Stress, Gut, and Thyroid: The Fibromyalgia Connection

What if the exhaustion, aches, and brain fog you've been living with actually trace back to your gut? In this episode of Your Health Reclaimed, FMP Brad Montagne sits down with horsewoman and wellness coach Alicia VanderGriend to unpack the health crisis that changed the course of her life. Alicia spent years leading high-stakes research projects and chasing grant funding, all while her body was quietly breaking down. After months of unexplained pain and fatigue, she was finally diagnosed with fibromyalgia. FMP Brad walks through exactly how that happens from a root-cause perspective: how chronic stress raises cortisol, wears down the gut lining, lets toxins build up, and suppresses thyroid function until the body can't produce energy efficiently. Alicia also opens up about a pattern she sees often in horsewomen — spending on their horse's chiropractor, dentist, and vet care while putting off their own. This episode is for anyone dealing with unexplained fatigue, body-wide pain, or a diagnosis that still hasn't given them real answers. It's part one of a three-part conversation, with more to come in the next two episodes. If fibromyalgia or chronic, unexplained symptoms sound familiar, book a consult at healthfullyu.com to start finding your root cause. **Topics discussed:** fibromyalgia root cause, chronic stress and fibromyalgia, adrenal fatigue symptoms, leaky gut and inflammation, thyroid and chronic fatigue, functional medicine for fibromyalgia, cortisol and blood sugar, gut health and toxin buildup, root cause healing, stress and hormone health, fibromyalgia diagnosis story, trigger points and muscle pain **Chapter Timestamps:** - 01:15 — Alicia's Lifelong Love of Horses - 13:47 — When Horsewomen Forget to Take Care of Themselves - 18:03 — The Real Root Cause of Fibromyalgia Horsewoman and wellness coach Alicia VanderGriend joins FMP Brad to unpack her fibromyalgia diagnosis and the stress-gut-thyroid chain reaction behind it. Struggling with unexplained fatigue or pain? Book a consult at healthfullyu.com to find your root cause.