Duologue with Leslie Heaney

Episode: Root Cause: Understanding Your Health - Pt. 1 with Tapp Francke
Date: February 11, 2026
Host: Leslie Heaney
Guest: Tapp Francke, Clinical Nutritionist & Co-Founder, Hampton’s Biomed

Overview

In this illuminating episode, Leslie Heaney speaks with Tapp Francke, a clinical nutritionist known for her functional and integrative approach to health and chronic illness. The conversation centers on understanding the “root cause” of health issues by exploring key concepts such as vitamins and nutrient status, the gut biome, genetics and epigenetics, and the importance of comprehensive testing before supplementing. Tapp draws on her personal journey healing from Lyme disease and offers practical insights for listeners overwhelmed by conflicting health advice.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Tapp Francke’s Personal Health Journey

• Tapp’s early life as an artist in New York was derailed by a long, undiagnosed illness ultimately revealed to be Lyme disease.
• She felt dismissed by the medical system, quoting the neurologist she saw as her “forever villain”:

  “Why does a girl like you feel the need to seek this kind of attention?” (04:01, Tapp Francke)

• Standard treatments (antibiotics) were not effective for her chronic symptoms.
• Her breakthrough came through functional and integrative care, leading to a focus on healing the body’s entire “terrain” rather than targeting just the disease.

2. The Concept of ‘Terrain’ in Health

• Tapp advocates for focusing on the environment of the body (“terrain”) as the key to managing chronic illnesses—addressing nutrition, sleep, exercise, and stress:

  “You’ve got to clean the tank. We can’t just throw medication at it.” (07:15, Tapp Francke)

• Chronic illnesses like Lyme, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, and even some cancers require this whole-body approach.

3. Initial Client Assessments: Listening to the Story

• The first consultation involves hearing the client’s life story and current complaints, which often provides more insight than testing alone.
• Visual assessments (skin color, eyes, posture) and comprehensive history are crucial.
• Chronic issues often have patterns (childhood infections, surgeries, recurring health events) that connect seemingly unrelated symptoms.

4. Testing: Tools & Their Significance

• Micronutrient Testing (Metabolomics):
  • Assesses nutrients inside and outside the cell.
  • Deficiencies can explain fatigue, headaches, and mental health issues; absorption problems may have genetic roots.
  • Quote:

    “If I look at somebody’s metabolomics and... there’s availability in those nutrients but they’re not inside the cell, then I’m going to say, well, there’s going to be a genetic component here.” (14:07, Tapp Francke)

• Gut Biome Testing:
  • Still controversial since there’s no ‘ideal’ biome, but Tapp values measuring diversity and identifying problems (e.g., aggressive bacteria).
  • Gut health is foundational to immune and brain health and regulates major neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, GABA).
• Genetic & Epigenetic (Lifestyle) Testing:
  • Genetics tell only part of the story; lifestyle, past medical interventions, and ongoing patterns influence gene expression (epigenetics).
  • Quote:

    “These genetic tests... is telling you about a tenth of the story.” (28:22, Tapp Francke)

  • Best practice: Integrate genetics, labs, client story, and nutrient/biome status for comprehensive evaluation.

5. Understanding the Gut Biome

• The gut hosts a unique, microbe-rich environment that produces most of our serotonin, a substantial portion of dopamine, and is central to immune function.
• Gut-brain connection is profound:

  “90% of the information runs up [from the gut], only 10% runs down... My argument is always who’s in charge? I think it’s your gut.” (22:25, Tapp Francke)

• Stool health is openly discussed as a key indicator—regularity, form, color, and smell matter.
• Prebiotics (fiber) feed probiotics (microbial populations), which produce postbiotics (substances measured via stool).
• Overuse of antibiotics harms gut diversity; rebuilding is essential after antibiotics.

6. Clarifying Genetics and Personalized Nutrition

• Single-gene reports (like for MTHFR) may not capture true nutrient needs—must assess real nutrient status, diet, and related genes.

• Over-supplementation (e.g., vitamin D, B vitamins) can be harmful without testing.

• Real-life example: High methylfolate can cause anxiety if certain genes slow detoxification (COMT gene example).

  “Everybody needs to be managed by somebody that knows this information … You can do harm.” (33:05, Tap Francke)

7. Common Deficiencies and Supplement Guidance

• D-deficiency is common; some also end up toxic from over-supplementing fat-soluble vitamins.
• Quote:

  “Vitamin D can also be toxic. Right. Because it’s a fat-soluble vitamin. Your body holds onto it so you can be too high.” (37:16, Tapp Francke)

• Personalized testing and professional guidance are strongly encouraged for supplement protocols.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On medical dismissal and self-advocacy:

  “He’ll forever be the villain in my story...he said ‘Why does a girl like you feel the need to seek this kind of attention?’” (03:19, Tapp Francke)

• On the gut as the ‘first brain’:

  “When you say like the gut or when I say the gut is the second brain, I’m like, it’s actually kind of the first brain, too.” (22:25, Tapp Francke)

• On supplement risks:

  “I don’t think anybody should walk into a health food store and dose themselves on supplements. Right. I think that should be guided by testing.” (33:41, Tapp Francke)

• Host’s humor:

  “I wish I took a picture of the tray in my kitchen that has...creatine...oregano oil... I mean, I don’t know what we’re doing.” (32:42, Leslie Heaney)

• On the epigenetic “puzzle”:

  “When you bring them together, that’s when I think you get the real magic.” (29:29, Tapp Francke)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Tapp’s personal story & medical dismissal: 02:24–05:00
• Terrain, “clean the tank” analogy: 06:16–07:15
• Intake process & chronic puzzle: 10:08–11:59
• Breakdown of testing (micronutrients, genetics, gut): 13:19–15:18
• Gut biome, pre/pro/postbiotics explained: 15:32–19:15
• On stool health: 19:22–21:29
• Gut-brain connection (vagus nerve): 22:10–23:11
• Why gut health is trending: 23:44–25:05
• Clarifying genetics vs. lived health: 26:46–29:28
• MTHFR gene and personalized supplementation: 30:13–32:42
• Dangers of over-supplementation & necessity of guided care: 33:05–35:07
• Common deficiencies, vitamin D, and risks of toxicity: 36:14–38:08

Takeaways for Listeners

• Don’t self-diagnose or self-dose supplements—comprehensive, personalized testing is essential.
• Nutrition, lifestyle, and a strong, diverse gut biome lay the foundation for long-term health—even (or especially) in chronic illness.
• Integrating history, visual clues, genetics, and real-time lab results offers the most powerful insight into what your unique body needs.
• Advocate for your own health and seek integrative practitioners who “listen to the story” as much as they run tests.

Next Episode Preview:
Part 2 will discuss environmental factors impacting health at home and longevity treatments proven to reduce biological age.
Release: Next week on “Duologue with Leslie Heaney.”