How Humans Heal

In today’s podcast we talk about acupuncture and Ayurvedic medicine to support fertility with Michelle Oravitz. 

Michelle Oravitz began her career as an architect upon graduating from Philadelphia University. After many years of experiencing missed periods (which traditional doctors could not resolve) and enduring stress at her high demand job in NYC, she decided to go to an acupuncturist named Dr. Li who immediately regulated her cycle.

Not only did her symptoms resolve, but she also felt a renewed sense of well being and clarity. She was unable to recognize just how disharmonious she felt until she experienced a new sense of well being that arose from her treatments. 

When moving to South Florida, she enrolled in an Ayurvedic school which gave her tremendous knowledge about this ancient and rich healing approach. She then enrolled into school to get her master’s degree in Oriental Medicine. 

Michelle believes that if she had not gone to a TCM doctor, she probably would have had a hard time getting pregnant with her two children. This has influenced her to develop a special interest in treating gynecological disorders and infertility.

When you start to become more balanced in your body you start to get more clarity in your mind, and you start to see what's good for you and what's not so good for you and then your body and mind become aligned. You start seeing everything differently. 

It is sometimes difficult to do this because our society dictates that if you have chosen one specific path, like a corporate job for example, and have invested money and energy on that path, then you should stick to it even if it doesn’t fulfill your life. 

The mind is such an important aspect of our health. Sometimes we just get used to the way things are in our lives and we are reluctant to change and to follow our hearts. This is exactly what acupuncture did for Michelle. It gave her this openness to change and to follow her heart. 

If your body/mind are telling you something, like “I am getting the feeling that food is really related to one’s health, maybe I should eat healthier” then you should listen to it and start making the necessary changes towards that direction. 

If you recognize that there's something about that job or that career or that routine that's harming your health, then you need to act on it and make the shift to a new environment that feels good for you, otherwise you will not be healthy and you will not be able to enjoy life to the fullest.

There is so much research coming out related to women's health and fertility, new natural treatments, supplements, herbs, and nutrients to help women with fertility that there is always something new to learn and to try.

Talking about alignment we can see that if a person is in a stressful environment or if they are not aligned in the mind-body connection, maybe because they don’t really like their job or their relationship, or are under so much constant stress, then sometimes that is part of why the pregnancy is not happening.

We want to balance our hormones and we want to balance our microbiome and neurotransmitters but if there is something not working on the mind-body connection then it is much more difficult to heal.

A very interesting aspect of Chinese medicine is that it works by acknowledging connection. Everything that happens around us (the universe, the sun, the stars, the moon, etc.) reflect in the rhythms of life and in our bodies. We are walking living ecosystems that thrive on balance. 

When something in our bodies is out of balance, we start to see health problems. Our bodies could have too much heat or too much cold or not enough blood production in a day-to day basis. There are so many different things that can cause the same symptom. We must look at the pattern, we look at the underlying root cause and then we can solve the problem. 

The human body is incredibly intelligent, but it is a living organism, and it requires attention and care, it is not a machine, and even machines require attention and care. If we do not give it what it needs to be in balance it is going to eventually give you some signs and signals and disharmonious feelings that something is not right. 

Acupuncture is all about reaching that balance in your body and mind. It works on our energy as its flowing to feed all the different systems and get into different organs. And once you give the body what it needs then it removes the blockages in order to move that energy across all systems and creates that homeostasis state where it begins to heal. 

In this modern world we are so used to have everything we think we need readily available for us, like fruits and vegetables that don’t grow in our regions depending on the seasons, or artificial light disrupting our inner resting cycles and hormones, or not going out because it’s too cold so we don’t get sunlight, all these things make our bodies go out of balance and we suffer the consequences in our health. 

We also forget that our Earth has all the necessary nutrients and herbs to keep us as healthy as we can be, and that there are alternative ways instead of the traditional western medicine. For example, there is a lot of research showing the benefits of Ashwaganda in reducing stress, which also causes fertility issues, or Phosphatidylserine to reset our Cortisol levels which help regulate our mood and sleep patterns.

In these alternative treatments it is important to know that there is no “one pill fits all” it has to be about the person, his unique body and his unique response to external factors. In this modern world we sometimes forget that excessive amounts of stress are probably one of the main root causes of serious health issues like heart attacks, cancer, dementia, infertility, etc.

We have to recognize our own patterns and our unique bodies’ response to stress, so we can control it and not the other way around. When we are constantly overwhelmed stressed everything in our bodies gets out of balance, our neurotransmitters, our hormones, our nervous system, our minds, etc. so it is very difficult for our bodies to really heal.

If you want to reach out to Michelle and learn how she can help you, please check out her website: https://www.michelleoravitz.com/about or her Instagram: thewholesomelotusfertility.

If you want to learn more about your specific stress type and how you can start mastering it you can do my Stress Type Quiz here: https://doctordoni.com/quiz/stress-quiz/ 

Or you can dive deep into really becoming your own Stress Master by reading my new book Master Your Stress Reset Your Health: https://doctordoni.com/master-your-stress/ 

You can also reach out to me to set up a one-on-one appointment if you prefer here:

https://doctordoni.com/work-with-me/ 

We're here to help you!

Connect with Dr. Doni: 

Facebook HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/DRDONIWILSON  

Instagram HTTPS://INSTAGRAM.COM/DRDONIWILSON  

YouTube HTTPS://YOUTUBE.COM/USER/DONIWILSONND  

Weekly Wellness Wisdom Newsletter: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/WWW  

-

Books and Resources: 

Order My New Book: https://www.amazon.com/Master-Your-Stress-Reset-Health/dp/1953295576

Stress Warrior Book (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESSWARRIOR   

Stress Warrior Stress Resiliency Facebook Group (FREE) 

HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/STRESSWARRIOR  

7-day Stress Reset (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESS-RESET  

HPV & Cervical Dysplasia Guide (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/HPV-AND-CERVICAL-DYSPLASIA-GUIDE/  

-

Personalized Solutions: 

If you’d like to meet with Dr. Doni one-on-one for your health, request a Health Breakthrough Session: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/BREAKTHROUGH  

To get an idea of more comprehensive options, read about Dr. Doni’s Signature Consultation Programs: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/SERVICES

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are product links and affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission at no cost to you. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

In today’s podcast we will discuss how to prevent and recover from upper respiratory infections. 

Dr. Doni discusses the various different viruses, including influenza, coronavirus (COVID) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), how to know the difference, and when it is important to know which virus is causing your cold symptoms.

As many of us know, sometimes it may take days, weeks, or even longer to recover and feel fully back to normal once a cold or flu hits. That’s too long to feel outside of our optimal health. 

Upper respiratory infections often include symptoms like sneezing, congestion, runny nose, sore throat, coughing, headaches, ears feeling swollen or plugged, inflammation, fatigue, and more. 

Signs that an infection may be worsening or spreading will be of course if symptoms persist for more than just a few days. But if you begin to have shortness of breath, a fever that is consistently testing high, and/or if you have green or yellow phlegm when you blow your nose, these are also indications that your body may need you to interject a stronger intervention to get it back on track. That is when it is important to contact a health care provider and/or add an antibiotic or other medication.

As always, please check with your doctor before implementing any changes suggested here. Everyone’s body and situation is unique, for instance if you might be taking any other medications or if you have any health concerns. Please exercise particular caution and discuss with your practitioner if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or considering any of these supplements for children. 

The best thing we can do for any illness is to approach it using a naturopathic perspective. What does this mean? Many treatments for various viruses come down to a few common principles, namely giving our body the right instruments and taking away the excess baggage so our bodies can do what they were designed to do best, which is heal. Once we can help our immune system get back on track, it’s often able to fend off these various colds, viruses, and mysterious illnesses. 

So what are the top 3 things we should avoid in order to give our bodies a fighting chance? 

Refined sugars, especially white sugar.

Alcohol. 

Dairy products like cow’s milk, cheese, etc. 

These products consistently produce inflammation in human bodies. When our bodies are busy from fighting these, or overworked from our overuse of these products, it weakens our body’s overall ability to fight off something larger when it comes along. 

Load up on these instead:

Organic bone broth; classic chicken noodle soup is also a great remedy. 

Fresh veggies.

Herbal teas; the best for soothing respiratory issues include licorice, marshmallow and mullein. 

Freshly grated ginger and honey also works wonders. 

Water with a pinch of Celtic or Himalayan salt for improved absorption and hydration. 

Probiotics. 

My favorite supplements to give your body the edge over those pesky viruses:

Mushroom extracts: (https://doctordoni.com/product/mushroom-complex-sap-90-capsules/)

Hesperidin: (https://doctordoni.com/product/hmc-500mg-60-capsules/)

Vitamin C: (https://doctordoni.com/product/dr-doni-s-vitamin-c-support-60-capsules/)

Immune Support: (https://doctordoni.com/product/dr-doni-s-immune-support-60-capsules/)

Immune Support PLUS: (https://doctordoni.com/product/dr-doni-s-immune-support-plus-120-capsules/)

Silver Hydrosol: (https://doctordoni.com/product/silver-hydrosol-fine-mist-spray-2-oz/)

Vitamin A Support: https://doctordoni.com/product/dr-donis-vitamin-a-support-100-soft-gels/)

Berberine: (https://doctordoni.com/product/berberine-500-60-capsules/)

Peptides: (https://doctordoni.com/product/peptides-for-immune-and-viral-support-package/)

All of these are available through our online shop: (https://doctordoni.com/dr-donis-nature-empowered-store/), and be sure to watch the full episode for recommendations on correct dosing, combinations when taking multiple supplements in conjunction, and how to properly space treatments throughout the day to get the most effective counteraction. 

Many of these supplements are anti-bacterial and anti-fungal and are preferred before a course of antibiotics, which puts a lot of stress on the body and should only be taken when necessary. Couple these nutrition boosts with hot showers (or a nice hot bath), and plenty of rest, put this cycle on repeat and you will start feeling better each day.

If you find yourself fighting illness after illness, and recovery is painfully slow, stress may be the ultimate culprit. To find out what your unique stress type is, and what you can do about it, you can do the Stress Type Quiz in my book: (https://doctordoni.com/master-your-stress/), or on my website: (https://doctordoni.com/quiz/stress-quiz/).

You can also order my home test to measure your cortisol and adrenaline levels (as stress always is related to an imbalance of these in our bodies), so you know exactly where you stand. Get it here: (https://doctordoni.com/product/assess-your-stress-type/).

The human body is incredible in its capacity for healing, when given the proper tools. Please send us any feedback, comments, or questions regarding these or other health concerns you may have. We are here for you, so you can focus on living your fullest life, through all seasons! 

If I can be of more assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to me to set up a one-on-one appointment if you prefer:

https://doctordoni.com/work-with-me/

You can also check out my most recent Masterclass: Transform Your Life: Get to the Root of Anxiety and Depression: 

https://doctordoni.com/transformanxiety/#blank-1

We're here to help you!

Connect with Dr. Doni: 

Facebook HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/DRDONIWILSON  

Instagram HTTPS://INSTAGRAM.COM/DRDONIWILSON  

YouTube HTTPS://YOUTUBE.COM/USER/DONIWILSONND  

Weekly Wellness Wisdom Newsletter: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/WWW  

-

Books and Resources: 

Order My New Book: https://www.amazon.com/Master-Your-Stress-Reset-Health/dp/1953295576

Stress Warrior Book (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESSWARRIOR   

Stress Warrior Stress Resiliency Facebook Group (FREE) 

HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/STRESSWARRIOR  

7-day Stress Reset (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESS-RESET  

HPV & Cervical Dysplasia Guide (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/HPV-AND-CERVICAL-DYSPLASIA-GUIDE/  

-

Personalized Solutions: 

If you’d like to meet with Dr. Doni one-on-one for your health, request a Health Breakthrough Session: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/BREAKTHROUGH  

To get an idea of more comprehensive options, read about Dr. Doni’s Signature Consultation Programs: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/SERVICES

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are product links and affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission at no cost to you. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

In today’s podcast we talk about self-care and what it is like to go on a retreat.

So what is self-care? 

We have been taught that self-care is just related to a set of essential daily activities like showering, brushing our teeth, eating, resting, and getting some sleep. To me true self-care is so much more than that.  

It is about doing the activities that help you experience the essence of taking care of yourself, which involve self-compassion and self-prioritization of your time and your resources to do not only what you want but what is beneficial to your health. To understand what we can do to take better care of ourselves.

The only person we can depend on for our health and our wellness is ourselves. If we do not take good care of ourselves then we will not be able to take care of others. 

There are many other aspects of taking good and true care of ourselves beyond covering our essential needs of food, water, and shelter, and these can really change our physical and mental health which leads to living longer and healthier lives.

These activities need to be more than just left for holidays or vacations. We need to change our lives and incorporate them into our daily routines if we want to be healthier and happier.

This is not something we're going to achieve on day one. It takes time and a lot of trial and error. And the goal is not to be perfect at it either. This is not about being perfect, this is about being human and listening to our bodies.

In my new book “Master Your Stress Reset Your Health” (https://doctordoni.com/master-your-stress/) there's a whole section where I talk about self-care (SelfC.A.R.E.) and hundreds of research studies that show its benefits.

I also created a SelfC.A.R.E. Notebook (https://doctordoni.com/product/drdoni-notebook/) that will help you journal about your experience of implementing a self-care routine and learning along the way how to fine tune it for your specific lifestyle.

Our SelfC.A.R.E. is as unique as our stress type. Our stress type is the pattern that our body falls into when we're under constant stress. When we're under constant stress our cortisol and adrenaline levels are not optimal so we are at higher risk of health issues like heart attacks, cancer, dementia, autoimmunity issues, etc. 

To find out what your unique stress type is, and what you can do about it you can do the stress type quiz in my book or on my website: (https://doctordoni.com/quiz/stress-quiz/). 

After knowing which stress type you have, then I can suggest the right supplements and herbs that will help you optimize your cortisol and adrenaline levels. 

You can also order my home test to measure your cortisol and adrenaline levels, so you know exactly where you stand. Get it here: (https://doctordoni.com/product/assess-your-stress-type/).

My SelfC.A.R.E. Protocol is the right place to start creating these small changes to your daily routine, so you can really start taking care of yourself, again, based always on your stress type.

The C is for Clean eating. This can be even just avoiding foods that are more stressful to our bodies like processed foods. Choosing Whole Foods, avoiding pesticides and eating organic foods, avoiding things like sugar, dairy or gluten is a good way to start eating clean.

You can also do my complete food sensitivity test from the comfort of your home. This will let you know exactly which foods your body doesn’t like so you can fine tune your diet: (https://doctordoni.com/product/igg-iga-food-sensitivity-home-testing/)

A stands for Adequate sleep. Most of us do not get enough sleep and rest hours in any given day. It is important to know that sleep is when our bodies recover and undergo repair in our systems, like hormone resets, muscle recovery, etc. We need to find the root cause of our lack of good sleep so we can address it.

R is for Recovery activities. This can be just taking a break to have some quiet time to yourself or spending some time in nature or taking a short walk. It could be spending time with pets or your loved ones. Listening to music, dancing, playing an instrument, doing meditation or yoga and even substances like psychedelics, all help our bodies recover from stress.

The E stands for Exercise. Exercise is essential for our bodies. Even 15-20 minutes a day is enough for us to start feeling the change in our bodies. It’s just a matter of choosing the right activity and time of day to perform it according to your stress type. Consistency is key here. 

Now let’s talk about what it is like to go on a retreat. This could be considered as taking a break or doing recovery activities which is essential for our nervous system.

A retreat could last for however long fits in your schedule. It could be a one day, 10 days or even a month retreat. The difference from a vacation is that the focus is on ourselves. It's about self discovery and self reflection. It could be a yoga or meditation retreat. It could be a retreat that involves spending time in nature. It could also be a retreat where self-care involves taking psychedelics like Ayahuasca to help us heal from past experiences. You might combine diet changes with sleep and stress recovery activities as well as a psychedelic experience at the same time. 

Usually, a retreat might also include music and journaling or maybe artwork like painting so you're doing things that are all about helping you to have a break from your daily life. To have time to reflect on your goals and your values and the things you've experienced throughout your life. To be able to process them in a supportive environment without any distractions and without any devices like phones or computers and definitely without any deadlines.

It's all about focusing on you and just being able to relax and being in the moment and learn from the experience.

You can find many different types of retreats out there. I would be more than happy to share some of the retreats that I know of and could work for you. 

I have also created an online retreat that is called the Seven Day Self C.A.R.E. Stress Reset, where I guide you on how to apply small changes to your life and implement C.A.R.E. You can even do it from home or on a holiday weekend. I hope you all can join me and we can work on your Self C.A.R.E. together. You can find more about it here: (https://drdoni.lpages.co/the-7-day-self-care-reset/)

I think during the pandemic we were kind of teaching ourselves that home was the safest place on earth, but now that it’s over we need to reteach ourselves that there are safe ways to be around other people, to travel, to do the things we love because self-isolation is not good for our health, we are social beings that need to interact with others and our surroundings.

In the end it’s always about balance. A balance of activities, a balance of experiences, a balance of exposures and a balance of our stress. It’s about managing our stress type and getting to a level that is optimal for us and aligned with our values and our purpose. 

It's not easy to achieve a balance but I do believe that's the goal. The goal is to practice Self C.A.R.E. and practice being ourselves, choosing what we love to do, communicating with others about it and learning each day how to be better for ourselves and for others. 

If I can be of more assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to me to set up a one-on-one appointment if you prefer: https://doctordoni.com/work-with-me/ 

You can also check out my most recent Masterclass: Transform Your Life: Get to the Root of Anxiety and Depression: 

https://doctordoni.com/transformanxiety/#blank-1 

We're here to help you!

Connect with Dr. Doni: 

Facebook HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/DRDONIWILSON  

Instagram HTTPS://INSTAGRAM.COM/DRDONIWILSON  

YouTube HTTPS://YOUTUBE.COM/USER/DONIWILSONND  

Weekly Wellness Wisdom Newsletter: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/WWW  

-

Books and Resources: 

Order My New Book: https://www.amazon.com/Master-Your-Stress-Reset-Health/dp/1953295576

Stress Warrior Book (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESSWARRIOR   

Stress Warrior Stress Resiliency Facebook Group (FREE) 

HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/STRESSWARRIOR  

7-day Stress Reset (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESS-RESET  

HPV & Cervical Dysplasia Guide (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/HPV-AND-CERVICAL-DYSPLASIA-GUIDE/  

-

Personalized Solutions: 

If you’d like to meet with Dr. Doni one-on-one for your health, request a Health Breakthrough Session: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/BREAKTHROUGH  

To get an idea of more comprehensive options, read about Dr. Doni’s Signature Consultation Programs: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/SERVICES

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are product links and affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission at no cost to you. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

In today’s podcast we talk about hormones, including leptin, and how hormones relate to weight loss and fertility with Dr. Bindiya Gandhi. We also discuss the effect of gluten and Celiac disease on hormones and fertility.

Dr. Bindiya is a functional and integrative doctor who specializes in helping patients to alleviate their leptin resistance, lose weight, and return to wellness.

For a long time Dr. Bindiya suffered from nutritional deficiency due to a “healthy diet”. She suffered from constipation, anemia, acne, headaches, skin rashes, irregular menstrual cycles, constant fatigue, etc. She kept looking for answers on her residency program and traditional medicine and treatments without success until she started working with a functional integrative medicine doctor. 

She finally found out she had Celiac Disease, which is a chronic digestive and autoimmune disorder that damages the small intestine. The disease is triggered by eating foods containing gluten. It turns out she had severe gluten sensitivity. So she started working on healing her “Gut” and that’s when she finally started feeling better.

It was a great timing for her to discover this because she had just turned 30 and was going to get married and wanted to have kids. But that represented another problem. 

There is a transition in learning how to eat gluten free and it takes time for the gut lining to heal and recover. It's not just about avoiding gluten but how do we help our bodies recover from gluten damage to the gastro-intestinal tract.

There have been cases of people with fertility issues due to hormonal imbalances caused by Celiac Disease. Hormones can be such a mystery and so can fertility and weight loss for many, especially women.

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In her practice, Dr. Bindiya was helping other women get pregnant but could not get pregnant herself due to hormonal issues. She was found to be estrogen dominant. So she started working on “rebalancing” her hormones and that is when she started learning about leptin.

Leptin is the hormone that sends satiety cues to your brain when you eat, telling you that you’ve had enough. Consequently, leptin resistance is a hormonal condition in which inflammation disrupts the communication between your brain’s hypothalamus and your fat cells, thereby blocking leptin’s messages.

Often caused by inflammation, poor sleep, an unbalanced diet, or even chronic stress, leptin resistance heightens a patient’s risk factor for obesity, metabolism imbalances, and more. 

Also, having high estrogen or low estrogen can impact fertility very differently. They both go hand in hand with your leptin levels and that’s what makes it challenging. But we can learn how to get to the right balance sending our bodies the right signals so it can regulate estrogen, progesterone, and leptin altogether, so you don’t have fertility and/or weight problems.

Leptin is a hormone that is produced by our fat cells and it communicates with our brains. It's our satiety hormone. It lets us know if we're full, if we need to eat again, etc. When this communication is off there is something called leptin resistance developing.

This is why people have weight loss plateaus where they lose weight and then their weight stalls. This is also why people have difficulty losing weight no matter what diet they're following. 

Leptin is a very important hormone. You may suspect there is something going on with your leptin levels if you find yourself constantly snacking or craving sugary foods for example. Also if you feel like you're hungry all the time or if you just ate and half an hour later you feel like you need to eat again.

Unfortunately, most conventional medicine doctors do not check for this leptin level, and even if you go to an endocrinologist, which is a hormone specialist, they don't check this level either because they don't know what to do with it.

The other important thing about leptin is that it also regulates your metabolism. Leptin also communicates with your other hormones that regulate your insulin levels, it communicates with your estrogen levels and with your adrenal stress hormones so it's very important be aware of your leptin levels.

There is a trendy diet now known as intermittent fasting which can cause an imbalance of leptin by sending a starvation signal. This ends up confusing the hormone signals and can cause problems like missing a menstrual cycle, which affects your fertility. 

Another impact of leptin in our bodies is mood. When your leptin levels are really low, you tend to have more anxiety. 

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Many people have gluten digestion problems as an issue or leptin problems without even knowing about it. So they need to think outside the box and look for help with the right people who are willing to help them in nontraditional ways to get to the root of the problem and really start healing. 

It’s about helping you and your body understand these signals so you can make different choices, make peace with your body, and learn how to feed it properly so all systems are in balance and functioning correctly.

If you want to reach out to Dr. Bindiya and learn how she can help you, please check out her website:  https://drbindiyamd.com or her Instagram: @drbindiyamd.

If you want to learn more about your specific food sensitivities, such as gluten sensitivity, and what you can do to better feed your body and heal leaky gut, you can get my IgG & IgA Food Sensitivity Home Test Kit here: https://doctordoni.com/product/igg-iga-food-sensitivity-home-testing/ 

I have also developed a Leaky Gut Pro Package for enhanced gastrointestinal support and recovery from gluten and Celiac disease. Find more about it here: https://doctordoni.com/product/leaky-gut-pro-package/

Find my online Heal Leaky Gut Program – available immediately – at https://doctordoni.com/leaky-gut-program 

Or you can reach out to me to set up a one-on-one appointment if you prefer and I can guide you to know which tests I find to be most helpful for identifying hormone imbalances and underlying causes of weight gain and fertility issues:

https://doctordoni.com/work-with-me/ 

We're here to help you!

Connect with Dr. Doni: 

Facebook HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/DRDONIWILSON  

Instagram HTTPS://INSTAGRAM.COM/DRDONIWILSON  

YouTube HTTPS://YOUTUBE.COM/USER/DONIWILSONND  

Weekly Wellness Wisdom Newsletter: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/WWW  

-

Books and Resources: 

Order My New Book: https://www.amazon.com/Master-Your-Stress-Reset-Health/dp/1953295576

Stress Warrior Book (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESSWARRIOR   

Stress Warrior Stress Resiliency Facebook Group (FREE) 

HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/STRESSWARRIOR  

7-day Stress Reset (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESS-RESET  

HPV & Cervical Dysplasia Guide (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/HPV-AND-CERVICAL-DYSPLASIA-GUIDE/  

-

Personalized Solutions: 

If you’d like to meet with Dr. Doni one-on-one for your health, request a Health Breakthrough Session: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/BREAKTHROUGH  

To get an idea of more comprehensive options, read about Dr. Doni’s Signature Consultation Programs: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/SERVICES

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are product links and affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission at no cost to you. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

In today’s podcast we talk about stress related to grief. One of the greatest stresses that we experience as humans and that is the loss of a loved one. Loss, stress and grief can also be related to the end of a relationship for example because of a divorce or a breakup or even the end of a friendship. It could be related to the loss of a job, needing to move homes or the loss of a pet.

The stages of grief are not necessarily linear; we can even go through all of them in a day.

We may feel denial, being in shock, anger, guilt and fear. We may also experience depression and sadness. 

It's also important to allow ourselves to experience grief the way that it happens for each of us individually.

I want to share with you more about the research related to how loss and grief create stress on our bodies. In a study from 2012 they found there is definitely a change in our cortisol and adrenaline levels when we experience loss.1

One of the areas that I have been researching for over 20 years is measuring cortisol and adrenaline levels in myself and my patients and understanding how we are all unique in terms of how our cortisol and adrenaline shifts when we're under stress.

I find it very interesting that the studies on loss and death of a loved one showed that it's more common for cortisol and adrenaline to be elevated in the first two weeks to six months after the loss. A year after the loss, if people continue to have symptoms of grief, they are more likely to have low cortisol levels. 

It's really important to know how your body is responding because then we can do something about it and recover. We can start regulating our adrenaline and cortisol levels so this doesn’t become a long term or permanent issue. 

We can work to reset the HPA Axis (hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis) to tell our bodies to produce more or less cortisol and adrenaline and regulate our stress response.

Studies also show that when a person experiences loss, it can increase the likelihood of experiencing anxiety and depression. Also, our immune system can be affected, and we can experience higher levels of inflammation in the body.2

Many other health problems can develop when under high stress, such as insomnia, heart attacks, strokes, cancer, increased susceptibility to viruses, such as HPV, and other infections. There is even a condition known as broken heart syndrome, or Takotsubo, when the heart muscle is weakened from grief and severe stress.3

When we're in a grieving process that has disrupted our neuroendocrine (nervous system and hormones) is when we need to have our cortisol and adrenaline levels measured. 

This is not done in the standard medical office so that's why I offer these tests through my office, so you can do them yourself at home. You can find these on the links below. Then you and I can meet, and I can help you understand your results and how to address them and use the right protocol of nutrients and herbs for you.

https://doctordoni.com/product/assess-your-stress-type/ 

And this is not a one-size-fits-all treatment. Not everyone needs the same nutrients and herbs. It is crucial that we understand how our bodies respond to stress as an individual, and what doses and supplements are needed for our bodies to start healing.  

In my latest book “Master Your Stress, Reset Your Health” (https://doctordoni.com/master-your-stress/) I identified the correct sequence for helping you to get your cortisol, adrenaline and neurotransmitters back to optimal again, and it's based on what I refer to as your unique Stress Type. 

Once we know your Stress Type, we can help you to efficiently implement the nutrients and herbs that will help bring your levels back to optimal. 

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You can find which is your unique Stress Type by taking my Stress Quiz here: https://doctordoni.com/quiz   

I have also set up the stress type supplement bundles where you can get just the right supplements for your specific stress type. You can find these bundles in my store here: https://doctordoni.com/product-category/dr-doni-products/dr-doni-packages/ 

This is how passionate I am about helping you to recover from stress, including stress from loss of a loved one, so you can prevent the health issues associated with grief and so that you can be thriving in your life. 

If I can be of more assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to me to set up a one-on-one appointment if you prefer: https://doctordoni.com/work-with-me/ 

You can also check out my most recent free masterclass: Transform Your Life: Get to the Root of Anxiety and Depression: https://doctordoni.com/transformanxiety/#blank-1 

We're here to help you!

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References: 

1. Buckley T, Sunari D, Marshall A, Bartrop R, McKinley S, Tofler G. Physiological correlates of bereavement and the impact of bereavement interventions. Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2012 Jun;14(2):129-39. doi: 10.31887/DCNS.2012.14.2/tbuckley. PMID: 22754285; PMCID: PMC3384441.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3384441/

1. Hopf, D, Eckstein, M, Aguilar-Raab, C, Warth, M, Ditzen, B. Neuroendocrine mechanisms of grief and bereavement: A systematic review and implications for future interventions. J Neuroendocrinol. 2020; 32:e12887. https://doi.org/10.1111/jne.12887

1. What is takotsubo cardiomyopathy?   https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/conditions/cardiomyopathy/takotsubo-cardiomyopathy#:~:text=What%20is%20takotsubo%20cardiomyopathy%3F,extreme%20emotional%20or%20physical%20stress 

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Connect with Dr. Doni: 

Facebook HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/DRDONIWILSON  

Instagram HTTPS://INSTAGRAM.COM/DRDONIWILSON  

YouTube HTTPS://YOUTUBE.COM/USER/DONIWILSONND  

Weekly Wellness Wisdom Newsletter: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/WWW  

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Books and Resources: 

Order My New Book: https://www.amazon.com/Master-Your-Stress-Reset-Health/dp/1953295576

Stress Warrior Book (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESSWARRIOR   

Stress Warrior Stress Resiliency Facebook Group (FREE) 

HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/STRESSWARRIOR  

7-day Stress Reset (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESS-RESET  

HPV & Cervical Dysplasia Guide (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/HPV-AND-CERVICAL-DYSPLASIA-GUIDE/  

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Personalized Solutions: 

If you’d like to meet with Dr. Doni one-on-one for your health, request a Health Breakthrough Session: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/BREAKTHROUGH  

To get an idea of more comprehensive options, read about Dr. Doni’s Signature Consultation Programs: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/SERVICES

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are product links and affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission at no cost to you. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

In today’s podcast I talked about infertility with Jenica Parcell, who is a certified life coach specializing in fertility and helping women to be fearless when they're going through the process of conceiving.  

Planning to get pregnant can be a very stressful process. From the moment you start thinking about having a baby, to figuring out if you are ovulating, whether you are pregnant, is there going to be a miscarriage, will the baby be OK, and then worrying about labor, etc. The whole process can be quite overwhelming. 

After Jenica got married at age 21 she decided to wait some time before having a baby, never even thinking about infertility because she was so young. When she decided it was time for pregnancy, she had to go through multiple IUIs and rounds of IVF that did not work, and she started worrying that it just was not going to happen for her. 

It was after experiencing infertility for a year that she felt compelled to tell her story, which she published in her blog. She was blown away at how many women were grateful to her for sharing her experience, and to know how many women were going through a similar process. This helped her a lot to not feel alone in this process. 

After some time during a trip to Canada she saw a notepad in a little boutique store called “100 Gathered Thoughts (For My Beautiful Child)” which had a lovely message at the bottom of each page, so she started writing letters on her blog to her beautiful child. At that time, she had changed to a different doctor and started a new IVF process, while trying different things to have healthier embryos. This time the treatment worked, and she ended up getting pregnant and having twins!  

That’s when she felt really drawn to helping women with infertility. She was able to join a nonprofit which raised a lot of money for women with infertility. She also started listening to a podcast called “Better Than Happy” by Jody Moore, which led her to start helping women with the mental aspect of infertility, their relationships with themselves and with others, so that their infertility didn’t get in their way of achieving happiness. 

Even though infertility is a really hard thing you can also learn so much from it and you can live a really joyful life even while experiencing it. 

If you're out there struggling with fertility and you're feeling alone please know that Jenica and I are here for you. I’ve been helping women with fertility for over 22 years. Know that you don't have to go through the stress of it alone or feel ashamed about it.  

In fact, what I learned from researching when in labor is that the effects of stress inhibit the progression of labor, and the effects of stress inhibit our ability to conceive as well. That’s because when cortisol and adrenaline are either too high or too low, the ovaries aren't going to get the right signals and ovulation is not successful. Even IVF is not going to be as successful when you are in stress mode.  

And yet, fertility treatments can be one of the most stressful things we can go through with all the appointments and medical procedures to try to get pregnant. If you don’t overcome this stress, and keep your cortisol and adrenaline optimized, it ends up inhibiting your fertility.  

When I asked Jenica how she guides her clients through the stress of infertility, she said that the number one thing she recommends is to accept the reality of the situation, which is a really hard thing to do. We often ask ourselves “why is this happening to me?” In doing so, we're resisting reality and in resisting reality, we can't process it because we're not accepting what is. 

When we find ourselves caught in that resistance to reality, we need to learn that we can’t control everything. Society teaches us that we need to be superhumans. That we're supposed to be perfect and that is simply not real.  

We need to be able to have some downtime and self-reflection time. We need to slow down and give ourselves space to rest because then you can really align with what you're supposed to be doing. 

Going through infertility can represent a mind-body opposition causing a high level of stress because you're fighting against yourself, saying I am ready mentally, but my body is not responding the way I want.   

One thing that can help with these situations is staying in the present moment. We don’t have a crystal ball. We can't see what's going to happen in the future but being in the present moment can help us reduce stress and realize what you can and can’t control.  

We all have experienced hard times, and we can also choose to look back and see evidence of our strength going through them. We are still here. We are still alive. We have survived.   

When I asked Jenica how she guides her clients, she described how we need to start listening more to our thoughts and understand how those thoughts can lead to feelings and those feelings can manifest in our reality. It is really amazing to realize how much power we actually have in creating whatever we want in our lives.  

This is very much reflected in the concept of fertility and pregnancy because it's all about creating a new life in a newborn and also creating a new life for ourselves. 

Even sometimes little changes like a new diet, sleep habits or a new job can feel very uncomfortable at first, but if we know this is going to get us where we want to go, we can get through those changes and realize we needed them in order to grow. 

Even those difficult paths of fertility issues give us an opportunity for transformation for ourselves and our lives, and that's a beautiful thing. 

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If you want to reach out to Jenica and learn how she can help you, please check out her Instagram: jenicaparcell or her podcast: “Fearless Infertility” or even her website: https://asliceofstyle.com/infertility/  

If you want to learn more about stress and how to master it, please make sure to check out my book Master Your Stress Reset Your Health: https://doctordoni.com/master-your-stress/  

To learn how I help with fertility in my practice, here is resource page: https://doctordoni.com/specialties/womens-wellness-and-fertility/  

And if you’d like to have my help one-on-one, you can set up an initial appointment here: https://doctordoni.com/work-with-me/  

For help with anxiety and stress, you can also check out my free masterclass: Transform Your Life: Get to the Root of Anxiety and Depression: https://doctordoni.com/transformanxiety  

We're here to help you!

-

Connect with Dr. Doni: 

Facebook HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/DRDONIWILSON  

Instagram HTTPS://INSTAGRAM.COM/DRDONIWILSON  

YouTube HTTPS://YOUTUBE.COM/USER/DONIWILSONND  

Weekly Wellness Wisdom Newsletter: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/WWW  

-

Books and Resources: 

Order My New Book: https://www.amazon.com/Master-Your-Stress-Reset-Health/dp/1953295576

Stress Warrior Book (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESSWARRIOR   

Stress Warrior Stress Resiliency Facebook Group (FREE) 

HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/STRESSWARRIOR  

7-day Stress Reset (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESS-RESET  

HPV & Cervical Dysplasia Guide (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/HPV-AND-CERVICAL-DYSPLASIA-GUIDE/  

-

Personalized Solutions: 

If you’d like to meet with Dr. Doni one-on-one for your health, request a Health Breakthrough Session: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/BREAKTHROUGH  

To get an idea of more comprehensive options, read about Dr. Doni’s Signature Consultation Programs: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/SERVICES

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are product links and affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission at no cost to you. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

In today’s podcast we talk about the gut-brain axis. Stress and cortisol levels in our bodies disrupt our gut health and then our gut health disrupts our cortisol levels and our nervous system. This creates a vicious cycle that leads to various health issues including anxiety, depression, insomnia and many more. By solving the gut-brain axis and healing it we can heal from these chronic issues. So, what is this gut-brain axis?  

The mind-gut connection is related to the Vagus nerve. The Vagus nerve is the longest nerve in our bodies and it is heavily involved in the parasympathetic side of our systems, it decreases stress, helps with calmness, relaxation, lowers heart rate, etc.  

If we don't get enough of this parasympathetic system happening then our health gets depleted. If we're constantly in stress and we're constantly in sympathetic nervous system response then we're not going to get enough rest and digest correctly. 

When we're under chronic constant stress not only are we always in sympathetic mode but we also have constant signaling to our adrenal glands which are responsible for making cortisol. We can have high or low cortisol levels as we can have high or low adrenaline levels. You can find yours by doing a saliva and urine test with me by ordering it in my online store here: https://doctordoni.com/product/assess-your-stress-type/   

or also by doing my Stress Type Quiz here: https://doctordoni.com/quiz  

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This quiz will not only let you know which can of stress is affecting you but also how you can start your journey to mastering it.  

By knowing your cortisol and adrenaline levels you're going to know whether the signaling to your Vagus nerve and your digestion is in a stressed state.  

If your digestion is in a stressed state you will not digest correctly. Nutrients are not going to be absorbed. You could be eating a lot of healthy foods and veggies but you will just be overfeeding your gut bacteria.     

Imbalanced cortisol and adrenaline also causes something called leaky gut which is when the intestinal cells are not recovering the way they should causing a permeable intestinal lining which means that undigested food is able to leak through the intestinal cells triggering our immune system.  

To know if you have leaky gut you can do an IGA and IGG antibodies finger poke test with me which is available through my online store here: 

https://doctordoni.com/product/igg-iga-food-sensitivity-home-testing/  

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With this test, which involves analyzing your system’s response to 100 different kinds of foods, you will be able to know what foods to avoid to heal your gut and gut bacteria. Not only that, leaky gut triggers inflammation everywhere in your body, your joints, your skin, your brain (this is why it is the gut-brain axis), etc.  

Many illnesses are associated with a deficient gut bacteria and autoimmune systems like COVID, EBV, HPV, allergies, asthma, eczema even anxiety and depression and dementia. And our gut health is completely associated with how well we're recovering from stress. Throughout my career I have helped thousands of patients to improve their lives by addressing the gut-brain axis problems they may have, healing their leaky guts and overcoming and mastering their stress. I can work with you either one-on-one or in one of my group online programs to help you solve this because you shouldn't have to do this on your own. 

I really see that chronic health issues can be solved just by knowing cortisol and adrenaline levels and the degree of leaky gut in one person.  

I only work with specific non-habit-forming supplements, nutrients and herbs that help you get back on track.  

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To start healing our nervous system and our gut-brain axis we must go slow. One of the main things I do in my programs is teaching you to come into alignment with the rhythm of your body and the rhythm of healing that works for you and your specific life.   

In my book Master Your Stress Reset Your Health, (https://doctordoni.com/master-your-stress/)  I talk about knowing your stress type so that you can implement self-care and stress recovery based on your specific stress type, which means learning and having awareness for your body and learning the rhythm of your Vagus nerve.  

I want to make sure that you're feeding yourself and your nervous system in a way that it can know that it's safe to process the food correctly so that it doesn't have to trigger an immune response or an inflammatory response to protect you from your own food. 

Please I would love to hear from you if this is something you'd like to learn more about from me, please e-mail me or contact my office and let me know. 

And you could also start with my online Leaky Gut Program – and get started healing immediately! https://doctordoni.com/leaky-gut-program  

Or you can reach out to me to set up a one-on-one appointment if you prefer: 

https://doctordoni.com/work-with-me/  

You can also check out my most recent Masterclass: Transform Your Life: Get to the Root of Anxiety and Depression:  

https://doctordoni.com/transformanxiety/#blank-1  

We're here to help you!

-

Connect with Dr. Doni: 

Facebook HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/DRDONIWILSON  

Instagram HTTPS://INSTAGRAM.COM/DRDONIWILSON  

YouTube HTTPS://YOUTUBE.COM/USER/DONIWILSONND  

Weekly Wellness Wisdom Newsletter: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/WWW  

-

Books and Resources: 

Order My New Book: https://www.amazon.com/Master-Your-Stress-Reset-Health/dp/1953295576

Stress Warrior Book (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESSWARRIOR   

Stress Warrior Stress Resiliency Facebook Group (FREE) 

HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/STRESSWARRIOR  

7-day Stress Reset (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESS-RESET  

HPV & Cervical Dysplasia Guide (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/HPV-AND-CERVICAL-DYSPLASIA-GUIDE/  

-

Personalized Solutions: 

If you’d like to meet with Dr. Doni one-on-one for your health, request a Health Breakthrough Session: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/BREAKTHROUGH  

To get an idea of more comprehensive options, read about Dr. Doni’s Signature Consultation Programs: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/SERVICES

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are product links and affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission at no cost to you. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

In today’s podcast I talked with Kiran Krishnan, he is a research microbiologist and the co-founder of Microbiome Labs. He specializes in understanding our gut and our gut biome.  

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I’ve known Kiran for a number of years (we often attend the same medical conferences) and I always enjoy getting his scientific perspective. Today I especially wanted to hear his perspective on stress and the gut-brain axis. 

How are stress and our gut health connected? 

Kiran explains that we've known for a long time that stress is not good for us but we haven't really understood molecularly how that is or why and how it affects us.  

Stress induced dysbiosis and leakiness in the gut is the number one driver of mortality and morbidity worldwide and stress induced gut damage leads to things like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dementia, Alzheimer's, obesity, autoimmune disease, etc.  

There's so much we can do to help ourselves recover from stress, there's so much we can do to heal leaky gut and rebalance our gut bacteria but I don't see that information being widespread. It’s not only about flooding your gut with that vassilis and bacteria, that's not going to solve the issue.  

We have 150 times more microbial DNA in our body than human DNA. We house about 2.5 million microbial genes in our system that give us all of this capability, that dictate the vast majority of functions that happen in our bodies. If we don't have the right microbes it alters that functionality and stress response is an example of that.  

This microbiome is affecting our immune system like how we fend off infections. For example, if it's out of balance it can make us more susceptible to autoimmunity. It also affects our nervous system and our mood so if we can get them rebalanced in the right way we can influence and improve our mood and stress response. 

Most chronic illnesses come about because of an imbalance of certain types of microbes within the system. So longevity and health is based on the health of ourselves and our microbiome.  

The gut and the brain are intimately attached through neurological system called the vagus nerve.  

The gut communicates with the brain and the brain communicates with the gut and stress response is one of those critical examples where the gut and brain aren't working together. 

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Without stress we wouldn't exist as a species. Stress response induces something called the flight or fight response the reason for that is we're supposed to be in tune with potential dangers around us.  

What's happening in the in the modern world is that process where cortisol gets dumped into the gut and cortisol makes your gut super leaky.  

The more we understand it the more we can become aware and conscious about the choices we're making so that we can take back control of our bodies and our health.  

When the whole system falls apart is when cortisol enters the gut making your gut leaky because you're missing certain microbes and bacteria. 

If you experience stress and anxiety on most days or throughout every day and you have issues sleeping, you likely don't have enough of these microbes.  

The beauty of all of this is you can easily take a specific probiotic and then completely change how your body responds to stress. ZenBiome, for example, is a new supplement Kiran developed that contains a specific strain of Bifidobacterium known to reset cortisol production. It is used for people who have elevated cortisol (such as Stress Magnets and Sluggish & Stressed types based on Dr. Doni’s Stress Types). https://doctordoni.com/product/zenbiome-cope-60-capsules/  

Also, if you're not sleeping adequately, you are not getting the repair your body and gut needs, so you keep experiencing this overtime and the damage starts accumulating.  

We all have some degree of leaky gut. It's more about whether it is mild, moderate, or severe. And if we don't pay attention to healing, we’re going to have a hard time surviving. 

We have to adopt healthy habits like cleaning up our diet to help our microbiome, so even things like trying to move towards organic or cleaner foods minimizing exposure to pesticides and herbicides which of course all act as antibiotics in your gut and kill off good bacteria. 

There are lots of microbes in your gut who are waiting for food and aren't getting the right types of food because we're eating the same half a dozen things every single day. 

When you combine the diet, lifestyle, supplements, food and sleep then you start to see a profound difference, and everything gets back in balance again.  

If these changes become a part of your normal routine, you can then maintain that resiliency. 

I explain more of this subject in my book Master Your Stress Reset Your Health: https://doctordoni.com/master-your-stress/  

Or you can reach out to me to set up a one-on-one appointment if you prefer. 

You can also check out my upcoming FREE Masterclass: Transform Your Life: Get to the Root of Anxiety and Depression going live on October 12TH: https://doctordoni.com/transformanxiety  

Find the supplements mentioned by Kiran in this interview, such as ZenBiome, in the shop at DoctorDoni.com.  

https://doctordoni.com/product/zenbiome-cope-60-capsules/ 

We're here to help you!

-

Connect with Dr. Doni: 

Facebook HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/DRDONIWILSON  

Instagram HTTPS://INSTAGRAM.COM/DRDONIWILSON  

YouTube HTTPS://YOUTUBE.COM/USER/DONIWILSONND  

Weekly Wellness Wisdom Newsletter: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/WWW  

-

Books and Resources: 

Order My New Book: https://www.amazon.com/Master-Your-Stress-Reset-Health/dp/1953295576

Stress Warrior Book (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESSWARRIOR   

Stress Warrior Stress Resiliency Facebook Group (FREE) 

HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/STRESSWARRIOR  

7-day Stress Reset (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESS-RESET  

HPV & Cervical Dysplasia Guide (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/HPV-AND-CERVICAL-DYSPLASIA-GUIDE/  

-

Personalized Solutions: 

If you’d like to meet with Dr. Doni one-on-one for your health, request a Health Breakthrough Session: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/BREAKTHROUGH  

To get an idea of more comprehensive options, read about Dr. Doni’s Signature Consultation Programs: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/SERVICES

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are product links and affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission at no cost to you. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

In today’s podcast we talk about the topic of narcissism. Narcissism as an overall concept and term can be used in many ways, including to describe personality traits of being excessively admiring of oneself, someone who might be self-centered or selfish or only thinking of themselves, so much so that they feel a sense of entitlement. 

As we talk about narcissism, we need to distinguish it from a healthy sense of self prioritization and self-care. I talk about self-care a lot in my new book and in myself care program. It's all about how we take better care of ourselves in terms of our diet and our sleep patterns and our stress recovery and our exercise.  

Those of us who are very much compassionate of others and empathetic with others tend to be more susceptible to becoming involved with someone who is narcissistic because opposites attract! Narcissistic relationships can be romantic/intimate relationships, or it may occur in a friendship, job, or other types of relationships.  

It is common to have had a parent (or both parents) who have narcissistic traits or a personality disorder, and then find yourself in other similar relationships as an adult. That is because our nervous system becomes familiar with the chaos caused by a narcissist, and we end up choosing a similar sense of stress because it is so familiar. 

Someone who is narcissistic is thinking only of their own interest and they don't have the ability to have empathy for others. For narcissists, their way is the only way and they will use manipulation, lies, and threats to get their way. A narcissist has extremely changeable moods and a constant need for attention.  

In contrast, a healthy sense of self-care is paying attention to ourselves and prioritizing ourselves and loving ourselves.  

In the extreme more severe state of narcissism, such as with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), they think that other people are inferior. Those of us in a healthier state understand that we are all human and we're all equal no matter age or race or where you grew up or what you do for a living. 

The thing is sometimes narcissists are also very charming so narcissists may not immediately come across like they think you're wrong or they might not immediately come across like they have no empathy for you.  

When you're in a narcissistic relationship you start to really question yourself, you start to get the feeling like you're walking on eggshells, you feel like everything you say and do is wrong. And you're afraid that they're going to either be mad at you and yell at you or they're going to avoid you.  

It is common to feel depressed, anxious, isolated, and in emotional and physical pain. Trauma bonds develop and it becomes psychologically abusive. This is what is often referred to as a “toxic relationship.” 

I am explaining this from having experienced it myself, from having been in narcissistic relationships for many years.  

I've been there. I get it. I understand why you're there and I can tell you there is a way out and I can help you get there. 

If you're in a narcissistic relationship, or you're out of a narcissistic relationship, either way we need to help you recover from it. In my own recovery process, I developed my Stress Recovery Protocol and this is why I’m sharing it with you. 

As you start to recover from the stress of a narcissistic relationship, you will no longer be attractive for a narcissist because a narcissist needs someone who's going to pay attention to them.  

As you heal, as you take better care of yourself and honor yourself and love yourself the narcissistic relationship is going to go away it's going to become less part of your life.  

It's about focusing on yourself, on your healing process, your stress recovery, your ability to take better care of yourself. Many people in recovery are afraid that they themselves are narcissistic, so I want to reassure you that when you focus on yourself in these ways, it is a healthy way to prioritize yourself.  

I can tell you from my experience that it's possible to get out of narcissistic relationships and it's possible to retrain your nervous system so that you don't find yourself back in a narcissistic relationship again. 

Please, I would love to hear from you if this is something you'd like to learn more about from me, please e-mail me or contact my office and let me know. 

I explain more of this in my book Master Your Stress Reset Your Health: https://doctordoni.com/master-your-stress/ 

Or you can reach out to me to set up a one-on-one appointment if you prefer so I can guide you step by step through the process that has helped me and so many others.  

You can also check out my upcoming FREE Masterclass: Transform Your Life: Get to the Root of Anxiety and Depression going live on October 12TH: https://doctordoni.com/specialties/anxiety-depression/ 

We're here to help you!

-

Connect with Dr. Doni: 

Facebook HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/DRDONIWILSON  

Instagram HTTPS://INSTAGRAM.COM/DRDONIWILSON  

YouTube HTTPS://YOUTUBE.COM/USER/DONIWILSONND  

Weekly Wellness Wisdom Newsletter: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/WWW  

-

Books and Resources: 

Order My New Book: https://www.amazon.com/Master-Your-Stress-Reset-Health/dp/1953295576

Stress Warrior Book (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESSWARRIOR   

Stress Warrior Stress Resiliency Facebook Group (FREE) 

HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/STRESSWARRIOR  

7-day Stress Reset (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESS-RESET  

HPV & Cervical Dysplasia Guide (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/HPV-AND-CERVICAL-DYSPLASIA-GUIDE/  

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Personalized Solutions: 

If you’d like to meet with Dr. Doni one-on-one for your health, request a Health Breakthrough Session: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/BREAKTHROUGH  

To get an idea of more comprehensive options, read about Dr. Doni’s Signature Consultation Programs: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/SERVICES

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are product links and affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission at no cost to you. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

Hi and welcome back to How Humans Heal! In today’s episode I interview Dani Williamson about her new book Wild & Well: Dani’s Six Commonsense Steps to Radical Healing. I enjoyed talking with Dani about her healing process and her book because she and I have the same interest in helping people recover from stress and prevent health issues caused by stress.  

Please note, if you are struggling with depression or triggers caused by stress, this episode may be disturbing. Our intention is to bring awareness to the potential effects of childhood trauma as well as the options and opportunities for recovering from stress and trauma. Those options are not often discussed in the conventional medical system, which is what motivates Dani and I to write and talk about it.  

Dani Williamson is a functional medicine practitioner who was previously a family nurse practitioner and she's here today to tell us more about what inspired her to completely go this route of helping people to improve their health by making lifestyle changes that anyone can implement and make a huge difference in their overall health. 

We're all humans just trying to get through life as healthy as we can! 

Dani grew up in complete trauma and constant chaos. With a grandfather that committed suicide, a mother who also attempted suicide multiple times and a stepfather that was a child molester, she experienced stress throughout her childhood. At age 20 she also attempted suicide, was in a bad marriage and lost everything she had. She was then diagnosed with lupus and fibromyalgia and depression.  

After hitting rock bottom, she decided to pick herself up and apply to nursing school. While getting through school at age 40, she started trying to find a cure for her lupus. One day a colleague said to her: “Dani what are you eating? Don't you know your diet controls your symptoms?”  

What's at the end of your fork will heal you or kill you!  

In Dani’s words, “If you weren't born sick you don't have to live sick.” Diseases are turned on and off by lifestyle. That's how she developed her 6 steps to a better life: eat well, sleep well, move well, poop well, distress well and commune well. 

Childhood trauma that happens to you before the age of 18 can set you up for a lifetime of chronic disease. 64% of the population have had at least one ACE (Adverse Childhood Experience) in their lifetime. And if you had one you are 50% more likely to have another one at some point. Furthermore, if you had four or more adverse events you have a 20-year shorter lifespan due to high stress.   

As much as we know that trauma and stress in our childhoods has a potential to affect our health for the rest of our lives, we also know that there's something you can do about it.  

Dani started researching about food sensitivities and after changing her diet and life habits she doesn’t have any pain or symptoms from lupus anymore! She proved that what you eat could help you reverse whatever is happening to you.  

The food industry is about addiction, we get addicted to gluten, dairy, sugar, etc. And those foods keep the inflammation inside going. If you are eating drive-through food four or five times a week you are eating fake food that is addictive. 

It’s when you decrease inflammation that you begin to heal! The food you're eating is causing inflammation which is disrupting your whole body and overall health. But this takes time, and it takes commitment, and it takes consistency to make it sustainable. 

But eating healthy is not the only thing. It becomes critical to also have enough sleep so you wake up rested so you can eat well and have energy to exercise every day. These are the kind of lifestyle changes you need to make to really start healing your body and improve your overall health.  

Just pick something that you enjoy. It doesn't have to be hours it could be just a short walk which will also help you digest your food better and have better bowel movements because it's not what you eat, it's what you absorb in your gut that counts. 

But this is not meant to become a long To-Do-List as that may be overwhelming. This is not meant to be another stress generator in your life. It's meant to be a way to identify the things you can tweak and fine tune to achieve a better and more sustainable lifestyle. 

Then there is commune well. When you are with your people, when you're with your tribe, whether it's a couple of friends or a whole group, your inflammation goes down because you're laughing and your cortisol levels go down so your stress goes dow

The secret is to keep doing what you're doing. Keep on working, improving, finding new ways to implement these habits because they are going to make a difference for you and your family. Your body is designed to heal itself and a few lifestyle changes can boost this healing. This is why Dani wrote her book - to give you a strategy and break it down into easy common-sense steps for reversing decades of chronic disease and hopefully change the entire trajectory of your families’ life.  

You can get her book Wild & Well: Dani’s Six Commonsense Steps to Radical Healing from Amazon and or your favorite bookstore. https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Well-Commonsense-Radical-Healing/dp/1631955594  

If you are struggling with anxiety and/or depression, please know that I’m here to help you as well. Find resources, including my books, below, and I invite you to sign up for my upcoming FREE Masterclass: Transform Your Life: Get to the Root of Anxiety and Depression going live on October 12TH: https://doctordoni.com/specialties/anxiety-depression/ 

We're here to help you!

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Connect with Dr. Doni: 

Facebook HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/DRDONIWILSON  

Instagram HTTPS://INSTAGRAM.COM/DRDONIWILSON  

YouTube HTTPS://YOUTUBE.COM/USER/DONIWILSONND  

Weekly Wellness Wisdom Newsletter: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/WWW  

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Books and Resources: 

Order My New Book: https://www.amazon.com/Master-Your-Stress-Reset-Health/dp/1953295576

Stress Warrior Book (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESSWARRIOR   

Stress Warrior Stress Resiliency Facebook Group (FREE) 

HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/STRESSWARRIOR  

7-day Stress Reset (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESS-RESET  

HPV & Cervical Dysplasia Guide (FREE) 

HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/HPV-AND-CERVICAL-DYSPLASIA-GUIDE/  

-

Personalized Solutions: 

If you’d like to meet with Dr. Doni one-on-one for your health, request a Health Breakthrough Session: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/BREAKTHROUGH  

To get an idea of more comprehensive options, read about Dr. Doni’s Signature Consultation Programs: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/SERVICES

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are product links and affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission at no cost to you. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.