Epic Health with Kristen Barrett, FDN-P

11/19/2025

Time change incoming this weekend and if you only do one thing to make the transition easier, make it this:

👉 Get outside within 30 minutes of waking up and here’s why…

Morning sunlight resets your circadian rhythm. The wavelengths from the low sun hits photoreceptors in your eyes. These cells send a signal straight to your suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) which is your brain’s internal clock.

(basically the wavelengths from the sun enter your brain through the eyes and initiate a cascade of events inside your body)

For one, it spikes cortisol at the right time, and sets your cortisol awakening response (this is the strong rise in cortisol the first two hours you’re awake - see slide 1). In fact, your body releases about 50-75% of your total daily cortisol during this time.

Conversely, a flattened cortisol awakening response (see slide 2) increases risk for cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and mortality (yep, they’ve actually studied that 😬).

If that’s not convincing enough, sunlight exposure to the retina also increases dopamine and serotonin (which are both linked to motivation, energy, and emotional stability). And c’mon my perimenopause sister - you KNOW you want more of that!

Speaking of perimenopause, your circadian rhythm controls not just sleep but also insulin sensitivity, thyroid hormone conversion, and fat oxidation… all things that take a hit when we start losing estrogen.

Basically, people who get consistent morning light have better blood sugar control and metabolism even when our hormones are working against us.

So if you want better hormones, a happier brain, more energy, and better weight management - get morning light.

Earlier sunrise is a GIFT, not an annoyance.

P.S. Even if it’s cloudy, outdoor light is 10–100x stronger than indoor light. Once the sun’s up (even if it’s a cloudy day), head outside for 5–10 minutes (no sunglasses and no windows between you and the sky).

Your cortisol rhythm is one of the strongest markers tied to your long-term health outcomes. DM me or comment "DUTCH" if you’re interested in testing your hormones.

06/16/2025

That’s a wrap on dance season 🎉

Competitions, long rehearsals, backstage nerves, spotlight smiles, and moments that made my mama heart burst wide open.

Looking forward to a few weeks of downtime before Emily embarks on a new set of firsts as she was invited to start Pointe this summer 🩰

It's the most special feeling to see your kids work hard toward something they are passionate about.

Happy last week of school, mamas!

05/17/2025

Hey friends! I’ve just updated my Services page with full program details. If you’ve been curious about what I offer and how I can help you finally resolve those gut, hormone, and energy struggles, check it out here 👉 https://epichealthllc.com/services
..and let me know what you think!

Say goodbye to Dr. Google & learn how to reclaim your health for good. I teach you how to heal your gut with the power of food-as-medicine & proper supplementation.

03/28/2025

🚨 Still on the fence about the Digestive Wellness Workshop?

ONLY 6 SPOTS LEFT.

Let’s be real — if you’re dealing with bloating, stomach pain, or unpredictable digestion, it’s not just a physical issue.

It’s draining your energy. It’s making social events stressful. It’s keeping you stuck in food fear. And most importantly, it’s messing with other parts of your body you haven’t felt the symptoms arrive from yet.

And it’s probably been this way for too long (remember, symptoms are actually the LAST thing to show up when trouble happens).

But you don’t have to keep guessing.

This Sunday, you’ll learn exactly what your symptoms are trying to tell you and how to start feeling better.

💡 Worried you won’t have time? I get it — but spending 2 hours now could save you from wasting even more time feeling stuck and exhausted. By the end of this workshop, you’ll walk away with clear, actionable insights.

💡 Not sure it will work for you? This workshop isn’t about one-size-fits-all advice. It’s about becoming the expert of your own body — beginning to understanding your symptoms and knowing how to respond.

💡 Think it’s just easier to deal with it? Imagine how freeing it would feel to enjoy food without fear and live without constant discomfort.

This is your sign. Your gut (literally) is asking for your attention.

📢 Last call to register! Comment “WORKSHOP” below ✉️ and I’ll send you the link to secure your spot.

Your symptoms are messages, not a life sentence and you deserve to feel good in your body again. Don’t leave it all up to fate. You gotta show up and take control if you want to thrive through midlife and beyond 💜

02/24/2025

Ever left a doctor’s office with more questions than answers?
Not here 🙅‍♀️

The other day, someone asked me, ‘Wait…what exactly do you do?’ And honestly, if they’re wondering, I bet a lot of you are too.

So let’s talk about it…

A lot of women come to me after years of frustration bouncing from doctor to doctor, being told their labs are “normal,” and getting generic advice like:

🙄 “It’s probably just stress.”
🙄 “Eat more fiber.”
🙄 “Here’s an acid blocker.”

Meanwhile, they’re still dealing with stomach pain, misfiring bowel movements, painful bloating, and feeling miserable and stuck.

Only now they also feel hopeless because they’ve "tried everything".
If that sounds like you and you’re ready to do things differently, here’s what you need to know:

What I DON’T Do:
❌ Rushed 15-minute appointments that leave you with more questions than answers
❌ Slap random supplements on your symptoms and send you on your way
❌ Hand you a one-size-fits-all plan and hope for the best
❌ Ignore the fact that your gut is running the show when it comes to inflammation, hormones, energy, metabolism, and mood
❌ Treat your body like separate, disconnected parts (because nothing works in isolation!)

What I DO Instead:

✅ Work in packages only – You don’t get a quick-fix appointment with generic advice. You get ongoing, personalized support, direct access to me, and a plan that evolves with you.

✅ Run functional lab testing – I connect the dots between your symptoms and what’s really happening in your body. I’m not here to just help you manage symptoms, I’m here to help you actually restore function.

✅ Give you direct access to me – Through messaging and coaching calls, you’re never left wondering "Am I doing this right?" You get answers when you need them.

✅ Make real-time adjustments – Healing isn’t linear. If something isn’t working, we pivot immediately. No waiting six months for your next appointment.

I work with women who understand healing is a process, not a quick fix found in a pill. My programs are designed with this in mind and because of that, they get answers and results!

If you’re tired of bouncing between specialists, getting dismissed, or being told to “just try probiotics,” let’s actually get to the bottom of it.

Drop a 🔥 in the comments if this hits home, or DM me if you’re ready for real answers.

01/06/2025

Time’s ticking, my friend. The doors to the Epic Health Sugar Detox are shutting down tonight.

‼️This is a plan that helps you WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER.

This isn’t your run-of-the-mill “quick fix” fad diet program. It's about longevity and improving your quality of life ✨

Nope. This is a roll-up-your-sleeves, get ready to LEARN program designed for women who are ready to:

💪 Double Down on What Works: We know what foods and habits are sabotaging your health and we’re streamlining results by taking a break from them. This includes: refined sugar, processed foods, alcohol, gluten and seed oils.

⏳ Protect Your Most Precious Resources: Your time, energy, and focus are finite, but the life and health improvements you’ll experience are not. The benefits to feeling strong and healthy are literally endless.

🎯 Set Health Goals That Stick: Not just “I want to feel better,” but real, actionable steps to improve digestion, reduce inflammation, balance blood sugar, and reduce those perimenopause symptoms.

This is not a restrictive diet. There is no calorie counting or going hungry - just good old fashioned REAL FOOD that your body actually recognizes.

This group program is about more than cutting down on sugar. It’s about learning how to set yourself up for a smoother, more sustainable, more joyful 2025.

🔗 Link is you know where. Grab your spot before the doors close tonight!

01/05/2025

Did you know that cortisol and insulin are the bosses of your hormone system?

If these two aren’t working well, it’s nearly impossible for your other hormones—like estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, or thyroid hormones—to do their job.

🔑 Cortisol is your body’s priority hormone. When stress is high, your body focuses on survival and deprioritizes reproduction and metabolism.

Chronic high cortisol can suppress progesterone, disrupt estrogen balance, and interfere with thyroid function.

🍭 Insulin controls how your body processes energy. When blood sugar is imbalanced, insulin works overtime.

Too much insulin causes inflammation and can disrupt estrogen and testosterone levels, worsening PMS, PCOS, or menopausal symptoms.

It also impacts thyroid hormone production, making it harder to maintain energy and a healthy weight.

‼️Cortisol and insulin set the stage for everything else.

When they’re out of balance, your body struggles to regulate s*x hormones and thyroid hormones. These imbalances show up as symptoms like mood swings, fatigue, weight gain, hot flashes, or brain fog.

Understanding how these hormones interact is key to taking control of your health ESPECIALLY IN PERIMENOPAUSE.

Good food needs to be at the heart of hormone care because the perimenopause transition often brings insulin resistance, meaning your body processes glucose differently.

What worked in your 30's, won't work the same in your 40's, 50's, and 60's.

One more day to register for the nutrition class that will teach you how to understand how to use food to stabilize insulin and cortisol.

Link in bio or Comment "HORMONES" and I'll drop you the link

01/04/2025

Right now I’m reading the book Essentialism. It’s been on my TBR (to be read) list for a while now (like a couple of years 😬) and I recently saw it on the sale shelf at the library for $1.
​
Ok, Universe - I see you! 😝

The chapter I read this morning was about “trade-offs”.

Everything is a trade-off. Every choice we make comes with a cost. Whether we realize it or not, saying yes to one thing often means saying no to something else.

My morning is a trade off...I wake up and dedicate at least 20 minutes to reading a self-development book or journaling instead of checking social media and email.

The trade-off is I'm more inspired and in-control of my day instead of just reacting to other people.

This leads to better choices throughout the morning, which then leads to making better choices in the afternoon, which leads to a less frazzled evening, which then leads to more quality time with my kids, which leads to… well - you get the point.

We make trade-offs all day long.

Like being too busy or too tired to workout, even though the trade off is actually MORE energy reduced stress and better moods and energy.
​
Or staying up late scrolling, is a trade off for sleep which worsens hormones, cravings, brain fog and makes us more emotionally reactive.

Reactive people often live in a constant state of "putting out fires," only addressing problems when they’ve become impossible to ignore.

They see symptoms like bloating, fatigue, or weight gain as inevitable and chalk them up to “getting older,” rather than signals their body is asking for help.

(Shout to the medical system and doctors who also passes these off as normal 🖕)

On the other hand, those who understand trade-offs don’t wait for a crisis; they take proactive steps to stay in control, knowing that their decisions now shape how they’ll feel in the future.

And it’s about choosing to act before you're forced to react.

If you want to learn how to prevent problems both now and down the road, comment "HORMONES" and I'll drop you the link.

(or jump to the link in my profile to get the details)

01/04/2025

Most people never go deeper than just restricting food choices 🤷‍♀️

They never take the time to learn how cortisol works, how digestion works, how blood sugar works or what's causing all the inflammation in the first place.

They throw money at expensive supplements and follow bad outdated advice.

They swap out one inflammatory food for another and then wonder why they always end up in the same spot.

If you want different results, you have to do different things.

That’s why I created the nutrition class you should have had 20 years ago.

Our bodies have not evolved, but our food and environment has. And we’ve completely lost touch with our bodies.

If you’re not taking the initiative to re-learn about the things that are FOUNDATIONAL to your health in the context of what you face on a day-to-day basis, your future is bleak.

This program has no gimmicks, no pill pushing, and no bs.

I break down in easy-to-understand-pieces the basics of blood sugar health, metabolic health and gut health…

…and I teach you how to do that through the things that are in your control - your diet and lifestyle.

(These things also happen to be *most* impactful)

Preventive care is worth the investment. What you learn over the next 6 weeks could save you thousands over the course of your life.

But most of all - it gives you the priceless resources of your time and energy and quality of life back.

If you're tired of New Year's resolutions that never fully materialize...

This Nutrition Program is the game-changer you've been waiting for.

Comment "ALL IN" and I'll send you more info

12/29/2024

Let’s be real—right now, you probably feel like garbage. 😩

The holidays hit hard, the sugar overload is real, and your energy is gone.

If you’re tired of feeling sluggish, bloated, or just not yourself, join me for the 21-Day Sugar Detox Challenge starting January 7th!

This isn’t about perfection or strict plans - it’s about having a roadmap that gets you back to baseline and helps you see and feel real change in your body.

Join IF you want to:

✅ Increase your energy and stay focused all day long

✅ Improve your body composition by eating nourishing, whole foods (no calorie counting!)

✅ Reduce inflammation so you can say goodbye to aches, puffiness, and swelling

✅ Build lasting habits that fit your life—no more yo-yo dieting or food guilt

✅ Heal your gut for less bloating, better digestion, and feeling amazing after meals

If any of these resonate, this is your chance to reset.

This 21-Day Sugar Detox includes:

👉 A simple, step-by-step guide to kick sugar and fuel your body

👉 Delicious, nutrient-packed recipes that leave you satisfied (yes, you’ll love the food! NO basic bitch chicken breast and brown rice on repeat 🙅‍♀️)

👉 A supportive community that’s cheering you on every step of the way

👉 Daily check-ins and motivation to keep you on track.

This is your year to stop feeling stuck and start feeling strong, energized, and confident in your body.

The 21-Day Sugar Detox Challenge is designed to help you stop feeling sluggish, inflamed, and out of sync.

Walk into 2025 with more nutrition knowledge than you’ve ever had before so you can start the year stronger, healthier and more consistent.

Comment or DM "Sugar Detox" to learn more.

12/21/2024

Happy Winter Solstice!

Winter is my fourth favorite season (you can do the math 😝), but at 47 degrees latitude, the transition to more light is something I DO celebrate.

Today marks the Winter Solstice, also called the Hibernal Solstice, which means “the winter sun stands still”.

This happens when the Earth’s northern part is tilted farthest away from the Sun, giving us the longest night and the shortest day of the year.

We are all connected to nature, and the changing seasons are a great reminder that the Earth, we also go through cycles of change.

Taking a moment to celebrate the solstice reminds us that we are part of something much bigger.

Here are few ways I've found this perspective helpful:

✨ Helps me see the bigger picture, reducing the intensity of day-to-day challenges

✨ It strengthens feelings of belonging to a community, and the universe

✨ It helps reduce loneliness by reminding me that we’re all part of a larger story

✨ Encourages mindfulness and living in the moment (something I'm still struggling with)

✨ Reminds me of my reasons to contribute positively to the world

✨ Inspires creativity

✨ Reminds me that challenges are temporary

✨ Humbles me by highlighting my role in a vast, intricate system

I also love that this is a celebration of experience. No gifts, no expectations and no obligations. Just pure reflection and appreciation.

There are many ways to celebrate the Winter Solstice.

🔥In years past, my girls and I write down something we want to let go of then burn it as we let it go.

🧘‍♀️Some years, I've done 108 Sun Salutation along side other yogis.

😅 One year my partner and I rented a room with a sauna and mineral bath and spent an hour alternating between sweating and soaking.

🌲This year, the day is full with my daughter's Nutcracker performance so I’ll simply opt to bundle up and take a walk in nature.

Wherever you find yourself today, I hope you can let the quiet beauty of the season remind you that after darkness comes light.

Happy Solstice!

P. S. If you have any Solstice rituals you do, hit reply and share if you'd like. I'd love to hear them!

12/20/2024

Broken record alert: We live lives that go against our biology then wonder why we’re struggling with more illness, anxiety, weight gain, depression.

Think I’m exaggerating?

The latest numbers are out and only 6.8% of Americans are metabolically healthy.

🚫 IT'S TIME TO LOCK THIS S**T DOWN.

Each generation is weaker and weaker.

Our buildings are moldier and moldier and our homes more full of toxic products.

Our food and water supply is nutrient poor and chemically full.

Our bodies are overwhelmed with toxins.
Even if you're among the lucky ones having 1–3 bowel movements a day (the ideal number, by the way), your detox pathways are likely still struggling.

And if you're not regularly peeing, pooping, or sweating? It becomes even harder for your body to keep up.

Our bodies were never designed to handle the stress of our modern day food and lives. And we know this because the result is unprecedented numbers of chronic illness, autoimmune conditions, obesity, heart disease, metabolic disease, skin issues, cancer, mitochondria dysfunction, the list goes on.

🤗 The good news: This is not a problem of genetics and you have A LOT of control.

If you are a woman over 35, here are a few of the biggest needle movers:

1. Cut out refined sugar as much as possible, then cut it out even more

2. Stop skipping breakfast and prioritize protein in the morning

3. Stop snacking. If you're hungry between meals eat bigger meals.

4. Actively work on building muscle

5. Add a pinch of sea salt to your water

6. Learn how to set boundaries and say no without feeling guilty

7. Chew your food!

8. Spend more time in nature less time sitting indoors

9. Sunlight before Screen light (getting the full spectrum of light before introducing artificial light)

10. Start getting rid of things in your home with “fragrance”

Don’t forget - bursts of outdoor light exposure can work wonders for your metabolism, mood, and sleep especially in the winter months.

Small changes make a big impact and it's never one thing. Nothing in the body works alone.

Which one will you start with today?