Chronic & Thriving - Unfiltered, with Avani Health Hub

Elaine @ Avani Health Hub
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Welcome to Chronic & Thriving - Unfiltered, a podcast about living with chronic illness, asking better questions and exploring health beyond a single approach. I’m Elaine, founder of Avani Health Hub, and this podcast follows my own health journey - from discovering I carry two copies of APOE4 and questioning what that might mean for my future Alzheimer’s risk, through Graves’ disease, functional medicine, gut health, mould and CIRS, and eventually rheumatoid arthritis. It hasn’t been a neat journey, and I don’t intend to tell it as though it was. I’ve experienced conventional healthcare at its very best, and times when I’ve left frustrated or still searching for answers. I’ve explored functional and integrative medicine, nutrition, lifestyle change and complementary approaches. I’ve tried things that helped, things that didn’t, and things I’m still not sure about. I’ve questioned medication, resisted it and, at times, realised that medication was exactly what I needed. That’s why this podcast is Unfiltered. In each episode, I’ll try to separate three things: what I’ve experienced, what the evidence tells us, and what we still don’t know. We’ll explore autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s and brain health, genetics, gut health, mould and CIRS, inflammation, nutrition, functional and integrative medicine, lifestyle, nervous-system health, complementary therapies and the realities of navigating healthcare when your health becomes complicated. I’m not here to tell you I’ve found the answer. I’m sharing what I’m learning — including the mistakes, changing opinions, difficult decisions and unanswered questions - in the hope that it helps you feel better informed and more confident asking questions about your own health. Because sometimes better health starts with understanding that there may be more to explore. New episodes released fortnightly. Disclaimer: Chronic & Thriving - Unfiltered shares personal experience and health information for educational purposes only. I am not a medical professional, and the podcast does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. My experience is not evidence that an approach will work for someone else. Always seek advice from an appropriately qualified healthcare professional before making decisions about your health, medication or treatment. Avani Health Hub is a health information and practitioner directory and does not provide medical advice or diagnosis.

Episodes

  1. 4d ago

    Can Alzheimer's Be Prevented?

    My nan had Alzheimer's.  My mum has Alzheimer's.  And I have two copies of APOE4. So, am I next? Or is there actually something I can do to prevent it?....... In this episode, I'm exploring one of the most personal questions I've ever asked -  Can Alzheimer's actually be prevented, delayed or even reversed? I look at what APOE4 really means, why Alzheimer's can begin developing years before symptoms appear, and the growing research into lifestyle, metabolic health and personalised approaches to cognitive decline. I also explore the work of Dr Dale Bredesen and Dr Heather Sandison, including studies reporting improvements in cognitive function, alongside major research such as FINGER, US POINTER and ACTIVE. And I share something much closer to home: the conversation I wish I'd been able to have with Mum when her memory problems first began. In this episode What Alzheimer's is, how it differs from dementia, and when memory changes deserve investigation.APOE4 genetics, family history and why increased risk isn't a guarantee.The 14 potentially modifiable dementia risk factors identified by the 2024 Lancet Commission.Conventional treatments, including memantine and newer anti-amyloid medicines.Dr Dale Bredesen's PreCODE and ReCODE programmes and the research behind them.Dr Heather Sandison's research into personalised approaches to cognitive impairment.What the WHO, FINGER and US POINTER research tells us about addressing multiple risk factors.Brain training, the ACTIVE trial, diet and supplements.Why it's never too early to start thinking about brain health - and why getting help for memory problems matters.My own experience of balancing Alzheimer's prevention with rheumatoid arthritis and chronic illness.Further reading, research & resources Dr Dale Bredesen - The End of Alzheimer's The book that helped change how I thought about Alzheimer's, cognitive decline and the possibility of addressing multiple contributing factors. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/551532/the-end-of-alzheimers-by-dale-e-bredesen-md/ Free 15 Minute CVQ Assessment From Dr Dale Bredesen (online) https://www.apollohealthco.com/know-your-cq/ Bredesens Seven Strategies to Optimise Brain Health - https://www.apollohealthco.com/the-bredesen-seven/ Bredesen's 25 person pilot study (2022) Research reporting cognitive improvements in participants with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer's following a personalised programme. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9484109/ Bredesen's randomised controlled trial - 73 participants (2026 preprint) An encouraging next step in investigating personalised interventions, with positive results on several cognitive measures. At the time of recording, the report was available as a preprint rather than a peer-reviewed journal publication. https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/202512.2694 Dr Heather Sandison - personalised lifestyle intervention (2023) A published study reporting improvements in several cognitive assessments following a six-month programme. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37355891/ FINGER Trial - Finland (2015) A landmark randomised trial investigating a combination of nutrition, exercise, cognitive training and vascular risk management. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25771249/ US POINTER Trial (2025) A major US trial comparing structured and self-guided multidomain lifestyle interventions for cognitive health. https://www.alz.org/us-pointer/study-results ACTIVE Trial - 20-year follow-up (2026) Research investigating whether particular types of cognitive training were associated with fewer subsequent dementia diagnoses. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12884427/ World Health Organization - Dementia Risk Reduction Guidelines (2026) Updated recommendations on lifestyle, health conditions, environmental risk factors and tailored multidomain interventions. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240123557 The Lancet Commission - Dementia Prevention, Intervention and Care (2024) The report identifying 14 potentially modifiable risk factors associated with an estimated 45% of dementia cases worldwide. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01296-0 Alzheimer's Research UK - Reducing Your Risk of Dementia Practical, research-informed information about brain health and factors we may be able to influence. https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/dementia-information/reducing-your-risk/ Alzheimer's Research UK - Genes and Dementia Risk Information about the role of genetics alongside lifestyle, age and environmental factors. https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/dementia-information/genes-and-dementia/can-i-reduce-my-risk-of-dementia/ Dementia information and support Alzheimer's Society - Dementia Support Line Advice and practical support for people living with dementia, their families and carers. 0333 150 3456 https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/dementia-support-line Dementia UK - Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline Free specialist dementia nursing advice and support. 0800 888 6678 https://www.dementiauk.org/information-and-support/how-we-can-support-you/admiral-nurse-dementia-helpline/ Explore Avani Health Hub Interested in learning more about lifestyle, functional and integrative approaches to health? Visit Avani Health Hub to explore health information and discover practitioners offering different approaches to supporting health and wellbeing https://www.avanihealthhub.co.uk/search_results?sid=32&tid=732 https://www.avanihealthhub.co.uk/ Stay connected If you've enjoyed this episode, please follow Chronic & Thriving - Unfiltered so you don't miss future conversations. And if you know somebody who's concerned about their brain health, or supporting a loved one with Alzheimer's or dementia, please consider sharing this episode with them. Sometimes a conversation is the beginning of asking better questions. This podcast shares personal experiences, research and educational information. It is not a substitute for individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you're experiencing persistent memory changes, speak to your GP. If any of this resonates with you, I would love for you to join me on this journey, so please subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it with anyone who might need it. If you have questions or topics you’d like me to cover, send me a message on social media or avanihealthhub.co.uk – I would love to hear from you!  You can also find me on Instagram and Facebook!!

  2. Oct 7

    The Test Results That Sent Me Down a Rabbit Hole

    “At my most hypervigilant, I was putting white wine vinegar up my nostrils to stop mould spores from going up my nose. How does a well intentioned decision to get healthier turn into that level of paranoia?” At the end of 2023, I decided I wanted to take my health more seriously. I knew I carried two copies of APOE4, my mum’s Alzheimer’s was progressing, and I wanted to understand what I could do to look after my future health. That decision took me back to Dr Dale Bredesen’s work and eventually into KetoFlex, Apollo Health and ReCODE. What followed was an enormous amount of testing and a report full of results and markers I had never heard of before. Some were familiar. Others, such as homocysteine and C4a, sent me searching for answers. When my C4a came back at around 19,800, compared with an upper range of around 2,800 on my report, I wanted to understand why. That led to CIRS, urine mycotoxin testing and a high Ochratoxin A result  and suddenly I was looking at food, coffee, mould, my house and even the seal around my washing machine completely differently. In this episode, I share what happened when a genuine attempt to become healthier gradually turned into hypervigilance. I explore what the tests told me, what they couldn’t tell me, the things I tried along the way, and why I've since had to find a better balance between being proactive about my health and becoming frightened of everything around me. In this episode Why I returned to Dr Dale Bredesen’s approach to brain healthMy experience of KetoFlex, Apollo Health and ReCODEWhat happened when my health testing went far beyond standard blood testsWhy my homocysteine result mattered to me and what happened when I retested itThe C4a result that stopped me in my tracksHow CIRS entered my vocabulary for the first timeWhat my urine mycotoxin test reportedWhat Ochratoxin A is and why finding it didn't tell me where it had come fromHow mould and mycotoxins became an increasing focusThe changes I made to food, coffee and my homeMy experience with activated charcoal, infrared sauna, dry body brushing and other approaches I triedHow being proactive about my health gradually tipped into hypervigilanceWhy I eventually realised I needed professional help to make sense of it allWhat I know now, what I still don’t know, and why I’m continuing to investigateMentioned in this episode Dr Dale BredesenThe End of Alzheimer’sApollo Health and ReCODEKetoFlexC4aChronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS)Ochratoxin A and mycotoxin testingToxic by Dr Neil NathanDr Jill CristaERMI home testingExplore Avani Health Hub and discover professionals working across functional, integrative, lifestyle and complementary health: avanihealthhub.co.uk This podcast shares my personal experience and the information I have learned along the way. It is not a substitute for personalised medical or nutritional advice. If any of this resonates with you, I would love for you to join me on this journey, so please subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it with anyone who might need it. If you have questions or topics you’d like me to cover, send me a message on social media or through Avani Health Hub - I would love to hear from you! You can also find me on Instagram and Facebook. If any of this resonates with you, I would love for you to join me on this journey, so please subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it with anyone who might need it. If you have questions or topics you’d like me to cover, send me a message on social media or avanihealthhub.co.uk – I would love to hear from you!  You can also find me on Instagram and Facebook!!

  3. Sep 23

    Episode 3 - The Unhealthy Vegan

    The Unhealthy Vegan - When Eating Vegan Doesn’t Mean Eating Plants “I carried on calling myself vegan, but somewhere along the way, eating vegan had stopped meaning eating plants.” When you hear the word vegan, you probably picture colourful vegetables, lentils, beans, nuts and seeds. You probably don’t picture biscuits, crisps, muffins and Netflix in bed. After being diagnosed with Graves’ disease, I adopted a genuinely plant-rich, home cooked vegan diet. I looked better, had more energy and felt healthier. Then lockdown arrived and although I continued calling myself vegan, the food underneath that label changed almost completely. In this episode, I share how a daily walk to Tesco for a 'bag of goodies' became a comforting lockdown ritual, how those habits continued after lockdown ended, and the photograph that finally made me confront how much my health and weight had changed. I also explore the 'healthy halo' surrounding labels such as vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, organic, low-fat and high-protein. These labels may tell us something important about a product, but they cannot tell us whether our overall diet is balanced, nutritious or genuinely plant-rich. In this episode Why I became vegan after developing Graves’ diseaseHow a home-cooked, plant-rich diet initially helped me feel and look betterHow boredom, comfort eating and reduced movement changed my diet during lockdownThe birthday photograph and holiday wardrobe disaster - that became my turning pointWhy I stopped fearing nuts, seeds, olive oil and other healthy fatsMy move from fully vegan to a predominantly plant-based pescatarian dietThe difference between vegan, plant-based and nutritionally balancedWhy processed food is not automatically unhealthyWhat a food’s ingredients list and nutritional information can revealNutrients that need particular attention in a fully vegan dietWhy an occasional packet of crisps doesn’t erase an otherwise nourishing weekThe honest questions we can ask about our own eating habitsThis episode is not an argument against veganism. A well-planned vegan diet can be varied, nutritious and healthy. It is about looking beyond reassuring labels and asking a more useful question: What is this food and what is it contributing to the way I eat overall? Mentioned in this episode The End of Alzheimer’s by Dr Dale BredesenBritish Dietetic Association: Vegetarian, vegan and plant-based dietsNHS: What are processed foods?NHS: How to read food labelsThe NIH study comparing ultra-processed and unprocessed dietsExplore Avani Health Hub and discover professionals working across functional, integrative, lifestyle and complementary health: www.avanihealthhub.co.uk This podcast shares my personal experience and the information I have learned along the way. It is not a substitute for personalised medical or nutritional advice. If any of this resonates with you, I would love for you to join me on this journey, so please subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it with anyone who might need it. If you have questions or topics you’d like me to cover, send me a message on social media or avanihealthhub.co.uk – I would love to hear from you!  You can also find me on Instagram and Facebook!!

  4. Sep 9

    Episode 2. Graves Disease. Overactive Thyroid Symptoms, Treatment and Remission- My Story

    In 2018, just two weeks before she was due to cycle from London to Paris, Elaine went from feeling fitter than she had in years to wondering whether she would make it through the night. The diagnosis was Graves’ disease - an autoimmune condition that causes an overactive thyroid. In this episode, Elaine shares the symptoms that led to her diagnosis, including a rising resting heart rate, tremors, rapid weight loss, night sweats, frequent bowel movements, palpitations and pressure behind her eyes. She also explores: What Graves’ disease is and why it is not the same as every overactive thyroidWhat TSH, free T4, free T3 and TRAb blood results meanHow Graves’ can affect the heart and eyesWhat thyroid storm is and when symptoms may need urgent medical attentionWhy a sore throat must be reported while taking carbimazoleThe difference between block-and-replace and medication titrationBeta blockers, radioactive iodine and thyroid surgeryWhat happens when the first treatment approach does not suit youDiet, caffeine, stress, sleep and complementary approaches alongside medical careWhether lifestyle contributed to Elaine’s remissionGenetics, hormones, stress, infections, gut health and other possible Graves’ triggersWhy autoimmune diseases affect women more frequentlyWhat remission means and whether Graves’ can returnQuestions to ask your endocrinologistPractical considerations involving dental anaesthetic, iodine supplements and CT contrastElaine also reflects on the limits of what her experience can prove. Conventional medicine diagnosed and treated a potentially serious disease, while lifestyle changes helped her take a more active role in supporting her wider health. This is Elaine’s personal experience and is not medical advice. Graves’ disease requires appropriate medical assessment and treatment. Speak to your GP, endocrinologist or another qualified healthcare professional before changing medication, taking supplements or making decisions about treatment. If any of this resonates with you, I would love for you to join me on this journey, so please subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it with anyone who might need it. If you have questions or topics you’d like me to cover, send me a message on social media or avanihealthhub.co.uk – I would love to hear from you!  You can also find me on Instagram and Facebook!!

  5. Aug 26

    Episode 1. The Podcast That Changed Everything

    The Podcast That Changed Everything "I'd always thought Alzheimer's was a one-way road, but if something as ordinary as sleep could influence our future brain health...what else might matter?" What if your risk of Alzheimer's isn't entirely written in your genes? In the first episode of Chronic & Thriving -  Unfiltered, I go back to 2016 and a long drive to the Lake District, when a four hour podcast about sleep and Alzheimer's completely changed the way I thought about my future health. With Alzheimer's running through my family, I'd always assumed it was a progressive disease I could do very little about. That podcast led me to Dr Dale Bredesen, The End of Alzheimer's, and eventually to genetic testing - where I discovered something I wasn't expecting: I carry two copies of the APOE4 gene. In this episode, I explore what APOE4/4 actually means, what current research tells us about lifestyle and modifiable dementia risk, the evolving evidence around Bredesen's personalised approach, and why genetic risk is not the same as certainty. I also share the less impressive part of the story -  after discovering all of this, I became overwhelmed by how much there was to change... and essentially did nothing about it for several years. My experience. What we know. What we don't know. No miracle cures, no pretending the evidence is more certain than it is - just an honest account of what started a health journey I never expected to be on. Next episode: Graves' disease - when autoimmune illness suddenly made health much more immediate. This podcast shares personal experience and general health information for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always discuss your individual health and treatment decisions with an appropriately qualified healthcare professional. If any of this resonates with you, I would love for you to join me on this journey, so please subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it with anyone who might need it. If you have questions or topics you’d like me to cover, send me a message on social media or avanihealthhub.co.uk – I would love to hear from you!  You can also find me on Instagram and Facebook!!

  6. Trailer

    Chronic & Thriving - Unfiltered Trailer

    Welcome to Chronic & Thriving - Unfiltered. This is a podcast about what it really looks like to navigate chronic illness when the answers don't always fit neatly into one box. I'm Elaine, founder of Avani Health Hub, and I'll be sharing my own health journey - from discovering my APOE4/4 Alzheimer's risk and living with Graves' disease & Rheumatoid Arthritis, to functional medicine, gut health, mould and CIRS, rheumatoid arthritis, medication, lifestyle change and plenty of health rabbit holes along the way. This isn't about conventional medicine versus alternative approaches, or pretending I've found all the answers. It's about exploring what I've experienced, what the evidence tells us, and being honest about what we still don't know. Some things have helped. Some haven't. Some I've changed my mind about. That's why it's called Unfiltered. This trailer explains why I'm starting the podcast, what you can expect, and why I believe better health starts with better questions. New episodes released fortnightly. Chronic & Thriving - Unfiltered is for information and personal experience only and is not medical advice. If any of this resonates with you, I would love for you to join me on this journey, so please subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it with anyone who might need it. If you have questions or topics you’d like me to cover, send me a message on social media or avanihealthhub.co.uk – I would love to hear from you!  You can also find me on Instagram and Facebook!!

  • 1 Trailer
    5 Episodes

Trailer

About

Welcome to Chronic & Thriving - Unfiltered, a podcast about living with chronic illness, asking better questions and exploring health beyond a single approach. I’m Elaine, founder of Avani Health Hub, and this podcast follows my own health journey - from discovering I carry two copies of APOE4 and questioning what that might mean for my future Alzheimer’s risk, through Graves’ disease, functional medicine, gut health, mould and CIRS, and eventually rheumatoid arthritis. It hasn’t been a neat journey, and I don’t intend to tell it as though it was. I’ve experienced conventional healthcare at its very best, and times when I’ve left frustrated or still searching for answers. I’ve explored functional and integrative medicine, nutrition, lifestyle change and complementary approaches. I’ve tried things that helped, things that didn’t, and things I’m still not sure about. I’ve questioned medication, resisted it and, at times, realised that medication was exactly what I needed. That’s why this podcast is Unfiltered. In each episode, I’ll try to separate three things: what I’ve experienced, what the evidence tells us, and what we still don’t know. We’ll explore autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s and brain health, genetics, gut health, mould and CIRS, inflammation, nutrition, functional and integrative medicine, lifestyle, nervous-system health, complementary therapies and the realities of navigating healthcare when your health becomes complicated. I’m not here to tell you I’ve found the answer. I’m sharing what I’m learning — including the mistakes, changing opinions, difficult decisions and unanswered questions - in the hope that it helps you feel better informed and more confident asking questions about your own health. Because sometimes better health starts with understanding that there may be more to explore. New episodes released fortnightly. Disclaimer: Chronic & Thriving - Unfiltered shares personal experience and health information for educational purposes only. I am not a medical professional, and the podcast does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. My experience is not evidence that an approach will work for someone else. Always seek advice from an appropriately qualified healthcare professional before making decisions about your health, medication or treatment. Avani Health Hub is a health information and practitioner directory and does not provide medical advice or diagnosis.

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