The Lab Report

Dr. Austin Perlmutter is a board-certified internal medicine physician and New York Times best-selling author of the book Brain Wash . He has a special interest in helping patients understand their decisions and behavior as it relates to improving their health. Understanding unconscious habits and how the brain processes our environment is pivotal when it comes to helping patients and guiding thei...

We tend to lean on traditions during the holiday season. As they are handed down through the generations, their origins are often forgotten. Not only do traditions offer comfort and help to unify us, but many also have important health benefits. Today we have some fun with the origins of several holiday traditions and weave in their clinical significance. Make sure to stay tuned for a special Geno...

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin with important physiologic effects. Unlike other vitamins that must be obtained from the diet, vitamin D can also be produced in the skin from sunlight. The health implications of vitamin D have been widely studied and some of these effects might surprise you.   In today’s episode, we describe how vitamin D is metabolized and why it is clinically impor...

In functional medicine, we often discuss behavioral change. But this can be difficult since many of us don’t like to be pushed out of our comfort zone. Dr. Alex Hutchinson is a physicist, endurance athlete, and author who writes about the perception of limits. How much of our physical limitations are real? Is it possible our minds are the actual limiting factor? In today’s episode, Ale...

Amino acids are the building blocks of life. They can be categorized as being essential or nonessential. Essential amino acids must come from the diet, while nonessential amino acids can be made in the body. Of the essential amino acids, there is a subgroup called the ‘branched chain amino acids (BCAAs).’ There are three BCAAs: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. These three amino acids h...

Many of us know insulin as the hormone that regulates our blood sugar. We often think of its role in diabetes. However, insulin affects far more than glucose. Dr. Ben Bikman is a PhD researcher who has been studying insulin for many years. His latest book, Why We Get Sick , outlines how insulin resistance is at the root of chronic disease and ways to treat and prevent it. In this episode, we speak...

In the corporate world, the concept of mindfulness is not a priority. Multi-tasking, competition, and success are major drivers day-to-day. Pandit Dasa, a former monk, is an author and international speaker who teaches the concepts of appreciation and mindfulness to corporations to cultivate stronger relationships and teamwork. With more of us working remotely, this can be challenging. His simple...

Our bodies contain an inner clock that helps to regulate hormones and biochemistry. This clock is referred to as the circadian rhythm. The fine timing of this biological rhythm requires signaling from light. With the change in seasons, many of us feel the systemic effects of less daylight in various ways, one of which is altered mood. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that...

Thanksgiving is a time to be mindful and reflect on our many blessings. During the holiday, many of us enjoy dinner with family and friends without stopping to consider the nutritional aspects of traditional dishes. Today, we discuss the important biochemical and nutritional benefits of Thanksgiving dinner items. We also talk about dealing with the stress of the holidays and the many reasons we ar...

Behavioral change is at the root of functional medicine as it relates to diet and lifestyle. Often patients struggle between office visits and need ongoing guidance and encouragement. Dr. Sandra Scheinbaum recognized the need to bridge this gap. After many years as a clinical psychologist, she pivoted her career to found the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy in association with the Institute fo...

Vitamins are carbon-containing (organic) molecules that are essential for normal metabolism. However, they cannot be made in our body in sufficient amounts which makes dietary intake of vitamins important. There are thirteen different vitamins, categorized depending on whether they dissolve in water (water-soluble) or can be absorbed with dietary fat and stored in the body (fat-soluble). In today&...

Dr. Nicole Avena is a neuroscientist, researcher, author, and speaker who has spent years studying nutrition and the brain chemistry of the reward system. She is a pioneer in the field of food addiction. In functional medicine, we often talk about the importance of behavior and lifestyle changes to optimize health. But, how much of this is within our control? On today’s episode, Dr. Avena di...

Dr. Joseph Pizzorno is a legend in the naturopathic and integrative medicine community. His decades of research, mentorship, and outreach have been instrumental in validating ‘science-based natural medicine’. As founding president of Bastyr University, and author of numerous textbooks and consumer books, his influence has shaped our current view of functional medicine. Today, we reflec...

Tom Malterre is a well-known nutrition expert and a certified functional medicine practitioner. Not only did Tom write a pivotal book on the elimination diet, but he also lectures frequently on environmental toxins, coaches groups of clinicians in functional medicine, and educates patients in his own clinical practice. In today’s episode, Tom Malterre touches on several topics including the...

In today’s society, many of us focus on losing fat to achieve and maintain adequate health. But the paradigm is slowly shifting toward the importance of gaining muscle. The metabolic and systemic effects of skeletal muscle are astounding. Dr. Gabrielle Lyon is a functional medicine physician who has pioneered a specialty in “Muscle-centric Medicine”. Years of research and study o...

Dr. Paul Anderson has spent decades educating, writing, researching, and treating patients with many chronic illnesses. His expertise in alternative and complementary cancer therapies has garnered him a notable and distinguished reputation. As a professor at Bastyr University for many years, Dr. Anderson has helped shape the careers of many naturopathic physicians. Today we discuss his approach to...

In functional medicine, behavior change is often at the heart of helping our patients improve their health. When it comes to dietary choices, many people struggle due to food cravings which they believe are out of their control. Dr. Elena Zinkov is a naturopathic physician who wrote a book which hits this topic straight on and offers helpful tips to reset cravings.   Today, we meet Dr. Zinkov...

Dr. Mike T. Nelson is an exercise physiologist, researcher, speaker, author, personal trainer, and coach. In the world of sports optimization, his approach is somewhat unique. Rather than merely focusing on training and personalized nutrition, his programs include some interesting alternative techniques to improve health and performance. Dr. Nelson’s years of research and coaching experience...

The thyroid gland plays a major role in regulating our metabolism. It releases hormones that influence nearly every system in the body, in addition to other hormones. Because of its far-reaching effects, the symptoms of thyroid dysfunction are widely variable and often over-looked. In today’s episode we discuss how to identify thyroid abnormalities, how to measure it properly, and some funct...

Dr. Neil Paulvin has created a truly integrative and comprehensive functional medicine practice in the heart of New York City. His specialties are varied including osteopathic manipulation, sports medicine, hormone imbalances, and overall biohacking. His innovative use of IV peptides, low dose naltrexone, and other anti-aging therapies has earned him an impressive reputation in the functional medi...

There is the well-known phrase “laughter is the best medicine,” but is there any truth to that statement? In today’s show, Patti and Michael explore some of the research around laughter and its physiological, biochemical, and clinical effects. Also, if there is evidence to support laughter as a modality, does this mean we should be prescribing laughter as a treatment? What would...

Professional athletes are seen as the pinnacle of health and performance. But the work that goes into ensuring their well-being can be daunting. Navin Hettierachchi has been working behind the scenes in professional sports for 20 years. In today’s episode, we hear about his functional medicine approach and the way he uses personalized medicine to help professional athletes achieve peak perfo...

Most of what we do in functional medicine revolves around some type of behavioral change. Patients struggle with adopting these positive changes in diet, movement, and mindfulness. Instead of labelling patients as ‘noncompliant’, what if clinicians could meet patients where they are and help them through the process? The Transtheoretical Model was developed to help understand behavior...

Ashleigh VanHouten is a key influencer in the health and fitness industry. As the self-proclaimed ‘Muscle Maven’, she coaches elite athletes and many nonathletic clients on ways to optimize their health. Ashleigh is not only a fitness expert, but also a well sought-after speaker, podcast host, and author of a new cookbook entitled It Takes Guts . Her book focuses on the importance of t...

Blastocystis is one of the most common GI parasites encountered in clinical practice. There’s been some debate as to whether it’s friend or foe. There’s even more debate on how to treat it and whether it even needs to be treated. Newer technology shows that there are many different subtypes of Blastocystis . These subtypes may hold the key to understanding the nuances in clinical...