You’re Not Broken. You’re Inflamed.

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When I couldn’t run without pain… I knew something deeper was going on.

It started as knee pain while I was packing to move to Northern Ireland. My husband had already gone ahead for work after our visas were denied, and I was managing life solo with our three young kids, preparing to reunite after a year apart.

During that time, I ate what I thought was a “clean” diet—mostly vegan, lots of greens, flax, chia. But I didn’t yet know that I lack the genes to convert plant-based omega-3s into their usable form. I was unknowingly starving my body of essential fats and driving inflammation harder.

Shortly after arriving in Ireland, I had a silver filling replaced with an amalgam—containing mercury. That same afternoon, my arms and legs went numb. I ended up in the A&E, but my MRI came back “normal.” Deep down, I knew it was mercury poisoning. But conventional medicine had no framework for that kind of root-cause thinking.

When we returned to Oregon, I saw a few conventional practitioners and nurse practitioners. But after a couple of frustrating encounters—where no one connected the dots—I said, “this isn’t working.” I chose to return to someone who had helped me in the past:

Dr. Rob Dramov, a naturopathic doctor who had supported me during my years as a missionary.

He listened. He tested.

And he accurately diagnosed me with Hashimoto’s—an autoimmune thyroid condition that had been silently hijacking my vitality.

With the right protocol, I began to heal.

A Parasite, a Setback, and a Turning Point

That summer, we went on a family camping trip. Unbeknownst to me, a package of bratwurst had leaked in our cooler, soaking the vegetables. I ate them.

What followed was a gut parasite that wrecked everything I’d rebuilt.

That’s when I started digging deeper. I earned my Certified Nutrition Coach certification—hoping it would empower me to truly heal. But to be honest, it didn’t go deep enough. I knew I needed more.

Mold: The Hidden Culprit

After we lost our family farm, we moved into a rental. And within weeks, I could feel it—something was off. My kids were acting out of character. I was inflamed again. I suspected mold.

It wasn’t until a year and a half later that my husband had to pull out a toilet… and discovered the subfloor soaked and covered in black mold.

Because I wasn’t pregnant or nursing, I was able to detox more aggressively:

Phase 1: My Initial Mold Detox

It worked.

I healed so well that I got pregnant—with our surprise fourth baby.

I gave birth to Alyssa Joy at 42. And while I was nursing and chasing a toddler, I finally took the deep dive I had craved—I enrolled in the Nutritional Therapy Association and earned my certification as a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner.

The Mold Was Still There

The kitchen had been harboring black mold behind the cabinets and backsplash the whole time. We had only remediated part of the problem with the bathroom. The exposure had never really left—and my body knew it, regardless of it being better… but mold grows.

Now breastfeeding, I needed gentler detox tools—but I was ready for it.

Phase 2: Breastfeeding-Friendly Mold Detox

  • Stem cell recovery patches — Boosted glutathione with copper peptide signaling

  • Shilajit — A fulvic acid-rich mineral resin that supports mitochondria and detox

  • Homeopathy — Energetic medicine tailored to individual needs

  • Red light therapy — Mitochondrial support and inflammation modulation

  • PEMF therapy — Restored cellular voltage and energy

  • Adaptogens — Helped with brain fog, stress, and nutrient absorption

  • Nano-Ojas — Nanoparticle herbal support I’ve used since 2020 for deep systemic detox

  • S. boulardii — A probiotic yeast that binds mycotoxins and supports gut healing

  • Chlorella — A green algae that binds mold toxins and metals while supplying vital nutrients

Each of these tools played a unique role in my healing—but this is not medical advice.

Every woman’s biology, life season, and genetics are different. I happen to have MTHFR, COMT, and nine other methylation and detox variants, so my protocols are more layered than most.

You don’t need every tool. But I share what worked for me—because I wish I’d known sooner.

This path also led me to pursue deeper education, so I could support other women through their own root-cause healing journeys.

You Might Be Inflamed If…

  • You’re exhausted no matter how much you sleep

  • You feel puffy, bloated, foggy, or anxious

  • You’re told “everything looks fine” but you know something isn’t

  • Your skin, cycles, or mood feel unpredictable and you’re doing everything “right”

Chronic inflammation is like a low-grade fire—it simmers quietly, burning your energy from the inside out.

And if no one has connected the dots for you yet… I’d be honored to walk with you.

What I Do Now

Through Nutritional Therapy, I help women:

  • Discover the real root drivers of their inflammation

  • Rebuild energy through personalized food and lifestyle rhythms

  • Calm the nervous system and support detox gently and effectively

  • Come home to their bodies with grace and clarity

Ready to Begin?

I’m currently accepting waitlist signups for my Nutritional Therapy support programs.

Click here to join the waitlist

I also offer free 15-minute consults to explore if we’re a good fit.

You are not broken.

You are not crazy.

You are inflamed—and inflammation can be healed.

With grace and grit,

Brenna May, NTP

Nutritional Therapy Practitioner

📚 PubMed References:

  1. Chronic inflammation across the lifespan – Furman et al., Nature Medicine

  2. Mediterranean diet and inflammatory markers – Sureda et al., Nutrients

  3. Exercise and TNF cytokine reduction – Dimitrov et al., Brain, Behavior, and Immunity

  4. Why sleep is essential for immune health – Irwin, Annual Review of Psychology

  5. Curcumin’s anti-inflammatory effects – Hewlings & Kalman, Foods