Wired But Tired: The Cortisol Conversation No One Is Having With Elizabeth Gaines

In this episode our conversation centres on cortisol—the hormone at that is the key navigator of your stress response—and why so many people feel exhausted, wired, and out of sync… even when they think they are doing everything “right.” In this episode, we explore what cortisol is, how cortisol works, what happens when your stress response becomes dysregulated, and why conventional approaches often miss the bigger picture. We’ll also break down how functional testing can reveal patterns that standard labs overlook—giving you a clearer, more complete understanding of what your body needs to heal and perform at its best. My guest today is Elizabeth Gaines, Director of Education at Functional Diagnostic Nutrition® (FDN), where she leads curriculum design, live training and mentor development for one of the world’s most respected functional health certification programmes. For more than a decade, Elizabeth worked in nonprofit trauma recovery, supporting victims of domestic minor sex trafficking. The relentless pace and emotional toll led to burnout and chronic illness. When conventional medicine dismissed her symptoms she turned to FDN, where she discovered how to uncover hidden healing opportunities through functional lab testing and personalised protocols. The approach helped her reclaim her energy, clarity and sense of purpose. Learning Points: • What cortisol actually does in the body when it’s working properly • How functional lab testing changes the way we understand cortisol compared to standard testing • What the most important markers are to look at when assessing stress physiology Social Media: Website - https://www.functionaldiagnosticnutrition.com/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/FunctionalDiagnosticNutrition/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fdntraining/ You Tube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7xDnEKCe9gKeWZ2vbE3C8w Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/san-diego-natural-health-&-fitness-ctr/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/FDNtraining Podcast - https://www.functionaldiagnosticnutrition.com/health-detective-podcast/