Kalea Wattles, ND, IFMCP, is a naturopathic physician and functional medicine practitioner specializing in fertility optimization. Currently serving as the Clinical Special Projects Manager at The Institute for Functional Medicine, where she has been on staff since 2017, she is committed to the advancement of the field through research and education. She is the host of IFM’s podcast Pathways to Well-Being. Dr. Wattles earned her doctorate in naturopathic medicine from Bastyr University, where she developed a keen interest in functional medicine. She went on to receive additional training from The Institute for Functional Medicine, where she further honed her skills in a root-cause, science-based, body-systems approach to healthcare.

In this episode of Conversations For Health, we explore how Dr. Kalea applies a functional medicine lens to fertility, highlighting the clinical relevance of mitochondrial health, oxidative stress, inflammaging, and more when it comes to female and male fertility. We discuss the narrative of the fertility cliff, how to assess diminished ovarian reserve even in patients in their 20s, and how to interpret AMH values in context. Our conversation is filled with actionable insights into preconception care protocols, fertility focus, lab interpretation, and how to personalize support for patients preparing for IVF or egg freezing.

I’m your host, Evelyne Lambrecht, thank you for designing a well world with us.

Episode Resources:

Dr. Kalea Wattles - https://drkaleawattles.com/

Design for Health Resources:

Designs for Health - https://www.designsforhealth.com/

Designs for Health Practitioner Exclusive Drug Nutrient Depletion and Interaction Checker - https://www.designsforhealth.com/drug-nutrient-interaction/

Visit the Designs for Health Research and Education Library which houses medical journals, protocols, webinars, and our blog.

https://www.designsforhealth.com/research-and-education/education

The Designs for Health Podcast is produced in partnership with Podfly Productions.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro.

02:02 Dr. Kalea is delighted about the current headlines about fertility into the 40s.

03:40 Dr. Kalea’s journey into motherhood aligned with her professional focus.

06:50 AMH is the top trending biomarker in ovarian reserve.

11:41 Markers to consider in relation to oxidative stress and inflammation.

16:02 Top tier oxidative stress markers, including 8-OHdG and F2-IsoP.

18:54 The importance of mitochondrial health in ovarian health, egg quality and sperm.

23:50 DNA fragmentation and other potential findings from a semen analysis.

27:00 Shifts in the fertility conversation in recent years.

31:01 CoQ10 and melatonin recommendations that Dr. Kalea implements with her patients.

37:09 The role of glutathione in protecting against oxidative stress.

39:50 Dr. Kalea’s personal experience with ovarian age testing.

43:05 Cycle Day 3 hormone measurements, including DHEA sulfate and prolactin.

49:32 Diet, environment, and other major factors in diminished ovarian reserve.

53:01 Redefining unexplained infertility.

55:06 Androgens and the impacts on eggs.

57:11 Ideal DHEA and testosterone levels.

1:00:05 The vaginal microbiome, gut health, and urea plasma.

1:03:10 Dr. Kalea’s favorite personal supplements, favorite health practices, and the maternal fertility limits that she has changed her mind about.

Dr. Keith McCormick is a board certified chiropractic physician, athlete, founder of OsteoNaturals, and author of Great Bones: Taking Control of Your Osteoporosis, which delves deeper into the science of osteoporosis, providing both patients and healthcare professionals with the latest insights and strategies for achieving optimal bone health. He takes a functional and integrative approach to bone health when treating patients.

On this episode of Conversations for Health, Dr. McCormick and I discuss bone density, bone quality, lab tests, scans and markers, medicines, exercise and dietary recommendations for optimal bone health. He highlights power foods and tocotrienol dosing, the connection between the endothelial glycocalyx and bone health, warnings for Vitamin K recommendations for patients on blood thinners, the value of DEXA scans and lab marker recommendations. Whether you are treating patients with osteopenia or osteoporosis or simply looking to expand your protocols and learn more, this conversation is filled with clinical pearls about optimizing bone health.

I’m your host, Evelyne Lambrecht, thank you for designing a well world with us.

Episode Resources:

Dr. Keith McCormick - https://www.osteonaturals.com/

Design for Health Resources:

Designs for Health - https://www.designsforhealth.com/

Designs for Health Practitioner Exclusive Drug Nutrient Depletion and Interaction Checker - https://www.designsforhealth.com/drug-nutrient-interaction/

Visit the Designs for Health Research and Education Library which houses medical journals, protocols, webinars, and our blog.

https://www.designsforhealth.com/research-and-education/education

The Designs for Health Podcast is produced in partnership with Podfly Productions.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro.

01:47 Dr. McCormick views the skeletal system as the core of our entire existence.

3:09 12 fractured bones led Dr. McCormick to study osteoporosis.

5:29 Dr. McCormick’s definition of osteoporosis.

10:04 Lab tests, scans and markers that accurately asses bone quality.

15:01 Is a combination of medications, nutrition and strength training enough to improve bone quality?

17:48 The role of AI in standardizing bone quality testing.

19:00 Risks and benefits of medications used to treat osteoporosis and osteopenia.

24:48 Diet recommendations for optimal bone health.

28:00 The importance of vitamin K in bone health.

31:10 Power foods and tocotrienol dosing for bone health.

40:07 The connection between the endothelial glycocalyx and bone health.

42:05 Vitamin K recommendations for patients on blood thinners.

42:50 DEXA rescan and lab marker recommendations.

45:42 The exercise component of bone health.

47:40 The role of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy within bone health.

52:29 Additional nutrients for optimal bone health.

53:21 Dr. McCormick’s favorite supplements, favorite health practices, and the idea about doctors that he wishes he could change his mind about.

Doctor Aly Cohen is a triple board-certified physician in rheumatology, internal medicine, and integrative medicine, and one of the country's leading medical and legal experts in environmental health. She's on the faculty of the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine, Southern California University of Health Sciences, and the University of California, Irvine. She is the author of the new book Detoxify: The Everyday Toxins Harming Your Immune System and How to Defend Against Them, a coauthor of Nontoxic: Guide to Living Healthy in a Chemical World, co-editor of the textbook Integrative Environmental Medicine, has collaborated with the environmental working group Cancer, Schmancer, and other disease prevention organizations, and has received countless awards for her work in health education. She hosts the Smart Human podcast and sees patients in her medical practice in Princeton, New Jersey.

Aly joins me on Conversations for Health for a discussion about the connection between immune-disrupting chemicals and chronic conditions, including autoimmune disease. She underscores the epidemic of autoimmune disease cases that practitioners are facing today, and offers tactics for supporting patients in making healthier lifestyle choices and managing kidney and liver function and lymphatic systems in a very toxic world.

I’m your host, Evelyne Lambrecht, thank you for designing a well world with us.

Episode Resources:

Dr. Aly Cohen - https://alycohenmd.com/

The Smart Human - https://thesmarthuman.com/

Design for Health Resources:

Designs for Health - https://www.designsforhealth.com/

Designs for Health Practitioner Exclusive Drug Nutrient Depletion and Interaction Checker - https://www.designsforhealth.com/drug-nutrient-interaction/

Visit the Designs for Health Research and Education Library, which houses medical journals, protocols, webinars, and our blog.

https://www.designsforhealth.com/research-and-education/education

The Designs for Health Podcast is produced in partnership with Podfly Productions.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro.

01:30 Dr. Aly Cohen feels lit up by her son’s acceptance into college.

02:35 Aly’s journey into rheumatology and environmental chemicals.

07:03 The effects of immune-disrupting chemicals, including BPA and PFAS.

11:00 The impact of forever chemicals on the immune system?

16:45 The body has not evolved to detoxify the current level of chemical exposure.

19:35 Questions to ask patients to determine toxic exposure.

24:25 Stories of exposures to toxic chemicals.

28:55 Conventional lab testing that is generally covered by insurance.

31:51 How to implement the Four A’s framework with patients.

36:57 Practical first steps for patients when making lifestyle changes.

41:26 The importance of reverse osmosis filtered water.

45:45 Findings from studies regarding sweating out toxins.

48:42 Key differences between sauna and exercising for sweat.

51:30 Advancements that made the biggest difference over the course of Aly’s career as a rheumatologist.

54:05 Improvements that are being made as a result of increased awareness.

57:40: Measuring minerals and other vitamin status with rheumatology patients.

1:02:14 Dr. Cohen’s personal favorite supplements, favorite health practices, and her disillusioned and reinvigorated take on medicine.

Dr. Sam Shay is a functional medicine expert who has dedicated his career to understanding addiction, brain health, and personalized recovery strategies. He solves health puzzles for busy, health-conscious parents, entrepreneurs, and professionals, women, and adults on the spectrum so they can exit survival mode and reenter community by improving resilience, energy, and brain health through personalized, data-driven genetics and lab testing. He has an extensive academic and clinical background, including three bachelor's degrees, a Doctorate in Chiropractic, a Post Graduate Diploma in Acupuncture, and eight years as a functional neurologist with the Carrick Institute before switching full-time to virtual practice in functional medicine. He is certified with the Institute for Functional Medicine and studied with Dr. Kailash of the Kailash Institute for 4 years. He has studied nutrition for over 25 years and has an extensive background in mind-body medicine.

On this episode of Conversations for Health, Dr. Shay and I explore the neurobiology of addiction, the role of functional genetics, and how lab testing can provide deeper insights. We discuss Sam’s 5-phase model of addiction and the power of looking at this through a functional medicine lens. Our conversation is filled with valuable tips on clinical applications, testing, and treatment strategies for patients with any level of addiction.

I’m your host, Evelyne Lambrecht, thank you for designing a well world with us.

Episode Resources:

Dr. Sam Shay - https://drsamshay.com/

Design for Health Resources:

Designs for Health - https://www.designsforhealth.com/

Designs for Health Practitioner Exclusive Drug Nutrient Depletion and Interaction Checker - https://www.designsforhealth.com/drug-nutrient-interaction/

Visit the Designs for Health Research and Education Library, which houses medical journals, protocols, webinars, and our blog.

https://www.designsforhealth.com/research-and-education/education

The Designs for Health Podcast is produced in partnership with Podfly Productions.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro.

01:48 Dr. Sam Shay is lit up about his upcoming stand-up comedy performance.

02:55 Sam’s journey into health and comedy started with tragedy.

09:13 Defining addiction and the 9 official signs of addiction.

14:04 Bulletproof red flags in addiction of any kind.

15:16 Tame the BEAST framework and the 5 phases of addiction.

21:39 7 types of consequences that addicts experience.

28:20 The role of functional medicine in the second phase of addiction.

34:10 Dangers in the anesthesia phase of addiction.

36:01 Conceptualizing boredom, children, and screens within the model.

41:30 Examples of solutions and overcoming addiction from Sam’s practice.

46:04 The critical role of community in overcoming addiction.

48:00 Prioritizing genetic testing and SNPs in lab testing.

53:25 COMT genes, magnesium threonate, and inflammatory genes warnings and recommendations.

58:47 Dr. Shay’s top recommendation for patients in active addiction.

1:00:33 Dr. Shay’s favorite supplements, favorite health practices, and his evolved perspective on addiction.

Dr. Deanna Minich is a nutrition scientist, lecturer, educator, and author. She has over 20 years of experience in academia and the food and dietary supplement industries. She has been active as a functional medicine clinician in clinical trials and her own practice. She's the author of seven books on wellness topics for book chapters and over 50 scientific publications.

On this episode of Conversations for Health, Dr. Minich and I explore the possibilities of phytochemicals, chronobiotic agents, circadian nutrients, and food supplements. She highlights the importance of honoring circadian rhythms and whole-health healing with rainbows and rhythms. She offers a variety of tips for practitioners who want to encourage patients and clients to eat more seasonally, to slow down and honor circadian rhythms, and to customize their diet template based on an evening or morning chronotype to foster a better gut milieu and functionally, biochemically and physiologically better biomarkers of health.

I’m your host, Evelyne Lambrecht, thank you for designing a well world with us.

Episode Resources:

Dr. Deanna Minich - https://deannaminich.com/

Design for Health Resources:

Designs for Health - https://www.designsforhealth.com/

Designs for Health Practitioner Exclusive Drug Nutrient Depletion and Interaction Checker - https://www.designsforhealth.com/drug-nutrient-interaction/

Visit the Designs for Health Research and Education Library which houses medical journals, protocols, webinars, and our blog.

https://www.designsforhealth.com/research-and-education/education

The Designs for Health Podcast is produced in partnership with Podfly Productions.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro.

01:40 Dr. Deanna Minich is lit up about light, seasons and our food supply.

03:18 Phytochemicals and nutrition captured Dr. Minich’s attention in grad school.

07:25 Definitions of circadian biology, chronobiology, and chrononutrition.

10:14 Timing supplements for optimal gut health.

13:34 Is the out-of-sync circadian rhythm to blame for our unhealthy population?

16:33 Practical tips for encouraging patients and clients to eat more seasonally.

25:12 Considerations of antinutrients and phytochemicals in gut health.

32:20 Strategies for timing food intake with ideal rhythms.

38:09 Customizing the template based on an evening or morning chronotype.

40:50 Tips for irregular shift workers and travel disruptions.

48:10 How can practitioners encourage patients to slow down and honor circadian rhythms?

51:08 Hormonal rhythms, month of birth and disease connection, and seasonal influxes in autoimmune disease.

54:10 Maximizing the benefits of fruit and vegetable intake.

59:55 Dr. Minich’s favorite supplements, favorite health practices, and her refined perspective on nutrition as art.

Dr.Andy Franklyn-Miller is a world-leading specialist in sport and exercise medicine and the Chief Medical Officer at Nuritas. He is a highly accomplished physician with expertise in physiology, clinical design, and science communication, has a Ph.D. in Biomechanics, and served in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines for 16 years. Dr. Franklyn-Miller has extensive experience in working with high-profile sports teams and elite performers, has published more than 60 peer-reviewed papers, is an editor of the British Journal of Sports Medicine, and has authored a textbook and an IOC Handbook. With his expertise in machine learning, clinical trials, and end-user analysis, he oversees several departments at Nuritas, including software engineering, data curation, data science, proteomics, lab, and regulatory departments. Together, Dr. Franklyn-Miller and I explore the science behind PeptiStrong, a groundbreaking peptide developed by Nuritas, and discuss its clinical applications and research. If you have patients who are concerned with muscle retention as they age, who aren’t recovering as quickly as they would like after exercise, or who are on GLP-1 medications and need to retain lean muscle mass, this conversation will be particularly engaging to you. Together, we cover the latest peptides data and studies and what it all means for healthcare practitioners.

I’m your host, Evelyne Lambrecht, thank you for designing a well world with us.

Episode Resources:

Dr. Andy Franklyn-Miller - https://www.nuritas.com/team/dr-andy-franklyn-miller/

Design for Health Resources:

Designs for Health - https://www.designsforhealth.com/

Designs for Health Practitioner Exclusive Drug Nutrient Depletion and Interaction Checker - https://www.designsforhealth.com/drug-nutrient-interaction/

Visit the Designs for Health Research and Education Library, which houses medical journals, protocols, webinars, and our blog.

https://www.designsforhealth.com/research-and-education/education

The Designs for Health Podcast is produced in partnership with Podfly Productions.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro.

02:28 Dr. Franklyn-Miller is feeling lit up by his current data analyses.

3:00 The ability to increase health in millions of people drew Dr. Franklyn-Miller to Nuritas.

4:02 What are peptides, and what are their function and benefits related to athletic performance?

7:33 Does PeptiStrong negatively impact those with a G6-PD deficiency?

8:52 Why don’t PeptiStrong peptides break down as amino acids?

11:33 Three human clinical studies and their results and mechanisms of action.

14:09 The importance and controversy of the mTOR 1 and 2 pathways.

17:19 Key findings about muscular energy from the second human study.

20:58 Factors that effectively inhibit pathways that lead to sarcopenia.

22:22 The third study examines the impact of PeptiStrong on both men and women.

24:59 The impact of PeptiStrong on reducing inflammation and the effect on TNF-Alpha and on ATP production.

28:12 Prioritizing creatine, HMB, and leucine benefits with peptides in a synergistic way.

30:27 Creating optimal impact of PeptiStrong on various patient outcomes.

33:04 Studies that will address muscle mass at each stage of a woman’s life.

38:52 Clinical guidelines for taking peptides to maximize effectiveness.

40:09 Observations from Dr. Franklyn-Miller’s personal experience with taking PeptiStrong.

43:36 Optimal designs for future clinical trials and the role of peptides in shaping the future of healthcare.

55:35 Dr. Franklyn-Miller’s personal favorite supplements, favorite health practices, and his evolved perspective on what food and medicine are really about.

Dr. Anthony Youn is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, anti-aging expert, and the award-winning author of The Age Fix, In Stitches, and Playing God. Known as ‘America’s Holistic Plastic Surgeon’, Dr. Youn is recognized as a leader in his field. He is the host of the public television special “The Age Fix”, and also hosts the podcast The Dr. Youn Show, He is the most followed plastic surgeon on social media with close to 15 million followers, and his new book Younger For Life is a bestseller and holistic guide to turning back the clock using the process of auto-juvenation. Dr. Youn is also the founder of The Youn beauty product line. Dr. Youn and I discuss the intersection of aesthetic medicine and wellness, nutrition for beauty, and his experience with business and social media. He shares supplement protocol recommendations to limit post-surgery complications, recommendations for nutrition integration in plastic surgery practices, and key lifestyle factors that affect accelerated skin aging. Dr. Youn also underscores the importance of helping patients avoid surgery and find self-acceptance in the face of aging.

I’m your host, Evelyne Lambrecht, thank you for designing a well world with us.

Episode Resources:

Dr. Anthony Youn - https://www.dryoun.com/

Design for Health Resources:

Designs for Health - https://www.designsforhealth.com/

Designs for Health Practitioner Exclusive Drug Nutrient Depletion and Interaction Checker - https://www.designsforhealth.com/drug-nutrient-interaction/

Visit the Designs for Health Research and Education Library which houses medical journals, protocols, webinars, and our blog.

https://www.designsforhealth.com/research-and-education/education

The Designs for Health Podcast is produced in partnership with Podfly Productions.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro.

01:24 Dr. Youn lights up when he interacts with foster dogs.

4:04 The decision to become a plastic surgeon didn’t come immediately for Dr. Youn.

6:18 Growing a social media following required Dr. Youn to think outside the influencer box.

10:10 Creating high-quality, engaging content is a critical component of a successful social media platform.

13:31 The importance of authenticity for social media success.

15:22 Dr. Youn’s weekly schedule reflects his attempt at a healthy work-life balance.

20:15 Forming relationships is a critical component of whole-life success.

23:05 Dr. Youn’s trailblazing approach to combining nutrition with procedures.

29:05 Supplement protocol recommendations to limit post-surgery complications.

32:46 Recommendations for nutrition integration in plastic surgery practices.

35:20 Key lifestyle factors that affect accelerated skin aging.

38:10 Supplement recommendations to support collagen.

43:05 Additional key supplements to support healthy aging including Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and zinc.

45:08 Incorporating nutrition supplementation for each patient’s post-surgery protocol.

47:05 The hottest trends in aesthetics and plastic surgery and the ones Dr. Youn wishes would disappear.

51:50 The importance of avoiding surgery and finding self-acceptance in the face of aging.

55:35 Dr. Youn’s favorite supplements, favorite health practices, and his evolved opinion of chiropractors.

Stella Lizotte Talkie is an Experienced Functional Medicine Consultant and Certified Pregnancy Health Coach who supports women and families through trying to conceive, pregnancy, and the postpartum period. She has a Bachelor's degree in Food & Nutrition Science from Florida State University and works to help women optimize their nutrition, find solutions to health problems, prepare for birth, build their dream birth team, and achieve overall wellness in body, mind, and spirit. Together Stella and I discuss pregnancy complication prevention strategies including metabolomics and acid testing, addressing gaps in traditional OB care, and how functional medicine practitioners can step in to provide better support. We also discuss prenatal and other supplements to support women at each stage of pregnancy, as well as Stella’s unique experience of growing up with parents who started Designs for Health.

I’m your host, Evelyne Lambrecht, thank you for designing a well world with us.

Episode Resources:

Stella Lizotte Talkie - https://www.stellarosewellness.com/

Design for Health Resources:

Designs for Health - https://www.designsforhealth.com/

Designs for Health Practitioner Exclusive Drug Nutrient Depletion and Interaction Checker - https://www.designsforhealth.com/drug-nutrient-interaction/

Visit the Designs for Health Research and Education Library which houses medical journals, protocols, webinars, and our blog.

https://www.designsforhealth.com/research-and-education/education

The Designs for Health Podcast is produced in partnership with Podfly Productions.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro.

01:44 Stella is feeling full of love and family as the new year begins.

2:22 Stella’s personal and professional path was shaped from childhood by parents who started Designs for Health.

05:15 The decision to work at Designs for Health wasn’t an obvious one for Stella.

06:26 As a certified pregnancy health coach, Stella once was terrified of pregnancy and birth.

09:40 Stella’s services as a pregnancy health coach aim to optimize women’s health.

11:43 Patterns of the findings from the Designs for Health metabolomics spotlight test.

15:40 Prenatal vitamins that Stella uses and recommends.

21:52 Probiotics timing and strains and considerations for preeclampsia and gestational diabetes.

26:04 Examples of supplements that have successfully addressed pregnancy insomnia and other sleep problems.

31:30 The optimal timeline for preparing for pregnancy for both men and women.

34:27 Addressing the gaps in traditional OB care and assembling a dream birth team.

38:02 Tools that aid in implementing the advice of a pregnancy health coach.

40:27 Postpartum care and support from a health coach.

46:07 Stella’s personal favorite supplements, favorite health practices, and the changing fad diets that she has changed her mind about in her childbearing years.