More exercise. Extra supplements. Cleaner eating. Sometimes the advice we rely on most can quietly work against the people we’re trying to help.

In this episode, Tracy Harrison discusses why functional medicine demands more than just protocols and good intentions. She shares real clinical scenarios where common strategies like high-intensity workouts or high-dose vitamin D can actually worsen symptoms when underlying issues like adrenal fatigue or oxidative stress are at play.

Tracy also challenges how we interpret lab markers. Is a high HDL level always a good sign? What do low liver enzymes really tell us? She connects the dots between nutrient status, metabolic patterns, and the subtle red flags that can get lost in standard lab reviews.

This episode moves through supplements, lab work, diet trends, and minerals with one constant thread: context matters. This is a practical, case-based reminder to pause, ask better questions, and treat the person, not the lab result or the trend.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 When “Healthy” Advice Makes Patients Worse

01:04 The Hidden Risks of Over-Exercising

10:10 Vitamin D, Magnesium, and Supplement Missteps

14:08 How to Read Lab Markers with More Precision

24:00 Metabolic Dysfunction Beyond Blood Sugar

29:02 Green Smoothies, Oxalates, and Gut Health

36:26 Recognizing Histamine Intolerance in Your Patients

41:06 Why More Iron Isn’t Always the Answer

45:34 Understanding Magnesium Forms and Deficiency

Links

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

Learn more about SAFM’s practitioner training: https://schoolafm.com/our-program

Subscribe to our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@safmchannel

Access daily quick tips on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AppliedFunctionalMedicine/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Flow might not be something you measure on a lab panel, but when it’s blocked, your patients feel it.

Tracy Harrison unpacks seven places where flow gets disrupted in the body, often in ways that go unnoticed in clinical care. What happens when oxygen doesn’t circulate well because of poor posture or undiagnosed sleep apnea? Could chronic symptoms trace back to something as basic as hydration, or a lymphatic system that isn’t moving waste effectively? Tracy walks through the quiet impact of circadian misalignment, synthetic hormone use, and even tight clothing that impairs detox and digestion. And she makes the case for taking joy seriously, not as a bonus, but as a core element of physiological health. Could mindset, laughter, and forgiveness be just as important as nutrition and supplements?

This episode is a reminder to look beyond protocols and ask what might be getting in the way of the body’s natural flow and its capacity to heal.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Flow in Health

01:14 The Importance of Oxygenation

03:42 Subclinical Anemia and Oxygen Flow

04:47 Hydration: The Overlooked Blockage

06:46 The Role of Lymph in Circulation

08:55 Circadian Rhythms and Health

10:35 Hormonal Flow in Women’s Health

18:08 Physical Blockages and Detoxification

21:34 The Flow of Joy and Emotional Health

25:35 Embracing Flow for Vitality

Links

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

Learn more about SAFM’s practitioner training: https://schoolafm.com/our-program

Subscribe to our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@safmchannel

Access daily quick tips on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AppliedFunctionalMedicine/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Most detox advice does more harm than good unless you understand how toxicity really works in the body.

Tracy Harrison takes on one of the most misunderstood topics in functional medicine: why detox protocols often backfire, especially in patients with chronic illness. Should detox ever be the first step in care? What happens when you mobilize years of stored toxins without first making sure the body can handle it?

This episode challenges the common urge to “cleanse” as a quick fix and instead offers a deeper look at how biotransformation actually works. Tracy walks through the difference between acute exposure and chronic overload, the risks of aggressive detox, and the science behind supporting phase two detox pathways from a place of strength. She also highlights the toxins hiding in plain sight, from dryer sheets to personal care products, and the role of nutrient depletion in keeping patients stuck.

For practitioners who want to move past protocol-driven care and into true partnership with their patients, this episode is a reminder: real change happens when people understand what’s happening in their body and feel confident enough to do something about it.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Missteps in Detox Protocols

01:05 Chronic Toxic Overload vs. Acute Exposure

04:10 Safe and Targeted Detoxification

06:08 Why the Body Stores Toxins

09:02 Detoxing from a Place of Strength

12:04 Weight Loss and Mobilized Toxins

18:11 Dose-Response Myths and Toxic Synergy

21:05 Everyday Sources of Toxic Exposure

25:06 Transdermal Absorption and Beauty Products

30:06 Individual Toxin Overload and Nutrient Needs

34:08 Hormonal and Cellular Damage from Toxins

36:06 Helping Patients Understand and Commit

43:02 Glutathione, COVID, and Detox Capacity

46:04 Personalized Support for Long COVID

54:01 Early Life Exposure and Toxic Burden

Links

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

Learn more about SAFM's practitioner training: https://schoolafm.com/our-program

Subscribe to our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@safmchannel

Access daily quick tips on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AppliedFunctionalMedicine/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm