Q&A with Leyla, Part 1: An Update on Natural Thyroid

• An update on natural thyroid availability and the FDA
• A correction on disseminated sarcoidosis and stress
• I’m a former smoker. Should I be concerned about beta carotene in the Alpha Base multivitamin?
• A comment from a user of lithium orotate for the last eleven years
• Does long-term use of Horse Chestnut cause a thiamin deficiency?

Q&A with Leyla, Part 2: Lyme Disease

• Does cider honey eradicate cadmium in the body?  Is there any truth to this?
• Can Mitopure be consumed with dairy?  Does dairy in any way interfere with its absorption?
• I’ve read and heard that supplements are worthless—can even shorten lifespans.  Is this true?
• Should I be concerned about the xylitol in my toothpaste since I read it can increase blood clots and stroke risk?
• How much omega-3 do you recommend for multiple sclerosis?
• Is there any new protocol or treatment for Lyme disease?

Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge, a nutrition scientist and the founding director of the Center for Excellence for Sleep and Circadian Research at Columbia University, details the intriguing relationship between diet and sleep quality, exploring how various foods and nutrients affect sleep patterns. Dr. St-Onge shares insights from her research on the Mediterranean diet, functional foods, and the impact of macronutrients like fiber, carbohydrates, and polyphenols on sleep. They also touch on the effects of caffeine and alcohol, as well as the role of psychological interventions like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for insomnia. Practical advice and delicious recipes from her new book, “Eat Better, Sleep Better,” are highlighted to help listeners enhance their sleep through dietary changes.

Dr. Robert Silverman, author of “Immune Reboot: Maximizing Immunity, Restoring Gut Health, and Optimizing Vitality,” provides a comprehensive primer on the immune system. He explains how lifestyle factors—diet, sleep, exercise, and stress—impact immune resilience. He offers specific protocols for optimizing resistance to Covid, what to do if you come down with it, and how to treat Long Covid, as well as how to prepare for vaccines. 

Part 1: Could overuse of CT scans cause 100,000 extra cancers?

As natural thyroid ban looms, thyroid sufferers gird for battle with regulators; Rapid weight loss, muscle wasting—what to do? Could overuse of CT scans cause 100,000 extra cancers in the U.S.? Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket residents afflicted with tick-borne meat allergy; Beyond Meat headed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy; Searching for the causes of low iron.

Part 2: NAC for Parkinson’s

Report shows rapid declines in health of children and adolescents since 2007; N-acetylcysteine (NAC) for Parkinson’s; Statins increase likelihood of hearing loss, tinnitus; Lithium orotate for Alzheimer’s; Is tinnitus reversible? Novel implantable electrical vagus nerve stimulator approved for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

References & Resources

Projected lifetime cancer risks from current computed tomography imaging
JAMA Intern Med. 2025;185(6):710–719. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.0505

Beyond Meat headed to Chapter 11 bankruptcy
By Daniel Kline, The Street   Aug 12, 2025

Common CT scans are major cancer risks from current, study claims
By Ed Cara, Gizmodo  April 14, 2025

FDA approves first-ever vagus nerve stimulator for rheumatoid arthritis
By Michelle Falci, Med Central  Aug 8, 2025

Statins and their effect on hearing: an all of us database study
Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2025 Jul 29:34894251359135

N-acetylcysteine increases dopamine release and prevents the deleterious effects of 6-OHDA on the expression of VMAT2, α-synuclein, and tyrosine hydroxylase
Neurol Res. 2024 May;46(5):406-415

Q&A with Leyla, Part 1: Are dental mouth guards toxic?

• Is the FDA phasing out natural thyroid?
• Study:  Lithium for Alzheimer’s disease
• More on water filtration issues
• My mother-in-law has hallucinations when she has a UTI.  Why is that?
• Are dental mouth guards toxic?  Is there a better alternative for clenching and bruxism?

Q&A with Leyla, Part 2: Irritable Bowel Syndrome

• Is gentle rebounding and indoor recumbent biking safe for someone with chronic venous insufficiency?
• Were you talking about ‘disseminated sarcoidosis’?
• What are your thoughts on AI-enhanced EKGs?
• What can I do to find relief for my irritable bowel syndrome?
• Are there benefits to chelation therapy, or has it fallen out of favor?
• Some brands of stevia don’t contain erythritol.  Can I use those?

For many, integrative medicine has become an unattainable luxury, and healthy diet and lifestyle the prerogative of the privileged. Today’s guest, Dr. Ramona Wallace, is attempting to change that. Trained conventionally as a DO, she undertook additional training and certification via the Institute for Functional Medicine to broaden her clinical skills. She practices primary care in an underserved community in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where she incorporates diet and lifestyle recommendations to address her patients’ chronic conditions. Careful nutritional assessment has revealed that many of her patients, while overtly overweight, are decidedly malnourished. She has documented a wide range of deficiencies—of B vitamins, vitamins A, C, and D, critical minerals like zinc and magnesium, even full-blown scurvy. These are precisely the patients who are most likely to benefit from nutritional support. Discovering obstacles to compliance is a key element to effect their health transformations. Dr. Wallace believes that individualized care is the key to reversing long-standing health conditions. She mentors medical students in the first-of-its-kind Functional Medicine program at a medical school. She has also co-authored a landmark paper arguing for wellness self-care by doctors, to stave off burnout and to help them be better role models for patients.

Serena Jo, Ph.D in Exercise Psychology and ACE-certified Personal Trainer, explains how exercise benefits the brain, and how to undertake an exercise program. Is it ever too late to start? What forms of exercise are best? How to begin an exercise program economically, even if you’re at home; Home equipment basics; Pros and cons of online workout apps; What advantages do personal trainers offer? The downsides of overzealous workouts; Overcoming psychological barriers to fitness; What is the American Council on Exercise? Why your trainer should be professionally certified; How to turn your exercise passion into a career; More resources available HERE.

ENCORE: Intelligent Medicine Radio for August 9, Part 1: Benefits of Sun Exposure

Lifestyle and environment affect health more than genes; Med Diet lowers cancer risk; How to get rid of knee pain; Ostinol for bone health; Sunlight—Time for a rethink? Benefits of sun exposure may be more than just about vitamin D; Exercise is mitochondrial medicine; Ginger scores vs. colitis; Kitchen remedy for water-borne lead. 

ENCORE: Intelligent Medicine Radio for August 9, Part 2: Melatonin for Skin Rejuvenation

CT scan accidentally reveals calcium deposits where they don’t belong; Dispelling the myth that hunter-gatherers get more sleep than Westerners; Blue light exposure at night impairs sleep—but morning exposure improves it; When normal B12 levels aren’t enough; NT Factor vs. urolithin A (Mitopure®️) for mitochondria; Alternatives to PPIs for Barrett’s Esophagus; Topical—not oral—melatonin for skin rejuvenation. 

BONUS: Intelligent Medicine Radio for August 9: Exploring Female Viagra

BONUS ORIGINAL CONTENT: The introduction and limitations of the drug Addyi, known as the ‘female Viagra,’ including its side effects and mixed effectiveness; A listener’s concerns about liver fibrosis, providing dietary and supplement recommendations for liver health; The impact of plastic exposure on cardiovascular health, emphasizing the widespread and harmful effects of phthalates found in plastics.

References & Resources

Top diet linked to lower risk of multiple cancers
JAMA Netw Open. 2025;8(2):e2461031. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.61031

Lifestyle and environmental factors affect health and aging more than our genes
Nature Medicine, 2025; DOI: 10.1038/s41591-024-03483-9

Sunlight: Time for a rethink?
By Laura Johannes, WSJ  January 20, 2024

Red light therapy gets the green light, sort of
By Alex Janin, The Wall Street Journal  Feb 24, 2025

Ginger compound has potential to treat inflammatory bowel disease
Nature Communications, 2025; 16 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-56624-0

Brewing tea removes lead from water
ACS Food Science & Technology February 24, 2025

Morning blue light therapy improves sleep and daily activity in older adults
GeroScience, 2025; DOI: 10.1007/s11357-025-01506-y

People in industrial societies get more sleep than Hunter-gatherers
By Michael Lepage, NewScientist  February 26, 2025

Exercise as Mitochondrial Medicine: How does the Exercise Prescription Affect Mitochondrial Adaptations to Training?
Annual Review of Physiology, Vol. 87:107-129 

ENCORE: Q&A with Leyla, Part 1: Reducing Food Waste

• Reducing food waste 
• Please share your thoughts concerning controversies about the significance of telomere length

ENCORE: Q&A with Leyla, Part 2: Allulose, too good to be true?

• Why is my B6 so high when I only take a small amount of it?
• Can nocturia be associated with dehydration?
• Please weigh in on allulose. Is it too good to be true?
• My husband’s hemoglobin is lower than his previous lab test. Is this a cause for concern? 

Dr. Jeffrey Bland, a pioneer in the field of integrative and functional medicine, discusses his latest project, Big Bold Health, which focuses on immune system rejuvenation through natural products like HTB (Himalayan Tery Buckwheat) and high-quality fish oil. The conversation delves into the origins and benefits of functional medicine, the importance of diet and lifestyle in health, and the concept of making America healthy. Dr. Bland also shares insights into his journey and the influence of traditional medicine practices. Listeners are encouraged to explore more about functional medicine and Big Bold Health’s unique offerings.