Wellness: Fact vs. Fiction

TW: Diet, weight  Join Dr. Danielle Belardo and her expert of the week, registered nutritionist and researcher specializing in sustainable weight loss, Marie Spreckley. In her latest research, Marie posed the question — what does the experience of trying to achieve sustainable weight loss entail after completing a 1-year weight-loss program followed by one year of predominantly self-directed support? Tune in to hear the fascinating results and why there is no "one size fits all" approach when it comes to weight loss and health.  Danielle and Marie discuss:   The importance of a multidisciplinary, empathetic, and compassionate approach for success in weight loss and weight management  How personalized, agile treatment approaches have the potential to enhance long-term treatment outcomes for patients  The complexities of obesity and how it’s not *always* the right time to lose weight  How family, social commitments, food environment, time, and structure can impact weight loss    Marie Spreckley is a clinician, researcher, and academic specializing in obesity and weight management. She is currently in the final month of her PhD, which focuses on investigating behavioral determinants that increase the likelihood of achieving long-term weight loss outcomes with her own patient cohort. She also runs a private weight loss practice in London and teaches the Master of Science in Obesity and Weight Management at the University of South Wales. Prior to this, she spent over a decade working as a registered nutritionist for the NHS and in private practice, with a particular focus on sustainable weight loss and overall health improvements.  Thank you so much for taking the time to contribute to a generation that values fact over fiction! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let us know which not-so-wellness trend you’d like to hear debunked. Follow your host on Instagram @daniellebelardomd and the podcast @wellnessfactvsfiction. Follow Marie @mariespreckley  Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Check out these deals just for you: COZY EARTH - Go to cozyearth.com and enter WELLNESS at checkout to SAVE thirty-five Percent. TALKSPACE - visit talkspace.com and get $100 off your first month when you use promo code drdanielle at sign-up. DIPSEA - go to dipseastories.com/drdanielle for a free 30 day trial.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Dr. Danielle Belardo and her expert of the week, TikTok’s favorite gastroenterologist Dr. Austin Chiang, to get to the bottom (pun intended) of the most common GI myths. Austin is one of the most influential voices in the field of gastroenterology online, and on today’s episode he sheds light on the enormous amount of misinformation being shared on social media that could be detrimental to your health.    Danielle and Austin debunk myths and misconceptions surrounding:   Parasite cleanses and rope worms   Colonics and coffee enemas  Probiotics, candida and gut microbiome testing  Gluten-free diets and celiac disease   Dr. Austin Chiang is a triple board-certified, dual ivy-league educated and trained gastroenterologist and advanced endoscopist. In October 2021, he became the first Chief Medical Officer of the gastrointestinal business for Medtronic, the world’s leading medical device company responsible for products to help endoscopists better prevent colon cancer. Dr. Chiang is currently an Assistant Professor of Medicine and serves as the Director of the Endoscopic Weight Loss Program and Chief Medical Social Media Officer at Jefferson Health.   Thank you so much for taking the time to contribute to a generation that values fact over fiction! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let us know which not-so-wellness trend you’d like to hear debunked. Follow your host on Instagram @daniellebelardomd and the podcast @wellnessfactvsfiction. Follow Austin @austinchiangmd.  Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Check out these deals just for you: COZY EARTH - Go to cozyearth.com and enter WELLNESS at checkout to SAVE thirty-five Percent. TALKSPACE - visit talkspace.com and get $100 off your first month when you use promo code drdanielle at sign-up. DIPSEA - go to dipseastories.com/drdanielle for a free 30 day trial.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TW: Diet, weight   Join Dr. Danielle Belardo for part two of her fascinating conversation surrounding carbs, energy balance, and body weight with NIH nutrition and metabolism scientist, Dr. Kevin Hall. Danielle and Kevin discuss the phenomenal research Kevin and his team have done evaluating the impact of different diets and their studies in regards to the carbohydrate insulin model. They debunk myths about low carb versus low fat diets, the effects of carbs and fat on appetite, and whether keto deserves all the hype. If you have ever had anxiety about eating a banana because of the carbs, this one is for you!  Dr. Kevin Hall received his Ph.D. in Physics from McGill University and is now a tenured senior investigator at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) where he is the Section Chief of Integrative Physiology. His main research interests are the regulation of food intake, macronutrient metabolism, energy balance, and body weight. Dr. Hall is the recipient of many prestigious awards including the NIH Director’s Award, and his award-winning Body Weight Planner has been used by millions of people.  They discuss myths and misconceptions in regards to:   Calories, insulin, and glucose   Social media’ newest enemy, fruit   The latest fad diets    Thank you so much for taking the time to contribute to a generation that values fact over fiction! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let us know which not-so-wellness trend you’d like to hear debunked. Follow your host on Instagram @daniellebelardomd and the podcast @wellnessfactvsfiction. Follow Kevin @kevinh_phd  Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Check out these deals just for you: TALKSPACE - visit talkspace.com and get $100 off your first month when you use promo code drdanielle at sign-up. DIPSEA - go to dipseastories.com/drdanielle for a free 30 day trial. COZY EARTH - Go to cozyearth.com and enter WELLNESS at checkout to SAVE thirty-five percent.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TW: diet, weightJoin Dr. Danielle Belardo and her expert of the week, NIH nutrition and metabolism scientist Dr. Kevin Hall. In part one of this fascinating conversation, Kevin and Danielle cover a lot of ground, including Kevin’s brilliant metabolic award studies at the NIH, which are a frequent topic of conversation in the nutrition world. They discuss Kevin’s research in metabolism, energy expenditure, and weight loss and take a deep dive into his research on participants from the reality TV show, The Biggest Loser. Today's episode explores whether or not the myth is true that extreme exercise, like that depicted on the TV show, prevents the a fall in metabolic rate during weight loss, and the possible reasons why physical activity aids in weight maintenance.  Dr. Kevin Hall received his Ph.D. in Physics from McGill University and is now a tenured senior investigator at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) where he is the Section Chief of Integrative Physiology. His main research interests are the regulation of food intake, macronutrient metabolism, energy balance, and body weight. Dr. Hall is the recipient of many prestigious awards including the NIH Director’s Award, and his award-winning Body Weight Planner has been used by millions of people.  They discuss myths and misconceptions in regards to:   Metabolic adaptation and vigorous exercise  BMI and adipose (fat) tissue  Weight loss, weight gain, and weight maintenance   Thank you so much for taking the time to contribute to a generation that values fact over fiction! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let us know which not-so-wellness trend you’d like to hear debunked. Follow your host on Instagram @daniellebelardomd and the podcast @wellnessfactvsfiction. Follow Kevin @kevinh_phd  Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Check out these deals just for you: POLICYGENIUS - Head to policygenius.com to get your free life insurance quotes TALKSPACE - visit talkspace.com and get $100 off your first month when you use promo code drdanielle at sign-up. DIPSEA - go to dipseastories.com/drdanielle for a free 30 day trial. COZY EARTH - Go to cozyearth.com and enter WELLNESS at checkout to SAVE thirty-five percent.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Dr. Danielle Belardo and her expert of the week, bodybuilding coach and nutrition pseudoscience myth buster, Dr. Layne Norton. Layne is a champion powerlifter and bodybuilder who turned his passion for lifting weights into a career that has helped over 2k people reach their health and fitness goals. Today’s episode debunks misinformation about artificial sweeteners, gut health, and calories in vs. calories out. Danielle and Layne also dissect numerous studies related to sucralose, diet soda, and other sweeteners that will leave you stunned and perhaps a little bit thirsty. Permission granted to crack open a diet coke while listening.   Dr. Layne Norton is a bodybuilding, figure, and physique coach who received his BS in Biochemistry from Eckerd College with honors and his PhD in Nutritional Sciences with honors from the University of Illinois. He developed his own nutrition and fitness coaching app called Biolane and has a no-BS supplement line called Carbon by Layne Norton.  They discuss myths and misconceptions in regards to:   The health impacts of artificial sweeteners and whether they make you prone to diabetes and cancer    Whether sweeteners are linked to obesity and can hinder weight loss  The gut microbiome   Metabolism and calorie deficits   Thank you so much for taking the time to contribute to a generation that values fact over fiction! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let us know which not-so-wellness trend you’d like to hear debunked. Follow your host on Instagram @daniellebelardomd and the podcast @wellnessfactvsfiction. Follow Layne @biolayne.  Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Check out these deals just for you: POLICYGENIUS - Head to policygenius.com to get your free life insurance quotes TALKSPACE - visit talkspace.com and get $100 off your first month when you use promo code drdanielle at sign-up. COZY EARTH - Go to cozyearth.com and enter WELLNESS at checkout to SAVE thirty-five percent.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a very special episode as Dr. Danielle Belardo welcomes Ukrainian American physician Dr. Marianna Blokh and her mother, Natalia Blokh, to discuss the impacts of the Russia-Ukraine war on their lives and the lives of their loved ones, some of whom are still in Ukraine. Both Marianna and Natalia assisted with translating via facetime 24 hours a day for Danielle as she supplied medical attention to Ukrainian refugees crossing the border into Poland. The medical tent was the first stop and the bravery, dignity, and pain of the women, children and elderly individuals seeking refuge was undeniable. On today’s episode, Danielle shares her experience working at the border, updates listeners on a few of the inspiring people she met, and breaks down some of the misinformation and misconceptions about the war.   Special thanks to Marianna and Natalia, for their selfless dedication and willingness to share their story during these incredibly difficult times. Also, many thanks go out to all of the volunteers and non-profit organizations helping Ukrainian refugees and those impacted directly by the war, especially those who are unable to leave Ukraine. Praying for peace.   If you are able, please donate to the humanitarian efforts for those in Ukraine.  GoFundMe for Tim and Lena Rescuers Without Borders World Central Kitchen  Thank you so much for taking the time to contribute to a generation that values fact over fiction! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let us know which not-so-wellness trend you’d like to hear debunked. Follow your host on Instagram @daniellebelardomd and the podcast @wellnessfactvsfiction.   Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Check out these deals just for you: POLICYGENIUS - Head to policygenius.com to get your free life insurance quotes TALKSPACE - visit talkspace.com and get $100 off your first month when you use promo code drdanielle at sign-up. DIPSEA - go to dipseastories.com/drdanielle for a free 30 day trial.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Dr. Danielle Belardo and her expert of the week, Evolutionary Biologist and author of Burn, Dr. Herman Pontzer. Get ready for what you thought you knew about weight loss, metabolism and exercise to be completely turned on its head as Dr. Ponzter breaks down his latest findings on the physiology of humans and how diet, activity, and other ecological factors influence health. Danielle and Herman discuss the evolution of diets, the truth about losing weight, the energy budget, and the benefits of exercise. Dr. Ponzter shares his experience living with the Hadza hunter-gatherers in northern Tanzania and the ground-breaking research that came from it. This is one of those gasp-out-loud episodes, packed full of shocking truths about calories, weight loss, and the human body. The good news is, you can toss those fad diets out the window!     Dr. Herman Pontzer is an Associate Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology and Global Health at Duke University and is an internationally recognized researcher in human energetics and evolution. His lab research focuses on energetics and metabolism, including respirometry and doubly labeled water methods. Dr. Pontzer’s work has been covered in The New York Times, BBC, PBS, Washington Post, The Atlantic, NPR, Scientific American, and others.  They address myths and misconceptions in regards to:   Metabolism, energy expenditure, and aging   Exercise and calories burned  The starvation response, low calorie diets and weight loss   Basal metabolic rates and body fat percentage   Thank you so much for taking the time to contribute to a generation that values fact over fiction! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let us know which not-so-wellness trend you’d like to hear debunked. Follow your host on Instagram @daniellebelardomd and the podcast @wellnessfactvsfiction. Follow Herman on Twitter @hermanpontzer.  Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Check out these deals just for you: POLICYGENIUS - Head to policygenius.com to get your free life insurance quotes TALKSPACE - visit talkspace.com and get $100 off your first month when you use promo code drdanielle at sign-up. DIPSEA - go to dipseastories.com/drdanielle for a free 30 day trial.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Dr. Danielle Belardo and her expert of the week, TikTok’s favorite board certified OB/GYN and women’s health mastermind, Dr. Heather Irobunda. Get ready to be blown away by this incredibly educating and empowering conversation surrounding women’s healthcare and the role racism plays in maternal health. Heather explains the impacts of implicit bias, tiers of care, weathering, and redlining on minority groups and how systemic and overt racism leads to chronic stress health issues, specifically in women of color. Danielle and Heather also respond to your burning questions about women’s sexual health and weigh in on the pros and cons of the various contraceptive methods. This episode debunks misinformation left, right and center in the women's health space and nothing is off limits!     Dr. Heather Irobunda is a board certified obstetrician-gynecologist currently practicing at NYC Health and Hospitals. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania, followed by a Post Baccalaureate Program at the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. She went on to complete her Doctorate of Medicine from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and joined the Guthrie Ambulatory Care Center as an attending physician in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, helping soldiers, spouses and veterans.     Myths and misconceptions in regards to:   Tampons and toxic shock syndrome  Periods, pregnancy and menstrual tracking  HPV vaccine age limits and who should get it  OB/GYN procedures and the pain discussion on social media   Thank you so much for taking the time to contribute to a generation that values fact over fiction! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let us know which not-so-wellness trend you’d like to hear debunked. Follow your host on Instagram @daniellebelardomd and the podcast @wellnessfactvsfiction. Follow Heather @drheatherirobundamd. Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Check out these deals just for you: POLICYGENIUS - Head to policygenius.com to get your free life insurance quotes HELLOFRESH - Go to hellofresh.com/drdanielle16 and use code drdanielle16 for up to 16 free meals AND 3 free gifts! TALKSPACE - visit talkspace.com and get $100 off your first month when you use promo code drdanielle at sign-up.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Arti Thangudu, a board certified endocrinologist, dispels myths about adrenal fatigue, thyroid dysfunction, and hormone imbalance. They discuss the dangers of online supplements, the complexities of the thyroid, and the importance of evidence-based medicine. They also address the challenges in addressing root causes and caution against certain thyroid support supplements. The speakers highlight the lack of regulation in the supplement industry and debunk the concept of hormone imbalance.

Join Dr. Danielle Belardo for part two of the fiery conversation about “functional” medicine with her expert guests, registered dietician Dr. Kevin Klatt, and board certified family physician Dr. Spencer Nadolsky. With the countless marketing scams and supplements to choose from, it’s easy to fall under the spell of predatory practitioners who claim to have the “magical” cure for all your ailments. Today’s episode is packed full of advice to help you fight off these functional medicine sharks and make informed decisions when it comes to your health. Danielle, Spencer and Kevin discuss the red flags to watch out for, which (if any) supplements are worth your money, and they review the ridiculous products found on Mark Hyman’s website. It’s time to put your wallet away and step away from the unregulated supplements!   Dr. Kevin C. Klatt, PhD, RD is a nutrition researcher and registered dietitian who provides individualized medical nutrition therapy and health coaching to patients/clients. Dr. Klatt completed his doctoral work in nutrition at Cornell University and his dietetic training at the National Institutes of Health. He is currently a researcher at the Baylor College of Medicine.  Dr. Spencer Nadolsky is an obesity and lipid specialist physician who focuses on exercise and nutrition as medicine. He earned a degree in Exercise Science from the University of North Carolina and completed his medical degree at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (Virginia Tech Campus). His residency training was done through the VCU-Riverside Family Medicine program. He is also the creator of LiftRx.   Myths and misconceptions discussed include:    So-called magical probiotics and lifelong detoxes  Metabolic supplements and false claims  Functional nutrition tests and gluten-free diets    Thank you so much for taking the time to contribute to a generation that values fact over fiction! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let us know which not-so-wellness trend you’d like to hear debunked. Follow your host on Instagram @daniellebelardomd and the podcast @wellnessfactvsfiction. Follow Kevin @kcklatt and Spencer @drnadolsky.  Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Check out these deals just for you: POLICYGENIUS - Head to policygenius.com to get your free life insurance quotes HELLOFRESH - Go to hellofresh.com/drdanielle16 and use code drdanielle16 for up to 16 free meals AND 3 free gifts! TALKSPACE - visit talkspace.com and get $100 off your first month when you use promo code drdanielle at sign-up. DIPSEA - go to dipseastories.com/drdanielle for a free 30 day trial.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices