Expert Interview

ENCORE: “The Lyme Solution,” Part 1
May 30, 2019
Even long-term antibiotic treatment often fails to eradicate the symptoms of Lyme Disease. Naturopathic physician Darin Ingels, author of "The Lyme Solution," discusses an integrative approach to Lyme Disease. Why is Lyme so resistant to conventional treatment? Can tests for Lyme Disease be trusted? Himself a Lyme sufferer, Ingels explored a variety of treatments before he obtained relief. His "Immune-Boosting Plan" comprises diet, herbal formulas, supplements, and lifestyle measures. What role does healing the gut play? What supplements promote recovery? What are the Zhang and Cowden herbal protocols? How to ease Herxheimer (die-off) reactions? How to eradicate biofilms that make Lyme more resistant to treatment? Click HERE for part 2.

ENCORE: “The Lyme Solution,” Part 2

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Naturopathic physician Darin Ingels, author of "The Lyme Solution." Click HERE for part 1.

ENCORE: Solutions to Permanently Address Back Pain, Part 1
May 28, 2019
Cathryn Jakobson Ramin, an investigative journalist, is author of “Crooked: Outwitting the Back Pain Industry and Getting on the Road to Recovery.” Herself a back pain sufferer, she chronicles her odyssey, touching on virtually every option, conventional and alternative, for back pain. She claims that “back pain care is a microcosm of everything that’s wrong with our health care system.” How have perverse incentives created a self-perpetuating back pain industry, and sustained unproven and dangerous modalities? What are the downsides of surgery? Why is “PT” (physical therapy) not always the answer to avoiding unnecessary surgery? What are the pitfalls of “minimally-invasive” or laser spinal surgery? What about spinal injections for pain? How has back pain spawned an epidemic of opiate addiction and disability? Are there rogue surgeons who game the insurance system and prey on vulnerable patients? Why might it be a mistake to get an MRI? What role does exercise play in forestalling back problems? How does prolonged sitting set the stage for back problems? It’s not all bad news: Ramin presents a wide array of possible natural, non-invasive solutions to permanently address back pain that she has personally field-tested. Click HERE for part 2.

ENCORE: Solutions to Permanently Address Back Pain, Part 2

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Cathryn Jakobson Ramin, an investigative journalist and author of “Crooked: Outwitting the Back Pain Industry and Getting on the Road to Recovery.” Click HERE for part 1.

ENCORE: The Epidemic of Fatty Liver Disease, Part 1
May 23, 2019
Medical educator Robert Rountree, MD calls attention to a vastly under-diagnosed medical problem that afflicts up to 40% of adults and is now appearing at an alarming rate among children and adolescents. It has replaced alcoholism and infectious hepatitis as the leading cause of cirrhosis and liver failure requiring transplantation in the US. And it is highly associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. How is it diagnosed? What is it about the U.S. diet that creates a "perfect storm" for fatty liver? What role does the microbiome play in fatty liver? Would prebiotics and probiotics help? Whereas there's no pharmaceutical quick fix for fatty liver despite a multi-million dollar quest for a cure, natural medicine offers a wealth of solutions: a variety of supplements and herbs have proven curative value. But are some supplements to be avoided? Click HERE for part 2.

ENCORE: The Epidemic of Fatty Liver Disease, Part 2

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with medical educator Robert Rountree, MD who calls attention to a vastly under-diagnosed medical problem that afflicts up to 40% of adults and is now appearing at an alarming rate among children and adolescents. Click HERE for part 1.

An Integrative Approach to Sexual Health, Part 1
May 21, 2019
Integrative Sexual Health with Barbara Bartlik MD, co-editor of a definitive textbook on the subject, "Integrative Sexual Health." Why are sexual problems so pervasive among men and women today? How does Integrative Medicine address sexual dysfunction? How can diet, nutritional deficiencies and environmental toxicity impact sexual performance? Dr. Bartlik describes how a functional medicine workup revealed the hidden causes of erectile dysfunction in one of her patients. Men have Viagra/Levitra/Cialis—what options are available for women with decreased sexual responses? What supplements can boost sexual performance? How do undetected thyroid problems undermine sexual health? Why are vegetarians at risk for low desire? What novel therapies can revive flagging libido? When “NO” means “Yes!” Click HERE for part 2.

An Integrative Approach to Sexual Health, Part 2

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Barbara Bartlik MD, co-editor of "Integrative Sexual Health." Click HERE for part 1.

ENCORE: Strength Training vs. Aerobic Exercise, Part 1
May 16, 2019
Everything you ever wanted to know about exercise. Dr. DeWayde Perry is an MD with extensive experience as a bodybuilder, martial arts competitor, and triathlete. What are the relative benefits of strength training vs. aerobic exercise? Is it true that an hour of running may add 7 hours to your life? What is HIIT (High-intensity interval training) and why is it considered the most efficient way to exercise? What’s the secret to maximizing muscle building? Is carbo-loading obsolete? What about the recent fad of very low-carb or ketogenic diets for athletes? Do gluten-free diets help some athletes? Is it best to eat before or after exercise? What about post-workout protein shakes? When performing both aerobic exercise and weight-lifting in one exercise session, which should come first? What supplements are scientifically proven to enhance athletic performance? Does pre-exercise stretching yield performance dividends? What role does yoga play in an overall conditioning program? When is too much exercise harmful? How do you recognize over-training syndrome? Do weekend warriors or occasional exercisers gain benefits from sporadic exercise or do you have to be consistent? Click HERE for part 2.

ENCORE: Strength Training vs. Aerobic Exercise, Part 2

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation on everything you ever wanted to know about exercise with Dr. DeWayde Perry, an MD with extensive experience as a bodybuilder, martial arts competitor, and triathlete. Click HERE for part 1.