Rational Wellness Podcast

Dr. Ben Weitz
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Rational Wellness Podcast hosted by Dr. Ben Weitz helps you unlock the latest science in functional medicine, nutrition, wellness and health, so you can optimize your body and mind. Weekly interviews with experts in Functional Medicine and Wellness with focus on gut health, hormones, inflammation, wellness, brain health, nutrition, health and longevity. You'll discover evidence-based strategies to reverse chronic disease, balance your biology, and extend your healthspan — from cutting-edge lab testing and nutrition to personalized lifestyle interventions. Past guests include Dr. Dale Bredesen, Dr. Jeffrey Bland, and Dr. Mark Pimentel and many of the most trusted voices in functional and integrative medicine and the wellness world. Subscribe today to learn practical tools you can use right now for better health and wellness.

  1. How to Change Habits with Amy Behimer: Rational Wellness Podcast 458

    1 DAY AGO

    How to Change Habits with Amy Behimer: Rational Wellness Podcast 458

    How to Change Habits with Amy Behimer: Rational Wellness Podcast 458 Dr. Ben Weitz introduces the Rational Wellness Podcast and interviews Dr. Amy Behimer a pharmacist turned board-certified health and wellness coach who helps people with autoimmune disease implement sustainable lifestyle changes through a structured, science-backed approach to "habit architecture." Behimer explains why behavior change is difficult, emphasizing that it is a learnable skill and that motivation is optional; she breaks motivation into belief, desire, and commitment. She outlines six research-backed reasons goals fail (including forgetting, goals being too big or not desired, lack of strategies that feel good, and no place to troubleshoot) and describes tactics such as "trust in the tiny," planning, tracking, reminders, support squads, environmental design, and focusing on one to three "now" habits using a tracker. She discusses mindset, compassion over guilt, household-level change, and offers a quiz, membership, and referral options for practitioners. Dr. Amy Behimer is a pharmacist turned board certified health and wellness coach, and she specializes in helping people with autoimmune disease implement sustainable lifestyle changes. After her own diagnosis, she recognized that even the most precise. [00:02:00] Functional medicine recommendations fail without a repeatable system for behavior change. She now teaches a structured science-backed approach to habit architecture that helps patients move from knowing what to do to consistently doing it. Amy is the host of the Autoimmune Health Secrets Podcast. She's the founder of Club Habit Hub, where she works with high information patients who want better outcomes without burnout. Amy, thank you so much for joining us. Dr. Ben Weitz is available for Functional Nutrition consultations specializing in Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders like IBS/SIBO and Reflux and also Cardiometabolic Risk Factors like elevated lipids, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure. Dr. Weitz has also successfully helped many patients with managing their weight and improving their athletic performance, as well as sports chiropractic work by calling his Santa Monica office 310-395-3111.

    1hr 3min

  2. 1 DAY AGO

    Rethinking Mental Health: A Functional Medicine Approach with Dr. Hyla Cass: Rational Wellness Podcast Episode 014

    Rethinking Mental Health: A Functional Medicine Approach with Dr. Hyla Cass: Rational Wellness Podcast Episode 014 [If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a positive review on Itunes, so more people will find The Rational Wellness Podcast] Podcast Details Dr. Cass said it was natural for her to look at natural causes of psychiatric disorders, including diet, lifestyle, and genetics, rather than the pharmaceutical approach.  She feels that it is shameful that even very young children are placed on medications, when we don't even know what effects these meds might have on developing brains. I asked Dr. Cass why it appears as though we have a rising epidemic of depression, bipolar disorder, and ADHD among young people today. Dr. Cass said that this is due to poor diet--too many refined carbs and sugar, a lack of vegetables, not getting a solid protein--and not running around outside and exercising and they spend most of their time inside playing video games and on their computers. Dr. Cass mentioned the problems with breakfast cereals and milk in the morning, which spike their blood sugar and so many kids have food sensitivities to dairy. And the milk has bovine growth hormone. And the wheat is genetically modified and high in gluten. We were meant to be eating healthy, natural foods with lots of fiber to support the microbiome. And so many things damage the microbiome, including the antibiotics in the food supply and the chlorine and flouride in the water supply. To help patients we have to feed the brain and the gut with natural, healthy food. Kids need to eat more veggies. We were meant to eat and live a certain way and to interact with our tribe a certain way. And that is gone today, esp. in the cities. We have to recreate that type of lifestyle, starting with the diet.  And parents need to have more meaningful interactions with their children and not just be on their phones. Dr. Cass likes to look at the root causes of psychiatric conditions, such as blood sugar imbalances, stress and adrenal health, nutritional deficiencies, thyroid, hormonal balance, MTHFR and genetic factors that may affect our ability to make neurotransmitters. We discussed the recent Institute of Functional Medicine conference on brain health and how Dr. Bredesen has demonstrated reversal of Alzheimer's disease with a Functional Medicine approach that he refers to as a systems approach.  Dr. Bredesen started with rats and found that it is not just removing plaquing in the brain, because if you remove too much plaque, they get worse. Then he went to studying humans and found that if you look at and treat heavy metals, chemical toxicity, hormone imbalances, etc. You can't just use these medications, like Namenda and Aricept, which do nothing to reverse the course of the disorder. Here is Dr. Hyla Cass's website where you can get her free ebook Reclaim Your Brain:  https://cassmd.com/

    32 min
  3. Is Medicine Still Getting Lyme Disease Wrong with Dr. Pam Cipriano: Rational Wellness Podcast 457

    15 APR

    Is Medicine Still Getting Lyme Disease Wrong with Dr. Pam Cipriano: Rational Wellness Podcast 457

    View the Show Notes For This Episode Is Medicine Still Getting Lyme Disease Wrong with Dr. Pam Cipriano: Rational Wellness Podcast 457 Show Notes: Dr. Pam Cipriano is a Doctor of Nursing Practice and Functional Medicine practitioner who specializes in complex, chronic conditions like Lyme Disease and other tick-borne illnesses. Dr. Cipriano is the founder of The Practice of Health and Wellness in Thomaston, CT and her phone number is 860-880-2525.  Dr. Ben Weitz is available for Functional Nutrition consultations specializing in Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders like IBS/SIBO and Reflux and also Cardiometabolic Risk Factors like elevated lipids, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure. Dr. Weitz has also successfully helped many patients with managing their weight and improving their athletic performance, as well as sports chiropractic work by calling his Santa Monica office 310-395-3111. Dr. Ben Weitz introduces the Rational Wellness Podcast and interviews nurse practitioner and functional medicine clinician Dr. Pam Cipriano about why Lyme and other vector-borne illnesses are often missed, citing political and educational gaps, unreliable standard testing, and the CDC's epidemiology-focused criteria. Cipriano explains limitations of EIA/ELISA and band-based testing, false negatives in neuroborreliosis, and the need for clinical diagnosis and specialty labs like iGenex and Galaxy for Bartonella. She discusses co-infections (Bartonella, Babesia, and others), symptom patterns, treatment approaches including doxycycline/minocycline plus agents for persister/cyst forms, biofilm disruption with enzymes and stevia, and transitioning to herbal protocols. She covers diet, detox strategies, mold remediation, high-dose IV vitamin C, infrared sauna, and managing Herxheimer reactions. Cipriano describes seizure cases linked to Lyme-related immune dysfunction treated with IVIG, and outlines practitioner training and how patients can access her care.   01:00 Meet Dr Pam Cipriano 02:19 Why Lyme Gets Missed 04:11 Neuro Lyme And Seizures 05:59 Why Standard Tests Fail 08:35 Clinical Clues And Rash Case 11:58 Coinfections And Better Labs 14:12 Chronic Lyme Triggers Biofilms 17:24 Breaking Biofilms And Treating 21:44 Antibiotics Cysts And Babesia 24:19 Herbs And Long Term Support 25:45 Diet To Lower Inflammation 26:58 Sugar Cravings and Lyme 27:30 Detox Therapies Overview 27:47 High Dose Vitamin C IVs 29:04 Infrared Sauna Detox 29:48 Herxheimer Detox Tools 30:52 Mold Exposure and Remediation 32:28 Diet and Hydration Basics 33:29 Lyme vs MS Neurology 35:27 Seizure Case Studies and IVIG 38:27 Tick Bite Antibiotic Debate 41:28 Vitamin D K and Testing 44:52 Programs and Closing

    48 min

  4. 14 APR

    Muscle as Medicine: The Science of Strength, Fat Loss & Longevity with Mike Mutzel: Rational Wellness Podcast Episode 013

    Muscle as Medicine: The Science of Strength, Fat Loss & Longevity with Mike Mutzel: Rational Wellness Podcast Episode 013 Dr. Weitz interviews Mike Mutzel on some of the newest strategies to help you lose weight and get into great shape.  Mike and Dr. Ben both agree that it is best if you can not only teach others how to be more fit and healthy, but also to lead your life that way.  They both walk the walk as well as talking the talk. Mike explains how overtraining, such as doing excessive cardio, has negative consequences.  Mike recommends weight training 4 times per week as well as doing some yoga and some high intensity cardio, such as interval training. Mike explains that you have to beat your body up in order to stimulate it to adapt and get stronger and more fit. Mike recommends taking branch chain amino acids, specifically L-leucine, which promotes muscle growth signalling.  He also recommends consuming a little caffeine prior to going to the gym, which stimulates fat burning and stimulates their nervous system.  Mike also talks about the importance of getting enough protein through your diet, if you want to improve in your strength and muscle building. Mike also talks about respecting the body's natural circadian rhythm and that antioxidants should only be taken at night, since if taken before workouts, it might interfere with the free radical stress that is part of how exercise stimulates our body's adaptation and this lead us to get stronger. Mike also likes alkaline creatine and beta alanine as performance enhancers.  Beta alanine is a lactic acid buffer. Mike talks about the importance of brown fat and how taking a cold shower will stimulate the production of brown adipose tissue, which is metabolically active.  Fat is not just inert. It is immunologically and metabolically active. Check out Mike Mutzel's website and his High Intensity podcast: http://highintensityhealth.com/ Also order his excellent book, Belly Fat Effect https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/belly-fat-effect-msc-mike-mutzel/1119083881?ean=9780991070312 Dr. Ben Weitz is available for Functional Nutrition consultations specializing in Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders like IBS/SIBO and Reflux and also Cardiometabolic Risk Factors like elevated lipids, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure. Dr. Weitz has also successfully helped many patients with managing their weight and improving their athletic performance, as well as sports chiropractic work by calling his Santa Monica office 310-395-3111.

    44 min
  5. The Real Causes of Alzheimer's Disease with Dr. Craig Tanio: Rational Wellness Podcast 456

    8 APR

    The Real Causes of Alzheimer's Disease with Dr. Craig Tanio: Rational Wellness Podcast 456

    The Real Causes of Alzheimer's Disease with Dr. Craig Tanio: Rational Wellness Podcast 456 Podcast Highlights The Real Causes of Alzheimer's Disease with Dr. Craig Tanio: Rational Wellness Podcast 456 Dr. Craig Tanio on Precision Functional Medicine for Cognitive Decline: Infections, Toxins, Biomarkers, and Genetics Dr. Ben Weitz introduces the Rational Wellness Podcast and interviews Dr. Craig Tanio about a systems-based, precision medicine approach to preventing and treating mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer's, contrasting it with amyloid-only drug strategies. Tanio describes his background and work implementing and studying Dale Bredesen's network-insufficiency paradigm, including participation in a multi-center randomized clinical trial with clinician judgment, standardized labs, lifestyle essentials, and variable neuromodulatory therapies. They discuss common drivers such as chronic infections (COVID-related immune effects, viral reactivation, tick-borne illness) and toxicants (especially mold/mycotoxins), emphasizing "low and slow" detox and the risk of over-detoxing. Tanio highlights biomarkers (PTau217, NFL, GFAP), EEG/QEEG as a "stethoscope for the brain," HRV, genomics (BCHE, DIO2, TCN2), hormones, diet flexibility, and supplements including plasmalogens, high-dose thiamine injections, and low-dose lithium affecting tau/amyloid markers. 00:00 Show Intro and Mission 01:02 Guest and Alzheimer's Paradigm Shift 03:48 Dr Tanyo's Journey to Systems Care 05:51 Why One Change Isn't Enough 07:34 Randomized Trial Overview 09:39 Precision Approach vs Protocol 13:36 Common Drivers Infections and Toxins 15:17 Chronic Infections and Viral Reactivation 19:41 Biomarkers and Clinical Judgment 22:37 Toxins Mold and Detox Pace 27:26 Low and Slow Detox Strategy 29:55 Measuring Progress EEG and HRV 33:11 Sponsor Apollo Wearable Break 34:44 Expanded Testing Genomics and Genie 36:41 Fatty Acids Omega 9 and Plasmalogens 39:34 Fatty Acid Supplements 40:56 Genetics and Biomarkers 44:53 Hormone Therapy Debate 49:24 Diet Approaches Compared 50:47 Supplements That Move Needle 58:05 Peptides and Protocol Tuning 01:00:55 Alzheimer's Drugs Reality Check 01:04:31 Registry and Coverage Push 01:09:53 Research Next Steps 01:13:43 Practice Info and Wrap   Dr. Craig Tanio is one of the physicians involved in implementing and studying this systems-based approach and participated in a recent randomized clinical trial evaluating this protocol for patients with mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Tanio is a co-founder of Rezilir Health and the website is rezilirhealth.com.   Dr. Ben Weitz is available for Functional Nutrition consultations specializing in Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders like IBS/SIBO and Reflux and also Cardiometabolic Risk Factors like elevated lipids, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure. Dr. Weitz has also successfully helped many patients with managing their weight and improving their athletic performance, as well as sports chiropractic work by calli

    1hr 21min

  6. 7 APR

    Why You Have Diabetes (Even If You Eat Healthy) — The Hidden Root Causes with Dr. Jeffrey James: Rational Wellness Episode 007

    Dr. Jeffrey James discusses the diabetes epidemic with Dr. Ben Weitz.  01:08    Dr. Ben Weitz provides an introduction on the Diabetes epidemic in the United States 01:25    Diabetics have a 50% increased risk of dying. 01:45    Obesity and Diabetes are both caused by insulin resistance. 05:42    I asked Dr. James what is the biggest factor in our society that contributes to the increase in the rate of Diabetes and Prediabetes?  Dr. James said that there is not one thing, but it probably  started in the 80's when everybody got so scared of saturated fats and we went to the high carbohydrate, refined carbohydrate, and margarine diet. That didn't help things. As the advent of  computers and cell phones got bigger, we started sitting around more, living a sedentary lifestyle, and this contributes to increased mortality. 06:58   Dr. James explained the role of stress and cortisol and cortisol functions to elevate blood sugar when it is low.  He explained the risk of low blood sugar and how diabetics that he's worked with are more fearful of low blood sugar than high blood sugar. 07:48  Dr. James explains that while sleeping, since you are not eating, if your blood sugar level dips, your body will secrete cortisol to elevate the blood sugar.  But if you have been under stress for a long period of time, instead of the adrenal cortex releasing more cortisol since you have depleted cortisol levels, then the body goes into DEF CON II and it uses epinephrine and norepinephrine.  These are hormones that will stimulate your liver to release glucose into your blood stream but they have the added effect of stimulating your sympathetic nervous system and waking you up.  So folks who wake up at 2 or 3 am, that may be a blood sugar dysregulation issue that results from being under so much stress that their cortisol levels are depleted. 09:35  Dr. James explains that we are not just talking about emotional stress but the stress of emfs and electricity of modern life that humans never had to deal with before. 12:32  I brought up the role of toxins in metabolism such as BPA.  Dr. James mentioned a recent patient who's numbers were not making sense and she tested positive for immune responses to Bisphenyl S and A, Formaldehyde, and Benzene rings. We know that some of the plastic chemicals are endocrine disruptors, but we've been told that if we get rid of BPA that we will be fine. But the other plastic chemicals like BPS that are often substituted for BPA in BPA free containers are also endocrine disruptors.  Dr. James talked about how to detox these chemicals, including using infrared sauna. 15:06  Dr. James talked about the BPA coating on cash register receipts and I mentioned that even though I buy BPA free paper, just because it doesn't add BPA to the paper, because the paper starts with recycled paper, some of which has BPA on it, it will still contain BPA. And of course money all has traces of BPA on it from those who touch receipts and then touch the money. 16:18  Dr. James noted that the problem is not just BPA, but the onslought of chemicals that are endocrine disruptors that we get exposed to. Dr. Jeffrey James is a Doctor of Chiropractic.  He also has a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. He is a Board certified chiropractic neurologist DACNB, and has been in private practice since 1989.  Here is the website for his practice in West Los Angeles: https://www.integratedphysicians.com/ Dr. Ben Weitz is available for Functional Nutrition consultations specializing in Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders like IBS/SIBO and Reflux and also Cardiometabolic Risk Factors like elevated lipids, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure. Dr. Weitz has also successfully helped many patients with managing their weight and improving their athletic performance, as well as sports chiropractic work by calling his Santa Monica office 310-395-3111.

    39 min
  7. The Truth About Hormones After Menopause with Dr. Tara Scott: Rational Wellness Podcast 455

    1 APR

    The Truth About Hormones After Menopause with Dr. Tara Scott: Rational Wellness Podcast 455

    The Truth About Hormones After Menopause with Dr. Tara Scott: Rational Wellness Podcast 455

    1hr 1min
  8. The Energy Allocation System with Dr. Corey Schuler | Rational Wellness Podcast 454

    25 MAR

    The Energy Allocation System with Dr. Corey Schuler | Rational Wellness Podcast 454

    View the Show Notes For This Episode Energy Allocation System: A New Framework for Fatigue, Thyroid Labs, and Chronic Conditions with Dr Corey Schuler and moderator Dr. Ben Weitz Dr. Ben Weitz hosts Dr. Corey Schuler to discuss Schuler's International Journal of Molecular Sciences paper proposing the Energy Allocation System, a framework suggesting many chronic conditions reflect how the body budgets limited metabolic energy across systems rather than isolated organ failure or simple hormone deficiency. They explain mitochondrial reserve capacity, why adding thyroid or sex hormones can be counterproductive when the body is intentionally downregulating function, and how stress physiology can shift thyroid markers (including reverse T3). Schuler shares a case of a high-performing executive with sleep disruption and worsening free T3 trends where urinary hormones and CGM data showed high cortisol and nocturnal hypoglycemia; treatment focused on stress support, diet changes, and supportive nutrients rather than hormone replacement. They address Hashimoto's testing, nuanced iodine dosing, iron assessment, wearable data, proposed phenotype-based research, and where to find the paper and contact Schuler. 01:03 Guest and Energy Allocation 02:43 Why Patients Feel Normal 03:57 Budgeting Language for Energy 05:02 Mitochondria and Reserve Capacity 07:54 Hormones vs Energy Limits 10:16 Hormesis and Real World Examples 12:24 Clinical Application to Fatigue 13:49 Case Study Stress and Thyroid 17:37 Interventions Nutrients and CGM 19:31 Hashimotos vs Downregulation 23:49 Apollo Wearable Sponsor Break 25:21 Iodine Dosing and Fertility Case 28:19 Testing Iodine and Halides 29:53 Iodine Detox Effects 30:29 Iodized Salt Shortfall 31:28 Reverse T3 Stress Signal 33:38 Iron Panel Essentials 36:15 Hemochromatosis Case Study 38:52 Brain Energy Connections 41:39 Wearables And Phenotypes 44:02 Mobilization Vs Conservation 46:31 Hormones Beyond Lab Fixes 51:23 Theory Critiques And Evidence 54:30 Research Funding Challenges 55:47 Where To Learn More 57:24 Podcast Wrap Up Dr. Corey Schuler is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and Certified Nutrition Specialist who practices holistic primary care at Synergy Family Physicians in White Bear Lake, MN. In addition to clinical practice, Corey serves as Director of Medical Affairs at Allergy Research Group, teaching at Augsburg University and contributing to research focused on nutrition science and integrative primary care Dr. Ben Weitz is available for Functional Nutrition consultations specializing in Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders like IBS/SIBO and Reflux and also Cardiometabolic Risk Factors like elevated lipids, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure. Dr. Weitz has also successfully helped many patients with managing their weight and improving their athletic performance, as well as sports chiropractic work by calling his Santa Monica office 310-395-3111.

    1hr 2min
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About

Rational Wellness Podcast hosted by Dr. Ben Weitz helps you unlock the latest science in functional medicine, nutrition, wellness and health, so you can optimize your body and mind. Weekly interviews with experts in Functional Medicine and Wellness with focus on gut health, hormones, inflammation, wellness, brain health, nutrition, health and longevity. You'll discover evidence-based strategies to reverse chronic disease, balance your biology, and extend your healthspan — from cutting-edge lab testing and nutrition to personalized lifestyle interventions. Past guests include Dr. Dale Bredesen, Dr. Jeffrey Bland, and Dr. Mark Pimentel and many of the most trusted voices in functional and integrative medicine and the wellness world. Subscribe today to learn practical tools you can use right now for better health and wellness.

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