Dr. Kara Fitzgerald | New Frontiers in Functional Medicine, Longevity, Epigenetics

Are we getting enough nutrients from our diet? And why do nutrient deficiencies persist even in those of us who are putting a lot of attention to what we're eating? Join me and Chris Kresser as we dive into all things nutrient insufficiencies on this episode of New Frontiers. Chris is the founder of the Kresser Institute and the co-founder of the California Center for Functional Medicine. He’s the bestselling author of The Paleo Cure and Unconventional Medicine and a highly respected clinician in our space. We talk about the inadequacies of RDAs, the latest statistics on nutrient insufficiencies, the importance of nutrient bioavailability and nutrient synergy and why taking supplements on top of a really poor diet is not going to help. We also marvel at the wonders of magnesium, the interplay between vitamins D, K2 and A, and calcium plus so much more! It is a conversation filled with clinical pearls and practical implications, so get ready to take notes and tune in! ~DrKF

Many of us in the functional medicine space are thinking about Akkermansia: what exactly makes this gut bug a keystone strain for health and longevity? I am excited to tackle this with a founder of Pendulum Therapeutics, Colleen Cutcliffe, PhD, an excellent scientist and a leader in biotech. Her passion to help her daughter, and many others, overcome food sensitivities inspired Colleen to use biotech and research to develop products that have the efficacy of a drug, but the safety of a probiotic. We cover it all, and then some! Enjoy, and let me know what you think. ~DrKF

Folks, WOW — what a great conversation on all things hormone testing with Dr. Laura Neville from Doctor’s Data! We share the same alma mater, National University of Natural Medicine, as well as extensive experience in clinical lab testing, so had lots to talk about! On this episode of New Frontiers, we discuss what different testing methods tell us about patient’s hormone status, which specimens are best for monitoring hormone replacement therapy and non-HRT interventions, why high dose progesterone carries risks, and what makes liquid urine testing stand out from the rest. Dr. Neville shares many clinical pearls from her experience reviewing thousands and thousands of tests with physicians from around the world. You’ll absolutely want to bookmark for future reference! Thanks for listening and please share, comment, and leave us a starred review if you wouldn’t mind! ~DrKF

Dr. Morgan Levine, renowned for her research on biological aging, talks about vetting bio age clocks, using standard labs to calculate bio age, challenges of cellular reprogramming, and racial disparities in biological aging.

Eating for longevity. A topic I’m very passionate about and one that has received incredible attention lately. How much protein should we eat to live longer? What about ketones, carbohydrates, and blood sugar spikes? Where does fasting fit in all of this? And what physical activity confers the most benefit for our healthspan? On this episode of New Frontiers, I pose all of these questions and more to one of the most brilliant minds in longevity science – Dr. Valter Longo. I’m so excited to have him as my guest once again – his grasp on the longevity literature is extraordinary, as is his immense contribution to this growing body of research. Dr. Longo and I discuss the fasting-mimicking diet, biological aging, macronutrient targets, the lifestyle pillars of centenarians, and much, much more. It was such a fun (and research-packed)conversation, just wait until you get your ears on it! As always, I would appreciate a thumbs up and a kind review wherever you listen to New Frontiers. - DrKF

What do we know about using specific probiotics for different health conditions? And is it time to move away from broad-spectrum probiotics and into condition-specific strains? With an explosion of new research on probiotics and a recent change in nomenclature, it’s easy to get confused. In this episode of New Frontiers, I lean on Dr. Noelle Patno’s extensive research knowledge to tease apart the science on probiotics. Dr. Patno holds a PhD in Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition and has designed and monitored clinical trials on microbiome and immune health. Together, we dive into the latest evidence on therapeutic uses of specific probiotic strains, including Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1, for women’s health and other conditions. Dr. Patno also shares excellent pearls on dosing, duration, delivery methods and antibiotic resistance. Many thanks to Noelle and the team at Metagenics for always leading the way and researching interventions. Appreciate you listening, sharing, and commenting, and always, thanks for subscribing. - DrKF

Hormone therapy is still a highly controversial topic, fraught with lots of emotion, fear, and misleading information. And let me tell you: am I glad to be having a deep dive into the literature with my colleague and friend, the very brilliant Dr. Doreen Saltiel from Precision Analytical. She’s been practicing medicine for 40 years and preventative cardiology for more than 25 years. With advanced training in endocrinology as well as metabolic, anti-aging, and nutritional medicine, Dr. Saltiel is a leading expert on male and female hormone health. In this episode of New Frontiers, she brings her talent of dissecting the scientific evidence on testosterone deficiency and shares excellent clinical pearls to guide both physicians and patients in making decisions around hormone therapy. Folks, you’ll want to bookmark this one and save the show notes. Thanks for reading, sharing, and commenting! ~DrKF

Folks, in this exciting episode of New Frontiers we touch upon topics very close to my heart – genetics, epigenetics, kids, and why the heck they are so hard to raise! Brilliant professor of psychology and research scientist Dr. Danielle Dick shares guilt-banishing parenting strategies and her incredibly liberating research findings on genetics, temperaments, and child development. As an award-winning expert with over 350 scientific publications, Dr. Dick does an excellent job dispelling some deeply-rooted parenting myths and provides evidence-based approaches to understanding children and supporting their development. I can’t wait to get my hands on her new book The Child Code which contains many awesome resources and practical tips, including questionnaires on children’s temperaments and their genetically-influenced dispositions. To all the parents and caregivers out there – this one’s for you! Please share and leave a review to let me know what you think! ~ DrKF

Interest in therapeutic use of psychedelics has grown exponentially in recent years. And with recent studies showing these miraculous molecules help with depression, anxiety, and substance abuse, is it any wonder the p-word is on everyone’s lips? In this unique episode of New Frontiers, the fantastic Dr. Austin Perlmutter guest hosts and interviews renowned psychedelics researcher Dr. Anthony Bossis, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at NYU and the NYU Center for Psychedelic Medicine. With decades of experience in psychedelic and palliative care research, Dr. Bossis shares an evidence-based deep dialogue on meaning-making, spirituality, and end-of-life care. Tune in to learn how psilocybin can lower depression, anxiety, and end-of-life suffering, the appropriate intervention steps to avoid “bad trips,” what cancer patients define as their most meaningful experiences – and so, so much more. It’s a podcast packed with powerful insights on the human race’s quest for meaning and finding our true selves in a world full of distractions. Can’t wait to hear what you think! ~DrKF

We are living in times of great medical discoveries and advancements and today I am thrilled to talk about a relatively unknown structure: the endothelial glycocalyx (EGX). EGX can profoundly affect overall health – after all, you can’t have healthy organs and tissues if blood vessels are not healthy. Today on New Frontiers, I am joined by Dr. Kristine Burke a board certified family, sports and functional medicine physician and medical director for Help Your Diabetes Sacramento, where we discuss the full breadth of EGX functions and why it’s critical for cardiovascular health and so much more. Dr. Burke shares her exciting clinical experience and impressive findings from her case study series using Arterosil for plaque regression in some of her toughest patients. It’s a fascinating and enlightening conversation, so tune in and get ready to take some notes! Thanks for listening, and your support of New Frontiers. -DrKF