Did the five randomized controlled trials of reishi mushrooms in cancer patients show benefits in terms of tumor response rate, survival time, or quality of life?
Can mushrooms be medicinal? Mushroom-based products make up a sizable chunk of the $50 billion supplement market. “This profitable trade provides a powerful incentive for companies to test the credulity of their customers and unsupported assertions have come to define the medical mushroom business.” For example, companies marketing herbal medicines “exploit references to studies on mice in their promotion of mushroom capsules and throat sprays for treating all kinds of ailments”—but we aren’t mice.
It wouldn’t be surprising if mushrooms had some potent properties. After all, fungi are where we’ve gotten a number of drugs, not the least of which is penicillin, as well as the cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin and the powerful immunosuppressant drug cyclosporin. Still don’t think a little mushroom can have pharmacological effects? Don’t forget they can produce some of our most powerful poisons, too, like the toxic Carolina false morel that looks rather toadstooly, while others, as you can see here and at 1:15 in my video Medicinal Mushrooms for Cancer Survival, have a more angelic look like the destroying angel—that is its actual name—and as little as a single teaspoon can cause a lingering, painful death.
We should have respect for the pharmacological potential of mushrooms, but what can they do that’s good for us? Well, consuming shiitake mushrooms each day improves human immunity. Giving people just one or two dried shiitake mushrooms a day (about the weight-equivalent of five to ten fresh ones) for four weeks resulted in an increase in proliferation of gamma-delta T lymphocytes and doubled the proliferation of natural killer cells. Gamma-delta T cells act as a first line of immunological defense, and, even better, natural killer cells kill cancer. Shiitake mushrooms did all this while lowering markers of systemic inflammation.
Oyster mushroom extracts don’t seem to work as well, but what we care about is whether mushrooms can actually affect cancer outcomes. Shiitakes have yet to show a cancer survival benefit, but what about reishi mushrooms, which have been used as a cancer treatment throughout Asia for centuries?
What does the science say about reishi mushrooms for cancer treatment? A meta-analysis of five randomized controlled trials showed that patients who had been given reishi mushroom supplements along with chemotherapy and radiation were more likely to respond favorably, compared to chemotherapy/radiotherapy on its own. Although adding a reishi mushroom extract improved tumor response rates, “the data failed to demonstrate a significant effect on tumour shrinkage when it was used alone,” without chemo and radiation. So, they aren’t recommended as a single treatment, but rather an adjunct treatment for patients with advanced cancer.
“Response rate” just means the tumor shrinks. Do reishi mushrooms actually improve survival or quality of life? We don’t have convincing data suggesting reishi mushroom products improve survival, but those randomized to reishi were found to have “a relatively better quality of life after treatment than those in the control group.” That’s a win as far as I’m concerned.
What about other mushrooms? Although whole shiitake mushrooms haven’t been put to the test for cancer yet, researchers have said that lentinan, a compound extracted from shiitakes, “completely inhibits” the growth of a certain kind of sarcoma in mice. But, in actuality, it only worked in one strain of mice and failed in nine others. So, are we more like the 90% of mouse strains in which it didn’t work? We need human trials—and we finally got them. There are data on nearly 10,000 cancer patients who have been treated with the shiitake mushroom extract injected right into their veins. What did the researchers find? We’ll find out next.
What Your Chronic Aches and Pains REALLY Mean: Summary
In What Your Chronic Aches and Pains REALLY Mean, host Detective Ev, talks with Nikki Uvalles, an integrative health coach and founder of One Body Wellness. Nikki specializes in helping women reclaim their health through holistic practices. She emphasizes the importance of addressing generational health issues, digestive health, and the emotional aspects of well-being.
Nikki shares her transition from being a licensed massage therapist to incorporating body-mind coaching and lab testing into her practice. She highlights the use of lab tests like the GI MAP to uncover root causes of health issues such as H. pylori infections and gut imbalances. Nikki also stresses the significance of strength training, posture correction, and nervous system regulation as key aspects of maintaining long-term health and vitality, particularly for women over 40. She describes the multi-faceted approach she uses with clients, including personalized coaching sessions, breath work, lymphatic massage, and more, both in-person and virtually.
The conversation also covers the topic of chronic pain, the role of chiropractic adjustments, and how body communication is crucial for overall health. Nikki advocates for the importance of listening to one’s body as a fundamental step towards wellness. The episode wraps up with a call to action for viewers to start paying attention to their bodies regularly, even if it’s just during daily routines like brushing their teeth.
What Your Chronic Aches and Pains REALLY Mean: Topics
00:00 Introduction to the Health Detective Podcast
00:32 Meet Our Guest: Nikki Uvalles from One Body Wellness
01:53 Nikki’s Personal Health Journey
02:38 Discovering Functional Diagnostic Nutrition
04:15 The Role of Body Work in Holistic Health
07:14 Integrating Lab Testing into Health Coaching
11:01 The Importance of Strength Training and Exercise
13:29 Overcoming Injuries and Maintaining Fitness
21:29 Advice for Starting Strength Training
25:15 The Importance of Challenging Your Muscles
25:39 Overcoming Fear and Intimidation in the Weight Room
26:26 The Role of Personal Trainers in Safe Weight Training
27:27 The Benefits of Muscle Memory
28:48 Exploring Nikki’s Coaching Program
37:47 Client Testimonials and Success Stories
44:45 Nikki’s Final Health Advice
Where to Find Nikki Uvalles
Go to our Health Detective Podcasts for more informational and functional health-oriented podcasts like this one.
This note is the first of three, on a topic that I have wanted to comprehensively cover for some time. Dr Malcolm Kendrick and I did a lot of work on all the statin trials for the defamation case that we brought against the Mail on Sunday. While the case was about defamation and not statins, it was critical to our defence to be able to show that the science was not settled in the cholesterol-heart-statin arena (science should never be settled). It was important to demonstrate that the benefits of statins were lower than claimed, that the potential harms were higher than claimed, and that a number of esteemed academics shared our view about overplayed benefits and underplayed harms. It was also important to demonstrate that heart disease is complex and multifactorial and that the ‘cholesterol causes heart disease’ narrative is far too simplistic and narrow. (It’s actually wrong, but we didn’t need to go that far).
The Clinical Trial Service Unit (CTSU) is an academic research unit within the Nuffield Department of Population Health at the University of Oxford. The Cholesterol Treatment Trialist (CTT) group is a collaboration led by researchers from the CTSU and other institutions. The CTT group produces meta-analyses of data from statin trials to assess the effects of cholesterol-lowering drugs on cardiovascular outcomes. (A meta-analysis pools together a number of trials on a particular topic).
Professor Sir Rory Collins is the head of the CTSU. Until he retired in 2023, Professor Colin Baigent was deputy director of the CTSU. Collins and Baigent were the two lead authors of the CTT meta-analyses. Collins and Baigent were integral to our lawsuit for two reasons: 1) the key evidence in favour of statins emanated from the CTT group and therefore it was their work that we needed to critique and 2) Collins and Baigent helped the Mail on Sunday journalist, Barney Calman, for weeks before the publication of the defamatory articles. Collins and Baigent were named numerous times in the Judgment of our case (Ref 1).
In parallel with writing other Monday notes, I have spent months pulling together all my notes on the statin trials and the CTT meta-analyses. This note is the first of three, which will summarise the work of the CTT collaboration and the main outputs from this research group. This first note will share, as background, a series of events from 2013-2014, which led to two interesting outcomes: 1) the CTSU was required to report the funds that had been received from the pharmaceutical industry and 2) the fact that the CTSU refuses to share data with other researchers was put on the record.
Every year I love putting together my favorite products that support a healthier, more natural lifestyle — and Black Friday is the best time to stock up while everything is discounted – woohoo! This year’s Top 20 list includes wellness essentials, clean beauty, kitchen tools, nourishing foods, inspiring books, and even a few joyful pieces I use to bring grounding energy into my day.
With the holidays right around the corner, many of these also make meaningful gifts for friends and loved ones. I chose each item because I personally use it and believe it can truly help make clean living easier, more enjoyable, and more affordable.
Many of these brands are offering special Black Friday savings, so if you’ve been wanting to upgrade your home, refresh your routine, or get a head start on holiday gifting, now is the perfect time. I hope these favorites bring you as much nourishment and inspiration as they’ve brought me…
*Disclaimer: When you shop through my links and codes, I receive a commission that helps me continue this work. I’m so grateful for your support!
1. Nama Juicer
One of the core principles of The Earth Diet is drinking a green juice daily for cellular nutrition and the powerful benefits of chlorophyll. At home, I use the Nama Juicer because it’s the best I’ve found for preserving nutrients. Since it’s a cold-pressed juicer, you can make a batch of four juices at a time and store them in glass jars so it’s easy to stay consistent.
Perfect for: Anyone wanting to incorporate daily green juice
Black Friday Deal: Save up to $120 off at Nama.This is their BIGGEST sale of the year!
The Futon Shop has some of the cleanest, most thoughtfully made organic futon sofas I’ve ever seen. They use natural, non-toxic materials — like organic cotton, wool, and latex — so you can feel good about bringing truly clean furniture into your home. Their futon sofas are supportive, cozy, and incredibly versatile, giving you a beautiful, toxin-free space to relax, unwind, and even host guests.
Perfect for: Anyone wanting a cleaner, healthier home environment, families looking for safe and sustainable furniture, and anyone who loves surrounding themselves with organic, Earth-friendly materials.
La Costa creates intentional, elegant pieces with beautiful energy behind them. Their jewelry is handcrafted with care using organic, high-quality materials — a refreshing alternative to most conventional jewelry, which is often chemically treated. These pieces make a meaningful gift during the holidays or for any special moment.
Perfect for: Gifting something timeless and intentional
A shower filter is essential for clean living because it helps remove chlorine and contaminants that can stress the skin and hair. This is one of my daily wellness staples for reducing toxic exposure.
Perfect for: Anyone wanting cleaner water on their skin
Chlorophyll is one of my top healing tools — a powerful detoxifier sourced from dark leafy greens. It supports oxygenation, neutralizes toxins, strengthens the immune system, and combats inflammation. I recommend starting the day with chlorophyll for natural energy and cellular cleansing.
Perfect for: Energy, detox, and daily wellness support
This includes all of my books: The Earth Diet, Cancer-Free with Food, Anxiety-Free with Food, and 10-Minute Recipes. Each one focuses on using real, whole foods to support the body’s natural healing pathways.
Perfect for: Anyone wanting to learn more about food-as-medicine
The Buydeem K2423 is one of my daily kitchen essentials. I use it for herbal tea, warm lemon water, and so many detox rituals. The temperature control is excellent for preserving nutrients in herbs and teas — and it’s beautifully designed.
Perfect for: Tea lovers and anyone creating a cozy wellness kitchen
These clean-burning candles are made with essential oils and natural ingredients, creating a calming, grounding atmosphere without toxins. I use them during nighttime wind-down rituals or meditation.
Perfect for: Bringing calming energy into any room
Black Friday Deal: An additional 5% off and free shipping on all orders over $75!
This is a big one I share often. The Cancer Bundle is a thoughtfully curated trio designed to nourish, detoxify, and support whole-body healing. It aligns beautifully with Earth Diet principles by focusing on natural immune support and detox pathways.
Perfect for: Deep wellness and healing support
Black Friday Deal: 25% off site-wide and free shipping on orders $75 and up they also have a new Black Friday B17 Essentials Bundle here.
Araza is one of my favorite food-based makeup brands. Their formulas are made with nourishing ingredients like fruit oils, natural pigments, and superfoods that support rather than stress the skin.
Clean water is foundational for healing. This filter helps remove harmful contaminants while preserving helpful minerals, making it one of the simplest upgrades for your wellness routine. I have never seen a filter remove EVERYTHING including PFAS!
Perfect for: Anyone wanting completely pure drinking water
Non-toxic cookware is essential for reducing exposure to harmful chemicals. This brand offers safe, durable materials that make healthy cooking easier and more enjoyable. Made with surgical stainless steel there will be absolute;y no toxins in yoru food from your cookware!
Perfect for: Clean cooking and toxin-free meal prep
Grounding while you sleep can help reduce inflammation, support deeper rest, and regulate the body’s natural rhythms. This mattress brings the benefits of grounding into your nightly routine and help to draw the EMF’s out of your body!
Perfect for: Better sleep and natural inflammation support
A grounding pillow extends the same healing principles — supporting relaxation, reducing stress, and helping the body reconnect to the earth’s natural frequencies.
Clean air is one of the foundations of a healing home. This air filter helps remove dust, mold, chemicals, and environmental toxins, supporting lungs, immunity, and overall vitality.
Perfect for: Anyone wanting a cleaner home environment
The Futon Shop offers some of the cleanest, most thoughtfully designed organic bedding and furniture. They use natural materials like organic cotton, wool, and latex — perfect for supporting a non-toxic home and restful sleep.
Perfect for: Clean home lovers and anyone prioritizing a toxin-free bedroom
Red light supports cellular repair, reduces inflammation, boosts collagen, and helps the body recover naturally. I love using this as part of my nighttime wind-down routine.
Looking to dive deeper into healing with me? These video courses are the perfect place to start. I created each one to guide you step-by-step through natural healing principles using real food, mindset shifts, and lifestyle practices that feel supportive, doable, and truly transformative. Whether your focus is weight loss, gut repair, or a full-body reset, you’ll find a course that meets you exactly where you are.
Perfect for: Anyone ready to take their healing into their own hands with clear, grounded guidance. Black Friday Deal: Exclusive savings available for a limited time. Link:https://www.theearthdiet.com/courses
19. Ozone Filter (Odor & Black Mold)
This ozone filter is incredibly effective for neutralizing odor, mold, and airborne toxins including mold — supporting a cleaner, safer home environment.
Perfect for: Deep home purification and removing mold
This multi-use cleaning tool helps remove dirt, dust, and environmental toxins without harsh chemicals. It’s a powerful option for anyone wanting a truly clean home.
Perfect for: A low-toxin, low-maintenance cleaning routine
The Hidden Metabolic Crisis Your Clients Are Facing
You’ve seen this client before. Maybe you’re even seeing them this week.
They walk into your session exhausted, carrying an extra 20 pounds they can’t lose. Poor sleep. Brain fog. Feeling like their body has turned against them. Their last doctor visit came back “normal” on all the standard blood work, so they got the usual advice: reduce stress, exercise more, maybe try therapy.
But here’s what nobody tested: cortisol pattern throughout the day. Insulin response after meals. Immune function. Circadian rhythm markers. The interconnected systems that actually explain why they feel terrible.
FDN built our entire program around one principle: Test, Don’t Guess.
In this article, we’ll walk you through a real case study from our Lab and Learn series that shows why functional lab testing changes everything for health practitioners who want to deliver consistent, transformational results. You’ll discover how one comprehensive test panel can reveal the underlying causes behind your client’s symptoms and give you a clear roadmap for healing protocols.
The Problem With Standard Health Assessments
Most health coaches are working blind. They gather symptoms, make educated guesses based on what worked for other clients, and hope their recommendations land. When results are inconsistent, they blame the client’s compliance or assume they need more training.
The real issue? They’re missing data.
Standard medical blood work is designed to catch disease, not dysfunction. By the time your client’s fasting glucose shows up as “high” on a conventional lab panel, they’ve likely been experiencing insulin resistance for years. Their cells have been struggling to uptake glucose. Their cortisol has been working against their insulin function. Their immune system has taken hits from chronic stress.
But none of that shows up until it crosses into the disease threshold.
Functional lab testing creates a completely different playing field. You’re not waiting for disease. You’re identifying subclinical patterns that explain current symptoms and predict future problems. You’re giving your clients hard data that motivates them to make changes before they’re facing a diagnosis.
As Reed Davis, founder of FDN, puts it: “This kind of testing is subclinical. It allows us to use it for anti-aging and longevity as well as getting to the heart of a condition and getting a person to turn their health around.”
Why The Stress and Hormone Profile Changes the Game
The Stress and Hormone Profile is one of the five core functional tests you’ll master during FDN certification. It started as a way to assess adrenal function through cortisol and DHEA ratios, but over the years it evolved into something far more comprehensive. Why? Because we kept asking the same question: What else do practitioners need to see to get a complete picture?
The answer became clear. You can’t look at stress hormones in isolation. They’re interconnected with sex hormones, immune function, circadian rhythms, and metabolic health. A complete assessment needed to capture all of these systems at once.
During your FDN training, you’ll learn to interpret the standard Stress and Hormone Profile, which includes:
Four-point cortisol curve shows your client’s stress response pattern throughout the day, not just a single snapshot
DHEA levels reveal whether your client is in a catabolic (breaking down) or anabolic (building up) state
Sex hormones demonstrate how chronic stress is impacting testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone
Melatonin indicates circadian rhythm function and antioxidant capacity
Secretory IgA measures mucosal immune function in the intestines and other mucosal surfaces
This isn’t five separate tests. It’s one panel using saliva samples that captures five interconnected systems.
As a practicing FDN graduate with access to our Medical Director Program, you can also order an enhanced version of this test that includes optional fasting and non-fasting insulin markers – the newest addition that ties metabolic health directly into the complete hormone picture. This advanced option is what we’ll explore in the case study below, showing how insulin testing completes the metabolic story.
The Cortisol-Insulin Connection Nobody’s Teaching
Here’s the metabolic mechanism most health coaches never learn: cortisol is insulin’s antagonist.
When your client experiences acute stress, their body responds appropriately. Cortisol rises, signals the liver to produce glucose, and shunts that energy to the muscles for fight or flight. This is a survival advantage. Once the stressor passes, hormone levels normalize and everything resets.
But what happens with chronic stress?
Dr. Aaron Gonshor, FDNs Chief Scientific Officer, explains the cascade: “With chronic stress, you are tapping the proteins, you are getting the liver to produce glucose. The adrenals are hyper-secreting cortisol because the stress doesn’t stop.”
This creates a vicious cycle:
Elevated cortisol continuously increases blood glucose production in the liver
High cortisol suppresses adiponectin, a hormone that normally increases insulin sensitivity
Cortisol inhibits insulin from allowing glucose to enter cells
Cells become insulin resistant while blood glucose stays high
The pancreas sees high glucose and continues pumping out insulin
You end up with both high blood sugar AND high insulin in the blood
This is pre-diabetes developing in real time. And it won’t show up on standard blood work until your client has crossed into diagnosable disease.
But on the Advanced Stress and Hormone Profile, you’ll see the pattern developing. You’ll catch the elevated cortisol throughout the day. You’ll spot the rising fasting insulin. You’ll notice the elevated non-fasting insulin after a carbohydrate challenge. And you’ll have the data to intervene before your client is facing a type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
The Science Behind Saliva Testing (And Why It Works)
Some practitioners hesitate when they first hear about saliva testing. They’ve been trained that blood work is the gold standard. But the research tells a different story.
Multiple studies have demonstrated a linear correlation between glucose levels in blood and saliva. While salivary insulin concentrations are about 10 times lower than serum levels, they’re equally accurate for assessing insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes risk.
Saliva testing offers several advantages:
Non-invasive collection. No blood draws, no lab visits, no scheduling hassles. Your client collects samples at home at specific times throughout the day.
Accurate correlation with serum. Research by Zhang et al confirmed that “saliva can be an alternative non-invasive diagnostic method for testing for diabetes.”
Four-point assessment. Unlike a single fasting blood draw, you’re seeing how your client’s hormones fluctuate across their waking hours. This reveals patterns that single-point testing misses.
International shipping. Fluids IQ, the lab partner FDN uses, ships worldwide. This means you can serve clients globally without worrying about finding local lab facilities.
Subclinical detection. You’re catching dysfunction before it becomes disease. Prevention and optimization happen here, at the subclinical level.
Reed Davis emphasizes this point: “I love this kind of testing because it’s subclinical. That allows us to use it for anti-aging and longevity as well as getting to the heart of a condition.”
Real Case Study: How One Test Revealed Everything
Let’s look at “John,” a case study Dr. Gonshor presented in the recent Lab and Learn session. John is a 40-year-old construction worker who came to his FDN Practitioner with a growing list of concerns:
His symptoms: Extreme fatigue that wasn’t improving with rest. Trouble sleeping, which was unusual for him. Weight gain leading to obesity with a BMI of 28. High blood pressure and high cholesterol on recent blood work. Darkening skin patches on his neck called acanthosis nigricans. New GI problems that just started.
His doctor’s assessment: “You have signs of insulin resistance. Lose weight.”
Not exactly a helpful protocol.
But when John’s FDN Practitioner ran the advanced version of the Stress and Hormone Profile (which includes the optional insulin markers), the data told a complete story.
His cortisol levels were elevated throughout the entire day, indicating chronic stress that wasn’t resolving. His DHEA was starting to rise, showing the body was trying to compensate for prolonged stress.
His fasting insulin came in at 17. Elevated starts at 18, so he was right on the edge. His non-fasting insulin was 33, clearly elevated and confirming insulin resistance.
His secretory IgA was very low, which explained his new GI issues. Chronic stress depletes immune function in the gut. His melatonin was above normal daytime range, indicating his circadian rhythm was completely disrupted. And his testosterone was low for his age at 40.
Every single marker on this one test pointed to the same underlying cause: chronic stress driving metabolic dysfunction. The stress wasn’t just making John feel bad. It was literally creating insulin resistance, depleting his immune function, disrupting his sleep, and tanking his testosterone.
With this data, John’s FDN Practitioner could create a targeted protocol. Stress management strategies to bring down that chronic cortisol elevation. Specific interventions to support secretory IgA recovery in the gut. Sleep hygiene protocols to regulate his circadian rhythm. Dietary adjustments to address the insulin resistance.
Most importantly, John now had objective data showing him exactly what was happening in his body. He wasn’t “just stressed.” He had measurable markers that would track his progress and keep him motivated through the protocol.
This is where FDN practitioners separate themselves from conventional health coaches. You’re not just addressing symptoms. You’re identifying the patterns that create those symptoms in the first place.
Take John’s case. A typical health coach might have approached his concerns symptom by symptom. Tired? Try an energy supplement. Can’t sleep? Here’s a sleep hygiene guide. Gaining weight? Let’s look at your diet and exercise. GI issues? Probably need a probiotic.
Each intervention treats a symptom. None of them address why all these symptoms showed up together.
But look at the test results. High cortisol from chronic stress. That elevation increases blood glucose and creates insulin resistance, which explains the weight gain and fatigue. It disrupts melatonin production, which explains the sleep problems. It depletes secretory IgA, which explains the GI issues. And it lowers testosterone, which explains more fatigue and weight gain.
One root cause created a cascade of symptoms. And one comprehensive test revealed the entire pattern.
Dr. Gonshor emphasizes this interconnectedness: “All of these results are really red flags that are telling you that there is a chronic stress problem, all from this one non-diagnostic screening profile.”
This is the power of the Test, Don’t Guess philosophy. You’re working with data that reveals cause and effect relationships. You’re not guessing which supplement might help. You’re building protocols based on what your client’s body is actually doing.
The Five Systems You Must Understand
The reason the Stress and Hormone Profile works so well is that it captures five systems that are always interconnected.
1. Adrenal Function (Stress Response)
Your client’s four-point cortisol curve shows you their stress response pattern. Are they producing cortisol normally? Is it elevated all day? Is it dropping when it should be high? Each pattern tells a different story and requires different interventions.
The cortisol-to-DHEA ratio reveals whether your client is in a catabolic (breaking down) or anabolic (building up) state. When stress is chronic, DHEA drops and cortisol stays high. The body is literally breaking itself down.
2. Sex Hormones
Chronic stress doesn’t just make you tired. It disrupts sex hormone production because the body prioritizes survival over reproduction. Progesterone gets shunted to make more cortisol. Testosterone drops. Estrogen becomes imbalanced.
The connection between insulin and sex hormones matters too. Hyperinsulinemia (high insulin in the blood) stimulates the ovaries to produce more testosterone. In obese males, testosterone drops while estradiol rises. Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) decreases with high insulin, creating more free active hormones.
These aren’t separate issues. They’re one interconnected system.
3. Immune Function
Secretory IgA is the immunoglobulin that lives in the mucosa of your intestines and other mucosal surfaces. It’s your first line of defense against pathogens.
When cortisol stays elevated from chronic stress, secretory IgA drops. This is why stressed clients get sick more often. It’s why they develop food sensitivities. It’s why they struggle with gut issues.
Reed Davis sees this as another window into the client’s condition: “I think of it myself as a window into gut function because most melatonin is made in the gut.”
4. Circadian Rhythm and Antioxidant Capacity
Melatonin does more than regulate sleep. Dr. Gonshor explains: “Melatonin is a major antioxidant. That’s actually its major function. And of course, close by that is its function in circadian rhythm control.”
When your client’s melatonin is disrupted, you’re seeing evidence that their sleep-wake cycle is off and their antioxidant defenses are compromised. Research shows that poor sleep directly affects diabetes risk. People with insufficient sleep are two times more likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
The connection runs both ways. Sleep disruption increases insulin resistance. And metabolic dysfunction disrupts sleep quality. You have to address both.
5. Metabolic Health
This is where the fasting and non-fasting insulin measurements complete the picture. You’re seeing whether your client’s cells are insulin resistant. You’re catching pre-diabetes before it shows up on standard blood work.
The carbohydrate challenge test (non-fasting insulin) is particularly revealing. Your client consumes 75 grams of carbohydrates one hour before their noon saliva sample. This stresses their system to see how well they handle glucose intake.
If insulin spikes high and stays high, you know their cells aren’t responding well to insulin’s signals. Glucose isn’t getting into cells efficiently. This is insulin resistance developing in real time.
What Makes FDN’s Approach Different
You might be thinking: “This all sounds great, but how do I actually learn to interpret these tests? How do I know what protocols to use?”
FDN built an entire program around functional lab testing for a reason. We don’t just give you access to tests and wish you luck. We teach you:
The D.R.E.S.S. protocol framework. Diet, Rest, Exercise, Stress reduction, and Supplementation. This gives you a systematic approach to building client protocols based on test results.
The H.I.D.D.E.N. stressor system. Hormones, Immune, Digestion, Detoxification, Energy, and Nervous system. This helps you understand which body systems are under stress and how they interact.
Real case interpretation with expert guidance. Our Lab and Learn sessions with Dr. Gonshor walk you through actual cases so you learn pattern recognition, not just textbook knowledge.
Access to 70+ functional lab tests. Through our Medical Director Program (MDP), you can order advanced functional labs for your clients even if you don’t have a medical license. This is unique to FDN.
Clinical mentorship. You get twelve 1-on-1 sessions with experienced FDN mentors who help you interpret your first cases and build confidence in your recommendations.
A global community of 5,000+ practitioners. When you have questions, you’re not figuring it out alone. You’re connected to thousands of FDN-trained practitioners who’ve worked through similar cases.
Reed Davis built FDN specifically to address the gap he saw in health coaching: “We used to love it in the health coaching and nutrition and fitness world because it gave us insights into our client’s condition, their true condition, more than we could possibly get any other way.”
The Business Case for Functional Lab Testing
Let’s talk about something most certification programs avoid: how this actually builds your practice.
When you can show clients objective data about what’s happening in their body, several things happen:
Credibility increases immediately. You’re not just another health coach with opinions. You’re presenting hard numbers that explain why they feel the way they do.
Compliance improves dramatically. Clients follow through on your recommendations because they see evidence of what needs to change. Those numbers keep them accountable.
Results become consistent. When you’re working from data instead of guessing, your success rate goes up. Consistent results create referrals.
You can charge premium fees. Practitioners with advanced diagnostic skills command higher fees because they deliver better outcomes. Many FDN practitioners build six-figure practices.
Client retention extends naturally. When clients see their markers improving, they stay engaged. You’re not hoping they stick around. You’re tracking their progress together.
Reed Davis emphasizes this point about the data: “These numbers really do mean something. They’re not to be ignored. The idea that you might be pre-diabetic… everyone knows they don’t want to be diabetic these days.”
The numbers create urgency. They motivate change. And they keep your clients engaged through their healing journey.
How Insulin Testing Completes the Picture
When Fluids IQ (FDN’s lab partner) added fasting and non-fasting insulin as optional markers to the Stress and Hormone Profile, it gave FDN practitioners access to an even more comprehensive assessment tool.
Dr. Gonshor explains the importance: “Elevated fasting insulin or insulin dysregulation after glucose ingestion, in either case, these are hallmarks of insulin resistance.”
You’re not waiting for your client’s blood sugar to spike into pre-diabetic or diabetic ranges. You’re seeing the insulin resistance developing before glucose becomes a problem. This gives you years of intervention opportunity.
The metabolic syndrome picture becomes clear. Insulin resistance caught early through this testing. High blood pressure, which is often present when clients seek help. High cholesterol and triglycerides usually found on standard blood work. Low HDL cholesterol as the “good” cholesterol drops. Central obesity that’s visible and measurable.
Dr. Gonshor shares a sobering statistic: “Metabolic syndrome is seen in greater than 30% of US adults. Greater than 50% of those who are over the age of 60. In fact, 80% or more of the US population have at least one component of this metabolic syndrome.”
Your clients are part of this statistic. The question is whether you’ll catch it early enough to help them reverse course.
The Path Forward for Serious Practitioners
If you’ve read this far, you’re likely in one of two camps. Either you’re already working with clients but frustrated by inconsistent results and ready to level up your skills. Or you’re considering a career in functional health and want to build on a solid foundation from the start.
Either way, functional lab testing isn’t optional anymore. The practitioners who can identify subclinical dysfunction, create data-driven protocols, and track objective progress are the ones building sustainable, successful practices.
The Stress and Hormone Profile is one of five core functional tests you’ll master in the FDN program. As you build your practice, you’ll have access to advanced versions and over 70 additional functional labs through our Medical Director Program.
Reed Davis describes the evolution of this test: “We used to love it in the health coaching and nutrition and fitness world because it gave us insights into our client’s condition, their true condition, more than we could possibly get any other way. The test has evolved… and now Fluids IQ have made it even better with the insulin.”
Your Next Step
The gap between health coaches who guess and practitioners who test keeps growing. Clients are more informed than ever. They’re looking for practitioners who can explain what’s actually happening in their body and create targeted protocols based on data.
FDN gives you the training, tools, and community to become that practitioner. You’ll learn to interpret functional labs, build effective protocols using the D.R.E.S.S. framework, and deliver consistent results that build your reputation and your practice.
The FDN certification includes lifetime access to comprehensive training materials. Twelve 1-on-1 mentorship sessions with experienced practitioners. Five functional tests to run on yourself so you learn by experiencing the process. Access to order 70+ functional labs through our Medical Director Program. Connection to a global community of 5,000+ health experts. And the opportunity to join our graduate program and business school for continued growth.
Most importantly, you’ll stop guessing and start testing.
Ready to transform your practice with functional lab testing?
Questions about whether FDN is right for you? Schedule a discovery call with our admissions team to discuss your practice goals and how our certification can help you achieve them. Book Your Discovery Call HERE.
“Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and First Lady Phefelia Nez have been vocal proponents of healthy eating. President Nez found that plant-based eating shortened his recovery time after long-distance runs and helps him to maintain his weight loss. First Lady Nez provided us with one of her family-favorite soup recipes that we modified. We used the modified version for a course called Native Food for Life Online, offered through the American Indian Institute (AII) and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). Minestrone is its Italian name, but the ingredients in this soup originated in the Americas. Chef Walter Whitewater said that growing up on the Navajo Nation, he used to harvest wild onions, carrots, garlic, and spinach. With the addition of frozen corn, canned beans, and zucchini squash, as well as the pasta, all foods that most community members have on hand or receive as part of the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), our version of this recipe is a favorite of Chef Walter. Serve with No Fry Frybread, No Fry Blue Corn Frybread, Homemade White Corn Tortillas, or Blue Corn Tortillas.” – Chef Lois Ellen Frank
Navajo Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
Makes approximately 2 quarts
2 cups cooked whole-grain pasta, such as mini farfalle (bow-tie pasta), penne, or elbows (approx. 1 cup uncooked)
1 tablespoon bean juice or water
1 small yellow onion, diced (approx. 1 cup)
3 carrots, peeled, cut into ⅛-inch-thick sticks, and halved into half-moon slices (approx. 1 cup)
2 stalks celery, sliced (approx. 1 cup)
½ cup frozen sweet corn kernels
1 tablespoon roasted garlic
1 zucchini, cut into ½-inch cubes (approx. 1 cup)
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes, organic and no salt added, if possible
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup spinach, fresh or frozen
5 cups water
1 (15 oz.) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (approx. 1½ cups)
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed (approx. 1½ cups)
1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped
½ teaspoon fresh oregano, finely chopped
½ teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
2 teaspoons New Mexico red chile powder, mild
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste (optional)
Instructions
In a large, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Remove from heat, drain the cooking water, rinse with cold water to stop the pasta from cooking, and set aside.
In a separate soup pot, heat the bean juice over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Sauté the onion for approximately 4 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Add the carrots and the celery, and cook for an additional 5 to 6 minutes, stirring but letting the vegetables begin to caramelize. Add the corn and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring once to prevent burning. Add the roasted garlic and cook for another minute, stirring constantly to mix the garlic into the other ingredients. (The bottom of your pan will turn brown, and the vegetables should begin to caramelize.) Add the zucchini and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring to prevent burning. Add the diced tomatoes and tomato paste, stirring to completely mix into the other vegetables and deglaze the bottom of the pan. Add the spinach and water and bring to a boil. Then cover, reduce the heat to medium low, and let simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice.
Add the canned kidney and pinto beans, stirring them to blend with all the ingredients, then add the basil, oregano, thyme, red chile powder, flat leaf parsley, and black pepper, if using. Return to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for another 10 minutes.
Taste, season with more of any of the spices, if desired. Add the cooked pasta, stir, and bring to a boil. Cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes until the soup is completely hot. (Do not cook the soup too long, as the cooked pasta may become overcooked.) Remove from heat. Serve.
In Fix Your Sleep Within 30 Days, hosted by Detective Ev, the focus is on sleep health. The episode features an in-depth conversation with Brenden Dougherty, CEO of MDbio, discussing sleep disorders and innovative solutions. The discussion highlights the alarming statistics around sleep issues, such as one in three Americans suffering from sleep problems and 85% of sleep apnea cases being undiagnosed.
Dougherty outlines a comprehensive approach to tackling sleep problems through quality improvement, insomnia treatment, and airway health. He explains the importance of personalized supplementation and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBTI), and introduces Sleep Corner, a program combining clinical diagnostics and telehealth consultations to provide an integrated approach to sleep health. The program includes an easy-to-use home sleep test that requires only a pulse oximeter and a chest sensor, offering a non-invasive way to diagnose sleep apnea. Dougherty also emphasizes the importance of addressing underlying stress and anxieties to improve overall sleep quality.
For practitioners, there are opportunities to incorporate these solutions into their practice. The episode concludes with recommendations for better sleep health and an appeal to engage more with the physical world than the digital realm for reducing stress.
Fix Your Sleep Within 30 Days: Topics
00:00 Welcome to the Health Detective Podcast
00:34 Introduction to Today’s Episode on Sleep
01:29 Meet Brenden Dougherty: CEO of MDbio
02:11 Evan’s Personal Sleep Struggles
03:12 Understanding Sleep Issues
06:04 The Complexity of Sleep
09:33 Pharmaceutical Alternatives and Sleep Solutions
16:16 The Importance of Sleep Quality
17:45 Addressing Insomnia and Airway Health
21:11 The Sleep Epidemic and Solutions
23:35 Understanding Medication Efficacy
24:23 Exploring Sleep Apnea
27:20 Introducing Sleep Corner
29:02 Sleep Corner’s Comprehensive Approach
35:23 Consumer Wearables and Sleep Data
38:08 Audience Q&A and Final Thoughts
Where to Find Brenden Dougherty
Go to our Health Detective Podcasts for more informational and functional health-oriented podcasts like this one.
When was the last time you thought about wholegrains?
If you’re like most Australians, probably… not recently. In fact, 75% of Australians aren’t meeting the recommended 48–50 grams of wholegrains each day. That’s a big deal because wholegrains are one of the simplest, most delicious ways to boost your long-term health.
Let’s dive into why wholegrains deserve a permanent place on your plate and how to get more of them in your day without sacrificing taste or convenience.
What Makes Wholegrains So Powerful?
Wholegrains are exactly that: whole. They contain all three natural parts of the grain — bran, germ and endosperm — giving them a powerhouse mix of:
Fibre for gut health
Vitamins and minerals like B vitamins, iron, magnesium and zinc
Antioxidants and phytonutrients
Slow-release carbohydrates for steady energy
Research shows that people who eat 50g or more wholegrains per day have:
⭐ Lower risk of heart disease ⭐ Lower risk of diabetes ⭐ Better blood sugar control ⭐ Improved digestive health ⭐ Reduced risk of bowel cancer (and other cancers)
So… What Counts as Wholegrain?
Wholegrains come in many forms, not just seeded bread.
Think:
Rolled oats
Wholemeal pasta
Wholegrain or seeded bread
Barley, quinoa, brown rice
Wholegrain crackers
Popcorn (yes, really!)
4 Simple Ways to Boost Your Wholegrain Intake
🔄 1. Switch your staples
Swap white bread, pasta or rice with wholegrain, wholemeal or brown versions. Try mixing 50/50 if you’re easing in.
🥣 2. Start your day with a bowl of wholegrains
Porridge, Weetabix, overnight oats or bircher muesli — all delicious ways to hit your target early.
🥪 3. Add grain variety at least once a week
Try quinoa in salads, barley in soups or freekeh in a pilaf.
🍞 4. Read the label
Look for “wholegrain” as one of the first ingredients and aim for products with at least 3 g of fibre per serve.
Wholegrains are one of the easiest nutrition wins you can make from today — and your body will thank you for every extra serve.
If you’d like personalised support to level up your nutrition, I’m here to help. Get in touch today!
Recent research links this food group to fewer wake-ups during the night and a 16 percent improvement in sleep quality
(Photo: Ayana Underwood/Canva)
Published November 18, 2025 11:15AM
We’ve all heard the gospel of sleep hygiene by now. No screens before bed. Keep your bedroom cool and cave-dark.
But a recent study out of the University of Chicago, published in the journal Sleep Health, suggests we might be starting in the wrong room. According to researchers, what you eat during the day—specifically how many fruits and vegetables you consume—could influence how well you sleep that night.
Which means the real secret to deeper sleep might go beyond blackout curtains and blue-light blockers—and include a cutting board and a bunch of broccoli. So, how exactly did researchers measure the link between what’s on your plate and what happens while you sleep?
How They Studied Sleep Quality and Food Intake
Researchers tracked 34 healthy adults—28 men and six women between the ages of 20 and 49—over several days. Participants logged what they ate using a nutrition app developed by the National Institutes of Health. At night, they wore actigraphs—wrist devices that objectively track movement and rest.
Researchers then analyzed how food choices affected a key sleep metric: the Sleep Fragmentation Index (SFI). Think of it as a restlessness meter—it tracks how often your sleep is broken up by micro-awakenings, many of which you won’t even remember. Lower scores mean deeper, more consolidated sleep.
“What people eat during the day can influence their sleep at night,” says Marie-Pierre St-Onge, co-senior author of the study and author of Eat Better, Sleep Better. Most of us can list culprits that mess with our rest (caffeine, doomscrolling, work stress), but we rarely think about the food that could improve it.
5 Cups of Fruits and Vegetables Per Day Equals Better Sleep
On days when participants ate more fruits and vegetables, their SFI was lower. The researchers found that hitting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) five-cup produce recommendation could correlate with roughly 16 percent less sleep fragmentation than eating none.
That number wasn’t a direct measurement but a projection based on statistical modeling. They adjusted for total calories to make sure the effect wasn’t just about eating more food in general. Even after controlling for energy intake, the link held.
Fruits and vegetables help regulate blood sugar and inflammation—two systems that can either settle or scramble your nervous system at night. They also deliver micronutrients, such as vitamin K, which can induce relaxation by reducing the stress hormone cortisol.
What about fiber? While this study only found a non-significant trend, St-Onge points to earlier research from her team showing that fiber was associated with more deep sleep. “This could be through gut microbiome modulation,” she says, which influences the release of short-chain fatty acids—molecules that upregulate sleep-promoting genes in the brain.
If 5 Cups Sounds Like a Lot, a Dietitian Suggests These Ways to Make Eating Your Fruits and Veggies Easier
Data from the CDC indicate that only about ten percent of U.S. adults meet recommended intake levels for fruits or vegetables. That’s super low, but getting your produce doesn’t need to feel like a full-time job.
1. Add Them to Meals You Already Like
“The most realistic strategy,” says registered dietitian Nicole Short, “is to build fruits and vegetables into the meals you’re already enjoying.” That means tossing spinach or kale into a smoothie, layering tomatoes or peppers into a breakfast sandwich, or adding steamed veggies or a side salad to a standard dinner. “When it becomes part of your routine,” she adds, “meeting the daily intake starts to feel realistic—and sustainable.”
2. Pack Produce in Your Bag or Stash Dried Fruit at Work
For busy or active people, time is often the biggest barrier. “Convenience is everything,” says Short. She recommends keeping ready-to-eat options on hand: pre-washed salad greens, a bag of baby carrots, and pre-cut fruits. Her go-to rule of thumb? “Always have grab-and-go produce in your work bag or pantry—dried fruit, apples, bananas, veggie snack packs.”
3. Try a Dietitian-Approved Sample Menu
The following menu will help you hit five cups of fruits and veggies each day:
Breakfast: smoothie with berries and spinach (≈ 1½ cups)
Lunch: grain bowl with roasted veggies (≈ 2 cups)
Snack: apple and baby carrots (≈ 1 cup)
Dinner: a dinner of your choice plus a side of broccoli or bell peppers (≈ ½ cup)
You don’t need to overhaul your entire nutrition philosophy—just sneak a few more plants into your plate and see what happens. Just don’t mistake a smoothie for a silver bullet—here’s where the study’s limits come in.
This wasn’t a randomized trial, and no one’s claiming broccoli is a miracle sleep drug. The researchers are clear: correlation doesn’t prove causation. This was an observational snapshot, and it didn’t account for all possible confounders—caffeine intake, stress levels, and training load. But considering the study used objective sleep monitoring, unlike much past research that relied on self-reporting, this is a significant advantage in terms of accuracy.
If fruits and vegetables can move the needle on sleep—even slightly—that could ripple into how you repair, restore, and perform.
The American Medical Association passed a resolution encouraging hospitals to offer healthy plant-based food options.
“Globally, 11 million deaths annually are attributable to dietary factors, placing poor diet ahead of any other risk factor for death in the world.” Given that diet is our leading killer, you’d think that nutrition education would be emphasized during medical school and training, but there is a deficiency. A systematic review found that, “despite the centrality of nutrition to a healthy lifestyle, graduating medical students are not supported through their education to provide high-quality, effective nutrition care to patients…”
It could start in undergrad. What’s more important? Learning about humanity’s leading killer or organic chemistry?
In medical school, students may average only 19 hours of nutrition out of thousands of hours of instruction, and they aren’t even being taught what’s most useful. How many cases of scurvy and beriberi, diseases of dietary deficiency, will they encounter in clinical practice? In contrast, how many of their future patients will be suffering from dietary excesses—obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease? Those are probably a little more common than scurvy or beriberi. “Nevertheless, fully 95% of cardiologists [surveyed] believe that their role includes personally providing patients with at least basic nutrition information,” yet not even one in ten feels they have an “expert” grasp on the subject.
If you look at the clinical guidelines for what we should do for our patients with regard to our number one killer, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, all treatment begins with a healthy lifestyle, as shown below and at 1:50 in my video Hospitals with 100-Percent Plant-Based Menus.
“Yet, how can clinicians put these guidelines into practice without adequate training in nutrition?”
Less than half of medical schools report teaching any nutrition in clinical practice. In fact, they may be effectively teaching anti-nutrition, as “students typically begin medical school with a greater appreciation for the role of nutrition in health than when they leave.” Below and at 2:36 in my video is a figure entitled “Percentage of Medical Students Indicating that Nutrition is Important to Their Careers.” Upon entry to different medical schools, about three-quarters on average felt that nutrition is important to their careers. Smart bunch. Then, after two years of instruction, they were asked the same question, and the numbers plummeted. In fact, at most schools, it fell to 0%. Instead of being educated, they got de-educated. They had the notion that nutrition is important washed right out of their brains. “Thus, preclinical teaching”— the first two years of medical school—“engenders a loss of a sense of the relevance of the applied discipline of nutrition.”
Following medical school, during residency, nutrition education is “minimal or, more typically, absent.” “Major updates” were released in 2018 for residency and fellowship training requirements, and there were zero requirements for nutrition. “So you could have an internal medicine graduate who comes out of a terrific program and has learned nothing—literally nothing—about nutrition.”
“Why is diet not routinely addressed in both medical education and practice already, and what should be done about that?” One of the “reasons for the medical silence in nutrition” is that, “sadly…nutrition takes a back seat…because there are few financial incentives to support it.” What can we do about that? The Food Law and Policy Clinic at Harvard Law School identified a dozen different policy levers at all stages of medical education and the kinds of policy recommendations there could be for the decision-makers, as you can see here and at 3:48 in my video.
For instance, the government could require doctors working for Veterans Affairs (VA) to get at least some courses in nutrition, or we could put questions about nutrition on the board exams so schools would be pressured to teach it. As we are now, even patients who have just had a heart attack aren’t changing their diet. Doctors may not be telling them to do so, and hospitals may be actively undermining their future with the food they serve.
The good news is that the American Medical Association (AMA) has passed a resolution encouraging hospitals to offer healthy food options. What a concept! “Our AMA hereby calls on [U.S.] Health Care Facilities to improve the health of patients, staff, and visitors by: (a) providing a variety of healthy food, including plant-based meals, and meals that are low in saturated and trans fat, sodium, and added sugars; (b) eliminating processed meats from menus; and (c) providing and promoting healthy beverages.” Nice!
“Similarly, in 2018, the State of California mandated the availability of plant-based meals for hospital patients,” and there are hospitals in Gainesville (FL), the Bronx, Manhattan, Denver, and Tampa (FL) that “all provide 100% plant-based meals to their patients on a separate menu and provide educational materials to inpatients to improve education on the role of diet, especially plant-based diets, in chronic illness.”
Let’s check out some of their menu offerings: How about some lentil Bolognese? Or a cauliflower scramble with baked hash browns for breakfast, mushroom ragu for lunch, and, for supper, white bean stew, salad, and fruit for dessert. (This is the first time a hospital menu has ever made me hungry!)
The key to these transformations was “having a physician advocate and increasing education of staff and patients on the benefits of eating more plant-based foods.” A single clinician can spark change in a whole system, because science is on their side. “Doctors have a unique position in society” to influence policy at all levels; it’s about time we used it.
For more on the ingrained ignorance of basic clinical nutrition in medicine, see the related posts below.
The Truth About Toxins’ Impact on Our Health: Summary
In The Truth About Toxins’ Impact on Our Health, Lindsay Dahl, Chief Impact Officer at Ritual and a long-standing environmental health advocate, discusses her journey and work in addressing toxic chemical pollution. The conversation revolves around the necessity of stricter regulations on toxic chemicals in consumer products, emphasizing the significant health risks posed by chemicals like BPA, phthalates, and PFAS found in everyday household items.
Dahl explains her entry into this field, initially focusing on state policy to remove harmful chemicals from children’s products, and highlights her extensive work, which includes helping pass numerous state and federal laws. She also addresses the complexity of scientific debates around toxicology and the challenges posed by misinformation on social media. Dahl advocates for more rigorous third-party testing for supplements and stresses the importance of consumer advocacy in pushing for stronger federal regulations.
Sharing insights from her book ‘Cleaning House: The Fight to Rid Our Homes of Toxic Chemicals,’ she emphasizes actionable steps for listeners, such as choosing toxin-free cookware and mattresses. The podcast underscores the critical need for awareness and proactive measures to limit exposure to harmful chemicals in our everyday environments.
The Truth About Toxins’ Impact on Our Health: Topics
00:00 Welcome to the Health Detective Podcast
01:37 Introducing Today’s Guest: Lindsay Dahl
02:54 Lindsay’s Journey into Environmental Health
05:16 The Impact of Toxic Chemicals
09:05 Corporate Greed and Scientific Debate
15:46 Navigating the Supplement Industry
22:11 Toxic Chemicals in Household Items
23:09 Toxic Flame Retardants in Furniture
23:47 The Impact of PFAS Chemicals
24:22 Choosing Safer Mattresses and Couches
24:59 Understanding Chemical Off-Gassing
26:15 Household Dust and Chemical Exposure
27:04 The Role of Social Media in Health Information
27:55 Navigating Misinformation and Pseudoscience
30:33 The Debate on Seed Oils
34:58 Scientific Consensus and Environmental Health
40:05 Advocating for Stronger Chemical Regulations
42:06 Final Thoughts and Recommendations
Where to Find Lindsay Dahl
Go to our Health Detective Podcasts for more informational and functional health-oriented podcasts like this one.
* This week’s note looks at a classic statin/heart-disease study from 1994 – the Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study (abbreviated to 4S).
* Simvastatin was made by Merck & Co. Merck funded, monitored, presided over and analysed all the data for the 4S study.
* The 4S study recruited 4,444 patients with heart disease. It intended to follow people until total mortality reached 440 deaths.
* The 4S study was the first to claim that statins reduced overall mortality. It was a gamechanger for statin manufacturers.
* This note presents and explains five main criticisms:
1) Conflicts of interest.
2) The study end.
3) The regional allocation.
4) The miracle finding.
5) The small peer group.
* Any one of the criticisms should have undermined the study. The five together should have condemned it and yet it is still being used today, more than 30 years on, to persuade people to take statins.
When it comes to managing diabetes, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Food choices, medication, stress, sleep and movement all play a role — and it can feel like a lot to juggle.
That’s where an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) steps in, not just to tell you what to eat, but to help you understand how food works for your body and empower you to take control of your health with confidence.
Why Dietitians Are Key Players in Diabetes Care
Managing diabetes isn’t just about cutting sugar. Dietitians are trained to translate the science into real-life, practical strategies that fit your lifestyle. Whether you have type 1, type 2 or gestational diabetes, dietitians can help you:
Understand how different foods affect your blood glucose levels
Build balanced meals that keep you full and energised
Manage weight in a sustainable way (if needed)
Optimise carbohydrate quality, quantity, and timing
Improve cholesterol and blood pressure (if needed)
Reduce your risk of long-term complications
It’s Not About Perfection — It’s About Progress
Your dietitian will work alongside your GP, diabetes educator or endocrinologist to ensure your plan fits your medications, blood results and lifestyle. That’s where the magic happens — when nutrition, medicine and mindset all align.
Working with a dietitian often leads to: ✨ More stable blood glucose readings ✨ Improved HbA1c results ✨ More energy and confidence with food choices ✨ Less stress around “what to eat” ✨ Better long-term health outcomes
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If you’ve recently been diagnosed with diabetes or you’re ready to take your management to the next level, connecting with a dietitian can make a world of difference.
At Body Fusion, our experienced dietitians work closely with you to create realistic, flexible plans that fit your lifestyle — helping you feel confident, capable and in control of your health. Contact us today!
Debra, an actor and health coach, discusses her personal health journey that started in her teens due to frequent sickness, depression, and weight issues. She explored various diets, treatments, and alternative health modalities such as chiropractic and acupuncture. Her breakthrough came with Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN) testing, leading her to help others with similar issues.
Debra emphasizes the importance of sleep, hydration, and mental health for individuals like actors and public speakers. She treats actors like athletes, considering the physical and emotional demands of their work. Debra also highlights the challenges of public speaking and shares tips for managing fear and anxiety. She encourages new speakers to focus on authentically sharing their stories rather than striving for perfection.
As a coach, she helps health professionals gain confidence in public speaking by teaching skills like pacing, vocal variety, and mindset. Debra suggests practical techniques like meditation, visualization, and focusing on the audience to overcome nervousness.
Finally, she underscores the importance of community and doing what one loves for overall well-being. Debra’s contact information and books are shared for those interested in her coaching services.
From Stage to Health Coaching: Topics
00:00 The Beginning of Debra Wanger’s Health Journey
01:02 Exploring Alternative Health Solutions
01:30 The Importance of Functional Testing
02:03 Challenges and Realizations
02:43 Empowerment Through Self-Testing
05:02 Becoming a Health Coach
06:39 Balancing Health and Passion
14:03 The Importance of Sleep and Recovery
22:59 The Role of Lab Testing in Health Coaching
25:38 Surprising Lab Results
26:37 Food Sensitivities and Surprises
27:03 Audience Interaction
28:10 The Importance of Public Speaking
29:10 Overcoming Fear of Public Speaking
30:46 Practical Tips for Public Speaking
37:07 Health and Anxiety Connection
42:37 Debra’s Coaching and Resources
44:28 Final Thoughts and Signature Question
Where to Find Debra Wanger
Go to our Health Detective Podcasts for more informational and functional health-oriented podcasts like this one.
There is another reason to avoid palm oil and question the authenticity of extra-virgin olive oil.
The most commonly used vegetable oil in the world today is palm oil. Pick up any package of processed food in a box, bag, bottle, or jar, and the odds are it will have palm oil. Palm oil not only contains the primary cholesterol-raising saturated fat found mostly in meat and dairy, but concerns have been raised about its safety, given the finding that it may contain a potentially toxic chemical contaminant known as 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol, otherwise known as 3-MCPD, which is formed during the heat treatment involved in the refining of vegetable oils. So, these contaminants end up being “widespread in refined vegetable oils and fats and have been detected in vegetable fat-containing products, including infant formulas.”
Although 3-MCPD has been found in all refined vegetable oils, some are worse than others. The lowest levels of the toxic contaminants were found in canola oil, and the highest levels were in palm oil. Based on the available data, this may result in “a significant amount of human exposure,” especially when used to deep-fry salty foods, like french fries. In fact, just five fries could blow through the tolerable daily intake set by the European Food Safety Authority. If you only eat such foods once in a while, it shouldn’t be a problem, but if you’re eating fries every day or so, this could definitely be a health concern.
Because the daily upper limit is based on body weight, particularly high exposure values were calculated for infants who were on formula rather than breast milk, since formula is made from refined oils, which—according to the European Food Safety Authority—may present a health risk. Estimated U.S. infant exposures may be three to four times worse.
If infants don’t get breast milk, “there is basically no alternative to industrially produced infant formula.” As such, the vegetable oil industry needs to find a way to reduce the levels of these contaminants. This is yet another reason that breastfeeding is best whenever possible.
What can adults do to avoid exposure? Since these chemicals are created in the refining process of oils, what about sticking to unrefined oils? Refined oils have up to 32 times the 3-MCPD compared to their unrefined counterparts, but there is an exception: toasted sesame oil. Sesame oil is unrefined; manufacturers just squeeze the sesame seeds. But, because they are squeezing toasted sesame seeds, the 3-MCPD may have come pre-formed.
Virgin oils are, by definition, unrefined. They haven’t been deodorized, the process by which most of the 3-MCPD is formed. In fact, that’s how you can discriminate between the various processing grades of olive oil. If your so-called extra virgin olive oil contains MCPD, then it must have been diluted with some refined olive oil. The ease of adulterating extra virgin olive oil, the difficulty of detection, the economic drivers, and the lack of control measures all contribute to extra virgin olive oil’s susceptibility to fraud. How widespread a problem is it?
Researchers tested 88 bottles labeled as extra virgin olive oil and found that only 33 were found to be authentic. Does it help to stick to the top-selling imported brands of extra virgin olive oil? In that case, 73% of those samples failed. Only about one in four appeared to be genuine, and not a single brand had even half its samples pass the test, as you can see here and at 3:32 in my video 3-MCPD in Refined Cooking Oils.
There is no substitute for human breast milk. We understand this may not be possible for adoptive families or those who use surrogates, though. In those cases, look for a nearby milk bank.
Diabetes runs deep in my family. One thing I’ve noticed about the relatives who live with it: they never let the diagnosis take the flavor or joy out of their meals. They also never let it stop them from getting outside and staying active.
When I began researching blood sugar-friendly meals for myself, most of what I found appeared bland and uninspiring. So, I reached out to a few nutrition experts to learn what blood sugar actually is, what kinds of foods help keep it steady, and how to build meals around that. Then I took a few of their suggestions into the kitchen. Here’s how it went.
What Is Blood Sugar—and Why Does Balancing It Matter?
To understand blood sugar, you first need to understand glucose. “Whenever you eat food containing carbohydrates, those carbs are converted into glucose,” says Maddie Pasquariello, a registered dietitian based in New York City. A rise in blood glucose after eating is completely normal; it’s part of how the body processes energy. From there, glucose can be stored or used for fuel, which comes in handy when you’re out on the trail.
Blood sugar spikes happen. The only way to avoid them would be to cut out carbs altogether—something neither realistic nor recommended. Maintaining blood sugar balance is crucial because allowing it to remain too high for an extended period can lead to serious health issues. “When this happens, it’s because there’s excess energy [the sugar] circulating that has nowhere to go,” says Pasquariello. “This leads to hyperglycemia and type 2 diabetes.”
Ingredients That Balance Blood Sugar
“We want food sources that help slow down how quickly glucose enters the bloodstream,” says Marissa Beck, a registered dietitian based in Seattle, Washington. Fiber, protein, and healthy fats support that process by encouraging steady digestion and absorption, she explains.
Beck recommends fiber-rich foods like beans, legumes, oats, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables—all of which slow digestion and help prevent sharp rises in blood glucose. She also points to proteins such as eggs, fish, lean meats, tofu, and plain Greek yogurt, paired with carbohydrates. These combinations help prevent blood sugar swings. For healthy fats, she turns to nuts, seeds, avocado, olives, and olive oil, which further slow digestion and keep blood sugar stable.
4 Blood Sugar-Friendly Recipes That You Can Bring on Your Next Adventure
While searching for blood sugar-friendly recipes, I sought options that were both exciting and flavorful.
Below, you’ll find a few that I compiled along with my thoughts on how they came out, how they made me feel, and what the experts recommend to make them even more nourishing.
1. Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats with Chia Seeds
Overnight oats made with Greek yogurt, almond milk, pumpkin purée, maple syrup, vanilla extract, chia seeds, and pumpkin pie spice. (Photo: Ashia Aubourg)
I spotted a pumpkin pie overnight oats recipe—an easy, seasonal option from the recipe blog Ambitious Kitchen—and decided to test it as a make-ahead breakfast or trail snack.
Ingredients (makes one serving):
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
¼ cup pumpkin purée
1-2 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup rolled oats
2 teaspoons chia seeds
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Recipe:
In a bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, almond milk, pumpkin purée, vanilla, and maple syrup. Stir in the oats, chia seeds, and pumpkin spice until thoroughly mixed.
Scoop the mixture into a sealable jar or container and store it in the fridge overnight, or for at least four hours.
“This is a solid blood sugar-friendly breakfast that hits on all the spots when it comes to blood sugar regulation,” says Beck. “It contains about eight grams of protein from the Greek yogurt and chia seeds, as well as nearly ten grams of fiber from the oats, pumpkin, and chia.”
Worried about the maple syrup? Beck explains that pairing it with fiber and protein helps prevent a sharp blood sugar spike, unlike eating it alongside low-fiber, low-protein foods.
For extra protein and crunch, Pasquariello suggests topping these pumpkin pie overnight oats with pumpkin seeds or pecans.
The Verdict: Filling and Tastes Like Dessert
As fall settles in, I find myself wanting to reach for more pumpkin-centric recipes. These dessert-inspired overnight oats come together in five minutes, and the fridge takes care of the rest. The texture hits that perfect middle ground: creamy, with a pudding-like texture thanks to the chia seeds and oats. I topped mine with a scoop of Greek yogurt and a handful of pecans for extra protein. Packed in a mason jar, it made for an easy, trail-ready breakfast that kept me full and fueled for hours.
2. Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
Muffins made with bananas, Greek yogurt, eggs, oat milk, peanut butter, vanilla extract, brown sugar, oat flour, spices, and chocolate chips. (Photo: Ashia Aubourg)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cupcake pan with muffin cups.
In a large bowl, mix the mashed banana, eggs, Greek yogurt, peanut butter, oat milk, and vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, mix the oat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and cinnamon. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Scoop the batter into the liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the muffin tops spring back when pressed.
Greek yogurt, peanut butter, and eggs provide protein, as well as healthy fats. Snacking on two of these muffins while you’re on the go will help slow your digestion and allow your body to release glucose gradually, says Beck. Oat flour and banana also contribute fiber, she adds.
The Verdict: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups—but in Muffin Form
As someone who loves Reese’s cups, I couldn’t get over how well the peanut butter and chocolate flavors came through in these muffins. However, I must admit that I had some concerns about the sugar content in the recipe. Speaking with Pasquariello helped calm those nerves. She emphasized not overthinking the idea of “healthifying” recipes for blood sugar stability. If the meal feels incomplete, she mentioned that you can pair it with other nourishing sides. In this case, I followed her advice and added a side of Greek yogurt for extra protein and some strawberries for a fiber boost. I felt fully satiated eating this before a hike and didn’t crash when the inclines approached.
3. Black Eyed Pea Hummus
Hummus made with black eyed peas, garlic, tahini, berbere, lemon juice, olive oil, and spices. (Photo: Ashia Aubourg)
I started following Wendy Lopez and Jessica Jones of Food Heaven Made Easy when I began my journey of developing a healthier relationship with food. So, while researching recipes for this story, I turned to them, knowing they’d deliver something delicious. Enter: black eyed pea hummus.
Ingredients (makes two servings):
1 (15-ounce) can or 1 1/2 cups cooked black eyed peas
Olive oil, toasted sesame seeds, paprika, chili powder, or berbere, and fresh parsley to add as toppings
Recipe:
Add the black eyed peas to a food processor and pulse for a few seconds.
Toss in the garlic, berbere, lemon juice, salt, and two ice cubes. Continue pulsing for 3 to 4 minutes, until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy and the ice is fully blended. Taste and adjust the salt if needed.
Spoon the hummus into a container, drizzle it with olive oil, and top it with toasted sesame seeds, paprika, chili powder, or more berbere, and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
Beck is a fan of this recipe. “It’s high in fiber and plant-based protein, which naturally supports blood glucose,” she says. One cup of black-eyed peas contains 16 grams of protein, and this recipe uses nearly two cups. (Because this recipe makes two servings, you’ll get eight grams of protein in just one serving.)
For a simple fiber boost, serve the black-eyed pea hummus with crudités, such as carrot or celery sticks, says Pasquariello.
The Verdict: Creamy and Smoky
I ended up eating the whole thing by myself before my hike even wrapped up. Sure, it’s technically enough for two, but it’s so good you probably won’t want to share. Creamy and smooth, it’s perfect with crackers or crunchy veggie sticks. I tossed it into a container for the trail, but if you’re going to be out for a while, pack it in an insulated bowl to keep it cool.
4. Egg Salad with Green Olives, Celery, and Parsley
Egg salad made with boiled eggs, scallions, celery, olives, parsley, olive oil, and spices. (Photo: Ashia Aubourg)
My recipe box in my New York Times app is flooded with tons of ideas. For weeks, I’d been eyeing their egg salad recipes. Because high-protein, high-fiber foods help stabilize blood sugar, I picked this one to try.
Ingredients (makes one serving):
4 large eggs (hard-boiled)
¼ cup scallions (thinly sliced)
¼ cup celery (thinly sliced)
½ cup green olives (roughly chopped)
½ cup flat-leaf parsley (roughly chopped)
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper (to taste)
2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Recipe:
Chop the boiled eggs and drop them into a medium bowl.
Add scallions, celery, green olives, flat-leaf parsley, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and olive oil.
Toss to combine, then gently mash the eggs with a fork to break them up without losing texture.
This recipe provides a generous amount of protein and fat, which helps stabilize blood sugar, according to Beck. The olive oil brings in a solid dose of healthy fat, and the veggies add a nice amount of fiber, she says. To boost the fiber even more, you can turn it into a sandwich and serve it on whole-grain bread, she adds.
The Verdict: A Little Spicy and Satiating
Even with cooler weather rolling in, I still want trail foods that feel light but satisfying. This egg salad nails it. I ate it on its own and felt completely full without that weighed-down feeling. The spicy scallions and fragrant parsley add a kick, while the olives bring tang, and the red pepper flakes offer just the right amount of heat. It travels well, too; pack it in an insulated container to keep it cool on the road.
Just like the others I tested, this recipe relies on simple ingredients, great flavor, and offers steady, lasting energy. Turns out, you don’t have to sacrifice the foods you love to keep blood sugar stable.
We had the pleasure of talking with Ronnie Penn about his military service, his work as a chef and a coach, and what Veterans Day means to him. We hope you enjoy this interview.
Thank you for your service, Ronnie. We’re honored to speak with you today. Can you start by sharing a bit about your background? What inspired you to enlist, and when did your military journey begin?
I grew up wanting to serve something bigger than myself, and the Marine Corps gave me that opportunity. I enlisted in 2004 and deployed to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom and to Afghanistan from 2012 to 2014. Later, I served in the Coast Guard as a chef, which opened a whole new chapter in how I looked deeper into nutrition. Service taught me discipline, resilience, and the importance of teamwork—qualities I carry into everything I do today.
How did your time in the military shape who you are today? Is there anything in particular about your service that you would like to share?
The military taught me to stay calm under pressure and adapt quickly. Whether it was on deployment overseas or working with my shipmates in the galley, I learned how much impact food, mindset, and discipline can have on performance and morale. Those lessons shaped who I am now—not only as a veteran, but also as a coach who helps others take control of their health.
Were there any habits or disciplines from your military experience that helped in your transition to plant-based living or in your work today as a coach?
Two habits stuck with me: structure and accountability. In the Marines, every detail mattered. That same mindset helps me stick to meal prep, training schedules, and coaching clients. It also made the transition to plant-based eating easier because I was already used to planning ahead and being intentional about what I put into my body.
You’ve spoken about health issues that arose during competition prep, which ultimately led you to switch to a plant-based diet. What symptoms were you experiencing at the time, and what physical or medical changes did you notice after the transition?
When I was competing in bodybuilding, I pushed my body hard—lots of animal protein, supplements, and restrictive dieting. Over time, I developed digestive issues and constant fatigue. Switching to a whole food, plant-based diet changed everything. My digestion improved, and my energy came back. It was eye-opening to see how quickly the body can heal when you give it the right fuel.
Did you encounter any challenges accessing or preparing plant-based foods during active service? How did you make it work in that environment?
Back then, plant-based options were limited, especially on deployment. I loaded up on oatmeal, beans, rice, fruits, and vegetables whenever I could, and I had to get creative, too. I learned how to make simple meals with what was available, and that creativity carried into my role as a chef in the Coast Guard.
Were there any particularly memorable reactions from your shipmates or peers when you introduced them to plant-based meals as a chef in the Coast Guard?
At first, my shipmates were skeptical. But once I started cooking hearty meals, like lentil stews, veggie burritos, or black bean burgers, they were surprised by how satisfying plant-based food could be. I still remember one crew member saying, “I didn’t even miss the meat.” Moments like that showed me how powerful food can be in changing perceptions.
You’ve become a vocal advocate for plant-based eating in high-performance settings. Are there any particular studies or sources that informed or reinforced your choices?
The work of Dr. Greger and NutritionFacts.org has had a huge impact on me. I also leaned on research from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) and books like The China Study. Seeing the science laid out gave me confidence that a plant-based diet wasn’t just personal preference; it was evidence-based. Also, the Netflix documentaries What the Health and Forks Over Knives were also extremely effective influences.
In your opinion, how can education about preparing whole plant foods be a path forward for people to achieve better health?
Education is the key. When people learn how to prepare whole plant foods in simple, tasty ways, it removes the intimidation factor. Once they see how it can lower blood pressure, improve energy, and even prevent chronic disease, it clicks. Food literacy is one of the most powerful tools we have for better health.
Please tell us about your online personal training program and app. What inspired you to start these projects, and how do they help you reach more people with your message?
I started my online fitness coaching because I wanted to reach people beyond the gym. Not everyone can afford a trainer, but most people have a smartphone. Through my training app, I provide meal plans, workout routines, and a grocery list with accountability check-ins. It’s a way to scale what I do—helping people take small, daily steps toward a healthier life.
Lastly, what does Veterans Day mean to you? Is there anything you would like to share with your fellow veterans?
Veterans Day is a moment of reflection for me. It’s about honoring the sacrifices of those who served, as well as reminding myself to live in a way that makes that service meaningful. I want to encourage other veterans to take care of themselves, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally, too. We served our country; now it’s time to serve ourselves by living healthy and purposeful lives.
To learn more about Ronnie, visit his website: https://www.ronniepenn.com/
In You Can Save Your Thyroid, host Evan Transue (Detective Ev) interviews Dr. Eric Osansky, a chiropractor and certified functional medicine practitioner. Dr. Osansky specializes in helping individuals with thyroid and autoimmune thyroid conditions, focusing particularly on Graves’ Disease. Highlighting his personal battle with Graves’ Disease since 2007, Dr. Osansky shares how natural treatments significantly improved his condition and motivated him to assist others similarly. The discussion covers the stark differences and common misconceptions between Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, the importance of stress management, and the efficacy of natural treatment protocols.
Dr. Osansky emphasizes the role of lifestyle changes, highlighting diet and stress management as crucial elements in managing autoimmune conditions. He discusses the benefits of comprehensive adrenal and gastrointestinal testing, stressing adrenal health as a key focus due to its link to stress, a significant exacerbator of autoimmune conditions. He notes common lab findings, such as the prevalence of H. Pylori in Graves’ patients, and underscores the importance of personalized treatment plans. Dr. Osansky’s holistic approach includes avoiding inflammatory foods like gluten and incorporating functional lab testing to tailor individualized care plans.
Listener queries include topics like the nature of tremors associated with Graves’ Disease and the significance of gluten sensitivity. Concluding, Dr. Osansky encourages proper stress management and adequate sleep as foundational practices for both recovery and maintaining wellness. The episode calls on the audience to promote alternative health options for autoimmune diseases, advocating for patient awareness and informed decision-making.
You Can Save Your Thyroid: Topics
00:00 Welcome to the Health Detective Podcast
00:33 Introducing Today’s Special Guest: Dr. Eric Osansky
01:34 Understanding Graves’ Disease
02:33 Dr. Osansky’s Personal Health Journey
04:06 Defining Graves’ Disease
05:59 Natural Approaches to Managing Graves’ Disease
07:56 The Role of Diet and Lifestyle in Autoimmune Conditions
17:43 The Importance of Gluten-Free Diets for Thyroid Health
23:49 Functional Lab Testing for Autoimmune Conditions
25:05 Pros and Cons of Testing
25:40 Discussion on GI MAP and Stool Tests
26:10 Thyroid Autoimmune Conditions and Patterns
27:58 H. Pylori and Autoimmune Conditions
29:22 Importance of Adrenal Testing
36:26 Managing Stress and Health
39:40 Client Success Stories
42:26 Final Thoughts and Contact Information
Where to Find Dr. Eric Osansky
Go to our Health Detective Podcasts for more informational and functional health-oriented podcasts like this one.
In this episode, Zoë chats with Sam Feltham, a prominent figure in the health and fitness industry, about his journey from personal trainer to public health advocate. They discuss Sam’s overfeeding experiments that challenge traditional calorie theories, the establishment of the Public Health Collaboration (PHC), and its ambitious goals to reverse diabetes and address food addiction. The conversation also touches on the challenges faced in engaging with the NHS, the broader implications of diet on mental health and cancer, and the future aspirations for the PHC.
We know you’re not just looking at FDN. And honestly? That’s smart.
With over 25 functional health programs out there charging anywhere from $2,000 to $17,000, you should absolutely do your homework before investing in any certification. We’ve been in this space for 15+ years, and we’ve seen too many people make expensive mistakes by choosing based on slick marketing and pricing rather than what actually fits their goals.
We obviously think FDN is a great choice (we wouldn’t be doing this otherwise), but we also know it’s not right for everyone. Maybe you don’t need lab access. Maybe you’re more interested in general wellness coaching. Maybe you’re a licensed professional who needs something different entirely.
So here’s our honest take on the major programs out there – including what FDN does well, what we don’t do, and when you might want to look elsewhere. Because at the end of the day, we’d rather you choose the right program for your situation than choose us for the wrong reasons.
Your certification choice determines who you can help, what you can charge, and whether you’ll actually get results for people. Let’s make sure you get it right.
Red Flags That Should Make You Run
Okay, before we get into the weeds, can we talk about the red flags? We’ve seen too many people get burned by these warning signs:
Get-rich claims: “$10K in your first month,” countdown timers, pressure tactics.
Opaque scope: Vague about what you can legally do or how labs are accessed.
Hidden costs: Surprise fees for exams, labs, or “graduation packages.”
No post-grad support: No mentorship, case review, or business help.
Instructor credibility: Limited proof of real-world practice.
What Do You Actually Want to Do?
Here’s the thing – most people choose based on what sounds impressive rather than what they actually want to do every day. Let’s get real about this.
You’re fascinated by figuring out why someone feels terrible when their doctor says “everything’s normal.” You want to dig into lab results and create targeted protocols for specific health issues.
This is for people who genuinely enjoy technical stuff and don’t mind ongoing education
Fair warning: it requires comfort with complexity and dedication to learning
Maybe help family and friends, but your primary goal is understanding your own issues.
Honestly? You might not need a full certification program, maybe you could work with a practitioner
You will need to be willing to put the work in and learn new principles
The Lab Access Reality (This Is Important)
Many programs teach lab theory without giving you a compliant path to order tests or integrate results into care. That’s like learning to drive without keys.
Your realistic paths are:
You hold a medical license: You can order most labs directly within scope.
Medical director model: Some programs enable non-licensed practitioners to order a defined menu of tests through a medical director.
Referral partnership: Work with licensed providers or lab companies that order on your client’s behalf.
Education only: You learn interpretation concepts but cannot order labs.
Always verify what “lab access” means in practice, including where you live.
Let’s Talk Money (Because Everyone’s Thinking It)
Income varies widely and depends more on offer design, pricing, and marketing than credentials. Factors that move results: clear niche, premium packaging, a repeatable method, referral systems, and sold-out calendars. Treat any income examples as case studies, not guarantees.
Here’s what has been shown:
New health coaches: Usually $30,000-50,000 if they’re actually making it work
Experienced wellness coaches: $50,000-75,000 for those who’ve figured out marketing
Functional practitioners with lab access: $75,000-150,000+ is possible, but not guaranteed
Licensed professionals: Totally depends on whether you’re stuck in insurance land or can go cash-pay
Look, you can have the best education in the world, but if you can’t actually apply it or market yourself, you’re going to struggle. Business and marketing skills often matter more than which letters come after your name. Our hot take…the letters don’t matter to your client, the ability to get results does.
The Programs (Honest Analysis)
For People Who Already Have Medical Licenses
Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM)
Cost: $13,000-17,000
Time: 1-3 years if you want to do it right
What it does well: If you want other doctors to take you seriously, this is still the gold standard. Hospitals know this certification, and that matters if you’re trying to work within the medical system. The curriculum is solid too – they actually keep up with new research instead of teaching outdated protocols.
What’s challenging: Significant investment in both time and money, and might be overkill if you’re not in a clinical setting.
Who should consider this: Licensed practitioners who want credibility with medical colleagues and have the budget for the investment.
Kresser Institute ADAPT
Cost: Premium pricing in the $12,000-15,000 range
Time: 12-month intensive
What it does well:The cohort model is actually pretty smart – you learn with a small group and get real accountability. Chris Kresser knows his stuff, and they use real patient cases instead of theoretical nonsense. The ancestral health angle is unique if that’s your thing.
What’s challenging: It’s seriously time-intensive and assumes you already have an active practice to work with.
Who should consider this: Licensed practitioners who want intensive, hands-on training and are into the ancestral health approach.
For Non-Licensed People Who Want Lab Access
This is where it gets interesting, because most programs in this category are selling you half a solution.
Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN)
Cost: $11,497 (choose from payment plans starting at $590/month)
Time: 4-10 months with actual mentorship
What it does well: One of the few programs that provide lab ordering capability for non-licensed practitioners through a medical director model. Not just education about labs – actual access through our Medical Director Program for you and all your clients. You run 5 functional labs on yourself during training, which gives you real experience as well as building your own health. Protocols included are well-taught, all natural, drug free “lifestyle medicine” solutions you get to start on yourself. The mentorship is comprehensive – 12 one-on-one sessions with practitioners who’ve actually worked with clients and have unparalleled clinical experience. FDN is well-known for ongoing support during (and after) the certification period. Time-honored, proven methodology allows you to niche with any client type, no matter their complaints – you have a repeatable system that works and gives you the ability to identify multiple healing opportunities and rebuild health. The strongest alumni in the business.
What’s challenging: We teach a strong foundational approach using five core functional labs and all the science that goes with them, then offer advanced courses (like Organic Acids testing) to expand from there. Some people may prefer a broader range of labs upfront. The business training is specific to implementing FDN – onboarding secrets, pricing, package creation, and how-to build referral-based practices – which may be unnecessary if you’re adding to an existing practice that already has these systems in place. Also, you actually have to earn your certification through an examination process – this isn’t a program where you just check boxes and get a certificate. You’ll need to demonstrate competency to receive your credentials.
Who should consider this: You want to actually run labs on clients (not just talk about them), you appreciate having a proven methodology and large community of peers, you’re willing to put in the work to truly earn your certification, and you’re serious about building a results-driven practice.
Integrative Health Practitioner (IHP)
Cost: $4,727 total (split into two payments for Level 1 and Level 2)
Time: 6 months, self-paced
What it does well:: Open to self healers, career-changers and health pros who want a solid foundation plus real-world tools. Modern learning platform and they let you integrate different approaches instead of requiring one methodology. Good for people who want flexibility to create their own style.
What’s challenging: No actual lab ordering capability (just education), newer program with a less established track record, and you’re mostly on your own without personal mentorship.
Who should consider this: Self-directed learners who want flexibility in their approach or want an accessible entry into health coaching with a path to lab education.
Institute of Restorative Health (previously Restorative Wellness Solutions (RWS)
Cost: $17,000 total (4 courses)
Time: 2 years
What it does well: It teaches deep, hands-on mastery of functional lab interpretation. You progress through gut, hormones, blood chemistry, and then clinical mastery. Expect live classes, real case reviews, and a tight-knit cohort. This is less about basic coaching and more about sharpening clinical thinking so you can solve complex cases.
What’s challenging: Not designed for beginners, business building, or lab-ordering access. Focus is interpretation, not practice setup.
Who should consider this: Experienced nutrition and functional practitioners who want to sharpen clinical thinking and handle complex cases.
For General Health Coaching
Functional Medicine Coaching Academy (FMCA)
Cost: $9,779
Time: 12 months
What it does well: The IFM partnership gives it credibility, and they actually teach sophisticated coaching skills, not just nutrition basics. Good for building long-term client relationships.
What’s challenging: Substantial investment for a coaching program, you’re still not getting hands-on lab experience and the practical implementation on the nutrition side is secondary to coaching.
Who should consider this: Coaches who want functional medicine knowledge with advanced communication and relationship skills.
Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN)
Cost: $5,500-6,795
Time: 6-12 months
What it does well: Huge alumni network, comprehensive business training, and exposure to tons of different approaches. Good brand recognition in the wellness world. Good prep if you want to work in a doctor’s office under their direction.
What’s challenging: Very broad approach with limited depth, super competitive graduate market, and pretty generic training. You need to pay an additional fee to get access to new and updated materials.
Who should consider this: Career changers who want a solid health, wellness education and business foundation who don’t mind working under a practitioner’s orders.
Budget-Friendly Options Worth Considering
Functional Medicine University (FMU)
Cost: $4,895
Time: 6-12 months, self-paced
What it does well: Symptom based testing. Looking for organ issues and disease processes, i.e. Cardio-vasuclar disease, kidney disease.Solid structured foundational self-paced program covering practical functional medicine skills and focuses on functional medicine topics that you can apply in your clinic. It provides lifetime access to materials, and legitimate expert faculty.
What’s challenging: Does not support the Chiropractic model of Whole-Being Care. More of a “this for that” protocol. Support comes at an additional charge,, no hands-on components, and lack of practical application to incorporate functional medicine into your practice. Focus is on diagnosis and alternative treatment.
Who should consider this: Self-motivated learners, for the clinician looking to incorporate the allopathic “this for that” model to their practice. It’s popular with chiropractors, naturopaths, physicians, nurses, and nutrition professionals. Provides a solid education.
Food Matters Institute
What it does well: Very affordable, holistic wellness approach, and global accessibility. Beginner-friendly nutrition certification with ten modules taught by multiple experts. Mix of fundamentals, applied coaching, and light business training, with global recognition options.
What’s challenging: More philosophy-focused than practical, limited clinical applications, an introduction program.
Who should consider this: Personal interest learners or those focused on wellness education rather than clinical practice.
How to Actually Make This Decision
Step 1: Get honest about your goals
What do you actually want to do every day? Who do you want to help? What’s your real budget and time situation?
Step 2: Face reality about your situation
Do you have existing licenses? What’s your experience level? Do you need lab access or just education?
Step 3: Do your homework
Don’t just take marketing claims at face value. Talk to recent graduates (not just the success stories they highlight). Understand total costs including ongoing fees.
Step 4: Check your local situation
Research what you can legally do in your state, understand your local market, and verify program availability where you live.
Questions Everyone Asks
Can I actually practice without a medical license? Yes, within limits that vary by state. Health coaches can provide education and lifestyle guidance but can’t diagnose or treat medical conditions. The gray areas are where people get in trouble.
How do I know if lab access claims are real? Contact programs directly, ask about their process and order process. Don’t just trust marketing materials.
What if I pick wrong? Honestly? Many successful practitioners end up taking multiple courses over time. Start with something that matches your immediate goals, then add specialized training later. Many people choose budget first and end up paying more doing multiple programs to achieve the skills they need to meet their goals.
Do credentials actually matter? Clients care more about results than letters after your name, it shouldn’t be the reason you choose a program but some credentials provide legal protection and professional credibility that matter for your business.
Our Bottom Line
We’re going to be honest – some of these programs are genuinely better than others for most people. Yes, it depends on your situation, but there are clear winners here.
Need lab use without a license: Shortlist programs that provide a compliant medical-director path and hands-on lab practice.
Primarily want coaching: Choose a credible coaching program; don’t pay for clinical tools you can’t use.
Licensed clinicians: Consider clinical depth, CME, and how it fits your practice model.
Always validate: Pricing, lab access mechanisms, scope of practice, and time commitments change—confirm before enrolling.
Most importantly, choose based on what you actually want to do day-to-day, not what sounds most impressive. Your clients want results, not credentials.
Take your time with this decision. Talk to people who’ve actually been through these programs (not just the ones featured in testimonials). The functional health field needs more practitioners who can get real results – figure out which path actually prepares you for the practice you want to build.
Not sure which program fits?
Review our guide to choosing the best health coaching & health practitioner program training.
