Medicine Redefined

Altamash Raja, DO and Darsh Shah, DO
  • 5.0 (35)
  • Medicine
  • Updated Biweekly

Medicine Redefined challenges outdated conventions by elevating conversations around what health truly means. Hosts Dr. Darsh Shah and Dr. Altamash Raja spotlight clinicians, scientists, thought leaders, and reformers who are reshaping how we think about physical, mental, metabolic, and systemic health. While the healthcare system focuses on treating disease, our guests focus on optimizing human potential. From sleep and nutrition to stress resilience and lifestyle medicine, discover how forward-thinking practitioners are putting the health back in healthcare.

  1. Jul 20 ·  Video

    205. Beyond Rest and Recovery: What Actually Heals the Brain After Concussion | Marissa McCarthy, MD

    Dr. Darsh Shah and Dr. Altamash Raja sit down with Dr. Marissa McCarthy, a board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation physician, brain injury specialist, and residency program director for the University of South Florida PM&R program. Dr. McCarthy practices at the USF Concussion Center and the Performance Lab in Tampa, where she works with athletes, military veterans, and patients recovering from traumatic brain injury. This conversation goes far beyond the basics of concussion care. From why complete rest is no longer the standard after a concussion to how sleep, exercise, nutrition, and inflammation influence recovery, Dr. McCarthy breaks down what the current evidence says about supplements like creatine, magnesium, and omega-3s. She also explores post-concussion syndrome, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, cognitive reserve, and what it really takes to build a brain that's resilient—not just after injury, but throughout life. TOPICS COVERED What PM&R is and why brain injury is a fellowship within the specialty Why concussion is a clinical diagnosis and what gets missed in the ER The inflammatory cascade after brain injury and how to address it Why the "dark room and rest" protocol is outdated The Mediterranean diet, fish oil (DHA), and magnesium as foundational interventions Creatine for brain health: 20 grams a day and why it matters Post-concussion syndrome: the miserable minority and why some people don't recover Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: the evidence, the risks, and CNS toxicity Sleep as the most underrated recovery tool and how to sleep train your kids Cognitive reserve, neuroplasticity, and preventing early onset dementia The glymphatic system, autophagy, and why a 16-hour fast matters How the Performance Lab in Tampa is redefining interdisciplinary brain injury care RESOURCES MENTIONED Dr. Marissa McCarthy USF Concussion Center: https://health.usf.edu/medicine/neurology/concussion The Performance Lab Tampa: https://tpltampa.com/ Instagram: @tpltampadoc The End of Alzheimer's by Dr. Dale Bredesen Book: https://www.drbredesen.com/books Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT) Resource: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/57/11/622 Nordic Naturals ProDHA Website: https://www.nordicnaturals.com/ Omega Quant (Omega-3 testing) Website: https://omegaquant.com/ Dr. Bruce Letty (Sub-symptom threshold exercise research) University at Buffalo Concussion Management Clinic REDUCE-IT Trial (Icosapent Ethyl/Vascepa) Study: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1812792 Glymphatic System Concept: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glymphatic_system Cognitive Reserve Concept: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_reserve ApoE4 and Alzheimer's Risk Concept: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apolipoprotein_E Blue Zones Concept: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_zone The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter Book: https://www.michaeleasterwriter.com/the-comfort-crisis FOLLOW US The Show Website: medicineredefined.com (https://medicineredefined.com) Instagram / X: @medredefined (https://instagram.com/medredefined) Dr. Altamash Raja Instagram: @draltraja (https://instagram.com/draltraja) LinkedIn: Altamash Raja (https://www.linkedin.com/in/altamash-raja-do-rmsk-cscs-0b1a8039/) Refining Health & Performance (https://refininghealthrx.com) Dr. Darsh Shah Instagram: @doctor.darsh (https://www.instagram.com/doctor.darsh/) LinkedIn: doctordarsh (https://www.linkedin.com/in/doctordarsh/) Ready to stop guessing and start performing? Dr. Raja is now seeing patients through his telemedicine practice — limited founding member spots available at refininghealthrx.com (https://refininghealthrx.com).

    205. Beyond Rest and Recovery: What Actually Heals the Brain After Concussion | Marissa McCarthy, MD

  2. Jul 6 ·  Video

    204. Metabolic Flexibility Explained: Why Ketones May Be an Overlooked Health Marker | Dorian Greenow

    Dr. Darsh Shah and Dr. Altamash Raja sit down with Dorian Greenow, founder of Keto-Mojo, for a wide-ranging conversation on ketosis, metabolic flexibility, chronic disease, and what it means to make health measurable. Dorian shares how his own experience with weight gain, depression, and discovering nutritional ketosis shaped the creation of Keto-Mojo. From the history of ketogenic diets to the difference between nutritional and therapeutic ketosis, the conversation explores food addiction, ketone testing, metabolic psychiatry, cancer research, exogenous ketones, and why the future of healthcare may depend on outcomes — not sick care. TOPICS COVERED Why keto is more than a fad diet or marketing term Dorian’s personal journey with weight loss, depression, and nutritional ketosis How Keto-Mojo began by making ketone testing more affordable The difference between nutritional ketosis and therapeutic ketosis How ketones work as both fuel and signaling molecules Emerging research on ketogenic diets for bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and glioblastoma Protein, muscle loss, aging, and how to think about keto beyond weight loss How ultra-processed foods, sugary drinks, and food policy shape metabolic health Why healthcare should focus on outcomes instead of sick care RESOURCES MENTIONED Dorian Greenow / Keto-Mojo Website: https://keto-mojo.com/ Dorian Greenow: https://keto-mojo.com/our-team/dorian-greenow-president-founder/ MyMojoHealth Website: https://keto-mojo.com/mymojohealth/ The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living by Stephen Phinney and Jeff Volek Book: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Science-Low-Carbohydrate-Living/dp/0983490708 Volek et al., “Metabolic characteristics of keto-adapted ultra-endurance runners,” Metabolism (2016) Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26892521/ Campbell et al., “A pilot study of a ketogenic diet in bipolar disorder,” BJPsych Open (2025) Study: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bjpsych-open/article/pilot-study-of-a-ketogenic-diet-in-bipolar-disorder-clinical-metabolic-and-magnetic-resonance-spectroscopy-findings/7AF8E2ECB765A65B03C97F770BB90BC7 Baszucki Group Metabolic Psychiatry Initiative Website: https://baszuckigroup.com/our-work/metabolic-mental-health/metabolic-psychiatry-initiative/ Metabolic Mind Website: https://www.metabolicmind.org/ Brain Energy by Dr. Chris Palmer Book: https://brainenergy.com/ Amaral et al., “A phase 1 safety and feasibility trial of a ketogenic diet plus standard of care for glioblastoma,” Scientific Reports (2025) Study: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-06675-6 Glucose ketone index / GKI Calculator Keto-Mojo: https://keto-mojo.com/glucose-ketone-index-gki/ FOLLOW US The Show Website: medicineredefined.com (https://medicineredefined.com) Instagram / X: @medredefined (https://instagram.com/medredefined) Dr. Altamash Raja Instagram: @draltraja (https://instagram.com/draltraja) LinkedIn: Altamash Raja (https://www.linkedin.com/in/altamash-raja-do-rmsk-cscs (https://www.linkedin.com/in/altamash-raja-do-rmsk-cscs-0b1a8039/)) Refining Health & Performance (https://refininghealthrx.com) Dr. Darsh Shah Instagram: @doctor.darsh (https://www.instagram.com/doctor.darsh/) LinkedIn: doctordarsh (https://www.linkedin.com/in/doctordarsh/) Ready to stop guessing and start performing? Dr. Raja is now seeing patients through his telemedicine practice — limited founding member spots available at refininghealthrx.com (https://refininghealthrx.com).

    204. Metabolic Flexibility Explained: Why Ketones May Be an Overlooked Health Marker | Dorian Greenow

  3. Jun 22 ·  Video

    203. What Medical School Doesn’t Teach About Health, Fulfillment, and Finding Your Why | Brian Devorkin

    Dr. Darsh Shah and Dr. Altamash Raja sit down with Brian Devorkin, a third-year medical student at Case Western and host of BackedBriScience, for a wide-ranging conversation on fulfillment, longevity, chronic illness, and the harder questions behind choosing medicine. Brian shares how chronic fatigue and Lyme disease shaped his understanding of health, agency, and what it means to “get your life back.” From his gap year working with longevity researcher David Sinclair to the realities of medical school, the conversation explores success versus fulfillment, the loneliness of thinking differently, the slippery slope of wellness marketing, and why the basics - sleep, exercise, nutrition, relationships, and stress - still matter most. At its core, this episode asks why health span matters more than simply living longer. TOPICS COVERED Why success and fulfillment are not the same thing How health shapes agency, identity, and the ability to live fully Brian’s experience with chronic fatigue, Lyme disease, and feeling like himself again Why health span matters more than simply living longer The problem with chasing supplements, protocols, and “silver bullet” wellness How functional medicine, longevity medicine, and PM&R overlap — and where the language can get complicated How exercise, nutrition, and discipline become part of someone’s identity The difference between healthy discipline and unhealthy rigidity The loneliness that can come with thinking differently in medical school Whether living forever would actually make life more meaningful RESOURCES MENTIONED Brian Devorkin/BackedBriScience Website: https://www.backedbriscience.com/ Instagram: @briandevorkin (https://www.instagram.com/briandevorkin/) Podcast: BackedBriScience (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/backedbriscience/id1725648624) David Sinclair (https://davidasinclair.com/) Lifespan by David Sinclair (https://lifespanbook.com/) Jocko Willink (https://jocko.com/) Discipline Equals Freedom by Jocko Willink (https://www.amazon.com/Discipline-Equals-Freedom-Field-Manual/dp/1250156947) Chris Williamson (https://chriswillx.com/) Modern Wisdom Podcast (https://chriswillx.com/podcast/) The Consistency Project Podcast by EC Synkowski (https://optimizemenutrition.com/theconsistencyproject/) Charles Duhigg (https://charlesduhigg.com/) The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg (https://charlesduhigg.com/the-power-of-habit/) Longevity escape velocity (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longevity_escape_velocity) Health span (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthspan) Functional medicine (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_medicine) PM&R / Physiatry (https://www.aapmr.org/about-physiatry) FOLLOW US Website: medicineredefined.com (https://medicineredefined.com) Instagram / X: @medredefined (https://instagram.com/medredefined) Dr. Altamash Raja Instagram: @draltraja (https://instagram.com/draltraja) LinkedIn: Altamash Raja (https://www.linkedin.com/in/altamash-raja-do-rmsk-cscs) Refining Health & Performance (https://refininghealthrx.com) Dr. Darsh Shah Instagram: @doctor.darsh (https://www.instagram.com/doctor.darsh/) LinkedIn: doctordarsh (https://www.linkedin.com/in/doctordarsh/) Ready to stop guessing and start performing? Dr. Raja is now seeing patients through his telemedicine practice — limited founding member spots available at refininghealthrx.com (https://refininghealthrx.com)

    203. What Medical School Doesn’t Teach About Health, Fulfillment, and Finding Your Why | Brian Devorkin

  4. Jun 8 ·  Video

    202. Metabolic Osteoarthritis: How Fat Tissue Talks to Your Joints

    In this episode, Dr. Darsh Shah and Dr. Altamash Raja explore the emerging concept of metabolic osteoarthritis and the growing evidence linking joint degeneration to obesity, insulin resistance, inflammation, and metabolic syndrome. They break down novel research on GLP-1 medications and metformin, discuss how excess adipose tissue may contribute to joint damage, and explain why treating metabolic health could become an important part of osteoarthritis care in the future. TOPICS COVERED • Is osteoarthritis a metabolic disease? • The concept of metabolic osteoarthritis (MetS-OA) • How obesity, insulin resistance, and inflammation affect joint health • GLP-1 medications, weight loss, and osteoarthritis outcomes • Metformin and the future of disease-modifying treatments • Why strength training and muscle preservation matter for joint longevity RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED • STEP 9 Trial – Semaglutide and Osteoarthritis (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2403664) • Effect of Metformin on Knee Osteoarthritis Pain in Patients With Overweight or Obesity (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40274279/) • Metabolic Syndrome Meets Osteoarthritis (https://www.nature.com/articles/nrrheum.2012.135) • HOMA-IR Calculator (https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/3120/homa-ir-homeostatic-model-assessment-insulin-resistance) Ready to stop guessing and start performing? Dr. Raja is now seeing patients through his telemedicine practice — limited founding member spots available at refininghealthrx.com.

    202. Metabolic Osteoarthritis: How Fat Tissue Talks to Your Joints

  5. May 25 ·  Video

    201. You Spend Your Whole Life Chasing Something… Then What? The Psychology of High Performers | Casey Stevens, MS, LMFT

    Casey Stevens is a trauma-informed therapist, speaker, and guide focused on nervous system healing, consciousness, emotional resilience, and the relationship between trauma, identity, and human potential. In this conversation, we explore high performance, vulnerability, trauma, nervous system regulation, parenting, purpose, and the hidden emotional costs of achievement. Casey shares her perspective on mysticism, somatic healing, post-traumatic growth, value systems, and why true peace comes from alignment rather than external success. TOPICS COVERED Why vulnerability is necessary for real peace and connection High performance, ambition, and the loneliness of success Compensatory strategies, avoidance, and emotional protection Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Kobe Bryant, and the trade-offs of greatness Trauma, nervous system dysregulation, and somatic healing Parenting, resilience, post-traumatic growth, and emotional regulation RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED • The Body Keeps the Score (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Body_Keeps_the_Score) • The Diary of a CEO (https://stevenbartlett.com/doac/) • Modern Wisdom (https://chriswillx.com/podcast/) • Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson (https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Elon-Musk/Walter-Isaacson/9781982181284) • Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson (https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Steve-Jobs/Walter-Isaacson/9781451648546) • Good Inside (https://www.goodinside.com) • The Tim Ferriss Show (https://tim.blog/podcast/) GUEST SOCIAL LINKS • Instagram: @shrinkbigger (https://www.instagram.com/shrinkbigger/) • Website: https://shrinkbigger.com/ Ready to stop guessing and start performing? Dr. Raja is now seeing patients through his telemedicine practice — limited founding member spots available at refininghealthrx.com

    201. You Spend Your Whole Life Chasing Something… Then What? The Psychology of High Performers | Casey Stevens, MS, LMFT

  6. May 11 ·  Video

    200. Can Hospital Food Help Patients Heal? Food as Medicine at Tampa General | Tanuja Sharma, MD

    Dr. Tanuja Sharma is a board-certified family and integrative medicine physician and the Medical Director of Integrative Medicine and Arts at Tampa General Hospital. She completed her integrative medicine fellowship through the Andrew Weil Center at the University of Arizona and is leading one of the most ambitious hospital wellness overhauls in the country — from redesigning the patient menu with a Michelin-rated chef to running evidence-based mindfulness, acupuncture, and music therapy programs at the bedside. TOPICS COVERED  •   Why Tampa General Hospital partnered with a celebrity chef to rebuild their patient menu from scratch •   Music therapy, massage, acupuncture, art therapy, reiki, and how TGH gets buy-in across a Level 1 trauma center •   98% patient improvement in pain and anxiety scores, preliminary opioid reduction data, and the research pipeline ahead •   Tampa Well's food pharmacy, community garden, and free produce programs targeting food insecurity •   MBSR and mindfulness programs: evidence-based stress reduction for staff and patients, and why experience is the best recruitment tool •   Fiber vs. protein: the deficiency most patients have, Blue Zones longevity foods, and how to counsel patients at different performance goals RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED •   Tampa General Hospital (https://www.tgh.org) •   TGH Integrative Medicine and Arts Program (https://www.tgh.org/services/integrative-medicine-and-arts) •   Tampa Well (TGH Community Wellness Initiative) (https://www.tgh.org/tampawell) •   Geoffrey Zakarian — Celebrity Chef (Iron Chef, Chopped) (https://www.geoffreyzakarian.com/about) •   Mediterranean Diet — Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_diet) •   Anti-Inflammatory Diet — Hopkins Medicine (https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/anti-inflammatory-diet) •   Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) — Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness-based_stress_reduction) •   Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine (U of Arizona) (https://integrativemedicine.arizona.edu) •   American College of Lifestyle Medicine (https://www.lifestylemedicine.org) •   Blue Zones — Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_zone) •   Sarcopenia — Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcopenia) •   Dietary Fiber — Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietary_fiber) •   Food as Medicine — ASN (https://nutrition.org/food-as-medicine/) •   Refining Health & Performance — refininghealthrx.com (https://refininghealthrx.com) GUEST SOCIAL LINKS •   Instagram:@tjasharmamd (https://www.instagram.com/tanujasharmamd?igsh=cXprNW04bGt2Zzhr) •   TGH Provider Profile (https://www.getcare.tgh.org/providers/tanuja-sharma-1598133233) •   TGH Integrative Medicine (https://www.tgh.org/services/integrative-medicine-and-arts) Ready to stop guessing and start performing? Dr. Raja is now seeing patients through his telemedicine practice — limited founding member spots available at refininghealthrx.com

    200. Can Hospital Food Help Patients Heal? Food as Medicine at Tampa General | Tanuja Sharma, MD

  7. Apr 27 ·  Video

    199. The Mental Strength Playbook: Workplace Stress, Burnout, and Showing Up Under Pressure | Amy Morin, LCSW

    Dr. Altamash Raja and Dr. Darsh Shah sit down with Amy Morin, LCSW, to discuss how to turn pressure into strength, build resilience through small wins, and navigate burnout in today’s work culture. Morin gives us simple tools and a practical approach to manage anxiety, dread, and difficult situations. We talk about significance of self-awareness, focusing on what you can control, and how using actionable strategies like a “motivation buddy,” clearer communication, and adapting to others can help you perform better without burning out. TOPICS COVERED Genes upbringing stress Pandemic burnout cycle Grinding vs strength Busyness as numbing Showing up in grief Anxiety spills into work Dread anxiety rumination How to use 50 tools Motivation buddy hack Measuring mental strength Overrated vs underrated mental resilience hacks RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do: https://amymorinlcsw.com/books/ Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Overview: https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/cognitive-behavioral The Happiness Curve (Arthur Brooks–related concepts): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7Z0MyRsm9M Emotional Avoidance (Psychology Today): https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/overcoming-destructive-anger/202603/the-harmful-consequences-of-emotional-avoidance Motivation Buddy/Accountability Importance: https://www.npr.org/2025/01/15/nx-s1-5217975/the-secret-to-doing-hard-things-and-getting-stuff-done Connect with Amy Morin: Website: https://amymorinlcsw.com/ Instagram: @amymorinauthor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amymorinlcsw/ Ready to stop guessing and start performing? Dr. Raja is now seeing patients through his telemedicine practice—limited founding member spots available at refininghealthrx.com.

    199. The Mental Strength Playbook: Workplace Stress, Burnout, and Showing Up Under Pressure | Amy Morin, LCSW

  8. Apr 13 ·  Video

    198. Beyond LDL: The 2026 Guidelines Make Lp(a), ApoB & 30-Year Risk Essential

    Darsh and Altamash unpack the first major ACC/AHA lipid update since 2018, now reframed as a dyslipidemia guideline expanding beyond LDL to include triglycerides, ApoB, and lipoprotein(a). They highlight earlier prevention, the new PREVENT risk calculator, return of numeric LDL and non-HDL targets, routine Lp(a) screening, stepwise therapy beyond statins, and greater use of CAC imaging. Using a “trucks and cargo” analogy, they clarify lipid markers, review therapies from statins to PCSK9 inhibitors and inclisiran, compare CTA vs CAC, and explain why most supplements show no benefit. TOPICS COVERED • What changed in the new cholesterol guidelines • Why earlier prevention matters for lifetime risk • New PREVENT calculator for estimating risk • Understanding LDL, ApoB, and “bad cholesterol” markers • Lipoprotein(a): the genetic cholesterol risk to check once • New LDL targets and when to treat more aggressively • Medication options beyond statins • When to use calcium score (CAC) scans • CTA vs CAC: which heart scan to choose • Do supplements actually help cholesterol? RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED ACC/AHA Dyslipidemia Guideline Update: https://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/journal-scans/2026/03/13/15/20/acc-aha-release-new-clinical-guideline-for-managing-dyslipidemia PREVENT Risk Calculator: https://professional.heart.org/en/guidelines-and-statements/prevent-calculator Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] Overview: https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cholesterol/genetic-conditions/lipoprotein-a Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) Explanation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apolipoprotein_B Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) Scan: https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/heart-scan/about/pac-20384686 Coronary CT Angiography (CTA): https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/ct-coronary-angiogram/about/pac-20385117 PCSK9 Inhibitors Overview: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCSK9 REDUCE-IT Trial (Icosapent Ethyl/Vascepa): https://www.brighamandwomens.org/campaigns/physicians/reduce-it-clinical-trial AHA Life’s Essential 8: https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/lifes-essential-8 SPORT Trial (supplements vs statin): https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2022.10.013 Connect with Us: Instagram: @draltraja, @doctordarsh LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/altamash-raja-do-rmsk-cscs-0b1a8039/; https://www.linkedin.com/in/doctordarsh/ Ready to stop guessing and start performing? Dr. Raja is now seeing patients through his telemedicine practice—limited founding member spots available at refininghealthrx.com.

    198. Beyond LDL: The 2026 Guidelines Make Lp(a), ApoB & 30-Year Risk Essential
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About

Medicine Redefined challenges outdated conventions by elevating conversations around what health truly means. Hosts Dr. Darsh Shah and Dr. Altamash Raja spotlight clinicians, scientists, thought leaders, and reformers who are reshaping how we think about physical, mental, metabolic, and systemic health. While the healthcare system focuses on treating disease, our guests focus on optimizing human potential. From sleep and nutrition to stress resilience and lifestyle medicine, discover how forward-thinking practitioners are putting the health back in healthcare.

Information

  • Creator
    Altamash Raja, DO and Darsh Shah, DO
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    216
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Altamash Raja, DO and Darsh Shah, DO
  • Show Website
    Medicine Redefined

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