Be Well by Kelly Leveque 339: Anxiety Explained: Hormones, Vagus Nerve & Gut Health | Dr. Nicole Cain
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Nicole Cain to talk about her integrative, trauma-informed approach to anxiety and mental wellness. We explore how anxiety shows up in the body—through our thoughts, hormones, immune system, and gut—and what it takes to truly heal at the root.
Nicole shares insights from her book Panic Proof along with powerful tools like EMDR, hormone testing, and Ayurveda. Whether you're navigating anxiety yourself or supporting someone who is, this conversation is packed with practical, whole-person strategies to find calm and reclaim your mental health.
Leave Us A Voice Message! | https://telbee.io/channel/4_b9zzx58wdkuwirqkcxwa/
Topics Discussed:
- What is the root cause of anxiety and how can it be healed naturally?
- How does gut health affect mental health and anxiety?
- What is Dr. Nicole Cain’s approach to managing anxiety with integrative medicine?
- What is the connection between hormone imbalances and anxiety symptoms?
Sponsored By:
- Be Well By Kelly Protein Powder & Essentials | Get $10 off your order with PODCAST10 at bewellbykelly.com.
- AG1 | Get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D3+K2 AND 5 free AG1 Travel Packs with your first subscription at drinkAG1.com/bewell.
- Jesse & Ben's | Right now, you can visit jesseandbens.com/bewell for a special deal.
- OneSkin | Visit oneskin.co/BEWELL and use code BEWELL for 15% off your first purchase.
Timestamps:
- 00:00:00 - Introduction
- 00:00:00 – Episode intro with Dr. Nicole Cain
- 00:01:41 – What is anxiety? Root causes explained
- 00:05:49 – Kelly’s personal anxiety journey
- 00:09:02 – Understanding the window of tolerance
- 00:10:36 – Anxiety, autonomy, and creative power
- 00:13:22 – Why suppressed emotions intensify anxiety
- 00:14:37 – Dr. Nicole’s story of living with anxiety
- 00:19:30 – What is thought anxiety?
- 00:24:32 – Tools to overcome thought anxiety
- 00:26:02 – Endocrine anxiety and stress hormones
- 00:32:21 – Hormonal imbalance, anxiety & HRT
- 00:35:35 – DUTCH testing
- 00:37:21 – Immune system’s link to anxiety
- 00:40:34 – Gut-brain axis and mental health
- 00:42:13 – Lifestyle changes for anxiety relief
- 00:43:32 – Dr. Nicole’s full intake process
- 00:49:31 – Using Ayurveda and Kapha for anxiety
- 00:51:58 – Exercises to calm anxiety naturally
- 00:57:55 – Brain science: prefrontal cortex vs. lizard brain
- 01:01:55 – Interoception and body awareness
- 01:06:28 – How to become panic proof
Further Listening:
Check Out Dr. Nicole:
Check Out Kelly: