Bloomin' Well Podcast
Tired of chasing symptoms? Ready to uncover the root causes of your health issues and REALLY heal? Welcome to Bloomin' Well, where we empower you to take your health into your own hands.As a functional wellness chiropractor, Dr. McKenzy invites you to explore a holistic approach to healing that addresses the root cause of chronic illness. From regulating the nervous system to nurturing the mind-body connection, she dives deep into natural methods for reaching optimal health.Join us as we uncover a path to healing, where we go beyond just managing symptoms and focus on addressing the underlying factors...
Why Your Bloating and Exhaustion Are the Same Problem (And How to Fix Both)
Dealing with chronic bloating AND bone-deep exhaustion? These aren't two separate problems, they're the same nervous system issue.
In this episode, I reveal why your digestive problems started when your stress got bad, and why fixing your gut without addressing burnout is like renovating a house that's still on fire. If you've tried every elimination diet and supplement protocol but you're still bloated, uncomfortable, and exhaustedâthis episode will change everything.
You'll discover:
Why chronic stress literally shuts down your digestive system (and keeps it broken)The vagus nerve connection between your gut and br...Why Sleep Isn't Restoring Your Energy and What Will | I Sleep 10 Hours But I'm Still Exhausted
Sleeping 8-10 hours every night but still waking up exhausted? You're not lazy, your nervous system is stuck in survival mode.
In this episode, I break down exactly why you can spend half your life in bed and still feel like you got hit by a truck every morning. This isn't about sleep hygiene tips or buying a new mattress, it's about understanding what's actually happening in your body when chronic stress hijacks your sleep quality.
You'll discover:
Why "just sleep more" doesn't work when your nervous system is dysregulatedThe cortisol rhythm flip that...How Food Calms Anxiety & Fatigue | Balance Stress Naturally with Nutrition EP 28
If youâve ever wondered why some days you feel steady while other days even the smallest thing sets you offâknow this: you are not weak, broken, or failing. Your nervous system isnât just reacting to stress in your environment; itâs also responding to the food on your plate.
Thatâs where todayâs episode comes in. Weâre talking about how nutrition shapes your stress response, and why stabilizing your meals can be one of the most powerful ways to calm anxiety and restore energy.
Food isnât just fuel. Every meal sends signa...
The Science-Backed Way To Reset Stress In Seconds - Get Out Of Survival Mode Fast | EP27
If youâve ever felt stuck in âtired but wiredâ mode, your mind racing, heart pounding, or body refusing to power downâknow this: you are not weak, broken, or failing. Your nervous system is doing exactly what it was designed to do: protect you. The challenge is that when stress is constant, your body forgets how to switch gears back into calm.
Thatâs where todayâs episode comes in. Weâre talking about a surprising but science-backed toolâcold face immersionâand how this simple practice can help reset your stress response in real time.
Cold face imm...
Exhausted and Overthinking: The Hidden Reason You Canât Get Better | EP26
If youâve been stuck in a cycle of overthinking, staying up late Googling symptoms, making endless lists, or trying to figure out the perfect protocol, yet your body still feels exhausted, you are not failing and you are not broken. This episode explains why thinking harder doesnât heal chronic fatigue and why your body needs safety, not pressure, to truly restore.
Overthinking is not weakness. It is your nervous system scanning for danger, doing its best to keep you safe. The challenge is that when your body is stuck in survival mode, no amount of anal...
Flat Cortisol Curve Explained | Why Youâre Always Tired | EP 25
If you wake up tired, drag through the day, and then lie in bed wide awake at night â youâre not lazy or broken. This episode breaks down the science-backed truth about the flat cortisol curve â why your stress hormones may be stuck in âlow battery modeâ all day, and how to gently guide your body back into rhythm.
Cortisol isnât just a stress hormone â itâs your bodyâs natural rhythm keeper. When that rhythm flattens from months or years of stress, your energy, focus, mood, and sleep all take the hit. Regular labs often miss it, but funct...
GutâBrain Axis: Why Your Microbiome Affects How You Feel | EP24
If your gut is off balance, your whole body feels it, from brain fog and low energy to anxiety and mood swings. This video breaks down the science-backed connection between your gut microbiome, your nervous system, and your mental health, and what you can do today to start feeling better.
Your gut isnât just about digestion, itâs home to trillions of bacteria that influence your immune system, hormone balance, energy levels, and even how your brain processes stress. When your gut is inflamed or imbalanced, it can trigger nutrient deficiencies, low-grade inflammation, and stress signals to y...
POTS and Menstrual Cycle: Why Symptoms Flare & How to Feel Better
If your POTS symptoms get worse right before or during your period, more dizziness, fatigue, anxiety, or a racing heart, youâre not imagining it. In this video, I break down the powerful hormonal connection between your menstrual cycle and POTS flare-ups, and share practical, science-backed ways to make each month easier.
Weâll cover:
Why hormone shifts make POTS symptoms more intenseThe common symptom patterns women notice throughout their cycle5 gentle but effective strategies to reduce monthly flare severityHow hydration, nutrition, and nervous system support can help you feel more stableWays to track your cycle so y...Normal Labs But Feel Awful? What Youâre Missing
If youâve been told your labs are ânormalâ but you still feel awful, youâre not imagining it, and itâs not all in your head. In this episode, weâll explore why so many women struggle with chronic fatigue, brain fog, and anxiety even when traditional bloodwork looks fine.
Weâll talk about the hidden factors standard testing often misses, from cortisol imbalance and nutrient depletion to gut health issues, hormone timing problems, and environmental toxins. Youâll learn why functional lab testing can uncover the real âwhyâ behind your symptoms and how these deeper insights can finally...
Why Melatonin Isnât Helping You Sleep (and What to Do Instead) | EP21
Have you been taking melatonin at night, hoping it will finally help you sleep, only to wake up groggy, wired at 2 AM, or even more restless than before?
Youâre not crazy, and youâre definitely not broken.
In todayâs episode, weâre unpacking why melatonin often fails for women dealing with adrenal fatigue, chronic stress, MCAS, POTS, or nervous system dysregulation, and what to do instead.
Weâll talk about the real role melatonin plays in your sleep cycle, how your HPA axis (the brain-to-adrenal connection) influences its effectiveness, and why taking mor...
Why Healthy Eating Isnât Helping Your Fatigue: The Food-Stress Connection Explained
Have you been eating clean, skipping the sugar, maybe even doing green smoothiesâyet still crashing every afternoon? Waking up more tired than when you went to bed? Or hitting that 2 PM wall even after doing everything ârightâ?
Youâre not lazy, and youâre definitely not broken.
In todayâs episode, weâre unpacking a misunderstood root cause of burnout and fatigue that has nothing to do with your willpowerâand everything to do with how your nervous system interprets the way youâre eating.
Weâre talking about the HPA axisâyour brain-to-adrenal...
MCAS and Anxiety: Why Histamine Might Be Triggering Your Panic Attacks | Episode 19
Ever feel anxiety that makes no sense at all? Your heart starts pounding, your chest feels tight, maybe you get dizzy or flushed out of nowhere⌠but thereâs no obvious trigger. Youâre not stressed, youâre not in danger, but your body reacts like it is.
If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you.
Today weâre talking about a surprising root cause behind anxiety that seems to come out of nowhere. Itâs called Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, or MCAS. And it might be behind the panic, overstimulation, and overwhelm that wonât go awa...
Why Do I Feel Tired and Wired at the Same Time? | Understanding Nervous System Dysregulation
If youâve been lying in bed exhausted but unable to fall asleep⌠If your body feels drained but your mind wonât stop spinning⌠If youâre stuck in that âtired but wiredâ state and wondering whatâs wrong with you⌠this video is for you.
Your body isnât broken. That wired-exhausted feeling is a real nervous system patternâone that forms when stress, overwhelm, and survival mode become your bodyâs default. But the beautiful truth?
You can gently retrain it. In this validating and beginner-friendly video, weâll explore:
đż Why your body feels tired whi...
Gentle Daily Habits to Rewire Your Stress Response & Heal Your Nervous System
If youâve been stuck in survival modeâanxious, overwhelmed, exhaustedâand wondering why you canât relax no matter how hard you try⌠this video is for you.
Your stress response isnât a mindset problem. Itâs a nervous system pattern. And the beautiful truth? You can gently rewire it. đŤ
In this empowering and beginner-friendly video, weâll explore: đż Why your brain gets stuck in fight, flight, or freeze đ§ How neuroplasticity makes change possible at any stage đ ď¸ Simple, doable daily habits that create safety in your body đ How to shift from âjust copingâ to actually healing
This isnât...
Is It People-Pleasingâor a Fawn Response? Understanding This Nervous System Survival Pattern | S2 E6
Ever feel like you're stuck in a cycle of people-pleasingâbut you don't know how to stop?
This tender, validating episode explores how chronic people-pleasing might actually be a fawn responseâyour nervous systemâs brilliant attempt to keep you safe through appeasement and over-accommodation.
Inside, Dr. McKenzy gently guides you through:
What the fawn response is (and how it's different from just being âniceâ)The sneaky ways it shows up in daily lifeHow it may have developed in childhood or long-term stressThe emotional + physical toll of living in fawn modeThe first step toward healingâwi...Freeze Response Explained: Why You Feel Numb, Shut Down, or Stuck (And How to Gently Heal) | S2 E5
Ever feel emotionally numb, stuck in slow motion, or like even the smallest tasks feel impossible? Youâre not lazyâand youâre definitely not broken. You might be in a nervous system freeze state, a survival response thatâs often misunderstood.
In this calming video, weâll gently explore:
đż What the freeze response is and why it happens
đ§ How chronic stress, trauma, or burnout can lead to feeling shut down
đż Signs you might be in freeze mode (numbness, disconnection, emotional flatness)
đ A gentle practice to begin safely thawing and reconnecting with...
How to Calm an Anxious Body (Without Shame or Fixing) | S2 E4
Ever feel like your bodyâs stuck in high alertâeven when nothingâs âwrongâ? đŁ In this gentle, validating video, weâll explore why you might be trapped in fight-or-flight mode, whatâs actually happening in your nervous system, and one simple body-based practice (the Somatic Sigh!) to help you feel a little more safe today.
Whether youâre exhausted, tense, or just feel like you canât relaxâknow this: đ Youâre not broken. Your body is protecting you. And with compassion, we can start building safety again.
Try the Somatic Sigh with us and feel the shift.
đ...
The Hidden Cause of Panic, Poor Sleep & Mood SwingsâWhy Your Gut Holds the Key | S2E3
Gut Dysbiosis & Nervous System Chaos: Why Your Gut Is Keeping You Anxious, Tired, & Stressed
Have you ever felt anxious for no clear reason, struggled with brain fog that wonât lift, or had that wired-but-tired feeling keeping you up at night? What if your gut health was the missing piece to the puzzle?
In this episode of the Bloominâ Well Podcast, Dr. McKenzy Brewer explores the gut-brain connection, revealing how gut dysbiosis (an imbalance in gut bacteria) can throw your entire nervous system into dysregulationâleading to anxiety, fatigue, mood swings, poor sleep, and even panic...
The Best Natural Flu Prevention Methods: 20 Proven Tips
Looking for the best way to fight flu naturally? Tune in as we dive into 20 natural flu prevention tips and flu prevention home remedies to keep you and your family healthy this season.
Importance of Natural Flu Prevention Flu season can wreak havoc on your health and routine, but natural flu prevention methods can strengthen your immune system and keep illness at bay. By focusing on flu prevention remedies that align with your lifestyle, you can take proactive steps to stay well.
How Flu Immunity Works Your immune system is your bodyâs natural defense ag...
EP 12 - How to Manage Holiday Stress Without Burning Out â 5 Natural Functional Medicine Hacks
Feeling overwhelmed by holiday stress? Tune in as we explore five holistic strategies to help you stay balanced and joyful during the festive season.
Understanding Holiday Stress
The holiday season, while joyous, often brings unique stressors that can impact our mental and physical well-being.
Today's Focus:
Natural, science-backed methods to manage holiday stress and enhance your well-being.
1. Support Digestion with Enzymes
Why Itâs Important:
Indulgent holiday meals can lead to digestive discomfort, affecting your overall mood and energy levels.
How to Support Di...
EP 11 - Natural Ways To Relieve PCOS Symptoms and Balance Hormones Holistically
If youâre struggling with PCOS and tired of hearing the same advice that doesnât work, stick around because today weâre diving into natural, science-backed ways to relieve PCOS symptoms and balance your hormones.
Understanding PCOS
What is PCOS?A common hormonal disorder affecting millions of women.Causes symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, acne, anxiety, and irregular periods.Requires a holistic approach for management.Today's Focus:Natural, science-backed ways to manage PCOS and restore body balance.Blood Sugar Balance
Why Itâs Important:PCOS often links to insulin resistance, disrupting hormone...EP 9 - Understanding Your Nervous System & Why It Burns Out
In this episode, we dive into the topic of the nervous system and why it burns out, particularly for anyone dealing with chronic pain, fatigue, or anxiety.
Topics Discussed:
How does the nervous system contribute to the stress response?Understanding the role of the nervous system in managing stress and maintaining balance.What are the main causes of nervous system burnout?Identifying the factors that lead to nervous system exhaustion, including chronic stress, poor lifestyle choices, and underlying health conditions.What are some easy exercises to help recover from nervous...EP 8 - How The Mind-Body Connection Can Ease Autoimmune Symptoms Naturally
In this episode, we dive into the topic of the mind-body connection, and it's potential to help ease symptoms of autoimmune disease.
Topics Discussed:
What is the mind-body connection and how can it impact health?Stress and anxiety worsen autoimmune symptoms.Benefits of positive mental health practices for autoimmune diseaseWhat are some effective mind-body practices for helping ease autoimmune flares?Effective movement practices for reducing symptomsBeneficial mindfulness practices to ease pain and inflammationHow can neuroplasticity can be beneficial for healing and recovery?Emotions and thoughts play a role in autoimmune disease symptomsWays...EP 7 - Understanding Cortisol Imbalance | Natural Ways To Balance Stress Hormones
In todayâs episode, we dive deep into the world of cortisol, the stress hormone, and its significant impact on your body. We explore:
Understanding Cortisol: Learn what cortisol is and how it influences various bodily functions.Causes and Triggers: Discover the common causes and triggers of cortisol imbalances, from chronic stress to lifestyle factors.Natural Regulation: Find out effective, holistic methods to naturally balance cortisol levels and improve your overall health.Tune in to gain valuable insights into managing cortisol imbalances and enhancing your well-being naturally.
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EP 6 - The Importance of Gut Microbiome Diversity | Building A Healthier Gut
In this episode, we delve into the importance of gut microbiome diversity and its impact on your overall health.
Topics Discussed:
What the gut microbiome is
Understanding the complex community of microorganisms living in your gut.Exploring the role of these microbes in your body's functions.Why the gut microbiome is important for overall health
Discussing the connection between gut health and the immune system.Highlighting the impact on digestion, mental health, and disease prevention.How you can improve gut microbiome diversity
Practical dietary changes and...EP 4 - How Your Gut Can Contribute To Anxiety And Depression
In this episode, we explore how your gut can contribute to anxiety and depression, highlighting the vital connection between your brain and digestive system.
Topics Discussed:
How your brain and digestive system are connected
Understanding the intricate relationship between the gut and the brain.Exploring the bi-directional communication along the gut-brain axis.How this connection can influence your health
Discussing the impact of gut health on mental well-being.Identifying how imbalances in the gut can affect anxiety and depression.What you can do about it
Practical...EP3 - 13 Signs Your Nervous System Is Dysregulated
In this episode, we explore 13 signs nervous system dysregulation and it's implications.
Topics Discussed:
What is nervous system dysregulation?
Understanding the concept of nervous system dysregulation.Exploring the causes and contributing factors.What are the signs of nervous system dysregulation?
Identifying physical and emotional symptoms that indicate dysregulation.Discussing the 13 key signs your nervous system is out of balance.Tune in to learn how to recognize the signs of nervous system dysregulation and discover effective, natural strategies to support your health and well-being.<...
EP 2 - Seven Reasons Why You're Stuck In Survival Mode
In this episode, we dive into the crucial topic of survival mode, its implications, and ways to manage it naturally.
Topics Discussed:
How your brain and digestive system are connectedUnderstanding the gut-brain connection.Exploring how this connection can influence overall health.How the connection can influence overall healthDiscussing the impact of stress on the gut-brain axis.Identifying the physical and mental health issues linked to survival mode.What you can do about itPractical lifestyle changes and dietary tips.Natural remedies and holistic approaches to managing stress and improving gut health.Tune...
EP 1 - Signs Of Chronic Inflammation And Natural Solutions
In this episode, we dive into the crucial topic of inflammation, its implications, and ways to manage it naturally.
Topics Discussed:
What is inflammation and how is it problematic?Understanding the body's natural defense mechanism.Exploring how chronic inflammation can lead to various health issues.What are common signs of inflammation?Identifying physical and emotional symptoms that indicate inflammation.Discussing how inflammation manifests in different parts of the body.What can I do to reduce inflammation naturally?Practical lifestyle changes and dietary tips.Natural remedies and holistic approaches to managing inflammation.Tune in...