And what it means for clarity, cravings, anxiety, and performance
There’s a voice most people trust without question.
The one that says:
- “Just one more bite.”
- “Skip it today – you’re tired.”
- “You deserve this.”
It sounds reasonable. Familiar. Internal.
But what if that voice isn’t you at all?
In this week’s episode of The Full Stack Podcast, Mike Bledsoe and Ted Phaëton explore a question most people never slow down enough to ask:
Who – or what – is actually influencing your decisions?
When Discipline Isn’t the Problem
High performers are trained to look inward for psychological fixes.
If cravings show up, they tighten discipline. If anxiety spikes, they hunt for a better mindset. If clarity fades, they add another tool, protocol, or routine.
But there’s a deeper layer most conversations skip.
Your body isn’t a single organism. It’s an ecosystem.
And inside that ecosystem are bacteria, fungi, and parasites — each with their own survival agenda.
When that balance shifts, thoughts, moods, and impulses shift with it.
This isn’t theory. It’s biology.
The Gut–Brain Axis: Why Thoughts Can Be Biochemical Signals
The gut–brain axis is a two-way communication system between your digestive tract and your nervous system.
Signals don’t just travel down from the brain. They travel up – constantly.
In the episode, Mike explains how disruptions in the gut can influence:
- Sugar cravings
- Brain fog
- Anxiety and low-grade panic
- Emotional reactivity
- Decision fatigue
That “inner voice” pushing you toward certain foods or away from discomfort may not be intuition at all.
It may be biological signaling designed to protect something that thrives on sugar, inflammation, or chaos.
For a deeper breakdown of this mechanism, you can read the companion essay here:
👉 Are Parasites Controlling Your Brain?
The Zombie Ant Parallel (Uncomfortable — and Clarifying)
In nature, there’s a well-documented phenomenon known as the Zombie Ant Fungus.
A parasite infects an ant, overrides its nervous system, and drives behavior that benefits the parasite – not the host.
The ant doesn’t lack willpower. It isn’t broken.
It’s being influenced.
Mike draws a careful parallel between this phenomenon and what happens when parasitic or fungal overgrowth begins interacting with the human gut–brain axis.
The result isn’t dramatic mind control. It’s subtler — and more insidious:
- Cravings that feel irrational
- Anxiety without a clear external cause
- Fog that no amount of productivity hacking fixes
- Shame layered on top of confusion
Seen through this lens, these experiences aren’t failures. They’re signals.
Why Entrepreneurs Feel This First
Entrepreneurs live at the edge of their nervous systems.
High stakes. Constant decisions. Minimal recovery.
When biology is compromised, it shows up fastest in leadership, clarity, and emotional regulation.
Many founders don’t have a mindset problem. They have a physiological authority problem.
White-knuckling discipline works – until it doesn’t.
Sovereignty isn’t about forcing better behavior. It’s about restoring clarity at the level where decisions originate.
Reclaiming Authority From the Inside Out
This conversation isn’t about fear or obsession.
It’s about precision.
Instead of asking, “What’s wrong with me?” Mike invites a different question:
“What’s influencing my system right now?”
When you stop fighting your body and start listening to it, clarity returns naturally.
Not through control. Through understanding.
Because sovereignty doesn’t begin in your calendar. It doesn’t begin in your bank account.
It begins in your nervous system.
About The Full Stack Podcast
The Full Stack Podcast explores the integration of biology, business, leadership, and sovereignty. Hosted by Mike Bledsoe and Ted Phaeton, the show is for entrepreneurs who want success without sacrificing clarity, health, or authority.