Description: On today’s show, Elle speaks with Dr. Gary Foresman, esteemed MD and integrative medicine specialist. After serving as a traditional physician and teaching as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California Irvine, he became dissatisfied with the shortcomings of established Western medical treatments to effectively treat many of his patients. Determined to help his patients, he began investigating alternative therapies and has expanded his training in many systems of healing, including Ayurveda, meditation, stress management, massage, as well as botanical, orthomolecular and functional medicine systems.

Elle and Dr. Foresman discuss topics ranging from the frustrations with traditional Western medicine, sugar consumption’s relation to cancer, anti-aging hormones, psychotherapy, useful blood tests everyone could benefit from, and more! So sit back, relax, and dive into today’s commentary on the benefits of integrative medicine.

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Show Notes:

• Dr. Foresman’s clinical practice includes Internal and Integrative medicine as well as alternative therapies and nutritional information. Many doctors do not have this expansive practice. [00:02:14]
• He focuses on the patient’s lifestyle—something that, unfortunately, is far too unique in the medical community. [00:04:49]
• It is important for the patient to be involved in his or her own medical care, not just rely on the doctor. [00:06:10]
• How did he go from advocating standard nutrition to the primal/paleo life? [00:08:35]
• Do symptoms disappear if you eat paleo for three weeks? [00:12:08]
• What is a good example of a patient who had drastic change after taking up the paleo/primal life? [00:15:30]
• Many doctors have not grown in their knowledge from the old conventional medical wisdom. [00:17:52]
• How does Dr. Foresman, as a part of the medical community, deal with the misinformation that many people in medicine are putting out? [00:19:58]
• What is integrative medicine? Why don’t more doctors explore the lifestyle of patients instead of the current physical complaint the patient brings in? [00:22:57]
• What role does one’s diet and sugar consumption have to play with cancer? [00:26:06]
• Is there anything necessary for human nutrition that is found in grains? [00:34:03]
• What can we learn from blood tests? If a person feels and looks healthy, can there be a hidden problem? [00:38:19]
• Do many mainstream doctors search for underlying causes or merely treat symptoms? [00:46:07]
• Are all doctors egotistical and patronizing? [00:49:11]
• What about optimal blood values versus range? What about iron levels? [00:54:27]
• Is Vitamin D important? What should be the level on a blood test? (Between 70 and 90) [00:59:06]
• Does the paleo diet really improve cholesterol readings? [01:02:49]
• How does stress affect adrenal function? How do you test for it? [01:06:54]
• What about anti-aging hormones like DHEA? [01:11:58]
• Does progesterone help with the sexual problems? [01:14:06]
• How would a listener find a doctor whose practice is similar to Dr. Foresman? [01:15:10]
• Human beings have incredible depth.  People need to ask more questions and use all their senses to heal. [01:16:59]
• People don’t laugh enough. People don’t touch enough. Be true to yourself. [01:19:04]
• Why is psychotherapy important for everyone? [01:20:26]
• How familial stories are passed down and become a part of us in ways we are unaware. [01:22:13]
• Many people identify with their disease. [01:23:44]
• People need to take responsibility for their health but not feel blamed. [01:25:26]

Selected Links from the Episode:
Sarah Ballantyne
DHEA Hormone
Ferritin
Dr. Gary Foresman
Middle Path Medicine
The Paleo Approach
Mark Sisson
PrimalBlueprint.com

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Enjoy a special promotion from this episode’s sponsor: DNAFit.com. Click here and enter the code PRIMALBLUEPRINT at checkout for a whopping 30% off your own personal genetic test!