The Better Life with Dr. Pinkston

In this episode of The Better Life, Dr. Marianne Pinkston and guest Ray Solano, owner of PD Labs, a compounding pharmacy, explore the intricate link between gut health and neurological well-being. They discuss how an integrative approach, combining functional medicine principles with modern therapeutics, can address the root causes of mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and ADHD. The conversation covers the impact of diet, genetics, and lifestyle on mental health, and introduces natural and compounded solutions like L-theanine, oxytocin, and BH4.

Chapters

    0:00 - 4:14: Introduction and the Problem with Conventional Solutions. Dr. Pinkston introduces Ray Solano and the topic of neurological problems. They discuss the rising rates of conditions like depression and ADD and argue that conventional medicine often only treats symptoms with pharmaceuticals, ignoring the root causes.

    4:14 - 8:40: The Gut-Brain Connection and Inflammatory Foods. Ray and Dr. Pinkston explain the direct link between gut health and brain function, highlighting how neurotransmitters are made in the GI tract. They emphasize that inflammatory foods like gluten, processed items, and alcohol can significantly impact mental health.

    8:40 - 13:28: The Role of Genetics and Foundational Treatments. The discussion shifts to the role of genetic predispositions (SNPs) and how lifestyle and diet can either turn these genes on or off. They introduce the importance of a holistic approach, viewing health as a puzzle with multiple pieces, including nutrition, exercise, sleep, and gut health.

    13:28 - 19:38: Nutraceuticals and Hormonal Support. Dr. Pinkston and Ray detail natural, accessible remedies. Ray highlights L-theanine for its calming effects and introduces oxytocin, explaining its role in social bonding and mood elevation. They discuss its use as a compounded treatment for conditions like OCD and autism.

    19:38 - 25:22: The Power of Compounded Pharmaceuticals. The focus returns to specific, targeted solutions. Ray explains BH4 (tetrahydrobiopterin), a pharmaceutical used to treat a specific genetic deficiency that impacts serotonin and dopamine production. They also discuss the compounding of natural thyroid medication and the importance of personalized medicine.

    25:22 - 30:40: Progesterone and Metabolic Dysfunction. The conversation broadens to include hormonal balance, with Dr. Pinkston highlighting progesterone's role in sleep and anxiety. They also discuss metabolic dysfunction, the prevalence of belly fat, and its link to hormonal disruption and chronic disease.

    30:40 - 34:25: Addressing ADD and Brain Inflammation. Dr. Pinkston and Ray focus on ADD and the importance of removing inflammatory foods from the diet. Ray introduces Synapsin, a compounded nasal spray containing RG3-Ginseng, as an effective tool for reducing brain inflammation associated with ADD and other neurological issues.

    34:25 - 39:05: Conclusion and Final Thoughts. Dr. Pinkston and Ray encourage listeners to seek professional support for their health issues. They emphasize the value of telehealth and the growing field of longevity medicine, which aims to fix underlying problems rather than just treating symptoms. They conclude by providing contact information for their respective websites and podcasts.

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In this episode, Dr. Laura, with her extensive knowledge and science-backed education, helps us separate fact from fiction about seed oils. Beyond the buzz and misinformation, she clarifies the real science behind acidity and alkalinity, giving you the truth without the hype. 

Visit my website: https://www.drpbetterlife.com/

Connect with me on social media:
https://www.facebook.com/pinkston4life

https://instagram.com/drmariannepinkston

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marianne-pinkston-md-857ba069

https://twitter.com/pinkston4life

https://www.tiktok.com/@drmariannepinkston

Do you or someone you love struggle with unexplained fatigue, brain fog, pain, or a
""mystery illness"" that never seems to have clear answers? In this episode of The Better Life with Dr. Pinkston, Dr Amy Offutt, president of ILADS, dive deep into chronic complex illness—a condition that often hides behind vague symptoms yet impacts every aspect of daily life. ILADS.org 

In this inspiring episode of The Better Life with Dr. Pinkston, I welcome Tiffany Jones Smith—President of the Texas Kidney Foundation, Chair of the Chronic Kidney Disease Task Force, the first African American woman to hold these positions, and a chronic kidney disease patient herself. Tiffany shares her powerful journey and groundbreaking leadership, highlighting the urgent need for awareness, early diagnosis, and patient advocacy in kidney health. Together, we explore how patients can take an active role in their care and how hope and action can change the future of chronic kidney disease.

Thyroid therapies have come under scrutiny and Ray Solano of PDLABS and I discuss the therapies and options and explain why treatment is controversial. Dr Pinkston also makes a huge announcement on a new option for weight loss and integrative medical care.

In this episode, I sit down with Robert Long and Dr. Hans Vick to uncover the hidden drivers of high blood pressure. Beyond numbers on a blood pressure cuff, we explore how the microvascular system and the Glycocalyx, the intricate network of tiny blood vessels—plays a central role in hypertension and overall cardiovascular health. Together, we discuss cutting-edge insights and natural therapies such as Revasca, that go beyond symptom management to address the root causes, offering hope for sustainable healing and prevention.

Is your brain keeping you in pain? Rewire your brain and get relief from the root cause. In this episode, guest Brandon Day, All- American Linebacker and Sports Illustrated cover athlete with chronic pain history, uncovers the surprising role of brain signaling in chronic pain and why conventional treatments often fall short.Discover how root-cause medicine can reset the nervous system and offer new hope for chronic sufferers. 

Dr Marianne Pinkston is joined by Dr. William Hsu, Chief Medical Officer of L-Nutra, to explore a growing crisis: 93% of Americans are metabolically unhealthy, and for the first time in generations, our life expectancy is declining. Together, they uncover why conventional medicine and prescription-based approaches are falling short— and how science-backed nutrition and strategic fasting offer a realistic, attainable path to restoring metabolic health. If you're looking for hope beyond the prescription pad, this conversation delivers powerful insights that could change the trajectory of your health and our nation's future.

Skin health is a billion dollar industry and can be misleading. Peptide skin creams, retinol, hydration are the buzzwords that lead us to choose our regimen and products but like everything you know about the industry… any claim can be made. Age is just a number and there are less expensive ways to fight the clock and believe it or not prescription strength and formulations can be your answer. Ray Solano clears the air on skincare.

Have you wondered what drives our immune system to turn against us to cause inflammation and what solutions can you take to resolve and prevent diseases like neuropathy, autoimmunity, cardiovascular disease and more. Dr Warren Lesser takes a deep dive through the nutrition and life changes needed to manage and prevent inflammation. Dr Lesser also discusses histamine disorders and sleep.

Dr Dean rises to the occasion and corners Candida and the mystical diagnosis ignored for so long. Leaky gut and autoimmune disease beware as Dr Dean and I bring this disorder to light with solutions on how to eradicate safely. She also expands on magnesium benefits and other nutritional building blocks for root cause management and prevention of disease. 

Treatments of migraine, allergies, vision loss, dry eye and more are far more advanced than you think. Dr Chip Wood of Wood’s Vision Source has more complete and advanced answers to more of your eye questions and concerns. Dr Wood has been my doctor of choice for 15years and he explains options for so many eye disorders in one episode. You will leave this podcast understanding eye health and its direction for the future for you and your family. 

We all have a metabolic type that affects everything from mood, energy, disease development and more. Your metabolic type is expressed in mood, energy weight, disease development and more. Martin Pytela gives a thorough overview of how your metabolic type and digestive system controls these major aspects of health and how to manage it. His story is compelling. Life-enthusiast.com

Solutions to Erectile Dysfunction “ED” are here but did you know ED can be an early warning sign of cardiovascular disease. Ray Solano of PDLABS educates and delivers the good news that we can treat and in some cases, reverse disease. We also discuss Methylene Blue and the prospects of therapy. 

Renowned cardiologist and researcher, Anmol Kapoor, MD, brings an advanced, unique, scientific, and evidence-based approach to reducing cardiovascular disease and mortality. Genetic testing and personalized therapies are becoming increasingly mainstream and are important in targeting individual risks and addressing the root cause of all diseases and therapies. Your choice of testing should be safe, comprehensive, reliable, and evidence-based. Dr. Kapoor is a pioneer in developing and delivering solutions that are personalized to your quest for not only quantity of life but quality. 

Many interesting stories and a passionate conversation that most will identify with. Today's episode reveals a new and uniquely successful way of approaching medical care. The dissatisfaction with costs and lack of efficiency, decreased access to care, lack of insurance coverage, and one glove fits all approaches in medical care is widespread and common. Primary care and the intimate doctor-patient relationship are also missing in the more corporate practice of medicine. Today, Dr. Roger Moczygemba founder of Direct Med Clinic, brings an interesting solution to each of these issues with increasing availability nationally and stories of success you won't want to miss.

Laura LaValle returns to the show for another exclusive deep dive to healthy diets and nutrition done right. Alkaline diet is not a new topic and is riddled with myth and misinformation. Laura, with her extensive knowledge and science backed education, assists in eliminating misinformation and clarifying the truths behind acidity and alkalinity beyond the hype.

Sleep Apnea or Obstructive Sleep Apnea, is a phenomenon that many people do not understand nor associate with significant disease due to the fears of diagnosis and therapy. Sleep apnea or obstructive sleep apnea is a cause of significant fatigue, brain fog, lack of concentration, and other common symptoms. Sleep Apnea is a cause of cardiovascular disease, such as heart attack, stroke, congestive heart, failure, stroke, treatment resistant, hypertension, and many other diseases. Do not underestimate how this disease can affect quality and quantity of life. Learn more with today’s podcast on OSA. 

GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide and tirzepatide are making headlines for their weight loss benefits -- but what happens when people start using them without medical oversight? In this episode, we dive into the real risks and unintended consequences of using GLP-1 injections without a doctor's guidance. Ray Solano, Compounding Pharmacist, PDLabs

Much of cardiovascular disease is linked to the large arteries of the body but we now have ground breaking news for you. Cardiovascular disease starts in the smallest of capillaries in an enormous network called the microvascular system and in a layer of cells called the endocalyx. Robert Long describes his 15 year journey with Dr Hans Vink to discover the endocalyx, the testing and therapies that can eliminate cardiovascular disease. We begin a series on this ground breaking science and your education of this amazing information starts here.