Guest #6 | Lauren Callahan. Resilience.
Heal the Gut, Heal the Mind.
Nutritionist and gut health specialist Lauren Callahan reveals how your digestive system impacts everything from mood to mindset. In this episode, she breaks down the science, the symptoms, and the self-awareness needed to reclaim your health from the inside out.
🎙️ DSD INTERVIEW #6 | The Gut Health Deep Dive with Lauren Callahan: SELF-AWARENESS.
🦠 Gut Health, Hormones & Healing | Lauren Callahan on Midlife, Magnesium & The Toilet Truth
Episode Description: Holistic health coach and ultra-endurance athlete Lauren Callahan joins Deep Shallow Dive for a no-filter breakdown of gut health, perimenopause, fiber myths, poop signals, probiotics, and why fixing your gut may be the secret to fixing everything else.
Could Your Gut Be Running the Whole Show?
In this raw and refreshingly real conversation, Ray Doustdar dives deep with Lauren Callahan, a holistic health coach and Ironman athlete whose work focuses on gut health, hormonal balance, and high-performance wellness—especially for midlife women. Together, they break down what the gut really is (hint: it's not just your stomach), how it's connected to everything from sleep to depression, and why your number two may be your best diagnostic tool.
Lauren shares her own story of failed marathon attempts, athlete burnout, and unexpected recovery—all traced back to gut inflammation. She walks through the science of serotonin, the realities of perimenopause, the danger of stress and sugar, and the surprising power of fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, and homemade kombucha.
This is more than a health episode—it’s an awakening to how your body speaks. And your gut? It’s doing the talking.
👤 Who Is Lauren Callahan?
Lauren Callahan is a holistic health coach, former therapist, and elite-level endurance athlete who now helps midlife women balance hormones, reduce stress, and reclaim their health through gut optimization. With training in mind-body integration and nutrition science, Lauren guides clients through custom testing, movement plans, and the emotional side of physical transformation.
🔥 Key Topics in This Episode
What gut health really means (it’s more than digestion)
Why perimenopause is worse than menopause—and most women don’t know they’re in it
How magnesium citrate and “bathroom awareness” can change your life
Lauren’s failed marathons and the gut breakthrough that flipped it all
How gut bacteria impacts sleep, mood, memory, and metabolism
DIY kombucha, fermented foods, and the probiotic puzzle
Stress, inflammation, and why poop is data—not shame
🧠 What You'll Learn
That the gut is your second brain, controlling everything from immunity to clarity
The truth about serotonin: 90% of it is made in your gut
How fiber, hydration, and diversity of bacteria create lasting wellness
That gut testing can reveal hidden stress, inflammation, and poor nutrient uptake
That “normal” isn’t the same as optimal—especially in midlife
How men can better understand the hormonal shifts in the women around them
🗣️ Lauren’s Most Powerful Quotes
“Bacteria isn’t bad. It’s balance that matters.”
“If you’re not pooping right, your body’s not processing life right.”
“I fixed my gut, and I finally ran my first marathon. Then I did 100K. All in one year.”
“Stress is a silent gut killer—and most people don’t even know they’re stressed.”
🧩 Top Themes Covered
Lauren Callahan gut health DSD
holistic health and menopause
perimenopause signs and symptoms
magnesium citrate digestive flush
how to test your gut microbiome
probiotics vs fermented foods
DIY kombucha brewing
mental health and serotonin gut link
second brain and inflammation
poop consistency and smell
athlete gut health recovery
fiber and hydration impact
stress-induced digestion problems
hormone balance in midlife
Deep Shallow Dive Lauren Callahan
kombucha scoby starter kit
natural serotonin and melatonin cycle
intermittent fasting gut effects
microbiome diversity importance
parenting and dirt exposure
SSRI side effects on digestion
immune system and gut connection
gut testing blood vs stool
fermented foods list
emotional health through gut repair
🧭 Final Takeaway: Your Gut Is the Mirror to Your Life
Lauren Callahan makes one thing clear—your gut is not just about food. It’s about how you process stress, emotion, information, sleep, love, and movement. Fix the gut, and everything else gets clearer. Ignore it, and everything else just gets louder.
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