Lindsay Dhanens Nutrition

Lindsay Dhanens Nutrition Weight Loss. Slow Metabolism. Hormone Imbalance. PCOS. IBS/ IBD + More! Functional Testing.

Most people are trying to “fix” their gut… hormones… metabolism… mood… As if these systems exist separately😬They don’t.Y...
04/29/2026

Most people are trying to “fix” their gut… hormones… metabolism… mood… As if these systems exist separately😬

They don’t.

Your body is ONE interconnected network which is constantly communicating and consistently adapting🙏

So when you’re dealing with symptoms like fatigue, bloating, anxiety, weight loss resistance, PMS it’s RARELY just one system.

It’s a PATTERN AND it’s why sooooo many people stay stuck.

They’re treating pieces instead of understanding the WHOLE picture.

This is why testing > guessing. And is exactly what we look at inside my practice.

The goal isn’t to chase symptoms. It’s to understand WHYYYY your body is responding the way it is👌🏼

That me- when you find the root, everything starts to make sense. It’s literally such a relief 😭

Comment “ROOT” if you want to learn how to connect your own dots and work with me to get answers 😊

She came in with fatigue, anemia, gut issues, brain fog… and a Lupus diagnosis.But when we looked deeper, ROOT CAUSE lab...
04/15/2026

She came in with fatigue, anemia, gut issues, brain fog… and a Lupus diagnosis.

But when we looked deeper, ROOT CAUSE labs told a much bigger story.

REMEMBER- Nothing in the body happens in isolation.

Stress impacts digestion.
Digestion impacts the microbiome.
The microbiome impacts the immune system.
And the immune system determines how the body responds.

When you connect the dots, the symptoms start to make sense and you can pave a TARGETED, specific path forward to support the body in its innate healing ability 🥳

💬 Comment ROOT if you want my help in connecting the dots on your imbalances and leave question below 🙂

04/02/2026

Symptoms are signals 🙏 They are not random, not bad luck, and not something to just “manage” and throw random supplements / diets at forever

The body is designed to heal. I really, truly believe that (and see it every single day)
But when there are underlying stressors like gut infections, mineral imbalances, toxin overload… it can’t do what it’s meant to do.

That’s why guessing only gets you so far.
You might feel better for a minute but if you don’t remove what’s blocking healing, the symptoms come back (a story I hear A LOT)

Functional testing and integrating a DETAILED, specific protocol to remove imbalances TRULY changes the game

When you identify and remove the interference, the body does the rest🥳🥳

This is where real, lasting change happens.

Comment ROOT if this resonated with you & you’re ready to stop guessing and actually understand what’s going on in your body

I don’t diagnose or treat disease.My work focuses on identifying underlying imbalances contributing to dysfunction so th...
03/09/2026

I don’t diagnose or treat disease.

My work focuses on identifying underlying imbalances contributing to dysfunction so the body has the chance to restore balance.

Because when we REMOVE the stressors and coach up better function of our entire system AS A WHOLE- symptoms begin to resolve 🙏

It’s not magic, it’s DATA paired with a deep understanding of how hormones, gut, immunity, nervous system, minerals, detox systems, etc all TALK TO & INFLUENCE each other ✅

If you want to learn more about how I can help you investigate root causes like this, comment ROOT below and I’ll send you the details🙏🥳

03/05/2026

This is not medical advice 🙃 purely educational.
There are obviously many factors that influence cholesterol. But THIS is why it makes sense that my clients with high cholesterol and LDL numbers also have concurrent stress + gut overgrowths 🦠

👉Cholesterol isn’t just a “bad guy.” It builds cell membranes, makes hormones, and supports repair + immune defense. So under stress or infection, your body naturally ramps it up (this is good)

👉Stress also drives LDL up. Mental stress, exam periods, and chronic job strain have all been shown in studies to raise cholesterol and shift lipids in unfavorable ways.

👉Gut infections + endotoxins (LPS) also raise LDL (these are STRESSFUL) and tax the immune system. Endotoxemia is linked with higher LDL particles, while LDL and HDL act like “sponges” to bind and neutralize toxins. Animal studies have confirmed LPS increases liver cholesterol production, raises LDL, and lowers HDL

THE problem is when stress or gut infections are chronic: LDL stays high and shifts into more inflammatory particles. You could be the healthiest eater on planet earth but with active gut overgrowth - your cholesterol numbers are likely to be off🥴

Functional Ranges (Lipid Panel)
• Total Cholesterol: 150–200 mg/dL
• LDL-C: 55 mg/dL (women), >45 mg/dL (men)
• Triglycerides:

03/04/2026

✨ Double tap if you’ve ever been told your hormone symptoms are “just stress” or “just aging.”
🫣😭

My client’s DUTCH test showed multiple hormone imbalances:
• Low estrogen + low testosterone= driving fatigue, PMS, and cycle changes
• Low total cortisol with abnormal curve= classic adrenal burnout pattern
• Very low melatonin= explaining sleep issues and nighttime fatigue
• Low DHEA= showing depleted stress resilience

If we had stopped there, we might have thought she needed hormone replacement or adrenal support. But these hormones don’t just “drop” for no reason. They’re responding to what’s happening upstream (lifestyle/gut/toxins/deficiencies)

Her GI MAP revealed the missing piece:
• H. pylori suppressing stomach acid and blocking zinc/B6 absorption= hinders ovulation + hormone production
• C. diff toxins driving immune stress that slows estrogen clearance= worsening PMS + heavy cycles
• Opportunistic overgrowths (Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, Strep) fueling chronic inflammation= block thyroid conversion and draining adrenal function

😬 The hormone imbalances weren’t random. They were downstream of gut dysfunction and chronic infection stress.

REMEMBER: Blood work and hormone tests are not the destination, they’re clues. Pair them with gut testing, and the root cause becomes clear.

Questions? Let me know! Do you find this information interesting?

💬 Comment ROOT if you’re ready to uncover the hidden drivers behind your symptoms.

02/26/2026

If your “hormone imbalance” isn’t improving even after supplements, medication, or lifestyle changes….. Doing allll the things. Your gut is probably overrun with bad gut bugs 🦠

Symptoms like PMS, heavy/irregular cycles, low thyroid function or stubborn weight gain, mood swings, anxiety, fatigue, bloating, gas, and digestive discomfort…. Are all “hormone-related” but GUT HEALTH often drives them.

Here’s why👇

1: Nutrient Deficiencies
Gut infections like H. pylori, parasites and bacterial overgrowth, lower stomach acid and enzymes. This blocks absorption of zinc, magnesium, selenium, and B vitamins which are the building blocks your body needs to make and activate hormones

2: Inflammation Disrupts Hormone Signaling
An inflamed gut sends constant “danger” signals through the gut–brain axis, triggering cortisol. High cortisol
• Slows thyroid hormone conversion (T4→T3)
• Lowers progesterone
• Disrupts estrogen + testosterone balance
Among many several other hormone issues

3: Hormone Detox Slows Down
Your liver processes estrogen for removal, but the gut ensures it actually leaves. With dysbiosis or constipation, estrogen can be reabsorbed 😩 leading to estrogen dominance (PMS, bloating, breast tenderness, mood swings, stubborn fat)

💡You can do all the “right” things for hormones, but if your gut is inflamed, under-functioning and overrun with pathogens, you will NEVER fully “get there”

This is why I run functional gut testing + nutrient deficiency panel for every hormone client I see. It’s often the missing link to finally feeling better🤌

💬Does this resonate? Drop ROOT below for more info about how I can help with my functional lab packages 🙏

02/25/2026

For literally 10 years I thought “eating clean” was my way out of dysfunction. I was the healthiest eater I knew and was still straight up M I S E R A B L E. What the heck😭
I learned the hard way that I definitely could not out-supplement a stressed, inflamed gut. Here’s why these “healthy” hacks totally backfired👇

•”Eating clean”
Restricting or cutting food groups in the name of “clean eating” starves your microbiome diversity.
➡️ Less diversity = more inflammation, slower metabolism, weaker gut barrier
Every single new client comes in under-eating protein, fiber, and calories (all things your gut needs to heal)

•Magnesium
It’s amazing, but not magic.
If sodium + potassium are low (check your HTMA), magnesium can lower adrenal output and blood pressure, leaving you dizzy or drained
Citrate and oxide forms worsen loose stools or feed overgrowths like Klebsiella + Pseudomonas.
If you’re histamine-sensitive, magnesium can even liberate histamine, causing more bloat, itching, or anxiety

•Probiotics
If you’ve got SIBO or high-histamine bugs (Morganella, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas), adding more bacteria = more gas, bloating, and breakouts. Also- the myth that probiotics “out compete” bad bacteria needs to die 😫

•Green powders
Most are loaded with oxalates, fillers, or high-histamine ingredients (spinach, spirulina, chlorella)
That “daily detox” can actually slow detox and worsen bloating if drainage isn’t open.
They don’t fix digestion or blood sugar, they just mask what’s really wrong

These hacks can support healing but are not addressing root-cause
If digestion, minerals, blood sugar, and detox aren’t addressed first, you’ll be spinning your wheels for years. Like I did🥴 It wasn’t until I TESTED and got a personalized, actionable protocol to finally get rid of the issues I was dealing with that I moved on from the daily distress 🙏👏 Any client of mine would tell you- It’s truly so enlightening!

👉 Comment ROOT if you’re ready to stop guessing and actually heal

Carnivore and low-fiber diets can absolutely reduce symptoms.Less fermentables = less gas, less bloating, less immune ac...
02/23/2026

Carnivore and low-fiber diets can absolutely reduce symptoms.

Less fermentables = less gas, less bloating, less immune activation

This feels REALLY good for a while

👉 But symptom relief IS NOT the same thing as “GUT HEALING”

SCFAs are microbial metabolites produced when gut bacteria ferment fiber and resistant starch (from plant foods)

SCFAs are C R I T I C A L for so much including inflammation processes, insulin sensitivity and everyone’s concern these days 🤪- GLP-1 production

When you remove fermentable fiber / plant foods for a long period of time, research shows that the gut lining gets WORSE, not better

Carnivore / low-fiber dies can be useful in a brief therapeutic phase
But the goal long-term should be to address WHY carnivore is needed for relief in the first place. Mold, parasites, candida, bacterial overgrowth, unregulated stress…. Or a combo of these.

If carnivore is the only way your gut feels calm, we need to look at this as DATA.
I encourage you to look deeper and keep asking WHY.
Questions? Leave them below 😊

Comment “ROOT” if you want more information about how I can help!

Sources:
Koh et al., Cell, 2016
Louis & Flint, Environ Microbiol, 2017
Makki et al., Cell Host Microbe, 2018
Desai et al., Cell, 2016
Singh et al., Am J Clin Nutr, 2017

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