by Sara Gottfried, MD and Lewis Chang, PhD Introduction When I finished my medical training in 1998 at the University of California at San Francisco, I thought I knew everything about vitamin D, particularly vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency. I understood vitamin D was important for the efficient trafficking of calcium in the body, and that helps to keep bones strong, which was important for women’s health over the age of thirty when bone density begins to decline. What I…

by Bianca Garilli, ND, IFMCP, USMC Veteran Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is a lipoprotein encoded by the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene located on chromosome 19; this protein is primarily responsible for transporting and metabolizing cholesterol and other lipids.1 Although expressed in various tissues throughout the body, the highest ApoE concentrations are found in the liver, kidney, spleen, adrenal, adipose tissue, and the brain or central nervous system (CNS), where it is predominately involved in neuronal maintenance, growth, and repair.1,2 There are…

Host: Deanna Minich, PhD, CNS, FACN, IFMCP Guest: Tricia Paulson, ND In this discussion, Drs. Tricia Paulson and Deanna Minich discuss the nuts and bolts of detoxification or “detox” and explore practical tips for practitioners in structuring a successful group detoxification program for their patients. While negative perceptions and misinformation about the word “detox” exist, Dr. Paulson explains that detox is simply a “physiological process of taking toxins in the environment, of which there are an abundance, and trying to eliminate…

by Bianca Garilli, ND, USMC Veteran The estimated cost of diabetes in the US was $327 billion in 2017, which reflects both direct medical costs ($237 billion) and indirect costs ($90 billion).1 After adjusting for inflation, this amounted to a 26% increase in diabetes costs from 2012 to 2017 and accounted for 1 in 4 healthcare dollars spent in the US.1 In 2015 it was estimated that 30.3 million people of all ages, roughly 9.4% of the US population, had…

Bianca Garilli, ND A fiery debate is occurring in homes, schools, research institutes, corporate board rooms, and healthcare organizations across the globe: Are e-cigarettes (e-cigs) harmful? Are e-cigs a healthier alternative than conventional cigarettes? Are e-cigs effective smoking cessation tools? Do e-cigs act as a gateway to more harmful smoking and lifestyle behaviors? In order to answer these questions and more, it’s important to understand the history of e-cigs and how we’ve arrived to this point. History of e-cigs Prototypes…

by Sara Gottfried, MD My granny blinked behind her glasses as she drove us to her home after school, trying to conceal her panic. It was 1975. I was 7 years old, and she was 50. Granny wasn’t sure where to turn her Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme next. The distance between the school bus stop and her home was only 5 miles, but we were lost. When my grandmother’s memory and then her personality drained out of her due to Alzheimer’s…

by Sara Gottfried, MD Behind closed doors, women bear all. Overwhelming fear, feelings of worry, irritability, and tension may plague them, yet the conversation around their anxiety has remained mostly unchanged for the past thirty years in mainstream medicine. Although anxiety is our nation’s most common mental disorder, there are lingering feelings of shame surrounding the condition. Women, who often feel pressured to live up to unrealistic expectations, may suffer silently and refrain from seeking the help they deserve. Anxiety…

Host: Deanna Minich, PhD, CNS, FACN, IFMCP Guest: Scott Bergman, DC, CTN, DAAIM “Exercise breaks the body down. If we keep breaking it down, we never have the opportunity to repair.” – Dr. Scott Bergman In this discussion, Drs. Scott Bergman and Deanna Minich explore factors that impact metabolic performance, not just for athletic gain but for the ultimate day-to-day game – life. Dr. Bergman shares his personal background as an athlete and the connection between autoimmunity and athletic performance he has…

by Sara Gottfried, MD and Annalouise O’Connor, PhD, RD Many women notice after age 45 that fat seems to accumulate readily at the waist. There are even terms for it, like menopause belly, muffin top, or “menopot.” What does the science tell us about menopausal belly fat and how to get rid of it? What are the hormonal drivers and are they amenable to change with personalized lifestyle medicine? Certainly belly fat, specifically subcutaneous and visceral abdominal fat, increases during…