Blogs

Rhythm as Medicine: How Sound Shapes the Mind and Body By Dr. Sandra McKenzie | Lifestyle Medicine Specialist We Are Rhythm Before We Are Thought I was recently listening to Terrence Howard, Jr. speak about what he refers to as sound theory —a way of thinking about vibration, frequency, and the role sound may play in shaping reality. While these ideas are not formally established within conventional scientific frameworks, they open an important doorway to a conversation tha

By Dr. Sandra McKenzie, Lifestyle Medicine Specialist When COVID-19 emerged, much of the conversation centered around public health measures, pharmaceuticals, and day-to-day precautions. But over the last few years, researchers in integrative and functional medicine have explored another important area: how certain nutrients and botanicals may support immune balance and resilience. While supplements do not  treat or cure viral illness, more evidence now shows that key nutrien

The silent hormonal shifts no one teaches women to notice By Dr. Sandra Mckenzie / Lifestyle Medicine Specialist Women’s bodies move through seasons—puberty, motherhood, transition, and renewal. But while men often get obvious warning signs of hormonal decline, women are taught to normalize fatigue, weight gain, irritability, loss of libido, and brain fog as “aging.” But symptoms are not destiny. They are data. Your hormones are chemical messengers shaping: • Energy • Emotion

Lifestyle strategies that activate the body’s own pathways By Dr. Sandra McKenzie, Lifestyle Medicine Specialist In the conversation about GLP-1 medications, one truth often gets overshadowed: The human body is exquisitely designed with its own internal mechanisms to regulate appetite, manage weight, balance insulin, and maintain metabolic harmony. GLP-1 is not just a pharmaceutical target — it is a natural hormone we produce every day, and we have the power to support it gen

Understanding the difference between medical-grade and store-bought nutraceuticals By Dr. Sandra Mckenzie / Lifestyle Medicine Specialist In the world of wellness, supplements are everywhere — in commercials, in drugstores, in online ads, and across social media “recommendations." But here’s the truth most people don’t hear: Supplements are not regulated the same way medications are. And that difference can change everything. Many of the clients I work with come to me confuse

Why understanding endocrine disruptors is essential for longevity, balance, and the rhythm of a healthy life By Dr. Sandra McKenzie, Lifestyle Medicine Specialist We live in a world that moves fast — too fast. Our bodies were built for rhythm, restoration, and harmony. But modern life introduces something our cells were never designed to dance with: Endocrine disruptors — silent chemicals that interfere with our internal symphony. These chemicals don’t come with warning label

A gentle guide to reconnecting with nature, nourishment, and your region’s rhythms By Dr. Sandra Mckenzie / Lifestyle Medicine Specialist In a world where everything is available all the time, we sometimes forget the simple joy — and the nutritional wisdom — of eating foods when they naturally grow. Seasonal eating is not a trend or a diet; it is a timeless practice rooted in harmony with nature, tradition, and the body’s intuitive needs. When we choose seasonal foods, we are

Why staying mentally “in motion” keeps us emotionally stuck By Dr. Mckenzie, Lifestyle Medicine Specialist We live in a world that worships productivity—where slowing down feels like failure, and rest feels like guilt. Many of us live on a treadmill that never stops, mentally sprinting through deadlines, responsibilities, and expectations while our bodies remain still. We become that invisible treadmill—constantly moving, yet going nowhere—creating a kind of silent exhaustion

Supplements Every Man Should Understand for Prostate, Energy & Longevity By Dr. Sandra McKenzie, Lifestyle Medicine Specialist Men don’t always talk about their health — but their bodies do. Through energy dips, interrupted sleep, low libido, slow recovery, stubborn abdominal fat, or even quiet signals from the prostate… the male body is constantly communicating. And one message rises above the rest: Support your foundation, or the cracks will show later. In Lifestyle Medicin

Your Gut Is Your Second Brain — Listen When It Whispers By Dr. Sandra Mckenzie / Lifestyle Medicine Specialist Most people think gut issues look like stomach pain, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea. But the gut influences far more than digestion. Your gut talks long before your symptoms make sense: Brain fog Fatigue Mood swings Food sensitivities Acne or eczema Bloating after meals Joint discomfort Weight changes Autoimmune flares Research continues to reveal connections be

Why harmony, not suppression, is the true strategy By Dr. Sandra Mckenzie / Lifestyle Medicine Specialist Women have been conditioned to fear estrogen — weight gain, fibroids, mood swings, breast cancer risk. But estrogen isn’t the villain. The real problem lies in estrogen mismanagement  — how it is metabolized, balanced, cleared, and communicated within the endocrine system. Estrogen needs: • progesterone to balance mood and sleep • thyroid to regulate metabolism • insulin

You can’t avoid what you don’t see — here’s where disruptors quietly enter your life By Dr. Sandra McKenzie, Lifestyle Medicine Specialist Most people imagine toxins as something far away — factory smoke, industrial waste, chemicals in a lab. But endocrine disruptors don’t show up wearing hazard signs or bright warning labels. They hide in the familiar. They blend into the everyday. They slip into routines so quietly that most of us never notice them. To protect your body, e

Understanding the hormone behind the weight-loss conversation By Dr. Sandra McKenzie, Lifestyle Medicine Specialist GLP-1 medications have become a cultural conversation, trending everywhere from medical conferences to celebrity interviews. When world-class athletes like Serena Williams spark dialogue around performance, metabolism, and longevity, the world pays attention. Everywhere you turn, someone is talking about GLP-1 medications — the weight-loss injections celebrities

Why men’s wellbeing deserves more attention — and more compassion By Dr. Sandra Mckenzie, Lifestyle Medicine Specialist Men are often taught to be “fine.” Fine when they’re exhausted. Fine when motivation drops. Fine when strength changes. Fine when stress erodes sleep and energy. But the truth is simple: Men’s health has a rhythm — and when that rhythm falls out of tune, life starts to feel heavier. Men deserve real conversations about energy, vitality, mental clarity, metab

Simple shifts that nourish your second brain By Dr. Sandra Mckenzie / Lifestyle Medicine Specialist A damaged gut lining — often called leaky gut — can affect immunity, hormones, energy, mood, and digestion. Healing begins with nourishment. Here are six gentle, evidence-supported foods that help restore balance: 1. Bone Broth Rich in collagen + glutamine to support mucosal repair. 2. Fermented Foods Sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, miso — introduce beneficial bacteria. 3. Prebiotic

When “normal labs” don’t match how you feel By Dr. Sandra Mckenzie / Lifestyle Medicine Specialist Millions of women walk into medical visits with fatigue, weight gain, thinning hair, brain fog, constipation, anxiety, or depression — and walk out told everything is “normal.” But women don’t make up symptoms for fun. Their physiology is speaking. The thyroid governs metabolism, temperature regulation, bowel function, mood chemistry, energy production, menstrual stability, and

How endocrine disruptors silence your internal music — and how to bring it back By Dr. Sandra McKenzie, Lifestyle Medicine Specialist Your body is an orchestra. A living, breathing symphony. Hormones rise and fall like musical notes…Cortisol greeting the morning light. Melatonin humming with the dusk. Thyroid hormones keeping the tempo. Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone shaping harmony and mood. Insulin conducting energy flow like a quiet maestro. When everything is al

Why digestion is your most powerful longevity signal By Dr. Sandra Mckenzie / Lifestyle Medicine Specialist Science now calls the gut your second brain —and for good reason. Over 70% of your immune system sits in your intestinal lining. Your gut bacteria make neurotransmitters that influence mood, focus, memory, and cravings. They regulate inflammation, energy extraction, and even hormone metabolism. When this system is disrupted—through stress, antibiotics, processed food,

How emotional wounds shape physical illness By Dr. Sandra Mckenzie / Lifestyle Medicine Specialist We are trained to look at disease only through the lens of symptoms and lab results—yet the body is always speaking long before illness appears. Chronic stress, grief, unprocessed trauma, and emotional overload dismantle the immune system and erode our cellular health from the inside out. Many illnesses don’t begin in the body—they begin in the mind. The body keeps score of ever