Health & Wellness

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM — Board-Certified Podiatric Physician & Surgeon, Balance Foot & Ankle, Howell, MI | Updated May 2026 | Sources: Ohsumi Y (2016 Nobel Prize in Physiology), Levine B & Kroemer G (Cell 2008), CALERIE Trial (Ravussin 2015) QUICK ANSWER Autophagy — the cell’s self-eating recycling system — is the … Read more

Time-restricted eating (TRE) aligned with daylight hours reduces fasting insulin 20-32%, blood pressure 10-11 points, and atherogenic lipids — independent of caloric restriction. Early eating window (ending by 6-7pm) restores circadian clock gene expression in metabolic tissues, which is the mechanism conventional IF timing misses.

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM — Board-Certified Podiatric Physician & Surgeon, Balance Foot & Ankle, Howell, MI | Updated May 2026 | Sources: SPRINT Trial (NEJM 2015), JUPITER Trial (Ridker 2008), AHA/ACC 2019 Primary Prevention Guidelines QUICK ANSWER Cardiovascular disease remains the single largest contributor to years of life lost in adults over … Read more

The 4R Protocol — Remove, Replace, Reinoculate, Repair — resolves IBS symptoms in 72% of patients and normalizes intestinal permeability in 8-12 weeks. Each R targets a distinct gut dysfunction mechanism: eliminating pathogens, restoring digestion, rebuilding the microbiome, and healing the gut lining.

Sleep apnea affects 26% of adults and drives cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and cognitive decline. A functional medicine protocol combining myofunctional therapy (50% AHI reduction), nasal breathing optimization, weight loss, and hormone correction addresses root causes — not just the CPAP machine.

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM — Board-Certified Podiatric Physician & Surgeon, Balance Foot & Ankle, Howell, MI | Updated May 2026 | Sources: TRAVERSE Trial (NEJM 2023), WHI Reanalysis (Manson 2017), Laron Syndrome (Guevara-Aguirre 2011) QUICK ANSWER Hormonal decline is not merely a symptom of aging — it is a mechanistic driver that … Read more

The fasting mimicking diet (FMD) — 5 days per month at 800-1,100 calories — reduces IGF-1 by 15%, triggers autophagy, lowers CRP by 26%, and reduces biological age by 2.5 years in 3 cycles. The protocol activates the same cellular repair pathways as water fasting without total food abstinence.

Estrogen metabolism depends on Phase 1 hydroxylation (2-OH protective vs. 4-OH carcinogenic vs. 16α-OH proliferative) and Phase 2 COMT methylation. DIM, calcium-D-glucarate, and methylation cofactors shift the balance toward protective pathways. DUTCH Complete test guides personalization.

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM — Board-Certified Podiatric Physician & Surgeon, Balance Foot & Ankle, Howell, MI | Updated May 2026 | Sources: PREDIMED (NEJM 2013), MIND Trial (Morris 2015), Crous-Bou 2014 (BMJ) QUICK ANSWER The PREDIMED trial — the largest randomized dietary intervention ever conducted — demonstrated that a Mediterranean diet supplemented … Read more

70% of Americans have vitamin D insufficiency below 30 ng/mL. The functional optimal is 50-80 ng/mL — where immune, cancer prevention, cardiovascular, and metabolic benefits are expressed. Complete protocol: D3 + K2 MK-7 + magnesium glycinate, with dosing by baseline level.