I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Michael Kaye. He is an author, Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner and AutoImmune Paleo Coach, and owner of The Center for Functional Health near Philadelphia, PA. He’s also a fellow Nutrition Network alumni.
Dr. Kaye shares his health journey, which began when he decided he no longer wanted a fat kid nickname, and began voraciously study health and nutrition. He’s been a body builder, tried many different diets and landed in the world of real, whole foods. Today, he focuses on his mission of guiding his patients “to the best health they can be in;” this is the difference between lifespan and healthspan y’all!
He focuses on “what’s on the end of your fork” and reminds us that being sick is extremely expensive. Focusing on real whole foods really hedges your bet against medical debt. We discuss the pleasure of mindful indulgences — including his pickiness over a super occasional handmade cannoli, versus the mindset of “well, I screwed up so why bother.” We both agree that if you want a (very) occasional salty, crunch snack, Sieta chips are a good choice as they don’t use inflammatory seed oils.
Then we get into hypertension, where Dr. Kaye discusses the basics of blood pressure, hypertension and its symptoms, food do’s and don’ts, effects of chronic stress as well as the value of buying a home blood pressure cuff. Y’all, it’s ultimately all about the good old fashioned levers of nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management, supplementation and possibly some medication to help settle things.
“Dublin Declaration Duh” - 1000 scientists recently signed the Dublin Declaration, a statement affirming the health benefits of meat and dairy products. This is a giant DUH because these foods are the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. Carnivore and omnivore animals instinctively know this; only we humans could turn this so bass-ackwards.
Yesterday, we celebrated Memorial Day in honor of our fallen patriots. On a related note, I’d like to bring your attention to Hell: a Novel, a travel thriller authored by my very own Patrick Huey about a veteran suffering from PTSD. Hell benefits The Wounded Warrior Project, so check it out!
Midway on his life’s journey John Allmen quit his job to see the world. It was supposed to be a first-class ticket to paradise for the Iraq War veteran who made it to the pinnacle of his investment management firm guiding his clients through the 2008 financial crisis. But his past won’t let him decompress no matter where Virgil, his mysterious travel guide, sends him. And as he tours the globe and descends through the nine levels of hell, his own dark secrets are exposed.
And if you haven’t checked out my new book, The Nourishment Mindset, there’s an element of hell within it as well. In addition to espousing the healing power of real whole foods and nutrient density, this book is part memoir and details some of the struggles I went through as a teen with a very severe eating disorder. And more importantly, how I worked to heal myself.
Health, Humor, Hope & Humility