257. The Healing Power of Oxytocin with Carly Bayless

Episode 257 of the Female by Design podcast, hosted by Francie Winslow, titled "257. The Healing Power of Oxytocin with Carly Bayless" was published on March 23, 2026 and runs 45 minutes.

March 23, 2026 ·45m · Female by Design

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Episode Description

What if one of the most powerful tools for healing your nervous system isn't a supplement or a protocol — it's a hug? In this episode, Francie sits down with functional medicine nurse practitioner Carly Bayless to take a deep dive into oxytocin: what it actually is, why it matters far beyond labor and breastfeeding, and how finding "oxytocin opportunities" throughout your day could be the missing piece in your healing journey.

Whether you're navigating chronic illness, new motherhood, a demanding season of life, or simply a cortisol-soaked Tuesday — this conversation will change the way you see connection.

Key Takeaways

Oxytocin is your body's primary buffer against chronic cortisol — it's not a nice-to-have, it's a need-to-have.
You don't need a long list of oxytocin activities. Look for the one opportunity right in front of you and be fully present in it.
Screens replace eye contact (and oxytocin) with cortisol. That trade is more costly than we realize.
Vulnerability in community builds oxytocin. Reaching out when you most want to isolate is often exactly what your nervous system needs.
God wired us for connection — with each other and with Him. The desire to feel safe, near, and known is not weakness. It's design.

Meet Carly Bayless

Carly is a functional medicine family nurse practitioner, founder of Nurture Functional Medicine, and host of The Carly Bayless Podcast. Her path into functional medicine began at age 16 when she experienced a major crash of chronic fatigue and was eventually diagnosed with POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome). After being told by conventional medicine that there was little to be done, she found real healing through a functional approach — and never looked back. Today she serves women across multiple states and is especially passionate about hormonal health, nervous system regulation, and helping women understand God's design for their bodies.

She's also a relatively newlywed (married January 2024) and a new mom to 11-month-old twins — so she's living this content in real time.

Connect with Carly Bayless

Podcast: The Carly Bayless Podcast Instagram: @carlybaylesswellness | @nurturefunctionalmedicine

Resources Mentioned

📖 Anchored by Deb Dana — a therapist's accessible guide to polyvagal theory
🎙️ The Carly Bayless Podcast — follow up on all things functional medicine and nervous system health
📱 Instagram: @carlybaylesswellness | @nurturefunctionalmedicine
🏥 Nurture Functional Medicine — Carly's practice, serving women in multiple states