#68 Obesity Medicine: Lifestyle Medicine: Fats: Saturated Fats and Seed Oils

Today I will be talking about another macronutrient, fats or fatty acids. I did an overview of fats in our omega-3 fatty acid episode, but I didn't really go into detail about the other fats, and there is a lot of controversy surrounding the fats, most particularly saturated fats and seed oils which contain the dreaded omega-6 fatty acids. A lot of people hate saturated fats but are ok with omega-6 and vice versa, so what's the real story? I'm not sure if we fully understand the full truth and I think tensions are too high on either side of this debate. I will do my best to explain what these are and present my evidence for why I don't particularly have a problem with either one of them.

#67 ADHD: Stimulants: Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) and Amphetamine Base Medications

Today I will finish the amphetamine medications that we talked about on the last episode. I will be discussing lisdexamfetamine or Vyvanse(r) and the amphetamine base medications, Evekeo(r), Evekeo ODT(r), Dyanavel XR(r), Adzenys XR-ODT(r), and Adzyenys ER(r). You may be less familiar with those other than Vyvanse, so I will go over my usual stuff where I tell you how each of these differs and is unique from other medications, if at all, and let you know what situations that I would consider using each one. Enjoy!

#66 Obesity Medicine: Lifestyle Medicine: Fructose and Artificial Sweeteners

Today I will be continuing with ultra-processed foods and the sugar, fructose. What is it? Where does it come from? What does it do in the body? And why is it a problem? I mean this stuff comes from fruit and fruit is good, right? So, how have we messed this stuff up in modern society? After fructose, I will be talking all about artificial sweeteners. What are the most common types? What are their commercial names? Are they bad for us? If so, how bad and why? I think you'll learn a thing or two today, so please have a listen.

#65 ADHD: Stimulants: Dextroamphetamine and Mixed Amphetamine Salts (Adderall)

Today I will start discussing the stimulant medications used for ADHD. I will be starting with the amphetamine medications. First, I'll talk briefly about methamphetamine, which is actually a prescribable option, but then I will cover all of the dextroamphetamine and mixed amphetamine salt medications. These include medications you have heard of such as Dexedrine, Procentra, Zenzedi, Xelstrym, Adderall, and Mydayis. I'll go through all the details on what distinguishes each of these medications to help you decide when you might want to use each of them. I mostly stick with only a few of the stimulants, but I will describe some situations where you may want to consider each one of these. This is what I love best. There are so many medications that are so similar, so I think it is important to know the differences between them so that we pick the right med for the right patient.

#64 Obesity Medicine: Lifestyle Medicine: Ultra-Processed Foods

I've been waiting a long time to do this episode. It seems like ultra-processed foods are being talked about a lot this day, but what exactly are they, and what's bad about them? Which ones should we avoid and which ones should we not worry about so much? You may think you know the answer to these questions, but my guess is that there's a lot you don't know, and that's because there's a lot that isn't known, so please have a listen. I think you may rethink a lot of the foods you may have been considering healthy or not. I'm hoping there are some surprises in here for you that makes you reconsider some of your beliefs.

#63 ADHD: Introduction to Stimulants

On today's episode from my ADHD season I will be introducing the stimulant medications. I'll do an overview of all of the stimulants that we will be discussing on the following several episodes. I'll discuss what symptoms you can expect to respond well versus not so well, the different durations of actions, the history behind these medications, and the mechanism by which they work, specifically the difference between amphetamine and methylphenidate as these are our two stimulant classes. I hope you enjoy this introduction to these medications and feel prepared to finally get into talking about the individual medications over the next several episodes in our ADHD series!

#62 Obesity Medicine: Lifestyle Medicine: Ketogenic Diet

Today I will be covering a very controversial topic, the ketogenic diet. I thought it appropriate to discuss it now while I was going over nutritional aspects of mental health. So, first I'll talk about carbohydrates; what they are, what they do, do we need them. Then, I'll talk about what the ketogenic diet is, how to do it, and what conditions there is some evidence that it may be useful for. At the end I'll talk about how to do it safely if you want to try it on your patients; what conditions are contraindicated with the ketogenic diet and what labs you will need to monitor for safety. I'll give you my unbiased opinion on the subject, but I'm sure people will disagree with me on both sides; some will think I'm too harsh on the diet, and some will say that I'm too much in favor of it, but I walk the gray line as best I can as with everything. I see the good and I see the bad, and this is my perspective.

#61 ADHD: Medication Aspects to Consider

On today's episode from my ADHD season I will be talking about the aspects to consider when deciding which medication to choose. I'll talk about why you might consider amphetamines versus methylphenidate. Next, I'll discuss aspects to consider when getting a patient to the correct dose of the medication. Also, these medications have a wide range of how long they work for, so there's a lot to consider when deciding which one to pick. Finally, there a whole host of other things to consider: ability to swallow pills, adverse effects, coexisting disorders, what time of day its most important for the medication to work, cost and availability, and more! This episode will introduce you to all of the aspects you need to consider when selecting the right medication for the patient in front of you. Next, we will begin discussing the medications, and I will be talking about all of the concepts in today's episode as I discuss each med, so I think this will be a really helpful overview for you. Enjoy!

#60 Obesity Medicine: Lifestyle Medicine: Nutrition Recommendations

Today I will be continuing with the lifestyle medicine series, and I will be continuing to talk about nutrition. I will discuss the general way of eating that I advocate for most people, which is a plant-based diet. This doesn't mean no meat products. It means a diet of at least 90% plants. And I acknowledge that it isn't for everyone, but on the whole this is the diet that will lead to a healthier body and mind. I will discuss the principles of this diet, and I will give examples of the types of foods that are in it. I'll talk about fermented foods, fats, omega-3s, proteins, fiber, nutrients, and healthy snacks. I'll give you an idea of the kinds of foods that I think you should eat more of. There's no need for supplements for most people; just whole healthy foods. And we aren't done with this episode. I will be discussing more healthy foods in future episodes, the ketogenic diet, and also the unhealthy foods and what good replacements for them would be. I hope this inspires you that eating healthy can be affordable, fun, easy, delicious, and improve both body and mind. Remember food really is medicine, and if you eat better, you may not need to take any! Have a listen!

#59 ADHD: Non-Pharmacological Treatments

On today's episode from my ADHD season I will be discussing non-pharmacological treatments of ADHD, so basically everything that isn't medication. I'll start off going through the treatment algorithm from stage 0 to stage 5. Today's episode will be stage 0, the first line treatment. It's better to not use a medication if we don't have to, so let's learn what those options are. I'll talk about lifestyle modifications with some details on diet where I'll talk about artificial colors and preservatives as well as melatonin, magnesium, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, as well as a well-rounded whole foods diet. I'll also talk about some supplements that have been looked at but there really isn't any evidence for. I'll also talk about caffeine. We will go over some coaching strategies of behavioral and social changes to help manage ADHD symptoms. Lastly, I'll talk about eTNS (external trigeminal nerve stimulator) and some digital therapies like Endeavor. I think you will learn a lot and if medication is not an option or not preferred, then these are the things that we have evidence for, so please have a listen!