Functional Medicine for Real-World Impact

• EP17: Disease Begins in the Gut in Surprising Ways

  What happens in the gut doesn’t stay there. It can quietly ignite inflammation, disrupt immune balance, impair cognition, and set off chronic conditions that leave practitioners chasing symptoms instead of causes.   In this episode, Tracy Harrison delivers a call to action for practitioners to look beyond surface-level symptoms and trace chronic dysfunction back to the digestive system. She breaks down the often-missed connections between low stomach acid, impaired enzyme activity, compromised bile flow, and damaged intestinal lining, and how each of these can block nutrient absorption, trigger systemic inflammation, and create a breeding ground for disease. From medication-induced gut damage to the misunderstood role of histamine overload, Tracy illustrates how even everyday interventions like NSAIDs and antibiotics can have far-reaching consequences for the brain, hormones, immune system, and more.   Through vivid metaphors and practitioner-tested insights, Tracy exposes the pitfalls of removing “problem” body parts without resolving the upstream dysfunctions that caused them. She urges practitioners to shift from managing symptoms to restoring core physiological balance, using functional medicine to address root causes and rebuild long-term resilience. This episode challenges conventional thinking and invites a deeper, more strategic approach to healing, one that begins in the gut and ripples outward into every system of the body.   Episode Breakdown: 00:00 The Gut as the Root of Systemic Disease 01:42 Why “You Are What You Eat” Is Misleading 04:46 How Low Stomach Acid and Enzyme Deficiency Fuel Disease 07:09 Bile Flow, Estrogen, and Gallbladder Dysfunction 11:48 NSAIDs, Ibuprofen, and the Hidden Cost to Gut Health 14:05 Histamine Overload and the Brush Border Breakdown 18:30 Leaky Gut and Immune System Overexposure 23:15 Lipopolysaccharides and the Gut-Brain Axis 28:03 How Medications Disrupt Gut Integrity 32:50 The Rise of Food Sensitivities and Systemic Inflammation 38:28 Oral Health as the Starting Point of Gut Dysfunction 43:08 The Critical Role of Bile in Digestion and Immune Defense 47:45 Don’t Treat the Victim, Address the Root Cause   Links Take SAFM’s 10 CME course - the Essential Gut Deep Dive: https://schoolafm.com/gut-course Get weekly Clinical Tips in your inbox: https://schoolafm.com/clinical-tips  Learn more about SAFM’s practitioner training: https://schoolafm.com/our-program Subscribe to our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@safmchannel Access daily quick tips on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AppliedFunctionalMedicine/  Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

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• EP16: Too Much of a Good Thing Promotes Disease?

  More exercise. Extra supplements. Cleaner eating. Sometimes the advice we rely on most can quietly work against the people we’re trying to help.   In this episode, Tracy Harrison discusses why functional medicine demands more than just protocols and good intentions. She shares real clinical scenarios where common strategies like high-intensity workouts or high-dose vitamin D can actually worsen symptoms when underlying issues like adrenal fatigue or oxidative stress are at play.   Tracy also challenges how we interpret lab markers. Is a high HDL level always a good sign? What do low liver enzymes really tell us? She connects the dots between nutrient status, metabolic patterns, and the subtle red flags that can get lost in standard lab reviews.   This episode moves through supplements, lab work, diet trends, and minerals with one constant thread: context matters. This is a practical, case-based reminder to pause, ask better questions, and treat the person, not the lab result or the trend.   Episode Breakdown: 00:00 When “Healthy” Advice Makes Patients Worse 01:04 The Hidden Risks of Over-Exercising 10:10 Vitamin D, Magnesium, and Supplement Missteps 14:08 How to Read Lab Markers with More Precision 24:00 Metabolic Dysfunction Beyond Blood Sugar 29:02 Green Smoothies, Oxalates, and Gut Health 36:26 Recognizing Histamine Intolerance in Your Patients 41:06 Why More Iron Isn’t Always the Answer 45:34 Understanding Magnesium Forms and Deficiency   Links Take SAFM’s 10 CME course - the Essential Gut Deep Dive: https://schoolafm.com/gut-course Get weekly Clinical Tips in your inbox: https://schoolafm.com/clinical-tips  Learn more about SAFM’s practitioner training: https://schoolafm.com/our-program Subscribe to our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@safmchannel Access daily quick tips on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AppliedFunctionalMedicine/  Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

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• EP15: #%$@ Promotes Health - and the Many Ways we Resist It

  Flow might not be something you measure on a lab panel, but when it’s blocked, your patients feel it.   Tracy Harrison unpacks seven places where flow gets disrupted in the body, often in ways that go unnoticed in clinical care. What happens when oxygen doesn’t circulate well because of poor posture or undiagnosed sleep apnea? Could chronic symptoms trace back to something as basic as hydration, or a lymphatic system that isn’t moving waste effectively? Tracy walks through the quiet impact of circadian misalignment, synthetic hormone use, and even tight clothing that impairs detox and digestion. And she makes the case for taking joy seriously, not as a bonus, but as a core element of physiological health. Could mindset, laughter, and forgiveness be just as important as nutrition and supplements?   This episode is a reminder to look beyond protocols and ask what might be getting in the way of the body’s natural flow and its capacity to heal.   Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Flow in Health 01:14 The Importance of Oxygenation 03:42 Subclinical Anemia and Oxygen Flow 04:47 Hydration: The Overlooked Blockage 06:46 The Role of Lymph in Circulation 08:55 Circadian Rhythms and Health 10:35 Hormonal Flow in Women’s Health 18:08 Physical Blockages and Detoxification 21:34 The Flow of Joy and Emotional Health 25:35 Embracing Flow for Vitality   Links Take SAFM's 10 CME course - the Essential Gut Deep Dive: https://schoolafm.com/gut-course Get weekly Clinical Tips in your inbox: https://schoolafm.com/clinical-tips  Learn more about SAFM’s practitioner training: https://schoolafm.com/our-program Subscribe to our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@safmchannel Access daily quick tips on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AppliedFunctionalMedicine/  Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

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• EP14: Toxicity and Biotransformation: Practical Clinical Pearls

  Most detox advice does more harm than good unless you understand how toxicity really works in the body.   Tracy Harrison takes on one of the most misunderstood topics in functional medicine: why detox protocols often backfire, especially in patients with chronic illness. Should detox ever be the first step in care? What happens when you mobilize years of stored toxins without first making sure the body can handle it?   This episode challenges the common urge to “cleanse” as a quick fix and instead offers a deeper look at how biotransformation actually works. Tracy walks through the difference between acute exposure and chronic overload, the risks of aggressive detox, and the science behind supporting phase two detox pathways from a place of strength. She also highlights the toxins hiding in plain sight, from dryer sheets to personal care products, and the role of nutrient depletion in keeping patients stuck.   For practitioners who want to move past protocol-driven care and into true partnership with their patients, this episode is a reminder: real change happens when people understand what’s happening in their body and feel confident enough to do something about it.   Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Missteps in Detox Protocols 01:05 Chronic Toxic Overload vs. Acute Exposure 04:10 Safe and Targeted Detoxification 06:08 Why the Body Stores Toxins 09:02 Detoxing from a Place of Strength 12:04 Weight Loss and Mobilized Toxins 18:11 Dose-Response Myths and Toxic Synergy 21:05 Everyday Sources of Toxic Exposure 25:06 Transdermal Absorption and Beauty Products 30:06 Individual Toxin Overload and Nutrient Needs 34:08 Hormonal and Cellular Damage from Toxins 36:06 Helping Patients Understand and Commit 43:02 Glutathione, COVID, and Detox Capacity 46:04 Personalized Support for Long COVID 54:01 Early Life Exposure and Toxic Burden   Links Take SAFM's 10 CME course - the Essential Gut Deep Dive: https://schoolafm.com/gut-course Get weekly Clinical Tips in your inbox: https://schoolafm.com/clinical-tips  Learn more about SAFM's practitioner training: https://schoolafm.com/our-program Subscribe to our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@safmchannel Access daily quick tips on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AppliedFunctionalMedicine/  Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

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• EP13: Save the Gallbladders - Or at Least Apprehend the Criminals

  Most patients think losing their gallbladder solved the problem. Functional medicine practitioners know it was only the first clue.   Tracy Harrison takes a closer look at what’s actually driving gallbladder dysfunction, and why removing the organ doesn’t remove the risk. Too often, upstream issues go unaddressed, allowing the same hidden dynamics to continue affecting the body. She walks through six of the most common contributors to hepatic biliary congestion: estrogenic overload, metabolic dysfunction, subclinical hypothyroidism, dehydration, toxic burden, and GLP-1 agonist medications. These factors can thicken bile, impair flow, and quietly disrupt other systems long after the gallbladder is gone.   You’ll hear strategies for identifying these patterns early, plus a case study that shows how easy it is to miss them, especially when the patient doesn’t fit the usual mold. For clinicians, this episode is a reminder that gallbladder disease is rarely an isolated issue and that upstream thinking is what leads to real progress.   Episode Breakdown: 00:00 The Gallbladder Crisis 01:18 What Causes Hepatic Biliary Congestion 03:04 Why the Gallbladder Isn’t Optional 03:46 Estrogenic Overload and Hormone Imbalance 08:36 Metabolic Dysfunction and Fatty Liver 12:34 Dehydration as an Overlooked Factor 14:42 Subclinical Hypothyroidism and Bile Flow 18:19 Toxic Burden and Everyday Chemical Exposure 20:32 GLP-1 Agonists and Gallbladder Risk 24:02 Case Study: Gallbladder Risk in a Young Male Patient 27:04 Why We Still Need Bile (and Gallbladders)   Links Take SAFM's 10 CME course - the Essential Gut Deep Dive: https://schoolafm.com/gut-course Get weekly Clinical Tips in your inbox: https://schoolafm.com/clinical-tips  Learn more about SAFM's practitioner training: https://schoolafm.com/our-program Subscribe to our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@safmchannel Access daily quick tips on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AppliedFunctionalMedicine/  Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

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