The Balance with Britt Podcast · Holistic Britt Nutrition

Carbs, Hormones & Stress: Why Women Need Carbohydrates for Balance and Burnout Recovery with Amy Kapellar, Functional Nutritionist

·1 hr 6 min·4 clips

Amy links fiber-rich carbohydrates to estrogen clearance, PMS, heavy periods, and bloating.

1. The Balance with Britt Podcast episode focuses on carbohydrates, hormones, stress, and burnout recovery for women. 2. Host Brit, a registered holistic nutritionist, speaks with Amy Kapellar, a board certified functional nutritionist who specializes in women's health, hormone stress, and burnout. 3. The episode asks how women can use carbohydrates to support balance instead of treating carbs as something to avoid. 4. Amy says blood sugar is one of the main reasons carbohydrates matter, because stable blood sugar reduces stress on the adrenal glands and cortisol. 5. She names quinoa, wild rice, sweet potatoes, and oats as examples of whole-food carbs that she sees as more supportive than processed breads and pastas. 6. Amy links poor blood sugar control to insulin resistance, estrogen imbalances, progesterone imbalances, testosterone changes, and PCOS. 7. She says carbohydrate intake also matters for thyroid function because long-term low-carb or keto eating can reduce the conversion of T4 to T3. 8. Amy explains that the brain needs glucose and that not eating enough carbohydrates can leave someone feeling brain foggy. 9. She says fiber-rich carbohydrates from fruits, veggies, and whole grains help the body clear excess estrogen. 10. Brit points to a client example where adding more fiber through whole-food carbs improved overnight glucose stability on a continuous glucose monitor. 11. Amy says waking up at 1 or 2 in the morning hungry, craving, and anxious is a sign of blood sugar imbalance. 12. She says sleep issues, high stress, chronic overwhelm, and a wired cortisol feeling often show up when women are not eating enough of the right carbs. 13. Amy notes that women in the luteal phase often need more whole-food carbs and more food overall. 14. She says cravings during the luteal phase can signal that the body is not getting enough of what it needs. 15. Amy says a practical starting point for resistant eaters is “roots and fruits,” including beets, potatoes, squash, and fruit. 16. She recommends legumes such as beans, chickpeas, black beans, lentils, and fava beans when people tolerate them. 17. Amy defines simple carbs as quickly digested foods and calls complex carbs “slow burners” because they release glucose more gradually. 18. The conversation stays informal and conversational, with Brit and Amy joking about recording their outside-work chats and comparing pantry staples. 19. People managing stress, cycle symptoms, or carb confusion would likely find the episode useful. 20. People looking for strict carb rules or a low-information overview may skip it.

As heard by us

Practical women's health guidance that keeps food choices simple and realistic.

Brit and Amy keep the conversation grounded in day to day choices, especially around food, stress, hormones, and burnout. The advice stays practical: simple swaps for wraps, breads, and other easy to buy options, with enough detail to feel useful without turning into a lecture.

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Why you'd press play

A practical way to rethink everyday carbs when stress and burnout are already in the mix.

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