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Michele
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  • Medicine
  • Updated Biweekly

Functional Medicine, Hormone Health and Weight Loss with Michele Postol, CRNP 

  1. 6d ago

    Your Stress Bucket Is Full: How to Build Resilience Before You Overflow

    Send us Fan Mail Your body reacts to an overflowing inbox the same way it would react to a threat with teeth, and that’s the quiet reason so many people feel tired but wired. As September ramps up and calendars fill, we zoom out from the “Do you have a pill for this?” question and get honest about what actually moves the needle: stress resilience, the ability to respond to pressure and then recover back to baseline.  We use simple, memorable frameworks to make the physiology click, like the rubber band stress response and the stress bucket that gets filled by everything from poor sleep and caffeine to inflammation, blood sugar swings, under-fueling, chronic pain, and nonstop notifications. You’ll hear one of our favorite reality-check questions, “Does this deserve my physiology?”, plus how to keep everyday annoyances from turning into a full-body alarm.  We also connect the dots to longevity and health span through the science of allostatic load, the cumulative wear and tear of chronic activation. Then we get practical: how to use HRV and other patterns as feedback, why sleep consistency and morning light matter, how protein and steady meals can calm “anxiety-like” symptoms, how to move your body without overtraining, and how to practice turning the alarm off with breathing, prayer, meditation, time outside, and connection.  If your stress bucket feels like it’s always at the brim, listen through to the end and pick one small change to create more room. Subscribe for more integrative, root-cause health guidance, share this with someone who’s overwhelmed, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Support the show linktr.ee/harmonyhubhealth Find me at www.harmonyhubhealth.com Email me at michele@harmonyhubhealth.com

  2. Aug 31

    The Future of Functional Medicine? Inside Therapeutic Plasma Exchange

    Send us Fan Mail Microplastics, forever chemicals, autoimmune flares, long COVID, POTS, longevity medicine. A lot of big health conversations keep circling back to one surprising place: what’s floating around in our plasma. I’m introducing therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE), also known as plasma exchange or plasmapheresis, and explaining why a procedure that’s been used in hospitals for decades is now drawing attention far beyond the ICU. We start with the basics so the idea feels concrete, not scary: what plasma is, what actually happens during a TPE procedure, and why it’s not the same as donating blood. Then we get precise about what’s proven vs what’s evolving. I walk through established, guideline-supported uses in autoimmune, neurologic, and hematologic care and explain why having a diagnosis is not the same as being a candidate. Timing, disease severity, labs, cardiovascular stability, vascular access, and the right setting all matter. From there, we move into the most asked-about areas: autoimmune disease and antibody-driven illness, PANS/PANDAS in severe cases, suspected autoimmune dysautonomia and selected POTS presentations, and the emerging research around long COVID phenotypes. We also unpack environmental medicine headlines, including human data on lowering circulating microplastics after TPE and what PFAS research suggests, without pretending that lowering a level automatically prevents disease. Finally, I lay out the safety realities, why this is not a spa treatment, and how I think about combining conventional medicine with functional medicine to address both removal and root cause. If this helped you think more clearly about TPE, subscribe, share this with someone who’s been curious, and leave a review so more people can find a grounded, evidence-aware explanation. Support the show linktr.ee/harmonyhubhealth Find me at www.harmonyhubhealth.com Email me at michele@harmonyhubhealth.com

  3. Aug 24

    The Calcium Shell: Is Your Body Stuck in Survival Mode?

    Send us Fan Mail A single hair test result can spark panic fast, especially when someone sees “high calcium” and gets told they’re a “calcium shell.” We slow that all the way down and explain what hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA) can actually tell you, what it cannot diagnose, and why we never make health decisions by chasing one flagged number on a report. We walk through how hair minerals differ from blood work, why blood levels can look “normal” while symptoms persist, and how HTMA becomes most useful when you focus on mineral patterns and ratios. You’ll hear how we think about calcium to phosphorus (Ca/P) and calcium to potassium (Ca/K) as prompts to investigate energy, digestion, body temperature, and thyroid physiology, without claiming the hair test diagnoses hypothyroidism. We also dig into sodium to potassium (Na/K) and sodium to magnesium (Na/Mg) as clues about stress resilience and adaptability, then map those patterns to real symptoms people bring into clinic: chronic fatigue, brain fog, anxiety, hormonal changes, muscle tension, headaches, constipation, hair loss, and the frustration of poor recovery from exercise. From there, we connect the dots to “survival mode,” including the less-talked-about reality that stress is often physiological: inflammation, autoimmune issues, under-eating, blood sugar swings, poor sleep, overtraining, perimenopause, chronic infections, nutrient deficiencies, and years of pushing through. We also cover the practical safeguards that matter before interpreting high hair calcium, like sample contamination (hard water, pools, dyes, products) and the conventional labs and medical factors that should be considered when calcium regulation is a concern. The goal is simple: use HTMA as one piece of a bigger functional medicine puzzle so you can ask better questions and choose smarter next steps. If this resonates, subscribe, share the episode with a friend who’s been pushing too long, and leave a review so more people can find it. What symptom are you trying to get to the bottom of right now? Support the show linktr.ee/harmonyhubhealth Find me at www.harmonyhubhealth.com Email me at michele@harmonyhubhealth.com

  4. Aug 17

    From Christmas Kisses to Cancer Care: The Story of Mistletoe Therapy

    Send us Fan Mail Mistletoe is supposed to be a cute holiday tradition, but there’s a far more serious thread running through this strange evergreen plant. When I hear “mistletoe,” I don’t think party photos, I think integrative oncology, immune modulation, inflammation, and more than a century of cancer research into European mistletoe (Viscum album). That contrast is exactly why this conversation matters: it’s easy to dismiss mistletoe as nonsense or oversell it as magic, and both reactions miss the truth. I walk through the real history, including how mistletoe moved from folklore into early 20th century anthroposophic medicine and then into modern complementary cancer therapy research. We get specific about what’s inside mistletoe extracts, including mistletoe lectins and other compounds studied for effects on immune signaling, apoptosis, and inflammatory pathways. And I draw a firm line between intriguing lab results and what human outcomes can prove, because immune marker changes do not automatically mean better cancer control. Then we zoom in on the clinical evidence: trials across multiple cancers, a key focus on quality of life, and why systematic reviews can show promising signals while still flagging bias and methodology problems. I also cover practical safety points like differences between preparations (host tree matters), typical subcutaneous injection protocols, expected local reactions, possible flu-like symptoms, and why you should never DIY this. Finally, we put mistletoe in its proper place: an adjunct that may support the person receiving treatment, not a replacement for oncology care, and not an FDA-approved cancer treatment in the United States. If you care about integrative cancer care that’s grounded, nuanced, and focused on the whole person, listen now, share this with someone who needs clarity, and subscribe and leave a review so more people can find it. Support the show linktr.ee/harmonyhubhealth Find me at www.harmonyhubhealth.com Email me at michele@harmonyhubhealth.com

  5. Aug 10

    Ozone Therapy: What Is It Actually Doing in Your Body?

    Send us Fan Mail A bag of blood, a burst of ozone, and a reinfusion can look downright strange if you don’t know what you’re seeing. I’m breaking down ozone autohemotherapy in plain English: what major autohemotherapy (MAH) actually is, why it’s not “magic,” and why the most interesting part isn’t the tubing, it’s the signaling that may follow once that treated blood returns to circulation. We go deep on the science framing that makes ozone therapy worth discussing responsibly: redox signaling, hormesis, NRF2 activation, antioxidant defenses, mitochondrial function, immune communication, inflammatory pathways, and endothelial function. I explain why medical ozone is not an oxygen transfusion and why “more ozone” is not the goal. We also cover the most important safety line for anyone researching ozone treatment: you do not breathe ozone, and proper medical ozone therapy uses controlled concentrations and specific routes that avoid lung exposure. If you’ve been dealing with chronic fatigue, brain fog, post-viral symptoms, chronic inflammation, recurrent infections, or questions about EBV (Epstein-Barr virus), I share how I think about these patterns through the lens of immune modulation and overall terrain rather than simplistic “kill the pathogen” stories. I also compare routes like rectal ozone insufflation, vaginal ozone, topical ozonated oils, and ear insufflation, including where evidence is thinner and where claims online get ahead of reality. I close with the unglamorous basics that can make or break results between sessions: hydration, protein, colorful plants, minerals, blood sugar regulation, movement, sleep, and nervous system support, plus how I individualize dose and frequency instead of following one-size-fits-all social media protocols. If this helped you think more clearly about ozone autohemotherapy and functional medicine terrain, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find nuanced health education. Support the show linktr.ee/harmonyhubhealth Find me at www.harmonyhubhealth.com Email me at michele@harmonyhubhealth.com

  6. Aug 3

    The Missing Color: What Your Prysm iO Score Says About Your Health

    Send us Fan Mail Your plate might be full, but is it colorful? We keep hearing “eat your vegetables,” yet a lot of high-achieving, health-conscious people still end up with meals that are mostly beige, especially when protein goals take over the day. That’s where the nutrition gap shows up: not a lack of calories, but a lack of the plant compounds your body quietly depends on to thrive. We walk through why vegetables are more than vitamins and introduce carotenoids, the natural pigments that give plants their reds, oranges, yellows, and deep greens. These phytonutrients influence the gut microbiome, support normal immune function and inflammatory balance, and contribute to the body’s antioxidant defenses. We also share a personal wake-up call from a GI-MAP stool test that revealed low beneficial bacteria, plus a simple garden analogy that explains why probiotics aren’t a shortcut if you’re not feeding the ecosystem. Then we get practical and measurable. Prism IO is a quick, non-invasive skin scan that estimates skin carotenoid status and produces a carotenoid score that reflects longer-term habits, not one heroic salad. We explain how turning “eat the rainbow” into real data can change behavior, create motivation, and help you connect nutrition quality to goals like energy, gut resilience, and healthier-looking skin. If you’ve been guessing whether your nutrition plan is working, this is your nudge to measure, adjust, and build consistency. Subscribe, share this with a friend who lives on protein bars, and leave a review with one change you’re making to add more color this week. Support the show linktr.ee/harmonyhubhealth Find me at www.harmonyhubhealth.com Email me at michele@harmonyhubhealth.com

  7. Jul 27

    Healing One Diamond at a Time: What Diamond Dot Painting Taught Me About Functional Medicine

    Send us Fan Mail Healing doesn’t usually arrive as one big breakthrough. It shows up as tiny, repeated choices that don’t look impressive in the moment, kind of like placing one small diamond at a time on a blank canvas. We start with a personal story about crafting as therapy and why focused, repetitive hobbies can calm a stressed nervous system. After years of high-stakes healthcare work and the constant mental “rounding” that follows you home, a simple diamond dot painting became a doorway back to flow state. That quiet, peaceful focus is more than a nice feeling. It can help shift stress physiology, which touches sleep, inflammation, mood, blood sugar, and the capacity to heal. From there, we connect the dots to functional medicine and root cause healing. Symptom management can be like trying to finish a full painting using only one color. Functional medicine looks at the whole picture: nutrition, sleep, stress, hormones, minerals, gut health, trauma, toxins, genetics, inflammation, and more. We talk about why progress can feel slow, why the middle of healing can look “messier” before it looks better, and why two people with the same diagnosis (like Hashimoto’s or chronic fatigue) may need completely different plans. We also explain why we rely on advanced testing like HTMA, GI-MAP, hormone testing, organic acids, genetics, and inflammatory markers so we can stop guessing and start following your body’s roadmap. If you’ve been discouraged because your protocol isn’t working fast enough, this is your reminder to step back and see the bigger canvas. Subscribe, leave a review, share with a friend, and tell us what hobby helps your nervous system finally breathe. Support the show linktr.ee/harmonyhubhealth Find me at www.harmonyhubhealth.com Email me at michele@harmonyhubhealth.com

  8. Jul 20

    Is Mold Making You Sick? The Hidden Truth About Mycotoxins

    Send us Fan Mail Clean eating, exercise, “normal” lab work, and still feeling like you got hit by a truck is one of the most common and most invalidating patterns I see. I’m pulling back the curtain on a root cause many people never consider: mold illness and mycotoxins from water-damaged buildings. If you have chronic fatigue, brain fog, headaches, sinus issues, anxiety that seems to come out of nowhere, or you crash for days after workouts, this conversation is for you. I break down the difference between mold and mycotoxins, and why you can feel awful even if your allergist says you are not allergic to mold. We talk about how mycotoxins can dysregulate the immune system in a “gas pedal and brake pedal” way, driving inflammation while also leaving you prone to frequent infections, yeast overgrowth, or viral reactivation like EBV. I also explain why histamine intolerance can show up, with sudden reactions to wine, aged cheeses, leftovers, fragrances, and supplements you used to tolerate. Then we connect the dots to the nervous system and mitochondria. I explain why so many people feel unlike themselves, stuck in fight or flight, unable to concentrate, and exhausted even after sleep. We dig into mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress, why exercise intolerance is real, and why my approach focuses on balancing the terrain: opening drainage pathways, restoring minerals and nutrients, supporting gut and liver function, and only then considering binders and detox strategies. Finally, I walk through functional medicine testing, including urine mycotoxin testing, organic acids testing, HTMA, and comprehensive blood work, plus how I use results to build a personalized plan instead of chasing symptoms. If this helps you think differently about your health, subscribe, share the episode with someone who needs answers, and leave a review so more people can find it. Support the show linktr.ee/harmonyhubhealth Find me at www.harmonyhubhealth.com Email me at michele@harmonyhubhealth.com

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Ratings & Reviews

4.6
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Functional Medicine, Hormone Health and Weight Loss with Michele Postol, CRNP 

Information

  • Creator
    Michele
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    122
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Harmony Hub Health
  • Show Website
    Harmony Hub Health

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