In this video, I go over the body’s key protective barriers- gut, lung, blood-brain, skin, and cardiovascular- and why they matter so much. These barriers are made of similar tissue, so when one breaks down, it’s often a sign the others are also compromised. I’ve found that nervous system stress overload is the #1 driver of this breakdown. For example, if someone has a leaky gut, it’s likely they also have issues with their blood-brain barrier or cardiovascular lining.

What’s frustrating is how often chronic neurodegenerative conditions like MS are labeled “autoimmune” based only on MRI findings, without confirming it through proper blood tests. Patients then get placed on long-term immunosuppressive treatments, sometimes costing hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, even though the real issue might be barrier breakdown caused by stress or inflammation- not true autoimmunity.

In my practice, I’ve seen patterns- skin flare-ups, GI problems, chronic coughing- all pointing to barrier issues across multiple systems. Sometimes even a concussion can cause lifelong gut problems. That’s why I focus on testing and supporting these barriers, not just suppressing the immune system. It’s a root-cause approach that can change the way we manage chronic illness.