The aging of our bodies begins within our cells. Antiaging advocates contend that this process can be slowed down, but how well has this been proven? Kara Fitzgerald, ND, IFMCP, and colleagues published a peer-reviewed paper documenting antiaging epigenetic effects using a naturopathic protocol. In this interview, Fitzgerald discusses how epigenetics is involved in cellular aging, details of the protocol used in the study, and where we are headed in the future.
Kara Fitzgerald, ND, IFMCP, is the first-ever recipient of the 2018 Emerging Leadership Award from the Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute in recognition of her work on DNA methylation. Receiving her doctorate in naturopathic medicine from the National University of Natural Medicine, she lectures globally on functional medicine, is on the faculty at the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), and is an IFM Certified Practitioner with a clinical practice in Newtown, Connecticut. She runs a Functional Medicine Clinic Immersion program for professionals and hosts the podcast New Frontiers in Functional Medicine. Fitzgerald is also actively engaged in clinical research on the DNA methylome using a diet and lifestyle intervention developed in her practice. Her first study was published in the journal Aging. A consumer book, Younger You, and an application-based program, 3YY, based on the study are scheduled for release January 2022. She lives with her daughter in Connecticut.
While some patients recover quickly after their Covid-19 diagnosis, others do not. A baffling mix of diverse symptoms can linger long after diagnosis causing significant qualify of life issues in these patients. We are also unsure of the long-term health effects of this syndrome. In this interview, Michelle Harkins, MD, researcher and professor at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, describes her upcoming study looking at who is most likely to get long Covid with the hopes of developing effective prevention and treatment strategies. Harkins and her team are a part of a huge NIH initiative that includes 30 different research institutions, 20,000 Covid-19 survivors, and a total of $450 million in funding.
Michelle Harkins, MD, is professor and chief of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine at the University of New Mexico (UNM) Health Sciences Center. During the pandemic, she has provided frontline care for critically ill covid patients and telehealth sessions with Project Echo. In addition, she has led several NIH-sponsored, Covid-focused clinical trials at UNM. She is now the adult site private investigator for the NIH Recover program to study acutely ill Covid patients and those with long Covid to better understand who develops postacute sequelae SARS-CoV-2 infection and outline treatment and even prevention strategies for the future.
Expanding a medical practice is both exciting and challenging. In this interview, Dugald Seely, ND, FABNO, describes why and how he expanded his highly specialized oncology clinic to create The Center for Health Innovation in Ottawa, Canada. There are many aspects to consider when expanding a clinical focus and it’s always helpful to learn those valuable lessons from someone who has done it successfully.
Dugald Seely, ND, MSc, FABNO, runs a clinical practice with a multidisciplinary team of healthcare practitioners at the Centre for Health Innovation (home of the Ottawa Integrative Cancer Centre). Seely is the executive director for the Patterson Institute for Integrative Oncology Research at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine as well as serving as an affiliate investigator for the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, and adjunct professor with the School of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Ottawa. Seely completed his master of science in cancer research at the University of Toronto and has been awarded over 11 million dollars in grant research funding. Past-president for the Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians and recipient of the 2017 Rogers Prize, Seely aims to build on the evidence for naturopathic oncology and the practice of integrative oncology as a whole.
Stool testing can be a valuable tool that clinicians can use in their practice. Chiropractic physician, nutritionist, and functional medicine practitioner Anthony Crifase, DC, CNS, DACBN, provides an overview about stool testing and shares his clinical insight on how he uses this tool in his practice. Listeners will learn about the different types of tests including specialty tests and when to use each test.
Anthony Crifase, DC, CNS, DACBN, LDN, CISSN, CPT, is a doctor of chiropractic, double-board-certified clinical nutritionist, licensed dietician nutritionist, certified sports nutritionist, and certified personal trainer. He has worked with hundreds of patients helping them to find the root issues of their health conditions. He is a program manager at Rupa Health, where he helps practitioners leverage the power of functional and specialty testing to provide greater outcomes to their patients. You can reach him at RupaHealth.com.
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