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…

Magnesium is the 4th most abundant mineral in the human body following calcium, sodium, and potassium. Intracellularly, magnesium is the 2nd most abundant cation behind only potassium.1 The number of essential roles magnesium plays in the body is extraordinary, with over 300 enzymes requiring magnesium as a co-factor for proper functioning.1 This essential element is involved in numerous critical physiological processes such as energy production (ATP metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, and glycolysis), protein synthesis, muscle contraction, nerve function, blood glucose control,…

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…

by Bianca Garilli, ND, USMC Veteran Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been shown to be a major cause of death and disability in the US, contributing to approximately 30% of all injury-related deaths.1 TBIs can be caused by myriad of events including motor vehicle crashes, falls, and sports-related injuries.1-2 In children and teens, 70% of concussions are related to sports related injuries, while in the elderly falls are the most common cause of concussions.2-3 Previous research has indicated an association…

by Bianca Garilli, ND Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is estimated to affect nearly 15 million adult women in the US.1 This chronic disease can lead to a host of medical concerns including detrimental effects on bone health, making T2D an independent risk factor for bone fractures.2 A study published in Menopause sought to assess the status of bone mass, bone microarchitecture, and factors associated with vertebral fracture in postmenopausal women with T2D.3 This is a particularly important research query to…

by Sara Gottfried, MD and Christopher Moulton, PhD We’ve been told that cognitive function in healthy individuals naturally declines with age. Or does it? Recent case series have brought this central tenet of the aging brain into question and suggest the hypothesis that cognitive decline may be more mutable than once believed. Dale Bredesen, MD, of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and collaborators have advanced a systems-based approach to address the factors that put the brain at…

by Whitney Crouch, RDN, CLT According to the CDC, of the 154 million prescriptions written for antibiotics each year, at least 30% are unnecessary, and the remaining 70% need to be prescribed more specifically for the infection type, including drug selection, dose, and duration.1 The goal of the CDC is to reduce the number of unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions by 50% by the year 2020.1 The discovery of antibiotics has, no doubt, saved millions of lives, but there are two sides…

by Melissa Blake, BSc, ND The use of probiotics has grown substantially over the last several years. Propelled by development in sequencing methods and analytical techniques, there has been a significant increase in knowledge and understanding about the importance of a healthy microbiome.1 The currently accepted definition of a probiotic states they are “live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host”.2 Is this relatively broad definition sufficient for clinicians to guide treatment? Can…

by Bianca Garilli, ND, USMC Veteran Military ranks are full of healthy men and women participating in regular physical fitness routines comprised of cardiovascular fitness, strength training, and flexibility exercises all designed to keep the warfighter in tip top condition, ready to deploy and engage at a moment’s notice. In fact, due to the sharp focus on exercise and weight standards of the US Armed Forces, active duty troops are much healthier than their civilian counterparts. For example, rates of…