The Carly Bayless Podcast

In this episode, I’m reflecting on my first year of twin motherhood - what surprised me, what stretched me, and how my perspectives have changed along the way. I thought having twins would be about logistics and efficiency. Instead, it’s been a year of surrender, humility, and learning my limits in a way I never have before. I’m sharing honest, nuanced thoughts on some of the most talked-about (and sometimes controversial) topics in motherhood - from birth and sleep to feeding, vaccines, and child spacing - along with the deeper lessons underneath all of it. For resources mentioned today, check out the show notes here: https://carlybayless.com/podcast/41

🤒 Sick season can leave families feeling overwhelmed - especially when illness moves through the house. In this episode, I sit down with Elizabeth Mae, Master Restorative Wellness Practitioner, Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, and founder of HeyHeyMae, to break down homeopathy and how families can confidently use it when sickness hits. Elizabeth shares practical guidance on how homeopathy works, which remedies to keep on hand during cold and flu season, and how to use them safely for both adults and children. Together, we discuss how homeopathy can empower families to feel prepared rather than panicked when illness arises. 💊 For a full list of resources and links discussed, check out the show notes at https://www.carlybayless.com/podcast/40

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Lara Austin, CHP - homeschool mom of four, wife to a family chiropractor, and graduate of the School of Christian Health & Nutrition - for a powerful conversation about faith, functional health, and what it really means to raise resilient kids in a toxic world. For full show notes and resources associated with this episode, check out the website at https://www.carlybayless.com/podcast/39

Joy is a nervous system state - and it’s an essential ingredient in healing. In this episode, I review the science of joy through the lens of neuroscience, nervous system regulation, and faith. You’ll learn why chronic stress suppresses joy, how joy supports healing at the biological level, and why joy isn’t a distraction from hard seasons - it is often what helps us thrive through them! For full episode show notes and resources, visit the website at https://www.carlybayless.com/podcast/38

In this episode, I explore oxytocin, the hormone and neuropeptide at the center of bonding, attachment, stress regulation, and healing. 🧸 🧪 Drawing from Dr. Sue Carter’s groundbreaking research on oxytocin and the biology of love, modern neuroscience, and Scripture, this conversation reveals how connection is not optional - we were designed FOR it. You’ll learn how oxytocin shapes the nervous system, buffers stress, and even influences common lab patterns - and why healing was never meant to happen in isolation. For full show notes related to this episode, visit https://www.carlybayless.com/podcast/37

🎯 What if the reason your health goals haven’t stuck isn’t a lack of discipline - but the pace you’ve been using? 🐢 In this episode, we explore why the slow, steady “tortoise” approach to health leads to more sustainable healing than all-or-nothing overhauls. We unpack how urgency, perfectionism, and intensity can actually backfire biologically - keeping the nervous system stuck in stress mode and making habits harder to maintain. 🐇 Drawing from functional medicine, nervous system science, and Gretchen Rubin’s book Better Than Before, this episode offers practical, compassionate habit-building strategies that work with your body, your personality, and your current season of life. If you’re tired of starting over every Monday and want health that actually lasts, this episode is for you. For full episode show notes and resources mentioned, visit https://www.carlybayless.com/podcast/36

🤗 What if healing doesn’t require more striving - but more safety? In today’s episode, I’m joined by Cristal DuBois, Christian Health Practitioner (CHP) and Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner (PRCFMP), and one of the health coaches in my practice, Nurture Functional Medicine. While Cristal has previously joined the podcast to discuss biochemical mental health and financial stewardship, today’s conversation is different. This episode focuses on the support side of healing - the nervous system, emotional regulation, and what it actually looks like to feel safe enough for healing to take root. Together, we discuss why coaching is such a vital part of functional medicine care, how nervous system dysregulation can keep patients stuck even when labs are improving, and how gentle, relational support can change the trajectory of healing entirely. 💛 RESOURCES & LINKS For full resources related to this podcast, check out the show notes at https://www.carlybayless.com/podcast/35

🤔 Ever wondered… Why does walking calm anxiety?Why do babies settle when we move? And why does stillness sometimes feel worse than motion? In this episode, I discuss the science of the vestibular system - a foundational sensory system that plays a powerful role in nervous system regulation, emotional safety, sleep, and stress resilience. Grounded in neuroscience, sensory-integration research, and trauma-informed physiology, this conversation explores how rhythmic, predictable motion helps signal safety to the brain - for babies, kids, and adults alike. You’ll learn why movement isn’t a sleep crutch or a bad habit, but biological nourishment, and how to practically incorporate vestibular input into everyday life in gentle, intuitive ways. For full show notes and resources associated with this episode, check out my website at https://www.carlybayless.com/podcast/34

🔥 🏋🏻‍♀️ Today, I am joined by Cheryl Montgomery - Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach and a specialist in metabolic optimization — to talk about the REAL drivers behind weight loss and how modern tools like peptides can support the process. Check out the resources mentioned in today's podcast as well as full Show Notes at https://www.carlybayless.com/podcast/33

😅 If weight loss has felt frustrating or confusing, this episode will bring you some much needed clarity! Today, I’m breaking down why weight loss resistance is rarely a willpower issue and is more often driven by hormones, stress physiology, blood sugar regulation, inflammation, and metabolic adaptation. Using a functional medicine lens, I explain how lab patterns often reveal the real barriers to progress. This episode also includes an important note on seasons when weight loss is not appropriate - such as postpartum recovery, breastfeeding, or active healing - and why pushing for fat loss during these times can backfire. You’ll also learn when adding pharmaceutical tools may be helpful (and when they’re not), setting the stage for next week’s guest episode on GLP-1s and other peptides with Cheryl Montgomery, a functional medicine certified health coach specializing in peptides and metabolic health. For full episode show notes & links/resources related to this episode, visit my website at https://www.carlybayless.com/podcast/32

🔋 Today’s episode (the final installment of our HRT series!) focuses on DHEA — a hormone that often goes unnoticed but can make a huge difference in how you feel day-to-day. ☀️ DHEA supports adrenal health, stress resilience, immune function, and is a key building block for other hormones like estradiol and testosterone. Check out the show notes and other episode resources online at https://www.carlybayless.com/podcast/31

💪🏼 Today’s conversation focuses on testosterone — a hormone women absolutely produce and NEED, even though it’s often dismissed as a “male” hormone. In this episode, I explain how testosterone supports muscle tone, fat loss, drive, motivation, mood stability, cognitive sharpness, and sexual wellness. ❤️‍🔥 🤓 Inside this episode, we cover: The myth that testosterone is only for men How testosterone supports metabolism and motivation Symptoms of low testosterone Why women lose testosterone in midlife Pellets vs transdermal vs injections (and why we avoid supraphysiologic doses) How I test and monitors levels for safety Optimal physiologic ranges for women What to expect when testosterone is repleted 💛 RESOURCES & LINKS Visit our website at https://www.carlybayless.com/podcast/30 for full episode show notes and resources!

🦋 Our HRT Series’s next installment is all about the thyroid - the butterfly-shaped gland with massive influence over the entire body. We cover topics including: *Why thyroid is the body’s metabolic thermostat *Symptoms of low thyroid that often go missed *Why women are frequently undertreated *The limitations of TSH-only testing *Why “normal” ranges are not the same as optimal *The importance of Free T3 and Free T4 *How thyroid affects mood, hair, digestion, weight, and energy *How I approach thyroid optimization *The role of combination therapy (T4 + T3) * Why individualized dosing matters more than numbers alone * Who tends to benefit from thyroid optimization For full episode resources and show notes, visit https://www.carlybayless.com/podcast/29

🧠✨ Today’s episode in the HRT Series focuses on estrogen - the hormone that often defines how alive, energetic, and vibrant a woman feels. 👩🏻‍🏫 Inside the episode, we cover: -The 3 types of estrogen- and why estradiol is the “queen” of them all! - Estradiol’s foundational role in health - How estradiol influences the brain, heart, bones, mood, metabolism, and skin - What happens when estradiol begins declining in perimenopause - Common symptoms of low estrogen - Why it’s not “just aging” — it’s hormonal depletion - Oral estrogen vs. transdermal estrogen - The truth about estradiol and breast cancer And so much more! 💞 This episode shines light on estradiol as the foundational hormone that can dramatically impact quality of life — and helps women feel energized, mentally clear, emotionally balanced, and physiologically supported. For full episode resources and show notes, visit https://www.carlybayless.com/podcast/28

🕊️ 💛 In today’s episode, we’re discussing progesterone - the hormone often dismissed as “the pregnancy hormone,” but in reality, it’s one of the most soothing and essential hormones for women’s wellbeing. For full episode info and show notes, visit https://www.carlybayless.com/podcast/27

👩🏻‍🏫 In this episode, I break down the real risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) from an evidence-based perspective. We discuss the myths that created fear around hormones, what the data actually shows, who may benefit from HRT, and how I monitor hormones safely for my patients using regular labs and DUTCH testing. 📊 This episode will help you understand HRT with clarity and confidence - and decide whether it may be right for you. For full episode show notes and links to recommended resources, visit https://www.carlybayless.com/podcast/26

🎁 😅 I was a teeny bit conflicted about doing a gift guide this year, but I was inspired by my friend Chelsea, the Christian Nutritionist, and decided to let "fun Carly" win this time. 😉 So today I'm sharing my curated holiday gift guide for intentional, meaningful gifting - with items that support wellness, cozy living, motherhood, nourishment, and a simplified lifestyle. This isn’t about random consumerism - it’s about gifting thoughtfully and joyfully!! For full episode resources and show notes, check them out here: https://www.carlybayless.com/podcast/25

In this Thanksgiving-themed episode, I’m sharing the powerful connection between gratitude and contentment—and how both Scripture 📖 and science 🧠 point to their incredible benefits. We’ll unpack how gratitude lowers cortisol, improves sleep 😴, boosts immunity 🛡️, and strengthens emotional resilience, while exploring what the Bible says about cultivating a heart of enoughness. I also share simple, meaningful practices you can bring to your Thanksgiving table 🍽️ and into your daily rhythms. I pray this conversation helps you slow down, breathe deeply 🤍, and enter the holiday with peace and “enoughness.” 🍂✨ For full show notes, check out my website at Https://www.carlybayless.com/podcast/24

Sharing some big news from our family! 💛 We’ve been dreaming, planning, and working behind the scenes on something close to our hearts — and it’s finally here. 🎙️ In the newest podcast episode, my husband Josh joins me as we share the story behind our new business, Nurture Functional Medicine — how it started, what Functional Medicine really means, and why we’re so passionate about helping people get to the root cause of their health concerns. ✨ This is the beginning of a new chapter — for our family, and for the people we’re honored to care for! Thank you Lord for the gift of this business and the opportunity to steward the health of your people well. 🙏🏼 Resources Mentioned In This Episode Visit ⁠https://nurturefunctionalmedicine.co/ States we currently plan to serve include FL, GA, TX, CO, KS, OH, and IN. If you are in one of those states, ⁠please schedule a FREE discovery call HERE: https://l.bttr.to/EcDto Outside of one of those states? ⁠Join the waitlist HERE: https://forms.gle/4JgCBSLjtAn5NGK66 ⁠and we will notify you as licensure expands (make sure you join the waitlist as we are adding licenses based on demand!) We are looking to expand to PA, OK, AL, and IL next if demand is sufficient! Patient visits begin in January 2026 and early bird pricing for memberships and consults is only available through February 1, 2026. View episode show notes at https://www.carlybayless.com/podcast/22