In part 2 of this inspiring and deeply relatable episode of PCOS Unfiltered: Nourish, Heal, Thrive, host Lindsie Vizethann sits down with fellow nurse-turned-healer Kirstyn Ali, creator of The Body Harmony Protocol. Together they unpack what it means to move from a reactive model of “symptom management” to a proactive, root-cause approach to healing hormonal and thyroid imbalances. Kirstyn shares her journey from conventional nursing to integrative coaching after battling hypothyroidism and chronic fatigue herself. She explains how she combined evidence-based medicine with functional lifestyle medicine—addressing nutrition, stress, sleep, and mindset—to help women truly restore balance. Listeners will learn the difference between controlling the body and connecting with it, why rest is essential fuel, and how perfectionism and over-restriction can stall healing. The two nurses also explore the power of community, self-advocacy in healthcare, and how intuition can coexist beautifully with science. Whether you’re a practitioner ready to blend holistic tools into your work or a woman simply ready to heal beyond “normal” labs, this conversation is a masterclass in compassionate, sustainable transformation.
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(0:00 - 1:21) Symptom management, you know, I think is more reactive. So a true healing is proactive and it's root cause driven. It means asking why does this imbalance exist? Is it nutrient depletion? Is it poor gut absorption? Is it unmanaged stress, environmental load? And it's addressing it from within. And so, you know, the pillars I always consider are, of course, nutrition. So giving your body the raw materials for hormone production and nourishment, and again, for all your organs to be functioning at optimal capacity, right? And movement, I would say, is another pillar, of course. And this doesn't need to be any extravagant gym program. It could be just walking outside. People underestimate the impact of just going for a 20-minute walk after your meal, a 10-minute walk after your meal and to control blood sugar regulation there. And sleep, you know, sleep is where hormone repair and detoxification happen that people don't realize.
(1:21 - 3:46) And I always say to my clients, too, I forget where I saw this quote, but it was, rest isn't taking your foot off the gas. It's putting fuel in the tank. And I think, I love that. Yeah. And I need to tell myself that sometimes because I'm a person that's always go, go, go. And I struggle to sit still sometimes. So just for that sleep and stress regulation, it's a really good thing to keep in mind. And then one thing that I think is probably the most important is that having that mindset and self-trust. You can't heal a body you're constantly at war with, right? Welcome back to PCOS Unfiltered, nourish, heal, thrive. I'm your host, Lindsie, a former ER nurse turned health coach, helping women with PCOS and hormonal imbalances find healing through mindful eating, movement, and self-awareness. Today's episode is extra special because my guest knows exactly what it's like to walk both sides of the healthcare system. Kirstyn Ali is a fellow nurse who, like me, reached a point where she realized that traditional medicine, while powerful, wasn't telling the whole story, especially when it came to women's health, thyroid issues, and chronic fatigue. After experiencing her own health struggles, Kirsten began exploring nutrition, movement, and lifestyle as true medicine. She now helps women restore balance through her Body Harmony Protocol, which focuses on root cause healing for hypothyroidism and hormone imbalances. In this episode, we're talking about what it's really like to step out of the conventional healthcare mindset, the emotional and professional challenges that come with it, and how women like us, trained in science, are leaning to integrate the art of healing back into the science of medicine. If you've ever felt caught between your training and your intuition, if you know there has to be a better way to help women truly heal, or if you're just starting to explore holistic health yourself, this episode is for you. As a reminder, the content shared on PCOS Unfiltered is for informational and educational purposes only. The views and opinions expressed by the hosts and guests are not intended to serve as medical advice.
(3:46 - 5:12) Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your diet, exercise, or treatment plan. The information shared is based on personal experience and expert interviews, and is not a substitute for professional medical guidance. Now, grab your tea, take a deep breath, and let's dive in. What were some mindset shifts, either for you personally, or maybe some that you see with your clients that you feel are necessary to really sustain the changes over the long haul? Yeah, the biggest shift was probably moving from, you know, I'm a control freak. I like to have control over everything, and to kind of just surrender and accept that this is my body, and I have this condition, and really moving from control to connection. So, instead of trying to fix my body, actually just listening to it and its needs and, you know, realizing it can't follow what works for the general population just doesn't work for me, right? And so, I stopped chasing perfection and just started, you know, it sounds so cliche, but focus on consistency and self-compassion.
(5:12 - 16:01) And when I began seeing healing as like a partnership with my body rather than a battle against it, everything became so much more sustainable and, honestly, like more peaceful as well. And that's when I began to actually enjoy the process, which is how I became addicted to the process and started building on it a lot more. Like, there will be days where I'm not on track, but it's, you know, I love my chocolate, I have desserts, I still drink alcohol, like all these things. But it's not the best plan that wins, it's the one that keeps showing up. And the best way to keep showing up is to have your plan be simple and tailored to your body. And something I talked to about, an important part of acceptance too, is like I've seen a lot of my clients or women that come to me, which maybe in your case too, they're either postpartum or menopausal, and they always talk about they need to bounce back. I was actually talking to my best friend about this today because she's postpartum. And I just hate that terminology too, bounce back, because you're not going to bounce back. You're going to have a new normal and move forward with that new normal. What worked for your body in the past for you to lose 10 pounds quickly might not work now. And that's okay. We can work together to figure out what that is. Yeah, yeah. I hope anybody listening, really, if they take anything else away from this episode, it's what you just said about chasing perfection. Because yeah, we got to knock it off. I mean, especially, I think that's where like social media plays such a big role in that because we see so many women, especially that are perfect in somebody's eyes, but it's not real. And so we have to stop chasing what we think is perfect and just be real and be consistent to really, yeah, stick with the results. So hope everybody just really listened to what you said there. Yes. Okay. So how do you balance evidence-based medicine, the kind of conventional research with your lived experience? That's a good question. So basically, sorry, repeat it. So yeah, how do you balance kind of your evidence-based stuff that you've been taught probably, you know, as a nurse that you know, for a while, that evidence-based practice that we use, you know, conventional research, kind of how do you balance that with your own personal experiences and journey? I see. Basically, kind of the same as what I was explaining before where I, the foundation, of course, first and foremost, is the preventative side of it. So the nutrition, the stress, the stress management, the sleep management, things like that is what's in my control and how I can be an expert in my own health and be my own advocate. And then after doing that and building that foundation, if there are any gaps, that's when I integrate conventional medicine. And I always say, like, you know, adjust your nutrition and movement first and foremost, and then you supplement and medicate where absolutely necessary. It's okay to need medication. You know, I was fortunate enough in my journey to come completely off of the synthroid medication. Some of my clients get frustrated when they're unable to do so, but their dose has reduced drastically. And, you know, they've coupled it with a lifestyle that optimizes the efficacy of that medication so that they're not needing as high of a dose. So I think it's really just being accepting of both sides and knowing that they can coexist and that's okay. It doesn't have to be one or the other. They're both necessary for healing. Yeah. Yeah. I love that. So let's kind of dive into the body harmony protocol some more. So is that, is it more of a group program? Is it structured one-on-one? So like how much is kind of standardized versus, you know, or is it standardized to a certain extent and then more personalized? Yeah. Can you explain all that a little bit more? Absolutely. So the body harmony protocol, it has a structured framework, but the experience within it is deeply individualized, if that makes sense. So it's a six month program that's offered completely online, but it is one-to-one support with me directly. You know, you have daily instant messaging with me where answers can be right at your fingertips for anything really. And then weekly Zoom coaching calls where I could kind of hold you accountable and make sure you stay on track. But the first pillar, which I was explaining nourishing your thyroid is fairly consistent for everyone because it's based on the foundational nutrition principles that support thyroid function. So stabilizing blood sugar, the nutrient deficiencies, Mediterranean-based diet, anti-inflammatory approach, things like that are pretty standardized for everybody. The second pillar, which is balancing your hormones also follows the same guiding principles, but how we implement it depends on each woman's lifestyle, their fitness level, their stress load. Some women come to me and have never moved their body. And then other women have already have a trainer at a gym and they're already, you know, working on their fitness. So some might need to scale back on exercise intensity to protect their adrenals. Others are ready to move a little bit more in that simple daily walk is what will really bring them forward. And then it's really in the third pillar healing from the inside out where things become highly personalized especially if they have unique constraints, like you know, if there's comorbidities or allergies or different life stressors, we navigate all of that together. So once we have data from gut testing and micronutrient panels and hormonal labs, that's where we start tailing the protocols to their unique root causes and digestive health and metabolic needs. But you know, even beyond the physical, the support is entirely individualized. Every woman comes in with different mindset patterns, emotional blocks, life circumstances. And so I just meet them where they are and adjusting not only the plan, but how I coach and guide them in the process. Some of them need me like holding their hand through every step and that's okay. Like I love doing that. Others are others have a little bit more autonomy. They've maybe worked with a coach before and this is, you know, another time around and they kind of know the ropes a little bit. So yeah, it really, really depends. Yeah. I mean, I think it sounds like we overlap, especially that first pillar that you mentioned about balancing blood sugar too, because I know that's one of the biggest things that I focus on with my clients. I talk a lot about it. I think I'm like every episode insulin resistance and balancing your blood sugar. And yeah, I mean all that stuff, but it's true because I think there's, it's the basis for so many things and probably more prevalent than we even realize, you know, in a lot of these conditions. Yeah. Do you use any other, so, I mean, you've talked about the lab, you know, lab values and stuff, but any other like metrics or markers that you use, you know, even maybe besides the scale, like, do you do measurements and pictures and all that stuff too? Yes, we do. So it's up to them how often they want to, like, I recommend with the weekly check-ins to weigh themselves and to send a progress photo. And then we also measure body composition changes, obviously like inches loss and body fat percentage, things like that. The frequency of it is typically weekly. If they are somebody with history of, you know, an eating disorder or they have certain mental barriers that weighing themselves kind of gets in the, in the way of, of their encouragement, we tend to dial back on that. So that, that is another area where the program can be vastly individualized. Just focusing on how clothes are fitting you. And again, cycle health, I think is a big one. You know, are they having PMS and mood swings or their periods regular? It's a really good marker of hormonal health. And just the sleep quality and digestion again, are just really good ways of, of measuring their success beyond the scale. And I really make sure to reiterate that with my clients because it was something I had struggled with. I had always been caught up with the scale and it can be very discouraging and the scale doesn't tell you any everything. It's, it's a great tool, but there's so many other pieces of the puzzle, right? And because women, it's just, we get caught in this, in this vicious cycle. And so when I was actually on my own journey, I hadn't, I weighed myself at the very beginning. And I think it was like three months. I didn't look at a scale step on the scale for three months. I was just like, let me just focus on how I'm feeling. Like, yeah, if, if you're, if you're drinking the water and you're nourishing your, your body the way it's supposed to be like, it's inevitable that you'll feel better. And it's inevitable that you will drop the weight. Like there's, there's no hack or secret behind it. (16:01 - 25:38) Like that, that is science. It'll just happen. So, um, but yeah. Yeah. Good. Yeah. I tell my clients weight loss is a side effect of better health because yeah, once you start improving your health, it just, the rest kind of falls into place for sure. Exactly. Exactly. What would you say would been, has been, has been your either biggest obstacle or maybe even like something that you see for your clients, you know, that a common obstacle that you see your clients struggling with, um, along their healing journey or like I said, maybe for you. Yeah. Um, definitely the obvious one was like slashing calories too much, going too much into a deficit and then overexercising. Um, I saw that in myself and many, many clients. And then even women I talk to, they can be stubborn sometimes saying I've tried everything I've done all this and it's not working. So you're not going to be able to help me. I'm like, no, this is why it's not working. You know? So you can't do that. And, um, a big one was probably diving too deep into testing and protocols too early. Like thinking I could kind of biohack my way out of symptoms when what I really just needed was consistency with the basics. Right. And then one, one thing I did work on too is, um, the, the fear of backsliding. So that fear used to drive me to like over control my habits and get overly obsessive with it and just be like, oh my gosh, you know, I've made progress. I can't, I can't let myself return to how I was in that fear actually still innately. I, I, that voice comes in my mind sometimes honestly, and it's so ridiculous when I kind of come out of it and think about it because I'm a completely different person than five years ago, the decisions I make for myself and my health are just so, so, so different. So that would never happen, but it does, it did cause me to go into this over obsessiveness of I made progress and I, I, I can't go back now and I'm getting compliments on how I look. So like people are going to notice if I gain weight back, things like that, um, was a huge, um, you know, thing to navigate. But now I just learned to remind myself, I'm not that same woman anymore. I have different habits, different boundaries. I have awareness and, and honestly I've educated myself too. And, um, you know, I'm have conversations like what you and I are having right now to really gain more insight and knowledge. And that gives me confidence that I won't fall back to where I started. Yeah. Do you see that a lot with your clients too? Like, do they express that same kind of fear too? Definitely. And some of them, even after the six months that they're done with me, I'll hear from them again. Um, just saying Kirsten, like I'm scared, like I'm guilty. I feel guilty because I ate this, that and the other. And I, we work so hard together and like, it's okay. You know, I always preach the 80, 20 principle, 80% you nourish your body in the way in the optimal way. And you have that 20% to have a little bit of indulgence. And, um, the, the latter of my program, the latter part of my program is really focused on, um, sustainability. You know, the, my clients, they've developed the knowledge, the skills, the tools, the momentum to have that transformation with me. And now they could carry all that forward to just be autonomous with it and do it for themselves in a way that's integrated into their lifestyle without it feeling so overwhelming or over-restrictive. And that's always the goal, but I do help them navigate that because again, that's, that's my fear too of, of backsliding. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, yeah, I tell clients too, like when they same thing, when they get to that point is sometimes the wind is just staying where you are, you know, especially like the end of the holidays, you know, sometimes the wind is just being able to enjoy your holidays and not focusing, not obsessing and focusing so much on like losing additional weight, you know, as long as there's being consistent, like you've talked about, like that's the win. Um, yeah, yeah, exactly. How important has community, um, and accountability, you know, or coaching been in your own success and in that of your clients? Oh, it's been, it's been everything. Um, you know, not just for my clients, but for me too, I've, I've always needed that support. And I know I always will. And I'm incredibly lucky to have a very loving and supportive circle. Like my mom and sister would always experiment with different recipes for me just to, to make it fun. And my girlfriends, awesome group of girlfriends that we all prioritize our health in different ways, whether it's trying a new workout class together or going for hikes, or just giving each other that space when we need rest or we mentally are just drained, it's a very safe and nonjudgmental kind of support. Um, but even with that, you know, I still felt an element of isolation because hypothyroidism is one of those conditions where like, unless you've lived it, it is hard to fully understand firsthand. So another, another big thing for me was instill is online communities like the one I've, I've built and talking about it like this and listening to podcasts where I could really resonate with, with women going through the same thing has been so powerful. It's where, you know, women can say, you get it, you understand. And, um, it can be such a, just such an isolating feeling. And I remember, um, not feeling that sense of being heard in the process, you know, people size, I was trying to be healthier, but it was frustrating when people next to me were not eating as healthy and not moving as much. And their results are like 10 times more than me. And I'm in this internal battle with myself of like, Oh my God, like I just like, I'm trying 10 times harder. I feel like, and I just can't, I can't get the results that they're getting. And this is really frustrating. So to have that community, um, in that sense of belonging is so important and healing in itself. And it's, it's also why I share my story so openly because I never want another woman to feel as alone in this journey as, as I did in the beginning. Yeah. Yeah. That's huge for nurses or maybe other healthcare professionals that might be listening, or maybe if they know of somebody, you know, in that realm, um, that maybe wants to start introducing holistic ideas into their practice, where would you say is a good place to start? Um, I would say like, start with yourself before bringing it into professional practice, like begin integrating these habits into your own life and practice what, what you preach, right? Learn what balanced nutrition feels like, learn what stress regulation looks like and how sleeper movement can, can transform you. And when you experience those changes firsthand, you'll naturally build the confidence and language to share them with others in a way that they are confident implementing it themselves. And, um, from there, start small with patients too, right? Like maybe it's just asking, how is your sleep in lately? Or what does your day-to-day nutrition look like? Those, those gentle openings start meaningful conversation and, and it also allows for, um, opportunities of patient education, which is well within our scope and part of our job. So you don't have to have all the answers or have all these advanced certifications right away. Like the goal is to just really shift from a symptom based mindset to a systems based one where you see the person as a whole, not just, not just the diagnosis. Yeah. Love that. Love that. Um, what is your next frontier in this healing coaching integrative work that you have? Do you have more long, more long-term plans? Yeah. You know what I, so I love, you know, getting on things like this, more podcasts, speaking at events, educational workshops, um, that, you know, go beyond my online community and program. Um, but also in terms of certifications in the new year, I'm going to pursue, um, becoming a registered holistic nutritionist. So that way it can kind of all come together, um, and just, you know, I'll have even more credibility behind my word.
(25:39 - 25:44) Um, but yeah, that would definitely be the next step for me. Awesome. Yeah.
(25:44 - 26:42) Are there any changes that you hope to see in women's health? Um, especially, you know, in regards to thyroid and autoimmunity, um, that you would like to see, you know, change or approached in the next, like maybe five to 10 years. Um, honestly, I would love to see a shift towards earlier recognition in deeper investigation in women's health, especially when it comes to PCOS thyroid endometriosis is also a huge one where too many women are dismissed or told their labs are normal when like, clearly they don't feel normal. So like, let's, let's look further into it and, um, you know, move, move into more root cause evaluation, um, and start, start valuing women's intuition as much as their lab results.
(26:42 - 30:00) I think, you know, when they say something feels off, that should be enough to, to dig deeper, not to dismiss her. Oh my gosh. Yes. That's so, so, so true. I hear that so much. Um, you know, my event was, was about that. I mean, because I think there's so many women out there that know something is, is off. And this is where, like I said, I can kind of get into like, I'm not trying to bash, but, but because you go into the doctor's office and they're like, well, your labs are normal, but there might be some more, you know, specific specialized type labs that need to be done that they might have to go through an extra few hoops with like insurance or whatever to order. And unfortunately it doesn't always happen. So yeah, we have to, we have to be the advocates. We have to be, we have to help our clients with that. And, and as, as clients and patients, I think just taking that first step to educate themselves as well. Yeah. And I, I always say that too, that's such a good point to educate yourself because that's how you become the expert of your own health. And that's how, you know, what your body needs for success. And having that knowledge then gives you kind of, I don't want to say the upper hand, but more leverage in the doctor's office when you're asking for these labs and they're kind of maybe pushing back or asking you why, well, you can have the answer for that and relate it back to your own case. And perhaps that will allow you to advocate for yourself more and get that testing that you need. Yeah. Have a, have a more meaningful conversation so that you can, yeah, you can be heard. Yeah. Is there one book, one habit, one mantra that you'd like to offer to someone starting on this path, on this healing path? Um, I would say one thing that I told myself is if you have a chronic condition, whatever that is, it could be a hormonal condition and any sort of, you know, condition with your health. Don't look at it as a barrier to your health. It should be the exact reason why you're, you change your bad habits into good ones. Look at it as a catalyst, not a barrier. If I didn't have hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's, I wouldn't be half as healthy as I am now. I wouldn't be making the decisions I am now. So with that, I'm so grateful for it. Um, so yeah, that would be the main mantra there. Yeah. Yeah. Let it empower you. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Love that. What's a small first step for someone listening that they could take today to begin their own healing journey? I would say, keep it simple, slow down, eat a Mediterranean diet and don't go more than three days without moving your body. Good. Good. We just summed it all up.
(30:01 - 31:14) Yeah. Love it. Um, and then the last question is how can, I mean, I'll put the links in the comments, but how can people find you and connect with you and learn more about you? Yeah. So, um, you can find me on Instagram, uh, at the bot, the body harmony protocol. I'm on Tik TOK as well. Um, and then in my bio is my official website where I do have more information on my program. There's also, um, recipe eBooks, there are different guides that, um, people can, can get as well. Um, that are, you know, some good learning tools for anybody with hypothyroidism or hormonal disorders in general. Yeah. Well, thank you so, so much. This was great. I think, I think there's a lot of women out there, you know, whether it's PCOS, I know, you know, PCOS over overlaps with a lot of other conditions, especially, you know, the hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's. Um, and so I think this is very relatable. It's going to be very relatable for a lot of, a lot of women. So I really appreciate you. Yeah. I appreciate you. Thank you so much for having me on this podcast.
(31:14 - 31:53) And I think this will be the first of many conversations together. I know like a lot of what we do align and you have so much insight as well. So I'm, I'm very grateful for this. Thank you. How powerful is that? I love talking with women who've walked that same bridge from traditional medicine to true healing. Kirstyn's story is such a beautiful reminder that we don't have to abandon science to embrace fullness. We just have to widen the lens. If this episode resonated with you, take a screenshot, share it on Instagram and tag us. I'd love to hear your biggest takeaway.
(31:54 - 32:26) And if you're a nurse or health professional who's feeling the pull toward more integrative work, let this be your nudge that it's okay to evolve. You can honor your medical background and still embrace the healing side of health. You can learn more about Kirsten and her body harmony protocol with the link in the show notes. And as always, if you're ready to take the next step in your own journey, shoot me a message on Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear your thoughts and requests for future episodes. Until next time, keep nourishing, healing, and thriving.
(32:27 - 32:29) From the inside out, you got this.