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The Nourish to Thrive Podcast
The Nourish to Thrive Podcast
Author: Tanya Pennington-Miller, MS
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© 2025 The Nourish to Thrive Podcast
Description
Faith-forward, science-backed strategies for women who want more energy, less weight, and real answers.
Hosted by Tanya Pennington-Miller—a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and Functional Blood Chemistry Specialist with a master’s degree in Applied Clinical Nutrition—this podcast is for women over 35 who are tired of being dismissed, confused by their labs, and stuck in survival mode.
Inside each episode, Tanya simplifies the science of metabolism, hormones, and healing while anchoring it all in truth and faith.
Whether you’re struggling with fatigue, bloating, stubborn weight, or just want clarity you can trust, you’re in the right place.
30 Episodes
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If you’ve been told your thyroid is “sluggish,” “normal,” or “just part of aging,” yet you still feel exhausted, inflamed, and stuck…this episode is for you. In today’s conversation, Tanya breaks down a truth most women are never taught: The thyroid doesn’t lead...it responds. More often than not, thyroid symptoms aren’t caused by a failing gland, but by the signal it’s receiving from the nervous system, stress response, and cortisol rhythm. This episode reframes thyroid health through a func...
Most women don’t struggle with resolutions because they’re unmotivated...they struggle because traditional resolutions work against how the brain and nervous system were designed to change. In this episode, we talk about: why big overhauls trigger the nervous systemthe dopamine drop that shows up around day 5–14the identity shifts that make habits stickhow to build goals your brain can actually supportthe role of repetition, reward, and predictabilitywhy starting small (and starting now) crea...
If you’ve ever felt like you’re either totally “on” with your habits…or suddenly way “off” and telling yourself you’ll just start again Monday...this episode is going to feel like a deep breath. In today’s conversation, we’re unpacking why the all-or-nothing mindset is so common for women in their late 30s, 40s, and 50s+, and why it has far more to do with physiology than perfection or willpower. I’m sharing a personal story from my figure-competition days (hello, chicken-and-broccoli season ...
This week’s episode is short, gentle, and meant to help you breathe a little deeper in the middle of a full holiday week. If you’ve been craving a simpler way to stay grounded, without pressure, perfection, or overthinking...this reset is for you. Inside this 5-minute episode, you’ll learn: The three small rhythms that steady your hormones during a busy weekWhy walking after meals matters more than you thinkHow to create margin when the noise and pace start to riseA simple, faith-rooted remin...
In today’s episode, we’re getting into a topic so many women ask me about — why fasting feels amazing at first…and then suddenly stops working. If you’re in your late 30s, 40s, or 50s, or you’ve been feeling more tired, puffy, anxious, or wired-but-tired when you try to fast, this conversation is going to make everything click. We’ll talk about what’s actually happening behind the scenes with cortisol, blood sugar, progesterone, thyroid function, and sleep...and why stress changes the rules f...
If you’ve ever wondered whether walking “counts”…this episode will change the way you see movement forever. Because walking isn’t just steps. It’s physiology... hormone regulation...and nervous system healing. And for so many women over 35, it’s the missing rhythm their bodies have been begging for. In today’s episode, we unpack why walking is one of the simplest and most effective tools for supporting: Adrenal recovery & cortisol balanceBlood sugar regulation & insulin sensitivityThy...
Feeling exhausted no matter how much you sleep? Running on caffeine just to function even though your labs say “normal?" In this episode, Tanya unpacks what chronic stress is really doing to your hormones, metabolism, and energy, and how to help your body find peace again. You’ll learn: How the adrenal glands and HPA axis actually work (simplified)The difference between “good stress” and “constant output”Why your labs can look normal even when your body doesn’t feel itThe early signs of adren...
Most women are told that autoimmune disease “just happens.” That their thyroid, joints, or skin have somehow turned against them. But the truth is, your body isn’t broken...it’s overwhelmed. And when your immune system gets confused, it’s a cry for help. In this episode, I’m breaking down what’s really going on in autoimmune conditions like Graves’ and Hashimoto’s and why conventional medicine keeps missing the root cause. You’ll learn: ✓ Why your immune system attacks in the first place ✓ Ho...
If you’ve been told your blood sugar or A1C looks “normal” but you still feel tired, inflamed, craving sugar, or carrying stubborn belly fat...this episode is for you. Because what most doctors don’t test is the first domino in metabolic dysfunction: fasting insulin. And without it, women spend years trying to “eat less, move more,” while their hormones quietly work against them. In today’s episode, Tanya pulls back the curtain on the hidden hormone that’s driving fatigue, cravings, and midse...
We live in a culture that celebrates doing more...faster. But somewhere along the way, “hard work” became “holy work,” and exhaustion started masquerading as excellence. In today’s episode, we’re unpacking what happens when hustle takes the driver’s seat, and how it quietly pulls you out of alignment with God’s design. You’ll hear: Why women feel anxious, inflamed, and exhausted—and why it’s not because you need another prescription or productivity hack The difference between holy ...
This week’s episode is a little different...it’s part personal, part practical, and all about what it really looks like to stay in rhythm when life takes you out of routine. After a 9-day cruise with my husband and our 15-month-old daughter, I came home feeling good. Not sluggish, not bloated, not like I needed a “detox” to recover...just steady, strong, and aligned. And it wasn’t because I tracked macros, skipped dessert, or stuck to a strict plan. It’s because I carried my rhythms with me. ...
Sometimes God shows off in ways that are so creative, so unexpected, you can’t explain it any other way than a God flex. In today’s episode, I’m sharing a personal story from my life...one that started with heartbreak and competition in business, and ended with God writing a love story I never could have imagined. You’ll hear how a parking lot flyer meant to hurt my business became the very thing God used to bring my husband into my life. What I thought I was praying for—a few more customers—...
Lately, I’ve been noticing something I can’t ignore...women everywhere are being stirred. Some are picking up their Bibles again for the first time in years. Some are feeling convicted in ways they didn’t expect. And some are realizing the distractions that once numbed them don’t satisfy anymore. This isn’t about hype, headlines, or a big tent revival somewhere else. It’s about the quiet, personal awakening God is stirring right here...in kitchens, living rooms, and hearts like yours and mine...
Have you ever been exhausted at the end of the day…only to find yourself lying in bed wide awake? Or maybe you finally drift off, but at 2 or 3am, you wake up with your mind racing and no chance of settling back down. You’re not “bad at sleep.” What’s really happening is your circadian rhythm is out of sync, and your evening habits may be the culprit. In this episode of the Nourish to Thrive Podcast, we’re digging into: ✓ Why cortisol and melatonin work like a see-saw and how modern habits ke...
Still waking up tired no matter how many hours you sleep? Dragging through your mornings, crashing in the afternoons, and lying awake at night when you desperately want to rest? It’s not just about food, workouts, or even supplements. It’s about your circadian rhythm, and one of the simplest ways to reset it is what you do in the first 30–60 minutes of your day. In this episode, we’ll cover: Why morning light is one of the most powerful hormone regulators God built into your bodyHow it impact...
Are you pushing harder in the gym, eating cleaner than ever, and still not seeing results? Or maybe you’ve hit the other side of burnout and you're too drained to even start again. Either way, this episode is for you. Today we’re unpacking the cortisol trap and what happens when well-intentioned workouts and “more discipline” actually keep your body stuck in stress, fat storage, and fatigue. Inside this episode, you’ll learn: What cortisol really is and how it works in your bodyWhy “healthy” ...
You’ve been told you can do it all. That if you just organize better, wake up earlier, or hustle harder, you’ll finally feel on top of it. But instead? You feel behind. You feel exhausted. And your body is showing signs of burnout no matter how “healthy” you’re trying to be. In this countercultural episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on a lie that’s quietly stealing the health of women everywhere. We’ll walk through: Where the “do it all” narrative started (and how it morphed into pressure)...
🍽️ A behind-the-scenes look at how I fuel my day. If you’ve ever wondered how to actually build meals that support hormone health, blood sugar balance, and metabolism without obsessing over macros or measuring every bite...this episode is for you. I walk you through: My exact morning routine (yes, including my coffee)How I build my meals to support energy and cycle shiftsWhat I drink before and after movementWhy I choose certain carbs during my luteal phaseMy favorite hydration strategies and...
Bloating, brain fog, and belly fat that won’t budge...even when you’re eating clean? It might not be your hormones. It might be your gut. In today’s episode, I’m walking you through how gut dysfunction often hides behind “normal” labs, how it can mimic hormone issues, and why so many women over 35 hit a wall with their energy and weight loss despite doing all the “right” things. We’ll cover: • How your gut impacts hormone balance, cortisol, and fat storage • Sneaky gut symptoms that most wome...
You’ve been doing everything right. Eating clean. Working out. Praying over your health. And still…something feels off. Not just in your body, but in your spirit. In today’s episode, we’re slowing down and getting honest about the part of healing we don’t talk about enough: the soul-level weight we carry when progress doesn’t come fast enough. We’ll talk about: • Why your goals might be exhausting you instead of encouraging you • How striving for healing can quietly become idolatry • What scr...



