If you’ve ever encountered The Wahls Protocol, you can immediately sense the depth of knowledge, research, and lived experience behind it. The program is incredibly thorough, thoughtful, and comprehensive—and that level of detail doesn’t come from theory alone.
In fact, the power behind The Wahls Protocol comes from something much more personal.
It is not just a medical framework or a nutritional approach developed in a lab. It is the result of a deeply personal journey—one born from the author’s own search for healing, resilience, and hope in the face of a life-altering diagnosis.
The Wahls Protocol is, quite literally, the life story and healing journey of its creator.
And we are incredibly fortunate that the person behind this groundbreaking work has chosen to share her discoveries, insights, and experience with the world—firsthand.
In this episode, we are honored to feature Dr. Terry Wahls, an Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner and a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Iowa. Through her work in both clinical practice and research, Dr. Wahls has dedicated her career to exploring new approaches to health, particularly in the area of neurological conditions.
At the University of Iowa, she conducts clinical trials studying the effects of nutrition and lifestyle interventions in individuals living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), contributing valuable research that continues to expand our understanding of how diet and lifestyle can impact chronic disease.
Her work has not gone unnoticed. In 2018, Dr. Wahls was awarded the Institute for Functional Medicine’s Linus Pauling Award, recognizing her significant contributions to research, clinical care, and patient advocacy in the field of functional and integrative medicine.
But what makes her story even more remarkable is that Dr. Wahls is not only a physician and researcher—she is also a patient.
Diagnosed with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, she experienced a severe decline in her health that eventually confined her to a tilt-recline wheelchair for four years. Faced with the limitations of conventional treatment options, she began exploring the scientific literature in search of ways to support her brain and body through nutrition and lifestyle.
What followed was a relentless journey of research, experimentation, and determination—a journey that ultimately led to the development of the Wahls Protocol, a comprehensive approach designed to support cellular health, brain function, and overall resilience.
Today, Dr. Wahls shares not only her scientific knowledge but also her deeply personal story of perseverance, discovery, and transformation.
In this episode of the Thrive State Podcast, we dive into the origins of The Wahls Protocol, the science behind it, and the powerful lessons that came from one physician’s quest to reclaim her health and her life.
Join us as we explore how personal experience, scientific curiosity, and unwavering determination came together to create one of the most influential approaches in functional medicine today.
You can find more about her and her work at www.terrywahls.com
