Intelligent Medicine | The Best of High Tech Medicine and Alternative Modalities

Sugarless: Dr. Nicole Avena on Hidden Sugars, Brain Addiction, and Practical Steps to Cut Back: Neuroscientist and author Dr. Nicole Avena reveals sugar’s pervasiveness and health impacts, drawing on her book “ Sugarless: The Seven-Step Plan to Uncover Hidden Sugars, Curb Your Cravings, and Conquer Your Addiction .” Avena explains how modern industrialized, highly processed foods—many containing a...

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with neuroscientist and author Dr. Nicole Avena .

Functional Diagnostic Nutrition: Using Saliva Testing, Food Sensitivity Labs, and Lifestyle to Find Root Causes: Reed Davis, Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner (HHP) and Certified Nutritional Therapist (CNT), is founder of Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN) . He discusses using functional testing alongside conventional care to uncover “dysfunction” when standard labs appear normal. Da...

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Reed Davis, Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner (HHP), Certified Nutritional Therapist (CNT), and founder of Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN) . 

Press ballyhooed heart, stroke risks associated with Omega-3 supplementation, but new study dispels fears over fish oil-atrial fibrillation link; Research highlights cancer, diabetes risks from food preservatives; Do the new dietary guidelines go too far, or are they a cop-out? GLP-1 weight loss drug use could save airlines millions on fuel costs; Does a “complex tear” of the hip labrum inevitably...

Can we crack the code on aging, or are humans just “term-limited”? What are some of the most promising anti-aging interventions currently under investigation? We may be curing more cancers, and discovering them earlier, but certain cancers are increasing in incidence, especially among the young; Why extreme old age may be protective against cancer; Big meta-analysis confirms cardio benefits of low...

Registered dietitian nutritionist Leyla Muedin discusses a Nature Communications study of 108,723 French adults in the NutriNet-Santé cohort (2009–2023) examining long-term exposure to food preservatives and type 2 diabetes. Using detailed dietary records cross-referenced with product/additive databases, researchers identified 58 preservative-related additives and analyzed 17 consumed by at least...

A case study where a second opinion is necessary What are your thoughts on the recent news implicating niacin in cardiovascular disease?  

What could it mean to get spasms in your sleep?  Is this a prediction of Parkinson's? What is the best general magnesium to use? What can my brother with diabetes take for recurrent urinary tract infections? Could my prescribed medications be causing tinnitus? Is the herpes virus a risk factor for dementia?        

Gary Taubes on Rethinking Diabetes: Diet, Insulin, and the History Behind Low-Carb Treatment: Journalist Gary Taubes is author of “ Rethinking Diabetes: What Science Reveals About Diet, Insulin, and Successful Treatments .” The book traces diabetes treatment history and argues that carbohydrate restriction was standard care from 1797 through the early 20th century until insulin therapy shifted pra...

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with journalist Gary Taubes, author of “ Rethinking Diabetes: What Science Reveals About Diet, Insulin, and Successful Treatments .”

Urolithin A (MitoPure)--Mitophagy, Muscle Recovery, Immunity, and Skin Health: Dr. Brad Currier, clinical trial manager at Timeline , a Swiss biotech company, details urolithin A (MitoPure), a postbiotic derived from pomegranate precursors that most people cannot produce due to microbiome differences. Currier explains MitoPure’s mechanism—stimulating mitophagy to recycle dysfunctional mitochondria...

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Dr. Brad Currier, clinical trial manager at Timeline , a Swiss biotech company.

Oprah’s new book encourages followers to “free themselves” from “shame and blame” by accessing weight loss meds; Her claim “it’s the obesity gene” is put to the test by twin studies; Study shows brain stimulation with external electronic headset produces weight loss rivaling shots, pills; Ultra-processed food ups daily calorie intake by 500; Breast-feeding moms gain less post-pregnancy weight; Sol...

Calculators that assess your risk for heart disease miss the boat—half of actual heart attack victims were said to be at low-risk; Why an app could erroneously tell you that you should be taking a statin; New ways to fix a calcified aortic valve; Common amino acid may bust Alzheimer’s plaque, Adequate sleep may trump healthy diet, exercise for longevity; Chinese vegetarians less likely than omnivo...

Registered dietitian nutritionist Leyla Muedin discusses how exposure to natural daylight may improve metabolic health beyond diet and exercise, highlighting a controlled crossover study of 13 adults aged 65+ with type 2 diabetes published in Cell Metabolism. Participants spent 4.5 days in living spaces lit by either natural light through large windows or artificial light, with identical meals, sl...

A discussion on the concepts of weight-inclusive care and healthism Some comments on medicine's biggest failures

I've read your book on Mitral Valve Prolapse, and it helped to reduce panic attacks...but I'm still depressed The Singulair debacle  What are your thoughts on the Shingrix vaccine? Is essential tremor causing unsteadiness and balance problems when I'm walking? Can kidney stones be controlled with probiotics? What are your thoughts on bone broth?

Integrative ophthalmologist Dr. Rudrani Banik previews Eye Summit 2026 , a free online event May 11–15 featuring four daily expert sessions on dry eye and ocular surface disease, cataract surgery advances (including robotic and AI-assisted planning), gut health links to eye disease, and mind-body approaches for migraine, concussion, and visual snow, with VIP options for recordings and live panels....

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with integrative ophthalmologist Dr. Rudrani Banik, who previews Eye Summit 2026 .

Preventing Injury, Reframing Pain, and Using Physical Therapy to Avoid Unnecessary Surgery: Dr. Tom Walters is a board-certified orthopedic physical therapist, founder of Rehab Science , and author of “ Rehab Science: How to Overcome Pain and Heal From Injury ,” an illustrated, body-region guide to common orthopedic problems and self-managed therapeutic exercises. Walters emphasizes using PT-style...

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Dr. Tom Walters, board-certified orthopedic physical therapist, founder of Rehab Science , and author of “ Rehab Science: How to Overcome Pain and Heal From Injury .”

New-think on diet for ApoE4, a risk factor for Alzheimer’s—eat meat! Is a non-invasive blood sugar monitor on the drawing board for the next Apple Watch? True or false—does drinking carbonated water help weight loss? Eating while distracted puts on the pounds; Treating duodenitis; How much whey protein should you consume? Why some people fail to lose weight on GLP-1 drugs.

Don’t skip homocysteine when testing for dementia risk factors; Treating osteoporosis; New hope against pancreatic cancer; Eating right for Parkinson’s Disease; Olive oil helps stave off dementia—but only the right kind; A lifestyle hack that can cut Alzheimer’s risk by 38%; How to reduce high calprotectin on a stool test.

Dietitian Nutritionist Leyla Muedin discusses a Stanford-led randomized controlled trial published in Nature Medicine in which a five-day, calorie-restricted fasting-mimicking diet improved symptoms and inflammatory markers in people with mild to moderate Crohn’s disease. In the three-month study of 97 patients, 65 followed monthly five-day cycles of 700–1100 calories/day with plant-based meals, w...