Functional Optometry with Dr. Bryce Appelbaum

In this episode, Dr. Tom Guilliams rejoins the podcast to explore the complexities and misconceptions surrounding botanical medicine and how clinicians can maximize the therapeutic effects of herbs.

We learn from Dr. Guilliams that clinicians using herbs should consider the role of the microbiome in terms of absorption and activation of botanical compounds. He explains that because absorption varies from person to person, a personalized approach is needed for optimal outcomes.

Dr. Guilliams also discusses the limitations of traditional clinical trials in evaluating botanical medicine, and he proposes a new framework that considers individual characteristics, such as genetics and microbiome composition. While Dr. Guilliams encourages listeners to embrace the use of botanicals, he also advises questioning the source and efficacy of herbal products and considering the traditional uses of herbs in addition to the isolated compounds.

Please check out the full conversation to learn more about:

• The limitations of curcumin and the need to consider the whole components of herbs.
• Why herbology is complex and requires specialized knowledge.
• The historical and traditional uses of botanical medicine for healing.
• Issues with applying the pharmaceutical model to botanical extracts.
• Why we need to rethink research processes and clinical trial methodologies for botanical medicine.

• And much more!

In this podcast episode, James Maskell interviews Dr. Navaz Habib about the importance of the vagus nerve in healing and overall health.

Dr. Habib explains that the vagus nerve plays a critical role in shifting the body from a sympathetic (fight or flight) state to a parasympathetic (rest and digest) state, which is necessary for healing. He emphasizes the importance of creating a safe and supportive environment for patients to feel connected and reduce stress. Dr. Habib also discusses the role of physical trauma, such as head injuries or spinal misalignments, in affecting vagus nerve function.

He recommends various strategies to improve vagus nerve tone, including diaphragmatic breathing, gargling, humming and physical exercise. Dr. Habib's new book, Upgrade Your Vagus Nerve, provides further information on these strategies and their impact on overall health.

Listen to the full conversation to learn how:

• The vagus nerve is the organ of unity, connecting all organs and systems in the body.
• Chronic diseases are diseases of disconnection, both internally and externally.
• Breathing exercises, such as slow, nasal and diaphragmatic breathing, can help regulate the breath and shift the body into a parasympathetic state.
• Gargling, humming and vocalization can stimulate the vagus nerve and activate the parasympathetic system.
• The vagus nerve is a unifying topic for health professionals and can be beneficial for patients of all ages and conditions.

James Maskell’s guest on this episode is Jeffrey Morrison, MD, whose clinical approach is to use nutrition to prevent or reverse degenerative and chronic disease. In both his clinical practice and as a member of the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Environmental Medicine, he considers detoxification as a critical foundation to health.

During this conversation, Dr. Morrison emphasizes that toxins in the environment are a major cause of disease and that our bodies are not equipped to handle the vast array of chemicals present in our modern environment.

He explains that detoxification is a natural process where cells push toxins into the connective tissue, which then moves them through the lymphatic system, liver, gallbladder, and digestive tract for elimination (or through sweat or breath). However, if the body is overwhelmed with toxins or if the detoxification process is hindered, symptoms and illness can occur. Most often, this looks like visible inflammation, aches and pains, fatigue, skin issues and brain fog.  

Dr. Morrison recommends supporting detoxification through practices such as regular exercise, anti-inflammatory eating, drinking plenty of water, and maintaining regular bowel movements. He also discusses the importance of the lymphatic system in detoxification and the role of the nervous system in regulating detoxification.

 Please listen to this full episode to learn more about:

• Group detox programs to save costs and time, for clinicans and patients alike. 
• The role of saunas in detoxification
• The American Academy of Environmental Medicine’s focus on educating practitioners and advocacy for environmental health
• And much more!

 Evolution of Medicine’s partner, Lifestyle Matrix Resources Center can point you to patient education materials, as well as protocols related to detoxification as well. You can contact them at contactus@lifestylematrix.com.  

In this episode, James interviews Dr. Bryce Appelbaum, a neuro-optometrist. For the first time ever on the podcast, we learn about the field of functional optometry, including how it differs from traditional optometry.

Dr. Appelbaum discusses the importance of vision for overall health and how vision problems can impact learning, behavior and daily life. His framework is shaped by his childhood experience with overcoming visual problems through vision therapy. He is passionate about his mission to raise awareness about functional vision care, even though he faces resistance from conventional optometry.

He also introduces his online vision training program, ScreenFit, which is designed to minimize the negative effects of screens on vision and promote healthy visual habits. Podcast listeners can use the code EVOMED to receive a discount on the ScreenFit program.

Tune into the full conversation to learn more about:

• How one in 10 children have vision problems that impact their ability to learn
• The importance of vision for neurological function, especially in childhood
• Waldorf education and developmentally appropriate educational philosophies
• How inflammation and cardiometabolic health relate to eye function
• And much, much more!

James’ guest on this episode is Dr. Andrew Weil, the founder and leader of a fellowship program for integrative medicine through the University of Arizona. In this role and others, he has significant influence on future generations of integrative medicine practitioners.

In this conversation, Dr. Weil discusses the current state of integrative medicine and his vision for the future. Integrative medicine is becoming more mainstream in the United States, with many medical schools teaching some form of it. However, there is still a long way to go in changing the paradigm of conventional medicine and fully integrating health-promoting practices.

Dr. Weil believes that history is on the side of integrative medicine and that it will eventually become the standard of care. Listen to the full show to discover what is needed going forward to evolve medicine from our guest’s perspective.

This dynamic conversation also touched upon the following topics:

• The role of psychedelics in integrative medicine
• A vision of the future where allopathic medicine is a subspecialty focused on critical care, trauma and terminal care
• The lack of financial incentives for health-promoting and preventative medicine
• The need for studies that compare conventional and integrative medicine in terms of patient outcomes
• And much more!

This interview was also featured in the January 2024 Functional Forum, which kickstarted the Evolution of Medicine’s year of unity.

In this episode, Dr. Joan Rosenberg discusses her book, 90 Seconds to A Life You Love, and the concept of living life by design. Many believe their circumstances dictate their lives; our guest asserts that one can design their life by having a vision or big goals and working towards them despite the circumstances.

Dr. Rosenberg shares the importance of paying attention to how thoughts and feelings are expressed and managing emotional states effectively. She introduces the concept of the "Rosenberg reset," which involves choosing awareness by experiencing unpleasant feelings for 90 seconds and using insights gained from those feelings to make decisions or act.

Dr. Rosenberg also discusses how clinicians can apply these principles in their practice, including addressing difficult topics with patients and handling their own emotions. She suggests using a soft contract with patients to discuss sensitive issues and delivering information with well-intentioned kindness. Dr. Rosenberg believes confidence and resiliency can be developed when clinicians are able to confront difficult topics and handle the responses they receive.

Download and listen to this conversation to learn more about:

• How to develop confidence as a clinician
• Why emotional mastery is an important component of successfully collaborating with patients
• The eight emotions we need to accept to feel more capable in our lives
• Using “soft contracts” and offering observations tentatively to deliver difficult messages to patients
• And much, much more

Joan I. Rosenberg, PhD, creator of Emotional Mastery™ and Emotional Mastery Training™, is a highly regarded expert psychologist, master clinician, trainer and consultant. She is a cutting-edge psychologist who is known as an innovative thinker, trainer and speaker. 

In this episode, Dr. Mollie James shares her experiences during and after the pandemic. She transitioned from being a critical care physician in an ICU to providing functional and integrative medicine primary care services.  

Dr. James previously had a career in surgical and critical care, which ended because she spoke publicly about providing early COVID treatments and did not receive a vaccine because she has natural immunity. She was put under investigation by a medical board for 18 months, even though the board made no accusation of wrongdoing. This led to her dropping her fellowship credentials. She was also censured by The American College of Surgeons and is now unable to work in another ICU.

You’ll hear her discuss post-vaccine syndrome and how she helps patients clear and recover from excessive spike protein. She is now dedicated to providing personalized care rooted in functional and integrative medicine principles, and she treats a broad spectrum of chronic health conditions beyond COVID and post-vaccine syndromes.

Tune in and download this episode to learn more about: 

• How Dr. James’ first attempt at building a practice failed because she was using an insurance model
• The ethical responsibility of physicians to keep functional medicine affordable
• Her experience working in ICUs during four waves of the pandemic, which included having her ivermectin prescriptions canceled

• Foundational tools to treat post-vaccine syndrome
• And much, much more

Peter Kozlowski, MD is a functional medicine physician based in Chicago, Illinois. In this episode, we discussed the importance of detoxification and gut health in his practice. He emphasizes the need to address the mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of health because they play a significant role in detoxification.

Dr. Kozlowski recommends focusing on the basics of detox, such as sleep, hydration, bowel movements, and sweating, before considering more advanced testing and treatments. He also highlights the importance of community and social support for maintaining a healthy detoxification system in the body. Dr. Kozlowski encourages practitioners to work together and collaborate rather than compete in order to better serve patients and improve outcomes.

Download and listen to learn more about the following:

• How recovering from an alcohol-use disorder led Dr. Kozlowski to functional medicine
• The value of testing for heavy metals, mycotoxins and glyphosate
• Addressing the skin and gut barrier during detoxification protocols  
• Dr. Kozlowski’s experimentation with different payment models and in-person versus virtual visits
• Using cortisol labs, stool cultures and other tests to show patients how trauma impacts their health
• And much, much more 

 This episode’s guest is Dr. Michelle Thompson, the medical director of the Lifestyle Medicine Institute at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). This conversation explores how Dr. Thompson is bringing lifestyle and integrative medicine into major health systems.

She began her journey practicing integrative medicine but leveraged the six pillars of lifestyle medicine to bridge the gap with conventional medicine. This hybrid path allowed her to excel at practicing in traditional settings and facilitated introducing integrative and lifestyle medicine principles into larger health systems.

Dr. Thompson also shared evidence that there is growing momentum behind the integrative and lifestyle medicine movements, including acceptance and adoption of its principles within health systems. She encourages physicians who may have previously left the system to consider returning and joining a hospital system that is open to change and supportive of these modalities.

Building upon recent podcast conversations, such as the episode with Dr. Joe Pizzorno, this episode emphasizes the importance of unity amongst the many disciplines within health-promoting care.

Download and listen to this episode to learn more about:

• How clinicans can transform medicine by being bold and authentic in how they choose to practice
• The responsibility of clinicians, residents and medical students to help shift the culture in medicine to better align with the principles of lifestyle medicine
• The importance of showing empathy towards patients and letting them drive their own health journey
• Physician burnout and the importance of clinicians prioritizing self-care
• And much, much more

Related resources:

American College of Lifestyle Medicine: About the UMPC Lifestyle Medicine Program

Whole Hearted Medicine: Meet Dr. Michelle 

Dr. Joe Pizzorno, a prominent naturopathic doctor and Board Chair at the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), joins James to discuss the unifying factors among the many channels of health medicine, which include acupuncture, naturopathic, functional, integrative, chiropractic, and Ayurvedic medicine.

This conversation addresses foundational aspects of health, such as nutrition and lifestyle, that support optimal mitochondrial function for vitality. Dr. Pizzorno also shared the need for scientific research to support the effectiveness of health medicine practices and calls for increased funding in this area. For example, he hopes that we will have access to reliable clinical testing for mitochondrial energy and ATP production in the future.

Listen to the episode to learn more about:

•   Preventing neurodegeneration by eating organically grown food
•   The importance of flavonoids 
•   Vitalism (creating health) versus pathogenesis and salutogenesis
•     The need for a clear conceptual basis for integrative medicine
•   The great potential for Health Medicine Alliance to improve the public health baseline

Related resources:

•  Health Medicine Alliance
•   Health Medicine by Dr. Joseph Pizzorno and published in Integrative Medicine