General Medicine

ENCORE: Intelligent Medicine Radio for May 6, Part 1: Will your next doctor be a robot?
May 8, 2023
The reason vitamin D trials sometimes come up short; Pros and cons of “blood flow restriction training”; Can supplements help reduce dependency on asthma meds? UK health officials urge statins for all adults after heart attacks and strokes surge during Covid; New JAMA study highlights myocarditis risk for young male vaccine recipients; Health administrators salaries soar as physician earnings stagnate; AI-assisted computers ace medical licensing exam—will your next doctor be a robot? Click HERE for part 2. Click HERE for articles and resources relating to this podcast episode.

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.

Intelligent Medicine Radio for April 8, Part 2: The Key to Shedding Pounds
April 10, 2023
Earliest evidence of human use of psychedelics—3000 years ago; The key to shedding pounds and diabetes prevention may be a handful of almonds prior to meals; What combination of diet and exercise yields the healthiest weight loss results? Why newly-popular weight loss drugs may lead to frailty; The verdict on masks—they help little if at all; When routine screenings—PAP smears, colonoscopy, and PSA—make little sense for elderly; Lifestyle habits in 30s may be crucial foundation for healthy aging. Click HERE for part 1. Click HERE for articles and resources relating to this podcast episode.

Leyla Weighs In: Standardized vs. Integrative & Functional Medical Care
April 7, 2023
Takeaways from this year's Integrative Healthcare Symposium.

ENCORE: Intelligent Medicine Radio for December 31, Part 2: The Benefits of Tea
January 2, 2023
The many benefits of drinking tea; Convict poses as doctor on dating sites, scams 30 women; Should we still bother taking calcium supplements? Omega 3s preserve telomere length, fight aging; The doctor will see you now—after 28 days of waiting; Surgeons say stop all supplements before an operation—REALLY?? Can chiropractic adjustments bolster the immune system? Click HERE for part 1. Click HERE for articles and resources relating to this podcast episode.

ENCORE: The Latest Threat to the Doctor/Patient Relationship, Part 1
November 3, 2022
"Big Brother in the Exam Room: The Dangerous Truth about Electronic Medical Records," by Twila Brase, RN, PHN, President and Co-Founder of Citizens for Health Freedom (www.cchfreedom.org). She describes the latest threat to the doctor/patient relationship. While seeming to improve efficiency, Brase asserts that electronic medical records are actually a means of insurance company and government control. The records are insecure, decidedly not confidential, widely shared, and subject to hacks. They’re burdensome, time-consuming, and a major reason for physician burnout. They change the nature of the doctor/patient encounter, with physicians spending more time peering into a screen and less time making eye contact with patients. Brase discusses alternatives, and how medical care can be made more affordable and more efficient without reliance on an ever-growing cadre of benefit managers and government bureaucrats. Click HERE for part 2.

ENCORE: The Latest Threat to the Doctor/Patient Relationship, Part 2

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Twila Brase, RN, PHN, President and Co-Founder of Citizens for Health Freedom (www.cchfreedom.org). Click HERE for part 1.

Navigating the US Healthcare System, Part 1
October 25, 2022
When a health concern arises, the worry is two-fold: first, about the condition itself, and second, how to effectively access proper treatment and care. Even when you know a great deal about how the system works, navigating the US healthcare system is fraught with difficulty and heartache. The ride through a complicated, fractured, confusing, and dehumanizing healthcare system can be maddening. Medical consumer advocate Joyce Griggs is the developer of www.unitedstatesofhealthcare.com, a resource for patients and their families. We discuss how best to prepare for a doctor’s visit, how to make sure all members of your medical team are on the same page, and how to advocate for yourself. For example, it’s important to take advantage of new transparency laws to price out your healthcare. What to do when hit with insurance denials and sticker shock at the pharmacist? What about the pluses and minuses of telemedicine? Why it can be important to bring someone with you to critical doctors’ visits and to advocate for you during a medical crisis. Joyce shares her own experience dealing with the healthcare system on behalf of a sick relative which prompted her to share lessons she learned with the public. Click HERE for part 2.

Navigating the US Healthcare System, Part 2

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with medical consumer advocate Joyce Griggs, the developer of www.unitedstatesofhealthcare.com. Click HERE for part 1.