In this interview, our editor-in-chief, Tina Kaczor, ND, FABNO, speaks with Aminah Keats, ND, FABNO, about breast cancer disparities in African American women. Keats is a practicing naturopathic physician at Capital Integrative Health in Bethesda, Maryland, and is also vice president on the board of directors for the Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians (OncANP). About the Expert Aminah Keats, ND, FABNO, received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Spelman College and completed premedical coursework at Rutgers University. After completing her naturopathic medical training at the University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine, Keats completed a 2-year, hospital-based residency in naturopathic oncology at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA). She then continued her work at CTCA as a naturopathic oncology consultant and director of naturopathic medicine. She currently practices naturopathic medicine and specializes in naturopathic oncology at Capital Integrative Health in Bethesda, Maryland. Keats also serves as a faculty member at Maryland University of Integrative Health. She is a member of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, the Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians, and member of the OncANP Board of Directors. You can find Keats on Facebook and on Instagram @draminahkeats or at her website: drkeats.com. 

Natural Medicine Journal Podcast

Racial Disparities in Breast Cancer

In this interview, integrative medical expert Holly Lucille, ND, RN, describes why it’s important to look at cancer stem cell activity when creating an integrative cancer treatment plan. She discusses scientific literature that looks at whether natural interventions can help stop cancer formation and growth and inhibit cancer stem cell activity.  About the Expert Holly Lucille, ND, RN, is a nationally recognized and licensed naturopathic doctor, educator, natural products consultant, and television and radio host. She is the author of several books, including Creating and Maintaining Balance: A Women’s Guide to Safe, Natural, Hormone Health and The Healing Power of Trauma Comfrey. Lucille is on the editorial advisory board of Alternative Medicine, Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, Advances in Mind-Body Medicine, and Natural Practitioner, is the medical advisor for Natural Partners, Inc., and is the vice-chair of the Institute for Natural Medicine. A past president of the California Naturopathic Doctors Association, Lucille has also worked to ensure the availability of safe naturopathic healthcare by spearheading a lobbying effort to have naturopathic doctors licensed in the state of California.  A graduate of the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, Arizona, Lucille believes in the science, art, and mystery of healing. Through this belief, she uses the magnificence of media to truly make a difference and empower people to heal. Her private practice in Los Angeles, Healing from Within Healthcare, focuses on comprehensive naturopathic medicine and individualized care. About the Sponsor   EuroMedica® specializes in bringing proven natural medicines to the United States and in developing unique formulas containing clinically tested, safe, and effective ingredients. EuroMedica’s founder and president, Terry Lemerond, has more than 45 years' experience in the nutritional supplement industry, beginning with the founding of his first companies, Enzymatic Therapy and PhytoPharmica, and culminating in his current company, EuroMedica. Terry Lemerond is credited as the first to introduce standardized ginkgo, glucosamine sulfate, and IP-6 to the United States. Several of EuroMedica’s products have been featured in published scientific papers. New clinical trials, some including the well known BCM-95®/Curcugreen™ Curcumin, are now underway at prestigious research centers. EuroMedica is perhaps best known for Curaphen® Professional Pain Formula and CuraPro® products, both containing BCM-95®/Curcugreen™ Curcumin. Additonally, EuroMedica provides unique and proprietary products including EurOmega-3®, Traumaplant® Comfrey Cream from Germany, Bladder Manager® featuring the clinically studied SagaPro®, ProHydra-7™ with SB-150™ Seabuckthorn Oil, and Clinical Glutathione™ with Sublinthion®.

Integrative Interventions that Inhibit Cancer Stem Cell Activity: A Conversation with Holly Lucille, ND, RN

Keeping the immune system strong is a key goal for both patients and practitioners. In this interview, we talk to Danielle Citrolo, PharmD, about some targeted ingredients that have been shown to improve immunity. Citrolo specifically details the science behind 3 innovative ingredients—glutathione, LC-Plasma, and L-glutamine—and how the research shows they can strengthen immunity. About the Expert Danielle Citrolo, PharmD, is the VP of scientific and regulatory affairs at Kyowa Hakko. She is a registered pharmacist and provides scientific and regulatory support to Kyowa's customers in the United States, Canada and Latin America. She holds degrees in biochemistry and chemistry from North Carolina State University and a Doctor of Pharmacy from Albany College of Pharmacy, NY. About the Sponsor Kyowa Hakko is a global specialty fermentation company and a world leader in research and manufacturing of high-quality branded ingredients for use in dietary supplements, functional foods, and beverages. For more than 60 years, Kyowa has maintained a constant commitment to research, innovation, and quality. Kyowa offers advanced immune innovation with key ingredients that every immune health product should contain. These ingredients deliver a specific function, including immune and overall health and wellness, addressing multiple patient needs. Setria® Glutathione, Kyowa Quality® Glutamine, and newly launched IMMUSE™ LC-Plasma are a few of the well-researched branded ingredients from Kyowa Hakko’s extensive portfolio of ultra-pure amino acids, vitamins, nucleic acids, paraprobiotics and related compounds for use in pharmaceutical, nutritional and food applications. Visit Kyowa-USA.com to learn more.

Targeted Ingredients to Improve Immunity in Clinical Practice

In this interview, professor Thomas Chavez, PhD, explains the philosophy, rituals, and culture of Curanderismo. Chavez, who teaches at the University of New Mexico, shines a light on this important traditional medicine that originates from Mexico and the southwestern United States. He also discusses the upcoming keynote he will be delivering at the Integrative Medicine for the Underserved (IM4US) annual conference to be held virtually on September 23-25. To find out more about this conference, visit IM4US.org. About the Expert Thomas Anthony Chavez, PhD, is a counseling psychologist and professor in counselor education at the University of New Mexico. He has served underserved communities through clinical and community work. His primary teaching is focused on culticulturalism/social justice/critical theory/diversity in the helping professions. His scholarly/research interests have centered on Latinx health and wellness. In addition, he is a traditional healing practitioner. His current mission is to formally evaluate the effects of traditional healing from the traditions of Mexico and the U.S. Southwest from a wellness perspective. Further, he is working toward integrating traditional healing with allopathic medicine. Chavez earned his doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

An Introduction to the Traditional Healing Medicine of Curanderismo

Research has uncovered many benefits of fasting. In this episode, 2 medical experts describe the different types of fasting, the physiology of fasting, the research associated with a special type of fast, and the clinical applications of the fasting mimicking diet. Listeners will learn how to enhance the efficacy and sustainability of their fasting protocols. About the Experts James Kelley, MD, MBA, is the medical science liaison of L-Nutra. His background is in the development of early-stage medical and biotechnology, in addition to working with and educating physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. Kelley completed his M.D. at The Ohio State University, and was the inaugural research fellow at the Ohio Health Research and Innovation Institute. He finished his MBA at the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business. He has worked with the USC Alfred Mann Institute for Biomedical Engineering, the Lloyd Grief Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, and the Stevens Institute of Technology. He holds a bachelor’s degree in cell biology from the University of Virginia and completed his neuroscience masters coursework at Miami University. Prior to joining the L-Nutra team, he was the head of Inventor Services at The Innovation Institute, a partnership with the Cleveland Clinic Innovations group focused on developing and commercializing new and innovative healthcare solutions. Deepa Verma MD, AIHM, is a double board-certified physician in family and integrative medicine. She is a graduate of Rutgers Medical School (formerly Robert Wood Johnson) and a faculty speaker for health organizations such as The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M), Cutera, and Age Management Medicine Group (AMMG), just to name a few. In 2013, she founded a healing-oriented practice, Synergistiq Integrative Health, after experiencing some personal challenges and feeling unfulfilled treating patients traditionally. She believes that challenges are presented not as obstacles, but as stepping stones. In addition to working in private practice, Verma is a blogger and TV personality, having made appearances on NBC, ABC, PBS, and Lifetime TV. She is a regular guest on Bay News 9. Verma’s passion for healthy living resonates in everything she does personally and professionally. She understands the angst and frustrations that patients feel when they are sick and tired of feeling tired and sick. To learn more about her integrative/anti-aging practice and expertise, visit drdeepaverma.com and synergistiqhealth.com. About the Sponsor As research grows in this area of health, prolonged fasting is becoming more widely accepted as a legitimate means of managing weight and aid in the management of risk for metabolic diseases. At the same time, it is clear that fasting can be challenging and uncomfortable, and therefore, it is important that it is done in proper and healthy ways. As fasting trends, such as intermittent fasting, gain popularity, the extended fasting periods (without food) can lead to a myriad of negative side effects, including irritability and the likelihood of overeating during the “eating” period. While most people think of fasting in terms of the common definition of fasting, which is the abstinence of food or drink, cellular fasting is linked to downregulation of the nutrient-sensing pathways and upregulation of stress resistance mechanisms. Nutrient sensing pathways are sensors that are activated in the presence of adequate nutrients (amino acids, glucose, energy). ProLon has been scientifically developed to avoid triggering the three key Nutrient Sensing Pathways namely: PKA (Carbohydrate Pathway), IGF-1 (Protein Pathway), and mTOR (Amino Acids Pathway). Culminating more than 20 years of research and discoveries on fasting made at the University of Southern California (USC), L-Nutra is a nutrition technology company using breakthrough science to enhance human health, promote healthy aging, and support overall well-being. As industry pioneers and innovators of fasting nutrition science, L-Nutra is the creator of Fast Bar and the ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet. Fast Bar and the foods included during ProLon’s 5-day program are the first and only fasting products that are scientifically researched and crafted with macro- and micronutrients in precise quantities and combinations that nourish you but mimic the effects of fasting to unleash the body’s natural ability to fuel and rejuvenate itself. A clinical trial found that ProLon FMD provides benefits not limited to weight loss, healthy aging, and metabolic health. With ProLon, the health benefits are typically sustained well after the 5-day program, with users reporting fewer cravings, enhanced focus and energy, and greater mindfulness of food choices. *Disclaimer or further explanation is always required for this claim. The disclaimer needed: “Benefits seen in a randomized, controlled study in 105 adults after a 15-hour overnight fast comparing the glucose and ketone results every hour for 4 hours in the Fast Bar group, breakfast group, and water-fast group. Data on file.”

An Introduction to the Fasting Mimicking Diet: A conversation with James Kelley, MD, and Deepa Verma, MD

There is a big difference between biological aging and chronological aging. In this interview, Christopher Shade, PhD, discusses the scientific underpinnings of aging and describes the construct he uses to address this issue in clinical practice. Shade shares the scientific system he created to help reduce the factors that expedite aging. Shade is an integrative health expert who specializes in biological, environmental, and analytical chemistry. About the Expert Christopher Shade, PhD, is founder and CEO of Quicksilver Scientific. Shade’s vast depth and breadth of knowledge, passion for healing, and intuitive understanding of chemistry and biology are reflected in Quicksilver Scientific’s well-designed detoxification protocols, unique supplement delivery systems, and patented mercury speciation test.  Shade earned his PhD from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and his undergraduate degree in Environmental Chemistry is from Lehigh University. He is a recognized expert on mercury and liposomal delivery systems. He has lectured and trained doctors in the US and internationally on the subject of mercury, heavy metals, and the human detoxification system. Shade's current focus is on the development of cutting-edge, lipid-based delivery systems for nutraceuticals to address the growing need for high-quality, affordable detoxification solutions. About the Sponsor There is a big difference between biological aging and chronological aging. In this interview, Chris Shade, PhD, discusses the scientific underpinnings of aging and describes the construct he uses to address these issues in clinical practice. Shade shares the scientific system he created to help reduce the factors that expedite aging in order to enhance longevity and healthspan, including activation of AMPK, Nrf2, sirtuins, and telomerase, along with production of NAD+, mitigation of cellular senescence, and support of the HPA Axis. Dr. Shade is an integrative health expert who specializes in biological, environmental, and analytical chemistry.

Using the Longevity Wheel Concept to Address Issues of Aging

Low treatment adherence negatively impacts patient outcomes and limits the effective treatment of chronic conditions in clinical practice. In this interview, Alex Keller, ND, describes the key findings of a recent paper he coauthored with his colleagues. He also describes key strategies that integrative practitioners can use to help improve treatment adherence. Keller is the medical director at Fullscript, an industry-leading health technology platform that facilitates virtual dispensing of practitioner-grade dietary supplements. About the Expert Alex Keller, ND, CISSN, is a practicing naturopathic doctor in Ottawa, Canada. Keller is the cofounder of an integrative physical therapy clinic and maintains a practice focus in pain management, performance, and stress resilience for athletes. He serves as the medical director at Fullscript, where he oversees the 15-member Integrative Medical Advisory Team (IMAT), which develops dietary supplement-related educational content for the Fullscript ecosystem. Prior to medicine, Alex worked in the renewable energy sector, where he developed a deep passion for sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship. Today, he splits his professional time practicing as a clinician, working for Fullscript, and developing a permaculture operation. He and his wife, Jenn Keller, ND, raise their family and approximately 20 farm animals on a farm that they’re in the process of converting into an integrative health retreat and botanical medicine learning center. About the Sponsor Fullscript is the ultimate platform for those who want to do wellness the right way — the personal way. It has the industry’s most comprehensive catalog of 300+ professional-quality products, making safe supplements more accessible and affordable, and making personalized treatment plans possible. But it’s also much more than a virtual dispensary. With features like EHR integrations, patient refill reminders, customizable dosage instructions, an evidence-based protocol library, and educational content for patients, it makes integrative medicine feel…well, integrated. With your way of working. With your evolving approach to wellness. And with your patients’ day-to-day lives. Learn more about Fullscript Treatment adherence in integrative medicine guide Download Fullcript's free report to gain breakthrough insights on adherence's influencing factors, measures, rates, and interventions.

Strategies to Make Treatment Adherence a Top Priority in Clinical Practice

A randomized clinical trial in the April 16, 2021, issue of JAMA found that loving-kindness meditation helped veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) reduce symptoms of PTSD and depression.1 In this interview, Nancy Gahles, DC, CCH, RSHom(NA), OIM, explains why and how loving-kindness meditation, and meditation in general, can help with PTSD and other conditions. Gahles is a retired chiropractor, homeopath, and interfaith minister who has extensive experience in dealing with trauma. About the Expert Nancy Gahles, DC, CCH, RSHom(NA), OIM, is CEO and founder of Health & Harmony Wellness Education and Center for Integrative and Holistic Healthcare, TeleHealth & Harmony, and Spirit of Love~The Rockaway Sangha. She is a retired chiropractor, certified classical homeopath, certified mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) practitioner, and ordained interfaith minister in family practice since 1980. Gahles’ unique method, the Triumvirate Technique, integrates the best of the mind/body/spirit disciplines including nanomedicine, diet, lifestyle, meditation, yoga, qi gong, breath and bodywork, cognitive-behavioral techniques, spirituality, palliative care, end of life issues, and positive potential practice. Her website is drnancygahles.com.

Loving-Kindness Meditation as a Healing Tool

The gut microbiota has a tremendous impact on immunity. In a recent interview, Editor-in-Chief Tina Kaczor, ND, FABNO, had the opportunity to talk with immunologist and Natural Medicine Journal Editorial Board Member Heather Zwickey, PhD, about environmental factors that affect the gut microbiota. They discussed pesticides, herbicides, and petroleum chemicals and the impacts they can have on the 100 trillion–plus microorganisms that reside in the human gut. About the Expert Heather Zwickey, PhD, is a professor of immunology and chair of the Department of Health Sciences at the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. She launched the Helfgott Research Institute, which advances the science of natural medicine. Zwickey founded the school of graduate studies and developed masters programs in research, nutrition, and global health. Zwickey has received the Champion of Naturopathic Medicine Award from the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians. She currently leads a National Institutes of Health–funded clinical research training program focused on integrative medicine research and studies the gut-brain axis in neuroinflammation. Abbreviated Transcript Tina Kaczor, ND, FABNO: What do you think is the most pressing topic that people need to know about as far as environmental factors that influence the gut? Heather Zwickey, PhD: I think that as we start to discuss gut microbiota, it has such a profound impact on the immune system. And the immune system has really been my focus—neuroimmunomodulation. So when we think about the gut microbiota, we're often thinking about the obvious things that have an effect on it, like antibiotics. But we don't often consider some of the less obvious things that have an effect on microbiota, like pesticides we find in the environment and in our food. Kaczor: When you say pesticides, so you're talking about Roundup, glyphosate, that kind of thing? Zwickey: Sure. Roundup (or glyphosate) is one of the more common pesticides that we find in the environment. There have been studies that detect it in urine. So we are getting measurable levels of glyphosate in our diet. That might come from eating foods that are not organic, or if you live out in the country, it could come from places like your well water, where glyphosate has been sprayed on crops around you and has leached into the well water. The reason that we worry about that is that glyphosate actually has an effect on an enzyme that affects all bacteria. In fact, it affects everything except mammals. So insects like bees that are going to pollinate our fruits and vegetables can be killed by glyphosate. But when we think about glyphosate with respect to humans, we have to remember that we have this microbial community within us, and it is susceptible to glyphosate. Some really recent data has shown that not all microbes in our gut are responsive to glyphosate. Many microbes can use tryptophan and other ring-based amino acids without needing the shikimate pathway, which is what glyphosate blocks. But Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, 2 of the big ones, require the shikimate pathway, and glyphosate can kill them. Kaczor: In our world of clinical medicine, we always have outliers who can't seem to hold the Lactobacillus population in their gut. They'll go through courses of probiotics, we'll change brands a few times, and it just keeps going back down to nothing. We probably should be looking more closely at their glyphosate exposure in their urine. Zwickey: Absolutely. You can actually measure their consumption and keep in mind that for most probiotics they're not going to become commensals. So what we need to be doing is addressing the metabolites that make our endogenous Lactobacillus and our endogenous Bifidobacterium grow. And for that, we're really looking at short-chain, fatty acids. Thinking about the metabolites might give us a different direction to go therapeutically. You might want to use a postbiotic or a prebiotic, as opposed to a probiotic. Kaczor: You mentioned bees earlier. Can you talk a bit about how some of the compounds that are used in bee farming can affect the gut. Zwickey: We know about the problem with the bees, and we've targeted a particular pesticide, the neonicotinoids, as one of the culprits for killing off our bee population. But glyphosate is clearly involved in this one as well. When you kill the bees’ microbiota, they get infectious disease—usually mites and viruses. A study came out a few years ago out of Boston on giving probiotics to the bees. They're actually putting Lactobacillus plantarum into the hives. And guess what? The bees recover. Kaczor: I'm out in the country, and I would love it if they would spray Lactobacillus on the plants instead of manure. Zwickey: Yeah, no kidding. But the issue around the neonicotinoids gets even more interesting when we start looking at how neonicotinoids are being administered onto plants these days. Historically we would spray pesticides on the plants, but apple growers and other fruit growers noticed that they were still getting worms in their apples. And more recently, trees are either injected with the pesticide or the pesticide is sprayed at the bottom of the tree so that it goes into the root system. And that way you don't have any worms in your apples, but that also means that you can't wash pesticide off of those fruits. In another study out of Boston, researchers went to the grocery stores, took apples off the shelves, blended them up like you would for a smoothie, and then measured pesticide content. And what they discovered was that apples that were not organic had 300-fold more neonicotinoids. When we encourage people to eat apples, we need to encourage them to eat organic apples, because you can't get the pesticides out of there. And neonicotinoids affect the human gut microbiome as well. Kaczor: Can you talk about environmental influences on the gut during pregnancy? Zwickey: So one of the things that I have studied for a long time is vaccinations. People worry about vaccinations with respect to ADHD, autism, and neurodevelopment. And we're starting to discover that it's probably not related to vaccinations. It's probably related more to antibiotic exposure. There's great data now looking at antibiotic exposure in the first year of life for a child, but now they've gone backward and they've looked at maternal antibiotic exposure, and 80% of women are exposed to antibiotics during pregnancy. That's a huge number. If a woman is exposed to an antibiotic during pregnancy, we look at the fetal microbiome and then the microbiome of the offspring when the infant is born, and we see that within 60 days, we can get it back to 89% of normal, but it never reaches 100%. That's interesting because one of the things we notice in kids with autism and kids with neurodevelopmental delay is that they're missing certain species of microbes. Are they missing species of microbes because mom was on an antibiotic? Are they missing species of microbes because mom was on some other medication? There's now data showing that when moms are on antidepressants, it can have an effect on their microbiome. And there's a great Nature paper that came out a couple of years ago, 2018, that showed that nonantibiotic drugs are absolutely able to influence microbiome. Some of them kill off different species of microbes, and some of them make different species of microbes overgrow. So here we are with some might call a health emergency when we look at incidence of autism at 1 in 60 for males these days, and we know that there's a microbiome relationship, but we're not paying attention to all the various things that have an effect on the microbiome, especially of a developing child. Kaczor: What can you tell us about preservatives in food? Zwickey: A preservative is designed specifically to kill microbes, and that's good. We don't want necessarily pathogenic microbes in our food supply. But if it's designed to kill microbes, it is probably going to kill off some of your gut microbes as well. So again, there's so much that has an effect on our gut microbes—BPAs, plastics, diesel—all of these things have an effect on the microbial community. And what we need to remember is that we're never going to be able to control everything that has an effect on your gut microbes. So instead we have to be thinking about how we can constantly be doing things that make them happy. Making them happy is eating plant-based foods, plant-based fibers. There was some really interesting research that came out of University of California, San Diego, that showed that 30 plant-based fibers per week is important for maintaining the diversity, the alpha diversity of our gut microbiome. And 30 is a lot. That's not 30 servings, that's 30 different fibers. We need the diversity of the fibers to feed the diversity of our microbiome. So if you're only eating tomatoes as your vegetable, for example, you need to add some more different varieties of plant-based fibers in order to truly maintain that healthy gut microbiome. A lot of times people in the exercise industry promote the goal of 10,000 steps a day. Well, in the nutrition industry, maybe the goal should be “get your 30 different plant-based foods.” That includes nuts, spices, and all these things that we don't necessarily consider when we think of plant-based foods Kaczor: I tell people, "Tend your culture.” You’ve got a culture in your gut, and you need to tend it. Zwickey: Yeah. You say tend the culture, I say, feed the beast. You've got this little beast in your gut, and it gets mad if you don't feed it. Kaczor: The concept is that the microbiome is an entity unto itself. And actually we should treat it like we treat any organ. You wouldn't consciously take in chemical compounds that are toxic to your heart, right? Zwickey: Exactly.

Environmental Factors That Affect the Microbiome

 An integrative approach can help enhance the immune response against viruses and provide additional protection. In this interview, Russell Jaffe, MD, PhD, who is a respected researcher, pathologist, immunologist, and biochemist, gives clinicians advice on how to strengthen the body’s viral immune response. He discusses immune system assessment, targeted nutrients, and some lifestyle factors to focus on. About the Expert Russell M. Jaffe, MD, PhD, is CEO and chairman of PERQUE Integrative Health (PIH). He is considered one of the pioneers of integrative and regenerative medicine. Since inventing the world’s first single step amplified (ELISA) procedure in 1984, a process for measuring and monitoring all delayed allergies, Jaffe has continually sought new ways to help speed the transition from our current healthcare system’s symptom reactive model to a more functionally integrated, effective, and compassionate system. PIH is the outcome of years of Jaffe’s scientific research. It brings to market 3 decades of rethinking safer, more effective, novel, and proprietary dietary supplements, supplement delivery systems, diagnostic testing, and validation studies. About the Sponsor PERQUE Integrative Health (PIH) is dedicated to speeding the transition from sickness care to healthful caring. Delivering novel, personalized health solutions, PIH gives physicians and their patients the tools needed to achieve sustained optimal wellness. Combining the best in functional, evidence-based testing with premium professional supplements and healthful lifestyle guides, PIH solutions deliver successful outcomes in even the toughest cases. If you are interested in delving more deeply into this and other integrative health topics, we invite you to join the PIH Academy. Additional resources made available to you by PIH and Jaffe are shown below: Immune Support & Virus Protection Recommendations C Cleanse Coronavirus Resource Center ELISA/ACT Biotechnologies    

Strengthening Viral Immunity: An Interview With Russell Jaffe, MD, PhD

The use of the antiparasitic medication Ivermectin to reduce the risk of Covid-19 is controversial, but some integrative medical doctors still use it. In this interview, immunologist and integrative health expert Heather Zwickey, PhD, tackles the topic of the off-label use of Ivermectin. She also discusses vaccine shedding, variants, and herd immunity. Zwickey currently leads a National Institutes of Health–funded clinical research training program focused on integrative medicine research and is a professor of immunology and chair of the Department of Health Sciences at the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, OR.  About the Expert Heather Zwickey, PhD, is a professor of immunology and chair of the Department of Health Sciences at the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. She launched the Helfgott Research Institute, which advances the science of natural medicine. Zwickey founded the school of graduate studies and developed masters programs in research, nutrition, and global health. Zwickey has received the Champion of Naturopathic Medicine Award from the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians. She currently leads a National Institutes of Health–funded clinical research training program focused on integrative medicine research and studies the gut-brain axis in neuroinflammation.

Covid-19 Insights: Ivermectin, Vaccine Shedding, Variants, and Herd Immunity

The functional food category has grown considerably over the past few years. In this interview, research microbiologist Kiran Krishnan describes how clinicians can utilize targeted functional foods in clinical practice. As a leading probiotic researcher, Krishnan focuses much of his attention on how functional foods can positively influence gut health. About the Expert Kiran Krishnan is a Research Microbiologist and has been involved in the dietary supplement and nutrition market for the past 18 years. He comes from a University research background having spent several years with hands-on R&D in the fields of molecular medicine and microbiology at the University of Iowa. Kiran established a Clinical Research Organization where he designed and conducted dozens of human clinical trials in human nutrition. Kiran is also a co-founder and partner in Nu Science Trading, LLC.; a nutritional technology development and research company. Kiran is also a co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Microbiome Labs. He is a frequent lecturer on the Human Microbiome at Medical and Nutrition Conferences. He is an expert guest on National and Satellite radio, has appeared in several international documentaries, and has been a guest speaker on several International Health Summits as a microbiome expert. He is currently involved in 16 novel human clinical trials on probiotics and the human microbiome. Kiran is also on the Scientific Advisory Board or a Science Advisor for 7 other companies in the industry. About the Sponsor Microbiome Labs was originally established in 2013 as Physicians Exclusive as an organization focused on providing probiotic bacteriotherapy. In the past several years, its business model has grown and so has public awareness for gut health issues. Microbiome Labs comes to you as an all-inclusive resource center designed to address the needs of physicians and health care practitioners across the globe. Microbiome Labs’ goal is to provide integrative solutions and clinical research data to address indications that stem from digestive and immune health issues. It hopes to encourage other supplement companies to raise the bar of the supplement industry as a whole. In 2018, Microbiome Labs attended over 148 conferences, initiated and/or completed 14 clinical trials, and provided key solutions to thousands of practitioners, changing over 344,000 lives… and counting. View MBL’s video to learn more about its story. To learn more about our flagship product, MegaSporeBioticTM, click here.

Recommending Functional Foods in Clinical Practice

What role can spirituality play in healing? On this episode of the podcast, spirituality scholar Frederic Craigie, PhD, gives practitioners advice on how they can successfully meet the spiritual needs of their patients. He also talks about ways clinicians can become more spiritually grounded in their work. Craigie is a respected psychologist, author, and faculty member at the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine. About the Expert Frederic Craigie, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and medical educator who serves as visiting associate professor at the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. In 2015, he transitioned from a 37-year full-time faculty role at the Maine-Dartmouth Family Medicine Residency in Augusta, Maine, where he coordinated behavioral health teaching for residents and students and provided behavioral health care to a largely underserved primary care population. Since the mid-80s, Craigie has written and presented extensively about spirituality and health, resilience and well-being in healthcare, and positive mental health. He is the author of the newly released book, Weekly Soul: Fifty-two Meditations on Meaningful, Joyful and Peaceful Living.

Spirituality as a Healing Tool

As George Schatz, MD, helps create the Covid Clinic at Banner - University Medical Center and wraps up his Covid-19 long hauler research grant from the National Institutes of Health, he takes time out of his busy schedule to talk about this complex issue with NMJ publisher Karolyn Gazella. Schatz describes an integrative and functional medicine approach to treating post-Covid symptoms and how this treatment approach can help heal long-hauler syndrome. Before joining the University of Arizona, Schatz was a functional medicine physician with the Cleveland Clinic.  About the Expert George Schatz, MD, is a board-certified family medicine physician working at the Banner - University Medicine Family Medicine Clinic in Tucson, Arizona. He is certified in functional medicine by the Institute for Functional Medicine and has completed a residential fellowship in integrative medicine through the University of Arizona Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine. He also has specialized training in functional medicine earned first-hand at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine. He earned his medical doctorate from Stony Brook University.

Covid-19 Insights: An Integrative Approach to Post Acute Covid-19 Syndrome

CoQ10 is a commonly used nutrient in clinical practice. In this interview, Barrie Tan, PhD, describes research showing how this important nutrient has been improved. He also talks about CoQ10's synergy with other nutrients and how to effectively use CoQ10 in clinical practice. His research is laser-focused on lipid-soluble nutrients. Tan is a leading nutraceutical scientist and considered the world’s foremost expert on vitamin E as he is credited with the discovery of natural source tocotrienols. About the Expert Barrie Tan, PhD, is hailed as a trailblazer and the world’s foremost expert on vitamin E, credited with discovering tocotrienol in 3 major natural sources: palm, rice, and annatto. A scientist first and foremost, Tan earned his PhD in chemistry/biochemistry from the University of Otago, New Zealand, and spent several years as a professor at University of Massachusetts. Today, his research focuses on lipid-soluble nutrients that reduce and slow chronic conditions. About the Sponsor At Designs for Health we are committed to delivering high quality nutritional supplements, educating health care practitioners as to their optimal use, and providing practice development solutions supportive to the health care practitioner.  If you are interested in becoming a Designs for Health partner, we invite you to click here to register for your free account.

The Clinical Applications of CoQ10: A Conversation with Researcher Barrie Tan, PhD

Natural Medicine Journal's interviews with thought-leaders in the field of natural and integrative medicine dig deep into the most important topics in the field. Whether it's a one-on-one with top researchers in integrative medicine or a conversation with a practitioner about treating hard-to-tackle conditions, each episode promises to provide trusted, cutting-edge, evidence-based knowledge about natural medicine that you won't find anywhere else.

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Natural Medicine Journal Podcast

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