Episode 061: Overcoming “Normal” Labs When You Still Don’t Feel Like Yourself with Lisamarie Pietrogallo

What happens when you know something feels wrong in your body, but your lab results keep coming back “normal”? In this episode of Overcoming Anything, host Anne Vryonides sits down with Lisa Marie Petro Gallo to explore why women can experience exhaustion, brain fog, stubborn weight gain, bloating, anxiety, sleep problems, hormone changes, and other frustrating symptoms even when traditional testing does not provide clear answers.

Lisa Marie Petro Gallo is a board-certified family nurse practitioner, functional medicine clinician, and PhD in holistic nutrition with more than 30 years of experience in medicine. After surviving cancer in her twenties and later experiencing her own unresolved health challenges, Lisa Marie began exploring functional medicine approaches focused on nutrition, hormones, gut health, metabolism, and identifying patterns behind persistent symptoms.

Key Takeaways
• Lisa Marie encourages women to look beyond whether a lab result simply falls within a standard reference range and to have deeper conversations with qualified practitioners when symptoms persist
• Gut health, thyroid function, metabolic health, stress, sleep, nutrition, and hormones can influence one another, which is why Lisa Marie prefers looking at the body as an interconnected system
• Sustainable health changes do not require perfection. Lisa Marie emphasizes consistent nutrition, adequate protein, stress management, sleep, movement, and understanding what your individual body needs 

Timestamps
• 00:00: Introduction: when your labs say normal but you still do not feel well
• 02:00: Lisa Marie’s mantra: “Pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and move on”
• 04:00: What “normal” laboratory values mean from Lisa Marie’s functional medicine perspective
• 08:00: Why Lisa Marie looks at trends and what she considers optimal ranges in addition to standard reference ranges
• 12:00: The bucket analogy and how symptoms can gradually accumulate over time
• 16:00: Why Lisa Marie encourages women to become informed participants in their healthcare
• 20:00: Traditional medicine versus functional medicine approaches to laboratory testing
• 24:00: Lisa Marie’s cancer diagnosis and why it changed the way she approached her own health
• 28:00: Feeling lost in the medical system despite years of experience as a healthcare professional
• 32:00: Lisa Marie’s personal experience with thyroid issues and chronic health symptoms
• 36:00: Why Lisa Marie believes the body needs to be viewed as an interconnected system
• 40:00: Gut health, thyroid health, inflammation, and Lisa Marie’s personal recovery journey
• 44:00: Why nutrition became a major focus of her functional medicine approach
• 48:00: Gut bacteria, digestive health, and the connections Lisa Marie explores with clients
• 52:00: Processed foods, changing food quality, and concerns about modern diets
• 56:00: Helping families make healthier food choices without striving for perfection
• 01:00:00: Reading labels and reducing heavily processed foods
• 01:04:00: Lisa Marie’s approach to protein, healthy fats, and carbohydrates
• 01:08:00: Making nutrition practical for busy parents and families
• 01:12:00: Why moderation and consistency may be more sustainable than extreme dieting
• 01:16:00: Lisa Marie’s upcoming cookbook and creating higher protein versions of favorite foods
• 01:20:00: Her “carbohydrate bank” approach to flexibility and moderation
• 01:24:00: Building resilience instead of pursuing perfection
• 01:28:00: Stress, cortisol, insulin, and the hormone hierarchy Lisa Marie uses in her practice
• 01:32:00: What Lisa Marie learned while wearing a continuous glucose monitor
• 01:36:00: Why stress can influence blood sugar even when eating habits do not change
• 01:40:00: Understanding fasting blood sugar and hemoglobin A1C
• 01:44:00: Why Lisa Marie also evaluates fasting insulin
• 01:48:00: Insulin resistance, metabolic symptoms, brain fog, and difficulty losing weight
• 01:52:00: How Lisa Marie uses laboratory trends to identify potential metabolic concerns earlier
• 01:56:00: Why every organ has a purpose and the importance of understanding the whole body
• 02:00:00: Lisa Marie’s experience after thyroid cancer and lymph node removal
• 02:04:00: The lymphatic system, liver, digestion, and how body systems work together
• 02:08:00: Why some women struggle to lose weight despite feeling like they are doing everything right
• 02:12:00: Insulin, sleep, progesterone, cortisol, thyroid function, and metabolism
• 02:16:00: A simple explanation of TSH, T4, and T3 from Lisa Marie’s perspective
• 02:20:00: Thyroid medication and questions Lisa Marie encourages women to discuss with their healthcare providers
• 02:24:00: Gut health, mineral status, and the foundation Lisa Marie focuses on with clients
• 02:28:00: Lisa Marie’s personal experience maintaining a 30 pound weight loss
• 02:32:00: Magnesium, minerals, and why individual testing matters
• 02:36:00: Melatonin, sleep, and the importance of addressing sleep habits first
• 02:40:00: Caffeine, evening eating, blood sugar, and better sleep habits
• 02:44:00: Protein paired with carbohydrates and Lisa Marie’s practical nutrition tips
• 02:48:00: Why there is rarely one simple answer to persistent symptoms
• 02:52:00: Where to connect with Lisa Marie and learn more about her work
• 02:55:00: Lisa Marie’s upcoming cookbook and closing message 

Connect with Lisa Marie Petro Gallo
• Website: https://lisamarienpasanursepractitioner.com
• Instagram: Lisa Marie the NP, https://www.instagram.com/lisamariethenp/
• Facebook: Lisa Marie NP, https://www.facebook.com/lisamarie.pietragallo
• YouTube: Lisa Marie NP, https://www.youtube.com/@lisamarienp

If this episode helped you, share it with another woman who has been told that everything looks normal but still knows something does not feel right in her body. Your symptoms deserve to be taken seriously, and asking better questions can be an important part of becoming a stronger advocate for your own health.

I’ll see you next time on Overcoming Anything.
 ❤️ Anne

Disclaimer
The content of this episode is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical care, diagnosis, treatment, nutritional counseling, or individualized healthcare advice. The laboratory ranges, dietary strategies, supplements, hormone discussions, and functional medicine perspectives shared in this episode reflect the guest’s approach and should not be interpreted as universal medical recommendations. Laboratory results must be interpreted in the context of your individual medical history, symptoms, medications, and overall health. Do not start or stop medications, hormones, supplements, or significantly change your diet without consulting a qualified healthcare professional who knows your medical history.

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