Maternal Health

Dr. M’s Women and Children First Podcast #86 – Joe Pizzorrno, ND

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS | More

Welcome to Dr. M’s Women and Children First, the podcast where we dive deep into the science of health, wellness, and prevention—especially for women, children, and families. Today, we have a truly special guest, Dr. Joe Pizzorno.

Dr. Joe Pizzorno is a world-renowned leader in functional and naturopathic medicine, a trailblazer in environmental health, and the founding president of Bastyr University, one of the most prestigious natural health institutions in the world. With decades of research, policy advocacy, and clinical expertise under his belt, Dr. Pizzorno has been at the forefront of reshaping modern medicine by emphasizing the critical role of nutrition, detoxification, and whole person health in preventing and reversing disease.

He is the author of these books: Textbook of Natural Medicine, The Toxic Solution, Clinical Environmental Medicine, Clinical Pathophysiology and Total Wellness. He is an incredible teacher and sought after speaker worldwide.

Today, we’ll be discussing metabolism and the hidden impact of environmental toxins on women and children’s health, practical detox strategies, and how we can take charge of our well-being in an increasingly toxic world. If you’re looking for science-backed insights and actionable tips to help your family thrive, you won’t want to miss this conversation!

I hope that you enjoy my conversation with Dr. Joe Pizzorno!

Dr. M

Dr. M’s Women and Children First Podcast #85 – Lily Nichols RD

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS | More

Welcome back to Dr. M’s Women and Children First Podcast, where we dive deep into the latest research and expert insights on health, nutrition, and optimizing well-being. Today, we sit down with an influential voice in prenatal and fertility nutrition, Lily Nichols, RD.

Lily is a registered dietitian, researcher, and best-selling author known for her groundbreaking work on real food nutrition for pregnancy. Her previous books, Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes, have redefined how we think about maternal nutrition, blending ancestral wisdom with cutting-edge science. Now, with her latest book, Real Food for Fertility, she expands her expertise to help couples optimize their chances of conception and support a healthy pregnancy from the very start.

In this conversation, we’ll explore the critical role of nutrient-dense, whole foods in fertility, how conventional dietary advice may be missing key elements, and why blood sugar balance, gut health, and micronutrient status are essential for reproductive success. Lily’s research-driven approach challenges outdated dogma and offers practical, evidence-based solutions that can make a real impact on fertility outcomes.

Whether you’re planning for pregnancy, supporting a loved one on their journey, or simply interested in how diet shapes reproductive health, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways.

Join me in welcoming Lily Nichols, RD, to the podcast!

Dr. M

Real Food for Fertility

Dr. M’s Women and Children First Podcast #82 – Megan Lyons, DCN, MBA

Megan Lyons, is a distinguished expert in personalized nutrition and wellness, with over a decade of experience in the field. As the founder of The Lyons’ Share Wellness, she has dedicated more than 14,000 hours to one-on-one nutrition consulting, assisting clients with diverse goals such as weight loss, overcoming emotional eating, managing thyroid dysfunction, and reversing prediabetes and cholesterol issues.

Her academic credentials are extensive:

  • Doctorate of Clinical Nutrition from the University of Western States
  • Master of Science in Holistic Nutrition from Hawthorn University
  • Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University
  • Undergraduate degree from Harvard University

Megan is double board-certified as a Clinical and Holistic Nutritionist, and she is a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

In 2016, she authored the Amazon Top 10 bestseller, Start Here: 7 Easy, Diet-Free Steps to Achieve Your Ultimate Health and Happiness. Additionally, she hosts the popular podcast Wellness Your Way, where she shares actionable and motivational health information with thousands of listeners each week.

Our goal today is to highlight the realities of women’s health, hormones and breastfeeding.

Enjoy,

Dr. M

The Lyons Share

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS | More

Dr. M’s Women and Children First Podcast #77 – Colleen Cutcliffe, PhD – Microbes and Health

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS | More

This weeks guest is Dr. Colleen Cutcliffe.

Dr. Colleen Cutcliffe is a researcher and a thinker with persistence. Throughout history, these are the human qualities that lead people to develop amazing products and lead projects for the world to benefit from. Her story is one of discovery, passion and caring.

Dr. Cutcliffe holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Johns Hopkins University and a B.A. in Biochemistry from Wellesley College. Her scientific background is complemented by her experience in managing both research and operations teams in the biotech sector. Before founding Pendulum Therapeutics, she held senior positions at Pacific Biosciences and Elan Pharmaceuticals, where she was instrumental in developing various technological platforms. She is the co-founder and CEO of Pendulum Therapeutics, a biotechnology company focused on developing innovative solutions to improve gut health through microbiome-based interventions. With over 20 years of experience in the biotechnology industry, Dr. Cutcliffe has become a recognized leader in microbiome science, applying her expertise to bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and practical, consumer-facing health solutions. At Pendulum Therapeutics, Dr. Cutcliffe has led the development of novel probiotic formulations specifically designed to address metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes. Her work has been pivotal in the growing recognition of the microbiome’s role in human health, pushing forward the concept of targeted probiotics as a potential therapeutic option. Under her leadership, Pendulum Therapeutics has gained recognition for its scientific rigor and innovative approaches to personalized nutrition.

Today, we discuss the story of her discovery and the fact that her work is the beginning of a hopeful wave of change for humans through gut microbiome manipulation. Dr. Cutcliffe helps us understand the basics of the microbiome, what helps it stay balanced and conversely, what upsets it. How does it support our metabolism and health in general. The main thrust of her work comes into the spotlight with Akkermansia mucinophilia, a keystone species for positive health.

Please Enjoy my conversation with Dr. Cutcliffe,

Dr. M

Dr. M’s SPA Newsletter Audiocast Volume 14 Issue 31

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS | More

Epigenetics and Pregnancy
Epigenetics is the study of environmental signals and their effects on our genes. Our genes are not altered so much as they are read and used differently based on the environmental inputs. Epigenetic effects are critical during the pregnancy period as the environmental signals can alter an offspring’s outcome both in good and bad ways. Making sure that we control for better environmental signal exposure while pregnant can go a long way to protecting our children’s DNA from dysfunction and thus their outcome with health. It is well known that chemicals are generally negative insults to our epigenome while anti-inflammatory whole foods are positive. These epigenetic marks can be conserved over multiple generations making them extraordinarily beneficial or dangerous. Here we will discuss the lifestyle mitigating factors for a positive pregnancy and newborn outcome….plus an ode to Brenda Wassum.
Dr. M

Dr. M’s SPA Audiocast Newsletter Volume 14 Issue 28

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS | More

Klotho Part II

Last week we discussed Klotho as a protein that has pleotrophic effects in the body as it relates to cellular aging. This week let us focus specifically on the brain. What are the effects of klotho as it relates to cognition and function over time? Klotho has neuroprotective effects based on studies that show that better cognitive performance in translational models over time occur with the injections of klotho. Klotho is also shown to have neuroprotective effects if naturally elevated, i.e. individuals with host genetics that promote more klotho production over time without being taken or given.

The pivitol research occurred in 2015 in a mouse model of Alzheimers Disease (AD) where Dr. Dena Dubal and colleagues looked at two groups of intervention mice with and without higher levels of Klotho. and a literature review on micro plastics and screentime.

Enjoy,

Dr. M

Dr. M’s SPA Newsletter Audiocast Volume 14 Issue 20

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS | More

“It is your reaction to an adversity not the adversity itself that determines how your life’s story develops.”
Dieter Uchtdorf
WHY?
What are the Underpinnings of Disease?
What have we really learned over the last one to two hundred years of medicine?
We left an era where infections killed the majority of children and adults, especially during childbirth and the first 5 years of life. Science gave us antimicrobial medicines and vaccines that altered this landscape and humans began to live decades longer.
Medicine had conquered disease. However, it was not so. Insidiously, these victories were met with new problems called diseases of aging – heart disease, asthma, autoimmunity, diabetes, cancer, obesity, dementia and others…… and a literature review.
Enjoy,
Dr. M

1 2 … 5