Made for Health

What happens when medical training meets lived experience, intuition, and a willingness to question the system?In this deeply personal episode, Dr. Aaron Hartman, the physician and author behind A Curable: From Hopeless Diagnosis to the Final Odds, pulls back the curtain on his family’s journey navigating rare pediatric health challenges and the modern healthcare system. Dr. Hartman shares how his wife Becky’s background as a pediatric occupational therapist profoundly shaped both his parenting and his medical philosophy, introducing him to the reality of rare diagnoses, individualized care, and nontraditional therapies long before they became part of mainstream conversation.This episode explores the power of gut instinct, the science behind intuition, and the importance of integrating head knowledge, hand knowledge, and heart knowledge when caring for complex patients. Through stories of innovative therapies like suit therapy, nutritional interventions, and environmental changes, Dr. Hartman highlights why healing often requires openness, humility, and a willingness to look beyond standard medical protocols.About the HostDr. Aaron Hartman, MD is the founder of Richmond Integrative & Functional Medicine and the author of A Curable: From Hopeless Diagnosis to the Final Odds. His work focuses on root-cause medicine, complex chronic illness, and integrating environmental, nutritional, and neurological approaches to healing.Key Topics CoveredWhy gut instinct and intuition are real biological phenomena, not “just emotions”The role of the enteric nervous system and subconscious processing in decision-makingHow pediatric occupational therapy approaches rare and complex conditions differentlyThe impact of Becky’s work with children with special needs on the author’s medical thinkingWhy rare diagnoses are more common than we realize when viewed at population scaleHead knowledge, hand knowledge, and heart knowledge and why all three matter in healingSuit therapy and its origins in aerospace medicine and neurorehabilitationHow unconventional therapies often precede mainstream adoption by decadesThe role of nutrition, environment, and early intervention in pediatric health outcomesLessons learned from animal health, farming, and environmental medicineWhy integrative medicine requires curiosity beyond human medicine aloneLinks & Resources📘 Book: UnCurable: From Hopeless Diagnosis to Defying All Odds 👉 https://a.co/d/8sqjZNF🌐 Website: Richmond Integrative and Functional Medicine https://richmondfunctionalmedicine.com/Mentioned in this episode:Get Dr. Hartman's New Book - UnCURABLEIf you’ve been let down by the system, you’re not alone — and...

What if chronic illness isn’t a single diagnosis to fix, but a layered process shaped by infections, environment, and how your body responds to stress over time?In this episode of Mate for Health, Dr. Aaron Hartman is joined by Veronica Porterfield, MS, LN, MPAS, PA-C, for a deep, systems level conversation on why chronic illness is rising and why recovery looks different for every person. Together, they unpack the “perfect storm” driving persistent illness, including Lyme disease, mold exposure, long COVID, immune dysregulation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and environmental toxicity.Rather than viewing chronic illness as a single diagnosis or infection, this episode reframes it as a layered process influenced by genetics, environment, nervous system regulation, hormones, and cumulative toxic load. Dr. Hartman and Veronica explain why antibiotics alone are often not enough, why some people recover quickly while others do not, and how individualized, root cause focused care can change long term outcomes. This episode offers clarity, validation, and a roadmap for patients navigating complex, chronic health conditions.About the HostDr. Aaron Hartman, MDFounder of Richmond Integrative & Functional Medicine, Dr. Hartman specializes in complex chronic illness, tick borne disease, mold related illness, and immune dysregulation. His approach integrates functional medicine, mitochondrial health, nervous system regulation, and personalized care to restore resilience and healing.About the GuestVeronica Porterfield, MS, LN, MPAS, PA-CVeronica is a clinician with extensive experience in Lyme disease, mold illness, mast cell activation, and chronic inflammatory conditions. She focuses on identifying hidden drivers of illness and helping patients recover through individualized, whole person care.🔑 Key Topics CoveredWhy Lyme disease outcomes vary so widely from person to personThe “perfect storm” of genetics, toxins, infections, and immune dysfunctionHow mold exposure contributes to chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS)Why environment often outweighs genetics in determining health outcomesThe role of epigenetics and transgenerational exposure in chronic diseaseMitochondrial dysfunction and the cell danger responseHow nervous system dysregulation impacts immune resilienceHormonal disruption in chronic Lyme, mold illness, and long COVIDDysautonomia, POTS, and mast cell activation as downstream effectsWhy long COVID often reactivates latent infections like Lyme or Epstein-BarrLimitations of antibiotic-only treatment strategiesThe importance of individualized, multi-layered treatment plans📲 Follow & ResourcesDr. Aaron Hartman & Richmond Integrative & Functional MedicineWebsite:

What if the fats you have been told to avoid are actually the key to repairing your cells, calming inflammation, and protecting your heart and brain?In this episode, Dr. Aaron Hartman breaks down the powerful role dietary fats play in health and disease. He explains how modern fat consumption has shifted dramatically over the past century and why low omega 3 levels, excess omega 6 intake, trans fats, and oxidized seed oils are now strongly linked to heart disease, metabolic syndrome, neurological disorders, autoimmune conditions, and even cancer. Dr. Hartman walks listeners through the biology of fats, how damaged oils disrupt cell membranes and inflammation signaling, and why restoring healthy fats is one of the most effective ways to support healing. The episode introduces the concept of lipid membrane medicine and shows how intentional fat choices can become a force for resilience and recovery rather than disease.Key Topics CoveredWhy low omega 3 levels carry a heart disease risk comparable to smokingHow trans fats, hydrogenated oils, and oxidized polyunsaturated fats damage arteriesThe connection between excess omega 6 intake and obesity, insulin resistance, PCOS, and fatty liver diseaseHow industrial seed oils became a staple in the modern food system and why that mattersThe importance of omega 3 to omega 6 balance and how modern diets became highly inflammatoryHow oxidized LDL contributes to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular riskThe impact of unhealthy fats on brain health, mood disorders, ADHD, and neurodegenerative diseaseWhy autoimmune and inflammatory conditions are worsened by damaged fatsThe decline of organ meats and egg yolks and resulting phospholipid deficienciesThe role of phosphatidylcholine and phospholipids in mitochondrial and cellular repairIntroduction to lipid membrane medicine as a therapeutic strategy for healingFollow Dr. Aaron Hartman and Richmond Integrative & Functional Medicine💻 Website: https://richmondfunctionalmedicine.com/YouTube: @AaronHartmanMD

What if your genes are not a fixed sentence, but a flexible blueprint shaped by how you live?In this episode, Dr. Aaron Hartman takes a deep dive into the powerful relationship between genetics, environment, and health. Drawing from both cutting edge science and his personal journey supporting his daughter’s health, he explains why the outdated idea that “genes cause disease” no longer tells the full story.With only about 23,000 genes, humans are not genetically much more complex than some animals. The real difference lies in the epigenome, the system that controls how genes are turned on or off in response to nutrition, stress, toxins, infections, and lifestyle. Dr. Hartman explores how gut bacteria, viral DNA, and environmental exposures influence gene expression, and why even well known genetic conditions can show dramatically different outcomes depending on context.From historical events like the Dutch Hunger Winter to modern examples such as BRCA mutations and Down syndrome, this episode reinforces a hopeful truth: genes load the gun, but environment pulls the trigger. Listeners will walk away empowered with practical ways to use genetic insights, personalized nutrition, and lifestyle changes to support long term health and resilience. Key Topics CoveredWhy humans are not defined by gene count aloneWhat the epigenome is and how it controls gene expressionHow gut bacteria and viral DNA influence human geneticsThe Dutch Hunger Winter and transgenerational epigeneticsWhy genes are blueprints, not fixed outcomesUnderstanding SNPs and how small genetic variations affect healthThe MTHFR gene and its role in folate metabolismVitamin D receptor genes and nutrient requirementsHow personalized nutrition can modify gene expressionUsing genetic testing to identify vulnerabilities and strengthsThe difference between genotype and phenotypeWhy real food, sleep, movement, and environment matter most About the HostDr. Aaron Hartman, MD, is the founder of Richmond Integrative and Functional Medicine. He specializes in complex chronic illness, root cause medicine, and personalized care that integrates advanced testing with nutrition, lifestyle, and environmental medicine. His work bridges modern science with practical strategies to help patients reclaim health and resilience.Links & Resources📘 Book: UnCurable: From Hopeless Diagnosis to Defying All Odds 👉 https://a.co/d/8sqjZNF🌐 Website: Richmond Integrative and Functional Medicine https://richmondfunctionalmedicine.com/Mentioned in this episode:Get Dr. Hartman's New Book - UnCURABLEIf you’ve been let down by the system, you’re not alone — and you’re not powerless. Dr. Hartmans wrote UnCURABLE to help you take back control of your health and your hope. Visit the link below ⬇️ to get your copy and start your transformation today.Get the new book UnCURABLE

What if the reason so many people struggle with chronic symptoms is not a missed diagnosis, but a misunderstood infection?In this episode of Made for Health, Dr. Aaron Hartman is joined by Veronica Porterfield, MS, LN, MPAS, PA-C to unpack the growing epidemic of Lyme disease and other tick borne illnesses such as Babesia and Bartonella. Together, they explore why Lyme disease is so frequently overlooked, misdiagnosed, or dismissed, despite affecting nearly half a million people in the United States each year.This conversation dives deep into the limitations of current testing, the controversy surrounding diagnostic guidelines, and why Lyme is often called the “great imitator.” Dr. Hartman and Veronica explain how Lyme and its coinfections can mimic autoimmune disease, neurological conditions, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and even dementia. They also discuss why many patients worsen with immune suppressing treatments and how underlying infections may be the missing piece.This episode serves as an essential foundation for understanding Lyme disease, setting the stage for deeper discussions on treatment strategies and recovery in upcoming episodes.About the HostDr. Aaron Hartman, MD is the founder of Richmond Integrative & Functional Medicine. He specializes in complex chronic illness, root cause medicine, and cases that have failed conventional treatment. His work focuses on uncovering hidden infections, immune dysfunction, and environmental triggers that drive long term illness.About the GuestVeronica Porterfield, MS, LN, MPAS, PA-C is a clinician at Richmond Integrative & Functional Medicine with extensive experience treating Lyme disease and tick borne illnesses. She brings a patient centered, systems based approach to complex infections, autoimmunity, and chronic inflammatory conditions.Key Topics CoveredWhy Lyme disease affects nearly half a million people annually in the USThe economic and personal cost of missed Lyme diagnosesWhy standard Lyme tests often produce false negativesDifferences between antibody testing and direct testing methodsHow early antibiotics can suppress antibodies without clearing infectionWhy Lyme is known as the “new great imitator”Conditions commonly misdiagnosed instead of Lyme diseaseThe role of Babesia and Bartonella as common coinfectionsClassic symptoms of Babesia including night sweats and air hungerSigns of Bartonella such as foot pain, bladder irritation, and unusual stretch marksWhy coinfections are often treated clinically rather than by lab confirmationThe controversy between IDSA and ILADS diagnostic perspectivesHow immune suppression can worsen undiagnosed infectionsThe link between chronic infection, autoimmunity, and immune dysfunctionWhy persistent inflammation may signal an underlying infectionThe importance of a holistic, patient centered approach to tick borne illness📲 Follow & ResourcesDr. Aaron Hartman & Richmond Integrative & Functional MedicineWebsite: https://richmondfunctionalmedicine.com/YouTube: @AaronHartmanMDMentioned in this episode:Get Dr. Hartman's New Book - UnCURABLEIf you’ve been let down by the system, you’re not alone — and you’re not powerless. Dr. Hartmans wrote UnCURABLE to help you take back control of your health and your hope. Visit the link below ⬇️ to get your copy and start your transformation...