Ep. 63 - Why You Crave Junk Food When You're Stressed: The Gut-Brain Link Behind Anxiety & Emotional Eating with Sarah Weiss, RD, LDN, IFNCP
Description
Welcome back, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made friend! In this powerful episode, I sit down with functional dietitian Sarah Weiss, founder of Weiss Choices, to explore the often-overlooked connection between food, mood, and emotional well-being.
Sarah shares her personal journey of emotional eating, healing her gut, and leaving behind a high-stress career as a stockbroker to help others reclaim their health through functional nutrition. We break down the gut-brain axis, emotional eating cycles, blood sugar crashes, and the inflammation-anxiety link—plus share real-life tools you can use right away.
If you’ve ever wondered why you crave junk food when you’re stressed, or how nutrition can impact your energy, focus, and mood—this episode will give you hope, insight, and practical tools to shift, heal, and grow.
What You’ll Learn:
-
The real reason we crave sugar, chips, and comfort food when we’re anxious
-
What the gut-brain connection really means (and how it’s impacting your mental health daily)
-
How inflammation and blood sugar instability affect your mood
-
Simple, functional nutrition habits that reduce anxiety and boost focus
-
Why poop matters more than you think (yes, we talk stool charts!)
-
How to spot hidden causes of fatigue, burnout, and brain fog
-
Why calorie-counting isn’t the answer—and what to do instead
-
How your inner narrative about food and your body can block healing (and how to rewrite it)
-
What neuroplasticity has to do with changing your palate
-
Encouragement for those who feel stuck or ashamed about their eating habits
Quotes to Remember:
“If you have a crappy gut, you're going to have crappy thoughts.” – Sarah Weiss
“It’s never all or nothing with your health. It’s one step at a time.” – Sarah Weiss
“Your body isn’t broken—it’s trying to talk to you.” – Diana S. Rice
“We live in a society that’s addicted to quick fixes, but healing takes real understanding.” – Diana S. Rice
Resources & Mentions:
-
Sarah’s Website: https://www.weisschoices.com -
Instagram: @weisschoices -
Dr. David Bernstein on Nutrition + Mental Health – Listen to Episode 22:
Transform Your Mental Health with Christian Integrative Wellness -
Books Mentioned:-
How Not to Die by Dr. Michael Greger
-
Young Forever and other books by Dr. Mark Hyman
-
-
Bristol Stool Chart: Learn about your poop!
Connect with Diana S. Rice:
-
Website: www.throughthevalleytherapy.com
-
Instagram: @theholisticcounselorpodcast
-
Coaching & Trainings: www.transformedmindcc.com
United States
