Kara Fitzgerald, ND, received her doctor of naturopathic medicine degree from the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. She completed the first Counsel on Naturopathic Medicine-accredited post-doctorate position in nutritional biochemistry and laboratory science at Metametrix Clinical Laboratory under the direction of Richard Lord, PhD. Her residency was completed at Progressive Medical Center, a large, integrative medical practice in Atlanta, Georgia.
Dr. Fitzgerald is the lead author and editor of Case Studies in Integrative and Functional Medicine and is a contributing author to Laboratory Evaluations for Integrative and Functional Medicine and the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM)’s Textbook for Functional Medicine. With the Helfgott Research Institute, Dr. Fitzgerald is actively engaged in clinical research on the DNA methylome using a diet and lifestyle intervention developed in her practice. The
first publication from the study focuses on reversal of biological aging and was published 04-12-2021 in the journal Aging. She has published a consumer book titled
Younger You as well as a companion cookbook,
Better Broths and Healing Tonics and has an application-based
Younger You Program, based on the study.
Dr. Fitzgerald is on the faculty at IFM, is an IFM Certified Practitioner and lectures globally on functional medicine. She runs a Functional Nutrition Residency program, and maintains a podcast series, New Frontiers in Functional Medicine and an active blog on her website,
www.drkarafitzgerald.com. Her clinical practice is in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.
Additional publications
As FxMed docs, we’re committed to working with the body’s own capacity for health. Dr. Josh Mitteldorf offers a contrarian strategy, one which he says is grounded in a new breed of evolutionary medicine. He tells us that diseases of old age are qualitatively different from the diseases we get when we’re younger, different because in old age, our bodies are part of the problem, not part of the solution. Aging, says Josh, is the body deliberately destroying itself (for the sake of the population), via inflammation and apoptosis and autoimmune diseases. In this interview, Josh and I find common ground talking about hormesis. In Josh’s theory, the fact that the body lives longer when stressed (e.g. caloric restriction) is proof that the body isn’t trying its hardest to stay young when it’s not stressed.
As we look back over the wealth of content we have shared this past year, we have been so humbled by your feedback and engagement. Below, we highlight our most-read and listened-to articles and podcasts over the past 12 months.
Lp(a): What do with DO with it? It’s an unequivocal CV risk marker, and its pathogenic mechanisms are multiple and far-reaching. Yet it’s notoriously refractory to treatment – pharma and FxMed. Get the low-down in this month’s blog: The Lp(a) Conundrum. As you will read in the blog opener, figuring out this conundrum is near and dear to my heart. Shout out to Ann Sims, RD, LD, CDE, CLS for support writing and providing references. Ann also suggested I podcast on NFFM with lipidologist Dr. Thomas Dayspring- we’re coordinating that as I type, so stay tuned. I’d love to hear from you on this one: how are you approaching Lp(a) in practice? Thank you! ~DrKF
Everything about vitamin C (ascorbic acid): From foods & supplements to benefits for skin, cancer treatments, wound healing and more…
Acetaminophen Once Again Tied to Autism and ADHD
Human Milk Oligosaccharides Improve IBS Symptoms
Oral Bacteria Implicated in a Wide Range of Noncommunicable Diseases
Brain Wave Patterns Predict Tau and Amyloid-b Accumulation
New Desensitization Technology May Help Celiac and other Immune-Related Disorders
Glucose Feeds Bacterial Infections – Tips to Avoid Getting Sick
Getting Specific About How Medications May Alter the Gut Microbiome
BPA Replacements Likely Still Problematic – Tied to Boys’ IQ
A work horse laboratory in any functional medicine practice is stool testing. But really gleaning the best insight into our patient’s clinical picture can be tough. What do all of these commensal organisms really suggest? How do they correlate with the inflammatory findings? Of the bell weather bugs (like akkermansia) how can we increase levels? Is there ANY place for microscopy (O&P) and culture in today’s high throughput Omics world?
In this episode of New Frontiers, Dr. Fitzgerald talks with Dr. Singh about his path to functional and integrative medicine, the importance of staying current in allopathic approaches, and the best strategies for testing and treating dysbiosis and leaky gut.
Inspired by the classic fall candy but without all the sugar, these festive granola bars are a nutritious and adorable alternative.
The importance of oral health as required for systemic health is well-accepted in the functional world. However, with up to 77% of American adults over 30 years of age suffering from periodontitis, there is an urgent need to actively address oral health as a routine part of clinical practice.
SLIT may be as effective as OIT for peanut desensitization
3D printers harm indoor air quality
Mushrooms offer protection against prostate cancer
Cuddling Changes DNA Expression Via Epigenetic Methylation
Garlic compounds counteract TMAO from meat consumption
Infant Rice Foods and Fruit Juice Are Problematic Sources of Toxic Metals
The First-Ever Study of its Kind Proves Functional Medicine Works
