Take Back Your Health®

What if the brain’s future is shaped by more than genetics and age? In this episode of Take Back Your Health®, Dr. Amy Myers reconnects with neurologist and author Dr. David Perlmutter to discuss the brain’s immune system, metabolism, inflammation, and the lifestyle factors that may influence cognitive health.

Dr. Perlmutter joins Dr. Amy to discuss his newest book, Brain Defenders, and the role of microglia, the brain’s immune cells. They explore immunometabolism, blood sugar, sleep, exercise, diet, perimenopausal hormone changes, APOE4, and why brain-health work may need to begin long before symptoms appear.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

How microglia can shift between supportive and more destructive states

Why blood sugar, insulin, A1C, inflammation, sleep, and exercise matter for brain health

What Dr. Perlmutter discusses about P-tau217, homocysteine, and related markers

Why cognitive-health habits may need to begin in the 30s and 40s

How estrogen changes during menopause may interact with synapses and microglia

Why genetics can influence risk without determining your future

The role of diet, movement, mitochondria, hyperbaric oxygen, and social connection

About Dr. David Perlmutter

Dr. David Perlmutter is a board-certified neurologist and author whose work focuses on brain health, nutrition, metabolic health, and neurodegenerative disorders. His newest book, Brain Defenders, focuses on the brain’s immune cells and their relationship to long-term brain health.

Resources and People Mentioned

Dr. David Perlmutter’s official website: https://drperlmutter.com/

Brain Defenders official book website: https://braindefenders.com/

Dr. David Perlmutter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidperlmutter/?hl=en

Connect with Dr. Myers

Website: https://www.dramymyers.com/

Inner Circle: https://www.drmyersinnercircle.com

Newsletter: https://dramymyers.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dramymyers

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dramymyers

Connect with Dr. David Perlmutter

Website: https://drperlmutter.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidperlmutter/?hl=en

🚨 Special Offer 🚨

Sunlighten is a sponsor of Take Back Your Health®. Visit Sunlighten to learn more about Sunlighten infrared saunas and access Dr. Amy’s $200 savings offer.

🚨 Exclusive Sunlighten Savings 🚨

Dr. Amy Myers has used a Sunlighten sauna for 16 years to support circulation, the body’s natural detox pathways, and relaxation. Discover Sunlighten’s mPulse Intelligent Sauna with PulseIQ™ technology, along with Amplify and the portable Solo System. Visit the Dr. Amy Myers Sunlighten offer page to save up to $2,100 plus free shipping. Use code Dr. Amy Myers.

Episode Timestamps

00:00 — Welcome and Dr. Perlmutter’s return

01:03 — From mainstream neurology to root-cause exploration

05:53 — Metabolism, inflammation, and the brain’s immune system

08:04 — Immunometabolism as the missing piece

12:14 — Microglia and their supportive versus destructive states

17:18 — P-tau217, fasting insulin, homocysteine, and A1C

20:43 — Early-life sugar exposure and immune regulation

25:10 — Diet, blood-sugar monitoring, CGMs, fiber, and healthy fats

27:59 — Perimenopause, estrogen, microglia, and brain changes

36:18 — Lifestyle intervention and cognitive outcomes

41:45 — Alzheimer’s as a spectrum and plasma exchange

46:21 — Hyperbaric oxygen, mitochondria, and brain health

51:45 — Modifiable risk factors, genetics, and APOE4

55:59 — Three ways to take back your brain

56:58 — Brain Defenders and where to find Dr. Perlmutter

What if the reason you cannot explain your fatigue, brain fog, digestive symptoms, or chemical sensitivity is not only in your body—but also in the building where you live? Mold-related illness can be difficult to recognize, especially when standard testing does not explain the full picture.

In this episode of Take Back Your Health®, Dr. Amy Myers speaks with Ariana Thacker, founder of MoldCo, about her experience developing chronic inflammatory response syndrome after moving into a mold-filled Miami unit. They discuss environmental testing, CIRS-related biomarkers, hidden water damage, treatment options, and ways to avoid ongoing re-exposure.

What We Cover:

Why mold-related symptoms can remain unexplained despite conventional testing.

Environmental dust testing versus air-spore sampling.

Hidden moisture, HVAC systems, indoor humidity, crawl spaces, and new construction.

CIRS-related biomarkers, including C4A, MMP9, MSH, VEGF, TGF beta 1, and HLA susceptibility.

MoldCo’s framework for exposure, health impact, and recovery.

Provider-guided care, treatment discussions, movement, diet, remediation, and travel precautions.

About Ariana Thacker

Ariana Thacker is the founder of MoldCo. After developing chronic inflammatory response syndrome following mold exposure in her Miami home, she began studying the subject and built MoldCo to provide mold-focused environmental testing, lab testing, and provider-guided virtual care.

Resources:

MoldCo: https://www.moldco.com/

Free assessment and care intake: https://app.moldco.com/welcome

MoldCo home test: https://app.moldco.com/labs/checkout?product=home_test

MoldCo health/lab test: https://app.moldco.com/labs/checkout?product=labs_starter

Connect with Dr. Amy Myers:

Website: https://www.dramymyers.com/

Inner Circle: https://www.drmyersinnercircle.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dramymyers

Connect with Ariana Thacker and MoldCo:

MoldCo website: https://www.moldco.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themoldcompany/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arianadthacker/

🚨 Special Offer 🚨

Sunlighten is a sponsor of Take Back Your Health®. Visit Sunlighten to learn more about Sunlighten infrared saunas and access Dr. Amy’s $200 savings offer.

🚨 Exclusive Sunlighten Savings 🚨

Dr. Amy Myers has used a Sunlighten sauna for 16 years to support circulation, the body’s natural detox pathways, and relaxation. Discover Sunlighten’s mPulse Intelligent Sauna with PulseIQ™ technology, along with Amplify and the portable Solo System. Visit the Dr. Amy Myers Sunlighten offer page to save up to $2,100 plus free shipping. Use code Dr. Amy Myers.

Episode Timestamps

00:01 — Welcome and Ariana’s introduction

00:08 — Ariana’s mold exposure story and why she created MoldCo

02:24 — Symptoms, inconclusive testing, and the search for answers

05:16 — Mold in the home and the CIRS diagnostic picture

07:13 — Why air-spore testing may miss important information

11:13 — The canary effect, mycotoxins, VOCs, and individual susceptibility

12:50 — Mold exposure, allergies, asthma, infections, and CIRS

16:46 — Water intrusion, humidity, new construction, and hidden growth

22:22 — MoldCo’s three questions: exposure, health impact, and recovery

24:18 — How environmental dust testing works

28:39 — Why MoldCo focuses on CIRS-related biomarkers

30:30 — C4A, MMP9, MSH, VEGF, TGF beta 1, and HLA susceptibility

35:45 — Prescription binders, nasal sprays, and provider-guided treatment

41:08 — Supplements, movement, and a low-amylose diet

47:06 — Travel, hotel exposure, and protecting belongings

56:16 — Three starting points: assessment, lab testing, and a qualified inspector

58:03 — Ordering lab testing through MoldCo

58:58 — Finding MoldCo and getting support

59:25 — Closing

What if the symptoms you’ve been told are “just aging” are actually signs of a major hormonal transition? Perimenopause can affect sleep, mood, metabolism, brain function, and resilience long before anyone explains what is happening.

In this episode, Dr. Amy Myers sits down with Dr. Mariza Snyder, a functional practitioner, women’s hormone expert, author, and host of Energized with Dr. Mariza. They discuss why perimenopause can feel like a second puberty, how hormone shifts affect the brain and metabolism, and practical tools for tracking symptoms, supporting blood sugar, building muscle, and advocating for better care.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

Why perimenopause includes brain fog, sleep changes, mood shifts, cycle changes, joint pain, body-composition changes, low libido, and reduced recovery—not only hot flashes.

How symptoms, thyroid function, blood sugar, inflammation, cortisol, and age fit into the clinical picture.

Why perimenopause is a neuroendocrine transition and how it can affect mental energy, word recall, mood, and resilience.

How tracking symptoms, sleep, HRV, resting heart rate, and blood-sugar patterns can help you advocate for yourself.

Why movement after meals, exercise snacks, and strength training support metabolic and musculoskeletal health.

How HRT fits into a broader toolbox of individualized care.

About Dr. Mariza Snyder

Dr. Mariza Snyder is a functional practitioner, women’s hormone expert, author, and host of Energized with Dr. Mariza. She focuses on perimenopause, hormones, metabolism, and midlife changes and wrote The Perimenopause Revolution.

Resources:

The Perimenopause Revolution bonuses: https://peri-revolution.com/

Dr. Mariza’s website: https://drmariza.com/

Connect with Dr. Amy Myers:

Website: https://www.dramymyers.com/

Inner Circle: https://www.drmyersinnercircle.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dramymyers

Connect with Dr. Mariza Snyder:

Website: https://drmariza.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmariza/?hl=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/drmarizasnyder

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmariza/

🚨 Special Offer 🚨

Sunlighten is a sponsor of Take Back Your Health®. Visit Sunlighten to learn more about Sunlighten infrared saunas and access Dr. Amy’s $200 savings offer.

🚨 Exclusive Sunlighten Savings 🚨

Dr. Amy Myers has used a Sunlighten sauna for 16 years to support circulation, the body’s natural detox pathways, and relaxation. Discover Sunlighten’s mPulse Intelligent Sauna with PulseIQ™ technology, along with Amplify and the portable Solo System. Visit the Dr. Amy Myers Sunlighten offer page to save up to $2,100 plus free shipping. Use code Dr. Amy Myers.

Episode Timestamps

00:01 — Welcome and Dr. Mariza’s introduction

01:23 — Dr. Mariza’s background and her mother’s story

06:48 — Why perimenopause can blindside women

10:38 — Thyroid, mold, autoimmunity, and stress overlap

14:49 — Hormones, rage, boundaries, and changing tolerance

18:40 — Diagnosis and common early symptoms

22:24 — Sleep, joint pain, recovery, body composition, and libido

24:33 — Why sleep is a force multiplier

25:38 — The neuroendocrine transition and second puberty

29:03 — Brain fog, word recall, and executive function

35:25 — Tracking biomarkers and movement after meals

39:11 — HRT as one tool in the care toolbox

44:26 — Earlier perimenopause and strength training

48:03 — Movement, exercise snacks, and book workouts

49:21 — Three ways to take back your health

51:02 — The book, bonuses, and where to find Dr. Mariza

52:20 — Closing

What if your hotel room could trigger a health setback before you even unpack? For those sensitive to mold, fragrances, or environmental exposures, travel can be challenging.

After encountering toxic mold during a recent trip to Costa Rica, I was reminded why preparation matters.

In this solo episode, I share my mold-safe travel protocol, from choosing lower-risk hotels and packing strategically to handling unexpected exposure and resetting once I’m home. I also share the tools and products I personally use to support my health while traveling.

What You’ll Learn

How I choose lower-risk hotels

What I pack to reduce exposure

What I do when I encounter mold

My travel support products and essentials

How I clean and reset after a trip

Disclaimer

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you buy something through the product links below, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!

Resources and People Mentioned

Dr. Amy’s Curated Travel Recommendations: Shop Travel Recommendations

Dr. Amy’s Toxic Mold Detox Support: Toxic Mold Detox Support

Dr. Myers Inner Circle: Dr. Myers Inner Circle

Sunlighten Saunas: Sunlighten Partner Savings

Season 1, Episode 41: Healing Through Hardship: Watch Episode 41

Dr. Amy Myers Supplements Mentioned

Immune Synergy

ImmuneIG

Leaky Gut Revive

Paleo Protein Powder

Acid Restore HCL Complete

Complete Enzymes

MagMove

Multivitamin

Omega 3 Fish Oil

Probiotics

Vitamin D3/K2

Methylation Support

EstroProtect

Acetyl-Glutathione

Liver Support

Charcoal Binder Complete

Connect with Dr. Myers

Website: DrAmyMyers.com

Inner Circle: Dr. Myers Inner Circle

Newsletter: DrAmyMyers.com

Facebook: Dr. Amy Myers on Facebook

Instagram: Dr. Amy Myers on Instagram

🚨 Special Offer 🚨

Sunlighten is a sponsor of Take Back Your Health®. Visit Sunlighten to learn more about Sunlighten infrared saunas and access Dr. Amy’s $200 savings offer.

Timestamps

00:00 Dr. Amy’s Mold-Safe Travel Protocol 02:43 Choosing a Lower-Risk Hotel 07:20 Fragrance-Free Accommodations 11:55 Food and Medical Travel Prep 14:20 Luggage and Packing Bags 19:06 Traveling in Cotton Clothing 21:31 Better Sleep While Traveling 23:49 In-Flight Essentials 26:15 Hotel Room Inspections 30:57 Travel Snacks and Supplements 37:21 Digestive Support 39:35 Mold-Support Protocol 44:10 Cleaning After Travel 48:58 Supporting Detox at Home 51:19 Traveling With Mold Sensitivity 55:34 Inner Circle & Final Takeaways

What if everything you've been told about your "normal" thyroid labs is wrong? After years of struggling with unexplained weight gain and fatigue, I wish I had known then what I know now.

My guest today, Dr. Amie Hornaman, experienced this firsthand. A former competitive bodybuilder, she suddenly found herself gaining weight and spiraling into a deep depression. Despite strict dieting and exercise, six different doctors told her she was "normal." It wasn't until she found a practitioner who looked beyond standard testing that she discovered the truth: she had Hashimoto's and was suffering from what she now calls "thyropause."

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Amie, a functional medicine practitioner and founder of the Institute for Thyroid and Hormone Optimization. We dive deep into what thyropause actually is, why standard thyroid testing is failing women, and what every woman in midlife needs to know about the connection between sex hormones and thyroid health.

The medical establishment is finally catching up to what Dr. Amie and I have been saying for years. We cover everything from the science behind T2, the forgotten thyroid hormone, to why women are routinely dismissed by their doctors. You will learn what you can do right now to actually optimize your hormones, not just accept the symptoms of aging.

🔥 What you'll learn in this episode:

📍What thyropause is and how the hormonal fluctuations of midlife trigger thyroid dysfunction

📍Why standard TSH testing is inadequate and what labs you actually need to request

📍How T2 works at the cellular level to boost metabolism without shutting down your own thyroid production

📍The truth about hormone replacement therapy and why hormones are protective, not cancer-causing

📍 Why extreme dieting and stress are massive triggers for autoimmune conditions

📍How to advocate for yourself when your doctor tells you your symptoms are "just aging"

📍Three simple, free ways to start taking back your health today

About Dr. Amie Hornaman:

Dr. Amie Hornaman is a functional medicine practitioner, clinical nutritionist, and the founder of the Institute for Thyroid and Hormone Optimization. She coined the term "thyropause" and is the host of The Thyroid Fixer podcast. After her own battle with severe hypothyroidism and a cancer diagnosis, she dedicated her career to helping women reclaim their health through comprehensive hormone optimization and the use of T2 therapy.

Resources and People Mentioned:

Dr. Myers YouTube video on exposure to estrogen’s metabolites: https://youtu.be/pKYmdo7T_Kw?si=u8w-SHtdJ_wdTyqQ

The Thyroid Fix by Dr. Amie Hornaman: https://thyroidfixbook.com/

Dr. Amie's Supplement Line: https://dramiehornaman.com/collections/supplements

Access hormone testing through Dr. Myers’ Inner Circle: https://www.drmyersinnercircle.com/

Connect with Dr. Myers:

Website: https://www.dramymyers.com/

Dr. Myers’ Inner Circle: https://www.drmyersinnercircle.com/

Newsletter: https://www.amymyersmd.com/pages/newsletter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dramymyers

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dramymyers

Connect with Dr. Amie Hornaman:

Website: https://dramie.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dramiehornaman/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/dramiehornaman

The Thyroid Fixer Podcast: https://dramiehornaman.com/pages/podcasts

🚨 Special offer🚨

Click the link below to learn how you can save 20% off on AMMD™️ products! https://www.amymyersmd.com/

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Introduction to Thyropause

03:05 Dr. Amie's Personal Journey and Misdiagnosis

07:05 Finding the Right Diagnosis and Treatment

12:44 Transitioning to Functional Medicine

15:01 The Impact of Extreme Dieting and Stress

17:28 Why Autoimmunity is Appearing Younger

20:46 Why Women Are Dismissed by Doctors

24:38 Addressing Declining Hormones in Midlife

28:31 Dr. Amie's Cancer Diagnosis and Hormone Use

35:24 Estrogen Metabolites and Cancer Risk

38:30 The Forgotten Thyroid Hormone: T2

46:52 Metabolic Impact of T2

49:05 FDA Crackdown on Glandulars

51:14 Three Ways to Take Back Your Health

56:15 Where to Find Dr. Amie Hornaman