Functional Medicine Nutrition with Megan Barnett

In the podcast episode, Jill Brook interviews functional medicine nutritionist Megan Barnett about the role of nutrition and functional medicine in managing complex conditions like POTS and MCAS. Megan emphasizes that symptoms are a language expressing underlying bodily imbalances, and the key is to identify nutritional and other factors affecting these conditions. She discusses the significance of vitamin C for patients with mast cell disorders, noting that higher doses can aid in histamine degradation more effectively than previously thought. Megan highlights the importance of addressing gut health and nutrient deficiencies to manage symptoms better. She also explains her method of systematically analyzing patients' symptoms, histories, and potential deficiencies to form a treatment hypothesis, often employing specialized tests for food sensitivities and micronutrients. The episode advocates looking at the whole body and basic health tenets—like sleep, diet, and environment—before resorting to medications.