Intelligent Medicine | The Best of High Tech Medicine and Alternative Modalities

Sugarless: Dr. Nicole Avena on Hidden Sugars, Brain Addiction, and Practical Steps to Cut Back: Neuroscientist and author Dr. Nicole Avena reveals sugar’s pervasiveness and health impacts, drawing on her book “Sugarless: The Seven-Step Plan to Uncover Hidden Sugars, Curb Your Cravings, and Conquer Your Addiction.” Avena explains how modern industrialized, highly processed foods—many containing added sugars—have transformed innate preferences for sweetness into harmful overconsumption linked to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and possible dementia via insulin signaling changes. She discusses research showing sugar can stimulate dopamine reward pathways similarly to drugs and that prenatal exposure may alter offspring metabolism, preferences, and sensitivity to drugs/alcohol. For solutions, she discourages strict “cold turkey” approaches due to hidden sugars and relapse psychology, emphasizes inventorying sources and triggers, starting with eliminating sugar-sweetened beverages and sugary coffee drinks, improving breakfast, choosing protein/fat-based snacks, and viewing alternative sweeteners as a temporary crutch; she also notes diet changes can improve mood stability and reduce anxiety.

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with neuroscientist and author Dr. Nicole Avena.

Functional Diagnostic Nutrition: Using Saliva Testing, Food Sensitivity Labs, and Lifestyle to Find Root Causes: Reed Davis, Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner (HHP) and Certified Nutritional Therapist (CNT), is founder of Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN). He discusses using functional testing alongside conventional care to uncover “dysfunction” when standard labs appear normal. Davis describes assessing adrenal and metabolic stress via saliva testing for circadian cortisol patterns, cortisol-DHEA balance, sex hormones, secretory IgA, and melatonin, emphasizing clinical correlation and individualized “studies of one.” He outlines an approach targeting multiple “healing opportunities” (H-I-D-D-E-N: hormones, immune, digestion, detoxification, energy, nervous system) and applying D-R-E-S-S (diet, rest, exercise, stress reduction, supplementation) rather than relying on supplements alone. A case example links chronic hives, medication-related weight gain, and food triggers identified through additional testing, including the Mediator Release Test. The discussion also covers stress-driven gut dysbiosis, digestion decline, and EFT tapping for stress-related symptoms, and notes FDN practitioners can be found via FDNtraining.com/medicine.

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Reed Davis, Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner (HHP), Certified Nutritional Therapist (CNT), and founder of Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN).

Registered dietitian nutritionist Leyla Muedin discusses a Nature Communications study of 108,723 French adults in the NutriNet-Santé cohort (2009–2023) examining long-term exposure to food preservatives and type 2 diabetes. Using detailed dietary records cross-referenced with product/additive databases, researchers identified 58 preservative-related additives and analyzed 17 consumed by at least 10% of participants; 1,131 diabetes cases occurred. Higher overall preservative intake was associated with a 47% increased diabetes risk (49% for non-antioxidant preservatives; 40% for antioxidant additives), with several specific additives linked to higher risk. Leyla questions whether the findings reflect preservatives themselves or the ultra-processed, refined-carbohydrate foods that contain them, emphasizing recommendations to favor fresh, minimally processed foods and limit refined carbs and processed foods.

Gary Taubes on Rethinking Diabetes: Diet, Insulin, and the History Behind Low-Carb Treatment: Journalist Gary Taubes is author of “Rethinking Diabetes: What Science Reveals About Diet, Insulin, and Successful Treatments.” The book traces diabetes treatment history and argues that carbohydrate restriction was standard care from 1797 through the early 20th century until insulin therapy shifted practice toward drug-centered management and higher-carbohydrate diets. Taubes explains how insulin’s discovery changed dietary priorities, how later technology (radioimmunoassay) revealed that most diabetes is type 2 with insulin resistance and high insulin rather than deficiency, and why giving more insulin can worsen weight gain. They discuss major trials (including ACCORD, ADVANCE, and Look AHEAD) that failed to show benefits from intensive drug-based glucose control, the influence of low-fat guidelines, Richard Bernstein’s role in blood-glucose self-monitoring and low-carb control, controversies about obesity models, ketosis vs ketoacidosis, GLP-1 drugs, and LDL increases on ketogenic diets.

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with journalist Gary Taubes, author of “Rethinking Diabetes: What Science Reveals About Diet, Insulin, and Successful Treatments.”

Urolithin A (MitoPure)--Mitophagy, Muscle Recovery, Immunity, and Skin Health: Dr. Brad Currier, clinical trial manager at Timeline, a Swiss biotech company, details urolithin A (MitoPure), a postbiotic derived from pomegranate precursors that most people cannot produce due to microbiome differences. Currier explains MitoPure’s mechanism—stimulating mitophagy to recycle dysfunctional mitochondria—and reviews evidence from multiple clinical trials. He reveals a Sports Medicine study in elite male distance runners showing reduced creatine kinase and lower perceived exertion, suggesting improved recovery, plus trials in middle-aged and older adults showing improvements in strength, six-minute walk test, and VO2 max at 500 mg–1 g doses. They also cover a Nature Aging immune study reporting rejuvenation of stem-like CD8 T cells with improved mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation, ongoing research directions, supplement quality/testing for athletes, and topical urolithin A skincare trials and partnerships, including L’Oréal Lancôme.

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Dr. Brad Currier, clinical trial manager at Timeline, a Swiss biotech company.

Registered dietitian nutritionist Leyla Muedin discusses how exposure to natural daylight may improve metabolic health beyond diet and exercise, highlighting a controlled crossover study of 13 adults aged 65+ with type 2 diabetes published in Cell Metabolism. Participants spent 4.5 days in living spaces lit by either natural light through large windows or artificial light, with identical meals, sleep, activity, and screen time; after a 4-week washout they switched conditions. Natural light was associated with more hours of blood glucose in the normal range, less glucose variability, higher evening melatonin, and improved fat oxidative metabolism, suggesting effects on circadian “body clocks” and coordination between central and peripheral clocks. Muedin recommends getting morning light on the face, reducing sunglasses and high SPF use, dimming lights at night, keeping consistent sleep, and spending more time outdoors; she also notes that architecture can limit sunlight exposure.

Integrative ophthalmologist Dr. Rudrani Banik previews Eye Summit 2026, a free online event May 11–15 featuring four daily expert sessions on dry eye and ocular surface disease, cataract surgery advances (including robotic and AI-assisted planning), gut health links to eye disease, and mind-body approaches for migraine, concussion, and visual snow, with VIP options for recordings and live panels. They discuss photobiomodulation (red/infrared/yellow light) as an FDA-approved treatment for age-related macular degeneration with clinical trials showing safety and potential vision improvement, plus research on low-level red light for pediatric myopia. Banik emphasizes annual dilated eye exams after 40 to detect glaucoma and systemic disease. The episode covers dry eye nutrition (dietary omega-3s; supplements including GLA and omega-7; lutein/zeaxanthin with vitamin D), preservative concerns (BAK), GLP-1 drug associations with NAION, gene therapy delivery via viral vectors, and macular degeneration prevention with lutein/zeaxanthin-rich foods like kale, colored peppers, and egg yolks.

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with integrative ophthalmologist Dr. Rudrani Banik, who previews Eye Summit 2026.

Preventing Injury, Reframing Pain, and Using Physical Therapy to Avoid Unnecessary Surgery: Dr. Tom Walters is a board-certified orthopedic physical therapist, founder of Rehab Science, and author of “Rehab Science: How to Overcome Pain and Heal From Injury,” an illustrated, body-region guide to common orthopedic problems and self-managed therapeutic exercises. Walters emphasizes using PT-style mobility and resistance training preventively to increase tissue capacity, manage load, and avoid overuse injuries, while warning against “no pain, no gain” and excessive volume or weight. He discusses “movement literacy,” hip and glute stabilizers, and how weakness can drive knee and back problems. Dr. Hoffman shares his own hip injury and recovery with targeted strengthening, illustrating that imaging findings often don’t dictate function. Walters explains the biopsychosocial model of pain, graded exposure, the limits of RICE and ultrasound, and roles for manual therapy, taping, TENS, shockwave, acupuncture/dry needling, and PRP. They advocate prehab/rehab around surgery and note PT training and career prospects.

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Dr. Tom Walters, board-certified orthopedic physical therapist, founder of Rehab Science, and author of “Rehab Science: How to Overcome Pain and Heal From Injury.”