Biohacking Autism with Nadia Elkhatib.

Nadia Elkhatib

Hosted by Nadia Elkhatib, Biohacking Autism is the go-to podcast for parents, caregivers, and families navigating the complex world of autism. Each week, we explore the biological root causes behind the toughest challenges in autism, from autism anxiety and sleep disruption to neuroinflammation, MCAS, gut health, seizures, and nervous system dysregulation, alongside evidence-informed integrative approaches that actually help. We also cover caregiver health and longevity for parents raising autistic children, because your health matters just as much as your child's. From caregiver burnout and stress management to practical longevity strategies, these episodes are for the parent who is running on empty and ready to invest in themselves, too. Whether you're just beginning your autism journey or deep into biomedical interventions, this podcast gives you the research, the real talk, and the practical tools to make informed decisions for your child and for yourself. Popular Topics Include: autism anxiety, autism sleep, gut health autism, MCAS autism, neuroinflammation, nervous system dysregulation, peptides for autism, functional medicine autism, integrative health autism, caregiver health, autism parent burnout, caregiver burnout, longevity for parents, caregiver longevity, autism supplements, sensory processing, autism diet, autism parent support, vagus nerve stimulation autism, bioregulators for autism, HRV training for caregivers This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

  1. 1d ago ·  Video

    Nonverbal Autism: My Son Started Talking at 8 (Autism Recovery Story)

    My son was nonverbal. I was told he would never speak, and that if a child does not talk by five, he never will. Jimmy started talking at eight. This is the 11-minute version of my episode on autism recovery: the stories you never hear, what recovery means, how Jimmy started talking, and the five things it takes. THE FULL EPISODE (26 minutes) YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib0cyR6MJCE Podcast: episode 40, Autism Recovery Explained, in the Biohacking Autism feed THE LABS TO START WITH + THE COMMUNITY WAIT LIST https://biohacking-autism.kit.com/d9c8b01fd7 One sign-up. You get the exact baseline panel from this episode in one email, the episode summaries every week, and, if you tick the box, a place on the wait list for the private community. IN THIS VERSION The recovery stories you never see on social media, and why Two sons, same house, same protocol, one recovered What recovery means and what it does not (the truck analogy) Where Jimmy is today, 22 years in The speech window I was given at Stanford, and why there is no window How Jimmy started talking at eight: Dr. Klinghardt and Babesia The five things it takes, in order Three things to do this week, not five WHAT YOU WILL HEAR Jimmy is not recovered. We have made real progress, and the work continues at 22. Artemisinin was one herb used under Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt's care alongside pharmaceuticals, for an infection that had been identified. No doses or sources are given, and this is not a recommendation to buy it. The recovery stories are what parents told me directly and what I saw myself. They are not a study. RELATED EPISODES Autism Biology From a Completely Different Point of View (the baseline): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8fnI3xC0ts The 6 Step Healing Order for Sensitive Autism Kids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEbHibq0q9g MENTIONED Jenny McCarthy, Louder Than Words · Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt · Dr. Dayan Goodenowe FURTHER READING Fein D, et al. Optimal outcome in individuals with a history of autism. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2013;54(2):195-205. PMID 23320807. Kang DW, et al. Long-term benefit of Microbiota Transfer Therapy on autism symptoms and gut microbiota. Sci Rep. 2019;9:5821. CONNECT biohackautism.com · nadia@biohackautism.com · Instagram @biohackautism · TikTok @biohackingautism · linkedin.com/in/nadiaelkhatib If you know one parent who was given a deadline and zero tools, send them this episode. DISCLAIMER One family's experience and what other parents told me directly. Not medical advice, no doses or treatment instructions. Please discuss any testing or treatment with a qualified clinician. I'm not a doctor. I'm a mother who has been doing this for more than 20 years. CHAPTERS 0:00 Recovery is possible. I've seen it. 1:24 Why you never hear these stories 2:31 Two sons, same protocol, one recovered 3:09 What recovery means 4:24 The truck analogy 4:51 Where Jimmy is today 5:33 How Jimmy started talking 6:06 Dr. Klinghardt and Babesia 7:19 The five things it takes 8:39 What to do this week 10:06 For the caregiver 10:25 The wait list This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    Nonverbal Autism: My Son Started Talking at 8 (Autism Recovery Story)

  2. 4d ago ·  Video

    Autism Recovery Explained: What It Really Means and the 5 Things It Takes (22 Years In)

    Recovery from autism is possible. I’ve seen it, and my own son isn’t there yet. This is my honest answer after 22 years: the families who got there, why you never hear about them, what recovery means, how my son started talking at eight, and the five things it takes. THE LABS TO START WITH + THE COMMUNITY WAIT LIST https://biohacking-autism.kit.com/d9c8b01fd7 One sign-up. You get the exact baseline panel from this episode in one email, the episode summaries every week, and, if you tick the box, a place on the wait list for the private community. IN THIS EPISODE The recovery stories you never see on social media, and why Two sons, same house, same protocol, one recovered What recovery means and what it does not (the truck analogy) Where Jimmy is today, 22 years in Why there is no one protocol for recovery How Jimmy started talking at eight: Dr. Klinghardt, Babesia and artemisinin The five things it takes, in order Three things to do this week, not five WHAT YOU WILL HEAR Jimmy is not recovered. We have made real progress, and the work continues at 22. Artemisinin was one herb used under Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt’s care alongside pharmaceuticals, for an infection that had been identified. No doses or sources are given, and this is not a recommendation to buy it. The recovery stories are what parents told me directly and what I saw myself. They are not a study. WATCH ON YOUTUBE https://youtu.be/Ib0cyR6MJCE RELATED EPISODES Autism Biology From a Completely Different Point of View (the baseline): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8fnI3xC0ts The 6 Step Healing Order for Sensitive Autism Kids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEbHibq0q9g MENTIONED Jenny McCarthy, Louder Than Words · Dr. Neil Nathan, The Sensitive Patient’s Healing Guide · Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt · Dr. Dayan Goodenowe FURTHER READING Fein D, et al. Optimal outcome in individuals with a history of autism. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2013;54(2):195-205. PMID 23320807. Kang DW, et al. Long-term benefit of Microbiota Transfer Therapy on autism symptoms and gut microbiota. Sci Rep. 2019;9:5821. CONNECT biohackautism.com · nadia@biohackautism.com · Instagram @biohackautism · TikTok @biohackingautism · linkedin.com/in/nadiaelkhatib If you know one parent who was given a deadline and zero tools, send them this episode. DISCLAIMER One family’s experience and what other parents told me directly. Not medical advice, no doses or treatment instructions. Please discuss any testing or treatment with a qualified clinician. I’m not a doctor. I’m a mother who has been doing this for more than 20 years. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    Autism Recovery Explained: What It Really Means and the 5 Things It Takes (22 Years In)

  3. Oct 15 ·  Video

    Are You an Autism Caregiver? Why Your Brain Health is at Risk | 34-Min Essentials

    Caregiver burnout, chronic stress and brain health: the core conversation in a 34-minute Essentials edition for caregivers who want a focused starting point. Dr. Tom O'Bryan joins Nadia Elkhatib to discuss neuroinflammation, the gut-brain axis and the caregiver's long-term health. Nadia brings her family's experience with Alzheimer's disease and more than two decades of parenting her son Jimmy, who has autism, into a conversation about the person doing the caring. This shorter edition follows Tom's framework for the stress response, systemic inflammation versus brain immune activity, blood-brain barrier function, LPS and beta-amyloid. Nadia asks about testing, patterns across years of health records, APOE4 and family history. The conversation also raises questions about overlapping biology in autism and Alzheimer's. Tom's recurring theme is learning the big picture one hour a week, rather than looking for one magic answer. For the extended discussion of food sensitivities, gluten, FODMAPs and everyday exposures, continue with the Full interview. FULL INTERVIEW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTmiaKBItGk ABOUT THE GUEST Tom O'Bryan, DC, CCN, DACBN, CIFM, is a functional medicine educator, founder of TheDr.com, and author of You Can Fix Your Brain and The Autoimmune Fix. BOOKS AND EDUCATION You Can Fix Your Brain: https://thedr.com/you-can-fix-your-brain-book/ Book and audiobook formats (Tom narrates the audiobook): https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/592179/you-can-fix-your-brain-by-dr-tom-obryan-foreword-by-mark-hyman-md/ The Autoimmune Fix: https://thedr.com/autoimmune-fix/ The Inflammation Equation, series registration: https://theinflammationequation.com/ The Gluten Summit: https://thedr.com/the-gluten-summit/ Certified Gluten-Free Practitioner training: https://glutenfreepractitioner.com/ CONNECT WITH DR. TOM + ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Website: https://thedr.com/ Email: info@thedr.com Consultations (paid service): https://thedr.com/consultations/ Root-Cause Health Deep-Dive + Readiness Form (program-fit form): https://thedr.com/rootcause/ Healthspan vs. Lifespan (commercial testing/consultation packages): https://thedr.com/healthspan-vs-lifespan/ Mentorship for practitioners, nutritionists and coaches: https://thedr.com/mentorship/ MORE RESOURCES FROM THE FULL CONVERSATION The Inflammation Equation workbook/guidebooks and access packages, including paid options: https://theinflammationequation.com/thank-you/ Showerhead-cleaning handout: https://thedr.com/shower/ The Stress of Life by Hans Selye (library record): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog/7605231/ Truly Free Home: https://trulyfreehome.com/ Glass-storage retailers mentioned: https://www.mileskimball.com/ https://www.amazon.com/ https://www.costco.com/ PectaSol is also mentioned in this edition. Product mentions are not a recommendation to copy a regimen. BIOHACKING AUTISM Website and episode library: https://biohackautism.com/ Follow the show in your podcast app and share this episode with another caregiver. DISCLOSURE This episode is not sponsored. Biohacking Autism received no payment or free products and earns no affiliate commission from these links. Tom founded TheDr.com and wrote You Can Fix Your Brain and The Autoimmune Fix; some linked resources are paid offerings. In the Full interview, he describes a friendship with the founder of Truly Free. MEDICAL DISCLAIMER This episode is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your health protocol or your child's protocol. Guest perspectives and emerging hypotheses are discussed, not established as universal explanations or individual diagnoses. This conversation does not establish that caregiving causes Alzheimer's disease. No product or program is a promised treatment or cure. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    Are You an Autism Caregiver? Why Your Brain Health is at Risk | 34-Min Essentials

  4. Oct 12 ·  Video

    Are You an Autism Caregiver? Why Your Brain Health is at Risk

    Caregiver burnout deserves more than being dismissed as "just stress." When you've spent years caring for someone else, what questions should you be asking about your own brain health? Dr. Tom O'Bryan joins Nadia Elkhatib for a full conversation about chronic stress, neuroinflammation and the gut-brain axis. Nadia brings her family's experience with Alzheimer's disease and more than two decades of parenting her son Jimmy, who has autism, into a discussion about the caregiver's long-term health. Tom shares his framework for understanding the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, systemic inflammation, the blood-brain barrier and brain immune activity. The conversation also covers LPS and beta-amyloid, APOE4 and family history, food sensitivities, gluten versus FODMAPs, and why he reviews patterns across years of test results. The practical thread is his "one hour a week" approach to learning and making gradual changes, rather than searching for a single answer. His explanations include guest perspectives and emerging hypotheses, not a diagnosis of the listener or proof that caregiving causes Alzheimer's disease. ABOUT THE GUEST Tom O'Bryan, DC, CCN, DACBN, CIFM, is a functional medicine educator, founder of TheDr.com, and author of You Can Fix Your Brain and The Autoimmune Fix. BOOKS, SERIES AND HANDOUTS You Can Fix Your Brain: https://thedr.com/you-can-fix-your-brain-book/ Audiobook, narrated by Tom (publisher's format options): https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/592179/you-can-fix-your-brain-by-dr-tom-obryan-foreword-by-mark-hyman-md/ The Autoimmune Fix: https://thedr.com/autoimmune-fix/ The Stress of Life by Hans Selye (library record): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog/7605231/ The Inflammation Equation, series registration: https://theinflammationequation.com/ Workbook/guidebooks and access packages, including paid options: https://theinflammationequation.com/thank-you/ Showerhead-cleaning handout: https://thedr.com/shower/ The Gluten Summit: https://thedr.com/the-gluten-summit/ CONNECT WITH DR. TOM + ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Website: https://thedr.com/ Email: info@thedr.com Consultations (paid service): https://thedr.com/consultations/ Root-Cause Health Deep-Dive + Readiness Form (program-fit form): https://thedr.com/rootcause/ Healthspan vs. Lifespan (commercial testing/consultation packages): https://thedr.com/healthspan-vs-lifespan/ For practitioners, mentorship: https://thedr.com/mentorship/ Certified Gluten-Free Practitioner training: https://glutenfreepractitioner.com/ HOUSEHOLD RESOURCES MENTIONED Truly Free Home: https://trulyfreehome.com/ Retailers mentioned for glass food storage: Miles Kimball: https://www.mileskimball.com/ Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/ Costco: https://www.costco.com/ Vitality C, PectaSol, B vitamins, fish oils and essential oils are also discussed. Names are provided for identification, not as a recommended regimen. BIOHACKING AUTISM Website and episode library: https://biohackautism.com/ Subscribe and share this episode with another caregiver. RELATED EPISODE MCAS Explained with Dr. Debby Hamilton: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KI678um1GY DISCLOSURE This episode is not sponsored. Biohacking Autism received no payment or free products and earns no affiliate commission from these links. Tom founded TheDr.com and wrote You Can Fix Your Brain and The Autoimmune Fix; some linked resources are paid offerings. He also describes a personal friendship with the founder of Truly Free. MEDICAL DISCLAIMER This episode is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your health protocol or your child's protocol. Guest perspectives and emerging hypotheses are discussed, not established as universal explanations or individual diagnoses. No product or program is a promised treatment or cure. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    Are You an Autism Caregiver? Why Your Brain Health is at Risk

  5. Oct 8 ·  Video

    25-MIN ESSENTIALS | Autism, AI, and Exercise: An ER Doctor and Dad on Technology That Bridges the Gaps

    This is the Essentials edition, a 25-minute cut of our conversation with Dr. Uli K. Chettipally, MD, MPH, an emergency physician, Silicon Valley entrepreneur, and father of Siri, a non-speaking young woman with autism. For the full conversation, see the full episode of Biohacking Autism in this feed. In this edition: what an intensive exercise program did for Siri after she aged out of school at 22, why Uli believes movement acts on the brain through neuroplasticity, how a VR-based exercise system developed for stroke rehabilitation became Cognitive Sensorimotor Therapy, what the n=9 feasibility study measured and what it did not, why a non-speaking person may be able to spell but not speak, how Siri reached the dean's list at College of San Mateo, and the AI Uli is training to reduce the dependence on a trained communication partner. The full episode adds Uli's story of becoming Siri's father, the outcomes study he is planning, how he uses the AI day to day, the touchless letterboard in development, and his smart-home vision for independence. Connect with the guest Sirica Center: https://www.siricacenter.com/ Dr. Uli K. Chettipally on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ulichettipally Disclosure Dr. Chettipally is the founder of Sirica Therapeutics, which develops the exercise system discussed in this episode. The system is currently used as an exercise machine and has not been evaluated by any regulatory body as a treatment for autism. The research discussed was a small feasibility study measuring tolerance, learnability, and enjoyment, not outcomes. Medical disclaimer This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Nothing in this episode is a recommendation to start, stop, or change any treatment or medication. Please work with your own qualified healthcare professionals when making decisions for yourself and your child. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    25-MIN ESSENTIALS | Autism, AI, and Exercise: An ER Doctor and Dad on Technology That Bridges the Gaps

  6. Oct 5 ·  Video

    Autism, AI, and Exercise: An ER Doctor and Dad on Technology That Bridges the Gaps

    Dr. Uli K. Chettipally, MD, MPH, is an emergency physician, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, and the father of Siri, a non-speaking young woman with autism. In this episode he explains what an intensive exercise program did for Siri after she aged out of school at 22, why he believes movement acts on the brain through neuroplasticity, and how a VR-based exercise system developed for stroke rehabilitation became Cognitive Sensorimotor Therapy. We also cover non-speaking autism and spelling to communicate: how a letterboard failed for Siri at seven and worked at eighteen, why Uli believes the challenge is motor planning rather than intelligence, how Siri got to the dean's list at College of San Mateo, and the AI he is training to reduce the dependence on a trained communication partner. What you'll hear: - Autism and exercise: what changed in anxiety, focus, and weight after Siri started an intensive program - Neuroplasticity and autism: the cognitive, sensory, and motor components of the exercise system - Why a non-speaking person may be able to spell but not speak - The n=9 feasibility study: what it measured and what it did not - Presuming competence, RPM, and letterboards - AI for autism: assistive technology for non-speaking communication - Uli's vision of independence through technology Connect with the guest Sirica Center: https://www.siricacenter.com/ Dr. Uli K. Chettipally on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ulichettipally Disclosure Dr. Chettipally is the founder of Sirica Therapeutics, which develops the exercise system discussed in this episode. The system is currently used as an exercise machine and has not been evaluated by any regulatory body as a treatment for autism. The research discussed was a small feasibility study measuring tolerance, learnability, and enjoyment, not outcomes. Medical disclaimer This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Nothing in this episode is a recommendation to start, stop, or change any treatment or medication. Please work with your own qualified healthcare professionals when making decisions for yourself and your child. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    Autism, AI, and Exercise: An ER Doctor and Dad on Technology That Bridges the Gaps

  7. Oct 1 ·  Video

    What’s Driving Inflammation in Autism? | Essentials with Dr. Horowitz

    What’s driving inflammation in autism? In this Biohacking Autism Essentials edition, Dr. Richard Horowitz walks through the core ideas from his 16-point MSIDS framework and explains how multiple biological systems may contribute to chronic inflammation and symptoms in autism. This shorter, focused edition covers: • The 16-point MSIDS framework • The six “rivers of inflammation” • Neuroinflammation and microglial activation • Gut health, leaky gut, and the microbiome • Mast cell activation and histamine • Mitochondrial dysfunction and the cell danger response • Lyme disease and Bartonella • POTS, dysautonomia, and hypermobility • Autism biomarkers including NfL, GFAP, CRP, VEGF, tau, and p-tau • Why different children may have very different biological drivers Dr. Horowitz’s MSIDS framework was developed for complex chronic illness, not specifically for autism. In this conversation, he explains how he believes the framework may help families and clinicians think more broadly about overlapping contributors to inflammation and chronic symptoms. This is the shorter Essentials edition. For the complete technical discussion, listen to the Full Episode with Dr. Richard Horowitz. CONNECT WITH DR. RICHARD HOROWITZ Get Dr. Horowitz’s new book, Ending Chronic Illness: https://cangetbetter.com/ending-chronic-illness/ Website: https://cangetbetter.com/ Medical Detective Substack: https://medicaldetective.substack.com/ Horowitz Lyme-MSIDS Questionnaire: https://msidsfoundation.org/questionnaire/ For physicians with questions about complex cases: medical@hvhac.com MEDICAL DISCLAIMER This episode is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always discuss testing and treatment decisions with a qualified healthcare professional. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    What’s Driving Inflammation in Autism? | Essentials with Dr. Horowitz

  8. Sep 28 ·  Video

    The 16 Root Causes of Inflammation in Autism with Dr. Richard Horowitz

    Autism inflammation is often discussed as if it were one problem with one cause. In this episode, Dr. Richard Horowitz joins Nadia to walk through his 16-point MSIDS framework for complex chronic illness and discuss how he applies it to questions families and clinicians raise around autism. The conversation covers what Dr. Horowitz calls the six “rivers of inflammation”: infections, environmental toxins, microbiome disruption, intestinal permeability and mast-cell activation, nutrient deficiencies, and sleep. They also explore mitochondrial dysfunction and the cell danger response, neuroinflammation, POTS and dysautonomia, hypermobility, maternal inflammation, and biomarkers including CRP, VEGF, neurofilament light, GFAP, tau, and p-tau. Dr. Horowitz explains why he favors a multifactorial, symptom-guided approach rather than assuming one diagnosis has one underlying mechanism. The discussion includes Lyme and Bartonella, mold, gut-brain signaling, histamine and mast cells, mitochondria, and how different symptoms can point clinicians toward different systems to investigate. The MSIDS framework was developed for complex chronic illness, not specifically for autism. In this conversation, Dr. Horowitz discusses how he believes it may help autism families and clinicians ask broader questions about overlapping contributors to inflammation and chronic symptoms. Connect with Dr. Richard Horowitz: Get Dr. Horowitz’s new book, Ending Chronic Illness: https://cangetbetter.com/ending-chronic-illness/ MSIDS Foundation Dr. Richard Horowitz’s website: https://cangetbetter.com/ Medical Detective Substack: https://medicaldetective.substack.com/ Medical Detective Horowitz Lyme-MSIDS Questionnaire: https://msidsfoundation.org/questionnaire/ MSIDS Foundation For physicians with questions about complex cases: medical@hvhac.com Medical Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always discuss testing and treatment decisions with a qualified healthcare professional. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    The 16 Root Causes of Inflammation in Autism with Dr. Richard Horowitz
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About

Hosted by Nadia Elkhatib, Biohacking Autism is the go-to podcast for parents, caregivers, and families navigating the complex world of autism. Each week, we explore the biological root causes behind the toughest challenges in autism, from autism anxiety and sleep disruption to neuroinflammation, MCAS, gut health, seizures, and nervous system dysregulation, alongside evidence-informed integrative approaches that actually help. We also cover caregiver health and longevity for parents raising autistic children, because your health matters just as much as your child's. From caregiver burnout and stress management to practical longevity strategies, these episodes are for the parent who is running on empty and ready to invest in themselves, too. Whether you're just beginning your autism journey or deep into biomedical interventions, this podcast gives you the research, the real talk, and the practical tools to make informed decisions for your child and for yourself. Popular Topics Include: autism anxiety, autism sleep, gut health autism, MCAS autism, neuroinflammation, nervous system dysregulation, peptides for autism, functional medicine autism, integrative health autism, caregiver health, autism parent burnout, caregiver burnout, longevity for parents, caregiver longevity, autism supplements, sensory processing, autism diet, autism parent support, vagus nerve stimulation autism, bioregulators for autism, HRV training for caregivers This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

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