BREESI & QUEESI: Tips for Diagnosing MCAS

Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) is inherently complex, and it can manifest in a bewildering number of ways. Patients may experience waxing and waning symptoms in seemingly unrelated organ systems, with no obvious pattern. MCAS overlaps with other chronic syndromes such as Ehlers-Danlos (EDS), Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), and chronic fatigue/fibromyalgia. It’s a complicated […]

Processed Foods & Energy Drinks: A Public Health Emergency

Highly processed foods and energy drinks do more harm than good—and Americans have a huge appetite for them. That’s bad news for the future health of the country.  According to a new analysis of data from nearly 41,000 US adults, consumption of ultra-processed foods rose markedly from 2001 to 2018, accounting for nearly 60% of […]

Glycocalyx Restoration is Key for Lowering CVD Risk

Repair of the endothelial glycocalyx is a vital element in the restoration of cardiovascular health, according to Mark Houston, MD, director of the Hypertension Institute at Saint Thomas West Hospital, Nashville. The endothelial glycocalyx (EGX) —literally “sugar coating” in Greek—is a very thin gel-like layer that lines the luminal surface of the blood vessels. It […]

Uric Acid is Detrimental to Gut Health

“People who suffer from chronic elevated uric acid tend to harbor unhealthy biomes,” says neurologist David Perlmutter, MD.

In his latest book, Drop Acid: The Surprising New Science of Uric Acid, Perlmutter presents several studies showing that adverse changes in the gut microbiome directly relate to our ability to metabolize and eliminate uric acid (UA).

The intricate interplay between hyperuricemia and the gut microbiome is still a relatively new field of research. But it has already led to some interesting discoveries.

FDA & AMA Team Up to “CMEar” Dietary Supplements

If you want to understand why so many Americans distrust the Food and Drug Administration and the medical mainstream, look no further than the FDA’s new online medical education program on dietary supplements. Produced in collaboration with the American Medical Association, this three-part continuing medical education (CME) course—and I use that term loosely—is part of […]

In Memoriam: Stephen Sinatra, MD

We at Holistic Primary Care are saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Stephen Sinatra, on Father’s Day 2022, just four months shy of his 76th birthday. A trailblazer in the field of metabolic cardiology, Dr. Sinatra was an exemplary physician, healer, and teacher. Though trained in the conventional biomedical paradigm, he realized early […]

Dropping (Uric) Acid with Dr. David Perlmutter

Conventional medical wisdom holds that uric acid is a harmless, inert form of metabolic waste, and most physicians were trained to see it as a “trivial, incidental byproduct of our normal biology.” But contemporary research reveals that this compound is “anything but meaningless or unworthy of our attention,” says neurologist David Perlmutter, MD. In his […]

Food Triggers, Immune Dysregulation, and Autoimmunity

We hear a lot these days about the impact of diet for boosting immunity. While it is true that carrots, kale, or oranges are good sources of immunity-boosting phytochemicals, it is also true that foods—even ‘healthy’ foods– can also cause immune dysregulation or autoimmune disorders in some patients. Compounds—especially dietary proteins– within ordinary foods, are […]

A 5% Investment in Self-Care Gives Big Health Payoffs

Many people think “getting healthy” requires a total lifestyle overhaul, a major investment of time and money, and a lot of work.  Too often, those expectations solidify into an insurmountable obstacle, people feel intimidated, and consequently they never set out on the journey to better health. The truth is, devoting just 5% of the day […]

Microplastics & the Microbiome: A Complex Interaction

If you’ve seen the classic 1967 film, The Graduate, you’ll surely remember the infamous graduation party scene when family friend Mr. McGuire offers bewildered young Ben Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) a bit of advice: “I just want to say one word to you…..just one word,” says McGuire. “Are you listening? Plastics! There’s a great future in […]