Why Lyme Disease Gets Missed in So Many Women ft. Ali White & Dr. Cathleen King

Could your nervous system be playing a bigger role in chronic illness than you realize? In this episode of SHE MD, Mary Alice Haney is joined by founder of The Tick Chicks, Alicia White, and Primal Trust founder, Cathleen King, to discuss the connection between Lyme disease, mold exposure, autoimmune conditions, trauma, and nervous system dysregulation. Alicia shares her 12-year journey to recovery after years of debilitating symptoms and misdiagnoses, while Cathleen explains how brain retraining, breathwork, and nervous system regulation can help the body heal.
They also explore why so many women are told their symptoms are “just anxiety,” how chronic stress impacts the immune system, and the small daily practices that can help shift the body out of survival mode. Whether you’re navigating chronic illness, burnout, or anxiety, this episode offers hopeful insights and practical tools for healing.
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What You’ll Learn
What Alpha-Gal syndrome is and why it’s rapidly increasing
The early signs and symptoms of Lyme disease
Why chronic illness is often misdiagnosed in women
How mold exposure can impact autoimmune symptoms
The connection between trauma, stress, and physical illness
What nervous system dysregulation actually means
How “survival mode” affects healing and inflammation
Simple nervous system “pattern interrupts” to reduce stress
What vagus nerve regulation and brain retraining are
Why chronic illness often requires a holistic approach to healing
How breathwork can calm the body’s stress response
The emotional toll of living with invisible illness
Why prevention is critical when it comes to tick-borne illnesses
Key Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
01:39 Alicia White’s Lyme Disease Journey Begins
03:05 Why Lyme Disease Cases Are Exploding
05:51 The Most Common Lyme Disease Symptoms
06:35 How To Properly Test for Lyme Disease
08:52 Dangerous Tick Co Infections Explained
09:24 What Is Alpha-Gal Syndrome?
10:29 What To Do Immediately After a Tick Bite
13:19 What Causes Chronic Lyme Disease?
14:54 Alicia’s Holistic Lyme Recovery Journey
21:24 How Fear Blocks Chronic Illness Recovery
27:52 Lyme Disease and Nervous System Dysregulation
32:18 How To Hack Your Nervous System
34:08 The “Pattern Interrupt” Technique Explained
39:01 The Physiological Sigh Breathing Exercise
41:17 Dr. Cat’s Recovery From Being Bedbound
46:05 How Brain Retraining Actually Works
50:52 Trauma Processing and Somatic Healing
59:53 What Is Alpha Gal Syndrome?
01:13:24 How To Prevent Lyme Disease and Alpha Gal Syndrome
01:16:32 Final Thoughts on Tick Prevention and Awareness
Key Takeaways
Chronic illness often affects both the body and nervous system
Lyme disease and tick-borne illnesses are becoming more common
Women with chronic symptoms are frequently dismissed or misdiagnosed
Nervous system regulation can play a major role in healing
Chronic stres...