Inspired Living with Autoimmunity – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Have you ever felt stuck in your healing journey, despite years of traditional therapy? 

In this episode, Rapid Transformational Therapist Esther Katz reveals why many people hit a 'glass ceiling' in talk therapy and how accessing the subconscious mind could be the key to breakthrough healing. Drawing from neuroscience and her experience helping clients overcome chronic conditions, Esther explains the profound connection between childhood experiences and autoimmune conditions, and why understanding alone isn't enough for true healing. 

Learn about a gentle yet powerful approach to healing trauma without re-traumatization, and discover why the subconscious mind holds 85% of your healing potential. Whether you're struggling with chronic illness, anxiety, or simply feeling stuck in your wellness journey, this episode offers fresh insights into the mind-body connection and practical steps toward lasting transformation.

For the complete show notes and links visit inspiredliving.show/171

Are you struggling with chronic illness and feeling overwhelmed by complicated diet advice?

In this episode, holistic health coach Jeanine Kutil shares how returning to simple, whole foods and basic cooking can be transformative for healing. After battling severe neurological and autoimmune symptoms, Jeanine discovered that the path to wellness starts in your own kitchen. She breaks down common myths about healthy eating costs, shares practical tips for making cooking therapeutic rather than stressful, and explains why single-ingredient foods are more powerful than any fancy "health" products. 

Whether you're dealing with autoimmunity or simply want to improve your health, this episode offers a refreshingly simple approach to using food as medicine.

For the complete show notes and links visit inspiredliving.show/170

Did you know the food on your plate could be your family's best defense against chronic illness?

I sit down with pediatrician Dr. Joel Warsh to unpack how what we eat impacts our health - and our kids'. We dive into practical tips for making healthier food choices, the power of home cooking, and why reading labels matters more than you might think. 

Whether you're managing autoimmunity or just aiming for better health, this episode is packed with simple, actionable steps to nourish your whole family. Trust me, you'll want to take notes on this one!

For the complete show notes and links visit inspiredliving.show/161

In This Episode, We Cover:

• Dr. Shah-Simmons' journey to becoming a fertility expert inspired by her personal experiences.
• The importance of holistic approaches and research-driven strategies.
• The impact of autoimmunity on fertility and pregnancy, and potential interventions.
• Addressing male fertility issues and the broader implications of fertility treatments on overall health.

Key Takeaways:

Dr. Shah-Simmons' Journey and the Role of Intuition:

• Dr. Shah-Simmons was motivated to specialize in fertility due to her own experiences.
• Emphasis on choosing a compatible partner for family planning.
• Intuition plays a critical role in determining the right path, especially in reproduction.

Women’s Health and Myths:

• Notable lack of comprehensive scientific data around women's health.
• The speaker’s personal experience with preserving fertility and having a child later in life.
• The intersection of autoimmunity with fertility issues – many couples seeking help often have autoimmune or inflammatory issues.

Addressing Autoimmune Conditions:

• Conditions like Hashimoto's can complicate conception and maintaining a pregnancy.
• Importance of identifying the root cause of autoimmunity.
• Medications like Prednisone are not always the best solution – address the underlying issue instead.
• The autoimmune protocol (AIP) diet can help reduce inflammation and improve health outcomes.

Importance of Comprehensive Testing:

• Personal anecdote about symptoms like hair loss leading to the discovery of high levels of TPO antibodies.
• The lack of adequate testing for recurrent pregnancy loss in mainstream healthcare.
• Check for anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) and other indicators.
• Consider testing male partners for factors like DNA fragmentation, inflammation markers, blood sugar, and insulin levels.

Stress and Its Impact:

• Stress puts the body in survival mode, making reproduction less of a priority.
• Address both internal (e.g., toxins) and external stressors.
• Emphasis on supporting cortisol and melatonin pathways for stress reduction and resilience.

The Role of Men in Fertility:

• Dr. Shah-Simmons observed high levels of homocysteine, blood sugar, or insulin in many men whose partners faced pregnancy loss.
• Addressing these markers can lead to better pregnancy outcomes and overall men's health.
• Dietary changes and weight loss can have profound effects.

Taking Action and Resources:

• Start by reducing the toxin burden in your environment.
• Dr. Shah-Simmons has created the Divas Detox Guide to help with detoxifying homes. (Link provided when available)
• Take small steps and prioritize progress over perfection.
• Continue prioritizing health even after achieving fertility goals.

Discover the power of holistic health to achieve a balanced lifestyle and improved wellbeing!

 
Neil Cannon experienced severe eczema for most of his life and was prescribed steroid creams and antibiotics. After his father had a stroke, Neil was inspired to find a better solution and discovered that an anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle could help.

He developed his four pillars of vitality to help others: physical, mental, emotional and energetic. He believes that most chronic illness is rooted in trauma and that we can take our power back by understanding how we create our symptoms. He encourages people to address physical, mental and emotional health, as well as energy, in order to be truly healthy. 

In this episode, you will learn the following:

1. Understanding the power of the mind to influence our gene expression and health.
2. The importance of understanding and addressing trauma in the body to optimize health.
3. Exploring the holistic approach to health through the four pillars of physical, mental, emotional, and energetic health.

Dr. Anna Esparham, MD , founder of Health Is PowHer and Pain Free Life Academy, Is a nationally-recognized physician who healed herself from multiple chronic conditions from near death shock to issues with chronic pain and autoimmune disease. She is now a coach helping women learn how to heal themselves for good. Health Is PowHer's Podcast serves women who want to learn about how to overcome all the Issues that come with life.

Anna first became sick with Polyglandular Autoimmune Syndrome in her first year of medical school following vaccinations and Mono, but didn't realize the vaccines were a trigger until later.  She was fortunate to find help with an integrative medicine approach by addressing her eating, dietary supplements, getting nutrient IV's, Meyer's, and Vitamin C IV's.

A year later, after getting another flu vaccine, Anna had excruciating pelvic pain, worse than any pain she had ever experienced.  She was dealing with Bladder Pain Syndrome and Interstitial Cystitis.  Again, she improved… until she got the next flu vaccine the next year.

That third time almost killed her, and left her with (among other challenges) severe Fibromyalgia.
Traditional, Integrative, and Functional Medicine, combined, helped her improve 30-40%.
Spiritual healing accounted for the rest and took her to 100%

Pain is a messenger, giving us information.

Fibromyalgia
Is a diagnosis and a disease process.
It effects multiple systems, including immune system, nervous system and endocrine system.

Autoimmunity
The Journal of Clinical Investigation published a study where antibodies from Fibromyalgia patients were injected into healthy mice, and the mice developed Fibromyalgia.

Fibro causes neurogenic inflammation, in the dorsal root ganglia.  NSAIDS don't help because they don't reach those nerves.
Inflammatory cytokine IL-8 is involved, as well as increased oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction.

It effects neurotransmitters, suppressing serotonin and norepinephrine which help stop pain sensation.
It is an endocrine disruptor, causing the cortisol curve to be blunted in a stress response, dis-regulating the HPA Axis.
And, Fibro patients produce less growth hormone at night.

EMOTIONS AND PAIN SHARE THE SAME BIOLOGICAL PATHWAY.
We can modulate our pain response by changing our thoughts and beliefs.

The Biology of Belief - Bruce Lipton
NLP
Hypnosis
Using visualizations can be instrumental in healing.
Our thoughts change our physiology!
Using your imagination can help you heal!

Spirituality doesn't have to be religious.  Believing in a higher power is essential for healing (even if it is your higher self).

Anna's 1 Thing:

Morning visualization ritual.
Every day, first thing in the morning, visualize your perfect day...
perhaps pain free, energized, happy, joyous, etc.
See yourself move through your day happy and whole.
This may only take a couple of minutes.

Your life will change!!

Dr. Erin Donaldson is a board certified Family Medicine Doctor who practices Precision Medicine, using genomics and comprehensive data to co-create health plans with her patients.  She believes the majority of health is accomplished through daily habits, which was sparked by her own health journey with autoimmune disease.

Dr. Erin had a seemingly healthy childhood.  That is until she suffered with osteomyelitis as an udergrad student in college.
Being a high achiever, Erin went on to pursue her lifelong dream of being a doctor and attended medical school after graduation.
In med school, Erin was working, keeping the stressful med school schedule, and practicing cross fit regularly.

Then she became sick.  Struggling with fevers, rashes, and joint pain.  Answers were slow to come.  Erin had lost so much function, that she had to move back home at one point.
Her Lupus diagnosis was initially a relief, as at least there was an answer...and hopefully a solution.

Like so many of us, Erin's first appointment with the Rheumatologist was crushing.  He basically told her to expect decline, and that medications could only hope to slow disease progress.

Erin was raised to question.  So she set out for answers, and began her "clunky trial and error."

She was already gluten free because she had previously been diagnosed with Celiac.

She began to change her daily habits:

• Practicing emotional release
• Reducing the intensity of her exercise:  exchanging cross fit for yoga 
• Prioritizing sleep
• Prioritizing recovery
• Reducing stress to increase resilience
• Listening to her body

Having initially practiced medicine as a hospitalist, Dr. Erin found that Precision Medicine is her true love.
Combining genetics with in depth lab testing and supporting patients in creating the lifestyle and daily habits that support true wellness is her jam!

Embracing the field of psychoneuroimmunology, Dr. Erin helps patients trust their bodies and the signals they are receiving.
Dr. Erin Health is where you can find her Autoimmune Academy, which will take you through the steps to get started improving your health.
Reach out to Dr. Erin directly to let her know you heard her here to receive a discount on the Autoimmune Academy.

Dr. Erin's 1 Step
SLOW DOWN!
Get into your body and feel what it is telling you!

Megan Evans is the creator of The MS Stage, and brings her love of theater and dance, coupled with almost two decades of journey with MS to her very different kind of support group for women with MS.

Megan has had health challenges her whole life.  She was born with Immune Deficiency Syndrome and spent years on antibiotics and antihistamines.  At age 14 she was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia.  She never let her health struggles hold her back.
After college Megan moved to NYC, just before 9/11.  She went through the emotional trauma of the event, and was exposed to the smoke and debris dust, as so many were.

Her first MS symptoms appeared a few months later, when she began to experience dizziness.  Without any clear medical answers, as the dizziness cleared up, Megan moved forward with her career plans.

Three years later, as she was moving to LA, Megan lost feeling in the left side of her body.  The doctor told her it was likely either a stroke, a tumor, or MS.
At that time Megan had one lesion on her brain, which did not meet the criteria for an MS diagnosis.
But the neurologist told her, "you'll end up in a wheelchair one day."

Megan was determined to find solutions and began her journey of changing her diet and looking for answers.  She did "all the things."
Acupuncture, Homeopathy, etc,

She was determined not to own the label of MS.

Over the next 14 years, while her symptoms were mostly controlled, there were flairs, hospital visits, steroid treatments.
And through it all...Megan kept working.  Even from her hospital bed.

5 years ago Megan experienced a bad episode.  She lost feeling from the neck down,
She had been pushing a detox too far for her body, which is very sensitive. She had been working too hard as a personal stylist, and she had many more lesions.

She finally began MEDITATING.  The one thing she had resisted.
She began to dig deep in her emotional work, going for therapy.

Her shift...ACCEPTANCE
Acceptance in champion mode!  Not victim mode!
It was time to be truly empowered!

She took a year off, studying Gabby Bernstein's work, and taking her spirituality to a new level.

Theater and Dance are in Megan's bones, she majored in them in college.
Through her work on herself, Megan realized it was time to incorporate them back into her life, and she could bring them to others to help them heal.

Megan created The MS Stage to help women with MS find empowerment and healing through movement and dance.
She teaches mindfulness tools to get them into their bodies and hearts.

A key step in the program is to name your symptom.  Befriend it.  Really get to know it and how it is trying to help you.

This is her One Thing for you to do.  Explore the character that is your symptom!

Elizabeth Yarnell is a traditional naturopath and certified LEAP Therapist who is on a mission to redefine MS and autoimmunity.  She helps autoimmune sufferers in her nationwide clinic using non-pharmaceutical therapies to empower them to reclaim her health.  She is the award-winning author of Glorious One Pot Meals and the inventor of a cooking method that allows for simplified cooking of nutritious meals that are delicious.

Elizabeth was diagnosed with MS (Multiple Sclerosis) in 1999 after an overnight, scary, change in her vision led her to the doctor.
She quickly lost all of the vision in her right eye, and was convinced to take a disease modifying prescription to manage her decline.
While on the medication, Elizabeth had serious side effects.  She had hives from each injection, and eventually seizures.

Elizabeth stopped the medication after three years and began to change her diet from processed foods to real foods.
She began to reclaim her health.

Having never been a cook, Elizabeth invented and patented a new way to cook that was simple and didn't require a lot of work in the kitchen.
She published her cookbook Glorious One Pot Meals to help others do the same.  All meals can be built in 15 minutes and then cooked in the oven, hands off.

Elizabeth became a traditional naturopath and helps others heal as she has.

At 53, Elizabeth is free of disabilities!!!
She knows how to trigger and how to manage flares.

Whole foods are the first key to health.
Elizabeth's TedX talk in 2014 - Poisons In Our Food

As a functional medicine practitioner she focuses on defining root causes and triggers of chronic inflammation.

Go to multiplesclerosis.com to find the top foods to avoid if you have autoimmunity (or if you want to be healthy).

START READING LABELS
Food and other products

Beware also of "natural flavors" and "fragrance"

Today we are joined by Dr. Lisa Grant, OMD and we are talking about Autoimmune Thyroid DIsease and Fertility.  Dr. Lisa is a double board-certified Oriental Medicine Doctor specializing in fertility, and the owner of Fertility Reset Online, where she supports couples in building the families they dream of.

Lisa started her journey as a patient.  She struggled with digestive distress that got worse as time went on.  Western Medicine doctors couldn't find the problem.  When it was so bad that Lisa could barely eat without extreme pain, she found an article that pointed her toward acupuncture.

Sure enough, acupuncture helped ease her symptoms, and continued to improve her health.  As she was looking for a career change, Lisa decided to go to school and practice the medicine that had so significantly impacted her health.

Lisa wasn't focused on fertility at first.  Having had five pregnancies and three miscarriages, she wasn't sure she was ready to support others in that way.

Until a friend turned to her for support in conceiving.  The rest is history!

Lisa helps fill in the gaps in the fertility experience.  Often her patients have fertility specialists and Lisa's work complements the treatment path.

The importance of a FULL thyroid panel:
Most Western Physicians are only testing TSH and T4 levels.
They are missing key pieces of information regarding thyroid health.

If fertility issues are present, it is essential to check thyroid anitbodies, along with free T3 and rT3 as well.
So many of Lisa's patients have undiagnosed Hashimoto's
The symptoms are chameleon-like!

Chinese Medicine Approach
Thyroid is on the spleen and kidney meridians.
Kidney rations energy
Spleen - nurturing and nourishment

The thyroid is the energetic thermostat

Carrying a baby is like being an olympic athlete!
If our body doesn't have enough resources for full health, it won't allow or maintain the pregnancy.
Must build foundations of wellness first!

Where to start?

GO COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY GLUTEN FREE!
No cheating!

75% of time Lisa sees thyroid antibodies correct with this perhaps difficult, but SIMPLE step!

Lisa's gift for you:
go to Fertilityresetonline.com. and use code Inspirednow20 for 20% off!

Why aren't doctors catching this?
If only testing TSH, they are missing what's going on until the thyroid has sustained significant damage.  They are missing subclinical thyroid issues that when treated, could prevent the damage.

Get a full panel!!!

Lisa's One Step...
If you have to ask...the answer is NO!  No Gluten!  No Wiggle Room!