COHORT 2 of MICROBIOME RENEWAL MASTERCLASS STARTS January 27th, 2026

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Have you ever written a book accidentally? I just did – 1,500 words at a time, 30+ Tuesday mornings, one newsletter at a time 😊 

In January this year, I published my first physical (and electronic) book: The Simple Science of Wellness: 60 Unusually Effective and Accessible Practices to Restore Your Health and Vitality.

As I was finally uploading it to Barnes & Noble, I realized I wanted to keep going – to continue exploring effective and accessible practices that everyone can learn, understand, and put into practice in their own lives. It has been amazing to see the physical version of my knowledge and advice: something tangible I can gift people, something people can hold and return to.

But I also realized there's something deeper driving this work.

Purpose

35 years ago, I participated in a workshop where I identified my life purpose: to be a "community healer." That purpose led me to study public health, to work in community health centers, and to spend decades asking not just "what supports health?" but "what works for everyone?" 

Now, as part of the functional medicine community, I'm focused on a specific passion: bringing to patients and clinicians a measure of excellence. What are the most well-proven, science-backed, affordable, and accessible practices? What is it that is really possible for entire communities to DO?

Healing

As the year closes, I've been watching colleagues with 100,000 YouTube views celebrate their wins. It doesn't feel obnoxious – it feels inspiring! Then my newsletter provider sent me an email: 72,000 impressions this year on my newsletters alone. Add to that the 50,757 impressions on my LinkedIn posts – all of them exploring aspects of these newsletters – and I'm looking at over 130,000+ moments where someone engaged with this work.

I struggle to describe the honor, the responsibility, and the incredible excitement I feel knowing I can take 39 years as a doctor – countless patient conversations, endless hours reading and studying and thinking about health improvement – and offer something that reaches people far and wide.

Topics

Every topic I've chosen this year has been filtered through that central question: Is this well-proven? Science-backed? Affordable? Accessible? Actually DOABLE for communities?

I've ranged widely. I described my vision for functional medicine, my concerns about direct-to-consumer testing, informed consent in medicine, menopause, children's health, and the controversy surrounding a “health anxiety” diagnosis. I looked into tea, essential oils, and olive oil. I addressed the impact of altitude, our food choices and air quality, household brands, and low toxin foods.

I explored conditions and concerns: depression, cardiovascular risk, bone health, muscle quality, glucose regulation, sleep, and scrutinized the “tinier” beings making up the gut and oral microbiome.

Some newsletters now have corresponding workbooks that guide you step-by-step through improving sleep, bone health, diet, muscle composition, HRV, and more

Functional medicine can be expensive or inaccessible. But I’m working from within that community to bring the best of it to everyone. Not the most exotic interventions. Not the most expensive protocols. And thankfully, the simplest options are also the most foundational: they help all the organs and systems simultaneously.

Courses in 2026

The newsletter inspired me to create a course!

A 9-part series on improving your gut microbiome launched in October, and it's been so much fun I'm running it again in 2026.

And I'm adding three more:

• Bone health: step by step, week by week, with group support and accountability

• Statins: yes or no?: navigating cardiovascular decisions with all the nuance they deserve

• Menopausal hormone therapy: cutting through controversy to offer true informed consent

Let me know if you are interested in one or more of the above by writing me here.

For the year ahead:

There’s tons still to explore – always through that same filter: 

What can entire communities actually use?

I'd love to hear your ideas!

Thank you!!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for opening and sharing these newsletters, for scanning my Quick Takes, getting curious about the Favorite Finds, and tackling those Deep Dives! And above all for your relentless interest in health and healing. YOU have made this year of community healing possible.