# Is Your Food Poisoning Your Mood? The Gut-Brain Connection For Bipolar 2 with Kate Engler #179

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/heal-yourself-with-sarah-dawkins-7521850/is-your-food-poisoning-your-mood-the-gut-brain-connection-for-bipolar-2-with-kate-engler-179
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/heal-yourself-with-sarah-dawkins-7521850/is-your-food-poisoning-your-mood-the-gut-brain-connection-for-bipolar-2-with-kate-engler-179.md
Podcast: [Heal Yourself with Sarah Dawkins](https://stenobird.com/podcast/heal-yourself-with-sarah-dawkins-7521850)
Published: 2026-06-25T03:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://blurt.media/w/aWnvG92UAEG8rkebVmrXqU
Audio file: https://blurt.media/plugins/peerhub/router/podcast/5079ab31-2938-41af-a3e1-46e03753c5a8/audio.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/heal-yourself-with-sarah-dawkins-7521850/episodes/is-your-food-poisoning-your-mood-the-gut-brain-connection-for-bipolar-2-with-kate-engler-179
Duration seconds: 2698

## Resource

What if your "mood swings" were actually a cry for help from your digestive system? Kate Engler shares her story of overcoming a Bipolar 2 diagnosis, toxic relationships and debilitating gut issues. She dives deep into the gut-brain connection, explaining how eliminating inflammatory foods allowed her to finally regulate her emotions after a decade of numbing with medication. Kate’s "80/20" approach to a balanced life offers a roadmap for your own healing journey. Episode Highlights and Time stamps 01:59 After a tragic personal loss at age 20, Kate describes the onset of severe PTSD and depression and the beginning of her decade-long journey with psychiatric medication. 04:34 Receiving a Bipolar 2 diagnosis and the initial "relief" of having an answer and the subsequent years of emotional numbing via mood stabilizers. 08:29 Kate details the struggle with malabsorption, excruciating stomach spasms and joint inflammation that threatened her career 11:32 Through a self-directed elimination diet, Kate discovered a direct link between food and mood. She explains how corn specifically triggered inflammatory "rage" and how identifying food sensitivities changed her mental clarity. 15:12 A pivotal realization: "This all could be from my gut." Kate shares her experience of tapering off a decade of prescriptions to rediscover her natural ability to emotionally regulate. 24:45 Why eating "perfectly" isn't enough if you are in a toxic environment. She introduces the role of Reiki and energy work in addressing the "emotional toxins" that physical medicine often misses. 33:40 From The Presence Process to Byron Katie’s "The Work," Kate lists the specific resources that helped her feel safe in her body again. She emphasizes the power of breathwork and questioning one's own thought pro…

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