The Health Detective Podcast by Functional Diagnostic Nutrition

The Missing Mental Health Link (Gut-Brain Axis Explained)

Why your gut may be driving anxiety, brain fog, and low energy

Because what if your brain isn’t the problem?

In this episode, I’m joined by Brendan Vermeire, Clinical Faculty for Functional Diagnostic Nutrition, and we break down what’s actually happening inside the gut–brain axis and how your gut microbiome may be driving how you think, feel, and function every single day.

We’re connecting the dots between gut health, inflammation, and brain chemistry in a way that actually makes sense… so you can stop guessing and start understanding your symptoms.

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🎯 In this episode:

• What the gut–brain axis actually is (in real-life terms)

• How your gut influences mood, anxiety, and focus

• Why inflammation and gut dysfunction can show up as brain symptoms

• Signs your gut may be behind your fatigue or brain fog

• Where to start if you want to support your gut and your brain

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🎓 Brendan’s Courses (25% OFF until March 31)

Use code: 'Brendan25'

👉 Gut-Brain Axis Course

👉 Mastering Mold Illness

👉 Mastering Neurotransmitters

👉 Mastering Brain Chemistry

👉Mastering Methylation

👉Organic Acids

 

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Connect with Brendan Vermeire

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_holistic_savage

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Connect with Michele Scarlet

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelescarlet_

New Host, New Era; Meet Michele Scarlet

The Health Detective Podcast is entering a new chapter.

In this transition episode, Michele Scarlet steps in as the new host and shares what listeners can expect moving forward.

This podcast is dedicated to real health transformations; the kind that happen when we start asking deeper questions and looking beyond surface-level answers. Together, we’ll explore the patterns behind chronic symptoms, investigate root causes, and continually evolve our understanding of functional health.

Moving forward, you can expect conversations around:

• Functional health transformations and case-based insights
• The art of asking better questions in root cause medicine
• Continual education and evolving clinical thinking
• Interviews with practitioners pushing the boundaries of functional health
• Occasional insights into the business side of health coaching and building a practice

Because healing doesn’t happen when we stop learning; it happens when we stay curious.

If you’re a practitioner, health coach, or someone passionate about understanding the body and uncovering real solutions, you’re in the right place.

Subscribe so you don’t miss what’s ahead.

Until the next investigation… keep asking deeper questions.

30 year Nurse Shocked by What She Uncovered

After 30 years working as a Registered Nurse, Kirstin Green-Farmer thought she understood healthcare.

But when chronic symptoms continued to affect her and the family she cared for, something became clear:

Working inside conventional medicine doesn’t always mean you get the answers you need to be well.

In this episode, Michele Scarlet speaks with Kirstin about her journey from hospital nurse to Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, the limitations of symptom-focused care, and why more practitioners are beginning to investigate the root causes of chronic illness.

This conversation explores what happens when experienced clinicians begin asking deeper questions and what they discover when they step outside the traditional system.

Want to Learn More about FDN?

Join Our FREE HOLISTIC HEALTH WEEK March 16-20 2026


Connect with Kirsten:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/greenfarmerwellness/
Website: https://green-farmerwellness.com/

Connect with Michele:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/michelescarlet_/
Host of The True Health Podcast

Quieting Inflammation Through Food w/ Dr. Wanda Parks

Are fad diets and one-size-fits-all approaches really helping your health—or holding you back?

In this episode, Detective Ev sits down with Dr. Wanda Parks, Integrative & Functional Health Practitioner, FDN-P, Certified Aromatherapist, Face Yoga Instructor, and Retired Military Veteran. Dr. Wanda specializes in helping women over 40 regain control of their metabolic and autoimmune health naturally—without relying on restrictive diets or temporary fixes.

Dr. Wanda shares why starting with a strong foundation is essential, why bio-individuality matters, and why screening is the first step to lasting health. She emphasizes that we are not robots—every body is unique, and everything in the body is connected. By addressing the root causes of inflammation, bloating, constipation, pain, and toxin overload, Dr. Wanda helps her clients achieve real, sustainable results that honor the whole person, not just isolated symptoms.

 

 

Want to watch this episode on YouTube? Click here. Subscribe if you'd like to catch all new episodes live and participate with our guests directly.

 

Want to learn more about becoming an FDN? Go to fdntraining.com/resources to get our best free workshops and mini-courses!

Where to find Dr. Wanda Parks:

Website: drwandaholistichealth.com

Instagram: @getwellwithdrwanda

Facebook: @successwithwanda

TikTok: @getwellwithdrwanda

 

Purified vs. Restructured Water - Which is Best? w/ Tim James

What if the key to feeling younger, stronger, and more energized isn’t found in the latest trend—but in a few foundational principles anyone can start today?

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Tim, founder of ChemicalFreeBody.com, to uncover the “4 Core Secrets” he teaches his private coaching clients—principles that have helped thousands reverse health decline and reclaim their vitality at any age.

We explore why modern health is deteriorating at record speed and, more importantly, Tim’s top three diet and lifestyle strategies to reverse this trend.

From detoxing the body to restructuring something as simple—and overlooked—as your water, Tim explains why these basics are non-negotiable for optimal wellness.

 

 

Want to watch this episode on YouTube? Click here. Subscribe if you'd like to catch all new episodes live and participate with our guests directly.

 

Want to learn more about becoming an FDN? Go to fdntraining.com/resources to get our best free workshops and mini-courses!

Where to find Tim James:

Website: chemicalfreebody.com

Instagram: @chemicalfreebodyguy

Facebook: @Chemical Free Body

 

The Inflammation Code w/ Dr. Shivani Gupta

In this episode, Detective Ev sat down with Dr. Shivani Gupta, a leading voice in holistic health and chronic disease prevention, whose work bridges 5,000 years of Ayurvedic wisdom with modern functional medicine.

Dr. Shivani’s journey into wellness began with her own battle with chronic illness—an experience that led her to Ayurveda and ultimately transformed her life. Inspired to help others heal, she went on to earn a Master’s in Ayurvedic Sciences and a Ph.D. focused on Turmeric, studying under renowned Ayurvedic experts in both India and the United States.

At the heart of her work is The Inflammation Solution Program, a practical, integrative approach designed to help people—especially women—address chronic issues such as joint pain, weight gain, autoimmune symptoms, fatigue, and hormone imbalance. By blending traditional Ayurvedic principles with evidence-based functional medicine, Dr. Shivani empowers individuals to understand their bodies and restore balance from the inside out.

We also dive into her new Hay House debut book, The Inflammation Code, where she reveals how hidden inflammation drives brain fog, metabolic dysfunction, accelerated aging, and more.

 

 

Want to watch this episode on YouTube? Click here. Subscribe if you'd like to catch all new episodes live and participate with our guests directly.

 

Want to learn more about becoming an FDN? Go to fdntraining.com/resources to get our best free workshops and mini-courses!

Where to find Dr. Shivani Gupta:

Website: shivanigupta.com

Instagram: @dr.shivanigupta

Facebook: @TheShivaniGupta

YouTube: @dr.shivanigupta

Book: The Inflammation Code

 

Mold Illness is Why My Health Fell Apart w/ Katie Poterala

What happens when your body begins to fail—and no one can tell you why?

In this powerful episode of The Health Detective Podcast, Katie shares her deeply personal health journey through sudden illness, mold exposure, and the long road back to healing. What started as an unexplainable health collapse quickly became a life-altering wake-up call—one that forced her to become her own #1 advocate.

At the time, Katie was juggling a brand-new baby and running a busy retail jewelry store she had just opened in downtown Greenville, South Carolina. Despite the obvious stressors, the severity and speed of her illness didn’t make sense. Traditional medicine offered endless testing, referrals, medications, and even repeat surgeries—but no real answers, no roadmap, and no explanation for why her body was responding the way it was.

Refusing to accept a life of unanswered questions, Katie dove headfirst into functional medicine, investing countless hours, resources, and education to uncover the root cause of her symptoms. Along the way, she discovered that there is always a reason the body responds the way it does—and that healing is possible when you find the right method and the right help.

 

 

Want to watch this episode on YouTube? Click here. Subscribe if you'd like to catch all new episodes live and participate with our guests directly.

 

Want to learn more about becoming an FDN? Go to fdntraining.com/resources to get our best free workshops and mini-courses!

Where to find Katie Poterala:

Website: emerald-well.com

Instagram: @emerald.well.fdn

Facebook: @people/Emerald-Well-Diagnostics

 

The Truth About Melasma: A Metabolic Condition in Disguise w/ Ariana Juarez

Is melasma really a skin problem—or is it your body asking for help?

In this episode of The Health Detective Podcast, Detective Ev sat down with Ariana Juarez, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner (FDN-P) and founder of Alura Wellness, to uncover the truth behind chronic hyperpigmentation and melasma. If you’ve tried creams, lasers, peels, or prescriptions—only to see dark patches return—this conversation explains why those approaches so often fail.

Ariana breaks down melasma as a metabolic skin condition, not a cosmetic flaw. Rather than being something to “cover up” or burn away, melasma is a visible signal of deeper internal imbalance involving hormones, blood sugar regulation, inflammation, detox pathways, and nutrient status. When those drivers aren’t addressed, surface-level treatments can’t create lasting change. The good news? Melasma is reversible when you understand what your skin is communicating and address the root cause. 

Ariana shares how her functional approach helps clients reverse melasma, slow accelerated aging, and restore skin health by supporting the body as a whole—not fighting it.

 

 

Want to watch this episode on YouTube? Click here. Subscribe if you'd like to catch all new episodes live and participate with our guests directly.

 

Want to learn more about becoming an FDN? Go to fdntraining.com/resources to get our best free workshops and mini-courses!

Where to find Ariana Juarez:

Website: alurawellness.com

Instagram: @alura.wellness

X: @alurawellness

 

Adjusted Reality w/ Dr. Sherry McAllister

What if alignment is the missing link to lasting health and longevity?

In this episode of The Health Detective Podcast, Detective Ev sits down with Dr. Sherry McAllister, doctor of chiropractic, President of the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, and host of the award-winning Adjusted Reality podcast, to discuss the powerful ideas behind her new Forbes book, Adjusted Reality.

If you’re ready to move beyond symptom management and into a more empowered, aligned approach to health, this episode offers insight, clarity, and a new way forward.

 

Want to watch this episode on YouTube? Click here. Subscribe if you'd like to catch all new episodes live and participate with our guests directly.

 

Want to learn more about becoming an FDN? Go to fdntraining.com/resources to get our best free workshops and mini-courses!

Where to find Dr. Sherry McAllister:

Website: f4ce.org

Instagram: @drsherrymcallister

Facebook: @DrSherryMcAllister

Book: Adjusted Reality

 

Built to Overcome: Faith, Fitness, and the Fight for Your Health w/ Dylan Gemelli

We are all built to overcome. Health isn’t something you earn—it’s an innate ability that emerges when the body, mind, and spirit are given the space and support to heal. Even after wrong turns, setbacks, or seasons of struggle, transformation is always possible through right choices, personal responsibility, and a truth-based mindset.

In this powerful episode, we dive deep into the mind–body connection with Dylan Gemelli, a leading voice in fitness and biohacking. Known as “The Wellness Revolutionary,” “The Aging Optimizer,” and “The Mind-Body Connector,” Dylan brings insight across fitness, nutrition, cellular health, neuroscience, and anti-aging. As the creator of the Dylan Gemelli Podcast, he’s on a mission to help people reclaim their health from the inside out.

Together, we explore how faith, mindset, and physiology intersect—and why true health optimization starts with aligning your beliefs, behaviors, and biology.

 

 

Want to watch this episode on YouTube? Click here. Subscribe if you'd like to catch all new episodes live and participate with our guests directly.

 

Want to learn more about becoming an FDN? Go to fdntraining.com/resources to get our best free workshops and mini-courses!

Where to find Dylan Gemelli:

Website: dylangemelli.com

Instagram: @dylangemelli

Facebook: @DylanGemelli

YouTube: @DylanGemelliBiohacking