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What if the fatigue, brain fog, or stubborn symptoms you’ve been brushing off are actually your body’s way of waving a red flag, one that could completely change your health if you knew how to read it?
That’s exactly what happened to me a few years ago. I was stuck in a cycle of stress, exhaustion, and mystery symptoms I couldn’t quite name until today’s guest stepped in.
If you’ve been listening for a while, you might remember her from an episode back in 2022 when we pulled back the curtain on my own health transformation. Well, three years later, she’s back with brand-new insights that I know you’re going to want to hear!
Brigid Titgemeier is a Functional Medicine Registered Dietitian and founder of BeingBrigid Functional Nutrition. She and her team have helped more than 25,000 people, everyone from Fortune 500 CEOs to busy moms lower inflammation, balance hormones, improve gut health, and actually reclaim energy through evidence-based nutrition and lifestyle strategies.
Brigid’s approach is what makes her so different. She combines clinical precision with real-world practicality so her clients can make changes that actually stick.
In this conversation, we’re going to talk about the five biggest lessons from my own health journey with Brigid, what’s changed in the science of hormone health and nutrition since she was last here, and the exact steps you can take to support your body through stress, perimenopause, detoxification, and more.
If you’ve been feeling tired, foggy, bloated, or depleted and you’re tired of trying “healthy” things that don’t actually make you feel better, this is for you.
When you join The Being Collective Kickstarter, you’ll get 28 days of done-for-you anti-inflammatory meal plans, weekly coaching and Dietitian check-ins, live group calls, weekly video trainings, and a focused framework to help you optimize your health.
It’s a simple, science-backed system that helps you use food as medicine without restriction or overwhelm so you can finally have steady energy, better digestion, and confidence in your body again.
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Now, let’s get into the 5 changes Brigid helped me make to optimize my health.
1. Lowering My Inflammation Was the First Step, Not the Last
When I first started working with Brigid, “inflammation” wasn’t even in my vocabulary. I thought inflammation was something that happened only when you injured yourself or caught a cold. What I didn’t know is that chronic inflammation silently impacts everything from hormones and metabolism to mood and energy.
My bloodwork showed moderate inflammation, and the symptoms made sense:
- fatigue
- brain fog
- mood swings
- slow recovery
- feeling “puffy” without knowing why
Once we began intentionally lowering inflammation through food, supplements, and lifestyle changes, my labs shifted dramatically. I didn’t force my body, I supported it. And for the first time in years, my cells finally had the environment they needed to repair, rebalance, and function clearly.
Brigid always says: “Food contains molecules your body uses to heal.”
I finally understood what that meant.
2. Balancing My Blood Sugar Changed My Energy (and My Mood!)
I used to skip breakfast, stay “too busy to eat,” and wonder why I hit an afternoon crash every single day. I assumed I had “great” blood sugar because sugary treats didn’t spike my continuous glucose monitor. Turns out… that wasn’t a good sign.
My fasting insulin was elevated, meaning my body was producing too much insulin to overcompensate. I wasn’t balanced, I was insulin resistant.
This shift was a big one:
- eating within the first hour of waking
- hitting 25–30g of protein per meal
- front-loading calories earlier in the day
- pairing carbs with protein/fat so I stayed satiated
Now I can say it confidently: Balanced blood sugar changed my energy, my cravings, and my mental clarity more than almost anything else.
It wasn’t about restriction, it was about nourishment.
3. Supporting My Stress Hormones (Cortisol + Thyroid) Had a Bigger Impact Than “Balancing My Hormones”
For so long, I tried to fix symptoms by addressing the wrong “layer” of the hormone pyramid. Like many women, I focused on the top estrogen, progesterone, testosterone instead of the foundation.
Brigid taught me the truth: Your sex hormones can’t regulate until your stress hormones do.
Chronic stress was silently draining me, and it was showing up as:
- poor sleep
- thyroid imbalances
- midday exhaustion
- irritability
- late-night snacking
- morning grogginess
Once I supported my cortisol rhythm, everything changed. I learned to create margin, choose nourishment over hustle, move in ways that supported my nervous system, and let go of the patterns that were keeping me stressed and depleted.
My thyroid, mood, and energy followed.
4. Replenishing Nutrient Deficiencies Was the Missing Puzzle Piece
I had no idea how nutrient-depleted I really was until we ran labs.
Brigid always says: “Most women are living on nutrient fumes and calling it normal.”
My omega-3s were low. My minerals were low. My micronutrient levels weren’t supporting the demands of my life, my stress, or my hormones.
Once we replenished them, I felt like someone turned the lights back on inside my body.
I didn’t realize:
- how much brain fog was nutrient-related
- how deficiencies can mimic anxiety
- how much cravings were tied to unmet nutritional needs
- how supporting micronutrients actually stabilized my mood
Food laid the foundation and targeted supplementation built the strength.
5. Building Muscle Became My Non-Negotiable (Especially Entering My Late 30s)
I never thought “muscle mass” would become one of the most important markers of my long-term health, but here we are.
Muscle isn’t just about strength or aesthetics. It is essential for:
- insulin sensitivity
- hormone balance
- metabolism
- bone density
- longevity
- cognitive health
- preventing fractures in perimenopause and menopause
Once I shifted from “I should work out” to “I GET to build strength,” everything changed. I now wake up earlier, joyfully move my body, and feel strong in a way I didn’t even think was possible in my 20s.
I’m committed to entering my 40s in the strongest, healthiest shape of my life, not because of how I look, but because of how I feel.
Your Body Isn’t Broken, It’s Communicating
If there’s one message I hope you take from this episode, it’s this:
Your symptoms are not an enemy to battle, they’re a language your body uses to ask for help.
I spent years ignoring the whispers until they became screams. But once I slowed down, listened, and supported my physiology instead of fighting it, everything changed:
my energy, my mood, my relationship with food, my identity, and my confidence.
If you’re tired, foggy, bloated, burnt out, overwhelmed, or unsure where to start… you don’t need a crash diet. You need a framework that supports your body and helps you understand what it’s been trying to tell you all along.
I’m a walking, talking billboard for what’s possible when you stop surviving and start nourishing. You deserve to feel that good, too!
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