Stay ConnectedWelcome to New Frontiers in Functional Medicine, Longevity & Epigenetics™ where I interview the best minds in functional medicine to discuss the science and research behind medicine, longevity, epigenetics, and so much more. Expect thought-provoking ideas, new research, lots of clinical pearls for practitioners, and step-change information for clinicians and patients. Join us! ~DrKF
Copyright © 2023 by KF Education and Consulting, LLC
All Rights Reserved
Copyright: © All rights reserved
It’s not overstating it to say that I have cited Dr. Artemis Simopoulos’ work in virtually every lecture I have ever given that included the topic of omega-3 fatty acids. She is an incredible human being, indomitable NIH researcher, and absolute legend in her field. In our conversation on New Frontiers, Dr. Simopoulos reviews those essential truths about the evolution of our dietary intake of omega-3 vs. omega-6 fatty acids, the increase in ultra-processed food consumption, and how these play into our health landscape today. She also pulls on some particularly interesting threads around genetic variability in our ability to metabolize fatty acids and the implications of this for inflammatory conditions (of course, almost all chronic diseases have an inflammatory component). This is especially relevant for “rapid metabolizer” populations that tend to over-produce prostaglandins and leukotrienes, compared to resolvins, when exposed to a standard American diet. I know her insights will inform how you personalize your recommendations. - DrKF Check out the show notes at https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for the full list of links and resources. GUEST DETAILS Artemis P. Simopoulos, M.D., President, The Center for Genetics Nutrition and Health https://tinyurl.com/4x2zahxk Artemis P. Simopoulos, M.D., the author of The Healthiest Diet for You: Scientific Aspects (her latest book), is the Founder and President of the Center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health, a nonprofit educational organization in Washington, D.C. since 1990. A graduate of Bar- nard College, Columbia University, with a major in Chemistry, and a graduate of the Boston University School of Medicine, she is a physician and endocrinologist whose research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) was on the nutritional aspects of genetic and endocrine disorders; evolutionary aspects of diet and fatty acids; and the importance of a balanced ratio of omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids in health and disease and in growth and development. Dr. Simopoulos is a world authority on essential fatty acids and was nutritional adviser to the Office of Consumer Affairs at the White House. She is the author of The Omega Diet; The Healing Diet and has completed a Chapter for the Encyclopedia of UN- ESCO on “Omega-3, Omega-6, Omega-9 Fatty Acids: Sources, Metabolism and Supplements.” She is currently Consulting Editor to Lifestyle Genomics. Dr. Simopoulos has edited over 60 books and journal supplements in addition to publishing over 370 scientific papers. She has received many awards, has been Visiting Professor and Keynote Speaker worldwide.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS DIAMOND Integrative Therapeutics: https://tinyurl.com/4emwj48z Biotics Research: https://www.bioticsresearch.com/ Integrative Therapeutics: https://tinyurl.com/4emwj48z GOLD OneSkin: https://tinyurl.com/ycxtw4zt TimeLine Nutrition:: https://tinyurl.com/bdzx2xms MIDROLL QUALIA: Try Qualia Senolytic at http://qualialife.com/Kara15 with code KARA15 for 15% off. DUTCH -- Learn more about DUTCH Testing https://tinyurl.com/2y24st67 CONNECT WITH DrKF: Want more? Join our newsletter here: https://tinyurl.com/mrx7ykbr YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/hjpc8daz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkarafitzgerald/The centrality of gut health in total body health and aging means it’s a key topic for us to keep revisiting and updating our knowledge on. For instance, how confident do you feel about interpreting analytical indices such as phyla distribution, dysbiosis index, diversity score, as well as the myriad bacterial populations that can be resident in the GI tract? Join me and Dr. Julia Malkowski as we dive into advanced stool testing and how the insights gleaned from the GI360 test can tell us a lot about our patients’ health and lifestyle (ever wondered how the carnivore diet, long-term use of GLP-1 agonists, or chronic stress impact the gut?). We also explore keystone bacterial species and their impact on systemic health, what is better than fiber for increasing microbiome diversity, different testing methods including the impressive MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry Technology and a ton of clinical pearls on tackling those report findings in clinical practice. There is something for everyone in this excellent conversation with Dr. Julia Malkowski, from the newly-minted to the seasoned functional medicine practitioner, and health-savvy consumers too. Tune in, grab your GI360 Sample Report and get ready to take notes! ~DrKF
Check out the show notes at https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for the full list of links and resources.
Julia Malkowski, ND, DC, BSc
Dr. Malkowski began her career in Functional Medicine upon seeing excellent results restoring the health of her infant son. She went on to complete her bachelor's degree in biomedical science, Doctorate in Chiropractic and Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine, while raising her healthy family. She remains committed to optimal health on a personal and professional level as Staff Doctor of Clinical Education at Doctor’s Data, Inc., and maintains her own private functional medicine practice Docere Health outside Chicago, IL.Doctor’s Data, Inc. https://doctorsdata.com/GI360-stool
New Frontiers Listeners, Download the GI360 Sample Report and follow along with the podcast to uncover clinical pearls that can transform your patient care. https://tinyurl.com/bdf9ptjh
YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/hjpc8daz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkarafitzgerald/
It's important to me to include a variety of voices in the sphere of aging and longevity, and Matt Kaeberlein PhD is certainly one that I appreciate for his tempered and rational arguments. I value his insights and his work with other scientists who are tussling with the challenging questions and research interpretations in this field. We are at this extraordinary inflexion point where scientists are debating the very definition of aging itself, which has important implications for how we then measure and study it. Dr. Kaeberlein shares his thoughts on this as well as the latest on longevity interventions such as rapamycin, metformin, intermittent fasting, and caloric restriction. Find out why he thinks we'll always hit a wall with moving the needle on lifespan, and why healthspan is such an important target. I think you will find this conversation illuminating and useful. An additional note for any of my listeners/readers who have been tracking the various discussions around the utility of epigenetic clocks and other measures of aging: I personally very much believe in epigenetics, even as the field continues to evolve. The foundation of this traces back to my beginnings in this field, working under my mentor Richard Lord PhD, who taught me that as scientists and clinicians we have no choice but to embrace uncertainty. No laboratory tests are as precise as many of us would like to think they are - microbiome, organic acid, nutrient testing, those foundational tools of functional medicine that we are very comfortable using, included. This applies to standard labs too - I recently received a notification from one of the two biggest labs in the US stating that, due to a change in the testing instrument used, values for red cell indices (the oldest tests on the planet!) would be altered compared to prior results. As clinicians we have to grapple with uncomfortable uncertainty in medicine every single day - from that reality we still have to move forward and make the best clinical decisions we can. Epigenetic age testing is simply another tool in the mix that can add value to understanding a patient's picture, and we can use it even as we interpret it with a similar acknowledgement of uncertainty. If you would like to add your thoughts to this discussion, please share below. - DrKF
Check out the show notes at https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for the full list of links and resources.
Matt Kaeberlein, PhD, CEO, Optispan https://tinyurl.com/2r89rvdd
Email Matt@optispan.life
Integrative Therapeutics: https://tinyurl.com/4emwj48z
TimeLine Nutrition: https://tinyurl.com/bdzx2xms
OneSkin: https://tinyurl.com/ycxtw4zt
DUTCH: Learn more about DUTCH testing https://tinyurl.com/2y24st67
QUALIA: Try Qualia Senolytic with code KARA15 for 15% off at http://qualialife.com/Kara15
In this episode of New Frontiers, Dr. Kara Fitzgerald sits down with Dr. Valerie Gershenhorn, a leading expert in functional dermatology and a Clinical Team Member for Diagnostic Solutions Laboratory, to explore the profound impact of the gut-skin axis and autonomic nervous system on chronic skin conditions like acne, eczema, and more. Dr. Gershenhorn shares her comprehensive approach, including the use of functional testing, targeted nutrition, and specific supplements to address the root causes of skin issues. Clinicians will gain valuable insights into how gut health influences skin conditions and practical strategies for discovering imbalances with GI-MAP testing, and how to correct these findings in clinical practice. This episode is a must-listen for those looking to deepen their understanding of the connection between gut and skin health. ~DrKF
Check out the show notes at https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for the full list of links and resources.
WellEnci https://wellenci.org/about-us
Email valerie.gershenhorn@diagnosticsolutionslab.com/
Diagnostic Solutions Laboratory: Website
New Frontiers Listeners, elevate your patient care - download the GI-MAP Gut Skin Handout. https://tinyurl.com/5dedxavw
YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/hjpc8daz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkarafitzgerald/
Your thymus isn't talked about much, but this small organ in your upper chest is a key component of your immune system that is solely responsible for the essential "education" of the immune cells that protect your body from invaders. Through this action it also affects levels of inflammation (an immune-mediated process). It's also interesting to note that most of us end up dying of an immune-related dysfunction - even cardiovascular disease, as Dr. Greg Fahy points out in this New Frontiers podcast, is often caused by atherosclerosis driven by underlying chronic inflammation.
I was thrilled to finally sit down with Dr. Fahy, whose groundbreaking work in aging has reshaped our understanding of what’s possible. His 2019 TRIIM study, showing clear epigenetic age reversal through thymus regeneration, was an absolute game-changer. The thinking prior to that was that epigenetic age reversal was not possible! It was exciting to read his publication as we were in the midst of our own original clinical trial. I'm sure you'll enjoy his recounting of that adventure and just how he's rejuvenating thymic function, the rationale for targeting immune rejuvenation, and the trial extensions he's currently working on now. ~ DrKFCheck out the show notes at https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for the full list of links and resources.
Greg Fahy, PhD https://tinyurl.com/3f4jww7j
Chief Scientific Officer, Co-founder Intervene Immune
https://tinyurl.com/4anbz7b3
Biotics Research: https://www.bioticsresearch.com/
Integrative Therapeutics: https://tinyurl.com/4emwj48z
TimeLine Nutrition: https://tinyurl.com/bdzx2xms
OneSkin: https://tinyurl.com/ycxtw4zt
ONESKIN: Try OneSkin for yourself with coupon code DRKARA15 to receive 15% off your first purchase at https://tinyurl.com/ycxvz5we
Cardiovascular disease might be the leading cause of death, but after my conversation with Dr. Mark Houston, I'm more convinced than ever that we have the power to change that narrative. We delved into the power of diet and lifestyle changes, the essential role of nitric oxide and the impressive results of innovative supplements like Vascanox HP by Calroy Health Sciences in managing blood pressure and cardiovascular disease risk. Dr. Houston's passion for prevention and the practical tips he shared made me feel hopeful and empowered. From understanding key tests to making everyday changes, this episode is all about giving you the tools to protect your heart health. Let's dive in and explore how we can all live longer, healthier lives. ~DrKF
Check out the show notes at https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for the full list of links and resources.
Dr. Mark Houston, MD https://tinyurl.com/27thhcpr"
Dr. Mark Houston is a Clinical Instructor at George Washington University. He is also Director of the Hypertension Institute and Vascular Biology and Medical Director of the division of Human Nutrition at St. Thomas Medical Group, St. Thomas Hospital and Health Services in Nashville, TN. He is on the faculty of A4M, for the FAARM and the Metabolic Medicine Institute (MMI) and George Washington University, and directs the Cardiovascular modules. He has also published seven best-selling books on vascular function. Dr. Houston has an active clinical practice, teaches, and does clinical research at St. Thomas Medical Group and Hospital. He founded the Hypertension Institute in 2000.Calroy Health Sciences: Website
New Frontiers Listeners, get your exclusive discount and resources from Calroy at http://calroy.com/drkf
YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/hjpc8daz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkarafitzgerald/
What a tour de force conversation with Dr. Terry Wahls, who is, with her groundbreaking research, changing both conventional and functional medicine's approach to multiple sclerosis and ultimately patient care. I'm very excited to see the findings of her ongoing clinical trials, which evaluate the use of several popular dietary patterns, using MRIs to measure brain volume loss, microbiome data, metabolomics, and more. And folks, if you want to be a research participant there's still time - register your interest on Dr. Wahls' website here. In the podcast we also dive into long COVID, mental health challenges, autoimmunity, and explore treatments in the longevity and biohacking space, such as therapeutic plasma exchange, stem cells, and exosomes. Dr. Wahls has her finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the MS community, and you’re definitely going to want to listen to this one. Enjoy! ~DrKF
Check out the show notes at https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for the full list of links and resources.
Dr. Terry Wahls https://tinyurl.com/2ztnxbda
Dr. Terry Wahls is an IFM Certified Practitioner and conducts clinical trials in the setting of Multiple Sclerosis. In 2018 she was awarded the Institute for Functional Medicine’s Linus Pauling Award for her contributions in research, clinical care, and patient advocacy. She is the author of The Wahls Protocol: A Radical New Way to Treat AllChronic Autoimmune Conditions Using Paleo Principles, and the cookbook, The WahlsProtocol Cooking for Life. Get involved in the clinical trial https://terrywahls.com/trials/Rupa Health: https://tinyurl.com/4anbz7b3
Biotics Research: https://www.bioticsresearch.com/
Integrative Therapeutics: https://tinyurl.com/4emwj48z
TimeLine Nutrition: https://tinyurl.com/bdzx2xms
OneSkin: https://tinyurl.com/ycxtw4zt
Try OneSkin for yourself with coupon code DRKARA15 to receive 15% off your first purchase.
ONESKIN: Try OneSkin for yourself with coupon code DRKARA15 to receive 15% off your first purchase at https://tinyurl.com/ycxvz5we
*Save the date! Join me and Dr. Alessandra Zonari for a free webinar on July 25th 2024 and get your questions answered on all things OS-01 peptide and biological aging. Register at https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/webinars/
I'm thrilled to be joined by Dr. Alessandra Zonari to take a deep dive into a breakthrough in skincare science that has caught my attention—OneSkin's OS-01 peptide. This episode explores how OS-01 targets cellular senescence, the core of aging, potentially transforming skin health - preserving function, not just aesthetics. I'm particularly impressed by OneSkin's commitment to rigorous research and evidence-based results. Their approach rejuvenates skin function in addition to enhancing its natural radiance, elasticity, and even its microbiome. This could be a significant advancement for individuals managing aging skin or conditions like atopic dermatitis.
Throughout our discussion, we explore the scientific foundation behind OS-01 and its clinical implications and uncover how this peptide may redefine skincare protocols, offering new possibilities for healthier, more radiant skin. Whether you're a practitioner seeking innovative solutions for patients for ultrasensitive skin or dermatitis, or someone passionate about maintaining skin health, this episode promises insights that could reshape your approach to skincare. And if you’re using OneSkin, I'd be curious to hear from you. You can post a comment wherever you're listening to this or email me directly at DrKaraFitzgerald.com. ~DrKF
Check out the show notes at https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for the full list of links and resources.
Alessandra Zonari, PhD
OneSkin co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Alessandra Zonari, PhD joined the early team in 2017 dedicating her time to understanding the underlying mechanism of the aging process and developing solutions to reverse skin’s biological age. Zonari is the co-inventor of five patents and has published more than 20 peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals. Email: alessandra@oneskin.coOneSkin: Website
Try OneSkin for yourself with coupon code DRKARA15 to receive 15% off your first purchase at Website
Practitioners, if specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators (SPMs) aren't already on your radar, you'll be a convert by the end of this New Frontiers episode.
In functional medicine, we excel at addressing inflammation through nutrition and lifestyle. However, brilliant researchers like Dr. Charles Serhan from Harvard have shown us that resolving inflammation requires a two-phase approach. We need to shift gears, rally the cleanup crew, start the repair process, and turn down the volume on the immune system. This transition from inflammation to resolution is exactly what our guest, Ashley Koff, RD, will discuss.
We'll explore why SPMs, discovered by Dr. Serhan, are crucial for healthy inflammation resolution and how Metagenics has developed a product using the patented Serhan method that has numerous clinical applications, from managing inflammation and pain to addressing neurodegenerative conditions, autoimmunity, and even infertility. We'll also delve into factors that influence our ability to convert omega-3 and -6 fatty acids into these superstar molecules, such as diet, genetics, inflammatory bias, and poor vagal tone. This conversation is packed with clinical pearls for your practice and personal use. Enjoy. ~DrKF
Check out the show notes at https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for the full list of links and resources.
Ashley Koff, RD is a 25+ year award-winning practitioner, founder of The Better Nutrition Program (est. 2019), and fractional Chief Nutrition Officer for entities like Vitaboom.
Ashley Koff, RD | The Better Nutrition Program
Phone: 323-251-7537 | Email: ashley@thebetternutritionprogram.com
Ashley Koff, RD: https://tinyurl.com/2drp29ky
Founder - The Better Nutrition Program: https://thebetternutritionprogram.com/
Phone: 323-251-7537
Email: ashley@thebetternutritionprogram.com
Metagenics: Website
Get 15% off Metagenics SPM Active Supplement with Code SPMW624US (US) or SPMW624CAN (Canada) at checkout. https://tinyurl.com/4jc9np3y (Offer expires 7/15/24. Max order value $500. For consumer purchases only.)
Metagenics Institute Study Website
NFFM Podcast: Specialized Pro-Resolving Mediators (SPMs): As Close to a Panpharmacon as We Can Get? Another Study Website
Latest Updates on Specialized Pro-Resolving Mediator (SPM) Science by Charles Serhan, PhD, DSc Another Study Website
YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/hjpc8daz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkarafitzgerald/
What if we could actually identify and even correct significant autism risk factors in utero, before a baby is born? This is the promise of the game-changing research of Dr. Janine LaSalle, epigeneticist extraordinaire from UC Davis. With autism rates continuing to increase at alarming rates (the latest data from the CDC, released in 2023, is 1 in 36 children in the US, an increase from the prior 1 in 44), new ways to prevent and treat this condition are of utmost importance. Dr. LaSalle is on a mission to change that, by investigating something you probably haven't heard much about yet - the placental methylome. Methylation signatures in the maternal placenta are yielding information both for predicting autism in children and for intervention targets to prevent the development of the disease. It's just incredibly exciting. In our conversation, you'll also learn how placental methylation behaves differently to DNA methylation in other tissues, and how the placental methylome may also help us better understand cancer as well as mechanisms that restore more youthful epigenetic patterns. Hold onto your hats folks - yes this is deep science, but it's also actionable even now. You'll hear how methylation support specifically in the early pregnancy window is key and how it's also protective against insults from environmental toxicants. You’re in for a treat with this fascinating conversation that has far-reaching implications for you and your patients. ~DrKF
Check out the show notes at https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for the full list of links and resources.
Janine LaSalle, Ph.D.
Professor, Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine
University of California, Davis
jmlasalle@ucdavis.edu
The LaSalle Lab at University of California, Davis
Rupa Health: https://tinyurl.com/4anbz7b3
Biotics Research: https://www.bioticsresearch.com/
Integrative Therapeutics: https://tinyurl.com/4emwj48z
TimeLine Nutrition: https://tinyurl.com/bdzx2xms
OneSkin: https://tinyurl.com/ycxtw4zt
Try OneSkin for yourself with coupon code DRKARA15 to receive 15% off your first purchase.
Practice Better: https://tinyurl.com/28mmab99
Start your free trial and save 20% for 4 months on any paid plan with code KF20
Perinatal Origins of Disparities Center: https://pod.ucdavis.edu/
Environmental Health Sciences Center: https://environmentalhealth.ucdavis.edu/
MIND Institute: https://health.ucdavis.edu/mindinstitute/
Article: Too Much Folate in Pregnant Women Increases Risk for Autism, Study Suggests: https://tinyurl.com/bdf9ez6k
The human placental methylome: https://tinyurl.com/7zz8dz55
Markers of Autism Risk in Babies (MARBLES): https://tinyurl.com/49phe22r
Addressing adverse food reactions goes way beyond simply cutting out the culprits, so I’m thrilled to have Dr. Tom Fabian join us again on New Frontiers to highlight the interventions that will move the needle for our patients. We explore the mechanisms through which specific strains can either exacerbate or alleviate both immune-mediated and non-immune-mediated food reactions, and discuss the fascinating connection between circadian rhythms of mast cells and intestinal permeability, feeding times and increased susceptibility to food reactivity. We look at why some patients may be more sensitive to symptoms and how histamine-producing microbes may lead to visceral hypersensitivity. But we also talk strategy, with one pearl after another, such as the potential of Lactobacillus reuteri in attenuating immune-mediated food reactions, the role of butyrate and indole in stabilizing mast cells, and using specific polyphenols to calm the immune system and promote a health microbiome. For any practitioner or health-savvy individual grappling with these issues, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. ~DrKF Head over to https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for the transcript, a COMPLETE LIST OF SHOW NOTES and all the FxMed resources. GUEST INFORMATION Thomas Fabian, PhD, CNTP https://tinyurl.com/5ehysjp7 Dr. Fabian serves as a translational science consultant and science advisor with Diagnostic Solutions Laboratory and is a leading expert on the role of the microbiome in health, immune function, chronic disease, and aging.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORDiagnostic Solutions Laboratory https://bit.ly/2IEhVrS
*SPECIAL OFFER FOR FxMED LISTENERS*Download the GI-MAP Interpretive Guide at https://tinyurl.com/5ehysjp7 and use it to follow along with the episode. This practical guide from Diagnostic Solutions Laboratory can help you better understand and interpret test results for your patients.
SHOW NOTESUnderstanding food allergy through neuroimmune interactions in the gastrointestinal tract https://tinyurl.com/2kstjrzp
The intestinal neuro-immune axis: crosstalk between neurons, immune cells, and microbes https://tinyurl.com/5n7ymaj4
DSL Webinar: Neuroinflammation and the Gut-Brain Connection https://tinyurl.com/ykeeehnk
Mechanisms Underlying Food-Triggered Symptoms in Disorders of Gut-Brain Interactions https://tinyurl.com/yhb5ddyc
FxMED RESOURCESGut Healing in Aging & Disease: Emerging Roles of the Microbiome and Diet in Intestinal Barrier Regeneration with Tom Fabian, PhD, CNTP https://tinyurl.com/h3rtumbs
Hydrogen Sulfide in Health, Disease & Longevity with Dr. Tom Fabian https://tinyurl.com/25fmk83n
Latest Insights into the Role of the Gut Microbiome in Healthy Aging with Dr. Tom Fabian https://tinyurl.com/bdz5u7vz
CONNECT WITH DrKFFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrKaraFitzgerald/
YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/hjpc8daz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkarafitzgerald/
DrKF Clinic: Patient consults with DrKF physicians including Younger You Concierge: https://tinyurl.com/yx4fjhkb
Bio Age Lab Test: https://tinyurl.com/b7bjmfj9
Bio Age Self Assessment Quiz: https://tinyurl.com/4z8f7ucc
Dr. Elisa Song is one of those clinicians that I could just keep talking to! She's a respected colleague and pioneer in pediatric functional medicine with so many practical tips for navigating childhood illness and health. Need to get your kiddo/patient through a blood draw they don't want to do? Or get your picky eater to take their supplement? Dr. Song has the answers. I appreciate her candor as she talks about how and why her practice has evolved in certain areas (such as in the use of targeted probiotics and even "psychobiotics" for autism, ADHD, anxiety, OCD and more) and in spelling out which supplement brands and doses she uses and why. Dr. Song tackles the immense challenges impacting the health of our kids and teens head on with positivity and smart, doable strategies for lasting success. This is a fascinating and empowering discussion with many clinical pearls that I will be implementing both in practice and for my own daughter going forwards. I hope you enjoy it too! ~DrKF
Check out the show notes at https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for all the relevant links and resources.
Even as we prioritize natural interventions in functional medicine, GLP-1 agonist drugs such as Wegovy and Ozempic offer sometimes life-changing support for those who have long struggled with resistant overweight/obesity and high blood sugar. However, there are side effects, including the risk of substantial muscle loss and sagging, aged skin ("Ozempic face" as it's indelicately known). It's a concern that hits home for me, considering the pivotal role we know that muscle plays in overall health and longevity.
In this New Frontiers podcast episode I welcome back Dr. Anurag Singh to unravel the complexities of these issues. We explore the interplay between metabolic health and muscle preservation, touching on everything from the mechanisms of GLP-1 agonists and their long-term effects on aging and sarcopenia, to the promising potential of dietary and lifestyle interventions to counteract negative effects. We consider the potential for one of my all-time fave postbiotic epinutrients - Urolithin A - to assist by supporting mitochondrial health and preserving/enhancing muscle quality. This timely conversation is one you won't want to miss. Tune in and please leave us a review wherever you listen to New Frontiers. – DrKF
Check out our show notes https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/
Anurag Singh, MD, PhD
Chief Medical Officer at Timeline
Timeline Discount for New Frontiers Listeners
Timeline is offering DrKFs readers a 10% discount on Timeline products. Head over to Timeline and use the code KARA10 at checkout.
Dr. Sandison confesses that when she first heard Dr. Dale Bredesen talk about his work reversing cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease she was skeptical. But when she started to apply the Bredesen principles in her clinical work and saw just how meaningful the improvements were to patients' symptoms and quality of life, as she puts it: "...how do I do anything else with my life, but basically tell as many people who will listen that this is possible?" She then went on to found the first two residential care facilities for individuals with cognitive decline that are based on the Bredesen approach. She's published research on her clinical outcomes and is continuing to gather more data for publication. The information and inspiration she shares are relevant to anyone dealing with cognitive decline, caring for someone with cognitive decline, or even those of us who want to preserve and optimize cognitive function as we move through life. I found her report that environmental toxins were one of the most common findings among her patient population illuminating. - DrKF
Head to https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxme... for the transcription and all the resources.
Guest information
Thank you to our Sponsors
Show Notes
DrKF Resources
Get ready for a deep dive into the world of cellular senescence and its implications for aging. Dr. Greg Kelly joins me on New Frontiers to explain the science behind targeting this Hallmark of Aging and share natural compounds and activities that target cellular senescence. I am particularly excited for you to hear his thoughts around dosing and cyclical timing of exposure to senolytic compounds, such as fisetin, luteolin, quercetin, and piperlongumine, and why that may make the difference between having the effect you want... or not. Don't miss his advice on smart exercise tweaks for aging and the caution that overdoing it with exercise in our later years is much more harmful than it was in our twenties. Lots to unpack here. Enjoy! - DrKF
Head over to https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for all the full transcription and all relevant links and resources.
Guest information
Qualia Discount for New Frontiers Listeners
If you’re in your late 20’s or older, adding Qualia Senolytic to your diet can play a CRUCIAL role in combating negative aging symptoms. Go to https://tinyurl.com/4mst9py9 for up to 50% off Qualia Senolytic and as a listener of New Frontiers podcast use code KARA at checkout for an extra 15% off your first purchase.
DrKF Resources
Patient consults with DrKF physicians including Younger You Concierge: https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/our-clinic/our-services/
Bio Age Lab Test: https://youngeryouprogram.com/bio-age-lab-test/
Bio Age Self Assessment Quiz: https://youngeryouprogram.com/basa/
Younger You Group Program: https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/younger-you-intensive-virtual-group/
Younger You book: https://youngeryouprogram.com/book/
I'm excited to welcome Dr. Barry Sears, the renowned creator of the Zone Diet and a pillar in our field. Dr. Sears has not only authored bestsellers but has also made incredibly important contributions to clinical practice which we still rely on today: He is, for instance, the scientist who put the use of the AA:EPA ratio on the map. Dr. Sears provides elegant and accessible explanations of the unassailable importance of diet in addressing inflammation, metabolic health, chronic disease, and longevity, and the role that fatty acids play in that milieu. And while he and I might not agree that polyphenols need to be absorbed intact for benefit - there's plenty of evidence that their postbiotic products are very important players, especially in their interactions with the epigenome - his concerns about the chemical structure of highly concentrated fish oil supplements (with the potential for isomerization, as he argues) has opened my eyes and is important, without doubt. I think the jury is still out as to whether there is a negative influence of isomerization in highly concentrated EPA and DHA, but it's worthy of further investigation and (importantly) is another factor in the argument for a whole-food approach. - DrKF
Check out the show notes at https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for all the relevant links and resources.
Guest information
Thank you to our Sponsors
Show Notes
Gear up for an enlightening dive with Dr. Tara Harding, a vanguard in the realm of women’s health and fertility. Renowned for her exceptional work as a family nurse practitioner and fertility coach, Dr. Harding brings a wealth of knowledge from her battle against infertility and medical gaslighting, all while breaking barriers and fostering a supportive community for those navigating the complex journey of infertility. This conversation not only highlights innovative diagnostic tools like Mira but also delves into the nuances of managing conditions like PCOS and endometriosis. Dr. Harding’s personal and professional journey is a beacon of hope and empowerment, underscoring the significance of comprehensive care in women’s health. Prepare to be inspired by her dedication to revolutionizing fertility care and advocating for patient empowerment. ~DrKF Check out the show notes at www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for all the relevant links and resources.
Fellow clinicians, get ready for a mind-blowing conversation with Dr. Nathan Price, Chief Scientific Officer of Thorne HealthTech and author of The Age of Scientific Wellness. Imagine harnessing AI to predict outcomes of our functional interventions (diet, supplements, lifestyle) by implementing a “digital twin” model that is populated with all of your patient’s bio data. And being able to test the response of our treatments (and importantly, the synergistic response of multimodal interventions). It’s heady stuff, but amazingly, it is where we are headed today. Dr. Price illustrates the incredible potential this technology brings for personalized evidence-based medicine, such as tailoring interventions based on microbial markers or targeting specific lifestyle changes for Alzheimer's prevention. The podcast is a captivating exploration of cutting-edge concepts and provides a glimpse into the exciting future of healthcare. I was wowed by my conversation with Nathan and can’t wait to start kicking the tires on this baby. I know you’ll feel the same. ~DrKF Check out the show notes at www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for all the relevant links and resources.
It was a career-defining (and perhaps life changing) moment when Dr. Vittorio Sebastiano, a reproductive biologist by training, realized that because we are able to create life, that same body of information could be harnessed to create youth - that is, radically reverse our biological aging process to a younger time point without losing cellular identity. In 2014, he and his lab began unpacking this epiphany. They made the radical decision to conduct their investigations in human cells and tissue rather than in rodents, with the expectation that such a start would be a better bridge to human clinical trials. Flash forward a decade and Dr. Sebastiano and his team stand poised to begin trials in humans. Dr. Sebastiano is, in my opinion, one of the most extraordinary scientists in the longevity space today who flies under the radar of most of us in functional medicine. In this podcast - which is actually two-in-one because I continued the conversation with him on a second date - you’ll hear about the remarkable work they’re undertaking at his lab. For example: They’ve created a biological clock that encompasses the whole genome consisting of millions and millions of CpG sites. They are able to clearly demonstrate the reversal of bioage using their methodology - a cocktail of Yamanaka factors plus, with clear time limits - which changes the epigenome first, and in so doing influences all of the hallmarks of aging. Teaser: they’ve identified one intervention routinely used in clinical practice that influences their bio age clock in the same way that their cocktail does. What is it? I was riveted with this conversation, as I am sure you’ll be. Leave a review if you like it, and - Yes - let me know what you think. I know this will prompt deep questions for you, as it did for me. ~DrKF Check out the show notes at www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for all the relevant links and resources.
Aging itself stands as the paramount driver of disease. As functional practitioners, the question arises: How can we assess biological age to make precise corrections that foster both healthspan and lifespan? Enter the era of omics, where metabolomics emerges as an exceptional tool with transformative potential. I'm thrilled to welcome back Dr. Betsy Redmond, longtime friend and the senior education specialist at Diagnostic Solutions Laboratory, to New Frontiers to lead us on this discussion.Together, we'll take a deep dive into specific metabolites and pathways intricately linked to aging, mood, inflammation, and gut health and you’ll hear about equol, a rising star on the postbiotic scene. We'll even unravel some surprising insights from my own test results! Be sure to grab a copy of the Sample Report and pull up a seat for this fascinating discussion packed with valuable takeaways for yourself and your practice. ~DrKF You'll find it all at www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/
Working in healthcare brings a unique set of challenges and stressors. But the truth is that any of us can get to burnout through challenging circumstances of work or study. And the consequences can range from severe to devastating. Burnout still hasn't been fully understood or recognized by the medical profession and other industries - there is still no official diagnosis classification. Along with other mental health disorders, it is often still (wrongly) stigmatized and can even sometimes be seen as a "badge of honor," much to our detriment. Dr. Jonathan Prousky, Chief Naturopathic Medical Officer at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, joins me once again in this New Frontiers episode to explore the state of burnout in healthcare workers and beyond. Whether you work in our field or not, I guarantee you'll find it insightful. Together we explore the challenges we all face, and practical solutions to help you maintain your own health and well-being. As always, please feel free to share, comment, and rate - and let us know your thoughts on this important topic. ~DrKF Do You Think You Might Be Suffering From Burnout? Take this quiz to find out and learn how to prevent or reduce burnout naturally. www.drkarafitgerald.com/burnout
When it comes to mitochondrial health, few nutrients have burst onto the bioenergetics stage with quite the impressive force as the postbiotic rock star Urolithin A (UA). On this New Frontiers episode Dr. Chris Rinsch, co-founder of Amazentis / Timeline, shares the incredible scientific journey of UA's discovery and subsequent unfolding of its many benefits, as confirmed by multiple clinical studies. Together, we explore UA's mechanisms of action, including the role of the microbiome, and exciting preliminary research on UA's potential to reverse immune aging. Of course, our conversation wouldn't be complete without discussing the possible role UA may play in slowing down biological aging and extending healthspan - after all mitochondrial decline is one of the hallmarks of aging. Tune in and please leave us a review wherever you listen to New Frontiers. - DrKF Check out the Shownotes for the episode at https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/,
Did you know that "bone-eating" osteoclast cells are derived from immune cell precursors and are stimulated by inflammation, just like other immune cells? Or that bone has its own glycocalyx whose health is essential to realize the benefits of exercise for bone? Folks, Dr. Keith McCormick is back on New Frontiers with ever-more juicy pearls like these, and with important updates on bone care for functional medicine practitioners and patients alike. Dr. McCormick is living proof that osteoporosis and a history of multiple bone fractures - he had 12 between the ages of 45-50 - are not an irrecoverable life (or death) sentence. In fact, even as he nears 70, Dr. McCormick is out there competing in Ironman and pentathlon events, living his life to the fullest. Dr. McCormick is arguably the top thinker and practitioner on bone health from a systems and functional point of view. His nuanced navigation of diagnostic tools as well as both pharmaceutical and nonpharmaceutical interventions is fully comprehensive and deep. You'll want to tune in to find out how he navigates his patient cases, casting a wide net for underlying contributing factors, his go-to interventions for specific situations, how he doses supplements, and more. Please do let us know what you think, and leave us a review wherever you listen to New Frontiers, and don't forget to check out the show notes at DrKaraFitzgerald.com for all the relevant links and resources. ~DrKF
Over 270,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year in the US. And while BRCA mutations often get the most press, there are other, potentially more critical factors we can address. Today, Dr. Ruth Hobson joins us to delve into the realm of breast health, shedding light on both modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors, and sharing real-life strategies for supporting our patients. We dive into a range of essential topics, from dietary and lifestyle influences to the ongoing debate around Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), and venture into the world of functional tests to evaluate hormones and metabolites crucial for comprehensive breast health. We’ll uncover the intricate connection between gut health and breast health - Did you know that breast tissue has its own microbiome?!? - and examine how inflammation, peripheral fat, and methylation impact cancer risk. Bring a pen and paper, this is a deep dive into the hormones and breast health that you won’t want to miss. ~DrKF
The epigenetic pioneer, Dr. Randy Jirtle, returns to New Frontiers to share his latest groundbreaking work. And I really do mean groundbreaking. Dr. Jirtle's work in mapping our "imprintome" is literally creating a brand new branch of scientific study that is expected to provide valuable insights and opportunities for epigenetially-targeted therapies, including nutrition and lifestyle. What I so appreciate about Dr. Jirtle's work is that it clearly demonstrates how we are not inescapably at the mercy of our genes. Instead, Dr. Jirtle views disease-associated genes as a starting point for the environment to direct its expression. Join me on this episode of New Frontiers to find out what your imprintome actually is, why it is so important, and what you can expect from this area of scientific discovery in the near future. ~DrKF
If you're a clinician and finding yourself pressed for time in your practice, you're certainly not alone. A recent survey of over 9,000 US physicians revealed that more than half are experiencing burnout. Fortunately, the field of functional medicine is rapidly evolving, bringing tools that promise to streamline and improve accessibility in our practices. Rupa Health is one such tool. In this episode of 'New Frontiers, I’m joined by Dr. Kate Kresge, Head of Medical Education at Rupa Health. Together, we'll explore the remarkable resources offered by this advanced specialty lab testing platform. We'll also dive into the profound impact of chronic illnesses on our society, the crucial role functional labs play in providing answers that lead to lasting solutions, and how Rupa Health is at the forefront of reshaping the healthcare landscape through continuous innovation. Don't forget to check out the show notes at www.DrKaraFitzgerald.com for all the relevant links and resources. ~DrKF
Get ready for an enlightening conversation as I welcome Dr. Izabella Wentz, renowned Thyroid Pharmacist and an accomplished author, to New Frontiers. We’ll talk about her new book and dive into the often underappreciated and enigmatic connection between adrenal dysfunction and hypothyroidism, and how extreme stress can accelerate aging and impact immunity. Dr. Wentz provides invaluable insights into her personally crafted transformation techniques that can pave the way for enhanced mental and physical well-being, spanning dietary adjustments, lifestyle modifications, targeted supplementation, circadian rhythm optimization, and the power of a resilient mindset. We also chat about the pivotal role of community support in effectively managing adrenal imbalances. Whether you’re an experienced practitioner or someone navigating your own health journey, this conversation promises to be both riveting and profoundly enlightening. So, let’s dive right in!~DrKF
In this episode, I have the pleasure of interviewing Mark Newman, the president and founder of Precision Analytical, the company behind the revolutionary DUTCH test. Mark is a true pioneer in the field of hormone testing, and in our conversation, we delve into the latest developments in this rapidly evolving field. We discuss how the DUTCH test has expanded to include additional markers, providing even more comprehensive insights into hormone health. During our conversation, we also address the controversy surrounding saliva testing for hormone analysis. Mark sheds light on the limitations of this method and why the DUTCH test offers a more accurate and reliable alternative. I’m sure you’ll find this interview as fascinating as I did, and it will be super helpful for identifying the best forms of hormone testing for your patients. So, without further ado, let’s dive into this enlightening conversation with Mark Newman. ~DrKF
Harvard's award-winning Dr. Charles Serhan isn't just an expert on specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators (SPMs), he is the scientist who actually discovered them. His breakthroughs opened up a brand new field of research and clinical application with immense potential. After all, chronic, unresolved inflammation is a contributor or cause of so many conditions. The growing body of research on the utility of SPMs continues to astound (although when you start to understand the mechanisms, it's perhaps easy to understand some of the "why") - pain, rheumatoid, osteo- and Lyme arthritis, macular degeneration, periodontal disease, uveitis, surgical recovery, and repetitive head injury, for instance, have all been shown to be potentially benefited by the ability of SPMs to promote inflammation resolution. Clinically, I consider SPMs in all conditions where unresolved inflammation is a contributing factor. Not only that, but SPMs appear to have some rather surprising additional effects including stem cell regulation, tissue regeneration, and inhibition of amyloid-beta peptide in Alzheimer's models (even restoring memory loss in mice). I am honored to host Dr. Serhan here on New Frontiers along with his esteemed colleague, Dr. Megan Sulciner. Dr. Sulciner is a clinician-scientist and resident in the Serhan Lab whose exciting work focuses on advancing postoperative outcomes for surgical patients as well as the role of SPMs in enhancing cancer therapy and preventing cancer metastasis. I’m sure you will love this insightful, tour-de-force conversation! ~DrKF
Vascular health is fundamentally essential to longevity and health span, and that’s why I’m thrilled to be welcoming Dr. Michael Twyman to New Frontiers. Trained as an invasive cardiologist, Dr. Twyman has made the shift to a more preventative approach, moving beyond traditional cath lab results to focus on the health of the 60,000 miles of blood vessels that carry vital blood, oxygen and nutrients to every organ in the body, with hopes of reaching patients before they reach the end stages of disease. In this episode we’ll look at endothelial glycocalyx dysfunction as the root cause of cardiovascular disease, and dive into the key roles of nitric oxide, circadian biology, and the oral microbiome on cardiovascular health. I know you’ll find this interview to be absolutely fascinating. Have a listen and leave me a comment let me know what you think. ~DrKF
I’m so happy to be here with Dr. Vincent Pedre to dig into emerging science on the microbiome. Dr. Pedre shares extensive clinical pearls from his vast experience in functional gut health in an approachable and fun way as he drills down on possible causes of the challenging gut epidemic we clinicians see in the increasing numbers of IBS patients walking through our doors. Dr. Pedre and I discuss how microbial diversity is the holy grail for reducing the risk of chronic disease, and how the gut disruptors of our time, (including food and environmental toxins, chronic stress, our over-sterilized world and lack of time in nature) are leading to many of the health challenges of the day. We get into current science on the impact of a high-fiber vs a diet high in fermented food on microbial diversity and immune activation. And there’s more: we talk about how where we live matters when it comes to our microbiome, the health- or disease-promoting post-biotics that are created, our optimal diet, overall health and our ability to create stress resiliency. It’s a lot -- and I’m sure you’ll be fascinated by Dr. Pedre and find numerous valuable insights to support your patients. Thanks for listening, and please leave me a review wherever you hear my voice. ~DrKF
As we gain insight into microbiome impact on our health, we need accurate tests that tell us not only what and how much is there, but also which metabolites, or post-biotics created that can have downstream effects. So today I’m thrilled to welcome the brilliant Dr. Erika Ebbel Angle, PhD, biochemist, CEO, and co-founder of Ixcela, to discuss their fingerstick gut microbiome test. We’ll discuss the 11 key markers, the value of a blood sample over urine, and the impact of endurance sports and chronic stress on health markers as revealed by the test. We also chat about my own results, how impressed I was by the insight provided – and how they clearly identified changes I could make to improve my markers. Listen and take notes -- I know I did! ~DrKF
Buckle up everybody, because this conversation is a big tour de force of where we are headed in regards to longevity and innovative technology within healthcare. I am joined by my friend, longevity investor and visionary, Sergey Young, to discuss his incredibly important mission of extending healthy lifespans of at least one billion people using technological breakthroughs AND by making longevity affordable and accessible. Sergey is a top 100 longevity leader and one of the co-creators of AGE REVERSAL XPRIZE, a global competition designed to cure aging. Today’s conversation looks at the fundamental issue of healthcare inequality, the democratization of access to healthcare, and dives into the current paradigm shift of using technology for disease prevention and reversal of biological aging. I’m sure you’ll enjoy this conversation as much as I did, and be wowed by the work of Sergey Young. ~DrKF
Imagine accurately determining the status of your skin’s age to tell whether it is younger or older than your chronological age, and then use this technology to determine whether expensive anti-aging serums and creams are effective, or actually causing more harm than good. Amazing, right? This is precisely the technology Dr. Carolina Reis Oliveira and her fellow stem cell biologists at OneSkin created and you will find this interview fascinating on so many levels – I know I sure did! After creating their skin clock, the OneSkin team discovered peptide OS1, which targets senescent cells, one of the root mechanisms of aging, and is being shown in current studies to have a positive effect on hydration, firmness, elasticity, and the skin barrier. Listen as Dr. Reis explains the science and ongoing studies exploring the possible benefits of OS1 for the skin microbiome, hair loss, inflammation, and overall health.
The therapeutic value of curcumin makes it a fabulous recommendation as both a foundational and medicinal supplement. And since finding a preparation that is bioavailable is key to efficacy, affordability, and patient compliance, I’m excited to have Dr. Sonia Malani (from Integrative Therapeutics) here to talk about the latest advances in curcumin deliverability. Dr. Malani breaks down the progress of curcumin deliverability and the keys to bioavailability in a way that is simple to understand and easy to pass on to our patients in order to help them move away from the less effective brands that are currently lining the shelves of local markets so they get the therapeutic influence we are hoping for. Lots to learn, let me know what think in this great interview sponsored by Integrative Therapeutics! ~DrKF
If you’ve followed my show for some time, you’ve probably come across the wealth of conversations I’ve had with the team at Precision Analytical about their DUTCH hormone tests – this is an ever-evolving topic that continues to pique my interest as a clinician looking to level up my toolkit. In today’s show, I’m pleased to dive into some of my favorite topics of fertility, menopause, and HPA function with Dr. Jaclyn Smeaton, ND. She’s the chief medical officer at Precision Analytical, sponsor of this episode, and a naturopathic physician who specializes in reproductive endocrinology and hormones. Today’s conversation is all about the latest research on hormone testing, some of our favorite interventions to address hormone imbalances and much more as you consider the best testing options for your patients. This is an incredibly useful conversation so make sure to tune in!
Today we are taking on a revolutionary and provocative topic that I suspect will be quite liberating for many of us women (and practitioners who work with women) – a deep dive into how to optimize exercise training and performance during pre-, peri-, and post-menopause. This topic is of great importance to me as a cyclist and, I have to say, there’s nuance in the way we women should approach training that is hormone-dependent. My guest Dr. Stacy Sims is a huge talent and a tremendous gift to our community — listen as we discuss why women need to train differently than men, including specifics about protein intake, fasting, hormone replacement therapy, and what types of training are best depending on where you are in your cycle or menopause journey. Grab a pen, you’re going to want to take notes! ~DrKF
As we find ourselves entering this fourth year since the world was first gripped by COVID-19, on an individual and practice level many of us are still grappling with its post-viral after-effects (long COVID). Drs Patrick Hanaway and Kara Parker, as well as my long-time mentor and former IFM CEO Laurie Hofmann, join me on this podcast to share the important work they have been doing in building practitioner tools and training to address this ongoing challenge (check out the links in the show notes). I just really appreciate their doable, data-driven, and continuous-learning approach, as I’m sure you will too. And if you’re working with COVID-19/long COVID patients (as all of us do, or will, at some point), you’ll want to familiarize yourself with their patient registry so that you too can be part of that essential data collection. - DrKF
One fascinating and incredibly important molecule to pay attention to in the field of healthy longevity is nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). It’s literally in every cell and contributes to over 300 different reactions in the body as a coenzyme substrate. Dr. Nichola Conlon, PhD, is an expert on NAD+ and launched Nuchido Laboratories (who sponsors this episode) to rigorously test and develop a NAD+ booster supplement packed with epinutrients. She joins me in this ridiculously interesting conversation where she explains role of NAD+ as a signaling molecule, its relationship with longevity proteins sirtuins, its impact on multiple hallmarks of aging, its relationship to the salvage pathway, NNMT and CD38. And that just touches the surface of all we discuss in today’s talk! I’m thrilled to have her with me and hope you enjoy listening. ~DrKF
I first met Dr. Heather Zwickey when she was my immunology professor in medical school and made sure to stay in touch with her ever since. Her command of the microbiome literature is frankly unparalleled – and I can always learn more from her and this podcast proves it. Join me in this New Frontiers conversation about the latest perspectives on the microbiome, and a great discussion of all things pre/post and parabiotics. We also get into the rise in autoimmunity conditions post-Covid and ways one can mitigate the risks of these conditions. Smart, timely, and always engaging – I know you’ll think so too. ~DrKF
I always appreciate talking to companies who heavily invest their time and dollars into preclinical and clinical science. And Timeline Nutrition, sponsor of this episode, is doing just that with dramatic results. They have figured out how to make a bioidentical Urolithin A, which compelling research has shown positively influences our mitochondrial health, with wide-ranging knock-on effects. In addition, since it relies on microbial formation from the right polyphenols within the gut, those of us without the right dietary precursors, or dysbiotic microbiomes, may not effectively produce it on our own. Please join me in this episode to learn more about the research and clinical applications of Urolithin A. And if you would be so kind, leave us a review and starred rating wherever you listen to New Frontiers! ~ DrKF
Dr. Wahls’ dramatic recovery from progressive, debilitating multiple sclerosis (she was wheelchair-bound at one point and unable to sit upright) using functional medicine principles continues to astound those who learn about it. She kindly returns to New Frontiers in this episode to give us her latest updates and refinements in her approach to healing. Tune in to learn how she weighs the importance of diet vs. supplements vs. e-stim, e-stim dosing strategies that worked for her, and the surprising effects of e-stim on BDNF and depressive symptoms. Dr. Wahls also shares her recommendations for omega-6:omega-3 ratios, cholesterol targets and more. And, if you suffer with multiple sclerosis there’s a chance to screen for one of Dr. Wahls’ upcoming trials. You’re in for a tremendous treat! -DrKF
If you’re a practitioner looking to level up your toolkit for regenerating the intestinal barrier and healing the gut, then this interview with Dr. Tom Fabian, PhD is exactly what you need. This fundamental piece of our functional medicine toolkit continues to progress, and today we’re zooming way out from just patching up the gut. Dr. Fabian and I dive into the dynamic nature of the barrier, including its circadian cycle, the role of prebiotics, polyphenols, probiotics, and postbiotics in epithelial regeneration and stem cell proliferation, and useful clinical pearls to assess barrier function using the GI-MAP stool test. So glad to have Tom back on New Frontiers, and Im sure you will be too! Let me know what you think! ~DrKF
How much do we really know about the microbiome? What does it take to identify new probiotic strains and their associated health benefits? When should we leverage precise single strains and when is it more effective to use synergistic blends? I am grateful to talk again with the brilliant scientist and incredibly courageous entrepreneur, Dr. Colleen Cutcliffe. Colleen has over 20 years experience managing and leading teams in biotech, pharma, and academia — I just love picking her brilliant brain! She completed her postdoc research at Northwestern’s Children’s Memorial Hospital and earned her PhD in biochemistry and molecular biology from Johns Hopkins. In this episode of New Frontiers, we explore novel probiotic strains such as Clostridium buytricum, Clostridium beijerinckii & Anaerobutyricum hallii, discuss their synergy in producing short-chain fatty acids and potential to stimulate satiety-inducing GLP-1, and so much more! I commend Colleen and the team at Pendulum for their dedication to bringing new & challenging science and next-generation probiotics to the world. I sure learned a lot, and am sure you will, too. Let me know with a comment, review, and rating wherever you listen to New Frontiers! ~DrKF
Dr. Michael Roizen is an extraordinarily well-read, well-researched, and experienced physician in the field of longevity medicine. He dates his first interest in the field back to 1979 as head of an intensive care unit, when he recognized that patients who were biologically younger dramatically reduced their risk for post-operative disease and death. Since then, he has worked tirelessly in many ways to help individuals get physically and mentally younger, improving the lives of patients and documenting millions of dollars of savings per year in employee healthcare costs at Cleveland Clinic. In our conversation, he shares his lifestyle-forward approach, one that sits well alongside the Younger You program. Tune in to find out the importance of “posse, purpose, play, and locus of control,” how you can be your own genetic engineer, his take on emerging anti-aging interventions, and much more. As Dr. Roizen reminds us, it’s never too late to start – “until you’re six feet under, it ain’t too late to do this.” -DrKF
Why are we often resistant to tackling stress and preprogrammed thought patterns? It’s a curious phenomenon that occurs even in those of us who really know the central role these psychological factors play in health, disease, and even aging. That’s why I'm thrilled to interview resilience expert Dr. Stephen Sideroff. After all, a full 25% of the bio-age clock we used in our clinical study is driven by epigenetic patterns on stress-related genes. If you’re looking for the right motivation or framework to begin your own journey into stress resilience, or even if you need that next-level exploration of what really makes you tick psychologically and how you can truly optimize your functioning on all levels, you’ll want to hear what Dr. Sideroff has to say. For practitioners, you’ll discover an excellent intervention to add to your functional medicine and healthy aging toolkit. Listen in, and let us know what you think with ratings, reviews, and emails! Thanks so much for your time -- and enjoy! - DrKF
In this New Frontiers in Functional Medicine® podcast, Dr. Tom Fabian delivers a well-justified challenge to our current thinking and a chance to build a more nuanced approach that will improve patient results around the topic of hydrogen sulfide, a compound that we have typically thought of as the “problem child” behind certain difficult SIBO cases. However, there is a LOT more to know about it, such as its ability to convert to potent antioxidant compounds, and its therapeutic roles in cardiovascular and metabolic disorders (diabetes and NAFLD), neurodegenerative disorders, and more. But how do we start to both broaden and nuance our approach to assessing hydrogen sulfide status? And what interventions can not only supply the substrates for beneficial hydrogen sulfide production, but also help achieve that all-important balance between too little and too much. Listen in to find out, and let us know what you think! ~DrKF
Functional medicine providers are well versed in addressing the myriad manifestations of autoimmune disease, but while our success rates are remarkably high, we still aren’t always able to help everyone using current toolsets (labs, sophisticated elimination diets, gut protocols, and so on). Enter Mymee, a digital app and coaching platform that helps plug that gap – this sophisticated tool helps identify elusive trigger foods and lifestyle factors that may still be contributing to an individual’s disease process. Mymee’s work with COVID long-haul patients and the Mount Sinai post-COVID treatment center (long-COVID is highly autoimmune-related) is impressive and especially relevant for clinicians and patients alike. Some fascinating patterns are emerging from their long-COVID patient data that feed directly back into how to approach these cases differently. I am sure you will find this as interesting and useful a conversation as I did! Please review New Frontiers wherever you hear my voice and let us know what you think! ~DrKF
It’s always a pleasure to tap into Dr. Raffaele’s brain, and in this podcast he doesn’t disappoint. In fact, his practical contextualization of where we are with anti-aging medicine might just be one of the smartest you’ve heard yet. What is truly remarkable about Dr. Raffaele is not just his grasp of the field both scientifically and clinically, but his ability to apply a nuanced approach that is tailored to each individual patient. After all, as he eloquently points out, we must first figure out which of the many components of aging needs improvement or correction, then target our approach accordingly. The simplicity of that statement belies his firm grasp of the complex landscape of anti-aging assessments and interventions, as you’ll see. One of the important topics that surfaced in our conversation is the role of telomere length. Dr. Raffaele has been measuring telomeres in study cohorts and in his patient population for well over a decade. Has looked at well over 2,000 telomere length measurements, many of them longitudinally. Not only that, but he has also integrated telomeres alongside other biomarkers of aging, including DNA methylation clocks, and tried-and-true metabolic markers such as lipids. So, if you thought newer approaches to biological age assessment were making telomeres and other assessments redundant, think again. We’re entering a time where we must wrestle with how to incorporate and act on all these important measures. ~DrKF
I am always excited to share new and practical ways to bring Younger You principles to your dinner table and/or clinical practice. And this podcast is especially exciting where Jill Sheppard Davenport and I dive into using broths and tonics as health-promoting and healing foods. Yes, these have been part of our natural medicine toolbox for eons, but we discuss a new spin on this ancient medicine and turn up the volume on superfood and epinutrient ingredients for their myriad health benefits, including bio age reversal properties. We also address important concerns around the potential for bone to harness lead and other toxic metals – so important, we actually researched this very question ourselves, cooking broth from various bone sources and sending it all to the lab for thorough testing. You’ll be relieved by what we discovered (we were!). If you’re intrigued to learn more and start cooking up your own amazing combinations, preorder your copy of our new book, Better Broths and Healing Tonics today! We have some gifts for you if you do – check the show notes for more info. ~DrKF
Are we getting enough nutrients from our diet? And why do nutrient deficiencies persist even in those of us who are putting a lot of attention to what we're eating? Join me and Chris Kresser as we dive into all things nutrient insufficiencies on this episode of New Frontiers. Chris is the founder of the Kresser Institute and the co-founder of the California Center for Functional Medicine. He’s the bestselling author of The Paleo Cure and Unconventional Medicine and a highly respected clinician in our space. We talk about the inadequacies of RDAs, the latest statistics on nutrient insufficiencies, the importance of nutrient bioavailability and nutrient synergy and why taking supplements on top of a really poor diet is not going to help. We also marvel at the wonders of magnesium, the interplay between vitamins D, K2 and A, and calcium plus so much more! It is a conversation filled with clinical pearls and practical implications, so get ready to take notes and tune in! ~DrKF
Many of us in the functional medicine space are thinking about Akkermansia: what exactly makes this gut bug a keystone strain for health and longevity? I am excited to tackle this with a founder of Pendulum Therapeutics, Colleen Cutcliffe, PhD, an excellent scientist and a leader in biotech. Her passion to help her daughter, and many others, overcome food sensitivities inspired Colleen to use biotech and research to develop products that have the efficacy of a drug, but the safety of a probiotic. We cover it all, and then some! Enjoy, and let me know what you think. ~DrKF
Folks, WOW — what a great conversation on all things hormone testing with Dr. Laura Neville from Doctor’s Data! We share the same alma mater, National University of Natural Medicine, as well as extensive experience in clinical lab testing, so had lots to talk about! On this episode of New Frontiers, we discuss what different testing methods tell us about patient’s hormone status, which specimens are best for monitoring hormone replacement therapy and non-HRT interventions, why high dose progesterone carries risks, and what makes liquid urine testing stand out from the rest. Dr. Neville shares many clinical pearls from her experience reviewing thousands and thousands of tests with physicians from around the world. You’ll absolutely want to bookmark for future reference! Thanks for listening and please share, comment, and leave us a starred review if you wouldn’t mind! ~DrKF
As a longevity aficionado, I am so excited to be talking to Dr. Morgan Levine in this episode of New Frontiers! Renowned for her research on the science of biological aging, Dr. Levine specifically uses bioinformatics to quantify the aging process. She's played a vital role in developing and retraining several well-published bio age clocks, including the PhenoAge and Horvath clocks, making them much more reliable. Needless to say, I’m a big fan! Morgan and I dive into the fascinating science behind her new book, True Age: Cutting-Edge Research To Help Turn Back The Clock, and cover loads of important topics such as vetting bio age clocks, the role of the DNA methylome, how standard labs such as CBCs and CMPs can be used to calculate bio age, the controversial debate around immortality, challenges of applying the Yamanaka factors in clinical practice, how racial disparities affect biological aging – and believe me, so much more! I hope you’ll enjoy this thrilling conversation as much as I did, and please give me your feedback wherever you listen to New Frontiers - DrKF
Eating for longevity. A topic I’m very passionate about and one that has received incredible attention lately. How much protein should we eat to live longer? What about ketones, carbohydrates, and blood sugar spikes? Where does fasting fit in all of this? And what physical activity confers the most benefit for our healthspan? On this episode of New Frontiers, I pose all of these questions and more to one of the most brilliant minds in longevity science – Dr. Valter Longo. I’m so excited to have him as my guest once again – his grasp on the longevity literature is extraordinary, as is his immense contribution to this growing body of research. Dr. Longo and I discuss the fasting-mimicking diet, biological aging, macronutrient targets, the lifestyle pillars of centenarians, and much, much more. It was such a fun (and research-packed)conversation, just wait until you get your ears on it! As always, I would appreciate a thumbs up and a kind review wherever you listen to New Frontiers. - DrKF
What do we know about using specific probiotics for different health conditions? And is it time to move away from broad-spectrum probiotics and into condition-specific strains? With an explosion of new research on probiotics and a recent change in nomenclature, it’s easy to get confused. In this episode of New Frontiers, I lean on Dr. Noelle Patno’s extensive research knowledge to tease apart the science on probiotics. Dr. Patno holds a PhD in Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition and has designed and monitored clinical trials on microbiome and immune health. Together, we dive into the latest evidence on therapeutic uses of specific probiotic strains, including Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1, for women’s health and other conditions. Dr. Patno also shares excellent pearls on dosing, duration, delivery methods and antibiotic resistance. Many thanks to Noelle and the team at Metagenics for always leading the way and researching interventions. Appreciate you listening, sharing, and commenting, and always, thanks for subscribing. - DrKF
Hormone therapy is still a highly controversial topic, fraught with lots of emotion, fear, and misleading information. And let me tell you: am I glad to be having a deep dive into the literature with my colleague and friend, the very brilliant Dr. Doreen Saltiel from Precision Analytical. She’s been practicing medicine for 40 years and preventative cardiology for more than 25 years. With advanced training in endocrinology as well as metabolic, anti-aging, and nutritional medicine, Dr. Saltiel is a leading expert on male and female hormone health. In this episode of New Frontiers, she brings her talent of dissecting the scientific evidence on testosterone deficiency and shares excellent clinical pearls to guide both physicians and patients in making decisions around hormone therapy. Folks, you’ll want to bookmark this one and save the show notes. Thanks for reading, sharing, and commenting! ~DrKF
Folks, in this exciting episode of New Frontiers we touch upon topics very close to my heart – genetics, epigenetics, kids, and why the heck they are so hard to raise! Brilliant professor of psychology and research scientist Dr. Danielle Dick shares guilt-banishing parenting strategies and her incredibly liberating research findings on genetics, temperaments, and child development. As an award-winning expert with over 350 scientific publications, Dr. Dick does an excellent job dispelling some deeply-rooted parenting myths and provides evidence-based approaches to understanding children and supporting their development. I can’t wait to get my hands on her new book The Child Code which contains many awesome resources and practical tips, including questionnaires on children’s temperaments and their genetically-influenced dispositions. To all the parents and caregivers out there – this one’s for you! Please share and leave a review to let me know what you think! ~ DrKF
Interest in therapeutic use of psychedelics has grown exponentially in recent years. And with recent studies showing these miraculous molecules help with depression, anxiety, and substance abuse, is it any wonder the p-word is on everyone’s lips? In this unique episode of New Frontiers, the fantastic Dr. Austin Perlmutter guest hosts and interviews renowned psychedelics researcher Dr. Anthony Bossis, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at NYU and the NYU Center for Psychedelic Medicine. With decades of experience in psychedelic and palliative care research, Dr. Bossis shares an evidence-based deep dialogue on meaning-making, spirituality, and end-of-life care. Tune in to learn how psilocybin can lower depression, anxiety, and end-of-life suffering, the appropriate intervention steps to avoid “bad trips,” what cancer patients define as their most meaningful experiences – and so, so much more. It’s a podcast packed with powerful insights on the human race’s quest for meaning and finding our true selves in a world full of distractions. Can’t wait to hear what you think! ~DrKF
We are living in times of great medical discoveries and advancements and today I am thrilled to talk about a relatively unknown structure: the endothelial glycocalyx (EGX). EGX can profoundly affect overall health – after all, you can’t have healthy organs and tissues if blood vessels are not healthy. Today on New Frontiers, I am joined by Dr. Kristine Burke a board certified family, sports and functional medicine physician and medical director for Help Your Diabetes Sacramento, where we discuss the full breadth of EGX functions and why it’s critical for cardiovascular health and so much more. Dr. Burke shares her exciting clinical experience and impressive findings from her case study series using Arterosil for plaque regression in some of her toughest patients. It’s a fascinating and enlightening conversation, so tune in and get ready to take some notes! Thanks for listening, and your support of New Frontiers. -DrKF
With an ongoing pandemic that doesn't abate, is it any wonder immune health is on everyone's mind? As we adapt to these unprecedented times, the interest in supporting immunity has skyrocketed. So, I couldn't wait to interview my dear friend and long-term colleague, Romilly Hodges. With her new book Immune Resilience just out, I'm thrilled to share Romilly's exciting pearls on immune health on New Frontiers. You may know Rom from her time as Nutrition Programs Director at our clinic and her work on our Methylation Diet & Lifestyle program, now known as Younger You. Romilly is all that, and so much more: also a CNS, IFMCP, and vastly published author in several peer-reviewed journals. In this very special episode, we discuss the role of the microbiome in infection defense and immune system training, the effects of nature exposure, the ongoing pandemic and immune system development, immune tolerance and micro-exposures, and how sleep affects vaccine efficacy. It’s a lot! Romilly also reveals strategic multifactorial interventions and the power of whole foods over supplements. This research-packed discussion will leave you wanting more – to be continued for sure! As always, thank you for listening and please do leave a comment wherever you hear my voice. - DrKF
Folks, I'm thrilled to be back once again with my friend and colleague, Dr. Tom Fabian - leading functional nutrition practitioner trained in the molecular biology of aging. Together with his training and experience as the clinical laboratory consultant for Diagnostic Solutions Lab, Dr. Fabian shares a wealth of practical applications for microbiome research in functional medicine and clinical settings. In this episode, we explore key microbial species for longevity and how to boost their levels, inflammaging of the microbiota, often-missed leaky gut clues on GI-MAP reports, the small intestine as a key site for immune tolerance, how microbiota influence epigenetics, and much more. It’s truly exciting to learn from his extensive research expertise in the role of the human microbiome in health, disease, and aging, so make sure you get ready to take notes and bookmark this page – you’ll want to come back for more! Thanks for listening, and leave us a review wherever you listen to New Frontiers! ~DrKF
Sleep – we spend a third of our lives doing it, we know it is a powerful longevity tool, yet we continue to skimp on it. I know from personal experience – improving my sleep after struggling for years was a total game-changer. And in this episode of New Frontiers, I’m joined by Dr. Sara Mednick, world-renowned sleep scientist, professor of psychology at the University of California, and director of the Sleep and Cognition Lab to discuss her exciting research findings and new lexicon for understanding stress. Together we explore why aligning sleep with the nervous system’s downstate is more important than sleep duration for optimal restoration and longevity – AND how you can use heart-rate variability to measure restore function. We also talk about green exercise, harnessing the power of dreams, setting health boundaries, the connection between meal timing and melatonin, and WOW -- so much more. This one is a gem-packed session for sure, so get ready to take some notes and get inspired! And if you don’t mind, please consider leaving a review on iTunes or wherever you listen to New Frontiers! Every thumbs-up helps us reach more people! Thank you! ~DrKF
Reversing biological age by just one year can save $38 trillion of public health funding. Read that again. $38 TRILLION. And by now, you probably know in my new Younger You book, I walk through exactly how to reverse your biological age by over three years through nutrition and lifestyle. But writing a book is not enough, and I’m really excited to bring an easy-to-follow digital program accessible from anywhere in the world. And I couldn’t have done it without Suggestic, the innovative health tech company powering the 3YY digital program. In this episode of New Frontiers, I share the ins and outs of this turnkey digital program with the potential to revolutionize personalized nutrition delivery and optimize health at scale. Join me for an intimate chat with my good friends and colleagues from Suggestic, Victor Chapela and Erica Sanders, and discover how we translate the multi-modal clinical trial intervention into a digital program everyone can access by combining lab testing, supplementation and one-to-one nutritionist support. As always, I’m grateful to all of you for joining in the passion and excitement around my research and work – I so appreciate your support; it has touched my soul. Thank you for listening, and please leave a comment and review wherever you hear my voice! - DrKF
Folks, I am just honored, thrilled, excited to be talking to my dear mentor and friend Dr. Jeff Bland on this episode of New Frontiers in Functional Medicine. Not only is Dr. Bland the father of functional medicine, but he's also the founder of Big Bold Health, a company on a mission to enhance immunity at the global level through the rediscovery of ancient food crops and superfoods which support immuno-rejuvenation. Join me as I pick his brain on genetics, aging, SNPs, DNA repair, and senolytics, and find out why your genes are not a death certificate but rather a 'uniqueness certificate' that requires specific approaches. You won't want to miss this in-depth conversation! Listen, learn, and if you would be so kind, leave a review on iTunes or wherever you hear my voice. Thank you! ~DrKF
It's been exactly a hundred years since the ketogenic diet was developed, and yet we are still discovering its many benefits, including its positive effects on the epigenome. How fascinating is that? In this episode of New Frontiers, I’m thrilled to have renowned nutrigenomics researcher and fellow epigenetics aficionado Dr. Lucia Aronica interview one of the world's top experts on the ketogenic diet - Dominic D’Agostino. Dom is also a neuroscientist, accomplished researcher, and associate professor of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology at the University of Florida. In this episode, Dr. Aronica and Dr. D’Agostino discuss the therapeutic uses of the keto diet, including emerging applications in type 2 diabetes, anxiety, and anorexia, the neuroprotective and epigenetic regulatory effects of ketones, and why more is not necessarily better. It is an episode packed with the latest research and clinical pearls from these two experts – you wouldn’t want to miss it! If you don’t mind, please consider leaving a review on iTunes, or wherever you listen to New Frontiers! Every thumbs-up helps us reach more people! ~DrKF
Living in a pandemic era filled with political, environmental, and social turmoil is tiring – downright exhausting. So is it any wonder the number of chronic fatigue cases has crept up to 1.5 million people in the US? In this episode of New Frontiers, guest host Dr. Patrick Hanaway talks with Alex Howard, the creator of the Therapeutic Coaching methodology and Founder of The Optimum Health Clinic, one of the world’s leading integrative clinics specializing in chronic fatigue syndrome. Alex has published several research articles and books on the topic, with his latest book, Decode Your Fatigue: A Clinically Proven 12-Step Plan to Increase Your Energy, Heal Your Body and Transform Your Life - just published. In addition, he is currently working on a randomized control trial with the UK national health service, NHS, as a follow-up to a preliminary study on his integrative approach to chronic fatigue syndrome. Dr. Hanaway and Alex discuss the key factors contributing to fatigue, using personalized mapping to untangle the picture and the importance of intervention sequencing to create positive, long-term shifts in patients’ well-being. I’m so proud to have these two incredible humans sharing what they know with all of us on New Frontiers – it’s an amazing conversation and I could listen to them talk all day! Please leave a review, rating, and share this episode far and wide! ~DrKF
Although lifespans are getting longer, most Americans spend the last 16 years of their lives (on average) managing multiple illnesses with various drugs. With most of our faculties compromised in those final years, quality of life is significantly reduced, and life is not as enjoyable as it could be. So is there anything we can do to expand our healthspan, not just our lifespan? My guest in this podcast, Dr. Jed Fahey, joins me to discuss the underappreciated, healthspan-promoting power of phytochemicals. Dr. Fahey is a nutritional biochemist with extensive research experience in phytochemistry. Following years of faculty appointments at the John Hopkins School of Medicine and Public Health, Dr. Fahey is now dedicating most of his efforts towards educating on “the dark matter of nutrition” – i.e. phytochemicals. In this interview, Dr. Fahey shares plenty of great pearls from his vast experience in the world of phytochemicals and zooms in on the protective role of the glucoraphanin-sulforaphane system. You wouldn’t want to miss his insights! As always, thanks for listening, and I so appreciate any comments, reviews, and ratings wherever you listen to New Frontiers. ~DrKF
What can queen bees teach us about epigenetics? And what do polyphenols, stress, and sunlight have in common? Hint: it has to do with longevity science. To mark our exciting paper on the Potential Reversal of Epigenetic Age Using a Diet and Lifestyle Intervention we are hosting a series of podcasts focused on the science of epigenetics and longevity, and kick things off with talented researcher and Stanford lecturer, Dr. Lucia Aronica. Dr. Aronica is a passionate advocate of lifestyle medicine and is currently leading the epigenetic analysis for the largest randomized clinical trial in the field of personalized nutrition on low carb vs. low fat diets. Fascinating work! With her rich international research experience in nutritional epigenetics, Dr. Aronica guides us through the mechanics of epigenetics and epigenetic aging, the importance of hormesis, and the powerful epigenetic language of lifestyle interventions, including epinutrients. Join me in this fascinating conversation and find out what you can do right now to optimize longevity. Listen, learn, share -- leave us a comment – I’d love to know what you think! ~DrKF
Folks, if you’ve been following me for any time, you know I am fascinated with reversing epigenetic aging. With such research rapidly evolving, there’s always something new to talk about and my guest today has become a friend and a regular on the New Frontiers podcast – Dr. Joseph Raffaele: a renowned expert on telomere biology and age management medicine. Dr. Raffaele, who is board-certified in internal medicine, diplomat at the American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine, AND co-founder of PhysioAge Systems, joins me for the third time to talk about the latest in immunosenescence and aging. (You can find links to our previous conversations and related content in the shownotes.) I’m excited to continue the conversation with Dr. Raffaele, as we dive into the connection between viral infections, including COVID-19 and CMV, and cell senescence and what we can do clinically to reduce immune risk phenotypes and rejuvenate not only our immune system but our entire bodies. We also touch upon various lab markers that can help us assess immune cell health and epigenetic age, and the anti-aging properties of telomerase activator TA-65 derived from the Astragalus membranaceus plant. There are too many great take-aways to list here, so tune in and get ready to take some notes! Thanks for listening, and please leave a review if you can. ~DrKF
So many of us in functional medicine use standard organic acid interpretations, but newer research is using them in a broader metabolomics assessment (the vast landscape of clinically relevant metabolites). A great example is the assessment of in-born errors of metabolism. Utilizing metabolomics resulted in a six-fold higher diagnosis rate and identification of new in-born errors, compared to traditional organic acid assessment methods. Impressive, isn’t it? Think of what it could do in a full assessment. I’m thrilled to be joined by my dear friend and metabolomics enthusiast Dr. Betsy Redmond in today’s podcast. I worked with Dr. Redmond back at Metametrix and deeply admire her passion and skill in bringing metabolomics into clinical practice. With years of experience in functional lab testing and a doctorate degree in nutrition, Dr. Redmond shares exciting pearls from the latest metabolomics research, including using urinary dicarboxylic acids to identify early cognitive decline and strategies to modulate the kynurenine tryptophan ratio (KTR) – a novel biomarker associated with inflammation, cognitive decline, and kidney disease. I was excited to hear that this ratio could also be used as an innovative biological age marker – a topic at the center of my recently published study on reversing epigenetic aging, and focus of my book, Younger You. Thanks for listening to New Frontiers; please leave us a review and comment to let us know what you think! ~DrKF
As the name suggests, New Frontiers is about staying ahead of the curve in functional medicine, continually asking critical questions, and being open to self-critique. This couldn’t be more true than when it comes to advanced functional testing. Today I’m pleased to talk with a familiar face and renowned hormone testing expert, my friend Mark Newman. Mark created the DUTCH test based on his decade-long experience in novel test development, and joins New Frontiers to talk about all things hormones: from cortisol & thyroid health to estrogen, progesterone and androgens, the importance of analytical and clinical validation of tests, and his upcoming research on various hormone replacement therapy methods. If you’re like me, you’ll be blown away by Mark’s passion for delivering functional tests that offer meaningful differentiation and his commitment to publishing peer-reviewed data. Settle in, and be sure to check out the shownotes for tons of ancillary info, plus special offers from Precision Analytical. Listen, learn, and leave us a comment wherever you find New Frontiers! Thank you! ~DrKF
Therapeutic dietary interventions such as an elimination diet, a cardiometabolic diet, intermittent fasting, or caloric reduction, are some of the most important tools we have in functional medicine. Transitioning to healthful eating can for some patients be a joyous experience of liberation, but then for others it can be restrictive and problematic, and sometimes fall in the continuum of eating disorders. How do we tease this out? How do we screen for vulnerability in disordered eating and support patients who fall within this spectrum? In this episode of New Frontiers, Dr. Carolyn Fisher PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in helping individuals with binge eating, emotional eating, chronic dieting, and other medical conditions heal their relationships with food. Today we discuss the importance of identifying disordered eating tendencies before guiding patients into dietary changes, tools to recognize those at risk, what is involved in treating eating disorders, and how to discuss weight in a sensitive manner with patients. This needs to be front and center in our minds, perhaps more now than ever, as we rely heavily on therapeutic dietary interventions to address chronic disease. Stay tuned, leave us a comment, and subscribe to stay up to date on our latest content! ~DrKF
Within the realm of functional medicine, we are quite successful at restoring some order to the cacophonous symphony of chronic illness, and getting our patients better to a large extent. However, there is a final piece – a missing piece, if you will – and my guest today, Ashok Gupta, shares how neuroplasticity affected his own healing journey of chronic fatigue syndrome and why this final piece is integral to restoring optimal health. Ashok is a speaker, filmmaker, and health practitioner who created a program for retraining the brain using interventions to facilitate neuroplasticity. In this episode of New Frontiers, we discuss neuroplasticity dysfunction, how to rewire the brain’s survival response, and so much more. Folks, this conversation goes well beyond the patient-physician encounter and explores the depths of our homes, our communities, and how we experience the world around us. Stay tuned, leave us a comment, and subscribe to stay up to date on our latest content! ~DrKF
Have you ever looked at serum hormone levels and scratched your head, wondering why there was such a difference between your patient’s clinical signs and the numbers on the report? Felt unsure whether to look at bioavailable hormone markers or their metabolites? Not surprisingly, when it comes to endocrinological health, there are just as many questions as hormones (and there are over 50!). My guest in this podcast, Dr. Lylen Ferris, gives us very clear and user-friendly guidance on appropriate hormone testing, interpreting results from different specimens and, most excitingly, using novel biomarkers, such as allopregnanolone. Having completed her naturopathic residency with Dr. Kimberly Windstar, and after years of teaching and mentoring medical students on gynecology and women’s health, Dr. Ferris has plenty of brilliant clinical pearls to share with us! Please share, comment, and leave us a starred review if you wouldn’t mind! Thank you! ~DrKF
Since the time of mapping out the genome in 2000, we’ve continued to connect the dots between generational experiences, particularly trauma and in utero exposures, and the development of health and disease. We’ve seen, for instance, from survivors of the Dutch Hunger Winter or the Holocaust, epigenetic changes that are passed on to future generations. My guest in this podcast, best-selling author and former journalist Judith Finlayson, discusses the fascinating history that led to our current understanding of epigenetic expression. She shares research from her book, You Are What Your Grandparents Ate: What You Need to Know About Nutrition, Experience, Epigenetics and the Origins of Chronic Disease, and dives into the dietary and lifestyle choices she prioritizes to support optimal genetic expression. Listen, learn, and leave a review/rating wherever you're listening to New Frontiers! Thanks ~DrKF
I am always eager to learn from other clinicians about how they approach complex patients and layer various healing modalities into the therapeutic encounter. My guest today, Dr. Bruce Hoffman MD, has combined his passion in integrative medicine with psychiatry to explore cellular health to best guide his patient's health journey. Dr. Hoffman is based in Calgary, Canada at the Hoffman Centre for Integrative Medicine and the Brain Center of Alberta. He’s an IFM-certified functional medicine practitioner, board-certified in anti-aging and regenerative medicine, certified in Shoemaker’s mold protocol, a certified Ayurvedic practitioner, certified in Bredesen’s ReCODE protocol, certified as a family constellation therapy specialist, ILADS trained for Lyme and co-infections, and trained in Chinese medicine, to name just a few of his substantial specialties. He knows his stuff. Tune in for this thought-provoking conversation as we explore the role the psyche plays in disease and healing, including clinical pearls, interventions, and effective supplementation, and thanks to BodyBio for bringing Dr. Hoffman to us. Listen, share, and leave a starred rating, if you wouldn't mind! Thanks for listening. ~DrKF
Colleagues, if you’ve been following me for any time, you’ve heard me speak frequently about aging as the top driver of chronic disease. In today’s interview, I dive into evidence-based integrative protocols to slow down and reverse the aging process. My guest, Dr. Joseph Cleaver MD, is a Fellow of the American Board of Anti-aging and Regenerative Medicine, is board-certified in internal medicine, a rheumatologist, on faculty at A4M and MMI and has authored and published a wealth of research and scholarly articles. He founded Paradigm Wellness Medical Group in Dallas and Sonoma Valley, California, AND he is Medical Director at Boutique Wellness in Winston, North Carolina. Folks, you’ll want to be ready to take notes during this interview, as Dr. Cleaver shares his personalized senolytic protocols specific to patient phenotypes. Listen, share, and leave a starred rating, if you wouldn't mind! Thanks for listening. ~DrKF
This is an exciting year for us in functional medicine, with the Institute of Functional Medicine (IFM) celebrating its 30-year anniversary alongside its Annual International Conference (AIC) on resilience in functional medicine. My guests in this podcast, Dr. Patrick Hanaway MD and Amy Mack CEO of IFM, join me to discuss how functional medicine is addressing the triple pandemic of COVID-19, racism, and economic crisis. Dr. Hanaway is a board-certified family physician, senior advisor to Amy Mack at IFM, and a founding medical director at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine. Amy Mack spent the last three decades in mission and service-oriented organizations and is now helping lead the IFM through uncomfortable territory as they not only offer evidence-based education but take action on the most pressing issues we are currently facing within our communities and healthcare. This is a powerful conversation with an important call to action, so stay tuned to learn more about the COVID-19 tools IFM has created for practitioners and patients as well as highlights on IFM’s upcoming AIC. Settle in, this is a good one and sneak peak at the exciting schedule for AIC! As always, thanks for listening, and I so appreciate any comments, reviews, and ratings wherever you listen to New Frontiers. ~DrKF
How do we approach patients with mental health disorders? How do you engage someone who's really depressed to get off the couch and get outside? To turn the TV off or put the phone down? The pandemic has led to an increase in mental illness, with more people reporting symptoms of anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. My guest in this podcast, Dr. Jonathan Prousky ND, has been deeply entrenched in the world of integrative medicine to support patients with mental illness. Dr. Prousky has worked in the field of mental health as a naturopath, chief medical officer, and professor at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, and was inducted into The Orthomolecular Hall of Fame for his commitment to mental health. Together, we dive into the essentials for supporting patients with targeted supplementation, including mechanisms of action and dosages, how to best engage patients who are struggling with mental illness, and how to create safety planning for suicidal patients. You won’t want to miss this episode — I’ve been thinking about it every day and so will you after listening. Please let me know your thoughts — share, comment and rate if you would be so kind. Thank you! ~DrKF
We’ve been eager to put together a podcast on men’s health – prostate cancer, low testosterone, foundational vitamin and botanical supplements, nutritional interventions – and folks, it’s finally here! There’s a wealth of GREAT pearls to bring into your own practice from this month’s interview with our guest Dr. Geo Espinosa, ND. Dr. Geo is a long-time friend, a fellow naturopathic functional medicine physician, and a (if not “the”) definitive voice in urology and men’s health. His passion about men’s health helped him bridge the gap between conventional and naturopathic medicine. Together we discuss how to engage men in self-care, specific nutritional interventions to support men’s health, laboratory panels and optimal ranges, and some of his favorite vitamins and botanicals for his male patients. There’s a ton here, so settle in and take notes! We hope you come away from this podcast with some ah-ha moments and additional tools for your clinical toolkit – I know I did. Listen, learn, and if you would be so kind, leave a review on iTunes or wherever you hear my voice. Thank you! ~DrKF
Let’s face it, folks – we are all grappling with various levels of stress right now. As if chronic stress wasn’t already a top contributor to general health ailments and chronic disease, now add stress from social isolation, the pandemic, and political strife to the list. That’s why we are so grateful to welcome Dr. Susan Blum MD to New Frontiers. Dr. Blum has worked in preventative medicine as a chronic disease specialist for nearly two decades and is the founder and director of Blum Center for Health. Her focus is on supporting patients in their recovery from autoimmune and immune-related conditions, and now educates and coaches patients through mind-body medicine tools and behavior modification to rebalance their autonomic nervous system and downregulate the stress response. Together, we talk about her personal journey dealing with stress, how she approaches the topic with each patient, and why this is one of the most important considerations for your clinical practice as we navigate the current and post-pandemic era. Let us know what you think!
I had the honor to sit down and chat with a leader in our field regarding public health policy and advocacy, John Weeks. What a tremendous force behind the movement of bringing integrative and functional medicine to the forefront of healthcare – and with his 40 years of insight, it was a gift to get a sit-down to discuss where we are, and where we’re going – and how we can get there together. Listen in as we discuss how to create a collaborative and unified vision to light the path for the future of medicine – which will help patients, clinicians, and our entire community. The conversation left me invigorated and inspired and I’m confident it’ll do the same for you. Listen in, and let us know what you think by leaving a comment, review, or shooting us an email. Thanks as always, for the gift of your time. ~DrKF
Dr. Joe Raffaele is a busy, brilliant clinician with a successful age management clinic in NYC. This conversation is an update on what we started last year. DNA methylation clocks – where are they now? Telomere biology: the lastest research. Telomere length, immune science, and COVID19: a new, smart hypothesis that CAN be addressed using a systems/functional approach. All this and more, hope you listen, share and comment! ~DrKF
Is it fair that I say – yet again – that this was one of my best conversations of the year? A deeply personal, honest, scientific, evidence-informed (and pearl-ladened) conversation on cancer and recovery, and completely from the heart. Dr. Patrick Hanaway, MD is a mentor, a colleague, a friend, and an amazing guy. His journey as a leader in functional medicine through stage IV laryngeal cancer and his embrace of a metabolic approach is profound, and something you’re going to want to hear. His transformation took him to the Sierra Madres in Mexico to learn indigenous healing approaches from the Mara’akame, and back to his functional and integrative medicine roots exploring the research on using ketogenic and fasting dietary approaches alongside chemotherapy and radiation therapy. He does a fantastic job explaining the mechanisms of a ketogenic diet for cancer and how to support immune resilience through nutritional and herbal interventions. Dr. Hanaway is an inspiration always, and especially during the holiday season, and a bright light to me personally. I hope after listening to his profound journey in this podcast, that he is the same to you! Please share, leave us a review and a rating, wherever you listen to New Frontiers. Thank you and enjoy! ~DrKF
There’s no better person to have on New Frontiers to talk about the underlying mechanisms that activate an immune response than Dr. Tom O’Bryan, a foremost expert in understanding wheat sensitivity and the development of autoimmune conditions and cognitive dysfunction. What a pleasure to talk to! Settle in: this is a great, fun, and informative podcast covering all the way back to Tom’s first exposure to EMF in 1978 to the hundreds of pounds of toxins we are all exposed to daily. We cover brain health (of course!) and Tom shares which labs he uses and why, how to interpret them, and the interventions he’s using to help fix his patients’ brains. Clinicians: you’re sure to grasp great insight to share with your patients, and we (practitioners or not!) can all learn A TON about food sensitivity and autoimmunity with this master teacher and clinician.
Dr. Mark Pimentel. We all know him as the clinician/scientist who understands the varied pathogenic underpinnings of IBS/SIBO/IMO. In my recent conversation with him, we cover the definition of terms, causes, when to use a stool test. We discuss the Pimentel low fermentation diet, intervention (including botanicals), and diagnosing hydrogen sulfide (a test is coming soon, but wasn’t available at time of recording). Probiotics: any utility? Elemental diet, and so much more. Grateful to have Dr. Pimentel on the podcast, and know you will benefit from this insightful convo. Thanks for listening, please leave a review if you can! ~DrKF
As a functional medicine clinician and scientist, I absolutely appreciate the deep literature dives my colleagues take. When they come up for air, there is a synthesized body of knowledge that is riveting, satisfying to listen to, trust-worthy and, most importantly, practice-changing. Such was my conversation on all things menopausal hormone therapy with Dr. Doreen Saltiel, currently consulting for Precision Analytical (they’re lucky to have her). She spent the bulk of her impressive career as an interventional cardiologist (although confesses she wanted to go into OBGYN) and jumped into integrative and functional medicine after her own “ah-ha” healing journey, involving hormone replacement therapy, relatively early on in her life. The first solid debunking Doreen provides are the findings from WHI. IT’S TIME these ideas are PUT TO BED. I asked Dr. S about the political backstory for the WHI debacle – it’s a good listen, and like me, you’ll probably want to read more. We then dive into the solid body of evidence for transdermal estradiol, oral progesterone. We discuss compounding, dosing, testing, addressing metabolites … and SO MUCH MORE. Keep a pen or your phone handy for note-taking, there’s tons of info in this podcast. Thanks as always, to Precision Analytical, creators of the DUTCH test, for bringing Dr. Saltiel to our listeners. She’s incredible! Please share New Frontiers with your network, and if you would be so kind, leave us a comment and review wherever you listen. As always, thank you listening! ~DrKF
I very much enjoyed my conversation with Dr. Dale Bredesen- from his story of finding functional medicine (it’ll resonate with many of you, as it did me, I’m sure) to where the ReCODE program is now (pay attention to the large clinical trial now underway and the refinements of Dr. Bredesen’s thinking over the last decade) and the launch of The End of Alzheimer’s Program (a goldmine of a resource for clinicians and regular folks alike). Links on the podcast shownotes page -- don't miss these! In this episode of New Frontiers, he talks with me about the pandemic of Alzheimer’s disease, which is now the third leading cause of death in the United States, and what he’s learned over decades as an expert in neurodegenerative diseases. Enjoy this podcast, and please share and leave us a review wherever you listen to New Frontiers! ~DrKF
Harvard scientist and NYT best-selling author David Sinclair, PhD and I take a tour around the science of aging. If aging is THE root cause of all of the chronic diseases of aging, then arguably, if we focus on the aging journey itself, we might be able to stop playing “whack-a-mole medicine.” A lot of complex environmental, genetic, epigenetic and biochemical processes go into the aging journey, however, as Dr. Sinclair discusses, it looks like a very heavy lifter in aging is epigenetic changes – specifically, DNA methylation and demethylation (plus histone acetylation). In this episode of New Frontiers, learn about the amazing research going on at Dr. Sinclair’s lab, hear what’s getting translated to humans, and what you can do NOW to stop the epigenetic clock from ticking…. Listen and learn, leave us a 5 star review if you’d be so kind, and be sure to share with your colleagues! ~DrKF
COVID19 is upon us. Months earlier, we scheduled James Maskell to discuss his recent book: The Community Cure. Amazingly, his message today is all the more urgent. James argues for the group visit model, was an early adopter and proponent of group visits (in fact, we discuss the pre-publication Cleveland Clinic group visit research findings, which are astonishingly good; even better than the first JAMA publication comparing functional medicine one-on-one with family medicine.) Now, with COVID19 and self-isolation, the virtual visit and the virtual group visit (where James saw FxMed eventually going) is upon us. And specifically, his vision is that this model works in insurance – and even Medicare. James’ message – the promise of functional medicine – is timely, inspiring, and essential. ~DrKF
The GI360 is a smart, evidenced-based stool test that is easily actionable by the clinician. Listen to my conversation today with VP of Scientific Support from Doctor’s Data, Dr. David Quig. One of the most useful tools I am aware of in stool testing is the Dysbiosis Test, which identifies and characterizes more than 45 targeted analytes across six Phyla using PCR and compares the patient results to a characterized normobiotic reference population. DDI is also using the Luminex PCR panel for pathogens, parasites and viruses – an FDA cleared panel for accurate detection of microbes that are almost always a problem. But what if they are not? Hear my discussion with Dr. Q on that. Finally, beta glucuronidase – it’s SO MUCH more complex than we’ve understood. Yes, we’re aware of the estrogen connection, but the BG story has evolved. We also walk through the chemistries – DDI includes a wide range of chems (appreciated by me and my colleagues here in our practice). Give us a listen, then leave a 5 star review and comment -- if you would be so kind! Thank you! ~DrKF
What a superb conversation with leading expert lipidologist and – importantly – clinician of 30+ years, Tom Dayspring, MD. In this tour-de-force conversation, we break down the essential cardiovascular risk laboratory analysis you need to be undertaking on all your patients. We spend a little extra time on Lp(a) and the coronary calcium score. Our conversation is practical; I was fervently taking notes through the entire recording, as I suspect you’ll be doing. I will likely bring Tom back for additional conversation, perhaps focusing on women’s cardiovascular health, so stay tuned! As with many of my podcasts, I chat with my guests before and after the recording. Tom and I discuss on the podcast whether we’re concerned about brain cholesterol deficits with an excessively lowered LDL. He unequivocally stated not; we synthesize all the cholesterol we need locally, including in the CNS. However, after the recording, he added that statins can cross the BBB and lower brain cholesterol. Serum desmosterol is an analyte that can readily be assessed that is a surrogate marker of brain cholesterol: consider this if needed. Enjoy this in-depth conversation, and be sure to leave New Frontiers a rating on iTunes or Stitcher or wherever you listen. It’s the best thing you can do to help share this valuable content and help put FxMed in front of more and more listeners! Thank you! ~DrKF
Globally, stress and anxiety levels have never been higher. According to one recent survey, a full 70% of Americans are stressed out, with a disproportionate impact on people of color. From worry about getting sick, to sick family members, to financial pressures, to homeschooling, the list of possible contributing factors is long. How do we care for our patients or clients in this climate? Victoria Albina, NP MPH is a family nurse practitioner in NYC – the COVID epicenter. She’s also a cognitive behavioral life coach and breathwork meditation facilitator. In short, she’s remarkably suited to walk us through tools to consider using with patients immediately. Victoria was an early adopter of using CBD for anxiety and has a wealth of knowledge around how to work with it for acute anxiety (regardless of how it presents: from insomnia to addictive “buffering” behavior). She also covers lifestyle interventions and key botanicals she’ll use concurrently when the need exists. And to top it off, Dr. Albina walks us through a lovely breathing exercise at the end of our conversation. It was one of the most grounding – and informative- podcasts I’ve done 😊, and I can’t wait to hear what you think. Leave us a review and 5-star rating on iTunes or wherever you listen to New Frontiers. Thank you! ~DrKF
Many of us in functional/integrative medicine have used organic acid testing for decades to identify nutrient, toxin, and genetic imbalances. I am proud that the lab I once worked in developed one of the original panels – still quite popular and in wide use today. Inspiration for organic acid testing came from inborn errors of metabolism research, where a handful of compounds are (still) measured in newborns to rule out severe genetic diseases. Flash forward to the “Omics” revolution: you know, the genome, the epigenome, exposome, microbiome, etc. We’re beyond the 42 organic acids of old, and moving closer to clinical metabolomics. For me, it's about time, to be honest. Metabolomics in the research setting has been happening for years, and today I talk with Betsy Redmond, PhD, on the ultimate metabolomic panel for clinicians and what that might look like: actionable, straightforward, and evidence-based. Perfect for the busy clinician, and satisfying for those who want a drill-down into the biochemistry. Thanks for listening, and please leave us a review wherever you listen to New Frontiers! ~DrKF
A nurse wakes in the night in profound anxiety, she can’t breathe, her first panic attack. Her husband is quarantined with COVID19; while she works the frontlines at a large hospital, witnessing what looks like the apocalypse. She begins a series of gentle, EFT Tapping exercises. After three brief rounds, she’s through the panic, able to once again relax. Nick Ortner is the CEO of The Tapping Solution, LLC, and my guest today on NFFM. Tapping is such a simple, elegant, immediate solution to the profound anxiety that comes with the out-of-control stress, fear and economic panic intrinsic in the COVID pandemic. With the Tapping Solution app (full access is available to healthcare providers for free), we can ground ourselves as needed. And for the data hounds among us (yes, that would be me); the app is tracking outcome. Over 1.5 million sessions have been conducted using the app. Regarding COVID19 specific exercises, Nick reports a couple of things: 1. Stress is at an all-time high 2. There is a daily average 45% reduction in the experience of stress after TAP exercises. You will enjoy this in-depth interview with Nick, and takeaway immediate tools to put to use for yourself and your patients. Let me know what you think, and please rate and review wherever you’re listening to New Frontiers.~DrKF
Dr. Alex Vasquez has been teaching clinicians, publishing articles, books, and also edits his own journal – for decades. If you know Alex, you know he’s a bright light – highly regarded in our field. You may also know he’s struggled with a “tough gut” for years; in fact, this is what brought him to integrative medicine. From our years teaching together, I know Dr. V is diligent – profoundly committed, actually – to trying/vetting/evolving integrative protocols for gut health (botanicals, diets, pharma, fiber combinations, gentle, aggressive), often receiving small measure of benefit. He’s used various protocols with his patients, case studies he often generously shares when teaching. But here’s the thing: when Dr. Vasquez says he experimented for a long time on himself, creating and tweaking, over and over, a fiber-centric product that resolved his gut issues, we shut up and listen, do we not? So that’s what this podcast is about: talking about a wonder product, designed primarily by Dr. Alex Vasquez, that will likely revolutionize our approach to treating tough guts (think refractory SIBO, dysbiosis, inflammation, permeability, etc). Furthermore, it looks like this program will balance metabolic irregularities and address weight loss resistance – all very exciting! I had a great conversation with Dr. Vasquez on the origin and design, and science behind this new intervention. I would LOVE to hear how you like it, what kind of results you’re getting, and if you decide to try it on your TOUGH gut patients. Listen and learn from Dr. V, and please share with your colleagues, and leave a review wherever you listen to New Frontiers. ~DrKF
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is used in all settings in China for COVID19, with preliminary outcome data very, very strong. Indeed, outcome data using TCM for prevention and treatment of SARS Cov1 was equally strong. Listen to one of the most important and timely conversations I’ve had to date on New Frontiers with Dr. John Chen, one of the world’s leading experts in TCM (with western pharma training). Framing TCM in language clear for the Western-trained clinician, and translating the early descriptive language, Dr. Chen (author of the seminal textbooks used in all the TCM training programs in the US) is actively following TCM in China, and shares his experience, insight, and observations with all of us. An incredible, and timely, conversation, worthy of your utmost attention. ~DrKF Dr. Chen, author of the seminal textbooks used in all the TCM training programs in the US is actively following TCM in China
We are all familiar with the Wahls Protocol. But how about the story behind the protocol? Did you know, for instance, that her director at U of Iowa (Terry is a clinician researcher) told her to write up herself as a case report? That was the first step. Her “N of 1”; then she wrote up a case series. Then she received a small grant and product for a slightly larger study. Then a million dollars. And now she’s heading into her largest study to date (yes, you will be able to refer patients). Listen to our New Frontiers conversation on how YOU as an FxMed clinician can contribute to the body of research demonstrating that: What. We. Do. Works. Terry and I also talk about behavioral change as THE MOST Important piece of the change journey. Hear how she supports it. This was by FAR one of my most treasured convos this year, and I appreciate you listening, commenting, giving us a 5-star review pretty please, and sharing with your colleagues! ~DrKF
Dr. Jocelyn Strand is the Director of Clinical Education at Bio-Botanical AND a great clinician herself. Prepare yourself: this is a very actionable podcast for clinicians using bioB. And for me, a huge pearl on refractory SIBO was unaddressed oral microbiome! In this episode of New Frontiers, learn how Dr. S addresses sibo using BB products. To test or not to test? And the underlying pathophysiology: tune in and listen to current thinking from a great clinician – she’s got to say and you’re going to learn a lot. Then, if you would be so kind, please leave us a rating and review wherever you listen to New Frontiers! I so appreciate your time and ears – thanks for listening! ~DrKF
This interview was, without doubt, one of the most moving for me. What Dr. Perlmutter and his son, Austin Perlmutter MD, have created is really nothing short of a revolution in returning us to our consciousness. It directly addresses one of the biggest elephants in the room – despite what we know to be good for us, good for others, good for the planet, why do we more often than not fall short of putting that knowledge into action? We. Are. Disconnected. As a people. As a world. Our prefrontal cortex allows us to engage in reflection, empathy and good decision making. However, when we lose the ability to engage our prefrontal cortex, we regress to a more primitive part of our brain – the amygdala – which fosters impulsivity, narcissism, and anger. It is virtually impossible to make the choices that we want to when our amygdala is in charge. And as we make those poorer choices – poor diet, less sleep, less exercise, more screen time – we reinforce our amygdala’s superior position. It’s a vicious cycle. In short, our modern world stacks the deck against us. And what can we do? Dr. Perlmutter gives us a unique lens through which to work with ourselves and our patients to start to support that prefrontal cortex connection. Tips to start to re-wire our neuronal circuitry in ways that will help us all make better choices. Be better people. ~DrKF
Dr. Jeff Gladd is a brilliant Fx/integrative physician who is PASSIONATE about all things Fx business. If there is ONE area I get more requests on, it’s business: setting up a practice, platform building, building a reputation, finding one’s focus and passion. Extra-clinic revenue streams. And mentorship: finding your tribe, building your collegial connection, moving off the island of medicine and into your tribe. With that in mind, Jeff – who is the CMO at Fullscript – and I have a tour-de-force convo on all of these topics. Learn about FS’s integrated EMR, our Clinic Immersion and Fx Residency programs, with top tips for building your brand. And so much more. Check out the shownotes for loads of links, references, downloads and more, and be sure to leave a review wherever you listen to New Frontiers! As always, thank you for listening!
As FxMed docs, we’re committed to working with the body’s own capacity for health. Dr. Josh Mitteldorf offers a contrarian strategy, one which he says is grounded in a new breed of evolutionary medicine. He tells us that diseases of old age are qualitatively different from the diseases we get when we’re younger, different because in old age, our bodies are part of the problem, not part of the solution. Aging, says Josh, is the body deliberately destroying itself (for the sake of the population), via inflammation and apoptosis and autoimmune diseases. In this interview, Josh and I find common ground talking about hormesis. In Josh’s theory, the fact that the body lives longer when stressed (e.g. caloric restriction) is proof that the body isn’t trying its hardest to stay young when it’s not stressed. It may sound like philosophy, but there are real consequences for the future of medicine. These are challenging ideas, so I’m eager to hear what you think, and be sure to leave a review wherever you listen to New Frontiers! Thank you! ~DrKF
A work horse laboratory in any functional medicine practice is stool testing. But really gleaning the best insight into our patient’s clinical picture can be tough. What do all of these commensal organisms really suggest? How do they correlate with the inflammatory findings? Of the bell weather bugs (like akkermansia) how can we increase levels? Is there ANY place for microscopy (O&P) and culture in today’s high throughput Omics world? You see where I’m headed. Even for the most seasoned FxMed clinician, a review of how to use these tests with an eye towards what to expect in new technology is essential. Disagreement with methods? Yes. Why? Zonulin Family Peptide – any utility? A great conversation with Dr. Michael Chapman of Genova Diagnostics. Thrilled with their commitment to in-house “data mining” and peer reviewed publication (IMO all of the Fx labs should be doing this). ~DrKF
Marvin Singh, MD is a practicing gastroenterologist with a focus in personalized lifestyle medicine. I met Marvin in 2017 when I was asked to submit a chapter to Oxford University Press Integrative Gastroenterology, 2nd Ed. Marvin has been coediting this behemoth with my IFM colleague Gerry Mullin, MD. (Full disclosure: very large props must go to Nikky Contractor, PhD for the heavy lifting on our chapter). Marvin’s evolution from a very traditional, academic gastroenterologist to integrative gastroenterologist to a cutting-the-edge personalized lifestyle medicine doctor (folded inside his own healing) is a story I think you’ll find interesting, and relatable. As we move through his story, I ping Dr. Singh on labs, interventions, books, all sorts of content – lots included, be sure not to miss this one. Brilliant guy, and I ‘d love to hear what you think! Be sure to rate, comment and review New Frontiers, wherever you listen to the podcast – I so appreciate you listening! ~DrKF
By far one of my most wide-ranging conversations on New Frontiers, Dr. Sara Gottfried and I set out to talk about her new book Brain, Body Diet and quickly headed north. Listen to our lively, personal, smart, heart-felt conversation as we dive into her experience using a continuous glucose monitor to address fairly severe nocturnal hypoglycemia, her thoughts on addictions and genetics, taming the dopamine-deprived COMTer, and lots of women’s health. You know that Sara is, of course, extraordinarily bright, but she’s also an open book in a lovely, inspiring way. For instance: How would a concussion, obtained through a dearth of self-care plus wine, lead to the Brain Body Diet? Besides the obvious connection, Sara describes a personal reckoning and rebirth that I can certainly relate to. If you are enjoying what you hear on NFFM, PLEASE leave a review wherever you’re accessing this podcast. ~DrKF
Take a second and think about this: what clinical presentation would prompt you to prescribe cognitive behavioral coaching, breathwork or meditation? Did GERD make your list? Along with gentle, but powerful botanicals and nutraceuticals (IT’s Motility Activator, DGL Chewables, Heartburn Advantage), these are cornerstone interventions for GERD in the practice of Victoria Albina, NP, MPH. Victoria operates from a patient empowerment position, believing that it’s essential for lasting change in a ubiquitous lifestyle condition such as GERD. We also cover epidemiology (30% incidence in the US), root causes, laboratory—and really interesting to me—the variable clinical presentations GERD can take. Finally, are PPIs .. safe? Victoria discusses a recent study that made the PR rounds. Take a listen, and be sure to like, comment and rate the podcast in iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you’re hearing my voice. Thank you! ~DrKF
Some of the most extraordinary work happening in medicine right now comes from the GrowBaby team of Leslie Stone, MD and her daughter, Emily Rydbom, CNS. In their mostly Medicaid model, they’ve adopted a systems approach to pregnancy, and thereby doing so, have remarkably improved outcomes. Their rates of autism, eczema, ADHD, premature labor, gestational diabetes and pregnancy-induced hypertension fall well, well below national averages. Learn about their unique program and outcome studies in this episode of New Frontiers. Of all the podcasts I’ve conducted over the years, this one hit home and is the most life-changing. Take a listen, be sure to review and rate us on iTunes or wherever you listen to New Frontiers, and as always, I so appreciate your time and energy! ~DrKF
If you’re practicing functional medicine, you’re aware of (and likely prescribing) the autoimmune paleo diet, pulling folks off of many foods, lowering carbs, reducing or eliminating lectins (and nightshades). In this terrific podcast with Dr. Datis Kharrazian, we talk about his research in stratifying who’s who with regard to autoimmunity. For example, Dr. K suspects that very roughly about 30% of his autoimmune patients are truly lectin sensitive; they tend to be those with arthritic musculoskeletal autoimmunity, most classically, RA. For many of these folks, lectins must be eliminated. However, lectin/nightshade elimination may not be required for, say, Hashimoto’s; although there IS a collection of potential cross reactive foods that could play a role in promoting antibody production (and removing will reduce ab production)…. Check out the podcast. And there are loads of citations (DK publishes only in open access journal.)Listen and learn, then PLEASE rate and comment on iTunes, or wherever you listen to New Frontiers! ~DrKF
Are you thinking about age management with your patients these days? I am. And I’m thinking about it regarding myself, quite frankly. To that end, I just had a tour-de-force conversation with clinician researcher Joe Raffaele, MD. Can we halt, or even reverse, the biological aging process? There are an extraordinary number of variables to consider here, but the take-home appears to be YES. Of course, FxMed is our foundation, but layer onto that telomere biology, and telomerase activation using innovative approaches such as the astragalus-derived molecule like the one found in TA-65, and some pretty impressive outcomes are possible, as we discuss. With over 5000 “N of 1’s” in his database, and principle investigator of a number of published clinical trials, Dr. Raffaele has plenty of experience on how we want to be addressing (and measuring) the aging journey. Generally, lifestyle interventions – such as those we’re doing in FxMed – will slow biological aging. But what about HALTING or even REVERSING biological aging? Listen to our convo on New Frontiers, and PLEASE be sure to comment and share wherever you listen to the podcast, and let us know what you think! ~DrKF
In this podcast of New Frontiers, I’m talking with Dr. Elisa Song, a functional medicine pediatrician and superb teacher. If you are practicing FxMed, you’re probably seeing more and more kids if your scope allows (even if you didn’t before). Kids need FxMed, yet there are arguably LESS pediatricians transitioning into FxMed than other disciplines. Thus, working with kids can come with questions – labs, dosing interventions. Listen as Dr. Song and I gallop through loads of foundational information (and we’ll provide more down the road – a blog, another podcast – we’ll see) as this is a huge, important area for us. Here, the bulk of our time on New Frontiers is on PANS/PANDAS: how to identify, and what to do. Both are forms of infection-triggered autoimmune encephalitis. Take a listen, and be sure to comment on iTunes or wherever you’re listening. I’d love to learn your thoughts! ~DrKF
As a clinician interested in participating in research, it’s very exciting to see others jumping into the research conversation, too. Today I talk to Dr. Erik Lundquist, who heads a large, integrative clinic out in Southern California. Erik recently completed a clinical pilot study looking at the use of SPMs (just 2 gelcaps per day) in patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia (Dr. Lundquist reports that the bulk of these patients have underlying mold exposure or Lyme as the primary etiology for FMS). While labs and pain scores didn’t improve markedly in the population, there was a clear, statistically significant jump in quality of life for these folks. In fact, Dr. L suspects that the increased movement and engagement in life probably influenced the lack of drop in pain. And further, Dr. L pointed out that standard labs such as CRP were NOT elevated at baseline in the chronic mold/Lyme population. Listen to the details, and Erik’s story. If you are wanting to participate in clinical research yourself, I’d love to hear about it, and, as always, I appreciate you listening and ask that you please rate, comment and share New Frontiers with your colleagues! ~DrKF
Once upon a time, in a pre-antibiotic world, bacteriophages were a hot research topic in this country and elsewhere. In the 1940’s, Eli Lilly had seven OTC bacteriophage products available – good for everything from abscesses to URIs and mastoiditis. However, with the advent of antibiotics, the research into and use of phages ceased in the US. But in the age of antibiotic resistance, we’re back at phage research, and its wildly interesting and extremely important to explore. Phages are bacterial viruses that invade and kill bacterial cells: an obvious answer to antibiotic resistance. Listen to my conversation on New Frontiers with phage scientists Paul Turner and Benjamin Chan of The Paul Turner Laboratory at Yale University, get the background on all things phage research, and hear a handful of inspiring case reports from “pond to bench to bedside” as Drs. Turner and Chan like to say. Sit back and listen to this terrific podcast, and be sure to comment on iTunes, share with your colleagues, and let me know your thoughts! ~DrKF
Compounding pharmacies: SO essential to the FxMed clinician’s toolkit. Compounding individualized prescriptions are at the heart of what we do, and on this podcast of New Frontiers, I am delighted to talk to Michelle Violi, Pharm. D, of Women’s International Pharmacy. Located in Wisconsin and Arizona, but serving clinicians and patients everywhere, WIP has been compounding bioidentical hormones for decades. Join our conversation, where we cover the background of WIP, their commitment to education (patients and clinicians; how to access), regulation of compounding pharmacies (its rather extraordinary), how to pick a good compounding pharmacy (check for PCAB status), and of course, we talk about hormones, too. Listen and give us a review on iTunes, or wherever you listen to New Frontiers! ~DrKF
In this episode of New Frontiers, Dr. Fitzgerald talks with Dr. Perlmutter about the best strategies for preventing and slowing cognitive decline, and how his thinking about preventive lifestyle strategies has evolved since he published his first book Grain Brain.
I enjoy discussing all things nutritional biochemistry, and few minds are more engaging to chat with than David Quig, PhD, VP of Scientific Support at Doctor’s Data. In this NFFM podcast, we’re drilling down into the laboratory assessment of methylation and sulfuration. As Dr. Quig makes clear (yet again)--- while we might make some *basic* inferences around methylation activity by looking at a person’s SNPs, SNPs are not our destiny (thank God!). Ultimately, SNP assessment doesn’t hold a candle to direct assessment of key methylation intermediates. And indeed, we often find our biochemistry- i.e. what is actually happening in the body at any given time—is very, very different from what our SNP patterns suggest we might find. You’re going to want to hear what he has to say, so settle in because you’re going to learn a lot. And you’re not going to want miss the valuable downloads in the shownotes! ~DrKF
A huge, constant question we get from clinicians and patients is: what to do about refractory SIBO? Patients want hope, clinicians want to successfully resolve… Listen to my podcast to discover what one of the greatest minds thinks about all this and more. Dr. Steven Sandberg-Lewis, co-founder with Dr. Allison Siebecker of the National University of Natural Medicine SIBO Center – one of only four centers in the US dedicated to diagnosis, treatment, education and research, is a longtime naturopathic physician and perennially popular professor of gastroenterology at NUNM. In this NFFM episode, DrSSL covers less commonly explored reasons for SIBO, including hiatal hernia syndrome, ileocecal valve syndrome, adhesions & scar tissue and hypochlorydria. Learn signs/symptoms (often unexpected), diagnosis and treatment for these all-too-often missed underlying issues. FYI – great downloads in the shownotes too – the “common causes of SIBO” PDF is essential, IMO. Be sure to rate, like, comment, and share our podcasts! Thanks always! ~DrKF
What’s the best way to test hormones? That is the key question that drove Mark Newman to create the DUTCH test. DUTCH stands for Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones and it gives clinicians a robust picture of a patient’s hormone levels and functioning. DUTCH tests are used by many leading functional medicine practitioners, including hormone expert Sara Gottfried, MD. Here, Dr. Kara Fitzgerald talks with Mark Newman about the advantages of using the DUTCH test, the strengths and limitations of lab testing in general, and how to interpret results. If you’re a clinician who relies on lab testing in your practice, you won’t want to miss it.
One of the bright lights in the naturopathic/FxMed world, Dr. Lyn Patrick has devoted much of her career to training physicians in environmental medicine. She’s got loads of exquisitely valuable information, and I spent every inch of our hour together mining as much as I can for you. Take a listen and let me know what you think.
Lyme disease (and co-infections) can be tough to treat. The Lyme spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, has adopted loads of devilishly clever cloaking devices – from thriving in biofilm to existing in pleomorphic forms – to ensure survival despite aggressive treatment. Enter botanical therapy. With or without concurrent antibiotics, botanical combinations are an essential component of the FxMed clinician’s toolkit.
DSL’s GI-MAP stool test is, as CEO Tony Hoffman states, “a clinician diagnostic tool;” it’s not a microbiome test. Yes, of course the GI-MAP looks at the microbiome, but it's not a broad sweep of the myriad of bugs taking up residence. Rather, it’s a carefully curated investigation of organisms with demonstrated imbalance potential, be it pathogenic or dysbiotic in nature. The test is designed to be user-friendly, interpreted rapidly, logically, providing clearly actionable data that, when addressed, gets results. I’ve known Tony for years; we were both involved in the development of the first stool test using PCR analysis offered to clinicians. He’s brilliant, fun to listen to, and offers loads of pearls in this conversation. Take a listen, share, comment, and let us know what you think!
A wide body of research—not to mention centuries of use in Chinese medicine—has shown the power of medicinal mushrooms in promoting health, and no one knows more about the cultivation, manufacture, and distribution of supplemental mushrooms in modern integrative health care than Jeff Chilton. The president of Nammex, one of the biggest medicinal mushroom extract companies in the nutritional supplement industry, Jeff talks with Dr. Fitzgerald in this episode of New Frontiers about how mushrooms are grown and cultivated (and why that matters for supplement quality) and how clinicians and consumers can tell if mushroom supplements contain any actual medicinal value or not.
Dr. Deanna Minich preaches: Eat a rainbow. Why? There are over 700 carotenoids found in plants – all bioactive, and generally pleotropic (ie: they do more than one thing in the body). We don’t need tons of any single carotenoid, and indeed – if anyone recalls the beta carotene smoker study from the early 2000’s, too much of a single compound could arguably be toxic. But variety is essential. And amazingly, certain groups of carotenoid colors favor certain organs. Think “orange for ovaries”; blue for brain and green for heart. Listen to my riveting conversation with Dr. Deanna Minich as she shares her own healing journey from endometriosis and how color, plant medicine and spirit converged…. carotenoid science to artist. Variety. ‘Bridging the gap between science, soul and art’ in medicine. And hear about the Scio and how you can test your food nutrient density in this cool, cutting edge, handheld device – and loads MORE! There are 25,000 plant phytonutrients that we are aware of, and probably many, many more that we are not. Listen to this revealing podcast with the incredible Dr. Deanna Minich, and be sure to comment, give a thumbs up, and share with a friend!
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is an urgent, often unrecognized concern. It’s the hepatic pandemic of the 21stcentury, and there is NO approved pharmaceutical therapy (the race is on, however…). Fortunately for us, there is MUCH we can do in functional medicine – indeed, our toolkit is powerfully effective in turning around NAFLD and even NASH – the next step progression. Listen to my conversation with my good friend and longtime colleague Dr. Robert Rountree (finally on NFFM!). Bob outlines the scope of the problem (did you know 80% of obese kids are at risk?) how to evaluate for it, and most importantly: what to do. This was such a content-dense discussion, I am most grateful Bob has made his full powerpoint deck available to you for download. Take a listen to the podcast, then circle back to the deck for all the specific details on what to do.
Dr. Joel Evans – you probably know him as long-time IFM faculty teaching in the Advanced Practice Hormone Module. He’s also donned a newish hat as KBMO’s Medical Director. Dr. Evans loves the FIT test for delayed hypersensitivities to foods, and states that the addition of complement fragment C3d to their test significantly reduced the incidence of false positive results found on standard IgG testing. Listen to our convo on the FIT test, how he’s using it in practice, who he uses the test on, and why its essential in preconception planning. Also: this just in! We’re the first to hear about his study using KBMO vs healthy diet on 100 individuals with IBS – get the outcome data here.
The centrality of gut health in overall health cannot be overstated, and for many years researchers and practitioners have encouraged probiotic use to promote gut health. But their recommendations have been based on early and inchoate research. Today, several decades after the emergence of gut health as the ground zero of overall health, science has been able to correlate specific bacterial strains with specific health outcomes—and one man has spent years anthologizing all that research and making it available to practitioners and patients. Dr. Jason Hawrelak is a scientist, educator, and naturopathic physician. He’s one of the leading experts in microbiota manipulation and the use of specific strains for specific conditions. He is also the creator of probioticsadvisor.com, where practitioners and patients can access information about specific bacterial strains. Check out my conversation with Dr Hawrelak on NFFM. I am thrilled to be introduced to his work (have referred folks to him already), and so appreciate his dedication to crunching the data for us clinicians on Probioticadvisor.com.
In my Tour de Force conversation with the brilliant Dr. Theoharis Theoharides, we covered all things mast cells, from “bench to bedside.” In case you have not yet encountered his work yet, he is one of the most highly decorated, well-published clinician researchers in the world. The focus of his life’s work has been on all things mast cells, and mast cell associated conditions. Given the meteoric rise in said conditions (and our improved understanding of the role of mast cells in most chronic diseases), as clinicians, we need to understand how to diagnose and treat. Buckle up for this podcast, and get your pen and pad ready – the depth and breadth of Dr. T’s knowledge requires careful listening. Give a listen, then give a thumbs up for this brilliant, generous clinician!
Some of our most popular podcasts have been with Dr. Corey Schuler: he’s down-to-earth, practical in his approach to patient care, and very evidence-informed. And today is no exception! Join me and Corey as he talks through his “4 Pillar” approach to treating anxiety and depression. He discusses the multifactorial biochemical underpinnings of both conditions, his assessment tools (including labs), treatment (for acute presentations, chronic and co-managing those on pharma) and expectations of outcome. You won’t find the usual arsenal of natural therapeutics in Corey’s approach – he rarely uses 5HTP or St. Johns Wort – rather, he starts with full functional medicine and drills down into his 4 Pillars to determine next steps. We chat on new research – I think you’ll be impressed – and citation links are in show notes – including a recent study on Theracumin for memory and mood. Give us a thumbs up, leave a comment, and let us know what you think! ~ DrKF
It’s not often that I get to spend an hour chatting with a busy clinician on pearls learned over years of practice. In today’s podcast, I’m talking with long time integrative medical clinician and anti-aging expert Lynne Mielke, MD about her approach to bioidentical hormones and why the Precision Analytical DUTCH is her preferred test for assessing HRT response. It’s her experience that the “gold standard” blood tests often lead to over-prescribing, and she commonly finds herself initiating tapers for those patients who come to her already on biHRT. Lynne also shares with us her journey to integrative medicine- as a psychiatrist, she faced the limitations of her training when her son was diagnosed with autism. As she puts it, she entered another world as she dove into integrative, biomedical treatments for autism decades ago: “Given the complexity of spectrum disorders, If you know how to treat them, you know integrative medicine.” From there, she leaped into anti-aging medicine, as parents of autistic children sought her care. Dr. Mielke discusses her transition into practicing integrative medicine, and what her clinic looks like today. ~DrKF
Dr. Mona Morstein has focused the bulk of her career on treating all types of diabetes (DM). In late 2017, she published the a superb 500+ page very well-referenced book on the topic, titled Master Your Diabetes: A Comprehensive, Integrative Approach for Both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. Despite written in layman language, clinicians will find it meaty enough to be useful in practice – I especially like the sections on DM complications. In our conversation, we look at the four main types of diabetes, discuss etiology and epidemiology of types 1 and 2. We discuss standard labs, including the limitations of A1C, and the utility of the GlycoMark test. Learn how she does a glucose/insulin tolerance test and specialty lab testing considerations in patient management, managing the microbiome, intestinal permeability, food sensitivities. Diets: Dr. M recommends a very low carbohydrate diet (VLCD), but we had a great sidebar convo on the paradox of VLCD and vegan macrobiotic diets demonstrating equally good outcome – learn why Dr. Morstein suspects that is. Toxins, particularly POPs, but also metals, play a huge role in ushering in diabetes – learn how she’s evaluating and treating. We discuss nutraceutical interventions, medications – what she’s using and why. Of course, no conversation on DM is complete without discussing the influence on lifestyle. An interesting point Mona makes is that the program of treatment must be doable and relatively stress-free. Please give this terrific podcast a thumbs up and share if you like it as much as I think you will, and as always, let me know your thoughts!
If you’ve listened to my podcasts, you surely know that I love what I do. And my podcast with Dr. Stephen Sinatra is no exception. One of my most inspiring conversations to date, Dr. Sinatra is, as you know, a pioneer in the field of integrative cardiology. Hear about his remarkable, very early transition to integrative cardiology, including pivotal encounters with patients and scientists that shaped his thinking; his gutsy, hospital grand rounds presentations on the use of CoQ10 for heart failure patients, and the story of my mom working as a cardiac nurse with him during his fellowship. While Sinatra doesn’t maintain an active medical practice anymore, he still goes into his office often “to see how my former heart failure patients are doing. I don’t charge them. I just want to check in” He talked about a 9 year old boy he saw with florid heart failure. That boy is 32 years old now, and doing great. He was involved in designing the treatment plan for the now oldest-living person with tetralogy of Fallot. What did he prescribe? The “fearsome foursome”: CoQ10, magnesium, ribose and carnitine. At 73 years old, the first heart failure patient he prescribed CoQ10 to (10mg TID!) is alive and well. We move through loads of research on nutrients (yes, we discussed K2) diets, fats and what we need to be doing for ourselves, our families and our patients. Update: Dr. Sinatra and I spent a chuck of time on the famous PREDIMED study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2013. PREDIMED garnered much attention by validating the use of a Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil or mixed nuts for reducing incidence of cardiovascular disease in persons at high risk. Interestingly, the day we recorded, news broke that the PREDIMED was retracted. However, the study authors re-published the PREDIMED in NEJM June, 2018 with compromising data omitted. The findings remained similar to the original PREDIMED. Listen to Dr. Jeff Bland discuss the details.
Endotoxemia. A fundamental driver of chronic disease. What is it? And more importantly, what do we do to address it? In my podcast with Dr. Jill Carnahan this month, she unleashes a torrent of compelling science and clinical savvy on all things endotoxemia. From heart disease and diabetes to autoimmunity (genetic or acquired) and mast cell activation, Dr. Carnahan is clear that pathological intestinal permeability (she discusses testing, but at this point in her career believes most everyone who sees her with chronic disease has IP) drives inflammation by allowing excess microbial endotoxins- primarily as lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- to enter circulation. Focused on root cause functional medicine (toxins, diet, infection, genetics), she concurrently heals the gut to drop the inflammatory burden. A key intervention for Jill is sugar-free, GMO-free, serum-derived bovine immunoglobulin (SBI), and we spend quite a bit of time on why SBI is crucial. With 43 human trials behind it, if you are not using SBI yet, you’ll be compelled to start, I suspect. We also have a fun dialogue on the role of fatty acids and toll-like receptor activation, connected directly to LPS. Jill shares a handful of very compelling case vignettes AND talks candidly about how she set up an extremely successful functional medicine practice and positioned herself as an expert in the field. And let me know: will you be changing how you prescribe high fat diets based on the research we discuss?
Anxiety can get in the way of patients achieving their health goals—especially when a practitioner recommends significant lifestyle and nutrition changes. Patients may feel suffocated by the new regimen and then make changes for a while but revert back—or they may not make them at all. The Emotional Freedom Technique, also known as tapping, can help patients ease anxiety and better achieve their health goals. It can also help with the subjective experience of pain or be used in service of a specific health goal, like overcoming weight loss resistance. In this podcast, Dr. Fitzgerald talks to Jessica Ortner, author of The Tapping Solution for Weight Loss & Body Confidence, about how tapping could help patients in a functional-medicine clinic setting. And, together, they walk step-by-step through a round of tapping so listeners can hear how it’s done (and follow along).
After suffering through a lengthy Lyme infection himself (with classic presentation), which initially responded to antibiotics but didn’t resolve the infection, Dr. Darin Ingels went on a years-long quest to recover, returning to naturopathic principles and discovering essential less-used protocols. The results are in his book: The Lyme Solution: A 5-Part Plan to Fish the Inflammatory Autoimmune Response and Beat Lyme Disease (Penguin Random House), and he has been treating patients with Lyme and co-infections successfully since then. In this clinical pearl dense podcast, Dr. Ingels pulls from his experience as a clinical microbiologist by training, to share what he is doing today in practice – from labs that work and those that don’t, using immunotherapy, the association with mold allergy and mycotoxicity, to botanical protocols and when to use antibiotics. While he doesn’t use the word “functional,” it’s clear that his approach to Lyme embraces a full functional approach, and that addressing the whole person, and their environment, is essential to recovery.
Wow! What a great conversation with Dr. Valter Longo, director of USC’s Longevity Institute. It’s always exciting to talk to someone in the trenches of bench and clinical research, especially a rock-star like Valter Longo! You can hear my nerves as we begin ☺, yet there’s much to learn about Dr. Longo’s journey from a Blue Zone upbringing in Italy to music major to biochemisty major to leading expert in articulating the biochemical and genetic underpinnings of the aging process. Dr. Longo was a post-doc under Dr. Roy Walford – famous for his research on caloric restriction and longevity. While Walford’s work – famously the 2-year Biosphere study conducted on humans – yielded remarkable improvements in chronic diseases, there were many side effects. The limitations of the human Biosphere study prompted Dr. Longo to turn his attention to longevity in single-celled organisms (S. Cervascie, specifically), then animal studies, and most recently humans. Longo designed his short term fasting mimicking diet (FMD), which does away with the fallouts he observed in long term caloric restriction. We cover a lot of great material in this conversation – and Dr. Longo makes compelling points against the unfettered use of MCT and exogenous ketones. Take a listen and let me know what you think!
Yes, hemp & marijuana are major providers of cannabinoids, and in the FxMed space, we are extremely excited about this potent family of bioactive molecules. In particular, we are looking at CBD for indications ranging from pain to mood, inflammation, memory and more. Turns out the endocannabinoid system (ECS) extends body-wide, and similarly, phytocannabinoid sources extend far beyond hemp and marijuana. Listen to my conversation with Dr. Jacqueline Jacques, Senior VP with THORNE – and tour the ECS and the use of phytocannabinoids from hemp, rosemary, clove, black pepper and even hops, whose constituents have an “entourage” effect on the ECS, along with other commonly prescribed compounds including diindolylmethane, ginseng, echinacea. It strikes me as extremely logical we’d be thinking about using phytocannabanoids with most of our patients and ourselves – probably PCs are foundational interventions not dissimilar to the regularly prescribed essential fatty acids. We get the inside scoop on all this and more in New Frontiers! Take a listen and let me know what you think:
In my conversation with Mark Hyman on his new NYT best seller, Food: What the Heck Should I Eat?, we discuss the myriad challenges consumers face in figuring out the correct diet, but also, what WE as clinicians caring for patients – what do we prescribe? What do the data show? Are grains really verboten? Is dairy completely off-the-plate? What about meat? And fats/cholesterol and the APOE4 patient? Mark enlightens me to the new “regenerative agriculture” movement; going far beyond organic, regenerative agriculture regenerates the environment while providing good, clean food. Amazing, right? He also addresses the common price complaint. What is the cost of eating clean vs eating conventional? We also go behind the scenes to address the insidious agribusiness at the heart of US policy, and chat about Steven Savage’s recent take-down of Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen Clean Fifteen lists. This was such a fun convo for me, and as always, Mark is doing great detective work getting to the heart of concerns around diet and the ecology of eating. Take a listen, I bet you’ll be as intrigued as I was.
I am thrilled and honored to podcast with Dr. Randy Jirtle. The field of epigenetics has exploded in the last decade, initiated almost exclusively by the groundbreaking research of Randy and his colleague Robert Waterland. Their 2003 study on the effects of nutrition on epigenetic gene regulation in agouti mice is the most cited paper in the history of science, and his trailblazing discoveries have expanded our understanding of human health and the etiology of disease. Listen to my fascinating conversation with Dr. Randy Jirtle.
A lot of scientific discoveries are borne out of serendipitous moments where a brilliant idea and unmet need collide. Such is the case with one of my all-time favorite “workhorse” botanical combination products, Biocidin. Listen to Dr. Rachel Fresco, founder and president of Bio-Botanical Research, talk about the story of Biocidin, the decades of interesting and on-going in-vivo and in-vitro research, and loads of clinical reports demonstrating efficacy. Also hear about Bio-Botanical’s suite of other no less creative products, including Oliverex, Proflora4R and GI Detox. In my practice, Biocidin is a work horse botanical combination I use ALL the time. It’s well-tolerated, and being a liquid formulation, I can dose low and slow or high and aggressively as I need to. Listen to my conversation with Dr. Rachel Fresco here!
Why would Precision Analytical, the laboratory famous for the ground-breaking DUTCH test (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones) and Cortisol Awakening Response test, decide to offer a handful of key organic acids on their panel (incidentally, at no extra charge)? The answers will wow you in this terrific podcast with Dr. Carrie Jones, Medical Director at PA. Turns out, looking at compounds such as homovanillic acid, vanillmadilic acid, 5HIAA, pyroglutamate, 8OH2DG and xanthurenate have LOADS to do with our sex hormones and our HPA axis at many different levels. As usual, Dr. Jones provides fun analogies (how does a trampoline explain perimenopause?), clinically useful information on test interpretation and on intervention considerations. Don’t miss it.
Join me for an interesting, clinician-friendly conversation on the gut/thyroid axis with Dr. Mike Ruscio. Dr. Ruscio challenges both conventional understanding (where the gut/thyroid relationship isn’t recognized outside the research setting) and in the functional medicine world, where he argues we are often over-treating and over-testing thyroid function. What is the thyroid adrenal relationship? What should we expect with regard to thyroid antibodies and successful treatment? What should we be thinking about with regard to gut health when diagnosing and treating thyroid disease? Listen to this great New Frontiers episode where we dive deep into all this and more!
When Chris Kresser, M.S., L.Ac, was in his early twenties, he traveled the world surfing and learning to meditate. Along the way, he fell ill — and when he returned to the States he discovered that the conventional medical paradigm had little to offer when it came to treating complex, chronic illness. So he embarked on his own healing journey, studying acupuncture and Chinese medicine and learning about ancestral health. Today he is a globally recognized leader in the fields of functional and integrative medicine. In this podcast, he talks with Dr. Fitzgerald about being one of the first holistic practitioners to establish a solid online presence; why blogging and writing about functional, ancestral, and integrative approaches to health matter today more than ever; and how the current medical paradigm needs to be reinvented both to prevent and reverse chronic disease and to prevent the collapse of the entire healthcare system. His new book Unconventional Medicine is available now.
Small-intestinal bacterial overgrowth, or SIBO, is notoriously hard to treat. Patients often experience persistent bloating—and even when they find relief, symptoms can return months later, seemingly out of the blue. After struggling to help patients feel better using the tools of conventional gastroenterology, Dr. Ken Brown began to research compounds that could effectively treat SIBO-related bloating. The result of his work is Atrantil, the only all-natural formulation for treating SIBO-related bloating. In this podcast, Dr. Fitzgerald talks to Dr. Brown about dosing and treating patients with Atrantil, when to run further tests, and what other treatments can be used in conjunction with Atrantil to get the best results.
JJ Virgin was a well-known fitness and nutrition expert and author of several books when her son was hit by a car and severely injured. The doctors told her to prepare for the worst; they didn’t expect him to make it through the night. But, Grant lived. And JJ’s insistence on making sure he had access to both conventional and functional medical care is the reason why. She became an expert on the essential interventions for severe traumatic brain injury and insisted on their use during his recovery. In this podcast, the four-time New York Times bestselling author tells the story of her son’s accident and recovery, talks about her newest book, Miracle Mindset, and shares amazing clinical pearls on treating traumatic brain injury with functional interventions. In this podcast, you’ll hear JJ’s list of essential interventions for severe traumatic brain injury, including CBD oil with omega 3’s Essential oils, lavender combination (find details at www.grantvirgin.com) Autologous stem cell therapy (stem cell revolution) Progesterone/hormone balancing Prayer Diet Very high dose omega-3 fatty acids (up to 20 grams) Amino acids (higher dose branched-chain amino acids to prevent catabolism) Hyperbaric oxygen therapy The power of mindset Avoiding hospital food
Elemental Diets have a long therapeutic use history for myriad GI issues. EDs allow the gut to take a break from the hard work of digestion, offering the GI tract a chance for renewal and repair. They have been shown to help with a variety of conditions, including SIBO, IBS, non-specific intestinal inflammation, and autoimmunity, including IBD (among others). In this podcast, the director of clinical affairs for Integrative Therapeutics, Dr. Corey Schuler, answers some of the most frequently asked questions about using the Elemental Diet with patients, from how to use it while simultaneously treating other conditions (like fungal overgrowth or severe vitamin D deficiency) to creative ways to help patients stick to a challenging eating protocol.
Mark Newman is the founder Precision Analytical and the developer of the DUTCH test, one of the most accurate and patient-friendly measures of sex hormones on the market. The test eliminates the need for multiple types of testing by using dried urine to measure sex hormones, hormone metabolites, and free cortisol. Free cortisol is a key indicator of the health of the HPA axis — and having that measure, alongside a measure of sex hormones and their metabolites, gives providers more information so they can achieve better clinical outcomes. The test can be especially valuable in complex cases. Now, Mark has developed DUTCH Plus with Cortisol Awakening Response and he talks with Dr. Fitzgerald about the new test, testing best practices, and the most cost effective tests for patients.
Tumor cells have more insulin receptors than healthy cells, so they preferentially metabolize glucose. When you cut off the glucose supply to tumor cells, they struggle to make the fuel they need to proliferate. The ketogenic diet sharply limits the glucose that reaches tumor cells (while providing other anticancer benefits), and animal studies (and one small but seminal human study) have shown promise in using the ketogenic diet as an adjunctive treatment for cancer. Author of the new book, Keto for Cancer, Miriam Kalamian, EdM, MS, CNS, talks with Dr. Fitzgerald about the how ketogenic eating for cancer differs from other keto and low-carb protocols and outlines specific steps for pacing a keto protocol for the specific needs of cancer patients.
Dr. Terry Wahls was a practicing primary care physician when she was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS. Despite treatment at some of the finest medical institutions in the United States, her health progressively declined until she could no longer walk. When she discovered functional medicine, she made a rapid turnaround. Soon she wasn’t just walking again, she was doing 20-mile bike rides. Today, Dr. Wahls conducts research using variations of her protocol, including intensive directed nutrition, progressive exercise programs, electrical stimulation, and the use of dietary supplements for patients with MS. She conducts her research at the Iowa VA, through the University of Iowa and is supported through grassroots fundraising. In this episode of New Frontiers in Functional Medicine, Dr. Wahls talks with Dr. Fitzgerald about her physical and spiritual transformation — and how other patients with chronic conditions can realize similar results.
I went to school with Dr. Hilary Andrews. She graduated before me, but I recall her then—she had a reputation for brilliance (and was voted class valedictorian, incidentally). Hilary applied that brilliance to childhood health and nutrition, which inevitably included investigation around vaccine safety. Flash forward to current time, Hilary continues to research and lecture extensively on the topic of immunization. She’s developed a number of CE courses available for clinicians. Make no mistake: Dr. Andrews recognizes the profound benefits of immunization-from the virtual elimination of polio, to the exciting work in cancer. However, Dr. Andrews also recognizes among other things, that one immunization schedule does not fit all. And that optimizing baby’s health, including supporting immune system maturation, ensuring nutrient sufficiency, and adequate detoxification capacity, is essential to ensure the safest, most effective response.
Small Intestinal Microbial Overgrowth: A Conversation with Dr. Vincent Pedre, MD IFMCP All microbes, not just bacteria, can contribute to problems in the small intestines. Today more than ever, we see patients with hard-to- treat gut problems. Dr. Pedre brings his own gut healing journey and Functional Medicine background to the table to talk to us about treating patients with SIBO-or as he likes to call it-SIMO, which encompasses microbes beyond bacteria and includes the oft-overlooked fungal piece of the puzzle. Dr. Pedre shares loads of treatment pearls from his gut-centric practice, but reminds us that any protocol must be individualized for the person sitting in front of us.
Dr. Carrie Jones and I went to medical school (National College of Natural Medicine) together. She was a brilliant, awesome friend then, and still is. What a privilege it’s been to watch her grow into the expert she is today. As you’ll see in her bio, Dr. Jones has been focused on women’s health and hormones her entire career which has spanned academia, clinical practice and now as the chief medical officer at Precision Analytical, home of the DUTCH dried urine hormone panel. Given Carrie’s background, she’s uniquely suited to train us on using the DUTCH panel, as she’s literally interpreted thousands of these tests over the years. Her podcast is chock full of Monday morning pearls of the best kind- actionable content I think you’ll appreciate and use immediately.
Dr. Corey Schuler is a man of many talents- an educator as well as a practitioner in integrative and functional medicine. In today’s podcast, Dr. Schuler will be wearing his nutritionist hat as we discuss individually designed elemental diets. Some of the applications we cover will be well-known to practitioners and patients alike. Others don’t have precedent in clinical practice but listen to this expert as he walks you through the critical thinking he calls on to come up with new and novel ways to use elemental diets to heal a number of conditions.
As you probably know, stem cell therapy outside of the research setting is the Wild West. It’s offered everywhere, here and outside of the US (there’s a whole “stem cell tourism trade”). Radical claims are made routinely without much evidence or oversight. Pricing for therapy, and protocols used, vary widely, although anyone (even those participating in research trials) can expect to spend thousands of dollars. Given that my patient has MS, I reached out to Dr. Terry Wahls and asked if she had any insight into a direction for us. She suggested I look into a massive, years-long multi-center clinical trial using stromal vascular fractions (AKA adipose-derived stem cells and growth factors) for a variety of conditions, including MS. The first publication from this study out February 2017, focusing on safety of SVF over 5 years, demonstrated a very low number of adverse events, and significant improvement in pain rating in a variety of musculoskeletal diseases. (N =1524)
In general, I am a fan of IgG food sensitivity testing. While we can in some cases manage just fine using a standard elimination and challenge protocol, IgG testing can benefit patients in a few ways, such as: providing motivating data, individualizing the foods needing to be removed and identify less-common antigenic foods. However, if you are using IgG food sensitivity testing in practice, you’ve no doubt encountered false negatives and positives. (Indeed, you may have abandoned IgG testing for these reasons!) Dr. Brent Dorval, through a rather remarkable epiphany during his post-doctorate work, formed the hypothesis that testing for IgG/food immune complexes, along with the specific complement protein (C3d) that induces the inflammatory response, would increase the reliability of the test considerably. After a number of years of bench and clinical research, Brent finalized the methodology for his assay (now called the FIT Test, offered through KBMO Diagnostics) and the rest is history. Tune into our podcast for an overview on IgG food sensitivity testing (great if you are new to using this laboratory test, or an individual interested in this testing), and specific details about the unique FIT test, including case studies. See the links below for all the info on the FIT Test, including his current publication. Stay tuned for more research in the pipeline!
Functional hypochlorhydria is a condition we see so often, yet Prilosec is a top ten medication: what’s the disconnect? Probiotics: which ones, how much, combo or single strain? What does the research really show probiotics are actually doing? Is there any truth to probiotics colonizing the GI tract? And what about soil-based probiotics, any reason to be jumping on that bandwagon? What is the correct lab test for identifying pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI), and what is the optimal range? Is there any utility to testing fecal fats? What enzymes (vegetarian or animal-based), botanicals and other interventions are appropriate for addressing PEI?
Have you been wondering what you should really do with the 23andme genetic data that you’ve gathered? Wondering if you should even take the test at all? Or wondering what the future of genetic/epigenetic medicine is? This podcast is for you. I am especially excited to bring you this conversation with epigenetic legend, Dr. Moshe Szyf. The study of epigenetics is continually breaking new ground in understanding how our environment dramatically influences our gene expression. With myriad published research studies and his ongoing work, Dr. Szyf is at the forefront in shaping this evolution. The power of epigenetics to alter the course of our health is compelling, and I hope you will enjoy the discussion we had, which I hope will be one of many.
Thanks to Dr. Susan Blum, functional medicine has even more to offer for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). She shares new insights about RA’s underlying causes, details what goes missed in treatment plans, and gives practical tips for mining data from stool tests, utilizing functional blood markers, and combining herbs and probiotics to reverse processes that other practitioners may think are permanent
Fibromyalgia can be a particularly difficult condition to address conventionally, but Functional Medicine really has a lot to offer here. In this podcast, we mine the wealth of information that Dr. David Brady brings to the table on this important topic, including: · The signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia and how it is diagnosed (previously-defined tender points are no longer used!) – see also Dr. Brady’s questionnaire at www.fibrofix.com · What other mimicking conditions need to be considered or ruled out · How fibromyalgia differs from chronic fatigue syndrome—vastly different disorders that are commonly confused · Why not all pain is driven by inflammation · How not to fall into the trap of only looking at mitochondrial dysfunction · Organic acids, catecholamines, food reactivity and other relevant labs for assessment and tracking · Childhood and adult stress patterns in (especially female-dominated) fibromyalgia, and how that factors into interventions · Additional intervention options such as sleep support, energy pathways, detox, exercise, diet, immune balancing to reset metabolic patterns and promote recovery
Dr. Cabeca is a wealth of information and inspiration when it comes to women’s health. I am delighted to share my conversation with her this month, in which you’ll learn about: - How Dr. Cabeca transitioned from performing multiple surgeries per week, to only needing to recommend a handful per year with a functional medicine approach - The best lab tests and specimens for hormone assessment - The importance of liquid chromatography mass spectrometry for serum free testosterone measures - Factors to be aware of that can confound hormone testing results - Estrogen metabolites and the importance of methylation assessment - The sweet spot of keto-alkaline status for sex hormone balance, cortisol management, mental clarity, insulin sensitivity and weight loss (target pH of 7, and some ketones 3+ days per week) - The benefits of vaginal testosterone and DHEA for tissue repair and incontinence - Watching out for behavior change with testosterone to ensure appropriate dosing and saving marriages! - Addressing vaginal dryness with safe oils and DHEA, diet and lifestyle
Everyone is abuzz with Functional Medicine these days- the IFM Certification process is humming along, and record numbers of clinicians are making the transition to this amazing and satisfying practice. But what about the business of FxMed? Ahhhh! Daunting! Arguably, the establishment of a financially successful FxMed practice is a top concern on many of our minds. How do we make our practices grow and thrive without blowing out our HPA axis? This month’s podcast is with Dr. Dan Kalish, CEO and founder of the Kalish Institute. Dan is a world-renown clinician and highly successful businessman who assists many doctors in the transition to a lucrative practice. A podcast full of pearls and ideas, Dan message is: Jump in, the water’s fine. You’ve got this!
Dr. Alschuler is a world-renowned expert in integrative oncology. Lise is well-versed in the current literature and has done a remarkable job in translating findings into actionable steps (listen for her approach to the five key bodily pathways in oncogenesis and how to address them). A teacher to her core, Lise a mentor to many of us, myself included. This is a jam-packed discussion on cancer prevention and management, from the soul-searching demands of a cancer diagnosis to highly practical treatment approaches.
Dr. Seyfried has dedicated his career to changing the way we think about- and therefore treat- cancer. Going back to Otto Warburg and others, couple with newer research Tom and his colleagues are actively conducting, it’s clear that the origin of cancer is in a fundamental disruption of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Cancer is not, as is commonly thought, a genetic disease. While somatic genetic mutations abound, their origin is from a proliferation of reactive oxygen species generated by damaged mitochondrial cellular respiration. The triggering agents for cancer are anything that disrupts mitochondrial energy metabolism, from chemicals and xrays, to viruses, diet (including GMOs) and lifestyle habits. Switching primary fuel sources from glucose to ketones by using the calorie-restricted ketogenic diet (RKD), we start to shut down the energy supply to cancer cells and reverse the trajectory of the disease.
The Art of Medicine: A Soul-Stirring Chat with Sidney Baker, MD
Science has demonstrated for over a century that fat simply isn’t the macronutrient villain it’s been made out to be. Join me and Dr. Mark Hyman as we spend some time discussing his new NYT best-selling book Eat Fat, Get Thin. We drill down into the research that has been published over the years demonstrating the largely beneficial aspects of most fatty acids.
The oral-systemic disease connection has long been established (recall older recommendations for prophylactic antibiotics before dental work in individuals with endocarditis or joint implants), but with the emerging data on the oral microbiome, new attention is being paid to oral health and the prevention of diseases ranging from cardiovascular to autoimmune and more. A transient bacteremia is the normal course after brushing, but when there is a breakdown in oral health and alterations to the oral microbiome, this transient bacteremia leads to chronic, systemic inflammation, contributing to the course of systemic disease. There is much we can do to support our patients in correcting this inflammation, not the least of which includes a healthy, sugar-free diet; regular cleanings and appropriate brushing techniques. Ideally, the dentist is a part of the functional medicine team. Disordered sleep breathing is a wide-spread, underappreciated problem in children and adults. Once thought to be primarily stress or trauma related, bruxism is now understood to be evidence of disordered breathing (see reference link below). Additionally, a scalloped or fissured tongue (macroglossia) also contribute to disordered sleep breathing.
David S. Ludwig, MD, PhD, is a practicing endocrinologist and researcher at Boston Children’s Hospital, Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and Professor of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health. He is Founding Director of the Optimal Weight for Life (OWL) program at Boston Children’s Hospital, one of the oldest and largest family based weight management programs. He also directs the New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center. Described as an “obesity warrior” by Time Magazine, he has been featured in the New York Times, Boston Globe and USA Today and on NPR, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN and other networks. His new book ALWAYS HUNGRY? published on January 5 is a New York Times bestseller drdavidludwig.com/ www.facebook.com/davidludwigmd/
As a clinician measuring urine, serum and salivary hormone levels in my patients routinely, I’ve always got questions around which testing method is the best. Thus, I was excited to chat with Mark Newman and pick his brain on all things hormone testing. As he says, “I’m an inch wide and a mile deep. I’ve spent pretty much my whole career in measuring reproductive and adrenal hormones.” It’s true. As you’ll hear, Mark is a font of knowledge in this arena. In this interview, Mark covers the various specimen type and their respective utility and limitations, we then dive into a discussion around the unique characteristics of the DUTCH test….In brief, DUTCH is an easy 4 specimen urine test, collected over the course of a day, covering the bases of sex and adrenal hormones, plus metabolites (including 2-Methoxyestrone) and melatonin. It’s reflective of 24-hour output, but diurnal variation is captured as well-- thus great for cortisol.
JEFFREY S. BLAND, PhD, FACN, CNS, is an internationally recognized leader in the nutritional medicine field. He co-founded of the Institute for Functional Medicine in 1991 and is known to many as the “father of functional medicine.” Over the past 35 years, Dr. Bland has traveled more than six million miles teaching more than 100,000 health care practitioners in the USA, Canada, and 50 other countries about functional medicine.
Imagine: You’re a busy FxMed clinician, working overtime treating, educating and supporting your patients as they transition to a new state of health. It’s exciting, and you’re inspired to be practicing medicine in a way you never thought possible. But (to put it mildly) you’re struggling with time management: FxMed is a lot of work! And then into your life comes an individual just as passionate as you are about functional medicine, who happens to be a trained, certified Functional Medicine Coach! They’ve learned the “ins and outs” of Positive Psychology, so they understand the change process and can guide your patients supportively and effectively. They’re also familiar with the Functional Medicine model, having been taught by many IFM faculty, so they can assist you with educating and “translating” the FxMed processes. Would this individual be a Godsend to your practice? YES! Learn about functional medicine’s newest team member in this podcast with the Founder and CEO of the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy, Dr. Sandy Scheinbaum. This podcast is perfect for clinicians, folks interested in a FxMed Coaching career, and anyone interested in the process of FxMed.
According to Dr. Bob Hedaya, it’s malpractice NOT to use functional medicine when practicing psychiatry. ALL of the nodes on the Functional Medicine Matrix [gastrointestinal, endocrine, immune, toxicity, nutritional status and especially psychological, social and spiritual] influence mental health, mental function and brain function. The bottom line is, a good functional approach yields better health, less medicine. In this case-focused inspiring podcast, hear about Dr. Hedaya’s years of clinical experience in using functional medicine to address tough psychiatric conditions.
From Cell to Soul: A Functional Approach to Women’s Hormone Management with Sara Gottfried, MD. Dr. Sara Gottfried has elegantly distilled her years of clinical experience and thousands of patient contacts into a user-friendly body of knowledge for physician and layperson alike. She’s truly a functional/systems medicine pioneer, combining the best of scientific data with the art (and heart) of medicine. An expert in the area of women's hormones, Dr. Gottfried candidly shares her own personal experience with hormone imbalances. Sara was pivotal on my own journey toward better self-care, as you’ll hear in this podcast.
One of the cornerstone tools of functional medicine is the elimination diet, be it a straightforward gluten/dairy free plan, or an involved, customized removal of many different foods. On top of this, we want our patients to choose clean, organic sources of foods. This dietary prescription is a tall order for many of our patients. Many years ago, Jen Fugo (author of The Savvy Gluten-Free Shopper: How to Eat Healthy Without Breaking the Bank) was prescribed just such a diet. With very limited funds, she figured out how to navigate the myriad pitfalls and change her life. Today, she’s dedicated her career to assisting individuals on therapeutic diets make the transition healthfully, affordably and successfully.
As a former Olympian and current Iron Man triathlete, (he qualified for the world championship in Hawaii this year!) Dr. Keith McCormick was diagnosed with severe osteoporosis at 45 years old. His own healing journey lead him to become a world expert on treating osteoporosis from a functional and integrative perspective. His 2008 book, The Whole Body Approach to Treating Osteoporosis, is useful for patient and clinician alike. This podcast is a goldmine of pearls for clinicians treating individuals with bone loss. Topics covered include underlying pathogenic mechanisms, laboratory evaluations and treatments-pharmaceutical and natural. Health savvy patients will find Dr. McCormick’s content useful.
Just released April, 2015, Natural Cures for Dummies is a superb survey of all things Natural Medicine. In this podcast, Dr. Banks and I cover a ton of content: The book, appropriate diets, including the elimination diet and the perils of gluten, we cover his approach to detox, appropriate supplements, genomics and systems medicine, Functional Medicine and so much more.
The oral microbiome is an important part of the gut microbiome and tending to its balance should a routine part of any good “gut protocol.” Indeed, dysbiosis of the oral microbiome (and a leaky oral mucosa) might be key underlying imbalances in pathogenesis of systemic diseases, including autoimmune (IBD, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren) as well as cardiovascular disease. As clinicians, addressing our patient’s oral health may be the missing link in treating many systemic diseases. This podcast is great for clinicians as well as anyone interested in gut health, the oral microbiome, autoimmunity, leaky gut and cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Winston Cardwell’s podcast: best home mold testing, laboratory testing for toxin exposures, best air filtration systems, home cleaning products, “green” building materials, “green” flooring sources and much more!
Chronic pelvic pain (CPP), including interstitial cystitis, chronic UTI, myofascial pain, pelvic floor pain, dyspareunia is a common, underappreciated problem in women. Indeed, one study looking at primary care practices found pelvic pain an issue in almost 40% of all reproductive-aged women. CPP is also identified in men, most commonly caused by prostadynia or prostatitis. What can we do as functional medicine clinicians to assist this population? Turns out, quite a bit. Listen to this very interesting and inspiring conversation I had with Jessica Drummond, MPT, CCN, CHC, founder and CEO of the Integrative Pelvic Health Institute. Jessica has made it her mission to train clinicians and treat women using a functional approach to chronic pelvic pain. As a physical therapist who later trained in nutrition (and is currently working on her PhD), Jessica discusses the multifactorial influences on CPP including: gut/microbiome health, hormone imbalances, nutrient deficiencies, stealth infections, diet, mind/body and toxins and what to do about them for our patients.
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
