Health, Wealth and The Ultimate Self

This episode features a fascinating conversation with Dr. Kendall Stewart, a pioneer in integrating functional medicine, genetics, and neurology. Dr. Stewart shares his journey from traditional ear, nose, and throat surgery to championing holistic patient care, where nutrition, preparation, and cellular health take center stage in both surgical outcomes and chronic disease management. Key Topics: * Functional Medicine Before It Was Trendy: * Dr. Stewart reveals his early adoption of biochemistry, nutrition, and immune system support—long before "functional medicine" became a buzzword. * Surgery, Preparation, and Recovery: * Discover why how you prepare for surgery (and your post-op care) radically affects recovery—and how insurance companies once overlooked the impact of nutrition. * Biochemistry, Virology, and Immune System Health: * Learn how Dr. Stewart’s research background at MD Anderson led him to understand the critical role of boosting the body’s immune system, especially in viral illnesses. * Integrative Patient Care: * From autism to Alzheimer's and chronic sinus issues, Dr. Stewart explains why a whole-body, systems-based approach is crucial for true healing. * Nutrigenomics & Genetics in Health: * Practical, easy-to-understand insights into nutrigenomics, pharmacogenetics, and how single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) shape our nutritional and medication needs. * Inflammation and Chronic Illness: * Explore how inflammation connects the immune and nervous systems—and why controlling it can be the KEY to managing everything from anxiety and POTS to migraines and long COVID. * Peptides, Mitochondria, and Advanced Recovery: * Real-world clinical examples of peptides, exosomes, and nutritional strategies used for surgical recovery, chronic neurological conditions, and inflammation—plus Dr. Stewart’s personal recovery journey after knee replacement. * What Mainstream Medicine Misses: * Why compartmentalizing organ systems fails patients, and how personalized, genetics-driven approaches are reshaping the future of medicine. * Prevention and Longevity: * The importance of early genetic screening, metabolic testing, and how functional medicine is paving the way for healthier, longer lives. Notable Quotes: * "People come to get well—they don’t care what you call it, they care how you’re going to help them get out of this." * "You can’t separate the immune system from the nervous system. Inflammation can change you in 10 minutes, chemicals cannot." * "Functional medicine is just understanding biochemistry and physiology down to the details—most doctors just forgot." Resources & Links: * Follow Dr. Kendall Stewart on Instagram: @ [https://app.castmagic.io/recordings#]coffeewithdrstewart * Dr. Stewart’s Podcast: Coffee with Dr. Stewart  * Neurobiologics Supplements: neurobiologics.com  Connect with the Show: * Subscribe to Health, Wealth and The Ultimate Self on all your major podcast streaming platforms * Follow us on Instagram @healthwealthultimateself and www.youtube.com/@healthwealthandtheultimate2269 [http://www.youtube.com/@healthwealthandtheultimate2269] * Leave a review or share your thoughts—your feedback keeps us growing! If you want to dive deeper into functional medicine, nutrigenomics, or recovery strategies, this episode is a must-listen. #Podcast #HealthPodcast #FunctionalMedicinePodcast #WellnessPodcast #IntegrativeMedicine #BiohackingPodcast #HealthTalk #DoctorPodcast #FunctionalMedicine #Nutrigenomics #GeneticTesting #Epigenetics #PersonalizedMedicine #PrecisionMedicine #SNPs #Pharmacogenomics #Biohacking Yours in Health, The Health, Wealth and Ultimate Self Team!

EPISODE OVERVIEW In this powerful episode, Dr. Matt sits down with Andi Lew, acclaimed author, wellness presenter, and advocate, for an eye-opening discussion on Breast Implant Illness (BII). Drawing on her decades of experience and personal journey—as chronicled in her bestselling book, Treasured Chest: Exposing Explants and Empowering You—Andi exposes the hidden dangers, medical gaslighting, and emotional toll facing women experiencing BII. She also offers supportive and practical advice for women seeking answers, healing, and empowerment. KEY TOPICS DISCUSSED * Andi Lew’s Story: * Andi opens up about her own experience with breast implants, the onset of unexplained health symptoms, struggles for a proper diagnosis, and the difficult, but life-affirming, journey to explant surgery. * Understanding Breast Implant Illness: * Definition and lack of official medical recognition. * Discussion of common BII symptoms (fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, anxiety, inflammation, etc.). * The overlap with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) and systemic inflammatory response due to foreign bodies. * The Medical Maze: * Andi recounts how she—and countless other women—were dismissed or ‘medically gaslit’ by healthcare providers, leading to years of frustration, multiple doctor visits, and delayed diagnosis and treatment. * Importance of persistence and self-advocacy. * The often cold or aesthetic-driven priorities within the plastic surgery field. * Surgical Considerations: * Discussing explant options like en bloc or total capsulectomy. * Why removing the scar tissue (capsule) is crucial. * The challenges of getting a timely surgery, insurance gaps, and the high out-of-pocket costs. * Advances in reconstructive options (e.g., using body fat). * Industry Injustice & Informed Consent: * Recalls, lack of transparency, poor follow-up from manufacturers. * Problems with informed consent—not being warned of systemic health risks. * The irony of BII risks being disregarded, especially in breast cancer survivors. * Empowerment & Healing: * Importance of building the right medical support team. * Journaling and documenting symptoms for self-advocacy. * The gift and burden of sharing publicly, the growth after trauma, and support from online communities. * Practical Resources & Where to Get Help: * How to find qualified explant surgeons. * The role of social media and online groups for support and information. * Andi’s offer of a complimentary coaching call for readers who purchase her book. * Changing the Narrative: * The growing movement to recognize BII. * The need for increased awareness and compassion from both the medical community and society. * Empowerment over aesthetics, redefining beauty, and finding strength in vulnerability. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES * Book: Treasured Chest: Exposing Explants and Empowering You – Available at andilew.com [https://andilew.com/] * Connected: A Paradigm Shift in How We View Health – Andi's holistic wellness guide (also available on Audible) * Andi Lew on Instagram: @andi.lew [https://instagram.com/andi.lew] – DM her after book purchase for a complimentary coaching call * Facebook/Instagram BII Support Groups – For community, shared experiences, and practical advice HOW TO CONNECT WITH ANDI LEW * Website: andilew.com [https://andilew.com/] * Instagram: @andi.lew [https://instagram.com/andi.lew] * Stay tuned to her social media for upcoming speaking events TAKEAWAYS FOR LISTENERS * If you or someone you know is suffering from unexplained symptoms and has breast implants, consider BII as a possible cause. * Advocate for yourself: keep symptom journals, persist in seeking proper care, and connect with supportive communities. * Compassion, education, and empowerment are critical to healing. * Medical professionals: familiarize yourself with BII and be open-minded for your patients’ wellbeing. #BreastImplantIllness #BII #AndiLew #Explant #WomensHealth #TreasuredChest #WellnessPodcast #HealthAdvocacy #BreastImplantRemoval #MedicalGaslighting #FunctionalMedicine #ChronicIllnessAwareness #PatientEmpowerment #MastCellActivationSyndrome #CosmeticSurgeryRisks #FemaleEmpowerment #Podcas

This episode jumps into the world of our chemical environment and touches on the most invasive intruders to our health. In part 1 of a 2 part discussion, we dive deep into the world of Microplastics and Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (we will keep it PFAS) for short since it is a mouthful. In this episode we go into how microplastics and PFAS are becoming more and more of a growing issue within our body and yet it seems like our health and environmental overwatch is asleep at the wheel. Or even worse, are then be paid to look the other way. Given the extent of data and research that continues to be published showing the health concerns associated with these chemicals it is hard to believe there is an intelligent decision to let these products still be in parts of our foods, cosmetics, water, clothing, cookware, and many other hold hold products. There have been more and more damning science coming out showing that these plastics are making their way into our vascular system and potentially driving cardiovascular risk. Even more recently, there was a study from this year showing that micro plastics were in all the brains of those examined and were 10 fold higher in those brains found to have dementia. The more we look at the data we are being poisoned from the inside and outside. If diet and the horrific food pyramid outlined for us a couple decades ago has not already done enough damage, let's just layer in a chemical insult like no other. It is about time we start taking control of our own bodies and the chemicals we are exposed to and slowly making finely calculated changes to help prevent exposure in the first place. If we start moving away from these products and towards healthier options, the companies doing it right and providing products clean of the chemicals slowing making us sick, tired, low energy, fat, metabolically compromised, have hormone issues will be the leaders for us going forward while the others who have turned a blind eye at the health issues will be force to fold or adapt and be better. The sad reality these chemical are slowly making us sick and tired. They are destroying our hormones and endocrine system. They are bombarding our immune system and are associated with various cancers. They are impacting our mood and mind and we are seeing an increased risk of heart health and dementia issues as a consequence and it is about time we start spreading the message loud and clear. So please, give a listen, share with friends and family and your community so we can make a massive impact and start to move this issue towards better solutions.

In this episode we jump in and address why someone can have optimal levels of hormones on labs but still not see or feel the results of "so called" optimal hormones. Unfortunately, the majority of people get prescribed hormones and yet the provider does not address: 1-Why their hormones were low to begin with and 2-What can prevent hormones from finding their landing/receptor site on the cell... essentially making them less effective, even at an optimal dose. The net result... people having hormones that are normal or often even high normal but still have all the same damn symptoms that led them to go on the hormones to begin with. Initially, they may see a month or two of mild to moderate benefit and then this eventually goes away because all the ways our Landing sites for hormones get beat up and less efficient, goes overlooked and forgotten. I do believe hormone replacement has a time and place in optimizing health and when done with an approach that appreciates the full song and dance and how hormones work and interact with the cell, they can be incredibly beneficial. In this episode we dive into 10 Ways Receptors for Hormones and be damaged or impacted. Now for the most part, the majority of these are due to our lifestyle and to our environment...essentially meaning we can do something about it when we understand what might be holding your hormones from reaching their landing site to give you the benefit you are anticipating. This story is all too common and our team of providers see this all too often. I hope you enjoy this episode and the educational content of it. Please if you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out and connect. #hormones #weightgain #functionalhealth #functionalmedicine #brainhealth @healthwealthultimateself

In this episode on Gut Health, we dive deep on the the importance of a great functioning gut, what's is normal and what happens when it starts to break down and become problematic. Most commonly known as leaky gut, intestinal permeability is the more accurate and the term that will help track down better research on the subject matter. Many try diets, detoxes but do they truly address the enough of the stresses that lead to leaky gut? The truth is many do not and so it is a repetitive cycle of attempts to solve the issue. The key aspect to the anatomy of the small intestine that determines if the gut is leaky or not is referred to as Tight Junctions and Tight Junction Proteins. This is where zonulin comes in...a hormone that regulates the tight junctions. In this episode we detail all the common and well know triggers to zonulin and leaky gut, from dietary to medications to brain based mechanisms. We discuss what can happen if this becomes chronic and goes uncorrected, leading to many issues and diseases well outside the gut. The goal of this episode is to walk you through what is normal, what are triggers that take you away from optimal gut health, how this can lead to chronic systemic inflammation and how if uncorrected can lead to bigger health issues more widespread than the gut. We hope you enjoy the episode. Please if there are topics you would like discussed, be sure to comment on our IG @healthwealthultimateself and we can plan future episodes to cover your specific topics or bring in guests specialized on that topic. Until next time, The Team at Health Wealth and the Ultimate Self