A Trip to Las Vegas for the A4M Annual World Conference
As if the holiday season doesn’t bring enough chaos to this time of year, Kate and I added to it by spending three jam-packed days in Las Vegas at the A4M Annual World Conference.
It’s the largest functional medicine conference in the world. There were over 4,000 physicians in attendance, and it featured an extensive exhibit hall of wellness products, showing that the future is here. It’s exciting to say the least.
While there, I completed a 20-hour certification in cardiology. I learned more in-depth pathophysiology than I learned in medical school about diseases like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart attacks and heart failure. Kate went to the general assembly, which featured a ton of information about therapies targeted at increasing longevity and vitality, and as to be expected in any functional medicine conference, lots of information about gut health.
Because life is all about balance, we found activities to unwind and recharge after the extreme stimulus that comes from both our conference and the Las Vegas strip. We tried every sauna and red light blanket we could find in the exhibit hall, we restructured the water in our bodies by spending time in front of the fountains at the Wynn, and we enjoyed treatments at a quiet Korean spa off away from the flashing lights.
Below are three fun tidbits of information we each learned at the conference that we thought would be fun to share!
Kate
Melatonin is good for so much more than just helping with sleep. It helps optimize our immune system as well as supports overall gut health. A large amount of the melatonin produced comes from the gut. Its best to get melatonin from a plant derived source.
An area of diet that is often overlooked is not just what we eat, but the diversity of what we eat. Our ancestors ate a wide variety of foods during certain seasons but now the average American only eats about 25 foods total. Ideally, its best to aim to eat 50 different foods/week.
There is currently a fad where people use coconut oil for lubrication during sex. Turns out this is a fad that should fizzle out soon because coconut oil can be drying to the vaginal wall. Practitioners are recommending silicon-based lubrication. Our office received some samples from a company called Uberlube that seems great. Don’t be shy to ask for a free sample next time you’re in the office.
Charlie:
Intermittent fasting is associated with better health benefits when fasting isn’t done in the morning hours. For example, it’s better to eat first thing in the morning and have the last meal of the day in the late afternoon, rather than skip eat breakfast and have dinner later at night.
A research proven trick to help kids eat more vegetables is simply to have more vegetables on the table. For example, if broccoli is the only choice, they aren’t particularly likely to eat it. But if broccoli, peas, and carrots are on their plate, then they’re more likely to eat at least one of them.
Nitric oxide is a critical molecule in our bodies to help regulate blood pressure. One of its main sources is the bacteria in our mouths. Using any type of mouth wash kills these good bacteria and can make one more susceptible to conditions like high blood pressure.