Own Your Heart Health with Dr. Regina Druz

A handful of keystone microbes shape how fast your gut, your brain, and your heart age.
 
On this episode of Own Your Heart Health, host Dr. Regina Druz talks with nutrition and microbiome researcher Dr. Oscar Coetzee about the strains of gut bacteria working less like passengers and more like an organ system of their own. Dr. Coetzee walks through why modern life quietly strips these keystone microbes away through antibiotic use, acid blockers, low-fiber diets, and pesticide exposure, and what can happen when the body loses them.
 
The two get into how specific strains like Akkermansia muciniphila, F. prausnitzii, and Roseburia lower inflammation, support metabolic health, and even help the body produce its own GLP-1. They also cover emerging research on engraftment and human-donor-derived probiotics designed to establish themselves in the gut rather than simply pass through, plus why that distinction may matter for long-term health.
 
Dr. Druz and Dr. Coetzee close on one of the more striking parts of the conversation. Biological age and chronological age can be pulled apart, depending on what you do. A supercentenarian case study and a mouse microbiome transplant experiment point to the same conclusion. Gut bacteria are one of the most direct levers available for real longevity and healthspan.
 
If gut health and aging have felt disconnected until now, this conversation on keystone microbes offers a new way to think about the connection.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 The MMs of Functional and Integrative Medicine
02:04 Dr. Oscar Coetzee's Path Into Microbiome Research
07:05 How Modern Life Damages the Gut Microbiome
10:34 Fiber Deficiency and Glyphosate Effects on Gut Bacteria
13:38 What Makes a Bacterium a Keystone Strain
17:30 Akkermansia and Natural GLP-1 Production
21:41 Roseburia and Its Role in Reducing Inflammation
26:27 How Keystone Microbes Crowd Out Harmful Bacteria
28:54 Why Traditional Probiotics Fall Short
32:27 Stool Testing and the Keystone Strain Protocol
44:07 Supercentenarians and the Longevity Microbiome Connection
49:09 The Mouse Study That Reversed Biological Aging
50:09 Microbial Ecosystem Therapeutics Explained
54:25 Gut Bacteria's Link to Skin Health and Mood
 
Links:
Schedule a Discovery Call
Access Courses and Events
Get Heartwell Toolkits
Schedule a Business Meeting
Connect with Dr. Regina Druz:
Visit the Holistic Heart Centers website
Follow Holistic Heart Centers on Facebook
Follow Holistic Heart Centers on X
Subscribe to Dr. Regina on YouTube
Follow Dr. Regina on Instagram
Follow Dr. Regina on TikTok
 
 
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

The healthcare system was built around the wrong priority: treating sickness instead of preventing it. That single insight changed Dr. Yele Aluko’s entire career.
 
Dr. Regina Druz welcomes him to Own Your Heart Health to talk about AI in healthcare and what it takes to build cardiovascular prevention into the system. Dr. Aluko spent decades opening blocked arteries and replacing heart valves before a business school class helped him see the bigger problem. The system was not broken. It was designed around illness instead of prevention. That realization pushed him out of the cath lab and into healthcare consulting, where he works to shift the industry toward keeping people well before they ever need a procedure.
 
Dr. Aluko explains how big data and healthcare technology are starting to predict illness before symptoms appear and personalize treatment around the patient instead of the disease. He breaks down the lifestyle fundamentals that protect your heart for decades, why risk personalization beats generic population data, and how AI in healthcare can help you walk into appointments more prepared and ask sharper questions.
 
Dr. Druz and Dr. Aluko also digs into systemic health solutions like indoor air regulation and social deprivation scoring, the health policy gaps still holding back cardiovascular innovation, and what data-driven health could look like once prevention finally takes priority over crisis care.
 
This episode lays out a clear picture of preventive medicine and the future of cardiology, built around the idea that healthcare should keep you out of the hospital, not just treat you once you are in it.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Why a Cardiologist Left the Cath Lab to Fix a Broken System
03:39 How the Healthcare System Was Built for Sickness, Not Prevention
07:47 Health Policy, Social Determinants, and Why Reform Has Stalled
12:13 The Metabolic Storm That Silently Builds for Decades
14:29 What Young People Need to Know About Heart Disease Risk
19:23 The Top Three Lifestyle Habits That Protect Your Heart
21:27 Risk Personalization and the Cholesterol Medication Decision
25:28 AI in Healthcare: Will It Close the Gap or Widen It?
32:41 How to Use AI Tools Safely Before Your Next Doctor Visit
37:55 Environmental Toxins, Indoor Air Quality, and Your Heart Health
45:37 The Future of Cardiology: Prediction, Prevention, and Personalized Care
 
Links:
Schedule a Discovery Call
Access Courses and Events
Get Heartwell Toolkits
Schedule a Business Meeting
 
Connect with Dr. Regina Druz:
Visit the Holistic Heart Centers website
Follow Holistic Heart Centers on Facebook
Follow Holistic Heart Centers on X
Subscribe to Dr. Regina on YouTube
Follow Dr. Regina on Instagram
Follow Dr. Regina on TikTok
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

What if the cells quietly destroying your blood vessels from the inside could be targeted, cleared, and replaced?
 
Dr. David Scieszka, CEO of Vertical Longevity Pharma, joins Dr. Regina Druz to talk about a vaccine in development that targets senescent endothelial cells, the zombie cells that make blood vessels leaky, drive systemic inflammation, and sit at the center of the aging process itself.
 
This is not another conversation about cholesterol or statins. It is about going upstream, to the vascular aging happening at the cellular level that most cardiovascular approaches never touch.
 
In preclinical studies, clearing these senescent cells from the endothelium produced therapeutic benefits across every organ and system researchers were able to monitor. Heart function. Pulmonary function. Metabolic markers.The vaccine is designed to work by retraining the immune system to clear these cells the way it did at a younger age.
 
Dr. Druz, author of the upcoming book Longevity Switches, connects this science to what she sees in her cardiology practice every day and what she believes is one of the most significant frontiers in cardiovascular health.
 
If you want to understand where the science of aging and heart disease is actually heading, this episode is where to start.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Senescent Cells and the Vaccine Targeting Atherosclerosis
03:17 From Military Psyops to Longevity Research
10:25 Why Aging Is Vascular
13:37 Zombie Cells and the Endothelium Explained
16:44 How the Vaccine Trains the Immune System
25:37 Organ Rejuvenation Results in Mouse Studies
31:42 Plaque Regression Data and What It Means
35:28 Preventing Atherosclerosis in High-Risk Patients
38:33 Metabolic Disease and Diabetes Markers
41:52 Future Indications and Global Access
44:35 Primate Studies and the Path to Human Trials
Links:
Schedule a Discovery Call
Access Courses and Events
Get Heartwell Toolkits
Schedule a Business Meeting
Connect with Dr. Regina Druz:
Visit the Holistic Heart Centers website
Follow Holistic Heart Centers on Facebook
Follow Holistic Heart Centers on X
Subscribe to Dr. Regina on YouTube
Follow Dr. Regina on Instagram
Follow Dr. Regina on TikTok
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

The Mediterranean diet is one of the most studied diets in the world, and the modern version may be missing one of its most important pieces.
 
What if the version you know leaves out part of what made it work in the first place? On Own Your Heart Health, host Dr. Regina Druz sits down with Dr. Artemis Morris, naturopathic physician, acupuncturist, and co-author of Anti-Inflammatory Diet for Dummies, to explore what the traditional Mediterranean diet looked like before it became a modern wellness label. Dr. Morris grew up in a Mediterranean household with Cretan family roots, conducted an ethnographic study in Crete, and interviewed people who lived during the era of the original Seven Countries Study. What she found adds a deeper layer to the way most people understand this diet.
 
The missing piece is wild edible plants. Dandelion greens, chicory, wild amaranth, and other foraged greens were part of the traditional diet and, according to Dr. Morris, contain higher antioxidant and polyphenol content than cultivated plants. They were free, local, and woven into everyday eating, as long as they came from clean soil and were not sprayed with toxins. Dr. Morris explains what they are, where people traditionally found them, and how they were prepared with extra virgin olive oil, lemon, and the mineral-rich cooking liquid.
 
Dr. Morris also takes a closer look at extra virgin olive oil. Dr. Morris makes the case for thinking of it as a nutraceutical with real clinical value, not merely a kitchen staple. You will learn how much she recommends each day, why “cold-pressed” is not the strongest marker of quality, and how to build a three-tier olive oil system at home based on quality, polyphenol content, and use.
 
If you want to eat in a way that supports heart health and longevity, this episode brings the Mediterranean diet back to its real foundation.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Introduction to Dr. Artemis Morris and Her Mediterranean Roots
06:55 The Therapeutic Order: Why Naturopathic Medicine Starts with Nutritional Foundation
16:24 Stress, Spirituality, and the Hidden Side of Heart Health
20:06 The Secret of the Traditional Mediterranean Diet: Wild Edible Plants
24:08 What Is an Ethnographic Study and What Did Dr. Morris Find in Crete?
33:13 How to Choose High-Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
37:34 The Three-Tier Olive Oil System for Home Use
41:21 Why Eating Patterns and Personalization Matter More Than Specific Foods
46:28 A Practical Mediterranean Diet Checklist for Better Heart Health
 
Connect with Dr. Artemis Morris:
Dr. Morris Olive Oil Resource 
 
Links:
Schedule a Discovery Call
Access Courses and Events
Get Heartwell Toolkits
Schedule a Business Meeting
 
Connect with Dr. Regina Druz:
Visit the Holistic Heart Centers website
Follow Holistic Heart Centers on Facebook
Follow Holistic Heart Centers on X
Subscribe to Dr. Regina on YouTube
Follow Dr. Regina on Instagram
Follow Dr. Regina on TikTok
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Your body is already producing the most powerful antioxidant on the planet, and it starts running out before you turn 30.
 
On this episode of Own Your Heart Health, holistic cardiologist Dr. Regina Druz sits down with Dr. Nayan Patel, a doctor of pharmacy who has spent 27 years researching a single molecule, glutathione. His findings challenge nearly everything the wellness industry has told us about antioxidants, longevity, and how aging actually works.
 
Dr. Patel explains that oxidative stress is the number one driver of chronic disease and early death worldwide. It begins quietly, around age 28 or 29, when glutathione levels start to fall and cellular damage begins compounding faster than the body can keep up. Most people are decades behind by the time they start paying attention.
 
The supplement aisle is not the answer. Dr. Patel breaks down why popular antioxidants like vitamin C and CoQ10 are far less powerful than believed, and why even intravenous glutathione clears the bloodstream within minutes. Real health improvement requires getting glutathione inside the cell, across the cell membranes, where it can do its two core jobs of neutralizing free radicals and supporting liver detoxification.
 
After years of research, Dr. Patel developed a topical delivery method that does exactly that. A recent clinical trial showed oxidative stress markers dropping to near zero within one hour in every single participant.
 
But both Dr. Druz and Dr. Patel are clear that no supplement works without the foundation. Cutting alcohol, reducing toxic exposures, and eating a cysteine-rich diet are what sustain your glutathione levels and protect your lifespan long term.
 
Your body was built to heal itself. This episode shows you how to let it.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Introduction to Oxidative Stress and Longevity with Dr. Nayan Patel
02:39 From Aerospace Engineering to Glutathione Research
07:41 Why Oxidative Stress Is the Number One Cause of Death
10:52 Why Aging Begins at 28 and What You Can Do About It
23:44 Why Glutathione Outperforms Every Other Antioxidant
28:17 The Real Role of Vitamin C and How It Recycles Glutathione
32:54 Lifestyle and Diet Changes That Protect Glutathione Levels
50:05 How Topical Glutathione Crosses Cell Membranes
54:40 Clinical Trial Results Showing Glutathione's Impact on Immune Function
1:00:06 How to Get Dr. Patel's Glutathione Product and Learn More
 
Connect with Dr. Nayan Patel:
Visit the Auro Wellness website 
Follow Auro Wellness on Instagram
Follow Auro Wellness on Facebook
Follow Auro Wellness on Tiktok
Subscribe to Auro Wellness on YouTube
 
Links:
Schedule a Discovery Call
Access Courses and Events
Get Heartwell Toolkits
Schedule a Business Meeting
 
Connect with Dr. Regina Druz:
Visit the Holistic Heart Centers website
Follow Holistic Heart Centers on Facebook
Follow Holistic Heart Centers on X
Subscribe to Dr. Regina on YouTube
Follow Dr. Regina on Instagram
Follow Dr. Regina on TikTok
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Hormonal health in midlife is bigger than estrogen, and this conversation shows why microdosing GLP-1 medications is getting attention for positive changes in patient’s inflammation, weight changes, and heart risk.
 
On Own Your Heart Health, Dr. Regina Druz, talks with Dr. Jennifer Roelands, integrative gynecologist and longevity physician, about what many women face in perimenopause and menopause when their bodies stop responding the way they used to. They explain why hormonal balance is tied to much more than sex hormones alone. Thyroid function, insulin resistance, environmental toxins, body composition, and daily stress all affect how women feel.
 
Microdosing becomes a key part of the conversation as they talk through what it may help with and where caution still matters. Dr. Roelands shares how low dose GLP-1 use may help lower inflammation, ease brain fog, quiet food noise, and support women facing weight challenges in midlife. This is not about chasing fast weight loss. It is about using these tools carefully, with medical supervision, as part of a larger plan for hormonal health, cardiovascular health, and long term women's wellness.
 
One thing they make clear is that no treatment works well without a strong foundation. Nutrition, strength training, sleep, stress care, and holistic care still come first. For listeners interested in women's health, integrative medicine, longevity, and health innovation hormone replacement, this conversation helps women think through whether microdosing belongs in their care plan.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:02 Hormonal Health and Longevity for Women
02:08 Dr. Jennifer Roelands on Root Cause Women’s Health
04:40 Environmental Toxins, Fertility, and Heart Health
07:19 Hormonal Health Beyond Estrogen
12:46 GLP-1 Microdosing for Perimenopause and Menopause
18:35 Who Microdosing Helps and How It Is Used
25:03 Inflammation, Brain Fog, and the Bigger Benefits of GLP-1s
33:09 Foundational Health Before Hormone Therapy or Microdosing
40:20 How Microdosing Is Personalized in Real Practice
50:57 Why Hormone Therapy Works Better With a Strong Foundation
 
Connect with Dr. Jennifer Roelands:
Perimenopause Playbook Guide
Visit Dr. Jennifer’s website
Follow Dr Jennifer on Instagram
Subscribe to Dr. Jennifer’s YouTube channel
 
Links:
Schedule a Discovery Call
Access Courses and Events
Get Heartwell Toolkits
Schedule a Business Meeting
 
Connect with Dr. Regina Druz:
Visit the Holistic Heart Centers website
Follow Holistic Heart Centers on Facebook
Follow Holistic Heart Centers on X
Subscribe to Dr. Regina on YouTube
Follow Dr. Regina on Instagram
Follow Dr. Regina on TikTok
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Biological aging can reveal where your future health is headed long before standard labs raise concern.
 
On Own Your Heart Health, host Dr. Regina Druz talks with Dr. David Furman, longevity researcher, societal entrepreneur, and biomarker scientist, about why biological aging deserves far more attention in modern medicine. This conversation gives listeners a clearer way to think about prevention, especially when routine blood work looks normal and deeper risk is still present. Dr. Furman explains how the immune system shapes aging through chronic inflammation and why newer longevity biomarkers may offer a more useful picture of risk than familiar markers that miss early change.
 
Dr. Druz and Dr. Furman connect this work to cardiovascular health, brain health, and the everyday question many patients ask when they feel they are doing everything right and still do not have answers. They unpack how proteomics, predictive health, and personalized medicine can help identify silent patterns tied to biological aging years before disease shows up in a scan or diagnosis. The discussion also touches on epigenetics, space medicine, and the idea of a digital twin, which opens up a striking view of how future risk may be modeled in a more personal way. This is a valuable listen for anyone who wants a smarter path to biological aging insight, stronger preventative care, and a longer healthspan grounded in real data instead of guesswork.
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Dr. David Furman’s Path Into Aging Research
04:31 How the Immune System Drives Chronic Inflammation and Biological Aging
08:04 Why Standard Inflammation Markers Miss Hidden Disease Risk
11:05 Proteomics and Longevity Biomarkers for Cardiovascular Health and Brain Aging
17:30 Early Signs of Biological Aging in Healthy Adults and When to Test
21:02 Lifestyle Changes That Lower Chronic Inflammation and Support Healthspan
27:39 AI, Organ Age Testing, and Predictive Health for Personalized Medicine
31:47 Epigenetics, Biological Age Clocks, and What Makes a Test Actionable
34:25 Space Medicine, Digital Twin Technology, and the Future of Aging Prediction
Links:
Schedule a Discovery Call
Access Courses and Events
Get Heartwell Toolkits
Schedule a Business Meeting
Connect with Dr. Regina Druz:
Visit the Holistic Heart Centers website
Follow Holistic Heart Centers on Facebook
Follow Holistic Heart Centers on X
Subscribe to Dr. Regina on YouTube
Follow Dr. Regina on Instagram
Follow Dr. Regina on TikTok
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Stem cells and exosomes are getting a lot of attention in regenerative medicine, and this episode of Own Your Heart Health explains why they matter beyond the trend cycle. Dr. Regina Druz sits down with Dr. Jeff Gross to break down how exosomes, stem cells, peptides, and cellular therapy fit into a bigger strategy for longevity, anti-aging, and real health optimization. This conversation helps separate thoughtful clinical use from empty hype.
 
Instead of treating exosomes like a shortcut, this episode shows how they fit within integrative health and functional medicine. It explains why inflammation, recovery, and cellular signaling matter so much in the aging process, and why personalized medicine starts with fixing the terrain first through sleep, movement, nutrition, and metabolic support. From joint issues and recovery to cardiovascular health and broader wellness goals, Dr. Gross explains where stem cells, exosomes, peptides, and nutraceuticals may support regenerative medicine when used with clinical judgment.
 
This is an insightful episode for people interested in biohacking, personalized medicine, and practical ways to think about longevity without losing sight of what drives long-term results. Own Your Heart Health connects science, patient care, and health optimization in a way that feels useful and relevant to people who want better function, less inflammation, and a more thoughtful path forward.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:02 Introduction to Longevity and Regenerative Medicine
06:54 How Stem Cells Change With Age
15:40 Why Exosomes May Work Better Than Stem Cells
25:44 Joint Repair, Inflammation, and Healing
31:51 When to Use Peptides, Exosomes, and Regenerative Medicine
48:35 Plant Exosomes and the Future of Longevity
Links:
Schedule a Discovery Call
Access Courses and Events
Get Heartwell Toolkits
Schedule a Business Meeting
Connect with Dr. Regina Druz:
Visit the Holistic Heart Centers website
Follow Holistic Heart Centers on Facebook
Follow Holistic Heart Centers on X
Subscribe to Dr. Regina on YouTube
Follow Dr. Regina on Instagram
Follow Dr. Regina on TikTok
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Longevity is not a prize you earn from perfect labs or a stack of supplements. It is the set of choices that protect heart health and brain wellness at the same time, especially in a world that keeps your nervous system on alert. In this conversation, Dr. Regina Druz and Dr. Cynthia Libert outline an approach that does not rely on fear, trend chasing, or a one size fits all protocol.
 
If you feel fine on paper but not in your body, you will hear how functional medicine can uncover drivers that standard visits miss, including sleep disruption, inflammation, blood sugar imbalance, toxin exposure, and trauma history. They address cognitive decline and what Alzheimer’s prevention looks like before symptoms take over. The focus stays on steps you can repeat without turning health into a second job.
 
They also examine stress management as a medical issue, not a slogan, and explain why integrative medicine and lifestyle medicine work best when they support habits you can sustain. Genetics is part of the discussion. Genetic risk factors can raise your odds, yet they do not decide your future on their own. If you want Longevity guidance that connects heart health, brain wellness, and daily action, this episode offers a clear place to begin. Longevity is shaped in ordinary moments, one choice at a time.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Rethinking Longevity Through Heart Health And Prevention
02:15 From Physician Burnout To Functional Medicine Leadership
08:50 The Master Gardener Model And Patient Agency In Chronic Disease
19:43 The Bredesen Risk Factor Framework For Alzheimer’s Prevention
29:37 Stress Management, Cortisol, And Nervous System Resilience
49:12 Genetic Risk Factors, APOE4, And Personalized Alzheimer’s Prevention
55:47 Ezetimibe Research And The Future Of Alzheimer’s Prevention
Links:
Schedule a Discovery Call
Access Courses and Events
Get Heartwell Toolkits
Schedule a Business Meeting
Connect with Dr. Regina Druz:
Visit the Holistic Heart Centers website
Follow Holistic Heart Centers on Facebook
Follow Holistic Heart Centers on X
Subscribe to Dr. Regina on YouTube
Follow Dr. Regina on Instagram
Follow Dr. Regina on TikTok
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Hormone replacement therapy and heart health is one of the most debated topics in women’s medicine, yet most women are still left sorting through outdated headlines and half-explained risks. If you have ever wondered whether the fear surrounding hormones still applies today, this episode of Own Your Heart Health will give you clarity based on current science and real clinical experience.
 
Dr. Regina Druz and Dr. Amy B. Killen break down what happened after the Women’s Health Initiative and why the nuance matters more than the noise. They explain how hormone therapy is not a one-size-fits-all decision. Timing, delivery method, and your baseline cardiovascular health all influence outcomes. When it comes to hormone replacement therapy and heart health, your starting point changes everything.
 
Have you ever actually checked your arteries for plaque or vascular stiffness? Do you know how inflammation, insulin sensitivity, and body composition are affecting your risk right now? The doctors explain that understanding your metabolic health is often the missing piece. Estrogen may help improve lipids or blood pressure for some women, but it cannot fix deeper metabolic issues on its own. Insulin resistance, muscle mass, and overall body composition all play a major role in protecting your long-term cardiovascular health.
 
You will hear a discussion on progesterone and testosterone, including why earlier studies created confusion and how modern prescribing approaches are more individualized. Monitoring blood pressure, hematocrit, and markers of inflammation remains essential. The real question is not whether hormones are good or bad. The real question is what is safest and most effective for you.
 
If you want to understand hormone replacement therapy and heart health without fear or hype, this episode will help you ask better questions, assess your real risk, and build a strategy that supports both metabolic health and long-term cardiovascular health. 
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:02 Hormone Replacement Therapy and Heart Health: Why This Topic Still Feels Confusing
02:00 Dr. Amy B. Killen’s Path From ER Medicine to Hormone Therapy and Longevity Care
09:18 Women’s Health Initiative: What Drove Risk and What Got Misread
12:01 Transdermal Estradiol and Progesterone: What “Safer” Can Mean Clinically
13:25 Cardiovascular Health Beyond Calculators: Imaging, Plaque, and Real Baselines
17:43 Metabolic Health and Insulin Sensitivity: The Lipid and Blood Pressure Reality
26:24 Testosterone Therapy and Heart Risk: What Monitoring Should Include
31:11 Progesterone and Tolerance: Sleep, Mood, and Blood Pressure Patterns
40:59 Vascular Screening for Women: The Wake-Up Call Too Few Hear
 
Links:
Schedule a Discovery Call
Access Courses and Events
Get Heartwell Toolkits
Schedule a Business Meeting
 
Connect with Dr. Amy B. Killen:
Follow Dr. Amy on IG, FB, and Tiktok: @dr.amybkillen
Subscribe to Dr. Amy’s Substack
Visit Dr. Amy’s website
Enroll in the HOT Provider Course
 
Connect with Dr. Regina Druz:
Visit the Holistic Heart Centers website
Follow Holistic Heart Centers on Facebook
Follow Holistic Heart Centers on X
Subscribe to Dr. Regina on YouTube
Follow Dr. Regina on Instagram
Follow Dr. Regina on TikTok
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm