Fasting, Microbiome Reset, and the Intelligence of Your Body

About this episode: In this episode of the Thrive with Cate Stillman Podcast, Cate Stillman leads a live session from Club Thrive, sharing insights from her own recovery after hip replacement surgery while guiding participants through a gut health and fasting reset. This conversation dives deep into the relationship between fasting, the microbiome, and adipose (fat) tissue—revealing how the body naturally detoxifies and regenerates when given the right conditions. Cate explains how practices like the fast mimicking diet, microbiome reset, and 72-hour fasting activate autophagy, improve metabolic health, and reshape cravings at their root. Through a blend of modern science and Ayurvedic wisdom, she reframes fat tissue as an active endocrine organ and highlights how stored toxins, microbes, and inflammation influence behavior, energy, and long-term health. Beyond the physiology, this session also explores the mental and emotional aspects of fasting—how to navigate cravings, build awareness, and use community support to move through resistance and create lasting change. Key Takeaways: Autophagy & Detoxification: How fasting allows the body to "upcycle" itself by breaking down and recycling damaged cells for optimal function. Adipose Tissue as an Endocrine Organ: Why fat tissue plays a central role in hormones, cravings, and overall metabolic health. Microbiome Reset: Understanding the "battle" between good and bad microbes—and how diet and fasting shift the balance. Cravings Explained: How detoxing fat tissue and starving dysbiotic microbes can temporarily intensify cravings—and why that's a sign of progress. Fasting as a Skill: Why practicing fasting regularly builds resilience, clarity, and even prepares the body for deeper states of healing and integration. Community & Repetition: How doing this work in a group setting makes transformation easier, more sustainable, and more impactful over time. Resources & Links: Wellness Pro Academy: https://wellnesspro.academy Yogahealer: https://www.yogahealer.com About the Host – Cate Stillman: Cate Stillman is an Ayurvedic practitioner, author, and founder of Yogahealer and Wellness Pro Academy. For over 25 years, she has guided wellness professionals and individuals to align their habits, health, and business with natural intelligence and sustainable practices. Tune in and reflect: "What would shift in your body and mind if you trusted its natural ability to reset, detox, and renew?"