by Mark Houston, MD and Sara Gottfried, MD The top five cardiovascular risk factors are hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, obesity and smoking. Numerous clinical trials suggest that we have reached  a limit in our ability to lower the incidence of coronary heart disease with conventional diagnostic evaluation, prevention and treatment strategies for these risk factors. About 80% of heart disease (heart attacks, angina, coronary heart disease and congestive heart failure) can be prevented by optimal nutrition, optimal exercise, optimal weight…

by Mark Houston, MD and Sara Gottfried, MD In the past, most of the emphasis on treating dyslipidemia and dyslipidemia-induced heart disease such as coronary heart disease (CHD) and myocardial infarction (MI) was directed toward low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (LDL-C). The mainstay in the traditional cardiovascular community for treating LDL-C has been to prescribe statins. Herein a two-fold problem emerges. First, many people cannot take statins due to their adverse effects; others choose not to take them. Second, evaluation of…

Host: Deanna Minich, PhD Guest: Rob Silverman, DC As literature and clinical discussions on the ketogenic diet continue to grow across the globe, Robert Silverman, DC and Deanna Minich, PhD are infusing nuance and pragmatism into an important discussion on the ketogenic diet approach (“keto”) in clinical practice. First, Dr. Silverman defines keto (in his clinical practice) as 75% fat, 20% protein, and 5% carbohydrates (< 50g per day) and differentiates “dirty” vs. “clean” keto. The latter focuses on healthy fats,…

by Milene Brownlow, PhD; Sara Gottfried, MD; Nikky Contractor, PhD Here at Metagenics Institute, our goal is to keep you abreast of the latest scientific literature in health, nutrition, and personalized lifestyle medicine. As the ketogenic diet continues to grow in popularity in mainstream and clinical settings, we want to know what’s new and what patient populations or individuals may be uniquely positioned to benefit from a ketogenic dietary approach. In the past 10 years, citations for the ketogenic diet…

Host: Deanna Minich, PhD Guest: Erik Lundquist, MD In this discussion, Erik Lundquist, MD and Deanna Minich, PhD explore thyroid physiology, assessment, and clinical pearls for treating patients with thyroid dysfunction or disorders. The crux of the discussion is treating the individual patient, not the labs. You will learn valuable insights and effective clinical strategies that Dr. Lundquist utilizes every day in his clinic to provide personalized support to patients with thyroid disorders. Dr. Lundquist shares that in his medical school…

by Sara Gottfried, MD and Melissa Blake, BSc, ND Hormones drive the many functions of our body and mind. For example, hormones and their receptors influence metabolic function, heart rate, appetite, tissue growth, and development. Ultimately, the body relies on the hormonal signals of a strikingly choreographed endocrine system. Most of the endocrine system is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-thyroid-gonadal (HPATG) axis, which is instrumental in regulating mood, reproductive health, and general homeostasis.1 Unfortunately, the HPATG axis is remarkably sensitive to…

In this video animation, you will learn about the role of phytocannabinoids in the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is a biological system that plays diverse roles in regulating various aspects of health. ECS actions on the central and peripheral nervous systems are numerous, such as helping to moderate stress responses and pain sensations, supporting mood and memory, and performing immunomodulatory functions like reducing inflammation, to name a few. The ECS was discovered in the 1990s by researchers studying bioactive…

Host: Deanna Minich, PhD Guest: Amylee Amos, MS, RDN In this discussion on cognition, Amylee Amos, MS, RDN and Deanna Minich, PhD examine how nutrition and lifestyle factors can be leveraged in an individualized way in primary intervention for different subtypes of Alzheimer’s disease. Amylee brings a unique set of nutrition knowledge, having trained under neurologist Dale Bredesen, MD, a pioneer in the area of individualized treatment for  cognitive decline who believes we have entered an era of treatable Alzheimer’s disease.…

by Sara Gottfried, MD, and Kari Hamrick, PhD, RD Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a problem of hormone dysregulation that can lead to irregular menstrual cycles, high androgens, and its downstream sequelae such as acne and hirsutism, infertility, weight gain, and cardiovascular disease. As practitioners and their affected female patients anguish over the root cause and solutions, one part is very clear: up to 85% of women with PCOS are insufficient in vitamin D.1 For our patients with PCOS, correcting…

by Sara Gottfried, MD Physician burnout and suicide rates are alarmingly high.1 Some blame the two hours of charting in an electronic health record (EHR) for every hour of patient care.2-3 Others cite the rushed 7.5-minute patient appointment that limits the delivery of high-quality care.4 Numerous challenges coexist: an aging population, the rising burden of chronic disease, billing requirements, workforce shortages (particularly in primary care), increasing health disparities, and shifting healthcare policies. Many physicians feel disempowered and hopeless about the…