Intelligent Medicine with Dr. Ronald Hoffman | The Best of High Tech Medicine and Alternative Modalities

Latest Episodes:

Mastering Low Carb Nutrition with Expert Dr. Jonathan Clinthorne, Part 1 Jun 05, 2024

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Dr. Jonathan Clinthorne, PhD and Senior Director of Nutrition at the Simply Good Foods Company details the ongoing 'diet wars' between plant-based, carnivorous, low-fat, and low-carb diets. Dr. Clinthorne shares his expertise on nutritional immunology, energy metabolism, and the benefits of low-carb dieting, particularly through his involvement with Atkins and Quest Nutrition. The conversation explores the relationship between diet and immune function, the benefits of a low-carb lifestyle for weight loss and chronic diseases like fatty liver disease, and the misconceptions around high protein intake. They also discuss the surge in popularity of GLP-1 agonist medications for weight loss and the potential benefits of low-carb diets as a supportive treatment. The episode provides comprehensive insights from personal experiences and scientific perspectives, demonstrating the significant health benefits of a well-formulated low-carb diet.

Mastering Low Carb Nutrition with Expert Dr. Jonathan Clinthorne, Part 2 Jun 05, 2024

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Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Dr. Jonathan Clinthorne, PhD, Sr. Director, Nutrition at The Simply Good Foods (parent company to Atkins and Quest Nutrition).

ENCORE: How Big Pharma Corrupts American Healthcare, Part 1 Jun 04, 2024

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According to today’s guest, Dr. John Abramson, Americans are getting less bang for their buck when it comes to ever more pricey pharmaceutical drugs. Despite enormous expenditures—17.7% of our GDP—Americans are less healthy and life expectancy lags behind other developed nations. Dr. Abramson, formerly a family practice physician, turned his attention to critiquing the pharmaceutical industry when he realized over-the-top marketing of drugs was at odds with his patients’ interests. He wrote Overdosing America, and became an expert witness in a landmark class action lawsuit over the now-withdrawn drug Bextra. His new book, "Sickening: How Big Pharma Broke American Health Care—And How We Can Repair It," exposes the sleight-of-hand involved in studies that gain approval for new drugs, and how the profit motive distorts optimal drug and device development. Dr. Abramson cites the example of statins as drugs that, while helpful for some, have been vastly overhyped and overprescribed on scant evidence. He takes aim at physician education—both in medical school and post-graduate—as indoctrinating doctors to prescribe drugs with questionable efficacy and undisclosed harms. Dr. Abramson offers an insider’s critique of the medical provisions of the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act—which in fact does little to cap Americans’ skyrocketing outlays for prescription drugs.

ENCORE: How Big Pharma Corrupts American Healthcare, Part 2 Jun 04, 2024

Show notes

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Dr. John Abramson, author of "Sickening: How Big Pharma Broke American Health Care—And How We Can Repair It."

ENCORE: Intelligent Medicine Radio for June 1, Part 1: Inadequate Hydration Jun 03, 2024

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Inadequate hydration found to be a risk factor for premature death; Vitamin D for Epstein Barr? Is there a “veggie pill” for diabetes? California moves to ban PFAS-laden artificial turf; Lead exposure found to be worse than thought for brain, heart; Switch to mini-blood tubes might help ICU patients avoid transfusions; What causes MS?

ENCORE: Intelligent Medicine Radio for June 1, Part 2: Nerve Pain Jun 03, 2024

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Why DEXA scans don’t tell the whole story about osteoporosis risk; New Apple Watch feature tells you how much healthful sunshine you’re getting; Solutions for nerve pain in neck; Finding that Ozempic helps avert kidney failure boosts weight loss drug stocks—but tanks stocks of dialysis centers; Americans on track to spend half their lives taking prescription drugs; New intranasal Covid vaccine without controversial RNA technology shows promise.

Leyla Weighs In: Unveiling the Microbiome Theory of Aging (First in a Series) May 31, 2024

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Nutritionist Leyla Muedin details the Microbiome Theory of Aging (MTA) through a comprehensive article by Ross Pelton in Integrative Medicine, a Clinician's Journal. The theory suggests that dysbiosis, or microbial imbalance in the gut, causes health problems that can accelerate biological aging by increasing inflammation, zonulin levels, intestinal permeability (leaky gut), and triggering chronic diseases. The episode covers the roles of probiotics, postbiotics, and how lifestyle factors influence the aging process. Leyla also discusses causes of dysbiosis, including diet, antibiotics, and stress, and introduces the concept of postbiotic metabolites as key regulators of health. The importance of the gut-brain axis and the effect of stress on microbiome dysfunction are also highlighted. The talk aims to provide insight into how maintaining a healthy gut microbiome can influence aging and health, setting the stage for a deeper dive in the next episode.

Q&A with Leyla, Part 1: Are you taking too many medications? May 30, 2024

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You might be taking too many medications; Are there any dangers of taking apple cider vinegar daily long term? How much is too much?; How can I prevent yet another bout of shingles? What do you think of the vaccine?

Q&A with Leyla, Part 2: School Lunches May 30, 2024

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My friend has spondylolisthesis and would like to avoid surgery. Any suggestions?; Protecting your free speech; Can food allergy reactions impact CGMs with glucose spikes? Is there a relationship?; A comment and thoughts on the state of school lunches.

ENCORE: The Role Lifestyle Plays in Enhancing Resilience, Part 1 May 29, 2024

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The Covid pandemic should’ve served as a wake-up call, highlighting our vulnerabilities as a nation. Ross Arena, Ph.D., professor of physical therapy at the University of Illinois Chicago, is spearheading a bold initiative called HL-PIVOT to underscore the role that healthy lifestyle plays in enhancing resilience. He is lead author of a new paper that demonstrates the roles that obesity, poor diet, smoking, and inadequate sleep play in setting the stage for poor Covid outcomes. Instead of a pandemic, he argues that we’re experiencing a “syndemic”—a perfect storm of chronic diseases that in themselves exact a terrible toll of chronic illness, but at the same time render Americans more susceptible to Covid. The surprising disparity between US regions with healthier, more active populations versus sedentary precincts within “food deserts” spotlights the important role lifestyle plays as a mediator of Covid severity. Arena argues that this has important social justice implications, with underserved populations experiencing the brunt of the syndemic.