In this episode, Dr. Melinda Ring talks with Dr. Helene Langevin, Director of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) at the National Institutes of Health.They explore the evolution of integrative health and the progress the field has made into mainstream acceptance in recent decades. Dr. Langevin discusses the complexities of researching holistic treatments and new NIH initiatives aimed at developing methodologies to study complex integrative health interventions.They also explore Dr. Langvin’s area of research expertise, which is fascia, a thin casing of connective tissue that surrounds and holds every organ, blood vessel, bone, nerve fiber and muscle in place, and its connection to musculoskeletal and overall health.

[00:02:31] – Mind-Body Connection in Medicine: Dr. Langevin discusses her early interest in the mind-body connection, sharing how her research on the hypothalamus led her to explore integrative physiological processes and holistic health.

[00:05:53] – NCCIH Coalition for Whole Person Health: Dr. Langevin explains the purpose of the new coalition, aiming to unify various integrative health stakeholders and promote whole-person health approaches across the healthcare system.

[00:09:27] – Challenges of Studying Integrative Approaches: Dr. Langevin highlights the complexities of researching whole-person health interventions and the NIH's ongoing efforts to develop new methods for studying multifaceted health approaches.

[00:18:52] – Fascia and Health: Dr. Langevin discusses her research on fascia, explaining its role in the body and its connection to movement, flexibility, and pain perception, as well as how integrative therapies like acupuncture may interact with fascia.

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In this episode, Dr. Melinda Ring talks with Dr. Jeffrey Bland, who is known as the founder of the Functional Medicine movement and who is recognized for bringing personal lifestyle medicine into mainstream medical practice. Dr. Bland discusses his career path that led him to create functional medicine and explores its intersection with integrative medicine, the origins and philosophy of Functional Medicine and how everyone can take an active role in their health, practicing good habits, and understanding their unique body functions to achieve long-term wellness.

[00:01:43] The Shift from Chemistry and Environmental Science to Healthcare: Bland's career path to developing functional medicine as a field was not linear. He started his journey as a professor of chemistry and environmental science, and his passion for understanding the root causes of chronic disease led him to found the Institute for Functional Medicine and pursue functional medicine​. He discusses the influence of Linus Pauling, the catalytic sabbatical at the Linus Pauling Institute, and his decision to start training doctors in medical nutrition.

[00:07:23] Defining Functional Medicine: He explains that the core of functional medicine focuses on identifying root causes of chronic diseases and looking at the body as an interconnected system rather than isolated organs. He also discusses the importance of personalizing care based on systems biology​.

[00:17:20] Seven Core Physiological Processes – Bland discusses the seven fundamental physiological processes that functional medicine focuses on, including gut health, metabolic detoxification, mitochondrial bioenergetics, and immune system function. These processes aim to improve health resilience and prevent chronic diseases​.

[00:35:29] Owning Your Health: Bland shares his personal wisdom about health ownership, encouraging listeners to actively engage in their health journey through understanding their body’s functions and making proactive lifestyle choices. He emphasizes health as a practice​​

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In this episode, Dr. Melinda Ring talks with Dr. Andrew Weil, who is known as the "Father of Integrative Medicine." They discuss the evolution of the field, the benefits of botanical remedies and the importance of holistic approaches to health. They also dive into the potential of cannabis and psychedelics in therapy, the need for better nutrition education in medical schools, and the benefits of a more holistic approach to health.

[00:02:10] Dr. Weil talks about his early love for plants and medicinal botany: Dr. Weil shares the story of how his interest in plants, inherited from his mother and grandmother, led him to pursue a career in botany and integrative medicine. He credits his Harvard mentor, Richard Evans Schultes, for sparking his passion for medicinal plants and their superior qualities over isolated chemical compounds.

[00:05:48] Integrative medicine recognizes the complexity of the human body: Weil talks about the reductionist approaches of conventional medicine. Weil says whole-person approaches, including botanical remedies, often produce better, safer outcomes compared to pharmaceutical interventions.

[00:10:00] Importance of Diet, the anti-inflammatory pyramid, and avoiding processed foods: Drs Ring and Weil dive into the topic of nutrition, with Dr. Weil describing the origins of his anti-inflammatory diet. He advises avoiding refined, processed, and manufactured foods, as they contribute to inflammation and chronic disease. The importance of returning to whole, natural foods is highlighted as a foundation of health.

[00:24:35] Healthy aging, cannabis, psychedelics, and the future of integrative medicine: Dr. Weil discusses his work on healthy aging and his forward-thinking research on cannabis and psychedelics. He believes these substances hold great therapeutic potential, not only for psychiatric conditions but also for treating chronic diseases. Dr. Weil sees a bright future for integrative medicine as more research and public interest develop.

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