Category
Functional Medicine
The Future of Healthcare
Functional medicine is a new model of medicine that is neither “conventional” nor “alternative.” It is a combination of the best elements of both, and it represents the future of medicine. Functional medicine is:
- Investigative. It addresses symptoms by focusing on the underlying cause of the problem, which leads to more profound and longer-lasting results.
- Holistic. Envisions the body as an interconnected whole that is in dynamic relationship to its environment and recognizes the importance of these connections in health and disease.
- Patient-centered. It treats the patient, not the disease. Treatments are highly individualized based on patient needs.
Complete Functional Medicine Model
Kresser Institute’s one-year training program is based not just on medical theory, but on a complete functional medicine approach to care from the moment the patient walks through your door through the completion of treatment. You can learn more and experience some of our training by signing up for our free 10-part “IN PRACTICE” Practitioner Success Series.
Do Fitness Trackers Have a Place in a Clinical Setting?
Fitbit, Apple Watch, and other wearable fitness trackers are increasingly popular worldwide. As medical practitioners, we of course want to encourage more physical activity in our patients. Do fitness trackers have a place in the clinical setting? Read on to learn more about the relationship between physical activity and health and to discover if fitness trackers are effective at getting patients moving.
RHR: The Ketogenic Diet and Cancer
The conventional view of cancer is that it is caused by DNA mutations in the cell nuclei. However, the metabolic theory of cancer proposes that some cancers are caused by a dysfunction of cellular respiration and that the restriction of glucose in the diet may prevent and even reverse some cancers. Today I’ll review the research supporting this theory and explore how the ketogenic diet may impact cancer tumor growth.
Prebiotics and Probiotics for Kids with SIBO
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is on the rise in children, and if left untreated, may cause serious health problems. While the conventional view of SIBO has been that prebiotics and probiotics should be avoided, recent studies suggest that not only are prebiotics and probiotics not harmful for people with SIBO, but they may actually be helpful. Read on to learn about why you should consider incorporating prebiotics and probiotics into treatment protocols for your pediatric SIBO patients.
Treating Methylation: Are We Over-supplementing?
Genetic testing for MTHFR variants has become increasingly popular in the alternative health community, and many patients begin supplementing with high-dose methyl donors based solely on their genetic results. But are we supplementing too much? Read on to learn how we should really be treating methylation issues.
Two Reasons Conventional Medicine Will Never Solve Chronic Disease
Chronic disease is shortening our lifespan, destroying our quality of life, bankrupting governments, and threatening the health of future generations. Unfortunately, conventional medicine has failed to adequately address this challenge, and the prevalence of most chronic health problems continues to rise. In this article I explore why that is and outline a new approach to healthcare that would much more effectively tackle the chronic disease challenge.
The Little-Known Connection between Leaky Gut, Gluten Intolerance, and Gallbladder Problems
Do you have patients who have trouble digesting fatty foods? Back pain or nausea? A sluggish gallbladder may be to blame. Recent evidence suggests that inflammation in the gut is closely related to gallbladder function. Read on to learn about the gut–biliary connection, how gluten might be involved, and how to get things flowing again.
RHR: Methylation: Are We Supplementing Too Much?—with Dr. Kara Fitzgerald
Methylation has been a popular topic in the alternative health world for quite some time. The ease of access to genetic testing and the ability to look at things like the MTHFR gene have led many people to be concerned about their methylation status, or their body’s ability to detoxify. However—as with many things in functional medicine—genes don’t tell the full story. Today I talk with methylation expert Dr. Kara Fitzgerald about the impact of diet and lifestyle on methylation and why supplementation can sometimes be harmful.
Nutrients for Lowering Blood Pressure
Seventy-five million American adults, almost one in three, have high blood pressure. Another one in three have prehypertension. (1) The majority of hypertensive patients are treated with blood pressure-lowering medications, but is a prescription the best course of action? Read on to discover which nutrients, as part of a healthy Paleo diet, can help lower blood pressure naturally and what options are available for patients who don’t respond well.
The “Eyes” Have It, Too! A Closer Look at the Ocular Microbiome
While the ocular surface was late to the microbiome table, a growing body of evidence suggests that it should not be overlooked. Read on to learn how these microbes are measured, their role in ophthalmic disease, and how contact lenses may alter their microenvironment.
Should You Prescribe Antibiotics for Ear Infections?
Ear infections are common in young children and infants. Seeing a miserable child with an anxious parent makes us want to DO something to help—such as prescribing antibiotics. But is that the best course of action? Read on to find out why antibiotics shouldn’t be used for the majority of ear infections, and what to do instead.
RHR: Chronic Fatigue—Treating the Cause Not the Symptoms
Symptoms are important because they can give us clues to what the underlying mechanisms might be that are contributing to a health problem. However, if you focus on the underlying mechanisms and causes, the symptoms tend to resolve on their own. When treating a nonspecific symptom like fatigue, you have to investigate all seven of the primary mechanisms that lead to disease.
RHR: Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN) as a Treatment for Autoimmune Disease
Find out how low-dose naltrexone works, what kind of conditions it’s been studied in, and how you might find a doctor that you can work with to take it.
Treat and Prevent UTIs Without Drugs
Urinary tract infections (UTIs), which are infections anywhere along the urinary tract including the bladder and kidneys, are the second most common type of infection in the United States. These infections can be caused by poor hygiene, impaired immune function, the overuse of antibiotics, the use of spermicides, and sexual intercourse. The most common cause, accounting for about 90 percent of all cases, is the transfer of E. coli bacteria from the intestinal tract to the urinary tract.
Your Gut Microbes and Your Thyroid: What’s the Connection?
While there are many factors that influence thyroid function, recent research suggests that gut health may be a key player. The trillions of microbes that reside in the gut have a profound influence on the production of hormones in the body—including thyroid hormones. Read on to learn how healing the gut can improve thyroid function.
The Dangers of Proton Pump Inhibitors
Proton pump inhibitors rank among the top 10 prescribed classes of drugs and are commonly used to treat acid reflux, indigestion, and peptic ulcers. Although generally assumed to be safe, recent studies have shown that they have numerous side effects, from an altered gut environment and impaired nutrient absorption to an increased risk for cardiovascular events, kidney disease, and dementia.
Why Your Genes Aren’t Your Destiny
At one time scientists believed our DNA held the key to preventing and reversing disease. But we now know that our environment—not our genes—is the primary driver of health and longevity.
RHR: SIBO Update—An Interview with Dr. Mark Pimentel
Dr. Pimentel, associate professor of medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, discusses some unanswered questions about small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Find out how he defines SIBO and what is on the horizon for testing and treatment.
SIBO – What Causes It and Why It’s So Hard to Treat
While bacteria are an essential part of a healthy small bowel and perform important functions, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth can lead to leaky gut and a number of other symptoms. Learn the risk factors for SIBO.
Is Depression a Disease—or a Symptom of Inflammation?
The idea that depression and other mental health conditions are caused by an imbalance of chemicals (particularly serotonin and norepinephrine) in the brain is so deeply ingrained in our collective psyche that it seems almost sacrilegious to question it. However, new research suggests that depression may be primarily caused by inflammation.
Is Alzheimer’s an Infectious Disease?
The incidence of Alzheimer’s disease is rising sharply, but our understanding of this devastating condition remains incomplete. In an effort to develop more effective treatments, researchers have begun to explore new theories of what causes Alzheimer’s. One of the latest and most promising of these is that Alzheimer’s is an infectious disease, caused by pathogenic microbes like fungi, bacteria, and viruses.