Behind the Episode: Undiagnosed, Dismissed, and Still Showing Up. What it means to live, lift, and lead with autoimmune disease.

In this episode of the UpLift Women’s Wellness Podcast, Auria Zahed and Bethany Busch dive into a raw and deeply personal conversation about what women really face when navigating chronic illness, autoimmune disease, and the healthcare and fitness systems that continue to dismiss their pain.

This conversation is more than storytelling. It’s a reflection of why Head to Toe Strength exists — to close the gaps, correct the misinformation, and give women the science-backed support they’ve been denied for far too long.

Why This Episode Matters

Autoimmune Disease Isn’t Rare — But Women Are Still Dismissed

Women are diagnosed with autoimmune diseases at disproportionately high rates, yet millions remain undiagnosed for years. Instead of curiosity, many are met with blame or minimization. We’re told:

  • “Just lose weight.”

  • “It’s stress.”

  • “You’re overreacting.”

This systemic dismissal is the beginning of many women's health journeys being delayed by 5, 10, even 15 years.

At Head to Toe Strength, our work across strength coaching, nutrition coaching, and performance coaching intentionally bridges the evidence-based gaps that women aren’t getting elsewhere.

Bethany’s Story: A Decade of Symptoms. Zero Answers.

Bethany spent over a decade begging the medical system to take her seriously. Chronic migraines. Debilitating fatigue. Rapid weight gain. Hormonal chaos.

Instead of care, she got:

  • “You just need to lose weight.”

  • No labs.

  • No root-cause investigation.

  • No sleep study.

  • Body-shaming comparisons—like being called a Rottweiler for advocating for herself.

She wasn’t diagnosed with hypothyroidism, PCOS, or insulin resistance until age 36.

This story is not the exception. It is the norm for millions of women.

Where Healthcare Fails — and How We Do It Differently

Root Causes vs. Band-Aids

Traditional healthcare often uses outdated, overly broad diagnostic ranges. TSH “normal”? That doesn’t always mean optimal. And it certainly doesn’t mean “you’re fine.”

Women deserve deeper investigation — labs, patterns, symptoms, history — not a quick glance and a weight lecture.

At Head to Toe Strength, we provide integrative support through our:

Why Proper Fitness Education Matters

The fitness industry is flooded with under qualified trainers teaching weight loss shortcuts instead of safe, science-based training. For women with:

  • Chronic illness

  • Autoimmune disease

  • Chronic pain

  • Hormonal disorders

  • Mobility limitations

  • High stress or burnout

…working with the wrong coach is not just ineffective — it’s dangerous.

This is why our team comes from Exercise Science, clinical backgrounds, and lived experience. We prioritize safety, physiology, and evidence — not trends.

Learn more about the people behind this mission:

The Emotional Toll of Feeling Unheard

Chronic illness isn’t just physical. Feeling dismissed, doubted, or gaslighted creates:

  • Anxiety

  • Depression

  • Self-doubt

  • Isolation

  • Fear of seeking help again

This is exactly why so much of our work includes validating your lived experience and creating space for whole-person wellness.

What We Want Women to Know

You are not “crazy.”
You are not “too sensitive.”
You are not “lazy.”
You are not “the problem.”

Your symptoms are real.
Your experience matters.
And you deserve coaches and clinicians who listen.

If you're ready for support that respects your body and your story, explore:

This episode exists to remind you that your health journey shouldn’t be a battle — and you shouldn’t have to fight alone.

To explore more episodes and conversations that validate women’s lived experiences, visit the UpLift Women’s Wellness Podcast.

Show Notes

Episode Title: Undiagnosed, Dismissed, and Still Showing Up: What it means to live, lift, and lead with autoimmune disease.
Hosts: Auria Zahed & Bethany Busch
Podcast: UpLift Women’s Wellness Podcast

Episode Summary

In this powerful episode, Auria and Bethany unpack the silent epidemic affecting millions of women: chronic illness and autoimmune disease going undiagnosed or dismissed for years. Bethany shares her decade-long struggle with chronic symptoms that doctors continually ignored, attributing everything to weight instead of deeper investigation.

The conversation expands into how healthcare fails women, how unqualified fitness professionals can worsen chronic illness, and why whole-person, functional-minded, individualized coaching is often the first real relief women experience.

Topics Covered

  • Why women are disproportionately affected by autoimmune disease

  • The most common forms of medical gaslighting

  • Bethany’s personal story: 10+ years of symptoms without answers

  • Problems with traditional diagnostic ranges (TSH, hormone panels, etc.)

  • The emotional impact of being dismissed or misdiagnosed

  • The risks of working with unqualified personal trainers

  • Chronic illness, hormones, PCOS, insulin resistance, and fatigue

  • Why cycle syncing and hormone-aware strength training matter

  • How functional and whole-person coaching changes outcomes

Links & Resources

Head to Toe Strength Services:

Learn More About the H2T Approach:

Podcast Home:

Follow & Subscribe

Don’t miss an episode — follow the UpLift Women’s Wellness Podcast on your favorite listening platform and explore more empowering conversations at Head to Toe Strength.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, share it with the women in your life who need to hear: You deserve answers.