Brain Body Reset

Spencer Zimmerman
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Medicine
  • Updated Weekly

Beyond the diagnosis and symptoms, there's a path to feeling better. Dive into the world of brain-body connection and learn how to optimize your health.

  1. 2d ago

    Long COVID & MCAS: What’s Keeping You Sick? With Dr. Novack

    Brain fog. Exhaustion. Dizziness. Food reactions. Symptoms that flare without an obvious reason. If you’re living with long COVID or mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), you may have collected diagnoses and tried multiple treatments without understanding why you still feel so sick. In this episode of Brain Body Reset, Dr. Spencer Zimmerman sits down with long COVID researcher and immunology educator Dr. Novack PhD to explore what may be keeping that cycle going, and the research investigating ways to interrupt it. Dr. Novack shares findings from his clinical trial examining a no-added-sugar diet and fasting in people with long COVID. We discuss autophagy, your cells’ internal cleanup and recycling process, and why researchers are interested in its potential role in persistent symptoms. We also connect the dots between mast cells, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and the nervous system to help you better understand symptoms that are too often treated in isolation. You’ll hear about: Why mast cells do much more than release histamine, and why that matters when antihistamines only help so much.How mast cell activity and autonomic dysfunction may influence each other in MCAS and POTS.The possible role of persistent virus in long COVID, and the limitations of current testing.How damaged mitochondria may contribute to fatigue and post-exertional malaise.Mast cell stabilizers, including cromolyn and ketotifen, and emerging treatment research.Why nutrition, sleep, and individual treatment responses deserve a place in the conversation.If you’ve been told to manage each symptom separately, this conversation offers a more connected way to understand what may be happening and questions to bring to your healthcare team. This episode discusses emerging research and proposed mechanisms, not established cures. Fasting is not appropriate for everyone, and changes to fasting or medication should be discussed with your treating clinician.

  2. Sep 26

    Neuro-EDS: What's this new hEDS subtype?

    Have you been diagnosed with hEDS and have a variety of neurological symptoms and findings? Maybe you struggle with: chronic fatigue, brain fog, headaches/migraines, dizziness, light/noise sensitivity and more. Your imaging suggest chiari malformation or cranio-cervical instability. A recent research article is proposing for a new subtype to hEDS, known as Neuro-EDS. This is meant to better capture what is happening. To learn more about our approach to EDS: https://peakbrainandbody.com/conditions/eds/

  3. Sep 14

    Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Is More Than Hypermobility: The Neurological Side of EDS

    Most conversations about Ehlers-Danlos syndrome focus on joint hypermobility, ligament laxity, pain, and the musculoskeletal system. But is that enough to explain the brain fog, fatigue, dizziness, headaches, sensory overload, anxiety, and autonomic symptoms many people with EDS experience? In this episode, Dr. Spencer Zimmerman NP, DC, DACNB reviews a 2025 research paper exploring the neurological and neuropsychological side of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. You’ll learn about: The 13 recognized EDS subtypes and why hypermobile EDS receives the most attentionBrain structural differences associated with EDSChiari malformation and craniocervical instabilitySmall fiber neuropathy and autonomic dysfunctionThe overlap between EDS, POTS, and reduced cerebral blood flowHow impaired proprioception may affect balance, coordination, joint stability, and injury riskThe roles of interoception, sensory processing, and neurological efficiencyWhy anxiety, panic disorders, depression, ADHD, and autism are discussed in EDS researchHow the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, insula, anterior cingulate cortex, cerebellum, and brainstem may contribute to symptomsWhy normal structural imaging does not necessarily rule out impaired neurological functionThe presence of a structural finding such as Chiari malformation or craniocervical instability does not automatically mean it explains every symptom. At the same time, treating EDS as purely a joint and connective-tissue condition may leave major pieces of the problem unaddressed. This episode explains why people with EDS may need an integrated approach that considers the musculoskeletal system, nervous system, autonomic regulation, mental health, blood flow, immune function, and the way the brain processes information from the body. Educational only and not personal medical advice. https://peakbrainandbody.com/conditions/eds/

  4. Sep 5

    POTS Update 2026: What the Latest Research Gets Right and Misses

    POTS is not one condition with one cause and treating the elevated heart rate alone often fails to address why someone remains sick. In this episode, Dr. Spencer Zimmerman breaks down a major POTS review published in August 2026 and translates the findings into language patients and families can understand. He explains the different processes that may contribute to POTS, including small fiber and autonomic neuropathy, low blood volume, excessive sympathetic activation, and impaired blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain. You’ll also learn why normal oxygen saturation and blood pressure readings do not necessarily mean the brain is receiving adequate blood flow, which conditions most commonly overlap with POTS, and why migraines and irritable bowel syndrome may deserve more attention than they currently receive. The episode also examines standard POTS treatments—including exercise, fluids, salt, compression garments, dietary changes, and medications—along with medications that may worsen symptoms. Finally, Dr. Zimmerman discusses what the current research may be missing, including vestibular and eye-movement dysfunction, cervical integration, overlooked lab findings, hormonal changes, and why neurological rehabilitation may need to come before traditional cardiovascular conditioning for some patients. To learn more: https://peakbrainandbody.com/conditions/pots-dysautonomia/

  5. Aug 22

    POTS, Orthostatic Hypotension, or Neurocardiogenic Syncope? How to Tell the Difference

    If you become dizzy, nauseous, weak, foggy, or feel like you might pass out when you stand, it is easy for everything to get labeled as POTS. But POTS is only one form of orthostatic intolerance. In this episode, Dr. Spencer Zimmerman breaks down the differences between POTS, orthostatic hypotension, and neurocardiogenic syncope. These conditions can cause very similar symptoms, but the changes in heart rate, blood pressure, and neurological regulation do not follow the same pattern. You’ll learn: What should normally happen to your circulation when you standHow POTS, orthostatic hypotension, and neurocardiogenic syncope are diagnosedWhy the timing of heart-rate and blood-pressure changes mattersWhich of these conditions can occur together—and which cannotWhy cardiac testing is still important, even when it comes back normalHow dehydration, anemia, medications, neurological conditions, and other factors can contributeWhy salt, fluids, compression, exercise, and medications help some people but not everyoneWhy receiving the correct diagnosis is only the beginning of understanding what you need to improveIf you have been diagnosed with dysautonomia but still do not understand why you are struggling or why the standard recommendations have only helped partially; this episode will help you see what may still be missing. This episode is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Speak with your healthcare provider before changing medications or treatment. To learn more: https://peakbrainandbody.com/conditions/pots-dysautonomia/

  6. Aug 14

    POTS: Why It's Not About Your Heart Rate

    It is slightly too long for a podcast episode description. The content is good, but I’d tighten it so someone can understand the episode quickly without feeling like they have already consumed it. If your heart races every time you stand—but your cardiac testing keeps coming back normal—the heart may not be the real problem. POTS is diagnosed by changes in heart rate, but research suggests that the heart-rate increase may be a response to something happening earlier: an excessive drop in cerebral blood flow when you become upright. In this episode, Dr. Spencer Zimmerman explains why this matters, how the brain and autonomic nervous system normally regulate blood flow, and how impaired regulation may contribute to dizziness, brain fog, fatigue, shortness of breath, digestive problems, temperature intolerance, and other symptoms. You’ll also learn why salt, electrolytes, compression, and medications may help without fully explaining—or addressing—why you remain stuck. If you have POTS or dysautonomia and feel like no one has connected all your symptoms, this episode will help the bigger picture make more sense.

  7. Jun 18

    Long COVID Isn't a Mystery — Here's the Research Showing What's Actually Happening in Your Brain

    If you've been told there's nothing more to do for your long COVID, or that the research just isn't there yet, this episode pushes back on both claims.  Dr. Zimmerman NP, DC, DACNB breaks down one of the most comprehensive 2025 research papers on the neurological effects of long COVID, walking through what's actually driving symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, dizziness, mood changes, and post-exertional malaise.  He covers the imaging and lab findings showing real, measurable brain changes, the overlapping mechanisms long COVID shares with POTS, MCAS, EDS, ME/CFS, and post-concussion syndrome, and why treating these as separate, isolated diagnoses keeps people stuck.  You'll learn why a single test or single treatment was never going to be the answer, what a layered, multimodal approach actually looks like, and why most people aren't failing because they're "defective" — they're failing because the approach they were given wasn't built for the complexity of what's really going on. This is research translated into something you can actually use, and a roadmap for the conversation to have with any provider willing to dig in with you.

  8. Mar 28

    Why You Still Feel Dizzy (Even After “Normal” Tests) | The Real Causes of Chronic Dizziness

    Dizziness is one of the most common symptoms people struggle with… and one of the most misunderstood. If you’ve been told everything looks “normal,” yet you still feel off, this episode explains why. Instead of chasing a single cause, we break down a more accurate framework — looking at how dizziness can come from metabolic issues, inflammation, the immune system, vascular changes, the neck, and ultimately how the brain processes it all.  You’ll learn:  Why “normal labs” don’t always mean normal function  Why treatments work for some people but not others  The overlooked role of the brain, vision, and vestibular system  And why there’s no one-size-fits-all fix If you’re tired of guessing and want to understand what’s actually driving your symptoms, this episode will give you a completely different lens to look through. https://peakbrainandbody.com

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Beyond the diagnosis and symptoms, there's a path to feeling better. Dive into the world of brain-body connection and learn how to optimize your health.

Information

  • Creator
    Spencer Zimmerman
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    40
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Brain Body Reset
  • Show Website
    Brain Body Reset

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