There is a better way of getting a diagnosis instead of relying on Dr. Google. Why not get some real test results from your body? If you're interested in taking charge of your health, listen to this episode and get ready to feel like a real-life Dr. House.

EPISODE SUMMARY:

A Quick Outline for the Tests You Can Take

01:57 BLOODWORK (1)

• A holistic doctor may order a third more blood tests than a regular medical doctor for a physical exam.
• Comprehensive bloodwork gives your holistic doctor a 360-degree view of what may be going on in your body.

02:54 PATHOGENS (2)

• Pathogens are harmful viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites called microorganisms.
• Testing for pathogens can include Lyme, stool, and mold tests.
• Lyme test from DNA ConneXions detects the cause of Lyme disease and ten other co-pathogens.
• Stool test from Diagnostic Solutions Lab assesses your gut microbiome.
• Mold test from Mosaic Diagnostics (formerly Great Plains Laboratory) detects the presence of mycotoxins in your body.

05:16 CHEMICAL MESSENGERS (3)

• Testing for chemical messengers include the adrenal saliva test and the Neuro HPA Focus panel.
• Adrenal saliva test from DiagnosTechs measures your cortisol levels over twenty-four hours.
• Neuro HPA Focus panel from Machemehl Method Institute measures your brain chemistry.

06:16 DNA (4)

• Testing your DNA includes nutrigenomic test from GXSciences and Max Rx test from ClarityX.
• Nutrigenomic test analyzes your genetic blueprint to determine what diet and nutrients you need to maintain optimal health and wellness.
• Max Rx test determines what medications may work best for you according to your DNA.

TEST RESOURCES:

• Lyme test - DNA ConneXions
• Stool test - Diagnostic Solutions Lab
• Personal Mold test - Mosaic Diagnostics, formerly The Great Plains Laboratory, Inc.
• Home Mold test - EnviroBiomics, Inc
• Adrenal test - DiagnosTechs
• Brain chemistry test - Machemehl Method Institute
• Nutrigenomic DNA test - GXSciences Innovative Genomic Solutions
• Medication (Max Rx) DNA test - ClarityX

RESOURCES:

• YourTruthRevealed.com/Infinity – Free eBook and Webinar by Dr Tenesha Wards
• YourTruthRevealed.com – Newsletter and Previous Seasons

Thanks for listening! Please subscribe and rate the podcast.

Functional medicine tests are definitely not mainstream medicine. Chronic Lyme disease and co-infections can easily go undetected. Dr. Tenesha Wards shares in-depth tests that are essential to helping us dig deep to find the root cause of our symptoms.

EPISODE SUMMARY:

In this episode, Dr. Tenesha Wards discusses various functional medicine tests that can provide valuable insights into identifying the root causes of chronic symptoms. Functional medicine tests are not widely recognized in mainstream medicine but are essential in uncovering conditions such as chronic Lyme disease and co-infections that may go undetected by conventional methods.

01:35 Dr. Wards reveals the results of several tests, starting with blood work that can indicate low or high stomach acid levels. 06:07 She explains that high LDL and low HDL cholesterol levels can signify liver stress, while elevated C-reactive protein levels can indicate inflammation in the heart. 08:10 The presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) can explain chronic fatigue.

10:10 Furthermore, Dr. Wards highlights the importance of the adrenal test, which measures circadian rhythms and helps assess stress levels.

11:51 Chronic infections can cause extreme stress, and 13:09 stealth pathogens hide within the body. When good bacteria levels are high, it may indicate an ongoing fight against something harmful. 14:49 Additionally, the episode discusses the presence of microscopic parasites, 16:30 the testing of brain chemicals for medication determination, and 17:18 pharmacogenetic tests for personalized medication selection.

19:06 The episode also covers mold testing to identify mycotoxins and 20:49 the ERMI test to determine if there is mold in one's home. 21:15 An MTHFR genetic mutation is mentioned, which can indicate poor detoxification ability.

21:58 Functional medicine Lyme tests are emphasized for their increased accuracy in detecting Lyme disease, 23:19 as only 30% of tick bites leave a bullseye rash. 23:30 If caught within six months, Lyme disease is treatable with Doxycycline.

23:57 Dr. Wards explains that stealth pathogens can build biofilm protective shells. 24:11 And the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, responsible for Lyme disease, has a corkscrew-like shape that allows it to spiral into the body. 25:07 Lymphatic massages can disturb the hidden pathogens.

25:52 The episode highlights the global impact of Lyme disease, mentioning a 5,300-year-old ice mummy found to have Lyme. 26:55 Lyme disease is named after Lyme, Connecticut, 26:55 while the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi is named after the doctor who discovered it.

RESOURCES:

• YourTruthRevealed.com/Infinity – Free eBook and Webinar by Dr Tenesha Wards
• YourTruthRevealed.com – Newsletter and Previous Seasons

Thanks for listening! Please subscribe and rate the podcast.

Erika opens up about how healing is a whole-person experience of letting go. And that health crisis can often mark a huge spiritual awakening. She describes detoxing the body, emotions, behavior, and mind while elevating the soul. Tune in for insights that may ring true in your own healing process.

EPISODE SUMMARY:

• 00:00:48 Many of us endure similar symptoms.
• 00:01:35 Detoxing your body can cause herxing.
• 00:02:51 Our body requires energy to heal.
• 00:03:31 The Emotion Code is a great way to release emotion.
• 00:03:45 Difficult emotions can affect our physical tissue.
• 00:04:44 Healing usually means changing our lifestyle.
• 00:04:55 Drinking purified water and eating organically.
• 00:05:38 Having a positive mindset helps.
• 00:06:11 Practicing mindfulness to let go of negative thoughts.
• 00:06:44 Letting go of all blocks to self-love on a soul level.

RESOURCES:

• YourTruthRevealed.com/Infinity – Free eBook and Webinar by Dr Tenesha Wards
• YourTruthRevealed.com – Newsletter and Previous Seasons

Thanks for listening! Please subscribe and rate the podcast.

You know your body best when feeling unwell. Keep advocating for yourself to find practitioners that can truly help you. Looking outside of the medical profession into alternative healing may give you the answer you truly need.

Tenesha Wards is a functional medicine doctor. She personally healed from Lyme disease, the Epstein Bar virus, and Hashimoto. From her training with top doctors in the U.S. and her personal experience, she treats her patients holistically.

TRANSCRIPT

[00:00:00] Erika:

I share with you the power of self-knowledge, exploring your hidden physical and mental health potential. I'm eager to share how I'm healing from chronic Lyme disease as I interview helping professionals. I share my journey because now more than ever collectively, we are suffering from chronic inflammation, fatigue, and anxiety. I provide reasons why and how to thrive once again. This episode marks the beginning when Dr. Tanesha Wards asks me questions about my persistent and mysterious symptoms. Listen, as she asks me questions about my symptoms that finally lead to an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.

[00:00:54] Tenesha:

“I think telling your story, very powerful and thank you for sharing it, can help people get a diagnosis sooner and get help sooner versus suffering for decades. And if we can do that for one person, I think it's worth telling your story a hundred times. Erika, your journey has been long, and your story goes back deep. Why don't you start from the beginning and kind of tell us what your symptoms were, what drug you in the doctor's offices to begin with?

[00:01:48] Erika:

From 2009 to about 2017, I was super busy with my private practice as a counselor, teaching meditation and yoga. Doing events and workshops. I did a business mindfulness training for executives and juggling basically two businesses at the same time.

[00:02:08] Erika:

Raising a pre-teen, and boom, I just started spiraling down and I got to the point where I couldn't sleep. and that was, like so uncomfortable and I didn't understand why I was having so much difficulty. It went on for about six months. I just kept saying to my husband, I don't feel right. I don't feel right. I can't even function, but don't even want to leave the house. And that's not my personality. I like being out and doing things, but I didn't know how I was going feel. It was awful.

[00:02:47] Tenesha:

I would call this section in your life kind of a busy mom syndrome section, right? Running a practice, a second business, you know, pre-teen, which should be manageable, right? Like if we should ourselves, right? That should be manageable to an extent. But you felt something was not right and it wasn't manageable.

[00:03:08] Erika:

No. And it kept getting worse and worse and worse. Eventually, it was Thanksgiving of 2017, and I remember laying there and trying to go to sleep and I said to my husband, David, I cannot do this one more night. I'm just laying here feeling agitated, feeling sick, and not getting any rest. I know that if you don't get enough sleep, you start to hallucinate, which I wasn't quite yet, but I was on the verge of just like, what is reality? And I asked him, I begged him to take me to the hospital and he wouldn't. And I think there was some denial there and not wanting it to be as bad as it really was. And I called my mom, she took me straight to the hospital. And they said I had an anxiety disorder and insomnia.

[00:03:55] Tenesha:

They might not have been wrong. You hit a place of delirium when you're not sleeping. Think of that movie Fight Club. Like you hit a place of what's reality and what's not. I hear that a lot from my patients with specifically with Lyme and mold. When they can't sleep, they get into a twilight state. Yes....

As fate would have it what began as debilitating symptoms led to Erika's surprising diagnosis. And this struggle evolved into a radical transformation that affects every aspect of her wellbeing. In season four, she's eager to share her story knowing you, too, will benefit from her health discoveries.

***

Had I known that moving into our forever home would finally weakened my body of almost all vitality, I probably would have stayed put. Hugged at the Southeast corner by a slender creek, we named our property and abode Villa Girasole. With such a cheerful name, the sunflower house, we foresaw saw transforming the forgotten property and aged home into a peaceful haven.

However, this place had its own plan. Ready to reveal a nasty truth about what had been hiding in my body for decades. Villa Girasole has ravaged my health then showed me a path to reclaim it.

What began as general malaise progresses into a lasting headache so debilitating, I can no longer form cohesive thoughts. My brain feels swollen, pushing outward on my skull as the bones refuse to budge. My neck and jaw feel like fused joints, attempting to move in stiff discord. I’m no longer able to read for my eyes blur the words and my lack of balance cause several unexpected falls. Insomnia is rearing its ugly head of which I battled years prior. For months, I see medical specialists saying that according to their tests, I’m healthy.

MRIs of my brain and neck are clear and unable to show any reason for my misery. A neurologist throws migraine pills and injections at my relentless headache with no effectiveness. And a rheumatologist decides that of the six auto-immune diseases she screens, I have none.

Furthermore, what begins as a routine allergy shot reveals a distinct clue as to what is secretly plaguing my body. Minutes after I receive a shot, the office begins to swirl, my throat closes, my body panics and shuts down. I’m straining to hear the allergy doctors say to the nurse, “This is the first time I’ve given an epinephrin injection.”

I must be going into anaphylactic shock. As he prepares the syringe, I imagine the scene in Pulp Fiction the movie when actress Uma Thurman passes out from a drug overdose and actor John Travolta stabs her in the heart with a huge needle filled with adrenaline.

Similarly, as the needle pierces my thigh, I lunge upright with a huge gasp of air just as I suspected. After an hour of being monitored, I call my dad to arrive and drive me home. The three of us are confused about why I went into anaphylactic shock, another piece of the mystery unsolved.

Several days later, I had my blood drawn for a comprehensive panel. The results show that my body’s beginning to attack its own tissue which can lead to an auto-immune disease. I feel terrified and confused, not knowing what to do next.

I am immensely grateful when my neighbor living on the other side of the creek from our home suggests I see Tenisha Wards who is a functional medicine doctor. She orders a handful of functional medicine labs for me to complete. And they indicate there are several pathogens in my intestines, and that my liver, heart, and neurological system are stressed.

I also had the presence of toxic mold in my body that appears to be coming from our forever home. What’s more is the final and most dreadful diagnosis that I will reveal in further episodes.

The solution is treating the root cause of my mystery illness with natural remedies, including a lot of rest outside on my property. I use the most unusual methods as medical interventions have no effect. All these methods are completely new to me, although most have been employed for thousands of years.

I endure ancient remedies to an ancient illness that has become a modern and worldwide epidemic. These methods include colon hydrotherapy and cupping massage employed by the ancient Egyptians. Detox procedures and parasite cleanses. And a...

Sharing his battle with depression and succeeding, Zack Rutledge, MA shares his straight forward techniques that truly help. His book is “The Official Depression Relief Playbook: Real-Life Strategies From a Guy Who Has Lived It.”

Zack is in the movement counseling master’s program at Rider University in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. He is a certified personal trainer, a fitness nutrition specialist, and a brain health trainer. He is a yoga instructor and has a black belt in karate.

➤SUMMARY

1. You have a true insider’s look on depression. What is your personal story?

· The perfect storm at 18 years old, best friend killed. Not just grief, but depression.

· Friends were leaving for college no support system. Dropped out of college.

· Karate school shut down. (Mental illness manifests in early twenties.)

· Moody punk rocker. Bass player for several bands. Played at CBGBs, opened for big bands, had a record label. But was miserable. Didn’t know what was happening.

· Real serious. Pit in my stomach, despair.

· Felt like midnight all the time. Life went from color to black and white.

· At about 8 pm a lot of thought about death. Feeding the fear wolf.

· Only thinking about negative things, all messed up. Tough time concentrating.

2. What was your turning point and what depression relief strategy was most effective for you?

· Took over a decade to heal and life to slowly come back to color.

· Deepest depression at 5’9′ weighted 125 pounds. Teaching fitness classes and working out was a biproduct of martial arts.

· Lifting weights, muscles growing, and had more control. Felt better and not getting sick all the time.

· Movement and physical activity are the main coping mechanism and relief strategy.

3. I believe that half of the treatment for mental illness is counseling and the other half medication. What is your opinion?

· Medication and therapy are the West’s gifts to the world. The East’s gifts are yoga and martial arts.

· There is no single definition of depression. There can be various causes of our depression. It can be genetic, chemical, or physical issues.

· It can be brought on by grief, PTSD, or troubling relationships.

· Mindset requires real work toward personal development. Always sharpening the sword.

· Requires: discipline, patience with self, and an open mind and positive attitude.

4. What are practical steps someone can take to lift them out of depression?

· Writing something down is the first step of taking an idea out of your head and into the real world.

· What got me through the darkest times was shifting focus to what I could control.

· I would create a list of all the things I’d like to change in my life. Then cross things off once it was done. Small victories.

· Split the list into two categories: Life Goals and Daily Goals.

5. Lastly, how do you train people to have healthier brains and how does this impact depression?

· Daniel Amen’s book “Change Your Brain Change Your Life.” Cognitive reserve and denser brain.

· Cognitive decline. Exercise and physical activity help. Less brain shrinkage.

· Coordination strengthens a lobe in the brain (cerebellum). Start juggling, play pickleball.

· When you get your heart rate up and do something mentally challenging, you start to see angiogenesis, the development of new blood vessels in your brain. Neurogenesis the process by which new neurons are formed in the brain.

➤RESOURCES and LINKS

Zack Rutledge: https://tinyurl.com/yrt8w33y

Free Worksheet: https://www.YourTruthRevealed.com/listen

Suffering with PTSD from fighting in the War in Iraq, former marine Manny Marrero, OTR/L shares his story of recovery. Everyone has expereinced some form of trauma. And we may need help to adapt once we’re in a safe and better place. This is the 2nd part of his interview.

Manny received his master’s degree in occupational therapy from Bay Path University in Massachusetts. He’s currently an MBA candidate at Boston university’s Questrom school of business. He has a mental health occupational therapist at Cape Cod Healthcare and a yoga instructor.

➤RESOURCES

Manny Marrero: https://www.instagram.com/manny_marrero

Free Worksheet: https://www.YourTruthRevealed.com/listen

➤SUMMARY

1. What is your role and how do you help people?

· Mental Health Occupational Therapist. Yoga and Meditation Teacher, Trauma Informed Care, Sensory Modulation, Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, work for NAMI.

· Vulnerability is a sign of strength and not of weakness. Lack of insight and awareness as to what is out there. Especially men, it’s time to say that you need help. It’s okay to be vulnerable say that you’re struggling. It was me at one point.

2. What is your personal journey with PTSD?

· Marine Corps 2001 – 2009. 4 years active duty. My first day of boot camp was just before 9/11. At 18 years old I was in the war zone at the Iraq-Kuwait border. I was in the front lines for 7 months in intense combat.

· I returned to California and didn’t have time to process. Went back into training. In 2007, I was deployed to Falluja in Iraq for 8 months. I lost my friend, which hit me hard. After I left the marines, I wasn’t sleeping well and had anxiety all the time.

· I didn’t know about PTSD and there was more stigma then. The marines weren’t concerned about mental health.

· At 22 years old, I was on active duty and drifting as a civilian. Self-medicating with alcohol, in toxic relationships, reckless and impulsive. I struggled from 2005 – 2009. Was dating my now wife who was studying psychology. She said I had PTSD yet I was in denial. I later told the VA that I needed help.

· I was in therapy for a year and stopped drinking. I gained insight and self-awareness. I had been blaming yourself and felt broken in some way, thinking I’d never get better. I did the inner work and researched. Medications helped for a small period of time. Then I did yoga, exercise, medication, and mindfulness. I went to a veteran silent retreat. This helped me cope and be more mindful, kind, and gentle to myself and then to others. People started to notice a difference.

· I finished college, whereas before I failed out. I graduated top of my class. I went to graduate school for OT and graduated top of my class. Now I’m getting my MBA.

How do you define PTSD?

· PTSD is a natural response to unnatural events.

· Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that’s triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it.

· Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.

· If the symptoms get worse, last for months or even years, and interfere with your day-to-day functioning, you may have PTSD.

· Most people who go through traumatic events may have temporary difficulty adjusting and coping, but with time and good self-care, they usually get better.

· Getting effective treatment after PTSD symptoms develop can be critical to reduce symptoms and improve function.

What would you like men and specifically veterans to know?

· We all suffer, it’s the human condition. Many suffer in silence. But there are solutions to problems we face, there are resources and programs. Like occupational therapy, NAMI, counseling, medications, and yoga.

· Mindfulness – once you...

Suffering with PTSD from fighting in the War in Iraq, former marine Manny Marrero, OTR/L shares his story of recovery. Everyone has experienced some form of trauma. And we may need help to adapt once we’re in a safe and better place. This is the 1st part of his interview.

Manny received his master’s degree in occupational therapy from Bay Path University in Massachusetts. He’s currently an MBA candidate at Boston university’s Questrom school of business. He has a mental health occupational therapist at Cape Cod Healthcare and a yoga instructor.

➤RESOURCES

Manny Marrero: https://www.instagram.com/manny_marrero

Free Worksheet: https://www.YourTruthRevealed.com/listen

Tribe book: https://tinyurl.com/yvxjyh8y

➤SUMMARY

1. What is your role and how do you help people?

· Mental Health Occupational Therapist. Yoga and Meditation Teacher, Trauma Informed Care, Sensory Modulation, Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, work for NAMI.

· Vulnerability is a sign of strength and not of weakness. Lack of insight and awareness as to what is out there. Especially men, it’s time to say that you need help. It’s okay to be vulnerable say that you’re struggling. It was me at one point.

2. What is your personal journey with PTSD?

· Marine Corps 2001 – 2009. 4 years active duty. My first day of boot camp was just before 9/11. At 18 years old I was in the war zone at the Iraq-Kuwait border. I was in the front lines for 7 months in intense combat.

· I returned to California and didn’t have time to process. Went back into training. In 2007, I was deployed to Falluja in Iraq for 8 months. I lost my friend, which hit me hard. After I left the marines, I wasn’t sleeping well and had anxiety all the time.

· I didn’t know about PTSD and there was more stigma then. The marines weren’t concerned about mental health.

· At 22 years old, I was on active duty and drifting as a civilian. Self-medicating with alcohol, in toxic relationships, reckless and impulsive. I struggled from 2005 – 2009. Was dating my now wife who was studying psychology. She said I had PTSD yet I was in denial. I later told the VA that I needed help.

· I was in therapy for a year and stopped drinking. I gained insight and self-awareness. I had been blaming yourself and felt broken in some way, thinking I’d never get better. I did the inner work and researched. Medications helped for a small period of time. Then I did yoga, exercise, medication, and mindfulness. I went to a veteran silent retreat. This helped me cope and be more mindful, kind, and gentle to myself and then to others. People started to notice a difference.

· I finished college, whereas before I failed out. I graduated top of my class. I went to graduate school for OT and graduated top of my class. Now I’m getting my MBA.

How do you define PTSD?

· PTSD is a natural response to unnatural events.

· Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that’s triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it.

· Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.

· If the symptoms get worse, last for months or even years, and interfere with your day-to-day functioning, you may have PTSD.

· Most people who go through traumatic events may have temporary difficulty adjusting and coping, but with time and good self-care, they usually get better.

· Getting effective treatment after PTSD symptoms develop can be critical to reduce symptoms and improve function.

What would you like men and specifically veterans to know?

· We all suffer, it’s the human condition. Many suffer in silence. But there are solutions to problems we face, there are resources and programs. Like occupational therapy, NAMI, counseling,...