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EP12: Autoimmune Disease Through The Functional Medicine Lens
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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
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