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…

by Lewis Chang, PhD and Noelle Patno, PhD New research continues to demonstrate that the benefits of probiotics are strain-specific,1 and their effects go beyond supporting digestive health. A recent example is the strain Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis 420 (B420), which was previously shown in a 6-month randomized clinical trial to support weight management in adults affected by overweight or obesity.2 Recently, new data analysis from that study found other potentially beneficial metabolic benefits associated with B420.3 The original trial…

Host: Deanna Minich, PhD Guest: Jennifer Stagg, ND In this discussion, Jennifer Stagg, ND and Deanna Minich, PhD examine the relationship and connection between psychological stress and emotions with health and chronic disease states, and the mediating role that inflammation and oxidative stress play. As a naturopath, Dr. Stagg considers the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. Incorporating her robust science background in biochemistry and nutrigenomics, Dr. Stagg has discovered in clinical practice that, even when critical aspects of wellness and lifestyle…

by Sara Gottfried, MD and Bianca Garilli, ND, IFMCP Introduction We’re just starting to understand the full spectrum of toxic threats to the human body, including obesity. What’s clear is that the body doesn’t know what to do with our myriad exposures to toxins. They clog the liver, then get stored in fat, and ultimately back up into the brain. Since the brain is almost two-thirds fat (the fattiest organ in the body), it makes sense that it’s likely the…

Host: Deanna Minich, PhD, CNS, FACN, IFMCP Guest: Deborah Maragopoulos, MN, FNP "The hypothalamus is like the CEO of your entire body. Everything else are workers." – Deborah Maragopoulos, MN, FNP In this edifying discussion, Deborah Maragopoulos, FNP and Deanna Minich, PhD explore the neuro-immune-endocrine system and how the hypothalamus, specifically, is at the core of many patients’ chronic health issues, from mood and metabolic disorders to insomnia and autoimmunity. Over 30+ years of working in healthcare, Deborah explains that her…

by Sara Gottfried, MD  Introduction Anxiety is on the rise, and it occurs more commonly in women compared with men. Identifying anxiety in patients, performing root cause analysis, and collaborating on natural solutions beyond a pill-for-every-ill requires clinicians to practice both the art and science of medicine. Fortunately, the biological underpinnings of anxiety involving the gene/environment interface, along with a growing evidence base of natural remedies, provide a strong foundation for us to help our patients. One of the most…

In this Grand Rounds presentation, Niccolò Terrando, PhD shares scientific research on the role of specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) in perioperative neurocognitive disorders. Dr. Terrando uses a preclinical mouse model to study postoperative neuroinflammation and elucidate the impact of SPMs in neuroglia activity and modulating memory. Perioperative neurocognitive disorders (PND) encompass complications like postoperative delirium and longer-lasting postoperative cognitive dysfunction, which often negatively impact recovery in older adults. These complications can lead to significant, long-term morbidity for the patient and…

by Bianca Garilli, ND Understanding Lyme disease What do The Platters and Lyme disease have in common? Both, although for totally different reasons, are associated with “The Great Pretender.” The Platters landed their “Great Pretender” connection through the 1955 recording of the song by the same name, which would go on to reach the #1 position on the R&B and pop charts just a year later.1 Lyme disease, on the other hand, is unfortunately connected to the term “The Great Pretender”…