Natalie: Gut health and emotional health, how they work together to make you feel your best. An expert guide today on the podcast.

Natalie: Hi everyone. It's Natalie. So glad to have you here today. Hope you're having a super day. I'm so grateful to have you listening each week and emailing me, joining me on social media. It just means the world to me that you follow along and that you enjoy what's happening today. I have a very special podcast for you.

I talk a lot about emotional. But I also talk about physical health as well, and Carly Smith is a nutritional therapy practitioner. She is known as the fairy gut mother. She's a personal friend, and she has helped me so much in my own health journey and. Every time I talk to her and interview her, I learn a lot.

So let me tell you a little bit more about her. She's a nutritional therapy practitioner, a certified gaps practitioner, with a powerful story on resilience, transformation, and triumph. Carly has battled Lyme disease for years. You're gonna hear more about that today on the podcast and her story. Is so inspiring.

After struggling with symptoms, despite taking multiple medications and antibiotics, she decided to look for an alternative solution that would actually work. So listen today because we're gonna chat. About her journey with Lyme disease, her gut health and your gut health, and how you can improve your gut health, and also how we can make sustainable changes in our lives, which will include your emotional health.

Healing is not linear. We need to remember that. So take a moment, subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening, and get ready to learn today with one of my favorite guests, Carly Smith, the fairy gut. Carly, I think it's been about a year since you've been on the podcast and, I learned so much my listeners and viewers learned so much from you. But I love the topic we're gonna go with today because traditionally you talk about gut health, but in your own life and in many of your clients' lives, you've realized how

emotional health ties to gut health and physical.

Carley: Absolutely. Yes. It's so important. It's really, you know, as I always talk about gut health is, is the foundation for our health. This is where our immune system is located. but healing is, is in layers. So it's always important to be kind of, You peeling back, you know, peel back the layers and then what's next?

And um, you know, what's the next best thing for me to address? And you know, really at the foundation of everything you've done, diet and, you know, exercise and stress and all that, but emotional health, it can all be tied back to certain emotions being stuck or trapped in the body. And that can cause different health complications down the line.

So it's really important to be addressing.

Natalie: You know, we can eat well every day, we can exercise. But when you're struggling with something, that's deep and I know. Share kinda your experience and how you ended up in this profession. When

you're struggling like that, it's hard to heal physically.

Carley: it really is. And that's why, you know, you have to just allow yourself, give yourself time. Um, that's one of the main things. You know, don't put too much pressure on yourself. Just, you know, peel, like I said, peel back the layers. Um, I think that when we look at healing and it's, it's kind of like, okay, once I get this done, I'm gonna be great and we're gonna go from there.

And, and you kind of have to look at it like a journey that you're always unraveling different parts. Um, the layers and always exploring yourself in a little bit more, uh, detail. And as you do that, you know, be cur, approach it and be curious about it, versus kind of shaming that, you know, you're, you're learning a lot about yourself and especially when you start digging into the emotions, you know, not to like take off too.

Take on too much at once, just like little bits at a time. and that's really helpful.

Natalie: So you started your nutritional, journey in your profession, because of an illness

that you had that you, you really haven't talked about that much. Can you tell us about it?

Carley: You bet. So I started Fairy Gut Mother from my own gut healing journey. Uh, I actually had Lyme disease and, uh, most people don't really think about Lyme disease as it relates to the gut. Uh, for those of you that don't know, it's the, um, tickborne illness that usually comes from a tick bite, um, and then can affect you in all different sorts of ways.

For me, it was a little bit different, uh, affected more of my hormones. I was menstrual bleeding. Four months straight, they couldn't figure out what was wrong. Um, and then from there I just went down kind of a, a downward spiral. They put me on all these different kinds of medications, um, to try to regulate my cycle, and that was really where the focus was.

And it wasn't until I developed a bacterial infection from. Uh, bleeding so much that they put me on this really heavy dose of antibiotics and that made me super sick. And, uh, they, the doctor sought, it was just an allergic reaction to, uh, an antibiotic. But, um, when, you know, a friend of mine had mentioned that sounded like a herx or a die off from a Lyme disease.

When you take antibiotics for Lyme, it can cause flu-like symptoms or, or die off basically. So I went and I got tested and I found out that I had. And that actually was kind of a relief for me because at that time I was like, I, you know, you have no idea what's wrong. And my health just kept getting worse.

I was, you know, confined to my apartment. Um, I couldn't get out of bed. My memory, I've started to lose my memory. Uh, I forgot where I lived driving home from work. So I was actually a little relieved to find out, okay, there, there is actually is something and, and now I can, address this. And when I went on the antibiotics route, which is kind of most common for Lyme, I felt like they ended up doing more harm on my body than good.

So I started developing all these other issues and was prescribed all a lot of other medications for, you know, what the side effects of the antibiotics were. I took, went off all my medication and I just started researching. And that's when I started learning about the immune system being in the gut.

And I thought, well, if I heal my gut and boost my immune system, maybe I can suppress the disease. And that's exactly what happened. So, I was just so, you know, empowered with the progress with my health that I thought, you know, this needs to get out and, and more people need to hear about it. So, which is why I went back to school studying nutrition and started Fairy Gut Mother.

Um, but in this journey, you know, I, I talked a little bit before, but it really is layers. Um, the diet and the nutrition was just one part. And even now, you know, six, seven years later, I'm still kind of peeling back layers and, and being more curious about my health and ways that I might be able to still improve.

And really tapping into the emotional side of health has been really important for me. Um, and it was like, okay, you know, now I got the diet down and now. Um, the lifestyle side, and now it's, it's looking a little bit deeper at things. And as I reflect on my experience with Lyme disease, I really learned a lot about how emotional health is really like at the root of, of everything and even, you know, from, from Lyme and even healing from Lyme.

And that's really what I wanna share with people, um, because it's, it's such an important part of our health and I don't think we talk about it.

Natalie: Yeah, I mean, we hear people talk about, um, struggling emotionally or getting mental health, but we don't always. Correlate that with something else we're struggling with

physically. So when did you realize that, and what are you doing now? How are you helping people, um, as, as you do so well, uh, with n with nutrition and gut health?

How are you incorporating that and how do you advise people with

that?

Carley: So first, you know, definitely work on one gut health and the fundamentals of gut health, which is just, you know, nutrition and, and diet and supplements, uh, and. Stress levels, uh, making sure that you're taking time for yourself. Um, and then, you know, from there, again, like you, you just kind of slowly work your way into it.

I, I don't ever really work with clients right off the bat with, on emotional health. Um, I think that you don't wanna overwhelm yourself, so it's just kind of like noticing that that might be there. Um, but when you feel whole and ready and stable, then you can kind of begin to, to tap into that. Um, My clients are ready to, to look a little bit more into that.

There's a lot of different resources out there and tools for supporting your emotional health. Um, but first I feel like we need to normalize. Getting help for our emotional health. I think there's almost like a stigma attached to it that there's something wrong with us. And as I even reflect on, on my journey with Lyme, I know that's a lot of the reason why I didn't share personally so much about my story.

Um, cuz there was so much. Shame that there, you know, was something wrong with me, that I felt like my body had failed me. Um, so I, I kept a lot of it quiet and I didn't even tell, you know, part of my family about the disease. And now looking back, um, you know, sharing and being vulnerable with others is, is part of the healing process and allowing people to help you.

So, um, what I work with my clients on is like, think about, you know, assembling that, that team of people that are going to support you in the best ways. And that's, you know, family and friends, but also looking at different practitioners, uh, you know, so you have someone to help with your, your gut health.

You have someone, you know, maybe it's a trainer or, or a yoga instructor, you know, for the physical side. Um, but emotional health is just as important. So, you know, having, bringing people in that can help you, support you on that level, whether it's therapy, um, breath work, you know, there's all sorts of things and tools that are out there to really help us, uh, dig into those emotions and, and work to release them.

Natalie: Yeah. What are some of those techniques that, that you have found helpful in your journey and now being vulnerable about this for the first time? I mean, we've known each other for years. you had told me little bits and pieces, but to really open up about it and to now use that as part of your overall, way to help other

people is, is awesome.

So tell me more about some of those things you're

doing.

Carley: So the first thing that I started with

was acupuncture. Uh, I, I always tie in acupuncture to my protocols, and whether you know it or you don't, I mean, it, it is still, it is working. Uh, on those emotions within the body when we store different emotions and different parts. Uh, there was a yoga instructor that told me once during in class that we store our issues and our tissues, and that always just stuck with me.

And as you, you know, work with acupuncture and manipulating certain parts on the body, uh, those emotions can get stuck in, in different areas. Um, liver, kidneys, you know, different things like that. So if you look into Chinese medicine that there's a lot. Research about, um, feelings and emotions that are trapped in certain areas.

So as you work, uh, you know, and working into the liver or different parts of, of the body, that's going to also help to kind of. Send some of that energy in other places, which can help with some of the emotional side of things. Um, so that's a great place to start. Um, and then again, as you work deeper, I think breath work is another really great tool that we have.

Um, it's amazing what we can do with just our breath. So there are different types of, uh, you know, breath work workshops that you can go to. I mean, obviously meditation is huge. Um, so incorporating, finding ways to kind of incorporate that. Those are really great things to just have into your routine. and then obviously, you know, therapy that's, you know, finding a good therapist that works great for you that.

Help you to understand yourself more on an emotional level. Um, and like I tell people, as you start bringing in different kinds of, practitioners into your life, you know, think about, you kind of have an interview process where like they're in a way working for you. So does this person work for me?

I have a lot of clients that will say, well, I went to an acupuncturist, or I went to a therapist and I didn't like 'em, so I just didn't do it. It's like, okay, well that's a, you know, that person just didn't work right for you. Keep going until you find someone that works for you, because all of these things are so important and it's really important to have, This team of people that can help you in your healing process.

Like I said, I mean, before I, I really isolated. I tried to do it all myself. I didn't wanna share, I was embarrassed. I was ashamed. And now it's like, oh my gosh, like life would've been so much easier had I approached it this way, you know, several years ago. But here I am now sharing all this. So, um, you know, and another thing too that I, I really appreciate is, is the tapping technique, uh, which you can Google and, and.

Understand more about how that does, but basically what it is doing is, kind of resetting your central nervous system and, uh, releasing these trapped emotions in the body. There's another, Kind of practice that, similar to that, a book called The Emotion Code, um, which is something similar and you can find, uh, practitioners near you that are, uh, well versed with the emotion code that can help you.

so these are just certain things, you know, even yoga, um, and, and working on body work. Uh, there's a lot of massage therapies out there that help to release, various emotions and techniques that they use that can be stored in your body. Um, and again, I would just say with the foundation of it all, making sure that you have a healthy outlet as you work with these, um, you don't want the emotions to come up and then not have, you know, any place to go with them or not know what to do with them.

So that's equally as important, uh, when you balance all of it out.

Natalie: So tell me how, um, you are different now. I love this concept that, that you've mentioned now a few times of building a circle or a team that benefits you. because not just one person is, is going to be the answer. And so to be okay with that, I mean, if you see a doctor, you should see a doctor. But who else who specializes and.

Play off of what the other people are doing. So you have that team approach to your health, but how are you different now

than you were when you thought you had just your gut health

figured out?

Carley: I'm a lot more open and a lot more vulnerable. I'm learning how to communicate better. Um, I think that before my communication style was just, Like going in and shutting off and handling it all by myself. Um, which there are times where it is important to go within and to kind of be quiet within yourself, but you always have to, and for me especially, I have to be very cognizant that I'm not over isolating, that I'm kind of meeting in the middle where maybe I'm taking that time to myself, but I also know that I'm not using it as a way to protect myself.

And I'm, I'm still reaching. For help, and I'm still connecting with others. Um, so I've definitely learned that by opening up a little bit more, by sharing more about myself and connecting with others, um, that, that's really helped me in the healing process. That there's something very special about being vulnerable, um, and being open and sharing your experiences with others.

Um, that's, you know, I, I can't imagine what life would've been like, you know, when. was sick to, to, to really reach out and share how, you know, what I was doing or, or share with others. I mean, I, I, I'm sure there were other people out there going through something, some similar at that same time that I could have connected with that they might have been able to share something that could have helped me or just, just that connection.

Um, you know, under having somebody that understands exactly what you're going through, that in itself can just feel like you're heard and you have that connection and, and it's healing in itself. So, uh, for me now, uh, looking back, I mean, I'm definitely a lot more open about how I'm feeling, uh, and my experiences and, and learning to allow other people to help me as.

Natalie: Yeah, and I just think about like here in this story, this podcast, this interview, you being vulnerable is, uh, probably making a difference for someone who's thinking. I never thought about it that way. I never thought that actually listening to someone else tell their open story can help me

learn and grow.

And then that cycle continues for someone else who hear.

Carley: Absolutely. I mean, and we're all interconnected in, you know, some way, uh, I think that that's just the beauty of it is just finding those people to connect with and to share with, and then growing, uh, the, you know, growing, um, those connections based on that. But just that vulnerability in itself is just allowing things to come up and come out and that that is, um, just incredibly.

Natalie: Yeah.

Can we talk about more gut health for a.

Carley: Yes.

Natalie: know it's like your favorite thing to

talk about.

Carley: Well, you know, it's, it's true that, you know trust your gut and the emotions and it, I mean, we store everything in our gut, so it does all go back to, you know, having those gut feelings, those initial instincts. I mean, emotions is so rooted in gut.

Natalie: That's so interesting. I haven't thought about that. We do, we use that term, but yet physically and emotionally, so much has to do with our gut. But give us some like basics for those. And by the way, I'm gonna put the, um, the link in the show notes to the original episode we did just on gut health because it's.

So important

to understand that both my girls older ones are at college. I'm always giving you their backgrounds and, but the first thing I said to Carly when we got on, cuz we're friends, we've known each other a long time, was okay, one of them has allergies, what should she be doing? And so we come to you for that advice and you have to

start physically is a really good place to start when you're not feeling well emotionally.

You know, you gotta start somewhere and you kind of have to get that

in check to then move on. And as you said, Don't try to do it all at once. That's really hard. give us some, some places to start. And again, I'll link that original gut health episode for people. But, and even since then, I know you're learning and growing, but

some good places to start with feeling and getting your gut health in

check.

Carley: So definitely the overarching

thing is don't try to do everything at once. Just like you said, uh, find little tiny things that you can change. It's amazing what a big difference that that might be. And maybe it's just, you know, cutting back on certain things, uh, throughout the week, you know, maybe, um, finding out what your, your vice is, if it's fast food or sugar or alcohol or you know, whatever it is.

Maybe don't think about necessarily throwing everything out and, and completely eliminating it. Have that moderation. Okay, maybe I don't do it every day. Let's say if I can just, you know, have this maybe a couple days a week. Um, and that way you start slowly start to ease into it. Um, and then as your gut heals, you won't even really want to go back to your old ways just because if you try to, you'll realize how poorly you actually feel.

Um, and it's so much easier to approach it that way. Uh, especially if there's a lot going on and, you know, if you're completely overwhelmed, it's, it's not going to be sustainable and sustainability is the key. Um, so kind of approaching it that way, um, cleaning up your diet a little bit, uh, reducing the amount of processed foods in sugar and then incorporating a little bit more just whole natural good quality foods.

If you struggle. Digestion and bloating and, and, digestive discomfort. Cooking your foods versus eating them raw can be extremely helpful. Um, that's just much easier for the gut to digest. So incorporating a lot of more nourishing cooked foods. I'm a huge fan of bone broth. You know me, I don't ever stop talking about bone

Natalie: Carly taught me to make my own bone broth, which by the way, I'll, I'll have to link that too,

because it's so easy.

It's so easy. I mean, you can buy it, but It's also

just so

easy.

Carley: It is, it's so easy. It's way more cost effective. Um, and for the amount that if you are doing a gut healing protocol that you really should be consuming, it's just way more cost effective to make it your own. Um, but incorporating that, you know, you're really extracting all those nutrients from the bones that are going to help maintain a nice, healthy gut lining.

Plus it reduces inflammation. It's just very soothing to the gi. So incorporating that, uh, you might think about incorporating a digestive enzyme supplement, which really helps to break down your foods a little bit better. Most of us have too little stomach acid as compared to too much. So it's amazing what a big difference just incorporating a digestive enzyme will do, uh, and then maybe adding in a probiotic.

And that's really just kind of super simple, basic things. Um, you know, little tiny thing, changes that you can make that will go a long.

Natalie: Yeah. You mentioned, uh, two things I, that I always tell my kids when they're starting to get sick is, uh, cut out the processed food and cut out sugar, especially when you're starting to get

sick. I'm, maybe I just made this up. Because I thought it was a good thing to tell my kids, but I always say like, you are feeding the sickness.

Like if you're getting

something and you're just eating sugar, you're just giving it something to grow on. Am I

right? Did

Carley: Oh, you are? No, well, that's the clinical research. We'll actually tell you. I mean that

the pathogens in the gut feed on sugar, especially candido or the pathogenic yeast. I mean, it loves, uh, you know, uh, breads, noodles, processed foods like, uh, sugar. Um, those processed starches. Um, and not just some of the pa but just pathogens in general, feed on sugar in the body.

So absolutely. That was, uh, good advice.

Natalie: I think I just remembered it from you years ago,

Carley: Yeah, it's

Natalie: but to, to incorporate those whole things. And I didn't know that cooking foods actually is easier on the digestive tract cuz we hear so much about raw vegetables and raw nuts and those things.

That is, that it's hard on the digestive system, and even just for the

average.

Carley: So if you, if you don't have a compromised digestive system, then it's okay to incorporate. But definitely if your gut is compromised, I would completely.

Natalie: you know if your

gut is compromised?

Carley: feel it. So if you eat that and you

don't feel well afterwards, then that's a big red flag for, there might be some sort of gut issue going on.

Uh, also gut issues can come out in different ways through the skin, um, through allergies, food allergies, food sensitivities, seasonal allergies. Um, so there's other different, you know, ways that. Might come out or, or show itself, not just necessarily related to the gut. You have something and you notice that you're scratchy or you're sniff, you know, sniffly, like that could have been a sensitivity or something as it relates to, uh, the gut.

But definitely like nuts. Um, beans, legumes, foods like that are, are a lot harder for the gut to digest grains. Um, especially if it's compromised. So adding into digestive enzyme really does help a lot for these kinds of foods, but especially if you are gonna go on a gut healing protocol, I would reduce them or completely eliminate them.

Add in more, uh, cooked vegetables, cooked meats and broth. And one of the best things that I love is, is soups, as you brought up a good point of, of you know that some of losing some of those nutrients as you cook your foods, but if you make it in a soup all. Kind of comes out and gets absorbed into the broth.

So there's not a lot of loss in nutrients that way. Um, but it is much easier for the gut to digest and it, it just kind of is in a form or a way that the gut is, you know, understands more and can absorb more of the nutrients when they're cooked.

Natalie: Can you give us an example for a busy lifestyle? Because I think for a lot of people, they're just overwhelmed with the process. Like, okay, I have to go and get clean foods, organic foods, healthy foods, it's gonna cost more, and then I have to cook it all. Like, can you give busy people an example of how you can start making changes if a,

you eat out a lot, which makes it hard, or you're just on the.

Carley: And that is really hard. I think that's one of the biggest things that people struggle with is that, um, and I noticed this with my clients too, they just simply don't have the time. To, or, or want to cook at all. So that's where that moderation comes into play. That okay, you know, what are some hacks that I can, that can make this a little bit easier for myself?

Um, and meal prepping truly is so important now, but when people think about meal prepping, I think they get overwhelmed cuz they, they see, you know, all these meals that they have to plan out throughout the week. But meal prepping can be as simple as, let's just say you bake. You know, four sweet potatoes or, you know, I'm a huge fan of potatoes too.

They're a resistant starch. Um, so they feed the good bacteria in the gut. That's a really great kind of fiber that, um, for, for the gut. So just, you know, baking a few potatoes and then you'll have that throughout the week. Or making like a big, um, thing of brown rice. Um, and having that, you know, handy and readily available for the week.

Um, and then making some proteins. Proteins usually take the longest to cook, so if you bake some chicken or something like that, uh, you know, you have that readily available and then you can kind of mix and match throughout the. So putting things together is a lot easier, a lot, um, less time consuming. And then shopping, uh, you know, you can kind of pick and choose at the grocery store.

Maybe some more of the pre-made food. It might be a little bit more expensive, but if you're mixing in with some of the other things, um, it kind of balances things out. But finding ways that you can. Uh, mitigate some of the, the time and the, the, the prep time and more. Putting things together versus having to cook everything all at once can be really helpful.

And then as far as eating out goes, um, again, like really keep in mind that those cooked foods are much easier on the gut to digest. And I, I get this a lot from my clients and they'll say, I'm eating a salad. How is that bad? And it's not that salad is bad. I love salads. Um, I have them. It's that it can be much easier for the gut to digest if you maybe choose, uh, a roasted salmon and a roasted vegetable, um, that's just a lot easier for the gut.

So those are some things to think about as you're dining out.

Natalie: Yeah. Such a great place to start. And again, like you just said, start somewhere. You'll start

to feel better, and then you're gonna want more to incorporate into your life to feel

even better.

Carley: Right. And, and don't get down on yourself. I mean, look at it, uh, with more curiosity and approach it from more of that way instead of like, oh, like when am I gonna feel better? When is this gonna be over? You know, it, it's, it's layers. And here I am several years later after a lineman, while I feel great, and I, I don't have any symptoms of lime.

You know, I'm. Going through and finding out ways that I can improve things. So, um, you know, it's, it's not like the work is ever really over, um, don't get down on yourself for, for where you're at. It's just little tiny things and we're all learning and growing at the same time.

Natalie: Yeah. Well, that was my next question is how you're feeling overall, and I know Lyme is something you always have, right? It's not something, I mean, you've pretty much cleared

yourself of it, but it's something that you're not cured from ever.

Is that right?

Carley: Correct. So it's something that is in my body. Um, but I believe that as long as my gut health is strong, I will continue to suppress the disease. The only time that I I, uh, it, it kind of came back was after my mom passed away, and that was a time that I was very traumatic and I was right as I was kind of starting to heal my gut too.

Um, so my, my health was kind of barely hanging on at the. Um, and that's, that's the only time that I noticed that it came back. But, you know, I've, I knew exactly what to do. I took care of myself. I went straight to gut health. Um, I went back on more of a gut healing protocol, incorporating those foods. Uh, and that's where.

I, I kind of started to get into the emotional health, just scratching the surface of that with acupuncture. Um, and got really big into meditation and yoga. Um, and, you know, kind of worked myself back out of it. So, you know, as long as I, I stay in this good space, I'm okay. And I, I think that's, you know, true for a lot of different things out there that as long as, you know, we're, we're, um, taking care of ourselves, we can handle, you know, whatever it is that life throws.

Natalie: And emotional setbacks or seasons of our life will, uh, cause flareups in our physical life. So to really be in touch with that is another theme I keep hearing you

say, is to be aware and then know

what to do so you're not

shocked by it.

Carley: Yes, absolutely. And, and that's a huge thing too, is kind of having those tools that, you know, I mean even for, you know, when I say it's a lot, like if you're, if you're traveling, you kind of have your, uh, know which to do when you get home to get your gut back on track. And for me it's kind of like, okay, you know, I.

I know I'm gonna make a broth and, um, you know, do these certain things. And, and I've said this too, that, you know, one of the things for Lyme that was so important for me was like, kind of like a first aid kit that I had sort of assembled for myself that when I knew that my health was, was getting down, it was like, okay, I, I knew how to check in with myself.

I would make broth, I'd make nourishing. Uh, gut healing foods. I did EPS and salt baths. I got in back into my acupuncture routine. Uh, started meditating again, going to yoga, getting plenty of sleep. You know, it was like all these things that I was like, okay, let's, you know, get back on, on track here. And then within, you know, just like a couple days, I would start noticing improvement.

So having that self-care routine that you know works really well for you is I.

Natalie: Yeah. Such good information. Well, for people who want to continue to learn and grow

and, uh, be, be, uh, educated and inspired by you, where

can they find you?

Carley: So, uh, just my website's, just fairy gut

mother.com, and then social media at Fairy Gut. Mother.

Natalie: Great. Thanks so much Carly. Always

so

Carley: you, Natalie. So good to see you.

Thank

Natalie: Yeah. We'll do it again soon. Thanks for continuing to educate us.

Carley: you bet.