Let's Talk Wellness Now

Dr. Deb 0:01Deb, hello and welcome to another episode of Let’s Talk wellness now, the podcast where we dive deep into the topics that matter most to your health, vitality and well being. I’m your host, Dr dub, naturopathic doctor, Master, herbalist, Shaman, nurse practitioner and founder of serenity Healthcare Center. Today we’re uncovering a hidden driver of chronic conditions like multiple sclerosis and chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, mitochondrial dysfunction, and how this relates and correlates to all these diseases. These tiny power plants in your cells may be small, but their impact on your energy, brain function and overall health is enormous. When they malfunction, the ripple effects can be devastating. Throughout today’s episode, you’ll learn how mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to fatigue, cognitive decline, sugar metabolism, issues, pain and inflammation. I’ll also share some actionable steps to support mitochondrial health, including natural therapies, detox strategies and a powerful case study. Before we begin, I would like to remind you to like, subscribe and share this podcast with your friends and family. Every share helps us reach more people who need this vital information. And remember, at Serenity Healthcare Center, we specialize in uncovering the root causes and offering personalized healing solutions. Now let’s jump into today’s topic. So what is the mitochondria anyway? Well, let’s start with this analogy. Think of the mitochondria as the batteries in your phone. When your battery is fully charged, your phone works seamlessly, well most of the time, right? You can stream videos, run apps and make calls without a hitch, but as the battery drains, everything slows. The apps crash, the screen dims, and eventually the phone just shuts off. Now imagine this happening in your body. That’s what mitochondrial dysfunction feels like. These little organelles generate the energy your cells need to function, but they’re not just energy producers. They also regulate inflammation, detoxification and the repair process. Now here’s the kicker, when the mitochondria are damaged by toxins, stress, or even sometimes our genetics, they become less efficient in producing energy and more likely to release harmful byproducts called reactive oxygen species, Ros for short, this creates a cycle of damage that affects every system in your body. Now, if your mitochondria are underperforming, it’s like trying to run a marathon on a single, double A battery. It’s just not going to happen. And when this damage occurs in the nervous system, the results can be catastrophic, leading to conditions like MS, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and even neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr. Deb 3:15So there’s this connection between mitochondria and neurological diseases, but how does this all tie together with things like MS and fibromyalgia? Well, MS is widely known as an autoimmune condition, and what’s less talked about is how the mitochondria dysfunction amplifies the damage. Now this happens in any autoimmune disease. This is why the mitochondria are so important. Regardless if you have an autoimmune thyroid condition, you have an autoimmune disease like lupus or MS or something as severe as ALS, when the mitochondria fail, they create a toxic environment in the nerve cells and these excessive ROS produced by damaged mitochondria actually attack the myelin sheath that’s the protective covering around the nerves. Think of that as an electrical wire, and the plastic that covers the live wires underneath is your myelin. Now this leads to inflammation, which not only worsens the nerve damage, but also further weakens the mitochondrial function

Dr. Deb 4:27in Ms. Mitochondria aren’t just bystanders, they’re frontline soldiers caught in the crossfire.

Dr. Deb 4:36What’s more, mitochondrial dysfunction also explains some of the most frustrating MS symptoms, like chronic fatigue, when the nerve cells don’t have enough energy repairing myelin or maintaining basic functions becomes nearly impossible. It’s like trying to fix a leaky roof during a power outage. You just don’t have the resources to get the job done. You.

Dr. Deb 5:00Uh.

Dr. Deb 5:01Now let’s talk about symptoms that many of you or loved ones might be experiencing, chronic fatigue. It’s one of those most common complaints amongst people with mitochondrial dysfunction. This isn’t just about feeling tired. It’s about feeling like your body has run out of gas, and no matter what you do, no matter how much rest you get, you just can’t simply

Dr. Deb 5:28get relief to a point where you feel like you can get through the day. Some of my clients will complain that it feels like I’m walking in a pot of quicksand or concrete because I’m just dragging throughout the day. Now you can have chronic fatigue syndrome outside of having ms, outside of having infection.

Dr. Deb 5:51It can just happen because of the mitochondrial damage. But when the mitochondria gets damaged, there is a root cause. Now imagine waking up every morning feeling like you’ve already run a marathon. That’s chronic fatigue. But it doesn’t stop there. Cognitive decline or brain fog is another hallmark symptom of mitochondrial damage. Neurons require an immense amount of energy to function when mitochondria can’t meet this demand, you experience memory loss, lapses, difficulty concentrating and slowed mental processing. Pain and inflammation are also linked to the mitochondrial dysfunction and damaged mitochondria release more ROS which triggers more inflammatory pathways and increases the sensitivity to pain. Don’t forget the sugar metabolism. Mitochondria are central to how your body processes glucose, and when they malfunction, you get those energy crashes and insulin resistance when which can exasperate MS symptoms, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. So what am I talking about with this glucose insulin? What is all of this? Well, your body creates insulin from its pancreas, and it does so in the body’s need to keep blood sugar or glucose in check. The more glucose or sugar we consume, the more insulin has to be produced to keep that balance. Now, as the mitochondria become more deficient, that process becomes more inefficient, and we start to create more insulin to try to control the glucose, but we do it more ineffectively. This is what we call metabolic syndrome or insulin resistance, and over time, as the pancreas becomes less efficient at creating that insulin to keep the glucose under control, we see more weight gain, we see more rise in type two diabetes, and we see more complications occur as a result of that. Now, very infrequently, do we see diabetics put on a mitochondrial protocol to help support their insulin and glucose? It’s just not common practice. It’s just not seen traditionally in medicine. In our functional or integrative medicine world, it is much more common that you will see people be put on what we call a quote, unquote Mito cocktail to support their body, support what’s happening and the stress that’s happening there.

Dr. Deb 8:33So what causes the mitochondria to malfunction in the first place? It’s a perfect storm. One of the biggest factors is toxic exposure, heavy metals like mercury, pesticides, mold, toxins and particularly damaging to the mitochondria. Infections are another issue that we see with damage to the mitochondria, long term issues with Lyme disease, epstein barr, strep, as we know, panz pandas, all of these things can lead to mitochondrial dysfunction, leaving you in a position where your body’s not doing what it’s supposed to

Dr. Deb 9:13think of toxins as throwing sand into the gears of your cellular engines. Over time, those gears grind to a halt. But it’s not just about external factors. Genetics also play a major role. Mutations in mitochondrial DNA or nuclear genes that regulate the mitochondria can increase your susceptibility to MS, fibromyalgia and other chronic conditions for people with these genetic vulnerabilities, even small exposures to toxins and stress can have outside effects.

Dr. Deb 9:49Now let’s talk about what can we do about this? There is good news. There are steps that you can take to support your mitochondria and improve your health.

Dr. Deb 10:00So at Serenity Healthcare Center, we use comprehensive approach, including dietary support. You want a really nutrient dense, anti inflammatory diet, rich in antioxidants to help protect the mitochondria from oxidative stress, foods like berries, leafy greens, healthy fats. Think keto, paleo, auto immune diet. AIP, these are the types of diets that you really want to follow to build that mitochondria and give you what you need. Think of your diet as fuel for your mitochondrial engine and give them premium, not junk.

Dr. Deb 10:43There’s IV therapies that we can use, treatments like glutathione and CO Q 10, delivered intravenously, provide a direct boost to the mitochondria and repair its function. Glutathione is one of my favorite IVs to use, because it is not only an amino acid that helps build your mitochondria, but it also helps to eliminate the toxins. It can remove metals like mercury, lead, cadmium. It can get rid of other toxins like pesticides and chemicals and herbicides. It is one of the most amazing amino acids that we can give and very inexpensive. Now, co Q 10 is delivered either orally or by IV. It is imperative in a mitochondrial protocol to use CO Q 10. It is a powerhouse.

Dr. Deb 11:38You can also use nutrients like magnesium and alpha lipoic acid and N acetyl cysteine or NAC, these are essential for mitochondrial health. NAC actually helps your body make its own glutathione, which is really key. And sometimes people will say, I can’t do all of these supplements. So can I pick and choose? Yes, you can, but you’...

Dr. Deb 0:00Welcome to the podcast. Before we begin, there is a disclaimer we have to make. Let’s talk wellness now brings expert insights directly to you. Please note that the views and information shared by our guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Let’s Talk wellness now its management or our partners, each affiliate, sponsor and partner is an independent entity with its own perspectives. Today’s content is provided for informational and educational purposes only, and should not be considered specific advice, whether financial, medical or legal. While we strive to present accurate and useful information, we cannot guarantee its completeness or relevance to your unique circumstances, we encourage you to consult with a qualified professional to address your individual needs. Your use of information from this broadcast is entirely at your own risk. By continuing to listen, you agree to indemnify and hold let’s talk wellness now and its associates harmless from any claims or damages arising from the use of this content. We may update this disclaimer at any time, and changes will take effect immediately upon posting or broadcasts. Thank you for tuning in. We hope you find this episode both insightful and thought provoking. Listener discretion is advised. Now for the show,

Dr. Deb 1:20Welcome to Let’s Talk wellness now, the podcast where we uncover the latest trends, tools and tips to empower you to take charge of your health and well being. I’m your host, Dr Deb Functional Medicine Practitioner, naturopath and advocate for natural healing. Today, we’re diving into a topic that impacts every aspect of our lives, our neurotransmitters, these tiny, little chemical messengers in the brain influence our mood, energy, focus, sleep and even how our body processes pain, understanding how they work and what happens when they’re out of balance, can give us A whole new perspective on achieving optimal health and wellness. So let’s get started. So what are neurotransmitters Exactly? Well, think of them as the brain’s way of sending text messages to the rest of the body. They’re chemicals that relay messages between nerve cells and impact how we feel, think and act. Some of the major neurotransmitters you may have heard of include serotonin, dopamine, GABA and norepinephrine. Each one has a specific job, and together, they keep us functioning at our best or not, depending on their balance. So let’s break down the big players. Serotonin, known as the feel good neurotransmitter, it affects mood, sleep and appetite. Dopamine, the one that controls the reward and pleasure center, but also plays a big role on focus and motivation. Now dopamine also controls our mood. When dopamine is off, we can behave in somewhat of a bipolar manner when it’s too low, we’ll see symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease and GABA. Think of that as your brain’s calming force. It helps you reduce anxiety and improves sleep. Norepinephrine is your alertness and energy, and we rely heavily on this neurotransmitter. It’s a neurotransmitter that is produced by the adrenal glands, and when it’s off, it controls some of that fight or flight response that we see epinephrine is another neuro adrenal transmitter that affects appetite and energy and focus. Now, these sound pretty important, right? So let’s take a look at what happens when these neurotransmitters are out of sync. When neurotransmitters are out of balance, the effects can ripple across the body. Low serotonin, for example, is often linked to depression and anxiety. A deficiency in dopamine may make you feel unmotivated or stuck in a mental fog. And GABA levels when they’re low, you can experience a heightened anxiety, or even insomnia and norepinephrine, too much can lead to high stress and panic, while too little can cause fatigue and brain fog. But what causes these imbalances to begin with? Well, it’s not just one thing, factors like stress, poor diet, inability to absorb nutrients from the gut, lack of sleep, toxins and even our genetics can influence how these neurotransmitters are produced and how the body uses them. Now, a stressful lifestyle, for example, can deplete serotonin and. Dopamine levels over time, as well as norepinephrine and epinephrine, making it harder to manage that stress effectively, chronic illnesses like thyroid disorders, adrenal insufficiency, autoimmune disease, these all impact our neurotransmitter production, and we all know about the chronic issues of gut health these days, often referred to as our second brain plays a huge role here too. Did you know that about 90% of the serotonin is made in your gut, and this is why gut health is so important and mental health is so deeply connected today, if you don’t have enough serotonin in your gut, you can’t utilize that in the brain, and it can’t make you stay asleep longer. It can’t make you feel good. And oftentimes, these antidepressants are reliant on the amount of serotonin we have in our body to work efficiently. So if you’re taking an antidepressant and it doesn’t feel like it’s working, it may simply be because you don’t have enough serotonin to begin with, and adding serotonin back in, and getting your gut to absorb these and create these neurotransmitters from our amino acids more efficiently, can actually make your antidepressants work more efficiently and be better for you. Now the good news is that we can optimize these neurotransmitters. We can take steps to balance our neurotransmitters naturally. Now let’s talk about a few ways that we can do that. Nutrition is key. It always is. It’s where we start in the world of keeping our bodies whole and balancing things properly. Your brain needs the right building blocks to create these neurotransmitters. So for example, foods high in tryptophan, like Turkey and nuts support serotonin production. Tyrosine rich foods like eggs and fish help boost dopamine and magnesium found in leafy greens and nuts are crucial for calming the nervous system. Quality sleep is essential for neurotransmitter balance, but it’s a double edged sword, because if you don’t have enough of certain neurotransmitters, you’re not going to sleep properly. For instance, if you’re deficient in serotonin, you need serotonin in the brain at its highest point in order to keep us in a nice, deep REM sleep. So without enough serotonin, you can have sleep disturbances. One of the ways that we determine if this is an issue is what time you wake at night. So typically, people who wake between one and three in the morning have a liver issue. Their liver is not clearing their toxins appropriately. However, people who wake between three and five have a serotonin issue, and that’s what’s causing their disruption of sleep and giving them more serotonin, especially at night, can keep them in that deeper sleep and make sleep quality improved. Now, certainly stress reduction, we all talk about that. It’s really important. Most of us are under a lot of stress, whether we feel it or not, so doing practices like meditation or mindfulness, or even spending time in nature, can lower the stress hormones and boost that calming neurotransmitter like GABA. Now GABA is known as nature Xanax, right along with L theanine. So if you’re struggling with anxiety and you’re taking medication and it’s not working. You really want to look at these neurotransmitters and see if you’re deficient in some of them. And they can actually help balance your neurotransmitters, raise up that GABA level, so that you’re not so anxious and not so nervous, and that way we may not have to use medications like Xanax in cases like this, I love a product called Gabi tracks, which you can find on our full script link for anxiety. It works very fast. It’s a chewable. I oftentimes recommend it to people who have trouble when they fly, because you can take two GABA tracks. They’re chewables. They taste great, and it just takes the edge off. It takes that calming, or gives you that calming, relaxed feeling. It takes the edge off without making you feel groggy. There’s no addiction to it. There’s no concern for overdosing on this product. It’s really a nice supplement. It’s just an amino acid, it works beautifully. Exercise is another really important thing. Regular movement increases dopamine and endorphins, and it helps you feel more energized and more motivated. We oftentimes find people who have problems with addiction, whether it’s gambling or. Sugar or alcohol or drugs have an imbalance in their dopamine, and if we can get their dopamine levels up, they’re not looking for those addictive hits anymore. And when people have addictions and they’ve been struggling in overusing alcohol or drugs or things like that, doing a neurotransmitter tests can be extremely

Dr. Deb 10:23effective in us finding the neurotransmitters that are out of balance. And then we can also look to see if there’s a genetic component that’s contributing to some of these issues as well. And you can actually test for these neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters can be tested by blood or by urine. Now, from a functional medicine standpoint, they’re much better tested via urine because we’re seeing functional issues from a diagnostic disease issue. We want to look more at blood testing that gives us a different aspect of things. So using these tests appropriately can really help identify different medications that might be helpful, or different supplements that might be helpful for you. In some cases, we may supplement with amino acids like five HTP for serotonin, this is a precursor to serotonin, or L tyrosine for dopamine. These are very helpful in increasing these amino acids that make these neurotransmitters and can be used safely with medications, if you’re working with providers that really understand how to utilize these amino acids so that you don’t overdose on them, and then there’s some really exciting areas of research now in ...

Deb 0:00Welcome to the podcast. Before we begin, there is a disclaimer we have to make. Let’s talk wellness now brings expert insights directly to you. Please note that the views and information shared by our guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Let’s Talk wellness now its management or our partners, each affiliate, sponsor and partner is an independent entity with its own perspectives. Today’s content is provided for informational and educational purposes only, and should not be considered specific advice, whether financial, medical or legal. While we strive to present accurate and useful information, we cannot guarantee its completeness or relevance to your unique circumstances, we encourage you to consult with a qualified professional to address your individual needs. Your use of information from this broadcast is entirely at your own risk. By continuing to listen, you agree to indemnify and hold let’s talk wellness now and its associates harmless from any claims or damages arising from the use of this content. We may update this disclaimer at any time, and changes will take effect immediately upon posting or broadcasts.

Deb 1:12Thank you for tuning in. We hope you find this episode both insightful and thought provoking. Listener discretion is advised. Now for the show, Welcome to Let’s Talk wellness now. I’m your host, Dr, Deb, and I’m thrilled to have you here together. We’ll explore the cutting edge of health and wellness, uncovering powerful strategies to help you look, feel and live your best at any age,

Deb 1:35from alternative medicine to integrative therapies, functional nutrition to mind, body healing. We’re here to challenge the status quo and empower you with knowledge. As a nurse practitioner, naturopathic doctor, shaman and someone who’s walked the path of healing firsthand, I’m passionate about helping you thrive. So let’s dive in and discover the tools you need to unlock a vibrant, healthy life. This is your journey, and I’m honored to be your guide. Let’s talk wellness. Now today, we’re diving into a fascinating and critical topic about how symptoms in our bodies often serve as red flags for infections. Understanding these connections is essential for both timely diagnosis and effective treatment.

Deb 2:25Symptoms that our bodies show us in our ways of signaling something’s wrong, but often they can be misunderstood or misdiagnosed, and by connecting these dots, we can uncover hidden infections that are driving chronic health issues.

Deb 2:44You know, I’ve treated chronic illness now for over 20

Deb 2:49plus, maybe 25 years, close to that somewhere, and

Deb 2:55it always presents in very similar patterns of things, and unfortunately, what ends up happening are the symptoms that people go to their primary care doctors with often, I believe, overwhelms them. And we’re taught that if somebody has multiple symptoms to think about depression and anxiety versus thinking about an infection or something chronic in nature and in our naturopathic world, we’re taught that the body is a whole and as a whole, every symptom gives us another answer or another glimpse into exactly what’s happening. So symptoms of infection are quite common, right? We know fever, fatigue, pain or swelling, that these are not necessarily the problems themselves, but these are the things we pay attention to. And if you remember having the flu. We’ve all had that, right? You feel achy, you feel tired, you feel flu like this, what we call it. But what if you felt like that more times than not? What if your symptoms kind of ebbed and flowed? They were here for a couple of days, and then they were gone. They were here for a week or two, and they’re gone. And you’re trying to find that pattern that

Deb 4:30trigger, so to speak, that makes these symptoms present or makes them worse. And that’s where you become the medical detective. That’s where I’ve become the medical detective, and it’s learning to identify those symptoms between acute and chronic symptoms in nature. So acute symptoms tend to be fever, sore throat, rash,

Deb 4:56they’re usually linked to short term colds and.

Deb 5:00Lose. But you can have these symptoms as chronic things as well. Or, like I said before, they can come and go in patterns. Typically, when we see chronic symptoms, it’s chronic fatigue, fatigue that can be so debilitating that you can’t get out of bed. Or maybe it’s just fatigue. When you wake up in the morning and you don’t really feel rested, you don’t feel like you’ve slept, you’re not ready to hit the floor running and get going through the day like you used to. And then there’s brain fog, that fog over your head where you’re just not quite remembering things properly, or something that we call word finding. You can’t find the right word. You’re looking at an object, and you know what the name of the object is, but you can’t quite grasp the word for it, or you’re mixing up words. You’re calling a chair, a table and a table, a bench. You can’t find a person’s name like you used to we tend to think that’s common with age, but it’s really not. Or what about the joint pain or the muscle pain that comes and goes one minute, it’s your wrist or your finger, and it’s a knee, then it’s an ankle, then it’s my neck, then it’s my shoulder, then it’s my elbow. That type of migratory is what we call it, joint or muscle pain is not common. It’s not normal aging process. It’s a red flag for us and tells us that something’s going on. What about symptoms like numbness and tingling that come and go, or the feeling is, though something’s creeping and crawling inside of your body. We call that the circulations. These are all symptoms that are not normal symptoms as we age, chronic headaches where you feel like somebody’s just driving a stake or a spike in your head, the blurred vision that comes and goes, the floaters, those squiggly lines that happen inside of your eyes, or the eye pain, jaw pain,

Deb 7:17these are just some of the symptoms that we see with chronic illness. What about the bladder? Symptoms that happen, that urgency, that frequency, or that pain in the bladder, that burning in the bladder, or food sensitivities. One minute you can eat something like gluten, and the next day you can’t you’re feeling sick from it. Or one day you can have tomatoes, and the next time you have tomatoes, your joints are on fire. These are all signals of a bigger problem, a bigger thing. Now, oftentimes it is infection. It’s something like Epstein Barr or chronic strep, which gets now diagnosed as pans pandas. It could be Lyme disease or some other tick borne disease. And these are all symptoms of Long Haul COVID as well. These things that come in waves about every two weeks, you see a pattern arising. These are chronic symptoms, and their chronic illness, things and they really, truly debilitate people’s lives and keep them from working, keep them from doing the things that they absolutely love in life. Now, viral infections like Epstein Barr Virus can create a lot of these same type of symptoms, this chronic fatigue, the swollen lymph nodes that come and go, the low grade fever.

Deb 8:51These are very debilitating. Some of these conditions, like Epstein Barr and HHV six, which is a herpes family virus can actually lead to bigger problems, like autoimmune diseases, thyroid disease, diseases like Ms. The literature is very clear that these things play a role in autoimmune diseases, the HHV six and CMB. So HHV six is a herpes family virus and CMB is cytomegalovirus. These are definitely linked to neurological symptoms, chronic pain and even cognitive decline. HHV, six for years, has been known to be a culprit in fibromyalgia, that sore muscle achiness that just doesn’t want to leave the body. And unfortunately, we’ve kind of gotten away from looking at these viruses as being culprits for the symptoms that we have, and instead we’re looking at, how do we treat the symptoms, instead of, how do we get to the root cause of these symptoms? Now there’s other bacterial infection.

Deb 10:00As well. Lyme disease is one of them. I mentioned that a little bit earlier, this typically in an acute setting, will start like flu, like symptoms, joint pain, possibly a bullseye rash. But according to people like Dr Horowitz, we know that the bulls rash only appears in about 20% of the population of people, so that’s not always a telltale sign. Or if you get bit in an area where you wouldn’t necessarily see the bullseye rash like maybe on your head, it could also be missed. Now, some of these symptoms can evolve into neurological issues, numbness and tingling and even seizures. We see chronic pain is a very common one, and Lyme disease actually can mimic diseases like MS and other autoimmune diseases like lupus, and these symptoms can go on for decades, undiagnosed and untreated. And we have some other tick borne diseases as well, like Bartonella, which is commonly associated with psychiatric symptoms, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, there’s a common term that we use called Bart rage that will cause people to be totally normal one minute, and they go from zero to 100 in seconds, like they’re fine, they’re angry, and then they’re fine again. This is very common with a Bartonella infection, and then we have bacterial infections like chlamydia pneumonia that can directly affect the cardiovascular system and cause a lot of cardiovascular symptoms like syncope or blood pressure issues or pots uh, postural tachycardia orthostatic or sorry, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. And this can be very debilitating for people, because their heart rate goes up very high, sometimes to as high as 180 or 190 and then comes back down right away. So these bacterial infections can be very devastating. When they’re not diagnosed and they don’t continue t...

Deb 0:00Welcome to the podcast. Before we begin, there is a disclaimer we have to make. Let’s talk wellness now brings expert insights directly to you. Please note that the views and information shared by our guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Let’s Talk wellness now its management or our partners, each affiliate, sponsor and partner is an independent entity with its own perspectives. Today’s content is provided for informational and educational purposes only, and should not be considered specific advice, whether financial, medical or legal. While we strive to present accurate and useful information, we cannot guarantee its completeness or relevance to your unique circumstances, we encourage you to consult with a qualified professional to address your individual needs. Your use of information from this broadcast is entirely at your own risk. By continuing to listen, you agree to indemnify and hold let’s talk wellness now and its associates harmless from any claims or damages arising from the use of this content. We may update this disclaimer at any time, and changes will take effect immediately upon posting or broadcasts. Thank you for tuning in. We hope you find this episode both insightful and thought provoking. Listener Discretion is Advised now for the show.

Deb 1:19Hello and welcome to today’s episode estrogen and MS, how hormones impact neurological health and symptom management. I’m Dr Deb, and today we’re diving into a fascinating and complex topic, the link between hormones, specifically estrogen, and neurological health in women, particularly as it relates to MS or multiple sclerosis. Today, we’ll explore how declining estrogen levels in women may not only trigger ms, but also impact the severity and the progression of symptoms. Estrogen is more than just a reproductive hormone. It’s plays a crucial role in our immune system and the nervous system health. This intersection of hormones and neurological Health offers insights that may lead to improved management and treatments for women with Ms. So to provide some context, estrogen is a hormone that does more than govern reproductive functions. Research shows that estrogen plays a protective role in the brain, and it can reduce inflammatory responses, promote cell repair and support overall neurological function. It’s fascinating to consider estrogens far reaching impact on the nervous system, and as we’ll see, the effects are particularly relevant in the context of MS. MS is about three times more common in women than in men, and research suggests that hormonal fluctuations significantly influence both the risk and expression of MS symptoms. This gender difference points to hormones, and especially estrogen as an area worth closer examination. So let’s dive deeper into the science to understand why estrogen is such a significant factor in an in Ms. So estrogen as a neuro protector really well, it’s true, estrogen provides significant neuro protective benefits by modulating inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain, and studies have shown that estrogen can decrease levels of pro inflammatory cytokines while enhancing antioxidant defenses, creating a protective environment for neurons. Research has shown that women with higher estrogen levels tend to have lower markers of neuro inflammation, which is critical, because inflammation in the brain can lead to damage over time, and this protective effect of estrogen helps keep the brain in a healthier state, which is particularly beneficial for managing conditions like Ms. Now, estrogen has an impact that goes even further than that. It’s called myelin. So myelin is the protective sheath, or the coding around the nerves, and it’s essential for nerve communication, and estrogen plays a direct role in supporting this myelin repair. So let me explain a little bit more about myelin, because I think it’s important for us to understand if you think of your nerves as an electrical wire, we’ve all seen electrical wires that go behind the walls, right, and you pull out that wire, and if you’ve done any kind of remodeling, you may or may not have seen somebody strip away that plastic coating. Sometimes it’s yellow, sometimes it’s blue, and inside there are a couple of wires. Sometimes there’s one, sometimes there’s two, sometimes there are three, and. So think of that plastic coating as the myelin that protects your own nervous system. And what happens in MS and and sometimes other neurodegenerative diseases is that protective coating that myelin becomes disrupted or becomes damaged. And when it becomes damaged like that is when the nerves can be exposed, and when the nerves can be exposed, they can become irritated, and that’s kind of what we’re talking about with what happens on a very low scientific level with Ms. But I think everybody can understand when we’re talking about that what exactly is happening there? So estrogen, which is one of my favorite hormones, by the way, and I have been promoting hormones my entire career. I started learning about hormones when I was in my mid 20s. I worked for a reproductive endocrinologist, and became so in love with hormones, and so fascinated by them and what they can do and how they affect us. And I really believe that over the years, hormones, especially estrogen, have gotten a really horrible rap,

Deb 6:14and they didn’t need to be. So I’m a proponent of it. I do not like synthetic hormones. I really love bioidentical hormones, and you can find an episode here in the beginning of my series that goes back a couple of years, that talks about all the hormones and why I love them so much, and what’s the difference between bioidentical hormones and what’s the difference between synthetic hormones. It’s all there for you. So go back and check those out. But let’s get back to to the episode today. It’s so easy for me to get off on a tangent. I’m so sorry you guys. So estrogen stimulates the cells, and these are called oligodendrocytes, which are responsible for myelin production. Animal studies have actually shown that estrogen can increase myelin thickness and even support remyelination, a critical process for people with MS, where myelin damage is a core part of the disease, and this finding gives hope for ways to support or restore the nervous system’s function, actually in MS, and so there is a huge gender discrepancy between women who develop MS and men. It is something that affects women more commonly than men, and particularly during those reproductive years. This suggests to us that female hormones influence this disease and symptoms of MS often vary with hormonal changes such as puberty, pregnancy, menopause, leading further to the support of this idea that estrogen plays a significant role in how MS manifests and progresses. So hormonal decline can disrupt the immune system. We call it immune dysregulation. As estrogen declines during menopause, the immune system changes, and it becomes apparent. We all know that as we get older, our immune system doesn’t work as well. This is why everybody’s advertising to the elderly population to get your vaccines and to do this and to do that, there are much easier ways to stimulate the immune system than that, and I can talk about those in in a different series as well. But today I want to focus on how estrogen, the decline of estrogen, can actually lead to an immune dysregulation, increasing the risk of autoimmune activity, which can amplify MS symptoms. A study from the Journal of immunology found that postmenopausal women with MS tend to have higher levels of pro inflammatory markers, which can lead to worsening symptoms like fatigue, pain, cognitive difficulties. And this means that estrogen decline doesn’t only affect the body in general, but may also directly impact ms symptom intensity and estrogens anti inflammatory role. So estrogen naturally has an anti inflammatory property to it, and when estrogen levels drop, pro inflammatory cytokines rise, leading to increased brain inflammation, which may worsen cognitive issues and sensory disturbances in Ms. And research has published in neurology in 2020, found that women with MS who had lower estrogen levels, they showed higher inflammatory markers, correlating with more intense symptoms, and these patterns offer insight into why women may experience a surge in MS symptoms as estrogen declines. Now there’s also compelling evidence that Ms relapse rates increase during perimenopausal time, a time that marked is. Marked by fluctuating and declining estrogen levels. There was a review in the British Medical Journal that found that women in their perimenopausal age experienced a 30% increase in relapse rates, which researchers attribute largely to that estrogen drop. Now is there clinical evidence supporting hormonal replacement Yes, there is BHRT has a potential therapy in MS, and I believe other neurological diseases as well, hormone replacement therapy, or bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, has shown promise for alleviating some MS symptoms in menopausal women by stabilizing estrogen levels. So for some women, BHRT can improve symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, cognitive decline associated with Ms. And there’s another study published in Multiple Sclerosis journal that found that women receiving hormone replacement therapy reported better cognitive function, less fatigue than those who didn’t receive it. These findings offer hope for using hormone replacement therapy as a part of the MS treatment plan for women in menopause. So how does hormone replacement therapy actually work to help MS symptoms, while we know that hormones may reduce inflammation, protect the nerve cells from damage and even support myelin repair, and this combination of benefits means that women on hormone replacement therapy could experience fewer symptom flare ups and potentially a slower disease progression. In a small clinical trial published...

Disclaimer  0:00 

Welcome to the podcast. Before we begin, there is a disclaimer we have to make. Let’s talk wellness now brings expert insights directly to you. Please note that the views and information shared by our guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Let’s Talk wellness now its management or our partners, each affiliate, sponsor and partner is an independent entity with its own perspectives. Today’s content is provided for informational and educational purposes only, and should not be considered specific advice, whether financial, medical or legal. While we strive to present accurate and useful information, we cannot guarantee its completeness or relevance to your unique circumstances, we encourage you to consult with a qualified professional to address your individual needs. Your use of information from this broadcast is entirely at your own risk. By continuing to listen, you agree to indemnify and hold let’s talk wellness now and its associates harmless from any claims or damages arising from the use of this content. We may update this disclaimer at any time, and changes will take effect immediately upon posting or broadcasts. Thank you for tuning in. We hope you find this episode both insightful and thought provoking. Listener Discretion is Advised now for the show you

Deb  1:45 

Welcome to uncovering the truth in your food where we’re going to dive deep into what’s hiding in the foods we eat every day. I’m Dr Deb, a naturopath passionate about uncovering the truth about our food systems and making our system and people healthier. Today, we’re peeling back the layers on additives, pesticides and herbicides commonly found in our food, and exploring why these ingredients are more tightly regulated in places like Europe than they are in the US.

Deb  2:17 

So why is it that so many chemicals banned across the world are still widely used in America’s food supply, and what impact could they be having in our health?

Deb  2:30 

Many everyday food items are filled with substances that don’t just add color or prolong the shelf life. They pose real health risks we have known for decades that artificial food dyes are one of our well known examples that have been linked to behavioral issues in children. But dyes aren’t the only concern. Today. We’re also exploring some of the hidden toxins, like pesticides and herbicides that can affect our health in a subtle but lasting way.

Deb  3:04 

Robert Kennedy Jr has been very vocal about the need for tighter regulations, and he argues that our current food regulatory framework prioritizes corporate interests over public health, allowing chemicals like glyphosate and synthetic dyes to remain in our food despite evidence of harm. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup.

Deb  3:29 

It is one of the most widely used herbicides in the world, and in 2015 the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer classified glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen.

Deb  3:43 

So let me let that sink in for just a second.

Deb  3:47 

Why are we putting a active carcinogen on our food?

Deb  3:54 

And you may think that this doesn’t really happen, but it does our big farming, industrial farming, which I have no problem with farming. My family were farmers. They’re still farming. We farm, and I think it’s important for us to deliver healthy food, but putting a toxin on our food to grow a larger crop or produce more at the risk of increasing cancer in our people. I’m not willing to trade that. That’s just not worth it when we can do farming in a different way, and we can have different practices that will still yield us a lot of product,

Deb  4:41 

but without the toxins. Now, people might argue and say this isn’t true, but I’m going to tell you to take a look at the ads that run on TV if you granted thereby the legal system attorneys, if you’ve been exposed to paraquat, you.

Deb  5:00 

Call us if you’ve developed Parkinson’s disease. Well, paraquat is an industrial pesticide used by farmers, and people who are exposed to this in quantities that could be mild or moderate, can develop neurological diseases. Don’t believe me.

Deb  5:18 

Go read the back of the label. It will tell you all of the consequences that can happen. Go to the internet and look up the side effects of paraquat. It’s neurological conditions that occur after being exposed to a product like paraquat. Roundup has very similar things. You know, we spray roundup on our weeds, because we don’t want our weeds to grow. Well, when we spray it on our foods and on our land, that’s the same thing that happens. But we not only then disrupted the plant that we’re growing, we’ve also disrupted the soil for a number of years after that, because you cannot get those chemicals out of our soils immediately. Now Have there been ways that people have found to get that out of the soil quicker? Yes, they grow hemp on that land, and if they grow hemp on that land, the toxins grow up in the hemp, and then they can throw away the hemp, and a lot of those toxins can be pulled from the soil.

Deb  6:17 

Still, don’t believe me. What about water supply?

Deb  6:21 

We know that that round off roundup that grows goes on our land, will leach into our water fields, and if our water table is then disrupted with Roundup, and you’re drinking that water that was never an intended use of Roundup, but it’s happening. Test your water supply. There are many rural places that have a well that have roundup that has seeped into their water and into their water table, and unless you’re filtering it, you’re not getting that stuff out. And we don’t even know how well a filtration system will actually take that roundup out. Roundup is also known as a what we call endocrine disruptor, which we’ll talk about in a little bit, because I kind of went off on a tangent here. As you can see this, I’m very passionate about this, because it’s really a problem for us, so I want to try to get back on track. Let’s talk about the impact of glyphosate on health. Studies have linked long term exposure of glyphosate to the increased risks of cancer, including non Hodgkin’s lymphoma. These researchers from the University of Washington have also found that glyphosate exposure increases the cancer risk. Are you ready for this by as much as 41% in what they classify as high exposure groups? Well, high exposure group is going to be the farming community. Now, you may not farm, but you could live in a farming area, and if they’re spraying their crops and we have a windy day, research has shown that that chemical can blow up to 1200 miles on a given day.

Deb  8:09 

So we think we may be clean in some areas, but we’re really not. We’re getting exposed to these things all over the place. This glyphosate residue has been detected in many of our popular foods, from breakfast cereals to breads, and yet, unlike Europe, where glyphosate usage is being restricted, the US continues to allow it in our agricultural practices, this raises a lot of questions about the potential long term effects of Our health and the health of our future generations.

Deb  8:42 

Let’s talk more about pesticides, herbicides and what we call hormone disruptors. So beyond dyes and glyphosate, many common pesticides and herbicides disrupt the body in ways that go beyond cancer risk. Several of these chemicals are known endocrine disruptors, meaning that they can interfere with our hormonal balance, affecting everything from the growth and development to our fertility.

Deb  9:11 

Atrazine is a widely used herbicide in the US, but it’s banned in Europe due to its environmental and health impacts. Research from the University of California, Berkeley, has shown that Atrazine exposure can cause changes in reproductive development and in some cases even gender changes in animals due to the hormonal interference. So let’s question that for a second. Are we not seeing one of the highest ever rates of fertility that we have ever seen in this country. Yes, we are. Everybody knows somebody who’s touched by a fertility issue that never used to be the case, that never used to be a problem. You know, if we look back in our family histories, many of.

Deb  10:00 

Our grandparents and great grandparents had eight, 910, children. And I know there’s going to be people that are listening to this that are going to say, Well, that’s because they didn’t have use of birth control. Yes, that’s true, but they were also much more fertile than we are today. So what is going on with our fertility? There are a lot of things. I am not saying that it is just chemicals or just pesticides and herbicides. There’s a whole host of things that are disrupting our fertility right now. But what I am saying is that if we want to preserve our future and our generations to come, we have to start looking at this now. We should have been looking at this 1015, years ago, and we should not have let money and greed get in the way of this. So Dr Tyrone Hayes, who’s a researcher on Atrazine and the effects of Atrazine, has the ability, he believes, has the ability, to disrupt endocrine function at levels as low as 0.1 parts per billion, a concentration found in drinking water across the Midwest. Now I live in the Midwest, so this is rather frightening to me. So this raises significant concerns about its potential effects on our human health and on our hormonal system. So the fact that an herbicide could interfere with hormone function at such low levels is concerning, especially when this chemical is so prevalent in the US Food and water supply. It really brings home the i...

Speaker 1 0:00Welcome to the podcast. Before we begin, there is a disclaimer we have to make. Let’s talk wellness now brings expert insights directly to you. Please note that the views and information shared by our guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Let’s Talk wellness now its management or our partners, each affiliate, sponsor and partner is an independent entity with its own perspectives. Today’s content is provided for informational and educational purposes only, and should not be considered specific advice, whether financial, medical or legal. While we strive to present accurate and useful information, we cannot guarantee its completeness or relevance to your unique circumstances, we encourage you to consult with a qualified professional to address your individual needs. Your use of information from this broadcast is entirely at your own risk. By continuing to listen, you agree to indemnify and hold let’s talk wellness now and its associates harmless from any claims or damages arising from the use of this content. We may update this disclaimer at any time, and changes will take effect immediately upon posting or broadcasts. Thank you for tuning in. We hope you find this episode both insightful and thought provoking. Listener Discretion is Advised now for the show, hello.

Speaker 2 1:20Welcome back to Let’s Talk wellness. Now. I’m your host, Dr, Deb, and today I want to share with you something deeply personal. It’s a chapter of my life that changed everything for me, how I went from diagnosis to healing, from fear to strength. This is a journey of navigating the unknown, facing the unsettling reality of chronic illness, and ultimately choosing a path that aligned with my beliefs and my values. My story is about facing the diagnosis of MS multiple sclerosis and going against the grain by choosing a different path for anyone out there feeling lost, isolated or misunderstood in their healing journey, this episode is for you. I hope that by sharing my experience, I can inspire others to take control of their health and find their own paths to healing. So let me take you back to the beginning. Life was really busy, and I was doing all the things I loved. I was running a busy medical practice. I have six businesses. My career in healthcare was flourishing. I was educating practitioners and training them in functional medicine. My children were grown, but I was loving every minute that I could with my grandchildren, and I was doing a ton of traveling and just really living my life to the fullest. But something wasn’t quite right. I started experiencing these strange symptoms that came out of nowhere, or so it seemed. It all began with this deep, relentless fatigue that no amount of rest could fix. Now it was easy to blow off the fatigue, because it was COVID, and I had been sick with COVID twice. I knew that post COVID Fatigue was a real thing. We were just learning about long haul COVID, and I was busy. I wasn’t sleeping much because I was busy and I was stressed and I had lots to do, but I’d sleep and I’d feel like I never even closed my eyes, there was this constant brain fog, this kind of mental exhaustion, where even the simplest tasks felt overwhelming. It took me much longer to accomplish things that it had in the past. Taken me half the amount of time, and then the tingling started. It began with my toes. I love to walk, so I would be walking, and all of a sudden realized that I couldn’t feel one toe then another toe. And as we all do, we can make excuses for it. I simply thought that my socks weren’t right and my shoes, so I’d stop and I changed them, and then it must have been my shoes. Maybe those were bad and I needed new ones. Or the ones I always walked with suddenly weren’t good anymore. Or maybe it was the road and I wasn’t used to it, because I wasn’t walking on the road as much I was walking in the woods more. And then that sensation started to spread. All of a sudden, it would be a brushing across my leg, and then the brush across the face that felt like a feather. My muscles began to feel really weak, and I felt like they could. Betray me at any moment, I kept pushing it aside, telling myself I was just overworked or maybe a little too stressed, but deep down, I knew that there was something else going on. It was like my body was trying to send me a message, one that I wasn’t quite ready to understand. As I tell all of my clients, if you don’t listen to your body, your body will begin to speak louder and louder to you, and eventually it’ll be screaming at you. And I knew that, so I didn’t put it off too long, but probably a little longer than I should have. I finally decided to see the doctor. And I went to see my orthopedic specialist, who I trust, thinking this is just a bad neck issue. I’ve damaged my neck before. I’ve had multiple car accidents, multiple whiplashes, and I have a lot of degeneration. It must just be a bad neck. When I sat down to tell him my symptoms, he looked at me and said, Deb, you’re a very smart woman. You know what’s going on?

Speaker 2 6:28my neck is bad, and I just need a little cortisone. I’ll be fine. When he sat down and pulled up next to me and closely got into my face and said, Deb, I think you have MS, and I remember looking at him very perplexed, because that was not on my radar anywhere. I remember feeling a little numb as the words sank in, and it was if the air had been sucked out of the room. At that moment, my husband looked at me, I looked at him, and I was filled with fear and dread, but I had to be strong for my husband. I didn’t want him to know how afraid I was, but I couldn’t help but think about what this would mean for my future, for my family, for my career, would I lose my independence? Would I become a burden to those that I loved? It was a devastating moment, one that I’ve had to share with clients numerous times, but it is very different. Sitting on the other side of the desk hearing those words, my doctor’s solution was very straightforward, let’s go get a brain MRI, let’s see if what I suspect is correct. And we laughed and joked about how he just wanted to see if I actually had a brain or not. I agreed, and I got in the car that night with my husband, not knowing what to say, not knowing how much to share. My husband doesn’t work in the medical field. He doesn’t know what’s coming if this is truly ms, but I do. We drove quietly for about 20 minutes, when he finally looked at me and said, What does this mean for you? What’s going to happen? And I sat back, and I shared with him what could potentially happen with Ms. I could lose function in my limbs. I could lose function of my brain. I could end up in a nursing home because no one would be able to take care of me, and that’s what we could be looking at right now.

Speaker 2 9:06And we drove quietly for another 15 or 20 minutes as we went back to my office. And as I always do, I put on a smiling face, and I went back to seeing my clients, pretending like none of this happened, all the while in the back of my head, truly being worried about what I had just learned. So I did the brain MRI

Speaker 2 9:37and December, 23 2020 22 i Two. I got the call from my orthopedic doctor who said, Deb, you have white matter brain disease. It’s in the prefrontal lobe, and this confirms, MS, I want you to go see the neurologist. And the good news. Is, this is early stage. You’re young, you’re healthy, and this can be treated with immunosuppressing drugs, and we can manage your symptoms. And I sat back and laughed and said, Thank you, but that’s not the route that I’m interested in taking in my world MS is a few other things until proven otherwise, their toxins, their infections and their nutrient deficiencies, mitochondrial deficiencies and viruses.

Speaker 2 10:40So I’m going to go this route, and I’m going to find out what’s actually causing my white matter brain disease before I take on an immunosuppressive therapy. He encouraged me to not wait to get treatment, but he understood, and as wonderful as he is, he shared with me his last bit of encouragement, and said, I’m here if you need anything, if it doesn’t end up being ms, let me know, and we’ll take a closer look at what’s going on physically for you. And at that moment, I had to call my husband and let him know that the diagnosis looked like it could be. Ms, and he immediately said to me, Deb, you know the most brilliant people in the world in this field, you know how to heal yourself. You’ve healed others. We’ve got this. And then he proceeded to tell everyone in my family and my friends that I had been diagnosed with MS, which I wasn’t quite ready to admit to people, but I also understood in that moment that he needed to share and he needed to have support, and he needed To know that things were going to be okay. So I did what I do best, and I began to do the research and look at all of the things that could potentially trigger ms, and take them one by one to identify what is the culprit? And what I realized after all these years of practicing, when we’ve been taught MS is tick borne disease, until otherwise proven that MS is so much more than that. It is infection, it is toxins, but it’s also traumatic brain injury and non traumatic brain injury, and it’s also a mitochondrial dysfunction. And all of these things put together, put us at risk for neurological conditions like MS and Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease and ALS, and we don’t aggressively address these soon enough, in my opinion, we treat what we can treat, and then we just kind of put that to the side and wait until symptoms come, instead of being proactive and looking at the brain every year and seeing what’s going on with it and what changes are happening with it, so we can catch these things sooner than later. A $300 MRI would have changed that day for me sooner than later. So here’s what I chose to ...

What happens when the trust we place in healthcare leads to devastating consequences? In this episode of Let’s Talk Wellness Now we uncover the shocking reality of medical misdiagnosis—a silent crisis affecting millions every year. With jaw-dropping statistics, heartbreaking personal stories, and insights from seasoned experts, we explore the ripple effects of misdiagnosis on patients, families, and the entire healthcare system.

Discover why diagnostic errors are so common, the emotional and financial toll they take, and how we can all become stronger advocates for our own health. If you think it couldn’t happen to you, think again. This episode will change how you view the healthcare system—and your role in it.

Tune in for:

Listen now and take the first step in becoming your own health advocate. Share this episode with someone who might need to hear it. Your voice could make all the difference.

Deb 0:04Hello and welcome back to Let’s Talk wellness. Now I’m your host, Dr, Deb, and today we’re diving into a topic that has touched the lives of millions and has far reaching implications in our healthcare system. Misdiagnoses each year an estimated 12 million adults in the United States are affected by diagnostic error. That’s one in 20 patients who leave the doctor’s office with a label that may be wrong, or worse, without answers at all. This isn’t just about missed or misunderstood diagnoses, it’s about lives turned upside down, families left searching and healthcare systems that sometimes overlook the root causes of chronic illness. In my practice, I see firsthand the devastation caused by these diagnostic failures, particularly with complex conditions like Lyme disease and toxic related illnesses, and when you dig deeper into the numbers, the implications are staggering. A report by Johns Hopkins University found that diagnostic errors contribute to over 80,000 deaths annually in the US, making them one of the most significant public health crises of our time. Today, we’re going to take a look at some of the real stories behind those statistics, including cases that my very own, Dr Brown, who works for me, shared on the popular show, monsters inside of me. Let’s jump right into this. So let’s start with Lyme disease. It’s often called the Great imitator, because it mimics so many other conditions. According to the CDC, over 476,000 people in the US are diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease each year. I would say my personal opinion is that that number is probably a little bit lower, and I say that because I know the number of people that I see in my office that have had a negative test result done conventionally, and then we do a gold standard test through a company called iGenex, and we get positive. I also know there’s been some issues with the reporting of these cases as well to the Health Department. One time, my office called the Health Department to report a case in February, and we were told by the healthcare worker that they weren’t taking any new cases for the year. And we were perplexed. We thought, What are you talking about? This is a communicable disease that needs to be reported, and you’re telling us you’re not going to take the case and report it. And when we questioned it, the answer from the person on the other side was we had already met our quota for the year. And again, we questioned, there is no quota in a reportable disease, and she refused to take the information from us. So we know that some of these statistics are not as accurate. These numbers could be much lower than what we’re actually seeing reported, but the true number may be even higher, as we’ve said, given how frequently the disease is misdiagnosed as chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia and even psychiatric disorders. Patients suffering from Lyme often report symptoms that include extreme fatigue, muscle pain, headaches, neurological issues, yet many are misdiagnosed with a mental health condition like depression, anxiety and their unexplained symptoms are often dismissed as psychosomatic. Take, for example, a patient who was misdiagnosed for years treated for everything under the sun except the actual cause line after being prescribed antidepressants and painkillers, along with even sedatives, they still didn’t improve. What’s even more shocking is the testing issue. Standard Lyme tests are notoriously inaccurate. They raise false negative rates for Lyme tests that can reach as high as 50% leaving patients in limbo while their symptoms worsen. These are isolated incidences. You say these are systemic failures.

Deb 4:29Now, here’s where Dr Brown’s work came in on the show monsters inside of me. Dr Brown highlighted a case where a patient had been living with Lyme for years but had been told repeatedly that it was all in her head, her symptoms only worsened. This individual was prescribed multiple medications for anxiety, and yet those symptoms progressed and worsened after exhaustive testing and a new approach that. Were finally correctly diagnosed with Lyme disease. But how many patients never get that second look? How many endure years and even decades of mistreatment? Lyme isn’t the only example of misdiagnosis in complex chronic illnesses. Another hidden and often ignored issue is environmental toxin exposure. Toxins come from various sources, mold, heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, industrial pollutants. Our very own World Health Organization, the WHO estimates that 23% of global deaths are linked to environmental factors, yet in traditional healthcare, toxin exposure is rarely considered a root cause. Take mold toxicity for an example, despite an estimated 50% of the US buildings showing signs of mold contamination, mold toxicity is still misdiagnosed as allergies, asthma or a mental health disorder. People experience symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, joint pain and digestive issues, and yet they’re all told it’s just IBS, irritable bowel syndrome or it’s stress related. But mold toxicity is more than just a nuisance, it’s a serious neurotoxin that can wreak havoc in the brain and in the immune system. One case from my practice stands out, a patient in her 40s who was misdiagnosed with early onset dementia. Her memory was deteriorating and her cognitive abilities were declining. She had been to numerous specialists, all of whom concluded it was a rare form of dementia. But after conducting specific tests, we found that her home had severe mold problems, which was causing the neurotoxicity. When we removed the mold exposure and began detoxification, her symptoms started to improve, and it was a life changing diagnosis for her, she could have spent decades in a nursing home, spending hundreds of 1000s of dollars on medications that wouldn’t have worked for her, because they were the wrong medications. It’s important to advocate for yourself,

Deb 1 7:19to trust your own instincts and ask questions of your practitioners. Tell the story of how you got sick, look at your story of what was going on before you got sick, so that you can see if there’s any links or connections to any of these conditions. These examples are why we need to challenge that status quo in healthcare. Stories like these aren’t rare. They’re alarmingly common. The British Medical Journal, quality and safety Journal report, they report that 12 million Americans are misdiagnosed every year. Yet how often are these errors truly investigated? Lyme disease, mold, toxicity, chronic viral infections. These are just a few examples of illnesses that often go undetected or mislabeled. Autoimmune diseases are another area where misdiagnosis runs rampant. Conditions like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome often serve as a catch all diagnosis when doctors don’t have a clear answer, but autoimmune symptoms can sometimes be linked to chronic infections or environmental toxins, issues that conventional medicine rarely digs into. Let’s talk about the system itself. In mainstream healthcare, there’s a reliance on testing protocols and standard treatments that often don’t account for the unique complexities of each individual. There’s a famous quote by Dr Marty mercury from the John Hopkins, who stated that the third leading cause of death in the United States is a medical error, and diagnostic errors are a big part of the issue when we focus solely on symptoms without exploring underlying causes, we’re not truly serving the patient. RFK, JR and other advocates of medical freedom have called for the reevaluation of our healthcare system, a system that too often dismisses patient concerns, relies on outdated testing and doesn’t prioritize environmental and nutritional factors. They’ve pushed for transparency in medical practices and have highlighted the dangers of ignoring environmental triggers in chronic disease. And I fully agree with this perspective. This isn’t about controversy for the sake of it, it’s about doing what’s right. Our practice takes a broader approach. For precisely this reason, we consider environmental exposures, nutrition, lifestyle and advantage, lab, excuse me, advanced lab testing that goes beyond the basics. It’s about giving the body what it needs to heal, not just. Trying to suppress symptoms, and yes, this sometimes involves treatments that are considered alternative, but what matters most is that the patients are finally finding relief. It’s time we start demanding that healthcare addresses the root cause, not just the symptoms. If we don’t, we’re only going to see more cases like those on monsters inside of me, where patien...

Speaker 1 0:00Deb, hello and welcome back to Let’s Talk wellness out. I’m Dr Deb Muth, and I’m thrilled to be back on the air with you. It has been a journey getting here, and if you’re tuning in after our break, I want to thank you for sticking with us, your patience, your support and your messages over the past two years have meant the world to me, and today I want to take some time to explain why we’ve been away, what I’ve been navigating personally, and most importantly, where we’re heading with the show. So grab a cup of tea, get comfortable, and let’s talk wellness now, more than ever, as some of you know, let’s talk wellness now went off the air back in 2022 a lot of factors led to this decision and to be completely transparent, some of this was just out of my hands. My mission in creating the podcast has always been to provide a space for open, honest conversations about health and about real wellness solutions, including the types of treatments and approaches that you don’t always hear about in mainstream media. But in the past few years, this world shifted and speaking my truth became, well, a little complicated. During the pandemic, like many practitioners, I found myself facing increased scrutiny over my views, my commitment to sharing alternative perspectives on health, including my opinions on the virus and the importance of medical freedom, and this was all met with some opposition, as you can relate. As a result, the medical licensing board reprimanded me, and it was a really challenging time, to say the least. So part of our break was. Due to that pushback, a result of censorship, and having my voice suppressed, being silenced was really difficult for me, especially as someone who’s been devoted to helping patients and sharing knowledge for so many years, at first it felt like I lost my ability to connect with all of you and to share openly and honestly and to discuss what I knew to be true about health and healing, but I realized it was also an opportunity for me to pause, reflect and ask myself, what Do I really want to bring to this podcast, how can I make an impact in a way that feels right and true to my mission? And while all of this was happening, I was also facing my own personal health journey. In the past couple of years, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, MS, and I had to navigate this diagnosis and even more importantly, take the time to heal. I needed to step away, not only to allow my body to recover, but to explore the very treatments and wellness solutions that I’ve advocated for throughout my career, this wasn’t just research, it was living proof of how functional medicine and integrative approaches could change the course of my health.

Speaker 1 6:33I spent time delving into therapies that in some ways were controversial and not widely accepted. I focused on reversing MS symptoms with methods that emphasize the whole body, treatments that look at infections, nutrient deficiencies, mitochondrial function and even emotional healing. And I’m thrilled to share that this journey has been truly transformative. I can sit here with you today and say I feel stronger, more vibrant and more committed than ever to this path. So where does that leave us? What’s the next step for let’s talk wellness now. Let me tell you, I am more excited than ever about the direction that we’re taking. Moving forward, this podcast will be bringing you deeper, more detailed conversations about health. We’ll be diving into cutting edge topics, many of which you may not hear in mainstream, and that’s by design. My goal is to bring you information that can empower you, topics that are evidence based yet bold topics like mitochondrial health, stem cell therapy, advanced hormone therapies and strategies for managing chronic conditions like autoimmune disease, our episodes will still feature relevant guests, experts and practitioners who are doing groundbreaking work in their fields. I’ve been inspired by people like Dr. Dan Gooden now who are on the forefront of health research, and I want to bring that kind of inspiration and depth to you, but I’ll also be guiding you through solo episodes where we’ll explore some of these powerful health strategies step by step. I want each episode to give you actionable insights, whether it’s a new perspective on familiar health issues or an entirely new tool that you can apply to your life. Let’s talk wellness now will be about more than just listening. It’ll be about learning and implementing real solutions. And I want to emphasize this. Let’s talk wellness now is not just a podcast. It’s a community. It’s a space for like minded people to learn, explore and ask questions, and I want you to feel empowered to take charge of your health journey. If my journey has taught me anything, it’s that knowledge and empowerment are everything. So whether you’re tuning in for information on cutting edge treatments or seeking encouragement on your own health path, you’ll find it here. We’ll tackle question like, what’s the science behind using peptides for immune support? How can mitochondrial health influence chronic disease, and what role does our emotional and mental health play in physical healing? We’re going to get into the details, the real nitty gritty of wellness, and make sense of what truly helps the body heal. I invite you to join me as we move forward in this new chapter. Each episode will be designed to inspire, inform and. Hopefully empower you. I’m honored to be back with all of you and more committed than ever to sharing what I’ve learned, both as a practitioner and as someone who has been on my own healing journey. So as we relaunch, let’s talk wellness now I want to thank you again. Thank you for your patients, for your loyalty and for your belief in this work together, we’re going to keep uncovering the truths about health and wellness that everyone deserves to know. So stay tuned for next, next week’s episode where we’ll dive into the common misdiagnosis in healthcare, and remember, you’re not alone on this journey. We’re in this together.

Learn to tune into what you want to have a fun, fulfilling, fuck-yeah life— without overcomplicating everything. Are you tired of saying yes to everyone and everything and then being angry that you didn’t listen to yourself? Do you need tools to live the life you want? Join Kristen King and Dr. Deb chat about how to build your life. 

Do not miss these highlights:

06:40 There’s  a lot of peeling back layers of people pleasing, perfectionism and self protection that we have built up between ourselves and the world around us

07:50 We are sometimes comparing ourselves to someone and trying to be like them

10:44 How comparison and self-assessments becomes helpful and not

12:36 How we have been kicking ourselves

16:12 We don’t realize that we’re participating in our own abuse and participating in our own gaslighting

17:37 People pleasing is an important life skill, it exists for a reason but you should know how to do it

18:57 We push ourselves down with the expectation that other people will reciprocate in some way, but then when it doesn’t work, the pendulum swings to the other side

19:35 Outsourcing our satisfaction, our power, our decision making to other people will make  us  powerless  in our own life

21:25 Being a good girl is a learned behavior. Not following that arbitrary set of rules, is also a learned behavior.

23:43 How to change and give yourself permission to do the things you want to do in life now

30:57 We have to be able to do something to make those affirmations happen and we have to be willing to take action to change something inside of us

31:10 How journaling can be beneficial 

Resources Mentioned

Whether you are recovering from an illness or just looking to maintain your current overall health, schedule a consult with us at Serenity Health Care  by calling  (262)522-8640 or visit https://www.serenityhealthcarecenter.com 

About our Guest:

I teach coaches, therapists, healers, and other service-based entrepreneurs how to tune out all the fear-based bullshit that paralyzes them and how to tune in to a fun, fulfilling, fuck-yeah business — without overcomplicating things, making them do things they dread, or burning them all the way the fuck out. I spent almost two decades as a miserable success before deciding to burn it all down to go after what I wanted instead of what the world told me I was allowed to have. I had the house, the husband, the kids (twins!), the careers — all of it. And I still felt like I was slowly being crushed alive by the pressure to do everything and do it all perfectly. It was the perfect trap, and now that I’ve gotten out I’m going back for the others. 

https://kristenking.com/

INSTAGRAM & FB – @kristenskoveking 

LINKEDIN & TWITTER – @kristenking

Managing health is an important aspect for women. Why is it we seem to be better at advocating health for others but not ourselves? Susan shares her research about how women make health decisions and what to do when you see the doctor. 

Do not miss these highlights:

06:08 The things women have in common regardless of their particular disease

08:24 Why women feel guilty and are blaming themselves when they’re sick

12:45 Women are more likely to be misdiagnosed

14:50 In today’s society, sometimes people are afraid to share that they’re sick

15:32 You need a support group of people that you can share things with and get ideas from, and find out who’s the best

16:05 Where you can find the resource list for your research in the book, Sidelined

18:25 The importance of getting a second opinion

22:11 What makes the book Sidelined different from other books

26:10 How to get the most out of your appointment with your doctor

29:50 What will do if you walk out of the doctor’s office and you feel like you’ve messed up your appointment

34:25 When in doubt, be careful

Resources Mentioned

Whether you are recovering from an illness or just looking to maintain your current overall health, schedule a consult with us at Serenity Health Care  by calling  (262)522-8640 or visit https://www.serenityhealthcarecenter.com 

About our Guest:

Susan Salenger is the author and researcher behind Sidelined, How Women Manage & Mismanage Their Health. Sidelined examines the many ways in which some women manage and sometimes mismanage their healthcare. (Release date, April, 2022) 

Susan explores how women, typically the medical gatekeepers for their families, tend to be extremely conscientious about taking care of themselves, yet at the same time inadvertently undermine their own care. They often hesitate to call the doctor when they don’t feel well and worry that their doctor visit will take time away from their families or work. They may hesitate to ask doctors the necessary questions and don’t always comply with the doctor’s instructions. Salenger’s research reveals how conflicted many women are about the medical decisions they ultimately make. 

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Susan attended UCLA to study English. After graduation, she worked alongside her husband Fred for 25 years at their production company, Salenger Films, which produced corporate training and development films distributed worldwide. Today, at age 80, Susan lives in Northern California to be near her incredible family which includes her two daughters, four grandchildren, a cat named Max and a dog named JD (Salenger). When she is not speaking about her book or spending time with family and friends, you will find Susan power lifting to stay in shape.

https://www.susansalenger.com/

https://www.tiktok.com/@grandma.gains

https://www.instagram.com/susansalenger/

https://www.facebook.com/suesalenger/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-salenger-a4a02716/

https://twitter.com/susansalenger

@shewritesdotcom (IG) 

@shewritespress (FB)