Functional Medicine for Real-World Impact

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

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

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

EP12: Autoimmune Disease Through The Functional Medicine Lens

Most autoimmune protocols fail because they chase symptoms while the real problem simmers quietly underneath.
 
Tracy Harrison offers an honest take on what’s often missing from autoimmune care. What if the immune system isn’t broken at all, but just responding exactly as it was designed to, in a world it no longer recognizes? This episode challenges the idea that symptom relief is the same as healing and urges practitioners to look further upstream.
 
Tracy makes the case for mindset as a starting point. Before tossing out protocols or supplements, are we helping patients believe that change is possible? Are we preparing them for the discipline and patience required to truly shift their health trajectory? Using the thumbtack analogy, she illustrates why single interventions rarely work, and why lasting progress comes from building habits that stick.
 
Tracy also unpacks the problem with focusing only on the tissue under attack. When autoimmune disease shows up in one place, how long before it shows up somewhere else? She explains why polyautoimmunity is common and why protocols must be tailored, not templated.
 
This episode is a reminder for practitioners that clinical knowledge is only part of the equation. Sustainable results require education, empathy, and a clear-eyed view of what healing really takes.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Understanding Autoimmune Disease Through Functional Medicine  
01:04 Challenging Myths About the Immune System  
09:18 Why Protocols Fail Without Personalization  
12:24 Patience, Discipline, and the Thumbtack Analogy  
21:31 The Practitioner’s Role in Patient Belief and Behavior  
29:30 Gluten, Molecular Mimicry, and Cross-Reactivity  
35:00 NF-kappa B, Lifestyle Stressors, and Immune Priming  
38:02 Preventing Flares Through Long-Term Support  
44:05 The Four-Legged Stool of Autoimmunity  
49:05 Gut Integrity, Gallbladder Function, and Clinical Precision  
 
Links
Learn more about SAFM’s accredited practitioner training: https://schoolafm.com/our-program
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 
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

EP11: Big Insights Many Practitioners Miss in Lab Data

Most lab results lie, unless you know how to read between the lines, accounting for context, cofactors, and the body’s adaptive responses.
 
In this episode, Tracy Harrison breaks down how even the most routine labs can mislead if practitioners don’t account for timing, stress, hydration, or recent supplement use. She introduces the concept of “lab-draw hygiene” and explains why educating patients on when and how to get tested is just as important as the tests themselves.
 
From biotin skewing thyroid panels to iron panels that contradict hemoglobin levels, Tracy offers strategies to avoid common clinical missteps. She warns against defaulting to medications like statins or iron supplements without fully understanding what the data reveals or conceals, and calls for routine use of expanded thyroid panels and insulin markers to catch hidden dysfunction early.
 
This episode is a reminder that lab values don’t exist in a vacuum, and truly impactful care requires asking the right questions before interpreting the numbers.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Introduction
00:33 What Is Lab-Draw Hygiene?
03:26 How Stress and Fasting Habits Skew Results
07:12 Supplements That Interfere with Labs
08:06 Biotin and Thyroid Panel Accuracy
13:08 When Iron Supplementation Backfires
17:05 LDL, Statins, and Missed Thyroid Clues
23:24 The Link Between Vitamin D and Magnesium
28:22 Medications That Disrupt Nutrient Absorption
32:39 Why “Low” Lab Values Aren’t Always Good
41:00 Insulin Resistance Hidden in “Normal” Glucose
54:04 What to Include in an Annual Lab Panel
 
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

EP10: Chronic Disease Dynamics We Often Miss

Most chronic conditions linger or return because no one’s asking the right questions or looking in the right places.
 
In this episode, Tracy Harrison gets specific about why so many patients with autoimmune issues or recurrent health problems struggle to truly get better. She walks through four critical areas that are often missed in clinical practice and explains how each one can quietly block progress toward meaningful disease regression.
 
Is gut health playing a bigger role than you think? Tracy breaks down how digestion, microbiome diversity, and gut barrier function influence everything from mood and energy to inflammation and autoimmunity. Even patients with no digestive complaints may be stuck because of what’s happening in their gut.
 
From there, the focus shifts to nervous system balance. Why are so many people stuck in a state of sympathetic overdrive? And what are the ripple effects of that stress on healing, immune regulation, and long-term outcomes? Tracy shares specific ways to help patients return to a parasympathetic state, one where the body feels safe enough to recover.
 
Tracy also challenges the way most clinicians interpret lab data. Just because a number falls within the reference range doesn’t mean it’s serving the patient. What if a “normal” value is actually masking nutrient depletion, inflammation, or liver dysfunction? Tracy also makes a case for asking better questions during intake. So many patients are holding clues they don’t even know matter.
 
Whether you’re supporting someone with autoimmune disease, chronic fatigue, or any pattern of recurrent illness, this episode offers a sharper lens and a better path forward.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Functional Medicine Overview
01:15 The Gut’s Role in Chronic Disease
03:03 Digestion and Nutrient Absorption
06:06 Microbiome Disruption and Antibiotics
09:00 Gut Barrier Function and Inflammation
17:00 Nervous System Imbalance and Stress
23:28 Vagus Nerve and Parasympathetic Healing
28:10 Long COVID and Immune Dysregulation
34:08 Rethinking Lab Data Interpretation
39:02 Nutrient Deficiencies Behind Lab Results
44:03 Ferritin, Iron, and Inflammation
48:00 Why Better Questions Change Outcomes
50:00 The Power of a Thorough Intake
 
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

EP09: Supplements: Missteps and Best Practices

Most supplement mistakes happen when we forget to ask the simplest questions: Why this? Why now? And for how long?
 
In this episode, Tracy Harrison breaks down why even the most well-intentioned supplement plans can miss the mark. She explains the three core reasons to use supplements (relief, reversal, and maintenance), and how overlooking these distinctions can lead patients to stay on products long after they’ve served their purpose.
 
Tracy also unpacks the hidden consequences of common medications, like how statins and beta blockers drain CoQ10 or how birth control pills deplete vitamin B6, creating new issues that are often misunderstood or missed entirely. Are your patients feeling better because of what you recommended or despite it?
 
This episode is a call to slow down, think critically, and move beyond protocol checklists. Tracy shares practical ways to educate patients so they feel like partners, not bystanders, in their own care. If you’ve ever wondered how to improve outcomes without overcomplicating your practice, Tracy offers a smart, grounded place to start.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Introduction to Supplement Use
01:16 Three Reasons to Use Supplements
02:11 The Power of Rapid Relief
05:24 Interventions to Reverse Disease
07:00 Educating Patients for Long-Term Success
09:06 Nutrient Depletions from Medications
12:09 Rethinking Maintenance Supplements
25:25 Beyond Protocols: The Devil in the Detail
27:01 Nutrient Interactions and Overlooked Risks
34:04 Post-COVID Supplement Challenges
42:09 Quercetin, Stress, and Individualized Care
47:02 5-HTP and SSRI Contraindications
50:47 Methylation and Common Misconceptions
 
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

EP08: “You Are What You Eat”? Think Again!

Most people assume that eating healthy food is enough. But the real issue is often not what’s on the plate. It’s whether the body can actually use it.
 
In this episode, Tracy Harrison questions the idea that nutrition starts and ends with food choices. She breaks down why so many patients fail to thrive despite eating well and how digestion quietly plays a much bigger role than we give it credit for.
 
Tracy walks through four patient groups that often struggle with maldigestion: those with acid reflux, diabetes, hypothyroidism, and chronic aches and pains. Could common medications like PPIs or NSAIDs be interfering with nutrient absorption? Could sluggish bile flow or low enzyme output be blocking access to critical micronutrients? These are the kinds of questions she urges practitioners to ask more often.
 
Along the way, she explains why foundational functions—stomach acid, bile, enzyme activity, brush border integrity—deserve just as much attention as the more complex topics in functional medicine. Because when those basics are overlooked, even the best nutrition plans can fall flat.
 
This is a call to shift your focus back to the basics and to recognize that restoring digestive function may be the most powerful clinical move you can make.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Introduction 
01:03 The Importance of Micronutrition
02:18 The Role of Digestion in Nutrient Absorption
03:46 Focus on Digestion: Acid Reflux and GERD
07:01 Hypochlorhydria and Its Impact
10:02 Eating Hygiene and Its Importance
13:24 Diabetes and Digestive Enzyme Insufficiency
18:07 Hypothyroidism and Bile Function
22:22 Chronic Aches, Pains, and NSAIDs
26:07 The Interconnectedness of Health Issues
 
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

EP07: Root Causes of Disease in the Rx

Medications your patients trust most may be the very ones quietly driving their disease.
 
How often do we stop to question the long-term impact of the most common prescriptions? Tracy Harrison takes a close look at the unintended consequences of medications like beta blockers, diuretics, antibiotics, and high-dose vitamin D. These are drugs patients often take for years, sometimes decades, without realizing they could be fueling nutrient depletion, sleep disruption, gut dysfunction, or immune imbalance.
 
What happens when a beta blocker meant to lower blood pressure also suppresses melatonin and CoQ10? Or when a prescribed vitamin D dose leaves someone more magnesium-deficient than before? Tracy connects the clinical dots and urges practitioners to think beyond the prescription pad. She makes the case for a more nuanced approach, one that questions assumptions, looks for root causes, and sees medications as tools, not permanent solutions.
 
If you’ve ever wondered why a patient plateaus despite doing “everything right,” this episode offers perspective that could shift your clinical lens.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 How Common Medications Can Drive Disease
02:17 Hypertension Drugs and Nutrient Depletion
05:08 The Hidden Cost of Beta Blockers
08:02 Diuretics, Electrolytes, and Blood Pressure
10:10 Vitamin D Dosing Mistakes and Magnesium Loss
13:03 Interactions Between Vitamins D, A, and K
16:08 Immunosuppressants and Autoimmune Progression
25:10 Antibiotics, Gut Health, and Immune Dysregulation
30:13 NSAIDs and Pain Relief at a Cost
34:45 Metformin and Silent B12 Deficiency
 
Links
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

EP06: Weight Loss through the Functional Medicine Lens

Weight gain isn’t always a result of overconsumption; it’s often the body’s natural response to imbalances that go undetected for years.
 
In this episode, Tracy Harrison breaks down four functional imbalances commonly at the root of overweight and obesity, starting with insulin resistance that often hides behind “normal” labs. How many patients are told they’re fine when their metabolism is anything but?
 
Tracy explains how stress, subclinical hypothyroidism, hormone disruption, and environmental toxins can all push the body to hold onto weight, even when someone is doing everything “right.” Could that daily fatigue or bloating be tied to something deeper?
 
This episode leaves practitioners with a challenge: stop chasing symptoms and start identifying the early signs of imbalance. Because when we address the real root causes, weight loss becomes a natural outcome, and patients finally feel seen, supported, and in control.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Four Functional Imbalances Behind Weight Gain  
03:27 Hidden Early Stages of Insulin Resistance  
12:06 Why Standard Labs Miss Metabolic Dysfunction  
15:10 Gut Health and Its Role in Metabolism  
18:12 The Clinical Cost of Over-Relying on GLP-1 Medications  
26:06 Subclinical Hypothyroidism and Overlooked Thyroid Markers  
38:06 Estrogen Dominance and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals  
43:06 Adiposity, Hormone Synthesis, and Toxin Storage  
48:00 Constipation, Retoxification, and Hormone Clearance  
54:03 Sympathetic Dominance and Chronic Stress  
52:00 Building Sustainable Weight Loss Through Root-Cause Care
 
Links
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