Go With Your Gut

Are the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans actually helping us eat better — or leaving us more confused than ever? In this episode of Go With Your Gut, we take a thoughtful look at the newly released guidelines and the inverted food pyramid that’s stirring up questions. I walk through what these recommendations get right, where they fall short, and why so much of the messaging still misses the mark when it comes to gut health, vegetables, and ultra-processed foods. We explore the ongoing push for dairy, the lack of clarity around portions, and the bigger influences shaping our food system — from farming practices to school lunches. Because real clarity doesn’t come from a graphic or a guideline alone. It comes from understanding how food affects our gut, our families, and our long-term health.Resources:Learn more at realfood.govDietary Guidelines for Americans (PDF)Learn more about my work at NormaFlood.comYouTube: @NormaFloodTikTok: @normafloodrdnFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/norma.flood.nutritionistInstagram: @normaflood23LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/norma-flood-ms-rd-4bbb1515/Produced by NOVA

What if the health challenges we see in our children begin long before food ever reaches the plate? In this episode of Go With Your Gut, I sit down with Carla Heiser, research scientist and founder of Triada World, to explore how soil health, farming practices, and food quality shape human health—especially for children with autism. We talk through Triada World’s groundbreaking PEARL study, which follows families from soil to table and examines how reducing toxins and improving food quality can shift biological markers in just twelve weeks. Our conversation weaves together regenerative agriculture, functional nutrition, accessibility, and community-driven change. Because when we care for the soil, we begin to care for the gut—and the future of our families.Resources:Triada WorldPrecise Health SolutionsAmerican Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M)Medical Academy of Pediatric Special Needs (MAPS)Kiss the GroundLearn more about my work at NormaFlood.comYouTube: @NormaFloodTikTok: @normafloodrdnFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/norma.flood.nutritionistInstagram: @normaflood23LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/norma-flood-ms-rd-4bbb1515/Produced by NOVA

What if the most powerful “diet” you try this year is simply eating more fiber—and feeling better because of it? In this episode of Go With Your Gut, we explore the TikTok trend of Fibermaxxing and reframe it as a gentle, realistic on-ramp to long-term gut and whole-body health for the entire family. I walk through simple, positive steps to add more fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains, while keeping an eye on the microbiome, blood sugar balance, and kids’ relationship with food. We also unpack how popular approaches like Mediterranean, Vegan, Paleo, Keto, and Pegan diets can impact growing bodies and mental health. Because when we focus on quality, gradual change, and listening to our gut, health goals stop feeling like fads and start to feel like support.Resources:Download the Diet Comparisons Chart PDFDownload the Fiber Content in Foods PDFLearn more about my work at NormaFlood.comYouTube: @NormaFloodTikTok: @normafloodrdnFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/norma.flood.nutritionistInstagram: @normaflood23LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/norma-flood-ms-rd-4bbb1515/Produced by NOVA

Sometimes the body whispers for years before it finally shouts through anxiety, exhaustion, or the sense that we’re quietly falling apart. In this episode of Go With Your Gut, I share my own journey—from an anxious, overwhelmed child coping with ADHD, perfectionism and an eating disorder, to a clinician searching for answers that traditional approaches never fully provided. We walk through the pivotal moments that changed everything, including the day I first learned about the microbiome and how it opened the door to a new approach for nutrient therapy, and ultimately functional medicine. I talk about how these discoveries reshaped my health, my parenting, and the way I support kids and families today. Because when we understand the gut’s role in our story, healing finally starts to make sense.Resources:Learn more about my work at NormaFlood.comYouTube: @NormaFloodTikTok: @normafloodrdnFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/norma.flood.nutritionistInstagram: @normaflood23LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/norma-flood-ms-rd-4bbb1515/Produced by NOVA

What if three-hour daily meltdowns weren’t just a behavior issue, but a gut-brain cry for help? In this episode of Go With Your Gut, I sit down with Laura, a full-time working mom, to talk about her 11-year-old daughter’s explosive rage episodes, ADHD diagnosis, and the heartbreaking realization that both traditional talk therapy and occupational therapy still weren’t reaching the root of the problem. When the next recommendation was an anti-psychotic medication, Laura felt a deep pull to explore further—and that led her to a Functional Nutrition approach that finally made sense. We walk through how ultra-processed school lunches, sugary drinks, and constant stress were impacting her daughter’s microbiome and capacity for self-regulation, and how targeted testing revealed yeast overgrowth and crucial nutrient needs. Together, we explore the tiny, doable shifts—cutting sugary drinks, adding fruits and vegetables to every meal, choosing cleaner versions of familiar kid foods, and supporting her body with key supplements—that led to a dramatic reduction in outbursts in just three months. Because when families understand how food shapes mood, small steps at the table can become a turning point for confidence, connection, and hope.Resources:Learn more about my work at NormaFlood.comYouTube: @NormaFloodTikTok: @normafloodrdnFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/norma.flood.nutritionistInstagram: @normaflood23LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/norma-flood-ms-rd-4bbb1515/Produced by NOVA

What if the first signs of emotional struggle in our kids weren’t behavioral at all, but biological? In this episode of Go With Your Gut, we explore the deep connection between childhood mental health and whole-body wellbeing. I sit down with Dr. Lisa Loegering, an integrative developmental pediatrician and functional medicine physician, to talk about why conditions like ADHD and autism deserve a root-cause lens. We walk through the everyday factors that shape a child’s focus, mood, and resilience — from sleep and nutrition to screens, stress, and genetics. At its heart, this conversation reminds us that small, consistent shifts in how we support our kids can create meaningful change. When we learn to understand the whole child, healing becomes far more possible.Resources:Visit Lisa’s website at lisajlmd.comLearn more about my work at NormaFlood.comYouTube: @NormaFloodTikTok: @normafloodrdnFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/norma.flood.nutritionistInstagram: @normaflood23LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/norma-flood-ms-rd-4bbb1515/Produced by NOVA

Sometimes our body feels like a mystery. But what if we could see our health the way we see a tree — from the roots up? In this episode of Go With Your Gut, we explore functional medicine through a simple Tree of Life framework that makes sense of gut health, genetics, and daily lifestyle choices. I walk through how supportive and depleting “inputs” like food, sleep, stress, environment, and coping tools move through our unique trunk of genetics and microbiome, and eventually show up as symptoms in digestion, immunity, mood, skin, pain, energy, and even bone health. Together, we look at real-life stories from youth and families to show how gradual, doable changes can transform the whole system. Because when we start paying attention to the roots, the entire tree — and our quality of life — can begin to heal.Resources:Download the Tree of Life PDFLearn more about my work at NormaFlood.comYouTube: @NormaFloodTikTok: @normafloodrdnFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/norma.flood.nutritionistInstagram: @normaflood23LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/norma-flood-ms-rd-4bbb1515/Produced by NOVA

What if our growing sensitivity to gluten isn’t about a single food, but a perfect storm in the gut? In this episode of Go With Your Gut, we explore how modern wheat, pesticide exposure, and ultra-processed diets can disrupt the microbiome and raise inflammation. I trace the science in plain language—from gliadin’s impact on intestinal permeability to gluten’s opioid-like peptides—and share why some brains, bodies, and young people feel it more. We also walk through practical steps to lower the burden: prioritizing organics where it counts, balancing meals with whole foods, and experimenting with a gluten-free month if troubling health symptoms occur. Because when we learn to listen to our gut, healing starts to make sense.Resources:Learn more about my work at NormaFlood.comProduced by NOVA

What if the migraines, stomach pain, and anxiety you see in teens are really messages from the gut? In this episode of Go With Your Gut, we explore how food, microbiome health, and identity collide as I sit down with Sophie Schultz, a college athlete navigating gluten intolerance and recovery from disordered eating. We walk through her early symptoms, the decision to go gluten-free, and the real challenges of dining halls, social life, and staying nourished while training. Together we unpack the gut–brain connection, why whole foods matter, and how therapy, journaling, community, and simple routines can restore balance. Because when we learn to listen to our gut, healing starts to make sense.Resources:Learn more about my work at NormaFlood.comProduced by NOVA

What if the foods we lean on for comfort are the very ones keeping us stuck? In this episode of Go With Your Gut, we explore the gut-brain connection through a mother–daughter lens as I sit down with my daughter, Quinn, to trace her journey from colic and repeated antibiotics in childhood to the discovery that gluten and dairy were fueling inflammation, sinus issues, skin flares, and anxiety. We talk about social pressures, the “gluten brain,” and how small, consistent shifts—more gluten-free whole foods and fewer processed choices—changed her energy and mood. We also touch on stool testing and IgG food sensitivity panels as tools for clarity. Because when we learn to listen to our gut, healing starts to make sense.Resources:Learn more about my work at NormaFlood.comProduced by NOVA

For most of my life, I felt like something was missing. I struggled with anxiety, migraines, and the constant feeling that my body and mind were working against me. Everything changed the day I learned about the microbiome and began to understand how deeply our gut influences every part of who we are. That understanding led me to functional medicine and a more complete way of supporting health. What I’ve learned is that we can’t wait until adulthood to start paying attention — these patterns begin early, and our kids are already showing us the signs. In Go With Your Gut, we explore how gut health shapes mental and emotional well-being, skin and immune issues, and so much more. Because when we start listening to what the body is saying, healing begins to make sense.Resources:Learn more about my work at NormaFlood.comProduced by NOVA