I’m here with Dr. Will Cole, a leading functional medicine expert and best-selling author, to discuss functional medicine and how our thoughts and emotions directly affect our physiology. He’s extremely well-researched and has a wealth of knowledge to share with you today.
In this episode, we discuss a lot of things, such as how autoimmunity issues often start 4 to 10 years before diagnosis and how you can recognize it early, what the inflammation spectrum is, and how you can use it to your advantage. We also talk about baseline labs, how to use at-home wearable devices to monitor important health metrics, and how to shift into a parasympathetic mode to address stress.
It’s a very wide-ranging conversation, and I enjoyed it a lot. I think you will, too. Let’s join Dr. Cole.
Episode Highlights With Dr. Will Cole
- The difference between functional medicine and other types of medicine
- Why interpretation is as important as labs
- In most cases, the root of autoimmunity starts 4-10 years before a diagnosis and how to recognize it early
- What the Inflammation Spectrum is and how it can help you notice and correct things early
- The labs he recommends running as a general baseline to keep an eye on health (hs-CRP, homocysteine, ferritin)
- How someone can be iron deficient but high ferritin and what this tells us
- How to use at-home wearable devices to monitor health
- His inflammatory core four to avoid—industrial seed oils, refined grains, added refined sugars, conventional dairy—and other inflammatory foods
- The direct way thoughts and emotions affect physiology directly and how research confirms this relationship
- How a negative thought affects your physiology just as much as poor food choices
- The way the body affects mental health, and mental health directly affects physiology
- How gratitude, meditation, and quiet parasympathetic practices can dramatically affect your biology
- The importance of magnesium and what forms to look for
- Other tips and supplements that can be generally helpful
- The role of adaptogens like ashwagandha, tulsi, maca, etc.
- Why vitamin D and sunlight are so important
- How light therapy can be supportive of all aspects of health, especially parasympathetic
- And more!
Resources We Mention
- Dr. Will Cole
- The Inflammation Spectrum: Find Your Food Triggers and Reset Your System by Dr. Will Cole
- Ketotarian: The (Mostly) Plant-Based Plan to Burn Fat, Boost Your Energy, Crush Your Cravings, and Calm Inflammation: A Cookbook by Dr. Will Cole
- Intuitive Fasting: The Flexible Four-Week Intermittent Fasting Plan to Recharge Your Metabolism and Renew Your Health by Dr. Will Cole
- Levels – Glucose Monitor
- Biostrap – wearable device for tracking health metrics – Code wellnessmama gives 10% off
- A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose and The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle
More From Wellness Mama
- 115: Dr. Tom O’Bryan on Decoding Autoimmune Disease
- 166: Aimee Raupp on Understanding Autoimmunity & the Mind/Body Connection
- 204: Dr. Guillermo Ruiz on Thriving with Autoimmune Disease
- 243: Christa Orecchio on Adrenal ReCode to Calm the Nervous System
- 472: Josh Trent on Breathwork for Health, Inner Peace, and Learning to Feel Safe In Your Body
- 147: Dr. Deborah Rozman on HeartMath & Reducing Stress Through HRV
- 182: Andrea Wool on How to Exercise Autoimmune Disease
- 031: Dr. Tom O’Bryan on How to Know if You Have Gluten Sensitivity
- 138: Jodi Cohen on Essential Oil Blends to Support the Brain & Nervous System
- 429: How Light Can Heal (or Damage) Your Health & Hormones With Andy Mant
- My 30-Day Reset Autoimmune Diet Plan & Recipes
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Thanks to Our Sponsors
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