Passage 1: On Endings (and the body’s first response to change)
The body often knows before we do. An email lands, a conversation shifts, a familiar rhythm we've relied on starts to fray. And even before we name it as an ending, something in us has already registered the change, signaling that we've stepped out of accustomed territory and into the unknown. Sleep patterns break. Appetite loses its usual shape. There's a hum of vigilance just under the skin.
Anatomy of Transition: Your Introduction to this Limited Series
The body tells the truth about change before the mind has words for it: sleep alters, appetite wobbles, attention narrows or scatters. That's because transition isn't just an event; its a process with its own anatomy. Something ends. There's a middle that asks more of us than we first imagined.
Longevity & Meaning
In this episode, Andrea discusses the gaps in the ever present conversation around longevity and health. Andrea posits that storytelling, meaning and fulfillment are essential to a life well lived.
What's Missing From The Conversation on Longevity
In this episode, Andrea discusses the unique challenges women face in midlife and beyond, why there’s no one-size-fits-all protocol for perimenopause and post-menopause, the role of hormone therapy, how Andrea applies the functional medicine matrix, why we need to pay attention to nervous system regulation, redefining identity and purpose as we age, and more.
Reclaim Your Health After 50
In this episode, Andrea shares shares how deep grief led her to reimagine wellness, build resilience, and teach thousands to trust their body’s wisdom. Listen in to learn: why one-size-fits-all health plans fail (and what works instead); Andrea’s “3 roots, many branches” framework for lasting change; how to decode symptoms as messages—not flaws; and what women over 50 can do right now to restore energy, balance, and clarity.
What to Do When You Feel Like You're Doing Too Much
In this episode, Andrea shares shares how she built Functional Nutrition Alliance while managing Hashimoto's, grief, and single parenthood—without burning out. We're diving into business strategies for chronic illness entrepreneurs, including the "base camp method" for sustainable business growth, why persistence beats consistency when your capacity changes, and how to pivot your expectations when chronic illness impacts your business.
Tools for Longevity
In this episode, Andrea discuss the pitfalls of one-size-fits-all protocols, the true science of longevity, practical ways to manage inflammation and blood sugar, and why cultivating genuine human connection may be one of our most powerful medicines.
Field Notes: Shapes of Sorrow
Today. July 16th marks my birthday. And later this week, the anniversary of Isamu’s death—twenty-three years ago.
These two dates live in tandem on the calendar. Just two days between them. And every year, I feel it—an invisible weight pulling through my chest, my breath, my skin. A kind of cellular knowing that this week hints at more than a passage of time. It’s another threshold.
Field Notes: The Arc of Aging
In the early morning hours—when the world is quiet and the page is still listening—I often find myself returning to the stories I’ve inherited, those I’ve told many times, and others I’m only just beginning to reclaim. Lately, as I explore the world of longevity, those stories have circled around aging—not simply as a biological process, but as a reflection of culture. A culture that tells those in midlife and beyond: you’re disappearing. Your symptoms are glitches. Your wisdom has an expiration date.
Field Notes: The Quiet Hours & The Stories They Reveal
Last time I wrote to you, I shared some thoughts about the stories we carry—about health, aging, and what it means to live inside a body that doesn’t always follow the script.Lately, I’ve been trying to listen more deeply to my own.
The Medicine in Belonging
Belonging is a deeply human need. It's more than being surrounded by others, part of the herd or crowd. It’s about feeling seen, accepted, and understood for who we truly are. And it doesn’t always require big gestures, grand summons, or the gravitational pull of a mob. Sometimes, it’s just an unspoken understanding, care without question, a connection that quietly binds us.
Exploring Narrative Medicine: A Personal Perspective
“The telling of stories alters who we become.” - Ben Okri What is Narrative Medicine? You might be pondering this question right now or as you engage with my newest offerings. If you are, I applaud your curiosity. You're in good company!
Menopause, Disease Root Causes & Reversing Hashimotos
In this episode, Andrea discusses nutrition, autoimmune disease and some of the problems women face in menopause as well as what we can do to resolve them.
Letter to My Body
Here goes … I’m about to share something deep and personal that helped to shape my journey as a Functional Nutritionist.
Purposeful Persistence
In this episode, Andrea discusses the beauty of balancing effort and trust in life. Andrea also shares her remarkable journey of finding purpose and perseverance amidst personal challenges.
How a Brain Tumor Influenced My Life’s Purpose
My passion for the role of nutrition in healthcare began with a family health crisis. This might have been true for you too. And by now you may be familiar with my origin story, but if not, it all began when my husband, Isamu, was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor.
Understanding Your Midlife Health And Hormone Balance
In this episode, we delve into many topics including everything we need to be focusing on in between doctor visits; how to find and begin to work on the root causes of health issues; hormone balance and the hormone pyramid in midlife; and our responsibility as the expert of ourselves and our bodies.
Mapping Story with Andrea Nakayama
In the 100th episode of the 15-Minute Matrix podcast I take you to the heart of the matter. To story. A patient’s story is a critical part of how we understand them and determine our next steps in care.