# EP233: Born Free: Rethinking Chronic Illness Through the Lens of Systems Biology - Part 1 - Joshua Leisk

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/betterhealthguy-podcast-222585/ep233-born-free-rethinking-chronic-illness-through-the-lens-of-systems-biology-part-1-joshua-leisk
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/betterhealthguy-podcast-222585/ep233-born-free-rethinking-chronic-illness-through-the-lens-of-systems-biology-part-1-joshua-leisk.md
Podcast: [BetterHealthGuy Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/betterhealthguy-podcast-222585)
Published: 2026-05-18T14:52:00+00:00
Episode link: https://betterhealthguy.com/ep233
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/betterhealthguy/233.mp3?dest-id=488186
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/betterhealthguy-podcast-222585/episodes/ep233-born-free-rethinking-chronic-illness-through-the-lens-of-systems-biology-part-1-joshua-leisk
Duration seconds: 7529

## Resource

🎧 Episode Summary Joshua Leisk explores his systems biology model for ME/CFS and related chronic illnesses, explaining that many seemingly different conditions may stem from shared patterns of autonomic nervous system dysfunction, chronic infections, biofilms, oxidative stress, and impaired cellular energy production. The conversation examines how factors such as viral reactivation, microbiome imbalances, nutrient depletion, heavy metals, and sympathetic overdrive may contribute to illness progression. Joshua shares that chronic illness reflects interconnected processes within the body that can be reversed when underlying metabolic and physiological dysfunctions are addressed. 🧭 In This Episode - Joshua Leisk's personal recovery from severe ME/CFS and how it led to the development of Born Free - The meaning behind the name Born Free and the concept of returning to a healthier baseline state - Shared metabolic patterns across ME/CFS, Long COVID, dysautonomia, autism, Parkinson's disease, and related conditions - Mitochondrial dysfunction as a central intersection in chronic illness progression - The role of localized infections, pathogens, and tissue-specific dysfunction in symptom presentation - How sympathetic overdrive contributes to gastroparesis, immune dysregulation, and microbiome alterations - Nervous system signaling and microbiome adaptation in response to chronic stress states - Viral reactivation and mitochondrial dysfunction following COVID and other chronic illnesses - The relationship between hypoxia-inducible factors and herpes virus reactivation - Autonomic nervous system dysregulation and hypervigilance in ME/CFS and autism spectrum conditions - Extracellular ATP signaling, inosine depletion, and the Cell Danger Response - Methylation impairments, glut…

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