Takoma Park Integrative Care

10/03/2026

Meet cannabigerol (CBG), a lesser-known cannabinoid found in cannabis that is gaining attention for its potential to ease anxiety.
In a small 2024 placebo-controlled study of 34 healthy adults, CBG reduced self-reported anxiety. Stress also decreased at an early measurement, and researchers found no evidence of intoxication or impairment during testing. However, we have volumes of observational evidence that it does just that- patients report that CBG rapidly alleviates the fight/flight discomfort of anxiety and nervousness.
What makes this exciting? The possibility of easing anxiety without the “high” associated with THC.
What do we still need to learn? Whether these benefits hold up in larger studies, in people with diagnosed anxiety disorders, and with longer-term use.
CBG shows promise, but it is not yet an established treatment for anxiety. Discuss it with a knowledgeable healthcare professional before adding it to your routine.

10/03/2026

06/08/2026

INSULIN RESISTANCE occurs when the body’s cells do not respond adequately to insulin. It may be suspected when fasting insulin levels are elevated and is often associated with acanthosis nigricans—dark, velvety patches of skin commonly found on the back of the neck, under the arms, or in other skin folds. There are several problems that it causes but there are things you can do about it.

These changes can occur years before HbA1c levels rise into the prediabetic or diabetic range. As insulin resistance develops, the pancreas compensates by producing increasing amounts of insulin to keep blood glucose levels normal. Over time, the pancreas may no longer be able to meet the body’s insulin demands, leading to prediabetes and eventually type 2 diabetes.
Insulin also promotes fat storage by helping convert excess carbohydrates into fat.

In addition, elevated insulin levels make it more difficult for the body to release stored fat from fat cells for energy. As a result, insulin resistance tends to promote weight gain and make weight loss more challenging. If not addressed, insulin resistance increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and other metabolic disorders.

Lifestyle changes that can improve insulin sensitivity and slow, stop, or even reverse the progression toward diabetes include:

NUTRITION:
Increase the amount of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fiber in every meal. Aim for a plate that is approximately ½ fruits and vegetables, ¼ protein, and ¼ whole grains such as brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, oats, bulgur, or sorghum. A reasonable goal is at least three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit daily.

One serving equals ½ cup cooked or 1 cup raw. A serving of whole grains is about what fits in your cupped hand. A serving of protein should be approximately the size of a deck of cards, or for fish, about the size of a checkbook.

Sugar-sweetened beverages, fruit juice, and both regular and diet sodas can undermine efforts to improve insulin sensitivity. Ultra-processed foods may also contribute to insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction.

For sustainable weight loss, calorie intake must generally be lower than calorie expenditure. To determine your individual calorie needs and develop a personalized plan that minimizes hunger and deprivation, schedule an appointment for a comprehensive assessment.

Many patients with insulin resistance have been found to be deficient in chromium, a trace mineral involved in insulin signaling and carbohydrate metabolism. found in many food sources like whole grains, legumes, and vegetables like broccoli, green beans, and Brussel sprouts. Many patients with insulin resistance are chromium deficient. Berberine helps the body lower fasting blood sugar levels, reduce blood sugar spikes after meals, and :

✅ Support healthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels
✅ Promote a healthier gut microbiome
✅ Reduce inflammation linked to metabolic disease
✅ Support modest weight loss when combined with healthy lifestyle habits

https://us.fullscript.com/plans/pfrye-glucose-metabolism

For healthy guidelines on calories needed for healthy weight management, schedule an appointment with me for an accurate estimation of how much your body needs and how to cut calories without feeling hungry or deprived.

SLEEP:
Lack of sleep negatively affects the body’s ability to regulate blood glucose. Most adults need 7–9 hours of sleep per night, while older adults generally need 7–8 hours for optimal health and metabolic function. Even a few nights of inadequate sleep can reduce insulin sensitivity, increase hunger hormones, and increase cravings for refined carbohydrates.

✅ Reduce insulin sensitivity
✅ Increase hunger hormones
✅ Increase cravings for refined carbohydrates

STRESS:
Stress hormones, including cortisol and epinephrine, stimulate the release of stored glucose into the bloodstream to provide fuel for a “fight-or-flight” response. These hormones also make cells less responsive to insulin, resulting in the pancreas producing more insulin. Chronically elevated stress hormones can therefore contribute to both insulin resistance and weight gain. Regular exercise and mindfulness practices such as

✅breathing exercises
✅yoga
✅meditation
✅prayer, and
✅time in nature

can help reduce stress and improve metabolic health. Discover and practice the strategies that work best for you.

MOVEMENT:
Regular physical activity improves insulin sensitivity, lowers insulin levels, reduces stress hormones, and improves sleep quality. Current recommendations include at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week - exercise vigorous enough that you can talk but not sing. Research increasingly supports combining structured exercise with brief movement throughout the day:

✅ 30 minutes of structured exercise most days plus
✅ 2–5 minutes of walking after meals plus
✅ Interrupting sitting every 30–60 minutes

Let me know if you would like an assessment of your metabolic health. To paraphrase the old saying, "an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of treatment"!

04/28/2026

Too much sugar is a problem. Too much of it, in its various forms, increases our risk of insulin resistance, which leads to obesity and diabetes. It also causes inflammation that underlies many chronic medical conditions like chronic pain, mood disorders, cardiovascular disease. kidney disease, increased triglycerides that damage the liver, heart, and pancreas, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer.

Eating sugar with fiber, a healthy fat, and protein slows down the absorption of sugar and helps prevent spikes in glucose levels. So chocolate covered nuts or a fruit smoothie made with whole fruits will not increase your glucose level as much as a candy bar or glass of fruit juice (neither having any fiber).

👉 Sugar alone = spike
👉 Sugar + fiber/protein/fat = stable

✔ Fruit smoothie
✔ Nuts + chocolate

❌ Juice
❌ Candy

Limit added sugar:
Women/Children: 25g/day
Men: 38g/day

Small changes = big impact.

If you are consuming too much sugar - more than 25 grams (6 tsp) of added sugar per day for women and children and more than 38g (9 tsp) for men, here are some tips on what you can do to curb those sugar cravings.

If you find yourself constantly battling sweet cravings. Here are five practical ways to curb your sweet tooth and maintain a healthier diet.

03/20/2026

PEARS - low in sugar and a great source of fiber, vitamin C, copper, potassium, and polyphenols like flavonoids quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin that are anti-inflammatory and antioxidants; catechin and epiicatechin that are also anti-inflammatory and promote vascular health, and phenolic acids that regulate blood sugar metabolism and reduce blood sugar spikes after eating.

12/08/2025

My Thoughts on the Hepatits B Vaccination

As many of you may know, in addition to my role in cannabis and lifestyle medicine, I am a board-certified pediatrician with forty years of experience in the practice of medicine. While I do not believe most pediatricians are incentivized financially to give unnecessary treatments or vaccinations, I personally have never been in private pediatric practice so there has never been any financial or other incentive to give vaccinations, that I was not convinced by the scientific data, to be beneficial to the health and wellness of children.

As you may also know, I am not a big fan of pharmaceuticals and encourage lifestyle habits and nutrition to foster health and longevity. However, infection is a horse of another color. I am a proponent of vaccinations that prevent the infections that we saw routinely years ago - many that caused permanent disability or death.

Before the hepatitis B vaccine was made available, approximately 20,000 hepatitis B infections occurred in children under 10 years of age per year, approximately half of those infections occurred in newborns.

Not all of those newborn cases were contracted from Hep B positive mothers. Mothers can have false negative results; some mothers contracted the disease after their screening test was done, so some newborns are exposed to hepatitis B in the uterus even though their mother tested negative or the test results were not available at the time of delivery.

There is also the risk that the virus can be contracted after birth.
The virus can remain infectious on surfaces for at least 7 days. This means that even the tiniest speck of dried blood that may not even be visible to the naked eye can harbor the virus.

According to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, one of the country's premier pediatric hospitals, 65% of chronic hepatitis infections they see were in children born to mothers who did not test positive for hepatitis B! It's scary that the ACIP members who voted against newborn vaccinations were not aware of this!

Newborns do not have the immune system capable of killing the virus so unlike adults, ninety percent (90%) of infected newborns will develop chronic hepatic B. As a consequence, twenty-five percent (25%) of those chronic hepatitis patients will die prematurely from liver failure, cirrhosis, or liver cancer.

Since universal newborn hepatitis B vaccination was implemented in 1991, more than 6 million newborn hepatitis B infections have been avoided - meaning 1.5 million people have not died prematurely due to cirrhosis or liver cancer due to a history of neonatal infection.

New mothers, the hepatitis B vaccine was never mandated at the state or federal level and it will continue to be available. All you have to do is let your team know that you want your baby vaccinated! At birth! Waiting until the 2-month visit may be too late.

11/10/2025

A plant forward dietary pattern, moderate exercise, managing stress, getting 7-9 hours of restorative sleep, and intellectual challenges can reduce your risk for stroke and dementia.

10/29/2025

Join Dr Nia Banks and me as we discuss the importance of adequate restorative sleep and how to achieve it!