Integrative Practitioner’s top articles of 2022

By Avery St. Onge

Another year has come and gone. As we welcome 2023, Integrative Practitioner is reflecting on our most popular articles of 2022. In doing so, we gain insights into the year’s top industry trends and get a preview on what’s to come.

As the COVID-19 pandemic reached its third year, our audience was not only interested in the new variants and protocol, but also the long-term effects of the virus and how natural medicine may be able to help. In addition, the benefits, and controversies of supplements like glutathione and melatonin were of particular interest to our readers. Finally, environmental medicine emerged as one of our most popular topics.

Unfortunately, the most prevalent health concerns of 2022 aren’t going anywhere, and the innovative field of integrative medicine is needed now more than ever. Read more to see last year’s top 10 articles and get ideas about where the industry is headed in 2023.

CDC data estimates 3-day incubation period for Omicron

In an early investigation of the Omicron variant of novel coronavirus, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found a median interval of 73 hours from when infected people were exposed to the variant to when they developed symptoms.

Read more here

Seven top takeaways from the Integrative Practitioner Summit on environmental medicine

Integrative Practitioner hosted its third Digital Summit of 2022 on September 20. The event focused on environmental medicine and included live sessions covering subjects such as chronic Lyme disease, botanical medicine, and detoxification.

If you were unable to attend the event, we’ve compiled a round-up of highlights from the live presentations. 

Read more here

FDA seeks to ban compounded glutathione, AANP responds with call-to-action

Access to compounded glutathione is under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the committee that advises the agency on this matter will meet on June 8 to discuss whether to continue to allow glutathione to be compounded.

Read more here

Mast cell activation interplay between immunity, neuroinflammation

It’s hard not to be obsessed with mast cells, said Tania Dempsey, MD, ABIHM, at the 2022 Integrative Healthcare Symposium in New York City.

“They’re so important while treating our patients with multi-system symptoms.”

Mast cells are widespread in the human body and have a diverse array of functions according to Dempsey, founder of Armonk Integrative Medicine Center for Personalize Medicine in Purchase, New York. 

Read more here

Vitamin B6 supplements may reduce anxiety and depression

A new study found that participants who were given a high dose of vitamin B6 had a significant reduction in both depression and anxiety.

The investigation, conducted by scientists at the University of Reading in Reading, England, and published in the journal, Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental, examined the effects of vitamin B12 and B6 on depression and anxiety. According to the study, both vitamins play a part in metabolic processes that decrease neural excitation and increase inhibition.

Read more here

Study finds low nutritional quality in many vegetarian meat substitutes

A recent Swedish study found that the absorption levels of iron and zinc from many meat substitutes were significantly lower than real meat.

Although previous studies have shown an association between plant-based foods and health benefits like reduced risk of age-related diabetes and cardiovascular disease, few studies have analyzed the health effects of textured plan proteins, or meat substitutes. 

Read more here

Q&A: How to safely use melatonin for optimal health

Melatonin is associated with mechanisms linked to the root cause of a range of health issues that occur throughout the body, according to Deanna Minich, PhD, CNS, IFMCP.

Minich, a nutrition scientist and expert in food and dietary supplements, and colleagues, recently published a review article in Nutrients, about the emerging clinical research on the uses and safety of supplemental melatonin. We spoke with Minich about her findings and what they mean for integrative practitioners.

Read more here

Natural treatments for post-COVID-19 mental health issues

Although novel coronavirus (COVID-19) mental health problems have similar mechanisms to post-COVID syndrome, it needs to be treated differently, said Peter Bongiorno, ND, Lac, at the 2022 Integrative Healthcare Symposium in New York City.  

Read more here

Q&A: How to boost patients’ glutathione levels safely and effectively

Boosting glutathione levels can help transform a patient’s health, revitalizing their mind and body, according to Nayan Patel, PharmD.

Patel is a member of the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists as well as an expert, consultant, and lecturer on glutathione. The following is an email interview with Patel about the benefits and controversies surrounding glutathione.

Read more here

Why the vagus nerve is the key to fighting stress

The vagus nerve plays a critical role in stress regulation and feelings of safety, according to both Brad Lichtenstein, ND, BCB, at The Breath Space in Lake Forest Park, Wash. and Courtney Snyder, MD, a holistic psychiatrist in private practice in Louisville, Ky.

Known as the “great wandering protector” of the body, it starts in the brain stem and extends all the way down through the colon, affecting most body systems, according to a 2017 article in Gastroenterology. 

Read more here