February 11, 2025 • 53 mins
Today we have Dr. Megan Lyons on the show to talk about recognizing early symptoms of burnout, ways to optimize your health, and fix the root causes of illness.
Megan is a Harvard graduate with two Master’s degrees, two Board Certifications, and a Doctorate of Clinical Nutrition. She is a passionate health and wellness expert, inspiring others to feel their healthiest and happiest.
In 2014, Megan pivoted from the management consulting business world to follow her passion for wellness by opening The Lyons' Share Wellness.
Since then, Megan and her team have amassed over 15,000 hours of 1-to-1 nutrition consulting with clients internationally, providing personalized guidance to help individuals achieve their health goals.
Megan is the hosts of a top podcast on health and wellness, “Wellness Your Way with Dr. Megan Lyons,” where she shares insights and tips for living a healthier life, and publishes informational articles on The Lyons’ Share website weekly.
She speaks widely at conferences, corporations, and organizations.
Check-out Megan's free download file, where you can take a short quiz designed to give you a head start at figuring out if your symptoms are suggestive of any common pattern that Megan sees at The Lyons' Share Wellness!
- Dr. Megan's Website: https://www.thelyonsshare.org/
- The Revitalize Health Accelerator: https://www.thelyonsshare.org/revitalize/
- Podcast: https://www.thelyonsshare.org/wellness-your-way-podcast/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelyonsshare/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheLyonsShareWellness/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meganoharelyons
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Anne McGinty (00:08):
Welcome to how I Built my Small Business.
I'm Anne McGinty, your host,and today we have Dr Megan Lyons
on the show to talk aboutrecognizing early symptoms of
burnout, ways to optimize yourhealth and looking for the root
causes of illness.
Megan is a Harvard graduatewith two master's degrees, two
(00:29):
board certifications and adoctorate of clinical nutrition.
In 2014, megan pivoted from themanagement consulting business
world to follow her passion forwellness by opening the Lion's
Share Wellness, a functionalnutrition practice.
Since then, megan and her teamhave amassed over 15,000 hours
(00:52):
of one-to-one nutritionconsulting with clients
internationally, providingpersonalized guidance to help
individuals feel theirhealthiest and happiest.
Megan is the host of a toppodcast on health and wellness
called Wellness your Way, whereshe shares insights and tips for
living a healthier life.
(01:12):
She also publishesinformational articles on the
Lion's Share website weekly.
She speaks widely atconferences, corporations and
organizations.
You can find links to connectwith Megan in the episode's
description.
Before we jump into theinterview, don't forget to hit
(01:34):
the subscribe button and if youlearn something from today's
episode, please share it with afriend to help us reach more
listeners.
Let's get started.
Thank you to our listeners forbeing here today.
Megan, I'm thrilled to have youon the show today.
Thanks for coming in.
Megan Lyons (01:54):
Thank you so much, Anne.
Anne McGinty (01:56):
I'm really excited so when and why did you decide
to leave business consulting tostart a functional nutrition
practice?
Megan Lyons (02:06):
Yes.
So the when is probablysomewhere, realistically, in
2010.
I didn't end up leaving until2014.
But around 2010, I felt not acrisis moment.
I didn't have any like oh mygosh, this is absolutely
terrible, I have to go.
(02:26):
I just felt like I don't knowif this is it, there must be
something more for me out there.
This is fine, but it's notamazing every day.
And so around that time Istarted brainstorming well, what
in the world would I do?
And I even got an MBA in thattime period, starting in 2010.
And, to be honest, I didn't eventake any of the
(02:47):
entrepreneurship classes becauseI totally thought that was not
my thing.
I was like no way I'm going tostart a business.
And I had this huge passion forhealth and wellness, but even
then I didn't think of it as acareer.
I thought I just was missing,that I wanted to be an architect
or who knows what, like anengineer or something else.
I didn't think of ever startingthis business until I started
(03:10):
asking my friends and familylike what do you think I should
do if I did something else?
And they were all like duh, youspend all your time going to
nutrition conferences, readingnutrition books, helping me with
nutrition.
They thought it was so obvious.
I was just so closed minded anddidn't even think about it.
But then, once they planted theseed in my head, it just became
(03:31):
finding the right time, whichis kind of a misnomer there's
never a right time but findingthe best time and that was
January 2014.
And haven't looked back since.
And haven't looked back sinceWow.
Anne McGinty (03:43):
So you had to go back to school then.
Megan Lyons (03:55):
Yes.
So what I did as I was askingaround with my family and my
friends is I completed my firstcertification program while I
was getting my MBA.
Just did that on the side.
So I was certified as aholistic nutritionist in order
to practice when I first opened.
Then, just because I loveeducation and I wanted to go
further than being more of acoach, I got a master's in
holistic nutrition, a couple ofboard certifications and a
(04:17):
doctorate of clinical nutrition,and hopefully this will be the
last education program for atleast a couple of years.
But I honestly just love school.
So who knows what will be next?
Anne McGinty (04:28):
And how hard was it for you to start getting
clients Once you had all of yourcertifications, you had your
website up and running and youwere officially in business.
Megan Lyons (04:40):
I would say, once I figured it out, it was not hard
.
I have been extremely fortunateand have worked hard to have a
full client roster and waitlists for maybe eight or nine of
the past years, of the past 11years.
But when I first left onJanuary 5th 2014, what I did for
(05:01):
literally the very first threeweeks was I spent time putting
together what I thought wasgoing to be the perfect email.
It was going to personalcontacts like my parents,
friends, my friends, things likethat, and I really put so much
effort into this email and Ihonestly thought, oh, this is
going to bring me hundreds ofclients, like I thought I was
(05:23):
going to be at full capacity.
I sent that email and, ofcourse people can guess the
story I got zero clients out ofit.
I got a lot of like oh, that'sreally cute, I'm so glad you're
following your passion, but zeroclients.
And so that was like oh, okay,this is different from what I
thought.
My next step was I marketed to50 gyms in the Dallas area and I
(05:49):
said I am a new nutritionistand I can talk about anything
for free to your clients.
And instead of getting zerothis time, I got one offer for a
free presentation and therewere about three or four people
sitting on mats on the gym floorand I presented my heart out to
them, but still I was like,okay, that's not it.
(06:09):
I really needed to stop hidingbehind, you know, making this
one perfect email or creatingthese perfect client handouts or
whatever, and just put myselfout there.
So the more and more that Ifigured out how to go speak,
that I was blogging in the day,even before really consistent
(06:31):
social media although I did someof that too before my podcast I
would go speaking to differentplaces, I would go to networking
groups, I would just put myselfout there.
Once I started doing that, itbecame more of a constant inflow
.
But I didn't want to do that atfirst.
I wanted to just craft thatperfect email.
It sounds like you had tohustle quite a bit.
(06:53):
Oh, I really did.
I know that the word hustlegets a lot of hate and it can
definitely be done in the wrongway, so that's not what I'm
suggesting.
But I think to start a businessof the fashion that I did, I
think there is some hustlethat's required for it and I
(07:13):
think that makes you appreciate,or makes me appreciate, the
high times a little bit moreyeah.
Anne McGinty (07:19):
And touching on what you were saying about
hustle being sort of a frownedupon concept sometimes.
We know that burnout is asignificant challenge among
workers and entrepreneurs.
What do you think is going on?
Megan Lyons (07:36):
I mean, I have definitely been in clinical
burnout multiple times in mylife, so I'm certainly not
immune to it.
It's something that Iconstantly work on and stay
vigilant about for myself, andwhat I think is going on in
people myself included andpeople like me is that we
genuinely love working and Igenuinely love serving my
(08:00):
clients, and I'm sointrinsically motivated that
when I set a goal, I will doanything to get that goal.
But it's almost like I haveblinders and I forget when that
goal becomes impractical or whenI don't even really care about
that goal or when that goal isslowly eroding my health or my
relationships or whatever.
I just get so laser focused onthat goal and, to be honest, in
(08:24):
small business, there's justalways something to do.
I have never, ever in the past11 years, had a completely blank
to-do list where there wasnothing I could do.
So if we combine that the driveand the passion for your work
and the omnipresence of thingsto do, I think it very easily
tips over into burnout.
Anne McGinty (08:50):
I know exactly what you're talking about,
because I too ran a business for13 years and I felt like one of
those wind up toys that youwould just crank up as high as
you could go.
Only I did that like for such aconsecutive number of days and
weeks so that my body wasbuzzing and it needed months
actually to kind of calm backdown.
So, hearing that story, does itmake sense to you that I ended
(09:14):
up with thyroid disease?
Megan Lyons (09:16):
So I I will say yes , but there's a workaround to
that or a lead up to that, whichis, I never think it's anyone's
fault when we have a condition,a medical condition, it's not
your fault.
In hindsight, given what youknow now, would you have done it
different.
Maybe you were doing the verybest you could at that situation
(09:39):
, and same thing for myself forother situations that I could
say I've created for myself.
We were always doing the best.
But what you're describing hereis what's commonly called stage
two adrenal dysregulation, whichis that tired but wired.
It's high cortisol.
You're what I call running onfumes.
You're going, going, going.
Your neurotransmitters, yourhormones, all this chemical
(10:01):
milieu in your body is likepumping out all the energy that
you possibly need to get throughthe day and, like you said, one
day of that is fine.
We can go through a reallystressful day and it's no
problem.
We all rebound.
But when we do thatconsistently and our cortisol
keeps elevating, that very oftentips over into a thyroid
(10:23):
condition.
There's something called theHPAT axis hypothalamus,
pituitary, adrenal, thyroid axisand you notice adrenal which
stimulates cortisol, the stresshormone, and thyroid.
Those are right connected toeach other.
So adrenal issues generally godownstream to thyroid issues.
Anne McGinty (10:43):
So, looking back, are there specific signs, like
early signs, that I should havebeen paying more attention to,
and how can entrepreneurs insimilar situations take
proactive steps before reachingthat breaking point that I did?
Megan Lyons (10:59):
Yeah, the difficult thing is that everyone's
tolerance for stress isdifferent.
So I very clearly remember inmy management consulting job a
guy that I worked with.
He could work until like 2 amevery night and he genuinely
wasn't burned out and I was likethat's not fair.
(11:20):
I want to do that too, but Iknew if I did that consistent
nights in a row, my body justdid not feel the same.
So there's no number of hoursor number of tasks on your to-do
list or anything like that, butsome signs and symptoms that
our body tells us.
Number one I think the mostobvious is the inability to let
(11:40):
down.
So if you go out to dinner withyour partner or you go on
vacation or something like thatand you just can't stop thinking
about work, oftentimes you'rein that stage two adrenal
dysregulation.
Your body's just go, go, go, gogo and it's making you stay
hypervigilant.
So that's an interesting sign.
(12:01):
Then we see a lot of things thatdo start to mimic thyroid
issues.
So digestive changes eitheryou're feeling gurgly all the
time or potentially you'refeeling constipated, or more IBS
symptoms, maybe hair loss, skinthinning, nail brittleness,
appetite changes I always usedto describe it as well as I feel
(12:25):
like there's someone in my headthat's making me be in a bad
mood.
I don't really want to be in abad mood, but it's just coming
out that way.
So mood changes like thatinsomnia, especially those two
to 3 am wake-ups.
There'sa natural bump incortisol.
That happens, but it'sexacerbated or it's felt worse
when we have adrenaldysregulation.
(12:47):
So anything that's just kind oflike you could brush it off as
being normal, but you know deepdown inside it's actually not
normal.
That could be a oh.
Menstrual changes as well forpeople with periods.
If those change or the daysbetween cycles become different,
any of that could be a clue aswell.
Anne McGinty (13:08):
So what are people supposed to do if they work in
such high stress environmentswhere they are faced with a
higher level of stress moreoften than less often?
Megan Lyons (13:22):
Yeah, so the body is designed to deal with stress.
There's something calledhormetic stress, which I think
of it like if it doesn't killyou, it makes you stronger.
So the goal of hormetic stresslike think about going for a run
that's a hormetic stressor.
It is stressful for the body,it feels hard in the moment, but
it's actually making youstronger, as long as you recover
(13:45):
.
Well, if you went out and youtried to run 300 miles all at
once, well, you're either goingto really injure yourself or who
knows something worse, sothat's not a good stress.
The good stress is when you runand then you recover and then
you build up your fitness.
Same thing with stress.
If we can learn to recover, wecan withstand higher stress
(14:08):
states more so, the things thatare getting popular these days
are like breathing exercises,which are a phenomenal way to
tap into your parasympatheticnervous system, which is that
rest and digest side thatteaches your body.
Even in the state of stress, Ican relax.
I can find that letdown.
(14:28):
Or meditation another amazingtool getting outside for five to
10 minutes it doesn't have tobe crazy.
Going for a short walk,snuggling a dog or a cat or a
kid, like any of these thingsthat just cause that, that
momentary letdown.
The more and more we canincorporate these during the day
(14:48):
I'm talking like three, four orfive times a day optimally then
we can withstand the highstress Without that recovery,
though it doesn't work so welland usually ends in some adrenal
dysregulation.
Anne McGinty (15:02):
So what happens if somebody is just not recovering
well?
So what are they supposed to doif they were capable of
handling a higher level ofstress and then it became so
chronic that they suffered andthey became sort of like quick
fuses, yeah, like quick tostress?
Megan Lyons (15:22):
Yep, I see this very often in times of change,
so, like perimenopause, that's abig time of change, because
your sex hormones are changing.
That will make changes incortisol feel more dramatic, or
even a change Like someonechanges jobs or has a baby or
(15:42):
something like that some bigchange.
Then people are starting to saymy resilience just feels like
it fell off a cliff.
I don't have the sameresilience, and then I say to
them it sounds like a joke, butI'm actually quite serious.
You can handle this in two tothree months.
If you just cancel everything,if we send you to a beach in
(16:04):
Bali and you quit your job andyou don't have family
obligations and you reallyhardcore, meditate and eat
healthy food, like totally, yourbody can recover.
Most people will not do that,myself included.
That's not how I healed fromburnout.
I did actually have one clientone time who I said that kind of
flippantly, and she was like,oh yeah, I'll totally quit my
(16:25):
job, like let's go.
And she did it and she did allof the things, and she recovered
faster than I've ever seenanyone recover.
Most people, though, will nottake that approach.
We'll need to do a more gradualwhere, okay, I can do three,
two minute breathing exercises.
I can take that adaptogen.
I can make some changes to mydiet.
(16:46):
I can alter my exercise routine.
Maybe even I can prioritizesleep hygiene a little more.
I can do these little things.
It will still work but honestlyit will take longer if we go
the gradual approach.
Anne McGinty (17:00):
And take longer.
Let's say that somebody again.
They've been working for 10years.
They've finally reached thispoint of burnout.
Their stress management is justso low they can't tolerate
stress at all.
If it took them 10 years to getsick, how long should they
expect that it would take themto fully recover?
Megan Lyons (17:19):
Yeah, I wish I could give you a number.
I'll give you a couple ofguidance points, though.
I was my own first patient.
It took me two years to recover.
So I lost my period for 12months.
I had lower hormones thanpost-menopausal women.
I was like a whole adrenalthyroid sex hormone, absolute
(17:44):
mess, and it took me two yearsto recover.
Now, that was before I knewanything about health.
That was what started me onthis journey.
So we're talking 20 years agothat this was happening.
Knowing what I know now, couldI have guided myself through it
a lot quicker?
Yes, so I see the averageperson in the situation that
(18:06):
you're describing.
That comes to me.
We're probably looking at fourto six months to feel completely
back to normal.
It is a gradual process, butwill they feel somewhat better
after two to three weeks?
Yes, it's just that, like yousaid, it took 10 years to get
into this position.
It takes quite a while to fullyrebound.
Anne McGinty (18:29):
I think that the potential for the body to
self-heal if you support it inthe ways that it needs to be is
pretty incredible.
So we keep on talking aboutadrenal health.
It sounds like with cortisolbeing pumped from there, it's
kind of the cause of potentiallyburnout and more illnesses.
How can people preventativelysupport their adrenal health?
(18:51):
I know you mentioned adaptogens.
Is there anything else?
Megan Lyons (19:03):
into the trap of demonizing cortisol.
Cortisol is amazing.
We would all be dead if we hadzero cortisol.
So thank goodness for cortisoland the excess of cortisol
without the ability to let down.
That's what's causing theproblem.
So hopefully cortisol doesn'thate me after this.
Adaptogens, which you mentioned,are such powerful herbs.
I call adaptogens magicbalancers because they are not
(19:23):
like a drug.
A drug automatically lowers alevel or raises a level of
something.
That's its target.
An adaptogen balances the level, so if someone's high in
something, it will lower it, ifsomeone's low in something, it
will raise it, which is reallycool.
And there are very fewpharmaceuticals that can do that
.
But adaptogens are oftenmushrooms or herbs.
(19:45):
People might've heard ofashwagandha, which is an
adaptogen, or holy basil, orreishi or cordyceps.
There are all kinds ofdifferent adaptogens for
different functions anddifferent purposes, and those
even as a preventative beforeyou get to total burnout.
But ooh, I feel like my body'sunder a lot of stress and
(20:06):
adaptogen can help build yourresilience to that.
Really prioritizing sleepquality is very important and
you'll notice I always say sleephygiene, sleep quality, because
it's usually unrealistic formost people to spend 9 to 10
hours in bed every single night.
So really getting that qualityis important, but then also, of
(20:28):
course, I'm going to go to diet.
So our adrenals are some of thebiggest consumers of
micronutrients, which aremacronutrients our protein, fat
and carbs.
Those are important too.
We'll get there, butmicronutrients are vitamins and
minerals and all these otherthings that we need.
In smaller quantities andwithout a plethora of those
coming in through an abundanceof vegetables, fruits, other
(20:53):
whole foods, your adrenalsreally suffer, and most of us,
when we're in that stressed outphase, what do we do?
We turn to more caffeine.
We have coffee for breakfastand then maybe we have like a
candy bar for lunch or somethinglike that, and then another
coffee after that.
We're getting tons ofstimulants.
We're not getting a ton ofnutrition.
(21:13):
So we really need to focus ongetting in those micronutrients.
And then the macronutrients arealso important.
In fact, all three of them areimportant for adrenals.
We think protein probably first, because without adequate
protein we're not able torecover from exercise stressors,
but also from mental, emotionalstressors.
(21:36):
Fat is very important for anyhormone, so we need that good
quality, healthy fat.
But then carbs we forget about.
We are very quick to demonizecarbs.
Adrenals need carbs to heal,though Do we need a giant pasta
dinner and three donuts everynight?
Absolutely not, but we may needsome parsnips, some rice, some
(21:59):
whole grains, potatoes,something like that, or at
minimum we need some vegetablesand some fruits.
Going fully no carb is notgreat if you're in a state of
adrenal dysregulation.
Anne McGinty (22:11):
That's interesting to me because I think that I
also demonize carbs.
Yeah, just thinking that, oh,it'll convert to a sugar and
then it's just going todysregulate my whole system.
So what is the point of thecarbs for adrenals?
Megan Lyons (22:24):
Yeah, so oftentimes I see people with adrenal
dysregulation having that two to3 AM wake up.
That I mentioned before.
And what's happening here?
There is this natural bump incortisol.
But people with adrenaldysregulation their body's in a
state of panic.
They're very jumpy, I guess,when their blood sugar goes
(22:44):
outside of the normal range.
If you don't have a lot ofcarbs during the day and then
your blood sugar is drifting lowas you sleep, it boom, shoots
right back up because it's in apanic.
It's like, oh my gosh, theblood sugar is getting low.
Let's secrete a bunch ofadrenaline to get that blood
pumping, to get glycogen out ofthe muscles into the bloodstream
(23:05):
.
That raises back up your bloodsugar.
So it's out of panic.
But now you have adrenalinegoing and you have your mind
racing and it's very difficultto get back to sleep.
So actually having a smallportion of whole food
carbohydrates at night which iseven for people who don't vilify
carbs they're definitely like,oh, not carbs at night but
(23:26):
having some of thosecarbohydrates at night can help
the body not feel panicked, notfeel like the blood sugar is
going to get so low that I haveto turn out this adrenaline.
Anne McGinty (23:37):
That is so fascinating.
I'm going to have aconversation with my husband
later today.
So fascinating.
I'm going to have aconversation with my husband
later today.
Amazing, this has become atopic that I guess maybe we were
just lacking in a little bit ofinformation.
So, going back a little bit tothe adaptogens, because we're
starting to see this everywherein the grocery store now, and
(23:57):
our drinks and differentsupplements, herbs how much do
we really need in our diet andfor how long to really start
showing impact?
Megan Lyons (24:08):
I will be the first to say that we cannot out
supplement a poor quality diet,lifestyle, anything like that.
So I totally wish adaptogenswere the one and only fix.
I have never seen anyone in 11years of practice not change
their diet and lifestyle buttake an adaptogen and completely
(24:31):
heal.
I don't think it's possible,unfortunately.
That would be much easier.
It might make my job easier too, but that said, if you're going
to do what you can, you can'tbe perfect where you're a human,
but you can make a little bitof perfect where you're a human,
but you can make a little bitof change in your diet and
lifestyle.
Then the question of how muchadaptogens or what quantity of
adaptogens should you take.
(24:52):
It's pretty individual.
It's very rare to overdose onadaptogens.
Your body's really smart.
I'm not suggesting anyone go outand swallow a whole bottle, but
you don't need to be as preciseas you do with some medications
.
So, depending on which herbwe're starting with, I'll
(25:12):
usually just go with whateverdosage is on the bottle to start
out.
It's hard to give a number ofmilligrams because it depends on
the herb, it depends on theconcentration.
So you'll see on the back 95%concentrate or something like
that.
But I'll just start with onedosage.
As long as you're getting a good, reputable brand, you can trust
(25:33):
that dosage for most people andthen I'll do some experiments
so I'll say, okay, you feel alittle better with that, but not
too much better or not enoughbetter.
So let's try one and a halfdoses the next week and see how
that goes.
And sometimes it actually goesthe other way.
I just had someone earliertoday actually, who I gave an
adaptogen blend for calming andI know she really needs it based
(25:57):
on her testing and her symptomsand she took the full dosage,
which was three capsules, andshe was like, oh, that was
uncomfortable, like I felt toocalm.
That was not a normal feelingfor her.
Even though physiologically itwas normal, it was just like too
much for her to handleemotionally.
So we're going to go back downto one capsule and then we'll
(26:18):
ease her up into three capsules.
Anne McGinty (26:20):
That's super interesting and I also have had
that experience myself with justtrying different adaptogens and
feeling like, hmm, that onelike doesn't sit right, or maybe
I'm not drinking enough waterafterwards to fully get it down
into my stomach, or something.
But this is a wealth ofknowledge.
It's so interesting.
And again, we know thatentrepreneurs really struggle
(26:44):
with chronic stress.
I think that the percentage isover 80% or something like that.
So if someone came to you whowas maybe one of these typical
entrepreneurs who is juststretched so thin, wearing a
thousand different hats andfeeling like they couldn't shut
it off, what are the first stepsthat you would suggest to them
(27:05):
to reverse the damage and tostart rebuilding their health?
Megan Lyons (27:09):
Well, I have this button right here on my desk and
I pretend it's a magic button.
And I ask them if you couldpress the magic button and then
tomorrow you have unlimitedresources financial, whatever
else and you can't do anythingproductive.
You can't work, you can't takecare of the kids, you can't wash
the laundry, nothing productive.
(27:30):
What would you do?
And they look at me like thisis so dumb.
And then they answer, and basedon their answer, I know what
they need.
So, on one extreme, someonemight say I want to go to, like,
the coolest amusement park or aconcert in Paris and I want to
wear all this fancy clothes andhave 29 of my friends and, like
(27:52):
have a crazy night.
Or the other person might sayall I want is to go sit on a
beach and read a book and nottalk to anyone.
And those two people needsomething very different.
We can get into a state ofadrenal dysregulation, basically
based on boredom and overworkand lack of stimulation.
And so that first person theyneed stimulation, they need
(28:14):
excitement, they need change intheir life.
That second person, they needsolace, they need rest, they
need more internal reflectiontime, and so, while I can't make
any of their dreams happen,like the beach and or the
concert in Paris or whatever.
What we can do is take someclues from that and start
building in little things duringthe day.
(28:35):
So for the second person, canthey read for 10 minutes per day
?
Almost everyone and I work withextremely busy people almost
everyone can find 10 minutes aday if they really prioritize it
.
For that first person, can theycall a friend once a week and
just schedule some kind of mealout or walk in the park or
something like that.
(28:56):
It's starting small with whatthey know, their gut instinct
tells them they need, and thenbuilding that into a lifestyle
and going further.
Anne McGinty (29:06):
And the gut instinct hearing you mention
that people say increasinglymore so now that health starts
in the gut.
We know this right.
So what recommendations do youhave for digestive health,
especially for people with verybusy schedules?
Megan Lyons (29:22):
Yes, Well, I'll take the busy one in a second
and give you some easier tips,but the first thing I'll say is,
the more we can shift to wholefood, the better.
Our guts are very confusedthese days because they're
having to process so manychemical things that we're not
used to, that human DNA andfunctioning still does not
(29:45):
recognize, and we're gettingthis hyperpalatable food that's
low in fiber, which sounds likeit would be easier on digestion,
but the microbiome, which arethe good bacteria in your gut,
they need fiber to thrive.
So if you think about youraverage Cheeto or you name your
processed food, it has a lot ofchemicals that we're not used to
(30:08):
, it doesn't have a lot of thosemicronutrients and it does not
have almost any fiber, which arefood for the good bacteria.
So the health and therobustness of our gut has
dwindled because of that processand packaged food.
So we're in 2025.
I'm under no pretense thatsomeone out there is going to
(30:29):
eat zero packaged food for therest of their life.
I certainly don't do that.
What I do try to do is get mostof my food from whole food, the
food that we have to chew, andI can't tell you how many people
say to me, oh no, a salad, asalad.
I don't have time to eat foodduring the day and I'm like,
well, that's actually part ofthe problem.
(30:51):
The food that we can justswallow without chewing, that's
not really great for our gut.
So we really do need to focuson whole food and then some of
the things that are maybequicker.
A probiotic is one of thestandard go-tos for gut health.
There are some people who doworse on a probiotic, so
certainly if you've had akombucha and you find yourself
(31:14):
very burpy, something like that,it could be a sign of small
intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
Probiotic might not be for you,but in general, because of our
over-sanitization and lack offermented foods, many people do
do better on a probiotic.
So that could be some place tostart giving yourself breaks
between meals.
(31:34):
I personally would love to havezero meals and just literally
snack like a hundred percent ofthe day, but that's not good for
our gut.
So actually getting that.
We have something called themigrating motor complex, which
only moves after a period of nothaving food.
So getting a couple hoursbetween incidences of eating
(31:57):
during the day, and then evensomething as simple as staying
hydrated Many busy people don'tremember to drink water and
constipation.
I mean I'm not exaggeratingwhen I say 50% of the
constipation cases that I see inmy office can be fixed by just
drinking water.
So that's something so huge forgut health.
Anne McGinty (32:18):
Yeah, dehydration, as you were saying that, I was
thinking back to the number ofdays where I know my body has
been sitting there going drinksome water.
Drink some water, yeah, and Ijust ignore it.
Yeah, I'm like, no, I'm busyright now, but, yes, we need to
prioritize hydration.
Knowing is one and thenactually being compliant with
(32:38):
what we're supposed to do isanother.
What do you do about kids wholean towards donuts and treats
and Takis and artificiallycolored slushies and they just
gobble, gobble, gobble, gobbleup and they say, mom, it's not a
big deal, it doesn't matter, Irun a ton and I play a lot of
sports.
Are they right, or are they?
Megan Lyons (32:59):
wrong From a weight perspective.
They're often right.
Many kids, their metabolism isso fast that they can have the
hyper palatable processed foodsand not gain weight.
But weight is very much not thewhole picture of health.
So we're starting to learn moreand more things Like.
(33:19):
Recently we're getting a lot ofpress coverage about red 40 and
other food colorings connectedto things like ADHD,
hyperactivity, neurodivergence,even down the long, long road,
(33:43):
neurodegenerative conditions.
So that's just one example, butthen there are many others in
package and processed food.
So do I think kids should neverhave any of that?
No, because those kids turninto the ones that then when
they go to their friends' homes,they dive into the pantry and
they overdo it there and theyoften can get some emotional
(34:03):
relationship with food.
That's not the healthiest.
So I don't believe in overtrestriction and, just like I
said to you with the thyroidcondition, I do not believe in
blaming for health conditions.
But what I do know for sure isthat taste buds adapt to what
they are given more frequently.
So kids who are not givenvegetables, fruits, other whole
(34:27):
foods they're correct in sayingthat it tastes bad for them
because their taste buds haven'tadjusted.
Just like me, in college I dranksix Diet Cokes per day.
I thought it was delicious, Iknow yes, your face tells it all
Clearly.
I did not know about healththen, once I started learning
about health and cut that out.
That was, however, 20 plusyears ago.
(34:49):
Diet Coke honestly tastesdisgusting to me.
Now I don't want to drink it.
My taste buds changed based onwhat they were given, and kids
do the same.
Our taste buds can change in asquick as 10 days, depending on
the research.
So when we are only offering ourkids hyper palatable foods,
(35:11):
they'll only want that.
The answer, then, is to bringit it in in a way that's not
punishment.
You don't say you have to eatthis food because it's healthy,
blah, blah, blah but just offerit more and more and more.
And it is so frustrating I knowI've seen it over and over and
over where the parent producesor creates this delicious
(35:32):
broccoli and the kid doesn't eatit.
That's very frustrating, but weneed repeated exposure and
their taste buds will change.
I have, uh and again, no, noshame to anyone in my family or
anyone else, but I have, acrossmy spectrum of nieces and
nephews, those who are verypicky based on what they were
given as kids and those who Imean like.
(35:54):
Literally yesterday my sister,my youngest sister, sent me a
picture of my niece, who's oneand a half, and she refused her
waffle for breakfast.
She only wanted a cucumber.
So there's this picture of herjust chomping on a whole
cucumber.
That's what she has been givenand she really does appreciate
that taste more that is amazing.
Anne McGinty (36:15):
Yeah, I also have noticed what you're saying
though I'd never looked into theresearch with it that when my
daughter eats more sweetsregularly, she starts craving
them so much that we have to cuther off cold turkey to reset.
Yep, okay, kids have a reallyhigh metabolic rate, but adults
(36:38):
don't match that.
So I think the stat issomething like 88% of Americans
are metabolically unhealthy.
Megan Lyons (36:47):
Yes.
Anne McGinty (36:48):
What do we need to know about this?
Why does that matter?
Megan Lyons (36:51):
Yeah, it really matters a lot, because metabolic
health is connected to all thescary chronic conditions that we
think about, from Alzheimer'sto cancer, to type 2 diabetes
and on and on and on.
Five specific things it's ifyou have adequate HDL, which is
the quote good cholesterol, lowenough triglycerides, low enough
(37:20):
fasting blood sugar, low enoughblood pressure and then a
healthy waist circumference.
So these are just many leadingindicators of this might be a
problem in the future, butbasically what it means is our
body's not processing food theway we want it.
Our blood sugar is dysregulated.
We're starting to have thingsthat could turn into liver
(37:42):
dysfunction or blood sugardysregulation, insulin
resistance, things like that,and this is totally reversible.
Any of those things that Imentioned, even when it gets so
far as fatty liver,non-alcoholic fatty liver
disease.
These are all reversible.
But it does take changing ourdiets and same thing just
(38:03):
shifting gently away from someof that processed food to more
whole food.
Thinking about thosemacronutrients the protein, fat
and carbs and reallyrepresenting each of them in
each meal.
That's the first step.
Carbs and really representingeach of them in each meal that's
the first step.
Anne McGinty (38:16):
Inflammation is also just another one of those
buzzwords right now and is atelltale sign right of chronic
illness potentially.
How can we pay attention tothat, how can we notice it, what
should we be looking for andhow can we proactively reduce it
?
Megan Lyons (38:31):
Yes, most people have had the experience of acute
inflammation, which is Isprained my ankle, for example,
and that ankle gets hot andpuffy and swollen and that's
great.
It's my immune system andrepair system going to that
tissue and fixing the damage.
That's a good, helpful process.
The problem is wheninflammation becomes systemic.
Now it's not just our ankle butour body thinks it has to fix
(38:54):
the whole thing.
So then we start gettingsymptoms like a puffier face,
puffier or sore, achy hands orfeet, maybe skin issues, brain
fog, fatigue, digestive issueslike IBS-like symptoms,
alternating constipation,diarrhea, bloating, something
like that.
It just feels off andoftentimes if I ask people, do
(39:18):
you think you feel inflamed?
Even if they don't really knowthe technical definition, they
can tell me yes or no andthey're generally right.
So what do we do to preventthis?
I have a very simple handout inmy practice which I'll describe
to you and people will get it.
It's inflammatory foods in onecolumn and anti-inflammatory
foods in the other column, andall we need to do is shift the
(39:41):
balance gradually like a seesaw.
We don't have to take out theinflammatory foods altogether.
We do probably need to add insome more anti-inflammatory
foods, but it's not aboutperfection, it's just realizing
your seesaw is tipped a littleto one side.
Let's tip it gently to theother side.
(40:04):
So inflammatory foods are theultra processed foods that we've
talked about alcohol, addedsugar, fried food, gluten and
dairy are both on a spectrum.
So some people gluten causes alot of inflammation, like if you
have celiac disease you shoulddefinitely not have any gluten.
Most people are somewhere inthe middle where they might not
know it or think gluten reallyaffects them anyway, but it
actually does create a littleinflammation.
(40:25):
Same thing with dairy.
And then there are some rarepeople who are actually
genuinely fine with both ofthose.
But those are on a spectrum.
And then with exercise, over orunder exercise, both create
inflammation and our dear friend, stress creates inflammation.
So that's all on theinflammatory column.
Then the anti-inflammatorycolumn.
(40:46):
We think about antioxidants.
Oxidative stress is not exactlythe same as inflammation, but
it's basically the same for ourpurposes.
So antioxidant rich foods arethose dark colored vegetables
and fruits.
People have heard oh, berrieshave antioxidants.
That's right, they're darklycolored vegetables and fruits.
Other ones might be broccoli orBrussels sprouts or kale or
(41:09):
spinach or anything that's thatdeep color in its flesh.
Also, healthy fats can beanti-inflammatory, being
adequately hydrated, some herbslike turmeric, ginger these are
anti-inflammatory and thenstress relief, sleep, meditation
, all that good stuff.
So again, not about totallystaying in one column, but just
(41:31):
shifting the balance graduallyto get a little more to that
anti-inflammatory side.
And this document isdownloadable where On your
website just shifting thebalance gradually to get a
little more to thatanti-inflammatory side.
And this document isdownloadable where on your
website.
It's technically just for myclients, but I'm happy to send
it if we.
I'll find some way to get it toyou.
If you want to put it in theshow notes for anyone listening,
yeah that sounds great.
Anne McGinty (41:50):
And, circling back just a little bit more to your
practice, it sounds like you'vehad a full roster of clients for
eight or nine years.
What are you hoping to achieve?
What are you trying to do withthe practice?
Do you want to grow?
Do you want to sustain?
Just get your message out there.
Are you writing a book Like?
What are you hoping for?
Megan Lyons (42:09):
Oh, it's such a great question and and as we're
coming up on the end of the year, this is always when I focus
most on goal setting, so I willhave a better answer for you,
hopefully in a couple of weeks,but I'll tell you my current
answer.
We have a team of four rightnow, so still a small practice.
I don't ever anticipate having200 functional nutritionists on
(42:32):
my team.
That's not the kind of businessthat I'm going for.
I do anticipate expanding thata little bit more broadly, so
maybe doubling or tripling thatsize, and that's only been in
the last couple of years thatI've hired anyone outside.
Well, I always had some helpwith other things, like the
newsletter and social media andstuff, but never actually doing
(42:53):
the nutrition work.
So I do see some expansionthere.
I definitely see more expansionfor myself in terms of speaking
at conferences and things likethat, and then I did write a
book in 2016.
It's still fine information,it's not wrong, but I just have
evolved so much since then, sothere definitely needs to be
another book somewhere on myhorizon.
(43:15):
That sounds amazing.
Anne McGinty (43:16):
And the growth.
Can you give us a littlepeekaboo into your mind?
What is the motivator for youwanting to double or triple the
size of your business?
Megan Lyons (43:27):
I know that there are so many amazing
practitioners out there who haveso much to share and just don't
want to start a business forwhatever reason, or don't have
the business acumen.
And I know even stronger thatthere are so many people out
there who need real help.
They've been gaslit bypractitioners or they're
(43:49):
confused by all the conflictinginformation and I know, based on
our success rate with otherclients, that we can help and
somehow in me that overachieveris like.
If I know that there are peoplewho need help and I know I can
enable them to get help, I justcan't rest until their help.
So will I ever help everyone inthe world?
(44:11):
Absolutely not.
But I know I can help a lotmore people than I am right now
and that's what motivates me.
Anne McGinty (44:17):
How do you handle the juggle as a business owner,
knowing that you need to producea level of cashflow in order to
make increasing the size ofyour team sustainable?
Megan Lyons (44:28):
Yeah, I mean I actually don't have a ton, uh,
like I have an office.
But frankly I have a reallygood deal on my office because
I've been there for so manyyears and I have tons of
software, like you know clientmanagement systems and
podcasting and all that kind ofstuff.
But aside from that I reallydon't have that many
expenditures.
(44:49):
So cashflow has never been anissue for us, thankfully,
because we just have so manyclients coming in.
It's a rotating cycle.
I know I'm able to pay mypeople and pay myself.
It's worked out pretty well.
Anne McGinty (45:02):
And increasing your brick and mortar location?
Is this something that wouldneed to happen?
Megan Lyons (45:06):
No, so I don't see that happening.
I'm not necessarily opposed toit, but if we take me back to I
think I first got my office in2015.
So a year in everyone wanted tobe in the office.
My client base was primarilyDallas.
It was very rare that I woulddo telehealth, and now I'm not
(45:29):
exaggerating when I say 92 pluspercent is virtual.
So I'm really only in theoffice for the rare people who
want to have touch bases.
But most of what we do, evensome physical exam stuff, can be
done virtually.
My nutrition team is not all inDallas.
We operate very virtually.
(45:50):
So I mean, who knows what thefuture will bring?
But at least in the next coupleof years I think our one office
is fine.
Who knows what the future willbring?
But at least in the next coupleof years I think our one office
is fine.
Anne McGinty (45:56):
That's amazing, the low overhead and also all
the remote workers that you wereable to establish that team,
that's a whole, notherconversation.
So from your entrepreneurialjourney, just wrapping up here,
what key lessons have youlearned that could serve as
valuable advice for anyone whois aspiring to become an
(46:17):
entrepreneur?
Megan Lyons (46:18):
Get faster at failing.
This is not new advice.
I'm sure people have heard it,but I really spent that whole
first six months being slow atfailing Some of the examples I
told you and many others as well, and one of my greatest
strengths now is, if somethingdoesn't work, I know when to
move on.
I also know when to not give upIf I know in my gut like
(46:41):
something's going to work.
I just got it wrong the firsttime.
Cool, well, pivot, try somethingnew, but fail quickly has been
really, really helpful for me.
And then another one that'smaybe a little bit trite or
oversaid, but it's helped me somuch is to keep a folder,
physical or digital, of thesuccesses, because there are
(47:02):
hard days, and none of myclients ever have meant to be
mean.
I am confident, but peopledon't appreciate you some days.
Some days they're verydemanding, some days you lose a
client, some days whatever, andit always helps me to have that
record of wow.
I've helped so many thousandsof people just to turn back to
and lift up my spirits.
(47:23):
On that note, the last thingI'll say is we've got to have
some way to take care ofourselves.
So for me, the number one thingthat has changed my health and
my business is my morningroutine.
I do literally 100% of days Ido my morning routine.
Sometimes it's more elaborate,sometimes it's less elaborate.
But I don't feel like myself, Idon't feel really well able to
(47:47):
serve my clients well if I don'tdo that.
So for someone else listening,it might be evening routine or
golf once a week or whatever itis for them.
Find that way that really feelslike restoring yourself.
Anne McGinty (47:59):
Your morning routine.
Can you give us a peek?
Megan Lyons (48:02):
Sure, so I have an acronym called wake up and go.
It stands for water, firstthing before coffee.
Affirmations which, for me, arejust reading my goals.
I don't do some of like themore hokey affirmations,
although that's cool if you likeit.
Knowledge is K I read for justa few pages.
E is for exercise, so I loveexercising in the morning.
(48:26):
If someone doesn't likeexercising in the morning, just
like a minute of walking aroundstretching, jumping jacks,
something.
U is for unwind, for me that'smeditation.
It could be journaling, prayer,anything else that slows you
down.
P is positivity Listen to apositive quote or positive song.
G is for gratitude, threethings you're grateful for.
(48:46):
And then last one, o, one goalfor the day.
Because, just like me, I'm surethe audience listening has a
thousand things on their to-dolist and we tend to focus on the
ones we don't get done at theend of the day.
Setting one main goal for theday helps us be laser focused
and then feel accomplished whenwe get to the end of the day.
Anne McGinty (49:06):
I really love that .
I actually was just imaginingit on a poster that just sits
there, where you see it, firstthing as a reminder for yourself
, but also, in my circumstance,my kids too.
That's really beautiful, reallyamazing that you figured that
out.
So for a final question if youcould go back and talk with
(49:26):
yourself when you were in yourearly twenties, what life wisdom
would you give yourself?
Megan Lyons (49:33):
Trust yourself, try to take the bigger picture.
Each day doesn't have to feellike you changed the world, but
as the days add up, you arechanging the world and that's
all I've ever wanted to do ismake a difference.
I didn't do that every singleday, but I have done that over
the years and I believe everyonelistening has done the same.
(49:53):
So try to zoom out, trustyourself, keep on going because
it's working.
That's what I would say tomyself.
Anne McGinty (50:00):
That's amazing, megan.
Thank you so much for coming onthe show and sharing all of
your knowledge and insights withus, and your story too.
Megan Lyons (50:08):
Thank you so much.
It's been such a blast.
Anne McGinty (50:14):
Today's key takeaways.
If you're starting a newbusiness, your network can
provide initial momentum andsupport, but it won't be enough
to fully sustain your business.
You need strategies beyond yourimmediate circle.
Offer free presentations, speakat events, join community
gatherings and networking groups.
Put yourself out there.
(50:35):
Visibility is everything whenbuilding trust and awareness.
Passion and drive are fantastic, but too much hyperfocus can
lead to burnout.
Know your stress limits andwatch for early signs of
overdoing it.
For example, are you tired butwired?
This could be staged to adrenaldysregulation or high cortisol
(50:59):
levels.
Common signs could be that youcan't relax or stop thinking
about work, even in personaltime.
Digestive changes, hair loss,skin thinning, brittle nails,
appetite and mood shifts andinsomnia.
This is different from hormeticstress, which is the good type
(51:19):
of stress.
If you allow for recovery.
To build stress resilience,consider these preventative
measures Breathing exercises toactivate the parasympathetic
nervous system, meditation andmindfulness practices.
Adaptogens like ashwagandha,holy basil, reishi and cordyceps
to balance stress hormones.
Prioritize quality sleep andhave a balanced diet with the
(51:43):
right macronutrients proteins,fats, carbs and micronutrients,
vitamins and minerals.
If you're wondering aboutburnout, you can ask yourself
this reflection question If youhad unlimited resources but
couldn't be productive, whatwould you do Think about your
answer.
It could reveal what's missingin your life and where you need
(52:05):
balance In regards to health andmetabolism.
Your weight is just one smallpiece of your overall health.
Chronic inflammation can leadto visible and invisible
symptoms puffy face, skin issues, brain fog, fatigue and
digestive problems or chronicillness.
Gradually shift towardanti-inflammatory habits for
(52:29):
lasting benefits.
Allow two to four hours betweenmeals for a healthy migrating
motor complex.
Stay hydrated it's foundationalfor everything.
And remember taste buds.
Adapt within 10 days.
Repeated exposure to healthyfoods will shift your cravings
over time.
(52:49):
I'll include a link to Megan'sworksheet in the show notes.
When it comes to mindset forgrowth, fail faster.
Recognize when to pivot andwhen to persevere, but also
celebrate successes.
Keep a folder of wins to boostyour spirits on tough days.
Consider a morning, evening orweekly routine to recharge.
(53:12):
Try Megan's wake up and goapproach water affirmations,
knowledge, exercise, meditation,positivity, gratitude and one
goal Finally trust yourself.
Zoom out when things getoverwhelming, take a step back
and look at the bigger picture.
(53:32):
Keep going and remember thatevery step forward, no matter
how small, matters.
That's it for today.
I release episodes once a week,so come back and check it out.
Have a great day.
Welcome to how I Built my Small Business.
I'm Anne McGinty, your host,and today we have Dr Megan Lyons
on the show to talk aboutrecognizing early symptoms of
burnout, ways to optimize yourhealth and looking for the root
causes of illness.
Megan is a Harvard graduatewith two master's degrees, two
(00:29):
board certifications and adoctorate of clinical nutrition.
In 2014, megan pivoted from themanagement consulting business
world to follow her passion forwellness by opening the Lion's
Share Wellness, a functionalnutrition practice.
Since then, megan and her teamhave amassed over 15,000 hours
(00:52):
of one-to-one nutritionconsulting with clients
internationally, providingpersonalized guidance to help
individuals feel theirhealthiest and happiest.
Megan is the host of a toppodcast on health and wellness
called Wellness your Way, whereshe shares insights and tips for
living a healthier life.
(01:12):
She also publishesinformational articles on the
Lion's Share website weekly.
She speaks widely atconferences, corporations and
organizations.
You can find links to connectwith Megan in the episode's
description.
Before we jump into theinterview, don't forget to hit
(01:34):
the subscribe button and if youlearn something from today's
episode, please share it with afriend to help us reach more
listeners.
Let's get started.
Thank you to our listeners forbeing here today.
Megan, I'm thrilled to have youon the show today.
Thanks for coming in.
Megan Lyons (01:54):
Thank you so much, Anne.
Anne McGinty (01:56):
I'm really excited so when and why did you decide
to leave business consulting tostart a functional nutrition
practice?
Megan Lyons (02:06):
Yes.
So the when is probablysomewhere, realistically, in
2010.
I didn't end up leaving until2014.
But around 2010, I felt not acrisis moment.
I didn't have any like oh mygosh, this is absolutely
terrible, I have to go.
(02:26):
I just felt like I don't knowif this is it, there must be
something more for me out there.
This is fine, but it's notamazing every day.
And so around that time Istarted brainstorming well, what
in the world would I do?
And I even got an MBA in thattime period, starting in 2010.
And, to be honest, I didn't eventake any of the
(02:47):
entrepreneurship classes becauseI totally thought that was not
my thing.
I was like no way I'm going tostart a business.
And I had this huge passion forhealth and wellness, but even
then I didn't think of it as acareer.
I thought I just was missing,that I wanted to be an architect
or who knows what, like anengineer or something else.
I didn't think of ever startingthis business until I started
(03:10):
asking my friends and familylike what do you think I should
do if I did something else?
And they were all like duh, youspend all your time going to
nutrition conferences, readingnutrition books, helping me with
nutrition.
They thought it was so obvious.
I was just so closed minded anddidn't even think about it.
But then, once they planted theseed in my head, it just became
(03:31):
finding the right time, whichis kind of a misnomer there's
never a right time but findingthe best time and that was
January 2014.
And haven't looked back since.
And haven't looked back sinceWow.
Anne McGinty (03:43):
So you had to go back to school then.
Megan Lyons (03:55):
Yes.
So what I did as I was askingaround with my family and my
friends is I completed my firstcertification program while I
was getting my MBA.
Just did that on the side.
So I was certified as aholistic nutritionist in order
to practice when I first opened.
Then, just because I loveeducation and I wanted to go
further than being more of acoach, I got a master's in
holistic nutrition, a couple ofboard certifications and a
(04:17):
doctorate of clinical nutrition,and hopefully this will be the
last education program for atleast a couple of years.
But I honestly just love school.
So who knows what will be next?
Anne McGinty (04:28):
And how hard was it for you to start getting
clients Once you had all of yourcertifications, you had your
website up and running and youwere officially in business.
Megan Lyons (04:40):
I would say, once I figured it out, it was not hard
.
I have been extremely fortunateand have worked hard to have a
full client roster and waitlists for maybe eight or nine of
the past years, of the past 11years.
But when I first left onJanuary 5th 2014, what I did for
(05:01):
literally the very first threeweeks was I spent time putting
together what I thought wasgoing to be the perfect email.
It was going to personalcontacts like my parents,
friends, my friends, things likethat, and I really put so much
effort into this email and Ihonestly thought, oh, this is
going to bring me hundreds ofclients, like I thought I was
(05:23):
going to be at full capacity.
I sent that email and, ofcourse people can guess the
story I got zero clients out ofit.
I got a lot of like oh, that'sreally cute, I'm so glad you're
following your passion, but zeroclients.
And so that was like oh, okay,this is different from what I
thought.
My next step was I marketed to50 gyms in the Dallas area and I
(05:49):
said I am a new nutritionistand I can talk about anything
for free to your clients.
And instead of getting zerothis time, I got one offer for a
free presentation and therewere about three or four people
sitting on mats on the gym floorand I presented my heart out to
them, but still I was like,okay, that's not it.
(06:09):
I really needed to stop hidingbehind, you know, making this
one perfect email or creatingthese perfect client handouts or
whatever, and just put myselfout there.
So the more and more that Ifigured out how to go speak,
that I was blogging in the day,even before really consistent
(06:31):
social media although I did someof that too before my podcast I
would go speaking to differentplaces, I would go to networking
groups, I would just put myselfout there.
Once I started doing that, itbecame more of a constant inflow
.
But I didn't want to do that atfirst.
I wanted to just craft thatperfect email.
It sounds like you had tohustle quite a bit.
(06:53):
Oh, I really did.
I know that the word hustlegets a lot of hate and it can
definitely be done in the wrongway, so that's not what I'm
suggesting.
But I think to start a businessof the fashion that I did, I
think there is some hustlethat's required for it and I
(07:13):
think that makes you appreciate,or makes me appreciate, the
high times a little bit moreyeah.
Anne McGinty (07:19):
And touching on what you were saying about
hustle being sort of a frownedupon concept sometimes.
We know that burnout is asignificant challenge among
workers and entrepreneurs.
What do you think is going on?
Megan Lyons (07:36):
I mean, I have definitely been in clinical
burnout multiple times in mylife, so I'm certainly not
immune to it.
It's something that Iconstantly work on and stay
vigilant about for myself, andwhat I think is going on in
people myself included andpeople like me is that we
genuinely love working and Igenuinely love serving my
(08:00):
clients, and I'm sointrinsically motivated that
when I set a goal, I will doanything to get that goal.
But it's almost like I haveblinders and I forget when that
goal becomes impractical or whenI don't even really care about
that goal or when that goal isslowly eroding my health or my
relationships or whatever.
I just get so laser focused onthat goal and, to be honest, in
(08:24):
small business, there's justalways something to do.
I have never, ever in the past11 years, had a completely blank
to-do list where there wasnothing I could do.
So if we combine that the driveand the passion for your work
and the omnipresence of thingsto do, I think it very easily
tips over into burnout.
Anne McGinty (08:50):
I know exactly what you're talking about,
because I too ran a business for13 years and I felt like one of
those wind up toys that youwould just crank up as high as
you could go.
Only I did that like for such aconsecutive number of days and
weeks so that my body wasbuzzing and it needed months
actually to kind of calm backdown.
So, hearing that story, does itmake sense to you that I ended
(09:14):
up with thyroid disease?
Megan Lyons (09:16):
So I I will say yes , but there's a workaround to
that or a lead up to that, whichis, I never think it's anyone's
fault when we have a condition,a medical condition, it's not
your fault.
In hindsight, given what youknow now, would you have done it
different.
Maybe you were doing the verybest you could at that situation
(09:39):
, and same thing for myself forother situations that I could
say I've created for myself.
We were always doing the best.
But what you're describing hereis what's commonly called stage
two adrenal dysregulation, whichis that tired but wired.
It's high cortisol.
You're what I call running onfumes.
You're going, going, going.
Your neurotransmitters, yourhormones, all this chemical
(10:01):
milieu in your body is likepumping out all the energy that
you possibly need to get throughthe day and, like you said, one
day of that is fine.
We can go through a reallystressful day and it's no
problem.
We all rebound.
But when we do thatconsistently and our cortisol
keeps elevating, that very oftentips over into a thyroid
(10:23):
condition.
There's something called theHPAT axis hypothalamus,
pituitary, adrenal, thyroid axisand you notice adrenal which
stimulates cortisol, the stresshormone, and thyroid.
Those are right connected toeach other.
So adrenal issues generally godownstream to thyroid issues.
Anne McGinty (10:43):
So, looking back, are there specific signs, like
early signs, that I should havebeen paying more attention to,
and how can entrepreneurs insimilar situations take
proactive steps before reachingthat breaking point that I did?
Megan Lyons (10:59):
Yeah, the difficult thing is that everyone's
tolerance for stress isdifferent.
So I very clearly remember inmy management consulting job a
guy that I worked with.
He could work until like 2 amevery night and he genuinely
wasn't burned out and I was likethat's not fair.
(11:20):
I want to do that too, but Iknew if I did that consistent
nights in a row, my body justdid not feel the same.
So there's no number of hoursor number of tasks on your to-do
list or anything like that, butsome signs and symptoms that
our body tells us.
Number one I think the mostobvious is the inability to let
(11:40):
down.
So if you go out to dinner withyour partner or you go on
vacation or something like thatand you just can't stop thinking
about work, oftentimes you'rein that stage two adrenal
dysregulation.
Your body's just go, go, go, gogo and it's making you stay
hypervigilant.
So that's an interesting sign.
(12:01):
Then we see a lot of things thatdo start to mimic thyroid
issues.
So digestive changes eitheryou're feeling gurgly all the
time or potentially you'refeeling constipated, or more IBS
symptoms, maybe hair loss, skinthinning, nail brittleness,
appetite changes I always usedto describe it as well as I feel
(12:25):
like there's someone in my headthat's making me be in a bad
mood.
I don't really want to be in abad mood, but it's just coming
out that way.
So mood changes like thatinsomnia, especially those two
to 3 am wake-ups.
There'sa natural bump incortisol.
That happens, but it'sexacerbated or it's felt worse
when we have adrenaldysregulation.
(12:47):
So anything that's just kind oflike you could brush it off as
being normal, but you know deepdown inside it's actually not
normal.
That could be a oh.
Menstrual changes as well forpeople with periods.
If those change or the daysbetween cycles become different,
any of that could be a clue aswell.
Anne McGinty (13:08):
So what are people supposed to do if they work in
such high stress environmentswhere they are faced with a
higher level of stress moreoften than less often?
Megan Lyons (13:22):
Yeah, so the body is designed to deal with stress.
There's something calledhormetic stress, which I think
of it like if it doesn't killyou, it makes you stronger.
So the goal of hormetic stresslike think about going for a run
that's a hormetic stressor.
It is stressful for the body,it feels hard in the moment, but
it's actually making youstronger, as long as you recover
(13:45):
.
Well, if you went out and youtried to run 300 miles all at
once, well, you're either goingto really injure yourself or who
knows something worse, sothat's not a good stress.
The good stress is when you runand then you recover and then
you build up your fitness.
Same thing with stress.
If we can learn to recover, wecan withstand higher stress
(14:08):
states more so, the things thatare getting popular these days
are like breathing exercises,which are a phenomenal way to
tap into your parasympatheticnervous system, which is that
rest and digest side thatteaches your body.
Even in the state of stress, Ican relax.
I can find that letdown.
(14:28):
Or meditation another amazingtool getting outside for five to
10 minutes it doesn't have tobe crazy.
Going for a short walk,snuggling a dog or a cat or a
kid, like any of these thingsthat just cause that, that
momentary letdown.
The more and more we canincorporate these during the day
(14:48):
I'm talking like three, four orfive times a day optimally then
we can withstand the highstress Without that recovery,
though it doesn't work so welland usually ends in some adrenal
dysregulation.
Anne McGinty (15:02):
So what happens if somebody is just not recovering
well?
So what are they supposed to doif they were capable of
handling a higher level ofstress and then it became so
chronic that they suffered andthey became sort of like quick
fuses, yeah, like quick tostress?
Megan Lyons (15:22):
Yep, I see this very often in times of change,
so, like perimenopause, that's abig time of change, because
your sex hormones are changing.
That will make changes incortisol feel more dramatic, or
even a change Like someonechanges jobs or has a baby or
(15:42):
something like that some bigchange.
Then people are starting to saymy resilience just feels like
it fell off a cliff.
I don't have the sameresilience, and then I say to
them it sounds like a joke, butI'm actually quite serious.
You can handle this in two tothree months.
If you just cancel everything,if we send you to a beach in
(16:04):
Bali and you quit your job andyou don't have family
obligations and you reallyhardcore, meditate and eat
healthy food, like totally, yourbody can recover.
Most people will not do that,myself included.
That's not how I healed fromburnout.
I did actually have one clientone time who I said that kind of
flippantly, and she was like,oh yeah, I'll totally quit my
(16:25):
job, like let's go.
And she did it and she did allof the things, and she recovered
faster than I've ever seenanyone recover.
Most people, though, will nottake that approach.
We'll need to do a more gradualwhere, okay, I can do three,
two minute breathing exercises.
I can take that adaptogen.
I can make some changes to mydiet.
(16:46):
I can alter my exercise routine.
Maybe even I can prioritizesleep hygiene a little more.
I can do these little things.
It will still work but honestlyit will take longer if we go
the gradual approach.
Anne McGinty (17:00):
And take longer.
Let's say that somebody again.
They've been working for 10years.
They've finally reached thispoint of burnout.
Their stress management is justso low they can't tolerate
stress at all.
If it took them 10 years to getsick, how long should they
expect that it would take themto fully recover?
Megan Lyons (17:19):
Yeah, I wish I could give you a number.
I'll give you a couple ofguidance points, though.
I was my own first patient.
It took me two years to recover.
So I lost my period for 12months.
I had lower hormones thanpost-menopausal women.
I was like a whole adrenalthyroid sex hormone, absolute
(17:44):
mess, and it took me two yearsto recover.
Now, that was before I knewanything about health.
That was what started me onthis journey.
So we're talking 20 years agothat this was happening.
Knowing what I know now, couldI have guided myself through it
a lot quicker?
Yes, so I see the averageperson in the situation that
(18:06):
you're describing.
That comes to me.
We're probably looking at fourto six months to feel completely
back to normal.
It is a gradual process, butwill they feel somewhat better
after two to three weeks?
Yes, it's just that, like yousaid, it took 10 years to get
into this position.
It takes quite a while to fullyrebound.
Anne McGinty (18:29):
I think that the potential for the body to
self-heal if you support it inthe ways that it needs to be is
pretty incredible.
So we keep on talking aboutadrenal health.
It sounds like with cortisolbeing pumped from there, it's
kind of the cause of potentiallyburnout and more illnesses.
How can people preventativelysupport their adrenal health?
(18:51):
I know you mentioned adaptogens.
Is there anything else?
Megan Lyons (19:03):
into the trap of demonizing cortisol.
Cortisol is amazing.
We would all be dead if we hadzero cortisol.
So thank goodness for cortisoland the excess of cortisol
without the ability to let down.
That's what's causing theproblem.
So hopefully cortisol doesn'thate me after this.
Adaptogens, which you mentioned,are such powerful herbs.
I call adaptogens magicbalancers because they are not
(19:23):
like a drug.
A drug automatically lowers alevel or raises a level of
something.
That's its target.
An adaptogen balances the level, so if someone's high in
something, it will lower it, ifsomeone's low in something, it
will raise it, which is reallycool.
And there are very fewpharmaceuticals that can do that
.
But adaptogens are oftenmushrooms or herbs.
(19:45):
People might've heard ofashwagandha, which is an
adaptogen, or holy basil, orreishi or cordyceps.
There are all kinds ofdifferent adaptogens for
different functions anddifferent purposes, and those
even as a preventative beforeyou get to total burnout.
But ooh, I feel like my body'sunder a lot of stress and
(20:06):
adaptogen can help build yourresilience to that.
Really prioritizing sleepquality is very important and
you'll notice I always say sleephygiene, sleep quality, because
it's usually unrealistic formost people to spend 9 to 10
hours in bed every single night.
So really getting that qualityis important, but then also, of
(20:28):
course, I'm going to go to diet.
So our adrenals are some of thebiggest consumers of
micronutrients, which aremacronutrients our protein, fat
and carbs.
Those are important too.
We'll get there, butmicronutrients are vitamins and
minerals and all these otherthings that we need.
In smaller quantities andwithout a plethora of those
coming in through an abundanceof vegetables, fruits, other
(20:53):
whole foods, your adrenalsreally suffer, and most of us,
when we're in that stressed outphase, what do we do?
We turn to more caffeine.
We have coffee for breakfastand then maybe we have like a
candy bar for lunch or somethinglike that, and then another
coffee after that.
We're getting tons ofstimulants.
We're not getting a ton ofnutrition.
(21:13):
So we really need to focus ongetting in those micronutrients.
And then the macronutrients arealso important.
In fact, all three of them areimportant for adrenals.
We think protein probably first, because without adequate
protein we're not able torecover from exercise stressors,
but also from mental, emotionalstressors.
(21:36):
Fat is very important for anyhormone, so we need that good
quality, healthy fat.
But then carbs we forget about.
We are very quick to demonizecarbs.
Adrenals need carbs to heal,though Do we need a giant pasta
dinner and three donuts everynight?
Absolutely not, but we may needsome parsnips, some rice, some
(21:59):
whole grains, potatoes,something like that, or at
minimum we need some vegetablesand some fruits.
Going fully no carb is notgreat if you're in a state of
adrenal dysregulation.
Anne McGinty (22:11):
That's interesting to me because I think that I
also demonize carbs.
Yeah, just thinking that, oh,it'll convert to a sugar and
then it's just going todysregulate my whole system.
So what is the point of thecarbs for adrenals?
Megan Lyons (22:24):
Yeah, so oftentimes I see people with adrenal
dysregulation having that two to3 AM wake up.
That I mentioned before.
And what's happening here?
There is this natural bump incortisol.
But people with adrenaldysregulation their body's in a
state of panic.
They're very jumpy, I guess,when their blood sugar goes
(22:44):
outside of the normal range.
If you don't have a lot ofcarbs during the day and then
your blood sugar is drifting lowas you sleep, it boom, shoots
right back up because it's in apanic.
It's like, oh my gosh, theblood sugar is getting low.
Let's secrete a bunch ofadrenaline to get that blood
pumping, to get glycogen out ofthe muscles into the bloodstream
(23:05):
.
That raises back up your bloodsugar.
So it's out of panic.
But now you have adrenalinegoing and you have your mind
racing and it's very difficultto get back to sleep.
So actually having a smallportion of whole food
carbohydrates at night which iseven for people who don't vilify
carbs they're definitely like,oh, not carbs at night but
(23:26):
having some of thosecarbohydrates at night can help
the body not feel panicked, notfeel like the blood sugar is
going to get so low that I haveto turn out this adrenaline.
Anne McGinty (23:37):
That is so fascinating.
I'm going to have aconversation with my husband
later today.
So fascinating.
I'm going to have aconversation with my husband
later today.
Amazing, this has become atopic that I guess maybe we were
just lacking in a little bit ofinformation.
So, going back a little bit tothe adaptogens, because we're
starting to see this everywherein the grocery store now, and
(23:57):
our drinks and differentsupplements, herbs how much do
we really need in our diet andfor how long to really start
showing impact?
Megan Lyons (24:08):
I will be the first to say that we cannot out
supplement a poor quality diet,lifestyle, anything like that.
So I totally wish adaptogenswere the one and only fix.
I have never seen anyone in 11years of practice not change
their diet and lifestyle buttake an adaptogen and completely
(24:31):
heal.
I don't think it's possible,unfortunately.
That would be much easier.
It might make my job easier too, but that said, if you're going
to do what you can, you can'tbe perfect where you're a human,
but you can make a little bitof perfect where you're a human,
but you can make a little bitof change in your diet and
lifestyle.
Then the question of how muchadaptogens or what quantity of
adaptogens should you take.
(24:52):
It's pretty individual.
It's very rare to overdose onadaptogens.
Your body's really smart.
I'm not suggesting anyone go outand swallow a whole bottle, but
you don't need to be as preciseas you do with some medications
.
So, depending on which herbwe're starting with, I'll
(25:12):
usually just go with whateverdosage is on the bottle to start
out.
It's hard to give a number ofmilligrams because it depends on
the herb, it depends on theconcentration.
So you'll see on the back 95%concentrate or something like
that.
But I'll just start with onedosage.
As long as you're getting a good, reputable brand, you can trust
(25:33):
that dosage for most people andthen I'll do some experiments
so I'll say, okay, you feel alittle better with that, but not
too much better or not enoughbetter.
So let's try one and a halfdoses the next week and see how
that goes.
And sometimes it actually goesthe other way.
I just had someone earliertoday actually, who I gave an
adaptogen blend for calming andI know she really needs it based
(25:57):
on her testing and her symptomsand she took the full dosage,
which was three capsules, andshe was like, oh, that was
uncomfortable, like I felt toocalm.
That was not a normal feelingfor her.
Even though physiologically itwas normal, it was just like too
much for her to handleemotionally.
So we're going to go back downto one capsule and then we'll
(26:18):
ease her up into three capsules.
Anne McGinty (26:20):
That's super interesting and I also have had
that experience myself with justtrying different adaptogens and
feeling like, hmm, that onelike doesn't sit right, or maybe
I'm not drinking enough waterafterwards to fully get it down
into my stomach, or something.
But this is a wealth ofknowledge.
It's so interesting.
And again, we know thatentrepreneurs really struggle
(26:44):
with chronic stress.
I think that the percentage isover 80% or something like that.
So if someone came to you whowas maybe one of these typical
entrepreneurs who is juststretched so thin, wearing a
thousand different hats andfeeling like they couldn't shut
it off, what are the first stepsthat you would suggest to them
(27:05):
to reverse the damage and tostart rebuilding their health?
Megan Lyons (27:09):
Well, I have this button right here on my desk and
I pretend it's a magic button.
And I ask them if you couldpress the magic button and then
tomorrow you have unlimitedresources financial, whatever
else and you can't do anythingproductive.
You can't work, you can't takecare of the kids, you can't wash
the laundry, nothing productive.
(27:30):
What would you do?
And they look at me like thisis so dumb.
And then they answer, and basedon their answer, I know what
they need.
So, on one extreme, someonemight say I want to go to, like,
the coolest amusement park or aconcert in Paris and I want to
wear all this fancy clothes andhave 29 of my friends and, like
(27:52):
have a crazy night.
Or the other person might sayall I want is to go sit on a
beach and read a book and nottalk to anyone.
And those two people needsomething very different.
We can get into a state ofadrenal dysregulation, basically
based on boredom and overworkand lack of stimulation.
And so that first person theyneed stimulation, they need
(28:14):
excitement, they need change intheir life.
That second person, they needsolace, they need rest, they
need more internal reflectiontime, and so, while I can't make
any of their dreams happen,like the beach and or the
concert in Paris or whatever.
What we can do is take someclues from that and start
building in little things duringthe day.
(28:35):
So for the second person, canthey read for 10 minutes per day
?
Almost everyone and I work withextremely busy people almost
everyone can find 10 minutes aday if they really prioritize it
.
For that first person, can theycall a friend once a week and
just schedule some kind of mealout or walk in the park or
something like that.
(28:56):
It's starting small with whatthey know, their gut instinct
tells them they need, and thenbuilding that into a lifestyle
and going further.
Anne McGinty (29:06):
And the gut instinct hearing you mention
that people say increasinglymore so now that health starts
in the gut.
We know this right.
So what recommendations do youhave for digestive health,
especially for people with verybusy schedules?
Megan Lyons (29:22):
Yes, Well, I'll take the busy one in a second
and give you some easier tips,but the first thing I'll say is,
the more we can shift to wholefood, the better.
Our guts are very confusedthese days because they're
having to process so manychemical things that we're not
used to, that human DNA andfunctioning still does not
(29:45):
recognize, and we're gettingthis hyperpalatable food that's
low in fiber, which sounds likeit would be easier on digestion,
but the microbiome, which arethe good bacteria in your gut,
they need fiber to thrive.
So if you think about youraverage Cheeto or you name your
processed food, it has a lot ofchemicals that we're not used to
(30:08):
, it doesn't have a lot of thosemicronutrients and it does not
have almost any fiber, which arefood for the good bacteria.
So the health and therobustness of our gut has
dwindled because of that processand packaged food.
So we're in 2025.
I'm under no pretense thatsomeone out there is going to
(30:29):
eat zero packaged food for therest of their life.
I certainly don't do that.
What I do try to do is get mostof my food from whole food, the
food that we have to chew, andI can't tell you how many people
say to me, oh no, a salad, asalad.
I don't have time to eat foodduring the day and I'm like,
well, that's actually part ofthe problem.
(30:51):
The food that we can justswallow without chewing, that's
not really great for our gut.
So we really do need to focuson whole food and then some of
the things that are maybequicker.
A probiotic is one of thestandard go-tos for gut health.
There are some people who doworse on a probiotic, so
certainly if you've had akombucha and you find yourself
(31:14):
very burpy, something like that,it could be a sign of small
intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
Probiotic might not be for you,but in general, because of our
over-sanitization and lack offermented foods, many people do
do better on a probiotic.
So that could be some place tostart giving yourself breaks
between meals.
(31:34):
I personally would love to havezero meals and just literally
snack like a hundred percent ofthe day, but that's not good for
our gut.
So actually getting that.
We have something called themigrating motor complex, which
only moves after a period of nothaving food.
So getting a couple hoursbetween incidences of eating
(31:57):
during the day, and then evensomething as simple as staying
hydrated Many busy people don'tremember to drink water and
constipation.
I mean I'm not exaggeratingwhen I say 50% of the
constipation cases that I see inmy office can be fixed by just
drinking water.
So that's something so huge forgut health.
Anne McGinty (32:18):
Yeah, dehydration, as you were saying that, I was
thinking back to the number ofdays where I know my body has
been sitting there going drinksome water.
Drink some water, yeah, and Ijust ignore it.
Yeah, I'm like, no, I'm busyright now, but, yes, we need to
prioritize hydration.
Knowing is one and thenactually being compliant with
(32:38):
what we're supposed to do isanother.
What do you do about kids wholean towards donuts and treats
and Takis and artificiallycolored slushies and they just
gobble, gobble, gobble, gobbleup and they say, mom, it's not a
big deal, it doesn't matter, Irun a ton and I play a lot of
sports.
Are they right, or are they?
Megan Lyons (32:59):
wrong From a weight perspective.
They're often right.
Many kids, their metabolism isso fast that they can have the
hyper palatable processed foodsand not gain weight.
But weight is very much not thewhole picture of health.
So we're starting to learn moreand more things Like.
(33:19):
Recently we're getting a lot ofpress coverage about red 40 and
other food colorings connectedto things like ADHD,
hyperactivity, neurodivergence,even down the long, long road,
(33:43):
neurodegenerative conditions.
So that's just one example, butthen there are many others in
package and processed food.
So do I think kids should neverhave any of that?
No, because those kids turninto the ones that then when
they go to their friends' homes,they dive into the pantry and
they overdo it there and theyoften can get some emotional
(34:03):
relationship with food.
That's not the healthiest.
So I don't believe in overtrestriction and, just like I
said to you with the thyroidcondition, I do not believe in
blaming for health conditions.
But what I do know for sure isthat taste buds adapt to what
they are given more frequently.
So kids who are not givenvegetables, fruits, other whole
(34:27):
foods they're correct in sayingthat it tastes bad for them
because their taste buds haven'tadjusted.
Just like me, in college I dranksix Diet Cokes per day.
I thought it was delicious, Iknow yes, your face tells it all
Clearly.
I did not know about healththen, once I started learning
about health and cut that out.
That was, however, 20 plusyears ago.
(34:49):
Diet Coke honestly tastesdisgusting to me.
Now I don't want to drink it.
My taste buds changed based onwhat they were given, and kids
do the same.
Our taste buds can change in asquick as 10 days, depending on
the research.
So when we are only offering ourkids hyper palatable foods,
(35:11):
they'll only want that.
The answer, then, is to bringit it in in a way that's not
punishment.
You don't say you have to eatthis food because it's healthy,
blah, blah, blah but just offerit more and more and more.
And it is so frustrating I knowI've seen it over and over and
over where the parent producesor creates this delicious
(35:32):
broccoli and the kid doesn't eatit.
That's very frustrating, but weneed repeated exposure and
their taste buds will change.
I have, uh and again, no, noshame to anyone in my family or
anyone else, but I have, acrossmy spectrum of nieces and
nephews, those who are verypicky based on what they were
given as kids and those who Imean like.
(35:54):
Literally yesterday my sister,my youngest sister, sent me a
picture of my niece, who's oneand a half, and she refused her
waffle for breakfast.
She only wanted a cucumber.
So there's this picture of herjust chomping on a whole
cucumber.
That's what she has been givenand she really does appreciate
that taste more that is amazing.
Anne McGinty (36:15):
Yeah, I also have noticed what you're saying
though I'd never looked into theresearch with it that when my
daughter eats more sweetsregularly, she starts craving
them so much that we have to cuther off cold turkey to reset.
Yep, okay, kids have a reallyhigh metabolic rate, but adults
(36:38):
don't match that.
So I think the stat issomething like 88% of Americans
are metabolically unhealthy.
Megan Lyons (36:47):
Yes.
Anne McGinty (36:48):
What do we need to know about this?
Why does that matter?
Megan Lyons (36:51):
Yeah, it really matters a lot, because metabolic
health is connected to all thescary chronic conditions that we
think about, from Alzheimer'sto cancer, to type 2 diabetes
and on and on and on.
Five specific things it's ifyou have adequate HDL, which is
the quote good cholesterol, lowenough triglycerides, low enough
(37:20):
fasting blood sugar, low enoughblood pressure and then a
healthy waist circumference.
So these are just many leadingindicators of this might be a
problem in the future, butbasically what it means is our
body's not processing food theway we want it.
Our blood sugar is dysregulated.
We're starting to have thingsthat could turn into liver
(37:42):
dysfunction or blood sugardysregulation, insulin
resistance, things like that,and this is totally reversible.
Any of those things that Imentioned, even when it gets so
far as fatty liver,non-alcoholic fatty liver
disease.
These are all reversible.
But it does take changing ourdiets and same thing just
(38:03):
shifting gently away from someof that processed food to more
whole food.
Thinking about thosemacronutrients the protein, fat
and carbs and reallyrepresenting each of them in
each meal.
That's the first step.
Carbs and really representingeach of them in each meal that's
the first step.
Anne McGinty (38:16):
Inflammation is also just another one of those
buzzwords right now and is atelltale sign right of chronic
illness potentially.
How can we pay attention tothat, how can we notice it, what
should we be looking for andhow can we proactively reduce it
?
Megan Lyons (38:31):
Yes, most people have had the experience of acute
inflammation, which is Isprained my ankle, for example,
and that ankle gets hot andpuffy and swollen and that's
great.
It's my immune system andrepair system going to that
tissue and fixing the damage.
That's a good, helpful process.
The problem is wheninflammation becomes systemic.
Now it's not just our ankle butour body thinks it has to fix
(38:54):
the whole thing.
So then we start gettingsymptoms like a puffier face,
puffier or sore, achy hands orfeet, maybe skin issues, brain
fog, fatigue, digestive issueslike IBS-like symptoms,
alternating constipation,diarrhea, bloating, something
like that.
It just feels off andoftentimes if I ask people, do
(39:18):
you think you feel inflamed?
Even if they don't really knowthe technical definition, they
can tell me yes or no andthey're generally right.
So what do we do to preventthis?
I have a very simple handout inmy practice which I'll describe
to you and people will get it.
It's inflammatory foods in onecolumn and anti-inflammatory
foods in the other column, andall we need to do is shift the
(39:41):
balance gradually like a seesaw.
We don't have to take out theinflammatory foods altogether.
We do probably need to add insome more anti-inflammatory
foods, but it's not aboutperfection, it's just realizing
your seesaw is tipped a littleto one side.
Let's tip it gently to theother side.
(40:04):
So inflammatory foods are theultra processed foods that we've
talked about alcohol, addedsugar, fried food, gluten and
dairy are both on a spectrum.
So some people gluten causes alot of inflammation, like if you
have celiac disease you shoulddefinitely not have any gluten.
Most people are somewhere inthe middle where they might not
know it or think gluten reallyaffects them anyway, but it
actually does create a littleinflammation.
(40:25):
Same thing with dairy.
And then there are some rarepeople who are actually
genuinely fine with both ofthose.
But those are on a spectrum.
And then with exercise, over orunder exercise, both create
inflammation and our dear friend, stress creates inflammation.
So that's all on theinflammatory column.
Then the anti-inflammatorycolumn.
(40:46):
We think about antioxidants.
Oxidative stress is not exactlythe same as inflammation, but
it's basically the same for ourpurposes.
So antioxidant rich foods arethose dark colored vegetables
and fruits.
People have heard oh, berrieshave antioxidants.
That's right, they're darklycolored vegetables and fruits.
Other ones might be broccoli orBrussels sprouts or kale or
(41:09):
spinach or anything that's thatdeep color in its flesh.
Also, healthy fats can beanti-inflammatory, being
adequately hydrated, some herbslike turmeric, ginger these are
anti-inflammatory and thenstress relief, sleep, meditation
, all that good stuff.
So again, not about totallystaying in one column, but just
(41:31):
shifting the balance graduallyto get a little more to that
anti-inflammatory side.
And this document isdownloadable where On your
website just shifting thebalance gradually to get a
little more to thatanti-inflammatory side.
And this document isdownloadable where on your
website.
It's technically just for myclients, but I'm happy to send
it if we.
I'll find some way to get it toyou.
If you want to put it in theshow notes for anyone listening,
yeah that sounds great.
Anne McGinty (41:50):
And, circling back just a little bit more to your
practice, it sounds like you'vehad a full roster of clients for
eight or nine years.
What are you hoping to achieve?
What are you trying to do withthe practice?
Do you want to grow?
Do you want to sustain?
Just get your message out there.
Are you writing a book Like?
What are you hoping for?
Megan Lyons (42:09):
Oh, it's such a great question and and as we're
coming up on the end of the year, this is always when I focus
most on goal setting, so I willhave a better answer for you,
hopefully in a couple of weeks,but I'll tell you my current
answer.
We have a team of four rightnow, so still a small practice.
I don't ever anticipate having200 functional nutritionists on
(42:32):
my team.
That's not the kind of businessthat I'm going for.
I do anticipate expanding thata little bit more broadly, so
maybe doubling or tripling thatsize, and that's only been in
the last couple of years thatI've hired anyone outside.
Well, I always had some helpwith other things, like the
newsletter and social media andstuff, but never actually doing
(42:53):
the nutrition work.
So I do see some expansionthere.
I definitely see more expansionfor myself in terms of speaking
at conferences and things likethat, and then I did write a
book in 2016.
It's still fine information,it's not wrong, but I just have
evolved so much since then, sothere definitely needs to be
another book somewhere on myhorizon.
(43:15):
That sounds amazing.
Anne McGinty (43:16):
And the growth.
Can you give us a littlepeekaboo into your mind?
What is the motivator for youwanting to double or triple the
size of your business?
Megan Lyons (43:27):
I know that there are so many amazing
practitioners out there who haveso much to share and just don't
want to start a business forwhatever reason, or don't have
the business acumen.
And I know even stronger thatthere are so many people out
there who need real help.
They've been gaslit bypractitioners or they're
(43:49):
confused by all the conflictinginformation and I know, based on
our success rate with otherclients, that we can help and
somehow in me that overachieveris like.
If I know that there are peoplewho need help and I know I can
enable them to get help, I justcan't rest until their help.
So will I ever help everyone inthe world?
(44:11):
Absolutely not.
But I know I can help a lotmore people than I am right now
and that's what motivates me.
Anne McGinty (44:17):
How do you handle the juggle as a business owner,
knowing that you need to producea level of cashflow in order to
make increasing the size ofyour team sustainable?
Megan Lyons (44:28):
Yeah, I mean I actually don't have a ton, uh,
like I have an office.
But frankly I have a reallygood deal on my office because
I've been there for so manyyears and I have tons of
software, like you know clientmanagement systems and
podcasting and all that kind ofstuff.
But aside from that I reallydon't have that many
expenditures.
(44:49):
So cashflow has never been anissue for us, thankfully,
because we just have so manyclients coming in.
It's a rotating cycle.
I know I'm able to pay mypeople and pay myself.
It's worked out pretty well.
Anne McGinty (45:02):
And increasing your brick and mortar location?
Is this something that wouldneed to happen?
Megan Lyons (45:06):
No, so I don't see that happening.
I'm not necessarily opposed toit, but if we take me back to I
think I first got my office in2015.
So a year in everyone wanted tobe in the office.
My client base was primarilyDallas.
It was very rare that I woulddo telehealth, and now I'm not
(45:29):
exaggerating when I say 92 pluspercent is virtual.
So I'm really only in theoffice for the rare people who
want to have touch bases.
But most of what we do, evensome physical exam stuff, can be
done virtually.
My nutrition team is not all inDallas.
We operate very virtually.
(45:50):
So I mean, who knows what thefuture will bring?
But at least in the next coupleof years I think our one office
is fine.
Who knows what the future willbring?
But at least in the next coupleof years I think our one office
is fine.
Anne McGinty (45:56):
That's amazing, the low overhead and also all
the remote workers that you wereable to establish that team,
that's a whole, notherconversation.
So from your entrepreneurialjourney, just wrapping up here,
what key lessons have youlearned that could serve as
valuable advice for anyone whois aspiring to become an
(46:17):
entrepreneur?
Megan Lyons (46:18):
Get faster at failing.
This is not new advice.
I'm sure people have heard it,but I really spent that whole
first six months being slow atfailing Some of the examples I
told you and many others as well, and one of my greatest
strengths now is, if somethingdoesn't work, I know when to
move on.
I also know when to not give upIf I know in my gut like
(46:41):
something's going to work.
I just got it wrong the firsttime.
Cool, well, pivot, try somethingnew, but fail quickly has been
really, really helpful for me.
And then another one that'smaybe a little bit trite or
oversaid, but it's helped me somuch is to keep a folder,
physical or digital, of thesuccesses, because there are
(47:02):
hard days, and none of myclients ever have meant to be
mean.
I am confident, but peopledon't appreciate you some days.
Some days they're verydemanding, some days you lose a
client, some days whatever, andit always helps me to have that
record of wow.
I've helped so many thousandsof people just to turn back to
and lift up my spirits.
(47:23):
On that note, the last thingI'll say is we've got to have
some way to take care ofourselves.
So for me, the number one thingthat has changed my health and
my business is my morningroutine.
I do literally 100% of days Ido my morning routine.
Sometimes it's more elaborate,sometimes it's less elaborate.
But I don't feel like myself, Idon't feel really well able to
(47:47):
serve my clients well if I don'tdo that.
So for someone else listening,it might be evening routine or
golf once a week or whatever itis for them.
Find that way that really feelslike restoring yourself.
Anne McGinty (47:59):
Your morning routine.
Can you give us a peek?
Megan Lyons (48:02):
Sure, so I have an acronym called wake up and go.
It stands for water, firstthing before coffee.
Affirmations which, for me, arejust reading my goals.
I don't do some of like themore hokey affirmations,
although that's cool if you likeit.
Knowledge is K I read for justa few pages.
E is for exercise, so I loveexercising in the morning.
(48:26):
If someone doesn't likeexercising in the morning, just
like a minute of walking aroundstretching, jumping jacks,
something.
U is for unwind, for me that'smeditation.
It could be journaling, prayer,anything else that slows you
down.
P is positivity Listen to apositive quote or positive song.
G is for gratitude, threethings you're grateful for.
(48:46):
And then last one, o, one goalfor the day.
Because, just like me, I'm surethe audience listening has a
thousand things on their to-dolist and we tend to focus on the
ones we don't get done at theend of the day.
Setting one main goal for theday helps us be laser focused
and then feel accomplished whenwe get to the end of the day.
Anne McGinty (49:06):
I really love that .
I actually was just imaginingit on a poster that just sits
there, where you see it, firstthing as a reminder for yourself
, but also, in my circumstance,my kids too.
That's really beautiful, reallyamazing that you figured that
out.
So for a final question if youcould go back and talk with
(49:26):
yourself when you were in yourearly twenties, what life wisdom
would you give yourself?
Megan Lyons (49:33):
Trust yourself, try to take the bigger picture.
Each day doesn't have to feellike you changed the world, but
as the days add up, you arechanging the world and that's
all I've ever wanted to do ismake a difference.
I didn't do that every singleday, but I have done that over
the years and I believe everyonelistening has done the same.
(49:53):
So try to zoom out, trustyourself, keep on going because
it's working.
That's what I would say tomyself.
Anne McGinty (50:00):
That's amazing, megan.
Thank you so much for coming onthe show and sharing all of
your knowledge and insights withus, and your story too.
Megan Lyons (50:08):
Thank you so much.
It's been such a blast.
Anne McGinty (50:14):
Today's key takeaways.
If you're starting a newbusiness, your network can
provide initial momentum andsupport, but it won't be enough
to fully sustain your business.
You need strategies beyond yourimmediate circle.
Offer free presentations, speakat events, join community
gatherings and networking groups.
Put yourself out there.
(50:35):
Visibility is everything whenbuilding trust and awareness.
Passion and drive are fantastic, but too much hyperfocus can
lead to burnout.
Know your stress limits andwatch for early signs of
overdoing it.
For example, are you tired butwired?
This could be staged to adrenaldysregulation or high cortisol
(50:59):
levels.
Common signs could be that youcan't relax or stop thinking
about work, even in personaltime.
Digestive changes, hair loss,skin thinning, brittle nails,
appetite and mood shifts andinsomnia.
This is different from hormeticstress, which is the good type
(51:19):
of stress.
If you allow for recovery.
To build stress resilience,consider these preventative
measures Breathing exercises toactivate the parasympathetic
nervous system, meditation andmindfulness practices.
Adaptogens like ashwagandha,holy basil, reishi and cordyceps
to balance stress hormones.
Prioritize quality sleep andhave a balanced diet with the
(51:43):
right macronutrients proteins,fats, carbs and micronutrients,
vitamins and minerals.
If you're wondering aboutburnout, you can ask yourself
this reflection question If youhad unlimited resources but
couldn't be productive, whatwould you do Think about your
answer.
It could reveal what's missingin your life and where you need
(52:05):
balance In regards to health andmetabolism.
Your weight is just one smallpiece of your overall health.
Chronic inflammation can leadto visible and invisible
symptoms puffy face, skin issues, brain fog, fatigue and
digestive problems or chronicillness.
Gradually shift towardanti-inflammatory habits for
(52:29):
lasting benefits.
Allow two to four hours betweenmeals for a healthy migrating
motor complex.
Stay hydrated it's foundationalfor everything.
And remember taste buds.
Adapt within 10 days.
Repeated exposure to healthyfoods will shift your cravings
over time.
(52:49):
I'll include a link to Megan'sworksheet in the show notes.
When it comes to mindset forgrowth, fail faster.
Recognize when to pivot andwhen to persevere, but also
celebrate successes.
Keep a folder of wins to boostyour spirits on tough days.
Consider a morning, evening orweekly routine to recharge.
(53:12):
Try Megan's wake up and goapproach water affirmations,
knowledge, exercise, meditation,positivity, gratitude and one
goal Finally trust yourself.
Zoom out when things getoverwhelming, take a step back
and look at the bigger picture.
(53:32):
Keep going and remember thatevery step forward, no matter
how small, matters.
That's it for today.
I release episodes once a week,so come back and check it out.
Have a great day.
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