Living with chronic illness can feel like fighting a battle no one else can fully see.

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, I’m joined by Brad Pitzele, who shares his powerful journey through autoimmune arthritis, debilitating pain, fatigue, brain fog, and a melanoma diagnosis that became a major turning point in his life.

Brad opens up about the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual toll of chronic illness — from being doubted and dismissed, to trying multiple medications, to reaching a point where he knew he had to look at healing in a different way.

We explore what resilience really means when you’re living with pain or chronic illness, why acceptance is not the same as giving up, and how mindset, lifestyle changes, family support, self-advocacy, and alternative approaches all played a role in Brad’s journey.

We also discuss the challenges of parenting when illness affects more than one member of the family, including Brad’s experience supporting his daughter after she was also diagnosed with arthritis.

This is a powerful conversation for anyone living with chronic pain, chronic illness, fatigue, or the uncertainty that comes with ongoing health challenges.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How chronic illness affects the body, mind, emotions, and identity
• The hidden psychological toll of pain, fatigue, and brain fog
• What it feels like to be dismissed or doubted by others
• Why acceptance can become a powerful first step in healing
• The role of resilience when life feels uncertain
• How Brad began exploring diet, lifestyle, and alternative approaches
• The importance of family, community, and self-advocacy
• Why chronic illness can reveal inner strength you didn’t know you had

Connect with Brad:

Website: https://www.onethousandroads.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onethousandroadshq
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OneThousandRoadsHQ

Find Leigh:

Beyond The Pain book waitlist: https://bodychek.co.uk/book-waitlist/
Beyond The Pain 14-Day Programme: https://bodychek.co.uk/beyond-the-pain-programme/
Pain-Free Plate Free Guide: https://www.bodychek.co.uk/freepainguide/
Consult with Leigh: https://www.bodychek.co.uk/consultation

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Leigh Brandon speaks with Dayna Wylder about her transformative healing journey with multiple sclerosis and how it led her into the world of energy medicine, emotional healing, and higher consciousness.

Together, they explore the deep connection between the mind, body, emotions, and energy field, and how symptoms may be messages from the subconscious rather than simply problems to suppress. Dayna shares insights into the five koshas, frequency healing, sound therapy, structured water, tapping, gratitude, and the importance of reconnecting with your higher self to support true healing.

This conversation offers a thought-provoking perspective on chronic pain, autoimmunity, emotional patterns, subconscious beliefs, and spiritual healing.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Dayna Wylder’s healing journey with multiple sclerosis
• The shift from physical medicine to information and energy medicine
• The five koshas and the role of the bliss body in healing
• How energetic imbalances may contribute to pain and illness
• Symptoms as subconscious communication rather than random dysfunction
• Emotional patterns, secondary gains, and their impact on health
• Sound therapy, structured water, tapping, and gratitude as healing tools
• Purpose, surrender, stillness, and higher self-connection in recovery

Find Dayna Wylder:
https://www.energyovermatter.com
https://www.youtube.com/@energyovermatter

Connect with Leigh:
Beyond The Pain 14-Day Programme - https://bodychek.co.uk/beyond-the-pain-programme/
Pain-Free Plate Free Guide - https://www.bodychek.co.uk/freepainguide/
Consult with Leigh - https://www.bodychek.co.uk/consultation

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Leigh Brandon speaks with Daniel C. Rodgers about living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) — a connective tissue disorder that can lead to hypermobility, repeated injuries, chronic pain, exhaustion, and years of confusion before diagnosis.

Daniel shares how the early signs were missed, how serious knee dislocations and surgeries changed the course of his life, and what happened when he finally discovered that EDS was behind so many of his symptoms. He also opens up about the emotional toll of chronic pain, including isolation, frustration, and learning how to adapt without letting the condition define his life.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• early signs of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and hypermobility
• why EDS is often overlooked or misdiagnosed
• chronic pain, repeated injuries, and recovery setbacks
• the mental and emotional impact of living with an invisible condition
• how Daniel manages exercise, activity, and daily life with EDS
• the importance of resilience, self-awareness, and self-advocacy

Daniel C. Rodgers
Website: https://escapetheclock.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danrodgers
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOJX3vkUPfwzzC3DWGSH-Kw

Leigh Brandon
Beyond The Pain 14-Day Programme: https://bodychek.co.uk/beyond-the-pain-programme/
Pain-Free Plate Free Guide: https://www.bodychek.co.uk/freepainguide/
Consult with Leigh: https://www.bodychek.co.uk/consultation/

What happens when chronic illness forces you to question everything you thought you knew about health and healing?

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Leigh Brandon is joined by holistic nutritionist Christine Ruch to explore her powerful journey through chronic illness, multiple autoimmune diagnoses, and the deeper healing work that transformed her life.

Christine shares how her path led her from years of health challenges and an MS diagnosis to studying holistic nutrition, building nourishing food businesses, and eventually discovering the profound role of the nervous system in chronic pain, symptoms, and recovery.

Together, Leigh and Christine discuss the connection between chronic pain and nervous system dysregulation, the impact of emotional stress on physical symptoms, the role of food in supporting healing, and why learning to listen to the body is such an important part of recovery.

If you have ever felt dismissed, confused by persistent symptoms, or stuck in a cycle of pushing through pain, this episode offers a thought-provoking perspective on what healing may really require.

In this episode, Leigh and Christine discuss:
• Christine’s journey through chronic illness, MS, and multiple autoimmune conditions
• How food elimination and holistic nutrition changed her health
• The connection between chronic pain and nervous system dysregulation
• Why hypervigilance can amplify symptoms
• The emotional and mental health factors that influence pain
• Pain as a warning signal rather than simply something to suppress
• Why self-validation and self-advocacy are essential in healing
• The problem with glorifying pushing through pain

Christine’s work highlights a powerful message: healing is not just about managing symptoms. It is about understanding the relationship between the body, the mind, the nervous system, and the environment we live in.

Christine’s Contact Details
Website: https://www.christineruch.com/

Leigh’s Contact Details
Beyond The Pain 14-Day Programme: https://bodychek.co.uk/beyond-the-pain-programme/
Pain-Free Plate Free Guide: https://bodychek.co.uk/pain-free-plate/
Consult with Leigh: https://www.bodychek.co.uk/consultation/

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who would benefit from hearing it.

What if pain is not simply a problem in the tissues, but an output from the brain?

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Leigh Brandon is joined by Brandon Day, flow state expert and applied neurology coach, to explore how the brain influences pain, injury, performance, recovery, and resilience.

Brandon shares his remarkable journey from a childhood shaped by sport, anger, trauma, and repeated injuries, to discovering that pain is often far more complex than structural damage alone. Together, they unpack why so many people remain in pain even when scans and medical tests reveal very little, while others show significant degeneration with no pain at all.

This conversation explores the hidden neurological mechanisms behind chronic pain and peak performance, including how the brain interprets threat, how past experiences and emotions shape physical symptoms, and why changing sensory input can change the pain output.

If you have ever been told, “It’s all in your head,” this episode will help you understand why that may actually be the most empowering thing you could hear.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why chronic pain can persist even when scans and tests come back clear
• Why pain is often an output from the brain rather than a direct measure of tissue damage
• How flow states can support healing, recovery, and peak performance
• The role of applied neurology in reducing pain and improving function
• How sensory retraining can help change protective pain patterns
• Why thoughts, emotions, and unresolved trauma can influence physical health
• What neurological loops and “threat buckets” are, and how they keep people stuck
• Practical ways to begin changing the brain’s pain and protection signals

This is a powerful episode for anyone dealing with persistent pain, unexplained symptoms, recurring injuries, or a desire to better understand the brain-body connection.

Find Brandon Day online:

Website: https://evolvedathlete.coach/
Community: https://www.skool.com/evolved
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambrandonday/

You can find Leigh @:

Beyond The Pain 14-Day Programme - https://bodychek.co.uk/beyond-the-pain-programme/
Pain-Free Plate Free Guide - https://www.bodychek.co.uk/freepainguide/
Consult with Leigh - https://www.bodychek.co.uk/consultation

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Leigh Brandon is joined by Greg Lee for a thought-provoking conversation about chronic pain, hidden conditions, emotional trauma, toxins, and some of the more advanced therapies being used to help people heal.

Greg shares his fascinating journey from NASA engineer to holistic practitioner, and explains how that path led him into working with frequency-based scanning technologies, Chinese medicine, acupuncture, detoxification strategies, microcurrent therapy, and other integrative approaches to chronic illness and pain.

Leigh and Greg discuss how hidden factors such as mold, parasites, biofilms, toxins, and unresolved emotional trauma may contribute to persistent symptoms, and why supporting the body’s energy, drainage, and detoxification pathways may be an important part of the healing process. They also explore the links between brain health, nerve function, emotional trauma, and chronic pain, along with practical first steps for people who feel overwhelmed and want to begin addressing root causes.

This is a fascinating conversation that challenges conventional thinking and opens the door to a broader understanding of pain, healing, and recovery.

In this episode, they discuss:

• Greg Lee’s journey from NASA engineer to holistic practitioner

• Advanced therapies for chronic pain and hidden conditions

• Frequency-based scanning technologies and how Greg uses them

• Chinese medicine, acupuncture, and integrative healing approaches

• Why detoxification and drainage may matter before deeper interventions

• Mold, parasites, biofilms, toxins, and other hidden contributors to symptoms

• Microcurrent therapy, brain health, and nerve support

• Practical guidance for people seeking a root-cause approach to healing

Contact Greg:
https://www.lymeresearchcenter.com/
https://www.lymeresearchcenter.com/HFR
https://www.facebook.com/LymeResearchCenter/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/lyme-research-healing-center/
https://www.instagram.com/lymeresearchcenter/?hl=en

Contact Leigh:
Beyond The Pain 14-Day Programme - https://bodychek.co.uk/beyond-the-pain-programme/
Pain-Free Plate Free Guide - https://www.bodychek.co.uk/freepainguide/
Consult with Leigh - https://www.bodychek.co.uk/consultation/

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Leigh Brandon is joined by Stan Kurtz for a thought-provoking conversation on chronic pain, inflammation, trauma, stress, toxicity, and the deeper factors that may be driving pain in the body. Stan shares how his own family experiences led him into this work, why he believes many chronic issues have root causes beyond symptoms, and why pain may be better understood as a signal rather than the problem itself.

Leigh and Stan also explore the relationships between inflammation, dysbiosis, stress physiology, trauma, and chronic pain, as well as Stan’s views on why the body may prioritise survival and stress responses over detoxification. They also discuss biomechanics, perception, and why changing the inputs into the body may influence pain, energy, and overall function.

In this episode, they discuss:

• Stan’s personal journey into health and recovery work

• Why he believes toxins, stress, trauma, and inflammation can all play a role in chronic pain

• The idea that pain is a signal asking for attention

• The connection between stress, perception, physiology, and pain

• Why unresolved trauma may affect healing

• Practical lifestyle ideas Stan suggests people experiment with

Contact Stan:
https://stansrecoveries.com/
https://stanslinks.com/

Contact Leigh:
Beyond The Pain 14-Day Programme - https://bodychek.co.uk/beyond-the-pain-programme/
Pain-Free Plate Free Guide - https://www.bodychek.co.uk/freepainguide/
Consult with Leigh - https://bodychek.co.uk/consultation/

What if some of the most powerful tools for easing chronic pain were available to you every day?

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Leigh Brandon is joined by Dr. Michael Blahut for a fascinating conversation on how light, sound, movement, mindset, and energy-based practices can influence pain, inflammation, nervous system regulation, and overall health. Drawing on both modern biohacking concepts and ancient healing wisdom, Michael shares practical ways to support the body’s natural healing processes and help you take a more active role in your recovery.

Together, Leigh and Michael explore how circadian rhythms, sunlight, sound frequencies, posture, movement, emotional states, and environmental factors such as toxins and EMFs may all play a role in the pain experience. This episode is packed with thought-provoking ideas and simple practices you can begin using straight away.

Connect with Dr. Michael Blahut:
Everyday Medicine • Holistic Family Care • Instagram

Connect with Leigh Brandon:
Beyond The Pain Podcast • Book a Consultation • LinkTree