Faith, Fasting, and Functional Medicine: A Conversation with Dr. Tabatha Barber
In this episode, Dr. Tanya Paynter interviews Dr. Tabatha Barber, a triple-board-certified physician in obstetrics, gynecology, menopause, and functional medicine.
Episode Highlights:
  • Dr. Barber's Journey: How life challenges shaped her calling to empower women.
  • Integrating Faith and Healing: The spiritual, mental, and physical triad in health.
  • Mindset and Body Connection: How thoughts influence bodily health.
  • Tools for Transformation: Faith, gratitude, fasting, journaling, and listening to God.
About Dr. Tabatha Barber: Dr. Tabatha Barber overcame many early-life hardships to become a leading physician and a passionate advocate for women’s health. She is the host of The Gutsy Gynecologist Show, author of Fast to Faith, and founder of her own supplement line. Her holistic approach addresses not only physical but also spiritual and mental well-being, aiming to help women heal, live authentically, and honor their God-given bodies.
Episode Outline
1. Dr. Tabatha's Personal Story
  • Early life struggles, including teenage pregnancy and self-worth challenges.
  • Transformation through faith, leading to her medical career.
  • Journey to align her medical practice with her Christian faith and holistic values.
2. The Role of Faith in Healing
  • Faith as foundational in her medical practice.
  • Reconnecting with God for true healing; mind, body, and soul are interdependent.
  • Biblical principles as a guide in health, including rest, gratitude, and honoring the body.
3. Mindset and Its Physical Implications
  • Negative thoughts produce stress-related chemicals, damaging the body.
  • Positive affirmations, gratitude, and a focus on health foster physical well-being.
  • Romans 12:2—renewing the mind to transform health and life.
4. Tools for Holistic Healing
  • Faith-Based Fasting: Denying fleshly desires to focus on God.
  • Journaling with Scripture (Lectio Divina): Meditating on and recording insights from God's Word.
  • Future-Gazing with God: Setting life goals in alignment with how God sees us and our future potential.
5. Practical Tips for Listeners
  • Bringing faith into health conversations with doctors.
  • Pursuing both medical and spiritual interventions for full healing.
  • Embracing rest and letting go of the "busyness" as a barrier to connection with God.
Action Tips
Faith-Based Fasting Program (from Fast to Faith)
Purpose: Redirect focus to God by fasting from foods or habits that consume attention.
Steps:
  1. Pray for strength and set a specific intention for fasting.
  1. Start Small: Begin with a short fast or eliminate a single food group (e.g., sugar).
  1. Stay Hydrated and ensure balanced nutrition after fasting.
  1. Reflect daily on any lessons or insights gained through the process.
Lectio Divina Journaling Practice
Overview: A meditative approach to Scripture designed to invite God's voice into daily life.
Instructions:
  1. Read a chosen verse slowly and reflect.
  1. Meditate: Ask God what He is communicating through this verse.
  1. Journal: Write any insights, prayers, or questions.
  1. Thank: Close with gratitude for any revelations or thoughts.
Future-Gazing Exercise
Purpose: Clarify life goals and align them with God's vision.
Steps:
  1. Imagine your ideal life five years from now. Include spiritual, physical, and personal aspects.
  1. Journal detailed steps to bridge the gap between your current life and this future vision.
  1. Pray for guidance to live in alignment with this God-inspired vision daily.
Attitude of Gratitude
Method: Regularly list things to be grateful for, especially in moments of stress or negativity.
Outcome: Shift focus from stress to God's goodness, fostering peace and activating healing processes.
Reflect On Your Health Habits
What health routines have I maintained that genuinely serve my physical and spiritual well-being?
Do I find myself treating my body as a vessel given by God? If not, how can I begin to change this?
How do I currently react to discomfort or pain in my body, and what might my reactions reveal?
Am I using "busyness" as a distraction from deeper personal or spiritual issues?
What foods, substances, or habits might be controlling me rather than serving me?
In what ways could fasting (whether from food or other habits) help redirect my focus to God?
Reflect On Your Relationship w/ God
How do I feel when I speak to God about my health concerns? Am I genuinely open to His guidance?
What are some thoughts I regularly have that may distance me from trusting God's plan?
How do I react to unmet prayers, and what might this reaction reveal about my faith?
In what ways do I seek to "control" my life instead of surrendering to God's timing?
How might I better listen for God's direction in small, everyday health choices?
Where do I feel resistance in my relationship with God, and how could this be affecting my health?
More About the Speakers
Dr. Tabatha Barber
Dr. Tabatha Barber, known as "The Gutsy Gynecologist," holds board certifications in obstetrics, gynecology, menopause, and functional medicine. Her background includes overcoming personal challenges through faith and a commitment to serving women. She is the author of Fast to Faith and shares her message on The Gutsy Gynecologist Show, focusing on holistic women's health.
Learn more: www.drtabatha.com
Follow Dr. Tabatha Barber:
  • Podcast: The Gutsy Gynecologist Show
Dr. Tanya Paynter
Dr. Tanya Paynter is a Naturopathic Doctor and founder of the Christian Women's Health Fellowship. With a deep integration of faith and evidence-based medicine, she focuses on treating complex migraines, anxiety, depression, and hormone imbalances. Through her work, she inspires women to find God's hand in their journey toward health.
Follow Dr. Tanya Paynter: