November 6, 2024 • 36 mins
Chart-topping songwriter Dana Parish’s life took an unexpected turn after a tick bite led to Lyme disease and heart failure. Faced with misdiagnosis and inadequate treatment, Dana's story transforms from a personal struggle to a rallying cry for those dismissed by traditional medicine. During this episode, Dana sheds light on the systemic issues surrounding chronic illnesses, toxic mold, and the critical role of integrative and functional medicine.
CONNECT WITH DANA PARISH
https://www.instagram.com/TheDanaParish
GET DANA'S BOOK
Chronic: The Hidden Cause of the Autoimmune Pandemic and How to Get Healthy
https://amzn.to/4ejLpsz (Amazon)
GET BRAIN CANDY DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
https://www.hilaryrusso.com/braincandy
WORK WITH HILARY
https://www.hilaryrusso.com/havening
CONNECT WITH HILARY
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilaryrusso
https://www.instagram.com/hilaryrusso
https://www.youtube.com/hilaryrusso
https://www.hilaryrusso.com/podcast
MUSIC by Lipbone Redding
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Dana Parish (00:06):
I had 38 of 60 symptoms that were on a Lyme
checklist and I ended up in heart failure.
And I saw 12 doctors within these couple of
months that everything was going haywire
and not a single one of them took my tick
bite seriously and would consider any
further testing, would consider that the
(00:28):
initial infection had never cleared, would
consider that ticks, who we know transmit
tons of diseases, could have transmitted
something else to me in that bite,
something that would have needed an
additional kind of treatment than
doxycycline.
Nobody, not a single one, and they did not
express curiosity and they just shut me
(00:48):
down and it was kind of like it's in your
head, it's all in your head.
Hilary Russo (00:54):
If you have ever heard those words after
seeking medical advice, only to be left
with no answers, doctor after doctor, visit
after visit, and you just really start
believing those words.
It's all in your head.
Just let that sit there for a moment.
Just let that resonate with you how that
feels in your body.
(01:16):
And if that's you, you're one of many
people, millions of people, who struggle
with chronic illnesses, autoimmune
conditions with no answers, or difficulty
in diagnosing or even treating conditions
because of widely held beliefs in the
medical system.
(01:37):
Right, but where does that leave you?
I imagine it leaves you frustrated, angry,
maybe even abandoned or worse.
But at some point you sit there and you
realize you have to turn that pain into
purpose or traumas into triumphs, as we
talk about here on Holistically Speaking,
(01:59):
Dana Parish has been there and she is a
chart-topping songwriter who's written
music for some of the biggest names out
there.
She was living her dream in the music
industry, at the top of your game, Dana
Parish, and then at some point the world
came crashing down on you A tick bite and I
(02:20):
understand this myself because I've been
through that with Lyme disease changed your
life in a way where it almost killed you,
but it also led you to find answers, and
this is a topic I've been wanting to have,
on, HIListically Speaking, for the longest
time.
I'm so glad you're here sharing this
because you are such a wealth of
(02:41):
information and I feel like it's being
heard.
I feel heard because I've been through that
and I was at a position in my life at 13
where I got Lyme and had no answers back
then in the 80s, right.
But you've been through far worse and I
really think it's part of your journey.
(03:01):
That's that power to purpose.
So thanks for being here.
Dana Parish (03:04):
Thank you so much for that beautiful
introduction.
Thank you.
Hilary Russo (03:13):
Well, let's get.
Let's get right into it.
I feel like I know you forever.
We were talking for a few minutes before
and your story is just so powerful and, you
know, I don't think we ever really realized
what's going to happen in our lives.
We have this trajectory, we're on this path,
like you were, with your career, working in
the music industry, and then suddenly it's
like boom, like crash.
And how did that happen for you?
(03:33):
Can we go back just to share the story?
Dana Parish (03:36):
Absolutely.
It was 10 years ago and I was living in
Manhattan and I went to my friend's wedding
in New Jersey.
It's always New Jersey right, it's like
always New Jersey, westchester, new
Hampshire but it's not really.
It's just.
The stereotype is that it's those places,
but very common there.
And I got a tick bite at my friend's
wedding and I came home back to the city a
(03:57):
couple of days later and I felt it was July
4th weekend.
So the first thing is, when you have a
summer cold, think Lyme.
That's really important to say upfront.
I did not think Lyme.
Even though I grew up in New Jersey and I
had a little bit of knowledge about Lyme.
It wasn't more than you know, knowing that
if you get a tick bite and a rash, that
(04:18):
that's a diagnostic, you know, tool for
Lyme.
So I ended up getting really, really sick
when I came back with a severe summer flu.
My neck hurt, my head hurt, I had a very.
I had a hard time waking up.
It was like this deep comatose, like sleep
that I'd never experienced before and that
went away over the course of a couple of
(04:39):
days.
But then I got out of the shower on a
Saturday a few days later and I had a
little bit of a rash and a bite in the
middle and I knew that was Lyme, walked
over to urgent care and that was the
beginning of my complete and utter
nightmare.
I had no idea that my life was going to
completely blow up.
At that point I was told you know, it's
(05:00):
Lyme, don't Google it, don't be one of
those crazy Lyme people.
Literally, that's what the ER, the urgent
care doc, said to me, which I thought was a
very strange thing to say, really got my
attention and it concerned me, went and
picked up three weeks of antibiotics, which
was doxycycline, and I was told I would be
fine and to just move on with my life.
(05:21):
And I was heading to LA the next day for a
writing trip and I asked them numerous
times should I put it off?
Should I cancel?
I can go in a couple of weeks, it's not a
big deal.
No, she even said like you can drink wine
with it.
Well, I have, like this, severe, crushing
headache this week.
I had meningitis.
I found out later, and so I took the three
weeks of doxy.
(05:41):
I just felt very tired, but I didn't feel
very ill.
And then, a couple of months later, I woke
up.
My breast was in severe pain and it was
swollen.
I went to the doctor immediately.
She thought I had breast cancer.
She sent me to an oncologist that day at
Mount Sinai.
He said it's not cancer, but I don't know
what it is.
It's really weird.
(06:02):
But I do cancer and you don't have cancer
and goodbye.
So I kept getting shuttled around from
doctor to doctor.
I had rashes all over.
I had burning, painful rashes.
You could see like all over my chest going
down my arm.
From where the tick bite was it went.
There was just a line that went all the way
down.
It wasn't infected.
Nobody knew what that was from.
(06:22):
And then I got severe, severe body pain to
the point where I convinced a physiatrist,
which is a person who does like physical
people confuse it with psychiatry.
It's a guy that does like sports medicine.
I convinced him to give me a chest wall MRI
because I was like I'm pretty sure I have
lymphoma, like I'm pretty sure something is
behind my chest wall that's causing all
(06:43):
this pain.
And there wasn't.
It was just this whole inflammatory
response that people get when they get
these infections.
Doctor to doctor to doctor, uh, over the
course of five months, severe weakness,
couldn't lift a fork, my arms stopped
working, couldn't walk my dog, light and
sound sensitivity, severe anxiety,
depression and insomnia, suicidal ideation
(07:06):
every single thing you could imagine.
I had 38 of 60 symptoms that were on a Lyme
checklist and I ended up in heart failure.
And I saw 12 doctors within these couple of
months that everything was going haywire
and not a single one of them took my tick
(07:26):
bite seriously and would consider any
further testing, would consider that the
initial infection had never cleared, would
consider that ticks, who we know transmit
tons of diseases, could have transmitted
something else to me in that bite,
something that would have needed an
additional kind of treatment than
doxycycline.
Nobody, not a single one.
(07:47):
And and they did not express curiosity and
they just shut me down and it was kind of
like it's in your head.
The thing with me was, when I went into
heart failure, there was really no arguing
that, and then it's well, but we don't know
why.
Could it be from the tick bite?
No, why?
Because I went to medical school.
(08:08):
You know, this is the kind of stuff that I
would hear.
Hilary Russo (08:11):
Yeah, I think what we're finding out, and
especially in this day and age, especially
as we are doing more in the world with
integrative medicine, integrative
approaches with the Western and the Eastern
and I prefer to work with doctors like that,
even in they're talking about but the ones
who are more progressive and are open to
the possibilities that maybe they don't
have the answer are the ones I actually
(08:42):
would want to trust more.
Dana Parish (08:43):
Oh, absolutely agree.
Yeah, and I would say that they don't know
what they're talking about when it comes to
complex chronic illness in the mainstream.
And I agree with you a hundred percent If
you know you have a tick bite you need, and
then you have symptoms, you need a
specialist Like there's no question.
(09:04):
And yes, if you have all these weird like
new onset of psychiatric physical symptoms,
or even just not all of them, but some of
them, and they're not explained by things
that make sense, you know integrative
functional medicine, lyme specialists
trained by ILADS, i-l-a-d-sorg, those are
the doctors that you want to see.
Just save yourself the trouble of going
(09:24):
down all the different specialties and
mainstream medicine, because they're just
simply not trained to evaluate patients for
infections, very commonly, that are causing
autoimmune psychiatric and neurologic
diseases, and I would also add toxic mold
to the big black hole in medicine that
(09:47):
mainstream doctors don't know anything
about.
They're not taught about any of this stuff
and it's crazy to me.
Hilary Russo (09:53):
And that's an area that you and I were just
talking about before about just how severe
mold can actually be and the kind of
complications it can really cause with our
immune systems.
Dana Parish (10:08):
Mold is used in biowarfare.
Mold is used.
Mold is used.
Mycotoxins are used for a drug called
Celcept which people take to.
It's an organ rejection drug, like it's an
anti-rejection drug, so it's so immune,
suppressive, that they use a certain
mycotoxin to make that drug.
(10:29):
It can cause dementia.
It can cause death.
People get infections in their lungs, can
cause death.
People get infections in their lungs.
I know, you know, Brittany Murphy allegedly
died from, and so did her husband from,
mold toxicity.
But it causes severe neuropsych illness,
severe physical illness, autoimmune
diseases, the same stuff.
You know.
The body can only express itself in so many
(10:50):
ways and these are the big things that
nobody is talking about in the mainstream.
That are the most important things to be
looking at when you don't have other
answers that make sense, Like stop drugging
your patient's symptoms and find out what
the root cause is and then treat that and
let's see how people do.
Hilary Russo (11:09):
And I feel that that's one thing that we're
seeing more of as well is that we're trying
to get to the root cause of things, those
of us who are looking at things more
progressively, not just trying to put a,
give you a diagnosis and tell you this is
what it is and this is how you treat it.
But again, I think this really goes back to
being that healthcare advocate for yourself
asking questions, because there are times
(11:31):
when, especially with the older generation,
there's such a trust of the doctor-patient
relationship that we'll just do whatever
they say, because asking questions or
researching online or going down the WebMD
hole or just people not even knowing how to
really use the internet to that capacity I
mean, anytime you just Google something,
(11:54):
you're going to get 20, 30 different more
things that it could be.
Dana Parish (12:00):
Right, I totally agree.
Google shows you what the establishment
wants you to see.
There's no question about that.
So you have to look at the primary
literature yourself and I know that sounds
like a tall order.
But go to PubMed, go to Google Sch and put
the condition in, put infections in, see if
they can cause it.
You know, look at Lyme, look at Bartonella,
(12:20):
look at toxic mold mycotoxins.
You will not believe what you find.
People really do need to be encouraged to
do their own research, but listen to their
intuition If something doesn't feel right.
For me, that was what guided me.
I knew nothing about any of this at that
time, nothing.
I just knew that I trusted my instincts and
(12:43):
it wasn't sitting right with me.
Why would I have a tick bite, be completely
healthy and then this whole thing explodes
my life and my health.
How does that make any sense?
It doesn't to me, but to them.
There's just no curiosity.
Hilary Russo (13:00):
Now you wrote a book a couple of years ago
with your doctor, a doctor that you said
saved your life, stephen Phillips.
Dr Phillips and this kind of the book kind
of well, it did come out of an article you
wrote where you interviewed Dr Phillips and
then the book Chronic was born.
So that happened in 2021.
Yes, and here you are today.
(13:21):
You're still talking about it.
So I'm curious, like, and I want to talk
about the book, because I think where was
this book when I needed it Again?
I was a kid, it probably wouldn't have been
a book I read at 13, but maybe it could
have been a book my parents read when I was
going through Lyme disease.
So what's Dana's goal now?
Even with the book out there a couple of
years, where are you looking to go with
(13:42):
things?
Dana Parish (13:43):
My biggest mission in life is still to get
this message out to help people.
Before COVID, there were about 50 million
people in America who had autoimmune
disease.
Now, all of those people have a cause for
their autoimmune disease and most of them
(14:03):
never find out what it is and most of them
are put on long-term palliative drugs like
immune suppressants, psych drugs, pain
medications.
Because the body and the mind are connected.
That's another thing that's important to
say is that it's not in your head.
A lot of these infections are literally
neurologic infections, so they're in your
brain or they're causing brain inflammation,
(14:24):
both.
So, as dr Phillips always says, like if you
have neuropathy and and you know your hands
and feet are tingly and numb, you could
have numbness in the part of your brain
that controls your emotion and that's why
people get flat and depressed and anhedonia.
You know so.
So you have to just think of these things
as one and the body as one.
(14:46):
So at this point I'm I'm channeling all of
my efforts into well, I've been hosting a
podcast for at least a year and a half that
I love for a foundation that I'm on the
board of called Bay Area Lyme Foundation,
and the podcast is called Tick Tective.
Oh, that's brilliant.
I love interviewing all these brilliant
(15:08):
scientists and clinicians, from the Lyme
world to COVID world, to longevity
researchers.
I just interviewed Matt Kaberlein, who is,
uh, who founded the dog aging project.
He's a biologist and he's like a hero of
mine, so it's been really, really fun and
interesting to be able to talk to all these
brilliant people and people like you, uh,
(15:29):
who have their own stories and their own
journeys and are journalists and I.
I love it so much.
So that's one really important thing that
I'm doing to get this information out, and
I also just restarted my sub stack where I
want to funnel.
I get so much medical information and I get
a lot of Intel from talking to all these
(15:50):
people, and it doesn't always make it into
the podcast and sometimes people don't want
certain things attached to their names
because, you know, there's a lot of
politics involved in medicine, as you know,
and this is where I am now channeling a lot
of my efforts.
So my Substack, which is
danaparishsubstackcom.
Hilary Russo (16:11):
We're going to put all that in the podcast
notes and just to remind folks.
If you're you know, if you're kind of like
what's happening here.
I mean, Dana has this amazing book I want
to talk about this too Chronic the Hidden
Cause of the Autoimmune Pandemic and how to
Get Healthy Again.
That's a book you co-wrote with your doctor
who saved your life, dr Stephen Phillips.
And then, of course, the Substack.
(16:31):
We're going to share that link as well,
because, look for you and I love this about
you You're here to help other people.
Dana Parish (16:38):
Yes.
Hilary Russo (16:39):
And I think a lot of times we find where
was this when I was going through it.
Yes, I want to save people the trouble of
this happening because if this had never
happened, I imagine you would still be
doing the work that you were doing in the
music industry.
Who knows what will be going?
Dana Parish (16:57):
No question.
And at that point it just seemed that I
mean, I still continued writing for a while.
I just felt this calling.
That was much bigger than anything I've
ever.
I always I was born to sing.
I was born to write songs.
There was no question I was going to do
that.
I never thought that I would not do that
full time.
And I was born to write songs.
There was no question I was going to do
that.
I never thought that I would not do that
full time and I was very fortunate that I
(17:19):
was able to do it full time.
I was able to support myself as an artist
from the time, you know, a couple of years
out of college.
I was so, so lucky to be able to, and so
grateful to be able to do that.
But then this happened and then it awakened
me to how much suffering there is, how many
people are not getting help.
And when I was writing the Huffington Post
(17:40):
column about it which again I expected
nothing, I did it just really because I
wanted to raise some awareness I didn't
think anybody would care or read it.
I heard from people from Africa literally,
who saw my personal story about what
happened to me on a message board on
Facebook.
Literally.
I was contacted by a nurse in Ghana named
(18:01):
Joey put a story in the books, one of my
favorite things that happened through all
this.
He wrote me this awesome letter and he said
to me there are a lot of ticks in Africa.
We have caves and there are ticks.
They carry so many diseases.
And he said there are these prayer camps
where thousands of us are sent that have
neuropsychiatric issues and our elders tell
(18:23):
us that we are possessed and we need to go
and pray it away.
This is.
You can Google all this.
It's fascinating.
There are articles about it.
He said I am now convinced that they all
have Lyme or some version of it, because he
got my protocol.
He got my Lyme protocol from Dr Phillips,
from me.
I sent him.
He asked me like how are you treating a
doctor in the hospital has agreed to treat
(18:44):
me if you just tell me what to do.
I sent him what I did.
He did it.
He got totally better from all of his
neuropsych stuff and then he had this whole
awakening.
He went on to teach doctors at his hospital
and this is the most gratifying thing.
It just goes to show that you never know
who you can touch, move and inspire.
Hilary Russo (19:16):
That's really what this podcast is about.
I imagine what you're doing with
TickTective.
By the way, I love the name of that podcast.
I'm such a girl that loves wordplay.
Realistically speaking, you never know
who's tuning in, and if it touches one life
and can make a difference of something that
they haven't thought about, that's what
this is all about.
So, listen, if this podcast episode with
(19:37):
Dana is or has touched, moved and inspired
you at all, or you know somebody who needs
to hear what is being shared here, please
pay it forward, pass it along.
Don't forget to subscribe and download this
and just pay it forward, because that's
really what this is all about and that's
why I hold space for guests like yourself
to share their stories and do it in such an
(19:58):
authentic, with full integrity.
So thank you for being you, thank you.
Your sub stack is something that you are
relaunching.
Which is there?
A love for writing?
Obviously, you wrote music, but writing the
written word how's that different than
music?
Dana Parish (20:13):
It's to me, it's not.
It's like personal and universal messages.
I the first sub stack that I put out, I did
an interview with Chris Christopherson's
wife.
Chris had a famous story that has been
totally buried in the press for the last
few.
Like he, you know, he just passed away.
Unfortunately, nobody is talking about this
Chris had Lyme induced Alzheimer's and in
(20:36):
2017, he was basically sent home to his
house to.
He was told by the doctors like you're
never going to get better and basically
just sent home to die.
His wife did not give up.
She knew that there was a cause and she
kept seeking and she found a great Lyme
doctor, discovered that he had Lyme,
started treating him and in 30 days, on
(20:57):
antibiotics and a couple of other
treatments that are, you know, under that
umbrella sort of, he got better and he went
back on he and she.
And it was on the cover of Rolling Stone
and she said it was like the son of a
bitch's back.
That was the caption.
And then I just posted a story yesterday
about my mom who had breast cancer and she
almost didn't go through treatment because
(21:18):
it would cause a very high rate of
neuropathy in her hands and feet like 84%.
And my friend who was an oncologist at Duke
sent me a little known study from Japan
that showed if you freeze your hands and
your feet your rate of neuropathy goes down
to low 20s.
So it convinced my mom to go through with
life-saving treatment.
I should say she's a piano player, she's
(21:40):
been playing her whole life and she just
thought if I can't play anymore, you know
it's my life is going to be terrible.
So she went beyond, like the lumpectomy,
and did the whole treatment, which was much
safer for her, and she's six years out now.
So that was my second story.
So all these like little known health
things and all these little known stories
that I feel need to be told to help other
(22:00):
people is where I feel I can be most
helpful to the world.
Hilary Russo (22:06):
Oh, and thank you for that.
I mean the way that we learn by becoming
those healthcare advocates.
A lot of times it's from us going through
our own thing, like I think about just for
me.
You know, one of the battles I've been
facing is that I have TMJ.
I had TMJ surgery when I was 15.
What do you know?
You trust the doctors.
Now I'm falling into it again, where it led
to sleep apnea and there's all these
(22:28):
different things that we need to really say
okay, this is my journey.
Like I need to pub med the hell out of
myself so that hopefully, I can save
somebody else from going through this.
Isn't it all about being a collective?
Isn't it all about being community on this
planet?
If we can help somebody in some way just
from our own story, that's what the
(22:48):
storytelling is all about.
Absolutely Whatever you're doing, it could
help someone else, and it has.
Obviously from what you shared, and I think
about my own mom's journey.
You know my mom, who I shared with you
earlier, was being treated for a parasite.
That again she was hearing that story.
The it's in your head, you know, yeah, and
(23:08):
with all the information that comes out and
at you because it's total information
overload.
You can self-diagnose yourself to the day
is done 20 different times in one day.
Yeah, you know, and it can be maddening.
Yes, it can really be maddening.
So you actually shared something and I want
to touch on this real-time lab.
(23:30):
Tell me about that real quick.
Dana Parish (23:32):
Real-time lab is a really good lab to
diagnose toxic mold exposure.
So it's a urine mycotoxin test.
And what is?
I can just tell you from speaking to
experts in the field, for example, neil
Nathan, who I just interviewed.
People know him, he has a bestselling book
called Toxic.
He's an MD as well.
(23:53):
He said to me last week I've looked at
every single I've, I've analyzed every
single test.
This is the best one that we have and
Medicare covers it.
So I just learned that last week or the
week before and I was really, really happy.
That's it's.
You know, these things get expensive.
As you know, when you're again, like when
you get out of the mainstream, you start
(24:14):
getting these tests that are more sensitive
a lot of times, but they're more accurate
and so they're really important to do and
it's great to know that insurance will
cover some of them.
So that's, that's a good lab, and I have no
affiliation with any lab or anything, but I
should just say that again, save yourself
the time and all the rabbit holes.
Hilary Russo (24:34):
Yeah, and what about now with your journey
with Lyme?
Like, where are you today in your own, with
your own health?
Dana Parish (24:58):
the Zhang Clinic.
Some people will probably know him.
It was very important for me to do both of
those treatments.
I really believe that I don't give enough
credit to the Chinese medicine aspect of it,
but I think that they synergized really
nicely together and there's multiple
different protocols people can try.
I have been well for the last nine years
and I have had flares, like a lot of people
do.
(25:19):
I'm pretty quick to treat for a couple
weeks and it doesn't always mean that I
take antibiotics.
Sometimes I'll take oil of oregano, things
that are available over the counter.
I like an herb called liposomal artemisinin.
I mentioned this because I'm going to get,
because every time I talk about it people
want to know specifically what are you
taking.
(25:40):
You know, always check with your doctor.
I have to say that because it's not because
just because something is natural or over
the counter does not mean you should take
it.
So and it's your journey.
Hilary Russo (25:49):
This is your journey.
Dana Parish (25:50):
That's something.
Hilary Russo (25:50):
I definitely want to, I definitely want to
back you up on that one, because it's
bio-individuality, as we call it, and what
Dana needs is not the same as what Hilary
needs.
Exactly, definitely, check and find your,
find your um, your tribe that can help you
like, build your, build your army of
medical, holistic, fun, you know,
(26:12):
functional, integrative, whatever it might
be.
It's finding that right army that will
support you on that journey.
I felt better when I realized I'm building
that, like I'm building this group.
That will be part of this thing for me
rather than this doctor, than that doctor,
and this opinion and that opinion.
You're just like I'm going to lose my mind.
Dana Parish (26:30):
Yeah, I totally hear you.
Yeah, once I found the two doctors, I knew
that they were the ones that that were
going to get me better.
I just knew it in my heart.
I had that complete, innate sense of peace
about both of them and they were happy to
work together.
There was no ego about any of that and then
I just put my head down and did the
(26:50):
treatments and I didn't listen to anybody
else and I was so lucky to integrate into
the Lyme community.
They are some of the most extraordinary
people I've ever met, from every single
country, from every walk of life.
They're young, they're older, they're kids.
I mean, I love these people so much and
(27:11):
they have supported me and the journey to
my own recovery and writing the book and
they've just.
I couldn't have imagined like that.
There was this whole other world of people
out there and I hope that you know being
able to pay it forward means something to
(27:31):
them, because one of the things that was
the worst for me was not hearing, not being
able to find many recovery stories, and
when you're that sick, all you want to know
is can I get better, will I get better?
What's it going to take, or should I just
quit and just give up, because that is
something that we all go through when we
get sick like that.
(27:52):
I felt like, if I am lucky enough to get
better, I'm just going to tell everybody
for the rest of my life hold on, there's
hope, look at me.
You know I got better, so can you.
Hilary Russo (28:09):
And that's why I'm here.
That hit me, because it really is part of
the human condition, is we just want to
know is there a light at the end of this
tunnel?
Is there is there hope.
I mean, just tell me, is there somebody out
there that we've seen the success story or
the rags to riches?
I mean, we hear about that.
I'm sure you're used to that.
Working in the music industry, making it in
the industry right.
(28:29):
You want to hear the success story of maybe
somebody that was living in their car and
then later they had the huge success in the
industry.
Same thing with our.
Like you want to know.
If you're going through a struggle, please
tell me.
There's hope, right.
Find that one person that it worked for.
Just so I know I have a glimmer.
Dana Parish (28:49):
Absolutely agree.
And it was very hard to find.
I mean, even now it's hard to find because
what people will tell you?
You know, I met a Lyme doctor before I
started to work with Dr Phillips, because I
was actually on vacation when I got
diagnosed in California and I was, I was in
heart failure at that point.
It's really, really sick.
(29:09):
And he said to me don't stay too long on
the message boards because you'll think
nobody gets better, because the ones who
get well leave.
And I totally, I will never forget those
words and I totally got it.
It made complete sense to me and that was
when I decided if I get better, I'm going
to be the person who stays, you know, so to
(29:31):
speak, on those message boards and I'm
going to be the one to give the lifeline
because nobody was giving it to me and I
really, really need it.
That is powerful.
Hilary Russo (29:40):
Yeah, that is powerful.
You're right.
People are like I'm better now, I don't
need this place.
But no, you're the one that's really needed
now.
Dana Parish (29:47):
Yes.
Hilary Russo (29:48):
Right.
So thank you for continuing to show up.
I guess I could say that, not even knowing
you really for an extended amount of time
and sharing that kind of space, I would
just say let me speak for folks when I say
thank you for showing up, thank you for
continuing to show up.
It's people like you that are making a
difference and creating the space to touch,
move and inspire for those who really need
(30:10):
it most.
Where what Dana needed.
You're showing up for yourself now right.
And others.
So again, we're going to share everything,
including the book Chronic, the hidden
cause of the autoimmune pandemic and how to
get healthy, again Dana's Substack, also
the Real Time Lab and anything else.
I mean you might pass some stuff along to
me before we actually drop this podcast
(30:32):
episode, so we'll have it all in the
podcast notes for you and just anything
that you can do to help yourself heal, to
pass it along.
That's what we're here about.
On Holistically Speaking, let's have a
little fun though, shall we Sure, can we
have a little fun?
Yeah, all right.
So I do this with all my guests.
I play a rapid fire game.
I've been writing down some words that
you've mentioned during this conversation.
(30:53):
I'm just going to throw one word out to you.
Come back with the first word that comes to
mind.
Dana Parish (30:58):
Okay.
Hilary Russo (30:59):
You're ready?
Yes, all right, here we go.
Got to have a little fun.
There's always humor in the healing right
All right, here we go.
Chronic Death, music, life Toxic.
Dana Parish (31:23):
Walls Air.
Hilary Russo (31:26):
Autoimmune.
Dana Parish (31:27):
Fixable Tick Dirty needle Labs labs,
bioweapon I think of.
I think.
When you say labs, I think COVID healthy
(31:48):
healthy, I think sun and light and forward
motion wellness evergreen and forward
motion Wellness Evergreen.
Hilary Russo (32:02):
Community Love.
Yeah, we're going to end it right there.
I love that.
I love that and that word to me is
everything you've been sharing, and the
fact that you put the nice big exclamation
point on the end with love is like, totally
shows who you are.
So thank you.
Dean I appreciate that, thank you.
(32:24):
I also want to give you a moment to share
some final thoughts with our listeners.
Dana Parish (32:28):
So if you are suffering and you don't have
answers, understand that they probably
exist and gather your loved ones or a loved
one.
It doesn't even have to be a family member,
because I know sometimes they are not the
ones, that sometimes they don't believe you
either.
You know, I know how that is.
I hear from tons and tons of people who
(32:49):
their families don't even believe them.
Grab a friend, bring them with you to the
doctor, have them advocate.
If you are not well enough to do it, take
notes.
Don't be afraid to push back, ask why.
Always be polite to doctors but don't be
intimidated.
Just show up ready, come with a list of
(33:09):
problems that you are having and ask them
to help you solve them.
And if they can't and you realize you are
hitting a brick wall, move on.
You don't have to stay with them.
A lot of doctors will do telemed with you.
It's not that you have to travel all over
the country.
Tics carry many other infections, so I want
to also put that out there.
You need to be tested for things like
(33:29):
Bartonella, babesia, lyme, other infections.
You also need to think about COVID.
Covid causes reactivation of Lyme and
Bartonella, we know this and EBV this has
been well-documented and published.
You have to start thinking about things
from the root cause and toxic mold another
big one, just don't forget when you're not
(33:49):
getting answers.
Those are the three big ones that you need
to think about and have them properly ruled
in or ruled out.
Hilary Russo (33:57):
Yeah, thank you, just like make that really.
The exclamation is do the work, don't get
lazy about it.
You know, a little extra time could save
your life.
Dana Parish (34:07):
I totally agree.
It saved mine, so I I'm living proof.
Hilary Russo (34:11):
Great Thank you so much, Dana.
Thank you.
If what we shared during this conversation
on the Holistically Speaking podcast struck
a chord with you, do yourself a favor and
connect with Dana.
The links to connect with her, for social
media Substack or even to grab a copy of
(34:31):
her book Chronic are all in the notes of
this episode, and if you or someone you
know may find that this episode can be
helpful to them, really consider paying it
forward.
Community and support is such a big part of
the Holistically Speaking journey, and be
sure to hit that like or subscribe button
wherever your headphones take you.
(34:53):
Even leave a thoughtful response, a rating,
a review.
It helps other people find this episode
when they might need it most.
And, of course, you can sign up to receive
that brain candy newsletter.
It is sent directly to your inbox, from me
to you, every week to share the sweetest
ways to be kind to your mind.
(35:14):
Holistically Speaking is edited by Two
Market Media with music by Lipbone Redding
and, of course, supported by you.
So thank you for spending your day with me.
One final note you have the ability to be
your own healthcare advocate, to get to the
root of what is causing you upset, to take
(35:36):
your life back, to live optimally.
And when you find that you're in doubt,
know that there are people that will
support you.
I'm one of them.
I love you, I believe in you and I'm
sending hugs your mountains in her eyes.
I had 38 of 60 symptoms that were on a Lyme
checklist and I ended up in heart failure.
And I saw 12 doctors within these couple of
months that everything was going haywire
and not a single one of them took my tick
bite seriously and would consider any
further testing, would consider that the
(00:28):
initial infection had never cleared, would
consider that ticks, who we know transmit
tons of diseases, could have transmitted
something else to me in that bite,
something that would have needed an
additional kind of treatment than
doxycycline.
Nobody, not a single one, and they did not
express curiosity and they just shut me
(00:48):
down and it was kind of like it's in your
head, it's all in your head.
Hilary Russo (00:54):
If you have ever heard those words after
seeking medical advice, only to be left
with no answers, doctor after doctor, visit
after visit, and you just really start
believing those words.
It's all in your head.
Just let that sit there for a moment.
Just let that resonate with you how that
feels in your body.
(01:16):
And if that's you, you're one of many
people, millions of people, who struggle
with chronic illnesses, autoimmune
conditions with no answers, or difficulty
in diagnosing or even treating conditions
because of widely held beliefs in the
medical system.
(01:37):
Right, but where does that leave you?
I imagine it leaves you frustrated, angry,
maybe even abandoned or worse.
But at some point you sit there and you
realize you have to turn that pain into
purpose or traumas into triumphs, as we
talk about here on Holistically Speaking,
(01:59):
Dana Parish has been there and she is a
chart-topping songwriter who's written
music for some of the biggest names out
there.
She was living her dream in the music
industry, at the top of your game, Dana
Parish, and then at some point the world
came crashing down on you A tick bite and I
(02:20):
understand this myself because I've been
through that with Lyme disease changed your
life in a way where it almost killed you,
but it also led you to find answers, and
this is a topic I've been wanting to have,
on, HIListically Speaking, for the longest
time.
I'm so glad you're here sharing this
because you are such a wealth of
(02:41):
information and I feel like it's being
heard.
I feel heard because I've been through that
and I was at a position in my life at 13
where I got Lyme and had no answers back
then in the 80s, right.
But you've been through far worse and I
really think it's part of your journey.
(03:01):
That's that power to purpose.
So thanks for being here.
Dana Parish (03:04):
Thank you so much for that beautiful
introduction.
Thank you.
Hilary Russo (03:13):
Well, let's get.
Let's get right into it.
I feel like I know you forever.
We were talking for a few minutes before
and your story is just so powerful and, you
know, I don't think we ever really realized
what's going to happen in our lives.
We have this trajectory, we're on this path,
like you were, with your career, working in
the music industry, and then suddenly it's
like boom, like crash.
And how did that happen for you?
(03:33):
Can we go back just to share the story?
Dana Parish (03:36):
Absolutely.
It was 10 years ago and I was living in
Manhattan and I went to my friend's wedding
in New Jersey.
It's always New Jersey right, it's like
always New Jersey, westchester, new
Hampshire but it's not really.
It's just.
The stereotype is that it's those places,
but very common there.
And I got a tick bite at my friend's
wedding and I came home back to the city a
(03:57):
couple of days later and I felt it was July
4th weekend.
So the first thing is, when you have a
summer cold, think Lyme.
That's really important to say upfront.
I did not think Lyme.
Even though I grew up in New Jersey and I
had a little bit of knowledge about Lyme.
It wasn't more than you know, knowing that
if you get a tick bite and a rash, that
(04:18):
that's a diagnostic, you know, tool for
Lyme.
So I ended up getting really, really sick
when I came back with a severe summer flu.
My neck hurt, my head hurt, I had a very.
I had a hard time waking up.
It was like this deep comatose, like sleep
that I'd never experienced before and that
went away over the course of a couple of
(04:39):
days.
But then I got out of the shower on a
Saturday a few days later and I had a
little bit of a rash and a bite in the
middle and I knew that was Lyme, walked
over to urgent care and that was the
beginning of my complete and utter
nightmare.
I had no idea that my life was going to
completely blow up.
At that point I was told you know, it's
(05:00):
Lyme, don't Google it, don't be one of
those crazy Lyme people.
Literally, that's what the ER, the urgent
care doc, said to me, which I thought was a
very strange thing to say, really got my
attention and it concerned me, went and
picked up three weeks of antibiotics, which
was doxycycline, and I was told I would be
fine and to just move on with my life.
(05:21):
And I was heading to LA the next day for a
writing trip and I asked them numerous
times should I put it off?
Should I cancel?
I can go in a couple of weeks, it's not a
big deal.
No, she even said like you can drink wine
with it.
Well, I have, like this, severe, crushing
headache this week.
I had meningitis.
I found out later, and so I took the three
weeks of doxy.
(05:41):
I just felt very tired, but I didn't feel
very ill.
And then, a couple of months later, I woke
up.
My breast was in severe pain and it was
swollen.
I went to the doctor immediately.
She thought I had breast cancer.
She sent me to an oncologist that day at
Mount Sinai.
He said it's not cancer, but I don't know
what it is.
It's really weird.
(06:02):
But I do cancer and you don't have cancer
and goodbye.
So I kept getting shuttled around from
doctor to doctor.
I had rashes all over.
I had burning, painful rashes.
You could see like all over my chest going
down my arm.
From where the tick bite was it went.
There was just a line that went all the way
down.
It wasn't infected.
Nobody knew what that was from.
(06:22):
And then I got severe, severe body pain to
the point where I convinced a physiatrist,
which is a person who does like physical
people confuse it with psychiatry.
It's a guy that does like sports medicine.
I convinced him to give me a chest wall MRI
because I was like I'm pretty sure I have
lymphoma, like I'm pretty sure something is
behind my chest wall that's causing all
(06:43):
this pain.
And there wasn't.
It was just this whole inflammatory
response that people get when they get
these infections.
Doctor to doctor to doctor, uh, over the
course of five months, severe weakness,
couldn't lift a fork, my arms stopped
working, couldn't walk my dog, light and
sound sensitivity, severe anxiety,
depression and insomnia, suicidal ideation
(07:06):
every single thing you could imagine.
I had 38 of 60 symptoms that were on a Lyme
checklist and I ended up in heart failure.
And I saw 12 doctors within these couple of
months that everything was going haywire
and not a single one of them took my tick
(07:26):
bite seriously and would consider any
further testing, would consider that the
initial infection had never cleared, would
consider that ticks, who we know transmit
tons of diseases, could have transmitted
something else to me in that bite,
something that would have needed an
additional kind of treatment than
doxycycline.
Nobody, not a single one.
(07:47):
And and they did not express curiosity and
they just shut me down and it was kind of
like it's in your head.
The thing with me was, when I went into
heart failure, there was really no arguing
that, and then it's well, but we don't know
why.
Could it be from the tick bite?
No, why?
Because I went to medical school.
(08:08):
You know, this is the kind of stuff that I
would hear.
Hilary Russo (08:11):
Yeah, I think what we're finding out, and
especially in this day and age, especially
as we are doing more in the world with
integrative medicine, integrative
approaches with the Western and the Eastern
and I prefer to work with doctors like that,
even in they're talking about but the ones
who are more progressive and are open to
the possibilities that maybe they don't
have the answer are the ones I actually
(08:42):
would want to trust more.
Dana Parish (08:43):
Oh, absolutely agree.
Yeah, and I would say that they don't know
what they're talking about when it comes to
complex chronic illness in the mainstream.
And I agree with you a hundred percent If
you know you have a tick bite you need, and
then you have symptoms, you need a
specialist Like there's no question.
(09:04):
And yes, if you have all these weird like
new onset of psychiatric physical symptoms,
or even just not all of them, but some of
them, and they're not explained by things
that make sense, you know integrative
functional medicine, lyme specialists
trained by ILADS, i-l-a-d-sorg, those are
the doctors that you want to see.
Just save yourself the trouble of going
(09:24):
down all the different specialties and
mainstream medicine, because they're just
simply not trained to evaluate patients for
infections, very commonly, that are causing
autoimmune psychiatric and neurologic
diseases, and I would also add toxic mold
to the big black hole in medicine that
(09:47):
mainstream doctors don't know anything
about.
They're not taught about any of this stuff
and it's crazy to me.
Hilary Russo (09:53):
And that's an area that you and I were just
talking about before about just how severe
mold can actually be and the kind of
complications it can really cause with our
immune systems.
Dana Parish (10:08):
Mold is used in biowarfare.
Mold is used.
Mold is used.
Mycotoxins are used for a drug called
Celcept which people take to.
It's an organ rejection drug, like it's an
anti-rejection drug, so it's so immune,
suppressive, that they use a certain
mycotoxin to make that drug.
(10:29):
It can cause dementia.
It can cause death.
People get infections in their lungs, can
cause death.
People get infections in their lungs.
I know, you know, Brittany Murphy allegedly
died from, and so did her husband from,
mold toxicity.
But it causes severe neuropsych illness,
severe physical illness, autoimmune
diseases, the same stuff.
You know.
The body can only express itself in so many
(10:50):
ways and these are the big things that
nobody is talking about in the mainstream.
That are the most important things to be
looking at when you don't have other
answers that make sense, Like stop drugging
your patient's symptoms and find out what
the root cause is and then treat that and
let's see how people do.
Hilary Russo (11:09):
And I feel that that's one thing that we're
seeing more of as well is that we're trying
to get to the root cause of things, those
of us who are looking at things more
progressively, not just trying to put a,
give you a diagnosis and tell you this is
what it is and this is how you treat it.
But again, I think this really goes back to
being that healthcare advocate for yourself
asking questions, because there are times
(11:31):
when, especially with the older generation,
there's such a trust of the doctor-patient
relationship that we'll just do whatever
they say, because asking questions or
researching online or going down the WebMD
hole or just people not even knowing how to
really use the internet to that capacity I
mean, anytime you just Google something,
(11:54):
you're going to get 20, 30 different more
things that it could be.
Dana Parish (12:00):
Right, I totally agree.
Google shows you what the establishment
wants you to see.
There's no question about that.
So you have to look at the primary
literature yourself and I know that sounds
like a tall order.
But go to PubMed, go to Google Sch and put
the condition in, put infections in, see if
they can cause it.
You know, look at Lyme, look at Bartonella,
(12:20):
look at toxic mold mycotoxins.
You will not believe what you find.
People really do need to be encouraged to
do their own research, but listen to their
intuition If something doesn't feel right.
For me, that was what guided me.
I knew nothing about any of this at that
time, nothing.
I just knew that I trusted my instincts and
(12:43):
it wasn't sitting right with me.
Why would I have a tick bite, be completely
healthy and then this whole thing explodes
my life and my health.
How does that make any sense?
It doesn't to me, but to them.
There's just no curiosity.
Hilary Russo (13:00):
Now you wrote a book a couple of years ago
with your doctor, a doctor that you said
saved your life, stephen Phillips.
Dr Phillips and this kind of the book kind
of well, it did come out of an article you
wrote where you interviewed Dr Phillips and
then the book Chronic was born.
So that happened in 2021.
Yes, and here you are today.
(13:21):
You're still talking about it.
So I'm curious, like, and I want to talk
about the book, because I think where was
this book when I needed it Again?
I was a kid, it probably wouldn't have been
a book I read at 13, but maybe it could
have been a book my parents read when I was
going through Lyme disease.
So what's Dana's goal now?
Even with the book out there a couple of
years, where are you looking to go with
(13:42):
things?
Dana Parish (13:43):
My biggest mission in life is still to get
this message out to help people.
Before COVID, there were about 50 million
people in America who had autoimmune
disease.
Now, all of those people have a cause for
their autoimmune disease and most of them
(14:03):
never find out what it is and most of them
are put on long-term palliative drugs like
immune suppressants, psych drugs, pain
medications.
Because the body and the mind are connected.
That's another thing that's important to
say is that it's not in your head.
A lot of these infections are literally
neurologic infections, so they're in your
brain or they're causing brain inflammation,
(14:24):
both.
So, as dr Phillips always says, like if you
have neuropathy and and you know your hands
and feet are tingly and numb, you could
have numbness in the part of your brain
that controls your emotion and that's why
people get flat and depressed and anhedonia.
You know so.
So you have to just think of these things
as one and the body as one.
(14:46):
So at this point I'm I'm channeling all of
my efforts into well, I've been hosting a
podcast for at least a year and a half that
I love for a foundation that I'm on the
board of called Bay Area Lyme Foundation,
and the podcast is called Tick Tective.
Oh, that's brilliant.
I love interviewing all these brilliant
(15:08):
scientists and clinicians, from the Lyme
world to COVID world, to longevity
researchers.
I just interviewed Matt Kaberlein, who is,
uh, who founded the dog aging project.
He's a biologist and he's like a hero of
mine, so it's been really, really fun and
interesting to be able to talk to all these
brilliant people and people like you, uh,
(15:29):
who have their own stories and their own
journeys and are journalists and I.
I love it so much.
So that's one really important thing that
I'm doing to get this information out, and
I also just restarted my sub stack where I
want to funnel.
I get so much medical information and I get
a lot of Intel from talking to all these
(15:50):
people, and it doesn't always make it into
the podcast and sometimes people don't want
certain things attached to their names
because, you know, there's a lot of
politics involved in medicine, as you know,
and this is where I am now channeling a lot
of my efforts.
So my Substack, which is
danaparishsubstackcom.
Hilary Russo (16:11):
We're going to put all that in the podcast
notes and just to remind folks.
If you're you know, if you're kind of like
what's happening here.
I mean, Dana has this amazing book I want
to talk about this too Chronic the Hidden
Cause of the Autoimmune Pandemic and how to
Get Healthy Again.
That's a book you co-wrote with your doctor
who saved your life, dr Stephen Phillips.
And then, of course, the Substack.
(16:31):
We're going to share that link as well,
because, look for you and I love this about
you You're here to help other people.
Dana Parish (16:38):
Yes.
Hilary Russo (16:39):
And I think a lot of times we find where
was this when I was going through it.
Yes, I want to save people the trouble of
this happening because if this had never
happened, I imagine you would still be
doing the work that you were doing in the
music industry.
Who knows what will be going?
Dana Parish (16:57):
No question.
And at that point it just seemed that I
mean, I still continued writing for a while.
I just felt this calling.
That was much bigger than anything I've
ever.
I always I was born to sing.
I was born to write songs.
There was no question I was going to do
that.
I never thought that I would not do that
full time.
And I was born to write songs.
There was no question I was going to do
that.
I never thought that I would not do that
full time and I was very fortunate that I
(17:19):
was able to do it full time.
I was able to support myself as an artist
from the time, you know, a couple of years
out of college.
I was so, so lucky to be able to, and so
grateful to be able to do that.
But then this happened and then it awakened
me to how much suffering there is, how many
people are not getting help.
And when I was writing the Huffington Post
(17:40):
column about it which again I expected
nothing, I did it just really because I
wanted to raise some awareness I didn't
think anybody would care or read it.
I heard from people from Africa literally,
who saw my personal story about what
happened to me on a message board on
Facebook.
Literally.
I was contacted by a nurse in Ghana named
(18:01):
Joey put a story in the books, one of my
favorite things that happened through all
this.
He wrote me this awesome letter and he said
to me there are a lot of ticks in Africa.
We have caves and there are ticks.
They carry so many diseases.
And he said there are these prayer camps
where thousands of us are sent that have
neuropsychiatric issues and our elders tell
(18:23):
us that we are possessed and we need to go
and pray it away.
This is.
You can Google all this.
It's fascinating.
There are articles about it.
He said I am now convinced that they all
have Lyme or some version of it, because he
got my protocol.
He got my Lyme protocol from Dr Phillips,
from me.
I sent him.
He asked me like how are you treating a
doctor in the hospital has agreed to treat
(18:44):
me if you just tell me what to do.
I sent him what I did.
He did it.
He got totally better from all of his
neuropsych stuff and then he had this whole
awakening.
He went on to teach doctors at his hospital
and this is the most gratifying thing.
It just goes to show that you never know
who you can touch, move and inspire.
Hilary Russo (19:16):
That's really what this podcast is about.
I imagine what you're doing with
TickTective.
By the way, I love the name of that podcast.
I'm such a girl that loves wordplay.
Realistically speaking, you never know
who's tuning in, and if it touches one life
and can make a difference of something that
they haven't thought about, that's what
this is all about.
So, listen, if this podcast episode with
(19:37):
Dana is or has touched, moved and inspired
you at all, or you know somebody who needs
to hear what is being shared here, please
pay it forward, pass it along.
Don't forget to subscribe and download this
and just pay it forward, because that's
really what this is all about and that's
why I hold space for guests like yourself
to share their stories and do it in such an
(19:58):
authentic, with full integrity.
So thank you for being you, thank you.
Your sub stack is something that you are
relaunching.
Which is there?
A love for writing?
Obviously, you wrote music, but writing the
written word how's that different than
music?
Dana Parish (20:13):
It's to me, it's not.
It's like personal and universal messages.
I the first sub stack that I put out, I did
an interview with Chris Christopherson's
wife.
Chris had a famous story that has been
totally buried in the press for the last
few.
Like he, you know, he just passed away.
Unfortunately, nobody is talking about this
Chris had Lyme induced Alzheimer's and in
(20:36):
2017, he was basically sent home to his
house to.
He was told by the doctors like you're
never going to get better and basically
just sent home to die.
His wife did not give up.
She knew that there was a cause and she
kept seeking and she found a great Lyme
doctor, discovered that he had Lyme,
started treating him and in 30 days, on
(20:57):
antibiotics and a couple of other
treatments that are, you know, under that
umbrella sort of, he got better and he went
back on he and she.
And it was on the cover of Rolling Stone
and she said it was like the son of a
bitch's back.
That was the caption.
And then I just posted a story yesterday
about my mom who had breast cancer and she
almost didn't go through treatment because
(21:18):
it would cause a very high rate of
neuropathy in her hands and feet like 84%.
And my friend who was an oncologist at Duke
sent me a little known study from Japan
that showed if you freeze your hands and
your feet your rate of neuropathy goes down
to low 20s.
So it convinced my mom to go through with
life-saving treatment.
I should say she's a piano player, she's
(21:40):
been playing her whole life and she just
thought if I can't play anymore, you know
it's my life is going to be terrible.
So she went beyond, like the lumpectomy,
and did the whole treatment, which was much
safer for her, and she's six years out now.
So that was my second story.
So all these like little known health
things and all these little known stories
that I feel need to be told to help other
(22:00):
people is where I feel I can be most
helpful to the world.
Hilary Russo (22:06):
Oh, and thank you for that.
I mean the way that we learn by becoming
those healthcare advocates.
A lot of times it's from us going through
our own thing, like I think about just for
me.
You know, one of the battles I've been
facing is that I have TMJ.
I had TMJ surgery when I was 15.
What do you know?
You trust the doctors.
Now I'm falling into it again, where it led
to sleep apnea and there's all these
(22:28):
different things that we need to really say
okay, this is my journey.
Like I need to pub med the hell out of
myself so that hopefully, I can save
somebody else from going through this.
Isn't it all about being a collective?
Isn't it all about being community on this
planet?
If we can help somebody in some way just
from our own story, that's what the
(22:48):
storytelling is all about.
Absolutely Whatever you're doing, it could
help someone else, and it has.
Obviously from what you shared, and I think
about my own mom's journey.
You know my mom, who I shared with you
earlier, was being treated for a parasite.
That again she was hearing that story.
The it's in your head, you know, yeah, and
(23:08):
with all the information that comes out and
at you because it's total information
overload.
You can self-diagnose yourself to the day
is done 20 different times in one day.
Yeah, you know, and it can be maddening.
Yes, it can really be maddening.
So you actually shared something and I want
to touch on this real-time lab.
(23:30):
Tell me about that real quick.
Dana Parish (23:32):
Real-time lab is a really good lab to
diagnose toxic mold exposure.
So it's a urine mycotoxin test.
And what is?
I can just tell you from speaking to
experts in the field, for example, neil
Nathan, who I just interviewed.
People know him, he has a bestselling book
called Toxic.
He's an MD as well.
(23:53):
He said to me last week I've looked at
every single I've, I've analyzed every
single test.
This is the best one that we have and
Medicare covers it.
So I just learned that last week or the
week before and I was really, really happy.
That's it's.
You know, these things get expensive.
As you know, when you're again, like when
you get out of the mainstream, you start
(24:14):
getting these tests that are more sensitive
a lot of times, but they're more accurate
and so they're really important to do and
it's great to know that insurance will
cover some of them.
So that's, that's a good lab, and I have no
affiliation with any lab or anything, but I
should just say that again, save yourself
the time and all the rabbit holes.
Hilary Russo (24:34):
Yeah, and what about now with your journey
with Lyme?
Like, where are you today in your own, with
your own health?
Dana Parish (24:58):
the Zhang Clinic.
Some people will probably know him.
It was very important for me to do both of
those treatments.
I really believe that I don't give enough
credit to the Chinese medicine aspect of it,
but I think that they synergized really
nicely together and there's multiple
different protocols people can try.
I have been well for the last nine years
and I have had flares, like a lot of people
do.
(25:19):
I'm pretty quick to treat for a couple
weeks and it doesn't always mean that I
take antibiotics.
Sometimes I'll take oil of oregano, things
that are available over the counter.
I like an herb called liposomal artemisinin.
I mentioned this because I'm going to get,
because every time I talk about it people
want to know specifically what are you
taking.
(25:40):
You know, always check with your doctor.
I have to say that because it's not because
just because something is natural or over
the counter does not mean you should take
it.
So and it's your journey.
Hilary Russo (25:49):
This is your journey.
Dana Parish (25:50):
That's something.
Hilary Russo (25:50):
I definitely want to, I definitely want to
back you up on that one, because it's
bio-individuality, as we call it, and what
Dana needs is not the same as what Hilary
needs.
Exactly, definitely, check and find your,
find your um, your tribe that can help you
like, build your, build your army of
medical, holistic, fun, you know,
(26:12):
functional, integrative, whatever it might
be.
It's finding that right army that will
support you on that journey.
I felt better when I realized I'm building
that, like I'm building this group.
That will be part of this thing for me
rather than this doctor, than that doctor,
and this opinion and that opinion.
You're just like I'm going to lose my mind.
Dana Parish (26:30):
Yeah, I totally hear you.
Yeah, once I found the two doctors, I knew
that they were the ones that that were
going to get me better.
I just knew it in my heart.
I had that complete, innate sense of peace
about both of them and they were happy to
work together.
There was no ego about any of that and then
I just put my head down and did the
(26:50):
treatments and I didn't listen to anybody
else and I was so lucky to integrate into
the Lyme community.
They are some of the most extraordinary
people I've ever met, from every single
country, from every walk of life.
They're young, they're older, they're kids.
I mean, I love these people so much and
(27:11):
they have supported me and the journey to
my own recovery and writing the book and
they've just.
I couldn't have imagined like that.
There was this whole other world of people
out there and I hope that you know being
able to pay it forward means something to
(27:31):
them, because one of the things that was
the worst for me was not hearing, not being
able to find many recovery stories, and
when you're that sick, all you want to know
is can I get better, will I get better?
What's it going to take, or should I just
quit and just give up, because that is
something that we all go through when we
get sick like that.
(27:52):
I felt like, if I am lucky enough to get
better, I'm just going to tell everybody
for the rest of my life hold on, there's
hope, look at me.
You know I got better, so can you.
Hilary Russo (28:09):
And that's why I'm here.
That hit me, because it really is part of
the human condition, is we just want to
know is there a light at the end of this
tunnel?
Is there is there hope.
I mean, just tell me, is there somebody out
there that we've seen the success story or
the rags to riches?
I mean, we hear about that.
I'm sure you're used to that.
Working in the music industry, making it in
the industry right.
(28:29):
You want to hear the success story of maybe
somebody that was living in their car and
then later they had the huge success in the
industry.
Same thing with our.
Like you want to know.
If you're going through a struggle, please
tell me.
There's hope, right.
Find that one person that it worked for.
Just so I know I have a glimmer.
Dana Parish (28:49):
Absolutely agree.
And it was very hard to find.
I mean, even now it's hard to find because
what people will tell you?
You know, I met a Lyme doctor before I
started to work with Dr Phillips, because I
was actually on vacation when I got
diagnosed in California and I was, I was in
heart failure at that point.
It's really, really sick.
(29:09):
And he said to me don't stay too long on
the message boards because you'll think
nobody gets better, because the ones who
get well leave.
And I totally, I will never forget those
words and I totally got it.
It made complete sense to me and that was
when I decided if I get better, I'm going
to be the person who stays, you know, so to
(29:31):
speak, on those message boards and I'm
going to be the one to give the lifeline
because nobody was giving it to me and I
really, really need it.
That is powerful.
Hilary Russo (29:40):
Yeah, that is powerful.
You're right.
People are like I'm better now, I don't
need this place.
But no, you're the one that's really needed
now.
Dana Parish (29:47):
Yes.
Hilary Russo (29:48):
Right.
So thank you for continuing to show up.
I guess I could say that, not even knowing
you really for an extended amount of time
and sharing that kind of space, I would
just say let me speak for folks when I say
thank you for showing up, thank you for
continuing to show up.
It's people like you that are making a
difference and creating the space to touch,
move and inspire for those who really need
(30:10):
it most.
Where what Dana needed.
You're showing up for yourself now right.
And others.
So again, we're going to share everything,
including the book Chronic, the hidden
cause of the autoimmune pandemic and how to
get healthy, again Dana's Substack, also
the Real Time Lab and anything else.
I mean you might pass some stuff along to
me before we actually drop this podcast
(30:32):
episode, so we'll have it all in the
podcast notes for you and just anything
that you can do to help yourself heal, to
pass it along.
That's what we're here about.
On Holistically Speaking, let's have a
little fun though, shall we Sure, can we
have a little fun?
Yeah, all right.
So I do this with all my guests.
I play a rapid fire game.
I've been writing down some words that
you've mentioned during this conversation.
(30:53):
I'm just going to throw one word out to you.
Come back with the first word that comes to
mind.
Dana Parish (30:58):
Okay.
Hilary Russo (30:59):
You're ready?
Yes, all right, here we go.
Got to have a little fun.
There's always humor in the healing right
All right, here we go.
Chronic Death, music, life Toxic.
Dana Parish (31:23):
Walls Air.
Hilary Russo (31:26):
Autoimmune.
Dana Parish (31:27):
Fixable Tick Dirty needle Labs labs,
bioweapon I think of.
I think.
When you say labs, I think COVID healthy
(31:48):
healthy, I think sun and light and forward
motion wellness evergreen and forward
motion Wellness Evergreen.
Hilary Russo (32:02):
Community Love.
Yeah, we're going to end it right there.
I love that.
I love that and that word to me is
everything you've been sharing, and the
fact that you put the nice big exclamation
point on the end with love is like, totally
shows who you are.
So thank you.
Dean I appreciate that, thank you.
(32:24):
I also want to give you a moment to share
some final thoughts with our listeners.
Dana Parish (32:28):
So if you are suffering and you don't have
answers, understand that they probably
exist and gather your loved ones or a loved
one.
It doesn't even have to be a family member,
because I know sometimes they are not the
ones, that sometimes they don't believe you
either.
You know, I know how that is.
I hear from tons and tons of people who
(32:49):
their families don't even believe them.
Grab a friend, bring them with you to the
doctor, have them advocate.
If you are not well enough to do it, take
notes.
Don't be afraid to push back, ask why.
Always be polite to doctors but don't be
intimidated.
Just show up ready, come with a list of
(33:09):
problems that you are having and ask them
to help you solve them.
And if they can't and you realize you are
hitting a brick wall, move on.
You don't have to stay with them.
A lot of doctors will do telemed with you.
It's not that you have to travel all over
the country.
Tics carry many other infections, so I want
to also put that out there.
You need to be tested for things like
(33:29):
Bartonella, babesia, lyme, other infections.
You also need to think about COVID.
Covid causes reactivation of Lyme and
Bartonella, we know this and EBV this has
been well-documented and published.
You have to start thinking about things
from the root cause and toxic mold another
big one, just don't forget when you're not
(33:49):
getting answers.
Those are the three big ones that you need
to think about and have them properly ruled
in or ruled out.
Hilary Russo (33:57):
Yeah, thank you, just like make that really.
The exclamation is do the work, don't get
lazy about it.
You know, a little extra time could save
your life.
Dana Parish (34:07):
I totally agree.
It saved mine, so I I'm living proof.
Hilary Russo (34:11):
Great Thank you so much, Dana.
Thank you.
If what we shared during this conversation
on the Holistically Speaking podcast struck
a chord with you, do yourself a favor and
connect with Dana.
The links to connect with her, for social
media Substack or even to grab a copy of
(34:31):
her book Chronic are all in the notes of
this episode, and if you or someone you
know may find that this episode can be
helpful to them, really consider paying it
forward.
Community and support is such a big part of
the Holistically Speaking journey, and be
sure to hit that like or subscribe button
wherever your headphones take you.
(34:53):
Even leave a thoughtful response, a rating,
a review.
It helps other people find this episode
when they might need it most.
And, of course, you can sign up to receive
that brain candy newsletter.
It is sent directly to your inbox, from me
to you, every week to share the sweetest
ways to be kind to your mind.
(35:14):
Holistically Speaking is edited by Two
Market Media with music by Lipbone Redding
and, of course, supported by you.
So thank you for spending your day with me.
One final note you have the ability to be
your own healthcare advocate, to get to the
root of what is causing you upset, to take
(35:36):
your life back, to live optimally.
And when you find that you're in doubt,
know that there are people that will
support you.
I'm one of them.
I love you, I believe in you and I'm
sending hugs your mountains in her eyes.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!