Melatonin has taken center-stage in terms of interest from both the scientific community as well as the general population. And there are really good reasons for all this attention. Recently, with the Covid pandemic, melatonin has been looked upon as a way of "boosting the immune system." We've looked at melatonin for many years as a sleep aid and as a way of dealing with jet lag. We know that melatonin has antioxidant properties and even anti-inflammatory activity as well.

But, all of these ideas and information are ultimately confusing, to say the least. That's why today we're spending time with my good for friend, Dr. Deanna Minich, who has recently authored a terrific paper on this fascinating but confusing subject.. We talk about this paper, why she became interested in this fascinating molecule found in animals as well as plants,, and most importantly, what we can all do to benefit from this exciting new research on our Empowering Neurologist interview.

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0:00 Intro

2:47 Why Melatonin?

4:16 Plant Melatonin

5:45 How the body produces melatonin 

9:18 Vitamin D vs Melatonin 

12:50 Anti-inflammatory Activity 

15:30 Aging & Mitochondria Decline

26:03 Supplementing

35:02 Melatonin Binding to Vitamin D

37:09 Darkness Deficiency 

46:06 Conclusion

====

Deanna Minich, MS, PhD, CNS, Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner (IFMCP), is a nutrition scientist, international lecturer, teacher, and author, with over twenty years of experience in academia and in the food and dietary supplement industries. Throughout the years, she has been active as a functional medicine clinician in clinical trials and in her own practice (Food & Spirit™), which has now become oriented towards groups, workshops, and retreats. She is the author of six consumer books on wellness topics, four book chapters, and fifty scientific publications. Her academic background is in nutrition science, including a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Illinois at Chicago (1995) and a Doctorate (Ph.D.) in Medical Sciences (nutrition focus) from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands (1999). For a decade, she was part of the research team led by the “father of Functional Medicine,” Dr. Jeffrey Bland, and has served on the Nutrition Advisory Board for The Institute of Functional Medicine, as well as on the Board of Directors for the American Nutrition Association. Since 2013, she has been part of the faculty for the Advanced Practice Module in Environmental Health offered by the Institute for Functional Medicine and has been teaching a graduate level course in metabolic detoxification at the University of Western States. Over the decades, she has taught thousands of nutrition classes for health coaches, fitness trainers, and healthcare professionals, including for programs offered by the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. In conjunction with her academic degrees and extensive teaching experience at the university level, she is both a Fellow (FACN) and a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) through the American College of Nutrition. She is Chief Science Officer at Symphony Natural Health, where she leads the medical advisory team, oversees scientific communication, and provide educational leadership for the company’s plant-derived nutraceuticals. She is passionate about helping others to live well using therapeutic lifestyle changes that impact their physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. 

Visit her at: www.deannaminich.com

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We are so often told that one of our fundamental goals in life is to find our “passion” and follow it. If we can identify this goal, we are led to believe, then everything will magically fall into place.

According to Terri Trespicio, our guest on the podcast today, if we are busy looking for our passion we might well miss out on opportunities that may come our way. These opportunities may be related to our work or even our relationships. Terri makes it clear that it’s “OK not to know” as it relates to finding our passion, and that surpasses, if we are available for them, can be very fulfilling.

Many people seem to spend a great deal of time trying to figure out “what they are supposed to do.” But as Terri, quoting her mother counters, “You create life by living it.”

Reading Terri’s new book, UNfollow Your Passion, might well lead the reader to recognize that he or she is letting someone else set the rules for what is their life. And the book helps us understand both how this happens, and importantly, what we can do to put ourselves back in the driver’s seat.

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TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Intro

2:10 Picking a Career Path

6:11 Romantic Partnership 

8:49 Comfort and Discomfort

18:38 The Things that we “Swallow”

23:14 Learning from MLMs

28:45 Tools for Redirection

40:25 Conclusion 

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Terri Trespicio is an award-winning writer, in-demand speaker, and brand advisor whose TEDx talk, “Stop Searching for Your Passion,” has been viewed more than seven million times. She earned her MFA in creative writing from Emerson College and won first place in the Baltimore Review’s 2016 literary contest. Her writing has also been featured in Marie Claire, Jezebel, Business Insider, and others. Visit TerriTrespicio.com for more information.

Instagram: @ttrespicio 

Twitter: @TerriT 

Facebook: @TerriTrespicio

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Who doesn't want to be happier? My good friend Dr. Daniel Amen, in his new book, You Happier, addresses that challenge and gives us meaningful actions to take, right now. Interestingly, Dr. Amen takes a personalized medicine approach to regaining happiness or  at least improving happiness as it were, by demonstrating that what can enhance our happiness is, to some degree, patient specific. Sure, there are the general recommendations with respect to our day-to-day lifestyle choices including nutrition, but Dr. Amen draws upon his vast experience over decades of interactions with patients as well as his evaluation of more than 200,000 brain scans to develop recommendations for individuals that can be even more helpful with respect to achieving a higher degree of satisfaction with life and overall happiness.

Again, the new book is, You Happier, and I think you're very much going to enjoy this interview.

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TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Intro

6:02 Happiness and the Brain 

8:09 Silencing the Noise in your Head

12:15 “More” Doesn’t make you Happier 

15:20 what makes for a happier brain 

26:41 Cultivating a happiness program

32:00 the Cerebellums impact 

36:30 Conclusion 

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DR. DANIEL AMEN: 

Daniel G. Amen, MD, has helped millions of people change their brains and lives. He is the founder of Amen Clinics with nine locations across the United States, a 12-time New York Times bestselling author, and the cohost of The Brain Warrior’s Way Podcast, which he creates with his wife, Tana. He has produced 15 national public television specials about the brain that have aired more than 120,000 times across North America. Dr. Amen believes we can end mental illness by creating a revolution in brain health, and he regularly speaks to businesses, organizations, and churches about how to have a better brain and a better life. He has millions of loyal brain warrior followers on his social media accounts. 

SOCIAL

FB: https://www.facebook.com/drdanielamen

IG: https://www.instagram.com/doc_amen/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DocAmen

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AmenClinic

NEW BOOK: You, Happier

https://danielamenmd.com/you-happier/

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Today we're going to talk about the book, Your Healthiest Healthy, written by Samantha Harris. You can find more information about her down below, but let me tell you about the book and our interview. 

Samantha was basically on top of the world, hosting various television programs and had everything going for her when she developed breast cancer. Initially, the book describes her diagnosis and treatment protocol, and interestingly, how the ultimate plan was put into play based upon her deep involvement in the decision-making process. Thereafter, Samantha began to question why - why was this diagnosis something that entered her life, despite not having a specific genetic predisposition for breast cancer.

She then unpacks her entire array of lifestyle choices and realizes that she has to make fairly dramatic changes in things like the food she consumes, her exposure to various toxins in her home and in the various cosmetics that she used on a daily basis, as well as  her exercise activity, relationships. She deeply explores the notion of gratitude and giving back, specifically in terms of why it is a health choice.

This is an extremely empowering, user-friendly book, for all of us, regardless of our nature as it relates to our health challenges. 

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TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Intro

4:17 Samantha’s Cancer Diagnosis

18:17 Chemo vs Mastectomy 

27:21 Diet’s Impact on Cancer

37:01 Environmental Toxins

49:27 Talking to Kids about Cancer

53:25 Conclusion

====

Millions watched Samantha Harris co-host Dancing with the Stars and Entertainment Tonight and then share her story of her breast cancer diagnosis at age forty. After the initial shock and recovery from a double mastectomy, she sought answers to why it could have happened and ways to improve her overall health.

Now the Emmy-winning journalist, nutrition advocate, certified personal trainer, and mother of two offers her real-world strategies for overcoming adversity and systematically improving one’s total well-being. Your Healthiest Healthy combines her humorous, sometimes harrowing, always inspiring journey with research-backed advice, insights from doctors and scientists, and effective tips into an easy-to-follow, eight-step guide. Her practical advice will empower readers to eat better, work out smarter, reduce toxins around them, master medical awareness, handle health crises, strengthen relationships, boost positivity, and build resiliency. With this complete program, readers can maximize health, energy, and happiness for life.

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Trauma in our lives has lasting effects both in terms of our mental and physical wellbeing. Trauma, and its running partner, shame, affect our metabolism, our immune function, and even our gene expression. Further, trauma accelerates multiple markers of aging.

On the podcast today, I have the opportunity to spend time with Paul Conti, MD, author of the new book, Trauma, the Invisible Epidemic,  with a foreword by Lady Gaga. It’s a powerful look behind the curtain at the role of trauma in our lives, and fortunately, it provides helpful tools, for all of us, to deal with its lingering effects. The book explores trauma both through the lens of Dr. Conti as a professional as well as what has transpired in his own life that led him to explore the importance of this issue. 

I am certain this program will offer benefit and hope to many.

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TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Intro

3:10 Getting to the Root Causes

15:20 Passing on Trauma to Others

27:30 Empowerment & Agency

32:30 the Limbic System

36:20 Trauma in the World Today

42:09 Urgency to Heal

48:56 Conclusion

====

Paul Conti, MD, is a graduate of Stanford University School of Medicine. He completed his

psychiatry training at Stanford and at Harvard, where he was appointed chief resident. He then

served on the medical faculty at Harvard before moving to Portland, Oregon, and founding a

clinic. Dr. Conti serves patients and clients throughout the United States and internationally,

including the executive leadership of large corporations. He is the author of Trauma: The

Invisible Epidemic: How Trauma Works and How We Can Heal From It (Sounds True,

October 5, 2021) and lives in Portland, OR with his wife and two children. For more, see

pacificpremiergroup.com.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-paul-m-conti-845074216/

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Today on the Empowering Neurologist I am delighted to welcome back Dr. Anna Cabeca. Her new book, Menupause, actually present five different dietary approaches for women approaching or during menopause that is specific in terms of a woman's particular set of goals. Whether it's to improve insulin sensitivity, balance immune function, regain control over body fat, or various other goals, Dr. Cabeca has skillfully created these recipes that are truly outstanding. This is a very interesting interview and I'm certain you'll enjoy it. 

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TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Intro

3:35 The MenuPause

9:54 Body Fat & Hormone Functionality

13:26 Weight Loss & Metabolism

17:32 Keto Green Extreme

21:08 Plant Based

27:34 Carbohydrate Pause

31:34 Keto Green Cleanse

36:05 Carb-Centric Diet

38:46 Empowerment for Women

41:55 Conclusion

====

DR. ANNA CABECA:

Dr. Anna Cabeca, DO, OBGYN, FACOG, is triple-board certified and a fellow of gynecology and obstetrics, integrative medicine, and anti-aging and regenerative medicine. She has special certifications in functional medicine, sexual health, and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

For the past 20 years, she’s served 10,000+ women in her private practice— and millions more through her books, online videos and articles. 

When her own health took a troubling turn during menopause, she sought out the wisdom of healers around the world. She learned that modern medicine and time-tested natural remedies are not at odds. Working together, they create indisputable results and true well being. Using delicious, healing foods and simple lifestyle changes, Dr. Anna reclaimed her health and life.

Fueled by her belief that every woman deserves to be empowered and in control of their health and life, she developed the Keto-Green lifestyle, which has helped thousands of women opt out of menopause misery and experience a joyful transition to the next stage of their lives. With her methods, you, too, can breeze through menopause into your “second spring”, feeling the best you ever have.

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Multiple sclerosis (MS), is an auto-immune condition affecting more than 1 million Americans. And like other autoimmune conditions, it it's becoming more prevalent. The role of genetics in MS is not significant. Lifestyle choices however may play important roles in regulating the immune system, and therefore should certainly be looked at as it relates to this and other autoimmune conditions.

My guest today, Dr. Terry Wahls, is herself a multiple sclerosis patient. On the podcast she describes how aggressive her multiple sclerosis became, how she herself did not seem to realize any dramatic improvement from pharmaceutical intervention, and how she ultimately discovered the important role of nutrition in terms of regulating her immune system and as such, the disease course of her multiple sclerosis situation.

Dr. Wahls then took these observations and created programs for other  MS patients, applying rigorous scientific principles to study the effects of nutritional interventions.

Her latest study compares her nutritional protocol with a long-standing nutritional approach to multiple sclerosis called the Swank diet that actually began being utilized in the late 1940s. I will say that the results she has obtained, which we discussed today, are extremely impressive. 

There is certainly good reason to consider the use of pharmaceutical intervention in multiple sclerosis. Nonetheless, that's one intervention that, in my opinion, should certainly be coupled with other proven therapies, like nutrition. Dr. Wahls makes it very clear that there are multiple mechanisms by which this dietary change may prove helpful in the MS patient;  by targeting things like inflammation, the functionality of the gut bacteria, and even the function of mitochondria.

I am certain you will enjoy today's interview. I do want to indicate that you can learn more about Dr. Wahls by reading her book, The Wahls Protocol.

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TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Intro

2:20 Dr. Wahls Struggle with MS

14:46 Her Successful Treatment 

27:00 Study of Impact of Diet on MS

47:10 The Wahls Protocol

54:00 Conclusion

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Dr. Terry Wahls is an Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner and a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Iowa where she conducts clinical trials.  In 2018 she was awarded the Institute for Functional Medicine’s Linus Pauling Award for her contributions in research, clinical care and patient advocacy. She is also a patient with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, which confined her to a tilt-recline wheelchair for four years. Dr. Wahls restored her health using a diet and lifestyle program she designed specifically for her brain and now pedals her bike to work each day. She is the author of The Wahls Protocol: A Radical New Way to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions Using Paleo Principles, and the cookbook, The Wahls Protocol Cooking for Life. Learn more about her MS clinical trials https://wahls.lab.uiowa.edu/. Pick up a one-page handout for the Wahls™ Diet at https://terrywahls.com/diet/

https://www.facebook.com/TerryWahls/ 

https://www.instagram.com/drterrywahls/ 

https://twitter.com/terrywahls 

https://youtube.com/c/terrywahlsmd 

Wahls Research Lab (to learn about current clinical research studies that Dr. Wahls is conducting)

https://wahls.lab.uiowa.edu/ 

Defying All Odds Movie (documentary about Dr. Wahls' healing journey and research)

http://defyingalloddsmovie.com/ 

5 Day Challenge:

Conquer your autoimmune condition

Creating your healing journey

A free five day challenge that is conducted periodically for the public.

https://terrywahls.com/5daychallenge/

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We are hearing so much these days about the benefit of a ketogenic diet. But while there may be benefits, it's not necessarily the easiest diet for everyone to engage. Further, staying in ketosis for an extended period of time may actually be associated with some fairly significant threats to our health.

Today I'm speaking with Dr. Steven Gundry about his new book, Unlocking the Keto Code. I have to admit that at first, I thought this was going to be another way of engaging the ketogenic diet. But I soon learned that what this book is actually focused on is first, unraveling why a ketogenic diet is beneficial, and secondly, after the reader understands the importance of the mechanisms underlying the ketogenic diet, it provides them the tools for bringing these mechanisms online without specifically going into ketosis.

That certainly sounds like a home run. The book focuses on the notion of "uncoupling mitochondria." This basically means that fuel is wasted as opposed to being utilized. It's a way of actually reducing the efficiency of mitochondrial function to bring about positive health benefits. I know this sounds challenging, and I agree that it is. Nonetheless, Dr. Gundry has done an exceptional job in terms of making this information clear and understandable. 

This is a wonderful new book and I believe it's certainly going to dramatically change the playing field moving forward as it brings to our attention not just the benefits of the ketogenic diet, but the value of things like cold exposure, heat exposure, consuming polyphenols, and a variety of other health supportive modalities

====

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Intro

4:00 Unlocking the Keto Code

14:40 Achieving Keto without the Keto

27:07 7 Keys to Ketones

55:00 Conclusion

====

Dr. Gundry is one of the world’s top cardiothoracic surgeons and a pioneer in nutrition, as well as medical director at The International Heart and Lung Institute Center for Restorative Medicine.  He is author of many New York times bestselling books including The Plant Paradox, and The Plant Paradox Cookbook, and The Longevity Paradox: How to Die Young at a Ripe Old Age and The Energy Paradox: What to Do When Your Get-Up-and-Go  Has Got Up and Gone. His new book Unlocking the Keto Code was recently published, and offers a new take on the keto diet that debunks common myths and shows readers how to reap the rewards of keto with less restriction. 

https://drgundry.com/

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One of the most important levers we can pull as it relates to improving our brain function currently as well as paving the way for a healthier brain in the years to come is choose to eat foods that nurture the brain. My guest today on the Empowering Neurologist, Max Lugavere, has been deeply involved in exploring food as brain medicine for many years. Let me tell you a little bit more about him.

Max Lugavere is a filmmaker, health and science journalist and the author of the New York Times best-seller Genius Foods: Become Smarter, Happier, and More Productive While Protecting Your Brain for Life, published in 8 languages around the globe. He is also the host of the #1 iTunes health podcast The Genius Life.

Lugavere appears regularly on nationally syndicated programs Rachael Ray Show, and The Doctors. He has contributed to Medscape, Vice, Fast Company, CNN, and the Daily Beast, has been featured on NBC Nightly News, The Today Show, and in The New York Times and People Magazine. He is an internationally sought-after speaker and has given talks at South by Southwest, TEDx, the New York Academy of Sciences, the Biohacker Summit in Stockholm, Sweden, and many others.

Max is a thought leader and citizen scientist doing a terrific job exploring how lifestyle choices play out in terms of charting the brain’s destiny. And today we discuss his wonderful new book, The Genius Kitchen.

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0:00 Intro

3:50 Max’s Journey to Brain Health

11:10 Foods that Support the Brain

20:30 Foods & Satiation

30:33 Sodium

37:44 Eggs: A Cognitive Multivitamin

43:05 Prescribing Diet & Exercise 

59:00 Conclusion

====

Max Lugavere is a filmmaker, health and science journalist and the author of the New York Times best-seller Genius Foods: Become Smarter, Happier, and More Productive While Protecting Your Brain for Life, published in 8 languages around the globe. He is also the host of the #1 iTunes health podcast The Genius Life.

Lugavere appears regularly on the Dr. Oz Show, the Rachael Ray Show, and The Doctors. He has contributed to Medscape, Vice, Fast Company, CNN, and the Daily Beast, has been featured on NBC Nightly News, The Today Show, and in The New York Times and People Magazine. He is an internationally sought-after speaker and has given talks at South by Southwest, TEDx, the New York Academy of Sciences, the Biohacker Summit in Stockholm, Sweden, and many others.

https://geniuskitchenbook.com/

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