The Power Of Food To Heal Everything From Autoimmune Disease To Traumatic Brain Injury

Episode 85 1h 24m
Topics Overview

Overview

One of the reasons Functional Medicine is so transformative is that it recognizes disease does not occur in isolation.

If one part of the body is compromised the entire body is thrown out of balance. SIBO, or small intestine bacterial overgrowth, is a great example of this. It rarely occurs on its own, and is often paired with a number of other issues, from neurological symptoms to migraines, arthritis, and more. When we focus on healing the gut in these instances, the entire body shifts for the better. This week on The Doctor’s Farmacy I’m joined by Dr. George Papanicolaou to talk about the Functional Medicine matrix as a framework for healing, as well as his own journey in overcoming a traumatic brain injury.

Dr. George and I jump into this week’s episode by discussing the Functional Medicine matrix as a construct for getting to the root of disease. We talk through the example of SIBO, sharing success stories and some really interesting and unique healing paths for different patients dealing with the same diagnosis.

We also get into the importance of functional testing and how he used it to help his own daughter overcome extreme fatigue. Diet is always part of the equation too, and we talk about gluten, autoimmunity, and how when treating his own brain injury he had to take what he thought was an already healthy diet to a new level for more dramatic healing.

With just a few simple shifts we can help people feel better right away, which works as a catalyst towards long-lasting sustainable health. Dr. Papanicolaou and I talk about the different ways that can look, for everything from gut and hormone imbalances to depression, OCD, and more, on this week’s episode.

Topics Covered

  • The 4 principles of osteopathic medicine and what attracted Dr. Papanicolaou to become a DO before he discovered Functional Medicine

    (3:51 - 6:05)

  • Why prevention, as thought about it in conventional medicine, is really early detection

    (9:15 - 11:29)

  • Treating SIBO and how the Functional Medicine Matrix is used to identify issues and create health

    (15:05 - 17:19)

  • Leaky gut, why SIBO is rarely seen in patients by itself, and how to test for it

    (24:55 - 27:09)

  • Patient cases in which Dr. Papanicolaou and I have treated gut issues

    (30:26 - 32:40)

  • The reason why people get so-called “food babies”

    (34:15 - 36:29)

  • The 5 R’s of Functional Medicine

    (37:56 - 40:10)

  • Why Functional Medicine uses genetic and toxicity testing not regularly used in conventional medicine

    (46:19 - 48:33)

  • Gluten as the trigger for autoimmune disease, how sugar and starch can cause hormonal issues, and Dr. Papanicolaou’s experience treating his teenage daughter’s fatigue

    (58:20 - 1:00:34)

  • Dr. Papanicolaou’s personal experience with brain injury and how he healed himself

    (1:07:10 - 1:09:24)

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Ep. 85 - The Power Of Food To Heal Everything From Autoimmune Disease To Traumatic Brain Injury