Shows
Girls With GutsLauren Nichols: Fighting for Advocacy for Long COVID PatientsOn this week’s episode, Alanna and Nicole are joined by Lauren Nichols, whom Alanna found on Instagram via hashtags, in the middle of COVID lockdowns. Lauren suffers from and is an advocate for Long COVID – in fact, she is one of the first persons known to be suffering from this disorder. In this episode, she explains her optimal health prior to having COVID (she was healthy other than having insomnia). She shares with us how she was one of the first people in the country to be infected with COVID – and doctors didn’t take her seriousl...2022-07-051h 12Girls With GutsLeslie Jacobs Toole: I have the BRCA Gene - So I Got a Double MastectomyOn this week’s episode, Nicole and Alanna are joined by Leslie Jacobs Toole, a local Cincinnati momma with a story to tell. She had actually followed Alanna for a while on social media and once she learned of GWGP, she reached out to share her BRCA Gene story with the gals. Being a topic both Alanna and Nicole were not very familiar with, it was a no-brainer to have her on the show. In this episode, Leslie shares with us about her long family history with breast cancer - including her mother, who was dia...2022-06-211h 11Girls With GutsKrista Deveau: My Pregnancy with an OstomyOur first-ever guest on the podcast is back and better than ever! If you haven’t listened to the first episode with Krista Deveau, now is a great time to do just that (note: it’s not necessary to listen to the first one to understand this episode, it will just give you more of an overview on Krista’s health story/background). In her second round with the Alanna and Nicole, Krista shares with us what it is like being pregnant with her ostomy bag. She tells us how she discovered she was pregnant, how her food tolerances have change...2022-06-1454 minGirls With GutsAlyssa Sabo: Pursuing My Comedy Dreams After a Liver TransplantWhew. Be ready to laugh, to cry, to feel all the feels in this week’s episode! Alanna and Nicole are joined by Alyssa Sabo, Nicole’s friend, who is a comedian/actress/writer based in LA. What many people don’t know about Alyssa is that she received a life-saving liver transplant in 2011 because of Wilson’s Disease. Alyssa shares with us her wild story of the emergent diagnosis, how she was in a coma for weeks and her healing following the liver transplant. She discusses her lifestyle following transplant, stories of relapsing and so much...2022-06-011h 05Girls With GutsMegan Marsiglio: Bathroom Anxiety and Breaking the Taboo on PooThis is probably the wildest episode yet. Truly. We get pretty raw about all things poop-related. It's even hard to type.....such a taboo subject! Alanna and Nicole are joined by Megan Marsiglio -- a mom, wife, entrepreneur, gut health advocate, and along with Nicole, a fellow Crohn-y. This episode gets real down and dirty! For years, Megan felt extremely isolated and humiliated about having a digestive issue - feeling like she was the only person who was anxious about making it to the bathroom "in time." As she slowly began opening up about her C...2022-05-2446 minGirls With GutsLindsay Mitchell: Relief From Lyme & Other Symptoms Through Brain Re-TrainingThis week’s episode is amazing! Nicole and Alanna are joined by Lindsay Mitchell, the creator of Vital Side which is (as Lindsay puts it) an innovative approach to intentional brain re-training. After successfully healing herself from crippling chronic symptoms from Lyme disease, Lindsay invested all of her energy into creating this four-step method in order to help others who are suffering to find relief and achieve long-term results from all kinds of chronic illnesses - including arthritis, Crohn's disease, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, depression, Hashimoto's and more. In our conversation, Lindsay reveals the process that led her from he...2022-05-1059 minGirls With GutsAmy Suto: Ghostwriting Around the World with Rheumatoid ArthritisOn this week’s episode Nicole and Alanna are joined by Amy Suto, who was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis during the pandemic. This conversation is extremely interesting, as Amy is in her 20s and most people with RA are diagnosed between the ages of 30 to 50. Like the common experience of many women with chronic illnesses, her college clinic doctors didn't take her early RA symptoms and pain seriously -- which caused her symptoms to go undiagnosed for several years until they became full-blown. In this fast-paced, honest, motivational conversation, Amy discusses her early challenges in functioning and hea...2022-05-0359 minGirls With GutsVanessa Bighinatti: Using Food As MedicineIn this episode, the Gutsy Gals are joined by Vanessa Bighinatti, a holistic health and wellness coach who takes pride in helping others heal their bodies naturally through nutrition and mindset. Vanessa was only in her twenties when she received her Lyme diagnosis, and she revealed to us the debilitating symptoms she lived with for YEARS (and how she was even bound to a cane at one point!) Then, one day she decided enough was enough. She changed her diet and witness dramatic results - and the rest is history! In this conversation, she explains t...2022-04-2649 minGirls With GutsMoyna John: Healing Through Sharing My MS JourneyOur next guest, Moyna John, is a writer and popular content creator living with Multiple Sclerosis. In this week's episode, Moyna shares with us her journey since being diagnosed – which happened relatively recently – and how it has impacted life with her then-fiancé/now husband (hint: not much has changed!) After receiving her diagnosis, Moyna sought out an MS community to learn and heal with; however, she was unable to find people close to her age or with much diversity at all. Thanks to her creativity, skill and realness, Moyna was able to blow up in the digital space and carve a...2022-04-1953 minGirls With GutsChloe Temtchine: Finding My Voice After Double Lung TransplantA brush with death can completely change your entire way of thinking! On this week’s episode, Nicole and Alanna are joined by Chloe Temtchine, an award-winning singer, songwriter and speaker who is one of the most inspiring and positive people that has ever graced the waves of this podcast. Seemingly out of nowhere, Chloe was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension/PVOD - and was given little time to live. However, with oxygen tank in tow, she sang through her 12 year struggle that resulted in cardiac arrest and a coma... which ultimately resulted in her having a double-lung transplant. In thi...2022-04-1257 minGirls With GutsAndrea Lausell: Spina Bifida & Dismantling AbleismWelcome back to season two, everyone! We hope you are happy, healthy and as excited as we are to launch this next chapter of our podcast! To kick off season two, Nicole and Alanna are joined by Andrea Lausell – a Los Angeles-based actress, influencer and social activist who was born with Spina Bifida. In this episode, Andrea discusses the role Agent Orange played in her disability and how she has used her platform on social media to create videos featuring tips and tricks to thrive despite the challenges stacked against her – (hint: check out her YouTube & Instagram/TikTok…she is incred...2022-04-051h 02Girls With GutsStevi Gable Carr: Cervical Cancer and the Toxic Productivity LinkThis week on the podcast, Alanna and Nicole are joined by Alanna’s friend and certified badass Stevi Gable Carr, who is Founder & CEO of WISe Wellness Guild, a platform that works to advance women through whole-self wellness. This woman is the definition of a queen that fixes other people's crowns. What many people don't know about Stevi is that she is a cervical cancer survivor and thriver. In this episode, Stevi discusses her rare form of cervical cancer, how it shifted her outlook on parenthood, how it shifted her mindset when it comes to life and living...2021-10-1954 minGirls With GutsSam Abel: No, Extreme Period Pain is NOT NormalThis week on the podcast, Alanna and Nicole are joined by Endometriosis Warrior Sam Abel, who is taking initiative and sharing her journey with this debilitating disease on Instagram and TikTok. Sam tells us about her symptoms – which severely impacted her life, notably during her menstrual cycle – and how she had to deal with these symptoms for SIX YEARS before one doctor finally took her seriously. She talks about her various surgeries, the importance of advocating for yourself and how she is now inspiring others to speak up and speak out. She also discusses what helps her manage her dise...2021-09-2853 minGirls With GutsBrittany Baldi: The Scary Side of AllergiesThis week on the podcast, we have an EXCLUSIVE! Nicole and Alanna are joined by Alanna’s friend Brittany Baldi – a Boston-area native, social media influencer, podcast host & former reality TV star who lives a nomad lifestyle with her professional baseball player boyfriend. Alanna was recently interviewed for Britt’s podcast, The BosBabes, and while on the show, Britt shared something she has never shared to the public: that she suffers from severe allergies. We're talkin' allergies that are so severe that she has been hospitalized multiple times throughout her life, uses a NETI Pot nightly (ew!) and ev...2021-09-1455 minGirls With GutsCody O'Connor: Traversing the USA After Ewing's SarcomaThis week on the podcast, Nicole and Alanna are joined by Alanna’s friend Cody O’Connor who is having a rest day at the time of recording – while embarking on a journey WALKING ACROSS THE COUNTRY to raise money for cancer research. (Yes, you read that correctly!) In this conversation, Cody shares with us his story of being diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, at age 14. He tells us how he was told he would never walk normally again and shares not only the physical turmoil he was going through at the time...2021-09-0758 minGirls With GutsLauren Berberich: Healing Trauma with EMDRIn this episode, Nicole and Alanna are joined by Lauren Berberich, a mental health professional in Alaska, about Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). We discuss how this form of therapy can help people with issues as "small" as getting over feelings of low self-esteem, to healing "massive" issues such as PTSD and the severe physical/emotional symptoms that come along with a intensely triggering experience. Listen as Lauren discusses how EMDR therapy works, how many sessions are typically needed, and her real-life examples of cases in which this form of therapy has worked (note: Not all c...2021-08-3147 minGirls With GutsMeredith Barack: Unlocking the Clues to My CeliacThis week on the podcast, the Gutsy Gals chat with Alanna’s Friend/News Reporter/Celiac Warrior Meredith Barack(well, Nicole does most of the talking since Alanna lost her voice!) If you have ever dealt with mysterious bloating after eating, you will ABSOLUTELY want to give this one a listen... In this episode, Meredith shares with us a piece of her past – reflecting on how her childhood behaviors revealed major clues to her eventual celiac disease diagnosis. She chronicles how she and her parents constantly missed the distress signals, which finally reached a pinnacle with the stre...2021-08-2452 minGirls With GutsConor Daly: Full Throttle Despite Type I DiabetesThis week, the Gutsy Gals chat with Alanna’s friend Conor Daly, an Indianapolis-based professional INDYCAR driver who lives life full-throttle - despite living with Type 1 Diabetes. We chat about his diagnosis, how he manages a high-intensity sport with his condition, his discipline with diet and exercise, how he doesn’t let his condition get in the way of living a normal life, and so much more! And Conor is hilarious, so you won’t leave this one without cracking up! If you want to learn more about the podcast and the hosts, visit our website...2021-08-0342 minGirls With GutsTamara Paquette: Curing My "Incurable" Cancer w/ Gerson TherapyOriginally, when we booked Nicole's friend Tamara for this conversation, we planned on discussing her battle with Stage 4 HER2 Neu Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer - and the success she's found in beating it with Gerson Therapy. What we ended up discovering was so much more... Tamara reveals to us that she had kept the cancer a secret from her friends (Nicole included!) and planned to make it to one more big bash before she kicked the bucket -- but as her "death day" approached, something unexpected happened that reignited her will to live -- and caused her t...2021-07-2748 minGirls With GutsDanny Gomez: Paralysis & the Power of YESThis one is longer, but TOTALLY WORTH EVERY MINUTE! If you need some inspiration (and let’s be real, who doesn’t?!), this week's episode is PERFECT for you. Today, we chat with Nicole’s pal Danny Gomez, a Los Angeles-based actor, model and disability advocate – who is paralyzed from the waist down. We chat about his life before the accident, the actual accident (wow this story is WILD), and his life after. Danny also reveals how the accident has impacted his life, surprisingly, for the better. Listen along as we discover the struggles of dating while paralyze...2021-07-201h 18Girls With GutsDr. Abby: Stress-Induced Hair Loss & Regrowth TipsHave you ever dealt with excessive hair shedding? Not just your standard "losing hair in the shower" type of hair shedding -- we're talking “hair coming out in clumps” type of hair shedding! It can not only be scary but can also take a major toll on your emotions. This week on the podcast, we speak with Dr. Abby Waldman, a dermatologist in Boston, Massachusetts, about Telogen Effluvium - a very common phenomenon of temporary hair loss which happens after some sort of stress, trauma or shock to the body. Not surprisingly, we have stories to share about experiencing Telo...2021-07-1332 minGirls With GutsBritt Turpack: Active Tools for Managing Your Mental HealthHave you noticed that whenever you feel bad physically, your mental health also tends to go in a downward spiral? That’s because there’s a direct correlation between physical and mental health. In today’s episode, the Girls With Guts are joined by Britt Turpack, a mental health advocate and speaker, who is a huge proponent of the importance of movement when it comes to mental health and feeling good. We discuss the correlation between mental and physical health and talk about ways you can get movement while recovering from a surgery or while battlin...2021-07-0654 minGirls With GutsDr. Towfigh: Hernias & the Problem with "Bikini Medicine"Have you ever been blown off by doctors about pain or symptoms you are experiencing? If yes, this episode is for you! In this week’s chat, we welcome Nicole’s doctor, Dr. Shirin Towfigh, a Board-Certified General Surgeon at the Beverly Hills Hernia Center in Southern California. Dr. Towfigh isn’t only Nicole’s literal lifesaver, but she is also world-renowned for her treatment of hernias and hernia-related complications - and is sought out by patients across the globe for help when it comes to unknown abdominal pain. In this episode, we discuss how Dr. Towfi...2021-06-2942 minGirls With GutsKrista Deveau: Can I Wear a Bikini w/ an Ostomy?Can I wear a bikini with an Ostomy? Can I take a bath with an Ostomy? Can I be normal and accepted by my friends and colleagues? Ostomate Krista Deveau is here to tell you - YES YOU CAN! A kindergarten teacher from Alberta, Canada, Krista is known on Instagram as a passionate Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and body positivity advocate. Krista was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2001, and over the next 20 years, underwent multiple bowel resections. She tried every medication to treat her illness - with little to no relief. Then, in April 2018, Krista had surgery to remove what w...2021-06-2256 min
Girls With GutsThe Gals Introduce ThemselvesWelcome to the podcast everyone! In this first episode, Alanna and Nicole introduce themselves and explain their cross-country production experience before jumping into the nitty gritty. Alanna reveals her volvulus story - and how she died from it - and lived to thrive as a Cincinnati newswoman. Nicole reveals her more recent experience with a cecal volvulus and why it took her so long to get surgery. If you want to learn more about the podcast and the hosts, visit their website at www.girlswithgutspodcast.com. Follow Us on Social Media! Instagram: @girlswithgutspodcast2021-06-1541 min