It’s still a little too soon to fully laugh about it, but writing this feels like part of that.

Because I spent five years trying to get this right.

Five years of doing what I was told.
Following the rules.
Cleaning everything up.

And still ending up in the same place thinking…

how is this still not working?

It’s absolutely wild how long it took to figure this out.

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1. I stopped making doctor’s appointments

I didn’t go in planning to be done.

I just hit a wall.

Because it wasn’t just one appointment.

It was years of this.

Too many practitioners.
Monthly appointments, sometimes weekly.
Always adjusting. Always trying. Always hoping.

Same conversation.
Different appointment.

“Have you tried…?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, what about…?”
“Yes.”

Over and over.

Then she brought up low-dose naltrexone, kind of as a last option.

It’s something that can help quiet the way your brain focuses on symptoms, and it can be really supportive for things like inflammation, immune stuff, and nervous system sensitivity…

But the way it was presented to me in that moment…

it landed like the goal was to turn down the volume on what I was feeling.

Like if I just thought about it less… maybe it wouldn’t feel like such a big deal.

And I don’t even remember exactly what she said…
something about the “noise” around my symptoms going away.

But I remember how it felt.

Like I was being talked to like I was Veda from My Girl.

Like maybe I was making it bigger than it actually was.
Like my body wasn’t doing what I knew it was doing.

And honestly… that moment helped me more than she probably realized.

It showed me how much I’d been second-guessing myself,
and how ready I was to stop.

I don’t need something to quiet my body.
I need to start listening to it.

I walked out.

Stopped at the front desk, smiled, and said,
“I’ll call to reschedule.”

I already knew I wasn’t going to.

There was a moment walking to my car though,

what if something actually goes wrong?

Because those appointments feel like a safety net.
Even when they’re not helping.

But underneath that… there was something else.

I had evidence.

Years of figuring things out the hard way.
Years of handling more than I thought I could.

And something in me just knew,

I’m not as dependent on this as I think I am.

2. I used Human Design to understand how I was wired

Human Design kind of just found me.

And at the time, I definitely wasn’t thinking, this is going to fix everything.

I was just tired.

Tired of trying to follow things that didn’t feel right for me…
but doing them anyway because they were “good for me.”

Human Design gave me language for things I had felt my entire life but couldn’t explain.

How I make decisions.
How I use my energy.
Why I push through things that don’t feel right and call it discipline.

That part hit.

Because I can be disciplined.

I can follow anything.

But I was following things that didn’t actually work for me.

So I started paying attention differently.

Less what am I supposed to do
More what actually feels right for me

It took time to play with it.
To experiment.
To trust it.

But it started changing things.

3. I stopped following every food rule I was given

This one was messy.

Because some of what I was doing did help… at least for a while.

Lectin-free, for example, that actually made a difference at first.

But then it slowly turned into this really small, controlled box.

And I didn’t realize it until I did.

So I started getting brave…
(which took a hell of a lot, honestly)

And testing things.

Okay… what actually happens if I try this?

I made roasted tomato sauce one night.

Garlic.
Olive oil… something I was told I was sensitive to.
Spices. All of it.

Put it over spaghetti squash and ate it like,

we’ll see…

Because normally, I would feel it right away.
My body didn’t take long to react.

But nothing happened.

And I remember sitting there thinking,

what have I been doing this whole time?

Because it wasn’t just about tomatoes.

It was the realization that:

I had been following rules that weren’t built for my body.

4. I did the inner work before I ever touched another protocol

This one took me years to understand.

Because I really believed…

if I could just find the right protocol,
that would be the thing.

But every time I tried one, my body pushed back.

Hard.

By evening, my stomach would be rock hard.
Constipated.
Skin itching like crazy.

It felt like my whole body was already on edge.

And I just kept throwing more at it.

At some point I had to actually look at what was happening.

Not just physically, but underneath it.

Because my body was basically saying,

we are already fighting, stop adding more.

So I stopped.

And I went inward.

Subconscious work.
Journaling.
Patterns.
Using my astrology chart as a mirror, not just a forecast.

Getting honest in a way I hadn’t been before.

And this is where things got uncomfortable.

Because I had to face what I was actually carrying.

The pressure to prove myself.
Scared to be seen, but craving it at the same time.

All things that came from somewhere.
All things that made sense.

But none of them were actually mine.

And the moment that really cracked it open was realizing,

I had been building a life that looked right on the outside…
while ignoring what I actually wanted on the inside.

And my body knew that way before I did.

You can’t ask your body to fight something externally…

when it’s already holding all of that internally.

5. I stopped putting myself last

This one may sound simple.

But it wasn’t easy.

It looked like small things.

Not going to every work happy hour.
Not showing up to everything on the family calendar.
Not feeling like I had to be everywhere for everyone.

Letting work just be work.
Letting my kids be part of my life, not all of it.

And yeah… there’s guilt in that.

Especially as a mom.

But I started noticing something.

Every time I chose myself, even in a small way…

my body relaxed.

Like it had more space.
More air.

And nothing fell apart.

My kids still loved me.
My relationships were still there.
My life didn’t collapse.

If anything,

I showed up better in all of it.

I didn’t do any of this because I thought it would “fix” anything.

At the time, it felt messy.
Unclear.
Sometimes even wrong.

But looking back, this is what actually moved things.

Not another plan.
Not another list of foods.
Not trying harder to get it right.

Just…

coming back to myself.

My biggest lesson?

I don’t need to show up for everyone.

I need to show up for me.

Because when I do…

everything else starts to work with me.

xx ~ Jodi

P.S. I’d love to hear, what’s something that really shifted things for you along the way?

I’m Jodi, and if you found your way in here, chances are your gut has been calling for your attention. The bloating, the sensitivities, the discomfort… not to sabotage your life, but because something deeper needs support. And I’m guessing you’re tired of being the only one who can’t figure out why nothing works.

Maybe you’ve invested in labs, practitioners, supplements, programs…
Maybe you’ve cut half (or more!) of the foods you love…
Maybe you’ve Chat GPT’d your face off searching for the magical answer that finally explains why nothing sticks.

And yet… here you are.
Still searching.
Still wondering what you’re missing.
Still feeling like your gut has a secret it refuses to share.

This Substack is for you if:

✓ you’ve spent thousands on practitioners, labs, and supplements
✓ you’ve eliminated so many foods you don’t know what’s safe anymore
✓ you get bloated after almost every meal
✓ you’re exhausted, foggy, and feeling like a stranger in your body
✓ you’ve been told “it’s just stress” or “it’s all in your head”
✓ you’re done with surface-level advice and ready for root-cause healing

So let me just say this upfront, and I’m gonna say it with my whole chest:

Your gut is NOT beyond repair. At all. Not even close.

It just hasn’t been getting the right kind of help.

Because while everyone has been laser-focused on your food list, your stool test, your supplements…

They’ve missed the part of YOU that actually runs the show.

Here’s what changed everything for me (and what no one else is telling you):

Your gut issues aren’t just a gut problem.
They’re a nervous system problem.

And until your nervous system feels safe… no 30-day protocol, no probiotic, no elimination diet is going to give you lasting relief.

This is the truth that changed everything for me and it’s the heart of everything I teach now.

My Story (the spark-notes version)

I spent years climbing the corporate ladder like a good, over functioning, high-achieving woman who didn’t want to disappoint anyone.
I hustle-mom’d my way through postpartum.
I ignored every intuitive nudge that whispered, “slow down… this isn’t it…”
I tried to be everything for everyone, except the one person who actually needed me …myself.

And my body held it all.
Until it couldn’t.

My gut became the messenger, the fire alarm… the part of me that finally said:
“Girl. Enough.”

I did what you’ve probably done:
All the therapeutic diets.
All the SIBO protocols.
All the leaky gut supplements.
All the elimination and restriction and obsessive trying.

Nothing worked because I was treating the symptoms of a deeper misalignment.

Everything shifted when I stopped asking:
“What’s wrong with my gut?”
and started asking:
“What has my body been trying to tell me… that I didn’t want to hear?”

I learned that my gut couldn’t heal because my nervous system was living in a permanent stress loop.
I learned that my body was protecting me, not punishing me.
And I learned that real healing isn’t about tightening the rules, it’s about softening into safety.

Root Rising was born from that knowing.

What This Substack Is Actually About

This space is where we go deeper than Instagram, deeper than emails, deeper than the “drink bone broth” wellness soundbites.

I’ll be writing about:

✓ The real root causes of digestive issues like IBS, SIBO, chronic bloating, and food sensitivities
✓ Nervous system dysregulation + the gut-brain connection
✓ How healing actually unfolds in the layered, nonlinear, beautifully human way
✓ Reclaiming your body, your energy, your life (through Human Design)
✓ The tender, nuanced, soul-level pieces of this work no one else is talking about

No toxic positivity.
No “just think better thoughts.”
No shame-based wellness.

Just truth, embodiment, science-meets-soul healing.

Who This Is For

This is for you if:

→ you’ve seen 3+ practitioners (functional medicine, naturopaths, gastroenterologists) and still don’t have answers
→ you’ve tried elimination diets, antimicrobials, and every probiotic on the market
→ you’re afraid to eat out because you never know what will trigger symptoms
→ you know there’s something deeper going on in your body
→ you’re ready to partner with your body instead of fighting it
→ you want real, grounded, soulful support, not a bunch of bs

This space is for women who are done shrinking.
Done disappearing.
Done living in digestive distress.
Done carrying the emotional weight of something no one else can see.

If you’re ready to heal from the root… welcome home.

What Makes My Approach Different

Most gut-healing approaches focus on:
✓ food
✓ supplements
✓ protocols

They treat IBS, SIBO, food sensitivities, and chronic bloating like isolated gut problems.
But your body doesn’t work in isolated systems, and your gut definitely doesn’t.

I start with your nervous system because your body digests based on your state, not your intentions.

Stress chemistry slows digestion.
Hypervigilance tightens the gut.
Survival mode reroutes energy away from repair.

Bone broth can’t override biology.
Probiotics can’t convince a dysregulated system to feel safe.

My Root Rising approach follows the 3 R’s:

Regulate your nervous system
Restore your gut function
Reclaim your freedom + your life

It’s not a protocol.
It’s a partnership.

What You’ll Get Here

I publish once a week (for now… but listen, I have so much to share that I’m SO excited about so it may be going bi-weekly soon).

You’ll get:

✓ personal stories
✓ science + soul educational deep dives
✓ client breakthroughs
✓ practical tools you can implement without spiraling into overwhelm

If you want quick tips, this might not be your spot.
If you want depth, clarity, truth, and a sense of “holy shit… finally someone gets it,” then you’re in the right room.

Here’s What’s Possible:

One of my clients, Sarah, came to me after 8 years of IBS. She’d seen multiple practitioners, spent over $15,000 on tests, protocols, and supplements, and was down to eating less than 10 “safe” foods.

Three months into The Gut Reset Method, she was eating 50+ foods again, traveling without fear, and sleeping through the night for the first time in years.

What changed? We regulated her nervous system first. Everything else followed.

Let’s Do This Together

Healing is relational.
Your nervous system literally heals faster in connection than in isolation.

That’s why I created The Gut Reset Method, my 12-week group experience where we work on the real root cause of your symptoms: the dysregulated nervous system.

But before we go there, I want to meet you.

If you’re unsure where you are in your healing journey or what your body actually needs next, book a free Gut Reset Assessment Call.

Book your free call here → We’ll talk about what’s actually happening in your body, where you’re stuck, and the exact next step to take. No pressure. Just clarity.

One Last Thing…

Thank you for being here.
Thank you for trusting me with your story, your time, your energy.

If something I write resonates, tell me in the comments.
If you have questions, ask them.
If you disagree, say so kindly… I’m human too.

This space works best when it’s a conversation, not a monologue.

So pull up a chair, settle in, and exhale.

Welcome to Root Rising.
I’m so glad you’re here.

xo,
Jodi

P.S. Next week I’m dropping a 3-part video series: “Why Your Gut Won’t Heal (And What Every Practitioner Missed).” This series might completely shift how you see your healing journey. Hit subscribe so you don’t miss it.

Where am I in my healing? And am I doing this right?

Most of us were taught to treat healing like a checklist.

A 21-day reset.
A gut protocol.
A clean list of steps laid out like baking instructions:

“Just follow this exactly and you’ll come out healed. Goodbye.”

Cute in theory.
Wildly inaccurate in real life.

Your body doesn’t heal on command.
It doesn’t heal on a schedule.
And it definitely doesn’t heal because you’re “being good” this week.

Your body heals in layers, not linear lines.
It heals based on what you feel, not what you intend.
And it heals at the exact pace that your awareness, nervous system, history, and unconscious patterns allow.

And here’s the twist:

You can be in multiple phases at once.

I am.

I’m in the part of healing where I’m expanding.
I’m in the part where I’m aligning.
I’m in the part where I’m experiencing freedom.

And I’m also, on some days, in the part where I’m soothing myself back to center, looking around like:

“Wait… am I healed?
Or am I starting over?
Or is this just another layer unfolding?”

Healing isn’t a ladder.
It’s a spiral.

You return to things you thought you’d closed.
You see new angles of old wounds.
You soften in places you once hardened.
You grow in ways you didn’t know you needed.

You move forward, sideways, backward, inward, all at once.

And the question that finally changed everything for me wasn’t:

“How do I heal faster?”

It was:

“What is my body trying to say that I’ve been unwilling to hear?”

Because there’s a phase before the awareness phase.
A phase most women live in for years.

The pre-awareness phase.

The unconscious contracting.

It’s the part where your mind says, “I’m fine,”
but your body’s all, “Nope, sure am not.”

Before symptoms.
Before the gut chaos.
Before the food sensitivities and the flares.

It’s the years of:

• staying in relationships because you “should”
• never having the hard conversations or setting boundaries
• carrying resentment like a second skin
• hustling through your own exhaustion
• pleasing everyone but yourself
• living someone else’s version of who you should be
• ignoring the soul nudges
• pushing down what you don’t want to look at

Your body hides these things… until it can’t.

Symptoms don’t show up the moment something “goes wrong.”
Symptoms show up the moment your body can no longer carry what your life has been silently asking it to hold.

Before my gut ever said a word… my life was already speaking.

I drank myself numb through my teens and twenties and beyond.
I climbed a corporate ladder I never wanted.
I hustle-mom’d my way through years of postpartum.
I lived inside expectations that never belonged to me.
I ran from religion because it was forced on me.
I carried the weight of my parents’ divorce.
I didn’t have an actual father figure.
I lived to please my mom.
I hid inside roles that didn’t fit.

I was in the pre-awareness phase for a long-time, years.
Decades, even.

And eventually the body said:
“Enough.”

Awareness cracks open.
The whisper becomes a voice.
And everything finally comes into focus.

From there… you begin moving through the real layers:

The soothe + stabilize layer

Where the body softens and the chaos slows down.

The expand + rebuild trust layer

Where curiosity returns and you feel your signals again.

The alignment layer

Where your lifestyle finally matches your needs, sleep, pace, boundaries, nervous system, and rituals.

The freedom layer

Where your body feels like a partner, not a threat.

Truthfully…

I’m in multiple layers right now.

And that’s normal.

Healing is not a finish line.
It’s a relationship.
A partnership.
A co-creation.

And that’s exactly where I am today:

Co-creating with my soul.
Co-creating with the universe.
Trusting that something bigger, wiser, and deeply intentional is working with me, not against me.
Trusting that the timing makes sense even when I don’t see the why yet.
Trusting that every layer has something to teach.

I’m no longer trying to “get healed.”
I’m learning to get present.
I’m learning to get aligned.
I’m learning to stay connected.
I’m learning to trust the unfolding.

Healing is simply what happens on the way.

If You’re Wondering Where You Are…

You’re not behind.
You’re not doing it wrong.
You’re not late.
You’re not stuck forever.

You’re in a layer.
And layers shift.

If you want help figuring out:

• what layer you’re actually in
• what your body needs right now
• why things haven’t been moving
• and the next step that will finally make a difference

This is exactly what the Gut Reset Assessment Call is for.

It’s the map.
The clarity.
The “here’s where you are and here’s where you go next.”

Let’s meet your body where it is, not where you wish it was.
Let’s give you a direction that feels grounded, supportive, and sustainable.

Book your FREE Gut Reset Assessment Call Here

Can’t wait to connect, xx!