Boundaries and Health: How Chronic Stress Affects the Gut, Hormones and Nervous System

One of the most common things women are saying to me right now is this: “I seem to be reacting to everything.” Foods they’ve eaten for years suddenly cause bloating, headaches, skin flares, anxiety, reflux, fatigue, or that vague but unmistakable sense that something isn’t right. Gluten, dairy, eggs, histamine-rich foods, even healthy staples like avocado or nuts start to feel like enemies. This isn't a coincidence, and it isn't a weakness. It’s information. From a functional medicine...

Over the years, I’ve learned that when I catch a cold, the temptation to push through is often strongest at the very moment my body needs the opposite. There are always commitments that feel uncancellable, people to show up for, and a quiet voice suggesting it would be easier to ignore the symptoms and carry on. But experience has taught me that when I don’t slow down, I pay for it later - with a longer illness, lingering fatigue, or a sense that my body never quite finished what it started....