In this episode of the One Medicine Podcast, host Rob Lutz speaks with Dr. Gaetano Morello about practical, evidence-informed approaches to depression, stress, and anxiety in clinical practice. Dr. Morello shares how chronic stress can worsen complex conditions by driving gut permeability, neuroinflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction, and explains why treating the underlying physiology matters.

The conversation covers the differences between stress and anxiety, the role of the endocannabinoid system, and how botanicals and nutrients like echinacea-derived compounds, saffron, curcumin, GABA, omega-3s, magnesium, and acetyl-L-carnitine may fit into a practitioner’s toolkit. Dr. Morello also highlights lifestyle foundations, including protein intake, movement, sleep, mindfulness, grounding, and diet, for supporting resilience and long-term health.

A practical, wide-ranging discussion for clinicians looking for natural strategies to help patients manage stress-related symptoms and improve overall wellness.

Key Moments:

00:00 - Intro

21:00 - Stress causes leaky gut and systemic inflammation

26:00 - Endocannabinoid system role in pain and gut permeability

41:23 - Simple daily habits to support mitochondrial function

Links:

Beyond Immunity: How Echinacea EP107 Targets Stress and Anxiety https://todayspractitioner.com/stress/beyond-immunity-how-echinacea-ep107-targets-stress-and-anxiety/

Stress & Anxiety Resource Center

https://todayspractitioner.com/stress-management-resource-center/

Bio:

Dr. Gaetano A. Morello, BSc, ND, is a board-certified naturopathic physician with over 30

years of clinical experience. He practices at the Wellness Health Centre in West Vancouver and serves as a clinician in the Complex Chronic Disease Program at BC Women’s Hospital — the first naturopathic doctor to hold such a hospital position in North America. A recognized expert in integrative and functional medicine, Dr. Morello is the author of Whole Body Cleansing and Cleanse: The Ultimate Inside Out Approach, a contributing author to A Textbook of Natural Medicine, and a frequent speaker and consultant in the nutraceutical industry. He specializes in complex chronic conditions and evidence-based natural approaches to stress, anxiety, mood, and overall wellness.

Thanks for listening in. I hope you found today’s episode interesting and came away with a few insights you can apply to your practice. If you want to go deeper on this topic or anything else, please visit https://todayspractitioner.com and consider registering for our weekly newsletter as well.

Thanks again, and I hope you’ll join us next time.