Q&A with Leyla, Part 2: Nattokinase for blood pressure?

Nutritionist Leyla Muedin discusses joint inflammation—its symptoms (swelling, pain, redness, warmth, morning stiffness, reduced range of motion) and why it is usually a sign of an underlying condition rather than a disease itself. She reviews common causes including osteoarthritis (cartilage wear and tear), rheumatoid arthritis (autoimmune synovium attack with prolonged morning stiffness and fatigue), gout (uric acid crystals, often in the big toe), psoriatic arthritis, injuries, autoimmune diseases (e.g., lupus, ankylosing spondylitis, Sjogren’s), infections such as septic arthritis requiring urgent care, and surrounding-tissue problems like tendonitis and bursitis. Lifestyle factors that worsen inflammation include excess weight, poor diet (including unaddressed food allergies; avoiding nightshades is suggested), insulin resistance contributing to gout, lack of exercise, smoking, and stress. Management strategies include rest, bracing, ice vs. heat, OTC anti-inflammatories, gentle low-impact exercise, anti-inflammatory foods, weight loss, treating root causes, and supplements such as glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, bromelain, turmeric, Boswellia, and quercetin.

I'm confused by information presented on diets containing meat as being dangerous. Could you shed some light?Assisted living models that would be of benefit to older adults

A comment on Medicare coverage of the hs-CRP blood testAre butyrate supplements beneficial to take?Is iron overload a risk factor for heart attack?Nattokinase lowered my blood pressure!Is there a danger of clot relocation when taking systemic enzymes?

Integrative rheumatologist Dr. Aly Cohen combines conventional rheumatology medications with lifestyle and environmental health approaches to manage autoimmune disease, emphasizing nutrition, sleep, exercise, the gut microbiome, and reducing exposure to synthetic chemicals, pesticides, and contaminated water. They discuss how immunosuppressive drugs can be lifesaving but carry infection risks, and how “risk mitigation” and anti-inflammatory dietary patterns can support resilience. Cohen highlights vitamin D’s importance in autoimmunity and COVID outcomes and lists four foundational supplements: a clean multivitamin (including iodine), vitamin D3 guided by blood levels, a quality probiotic, and omega-3 fish oil with adequate EPA+DHA; they also cover cautious use of curcumin, limited enthusiasm for glucosamine/chondroitin, and a measured view of collagen. Cohen promotes her hybrid Smart Human Health Summit on women’s health (Saturday, April 25), featuring clinicians speaking on menopause/HRT, dementia, cardiology, endocrinology, GLP-1s, and toxins, with in-person, virtual, and recorded access.

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Integrative rheumatologist Dr. Aly Cohen. 

Bioethicist and psychiatrist Dr. Aaron Kheriaty, author of “Making the Cut: How to Heal Modern Medicine,” discusses declining public trust in healthcare. Kheriaty describes his medical training and argues medicine has become an industrial, bureaucratic “turnstile” system that dehumanizes care, turns physicians into data-entry clerks, and relies on reimbursement-driven “guidelines” and narrow evidence-based medicine that favors costly pharmaceuticals. He proposes creating “parallel” grassroots medical institutions—such as direct primary care—analogous to homeschooling and Eastern European dissidents’ “parallel polis,” since systemic reform from within is difficult. Kheriaty recounts opposing COVID vaccine mandates at UC Irvine, being fired after suing, and participating in Missouri v. Biden and Ho v. Newsom, which challenged government-influenced social-media censorship and California’s physician “misinformation” law. He also discusses informed consent, assisted suicide opposition, and advocating opt-in organ donation.

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with bioethicist and psychiatrist Dr. Aaron Kheriaty, author of “Making the Cut: How to Heal Modern Medicine.” 

Expect a renewed push to take a statin at your next doctor’s visit; PREVENT online calculator skews decisions to prescribe cholesterol reduction as early as 30; American Heart Association discourages at-risk patients from taking fish oil and garlic supplements—REALLY? Renewed interest in muscle as promoter of overall health and metabolism; The key role of urolithin A (Mitopure®️) for supporting muscle function. Is DHEA a reasonable supplement for post-menopausal women?

CEO of large hospital system makes controversial call to replace radiologists with AI; Inclusion Body Myositis—is it curable? New worries over flame retardants in recycled black plastic utensils; Scientists discover link to toxic microbiome byproducts in causation of ALS, frontotemporal dementia; When depression-sufferers lose all interest in food; Eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables incurs risk of bio-accumulation of pesticide residues; Tattoos carry long-term health risks.

Nutritionist Leyla Muedin discusses news from Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Take Back Your Health” tour, highlighting hospital commitments to nutrition-driven care, including connecting Florida farms directly to hospital food systems. She reports that CMS issued a quality and safety special alert directing hospitals to align meals with the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, emphasizing whole nutrient-dense foods and adequate protein while reducing ultra-processed foods, sugar-sweetened beverages, refined carbohydrates, and added sugars, and reinforcing Medicare participation requirements such as meeting individual nutrition needs, dietitian oversight, current therapeutic diet manuals, and integrating nutrition into quality improvement. At Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Kennedy and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz met with healthcare leaders; the hospital signed a pledge to partner with Florida producers to improve food quality, remove procurement barriers, and expand medically tailored meals and training. Muedin praises regenerative agriculture and local supply chains and contrasts these efforts with past high-carbohydrate hospital diets.