Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM, FACFAS

Quick answer: Functional psychiatry integrates evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapy, nutritional psychiatry, and neurobiological optimization to address treatment-resistant mental illness—ketamine produces rapid antidepressant response in 70% of treatment-resistant patients within hours (Murrough 2013, NEJM, n=73), psilocybin-assisted therapy achieves 71% depression response at 4 weeks (Davis 2021, JAMA Psychiatry, n=24), and MDMA-assisted therapy produces PTSD remission in 67% … Read more

Quick answer: Omega-3 fatty acids at therapeutic doses (2–4 g EPA+DHA/day) reduce cardiovascular events by 25% (REDUCE-IT trial, n=8,179), lower triglycerides by 30–50%, and reduce inflammatory markers including hsCRP, IL-6, and TNF-α—making anti-inflammatory nutrition one of the highest-yield interventions in functional medicine with effects measurable within 8–12 weeks. The Inflammatory Basis of Chronic Disease Chronic … Read more

Quick answer: Standard diabetes testing — fasting glucose and HbA1c — misses the 75% of individuals with normal glucose but hyperinsulinemia (detectable only via Kraft Oral Glucose Tolerance Test with insulin measurement), while insulin resistance precedes the clinical diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes by 10-15 years and independently drives obesity, PCOS, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and … Read more

✅ Medically reviewed by Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM, FACFAS Board-certified podiatric surgeon · 3,000+ procedures · The Private PracticeLast reviewed: May 17, 2026 Quick answer: Total cholesterol is a poor predictor of cardiovascular risk. What matters is the type and size of lipid particles, your triglycerides-to-HDL ratio, ApoB particle count, Lp(a) levels, and your inflammatory … Read more

✅ Medically reviewed by Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM, FACFAS Board-certified podiatric surgeon · 3,000+ procedures · The Private PracticeLast reviewed: May 17, 2026 Quick answer: After age 30, most adults lose 3–8% of their muscle mass per decade — accelerating sharply after 60. This isn’t inevitable. Sarcopenia is driven by inadequate protein intake, insufficient resistance … Read more

Elevated nighttime cortisol blocks adenosine and GABA — suppressing deep sleep by up to 40%. A surgeon explains HPA axis dysfunction and the evidence-based fix.

✅ Medically reviewed by Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM, FACFAS Board-certified podiatric surgeon · 3,000+ procedures · The Private PracticeLast reviewed: May 17, 2026 Quick answer: Intermittent fasting works — but not for the reasons most people think. The benefits go far beyond weight loss: autophagy activation, improved insulin sensitivity, reduced inflammation, and metabolic flexibility. However, … Read more

✅ Medically reviewed by Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM, FACFAS Board-certified podiatric surgeon · 3,000+ procedures · The Private PracticeLast reviewed: May 17, 2026 Quick answer: Chronically elevated cortisol from unmanaged stress doesn’t just make you anxious — it physically damages your cardiovascular system, suppresses immunity, disrupts blood sugar, causes visceral fat accumulation, and accelerates cellular … Read more

✅ Medically reviewed by Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM, FACFAS Board-certified podiatric surgeon · 3,000+ procedures · The Private PracticeLast reviewed: May 17, 2026 Quick answer: Your gut microbiome — the 38 trillion bacteria living in your digestive tract — is a primary regulator of immune function, inflammation, metabolism, and even mood. Disrupting it with poor … Read more

✅ Medically reviewed by Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM, FACFAS Board-certified podiatric surgeon · 3,000+ procedures · The Private PracticeLast reviewed: May 17, 2026 Quick answer: Poor sleep is not just fatigue — it is a direct driver of chronic disease. Getting fewer than 7 hours per night raises your risk of heart disease, type 2 … Read more