Expert Interview

Tips on Dealing With COVID-19 Mental Stress, Part 2
May 7, 2020
Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with internationally-recognized mental health specialist Dr. Christian Conte. Click HERE for part 1.

Intravenous Vitamin C for COVID-19, Part 1
May 5, 2020
Dr. Jeanne Drisko, former Director of Kansas University Integrative Medicine, a pioneering academic center for research on natural medicine, discusses the plausibility of intravenous vitamin C for COVID-19; What were the encouraging results of IV C trials for severe respiratory illness? How does vitamin C work to counter the virus? Why some of the research may have short-changed patients with inadequate amounts of vitamin C; What are some of the obstacles to vitamin C studies? Why have vitamin C “drips” become so expensive? How does COVID-19 create a call-to-action for metabolic fitness? Dr. Drisko discusses her new textbook, "Integrative and Functional Medical Nutrition Therapy: Principles and Practices." Click HERE for part 2.

Intravenous Vitamin C for COVID-19, Part 2

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Dr. Jeanne Drisko, former Director of Kansas University Integrative Medicine, a pioneering academic center for research on natural medicine. Click HERE for part 1.

The Genetics of COVID-19, Part 1
April 30, 2020
There are many factors that determine who’s more prone to hospitalization or death from coronavirus infection. But among them—and now subject to intense research—are individual genetic predispositions. Certain genes can make you more susceptible to an inflammatory cascade—cytokine storm—that presages a bad outcome in COVID-19. Integrative physician Dr. Sharon Hausman-Cohen, MD, is co-founder of IntellxxDNA, a service that helps health professionals interpret their patients’ genetic profiles. She sheds light on how variations in gene expression can influence pathways integral to viral infection. These analyses, based on saliva samples, can yield critical insights about deployment of various nutraceutical treatments—including elderberry, andrographis, astragalus, vitamins A, C, and D, zinc, fish oil and specific pro-resolving mediators (SPMs), quercetin, melatonin, EGCG, and curcumin. Click HERE for part 2.

The Genetics of COVID-19, Part 2

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Dr. Sharon Hausman-Cohen, MD, co-founder of IntellxxDNA, a service that helps health professionals interpret their patients’ genetic profiles. She sheds light on how variations in gene expression can influence pathways integral to viral infection. Click HERE for part 1.

Exercise in the time of Coronavirus, Part 1
April 28, 2020
Triathlete Sue Reynolds describes her personal transformation from 335-pound couch potato to 135-pound elite competitor. Her new book, "The Athlete Inside: The Transforming Power of Hope, Tenacity, and Faith" chronicles her journey. Locked down with the rest of America, she describes her exercise workarounds. Competition has taught her lessons of resilience which have helped her cope with the current pandemic. Additionally, we discuss the advantages of weight optimization and cardiopulmonary fitness for seniors considered at higher risk for COVID-19 severity (age and metabolic derangements like diabetes and hypertension are considered “co-morbidities”)—Reynolds is 66. When not training and competing, she’s a motivational speaker. Click HERE for part 2.

Exercise in the time of Coronavirus, Part 2

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with triathlete Sue Reynolds, author of "The Athlete Inside: The Transforming Power of Hope, Tenacity, and Faith." Click HERE for part 1.

Achieving Normal, Healthy Blood Pressure, Part 1
April 23, 2020
Dr. Matthew Budoff, Professor of Preventive Cardiology at UCLA, shares the results of a study evaluating the effects of a nitric oxide supplement (Berkeley Life) on hypertensive patients. After 12 weeks, use of the tablets reduced systolic blood pressure by an average of 12.5 points; diastolic blood pressure declined by 4.7 points. Can patients safely use nitric oxide supplements alongside their blood pressure medications? How many beets or how much arugula would you have to eat to replicate the effects of the concentrated ingredients in Berkeley Life supplements? Are there any side effects? Do nitric oxide levels decline with aging? In chronic disease states? Could there be additional benefits of nitric oxide supplementation for athletic performance? For alleviating erectile dysfunction? Do other supplements like arginine and citrulline have similar impacts on nitric oxide? Nitrites in preserved meats like bacon—why are they bad when dietary nitrates are good? What does the nitric oxide saliva test indicate? The link between nitric oxide and inflammation—are there implications for lung health in COVID-19? Click HERE for part 2.

Achieving Normal, Healthy Blood Pressure, Part 2

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Dr. Matthew Budoff, Professor of Preventive Cardiology at UCLA, about the results of a study evaluating the effects of Berkeley Life nitric oxide supplements on hypertensive patients. Click HERE for part 1.

The Role “Metabolic Fitness” Plays In Resistance to the Coronavirus, Part 1
April 21, 2020
In the wake of the largest study of its kind that demonstrates that obesity is the single biggest factor that lands people with Covid-19 in the hospital, we discuss the role that “metabolic fitness” plays in resistance to the coronavirus with Dr. Loren Marks, Functional Medicine chiropractor in New York City. Dr. Marks makes the case for the protective effects of certain nutrients: vitamins A, C, D, zinc and n-acetyl cysteine. Is there a potential for excessive immune stimulation resulting in cytokine storm? What’s Dr. Marks doing personally to maintain fitness during the lockdown? What’s the role of the microbiome in maintaining immune health? How does the “gut/lung axis” influence resistance to respiratory pathogens? What are some of the genetic determinants of susceptibility to Covid-19? Click HERE for part 2.