Lyme, Mold, Mast Cells, And Peptides: How A Biohacking Nurse Rebuilt Her Health

About this Podcast

Many people live with chronic fatigue, strange symptoms, and “normal” lab work. They get passed between specialists, offered new prescriptions, and sent home without a real plan. Registered nurse and creator of “the biohacking nurse” Cheyanne Welton grew up in that world. As a child, she was always tired, caught infections easily, and never bounced back like other kids. At one stage, her white blood cells looked so abnormal that doctors mentioned cancer, yet no one could explain why she felt so unwell.

Years later, a vivid dream pushed her to search for Lyme disease. She traveled to Los Angeles, found a specialist, and finally got a diagnosis of Lyme with several co‑infections. The next step was supposed to be IV antibiotics. As a nurse, her instincts said her body would not tolerate it. After talking with other patients in the waiting room who did not feel better on that protocol, she walked out and decided to take a different route.

In this episode of The Legacy and Longevity Podcast, host Zach Dancel speaks with Cheyanne about that route. They explore how she navigated Lyme, mold toxicity in a 100 year old house, mast cell activation after COVID, and years of nervous system overload. Cheyanne explains how drainage, detox, peptides, and a root cause lens helped her move from constant illness to a life that finally feels like her own.

 Chronic illness beginnings 

Cheyanne’s interest in medicine did not begin with an abstract love of science. It began as a sick teenager who wanted to know why she felt older than her years. Conventional care offered scattered answers and short appointments, not a framework. That frustration pushed her into nursing so she could understand the system from the inside and gain the tools to investigate her own symptoms.

After nursing school, specialized testing confirmed what her dream had hinted at. She had Lyme disease, alongside several other infections. The specialist immediately recommended IV antibiotics. Standing in that clinic, watching how unwell other patients still looked, she realized she was not willing to hand over full control of her body to a plan that had not clearly helped them. Instead of committing on the spot, she began to study biohacking, functional medicine, and environmental health.

She experimented with circadian rhythm support, basic detox, blood sugar balance, and gentle lifestyle shifts. She started documenting the process online, first posting about how sick she felt, then gradually sharing what was working. Her account grew into a blend of nursing insight and patient lived experience, which now shapes how she helps others.

 Mold, COVID, and mast cells 

Lyme was only one chapter. Once she felt a bit better, Cheyanne moved into a charming 100 year old home. Soon, she developed new problems such as chest discomfort and strange inflammatory flares. At a conference on mold toxicity, she realized older homes are often full of hidden growth. Back home, she opened a neglected basement cupboard and found visible mold on the concrete. Her environment had become a constant immune trigger.

Leaving that house and focusing on detox brought real relief. She learned how mold and heavy metals create a burdened “terrain,” especially when infections like Lyme are already present. She began to support liver and bile flow, lymph, and bowel motility so toxins could leave instead of recirculating. Daily life slowly started to feel less like living with the flu.

Then COVID arrived. The infection hit her already sensitive system hard, and she developed mast cell activation symptoms. Mast cells are immune cells that sit near nerves, blood vessels, and barrier tissues. When they stay on high alert, they can drive brain fog, anxiety, gut issues, chronic pain, and extreme reactivity to foods and chemicals. Cheyanne went through a period where her brain felt inflamed and her nervous system felt out of control. That stretch convinced her that mast cells and neuroinflammation are often at the center of “mystery” chronic illness.

 Why Detox Must Come First 

Many people expect to feel better as soon as they attack infections with antibiotics or strong herbal formulas. Cheyanne learned that this often fails in complex cases. If the liver, bile, lymph, and gut are not moving well, every dead microbe releases more bio-toxins into a system that has nowhere to put them. Symptoms spike, and people conclude that treatment is not for them.

Her current framework starts with drainage and terrain, not killing. That means:

• Supporting bile flow and liver function so toxins can exit through bile

• Encouraging regular bowel movements so waste does not sit in the gut

• Using sauna to sweat and support skin as a detox organ

• Using coffee enemas selectively to stimulate liver and bile release

• Addressing parasites once basic drainage is working

As these pathways open, many people feel lighter and clearer even before anyone targets Lyme bacteria directly. Only after mold, basic detox, and parasites have been addressed does she consider more aggressive Lyme protocols. In her view, it makes little sense to attack a stealth infection in a stagnant terrain. A calmer, better drained body gives the immune system and any therapy a fair chance to work.

 Peptides, GLP‑1s, And Recovery 

Over time, Cheyanne added peptides to her toolbox. Peptides are short chains of amino acids that act like tiny messengers. Used strategically, they can support metabolism, tissue repair, inflammation control, and more. She uses these herself and with clients who have already worked hard on lifestyle and environment.

Her biggest surprise came from GLP 1 and GLP 1 GIP agonists. She once saw them as weight loss drugs that did not apply to her, especially since she struggled with being underweight during severe mast cell flares. After learning from a mentor who used meager doses in complex autoimmune cases, she tried a micro dose. In her experience, inflammation dropped and her system felt more stable. Clients with mold, Lyme, and MCAS reported similar effects: calmer reactions, better blood sugar, and in some cases the ability to tolerate foods they had avoided for years.

She also relies on combinations like BPC 157 with TB 500 to support gut healing and tissue repair, and GHK copper for skin, connective tissue, and hair. For growth hormone support, recovery, and body composition, she has used blends such as CJC 1295 with Ipamorelin or Tesamorelin stacks. These help the pituitary release more of its own growth hormone, which can be valuable after long periods of stress or environmental injury that blunt natural production.

 Nervous system and mental health 

Throughout the episode, Cheyanne returns to the link between biology and mood. When mast cells are firing constantly and the brain is bathed in inflammatory chemicals, it is very hard to feel stable. Practices like breath work, vagus nerve stimulation, and talk therapy still have value, but progress is limited if the body is stuck in a constant alarm state.

She points to integrative psychiatrists who now use mast cell stabilizers and metabolic tools alongside, and in some cases instead of, long-term mood medications. Some patients who once needed multiple psychiatric drugs are improving when mast cells, gut health, and inflammation are addressed. This does not erase the role of medication for everyone. It does suggest that many mental health struggles have roots in immune and metabolic imbalances that standard care rarely investigates.

In her own life, nervous system regulation sits at the base of her routine. She works on consistent wake times, protein rich meals to steady blood sugar, and simple grounding practices before engaging with her phone or work. She still collaborates with physicians on toxins, infections, and peptides, but she also honors the need for rest and pacing. For her, mindset work only sticks when physiology is supported.

 How To Source Peptides Safely 

With rising interest in peptides, sourcing has become a serious concern. The internet is full of “research only” products with unclear origins, inconsistent quality, and no medical oversight. Cheyanne has seen enough chronic illness to know that adding unknown substances is not wise.

She prefers 503A compounding pharmacies that prepare physician prescribed peptides in sterile conditions, with clear labels and batch testing. These products arrive pre mixed, with dosing instructions, and come from facilities that follow strict standards. When a 503A option is not available for a specific peptide, she uses a professional grade supplier that operates within medical regulation, not a random online shop.

For anyone curious about peptides, her advice is simple: work with a qualified clinician, get baseline labs, and keep foundations like sleep, nutrition, movement, and stress management in place. Peptides are helpful tools, not magic fixes. They work best as part of a broader, thoughtful plan.

 Living Beyond Survival Mode 

Cheyanne Welton’s story will feel familiar to many people who have lived with chronic illness. Years of feeling unwell, hearing that labs look normal, trying new protocols, and still not feeling like themselves. Her journey through Lyme disease, mold, mast cell activation, and COVID shows that complex illness rarely has a single cause or a quick solution. It also shows that progress is possible when we zoom out and look at terrain, environment, mast cells, metabolism, and nervous system health together.

Her experience with peptides and GLP 1s points toward a future in which frontline nursing and longevity medicine are not separate worlds. They meet in the real lives of people who want to understand their bodies and reclaim their energy. Simultaneously, her emphasis on walking, circadian rhythm, whole food, protein, fiber, and sleep reminds us that advanced tools cannot replace the basics.

The message is not that everyone needs the same stack of supplements or injections. It is that symptoms are meaningful signals and that with the right help, those signals can guide a better path.

For more conversations at the intersection of functional medicine, biohacking, and real life, subscribe to The Legacy and Longevity Podcast.

Stop accepting invisible illness as permanent. Discover the peptide protocols, mast cell strategies, and nervous system medicine reshaping chronic disease recovery. Learn how, click the link below:

https://navacenter.com/

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LinkedIn: @Cheyanne-Welton | Instagram: @TheBioHackingNurse | Facebook: Cheyanne.Welton | Website: BioHackingNurse.com | Profile: Meet-The-Nurse | Email: thebiohackingnurse@gmail.com

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