One of the cornerstone tools of functional medicine is the elimination diet, be it a straightforward gluten/dairy free plan, or an involved, customized removal of many different foods. On top of this, we want our patients to choose clean, organic sources of foods. This dietary prescription is a tall order for many of our patients. Many years ago, Jen Fugo (author of The Savvy Gluten-Free Shopper: How to Eat Healthy Without Breaking the Bank) was prescribed just such a diet. With very limited funds, she figured out how to navigate the myriad pitfalls and change her life. Today, she’s dedicated her career to assisting individuals on therapeutic diets make the transition healthfully, affordably and successfully.

As a former Olympian and current Iron Man triathlete, (he qualified for the world championship in Hawaii this year!) Dr. Keith McCormick was diagnosed with severe osteoporosis at 45 years old. His own healing journey lead him to become a world expert on treating osteoporosis from a functional and integrative perspective. His 2008 book, The Whole Body Approach to Treating Osteoporosis, is useful for patient and clinician alike. This podcast is a goldmine of pearls for clinicians treating individuals with bone loss. Topics covered include underlying pathogenic mechanisms, laboratory evaluations and treatments-pharmaceutical and natural. Health savvy patients will find Dr. McCormick’s content useful.

Just released April, 2015, Natural Cures for Dummies is a superb survey of all things Natural Medicine. In this podcast, Dr. Banks and I cover a ton of content: The book, appropriate diets, including the elimination diet and the perils of gluten, we cover his approach to detox, appropriate supplements, genomics and systems medicine, Functional Medicine and so much more.

The oral microbiome is an important part of the gut microbiome and tending to its balance should a routine part of any good “gut protocol.” Indeed, dysbiosis of the oral microbiome (and a leaky oral mucosa) might be key underlying imbalances in pathogenesis of systemic diseases, including autoimmune (IBD, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren) as well as cardiovascular disease. As clinicians, addressing our patient’s oral health may be the missing link in treating many systemic diseases. This podcast is great for clinicians as well as anyone interested in gut health, the oral microbiome, autoimmunity, leaky gut and cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Winston Cardwell’s podcast: best home mold testing, laboratory testing for toxin exposures, best air filtration systems, home cleaning products, “green” building materials, “green” flooring sources and much more!

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP), including interstitial cystitis, chronic UTI, myofascial pain, pelvic floor pain, dyspareunia is a common, underappreciated problem in women. Indeed, one study looking at primary care practices found pelvic pain an issue in almost 40% of all reproductive-aged women. CPP is also identified in men, most commonly caused by prostadynia or prostatitis. What can we do as functional medicine clinicians to assist this population? Turns out, quite a bit. Listen to this very interesting and inspiring conversation I had with Jessica Drummond, MPT, CCN, CHC, founder and CEO of the Integrative Pelvic Health Institute. Jessica has made it her mission to train clinicians and treat women using a functional approach to chronic pelvic pain. As a physical therapist who later trained in nutrition (and is currently working on her PhD), Jessica discusses the multifactorial influences on CPP including: gut/microbiome health, hormone imbalances, nutrient deficiencies, stealth infections, diet, mind/body and toxins and what to do about them for our patients.