The Dr. Brighten Show

Chronic inflammation is at the root of many of today's most common health conditions, including autoimmune disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, leaky gut, chronic pain, fatigue, and brain fog—but it's often overlooked until significant damage has already occurred. View the full show notes, research, and resources mentioned in this episode at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/chronic-inflammation/ .

In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with Dr. Daniel Cárdenas, a conventionally trained physician, functional medicine practitioner, and medical homeopath, to explore why inflammation rarely exists in isolation. Together, they discuss how the gut, immune system, thyroid, nervous system, mitochondria, sleep, nutrition, stress, and environment all interact to influence long-term health—and what you can start doing today to address inflammation at its source.

Pre-order ADHD and Women by Dr. Jolene Brighten and discover how hormones shape focus, motivation, executive function, and emotional regulation ⁠⁠http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen

In This Episode You'll Learn:

Why chronic inflammation is involved in many chronic diseases—not just autoimmune conditions

The difference between acute and chronic inflammation

Early signs your body may be chronically inflamed

How mood changes and fatigue can be symptoms of inflammation

The laboratory markers that may help evaluate inflammation

Why ferritin doesn't always tell the full story

What leaky gut really is—and why it matters

How molecular mimicry may contribute to autoimmune disease

Why Hashimoto's is more than a thyroid problem

The surprising discussion around gluten sensitivity

How elimination diets should actually be used

The Five R framework for gut healing

The relationship between stress, the nervous system, and digestion

Why mindful eating may improve digestive health

The importance of chewing your food

Traditional Mexican cuisine and food as medicine

The science behind capsaicin and gut health

Lifestyle habits that support immune regulation

The role of vitamin D, omega-3s, and mitochondria

Why movement matters for autoimmune disease

Fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and chronic pain

Environmental toxins, liver health, and detoxification

Why healing requires more than medication alone

Connect with Daniel Cardenas

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_danielcardenas/?hl=en

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.danielcardenas

Connect with Dr. Jolene Brighten

🌐 Website: https://drbrighten.com

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjolenebrighten

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drjolenebrighten

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJoleneBrighten

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjolenebrighten

Subscribe for more evidence-based conversations on hormones, autoimmune disease, metabolism, thyroid health, menopause, nutrition, and functional medicine.

Show notes, studies, and additional resources: https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/chronic-inflammation/
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What happens when being the strong one becomes the reason your body starts breaking down? In this episode, Dr. Jolene Brighten explains how chronic stress, hypervigilance, nervous system dysregulation, and emotional over-functioning can contribute to burnout, hormone symptoms, autoimmune disease, and chronic illness. For additional resources and references, visit the show notes at
https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/being-the-strong-one/

Whether you're the woman everyone depends on, the caregiver, the fixer, or the one who never asks for help, this conversation will help you understand why your body may be asking you to finally put the weight down.

Pre-order ADHD and Women by Dr. Jolene Brighten and discover how hormones shape focus, motivation, executive function, and emotional regulation ⁠⁠http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen

In This Episode You'll Learn:

Why "being the strong one" isn't just emotional—it's biological

How chronic hypervigilance rewires your nervous system

Why capable women often become invisible when they need support most

The connection between stress, hormones, autoimmune disease, and burnout

Why your symptoms may be your body's way of protecting you—not betraying you

Three powerful mindset shifts that can begin your healing today

This Episode is Sponsored By

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Motherhood can expose ADHD and autism in ways many women never expect. In this episode, Dr. Jolene Brighten and Vanessa D’Souza discuss how postpartum hormones, burnout, masking, sensory overload, and relationship dynamics can leave neurodivergent women feeling like they’ve lost themselves—not because they’re failing, but because no one prepared them for what happens after birth. For the complete show notes, research, and resources, visit Dr. Brighten:

Vanessa D’Souza joins Dr. Brighten for an honest conversation about why pregnancy may feel easier than postpartum for women with ADHD and autism, how estrogen and progesterone influence executive function, why postpartum burnout is often mistaken for depression, and what partners, families, and healthcare providers need to understand to better support neurodivergent mothers.

✨ In This Episode

🧠 Why ADHD and autism often become much more noticeable after childbirth

🌸 The dramatic hormone shifts from pregnancy to postpartum

🎭 Why masking suddenly becomes impossible

💥 How postpartum burnout differs from postpartum depression

🍼 Breastfeeding, sensory overload, and nervous system regulation

💛 The invisible emotional labor carried by neurodivergent mothers

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Why relationships often become strained after a baby

🏥 How birth environments can affect autistic women

🧬 The role estrogen, progesterone, dopamine, testosterone, and cortisol play in executive function

🚩 Early warning signs of burnout before a complete crash

🛠 Practical ways to better prepare for the fourth trimester

📚 Resources Mentioned

📖 Is This Normal?:
https://drbrighten.com/is-this-normal/

📖 Beyond the Pill: https://drbrighten.com/beyond-the-pill

📖 ADHD & Women by Dr. Jolene Brighten: https://drbrighten.com/adhd-and-women/

🤝 Connect with Vanessa D’Souza

🌐 Website: https://vanessadsouza.co.uk/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.autistic.chef/?hl=en

💜 Connect with Dr. Jolene Brighten

🌐 Website: https://drbrighten.com

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjolenebrighten

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drjolenebrighten

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJoleneBrighten

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjolenebrighten

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Your support helps us bring more evidence-based conversations about women’s health, hormones, ADHD, autism, and neuroscience to millions of people.

Medical Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult your qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your healthcare plan.
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High-masking autism in women often goes unnoticed because success can hide disability. In this episode, Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with MasterChef UK contestant Vanessa D'Souza to discuss autism, ADHD, sensory processing, masking, autistic burnout, and why so many women aren't diagnosed until adulthood. 📖 For show notes, resources, and links mentioned in this episode, visit: https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/autism-and-adhd/

Pre-order your copy of ADHD and Women and unlock exclusive bonuses—including my PMDD Solution Workshop, bonus trainings, downloadable resources, and more before they're gone!

👉 Pre-Order Here: http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen

You'll Learn

Why MasterChef became the perfect storm for autistic burnout

Why autism in women is still so frequently overlooked

The hidden cost of high masking and why success doesn't mean someone isn't struggling

How sensory processing affects food, cooking, and everyday life

Why so many women don't receive an autism diagnosis until adulthood

What autistic burnout actually feels like—and why recovery can take months

The accommodations that can make an enormous difference for autistic adults

Why asking for support isn't weakness—it's self-understanding

How MasterChef unexpectedly became a platform for autism advocacy

Why uncertainty can be more overwhelming than failure for many autistic people

How understanding sensory needs can improve quality of life for both children and adults

What every healthcare provider, parent, and partner should know about autism in women

This Episode Is Brought to You By

Dr. Brighten Essentials Radiant Mind 

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Follow Vanessa D'Souza

Vanessa D'Souza’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.autistic.chef/

Vanessa D’Souza’s Website: https://vanessadsouza.co.uk/

MasterChef UK’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/masterchefuk/

👩🏻‍⚕️Follow Dr. Jolene Brighten:

💻 Website: ⁠https://www.drbrighten.com⁠

📸 Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/drjolenebrighten⁠

🎥 TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@drjolenebrighten⁠

🧵Threads: ⁠https://www.threads.net/@drjolenebrighten⁠

🌟 Grab my free hormone friendly recipes here! ⁠https://drbrighten.com/hormonekit/⁠

🎧 Subscribe to the Podcast:

Apple: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dr-brighten-show/id1786362161⁠

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YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@DrJoleneBrighten⁠

👉 If you found this episode valuable, drop a comment below to tell us what you loved most, and share it with a friend! Let’s spread the knowledge. 💬✨
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