Midlife Strategies for Badass Women

Welcome back to Midlife Strategies for Badass Women! Today, host Sue Willoughby sits down with Crystal Felice, a licensed pharmacist who successfully transitioned into a functional medicine practitioner.

After experiencing crippling migraines, intense bloating, night sweats, and driving panic attacks due to extreme workplace stress, Crystal realized that traditional medicine wasn't offering her real solutions. After discovering functional medicine and healing her own body in just six weeks, she went back to school to help other women do the same.

Now affectionately dubbed "The Gut Whisperer," Crystal explains why functional medicine treats symptoms—like headaches and heartburn—as "gifts" that signal a deeper imbalance. From the startling truth that stomach acid actually decreases as we age to the downstream effects of a leaky gut, Crystal unpacks the digestive issues plaguing midlife women. She also shares her expert, unfiltered thoughts on the GLP-1 weight loss craze, why custom poop-testing supplement subscriptions are often a waste of money, and how to choose the right form of magnesium.

In this episode, we cover:

• Crystal's journey from a highly stressed float pharmacist to a functional medicine practitioner.

• Why 70-80% of your immune system and 80% of your serotonin are produced in the gut.

• The myth of high stomach acid and why acid-blocking PPI medications can make digestion much worse over time.

• Leaky gut, histamine intolerance, and how bacterial overgrowths cause unexpected symptoms like anxiety, joint pain, and sun intolerance.

• A pharmacist's honest take on GLP-1 medications, the absolute necessity of strength training, and why you still need to eat food to prevent hair loss and fatigue.

• Supplement safety: why you should strictly avoid buying vitamins on Amazon and how to pick the right magnesium (glycinate, malate, and threonate versus oxide and citrate).

Resources & Links Mentioned:

• Grab Crystal’s free "5 Lab Clues" guide on her website to understand the common markers your doctor isn't explaining. https://www.phunctional-health.com/5labclues 
• Connect with Crystal on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phunctional.health/ 
• Book a free 30-minute virtual consultation: https://www.phunctional-health.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/functionalhealthpharmd/ 

Chapters:

0:00 Introducing Crystal Feliz and gut health
5:02 What functional medicine aims to treat
10:34 Functional-medicine insights on digestion and prevention
15:07 Custom supplements, medications, and lab testing
25:28 GLP-1 medications: benefits and risks
31:05 Why bloating happens after meals
37:52 Gut testing, food elimination, and leaky gut
43:42 Defining the gut and Crystal’s remote practice
48:20 Targeted supplements, magnesium, and probiotics
52:15 Lab guide, resources, and fiber takeaway
56:16 Closing thoughts on listening to your body

FOLLOW and CONNECT with Sue
Website - https://www.willoughbycoaching.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/willoughbycoaching/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sue_willoughby/
Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/suewilloughby/

If you want to start your own podcast feel free to reach out to me. I would love to help you on your journey to sharing your story and passion.

#LifeWorthBeing #Transformation #LifeCoach #Women #Empowerment #PersonalGrowth #InnerStrength #PurposefulLiving #MidlifeTransformation #Mindfulness #Mindset #SelfDiscovery #WomenEmpowerment #midlifestrategies 

🔥 Welcome to Midlife Strategies for Badass Women 🔥

I’m Sue Willoughby—Badass Midlife Strategist, life coach, and your partner in breaking rules, rewriting the script, and thriving unapologetically after 40.

This channel is for women who are DONE playing small. If you’re ready to ditch the “shoulds,” reclaim your power, and live a bold, joyful, purpose-driven life—you’re in the right place.

Each week, you’ll get real talk, raw stories, and badass strategies to help you:
✨ Smash through self-doubt and limitations
✨ Reclaim your confidence and clarity
✨ Build resilience and embrace reinvention
✨ Create a midlife that feels authentic, aligned, and f*cking powerful

This isn’t just a podcast—it’s a movement. A community of women who are tired of waiting and ready to step into their next-level life, unapologetically.

👉 Hit subscribe and turn on the bell so you never miss an episode. Let’s rise, rebel, and reinvent midlife—together.