

Medicine Redefined
Darsh Shah, DO and Altamash Raja, DO
Medicine Redefined challenges outdated conventions by elevating conversations around what health truly means. Hosts Dr. Darsh Shah and Dr. Altamash Raja spotlight clinicians, scientists, thought leaders, and reformers who are reshaping how we think about physical, mental, metabolic, and systemic health. While the healthcare system focuses on treating disease, our guests focus on optimizing human potential. From sleep and nutrition to stress resilience and lifestyle medicine, discover how forward-thinking practitioners are putting the health back in healthcare.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 5, 2024 • 49min
141. Progress Note #15: 2024 Health Trends, 100 Grams of Protein in One Meal & Visceral Fat Causing Joint Pain
Drs. Darsh and Altamash sit down to discuss what they beleive will be the biggest health trends of 2024, a recent paper in the Cell Reports Medicine about maximizing protein consumption for muscle growth, and a paper discussing the role of visceral fat in joint pain.
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Mentioned in the Show:
Episode 4 - Shawn Arent (Nutrient Timing)
Episode 130 - Jonathon Baktari (Digital Health)
Episode 114 - Jo Bhakdi (AI in Medicine)
Episode 104 - Bill Cromwell (Cardiovascular Disease)
Episode 8 - Patrick Finan (Pain)
The anabolic response to protein ingestion... (Cell Reports Medicine)
Visceral adiposity is associated with pain...
Williamsburg Bathhouse
DexaFit
You Are What You Eat (Netflix)

Jan 29, 2024 • 57min
140. A Change of Heart: The Pulse on Life After Transplant | Alin Gragossian, DO
Dr. Alin Gragossian completed a residency program in Emergency Medicine at Drexel University, where she cultivated the skills required to manage critical and time-sensitive diagnoses. Following her residency, Dr. Gragossian pursued a 2-year multidisciplinary fellowship in Critical Care Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Her experiences in these environments equipped her with a unique insight into the intricacies of managing critical cardiac conditions.
Remarkably, Dr. Gragossian's personal journey has been deeply intertwined with her professional pursuits. In 2019, she underwent an urgent heart transplant herself after being diagnosed with familial dilated cardiomyopathy, a life-changing experience that gave her a unique understanding of the patient's perspective.
Presently, Dr. Gragossian is an Intensivist through Equum Medical. Additionally, she holds the position of Associate Medical Director at Donor Network West, where she guides the organization's donor management initiatives. Furthermore, her contributions extend to the realm of medical technology as a consultant for various medical technology companies, where she leverages her expertise to advance medical innovation in critically ill patients.
Most recently, Dr. Gragossian's dedication to advocacy has earned her the esteemed role of Chair of the American Society of Transplantation's Transplant Community Advisory Council. Here, she helps shape the future of transplant medicine and health education for patients and caregivers.
Things we discuss in the show:
Alin's genesis story
Illness to heart transplant
Lessons learned from being at death's door
Alin's future
Follow Dr. Gragossian:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Blog
Podcast

Jan 22, 2024 • 1h 1min
139. Behind the Scenes of News Outlets, Journalist Incentives, Biased Media, Incorporating Feedback & Tangle News | Isaac Saul
Isaac Saul is the reporter and founder of Tangle, an independent, ad-free, non-partisan politics newsletter that summarizes the best arguments from the left and right on the news of the day. Isaac is based in Philadelphia, PA, and grew up in the politically divisive Bucks County. Before Tangle, Isaac worked joined the The Pitt News during my sophomore year of college at the University of Pittsburgh and served as the sports editor. He then worked at the Huffington Post as well as along side Ashton Kutcher to build A Plus, one of the world's largest positive news outlets. His work at Tangle has been recognized by The New York Times, Forbes, The Hustle, Substack and many others as one of the most successful politics newsletters on the internet.
Mentioned in the show:
Tangle News
Non-Partisan Perspective on the Israel-Hamas War
10 Thoughts on What is Happening in Israel
Hasan Minhaj Rebuttal to New Yorker
Succession

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