Podcast Summary: The Dr. Josh Axe Show – "Harvard Surgeon Changes Her Mind About Modern Medicine After Autoimmune Disease"

Host: Dr. Josh Axe
Guest: Dr. Christine Profetta
Release Date: April 24, 2025
Duration: Approximately 60 minutes

1. Introduction

In this compelling episode of The Dr. Josh Axe Show, Dr. Josh Axe interviews Dr. Christine Profetta, a Harvard-trained physician and former surgeon at Cornell, who experienced a profound personal journey overcoming multiple autoimmune diseases, including Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Lyme disease. This episode delves into the shortcomings of mainstream medicine, the advantages of holistic approaches, and cutting-edge treatments that address the root causes of chronic illnesses.

2. Dr. Profetta’s Personal Journey and Shift to Holistic Medicine

Dr. Profetta opens up about her transformation from a mainstream physician reliant on pharmaceuticals to a proponent of natural and holistic medicine after battling severe autoimmune conditions.

• Quote (00:12):
  Dr. Christine Profetta: "I talk about that period of my life as like the time when I stopped drinking the Kool Aid because I was taught like Big Pharma was everything."

• Health Decline:
  Dr. Profetta recounts her time during residency, where excessive stress and an unhealthy diet led to deteriorating health, including asthma, allergies, and eventually Hashimoto's thyroiditis. She emphasizes the pivotal moment when a holistic physician, inspired by pioneers like Oscar Kruzy and Bill Walsh, helped her realize the body’s innate ability to heal.

• Quote (00:36):
  Dr. Josh Axe: "The majority of our practitioners today don't actually believe the patients can heal. That's crazy."

3. Understanding Autoimmune Diseases and Lyme Disease

The discussion pivots to the prevalence of autoimmune diseases and Lyme disease, highlighting how many individuals remain undiagnosed until a triggering event exacerbates their condition.

• Prevalence:
  Dr. Axe references a study indicating millions are unknowingly suffering from autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

• Personal Anecdote:
  He shares a personal story about testing his family for Lyme disease, where only he tested negative despite several family members being asymptomatic carriers.

• Quote (03:23):
  Dr. Christine Profetta: "I never saw myself as those things didn't equate to illness in my head at the time. They just empowered me to go on and do what I wanted to do."

4. The Role of Biofilms in Chronic Infections

A significant portion of the episode focuses on biofilms—protective layers formed by microorganisms that shield pathogens like the Lyme bacteria from conventional treatments.

• Explanation of Biofilms:
  Dr. Profetta likens biofilms to the slimy layer on rocks by a river or the residue left in a water glass left out. These structures make it challenging to eliminate infections with standard antibiotics.

• Quote (18:23):
  Dr. Professor Profetta: "The easiest explanation is one of two. The one I like is when you go to a rock on a river edge and you see that slime that's on the rock… So that's a biofilm in nature."

• Implications for Treatment:
  Conventional antibiotics often fail because they cannot penetrate these biofilms effectively, necessitating advanced treatments to disrupt them before antibiotics can work.

5. Advanced Treatment Modalities

Dr. Profetta discusses several cutting-edge treatments employed in her clinic to address chronic infections and autoimmune diseases by targeting biofilms and enhancing the body’s healing capacity.

a. Ozone Therapy and Hyperbaric Treatments

• Ozone Therapy:
  Utilized for its potent antimicrobial properties, ozone therapy enhances the body's natural oxidative burst mechanisms to kill pathogens effectively.

  • Quote (49:17):
    Dr. Christine Profetta: "Internal to our body we have phagosomes, we have lysosomes and we have these oxidative bursts as part of our killing process. So basically we're enhancing that process."

• Hyperbaric Oxygen (10 Pass):
  Increases oxygen concentration in the blood, promoting healing and further disrupting biofilms.

b. Plasma Exchange (Apheresis)

• Function:
  Plasma exchange removes up to 60-65% of circulating toxins by replacing plasma with pharmaceutical-grade albumin, significantly reducing the body’s toxic load.

  • Quote (46:58):
    Dr. Christine Profetta: "In one sitting, drop anywhere between 60 to 65% of the total toxic load that's circulating in the system."

c. Colonics

• Open vs. Closed Systems:
  Open colonics use a self-inserting device that is safer and gentler compared to traditional closed systems, which can pose risks like pressure build-up.

  • Quote (52:00):
    Dr. Christine Profetta: "The open system looks like a bathtub on an angle… there's no risk of rupture."

6. Addressing Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

Dr. Profetta emphasizes the importance of correctly diagnosing and treating thyroid conditions by focusing on the active thyroid hormone, T3, rather than just TSH levels.

• TSH vs. T3 Conversion:
  Many physicians overlook the crucial conversion of T4 to T3, often prescribing Synthroid or Levothyroxine without addressing underlying issues that impede this conversion.

• Quote (33:45):
  Dr. Christine Profetta: “Free T3 is very biologically active and critical for maintaining metabolism, mood, all sorts of things. So if that's not being specifically checked, and it rarely is, it can be missed.”

• Dietary Interventions:
  Removing gluten and other dietary changes can significantly impact thyroid health, as gluten has a substantial overlap with thyroid protein structures, exacerbating autoimmune responses.

7. Treating Co-Infections and Long COVID

Dr. Profetta highlights the complexity of treating patients with multiple infections, especially in the context of long COVID, where viral infections can disrupt the microbiome and reactivate latent pathogens.

• Long COVID:
  Often involves reactivation of pathogens like Coxsackie virus, Bartonella, and Epstein-Barr Virus, necessitating comprehensive testing and personalized treatment plans.

• Quote (63:34):
  Dr. Christine Profetta: "Covid was rough. It rocked the microbiome... set off everything that was lurking there ready to go back into your circulation."

8. The Importance of Personalized Medicine

Both Dr. Axe and Dr. Profetta advocate for personalized treatment plans tailored to individual needs rather than one-size-fits-all approaches. They emphasize the necessity of early intervention and comprehensive testing to identify and address root causes effectively.

• Quote (07:27):
  Dr. Josh Axe: "The majority of our practitioners today, treating people, don't actually believe the patients can heal. That's crazy."

• Tailored Treatments:
  Using a combination of IVs, supplements, diet changes, and advanced therapies like plasma exchange to create individualized healing protocols.

9. Dr. Profetta’s New Book: "A Nation of Unwell"

Dr. Profetta introduces her new book, A Nation of Unwell, which explores the reasons behind the rising epidemic of chronic diseases and offers insights into holistic healing approaches.

• Core Idea:
  The book questions why, despite advancements in technology and medicine, the population is increasingly unwell, advocating for a balanced approach to health that includes microbiome health, toxin reduction, and immune system support.

  • Quote (59:23):
    Dr. Christine Profetta: "Health is kind of like a seesaw. When we're trying to get somebody well and get their seesaw balanced, we have to look at the stressors on one side and then the balancers..."

10. Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Dr. Axe wraps up the episode by emphasizing the transformative power of holistic medicine and the necessity of addressing chronic illnesses at their root causes. He encourages listeners to seek out knowledgeable practitioners like Dr. Profetta who prioritize patient healing over symptom management.

• Encouragement for Listeners:
  Explore personalized and holistic treatment options for chronic conditions, autoimmune diseases, and infections to achieve optimal health and wellness.

• Call to Action:
  Dr. Axe urges listeners to check out Dr. Profetta’s book, subscribe to the podcast, and engage with the community to share personal healing stories and insights.

Key Takeaways:

• Holistic Approach: Emphasizing the body's innate ability to heal through personalized treatment plans that address underlying causes rather than just managing symptoms.

• Importance of Biofilms: Recognizing biofilms as a significant barrier to treating chronic infections like Lyme disease and the need for advanced treatments to disrupt these protective layers.

• Comprehensive Testing: Utilizing thorough testing panels to identify multiple infections and imbalances that contribute to autoimmune diseases and chronic illnesses.

• Advanced Therapies: Incorporating treatments such as ozone therapy, plasma exchange, and colonics to detoxify the body and enhance its healing mechanisms.

• Personal Empowerment: Encouraging patients to believe in their capacity to heal and to seek out practitioners who support a holistic and individualized healing journey.

Notable Quotes:

• Dr. Josh Axe (00:00): “How many people have Lyme, have autoimmune disease? Don't know it.”

• Dr. Christine Profetta (00:36): “The body's so smart, it's always doing what it thinks it needs to do to protect us.”

• Dr. Josh Axe (07:27): “The majority of our practitioners today, treating people, don't actually believe the patients can heal. That's crazy.”

• Dr. Christine Profetta (33:45): “Free T3 is very biologically active and critical for maintaining metabolism, mood, all sorts of things.”

• Dr. Christine Profetta (59:17): “It was looking at the fact that we have the microbiome and biofilm communities and the aging process is the accumulation of toxins…”

This episode serves as an insightful exploration into the limitations of conventional medicine in treating chronic and autoimmune conditions and highlights the promising potential of holistic and personalized medical practices to foster genuine healing and wellness.