The Medical Advisor

More attention than ever is being put on your gut health, and understandably so, considering a significant proportion of your immune system resides in your gastrointestinal tract (1). As such, optimizing your gut microbiome is a worthwhile pursuit that will have far-reaching effects on your physical health and emotional well-being. Mounting scientific evidence also continues to suggest a large component of nutrition centers on nourishing health-promoting bacteria in your gut (and elsewhere in and on your body). In doing so, you keep harmful microbes in check and shore up your protection against chronic disease. Update: Best Supplements and Diet for Gut Health : Evidence-Based Guide for 2026 Disease Begins in Your Gut ADHD, autism, learning disabilities, obesity, diabetes (2) and Parkinson's disease are but a few of the conditions found to be influenced by your gut microbiome. One 2020 scientific review (3) goes so far as to say that all inflammatory disease begins in the gut. Part ...

Chemotherapy remains one of the most widely used treatments in oncology. In theory, it should kill cancer cells by targeting their rapid division. In practice, especially in metabolically driven tumors , its benefits are often temporary, limited, or accompanied by paradoxical consequences that may worsen outcomes in the long run. In fact, there's growing evidence that chemotherapy can: Select for metabolically resilient cancer cells , Reshape the tumor microenvironment to favor dissemination , and Even reactivate dormant cells that seed metastases — a key driver of mortality in cancer. ( onedaymd.com ) science.org Here’s why. 1. Chemotherapy Targets Division — Not Survival Standard cytotoxic chemotherapy is designed to kill rapidly dividing cells. This principle assumes that tumor cells are always proliferative. But many cancers — especially those driven by metabolic adaptation and resilience — contain subpopulations of cells that are: Slow-cycling Metabolically flexible Capable ...

Abstract:   Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, leading to motor and non-motor symptoms. Recent studies have explored the potential of repurposing existing drugs to complement current PD treatments. Ivermectin, traditionally used as an antiparasitic agent, has emerged as a candidate due to its effects on dopaminergic pathways. This review examines recent research investigating ivermectin's role in modulating dopamine-related behaviors and its potential as an adjunct therapy in PD. Introduction:   Parkinson's disease affects millions worldwide, presenting with symptoms such as tremors, bradykinesia, rigidity, and postural instability. Current treatments primarily focus on dopamine replacement strategies, notably with levodopa (L-DOPA). However, long-term use of L-DOPA can lead to complications, including motor fluctuations and dyskinesias. The search for adjunct therap...

In this interview (below), Dr. Stasha Gominak, 1   a neurologist and sleep coach, explains the curious synergy between vitamin D deficiency, a changed microbiome and poor sleep. I met Dr Gominak at the American College for the Advancement in Medicine’s annual meeting in 2019 in Nashville. Her lecture was about ways to improve your sleep. I thought I was aware of most of them, but the connection between vitamin D and sleep surprised me. Gominak’s research suggests lack of vitamin D causes impairment in your brain stem’s ability to produce normal sleep. So far, she’s treated more than 7,000 patients with her innovative “sleep repair” approach. She’s also published scientific papers on her theories. Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Sleep Disorders Gominak had no interest in vitamin D, initially. She was fascinated by sleep, and was trying to figure out why so many young and otherwise healthy patients were having such trouble sleeping. Many also had sleep apnea. Over time, it be...