Getting to the Root Cause of Autoimmune Disease: A Functional Medicine Approach

Mark Hyman

Apr 3, 2024

Episode description

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Functional Medicine offers patients many things, especially hope and understanding. Autoimmune disease is a prime example: Rather than condemning patients to a lifetime of symptom management through medication, functional practitioners dig to find the “why,” to address the underlying causes with individualized, multimodal support to create lasting improvement and systemic healing. My guest today, Dr. Sara Gottfried, is a physician, researcher, author, and educator passionate about changing the way we view and treat autoimmunity.

In this episode, we discuss:

What is a “trauma signature” and what is its role in autoimmunity? (5:55)
Hidden autoimmunity triggers you might be surprised to learn about (21:30)
The go-to test panel Sara runs on her patients (27:33)
Sara’s stack for reducing cortisol and why trauma has to be considered (39:00)
How Trauma biologically impacts you through the PINE system (41:40)
Psychedelic therapy and other healing states of consciousness, plus Sara’s personal experience using them (48:10)
What Sara wishes she told her 20-year-old self about life (1:15:45)

When we dig deeper, we always find out there is more going on below the surface. I know you’ll love this conversation as much as I did.

This episode is brought to you by Rupa Health, Cozy Earth, and Magnesium Breakthrough.

Streamline your lab orders with Rupa Health. Access more than 3,000 specialty lab tests and register for a FREE live demo at RupaHealth.com.

Right now, you can save 40% when you upgrade to Cozy Earth sheets. Just head over to CozyEarth.com and use code DRHYMAN.

Tackle an overlooked root cause of stress with Magnesium Breakthrough. Visit bioptimizers.com/hyman and use code HYMAN10 to save 10% + free gifts with purchase.

Episode description

View the Show Notes For This Episode

Get Free Weekly Health Tips from Dr. Hyman

In this episode, we discuss:

What is a “trauma signature” and what is its role in autoimmunity? (5:55)
Hidden autoimmunity triggers you might be surprised to learn about (21:30)
The go-to test panel Sara runs on her patients (27:33)
Sara’s stack for reducing cortisol and why trauma has to be considered (39:00)
How Trauma biologically impacts you through the PINE system (41:40)
Psychedelic therapy and other healing states of consciousness, plus Sara’s personal experience using them (48:10)
What Sara wishes she told her 20-year-old self about life (1:15:45)

When we dig deeper, we always find out there is more going on below the surface. I know you’ll love this conversation as much as I did.

This episode is brought to you by Rupa Health, Cozy Earth, and Magnesium Breakthrough.

Streamline your lab orders with Rupa Health. Access more than 3,000 specialty lab tests and register for a FREE live demo at RupaHealth.com.

Right now, you can save 40% when you upgrade to Cozy Earth sheets. Just head over to CozyEarth.com and use code DRHYMAN.

Tackle an overlooked root cause of stress with Magnesium Breakthrough. Visit bioptimizers.com/hyman and use code HYMAN10 to save 10% + free gifts with purchase.

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Address underlying trauma for lasting health improvements

Improvements in hormones and health from diet and supplements may not be durable if underlying trauma, which perpetuates a cycle of dysregulation, is not addressed.

#regulation

#trauma

Reassess talk therapy to avoid reinforcing trauma

Traditional talk therapy can sometimes reinforce trauma by repeatedly activating the story without engaging the part of the brain where healing actually occurs.

#therapy

#trauma

Incorporate psychedelic-assisted therapies to reverse autoimmune markers

Dr. Gottfried reversed her own autoimmune markers (positive ANAs) to negative after incorporating psychedelic-assisted therapies into her holistic health protocol.

#autoimmunity

#psychedelics

Eliminate nuts to support autoimmune recovery

A successful elimination diet for autoimmunity often requires removing not just gluten and dairy, but also common triggers like nightshades, nuts, and seeds.

#autoimmunity

#nutrition

Utilize black cumin seed oil as immune modulator for Hashimoto's

Multiple randomized trials have shown that black cumin seed oil can be a helpful immune modulator for people with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

#autoimmunity

#supplement

Recognize trauma's link to chronic disease risk

An Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) score of one or higher is associated with a greater risk for over 45 chronic diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and autoimmunity.

#chronic-disease

#trauma

Reclaim authenticity to protect health as a high achiever

High-achieving individuals often learn to sacrifice authenticity to gain love and attachment as children, which can negatively impact their biology later in life.

#mental-health

#stress

Recognize prevalence of autoimmunity in health-conscious individuals

In a cohort of 30,000 health-conscious individuals, 30% tested positive for anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA), a marker for autoimmunity, often without knowing it.