The Doctor's Farmacy with Mark Hyman, M.D.

Food is political, whether we like it or not.  From the subsidies used to grow the crops that produce our massive amounts of ultra-processed foods, to school lunches, to the meals being served on our own dinner tables and even in the White House, the state of our food system is impacted by policy on an incredible scale. My guest on today’s episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy has played a very positive role in trying to impact those policies for the better to make America healthier as a whole. Sam Kass is the former Senior Policy Advisor for Nutrition in the Obama administration.After cooking for the Obamas in Chicago for two years, Sam joined the White House kitchen staff in 2009. During his White House tenure, he took on several additional roles including Executive Director of First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” campaign and Senior White House Policy Advisor for Nutrition. As one of the First Lady’s longest-serving advisors, he helped the First Lady create the first major vegetable garden at the White House since Eleanor Roosevelt’s victory garden. Currently, Sam is a Partner at Acre Venture Partners. Acre is a venture capital fund investing in the future of food with a mission to improve human and environmental health in the food system. The fund focuses on early-stage, highly disruptive impactful companies in the food system focused on agriculture, supply chain, and consumer. Sam is also the author of Eat a Little Better: Great Flavor, Good Health, Better World.*For context, this episode was recorded in March 2020.This episode is sponsored by Athletic Greens, Thrive Market, Theragun and Farmacy.I use Athletic Greens in the morning as part of my daily routine. It’s really one supplement that covers so many bases and you’d be hard-pressed to find something else this comprehensive in one place. Right now Athletic Greens is offering my audience their Vitamin D3/K2 Liquid Formula free with your first purchase. Just go to athleticgreens.com/hyman to get your free bottle of Vitamin D3 and K2 with your first purchase. Thrive Market has made it so easy for me to stay healthy, even with my intense travel schedule. Not only does Thrive offer 25 to 50% off all of my favorite brands, but they also give back. For every membership purchased, they give a membership to a family in need. Get up to $20 in shopping credit when you sign up and any time you spend more than $49 you’ll get free carbon-neutral shipping. All you have to do is head over to thrivemarket.com/Hyman.The Theragun is a percussive handheld therapy tool that I can use at home on myself or you can use it on a partner. There are a variety of devices to choose from and multiple head attachments to get different kinds of targeted muscle treatments. The Gen Four series, with an OLED screen, personalized Theragun app, and plenty of power for deep relaxation start at just $199. Just go to theragun.com/Hyman to get your Theragun today.Here are more of the details from our interview : Sam’s experience training as a chef in Vienna and how it led him to think about agriculture and food policy (8:34)How Sam began cooking for the Obama family and his experience working in the White House (12:24)The passage of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act and the challenges around school lunch reform (16:05)How tomato sauce, French fries, and pizza came to be considered vegetables in schools (19:39)The impactfulness of the “Community Eligibility Program” provision in the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act which allows schools to serve free breakfast to students (25:24)The current administration’s attempts to roll back standards put into place through the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act (31:26)The reason why junk food is more affordable than healthy food (41:07)Why government is not well positioned to change our food system (43:00)Innovation in the food industry (45:00)The negative feedback loop between food production and climate change (48:36)Check out Sam’s cookbook, “Eat a Little Better: Great Flavor, Good Health, Better World: A Cookbook” here.Follow Sam on Twitter @chefsamkass and on Instagram @samkassdc See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

While we can’t be sure what’s in store for us with the future of COVID-19, we can try to learn from the past to tackle this situation in the smartest way possible. That means looking at previous infectious disease epidemics and understanding zoonotic diseases like this one, that are passed from animals to humans, and how they’re different from the other pandemic diseases we’ve been able to eradicate. I was excited to connect with Dr. Steven Gordon to dig into these topics deeper, today on The Doctor’s Farmacy. Dr. Gordon is the Chairman of the Department of Infectious Diseases at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and Professor of Medicine at the Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western University. His clinical interests include infective endocarditis including cardiac electronic implantable device infections as well as opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients. He is a Fellow in the American College of Internal Medicine and a Member of the Infectious Disease Society of America. Dr. Gordon is the person to talk to when it comes to gaining a better understanding of infectious diseases. He explains some of the unique characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 and how they will dictate the way we move forward with healthcare and as a society in the coming years. The good news is that Dr. Gordon has a positive outlook about our ability to cope with COVID-19. *For context, this episode was conducted on May 1, 2020Here are more of the details from our interview:Lessons learned from previous infectious disease epidemics (3:11)Unique characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 and how they will influence our ability to move forward as a society over the next few years (6:12)Evaluating infection rates, antibody testing, and mortality rates (9:39)Do we need widespread testing, and is it even possible? (12:02)Why are some locations affected more than others by coronavirus? (13:53)Treatments for COVID-19, what we’ve tried and what might be coming (18:44)Why a COVID-19 vaccine might not be the magic bullet we’ve been waiting for (22:51)Wearing masks and other culture change for effective COVID-19 prevention (31:18)Dr. Gordon’s coronavirus projections for the next two years (35:33)Can you get COVID-19 more than once? (38:28)How healthcare could improve if 5G and internet were a free utility for all (46:27) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Functional Medicine is all about looking at the way our systems function together, rather than focusing on one part of the body at a time. The steps you take to support whole-body health work in the same way. Diet, exercise, stress reduction—they simultaneously affect more than just one aspect of your health—and new research has revealed that choices around these things can have major impacts on our sleep, and how that cycles back to support overall optimal health.In this episode I sit down with Dr. Todd LePine to discuss why so many of us experience issues related to our sleep and what we can do about it.Dr. LePine graduated from Dartmouth Medical School and is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, specializing in Integrative Functional Medicine. He is an Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner. Prior to joining The UltraWellness Center, he worked as a physician at Canyon Ranch in Lenox, MA, for 10 years. Dr. LePine’s focus at The UltraWellness Center is to help his patients achieve optimal health and vitality by restoring the natural balance to both the mind and the body. His areas of interest include optimal aging, bio-detoxification, functional gastrointestinal health, systemic inflammation, autoimmune disorders and the neurobiology of mood and cognitive disorders. Dr. LePine teaches around the world, and has given lectures to doctors and patients at American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM), Age Management Medicine Group (AMMG), the University of Miami Integrative Medicine Conference, The Kripalu Center in Lenox, MA, and is on the faculty for American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M). Dr. LePine is the head of the Scientific Advisory Board for Designs for Health and a consultant for Diagnostic Solutions Laboratory. He enjoys skiing, kayaking, hiking, camping and golfing in the beautiful Berkshires, and is a fitness enthusiast.This episode is sponsored by my Sleep Master Class. In this modern world we place too much value on staying busy and deprioritizing sleep, which is why I have created my first ever Master Class. It guides you through the most important steps to getting better sleep, starting today. To learn more about the Sleep Master Class, head over to drhyman.com/sleepIn this episode, Dr. Hyman and Dr. LePine discuss:The value in asking if you are waking up refreshedHow artificial light at night disrupts hormones and sleepThe importance of getting exposure to natural light in the morningHow side effects from medication, caffeine, alcohol, eating late at night, and environmental toxins can all affect sleepSleep hygiene routinesThe link between temperature and sleepConsequences of chronic sleep deprivationSleep and the immune systemEMFs (or electric and magnetic fields) and their effects on our physiology Additional treatments for sleep issuesFor more information visit drhyman.com/uwcProducts mentioned in this episode:TrueDark https://truedark.com/Purity Coffee https://puritycoffee.com/Oura Ring https://ouraring.com/Chili https://www.chilitechnology.com/10-Day Reset https://getfarmacy.com/Additional Resources:“Your Brain and Immunity: The Fascinating Connection You Need to Nurture”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2019/06/04/your-brain-and-immunity-the-fascinating-connection-you-need-to-nurture/“Magical Magnesium”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2020/03/11/magic-magnesium/“5 Strategies for Better Sleep”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2020/03/19/5-strategies-for-better-sleep-2/“Why is my teenager so tired?: A personal story”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2018/09/25/why-is-my-teenager-so-tired-a-personal-story/“8 Simple Hacks for a Better Night's Sleep”https://drhyman.com/blog/2016/04/13/8-simple-hacks-for-a-better-nights-sleep/“Sleep Heals”https://drhyman.com/blog/2018/12/20/sleep-heals/“Is Coffee Good or Bad for You?”https://drhyman.com/blog/2016/07/14/is-coffee-good-or-bad-for-you/“Food Bites with Dr. Hyman – Nighttime Snacking”https://drhyman.com/blog/2015/05/15/food-bites-with-dr-hyman-nighttime-snacking/“Food Bites with Dr. Hyman – What can I do to stay asleep and sleep more deeply?”https://drhyman.com/blog/2015/02/05/food-bites-dr-hyman-can-stay-asleep-sleep-deeply/“Is There An Antidote to Stress?”https://drhyman.com/blog/2019/12/31/podcast-ep87/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When’s the last time you remembered a new phone number? This used to be the norm, but now most of us rely on our digital devices for everything from phone numbers to directions and even basic math. This might feel harmless but it’s actually doing our brains a disservice. We’re living in an age of digital dementia, because we don’t have to rely on our brains for the memorization and navigation we used to. But it doesn’t have to be that way—we can retrain ourselves to learn faster, retain information better, and really maximize our time spent learning. The secret is meta-learning, or the science of learning how to learn. There’s no better person to dive into this topic than Jim Kiwk, my guest today on The Doctor’s Farmacy. Jim is the founder of Kwik Learning and a widely recognized world expert in speed-reading, memory improvement, brain performance, and accelerated learning. For over two decades he has served as the brain coach to many of the world’s leading C-suite executives and celebrities. After a childhood brain injury left him learning-challenged, Jim created strategies to dramatically enhance his mental performance. He has since dedicated his life to helping others unleash their true brainpower to learn faster and perform smarter. His recent book, Limitless, provides the keys to accelerated learning and endless potentialThis episode is sponsored by my Sleep Master Class and Joovv.In this modern world we place too much value on staying busy and deprioritizing sleep which is why I have created my first ever Masterclass which guides you through the most important steps to getting better sleep today. To learn more about the sleep masterclass, head over to drhyman.com/sleep. Sign-up today to watch the first three lessons of the sleep masterclass for free. Here are more of the details from our interview (video / audio): Jim’s brain injury at the age of 5 and how it affected him throughout his childhood education and beyond (8:26)How technology is driving information overload, digital deluge, digital distraction, digital dementia, and digital deduction (12:03)Who we spend time with is who we become (17:10)How we grow is connected to how we learn (19:05)Investment in knowledge pays the most in dividends (20:30)The value of learning how to learn (21:45)The Limitless Model to learn and achieve anything faster; and how mindset, motivation, and method can act as constraints between where you are and where you want to be (24:21)Debunking lies that limit people from speed reading (38:30)How to read a book a week (41:20)Why Jim’s speed reading method works (50:47)Get a copy of Jim’s book, Limitless: Upgrade Your Brain, Learn Anything Faster, and Unlock Your Exceptional Life at https://www.limitlessbook.com/Find Jim online at https://jimkwik.com and follow him on Facebook @kwiklearning, on Twitter @kwiklearning, and on Instagram @jimkwik See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As we continue to learn more about COVID-19, we continue to see a pattern in those more at risk. People who aren’t metabolically healthy (think obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension) are much more likely to experience severe complications if they are to get the virus. And to put that in perspective, only 1 in 8 Americans are considered metabolically healthy. That means a lot of us are at risk during this already alarming time. We can start changing that today, though, and create a newfound health baseline while creating a greater level of resilience when it comes to chronic disease and future situations like this. The US isn’t the only place dealing with an epidemic of obesity and other metabolic diseases. The UK and other parts of the world are also struggling, thanks to the spread of the ultra-processed food and a sedentary lifestyle. On this episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy, I’m joined by Dr. Aseem Malhotra to talk about the impact COVID-19 is having on the UK, the risks that metabolic diseases pose with the virus, and much more. Dr. Aseem Malhotra is a founding member of Action on Sugar and was the lead campaigner highlighting the harm caused by excess sugar consumption in the United Kingdom, particularly its role in type 2 diabetes and obesity. His first book, co-authored with Donal O' Neill, The Pioppi Diet, has become an international bestseller.*For context, this episode was recorded on April 24, 2020Here are more of the details from our interview: Metabolic disease, excess body fat, and chronic inflammation lead to worse outcomes from COVID-19, as well as from the flu (5:13)Dr. Aseem’s personal experience with belly fat and excessive sugar intake (13:53)Five markers to assess metabolic health (17:49)Risks associated with sarcopenic obesity and loss of muscle mass, especially among older people (21:30)Health disparities and COVID-19 outcomes (25:24)Why the idea of personal responsibility is fundamentally flawed when it comes to our current food environment, including the food environment in hospitals (27:51)The role of public health interventions in improving life expectancy (34:11)What is ultra processed food? (40:56)Dr.  Malhotra’s diet recommendations for combating inflammation and preventing insulin resistance (43:30)Eating healthier on a budget, how policy can make healthier foods more affordable, and the Environmental Working Group’s Good Food On A Tight Budget Shopping Guide (48:04)Learn more about Dr. Aseem Malhotra at http://doctoraseem.com/. Follow him on Facebook @aseem.malhotra.98, on Instagram @lifestylemedicinedoctor, and on Twitter @draseemmalhotra. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The body and brain are one interconnected system, which means you can’t treat anxiety effectively by using only drugs or psychotherapy. You need to treat the body, because the body and brain are one interconnected system. Unfortunately, conventional medicine plays the name and blame game. It says, you are “anxious;” you need an “anti-anxiety” medication. But saying you are anxious explains nothing about why you have anxiety. Functional Medicine takes a different approach. By taking a detailed history and personalized approach, it seeks to get to the root of the issue.  In this episode, Dr. Hyman sits down with his colleague, Dr. George Papanicolaou, to discuss how they treat patients suffering with anxiety. George Papanicolaou is a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and is Board Certified in Family Medicine from Abington Memorial Hospital. He is also an Institute for Functional Medicine Practitioner. Upon graduation from his residency he joined the Indian Health Service. He worked on the Navajo reservation for 4 years at the Chinle Comprehensive Medical Facility where he served as the Outpatient Department Coordinator. In 2000, he founded Cornerstone Family Practice in Rowley, MA. He practiced with a philosophy centered on personal relationships and treating the whole person, not just not the disease. He called that philosophy “Whole Life Wellness”. Over time as the healthcare system made it harder for patients to receive this kind of personal care Dr. Papanicolaou decided a change was needed. He began training in Functional Medicine through the Institute of Functional Medicine. In 2015, he established Cornerstone Personal Health – a practice dedicated entirely to Functional Medicine. Dr. Papanicolaou to join The UltraWellness Center in 2017. This episode is sponsored by AirDoctor. We need clean air not only to live but to create vibrant health and protect ourselves and loved ones from toxin exposure and disease. Learn more about the AirDoctor Professional Air Purifier system at a special price at www.drhyman.com/filterIn this conversation, Dr. Hyman and Dr. Papanicolaou discuss:The conventional medicine vs Functional Medicine approach to treating anxietyWhy making yourself more psychologically resilient makes you more physically resilientHow Dr. Papanicolaou treated a patient with panic attacks, difficulty focusing, and bloating DNA testing to determine how your genes might be influencing anxietyHow gut issues, including SIBO, IBS, and gluten sensitivity, can lead to anxiety Urine peptide testing How Dr. Papanicolaou treated a patient with, anxiety, brain fog, hair loss, and fatigue How anxiety can be related to hormones and autoimmune issuesFor more information visit drhyman.com/uwc See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When we think about health, we usually think about diet and exercise. We think about the things we are doing for our physical body to promote wellness. But what about the things we can’t see? Relationships are a big one. For example. committing just ten to fifteen minutes a day to talking to someone we love is a powerful way to keep ourselves happy and connected, especially now during this time of coronavirus quarantine. Today on The Doctor’s Farmacy, I talk with Dr. Vivek Murthy about nurturing greater connection and what it means for our health. Dr. Murthy served as the 19th Surgeon General of the United States between 2014-2017. As the Vice Admiral of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, he commanded a uniformed service of 6,600 public health officers globally. During his tenure, Dr. Murthy launched the TurnTheTide campaign, catalyzing a movement among health professionals to address the nation’s opioid crisis. He also issued the first Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health, calling for expanded access to prevention and treatment and for recognizing addiction as a chronic illness, not a character flaw. In 2017, Dr. Murthy focused his attention on chronic stress and loneliness as prevalent problems that have profound implications for health, productivity, and happiness. His book Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World was just published on April 28th.*For context, this episode was recorded in February 2020.This episode is sponsored by Simple Mills and Branch Basics.There are definitely not many baking mixes out there I trust. Simple Mills is an exception because they use real-food ingredients. Having a few boxes of Simple Mills mixes on hand is an easy kitchen hack for healthier baking on those days you just need a little extra help. Now until May 29th, 2020 you can get 20% off at simplemills.com using the code DRHYMAN20. Branch Basics makes a biodegradable, non-GMO, fragrance-free, multi-purpose concentrate that can clean everything in your house safely. You can honestly use it for anything - in the kitchen or bathroom or even for laundry or cleaning your wood floors. Right now Branch Basics is offering 15% off their Starter Kit, just go to branchbasics.com and use the code HYMAN15 at checkout. Here are more of the details from our interview: How Dr. Murthy came to focus on loneliness (9:04)The science behind loneliness and its impact on our health (14:24)Why we don’t always see the loneliness that exists around us (19:22)Loneliness and its connection to addiction (20:45)Building connection through love and kindness (29:51)Steps we can take in our individual lives to combat loneliness and build a connected life (37:36)Shifting culture to a society that focuses on people over reputation, power, and wealth (42:27)Our connection to other people is built on having a strong connection to ourselves (44:01)Why we often struggle with loneliness in the workplace (45:22)Getting over the obstacles that keep us from investing in connection in our own lives (48:54)Learn more about Dr. Murthy at www.vivekmurthy.com and get a copy of his book, “Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World” at https://www.vivekmurthy.com/together-bookFollow Dr. Murthy on Facebook @drvivekmurthy, on Instagram @drvivekmurthy, and on Twitter @vivek_murthy See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

One in three children born today will develop type 2 diabetes and four out of ten will be overweight. There’s a fundamental problem happening around our country when it comes to how we feed our kids and the lifelong health risks they face as a result. When we think about fixing the problem, it makes sense to look at our schools. In Boston, for example, 30,000 children a day rely on the school food system for 2 to 3 meals a day. That gives the educational system a lot of power to change the nutritional profile of our children’s diets with real food, but unfortunately, many districts are stuck relying on packaged and processed options.Certain groups are making some amazing positive changes, though, by installing real school kitchens that serve real food. My friend Jill Shah, who joined me for this episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy, has led that fight in the Boston public school system with incredible results. Jill Shah is the President of the Shah Family Foundation, which supports innovative and transformative work where education, healthcare, and community intersect in the city of Boston. The foundation’s primary work and support is centered on Boston’s schools and community organizations, with the goal of sharing broadly the programs and solutions that prove successful. Jill’s civic interests include healthy food in schools, food access in high-needs neighborhoods, rigorous and successful public schools for all kids, and a deeper collaboration between education and healthcare around issues of physical, mental, emotional, and social health.*For context, this interview was recorded on March 31, 2020Here are more of the details from our interview: School food programs during school closings from COVID-19 (3:36)The experience that led Jill to work on school food program reform in Boston (7:34)Serving whole, real food in schools costs less, employs more people, and is completely scalable (10:58)National policy rollbacks of guidelines implemented during the Obama administration (17:58)Improvements in children’s health, behavior, and academic performance (21:01)The role of local governments in addressing school food programs (25:22)How school food program reform can support local economies (30:32)Dealing with competitive foods in schools (33:00)Getting My Way Cafe into your local school system (41:49)Branding My Way Cafe as a lever for change (44:25)Learn more about My Way Cafe and reforming school food programs at mywaycafe.org and shahfoundation.orgFind the documentary Eat Up at eatupfilm.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mounting research shows that there is no magic bullet to treat heart disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, allergies, digestive disorders, headaches, fatigue, or any of the myriad problems we suffer from in the 21st century. But increasing evidence also shows us something else. It shows that food is the most powerful “drug” we have not just to prevent, but also treat, cure, and reverse most chronic illnesses. Food contains information that speaks to our genes, not just calories for energy. What you eat programs your body with messages of health or illness. We are learning from research in the field of nutrigenomics, that food “talks” to our DNA switching on or off genes that lead to health or disease. In this mini-episode, Dr. Hyman speaks with Maggie Ward about the nutrition-focused appointments she conducts at The UltraWellness Center, and the power of treating people with food.Maggie Ward, MS, RD, LDN, is the Nutrition Director at The UltraWellness Center. Maggie holds a masters degree in Nutrition from Bastyr University which focuses on using whole foods for holistic Nutrition Therapy. In addition, she completed her requirements to become a registered dietitian at Westchester Medical Center in NY. Prior to joining The UltraWellness Center team in 2008, Maggie worked at The Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York providing nutrition counseling to children and families dealing with HIV. She also taught at the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan and other sites throughout New York City, teaching nutritionally focused cooking classes for children and adults.Much of her focus is on food allergies, digestive disorders, inflammatory conditions, Pediatrics and Sports Nutrition. Maggie has been counseling individuals, families and business groups on therapeutic diets to address various health concerns for more than 15 years. Her ongoing clinical training through the Institute for Functional Medicine uses a systems biology approach when working with those who suffer from chronic and acute conditions to help them find their path to healing. She has a passion for cooking and reconnecting people with their potential to heal using whole, organic and local foods.This episode is sponsored by AirDoctor. We need clean air not only to live but to create vibrant health and protect ourselves and loved ones from toxin exposure and disease. Learn more about the AirDoctor Professional Air Purifier system at a special price at www.drhyman.com/filterIn this episode Dr. Hyman and Maggie discuss:Foods that frequently cause reflux and digestive issues, including dairy and gluten Why taking deep breaths before you begin eating and chewing slower can improve digestive issues Using elimination diets to identify common food sensitivities and irritantsThe danger of long-term acid blocking drug useNutritional testing and what can be gleaned from itSleep apnea and its relationship to high-blood pressure and weight gainUsing DNA testing and nutrigenomics to identify genetic variations and personalize your dietThe value of low carbohydrate diets and reducing starch and sugar intakeSupporting your detoxification system with foods such as cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, broccoli sprouts, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, and through protein sourcesFor more information visit drhyman.com/uwc Learn more about the nutrition services offered at The UltraWellness Center here Additional Resources:“Nutrigenomics: Supporting Your Immune System and Beyond”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2020/04/15/nutrigenomics-supporting-your-immune-system-and-beyond/“Lab Spotlight: Testing for Food Sensitivities”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2019/09/27/lab-spotlight-testing-for-food-sensitivities/“Getting to the Root: Tackling SIBO with Functional Medicine”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2019/06/14/getting-to-the-root-tackling-sibo-with-functional-medicine/“Gluten and Dairy-Free Recipes Even an Italian Can Love”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2019/06/12/gluten-and-dairy-free-recipes-even-an-italian-can-love/“Getting to Know our UltraTeam: A Personal Interview with Functional Nutritionist Maggie Ward”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2019/03/15/getting-to-know-our-ultrateam-a-personal-interview-with-functional-nutritionist-maggie-ward/“How I Changed My Life Using Functional Nutrition”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2018/08/02/how-i-changed-my-life-using-functional-nutrition/“Natural Remedies for Healthy Blood Pressure”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2018/04/12/natural-remedies-for-healthy-blood-pressure/“How Hidden Food Sensitivities Make You Fat”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2012/02/22/how-hidden-food-sensitivities-make-you-fat/“Finding Trigger foods, The Right Amount of Fat and My Top Superfoods”https://drhyman.com/blog/2017/03/12/finding-trigger-foods-right-amount-fat-top-superfoods/“The Myth of Diagnosis”https://drhyman.com/blog/2018/05/04/the-myth-of-diagnosis/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Energy is such a major piece to overall wellness—we don’t feel very motivated to practice self-care and pursue the things we love if we simply don’t have the energy. So what does it really look like to have great energy, and what can we do in our own lives to create more of it?Today’s guest on The Doctor’s Farmacy is the perfect person to answer that. Ben Greenfield is a human performance consultant, speaker, and New York Times bestselling author of 13 books, including the wildly popular titles, Beyond Training and Boundless. A former collegiate tennis, water polo, and volleyball player, as well as a bodybuilder, 13-time Ironman triathlete, and professional obstacle course racer, Ben has been voted by the NSCA as America’s top Personal Trainer and by Greatist as one of the top 100 Most Influential People In Health and Fitness. Ben hosts the highly popular fitness, nutrition, and wellness website bengreenfieldfitness.com, a site with over a million monthly visitors, featuring articles, podcasts, and product reviews. His latest book, Boundless, is all about creating more energy to live the life of optimal health and happiness you deserve. This can happen through many different types of actions, so today Ben walks us through his extensive research and personal experience.*For context, this episode was recorded in January 2020.This episode is sponsored by Joovv and Athletic Greens.I recently discovered Joovv, a red light therapy device. Red light therapy is a super gentle non-invasive treatment where a device with medical-grade LEDs delivers concentrated light to your skin. It actually helps your cells produce collagen so it improves skin tone and complexion, diminishes signs of aging like wrinkles, and speeds the healing of wounds and scars. Check out the Joovv products at joovv.com/farmacy and use the code FARMACY at checkout.I use Athletic Greens in the morning as part of my daily routine. It’s really one supplement that covers so many bases and you’d be hard-pressed to find something else this comprehensive in one place. Right now Athletic Greens is offering my audience their Vitamin D3/K2 Liquid Formula free with your first purchase. Just go to athleticgreens.com/hyman to get your free bottle of Vitamin D3 and K2 with your first purchase. Here are more of the details from our interview: Ben’s new book and why he chose to focus on how to have a boundless amount of energy throughout the day (6:33)Why doing Turkish Get-Up kettlebell exercises is one of Ben’s favorite workouts (10:21)Traditional gym culture vs taking “movement snacks” throughout the day (14:40)Using light therapy to reduce wrinkles, care for your skin, create energy, and more (17:13)The benefits of creating a bit of stress to the system to activate a healing response, such as employing hot/cold routines and sauna (21:33)Why the Carnivore and Paleo Diets were developed in response to plant’s built-in defense mechanisms (25:53)Anti-aging, NAD, sirtuin activating compounds, and sirtuin activating foods (29:41)Assessing what the best diet is for you, fasting, the pitfalls of eating while stressed, and why we should all avoid late night eating (46:12)Eating meat, MTOR activation, and how to avoid high amounts of leucine and methionine (54:46)Methods for optimal sleep (59:01)Get Ben’s book, Boundless: Upgrade Your Brain, Optimize Your Body and Defy Aging at https://boundlessbook.com/Find Ben online at bengreenfieldfitness.com and follow him on Facebook @BGFittness, on Twitter @bengreenfield, and on Instagram @bengreenfieldfitness See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

People have never been more curious about strengthening the immune system than they are right now. The COVID-19 pandemic has got us all thinking seriously about our health and what it means to have immune strength, now and in the future. To get the most out of this trying time, we need to be open to looking at our health in ways we haven’t before. My guest today on The Doctor’s Farmacy, Dr. Jeffrey Bland, is a pro at that, and for this reason and so many others he is considered the father of Functional Medicine. Dr. Bland has been an internationally recognized leader in the nutritional medicine field for over 35 years. He’s authored five books on nutritional medicine for the healthcare professional and six books on nutrition and health. With his wife, Susan, Dr. Bland founded The Institute for Functional Medicine in 1991, a nonprofit organization focused on educating healthcare practitioners on effective approaches to treating and preventing chronic disease by getting to the root cause. Dr. Bland has always been a major inspiration for me. I was thrilled to have a video-call with him to discuss new ways of looking at optimal health and immunity in the face of this pandemic. In trying to better understand COVID-19, Dr. Bland went back to the basics of the immune system. He breaks down the processes at work, explains what the now often-heard phrase “cytokine storm” means, and talks about using food as medicine to promote immuno-rejuvenation. That means we’re not just supporting the current state of our immune system, we’re reviving it from the ground up. We talk about this and so much more on this week’s valuable episode. Here are more of the details from our interview: Acknowledging the psycho-physical effects of COVID-19 and the three zones of learning the disease offers (4:35)Dr. Bland’s article, Reflections on the COVID-19 Pandemic (8:17)The flexibility and adaptability of our immune system (12:21)Research from the HIV/AIDS epidemic showing dramatic effects of giving African women a simple multi-vitamin (16:35)Immuno-rejuvenation and why our focus should not be on supporting our immune system but rejuvenating it (19:31)How phytochemicals in plants impact human immune systems (24:03)Himalayan tartary buckwheat and its immunopotentiating compounds (28:06)How food influences the function of our immune system (40:30)My COVID-19 blog, A Functional Medicine Approach to COVID-19, and what we should be eating now to protect ourselves (48:31)Five significant changes Dr. Bland predicts in how we will see healthcare globally post-COVID-19 (50:59)The interrelatedness of our immune and nervous systems, and our control over the function of these systems (1:00:43)Find information on Dr. Bland online at jeffreybland.com, http://plminstitute.org/, and https://bigboldhealth.com/ Follow Dr. Bland on Facebook @jeffreyblandphd, on Instagram @drjeffreybland, and on Twitter @jeffreyblandphd See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We’ve all heard the fiendishly simple and completely untrue colloquialism that to lose weight you just have to eat less and exercise more. Or that it’s all about willpower and that it’s the individual’s fault if they are fat. Not only are these ideas completely unsupported by the scientific literature, but they also lead to a blame-the-victim mentality that tells people who are struggling with their weight, in a not-so-subtle way, that if they only tried harder they would lose weight. There is only one problem with this point of view: It’s just not true.What makes us thin, fat, or somewhere in between does indeed have something to do with how much we eat and exercise. But the oversimplification stops there. Complex forces that govern our survival control our weight and metabolism. In fact, there is no one simple reason why an individual may have trouble with his or her weight.In this mini-episode, Dr. Hyman is joined by Dr. Elizabeth Boham to discuss the Functional Medicine approach to weight gain and weight loss.Elizabeth Boham is a physician and nutritionist who practices functional medicine at The UltraWellness Center in Lenox, MA. Through her practice and lecturing she has helped thousands of people achieve their goals of optimum health and wellness. She witnesses the power of nutrition every day in her practice and is committed to training other physicians to utilize nutrition in healing. Dr. Boham has contributed to many articles and wrote the latest chapter on Obesity for the Rankel Textbook of Family Medicine. She is part of the faculty of the Institute for Functional Medicine and has been featured on the Dr. Oz show and in a variety of publications and media including Huffington Post, The Chalkboard Magazine, and Experience Life. Her DVD Breast Wellness: Tools to Prevent and Heal from Breast Cancer explores the functional medicine approach to keeping your breasts and whole body well. This episode is sponsored by AirDoctor. We need clean air not only to live but to create vibrant health and protect ourselves and loved ones from toxin exposure and disease. Learn more about the AirDoctor Professional Air Purifier system at a special price at www.drhyman.com/filterIn this episode, Dr. Hyman and Dr. Boham discuss:Common factors that contribute to weight gain such as blood sugar and insulin levels, environmental toxins, hormonal imbalances, mitochondrial Issues, and more.The value in getting a detailed personal history from patients, and how weight loss is often a side effect of a personalized medicine approach.The connection between the gut, food sensitivities, and weight.The relationship between inflammation and weight.What someone’s waist to hip ratio tells us.Time-restricted eating and intermittent fasting.Why when you eat matters.How sleep issues and sleep apnea can lead to weight gain.For more information visit drhyman.com/uwcAdditional Resources:Dr. Hyman’s 10 Day Reset free resource guide getfarmacy.com/free“A Functional Medicine Approach to Obesity: 10 Ways to Lose Weight & Keep It Off”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2018/04/03/a-functional-medicine-approach-to-obesity-10-ways-to-lose-weight-keep-it-off/“How Toxins Make You Fat: 4 Steps to Get Rid of Toxic Weight”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2012/02/20/how-toxins-make-you-fat-4-steps-to-get-rid-of-toxic-weight/“Top 5 Tips for Weight Loss”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2018/07/11/top-5-tips-for-weight-loss/“Three Hidden Ways Wheat Makes You Fat”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2012/02/13/three-hidden-ways-wheat-makes-you-fat/“Is Intermittent Fasting Right for You?”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2019/03/27/is-intermittent-fasting-right-for-you/“Ketogenic Diets: Sorting Through the Pros and Cons”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2018/01/06/ketogenic-diets-sorting-pros-cons/“8 Ways Nutrient Deficiencies Cause Weight Loss Resistance”https://drhyman.com/blog/2016/06/02/8-ways-nutrient-deficiencies-cause-weight-loss-resistance/“Why Can’t I Lose Weight?”https://drhyman.com/blog/2017/08/10/cant-lose-weight/“Why Can’t I Lose Weight? (Part II)”https://drhyman.com/blog/2017/08/16/cant-lose-weight-part-ii/“UltraMetabolism™ Myth #1: Eat Less + Exercise More = Weight Loss”https://drhyman.com/blog/2016/10/26/ultrametabolism/“Why Diet and Exercise Are Not the Key to Weight Loss and Health”https://drhyman.com/blog/2014/06/09/diet-exercise-key-weight-loss-health/“Three Days, Real Food, No More Insulin”https://drhyman.com/blog/2019/05/20/three-days-real-food-no-more-insulin/“The 7 Ways to Fix a Slow Metabolism”https://drhyman.com/blog/2016/05/26/the-7-ways-to-fix-a-slow-metabolism/“Is Your Lack of Sleep Making You Fat?”https://drhyman.com/blog/2010/07/18/is-your-lack-of-sleep-making-you-fat/“Big Government and Big Food Give the Same Weight Loss Advice?”https://drhyman.com/blog/2014/05/11/big-government-big-food-give-weight-loss-advice/“The Most Damaging Food Lie We Have Ever Been Told”https://drhyman.com/blog/2018/02/07/damaging-food-lie-ever-told/“Sweet Dreams: How to Sleep Better, Lose Weight, and Live Longer”https://drhyman.com/blog/2010/05/20/how-to-sleep-better-lose-weight-and-live-longer/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We’re all going through this era of coronavirus—separately but together. I feel like humanity is taking one big existential breath; it’s a pause for us all to think about our previous normal lives, our currently abnormal lives, and how we want to reinvent life when this whole thing is over. And I know many of us have become confused by the different news outlets sharing different information. When it comes to deciding who is a reliable source, I know Katie Couric is always someone I can trust. I’m honored to have her chat with me for this week’s episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy. Katie is an award-winning journalist, New York Times bestselling author and a co-founder of Stand Up To Cancer. Since its launch in 2008, Stand Up To Cancer has raised more than $600 million to support cutting-edge collaborative science and its research has contributed to six new FDA approved therapies. In 2017, she founded Katie Couric Media, which has developed a number of media projects, including a daily newsletter, a podcast, and digital video series. She has played a part in producing many documentaries, including Fed Up, which I was thrilled to be a part of. Couric was also the executive producer of Unbelievable on Netflix, is developing other scripted projects, and is currently writing her memoir.This episode is sponsored by AirDoctor and AquaTru. We need clean water and clean air not only to live but to create vibrant health and protect ourselves and loved ones from toxin exposure and disease. That’s why I’m teaming up with AquaTru and AirDoctor to offer you the AquaTru Water Purification System and AirDoctor Professional Air Purifier systems at a special price. Learn more at www.drhyman.com/filter.*For context, this conversation was recorded on 3/31/20.Here are more of the details from our interview: The unprecedented nature of COVID-19 (6:16)Why now is not the time to turn to comfort foods (9:46)What Katie has been hearing from healthcare providers, psychologists, business leaders, and others she has been interviewing during the coronavirus crisis (12:03)The U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic (15:16)The devastating disruption to standard autopsy, grieving, and burial practices in COVID-19 deaths (21:26)Staying informed without obsessing over, or over-consuming, news updates (22:41)Finding power and a sense of control by focusing on where you can be of service (25:06)What our society will look like post-COVID-19 given our intense divisiveness, partisanship, current leadership, and media landscape (30:01)Practices to manage and cope with our current reality (41:32)Restoring national unity through leadership and empathy (48:42)Find Katie online at katiecouric.com. Sign-up for her morning newsletter, Wake-Up Call at https://katiecouric.com/newsletter/ Follow Katie on Facebook @katiecouric, on Instagram @katiecouric, and on Twitter @katiecouriic See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

There are so many questions about how coronavirus can impact our health, and rightfully so. This novel virus has completely changed the way we function as a society and brought about a feeling of uncertainty most of us haven’t ever experienced. But we’re in this together. There is, of course, a wide range of common concerns—from how to protect ourselves and families to what kinds of treatment options exist—but also many new conversations popping up around what supplements we can safely trust for immune strength, if it’s safe to go outdoors, how the virus attaches to surfaces, and so much more. Last week I was lucky enough to sit down with Dr. Patrick Hanaway for a video-call to talk about these important questions from a Functional Medicine perspective. Dr. Hanaway is the Senior Advisor to the Institute for Functional Medicine, their COVID-19 Task Force Coordinator, and Co-Chair of the IFM Expert Advisory Board. In case you missed it, we’re sharing that as the latest episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy.*For context, this interview was recorded on April 8, 2020.In this episode, Dr. Hyman and Dr. Hanaway discuss:The role of supplements in treating COVID-19 and boosting your immune systemWhat we know about taking things like vitamin D, elderberry, zinc, and other compounds to protect against COVID-19Is IV ozone an effective treatment option for COVID-19?Why what you eat is more essential than everIs intermittent fasting or the ketogenic diet a good way to boost immunity? The potential effectiveness of using hot-cold interaction, such as sauna, to protect against COVID-19How long is a person still contagious after having the virus and how long does antibody immunity last?Maintaining practices to ground yourself during this timeFind additional information at:Institute for Functional Medicine Ifm.org“A Functional Medicine Approach to COVID-19” drhyman.com/c19Special Episode: Medicine In The Age Of COVID-19 And Beyondhttps://DrMarkHyman.lnk.to/Medicine-In-The-Age-Of-COVID-19-And-Beyond See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hormone imbalances are epidemic these days. For example, symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), like mood swings, irritability, depression, anxiety, fluid retention, bloating, breast tenderness, sugar cravings, headaches, and sleep disturbances, affect 75 percent of women. But just because you’re a woman doesn’t mean you have to live with these symptoms. The real fact is that suffering related to menstrual cycles is unnecessary. You might never know this from conventional medicine, which seems to subscribe to the idea that women are destined to suffer throughout their reproductive life and beyond. However, there are actually many things you can do to fix hormonal imbalances. In this mini-episode, Dr. Hyman is joined by Dr. Elizabeth Boham to discuss the Functional Medicine approach to treating hormonal imbalances in women. Elizabeth Boham is a physician and nutritionist who practices functional medicine at The UltraWellness Center in Lenox, MA. Through her practice and lecturing she has helped thousands of people achieve their goals of optimum health and wellness. She witnesses the power of nutrition every day in her practice and is committed to training other physicians to utilize nutrition in healing. Dr. Boham has contributed to many articles and wrote the latest chapter on Obesity for the Rankel Textbook of Family Medicine. She is part of the faculty of the Institute for Functional Medicine and has been featured on the Dr. Oz show and in a variety of publications and media including Huffington Post, The Chalkboard Magazine, and Experience Life. Her DVD Breast Wellness: Tools to Prevent and Heal from Breast Cancer explores the functional medicine approach to keeping your breasts and whole body well. This episode is sponsored by AirDoctor. We need clean air not only to live but to create vibrant health and protect ourselves and loved ones from toxin exposure and disease. Learn more about the AirDoctor Professional Air Purifier system at a special price at www.drhyman.com/filterIn this episode, Dr. Hyman and Dr. Boham discuss:The prevalence of hormonal imbalances in womenUsing the birth control pill as medical therapy to address PMS, heavy bleeding, and other symptoms of hormonal imbalanceWhat happens during perimenopauseThe interrelatedness of hormones and what causes them to be out of balanceThe role of our adrenal glands and how to support themThe benefits of eating foods such as flax seeds, broccoli, and whole-food soy to support our hormonal health Why maintaining balanced blood sugar is so important for hormonal healthFor more information visit drhyman.com/uwcAdditional resources:“Getting to the Root: Perimenopause”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2019/02/16/getting-to-the-root-perimenopause/“Lesson 3: Hormones and Neurotransmitters”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2012/10/17/lesson-3-hormones-and-neurotransmitters/“Natural Approach to Alleviating PMS”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2018/04/25/natural-approach-to-alleviating-pms/“Magical Magnesium”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2020/03/11/magic-magnesium/“How Do I Naturally Balance Female Sex Hormones?”https://drhyman.com/blog/2015/08/14/how-do-i-naturally-balance-female-sex-hormones/“How to Eliminate PMS in 5 Simple Steps”https://drhyman.com/blog/2010/09/17/how-to-eliminate-pms-in-5-simple-steps/“Relationships, Menopause, and Health”https://drhyman.com/blog/2012/01/13/relationships-menopause-and-health/“How to Get Your Mojo Back (Boosting Female Sex Drive)”https://drhyman.com/blog/2016/07/09/how-to-get-your-mojo-back-boosting-female-sex-drive/“ULTRAMIND®: Key #2 Balance Your Hormones”https://drhyman.com/blog/2012/01/27/the-ultramind-solution-key-2-balance-your-hormones/“A Functional Medicine Approach to Infertility”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2018/09/01/a-functional-medicine-approach-to-infertility/“Clara’s Case Study: Overcoming Infertility”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2018/09/05/claras-case-study-overcoming-infertility/“Overcoming Postpartum Depression”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2019/01/16/overcoming-postpartum-depression/“Meditation: Connecting to the Wisdom Within”https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2014/04/10/meditation-connecting-wisdom-within/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.