Episodes

Hot Flashes, Belly Fat & Brain Fog — Could Keto Be the Answer? Two topics. One episode. Zero fluff. Vanessa Gatelein joins Danna and Megan to dig into the intersection of the ketogenic diet and perimenopause. Vanessa came to keto the hard way: through carnivore, hair loss scares, Hashimoto's, and a broken ankle that made her realize she was, in fact, breakable. What she learned along the way is genuinely eye-opening — and probably not what you've heard before. About Vanessa Gatelein: Vanessa is...

Got 10 Minutes? Megan's gutting her kitchen for a renovation, so naturally we're talking gadgets. Which ones do we actually use? Which ones are collecting dust? And which one did Megan love so much she broke it with her bare hands? Danna's ride-or-die is the food processor. There have been times it broke and she told her family: we're not eating that tonight. I am not grating. Megan's obsessed with her air fryer—frozen chicken to dinner in under 20 minutes. Danna fires back with the Instant Pot...

Session 3: When the Data Finally Speaks Joanna arrives fresh off her birthday weekend—cake eaten, no regrets. But she's also carrying something new: proof. Through a work project, she spent ten days wearing a continuous glucose monitor. For someone with a scientist's brain who's always wanted to see the data, this was gold. And what she discovered confirmed everything they'd been working on: that innocent afternoon snack—a few grapes, a plum—was sending her glucose through the roof and keeping ...

In this So Frickin’ Mini, Megan and Danna keep it simple: a quick, honest chat about why meditation can feel impossible (especially if you think you’re “supposed to think about nothing”), followed by a 10-minute guided practice from Gretchen Larsen. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s training your body back into rest and digest, one breath at a time. Gretchen’s Breath and Heartful Awareness meditation invites you to settle into a comfortable position, use your breath as an anchor, and gently bring ...

What Ancient Chinese Medicine Knows About Your Hormones (That Your Doctor Doesn't) Danna's been seeing Alex for years—and now we finally got him on the show. Alex Bechinger is a fully licensed TCM practitioner with 30 years of experience, a nursing background, training in craniosacral therapy and functional medicine, and a family legacy of healers. Today we're digging into what Traditional Chinese Medicine actually is (spoiler: it's way more than needles and cupping), why Western medicine keeps ...

Got 10 Minutes? Megan has a friend who shits immediately every time she eats anything with sunflower oil in it. And Megan is furious that Barilla—an Italian brand—makes their pesto with fucking sunflower oil. So naturally, we're talking seed oils. Here's the deal: seed oils have been vilified all over social media, and Danna's take is nuanced. They're not poison—but they are wildly out of balance in our diets. Seed oils are sky-high in omega-6s, and your body needs omega-3s and omega-6s in roug...

Session 2: When Your Brain Needs More Than Willpower Two weeks in, and something has already shifted. No more afternoon slumps. That simple switch—breaking her fast with protein—is working. But today, Joanna arrives with a bigger question. Her workload is increasing by twenty percent, and the focus she used to have has faded somewhere between the twins, turning forty, and the relentless pace of life. Is it ADHD? Perimenopause? Or just a brain that isn't getting the fuel it needs? The answer mi...

Got 10 Minutes? Danna was lying in bed trying to fall asleep—but her brain had other plans. It was busy counting how many wearables Megan has talked about and which one does what. So she turned it into an episode. Here's the deal: before you buy anything, ask yourself one question—what do I actually want to track? Sleep? Steps? Hormones? Because you don't need to wear a ring all day if all you care about is sleep, and you definitely don't need a golf swing analyzer. Megan wears both an Apple W...

Is your home secretly draining your energy without you even realizing it? In this follow-up episode with interior designer Jessica Blanco, we dive deep into how to design spaces that actually work for neurodivergent brains and those with sensory sensitivities. Jessica explains that while everyone has sensory sensitivities, a neurotypical brain filters them automatically. A neurodiverse brain? Not so much. It wants to examine all the sensory input it's getting—which is why that flickering LED li...

Got 10 Minutes? Megan found a clickbait article and couldn't resist: "Exercise Won't Help You Lose Much Fat, But Changing This Will." Annoying? Yes. But also... kind of true? Here's the thing: pound for pound, a Tanzanian hunter-gatherer who moves all day burns the same calories as an American office worker who barely moves at all. Your body adapts. Your basal metabolic rate—the energy you need just to exist—is the real calorie burner, not your workout. You literally cannot exercise your way ou...

Session 1: Where Do I Even Start? Joanna has done the research. She's read the articles, compared the studies, questioned who funded what. She's a scientist by training—she wants the data. But here's the thing about health: the data that matters most is yours. In this first session, Danna and Joanna sit down to map out the terrain. Sleep? Actually pretty solid (thanks, progesterone and a strict bedtime routine). Diet? A mix of good intentions and survival mode—lentils for the kids, delivery wh...

We're doing something we've never done before on So Frickin' Healthy. We're opening the doors to real health coaching sessions and letting you listen in. Over the next six episodes, you'll hear actual coaching conversations between Danna and a client we're calling Joanna. This isn't polished. This isn't edited to sound perfect. This is real coaching in action, with all the messy, honest, breakthrough moments that come with it. Why are we sharing this? Because so many of you ask us what health ...

Got 10 Minutes? Megan's been adding chia seeds to her water—along with psyllium husk and apple cider vinegar. Danna's intrigued. And just like that, we're off. Here's what you need to know: two tablespoons of chia seeds deliver 35% of your daily fiber. They absorb up to ten times their weight in liquid, which makes them incredible for digestion—but also means you have to drink more water when you add them to your diet, or they'll pull hydration from your body. Not into chia pudding? Use them a...

Ever feel like your living space is draining your energy instead of restoring it? In this episode, we sit down with interior designer Jessica Blanco to explore the powerful connection between our physical environments and mental wellbeing. Jessica brings a unique perspective, having transitioned from 20 years in education to interior design, where she noticed that how we start our day in our spaces carries with us through everything else. Whether you're living in a small apartment or a large ho...

Ever heard of leaky gut and wondered if it's real or just wellness hype? In this episode from 2022, Megan and Danna dive deep into intestinal permeability—what it actually is, why conventional medicine struggles to diagnose it, and what you can do about it. Originally recorded as a live YouTube session in 2022. You'll learn the "cheese cloth" analogy that makes leaky gut finally make sense, why your body might be attacking perfectly healthy carrots, and how everything from brain fog to joint pa...

Cozy up and join us for a candid conversation as we get comfortable in our pajamas and break down the delightful documentary "Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut." What You'll Take Away: - Explore how gut health challenges both modern medicine and traditional beliefs. - Join in on our discussion about bacterial balance and its health influences. - See how documentaries can make learning about health issues entertaining and relatable. Our Episode Breakdown: - A Pajama Party Introduction...

Join us for a fascinating conversation with Dina Holzapfel, neuroscientist and founder of Red. House of Collagen in Zurich, as we explore the science and benefits of red light therapy. What You'll Learn: How red light therapy works at the cellular level by boosting mitochondrial energy (ATP production) The difference between red light (630-660nm) and near-infrared wavelengths and what each targets Benefits for skin health, collagen production, inflammation, brain function, and overall wellnes...

Burnout is a beast, and we’re diving straight into the chaos of it in this episode. Danna's bravely sharing her personal saga, and trust me, it’s a wild ride through the trenches of exhaustion, identity crises, and a whole lot of tears – sorry, not sorry for the overshare, but it's real! Spoiler alert: no amount of yoga or green smoothies is gonna fix this mess, folks. We chat about how burnout isn't just about feeling tired; it messes with your whole being. So grab your coffee, or maybe someth...

In this intimate snippet, Megan and Danna get real about when and how they truly began to know themselves—not just preferences, but the kind of deep self-knowledge that shifts your life trajectory. ✨ Megan shares how her 2018 health coaching journey cracked her open to a new way of understanding her desires and body cues. ✨ Danna walks us through her twin awakenings: first, as a young adult breaking free of childhood labels, and later, as a mother rediscovering her identity beyond the roles of...

Ever felt like burnout steamrolled your life—and now you're supposed to just “bounce back” to work like nothing happened? Yeah… no. In this episode, we’re getting all the way real with HR expert and mental health first aid instructor Karina Schneider. We’re talking about the actual differences between stress, burnout, and depression (yes, they’re not the same thing), what to do when work is the thing that broke you, and how to re-enter the workplace without losing your damn mind. Whether you’r...

Let’s face it, perimenopause sounds like a bad horror movie title, but it’s really just your body’s way of saying, ‘Surprise! Time for some changes!’ This episode is all about the real talk around this six to ten-year hormonal transition that often gets swept under the rug. Dr. Mary Pines joins us to shed light on what perimenopause actually is, and why it’s been the best-kept secret in women’s health until now. We dig into the science of what’s happening to your body and mind, and why you mig...

In this episode of the So Frickin' Healthy podcast, Dr. Mary Pines, a Cambridge-trained biomedical scientist and longevity expert, joins hosts Megan and Danna to discuss the vital role of hormones in our bodies. Dr. Pines explains hormones using an orchestra analogy, emphasizing their importance in maintaining a harmonious balance within our bodily processes. They converse about the intricacies of sex hormones, stress management, and functional medicine's approach to hormone health. They explo...

In the grand finale of the Diabetes Awareness Month series, hosts Danna and Megan discuss approaches to managing type 2 diabetes, including understanding treatment options, monitoring blood sugar, and making empowering daily lifestyle choices. Want more? Check out the extras at https://sofrickinhealthy.com/episodes/type-2-diabetes Takeaways: Type 2 diabetes management involves a combination of lifestyle changes, monitoring, and medications for effective control. Diet plays a crucial role in ...

Megan and Danna discuss the crucial role of diet in managing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Focusing on Diabetes Awareness Month, they explore how different foods impact blood sugar levels, the importance of balanced meals, and provide practical tips on what to eat and what to avoid. Visit https://sofrickinhealthy.com/episodes/prediabetes-diet more info. Episodes Referenced 11: The Skinny on FAT, Live Episode 13: The Truth About OLIVE OIL: A Conversation with an Olive Oil Sommelier ft. Eli...