Infant/Toddler Pedcasts

Dr. M’s Women and Children First Podcast #89 – Trenna Sutcliffe, MD – Autism and Development

Today we are joined by a remarkable guest, Dr. Trenna Sutcliffe, a board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatrician and the founder of the Sutcliffe Clinic in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her educational history is impressive. She completed her undergraduate education in Molecular Biology and Medical Genetics followed by a masters degree in Biophysics at The University of Toronto. She obtained her Medical degree at McMaster University before her pediatric residency and training finished at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. And oh by the way, she then did a year of pediatric Neurology residency and a Fellowship in Developmental Pediatrics. And finally, another Masters degree in Epidemiology at Stanford University. Thus, her educational path has allowed her to see the developmental landscape through a wider lens covering many disciplines. Dr. Sutcliffe started the first Developmental Pediatrics Clinic at Stanford and played the role of trailblazer throughout her career.

With over 25 years of experience, Dr. Sutcliffe specializes in supporting children with autism, ADHD, and anxiety, offering a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and treatment. In this episode, she’ll share her insights on the rising prevalence of these conditions, the importance of personalized care, and practical strategies for parents navigating developmental challenge. Fundamentally, Dr. Sutcliffe is a going to educate us on a better way to deliver whole person care to the developmentally challenged and beautiful children of this country.

Two words encapsulate her work: empowering and thoughtful.

Let’s dive into this conversation with Dr. Sutcliffe to learn how we can help our children thrive!

Dr. M

Dr. M’s Women and Children First Podcast #84 – Francis Koster Ed.D

Today, we have an extraordinary guest joining us—Dr. Francis Koster, a man who has spent decades uncovering the invisible forces that shape our environment and, ultimately, our health.

Dr. Koster is the founder of Pollution Detectives, an initiative that combines data-driven science, community collaboration, and advocacy to address environmental issues that impact the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the ecosystems that support our lives. With a focus on actionable solutions, Dr. Koster empowers communities to identify and combat environmental risks, especially those affecting children, who are often the most vulnerable to pollutants.

Through his tireless work, Dr. Koster has inspired countless individuals to take charge of their surroundings and has highlighted the profound connection between environmental stewardship and public health. Today, we’ll dive into his groundbreaking efforts, the stories behind the data, and how we can all become part of the solution to ensure a healthier, safer future for the next generation.

So, without further ado, let’s welcome the innovative and inspiring Dr. Francis Koster to the show!

Enjoy,

Dr. M

Pollution Detectives

Dr. M’s SPA Newsletter Volume 14 Issue 47

Sulfurophane and health – It is clear now that SFN stands out as a powerhouse phytochemical with profound effects on human health through the pathway of nurclear factor erythroid related 2 (NRF2). It is found abundantly in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, broccolini, kale, and brussels sprouts. SFN is a bioactive compound with impressive clinical potential for preventing chronic disease and optimizing cellular health, especially in oxidant impaired/overloaded states. At its core, SFN is a sulfur-rich molecule derived from glucoraphanin, a glucosinolate precursor. The transformation occurs when the enzyme myrosinase, released during the chopping or chewing of cruciferous vegetables, catalyzes the reaction. Interestingly, this enzymatic activation can also be achieved via gut microbiota when raw vegetables are absent from the diet, emphasizing the remarkable adaptability of our biology to source essential nutrients as needed for survival. (Ali et. al. 2023)

Nrf2 is a master regulator of cellular defense, orchestrating the production of detoxification enzymes, antioxidants, and other cytoprotective proteins. By activating Nrf2, sulforaphane enhances the body’s resilience to oxidative stress, a key contributor to aging, inflammation, and the development of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Studies reveal that sulforaphane also induces Phase II detoxification enzymes, such as glutathione S-transferase, which play a vital role in neutralizing and excreting harmful toxins.

Dr. M’s SPA Newsletter Audiocast Volume 14 Issue 35

Children are and always will be a marker of a society’s quality and focus on their health. When we look at the landscape of childhood health trajectories, we see a declination in quality and an inclination toward diseases of immune dysregulation and underlying chronic unchecked inflammation. What is the genesis point, or where is ground zero?

For me, that answer is the newly understood ecosystem called the intestinal infantile microbiome.

What is the Intestinal Microbiome?

The intestinal microbiome is a complex and dynamic community of microorganisms that plays a crucial role in all mammalian health, particularly in the early stages of life. The development of the human infant intestinal microbiome has profound implications for the child’s immune system, tolerance to the outside world, metabolism, and health trajectory.

Understanding the factors that influence the establishment and evolution of this microbiome can help in devising strategies to promote optimal health from infancy through adulthood. This article dives deep into the key aspects of the development of the infant intestinal microbiome, highlighting the critical stages, influencing factors, and long-term health implications.

How Do Infants Establish Their Gut Microbiome?…..

Dr. M’s Women and Children First Podcast David Katz, MD – Childhood Obesity Part II Repost

David L. Katz, MD, MPH is a specialist in Preventive Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine, with particular expertise in nutrition.
He earned his BA at Dartmouth College (1984); his MD at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (1988); and his MPH from the Yale University School of Public Health (1993). He completed sequential residency training and board certification in Internal Medicine (1991) and Preventive Medicine/Public Health (1993). Katz is the founder and former director of Yale University’s Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center (1998-2019); Past President of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine; President and Founder of the non-profit True Health Initiative; and Founder and CEO of Diet ID, Inc. The recipient of numerous awards for teaching, writing, and contributions to public health, Katz was a 2019 James Beard Foundation Award nominee in health journalism, has been a widely supported nominee for the position of U.S. Surgeon General, and has received three honorary doctorates. Katz has served as a nutrition columnist for O, the Oprah Magazine; an on-air contributor for ABC News/Good Morning America, and with appearances on most major news programs and contributions to most major magazines and leading newspapers, including OpEds in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal.
His most recent book, How to Eat, co-authored with Mark Bittman, is a 2021 IACP Awards finalist and is worth your time. I have had the pleasure of hearing him speak many times over the years and he is an amazing orator and I am blessed to have this hour with him. Today, we dive into the science of childhood obesity and what are the public health pain points that can be pressed on to change the negative trajectory.
Enjoy,
Dr. M

Dr. M’s SPA Newsletter Audiocast Volume 14 Issue 26

Sleep Restriction and Immune Health

It has long been known that sleep is a truth teller of mood. The poorer the sleep quality, the poorer the emotional response. Every parent knows this with a child short on sleep. What are the cellular effects?

From an abstract looking at catch up sleep and human inflammation we find the following: “Despite its prevalence in modern society, little is known about the long-term impact of restricting sleep during the week and ‘catching up’ on weekends. This common sleep pattern was experimentally modeled with three weeks of 5 nights of sleep restricted to 4 h followed by two nights of 8-h recovery sleep. In an intra-individual design, 14 healthy adults completed both the sleep restriction and an 8-h control condition, and the subjective impact and the effects on physiological markers of stress (cortisol, the inflammatory marker IL-6, glucocorticoid receptor sensitivity) were assessed. Sleep restriction was not perceived to be subjectively stressful and some degree of resilience or resistance to the effects of sleep restriction was observed in subjective domains. In contrast, physiological stress response systems remain activated with repeated exposures to sleep restriction and limited recovery opportunity…… and a section on literature review.

Enjoy,

Dr. M

Dr. M’s SPA Newsletter Audiocast Volume 14 Issue 22

What are the main preventable etiologies for childhood death under the age of five years?
According to the data compile by UNICEF, we see the following for the world:
1) Prematurity 18%
2) Pneumonia 14%
3) Birth Asphyxia 12%
4) Malaria 9%
5) Diarrhea 9%
6) Congenital anomolies 8%
7) Injuries 5%
8) Blood infections/sepsis 3%
9) Tuberculosis 3%
10) all others
From a global perspective, we are on the right track as deaths have decreased significantly from 12 million in 1990 to less than 5 million annually in 2022. This is a massive improvement in global childhood health. More work to be done as pneumonia and diarrhea based death should be less than 1%. Access to clean water, clean medicines and adequate medical care could crush these issues….plus a literature review as well as an ode to mothers.
Enjoy,
Dr. M

 

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