# Ep. 57 - Before You Blame Your Hormones: What Sleep, Stress, and Gut Health May Be Telling You

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/holistic-health-with-melissa-7107945/ep-57-before-you-blame-your-hormones-what-sleep-stress-and-gut-health-may-be-telling-you
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/holistic-health-with-melissa-7107945/ep-57-before-you-blame-your-hormones-what-sleep-stress-and-gut-health-may-be-telling-you.md
Podcast: [Holistic Health with Melissa](https://stenobird.com/podcast/holistic-health-with-melissa-7107945)
Published: 2026-04-23T12:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://a6d8d381-dd39-492a-99be-fb40e9f344ea.libsyn.com/ep-57-before-you-blame-your-hormones-what-sleep-stress-and-gut-health-may-be-telling-you
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/a6d8d381-dd39-492a-99be-fb40e9f344ea/Final_Katie_Kirklin_Pt._2.mp3?dest-id=4785257
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Duration seconds: 3018

## Resource

In this episode of Holistic Health with Melissa , Melissa is joined again by functional nutritionist Katie Kirklin for part two of their conversation on the true foundations of healing. Together, they unpack the non-negotiable trifecta of health: sleep, poop, and blood sugar balance and explain why these basics matter more than most women realize. If you are struggling with hormone imbalance, cortisol issues, gut problems, constipation, fatigue, cravings, poor sleep, PMS, or feeling stuck in your health , this conversation will help you understand where to start. Katie shares how sleep affects cortisol, melatonin, insulin, and detoxification , why blood sugar regulation is foundational to hormone health , and how daily bowel movements play a major role in estrogen balance, inflammation, and gut health . They also talk about the effects of chronic stress, under-eating, skipping breakfast, intermittent fasting, nervous system dysregulation, and the go-go-go lifestyle that keeps so many women from healing. If you have been told your symptoms are "normal," this episode is a reminder to slow down, pay attention, and support your body at the root. In this episode, they cover: Sleep and hormone balance Blood sugar regulation for women Gut health and estrogen detox Constipation and daily bowel movements Cortisol, insulin, and stress Functional nutrition foundations Root causes of hormone imbalance How women can support healing naturally If you're ready to take a closer look at your health and what's really going on, you can schedule a clarity call with Melissa here: https://holistichealthbymelissa.com/discovery-information-form To connect with Katie: info@katiekirklin.com https://www.katiekirklin.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiekirklin/ Instagram: https://www.i…

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