Using Ancient Wisdom with Modern Neuroscience to Heal Complex Chronic Illness with Mel Hopper Koppelman
Dr. Jockers Functional Nutrition
Dr. Jockers
4.8 • 688 Ratings
🗓️ 1 April 2025
⏱️ 57 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In today's episode, Dr. Jockers welcomes Mel Hopper Koppelman, a leading expert in functional health. With over 15 years of clinical experience, Mel specializes in helping those struggling with chronic illness find lasting solutions by addressing overlooked factors in the nervous system.
Mel shares her unique approach to chronic disease and brain health, blending Chinese medicine, functional medicine, and developmental neurology. We explore how small shifts in understanding the brain’s development can make a world of difference in healing and reclaiming vitality.
If you've been navigating the maze of chronic illness and haven't found your solution yet, this episode could change everything. Tune in to learn more about Mel's transformative methods that go beyond traditional treatments and uncover a path to true recovery.
In This Episode:
00:00 Understanding Stress Responses
06:03 Interview with Mel Hopper Koppelman: Combining Ancient Wisdom with Modern Neuroscience
08:35 Mel's Personal Health Journey
12:18 First Principles Framework in Health
17:21 Primitive Reflexes and Chronic Illness
28:45 Understanding the Nervous System's Role in Health
30:14 The Vagus Nerve and Its Importance
30:41 Exploring the Vagal Paradox
33:52 The Impact of Chronic Illness on the Nervous System
36:42 Exercise Intolerance and Dorsal Vagal Tone
43:27 Sensory Mismatch and Its Effects
46:10 The Role of Labs in Functional Medicine
50:13 Key Health Strategies for Chronic Illness
52:24 Group Coaching and Support at Synthesis Health
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"Chronic illness often stems from underlying brain development issues that can be addressed with the right approach."
~ Dr. Jockers
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Resources:
- Paleovalley - visit paleovalley.com/jockers
- Visit justthrivehealth.com and use code Jockers for a 20% discount
- Visit getfreed.ai.
Connect with Mel Hopper Koppelman:
Connect with Dr. Jockers:
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Website – https://drjockers.com/
If you are interested in being a guest on the show, we would love to hear from you! Please contact us here! - https://drjockers.com/join-us-dr-jockers-functional-nutrition-podcast/
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | One stress response is to run away and have anxiety and turn red and all this stuff. |
| 0:05.0 | And another response to stress, let's say there's not enough food or whatever it is, your brain |
| 0:09.5 | might decide, okay, we're just going to go into hibernation mode and just wait until things get |
| 0:15.6 | better. And that's a really risky strategy. You're in a better situation, objectively, |
| 0:19.9 | all think thing equal, if you are |
| 0:21.5 | able to run away from your response versus turn into a rock. And it takes usually longer to get |
| 0:28.2 | better from there. As I say, like, I took me like seven years figuring out what I needed to do |
| 0:33.8 | in what order, because it's a little bit simpler if you're inflamed to become uninflamed |
| 0:37.8 | versus if you've shut down to reboot, which often involves becoming inflamed in the process. |
| 0:43.4 | Now you have to deal with all the stuff that you had dealt with and then come out on the other |
| 0:47.1 | side. |
| 0:49.5 | Hello and welcome to the Dr. Jocker's functional nutrition podcast, the show designed to give you science-based solutions to improve your health and life. |
| 0:59.6 | I'm Dr. David Jockers, doctor of natural medicine, and creator of Dr.jockers.com, and I'm the host of this podcast. |
| 1:08.0 | I'm here to tell you that your body was created to heal itself. And on this show, |
| 1:12.6 | we focus on strategies you can apply today to heal and function at your best. Thanks for spending |
| 1:18.9 | time with me. And let's go into the show. Did you know that as you age, your natural production of collagen declines? |
| 1:29.7 | This results in fine lines and wrinkles, joint pain, dark circles under your eyes, and more. |
| 1:35.9 | You see, collagen is like the glue that holds your body together. |
| 1:39.4 | And luckily, there's an easy way to feed your body additional collagen. |
| 1:47.3 | It's bone broth. Studies show consuming bone broth protein can boost metabolism, support gut health and digestion, reduce cellulite formation, |
| 1:54.4 | can help grow healthy skin and nails, support joints, and more. But if you've ever made bone broth, you know it's time consuming. |
| 2:04.2 | And who really has the time to simmer bones for 48 hours? |
... |
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