Episode #63
Functional Medicine Stories Elena and Amber – Autoimmune
Show Notes In Today's Episode Almost every autoimmune story I hear starts the same way. Something is wrong, the labs come back “normal” or the one abnormal result gets no comment, and you are sent home. Elena’s ferritin was low and nobody mentioned it. Amber could not move her hands and was told to exercise. In this episode both of them tell the whole story. Elena describes what it was like to go from sluggish and cold to jittery and racing, the moment half her face went numb, and the Graves’ antibodies that finally explained it. She talks honestly about thyroid eye disease, about not recognizing herself in the mirror, and about the friction that came when she wanted to taper methimazole and her team said no. Amber describes a year on hydroxychloroquine with migraines severe enough to send her home from work, flares that kept coming anyway, and the decision she made to walk away from her rheumatologist. She is clear that she does not recommend how she did it, and that finding a practitioner who could guide her was the turning point. Where both stories converge is the gut. Amber’s methane was off the charts on her SIBO test. Elena’s stool test came back with H. pylori, dysbiosis, and intestinal permeability after a virus and a parasite picked up abroad. In both cases, addressing what was actually in the gut changed the downstream picture in a way that supplements alone had not. We also talk about what does not come in a bottle. Yoga and mindfulness for Elena. Acupuncture and a less stressful work environment for both. The role chronic stress and trauma play in keeping the immune system switched on. And the reminder that this is a long game, not a thirty day fix. There is a push and pull in our culture between the natural camp and the drug camp, and people get hurt in the middle of it. If you are in thyroid storm, you need medication. If you are bleeding and dehydrated from IBD, you need help calming that down. Root cause work and conventional care are not opponents. The goal is using both well and we are ready to support you in that. Key Take Aways Autoimmune healing can be a layered process. Elena and Amber describe how addressing gut health, nutrition, infections, and other contributing factors became important parts of their journeys. Gut health may play an important role in autoimmunity. The conversation explores intestinal permeability, dysbiosis, SIBO, and how gut-related issues can intersect with inflammation and autoimmune symptoms. Lifestyle matters alongside clinical care. Yoga, mindfulness, acupuncture, movement, stress management, sleep, nutrition, and relationships are discussed as important components of overall health. Advocating for yourself is an important part of the healthcare journey. Elena and Amber encourage patients to research, ask questions, and seek providers who will listen and work collaboratively with them. Functional and conventional medicine can work together. Melody emphasizes that functional medicine should not mean automatically rejecting medications or emergency care, but rather finding an appropriate balance between immediate medical treatment and longer-term health strategies. Topics Discussed 00:00 – Welcome to Table Talk / Introduction to Guests 02:00 – Elena’s Journey to a Graves’ Disease Diagnosis 03:00 – Thyroid Symptoms and Unexpected Changes 04:00 – Elevated Thyroid Hormones and Graves’ Disease 05:00 – Navigating Graves’ Disease Treatment 06:00 – Developing Thyroid Eye Disease 08:00 – Amber’s Rheumatoid Arthritis Journey 09:00 – Conventional Treatment and Medication Challenges 10:30 – Discovering Nutrition and Functional Medicine 12:00 – Finding a Functional Medicine Practitioner 13:00 – The Gut, Autoimmunity, and Inflammation Connection 14:00 – SIBO, Methane, and Gut Dysbiosis 15:00 – Intestinal Permeability and the Immune System 16:00 – Elena’s Gut Health Journey and Stool Testing 17:00 – H. pylori, Parasites, and Thyroid Eye Disease 18:00 – Yoga, Stress, and Chronic Illness 19:00 – Mindfulness and Nervous System Support 20:00 – Acupuncture, Chiropractic Care, and Healing 22:00 – Advocating for Yourself in Healthcare 24:00 – Finding the Right Provider and Taking Action 25:00 – Nutrition and Identifying Food Triggers 26:00 – Elimination Diets and Whole30 27:00 – Food Sensitivity Testing and Gut Healing 29:00 – Why Gut Healing Is Essential 30:00 – The Long-Term Journey of Autoimmune Health 32:00 – Viral Triggers, Stress, and Lifestyle 33:00 – The Role of Support and Guidance in Healing 34:00 – Final Thoughts: Don’t Lose Hope 35:00 – Finding Balance Between Functional and Conventional Medicine 37:00 – Where to Find Elena and Amber Resources Mentioned Gut Repair and Rebuilding Ther-Biotic Women’s Gut Health bundle Thyroid Thyroid Eye Disease bundle Thyroid Favorites bundle Environmental Support Air purification Medify Air : code PharmToTable15. Stress, HPA axis, and the nervous system Stress Support bundle emWave Pro HRV trainer Apollo Neuro Vibe Gut Testing Gut Performance Advanced GI Testing Supplement Spotlight Vitamin D / K2 Liquid - 1 fl oz Purchase Today D3 5000 with K2 60 Softgels Purchase Today
