The Lab Report

Artificial intelligence and machine learning is being leveraged in every facet of society to improve efficiency and drive innovation. Healthcare is no different. Language models, algorithms, machine learning, and more are being developed and used to help with education, behavior change, administrative tasks, predictive risk assessments, and at times, disease diagnosis. In today’s episode, we discu...

Is it possible to be drunk without drinking alcohol? Actually, yes. There is a condition called auto-brewery syndrome whereby an imbalance in your gut microbiome can ferment carbohydrates to create alcohol. Blood alcohol levels can get surprisingly high. Though this condition is thought to be rare, it might just be underdiagnosed. Patients are dealing with legal ramifications, social stigmas, and...

Food labels can be very confusing. In fact, many of us completely ignore them. If you look at the ingredients in many processed foods, you’ve probably tried to pronounce some of the chemical compounds listed in the ingredients. The food industry adds chemicals to food to either enhance flavor and color, or to preserve shelf life. There are thousands of accepted food additives and some may have imp...

Shakira Niazi is the founder of Basil Seed Works – an organic basil seed product line featuring the superfood ZenBasil. As a refugee from war-torn Afghanistan who was later raised and educated in the US, Shakira’s path to becoming an entrepreneur is remarkable. Although she’s known for her work with Vita Water – helping to solve the world water crisis and providing water points to poor villages ar...

Dr. Stephanie Venn-Watson dedicated her life to public health and veterinary epidemiology. In studying dolphins, she discovered the first essential fatty acid to be found in over 90 years – C15:0 (pentadecanoic acid). Dr. Stephanie’s discovery and further research on C15:0 has uncovered some amazing cellular health benefits and significant potential for disease prevention. With this knowledge, Dr....

Methylation is a very important enzymatic reaction responsible for so many crucial metabolic processes. In a previous episode, we introduced the topic of methylation and the basics of this biochemical reaction.  However, there are many subtle nuances to consider when assessing whether a patient’s methylation cycle is out of balance. Today, we dive a bit deeper into the biochemistry of methylation...

We are honored to welcome Dr. Casey Means back to the show. She is not only a passionate advocate for metabolic health, but also a voice of reason amidst a broken healthcare system, a profound champion spreading the message of connectedness and fearlessness, and lastly a dear friend. Dr. Means’ new book “Good Energy – The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health” is available...

The word ‘methylation’ has become somewhat of a buzz word in functional and personalized medicine. We’ve mentioned it several times throughout many episodes of The Lab Report – hard to avoid since it’s involved in just about every biological process. In today’s episode, we finally hit the topic of methylation head on and dive into the methylation cycle itself. What is it? Why should you care? Alth...

Everest Goldstein is a board-certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner who is also certified in Functional Medicine and has an extensive background in integrative wellness interventions. She deeply cares about her patients and devotes her time to working closely with each of them to address their individual needs. Knowing the importance of the brain-body connection, Everest addresses the body as a...

Berberine is an alkaloid compound that can be extracted from several plants. It is a widely used supplement in personalized medicine and is also beginning to get some traction within the conventional medicine space. Berberine is mainly used in the GI tract for its antimicrobial effects, but as it relates to gut health, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. What is even more fascinating is berberine’...

For decades Dr. Nigma Talib has been helping patients using her clinical expertise in naturopathic medicine. Her contributions to the field are recognized globally. Dr. Nigma has authored best-selling books such as “Reverse the Signs of Ageing” and “Younger Skin Starts in the Gut.” She was one of the first pioneers to introduce vitamin supplements in the fashion industry and she’s responsible for...

Taylor Morgan Christie is a board-certified Physician Assistant, a registered dietitian nutritionist, and she’s double board certified in functional medicine through IFM and IFNA. So, it should come to no surprise that she can basically riff on any topic we throw at her. However, she has a special passion for treating thyroid disorders and helping her patients find whole wellness. She’s spent over...

If you’ve seen the Netflix documentary “The Social Dilemma,” you’ll recognize today’s guest. Dr. Anna Lembke is an addiction specialist from Stanford University, a New York Times best-selling author, and was featured on that Netflix special. Addiction takes many forms – not only alcohol and illicit drugs, but also social media, exercise, shopping, and workaholism. But, where’s the line between hab...

Ok, well…. Today’s episode is a bit unique…. The intention was to discuss the important benefits of a trace mineral called boron. It is an important mineral, make no mistake. But, as we started recording, we got bored. Turns out talking about boron is kind of boring! So, we do hit the boron highlights, but then, in typical Patti & Michael fashion, we veer off into debate and discussion. The to...

Genova’s nutritional testing offers precision results and personalized recommendations to create a nutritional treatment plan for optimal health and wellness. But for patients and clinicians, this can seem overwhelming when there is a significant amount of nutritional need. In addition to dietary counseling, clinicians often reach for supplements. VitaminLab is a premier supplement company in Cana...

Cayenne pepper, derived from the Capsicum annuum plant, is a fiery herb renowned for its intense heat and vibrant flavor. It contains a compound called capsaicin which is not only responsible for its spicy punch, but also numerous health benefits. Beyond its culinary uses, cayenne is highly regarded for its medicinal properties in gut health, pain relief, and even cardiometabolic disease. In today...

Genova’s Endo+ Profile is the first of its kind in hormonal health, offering the unique ability to test saliva, blood, and urine simultaneously. This flexibility lets providers create tailored hormonal profiles that reveal insights and connections between sex hormones, thyroid function, adrenal health, melatonin rhythms, and estrogen metabolism. While creating this product, we spent years scouring...

Foods come in and out of favor all the time. Eggs are good for you… no wait, they are bad… nope, good again – let’s not even discuss butter! There are many disease correlations related to specific foods and literature continues to evolve. One such focus is on red meat and its correlation to cardiovascular disease.  But why? Is all red meat bad? Can you eat red meat and not increase heart disease r...

Patti & Michael are on the road! We recorded this unique episode from the Genova Diagnostics booth as a sponsor of the Metabolic Health Summit 2024 in Clearwater Beach, Florida. This conference brings together cutting-edge research, world-class speakers, and the leading experts in metabolic health. As you can imagine, Genova’s testing is a key element in getting to the root cause of metabolic...

Dr. Bill Rawls was a practicing OB/GYN physician for decades before his health began to suffer and he was faced with the limitations of modern medicine. Embarking on his own health journey, he dove headfirst into holistic and herbal therapies and found ultimate wellness. Dr. Rawls now teaches and writes extensively about the power of herbal medicine. He’s written several books including Suffered L...

Dr. Taz Bhatia is a conventionally trained physician who has always been way ahead of her time. For years she’s been combining the best of modern science with eastern medical wisdom to help patients get to the root cause of chronic disease. As one of the OGs in functional and integrative medicine, Dr. Taz has become a national social media influencer, author, speaker, podcaster, television star, a...

Genova’s new Endo+ Profile is the first of its kind in hormonal health, offering the unique ability to test saliva, blood, and urine simultaneously. This flexibility lets providers create tailored hormonal profiles that reveal insights and connections between sex hormones, thyroid function, adrenal health, melatonin rhythms, and estrogen metabolism. While creating this product, we spent years scou...

Hormones are complicated! The body makes dozens of hormones that influence each other. Fine-tuning that full hormonal symphony can lead to significant symptom improvement and well-being. Genova’s testing can help and the new Endo+ Profile is a great place to start. With this latest product upgrade, we’ve spent almost 2 years scouring the literature for the most up-to-date clinical information to h...

The subject of men’s health is often not discussed. A lot of men don’t proactively seek help for health concerns nor even want to admit there’s a problem. Well, today we’re going to change that. Ali Gilbert is a nationally recognized coach, lecturer, personal trainer, and expert in men’s health. Her Silverback Coaching programs help men from all walks of life, from CEOs to professional athletes an...

When it comes to holiday traditions, we think of decorating Christmas trees, baking cookies, the Elf on the Shelf, or lighting a menorah. But holiday traditions are far more unusual and diverse throughout the world. Some might really surprise you! On today’s episode, we touch on some unusual international holiday customs you’ve likely never heard while sprinkling in some clinical pearls. We also c...