House Call With Dr. Hyman

The mantra of the government and food industry is that people should just eat less, choose a “balanced diet,” and exercise more. How’s that working out for you?

Despite what popular magazines and TV shows might say, if you think you can exercise your way to weight loss, I am sorry to say you are in for a big disappointment.

Using exercise to lose weight without changing your diet is asking for failure. You can change your diet and lose weight, but if you exercise and keep your diet the same, you may gain some muscle, improve endurance, and be healthier overall, but you won’t shed many pounds.

I sat down with Dave Asprey last year to talk about fat, weight loss, coffee, and an article in The New York Times about the show, The Biggest Loser. This article caused quite a bit of controversy, because it essentially explained that some people are just destined to be overweight no matter what they do. Both Dave and I disagree with this idea and with the idea that eating less and exercising more is the way to your best weight.

I hope you enjoy this conversation.

Wishing you health and happiness,

Mark Hyman, MD.

Do you ever wonder why you get cravings?

Last year, I sat down with Alexandra Jamieson to talk about food addiction, cravings, and much more. One of my favorite parts of our conversation was her explanation of the four root causes of cravings.

First, let me tell you a little bit about Alexandra. She is the co-creator and co-starred in the Oscar nominated film, Super Size Me. She coaches women going through big life shake-ups to double-down on self-care, nutrition, and pleasure, and master a positive mindset, to create the energy and peace they desire in their bodies, so they can be resilient, effective and happy in their lives. She’s also published four books.

In our conversation we talk about the following root causes for cravings:

Bacterial

Nutritional

Emotional

Physical

We also talk about how to address them. This is an important conversation that you won’t want to miss.

Do you deal with food cravings? What has worked for you and what hasn’t? Let’s take the conversation to Facebook. I’d love to hear from you.

Wishing you health and happiness,

Mark Hyman, MD

Is pre-disposition predestined? The answer is no.

Epigenetics suggests that our behavior can influence which of our genes are turned on or off. This has been one of the biggest breakthroughs in medicine. Most people tend to attribute far too much power to their genes. I’ve seen thousands of patients who have blamed genetics for their ailments and diseases, however it is your lifestyle washing over your genes that determines who you are in any moment. What you eat, how you move, how you restore your system, along with your thoughts, feelings and social connections, regulate your genes. Those genes end up creating the expression of who you are and how you are. You can turn on genes that create health or disease, weight gain or weight loss.

Some genes can predispose you to obesity, type 2 diabetes or heart disease. But predisposition is not predestined. Ninety percent of our current health is controlled by the environment in which we bathe our genes – the food we eat, our exercise regimen, our resilience in the face of stress and our exposure to environmental toxins. You don’t have to sit back and accept that you’re doomed to become fat and sick.

In this conversation, I got to sit down with Dr. Deepak Chopra to talk about genes and the role of the microbiome in our health and its effects on our genes.

I think you’ll enjoy this conversation as much as I did. Thanks to epigenetics, you actually have a say in your health and you can create optimal health with the power of food and lifestyle.

Wishing you health and happiness,

Mark Hyman, MD

It’s not just genes; your environment could be harming your thyroid. I had the pleasure to sit down with thyroid expert Dr. Izabella Wentz and talk about all things thyroid last year, and one of my favorite moments of the interview was our discussion around environmental toxins and their impact on the thyroid health.

After being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis in 2009, Dr. Wentz was surprised at the lack of conventional medical knowledge about lifestyle interventions for Hashimoto’s, hypothyroidism, and autoimmune conditions. She decided to take on lifestyle interventions as a personal mission, in an effort to help herself and others with Hashimoto’s.

In this podcast, we discuss the following:

Thyroid harming toxins in your water

Makeup products that are harming your health

How to determine if you’re mercury sensitive

How to detoxify your body

How chronic infections affect thyroid health

How leaky gut can lead to thyroid disorder

To learn more about taking care of your thyroid, check out my recent blog post at drhyman.com.

Wishing you health and happiness,

Mark Hyman, MD

One of my favorite moments from last year’s Fat Summit 2 was interviewing Dr. Stephanie Daniel about food, fat, sugar, and infertility.

Dr. Daniel is a practicing physician and founder of Functional Medicine SF, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Dr. Daniel’s particular areas of interest and expertise are in women’s health and fertility and she has developed a 5-step approach to natural conception that she utilizes in her practice. She is the author of a book, Low-Stress Food: Eat Your Way to a Low Stress Life and spends her non-clinic time consulting for health tech start-ups like Ava Science and Metabolon, mentoring physicians in the practice of Functional Medicine and collaborating on the advancement of functional medicine with EvoMed.

Last year, I interviewed Dr. Daniel about some very important subjects. In the clip from this interview, we discuss the following:

One out of seven couples are dealing with infertility

Five steps for dealing with infertility

The role of nutrition in fertility and the importance of eating nutrient dense food

The number one macronutrient for fertility

One of the leading causes of infertility

The importance of cholesterol

I want to hear from you. Have you dealt with infertility? Comment on my Facebook page, and if you liked this video, share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter. Also, tweet me your questions @MarkHymanMD, and maybe next week I’ll make a House Call to you.

Wishing you health & happiness,

Mark Hyman, MD

On this week House Call:

Steve tweets, “what is your recommended protocol for treating adrenal fatigue?”

This is a question that I get almost daily.

Your adrenals are important because they help you respond to stress. If you have chronic stress, your adrenals get beat up, and your energy plummets and it becomes difficult to manage your life. You could feel tired and wired, all at the same time. You might get palpitations or feel anxious or have trouble sleeping. You might crave salt. You may get dizzy when you stand up. You might have low blood pressure. You might even have sugar cravings, because your body can’t regulate your blood sugar properly. All these are clues that you could have adrenal problems.

Are you dealing with adrenal dysfunction? Leave a comment on my Facebook page.

If you liked this video, share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter, and if you have any questions, tweet me @MarkHymanMD, and maybe next week, I’ll make a House Call to you.

Wishing you health & happiness,

Mark Hyman, MD

The promise of GMOs is alluring for many. We were all told that genetically modifying crops would make them immune to weed killers and pests, leading to an abundance of foods that would solve our world hunger problems. We were also told that these crops would require fewer pesticides and herbicides, but is this true? Did genetically modified crops live up to their promise?

In this week’s House Call, I address a question tweeted to me by Christina, who asks “What is your view on GMO foods?”

Now I want to hear from you. What are your thoughts on GMO foods? Leave a comment on my Facebook page, and if you liked this video, share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter.

Also, tweet me your questions (@MarkHymanMD), and maybe next week, I’ll make a House Call to you.

Wishing you health & happiness,

Mark Hyman, MD

On this week's House Call:

My 7 Steps for Tackling Eczema

Our first question comes from a reader who tweets, “Can you tell me the causes of eczema?”

Are You Dealing with Excess Gas?

“How do I get rid of excessive gas?” a caller asks.

We’ve all experienced it, and probably at inopportune times. It’s embarrassing and uncomfortable. So, what’s the deal with gas? Are some of us doomed to be gassy forever?

Now I want to hear from you. Are you dealing with excess gas or eczema? What has worked for you and what hasn’t?

Comment on my Facebook page. If you liked this video, be sure to share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter, and tweet me your questions @MarkHymanMd, and maybe next week I’ll make a House Call to you!

Wishing you health & happiness,

Mark Hyman, MD

On this week's House Call:

A Different Approach to Multiple Sclerosis

“I was diagnosed with MS about 15 years ago,” our reader writes. “I haven’t taken any of the medication that my doctors wanted me to take. For the last year or 2, I have weakness in my left leg. I’ve eliminated dairy, grains, gluten; and I’m not sure what else I should do at this point.”

Tackling Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia

Our next question comes from Margo who asks, “I’ve been diagnosed with chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, and I’ve tried everything. What can I do?”

Now I want to hear from you. Are you dealing with MS or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? Share your thoughts on my Facebook page.

If you liked this video, be sure to share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter, and tweet me your questions (@MarkHymanMd). Maybe next week I’ll make a House Call to you!

Wishing you health & happiness,

Mark Hyman, MD

On this week's House Call:

How to Digest Fat without a Gallbladder

Our first question comes from Christina who asks, “I want to incorporate more fats like you recommend, but I don’t have a gallbladder. Do you have any special instructions for someone who doesn’t have a gallbladder?”

Getting Started on Your Health Journey

Our next question comes from Angela who asks, “I’m ready to make a change, but how do I even get started? It seems overwhelming.”

My Recommended Daily Supplements

Our final question comes from Chad who asks, “What vitamins or supplements, if any, should men 40 and older take to reduce cancer risk and optimize health?”

Now I want to hear from you. Do you have tips for digesting fat? How about tips for getting started with a healthy lifestyle? Also, what supplements do you take daily? Comment on my Facebook page.

If you liked this video, be sure to share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter, and tweet me your questions @MarkHymanMD, and maybe next week I’ll make a house call to you.

Wishing you health & happiness,

Mark Hyman, MD