Vida Vitality Podcast with Host, Dr Michelle Leary

Vida Integrated Health
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Health & Fitness

The Vida Vitality Podcast is where health research meets real life. Hosted by Dr. Michelle Leary, the podcast was created to translate the research, training, and clinical insights our functional medicine physicians, industry leaders, authors and clinicians are immersed in every day into conversations patients can actually relate to—based on their own symptoms, goals, and lived experiences. Functional Medicine research is advancing rapidly, but much of it never reaches patients in a way that feels practical or personal. The Vida Vitality Podcast exists to bridge that gap. Each episode breaks down complex topics—metabolism, hormones, nervous system regulation, longevity, pain, movement, functional medicine, and lifestyle optimization—into clear, relevant insights that help you understand why your symptoms are happening and how the body’s systems are interconnected. Rather than chasing trends or quick fixes, the focus is on helping you think differently about your health: understanding root causes, making sense of clinical recommendations, and learning how personalized, integrative care actually works in real life. The goal is not perfection, but sustainable vitality that supports how you live, move, and feel every day. Explore Vida’s integrative care approach at thinkvida.com, and learn more about Dr. Michelle Leary’s background and philosophy at drmichelleleary.com. The Vida Vitality podcast is your guide from research to real life—and an invitation to engage with your health more intentionally.

Episodes

  1. Sep 4

    The Functional Fertility Blueprint: Your Personalized Path to Conception

    If you've ever been told your fertility labs are "normal" but still can't get pregnant — or been handed a diagnosis of "unexplained infertility" with no real plan — this episode is for you. Dr. Kalea Wattles, ND, FMCP-M, founder of Functional Fertility and author of The Functional Fertility Blueprint, joins Dr. Michelle Leary to explain why fertility is rarely a true mystery, and how to find your own root cause instead of waiting on a diagnosis that never comes.Trained at Bastyr University and the Institute for Functional Medicine, Dr. Wattles walks through her Fertility Focus Zones framework — a precise, systems-based approach that replaces guesswork with a clear starting point. The conversation covers how insulin resistance quietly drives hormone imbalances, why "day 21 progesterone" is one of the most misleading tests in fertility medicine, what a real preconception lab panel should include, and why sperm health deserves just as much attention as egg health.Whether you're just starting to think about pregnancy, mid-journey, or supporting a partner through one, this episode reframes what it means to prepare your body for conception — with real science and zero fear-mongering.Work with Vida Integrated Health: Vida brings chiropractic, physical therapy, massage, acupuncture, and functional medicine primary care together under one roof — with your provider team meeting weekly to coordinate your care. Explore services or book a visit at thinkvida.com. Follow us on Instagram at @vidaintegratedhealth and subscribe to our YouTube channel for more conversations with Vida's physicians and practitioners.References & Resources mentioned in the episode:The Functional Fertility Blueprint by Dr. Kalea Wattles https://www.drkaleawattles.com/Functional Fertility Blueprint Online Program https://kalea-wattles-s-school.teachable.com/l/productsIt Starts With the Egg by Rebecca Fett https://www.itstartswiththeegg.com/bookMira Fertility Hormone Monitor https://join.miracare.com/Legacy At-Home Semen Analysis https://www.givelegacy.com/sperm-testing/Institute for Functional Medicine: Functional Medicine Matrix https://www.ifm.org/articles/toolkit-functional-medicine-matrixThis episode is for educational purposes and reflects the clinical perspective of our guest. It is not a substitute for personalized medical advice — please consult your own physician before starting any new supplement, testing, or treatment protocol, especially if you are pregnant, trying to conceive, or managing a diagnosed condition.#FunctionalFertility #FertilityJourney #WomensHealth

    The Functional Fertility Blueprint: Your Personalized Path to Conception

  2. Aug 6

    Who Am I Now? Navigating Hormones, Burnout & Identity in the Second Half of Life.

    Why do the highest-performing women hit a wall in perimenopause — even when they've done everything "right"?In this episode of the Vida Vitality Podcast, Dr. Michelle Leary sits down with Monique Class, a pioneer in functional medicine and senior faculty at the Institute for Functional Medicine, for a wide-ranging conversation on what's really happening in the body — and in identity — during perimenopause and menopause.They start with the biology of burnout: why the body's capacity to adapt breaks down, why high achievers are often the last to recognize it, and the real hormonal shifts — estrogen, progesterone, cortisol — driving the "Wild West" of perimenopause. From there, the conversation moves into cardiovascular risk (the #1 killer of women), the truth about transdermal vs. oral estrogen, and how genomics like COMT and MTHFR shape personalized hormone and detox support. They also get into the growing use of microdosed GLP-1s for inflammation, recovery, and metabolic health — including where the safety questions actually lie.Beyond the science, this is a conversation about identity: the isolation so many women feel, the empty-nest reckoning of "who am I now," and how relationships shift — sometimes toward divorce, sometimes toward a deeper second chapter — as women stop pleasing everyone and start asking what they actually need.Practical, science-backed, and refreshingly honest — this episode gives listeners real tools they can use today, from targeted supplements to the single mindset shift Monique says every burned-out woman needs to hear.Vida Integrated Health brings together functional medicine, chiropractic, physical therapy, acupuncture, and massage under one collaborative care model — because real healing happens when your providers actually talk to each other. Learn more about our Functional Medicine & Longevity Center in Kirkland, WA at https://thinkvida.com/fm-concierge/.🔔 Subscribe for new episodes of the Vida Vitality Podcast📍 Visit us: thinkvida.com📱 Follow @vidaintegratedhealth on InstagramThis podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes to your treatment plan.

    Who Am I Now? Navigating Hormones, Burnout & Identity in the Second Half of Life.

  3. Jul 9

    Thyroid, Metabolism & Heart Disease: Understanding the Connection with Dr. Dan Lukaczer

    Your thyroid controls your metabolism. Your metabolism drives your cardiovascular risk. But most doctors treat them as separate problems. In this episode, Dr. Dan Lukaczer—a 30-year veteran and foundational voice in functional medicine—explains why thyroid dysfunction, metabolic breakdown, and heart disease are part of the same cascade. Learn the cardiometabolic tests, why thyroid antibodies matter before symptoms show up, and how a functional medicine systems approach catches disease at the root.In this episode, Dr. Dan Lukaczer—a Naturopathic Physician, Director of Medical Education for the Institute for Functional Medicine, and 30-year veteran of Functional Medicine—breaks down the systems your conventional doctor isn't measuring and explains why cardiometabolic dysfunction, not just cholesterol, is what actually drives heart disease.What You'll Learn:- Why TSH alone tells you almost nothing about your thyroid's real status, and which tests actually matter (free T3, free T4, reverse T3, thyroid antibodies)- How thyroid dysfunction ripples through your entire metabolic and cardiovascular system- The cardiometabolic markers your cardiologist isn't testing—and why they're better predictors of heart disease than LDL alone- Why "leaky gut" isn't pseudoscience anymore—and how intestinal permeability drives autoimmunity and metabolic breakdown- The five-step protocol to repair your gut and reverse metabolic dysfunction- How to catch cardiometabolic disease before you have a heart attack (imaging, testing, and prevention frameworks)- The difference between conventional and functional medicine—and why both matterAbout Dr. Dan Lukaczer:Dr. Lukaczer has shaped functional medicine education and clinical practice for over two decades. He's taught thousands of clinicians nationally and internationally how to translate complex systems-based medicine into real, patient-centered clinical care. His clinical focus spans cardiovascular health, autoimmune disease, hormone health, metabolic resilience, and healthy aging. His Clinic practice offers group medical visits, shared appointments, and integrated team discussions that connect the dots conventional medicine typically leaves separate.Ready to Understand Your Cardiometabolic Risk?Vida Integrated Health offers comprehensive cardiometabolic and thyroid testing, integrated care teams, and functional medicine primary care physicians who see the whole picture—not just isolated numbers.🏥 Find a Vida Location Near You: Seattle, Ravenna, Renton, Bellevue, Kirkland, Everett📺 Don't Miss Future Episodes:Subscribe to the Vida Vitality Podcast & YouTube channel for conversations with functional medicine thought leaders, longevity experts, and Vida's clinical team.Learn More About Functional Medicine & Longevity:- Vida Primary Care Functional Medicine Concierge & Precision Medical Center (Kirkland, WA & Seattle, WA)- Thyroid Testing & Optimization Programs- Cardiometabolic Risk Assessment & Prevention- Women's and Men's Health & HRT ProgrammingMore from Vida Vitality Podcast:"Functional Cardiology: A Functional Medicine Approach to Heart Health" — Dr. Joseph Lamb"Her Hormones, Her Health: Endometriosis, Hormones & Functional Women's Care" — Dr. Alexis Gonzalez"Burnout, Hormones & Why Men Wait Too Long" — Dr. Michael CorsillesFollow Vida Integrated Health:YouTube: @VidaIntegratedHealthInstagram: @VidaIntegratedHealthWebsite: thinkvida.comVida Integrated Health is a multi-location primary care functional medicine and integrated care practice serving the greater Seattle area. This podcast is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making changes to your health regimen.

    Thyroid, Metabolism & Heart Disease: Understanding the Connection with Dr. Dan Lukaczer

  4. Jun 18

    Burnout, Hormones & Why Men Wait Too Long with Guest Dr. Michael Corsilles

    You're exhausted but you can't sleep. You're eating "clean" and still gaining weight. You've been told your labs are "normal" — and yet something is clearly off.That's not in your head. It's burnout, and it has a physiology.In this episode, Dr. Michelle Leary sits down with her longtime mentor and colleague Dr. Michael Corsilles— a dual-licensed physician with 25 years in primary care — to break down what's actually happening when high-achieving people hit the wall. They get into the mechanics of adrenal dysregulation, how chronic stress quietly drives weight gain, insulin resistance, hormonal imbalance, and stubborn infections, and why the conventional 7-minute visit keeps missing it.This is functional primary care the way it's meant to be practiced: root-cause, evidence-based, and built on a real relationship with your physician. What you'll learn: 🔸How functional medicine and naturopathic medicine actually differ — and where they overlap 🔸Why cortisol behaves like long-term prednisone under chronic stress 🔸The testing that uncovers what a standard annual physical misses 🔸How adrenal dysfunction cascades into testosterone, thyroid, blood sugar & sleep 🔸When IV vitamin C and glutathione are clinically warranted (and when they're not) 🔸The link between chronic infections like Epstein-Barr, long COVID & ongoing fatigue 🔸Why men resist preventative care — and what actually moves them 🔸Practical first steps: physicals, wearables, HRV, and building your "why" About Vida Integrated HealthVida is a physician-led, fully integrated healthcare practice in the greater Seattle area. Under one roof, your team of functional medicine physicians, chiropractors, physical therapists, acupuncturists, and massage therapists actually coordinate your care — meeting weekly to review patient cases together. It's root-cause medicine built around you, not your symptoms. Six locations: Seattle • Ravenna • Bellevue • Kirkland • Renton • Everett Ready to work with a physician who has time for you?→ Explore functional medicine primary care: https://thinkvida.com/fm-concierge→ Questions? inquiry@thinkvida.comSubscribe for new episodes of the Vida Vitality Podcast and clinical conversations on functional medicine, longevity, and integrated care. 🔔 Hit subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss an episode. Connect with us:Instagram: @vidaintegratedhealthWebsite: https://thinkvida.com

    Burnout, Hormones & Why Men Wait Too Long with Guest Dr. Michael Corsilles

  5. Jun 1

    Functional Cardiology: A Functional Medicine Approach to Heart Health with Dr Joseph Lamb

    Host Dr. Michelle Leary sits down with Dr. Joseph Lamb — Vida Integrated Health's Medical Director, Functional Medicine Physician, and one of the most experienced voices in cardiometabolic functional medicine — for one of the most informative conversations in the Vida Vitality lineup. Dr. Lamb shares how a moment of brutal honesty during a cardiology fellowship at the University of Colorado that sent him back to internal medicine — and eventually toward 30 years of functional and integrative practice. What followed was a career dedicated to one question: not what disease do you have, but why is it happening? Together, Dr. Lamb and Dr. Leary break down the hidden drivers of cardiovascular disease that standard medicine consistently misses — from insulin resistance and heavy metal toxicity to endothelial dysfunction and dysfunctional HDL. They cover what your blood pressure is really doing when you're not in the office, why your standard lipid panel may be giving you false confidence, and how to use tools like the coronary artery calcium score to make smarter, more personalized treatment decisions. This episode is a masterclass in cardiometabolic medicine — rigorous, accessible, and built around the belief that heart disease doesn't happen overnight. It builds over decades. And that means it can be caught, addressed, and reversed long before a crisis arrives. If you've ever been told your numbers look fine but something still feels off — this episode is for you Ready to get to the root of your heart health with a Functional Medicine Approach? Book an appointment at Vida → https://thinkvida.com Explore our Functional Medicine Concierge Membership → https://thinkvida.com/fm-concierge 🎙️ Listen to Vida Vitality on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music 📺 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 📲 Follow us @vidaintegratedhealth on Instagram

    Functional Cardiology: A Functional Medicine Approach to Heart Health with Dr Joseph Lamb

  6. Jun 1

    Her Hormones, Her Health: Endometriosis, Hormones & Functional Women's Care with Dr. Alexis Gonzales

    Host Dr. Michelle Leary sits down with her former resident and longtime colleague, Dr. Alexis Gonzalez — Naturopathic Doctor, Functional Medicine Physician, and Clinical AI Implementation Specialist at Ovation Lab — for a wide-ranging conversation on Endometriosis, hormones & functional women's care. Dr. Gonzalez shares her journey from biochemistry labs to naturopathic medical school, and how a cross-state move and her own endometriosis diagnosis shaped her passion for women's health. Together, they explore why primary care is the foundation every functional medicine specialist needs, how to bridge conventional and integrative approaches, and what it actually means to treat the whole person. They break down the perimenopausal transition — including why symptoms like brain fog, weight changes, and elevated blood pressure are so often missed as hormonal signals — and cover how and when to test hormones, including the overlooked role of testosterone and DHT in women. They also tackle lab testing ethics, supplement transparency, and the evolving patient-as-consumer model reshaping modern medicine. The episode closes with an honest look at endometriosis: what it is, why it takes 7–12 years on average to diagnose, how it connects to gut health and the estrobolome, and what functional medicine can offer when conventional options run out. In this episode: 1:35 Meet Dr. Alexis Gonzalez – Background, education & intro 2:53 Origin Story – A family legacy in healthcare 3:49 From the Lab to Medicine – Why she left biotech for naturopathic medicine 4:54 Moving to Washington – Bastyr, broader scope, and finding Vida 5:16 Women's Health Begins – Residency, fertility focus & personal endo diagnosis 6:50 Why Functional Medicine – Frameworks, systems thinking & a shared language 9:05 Why Primary Care Is the Foundation – The risk of specializing too early 11:07 The Generalist Backbone – Managing everything from colds to hormones 11:52 Perimenopause: The Overlooked Entry Point – Signals that don't look hormonal yet 13:07 Functional Medicine vs. Conventional Primary Care – Time, tools & patient-centered care 14:30 The Patriarchal Medical System – Consumer-driven healthcare & chronic conditions 15:59 Healthcare as Hospitality – Customer service and the next evolution of medicine 17:38 Handling Criticism of Naturopathic & Functional Medicine – Humility and results 20:03 Evidence-Based Medicine: The Nuanced Take – RCTs, research gaps & clinical courage 23:54 Testing Philosophy & Ethics – Not profiting from labs or supplements 28:17 How to Test Hormones – Saliva, serum, urine & the Mira device 29:23 Endometriosis: What It Is – Pathophysiology, retrograde menstruation & anatomy 33:22 Symptoms, Diagnosis Delays & Conventional Treatment – The 7–12 year gap 35:45 Functional Medicine Approach to Endo – Diet, pelvic PT, acupuncture & lifestyle 39:10 Biggest Misconception in Women's Health – One plan doesn't work for a lifetime 41:16 The Five Modifiable Lifestyle Factors – Nutrition, sleep, stress, relationships & movement 44:54 Muscle Mass & Insulin Sensitivity – Why women should lift heavy 46:17 Dr. Gonzalez's Next Chapter – Ovation Lab, AI & clinical implementation Ready to get to the root of your health at every stage of your life? Book a consultation at a Vida location near you → thinkvida.com Explore our Functional Medicine Concierge Membership → thinkvida.com/fm-concierge 🎙️ Listen to Vida Vitality on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music 📺 Subscribe so you never miss an episode. 📲 Follow us @vidaintegratedhealth on Instagram.

    Her Hormones, Her Health: Endometriosis, Hormones & Functional Women's Care with Dr. Alexis Gonzales

  7. May 29

    The Missing Piece: Vida's Origin Story, Integrated Care, and the Decision to Live with Vitality

    What does it actually take to build a healthcare system that treats the whole person — not just the symptom in front of you? In the inaugural episode of the Vida Vitality Podcast, Dr. Michelle Leary sits down with Dr. Kris Sasaki, Founder and CEO of Vida Integrated Health, for a wide-ranging conversation about where Vida came from, what makes it different, and where it's going. Dr. Sasaki shares the story behind his unlikely path — from a wrist injury at a provincial basketball championship in Canada, to building chiropractic clinics in Peru, Brazil, Spain, and eventually Seattle. What drove him wasn't ambition alone. It was a conviction that patients deserved better — real musculoskeletal care done right, and a whole team working together to get to the root cause. That conviction became Vida's foundation: an integrated model where chiropractors, physical therapists, acupuncturists, massage therapists, and functional medicine primary care physicians don't just share a building — they share your health goals. Every week. Together. Subscribe to the Vida Vitality Podcast for new episodes featuring Vida's physicians, industry leaders, authors and practitioners bringing you real, research-informed conversations about health, longevity, and living with Vitality. Learn more about Vida Integrated Health: thinkvida.com Follow us on Instagram: @vidaintegratedhealth Subscribe on YouTube: Vida Integrated Health

    The Missing Piece: Vida's Origin Story, Integrated Care, and the Decision to Live with Vitality
  • 7 Episodes

About

The Vida Vitality Podcast is where health research meets real life. Hosted by Dr. Michelle Leary, the podcast was created to translate the research, training, and clinical insights our functional medicine physicians, industry leaders, authors and clinicians are immersed in every day into conversations patients can actually relate to—based on their own symptoms, goals, and lived experiences. Functional Medicine research is advancing rapidly, but much of it never reaches patients in a way that feels practical or personal. The Vida Vitality Podcast exists to bridge that gap. Each episode breaks down complex topics—metabolism, hormones, nervous system regulation, longevity, pain, movement, functional medicine, and lifestyle optimization—into clear, relevant insights that help you understand why your symptoms are happening and how the body’s systems are interconnected. Rather than chasing trends or quick fixes, the focus is on helping you think differently about your health: understanding root causes, making sense of clinical recommendations, and learning how personalized, integrative care actually works in real life. The goal is not perfection, but sustainable vitality that supports how you live, move, and feel every day. Explore Vida’s integrative care approach at thinkvida.com, and learn more about Dr. Michelle Leary’s background and philosophy at drmichelleleary.com. The Vida Vitality podcast is your guide from research to real life—and an invitation to engage with your health more intentionally.

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