If you like House Call with Dr. Hyman, you're going to love my new podcast, The Doctor's Farmacy. This podcast is a place for deeper conversations about central issues of our time that affect us all. Researching my last book, Food: What the Heck Should I Eat?, it became clear to me that we need to unpack the shifts and intersections of medicine, nutrition, food systems, health and food policy, and much more. The food system is at the root of our chronic disease epidemic, climate change, poverty, social injustice, environmental degradation, economic crises, and even challenges in education and national security. The old foundations of medicine are breaking down and a new model, a systems view or Functional Medicine, is emerging at the paradigm that has the potential to reverse the chronic disease epidemic. Food and the way we produce and consume it is the nexus of most of our world’s health, environmental, climate, economic, and even political crises. We can’t stay silent about these issues any longer. That’s why I created my new podcast, The Doctor’s Farmacy. Find it anywhere you listen to podcasts (or visit drhyman.com/podcast). Thanks for tuning in!

Eating healthy is more confusing than ever. I’ve been studying nutrition for 35 years and found that even experts are confused by the science. If the people we look to for nutritional guidance keep changing their views, no wonder the rest of us are so overwhelmed! You know what I’m talking about. One day eggs are unhealthy, then the next day they are a miracle food. One year the government tells us to eat bread, pasta, and other carbohydrates as the foundation of our diet, and the next it tells us to cut carbs. The US Dietary Guidelines told us 35 years ago that all our health problems were derived from eating fat and recommended we eat fat “only sparingly.” Over three decades later, they suddenly learned fat wasn’t so bad for us. Then you’ve got the dogmatists who believe you must adhere 100 percent to a particular plan to be lean and healthy, whether that plan be vegan, Paleo, vegetarian, Mediterranean, raw food, ketogenic, high-fat, low-fat, or omnivore. Lots of factors contribute to this nutrition confusion and contention, including misinformation, personal biases, and conflicting science. Chief among the reasons why so many people are so confused is our $1 trillion food industry that provides us with all sorts of “healthy” options— low-fat, high-fiber, whole-grain, gluten-free—that are mostly not healthy. All this confusion is enough to make you give up and just eat whatever you want, whenever you want, and in whatever quantities you want. That’s why I wrote my new book Food. What the Heck Should I Eat?. I want to help you undo all the beliefs about food that are making you fat and sick and replace them with a new understanding that will lead to health and longevity. I can’t wait to share all the information I’ve learned, so you can cut through the confusion and design a plan that helps you cultivate vibrant, abundant health. Food. comes out on February 27, 2018. You can learn more about the book, and pre-order it at foodthebook.com

Arthritis has become a 21st century epidemic, affecting 1 out of every 4 people. Even more shocking is that 30% of adults age 45-64 have doctor diagnosed arthritis. Something has changed in our environment, making all types of arthritis more and more prevalent. Inflammation is the most basic problem in all arthritis, whether it is what we traditionally call “inflammatory arthritis,” like autoimmune rheumatoid arthritis, or the arthritis most associated with wear and tear on joints over time, osteoarthritis. The traditional medical approach to these two kinds of joint inflammation is to use medications to block the inflammation process. Although these can be successful in decreasing symptoms and can in some cases prevent further joint destruction, the medications don’t get at the root cause of why you developed the inflammation in the first place. Functional medicine takes a deeper look at the causes of inflammation and gives you options for reversing the process where it starts: in the gut, in the mouth, from your food, and from the stress response. Traditionally, doctors almost never evaluate these areas when addressing joint pain, but fortunately functional medicine has the tools to do just that. In this interview, Dr. Susan Blum presents a new way to treat arthritis. In her new book, Healing Arthritis, you will learn the best food plan for arthritis, the precise supplements and dosage we recommend to reduce pain and inflammation, how to build resiliency so that life’s stressors won’t affect your health, and what your gut has to do with your arthritis symptoms. In essence, Dr. Blum gives you all the tools you need to fix your gut and heal your arthritis. I am so excited to share this interview with you. I hope you enjoy it. Wishing you health and happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

Modern industrial medicine treats disease with medication or surgery. That’s what it is designed to do, and when it comes to emergency interventions it is still the best medicine in the world. When someone comes into the emergency room with a severed leg, conventional medicine treats the problem with incredible efficacy. But when it comes to chronic illness, this approach simply doesn’t work. Here’s why conventional medicine tends to break down in the face of chronic illnesses like diabesity … Most medicine today is based on clear-cut, on-or-off, yes-or-no diagnoses that often miss the underlying causes and more subtle manifestations of illness. Most conventional doctors are taught that you have a disease or you don’t; you have diabetes or you don’t. There are no gray areas. Instead, I suggest taking a radically new and unconventional approach to treating chronic illness. Some might call this approach Functional Medicine. Functional Medicine is the future of conventional medicine–but available now. It seeks to identify and address the root causes of disease, and views the body as one integrated system, not a collection of independent organs divided up by medical specialties. It treats the whole system, not just the symptoms. In his new book, Unconventional Medicine, my friend Chris Kresser, M.S., L.Ac, discusses the challenges with conventional medicine, and why the future of medicine is unconventional. In this interview, Chris and I talk about what it takes to get to the root cause of dis-ease. I hope you enjoy it. Wishing you health and happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

Last year I experienced some serious health challenges. Recently I sat down with Mind Body Green to talk about this difficult time in my life.

My patients and readers tell me that one of the biggest obstacles they face on their path towards better health is lack of support. I always say that getting healthy is a team sport, and unfortunately, many of us are lacking the positive encouragement and supportive relationships we need in order to move toward our best selves. Psychological researcher, George Slavich, of the University of California, Los Angeles, who studies human social genomics, says that our genes can actually be turned on or off depending on our social environments. Studies show that compared to people who are socially connected, those living in isolation are more likely to suffer from viral infections and inflammation. This means that feeling socially isolated can actually make you sick! Community has been an integral part of my own journey toward better health. I have seen the power of community transform the lives of my patients and readers, and this is why, for the first time ever, my team and I are hosting the Feel Good Summit. In the summer of 2018, we’ll gather in beautiful Southern California for three days and dive deep into community, food and nutrition, stress management, movement, and much much more. My goal for the Feel Good Summit is for you to walk away with a plan to achieve your best health AND at least a few new best friends—people who can inspire you and who you can inspire too. We created the Feel Good Summit to foster community and connection all while learning how to take your health to the next level using expert guidance to create a wellness plan for you, by you. To learn more about the Feel Good Summit, visit feelgoodsummit.co Wishing you health and happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

I recently got the chance to interview my friend James J. DiNicolantonio, PharmD, author of The Salt Fix, and I’m really excited to share this interview with you. I also asked James to write a few words about why low salt diets might be harmful for some, and here’s what he had to say… We are constantly being warned about the harmful effects of salt. All health agencies, government bodies, and dietary guidelines tell us to cut our salt intake to no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day (about 1 teaspoon of salt). We are told that cutting back on salt saves lives and that the amount of salt consumed by the average American (one and a half teaspoons of salt) puts you at risk. This is based on the assumption that lowering salt intake will lead to a reduction in blood pressure, and that reducing blood pressure will reduce the risk of strokes and heart attacks. Unfortunately, we are only being told one side of the story. The other side of the story is starting to make itself heard—the New York Times, for instance, just covered a study of Russian cosmonauts that hints that there’s more to the story than we’ve been told—but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. We need to shift our fear away from salt, and focus greater attention on the more consequential white crystal (sugar). Rather than following salt restriction, we may be better off eating real food and salting to taste. – James J. DiNicolantonio, PharmD and Author of The Salt Fix. Follow on Twitter @drjamesdinic.

People always want to know what I eat and do every day to stay energized and focused with everything on my plate. I talk a lot about cutting sugar and processed carbs and eating real, whole, fresh foods, exercising, and meditating—but everyone wants to know if I walk the walk! The truth is that I have to. I have about ten jobs, two kids, a dog, a team, weeks of travel at a time… the list goes on and on. In order to keep up with this lifestyle, maintaining optimal health and an optimal brain becomes a top priority. When your brain is functioning well, you receive more opportunities and life just gets better. Unfortunately, many of us get too little good food, nutrients, light, air, water, rest, sleep, rhythm, exercise, community, love, meaning, and purpose. We’re exposed to far too much poor-quality food, stress, toxins, and allergens. The good news is that there are a few things we can do every day to keep our brain happy. To hear more tips on achieving a better brain from over 50 experts, check out the Broken Brain Docuseries. And if you liked this video, share it with your friends and family on Facebook and twitter. Wishing you health and happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

I was a thriving, young doctor with a promising career ahead of me. Then, within a short amount of time (it felt like it was almost overnight), my entire life changed. Suddenly, depression and anxiety were constant companions and I had such extreme fatigue I couldn’t even get out of bed some mornings. What was I supposed to do? Everything I did required optimal brain function. Without a healthy brain, I couldn’t see patients, do research, workout, or connect with loved ones.. I was at a loss. Discovering Functional Medicine and the power of our body to heal saved me from lifelong depression, anxiety, and fatigue. And this is just my story. Thousands of other patients and many other practitioners have their own story about how Functional Medicine empowered them to take control of their health and treat their mysterious or not so mysterious illnesses. This is why I made a docuseries about brain health. With the help of my friends, patients, and colleagues, I wanted to show you how you can take a different approach to treating brain disorders. Conventional medicine has its place in treatment, but what does it take to truly fix our brains? How can we get to the root cause of dis-ease? My docuseries will completely change the way you think about brain health, and I want to invite you to watch it. Sign up for this FREE docuseries which starts THIS WEDNESDAY. Also, chances are you know someone with a broken brain. Help to spread the message about this docuseries by sharing it with your friends and family. Let’s take back our health, together. Mark Hyman, MD

I know this might seem like a silly question, but it’s one that I had to ask myself a long time ago when I suddenly became depressed, anxious, and fatigued. The answer was quite obvious to me. Something was definitely wrong with my brain and my body. But sometimes, a broken brain is not obvious and does not show up in the form of dementia, ADD, or depression. Sometimes, a less than optimally functioning brain can show up in small ways. So many of my patients come in after months or even years of experiencing brain fog, forgetfulness, anxiety, and depression thinking that these are symptoms that will just pass or that there isn’t anything that can be done about them.. Many patients don’t connect how they feel with how they eat, how much they rest and sleep, how much they exercise, how much time they make for friends and community, as well as the media and news to which they expose themselves. Once you understand these connections, you can change your approach to these important factors and to the other dozens of daily decisions you make. This is exactly what I aim to address in my new docuseries, Broken Brain. For this docuseries, I brought together over 50 health and brain experts to talk about what it takes to heal from a broken brain. In the Broken Brain Docuseries, we’ll go through a step-by-step plan to take control of your health, including how to optimize your diet for a better brain. So be sure to sign up for the docuseries and spread the word so that we can all take back our brain health together. If you have any questions about the brain, tweet me using the hashtag #housecallwithdrhyman, and maybe next week, I’ll make a house call to you. Wishing you health and happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

Conventional medicine likes to label disorders, but often labels are meaningless. They tell us what disease we have, but they don’t say why we have it or even more importantly, how we can really treat it – other than prescribing a pill for every ill. The emphasis on naming diseases is pervasive throughout medicine, and it is the single biggest obstacle to changing the way we do things and finding the answers to our health problems. The truth is that two brain disorders, with two completely different names, might have a lot more in common than you might think. We need to revolutionize the way we treat these diseases. This is why my team and I created the 8-part Broken Brain Docuseries. This docuseries goes through major brain disorders such as dementia, autism, depression, and much, much more; offering a different way to approach disease. You’ll hear from over 50 experts who will share the truth about our brains and how we can achieve optimal brain health. In this docuseries, I’ll guide you through the 7 steps to an UltraMind. We’ll talk about how to tackle nutritional deficiencies, stress, and gut imbalances. We’ll also talk about how to boost your detoxification systems and how the quality of your relationships can impact your brain health. We’ll dive deep into a brain-healthy diet, and our experts will share their best tips for achieving a calm mind. You don’t have to suffer from a broken brain anymore. Let’s fix this problem together. Join our movement by signing up for this free series and spread the word to your friends so we can all take back control of our brain health together. And if you have questions about the brain, tweet me and use the hashtag #housecallwithdrhyman. Maybe next week I’ll make a house call to you. Wishing you health and happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

About 20 years ago, at the start of my medical career, I went from being a healthy, thriving physician to becoming a disoriented and terrified version of myself. I woke up feeling like I didn’t even know who I was anymore. I was depressed, anxious, forgetful. It got so bad that I had a hard time following what my patients were saying during their appointments. I tried to take careful notes and keep track, but I couldn’t focus on our conversations. I couldn’t even remember anyone’s name. Some doctors, including my colleagues, said that I was depressed and recommended taking anti-depressants. I saw a few psychiatrists who suggested anti-anxiety medication. My family doctor prescribed me sleeping medication, and a neurologist told me that I had ADD and needed stimulants. Other doctors told me that I had chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. At that point, I was exhausted and I needed answers. All that I knew for sure was that my brain was broken. I was depressed, my memory was failing me, and my body just wasn’t working the way it used to. These doctors had good intentions, but all of the recommendations for another pill did not sit well with me. So, I decided to go on my own journey to heal my broken brain. Our brains are our most prized organ, and having optimal brain health is absolutely critical in order to live and thrive in our modern society. Unfortunately, most of us are living with semi to low functioning brains. This is why I brought together over 50 experts to talk about this epidemic and how we can take steps toward a better brain. In this docuseries, you’ll learn the seven steps to creating what I call an ultramind. We’ll talk about how our guts, stress levels, toxins, relationships, diets, and much more influence the health of our brains, and we’ll present a six week plan to start taking back your brain health today. I promise you, that if you watch this free series you’ll walk away with a much better and deeper understanding of our most precious and dynamic organ – the brain! Throughout this month and next month, you’ll receive more information about this free docuseries, so be sure to stay tuned. You don’t have to suffer with a broken brain anymore. Let’s fix this problem together. Join our movement by signing up for this free series and spread the word to your friends so we can all take back control of our brain health together. If you have questions about the brain, tweet me and use the hashtag #housecallwithdrhyman. Maybe next week I’ll make a house call to you. Wishing you health and happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

Many doctors would say no. In fact, I’ve had several patients who have received a diagnosis of dementia and are told that there is no treatment that can truly stop or reverse the progression of this brain disorder. Compassionately, they’re told to get their affairs in order. For so long we believed that the brain is unchangeable and even worse, we thought that once we started to experience cognitive decline, it was all downhill from there. We now know this is not true. My friend and scientist Dr. Dale Bredesen is at the forefront of changing the way we approach neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Dr. Bredesen’s research has led to new insights that explain the erosion of memory seen in Alzheimer’s disease and has opened the door to a new therapeutic approach which uses the power of Functional Medicine. This interview is just the first part of an entire month and a half focused on brain health. For the next few weeks, my team and I will be sharing cutting edge information about how to protect your brain and how to treat brain disorders. This is all leading up to my brand new 8-part docuseries called Broken Brain. Stay tuned in the next couple of weeks to hear more about it. I hope you enjoy this interview. If you have any questions about the brain, tweet me using the hashtag #housecallwithdrhyman, and maybe next week I’ll make a House Call to you. Wishing you health and happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

I’ve done a lot of meditation over the years. In fact, I used to be really passionate about meditation, and then the stress of trying to do it all interfered with my time for self-care. “I don’t have enough time to meditate,” I would say to my coach, and myself. The truth is that meditation is one of the most important tools I have to help me manage stress. I didn’t realize how stressed or anxious I’d become until I started meditating again. With so much going on, meditation helped me have this place to go where I can disconnect from all the busyness and find a state where I can be present. It’s why I meditate every day. So, why should we meditate? And what actually works? Why do you meditate? Share how meditation has benefited your life on social media with the hashtag #whyimeditate. Wishing you health and happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

“I have heard a lot of talk about mitochondria,” a reader tweets. “ What is it and why is it so important?” I love telling people about mitochondria. Discovering the importance of mitochondria and how to optimize their function was a huge part of my personal healing journey. Mitochondria are key energy sources for our bodies. They are tiny factories housed within our cells that take the foods we eat and the oxygen we breathe and convert them into energy. Taking care of your mitochondria can make you leaner and smarter. It can help prevent aging and increase your energy. If you liked this video, be sure to share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter. Don’t forget to tweet me your questions, using “#housecallwithdrhyman” and maybe next week I’ll make a house call to you!

Today is Part 2 of our discussion around reasons for hitting a weight loss plateau. One of my followers tweeted me saying, “I Lost 30 lbs on The Blood Sugar Solution. I am doing Eat Fat, Get Thin for another 30 days. NO sugar/carbs – all veggies, proteins, and good fats, but much slower weight loss this time.” Last week, we talked about four important reasons why someone might be having difficulty losing weight. With Pastor Rick Warren and Daniel Amen, I created The Daniel Plan, a faith-based wellness program that helped 15,000 people from Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church lose 250,000 pounds collectively, in 10 months, by doing it together. Rick says, “every body needs a buddy!” So together, we wrote the #1 best-selling book, The Daniel Plan that details a practical plan to get healthy together because we found that getting healthy is a team sport. Using the power of peer pressure for good can make it easier to do the right thing. Even if I don’t say a word, when people eat out with me, they choose healthier foods because they know it matters to me. I don’t care what they eat and I don’t prompt them, but their internal compass shifts. So, you can see it’s important to surround yourself with healthy people if possible or join a community of healthy, like-minded people. Those are my top tips for addressing a weight loss plateau. There is always something you can do. We can always dig a little deeper. And, if you feel like you’re doing everything right and still not losing the desired weight, I highly encourage working with a Functional Medicine practitioner – like one of the practitioners at The UltraWellness Center, where we dig deep to get to the root cause of the issue. If you liked this video, be sure to share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter. Also, don’t forget to tweet me your health questions using #housecallwithdrhyman, and maybe next week, I’ll make a House Call to you. Wishing you health & happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

A reader tweets, “I lost 30 lbs. on The Blood Sugar Solution program. Now, I am following the guidelines from Eat Fat, Get Thin for the next 30 days. NO sugar/carbs – all veggies, proteins, good fats – but seeing much slower weight loss this time.” Weight loss plateaus are a very common and frustrating issue. When I am working with someone who is having trouble losing weight, despite doing everything right, there are a few things I look at, to see if we can uncover why they are hitting a weight loss plateau. Today, we’ll discuss four of the most common reasons for a resistance to weight loss. When I work with my patients who are experiencing a weight loss plateau, these are the first four things I immediately take into consideration. Remember, Functional Medicine assesses the root cause of the problem and treats the whole system to quiet and cool the flames of inflammation, leading to weight loss and overall good health. Next week, I’ll cover four more reasons behind a weight loss plateau, so stay tuned. If you liked this video, be sure to share it with your friends and family on Facebook and on Twitter. Also, tweet me your questions, using the hashtag #housecallwithdrhyman, and maybe next week I’ll make a house call to you. Wishing you health and happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

In this week’s House Call, a reader asks, “How do I go about finding answers or the underlying root causes if conventional doctors won’t/can’t, but you can’t afford a Functional Medicine doctor?” This is not only a great question, but it’s an important one. For a variety of reasons, many of you are not able to work with a Functional Medicine practitioner. I am here to tell you that you still have the power to work with your doctor to get the tests that you need. A big part of my work is helping patients who are dealing with what I call “diabesity”. Diabesity is the continuum of abnormal biology that ranges from mild insulin resistance to full-blown diabetes. I’ve put out tons of material about the importance of getting the right tests. In fact, I’ve created a companion guide to go along with The Blood Sugar Solution called, How to Work with Your Doctor to Get What You Need for anyone who is concerned about insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and more. Now I want to hear from you. Were you able to take charge of your health without the help of a Functional Medicine practitioner or integrative doctor? Comment on my Facebook Page, and if you liked this video, be sure to share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter. Also, tweet me your questions, using the tag #housecallwithdrhyman, and maybe next week I’ll make a House Call to you. Wishing you health and happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

In this week’s House Call, a reader asks, “If one is lactose intolerant, but has no other intolerance to dairy, (e.g. casein and whey) is it OK to consume dairy products while having Hashimoto’s?” By now, most of my readers probably know how I feel about dairy — it’s nature’s perfect food — but only if you’re a calf. We have no biological requirement for this food, and yet, we’ve been told over and over again that dairy is a great source of calcium, milk makes healthy bones and we should drink it daily. I’m here to tell you that this is not true. Based on research and my experience practicing medicine, I typically advise most of my patients to avoid dairy products completely. Personally, when I eat little to no dairy, I feel much, much better. Give it a shot, what’s to lose? Besides all the miserable symptoms and a little weight, that is… Now, I want to hear from you. Do you consume dairy? Have you given it up? Leave your comments on my Facebook page, and if you liked this video, share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter. Also, tweet me your questions @MarkHymanMD using the tag #housecallwithdrhyman, and maybe next week I’ll make a House Call to you. Wishing your health and happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

If you want to avoid stress, you’ve been born in the wrong era. Chronic stress has become an epidemic in our society where faster is better, and we attempt to pack more obligations into our ever-expanding schedules. Luckily, there are experts out there who have come up with ways that we can achieve calm in the middle of chaos. One of those experts is Pedram Shojai, A.K.A. The Urban Monk. Pedram Shojai has studied Kung Fu, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Yoga, Meditation, and medicine diligently for the past 20 years. He is a doctor of Oriental Medicine, the author of two books – including The Urban Monk, and he is the founder and president of Well.Org. I don’t know about you, but I would like to be an urban monk, too! So, I sat down with Pedram during The Fat Summit 2 to talk about managing stress in our modern world. In this interview, Pedram shares his top tips for a happier and healthier life. We had a great time talking about Pedram’s way of being, and I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did. Wishing you health and happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

The mantra of the government and food industry is that people should just eat less, choose a “balanced diet,” and exercise more. How’s that working out for you? Despite what popular magazines and TV shows might say, if you think you can exercise your way to weight loss, I am sorry to say you are in for a big disappointment. Using exercise to lose weight without changing your diet is asking for failure. You can change your diet and lose weight, but if you exercise and keep your diet the same, you may gain some muscle, improve endurance, and be healthier overall, but you won’t shed many pounds. I sat down with Dave Asprey last year to talk about fat, weight loss, coffee, and an article in The New York Times about the show, The Biggest Loser. This article caused quite a bit of controversy, because it essentially explained that some people are just destined to be overweight no matter what they do. Both Dave and I disagree with this idea and with the idea that eating less and exercising more is the way to your best weight. I hope you enjoy this conversation. Wishing you health and happiness, Mark Hyman, MD.

Do you ever wonder why you get cravings? Last year, I sat down with Alexandra Jamieson to talk about food addiction, cravings, and much more. One of my favorite parts of our conversation was her explanation of the four root causes of cravings. First, let me tell you a little bit about Alexandra. She is the co-creator and co-starred in the Oscar nominated film, Super Size Me. She coaches women going through big life shake-ups to double-down on self-care, nutrition, and pleasure, and master a positive mindset, to create the energy and peace they desire in their bodies, so they can be resilient, effective and happy in their lives. She’s also published four books. In our conversation we talk about the following root causes for cravings: Bacterial Nutritional Emotional Physical We also talk about how to address them. This is an important conversation that you won’t want to miss. Do you deal with food cravings? What has worked for you and what hasn’t? Let’s take the conversation to Facebook. I’d love to hear from you. Wishing you health and happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

Is pre-disposition predestined? The answer is no. Epigenetics suggests that our behavior can influence which of our genes are turned on or off. This has been one of the biggest breakthroughs in medicine. Most people tend to attribute far too much power to their genes. I’ve seen thousands of patients who have blamed genetics for their ailments and diseases, however it is your lifestyle washing over your genes that determines who you are in any moment. What you eat, how you move, how you restore your system, along with your thoughts, feelings and social connections, regulate your genes. Those genes end up creating the expression of who you are and how you are. You can turn on genes that create health or disease, weight gain or weight loss. Some genes can predispose you to obesity, type 2 diabetes or heart disease. But predisposition is not predestined. Ninety percent of our current health is controlled by the environment in which we bathe our genes – the food we eat, our exercise regimen, our resilience in the face of stress and our exposure to environmental toxins. You don’t have to sit back and accept that you’re doomed to become fat and sick. In this conversation, I got to sit down with Dr. Deepak Chopra to talk about genes and the role of the microbiome in our health and its effects on our genes. I think you’ll enjoy this conversation as much as I did. Thanks to epigenetics, you actually have a say in your health and you can create optimal health with the power of food and lifestyle. Wishing you health and happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

It’s not just genes; your environment could be harming your thyroid. I had the pleasure to sit down with thyroid expert Dr. Izabella Wentz and talk about all things thyroid last year, and one of my favorite moments of the interview was our discussion around environmental toxins and their impact on the thyroid health. After being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis in 2009, Dr. Wentz was surprised at the lack of conventional medical knowledge about lifestyle interventions for Hashimoto’s, hypothyroidism, and autoimmune conditions. She decided to take on lifestyle interventions as a personal mission, in an effort to help herself and others with Hashimoto’s. In this podcast, we discuss the following: Thyroid harming toxins in your water Makeup products that are harming your health How to determine if you’re mercury sensitive How to detoxify your body How chronic infections affect thyroid health How leaky gut can lead to thyroid disorder To learn more about taking care of your thyroid, check out my recent blog post at drhyman.com. Wishing you health and happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

One of my favorite moments from last year’s Fat Summit 2 was interviewing Dr. Stephanie Daniel about food, fat, sugar, and infertility. Dr. Daniel is a practicing physician and founder of Functional Medicine SF, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Dr. Daniel’s particular areas of interest and expertise are in women’s health and fertility and she has developed a 5-step approach to natural conception that she utilizes in her practice. She is the author of a book, Low-Stress Food: Eat Your Way to a Low Stress Life and spends her non-clinic time consulting for health tech start-ups like Ava Science and Metabolon, mentoring physicians in the practice of Functional Medicine and collaborating on the advancement of functional medicine with EvoMed. Last year, I interviewed Dr. Daniel about some very important subjects. In the clip from this interview, we discuss the following: One out of seven couples are dealing with infertility Five steps for dealing with infertility The role of nutrition in fertility and the importance of eating nutrient dense food The number one macronutrient for fertility One of the leading causes of infertility The importance of cholesterol I want to hear from you. Have you dealt with infertility? Comment on my Facebook page, and if you liked this video, share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter. Also, tweet me your questions @MarkHymanMD, and maybe next week I’ll make a House Call to you. Wishing you health & happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

On this week House Call: Steve tweets, “what is your recommended protocol for treating adrenal fatigue?” This is a question that I get almost daily. Your adrenals are important because they help you respond to stress. If you have chronic stress, your adrenals get beat up, and your energy plummets and it becomes difficult to manage your life. You could feel tired and wired, all at the same time. You might get palpitations or feel anxious or have trouble sleeping. You might crave salt. You may get dizzy when you stand up. You might have low blood pressure. You might even have sugar cravings, because your body can’t regulate your blood sugar properly. All these are clues that you could have adrenal problems. Are you dealing with adrenal dysfunction? Leave a comment on my Facebook page. If you liked this video, share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter, and if you have any questions, tweet me @MarkHymanMD, and maybe next week, I’ll make a House Call to you. Wishing you health & happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

The promise of GMOs is alluring for many. We were all told that genetically modifying crops would make them immune to weed killers and pests, leading to an abundance of foods that would solve our world hunger problems. We were also told that these crops would require fewer pesticides and herbicides, but is this true? Did genetically modified crops live up to their promise? In this week’s House Call, I address a question tweeted to me by Christina, who asks “What is your view on GMO foods?” Now I want to hear from you. What are your thoughts on GMO foods? Leave a comment on my Facebook page, and if you liked this video, share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter. Also, tweet me your questions (@MarkHymanMD), and maybe next week, I’ll make a House Call to you. Wishing you health & happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

On this week's House Call: My 7 Steps for Tackling Eczema Our first question comes from a reader who tweets, “Can you tell me the causes of eczema?” Are You Dealing with Excess Gas? “How do I get rid of excessive gas?” a caller asks. We’ve all experienced it, and probably at inopportune times. It’s embarrassing and uncomfortable. So, what’s the deal with gas? Are some of us doomed to be gassy forever? Now I want to hear from you. Are you dealing with excess gas or eczema? What has worked for you and what hasn’t? Comment on my Facebook page. If you liked this video, be sure to share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter, and tweet me your questions @MarkHymanMd, and maybe next week I’ll make a House Call to you! Wishing you health & happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

On this week's House Call: A Different Approach to Multiple Sclerosis “I was diagnosed with MS about 15 years ago,” our reader writes. “I haven’t taken any of the medication that my doctors wanted me to take. For the last year or 2, I have weakness in my left leg. I’ve eliminated dairy, grains, gluten; and I’m not sure what else I should do at this point.” Tackling Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia Our next question comes from Margo who asks, “I’ve been diagnosed with chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, and I’ve tried everything. What can I do?” Now I want to hear from you. Are you dealing with MS or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? Share your thoughts on my Facebook page. If you liked this video, be sure to share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter, and tweet me your questions (@MarkHymanMd). Maybe next week I’ll make a House Call to you! Wishing you health & happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

On this week's House Call: How to Digest Fat without a Gallbladder Our first question comes from Christina who asks, “I want to incorporate more fats like you recommend, but I don’t have a gallbladder. Do you have any special instructions for someone who doesn’t have a gallbladder?” Getting Started on Your Health Journey Our next question comes from Angela who asks, “I’m ready to make a change, but how do I even get started? It seems overwhelming.” My Recommended Daily Supplements Our final question comes from Chad who asks, “What vitamins or supplements, if any, should men 40 and older take to reduce cancer risk and optimize health?” Now I want to hear from you. Do you have tips for digesting fat? How about tips for getting started with a healthy lifestyle? Also, what supplements do you take daily? Comment on my Facebook page. If you liked this video, be sure to share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter, and tweet me your questions @MarkHymanMD, and maybe next week I’ll make a house call to you. Wishing you health & happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

On this week's House Call: Why Am I So Stuffy? “I’ve always been congested,” starts this week’s first House Call question. “My digestion is great, but my nose is always stuffy. I have two dogs, so I’m thinking that might be the culprit, but I think it might be allergies.” Battling Headaches Our next reader writes, “I am battling these horrible headaches for the past 3 years now and they never go away. Help! What can I do?” If I Can’t Use Sugar, Can I Use Honey? The final question in this week’s House Call is, “If you have leaky gut syndrome, can you use honey in tea and coffee, instead of sugar?” Now I want to hear from you. Do you suffer from nasal problems? How about headaches? What are your thoughts on honey? Do you use it? Or do you avoid sugars? Leave your comments on my Facebook page. And if you liked this video, be sure to share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter. Also, Tweet me your questions, and maybe next week I’ll make a House Call to you. Wishing you health & happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

On this week's House Call: Getting Rid of Acne Once and For All The dreaded acne. It affects more than 85 percent of teenagers. But did you know that this skin condition has increased among adults? In fact, some eight million people visit the dermatologist every year for issues with their skin. We spend over a billion dollars for prescriptions and over-the-counter (OTC) products to cure acne, yet at best, these are short-term solutions. Our first question of the week comes from Michael, a reader who has tried pretty much everything to get rid of his stubborn acne. Eating Well When You’re a Busy Student Our next question comes from a PhD student named Gretchen, who asks, “Do you have any cooking or meal prep advice for those of us who are PhD or med students?” 5 minutes for breakfast; 10 minutes for lunch; and 15 minutes for dinner. Yes, I made this happen when I was in med school, and you can too. I had to learn to cook quickly for myself while on a budget, and it took a little bit of practice, but it paid off. Gaining Weight on a Low-Carb Diet Most of the time we hear about individuals who can’t seem to lose weight, but sometimes I’ll get patients who can’t seem to gain weight, especially when they transition to a low-carb diet. This is the subject of our next question which comes from Jennifer who tweeted, “Can you give advice on how to gain weight on a Paleo diet?” Well, the truth is, when you cut out starch and sugar, you’re not activating the insulin hormones which could mean you might have a tough time gaining weight. Now I want to hear from you. Are you dealing with acne? Do you have tips for feeding yourself when you’re out of time? What about gaining weight? What has worked for you and what hasn’t? Comment on my Facebook page. If you liked this video be sure to share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter, and, submit your questions to drhyman.com, and maybe next week I’ll make a House Call to you. Wishing you health & happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

Gut health has become a prominent focus in Functional Medicine. Having too many bad bugs and not enough good bugs has been linked to numerous diseases and challenges such as obesity, diabetes, allergies, autoimmune diseases, eczema, cancer, heart disease and even autism. The connection between gut imbalances and chronic disease is growing stronger every day. Today, we are talking about two challenges that involve deep gut healing: heartburn/acid reflux and candida. Steps for Dealing with Heartburn Our first question comes from Laurie who called in. “I’ve got 24-hour-a-day heartburn,” she says, “should I continue the Eat Fat, Get Thin Plan or not? Is heartburn too much acid or too little acid?” Getting Rid of Stubborn Candida Our next question comes from Jacqueline who writes, “Coming across huge #’s of people like myself suffering with chronic systemic candida. All these people have done rounds of botanicals, prescription anti-fungals, only to have it return. Any advice?” Now I want to hear from you. Are you dealing with heartburn or candida? What steps are you taking? Comment on my Facebook page. If you liked this video, be sure to share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter. Also, do you have a question for our House Call series? Send me a tweet @markhymanmd and maybe next week I’ll make a House Call to you. Wishing you health & happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

On this weeks House Call: Fructose vs. Glucose Our first question comes from Sue. “I have found that there is a difference in my body and in my brain between how fructose and glucose are metabolized and their addictive components. Can you talk about the differences between these two sugars?” Preventing and Treating the Flu Our next question comes from Julie who asks, “What’s your natural prescription for preventing the flu and how do you make symptoms easier once it’s contracted?” To Soy or Not to Soy? Our next question comes from Instagram. A reader asks, “To soy or not to soy? So many conflicting theories out there. I’m a post menopausal woman with rheumatoid arthritis and probably some thyroid/leaky gut issues.” Now I want to hear from you. What are your thoughts on fructose vs. glucose? Do you have experience with treating the flu naturally? How about soy? Do you eat it? Comment on my Facebook page. If you liked this video, be sure to share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter. Also, submit your questions to drhyman.com, and maybe next week I’ll make a House Call to you! Wishing you health & happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

On this weeks House Call: Prebiotics & Probiotics Scott, a 10-Day Detox participant wants to know, what are the best prebiotics and probiotics to take and how to keep his gut healthy. Wine: Should We Drink It? Our next question comes from Barbie who asks, “Can you explain how damaging a glass or two of wine is with dinner every night?” Now I want to hear from you. What are your favorite prebiotics and probiotics? What are your thoughts on enjoying wine every night? Comment on my Facebook page, and if you liked this video, be sure to share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter. Also, send your video submissions to [email protected], and maybe next week I’ll make a House Call to you! Wishing you health & happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

I get in my own way. Chances are, unless you are an enlightened master, you also have blind spots, areas of your life that just don’t work—relationships, work situations, your health, finances, your family, etc. How do you deal with them? If you are like me, you can spot them most of the time but not always! And you find yourself stuck in the same situation over and over again, creating upset and unhappiness. It could be your way of thinking that gets you into trouble, or past traumas and stress, or childhood patterns. Whatever it is, you have two choices. Live with it and continue to be unhappy or take a good serious look at yourself in the mirror and affect some change. You might think you are too old to find love or not smart enough to land your dream job. Or maybe you think you don’t have enough willpower to get healthy. Does any of this sound familiar? We all go through it. Lauren is a spiritual, emotional, transformational human who sees how people are wired and how their minds get in their own way. She’s the founder of Handel Group Life Coaching and she’s coached thousands of people including actors, musicians, artists and she’s lectured at MIT and Stanford and just wrote a book that puts 20 years of coaching into practical steps that anyone can follow today. It’s called Maybe It’s You: Cut the Crap. Face Your Fears. Love Your Life. If you want to get to the root of why your life doesn’t rock, or where you feel stuck, or where you are not telling the truth (to yourself or others), then this book is your roadmap to happiness. More importantly, it’s your road map to your own mind, heart and soul. Everyone has a dream, regardless of their circumstances. What is getting in the way of yours? If you’re interested in learning more about the book, head over to maybeitsyou.com and if you pre-order the book, Lauren is offering 50% off Handel’s Inner.U digital coaching course. If you’re looking for more resources or maybe you want to work with a coach, visit the Handel Group website and explore your options. Wishing you health and happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

On this week's House Call: Finding Trigger Foods Julie, an Eat Fat, Get Thin challenge participant, is curious about transitioning off of a program and onto every day eating. She asks, “How do I get a good read on whether certain foods are OK for me? What’s the best indicator that a food is good or not good?” Can We Eat Too Much Fat? Our next question comes from Sandra who asks, “Still have questions on upper limits of fats. Is there too much of a good thing?” My Top Superfoods Out final question comes from Anna who asks, “What superfoods are most important to stay healthy?” Now I want to hear from you. Have you had luck finding your trigger foods? What did you do that worked well? How do you feel when you eat high-quality fat? And what are your favorite superfoods? Leave your comments on my Facebook page. If you liked this video, share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter, and send your video submissions to drhyman.com/blog, and maybe next week I’ll make a House Call to you. Wishing you health & happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

On this weeks House Call: The Harm of Statins Our first question comes from Dorothy. Dorothy has successfully completed the Eat Fat, Get Thin program and now all of her labs are normal, but her new physician wants her to get back on statins which Dorothy doesn’t want to do. She asks, “What can I say to my physician to keep her from dismissing me as a patient?” High Fat Diets and Cancer Our next question comes from Cathy who says, “A lower fat diet has always been recommended to reduce risk for breast cancer. Do you feel this is incorrect?” Now I want to hear from you! Are you taking a statin Or have you gotten off your statins and met with resistance from your primary care physician? Do you have any experience with good quality high-fat diets? Post your comments on my Facebook page. If you liked this video be sure to share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter, and send your video submissions to [email protected] and maybe next week I’ll make a House Call to you. Wishing you health & happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

On this week's house call: Alison asks, “What are some wellness routines to add in addition to our normal routines while traveling? What additional supplements should I take while traveling?” I travel a lot; in fact, 50 percent of my time is spent traveling. If I didn’t keep myself healthy while on the road there is absolutely no way that I could perform optimally. There are a few basics that you must maintain while traveling in order to stay healthy. Intermittent Fasting “I just finished Eat Fat, Get Thin,” writes my second question, this one from a Twitter user. “What are your thoughts about combining Eat Fat, Get Thin with intermittent fasting?” For those of you who don’t know what intermittent fasting is, it’s a way of eating where you incorporate time restrictions into your eating schedule. Now, I don’t normally recommend skipping meals – especially breakfast . However, with intermittent fasting, you’re not just whimsically skipping meals, which can mess with your blood sugar and energy levels, you are employing a strategized way to miss meals. I often recommend intermittent fasting to patients who are really resistant to weight loss. When you combine this type of fasting with my Eat Fat, Get Thin program, you can get really impressive results. Now I want to hear from you. Do you have any tips for staying healthy while traveling? Have you experimented with intermittent fasting? Post your comments on my Facebook page. If you liked this video, be sure to share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter, and send your video submissions to [email protected] and maybe next week I’ll make a house call to you. Wishing you health & happiness, Mark Hyman, MD.

Feeding Our Kids and Thyroid Health Our first question for this week’s House Call comes from Robyn. She wants to know what treats and snacks she can feed her young children, and she also asks if there are any special considerations that need to be taken into account when following the Pegan diet while pregnant or breastfeeding. The Root Cause of Hashimoto’s Our next question comes from Mimi who asks, “For a Hashimoto’s diagnosis, how do we get to the root of the problem?” This is a great question. For those who don’t know, Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune condition in which your immune system attacks your thyroid. Looking at the bigger picture, thyroid disease affects 1 in 5 women and 1 in 10 men, yet 50 percent of those with this disease go undiagnosed. Testing Your Thyroid Our final question ties into the previous question. SweetNizz asks, “My doctor needs to test my thyroid correctly. I need a full thyroid panel including reverse T3. How can I ask yet not offend?” Now I want to hear from you! Do you have tips for raising healthy eaters? Are you dealing with Hashimoto’s or thyroid disease? Post your thoughts on my Facebook page. If you liked this video, be sure to share it with your friends and family on Facebook or Twitter. If you have a question for our House Call series, send a video to [email protected] or tweet me @markhymanmd. Maybe next week I’ll make a House Call to you! Wishing you health & happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

Snacks for Endurance Athletes “What do you recommend for food and fuel for endurance athletes?” asks Dennis in this week’s house call. The Difference between Gluten Sensitivity and Celiac Disease Our next question comes from Antra who asks, “What’s the difference between gluten sensitivity and celiac disease? And what’s your favorite gluten-free recipe?” Acid Reflux and a High-Fat Diet Our final question comes from Meg who writes, “I have acid reflux. How do I increase healthy fats in my diet without worsening my reflux?” Do you have tips for endurance athletes? Are you dealing with celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity? How about acid reflux? I want to hear from you. Share your thoughts on my Facebook page. If you liked this video, be sure to share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter. Also, do you have a question for the House Call series? Send your videos to [email protected] or you can tweet me your questions: twitter.com/markhymanmd, and maybe next week I’ll make a house call to you! Wishing you health & happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

I am so excited to share my new and improved Housecall series with you. Instead of focusing on one submitted question per week, we’ll cover two to three questions submitted via video, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram! Have you heard of the concept of food as medicine? Have you ever wondered about the Blood Type Diet or the Ketogenic Diet? These are the topics that we will cover on this week’s Housecall. Our first question comes from Chrysanne who asks, “Is it really worth it to spend extra money on good food? Does it make a difference?” Our next question comes from Jenna who asks, “Eating for your blood type advocates say that those with O blood type shouldn’t eat anything with coconut, but it’s so good for you. What are your thoughts on this?” Our next question comes from Jenna who asks, “Eating for your blood type advocates say that those with O blood type shouldn’t eat anything with coconut, but it’s so good for you. What are your thoughts on this?” Now I want to hear from you! Have you experimented with the Blood Type Diet or the Ketogenic Diet? What are your thoughts on food as medicine? Is healthy food worth the cost? Post your thoughts on my Facebook page, and if you liked this video, please share it with your friends and family on Facebook or Twitter. And, if you have any questions, we want to hear from you! Tweet me your questions or submit them by video to [email protected], and maybe next week, I’ll make a house call to you!

Here’s the Downside of Antibiotics Your Doctor Might Not Tell You by Mark Hyman

“Dr. Hyman, I’ve recently gone gluten-free, and I’ve seen tons of replacements for traditionally gluten-laden foods,” a writer recently emailed me. “I’m a little suspicious, but are any of these choices healthy?” We are all aware that “gluten-free” has become a major buzz term. Restaurants proudly offer options like gluten-free bread, and even mainstream supermarkets have whole aisles dedicated to the trend. Nearly everyone has jumped on the gluten-free bandwagon. I don’t recommend this to everyone – not at least until you understand a few facts … and here’s why. As a doctor who treats sick patients, I find that gluten often is a major cause of digestive, autoimmune, weight, mood and neurologic problems. While one would think that I would be 100% pro gluten-free, I want to be clear that there are some downsides to this trend. The biggest problem with demonizing a food substance is caused by the food industry. In a nutshell, this industry manipulates basic foods items and turns them into “Frankenfoods.” It does this by removing naturally derived ingredients and adding in other bad stuff to make up for loss of taste, consistency, etc. Witness the past popularities of, say, low-carb or fat-free diets and the so-called healthy fake foodstuffs that manufacturers invented to replace the foods containing the maligned ingredients. Go gluten-free, but do it correctly.

“I have been dealing with constipation for years now, and I’m so tired of it. It’s making me cranky, bloated and it’s messing with my appetite,” a social media follower recently wrote. “I feel like I’m doing everything right, but I can’t poop. Help!” Unfortunately, I see many patients who struggle with constipation and other bathroom issues. Sometimes they are too embarrassed to admit their problem until it becomes too painful to bear. My patients aren’t alone. Researchers find that roughly 12 to 19 percent of the US population (about 63 million people) suffer from constipation. And while constipation might be common, it’s definitely not normal and it can have disastrous consequences. I want to hear from you. Are you currently dealing with constipation or have you overcome chronic constipation? What worked (and didn’t work) for you? Share your comments below or on my Facebook page. And if you liked this information, please share it on your social media. Also, be sure to submit your questions to drhyman.com so we can continue to get these important issues out there to everyone in need.

I was visiting Google one day, and I walked into a lunch area and saw everyone sitting on couches and at tables, all on their computers. I asked, “is this the silent lunch room?” and was surprised when I was told no. Far too often, I find myself on my phone or computer for most of my day – often missing the people and live events that are all around me. This is why it is important to do a complete “digital detox” – something I do at least a few times a year so that I can get back to just being. More and more studies have been coming out showing the link between too much Internet usage and screen time and mental and mood disorders (like ADHD, anxiety, depression etc.). In a recent study, people who reported excessive Internet use also reported social anxiety disorders, loneliness, social isolation and lower quality of life. The study also showed that Internet addiction was associated with reduced immune function. That’s right, too much Internet and screen time can actually make you sick! PS – My Eat Fat, Get Thin Challenge is not just about detoxing from junk foods, it’s about movement, journaling, breathing and more. Make the most of your online time by joining our 2017 Challenge and work with others to create new healthy habits together. Prep day starts on January 12th! Sign up now!

“Dr. Hyman, how do I know if I’m eating enough fat?” a reader recently asked me. This is an excellent question and one of my favorite subjects because I wholeheartedly believe eating the right amount and type of fat plays a crucial role in shaping health and wellbeing. Doctors, patients and readers are often completely confused about fat, clinging to myths and misinformation that prevents them from understanding the latest science to lose weight and achieve optimal health. You’re familiar with many of these myths: Fat makes us fat, fat contributes to heart disease, and fat leads to obesity. Saturated fat is bad, while vegetable oils are good. Simply put, these and other fat myths are big fat lies. Thankfully, the importance of fat is finally starting to catch on. How do you know if your cells are getting enough vital fat? I'll be covering signals your body actually sends you when it doesn’t get enough good fat. Never ignore the signs your body is giving you. If you’re still curious about whether you’re getting enough fat in your diet, take this quiz. If you’re not getting enough fat, or if you’re ready to kick-start your health in the new year, I highly recommend joining our Eat Fat, Get Thin January Challenge. Thousands of people all over the world have completed this program, and the results have been astonishing. If you’re tired of typical calorie-deprivation diets that don’t work, this is the program for you. Also check out my new Eat Fat, Get Thin Cookbook, filled with luscious, delicious, healthy recipes that deliver optimal amounts of healthy fat. Let’s spread the good news about healthy fats and permanently put outdated myths to bed!

Since the release of my book Eat Fat, Get Thin, I’ve noticed fierce debates on social media and other news sources about things like calorie counting, eating vs. avoiding fat and genetics. When it comes to overall health and weight loss, there’s an excess of advice out there. Unfortunately, most of it is terrible, misguided, outdated and scientifically disproven. This ubiquitously poor advice can create weight loss roadblocks and even damage your health. Here are four prevalent misguided myths that drive me nuts. Myth #1 – All Calories are Created Equal Myth #2 – Your Genetics Define You and Your Health Myth #3 – You Can Out-Exercise a Bad Diet Myth #4 – Fat Makes You Fat I’ve created a plan to reset your body and move toward your best self that incorporates movement, supplementation and above all, food and dietary fats . The Eat Fat, Get Thin program is a 21-day plan designed to support weight loss, maximize energy and mental clarity and kick start your health. Thousands of people all over the world have completed this program, and the results have been astonishing. If you’re tired of typical calorie-deprivation diets that don’t work, I highly recommend joining our Eat Fat, Get Thin January challenge. If you liked this information, please share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter. And, help me continue to clear up nutrition and health confusion by submitting your questions to drhyman.com. Let’s spread real truth and inspire others!

I am so excited to share a recent interview that I did with Dr. Elizabeth Boham, my dear friend and long-time colleague here at The UltraWellness Center in Lenox, Massachusetts. She is Board Certified in Family Medicine from Albany Medical School and an Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner. She also has her undergraduate degree in nutritional biochemistry from Cornell University and her graduate degree and Registered Dietitian from Columbia University. Dr. Boham joined my team in 2007. What is so interesting about her journey is that she knows first-hand how difficult it can be to navigate through the health-care system. She was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 30 and discovered Functional Medicine and the importance of evaluating all systems in the body to discover the underlying cause for dysfunction. Here at our center, Dr. Boham and I take on some of the most difficult cases, and I am simply amazed by her dedication to creating health for her patients. She focuses on a variety of topics, including Women’s Health and Breast Cancer Prevention, insulin resistance, heart health, weight control and allergies. She also has a DVD called, Breast Wellness: Tools to Prevent and Heal from Breast Cancer, which explores the Functional Medicine approach to keeping your breasts and whole body well. Through her practice and lecturing, she has helped thousands of people achieve their goals of optimum health and wellness. In this interview, Dr. Boham and I talk about the importance of Functional Medicine, and she shares more about her own experience dealing with breast cancer, as well as her work with patients. For more information about working with Dr. Boham and our team at The UltraWellness Center, visit us here: www.ultrawellnesscenter.com

This is a time of year where many of us become overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by what’s still left to accomplish and preparing for family or extra holiday centric obligations. I’m sure many of you, like me, are also thinking about what we want to accomplish next year. My Handel coach gives me an excellent exercise each year that helps me focus, and get clear on what I want, and it never gets old. Simply put, it’s called dreaming. You might want to schedule a 30-minute consultation to see how this tool can help you design your life to be what you always wished it would be. Handel Group and I agree you should only take on 3 to 5 areas each year to focus on, but don’t worry when you improve one area, it always improves all the other ones, too. Everything is connected. Choosing to focus can be difficult but it’s crucial. In 2017, I’m going to focus on my family and strengthening and building those relationships, my finances (as in getting more organized about how I manage them) and my friendships by dedicating more time to nurturing them. Here is your guide for how to think about and write your dream.

“Dr. Hyman, I just started your Eat Fat, Get Thin plan, and I’m feeling great, but I have a lot of fear around my upcoming social schedule,” writes a Facebook reader. “How can I maintain my newfound health during the holidays? “ I get this all-to-common yet excellent question from folks as they confront their holiday eating fears. Eating well is not about perfection. We are human, so perfection is impossible. A better approach involves honoring your body and knowing what works best for you and just as importantly, what doesn’t work. If I go to a party and eat tortilla chips or sugar-laden treats, I’ll definitely feel the aftereffects. I’ll feel sick, tired and bloated. Obviously, that’s not how I want to spend my time or how I want to feel. Just like anything in life, preparation is key to staying lean and healthy during the holidays. I’ve found these 10 strategies help my patients stay on track in even the toughest social situations.

“Dr. Hyman, I’m so confused about what fats to cook with,” a reader recently wrote. “For so long I’ve been using vegetable oils because I heard they were best to cook with, and now I hear that we can cook with butter or coconut oil.” I completely understand your confusion, especially with rampant misinformation about fats and nutrition in general. For instance, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends adults get no more than five percent of their calories from saturated fat, urging people to use vegetable oils instead. They also advise people to eat at least five to 10 percent of their calories from polyunsaturated fat (PUFAs). Unlike saturated fat, the AHA rationalizes the linoleic acid in PUFAs lower LDL cholesterol levels. As a result of this and other poor nutrition advice, the average intake of this omega-6 fatty acid has risen sharply: Americans consume at least twice the amount of linoleic acid today than they did in the 1960s. Increased consumption of omega-6 vegetable oils, which are highly inflammatory to the body and unstable, has subsequently increased inflammatory diseases. Over-consuming omega-6 fats and under-consuming omega-3 fats increases numerous health issues including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, pre-diabetes, IBS, arthritis, asthma, cancer and autoimmune diseases. That’s because omega-6 fats fuel your body’s inflammatory pathways and counteract the benefits and availability of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats, creating even more inflammation. These ubiquitous omega-6 fats like vegetable oils (soybean, safflower, sunflower, and canola oils) undo any health benefits from consuming omega-3 fats. This misguided dietary advice to swap traditional omega-3-rich fats for inflammatory omega-6 fats, although it may have begun with good intent, has yielded disastrous results. Consuming too many omega-6 fats also increases mental illness, suicide and homicide. In fact, studies show a connection of mental health with inflammation in the brain. We need to eliminate these highly processed vegetable oils that are so prevalent in the standard American diet. Instead, I suggest using more plant-based and animal-stable fats such as butter, coconut oil and even lard.

The First Step to Your Best Health: A Kitchen Makeover by Mark Hyman

When we decided to put together another Fat Summit, I knew that I wanted my friend Dr. Carrie Diulus to co-host with me. I’ve only known her for a year, but it feels like I’ve known her forever. Dr. Diulus is the medical director of an amazing center in Ohio called the Crystal Clinic Spine Wellness Center. She is one of the only female board certified orthopedic spine surgeons in the country, and one of the only surgeons I have met who encourages people to choose alternatives to surgery when they can. When the decision is made to pursue surgery, she uses a Functional Medicine approach to help people prepare for and heal from the procedure. That’s the type of surgeon I want in my court! You probably remember from the first Fat Summit that Dr. Diulus is dealing with type 1 diabetes; so, she knows a lot about fat, diet and carbs. As a special sneak preview, I wanted to share with you our new interview from The Fat Summit 2. In this early expert talk with Dr. Diulus, you will learn: - Types of diabetes and the differences of and treatments for each - What a diabetic really should be eating - The importance of ketones If you want to see the rest of our interviews, be sure to register now for the Fat Summit 2. But hurry – the Summit begins on Monday, November 7th!

We want the facts! We want an unbiased analysis of research and we want to know what works. That is exactly why I had to interview my friend and colleague Chris Kresser, M.S., L.Ac for my original Fat Summit. He is a globally recognized leader in the fields of ancestral health, Paleo nutrition and Functional and Integrative Medicine. Chris in an investigator and pioneer in his field. In the first Fat Summit, Chris and I got the chance to talk about personalized medicine, cholesterol, Paleo diets, vegan diets and myths around heart disease and fat. You can read the transcript here. I wanted to dig into the research and science around meat consumption, so I invited Chris back for our upcoming Fat Summit 2: Separating Even More Fat from Fiction. We recently talked about meat and ended up discussing into how science is often for sale and how we should read all studies with a grain of salt. We also had the chance to dig deeper into fat, heart health and much more. My new interviews with Chris and over 30 other experts will air during Fat Summit 2 – November 7 to 14. In the meantime, check out our first interview. Hope you enjoy it!

Is butter back? What is the deal with coffee? What exactly is biohacking? Does calorie counting actually work? What fats should we eat? Which fats are harmful? My friend Dave Asprey and I had the chance to sit down this past February, during our first Fat Summit, to answer these important questions. Dave is the founder of Bulletproof and the author of the New York Times Bestseller, The Bulletproof Diet. He is also the master of optimizing the body and the brain. Our conversation was fascinating, to say the least. After the first Fat Summit, the New York Times released an article discussing the idea of a “cursed” metabolism. I knew that I wanted to sit down again with Dave to talk about this because he is living proof that you CAN reset your metabolism. There are so many myths out there about metabolism, calorie counting, what we should eat, what to stay away from, how best to exercise and the list goes on and on. So I brought Dave and over 30 other experts together again for The Fat Summit 2: Separating Even More Fat From Fiction so we could dive deeper into these vital subjects. The Fat Summit 2 goes live on Monday, November 7th.

Many of you asked me how I gave up being a nice-aholic, which I talked about in a previous blog titled Is your Kindness Killing You? If you’ve been following my writing, then you know I had a bad habit of not saying what I really thought in some important relationships and then ended up suffering the consequences. I had the habit of getting into conflicts or disappointments with people and then complaining to my friends or coach about it, while not saying what I really wanted to the source of my frustration – all of which lead me to being increasingly unhappy about the whole situation! I used to have a weird experience of feeling right or justified about complaining. But this approach really took me far away from dealing with the real situation in front of me. That’s until I learned what I could do about it. All the coaches on my coaches team – the Handel Group – teach this step by step process and help you work through your most difficult relationships with you. If you are interested in this kind of support, you can get a free 30-minute consultation on how the Handel Method works and find out what coaching program could be right for you.

The way you eat, how much you exercise, how you manage stress and your exposure to environmental toxins all contribute to things like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and of course, heart disease. The current way doctors treat heart disease is misguided because they treat the risk factors not the causes. To think we can treat heart disease by lowering cholesterol, lowering blood pressure and lowering blood sugar with medication alone is like mopping up the floor while we leave the faucet running as the sink overflows. Instead, we need to ask what is causing the high blood pressure, high blood sugar or abnormal cholesterol in the first place. Spoiler alert: These are not medication deficiencies! We treat these problems with medication, but studies have increasingly shown that treating these risk factors has very little benefit if any at all. Research shows changing your lifestyle can be a more powerful intervention to prevent heart disease than any medication. In February of this year, I released The Fat Summit and was so honored to interview more than 30 leading health experts about dietary fat, sugar, chronic disease and the truth about heart disease. One of those experts was Dr. Aseem Malhotra who is truly a leading thinker in cardiology and has challenged the status quo around fat, calories and conventional wisdom around statin use. During our interview, Dr. Malhotra and I got a chance to talk about why heart disease is on the rise; the benefits of a higher fat, lower carb diet; and much more. It was such a fascinating discussion, I decided to re-share Part 1 today to keep the conversation going. I am excited to announce that the conversation on fat is just beginning! Dr. Malhotra and 30+ other experts have come together again to continue our discussion of the fat we eat, the fat on our bodies, chronic disease, and definitely a lot more about heart health. I hope you enjoy Part 1 of my conversation with Dr. Malhotra, and to see Part 2 (plus more interviews), sign up for The Fat Summit 2: Separating Even More Fat From Fiction. It starts November 7th, and I hope to see you there!

I once had a fear of fat while growing up. I subscribed to the antiquated “all calories are the same” myth, a mentality that demonizes fat. After all, eating fat makes you fat, right? End of story. From a caloric perspective, that makes sense. Dietary fat contains nine calories per gram, versus the four calories per gram for carbs and protein. If you eat less fat, you will eat fewer calories, and you will lose weight – easy and done, right? Unfortunately, that theory doesn’t work for many reasons. The theory that all calories have the same impact on your weight and metabolism remains one of the most persistent nutrition myths that keep us fat and sick. Earlier this year, I brought together some of my favorite doctors, scientists, researchers and health experts to discuss the idea that food is information and that the information in fat is actually beneficial for our health, despite what we’ve been told for decades. My goals for the original Fat Summit were to clear up the confusion around this misunderstood nutrient and prove that it has a place in our diets. I was really lucky to have Dr. Christiane Northrup join the Fat Summit and share her expertise on women’s health, hormonal health, cholesterol and the idea that food is information and that food is medicine. It was such a great interview that I wanted to share it with you, and use this opportunity to announce that the conversation about fat is just beginning! Creating The Fat Summit was one of the highlights of my career! I enjoyed delving into this subject with all of the experts and found that we were only scratching the surface. So, I decided to continue the conversation and launch The Fat Summit 2: Separating Even More Fat from Fiction. Check out my talk with Christiane from the first Fat Summit, and if you find it as compelling as I do, then you will for sure want to hear more about what it takes to get healthy and stay healthy. Don’t miss out – continue to hear these amazing conversations with world-renowned experts by registering for the Fat Summit 2.

I am so excited to announce to that we are launching The Fat Summit 2: Separating Even More Fat from Fiction this coming November. During the first Fat Summit, we brought together physicians, health experts, researchers, journalists and scientists to tell us the truth about what makes us sick and fat, and guess what? It’s not the fat that is the culprit! We dove deep into subjects like cholesterol, brain health, heart disease, hormones and so much more, but the conversation was only just beginning, which is why we decided to bring you The Fat Summit 2. We are bringing back some of our favorite experts and introducing some new ones, too. Before we launch this new summit, we want to take you back to some of the highlights from the original summit. So, over the next five weeks, I’ll be sharing some of the amazing conversations we had to give you the skinny on fat. This week, I’m sharing one of my favorite interviews with Dr. David Ludwig. For 20 years, Dr. Ludwig has conducted basic and clinical research into novel dietary approaches for obesity, diabetes and heart disease. And, he was one of the greatest sources of inspiration for my book, Eat Fat, Get Thin. Let’s keep this conversation about fat going. Do you have any questions or comments about dietary fat? Comment on my Facebook page. Be sure to sign up for the Fat Summit 2 here. It all starts on Monday, November 7th!

As you probably know too well, real life can interfere with creating time for oneself or even the inclination to meditate, and for me, eventually, it fell by the wayside. Just thinking about the zillion tasks I juggle every day makes my head spin: Managing a Functional Medicine clinic at a major hospital, seeing patients at my own practice, writing books, and attending to tons of other work obligations. I balance these duties with regular exercise, eating healthy and oh yeah, sleeping 8 to 10 hours every night. So OK, no jury in the world would convict me when I say I don’t have time to meditate, right? At the same time, I’ve been “prescribing” meditation to patients and readers for decades, so I always felt slightly uncomfortable recommending it when I didn’t practice meditation myself. Among its many benefits, meditation reduces stress. Think of your brain as a computer, simultaneously keeping many windows and programs going. Meditation helps you close out the unnecessary windows so you can focus on what’s essential. When you do less with more, you enjoy life more and perform at a higher level.

“Dr. Hyman, can you tell me more about probiotics? Can supplementing with them really help reduce belly bloat and IBS symptoms? How do you know which ones are good and which ones are a waste of money?” Well – to be frank, our poop and all the bugs that live in there are the great new frontier in medicine. Who knew!? The health of the 100 trillion bugs in your gut (which outnumber you 10 to 1) is one of the biggest things that impacts your health. Is it as simple as just taking a few probiotics or eating some yogurt? Not really – we have to learn how to tend the gut flora of our inner gardens by being selective of what we eat and how we live; feeding the good bugs and avoiding gut-busting drugs and habits– like eating too much sugar and starch, or consuming too much alcohol, or not managing our stress (yes, your gut bacteria are eavesdropping on your thoughts). But What About Probiotics? This is a huge area of research, and really, we are at the infancy of understanding how to create and use probiotics. Probiotics are popping up everywhere! They’re in yogurt commercials and sold at your pharmacy and grocery store. Ever since gut health has come to the forefront, probiotics have become a popular topic. So, do they really help?

Imagine eating 12 pounds of food a day and staying thin and healthy. That is exactly what hunter-gatherer ate for millennia without any obesity or chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, cancer or dementia.Today, I wouldn’t advise anyone to eat 12 pounds of food each day, because the food in our society lacks one major secret ingredient that our ancestors ate in nearly all their food – fiber! You might wonder how fiber can prevent obesity and all of the chronic diseases of aging. It’s actually quite simple. It slows the rate at which food enters your blood stream and increases the speed at which food exits your body through the digestive tract. That keeps your blood sugar and cholesterol in ideal balance, quickly eliminates toxins from your gut and reduces your appetite.

“Dr. Hyman, I have been so confused about saturated fat,” writes this week’s house call. “The government still says to limit saturated fat, yet I read in the news how maybe it’s not really connected to heart disease? Is butter really back?” I understand why there is so much confusion around butter and saturated fat. The diet debates have America spinning. Some advocate for putting dollops of butter in coffee, while others shun avocados and nuts as harmful, heart-disease-promoting and fattening foods. What’s the average eater to do? Three recent studies add to an increasing body of evidence that saturated fat is not the evil, heart-disease-producing substance we once thought. A recent large review of the research found that the higher the saturated fat intake in the population, the lower the risk of stroke.

“Dr. Hyman, I’m about to start your Eat Fat, Get Thin Plan, which is completely different from the way my family normally eats,” writes this week’s house call. “I want my kids to eat good food, too. Can they eat the foods on this program? And do you have any tips for helping me trick them into eating healthy foods?” I can understand how change can become nerve-wracking for parents and kids. Just like you might feel nervous starting a new way of eating, your kids might feel nervous about missing their daily favorites. The key is to create new favorites together. Build healthy habits for your kids at an early age to create a path toward optimal, vibrant health. That might be tough with picky eaters, but think about the alternative. You don’t want your child to suffer lifelong obesity and poor health.

“Dr. Hyman, you often talk about superfoods and their benefits,” writes this week’s house call. “Can you share some of your favorites?” I realize “superfood” carries a certain hype, but some foods do earn that status. Food is medicine. And some foods are more powerful medicines than others! Food is the most powerful tool to create optimal health. Food is the first and most powerful drug in my arsenal to treat patients. I’ve discussed numerous superfoods and you how to get them into your diet in The 10- Day Detox, Eat Fat, Get Thin, and my other programs. Here, I share five superfoods I frequently enjoy that you should also incorporate into your eating plan.

“I’ve hit a stubborn weight-loss plateau,” writes this week’s house call, “even though I seem to be doing everything right, like eating the right foods and exercising. How can I overcome that obstacle?” I’ve discussed different reasons for weight-loss resistance in past blogs. Many obstacles have nothing to do with what you eat or how much you exercise. Instead, they involve things like nutritional imbalances, chronic inflammation, metabolic challenges, leaky gut, changes in your microbiome, environmental toxins and your genes. One huge but often-overlooked reason for weight-loss resistance involves hormonal imbalances. No contest: The monster hormone that causes weight gain, inflammation and chronic disease is excess insulin. Think of this hormone as your fat cell fertilizer! My new book, Eat Fat, Get Thin, discusses how to naturally regulate insulin so you can shift your body from fat storage mode to fat-burning mode. At the same time, insulin isn’t the only player; other hormones also affect your weight and health. Three big disruptors are: thyroid, cortisol and sex hormones. I discuss these hormones in-depth in The Blood Sugar Solution, however, let’s briefly look at each of them here.

“Dr. Hyman, I’m ready to start a path toward my best health, but there are so many options out there,” writes this week’s house call. “I’m choosing among The Blood Sugar Solution, The 10-Day Detox Diet, and the Eat Fat, Get Thin plans, but I’m unsure which is the best one to serve my needs.” Ultimately, any plan that eliminates toxic foods and uses whole, real foods as medicine is the right step forward. Each of my programs starts with this foundation, which has the power to transform your health. What’s most important is to affirm your personal goals and health concerns based on your health and lifestyle. The 10-Day Detox Diet is obviously a 10-day program, the Eat Fat, Get Thin plan is a three-week program and The Blood Sugar Solution is an eight-week program. And, each program is designed to be a foundation for lifelong lifestyle change. So, let’s take a closer look at each of these three programs to determine which one best suits your needs.

“Dr. Hyman, I recently read how endocrine disruptors like environmental toxins can interfere with your hormones,” writes this week’s house call. “I’m really freaked out. I feel like my house is full of toxins. How can I minimize their impact?” Unfortunately, today we become exposed to a greater number of environmental toxins than ever before. Sadly, many experts fail to connect the dots between toxicity and diabesity, which has hit record numbers. Environmental toxins can feed cancer, interfere with glucose and cholesterol metabolism and induce insulin resistance and obesity through multiple mechanisms including inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial injury, altered thyroid metabolism and impaired central appetite regulation.

“Dr. Hyman, I’m so confused about coffee,” writes this week’s house call. “One day I read that it’s so bad for me and the next it’s good for me. Why all the conflicting information?” Let’s face it: Americans love their coffee, which is the number one source of antioxidants in our diet – which actually makes me kind of sad! In a recent animal study, researchers saw improvements in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and cholesterol when mice consumed coffee and fat together. (More on that combo in a minute.) They also found coffee can help reduce gut permeability or leaky gut. Among its other benefits, studies show coffee decreases your risk for type 2 diabetes, lowers cancer risk and improves mood and memory. Coffee can also boost metabolism and sports performance. On the other hand, coffee can become highly addictive, altering stress hormones while making you feel simultaneously wired and tired. So I understand the confusion. It feels like one day we see studies that support coffee and the next day we see 10 reasons why coffee is bad. So let’s uncover the truth about this aromatic beverage that most of us love.

“Dr. Hyman, I’ve heard so much contradictory information about omega 3 fats,” writes this week’s house call. “Some studies show they help everything while others argue they don’t do much of anything. What’s the real story here?” As I often say, food is information, not just calories. Food influences gene function, hormones, your immune system and even your gut flora. Literally, food controls every function within your body. This is especially true with the omega-3 fatty acids found in foods like wild fish, flaxseeds and walnuts. These fatty acids play critical roles in cognitive development and learning, visual development, immune strength, fighting inflammation, pregnancy, brain health, and preventing Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, cancer, mental illness and so much more. They affect every one of your hundred trillion cell membranes.

“Dr. Hyman, I’ve been suffering from seasonal allergies for years,” writes this week’s house call. “Is there anything that I can do to make these go away or am I doomed forever?” You are definitely not doomed; however, I do know how miserable seasonal allergies can be, especially in the spring and summer. Conventional medicine treats seasonal allergies with injections and pills, which unfortunately, create side effects and fail to address the root problem. If you don’t address the root cause, then the allergies will never go away.

Eventually, I discovered I suffered from mercury toxicity and was completely exhausted from overworking. My brain health suffered the most. I had terrible brain fog and couldn’t focus for long periods of time. Here I was, a physician with brain fog: Some days I couldn’t even remember my patients’ names. I knew things had to change. That’s when I discovered Functional Medicine. One huge benefit I experienced when I reversed chronic fatigue syndrome was how well my brain improved. Over the years, I fine-tuned my approach for a sharper, faster and better brain. I want you to experience this same transformation. Whatever your situation might be, optimal brain health creates more opportunities and makes life better.

Happy Father’s Day! In this week’s house call, I want to tell you about one of the best gifts I ever received. It was actually from my kids and it was for my birthday. The gift was a conversation with my kids – the most meaningful one I’ve ever had. I am sharing this with you on Father’s Day because I wish for every parent and every child the family relationships I now have as a result of this conversation. And, I want to tell you how I got here. When my life isn’t working, it spills over into all of my relationships including those with my kids. I have always had a great relationship with my kids. I raised them myself as a single dad. But I knew we had bumps along the way and there were things unsaid and unresolved, and that was keeping us from having the deepest relationship we could. I knew I had made mistakes, so I wanted to clean it all up, say everything, hear everything from them in a safe way so we could heal from the issues that were in our way.

“Dr. Hyman, I’ve eliminated toxic foods, I exercise every day, and overall I live a healthy lifestyle, yet I haven’t been able to get anywhere near my goal weight,” writes this week’s house call. “What gives?” I understand how frustrating this can become, especially when you feel like you’ve tried everything. You made a conscious decision to live a healthier lifestyle. You’ve cut out toxic triggers, ditched sugar and you’re eating all the right types of foods. You’re doing everything correctly, yet you can’t lose weight. Over the years, I’ve had many patients complain about this problem. They feel like they’ve exhausted every option, yet when we dig a bit deeper, we often find a hidden cause for their weight loss resistance. One big obstacle becomes nutritional imbalances. After reviewing major nutritional research over the last 40 years and doing nutritional testing with over 10,000 patients, I’ve concluded that Americans suffer from massive nutritional deficiencies.

“No matter what I do, I can’t seem to lose weight,” writes this week’s house call, who is also an Eat Fat, Get Thin challenge participant. “I think I’m cursed with a slow metabolism.” I hear this often among patients, and the good news is that no, you’re not cursed and yes, you can fix your metabolism. It’s important to remember that you are unique: Everyone was born with a different biochemical make-up. You have trillions of little energy factories called mitochondria that provide the fuel to run everything in your body. If you can remember high school biochemistry class, you know mitochondria convert the oxygen you breathe and the food you eat into energy for your body to use. Think of mitochondria as little combustion engines. When scientists talk about metabolism, they often refer to mitochondria. Effective mitochondria mean your body efficiently burns calories and you have a fast metabolism. Ineffective mitochondria don’t burn calories and slow down your metabolism.

“Ever since I started using coconut oil, my cholesterol has spiked,” writes this week’s house call. “I’m afraid coconut oil with all that saturated fat is creating more harm than good. Should I continue to use it?” Since I expressed my love for medium-chain triglyceride oil or MCT oil, I’ve received this question several times. I call MCTs (found in coconut oil) a super fuel for your cells because your body uses this kind of fat very efficiently. Your cells burn MCTs for energy while storing very little as fat, boosting your metabolism and supporting your immune system. MCTs also help balance many hormones, including the ones that control your appetite. They keep you feeling full and satisfied. They actually improve your cholesterol profile. They also help your body burn fat. One study found that consuming MCT oils helped reduce body fat and triglycerides more than omega 6 vegetable oils. After eight weeks, the experiment showed the MCT oil group lost more weight, body fat and subcutaneous fat, all while experiencing a 15 percent drop in triglycerides and LDL. At the same time, as MCT-rich coconut oil becomes more popular, it also becomes a concern among some folks because of its high amounts of saturated fat and potential for raising cholesterol. The reality is, cholesterol is not black and white. Classifying it as “good” or “bad” vastly oversimplifies this molecule, which among its duties helps synthesize vitamin D and hormones while maintaining cell structure. Some fats do raise cholesterol, whereas others lower cholesterol. Even when saturated fat does raise your cholesterol, the type of cholesterol becomes more important than cholesterol itself.