Hard Case? Start Here. Functional Immunology for Complex Cases with Dr. Sam Yanuck

The Root Cause Medicine Podcast

Kate Kresge

Alternative Health, 810564, Medicine, Health & Fitness

4.8 • 581 Ratings

🗓️ 19 June 2025

⏱️ 65 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode of the Root Cause Medicine Podcast, Dr. Kate Kresge sits down with functional immunology expert and educator Dr. Samuel Yanuck to explore one of the most overlooked systems in chronic illness: the immune system. With clarity and compassion, Dr. Yanuck breaks down how immune dysregulation can contribute to complex conditions like depression, neuropathy, migraines, chronic fatigue, and even cardiovascular disease. From brain inflammation and mast cell activation to Epstein-Barr virus and mold, Dr. Yanuck offers a new way of thinking about biology—where inflammation isn’t just a symptom, but a system that can be measured, understood, and treated. You’ll here them discuss: - Why immunology could be at the root of nearly every chronic illness - The immune pathways that connect depression, anxiety, brain fog, and fatigue - What PANS, PANDAS, and autoimmune encephalitis really are—and why they’re often misdiagnosed - How gut, brain, and immune health form a feedback loop - The labs you should run if you suspect chronic immune dysfunction - A framework for evaluating chronic viral infections like EBV and CMV - Natural immune modulators: Chinese skullcap, astragalus, quercetin, sulforaphane, and more - Why personalized immune workups—not protocols—create results Guest Bio: Dr. Samuel Yanuck is a functional medicine clinician and expert educator in functional immunology. He is the creator of Cogence Immunology, a comprehensive online training program that has educated over 9,000 clinicians in over 60 countries. His approach blends immunology, clinical experience, and systems thinking to help providers and patients uncover the true drivers of chronic illness. Dr. Yanuck is also the co-founder of the Yanuck Center for Life and Health in North Carolina, where he sees patients and helps clinicians find root-cause solutions to immune dysfunction through mentorship and collaboration. His work is helping reshape how the next generation of practitioners understand inflammation, autoimmunity, and healing. Order tests through Rupa Health, the BEST place to order functional medicine lab tests from 30+ labs - https://www.rupahealth.com/reference-guide

Transcript

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0:00.0	Well, hello there and welcome back to the RooCaus Medicine podcast. I'm your host for today, Dr. Kate Kreske,
0:04.6	and we're in the middle of a quiet revolution in how we understand the immune system and its role in chronic illnesses.
0:11.1	Emerging research is showing that immune dysfunction isn't just about autoimmunity or infections.
0:15.3	It may underlie everything from migraints to neuropathy to heart disease and even psychiatric symptoms.
0:21.3	I'm joined today by Dr. Sam Yannick, a globally respected educator who's trained over 9,000
0:25.9	clinicians in functional immunology. We're going to explore how subtle shifts like TH1-TH2 dominance,
0:31.7	inflammatory activation, and impaired autophagy can quietly drive symptoms, even in patients who seem
0:36.9	normal on paper. You'll hear the latest
0:39.0	science reshaping our approach to conditions like pans, pandas, and autoimmune encephalitis,
0:42.8	and explain why these often missed immune reactions can trigger dramatic changes in behavior and cognition.
0:48.7	We also break down why heart disease and gout share some surprising immunological roots. We talk about
0:54.1	special labs like TGF beta, VIP, chronic viral panels that can help to reveal
0:59.2	hidden immune dysfunction and which supplements and nutrients are being used to support recovery.
1:03.8	By the end of this episode, you'll walk away with a new framework for evaluating chronic
1:07.3	illness, one that helps you to spot the immune signals hiding in plain sight
1:11.7	and better support patients who haven't found answers anywhere else yet. Let's get into it.
1:16.5	Before we get started, though, I want to talk to you about something that comes up pretty often
1:20.2	on this podcast, and that, of course, is lab testing. You see, testing is one essential way to
1:24.8	understand the root cause of an illness. If you're a functional medicine provider, chances are you're spending a ton of hours,
1:30.1	ordering a ton of different lab tests on a ton of different platforms.
1:33.8	Rupa Health allows you to order from over 30 different lab companies on a single platform for free.
1:39.1	That's right. No more spending hours with multiple logins ever again.
	...

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