In this episode of The Modern Vital Podcast, the focus is on rT3, a controversial topic in the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid disease. The thyroid is the only organ that can absorb and use iodine, crucial for thyroid hormone production, which regulates metabolism, growth, and development. The thyroid gland is sensitive to oxidative stress and inflammation, which can lead to imbalances. Hypothyroidism affects approximately 5% of the US population, and many doctors order comprehensive thyroid panels, including rT3, to help identify root causes of imbalances.

Reverse T3 (rT3) is often debated in the medical community, as some studies do not indicate it is necessary to test in most cases. However, rT3 can provide valuable information about a person’s thyroid and overall health in the context of their individual case. It is essential to consider factors like liver inflammation and gut issues, which can impact thyroid metabolism and function. Nutrients like selenium, zinc, iodine, B-vitamins, and Ashwagandha can improve the conversion of FT4 to FT3, but certain factors can drive up rT3, including stress, low cortisol, chronic infections, and nutrient deficiencies.

While some practitioners argue that rT3 can block thyroid receptors, there is limited evidence to support this claim. It is known, however, that rT3 is associated with states of slowed metabolism and has been called the “hibernation hormone.” The ratio of T3 to rT3 is associated with insulin resistance, and some doctors suggest maintaining a ratio above 10 to avoid what they call “reverse T3 syndrome.” However, this term may not be helpful, as it doesn’t explain the root cause behind the imbalance. The key takeaway is that the thyroid is highly sensitive to environmental factors, and testing rT3 is an essential part of a comprehensive hormone panel, particularly when adopting a holistic, root cause approach for each individual.

If you’re looking to dive deeper into understanding the intricacies of chronic disease and its impact on your overall well-being, consider checking out Dr. Reebs’ book, “The Serpent & The Butterfly: The Seven Laws of Healing.” In this book, he discusses the laws of healing essential to resolving chronic disease and much more to help you on your journey to optimal wellness. Click here to purchase your copy: https://www.drreebs.com/serpent-butterfly-book/

Additionally, if you’re interested in a supplement designed to directly support your digestion, we recommend trying Digest: Gentian & Skullcap Capsules. These capsules are formulated with natural ingredients that can help improve and support overall digestive health. To learn more and purchase, visit: https://www.drreebs.com/digest-gentian-skullcap-capsules/

Thank you for joining us on The Modern Vital Podcast. Your support means the world to us, and we hope you continue to find value in the information we provide. Please remember to subscribe, leave a review, and share our podcast with others who might benefit from this content. Until next time, stay informed and proactive in your pursuit of health and wellness!

In this eye-opening episode of The Modern Vital Podcast, we delve into the fascinating world of the immune system and natural killer cells, discussing their roles in chronic infections and autoimmune diseases. Discover the differences between the innate and adaptive immune systems, and how an imbalance in these responses may be linked to conditions like Lyme disease, Epstein-Barr, Lupus, and Sjogren’s. Learn about the Th1/Th2 hypothesis and its implications for understanding why some people are more susceptible to getting sick.

We’ll also explore evidence-based natural therapies that can help support innate immunity and natural killer cell production. These therapies include Vitamin C, Vitamin D3, echinacea, selenium, beta-glucans, astragalus, skullcap flavones, and ozone therapy. Although the Th1/Th2 hypothesis may be simplistic, it offers valuable insights into how to strengthen the immune system and keep chronic infections and autoimmune diseases in check.

Don’t miss this exciting episode of The Modern Vital Podcast, where we’ll empower you with knowledge on how to harness your body’s natural defenses to stay healthy and vibrant. Whether you’re struggling with chronic infections or simply want to maintain a robust immune system, this episode is packed with practical tips and valuable information that can help you on your journey to optimal health.

If you’re looking to dive deeper into understanding the intricacies of chronic disease and its impact on your overall well-being, consider checking out Dr. Reebs’ book, “The Serpent & The Butterfly: The Seven Laws of Healing.” In this book, he discusses the laws of healing essential to resolving chronic disease and much more to help you on your journey to optimal wellness. Click here to purchase your copy: https://www.drreebs.com/serpent-butterfly-book/

Additionally, if you’re interested in a supplement designed to directly support your digestion, we recommend trying Digest: Gentian & Skullcap Capsules. These capsules are formulated with natural ingredients that can help improve and support overall digestive health. To learn more and purchase, visit: https://www.drreebs.com/digest-gentian-skullcap-capsules/

Thank you for joining us on The Modern Vital Podcast. Your support means the world to us, and we hope you continue to find value in the information we provide. Please remember to subscribe, leave a review, and share our podcast with others who might benefit from this content. Until next time, stay informed and proactive in your pursuit of health and wellness!

Episode #4 of The Modern Vital Podcast is about Long Covid and how to treat it from an integrative medicine perspective. Long Covid, also known as post-acute Covid 19 or chronic Covid 19, is a complex chronic illness that is now only beginning to be understood and properly defined. Long Covid refers to patients with symptoms that develop during or after SARS COV-2 infection and continue for more than four weeks post-infection, with no other underlying cause. Symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, cough, palpitations, brain fog, headache, loss of smell, pins and needles feelings, depression, diarrhea, joint or muscle pain. Long Covid affects an estimated 10 million Americans, and anywhere from 7.7 million to 23 million individuals in the US.

The ACE2 receptor may be the key to understanding Long Covid, as it is present in epithelial tissues, which create a protective barrier in organs such as the lungs, heart, blood vessels, kidneys, liver, gut, and more, including the nose and mouth. The ACE2 receptor acts as a braking system to inflammation in those areas, so when the Covid virus binds to the receptors and shuts them down, inflammation and subsequent damage in those areas can ensue and potentially cause the symptoms of Long Covid. Long Covid patients require an integrative health approach, one that combines traditional medical management, non-pharmacological approaches, and behavior and lifestyle changes, also known as naturopathic medicine. An integrative health practitioner, such as a naturopathic doctor, is an essential member of a Long Covid healthcare team.

The podcast goes on to discuss four different subtypes or subphenotypes of Long Covid and some naturopathic and functional medicine strategies to approach Long Covid. Each Long Covid health plan is tailored to the individual, and treatments may vary from person to person. The four subphenotypes of Long Covid include Type 1, affecting the cardiovascular system and kidneys, Type 2, affecting the nervous system, Type 3, affecting the lungs and Type 4, affecting the musculoskeletal system. Some of the treatments that may be used include castor oil packs, constitutional hydrotherapy, herbal medicine, liposomal glutathione, micro liposomal vitamin C, bioavailable trace minerals, Chinese medicine, ozone therapy, food intolerance evaluations, and bodywork.

If you’re looking to dive deeper into understanding the intricacies of chronic disease and its impact on your overall well-being, consider checking out Dr. Reebs’ book, “The Serpent & The Butterfly: The Seven Laws of Healing.” In this book, he discusses the laws of healing essential to resolving chronic disease and much more to help you on your journey to optimal wellness. Click here to purchase your copy: https://www.drreebs.com/serpent-butterfly-book/

Additionally, if you’re interested in a supplement designed to directly support your digestion, we recommend trying Digest: Gentian & Skullcap Capsules. These capsules are formulated with natural ingredients that can help improve and support overall digestive health. To learn more and purchase, visit: https://www.drreebs.com/digest-gentian-skullcap-capsules/

Thank you for joining us on The Modern Vital Podcast. Your support means the world to us, and we hope you continue to find value in the information we provide. Please remember to subscribe, leave a review, and share our podcast with others who might benefit from this content. Until next time, stay informed and proactive in your pursuit of health and wellness!

In episode #3 of The Modern Vital Podcast, Dr. Ben Reebs discusses the importance of polyphenols and the gut microbe called Akkermansia municiphila. Wild blueberries are identified as the most antioxidant-rich of any berry in the world, containing over 13,000 total antioxidants in a single cup, including polyphenols. Polyphenols are a type of antioxidant found in fruits and vegetables that can protect against chronic diseases and provide protection from UV damage and pollution.

Akkermansia is a type of commensal bacteria residing in the gut, which appears to play an important role in metabolic health and regulating blood sugars properly. Not having enough Akkermansia could be a risk factor for conditions where insulin resistance plays a key role, such as PCOS or type two diabetes. There are several probiotic supplements containing Akkermansia, but the most effective way to consume polyphenols and balance Akkermansia levels is through diet.

Polyphenols are identified as prebiotics that selectively metabolize and confer a health benefit to their host, feeding probiotics so that they can function properly in the gut. More than 8000 different types of polyphenols have been discovered, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, lignans, and stilbenes, which are plant metabolites in fruits and vegetables. The long-term consumption of plant polyphenols protects against chronic diseases, according to epidemiological studies and associated meta-analyses. The gut-brain axis is also discussed, which is a bi-directional communication system between the enteric nervous system in the gut and the central nervous system in the brain.

If you’re looking to dive deeper into understanding the intricacies of chronic disease and its impact on your overall well-being, consider checking out Dr. Reebs’ book, “The Serpent & The Butterfly: The Seven Laws of Healing.” In this book, he discusses the laws of healing essential to resolving chronic disease and much more to help you on your journey to optimal wellness. Click here to purchase your copy: https://www.drreebs.com/serpent-butterfly-book/

Additionally, if you’re interested in a supplement designed to directly support your digestion, we recommend trying Digest: Gentian & Skullcap Capsules. These capsules are formulated with natural ingredients that can help improve and support overall digestive health. To learn more and purchase, visit: https://www.drreebs.com/digest-gentian-skullcap-capsules/

Thank you for joining us on The Modern Vital Podcast. Your support means the world to us, and we hope you continue to find value in the information we provide. Please remember to subscribe, leave a review, and share our podcast with others who might benefit from this content. Until next time, stay informed and proactive in your pursuit of health and wellness!

In this episode of The Modern Vital Podcast, Dr. Ben Reebs discusses the potential impact of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on our health and offers some simple ways to protect ourselves from them. The episode begins by explaining that EMFs are charged particles in motion that create magnetic fields and how they can affect our health. While the research on the topic is still preliminary, there are indications that magnesium can protect us from EMFs by making calcium channels in our cells less sensitive to EMF exposure. The episode also highlights the potential health risks associated with EMFs, including symptoms such as agitation, brain fog, and sleep disturbance.

The episode emphasizes the importance of the precautionary principle when it comes to technology and our health. It suggests that we should resist using new products until their potential effects on our health are better understood. Unfortunately, most companies do not offer much actual research to back up any claims they might make about providing safe devices or EMF mitigation. The episode then goes on to provide seven simple tips to reduce our exposure to EMFs, including turning off our WiFi at night, putting our cell phone into airplane mode at night, and minimizing the use of wireless devices.

Overall, this episode of The Modern Vital Podcast highlights the potential health risks associated with EMFs and offers practical advice on how to protect ourselves from them. By raising awareness about the potential dangers of EMFs and providing simple tips for reducing our exposure, the episode encourages listeners to take a proactive approach to safeguarding their health in an increasingly technology-driven world.

If you’re looking to dive deeper into understanding the intricacies of chronic disease and its impact on your overall well-being, consider checking out Dr. Reebs’ book, “The Serpent & The Butterfly: The Seven Laws of Healing.” In this book, he discusses the laws of healing essential to resolving chronic disease and much more to help you on your journey to optimal wellness. Click here to purchase your copy: https://www.drreebs.com/serpent-butterfly-book/

Additionally, if you’re interested in a supplement designed to directly support your digestion, we recommend trying Digest: Gentian & Skullcap Capsules. These capsules are formulated with natural ingredients that can help improve and support overall digestive health. To learn more and purchase, visit: https://www.drreebs.com/digest-gentian-skullcap-capsules/

Thank you for joining us on The Modern Vital Podcast. Your support means the world to us, and we hope you continue to find value in the information we provide. Please remember to subscribe, leave a review, and share our podcast with others who might benefit from this content. Until next time, stay informed and proactive in your pursuit of health and wellness!

The first episode of The Modern Vital Podcast with Dr. Ben Reebs discusses the importance of magnesium in the human body. Magnesium is an essential nutrient that is required for over 300 biochemical reactions and enzymes in the body. Magnesium is found in nuts, legumes, whole grains, fruit, coffee, cocoa, dairy, meats, and fish. Harder water is also high in dissolved minerals and can be a rich source of magnesium.

Deficiency in magnesium is underdiagnosed in the world as the body compensates for any magnesium deficiency by reabsorbing magnesium from the bones when it needs more. Magnesium is also in the brain in cerebrospinal fluid and plays a significant role in detoxification as it is required to make glutathione, the body’s most important antioxidant.

Chronic stress can lead to magnesium depletion as magnesium moves from the intracellular compartment or fluids to the extracellular fluids under stress, and then once the magnesium is in the blood, it can be filtered by the kidneys and excreted in urine. As the body adapts under chronic stress to maintain adequate function, magnesium stores can be depleted. Magnesium absorption is mainly in the small intestine, particularly in the distal jejunum and ileum. Therefore, any condition that impairs magnesium absorption such as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth could be detrimental to health.

If you’re looking to dive deeper into understanding the intricacies of chronic disease and its impact on your overall well-being, consider checking out Dr. Reebs’ book, “The Serpent & The Butterfly: The Seven Laws of Healing.” In this book, he discusses the laws of healing essential to resolving chronic disease and much more to help you on your journey to optimal wellness. Click here to purchase your copy: https://www.drreebs.com/serpent-butterfly-book/

Additionally, if you’re interested in a supplement designed to directly support your digestion, we recommend trying Digest: Gentian & Skullcap Capsules. These capsules are formulated with natural ingredients that can help improve and support overall digestive health. To learn more and purchase, visit: https://www.drreebs.com/digest-gentian-skullcap-capsules/

Thank you for joining us on The Modern Vital Podcast. Your support means the world to us, and we hope you continue to find value in the information we provide. Please remember to subscribe, leave a review, and share our podcast with others who might benefit from this content. Until next time, stay informed and proactive in your pursuit of health and wellness!