Dr. Austin Perlmutter is a board-certified internal medicine physician and New York Times best-selling author of the book Brain Wash. He has a special interest in helping patients understand their decisions and behavior as it relates to improving their health. Understanding unconscious habits and how the brain processes our environment is pivotal when it comes to helping patients and guiding their treatment – especially as many of us are making New Year’s resolutions.

In today’s episode, Dr. Perlmutter explains the ‘why’ behind our unhealthy decision-making and offers some strategies to change our behavior.

Today on The Lab Report:

• 2:40 Meet Dr. Perlmutter and learn about his focus on the brain
• 6:40 Prioritizing what’s good for us – knowledge, willpower, and blame
• 10:40 Freedom of choice and unconscious habits
• 15:30 Breaking the cycle of bad habits for the New Year
• 18:55 The effect of social media and news distractions
• 22:30 Protecting our brain – Brain Wash
• 27:45 The immune system beyond infectious disease
• 32:25 The Fireball

Additional Resources:

Brain Wash: Detox Your Mind for Clearer Thinking, Deeper Relationships, and Lasting Happiness

The Modern Brain - Psychology Today

drperlmutter.com

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Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode of The Lab Report, presented by Genova Diagnostics, with your hosts Michael Chapman and Patti Devers. If you enjoyed this episode, please hit the subscribe button and give us a rating or leave a review.

Don’t forget to visit our website, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Email Patti and Michael with your most interesting and pressing questions on functional medicine: [email protected].

And, be sure to share your favorite Lab Report episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media to help others learn more about Genova and all things related to functional medicine and specialty lab testing.

Disclaimer: The content and information shared in The Lab Report is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in The Lab Report represent the opinions and views of Michael Chapman and Patti Devers and their guests.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We tend to lean on traditions during the holiday season. As they are handed down through the generations, their origins are often forgotten. Not only do traditions offer comfort and help to unify us, but many also have important health benefits.

Today we have some fun with the origins of several holiday traditions and weave in their clinical significance. Make sure to stay tuned for a special Genova version of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas!

Today on The Lab Report:

• 2:50 Mistletoe – antioxidants and smoochie smoochie
• 5:00 Pine, conifers, and evil spirits
• 7:35 Peppermint candy canes and carminatives
• 10:35 Checking in with the UK – Oliver’s fear of figgy pudding
• 14:40 Gingerbread houses made from the super-herb
• 17:40 Gift-giving and ‘Off the Cuff’ with the Medical Affairs team
• 24:55 ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas ???????

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Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode of The Lab Report, presented by Genova Diagnostics, with your hosts Michael Chapman and Patti Devers. If you enjoyed this episode, please hit the subscribe button and give us a rating or leave a review.

Don’t forget to visit our website, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Email Patti and Michael with your most interesting and pressing questions on functional medicine: [email protected].

And, be sure to share your favorite Lab Report episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media to help others learn more about Genova and all things related to functional medicine and specialty lab testing.

Disclaimer: The content and information shared in The Lab Report is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in The Lab Report represent the opinions and views of Michael Chapman and Patti Devers and their guests.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin with important physiologic effects. Unlike other vitamins that must be obtained from the diet, vitamin D can also be produced in the skin from sunlight. The health implications of vitamin D have been widely studied and some of these effects might surprise you.  

In today’s episode, we describe how vitamin D is metabolized and why it is clinically important in the body. We also discuss supplementation and the confusion around optimal levels.

Today on The Lab Report:

• 2:45 Let’s define some terms!
• 5:10 Metabolism and activation of vitamin D
• 6:30 Difference between vitamin D₂ and D₃
• 8:50 The role of sunlight
• 10:00 VDRs, calcium homeostasis, and immunity
• 14:50 Vitamin D in glucose metabolism and effects in the brain
• 17:30 What are optimal levels?
• 20:45 Question of the Day:
  • Can you get too much vitamin D?

Subscribe, Rate, & Review The Lab Report

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode of The Lab Report, presented by Genova Diagnostics, with your hosts Michael Chapman and Patti Devers. If you enjoyed this episode, please hit the subscribe button and give us a rating or leave a review.

Don’t forget to visit our website, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Email Patti and Michael with your most interesting and pressing questions on functional medicine: [email protected].

And, be sure to share your favorite Lab Report episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media to help others learn more about Genova and all things related to functional medicine and specialty lab testing.

Disclaimer: The content and information shared in The Lab Report is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in The Lab Report represent the opinions and views of Michael Chapman and Patti Devers and their guests.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In functional medicine, we often discuss behavioral change. But this can be difficult since many of us don’t like to be pushed out of our comfort zone. Dr. Alex Hutchinson is a physicist, endurance athlete, and author who writes about the perception of limits. How much of our physical limitations are real? Is it possible our minds are the actual limiting factor?

In today’s episode, Alex discusses his work on the human body’s capacity to endure. We talk about pain’s role in setting limits, and the psychology of pushing beyond what we think is possible.

Today on The Lab Report:

• 2:50 Meet Dr. Alex Hutchinson - from physics to journalism
• 7:45 Why is it so hard to be pushed out of our comfort zone?
• 10:00 Physical vs. mental limitations and the role of pain
• 15:30 Practical tips to understand and set limits
• 22:30 Nature vs. nurture
• 25:20 Malcolm Gladwell
• 28:00 The Fireball

Additional Resources:

ENDURE

Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights?

Big Ideas: 100 Modern Inventions That Have Transformed Our World

Sweat Science

Jockology

Subscribe, Rate, & Review The Lab Report

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode of The Lab Report, presented by Genova Diagnostics, with your hosts Michael Chapman and Patti Devers. If you enjoyed this episode, please hit the subscribe button and give us a rating or leave a review.

Don’t forget to visit our website, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Email Patti and Michael with your most interesting and pressing questions on functional medicine: [email protected].

And, be sure to share your favorite Lab Report episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media to help others learn more about Genova and all things related to functional medicine and specialty lab testing.

Disclaimer: The content and information shared in The Lab Report is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in The Lab Report represent the opinions and views of Michael Chapman and Patti Devers and their guests.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amino acids are the building blocks of life. They can be categorized as being essential or nonessential. Essential amino acids must come from the diet, while nonessential amino acids can be made in the body. Of the essential amino acids, there is a subgroup called the ‘branched chain amino acids (BCAAs).’ There are three BCAAs: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. These three amino acids have different molecular structures and important metabolic activity.

In this episode, we discuss the clinical importance of BCAA and how to interpret BCAA levels in context with organic acids.

Today on The Lab Report:

• 2:50 Let’s Define Some Terms!
• 5:10 The unique metabolism of BCAAs
• 6:30 BCAAs effects on the brain, muscle, and insulin resistance
• 12:30 What do we think we know?
  • BCAAs and immunity
• 16:10 Measuring and interpreting amino acid patterns
• 17:55 Relating BCAA levels to urinary organic acids
• 21:00 Logical Speculation: Urinary alpha-keto acids and ketosis

Additional Resources:

NutrEval

Metabolomix +

Subscribe, Rate, & Review The Lab Report

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode of The Lab Report, presented by Genova Diagnostics, with your hosts Michael Chapman and Patti Devers. If you enjoyed this episode, please hit the subscribe button and give us a rating or leave a review.

Don’t forget to visit our website, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Email Patti and Michael with your most interesting and pressing questions on functional medicine: [email protected].

And, be sure to share your favorite Lab Report episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media to help others learn more about Genova and all things related to functional medicine and specialty lab testing.

Disclaimer: The content and information shared in The Lab Report is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in The Lab Report represent the opinions and views of Michael Chapman and Patti Devers and their guests.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many of us know insulin as the hormone that regulates our blood sugar. We often think of its role in diabetes. However, insulin affects far more than glucose. Dr. Ben Bikman is a PhD researcher who has been studying insulin for many years. His latest book, Why We Get Sick, outlines how insulin resistance is at the root of chronic disease and ways to treat and prevent it.

In this episode, we speak to Dr. Bikman about the mechanisms of insulin resistance, its far-reaching effects in chronic disease, and strategies to improve it.

Today on The Lab Report:

• 2:20 Meet Dr. Bikman and learn why he focuses his research on insulin
• 8:35 Insulin and insulin resistance  
• 13:55 Where in the body does insulin resistance start?
• 18:25 Hypertrophic vs. hyperplastic fat cells and the effects of free fatty acids
• 26:35 Signals that create hypertrophic vs. hyperplastic fat cells
• 28:45 Muscle-centric model of insulin resistance
• 32:15 Chronic diseases as they relate to insulin resistance
• 35:50 Aromatase activity in adipose tissue
• 37:25 The brain and Alzheimer’s disease as ‘type 3 diabetes’?
• 41:50 Fasting, ketosis, and lifestyle strategies to combat insulin resistance
• 47:35 COVID-19, immunity, and metabolic defenses
• 50:40 The Fireball

Additional Resources:

Why We Get Sick

Ceremides as modulators of cellular and whole-body metabolism

Adipose Tissue as an Endocrine Organ

Ketones Elicit Distinct Alterations in Adipose Mitochondrial Bioenergetics

Subscribe, Rate, & Review The Lab Report

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode of The Lab Report, presented by Genova Diagnostics, with your hosts Michael Chapman and Patti Devers. If you enjoyed this episode, please hit the subscribe button and give us a rating or leave a review.

Don’t forget to visit our website, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Email Patti and Michael with your most interesting and pressing questions on functional medicine: [email protected].

And, be sure to share your favorite Lab Report episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media to help others learn more about Genova and all things related to functional medicine and specialty lab testing.

Disclaimer: The content and information shared in The Lab Report is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in The Lab Report represent the opinions and views of Michael Chapman and Patti Devers and their guests.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the corporate world, the concept of mindfulness is not a priority. Multi-tasking, competition, and success are major drivers day-to-day. Pandit Dasa, a former monk, is an author and international speaker who teaches the concepts of appreciation and mindfulness to corporations to cultivate stronger relationships and teamwork. With more of us working remotely, this can be challenging. His simple advice is changing the culture of not only the workplace but the quality of interpersonal relationships at home.

In today’s episode, Pandit Dasa discusses his life in the monastery, strategies to foster appreciation amongst co-workers, and ways to be mindful in a tech-filled world.

Today on The Lab Report:

• 3:55 Pandit Dasa discusses his life in an NYC monastery
• 13:05 Cultivating teamwork in the workplace
• 16:05 Keeping connected while working remotely
• 18:25 Closing the Apps in our brain
• 20:55 The myth of multi-tasking
• 24:30 Dealing with social media and tech distraction
• 26:55 Mindfulness techniques and gratitude

Additional Resources:

Pandit's website

Closing the Apps

Urban Monk

Subscribe, Rate, & Review The Lab Report

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode of The Lab Report, presented by Genova Diagnostics, with your hosts Michael Chapman and Patti Devers. If you enjoyed this episode, please hit the subscribe button and give us a rating or leave a review.

Don’t forget to visit our website, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Email Patti and Michael with your most interesting and pressing questions on functional medicine: [email protected].

And, be sure to share your favorite Lab Report episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media to help others learn more about Genova and all things related to functional medicine and specialty lab testing.

Disclaimer: The content and information shared in The Lab Report is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in The Lab Report represent the opinions and views of Michael Chapman and Patti Devers and their guests.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our bodies contain an inner clock that helps to regulate hormones and biochemistry. This clock is referred to as the circadian rhythm. The fine timing of this biological rhythm requires signaling from light. With the change in seasons, many of us feel the systemic effects of less daylight in various ways, one of which is altered mood. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that correlates with seasonal patterns.

In today’s episode, we discuss the biochemistry of how light regulates the circadian rhythm, the etiologies of seasonal affective disorder, and various treatment strategies which have been used to improve symptoms.

Today on The Lab Report:

• 2:15 The circadian rhythm and chronobiology – defining terms
• 5:00 Light signals and hormonal regulation of the biological clock
• 7:25 Health implications of seasonal change
• 9:30 Seasonal Affective Disorder
• 13:45 Vitamin D – What does it do?
• 18:10 Therapeutics and interventions
• 21:00 Question of the Day:
  • Can seasonal affective disorder happen in the summer?

Subscribe, Rate, & Review The Lab Report

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode of The Lab Report, presented by Genova Diagnostics, with your hosts Michael Chapman and Patti Devers. If you enjoyed this episode, please hit the subscribe button and give us a rating or leave a review.

Don’t forget to visit our website, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Email Patti and Michael with your most interesting and pressing questions on functional medicine: [email protected].

And, be sure to share your favorite Lab Report episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media to help others learn more about Genova and all things related to functional medicine and specialty lab testing.

Disclaimer: The content and information shared in The Lab Report is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in The Lab Report represent the opinions and views of Michael Chapman and Patti Devers and their guests.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thanksgiving is a time to be mindful and reflect on our many blessings. During the holiday, many of us enjoy dinner with family and friends without stopping to consider the nutritional aspects of traditional dishes. Today, we discuss the important biochemical and nutritional benefits of Thanksgiving dinner items. We also talk about dealing with the stress of the holidays and the many reasons we are grateful.

Today on The Lab Report:

• 3:30 Turkey and tryptophan – is it a thing?
• 5:15 Cranberry sauce apologetics
• 7:45 Potatoes! - and the microbiome
• 10:35 Green bean casserole, (fake) mushrooms, and onions
• 13:15 Hollandaise sauce? Gravy? Stuffing? Ummm…moving on
• 14:10 Pumpkin is a fruit
• 15:20 Moderation and modifying your dinner
• 16:15 Movement and mindfulness
• 19:20 Gratitude and community – Patti & Michael give thanks

Additional Resources:

Michael's Famous Green Bean Casserole?

Subscribe, Rate, & Review The Lab Report

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode of The Lab Report, presented by Genova Diagnostics, with your hosts Michael Chapman and Patti Devers. If you enjoyed this episode, please hit the subscribe button and give us a rating or leave a review.

Don’t forget to visit our website, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Email Patti and Michael with your most interesting and pressing questions on functional medicine: [email protected].

And, be sure to share your favorite Lab Report episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media to help others learn more about Genova and all things related to functional medicine and specialty lab testing.

Disclaimer: The content and information shared in The Lab Report is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in The Lab Report represent the opinions and views of Michael Chapman and Patti Devers and their guests.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Behavioral change is at the root of functional medicine as it relates to diet and lifestyle. Often patients struggle between office visits and need ongoing guidance and encouragement. Dr. Sandra Scheinbaum recognized the need to bridge this gap. After many years as a clinical psychologist, she pivoted her career to found the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy in association with the Institute for Functional Medicine.

On today’s episode, we learn about health coaches and why they are an integral missing piece when it comes to ensuring success on the path to optimal wellness.

Today on The Lab Report:

• 2:30 Meet Dr. Sandra Scheinbaum and hear about her career path
• 9:00 What does a health coach do and why are they important?  
• 16:20 Health coaching during the pandemic
• 18:55 Positive psychology and training coaches
• 22:45 Focusing on personal character strengths
• 24:40 The Functional Medicine Coaching Academy
• 25:05 Basic skills to deal with panic attacks
• 28:50 The Fireball

Additional Resources:

The Functional Medicine Coaching Academy

Functional Medicine Coaching: How to Be Part of the Movement That's Transforming Healthcare

Functional Medicine Coaching: Stories from the Movement That's Transforming Healthcare

Stop Panic Attacks in 10 Easy Steps

How to Give Clients the Skills to Stop Panic Attacks: Don't Forget to Breathe

Subscribe, Rate, & Review The Lab Report

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode of The Lab Report, presented by Genova Diagnostics, with your hosts Michael Chapman and Patti Devers. If you enjoyed this episode, please hit the subscribe button and give us a rating or leave a review.

Don’t forget to visit our website, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Email Patti and Michael with your most interesting and pressing questions on functional medicine: [email protected].

And, be sure to share your favorite Lab Report episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media to help others learn more about Genova and all things related to functional medicine and specialty lab testing.

Disclaimer: The content and information shared in The Lab Report is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in The Lab Report represent the opinions and views of Michael Chapman and Patti Devers and their guests.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.