Viagra, and other PDE-5 inhibitors, have been a blockbuster hit since they came out over 15 years ago. They’ve helped numerous men achieve erections that were once lost. However, they don’t work well for some unfortunate men. This is not only troublesome and frustrating but also a concerning finding for these men. This episode discusses why and what is going on.

Hypertension is a common problem and one of the biggest contributors to cardiovascular disease which is the #1 killer of both men and women. There are many causes of hypertension to be certain but did you know that using mouthwash and taking stomach acid lowering medications can actually CAUSE high blood pressure? Yep, its true. In this episode, Diana and Dr Edwards discuss the research as well as the mechanisms of  what actually happens in these cases. Mouthwash, PPIs, and hypertension

Nitric Oxide (NO) is THE chemical you want for cardiovascular health. It is the antithesis of endothelin, aldosterone, and antiotensin-2. It improves oxidative stress, reduces vascular inflammation, as well as vascular immune dysfunction. It is a key component of endothelial function. Endothelial dysfunction precedes cardiovascular disease by decades. Therefore, we want to optimize nitric oxide as early as possible.

The endothelium is the inner most, single-cell layer thick lining of the artery. The function of the endothelium is essential for optimal blood vessel health and blood pressure. When the endothelium is not healthy, or dysfunctional, vascular damage begins.

Our genes contain the biochemistry that makes us unique. We get one set of genes from mom and one set of genes from dad. However, just because we have these genes does not mean they are turned on and active. The expression of these genes are often based on environmental factors.

Many people think that hormone replacement causes breast cancer, heart disease, blood clots, strokes, etc. Some of that thought is based on a large study from the 1990s and 2000s called the Women’s Health Initiative.

However, the real data reveals something very different than what we’ve been led to believe.

Steroid injections for you knee pain are a bad idea! Sure, you can get relief in some cases (others don’t help at all) but is it worth the risk? You’ll be shocked at the damage these injections can cause!

This is Part 2 of 2. How to fix your leaky gut.

This is Part 1 of a 2 part series. In this episode we will address what is leaky gut and what causes it. We’ll address how to fix it in part 2.

Evaluating heart rate variability (HRV) can be an awesome tool to help us understand the status of the nervous system. We offer this testing in our Tulsa clinic.

Lyme Disease is much more common that most people think. It is estimated that 6% of the Chinese population has Lyme Disease. It is a worldwide problem.

However, most physicians do not know how to properly test for it. Even when presented with clear evidence of Lyme disease many physicians will deny it is a possibility. Why? Why is the diagnosis so difficult? Why do so many people suffer without an accurate diagnosis?

These are the topic of this week’s podcast. Dr Edwards discussed a brief history of Lyme disease and why so many doctors miss it. This is a complex topic but we absolutely need to raise awareness!

There are 2 branches to the autonomic nervous system: sympathetic and parasympathetic. Dr Heath Travis discusses how hyperstimulation of the sympathetic nervous system influences ADHD (and other things) as well as how Specific Prone chiropractic manipulation can help resolve the issue.

He also discusses the benefits of his therapy for pregnant patients. If you are pregnant then you’ve gotta hear this stuff!

Dr Heath Travis discusses the benefits of Specific Prone Chiropractic.

Testing for Lyme disease can be VERY tricky! Why? There are a lot of reasons and it is important to understand the process.

The IDSA recommends a 2-tier testing process but we know that this is insufficient. There are good reasons for this but you have to understand why. Knowing this information can make all the difference for the right people.

Many treatments and supplements contain hydroquinone. This ingredient can have tremendous benefit in some people. But that benefit may come at a cost. Learn more about the history, risks, and benefits of this substance.

Many medical conditions are very difficult to explain. Some patients are very frustrated that they can’t figure out the real problem. Total toxic load may be just the reason for their condition and unwinding the contributors may resolve the issue.

So many people think that estrogen causes breast cancer. The interesting thing is that the risk is REALLY increased with progestin (the non-natural version of progesterone). And there are many other negative effects of progestins that we simply do not see with bioidentical hormones.

BPA stands for Bisphenol A. It is a common chemical in many plastics and is an endocrine disruptor. But you’ll be shocked to hear about just how common these chemicals can be and where you come in contact with them.

Traditional cholesterol labs are abysmal for predicting risk for cardiovascular disease. Much better data is obtained by evaluating lipid particles such as ApoB and ApoA1 (and many others). Understanding your lipid labs can dramatically help optimize your health and reduce risk for cardiovascular disease.

Iodine deficiency is more common than you’d think. We commonly recommend iodine supplementation due to the profound benefits of iodine on certain tissues such as breast, thyroid, and prostate. Additionally, iodine can help detoxification of certain chemicals.

There are a lot of skincare products out there. Some good, some bad. But which ones are which? Here we will address these issues so that you can find great skincare products.

Botox is extremely effective at reducing wrinkles and helping to provide younger looking skin. Revolution Health is opening a Medical Spa and Botox is one of the many services we provide. There are a number of myths about Botox and this podcast should clear those up for you.

Nobody had pain due to a pain medication deficiency. If you are hurting then there is a reason. Fixing the pain requires identifying and treating the underlying cause. In our experience, ligament and tendon laxity and damage is a common cause for pain and easily treatable with prolotherapy.

Obesity is a real problem in the US and many people would like to lose weight. If weigh loss were easy then everybody would be doing it. Losing weight can be extremely difficult to say the least.

While the HCG diet may not be my first recommendation I have seen significant benefit in many patients.

We’ve seen patients of all ages come to our clinic for hair loss. Men and women alike can have issues with alopecia and telogen effluvium. Nobody likes thinning hair but If you want to fix the problem then you need to understand the process and why it is occurring.

Esophageal reflux is pretty darn common. Many people believe it is due to too much stomach acid and take acid reducing medications. However, functional medicine addresses GERD from a different level. Once the real reason for the GERD is discovered we can start the real treatment for this condition.

Cholesterol has gotten a bad rap for over 60 years. It has been vilified and considered the source of cardiovascular disease yet it is essential for life.

 Insurance is one of those necessary evils. You have to have it for emergency issues and that certainly makes good financial sense. However, our current system of insurance paying for all of our medical care is a broken system to say the least!

Do not think that the insurance company is your friend! You just have to understand how it works and what to expect.

Autoimmune disease, cancer, infections

What do these things have in common? They are all issues involving the immune system for which Low Dose Naltrexone can help. 

I’ve often wondered if the problem with Gluten actually has nothing to do with the gluten protein itself or if it is really more about the toxin glyphosate (chemical in roundup).

There is no proof mind you, but it is a very interesting thought.

Some people think that if they don’t have celiac disease then they can eat gluten (bread, pasta, wheat, etc). But that certainly isn’t necessarily true.

Celiac disease is just the tip of the iceberg.

Spectracell is a lab specifically dedicated to the evaluation of your body’s nutrient status. But it does it in a very unique way.

This episode addresses how this test is done and why it is so beneficial.

Men, listen up! We know that there are a LOT of toxins out there but did you know that many of these toxins are actually challenging your manliness?

Trust me, it is a major challenge to find hygiene products that aren’t loaded with a bunch of testosterone robbing toxic crap.

Then we found Doo’d…

Fatigue? Poor bone health? Low sex drive? Lack of muscle? Can’t recover?

These are all common issues that can be easily remedied through the use of testosterone replacement therapy using pellets. There are other options but pellets are an excellent option for many women.

I’ve never had a migraine but I seem to be virtually alone on this one. It seems that migraines are extremely common. The problem is that the traditional approach is reactive – take a pill when you get a headache.

We need a proactive approach to prevent them from occurring in the first place. We have excellent results at Revolution Health & Wellness Clinic in dramatically reducing, if not completely resolving, these common and debilitating headaches.

Headaches are really common. When you have frequent headaches then you’ve gotta figure out the underlying cause and treat that.

Our success with improving headaches is very high, and without medications. But we have to take a comprehensive approach.

Flu mist has been shown to be ineffective so they don’t recommend it anymore.

My question is if that is the case then why do they still recommend the flu shot? It doesn’t really have a good track record…

For those who don’t know, Upper Cervical Chiropractic is very different from your typical Chiropractor. It is very easy and gentle. Plus, it addresses the underlying cause for many conditions.

We often recommend Upper Cervical Chiropractic therapy to our patients who want a holistic and comprehensive approach to their overall health.

  Are you concerned about the health of your bones? Osteoporosis is a major problem for many people and it absolutely must be addressed.

However, medications are NOT the best option for this. You have to get to the underlying reason for the osteoporosis and treat it. THAT is where the best results are had!

Many of our patients are on testosterone replacement therapy. Most of them want to know if insurance will pay for it.

There are certainly some situations for which testosterone replacement is covered. However, there are a lot of rules and insurance can be picky.

Active serum is excellent for most people’s skin and it is very useful for a number of different conditions.

This episode addresses many of these skin conditions as well as how Active Serum works to help optimize the appearance and health of your skin.

Vitamin C has been shown to be extremely beneficial for multiple issues and very good for overall health.

Did you know that Vitamin C has no known toxicity? Some would argue that it is safer than water!

There is some controversy around sunscreen. Dermatologists say that you gotta use it. The Vitamin D people say that we use too much.

It is clear that UV exposure is damaging to the skin. However, some sunscreens are toxic. Here we discuss the pros and cons of sunscreen and for what you should look.

The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is an excellent tool that can help with a number of psychoemotional stressors.

Today we are joined by Sue Gaskill, a certified EFT practitioner. By the way, she offers a free consultation where she discusses options and benefits of this therapy.

One thing I love about it is that there are no risks and it is virtually free.

SkinPen is a fantastic procedure which helps regenerate collagen in the skin. This can dramatically help with skin wrinkles, fine lines, age spots, hyperpigmentation, acne scars, and many other conditions.

I call it Prolotherapy for the skin because it is one of the best things to help grow new collagen. There are very few potential risks and lots of benefits.

Optimal sleep is critical for overall health and many people don’t get enough or don’t sleep well at all.

The medications to help with sleep are little better and they certainly don’t address the underlying problem.

Here are 12 steps you need to take if you have any difficulty sleeping.

This is one of my favorite topics! We have been lead to believe that medications are beneficial and good for us if we have certain conditions.

The reality is that the #4 cause of death in the U.S. in 1994 was properly prescribed medications.

This episode discusses the risks of medications and some of the basis for this as a cause of death.

 Epidural steroid injections may actually be causing you more harm given how they help. Steroids are necrotic to the tissues. This means that the tissues are destroyed due to their effects.

If you want to improve overall health and reduce tissue damage then quit getting injections that are causing more harm long-term. It is a faustian bargain.

Prolotherapy, on the other hand, stimulates the healing mechanism and is a MUCH better option for treating these pains.

 Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) is key to optimizing health as we age. However, many women are concerned about the effects of estrogen and risk for some conditions such as breast cancer.

The reality is quite different but you have to understand the biochemistry before this begins to make sense.

 Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) has been a hot topic for a few years. A lot of people wonder why it is important or even if it really is that important.

This episode of Against The Grain Podcast addresses this very topic.

There are significant benefits to ensuring a healthy fatty acid profile in your body. Therefore, most people do better and have lower risk for certain diseases if they are taking a fish oil supplement.

The problem is there are a lot of BAD ones out there!

So, how do you find a good one?

Many patients have hormone issues and difficulty when it comes to birth control. Some women opt for an intra-uterine device (IUD). Many will choose Mirena which does help with some bleeding issues because it contains a progestin (progesterone-like chemical).

However, many women have a lot of issues with synthetic hormones and either won’t or can’t use them. Others are still using them because they feel that they don’t have any other options.

Paragard is a great option for many women as it doesn’t contain any hormones.

Hormone replacement therapy is an invaluable tool in order to optimize health. Hormone pellets are probably the best way to replicate normal physiology when it comes to hormone replacement.

These pellets contain ingredients normal and natural to the human body including bioidentical hormones as well. This episode covers hormone replacement as well as the pellets themselves.

 One of the most common questions I get when it comes to starting testosterone replacement in regards to risks is “doesn’t it cause prostate cancer?”

Episode 36 covers this topic fairly well.

 The gut microbiome is composed of the bacteria in the intestines. The quality and quantity of these bacteria affects overall health but it may make all the difference in the world in regards to your metabolic health.

Diabetes and metabolic syndrome, or at least the risk thereof, is definitely impacted by gut microbiome. In this episode of Against The Grain Podcast we go into detail about this relationship.

Metabolic syndrome is a constellation of metabolic abnormalities resulting in disrupted physiology. One of the keys to addressing the issue is to optimize insulin and insulin sensitivity.

In this episode of Against The Grain Podcast we address metabolic syndrome and how to minimize its impact.

 Insulin is a critical hormone for human health. It helps regulate blood sugar and drives glucose into cells. Diabetic patients have issues with insulin production or resistance.

But there is another side to insulin that many people don’t think about. It is a storage hormone. It regulates the utilization of sugar and fats for energy. When levels are too high it can make weight loss virtually impossible.

In this episode we dive further into the effects of too much, or not enough, insulin and what it can do for you.

In this Podcast of Against The Grain focuses on autoimmune disease, what causes them, and how you can treat them from a functional medicine perspective.

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease where the body attacks itself and slowly destroys the thyroid gland. The goal is to treat the underlying cause of the disease and treat that. This podcast focuses on optimal management and identification of the cause for the Hashimoto’s disease.

Diabetes is far too common and extremely detrimental to overall health. It is a major risk factor for things like cardiovascular disease, alzheimer’s disease, kidney disease, strokes, and many more. If you want to be healthy then you need to address risk for diabetes.

A functional medicine approach to diabetes is the best approach to both prevention and management as it seeks to address every component of the medical process. This Against The Grain Podcast addresses diabetes, what it is, and what to do about it.

Sure, sunscreen protects us from the harmful effects of UV damage. Sunscreen is recommended by many medical societies. However, there are some serious problems with chemical sunscreens.

There are a lot of sunscreens that are harmful for certain but there are some healthy ways to protect yourself from UV damage without incurring toxic effects from chemicals. In this podcast we discuss the toxic effects of the chemicals, what they do to your body, and how to prevent it. We also discuss how to find a healthy sunscreen.

There are a lot of bad supplements. There are some great supplements. Some have been shown to be toxic and potentially dangerous. Some are contaminated. Some don’t have ANY of what they should have.

But, there are some great supplements out there well worth taking. Some are very well controlled and tested. Some are even 3rd party tested to confirm exactly what is in it.

So how are you supposed to tell the difference? That’s what you’ll learn on this episode.

The standard American Diet is lacking in a lot of nutrients. Even when you eat well you could be deficient in much needed vitamins and minerals as well as any number of phytochemicals.

Nutritional supplements are an invaluable addition to an optimal health and nutrition program. The problem is knowing what to take, how much, and how to find good quality.

 The CDC states that at least 30% of antibiotics used in the outpatient setting, meaning that no antibiotic was needed at all.

Total inappropriate use, inclusive of unnecessary use and inappropriate selection, dosing and duration, may approach 50% of all outpatient antibiotic use.

Welcome to Against the Grain podcast with Dr. Chad Edwardss where he challenges the status quo when it comes to medicine. We get into hot topics in the medical field with real stories from real patients to help you on your way to a healthy lifestyle. Get ready because we’re about to go, go, go, go Against the Grain.