The Functional Nurse Practitioner

Today we have a very special guest, Dr. Shivani Gupta.  Dr. Gupta is an Ayurvedic Practitioner who studied Ayurveda in India and the United States for over 2 decades, accessing leaders, gurus, and changemakers in Ayurveda prior to earning a PhD in Turmeric.  She currently works with top orthopedic and spinal surgeons, rheumatologists, and functional medicine practitioners across the country.  She...

Today we are continuing our cholesterol series. In part one – we discussed what cholesterol actually is.  We learned that our body needs cholesterol in order to build healthy cells.  Cholesterol is a part of the outer layer of our cells, the membrane of the cells.  It is also the initial part of the steroidogenic pathway.  In part two we dove deep into LDL and HDL.  We discussed that cholesterol c...

Today we have a very special guest – Dr. Carrie Jones.  Dr. Jones is a naturopathic physician, functional medicine, and hormone specialist, with over 17 years of experience in the field of functional and integrative medicine.  Dr. Jones is board certified in Naturopathic Endocrinology with a master's degree in public health.  She has taught courses in both Gynecology and Advanced Endocrinology...

Today we are continuing our cholesterol series.  In Part One we discussed what cholesterol actually is, as it is often vilified in conventional medicine.  We learned that our body needs cholesterol in order to build healthy cells.  Cholesterol is a part of the outer layer of our cells, the membrane of the cells.  It is also the initial part of the steroidogenic pathway.  In Part Two we dove deep i...

Today we have a very special guest – Dr. Heather Zwickey. Dr. Zwickey is a researcher, teacher, and mentor who earned a PhD in immunology and microbiology from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center with a focus on infectious disease and vaccine development. She then went on and completed a postdoctoral fellowship and taught at the School of Medicine at Yale University where she focused...

Today we are zeroing in on the two lipoproteins that are the key players of a lipid panel – LDL and HDL.  We have all heard that there is good and bad cholesterol – but what is it that makes them good or bad?  Are all LDL and HDL created equal?  Last week we talked broadly about what exactly cholesterol is and why it matters. We went in depth about cholesterol synthesis, the role it...

We are diving deep into a new series today talking all about cholesterol. We demonize cholesterol in conventional medicine – and there are valid points to be concerned about elevated levels. There are also very valid reasons to not treat a “borderline” level. I had to throw that word in there. If you know me then you know that I hate that word – borderline. All that means is we are waiting for dia...

If you have been listening to the show for a while – then you know I am all about lifestyle and what we put into our bodies. The foods we eat are what will move the needle the fastest when looking to optimize our health. But – what about those times that we want a “convenience food”. What about those times we are at a social gathering or having family or friends over and we want to serve snacks. &...

Today we are going to do a deep dive into polycystic ovarian syndrome – also known as PCOS. This is a common issue amongst reproductive aged women and is the leading cause of infertility, affecting roughly 6-12 percent of women in the US. This condition is oftentimes looked at as a gynecology concern, but more body systems are actually involved, and more risks/concerns. We are going to define what...

Today we are continuing the conversation about cortisol. We are at the final episode of the cortisol series. We started this 3-part series with a deep discussion of what exactly cortisol is - a thorough understanding of this is key for management. Last week we focused on high cortisol. In our overstressed and overworked society, cortisol is a common issue and can be overlooked if we are only looki...

Today we are continuing the conversation about cortisol.  This is part two in a series discussing cortisol.  We are going to focus on high cortisol in this episode. This is what I see most often in my practice. We are in a society of perpetual stress and overstimulation, so this is not surprising. We are going to zero in on signs and symptoms of high cortisol and what some of the triggers and medi...

Today we are starting the conversation on cortisol. This is a big topic! One I absolutely love talking about.  The importance of this subject – let's just say it is crucial for feeling and living your best life. There is a lot to unpack regarding cortisol as it is highly complex. As I am not here to overwhelm, I thought splitting this into digestible segments would make the most sense.  ...

Today we are talking about the exposome. This is a crucial topic that needs to be discussed. Once you understand this concept – and I get that it may not sound like a sexy topic. But trust me – once you understand this - you can’t unlearn it – it will be lifechanging. We're first going to define what exactly is the exposome.  Then we're going to discuss the ramifications of the exposome – why...

Today we dive deep into possible causes of autoimmune disorders & chronic diseases.  Is it possible to overcome illness and heal the body using Quantum medicine?  We are joined today by Dr. Lonnie Herman.  He is a board certified Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine who then went on through a series of postgraduate studies and did a deep dive into autoimmune, neurodegenerative diseas...

I wanted to kick off the new year discussing ways we can optimize our health. We don’t often think about our overall health – instead we think about what the number on the scale says.  I’m going to give you my top 7 strategies to improve your health. I will preface this by saying that I believe we need all of these 7, not just to pick one or two and run. Then, we will get into supplements tha...

Today we're going to be talking about sleep.  Just a quick disclaimer that this podcast is meant for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or be a substitute for medical advice from your practitioner. Special discount code so you can save $50 off of the purchase of an Oura ring.  There are only a few discounts available.  Get yours here: https://ouraring.com/discoun...

Today we are continuing our conversation on altered intestinal permeability – aka leaky gut.  We are diving deep, once again, my friends, deep, into testing and also management for altered intestinal permeability.  Kick back and relax – I think you are going to really enjoy this one. Just a quick disclaimer that this podcast is meant for educational purposes only and is not meant to diag...

Today we're going to be talking about a vitally important topic - intestinal permeability.  You may not have heard this term, but you likely have heard the term that's all over social media - leaky gut.  You guys are really gonna love this one.  This is part one in a two part series.  In next week's episode we will get more into testing for leaky gut and different management st...

Today we are going to dive deep into Hashimoto’s autoimmune disease. What exactly is this condition? What are the risk factors for developing this autoimmune condition, are there specific causes for it? What are some signs and symptoms, what are the complications of this condition, and finally, we will talk about the management of Hashimoto’s autoimmune disease. This is going to be a doozy of an e...

Today we are going to talk about sugar. What is sugar – what are the different types of sugars, how do they affect the body, our hormones, and also obviously how do they affect our blood sugar. We’re going to talk about “natural” sugars vs processed sugars. We’re also going to talk about carbohydrates. Why do they matter and how do they contribute to the total body’s sugar burden. We are also goin...

Today we are going to talk about the benefit of spices.  I thought this would be a great topic as oftentimes we only think about spices to add a flavor – or perhaps we don’t even really think about this either, and maybe only use salt and pepper.  Aside from enhancing your foods, spices also provide a plethora of other benefits that we are going to get into today. Just a quick disclaimer...

Today we are talking about xenobiotics.  First, we’re going to define what exactly are xenobiotics. Then we are going to talk about concerns regarding xenobiotics, and lastly, what can we do to manage our exposure to xenobiotics. Just a quick disclaimer that this podcast is meant for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or be a substitute for medical advice from your practitioner...

Today we are talking about hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism means that the thyroid is underactive…it is not working appropriately. We are going to talk about the signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism, how to test for hypothyroidism, causes of hypothyroidism, risks associated with hypothyroidism, and finally the management of this condition. Just a quick disclaimer that this podcast is meant for educa...

Today we are launching The Functional Nurse Practitioner podcast and kicking it off with a bang!  The subject of todays episode is estrogen dominance.  Estrogen dominance greatly impacts women of all ages.  What is estrogen dominance?  How do you test for it?  What are common conditions associated with estrogen dominance?  How does this impact your life if you in fact...