Welcome to Your Dose of Dr. Molly: Issue #6!
Your Biohacking Bible of the year is here! Plus my #1 unusual health tip. Then learn about major risks of PPIs for adults with T2D & read about rising concerns over alcohol use among doctors.
The Spark Factor Book Tour
2023 has been a whirlwind so far, and we're just getting started! On January 31st, my first book, The Spark Factor, went on sale. I had the opportunity to travel to LA, NYC, and Dubai on my book launch tour and meet many of you in person at some really cool events, (huge shoutout to my friends at The Alchemist Kitchen, Fleur du Mal, Celia Chen, 0xB1, and so many more amazing people in my life who helped plan these events and support my book launch!).
If I didn’t get to see you in person, chances are you’ve probably been seeing a lot of me on podcasts (I did SO many), IG and FB lives, or even GMA3! Thank you for all the love and support you've shown me. I would love a review on Amazon if you read the book! ❤️Also, for those of you who are going to be at Expo West, I’m doing a book signing with Winged Wellness on March 9, 2023. Stop by our booth to get a signed copy of my book!
Your “Biohacking Bible” is HERE!
One of my favorite reviews of the book so far called it the "Biohacking Bible" because of its comprehensive approach to understanding health. I'm trying to teach women AND men that we need to take a gentler approach to biohacking and pay attention to where we are in life and what our body is doing. We need balance. In The Spark Factor, I share my research on mitochondrial health, hormones, nutrition, relationship development, mindset coaching, and much more to help you develop lifestyle changes for lifetime benefits.
Want to know a fun fact about my book? It’s actually based on the course I taught at Stanford University for 3 years which I have since transformed into an online course, “Your Healthspan Journey.” And to celebrate my book launch, I've decided to extend the bonus offers for a limited time. If you buy my book, you'll receive a massive discount on my course, plus other free gifts and exclusive offers. Just enter your order number HERE to receive your course discount and other book bonuses via email instantly (check spam!).
In this comprehensive course, you'll learn how to take control of your health and extend your healthspan through science-based strategies, practical tips, and expert guidance. With easy-to-follow modules on nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management, and more, you'll develop a personalized plan for optimal health and longevity. My course provides you with everything you need to know to transform your health and achieve your wellness goals. Whether you're looking to lose weight, reduce inflammation, improve your mood, or simply feel better, this course is your ticket to a healthier, happier you.
Discover the secret to living a longer, healthier life with "Your Healthspan Journey" – the ultimate online course for improving your overall wellbeing. What are you waiting for?!
The Troubling Trend of Problematic Alcohol Use Among Medical Professionals
A recent systematic review published in JAMA Network Open suggests that problematic alcohol use among physicians is on the rise. The researchers conducted a review of 31 studies to better understand the prevalence of problematic alcohol use among physicians and how it might vary based on characteristics such as age, specialty, and sex.
While the exact prevalence of problematic alcohol use among physicians is difficult to determine due to self-reported studies, the findings of the review suggest that it is a growing concern in the profession. In fact, it found that rates of problematic alcohol use among physicians were higher than the general population, with some studies reporting rates as high as 15%. Not to mention in medical school we were taught to triple the amount of daily alcohol a patient reports consuming, I’ll let you do the math.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I see alcohol as a legacy drug. By now we all know that alcohol impairs reaction time and reasoning and contributes to bad decision-making (including putting ourselves in risky situations). It also impairs sleep and metabolism. So it should go without saying this is a concerning trend that can lead to a range of negative consequences for physicians and their patients and an increased risk of medical errors.
Long work hours, high-stress levels, cultural acceptance, and easy access to alcohol all likely play a role. Alcohol use is functional. People drink because it helps them cope with life. The real question is: why are so many physicians and people in general so unhappy and stressed that they need alcohol to cope? Probably because the health care system is really hard to work in. We need to focus on addressing the underlying factors contributing to the problem in the first place and create a culture of health in medicine that promotes better work-life balance, stress management, burnout prevention, and healthy coping mechanisms.
Common Acid Reflux Medication May Increase Risk of Heart Disease in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes
Another recent study I wanted to highlight published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism has found that adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) who take proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which are commonly used medications for the treatment of acid-related gastrointestinal disorders, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), may have a higher risk of getting coronary artery disease, heart attacks, heart failure, and even dying than people who don't take them.
The study analyzed data from over 19,000 adults with T2D who were followed up for nearly 8 years. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, the researchers found that PPI users had a 22% higher risk of coronary artery disease, a 14% higher risk of heart attack, a 16% higher risk of heart failure, and a 25% higher risk of death from any cause.
The exact mechanisms behind this association are not yet fully understood, but it’s thought that PPIs may affect the function of blood vessels and gut microbiota, leading to inflammation and metabolic dysregulation.
The moral of the story, doctors should be very careful when giving these medicines to people with T2D, especially those with a high risk of cardiovascular disease. Non-pharmacological approaches, such as lifestyle modifications and dietary changes, should also be considered as part of the management of acid-related gastrointestinal disorders in this population.
Head to my website for a blog post all about how to beat GERD in its tracks, how to find out if you need extra HCL to digest your food, as well as protocols for using digestive enzymes and ox bile for healthier digestion. If you’re interested in a more comprehensive understanding of the science as well as guidance on how to design a personalized lifestyle and dietary overhaul, consider taking my online course, “Your Healthspan Journey.”
My #1 “Unusual” Health Tip
Speaking of diet and lifestyle, I get asked for my best health “tips and tricks” all the time. Recently someone asked for my most “unusual health tip” in relation to metabolic health, so I wanted to share that with you here:
My tip would be to spend way more time with skin-to-skin contact with partners (sex) and family members (affectionate touch and holding babies) and friends (cuddling) and pets (petting and playing with them) to enhance the release of oxytocin which is the hormone of safety, trust, and love and is in fact protective to the mitochondria and heart (as it is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant). Most people have touch hunger and are unaware that felt connection is nature’s medicine.
I feel strongly that human connection is one of the most nourishing things for optimal metabolic health. This is why connection is such a huge part of my online course on healthspan. I dive into why it’s more important for health than not smoking, not drinking, or being sedentary and how it’s the greatest factor we know in long-term health and happiness, plus the science behind oxytocin and how to release more of it, check out the course landing page for more info. Check out this extended sneak peek of lecture one on youtube!
Thanks for reading! I’d love to hear feedback about this newsletter or requests for future newsletter content in the comments below. And, if you have read my book and loved it, please write me an amazon review! I’m trying to get 100 reviews!
As always, I will leave you with a quote that has recently resonated with me.
Quote of the Day:
“The purpose of life? To be fully, consciously engaged in the great adventure of evolution; to manifest the divine spirit as best we can through the development of our potential—the potential not just to memorize facts and manipulate symbols but also to expand the senses, to develop the body, to explore consciousness, to deepen relationships and serve others. To put it another way, life's purpose could be seen as lifelong learning in the broadest sense." — George Leonard
With love,
Dr. Molly