Q&A with Leyla, Part 1: Sore Feet and Toes

• Will Truheight vitamins really make your kids grow?
• Where can I learn more about complementary medicine and nutrition?
• The balls of my feet are sore along with my toes. Is this a vitamin deficiency?

Q&A with Leyla, Part 2: Whole-Body Scans

• I recently had an ApoB test and am surprised that it isn’t lower than it is.  Can you explain?
• I have an ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm.  How can I keep it from enlarging?
• Why are you against whole-body scans? Aren’t they helpful?
• Can I take magnesium L-threonate while also taking magnesium glycinate?

In this episode of the Intelligent Medicine podcast, Dr. Ronald Hoffman discusses the vital role of nitric oxide in human health with expert Dr. Nathan Bryan, a pioneering scientist, health innovator, and biotech entrepreneur who’s reshaping the conversation around longevity, human performance, and the truth behind modern health. He’s author of “The Secret of Nitric Oxide: Bringing the Science to Life.” They explore the science behind nitric oxide, its numerous benefits, including its impact on cardiovascular health and erectile function, and the misconceptions surrounding common supplementation methods. Dr. Bryan explains how his research led to the development of effective nitric oxide supplements and a nitric oxide-friendly lifestyle. They also address the safety and efficacy of combining nitric oxide support with erectile dysfunction medications, and Dr. Bryan shares insights into ongoing research and future innovations in the field.

In this episode of the Intelligent Medicine podcast, Dr. Ronald Hoffman is joined by Dr. Alexandra Shustina, a distinguished integrative gastroenterologist based in New York City and Miami. They delve into Dr. Shustina’s journey from conventional to integrative medicine, the importance of addressing the microbiome, and holistic approaches to treating gastrointestinal ailments like IBS, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis. Dr. Shustina shares her insights on diet, the impact of stress, and the role of supplements and herbal remedies. She discusses the significance of personalized care, visceral manipulation, and mind-body techniques in promoting gut health. The episode also touches on the rising incidence of gastrointestinal cancers in young people and the potential benefits of proactive, integrative healthcare approaches.

Part 1: Why Not All Fish Oils Are Alike

New study suggests taking thyroid medication WITH food may be just as good as taking it on an empty stomach; Natural support for Parkinson’s Disease; Reviving the lost art of handwriting may be key to kid’s learning; Dr. Jeffrey Bland does a deep dive on why not all fish oils are alike.

Part 2: Cancer Incidence is Soaring

While we’re making progress in TREATING cancer, worldwide cancer INCIDENCE is soaring, especially among young people; New guidelines for colon cancer screening urge earlier start at age 45; Rates of peanut allergy are declining as more parents follow revised advice to introduce nuts earlier to kids; What’s with all the buzz about methylene blue? Legalization and stronger pot are creating an epidemic of ER visits for uncontrolled vomiting, debilitating abdominal pain; New smart toilet gives you a report card on your poop; When Zoloft doesn’t work for anxiety.

References & Resources

Timing levothyroxine ingestion in the INFINITY study: a randomized controlled trial comparing dose-adjusted, non-fasting and fasting levothyroxine ingestion
Int J Endocrinol. 2023 Feb 10;2023:2565031. doi: 10.1155/2023/2565031. PMID: 36818804; PMCID: PMC9937748.

Handwriting but not typewriting leads to widespread brain connectivity: a high-density EEG study with implications for the classroom
Frontiers in Psychology Volume 14 – 2023 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1219945

Early-onset gastrointestinal cancers: A Review
JAMA 2025;334;(15):1373-1385. doli: 10.1001/jama.2025.10218

Kohler’s new smart toilet camera analyzes your poop
By Ben Patterson, PCWorld, October 20, 2025

Grass sick: the mysterious marijuana syndrome filling emergency rooms
By Josh Code, The Free Press, October 22, 2025

Trends in cancer incidence in younger and older adults: An international comparative analysis
Ann Intern Med. [Epub 21 October 2025]. doi:10.7326/ANNALS-24-02718

What to know about methylene blue
By Leslie Goldman, MPH April 24, 2025

Advice to feed babies peanuts early and often helped thousands of kids avoid allergies
Pediatrics e2025072593. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2025-072593

Q&A with Leyla, Part 1: Hip Pain

• INFINITY Study on the timing of thyroid medication ingestion
• I have a growth near my eye that is changing in color and becoming crusty. What should I do?
• I’ve been suffering from hip pain for the last three years. Any suggestions on what to do?
• Could toxic exposures like mold cause conditions like low thyroid or autoimmunity?

Q&A with Leyla, Part 2: IBS

• With a calcium score of zero, is there any fat in your diet?  
• Are there any recommended supplements for IBS?
• What is the safest and most appropriate dose of vitamin D3 for most seniors?

Reforming SNAP. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program—formerly known as food stamps—is designed to address nutritional gaps for economically disadvantaged Americans. But critics argue that SNAP’s lack of selectivity when it comes to ultra-processed foods stokes the current epidemic of obesity and metabolic disorders. Nutritionist Carolina Schneider, MS, RD, joins us to discuss an opportunity to reform SNAP. She makes the case for emphasizing fresh, minimally processed food as eligible for purchase under SNAP. Also, she urges inclusion of vitamin D under SNAP benefits because of the pervasiveness of vitamin D deficiency, especially among SNAP recipients. Check out a hub for citizen activism at www.All4VitaminD.org. In Part 2, we shift to consideration of plant-based diets: What are their advantages, and what are potential pitfalls? 

Many challenging medical conditions defy treatment and challenge clinicians to come up with innovative solutions—Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, fibromyalgia, Lyme Disease, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and autoimmune conditions; add now the growing burden of patients with Long Covid and vaccine injury. Dr. Tania Dempsey specializes in treating these complicated chronic disorders. She has embraced and advanced a new paradigm based on addressing Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). What is MCAS? How is it differentiated from ordinary allergies, and why are its symptoms so pervasive? What are its causes and triggers? What role for low-histamine diets? Antihistamines? Other novel medications? What nutritional supplements can facilitate its resolution? How does recognition of the contribution of MCAS facilitate treatment of patients suffering from Long Covid and vaccine injuries?

Part 1: The Craving for Alcohol

“Food is Medicine” initiative urged—but progress is slow; Thymic peptide for cancer; What is “orthomolecular psychiatry”? Magnesium threonate for tinnitus; How screen time and social media are dumbing down our kids; The craving for alcohol may be programmed from our primate origins. 

Part 2: Conquering Inflammation

New options for knee pain—radiation and embolization; Popeye was right to power-up with spinach; Conquering inflammation; Methane-predominant SIBO; Unnecessary back surgery on seniors is rampant; Medicare Advantage patients often relegated to inferior cancer surgery. 

References & Resources

Wild chimps consume the equivalent of two glasses of wine a day
By Margherita Bassi, Science Advances  September 29, 2025

Thymic peptides for prostate cancer
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2011, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD003993. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003993.pub3. Accessed 20 October 2025.

Experts push to expand role of nutrition in medicine
By Joyce Frieden, Medpage Today  October 2, 2025

Why medical schools need to focus more on nutrition
By Lloyd Minor, WSJ October 10, 2019

Social media use trajectories and cognitive performance in adolescents
JAMA. Published online October 13, 2025. doi:10.1001/jama.2025.16613

Screen Time and Standardized Academic Achievement Tests in Elementary School
JAMA Netw Open Published Online:2025;8;(10):e2537092. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.37092

Magnesium for tinnitus: Everything to know
By Carolyn Farnswort, Medical News Today  August 22, 2025

Improved effect of spinach extract on physical performance: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials
Cureus. 2025 Jan 22;17(1):e77840. doi: 10.7759/cureus.77840

Study dings Medicare advantage for cancer surgery quality
By Mike Bassett, Medpage Today  October 15, 2025

Genicular artery embolization procedure (GAE)
uchicagomedicine.org

This European treatment for joint pain just passed a major scientific test
American Society for Radiation Oncology 

Q&A with Leyla, Part 1: Reasons for Nausea

• Reasons for nausea  
• My PSA was 4.0 six months ago, and now it’s up to 4.55. What should I do?
• I have lupus and need to take Methotrexate. How can I protect my liver and immune system?
• The important relationship between vitamin D3 and K2

Q&A with Leyla, Part 2: Can Fish Oil Raise LDL Cholesterol?

• How do I keep my LDL low enough without compromising my brain and my liver?
• I read that fish oil can raise LDL cholesterol. Is this true?
• A questionable case study on pycnogenol

Dr. Geo Espinosa, one of America’s foremost integrative urologists, dishes on men’s urinary problems, natural support for testosterone, and prostate cancer. Lifestyle factors—diet, exercise, sleep and stress reduction—play an important role in all phases of urological health. Dr. Geo explains how he interacts with conventional urologists on the faculty of NYU Langone Medical Center where he practices. Why are men’s urinary problems not just a matter of prostate size? How can natural strategies alleviate urinary difficulties without the need for surgery or drugs? Besides saw palmetto, what nutraceuticals can benefit men with urinary problems? Are there really natural herbal alternatives to testosterone? For men with prostate cancer who are under active surveillance, is there anything more that can be done to minimize their chance of eventually needing surgery or radiation? What nutraceuticals, vitamins and minerals have anti-prostate cancer potential?