The Elevated Health Podcast

In this episode Amanda Jones breaks down why the holidays can leave you feeling wired, tired, and constantly craving sugar. She explains how stress and late nights raise cortisol, trigger glucose and insulin swings, and create a ‘‘glucose rollercoaster’’ that drives cravings, irritability, and fatigue.

Amanda covers how alcohol affects blood sugar, the idea of "foods with no breaks" (like cookies vs. a protein-rich meal), and practical, realistic strategies to feel better during the season: start the day with 25–30g of protein, pair treats and drinks with protein, move after meals, protect sleep (especially 10–2 a.m.), hydrate before alcoh...

In this episode Amanda Jones of Elevated Health walks through the key reproductive hormones women experience during their reproductive years and explains what each hormone commonly does for mood, energy, sleep, bone and vaginal health.

She gives an easy 28-day cycle overview (follicular, ovulation, luteal) and describes typical symptoms people may feel at each phase, why symptoms can appear before labs change, and what normal versus abnormal bleeding and cramping look like.

The episode defines PMS versus PMDD, lists red flags that warrant medical evaluation (heavy bleeding, severe pain, long or irregular cycles, new acne...

In this re-released favorite episode, host Amanda sits down with her mother, licensed clinical social worker Shelly Moss, to explore how negative thoughts fuel anxiety and impact both mental and physical health. They discuss the brain’s fight-or-flight response, cortisol and inflammation, and how unresolved trauma can show up as physical symptoms.

Shelly explains why quiet moments often trigger worry, how the amygdala overrides the thinking brain, and why modern stressors keep our bodies in a chronic alarm state. They share examples that link anxiety to symptoms like jaw pain and elevated glucose.

The episode of...

In this emotional anniversary episode, Amanda Jones — family nurse practitioner, diabetes educator, and founder of Elevated Health — reflects on the five-year journey of building her practice through the chaos of 2020 onward. She shares how COVID-era travel testing led to pivots into telemedicine, functional medicine, and aesthetics, and how creating an LLC in November 2020 set the foundation for her work.

Amanda recounts personal and professional challenges including travel assignments, starting a family, serious health setbacks, and everyday hurdles like broken supplies and construction delays while her husband built the clinic office. She explains how those experiences shaped her appr...

In this episode Amanda Jones talks with licensed massage therapist Gloria Hargrave about what true self-care looks like and why massage can be medicinal rather than merely a luxury. They discuss the importance of rest, listening to your body, and individualized approaches to touch — from Swedish relaxation to deeper therapeutic work.

Gloria shares her path to massage therapy, how intuition and hands-on experience shape her practice, and why regular maintenance (not just waiting until you hurt) helps prevent chronic issues. They also cover practical, low-cost self-care habits like walking, stretching, elevating your legs, and small daily choices th...

Join Amanda Jones of Elevated Health as she explores the history and shortcomings of Body Mass Index (BMI). She explains how BMI began as a 19th-century population statistic, how it was popularized in the 1970s, and why it is a poor measure of individual health.

Amanda outlines the many limitations of BMI — it excludes women, children, and non-European bodies, doesn’t distinguish fat from muscle or bone density, and ignores sex and ethnicity. She gives concrete examples of how BMI can misclassify athletes, shorter or taller people, and many women.

The episode also digs into clin...

In this episode you’ll learn how to stay on track while on vacation without feeling restricted. The host explains a “protein-forward” plate — making protein the priority so roughly 10% of calories come from protein — and gives simple rules of thumb for portions: 15–30g protein for snacks and 30–50g for meals, or eyeballing a palm-sized portion for 25–35g.

Practical vacation prep tips include packing or buying easy protein options (beef jerky, protein powder, high-protein milk, yogurt, eggs, deli meat) for hotel mini-fridges and stocking a condo kitchen for the week. Anchor carbs and snacks with a protein source to keep blood su...

In this episode Amanda Jones talks with Audrey Lamberson, DPT, about her decade-plus of physical therapy practice and the clinic work she does at RehabVisions in Canyon and Dumas, Texas. They discuss the holistic, whole-body approach physical therapists can bring to complex problems.

Audrey explains the nasal release technique (NRT): a gentle, minimally invasive method that uses a finger-cot and a small inflatable bulb placed into three nasal areas (turbinates) to adjust cranial and facial bone alignment, open the airway, and improve blood and lymphatic drainage.

They cover how NRT and related therapies can help...

In this episode Amanda from the Elevated Health Podcast shares her personal recovery after surgery and offers practical, easy-to-follow strategies to support healing. She explains what recovery means — moving from fight-or-flight to rest-and-digest — and why intentional recovery matters in modern life.

Key topics include the importance of protein for tissue repair, how hydration plus electrolytes restore balance, and why sleep and rest are where true healing happens. Amanda also covers gentle movement to improve circulation and lymphatic drainage, and the emotional and mental side of recovery, encouraging listeners to give themselves grace.

She offers concrete tips...

Join Amanda Jones, nurse practitioner and founder of Elevated Health, as she uncovers why sleep is one of the most overlooked pillars of health and how timing, light, and your sleep setup affect hormones, metabolism, and glucose.

Learn how your 24-hour circadian rhythm regulates cortisol (your get-up-and-go hormone) and melatonin (your wind-down hormone), why they usually peak and cross around 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., and how late nights and bright screens confuse that rhythm.

Discover why 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. is a prime window for deep non-REM sleep—when growth hormone, immune repair, an...

In this episode Denise Dubois, founder of Complexions Spa, discusses her journey from becoming one of New York’s earliest licensed estheticians to building a holistic beauty and wellness practice. She explains the difference between aesthetics and medical aesthetics, the importance of treating the whole person, and how hormones, stress, gut health, and inflammation show up on the skin.

Denise describes the wide range of services at Complexions—massage, lymphatic and hydrotherapy, infrared saunas, IV nutraceuticals, injectables, biostimulators, scalp health treatments, and more—and how combining medical treatments with spa therapies supports longevity and preventive care.

She...

In this episode Amanda Jones, a nurse practitioner, breaks down GLP-1 medications (like semaglutide and tirzepatide), how they work for diabetes and weight loss, and why they’re being studied for conditions from sleep apnea to Alzheimer’s. She reviews benefits, side effects, myths, and practical tips for combining medication with lifestyle changes.

Amanda shares patient stories, discusses accessibility and insurance issues, and offers guidance on when to consult a clinician and how to monitor treatment for safe, long-term results.

Amanda Jones breaks down macronutrients—carbohydrates, protein, fats (and alcohol)—explaining calories per gram and why each is essential.

She reviews common diet approaches (keto, high-protein, low-fat), tracking apps, and gives practical advice: aim for 75–100% of goal body weight in grams of protein, about 100 g of carbs daily, and prioritize balance and awareness.

Learn simple strategies to enjoy meals, use tracking short-term, and adjust macros to your activity and health needs.

Amanda Jones breaks down what GMOs are, the differences between minimally, moderately and ultra-processed foods, and why labels can be more marketing than science. She encourages simple experiments to see how foods affect your body and emphasizes individualized, science-based choices.

Practical takeaways include reading ingredient lists, using an “80% whole, 20% flexible” approach, and quick meal ideas to make healthier eating realistic. Visit Elevated Health Texas and follow on social media for more resources.

Host Amanda Jones, FNP is on vacation in the mountains of New Mexico. Her mother, Shelly Moss, LCSW have a discussion about nature, cortisol, and stress relief while sitting next to a river. Enjoy this unedited episode and get outside!!! Visit www.elevatedhealthtexas.com or call/text 806-557-0314 for more information about Amanda and Elevated Health, PLLC. We’re also on all socials @elevatedhealthtexas You can find more information about Shelly on the Psychology Today website and on Instagram @shellymosscounseling Thanks for listening and reading!

Licensed clinical social worker Shelly Moss joins her daughter to explore how negative thoughts fuel anxiety and even physical symptoms. They discuss the mind-body connection, trauma's impact, and why silence at night often triggers rumination.

The episode offers practical, easy-to-use tools—diaphragmatic breathing, the physiological sigh, CBT reframing, scheduled "worry time," simple nutrition tips, and actionable steps to regain calm—so listeners can feel more in control of their thoughts and their health.

Follow Shelly at @shellymosscounseling on Instagram and @shellymosscounselingservices on Facebook. You can also find her on Psychology today at https://www.psychologytoday.com...

Voltaire once said, “The best is the enemy of the good.” Nowhere is that more true than in healthcare. In this episode, Amanda Jones, a board-certified nurse practitioner and certified diabetes education specialist, explores the real-world tools we use to monitor blood sugar—from finger-stick meters to continuous glucose monitors (CGMs).

You’ll learn:

Why glucose monitoring is essential for diabetes and prediabetes care

The strengths and limitations of finger-stick meters vs. CGMs

What accuracy really means (and the truth about lag time)

How to navigate insurance, cash-pay options, and acce...

Host Amanda Jones, NP and certified diabetes educator, breaks down the key differences between traditional, insurance-driven care and functional medicine—from appointment length and access between visits to how insurance limits testing and treatments.

She highlights personalized plans, deeper lab work, and a collaborative, approachable style that focuses on prevention and root causes instead of one-size-fits-all protocols.

Through a real-world case study, Amanda shows how targeted labs, hormones, and metabolic support can reveal issues like prediabetes and anemia and lead to meaningful progress.

The episode wraps with a practical “Better Not Perfect” meal exampl...

Welcome to the Elevated Health Podcast, where Amanda Jones, a board-certified nurse practitioner and certified diabetes education specialist, shares her journey from a nutritional sciences student to an advocate of functional medicine. In this episode, Amanda discusses her passion for integrating nutrition into healthcare, her challenges with traditional medicine, and her commitment to providing compassionate, personalized care.

Discover how Amanda's experiences led her to establish Elevated Health, a sanctuary for patients seeking comprehensive guidance on their health journey. With a focus on understanding the root causes of health issues, Amanda aims to deliver insightful recommendations that cater...