The Nutrient Dense Podcast

What happens when you're eating a healthy diet, exercising, taking supplements, drinking plenty of water, and doing everything you've been told to do for your gut...but you're still chronically constipated, bloated, burping after meals, struggling with reflux, and dealing with acne?
 
In this episode, I'm taking you behind the scenes of a real client case from my HGSB program. She had struggled with digestive issues since her early 20s, had seen multiple doctors, was relying on Linzess for constipation, and had previously taken Accutane for acne—but her digestive issues continued.
 
When we ran testing, we found there was much more happening beneath the surface. I'm walking you through exactly what we found, why we didn't immediately jump into a "kill protocol," how we strategically rebuilt her digestive function, and the order in which we addressed her imbalances.
 
After four months, she reported going from feeling like a 3/10 to a 9/10, with no more bloating after meals, burping, gas, acne, undigested food in her stool, or afternoon energy crashes—and she was having daily bowel movements!
 
If you feel like you're doing everything right but your results aren't matching your effort, this episode will show you why a personalized, root-cause strategy can make all the difference.







 
 
 
 
 
 




WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT IN THIS EPISODE:
Eating a healthy diet doesn't automatically resolve underlying digestive dysfunction.
Chronic constipation, bloating, reflux, acne, and nutrient issues can share overlapping root causes.
Supporting the body's foundations before eradication was an important part of her protocol.
Gut motility, stomach acid, bile flow, enzyme production, and regular bowel movements all needed attention.
The goal wasn't simply to kill bacteria, it was to address why the overgrowth developed in the first place.
After four months, she reported major improvements in digestion, bowel regularity, energy, and skin.
Personalized protocols can help replace years of guessing with a more targeted strategy.














 
 
 
 
 




 








LINKS:
Book a strategy call with Hannah HERE
Join the waitlist for Healin' Guts + Shakin' Butts, starting in September!
Take the Gut Health Root Cause Quiz for free!
Equip Protein: use the code hannahaylwardhhc for 15% off
Listen to Episode 41 - Before You Invest In Functional Testing, Make Sure You're Doing These Things
Listen to Episode 17 - Decoding Your Gut: Functional Stool Testing Deep Dive
Listen to Episode 33 - Main Root Causes of Chronic Gut & Digestive Issues



 
 
 
 
 




CONNECT WITH HANNAH:
Instagram  |   Website



 
 
 
 
 





 
If you found this episode valuable, share it with a friend and leave us a rating/review! Thank you for listening ✨

I spent seven years struggling with chronic bloating, IBS symptoms, constipation, food sensitivities, and major food anxiety—even though I felt like I was doing everything right. I ate healthier than almost everyone I knew. I avoided gluten and dairy for nearly a decade. I exercised, bought organic food, used non-toxic products, followed elimination diets, and spent hundreds of dollars on probiotics, digestive enzymes, L-glutamine, and every gut-support supplement I could find. And I still looked six months pregnant with belly bloating after eating an apple.
 
What I eventually realized was that I didn't need to restrict more foods or find the perfect supplement. I needed a completely different strategy.
 
In this episode, I'm walking you through the six key steps I personally focused on to repair my gut. I'm breaking down why chronic digestive issues can be about so much more than the foods you're eating, why digestion needs to be addressed before obsessing over probiotics, how functional testing changed my approach, and why my nervous system ended up being one of the most important pieces of my gut-healing journey. If you feel like you're doing all the things but you're still bloated, constipated, reacting to foods, or afraid to eat outside of your normal routine, this episode is for you.







 
 
 
 
 
 




WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT IN THIS EPISODE:
Chronic digestive issues are often a gut environment problem, not simply a food problem.
Focus on nourishment over restriction to support gut health and function.
Functional testing can help uncover imbalances and create a more targeted approach.
Healthy detox and drainage pathways support your body's ability to eliminate waste.
Digestion comes before the microbiome—stomach acid, enzymes, and bile matter.
Rebalancing the gut microbiome can improve food tolerance and digestive symptoms.
Chronic stress and nervous system dysregulation can directly impair digestive function.
Lasting gut repair requires addressing the whole ecosystem, not chasing one root cause or supplement.













 
 
 
 




 








LINKS:
Book a strategy call with Hannah HERE
Join the waitlist for Healin' Guts + Shakin' Butts, starting in September!
Take the Gut Health Root Cause Quiz for free!
Equip Protein: use the code hannahaylwardhhc for 15% off
Listen to Episode 11 - Top 5 Tips for Balancing Your Blood Sugar
Listen to Episode 17 - Decoding Your Gut: Functional Stool Testing Deep Dive
Listen to Episode 72 - The Migrating Motor Complex (MMC) — Your Gut's Natural Cleaning Cycle
Listen to Episode 59 - How to Support Your Nervous System in Times of Chaos
Listen to Episode 33 - Main Root Causes of Chronic Gut & Digestive Issues



 
 
 
 
 
 
 




CONNECT WITH HANNAH:
Instagram  |   Website



 
 
 
 
 
  




 
If you found this episode valuable, share it with a friend and leave us a rating/review! Thank you for listening ✨

Feel like you've tried to get over SIBO multiple times with no luck? The antibiotics, herbals, the diets...but it keeps coming back. In this episode, I'm breaking down one of the biggest misconceptions about SIBO: it's not simply a bacterial overgrowth problem. 
 
We'll cover what SIBO actually is, why it develops in the first place, and why so many conventional protocols fail to create lasting results. I'll explain the critical role of gut motility, the migrating motor complex (MMC), stomach acid, bile flow, thyroid function, chronic stress, mold exposure, H. pylori, food poisoning, and even abdominal adhesions in creating an environment where bacterial overgrowth can thrive.
 
We'll also discuss why simply killing bacteria isn't enough, why rebuilding your gut microbiome matters just as much as reducing bacterial overgrowth, and how shifting your focus from "killing bugs" to restoring digestive function can completely change your healing journey.







 
 
 
 
 
 




WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT IN THIS EPISODE:
SIBO is an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine, where bacteria normally exist in much lower amounts than in the large intestine.
SIBO is often a downstream consequence of impaired digestive function—not the primary root cause itself.
Antibiotics and herbal antimicrobials may temporarily reduce bacterial overgrowth, but they don't address why the overgrowth developed in the first place.
The low FODMAP diet can reduce symptoms but isn't designed to eradicate SIBO or prevent recurrence.
Healthy gut motility is one of the most important factors in preventing recurring SIBO.
Chronic stress, hypothyroidism, low stomach acid, poor bile flow, food poisoning, mold exposure, H. pylori, adhesions, and diabetes can all contribute to impaired gut motility and recurring SIBO.
Low stomach acid and poor bile flow create an environment where bacterial overgrowth is more likely to occur.
Rebuilding the gut microbiome after antimicrobial treatment is essential for maintaining long-term microbial balance.
SIBO has a high relapse rate because many treatment approaches focus only on reducing bacteria rather than restoring digestive function.
Long-term healing comes from creating a resilient digestive system—not simply eliminating bacteria.












 








 
 
 
 
 
LINKS:
Book a strategy call with Hannah HERE
Join the waitlist for Healin' Guts + Shakin' Butts, starting in September!
Take the Gut Health Root Cause Quiz for free!
Equip Protein: use the code hannahaylwardhhc for 15% off
Listen to Episode 72 - The Migrating Motor Complex (MMC) — Your Gut's Natural Cleaning Cycle
Listen to Episode 24 - Low Stomach Acid: A Hidden Cause of Chronic Bloating & Digestive Issues
Listen to Episode 80 - Bile Flow 101: The Overlooked Key to Better Digestion, Bowel Movements & Histamine
Listen to Episode 79 - 5 Signs Your Gut Issues are Actually H. Pylori
Listen to Episode 62 - The Hidden Gut Disruptor: How Mold Exposure Impacts Your Digestion, Gut Microbiome & Histamine



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 




CONNECT WITH HANNAH:
Instagram  |   Website



 
 
 
 
 




 
If you found this episode valuable, share it with a friend and leave us a rating/review! Thank you for listening ✨

If you've suddenly become sensitive to foods you used to tolerate—like avocado, spinach, leftovers, fermented foods, bone broth, or even a glass of wine—you may be dealing with histamine intolerance. But what if histamine isn't actually the problem?
 
In this episode, I'm breaking down why histamine intolerance is often a capacity problem, not simply a food problem. Histamine is a normal and necessary molecule in the body. The real question isn't "How do I avoid histamine forever?", it's why has my body lost its ability to process it?
 
I'll explain how your gut microbiome, gut barrier, hormones, liver, mold exposure, chronic stress, and nervous system all influence your ability to break down histamine. We'll also cover why a low histamine diet may provide temporary relief but isn't a long-term solution, how histamine overload differs from Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), and the functional approach I use to help clients tolerate foods again by addressing the root causes underneath the surface.






 
 
 
 
 
 




WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT IN THIS EPISODE:
Histamine overload is often a capacity problem, not simply a problem of eating high-histamine foods.
Histamine intolerance and MCAS overlap but are not the same condition; MCAS involves broader mast cell dysregulation and additional inflammatory mediators.
The "histamine bucket" concept explains why symptoms occur when histamine production exceeds your body's ability to break it down.
DAO helps break down histamine in the gut, while HNMT helps metabolize histamine throughout the body, including in the liver and nervous system.
Damage to the gut lining can reduce DAO activity, making histamine intolerance more likely.
Gut dysbiosis, H. pylori, SIBO, intestinal inflammation, and histamine-producing bacteria can all increase the body's histamine burden.
A low histamine diet can reduce symptoms temporarily, but it doesn't address why histamine is accumulating.
Mold exposure and mycotoxins can activate mast cells and significantly contribute to histamine overload.
Estrogen increases histamine release, while progesterone helps stabilize mast cells and supports histamine breakdown.
Chronic stress and elevated cortisol can destabilize mast cells, increase histamine release, and contribute to hormone imbalances that worsen symptoms.
Supporting gut health, liver function, hormones, nervous system regulation, and mineral status is essential for long-term improvement—not simply eliminating more foods.











 
 
 
 
 




 
 
 
 
 
 











LINKS:
Book a strategy call with Hannah HERE
Join the waitlist for Healin' Guts + Shakin' Butts, starting in September!
Take the Gut Health Root Cause Quiz for free!
Equip Protein: use the code hannahaylwardhhc for 15% off
Listen to Episode 12 - Is Histamine Overload Causing Your Unexplained Symptoms?
Listen to Episode 35 - The Gut x Histamine Connection
Listen to Episode 62 - The Hidden Gut Disruptor: How Mold Exposure Impacts Your Digestion, Gut Microbiome & Histamine



 
 
 
 
 
 





CONNECT WITH HANNAH:
Instagram  |   Website



 
 
 
 
 
 





 
If you found this episode valuable, share it with a friend and leave us a rating/review! Thank you for listening ✨

If your iron or ferritin levels are chronically low, even though you're taking iron supplements, eating red meat, and doing everything you've been told to do, it's time to dig deeper.
 
In this episode, I'm breaking down why low iron isn't always an iron problem. Your body has to be able to digest, absorb, transport, recycle, store, and actually use the iron you're consuming. I'm walking you through the four major categories I look at when someone has chronically low iron: losing too much iron, not absorbing enough, inflammation restricting access to stored iron, and difficulty transporting or utilizing iron properly.
 
I'm also sharing why ferritin alone doesn't give us the whole picture and which labs can provide a much more comprehensive look at what's actually happening. If you've been supplementing with iron for months without your levels ever budging, this episode will help get you the answers you've been looking for.





 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 




WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT IN THIS EPISODE:
Most of the iron your body uses each day comes from internal recycling, not directly from dietary iron.
Ferritin is an important marker of iron storage, but ferritin alone cannot tell you the full story of your iron status.
There are four major areas to investigate when iron won't improve: loss, absorption, inflammation, and transport/utilization.
Low stomach acid, H. pylori, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, restrictive diets, and certain medications can interfere with iron absorption.
H. pylori is particularly important because it can alter the stomach environment, impair iron absorption, and contribute to inflammation.
Chronic inflammation can increase hepcidin, which restricts the release and absorption of iron and can contribute to functional iron deficiency.
Normal or elevated ferritin doesn't necessarily mean iron is readily available for your body to use, particularly when inflammation is present.
Copper, vitamin A, B12, and folate are among the nutrients involved in healthy iron transport, red blood cell production, and iron metabolism.
Gut dysfunction can create multiple problems simultaneously: poor absorption, inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, and potentially altered iron utilization.
Iron and thyroid health have a bidirectional relationship: iron is important for normal thyroid function, while thyroid dysfunction can contribute to patterns that increase iron-deficiency risk.
Instead of endlessly supplementing iron, the goal should be to determine where the breakdown in the chain is occurring.










 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



 







LINKS:
Book a strategy call with Hannah HERE
Apply for HAN's 1:1 Coaching Program!
Take the Gut Health Root Cause Quiz for free!
Equip Protein: use the code hannahaylwardhhc for 15% off
Listen to Episode 79 - 5 Signs Your Gut Issues are Actually H. Pylori
Listen to Episode 24 - Low Stomach Acid: A Hidden Cause of Chronic Bloating & Digestive Issues
Listen to Episode 28 - How Your Gut Is Messing With Your Hormones: The Estrogen & Thyroid Connection
Listen to Episode 38 - Diving into Hashimoto's & Hypothyroidism with Board-Certified ENT and Thyroid Specialist Dr. Dana Gibbs



 
 
 
 
 




CONNECT WITH HANNAH:
Instagram  |   Website



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 




If you found this episode valuable, share it with a friend and leave us a rating/review! Thank you for listening ✨