Renegade Remission: Holistic Healing for Cancer, Heart Disease, Alzheimer's, Dementia, MS, ALS

Does an Alzheimer's diagnosis really mean that memory loss and cognitive decline are inevitable?

Research is challenging long-held assumptions about Alzheimer's disease. Recent studies have documented improvements in memory and cognitive function among some people with early Alzheimer's using personalized and multifaceted lifestyle interventions.

In this episode, we'll examine what these studies actually found, why addressing factors beyond the brain itself may matter, and how to identify potential contributors to cognitive decline.

You'll learn which areas I'd investigate first after an Alzheimer's diagnosis and what practical changes may help support brain function and...

Could your blood sugar be affecting your ability to heal—even if your bloodwork looks normal?

If you're facing cancer, Alzheimer's, dementia, MS, Parkinson's, heart disease, or another chronic illness, blood sugar and insulin resistance may matter more than you realize. Research is revealing connections between metabolic dysfunction, inflammation, immune function, brain health, and even cancer outcomes. And surprisingly, insulin resistance can develop long before blood sugar levels become abnormal.

In this episode, you'll discover why blood sugar and insulin are important to healing, which blood tests to review—including fasting glucose, A1C, and fast...

What if something that happened years—or even decades—ago is still creating a physiological response in your body today?

Trauma can trigger a threat response that can affect the nervous system, stress physiology, inflammation, and immune signaling years after the event occured, and research suggests that addressing stressful experiences can sometimes produce measurable changes in physical health. In this episode, we explore the connection between trauma and the body, including fascinating research on PTSD, adverse childhood experiences, inflammation, and chronic disease.

You’ll learn how to recognize experiences that may still carry an emotional or phy...

What if exercise does more than keep you strong during illness—what if it actually changes your body's ability to heal?

In this episode, we look at remarkable research showing what can happen when movement becomes part of a healing plan. You’ll learn what happens inside your body when you move, from changes in glucose metabolism and immune signaling to BDNF, neuroplasticity, cardiovascular function, and the chemical messengers released by working muscles.

And if traditional exercise feels impossible right now, this episode is still for you. We’ll talk about how to find the right...

If you’ve been treating symptoms but want to understand what may actually be driving your illness, your health history and bloodwork can contain important clues.

In this episode, we’re going beyond the idea of one single “root cause” and building a practical investigation map for chronic illness. You’ll learn how to look for patterns involving nutrition and metabolism, infections, gut health, environmental exposures, medications, hormones, stress, and more.

Then we’ll get extremely practical: I’ll walk you through the bloodwork I’d want to see when investigating chronic illness, including CBC, CMP, glucose, A1...

If you’ve been sick for years and are afraid you waited too long to start trying to heal, this episode is for you.

Chronic illness can leave you looking backward—wishing you had changed your nutrition sooner, managed stress differently, found another treatment, or known then what you know now. But having a disease for a long time does not necessarily mean your biology has stopped responding to change.

In this episode, we explore what happened when one man dramatically changed course after 13 years of severe heart disease, along with extraordinary recovery stories involving adva...

If you’re living with MS and wondering what you can do beyond simply managing symptoms, this episode is a powerful place to start.

Pam Bartha was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at just 28 after losing vision in one eye and developing neurological symptoms. She was told MS was incurable and that progressive disability was likely. Instead, she began investigating what might be contributing to illness—and rebuilding her health from multiple directions. She now describes herself as having lived MS-free for 37 years.

In this conversation, we explore why Pam believes parasites and other chronic infections dese...

If a serious diagnosis has left you staring at dozens of supplements with no idea what you actually need, where should you start?

It’s easy to end up with a cabinet full of expensive supplements without knowing why you’re taking half of them. In this episode, I simplify the process by sharing the five foundational areas I consider first.

You’ll learn why whole-food nutrients can behave differently from large doses of isolated vitamins, which supplements may help fill common nutritional gaps, and why testing can help you stop guessing about what your body a...

You may not be able to eliminate every stressful thing in your life—but you can help your body spend less time in fight or flight and more time in rest and repair.

In this episode, we explore what chronic fight-or-flight changes inside the body and why repeated stress can interfere with sleep, digestion, immune regulation, inflammation, and even physical repair. You’ll hear the remarkable story of ALS survivor Stephen Sherry, who became so practiced at calming his mind that he learned to shift himself out of stress within seconds.

Most importantly, you’ll learn...

You know you want to get better—but what are you getting better for?

Having something meaningful to live for may affect far more than your outlook. In this episode, we explore new research involving nearly half a million people, studies of breast cancer survivors, and fascinating Alzheimer’s research suggesting that purpose is connected to longevity, stress, physical activity, cognitive resilience, and survival.

You’ll also hear the remarkable story of Shin Tereyama, whose experience with advanced cancer transformed not only how he tried to heal, but what he wanted his life to become.

M...

If you could do anything within your control to give your body the best possible chance to heal, what would actually matter most?

In this episode, we look at remarkable recovery stories alongside research to identify five areas I would personally focus on during a serious illness: giving the body the resources it needs to repair, reducing unnecessary biological strain, becoming deeply engaged in your own healing, having something meaningful to live for, and staying flexible enough to learn from your own response.

You’ll hear extraordinary recovery stories involving ALS and MS and discover wh...

What if some of the healing approaches you’ve been told are “unproven” are actually backed by far more science than you realize?

Alternative medicine and holistic healing are often treated as either miracle cures or pseudoscience. But what happens when we actually look at the research?

In this episode, we explore remarkable recovery stories alongside studies showing measurable changes in heart disease, cancer outcomes, cognition, inflammation, immune function, and chronic disease from approaches that are often dismissed. You’ll learn why not proven and disproven are very different things, why some holistic therapies receive far less...

If a serious diagnosis has suddenly made you question everything you eat, you’re not alone. Vegan or keto? Fruit or no fruit? Beans or meat? With so much conflicting advice, food can quickly become another source of stress.

In this episode, I’ll simplify where to start. You’ll learn the three nutritional foundations I believe matter most after a serious diagnosis, but you’ll also discover why there is no single healing diet that is right for everyone—and how your body, intuition, and even your beliefs about food can help you personalize the way you eat. <...

If you’ve just been diagnosed with cancer—or you’re further into your journey and still overwhelmed by what to do next—you don’t have to figure out everything at once.

In this episode, you’ll hear the remarkable story of Heidi Bright, who faced stage IV endometrial sarcoma and was eventually told to prepare for hospice, yet has now gone 14 years with no evidence of cancer.

You’ll learn how to move through the shock of diagnosis, understand your diagnosis and prognosis without letting statistics dictate your future, decide what actually needs your attention...

What if your body is conveying important information that you need to heal, long before your conscious mind has figured it out?

When you're facing serious illness, everyone seems to have an opinion about what you should do. Doctors, family members, books, podcasts, online communities, and other survivors may offer completely different advice, and sometimes the approaches that helped one person seem to directly contradict those that helped another.

So how do you determine what is right for you?

In this episode of Renegade Remission, we explore the science of intuition, the gut-brain...

What if the people closest to you are changing how much stress your body has to recover from each day?

When you’re facing serious illness, support can make an enormous difference—but simply having people around you isn't necessarily the same as being supported.

Some people leave you calmer, clearer, stronger, and more capable of facing what comes next. Others may leave you anxious, defensive, exhausted, or questioning decisions you felt confident about before the conversation began.

And research suggests that those differences may reach further into the body than we realize.

What if you’re sleeping enough, but still not giving your body the kind of rest it needs to heal?

When you’re facing serious illness, it’s easy to turn healing into a full-time job: researching treatments, changing your diet, exercising, attending appointments, taking supplements, managing symptoms, and constantly trying to figure out what you should do next.

But your body also needs time when you stop asking it to perform.

In this episode of Renegade Remission, we explore why recovery is an active part of healing—and why true rest involves much mor...

What if one of the simplest ways to support your healing is waiting right outside your door?

Serious illness can shrink your world. Between fatigue, pain, treatments, appointments, hospital rooms, and long stretches spent resting indoors, it can become surprisingly easy to go days without meaningful exposure to daylight, fresh air, trees, open sky, or the natural world.

But stepping outside may affect far more than your mood.

In this episode of Renegade Remission, we explore what happens inside the body when you spend time outside—and why nature may deserve a place in...

When you're facing a serious illness, the pressure to "stay positive" can become one more thing to worry about. You may already be frightened about your diagnosis, angry about what has happened, or grieving everything illness has changed, only to wonder whether feeling those emotions could somehow interfere with your recovery.

But healing emotionally does not require you to be happy all the time.

In this episode of Renegade Remission, we explore the important difference between feeling a difficult emotion, suppressing it, and becoming stuck in it, and what research suggests may happen inside the...

What if just five minutes of genuine joy each day could change what is happening inside your body while you heal?

When you're facing a serious or chronic illness, being told to "stay positive" can feel dismissive—or downright impossible. But making room for positive emotion isn't the same as pretending everything is okay. You can be frightened, angry, grieving, or uncertain and still give your body moments of laughter, gratitude, beauty, connection, and joy.

In this episode of Renegade Remission, we explore what science tells us about the physical effects of positive emotion—and why...

Can just five minutes a day help you begin releasing anger, resentment, and emotional pain you've carried for years?

In this guided meditation from Renegade Remission, you'll practice a simple forgiveness visualization inspired by the Hawaiian tradition of hoʻoponopono, designed to help you gently release old hurts without excusing what happened or reconnecting with those who caused the pain.

Using a calming boat visualization and a simple four-line prayer, this meditation helps you loosen the emotional tether that keeps your nervous system tied to past wounds so you can move forward with greater peace, f...

What if an old hurt can continue triggering a physical stress response long after the actual danger has passed?

In this episode of Renegade Remission, we explore what happens when anger, resentment, and painful memories are repeatedly relived in the body—and whether forgiveness can help create a different internal environment for healing.

You’ll hear the extraordinary story of Evy McDonald, who was diagnosed with ALS at 29 and given approximately one year to live. As her condition worsened, Evy began examining years of anger, resentment, self-criticism, and unresolved hurt. She committed herself to what she...

What do you do when the prognosis is devastating, the obstacles keep multiplying, and part of you is beginning to wonder whether there is any point in trying?

In this 100th episode of Renegade Remission, we explore the decision to keep moving toward life even when you cannot control the outcome. For such a monumental episode milestone, I decided to do something a little different, drawing lessons from the survival film The Edge. I combine this analysis with the Radical Remission story of Glam, a woman diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer and given approximately six months...

Can the emotions you avoid influence your body's ability to heal?

Many of us are taught to stay strong, push through, or keep difficult feelings to ourselves. But growing research suggests that our emotional lives are deeply connected to our nervous system, immune function, and overall health.

In this episode, you'll hear the remarkable story of Daniel, whose journey through terminal cancer led him to confront long-buried emotions, rediscover purpose, and ultimately experience an unexpected remission. While no one can say exactly why one person heals and another doesn't, Daniel's story raises important questions about...

Can changing when you eat influence inflammation, immune function, and your body's ability to repair itself?

Fasting is one of the most talked-about topics in health—and one of the most misunderstood. Some people see it as a miracle. Others believe it's dangerous. So what does the science actually say?

In this episode, we explore how fasting affects the body during serious illness, what researchers have discovered about autophagy, inflammation, blood sugar, and metabolic health, and why some remarkable survivors have incorporated gentle fasting strategies into their healing journeys alongside conventional care.

In th...

What if one walk to the mailbox, a few minutes of stretching, or simply standing outside could be doing far more for your body than you realize?

When you're living with a serious illness, the word exercise can feel overwhelming—or even impossible. But healing movement doesn't have to look like a workout. In this episode, you'll discover why small, consistent movement can support your body in powerful ways, how to let go of unrealistic expectations, and how to begin rebuilding strength without pushing beyond what your body can handle.

You'll discover:

What if one relationship could change not only how supported you feel—but how your body responds to illness?

When you're facing a serious diagnosis, it's easy to withdraw or assume you have to carry the burden alone. Others may feel they already have plenty of support and don't realize that the quality of their relationships—and how they use them—can profoundly influence stress, hope, practical decision-making, and even the body's healing environment. In this episode, you'll discover why healing isn't just about treatments and protocols, but also about the people who walk alongside you.

You...

How do you know who to trust when every expert seems to say something different?

After a serious diagnosis, you're often flooded with advice—from doctors, friends, social media, books, podcasts, and well-meaning strangers. One person tells you to go keto. Another says to go vegan. Someone insists supplements are the answer, while someone else warns they'll do more harm than good. It's no wonder so many people feel overwhelmed and afraid of making the "wrong" decision.

In this episode, we explore a simple five-question framework to help you evaluate new treatments, diets, supplements, and he...

Can changing what you eat really influence your healing journey, or is nutrition just another source of confusion after a serious diagnosis?

In this episode of Renegade Remission, we explore why nutrition appears so often in remarkable recovery stories as one of the most practical ways to support the body’s ability to repair, regulate, and remain resilient during illness.

You’ll hear the remarkable story of Norman Arnold, who was diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer and told his time was limited. As part of a broader healing approach, Norman radically changed the way he ate...

When people hear stories of remarkable recovery, it can feel inspiring but also overwhelming. Do you change your diet, take supplements, meditate, rest, move, pray, research, find another doctor, or overhaul everything at once?

In this episode of Renegade Remission, we explore what many people who heal against the odds seem to change first: they become active participants in their own healing. Through the story of Susanna McDougall, whose aggressive ovarian cancer recovery was documented in Remarkable Recovery, we look at how nutrition, stress regulation, movement, emotional expression, intuition, community, purpose, and faith can work together as...

What do you do when you've been told there are no treatment options left? Is a terminal diagnosis truly the end of the story—or is there still room for hope?

In this episode of Renegade Remission, we explore one of the most difficult questions anyone facing serious illness can ask: Can the body still heal, even when doctors say it can't?

Using a remarkable documented case of spontaneous remission, we examine the difference between a prognosis and a prophecy, why medicine continues to study unexpected recoveries, and what these extraordinary cases reveal about the bo...

Have you ever wondered why staying up a little later, skipping a meal, or having one stressful day can leave you feeling wiped out for days?

In this episode of Renegade Remission, we explore one of the most overlooked foundations of healing: rhythm. Your body runs on an internal clock that influences everything from hormones and digestion to blood sugar, immune function, inflammation, and sleep. When illness reduces your body's reserve, even small disruptions to your daily routine can have a much bigger impact than they once did.

You'll learn why simple daily anchors—like mo...

If cravings have made you feel guilty, frustrated, or like your discipline disappears when you need it most, this episode will help you understand what may actually be happening beneath the surface.

In this episode of Renegade Remission, we explore why cravings are not simply a failure of willpower. They are often signals from a body trying to meet a need, whether that need is steadier blood sugar, quick energy, comfort, stress relief, rest, or emotional support. You’ll learn how stress hormones, sleep loss, fatigue, under-eating, restriction, emotional depletion, and the brain’s reward system can all...

Some of the foods most often recommended for gut health can actually make certain people feel worse before they feel better. If you've added vegetables, beans, fermented foods, prebiotics, or other "gut-healing" foods only to end up feeling bloated, uncomfortable, foggy, or more reactive, this episode will help you understand why.

In this episode of Renegade Remission, we explore the surprising relationship between fiber, the microbiome, and digestive health. You'll learn why the problem often isn't that healthy foods are bad for you, but that a stressed or imbalanced gut may need a slower, more strategic approach...

If everyday tasks feel harder than they used to, standing takes more effort, stairs feel steeper, or recovery takes longer, this episode will help you understand why preserving muscle during illness matters far more than most people realize.

In this episode of Renegade Remission, we explore why muscle is not just about movement or strength. Muscle acts as one of the body’s most important reserves, helping regulate blood sugar, store amino acids, support immune resilience, tolerate stress, recover from illness, and maintain independence. When illness, inflammation, reduced activity, low appetite, or inadequate protein begin wearing down th...

You can be eating a healthy diet and still be undernourished. In this episode of Renegade Remission, we explore one of the most overlooked reasons people with chronic or serious illness may feel weak, depleted, shaky, slow to recover, or like their body is not rebuilding the way it should: not getting enough protein.

Protein is not just for athletes or muscle building. It provides the amino acids your body uses to make immune cells, antibodies, enzymes, neurotransmitters, connective tissue, hormones, and the raw materials needed for repair. During illness, inflammation, treatment, stress, infection, injury, or muscle...

Have you ever wondered why things that used to feel easy now feel impossible? A grocery trip wipes you out. A stressful phone call throws off your entire day. A supplement that should help makes you feel worse. Even small changes seem to demand more energy than you have available.

In this episode of Renegade Remission, we explore one of the most common yet least understood experiences in chronic illness: reduced capacity and energy. We break down why the body often becomes more sensitive, reactive, and easily overwhelmed during illness, and why this doesn't mean you're weak...

If you've ever left a medical appointment feeling unheard, overwhelmed, dismissed, or unsure how to explain what you're experiencing, this episode will help you communicate more clearly, ask better questions, and become a more confident participant in your own care.

In this episode of Renegade Remission, we explore why self-advocacy can feel so difficult during illness and what makes medical conversations more productive and collaborative. You'll hear the story of science writer Julie Rehmeyer, who learned to navigate years of confusing symptoms and difficult medical encounters by documenting her experiences, asking clearer questions, and becoming a more...

If you've ever needed support but struggled to ask for it, worried about burdening the people you love, or felt like you should be able to handle everything on your own, this episode will help you understand why receiving help can feel so difficult, and why learning to accept it may be one of the most important parts of healing.

In this episode of Renegade Remission, we explore the hidden emotional and biological challenges that make support difficult to receive during illness. You'll hear the story of writer Suleika Jaouad, who describes how her leukemia diagnosis forced...

If you feel like you are doing everything “right” but your body still is not improving the way you hoped it would, this episode will help you understand how chronic stress changes the body in ways that can directly interfere with healing and recovery.

In this episode of Renegade Remission, we explore what happens biologically when the body remains in a prolonged stress response and why healing becomes much harder under those conditions. You’ll hear a remarkable case in which a man with stage IV brain cancer experienced an unexpected recovery after major shifts in environment, routin...