Mixing things up this week, I have provided a short commentary on a recent recommendation from the United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) regarding the efficacy of routine behavioral health counseling for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in healthy adults. The Recommendation “The USPSTF recommends that primary care professionals individualize the decision to offer or refer adults without obesity who do not have hypertension, dyslipidemia, abnormal blood glucose levels, or diabetes to behavioral counseling to promote a healthful diet and physical activity. Existing evidence indicates a positive but small benefit of behavioral counseling for the prevention of CVD in this population. Persons who are interested and ready to make behavioral changes may be most likely to benefit from behavioral counseling. (C recommendation).” You may be wondering: Who/What is the USPSTF and what are their recommendations in the first place? Who are they directed towards and to whom do they apply? And most importantly why should I care? In my commentary I examine some of the details behind this recommendation and the studies that informed it. I dig a little deeper to explore some rather curious questions:
Why don’t they recommend counseling for everyone? It seems like it would help?
In what ways did the USPSTF determined “benefit” from such counseling? What types of health counseling were involved? What modalities were used? Who was delivering the interventions? Could we have even expected to see a benefit from such interventions in the first place? How would you decide if nutrition counseling was helpful to you? Is preventing cardiovascular enough or relevant? And pushing still I begin to open some doors and push some buttons examining What does a Grade C recommendation mean when it comes to insurance? payment? Will this type of service be covered? Were the interventions studied “unsuccessful” because of the participants or was it the content and delivery? Are we actually telling patients the right things when it comes to nutrition and exercise? What if we studied counseling for sleep, stress management and social connection? Would we see a benefit with these types of interventions? Is this where we should look to next? And lastly I leave the discussion with a note on motivation, purpose and the willingness to change- is motivation and willingness to change a prerequisite for making meaningful lifestyle changes? Should we only educate those that seem interested to change? I really hope you enjoy this commentary and want to hear from you! Leave comments on our podcast page, contact us at using our contact page or send an email to amedicinalmind@gmail.com. We would love to hear from you and wish to know if this type of podcast is something you would like more of in the future. May you be happy, healthy, and forever at peace.
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Episode 010: Dr. Greg Gelburd DO, A Pioneer in Integrative Family Medicine Guided by Faith7/11/2017
In Episode 10 of A Medicinal Mind: Wisdom and Well Being I have perhaps my deepest, most personal and somehow most playful conversation to date with my mentor in integrative and spirituality engaged family medicine, Dr Gregory Gelburd DO.
As you will hear in the podcast, it was by amazing chance and beautiful synchronicity that Greg and I crossed paths, quickly becoming colleagues, friends, and family beyond measure. From sharing a room together during a mission trip to Haiti, to holding a space for healing alongside Greg’s patients, I have been tremendously blessed to have worked and learned from Greg’s incredible wisdom and his faithful giving heart. In this conversation, or should I say, this storytelling, you will hear much of Greg’s fascinating background, his undeniable humor and his amazing dedication to restoring health for those in his community, no matter their socioeconomic background, or ability to pay.
Digging into the details of the show we explore
As we dig further, Greg shares countless stories of life as an osteopathic physician serving in underserved communities, trying to figure out exactly what was the patient’s REAL REASON FOR COMING. And in the end Greg opens his own heart to share a personal and vulnerable story of error and forgiveness that will leave your heart yearning to forgive as well, perhaps forgiving those that have hurt you to your core. I will simply stop here and share again how grateful I am to call Greg a mentor and friend and I hope you can find some nourishing stories embedded in our playful, yet deep conversation leading you to live a life more open, more fulfilled, and undeniably free. Enjoy the show.
In Episode 009 of A Medicinal Mind: Wisdom and Well-Being, we share space with Charlottesville Virginia advocate and visionary leader behind Cornerstone Community Church, Pastor Tony Schiavone.
It would take much too long to share all of Tony’s background, accomplishments and the innumerable ways in which Tony has inspired my being, so I will distill down his passionate work and impactful presence into a single sentence: Tony has opened my heart to experience the joys of renewed relationship with Christ and a life unburdened by the fears or never completely knowing. Sharing his wisdom each Sunday and holding a nourishing space for growth every second in between, Tony has been a passionate leader in my local church: Cornerstone Community Church, pushing the boundaries of what the modern church can offer a community of open and engaged believers. In this deeply personal and touching conversation, Tony shares his background in the church community, growing up in a large church-going, New York family where faith would never take the back seat. We then explore:
We then ask and explore explore some interesting question
And to start to blur the lines of spiritual counsel vs. physical “healer” and how health is truly created at the community level we ask:
And lastly Tony shares his vision and work within the church answering the question
While you may not find much “medicine” in this conversation, I think you will discover a wealth of new questions and opportunities to reflect, no matter your spiritual background or religious beliefs.
In Episode 008 of A Medicinal Mind: Wisdom and Well-Being, we welcome the innovative creator of the world’s largest integrative medicine conference, the Functional Forum and integrative medicine visionary James Maskell.
I was quite fortunate to connect with James in October 2016 at a Functional Forum event in Washington D.C. and have since collaborated in creating and releasing my E-Book on Functional and Integrative Medicine Education. James has been perhaps my single biggest influence pushing me to become an educator and advocate for functional medicine and is a tremendously passionate role model for anyone seeking to reverse chronic disease and achieve optimal health. Back in March of this year, I was honored to be a part of James’ podcast The Evolution of Medicine’s Functional Forum, where we discussed the vision and purpose of the functional medicine education resource E-Book and the greater need to expand medical education beyond medical school walls and hospital wards.
As a continuation of this conversation, we share today in a reflective and hopeful conversation addressing
1. A brief State of the Union for the Functional Forum and Functional Medicine education as a whole.
2. Updates on educational opportunities through the Institute for Functional Medicine
3. Ways to continue to grow community and promote this type of care in the next generation of clinicians.
4. James’ latest projects and visions for the Functional Forum
I was so thrilled to share in this conversation with James and hope you enjoy and feed off the the tremendous energy and passion in this exhilarating discussion. To learn more about Functional Forum you may use the link below: http://functionalforum.com/about/ To access James’ book, Evolution of Medicine, you may use the link below: http://goevomed.com/start/ And to learn more about Age 100, a world-exclusive conference dedicated to living a long and healthy life, you may use the link below https://journey100.org/join Enjoy the show! In Episode 007 of A Medicinal Mind: Wisdom and Well Being I have an amazing conversation with innovative family physician and leading expert in nutrition science and obesity medicine, Dr. Spencer Nadolsky DO. Spencer is a board certified family and obesity medicine physician who incorporates his passion for exercise and nutrition science into his individualized care for patients seeking to improve their health through lifestyle medicine. Spencer initially discovered his passion for fitness and nutrition as a heavyweight wrestler at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. Following his college athletic career and subsequent medical school training at the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM), Spencer went on to complete his residency training in family medicine through the Virginia Commonwealth University-Riverside Family Medicine program just 15 minutes up the road from my childhood home in Newport News, Virginia. Right now he is currently accepting patients into a new, revolutionary online clinic called SteadyMD. When he is not in the office, Spencer enjoys lifting, cooking, and taking long walks after meals with his wife and fellow physician Dr. Jenna Nadolsky MD. In our conversation, Spencer shares his personal story and growth as a traditionally trained family physician now practicing lifestyle based medicine. During the podcast, we discuss: The Concept of Membership Based Direct Primary Care and more specifically the new telemedicine based online platform Steady MD
Spencer’s Clinical Approach and Patient Centered Treatment.
The Role of Social Support and Community Networks to Support Health.
Spencer’s Background in Obesity Medicine and Clinical Approach to Weight Loss
I was so fortunate to stumble across Spencer in my own back yard and am so thankful to have been able to grow a personal and professional relationship with such an innovative visionary in lifestyle medicine. Learn more about Dr. Nadolsky’s work with his book: The Fat Loss Prescription https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1518824226/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1518824226&linkCode=as2&tag=drspencom-20&linkId=WKI56AGEB5S3FH4Z Stay up to date with Dr. Nadolsky on his website: http://drspencer.com Learn more about SteadyMD: https://www.steadymd.com/ I hope you enjoy the show! My guest in Episode 006 of A Medicinal Mind: Wisdom and Well Being is a dear friend and mentor Jonathan Bartels. As you will hear in our conversation, my friendship with Jonathan was sparked by my curious inquiry into meditation, self care and what really existed outside of my medical school walls. What ensued following a single morning of meditation was a relationship built on appreciation, nourishment and growth. Jonathan has over 31 years of professional experience in the healthcare field. For the past 19 years he has practiced as a Registered Nurse. Eleven of which were spent working in the University Of Virginia Health System’s Level I Emergency Department. He presently works as a Palliative Care Liaison nurse. Jonathan’s educational background includes Graduate coursework in Eastern Philosophy and Western Mysticism at Western Michigan University (1991-1993), BA in Psychology from Canisius College in Buffalo, NY (1990) and BSN from D’Youville College in Buffalo, NY (1997). In 2009 Jonathan started a practice that helped transform how death is approached in healthcare both nationally and internationally. This practice is now known as The Pause. In this practice, healthcare providers are invited to silently honor the loss of life as a shared community that embraces diversity in unity through silence. While not a panacea, it has been instrumental at pointing to a greater need in healthcare: that in caring for others, one should not forsake self-care, compassion and resiliency. Since 2009 Jon has been a founding member of The Compassionate Care Initiative and co-facilitator for resiliency retreats offered at the University of Virginia’s School of Nursing. These retreats focus on a variety of practices aimed at promoting the skills of resiliency, the importance of compassion, and the vital need for self-care. In this episode we discuss:
To follow Jonathan and the University of Virginia's School of Nursing’s Compassionate Care Initiative see the links below Compassionate Care Initiative: https://cci.nursing.virginia.edu Video: The Pause: https://vimeo.com/143628865 The Pause: https://thepause.me/2015/10/01/test-post-2/ Hear More of JonathanJonathan's Keynote Address: The Pause and Resiliency as part of the University of Virginia's Compassionate Care Student Ambassador Sponsored Self-Care Day. In Episode 5 of A Medicinal Mind: Wisdom and Well-Being we share in an engaging conversation with world class Cross-Fit athlete and recent medical school graduate Julie Foucher. As you will hear in our discussion, I first discovered Julie as part of her inspiring podcast: Pursuing Health and more specifically after her episode with our mutual friend and the mastermind behind the Evolution of Medicine and the Functional Forum: James Maskell. Between the two of us, we share tremendous passions for lifestyle medicine, fitness and utilizing a functional/ancestral approach to restoring health and maintaining wellness. We additionally are both about to embark on new journeys as first year family medicine residents.
Before I lay out the specific details for today’s show, I want to share a little bit more about Julie and her amazing life story.
Julie is a four-time CrossFit Games athlete and finished on the CrossFit Games podium twice (2nd in 2012 and 3rd in 2014) both during her time in medical school and has never finished outside the top 5. Julie also has a growing interest in Functional Medicine, having completed her medical school training at the Cleveland Clinic and is about to begin her residency training with the Cleveland Clinic’s Fairview Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program. Her passion lies in combining what she has learned through all of these modalities to inspire and empower others to live a lifestyle that supports optimal health. She additionally hosts the previously mentioned podcast Pursuing Health, where she shares inspiring stories of individuals from all walks of life. During our discussion, besides reminiscing and reflecting about our own medical school journeys we dig into some really important questions facing medical professionals, medical trainees and our nation as a whole. In the podcast you will hear:
Enjoy this powerful conversation from two young professionals seeking to change the way medicine is practiced and what the “practice” of medicine even means.
Stay up to date with Julie on her website, www.juliefoucher.com, her Instagram, @juliefoucher, Twitter @Julie_Foucher, or Facebook, JulieFoucherCF, and her podcast Pursuing Health with Julie Foucher.
A huge thank you to Julie for taking time to share in this conversation and I hope you all find some nourishment in this thought provoking and emotional discussion. Enjoy the show! Episode 004: Stephan J. Guyenet: A State of the Union for the Scientific Research Community5/30/2017 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.
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. You can also follow A Medicinal Mind on Facebook and Instagram If you enjoyed the show, please subscribe in I-Tunes and leave us a review. Your feedback and reviews allow our message and this space of nourishment to grow. 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:
lucasnichols@gmail.com Episode 002: Guillermo Ruiz and Allyson Chrystal: The Future "Integrative" Family Medicine Clinic5/16/2017
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/ |
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