The Autoimmune Doc Podcast w/ Dr. Taylor Krick

Many people think functional medicine is simply taking supplements like magnesium, vitamin D, fish oil, or probiotics. In this episode, Dr. Taylor Krick explains why successful healing is far more complex—and far more effective—than simply choosing the "right" supplement.Drawing from over a decade of clinical experience helping people with autoimmune diseases, chronic illnesses, and complex mystery symptoms, Dr. Taylor breaks down how functional medicine practitioners use supplements as tools to support healing, rather than as standalone solutions.You'll learn why understanding mechanisms matters more than memorizing products, how experienced practitioners build step-by-step protocols, the importance of identifying root causes, and why lab testing, timelines, dosage strategies, and patient mindset all play critical roles in recovery.Dr. Taylor also shares insights from some of the most influential educators and researchers in functional medicine and explains how concepts such as inflammation, gut health, detoxification, histamine, immune regulation, mitochondrial function, and nutrient deficiencies fit into a comprehensive healing strategy.Whether you're dealing with autoimmunity, chronic inflammation, fatigue, brain fog, digestive issues, or simply want to better understand how functional medicine works, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at the philosophy and process of supporting the body's ability to heal.

Fertility challenges are becoming increasingly common, but what if the conversation needs to go beyond hormone treatments and fertility clinics?In this episode of The Autoimmune Doc Podcast, Dr. Taylor Krick and Ryan Ayala explore the growing fertility crisis and the underlying mechanisms that may be contributing to infertility, recurrent miscarriages, and pregnancy complications. Rather than focusing solely on fertility treatments, Dr. Krick discusses how optimizing overall health can improve the body's natural ability to conceive and maintain a healthy pregnancy.Topics include the impact of environmental toxins, plastics, pesticides, personal care products, air quality, gut health, detoxification pathways, mitochondrial function, nutrient deficiencies, thyroid health, MTHFR, progesterone, and the role of functional medicine in uncovering hidden barriers to fertility.Whether you're actively trying to conceive, supporting a healthy pregnancy, or simply interested in understanding the factors affecting reproductive health today, this episode offers practical insights and a root-cause perspective on one of the most important health challenges facing modern families.Key Takeaways:• Why fertility rates are declining worldwide• The connection between toxins and reproductive health• How nutrient deficiencies can impact fertility• The role of gut health and detoxification pathways• Understanding MTHFR, methylation, and mitochondrial health• Why optimizing overall health often improves fertility outcomes• Practical steps to support fertility naturallyAs always, Dr. Krick breaks down complex science into easy-to-understand concepts that empower you to take control of your health.

In this episode of The Autoimmune Doc Podcast, Dr. Taylor Krick is joined by Mickey Trescott MSc, author of The New Autoimmune Protocol and one of the leading voices behind the Autoimmune Protocol, also known as the AIP diet or Autoimmune Paleo.If you have an autoimmune disease, Hashimoto’s, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic inflammation, food sensitivities, leaky gut, brain fog, fatigue, joint pain, or unexplained symptoms, this episode will help you better understand how food can influence the immune system.Dr. Taylor Krick and Mickey discuss why AIP is not just a 30-day elimination diet, but a structured healing process designed to help calm immune system overactivation, support gut health, improve nutrient density, and identify personalized food triggers.They also talk about the updated version of AIP, including Core AIP, Modified AIP, the transition phase, the elimination phase, and the reintroduction process. Mickey shares how the protocol has evolved over the last decade and how new research is supporting its use in autoimmune conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.This episode is a great resource for anyone trying to understand the root causes of autoimmune symptoms and how diet, food sensitivities, gut inflammation, immune regulation, nutrient density, and lifestyle all connect.Find out more or order Mickey's book at:https://mickeytrescott.com/

Most people with autoimmune disease, chronic fatigue, leaky gut, or gut health issues are handed a diagnosis and told there's nothing they can do, no roadmap, no plan, just manage your symptoms. In this episode, Dr. Taylor Krick breaks down the exact step-by-step healing journey he uses with patients to achieve real, lasting results through functional medicine, lab testing, and root cause thinking. Whether you're dealing with autoimmunity, inflammation, food sensitivities, or unexplained symptoms, this episode gives you the framework to finally understand where you are and where you need to go.Dr. Taylor covers the most important functional labs to run first (organic acids test, GI MAP stool test, and blood panels), how to structure supplements in short-term, mid-term, and long-term phases, and why your mindset and the questions you ask are more predictive of healing than any protocol. You'll also hear why root cause medicine isn't about finding one answer and what actually drives people across the finish line.If you're stuck, plateaued, or just starting your journey, this episode is your roadmap.Subscribe for new episodes every week on functional medicine, autoimmunity, and healing.Time Stamps:00:00 – Why Conventional Medicine Fails Autoimmune Patients 05:39 – What a Real Functional Medicine Roadmap Looks Like 10:09 – The 4 Questions Every Practitioner Should Ask at Follow-Ups 18:00 – Best Functional Labs for Autoimmunity: OAT, GI MAP & Blood Panels 26:01 – What an Organic Acids Test Actually Reveals About Your Health 33:52 – Root Cause Medicine: Why There's No Single Cause of Illness 38:39 – The Mindset That Determines Who Actually Heals 49:18 – Diet & Supplements for Autoimmunity: Short, Mid & Long-Term Strategy57:52 – How to Know When You've Reached the Other Side of Healing 1:01:00 – Why Proactive Lab Testing Matters Even When You Feel Great#AutoimmuneDisease #FunctionalMedicine #GutHealth

Work with Dr Taylor 1 on 1: https://doctaylorkrick.com/10 Steps of Autoimmune Eating Download Here!What should you eat if you have an autoimmune disease? In this episode, functional medicine practitioner Dr. Taylor Krick breaks down food sensitivities, elimination diets, gut healing, the autoimmune paleo protocol, histamine intolerance, FODMAP triggers, and why no single diet works for every autoimmune patient. If you've tried going gluten free, cutting out dairy, or following a carnivore or AIP diet and still feel terrible this episode explains why, and what to do instead.Dr. Taylor walks through the different types of immune reactivity (IgG, IgE, IgA), how food sensitivity testing actually works, why stool testing and organic acids testing should come before an elimination diet, and how to raise your food tolerance over time by healing the gut and microbiome. He also covers lectins, nightshades, oxalates, reactive hypoglycemia, continuous glucose monitors, and the real order of operations for autoimmune nutrition.If this helped you rethink how you approach food and autoimmunity, subscribe and drop a comment with the biggest thing you're taking away from this episode.#AutoimmuneDisease #GutHealing #FoodSensitivityTIMESTAMPS:00:00 – Why No Single Diet Works for Autoimmunity03:15 – IgG vs IgE vs IgA Food Sensitivity Testing Explained08:30 – How Lectins and Nightshades Trigger Inflammation11:45 – FODMAP Diet for SIBO, Bloating, and IBS17:00 – Histamine Intolerance and High Histamine Foods20:00 – Why Gut Healing Matters More Than Food Elimination22:29 – Carnivore Diet vs AIP for Autoimmune Conditions29:35 – Dieting to Lose Weight vs Dieting to Heal37:04 – Stool Test vs Food Sensitivity Test: Order of Operations42:11 – The 10 Steps of Autoimmune Eating Roadmap49:07 – How Your Taste Buds Change on an Elimination Diet53:22 – Building Food Resilience Through Microbiome Healing

Work with Dr Taylor 1 on 1: https://doctaylorkrick.com/Mast cells and histamine are the hidden drivers behind symptoms like brain fog, anxiety, bloating, allergies, skin rashes, and autoimmune disease and most doctors never test for them. In this episode, Dr. Taylor Krick breaks down what mast cells are, how histamine intolerance differs from mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and why your histamine bucket may be overflowing from gut inflammation, mold exposure, food sensitivities, and environmental toxins.You'll learn the exact supplements Dr. Taylor uses in his functional medicine clinic, how to identify if mast cells are driving your symptoms, and why gut health is the number one lever to pull for lasting relief. Whether you're dealing with Hashimoto's, seasonal allergies, leaky gut, or mysterious symptoms nobody can explain, this conversation will change how you think about healing.Subscribe and drop a comment if mast cells might be your missing piece.#MastCells #HistamineIntolerance #AutoimmuneDiseaseTime Stamps:00:00 – What Are Mast Cells and Why They Matter03:12 – Mast Cell Symptoms Most People Miss06:45 – Histamine Intolerance vs MCAS Diagnosis10:20 – How Mold, Lyme, and Toxins Trigger Mast Cells13:30 – The Histamine Bucket Theory Explained16:14 – How Mast Cells Connect to Autoimmune Disease18:10 – Do Gut Issues Cause Mast Cell Activation20:33 – Where to Start: Gut Health or Histamine Support23:24 – Can You Reverse Allergies by Lowering Histamine25:50 – Quercetin vs Cromolyn: What the Research Shows29:09 – Best Supplements for Mast Cells and Allergies35:00 – Why Supplement Dosage Matters More Than You Think39:00 – DAO Enzyme and Histamine Metabolism Explained42:46 – Glutathione's Role in Mast Cell Stabilization49:46 – Full Patient Process at a Functional Medicine Clinic57:23 – Why Mast Cells Are a Game Changer for Healing

Work with Dr Taylor 1 on 1: https://doctaylorkrick.com/What causes autoimmune disease and what's actually happening inside your body when your immune system attacks itself? In this episode, Dr. Taylor Krick breaks down the root causes of autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto's, lupus, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, and Crohn's disease, explaining the role of leaky gut, T cell polarization, molecular mimicry, loss of immune tolerance, and hidden infections like Epstein-Barr and strep. You'll learn the three stages of autoimmune disease, why antibodies can appear years before a diagnosis, how food sensitivities signal a deeper problem, and what functional medicine lab testing actually reveals that standard bloodwork misses. Dr. Taylor also walks through his real-world clinical approach from 90-minute patient intakes to targeted supplement protocols, dietary strategies like AIP, and the truth about biologics. Whether you've just been diagnosed or you're trying to understand what's driving your symptoms, this episode gives you the full picture. Subscribe and drop your questions in the comments, we read every one.TIMESTAMPS00:00 – What Is Autoimmune Disease and How Does It Start 04:51 – Dr. Taylor's Personal Autoimmune Journey 07:01 – How Your Immune System Attacks Your Own Body 13:32 – Why the Immune System Loses Tolerance 17:32 – 3 Stages of Autoimmune Disease Before Diagnosis 20:30 – How Functional Medicine Treats Autoimmunity 23:40 – Best Lab Tests for Autoimmune Conditions 34:17 – T Cells Explained39:32 – How Biologics Work and Their Hidden Risks 44:18 – Leaky Gut, Leaky Brain, and Barrier Theory 54:11 – How Infections Trigger Autoimmune Disease 1:00:10 – Molecular Mimicry: Gluten, Strep, and Cross-Reactivity 1:05:00 – Dr. Taylor's Full Patient Treatment Process

Work with Dr Taylor 1 on 1: https://doctaylorkrick.com/Mold toxicity is one of the most misunderstood triggers behind autoimmune disease, chronic fatigue, anxiety, histamine intolerance, and unexplained symptoms that conventional doctors can't figure out. In this mold illness master class, Dr. Taylor Krick breaks down how mycotoxins affect your immune system, gut health, and brain and shares the exact testing, detox strategies, and supplements he uses with patients in his functional medicine practice. Whether you're dealing with mold exposure symptoms, suspect mold in your home, or you've been stuck despite working with other practitioners, this episode gives you a clear framework for identifying the problem and building a recovery plan. Dr. Taylor covers mold lab testing (organic acids test, urine mycotoxins, ERMI), glutathione, binders, mast cell activation, and the role of histamine in driving mysterious symptoms. You'll also learn affordable DIY steps to test your home and clean your air. Drop your questions in the comments and subscribe for weekly episodes!Timestamps:00:00 – Why Mold Illness Is the Most Missed Diagnosis in Medicine03:01 – How Mycotoxins Damage the Immune, Neurological, and Metabolic Systems05:39 – Preventing Mold Illness: Vitamin D, Gut Health, and Clean Air08:52 – Sauna for Mold Detox: Does Sweating Remove Mycotoxins?12:11 – Mold Symptoms Doctors Miss: Anxiety, Brain Zaps, and Histamine15:52 – Lab Markers That Point to Mold: Eosinophils and the OAT Test19:31 – How to Read Urine Mycotoxin Tests Without Overreacting22:55 – What to Do If You Find Mold in Your Home or Apartment29:16 – DIY Mold Testing: Mold Plates, Dust Tests, and ERMI Explained34:50 – Mold Detox Supplements: Glutathione, Binders, and Anti-Inflammatories42:06 – Mast Cells, Histamine, and the Mold Connection Most Doctors Ignore50:53 – Why There's No One-Size-Fits-All Mold Recovery Protocol54:47 – Can't Sweat? What It Means for Detox and Mold Recovery57:36 – How to Build Your Case for Mold and Avoid Misdiagnosis1:11:22 – Outro

Work with Dr Taylor 1 on 1: https://doctaylorkrick.com/Dr. Taylor Krick breaks down the most common functional medicine questions  from stool testing (GI Map vs. GI Effects), to Lyme disease treatment that isn't working, to how Epstein-Barr virus reactivates, to the best ways to test for mold illness through blood and urine. If you're dealing with autoimmune disease, a high ANA titer, chronic inflammation, or mystery symptoms that won't go away, this Q&A gives you real clinical insight you won't hear in a standard doctor's office.Dr. Taylor explains why chasing a single diagnosis like Lyme or EBV often misses the bigger picture — and how understanding your immune system (TH1 vs. TH2 balance), toxin burden, and gut health can change your entire approach to healing. He also walks through mold antibody testing, mycotoxin labs, and the CIRS model so you can have smarter conversations with your practitioner.Drop your questions in the comments for next week's Q&A and subscribe so you don't miss it.#AutoimmuneDisease #MoldIllness #FunctionalMedicineTime Stamps:00:00 – How the Autoimmune Doc Q&A Works01:05 – GI Map vs. GI Effects: Which Stool Test Is Best?03:07 – Why Stool Test Results Vary Between Labs06:26 – Lyme Disease Treatment Not Working: What to Do Next08:59 – Why a High ANA Titer Points to Toxins, Not Just Lyme10:59 – How to Know If Epstein-Barr Virus Is Reactivated14:26 – Parasites, TH1 vs. TH2, and Why EBV Keeps Coming Back15:32 – How to Test for Mold Illness Through Blood Tests17:59 – Mycotoxin Antibodies vs. Mold Antibodies Explained19:29 – Why No Single Test Can Confirm Mold as the Cause

In this episode of The Autoimmune Doc podcast, Dr. Taylor Krick breaks down everything thyroid from hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's to hyperthyroid and Graves' disease. As a functional medicine practitioner who personally has Hashimoto's, Dr. Taylor shares the thyroid labs your doctor isn't running, why your TSH and T4 alone don't tell the full story, and the root causes behind thyroid symptoms like hair loss, weight gain, fatigue, and anxiety. You'll learn the difference between hypothyroid, hyperthyroid, and silent Hashimoto's, what a full thyroid panel actually looks like, the role of gluten, gut health, and methylation in thyroid autoimmunity, and the step-by-step approach Dr. Taylor uses with patients from low-hanging fruit like vitamin D and omega-3s to gut protocols and detoxification. He also shares his own thyroid journey, including the dietary changes, supplements, and red light therapy he's currently testing on himself. Whether you're newly diagnosed or years into your thyroid journey, this episode gives you a functional roadmap to start feeling better.Drop a comment with your biggest thyroid question we read every one. Subscribe for weekly deep dives into autoimmune conditions and functional medicine.TIMESTAMPS00:00 – Three Types of Thyroid Problems Explained 02:57 – Why Hypothyroid Is So Common in Women 07:11 – Can You Get Off Thyroid Medication Safely? 12:36 – Synthroid vs Armour Thyroid Medication Compared 17:50 – Full Thyroid Lab Panel Your Doctor Should Run 20:46 – Affordable Thyroid Labs Without Insurance 22:14 – Hair Loss, Weight Gain & Hidden Thyroid Symptoms 28:59 – Methylation Issues and B Vitamins for Thyroid 33:09 – Best Diet for Hypothyroid and Hashimoto's 38:34 – Why Hypothyroid Causes Hair Loss and Anxiety 44:47 – Hashimoto's With Normal Labs Explained 49:11 – Five Root Causes of Autoimmune Thyroid Disease 54:10 – Hyperthyroid, Graves' Disease & Healing Stories 59:30 – Red Light Therapy and Supplements for Thyroid 1:04:54 – Dr. Taylor's Personal Hashimoto's Journey

Dr. Taylor Krick answers your most-asked autoimmune questions in this live Q&A, covering the fastest natural anti-inflammatories for autoimmune flares, the best Hashimoto's diet and nutritional support, whether red light therapy and grounding actually help autoimmune disease, how to approach PCOS naturally, TH2 dominance symptoms and testing, and how to detox kids exposed to mold and mycotoxins. This is real talk from a functional medicine practitioner who works with autoimmune patients every single day.You'll learn why turmeric and resveratrol together outperform most anti-inflammatory supplements, how the "10 Steps of Autoimmune Eating" framework helps you scale your diet up or down based on how you feel, and why binders alone won't fix a mold-triggered immune response in children with PANS/PANDAS. Dr. Taylor also breaks down the difference between treating the toxin and treating the immune reaction, a distinction most practitioners miss.Drop your questions in the comments for next week's Q&A and subscribe so you never miss an episode.TIMESTAMPS00:00 – Why We're Launching a Weekly Autoimmune Q&A 02:01 – Fastest Natural Anti-Inflammatories for Autoimmune Flares 04:37 – When to Use Your Anti-Inflammatory Supplement Protocol 05:31 – Best Diet and Nutritional Support for Hashimoto's 07:45 – 10 Steps of Autoimmune Eating Framework Explained 10:02 – Does Red Light Therapy or Grounding Help Autoimmunity 13:06 – How to Approach PCOS With Functional Medicine 15:03 – Can Ginger Raise Your Blood Pressure 17:00 – How to Find Out If You Are TH2 Dominant 20:14 – Treating TH2 Dominance and Sun Allergy With Itching 23:01 – Mold Mycotoxins PANS PANDAS in Children Treatment 28:30 – Why Detox Binders Alone Won't Fix Immune Problems

IBS, leaky gut, SIBO, Hashimoto's are four of the most misunderstood gut health conditions in functional medicine and they're more connected than most people realize. In this episode of The Autoimmune Doc podcast, Dr. Taylor Krick sits down with New York Times bestselling author and Hashimoto's thyroid expert Dr. Izabella Wentz to break down the root causes of irritable bowel syndrome, how intestinal permeability triggers autoimmune disease, and why conventional IBS treatment fails 75% of patients. They cover the gut-thyroid connection, SIBO breath testing, elimination diets, food sensitivities, histamine intolerance, mold toxicity, and how to heal your gut naturally using functional lab testing and targeted protocols.Whether you're dealing with bloating, constipation, diarrhea, or an autoimmune diagnosis like Hashimoto's, this conversation gives you a clear roadmap for identifying your specific root causes and the right order of operations for healing. Dr. Wentz also shares details on her new book covering 20+ treatable causes of IBS.Subscribe to The Autoimmune Doc for weekly deep dives into chronic and complex health conditions.Connect with Dr. Wentz!!https://thyroidpharmacist.com/https://www.instagram.com/izabellawentzpharmd/Timestamps:00:39 – How Hashimoto's Led to a Gut Health Discovery01:56 – Dr. Izabella Wentz's Autoimmune Health Journey08:35 – Why IBS Precedes Autoimmune Disease by 5–15 Years10:49 – Leaky Gut and the 3 Requirements for Autoimmunity14:36 – Best Functional Medicine Labs for Gut Testing15:51 – Why Conventional IBS Treatment Fails Most Patients18:50 – Food Sensitivity Testing and Stool Analysis Explained23:40 – Order of Operations for Treating Gut Conditions29:52 – SIBO: Why Probiotics and Fiber Make You Worse32:54 – Low FODMAP Diet Mistakes That Damage Gut Diversity36:08 – IBS vs IBD: How to Know the Difference41:35 – Sugar Alcohols and Food Additives That Wreck Your Gut46:22 – How Glyphosate and Mold Toxins Destroy the Microbiome49:14 – How Low Thyroid Hormone Shuts Down Digestion52:31 – Elimination Diets vs Food Sensitivity Testing57:25 – Histamine Intolerance, Mast Cells, and the Vagus Nerve1:00:46 – Dr. Wentz's New IBS Book and Where to Find It

Dr. Taylor Krick answers the 11 Burning Autoimmune Questions Answered — from childhood eczema labs and gut health to food sensitivities, leaky gut, and the real root causes of autoimmune disease using a functional medicine approach. Whether you're struggling with inflammatory skin conditions, confused about the autoimmune paleo diet, or wondering about ferritin, iron overload, MTHFR, methylation, and high homocysteine — this episode breaks it all down.You'll also learn why your omega-3 dose is probably too low, what vitamin D levels you should actually target, whether magnesium supplementation is overhyped, and how to use supplements strategically with macro and micro cycles instead of guessing. Dr. Taylor explains the cell danger response, seed oils, oxidative stress, and why a nuanced functional approach beats one-size-fits-all protocols every time.If you're navigating an autoimmune condition or chronic illness, drop your biggest question in the comments and subscribe for more deep dives with the Autoimmune Doc.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro00:39 – Best Labs for Childhood Eczema and Skin Conditions03:09 – Stool Tests, Food Sensitivity, and Organic Acids Explained08:19 – Is the Autoimmune Paleo Diet Forever?13:09 – Sleep, Alcohol, and Diet: The Autoimmune Flare Bucket17:34 – High Ferritin, Iron Overload, and Oxidative Stress22:39 – Anemia of Chronic Inflammation Explained25:46 – Why Retesting Lab Work Is Critical for Healing27:56 – Low Iron, B12 Deficiency, and Pernicious Anemia33:49 – MTHFR Gene, Methylation, and High Homocysteine42:40 – Should You Take a Daily Multivitamin?44:48 – Vitamin D, Omega-3s, and Long-Term Supplements49:29 – Omega-3 Dosing: Why You're Probably Taking Too Little54:39 – Fish Oil Quality, Rancidity, and the Bite Test58:34 – Seed Oils, Omega-6 to Omega-3 Ratio Explained64:34 – Vitamin D From Sun vs. Supplements70:24 – Magnesium Supplementation and Cell Danger Response79:39 – How to Choose Supplements Based on Your Mechanisms#AutoimmuneDisease #FunctionalMedicine #GutHealth

Dr. Ben Weitz is a sports medicine chiropractor out of Southern California who is also the host of The Rational Wellness Podcast, with over 450 episodes interviewing the top experts in the Wellness community. He has an amazing "healing story" - he broke his femur on Halloween night a few years ago and refused the surgery doctors said he needed. Here's how he healed it naturally.Dr. Ben Weitz, 67-year-old chiropractor and host of the Rational Wellness Podcast (440+ episodes), joins Dr. Taylor to share his incredible story of healing a non-union femur fracture using a combination of functional medicine, targeted supplementation, and smart pharmaceutical interventions — after his surgeons told him his leg would collapse.In this episode, we cover everything you need to know about bone health, whether you're recovering from a fracture or trying to prevent osteoporosis.---KEY TAKEAWAYS:• Vitamin K2 (MK-4) at 45mg is the research-backed dose — not 100mcg• Calcium is safe when paired with vitamin D + K2 in absorbable forms• Heavy resistance training (5-rep max) beats Pilates and walking for bone density• Don't just supplement — test vitamin D, omega-3 index, CTX, P1NP, and inflammatory markers• The body wants to heal — remove obstacles and provide building blocks!!--- DR. WEITZ'S BONE HEALTH STACK:• Vitamin D: 10,000 IU (titrated to 60-65 levels)• Vitamin K2 (MK-4): 45mg daily• Calcium: 200-500mg, 2x daily (absorbable form)• Magnesium• Boron• Strontium citrate• Collagen• Omega-3: 6g daily• Forteo: daily injection for 5 months• HGH: 2 IU, 5 days/week---🔗 CONNECT WITH DR. BEN WEITZ:Website: https://drweitz.comPodcast: Rational Wellness Podcast (Apple, Spotify, YouTube)---📚 RESOURCES MENTIONED:• Lift More Trials — Belinda Beck (Australia)• Cyrex Labs — Array 5• Designs for Health — MK-4 supplement• DEXA scans with Trabecular Bone Score (TBS)• Omega Quant / OmegaCheck testing---⚠️ DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement or treatment protocol.#BoneHealth #Osteoporosis #FunctionalMedicine #DrBenWeitz #VitaminD #VitaminK2 #FractureHealing #AutoimmuneDoc #NaturalHealing #Supplements

Genetics is one of the hottest topics in health—but it’s also one of the most misunderstood.In this episode of The Autoimmune Doc Podcast, Dr. Taylor Krick sits down with Dr. Tyler Panzner PhD to talk about how genetics can actually be used to optimize health—without falling into the trap of thinking genes replace the fundamentals (diet, movement, sleep, stress, and lifestyle).Dr. Tyler shares how his own 23andMe results sparked a deep dive into genetic pathways, why “one-size-fits-all” supplement advice can backfire (especially for sensitive nervous systems), and how to think in terms of biochemical bottlenecks and “big levers” instead of overwhelm-inducing data dumps.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:-Why genetics can be helpful… but never replaces lifestyle basics (eat well, move well, sleep well, breathe well)-The difference between SNPs/variants, alleles, and what heterozygous vs. homozygous really means-Why “having the MTHFR gene” isn’t the point—everyone has the gene, many have mutation(s), his question is - how well is it functioning?-Tyler’s practical framework: finding your biggest biochemical bottlenecks instead of chasing 300-page genetic reports-A nuanced take on precision supplementation (and why “TikTok Shop protocols” can create new problems)-The COMT gene explained: how it impacts dopamine, adrenaline/noradrenaline, estrogen, and even personality tendencies-Why some people feel amazing on certain supplements… and others get anxiety, insomnia, heart palpitations, or overstimulation-How popular flavonoids like quercetin can be a hidden issue for some (even when taken “for allergies” or “for inflammation”)-Why vitamin D status isn’t just about the blood level—receptors + conversion enzymes can change the whole story-A behind-the-scenes look at why genetics research isn’t always “clean” or easy to study (and why clinical pattern recognition matters)Guest Info:Dr. Tyler Panzner, PhDWebsite: https://drtylerpanzner.com/If you’ve ever tried “the right supplement” and felt worse… or you’ve been told your genes are a “life sentence”… this conversation will give you a clearer, calmer, and more empowering way to think about genetics and healing.

This podcast is sponsored by Micro Balance Health Products. Use code AUTOIMMUNEDOC for 15% off your order at  www.microbalancehealthproducts.comTravel is great - you can see the world, see old friends, see new places, have an adventure.....I'm a big fan of all those things. I love traveling, but sometimes it comes at a cost. I hear stories ALL THE TIME of people flaring during or after traveling, and in this episode I share plenty of those stories. Sometimes that's an autoimmune flare when someone has a known autoimmune disease like Hashimoto's, Rheumatoid Arthritis, MS, Lupus, or any other diagnosis. Sometimes it's just a symptom flare - you feel more anxious, more inflamed, more foggy, more histamine-y, more bloated, your gut and digestion are thrown off, whatever it may be - you flare. In this podcast, I talk about flares while traveling in detail. I break it down into 3 sections to make it more digestible and actionable:1. STORIES - stories of flares that you might relate to - I've heard hundreds! Hearing stories lets you know that it's not just you, and the hope is that you can relate to some of these stories because they are all unique and different. 2. MECHANISMS/REASONS - why would someone flare while traveling? When you know the mechanisms, you can try to get ahead of them. I give my Top 4 Reasons  for flares while traveling.3. SOLUTIONS - what can you do about it? How can you protect yourself? I throw out a handful of ideas, options, and potential solutions to consider to AVOID the next flare and help you ENJOY your travels - whether it's diet and avoidance, traveling with certain supplements, or keeping your air quality clean while away - the options AWAY from home are not always the same as the options at HOME - so it's important to know how you can protect yourself. Have you even flared while traveling? What do you think caused it? What did you do about it? Send this to someone you know who might value from this episode!

This podcast is sponsored by Micro Balance Health Products. Use code AUTOIMMUNEDOC for 15% off your order at  www.microbalancehealthproducts.comMast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), Histamine Intolerance (HIT), and other mast-cell-mediated pathologies are becoming more and more well-recognized - -partially thanks to COVID and the changes we have seen in the world since 2020, partially thanks to new science and research, partially based on social media and educational platforms like mine - - but there is still a lot of misunderstanding, incorrect information and people suffering, even in the alternative wellness world, so today I wanted to TALK ABOUT IT. (The conventional world is about 10 years behind on this, so best of luck if you are looking for histamine answers there!)  Histamine and mast cell stuff is quite interesting once you learn to recognize and understand it, and in a functional wellness practice that helps complex or multi-system conditions it is RAMPANT - - I actually recorded this podcast earlier today then I started seeing people (I'm now writing these notes after work), and literally SINCE I RECORDED THE AUDIO, I've heard 3-4 more stories that could have easily made it into this episode!! Mast cells and their expression, activation and release of histamine (and other inflammatory mediators) are associated with autoimmune diseases like Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's, Ulcerative Colitis), but perhaps more importantly associated with everyday symptoms like congestion, runny nose, vertigo, bloating, abdominal pain, headaches/migraines, insomnia, heart palpitations, lightheadedness, nausea, diarrhea, reflux, brain fog, skin itching, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and more - the things people show up with in a functional practice, and the things that often look "fine" to the specialists, and this can make people feel like they are going crazy. In this episode, I "talk about" everything I know about histamine. That's A LOT, too much to type it all out in the show notes, that's why I turn the mic on and talk into it, because I'm better at talking than typing, so please listen :)BUT, in this episode I cover a lot of stuff - my favorite mentors and books that I have learned from, the concept of the "histamine bucket", the basic understanding of mast cells and what they are, where they are (gut, sinus, skin, etc), what histamine is, how histamine is degraded or broken down, the common symptoms, the diagnostic criteria for these diseases, I'm sure I share some personal opinions besides just all the science and facts, and I talk about how I put this into a framework for people who are looking to get well, and WHAT and HOW I USE some of my favorite tools to help people, and some stories that I hear everyday about how these things are working, which is often really well. Check it out, and please leave a rating, a review, and send this episode to a friend!Anxiety, Mast Cell Activation, and LPS (Youtube video)Mast Cells in Pain, Neuroinflammation, and Alzheimer's (study review on Youtube)

This podcast is sponsored by Micro Balance Health Products. Use code AUTOIMMUNEDOC for 15% off your order at  www.microbalancehealthproducts.comThis podcast is a perfect transition from my last podcast where I interviewed an ENT surgeon, because the people I'm speaking to and referring to in this episode - people with head "fullness", ear "pressure", or "head drainage issues" - have almost ALWAYS been to an ENT, but they are still left with very few answers, and that's the frustrating thing - they are often getting NO ANSWERS or HELP - and that's why they come to me. I will admit that I'm recording this podcast just to "talk about" these mechanisms and symptoms that often run together, because I see these things really often and many times I'm able to help quite a bit, but no two people have the same story - and there are a lot of moving pieces when we look deeper into the mechanisms involved, root causes, and differential diagnoses - but there are a lot of things that overlap with these cases, and targets that we can look into or begin aiming at.Very often people present in my office complaining of some combination of:Head "fullness" - the head feels "full" or "heavy" or like it "doesn't drain"Dizziness, lightheadedness, vertigo, tinnitus, or other vestibular issues with motion, crowds, flashing lights, etc Ear "pressure" - there is some unresolving ear pressure, often one-sided, or the feeling that the ears won't "equalize"Pressure "changes" - with incoming storm fronts, airplanes, altitude changes, or with no rhyme or reasonLymph stagnation or swollen/tender lymph nodes - around the ear, neck, base of skullNeck pain - stiff neck, headaches, tight postural muscles, "coat-hanger" painHistamine responses - allergies, sensitivities, or other mast-cell mediated pathologies or symptomsDrainage or mucus production - nasal or post-nasal drip, or feel congestedAnxiety/Panic/Stress Response - this often leads to more "danger signals", fight-or-flight, anxiety, panic, overthinking, etcIs this mold? Is this biofilms? Is it viral? Is this from gut dysbiosis? Is this toxin accumulation? Is this the glymphatic system in the brain not draining? Is it TMJ or subluxation of the C1 atlas bone? Is this vagus nerve? Or - is this some combination??In this podcast, I just "talk about" the people I see with these symptoms, the mechanisms that are often involved, the mysteries that are often involved, the tools available and the success that many can have. I talk about the different targets, like lymphatic drainage of the brain and Th2 inflammation, I talk about different strategies, like air quality control, nasal applications, supplements, chiropractic care, lymphatic drainage techniques, and much more. I just like to TALK ABOUT these things, but also give potential action steps, with the hope that it helps somebody out there who might have a similar problem - and I think this episode and the information given will end up helping SOMEONE - so send it to someone that you think needs to hear it!

This podcast is sponsored by Micro Balance Health Products. Use code AUTOIMMUNEDOC for 15% off your order at  www.microbalancehealthproducts.comI'm really excited about this episode! I spent a lot of my early life in ENT offices, so I've personally always been really intrigued by the science of sinus inflammation and sinusitis for understanding my own health problems, but I've also been very discouraged by the conventional treatments and (lack of) solutions offered by conventional Ear Nose and Throat doctors.Dr. Don Dennis MD FACS is different. As an ENT surgeon who was seeing chronic sinusitis every day, he started asking the question "WHY?" which led him to investigate the problems associated with air quality and specifically MOLD TOXICITY. If you have listened to this podcast, you know I am passionate about air quality - whether it be molds, mycotoxins, allergens, particulates, VOCs, endotoxins, or whatever is in the air - we need to breathe clean air. I have interviewed clients,  pediatricians, MDs, DOs, PTs, Indoor Environmental Professionals about this topic.We KNOW that mold makes people sick - that info has been around since the Old Testament - but Dr. Dennis lets us know a little bit more about HOW and WHY this works. Some of things I found the most interesting in our conversation:Molds like dark, warm, moist places and can colonize sinuses and noses. Cleaning out the sinuses with antifungals can be a GAME-CHANGER for some people! Dr. Dennis tells some amazing stories, and even plays audio from a patient herself.The immune system responds to molds in the environment with Eosinophils (white blood cells), and these eosinophils come into nasal mucosa and can form "pits", where mucus accumulates. The cilia can't effectively clear the mucus, so it becomes infected and inflamed, and the "microbial burden" grows, including Staph, Pseudomonas (normal residents of the nose) and MOLD, and these bugs can sometimes form biofilms which make them antibiotic resistant. Mayo clinic showed that over 90% of chronic sinus infections had a fungal component involved, and he discusses those studies. Molds release toxins called MYCOTOXINS. Mycotoxins ACCUMULATE in sinus tissue. When Dr. Dennis has biopsied and tested sinus mucosa, there are abundant mycotoxins stored in the mucosal tissue. The sinuses are RIGHT NEAR THE BRAIN. These tiny little airborne toxins can go right up the olfactory nerve into the brain and accumulate in the brain - they are fat-soluble neurotoxins - in areas like the pituitary that regulates our thyroid, adrenals, stress response, growth hormone (healing) and more.Someone might show 3 toxins on a toxin test (Dr. Dennis prefers urine mycotoxin testing), but when you biopsy their tissue, like the pituitary tissue in the brain for example, there might be MORE. It's hard to measure what all has accumulated in the tissue. In his words, it's a toxic soup up there. Because of his experience over the last nearly 40 years as an ENT, Dr. Dennis has a LOT of expertise on air quality and we discuss certain tools like ozone, ionizers, purifiers, mold testing plates, mold dogs, and more. Dr. Dennis has developed tools to help people - - both professionally as a sinus surgeon, but he also formulated all of the MicroBalance Health Products and EC3 products - they make mold neutralizing candles, cleaning wipes, fogging spray, laundry additives, and more. If you have an autoimmune disease, mold toxicity, or sinus issues, you will love this conversation! Please leave a rating, a review, or better yet - send this to someone you love or care about - or anyone with a nose and brain :)

OUR NEW, 4-MODULE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM - MAKING SENSE OF PANS/PANDAS!!Youtube video - Scientific Study Review - OCD and AutoimmunityObsessive-Compulsive Disorder has been around for a long time. PANS - Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome, and PANDAS - Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Strep - are a little bit newer and trendier terms, but, it's because we are seeing more and more kids presenting with sudden behavioral shifts, motor tics, and OCD tendencies, and very often it's after Strep infections.Did you know that these are AUTOIMMUNE CONDITIONS?? Here is a brief explanation of how that works, using Strep infection as an example. Check out the podcast for much more detail, or better yet, check out our online educational program Making Sense of PANS/PANDAS where we go deeper and I show slides, pictures, I review studies, I explain lab testing options, supplements, support strategies, additional resources, but you ALSO learn about the mental health side of things from my good friend and counselor Alicia Howe LCPC, who specializes in treating OCD. SO - a kid (or adult) gets Strep throat (or many other infections). The immune system produces ANTIBODIES to "flag" Strep and produces INFLAMMATION to go "kill" Strep. We want this to happen. The problem is, that the body can "mistakenly" flag (antibodies) and attack (inflammation) its self - - THAT'S WHAT AUTOIMMUNITY IS - - and in this case, antibodies and autoimmune inflammation can impact dopamine signaling in areas like the basal ganglia - - that's why another name for this is autoimmune encephalitis or basal ganglia encephalitis. This can drive different responses like FEARS, ANXIETY, EMOTIONAL OUTBURSTS, EATING DISORDERS, EMOTIONAL LABILITY, MOTOR TICS, OBSESSIONS, COMPULSIONS, and more. As with ANY health condition or symptom, the key isn't some "miracle drug" to treat this condition, the key is to UNDERSTAND WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING - - because understanding the mechanisms helps you understand the solutions, and helps you get actual results. The hope of this podcast, and our online educational program especially, is that we can help parents or others suffering to understand a bit more about what's going on and what they can do about it - - so share this with somebody who you think it could help!

According to Dr. Google, "Dysbiosis refers to an imbalance in the composition and function of the microbial community within a body, particularly the gut microbiome. This imbalance can lead to various health issues, including digestive problems, inflammatory conditions, and even neurological and mental health concerns."In the medical or scientific world, you would have to live in a cave to not know the word "dysbiosis" - - it's ALL OVER the scientific literature, it's a popular buzzword on the internet, and along with "leaky gut" it's REALLY, REALLY important for autoimmunity - - but what exactly does that MEAN?!?! It just means imbalance of living things in the body, but it is a MAJOR DRIVER of inflammation, permeability, immune imbalances, histamine, autoimmune progression, and SYMPTOMS. Did you know you can have dysbiosis of the ear canal and that drives inner ear inflammation?Did you know you can have dysbiosis of the mouth and it drives gingivitis and cavities? Did you know you can have dysbiosis of the sinus, lung, vaginal tract, or skin?Dysbiosis is bad, it drives inflammation, and the solutions are generally to "pull weeds and plant seeds" - - but still - - HOW DO YOU KNOW, HOW CAN YOU MEASURE IT, and WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT?!?!That's what this podcast breaks down - - (some of) the tools I use in an effort to suspect dysbiosis (symptoms), detect dysbiosis (labs), or address dysbiosis (action steps)  - - some of my favorite probiotics, antimicrobials, and more.

Bloating is one of the most common symptoms that I see, if not THE SINGLE MOST COMMON COMPLAINT I HEAR IN PRACTICE (but anxiety is up right there....). Honestly, I see great results with bloating and feel confident that I can help improve this complaint, but over the years I have realized that there are different "types" of bloating - - there can be gas production, food reactivities, intestinal inflammation, uterine/ovarian inflammation, maldigestion, water retention, or all-of-the-above could be happening at the same time - and all these can lead to the feeling of abdominal distention and make someone say "I just feel BLOATED!"I used to think that almost all bloating was fermentation of foods from imbalanced gut bacteria (dysbiosis - my next podcast episode!!!), but as I've helped hundreds of cases of bloating throughout the years, I now realize that not all "bloating" is the same thing - there is fermentation and gas production yes, which can come from Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), and this is STILL the single-most common driver, but what if it's NOT SIBO? What if it's SIFO (fungal overgrowth)? What if it's LOW bacteria in the gut? What if they have H. pylori or a parasite? What if it's not from gut dysbiosis? What are the MECHANISMS THAT MAY BE INVOLVED? How can we test for these things, and WHAT CAN WE DO?!?!In this podcast I discuss how I approach these cases, what the mechanisms might be, and how I differentiate bloating from foods vs. bloating from inflammation vs. bloating from histamine vs. bloating from water retention vs. bloating from hormone cycles - and how I might  address each of these differently so that someone comes back in and says "MY BLOATING IS GONE!", which is a great thing to hear :)

In this episode, I interview my friend and colleague Dr. Roberta Van Zant DO, a functional medicine expert in many areas, but especially Lyme disease and tick-borne infections. Due to several reasons, including my background training as a chiropractor, scope of licensure (can't prescribe....), my practice style (cash-based consultations services - no insurance), and some other reasons that I discuss in the podcast, I personally don't dive as deep into infections as many other practitioners do - Lyme, Bartonella, EBV, CMV, HHV, HSV, Strep, Pseudomonas, Mycoplasma, etc - but that doesn't mean I don't think they matter in autoimmunity, they matter A LOT. Everyone knows that infections drive inflammation.  Everyone knows when they have the flu they don't want to get out of bed. Everyone knows when they have strep throat they can't hardly swallow. Everyone remembers 2020. My kids even know this stuff. Fevers, coughs, lethargy, earaches, belly aches, headaches - that's an immune response, and it's a GOOD THING most of the time. BUT, then it can get confusing when you go deeper than surface-level! There are a lot of different "types" of infection - acute, chronic, something you picked up from your kids vs. something that's been living inside of your body that has become imbalanced (yeast, SIBO, etc) vs. something that "reactivates" like a virus....then there are RNA viruses and DNA viruses, there are tick-borne infections that can lay dormant or be passed in utero to babies, there are biofilm colonies of bugs (which Dr. Van Zant describes as a "party" that we don't know who all is at at the party, but we know it's going on inside of us.....I love that!), and there are GOOD BUGS TOO - and it can be confusing. SO, in this episode, Dr. Van Zant and I discuss all of these things and more, including testing, treatment, some clinical tools we use, some reasons for why we do what we do when we do it, while both having the same goal - trying to help people get better. 

In a recent podcast interview, a pediatrician friend of mine asked "Wait, who is this mold testing guy you keep talking about?" When I told him about Ben Kunze of Golden Environmental LLC, he was jealous, and rightfully so - there aren't many mold-testers out there who are as good as Ben, as honest as Ben, and who care about the people they serve as much as Ben. We REALLY, REALLY value having him here in Central Illinois, he has also become my friend and occasionally he kicks my butt on the mountain bike trails :)If you are local, you should call Ben. MOST of my podcast audience is not from Central Illinois, but I still think this episode will be helpful and educational to hear what a GOOD INSPECTOR LOOKS FOR. I just had someone in my practice who had Ben out to her house, he found some really, really important puzzle pieces that needed to be addressed - but her house had been previously inspected and remediated more than once, but she was still experiencing weird health symptoms. She was MAD at the previous inspectors, but she was so grateful for Ben!! Unfortunately, we hear that quite often.Ben Kunze has a great purpose-driven story. He was intrigued by mold and indoor air testing after a family member was experiencing health concerns that led them to discover mold, and he took on an apprenticeship under Martine Davis, a well-known mold/environmental inspector out of Wisconsin, then began his own testing business, which grew into a full-time job. Since then, Ben has tested over 1000 homes. When you've inspected 1000 homes, you start to notice trends, patterns, common themes, mistakes, etc - and that is what this episode is all about - what Ben has seen and what YOU should be looking out for in your home. Ben's job is literally to snoop around your whole house - the roof, gutters, windows, plumbing, basement, attic, bathroom, etc. I am embarrassed to admit that Ben has been into places in my house that I have never even been! He spends several hours at each job visually inspecting, taking pictures, measuring humidity levels, and taking lab samples when indicated, and then he provides the results of course, but also gives an EXTENSIVE and DETAILED written report covering everything from lab values that were found to remediation considerations and priorities.I tell people that Ben has two questions he asks when he's looking at a home/building:1. If I were water, where would I go?2. If I were mold, where could I grow? His knowledge and experience are amazing, his service is amazing, and I've personally seen him impact hundreds of people's lives and their health journeys, and that's the point of this episode - it's a great conversation that covers a lot of important topics, and my hope is that it can be really helpful for someone who is trying to navigate the sometimes-overwhelming world of mold, mold testing, mold remediation, air quality in general, and environmentally-acquired illnesses. As always leave a rating, a (good) review, or send this to someone you care about!

Michael Rubino is a name I've heard a lot the past few years in the mold and indoor environmental air quality world, which if you've listened to this podcast you know this is something I am also very passionate about. He wrote a book a few years ago called The Mold Medic, an Expert's Guide on Mold Removal that we have on our shelves (someone actually has it checked out right now!), he hosts a podcast called Never Been Sicker, and he's heavily involved with a few great organizations, including:The Dust Test - one of the best available DIY lab tests for people who are suspicious of mold or want to test their home.....I actually reviewed Dust Test results with an out-of-state client this morning!Home Cleanse - a nationwide mold and indoor air quality remediation service that can help make this seem less overwhelming, guide the process, connect you with local contractors, but also help make sure that things get done right....which is the most important part!Change the Air Foundation - Michael is the chair of this foundation, along with a few key partners that we chat about in the podcast, and their mission is to make larger-scale impact on this problem of "air quality" and mold specifically by focusing on research, education and pushing for change from the top down (government) and from the bottom up (resources for YOU to clean YOUR ENVIRONMENT). They have a ton of free educational resources and downloads, and they even have helped push new legislation through improving "mold remediation" standards in my home state of Illinois!In this podcast we talk in more detail about some of these companies and the things moving and shaking in the mold world, from policy changes to action steps you can take TODAY at home, so listen to the episode and click the links to learn more. The companies that Michael is involved with tell you a lot about his heart for helping people and his personal mission and purpose - to educate people about the problem(s) we are facing that are associated with our air quality and the various components like mold, mycotoxins, and other indoor environmental allergens, irritants, toxins....and offer people solutions. This aligns so well with my purpose and mission - to educate about the underlying causes, mechanisms, and potential solutions for autoimmunity, in an effort to help relieve suffering - and air quality is one of the most important and most overlooked topics. I hope you enjoy this conversation, I know I did!As always, please leave a rating, give a (good) review, or send this to someone you care about!

STRESS -  we all got it. Haha - - What can you do? Try to understand it more! I see all kinds of "stress-related" cases - autoimmune disease flares, stress-related gut flares, "adrenal fatigue" symptoms, being "easily triggered by trivial stimuli" like noises, lights, motion, even toxins, viruses, food triggers - - it's all "stress" in some regard. In this episode I talk about stress, and more specifically, I go into deeper detail about the mechanisms of stress chemistry - - not just cortisol, the most famous stress hormone, but also other components of stress - the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, the HPA axis and adrenals, other stress hormones like neurotensin, neurotransmitters like epinephrine aka adrenaline, dopamine beta hydroxylase and other genetics, and the available functional testing and natural solutions, the pros and cons, my clinical thought processes, and really just rant on about stress for 45 minutes. I hope this helps someone manage their "stress chemistry" better!

OK SO - - in 2025, I am starting to do a new thing on the podcast called "Dr. Taylor Talks About _____" in an effort to just make more content and share more of my opinions, views, and interpretations. I hate to say this, but I've developed a certain amount of expertise and when I share my viewpoint(s), people tend to value my opinion, so I want to share my thoughts more regularly on common topics. My opinion is not always right, it's usually open-minded and subject to change, but I like talking about my views, how I have come to those views, the evidence and the way that I see it, and people think it's very helpful, which is my only goal, and it helps them navigate their health journey. These episodes will not really be that much different than before, but this is the first "episode" of Dr. Taylor Talks About ____, and what a better topic than: SOCIAL MEDIA AND ONLINE HEALTH ADVICE - is it a gift, or is it a curse?Today's health and wellness landscape is seriously getting pretty crazy with Instagram, Youtube, TikTok, podcasts, etc. Everybody coming in to my office is basically regurgitating their newsfeed to me - - I think I have parasites! Can we test for heavy metals? I started taking Shilajit and Collagen and Zeolites and Hydrogen Water because they sound so amazing, but I still feel like crap! I looove having these super-educated people in my practice, but if you are coming to me for advice, why don't you ask ME what you should do instead of trying internet trends? ALL of these trends are things I know a lot about and tools that I sometimes use. But MOST OF IT is not what I would suggest you do for yourself, your symptoms, or your family.All of this increased "wellness" exposure through social media is great because it is shining a light on my profession, shining a light on the issues with environmental toxins or pharmaceuticals, and shining a light on natural options to support human physiology - but it also muddies the waters and makes it hard to know what YOU NEED - and that's all I care about. In this episode I rant on all of these things - marketing, miracle cures, big accounts, social media experts, podcast superstars, trendy supplements and hot topics, and how to navigate this and sift through the INFO to find what you actually need. 

This podcast is another GREAT conversation with my friend Pejman (the other doctor K, haha) that we recorded recently. I also put this on our Youtube channel, but here is the audio. It's a long conversation, but we could have easily kept going!! I think Dr. Pejman Katiraei is an amazing doctor, educator, and he has become my friend who I love having discussions with. He is a pediatrician, and when you listen to him talk you can immediately hear how much he cares for these poor children and families that he sees suffering from ADHD, OCD, PANS/PANDAS, autism, anxiety/depression, failure to thrive, early puberty, etc - he obviously has a big heart for these kids. He is a great question-asker, always asking the question - "WHY?" Why are these kids' brains inflamed? Why are their guts a wreck? Why are they folate or D3 deficient? Why are their mitochondria dysfunctional? The question of WHY often leads an inquiring mind upstream to root causes like MOLD TOXICITY and MYCOTOXIN EXPOSURE. Mold toxicity is so prevalent today and yet so often overlooked in these kids - and in adults too, which is more my client population, but I work with kids as well. Both of us have come to this conclusion separately - by asking WHY it has led both of us to spend the last decade plus learning more about the science, evidence, mechanisms, and strategies to understand, detect, and correct mold-related illness, which we have both applied in practice with great success, even though we don't always use the same strategies. In this video we talk about a TON of stuff, including labs, supplements, gut health, LPS, heavy metals, parasites, and many other important topics, and I think this will be really helpful especially for a parent trying to solve their child's (or their own) health puzzle.

Let's face it - being in pain sucks. That's kind of part of it, right?? So obviously people with pain, especially chronic pain, want some relief. That's why pain is a leading cause of disability, and pain management is a multi-billion dollar-per-year industry. But WHY WOULD SOMEONE BE IN PAIN IN THE FIRST PLACE??? That's what a functional medicine approach looks at!Pain has many mechanisms, and as a chiropractor I have seen and successfully treated a lot of pain. In fact, I probably saw more straight-up "pain" in my former practice doing more musculoskeletal work, and chiropractic care is great for pain relief and much more. Nowadays, I see pain from other causes like autoimmune diseases, and see great success by taking a functional medicine approach to pain. Pain can have many forms - it can be from wear-and-tear and old age, injuries, autoimmune inflammation, it can be exacerbated by overuse, stress, food sensitivities, anything that can drive inflammation - or it may be "unexplained". It can be called shooting pain, burning pain, stabbing pain, growing pains, osteoarthritis, "bone-on-bone", numbness, tingling, neuropathy, bone pain, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, muscle pain, soreness, mixed-connective tissue disease, fibromyalgia.....you may be told you have "degeneration", or "inflammation", a "pinched nerve", or you may be told "everything looks normal". There are a lot of possibilities!The point is that there are many mechanisms to pain, and a functional medicine approach considers all the possible root causes, then we look deeper to evaluate the mechanisms, then we develop strategies to control the root source of pain. That's what this podcast is all about - - how you can determine a bit more about your "pain" by evaluating the mechanisms, looking at lab tests, looking for and eliminating triggers, decreasing you inflammation by following different dietary and supplement protocols to not only get you out of pain in the short-term, but also decrease your pain in the LONG-TERM by addressing the real root cause(s). 

Genetic testing is fascinating, but I have a love-hate relationship with it as a practitioner. It is very trendy in the functional medicine/health world, and I think this makes sense - - so many people are trying to figure out WHY they feel a certain way or have certain symptoms, and testing can absolutely help answer some of the "why" questions. BUT - - genetics doesn't always answer these questions, and in many cases can muddy the waters even more. I have seen TONS of people come to me with genetic reports who aren't any better off than before they tested their genetics, and are perhaps even more confused. One gene might say you NEED methyl B vitamins, while another gene might say AVOID methyl B vitamins. I have seen TONS of people who are taking certain supplements like methyl-folate for their MTHFR mutation, but they don't respond well to it and it's actually making them worse. I have seen TONS of people who spent a lot of money on genetic reports, or on "customized" supplements based on their genes, and still haven't found the good results that they were hoping for. Does this mean it's worthless? Absolutely not, I have run TONS of genetic tests on myself and have found it very worth it, it's just not the whole story. In this podcast, I dive deeper into these opinions of mine, which aren't necessarily PRO or CON, they are just the PROS and the CONS from what I have seen working with chronic and complex clients over the past 10+ years. I talk about the books I've read, people I've followed online, the tests I've run, I talk about the most famous genes (MTHFR and gang), the most important genes for autoimmunity, mold toxicity, etc, and I talk about definitions of genomics, alleles, SNPs, and a little bit of everything "genetic", which hopefully can help YOU make some better sense of genetic testing and how you can use this tool while solving YOUR health puzzle!

We have A LOT of pregnant clients in our office right now, it's honestly crazy. Many of these women have diagnosed autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto's or Rheumatoid Arthritis. Some of them have "undiagnosed autoimmunity", like positive ANA tests, but they have no "diagnosis" - - yet. Some don't have any autoimmune diagnoses, but they have Lyme disease or mold toxicity.....and yet others with no diagnoses who just came in for management of specific symptoms like migraines, bloating, or anxiety.  There is no special "formula" for pregnant women with autoimmunity - - we want to make sure you aren't deficient on any vitamins, minerals, or nutrients, we want to avoid toxins, we want to eat anti-inflammatory, we want to exercise, we want to minimize stress.......good advice for any pregnant woman.The concern is that autoimmunity is known to flare around pregnancy., often presenting as an increase in inflammatory symptoms postpartum. We don't want that!! This episode is filled with my knowledge and opinions around pregnancy that I have developed over the years of working with pregnant patients as well as my own experiences as a parent. In this episode, I talk about my wife and I's experience(s) with miscarriages, with hospital births vs. home births, with twins vs. singletons, with V or no-V, and our personal decisions and how we made those decisions. I also talk about all the important stuff like prenatal vitamins, genetics, methylation, and more. As always I don't claim to have all the answers, but I hope my expertise, my opinions, and my thought processes help someone as they are trying to make these decisions for themselves, or I hope they help someone have a happier, healthier pregnancy!

Whether it's allergies, asthma, autism, ADHD, or autoimmunity - kids have a lot more health concerns these days - and those are just the A's!I see a lot of kids (parents) from all over the world asking me to help them with their health problems. Sometimes they are easy and see great progress from the right nutrients, killing yeast, or supporting detoxification. Sometimes they are really tricky cases. Many of the common childhood concerns of today have an immune component - recurrent infections, skin issues, allergies, autoimmune conditions, inflammation. Many of the childhood concerns have a neurologic component to them - inability to focus, hyperactivity, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, depression, anxiety, rage, inability to regulate. Why have we seen such a rise in the incidence of childhood symptoms, diseases, and developmental issues? While there are many theories regarding the exact causes, the overload of environmental toxins, immune imbalances, infections, and gut dysbiosis are ALWAYS at the top of the suspected mechanisms, which are basically my specialties and the focus of my entire podcast channel - the drivers of autoimmune disease progression. Autoimmunity is often involved as a mechanism in children's health issues, but often isn't necessarily a diagnosed autoimmune "disease". Throughout the years I have developed certain thought processes, opinions, and I have my favorite labs, supplements, and teaching tools - this podcast is basically an overview of all of it. I talk about everything from raising twins (mine are almost 10) and nature vs. nurture, Winnie the Pooh characters and neurotransmitters, I talk about some of my favorite supplements and their targeted mechanisms, and I talk about how each kid is just different and needs to be parented differently. I also talk about how I'm DEFINITELY not a perfect parent, and we all just try to raise the best kids we can!

SO - the title of this podcast pretty well summarizes what this episode is about - how I'm doing since suddenly losing my dad. 3 months ago, my dad died. He had been fine 4 weeks earlier. He had just turned 68, he was still working, he was an 8 handicap golfer, and he was perfectly fine. On December 19th he was told he had cancer, and he died exactly 3 weeks later. In this episode, I tell the whole story of what went down, but I also talk about my experience afterward handling this grief and heartbreak. It's still new, and I'm not an expert, and I think the highlight that I want people to take away is that "there is no right way", but I hope my experience and perspective is helpful and valuable to someone. This episode is just me rambling about my personal story, and then I'll be getting back to educational content :)

Ok so, I knew Dr. K was awesome, but I didn't know he was THIS AWESOME.....This is an interview with pediatrician Dr. Pejman Katiraei, DO from Santa Barbara, California. In this interview, Dr. K talks about how common it is to see mold involved in mental health issues for all ages, but especially in kids. We discuss how he evolved to where he is now regarding diagnosis and treatment and how mold and mycotoxins initially came onto his radar for these kiddos suffering from mental health issues - ADHD, OCD, anxiety, hyperactivity, etc - which I think is always interesting to hear how someone in the conventional medical field learned through experience and research how critical these mold (and other) airborne toxins can be to kids health. This interview is seriously FILLED WITH GEMS. Most of this entire conversation we are talking about the connections between mold and mental health - mycotoxins are known to disrupt dopamine, they inhibit glutamate clearance, they are neurotoxic, they activate innate immunity and neuroinflammation, they drive histamine responses, and ALL OF THIS leads to neurotransmitter, mood, and behavioral changes....so the whole time we are talking basically about the problem(s) and the solution(s), which are both varied and complex, but our conversation includes topics like:- Diagnosis or "suspicion" of mold in kids - in what kinds of cases are we (maybe) thinking mold? - How do you KNOW if you have mold in the home?- How do you KNOW if you (or your child) have mold in the body?- What are (both of our) favorite tests and treatments or supportive supplements?- How can we clean the air? HEPA filters, air purifiers, ionizers...I think my favorite part about Dr. K is that his integrity shines through in our conversation, he clearly wants what is best for the patient's outcome, he considers realistic options and cost, and he is open minded and not trying just to defend his biases. I'd like to think we are really similar in those regards, I hope so, but I just know I had a GREAT time talking with him and have a lot of respect for him, and I think a lot of people will enjoy this episode!Check out his website https://wholistickids.com/Follow him on Facebook under Wholistic Kids and on Instagram @wholistickids where he puts out GREAT CONTENT!!!!!And - send this to 3 friends with kids, and leave a rating and review if you enjoyed it!

I see a lot of neurological cases that experience symptoms like dizziness, vertigo,  lightheadedness, inability to tolerate motion, flashing lights, sounds, etc. Many of these people are not local to my area, and they are all wondering "What else can I do to help myself get better?" so I am always looking for new ways to help them.While I focus primarily on looking deeper into underlying mechanisms, root causes, neurotoxins, pathogens, gut health, autoimmunity, etc, one thing that anyone who is experiencing these symptoms can do is VESTIBULAR REHABILITATION, so we have recommended VizStim kits to many of our clients.My guest on today's episode is Dr. Ashley Contreras, the creator and founder of VizStim. She is a physical therapist who specializes in vestibular issues and vestibular rehab, and throughout her 15-year career has developed this amazing kit of exercises to help people retrain their vestibular system. It's an inexpensive, easy-to-use, at-home kit with a wide variety of different exercises, journals, and levels of difficulty designed to walk through your progress as you are retraining your vestibular system. I've used it with my kids, it's super easy to use, easy to teach, and as long as you are willing to do the exercises and put in a few minutes of rehab each day, it is AWESOME. The vestibular system is a complex system in the brain that detects how your head and body are existing in relation to their surroundings - are your eyes level with gravity, are you moving, what position are you in, etc. When those signals get disrupted, from concussions, infections, neurotoxins, spinal subluxations and other injuries, etc, even the slightest miscue in signaling can make your body feel uneasy, unstable, nauseous, like the room is moving, or can fire to the amygdala and create a lot of anxiety or fear. When this system is disrupted, it can be retrained and rewired. I discuss the vestibular system quite a bit more in podcast number 47 (Brain Regions), and we discuss this much more in this podcast episode, so listen to the episode to learn more, and check out VizStim , and follow VizStim Recovery on social media for some great tips and tricks!

So many people in the functional medicine world, whether it be from their past adverse  events, the pandemic, from Lyme disease, mold toxicity, from being gaslighted by doctors, or trying failed therapies, etc - - SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE SOME DEGREE OF PTSD, LIMBIC SYSTEM DYSFUNCTION, and now experience an IMBALANCED STRESS RESPONSE, DYSAUTONOMIA, and other debilitating symptoms. So, we all know about stress. There is the mental stress that we all know about, but also physical stress (too much water is a stressor, too little water is a stressor, leaky gut, injuries, etc) as well as toxic stress (mold, mercury, pesticides, etc) - - and your body responds to stress as potential DANGER - you prepare to "fight-or-flight". So, STRESS is your body's response to potential danger..... DANGER is either real or perceived - you can tell someone they should be scared and they will be, or tell them they should NOT be scared and they will NOT be......but abuse is a danger, toxins are a danger, viruses are a danger..... Your limbic system of your brain connects memories with experiences, and will "remember" these instances of danger and the stress response, and the limbic system includes regions like the amygdala (fear sensing), the hippocampus (memory), and the hypothalamus/pituitary (stress response).Repeated exposure to (or perception of) DANGER leads to limbic system dysfunction, PTSD, and an imbalanced stress response.....your body begins to treat EVERYTHING as a danger. All of this stress, true danger, and the perception of danger/stress triggers something called The Cell Danger Response, which is fascinating, I have a Youtube Video about it linked below, but your cells, your nervous system, your stress response system begins to respond to EVERYTHING AS A DANGER.HOW CAN YOU REWIRE THIS RESPONSE???This is gaining popularity in the healthcare world as an important piece to healing. It's increasingly being talked about at seminars and in practitioner circles as well as with patient stories, but there are a lot of different options, recommendations, programs, etc to choose from. In this podcast I go through 4 major "categories" you can work on for rewiring your nervous system, and within each of these categories I talk about many potential strategies, including:Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve to decrease sympathetic dominanceTENS DeviceGargling/Gagging/HummingCoffee EnemaChallenge Your AUTONOMIC INPUTSBreath workTemperature - cold plunges, contrast showersHR - HeartMath or other HRV trainingChallenge Your Visual and Sensory InputsVestibular exercises like VizStim (next podcast episode!)ChiropracticChallenge Your Psychological InputsLimbic System Retraining ProgramsNeurolinguistic programming - Gratitude/AffirmationsAll that, and more, are discussed in detail in the episode. Give it a listen, give a 5-star review, and subscribe for more content, including my next podcast interview with Dr. Ashley Contreras talking about dizziness and rewiring the vestibular system. Here are some of things worth linking to.....VizStimGupta Program How to Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve with a TENS DeviceHow to Use Binaural Beats to Shift Gears in your BrainWhy You Become Hypersensitive - Cell Danger Response and Limbic System Dysfunction

Alright it's been WAY TOO LONG since I released a podcast, so I am starting to do some interviews to keep having good content come out on my channel :)This "interview" is a discussion with my friend and colleague Dr. Mark Su MD. Dr. Su is well-known in many practitioner forums because he chimes in often with really insightful and helpful replies to fellow practitioners' queries, questions, and concerns when trying to help complex health cases, which is why I thought he would be a great person to chat with. In clinical practice, Dr. Su blends together traditional primary care medicine with "functional", or root-cause medicine, and he has developed a broad knowledge base with expertise in traditional pharmacology, but also in nutraceuticals, lab testing, resonance/muscle testing, Lyme and tick-borne illnesses, mold toxicity and environmentally acquired illness -  - all the things I love to talk about on this podcast!There really isn't a "topic" or "theme" to this interview, but I have a lot of respect for Dr. Su when it comes to dealing with chronic and complex diseases, I share a lot of his viewpoints, and really just wanted to get him on here and pick his brain about some things, and this is what came from our conversation :) ENJOY!

Sinus problems are rampant. Americans spend over $1 Billion annually to treat sinus problems with over-the-counter medications, which is crazy. It's not just common in the chronic illness world and in the autoimmune world, and ESPECIALLY in the mold world, it's common in everyone. Sinus inflammation is interesting. I have had really great success healing my own sinuses. I'm not recommending that everyone (or anyone) do what I did, but what I REALLY DID was I spent several years intensely studying deep immunology and the Ear, Nose, and Throat and Allergy literature, read 100s of studies, and used things like high dose supplements and essential oils to have really good success with nasal polyps and chronic sinusitis. I haven't had sinus issues for over 3 years. Here is a video of what I did to get rid of nasal polyps, it's crazy.  When I talk about sinuses, I'm also talking about ENT areas - ear infections, tonsils, sore throats, pharyngitis, which includes things like Strep and PANDAS, but most of my success was with the nose. The whole ENT region is a hotbed of infections and pathogens, and is right across the wall from the brain, and things like antibodies, histamine, chemical toxins, inflammatory cytokines, and mycotoxins from mold can ride the "olfactory elevator" (as Dr. Jill Crista calls it) right up to the brain - right to deep, midline areas like the frontal cortex (brain fog, etc), pituitary (hormones), amygdala (anxiety, fear, etc), hypothalamus (temp, dysautonomia, etc), neurological dysfunctions and more.  Sinus inflammation drives many immune mechanisms, including Th2 and eosinophilic inflammation, mast cell activation and histamine, and Th17 inflammation, which is tissue-damaging autoimmune inflammation and will drive autoimmune progression. THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE PUZZLE!  One thing that can drive this immune activation are chronic biofilms including Strep, Staph (MARCoNS), and Mold/Yeast that are incredibly persistent and antibiotic resistant. Biofilm colonies, like in the gut, grow on sinuses, adenoids, tonsils (that's why they remove them!) and ENT surfaces - and when they adhere to a surface they are over 1000x harder to kill, and they are highly persistent and antibiotic resistant. THIS IS THE OTHER MOST IMPORTANT PIECE! In this episode I talk about 4 levels of supporting sinus inflammation naturally:1 - Breathe Clean Air!!!! Allergies are obviously an issue....You can't be living in mold....I talk about air purifiers, mold candles, HVAC filters, and more.2 - Fix your Gut and Balance your Immune System - I talk about using things like probiotics, herbal killers, SCFA, vitamins D and A, glutathione, perilla, quercetin, luteolin, etc to support barrier integrity, mast cell activation, Th2 dominance.3 - Break Biofilms and Kill Infections - Nasal Spray, Neti Pot, Nebulizer, Gargle - I talk about using essential oils, iodine, hydrogen peroxide, silver, propolis, aqualaurin, biocidin, etc to break up biofilms and help kill pathogens. 4 - Maintain - I talk about the importance of breathing clean air, doing regular nasal rinses, and more to maintain. This is not medical advice, but many people have seen their ENT with very little answer besides antihistamines, antibiotics, or steroids, so these are just some of the things that people are doing out there, and hopefully it can help you solve YOUR puzzle!I also mention this, my favorite newsletter and started by an amazing ENT surgeon:www.sinusitiswellness.com

Not everyone gets well in functional medicine. There are a lot of people sick and suffering in the world, and not everyone even becomes aware of the direct connection between diet, lifestyle, toxins, environment, stress, and other exposome factors as drivers of disease, but still sometimes even someone who seemingly does everything right still doesn't get great results. What separates those who DO HEAL from those who DON'T HEAL? One of, if not THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, is a HEALING MINDSET. There are many big picture things that I discuss in this podcast about a successful healing mindset, using some actual examples, and some personal rants, but talking about things such as:- Do they understand the big picture - that toxins, foods, infections, stress, other exposome factors cause dysfunctional  processes on a cellular level, that lead to disease processes expressing over time? - Are they connecting these mechanistic dots - this leads to this leads to this? You don't need to be an expert, but understanding the mechanisms helps understand the solutions.....- Do they have the discipline necessary to make dietary restrictions, lifestyle changes, and stay the course? It's not about perfection either, it's about progression.- Are they a "dabbler" and have they bounced around different practitioners, tried dozens of supplements? This is a red flag!!- Are they committed financially? Do they even care about their financial investment?These questions are important for practitioners to ask when attracting the right clientele, but also important for patients to ask about themselves, their motivation, determination, discipline, and mindset.HERE IS THE IMPORTANT PART - - MINDSET CAN BE TRAINED!!! It's so important to train this growth mindset with your health and constantly remind yourself of your goals, targets, intentions, motivations to stay the course. It's ALSO really important to retrain your cells and your Limbic System, and in this podcast I talk about ways to do this, including constantly filling your brain with thoughts and words of Safety, Gratitude, Epigrams, Affirmations,  I talk about Limbic System retraining programs like DNRS and the Gupta Program, and this youtube video about Cell Danger Response and Limbic System Dysfunction.

OK SO - - I help people solve their health puzzles, and they are often complex puzzles. I love it, but it can be a little confusing to explain what I do, especially if you are just getting into the "chronic health problems" world.....but my expertise is in connecting the dots on symptoms, mechanisms, physical diagnosis and lab interpretation and using those clues to help people solve puzzles. So we start with a very detailed health history (90 mins), then this guides us towards certain lab testing, then based on the history, symptoms, and lab testing I give recommendations consisting of diet, lifestyle, and supplement protocols. This is similar to many health practitioners, but what SETS ME APART is my clinical experience, knowledge, and ability to explain these mechanisms to people so they make sense, give them goals, keep them on track, and put their puzzle pieces in the right order. Hopefully if you have heard the podcast you have realized that they way I put puzzle pieces together is different than most, so we are able to solve puzzles that most can't solve. At least that's always my goal :)Krystal was referred to my office, and initially she had A LOT OF SYMPTOMS - regular headaches, light sensitivity, vertigo, chemical sensitivities, hormone imbalances, she was taking 4 naps a day, she had a history of prednisone and other medication usage, she had to use her rescue inhaler all the time, she was sensitive to fragrances, foods, had gut inflammation with a severely restricted diet, you name it. I told her when she came in that she was one of my top 3 most sensitive patients, and that's a hard prize to win!! So then we ran labs, we took lots of supplements, we did parasite cleanses, coffee enemas, detox support, etc etc....and now she is doing great....That's the long story short. The details are in the podcast, but we talk about the MINDSET required for healing, we talk about her journey, we talk about how we EXPECTED roadblocks and setbacks, but we figured them out and we worked through them. This is a great podcast, but my favorite part is hearing Krystal's mindset and the way she thought about healing. My recommendations and protocols are NOT what separates who gets well and who doesn't get well, mindset does. This is YOUR health journey, not mine. It's YOUR responsibility. Krystal is a Life Coach, and we talk extensively about how her skills in that area helped her have the healing mindset necessary to get good results, and how she has helped other people change the way they THINK about their symptoms, illness, or healing journey. If you are in need a great life coach, look her [email protected] on InstagramKystal Stegmaier - Life Coach on Facebookand her website:krystalstegmaierlifecoach.comIf you are interested in working with me, you can schedule a New Client Consultation with me here, or check out my Instagram, Youtube, check out our website www.autoimmunedocpodcast.com or listen to more podcast episodes to learn more about my approach to complex illnesses.

Autoimmune Doc Supplement Store Limbic System and Cell Danger Response Video Binaural Beats VideoHere is the final episode in my 4-part series on the brain - Brain Solutions. This episode ties together the previous 3 episodes: you have to understand some of the general targets you are aiming at - neuroinflammation, methylation, oxygenation, low omega 3s - that is episode one, Brain Overview. Next you have to understand the neurotransmitters - dopamine, serotonin, GABA, acetylcholine - this is episode two. Last, you have to understand the brain regions - the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, hypothalamus, cerebellum - this is episode three, Brain Regions. NOW, you can choose your tools from the solutions tool box, and that is what this episode is all about. In this episode I focus on the tools that I personally use, which are typically inexpensive and non-invasive, but I also give my opinion on several other options that are out there available for people who can access them, such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy and neurofeedback. Many of these solutions are the specific supplements that I suggest to support neuroinflammation or neurotransmitters, when I might recommend using them, and how I would use them, but I also discuss other tools for vagus nerve stimulation, vestibular rehabilitation, and more.  There are a lot of options out there and a lot of opinions, I hope this helps you choose the right tools for you. Purchase TENS Devices, supplements, and more at our online supplement store!Schedule a New Client Consultation with me HERE.

Here is episode #3 in my series on brain health.....let's recap.The brain is complex. There are important mechanisms (neuroinflammation), functions (neuronal signaling), neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, GABA), and regions that are helpful to understand for those out there trying to support their brain or support a certain symptom such as brain fog or heightened anxiety. The first episode was about general brain health, the second was about neurotransmitters and their functions, and this episode is about specific brain regions, including the prefrontal cortex, the hippocampus, the amygdala, and the cerebellum. For example, the amygdala is part of the brain's Limbic System. The amygdala is the "fear center" and increased amygdala activity is associated with heightened anxiety....but the neurotransmitters involved may be epinephrine and GABA, and the mechanism may be microglial neuroinflammation, which may be triggered by mast cell activation, and the underlying cause(s) could be gut inflammation, it could be a traumatic childhood, or it could be mold toxins, or gluten, or it could be a combination, and it's always a combination of factors that need to be addressed. Understanding these brain regions and their functions can give you options (that aren't just supplements...) for training or rehabilitating a specific area, such as specific exercises you can easily do at home, or avoiding gluten and dairy to avoid cerebellar cross-reactivity. My next episode will tie all of these brain puzzle pieces together. It's all about brain solutions (which I give a lot of in this episode as well...), including all the supplements, brain exercise programs, and dietary strategies that I employ when trying to help someone support their brain health and function, and all of the options available and when or why you might consider using them. Enjoy! Leave a rating and review, and share this with a friend or family member with a brain!

One of the most important things a healthy brain needs is appropriate neurotransmitter activity. Neurotransmitters regulate our brain function, our energy, our focus, our mood, and our lives. Imbalances in neurotransmitters can come from many things, including past trauma, unhealthy relationships, bad habits, chronic stress, poor gut health, crappy diet, toxins, autoimmunity, neuroinflammation....the list goes on and on, but it can be helpful to know which neurotranmitters are imbalanced in the hopes of supporting your specific brain functions and symptoms. The most important neurotransmitters, which I discuss in this podcast, are:Serotonin - regulates some aspects of mood, appetite, happiness, enjoyment of activities, appreciation of art. Acetylcholine - regulates working memory, computation, muscle contractions, and parasympathetic nervous system (vagus nerve) activity to the gut.Dopamine - important for motivation, pleasure, focus, mood, addiction, thrill-seeking.Epinephrine/Norepinephrine - aka "adrenaline", stimulates "fight or flight" stress response centrally in the brain and also peripherally from the adrenal glands. GABA - the primary "calming" neurotransmitter, GABA is inhibitory and is often inadequate in symptoms of anxiety, depression, and neuroexcitation.These neurotransmitters can all be modulated with lifestyle strategies and targeted nutraceuticals, whether it be providing the building blocks for the neurotransmitters itself (tyrosine for dopamine for example), or impacting the receptor sensitivity (L-theanine for GABA), or using nutrients to support certain pathways like the Kynurenine Pathway, Dopamine Beta Hydroxylase, or other genetic pathways (COMT, MTHFR, MAO) of neurotransmitter metabolism. Supporting neurotransmitter metabolism can be a game changer when supporting brain function, and my goal is to teach people how to solve their own puzzles, so I hope this is helpful, next episode is part 3/4, brain regions!

Anxiety, Mast Cell Activation, and LPS (video)Cell Danger Response and Limbic System Dysfunction (video)Anxiety, Neuroinflammation, and Autoimmunity (podcast)Your brain is the most complex organ in an incredibly complex body, and it's running the show. I continue to see a massive uptick in brain-based symptoms coming into my clinic (and everyone else's), such as depression, anxiety, depersonalization, derealization, dizziness, vertigo, fatigue, brain fog, memory loss, panic attacks, bipolar episodes, nausea, pain syndromes, and so much more. I have a lot of brain-related content available, and I linked some at the top of the show notes for this episode. My goal with this series is to help people understand how all these puzzle pieces fit together - neurotransmitters, brain regions, how to use all of the different tools available. Today's episode is an overview of some of the more important concepts in the brain, and reviewing what a healthy brain needs:Neurotransmitter Activity - serotonin, dopamine, acetylcholine, epinephrine/norepinephrine, GABAAdequate Oxygen - good blood flow, no anemiaSteady Fuel - no hypoglycemia, and no insulin resistanceProper Lipid Morphology - omega 3s, DHA, phosphatidylcholineHealthy Stimulation - learning, fun, skills, memory, coordination, visual complexity, connecting with other humansHormone Balance - estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, cortisol (steroid hormones), thyroid Gut-Brain Connection - good micro biome, bacterial diversity and abundance, no infections/overgrowths, good vagus nerve activityHealthy Circadian Rhythms - good light exposure, good sleep....I also briefly talk through a patient's case history and some of her symptoms, lab findings, and how we have kept her brain healthy and kept her symptoms under control over the past several years. The next several episodes will be more of this, teaching you how to solve your own puzzle!

Long Haulers UPDATED (video)Long Haulers Mechanisms (video)SARS-CoV-2 and the gut-brain-lung axis (video review of a research paper)From the onset of the pandemic through the last (almost) 3 years, we have continued to find out new things about how people respond after coronavirus infection. Not surprisingly, there is more and more research coming out indicating that an increased autoimmune response may be responsible for many of the lingering symptoms. Early on in the pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 was nicknamed "The Autoimmune Virus" because it appeared to be triggering more of an autoimmune response than other viral infections. As science has continued to evolve our understanding, it turns out that COVID infection is absolutely associated with increased autoimmunity - both exacerbation of existing autoimmunity as well as new autoimmunity. Autoimmunity is the process in which the body "loses self tolerance" for tissues of the body and begins to initiate an immune "attack" against self-tissue (thyroid, joints, brain, gut, etc) as if they were a foreign invader - which leads to chronic inflammation, tissue damage, and a gradual loss of function, and can eventually become a diagnosed autoimmune "disease" like Type 1 Diabetes or Rheumatoid Arthritis. One of the ways that viruses can trigger autoimmunity is by means of "molecular mimicry", or what can be described as a case of "mistaken identity". In this podcast I describe it like this - I have a blue F150 pickup truck, extended cab, long bed. There are many blue F150s on the road, so what if the police were looking for a blue F150 and they accidentally pull ME over instead of the bad guy they are looking for? That's a case of mistaken identity. Well COVID antibodies can also misdirect their immune attack, and they can accidentally attack many tissues, and in this episode I go through dozens of different autoantibodies that have now been associated with COVID - - thyroid autoantibodies, neurological autoantibodies, mitochondrial autoantibodies, and more. We now know that COVID infection can lead to a myriad of symptoms, and they can all be described as the "long-haul", but the mechanisms can be all quite different, so they are NOT all the same thing, and it's not fair to group everyone together as "long-haulers". You could have POTS, dysautonomia, clotting/coagulation, neurological (depression, brain fog, and TONS of anxiety...), digestive changes, fatigue, or you could develop post-COVID diabetes or arthritis.....as science continues to learn more are we going to find that it's ALL autoimmune in nature?? Only time will tell, but I believe that treating any condition as if it were an autoimmune case is never a bad approach - decrease inflammation, balance the immune system, and look for (and remove) any root cause triggers!

Your liver is seriously pretty amazing. I'm a 'mechanisms' kind of guy, and the liver is the king of mechanisms, including:- The liver is crucial for metabolism, regulating blood sugar, lipid, and protein metabolism.- The liver participates in immune surveillance and pathogen clearance, and is intimately connected with the gut. - The liver performs "hepatic biotransformation", or transforming toxins into things that can be excreted, aka DETOXIFICATION. The liver can be damaged by many things including lifestyle, alcohol, viruses, parasites, and especially toxins. As liver damage progresses, the liver becomes more congested, toxins begin to accumulate, and metabolic dysfunction can follow. Liver damage is generally a spectrum of worsening fibrosis, and often starts with "fatty liver" and then progresses toward cirrhosis, which is liver scarring. Liver damage can be detected by several labs, and I discuss these labs in detail. In the liver there are many functions, but this podcast focuses mostly on hepatic biotransformation, or detoxification. This includes Phase 1 and Phase 2 of liver detox, cytochrome P450, and includes processes like methylation, sulfation, conjugation, and more. These processes require many cofactors such as B vitamins and amino acids, and I discuss these all in detail. There are also many genetic mutations that can affect liver and detoxification, so I discuss these as well, along with the common and popular liver supplements and what their mechanisms are. All together this is a comprehensive overview of everything I know about the liver and how I use that information clinically in helping sick people get well!Youtube video about Liver, Carnitine, and Depression....

Parasites are interesting. That word means different things to different people, some people are terrified of the idea of worms living inside their body, but at the same time parasite cleanses are super trendy on Instagram and social media, and yet some people think that parasite cleansing is the solution to all health problems....which one is it?Parasites are paradoxical in the research world, many areas of the world that have endemic parasitic infections have virtually no autoimmunity, and helminth therapy is actually an incredibly promising treatment for certain autoimmune cases. The reason that parasites are so relevant in the population of people that I see is because of our junk food supply, the toxins everywhere, and the rampant metabolic and immune disruption -  - but they aren't always the ONLY culprit, they show up more often with the presence of heavy metals, Candida, SIBO, mold and other toxins. When they are recognized as bad, they elicit a strong and specific immune response that I talk about in detail in the podcast, triggering a Th2 immune response via IL-4 and activating mast cells and histamine, and often keeping someone stuck there (sound familiar??) as they become allergic to more foods, chemicals, and more sensitive to their world. They can also drive inflammatory bowel processes, cause liver and gallbladder issues, disrupt neurotransmitters, infect the brain, and much more. While I certainly do NOT believe that parasites are a piece of every person's health puzzle, I do think "parasite cleansing" can be incredibly helpful in the right situation. In this podcast I share my personal opinions and personal experiences that I have had with parasites (including when I passed one!) and many stories of helping people with them, and they are pretty drastic stories. I also talk about the testing available and what I personally look for, as well as the supplements and protocols I recommend for people and how those are given, and basically everything that I know and think about parasites! Leave a rating, review, share this episode with a friend!!

Ok so let's talk about gut health. Gut health and detox are pretty much the two most important topics, and toxins affect gut health....but good gut health is necessary for proper detoxification.....I think gut health wins. At least for this next podcast series :) Gut health is foundational to health, inflammation, and aging. It's so crucial, but so few people seem to have it mastered IF they are still experiencing symptoms, and I mean ANY symptoms - joint pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression, bipolar, metabolic, certainly autoimmune flares, not just digestive symptoms. I'm going to go deeper into some specific topics in the next few episodes, but this one is an overview, and I made a list of the 10 most important things for gut health. The first 3 are symptoms, the next 4 are mechanisms, and the last 3 are infections, and understanding these 10 things will give you a pretty good grasp on understanding gut health and digestion overall!Diarrhea - I talk about IBS, IBD, low microbiome and good bacteria/probiotics, glutamine, mast cells, and hydrogen SIBO....Constipation - I talk dysbiosis/methane, and a LOT about vagal motor outflow and vagus nerve activity that controls motility as well as HCL, bile, enzymes....Bloating - When I hear bloating I think small intestine and fermentation. Dysbiosis is often at the root, which includes proper digestion (HCL and bile), and I touch on SIBO/SIFO, avoiding FODMAPs foods....Digestion - This is critical!! Chewing your food, being in parasympathetic mode, then proper stomach acid - it can be too high (mast cells) or too low (more common), pancreatic digestive enzymes, bile from the gallbladder (steatocrit), and of course VAGUS BABY!Dysbiosis - The 10 lbs of bacteria in your gut can become imbalanced. Low good bacteria, general microbiome imbalances…..and LPS!!!!!Leaky Gut - Everyone can have some intestinal permeability, is yours pathological, and if so what kind is it - paracellular or transcellular? Food Sensitivities - IgG testing, and how food sensitivities can drive autoimmune reactivity, general inflammatory tone, and initiate T cell mediated tissue damageSIBO - Bloating! Fermentation of fibers, starches, sugars, FODMAPs ...why you need HCL, bile, vagus outflow……Why I think SIBO testing is dumb….Candida - OMG….the single biggest thing I see. Antibiotics, sugar, stress, birth control, mold exposure, can drive a Th17 inflammatory response (autoimmune), can also drive Th2 (and both will decrease Th1)......and why I love urinary organic acids testing for fungal issues.Parasites - this I am going to do a whole episode on because it’s crazy, it’s quite frankly pretty controversial in the autoimmune world, is it better to have or to not have them??? The answer is IT DEPENDS. But I do talk about someone who was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis and it actually seemed to be a parasitic infection, pretty interesting story :)Share this with someone, subscribe, leave a rating and review, and follow me elsewhere!

Ok so the past several episodes have been about toxins, and this is the last and perhaps most important episode - how do you avoid toxins? Well, we don't sell plastic bubbles......Toxins are everywhere, and detoxifying and removing them from your body is often a really important piece of healing from any inflammatory or autoimmune condition, but what if you have never experienced many symptoms or chronic disease? It's just as important!!In this episode I drop a ton of recommendations and suggestions (as always) for areas of your life to focus on if your goal is a non-toxic lifestyle, including:Clean Air  - I think this is the most important/underlooked area in non-toxic living!! Indoor air quality matters more than outdoor air quality (where do you live? indoors.), but both matter. Particulate matter, dust, mold, mycotoxins, pollution, formaldehyde, VOCs, off-gassing - - I discuss all of these risks in this episode along with air purifiers, air scrubbers, special filters, formaldehyde meters, ozone, and more for CLEAN AIR!Clean Water - this one is pretty easy to understand and something that many people address - - filter your water! Water could have metals, medications, hormones, pesticides and other toxins toxins toxins - - and sometimes well water is worse than municipal - - and I talk about all these risks. The solution is to filter your water, but what is the best??? My answer may surprise you.....(listen to the episode!)Clean Food - another fairly well-understood and obvious one, but besides the problems with some "natural" foods (high sugar, vegetable oils, gluten, dairy, lectins), your food is TOXIC!!! Food has pesticides, aluminum, dyes, preservatives, and all sorts of toxins that need to be removed via your detoxification pathways. Eat organic, but I also talk about the value of knowing where your food comes from and some of the resources my family utilizes to get clean food. Clean Skin - I admit this is not my specialty, I don't really use anything on my skin, but the point is that the stuff is TOXIC, and these toxins accumulate and affect things like hormones and fertility. Aluminum in deodorant, sodium laurel sulfate in shampoo, parabens in lotion, coal tar in lipstick, VOCs in nail polish - - don't put anything on your skin you wouldn't eat!!Clean Brain - believe it or not, I'm not talking about neurotoxins in this section, I'm talking about what you put into your MIND - - is social media and video games or books and positive affirmations? Your brain can be neurotoxic with aluminum, pesticides, or mycotoxins, but a toxic MIND can sometimes be even worse. I also touch on a few other things - - exercise, sauna, and probably more :) As always, let me know what you think, leave a rating or review, and follow my social channels!!

Purchase these detoxification products HERE!Ok this series is a lot like the mitochondria series, it requires multiple episodes because order to understand the solutions you have to understand the mechanisms first. Last episode was all about the most important "big picture" concepts for detoxification such as understanding the old "toxic bucket" metaphor, my next episode will be about how to make sure you aren't filling the bucket....but this episode is all about how you empty the toxic bucket - aka how you DETOXIFY YOUR BODY. In this episode I go over MANY MANY tools that I use regularly to support detoxification, including lifestyle strategies like sauna, coffee enema, rebounding, etc and I give my opinion on various supplement companies, individual ingredients (different important vitamins, herbs, amino acids, etc), and also all the specific products that I like and use regularly, and why I like them, including support for: Bowel FunctionKidney FunctionLiver and Bile FlowLymph DrainageBINDERS!GlutathioneMethylationMitochondriaCell Membrane Supportand lots, lots more. ENJOY! Please leave a rating and review, follow me on Instagram and Youtube, and share with a friend!!