listening! Until next time, go out there and achieve more freedom in your health and your life. Take care. — Dr. Leona Allen Host, The Heal Deal Podcast Founder, Freedom Health Systems Author: A Journey to Healing | Freedom in Chains | Shop & Savor 🛑 Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet, exercise, or health regimen—especially if you are taking medication or managing a chronic condition

    13 min

  7. MAR 3

    #81. Blood Pressure Explained (What are these numbers actually telling you?)

    Are your blood pressure numbers scaring you? You're not alone — and you may not have the full picture. If you've ever been handed a reading, given a label, and sent home more confused and anxious than when you walked in, this episode is for you. In this episode of The Heal Deal Podcast, Dr. Leona Allen breaks down what blood pressure actually is, what your systolic and diastolic numbers are truly measuring, and why the fear response most people carry around these numbers is way out of proportion to the reality. This is the conversation your doctor didn't have with you, and the one you deserve. 🎧 LISTEN NOW to discover: ✅ What blood pressure really is in plain language ✅ The simple analogy that makes systolic vs. diastolic finally make sense ✅ Why your readings fluctuate and why that's completely normal ✅ The truth about white coat syndrome and why it matters for your diagnosis ✅ Why your arteries (not just your heart) are the real driver behind your readings ✅ The metabolic and lifestyle factors causing arterial stiffness ✅ Why one high reading is NOT a diagnosis ✅ How to treat your numbers as feedback, not failure 🔗 Resources & Next Steps: Blood Pressure Guidelines Changed Again (Here's what you need to know) | Episode 76 ▶️ Take the Metabolic Reset Quiz: TheMetabolicResetQuiz.com 💬 Let’s Connect: 📸 Instagram | 📘 Facebook | 🎥 YouTube | 💼 LinkedIn | 🐦 X | 🌐 Website   THE HEAL DEAL I'm making a deal with you to help you remove the physical, chemical, and emotional barriers holding you back from healing. All I need from you is to feel, deal, and heal. Those are the terms—that is The Heal Deal. If you enjoyed today’s episode, seal the deal to heal by leaving a review and sharing this episode with someone who needs it. Thank you for listening! Until next time, go out there and achieve more freedom in your health and your life. Take care. — Dr. Leona Allen Host, The Heal Deal Podcast Founder, Freedom Health Systems Author: A Journey to Healing | Freedom in Chains | Shop & Savor 🛑 Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet, exercise, or health regimen—especially if you are taking medication or managing a chronic condition

    16 min

  8. FEB 17

    #80. Eat Fat, Lose Fat: The Truth About Healthy Fats, Weight Loss, and Metabolism

    Are you still avoiding fat… but gaining weight, crashing in the afternoon, and feeling hungry every few hours?   For decades, we were told fat makes you fat. Yet during the low-fat era, obesity, diabetes, and metabolic disease skyrocketed.   So what actually went wrong?   In this episode of The Heal Deal Podcast, Dr. Leona Allen breaks down the low-fat myth, explains the metabolic science behind insulin and fat storage, and shows why healthy fats may be essential for stabilizing blood sugar, reducing inflammation, and restoring metabolic flexibility.   This isn’t trendy nutrition advice. It’s physiology. 🎧 LISTEN NOW to discover: ✅ Why “eat less fat” can increase fat storage ✅ The difference between dietary fat and body fat ✅ Why insulin — not fat — drives fat storage ✅ The 3 fuel phases: glucose → glycogen → fat burning ✅ Why constant snacking blocks metabolic flexibility ✅ The hidden damage from processed seed oils ✅ How omega-6 overload fuels inflammation ✅ Why eating fat + protein first stabilizes blood sugar ✅ How to sequence meals to reduce glucose spikes ✅ The 5-minute rule that helps break the hunger cycle 🔗 Resources & Next Steps: ▶️ Book a Call: TalkToDrLeona.com ▶️ Take the Metabolic Reset Quiz: TheMetabolicResetQuiz.com 💬 Let’s Connect: 📸 Instagram | 📘 Facebook | 🎥 YouTube | 💼 LinkedIn | 🐦 X | 🌐 Website   THE HEAL DEAL I'm making a deal with you to help you remove the physical, chemical, and emotional barriers holding you back from healing. All I need from you is to feel, deal, and heal. Those are the terms—that is The Heal Deal. If you enjoyed today’s episode, seal the deal to heal by leaving a review and sharing this episode with someone who needs it. Thank you for listening! Until next time, go out there and achieve more freedom in your health and your life. Take care. — Dr. Leona Allen Host, The Heal Deal Podcast Founder, Freedom Health Systems Author: A Journey to Healing | Freedom in Chains | Shop & Savor 🛑 Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet, exercise, or health regimen—especially if you are taking medication or managing a chronic condition

    43 min
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About

Real talk about metabolic health, weight loss resistance, and hormone balance. Hosted by Dr. Leona Allen, this podcast helps you uncover the hidden toxins and metabolic blocks keeping you stuck—and gives you the root-cause strategies to reverse chronic symptoms, balance your hormones, and reclaim your energy naturally.

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