Michelle Shapiro is an integrative and functional registered dietitian in New York City who has helped over 1,000 clients reverse their anxiety, heal long-standing gut and immune issues, and approach their weight in a loving way. Michelle has a virtual practice of five nutritionists where she and her team work one-on-one towards these goals. She is the host of the Quiet the Diet podcast, where she helps listeners bridge the gap between body positivity and functional nutrition. She's also the creator of the highly sensitive BodyHub and Information Center for MCAS, POTS, Hypermobility and Long Covid. Together, we discuss histamine intolerance and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, or MCAS. Michelle gives real-world strategies for understanding and treating histamine intolerance, shares client stories of diagnosis and treatment, and offers valuable clinical and business pearls.

I’m your host, Evelyne Lambrecht, thank you for designing a well world with us.

Episode Resources:

Michelle Shapiro: https://michelleshapirord.com/

Design for Health Resources:

Designs for Health - https://www.designsforhealth.com/

Designs for Health Practitioner Exclusive Drug Nutrient Depletion and Interaction Checker - https://www.designsforhealth.com/drug-nutrient-interaction/

Visit the Designs for Health Research and Education Library, which houses medical journals, protocols, webinars, and our blog.

https://www.designsforhealth.com/research-and-education/education

The Designs for Health Podcast is produced in partnership with Podfly Productions.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro.

02:38 Michelle’s specialized practice began with two healing crises.

06:37 What goes wrong in Mast Cell Activation Syndrome?

08:46 Overlooked signs that often suggest histamine intolerance.

13:01 Presentation and diagnosis of tell-tale histamine symptoms.

18:22 Addressing symptoms, root causes, and resetting the nervous and immune systems.

22:27 The general client process is always unique and the same.

23:40 Vagus nerve training versus limbic system retraining programs.

28:30 Addressing histamines and systemic inflammation.

29:45 Noticing symptoms appropriately.

34:25 Antihistamine supplement protocol benefits, risks and cognitive issues.

38:28 Supplements, natural antihistamines, detoxes and battle plans.

44:53 Crafting individualized patient treatment plans.

46:55 Low histamine diets, blood sugar stability, and menstrual cycles.

53:55 Pearls for building a business and clientele.

59:38 Michelle’s favorite supplements, favorite health practices, and the body size and composition view that she has changed her mind about.

Victoria and Dr. Akash Bhagat are the powerhouse duo behind NeuMed Urgent Care and IV Therapy. Dr. Akash is a board-certified emergency medicine physician who has launched several innovative E.R. and urgent care facilities in Houston, bringing tech-enabled and hospitality-inspired care to life. Victoria is a board-certified Family Nurse practitioner with over a decade of experience across cardiology, urgent care and integrative medicine. She's passionate about prevention, hormone health, and bridging traditional care with personalized wellness strategies. Together, they're redefining the urgent care experience. Their clinic model is not only transforming patient outcomes but also setting a new standard for how functional medicine can be delivered in an accessible, scalable way. Together, we discuss running and scaling a new business, how Victoria and Akash have reimagined clinical care, and the lessons they've learned along the way.

I’m your host, Evelyne Lambrecht, thank you for designing a well world with us.

Episode Resources:

Victoria and Akash Bhagat - https://neumed.com/about-neumed/leadership/

Design for Health Resources:

Designs for Health - https://www.designsforhealth.com/

Designs for Health Practitioner Exclusive Drug Nutrient Depletion and Interaction Checker - https://www.designsforhealth.com/drug-nutrient-interaction/

Visit the Designs for Health Research and Education Library, which houses medical journals, protocols, webinars, and our blog.

https://www.designsforhealth.com/research-and-education/education

The Designs for Health Podcast is produced in partnership with Podfly Productions.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro.

02:53 Bringing NeuMed to life.

07:10 Transitioning from the ER to functional medicine.

09:08 Combining functional medicine with traditional care.

12:35 Creating a loyal customer base, billing insurance, and training providers.

19:51 Strategies for scaling while maintaining quality care.

22:18 Balancing work-life integration as married business partners.

25:13 Overcoming challenges with insurance and competing in the healthcare market.

32:41 Preferred diagnostic tools.

39:55 High-quality supplements and virtual dispensaries.

42:38 Designs for Health’s support for NeuMed’s clinical and business vision.

44:00 The future and expansion of the NeuMed legacy.

47:18 Supporting patient health and wellness.

49:21 First steps advice to curious clinicians.

51:48 Victoria and Akash’s favorite supplements, favorite health practices, the importance of preventative health care and avoiding AI as final truth.

Dr. Julianna Dudas is a naturopathic doctor specializing in treating autoimmune disease, mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and other complex conditions like chemical sensitivity and tickborne infections. She is a San Diego native with a medical degree from Bastyr University, California and an undergraduate degree in anthropology from Columbia University. She actively participates in legislative efforts, meeting with Senate and representative offices in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. with the California Naturopathic Doctors Association, the American Association of Naturopathy Physicians, and the Center for Lyme Action. She was the recipient of an educational grant from the International Society for Lyme and Associated Diseases. In this episode of Conversations for Health, we discuss key points that every health care practitioner should know about Lyme disease, even if they’re not treating it. Lyme is often missed or misdiagnosed, and patients may present with fatigue, neurological symptoms, or mystery chronic illness symptoms that don't respond to conventional or holistic approaches. We explore when to suspect Lyme, what testing and coinfections to consider, when to refer out, and so much more. This conversation is filled with clinical pearls, actionable clinical insights and a healthy respect for the complexity of this condition.

I’m your host, Evelyne Lambrecht, thank you for designing a well world with us.

Episode Resources:

Dr. Julianna Dudas: https://restormedicine.com/our-team/dr-julianna-dudas-nd/

7-Breath Vagal Nerve Reset for Hypertension and Regulating Heart Rate

Design for Health Resources:

Designs for Health - https://www.designsforhealth.com/

Designs for Health Practitioner Exclusive Drug Nutrient Depletion and Interaction Checker - https://www.designsforhealth.com/drug-nutrient-interaction/

Visit the Designs for Health Research and Education Library, which houses medical journals, protocols, webinars, and our blog.

https://www.designsforhealth.com/research-and-education/education

The Designs for Health Podcast is produced in partnership with Podfly Productions.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro.

04:08 Dr. Jules’s journey from the entertainment industry to specializing in complex chronic illness.

11:14 Key indicators of Lyme disease, including mast cell activation syndrome.

15:50 The transmission of tick-borne illnesses beyond a tick bite.

17:50 The history of Lyme disease and the Borrelia species.

19:57 Conventional and lab testing recommendations for acute and chronic issues.

28:45 Untangling the web of overlapping health symptoms and diseases.

38:14 Clinical pearls regarding histamine-2 blockers.

40:07 Addressing molds, mycotoxins, and EMFs with biologics and vagal reset exercise.

53:31 The critical value of a patient’s health and lifestyle history.

54:40 Shouldn’t the body be able to mount an immune response?

1:00:54 Botanicals and nutrients recommendations from Dr. Jules.

1:05:10 The vascular aspect of connective tissue, the fascia, and the endothelial tissue.

1:11:20 Dr. Jules’s passion points when working with patients.

1:13:30 Dr. Jules’s favorite supplements, favorite health practices, and her changed view on the dietary component of optimal health.