The Science of Sleep: Improving Rest and Rejuvenation

Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, integrative medicine physician, researcher, and best-selling author, has cutting edge strategies for improving sleep. He emphasizes circadian rhythms, time changes, and jet lag. He details reducing stress and “FOMO” from news and social media, prioritizing sleep by cutting nonessential activities, and the health risks of short sleep, including increased heart attack risk, obesity risk, and impaired immunity, plus the role of deep sleep and the glymphatic system. Teitelbaum recommends a dark, cool room, limiting blue light (eye masks, warm/yellow lighting), bedtime routines, sustained-release melatonin, chamomile tea, herbal blends, lavender, magnesium, and addressing issues like sleep apnea (including positional strategies), restless legs (ferritin testing, iron, magnesium), nocturnal hypoglycemia (protein snacks, phosphatidylserine), reflux (bicarbonate, bed elevation), and selective low-dose medications when needed. They also cover daylight saving time adjustment and travel strategies such as shifting schedules, melatonin timing, hydration, and morning light exposure. 














Intelligent Medicine Radio for March 7: “Culinary Medicine”

Intelligent Medicine Radio for March 7, Part 1: Dismal Prediction

Dismal prediction that, by 2050, 60% of women will suffer from cardiovascular disease; Yes, it’s true that childhood and adolescent obesity, once rare, is now soaring; Treatments for osteopenia; Dentists continue to write prescriptions for potentially deadly antibiotic; A man, in love with his Chatbot, commits suicide to join her in the virtual world; Olive oil is calorie dense—but its consumption results in weight loss; Can “bio-regulator peptides” stave off kidney failure?



Intelligent Medicine Radio for March 7, Part 2: “Culinary Medicine”

Will RFK Jr.’s efforts to promote nutrition education in medical schools stall? Doctors-in-training embrace “culinary medicine”; As Administration relaxes their regulation, PFAS compounds shown to accelerate biological aging; Is there a cure for ringing in the ears? Biopsies reveal microplastics in 90% of prostate cancers; Can you trust the results of your on-line gut microbiome test? Can sunlight tame autoimmune disease? Birdwatchers have enhanced brain regions for attention and perception. Can one have dental x-rays and a brain MRI on the same day?












Q&A with Leyla: Quinoa–NOT a Grain

Q&A with Leyla, Part 1: Quinoa–NOT a Grain

  • A correction from a previous podcast episode
  • Congratulations on 40 years!
  • Quinoa is not a grain—it’s a pseudograin
  • When did poisoning our food fall under ‘defense’? How does MAHA reconcile this?



Q&A with Leyla, Part 2: Glaucoma

  • I have increased pressure in my eyes, leading to glaucoma. Is there any way to avoid this?
  • Can the long-term effects of chemo cause insomnia and nausea?
  • What do you think of flow drops?  
  • I avoid red meat. Would I still get the same benefits from seafood and turkey?
  • What’s the best way to take Endefen powder?












Express Yourself: The Psychological Impact of Authentic Communication

Free Speech, Cancel Culture, and the Mental Health Benefits of Speaking Up: Clinical psychologist Dr. Chloe Carmichael, author of “Can I Say That? Why Free Speech Matters and How to Use It Fearlessly,” frames free expression as a mental health and problem-solving issue amid rising polarization, self-censorship, and cancel culture. Carmichael says authentic speech deepens cognition, aids emotional regulation, and strengthens social support, while chronic suppression can lead to repression, denial, anxiety, depression, and resentment. She describes fear and professional risk after publicly opposing child masking during COVID and argues that labeling speech as “violence” distorts reality, though true threats and incitement differ from words. She distinguishes self-censorship from healthy restraint, offers the WAIT test (Want, Appropriate, Inoculate, Trust), and discusses groupthink, innovation, misinformation debates, time-place-manner limits, and examples from corporate and university settings.














Nutritional Empowerment for Cognitive Health

Nutritional Support for Brain Health: Lifestyle, Curcumin, Magnesium, and Key Nootropics: Nutrition educator/formulator Neil Levin from Protocol for Life Balance details nutritional support for brain health amid skepticism about “brain-boosting” supplements, citing a preprint randomized controlled trial using a multifaceted lifestyle plan (diet, exercise, sleep) plus targeted supplementation that reportedly improved and even reversed symptoms in people with mild cognitive impairment. They contrast lifestyle strategies with costly, side-effect-prone injectable “plaque-buster” Alzheimer’s drugs and notes debate about whether amyloid is a root cause or byproduct. The conversation highlights inflammation and oxidation as major aging-related brain threats and reviews supplements including a brain-targeted curcumin (discussing bioavailability, delivery methods, blood–brain barrier crossing, and claims of lowering beta-amyloid protein), magnesium L-threonate for CNS delivery, phosphatidylserine and acetylcholine support (including huperzine), ginkgo and gotu kola, glutamine/GABA pathways, creatine, omega-3s (DHA/EPA and algae sources), B vitamins, acetyl-L-carnitine, alpha-lipoic acid, and cocoa flavanols, plus concerns about supplement industry enforcement.














Intelligent Medicine Radio for February 28: Are some people more genetically-adapted to the cold?

Part 1: Reversing Dementia

The MAHA backlash over RFK Jr.’s about-face on glyphosate; Amid the partisan divide, Making America Healthy Again cuts across party lines; New study confirms effectiveness of personalized lifestyle interventions for reversing dementia; After an allergic reaction to the Covid shot, is it safe to take other vaccines? Some GLP-1 users are developing scurvy; Six lifestyle hacks that augment weight loss drugs’ cardio benefits.



Part 2: Are some people more genetically-adapted to the cold?

Sugar restriction during the first 1000 days of life may slash heart risk decades later; Are some people more genetically-adapted to the cold? While GLP-1 drugs may shrink muscle, new study confirms natural weight loss diets don’t. Should strength assessments be added to routine physicals to forecast risk of dying? For gut health, take your microbiome for a run! Strontium safety and effectiveness; What are dietitians missing about GLP-1 drugs.












Q&A with Leyla: Supplements to Help Combat the Side Effects of Cancer

Part 1: Supplements to Help Combat the Side Effects of Cancer

  • Integrative Healthcare Symposium highlights
  • What supplements can help combat the side effects of cancer therapy?
  • Will my son’s use of Zepbound affect his fertility?



Part 2: Complex Carbs v. Simple Carbs

  • Is what I’ve been doing for years helpful for achieving autophagy?
  • When you say low carb, do you mean low complex carb or low simple and processed carb?
  • What daily multivitamin would you recommend for a male age 50 plus?
  • Which supplement should I take for elevated triglycerides?












A Deep Dive into Autism Solutions

Autism, Functional Medicine, and Personalized Interventions: A Conversation with Theresa Lyons, PhD, a Yale-trained scientist and medical strategist who became an autism expert after her daughter’s diagnosis and now runs AWEtism.net. Lyons describes dissatisfaction with conventional guidance that offers limited drugs for irritability and primarily ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis), which is insurance-covered, often recommended at 40 hours/week, uses extrinsic rewards, and may help some skill-learning but has controversies and limitations for social development; she contrasts newer approaches such as RDI (Relationship Development Intervention) and PRT (Pivotal Response), which aim to build intrinsic motivation but are typically not covered by insurance. The discussion covers autism heterogeneity, changes in diagnostic categories (e.g., Asperger’s folded into autism), and research including a Boston Children’s Hospital study reporting 37% of children in a cohort lost their autism diagnosis over time (diagnosis based on observation). Lyons addresses debates about rising autism prevalence, noting multiple potential contributors and rejecting single-cause explanations, while citing risk-factor examples such as family autoimmune history and air pollution exposure. She outlines a functional medicine “why” approach using constipation as an example (root causes vs. symptomatic treatment), and emphasizes basic, low-risk steps such as evaluating diet, inflammation, hydration/electrolytes, and blood work for nutrients. Specific topics include gluten-free approaches (mechanisms involving gut permeability, immune burden, and CNS effects), dairy/inflammation, vitamin D deficiency and monitoring, melatonin as a well-studied short-term aid in autism (considered safe for a couple of years in studies) while still seeking underlying causes, and omega-3 fatty acids for focus and inflammation. Lyons explains leucovorin (folinic acid, prescription vitamin B9) as a targeted approach for children with folate receptor antibodies (reported in ~70% of autistic children), discusses the value and cost (~$300) of specialized testing from one U.S. lab, and notes reports of major speech and behavior improvements in responders, with dosing nuances. The episode also reviews evidence and cautions around the microbiome, including fecal microbiota transplant (FDA-approved for C. difficile; discussed as having an ~80% response rate in autism-related studies when gut issues are a key driver, but with major donor/compatibility considerations) and probiotics (some small trials and high costs). Other themes include “clean eating,” organic foods and toxin-load considerations tied to genetic detoxification vulnerabilities, discussion of acetaminophen/Tylenol in pregnancy in the context of glutathione pathways and personalized risk, and using genetics to guide interventions. Lyons warns that analysis of top autism TikTok videos found ~70% were inaccurate or overdramatized, recommending social media only for ideas, not decision-making. She also highlights parent stress, citing emerging research on increased PTSD risk among autism parents, and emphasizes support and community. Lyons advises parents to understand their child’s specific health drivers and match them to appropriately specialized clinicians, noting her curated doctor listings in The Lyons Report.














Health Freedom and Innovation: Nate Jones on Xylitol and Empowering Natural Medicine

Xylitol, FTC Censorship, and the Oral–Heart Health Connection: Nathan Jones, CEO and founder of Xlear, Inc., makers of xylitol-based nasal and dental hygiene products, and a health freedom advocate, discusses Jones’ ongoing legal battle with the FTC. He addresses the difficulty of making health claims for hygiene products (including toothpaste and nasal sprays), the role of “weasel words” in supplement marketing, and concerns about regulatory double standards versus pharmaceuticals.

He also reviews xylitol’s benefits for dental caries and respiratory/ear infections, including references to studies and public-health examples (e.g., Finland and a Belize program reducing dental caries costs), and Jones’ efforts to encourage Utah to implement xylitol gum programs in schools. He contrasts fluoride’s enamel-strengthening approach with xylitol’s effect on the underlying bacterial cause of tooth decay, discusses Utah’s fluoride policy change and claims about fluoride’s limited benefit, and highlights a correlation between poor oral health and cardiovascular risk via inflammation and bacterial translocation into the bloodstream, including pathogens found in atherosclerotic plaque, and links also discussed for dementia and Parkinson’s. 

They close with commentary on health advocacy in the “MAHA era,” the challenges of entrenched federal bureaucracy, and Jones’ preference for advocacy groups that teach industry to push back rather than comply.














Intelligent Medicine Radio for February 21: Saunas Can Help Stave Off Dementia

Part 1: Saunas Can Help Stave Off Dementia

Vitamin D testing is vital for tailoring doses to optimize health—but regulators are conducting a campaign to deny coverage; Can magnesium be taken simultaneously with blood pressure meds? Lifelong learning delays Alzheimer’s onset by 5 years; Your MRI says you have a bum shoulder—but 99% of people show abnormalities even when they have no discomfort; Saunas can help stave off dementia. 



Part 2: The Fittest 81-Year-Old in the World

Reflections on the Peter Attia/Epstein scandal; How to lower lp(a)—does diet help? What are bio-active peptides? Could they stave off kidney disease? Scientists just tested the fittest 81-year-old in the world—here’s what they found; Media erroneously report that intermittent fasting is not effective for weight loss; Sugary drinks may stoke anxiety in teens; Omega-3s support kids’ reading fluency and spelling scores; Surprising study shows saturated fats not harmful to kidneys.