The Inflammation Code

Latest Episodes:

Why Is Weight Loss So Hard in Midlife? Karen Martel on Hormones, HRT & Perimenopause Jun 02, 2026

Show notes

If you've been eating well, exercising consistently, and still watching your body change in ways that don't make sense, this episode is for you.
Karen Martel is a Certified Hormone Specialist, Certified Thyroid Specialist, and host of the globally ranked Hormone Solution Podcast. She went through early menopause at 42, rebuilt her health twice, and has spent the last decade helping women understand what's really happening during perimenopause, and what to do about it before symptoms steal years of their vitality.
In this candid, science-forward conversation with Dr. Shivani Gupta, Karen breaks down the most common myths around HRT, explains why women are being undertreated, and makes a compelling case for why perimenopause, not menopause, is the critical window for hormonal intervention.
What You'll Learn

Why testosterone pellets aren't the right starting point for most women, and what to use instead
How a genetic variation common in women of Asian descent affects testosterone metabolism and can cause unexpected side effects
The real difference between oral and transdermal progesterone — and why sensitivity to one doesn't mean you can't benefit from the other
Why most practitioners are wrong to wait until menopause before addressing estrogen
The glycan age study: women aging 9 to 20 years faster internally during perimenopause without estrogen, and what stopped it
How cycling progesterone preserves estrogen peaks and supports tumor suppression
Over-the-counter hormone options, estrogen face cream, progesterone melatonin oil, and vaginal moisturizer, and how women are using them when they can't get prescriptions

Your body isn't failing you. It's asking for something most doctors haven't offered yet. This episode gives you the language, the knowledge, and the options to ask better questions, and get better answers.

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

It’s Not You, It’s Your Thyroid: What 7 Doctors Missed, Why T4 Is Failing Women, and the Root-Cause Fix with Dr. Amie Hornaman May 26, 2026

Show notes

Have you been told your thyroid is normal, but you are still gaining weight, losing hair, exhausted by 3 PM, and living in a fog? If you have done everything right, clean eating, consistent exercise, and supplements, and nothing is working, this episode may finally give you the answer you have been looking for. It is not you. It is your thyroid.

In this episode, Dr. Shivani Gupta sits down with Dr. Amie Hornaman, functional medicine thyroid specialist, host of The Thyroid and Hormone Fixer Podcast, and author of the new book The Thyroid Fix. Dr. Hornaman spent years being dismissed by six different conventional doctors before a seventh finally diagnosed her with hypothyroidism. Even then, the standard T4-only prescription left her no better. Backed by decades of clinical experience and the science of T3 conversion, reverse T3, and the thyroid-adrenal-hormone triangle, she breaks down exactly why so many women are undertreated and what to do about it.

Dr. Hornaman shares her own story of gaining 40 pounds while competing in figure competitions and eating nothing but chicken, broccoli, and asparagus, and how it led her into functional medicine and eventually to building one of the most trusted thyroid practices in the country. Dr. Shivani also shares her personal journey from subclinical hypothyroidism to Armour Thyroid to discovering that even natural NDT was not fully working for her body. If you are a woman over 35 navigating perimenopause, unexplained weight gain, brain fog, or fatigue, and your doctor keeps telling you that you are fine, this episode is for you.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

Why a normal TSH does not mean your thyroid is optimized, and the 5 tests every woman actually needs to ask for, including reverse T3 and TPO antibodies
The T4-to-T3 conversion problem: why Synthroid and levothyroxine fail many women, and why T4-only treatment keeps you stuck in a low-energy, weight-gain cycle
Why natural desiccated thyroid like Armour and NP Thyroid is not automatically the answer, and how 80 percent T4 in NDT can still push you into reverse T3 lockdown mode
How perimenopause hormones trigger thyroid dysfunction, and the adrenal-progesterone-estrogen-TBG cascade that most doctors are not addressing
The Ayurvedic and lifestyle foundation: why calming inflammation, supporting digestion, and reducing cortisol are non-negotiables before thyroid hormone replacement can work
Dr. Hornaman's FIX Method, including the supplement, nutrition, and hormone replacement framework that has helped thousands of women get their lives back

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.

Why Can't You Stay Consistent? What I Learned from Failing My Own Protocol May 19, 2026

Show notes

You know what you need to do. You have the supplements on the counter. You set the alarms. You started strong. And then, somewhere around week two, it all fell apart. Not because you are lazy. Not because you do not care about your health. But because the protocol was asking more of you than your real life could give.

I know because that was me. This past fall, I could not follow my own protocol. I have a PhD in turmeric research. I am an Ayurvedic practitioner. I help women heal from chronic inflammation every single day. And I completely failed at my own mold detox plan. Not because I did not know what to do, but because I tried to do too much at once on top of an already full life.

And in this episode, I am going to tell you the whole story, including the client who succeeded where I failed, the moment my functional medicine doctor told me to prioritize myself, and the one shift that made everything finally click.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

Why my client Maria healed completely on a protocol just as involved as mine and exactly what made the difference
The difference between symptomatic and asymptomatic healing and why it changes everything about your ability to stay consistent
Why intensity is the enemy of consistency for women who are already carrying full lives
The moment I heard the words "prioritize you" and why they broke me open in a way I did not expect
How I reorganized my entire supplement routine into one simple box system and what that looked like
The four qualities every sustainable wellness protocol must have to actually work
The one question to ask yourself before you add any new health practice

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

The Inflammation Code (book) https://www.amazon.com/dp/140199699X?tag=usalinktagdefault-20&th=1&psc=1&geniuslink=true

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.

Why Your Brain Feels Foggy and Your Mood Is Off in Perimenopause with Dr. Anna Cabeca May 12, 2026

Show notes

Are you eating clean, managing your stress, doing everything right and still gaining weight, snapping at everyone you love, and lying awake at 3 a.m. wondering what happened to you? You are not imagining this. And you are not broken.

In this episode, Dr. Shivani Gupta sits down with the beloved Dr. Anna Cabeca, OB-GYN, hormone specialist, and creator of Mighty Maca Plus and the Magic Menopause program, to break down what she calls "the devil's pitchfork": the three-pronged crisis of hormone imbalance, adrenal dysregulation, and chronic inflammation that silently dismantles women's health from their late 30s onward. Dr. Anna brings cutting-edge research on DHEA, progesterone, uric acid, and the keto-green alkalinizing approach, backed by her own extraordinary personal journey.

Her message to every woman listening: your diagnosis is not your destiny. If you are struggling with unexplained weight gain, perimenopause rage, brain fog, bladder issues, or the feeling that your body has turned against you, this episode will change how you understand yourself.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

Why DHEA starts declining before estrogen and what this means for your bones, brain, bladder, vaginal health, and mood
The truth about "estrogen dominance" , why it is actually progesterone insufficiency, and why dropping progesterone is linked to anxiety, insomnia, and even psychiatric misdiagnosis
How the keto-green alkalinizing approach helped Dr. Anna lose 18 of 20 perimenopause pounds in just 6 weeks
Why uric acid is a hidden driver of weight gain and metabolic slowdown and how to check yours for pennies a day
How intermittent fasting for as little as 13 hours significantly reduces breast cancer recurrence risk, backed by a 2016 JAMA study
The "oxyplay" framework, why increasing oxytocin through connection, laughter, and play is the most powerful hormone-balancing tool available to you
Mighty Maca Plus and JOLVA topical DHEA, what they do, who needs them, and how Dr. Anna formulated them from her global travels

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)

7-Day Inflammation Detox Challenge

Work with Dr. Shivani — Free Discovery Call

Dr. Anna Cabeca's Website
Free Gift for Listeners — Mighty Maca & JOLVA samples + 10-Day Breeze Through Menopause Program:

Use code DR. SHIVANI at checkout for a discount

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.

Health Sovereignty: Why I Stopped Trusting the System and Started Trusting My Body May 05, 2026

Show notes

What if the system designed to protect your health was never actually built to make you well? Dr. Shivani Gupta has spent 25 years studying why the body gets sick and more importantly, how it heals. What she discovered along the way changed everything about how she practices, how she lives, and how she thinks about the relationship between patient and doctor.

In this deeply personal solo episode, Dr. Shivani introduces the concept of health sovereignty, the radical, practical shift from trusting the system as the authority on your body to becoming the expert on it yourself. Drawing on her own experience with a diagnosis that was dismissed, minimized, and nearly handled with a surgery she never needed, she walks through the exact moment she stopped waiting for someone to save her and started building a system that actually worked. From Ayurvedic root cause thinking to functional medicine testing to a daily rhythm that costs nothing, this episode is a complete framework for reclaiming your health from the inside out.

If you have ever walked out of a doctor's office with more questions than answers, felt dismissed by results that came back "normal," or been offered medication or surgery with no explanation of why the problem appeared, this episode was made for you.

WHAT YOU'LL LEAR

Why "normal" lab results do not mean healthy and what the actual difference is between average and optimal

How a hormonal imbalance (excess estrogen) can silently drive growths, inflammation, and symptoms your doctor never connects to the root cause

The systemic pattern behind why conventional medicine offers removal or medication instead of ever asking why the problem appeared

What Ayurveda teaches about symptoms as messages and why silencing the message without reading it keeps you stuck in a cycle

The 5-part daily rhythm that costs nothing and genuinely moves the needle: tongue scraping, warm water, anti-inflammatory supplements, midday meals, and consistent slee

Why turmeric extract combined with boswellia and black pepper which increases absorption by up to 2,000% is the daily anti-inflammatory foundation Dr. Shivani built her supplement line around

RESOURCES MENTIONED

The Inflammation Code (book) https://www.amazon.com/dp/140199699X?tag=usalinktagdefault-20&th=1&psc=1&geniuslink=true

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.

Why You Are Mineral Deficient and How to Fix It with Caroline Alan Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

Most of us are walking around with underpowered cells and we don't even know it. In this episode, Dr. Shivani welcomes back Caroline Alan, founder of Beam Minerals and author of The Mineral Reset, for a conversation that will completely change how you think about your energy, your sleep, and your health.
Caroline breaks down why your body needs a full spectrum of 18-22 minerals in the right ratios, how humic and fulvic molecules work as nature's cellular delivery system, and why common tests like blood work miss the full picture entirely. She also shares the two tests she recommends (HTMA and OligoScan) and why minerals are the single most foundational thing you can do for your health, before everything else.
Key Takeaways:

Mineral depletion is behind fatigue, brain fog, sleep disruption, hair loss, and gut problems
Your cells need minerals to generate up to 1,200 watts of energy daily
Humic molecules bind and remove heavy metals, glyphosate, nanoplastics, and more
Fulvic molecules shuttle nutrients in and toxins out at the cellular level
The best mineral form mirrors what nature already pre-formulated for us

RESOURCES MENTIONED:
📖 The Mineral Reset by Caroline Alan
mineralresetbook.com | Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, and Books A Million
📖 The Inflammation Code by Dr. Shivani Gupta
🌿 Fusionary Formulas Supplements (use code CODE15 for a discount)

🔥 7-Day Inflammation Detox Challenge https://www.7dayinflammationdetox.com/
📞 Work with Dr. Shivani: Free Discovery Call https://shivanigupta.com/
CONNECT WITH CAROLINE ALAN
Website: beamminerals.com (use code DRSHIVANI for 20% off)
Book: mineralresetbook.com
Instagram: @carolinealan.official

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

The Menopause Gut: What Estrogen Is Really Doing to Your Microbiome with Cynthia Thurlow Apr 21, 2026

Show notes

Have you ever done everything right, eating clean, exercising, managing stress and still felt like your body was quietly unraveling?

In this episode, Dr. Shivani sits down with Cynthia Thurlow, nurse practitioner, two-time TEDx speaker, and author of the brand-new book The Menopause Gut, for one of the most important conversations in women's health: what happens to the gut during perimenopause and menopause, and why almost no one is talking about it.

This is the conversation your doctor probably hasn't had with you yet, and the one your body has been waiting for.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

Why estrogen is far more than a reproductive hormone and how it protects your gut lining, immune system, serotonin, and insulin sensitivity
The bi-directional relationship between estrogen and the gut microbiome, and why you can't address one without the other
What the estrobilome is and how impaired estrogen detoxification contributes to brain fog, weight gain, joint pain, and breast tenderness
Why leaky gut becomes more likely in perimenopause and how declining estrogen is the missing link most doctors skip
The surprising reason women over 40 are more prone to UTIs and how vaginal estrogen alone reduces them by 70%
Why food monogamy (eating the same foods every day) quietly destroys gut diversity and what to do instead
What annual stool testing reveals that your regular doctor almost never orders
The food-first approach to probiotics and why drugstore supplements are usually the worst option
How circadian rhythm disruption directly alters the gut microbiome and what that means for late eating and poor sleep
Cynthia's take on essential amino acids, creatine quality, and what really matters in the supplement space

If this episode opened your eyes to something your body has been trying to tell you, share it with a woman in your life who deserves to hear this, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps more women find this conversation.

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

The Science of Synergy: How to Make Your Supplements and Habits Actually Work Apr 14, 2026

Show notes

Most of us have been taught to treat our health like a checklist. Take the probiotic. Go to the gym. Sleep more. Reduce stress. Check, check, check. But what if the checklist itself is the problem? Not because those things aren't good, they are, but because a list of isolated actions is not the same as a system that works together.

Dr. Shivani Gupta has spent decades living between two healing worlds, the Western medicine she grew up with in America and the Ayurveda she absorbed growing up in an Indian household where turmeric in warm milk wasn't a wellness trend, it was just Tuesday. And in this episode, she brings those two worlds together to explain why synergy, the strategic combination of herbs, habits, and timing, is the piece most women are missing. She breaks down the molecular science, shares a client story that will make you rethink your supplement shelf, and gives you a practical first step to start building your own synergistic health system this week.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

Why “doing everything right” can still fail and the shift from adding more to multiplying results

The Ayurvedic principle of Rasayana and how true formulas create synergy, not just benefits
Why curcumin needs support and how other herbs fill the gaps for full-body inflammation relief
The bioavailability breakthrough: how black pepper transforms turmeric absorption
The difference between stacked habits and synergistic routines that actually work
A real 4-week transformation during perimenopause using alignment, not overload
3 simple questions to audit and optimize your routine today

RESOURCES MENTIONED

The Inflammation Code (book)

Fusionary Formulas Supplements (use code CODE15 for a 15% Off your first order)

7-Day Inflammation Detox Challenge

Work with Dr. Shivani — Free Discovery Call

CONNECT WITH DR. SHIVANI

Instagram: @DrShavaniGupta

Website: https://shivanigupta.com/

If this episode shifted something for you, share it with someone who's been chasing results without finding them because this framework tends to land exactly when someone needs it most. And if you're enjoying the podcast, a quick review goes such a long way. It helps more women find their way to this conversation.

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

The Nervous System Shift Every High-Achieving Woman Needs Apr 07, 2026

Show notes

What if the reason you feel overwhelmed… isn’t because you’re doing too little but because you’ve been living in “go mode” for too long?

In this conversation, Dr. Shivani Gupta sits down with Dr. Melissa Sonners, a nervous system guide, brainwave educator, and author of The Connection Code to unpack a truth most high-achieving women aren’t told: sometimes it’s not about doing more, it’s about finally learning how to downshift. Together, they explore how chronic stress, burnout, and even serious health breakdowns can happen despite “doing all the right things,” and what it actually takes to feel better again.

Dr. Melissa introduces a simple but powerful framework of “brain states,” explaining how most of us wake up calm and connected… only to immediately shift into stress mode without realizing it. From there, everything - your energy, your decisions, even your ability to feel present gets shaped by that state.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

Why staying busy and “productive” can actually keep your body stuck in stress mode
The difference between beta (survival mode) and alpha (connection and flow) and why it matters
How to recognize the internal voice that pushes you to do more (and how to gently shift it)
A simple “expanded gaze” technique to calm your nervous system in real time
Why pushing through your week to “rest later” often backfires physiologically
How boundaries and self-agreements directly impact your nervous system health
The surprising reason you may still feel disconnected even when you’re doing all the “right” wellness habits

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

📖 The Inflammation Code (book)

🌿 Fusionary Formulas Supplements (use code CODE15 for a discount)

🔥 7-Day Inflammation Detox Challenge

📞 Work with Dr. Shivani — Free Discovery Call

Connect with Dr. Melissa Sonners

Website: https://drmelissasonners.com/

https://drmelissasonners.com/urgencyreset/

Instagram

Youtube

Book: The Connection Code

If this episode made you pause and rethink how you’re moving through your day, share it with someone who might need that same shift. And if you haven’t yet, leaving a review helps this message reach more women who are ready to feel better not just do more.

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 Is Inflamed (Not Broken) — And How to Fix It Mar 31, 2026

Show notes

Are you eating clean, working out consistently, and still gaining weight — especially around your middle? You're not broken, lazy, or imagining things. Your metabolism is inflamed.

In this solo episode, Dr. Shivani Gupta breaks down the real science behind midlife weight gain and why the tired advice to "eat less and move more" can actually make things worse.

Backed by a landmark January 2026 study from UT Southwestern — which identified the molecular switch that triggers uncontrolled inflammation in obesity — Dr. Shivani explains why chronic inflammation causes insulin resistance, belly fat storage, and a feedback loop that's nearly impossible to break through willpower alone.

She shares the story of her own unexplained weight gain at 37, and how client Lisa — a dedicated runner — lost 15 pounds in 3 months not by restricting more, but by calming her nervous system and reducing inflammation.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

• Why chronic inflammation blocks insulin signaling and shifts your body into fat-storage mode

• The NLRP3 inflammasome feedback loop: how obesity, inflammation & insulin resistance reinforce each other

• Why intense daily workouts can backfire when cortisol is already elevated

• The Vata-pacifying diet and why cold raw foods may be sabotaging your metabolism

• A 4-step framework to calm inflammation and support metabolic flexibility

• Why curcumin works on 30+ inflammatory pathways — and why that matters more than fish oil

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 a 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: @DrShavaniGupta

Website: https://shivanigupta.com/

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with a friend who needs to hear this — and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps more women find this message. 🌿

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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