• Hosts: Ed Jones (Owner – Nutrition World) & Clint Powell
• A variety of topics all related to living a healthy life

Presented by: Nutrition World

www.nutritionw.com

Broadcasting from the Nooga Dentistry Studio

www.noogadentistry.com

Production of: Whitfield Media Group

www.vitalhealthradio.com

Title: Post-COVID Gut Health and Rethinking Blood Pressure Targets

[0:04:24] – Nutrition World Health Fair & Upcoming Lectures

• Ed announces Nutrition World’s Health Fair on October 24 (described as one of the biggest in the region).
• Emphasis on two “types of people”: learners vs. non‑learners; audience is framed as “learners.”
• Preview of free 30–40 minute lectures during the fair:
  • Dave from Tonal Spine – energy systems and spinal health (non-traditional, beyond standard chiropractic).
  • Laura Chastain – Optimize You – especially women’s hormones; described as very skilled and experienced.
  • Dr. Shalay (Chicago) – integrative healthcare, helping the body heal itself vs. “band-aid” approaches.
  • Charles – Scenic City Neurotherapy – IV ketamine for:
    • Chronic anxiety and depression
    • PTSD
    • Some applications in joint pain/arthritis (Ed notes his own experience for hip pain).
• Strong emphasis on root-cause medicine vs. symptom masking.

[0:08:25] – Butter Wrappers & “Forever Chemicals”

• Ed raises a niche but practical topic: chemicals in butter wrappers.
• Refers to testing reported by Mammovation:
  • Higher concern (more fluorine / “forever chemicals”):
    • Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter
    • Land O’ Lakes salted butter
  • Better / lower concern options:
    • Kirkland (Costco) – lower levels
    • Best butter wrappers listed:
      • Whole Foods Market butter
      • Horizon
      • Kate’s Salted
      • Kirkland Organic Salted Butter
• Takeaway: Shop with knowledge; packaging/liners can be a hidden health variable.

[0:12:50] – Nurse Practitioner Meredith Mason (Brio Functional Medicine)

• Introduction:
  • Guest: Meredith Mason, NP, founder of Brio Functional Medicine (opened in 2018).
  • Ed recalls having her on roughly seven years ago.
• COVID & long-COVID context:
  • Meredith had two years of practice before COVID; she values that pre-COVID baseline.
  • Notes a “triad” she sees repeatedly since COVID:
    • Chronic fatigue
    • Mast cell / high-histamine symptoms
    • Digestive complaints / gut issues
  • Clinic intake includes a 20-page questionnaire; many patients answer “When did you last feel well?” with:
    • “2019”
    • “Before I had COVID”
    • “Before COVID vaccination”
• Meredith’s personal health journey:
  • At ~18–19, she had a mysterious illness with severe throat infection, ER visit, fatigue, and eventual chronic pain and fatigue.
  • This pushed her toward integrative and root-cause medicine.
• COVID leading to apparent Epstein–Barr reactivation:
  • After an infection in late 2021, she develops:
    • Marked fatigue
    • Mast-cell-type histamine issues
    • Digestive symptoms
  • Suspects Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) reactivation, not just mitochondrial dysfunction.
  • Meredith’s own approach:
    • Used a Kasia Kines‑style nutritional protocol plus antivirals with a Florida physician.
    • Her Early Antigen D normalized, with improved fatigue.
• EBV & herpesvirus family:
  • Clarifies: Epstein–Barr is a herpesvirus, in the same family as:
    • CMV (cytomegalovirus)
    • HSV-1/HSV-2
    • Varicella (chickenpox)
  • High-dose lysine known to slow replication of herpes viruses.

[0:23:14] – H. pylori, Histamine Intolerance & Post-COVID Gut Changes

• Meredith’s own mast-cell / histamine journey:
  • Developed severe histamine symptoms post-COVID.
  • Conventional H1 and H2 blockers (Claritin, Zyrtec, Pepcid/Famotidine) did not resolve issues.
  • She also tried quercetin, luteolin, and evaluated genetics (DAO and HNMT) but didn’t find a complete explanation.
• Turning to the gut:
  • Ordered a GI-MAP functional stool test and found:
    • Citrobacter freundii and Klebsiella pneumoniae – both high histamine‑producing bacteria.
  • Hypothesis:
    • COVID changes the gut microbiome (e.g., lowering beneficial Bifidobacteria), creating an environment for histamine­‑producing species to overgrow.
• Widespread H. pylori findings:
  • In recent stool tests, >90% of her patients are now positive for H. pylori.
  • H. pylori:
    • Is a mast-cell activator
    • Classically associated with stomach ulcers, but also with pancreatic cancer
  • Meredith notes a personal family loss to pancreatic cancer in someone with prior H. pylori.
• Testing approaches:
  • Functional medicine: GI-MAP (DNA-based) often picks up H. pylori even when:
    • Breath tests,
    • Endoscopic biopsies, or
    • Traditional antibody tests
      come back negative.
  • Distinguishes:
    • Blood antibodies – tell you if you’ve ever had H. pylori, not necessarily current infection.
    • Stool antigen/DNA – better for current infection.
• When to treat:
  • She monitors elastase-1 (pancreatic enzyme output) on stool testing:
    • Low elastase suggests H. pylori may be impairing stomach acid and downstream digestion.
• Treatment approach:
  • Main tool: Mastic gum (a Mediterranean shrub extract) twice daily.
  • Sometimes bismuth/Pepto‑style support depending on symptoms.
  • Ed notes he often feels better whenever he uses mastic gum and now wants to test himself for H. pylori.
• Secretory IgA & post-COVID gut immunity:
  • She’s seeing dramatic reductions in secretory IgA (sIgA) on stool results—even in people in their 20s.
  • sIgA = the primary immune antibody at the gut lining.
  • Her working view:
    • COVID appears to suppress gut immune function, making people more vulnerable to pathogens like H. pylori and histamine-producing bacteria.
  • Core goal at Brio: heal leaky gut, rebuild sIgA, and restore gut-driven immunity.
• Clinic details:
  • Brio Functional Medicine (Lee Highway “wellness corner” next to Nutrition World).
  • Offers in‑person and telemedicine consultations.
  • Contact: briomedicine.com and info@briomedicine.com.

[0:35:42] – Dr. Curt Dearing on Blood Pressure & Conventional Medicine

Historical BP Targets & Over-Lowering Risks

• Dr. Curt Dearing outlines four major issues with conventional blood pressure management.
• Evolving guidelines:
  • 1977 Joint National Committee (JNC):
    • Acceptable up to 160/95; treatment mainly when diastolic ≥105.
  • JNC 5 and 7: 140/90 becomes standard; 130/80 suggested for high-risk (diabetes, CKD).
  • 2017 ACC/AHA: 130/80 becomes diagnostic threshold.
  • Some now push for “optimal” ~110/70.
• Curt’s view:
  • For older adults, the vascular system changes; some rise in BP is normal and necessary.
  • Aggressively pushing older patients into 110s/60s can be harmful.
• J-curve phenomenon:
  • As BP is lowered, risk decreases until a threshold, after which lower BP increases risk again.
• Key data he cites:
  • 2018 Lancet (1+ million patients):
    • No increased mortality at 150/100.
  • American Journal of Hypertension:
    • All-cause mortality increases at ~110/70 range.
• Practical implication:
  • Very low BP (especially diastolic <70) can reduce blood flow to the:
    • Brain
    • Heart
    • Kidneys
  • In older adults, overly low BP is linked with falls, fractures, strokes, cognitive decline, and kidney damage.
  • He references a nursing home study where reducing blood pressure meds led to fewer fractures, strokes, heart attacks, and deaths.

[0:41:06]– When Medication Makes Sense & Root-Cause Thinking

• Curt emphasizes BP is a symptom, not the disease:
  • Common drivers:
    • Inflammation
    • Insulin resistance
    • Sedentary lifestyle
    • High stress
    • Mitochondrial dysfunction
• Reasonable thresholds (his philosophy):
  • Cites Dr. David Brownstein’s rule of thumb:
    • “90 + your age” for systolic as a tolerable upper range, with common sense caveats.
    • Example: age 60 → occasionally up to 150 systolic can be acceptable.
  • He becomes more concerned if numbers are persistently:
    • Systolic near 170
    • Diastolic consistently >100
      and root causes can’t be corrected quickly.
  • In those cases, he supports using medication as a temporary band‑aid while working on underlying causes.
• Risks of certain meds:
  • Example: Amlodipine (calcium channel blocker):
    • Excellent at lowering BP numbers.
    • But may promote calcium deposition in arteries, potentially increasing cardiovascular disease over time.

[0:44:53] – Salt Intake, DASH Diet & Heat Risk

• Conventional advice: “Lower salt to lower blood pressure.”
• Curt’s critique:
  • DASH diet improved BP, but it involved many variables:
    • Reduced refined carbs
    • Better overall diet quality
  • He argues improved insulin sensitivity and lower inflammation, not sodium restriction alone, drove most benefits.
  • Pure sodium-reduction-only studies typically show:
    • BP improvements of only 1–2 mmHg.
• Downsides of excessive sodium restriction:
  • Can worsen insulin resistance – the opposite of what hypertensive patients need.
  • In the context of heat:
    • Low salt intake raises risk for heat-related illness and heat stroke.
    • Historical example: 1995 Chicago heat wave – many elderly were salt-restricted.
  • EMS/ER standard: in heat stroke, one of the first interventions is IV sodium chloride.
• Balanced message:
  • Overdoing salt in single meals can acutely spike BP, but adequate daily sodium, especially in hot weather and with sweating, supports:
    • Blood volume
    • Perfusion
    • Safer cardiovascular function
  • Prefers minimally processed, mineral-rich salts (e.g., certain tested Himalayan salts) over refined table salt.

[0:48:50] – Lifestyle & Nutraceutical Support for Blood Pressure

• Curt notes:
  • 2020 Journal of Human Hypertension: lifestyle changes alone can lower BP up to 15 mmHg.
  • Emphasizes:
    • Diet and carb quality
    • Regular movement
    • Stress reduction
  • Also highlights evidence-supported supplements:
    • Magnesium
    • Omega‑3 fatty acids
    • CoQ10
    • Others available through Nutrition World.

[0:54:14] – Protein & Kidney Function

• Ed shares a study on protein intake and kidney function:
  • Using eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) over 10 years in 13,124 adults (avg age 64).
  • Finding: higher protein intake was not associated with declining kidney function, even in:
    • Diabetes
    • Hypertension
    • Higher albumin levels.
  • Another study in ~8,500 adults:
    • Higher protein intake was associated with a slightly lower risk of mortality vs. low protein.
  • Takeaway:
    • For most people (including those at some CKD risk), adequate or higher protein does not automatically “wreck kidneys.”
    • Ed reinforces that muscle is the “organ of longevity”, so protein should not be casually restricted out of fear.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download