Gordon Medical Forum

Gordon Medical Forum

Download on the App Store

Gordon Medical Forum episodes

  • Cell Danger Response and the Future of Chronic Illness Care

    Most chronic illness treatment is aimed at stopping what the body is doing, blocking inflammation, suppressing symptoms, quieting signals that won't turn off. 

    But what if that approach is missing the point entirely? Dr. Eric Gordon sits down with Dr. Robert Naviaux, MD, PhD, professor of genetics at UC San Diego and one of the most original thinkers in medicine today, to explore the Cell Danger Response, a framework that reframes chronic illness not as damage to be fixed, but as a healing cycle that got stuck.


    Dr. Naviaux explains how mitochondria act as the body's primary sensory and communication system, constantly assessing threat and orchestrating the three stages of cellular healing. When that cycle can't complete because of infection, toxins, trauma, or chronic stress, cells become hypersensitive, the alarm stays on, and illness becomes self-perpetuating. The conversation closes with a finding that offers real hope: in ME/CFS patients, the mitochondria are not broken. They are simply responding to the wrong signals in the blood, and that means the system can be changed.


    Episode Highlights:


    • The three stages of the Cell Danger Response and why getting stuck in any one of them drives chronic illness
    • How extracellular ATP acts as the body's most ancient danger signal and what happens when it never turns off
    • Why blocking inflammation without completing the healing cycle is like painting over mold
    • New research showing that ME/CFS plasma can induce mitochondrial dysfunction in healthy cells and what that means for treatment
    • Why the mitochondria are not broken in chronic illness and why that is a message of genuine hope


    Listen in to learn more: 

    • 0:01:31 — How the Cell Danger Response Was Discovered
    • 0:03:18 — The Three Stages of Healing
    • 0:06:58 — Mitochondria Are More Than Energy Producers
    • 0:10:00 — ATP Acts as the Body’s Danger Signal
    • 0:13:07 — When Protective Responses Become Chronic
    • 0:15:52 — Why Chronic Illness Requires a Different Approach
    • 0:19:40 — Salugenesis and the Biology of Healing
    • 0:23:02 — When the Fire Is Out but the Alarm Continues
    • 0:28:31 — What ME/CFS Plasma Reveals
    • 0:29:05 — The Mitochondria May Not Be Broken
    • 0:32:04 — Treating the Body as an Integrated System



    About Robert Naviaux, MD, PhD


    Dr. Robert Naviaux, MD, PhD, is a Professor of Genetics in the Departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, and Pathology at UC San Diego, where he directs a core laboratory for metabolomics. He is an internationally recognized expert in mitochondrial medicine, metabolomics, and inborn errors of metabolism, and he co-founded the Mitochondrial Medicine Society. He co-authored the landmark 2016 study "Metabolic Features of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome," published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, which helped define the metabolic signature of ME/CFS and advance the science of chronic illness.



    Gordon Medical Associates 

    Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gordonmedical.com/ 

    Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/gordonmedical/

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GordonMedicalAssociates 


    Gordon Medical Forum

    Website: https://gordonmedicalforum.com/

    Plasmapheresis at Gordon Medical

    Website: https://plasmapheresiswest.com/

    💬 Text us your feedback and future show ideas! (Please note we can't respond to texts - email questions to [email protected])


    Interested in Becoming A Patient?

    Find out if working with Gordon Medical is right for you. Set up a complimentary discovery call with our new patient coordinator at www.gordonmedical.com.


    ** This information is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your practitioner before making any changes to your treatment.

    30 min
  • Tristan Harris on Protecting Human Health in the Age of AI

    Dr. Eric Gordon and Dr. Nafysa Parpia talk with Tristan Harris, co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology and creator of "The Social Dilemma" and "The AI Dilemma," about a subject that might feel far from this podcast's usual territory, but what's unfolding with AI right now felt too timely and too relevant to sit out

    Tristan uses the same tool he used in 2013 to predict, with unsettling accuracy, how social media would damage a generation of kids. Look at the incentives, and the outcome follows. That same tool now points somewhere uncomfortable, since the AI industry is organized around market dominance, not curing disease, and the fastest way to win is to build something addictive and worry about the damage later.

    Tristan connects this directly to the work Dr. Gordon and Dr. Parpia do every day, arguing AI should work with natural human systems rather than replace them, the same principle behind functional medicine. The conversation covers the "intelligence curse," where an economy's wealth shifts from people to data centers; the water and energy strain data centers already put on communities; and the loneliness epidemic fueled by AI companions built to replace relationships. 

    He is candid about how bad this could get, and just as candid about why he still has hope.

    Episode Highlights:

    • Why Tristan predicted social media's harms years in advance, and what that same method reveals about AI
    • The "intelligence curse," and what happens when an economy's wealth shifts from people to machines
    • Why AI companions built to replace relationships are fueling the loneliness epidemic
    • Legal wins protecting kids, including a growing number of countries banning social media for under 16


    Listen in to learn more: 

    0:00:01 Why AI’s Benefits and Risks Are Inseparable

    0:02:30 The Intelligence Curse and an Anti-Human Economy

    0:06:55 Learning from Social Media’s Incentive Failures

    0:11:40 The Geopolitical AI Arms Race and Safety Shortcuts

    0:17:20 Pro-Human Path: Education, Vision, and Policy Interventions

    0:22:45 Tech, Capitalism, and the Polluted Attention Commons

    0:27:30 Jagged AI Capabilities: Superhuman Hacking and Science

    0:32:15 Uncontrollable AI: Real-World Rogue Behavior

    0:38:40 AI, Geopolitics, and “Too Big to Stop” Incentives


    About Tristan Harris


    Called “the closest thing Silicon Valley has to a conscience” by The Atlantic, Tristan Harris is a technology ethicist and co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, a nonprofit dedicated to aligning technology with humanity’s best interest. 


    Tristan gained international recognition when he was featured in the Emmy-winning Netflix documentary, The Social Dilemma. Since raising the alarm on the harms of social media, he has emerged as a leading public educator on the harms of unregulated artificial intelligence. Named to the TIME100 AI list and recipient of the 2023 Tällberg-SNF-Eliasson Global Leadership Award, 


    Tristan is “a tech leader committed to ensuring that we get this generation of AI right, because we simply can’t afford to get it wrong.” Tristan is featured in The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist, a new documentary from Focus Features available on demand.

    Learn more at humanetech.com and tristanharris.com


    Gordon Medical Associates 

    Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gordonmedical.com/ 

    Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/gordonmedical/

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GordonMedicalAssociates 

    Gordon Medical Forum

    Website: https://gordonmedicalforum.com/

    Plasmapheresis at Gordon Medical

    Website: https://plasmapheresiswest.com/


    💬 Text us your feedback and future show ideas! (Please note we can't respond to texts - email questions to [email protected])

    Discovery Call Ad -- Updated 2026


    Interested in Becoming A Patient?

    Find out if working with Gordon Medical is right for you. Set up a complimentary discovery call with our new patient coordinator at www.gordonmedical.com.


    ** This information is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your practitioner before making any changes to your treatment.

    58 min
  • Chronic Illness, Brain Trauma, and the Role of Peptides

    A concussion or brain injury that happened years ago may still be driving chronic illness today, and most patients have never been told. In this episode, Dr. Eric Gordon sits down with board-certified neurosurgeon Dr. Chad Prusmack to explore how unresolved brain trauma, vestibular dysfunction, and dysautonomia underpin some of the most complex and treatment-resistant cases in chronic illness. 


    Drawing on his experience with NFL athletes, spine surgery patients, and his own journey through tick-borne disease, Dr. Prusmack brings a uniquely cross-disciplinary lens to why some people never fully recover from an injury and what can actually be done about it.


    The conversation moves from how a misaligned neck disrupts the entire autonomic nervous system to the role of peptides in restoring mitochondrial function and endocrine health once the foundation is stable, and how the hardware and the software must be addressed together and in the right order.


    Episode Highlights:

    • Why loss of cervical lordosis on a normal-looking MRI is a key sign of vestibulocervical dysregulation that almost everyone is told to ignore
    • How unresolved vestibular dysfunction forces the brain to remap itself around a slower visual system, creating brain fog, anxiety, and dysautonomia
    • Why dysautonomia must be treated before any meaningful rehab or recovery can take place
    • The peptides Dr. Prusmack uses for mitochondrial support: subcutaneous NAD, MOT-C, and SS-31 and when to introduce them
    • Three exercise strategies for patients who can barely move: blood flow restriction training, heart rate zone feedback training, and isometric training


    Listen in to learn more: 

    • 0:00:00 Brain Trauma as a Driver of Chronic Illness
    • 0:02:30 From Neurosurgeon to Complex Chronic Brain Care
    • 0:05:45 Personal Journey: Misdiagnosis, CVID, and Lyme Disease
    • 0:10:20 Hardware vs. Software: Injury Meets Environment
    • 0:14:40 Dysautonomia as an Underdiagnosed, Treatable Pattern
    • 0:19:10 Neck, Vestibular System, and Spatial Orientation
    • 0:24:00 Structural Clues: Loss of Cervical Lordosis
    • 0:27:30 Chronic Symptoms, Whiplash, and Missed Mechanisms
    • 0:32:00 Dysautonomia, POTS, and Orthostatic Testing Framework
    • 0:37:30 Multisystem Evaluation: Beyond “It’s All Infection”
    • 0:42:00 Peptides for Pituitary and Hormone Axis Repair
    • 0:46:00 Mitochondrial Peptides: NAD, MOTS-c, and SS-31
    • 0:51:00 Timing Peptides: Don’t Fuel the Fire Too Early
    • 0:55:00 Overlap of Longevity, Performance, and Chronic Illness Care
    • 0:59:00 Exercise for the “Can’t Exercise” Patient
    • 1:03:00 Blood Flow Restriction, HR-Zone Training, and Isometrics
    • 1:07:00 Reframing Goals: Daily Function Over Marathons

    About Chad Prusmack, MD

    Dr. Chad Prusmack is a board-certified neurosurgeon and the only neurosurgeon in the United States who holds a functional medicine certification through IFM. He is the founder of Resilience Code, a personalized health and performance practice focused on chronic illness, complex brain injury, and peak performance. He serves as the primary neurosurgical consultant for the United States Olympic Committee, with a specialty in neurodegenerative disease, concussion, and post-concussive syndrome.


    Learn more about Dr. Prusmack at https://www.myresiliencecode.com/


    LINKS 

    Gordon Medical Associates 

    Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gordonmedical.com/ 

    Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/gordonmedical/

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GordonMedicalAssociates 

    Gordon Medical Forum

    Website: https://gordonmedicalforum.com/

    Plasmapheresis at Gordon Medical

    Website: https://plasmapheresiswest.com/


    💬 Text us your feedback and future show ideas! (Please note we can't respond to texts - email questions to [email protected])

    Discovery Call Ad -- Updated 2026


    Interested in Becoming A Patient?

    Find out if working with Gordon Medical is right for you. Set up a complimentary discovery call with our new patient coordinator at www.gordonmedical.com.


    ** This information is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your practitioner before making any changes to your treatment.

    46 min
  • Computerized Regulation Thermography a Window Into the Nervous System

    Computerized Regulation Thermography, or CRT, gives you something far more valuable: a window into how the nervous system is actually regulating the body, organ by organ, system by system, often years before anything shows up in standard blood work. 

    In this episode, Eric Gordon, MD, sits down with Sharon Stills, ND, to explore this European-rooted diagnostic tool and why it may be one of the most underutilized maps available to practitioners working with complex chronic illness.


    From lymphatic congestion to dental focal infections to early signs of immune dysregulation, CRT surfaces patterns that conventional medicine simply isn't looking for. Dr. Stills explains how the test works, what it reveals, and how it guides treatment, not as a replacement for other diagnostics, but as the eagle's eye view that tells you where to look first.


    Episode Highlights:

    • What CRT is actually measuring, the visceral cutaneous reflex arc, and how the nervous system regulates every organ
    • Why the lymphatic system shows up congested in virtually every chronic illness patient and what to do about it
    • How homotoxicology provides a framework for understanding where a patient is in their disease progression
    • The surprising role of dental health, root canals, cavitations, and meridian connections in chronic illness
    • Why CRT can detect dysfunction five to ten years before it appears in standard diagnostics


    Listen in to learn more: 

    • [0:00:01] Mapping the Body’s Regulation, Not Just Snapshots
    • [0:01:04] How European Biological Medicine Shaped CRT
    • [0:03:26] Why CRT Beats Standard Bloodwork for Chronic Illness
    • [0:04:31] The Overlooked Lymph System in Every Sick Patient
    • [0:06:28] Inside a CRT Session: 120 Points and a Cold-Room Stress Test
    • [0:07:48] Reading the Patterns: Blocked, Paradoxical, Hyporegulated
    • [0:09:04] Nervous System Overdrive and the Stress-Handling Gap
    • [0:11:48] Early-Warning Signals: Micro-Changes in Blood Flow
    • [0:13:22] Homotoxicology: From Suppressed Symptoms to Disease
    • [0:16:10] Why Fever, Sweat, and “Getting Sick” Signal Real Health
    • [0:19:20] CRT as a Naturopathic Treasure Map for Root Causes
    • [0:20:40] Teeth, Meridians, and Hidden Focal Infections
    • [0:24:44] Cavitations, Toxic Load, and Why Dental Work Comes First
    • [0:29:44] Beyond the Physical: Energetic Imaging and Colorpuncture
    • [0:31:30] Building a High-Tech Biological Medicine Clinic
    • [0:33:37] Bringing Swiss-Level Detox Tech to the U.S.
    • [0:35:42] Toxin Burden, Individual Tolerance, and Lowering the Load
    • [0:35:55] CRT as a Bridge Between Energy, Nerves, and Biology




    About Sharon Stills, ND

    Dr. Sharon Stills is a Naturopathic Medical Doctor providing comprehensive health care to patients worldwide, blending conventional medical training with cutting-edge diagnostics and natural healing. 


    A graduate of the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, she specializes in European Biological Medicine, having trained extensively with Dr. Thomas Rau of Switzerland's Paracelsus Clinic and later lectured alongside him at the Paracelsus Academy. She's also well-versed in pro-aging therapies and Bio-identical Hormone Replacement, and is widely recognized for her work with cancer patients, having been featured in numerous Oncology Summits. 


    Learn more about Dr. Stills and her work at www.drstills.com


    Gordon Medical Associates 

    Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gordonmedical.com/ 

    Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/gordonmedical/

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GordonMedicalAssociates 

    Gordon Medical Forum

    Website: https://gordonmedicalforum.com/

    Plasmapheresis at Gordon Medical

    Website: https://plasmapheresiswest.com/


    💬 Text us your feedback and future show ideas! (Please note we can't respond to texts - email questions to [email protected])

    Discovery Call Ad -- Updated 2026


    Interested in Becoming A Patient?

    Find out if working with Gordon Medical is right for you. Set up a complimentary discovery call with our new patient coordinator at www.gordonmedical.com.


    ** This information is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your practitioner before making any changes to your treatment.

    38 min
  • The Underestimated Health Risks of Wildfire Smoke and How to Protect Yourself

    Wildfire smoke is no longer just a problem for those living near a fire. It is now the single largest source of air pollution on the planet, surpassing industrial activity, and its ultrafine particles are small enough to bypass the lungs entirely and travel directly to the brain, heart, liver, and placenta. 

    Dr. Nafysa Parpia sits down with Dr. Lyn Patrick, a pioneer in environmental medicine, to make the case that wildfire smoke is a silent and largely underestimated driver of chronic illness, one that every patient and practitioner needs to understand.

    Episode Highlights:

    • Why ultrafine particles smaller than 1 micron bypass the lungs and have been found in infant brains, carotid artery plaque, and placental tissue
    • The NEJM study linking microplastics in carotid arteries to a 4x higher risk of stroke, heart attack, or death within three years
    • How mercury from Chinese coal plants crosses the Pacific, gets sequestered in conifer needles, and becomes airborne when forests burn
    • Why glutathione, vitamin C, and cysteine in the lung lining fluid are your first line of defense,  and how to replenish them before and after exposure
    • How wildfire smoke raises total body burden and why detoxification is non-negotiable for patients with chronic illness

    Listen in to learn more :
     

    [0:00:34] Framing the Wildfire Smoke Health Crisis

    [0:01:11] Why Wildfire Smoke Outpaces Industrial Pollution

    [0:03:30] Ultrafine Particles and Whole-Body Exposure

    [0:06:20] Global Mercury Transport from Coal to Wildfires

    [0:08:10] Particulates, Metals, and Neurodegeneration

    [0:09:55] Wildfire Smoke and the Dementia Surge

    [0:10:27] A “Second Pandemic” for Complex Chronic Illness

    [0:11:03] Microplastics, Immune Activation, and Vascular Risk

    [0:13:19] Spike Protein Plus Microplastics as a Vascular Threat

    [0:14:19] Radical Plastic Avoidance and Consumer Education

    [0:16:54] Before–During–After Wildfire Preparedness Framework

    [0:17:54] Go-Bag Essentials and High-Grade Respiratory Protection

    [0:19:10] P100 vs N95 for Ultrafine Particle Defense

    [0:19:54] Nebulizers and Rebuilding Lung Lining Defenses

    [0:22:40] Tyvek Suits and Safe Re-Entry to Burn Sites

    [0:24:29] Flame Retardants, Carcinogenic Dust, and Soil

    [0:28:06] Reverse Osmosis and Charcoal as Filtration Baseline

    [0:28:43] Whole-House vs Point-of-Use Water Filtration Economics

    [0:29:40] Budget Filters, Cartridge Changes, and Microplastics Issues

    [0:33:31] Why Shower Water Filtration Is Non-Negotiable

    [0:36:20] Effective House Cleaning Strategies After Smoke Events

    [0:37:10] Mold Remediation and “Mold Controlled” Protocols

    [0:38:04] Choosing Air Purifiers That Capture Ultrafine Particles

    [0:41:40] Post-Exposure Antioxidant and Nebulized Detox Strategies

    [0:45:04] IV Protocols for Nutrient Repletion and Cell Membrane Repair


    About Lyn Patrick, ND

    Dr. Lyn Patrick is the Medical Director of EMEI Global, an online post-graduate program for healthcare providers in environmental medicine. She also has her doctorate in naturopathic medicine from Bastyr University and has been in private practice as a licensed naturopathic physician for the last 30 years. She is a published author of numerous articles in peer-reviewed medical journals. She speaks internationally on the integrative medical treatment of chronic hepatitis C, environmental medicine, liver disease, and endocrine disruption. 


    Learn more about EMEI Global: https://emeiglobal.com/


    Gordon Medical Associates 

    Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gordonmedical.com/ 

    Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/gordonmedical/

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GordonMedicalAssociates 


    Gordon Medical Forum

    Website: https://gordonmedicalforum.com/


    Plasmapheresis at Gordon Medical

    Website: https://plasmapheresiswest.com/

    💬 Text us your feedback and future show ideas! (Please note we can't respond to texts - email questions to [email protected])

    Discovery Call Ad -- Updated 2026


    Interested in Becoming A Patient?

    Find out if working with Gordon Medical is right for you. Set up a complimentary discovery call with our new patient coordinator at www.gordonmedical.com.


    ** This information is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your practitioner before making any changes to your treatment.

    50 min
  • The Science of Neurosomatic Mindfulness & Healing

    For patients navigating chronic illness, the search for the one thing, “the diagnosis, the treatment, the answer,” can itself become part of the obstacle to healing. 

    Dr. Eric Gordon sits down with Fleet Maull, PhD, neuroscience-informed meditation expert, to make the case that healing at this level requires something medicine rarely prescribes: learning to be present with the body rather than retreating from it. This isn't an episode about meditation as a wellness practice. It's about why the nervous system's own capacity for reorganization may be one of the most underutilized tools in complex chronic illness.

    Episode Highlights:

    • Why the brain's tendency to replace direct experience with concept is a key obstacle to healing and how neurosomatic mindfulness works around it
    • The two neural networks at the heart of meditation practice and why shifting between them quiets the mind more effectively than willpower alone
    • How chronic pain and illness create a feedback loop of avoidance that further disrupts the body's internal communication

    Listen in to learn more :

    [0:01:38] From Conceptual Body to Direct Body Experience

    [0:05:50] Making Meditation Easier by Starting with the Body

    [0:09:36] Switching from Default Mode to Task-Positive Focus

    [0:11:06] Micro-Sensations: Turning Breath into a Sensory Universe

    [0:18:07] Pendulation: Safely Reclaiming the Body in Chronic Pain

    [0:22:57] Flow States as the Nervous System’s Natural Healer

    [0:31:40] Breathwork as a Doorway to Safety and Regulation

    [0:38:14] Living Gently in a Hyper-Sensitive Modern World

    [0:39:09] Radical Responsibility: Owning Your Healing Journey


    About Fleet Maull, PhD

    Fleet Maull, PhD is a meditation teacher, mindset coach, and social entrepreneur who works at the intersection of personal transformation and neuroscience. He developed Neurosomatic Mindfulness, a deeply embodied, neuroscience and trauma-informed approach to meditation that facilitates self-healing, self-regulation, and awakening. He is the founder of Heart Mind Institute, and the author of Radical Responsibility: How to Move Beyond Blame, Live Your Highest Purpose and Become an Unstoppable Force for Good.


    Learn more https://www.heartmind.co/


    Resources 

    Gordon Medical Associates 

    Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gordonmedical.com/ 

    Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/gordonmedical/

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GordonMedicalAssociates 


    Gordon Medical Forum

    Website: https://gordonmedicalforum.com/


    Plasmapheresis at Gordon Medical

    Website: https://plasmapheresiswest.com/

    💬 Text us your feedback and future show ideas! (Please note we can't respond to texts - email questions to [email protected])

    Discovery Call Ad -- Updated 2026


    Interested in Becoming A Patient?

    Find out if working with Gordon Medical is right for you. Set up a complimentary discovery call with our new patient coordinator at www.gordonmedical.com.


    ** This information is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your practitioner before making any changes to your treatment.

    53 min
  • Spiky-Leaky Syndrome, Dysautonomia, and Structural Instability

    Structural instability in the upper cervical spine is showing up more frequently in patients with complex chronic illness, yet most practitioners miss the connection between craniocervical issues and symptoms like dysautonomia, MCAS, and debilitating headaches.

    Dr. Nafysa Parpia sits down with Dr. Andrew Maxwell, the pediatric cardiologist who identified Spiky-Leaky Syndrome, in which intracranial pressure alternates daily with CSF leaks, driven by breathing patterns and structural compression.

    Dr. Maxwell explains the diagnostic signs and why this may be the missing link in treating tick-borne disease, Long COVID, ME/CFS, and fibromyalgia.

    Episode Highlights:

    • Spiky-Leaky Syndrome involves cyclical intracranial pressure surges and CSF leaks, presenting with alternating headaches, dysautonomia, and cranial nerve dysfunction
    • Cranial nerves IX–XII often compress near C1, contributing to vagal dysregulation, tinnitus, dysphagia, and autonomic instability
    • Mast cell activation and connective tissue laxity compromise craniocervical stability, worsening POTS and autonomic dysfunction
    • Diagnosis combines CO2 monitoring, cone beam CT imaging, and venogram assessment of jugular compression

    Listen in to learn more :
     

    [0:00:00] Spiky Leaky Syndrome as a Missing Link in Complex Illness

    [0:01:46] Daily High-Pressure/Low-Pressure CSF Cycle Explained

    [0:03:55] Cranial Nerve Injury Pentad and Symptom Constellation

    [0:07:24] Pseudo-Eagle Syndrome and Stylohyoid Ligament Calcification

    [0:09:24] Environmental Triggers, Mast Cells, and Focal Hypermobility

    [0:12:01] Rethinking MCAS, Dysautonomia, and Hypermobility Diagnosis

    [0:15:21] From Pediatric Cardiology to Systems View of POTS and CCI

    [0:19:02] POTS as a Physiologic State and Blood Pooling Mechanism

    [0:22:00] Lifestyle, Exercise, Compression, and the “Big Five” POTS Meds

    [0:24:47] Clinical Workup and Testing Strategy for Spiky Leaky

    [0:27:24] Internal Jugular Compression and CSF Flow Pathways

    [0:30:03] Individualized Treatment: Diamox, Airway, and CCI-Focused Rehab


    About Andrew Maxwell, MD

    Dr. Andrew Maxwell is a Board Certified Pediatric Cardiologist specializing in dysautonomia, hypermobility syndromes, and mast cell activation syndrome. His research focuses on endothelial control of vasomotor tone, nitric oxide, and the relationship between environmental toxins and autonomic dysfunction. He identified Spiky-Leaky Syndrome and has published numerous articles and book chapters on complex chronic illness. 


    Learn more about Dr. Maxwell https://www.heartofthevalley.us/


    RESOURCES 

    Gordon Medical Associates 

    Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gordonmedical.com/ 

    Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/gordonmedical/

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GordonMedicalAssociates


    Gordon Medical Forum

    Website: https://gordonmedicalforum.com/

    Plasmapheresis at Gordon Medical

    Website: https://plasmapheresiswest.com/


    💬 Text us your feedback and future show ideas! (Please note we can't respond to texts - email questions to [email protected])

    Discovery Call Ad -- Updated 2026


    Interested in Becoming A Patient?

    Find out if working with Gordon Medical is right for you. Set up a complimentary discovery call with our new patient coordinator at www.gordonmedical.com.


    ** This information is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your practitioner before making any changes to your treatment.

    33 min
  • The Critical Link Between the Foot, Structure, and Illness

    Most patients with chronic illness focus on biochemistry while overlooking how physical structure affects inflammation, lymphatic drainage, and immune function. Dr. Eric Gordon sits down with Dr. Yonatan Whitten to discuss how loss of spinal curves and foot arches increases all-cause mortality, impairs tissue oxygenation, and perpetuates chronic illness.

    Dr. Whitten explains why modern footwear weakens foot muscles and flattens arches, how forward head posture reduces lung capacity by 33% and increases chronic neck pain eighteen-fold, and why simple interventions can restore normal structure and reduce inflammatory burden.

    Episode Highlights:

    • Loss of cervical, lumbar, and foot arch curves increases all-cause mortality and reduces functional capacity
    • Modern shoes weaken foot muscles by 17% in just two weeks
    • Forward head posture reduces lung capacity 33%, increases neck pain eighteen-fold, and impairs lymphatic drainage
    • Simple interventions reduce disc compression and pain

    Listen in to learn more : 

    • [0:01:16] Returning the Body to “Normal” Homeostasis
    • [0:02:17] Daily Rhythms as Therapeutic Levers
    • [0:03:05] Structural Load as a Driver of Stress
    • [0:05:00] The Lifelong Story of Spinal Curves
    • [0:06:04] Efficiency Curves and Energy Conservation
    • [0:07:01] Loss of Curves, Loss of Function, Higher Mortality
    • [0:08:27] The Foot Arch as a Spring and “Second Heart”
    • [0:10:00] Collapsed Arches, Pump Failure, and Energy Loss
    • [0:12:06] Plantar Fasciitis as Structural Breakdown
    • [0:12:32] Modern Footwear as Structural Sabotage
    • [0:13:49] Heels, Toe Spring, and Chronic Tissue Strain
    • [0:15:00] Arch Supports as “Braces” That Weaken Muscles
    • [0:16:50] Cushioned Shoes, Harder Landings, Weaker Feet
    • [0:18:10] Minimalist Walking as Built‑In Foot Rehab
    • [0:19:05] Preserving Secondary Curves to Prevent Pain



    About Yonatan Whitten, DC

    Dr. Yonatan Whitten is an expert in the art & science of permanent pain resolution. In addition to his hands-on work with patients over the last 20 years, Dr. Whitten has spent years conducting research and studying with experts in functional neurology, manual medicine & rehabilitation.


    Learn about the new science of pain resolution in Dr. Whitten’s free webinar 

    https://painfixprotocol.com/referral.html?p=GMA&w=webinar 



    Gordon Medical Associates 

    Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gordonmedical.com/ 

    Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/gordonmedical/

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GordonMedicalAssociates 


    Gordon Medical Forum

    Website: https://gordonmedicalforum.com/


    Plasmapheresis at Gordon Medical

    Website: https://plasmapheresiswest.com/


    💬 Text us your feedback and future show ideas! (Please note we can't respond to texts - email questions to [email protected])

    Discovery Call Ad -- Updated 2026


    Interested in Becoming A Patient?

    Find out if working with Gordon Medical is right for you. Set up a complimentary discovery call with our new patient coordinator at www.gordonmedical.com.


    ** This information is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your practitioner before making any changes to your treatment.

    51 min
  • Resetting Nervous System Patterns with Neural Therapy


    The body doesn't forget. Every surgery, injury, infection, and chronic stressor leaves a mark on the nervous system, and for many patients with complex chronic illness, it's those accumulated imprints that are keeping them sick. 

    Dr. Eric Gordon sits down with Dr. Alex Egerter, a DO who specializes in neural therapy and regenerative medicine, to explore how targeted injections of procaine can interrupt these deeply embedded nervous system patterns and open the door to healing that other therapies alone can't access.

    Episode Highlights:

    • Why scars and old injuries create "interference fields" that silently disrupt the entire nervous system
    • How the stellate ganglion block is being used for Long COVID, PTSD, anxiety, and sleep disorders
    • The difference between procaine and longer-acting anesthetics, and why shorter is better for nervous system reset
    • Why neural therapy has real limitations when active infections are still present
    • How combining neural therapy with osteopathic manipulation unlocks a level of healing neither can achieve alone

    Listen in to learn more : 
    [0:00:00] Nervous System Reset As Key To Chronic Illness

    [0:00:57] Neural Therapy Basics And Modern Use Cases

    [0:02:35] Procaine’s Unique Effects On Autonomics

    [0:05:56] Scars As Hidden Drivers Of Systemic Dysfunction

    [0:09:02] Nervous System Memory And Chronic Illness Patterns

    [0:20:03] Blood Flow, Fight-Or-Flight, And Organ Function

    [0:26:57] Synergy Of Neural Therapy And Osteopathy


    Resources 


    Gordon Medical Associates 

    Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gordonmedical.com/ 

    Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/gordonmedical/

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GordonMedicalAssociates


    Gordon Medical Forum

    Website: https://gordonmedicalforum.com/

    Insgram: https://www.instagram.com/gordonmedicalforum/


    Plasmapheresis at Gordon Medical

    Website: https://plasmapheresiswest.com/


    - - - - - 

    About Alex Egerter, DO

    Dr. Alex Egerter trained in Osteopathic Neuromuscular Medicine and Emergency Medicine, and completed a three-year apprenticeship in integrative pain medicine. He served as a frontline emergency physician in New York City during the 2020 COVID pandemic, deepening his commitment to patients with long COVID, ME/CFS, PTSD, and nervous system dysregulation. He specializes in neural therapy, regenerative medicine, and Osteopathic manipulation, with particular expertise in stellate ganglion blocks, platelet-rich plasma, prolotherapy, and cranial Osteopathy.


    Dr. Egerter is seeing patients at Gordon Medical Associates. Learn more and view his full bio https://gordonmedical.com/alex-egerter/


    💬 Text us your feedback and future show ideas! (Please note we can't respond to texts - email questions to [email protected])

    Discovery Call Ad -- Updated 2026


    Interested in Becoming A Patient?

    Find out if working with Gordon Medical is right for you. Set up a complimentary discovery call with our new patient coordinator at www.gordonmedical.com.


    ** This information is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your practitioner before making any changes to your treatment.

    33 min
  • Plasmapheresis (TPE): What It Is, Who It Helps, and What's Being Missed

    Plasmapheresis is having a moment, from hospital neurology wards to biohacker clinics to celebrity wellness trends. But what is it actually doing, and who does it really help? 

    Dr. Eric Gordon joins Dr. Nafysa Parpia for a deep dive into one of the most talked-about therapies in complex chronic illness and longevity medicine. They discuss how TPE differs from EBOO, IVIG, and inuspheresis and make clear that it is not a standalone cure. In the right person, at the right time, with the right preparation, it can help shift a system that's been stuck in chronic inflammation for years.

    The discussion covers everything from PANS and PANDAS in children to Long COVID, Lyme disease, fibromyalgia, and even healthy adults looking to protect cognitive function as they age. 

    Dr. Gordon draws on years of clinical experience to explain why preparation matters, why most clinics aren't testing deeply enough, and what happens when you skip the foundational work.

    Episode Highlights:

    • What plasmapheresis actually removes, autoantibodies, environmental toxins, senescent proteins, and why that matters for chronic illness
    • How it differs from EBOO, IVIG, and the double-filtration inuspheresis therapies coming from Europe
    • Why preparation is non-negotiable: the labs, nutrients, and cofactors that determine whether someone thrives or crashes after treatment
    • The PANS and PANDAS cases that first put plasmapheresis on the map for complex chronic illness
    • Why healthy people in their forties and fifties are seeing meaningful results, and what most clinics are missing when they skip deeper testing

    Listen in to learn more :
    0:00:00 – Plasmapheresis Spotlight: Cutting Through the Hype

    0:00:39 – How Plasmapheresis Actually Works in the Body

    0:02:29 – Hospital Roots: Autoimmunity and Neurologic Crises

    0:02:44 – From ICUs to Influencers: Why Celebrities Want It

    0:02:59 – Parabiosis Experiments: Young Blood, Old Bodies, New Clues


    Plasmapheresis at Gordon Medical: A New Chapter in Health

    Plasmapheresis, also known as Therapeutic Plasma Exchange (TPE), is reshaping modern medicine by providing the body with a cellular reset, removing harmful proteins and toxins that drive inflammation and accelerating repair at the most fundamental level.


    At Gordon Medical, we bring decades of proven hospital-based use into integrative care for chronic illness recovery and proactive wellness, combining medical expertise with therapeutic innovation.


    As environmental exposures such as heavy metals and microplastics rise to unprecedented levels, plasmapheresis offers a powerful tool for restoring balance and renewing vitality.


    Learn more https://plasmapheresiswest.com/ 

    - - - - - 

    References Mentioned in This Episode


    • Stanford parabiosis and plasma exchange aging research

    https://www.nature.com/articles/nature03260 


    • Neutral blood exchange and plasma dilution research

    https://www.aging-us.com/article/103418/text 


    • Therapeutic plasma exchange in autoimmune neurologic disease

    https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181da3b48 


    • PANDAS/PANS plasma exchange research

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10513708/ 


    • Review of plasmapheresis in Long COVID

    https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2023.1189091/full 

    💬 Text us your feedback and future show ideas! (Please note we can't respond to texts - email questions to [email protected])

    Discovery Call Ad -- Updated 2026


    Interested in Becoming A Patient?

    Find out if working with Gordon Medical is right for you. Set up a complimentary discovery call with our new patient coordinator at www.gordonmedical.com.


    ** This information is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your practitioner before making any changes to your treatment.

    46 min

About Gordon Medical Forum

From the publisher's feed

Drs Gordon and Parpia have a unique and proven approach to healing chronic conditions with over 50 years of clinical experience combined; they created the Gordon Medical Forum Podcast to…

More shows like Gordon Medical Forum

Dr. Ruscio Radio, DC: Health, Nutrition and Functional Healthcare by Dr. Michael Ruscio, DC

Dr. Ruscio Radio, DC: Health, Nutrition and Functional Healthcare

765 Listeners

The Human Upgrade: Biohacking for Longevity & Performance by Dave Asprey

The Human Upgrade: Biohacking for Longevity & Performance

7,175 Listeners

Boundless Life by Ben Greenfield

Boundless Life

4,984 Listeners

Wise Traditions by Weston A. Price Foundation

Wise Traditions

2,317 Listeners

The Energy Blueprint Podcast by Ari Whitten

The Energy Blueprint Podcast

717 Listeners

Dhru Purohit Show by Dhru Purohit

Dhru Purohit Show

3,420 Listeners

The Dr. Hyman Show by Dr. Mark Hyman

The Dr. Hyman Show

9,157 Listeners

Ancient Health Podcast by Ancient Health Podcast

Ancient Health Podcast

1,779 Listeners

Dr. Jockers Functional Nutrition by Dr. Jockers

Dr. Jockers Functional Nutrition

842 Listeners

The Thyroid (and Hormone) Fixer Podcast: Thyropause, Menopause, Metabolism and How to Fix It by Dr. Amie Hornaman

The Thyroid (and Hormone) Fixer Podcast: Thyropause, Menopause, Metabolism and How to Fix It

507 Listeners

LONGEVITY with Nathalie Niddam by Nathalie Niddam

LONGEVITY with Nathalie Niddam

293 Listeners

The Dr. Tyna Show by Dr. Tyna Moore

The Dr. Tyna Show

1,676 Listeners

The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Show by Dr. Gabrielle Lyon

The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Show

1,194 Listeners

The Dr. Josh Axe Show by Dr. Josh Axe

The Dr. Josh Axe Show

1,414 Listeners

The Ultimate Human with Gary Brecka by Gary Brecka

The Ultimate Human with Gary Brecka

3,132 Listeners