Intelligent Medicine

A new "breakthrough" drug for heart disease prevention costs $200,000 per year and may cause fatal infections--are there natural alternatives? How to lower elevated C-reactive protein; A caller on the "Whole 30" diet wants to know why his blood tests appear worse; The 80:20 principle in exercise: just 30 minutes 5 days/week of moderate is nearly as good as 2 hours of strenuous every day; The hype behind those fruit/veggie pills; Natural therapies for Barrett's esophagus; Diet change more effective than meds for acid reflux; A caller needs advice on combatting cellulitis.

Which is worse for you: soy oil, coconut oil, or high fructose corn syrup? Is there hope for long-standing anxiety and agoraphobia? Mysterious, sudden onset of allergy to beef, pork, and lamb; Melatonin vs. chemotherapy nerve pain; Is safflower oil healthy? Cannabis chewing gum soon to debut as fibromyalgia treatment; Physician ratings on websites don't reflect true doctor skills; Integrative medicine goes mainstream at UC Irvine with first of its kind 200 million dollar grant.

What is causing the surge in celiac disease? A look at factors including our genetics, environment and the wheat crop itself.

Dr. Josh Axe is a certified doctor of nutrition, a doctor of chiropractic, and a certified nutrition specialist. He is also founder of one of the most popular natural health websites in the world at www.DrAxe.com with 15 million monthly visitors, where he recently listed Dr. Hoffman as one of the Top 50 Functional and Integrative Doctors. Dr. Axe recounts how his mother's health crisis propelled him into a career in natural medicine; he describes how a "leaky gut" can be the antecedent to many challenging disorders, and how normal intestinal permeability can be restored. Dr. Axe is a big proponent of bone broth, and describes how it works to heal the body and how best to prepare it. He offers tips on using essential oils to address common complaints and as a natural substitute for chemical-laden household products and cosmetics. He also weighs in with tips for athletes substituting an efficient form of exercise call "Burst Training" for lengthy workouts.

Dr. Hoffman continues his wide-ranging conversation with Dr. Josh Axe, a certified doctor of nutrition, a doctor of chiropractic, and a certified nutrition specialist.

Heath benefits of olives and olive oil. My 32-year-old son has problems with methylation, what supplements are helpful? Do "healthful" sweeteners like stevia and xylitol trigger insulin like sugar? How would you treat sciatica?

As a person a few years older than you, what supplements should I take? I've been taking Niacel for months now with no real benefit, what say you? I have Hashimoto's and osteoarthritis, I'm avoiding gluten but do I have to avoid all dairy too?

The Mediterranean diet can keep you heart disease-free for 6 additional years and add 9 years to your life! Just six months of the Mediterranean diet lowers your blood pressure and improves arterial blood flow; Studies point to hydroxytyrosol from red wine and extra virgin olive oil as chief among the Mediterranean diet's benefits; New study shows that oleuropein from olives slashes risk of Type 2 Diabetes; Extra virgin olive oil slows progression to dementia, protects brain from Alzheimer's; Food stamps were intended to prevent malnutrition and allow disadvantaged people to purchase healthy food--but is the SNAP program delivering?

Does too much protein cause osteoporosis? Does meat cause pre-cancerous colon polyps? Does dairy cause premature death?

Taking antidepressants might increase the risk of an early death; Stool test might reveal your weight loss potential; Treatment of silent reflux; Xylitol may fight oral cancer, thin tenacious nasal secretions; When your knee osteoarthritis is "bone-on-bone" is there no alternative to total knee replacement? Tattoo dyes migrate to lymph nodes; E-cigs may damage blood vessels.

Binging on sugar alters deep-brain structures in a way similar to drug, tobacco addiction; Menopausal hormone replacement therapy doesn't curtail longevity; Health benefits of mangos; Treatment of post-concussion syndrome; What to do for frequent urinary tract infections?

The impact of herbicides on birth defects; Republished study: long-term toxicity of a Roundup herbicide and a Round-up tolerant genetically modified maize.

The “no pain, no gain” exercise ethos has left many unfit Americans high and dry when it comes to exercise. We face unprecedented levels of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular and other degenerative diseases attributable to our sedentary lifestyles, yet many who need it most have a hard time getting moving. Neuroscientist and motivational psychologist Dr. Michelle Segar has outlined a different, more realistic approach to exercise in her book “No Sweat: How the Simple Science of Motivation Can Bring You a Lifetime of Fitness.” She discusses why many exercise regimens fail, how health professionals miss the boat in communicating the need for physical activity, and practical ways that reluctant exercisers can reboot their fitness. What are the pitfalls of “body-shaping”, high-intensity interval training, and ultra-endurance events? Why are our current concepts of exercise creating a “fitness aristocracy” where the gulf between the high-performers and the sedentary is ever-widening? Why do we choose the wrong reasons for exercising? What if you hate exercise and have failed again and again at sticking to a fitness regimen? Dr. Segar provides workable alternatives suitable for everyone in “No Sweat."

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Dr. Michelle Segar, author of "No Sweat: How the Simple Science of Motivation Can Bring You a Lifetime of Fitness."

Ketogenic diet found helpful for health and longevity in rodent study. What supplements can mitigate the negative side effects of prednisone, do I taper it too? Where is the best place to store supplements in your home, does it depend on the type of supplement?