Julia Hotz is a journalist and author, who wrote a book called The Connection Cure: The Prescriptive Power of Movement, Nature, Art, Service and Belonging. James and Julia connected because her new book is strikingly synergistic in topic and title to James’ second book, The Community Cure: Transforming Health Outcomes Together, which calls for readers to adopt group care principles to make lifestyle medicine more widely accessible and sustainable.

This is an enlivening conversation, where you’ll hear about the data backing social prescribing as an antidote to the most prevalent chronic health issues of this generation: illnesses exacerbated by the loneliness epidemic, such as attention and mood issues and a slew of chronic illnesses.

Tune in to learn about:

• Financial benefits of social prescribing
• Business solutions for supporting community-based solutions to chronic health issues
• How science backs social prescribing as an effective solution to ailments like chronic pain, trauma, dementia, diabetes and loneliness
• Potential for insurance companies to incentivize social prescriptions
• The benefits of art and nature on health
• And much more

VagusFest launched in spring 2024, and Dr. Kelly Livingston took the concept and ran with it, creating a sucessful event that engaged her local community members. Dr. Livingston joins this podcast episode to share her experience applying James Maskell’s VagusFest model in Darien, Connecticut.

The VagusFest model enables local practitioners to host local community events that demonstrate to local attendees the power of vagal toning, and indirectly, the benefits of lifestyle, functional, or integrative medicine. Functioning as a promotional event for local clinics, VagusFest addresses a public relations issue for functional medicine, which is that the general perception that patients must invest significant time into their health journey before seeing results. VagusFest hosts can showcase how their approach to medicine offers immediate benefits through direct experience at the event.

Download and listen to the episode to hear more about:

• Reasons for practitioners to prioritize nervous system regulation in their practices.
• Dr. Livingston’s favorite resources on vagal toning, including books by Deb Dana and Stanley Rosenberg.
• Challenges and successes of previous VagusFest events.
• The value of group medicine and community engagement.

This podcast episode is brought to you by Pulsetto. Pulsetto is a leader in the vagus nerve revolution. Their vagus nerve stimulator is extremely easy to use, great for addressing pain and sleep issues.  Order your first one at goevomed.com/Pulsetto. If you like it and want to order for your patients, you can also order wholesale much like you would do with supplements. This is potentially a powerful tool to use in your practice. 

Expanding upon the July 2024 Functional Forum about reversing cognitive decline, this podcast episode offers the full conversation between Dr. Heather Sandison and James Maskell.  Dr. Sandison is the author of Reversing Alzheimer’s: The New Toolkit to Improve Cognition and Protect Brain Health.

In this episode, the guest delves deeper into the potential for functional medicine to reverse dementia, and Dr. Sandison shares her success in using a comprehensive approach to improving cognitive function for patients.  She also discusses challenges and controversies surrounding this approach, including the role of mold and toxins in brain health

This is a hopeful discussion that offers listeners:

1. An overview of the factors that clinicans want to consider addressing with dementia patients
2. Findings from clinical trials that use lifestyle and personalized medicine
3. An understanding of cost saving benefits of a functional medicine approach
4. The potential for AI to assist in supporting decision-making protocols
5. And much more!

Kirkland Newman is the founder of MindHealth360, host of the London Functional Forum Community, and is organizing the Integrative Medicine for Mental Health Conference, occurring October 10-13, 2024 just outside of  Washington, DC.

The conference aims to bring together various practitioners and professionals in the mental health field to discuss concrete solutions and advancements in mental health care. The conference will address topics such as brain health, technology addiction, gut-brain connection, trauma therapy, genomics, and more.

The goal is to bridge the gap between research and clinical practice and provide practitioners with a wider toolbox to address mental health issues. The conference is open to medical and mental health professionals, as well as passionate individuals interested in mental health transformation.

This episode offers a preview of cutting-edge perspectives on mental health, including cognitive decline. When you listen, you’ll learn about:

1. Kirkland’s vision to integrate functional medicine into mainstream mental health practices.
2. The epidemic of mental health issues, especially among young people, is a concern, and conventional medical practices seem ill-equipped to address the problem.
3. An introduction to some IMMH speakers, including Dr. Daniel Amen, who focuses on brain health rather than mental health; Dr. Robert Lustig, who discusses technology addiction and the impact of the amygdala on mental health; Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Dale Bredesen, and more. 
4. The gut-brain connection, trauma's impact on biochemistry and the gut, and the importance of safe connection and social engagement in healing are also highlighted in the conversation.
5. And much more!

In this Business of Functional Medicine episode, Kristen Brokaw hosts a conversation with Dr. Jarrod Spencer, a sports psychologist who also works with corporations and high net-worth professionals. In this episode, Dr. Spencer discusses the importance for clinicans to manage emotional energy and mental fatigue. Given that healthcare is usually a high-stress role, individuals must prioritize their emotional health and well-being.

Getting enough sleep, counseling and developing a mental toolbox to effectively manage emotional energy are examples of strategies healthcare providers should be employing. He also highlights the significance of creating a positive and supportive culture in the workplace, including practices like fist bumping and high fiving to foster camaraderie among staff members.

This episode validates physician burnout and offers helpful tools for managing emotional energy and mental fatigue.

If you listen to the full episode, you’ll hear about:

1.       Dr. Spencer’s scoring system, for measuring emotional energy, or one’s psychological capacity to effectively deal with immediate stressors in their life.

2.       Mental fatigue significantly impacts a person's perception of effort. When mentally fatigued, individuals are more likely to perceive tasks as requiring more effort, which can decrease their endurance and motivation.

3.       Emotional and mental fatigue can lead to negative thinking, decreased performance, and burnout.

4.       Compassion fatigue and neglecting one's own emotional well-being can have negative consequences on both personal and professional life.

5.       And more!

On this episode, our guest is Mastin Kipp, a best-selling author and creator of Functional Life CoachingTM. Mastin joined the podcast to talk about his recent book titled, Reclaim Your Nervous System, which discusses the importance of prioritizing the nervous system in healing and overall well-being.

Mastin asserts that befriending and addressing resistant parts of ourselves can promote healing and improve our relationship with our nervous system. Mastin highlights the power of group care and co-regulation in creating a safe space for emotional expression and healing.

This podcast release coincides with Evolution of Medicine’s launch of VagusFest, which is a participatory nervous system healing event that practitioners can organize to promote healing in their communities. If you’re interested in hosting your own event, please contact [email protected]. 

Check out the full podcast episode to hear about:

• Mastin Kipp’s journey into coaching and the study of the nervous system.
• The power of group settings for facilitating behavior change and creating a sense of safety.
• Co-regulating groups can drive the adoption of functional medicine as a standard of care, with clinicians providing support and addressing root causes when necessary.
• Challenges of expressing emotions and the societal conditioning that often discourages emotional expression.
• And more!

Robert Lustig, MD joins James for this information-packed episode that unifies mental and metabolic healthcare. Dr. Lustig is a pediatric endocrinologist and food educator, who focuses on spreading awareness about the topic of this podcast.

During this episode he walks through the connection between nutrition, brain health, and mental health. They touch on topics such as the impact of ultra-processed food on metabolic health, the role of the amygdala in fear conditioning and chronic toxic stress, and the importance of the vagus nerve in regulating the nervous system.

Dr. Lustig also highlights the need for public education and policy change to address the systemic health crisis and mental health crisis. Dr. Lustig will be speaking at the Integrative Medicine for Mental Health Conference in October 2024.

Check out this informative, empowering episode to hear about:

• Dr. Lusting’s new book on the amygdala and its connection to food.
• The importance of understanding the difference between food science, nutrition and metabolic health.
• The role of mitochondrial dysfunction in systemic and mental health disorders.
• The potential for a cultural shift toward prioritizing metabolic health and the challenges facing it. 

In this episode, Darrell Moon, founder of Aspirational Healthcare, discusses the Nuka System of Care in Anchorage, Alaska, which has been called “the best healthcare system in the world.” The system is built around the needs and aspirations of the customers, focusing on building relationships and providing support to help individuals achieve their goals in life. 

Moon encourages healthcare providers to consider offering direct primary care memberships and aligning with employers who are willing to fund this type of healthcare. He also advises business leaders to take control of their healthcare purchasing power and align with benefit consultants who work in their best interest. Nuka System of Care has achieved high levels of patient satisfaction, improved health outcomes and reduced costs.

Moon invites individuals to attend the Nuka System of Care June conference and a conference for business leaders in September to learn more about the system and how to implement an aspirational model of healthcare.

Tune in to the full episode to hear more about:

·       How hospital admissions can be reduced by focusing on preventive care and early intervention

·       How CEOs can influence healthcare systems, through their purchasing power and by practicing problem solving abilities they regularly use to lead their businesses

·       How employers can align objectives with healthcare brokers, so that the benefits consultant gets incentivized to be paid for meeting the employers’ objectives (reduced healthcare expenses through direct primary care that emphasizes prevention and customer-centric care)  

·       Nuka System of Care provides healthcare at half the cost of other systems in the US, due to their focus on providing care that is aligned with the goals and needs of the customer, rather than focusing on profit

·       Growing demand for direct primary care (DPC) membership

Check out these upcoming conferences held by Nuka System of Care:

·       June 24-28, 2024: Nuka System of Care Conference

·       September 10-12, 2024: CEO Summit in Anchorage, AK with Aspirational Healthcare

In this episode James Maskell is joined by returning guest, Dr. Shilpa Saxena, MD to continue exploring the use of GLP-1 agonists, specifically Semaglutide, for weight loss and cardiometabolic diseases.

The conversation reinforces the importance of using GLP-1s responsibly and in conjunction with lifestyle medicine coaching to address underlying behavioral issues and promote sustainable weight loss. Dr. Saxena emphasizes the need to address metabolic dysfunction comprehensively, considering factors such as fatty liver disease and insulin resistance, and using a combination of interventions, including herbs, botanicals, and lifestyle modifications.

They also discuss the potential side effects of GLP-1 agonists and strategies for minimizing them. Additionally, they touch on the role of group visits and community support in facilitating behavior change and long-term success in weight management.

Check out the full episode to hear their thoughts on:

•        Normalizing discussions around weight without enabling poor health.
•       The role of supportive communities to support behavior change
•       Stigma around Semaglutide use
•        Patient personas who functional medicine providers are best able to help, and those personas that are not a good fit for the functional medicine approach to weight loss.

Learn about Group Visit Toolkits

In James Maskell’s first-ever solo podcast, he introduces Evolution of Medicine’s upcoming event, VagusFest. On May 29, 2024, listeners can join the Evolution of Medicine’s debut VagusFest, a participatory education experience focused on toning the vagus nerve, that will provide hands-on healing experiences for participants.  

In this podcast episode, James previews themes that will be explored during VagusFest and expresses how the event will help advance health-promoting medicine.

VagusFest will serve as a model for clinicans to recreate similar events in their local communities as a strategy for carrying out public relations campaigns that promote functional medicine at the local level. VagusFest is a complete set of tools to run a VagusFest event in a community, including step-by-step guides, marketing materials, and PR assets.

Check out the full conversation to learn about:

• James’ thoughts on what has been limiting the growth of functional medicine.
• How to win over new patients who have been deterred by long treatment timelines and expectations to make lifestyle changes.
• How VagusFest will give participants the tools to regulate their own nervous systems and create a sense of unity and healing in their communities.
• Upcoming opportunities for practitioners to participate in VagusFest events and learn how to implement them in their own communities.