Natural Medicine Journal Podcast

As our understanding of the connection between the gut microbiome and illness continues to expand, it’s not surprising to learn that the thyroid gland is also involved. In this episode, host Karolyn A. Gazella talks to thyroid health expert Angela Mazza, DO, ABAARM, FAAMFM, ECNU, about how the gut-thyroid axis can be influenced to help heal thyroid health issues. Dr Mazza is a highly regarded thyroid specialist who utilizes a comprehensive, integrative approach to treating complex thyroid issues.

About the Expert Angela D. Mazza, DO, ABAARM, FAAMFM, ECNU, is triple board-certified and a renowned thyroid specialist. She is founder of the Metabolic Center for Wellness in Oviedo, FL, the only center in Central Florida offering radiofrequency ablation procedures. Highly regarded for her individualized approach to patient care, Dr. Mazza empowers each person to achieve their unique goals through targeted interventions and lifestyle management. Dr. Mazza believes that hormonal changes that happen in women and men as they age play a huge part in their overall health, longevity, and quality of life. Her passion is helping her patients achieve metabolic as well as hormonal balance. Dr. Mazza is author of Thyroid Talk: An Integrative Guide to Thyroid Health and hosts the podcast “Thyroid Talk with Dr. Angela Mazza.”

Arrhythmias are on the rise, coinciding with an increase in stroke cases. In this interview, Karolyn A. Gazella talks with conventionally trained cardiologist Benjamin Remo, MD, who also recently completed a fellowship in integrative medicine. Dr Remo is a cardiologist with CHRISTUS Health in New Mexico and employs a more holistic approach to treating arrhythmias.

About the Author

Benjamin Remo, MD, is a cardiologist and electrophysiologist with the Lovelace Health System in Albuquerque, NM, and CHRISTUS Health in Santa Fe, NM. Dr Remo received his medical degree from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. He completed his internal medicine residency and cardiology fellowship at the New York University School of Medicine, followed by a fellowship in electrophysiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. More recently, he completed a fellowship in integrative medicine at the University of Arizona Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine.

Maca extract has become a popular herb as scientific research continues to substantiate its traditional uses. On this podcast, respected nutrition scientist and educator Deanna Minich, PhD, provides a detailed profile of maca root including a research overview, as well as clinical advice about choosing the highest quality extract. Minich is a sought-after industry consultant and has been an educator with the Institute for Functional Medicine for nearly 12 years.

About the Expert

Deanna Minich, MS, PhD, CNS, IFMCP, is a nutrition scientist and Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner. She serves as Chief Science Officer at Symphony Natural Health and has over 20 years of experience in academia, clinical practice, and the dietary supplement industry. Minich has authored 6 wellness books and more than 50 scientific publications. She also lectures internationally and teaches at multiple institutions, focusing on transforming lives through nutrition and lifestyle.

Treating brain cancers such as glioblastoma can be complex as many of these cancers are difficult to treat and deadly. Soma Sengupta, MD, PhD, MBA, is an accomplished physician-scientist who specializes in brain tumor treatment and research. During this interview, she talks about her innovative research work, including the use of art and music therapy.   About the Author Soma Sengupta, MD, PhD, MBA, is a professor of neurology and vice chair of neurosurgery research at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She completed her PhD and medical degree at the University of Cambridge, with fellowship training in neuro-oncology and integrative medicine. A physician-scientist with over 90 publications, she is also a creative writer and patient advocate. Dr. Sengupta recently earned an MBA from the University of Cincinnati.

In this interview, Karolyn A. Gazella explores the topic of clinical empathy with integrative internal medicine physician David Cannon, MD. Dr Cannon discusses the research associated with empathy in the healthcare setting and describes ways that clinicians can cultivate more connection with patients to create a more enhanced empathetic environment. Dr Cannon is a physician with Privia Health in Lynchburg, VA. 

About the Expert 

David Cannon, MD, earned his undergraduate and medical degrees from Duke University, followed by postgraduate training in Primary Care Internal Medicine at the University of Virginia. After two years of active duty in the US Navy, he joined a growing multispecialty practice in Lynchburg, VA. Dr Cannon completed an Integrative Medicine fellowship at the University of Arizona in 2005. He enjoys running, vegetarian cooking, woodworking, and exploring the many dimensions of healing. He is married with 3 children.

Can the gut microbiome help determine how resilient a person is? New research sheds light on this fascinating topic. Arpana Church, PhD, who is a neuroscientist at UCLA’s Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center, and her colleagues set out to explore the complex interaction between the gut microbiome and stress resilience. In this interview, Church describes the research and future implications.

About the Expert

Arpana Church, PhD (née Gupta), is a leading figure in medical research on brain-gut-microbiome interactions and stress-related diseases like obesity. With a PhD in psychology and a clinical internship from Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical Center, her research aims to integrate brain and gut systems to understand obesity mechanisms and related behaviors. Funded by NIH, including recent grants from NIMHD and NIA, Church has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles and is featured in the Netflix documentary "Hack Your Health: Secrets of the Gut." Her work explores novel pathways in the brain-gut-microbiome system, socio-cultural stress impacts, and interventions for obesity.

Did you miss this year’s American Association of Naturopathic Physicians Convention? In this interview, Karolyn talks with the organization’s president Kasra Pournadeali, ND, FACN, about the mission/vision of the organization, conference highlights, and future directions. In addition to being the AANP President, Pournadeali is the director of the Northwest Center for Optimal Health and on the faculty of Bastyr University.   About the Expert Kasra Pournadeali, ND, FACN, is the founder and director of the Northwest Center for Optimal Health, a primary care residency training facility in Washington State. With over 30 years as a healthcare provider and more than 20 years as a practicing physician, he has been a faculty member at Bastyr University since 1999. Pournadeali serves on the boards of the ACCME-Accredited Foundation for Care Management and the Integrative Health Care Practitioner Consortium. An expert in naturopathic cardiology, insurance coding, and practice management, he has made numerous media appearances and published extensively. Listen to his radio show, Sound Living with the Doctors, Thursdays at 4 PM PST on FM 90.7, FM 89.9, or online at www.kser.org. For more information, visit www.ncoh.net.

Sponsored by Pure Encapsulations   Americans are living longer, and the number of older adults is growing. Integrative medicine has a lot to offer patients who are interested in healthy aging. In this interview, longevity expert and endocrinologist Angela D. Mazza, DO, ABAARM, FAAMFM, ECNU, discusses her integrative approach to healthy aging. Mazza is triple board-certified, a renowned thyroid specialist, and the founder of the Metabolic Center for Wellness in Oviedo, FL.   About the Expert

Angela D. Mazza, DO, ABAARM, FAAMFM, ECNU is triple board-certified and a renowned thyroid specialist. She is founder of the Metabolic Center for Wellness in Oviedo, FL, the only center in Central Florida offering radiofrequency ablation procedures. Highly regarded for her individualized approach to patient care, Mazza empowers each person to achieve their unique goals through targeted interventions and lifestyle management. Mazza believes that hormonal changes that happen in women and men as they age play a huge part in their overall health, longevity, and quality of life. Her passion is helping her patients achieve metabolic as well as hormonal balance. Mazza is the author of Thyroid Talk: An Integrative Guide to Thyroid Health and hosts the podcast “Thyroid Talk with Dr. Angela Mazza.”

About the Sponsor

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An NIH study from last year found that new cases of chronic pain in the United States occur more often than new cases of many other common serious conditions like diabetes, depression, and high blood pressure. What’s more, among people with chronic pain, nearly two-thirds are still suffering a year later. Naturopathic clinician Timothy Schwaiger, ND, utilizes a comprehensive, integrative approach to treat and heal chronic pain. In this interview, he discusses diet, lifestyle, dietary supplements, and other integrative interventions he has found to be successful that are also backed by evidence-informed research. Dr. Schwaiger is currently the Chief Medical Director and Executive Director of Clinical Operations at Bastyr University.

About the Expert

Timothy Schwaiger, ND, MA, received his naturopathic degree from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, Arizona, and completed a two-year residency there in Family Medicine. He has a master of arts degree from Webster University in Health Care Management. Schwaiger currently serves as chief medical director, executive director of clinical operations, and professor of naturopathic medicine at Bastyr University. There, he provides vision and direction and is responsible for developing a strategic plan that fosters excellent student learning opportunities, an enriching practice environment for private practitioners, compassionate patient scheduling approaches, and effective and efficient retail operations.

What’s new with menopausal hormone therapy (MHT)? Karolyn talks with integrative women’s health expert Tori Hudson, ND, about the efficacy and safety of hormone therapy for the treatment of menopausal symptoms. They also discuss new hormone-free drugs that are now available, as well as natural measures to manage symptoms. Dr. Hudson is a pioneering women’s health expert and an accomplished author, professor, and clinician.

About the Expert

Tori Hudson, ND, graduated from the National University of Naturopathic Medicine (NUNM) in 1984 and has served the college in several capacities. She is currently a clinical professor at NUNM, Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, and Bastyr University. Hudson is the medical director of A Woman’s Time in Portland, Oregon, and director of product research and education for VITANICA. She is the founder and codirector of Naturopathic Education and Research Consortium (NERC), a nonprofit organization for accredited naturopathic residencies. Hudson is a faculty member of the Fellowship in Integrative Health & Medicine, Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine. Dr. Hudson is a nationally recognized author and her latest book is The Menopause Companion (2023).