Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast

How to Improve Your Gut Health to Support Your Emotional Health

September 24, 2026
Up next
How to Move from Surviving to Truly Living Again, Even After the Deepest Hurts
September 17, 2026
00:00 37:12
Listen on Your Favorite App
Spotify Apple Podcasts RSS

Episode Summary:

Have you ever felt like stress is living inside your body, no matter how much you pray, rest, or try to stay positive? For so many people, stress isn't just emotional or mental. It's actually deeply embedded in the nervous system, shaping how we respond, react, and even relate to God and others.

In today's episode, we're diving into why stress becomes chronic, how emotional and relational stress can quietly accumulate over time, and what it looks like to heal rather than simply cope. We'll explore why willpower isn't enough, how the body remembers stress even when the mind wants to move on, and how a compassionate, faith-informed approach can lead to lasting freedom.

This conversation is especially for you who feel overwhelmed, emotionally depleted, or stuck in survival mode, yet long for peace that feels real, sustainable, and aligned with how God designed us to live. In this episode of your Hope Filled Perspective, we will talk about how to improve your gut health to support your emotional health.

Quotables from the episode:

  • Stress is no longer just a lifestyle issue. It's a whole person issue affecting the brain, body, emotions, and spiritual well-being. Many people try to manage stress by changing their schedules, their diets, or their thinking patterns. Yet they still feel stuck in exhaustion, anxiety, and overwhelm. What if the real key to healing stress isn't found outside of us, but within.
  • The gut brain connection is also called your HPA axis. It is that two way highway between your brain and your gut.
  • When we are in that state of chronic stress, it can be caused by external factors like a really intense job. It can be caused by internal factors like a poor diet, inflammation, things like that.
  • Why is healing the gut so essential for healing stress from the inside out? When you're healing your gut, you're helping to heal that inflammation internally, which then allows your body to go into that rest and digest state so that you're absorbing your nutrients, you're actually getting the vitamins, the minerals that your body needs to fully function.
  • I think that's one thing that people really don't understand is that nutrition absolutely plays a big role in helping regulate cortisol, helping it stay normal and level.
  • I like to tell people, pick one thing, just one small thing. Do that for two weeks. And if you can do that for two weeks, then you know you found something that works for you.
  • How can faith-based practices support gut health and emotional healing? When we do faith-based practices like prayer or meditation, it is actually activating our parasympathetic nervous system. It's activating that rest and digest system. It triggers the vagus nerve. The Lord built that in to naturally happen when we pray, when we meditate.
  • When I finally came awake spiritually again, I started to realize what the word says about my identity in Christ. It was a slow undoing of the lies that I had been telling myself to reclaiming that truth that in Christ that he tells us our identity is in him.
  • The beauty of neuroplasticity is that God created our minds and our bodies to change.
  • Proverbs 14:30 that says, "A heart at peace gives life to the body.” You too can heal your gut and heal from the inside out.

Scripture References:

  • 3 John 1:2 “I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well."
  • Proverbs 14:30 "A heart at peace gives life to the body.”

Recommended Resources:

    Social Media Links for Host:

    Connect with Holly Andrews:

    Website / Facebook / Instagram / Pinterest / LinkedIn / YouTube

    For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at:

    Order Book Sacred Scars / Order Book The Hem of His Garment / Order Book Today is Going to be a Good Day / Order Book Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails / Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson) / LinkedIn / Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube / Podcast on Apple

    Guest:

    Holly Andrews was born and raised in Orlando, Florida. She holds a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Covenant College and a Master’s in Russian from Middlebury College. Her early career took her overseas to Russia, where she lived for three years before joining the National Security Agency in 2005. Over the next 17 years, Holly rose to an executive leadership role, overseeing cutting-edge technology operations, leading high-profile teams and projects until her departure in 2022.

    In 2019, a personal health crisis became the unexpected turning point that changed everything. As Holly began to heal physically, she rediscovered a deeper sense of purpose that led her to pursue health coaching. She is now a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and the founder of Andrews Coaching & Transformation, where she helps others reduce stress, restore balance, and reclaim their well-being.

    Holly is the author of Heal Your Stress from the Inside Out, a guide to addressing stress through a holistic, root-cause approach. She is passionate about empowering others to transform their health from the inside out.

    Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson

    Audio Technical Support: Ashton Bengtson

    Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

    More Episodes
    See all episodes
    Meet Your Host
    Dr. Michelle Bengtson is a hope concierge! She is a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist, international speaker, and award-winning author dedicated to offering hope, healing, and practical tools for mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. As the host of the top-rated podcast Your Hope-Filled Perspective, she combines her professional expertise with biblical truth to empower listeners to overcome anxiety, depression, and life’s challenges through faith.

    A trusted voice in Christian mental health, Dr. Bengtson is the bestselling author of Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor's Personal Journey through Depression and Breaking Anxiety's Grip. With over 30 years of clinical experience, she has helped countless individuals find lasting freedom from fear, stress, and discouragement.

    Dr. Bengtson is a frequent media guest on platforms such as Focus on the Family, Life Today, and Moody Radio. Her writing and resources have been featured on outlets including Crosswalk, iBelieve, and Salem Media, equipping believers to embrace God's promises in every season.

    Connect with Dr. Bengtson at DrMichelleBengtson.com, where she shares faith-based encouragement, expert insights, and free resources for cultivating a hope-filled life.
    Podcasts About Sign Up Advertise Contact