Welcome back to the Dr. Kinney Show!
This week, I’m joined by Carrie Chojnowski, certified gut health coach, podcast host of Thrive with Carrie, and a passionate advocate for helping women in midlife go from surviving to thriving. Carrie returns to share how our gut health is deeply connected to perimenopause symptoms—and how addressing your digestion might be the missing link to feeling better.
In this candid and relatable episode, we break down why brain fog, fatigue, mood swings, bloating, and heavy periods aren't always just “hormonal” issues. Instead, they’re often gut-driven symptoms—and the good news is, there's a lot you can do to get your body back into balance.
In Today’s Episode We Discuss:
Carrie's personal story of healing her cycle by focusing on gut health
Why symptoms like PMS, heavy periods, and breast tenderness may be signs of estrogen dominance from poor gut detox
How stress, processed food, and motherhood impact your digestive health
The gut-hormone connection and how imbalances in one affect the other
Everyday lifestyle tips to support gut health:
Deep belly breathing before meals
Hydration (with electrolytes!)
Natural food-based fiber sources
Blood sugar balancing with protein and healthy fats
Why cutting alcohol can improve digestion, sleep, mood, and hormonal symptoms
How testing (like stool analysis or food sensitivity panels) can offer clarity when symptoms persist
Carrie is an amazing resource for women in their 40s and 50s looking to regain energy, lose the bloat, and finally feel at home in their bodies. If you're navigating perimenopause or just want to improve your gut health, this episode is for you!
Connect with Carrie Chojnowski:
Instagram: @thrivewithcarrie
Podcast: Thrive with Carrie
Work with Carrie at The Kinney Clinic: www.drerinkinney.com
Dr. Erin Kinney is a Naturopathic Doctor, coach, and speaker, who helps patients understand their bodies to regain control of their health. Each week, alongside leading health and wellness experts, Dr. Kinney shares strategies and tools for optimal body function.
Tune in to the Dr. Kinney Show to reconnect with your body's wisdom and restore harmony in your life.
Popular Podcasts
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com