33 – Listener Q&A - Sleep Disruptions, SIBO Bloat, Low Iron, Birth Control Side Effects & Perimenopause Mood Swings

In this episode of Mindful Objective, we’re back with another candid Listener Q&A—diving into the questions you’ve been sending in from across the country. These are the real health concerns you’re facing, and we’re breaking them down through the lens of integrative and functional health.

Whether you’ve been feeling dismissed by conventional care or just need clarity on your next step, this episode is packed with practical insights and root-cause approaches.

First up, Melanie from Chicago shares a familiar but frustrating story: doing “all the right things” but still waking up tired, wired, and broken out. We unpack how cortisol rhythms, detox capacity, and nutrient deficiencies can all hide beneath “normal” labs—and what to do about it.

Then we head to Naperville, where Jason wants a no-BS answer on how to stay healthy into his 40s without getting overwhelmed. We talk through key markers for heart health, the value of Omega-3s, and simple tools to prevent burnout.

Lily, also from Chicago, opens up about relentless bloating and the possibility of SIBO. We explain how SIBO works, how it differs from food sensitivities, and what kind of testing and herbal protocols can actually help.

Natalie from Austin dives into perimenopause chaos—irregular cycles, mood swings, and sleep struggles. We explore the hormonal shifts of this transition and how testing, adaptogens, and targeted support can help women feel like themselves again.

Mark from Boise asks a no-nonsense question: Looking for options to help with blood pressure naturally. We walk through research-backed strategies, including nutrients like magnesium, CoQ10, and how food can be medicine.

Tasha in Seattle wants to know how she can be so nutrient-depleted even though she eats clean and takes a multivitamin. We uncover how absorption, stress, and supplement quality all matter—and what signs, such as dry skin, shedding hair, and brain fog, might be pointing to.

And finally, Jeremy asks about food sensitivity test results that show he’s reactive to a number of foods, without experiencing any symptoms. We explain the difference between food allergies and sensitivities, and how to use those results strategically without spiraling into unnecessary restriction.

Whether you’re struggling with symptoms your doctor can’t explain or want more innovative tools for your own health journey, this episode reminds you: your symptoms are signals, not random. When we slow down, listen to the body, and look deeper, healing becomes a lot more possible.

As always, we’re here to help you connect the dots—without the overwhelm. Be sure to share this episode with a friend who’s navigating health confusion, and check out our site for lab testing and practitioner-grade supplements at 20% off retail.

🎧 Tune in now—and if you’re ready to get real answers, visit ⁠⁠⁠MindfulObjective.com⁠⁠⁠ to explore functional gut testing and personalized healing protocols.

📝 Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. Always consult a healthcare professional before making dietary changes. By listening to this podcast, you acknowledge that you understand and agree to this disclaimer.

📍If today’s conversation helped reframe your symptoms or sparked a question of your own, share the episode with someone who could benefit. For more insights, resources, and ways to connect, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mindfulobjective.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or follow along on social media ⁠⁠⁠⁠@mindfulobjective⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Stay well!

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Welcome to Mindful Objective, the podcast where we take a root
cause integrative approach to health that's practical,
personalized, and grounded in how your body actually works.
I'm your host, doctor Daniel Sproule, integrative health
practitioner, professor. Today's episode's all about your
questions. Remember that your body isn't
just showing random symptoms. These are patterns.
And when you start looking at those patterns through

(00:20):
integrative lens, the body will make more sense to you.
As always, this podcast for educational purposes only.
We do not diagnose, treat, or carry any illness or disease.
Let's get started. Listener question #1 Melanie,
42, from Chicago, that this may be a kind of long winded
question, but I'm struggling. I'm hoping you can help.

(00:41):
For the past year or so, I've been trying to feel better,
eating cleaner, getting outside,cutting back on alcohol.
But I still wake up tired. My skin's been breaking out and
I'm getting this weird wired feeling at night even though I'm
exhausted. My doctor said my labs are fine,
but I feel anything but fine. I don't want to jump into

(01:01):
expensive testing unless it's really needed.
Can you walk me through what might be happening or what can I
start with? Absolutely, Melanie, and thank
you so much for your thoughtful question.
Everything you're describing, fatigue, skin issues, and being
wired tired points to deeper imbalance, even if your labs
look normal, right? That's common.
We hear that often integrative health.

(01:22):
We look at patterns first wired but tired at night.
Often the signals dysregulated cortisol rhythms.
Your stress hormone may be spiking when it should be
winding down. And I know this very well
because that was my issue. So this could be due to blood
sugar crashes, over stimulation from screens or late workouts,
or overwhelmed nervous system. Try gentle practices like

(01:45):
magnesium glycinate at night, Castor oil packs, or even
adaptogens like ashwagandha or holy basil.
Those are two good ones. Second, your skin breaking out
again may be tied to liver detoxcapacity or hidden gun
imbalances. The skin is often your body's
backup detox organ. If you're ready and clean,

(02:05):
adding cruciferous vegetables and gentle a liver support like
dandelion or NAC can help the liver push things through more
efficiently. And finally, your fatigue issue
despite rest could be a nutrientrelated.
Many women in their 40s need support of B vitamins, iron,
thyroid cofactors, even mitochondria nutrients like Co

(02:26):
Q10. If you're open to the first
Test, organic acid test, we talked about this one a lot, is
one that gives insight into gut health, energy production and
detox all in one simple test. It's one of our best test to go
to. Start slow, add back supported
nutrients, track your sleeper energy in a journal, and
consider testing once you got a baseline habits in place.

(02:47):
You're on the right track so definitely don't give up.
Listener question #2 Jason 39 from Naperville, IL so a local 1
here. Hey there, my wife listens to
your show and I picked up a few episodes while driving and
honestly I got questions too. I'm not into supplements or
doing tons of biohacking stuff, but I do care about staying

(03:08):
healthy long term. I just turned 39.
I'm starting to think things like heart health, mental focus,
and avoiding burnout. I eat OK, exercise regularly,
and sleep decently. But are there basics I should be
doing now to avoid big problems later?
Jason, I appreciate you chiming in.
Especially with a preventative mindset, which is what
integrative health is all about.So even if you're not into heavy

(03:31):
routines or supplements, there'sstill few key pillars that keep
you strong and sharp heading into your 40s and behind.
So let's talk about cardiovascular help first.
You're at the perfect age to check markers like lipoprotein,
homocysteine, and high sensitiveCRP.
These go beyond typical cholesterol panel and help spot
early inflammation and genetic risks.

(03:52):
You don't need to wait for problems to test, right?
So that's one thing we can do isrun those tests through our
practice. You may not be able to get them
through your physician, but you can definitely run them through
us. So feel free to reach out if you
need those tests ran. Next, let's focus on your brain
and energy support. As testosterone and mitochondria
function slowly decline with age.

(04:13):
Focus on foods rich and healthy fats, Omega threes, pasture age,
eggs, avocados and also clean protein.
One simple daily upgrade, a highquality omega-3 supplement and
magnesium glycinate for recovery, cognition and stress
support. Finally, watch for that creep
and stress. So even with good sleep, if your

(04:34):
nervous system doesn't get downtime, cortisol can chip away
at your focus and motivation. A 20 minute daily walk without a
screen, or just five to 10 minutes of deep breathing can
help rewire resilience over time.
You're already doing the right things, just rounded out with
the inside stuff that doesn't always show up at Service Level
Labs. All right, on to listener

(04:56):
question #3 Lily, 34, from Chicago, IL, another local.
OK, this is a little embarrassing, but can constant
bloating mean something's more serious than just eating the
wrong foods? I'm bloated almost every day and
it feels like I can never get rid of it.
I tried probiotics, cutting dairy and gluten, even digestive
enzymes, but it always comes back.

(05:18):
Could it be something like SIBO?That's small intestinal bacteria
overgrowth? And what can I even do about
this Lily? There's no need to be
embarrassed, right? This is very common.
Bloating is one of the most common symptoms people deal
with. It's often misunderstood and
often times dismissed. You're absolutely right to
wonder if there's something deeper going on.
And yes, SIBO, again, that smallintestinal bacteria overgrowth

(05:41):
is a real possibility when bloating is chronic and doesn't
respond to typical fixes. SIBO occurs when bacteria that
should be in your large intestine migrates upward
towards your small intestine where they ferment carbs and
fibers, leading to gas, bloatingand sometimes Constipation
diarrhea. It's tricky because even healthy
foods like garlic, onions and broccoli can trigger symptoms.

(06:03):
So here's what I suggest. Let's get started with a Siebel
breath test. Measures hydrogen and methane
gases and confirms the type of overgrowth.
If positive. Options include herbal anti
microbes like organic oil, berberine or garlic extract
binders like activated charcoal,especially during die off phase
a low FODMAP diet temporarily tostarve that bacteria.

(06:28):
Once the overgrowth is down, rebuild the gut lining with
products such as glutamine, zinc, carnosine and spore based
probiotics. So if sibos negative you may
want to explore yeast overgrowth, low stomach acid or
enzyme deficiencies. Again, organic acid test, a
great test, don't keep guessing,get to the root.

(06:48):
We could definitely look at the different options out there and
rebalance that body to give you a long term relief.
On to the next one. Next one is Natalie, 45, from
Austin, TX. I'm in perimenopause and I feel
like I'm living in someone else's body.
My periods are all over the place, my sleep is trashed, and
I'm getting so irritable. Over to smallest things, which

(07:09):
isn't like me. My doctor offered
antidepressants but didn't checkany hormones.
Is this really just aging or canI be doing something more to
feel balanced? Natalie, thank you for sharing.
You're right, this isn't just aging, it's your hormonal
transition and it deserves more attention than it usually gets.
Perimenopause is a roller coaster of estrogen.

(07:30):
Progesterone fluctuations often pair with rising cortisol and
dropping testosterone. The symptoms you're describing,
irritability, sleep disruption, irregular cycles are common, So
what you're missing is likely full hormone picture including
estradiol, progestogen, DHA and testosterone, cortisol rhythm,
thyroid panel such as TSH, free T3, free T4 antibodies, a Dutch

(07:51):
test or blood draw on days 19 to21 of your cycle.
If your cycles are still regular, these can provide
clarity for support. Consider Chastebury with Vitex
to support progesterone, magnesium and B6 for mood
regulation. Ashwaganda and Rhodiola to help
with adrenal stress might also benefit from bioidentical

(08:12):
hormone therapy or targeted nutrients, but again, only after
testing. A lot of medical doctors out
there right away like to put people on antidepressants or
just say they're impair menopause and they're menopause
and stuff without checking thosehormones to actually see that
they're just going based on age.And that's not always the best
way to do it. So again, if you need those

(08:33):
tests done, do not hesitate to retail to mindful objective and
we'll get you on the right path.So again, you're not broken.
And this is not all in your head.
This about this is a biological shift.
And with the right support, you can feel like yourself again.
So we're here to work with you. Listener.
Listener question #5 Mark 50 from Boise, ID.

(08:56):
I've had high blood pressure fora few years but I'm still
struggling. Is there anything I could do
naturally to also help me out besides the medication I'm on
Mark. Yep.
Medication can be helpful so it's even life saving but it
doesn't address root causes. So high blood pressure often
comes from mix of stress, poor nutrient intake, insulin

(09:17):
resistance, low potassium, magnesium or even chronic
inflammation. So start with food.
Dark leafy greens, avocado, sweet potatoes for potassium,
pumpkin seeds, almonds, beans for magnesium.
Add a daily serving of beets andbeet powder.
They're rich in nitric oxide, which helps a dilation reduce
sugar and processed carbs to support insulin sensitivity.

(09:40):
And again, I know we talked about blood pressure before, but
support can include a magnesium glycinate 3 to 400 milligrams.
Usually Co Q10 is a good 100 and200 milligrams.
Omega threes hibiscus tea, one and two cups daily.
And don't overlook breath work. Even 5 minutes of slow
breathing, 4 to 6 breaths per minute have been shown a lower

(10:02):
BP by calming the nervous system.
Track your numbers consistently and continue to work with your
provider listener. Question number six Tasha 29
from Seattle, WA. Is it possible for your body to
be nutrient deficient even though you're eating healthy?
I cook at home, I eat tons of veggies and I take a multi.
I still feel foggy, have dry skin and my hair sheds a lot.

(10:26):
My labs didn't show anything unusual.
Could something be missed? Yes, Tasha, absolutely.
Even healthy. Eating healthy is a solid
foundation, but even clean dietscan fall short, especially in
today's depleted soil. Modern stressors, dry skin, hair
shedding and brain fog often signs of low B vitamins.
This could be especially for biotin, B12 and folate, Omega-3

(10:49):
deficiency, low iron or ferritin, zinc or selenium
deficiencies. Multivitamins can help, but many
don't contain bioavailable forms, meaning your body can't
use them efficiently. Look for methylated bees like
methylfolate, chelated minerals and omega-3 from fish oil or
algae. Also consider absorption.

(11:12):
Low stomach acid or gut inflammation, even if it's
silent, can block nutrient uptake.
If you had long term stress, useantacids or had antibiotics.
This can be contributing to yourissues.
Function tests like organic acidtests or micronutrient panel can
uncover the gaps. And meantime, rotate your foods
like liver, oysters, walnuts, sardines, and pumpkin seeds.

(11:34):
You may be doing all the right things, your body might just
need a little extra help absorbing them.
So that was the last question. So let's wrap up this episode of
Listener Question and Answers. So reminder this podcast for
informational purposes only. This podcast is for
informational purposes only and does not constitute medical
advice. Nothing discussed is intended to

(11:55):
diagnose, treat or cure or prevent any illness or disease.
Always consult your qualified healthcare provider before
making any health decisions or changing routine.
So reminder that the symptoms are your body's early warning
systems. And when you understand what
those signals really mean, you no longer guessing.
You're guiding your health journey with clarity, not
confusion. Be sure to share this episode

(12:18):
with people you know as it helpseducate and heal others, which
is our primary goal. So, want your question featured
in future episode of a Mindful Objective?
Head to mindfulobjective.com/podcast and
submit it there. Be sure to also follow us on
social media Mindful Objective. Until next time.
Stay grounded, stay curious and keep tuning into the signals

(12:39):
your body's trying to tell you. Stay well.