In Episode 004 of the Wisdom and Well Being Podcast I share a conversation with my colleague and close friend Dr. Stephan Guyenet PhD. As you will here in the introduction, Stephan was one of the first individuals with whom I was able to connect during my early exploration of ancestral health. After a few short emails, I soon discovered that Stephan’s father was actually a professor in my very own medical school and I would later go on to learn cardiovascular physiology and pharmacology from his kind and brilliant dad. I am indeed indebted to the entire Guyenet family for many aspects of my health education and am so grateful to have crossed paths with them both.

But before I dive much further into the specific  details of today’s show I want to give you a little glimpse into the life and work of Stephan Guyenet.

Stephan received a BS in biochemistry from the University of Virginia, a PhD in neuroscience from the University of Washington, and spent a total of 12 years in the neuroscience research world. His most recent work investigates the neuroscience of eating behavior and obesity. Today, he continues his mission to advance science as a writer, speaker, and science consultant.  He lives in the Seattle area, grows unreasonable amounts of potatoes, and brews a mean hard cider.

In addition to growing potatoes and brewing cider, Stephan recently wrote and released a groundbreaking book on the neurobiology and neuro-regulation of body weight called: The Hungry Brain. He has appeared on many podcasts over the past few months describing the ideas in his book, focusing on the complexities of understanding human behavior as it pertains to food choice and eating habits.

You can keep up with Stephan on his website:
www.stephanguyenet.com 

​And read his exciting book, The Hungry Brain, which discusses groundbreaking book on the neurobiology and neuro-regulation of body weight.
https://www.amazon.com/Hungry-Brain-Outsmarting-Instincts-Overeat/dp/125008119X

To learn more about the current best practices for minimizing bias and efforts to increase open access to scientific literature visit the Center for Open Science at
​https://cos.io

In this conversation, however, we offer a different discussion as we seek to explore and assess the current state of the scientific research community. 

1. What are the biggest issues facing the scientific community right now beyond simply funding?
2. Are we at a point where we must focus on value based research and incentivize replication studies over novelty based science?
3. What are the most prevalent sources of bias in the scientific community and how are they being addressed?
4. Is the scientific community inherently self correcting or is institutional inertia too much to prevent internal improvements and progress?
5. And how about health care delivery and medical education? Are the same issues faced by the broader research community affecting medical education and health care as well? Are these institutions capable of self correction?

Whether your work or studies has taken you into the fields of biomedical research, medical education or something entirely different, as part of this discussion we offer several new ideas and conceptual frameworks in which to approach your profession and I encourage you to listen in and share this episode with any of your colleagues who you feel would benefit. Stephan’s insight into the both the macro and micro issues facing the research community are truly remarkable and hope you can benefit from his curiosity and wisdom.

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Disclaimer: The content at A Medicinal Mind and the content of our podcast are educational and informational in nature. They are not intended to be medical advice, spiritual counsel or a substitute for working with a health professional or a trained spiritual counselor. We cannot guarantee the outcome of any of the recommendations provided on our page or by the guests on our podcast and any statements written or made about any potential outcomes are expressions of opinion only.

In today’s show, I am so blessed to share with you a recent conversation with two of my most remarkable Christian friends: Tucker MacDonald and Lucas Nichols.
 
Currently residing in Charlottesville, Virginia, Tucker MacDonald writes and produces independently, fronts his current music project: Dillingham and is the worship arts director in a local church: Cornerstone Community Church. Tucker's songs draw from varying ends of the music spectrum, from his years of fiddle-playing as a child to bluegrass bands, jam bands, and choir, the composition-like structure of most of his songs takes a listener on a journey of asking questions and looking for answers.
 
Lucas Nichols is an analytical thinker who loves learning new things and discussing wholesome ideas. Faith and music are essentials in his life, and he enjoys experiencing these elements with others in his community.
 
Together, Lucas and Tucker have been spreading their faith and love for Christ through music, holding a space for all who enter our local community church to be renewed, restored and healed through the power of song.
 
As you will hear in today’s conversation, their musical talents have paved a way for many like myself to find a spiritual space we can finally call home. A space where worship, music, community and prayer come together in a poetic symphony, leading us all to unfathomable and previously unknowable heights.
 
As three young men born into a generation often hurt, disgusted or disillusioned by religion and the Christian church, we offer a hopeful dialogue and proposition for our fellow youth to courageously step out into a different kind of church, perhaps one where music is the gateway to building and restoring a relationship with God.
 
This was perhaps one of my favorite interviews and I encourage you to share this conversation with anyone you feel could benefit from its uplifting message. In a time where negativity and cynicism seek to reign supreme, Lucas and Tucker point to the truth, that indeed, succumbing to negativity is not an option when you live in divine alignment with your authentic self. Enjoy the show!
​

To get in touch with Lucas,  reach out to him through his email:
[email protected]

In today’s show, I share a curious conversation with two close friends Allyson Chrystal and Guillermo Ruiz. Together the three of us share a common mission to remove barriers to wellness through the application of functional, paleolithic and holistic approaches to medicine. While our educational backgrounds may be entirely different ranging from allopathic and naturopathic medical training to occupational therapy and functional nutrition, we have come together in this conversation to discuss our visions for the future family medicine clinic. What does it look like? What types of providers should be involved? What kinds of therapies should be available? Is this possible? And lastly who is actually running the show?

But before we dig into this dynamic discussion, I want to share a little bit about my two friends Guillermo and Allyson.

Allyson Chrystal is an occupational therapist and clinical instructor specializing in pediatrics. In her clinical work and research, Allyson has focused on sensory integration and self-regulation in children with behavioral and developmental disorders. More recently, she has expanded her work with self-regulation to typically developing children and adolescents. She is also currently completing her Master’s degree in Functional Medicine and Clinical Nutrition.

Guillermo Ruiz is a fourth-year naturopathic medical student at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, Arizona. I first discovered Guillermo after listening to his podcasts with Robb Wolf and Chris Masterjohn, and it was obvious, even before ever reaching out, that a friendship was already in the works. Guillermo’s aim is to use his research to advance Naturopathic medicine as an evidence-based practice, and he focuses on finding evolutionary connections between our modern and traditional health care systems. He is currently a research assistant at SCNM and associate researcher at Arizona State University Biodesign Institute, where he focuses on botanical medicine research. His hobbies include researching, learning, practicing and teaching the benefits of adhering to an appropriate evolutionary diet.

I cannot express my gratitude enough for these two thought leaders as we attempt to uncover what we truly need to be nourished, to be joyful or to forever remain whole.

Follow Guillermo on his website:
http://www.3030strong.com
Listen in on his podcast: 
http://www.3030strong.com/3030-health/
​

​Follow Allyson on her website:
http://www.evolutionarytherapies.com

Dr. Lauryn Lax OT is a Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OT), who graduated from Belmont University in 2014 with her degree in OT. She has multiple health certifications including foundational AFMCP training with the Institute for Functional Medicine, certification as a Fitness Professional through ACE and Level 1 CrossFit and certification as a nutritional therapy practitioner through the Nutritional Therapy Association.
​
She is currently practicing functional medicine in Austin, Texas incorporating nutritional therapy, lifestyle counseling, fitness coaching and specifically coaching for those recovering from Eating Disorders.
Her talents, however, extend far beyond the realms of nutrition and functional medicine as she lives out her passionate mission for bringing wellness to all who seek it. Her smiles, joy and prayers alone are healing people hundreds of miles away.

In this conversation, we delve into the role of spirituality and faith as part of a functional approach to medicine, we lay out a practical 5 step process for engaging, educating and supporting patients through lifestyle and habit change, we share our visions for healing, incorporating mindfulness into all aspects of one’s life, and we even tackle how we are and hope to shake up the current paradigm of chronic disease care.

Follow Lauryn at her Website
http://drlauryn.com

Check out the Thrive Life program we spoke about in the episode
http://drlauryn.com/join-thrive-life/

Listen in to her podcast: Break the Rules
​https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/break-the-rules/id1217049971?mt=2

The beginnings of a journey. Are you ready?