Welcome everyone to another edition of the Doctor’s Note where we talk about what’s on our minds when it comes to your health.
This past weekend, my son Andy Rogers, PA-C, and I attended the 2024 Southeast Regional Integrative Medicine Conference in Asheville, North Carolina. We attend these meetings around the country to meet like minded healthcare providers who are committed to discovering the newest methods of root cause medicine. That is our passion at Performance Medicine, and we always walk away affirmed and enlightened.
My podcasts are usually topic driven, but today I feel led to record Andy and I rebriefing our conference notes. The “pearls” were so good, and so many, that I will mention only the highlights and let the podcast tell the rest of the story.
PODCAST NOTES
60% of adult diets and 70% of children’s diets in the United States consist of ultra processed foods. This contributes significantly to health issues such as obesity and chronic illnesses.
Over the past few decades, the nutrient levels in our soil have depleted by over 50%. This has led to a significant decrease in the diversity of our gut microbiome, which is essential for our overall health.
75% of the world’s food comes from just twelve plants and five animals, leading to a reduced diversity in our diets and in our gut microbiomes. A diverse gut microbiome is crucial for regulating the immune system and brain function.
There is no consensus on a single diet that works for SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth), emphasizing the importance of individual dietary responses and the need for a diverse, enjoyable diet, coupled with good eating practices to support gut health. Eating in a relaxed environment, chewing slowly, and eating meals at the same time each day can significantly improve vagal tone and parasympathetic nervous system function. This can lead to better gut health and overall well being.
If your hemoglobin A1C is 5.6 or greater, you’re already causing real vascular damage. Prevention is key. A good way to manage blood sugar is to take 15 grams of whey protein before meals. It can help smooth out those spikes. You can wear a CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor) to see what’s happening with your blood sugars.
Vitamin D and Berberine are fantastic for preventing insulin resistance. In fact, Berberine works similarly to Metformin, but with way fewer side effects. It also lowers cholesterol and blood pressure. It’s an all around powerhouse!
Bioidentical hormone replacement DOES NOT cause cancer. In fact, it reduces the risk of many conditions (i.e., heart attacks and Alzheimer’s). Testosterone prevents heart disease and prostate issues, rather than causing them. Note: You need to go to a practitioner who knows what they’re doing.
Repurposed drugs like Dapsone and Methylene Blue are showing amazing promise in treating chronic conditions like Lyme disease and potentially Alzheimer’s. Low-Dose Naltrexone is a game changer for a wide range of health issues. We heard about it in nearly every lecture at the conference.
I will close this note with my favorite pearl of the weekend: Having a positive outlook on life can add seven and a half years to your life. Can you believe that? Something so simple as being grateful for today and hopeFULL for tomorrow can literally change not only your healthspan, but your lifespan!
Integrative medicine is the real deal. Listen to the podcast and share the good news!
Stay educated. Stay healthy.
Till next week.