Dive Into Health MD

Stephanie Alexandre is a fourth-generation dairy farmer and co-founder of Alexandre Family Farm — a certified organic, regenerative, A2A2 dairy on the Northern California coast.

Alongside husband Blake and three of their five adult children, she runs one of the most rigorously tested small dairies in the country, plus a pastured egg operation that started as a kids' project and ended up in Whole Foods.

In this episode, you'll learn:

– What A2 milk is, why the protein mutation matters, and why most dairy is A1 – Why 98% of people who think they're lactose intolerant can digest A2 dairy

– Why "grass-fed" on a milk label is legally meaningless — and what to look for instead

– How 18 pasture seed varieties and regenerative farming affect milk nutrition

– What lab testing 1,200 milk samples revealed about omega-3s, calcium, zinc, and heavy metals

– How vat pasteurization differs from UHT and what it means for nutrients and shelf life

– How to store milk properly and what breaks the cold chain before it reaches your fridge

[00:00] – Stephanie's background: four generations of dairy, grass-based farming, going organic in 1999

[05:07] – What sets Alexandre apart: organic, regenerative, A2A2

[06:25] – What regenerative farming actually means: soil health, rotational grazing, compost, 18 seed varieties

[09:52] – A2 milk explained: the protein mutation, digestibility, and why conventional dairy is A1

[13:31] – Why 100% grass-fed isn't right for every breed — and the genetics bred for it

[16:06] – Why "grass-fed" labels are legally unreliable and what certifications actually matter

[20:11] – What organic certification guarantees: rBST, antibiotics, and CCOF inspections

[26:14] – Dairy products demystified: whole milk, half-and-half, kefir, yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese

[32:03] – Cream-top and non-homogenized explained

[34:36] – Pasteurization: raw milk risks, vat (145°F/30 min), and UHT (280°F/2–5 sec)

[37:50] – Cold chain: how milk goes from 37°F at the farm to your fridge — and where it breaks

[42:25] – Lab results: #1 out of 1,200 samples for omega-6:omega-3 ratio, protein, calcium, B2, zinc; non-detectable heavy metals

[53:05] – Pastured eggs: twice-weekly coop rotation and why dark yolks can be faked

[56:40] – Dairy alternatives: what's actually in oat milk

Connect with Alexandre Family Farm Website: alexandrefamilyfarm.com (product locator by zip code) Available at Whole Foods, Sprouts, Natural Grocers, and independent co-ops

Connect with Dive Into Health MD

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This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.

Evan Harrison is CEO of Kiss the Ground, a nonprofit advancing regenerative agriculture through storytelling and consumer education.

He spent 25+ years in the music and digital media industries — leading digital at iHeartRadio and AOL Music — before turning his platform toward soil health and food systems. His daughter introduced him to the Kiss the Ground film in 2020, and he never looked back.

In this episode, you'll learn:

– What regenerative agriculture actually is and why it matters for human health

– How soil health connects directly to the nutrients in your food

– Why food transported thousands of miles is less nutritious before it reaches you

– How to read food labels and find regenerative products at the store

– Where organic, hydroponic, and GMO fit on the spectrum

– Why farmers can't just switch to regenerative overnight — and what's changing that

– How consumer awareness of regenerative farming grew from 4% to 13% in three years

– What physicians can do to start talking about food sourcing as root cause

[00:00] – Why physicians moving upstream — toward prevention — is what the food system needs

[00:25] – Akshita on going from diagnosing disease to trying to prevent it

[03:44] – Evan's journey: music industry, iHeartRadio, and how his daughter led him to soil

[11:14] – How Kiss the Ground uses storytelling to shift consumer demand at scale

[16:46] – What regenerative agriculture actually is: soil, carbon, water, and human health

[19:27] – Consumer awareness of regenerative farming: from 4% to 13% in three years

[21:18] – The tipping point theory: why 25% changes everything

[23:26] – How to shop regenerative: certifications, labels, and the Kiss the Ground farm map

[25:41] – Why food transported thousands of miles loses nutrient density before it reaches you

[27:27] – Where hydroponics, vertical farming, and GMO fit in the bigger picture

[32:29] – What the transition to regenerative looks like for farmers — and why it's not overnight

[37:31] – What farms look and feel like two to five years after making the switch

[39:01] – How to get regenerative products delivered to your door on subscription

[41:50] – Why aren't all farmers switching? The financial hurdles and subsidy problem

[45:36] – What Evan wants physicians to start telling patients about food and root cause

Connect with Kiss the Ground Website: kisstheground.com Regenerative Farm Map: kisstheground.com/farm-map

Connect with Dive Into Health MD

Book a discovery call:

Email: [email protected]

YouTube: youtube.com/@diveintoHealthMD

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LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/diveintohealthmd

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.

Dr. Jiten Mehta is a nephrologist trained at UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center, now practicing critical care and chronic kidney disease at Southern California Kidney Consultants in Orange County. He serves as medical director for multiple dialysis units and has clinical interests spanning transplant care, glomerulonephritis, and autoimmune kidney disease. In this episode we discuss kidney disease, the unfortunate reality of dialysis, how to catch kidney disease early and what we can do to prevent some ICU presentations of acute renal failure.

In this episode, you'll learn:

– What foamy urine actually means and when to get tested

– How diabetes silently damages your kidneys before you feel anything

– Why your water quality depends on your zip code — and how to look it up

– What an RO machine filters (and why remineralization matters)

– When alkaline water and electrolytes help — and when they don't

– How unregulated supplements sent patients to dialysis

– When to use Cystatin C versus standard creatinine

– How much protein your kidneys can actually handle

– What to ask your doctor if kidney disease runs in your family

[03:55] – Dr. Mehta's scope: ICU kidney care, CKD clinic, dialysis, and transplant support

[05:30] – The two things nephrologists watch that most people don't associate with kidneys: sodium and urine protein

[06:50] – Foamy urine and when to get tested for protein

[08:21] – Why diabetic kidney disease is silent until it isn't

[09:11] – How diabetes damages kidneys: TMP max, N-glycation products, and the onion ring analogy

[12:38] – Diet, kidney health, and why making informed food choices is harder than it should be

[15:47] – The cost and access barrier to eating healthier in underserved communities

[17:37] – Your water quality is zip-code dependent — how to look it up

[21:52] – RO machines explained: what each filter stage removes and why remineralization matters

[27:25] – Alkaline water: limited data and cases where it caused harm

[31:36] – Electrolytes: who actually needs them and who doesn't

[34:50] – Supplements that sent patients to dialysis — and why the cause can't always be identified

[38:19] – Why supplement risk differs from pharmaceutical risk: regulation, dosing, and batch consistency

[46:26] – Cystatin C vs. creatinine: when to use which

[51:24] – The protein hype: what we know about high intake

[54:42] – Family history and genetic kidney risk: what to ask your doctor

[56:13] – Walk through the day: ICU rounds, CKD clinic, exercise, and sleep after training

Connect with Dive Into Health MD

Book a discovery call:

Email: [email protected]

YouTube: youtube.com/@diveintoHealthMD

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LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/diveintohealthmd

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.

Ric Scalzo is the founder of Kokora, an herbal company built on triple-concentration processing and freeze-drying technology, and the driving force behind the Rick Scalzo Institute for Botanical Research at Sonoran University of Health Sciences. He previously founded Gaia Herbs and now operates a regenerative organic farm in Costa Rica. He has spent over 30 years studying the connection between soil health, plant potency, and human wellness.

Time Stamps:

00:00 – Why soil microbiome is the missing link between farming and your gut health

01:24 – Ric's background: naturopathic practice, Gaia Herbs, and what led him to regenerative farming

02:13 – Treating the person, not the condition: the philosophy that shaped his career

03:32 – Organic vs. regenerative organic — what's the actual difference?

06:22 – How much more nutrient dense is regenerative produce vs. conventional?

06:37 – The turmeric study: 4x more curcuminoids and 5x more biomass from regenerative farming

09:26 – Does it apply to everyday produce like tomatoes and legumes?

10:56 – Ergothioneine: the longevity amino acid missing from most diets

12:10 – How to apply regenerative practices in your home garden, including a bio-ferment recipe

16:06 – Why not tilling your soil and keeping it covered matters more than you think

19:44 – How widespread is regenerative organic farming today?

21:44 – Stone Barns, Dan Barber, and regenerating dairy cows through regenerative agriculture

24:35 – Herbs vs. spices: what's the difference and why does it matter therapeutically?

25:41 – How herbs are harvested, dried, extracted, and processed from farm to capsule

29:21 – How to evaluate a supplement: what to look for on the label

30:38 – Maltodextrin, hexane, and the fillers most people don't know are in their capsules

33:07 – The three questions to ask before buying any herbal supplement

35:34 – Freeze drying vs. spray drying: why the processing method changes everything

36:44 – How Ric tests his products beyond standard industry requirements

40:43 – The IL-6 study: regenerative turmeric outperformed purified curcumin by tenfold

43:23 – Liver cell toxicity testing and why it matters for supplement safety

Connect with Ric Scalzo:
Company: Kokora
Research: Rick Scalzo Institute for Botanical Research, Sonoran University of Health Sciences

Connect with Dive Into Health MD:
Book a discovery call:
Email: [email protected]
YouTube: youtube.com/@diveintoHealthMD
Instagram: instagram.com/diveintohealthmd
TikTok: tiktok.com/@diveintohealthmd
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/diveintohealthmd

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.

Dr. Olga Deengar is a hospitalist, certified life coach, and founder of Coach Olga MD. She helps high-achieving women physicians and professionals gain energy, clarity, and purpose using her signature DAMA framework. She's also a mom of three boys, host of the Coffee Playdate Podcast, and weekly newsletter writer.

Timestamps:

00:51 – Welcome & intro to Dr. Olga Deengar

01:15 – Her background: hospitalist, life coach, DAMA framework, Coffee Plated Podcast

03:28 – Daily habits that would surprise you: 5 AM power hour + exercise 5x/week

06:57 – From full-time hospitalist to stay-at-home mom: the identity shift no one talks about

09:30 – A serious postpartum infection that reframed her entire life and led her to coaching

14:04 – What she sees as a locum hospitalist: why small gestures transform patient recovery

16:15 – How to stay out of the hospital: movement, nutrition, and sleep

18:11 – The DAMA Framework explained: Driven, Aligned, Building Momentum, Taking Action

21:20 – "I don't have enough time" — the #1 coaching challenge and how to reframe it

26:38 – Walk through her day: sleep with a 1-year-old and the magic power hour

28:55 – Parenting habits she swears by: breakfast guessing games, whiteboard check-ins, gratitude candle, journaling with kids

35:25 – Cognitive health: nightly meditation, Tony Robbins breathwork, and weekly journaling

40:10 – Financial health: multiple income streams, real estate, and growing a business

41:41 – Her #1 self-investment: consistency with physical health

Connect with Dr. Olga Deengar
Website & free discovery call: coacholgamd.com
Instagram: @CoachOlgaMD
Facebook: Coach Olga MD
LinkedIn: Olga Deengar
Podcast: Coffee Play Date

Connect with Dive Into Health MD
Book a discovery call:
Email: [email protected]
YouTube: youtube.com/@diveintoHealthMD
Instagram: instagram.com/diveintohealthmd
TikTok: tiktok.com/@diveintohealthmd
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/diveintohealthmd

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.

The wheat itself may not be the issue making people sick. It may be all of the other things that are either added to flour products or the way that the wheat has been stripped of nutrients. Finding whole wheat products including wheat berries give us an option to enjoy the bread and other foods that we love. Getting to know the baker and mill is the best way to know what's in your bread, but also what's not in your bread.

If you've ever stood in the bread aisle wondering why two loaves that look identical can sit so differently with your body, this episode is the answer you've been looking for. Dr. Akshita Mehta sits down with James Brown, founder of Barton Springs Mill, to trace a wheat berry from the field to your kitchen — and to hand you the specific questions that separate flour worth eating from flour that's mostly starch.

James has spent eight years stone-milling grain in the Texas Hill Country, and he opens with a myth worth retiring: GMO wheat doesn't exist on the U.S. market — it's not legally grown here. His point is bigger than that one fact. The wheat berry itself has changed remarkably little in what matters nutritionally. What's changed is everything that happens to it: seed coatings, field sprays, storage pesticides, the milling method, fortification, dough conditioners, and how long it sits before you eat it.

Why this matters: Chronic disease is multifactorial — food quality is one thread, not the whole tapestry. But it's a thread you can actually pull on. When you can tell the difference between fresh stone-milled whole wheat and 18-month-old commodity flour, you're not eating perfectly — you're eating informed. That shift, repeated over years, may be where some of the real prevention lives.

About the guest: James Brown is the founder of Barton Springs Mill in Dripping Springs, Texas, which stone-mills organic and heritage grains and publishes lab analysis on every grain it sells. The mill runs an education center and home-milling classes.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 — Is your wheat GMO? (and why that's the wrong worry)
• 03:51 — Gluten sensitivity, explained
• 05:08 — How wheat actually changed: Borlaug, the dwarfing gene, ancient grains
• 11:33 — The dozen things added between field and loaf
• 15:41 — Stone milling vs. roller milling
• 20:20 — Fermentation and the amylase enzymes
• 30:00 — "Know Your Miller" and how to read a label
• 37:18 — Shelf life, whole berries, and home milling
• 56:56 — Red, white, and the new purple wheat
• 1:16:19 — Why quality flour costs more

Want to try Barton Springs Mill? CODE: LIFESTYLE 10

https://amyhalloran.net/mills/

Email: [email protected]

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This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.

How do you build resilience when life keeps delivering things you cannot control? The answer, according to Dr. Nancy Waiganjo, starts not with thinking your way through stress — but with learning to work with your body.

In this episode, Dr. Waiganjo — internal medicine physician with 20 years in practice and creator of the Mind is Medicine app — walks through the neuroscience of stress, why chronic stress affects every organ system, and the simple bodybased practices that can reset the nervous system anywhere, at any time.

Timestamps

00:00 — Opening montage: key quotes

• 01:50 — Introduction

• 02:05 — Dr. Nancy's background and what shifted her practice

• 03:14 — Origin story: her own unexplained health symptoms

• 05:51 — Patients presenting with symptoms after life events: the correlation

• 09:43 — The nervous system as command center: the biology of stress

• 15:29 — What to do about it: body-based practices explained

• 17:42 — Live breathing exercise: the physiological sigh

• 21:29 — Why talk therapy alone is not enough: the amygdala explained

• 27:15 — Brain structural changes from meditation

• 30:52 — Every organ system affected: Takotsubo, gut, immunity, chronic pain

• 37:17 — Reversal of symptoms and the 42-day neural pathway timeline

• 43:55 — Walk through Dr. Nancy's day: morning routine, gratitude, real-time regulation

• 48:45 — Sleep, movement, and mindful eating as nervous system regulation

• 57:44 — Social connection and financial health as pillars of wellbeing

• 1:01:59 — Mind is Medicine app

Mind is Medicine app:

App Store

Google Play

Email: [email protected]

YouTube

Instagram

TikTok

LinkedIn

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.

Understanding Organic Agriculture: Soil, Nutrition, and Human Health with Dr. Andrew Smith. This episode dives into the history, science, and future of organic farming, emphasizing its role in soil health, nutrition, and climate impacts. Dr. Andrew Smith shares insights from decades of research at the Rodale Institute and explores how organic practices can nourish both the planet and human health.

Main Topics:

• The founding and mission of the Rodale Institute and origins of organic farming.
• How soil health directly impacts food quality and human health, including long-term soil and crop trials.
• The decline in nutrient density in conventional crops.
• Organic vs conventional farming practices, including the use of pesticides and tillage.
• The importance of regenerative organic practices and their potential to sustain global food needs.
• The role of microbiology, soil microbes, and phytochemicals in enhancing nutrient profiles and health benefits.

Timestamps:

00:29 - Introduction to the Rodale Institute
01:09 - J.I. Rodale's journey and the origins of organic farming
02:51 - History of organic movement
03:51 - Current research on organic soil health
04:16 - How soil impacts human health via the food system
06:00 - The Farming Systems Trial: soil and crop outcomes over decades
07:46 - Soil carbon sequestration and environmental benefits of organic farming
09:17 - Impact of agricultural practices on ecological health and waterways
10:46 - Why physicians and health professionals should care about soil health
11:16 - Nutrient decline in crops since the Green Revolution
12:51 - Extent of nutrient declines in minerals and proteins (1950s-2000s)
15:33 - Scientific evidence of nutritional differences between organic and conventional crops
19:50 - Soil microbial ecology and nutrition and phytochemicals
21:05 - Role of seed selection, varieties, and growing practices on crop nutrients
22:40 - The Vegetable Systems Trial: comparing organic and conventional vegetables
25:49 - Early findings: nutrient increases in organic systems after years of management
26:28 - Comparing regenerative organic with conventional systems
27:52 - Challenges and definitions around regenerative agriculture practices
33:26 - Organic versus conventional pesticides and pest management strategies
36:45 - The significance of pesticide residues, systemic pesticides, and their environmental persistence
41:01 - Safety of seed coatings and pesticide residues in organic seeds
44:47 - Tillage, cover crops, and soil conservation practices
49:50 - Soil microbiome diversity, function, and impact on plant and human health
51:23 - The role of fungi, ergothioneine, and bioactive compounds in soil and plants
55:09 - Microbial interactions, biofortification, and human health implications
58:00 - The broader economic and healthcare impacts of food quality and farming practices
62:01 - Can organic farming feed the world? Yield gaps and future prospects
66:53 - Success stories of higher yields with organic systems
68:50 - Final thoughts on a sustainable, healthy food future

Reach out: [email protected]

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Learn what a pain management doctor does and how they help patients navigate personal injury claims. Discover insights from Dr. Neil Batta on effective pain management strategies.

In the world of healthcare, pain management plays a crucial role, particularly for individuals recovering from personal injuries. In this post, we dive into the experiences and insights of Dr. Neil Batta, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist with expertise in pain management. He shares his journey and discusses how pain management intersects with personal injury claims.

In this episode:

- Neil Batta's background in pain management and physical medicine

- The shift from insurance-dependent to freedom in procedure justification

- How PRP is used in musculoskeletal and spine conditions

- Differences between intra-articular, periarticular, and nerve injections

- The importance of clinical examination correlating with MRI findings

- The role of diagnostic injections in identifying pain generators

- The evolving landscape of spine treatments and procedural choices

- Preventive strategies including exercise, diet, and mental health

- The impact of healthcare system changes on practice and decision-making

- Neil’s daily routine, lifestyle, and balance of work and family

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction to Neil Batta and episode overview

02:02 - Neil’s practice focus: personal injury, injections, and pain management

04:08 - Patient variety and practice environment

08:19 - Navigating insurance versus procedural freedom

12:06 - Introduction to PRP: safety, preparation, and various uses

18:40 - Variability in PRP quality and technique dependency

23:00 - Evidence and evolution of PRP efficacy in joint and spine care

27:32 - PRP outcomes in acute versus chronic cases

36:20 - Injection techniques: periarticular vs intra-articular

39:42 - Managing back pain with injections, exercise, and biopsychosocial approach

44:44 - Future directions: PRP in epidurals, safety considerations

50:43 - MRI findings: correlation with symptoms and imaging nuances

55:55 - Optimizing MRI reporting and clinical interpretation

61:13 - Case examples: disc herniations, facet joints, and procedural decision-making

66:10 - Collaboration between clinicians and radiologists for precise diagnosis

70:36 - Neil’s daily routine: work schedule, family life, and lifestyle

80:39 - Wrap-up and final thoughts on patient care and practice evolution

Resources & Links:

- The Back Pain Book by Mike Hage

Reach out: [email protected]

Find me on LinkedIn/ Instagram/ YouTube/ TikTok