The Lab Report

Many of us struggle with weight and fat loss. But fat, or adipose tissue, has many other functions in the body that may be working against your ability to lose weight. Dr. Sylvia Tara holds a PhD in biochemistry and has dedicated years of research to fat and the ways adipose tissue can work as an endocrine organ in signaling your brain to alter hunger and satiety. Today we discuss Dr. Tara’s...

REBROADCAST: The basics of mobility often go unnoticed until nagging pain and discomfort arise. Musculoskeletal pain is a very common complaint of many patients. Rather than treating that pain with medication, what if a simple mobility technique could fix the mechanics that caused it? Dr. Kelly Starrett has revolutionized the way we assess and treat common aches and pains by developing a program c...

Summer is here and with that comes longer days and more sun exposure. The health benefits of sunshine include increased vitamin D production, elevated mood, stronger bones, and even better sleep. However, overexposure to the sun can damage our skin and lead to skin cancer over time. Using sunscreen can help to protect our skin, but where’s the line when it comes to blocking vitamin D product...

Stinging nettle ( Urtica dioica ) is a perennial, flowering plant with many medicinal uses. Not only is it nutrient dense, but it has been used as a diuretic and therapeutically for various inflammatory conditions. However, the plant really does sting! It contains hair-like needles on the leaves and stems to protect itself from herbivorous animals. The injection of histamine and other chemicals ca...

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a complex and evolving illness that is highly misunderstood. In fact, coming to a consensus within the medical community on diagnostic criteria and actual naming convention has been challenging. Newer governing bodies have begun calling it ‘Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disease’ or SEID. Regardless of the inconsistencies, the emotional, physical, and economi...

Environmental toxins are seemingly everywhere in our daily lives. These synthetic substances which are not usually found in our bodies are known as xenobiotics. Given the ubiquitous nature of xenobiotics and their effects on our health, trying to be mindful of them and avoiding them can seem difficult – especially if you don’t realize they exist! In today’s episode, we discuss th...

Summer is nearly here, and that means backyard barbecue season. Cooking certain foods with high heat causes something called the “Maillard Reaction” – which is a chemical reaction between fat, proteins, and sugars that gives browned and seared foods, like barbecued meats, their flavor. The result of this reaction is the formation of advanced glycation end products or AGEs. High a...

A very common question we are asked as it relates to functional medicine testing is how medications and supplements affect results. Although we can’t always know the influences, based on physiology and some literature we can make educated guesses. Genova never recommends that any patient discontinue medically necessary medications for the purposes of testing – that decision is up to th...

Bacteria are everywhere in the environment. Although we understand there is a delicate balance of bacteria in our bodies which keep us healthy, many don’t grasp the complexity of how bacterial populations interact, adapt, and survive. They form structures called ‘biofilms’ which have become a hot topic in functional medicine as it relates to treating resistant or recurrent infect...

N-acetylcysteine, or NAC, plays an important role in the body when it comes to combating oxidative stress. As a precursor to make glutathione, NAC has been used for decades both as an acute medication and as an over-the-counter supplement. Recently, the line between medication and supplement has been blurred and is now being debated. Today we talk all about N-acetylcysteine - the ways NAC is used...

Miranda Alcaraz has been a health and fitness influencer for nearly 20 years. As an athlete, entrepreneur, and a busy mom she understands the challenges we all face when trying to fit exercise into our daily schedules. She and her husband Julian created an online fitness community called “Street Parking” offering at-home, daily exercise routines and nutritional coaching to help people...

Zack George is a top CrossFit athlete, coach, trainer, and author. His journey from overweight teenager to the fittest man in the United Kingdom is a story of resolve and resiliency. We all struggle with motivation and goal setting, but Zack serves as an example of what is possible. Through his online training program “Team Silverback”, his local UK gym, and new book “Start Where...

Dr. Ara Suppiah is a pioneer in bringing functional medicine to the professional sports arena. As the Chief Medical Analyst for NBC’s ‘The Golf Channel’, medical contributor to Golf Digest, and personal physician on the PGA and ATP tours, he’s worked with top athletes across the globe to optimize their health and performance using functional medicine principles and testing....

We’ve all had headaches, and some can be severe. Although many people use the words ‘migraine’ and ‘headache’ interchangeably, the physiology and syndrome of migraines is actually a bit different. Rather than suffer with the debilitating nature of migraines, what if there were practical tips to mitigate their effects or prevent them from occurring in the first place?...

Dietary fiber is an important part of a healthy diet and many of us don’t get nearly enough. Research suggests fiber is important for a healthy microbiome and can positively affect many chronic diseases. For as simple as fiber may seem, there are many confusing terms that accompany it – soluble, insoluble, resistant, fermentable, viscous etc. What kind do we need? Why does it matter? I...

Polyphenols are chemical nutrients found in many foods – though mainly in plants. Much of the research in polyphenols surrounds their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. They also have important influences in the microbiome. Dark fruits, red wine, chocolate, green tea, olive oil, and soy are a just a few of the many foods that provide excellent sources of polyphenols. Today we disc...

Behavior change is difficult. Many of us understand that nutrition and movement are important, but how do we take this information to the next level for long-term lifestyle change? Today we meet Meredith Root. She is a very successful and accomplished CrossFit athlete, trainer, and coach. She also has a biological science background and a keen understanding of nutrition as it relates to performanc...

Many of us have pets and consider them part of the family. They offer emotional support, companionship, and bonding.  Did you know that they are very important for your health? Beyond pets, the medical field is now recognizing the healing qualities of many types of animals. Animal-assisted therapies are being incorporated into clinical treatment plans to improve health outcomes in many chroni...

Metabolic flexibility is the ability of your body to use whatever food you are eating for energy. In patients with metabolic dysfunction, the body may not be able to adapt well in using different energy sources. Dr. Nathan Jenkins is an integrative exercise physiologist who leads a team of researchers at the University of Georgia studying the effects of exercise on cardiovascular and metabolic hea...

Cinnamon is a spice condiment found in nearly everyone’s kitchen cabinet. It is so versatile in flavoring foods, beverages, candy, and personal care products. But very few of us realize the vast array of medicinal uses for cinnamon. It can be used as a natural supplement to support metabolism, the immune system, the GI tract, and more! In today’s episode, we discuss the many uses for c...

Fertility rates have been dropping due to environmental toxicities, higher incidence of obesity and metabolic dysfunction, and couples waiting until later ages to conceive. But it is important to understand that there are many things we can do to improve fertility and optimize preconception health. Dr. Nicole Avena is a PhD researcher who is widely published on the health effects of nutrition. Her...

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 ha...

Animal protein from meat is an important part of a healthy diet. But many of us overlook further using the animal bones to provide additional healing properties. Simmering animal bones over an extended amount of time helps extract minerals, collagen, and other important nutrients into a broth. Bone broth can then be used as stock for other soups or ingested itself to improve health. Listen in as w...

In functional medicine, we dig deeper to find the root cause of illness and strive to find personalized strategies to optimize health. However, sometimes even that falls short. Dr. Jade Teta has spent over 20 years treating patients, teaching, and writing about health and wellness. He blends biochemistry and philosophy in a way that inspires us to find our true purpose. In so doing, we can all lea...

Neurotransmitters act as chemical signals from our nerve endings to various target cells found in muscles, glands, and other neurons. Although there are many types of neurotransmitters, today we will focus on the catecholamines - epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Anyone who has ongoing stress or is an ‘adrenaline junkie’ can attest to the physical effects of the catecholamines...