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

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The Role of the Downstate for Sleep, Restoration and Longevity with Dr. Sara Mednick

Sleep – we spend a third of our lives doing it, we know it is a powerful longevity tools, yet we continue to skimp on it. I know from personal experience – improving my sleep after struggling for years was a total game-changer. And in this episode of New Frontiers, I’m joined by Dr. Sara Mednick, world-renowned sleep scientist, professor of psychology at the University of California, and director of the Sleep and Cognition Lab to discuss her exciting research findings and new lexicon for understanding stress.

Dentists treat patients' teeth.

Dental Probiotics: What Are They & How Do They Benefit Oral Health?

The human microbiome has become the center of many discussions related to health issues. This makes sense, considering that we are made up of more non-human microorganisms than human cells.1 And if we broaden our view of what the human body is, we quickly understand that we cannot exclude the trillions of microorganisms living in and on our bodies, including the ones that live in our mouths. Just like other microbiomes in the body, our oral microbiome consists of many different types of bacteria. For too long most dentists and clinicians have focused only on pathogenic bacteria that are responsible for oral diseases such as dental caries or periodontal disease, rather than looking at the oral microbiota in its entirety. But in recent years we have gained a better understanding of what types of bacteria live in the mouth and what role they play in their microbial community.

Epinutrients – The Secret Ingredient That Makes Food Your Medicine

Have you heard about epinutrients? Surprisingly, they’re barely mentioned in research papers and yet they are potent epigenetic regulators (i.e. they control how our genes are expressed). And I think it’s time to shine some light on these longevity superstars. But first, have you ever wondered why food has such powerful effects on our health…

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The Story Behind Younger You 3YY: from Clinical Trial to Accessible Digital Program

Reversing biological age by just one year can save $38 trillion of public health funding. Read that again. $38 TRILLION. And by now, you probably know in my new Younger You book, I walk through exactly how to reverse your biological age by over three years through nutrition and lifestyle. But writing a book is not enough, and I’m really excited to bring an easy-to-follow digital program accessible from anywhere in the world. And I couldn’t have done it without Suggestic, the innovative health tech company powering the 3YY digital program. In this episode of New Frontiers, I share the ins and outs of this turnkey digital program with the potential to revolutionize personalized nutrition delivery and optimize health at scale.

DNA strands

6 Surprising Reasons to Test for the MTHFR Mutation

Many of you know about methylation and how problems with this process are linked to heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autoimmune disease, and autism. But did you know that methylation problems may also be involved in other more surprising areas of your health? In this article, we’ll dive into those other lesser-known consequences of faulty methylation and what you can do about it. But first, a refresher course on what methylation is and how the MTHFR mutation is involved in methylation problems.

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Epigenetics, SNPs, and Aging with Dr. Jeff Bland

Folks, I am just honored, thrilled, excited to be talking to my dear mentor and friend Dr. Jeff Bland on this episode of New Frontiers in Functional Medicine. Not only is Dr. Bland the father of functional medicine, but he’s also the founder of Big Bold Health, a company whose mission is to enhance immunity at the global level through rediscovery of ancient food crops and superfoods which support immuno-rejuvenation. Join me as I pick his brain on genetics, aging, SNPs, DNA repair, and senolytics, and find out why your genes are not a death certificate but rather a ‘uniqueness certificate’ that requires specific approaches. You won’t want to miss this in-depth conversation! Listen, learn, and if you would be so kind, leave a review on iTunes or wherever you hear my voice. Thank you! ~DrKF

Olive oil and olive branch

Beyond Extra Virgin—The Health Benefits of High Phenolic Olive Oil

Olive oil, known as “the great healer” of various ailments in Ancient Greece, has been used medicinally for centuries. Today, olive oil is known by health-conscious consumers and scientists alike to have medicinal properties ranging from heart health to cancer treatment. Yet when it comes to purchasing olive oil, the options seem endless – extra virgin, virgin, high-phenolic, early harvest, refined, premium, pure – leaving consumers perplexed. While taste may seem like an easy way to choose a condiment, this is not the most surefire way to choose a health supplement with proven results. In this article, we have gathered the most compelling, peer-reviewed and published scientific studies on olive oil’s health benefits to remove some of the guess work when choosing a healthy olive oil.