Expert Interview

Medical Nutrition, Part 1
April 13, 2023
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. Click HERE for part 2.

Medical Nutrition, Part 2

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Dr. Ramona Wallace about the benefits of Functional Medicine. Click HERE for part 1.

ENCORE: In the Grips of “Twin Pandemics,” Part 1
April 11, 2023
Covid-19 may finally be receding, but we remain in the grips of “twin pandemics”, according to today’s guest, Dr. Ross Arena, professor of physiology and developer of the HL-PIVOT program. Far exceeding the death toll from Covid-19 are avoidable deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs). These are largely attributable to physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyle—now a worldwide crisis. Lack of physical fitness has been demonstrated to be a crucial determinant of the severity of Covid-19 infections—and the likelihood of dying. The current pandemic is thus a call-to-action to increase resilience through healthy lifestyle promotion—that’s HL-PIVOT’s mission. Dr. Arena discusses how health inequities have only been exacerbated by Covid-19; he emphasizes that we must go from a reactionary healthcare system to one more grounded in prevention. He says exercise doesn’t have to be heroic; dividends accrue if you just sit less and move more—any movement is beneficial. He discusses how he and his family have remained active during lockdown. Exercise also delivers benefits for enhancing mood and alleviating stress. Click HERE for part 2.

ENCORE: In the Grips of “Twin Pandemics,” Part 2

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Dr. Ross Arena, professor of physiology and developer of the HL-PIVOT program. Click HERE for part 1.

ENCORE: The Crucial Role of the Microbiome in Immunity, Part 1
April 5, 2023
Christine Rosche, M.P.H., C.N.S., Board Certified Nutrition Specialist and Digestive Health Expert developed an integrative approach to digestive health based on 25 years experience in the health care field. She describes how an imbalanced microbiome predisposes to bad Covid outcomes; additional studies suggest that drastic alterations to intestinal contents occur with Covid infections, and may be responsible for the persistence of symptoms in Covid “long-haulers”. Rosche describes the suite of tests that can help evaluate the status of the microbiome. A HeartMath™️ evaluation of heart rate variability can show whether stress is impairing a patient’s recovery. Additionally, a little-acknowledged effect results from continual exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs). Diet modification, pre-and probiotics, targeted nutraceuticals, and stress reduction can reverse harmful alterations of the microbiome. Click HERE for part 2.

ENCORE: The Crucial Role of the Microbiome in Immunity, Part 2

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Christine Rosche, M.P.H., C.N.S., Board Certified Nutrition Specialist and Digestive Health Expert. Click HERE for part 1.

ENCORE: The Top Nine Food Allergy Foods, Part 1
April 4, 2023
Food allergies with Dr. Ruchi Gupta, Chief Medical Officer of FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education), director of the Center for Food Allergy & Asthma Research (CFAAR), and author of "Food Without Fear." How common are food allergies and why have they surged in prevalence? What’s the difference between true food allergies and food intolerances? What are the top nine food allergy foods? Why is there new-think about introducing common allergenic foods early in life? Is breastfeeding protective? What about mail-order home allergy tests that purport to reveal “hidden” food allergies? How do you properly obtain a correct diagnosis? Are some people unnecessarily eliminating nutritious foods? Is it true that some foods cross-react with airborne allergens? What about the new phenomenon of meat allergies? Does shellfish allergy necessarily mean you have to eliminate fish? Dr. Gupta previews some of the new breakthrough therapies for food allergies. Click HERE for part 2.

ENCORE: The Top Nine Food Allergy Foods, Part 2

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Dr. Ruchi Gupta, Chief Medical Officer of FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education) and director of the Center for Food Allergy & Asthma Research (CFAAR). Click HERE for part 1.

ENCORE: The Nine Hallmarks of Aging, Part 1
March 30, 2023
"Harnessing the Nine Pillars of Aging." Anti-aging researcher Greg Macpherson challenges us to embrace aging in his new book which details the current scientific theories that explain how we age. He envisions progress which will enable individuals to attain 3-digit longevity. The conundrum is how to extend lifespan without end-of-life disease and debilitation; it’s called optimizing healthspan. To that end, we need to employ nutritional strategies, exercise, and the selective use of senolytics—natural and pharmaceutical anti-aging agents. What role for metformin? Rapamycin? Fisetin? EGCG? 2-Hoba from Himalayan buckwheat? Resveratrol? Pterostilbene? Nicotinamide riboside? Astragalus? How do caloric restriction and time-restricted feeding support autophagy, the body’s cleanup process that gets rid of senescent cells? How to reinvigorate your stem cells. Is growth hormone really an anti-aging elixir? What about antioxidants? Click HERE for part 2.

ENCORE: The Nine Hallmarks of Aging, Part 2

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with anti-aging researcher Greg Macpherson, author of "Harnessing the Nine Hallmarks of Aging: To Live Your Healthiest Life." Click HERE for part 1.