In this powerful episode of SpoonFull of Strength, Rachel sits down with Dr. Jenny Tufenkian, a naturopathic physician with decades of experience treating complex chronic illness, and someone who has personally survived multiple severe crashes of ME/CFS, long COVID, and hormone-triggered fatigue.

Dr. Jenny opens up about her early health struggles, a devastating medical-school crash that left her bedridden for months, the emotional and spiritual breakdown that followed, and the remarkable healing that came from subconscious work, hypnotherapy, and rebuilding her body from the inside out. She also explains what happened when she relapsed years later during perimenopause, and again after COVID, and how those experiences shaped the work she does today.

Together, we explore:
• The 5 core energy drainers (root causes of chronic fatigue)
• How stress and the hormone triangle (adrenals, thyroid, ovaries/testes) create the “gateway” to chronic illness
• Why viral reactivation happens (EBV, parvovirus, and more) — especially after stress or infection
• The role of the gut, mitochondria, toxins, and immune dysregulation
• What long COVID teaches us about ME/CFS
• The unexpected power of subconscious healing, hypnotherapy, and emotional release
• How to honor your body when you’re in a crash — and why relapses don’t mean failure
• What true remission looks like, and how to protect it

If you’ve struggled with chronic fatigue, long COVID, ME/CFS, or unexplained exhaustion, this episode offers validation, clarity, and hope — plus practical places to start.

Learn more or apply to work with Dr. Jenny at drjennyteufenkian.com.

Follow Dr Jenny on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/dr.jennytufenkian/

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