The Autoimmune Doc Podcast w/ Dr. Taylor Krick – Details, episodes & analysis

This podcast is sponsored by Micro Balance Health Products. Use code AUTOIMMUNEDOC for 15% off your order at  www.microbalancehealthproducts.com

Travel is great - you can see the world, see old friends, see new places, have an adventure.....I'm a big fan of all those things. I love traveling, but sometimes it comes at a cost. 

I hear stories ALL THE TIME of people flaring during or after traveling, and in this episode I share plenty of those stories. Sometimes that's an autoimmune flare when someone has a known autoimmune disease like Hashimoto's, Rheumatoid Arthritis, MS, Lupus, or any other diagnosis. Sometimes it's just a symptom flare - you feel more anxious, more inflamed, more foggy, more histamine-y, more bloated, your gut and digestion are thrown off, whatever it may be - you flare. 

In this podcast, I talk about flares while traveling in detail. I break it down into 3 sections to make it more digestible and actionable:

1. STORIES - stories of flares that you might relate to - I've heard hundreds! Hearing stories lets you know that it's not just you, and the hope is that you can relate to some of these stories because they are all unique and different. 

2. MECHANISMS/REASONS - why would someone flare while traveling? When you know the mechanisms, you can try to get ahead of them. I give my Top 4 Reasons  for flares while traveling.

3. SOLUTIONS - what can you do about it? How can you protect yourself? I throw out a handful of ideas, options, and potential solutions to consider to AVOID the next flare and help you ENJOY your travels - whether it's diet and avoidance, traveling with certain supplements, or keeping your air quality clean while away - the options AWAY from home are not always the same as the options at HOME - so it's important to know how you can protect yourself. 

Have you even flared while traveling? What do you think caused it? What did you do about it? Send this to someone you know who might value from this episode!

This podcast is sponsored by Micro Balance Health Products. Use code AUTOIMMUNEDOC for 15% off your order at  www.microbalancehealthproducts.com

Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), Histamine Intolerance (HIT), and other mast-cell-mediated pathologies are becoming more and more well-recognized - -partially thanks to COVID and the changes we have seen in the world since 2020, partially thanks to new science and research, partially based on social media and educational platforms like mine - - but there is still a lot of misunderstanding, incorrect information and people suffering, even in the alternative wellness world, so today I wanted to TALK ABOUT IT. (The conventional world is about 10 years behind on this, so best of luck if you are looking for histamine answers there!) 

 Histamine and mast cell stuff is quite interesting once you learn to recognize and understand it, and in a functional wellness practice that helps complex or multi-system conditions it is RAMPANT - - I actually recorded this podcast earlier today then I started seeing people (I'm now writing these notes after work), and literally SINCE I RECORDED THE AUDIO, I've heard 3-4 more stories that could have easily made it into this episode!! 

Mast cells and their expression, activation and release of histamine (and other inflammatory mediators) are associated with autoimmune diseases like Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's, Ulcerative Colitis), but perhaps more importantly associated with everyday symptoms like congestion, runny nose, vertigo, bloating, abdominal pain, headaches/migraines, insomnia, heart palpitations, lightheadedness, nausea, diarrhea, reflux, brain fog, skin itching, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and more - the things people show up with in a functional practice, and the things that often look "fine" to the specialists, and this can make people feel like they are going crazy. 

In this episode, I "talk about" everything I know about histamine. That's A LOT, too much to type it all out in the show notes, that's why I turn the mic on and talk into it, because I'm better at talking than typing, so please listen :)

BUT, in this episode I cover a lot of stuff - my favorite mentors and books that I have learned from, the concept of the "histamine bucket", the basic understanding of mast cells and what they are, where they are (gut, sinus, skin, etc), what histamine is, how histamine is degraded or broken down, the common symptoms, the diagnostic criteria for these diseases, I'm sure I share some personal opinions besides just all the science and facts, and I talk about how I put this into a framework for people who are looking to get well, and WHAT and HOW I USE some of my favorite tools to help people, and some stories that I hear everyday about how these things are working, which is often really well. Check it out, and please leave a rating, a review, and send this episode to a friend!

Anxiety, Mast Cell Activation, and LPS (Youtube video)

Mast Cells in Pain, Neuroinflammation, and Alzheimer's (study review on Youtube)

STRESS -  we all got it. Haha - - What can you do? Try to understand it more! 

I see all kinds of "stress-related" cases - autoimmune disease flares, stress-related gut flares, "adrenal fatigue" symptoms, being "easily triggered by trivial stimuli" like noises, lights, motion, even toxins, viruses, food triggers - - it's all "stress" in some regard. In this episode I talk about stress, and more specifically, I go into deeper detail about the mechanisms of stress chemistry - - not just cortisol, the most famous stress hormone, but also other components of stress - the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, the HPA axis and adrenals, other stress hormones like neurotensin, neurotransmitters like epinephrine aka adrenaline, dopamine beta hydroxylase and other genetics, and the available functional testing and natural solutions, the pros and cons, my clinical thought processes, and really just rant on about stress for 45 minutes. I hope this helps someone manage their "stress chemistry" better!

OK SO - - in 2025, I am starting to do a new thing on the podcast called "Dr. Taylor Talks About _____" in an effort to just make more content and share more of my opinions, views, and interpretations. I hate to say this, but I've developed a certain amount of expertise and when I share my viewpoint(s), people tend to value my opinion, so I want to share my thoughts more regularly on common topics. My opinion is not always right, it's usually open-minded and subject to change, but I like talking about my views, how I have come to those views, the evidence and the way that I see it, and people think it's very helpful, which is my only goal, and it helps them navigate their health journey.

These episodes will not really be that much different than before, but this is the first "episode" of Dr. Taylor Talks About ____, and what a better topic than: SOCIAL MEDIA AND ONLINE HEALTH ADVICE - is it a gift, or is it a curse?

Today's health and wellness landscape is seriously getting pretty crazy with Instagram, Youtube, TikTok, podcasts, etc. Everybody coming in to my office is basically regurgitating their newsfeed to me - - I think I have parasites! Can we test for heavy metals? I started taking Shilajit and Collagen and Zeolites and Hydrogen Water because they sound so amazing, but I still feel like crap! I looove having these super-educated people in my practice, but if you are coming to me for advice, why don't you ask ME what you should do instead of trying internet trends? ALL of these trends are things I know a lot about and tools that I sometimes use. But MOST OF IT is not what I would suggest you do for yourself, your symptoms, or your family.

All of this increased "wellness" exposure through social media is great because it is shining a light on my profession, shining a light on the issues with environmental toxins or pharmaceuticals, and shining a light on natural options to support human physiology - but it also muddies the waters and makes it hard to know what YOU NEED - and that's all I care about. In this episode I rant on all of these things - marketing, miracle cures, big accounts, social media experts, podcast superstars, trendy supplements and hot topics, and how to navigate this and sift through the INFO to find what you actually need. 

This podcast is another GREAT conversation with my friend Pejman (the other doctor K, haha) that we recorded recently. I also put this on our Youtube channel, but here is the audio. It's a long conversation, but we could have easily kept going!!

 I think Dr. Pejman Katiraei is an amazing doctor, educator, and he has become my friend who I love having discussions with. He is a pediatrician, and when you listen to him talk you can immediately hear how much he cares for these poor children and families that he sees suffering from ADHD, OCD, PANS/PANDAS, autism, anxiety/depression, failure to thrive, early puberty, etc - he obviously has a big heart for these kids. He is a great question-asker, always asking the question - "WHY?" Why are these kids' brains inflamed? Why are their guts a wreck? Why are they folate or D3 deficient? Why are their mitochondria dysfunctional? 

The question of WHY often leads an inquiring mind upstream to root causes like MOLD TOXICITY and MYCOTOXIN EXPOSURE. Mold toxicity is so prevalent today and yet so often overlooked in these kids - and in adults too, which is more my client population, but I work with kids as well. Both of us have come to this conclusion separately - by asking WHY it has led both of us to spend the last decade plus learning more about the science, evidence, mechanisms, and strategies to understand, detect, and correct mold-related illness, which we have both applied in practice with great success, even though we don't always use the same strategies. In this video we talk about a TON of stuff, including labs, supplements, gut health, LPS, heavy metals, parasites, and many other important topics, and I think this will be really helpful especially for a parent trying to solve their child's (or their own) health puzzle.

Let's face it - being in pain sucks. That's kind of part of it, right?? So obviously people with pain, especially chronic pain, want some relief. That's why pain is a leading cause of disability, and pain management is a multi-billion dollar-per-year industry. But WHY WOULD SOMEONE BE IN PAIN IN THE FIRST PLACE??? That's what a functional medicine approach looks at!

Pain has many mechanisms, and as a chiropractor I have seen and successfully treated a lot of pain. In fact, I probably saw more straight-up "pain" in my former practice doing more musculoskeletal work, and chiropractic care is great for pain relief and much more. Nowadays, I see pain from other causes like autoimmune diseases, and see great success by taking a functional medicine approach to pain.

Pain can have many forms - it can be from wear-and-tear and old age, injuries, autoimmune inflammation, it can be exacerbated by overuse, stress, food sensitivities, anything that can drive inflammation - or it may be "unexplained". It can be called shooting pain, burning pain, stabbing pain, growing pains, osteoarthritis, "bone-on-bone", numbness, tingling, neuropathy, bone pain, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, muscle pain, soreness, mixed-connective tissue disease, fibromyalgia.....you may be told you have "degeneration", or "inflammation", a "pinched nerve", or you may be told "everything looks normal". There are a lot of possibilities!

The point is that there are many mechanisms to pain, and a functional medicine approach considers all the possible root causes, then we look deeper to evaluate the mechanisms, then we develop strategies to control the root source of pain.

That's what this podcast is all about - - how you can determine a bit more about your "pain" by evaluating the mechanisms, looking at lab tests, looking for and eliminating triggers, decreasing you inflammation by following different dietary and supplement protocols to not only get you out of pain in the short-term, but also decrease your pain in the LONG-TERM by addressing the real root cause(s). 

Genetic testing is fascinating, but I have a love-hate relationship with it as a practitioner. It is very trendy in the functional medicine/health world, and I think this makes sense - - so many people are trying to figure out WHY they feel a certain way or have certain symptoms, and testing can absolutely help answer some of the "why" questions. 

BUT - - genetics doesn't always answer these questions, and in many cases can muddy the waters even more. I have seen TONS of people come to me with genetic reports who aren't any better off than before they tested their genetics, and are perhaps even more confused. One gene might say you NEED methyl B vitamins, while another gene might say AVOID methyl B vitamins. I have seen TONS of people who are taking certain supplements like methyl-folate for their MTHFR mutation, but they don't respond well to it and it's actually making them worse. I have seen TONS of people who spent a lot of money on genetic reports, or on "customized" supplements based on their genes, and still haven't found the good results that they were hoping for. 

Does this mean it's worthless? Absolutely not, I have run TONS of genetic tests on myself and have found it very worth it, it's just not the whole story. 

In this podcast, I dive deeper into these opinions of mine, which aren't necessarily PRO or CON, they are just the PROS and the CONS from what I have seen working with chronic and complex clients over the past 10+ years. I talk about the books I've read, people I've followed online, the tests I've run, I talk about the most famous genes (MTHFR and gang), the most important genes for autoimmunity, mold toxicity, etc, and I talk about definitions of genomics, alleles, SNPs, and a little bit of everything "genetic", which hopefully can help YOU make some better sense of genetic testing and how you can use this tool while solving YOUR health puzzle!

We have A LOT of pregnant clients in our office right now, it's honestly crazy. Many of these women have diagnosed autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto's or Rheumatoid Arthritis. Some of them have "undiagnosed autoimmunity", like positive ANA tests, but they have no "diagnosis" - - yet. Some don't have any autoimmune diagnoses, but they have Lyme disease or mold toxicity.....and yet others with no diagnoses who just came in for management of specific symptoms like migraines, bloating, or anxiety. 

There is no special "formula" for pregnant women with autoimmunity - - we want to make sure you aren't deficient on any vitamins, minerals, or nutrients, we want to avoid toxins, we want to eat anti-inflammatory, we want to exercise, we want to minimize stress.......good advice for any pregnant woman.

The concern is that autoimmunity is known to flare around pregnancy., often presenting as an increase in inflammatory symptoms postpartum. We don't want that!!

This episode is filled with my knowledge and opinions around pregnancy that I have developed over the years of working with pregnant patients as well as my own experiences as a parent. In this episode, I talk about my wife and I's experience(s) with miscarriages, with hospital births vs. home births, with twins vs. singletons, with V or no-V, and our personal decisions and how we made those decisions. I also talk about all the important stuff like prenatal vitamins, genetics, methylation, and more. 

As always I don't claim to have all the answers, but I hope my expertise, my opinions, and my thought processes help someone as they are trying to make these decisions for themselves, or I hope they help someone have a happier, healthier pregnancy!

Whether it's allergies, asthma, autism, ADHD, or autoimmunity - kids have a lot more health concerns these days - and those are just the A's!

I see a lot of kids (parents) from all over the world asking me to help them with their health problems. Sometimes they are easy and see great progress from the right nutrients, killing yeast, or supporting detoxification. Sometimes they are really tricky cases.

Many of the common childhood concerns of today have an immune component - recurrent infections, skin issues, allergies, autoimmune conditions, inflammation.

Many of the childhood concerns have a neurologic component to them - inability to focus, hyperactivity, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, depression, anxiety, rage, inability to regulate.

Why have we seen such a rise in the incidence of childhood symptoms, diseases, and developmental issues? While there are many theories regarding the exact causes, the overload of environmental toxins, immune imbalances, infections, and gut dysbiosis are ALWAYS at the top of the suspected mechanisms, which are basically my specialties and the focus of my entire podcast channel - the drivers of autoimmune disease progression. Autoimmunity is often involved as a mechanism in children's health issues, but often isn't necessarily a diagnosed autoimmune "disease". 

Throughout the years I have developed certain thought processes, opinions, and I have my favorite labs, supplements, and teaching tools - this podcast is basically an overview of all of it. I talk about everything from raising twins (mine are almost 10) and nature vs. nurture, Winnie the Pooh characters and neurotransmitters, I talk about some of my favorite supplements and their targeted mechanisms, and I talk about how each kid is just different and needs to be parented differently. I also talk about how I'm DEFINITELY not a perfect parent, and we all just try to raise the best kids we can!

SO - the title of this podcast pretty well summarizes what this episode is about - how I'm doing since suddenly losing my dad. 

3 months ago, my dad died. He had been fine 4 weeks earlier. He had just turned 68, he was still working, he was an 8 handicap golfer, and he was perfectly fine. On December 19th he was told he had cancer, and he died exactly 3 weeks later. 

In this episode, I tell the whole story of what went down, but I also talk about my experience afterward handling this grief and heartbreak. It's still new, and I'm not an expert, and I think the highlight that I want people to take away is that "there is no right way", but I hope my experience and perspective is helpful and valuable to someone. This episode is just me rambling about my personal story, and then I'll be getting back to educational content :)