We need to stop thinking of symptoms as something working against us. In this conversation with Heather Barbieri on Think Yourself Healthy, I share how symptoms are often your body’s early warning signs—intelligent signals asking for support, not something to fear or silence.
This message ties directly into what I teach in my practice and what I just covered in my latest newsletter: most cancers don’t begin as genetic defects. They start with breakdowns in detox, inflammation, mitochondrial health, and immune regulation. And the good news? That means we can do something about it.
If you’re ready to shift from fear to empowerment, and from symptom suppression to real prevention, this episode is for you.
👉 Watch the full conversation now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQnHbcOvt-E
👉 Subscribe for more insights like this.
👉 Leave a comment and share one way you’re starting to listen to your body more deeply.
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Full Transcript
Reframing Symptoms as Signals 0:02
I do want to say one thing to you, he I do want to say one thing to you, he just said the circumstances working just said the circumstances working just said the circumstances working against your health. I'm going to say against your health. I'm going to say against your health. I'm going to say the circumstances are signs that your the circumstances are signs that your the circumstances are signs that your body is sending you that something isn't body is sending you that something isn't body is sending you that something isn't right. So that's not working against right. So that's not working against right. So that's not working against you. It's working for you. You're being you. It's working for you. You're being you. It's working for you. You're being shown. You're being led into areas where shown. You're being led into areas where shown. You're being led into areas where your body is saying need to find out your body is saying need to find out your body is saying need to find out what is going on here. So let's I know what is going on here. So let's I know what is going on here. So let's I know that's what your podcast is about. And I that's what your podcast is about. And I that's what your podcast is about. And I am so let's think yourself healthy, but am so let's think yourself healthy, but am so let's think yourself healthy, but I also want you to speak yourself I also want you to speak yourself I also want you to speak yourself healthy and not use, you know, we it's healthy and not use, you know, we it's healthy and not use, you know, we it's hard for us not to use terminologies hard for us not to use terminologies hard for us not to use terminologies like it's working against me, right? Um like it's working against me, right? Um like it's working against me, right? Um those signs are working for us. That's those signs are working for us. That's those signs are working for us. That's the first and and these are again all the first and and these are again all the first and and these are again all the reasons I love you and the ability the reasons I love you and the ability the reasons I love you and the ability to call me out and help me recognize my to call me out and help me recognize my to call me out and help me recognize my own conditioning because we all need, own conditioning because we all need, own conditioning because we all need, you know, it's it's so unconsciously you know, it's it's so unconsciously you know, it's it's so unconsciously there that I forget the message I just there that I forget the message I just there that I forget the message I just sent to myself.
sent to myself. sent to myself. Yeah, that's right. That's right. You
Health, Conditioning, and the Body's Wisdom 0:55
Yeah, that's right. That's right. You Yeah, that's right. That's right. You know, the body is so amazing. Uh when we know, the body is so amazing. Uh when we know, the body is so amazing. Uh when we take out what shouldn't be there and put take out what shouldn't be there and put take out what shouldn't be there and put in what should, it can heal most if not in what should, it can heal most if not in what should, it can heal most if not all things. So, just remembering the all things. So, just remembering the all things. So, just remembering the power of you and and just thanking your power of you and and just thanking your power of you and and just thanking your body for these symptoms that may be I body for these symptoms that may be I body for these symptoms that may be I truly appreciate the redirect. So, thank truly appreciate the redirect. So, thank truly appreciate the redirect. So, thank you.
you. you. Sure. I truly do. So, um yeah. So, what Sure. I truly do. So, um yeah. So, what Sure. I truly do. So, um yeah. So, what have you been up to? What is what is all have you been up to? What is what is all have you been up to? What is what is all this stuff around cancer and oncology this stuff around cancer and oncology this stuff around cancer and oncology that you know you have insight to that that you know you have insight to that that you know you have insight to that most people don't right I I will tell most people don't right I I will tell most people don't right I I will tell you people ask me what do I specialize you people ask me what do I specialize you people ask me what do I specialize in and I say health I don't care if it's in and I say health I don't care if it's in and I say health I don't care if it's cardiovascular disease if it's weight cardiovascular disease if it's weight cardiovascular disease if it's weight management if it's hormones it doesn't management if it's hormones it doesn't management if it's hormones it doesn't matter cancer it's about individual look matter cancer it's about individual look matter cancer it's about individual look at the individual see what those at the individual see what those at the individual see what those symptoms and signs are find the root of symptoms and signs are find the root of symptoms and signs are find the root of the problem and fix it but oncology is the problem and fix it but oncology is the problem and fix it but oncology is specifically interesting because for specifically interesting because for specifically interesting because for years I thought no no I don't want to go years I thought no no I don't want to go years I thought no no I don't want to go there that's not going to be my there that's not going to be my there that's not going to be my specialty. I was in pain management, specialty. I was in pain management, specialty. I was in pain management, hormones, sports medicine, all this. I'm hormones, sports medicine, all this. I'm hormones, sports medicine, all this. I'm like, "No, no, no. Don't want to do it."
like, "No, no, no. Don't want to do it." like, "No, no, no. Don't want to do it." Then, as you know, one in two people
Cancer as a Metabolic Disease 1:57
Then, as you know, one in two people Then, as you know, one in two people will have cancer in their life. And so, will have cancer in their life. And so, will have cancer in their life. And so, pretty soon, it was right there and I pretty soon, it was right there and I pretty soon, it was right there and I had to learn more about it. And I read a had to learn more about it. And I read a had to learn more about it. And I read a book, um, it's been, oh, I don't know, book, um, it's been, oh, I don't know, book, um, it's been, oh, I don't know, 15, 18 years ago now, and it's a good 15, 18 years ago now, and it's a good 15, 18 years ago now, and it's a good book to recommend, Tripping Over the book to recommend, Tripping Over the book to recommend, Tripping Over the Truth by Travis Christopherson. Okay.
Truth by Travis Christopherson. Okay. Truth by Travis Christopherson. Okay. I'm not And the book Yeah, it's a great I'm not And the book Yeah, it's a great I'm not And the book Yeah, it's a great book. It's a good read, too. it. It's book. It's a good read, too. it. It's book. It's a good read, too. it. It's fun to read. But um it it let me and fun to read. But um it it let me and fun to read. But um it it let me and many of us read that clinicians, doctors many of us read that clinicians, doctors many of us read that clinicians, doctors and said, "Whoa, wait a minute." We were and said, "Whoa, wait a minute." We were and said, "Whoa, wait a minute." We were under the pressure and impression and under the pressure and impression and under the pressure and impression and most oncologist and most research is most oncologist and most research is most oncologist and most research is still geared toward let's study DNA.
still geared toward let's study DNA. still geared toward let's study DNA. Let's study genetics that cancer is a Let's study genetics that cancer is a Let's study genetics that cancer is a genetic disease. Well, we're challenging genetic disease. Well, we're challenging genetic disease. Well, we're challenging that now. There's very few cancers, a that now. There's very few cancers, a that now. There's very few cancers, a small percentage that are actually small percentage that are actually small percentage that are actually genetic. Some might be hereditary, but genetic. Some might be hereditary, but genetic. Some might be hereditary, but just because you have a DNA blueprint just because you have a DNA blueprint just because you have a DNA blueprint doesn't mean you're going to express doesn't mean you're going to express doesn't mean you're going to express that. We can turn down the bad genes and that. We can turn down the bad genes and that. We can turn down the bad genes and turn up the good ones. It's called turn up the good ones. It's called turn up the good ones. It's called epigenetics. The majority of cancers, if epigenetics. The majority of cancers, if epigenetics. The majority of cancers, if not all really, even before the DNA not all really, even before the DNA not all really, even before the DNA damage happens, is a metabolic disorder.
damage happens, is a metabolic disorder. damage happens, is a metabolic disorder. So what does that mean? So that book So what does that mean? So that book So what does that mean? So that book open the eyes into Tom Seaff's work, Dr. open the eyes into Tom Seaff's work, Dr. open the eyes into Tom Seaff's work, Dr. Tom Seaff Freed at the University of Tom Seaff Freed at the University of Tom Seaff Freed at the University of Boston at Boston College and uh Dominic Boston at Boston College and uh Dominic Boston at Boston College and uh Dominic Dagustinino's work who's being who is Dagustinino's work who's being who is Dagustinino's work who's being who is funded by the Department of Defense and funded by the Department of Defense and funded by the Department of Defense and funded by uh NASA and other agencies NIH funded by uh NASA and other agencies NIH funded by uh NASA and other agencies NIH and it was like wow okay you remember
Mitochondria, Research, and Treatment Challenges 3:24
and it was like wow okay you remember and it was like wow okay you remember Heather in school when you were studying Heather in school when you were studying Heather in school when you were studying the cell and inside the cell there was the cell and inside the cell there was the cell and inside the cell there was an organal an organ called the an organal an organ called the an organal an organ called the mitochondria the mitochondria is what mitochondria the mitochondria is what mitochondria the mitochondria is what produces the ATP that's energy black and produces the ATP that's energy black and produces the ATP that's energy black and white that's What happens? Well, when white that's What happens? Well, when white that's What happens? Well, when there's damage to that mitochondria, there's damage to that mitochondria, there's damage to that mitochondria, that respiration or that that ATP and that respiration or that that ATP and that respiration or that that ATP and how it's being produced, that's the how it's being produced, that's the how it's being produced, that's the damage that we see linked to cancer. So, damage that we see linked to cancer. So, damage that we see linked to cancer. So, we're refraraming the mindset and the we're refraraming the mindset and the we're refraraming the mindset and the research that's coming out that cancer research that's coming out that cancer research that's coming out that cancer is a metabolic disease, not a genetic is a metabolic disease, not a genetic is a metabolic disease, not a genetic one. So, that is first is very big. So one. So, that is first is very big. So one. So, that is first is very big. So now that's why when the papers are out now that's why when the papers are out now that's why when the papers are out on press pulse that means you know on press pulse that means you know on press pulse that means you know cancer is smart. It knows how to get cancer is smart. It knows how to get cancer is smart. It knows how to get around chemotherapy. That's why we have around chemotherapy. That's why we have around chemotherapy. That's why we have to do it for so long. Either the to do it for so long. Either the to do it for so long. Either the chemotherapy is too toxic and you have chemotherapy is too toxic and you have chemotherapy is too toxic and you have to stop it or the cancer is just not to stop it or the cancer is just not to stop it or the cancer is just not responding. is pretty snaking.
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