PODCAST · health
The Chronic Truth
by Kim Nash
If chronic illness has ever made you feel lost, alone, or like your body is working against you, this podcast is for you. The Chronic Truth is a weekly show dedicated to helping chronic illness patients find hope, resilience, and community in the middle of their toughest seasons.Every Friday, Kim Nash opens up about her own health journey and sits down with real patients who have faced the darkest moments of their diagnosis and found their way through.Join us for conversations about navigating uncertain diagnoses, managing life with chronic pain, invisible illness, autoimmune conditions, and so much more.Not without a fight. Together, WE are STRONG.
Episodes
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When Your Body Starts Communicating, and You Finally Listen | Kristen Renee Appleby
Kristen Renee Appleby is an author, speaker, and transformational coach who spent 15 years navigating rheumatoid arthritis, corporate burnout, and the radical life changes that ultimately healed her: selling her house, moving states, and learning to listen to her body instead of fearing it. Her...
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Why Success Doesn't Bring Happiness And What Does | Bob Bekian
Bob Bekian is a Hollywood producer and director with 25 years of credits alongside Shirley MacLaine, Snoop Dogg, and dozens of sports and political figures. After a perfect storm of setbacks, COVID shutdowns, family loss, and two close friends who died from self-destructive choices, Bob built a...
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Maryanne Peng on Biliary Atresia, Recovery, and Living Donor Advocacy
Maryanne Peng was six weeks old when she was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a rare condition where the bile ducts are absent or blocked from birth. She had a Kasai surgery, a procedure that works in roughly 20–25% of cases. Hers worked. Her liver is still her own, still functioning. But…
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Why Your Pharmacist Is the Most Underused Member of Your Care Team
Most patients decline the pharmacy consultation. Dr. Melissa Durham wants you to stop doing that. On this episode of The Chronic Truth, clinical pharmacist and USC Pain Center professor Dr. Melissa Durham talks with Kim about the pharmacist's role in chronic pain management, de-escalating meds,...
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Dr. Malaysia Harrell on the Near-Death Experience That Destroyed the Mask of Success
Dr. Malaysia Harrell built her life on achievement Air Force, U.S. Public Health Service, working with the Surgeon General until a 2020 near-death experience left her with sepsis, Bell's palsy, oral chemo, and no idea who she was without her career. On Episode 100 of The Chronic Truth, Dr.…
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Opioid Dependence, Relapse, and a One-Year Taper
Nancy Deyo was a Silicon Valley CEO who climbed Kilimanjaro to prove she was still worthy after selling her startup and came down unable to move her legs. What followed was fifteen years of chronic pain, misdiagnosis, three spinal surgeries, fentanyl dependence, and a one-year taper back to life....
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The Rare Disease Nobody Talks About, Until It Stops Your Breathing
Deanna Steinle was diagnosed with Generalized Myasthenia Gravis at thirty a neuromuscular disease with no cure that can affect every voluntary muscle in the body, including the ability to breathe. Today she's a rare disease advocate, speaker, and the face of the Rare Connections: GMG film…
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She Slept for a Month. Then She Figured Out Why.
Jan Rothney was a psychology lecturer in health and social care when her body finally shut down completely leaving her bedbound and asleep for nearly a month. Because she already understood the science of what was happening, she knew exactly what to do: stop pushing, celebrate tiny wins, and send...
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The Absence of Visible Disease Is Not the Absence of Suffering
Erika Conrad-Wess has lived with trigeminal neuralgia since 2004 more than two decades of invisible, relentless facial pain, multiple brain surgeries, and a healthcare system that didn't always believe her. Now the author of Nerve, a memoir of chronic pain, medical trauma, and surviving the...
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Stress, the Immune System, and the Root Cause of Chronic Disease
Cancer biologist and TEDx speaker Rebecca Maff, known as the Healthy Biologist, joins Kim Nash on The Chronic Truth to explain the science of how stress feeds chronic disease and what we can do to get ahead of it. From the amygdala's role in immune suppression to AI-powered cancer screening,...
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What Nobody Tells You About Living With Chronic Pain
Davis Bain sustained a concussion during a soccer game in his senior year of college. Nine prior concussions had healed. This one didn't. Nearly four years later, he still lives with post-concussion syndrome, and he's turned that experience into Chronic Pain Warrior, a compassionate and practical...
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Epilepsy Doesn't Own Your Life
Epilepsy advocate and founder of The Epilepsy Network, Tiffany Kairos, shares her journey through nearly 18 years of living with epilepsy, from an unexpected diagnosis to becoming a beacon of hope for thousands. She and Kim Nash have an honest conversation about seizures, stigma, self-advocacy…
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The Tick Bite Nobody Treated | Adison Woods on Late-Stage Lyme and the Diagnosis 25 Years Late
Adison Woods has been navigating chronic illness since childhood: fainting, migraines, back surgeries, and a tick bite at summer camp that nobody connected to anything for 25 years. When her mother finally said, "You have Lyme disease," Adison rolled her eyes. Then the labs came back positive. An...
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Survive or Heal: What Elite Athletes Know About Injury That Chronic Pain Patients Need to Hear
Dr. Tommy Rhee spent years watching elite athletes at UCLA and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers survive injuries instead of heal them, numbing the pain to play through the season and saving surgery for the off-season. He developed Regen, a needle-free topical that delivers stem cell signaling through the...
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Wildfire Smoke, Rising Temperatures & the Chronic Health Crisis Nobody's Connecting the Dots On
Dr. Debra Hendrickson is a pediatrician in Reno, the fastest-warming city in the U.S., and the author of The Air They Breathe. She joins Kim Nash to talk about something most chronic illness patients and caregivers aren't warned about: how common medications impair your body's ability to cope…
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"Hepatitis Cannot Wait" | Kenneth Kabagambe on 13 Years of Advocacy, Policy Wins & Gaps That Remain
Kenneth Kabagambe founded Uganda's National Organization for People Living with Hepatitis B after watching a friend die of a disease nobody around him had heard of, and then being diagnosed himself. In 13 years, he has secured government funding, free birth dose vaccination for every newborn in...
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Born With It, Diagnosed at 50: Dwayne Wilson on Pompe Disease and Why Early Testing Saves Muscle
Dwayne Wilson was born with Pompe disease and didn't find out until he was 50 years old, when he couldn't climb a staircase, couldn't get off the toilet, and felt like someone was standing on his chest in a swimming pool. Eight years later, he's on biweekly infusion #194, rolled his...
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What Conventional Eye Care Gets Wrong
Dr. Edward Kondrot was a conventional eye surgeon until adult-onset asthma and the tremors caused by his medication forced him to find another way. Homeopathy cured his asthma. It also changed who he was as a doctor. Now he integrates homeopathy, microcurrent stimulation, and whole-person care…
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"FAP Is So Much More Than the Colon"
Jenny Jones is back, and a lot has changed. Since her last visit, she lost her mother to FAP complications, launched Life's Apolyp Foundation as a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit, and is correcting the record on something she got wrong last time: FAP is not just a colon disease. It's a whole-body condition...
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Cognitive Decline, Tough Exteriors & the Breaking Point: The Real Face of Multiple Sclerosis
Mara Fowler has lived with multiple sclerosis for 26 years, diagnosed just after her 21st birthday, after being misdiagnosed with complex migraines. She's been through plasmapheresis, eight and a half months of not walking, seizures, a torn labrum, and the kind of cognitive decline that quietly...
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HIV Long-Term Survivors Were Never Supposed to Exist
Jesus Guillen has been an HIV survivor for 41 years since 1985, when a nurse at UCLA told him he was positive and walked out. He arrived in the U.S. in 1984 with no papers, no community, and no roadmap. What he built in the decades that followed Aguilas in San Francisco, the HIV Long-Term…
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Singing Through Fire: What Joy Looks Like When You've Lost Your Health, Your Career & Your Husband
Lara Silverman was two weeks into her dream job as a federal prosecutor when a rare neurological condition turned her world literally upside down. Eight years later, she's still largely bedridden with severe chronic vertigo, a widow, and the author of Singing Through Fire — an Amazon #1…
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Diabetes Burnout, Workplace Stigma & Why the Right Community Changes Everything
Chelcie Rice has had Type 1 diabetes since the late 1980s, diagnosed at 25, with no technology, no community, and a pamphlet for guidance. By 2005, he'd lost vision in one eye. Instead of retreating, he built a platform using comedy and storytelling to break the stigma and reach the people who…
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The Prepared Patient: Three Things Every Chronic Illness Patient Needs Before a Specialist Visit
Eric Butcher was told to get his affairs in order at 38. He had cirrhosis, Alpha-1 Antitrypsin deficiency, and five years. That was 15 years ago. His MELD score has dropped from 15 to 8 through lifestyle changes, community, and getting off medications that were quietly compounding the damage. Now...
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"Recovery Doesn't Mean Cured" | Two Decades of Schizoaffective Disorder
Jason Jepson was 19 when he had a psychotic break at an Army base in the Mojave Desert. He's 45 now, living independently, volunteering, writing a blog cited by academic journals, and traveling to Portugal with his family. His mother, Maye, is a trained counselor who became an expert in...
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Stress Is Your Teacher, Not Your Enemy
Dean Graves has spent 20+ years teaching one idea: the condition of the body is a manifestation of the mind. As a meditation teacher, mental health counselor, and author, he works with veterans, trauma patients, and chronic pain sufferers who are ready to stop fighting their bodies and start...
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11 Years to Diagnose, 7 Organs Fused: The Endometriosis Reality Nobody Warned You About
Ruthy spent years being dismissed before passing out from pain and finally landing in the office of a surgeon whose bio said: If you're in pain, please come see me. The MRI showed seven internal organs fused. She built The Yellow Hub: a global specialist map with over half a million views so no…
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From Billion-Dollar Projects to End-Stage Liver Disease: How Lorrinda Gray-Davis Became an Advocate
Lorrinda Gray-Davis went from managing billion-dollar construction projects to crash-landing in an ER with end-stage liver disease, then inoperable liver cancer, then a high-risk transplant that was only possible because of clinical trials. As president of TRIO and vice chair of OPTN's Patient...
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How Chronic Illness Changes Everything in a Relationship and How to Navigate It
When chronic illness enters a relationship, it doesn't ask permission, and no one gives you a manual for what comes next. Lisa Gray is a licensed marriage and family therapist, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome patient, and author of Thriving in a Relationship When You Have a Chronic Illness. She joins Kim...
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65 Million Americans Have Chronic Pain and Most Don't Know the Real Cause
Dr. Bruce Gillis spent over a decade proving what too many doctors still refuse to accept: fibromyalgia is a real, diagnosable immune deficiency — not a made-up condition affecting neurotic women. His FM1 blood test, covered by Medicare and most major insurers, gives patients a definitive rule-in...
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She Was Dying and Didn't Know It: One Woman's Liver Transplant Story
Eileen Flynn Wagner survived five Hep C treatments, a near-fatal liver failure, and a transplant she almost didn't live to receive, and eight years later, she's still navigating the aftermath. Her kidneys are now at 20% function, she gets stents replaced every three months, and she carries a...
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Epilepsy and Mental Health: Severe Depression, Anxiety, and the Healing Power of Sharing Your Story
At 14, Allany Muniz had her first seizure right before freshman year of high school. During basketball tryouts, she had another—and became known as "the seizure girl" for the rest of high school. Years of severe depression, suppressed trauma, and silence followed until a fractured ankle in…
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If You've Tried All the Drugs and You're Still Not Happy, Try Something Different
Your treatment plan is decided before you walk into the doctor's office by an insurance actuary in another city who limits your doctor to 12 drugs. Dr. Kevin Smith, founder of Chronic Condition Center, has spent 25 years proving functional medicine works differently: asking why instead of chasing...
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Not Without A Fight: My Journey Through Illness to Purpose
Kim Nash was the first baby born to a kidney transplant recipient in the United States and unknowingly contracted Hepatitis C at birth. Diagnosed at 37 with young kids, she faced end-stage liver disease, treatment failure, and crushing depression before a 2014 clinical trial cured her and changed...
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From Misdiagnosis to Meaning: How 200,000 Patients Drive Clinical Trials and Get Compensated
Seven to ten years, that's how long most people wait for an accurate rare disease diagnosis, cycling through treatments that don't work and doctors who've never seen their condition. Pam Cusick, VP of Rare Patient Voice, has built a community of 200,000 patients across 1,500 conditions who get…
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Eating Disorders and Chronic Illness: Why Emotional Capacity Matters as Much as What's on Your Plate
Nine out of ten people with eating disorders never receive specialty care. They're sitting right next to you, walking wounded in a diet culture designed to keep them that way. Eating disorder dietitian Jessica Setnick has spent 28 years uncovering the intergenerational food stories, unconscious...
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Multiple Sclerosis Without Meds: Emotional Capacity, Nervous System Resonance, and Organic Transformation
After healing her multiple sclerosis naturally over 20 years, Christine Ruch discovered the missing piece that no diet, supplement, or lifestyle change could address: nervous system dysregulation. Her journey from Boulder holistic chef to transformation guide reveals why emotional capacity…
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Schizophrenia: When Plan A Crumbles and You Build an Army of Helpers
The day Maye Jepson's son called from a psychiatric hospital in California with a schizophrenia diagnosis, everything changed. Over 20 years later, she's transformed that fear into fierce advocacy—co-presenting Crisis Intervention Team training with Jason, founding Parenting Through Mental…
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Chronic Health Conditions: Why Grains, Sleep Deprivation, and Omega-6 Oils Are Sabotaging Your Recovery
What if the "healthy" grains you're eating are actually fueling inflammation and disrupting your sleep? Board-certified clinical nutritionist Beverly Meyer pioneered the Paleo diet decades before it had a name, and her ancestral approach to healing reveals why chronic conditions improve when we...
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Is Type 2 Diabetes Really Reversible?
Is type 2 diabetes truly reversible, or are we being told the wrong story? Kim welcomes professional chef and diabetes advocate Jeff Grundy for an honest conversation about the confusion, fear, and misinformation surrounding type 2 diabetes. After spending years relying on medication alone, Jeff...
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Beyond Forgetfulness: How to Tell Normal Aging from Dementia Warning Signs
Is it normal forgetfulness or an Alzheimer’s warning sign? How do you talk to a defensive parent about their declining memory? Gerontology expert Janice Goldmintz, who cared for both parents with Alzheimer’s, provides a compassionate, step-by-step guide for overwhelmed families. In this episode,...
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We Train Boys Not to Feel | The Hidden Crisis in Male Mental Health
What if everything we think about boys and emotions is backwards? Dr. Gloria Vanderhorst, a pioneering psychologist with 50 years of experience, will pull back the curtain on the emotional suppression of men in our culture. In this enlightening and thought-provoking episode, Gloria reveals: 🔴…
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Adaptive Kitchen Knife Innovation: Disabled Veteran Creates Nulu for Arthritis, MS & Mobility Issues | Doug Katz
What if a circular saw blade could revolutionize kitchen safety for millions? After learning knife smithing but being unable to use traditional knives during a severe flare-up, Doug created the Nulu: a groundbreaking adaptive kitchen knife that aligns with your musculoskeletal structure…
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Bonus Episode-Behind the Podcast: Together We Are Strong | Kim Nash
As 2025 comes to a close, this brief but powerful message reminds us why The Chronic Truth exists: to ensure no one fighting a serious health condition feels alone. In this heartfelt bonus episode, Kim pauses to reflect on an incredible year of storytelling, connection, and community building. As...
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Men's Midlife Health Crisis: Loneliness Epidemic, Suicide Statistics & the Connection Solution | Stretch Rayner
Men are dying of loneliness. The statistics on male suicide, isolation, and preventable chronic disease are staggering—yet most men wait until they're broken before seeking help. Stretch Rayner knows this firsthand. After climbing the corporate ladder, quitting to become a personal trainer, and...
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Pain Psychology & Mental Health: Treating Operating System Issues, Not Mental Illness | Dr. Alan Weisser
After breaking his neck at 12 and being told he'd be "fragile and crippled for life," Dr. Alan Weisser refused to accept that diagnosis. Today, he's a clinical psychologist with nearly 40 years of experience helping chronic pain patients move from suffering to mastery. In this powerful episode…
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Rare Patient Voice: How Chronic Illness Patients Earn $120 Per Hour Sharing Stories | Wes Michael
What if pharmaceutical companies actually listened to patients before launching treatments? This week, Kim welcomes Wes Michael, president and founder of Rare Patient Voice, who's spent over 25 years proving that patient perspectives aren't just nice to have—they're essential to developing...
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Spasmodic Dysphonia Voice Disorder: Teacher's Journey from Singing to Silence | Eileen Meehan
What happens when your voice fails while your husband battles cancer? This week, Kim Eileen Meehan, a longtime special education teacher and lifelong choir member, whose voice began failing just as her husband faced serious cancer surgery. While learning to give injections and manage tube...
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Nurse Burnout Prevention: 30-Year Hospice Nurse's Self-Care Method for Caregivers | Jenny Lytle, RN
What happens when caregivers never put themselves first? This week, Kim welcomes Jenny Lytle, a hospice and end-of-life care nurse with over 30 years of experience, who learned the cost of neglecting self-care through devastating loss. After burning out so badly she left her job and went through…
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Endometriosis Symptoms Beyond Period Pain: Complete Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment | Michele Forsberg
What if everything mothers tell daughters about period pain is wrong? This week, Kim welcomes back Michele Forsberg, pelvic physical therapist and endometriosis expert, to address the flood of listener questions from their first conversation. Michele delivers a powerful message that will change…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
If chronic illness has ever made you feel lost, alone, or like your body is working against you, this podcast is for you. The Chronic Truth is a weekly show dedicated to helping chronic illness patients find hope, resilience, and community in the middle of their toughest seasons.Every Friday, Kim Nash opens up about her own health journey and sits down with real patients who have faced the darkest moments of their diagnosis and found their way through.Join us for conversations about navigating uncertain diagnoses, managing life with chronic pain, invisible illness, autoimmune conditions, and so much more.Not without a fight. Together, WE are STRONG.
HOSTED BY
Kim Nash
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Chronic Truth have?
The Chronic Truth currently has 81 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Chronic Truth about?
If chronic illness has ever made you feel lost, alone, or like your body is working against you, this podcast is for you. The Chronic Truth is a weekly show dedicated to helping chronic illness patients find hope, resilience, and community in the middle of their toughest seasons.Every Friday, Kim...
How often does The Chronic Truth release new episodes?
The Chronic Truth has 81 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The Chronic Truth?
You can listen to The Chronic Truth on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Chronic Truth?
The Chronic Truth is created and hosted by Kim Nash.
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