Live Beyond the Norms

How an Auditor Rewrote the Science of Gut Health and Brain Disease With Martha Carlin

Martha Carlin wasn't a scientist. She was an auditor at one of the largest accounting firms in the world. Then her husband was diagnosed with Parkinson's at 44. She couldn't just sit back and watch him succumb to it. So she set out to find what caused it. What followed was a 20-year-long second career. Within a month of throwing out the pantry and filtering the family's water, her husband's tremor was already retreating. He managed to stay off medication for years.  When she stumbled onto a book about the human microbiome a decade later, the pieces clicked into place. She quit her executive job at 50 to fund the research herself. Martha and I get into the moment she connected her husband's childhood antibiotics to his Parkinson's, and the probiotic that took his Parkinson's score from a 35 down to a 20. "We are more microbial than we are human." ~ Martha Carlin Support the show and get 50% off MCT oil with free shipping—just leave us a review on iTunes and Spotify and let us know! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-beyond-the-norms/id1714886566 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-beyond-the-norms/id1714886566] Resources Mentioned  My Search for the Perfect Poop by Martha Carlin: https://www.amazon.com/My-Search-Perfect-Poop-Medicine/dp/B0GR96GSBM [https://www.amazon.com/My-Search-Perfect-Poop-Medicine/dp/B0GR96GSBM]  Connected: Love, Loss, and the Unseen Forces Behind Chronic Disease by Martha Carlin:  https://www.amazon.com/Connected-Unseen-Forces-Chronic-Disease-ebook/dp/B0GX2Y7WDK?ref_=ast_author_dp&th=1&psc=1 [https://www.amazon.com/Connected-Unseen-Forces-Chronic-Disease-ebook/dp/B0GX2Y7WDK?ref_=ast_author_dp&th=1&psc=1]  Missing Microbes by Dr. Martin J. Blaser: https://www.amazon.com/Missing-Microbes-Overuse-Antibiotics-Fueling/dp/0805098100 [https://www.amazon.com/Missing-Microbes-Overuse-Antibiotics-Fueling/dp/0805098100]  The BioCollective: https://thebiocollective.com/ [https://thebiocollective.com/]  Open Biome: https://www.openbiome.org/ [https://www.openbiome.org/]  About Martha Carlin Martha Carlin is a citizen scientist, microbiome researcher, and systems thinker who turned a 20-year corporate career into one of the most distinctive voices in gut health today. The founder of BiotiQuest and The BioCollective, she has spoken at the White House Microbiome Initiative, given a TEDx talk, and collaborated with researchers at the University of Chicago, Caltech, and University College Cork. She is the author of My Search for the Perfect Poop and Connected: Love, Loss, and the Unseen Forces Behind Chronic Disease, and she writes regularly at her Substack, Martha's Quest. Connect with Martha Carlin Website: https://biotiquest.com/ [https://biotiquest.com/]  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marthacarlin/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marthacarlin/]  Substack: https://www.marthasquest.com/ [https://www.marthasquest.com/]  Connect with Chris Burres  Website: https://www.myvitalc.com/ [https://www.myvitalc.com/]  Website: http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/ [http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/]  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisburres/ [https://www.instagram.com/chrisburres/]  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc [https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc]  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres/https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres] *Disclaimer* The content shared in this podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice of any kind, nor does it include any specific claims or guarantees. The views expressed are based on personal experiences, research, and individual perspectives, and are meant to inspire and inform listeners on topics related to wellness, lifestyle, and personal development. We strongly encourage all listeners to consult with a qualified professional or licensed expert before making any decisions related to health, finances, or other sensitive areas of life. Thank you for tuning in—and for taking proactive steps toward a more informed, intentional life.

What 40 Days Without Food Reveals About the Human Body, With Casey Ruff

In the 1960s, researchers had people fast for 40 days straight. They expected some of them to die. Instead, their bodies adapted. My guest this week, Casey Ruff, has spent nearly two decades helping people understand what's actually fueling their bodies, and most of what he's found runs against everything we've been taught.  A metabolic health coach who came up through lab testing before going all in on low-carb and carnivore approaches, Casey joins me to explain why the carbs you've been told you need for energy might be the very thing holding you back. Casey and I talk about research that rewrote his thinking. Why nearly every diet eventually fails. And, most importantly, how your body is built to run on fat far better than you'd expect. "Every diet fails. You do a diet and sure, you're going to lose weight, but after a while, your cravings get bigger, and your energy starts to go down." ~ Casey Ruff Support the show and get 50% off MCT oil with free shipping—just leave us a review on iTunes and Spotify and let us know! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-beyond-the-norms/id1714886566 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-beyond-the-norms/id1714886566] Resources Mentioned  The Obesity Code by Dr. Jason Fung: https://www.amazon.com/Obesity-Code-Unlocking-Secrets-Weight/dp/1771641258 [https://www.amazon.com/Obesity-Code-Unlocking-Secrets-Weight/dp/1771641258]  The Cholesterol Code: https://www.amazon.com/Cholesterol-Code-Jennifer-Isenhart/dp/B0GS8ZFCYN [https://www.amazon.com/Cholesterol-Code-Jennifer-Isenhart/dp/B0GS8ZFCYN]  Toxic Superfoods by Sally K. Norton: https://www.amazon.com/Toxic-Superfoods-Oxalate-Overload-Sick/dp/0593139585 [https://www.amazon.com/Toxic-Superfoods-Oxalate-Overload-Sick/dp/0593139585]  About Casey Ruff  Casey Ruff is a metabolic health coach who has been a certified personal trainer since 2007 and has helped thousands of clients transform their health through movement, nutrition, and lifestyle. He came up running metabolic testing programs before specializing in low-carbohydrate, ketogenic, and carnivore approaches. After being laid off during the 2020 pandemic, he and his wife Bethany started Boundless Body, the coaching company they run together out of South Jordan, Utah, where he also hosts the Boundless Body Radio podcast. Connect with Casey Ruff  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/titusunlimited/https://www.instagram.com/caseyboundlessbody/ [https://www.instagram.com/caseyboundlessbody/]  LinkedIn: https://www.tiktok.com/@titusunlimitedhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/casey-ruff-38318a1b1/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/casey-ruff-38318a1b1/]  Website: https://titusunlimited.com/https://www.myboundlessbody.com/ [https://www.myboundlessbody.com/]  Connect with Chris Burres  Website: https://www.myvitalc.com/ [https://www.myvitalc.com/]  Website: http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/ [http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/]  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisburres/ [https://www.instagram.com/chrisburres/]  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc [https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc]  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres/https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres] *Disclaimer* The content shared in this podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice of any kind, nor does it include any specific claims or guarantees. The views expressed are based on personal experiences, research, and individual perspectives, and are meant to inspire and inform listeners on topics related to wellness, lifestyle, and personal development. We strongly encourage all listeners to consult with a qualified professional or licensed expert before making any decisions related to health, finances, or other sensitive areas of life. Thank you for tuning in—and for taking proactive steps toward a more informed, intentional life.

The Woman Who Helped Jelly Roll Get Fit Without Ozempic With Danese Rexroad

About a quarter of adults in the United States now take at least four prescriptions a day. Most of them take more. Yet outside of antibiotics, almost nothing on the shelf is meant to cure you. Closing that gap is what Danese Rexroad does. As Chief Clinical Officer at Ways2Well, she goes upstream of disease, asking why the body is breaking down rather than writing another script to cover it. Her belief is that the choices you make in your 30s and 40s decide whether you spend your 80s in the gym or in a nursing home.  We get into why perimenopause is hitting women in their 30s, and the bioidentical hormone study she says got it all wrong. She walks me through the trauma-room moment that flipped her thinking on the root cause. We also talk about her work with Jelly Roll, who walked in on 27 prescriptions and walked out on three. "The average American is on at least four prescriptions. None of those are curative." ~ Danese Rexroad Support the show and get 50% off olive oil with free shipping—just leave us a review on iTunes and Spotify and let us know! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-beyond-the-norms/id1714886566 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-beyond-the-norms/id1714886566] Resources Mentioned  ReviveRx Pharmacy: https://reviverx.com/ [https://reviverx.com/]  About Danese Rexroad Danese Rexroad, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, is a native Texan who earned her BSN from Lamar University and her MSN from Chamberlain University. She built her early career in emergency medicine, trauma, and reconstructive surgery before moving toward functional and preventive care. Functional medicine certified, she has spent the last decade focused on root-cause work in hormone optimization, peptide therapy, and regenerative medicine, and now leads the clinical team at Ways2Well. Connect with Danese Rexroad Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saima_danese/ [https://www.instagram.com/saima_danese/]  LinkedIn: https://www.facebook.com/TitusUnlimited/https://www.linkedin.com/in/danese-rexroad-msn-fnp-c-08705b157/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/danese-rexroad-msn-fnp-c-08705b157/]  Website: https://ways2well.com/ [https://ways2well.com/]  Connect with Chris Burres  Website: https://www.myvitalc.com/ [https://www.myvitalc.com/]  Website: http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/ [http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/]  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisburres/ [https://www.instagram.com/chrisburres/]  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc [https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc]  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres/https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres] *Disclaimer* The content shared in this podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice of any kind, nor does it include any specific claims or guarantees. The views expressed are based on personal experiences, research, and individual perspectives, and are meant to inspire and inform listeners on topics related to wellness, lifestyle, and personal development. We strongly encourage all listeners to consult with a qualified professional or licensed expert before making any decisions related to health, finances, or other sensitive areas of life. Thank you for tuning in—and for taking proactive steps toward a more informed, intentional life.

The Leading Cause of Disability in Women Under 50 With Dr. Amelia Scott Barrett

What do you think is the main cause of disability for women under 50? Is it cancer? Or maybe depression? Is it perhaps back pain? No. None of the above. The leading cause is migraine. Dr. Amelia Scott Barrett has spent her career staring at that fact from the inside. Only one in twenty people who have migraine ever gets properly diagnosed, and the rest spend years calling it tension or stress or sinus pressure while their brains discreetly change in the background. Two headache days a week is all it takes to start the damage. Amelia and I get into the four biological systems she's identified as the root causes of migraine, as well as why the standard "pop a pill and power through" approach has let millions of women around the world down. "Migraine is the number one cause of disability in women under 50. That is a huge impact on women who are right in the prime of their lives." ~ Dr. Amelia Scott Barrett Support the show and get 50% off MCT oil with free shipping—just leave us a review on iTunes and Spotify and let us know! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-beyond-the-norms/id1714886566 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-beyond-the-norms/id1714886566] In This Episode: 00:00 Introduction 01:59 Dr. Barrett's early interest in medicine and the brain 05:28 Med school, learning to fly, and the road to neurology 09:42 How often does a migraine go undiagnosed? 12:22 What happens to the brain with frequent headaches 19:22 White matter lesions and what they signal 24:56 Where conventional migraine treatment falls short 30:25 How DNA points to the four systems behind migraine 34:46 The link between migraine and dementia 36:20 How mitochondria fit into migraine 41:30 Taking melatonin compared to a common migraine drug 45:30 Why trial and error doesn't work for migraine 53:53 Wrap-up questions and where to find Dr. Barrett Resources Mentioned  The Headache Quiz: https://theheadachequiz.com/ [https://theheadachequiz.com/]  Migraine Relief Code podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/migraine-relief-code-with-dr-amelia-scott-barrett-md/id1793802899 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/migraine-relief-code-with-dr-amelia-scott-barrett-md/id1793802899]  Decode Your Migraine by Dr. Amelia Scott Barrett ( coming summer 2026): https://migrainereliefcode.com/book [https://migrainereliefcode.com/book]  About Amelia Scott Barrett Dr. Amelia Scott Barrett is a Stanford-trained, board-certified neurologist and the founder of Migraine Relief Code, a precision-medicine program that uses genetic testing and functional medicine to address the root causes of migraine. A TEDx speaker and the author of the forthcoming book Align, she has spent her career bridging conventional neurology with nutrition, supplements, lifestyle, and DNA-based protocols. Her work has been featured in Business Insider and Women's World. She lives and practices in Lone Tree, Colorado. Connect with Amelia Scott Barrett Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ameliascottbarrettmd/ [https://www.instagram.com/ameliascottbarrettmd/]  YouTube: https://www.facebook.com/TitusUnlimited/https://www.youtube.com/@ameliascottbarrettmd [https://www.youtube.com/@ameliascottbarrettmd]  Website: https://titusunlimited.com/https://ameliascottbarrettmd.com/ [https://ameliascottbarrettmd.com/]  Connect with Chris Burres  Website: https://www.myvitalc.com/ [https://www.myvitalc.com/]  Website: http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/ [http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/]  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisburres/ [https://www.instagram.com/chrisburres/]  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc [https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc]  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres/https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres] Disclaimer The content shared in this podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice of any kind, nor does it include any specific claims or guarantees. The views expressed are based on personal experiences, research, and individual perspectives, and are meant to inspire and inform listeners on topics related to wellness, lifestyle, and personal development. We strongly encourage all listeners to consult with a qualified professional or licensed expert before making any decisions related to health, finances, or other sensitive areas of life. Thank you for tuning in—and for taking proactive steps toward a more informed, intentional life.

Why Millions of Lyme Cases Go Undiagnosed Every Year With Dr. Myriah Hinchey

You can test negative for Lyme over and over. Your bloodwork can look fine. Even your doctor can tell you it's just stress. Meanwhile, the infection keeps doing damage. An estimated 3.5 million Americans go through this every year. Dr. Myriah Hinchey knows that better than most. She was bitten by a tick when she was around ten. Her Lyme test came back negative, and she was sent home. What followed were decades of strange anxiety and brain fog she couldn't explain, until everything finally crashed in her mid-thirties, and even her doctor brushed her off. She had to diagnose herself. Myriah and I get into why the testing for so many of these conditions misses what's going on, and how chronic infections sit underneath everything from autoimmune disease to neurological symptoms that most doctors blame on something else. "Your body doesn't turn on you for no reason. There's always something. Find it." ~ Dr. Myriah Hinchey Support the show and get 50% off MCT oil with free shipping—just leave us a review on iTunes and Spotify and let us know! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-beyond-the-norms/id1714886566 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-beyond-the-norms/id1714886566] *In This Episode:"* 00:00 Introduction 02:08 Dr. Hinchey's path to naturopathy 06:36 Growing up in Lebanon, Connecticut 11:47 How Dr. Hinchey ended up focusing on Lyme 15:40 Treating Lyme in the real world vs. school 17:15 Why one dose of doxycycline isn't enough 19:04 What the standard Lyme test misses 27:57 Why some people get chronic illness, and others don't 36:41 Dr. Hinchey's Lyme story 44:02 Stephen Buhner and the herbal protocol 46:33 Why antibiotics alone can't clear Lyme 49:56 The real cause behind most autoimmune diagnoses 56:11 How underdiagnosed Lyme really is 59:48 Why a quick herbal cleanse won't fix chronic illness 1:06:14 Wrap-up and where to find Dr. Hinchey Resources Mentioned  Healing Lyme by Stephen Harrod Buhner: https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Lyme-Borreliosis-Coinfections-Rickettsiosis/dp/0970869649 [https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Lyme-Borreliosis-Coinfections-Rickettsiosis/dp/0970869649]  IGeneX: https://igenex.com/ [https://igenex.com/]  Galaxy Diagnostics: https://www.galaxydx.com/ [https://www.galaxydx.com/]  International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS): https://www.ilads.org/ [https://www.ilads.org/]  Tao Vitality: https://taovitality.com/ [https://taovitality.com/]  Lyme Core Botanicals: https://lymecore.com/ [https://lymecore.com/]  Lymebytes Podcast and Symposium: https://lymebytes.com/ [https://lymebytes.com/]  About Dr. Myriah Hinchey Dr. Myriah Hinchey is a naturopathic physician with more than 17 years of experience treating Lyme disease and chronic tick-borne illness. A graduate of the University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine, she is the medical director of Tao Vitality in Hebron, Connecticut, and the founder of LymeCore Botanicals, an herbal medicine company built around the protocols she developed treating her own Lyme. She is also the creator of Lymebytes, a podcast and annual symposium for patients and practitioners working through chronic and complex illness. Connect with Dr. Myriah Hinchey Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmyriahhinchey [https://www.instagram.com/drmyriahhinchey]  YouTube: https://www.facebook.com/TitusUnlimited/http://youtube.com/@DrMyriahHinchey [http://youtube.com/@DrMyriahHinchey]  Website: https://titusunlimited.com/https://drhinchey.com/ [https://drhinchey.com/]  Connect with Chris Burres  Website: https://www.myvitalc.com/ [https://www.myvitalc.com/]  Website: http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/ [http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/]  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisburres/ [https://www.instagram.com/chrisburres/]  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc [https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc]  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres/https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres] *Disclaimer* The content shared in this podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice of any kind, nor does it include any specific claims or guarantees. The views expressed are based on personal experiences, research, and individual perspectives, and are meant to inspire and inform listeners on topics related to wellness, lifestyle, and personal development. We strongly encourage all listeners to consult with a qualified professional or licensed expert before making any decisions related to health, finances, or other sensitive areas of life. Thank you for tuning in—and for taking proactive steps toward a more informed, intentional life.