Brain Body Reset

Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, while still relatively unknown, is likely massively underdiagnosed.

In this episode, I explore:

• What Mast Cell Activation Syndrome is
• The diagnostic criteria of Consensus 1 vs 2
• Natural and pharmaceutical treatment options
• What you should consider when the treatment isn't enough.

To learn more about our approach to mast cell activation syndrome, visit https://peakbrainandbody.com/conditions/mcas/

What happens when a physician develops long COVID and finds herself struggling to get the medical system to understand what she’s experiencing?

In this episode of Brain Body Reset, I’m joined by internal medicine physician Dr. Kim Robinson Shumate for an honest conversation about how long COVID changed her health, career, and daily life.

She shares her experience with a stroke, POTS, dysautonomia, and mast cell activation, along with the frustration of being told her cognitive testing looked normal when she knew her brain wasn’t functioning the way it had before.

We discuss:

• Why “normal” cognitive testing can miss a meaningful decline from your previous abilities.
• The difference between anxiety about losing your health and anxiety being the explanation for your symptoms.
• The pattern of pushing through symptoms, crashing, and struggling to accept new limits.
• How short appointments and fragmented care can leave both patients and physicians frustrated.
• Her experience with pacing, identifying personal triggers, and making difficult changes to support her health.
• The grief of losing your previous life and finding purpose as you move forward.

Dr. Robinson Shumate also explains what she means by “self-care is health care” and how learning to listen to her own body became an essential part of her progress.

If you’re navigating long COVID, POTS, or overlapping chronic conditions and feel like no one understands how much your life has changed, this conversation will resonate.

Your experience matters. Keep asking questions, advocating for your needs, and looking for care that takes the time to understand you.

To learn more about Dr. Robinson Shumate visit: https://www.energymavenmd.com/

To learn more about how Dr. Zimmerman NP, DC at Peak Brain and Body visit: https://peakbrainandbody.com

If you have POTS, you’ve probably heard conflicting explanations for your symptoms, each presented as the answer. How do you sort through the noise and figure out what actually applies to you?

In this episode of Brain Body Reset, Dr. Spencer Zimmerman is joined by Dr. Howard Snapper, a respected cardiologist, president-elect of the American Autonomic Society, and autonomic specialist practicing in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.

Together, they unpack common POTS myths, misleading claims, and the truths that sometimes get stretched too far.

We explore:

• What POTS is from a diagnostic standpoint, and how it differs from orthostatic hypotension.
• Craniocervical instability, mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and compression syndromes.
• Why a condition may matter for some patients without explaining everyone’s symptoms.
• Why finding one contributing problem doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve found the whole answer.

The goal is to help you ask better questions, understand the limits of broad claims, and pursue care that reflects your individual needs.

Connect with Dr. Snapper:

Facebook
X: @howardsnapper

If you have POTS or another form of dysautonomia, you’ve probably been told to increase salt, push fluids, wear compression, and maybe try a medication or two. That advice isn’t wrong, but it’s compensation, not correction. And for most people, it’s a forever strategy.

In this episode, Dr. Spencer Zimmerman, a dual-licensed nurse practitioner and doctor of chiropractic, walks through the research on a system that is almost never evaluated in POTS, Long COVID, ME/CFS, or hypermobile EDS: the vestibular system.

Most people think of the vestibular system as balance and vertigo. But the gravity-sensing otolith organs feed directly into the brainstem’s cardiovascular centers. When you stand up, this vestibulosympathetic reflex fires before your blood pressure has a chance to drop, constricting blood vessels and activating the leg muscles that pump blood back to the heart. It responds roughly twice as fast as the baroreceptor reflex that most POTS models focus on. When that early-warning system isn’t working, blood pools, less returns to the heart and brain, and the heart races to compensate. That racing heart is the downstream effect, not the root problem.

Dr. Zimmerman connects this to a 2026 paper framing POTS, ME/CFS, and Long COVID as neuroimmune disorders, research showing brainstem inflammation in Long COVID near vagal and vestibular centers, a study showing otolith stimulation changes blood flow to the brain independent of blood pressure or breathing, and astronaut research where reduced gravity weakens the otoliths and produces POTS-like orthostatic intolerance on return to Earth.

He then gets practical: what testing should be done (and why video-recorded eye movement testing should be the minimum standard), why generic habituation-based vestibular rehab often makes this population worse, and what a complete plan looks like. That includes visual and vestibular work, cervical spine and proprioception, heart-rate-guided progression, and addressing “sabotagers” like mast cell activation, anemia, thyroid, hormones, and gut issues.

Key takeaways

• What triggers POTS (infection, surgery, injury) is different from what keeps it going
• The vestibular system directly regulates blood vessel tone, heart rate, the skeletal muscle pump, and blood flow to the brain
• Tachycardia in POTS is a compensation for upstream dysfunction, which is why rate-lowering medications rarely make people feel truly well
• Research shows reduced brain blood flow appears about two minutes before nausea sets in, which is why measuring physiology beats waiting for symptoms in sensitive patients
• “Normal” and “no pathology” are not the same thing; you can have intact balance and still have impaired vestibular function
• Standard vestibular rehab is built for conditions like BPPV and relies on pushing through symptoms, which backfires in dysautonomia
• The best outcomes come from treating vision, vestibular, cervical, proprioceptive, and whole-body factors together, not in isolation

Chapters

• 0:00 Why salt, fluids, and compression aren’t the full answer
• 1:23 Triggers vs. what keeps POTS going
• 3:46 The 2026 paper: POTS, ME/CFS, and Long COVID as neuroimmune disorders
• 4:47 How POTS is actually diagnosed
• 7:44 The vestibular system is more than your inner ear
• 9:22 The vestibulosympathetic reflex vs. the baroreceptor reflex
• 13:59 What likely breaks down in POTS
• 16:21 How the inner ear regulates blood flow to the brain
• 19:44 Blood flow drops before symptoms appear (and why we use fNIRS)
• 21:42 What astronauts teach us about POTS
• 24:12 What should be evaluated
• 26:07 The skeletal muscle pump and the vestibular connection
• 30:13 Brainstem inflammation and the self-perpetuating loop
• 33:12 Levels of vestibular testing: VNG, positional, caloric, rotary chair
• 37:27 Why generic vestibular rehab often makes people worse
• 39:58 What a thorough treatment plan looks like
• 44:08 The neck, upper cervical care, hypermobility, and CCI
• 47:03 The visual system and “central” dysfunction
• 48:23 What needs to change in the field
• 51:31 Research citations and where to learn more

Learn more: Peak Brain and Body, near Tampa, FL, serves patients traveling from across the country and around the world. Visit peakbrainandbody.com.

Brain fog. Exhaustion. Dizziness. Food reactions. Symptoms that flare without an obvious reason. If you’re living with long COVID or mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), you may have collected diagnoses and tried multiple treatments without understanding why you still feel so sick.

In this episode of Brain Body Reset, Dr. Spencer Zimmerman sits down with long COVID researcher and immunology educator Dr. Novack PhD to explore what may be keeping that cycle going, and the research investigating ways to interrupt it.

Dr. Novack shares findings from his clinical trial examining a no-added-sugar diet and fasting in people with long COVID. We discuss autophagy, your cells’ internal cleanup and recycling process, and why researchers are interested in its potential role in persistent symptoms.

We also connect the dots between mast cells, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and the nervous system to help you better understand symptoms that are too often treated in isolation.

You’ll hear about:

• Why mast cells do much more than release histamine, and why that matters when antihistamines only help so much.
• How mast cell activity and autonomic dysfunction may influence each other in MCAS and POTS.
• The possible role of persistent virus in long COVID, and the limitations of current testing.
• How damaged mitochondria may contribute to fatigue and post-exertional malaise.
• Mast cell stabilizers, including cromolyn and ketotifen, and emerging treatment research.
• Why nutrition, sleep, and individual treatment responses deserve a place in the conversation.

If you’ve been told to manage each symptom separately, this conversation offers a more connected way to understand what may be happening and questions to bring to your healthcare team.

This episode discusses emerging research and proposed mechanisms, not established cures. Fasting is not appropriate for everyone, and changes to fasting or medication should be discussed with your treating clinician.

Have you been diagnosed with hEDS and have a variety of neurological symptoms and findings?

Maybe you struggle with: chronic fatigue, brain fog, headaches/migraines, dizziness, light/noise sensitivity and more.

Your imaging suggest chiari malformation or cranio-cervical instability.

A recent research article is proposing for a new subtype to hEDS, known as Neuro-EDS. This is meant to better capture what is happening.

To learn more about our approach to EDS: https://peakbrainandbody.com/conditions/eds/

Most conversations about Ehlers-Danlos syndrome focus on joint hypermobility, ligament laxity, pain, and the musculoskeletal system. But is that enough to explain the brain fog, fatigue, dizziness, headaches, sensory overload, anxiety, and autonomic symptoms many people with EDS experience?

In this episode, Dr. Spencer Zimmerman NP, DC, DACNB reviews a 2025 research paper exploring the neurological and neuropsychological side of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

You’ll learn about:

• The 13 recognized EDS subtypes and why hypermobile EDS receives the most attention
• Brain structural differences associated with EDS
• Chiari malformation and craniocervical instability
• Small fiber neuropathy and autonomic dysfunction
• The overlap between EDS, POTS, and reduced cerebral blood flow
• How impaired proprioception may affect balance, coordination, joint stability, and injury risk
• The roles of interoception, sensory processing, and neurological efficiency
• Why anxiety, panic disorders, depression, ADHD, and autism are discussed in EDS research
• How the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, insula, anterior cingulate cortex, cerebellum, and brainstem may contribute to symptoms
• Why normal structural imaging does not necessarily rule out impaired neurological function

The presence of a structural finding such as Chiari malformation or craniocervical instability does not automatically mean it explains every symptom. At the same time, treating EDS as purely a joint and connective-tissue condition may leave major pieces of the problem unaddressed.

This episode explains why people with EDS may need an integrated approach that considers the musculoskeletal system, nervous system, autonomic regulation, mental health, blood flow, immune function, and the way the brain processes information from the body.

Educational only and not personal medical advice.

https://peakbrainandbody.com/conditions/eds/

POTS is not one condition with one cause and treating the elevated heart rate alone often fails to address why someone remains sick.

In this episode, Dr. Spencer Zimmerman breaks down a major POTS review published in August 2026 and translates the findings into language patients and families can understand. He explains the different processes that may contribute to POTS, including small fiber and autonomic neuropathy, low blood volume, excessive sympathetic activation, and impaired blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain.

You’ll also learn why normal oxygen saturation and blood pressure readings do not necessarily mean the brain is receiving adequate blood flow, which conditions most commonly overlap with POTS, and why migraines and irritable bowel syndrome may deserve more attention than they currently receive.

The episode also examines standard POTS treatments—including exercise, fluids, salt, compression garments, dietary changes, and medications—along with medications that may worsen symptoms. Finally, Dr. Zimmerman discusses what the current research may be missing, including vestibular and eye-movement dysfunction, cervical integration, overlooked lab findings, hormonal changes, and why neurological rehabilitation may need to come before traditional cardiovascular conditioning for some patients.

To learn more: https://peakbrainandbody.com/conditions/pots-dysautonomia/

If you become dizzy, nauseous, weak, foggy, or feel like you might pass out when you stand, it is easy for everything to get labeled as POTS. But POTS is only one form of orthostatic intolerance.

In this episode, Dr. Spencer Zimmerman breaks down the differences between POTS, orthostatic hypotension, and neurocardiogenic syncope. These conditions can cause very similar symptoms, but the changes in heart rate, blood pressure, and neurological regulation do not follow the same pattern.

You’ll learn:

• What should normally happen to your circulation when you stand
• How POTS, orthostatic hypotension, and neurocardiogenic syncope are diagnosed
• Why the timing of heart-rate and blood-pressure changes matters
• Which of these conditions can occur together—and which cannot
• Why cardiac testing is still important, even when it comes back normal
• How dehydration, anemia, medications, neurological conditions, and other factors can contribute
• Why salt, fluids, compression, exercise, and medications help some people but not everyone
• Why receiving the correct diagnosis is only the beginning of understanding what you need to improve

If you have been diagnosed with dysautonomia but still do not understand why you are struggling or why the standard recommendations have only helped partially; this episode will help you see what may still be missing.

This episode is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Speak with your healthcare provider before changing medications or treatment.

To learn more: https://peakbrainandbody.com/conditions/pots-dysautonomia/

It is slightly too long for a podcast episode description. The content is good, but I’d tighten it so someone can understand the episode quickly without feeling like they have already consumed it.

If your heart races every time you stand—but your cardiac testing keeps coming back normal—the heart may not be the real problem.

POTS is diagnosed by changes in heart rate, but research suggests that the heart-rate increase may be a response to something happening earlier: an excessive drop in cerebral blood flow when you become upright.

In this episode, Dr. Spencer Zimmerman explains why this matters, how the brain and autonomic nervous system normally regulate blood flow, and how impaired regulation may contribute to dizziness, brain fog, fatigue, shortness of breath, digestive problems, temperature intolerance, and other symptoms.

You’ll also learn why salt, electrolytes, compression, and medications may help without fully explaining—or addressing—why you remain stuck.

If you have POTS or dysautonomia and feel like no one has connected all your symptoms, this episode will help the bigger picture make more sense.

If you've been told there's nothing more to do for your long COVID, or that the research just isn't there yet, this episode pushes back on both claims.

Dr. Zimmerman NP, DC, DACNB breaks down one of the most comprehensive 2025 research papers on the neurological effects of long COVID, walking through what's actually driving symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, dizziness, mood changes, and post-exertional malaise.

He covers the imaging and lab findings showing real, measurable brain changes, the overlapping mechanisms long COVID shares with POTS, MCAS, EDS, ME/CFS, and post-concussion syndrome, and why treating these as separate, isolated diagnoses keeps people stuck.

You'll learn why a single test or single treatment was never going to be the answer, what a layered, multimodal approach actually looks like, and why most people aren't failing because they're "defective" — they're failing because the approach they were given wasn't built for the complexity of what's really going on. This is research translated into something you can actually use, and a roadmap for the conversation to have with any provider willing to dig in with you.

Dizziness is one of the most common symptoms people struggle with… and one of the most misunderstood.

If you’ve been told everything looks “normal,” yet you still feel off, this episode explains why.

Instead of chasing a single cause, we break down a more accurate framework — looking at how dizziness can come from metabolic issues, inflammation, the immune system, vascular changes, the neck, and ultimately how the brain processes it all.

You’ll learn:

• Why “normal labs” don’t always mean normal function
• Why treatments work for some people but not others
• The overlooked role of the brain, vision, and vestibular system
• And why there’s no one-size-fits-all fix

If you’re tired of guessing and want to understand what’s actually driving your symptoms, this episode will give you a completely different lens to look through.

https://peakbrainandbody.com

Are your migraines or headaches still running your life—despite normal scans, multiple medications, and endless “try this” advice?

In this research-backed Q&A, Dr. Spencer Zimmerman breaks down why migraines and chronic headaches are far more complex than most people are told. Instead of focusing on labels, he walks through the four core arenas that must be evaluated to truly reduce frequency and intensity:

• Immune system & inflammation (CGRP, histamine, gut health, autoimmune links)
• Vascular factors & autonomic regulation
• Mitochondrial energy and metabolic efficiency
• Brain connectivity (cerebellum, vestibular system, trigeminal pathways)

You’ll learn:

• Why normal MRIs don’t mean “nothing is wrong”
• How medications like CGRP inhibitors work—and why they don’t solve the root cause
• The hidden role of magnesium, riboflavin, omega-3s, and ketones
• Why gut health and brain health are inseparable
• How caffeine and common OTC medications can perpetuate rebound headaches
• Why no one is looking at brain connectivity—and why that matters

If you’ve been told to “just manage it,” this episode will challenge that narrative and give you a systems-based framework for understanding what’s actually driving your migraines.

Because the goal isn’t to block pain.
The goal is to prevent it.

If you’re ready to understand your headaches differently—and explore what’s actually possible—this episode is for you.

https://peakbrainandbody.com/

Still dizzy, foggy, exhausted—or dealing with racing heart symptoms—despite “normal” tests?

In this Q&A episode, Dr. Zimmerman explains why concussions and POTS are often misunderstood, why MRI/CT scans are usually normal in concussion, and what most evaluations miss (objective balance + eye-movement testing). He also breaks down POTS as a nervous system/autonomic issue, why patients get bounced between cardiology and neurology, and how immune/metabolic factors like histamine patterns and low ferritin can worsen symptoms.

https://peakbrainandbody.com/concussion-symptoms-and-treatment/

A concussion story most people never hear. Dr. Zimmerman and his wife, Sara, share the raw, real experience of navigating yet another concussion—from subtle early symptoms to the emotional toll it takes on daily life.

When symptoms don’t make sense—but your body knows something is wrong. Fatigue, mood swings, dizziness, nausea, memory lapses, and loss of motivation all appeared quickly, even after what seemed like a minor hit.

Why standard care often leaves people stuck. Learn how normal scans, generic treatments, and symptom-chasing can miss the true neurological drivers of post-concussion symptoms.

What actually made the difference this time. From vestibular and eye movement findings to targeted neurological therapies, hear how a personalized approach helped symptoms improve faster than expected.

A powerful reminder for anyone who’s been told “this is just how it is.” This episode challenges the belief that chronic concussion symptoms are permanent—and explains why the right care matters more than ever.

• What if a little-known brain fat could play a major role in fatigue, brain fog, and neurodegeneration? Dr. Zimmerman introduces plasmalogens and why they’ve become a key focus in complex neurological cases.
• Plasmalogens quietly protect brain, nerve, and heart cells—until levels drop. Learn how aging, inflammation, and chronic conditions may accelerate their loss and what that means for symptoms and disease progression.
• Emerging research links low plasmalogens to conditions like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, MS, and neuropathy. This episode explores what the science suggests—and why waiting years for “perfect data” isn’t an option for those suffering now.
• Why supplementation isn’t as simple as “take more.” Dr. Zimmerman breaks down absorption challenges, precursor strategies, and why dosing must be individualized.
• Plasmalogens aren’t a magic bullet—but when stacked with the right neurological and immune support, they may change the trajectory. Discover how they fit into a true brain-body, systems-based approach.

This episode is a must-listen if you’ve tried “everything” and are still searching for answers that actually move the needle.

Myth #1: “It’s just anxiety.” Dr. Z breaks down why this misunderstanding leads to misdiagnosis, gaslighting, and years of unnecessary suffering.

Why drinking more water and pounding salt isn’t a real solution—and what’s actually driving your dizziness, fatigue, and tachycardia.

The shocking truth: Most POTS symptoms are neurological, not cardiovascular—and traditional testing completely misses it.

Why medications help some symptoms but never fix the root problem (and why you crash as soon as you stop them).

The biggest unlock: Your visual system, vestibular system, hormones, blood sugar, and immune health may be the hidden drivers your providers never checked.

If you’re dizzy, exhausted, lightheaded, and constantly brushed off by traditional medicine, this episode will feel like someone is finally connecting the dots.

What you’ll learn:

• Why “normal” labs don’t mean anything is actually normal for POTS patients—and why most people are told everything looks fine when they clearly don’t feel fine.
• The big flaw in the traditional POTS approach: it manages symptoms but ignores the nervous system dysfunction driving them.
• **The hidden neurological issues no one checks—**like eye-tracking and vestibular reflexes—that keep 75–80% of POTS patients dizzy, anxious, and fatigued.
• How advanced testing at Peak Brain & Body uncovers what cardiology and neurology miss, leading to real, lasting improvement.
• Why POTS is never “one thing,” and why treating the whole system (hormones, immune function, infections, mold, anemia, etc.) finally moves the needle.

In this episode I take questions from the audience and review the research on a variety of topics.

The concussion we all missed: Using Mike Evans’ hit as a case study, Dr. Z shows why a “minor” concussion can be far more life-altering than a broken collarbone—and how symptoms get rationalized away.

Depression redefined: New findings on excitatory neurons and microglia link mood and inflammation—explaining why exercise, vitamin D, gut health, and targeted nutrition help some people more than meds alone.

Women’s brain health & hormones: How menopause accelerates brain atrophy in MS, which regions are hit (memory, attention, emotion), and why LC/MS hormone testing changes the conversation on safe HRT.

Parkinson’s is rising—here’s why: Environmental exposures (industrial degreasers, pesticides, head trauma, autoimmunity) drive risk—and the practical levers you can control now.

From POTS to “wear-and-tear” knees: Why POTS is a neuro-immune problem (not a single-cause diagnosis), how ultra-processed foods speed cartilage loss, and what emerging evidence says about Boswellia + celery seed for pain, function, and inflammation.

Chemo brain, demystified: How mitochondrial stress and systemic inflammation drive brain fog, memory lapses, and slowed thinking—and what helps.

Food as a therapeutic tool: A simplified, modified Mediterranean approach (gluten-free, low-sugar, organic) to lower inflammation and feed the brain.

Support during treatment: Why timing matters for intermittent fasting, what to avoid during radiation, and where melatonin and select botanicals may fit.

Cachexia vs. “just eat anything”: Calorie-dense, therapeutic smoothies as a smarter alternative to ultra-processed shakes when appetite is low.

Home detox made doable: High-impact swaps (fragrance plugins, dryer sheets, plastic foodware, bottled water, microwaving in plastic) to cut hormone disruptors.

Stronger bones on AIs/Tamoxifen: The right form of calcium plus D3, K2, collagen precursors—and bone-loading movement—to reduce osteoporosis risk.

Mindset & the “cancer train”: How to pause urgency, build a healing team, and use breathwork, meditation, acupuncture, and graded exercise to steady emotions.

HRT after breast cancer—handle with care: Why this decision must be personalized (oncology, BHRT specialist, Dutch testing, vascular screening, tight lab follow-up).

To learn more about our guest, visit:

www.carollourie.com