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The Plant Powered Collective Podcast helps women in their 40s, 50s, and beyond live vibrantly and nourish boldly. Hosted by integrative nutrition coach Lori Willinski, each episode blends science-backed nutrition with approachable strategies for hormone balance, energy, and healthy aging. Rooted in lifestyle medicine and personalized coaching, Lori shares her story of thriving on plants since age 14 and managing autoimmune disease with nutrition. Discover how a plant powered lifestyle fuels not only your health, but also your leadership and your future self.
Back to the Plant Powered Collective podcast. I'm Lori Walensky, integrative nutrition coach, founder of Plant Powered Collective, and today's conversation is going to be a really very honest one. Before we begin, I want to remind everyone that this podcast is for educational purposes only. It is not intended as a medical advice. Always work with your healthcare provider regarding your unique health needs, and certainly I can help you with nutrition and lifestyle medicine.
Speaker 1:Today, we're talking about the connection between the gut and nervous system. But honestly, this episode is less about theory and more about real life because right now life is very full for me. Just recently my father moved in with me as he navigates dementia. It's actually a good disruption. It's a welcomed disruption.
Speaker 1:I'm grateful he's here. I can monitor his nutrition, hydration, medications, sleep, schedule and overall well-being much more closely now. And there has been a major shift in my household and in my routine. My father is staying in the primary bedroom downstairs because it's easier and safer for him. I've moved my own bedroom upstairs.
Speaker 1:I've been reorganizing the house, adjusting schedules, creating structure for him, cooking, nourishing meals so we can fast track his nutrition and health support, and trying to create calm and consistency for him during a really vulnerable season of life. And somewhere in the middle of all of that, I have stopped taking care of myself the same way. Not intentionally, just realistically. I haven't been eating consistently. I haven't been sleeping enough.
Speaker 1:My movement has not been regular. My nervous system has absolutely been overlooked and my body is communicating that very clearly. Lately my inflammation has increased significantly. My joints hurt, more than hurt. They're painful.
Speaker 1:My knees especially have been painful enough that just walking up and down stairs has become difficult. My shoulders and thumbs ache more. I feel stiff, inflamed, intense and honestly I know exactly why. Stress affects the body. The gut and nervous system are deeply connected and when one is dysregulated the other often follows.
Speaker 1:So today, I want to talk about that connection because I think so many women are silently living this experience right now. Maybe not with the exact same details, but with stress, overload, caretaking, transitions, responsibility, exhaustion, disruption or disrupted routines, and sometimes our body absorb it all. If this resonates with you, keep on listening and, let's dive into the podcast. One thing I always remind clients, and now honestly, I need to remind myself, is this. The body is not working against us even though it feels like mine is right now.
Speaker 1:The body is communicating with us. When I started noticing more inflammation and joint pain recently, I knew it wasn't random. I know what happens when sleep decreases, meals become inconsistent, stress hormones stay elevated, movement disappears, nervous system regulation gets pushed aside, hydration drops, we prioritize everyone else before ourselves. What happens is the body responds. Maybe for you, it looks like bloating.
Speaker 1:Maybe it's anxiety. Maybe it's exhaustion. Maybe it's headaches. Maybe it's brain fog. Maybe it's emotional overwhelm.
Speaker 1:For me lately, it's been inflammation and joint pain. And the interesting thing is that research continues to show that the gut and nervous system are deeply connected through what's called the gut brain access. A peer reviewed study published in Nature Reviews, Gastrin Gastroenterology and Hepatology explored how the gut microbiome communicates directly with the brain and nervous system through multiple pathways including the vagus nerve. Chronic stress can influence inflammation, digestion, gut bacteria diversity, immune function, mood, sleep, and pain perception. And honestly, many of us are living in chronic stress patterns for years.
Speaker 1:We just become used to functioning inside of them. One thing I realized during this transition with my father, and, seriously, it's only been six days since he's
Speaker 2:been living with me, but it's been
Speaker 1:two years of or more, actually, working around
Speaker 2:and managing and being involved with his dementia.
Speaker 1:What I've realized with this transition is how quickly caregiving shifts your focus outward. I'm thinking about his meals, his hydration, his medications, his routine, his comfort, his emotional well-being, his safety. I'm creating structure for him right now. In the middle of doing that, my own structure becomes disrupted. And, honestly, that's okay.
Speaker 1:I think sometimes wellness culture makes us feel like every season of life should look perfectly optimized. Right? We have to have the perfect exercise routine. We have to have the perfect nutrition. We have to have the perfect way that we nourish ourselves every day.
Speaker 1:You know, we see on TikTok wellness influencers, you know, showing their morning routine that lasts like an hour and a half. Who the heck has that time? It's just not in a perfect world. That's not what a lifestyle is built like. Sometimes there are seasons where we're thriving, and sometimes there are seasons where we're rebuilding.
Speaker 1:Sometimes there are seasons where survival and support become the priority. And I think it's important to say this clearly, temporary disruption does not equal failure. This is a season and it's a meaningful season. The gut and nervous system are constantly communicating. When the nervous system feels unsafe or overwhelmed, digestion often changes.
Speaker 1:You may notice bloating, constipation, loose stools, appetite changes, cravings. I know I just ate don't judge me, but I just ate a bag of chips
Speaker 2:because that is my craving.
Speaker 1:And I did it. I'm not beating myself up over it. It was my breakfast and my lunch and because life isn't perfect, and I'm gonna move on. But getting back, you may also notice reflux, nausea, and tension. At the same time, inflammation within the gut can also affect the nervous system.
Speaker 1:Your microbiome influences your neurotransmitter production, inflammation, stress resilience, mood, and emotional regulation. This is why nourishment matters so much during stressful seasons. Not from
Speaker 2:a restrictive standpoint. Like I said, I did not restrict that I had craving. Not from punishment. I am not beating myself up over just eating a bag of chips,
Speaker 1:but from support. And right now, I'm trying to gently bring myself back to basics. Not in a way where I beat myself up again, where
Speaker 2:I get down on myself, just in a
Speaker 1:way that is supportive for me, which is more hydration, more grounding meals, more plant diversity, more anti inflammatory foods, more fiber, and
Speaker 2:more consistency where I can create it. Simple meals, simple support. And when I mess up, like having potato chips, not just a few, but a bag,
Speaker 1:I'm not beating myself up because sometimes healing starts by returning to foundational things, and that's why I'm having this conversation. I actually had a different
Speaker 2:podcast, and
Speaker 1:I thought this was a really important subject to talk about right now. So I'm this is Sunday afternoon before Monday publishing, and I'm doing a completely new podcast. One thing I've realized over the past few weeks is that I cannot pour entirely into caregiving, stress, logistics, business building, and everyone else's needs without intentionally creating moments that help regulate my own nervous system too. And I've done that even when I was imperfect and even when sometimes my life isn't in the perfect balance. And, honestly, I'm still figuring out how to intentionally create those moments in real time.
Speaker 1:But I've started carving out small supportive practices throughout the day because I know my body needs them right now. Not elaborate wellness routines, not perfection, just moments of regulation. For me lately, it has looked
Speaker 2:like sitting quietly with a cup of tea before the day fully starts. Stepping outside for fresh air and sunlight in the morning. And that's easy for
Speaker 1:me to do because I bring my dog outside. And so I just go outside and stand on the grass
Speaker 2:in the sunlight,
Speaker 1:you know, face up towards the sky, and allow myself a few moments. I'm also trying to eat more consistently instead of skipping meals. I've done that
Speaker 2:a lot lately, Focusing on grounding anti inflammatory foods. And, again, not beating myself up when I don't do that, like today. Taking a few deep breaths before reacting to stress. Box breathing is a beautiful thing. Eight counts of breath in.
Speaker 2:Hold it for four. Eight counts for a slow breath out. Hold it for four, and that box. And it's just a beautiful thing. Walking even briefly when I can.
Speaker 2:Stretching my body gently when my joints feel stiff.
Speaker 1:That's an easy one for me to do right now. Reducing overstimulation and noise when possible. It's not super possible right now, but trying to do that as much as possible. Listening to calming music while cooking, this I've done. And I find, actually, my dad really likes it too.
Speaker 1:Trying to get to bed earlier even if sleep feels interrupted and creating structure and rhythm in the house for both my father and myself. And, honestly, cooking for my father has become strangely healing for me too. Preparing nourishing meals for him has reminded me how powerful food really is. I'm intentionally trying to fast track his nourishment through warm grounding meals, hydration, fiber, protein, colorful vegetables, and consistency. And in many ways, I realized I need that same nourishment too.
Speaker 1:I think sometimes when we're stressed, we disconnect from our own needs because survival mode takes over. We rush. We multitask. We stop eating regularly. We sleep less.
Speaker 1:We move less. We operate entirely from adrenaline and responsibility, And the list goes on and on, and I'm talking faster because that's what ends up happening. Instead of slowing down, we move faster and faster and faster, and eventually the body responds. What I'm learning right now is that the nervous system regulation is often less about doing one huge thing and more about creating small repeated signals of safety for the body throughout the day. Sometimes that's nourishment, and it's a big one for me personally, but everyone's bio individual.
Speaker 1:Sometimes that's movement.
Speaker 2:Sometimes that's stillness. Sometimes that's stepping away from screens. Sometimes
Speaker 1:it's asking for help. Sometimes it's simply acknowledging. This season is hard, and my body needs support right now. And I think that's an important reminder to all of us. Wellness is not built only during calm seasons.
Speaker 1:It's built right in the middle of difficult, beautiful, disruptive seasons of life too. I also wanna talk about movement because I think movement can become complicated in wellness culture, but movement does not need to be intense to matter. Before this recent disruption, I had been trying to stay consistent with walking, light resistance training, mobility work, body weight exercises, resistance band, and light dumbbells. Nothing extreme. Just supportive movement.
Speaker 1:I mean, I'm 61. And, honestly, right now, that rhythm has been interrupted too. Some days my knees hurt enough that stares even feel difficult, but I also know this season is temporary. I know movement helps my body. Walking helps my nervous system regulate.
Speaker 1:Resistance training supports inflammation and healthy aging. Movement helps circulation, digestion, mood, and stress regulation. And eventually, I'll return to it more consistently. That's the important part, returning. Because like I always say, this is not about perfection.
Speaker 1:It's about consistency. And, sometimes even consistency is imperfect too. Building a healthy lifestyle is not always smooth. Life interrupts us. Stress interrupts us.
Speaker 1:Caregiving interrupts us. Transitions interrupt us. The goal is not perfection. The goal is continuing to come back to ourselves when we can. One thing I've really been focusing on lately is nourishment that feels grounding and supportive, warm bowls, cooked foods, fiber rich meals, hydration, protein, plant based protein.
Speaker 1:I just made, like, this amazing
Speaker 2:bolognese sauce. The bolognese, the meat in air quotations, part of it, was a walnut lentil meat, and it was delicious. And it was so how to describe it? It meant so much to me because my dad was standing next to me.
Speaker 1:And in in our family, we're we're Italian. And in our family, my dad was always the sauce, the gravy maker, the bolognese maker.
Speaker 2:And he was able to pour the tomatoes into the pan. He helped me stir the tomatoes while making this bolognese of walnut and lentil and tomatoes. And it was strangely nostalgic. Anyway, getting back. Fiber rich meals, hydration, protein, minerals, and anti inflammatory ingredients.
Speaker 2:One meal I've been actually making is like quinoa, lentils, roasted sweet potatoes, sauteed greens, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, and a lemon tahini drizzle. That's kinda my go to, and I've gotten away from it. But recently, I've, you know, just gotten back to it. It's simple. It's nourishing, and it's supportive, and
Speaker 1:it's something that can be meal prepped. Food that support the gut microbiome also supports inflammation regulation and nervous system health. And during stressful seasons, I think simplicity matters. Not every meal needs to
Speaker 2:be elaborate. Not every habit needs to be perfect. Support matters more.
Speaker 1:If there's one takeaway I hope you carry from today's conversation, it's this. Your body is not failing you, your symptoms are communication and sometimes during stressful seasons the most supportive thing we can do is acknowledge where we are honestly and gently begin supporting ourselves again. Not with guilt, not with extremes, not with perfection but with compassion and nourishment and movement and rest and consistency over time. And sometimes that consistency will look imperfect too. Thank you for allowing me to share more personally today.
Speaker 1:I think these are conversations that matter because they remind us that wellness and nutrition and health is not about looking perfect online. It's about navigating real life while continuing to care for ourselves as best we can. If this episode resonated with you share it with someone who may need this reminder too. And if you're ready to better understand your own bio individual path to supporting your gut health, nervous system, inflammation and energy and overall well-being I'd love to support you. In the show notes will be a link to book a complimentary session with me as well as a link for a download about the gut and nervous system connection.
Speaker 1:Until next time, nourish boldly and live vibrantly. Thanks for joining me today.