The School of Doza Podcast

Fibromyalgia and adrenal fatigue go hand in hand — and most people are never told why. In this episode, Nurse Doza breaks down five things you need to understand: why fibromyalgia is a nervous system stuck in fight-or-flight, how your adrenals burn out first, why DHEA-S is the one lab that reveals severity, and how to restore rest-and-digest mode with targeted adrenal and neurotransmitter support.

Featured Product: Zen
Years stuck in fight-or-flight leave your adrenal glands running on empty — and that burnout is the fatigue, poor recovery, and wired-but-tired feeling at the center of fibromyalgia. Zen is an adaptogen formula built for exactly that. It pairs bovine adrenal glandular tissue with a comprehensive blend of botanical adaptogens, B vitamins, and vitamin C to support your stress response, steadier energy, and a calmer nervous system. Take one capsule twice daily to start supporting the system from the inside.
👉 Get Zen here: https://mswnutrition.com/products/zen

5 Key Takeaways
Fibromyalgia is a nervous system issue. The pain, muscle tension, light sleep, and sluggish digestion trace back to a body stuck in sympathetic “fight-or-flight” instead of parasympathetic “rest-and-digest.”
Your adrenals take the first hit. Chronic stress means a constant drip of adrenaline and cortisol until the adrenal glands are overworked and depleted — driving the fatigue that defines fibromyalgia.
DHEA-S is the lab that tells the story. This adrenal marker tracks with stress load; a chronically low DHEA-S (often below 100) is a measurable window into how depleted the system has become.
You can switch back into rest-and-digest. Long exhales, sunlight, movement, better sleep, and removing chronic stressors help reactivate the parasympathetic, vagus-driven side of the nervous system.
Support the adrenals and neurotransmitters. Adrenal glandular tissue, adaptogens, and the building blocks for serotonin, dopamine, acetylcholine, GABA, and melatonin help restore energy and calm — exactly what Zen is formulated to do.

Timestamps
00:00 START – Welcome and episode overview
01:30 – What's happening at the School of Doza ($10 clinical courses)
02:30 – Thing 1: Fibromyalgia is a nervous system issue
04:30 – How fight-or-flight ripples through heart, lungs, and gut
06:30 – Why the inhale traps stress and the exhale releases it
09:00 – Why trigger-point diagnosis misses the root cause
11:00 – Trauma as a driver of being stuck in fight-or-flight
13:00 – Thing 2: The adrenals are the first organ affected
16:00 – Adrenaline, cortisol, and the daily energy crash
18:25 – Thing 3: DHEA-S, the lab that measures severity
20:45 – What your DHEA-S number actually means
23:00 – Thing 4: Restoring the adrenals and rest-and-digest
26:30 – The “four brains” and where neurotransmitters are made
28:30 – Thing 5: Supporting neurotransmitters with Zen, Bliss, and Chill
34:00 – Closing and how to take the next step

Resources
Autonomic Dysfunction in Fibromyalgia (Fibromyalgia Fund) — https://www.fibromyalgiafund.org/autonomic-dysfunction/
Fight, Flight, or Freeze (Harvard Health) — https://www.health.harvard.edu/mindscape/for-young-people/brain-body-connection/fight-flight-or-freeze
DHEA and DHEA-S in Human Health (PMC) — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2725024/
Parasympathetic Nervous System (Cleveland Clinic) — https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23266-parasympathetic-nervous-system-psns
SAMe & Betaine for Mood and Homocysteine (PMC) — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4303396/
Adrenal Glandulars Overview (Restart Medicine) — https://www.restartmed.com/adrenal-glandulars/

🔗 Connect with Nurse Doza: JOIN MY SCHOOL for FREE: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwcKyagDi468WscAOWM5VHA • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nursedoza/ • Website: http://www.nursedoza.com/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-mendoza-dc-aprn-np-c-0609a038/ • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursedoza • Twitter: https://twitter.com/nursedoza

In this Supplement Ingredients episode, Nurse Doza breaks down phosphatidylcholine—one of his all-time favorite supplements for your liver and brain. He explains why medications and aging deplete your choline, how phosphatidylcholine delivers fast energy, focus, and mental clarity without stimulants or a crash, and why he finally landed on BodyBio after years of testing. If liver issues or cognitive decline are on your radar, this one's a must-listen.

FEATURED PARTNER: BODYBIO

BodyBio Phosphatidylcholine (PC) delivers clean, bioavailable phospholipids that rebuild your cell membranes—supporting the liver and brain function discussed in this episode—with a noticeable "crisp" clarity you can feel in about an hour, no jitters and no crash.

👉 Get BodyBio PC here: https://partners.bodybio.com/DOZA
👉 Use code DOZA at checkout

5 KEY TAKEWAYS

Phosphatidylcholine feeds your brain AND your liver. Your body naturally stores it in both organs, where it supports cell membranes, choline status, and acetylcholine—the neurotransmitter tied to focus and memory.
It's not a stimulant. You get energy, focus, and clarity without jitteriness or a crash, because phosphatidylcholine is something your body already makes and uses.
Medications and aging deplete your choline. Over time you lose stores, which is why supplementing with phosphatidylcholine becomes increasingly important for liver and cognitive health.
Quality and source matter. After years of testing different types, Doza landed on BodyBio for its noticeable, "crisp" clarity you can actually feel within an hour or two.
Simple protocol. Just two BodyBio PC in the morning on an empty stomach—no complicated stacking required.

RESOURCES

Choline – Health Professional Fact Sheet (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements) – Overview of choline status, phosphatidylcholine, and why endogenous production often isn't enough to meet needs.
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Choline-HealthProfessional/
Phosphatidylcholine & Your Brain (Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation – Cognitive Vitality) – Evidence review on phosphatidylcholine, acetylcholine synthesis, and cognition.
https://www.alzdiscovery.org/cognitive-vitality/ratings/phosphatidylcholine
Choline and phosphatidylcholine may maintain cognitive performance by multiple mechanisms (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition) – Peer-reviewed look at the mechanistic links between phosphatidylcholine and cognitive performance.
https://ajcn.nutrition.org/article/S0002-9165(22)01320-X/fulltext
Phosphatidylcholine functional foods and nutraceuticals: a potential approach to prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology) – Reviews how phosphatidylcholine may help protect against fatty liver disease.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ejlt.201100350
Choline (Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University) – Reputable summary of choline/phosphatidylcholine roles in liver and brain health and dietary intake associations with dementia risk.
https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/other-nutrients/choline

CONNECT

🔗 Connect with Nurse Doza:
JOIN MY SCHOOL for FREE: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here

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Discover why hormones are off and what's really driving the imbalance. In this episode, we break down five root causes — from gut dysfunction and disrupted sleep to chronic stress, appetite dysregulation, and omega-3 deficiency — and walk through what you can actually do to fix it.

FEATURED PRODUCT
Berberine is a powerful botanical compound that acts as a natural GLP-1 supporter — the same metabolic pathway targeted by medications like Ozempic — helping regulate blood sugar, reduce insulin resistance, and restore appetite signaling from the gut. Since metabolic hormones like insulin and leptin are the first to derail your entire hormone cascade, Berberine directly addresses one of the deepest root causes discussed in this episode. It also supports gut microbiome diversity, making it a foundational tool for anyone working to reclaim hormonal balance naturally.

👉 Get Berberine here: https://mswnutrition.com/products/berberine

5 KEY TAKEAWAYS
Your gut microbiome directly regulates your hormones. A specialized subset called the estrobolome — and an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase — controls how estrogen is metabolized and cleared. 

Poor sleep is one of the most overlooked hormone disruptors. Deep sleep triggers melatonin and human growth hormone — both of which reset sex hormones, lower cortisol, reduce insulin, and regulate LH and FSH signaling from the brain. Without quality sleep, the entire endocrine cascade is compromised.

Chronic stress drives a hormone cascade that makes everything worse. High cortisol suppresses melatonin, triggers late-night cravings, raises insulin and leptin, and disrupts dopamine — all before it ever touches your estrogen or testosterone levels.

Metabolic hormones fail first — and take sex hormones down with them. Insulin, leptin, cortisol, GLP-1, and ghrelin are the first hormones to go off track. Once they're dysregulated, estrogen, testosterone, and thyroid function follow. Addressing only sex hormones without fixing the metabolic layer is why hormone replacement often fails to deliver results.

Omega-3 DHA is non-negotiable for hormone health. DHA supports testosterone and estrogen production, acts as a prebiotic for the gut microbiome, reduces inflammation (including painful periods), and cannot be obtained in therapeutic amounts through diet alone. Getting enough requires supplementation.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 START
02:00 – School of Doza announcement and free trial offer
04:30 – Intro to 5 reasons hormones get off track
05:30 – Reason 1: Digestive issues and the gut-hormone connection
07:30 – The estrobolome, beta-glucuronidase, and estrogen regulation
09:30 – The COMT gene and the liver’s role in estrogen metabolism
12:30 – Reason 2: Poor sleep disrupts your entire hormone cascade
14:00 – Melatonin and human growth hormone during deep sleep
16:30 – Bliss supplement, SAMe, and melatonin production
18:00 – Reason 3: Chronic stress and cortisol’s downstream effects
20:00 – Managing cortisol for better hormones and sleep
21:30 – Reason 4: Eating when not hungry and appetite hormone chaos
24:00 – Leptin, insulin, GLP-1, ghrelin, and the gut-appetite axis
28:30 – Reason 5: Not supplementing with omega-3 DHA fish oil
32:00 – Good Poops Protocol, supplement recommendations, and closing

RESOURCES
Gut Microbiota and Estrogen – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12438150/
Estrobolome and Estrogen Metabolism – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10416750/
Extra-Gonadal Estrogen Synthesis – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8395949/
COMT and Estrogen Metabolism – https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/estrogen-metabolism
Estrone Hydroxylation Pathways – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3052748/
Sleep and Hormones – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6017169/
Appetite Hormones: Leptin, GLP-1, and Ghrelin – r. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022316622086758
Leptin and Dopamine –  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3503485/
Stress, Cortisol, and Food Intake – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6620125/
HPA Axis and Appetite – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5373497/
Omega-3 and Testosterone in Men – https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fsn3.71062
DHA as a Prebiotic and Gut Modulator – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8441440/
Omega-3 PUFA and Ovarian Reserve – https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article-abstract/101/1/324/2806914?redirectedFrom=fulltext&login=false

🔗 Connect with Nurse Doza:
JOIN MY SCHOOL for FREE: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here
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Drag by 2 PM? In this Supplement Ingredient Series episode, Nurse Doza breaks down NAD+, the coenzyme your cells use to make energy (ATP), and why levels dip with age and stress. He explains how NAD+ injections at home through SHED's provider-guided telehealth program offer a convenient way to support steady all-day energy, sharper focus, and less brain fog. Try it with code DOZA40 for 40% off.

Featured Partner: SHED
SHED is a telehealth provider that ships physician-reviewed NAD+ at-home injection kits, so you can keep a consistent NAD+ routine without booking a clinic IV drip — exactly the kind of convenient, repeatable protocol Nurse Doza describes in this episode. Always follow the dosing and technique guidance from your SHED provider.
👉 Get your NAD+ at-home kit here: https://tryshed.com
👉 Use code DOZA40 for 40% off at: https://tryshed.com

Resources

"Dietary Supplementation With NAD+-Boosting Compounds in Humans" — Review synthesizing the human evidence on oral NAD+ precursors (NR, NMN) for healthy aging and age-related disease.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10692436/ PubMed Central
"The role of NAD+ metabolism and its modulation of mitochondria in aging and disease" (npj Metabolic Health and Disease, 2025) — Explains NAD+'s role as a coenzyme supporting mitochondrial function, and how declining levels track with aging and chronic disorders.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s44324-025-00067-0 Nature
"Age-Dependent Decline of NAD+ — Universal Truth or Confounded Consensus?" — A balanced review weighing how strong the evidence actually is for NAD+ declining with age across species and tissues.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8747183/ nih
"Pharmacology and Potential Implications of NAD+ Precursors" — Overview of NAD+ as an essential cofactor for redox reactions and energy metabolism, and how supply drops with age and disease.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8612620/ PubMed Central
"Age-related NAD+ decline" (Perelman School of Medicine) — Notes that NAD+ is an essential metabolite reported to decline with age and that strategies to raise it show promise, while flagging that human data remain limited.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32097708/ PubMed

Connect with Nurse Doza
🔗 JOIN MY SCHOOL for FREE: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwcKyagDi468WscAOWM5VHA
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Website: http://www.nursedoza.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-mendoza-dc-aprn-np-c-0609a038/
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/nursedoza

Discover 5 key autoimmune triggers hiding in your past. From COVID and herpes simplex to staph, Epstein-Barr, and strep infections, Nurse Doza breaks down how past infections can reprogram your immune system to attack your own tissue — and what gut health has to do with it all.

Gut (L-Glutamine) by MSW Nutrition
Gut, featuring 4 grams of pure L-Glutamine per scoop, is the primary fuel source for the cells that line your intestinal wall. When past infections, antibiotics, or chronic stress compromise your gut barrier, your immune system loses its most important line of defense — creating the conditions where autoimmune triggers thrive. Gut helps repair the gut lining, reduce digestive inflammation, and support the immune cells that depend on a healthy gut to function properly. Whether you’re managing an existing autoimmune disorder or working to prevent one, healing your gut is where it starts.
👉 Get Gut here: https://mswnutrition.com/products/gut

5 KEY TAKEAWAYS
Past infections are one of the most underrecognized autoimmune triggers.  COVID, herpes simplex, staph, Epstein-Barr, and strep have all been scientifically linked to the development of autoimmune disorders — often years after the original infection.
Molecular mimicry is the hidden mechanism.  Some infections look so similar to your own tissue that your immune system gets confused and begins attacking you. This is an active and growing area of clinical research.
You can have multiple autoimmune disorders simultaneously.  Most conventional doctors don’t connect the dots. Conditions like POTS, Ehlers-Danlos, PANDAS, and lupus can all be present at once — often rooted in overlapping infection history.
The gut is ground zero for immune regulation.  A disrupted gut microbiome — caused by antibiotics, poor diet, and chronic infections — is a major driver of autoimmune disease. Gut dysbiosis doesn’t just cause digestive problems; it rewires your immune response.
Supporting the gut lining is one of the most foundational steps you can take.  L-Glutamine patches the holes in a compromised gut lining, calms inflammation, and feeds the immune cells that live in your gut. Combined with Vitamin D, it’s a simple starting protocol for anyone dealing with autoimmune issues.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 START
03:58 – understanding autoimmune disorders 
04:30 – The role of viruses, bacteria, and gut health i
07:02 – #5: COVID 
12:20 – #4: Herpes simplex virus 
16:03 – #3: Staph infections 
20:48 – #2: Epstein-Barr virus 
23:09 – #1: Strep infections 
28:00 – PANDAS: strep’s role in neurological autoimmune disorders 
33:00 – Glutathione, Cunningham Panel, getting your life back 

RESOURCES
Environmental Triggers and Chronic Viral Infections:  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10051805/
Autoimmune Diseases: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment:  https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21624-autoimmune-diseases#symptoms-and-causes
COVID-19 and Autoimmune Disease Risk:  https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12016-025-09124-4
Autoimmunity as a Driver of Long COVID:  https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/new-evidence-supports-autoimmunity-as-one-of-long-covids-underlying-drivers/
SARS-CoV-2 Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Responses (PMC):  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9350728/
Herpes Simplex Virus, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s Disease (PMC):  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10818483/
Bacterial Infections and Autoimmune Disease Development (PubMed):  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28919485/
Gut Microbiota and Innate Immune System in Autoimmune Diseases (PMC):  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11099291/
Staphylococcus aureus in the Human Microbiome (PMC):  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9791742/
Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV):  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459437/
Microbial Triggers of Autoimmune Disease:  https://domannualreports.stanford.edu/revealing-microbial-triggers-of-autoimmune-disease/
Epstein-Barr Virus and Autoimmune Diseases:  https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/epstein-barr-virus-autoimmune-diseases
EBV and Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer’s Disease (PMC):  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8784775/
Strep Infections, Autoimmune Disease, and PANDAS (PMC):  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10920276/
Understanding PANDAS: https://pandasnetwork.org/understanding-pandas/

JOIN MY SCHOOL for FREE: Every Wednesday, Nurse Doza hosts a live group consult. Bring your questions about autoimmune triggers, gut health, labs, supplements, or anything in between. These sessions are live only and not recorded, so showing up matters.
👉 https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here

•  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwcKyagDi468WscAOWM5VHA
•  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nursedoza/
•  Website: http://www.nursedoza.com/
•  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-mendoza-dc-aprn-np-c-0609a038/
•  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursedoza
•  Twitter: https://twitter.com/nursedoza