The Podcast by KevinMD Healing chronic illness requires treating the mind alongside the body
Jan 25, 2026
Shiv K. Goel, an internal and functional medicine physician and writer, explains how emotions shape chronic illness. He discusses psychoneuroimmunology, a patient story of suppressed grief, and why symptom-focused care falls short. He outlines clinical listening, somatic therapies, meditation, and tools like AI to scale mind-body approaches.
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Patient Case That Changed Practice
- Linda saw seven physicians, followed diets and meds, but remained exhausted until her emotional history was addressed.
- After somatic work and mindfulness, her blood pressure normalized, A1C dropped, and she lost 30 pounds without deprivation.
Mind Drives Immune And Genetic Change
- Psychoneuroimmunology links thoughts and emotions to immune, endocrine, and genetic changes that drive chronic disease.
- Treating downstream symptoms without addressing upstream emotional and belief systems misses root causes.
Chronic Stress Creates A Biological Cascade
- Chronic stress shifts adrenal output toward catecholamines and corticosteroids, then leads to adrenal fatigue and deep exhaustion.
- This cascade raises blood pressure, insulin resistance, weight gain, anxiety, and lowers immunity.