A lot of us have heard of fasting. It’s an ancient practice that dates back to the 15th century as a way to alleviate symptoms from certain types of illnesses. Over thousands of years fasting has been used by different cultures and through religious practices to maintain not only physical health but mental health as well.

I will often speak to my patients about fasting and I’ll admit that I get a bit of push back. Luckily there are ways to access a lot of the benefits of food abstention without having to actually fast. It’s a practice that’s called fast mimicking and today we will be talking about why it’s so helpful and accessible, plus how to do it and why you should.

Our guest today is Dr. Tonya Pasternak, a Naturopathic Physician who is passionate about finding the root cause of disease. She values taking time to create customized treatment plans for each patient, utilizing a blend of nutrition, botanical medicine, and craniosacral therapy. In addition to treating conditions related to the immune, endocrine, and digestive systems, Dr. Pasternak is really passionate about fasting and fast mimicking diets.

Here on Your Health Toolkit, we often talk about how conventional and naturopathic medicine can play complementary roles in our overall health. We call this “collaborative medicine” and through the work that we do at Collaborative Natural Health Partners, we are able to give people the knowledge and the tools they need to feel great every single day. If you’re interested in learning more, head over to our website or follow us on Facebook or Instagram for information, articles, and resources to take the guesswork out of your health.

Your Health Toolkit is a podcast presented for general information and educational purposes only. The discussions presented by Dr. Lauren Young and the show’s guests should not be considered medical advice but rather a conversation starter with your doctor. Everyone’s body is unique, and we recommend having a discussion with your personal healthcare team before trying anything discussed on the show.

Let’s face it. Men are pretty good at taking care of their physical health when they are younger. But as age, time, and priorities start to shift, their overall wellness can take a back seat.

As naturopathic physicians, so many of our first-time male patients come to us through their wives who tend to be a bit more proactive in managing their health. So that’s what we are going to focus on today with a special guest host Dr. Anthony Pascucci. Joining him is a fantastic panel of male physicians from Collaborative Natural Health Partners.

Meet our guests:

Dr. Craig Fasullo is a Naturopathic Physician with a focus on men’s health and cardiovascular health as well as bodywork and osteopathic manipulation.

Dr. Brad Brooks is an Osteopathic Physician who utilizes alternative therapies such as regenerative medicine with platelet-rich plasma and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy in his practice.

Dr. Nick Edgerton is a Naturopathic Physician who is focused on botanical medicine and has studied the benefits of herbal remedies around the world.

Andrew Lauzier is our resident APRN and a Family Nurse Practitioner who cares for patients from the newborn stage and he is extremely passionate about men’s health.

Our guest host is Dr. Anthony Pascucci, a Naturopathic Physician who looks closely at the mind/body connection with his patients, imploring techniques such as breathwork and stress management to help people address their overall health goals.

Here on Your Health Toolkit, we often talk about how conventional and naturopathic medicine can play complementary roles in our overall health. We call this “collaborative medicine” and through the work that we do at Collaborative Natural Health Partners, we are able to give people the knowledge and the tools they need to feel great every single day. If you’re interested in learning more, head over to our website or follow us on Facebook or Instagram for information, articles, and resources to take the guesswork out of your health.

Your Health Toolkit is a podcast presented for general information and educational purposes only. The discussions presented by Dr. Lauren Young and the show’s guests should not be considered medical advice but rather a conversation starter with your doctor. Everyone’s body is unique, and we recommend having a discussion with your personal healthcare team before trying anything discussed on the show.

According to the CDC, about 695,000 people in the United States die from heart disease each year, which is about one in every five deaths total.

If that doesn’t concern you, think about this. One person in this country dies from heart disease every 33 seconds.

And if you don’t think you need to worry because you don’t have high blood pressure or there is no history of heart problems in your family, think again. Half of all Americans (47%) have at least one of three key risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

So let’s talk about heart health with two amazing experts.

Dr. Craig Fasullo is a Naturopathic Physician who addresses a broad range of conditions, including gastrointestinal and cardiovascular health, musculoskeletal pain, endocrine/hormone imbalance, and men’s health. He is a huge advocate for hands-on physical medicine, incorporating years of training in diverse modalities to treat both acute and chronic pain conditions, improving quality of life without resorting to drugs or surgery.

Dr. Ashley Burkman is a Naturopathic Physician who sees a variety of conditions, with particular interest in heart health, hormonal health, autoimmunity, nutritional medicine, and neurological conditions. She resonates with those who have chronic illnesses where often the goal is not cure, but to optimize health where they are at.

Here on Your Health Toolkit, we often talk about how conventional and naturopathic medicine can play complementary roles in our overall health. We call this “collaborative medicine” and through the work that we do at Collaborative Natural Health Partners, we are able to give people the knowledge and the tools they need to feel great every single day. If you’re interested in learning more, head over to our website or follow us on Facebook or Instagram for information, articles, and resources to take the guesswork out of your health.

Your Health Toolkit is a podcast presented for general information and educational purposes only. The discussions presented by Dr. Lauren Young and the show’s guests should not be considered medical advice but rather a conversation starter with your doctor. Everyone’s body is unique, and we recommend having a discussion with your personal healthcare team before trying anything discussed on the show.

Today we are talking about poop, which might seem a little odd but there is a very good reason for it. Last year, the American Gastroenterological Association released new data showing that nearly 40% of Americans have stopped routine activities in the last year due to uncomfortable bowel symptoms, including exercising, running errands, and seeing family and friends. Even though discomfort disrupts their day, people still don’t want to talk about it with one in three people reporting that they would only discuss their bowel symptoms if their doctor brought it up first.

As doctors, poop truly is a window into your overall health and even though it sounds strange, we really want to hear about it. So let’s break the ice today with two excellent experts who are going to help me explain the issues, break down some solutions, and bust a few myths.

Dr. Megan Fortin is a Naturopathic Physician with Collaborative Natural Health Partners who specializes in treating autoimmune, endocrine, and digestive conditions, including IBS and SIBO. She is super passionate about individualized care and works to treat the whole person while utilizing clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, and lifestyle counseling.

Dr. Carolina Gonzalez is also a Naturopathic Physician who focuses on digestive disorders such as SIBO, IBS, candida overgrowth, and the microbiome and she focuses on a holistic approach targeting the gut-brain connection and the importance of understanding its bidirectional impact.

Here on Your Health Toolkit, we often talk about how conventional and naturopathic medicine can play complementary roles in our overall health. We call this “collaborative medicine” and through the work that we do at Collaborative Natural Health Partners, we are able to give people the knowledge and the tools they need to feel great every single day. If you’re interested in learning more, head over to our website or follow us on Facebook or Instagram for information, articles, and resources to take the guesswork out of your health.

Your Health Toolkit is a podcast presented for general information and educational purposes only. The discussions presented by Dr. Lauren Young and the show’s guests should not be considered medical advice but rather a conversation starter with your doctor. Everyone’s body is unique, and we recommend having a discussion with your personal healthcare team before trying anything discussed on the show.

If you follow naturopathic health, you’ll know that food is medicine and there is actually some merit to the old saying “you are what you eat”. From Chinese medicine to Ayurveda in India, the significance of maintaining good health through food is something we’ve practiced for thousands of years. But even as science continues to uncover the amazing ways that nutrients influence our bodies and minds, it can be hard to decipher good and bad, healthy or fad, and what we should be eating consistently to fuel our bodies for a long and healthy life.

So that’s what we are going to be talking about today. What do we as doctors stock in our fridge, recommend to our patients, and double down on when we start to feel sick?

Dr. Nick Edgerton is a Naturopathic Physician and licensed acupuncturist who has a fantastic background in botanical medicine, from wildcrafting in Jamaica to his own backyard to nutrigenomics where he studies how nutrients and herbs impact gene expression.

Dr. Mary Tracey is a Naturopathic Physician whose areas of focus include women’s health, pain management, and chronic disease intervention. She is passionate about the inner workings of the human body and utilizes methods that promote long-term states of health and wellness for her patients.

Here on Your Health Toolkit, we often talk about how conventional and naturopathic medicine can play complementary roles in our overall health. We call this “collaborative medicine” and through the work that we do at Collaborative Natural Health Partners, we are able to give people the knowledge and the tools they need to feel great every single day. If you’re interested in learning more, head over to our website or follow us on Facebook or Instagram for information, articles, and resources to take the guesswork out of your health.

Your Health Toolkit is a podcast presented for general information and educational purposes only. The discussions presented by Dr. Lauren Young and the show’s guests should not be considered medical advice but rather a conversation starter with your doctor. Everyone’s body is unique, and we recommend having a discussion with your personal healthcare team before trying anything discussed on the show.

If you’re feeling extra nervous, stressed, or just not yourself these days, you aren’t alone. According to the most recent Pew Research Center analysis, four-in-ten U.S. adults have experienced high levels of psychological distress at least once since the early stages of the coronavirus outbreak. That’s 41% of Americans and the percentage skyrockets to 58% when you isolate the data to people aged 18 to 29.

This data is terrifying and what makes it even harder to grapple with is that our healthcare community is already under so much pressure. People are feeling the effects of mental health issues more frequently and younger, and the resources to combat them are harder to come by. With so much demand, quick fixes in the form of anti-depressants are becoming the go-to solution. A study referenced by The Royal Pharmaceutical Society in the UK found anti-depressant prescriptions rose by 35% in six years and yet another study published by U.S. News & World Report in 2022 found that anti-depressant use over time may do little to improve the overall quality of life.

So where are we with all of this? Are there ways that we can help ourselves to find some calm, alleviate our symptoms, and teach ourselves how to repair in a more beneficial way for our long-term health?

Dr. Julia Vitali is an Osteopathic Physician who practices alongside me at Collaborative Natural Health Partners in Connecticut. Dr. Vitali lives and breathes an integrative approach to medicine and uses a lot of bodywork and mental health practices to help her patients achieve optimum wellbeing.

Dr. Megan Fortin is a Naturopathic Physician and she is passionate about individualized care and works to treat the whole person while utilizing clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, and lifestyle counseling.

A few resources that are mentioned in the show:
Dr. Young's book pick "Listening to Depression" by Dr. Lara Honos-Webb
Find a Therapist at

Here on Your Health Toolkit, we often talk about how conventional and naturopathic medicine can play complementary roles in our overall health. We call this “collaborative medicine” and through the work that we do at Collaborative Natural Health Partners, we are able to give people the knowledge and the tools they need to feel great every single day. If you’re interested in learning more, head over to our website or follow us on Facebook or Instagram for information, articles, and resources to take the guesswork out of your health.

Your Health Toolkit is a podcast presented for general information and educational purposes only. The discussions presented by Dr. Lauren Young and the show’s guests should not be considered medical advice but rather a conversation starter with your doctor. Everyone’s body is unique, and we recommend having a discussion with your personal healthcare team before trying anything discussed on the show.

A good night’s sleep is the foundation of proper health. From our internal organs to the way our brains work, every function of our body relies on rest. But with more demands from world, the gravitational pull of devices, and skyrocketing stress, the sleep that we need is more elusive than ever.

If you’re worried about those restless nights, you’re not alone. More than one-third of U.S. adults sleep less than seven hours per night, on average. Nearly half of U.S. workers say they are regularly tired during the day and poor sleep results in unplanned absences from work that cost the U.S. economy $44.6 billion each year.

So your quality of sleep isn’t just your problem. It’s something that communities, doctors, and even the government are keeping an open eye on. So what’s the deal with sleep really and how can we get a good night’s rest once and for all? That’s what we are going to talk about today. Let’s meet our experts.

Dr. Mary Tracey is a Naturopathic Physician whose areas of focus include women’s health, pain management, and chronic disease intervention. She is passionate about the inner workings of the human body and utilizes methods that promote long-term states of health and wellness for her patients.

Dr. Kate Zachau is an Osteopathic Family Medicine Physician who works with patients to determine the root cause of their symptoms in alignment with naturopathic and osteopathic philosophies. She specifically works with women as they move through menopause and her passion for integrative medicine is most notable in the modalities of mind-body medicine, nutrition, and osteopathic manipulation.

In today's episode, Dr. Tracey and Dr. Zachau mention several of their favorite tools for good sleep:

• Binaural Beats

Here on Your Health Toolkit, we often talk about how conventional and naturopathic medicine can play complementary roles in our overall health. We call this “collaborative medicine” and through the work that we do at Collaborative Natural Health Partners, we are able to give people the knowledge and the tools they need to feel great every single day. If you’re interested in learning more, head over to our website or follow us on Facebook or Instagram for information, articles, and resources to take the guesswork out of your health.

Your Health Toolkit is a podcast presented for general information and educational purposes only. The discussions presented by Dr. Lauren Young and the show’s guests should not be considered medical advice but rather a conversation starter with your doctor. Everyone’s body is unique, and we recommend having a discussion with your personal healthcare team before trying anything discussed on the show.

Massage, chiropractic care, acupuncture, reflexology. These are just a few examples of bodywork, a commonly known but lesser used therapy that promotes healing in both the body and the mind.

From a naturopathic perspective, bodywork is an essential part of our care regimen for many reasons that we’re going to get into today. Many of the ancient practices can offer comparable or better results than what can be achieved through modern medicine. But with so many options available, it can be hard to decipher what’s actually right for you. So that’s what we are going to tackle today.

Dr. Julia Vitali is an Osteopathic Physician who practices alongside me at Collaborative Natural Health Partners in Connecticut. Dr. Vitali lives and breathes an integrative approach to medicine and she uses a lot of bodywork in her practice to ensure that her patients can move freely and heal naturally.

Dr. Anthony Pascucci is a Naturopathic Physician with a focus on gastrointestinal disorders, men’s health issues, and chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and diabetes. He honors the power of the mind and body to heal using traditional naturopathic techniques married with modern functional medicine testing and clinical nutrition.

Here on Your Health Toolkit, we often talk about how conventional and naturopathic medicine can play complementary roles in our overall health. We call this “collaborative medicine” and through the work that we do at Collaborative Natural Health Partners, we are able to give people the knowledge and the tools they need to feel great every single day. If you’re interested in learning more, head over to our website or follow us on Facebook or Instagram for information, articles, and resources to take the guesswork out of your health.

Your Health Toolkit is a podcast presented for general information and educational purposes only. The discussions presented by Dr. Lauren Young and the show’s guests should not be considered medical advice but rather a conversation starter with your doctor. Everyone’s body is unique, and we recommend having a discussion with your personal healthcare team before trying anything discussed on the show.