In this week’s Q&A, I dove into some of the most controversial topics in integrative medicine, from calcium dosing and gallbladder health to endometriosis, parasites, and chronic autoimmunity. Here’s what we covered…
Calcium Supplementation and Vitamin D
Calcium is one of the most abundant minerals in the body, yet one of the least understood. The mainstream view ignores it entirely, while some functional circles use it in massive doses to drive detoxification.
In practice, I’ve reduced calcium in my formulas because high-dose vitamin D therapy, when done correctly with vitamin K2 and magnesium, optimizes calcium absorption naturally. Too much calcium can push minerals into the wrong places like arteries and kidneys, leading to dystrophic calcification.
The sweet spot depends on your vitamin D status, magnesium intake, and hormonal health. It’s not about chasing a single nutrient. It’s about balance.
Orthodontics and Heavy Metal Exposure
When it comes to children’s dental work, the biggest mistake I see is rushing into procedures without second opinions. The long-term presence of metals and adhesives in the mouth affects more than teeth, it influences airway development, toxicity load, and nervous system balance.
Always get multiple opinions and find a dentist you trust. Modern dentistry too often prioritizes billing codes over biocompatibility. True dental health requires a practitioner who looks at the whole body, not just the bite.
High-Dose Thiamine for Neurological Health
Thiamine (vitamin B1) is one of the most overlooked vitamins in modern medicine. A specific form, TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide), has shown remarkable promise for neurological conditions like Parkinson’s and chronic fatigue.
I’ve used it in doses ranging from 100 milligrams up to several grams daily with great results and no known toxicity. It’s not a cure-all, but it can be a “bridge to a better place”, helping patients stabilize symptoms while we continue to address deeper root causes through detoxification and nourishment.
The best medicine teaches people how not to need it. - Hippocrates
Bioidentical Hormones and Endometriosis
Bioidentical hormones can reduce symptoms in endometriosis, but they are not a root-cause cure. The real driver is environmental toxicity, heavy metals, pesticides, and industrial chemicals that disrupt endocrine balance.
True healing requires detoxification, nourishment, and light optimization. Hormones can help stabilize symptoms, but the long-term goal is to restore normal physiology so the body no longer depends on them.
Gallbladder Health and Copper Toxicity
Gallbladder surgeries have exploded in frequency because the system rewards procedures over prevention. Conventional medicine treats the gallbladder as disposable, but removal increases the body’s toxic burden and reduces detox efficiency for life.
Gallbladder dysfunction often reflects poor bile flow, low choline, and a diet high in rancid, ultra-processed fats. Choline citrate and phospholipids — found in eggs, fish, and sunflower lecithin — help thin bile, improve fat digestion, and promote detoxification.
Copper toxicity frequently surfaces in these cases because bile is the main route of copper elimination. Supporting bile flow is essential for balancing metals and hormones alike.
Parasite Therapies and Herbal Protocols
Parasites remain an unrecognized factor in chronic illness. Testing is unreliable, so I often use herbal anti parasitic protocols based on symptoms and history.
While results vary, some patients experience notable improvement when parasites are addressed. We continue to refine these protocols and welcome insights from other practitioners using effective herbal combinations.
Health Coaching and Building a Career That Heals
For those interested in entering the wellness field, my strongest advice is to join a community where you can learn both clinical skill and sustainable business systems. My LifeWave team offers mentorship on light-based healing, practice design, and real-world results.
Most practitioners burn out because they never learn to balance their own health while serving others. Success starts with systems that support both.
Managing Allergies Naturally
Allergies reflect immune dysregulation driven by mineral imbalance and toxic overload. Vitamin C and magnesium are foundational for stabilizing histamine, while homeopathic allergy drops can rival shots without aluminum exposure.
In my practice, combining mineral balancing with sublingual drops has resolved allergies for many patients, sometimes completely.
Gallstones, Bile Flow, and Real Food Fats
Gallstones form when bile becomes thick and stagnant. Ultra-processed foods and oxidized oils create sluggish bile that hardens into stones. Traditional diets rich in unrefined fats, fish oils, and phospholipids keep bile thin and flowing.
If you’ve had your gallbladder removed, supplemental bile acids with meals are essential for life. They help bind toxins and replace the lost physiologic function of bile storage and secretion.
Magnesium, Vitamin D, and Choline
High dose vitamin D increases calcium absorption but can deplete magnesium. The solution is simple, always pair vitamin D with magnesium and choline. Choline citrate not only improves bile flow but also enhances magnesium uptake into cells.
I monitor serum magnesium to ensure patients stay in the upper quartile for optimal cardiovascular and metabolic health.
Functional Testing and HTMA
Mineral balancing is not guesswork. Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) allows us to track mineral ratios, heavy metal elimination, and detox trends over time.
Sometimes formulas stop working because the body’s mineral landscape changes. When that happens, we retest and recalibrate. Healing is not linear, it’s adaptive.
Direct-to-consumer labs rarely provide this context. Data without interpretation can mislead more than it helps.
Autoimmunity and Environmental Triggers
In autoimmune disease, pharmaceuticals often do more harm than good. Many drugs can trigger autoimmunity themselves. Removing offending medications and environmental toxins often leads to rapid improvement, even in severe cases like interstitial lung disease.
True healing begins when we restore the body’s internal balance through detoxification, mineral support, and sunlight exposure.
To dive deeper into these protocols and learn how to identify your own triggers, join me for my Autoimmunity Masterclass.
As always, thank you for your questions and support. Your supplement purchases and memberships make this work possible and allow me to keep sharing what really works rather than more noise from the wellness industry.
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You can find the supplements mentioned in this week’s Q&A in my supplement store.
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Until next time, be well,
Dr. Stillman
Executive Summary
Calcium must be balanced with vitamin D, K2, and magnesium
Bioidentical hormones help symptoms but not root causes
Gallbladder removal increases long-term toxin load
Choline supports bile flow, detox, and magnesium absorption
Copper toxicity often manifests as headaches or fatigue
Parasite cleansing works best when combined with detox
Vitamin C and allergy drops calm histamine naturally
HTMA testing reveals real-time detox trends
Autoimmunity improves when environmental triggers are removed
The foundation of healing is detox, nourishment, and light
