Metabolic Matters

What do you do when you know something is wrong with your health—but the answers you’re getting don’t seem to explain what you’re experiencing? In this episode of Metabolic Matters, host Christina Mason sits down with Cindy Kennedy and Aaron Mathewson, a husband-and-wife team whose very different health challenges sent them searching for answers. Cindy was navigating early menopause, significant memory loss, and concerns about her brain health, while Aaron was living with chronic pain, repeated injuries, and a body that never seemed to recover the way he expected before eventually being diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. When they met, their shared search for answers became part of the foundation of their relationship—and led them into a much deeper exploration of metabolic health, nutrition, functional medicine, lab testing, genetics, and personalized care. Cindy and Aaron share what began to shift as they learned more about their own bodies, the mistakes and lessons they encountered along the way, and how their definition of health has evolved over more than a decade. It’s a conversation about becoming your own advocate, recognizing that health is deeply individual, and learning when the pursuit of “optimal” health can go too far. Their experiences would also help shape Cindy’s work today as CEO and founder of Metabolic Regen, Ressa Health, and MitoVida—companies focused on advancing education, tools, and resources that support a more individualized approach to health. Connect with Our Guests: Cindy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindy-kennedy-b406b03/ Resources Mentioned: Learn More about Ressa Health: www.ressahealth.com MitoVida Supplements: www.mitovida.com Metabolic Regen Education: www.metabolicregen.com Book Mentioned: Alzheimer's Disease: What If There Was a Cure? Second Edition: The Story of Ketones https://a.co/d/04eLw4mM About Your Host: Christina Mason is a lifelong storyteller, educator, and truth-seeker whose journey—from music and teaching to entrepreneurship—has always been guided by curiosity. Following her own breast cancer diagnosis, she turned her focus toward metabolic health and healing. As host of Metabolic Matters, she creates space for real people to share real stories and the many paths that shape how we understand health. Follow the Show: Website: www.metabolicmatters.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/metabolicmatters_/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577488944537 Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@metabolicmatters LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/metabolic-matters Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MetabolicRegen Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Metabolic Matters is especially powerful because it does not have a neatly packaged ending. Gene Woodruff is still living with cancer. Host Christina Mason sits down with Gene and his wife, Lynette, for an honest conversation about navigating six years of bladder cancer—including repeated recurrences, difficult treatment decisions, and paths’ forward. Gene served as a Navy aviator for 28 years, working in demanding operational environments that included disrupted sleep and circadian rhythms, prolonged stress, time away from family, and exposure to numerous environmental contaminants. As he prepared for retirement, blood in his urine led to the discovery of a large tumor and a diagnosis of high-grade bladder cancer. Suddenly, the future Gene and Lynette had imagined looked very different. His journey has included surgeries, intravesical treatment, a clinical trial, recurrent disease, and increasingly complex decisions about what to do next. Throughout it all, Lynette became Gene’s “Health CEO”—a diligent researcher, advocate, and partner in his care. She completed a Metabolic Regen Terrain Advocate Certification, which deepened her understanding of how nutrition, genetics, environment, and other factors influence metabolic health and recovery. She began monitoring Gene’s glucose and ketone levels, reviewing his nutrigenetic data, and using that information to help shape a more individualized approach. As their knowledge expanded, so did their approach. Alongside dietary changes, metabolic monitoring, and nutrigenetic testing, they explored supplementation, hyperbaric oxygen, intravenous vitamin C, hyperthermia, mistletoe, ozone, and other complementary therapies. Six years into Gene’s journey, they continue to monitor, learn, adapt, and reassess. Rather than allowing fear to dictate every decision, Gene and Lynette have built a life in which cancer is present—but does not consume everything else. Both share that, if given the choice, they would not go back and prevent the diagnosis. The experience has taught them valuable lessons, deepened their faith, and strengthened their reliance on family, friends, and community. Connect with Our Guests: Website: innerpartswisdom.com Lynette Email: [email protected] Gene Email: [email protected] Gene’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gene-woodruff-6620199a/ About Your Host: Christina Mason is a lifelong storyteller, educator, and truth-seeker whose journey—from music and teaching to entrepreneurship—has always been guided by curiosity. Following her own breast cancer diagnosis, she turned her focus toward metabolic health and healing. As host of Metabolic Matters, she creates space for real people to share real stories and the many paths that shape how we understand health. Follow the Show: Website: www.metabolicmatters.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/metabolicmatters_/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577488944537 Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@metabolicmatters LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/metabolic-matters Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MetabolicRegen © 2026 Metabolic Regen. All rights reserved. Produced by Metabolic Regen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when a mother’s intuition screams, “No,” while the experts around her recommend an untested treatment? “All I could hear was: ‘We are going to poison her, and she may die from the treatment.’ As a mother, my soul screamed no.” In this edge-of-your-seat episode of Metabolic Matters, host Christina Mason speaks with Phenyx Andolsek and her mother, Nicole Andolsek, about a remarkable journey of maternal instinct, advocacy, resilience, and hope. Phenyx’s health challenges began early in life. After birth complications and years of unexplained symptoms—including double vision and recurring headaches—an MRI revealed a mass near the base of her brain. At age 9, she was diagnosed with mesenchymal chondrosarcoma, a rare form of cancer. Her tumor’s location and the rarity of the disease meant the family faced complex, high-stakes treatment decisions. After surgery, doctors wanted to follow up with an aggressive conventional treatment plan; Nicole felt an unmistakable warning within her. Determined to explore every possible option, she began contacting doctors, clinics, cancer coaches, and practitioners across the globe. What followed was a three-year journey involving therapeutic nutrition, supplementation, high-dose vitamin C, mistletoe, hyperbaric oxygen, chiropractic care, sauna, detoxification, and a complete restructuring of Phenyx’s daily environment. At the heart of this conversation is the profound bond between mother and daughter. Nicole reflects on learning to advocate fiercely while still honoring Phenyx’s growing autonomy. Phenyx shares what it meant to listen to her body, trust her instincts, and voice what felt supportive along the way. Together, they explore the emotional realities of navigating childhood cancer, the importance of faith and community, and the trust required when a healing path looks very different from the one originally presented. Today, Phenyx is thriving, attending college, and preparing for a career in teaching. Their story is a powerful reminder that healing is not only about protocols—it is also about listening, connection, courage, and believing in the wisdom within the person receiving care. Connect with our Guests: Nicole’s Website: https://healthyselfinitiative.com/ Phenyx’s email: [email protected] About Your Host: Christina Mason is a lifelong storyteller, educator, and truth-seeker whose journey—from music and teaching to entrepreneurship—has always been guided by curiosity. Following her own breast cancer diagnosis, she turned her focus toward metabolic health and healing. As host of Metabolic Matters, she creates space for real people to share real stories and the many paths that shape how we understand health. Follow the Show: Website: www.metabolicmatters.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/metabolicmatters_/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577488944537 Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@metabolicmatters LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/metabolic-matters Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MetabolicRegen © 2026 Metabolic Regen. All rights reserved. Produced by Metabolic Regen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if your chronic symptoms weren't something you simply had to live with? In this insightful episode of Metabolic Matters, host Christina Mason sits down with Janet McCorkle and gut health coach Lindsey Parsons for a powerful conversation about persistence, personalized care, and the detective work often required to uncover the root causes of chronic illness. For decades, Janet struggled with constipation, IBS, kidney stones, recurrent urinary tract infections, and interstitial cystitis. Although she received multiple diagnoses over the years, she often found herself managing symptoms rather than understanding why they were happening. Determined to find answers, Janet began exploring functional medicine, nutritional interventions, and advanced testing that revealed a complex combination of food sensitivities, gut dysfunction, genetic variations, and post-infectious IBS. Joined by Lindsey Parsons, a certified health coach specializing in gut health, they discuss how personalized testing, microbiome analysis, nutrition, supplementation, and lifestyle changes helped Janet make meaningful progress after years of frustration. Together, they explore topics including leaky gut, SIBO, post-infectious IBS, genetic SNPs, oxalates, histamine intolerance, microbiome testing, and why healing often requires addressing multiple interconnected factors rather than a single diagnosis. Beyond the science, this episode highlights the importance of becoming an active participant in your own health. Janet shares the commitment, patience, and resilience required to make lasting lifestyle changes, while Lindsay emphasizes the value of curiosity, individualized care, and the benefits gained when we doggedly seek metabolic answers. Whether navigating chronic digestive issues, recurrent infections, or simply wondering if there's another path forward, this conversation highlights that healing often begins when we ask better questions. Connect with our Guests: Janet McCorkle: Email: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janrose22/ Lindsey Parsons: Website: https://highdeserthealthcoaching.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/high.desert.health/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/HighDesertHealth TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@theperfectstoolpodcast YT: https://www.youtube.com/@highdeserthealth X: https://twitter.com/HDesertHealth Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/highdeserthealth/ My Facebook Gut Healing group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/gut.healing.for.you About Your Host: Christina Mason is a lifelong storyteller, educator, and truth-seeker whose journey—from music and teaching to entrepreneurship—has always been guided by curiosity. Following her own breast cancer diagnosis, she turned her focus toward metabolic health and healing. As host of Metabolic Matters, she creates space for real people to share real stories and the many paths that shape how we understand health. Follow the Show: Website: www.metabolicmatters.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/metabolicmatters_/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577488944537 Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@metabolicmatters LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/metabolic-matters Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MetabolicRegen © 2026 Metabolic Regen. All rights reserved. Produced by Metabolic Regen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could recognizing the symptoms sooner change the course of a cancer journey? In this heartfelt episode of Metabolic Matters, host Christina Mason sits down with Trish Kifer, a stage IIIC ovarian cancer survivor and author, and her husband Roger Kifer, for an inspiring conversation about hope, partnership, faith, and whole-person healing. Trish and Roger vulnerably share Trish’s remarkable journey: from subtle symptoms, including painful intercourse, abdominal pain, incontinence, and feeling full quickly, that were initially attributed to early menopause, to a stage IIIC ovarian cancer diagnosis. Their healing journey extended far beyond conventional treatment and the wisdom they share is priceless. Together, they discuss the importance of listening to your body, building the right healthcare team, and becoming an active participant in your own healing. As Trish searched for ways to better support her health, she began exploring nutrition, metabolic health, reducing environmental toxins, therapeutic fasting, stress management, sauna use and other lifestyle strategies alongside her medical care. Trish and Roger also offer an important perspective on navigating cancer as a couple. They reflect on how cancer strengthened their marriage, deepened their faith, and taught them to approach each day with gratitude, purpose, and intention. Roger also shares the often-overlooked experience of the caregiver and the importance of finding support throughout the journey. More than a story about surviving cancer, this powerful conversation reminds us to trust our intuition, seek answers when something doesn't feel right, and never underestimate the impact of hope, community, and love. As Trish says, if sharing her story helps even one person seek care sooner, then every step of the journey has been worth it. Connect with our Guests: Website: https://hopejourney.life Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kifertrish/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trish.kifer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trish-kifer-20818a116/ Learn More About the Program Trish took to support her knowledge of metabolic health and healing! www.metabolicregen.com About Your Host: Christina Mason is a lifelong storyteller, educator, and truth-seeker whose journey—from music and teaching to entrepreneurship—has always been guided by curiosity. Following her own breast cancer diagnosis, she turned her focus toward metabolic health and healing. As host of Metabolic Matters, she creates space for real people to share real stories and the many paths that shape how we understand health. Follow the Show: Website: www.metabolicmatters.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/metabolicmatters_/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577488944537 Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@metabolicmatters LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/metabolic-matters Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MetabolicRegen © 2026 Metabolic Regen. All rights reserved. Produced by Metabolic Regen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.