The Inflammation Code

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Why Pain Is the Last Signal Your Body Sends, Not the First | Dr. Shivani Gupta Aug 11, 2026

Show notes

Most of us treat pain as the beginning of a problem. It isn't. By the time you feel it, whether it's a stiff knee, an aching lower back, or hands that hurt in the morning, inflammation has usually been quietly active for months, sometimes years.
In this solo episode, Dr. Shivani Gupta breaks down why pain is the last signal your body sends, using her own experience with plantar fasciitis and a round of NSAIDs that damaged her gut without ever solving the original problem.
In this episode:

The real difference between acute inflammation, which is protective, and chronic inflammation, which is quiet and easy to explain away
Why Tylenol and Advil work differently, and why neither one addresses the disease process underneath your pain
What's happening inside an osteoarthritic or rheumatoid joint at the cellular level
Why curcumin research shows results comparable to ibuprofen and prescription NSAIDs, without the gut damage
The COX2 and 5-LOX pathway explanation, and why turmeric and boswellia work better paired together
How your everyday ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats shapes your body's baseline inflammatory response
Dr. Shivani's honest, still-unfolding story about her own hip and spine pain

This conversation is an invitation to listen to the whisper before your body has to shout.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

The Inflammation Code

https://www.amazon.com/dp/140199699X?tag=usalinktagdefault-20&th=1&psc=1&geniuslink=true

Fusionary Formulas Supplements

Use code CODE15 for 15% off your first order

https://fusionaryformulas.com/?utm_source=Show+Notes&utm_medium=Show+notes+&utm_campaign=Podcast+promo&utm_id=The+Inflammation+Code+Podcast

7-Day Inflammation Detox Challenge

https://www.7dayinflammationdetox.com/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What Your Cholesterol Test Isn’t Telling You with Dr. Philip Ovadia Aug 04, 2026

Show notes

Most people are taught to focus on cholesterol when they think about heart disease.

But what if cholesterol is only one small part of the story?

In this episode of The Inflammation Code Podcast, Dr. Shivani Gupta sits down with Dr. Philip C. Ovadia, a board-certified heart surgeon, founder of Ovadia Heart Health, host of The Stay Off My Operating Table Podcast, and author of Stay Off My Kitchen Table. After performing thousands of heart surgeries and reversing his own metabolic dysfunction, Dr. Ovadia now focuses on helping people prevent the very conditions that lead them to the operating table.

Together, they discuss what really drives heart disease risk, including insulin resistance, inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, nutrient absorption, gut health, and the importance of imaging like coronary artery calcium scans.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• Why heart disease can begin decades before symptoms appear

• Why cholesterol alone is not enough to predict heart disease risk

• How insulin resistance and inflammation contribute to cardiovascular disease

• Why women’s heart risk rises rapidly after menopause

• What a coronary artery calcium scan can reveal

• Why nutrient density and bioavailability matter for metabolic health

• How elimination diets may help identify foods that drive inflammation

This episode is for anyone who wants to understand heart disease prevention before it becomes urgent.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

The Inflammation Code

https://www.amazon.com/dp/140199699X?tag=usalinktagdefault-20&th=1&psc=1&geniuslink=true

Fusionary Formulas Supplements

Use code CODE15 for 15% off your first order

https://fusionaryformulas.com/?utm_source=Show+Notes&utm_medium=Show+notes+&utm_campaign=Podcast+promo&utm_id=The+Inflammation+Code+Podcast

7-Day Inflammation Detox Challenge

https://www.7dayinflammationdetox.com/

CONNECT WITH DR. PHILIP OVADIA

Instagram: @ifixhearts

Book: Stay Off My Kitchen Table (July 28, 2026)

Website: stayoffmykitchentable.com

CONNECT WITH DR. SHIVANI

Instagram: @dr.shivanigupta

Website: https://shivanigupta.com/

Podcast: The Inflammation Code on Spotify & Apple Podcasts

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"The Turmeric Truth" — What Actually Makes Curcumin Work with Dr. Shivani Gupta Jul 28, 2026

Show notes

If you've ever taken turmeric and felt nothing, this episode explains exactly why. Dr. Shivani Gupta, whose PhD dissertation was on turmeric bioavailability, walks through the science of curcumin absorption, the safety issue almost nobody talks about (lead contamination, even in organic turmeric), and what a properly formulated curcumin supplement actually needs to include.

She also shares the story that started it all: her grandmother's nightly turmeric milk ritual, and the years of unexplained health struggles that sent her looking for answers modern medicine couldn't give her.

What This Conversation Reveals:

The difference between turmeric as food and curcumin as a therapeutic compound
Why fat (like eggs, avocado, or olive oil) meaningfully improves curcumin absorption
Why some turmeric has been recalled for lead contamination, and what to look for instead
Where turmeric fits into the GLP-1 and blood sugar conversation, without overpromising
How declining estrogen in perimenopause raises inflammatory sensitivity, and why that matters for joint pain, brain fog, and mood
Why the benefits of curcumin build over months, not days, and why that's actually the point

RESOURCES MENTIONED

The Inflammation Code

https://www.amazon.com/dp/140199699X?tag=usalinktagdefault-20&th=1&psc=1&geniuslink=true

Fusionary Formulas Supplements

Use code CODE15 for 15% off your first order

https://fusionaryformulas.com/?utm_source=Show+Notes&utm_medium=Show+notes+&utm_campaign=Podcast+promo&utm_id=The+Inflammation+Code+Podcast

7-Day Inflammation Detox Challenge

https://www.7dayinflammationdetox.com/

Work with Dr. Shivani / Free Discovery Call

https://shivanigupta.com/

CONNECT WITH DR. SHIVANI

Instagram: @dr.shivanigupta

Website: https://shivanigupta.com/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why Your Metabolism Needs Flexibility, Not a Diet, with Ben Azadi Jul 21, 2026

Show notes

If you've tried keto, fasting, or cutting carbs and felt like your body just won't cooperate the way it used to, you're not broken and you're not doing it wrong. You may just be missing the piece that makes it sustainable: flexibility.
In this episode, Dr. Shivani Gupta sits down with returning guest Ben Azadi, FDN-P, New York Times bestselling author of Metabolic Freedom, to talk about his newly revised book, Keto Flex. Ben explains why keto isn't a diet at all, but a metabolic process nearly all of us are born knowing how to use, and why most people, especially in midlife, have simply forgotten how to access it. They dig into why the real question isn't "how do I lose weight," but "how do I lower inflammation and insulin," and why that shift changes everything.
This conversation is for anyone who has felt like a walking science experiment with their own body: trying a plan, watching it work for a while, then hitting a wall with no clear reason why. Ben and Dr. Shivani talk through what makes this approach different for women, especially in the perimenopausal and postmenopausal years, and how to build metabolic flexibility gently instead of forcing it.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
Why keto is a metabolic process your body already knows, not a diet you have to force
The real question to ask instead of "how do I lose weight": how to lower inflammation and insulin first
The four-pillar framework (adapt, fast, phase, flex) and why the last pillar is where true customization begins
Why fasting is a stress on the body, and how to tell if you're adapting to it or being harmed by it
How anti-nutrients like oxalates, tannins, and phytates can quietly block progress, even in "healthy" keto foods
Why women in perimenopause and postmenopause need a different approach than men, and what to track along the way
RESOURCES MENTIONED
The Inflammation Code (book)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/140199699X?tag=usalinktagdefault-20&th=1&psc=1&geniuslink=true
Fusionary Formulas Supplements (use code CODE15 for 15% off your first order)
https://fusionaryformulas.com/?utm_source=Show+Notes&utm_medium=Show+notes+&utm_campaign=Podcast+promo&utm_id=The+Inflammation+Code+Podcast
7-Day Inflammation Detox Challenge
https://www.7dayinflammationdetox.com/
Work with Dr. Shivani — Free Discovery Call
https://shivanigupta.com/
ABOUT BEN AZADI
Ben Azadi is a leading authority on metabolic health and the New York Times bestselling author of Metabolic Freedom. His revised book, Keto Flex, releases July 21, 2026. Learn more and access free bonuses at ketoflexbook.com.
CONNECT WITH BEN AZADI
Website: benazadi.com
Instagram: instagram.com/thebenazadi
YouTube: youtube.com/@KetoKamp
CONNECT WITH DR. SHIVANI
Instagram: @dr.shivanigupta — https://www.instagram.com/dr.shivanigupta/
Website: https://www.shivanigupta.com/
SHARE THIS EPISODE
If you've been feeling stuck in your own metabolism, share this episode with a friend who needs a gentler way in, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps more women find this message. 🌿

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Running on Fumes: Why Your Body Is Shutting Down and How to Refill Your Tank Jul 14, 2026

Show notes

You know that feeling when you're at the end of your rope, but you push a little further anyway because you assume there's more fuel left in the tank? In this solo episode, Dr. Shivani breaks down why that instinct, so common in women, is quietly setting the stage for burnout, hair loss, and even autoimmune disease.

Using the story of her friend Rima, whose autoimmune diagnosis showed up right after a devastating divorce, and her client Amy, who lost half her hair with no dermatology treatment able to reverse it, Dr. Shivani explains the Ayurvedic concept of ojas, your body's vital reserve, and why running on empty for years eventually forces the body to shut down non essential systems one by one.

This episode also gets personal. Dr. Shivani shares what happened to her own body after a mold exposure, a book launch, and a TEDx talk collided in the same season, and what her acupuncturist told her that changed how she thinks about resilience.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

Why women wait until they hit empty to refuel, while men stop at a quarter tank, and what that pattern costs the body over decades
What happens physiologically when you run on fumes for too long, using the exact mechanics of a car's fuel pump as the analogy
Why the body deprioritizes hair, skin, gut function, hormones, and libido when it senses depletion, and why that is not random
The real story behind Rima's autoimmune diagnosis and why it appeared exactly when it did
Why Amy's hair loss could not be solved with dermatology treatments alone, and what actually needed to happen instead
What ojas, rasa, and agni mean in Ayurveda, and why they matter more than any supplement or treatment
Why vata season in midlife requires you to slow down right as your body is asking for more support, not less
The moment Dr. Shivani's own acupuncturist reframed what resilience actually looks like
Why rhythm, not more effort, is what rebuilds a depleted system
The simple, low cost daily practices that begin restoring your reserves without adding anything to your to do list

The Inflammation Code

https://www.amazon.com/dp/140199699X?tag=usalinktagdefault-20&th=1&psc=1&geniuslink=true

Use code CODE15 for 15% off your first order

7-Day Inflammation Detox Challenge

https://www.7dayinflammationdetox.com/

Work with Dr. Shivani / Free Discovery Call

https://shivanigupta.com/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The New Rules of Women’s Health with Meghan Rabbitt Jul 07, 2026

Show notes

Most women have felt it.

You bring your symptoms to a doctor, you leave without real answers, and somewhere between the waiting room and your car, you start wondering if you are the problem.

You are not.

In this episode of The Inflammation Code Podcast, Dr. Shivani Gupta sits down with Meghan Rabbitt, award-winning health journalist and author of The New Rules of Women's Health, written for Maria Shriver's imprint after 100+ interviews with all-female medical experts.

What they unpack together is both sobering and genuinely useful: the systemic research gaps that have left women without answers, and the practical tools to close that gap for yourself right now.

In this episode:

Why women were not included in NIH-funded clinical trials until 1993 and how that research gap still affects your care today
Why the 40 to 60 window is the most critical period for preventive health and why most women fall off during exactly this time
How hot flashes work in the body and why they matter for long-term heart health
Why two thirds of Alzheimer's patients are women and what brain researchers are uncovering about estrogen and cognitive health
How pregnancy complications like preeclampsia may be early warning signs for heart disease risk decades later
The "don't bury the lead" advice that could change how your doctor appointments go
How to use a lifetime breast cancer risk calculator to advocate for the testing you actually need
Why getting the care you deserve is, as Meghan puts it, a radical act of self-love

If you've ever been told your symptoms are fine when you knew something was not right, this conversation is for you.

The Inflammation Code

https://www.amazon.com/dp/140199699X?tag=usalinktagdefault-20&th=1&psc=1&geniuslink=true

Fusionary Formulas Supplements

Use code CODE15 for 15% off your first order

https://fusionaryformulas.com/?utm_source=Show+Notes&utm_medium=Show+notes+&utm_campaign=Podcast+promo&utm_id=The+Inflammation+Code+Podcast

7-Day Inflammation Detox Challenge

https://www.7dayinflammationdetox.com/

Work with Dr. Shivani / Free Discovery Call

https://shivanigupta.com/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why Summer Quietly Increases Your Inflammation with Dr. Shivani Gupta Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

Summer can quietly dismantle the health routine you worked so hard to build. Travel, heat, later nights, celebrations, and disrupted rhythms all ask more of your body than regular life does.

In this solo episode, Dr. Shivani Gupta explains why summer can increase inflammation through the Ayurvedic lens of Pitta season and Vata disruption from travel. She shares the three priorities that help protect your practice through the season: cooling, grounding, and protection.

You’ll also learn Dr. Shivani’s “minimum viable practice,” a simple morning and evening rhythm that keeps your anti-inflammatory routine intact even when your full ritual falls apart.

This episode is not about perfection. It is about protecting what you have been building and investing in the woman you are becoming.

What You’ll Learn

Why summer is Pitta season and what that means for inflammation, digestion, skin, sleep, and mood
How travel activates Vata and disrupts your nervous system, gut health, and circadian rhythm
Why summer can make skin flares, redness, heat rash, and eczema feel worse
The three Ayurvedic priorities for summer: cooling, grounding, and protection
The simple cooling foods, herbs, and habits that help balance summer heat
Why your anti-inflammatory practice matters more in summer, not less
The minimum viable practice Dr. Shivani uses to stay consistent through travel and disruption
Why protecting your summer practice is an investment in your future self

The Inflammation Code

https://www.amazon.com/dp/140199699X?tag=usalinktagdefault-20&th=1&psc=1&geniuslink=true

Fusionary Formulas Supplements

Use code CODE15 for 15% off your first order

https://fusionaryformulas.com/?utm_source=Show+Notes&utm_medium=Show+notes+&utm_campaign=Podcast+promo&utm_id=The+Inflammation+Code+Podcast

7-Day Inflammation Detox Challenge

https://www.7dayinflammationdetox.com/

Work with Dr. Shivani / Free Discovery Call

https://shivanigupta.com/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is Hashimoto's the Missing Root Cause? Inna Topiler on Thyroid Symptoms and Immune Confusion Jun 23, 2026

Show notes

Could Hashimoto’s be the missing root cause behind your thyroid symptoms?

If you have been told your thyroid labs are “fine,” or you are taking thyroid medication but still feel exhausted, foggy, inflamed, or not like yourself, this conversation will help you understand what may be happening underneath the surface. Hashimoto’s is not just a thyroid problem. It is an immune system condition that can keep attacking the thyroid when the deeper triggers are never addressed.

Inna Topiler, CNS, MS, is a Certified Nutrition Specialist who has navigated her own Hashimoto’s journey for over 25 years. She is the host of Thyroid Mystery Solved: Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism Revealed, and the creator of Thyroid Love, a 26-nutrient supplement formulated specifically for thyroid autoimmunity.

In this conversation with Dr. Shivani Gupta, Inna explains the immune confusion behind Hashimoto’s, why thyroid medication alone does not calm the immune attack, and what it really takes to support thyroid health at the root.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

Why levothyroxine supports the thyroid but does not address the immune attack causing the damage?
How to ask for a real full thyroid panel, and why TPO and TG antibodies matter
The four root cause buckets behind immune confusion: food, infections, toxins, and stress
Why gluten can trigger an immune attack on the thyroid through molecular mimicry
The truth about iodine supplementation with Hashimoto's, and why it often makes things worse
How selenium and inositol support thyroid hormone balance and immune regulation
Why zinc deficiency can be generational and how high copper compounds the problem
What a thyroid supplement designed for autoimmunity should and should not include

The Inflammation Code

https://www.amazon.com/dp/140199699X?tag=usalinktagdefault-20&th=1&psc=1&geniuslink=true

Fusionary Formulas Supplements

Use code CODE15 for 15% off your first order

https://fusionaryformulas.com/?utm_source=Show+Notes&utm_medium=Show+notes+&utm_campaign=Podcast+promo&utm_id=The+Inflammation+Code+Podcast

7-Day Inflammation Detox Challenge

https://www.7dayinflammationdetox.com/

Work with Dr. Shivani / Free Discovery Call

https://shivanigupta.com/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Everyone’s Talking About Ozempic: Inflammation, GLP-1, and What Ayurveda Knew First Jun 16, 2026

Show notes

If you’ve been anywhere near the internet in the last couple of years, you’ve heard about Ozempic and GLP-1 drugs. You’ve seen the before-and-afters. Maybe a friend asked if you should try it too. And if you’re like most of the women Dr. Shivani works with, you may feel confused. The results look real, but something feels off. Are we treating a symptom? Are we missing something deeper?

In this episode, Dr. Shivani Gupta tells the story of Veronica, a client who came to her terrified after a bad experience with GLP-1 medication, but still wanting to lose weight, reduce inflammation, and feel like herself again.
Through Veronica’s story, Dr. Shivani breaks down what GLP-1 actually is, why so many people have a weakened natural GLP-1 response, and how Ayurveda has been supporting this same pathway through agni, bitter foods, gut health, and daily rhythm.
You’ll learn:

What GLP-1 actually is and why your body already makes it
Why GLP-1 drugs work on inflammation, not just appetite
Why processed food, stress, sleep, and gut imbalance can blunt your natural GLP-1 response
The Ayurvedic concept of agni and how it connects to GLP-1 biology
Natural ways to support your body’s GLP-1 pathway using food, herbs, and rhythm
What GLP-1 drugs may be helpful for, and what Dr. Shivani wants women to understand first
How Veronica rebuilt her foundation naturally

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why Trendy Supplements Don’t Work: Dr. Shivani Gupta Explains Jun 09, 2026

Show notes

You've tried supplement after supplement. You followed the trends, bought what the influencers recommended, spent real money on the latest ingredients, and still felt nothing change.

If that sounds familiar, it's not because natural remedies don't work. It's because many of the products built around them were built for the market, not for you.

In this solo episode, Dr. Shivani Gupta draws on her Ph.D. research in turmeric to expose how trend-driven supplement formulation actually works, and why it keeps failing women.

With more than 17,000 peer-reviewed papers on turmeric and curcumin, plus years of firsthand testing of commercial supplements, Dr. Shivani breaks down what happens when a 60-to-90-day launch cycle skips every step that actually matters.

This episode is for any woman who has ever wondered why a supplement she trusted did nothing. You'll leave with a clear lens for evaluating everything in your cabinet and a practical framework for choosing what actually belongs there.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

Why the 60-to-90-day trend cycle skips dose validation, absorption testing, and ingredient interaction research
How Dr. Shivani's Ph.D. research revealed that one major brand had 85% of its curcumin completely unavailable for absorption
The core difference between formulating from market demand and formulating around a specific woman's real needs
Why peptide protocols, NAD boosters, and mushroom blends often fail to produce noticeable results for patient
How Ayurvedic synergy — herbs working in combination — accomplishes what no isolated trending ingredient can do alone
Three diagnostic questions to ask before spending another dollar on any supplement

RESOURCES MENTIONED:
The Inflammation Code (book)
Fusionary Formulas Supplements — use code CODE15 for 15% off your first order https://fusionaryformulas.com/?utm_source=Show+Notes&utm_medium=Show+notes+&utm_campaign=Podcast+promo&utm_id=The+Inflammation+Code+Podcast
7-Day Inflammation Detox Challenge
Work with Dr. Shivani — Free Discovery Call

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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