Medicine

Episode 98: Gut Health with Dr. Michael Ruscio

How do we lay the foundation for a healthy gut, and therefore a healthy body? When diet alone isn’t enough, what’s the next step? Do you have to work with a healthcare practitioner, or are there things you can try at home? In this podcast, Dr. Michael Ruscio answers these questions and many more. He is a functional medicine clinician, educator and researcher, specializing in digestive and autoimmune health. He’s also the author of a new book: Healthy Gut Healthy You.

Episode 96: Liver Health with Dr. Alex Golden and Megan Blacksmith

Every day, our liver works hard on our behalf, and when it’s struggling, it can impact our health bodywide. Detoxing is all the rage, but the truth is, sometimes detox protocols can make you feel worse instead of better. Why is that? How can we support our liver naturally, without overwhelming it? And why is it essential to everything from hormone balance to autoimmune health? In this podcast, we’ll be answering these questions and more. My guests are Dr. Alex Golden and functional nutritionist Megan Blacksmith. They’re the women behind the website Zesty Ginger, and liver health is one of their specialties.

Episode 86: Best Of – Autoimmune Q&A with Dr. Datis Kharrazian

This is one of the most popular podcast episodes – for good reason! Dr. Kharrazian is one of the leading functional medicine practitioners in the field of autoimmune disease. In this information-packed episode, we cover a huge range of topics: (1) The 3 Stages of Autoimmunity, (2) The Role of Blood Sugar in Autoimmune Disease, (3) The Power of Stress and Our Emotional Demons, (4) How to Support our Regulatory Immune Cells and Suppress our Inflammatory Ones, (5) The Connection Between Leaky Gut and a Leaky Blood-Brain Barrier, (6) Harnessing the Power of the Vagus Nerve, (7) Chemical Intolerance and the Dangers of Chelation, (8) How to Heal Food Sensitivities, and (9) His Top Recommended Tests and Supplements.

Episode 83: Medical Study on the Paleo AIP for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

There are literally thousands of anecdotal stories into the benefit of the paleo autoimmune protocol (AIP) as a treatment for autoimmune disease. But until recently, there was no scientific research to back up these claims. That changed with the publication of this study. 15 patients with active IBD (Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis) transitioned to the paleo autoimmune protocol. Result? 73% achieved remission. In this podcast, I interview Dr. Gauree Konijeti, gastroenterologist and lead researcher, and Angie Alt, the lead AIP coach for the group.

Episode 82: Healing Mistakes to Avoid with Chris Kresser

Mistakes: We’re human, and we all make them; it’s one of the ways we learn. But sometimes – if we’re lucky – we can learn from each other’s mistakes without having to make them ourselves. That’s our goal with this podcast. My guest, Chris Kresser, is one of the most respected voices in the paleo community. A functional medicine practitioner, world-class educator, and bestselling author, Chris highlights common autoimmune healing mistakes made by both patients and practitioners.

Episode 81: Anemia and Autoimmune Disease with Dr. Amy Nett

Why is anemia so common among people with autoimmune disease, and how does that impact our health and quality of life? What are the different types? How are they diagnosed? What are the common symptoms? And how are they treated? My guest, Dr. Amy Nett, will be answering these questions and more.

Episode 76: Paleo Surgery Advice with Dr. Terry Wahls and Angie Alt

Surgery can be a traumatic experience for the body – even more so for the autoimmune body – yet sometimes it’s necessary. So, how do we support our health: before, during, and afterward? There are no guarantees in life, but there are things we can do to stack the success odds in our favor. There are also ways to tap resilience when things don’t go according to plan. Dr. Terry Wahls, Angie Alt, and myself, have all had surgery while maintaining our healing diet and lifestyle. In this podcast we share our experience and tips.

If You Still Need Medication, What’s the Point of Paleo?

When I first turned to the paleo autoimmune protocol, I wanted to avoid immunosuppressant medication. In fact, I don’t know if I would have embarked on such a challenging diet if I hadn’t held onto this hope. 4 years later, I realized that for me, diet and lifestyle changes weren’t enough on their own, so I made the difficult choice to go on medication. Now, I’m in remission through a combination of medication, diet and lifestyle, and I have no regrets. Some of you might wonder: What’s the point of paleo if you still need medication? I answered this question myself in my prior posts, but I thought it would be helpful to ask some of my friends and colleagues the same question. In this blog post, I share answers from people with a wide variety of autoimmune diagnoses, who combine medication with paleo to feel their best.

Episode 75: Paleo Neurologist Q&A with Dr. Ken Sharlin

When you find a medical doctor that treats their patients holistically, it’s like a dream come true. Dr. Ken Sharlin believes in the power of a nutrient-dense paleo diet and lifestyle. He’s also the first functional medicine neurologist in the USA. And he understands the pros and cons of medication – when they might be needed, and when they can safely be reduced or eliminated. In this podcast, he shares his treatment tips for neurological autoimmune disease

Medication Update: Remission?

Starting medication was one of the toughest decisions I ever made. 1 year later, this was the result.

Episode 72: Paleo Dentist Q&A with Dr. Mark Burhenne

This is one of my most popular podcasts! Dr. Burhenne has a unique dental practice. He provides standard dental care, but he also teaches his patients about the oral microbiome and the importance of quality sleep, since both are essential to dental health. In this information-packed Q&A, we cover the oral microbiome, whether it’s possible to reverse cavities, the flouride debate, dental decisions, how dentists can treat sleep apnea, and more!

Episode 70: Functional Blood Test Analysis with Andrea Nakayama

When we think of functional medicine testing, we often think of expensive tests not covered by insurance. But there’s actually a lot we can learn from the regular bloodwork commonly ordered through our conventional doctor’s office. Andrea Nakayama is a world-renowned Functional Nutritionist, educator and speaker, whose mission is to change the way we do healthcare by empowering patients to reclaim ownership over their own health. In this podcast episode, she walks us through two blood tests that are very common: a CBC with Differential and a Complete Metabolic Panel, and tells us how she interprets these from a functional perspective.

Episode 67: Building Effective Doctor-Patient Relationships with Dr. Cynthia Li

With autoimmune disease, the quality of our healthcare practitioners makes a huge difference in the course of our illness and our quality of life. In this podcast, we’ll be talking about what makes a good doctor, what makes a good patient, and how we can create the best relationships for our health. My guest is Dr. Cynthia Li, who has the unique ability to speak to us from the point of view of both doctor and patient. A conventionally trained MD, she became chronically ill with autoimmune disease that left her housebound for 2 years. Her personal journey back to health changed the way she practiced medicine.

Episode 65: Brain Health with Dr. David Perlmutter

We are in the midst of a brain health epidemic. Millions of people around the world are suffering from Alzheimers disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, autism, ADHD, mental illness, migraines, and more. It’s Dr. Perlmutter’s mission to prevent these numbers from rising and help people improve their health if already diagnosed. A board-certified neurologist with over 30 years experience, he’s also the author of four bestselling books. This podcast episode is one of the most popular ones from my archives. Tune in for a detailed Q&A on brain health.

Is a Healing Crisis Really Healing?

In theory, a “healing crisis” is when your symptoms get worse before they get better, and this is a sign that you are healing. But what if the opposite is true, and pushing through causes an autoimmune flare? In this article, I explain how to tell the difference between a healing crisis and a harmful one.

Episode 58: Supplements with Kamal Patel

A lot of us in the autoimmune community take supplements. Sometimes they help, sometimes they harm, and sometimes they do nothing at all. Today, Kamal Patel from Examine.com teaches us how to make informed choices. When are supplements appropriate? What’s the best supplement for pain? How much vitamin D does a person need? Are probiotics beneficial? How rampant is supplement fraud? We answer these questions and more in this information-packed podcast.

Is DNA Testing Worthwhile?

When it comes to genetic testing, is knowledge power, or is ignorance bliss? It’s not an easy answer. In this article, I go into the pros and cons in detail and also share my personal experience. If you decide you do want to take a DNA test, I walk you through the process step-by-step, including making sense of the raw data you receive.

Episode 49: Rheumatoid Arthritis with Dr. Melissa McNamara

Finding a rheumatologist who combines paleo principles with functional medicine to address root causes, and conventional medicine to control symptoms when necessary, feels very much like finding a unicorn. One of my blog readers let me know about Dr. Melissa McNamara, who practices in the Bay Area of California, but also consults with people worldwide. She took time out of her busy schedule to share her treatment philosophy with us.

Episode 48: Medication Decisions

The decision of whether or not to take autoimmune medication is rarely an easy one. Not only that, but our decision might change over the course of our illness. This podcast was inspired by my decision in 2016 to start medication after 4 years on the paleo autoimmune protocol. In this episode, I share the reasons behind my choice and also interview 5 other people about their medication choices. My guests have a wide range of diagnoses and experiences. Some have always taken medication, some have never taken medication, and some have gone on or off medication, based on changes in how they feel. The important thing to know is that there is no one right choice for everyone. My goal with this podcast episode isn’t to provide answers, but just to highlight the complexity of this decision, and let us all know that we’re not alone. To be clear – this show isn’t designed to be medical advice. Definitely work with your doctors when deciding what choice is best for you.

Eileen's hand with medication pills held in her palm

Starting Medication After 4 Years on the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol

This was one of the hardest posts I’ve ever written, because it was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. In 2016, I went on immunosuppressant medication for the first time. In this post, I do my best to share where I started (for those of you who don’t know my whole story), and what changed that led me to this choice. All of us with autoimmune disease face medication decisions at different points in our lives. If you’re facing this choice now, I understand how you’re feeling. This post isn’t meant to be advice for anyone else. I’m just sharing my journey. At the bottom of the article, you’ll find an update with the results of my personal medication experiments.

Episode 47: Adrenal Fatigue: Part 2 with Christopher Kelly

Adrenal Fatigue (aka HPA Axis Dysfunction) is very common with autoimmune disease. Are you tired during the day and wired at night? Do you find it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep? Do you often get hungry between meals, and sometimes feel hungry all the time? This podcast might apply to you. Expert Christopher Kelly talks about a new test that can diagnose and treat this condition more accurately. We also talk about how the label of Adrenal Fatigue is misleading, because the adrenals themselves are rarely the problem. The root cause lies someplace else altogether. Listen in to learn more.

Episode 46: Paleo Dietitian Q&A with Amy Kubal

Amy Kubal is a well-respected voice in the paleo community. She’s a Registered and Licensed Dietitian with both Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Human Nutrition and Dietetics. In this information packed podcast, I ask her: (1) What’s the optimal macronutrient ratio? (2) Are dietary fats healthy or harmful? (3) If we don’t eat dairy, how do we get enough calcium? (4) How do we keep our blood sugar balanced? (5) If we’re having trouble reaching a healthy weight, what can we do? (6) How can we troubleshoot digestive issues? And many more!

Where Medication Fits on a Healing Diet

When we embark on a healing diet, the hope is that we can reverse our autoimmune disease, heal our bodies at a deep level, regain abilities, and reduce or eliminate our need for medication. But that’s not something that happens overnight. Today, I’m answering the most common questions people ask about medication and the paleo diet.

How to Find a Good Functional Medicine Practitioner

When it comes to reducing autoimmune symptoms, diet and lifestyle are the foundation, but when you hit a plateau it makes sense to seek help. The problem is that not all practitioners are created equal. So how do you find a good one? When you’re about to make a large investment of your money and time in trying to heal, you want to find a guide who can truly help. In this article, I share my best advice for finding the right person to add to your healthcare team.

Episode 42: Infections and Autoimmunity with Dr. Michael Ruscio

If you’ve been doing the paleo diet and lifestyle perfectly and aren’t seeing results, infections can sometimes be a roadblock to healing. In this podcast, Dr. Michael Ruscio talks about which infections are common, which are rare, and how he diagnoses and treats them in his clinical practice. We talk about SIBO, h. pylori, parasites, candida, Epstein-Barr and other intracellular infections. We also talk about overtreatment and how to differentiate a healing crisis from an allergic reaction to the treatment itself.

Episode 39: LDN with Dr. Thomas Cowan

Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN) is a nontraditional autoimmune medication that sometimes dramatically decreases symptoms at low cost and with minimal side effects. It has been mentioned in some of the healing stories shared on this podcast, so I promised to dedicate an entire episode to learning more. Our guest, Dr. Thomas Cowan, is a medical doctor in San Francisco who uses LDN as part of his autoimmune patient treatment plan. We learn what this drug is, how it works, how to find the right dose, and how to find a doctor who prescribes it.

Why Food Sensitivity Testing Doesn’t Work

Let’s face it: the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) is hard to do. If we could just take a test to identify our food sensitivities, it would be so much easier! So, why don’t we? Unfortunately, food sensitivity testing is unreliable, giving both false positive and false negative results. An elimination diet (like the AIP) is the only accurate way to test for them. It’s called the Gold Standard. This is actually one area where conventional doctors and paleo doctors agree. I realize that this can be very frustrating to hear if you’ve spent a lot of money on these tests already. Click through to read the scientific evidence.