Ketones and Coffee Podcast with Lorenz
Ketones and Coffee Podcast with Lorenz
Episode 178: Mary Ruddick ON Overcoming Dysautonomia Through Holistic Nutrition
In this episode of the Ketones and Coffee Podcast, host Lorenz welcomes Mary Ruddick, a leading expert in ancestral nutrition and experimental anthropology. Often called the Sherlock Holmes of health, Mary shares her remarkable journey from being bedridden with a severe case of dysautonomia to achieving remission. She delves into the complex nature of dysautonomia, its symptoms, and how it can be misdiagnosed for years.
Mary discusses the importance of diet and lifestyle changes in managing this condition and offers hope and guidance to those facing similar health struggles. Her story emphasizes the power of mindset, perseverance, and the vital role of a supportive approach to nutrition and holistic health.
00:00 Welcome to the Ketones and Coffee Podcast
00:13 Introducing Mary Ruddick: The Sherlock Holmes of Health
01:12 Mary Ruddick's Personal Health Journey
02:40 Understanding Dysautonomia
04:12 The Struggles of Chronic Illness
07:38 The Path to Remission
11:04 The Role of Diet in Healing
11:39 Challenges in Diagnosing Dysautonomia
20:03 The Importance of Persistence and Mindset
25:11 Identifying Symptoms of Dysautonomia
27:08 Understanding Dysautonomia and POTS
28:11 Diagnosing and Managing Dysautonomia
29:31 Personal Journey and Treatment Approaches
31:35 The Importance of Commitment and Sacrifice
38:11 Rebuilding the Immune and Nervous Systems
41:45 Practical Tips for Healing and Recovery
47:25 Final Thoughts and Encouragement
Mary Ruddick YT: https://www.youtube.com/@Sherlockholm...
Mary Ruddick site: https://maryruddick.com
Call to action for listeners: Follow ketones and Coffee Podcast on Instagram ( https://www.instagram.com/keton.esncoffee ), Youtube ( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsZZmBEenvZnU8tA1npAODA )
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Hey guys, this is Lawrence and welcome back to the ketones and coffee podcast. I'm Lawrence and I'm so grateful to have you joining me on this journey every week. I bring in guests to have the knowledge and experience to help you on your own journey to a better health. So excited for this guys stick around today. We have an honor of hosting Mary Ruddick, a renowned. ancestral nutrition expert and experimental anthropology, often referred to as the Sherlock Holmes of health. Mary specializes in neuromuscular disorders, infertility, and disabling chronic disease. She has dedicated her career to uncovering the root causes of chronic illnesses and providing effective natural solutions. And her deep understanding of the body's systems and her innovative approach to nutrition has made her a highly sought after expert. in the field. Her expertise extends to areas such as the ketogenic diet, low carb diets, gut health, and chronic inflammation. It's an honor. Mary Ruddick, welcome to the Ketone Tea Coffee Podcast.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:Thank you so much. Thanks for having me and thanks for the very kind introduction.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Man, this is an awesome day for me today. Um, such a lot to discuss here. As much as I love your awe inspiring contribution, which is You know, you know, you do it tirelessly, continuously do, you know, helping people by getting on podcasts like this, speaking and all the other stuff that you do, your story is an even more inspiring piece, uh, which I believe, you know, propelled you into becoming this leading authority in the field of nutrition. After this condition, um, I want to talk about this. I just want to talk about today, um, almost. Your story, you talk about how it almost left you for dead. Um, this is a helpful story. I hope you guys stick around. This autonomia, I hope I said that right. Um, that's right. Uh, you were, you were teaching me before we went live. So I was just, uh, man, I hope I get this. I was looking it up and people who suffers with this are often misdiagnosed. And when you do get diagnosed, usually it takes many, many years and there aren't. A clear path forward when you do get diagnosed. So I want to know your story from you, which clearly to this day, um, you know, you're now well and thriving. What has led you to your path today? Tell us your story.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:Accidents did. So, as life, as life happens. So, dysautonomia, what that is, it's a deregulation of the autonomic nervous system. It's, uh, common in medical history, even as far back as 2000 A. D. We find it in writings. For very rare cases of post infection illnesses, which we now know often involve cytokines because they go to the nervous system of healthy people. So my story, I was healthy. I was living in the Bahamas. I was studying at a field station. I was in marine biology at the time and 15 out of the 30 of us on this remote island. And don't think, uh, don't think Atlantis folks, uh, this, this island was gorgeous, but it was not, it did not have any of the, um, that we. associate with the Bahamas, right? This is rustic. And we did not have a telephone, let alone anything else. So, uh, so 15 out of the 30 of us got sick. I was one of the last ones to get sick. I, as I was healthy, I just assumed it was a flu the fever went so high that it, and for so long, for six days at 106, it damaged my brain. And my nervous system, they didn't know what to do. They couldn't bring it down with ice. So they flew myself and a couple other people into Florida. And what pursued after that was, uh, uh, almost like entering a different dimension, to be honest, it was like all the rules of life were over and I had to figure out the new rules. I think Joseph Campbell's power, the myth defines it no better. I, nobody does it better than Joseph Campbell, in my opinion, you, when you get sick, it's surprising. You think you know what illness is until it actually happens to you. And then you don't understand why you can't get better and why things get worse and why things are different day to day. And, uh, you start to really feel, and I know this from experience from working with so many people, that this is a very common thing to
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Hmm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:like it's your fault, right? That you can't get better. And so. When there are these conditions that are so confusing, especially nervous system disorders, they present all over the body. Uh, and so therefore doctors don't really know what to do with you until they figure it out, which is rare, really.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Hmm. Hmm. Hmm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:And it's assumed, oh, you know, uh, that person is just complaining or that person has fibromyalgia. Or something, right? And so, or they just need to sleep and eat better. And gosh, why aren't they just taking care of themselves? Kind of thing. So a lot of people get put in that, especially with the mild to moderate. Luckily or unluckily, I had a very severe case. Um, so while there was some of that, it was less, um, but, uh, But yeah, it was, it was really, was, I can't say it better than to say it was being in a different dimension. Uh, you just don't feel your body in the same way or the universe, uh, or how to function in life. You can't count on your brain, uh, and all sorts of things. And so condition can present differently for, uh, based on how severe it is. Uh, people are either bed bound wheelchairs or up and functioning, but they are in a living hell. If they're up and functioning, they're probably not sharing what they're actually going through. People usually don't with chronic illness, those around them. You learn very quickly to only let other people know that the tip of the iceberg, because there's, people feel very uncomfortable. They don't know what to do with it. so it's usually a very solitary journey. And that's, that's very typical for lots of illnesses, right? If we think back, I don't know about you, I always like to take an eagle eye view of everything. It is what saved my life.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Mhm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:such a fan of it. If we think back to just recent medical history with things like MS, until they had a blood marker or a marker for it, people were called the worried well, they were told it was in their head, right?
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Mhm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:There's a lot of that in the medical profession, and I, I think it would be to assume that's not happening now, and it very much is. So, so a lot of that can happen until the organs get, go downhill, right? And with this condition, because blood doesn't go to the organs at the appropriate time, you start to get kidney disease, liver, lung, thyroid,
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Mhm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:nerve damage, like diabetics, all the things. So if you didn't start out bed bound, hopefully your listeners out there, don't be afraid if you're
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Yeah.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:That you're going to be, but that is what happened to me. And, uh, so it was a bit of an invitation, like the hero's myth. It was a bit of an invitation to a world. You don't want an invitation to, but you're there. And so what are you going to do with it? And
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Right.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:really usually get faced. At a certain point with, well, uh, dying would be nice and that would be a lot easier.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:right. Mhm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:but you don't really have that
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:I get it.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:the other option is to get out and
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Mhm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:routes of going to any specialist around the world, it. Didn't work and it doesn't tend to work because there's not a solution for this one and, or for many, honestly. And
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Mhm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:you start to get handy and, uh, that's what we did. I started to do a lot of experiments, a lot of different diets. So I've read every book I could get my hand on when my brain worked again and I could. And, uh, eventually after 12 years, uh, went into remission before
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Mhm. Wow.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:Yeah. I opened my private practice and then I've been working with people since.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Wow. Amazing. Um. It is, you know, you talked about this starting when you were a teenager and this went on until you were in your thirties. Correct.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:30.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Do I get it? That is more than a decade. Um, and you talked about how it can affect other functions of the body and you almost have to act quickly. But the thing that I love about it is that you did not let You know, your prognosis or a diagnosis really set you back, but you did the opposite where you act upon it, right? You did your own research and clearly if you, you know, keep searching, you'll find it, right? Um, you talked about how devastating it was. Um, obviously, It is, uh, it is common, right? You know, I was looking this up and, um, This autonomia is more common than people think. Um, and, You talk about the trigger. What was the trigger exactly? Did you ever find out?
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:an infection, a tropical infection, and it was actually in my blood
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Mm,
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:years while I was going in and out of the hospital, but they didn't know what they were looking at. And I cannot tell you how often that happens. I just had a case right before this podcast of this poor girl who, uh, because she had a, uh, something you can diagnose, Uh, no one's looked at her history and her condition started right after a trip to the tropics and
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:mm,
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:markers and all of her situation is very indicative of an infection. She was perfectly healthy before. So, a
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:mm,
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:get missed and looked over. Uh, there's not the
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:yeah.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:in our, our field to sit down, you know, when I have an intake with someone, it's hours. uh, and when you go into a doctor's office, it's 15 minutes. So it's pretty difficult for anyone to actually do any real investigation or even get to know the person to start to understand the mode of communication and what they are communicating, what they aren't, what might have been missed, that kind of thing.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:You know, when I look at people who are, I was just browsing through YouTube when I was researching about dysautonomia and a lot of people on the comments, most of them were diagnosed, but they were saying it took a couple years, five years, and one person actually um, talked about dysautonomia. You know, it took them 25 years to even get diagnosed and not one person talked about being healed. Now, I was looking this up. It was clear that on a reputable, supposedly reputable organization in the U. S., it says, There's no cure. Um, now you, you tried a lot of diets, even went, uh, vegan at one point, but, uh, this diet, this diet that we're talking about, Save Your Life, which essentially opened your world to nutrition, about nutrition. What was happening in the body that made your, you switch? What made you switch to the diet? And what, what led you to Switching your diet. Mm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:Yeah. Okay. Well, there's a lot to unpack there. So let's start in the back and then we'll come to that. The, uh, dysautonomia used to be very rare. When I had it, it was
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Mm
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:And so getting a diagnosis in under eight years was very rare. It's in the small nerves and that gets missed even by a neurologist. It looks like a cardiac issue, and so people get sent to a cardiologist, rheumatologist, it's really found in neuromuscular. That's the specialty
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:hmm. Mm
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:usually takes a lot of years to get there. Now, people get diagnosed in about two years, but we have more cases than ever before since this worldwide infection. So, uh, so that has been a huge impact on it. Now, in terms of cure, and healing. Legally, those words are very regulated in our country and in many countries. So you can't say it. Uh, I can't say it even though I'm there, right? I can say I'm in remission legally. It's
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:hmm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:I think anyone
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Yeah.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:gotten past anything should be able to say whatever they want about their condition, but the,
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Yeah.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:but I am not the king and queen here. So the, um, Uh, the reason why when you look it up, it says there is no cure, you know, technically, and I don't know if this is true, but this is what they told me when I went into remission. I was the first case to ever go into remission. Now, that was
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Wow.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:years ago. So,
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:saying something.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:Yeah. And I know that two others went into remission that same year doing very different things than I did, uh, almost right after about six months after. So, and things that I had tried that did not work. Uh, and there's a reason for that, but that's a long story for another day. But the, um, why if you Google something and it says there's no cure, that's because by, by our terms, right, our, our words are legal and our terms dictate that a cure can come from a prescription or a surgery. Right. So if, if you get better from something else, that's not a cure. Uh, it's not something that you can I guess. I don't know. We'd have to talk to the legals on that, but, uh, but yeah, that's all to say. And then you wanted to know about the diet and what got me onto that. I took a long time to get to the diet because I ate healthier than the people I knew. I was an athlete growing up, and so as I got more sick, I ate healthier. I didn't eat worse. And when that didn't work, I tried going vegetarian, then I went vegan. And then, uh, you know, I did lots of different things. And then when I was bed bound, was vegetarian, of course, and, uh,
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:hmm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:and I started reading all these books on people that had reversed their conditions, a lot of cancer books because there were no books on my condition then, and I had a lot of disease in my organs, my kidney disease and liver disease, thyroid too, all very, very serious. And so I was looking at anything I could get my hands on. I was very encouraged by anyone who had healed anything. I think it's so interesting when we look at comments. in, uh, under videos or under people's stories of, uh, what they've healed or not healed or all these things, how people get very encouraged by it and other people get downtrodden. And I imagine we can probably get either response in the same person at different
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Mm hmm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:Uh, but for me, it was very inspiring because I felt like, well, If anyone can heal from anything that they say is impossible, then this is possible too, right? Just by the
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Mm
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:uh, right? uh, theory by definition, if there's anything that is outlying, if there's anything that shows that that theory isn't right, it's not a theory, right? So if someone has gotten better, that means that you can get better. It doesn't mean that you can't get better. Uh, so I went with that. I went with the old fashioned science. definition of that. And that was very inspiring to me. So I started reading lot. Uh, I read so much and I encourage people to do so if it feels good, not if it feels stressful and if it feels good. I
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:hmm. Mm. Mm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:My family are big readers and, uh, we had these medical anthropology books. the 18 and 1900s where doctors were trying to figure out why people were getting sick suddenly and having more health issues. And when I read them as a child, I read them for adventure. You know, I always wanted to see the world. never read them from a health standpoint, but now I was and I was seeing these tribes and some of them ate nothing but meat or blood, milk and meat. And they were in perfect health, health longevity. And I putting that against what I was going through, bedbound and dying, uh, that broke my world and immediately started trying other
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Mm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:also putting a rule on things that has been very helpful for myself and also for my practice. And that is that it doesn't have any ancestral basis, I don't do it.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Mm. I mean, it is clear that, uh, there is a lack of knowledge about, uh, I don't know, maybe the mechanism of the condition? Um. As we know, it, you know, you talked about how it affects the autonomic nervous system. But I want to know, like, how, how does you talked about an infection, right? When you talk about the wide worldwide infection, we talk about COVID, I believe, um, and, and that also caused, you know, the, this autonomia triggered. Right. So what, what is it that, uh, causing this autonomia? Yeah. What, what is it? What's causing it?
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:yes, so dysautonomia you can get in many different ways, but post infection dysautonomia is typically caused by cytokines. Usually,
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Um, um, um, um.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:the healthier you are, the more cytokines are going to react. So there are certain infections that are known to do this. Uh, Ebola, I live in Africa, uh, a lot of the year. Ebola is one. Right? Very different microbe. It's not about the type of microbe, it's actually how it acts on the, on the immune system. infections that tend to go towards, um. hurting, causing the own person's immune system to hurt them. Those. are the ones that can cause the nervous system damage. So cytokines traditionally are regulated by vitamin B1 thiamine, which is found primarily in pork and fish. It's not an easy to get vitamin, honestly, in our, our modern day, a lot of our foods bind to it and deplete it. So if you're otherwise healthy, Like very healthy, like I was, but you have B1 deficiency because you've been told not to eat these foods or you're just not, you don't like them. Uh, or you eat a lot of foods that bind to thiamine in the body. And so you're depleted. Uh, then you get one of these infections, the cytokines go through the roof, they damage the nervous system, Now other things can do it too. So my fever alone could have done it. 106 fever damages the hypothalamus. And the nervous system. We know that. Uh, so that alone, anything that damages the hypothalamus, the pituitary can do that. and there's also other forms of dysautonomia. You can get it from histamine, very severe, like an MCAD. Uh, that's a very different kind of dysautonomia. It presents the same, but the, uh, thing that's causing it is very different. So there's actually many different causes. There's 15 different branches. Underneath this umbrella and, uh, and they're quite different in the body, but they present very similarly.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:But it can lead to one, I want to say, I can say a cure, right? It can lead to a diet change and lifestyle change that can lead to a, you know, remission or a cure.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:There are tens of thousands of us in remission. Uh, but I would say, you know, the problem is, is that there's a lot of people out there that are really struggling who have been incredibly gaslit by their friends, family, community,
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Mmm. Yeah, yeah, mm hmm,
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:so hard to get better. And so when they hear that they're going to get really angry. Like you're saying I'm not good enough to get better. Right. And don't mean that. I don't mean that either, but that is what people hear because they feel so misunderstood and they feel like I'm going above and beyond to get myself better. Why isn't this working for me? Um, that kind of thing. But, The reality is, is that when you're on this journey, it is brutal and it is isolating and no one is going to understand. And, uh, really the only way out is through. And so if you can follow the footsteps of everyone who has gone through it really evaluate if you are doing everything. And I don't mean that in a judgmental way. I mean that in a private way. I mean, in a very private way, like I find whatever condition I'm working with, because I work with all conditions, whatever condition I'm working with, often the consistency and the approach to the method that actually matters a lot more than the method. So if someone is doing something like a boomerang, And they're like, I'm going to do it a hundred percent. And they go for 30 days. And then they're like, Oh, it doesn't feel right, you know, and they quit, nothing feels right. When you're healing cast, doesn't feel right. If surgery doesn't feel right, nothing feels right when you're healing, nothing feels right when you're sick either. So you might as well not feel right and possibly get somewhere. But that takes year,
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:mm hmm,
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:That's not 30 days.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:yeah.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:is typically where I see the missing link and, um, and in the ups and downs, right? Because you are very sick on some days and then moderately sick on others. And so missing those bad days and, uh, not having that consistency to retrain the nervous system is going to be a problem.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Yeah, you know, as someone who has struggled with major depression for years, Um, I was, you know, in and out of clinics, Um, nobody was, you know, understanding what's going on, Um, not my family, not my friends, Um, I couldn't even talk to them, Um, and, um, Almost certain that, uh, if I did talk to them, you know, they would, they might look at me different. Um, just because of, you know, Of the misunderstanding of what it is. Right. You know, some people may be even, uh, quick to judge, um, of that condition because of, you know, there's not really a lot of information out there about it. Um, and it's scary. It's, it's a scary place to be for somebody. Um, and I, I believe that you're right. You know, just being, just wanting to get better. I mean. listening to podcasts like this. No, for you, you did your own research, reading books, um, which led you to a, um, to dysautonomia in remission.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:Yeah.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:You know, if you keep that search going and that means doing whatever it takes to get better. Having that mindset, you'll get there in the first place. Now you, you went vegetarian, you went vegan, um, and you're not seeing progress. And you know, you're, and what you did was, you know, you've continued on the search until you find a way, right. And you did. And I believe that if that was, if that's your mindset in the first place, whatever it is, you may hit a roadblock. But if your mindset is, you're, you're not gonna stop me, I'm gonna find it, and you sure will. Um,
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:That's
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:a lot of people,
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:I was going to say the athlete mindset, the champion mindset that is taught to athletes is actually what's needed because it's brutal. Everyone thinks you're going to feel better. You don't, no one knows that they're going to get better. So no one that goes on this journey ever has that certainty and everyone wants certainty. They want timeline certainty, but that's not how this works. is mystery. This
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Mm hmm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:dark forest with no light. And so you, that, that hero mindset, that athlete mindset that's taught to professional athletes in particular and Olympic athletes is so necessary because they are putting themselves through hell every day to get to their goal. And that is actually what we do as well. In the healing field, right? And it does have to be us. It does have to be a choice because this whole thing is so victimizing. It's so wildly victimized as it goes through this. And so if we are also feeling victimized by our choices, that's, over. No one can handle that much. And so it has to feel empowering when we make those hard choices for ourselves. Otherwise we just, we crumble. It's too much for a
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Yeah,
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:to bear.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:especially with, um, when we talk about dysautonomia, because a lot of people struggle, and there's not a clear path forward. after being diagnosed, right? Um, I really hope for people to find this podcast and really get hope from it. Right. And what's even more challenging is to, when you get diagnosed in the first place, I heard people, it takes many, many years. You know, some people not You know, not even knowing that they have it. There's a lot of confusion just around this topic. And maybe it was the wide ranging symptoms that makes it hard to diagnose this condition. Um, but, uh, what is one, I want to ask you, um, you, you may have mentioned it earlier, but, uh, what is one telltale sign?
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:Yeah.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:one can point to that is a positive indication that a patient has this auto autonomia. Is there, is there one thing?
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:Uh, there's multiples that you
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Mm-Hmm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:Um, but as the patient, you will feel like you are a fishbowl in a car. you can actually feel your blood going around or that you're on a boat at all times when you're not, uh, the walls move and things. The, um, you lose your vision. A lot of the ocular nerve is very affected. So, um, you have these absence seizures, which a lot of people don't even know they're having. And, uh, you know, That has to get properly diagnosed, but it's a part of it. Um, and those are many, those are no big deal, but the big ones are, and the, and those can happen a lot too. But what I look for first thing is I'll see if someone has their feet down and then if their feet are turning purple or pink as we meet, uh, and if I push on them, if they get a white spot, that's an indication of blood pooling. That blood pooling is going to be the first indication of where we're going to get the nerve death and the damage there, but also the, you know, the The thing that happens when the nervous system is deregulated is that it doesn't communicate about all the essential bodily functions that we never think about, right? So that's from your sleep waves to your digestion to when your organs are getting blood to where your blood is going. a broken communication style. It's like that game of telephone at school that we used to play, you know, in like second grade. And there's, uh, someone who doesn't hear. In the line and someone who doesn't speak. So the communication doesn't get down to the end line. body is needing blood in your brain. It needs it in your organs, but it's just hanging out in your feet. And so suddenly the body will catch up out of a panic and either create a seizure. to throw you on the floor so that your brain gets bled or you'll get the tachycardia. So one form of dysautonomia is called POTS and it's kind of a silly term. It's postural orthostatic tachycardia, meaning you stand up, you get tachycardia, but these people get it all the time. They're laying down and it's as fast as a marathon runner.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Mm-Hmm
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:just postural, but the lighter cases, that's where you would see it. uh, and that's from the body catching up and realizing I don't have blood or it needs to go right. And so those would be the telltale signs. There's others like
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:mm-Hmm
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:modeled, uh, palms and things like that. Uh, the person will get extreme brain fog, not like what healthy people have. I mean, like you'll forget how to write your name on a check, like that kind, like genuine, you cannot figure it out.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:mm-Hmm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:but it's not actually your brain is fine. When you come back to health is an issue with the blood. Is actually where it is.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:So is that like a process of elimination, let's say? Oh, if you, if you're experiencing this, this, this, uh, symptoms, then, um, if it all adds up to this auto autonomia, is that how you start, uh, off your patients? Just making sure that they do have this auto autonomia? Mm-Hmm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:What when you've seen something a lot of times you can see it and, uh, you know, I work virtually and I'm not diagnosing people. Uh, that's not my role, but I can tell them where to go. You really need to accuse our test, which is a, a nerve test for the small fibers and, uh, and to see a neuromuscular doctor to get it ruled out. Cause this is not a waste bucket diagnosis. It is something you get diagnosed. Absolutely.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:me, all I care about if, um, the patient gets better, right? If a patient gets better,
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:All that matters.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Yeah. Yeah. I don't care, I don't care about the diagnosis for me. I mean, if it leads to you feeling better, right? Um, at the end of the day, okay, if you do get diagnosed, um, sure. Yeah, that's great. You have, uh, You know, that path forward, now you know what you have, but, but then what, what next? Right. Um, you know, you, you go through this process and at the end they say it has no cure. Right. So, um, have you taken any immune suppressant or did they, uh, did they di uh, prescribe you with any medications at all back then?
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:Yeah, I was on well over 100 medications, but not at
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Oh, no.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:about 17 or 18 at once. I was on a breathing machine, all sorts of things. Um, IVIG has been shown to be really good for this as it is in many autoimmune and cancer conditions, but it's rare to get it actually diagnosed, prescribed. And as far as diagnosis goes, you're right. I never need that. Honestly, uh, really, I like to take an eagle eye view. I can tell what systems anyone can tell what systems are at play. And if you work at supporting those systems, you can get better. So I always leave it up to people if they want to get a proper diagnosis or not. For me, it was a relief because you spend so many years where you don't know why you're like this
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Right. Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Mm hmm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:there. But, um, I would say that's probably a lot less needed now. You know, I was in remission before I ever met someone or even heard of someone else who had it. It was so rare then, and now it's very common. So people can find solace with others online and that kind of thing. So, um, and Uh, you know, there's such a long wait to get into these things and you can just get started on rebuilding your immune system and your nervous system. There's no reason to wait for that. But I think it's a personal decision.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Mm hmm. You talked about that personal decision. I mean, you basically took the, took control of the wheel and you said the hell with this. Let's find a cure, right? Or remission. You've,
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:it was that or die. yeah, I mean, there was
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:yeah,
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:The other option is just to, you know, wither in bed
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:yeah,
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:further. And, um, no one wants that. Yeah,
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:And you mentioned you know, you mentioned just taking ownership of this. Uh, if they really want it. So bad, right? If you want to heal, what should be expected of them? Now, I know you mentioned a few things, but what should be expected of somebody that wants to heal from this?
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:I'll say it for all conditions. If you really want to heal from something, you cannot care what you have to give up and what you have to do and how
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Yeah. Yeah.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:That's it.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Yeah. That's, uh, that's, that's it. I mean, if you really have to want it, right. I, you know, the most common, I interviewed people here on the show and the most common theme for these people are they're fed up, right. They're fed up of their condition. And, um, it's just, there's, No fail mentality. Hey, I'm going to keep going until I find it. Right. Whatever it is, whatever type of, again, like you said, you really have to not care about what you have to give up. Right. For me, if it's Yeah, Toxic relationships, maybe, right. Um, diet, right. Um, you know, whatever's causing stress, everything in anything that's causing Discomfort, pain. Um, you know, if, if you're somebody who isn't ready to make a change, maybe you're not fed up, maybe you're not struggling enough, maybe the pain's not too great yet, right? I mean, for you to make this transition and you really have to want it.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:you have to more than want it. Think
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:something or people setting out for a SEAL team. Everybody wants the same goal. Not everyone gets it. There's a reason for that. It is what we are willing to sacrifice, what we're willing to let go of. And what we're and it's not just physical things. It's like sacrificing the need to be right, right, Sacrificing the story we've been telling to ourselves, sacrificing the need to be so serious. I find healing so serious. It doesn't have to be serious. We can bring some joy to some silliness. So, and it's needed actually. So, um, so yeah, it's, it's not about the goal. It's about the method. of getting there. Anyone can develop that, right? So anyone who's not there yet, it's a skill set that you can develop. It's like learning the piano. You can have if you and I started out in second grade and we both wanted to learn piano and you were a natural talent and I was honestly terrible. If I was playing every day twice as much as you by the time we're 18, I'm gonna be better, right? It's about practice. And dedication and specifically one priority, the one priority has to be your end goal of actually getting there. If you also muddy that with priorities of, I like this, I like that. I can't do this. I can't do that. No, it doesn't work. I'd love it to work, but it doesn't work.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:I think the key thing that you said there is priority, right? I mean, you can't. You can't go around that. You got to have that one priority in mind, which is if you're committed to that one priority, which is health, there's no other other things. There's no ifs and buts, right? I mean, if I want to, at the end of the day, I'm coaching somebody. I can't make you eat. healthy. I can't make you run a mile. I can't make you do anything right. It's up to you. When this program is all said and done, what are you going to do? Right? So some people, you know, fold. Some people do great. What is that formula? I believe that's having that priority, right? Being committed to that goal.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:It's
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:How committed?
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:It absolutely commitment and, humility and being humble. Honestly, the pride gets in the way a lot
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:I get that. I get that.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:Yeah,
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:I get that. I
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:shouldn't have to, this should be over, uh, all the things. And, uh, yeah. And also the, um, You know, we very often want people to validate our situation, and I really wish we had that. We do need that. Uh, but we don't have it. And it's, it's not something that people are going to get. And so one thing that I'm often telling people is, listen, it's normal to feel victimized by your situation. It is victimizing. But if we go with that, you're going to have the outcome that everyone else has. We have to be so solely focused on your end goal you won't even allow the feelings of victimization because those suppress immunity. can't afford that, right? We have to get your immune system, your nervous system in line. And that means doing Herculean things, including releasing that, like letting it go, not years of therapy. No, now we are focused on right now. We are not focused on the past, on the hurt done. No, we are focusing on right now, what will feel good. can you reframe? How can you retell your story so that you are not the victim of your story? You are the hero you can actually go out and do what you need to do. And your immune system, instead of replicating a repeat cell, can replicate a perfect human cell without this disease. 12
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:just going by your story, I can't imagine the struggle like people are going through, right? Um, years and years of their life. Now, You know, I understand you've struggled for a decade or more like over a decade and finally in remission, right? And I can't imagine how, you know, relieved you were, right? You were bedridden, right? You were disabled and all of a sudden now you found something that's working that You talked about how, you know, rare this, um, I can't, I can't, uh,
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:early.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:this autonomia,
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:Mm
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:um, how rare that is before and now how common it is now. It's, it's, uh, I can't imagine how That may be like, uh, for somebody. And I mean, let's get to help people here. What, what do they need to do? What do they need to give up? Um, how do they manage this, you know, early on in diagnosis, or if they are, you know, committed to this goal, what do they, what do they have to do?
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:Yeah.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:me through that.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:There's quite a bit.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Hmm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:a whole thing. There are people that have healed from this in multiple different ways. I like to bring them all together because I'll be honest, a day living in a body like this is too much.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Hmm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:So you want to get there as soon as you can with realistic goals. So, uh, So, you know, number one, you take the eagle eye view, you've got to rebuild the immune system in the nervous system. Most forms of dysautonomia are an autoimmune condition of the adrenal receptors to the nervous system. That's why you get so many issues throughout the nervous system and have zero energy zero, like negative, negative. You've not felt it. If you're healthy, the, um, it's not being tired. It's totally different. Um, so first things first, energy system is not working. You're on the backup lactic acid energy system. So you don't have the option of using carbohydrates for energy. Carbohydrates are going
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Hmm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:that lactic acid tenfold. It's not an option. We also don't want to do a lot of probiotics. Because that's going to increase lactic acid. So we want to shift into ketosis, which everyone is going to swear they can't do, that they've tried. Believe me, I was there too. It will often make things much worse. You can go about it in many ways to get there. But the reality is we have to get it vasopressin. The hormone that regulates hydration into the cell, not in the serum, right? Everyone is drinking gallons of water and peeing constantly with this condition. making yourself more dehydrated with that recommendation that everyone is given less water is needed because we have vasopressin resistance, basically like insulin resistance, hydration resistance. So to get at that, we have to start having a very, very, very regular schedule. And we want to be on a strategic eagle eye view, uh, ancestral protocol that is going to regulate hydration. Now, what does that every time you eat carbohydrates, they require four times as much water as fat and protein. So we want to restrict the carbohydrates and get you into ketosis. So you have an energy system you can actually use. Because the glucose isn't working. Glutamate receptors are broken. We can't go high protein. Uh, but we can use fats and we can use that strategically. It's not going to feel like it does for athletes. You're not going to suddenly pop into energy at six weeks. Well, some people do. They're lucky I wasn't one, but so don't expect to just suddenly Feel good. That's not the goal. You're being strategic about rebuilding the nervous system and the immune system and about getting your ATP energy back on, which is much easier. Uh, you only require 1 30th of the amount of diamond when you're in ketosis. Then you do. when you're in a glucose burning system. So there's a lot of reason for that. And it's not something that has to be done lifelong, but it is the best method I've seen for getting people intermission. I also really like to take people off starch. So I do a modified version of the gaps intro. So no lectins and very low oxalate due to hydration issues and kidney issues with vasopressin. uh, and, soft warm food so we can rebuild the belly and get the bacteria back where they're supposed to go. We'll often do these days, last few years I've definitely been doing a lot of high dose thiamine to rebuild the myelin sheath. Sometimes St. John's wort for the nerves and the gut lining because that reverses that. I know it's known for mild depression but it's actually really great. for the nervous system and the gut lining. Of course, that depends if someone is on SSRIs, that is not safe. then we talk to the nervous system because things that are stressful to us emotionally are not stressful to the nervous system and vice versa. For instance, one of the greatest stresses to the nervous system, equally as great as being in war as a civilian,
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Hmm. Hmm. Hmm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:thinks you're hiding. puts all the blood to the extremities. What happens in this condition? Exactly that. So while it's very normal for any animal, human and others to hide and retreat when you feel awful, we don't get natural lights to shift your microbiome and so that our bacteria, which communicate through light and quorum sensing actually have real light to do so, it doesn't work. It's very difficult, very difficult to get better. So that along with a bunch of other things, uh, that seem insignificant, but I promise you are, they, they are not insignificant, like waking at the same time, eating at the same time. If you're not doing that, your body thinks that you're in chaos. It thinks you're stressed. It's not going to heal a cell. It's not going to give you a healthy cell. learning little things that were very common in ancestral communities and still are today, the ones that I go to visit there across the board, we bring those in. Uh, and then we bring in a lot of joy, uh, because there's tricks with laughter and all sorts of things that we can do, uh, that improve the immune system more than any drug that's been studied. So part of that solitary goal is like, Okay. You're in a lot of pain, right? Your nerves are dying. You want to chop off your legs. Most people do with this. Um, and that's rational actually, but we can get that pain down with a ton of laughter. And if I tell that to someone, they're going to be like, I'm going to punch you in the face
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Hmm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:because I am in excruciating pain. And I'm going to say that is exactly why. And that is why we have one goal, not 50, That one goal is to heal is your goal to heal. That requires laughter. Are you willing to laugh? figure it out. How can we make you laugh while you're in this much pain? There's a way. Right. So it's a lot of solving puzzles like that and kind of playing with the self and seeing what will work. Um, one thing I, I am not a fan of is the, uh, uh, I do limbic coaching and I, well, I don't do limbic coaching, but I recommend it. And I did limbic self. things for myself, not knowing that that's what I was doing. But there's many different schools of limbic retraining. A lot of them use reframing things like that. Reframing is imperative, but I do strongly recommend to never lie to yourself. I think we want to be honest, but tell a different story. So I see a lot of these, uh, folks say like, feel great. I feel wonderful. When you feel like you're dying, your body knows that you're lying.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Hmm.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:go from noticing how much pain you're in to noticing something else that's true to that's neutral or positive. So that's what I recommend doing. And then you retrain your brain and you come out of it when you do come out of it. And it is possible. Tens of thousands of people have done it. It is possible for you to, even if you feel
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Mm
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:that is another warning. If you hear yourself saying that you are exactly the person that does not cultivated that mindset of the champion, no one who gets there ever says that at the end, I've tried it
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:mm
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:Can you imagine David Goggin saying that? No,
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Yeah.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:to, you want to think with an athlete mind. Yeah, you really do. Uh, the people that really get to their end goals are never telling themselves that story because it's not true.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Mm-Hmm
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:there yet, it means you need to reevaluate the ones that you did. Make sure they were done perfectly, not a bite off plan. You were, they were done with joy. And I mean it, uh, flexibility while being disciplined and consistency for the amount of time that those protocols needed. So if it's nervous system, minimum six months, that's just when you start to see things turn around, right? With the nervous system, hormonal three months. So I would always give those things nervous system, 12 months minimum to start seeing progress, real progress. Then you can cross that off your list and you know, you're, that will be the that much closer to the one that's going to work for you. Instead of being in this sea of confusion of I've tried everything and hands up in the air. Oh,
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:I mean, you told that like, uh, I mean there's, if, if somebody has this, uh, this ortho autonoma, listen to that. That just gives you a lot of hope. I mean, you told, like, told that like a champion. Um, that is incredibly detailed. Um, I hope you guys are. You know, taking down notes, I would, I would, you know, uh, really listen to this, um, you know, go back to that point where, uh, uh, Mary started talking about, um, how you are able to start when you do, when you are ready to start that journey. It's that you, you covered all aspects of this and, um, it, it speaks experience. It speaks, um, you know, confidence in what you do. Which is, um, I mean, amazing, amazing work you've done. And it's, it's all for everyone to see you guys. Um, you know, if you don't know Mary Ruddick, um, she is, um, uh, she's a speaker. She talks about this all the time on her socials and, uh, she's, uh, organizations invite her to speak about this. Um, because what she has here, um, has helped, Uh, tens of thousands of people. So, um, if you guys are, uh, you know, interested, um, I will link everything down in the description box below. So you guys can check out and connect with Mary. I mean, how do you follow that? Right. There's a lot there, um, that we have to unpack. Um, I love it. I love it. Thank you, Mary, for sharing your story. I mean, where can people reach out to you? Where can people find you?
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:you can find me at Mary Ruddick dot com. Everything links there. Um, I do, whenever I do keynotes, it's usually sponsored by Captain Soup. They made a soup that I had healed on and they're really great. Uh, so if someone's too sick, they can do that. Uh, but most things link there. My Instagram Mary Queen of Hearts and mostly I just want to leave you all with, uh, whatever you're going through. If it's a really dark night of the soul that's been going on for a decade or years or far too long, know that nothing goes on forever. Nothing.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Mm,
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:it's not your fault. They are here and that there is a way out. And if you continuously follow the breadcrumbs, you will find it. So believe in yourself. Don't believe in anything else. Don't believe in a protocol or a method or don't put all your eggs in anything, but your ability to heal, because if anyone can do it, you can too. And it's the belief that you can get there, not. Hope is useless, but the belief in the faith with action that can really get you there. It's been the saddest thing is to see people hopeless online with this because it is hopeless. And I, um, I have been on a mission so that no one has this. We have several studies going and to get it into medical literature. Um, I speak at every medical conference that asked me to come, whether it's super inconvenient or expensive for me so that the doctors know. How to get these folks out or at least to be their signposts. Right. Cause it's really us that does it. Um, we don't make ourselves sick, but we are the only ones that can get us out. Unfortunately. Um, I wish there was a surgery. There's not. So until there is until there is, um, maybe one of these days a mushroom will be found, who knows. But, um, but in the meantime, just know that it is possible. And then if you feel hopeless, don't feel bad about that either. There's nothing wrong with a good old pity party day
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:yeah. Mm-Hmm?
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:But get back to it tomorrow. So, uh, find me at, uh, maryredic. com or And most of all, keep going.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Mm. Man, I love that you don't know how impactful that is. Somebody telling you, if I had that, somebody to tell me that there is a way out. When I was going through that man, that would've been such a, um, confidence booster and. You know, it's just, you know, gives you a lot of hope. So thank you. Thank you, Mary, for, for sharing your story. We're here with us and talking about, you know, this, um, you know, incredible, incredible story. You have an insight about, uh, this autonomia. Um, amazing. Thank you, Mary. I appreciate you. I appreciate you for coming on.
mary-ruddick_1_06-20-2024_133516:Thank you. And thank you for having such a great forum to help so many people.
lorenz_1_06-20-2024_133516:Awesome. Awesome. All right. Bye bye.
