I'm joined by board-certified general surgeon Dr. Lee Howard, who walked away from traditional medicine. Why he feels traditional medicine doesn't really help its patients plus we cover what supplements are good for everyone to take, how to navigate allergy season with kids, what the heck the MTHFR gene is, how we should be approaching our kids' health, why were gonna start to hear more and more about creatine, ways we can help the aging process, plus perimenopause and menopause- how to minimize symptoms and recognize when we start to enter that stage. And we cover once and for all what those silly eye twitches are from. Clip 3: Low Testosterone and Alzheimer’s Risk Most people think of testosterone as a hormone that just affects sex drive or muscle mass. But the brain is actually one of its biggest targets. A massive 2023 study from the University of Sydney looked at older men and found something shocking: men with low testosterone had a 26% higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. And we’re not talking about late-stage life—these patterns start decades earlier. Testosterone helps regulate inflammation in the brain, supports memory circuits, and even promotes the growth of new neural connections. When levels drop too low, especially without being noticed, the brain becomes more vulnerable to decline. Here’s the kicker: most men never get their levels checked. And if they do, the 'normal range' is often outdated or way too broad. What’s normal for a 75-year-old is not what you want at 45. I’ve had women come in concerned about their partner’s mood, irritability, even motivation—and it turns out his testosterone was tanked. If you’re in a long-term relationship and your partner is acting like a different person, you’re not imagining it. And getting his hormones evaluated might be the missing link to helping him feel like himself again—and preventing cognitive decline down the line. Study source: University of Sydney & Neuroscience Research Australia (2023) https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/alz.1252 Clip 5: Gut Health and Mood There’s a direct, two-way communication line between your gut and your brain—and researchers now believe that the gut may play just as much of a role in mental health as the brain itself. A major review from 2024 showed that people with poor gut diversity were significantly more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety, even when diet and lifestyle were controlled. Why? Because 90% of your serotonin is actually made in your gut. If your microbiome is inflamed or out of balance, your body literally has fewer raw materials to make feel-good brain chemicals. On top of that, gut inflammation sends stress signals to your brain—keeping you in a low-level “fight or flight” state, even when nothing’s wrong. And if you’ve ever felt brain fog, irritability, or sadness after a weekend of sugar and alcohol… this is why. What’s exciting is how quickly you can make a shift. Just increasing your fiber, adding fermented foods, or taking the right probiotic can make a measurable difference in just a few weeks. This isn’t woo. This is the future of psychiatry. And if you’ve done therapy, made lifestyle changes, but still don’t feel right—check your gut. It might be where your healing needs to start. Study source: Review from the Polish Society of Gastroenterology (2024) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11811453 Clip 8: Hormone Imbalances and Marriage You’d be shocked how many couples come into my office thinking they have a communication problem—when what they really have is a hormone problem. He’s irritable, unmotivated, maybe withdrawing. She’s exhausted, anxious, snapping at small things. They think they’ve grown apart. They think the spark is gone. But when we test their hormones—testosterone, cortisol, DHEA, thyroid—what we find is that their biochemistry is off. And once we start restoring balance, everything shifts. The mood improves. The intimacy returns. The little things don’t feel so overwhelming. We now have solid evidence that hormonal health directly impacts emotional regulation, sexual desire, and even empathy. And if both partners are dysregulated, it can feel like the marriage is falling apart—when really, it’s just that their physiology is out of sync. This isn’t a relationship failure. It’s a hormone crisis. And once you name it, you can fix it. I’ve seen couples on the brink of divorce completely turn things around—because we stopped blaming each other and started healing their bodies. Study source: APA + American Journal of Men’s Health (2023–24) https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/15579883231166518 Clip 11: Whole Milk in Schools Might Actually Be Smarter For decades, schools have pushed low-fat or skim milk, based on outdated beliefs about fat and weight. But new evidence is flipping that script. A growing body of research now shows that children who drink whole milk are actually less likely to be overweight than those drinking low-fat milk. Why? Because fat makes food more satisfying. It helps with blood sugar regulation and keeps kids fuller longer—so they’re less likely to snack on junk later. In 2025, there’s increasing pushback from pediatricians and nutrition researchers against the one-size-fits-all low-fat approach. Some school districts are already considering bringing whole milk back, and they’re seeing better nutrition outcomes. Whole milk also contains essential nutrients like vitamin D and calcium in more bioavailable forms, especially when paired with fat. It’s time we stop fearing fat—especially when the data shows that cutting it hasn’t actually reduced childhood obesity. In fact, we may have made things worse. So if your kid likes whole milk, don’t feel guilty. It might just be the more nourishing option after all. Study source: Associated Press report (2025) https://apnews.com/article/e4868fdc2dc4e85aeb9375edcd27da49 Clip 13: Hormone Fluctuations and Depression in Women One of the biggest blind spots in women’s health is how powerful hormone fluctuations are—especially on mood. A 2025 study published in Biomedical Reports found that estrogen and progesterone shifts during puberty, pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause play a massive role in rates of depression. This isn’t just anecdotal. These hormonal changes alter brain chemistry, sensitivity to stress, and even how the body processes trauma. In puberty, many girls who were previously confident begin to struggle with mood and self-esteem—but instead of checking hormones, we tell them to tough it out. In postpartum, we’re finally starting to talk about depression more—but the hormonal crash that happens after birth still catches most women off guard. And in perimenopause, where mood swings and anxiety often resurface, women are still too often told it’s “just part of aging.” It’s not. It’s biology. And the good news is, once you understand that hormones are a major player, you can treat the root cause instead of just masking symptoms. Whether it’s bioidentical therapy, lifestyle shifts, or targeted nutrients, women deserve to know that their brains and their hormones are on the same team—and that relief is possible. Study source: Biomedical Reports (2025) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40083602 Clip 14: Social Media Changes Teen Brain Wiring We now have MRI data showing that the more often a teen checks social media, the more their brain becomes wired for external validation. In a study from UNC Chapel Hill, researchers found that teens who compulsively checked platforms like Instagram or Snapchat showed measurable changes in the brain's reward centers. These areas lit up more intensely over time, meaning their brains were becoming increasingly sensitive to likes, comments, and digital attention. This isn’t just about being distracted. It’s about a neurological shift in what they find rewarding—and that shift can impact everything from self-worth to emotional regulation. The researchers even found that this pattern predicts increased anxiety and depression, especially in girls. And it makes sense—when your self-esteem is tied to a number on a screen, even a small drop in engagement feels like social rejection. So what can parents do? First, understand that this isn’t just 'teen stuff.' This is brain development. Second, set tech boundaries that prioritize boredom, creativity, and real-life interaction. Even a two-week break can reset the system. Social media isn’t going away—but we have to teach kids how to use it without letting it rewire them. Study source: UNC-Chapel Hill (2023) https://www.unc.edu/posts/2023/01/03/study-shows-habitual-checking-of-social-media-may-impact-young-adolescents-brain-developmen Clip 16: Screen Time and Toddlers’ Sleep Sleep is how toddlers consolidate memory, regulate mood, and grow both physically and neurologically. But more and more research is showing that screen exposure—even if it’s 'educational'—can seriously disrupt toddler sleep. A study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that children ages 2 to 5 who used screens within an hour of bedtime had shorter total sleep and more fragmented rest. Blue light delays melatonin production. Fast-paced content overstimulates the nervous system. And passive consumption before bed blunts their natural wind-down process. We think of it as relaxing—but their brains don’t. What’s worse is that these disruptions don’t just affect nighttime. They carry over into the next day—affecting focus, mood, and even immune function. That’s why experts now recommend at least 60 minutes of screen-free time before lights out—especially for young kids. Replace it with a bath, a book, a calm routine. These rituals help their circadian rhythm sync naturally. Sleep isn’t just a health pillar—it’s a developmental requirement. And screens
