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

Epinutrient Minestrone

This soup is nothing short of an epinutrient extravaganza! Yes, it has beef liver, but it’s mixed with turkey inside a delicious meatball, so it’s not an overwhelming flavor. There is some chopping involved, but once that’s done, your labor is basically over and you’ve got five additional servings of leftovers (or four, if you’ve cooked…

Multiple Sclerosis Recovery Updates: A Conversation with Dr. Terry Wahls

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard Dr. Terry Wahls’ dramatic personal story of healing and transformation from MS, yet this powerful experience gives me chills each time. She is a true testament to the importance of food as medicine, and the tremendous ability of the body to heal itself – when given the right inputs. Listen in as we discuss how Dr. Wahls radically improved her condition (lessons we should all heed for optimal health), what she’s been up to lately (you won’t want to miss this!), and a bit about a current study she’s recruiting for. I can never get enough of Terry Wahls, and if you’re new to her story, you’re in for a tremendous treat! -DrKF

Recognizing Early Signs of Celiac Disease: Mouth Sores, Burning Tongue and More

What oral health can tell us about gluten reactivity Can discolored teeth, canker sores, and geographic tongue be caused by reactions to gluten? We know that the second largest and most diverse microbiome is found in the oral cavity and that poor oral health is associated with multiple conditions, including diabetes and heart disease. Should we…

Polyphenols, Novel Probiotic Strains & Metabolic Health: The Latest in Microbiome Science

How much do we really know about the microbiome? What does it take to identify new probiotic strains and their associated health benefits? And is it time to move beyond single strains and into synergistic blends? I am grateful to be talking once again joined with the brilliant scientist and incredibly courageous entrepreneur Dr. Colleen Cutcliffe. With over 20 years experience managing and leading teams in biotech, pharma, and academia, I just love picking her brilliant brain! Colleen completed her postdoc research at Northwestern’s Children’s Memorial Hospital and got her PhD in biochemistry and molecular biology from John’s Hopkins, and in this episode of New Frontiers, we explore novel probiotic strains such as Clostridium bytircum, Clostridium beijerinckii & Anaerobutyricum hallii, their synergy in producing short-chain fatty acids and potential to stimulate satiety-inducing GLP-1, and so much more!

How to Be Your Own Genetic Engineer, Save Money, and Live Longer, with Dr. Michael Roizen

Dr. Michael Roizen is an extraordinarily well-read, well-researched, and experienced physician in the field of longevity medicine. He dates his first interest in the field back to 1979 as head of an intensive care unit, when he recognized that patients who were biologically younger dramatically reduced their risk for post-operative disease and death. Since then, he has worked tirelessly in many ways to help individuals get physically and mentally younger, improving the lives of patients and documenting millions of dollars of savings per year in employee healthcare costs at Cleveland Clinic. In our conversation he shares his lifestyle-forward approach, one that sits well alongside the Younger You program. Tune in to find out the importance of “posse, purpose, play, and locus of control,” how you can be your own genetic engineer, his take on emerging anti-aging interventions, and much more. As Dr. Roizen reminds us, it’s never too late to start: “until you’re six feet under, it ain’t too late to do this.” -DrKF

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Building Resilience for Optimal Functioning with Dr. Stephen Sideroff

Why are we often resistant to tackling stress and preprogrammed thought patterns? It’s a curious phenomenon that occurs even in those of us who really know the central role these psychological factors play in health, disease, and even aging. That’s why it’s one of the important topics I address with resilience expert Dr. Stephen Sideroff in this episode of New Frontiers. After all, a full 25 percent of the bio-age clock we used in our clinical study is driven by epigenetic patterns on stress-related genes. That means how we handle stress is intricately interwoven into how well we age biologically.

2022

Best of 2022 in Functional Medicine and Longevity

This might just have been our most exciting year yet here at Dr. Kara Fitzgerald! With the launch of three books through major publishing houses, authored by my team and myself, we have barely had a moment to touch ground. Yet, delivering high value content in the functional medicine and longevity space, across all channels,…

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Hydrogen Sulfide in Health, Disease & Longevity

I always appreciate a well-justified challenge to our current thinking and a chance to build a more nuanced approach that will improve patient results. And in this month’s New Frontiers in Functional Medicine® podcast, Dr. Tom Fabian delivers just that with a fascinating topic of hydrogen sulfide: a compound we clinicians typically think of as the “problem child” behind certain difficult SIBO cases. However, there is a LOT more to know about it, such as its ability to convert to potent antioxidant compounds, and its therapeutic roles in cardiovascular and metabolic disorders (diabetes and NAFLD), neurodegenerative disorders, and more.