Evolution of Medicine Podcast

Dr. Shilpa P. Saxena adds to her series of Evolution of Medicine interviews with a discussion on polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). With both personal and professional experience reversing the condition, she walks us through the functional medicine approach to treatment. Dr. Saxena explains how insulin resistance often accompanies and must be addressed through the “matrix” of each patient’s overall health and lifestyle. Since PCOS is a clinical diagnosis, she also describes the signs practitioners should look out for in their patients and how to confirm the diagnosis with the aid of laboratory testing. Developing a niche in PCOS can be a great opportunity for practitioners since it is so prevalent, affecting between 6-12% of women, and because functional medicine provides the most robust treatment approach for complex metabolic conditions.  Listen to the full conversation to learn more about: Tailoring treatments to patients with PCOS Which supplements to utilize in a PCOS treatment protocol Common root causes and co-conditions The importance of securing Phase I and Phase II detox pathways How group visits can be a powerful aid to treatment

Michael Fishman is a top advisor on marketing and business growth, aiding successful health and wellness companies. He leads the Consumer Health Summit (CHS) annually, which is now in its 24th year, and acts as an angel investor for over 20 health and wellness businesses. With his expertise, he advises his clients on how to effectively formulate their brand messaging and ensure it is communicated consistently, from training team members to sharpening taglines and from online messaging to in-person trust. In this episode of the podcast, Michael shares with Kristen Brokaw the principles and psychology behind his guidance. Tune in if you’d like to learn more about: How and why you need to develop a powerful tagline Avoiding overselling or “trying too hard” in online marketing Ensuring that your message cannot be misunderstood by your audience Why patients also need to feel understood—emotionally and intellectually And much more!

Functional medicine providers have the best tools and scientific understanding of topics like immunology, the microbiome and mitochondria. This constellation of knowledge and tools makes functional and integrative doctors optimally equipped to address osteoarthritis. Dr. Thomas Guilliams is an expert in nutrition research and immunology, and he has written several books on the therapeutic uses of nutritional supplements. During this conversation, we hear about the gut-joint relationship and an expanded understanding of osteoarthritis. We also explore best practices for nutrition and supplementation alongside lifestyle modifications to resolve chronic conditions. Listen in to learn more about: The evolution of the scientific understanding of osteoarthritis Issues with nutrition and supplementation research Addressing autoinflammatory conditions (as differentiated from autoimmunity) Guilliams’ take on the paleo dietary pattern And much more!

Josh Gunn, PhD is the Chief Scientific Officer for Ethos Laboratories. Ethos began with the mission to incorporate more functional medicine principles into conventional care and to help patients gain access to the root causes of their pain.  With a background in forensic toxicology, Dr. Gunn and the team have developed a new tool at Ethos called the Foundation Pain Index. The Pain Index is a biometric test designed to identify potential biochemical origins of patients’ chronic pain. The test results categorize health insights in a way that is actionable for all physicians, even if they are not trained in functional medicine. This personalized method also acknowledges that patient recovery often requires a multimodal approach, including lifestyle and community considerations. Practitioners who run OAT tests or other labs may already have access to some of these data points, but uniquely, the Foundation Pain Index test is covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most insurance plans. This is especially important for chronic pain patients with a lower socioeconomic status because statistically they have been over-prescribed opioids. The full conversation is densely packed with insights such as: Socioeconomic factors are strong factors in opioid over prescription, misuse and abuse   Why it is essential to bring elements of functional medicine into conventional care How nutrient depletion may contribute to pain An interdisciplinary approach is required to help patients with chronic pain And much more

James interviews Michelle Simon, PhD, ND, president and CEO of the Institute for Natural Medicine (INM). Dr. Simon sees an increasing awareness that our current healthcare system is not delivering the results we need. She advocates for alternate solutions through her work with INM. Some have argued that iatrogenic disease is the third-largest cause of death in America. Applying the Therapeutic Order, which is a guiding principle for naturopathic medicine, can reverse that trend. Naturopathic medicine combined with the group visit model has the potential to address most of the population’s health issues. It is an excellent option to improve healthcare on a large scale.  Listen to the full conversation to learn about: The Therapeutic Order: what it is and why its important The reasons we need to change how we view primary care A new residency program for naturopathic doctors Projects that the Institute for Natural Medicine is working on How lifestyle and naturopathic medicine prevent iatrogenic disease

This week’s podcast is a series of interviews with a handful of physicians who are involved with the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM). Dr. Luby is the Director of Medical Education Initiatives at IFM, which works to scale functional medicine and make it more accessible and easier to adopt into larger healthcare systems. The pandemic brought to light weaknesses in our healthcare system for which functional medicine offers solutions! Dr. Penn is an infectious disease specialist and works in epidemiology and infection prevention at Nebraska Methodist Hospital. He has worked closely with Dr. Luby, and Dr. Penn is planning to implement more of the IFM’s principles into his healthcare system. Dr. Nancy Cutter and Sharon Williams are from the Veterans Affairs (VA) in New Jersey. They are also working towards integrating lifestyle medicine into their systems in part by utilizing group visits. Listen to the full panel discussion to learn more about: The benefits offered by functional medicine for the VA in New Jersey The problems in our healthcare system, which functional medicine can help How Nebraska Methodist Hospital has seen the IFM’s principles improve their COVID outcomes And much, much more!

Our guest on this episode, Dr. Michael Ash, is a researcher who discusses lipid replacement therapy. The applications for this treatment include all fatigue related illnesses, including but not limited to environmental toxin exposure, Lyme disease and long COVID. Oxidative damage, which this therapy addresses, occurs in aging and all chronic and acute illness. When the immune system is activated (e.g., after an infection), mitochondria can be damaged. The defective mitochondria become swollen and leak electrons, which results in the oxidation of membranes. Oral lipid replacement therapy is used to remove and replace damaged membranes. Listen to this episode to learn: Mechanisms of action of inflammasomes What causes danger signals in cells Supplement dosing and sources of this nutrient through diet Symptoms and consequences of poor membrane health And much, much more!

Dr. Mary Pardee, who specializes in fecal macrobiotic transplantation (FMT), explores how personal history with trauma (emotional or physical) often contributes to chronic disease, the necessity of physicians acknowledging their patients’ journey into disease, and the paramount importance of community during the healing process. Highlights include: Empaths are more susceptible to chronic illness Connection, bonding and community are pillars of health Why group medical visits are necessary to transform the future of medicine And much, much more!

On this episode, we speak with Josiah Bartz from the Lifestyle Matrix Resource Center. The LMRC is driven by the same purpose as Evolution of Medicine and supports growth of lifestyle and functional medicine by providing clinicians with practical resources and tools to get their practices off and running. The LMRC was born out of thousands of hours of speaking and working with functional medicine practitioners who want to start or build their practices but feel overwhelmed and in need of support or guidance. After years of developing a library of resources, the LMRC is now offering a membership to provide clinicians with ongoing, thorough and personalized practice management and clinician education support. Listen to learn more about: The history of shared medical appointments or Group Visit Toolkits Successful frameworks to empower patients Features available to members of the LMRC Business growth for functional medicine practices And much, much more!

Penney Stringer, a family medicine physician, shares her journey into functional medicine and her experiences moving in and out of conventional medicine. Dr. Stringer shares anecdotes from her exceptionally successful HealCommunity group. Listen in to hear Dr. Stringer and James explore:   The power of community in medicine How patients with chronic illness are underserved The importance of group support for behavior change And much, much more!