
Medicine Redefined
Dr. Darsh Shah & Dr. Altamash Raja interview practitioners who challenge the norm and promote health during a time when the healthcare system is broken. Learn how experts in the fields of sleep, nutrition, exercise, stress resilience, rehabilitation, lifestyle medicine, and others are using new-age thinking to move the needle forward and redefine medicine as we know it.
Latest episodes

Jan 15, 2024 • 1h 23min
138. Medicare vs. Medicaid, Levels of Care & Healthcare's Financial Problem | Rollin Wright, MD
Rollin Wright, MD, is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Penn State Health – Hershey Medical Center. She holds a medical degree from Albany Medical College and completed her fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Rhode Island Hospital. In addition to her clinical experience, Dr. Wright has developed curricula in areas such as dementia care, interprofessional education, and post-acute and long-term care.
Mentioned in the show:
Medicare vs. Medicaid
HMO vs. PPO
HSA vs. FSA
Atul Gawande
The Price We Pay by Marty Makary

Jan 8, 2024 • 37min
137. Progress Note #14: 2023 Reflections, Morpheus Heart Rate Training & Holiday Weight Gain
Dr. Altamash and Dr. Darsh break down the biggest lessons they've learned in 2023, both health-wise and personal development. They also discuss their newest health tech purchase - the Morpheus Heart Rate training system. They end their conversation talking about tactics to not gain that stubborn hard to lose weight during the holiday season!
Mentioned in the show:Morpheus Heart Rate System / Max Shank - Episode 24 / Kelly Starrett - Episode 37 / You Can't Screw This Up by Adam Bornstein

Dec 18, 2023 • 60min
136. Peptides, Solving Health & Learning to Learn | Asare Christian, MD, MPH
Asare Christian, MD is a board-certified Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation physician
who practices musculoskeletal and pain medicine in Wayne PA. He also has an
academic appointment with the University of Pennsylvania PM&R Department. He received his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin and completed residency
training at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He also received his masters in public health from the Harvard School of Public Health with a concentration in
health policy and management.
In this episode, we discuss:
Peptides and their role in general health, as well as MSK medicine
Understanding disease and health at a cellular level
Problem solving for health
Learning to learn
Resources Mentioned in the Show:
A4M
Find Asare:
Aethermedicine
Instagram
Linkedin

Dec 11, 2023 • 1h 12min
135. Acupuncture 101, Attending Responsibilities & New Lifestyle Habits | Alex King, DO
Alex King, DO is a neuromusculoskeletal physician and associate program director of the Osteopathic Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine Program at Rowan University. He received his DO and completed his residency in neuromusculoskeletal medicine at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. King is also licensed in medical acupuncture, receiving his education from the Helms Medical Institute.
Mentioned in the show:
Acupuncture / Ear Seeds / Rope Flow
Dr. Alex King's Socials: Instagram / Recoverology Del Co

Dec 9, 2023 • 1h 4min
134. Burnt Out to Bought In: A Nurse's Journey to Financial Independence Through Real Estate | Stacey Stegenga, RN
Stacey Stegenga wasn’t always a real estate investor, she was a nurse. But not just any nurse, Stacey was a flight nurse, helping transport military patients across the US. When she wasn’t away for flight nursing, she picked up travel nursing, moving around the US for months at a time to provide medical care wherever needed. She finally ended up in Denver to be close to family and grow some roots, but her pay was painfully cut in half . After educating herself intensely, she took the risk and jumped into real estate investing. Stacey was able to build an 8 unit portfolio in just 18 months and became a passive investor in a syndication! She now has experience with out-of-state investing, building a team, raising private capital, and mid-term rentals, all of which have worked out generously in her favor. Stacey’s love for real estate investing stems from supplementing her salary as a full-time nurse. She is passionate about improving healthcare and advocates for legislation to change the harmful work environment that so many healthcare professionals are forced to tolerate.
Mentioned in the show:
Set For Life by Scott Trench / Bigger Pockets / Syndication / Triple Net Lease / Real Estate Tax Benefits
Stacey's Socials:
Instagram

Nov 27, 2023 • 1h 24min
133. The Power of Polysaccharide Supplementation | John Lewis, PhD
John E. Lewis, Ph.D. has a passion for educating others about the value of nutrition, dietary supplementation, exercise, and health, and in particular he studies and applies clinical nutrition for the benefit of mankind. Dr. Lewis is a past full-time, and now voluntary, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He is also a Diplomat, Faculty Member, and Advisor of the Medical Wellness Association. He has been the principal investigator of over 30 different studies in his research career, focusing on evaluating the effects of nutrition, dietary supplementation, and exercise on various aspects of human health, and he has over 180 peer-reviewed publications in some of the world’s leading scientific journals. A seminal publication from his Alzheimer’s study in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease not only spurred Dr. Lewis to leave academics and pursue a science-based business career, but it also enabled him to be selected for a widely-acclaimed TEDxMiami talk about how dietary supplementation can improve brain health.
John Lewis Website
TedX Talk
PubMed Research Articles
Daily Brain Care Supplement
Dr. Lewis' Social Media:
Instagram
X/Twitter
LinkedIn

Nov 20, 2023 • 1h 2min
132. The Role of Fatty Acids in Medical Conditions, Revisiting Seed Oils & Buying The Right Oil | Udo Erasmus, PhD
Udo Erasmus, Ph.D., introduced the importance of essential fats (EFA's) derived from organic flax seeds to the world. He pioneered methods for producing unrefined oils made with health in mind which are still used today by manufacturers of flax and other oils. Starting in the mid-1980's, Udo popularized the use of flax oil through an exhaustive itinerary of public lectures, which eventually led to TV and radio interviews. His ground-breaking book, Fats that Heal Fats That Kill, became the industry's bible on fats. Later he developed an oil blend which is an improvement on flax oil, offering a better ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6. Because of Udo's commitment to the field of fats and oils, there are now a variety of high-quality, EFA-rich oils available in health food stores and dispensaries around the world. Udo's contribution to the fields of health and nutrition, along with his pioneering work to establish standards of quality for oil manufacture will continue to benefit humanity for decades to come.
Udo Erasmus Website
Udo's Choice
Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill
Resources mentioned in the show:
Omega-3 and Atrial Fibrillation
Omega-3 and Disuse Atrophy
Fatty Acids and ADHD

Nov 13, 2023 • 1h 22min
131. The History of Fats, Deconstructing Seed Oils & Omega 3's and 6's | Udo Erasmus, PhD
Udo Erasmus, Ph.D., introduced the importance of essential fats (EFA's) derived from organic flax seeds to the world. He pioneered methods for producing unrefined oils made with health in mind which are still used today by manufacturers of flax and other oils. Starting in the mid-1980's, Udo popularized the use of flax oil through an exhaustive itinerary of public lectures, which eventually led to TV and radio interviews. His ground-breaking book, Fats that Heal Fats That Kill, became the industry's bible on fats. Later he developed an oil blend which is an improvement on flax oil, offering a better ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6. Because of Udo's commitment to the field of fats and oils, there are now a variety of high-quality, EFA-rich oils available in health food stores and dispensaries around the world. Udo's contribution to the fields of health and nutrition, along with his pioneering work to establish standards of quality for oil manufacture will continue to benefit humanity for decades to come.
Udo Erasmus Website
Udo's Choice
Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill

Nov 6, 2023 • 1h 4min
130. Digital Health and Why It's Taking Forever to Make Progress | Jonathan Baktari, MD
Dr. Baktari graduated magna cum laude from Case Western Reserve before continuing on to medical school at Ohio State University) and after graduation (he became a triple board-certified physician with specialties in internal medicine, pulmonary and critical care medicine, completing his residency at Northwestern University and fellowships at UCLA).
In this episode, we start by discussing
Digital health - what it is and why it’s exciting
The current role of digital health in medicine as we practice now
Foundational limitations for incorporating digital health successfully into healthcare
Where and how we would start to optimize the system using digital health
What a bright future with a robust and efficient digital health system looks like
Resources mentioned in the show:
Dr. Baktari's website
Baktari MD podcast

Oct 30, 2023 • 1h 6min
129. Preparing for the Next Pandemic & Travel Medicine | Jonathan Baktari, MD
Dr. Jonathan Baktari is the CEO of eNational Testing, e7 Health, & US Drug Test Centers. He brings over 20 years of clinical, administrative, and entrepreneurial experience. .
Dr. Baktari graduated magna cum laude from Case Western Reserve before continuing on to medical school at Ohio State University) and after graduation (he became a triple board-certified physician with specialties in internal medicine, pulmonary and critical care medicine, completing his residency at Northwestern University and fellowships at UCLA).
Starting with private practice, he took on leadership roles at major Las Vegas hospitals. (AS the medical director for an ICU…or chief of internal medicine at Desert Springs Hospital, and system medical director for utilization management for six Valley Health Systems.) He also taught medicine at the University of Hawaii and Touro University, and spent time working on the insurance side, serving as medical director of the Culinary Health Fund and as Anthem’s medical director for the State of Nevada.
In this episode, we start by discussing
Digital health - what it is and why it’s exciting
Travel Medicine
Vaccinations
Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic
Science communication and the scientific method
Resources mentioned in the show:
Dr. Baktari's website
Discovery of Helicobater pylori