Martha Carlin: The Gut-Brain Connection
Martha Carlin
| Jun 22, 2026 |
podcast
This week, Tee is once again joined by Martha Carlin, entrepreneur, researcher, microbiome advocate, and author of Connected: Love, Loss, and the Unseen Forces Behind Chronic Disease. Martha’s journey into health research began after her husband John was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at just 44 years old. Determined to understand why a seemingly healthy, active man developed a neurodegenerative disease, Martha spent more than two decades investigating the links between gut health, environmental toxins,nutrition, and chronic illness. Her work has led her to explore the emerging science behind the gut-brain axis and how the microbiome may influence neurological health.
Martha shares the deeply personal story that inspired her new book, explaining how John’s diagnosis launched a lifelong quest to uncover potential root causes of Parkinson’s disease. She discusses the role of environmental exposures such as pesticides, herbicides, water contaminants, and processed foods, as well as the impact these factors may have on the gut microbiome. Martha explains why the digestive system functions as a communication hub for the immune system, neurotransmitters, hormones, and brain health, and how disruptions in the microbiome may contribute to inflammation, depression, and chronic disease.
In this conversation, Tee and Martha explore the growing body of research connecting gut health to Parkinson’s disease, mental health challenges, and other chronic conditions. They discuss practical ways to reduce toxic burden, improve water quality, support the microbiome through nutrition, and make healthier lifestyle choices without becoming overwhelmed. Martha also shares insights into detoxification, emotional healing, and the often-overlooked connection between unresolved grief, stress, and physical illness. Throughout the discussion, she emphasizes the importance of addressing root causes, supporting the body’s natural resilience, and empowering individuals to take small steps toward better health.
With gratitude,
Martha Carlin, is a “Citizen Scientist”,
systems thinker, wife of Parkinson’s warrior, John Carlin, and founder of The BioCollective , a microbiome company expanding
the reach of science and BiotiQuest, the first of it’s kind probiotic line. Since John’s diagnosis in 2002,
Martha began learning the science of agriculture, nutrition, environment, infectious disease, Parkinson’s
pathology and much more. In 2014, when the first research was published showing a connection between the gut
bacteria and the two phenotypes of Parkinson’s, Martha quit her former career as a business turnaround expert
and founded The BioCollective to accelerate the discovery of the impact of gut health on all human disease. Martha was a speaker at the White House 2016 Microbiome Initiative launch, challenging the scientific
community to “think in a broader context”. Her systems thinking background and experience has led to collaborations
across the scientific spectrum from neuroscience to engineering to infectious disease. She is a respected out of the
box problem solver in the microbiome field and brings a unique perspective to helping others understand the
connections from the soil to the food to our guts and our brains.
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