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
In the realm of bioenergetics, few nutrients have burst onto the stage with the impressive force wielded by the postbiotic rock star—Urolithin A. In today’s episode I’m honored to be joined by the brilliant Dr. Chris Rinsch, co-founder of Amazentis / Timeline, as we delve into the profound impact of this remarkable substance and unravel the scientific intricacies behind the microbiome’s transformation of polyphenols from our diet into Urolithin A. You’ll quickly understand why it’s emerging as a potent force in cellular health and longevity.
Did you know that “bone-eating” osteoclast cells are derived from immune cell precursors and are stimulated by inflammation, just like other immune cells? Or that bone has its own glycocalyx whose health is essential to realize the benefits of exercise for bone? Folks, Dr. Keith McCormick is back on New Frontiers with ever-more juicy pearls like these, and with important updates on bone care for functional medicine practitioners and patients alike. Dr. McCormick is living proof that osteoporosis and a history of multiple bone fractures – he had 12 between the ages of 45-50 – are not an irrecoverable life (or death) sentence. In fact, even as he nears 70, Dr. McCormick is out there competing in Ironman and pentathlon events, living his life to the fullest. Dr. McCormick is arguably the top thinker and practitioner on bone health from a systems and functional point of view. His nuanced navigation of diagnostic tools as well as both pharmaceutical and nonpharmaceutical interventions is fully comprehensive and deep. You’ll want to tune in to find out how he navigates his patient cases, casting a wide net for underlying contributing factors, his go-to interventions for specific situations, how he doses supplements, and more. Please do let us know what you think, and leave us a review wherever you listen to New Frontiers – DrKF
Over 270,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year in the US. And while BRCA mutations often get the most press, there are other, potentially more critical factors we can address. Today, Dr. Ruth Hobson joins us to delve into the realm of breast health, shedding light on both modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors, and sharing real-life strategies for supporting our patients. We dive into a range of essential topics, from dietary and lifestyle influences to the ongoing debate around Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), and venture into the world of functional tests to evaluate hormones and metabolites crucial for comprehensive breast health. We’ll uncover the intricate connection between gut health and breast health – Did you know that breast tissue has its own microbiome?!? – and examine how inflammation, peripheral fat, and methylation impact cancer risk. Bring a pen and paper, this is a deep dive into the hormones and breast health that you won’t want to miss. ~DrKF
I’m thrilled and honored to have Dr. Randy Jirtle join us again today on New Frontiers. Dr. Jirtle’s groundbreaking Agouti Mouse Study has shaped what we know about the influence of early life exposure on methylation and epigenetics. His (current work?/more recent work?), which involves mapping out the imprintome could be the key to understanding how our imprinted genes will influence aging and every known disease and disorder, providing hope that a clear pathway on how to optimize our health for better outcomes is in our future.
I am particularly interested in nutrient responsive genes, especially for altering the risk for and course of conditions such as breast cancer. Nutrient responsive genes, as their name implies, are those whose expression responds to their environment – specifically the nutrients we ingest. This effect is mediated via epigenetic alterations induced by those nutrients. This…
If you’re a regular listener, you’ve undoubtedly heard me sing the praises of Rupa Health numerous times, and there’s a compelling reason for it! Rupa has taken the FxMed world by storm, introducing a product that has quickly become indispensable. In this episode of New Frontiers, I’m joined by Dr. Kate Kresge, Head of Medical Education at Rupa, to delve into the invaluable tools that Rupa offers to make Functional Medicine accessible to everyone. Dr. Kate’s passion for naturopathic medicine was ignited by her own struggles as a chronically ill child. Her transformative experience inspired Dr. Kate to pursue a career in naturopathic medicine and change the standard of. When Rupa invited her to join their team, it felt like the perfect fit. Tune in for this highly valuable conversation to hear how Rupa Health is reshaping the healthcare landscape with consistent innovation, offering specialty labs and educating newcomers to functional medicine. Learn about their time-saving solutions that enable practitioners to allocate more time with patients and enhance outcomes for a broader audience.
New Frontiers in Functional Medicine® Podcast Sponsors Dr. Kara Fitzgerald is eternally grateful to our sponsors who, by blogging, podcasting and advertising with us, enable me and my team to devote energy and time to writing and publication. Rupa Health allows you to order, track and get results from 30+ lab companies in one, convenient,…
In my first year of naturopathic medical school, stuck right in the middle of the standard basic science classes, was a class on hydrotherapy- evidence of how fundamental the use of hot and cold water as a healing modality was viewed in our training. They introduced it to us early, and it was a core…
When it comes to foundational supplements, fish oils have stood the test of time as an important source of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA that have been lost in modern diets. But there is so much more to these remarkable lipids, which is why we are so excited to speak with Dr. Charles Serhan and Dr. Megan Sulciner, world-leading scientists from Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Boston, MA) on specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) in health and disease. Join us as we delve into Dr. Serhan’s surprising discovery that paved the way for an award-winning career researching how bioactive lipids control the resolution of inflammation. And what better way to get a glimpse into the latest advances in SPMs in the clinic than by speaking with Dr. Sulciner, a clinician-scientist and medical resident in the Serhan Lab, whose ongoing research aims to improve postoperative outcomes for patients through immunonutrition. I’m sure you will love this insightful conversation! ~DrKF
In this episode, I have the pleasure of interviewing Mark Newman, the president and founder of Precision Analytical, the company behind the revolutionary DUTCH test. Mark is a true pioneer in the field of hormone testing, and in our conversation, we delved into the latest developments in this rapidly evolving field. We discussed how the DUTCH test has expanded to include additional markers, providing even more comprehensive insights into hormone health. During our conversation, we also addressed the controversy surrounding saliva testing for hormone analysis. Mark shed light on the limitations of this method and why the DUTCH test offers a more accurate and reliable alternative. I’m sure you’ll find this interview as fascinating as I did, and it will be super helpful for identifying the best forms of hormone testing for your patients. So, without further ado, let’s dive into this enlightening conversation with Mark Newman. ~DrKF
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