Intelligent Medicine

Combating Dietary Misinformation, Part 2

Diet sodas linked to stroke, dementia; On thyroid medication, but hungry and tired all the time; Yo-yo dieting a strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease, death; What to do about high C-reactive protein and borderline hemoglobin A1C? American Airlines crew members suffer puzzling symptoms with uniform change--clothes allergy? It's Earth Day: Is your body a Superfund site? How a new probiotic product (Reg'Activ) can help you detoxify.

Oral contraceptives reduce general well-being in healthy women; Skin rash--was it shingles? Could Hashimoto's thyroiditis make you feel sick even if you get the right dose of thyroid medication? What's more important in a probiotic, quality or quantity? Memorializing three luminaries of natural medicine who died this month; Melatonin for GERD.

Hoffman Center Nutritionist Leyla Muedin answers some listener questions: "I'm progressing from osteopenia to osteoporosis despite taking Ostera--any suggestions?...What type of diet and supplements do you recommend for pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes?"

Multiple Sclerosis Is a devastating condition for which drugs, with their attendant side effects, have little to offer. Yet it is extraordinarily responsive to natural therapies. In this Clinical Focus podcast episode, we explore the evidence supporting diet modification: Which is better, the Swank Diet, or the Paleo Autoimmune Diet, as popularized by the Wahls Protocol? What about environmental factors like chemical exposure and mercury? We summarize the research behind vitamin D, omega 3s, B12, antioxidants, alpha lipoid acid, pycnogenol, curcumin, sulforaphane, nicotinamide riboside, CoQ10, and carnitine. Is bee venom helpful? What about a controversial surgery for MS? Is there a gut connection to MS? What about marijuana derivatives like CBD? Does low-dose naltrexone help MS sufferers?

Clinical Focus: Natural Therapies for Multiple Sclerosis, Part 2

Exercise in the morning before or after breakfast? How do you know if you’re overmethylating or undermethylating? I’m a 70-year-old woman with osteoporosis, do I need to take Strontium or is Ostera enough? Is there any way to restore my sense of taste and smell?

There are so many different forms of magnesium, how would I know which one to take? Does cataract surgery cure glaucoma? I’ve tried everything to cure my eczema to no avail, any suggestions? Should I start taking care of my joint health at age 23?

Dr. Alan Dattner, one of America’s foremost integrative dermatologists, is the author of "Radiant Skin From the Inside Out: The Holistic Dermatologist’s Guide to Healing Your Skin Naturally." He answers questions about eczema, psoriasis, itchy or dry skin, and acne. Even challenging conditions like vitiligo, scleroderma, morphea and cutaneous lymphoma are amenable to natural approaches. Dr. Dattner discusses the role of essential fatty acids, vitamin D, topical herb formulations and zinc. He emphasizes diet modification and correction of leaky gut and dysbiosis. The Yeast Connection may be at the root of many skin problems.

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Dr. Alan Dattner, one of America’s foremost integrative dermatologists and the author of "Radiant Skin From the Inside Out: The Holistic Dermatologist’s Guide to Healing Your Skin Naturally."

Folate supplementation reduces uric acid, may help combat gout, hypertension, strokes, dementia; Supplements for OCD, depression; Alternatives to aspirin for superficial phlebitis; Nattokinase reduces stroke risk; Is the TSH test adequate for monitoring response to thyroid medication? World's oldest porn star (82!) reveals his diet secret; When you're working out should you do aerobic exercise before or after weight lifting?

Psychiatrists should tell patients with depression to "take a hike"; What to do for cold feet, poor circulation after chemo; Natural alternatives for sciatica; Should you take a periodic break from supplements? NY Times mocks vitamin D consumers--but new study confirms it reduces heart risk; Marathons increase death rate--but not in contestants! Breastfeeding may not make your kid smarter--but they'll be better behaved; Dramatic rise in cases of diabetes.

The role of prebiotics vs. probiotics. What is the action of each? When should each be taken? Can they be taken at the same time? What are some examples of good prebiotics?

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.

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Dr. Gerard Gianoli, an outspoken critic of our current bureaucratized system of medicine.