The Mind-Gut Conversation Podcast

In this episode of the Mind-Gut Conversation Podcast, I have the great pleasure to talk to Dr. Douglas Drossman, a board-certified gastroenterologist, pioneer of the IBS field, and author of several seminal books about disorders of gut brain interactions: 1) Gut Feelings - Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction 2) Patient - Doctor Relationship: A Guide for Patients and Doctors Dr. Drossman is a board-certified gastroenterologist and his name is synonymous with the Rome Foundation, an organization which has brought international recognition to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and a list of closely related so-called functional GI disorders, a long neglected field in Medicine and Gastroenterology, which are now part of the new subspecialty called Neurogastroenterology.  The Rome Foundation has created a thriving community of healthcare providers interested in different aspects of altered gut-brain interaction, including dietary and psychological treatments. As the Founder and long time President of the Rome Foundation, author of some 280 scientific manuscripts, and passionate promoter of the importance of therapeutic physician-patient interactions, Dr. Drossman was not only a pioneer, but has also had a major long-lasting influence on the field. Amongst many other topics, in this interview we address several important questions, including the following: 1. With the creation of the Rome Foundation process, you have revolutionized the entire field of IBS. Which component (patient education, physician education, disease classification) has been most important in this accomplishment? 2. What is your view on a unifying model of the entire spectrum of brain-gut disorders which manifest in different forms depending on environmental influences, the so-called “exposome” (psychosocial, diet, early life experiences, infections)? 3. Looking back, I am still amazed that it has taken some 40 years from the original view of IBS as a gut and motility disorder (many still share this view) to a disorder of gut brain interactions. Your comment? 4. Looking at a crystal ball, how do you think the view will evolve during the next decade?

Welcome to the latest edition of the Mind Gut Conversation podcast. In this episode, I talk with Dr. Sharon Horesh Bergquist, a Harvard-trained, nationally recognized lifestyle medicine pioneer.  Dr. Bergquist is the Pam R. Rollins Professor of Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine, as well as founder and director of Emory Lifestyle Medicine & Wellness. She is an advocate for advancing healthcare by integrating lifestyle medicine, resiliency, and prevention-based science into clinical care.  She has contributed to numerous health segments, is the host of The Whole Health Cure podcast, and author of the upcoming book Plantology: a cookbook based on the science of plant-based eating.   In this conversation, we discuss a wide range of topics related to her holistic approach to health and disease, including:  • Her unusual career path from mainstream medicine to a new way of healthcare emphasizing prevention and lifestyle changes.  • Her particular interest in the role of nutrition in health.  • Her new book, Plantology.   Enjoy!   Rather watch this episode? Check it out on YouTube here!   Follow Dr. Mayer: https://linktr.ee/emayer

In this latest episode of the MGC podcast, I talk to Dr. Steve Cole, a senior faculty member at UCLA who has created one of the most fascinating approaches to study mind body interactions at the molecular level. He has authored more than 200 scientific publications in high impact journals and is considered the father of a new scientific discipline called Social Genomics.    His extensive body of work provides a new revolutionary understanding of the bidirectional interactions between our genome, our body and the environment we live in.  Dr. Cole is a Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry in the UCLA School of Medicine where he studies the molecular pathways by which social environments influence gene expression by viral, cancer, and immune cell genomes.    In this podcast, I talk to him about a wide range of topics which are profoundly influenced by Social Genomics, including:   • How our bodies are continuously influenced by the influence of our social interactions.  • How our genes are influenced by our state of mind.  • Which strategies we can use to take advantage of the plasticity of gene expression to improve our health.  • The two different forms of happiness.  • The future of healthcare. Enjoy!   Rather watch this episode? Check it out on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_UjkZq7_TIc Follow Dr. Mayer: https://linktr.ee/emayer

In this latest episode of the Mind Gut Conversation podcast, I talk to Dr. Kerry Wangen, a psychiatrist in clinical practice, with a longtime experience in working with trauma patients in the VA Healthcare system. Dr. Wangen is an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California in Irvine and UC Riverside and currently provides psychiatric care via telehealth. Her approach to patients is based on a unique holistic view of mind and body, incorporating biological, pharmaceutical, contemplative, and spiritual dimensions.  In this podcast, I talk to her about here integrative approach to psychiatry and what impact it has on the treatment of common psychiatric conditions, like depression and anxiety. Here are just some of the topics we address:   1. How her career path to become a psychiatrist was influenced by an interest in the role of brain gut interactions.   2. How she has incorporated  contemplative practices and Buddhist principles in particular different forms of meditation, empathy, and compassion in her treatment approach to psychiatric disorders.      3. What role will psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy play in clinical psychiatry in the future?   4. Her view of the intriguing analogy between ancient healing traditions, like Ayurvedic Medicine and the Chakra system and the emerging new concepts about the interconnectedness of different organs with the brain. Rather watch this episode? Check it out on YouTube here!   Follow Dr. Mayer here!

In this episode of the Mind-Gut Conversation podcast, I talk to Dr. Aviva Romm. Physician, midwife, herbalist, and prolific author. Dr Romm has published 7 books, and offers online courses for both healthcare professionals and patients on a variety of topics, including functional and integrative medicine, gut health and herbal medicine.   In this podcast, I talk to her about her unique career path, the main lessons from her latest book Hormone Intelligence and about her emphasis on women’s health. Here are just some of the topics we address:   1. Her remarkable career path from midwife, herbalist, physician, and bestselling author.  2. Why a better understanding of hormonal imbalances is essential for more effective treatments for women’s health problems.  3. How she incorporates the influences of the external and internal ecosystems on the body and mind in her treatments.  4. How the traditional medical system ignores some of the most important aspects of women’s health.  5. In which way she sees health and medicine in a different way than a lot of doctors.  6. What role the gut microbiome plays in the regulation of estrogen levels in our body.   Rather watch this episode? Check it out on YouTube here! Follow Dr. Mayer by clicking here!

Dr. Drew Ramsey, a psychiatrist, author, and farmer, discusses the field of nutritional psychiatry and its impact on mental health. Topics include the benefits of specific nutrients, the role of diet in psychiatric diseases, and foods that are key to brain health. The podcast also explores holistic approaches to mental health, the rising interest in psychedelics and cannabinoids, and the importance of active participation and connections for overall well-being.

In this latest edition of the Mind Gut Conversation Podcast, I have the great pleasure to talk to Dr. Miguel Freitas, Vice President of Scientific Affairs at Danone, as well as expert in microbiology, nutrition, and cell biology. Dr. Freitas has had a career long interest in scientific and practical aspects on the complex interaction between probiotics, the gut, and the microbiota. Through his work at Danone, he has helped the global food and beverage company to translate the growing body of evidence on different probiotic strains into a range of popular consumer products. Amongst many other topics we discuss in this interview such questions as: 1. With so many products on the market related to fermented foods or supplements of probiotics, how can the average consumer decide which products have a true health benefit? 2. Some products make claims that they improve “gut health”, “general wellness” or “digestive wellness”, others make even claims about “improving cognitive function”, or “slowing of cognitive decline”. How credible are these claims? 3. For products such as yogurts, drinks, and snacks, taste may be most important to the consumer, rather than the scientific evidence for a health benefit. In your opinion, what are the 3 main criteria that influence consumers’ selection of a particular product? Rather watch this episode? Check it out on YouTube here. Follow Dr. Mayer: https://linktr.ee/emayer

In this episode of the Mind Gut Conversation Podcast, I had the great pleasure to talk to Dr. Uma Naidoo, a board-certified psychiatrist at the Mass General Hospital at Harvard, professional chef, and nutrition specialist, who amongst many other accomplishments is the author of the recent book: This Is Your Brain On Food, an amazing look into the new world of nutritional psychiatry.    Dr. Naidoo is currently the Director of Nutritional and Metabolic Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital,  where she consults on nutritional interventions for the psychiatrically and medically ill. She is also Director of Nutritional Psychiatry at the Massachusetts General Hospital Academy, in private practice and teaches at The Cambridge School of Culinary Arts.    Dr. Naidoo blogs for Harvard Health and Psychology Today and has just completed a unique video cooking series for the MGH Academy, which teaches nutritional psychiatry using culinary techniques in the kitchen.   If you haven't heard or seen her speak in several recent podcasts, the current MGC podcast is a must see/hear piece of information of the new and rapidly growing field of nutritional psychiatry.      Amongst many other topics, we discuss the following questions:   1. Can food really influence our mental health?    2. Is the Standard American Diet really contributing to our current mental health crisis, including the increase in suicide rates?  3. Is it the SAD in general, or are there specific items that are responsible for the reported bad effects on our health?  4. How much do lifestyle factors associated with health eating patterns, like the traditional Mediterranean diet, such as social interactions and mindfulness contribute to the health benefits of such diets?   Rather watch this episode? Check it out on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/oM78bUS3Lq4 Check out Dr. Naidoo's website here: https://umanaidoomd.com/   Follow Dr. Mayer: https://linktr.ee/emayer

In this episode of the MGC podcast, I talk to husband and wife bestselling writing team Dr. David Montgomery and Dr. Anne Bikle, co-authors of the new book, WHAT YOUR FOOD ATE: How to heal our land and reclaim our health.   I talk to them about their amazing book, and discuss some crucial questions about where our food comes from, in which soil it has been grown and what this has to do not only with the plants’ but with our own health.   • What is the main problem with our food supply?  • What impact do the changes that have happened in the past 75 years have on our health?  • What role does soil health and the microbes living in the soil play in our gut health?  • How can the consumer respond to the problem?  • How should the consumer make choices about the healthiest foods when shopping for food?   David is a professor at the University of Washington and an internationally recognized authority on geomorphology. He is a MacArthur fellow and a finalist for the Wilson Literary Writing Award. He has been a prolific author and has published several books including a trilogy about soil health, microbiomes and farming, including The Hidden Half of Nature and Growing a Revolution.    Anne is a biologist and environmental planner who has published articles in Nautilus, Natural History and Smithsonian. She has co-authored several books with David.    I have been inspired by their books and some of their presentation and widely acknowledged their work in my own books. I hope you enjoy! Rather watch this episode? Check it out on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/eIle0rO5nTQ Check out Dave & Anne's website: https://www.dig2grow.com/  Follow Dr. Mayer: https://linktr.ee/emayer

In this episode, I talk with Colleen Cutcliffe, PhD, CEO and Co-Founder of Pendulum Therapeutics, a microbiome solutions company based in San Francisco, CA. Pendulum has developed two live microbial therapies, Pendulum Glucose Control for the management of type II diabetes, and Pendulum Akkermansia for the support of gut health. Dr. Cutcliffe has over 20 years of experience leading and managing biology teams in academia, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology. She received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Johns Hopkins University, and her B.A. in Biochemistry from Wellesley College. In our conversation we discuss a number of questions related to live microbial therapies and next generation probiotics, including the following: · How did Pendulum get into the business of live microbial therapies? · How effective is this Pendulum Glucose Control for the treatment of type II diabetes, and what is the evidence? · For which patients is Glucose control indicated? · What is the evidence for the effectiveness of Pendulum Akkermansia for gut health? · How do you assess gut health? · How do you see the future of next generation probiotics in the treatment of chronic medical disorders? If you'd like to learn more about Pendulum's products, you can use my affiliate link here & if you buy a membership, you can take 20% off with code: EMERAN. As always, if you have any questions or comments, leave them below, and if you're enjoying our content, please take a second to like the video! Follow Dr. Mayer: https://linktr.ee/emayer