Expert Interview

ENCORE: Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Part 2
May 15, 2017
Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Dr. Benajmin Brown, exploring natural approaches to Irritable bowel Syndrome. Click HERE for part 1.

An Odyssey Through a Mysterious Illness, Part 1
May 9, 2017
In her new book, "Through the Shadowlands," science journalist Julie Rehmeyer chronicles her odyssey through a mysterious illness. After encountering debilitating fatigue, Rehmeyer got no answers from medical doctors other than a diagnosis of CFS--Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Even the slightest exertion prompted severe exacerbations. After one particularly incapacitating bout, she undertook an extreme measure--a desert retreat to Death Valley. There she discovered that one component of her illness was mold sensitivity. Rehmeyer describes how volatile gasses emitted by molds can cripple the nervous systems of susceptible individuals. She emphasizes that there's no "one-size-fits-all" solution to CFS; different patients respond to different measures like diet, supplements, hormonal support, or immunomodulators. Rehmeyer has become a vocal advocate for CFS research, and briefs us on the latest advances. She also offers a critique of a much-maligned study--PACE--which concludes that CFS patients just need exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy to recover. Click HERE for part 2.

An Odyssey Through a Mysterious Illness, Part 2

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with science journalist Julie Rehmeyer, author of "Through the Shadowlands: A Science Writer's Odyssey into an Illness Science Doesn't Understand," who chronicles her odyssey through a mysterious illness. Click HERE for part 1.

The Dangers of Excessive Medication, Part 1
April 27, 2017
Polypharmacy--the prescribing of multiple medications simultaneously--is a big problem, especially among seniors. Surveys reveal that the average 65+ individual takes 14 prescription medications per year! It's not uncommon to see elderly patients taking 6 or 7 drugs daily. Su Robotti, founder of the Medshadow Foundation (www.medshadow.org), highlights the dangers of excessive medication. What three drug categories cause 60% of the serious complications among seniors? How is it that pharmaceutical meds are the 4th leading cause of death in the U.S.? Of particular concern is the indiscriminate prescribing of opiates for ordinary back pain, a condition that affects 70% of older adults. What are the alternatives? Click HERE for part 2.

The Dangers of Excessive Medication, Part 2

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Su Robotti, founder of the Medshadow Foundation (www.medshadow.org). Click HERE for part 1.

ENCORE: The Downsides of Electronic Medical Records, Part 1
April 13, 2017
Electronic Medical Records: The Potemkin Village of Healthcare: Dr. Gerard Gianoli, an outspoken critic of our current bureaucratized system of medicine whose Op-Eds have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, weighs in on the downsides of EMRs. They burden doctors with paperwork, result in “Cookie Cutter” medical care, force independent physicians to become employees of large healthcare corporations, and compromise patient privacy. Recent news demonstrates how entire hospital systems can be held hostage by hackers. Low-cost, low-tech procedures—and simply talking to patients—are often discouraged by artificially low reimbursement rates. Physician burnout is at unprecedented levels and is highly correlated with whether or not doctors accept insurance or Medicare with its onerous requirements and strictures. Doctors are committing suicide at record rates, and older doctors are retiring in droves to sidestep changes dictated by new regulations. In view of a looming physician shortage, this is bad news for medical consumers. Dr. Gianoli advocates that physicians and patients get off the insurance reimbursement “grid” and rediscover quality care with 3rd party medicine, free of bureaucratic encumbrances. Click HERE for part 2.

ENCORE: The Downsides of Electronic Medical Records, Part 2

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Dr. Gerard Gianoli, an outspoken critic of our current bureaucratized system of medicine. Click HERE for part 1.

Relief for Autoimmune Disorders, Part 1
April 6, 2017
Dr. Terry Wahls discusses her new book, "The Wahls Protocol: Cooking for Life--The Revolutionary Modern Paleo Plan to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions." Dr. Wahls was a conventional physician who developed multiple sclerosis which was unresponsive even to powerful MS drugs. Though initially skeptical of natural medicine, she felt she had little recourse when she became wheelchair-bound, and turned to a Paleo diet. Within weeks her symptoms improved, and after several years she has achieved lasting remission. Her research led her to formulate the Wahls Protocol which has brought relief to thousands of sufferers of autoimmune disorders. How pervasive is autoimmunity? Why might diet aid recovery? Dr. Wahls dispels some misconceptions about the Paleo diet: Is it all meat? Very low carb? Are nightshades and beans permitted? Why the emphasis on bone broths? Organ meats? Seaweed? Coconut? Must all food be organic, grass-fed or wild-caught? How does the Wahls diet square with the ultra low-fat Swank diet for MS? Which supplements are beneficial? Dr. Wahls details an ongoing clinical trial meant to validate her protocol. How can one join the large community of Wahls Protocol adherents? Click HERE for part 2.

Relief for Autoimmune Disorders, Part 2

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Dr. Terry Wahls, author of "The Wahls Protocol: Cooking for Life--The Revolutionary Modern Paleo Plan to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions." Click HERE for part 1.

Why is Scurvy Making a Comeback? Part 1
April 4, 2017
Dr. Jonathan Lamb, author of "Scurvy: The Disease of Discovery," does a deep-dive on the history of scurvy. Contrary to what we learned in school, it wasn’t “cured” by Sir James Lind in the 1700s after he began advising the British Navy to stock citrus fruit for long voyages (hence the origin of the term “Limeys”). It took years before nutritional science characterized ascorbic acid in the 1930s. It’s estimated that the death toll of scurvy exceeds that of US Civil War. What does vitamin C do in the body? Why are humans among the few species who can’t synthesize it and must obtain it from outside sources? What are the symptoms of scurvy? How is scurvy reflected in literature, from “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge to “1984” by George Orwell? Why is scurvy making a comeback in the 21st Century? Why might the body require more vitamin C when under stress? Could there be a rationale for high-dose oral or even intravenous vitamin C? Click HERE for part 2.