Pathways to Well-Being

Mast cell activation disorders may present as episodic inflammatory symptoms that come and go over time making them difficult to diagnose. These fluctuating symptom patterns include allergic-type responses and non-specific symptoms ranging across the cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal, dermatologic, and respiratory systems. Chronic diseases and lifestyle choices may influence mast cell dysregulation and overall immune system activation. Identifying potential antecedents and triggers of mast cell activation is an important clinical step for determining the impact of this activation on a patient’s medical condition and for developing a treatment plan that supports both structural integrity and a healthy immune response. On this episode of Pathways to Well-Being, we welcome a pioneer in mast cell disease research, Dr. Lawrence B. Afrin to discuss recent advances in the literature and provide new insights on treating this complex disorder.

Click here to view episode transcript: https://www.ifm.org/news-insights/root-causes-treatment-of-mast-cell-disease/

Functional medicine continues to equip healthcare providers with the latest tools, technology, and research to innovate patient care and enhance clinical outcomes. Throughout 2022, we’ve had our finger on the pulse of several prominent topics in the research literature such as mast cell activation syndromes, new research on dementia prevention, diabetes remission, and a perennial favorite, the gut microbiome. A systems-based approach to health and disease is being increasingly acknowledged, with modifiable lifestyle factors taking a central role in cultivating the health outcomes we seek for our patients. On this episode of Pathways to Well-Being, we’re recapping the functional medicine year in review with IFM’s Director of Medical Education Dan Lukaczer, ND, IFMCP, and the Director of Medical Education Initiatives Robert Luby, MD, IFMCP. They will discuss the clinical advances and clinical pearls gleaned from this calendar year, explore the state of research for trending topics in medicine, and shine light on new ways to enhance health, healing, and hope going forward.

Click here to view episode transcript: https://www.ifm.org/news-insights/the-2022-functional-medicine-year-in-review/

As life expectancy increases around the world, so too are the rates of dementia and cognitive decline. These conditions may be a major concern for some patients, especially those with a family history or increased genetic risk for neurodegenerative disease. Multi-pronged lifestyle interventions including nutrition and exercise offer hope for the prevention and delay of cognitive decline by reducing neuroinflammation and improving brain plasticity. On this episode of Pathways to Well-Being, we welcome Dr. David Haase to discuss the precursors to cognitive decline, how to address neurodegeneration, and support patient’s brain health long-term.

Click here to view episode transcript: https://www.ifm.org/news-insights/addressing-the-root-causes-of-cognitive-decline-and-dementia/

Conventional mainstays of cancer treatment may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and targeted therapy, but these approaches may not be as effective as standalone treatments. Supporting cancer patients with complementary lifestyle-based interventions such as nutrition, exercise, and mind-body therapies, may help reduce the side effects of cancer treatment and improve outcomes. On this episode of Pathways to Well-Being, Dr. Aisha Chilcoat is joining us to discuss functional medicine approaches to oncology and how to support cancer patients during and after their treatment.

Click here to view episode transcript: https://www.ifm.org/news-insights/functional-medicine-approaches-to-cancer-care/

Communication between the gut and the brain is bidirectional and researchers continue to study whether brain and behavioral alterations seen in some mental health and neurological conditions are the result of intestinal dysbiosis or vice versa. This research had opened up therapeutic possibilities for targeting the microbiome to support overall mental and physical health. On this episode of Pathways to Well-Being, Dr. Holly Lucille joins us to discuss the concept of psychobiotics—beneficial probiotic bacteria in the gut that may improve health along the gut-brain axis as well as mental health outcomes.

Click here to view episode transcript: https://www.ifm.org/news-insights/psychobiotics-therapeutic-potential-for-modulating-the-gut-brain-axis/

A new article published in Integrative Medicine: A Clinician’s Journal (IMCJ) expands on the connections between lifestyle, behavior, and disease, and proposes that a lack of connection to our authentic selves is a major obstacle on the journey towards healing. On this episode of Pathways to Well-Being, we welcome four of the article’s contributing authors, Drs. David Jones, Deanna Minich, Joseph Lamb, and Michael Stone, to discuss the importance of the therapeutic partnership and its role in helping patients sustain lifestyle change.

To view the transcript for this episode, click here: https://www.ifm.org/news-insights/the-healing-journey-connecting-to-authentic-self/.

Pathways to Well-Being podcast edisode with Brandilyn Binstock, ND, and Briana Aspy, PA on utilitizing IFM’s clinical toolkit in practice.

To view the transcript for this episode, click here: https://www.ifm.org/news-insights/streamlining-care-with-ifms-toolkit-resources/.

On this episode of Pathways to Well-Being, we welcome Dr. Mark Holthouse to discuss male hormone imbalances and how they affect men’s sexual health and function. We’ll explore the potential antecedents and mediators related to male infertility and erectile dysfunction and discuss how dietary interventions including fasting and aromatase-inhibiting foods can help naturally bring the body back into balance.

To view the transcript for this episode, click here: https://www.ifm.org/news-insights/fasting-hormones-and-mens-sexual-health/.

On this episode of Pathways to Well-Being, Dr. Shilpa P. Saxena joins the conversation to explore the concept of evidence-based practice and how the functional medicine approach is designed to support innovations in clinical care. She’ll also discuss how we can collect practice data and leverage that knowledge to increase practice efficiency and streamline effective patient care. Dr. Saxena will be presenting at the upcoming Annual International Conference, where she will be speaking on the topic of practice data analytics.

To view the transcript for this episode, click here: https://www.ifm.org/news-insights/utilizing-patient-data-in-your-functional-medicine-practice/.

Conducting research into the effectiveness of the functional medicine model requires overcoming some barriers, including the inherent difficulty of studying multimodal treatment strategies in randomized controlled studies. Even so, such research is critical to improving access to functional medicine care for all. On this episode of Pathways to Well-Being, we discuss the efforts undertaken by the research team at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine to build a robust functional medicine evidence base. Michelle Beidelschies, PhD, and Nazleen Bharmal, MD, PhD, join us to discuss not only their most recent study on the benefits of shared medical appointments and lifestyle-related interventions in an under-resourced community, but also to share how their studies from the past, present, and future aim to highlight the feasibility, value, and effectiveness of the functional medicine model of care.

To view the transcript for this episode, click here: https://www.ifm.org/news-insights/building-the-functional-medicine-evidence-base/ .