Body of Wonder

Adaptogens are a unique group of plants and mushrooms that helps to normalize the functions of the body. They are favorites among many herbalists, naturopaths, and integrative medicine practitioners as they’ve been clinically proven to help the body to cope with acute and long-term stress, boost immunity, and increase energy. Highly regarded in traditional medicine they have been used for thousands of years in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine.

Our guest today is Dr. Lise Alschuler, a naturopathic doctor with board certification in naturopathic oncology. Lise is the Associate Director of the Fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine and a Professor of Clinical Medicine at the University of Arizona School of Medicine. She has co-authored two books, Definitive Guide to Cancer and Definitive Guide to Thriving After Cancer.

Lise describes how adaptogens are natural regulators that can “balance” the body and bring it back to homeostasis. She describes the mechanism of action by which they work and which symptoms may benefit from adaptogens. Dr. Andrew Weil discusses how adaptogenic herbs, like ginseng, were first introduced to Western culture. Lise, Andy, and Victoria discuss why they use adaptogens in their daily routine and share their favorites.

On this episode, we discuss; astragalus, ginseng, rhodiola, schisandra, reishi, ashwagandha, and holy basil (tulsi).

Always consult your primary care provider before adding adaptogens or supplements to your diet or routine.

Our daily food choices can have a lasting impact not only on our personal health but also on the health of our planet. The worldwide population is expected to reach 10 billion by 2050 and research shows that human dietary patterns may have a staggering effect on climate change.

Today we’re joined by Brent Kim, MHS a global disease epidemiologist and researcher at the Center for a Livable Future at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. Kim has published works on sustainable diets, climate change, industrial food, animal production, soil safety, and urban food systems.

As we witness dramatic consequences of climate change, it’s clear that we must work together to lower greenhouse gas emissions. Kim outlines the criteria critical to a sustainable diet and how they play a role in climate change. He describes factors accelerating global emissions and the actions we must take now to avoid future disasters.

In this episode, Kim explains why meat consumption is a complex topic, and Dr. Maizes and Dr. Weil discuss motivations for adopting and maintaining vegetarian and vegan diets. The discussion includes meat alternatives, like plant-based-processed burgers and lab-grown meat, and addresses their health implications. Dr. Weil suggests lesser-known, low-food chain organisms like algae and insects as new sources of protein. All agree that integrative medicine and sustainability are founded on systems-based thinking, leading to the question, “what other societal changes are needed to meet the challenges of climate change?”

Dr. Robert “Bob” Langer joins us to discuss his work microencapsulating probiotics, micronutrients, and even human cells. Microencapsulating is the scientific process which creates a protective barrier around a cell and has been a lifesaving technology for a variety of conditions. Researchers are just on the cusp of nano-encapsulating technology. Dr. Langer, a chemical engineer and Institute Professor at MIT, has been called “the Edison of Medicine” by Times for his breakthrough innovations. He has over 1,350 patents and it’s estimated that over 2 billion people worldwide have been impacted by his innovations. From an early career as a chemical engineer working in Boston Children’s Hospital, where he developed the world’s first angiogenesis inhibitor (a medicine that prevents cancer growth by starving tumor blood vessels) to his present-day work developing a novel mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, Dr. Langer’s career has been full of innovation. Dr. Victoria Maizes and Dr. Langer discuss how cross-discipline collaboration in the sciences and diversity play an important role in innovation. Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. Langer discuss how microencapsulating probiotics will improve gut health and how microencapsulating nutrients could yield better long-term health outcomes in populations lacking nutrient dense foods. We also discuss tissue regeneration, the process of growing new skin, which is already being applied to treat burn survivors. Dr. Langer’s scientific contributions are testament to what’s possible when you think outside the status quo and nurture imagination.