Are we treating the mouth like it's separate from the rest of the body? In this episode, I'm diving into the fascinating inks between oral health and major systemic issues like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and even Alzheimer's.

Stop stressing over every health detail & start living! My FREE 'Necessary Nine' PDF cuts through the noise, giving you the essential things you need for a healthy life.

➡️ Download Here: https://www.jrennickemd.com/necessaryninepdf

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro
01:24 - Defining Poor Oral Health
04:11 - The Link to Cardiovascular Disease
05:03 - Diabetes and Oral Health
05:44 - Alzheimer's and Cognitive Decline
06:24 - Respiratory Health and Pneumonia
06:55 - The Gold Standard for a Healthy Mouth
08:03 - The Mouthwash Controversy
09:12 - A Strategy for Primary Care: Ask, Look, Act
10:40 - Deep Cleaning and Special Populations
12:08 - Conclusion

SELECTED REFERENCES:
Al-Sharani (2025): DOI: 10.1186/s12903-025-07179-5
Tonetti et al. (2013): DOI: 10.1902/jop.2013.1340019
Bechina et al. (2025): DOI: 10.3290/j.ohpd.c_2173
Umezaki et al. (2025): DOI: 10.3389/fcdhc.2025.1541145
Glavina et al. (2026): DOI: 10.3390/life16020294
Yang et al. (2025): DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2025.1612223
https://meddocsonline.org/annals-of-dentistry-and-oral-health/the-association-between-high-sensitivity-c-reactive-protein-hs-crp-and-root-caries-nhanes-analysis-of-systemic-inflammation-and-dental-disease.pdf
https://www.cdc.gov/healthcare-associated-infections/hcp/prevention-healthcare/oral-health-pneumonia-toolkit.html
https://ipac-canada.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/24Sep9_Oral-Care-for-the-Prevention-of-NVAP-Position-Statement.pdf
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37297830/

Disclaimer
This podcast is for entertainment, education, and informational purposes only. The topics discussed should not solely be used to diagnose, treat , or prevent any condition. The information presented here was created with an evidence based approach, but you please keep in mind that science is always changing and at the time of listening to this there may some new data that makes this information incomplete or inaccurate.
Always seek the advice of your personal physician or qualified health care provider for questions regarding any medical condition.

Today we are tackling a heavy question: is there a point of no return for your health? If you are staring down a chart full of diagnoses like diabetes or heart disease, does hitting the gym or eating a salad still matter? We dive into a massive 2026 UK Biobank study using the AHA's Life's Essential 8 to find out. Spoiler alert: the ship has not sailed, and we can still add years to your life. 

Stop stressing over every health detail & start living! My FREE 'Necessary Nine' PDF cuts through the noise, giving you the essential things you need for a healthy life.

➡️ Download Here: https://www.jrennickemd.com/necessaryninepdf

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro: The Point of No Return
00:35 - Defining Cardiometabolic Multimorbidity
01:13 - The 2026 UK Biobank Study Design
01:54 - Measuring Health: AHA's Life's Essential 8
02:58 - The 4 Behaviors: Diet, Activity, Nicotine, & Sleep
05:42 - The 4 Biometrics: BMI, Lipids, Glucose, & BP
07:40 - The Results: A Linear Dose Response
08:12 - Life Expectancy Gains by Disease Burden
09:49 - Nicotine and Super Responders
10:29 - Epigenetics: The Software for Your Hardware
10:53 - Study Limitations
11:25 - Practical Takeaways: Minimizers vs. Optimizers

SELECTED REFERENCES:
https://doi-org.usu01.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.ajpc.2026.101433

Disclaimer
This podcast is for entertainment, education, and informational purposes only.
The topics discussed should not solely be used to diagnose, treat , or prevent any condition.
The information presented here was created with an evidence based approach, but you please keep in mind that science is always changing and at the time of listening to this there may some new data that makes this information incomplete or inaccurate.Always seek the advice of your personal physician or qualified health care provider for questions regarding any medical condition.

Stop treating your heel pain with band-aids and start building a better foot. In this update, I break down why the old Plantar Fasciitis model of inflammation is often wrong and how shifting to a Fasciopathy framework (focused on rebuilding tissue capacity) can lead to better long-term results. We will dive into the biomechanics of the windlass mechanism, the evidence behind heavy slow loading, and when to be judicious with injections.

To purchase the program ($5 or pay what you want), click here: https://www.jrennickemd.com/offers/LYBVh2uo

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro: Beyond the Kitchen Sink
00:42 - Plantar Fasciitis vs. Fasciopathy
01:32 - The Wood Analogy: Burning vs. Rotting
02:26 - The Windlass Mechanism Explained
03:09 - Bridge Biomechanics: Bones and Cables
04:14 - The Bucket Analogy: Load vs. Capacity
05:06 - Risk Factors: Intrinsic and Extrinsic
06:13 - Diagnosis: Clinical Findings and Startup Pain
07:23 - Differential Diagnosis: Ruling Out Stress Fractures
08:03 - Fat Pad Atrophy vs. Fasciopathy
09:03 - Phase 1: Calming the Angry Tissue
09:52 - Orthotics: OTC vs. Custom
11:00 - The Di Giovanni Stretching Protocol
12:24 - Phase 2: Building Resilience
12:59 - The Rathleff Protocol: Heavy Slow Loading
15:34 - The Pain Rules: How Much is OK?
16:55 - Foot Core: Short Foot and Toe Yoga
18:35 - Shoe Width and Toe Spacers
20:04 - Zero Drop and Minimalist Footwear
21:46 - The 12-Week Shoe Transition Guide
23:31 - The Injection Pyramid: Steroids to PRP
27:31 - Summary: Building a Robust Foot

SELECTED REFERENCES:
doi: 10.1177/2473011419896763
DOI: 10.1111/sms.12313
https://pubs.rsna.org/doi/abs/10.1148/radiology.201.1.8816554
DOI: 10.2106/00004623-200307000-00013

*Disclaimer*
This podcast is for entertainment, education, and informational purposes only.
The topics discussed should not solely be used to diagnose, treat , or prevent any condition. The information presented here was created with an evidence based approach, but you please keep in mind that science is always changing and at the time of listening to this there may some new data that makes this information incomplete or inaccurate. Always seek the advice of your personal physician or qualified health care provider for questions regarding any medical condition.

It is literally impossible to keep up with the firehose of new medical data—knowledge now doubles every 73 days. In this video, I’m helping you move past the stress of "trying to read everything" by building a personalized learning system. Whether you’re a minimalist who wants high-yield summaries delivered to your inbox or a fellow nerd looking to build a custom RSS pipeline using PubMed and Zotero, I’ve got you covered with free and paid options to ensure you never feel left behind again.

Stop stressing over every health detail & start living! My FREE 'Necessary Nine' PDF cuts through the noise, giving you the essential things you need for a healthy life.

➡️ Download Here: https://www.jrennickemd.com/necessaryninepdf

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro
00:37 - Just-in-Time vs. Just-in-Case Learning
02:05 - The Minimalist Approach: Choosing a Journal
02:32 - Electronic Table of Contents (eTOC)
03:42 - Paid Curation: NEJM Clinician
04:43 - Read by QxMD: The Social Media of Research
05:49 - The Optimizer Path: Custom RSS Feeds
07:51 - Risks of Going DIY with PubMed
08:22 - Social Media, Podcasts, and YouTube
10:20 - Final Thoughts: Verifying Your Sources

SELECTED REFERENCES:
eTOC Example: https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/solutions/ovid/new-england-journal-of-medicine-624
NEJM Clinician: https://clinician.nejm.org/
Read by QxMD: https://read.qxmd.com/
Pubmed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
Feedly: https://feedly.com/
Zotero: https://www.zotero.org/

*Disclaimer*
This podcast is for entertainment, education, and informational purposes only.
The topics discussed should not solely be used to diagnose, treat , or prevent any condition.
The information presented here was created with an evidence based approach, but you please keep in mind that science is always changing and at the time of listening to this there may some new data that makes this information incomplete or inaccurate.
Always seek the advice of your personal physician or qualified health care provider for questions regarding any medical condition.

The new 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines just dropped, and the internet is already losing its mind. But are they actually that bad? Today, we are taking a look at the actual document—ignoring the online rage for a second—to see what the government is actually recommending. We walk through the shift to an "inverted pyramid," the surprisingly higher protein targets, and the controversial stance on saturated fats versus "healthy oils." We also look at the new emphasis on "eating real food" to combat chronic disease. Let's cut through the noise, look at the text directly, and see if these new rules can actually make us healthy again.

Stop stressing over every health detail & start living! My FREE 'Necessary Nine' PDF cuts through the noise, giving you the essential things you need for a healthy life.

➡️ Download Here: https://www.jrennickemd.com/necessaryninepdf

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro: The Internet is Mad
00:19 - The New "Inverse Pyramid"
00:58 - The Core Message: "Eat Real Food"
01:20 - America's Chronic Disease Crisis
02:35 - New Protein Recommendations (1.2-1.6g/kg)
03:39 - Dairy & Gut Health
04:08 - Fruits & Veggies: Eat the Rainbow
04:51 - Healthy Fats & The Saturated Fat Controversy
05:30 - Grains & Limiting Processed Foods
06:31 - How to Spot Added Sugars
07:12 - Alcohol & Sodium Updates
07:58 - Guidelines for Infants & Pregnancy
09:15 - Chronic Disease & Low Carb Diets
10:36 - My Take: The Saturated Fat Contradiction
12:35 - The "Processed Food" Problem & Incentives
14:29 - Conclusion: Will This Actually Change Anything?

SELECTED REFERENCES:
https://cdn.realfood.gov/DGA.pdf

*Disclaimer*
This podcast is for entertainment, education, and informational purposes only.
The topics discussed should not solely be used to diagnose, treat , or prevent any condition.
The information presented here was created with an evidence based approach, but you please keep in mind that science is always changing and at the time of listening to this there may some new data that makes this information incomplete or inaccurate.
Always seek the advice of your personal physician or qualified health care provider for questions regarding any medical condition.

Carnivore influencer Dr. Kiltz recently revealed a shocking update about his heart health, sparking a massive debate in the nutrition world. In this episode, we dive into his story with empathy and use it as a teaching moment. We'll break down what his test results actually mean, explain the difference between a Calcium Score and a CT Angiogram, and discuss why "feeling fine" isn't always enough when it comes to heart disease.

Stop stressing over every health detail & start living! My FREE 'Necessary Nine' PDF cuts through the noise, giving you the essential things you need for a healthy life.

➡️ Download Here: https://www.jrennickemd.com/necessaryninepdf

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro
00:51 - The Problem with Online Polarization
02:10 - Dr. Kiltz's Health Update: CAC Score & Colitis
02:44 - Why "Feeling Fine" Can Be Dangerous
04:06 - The Road Construction Analogy: How Plaque Hides
06:02 - What is a Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) Score?
07:22 - Understanding Calcium Score Ranges
08:48 - The "Blind Spot" of Calcium Scores
09:20 - CT Coronary Angiogram Explained
10:35 - Dr. Kiltz's New Protocol

SELECTED REFERENCES:
Original video: https://youtu.be/UzYd2Zf9Gn8?si=zJXiRfnJiS3laai9
https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacadv.2025.101686

*Disclaimer*
This podcast is for entertainment, education, and informational purposes only.
The topics discussed should not solely be used to diagnose, treat , or prevent any condition.
The information presented here was created with an evidence based approach, but you please keep in mind that science is always changing and at the time of listening to this there may some new data that makes this information incomplete or inaccurate.
Always seek the advice of your personal physician or qualified health care provider for questions regarding any medical condition.

A recent paper just dropped claiming an injection can cut heart attack risk by 25%—even for those who have never had one before. But is this a medical breakthrough or just expensive hype? In this episode, I’m diving deep into the Vesalius trial to separate the science from the headlines.

We’ll break down how PCSK9 inhibitors work (using a baseball analogy, of course), analyze the impressive relative risk reduction, and honestly discuss the "gray areas" like mortality benefits and the diversity gap in the data. My goal isn't to be a guru, but to help you cut through the noise so you can make evidence-informed decisions about your heart health. Let's dive in.

Stop stressing over every health detail & start living! My FREE 'Necessary Nine' PDF cuts through the noise, giving you the essential things you need for a healthy life.

➡️ Download Here: https://www.jrennickemd.com/necessaryninepdf

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro
00:30 - Nerding Out on History: Statins & Previous Trials
01:03 - The PCSK9 Context: FOURIER & ODYSSEY
02:40 - Mechanism of Action: The "Catcher's Mitt" Analogy
03:47 - Vesalius Trial Design & Demographics
06:06 - The Endpoints: What is MACE?
07:16 - Addressing the "Big Pharma" Funding
08:28 - Primary Results: LDL Drop & 25% Reduction
09:34 - Absolute Risk vs. Relative Risk (The Real Numbers)
10:12 - Number Needed to Treat (NNT)
11:13 - The Mortality Question: Did it Save Lives?
12:06 - Safety Profile: Diabetes, Brain Fog & Muscle Pain
13:16 - Limitation 1: The Mortality "Provocative Signal"
13:57 - Limitation 2: The Ezetimibe Head-Scratcher
15:23 - Limitation 3: The Diversity Gap
15:52 - Bottom Line: Guidelines, "Big Rocks" & The Future

SELECTED REFERENCES:
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2514428
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1801174
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1615664

*Disclaimer*
This podcast is for entertainment, education, and informational purposes only.
The topics discussed should not solely be used to diagnose, treat , or prevent any condition.
The information presented here was created with an evidence based approach, but you please keep in mind that science is always changing and at the time of listening to this there may some new data that makes this information incomplete or inaccurate.
Always seek the advice of your personal physician or qualified health care provider for questions regarding any medical condition.

The internet loves a good absolute black and white story. Today, I'm reacting to a viral clip claiming that whey protein is essentially "trash" and only 18% usable by the human body. 

Stop stressing over every health detail & start living! My FREE 'Necessary Nine' PDF cuts through the noise, giving you the essential things you need for a healthy life.

➡️ Download Here: https://www.jrennickemd.com/necessaryninepdf

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro
00:40 - Who is John Jaquish?
00:58 - The "Dirty History" of Whey Protein
02:51 - Is Byproduct the Same as Trash?
04:15 - The Claim: Whey is Only 18% Usable
05:52 - Investigating Net Nitrogen Utilization (NNU)
06:30 - Hunting Down the "Ghost Paper"
09:14 - Digestibility vs. Usability (The Morifuji Study)
11:27 - The $105 Solution
12:37 - Are Essential Amino Acids Better Than Whey?
14:46 - The Breast Milk Logic Test
16:48 - Is Plant Protein Really Garbage?
19:58 - Don't Let Perfect Be the Enemy of Good
22:38 - The "So What?" Test: Mechanisms vs. Outcomes

SELECTED REFERENCES:
https://doi.org/10.1080/15502783.2023.2263409
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20614926/
https://pubmed-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.usu01.idm.oclc.org/?term=Lucà-Moretti+M&cauthor_id=14964348
https://www.jaquishbiomedical.com/products/fortagen?variant=33067984093266
Original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ia-doSc_OA

*Disclaimer*
This podcast is for entertainment, education, and informational purposes only.
The topics discussed should not solely be used to diagnose, treat , or prevent any condition.
The information presented here was created with an evidence based approach, but you please keep in mind that science is always changing and at the time of listening to this there may some new data that makes this information incomplete or inaccurate.
Always seek the advice of your personal physician or qualified health care provider for questions regarding any medical condition.

You've heard it a thousand times: "Running destroys your knees." It intuitively makes sense—friction, load, wear and tear. But here is the thing: you aren't a car, and your joints aren't tires. In this episode, we dive into a massive meta-analysis of over 114,000 people that suggests recreational running might actually protect your knees from arthritis. We'll break down the specific mileage where the risk flips, why "just slowing down" might be bad advice, and the practical "big rocks" you need to keep running for life. Let's get into it.

Stop stressing over every health detail & start living! My FREE 'Necessary Nine' PDF cuts through the noise, giving you the essential things you need for a healthy life.

➡️ Download Here: https://www.jrennickemd.com/necessaryninepdf

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro: Welcome & The "Wear and Tear" Myth
02:16 - The "Car Tire" Fallacy: Why You Aren't a Machine
02:49 - The Data: What 114,000 Runners Tell Us
03:23 - Sedentary vs. Recreational vs. Elite Runners
04:03 - The Limit: When Running Becomes Destructive (57 Miles/Week)
04:39 - The Sponge Analogy: Inflammation & Metabolic Health
06:29 - Why "Just Slow Down" Can Hurt Your Knees
07:50 - The 3 Real Causes of Knee Arthritis
08:47 - Action Step 1: The 10% Rule
10:10 - Action Step 2: Strength is Non-Negotiable
10:51 - Action Step 3: The Cadence Check
11:25 - The 24-Hour Pain Rule
12:52 - Disclaimer

SELECTED REFERENCES:
https://www.jospt.org/doi/10.2519/jospt.2017.7137
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6395418/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2556152/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18550323/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22729505/

*Disclaimer*
This podcast is for entertainment, education, and informational purposes only.
The topics discussed should not solely be used to diagnose, treat , or prevent any condition.
The information presented here was created with an evidence based approach, but you please keep in mind that science is always changing and at the time of listening to this there may some new data that makes this information incomplete or inaccurate.
Always seek the advice of your personal physician or qualified health care provider for questions regarding any medical condition.

For years, we've told AFib patients to cut the caffeine. But new data from the DECAF trial suggests that might be wrong. In this episode, we’re trying a new format: first, the highlights from my latest video, and then a podcast-exclusive deep dive. We’ll explore why coffee might stabilize the heart, break down the earlier CRAVE trial, and look at the nitty-gritty methodology that changes how we interpret these results. Let's dive in.

Stop stressing over every health detail & start living! My FREE 'Necessary Nine' PDF cuts through the noise, giving you the essential things you need for a healthy life.

➡️ Download Here: https://www.jrennickemd.com/necessaryninepdf

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro: The New Format

00:01:31 - The DECAF Trial (Video Start)

00:02:32 - Why We Thought Coffee Was Bad

00:03:25 - Study Design

00:04:23 - Results: Coffee vs. Abstinence

00:05:34 - 3 Proposed Mechanisms

00:06:50 - Limitations (Video Version)

00:08:05 - Practical Takeaways

00:08:38 - Podcast Deep Dive: The CRAVE Trial

00:09:50 - PACs vs. PVCs

00:11:07 - Activity & Sleep Findings

00:12:10 - DECAF Methodology Details

00:15:20 - The Open Label Limitation

00:17:12 - Summary & Final Thoughts

SELECTED REFERENCES:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41206802/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24009307/

https://www.acc.org/Latest-in-Cardiology/Articles/2021/11/08/12/02/sun-8am-crave-aha-2021

Disclaimer

This podcast is for entertainment, education, and informational purposes only. The topics discussed should not solely be used to diagnose, treat , or prevent any condition. The information presented here was created with an evidence based approach, but you please keep in mind that science is always changing and at the time of listening to this there may some new data that makes this information incomplete or inaccurate. Always seek the advice of your personal physician or qualified health care provider for questions regarding any medical condition.