Functionally Enlightened - Better ways to heal from chronic pain and illness

What if the reason you can’t sleep isn’t just stress—but your nervous system? In this episode of the Functionally Enlightened Podcast, Sharon sits down with Andy Gritti to unpack the reality of living with Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)—a neurological condition that disrupts sleep, impacts dopamine signaling, and can significantly reduce quality of life. After decades of severe symptoms, including n...

What if your symptoms aren’t random—but rooted in how your body is genetically wired to respond to toxins, hormones, and stress? In this episode of the Functionally Enlightened Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Laura Varden, PhD in Cellular Biology & Molecular Genetics, to break down how functional genomics influences detoxification pathways, hormone metabolism, and gut mucosal integrity. We explor...

What happens when your life changes overnight and healing doesn’t come the way you expected? In this deeply moving episode of the Functionally Enlightened Podcast, Sharon sits down with Sydney Anne Bennett, author of Fearfully and Wonderfully Broken, to explore her journey into disability just two weeks after her honeymoon. Diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder, Sydney shares what it’s l...

Autoimmune conditions are often approached from a purely physical lens—but what if the missing piece is your mindset and daily habits? In this episode of the Functionally Enlightened Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Amy Behimer, pharmacist, board-certified health coach, and autoimmune specialist, to explore her powerful Habit Hub framework—a six-pillar approach to navigating chronic illness with more...

In this powerful follow-up episode, Sharon reconnects with Rita to hear how her healing journey has evolved since their first conversation in 2023.After years of severe chronic illness—including dysautonomia, POTS, neurological symptoms, and being bedridden—Rita discovered a critical missing piece in early 2026: an untreated head and neck injury. Through specialized care with an upper cervical chi...

In this special episode, I’m sharing something deeply personal—the release of my book:“Meshed Up: A Guide to Healing from Implant Illness.”This book was born out of my own experience following what was supposed to be a routine mesh implant surgery… that led to years of unexplained symptoms including:Chronic painDysautonomiaBrain fogFatigueNervous system dysregulationLike so many, I was told everyt...

Why gut healing is foundational for detoxificationThe importance of trace minerals and metabolic functionStrategies to support liver detox pathways and glutathione productionThe connection between implants, inflammation, and systemic symptomsWe also discuss practical tools including probiotic protocols, detox strategies, and dietary shifts that can support long-term healing. This conversation is e...

In this episode of the Functionally Enlightened Podcast, Sharon Surita, PhD, BCFDNP sits down with Elizabeth Stauder, practitioner and founder of Body and Soul Sanctuary, to explore the role of nervous system regulation, somatic trauma reprocessing, and mind-body repatterning in chronic illness recovery. Elizabeth shares her deeply personal healing journey after developing dysautonomia following a...

In this episode of the Functionally Enlightened Podcast, Sharon Surita, PhD, BCFDNP interviews Casey Hibbard, founder of Rebuilding My Health, about her path from autoimmunity and inflammatory arthritis to recovery using a functional, root-cause approach. After conventional answers fell short, Casey explored anti-inflammatory nutrition, gut healing protocols, and detoxification strategies—and work...

In this episode of the Functionally Enlightened Podcast, Sharon Surita, PhD, BCFDNP sits down with Dr. Shivani Gupta, PhD—Ayurvedic practitioner, founder of Fusionary Formulas, and a leading voice bridging ancient Ayurvedic wisdom with modern clinical science. We break down how Ayurveda approaches chronic inflammation, gut dysfunction, and persistent pain through a highly bio-individual framework—...

If you’ve ever wondered why your cravings feel uncontrollable, why blood sugar spikes happen even on “healthy” foods, or how diet impacts chronic illness—including implant and vaccine injuries—this episode is for you. Today, Sharon sits down with two powerhouse guests: • Dr. John Poothullil (“Dr. John”) – Type 2 diabetes and obesity researcher, author, and expert in mindful eating • Chef Colleen C...

In this episode of the Functionally Enlightened Podcast, Sharon sits down with Brad Pitzele, founder of One Thousand Roads, to explore the powerful connection between oxygen utilization, inflammation, and chronic illness recovery. Brad shares his deeply personal health journey—from autoimmune arthritis and malignant melanoma to a later diagnosis of Lyme disease and Bartonella—and how conventional...

In this powerful episode of the Functionally Enlightened Podcast, Dr. Sharon Surita, PhD, BCFDNP sits down with Sally K. Norton, MPH, nutrition expert, public health researcher, and author of Toxic Superfoods: How Oxalate Overload is Making You Sick—and How to Get Better. Sally holds a nutrition degree from Cornell University and a Master’s in Public Health, and her career has spanned major medica...

In this powerful episode of the Functionally Enlightened Podcast, Dr. Sharon Surita welcomes Frédéric Roscop, an award-winning osteopathic practitioner and scientist from the UK, who shares his deeply personal journey of living with undiagnosed Lyme disease for over 20 years—and how he ultimately healed himself when conventional medicine failed.💡 Frédéric reveals the science behind Liquid Intelli...

Lyme disease shouldn’t be a guessing game. In this episode, Nicole Bell—MIT/Duke engineer, author of What Lurks in the Woods, and CEO of Galaxy Diagnostics—shares how her husband’s undiagnosed Lyme and co-infections (Bartonella, Babesia) led to a tragic outcome… and why that drove her mission to change the standard of care for tick-borne illness. We break down: -Why antibody tests miss stealth inf...

In this powerful episode of the Functionally Enlightened Podcast, Sharon sits down with Heather, a functional oncology and nutrition specialist whose personal battle with cancer and autoimmune disease led her to pioneer a holistic approach to healing. Heather shares her journey from cancer diagnosis to choosing alternative treatments over conventional chemo and radiation, and how she rebuilt her h...

On this episode of the Functionally Enlightened Podcast, Sharon sits down with Piper Gibson and Bailey Williams, co-founders of Elite Gene Labs, to explore the world of functional genomics and its power in supporting those with chronic illness, environmental toxicity, and implant-related complications. Piper and Bailey share their deeply personal journeys into genomics—how neurological symptoms, a...

In this deeply personal episode, Dr. Sharon Surita, PhD, FDNP and Jennifer DeGlopper—both mesh implant illness survivors—come together to share their lived experiences with surgical mesh complications. From infections, autoimmune reactions, and chronic pain to navigating dismissive medical systems, Sharon and Jennifer open up about the physical, emotional, and spiritual toll of mesh-related illnes...

In this episode of the Functionally Enlightened Podcast, Sharon Surita, PhD, BCFDNP, sits down with Dr. Carl Rothschild, a pioneer in red light therapy and infrared sauna technology, to explore the science, safety, and life-changing benefits of these therapies. With nearly five decades of chiropractic experience, Dr. Rothschild shares:-How red light therapy went from a dismissed idea to a cornerst...

In this episode, Sharon sits down with Phillip Wilson, founder of Relax Saunas, to dive deep into the healing science of far infrared therapy—a game changer for those dealing with implant illness, ASIA syndrome, chronic fatigue, and detox struggles. Phillip shares how far infrared saunas differ from traditional saunas and why his ceramic semiconductor technology offers near 100% pure far infrared—...

In this episode, Sharon sits down with Natalie Earl, a functional nutritionist and founder of Nutrition with Confidence, to unpack how gut health, nervous system regulation, and ancestral eating can help reverse chronic illness—especially when conventional medicine falls short. Natalie shares her own story of recovery from eczema, PMS, and autoimmune symptoms, and how it led her to embrace functio...

In this episode, Sharon sits down with Dr. Anju Mathur—founder of Angel Longevity Medical Center—to explore what truly works when conventional medicine fails. After years of practicing as a traditional MD, Dr. Mathur found herself chronically unwell with “normal” labs and no answers. That led her to discover the transformative power of functional testing, detoxification, metabolic nutrition, and h...

In this episode, Sharon Surita sits down with Ethan Pompeo, founder of Green Valley Nutrition, to explore his powerful personal healing journey through autoimmune disease, chronic pain, and neurological symptoms. Diagnosed with PANDAS and living with dysautonomia, Ethan opens up about how CBD oil changed his life—helping to relieve tics, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and inflammation. Now, he’s sha...

In this empowering episode, Sharon sits down with Jennifer Woodward, FDN-P, author of Easy Perimenopause: The Essential Guide to Modern Midlife. Jennifer shares her personal journey into functional nutrition—sparked by her son’s health struggles—and how it led her to specialize in supporting women through the often confusing and overwhelming hormonal shifts of perimenopause. Together, Sharon and J...

In this powerful and eye-opening interview, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Tim Sayed joins Sharon Surita, PhD, to dive deep into the complex and often controversial world of Breast Implant Illness (BII) and explant surgery.👉 Dr. Sayed shares his personal journey into explant-focused care and the science behind why some patients develop inflammatory symptoms after getting implants—from brain...