Send us Fan Mail

100% of tested samples is not a rounding error. Drs. Mark Pettus and John Bagnulo walk through new research on mycotoxins in commercially available plant-based meat, cheese, fish, and beverage alternatives and explain why mold toxins deserve a place in any serious conversation about modern nutrition. We dig into what the lab methods measured, why wheat-gluten based seitan products can be especially vulnerable, and how gaps in food safety oversight can leave “plant-based” products outside the regulatory spotlight many of us assume exists.

From there, we connect the dots to what listeners actually care about: symptoms, labs, and long-term risk. We talk about common mycotoxins like aflatoxin and ochratoxin A, the reality of daily exposure when staples like wheat, corn, soy, and oat products show up at every meal, and why quantity matters as much as concentration. We also explore how these toxins can be lipophilic, how they may interact with obesity and fatty liver biology, and what research suggests about lipid changes like higher triglycerides and lower HDL.

We then zoom out to the systems most likely to take the hit: immune function, endocrine signalling, and the gut microbiome. We cover increased gut permeability, endotoxemia, inflammation, and the unsettling synergy where mycotoxins may worsen outcomes in the presence of latent viruses like Epstein-Barr or herpes family viruses. Finally, we end with grounded, doable steps: reduce reliance on ultra-processed meat analogs and dairy substitutes, do your own homework, and support elimination pathways including bile flow and bile binding strategies such as beets and specific fibers.

Subscribe for more evidence-based self-care, share this with someone who relies on plant-based substitutes, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway or question.

For slide deck and open source resources: www.thehealthedgepodcast.com

Send us Fan Mail

Daylight savings may be on the chopping block, but the bigger health disruption we can actually fix today might be hiding in plain sight: low zinc status. We walk through why zinc is an essential micronutrient you cannot store, why it often slips past routine medical testing, and why modern diets can create a quiet gap between “zinc consumed” and “zinc absorbed.” If you care about energy, immunity, fertility, and healthy aging, zinc deficiency and zinc bioavailability deserve a spot on your radar.

From there, we get into the strongest part of the evidence: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on zinc supplementation in type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, and prediabetes. We unpack what improved most, including insulin resistance markers like fasting insulin and HOMA-IR, along with inflammation (C-reactive protein) and oxidative stress measures (malondialdehyde and total antioxidant capacity). We also explain why zinc’s role in antioxidant enzyme systems such as superoxide dismutase can matter when inflammation and reactive oxygen species are driving cardiometabolic risk.

We then make it practical: which groups are most likely to struggle with zinc status (older adults, people with GI issues, post-bariatric surgery, pregnancy and lactation, and long-term acid suppression users), and which foods reliably deliver bioavailable zinc. We also add a crucial nuance many people miss, the copper to zinc ratio, and how high-copper patterns can shift that balance in ways that may affect infection risk and cardiovascular disease risk.

If you found this helpful, subscribe, share the episode with a friend who is working on metabolic health, and leave a quick review so more people can find the show. What’s one change you’d make to improve zinc intake or absorption starting this week?

For slides and open source references: www.thehealthedgepodcast.com

Send us Fan Mail

Heavy water sounds like a chemistry trivia fact until you realise it may be sitting at the crossroads of energy, ageing, and chronic disease. We talk about deuterium, the heavier isotope of hydrogen, and why even one extra neutron can matter when that hydrogen becomes part of the water that surrounds your proteins and powers your mitochondria. If you care about mitochondrial health, oxidative stress, insulin sensitivity, and longevity, this is a surprisingly practical conversation hiding inside a physics story.

Mark Pettus MD and John Bagnulo PhD, MPH walk through what deuterium is, where it shows up in our environment, and why modern patterns may increase deuterium load over time. We dig into the mechanism that keeps popping up: the mitochondrial electron transport chain is a precise system, and deuterium-heavy water can slow it down, reducing efficiency and increasing stress signals downstream. We also look at why hype and devices can derail credibility, and why you do not need a machine to start applying the fundamentals.

From there, we connect lifestyle to biology. Burning fat creates metabolic water that is naturally lower in deuterium, which helps explain why ketogenic or lower-carb eating keeps showing up alongside better metabolic outcomes. We discuss food choices that tend to push deuterium higher, why local and seasonal eating may matter more than people think, and how sunlight, infrared light, and “exclusion zone” water concepts fit into a broader hydration and performance picture.

If this changes how you think about water, share it with a friend, subscribe for more evidence-based self-care, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What’s one habit you’re willing to test first: carbs down, sunlight up, or more daily movement?

For the slides and open source references: www.thehealthedgepodcast.com