I am delighted to have Dr. Bindiya Gandhi joining me today! Dr. Bindiya is a Double Board Certified Family Physician & Integrative Medicine Practitioner with expertise in Functional & Holistic Medicine. She is also a Certified Yoga Instructor & Reiki Master and trained in obesity management. Dr. Bindiya is passionate about intertwining western medicine & yoga to heal the mind, body, and soul. Her mission is to educate, empower, and inspire people to live healthier lifestyles! Dr. Bindiya struggled with various health issues while doing her residency. She had acne, menstrual irregularities, and unexpectedly started gaining weight. She also suffered from migraines, developed a rash on her face that would not go away, and discovered that she had celiac disease. Later, when trying to become pregnant, she realized that there was more to fertility than what she had learned in medical school. Now, she helps women with weight-loss resistance and fertility issues by addressing leptin.  Leptin is the key satiety hormone. In this episode, Dr. Bindiya and I dive into why leptin is vital from a metabolic health perspective. We talk about what leads to leptin resistance and the impact of leptin on the body. We get into detoxification and how a dysregulated gut microbiome can influence food choices. We discuss inflammatory markers, the importance of protein, and why stress reduction is vital. We share tips for working towards better anti-inflammatory choices and some simple ways to tap into the parasympathetic nervous system. We also explain why you need to avoid too much fruit and over-fasting, and we clear up some common mid-life misconceptions. As we record this podcast, Dr. Bindiya is two weeks away from the delivery date of her third baby! I hope you gain a lot from today’s illuminating conversation with her! Stay tuned for more! IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN How Dr. Bindiya became interested in and passionate about helping her patients understand metabolic flexibility and leptin resistance. What is leptin, and why is it important from a metabolic health perspective? How does yo-yo dieting mess up the metabolism? You need just the right amount of leptin in your body. Dr. Bindiya talks about the impacts of leptin. What happens when your leptin levels are low? Some of the more common tests Dr. Bindiya uses to help support her patients Weight loss resistance can sometimes indicate that your body is storing toxins from the environment, food, or personal care products. Dr. Bindiya talks about the importance of detoxification. If you think you might be leptin resistant, you can do the quiz on Dr. Bindiya’s website How can your gut microbiome influence many of your food choices?  Why do you need to pay attention to your inflammatory markers? You can reduce stress to address leptin resistance. Some of my favorite simple and free ways to tap into the parasympathetic nervous system Some tips for working towards better anti-inflammatory choices Why getting enough protein is vital. Some common mid-life misconceptions Connect with Cynthia Thurlow Follow on Twitter, Instagram & LinkedIn Check out Cynthia’s website  Connect with Dr. Bindiya Gandhi On her website Take Dr. Bindiya’s quiz