The Double A Podcast

You've been diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome — now what? In the final episode of the series, Andrea and Ashley get into the practical side: how to actually manage this thing, from individualized avoidance and tick-bite prevention (yes, that's part of treatment too) to emergency planning, symptom management, and the emerging — and genuinely interesting — question of whether desensitization is possible. They also dig into SAAT, Soliman Auricular Allergy Treatment, the specialized auricular acupuncture protocol generating serious buzz in the alpha-gal community, where a tiny semi-permanent needle in your ear may lead to eating a burger again. A 2021 case series reported a 96% symptom resolution rate — so what do we actually make of that?This episode doesn't oversell anything. It also doesn't dismiss anything. It's an honest look at where the science is, what patients are reporting, and how to think about reintroduction safely — especially if your history includes anaphylaxis.📬 Reach us:Andrea – [email protected] | www.rmhealthpartners.comAshley – [email protected] | www.karvefitness.co

You might have alpha-gal syndrome and have no idea — and neither might your doctor. In this episode, Andrea and Ashley go deeper on the numbers (up to 450,000 Americans may be living with AGS, and it's not even a reportable condition), who's most at risk, why the lone star tick's expanding range means this is no longer just a Southern problem, and why a positive antibody test doesn't automatically mean you have the disease. They also get into the 2023 CDC survey that found nearly half of healthcare providers had never even heard of alpha-gal — which explains a lot about why so many patients end up bouncing between IBS diagnoses, anxiety labels, and "idiopathic" everything before anyone connects the dots.Plus: the controversial philosophical paper that argued deliberately giving people alpha-gal could be a form of "moral bioenhancement" — and why that take falls apart the moment you talk to an actual patient.📬 Reach us:Andrea – ⁠[email protected]⁠ | ⁠www.rmhealthpartners.com⁠Ashley – ⁠[email protected]⁠ | ⁠www.karvefitness.co

A tick bite that turns you allergic to red meat - and wakes you up at 2am in anaphylaxis hours after dinner. Alpha-gal syndrome is one of the strangest medical discoveries of the 21st century, and it's being missed constantly. In this episode, Andrea breaks down what alpha-gal actually is, why its delayed reaction throws everyone off, and why the risks go way beyond skipping a burger - touching everything from heparin during surgery to gelatin capsules to bone broth. If you've ever been handed a diagnosis of "idiopathic" anything, this one's worth a listen.📬 Reach us:Andrea – [email protected] | www.rmhealthpartners.comAshley – [email protected] | www.karvefitness.co

Your PCP Has a Scorecard: What Patients Aren't Usually Told About Insurance MetricsMost people assume their doctor's recommendations are purely about their health — but did you know your clinic might be graded on whether you got a mammogram this year? Behind the scenes, insurance companies track whether patients complete certain screenings, labs, and vaccines, and those numbers can affect how clinics are paid, scored, and penalized. That doesn't automatically make your provider's recommendations wrong. But there's a layer to your healthcare most patients never see — and patients who understand the system are better equipped to advocate for themselves in it.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Andrea⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - [email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ashley⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- [email protected]

How hard do you actually need to train to build muscle?In this episode, we’re diving into new research reviewed by Bill Campbell that examined whether women build more muscle and strength when training closer to failure.Spoiler: most people probably aren’t training nearly as hard as they think they are.We break down:the difference between fatigue and failurewhat “reps in reserve” actually meanswhy the last few reps matter most for hypertrophywhat training close to failure should FEEL likewhy women may benefit from higher training effort than previously thoughtwhen to push to failure — and when NOT toWe also discuss common mistakes we see in the gym, how to apply this research to your own workouts, and why progressive overload and intentional effort matter more than fancy programming.Whether you’re new to lifting or have been training for years, this episode will help you better understand how to train smarter, harder, and more effectively for muscle growth and strength.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Andrea⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - [email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ashley⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- [email protected]