Health for Life

09/16/2025

Cold-and-flu season is on the way! I wrote this guide almost eight years ago and it remains a helpful resource. If I were to write it today, among other things I would want to emphasize the vital importance of sunshine and infrared light exposure and hyperthermia therapies (we've learned lots of important nuances since COVID) in addition to vitamin D optimization. But for the most part, the majority of these interventions and preventative measures have held up very well.

With flu season in full swing, it’s time to prepare if you haven’t started already. Influenza can be a hard-hitting virus, particularly for the very old, the very young, and for those w…

12/21/2024

'Tis the season for light therapy! 💡🎄 Did you know that red light might help to reduce the impact of those Christmastime carb splurges? A fascinating new study has found that exposure to red light (even in very modest amounts) can help to lower blood sugar levels.

𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐩:

🚨 Researchers discovered that using a specific type of red light, at a wavelength of 670 nm, could positively influence blood sugar.
🚨 In this controlled study, participants were given a glucose tolerance test, which is a sugary drink that spikes your blood sugar. Those who received a 15-minute exposure to 670 nm red light on their back 45 minutes before the sugary drink had 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐠𝐚𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐬 compared to the group that didn't get the light treatment.
🚨 The red light exposure reduced the overall rise in blood sugar after consuming glucose by 𝟐𝟕.𝟕% and also reduced the maximum blood glucose spike by 7.5%.
🚨 The study also showed that the red light 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐝, indicating that the body was using more glucose for energy. This means the red light was likely increasing the body's metabolic rate.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤?

🚨 The red light is believed to stimulate the mitochondria, the energy powerhouses of our cells. When mitochondria are stimulated with red light, they produce more energy (ATP), which requires more glucose to be used up.
🚨 This stimulation of the mitochondria appears to be due to the red light being absorbed by the water surrounding the mitochondrial ATP pumps, which allows them to work more efficiently and produce more ATP.

I am continually amazed at all of the benefits that light (red, infrared, full spectrum sunshine) has to offer. This is just one of many examples. So this holiday season, as you're enjoying your festive treats, consider getting some red light exposure. Whether it's a walk outside in the sun or using a red light therapy device, you may find it helps keep your blood sugar in check. And no, this isn't a replacement for healthy eating and exercise, but it could sure be a useful tool to reduce the glycemic impact!

(Don't have a red light therapy device? There is evidence to suggest that exposure to good old natural sunshine and infrared light is likely to have a similar impact. Try it!)

For more information, see Dr. Roger Seheult's walkthrough of the study in the video.

Dr. Seheult from MedCram explains how red light therapy speeds up metabolism in the mitochondria, utilizing more glucose and making more energy. See all Dr. ...

10/11/2024

🌿 Important Clinic Update: Appointment Availability 🌿

Hello everyone,

As many of you have noticed, due to the high demand for appointments, I am currently booked until January 2025.

I understand that this extended wait can be frustrating, and I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience. To help accommodate your needs:

➡️ Please book the soonest available appointment that works for you. (Book here: https://bit.ly/DrDavidR)
➡️ If you’d like to be seen sooner, you can request to be added to our cancellation list in the notes section when you book your appointment. This way, if a spot opens up, we can reach out to offer you an earlier time.
➡️ We occasionally have last-minute cancellations. If you are on the cancellation list, please be prepared for the possibility of being contacted on short notice. Should this happen, we’ll reach out through the online messaging portal, and prompt replies are appreciated so we can offer the opening to the next person on the list if necessary.

With my schedule filling up quickly, I may need to temporarily pause accepting new appointments in the near future to prioritize existing clients. This is not certain, and we are exploring other solutions to meet demand. As the sole practitioner and administrator of my practice, I can only take on a limited number of cases each week while also managing administration, research, continuing education, client communication and management, and more. I appreciate your patience and understanding as I continue to provide personalized care to each of you.

Sincerely,
David Rostollan, ND
Health for Life

Send a message to learn more

08/05/2023

Those of you who know me know that I am just crazy about medicinal mushrooms. In fact, they have possibly become one of my favorite therapeutic tools in my almost 14 years of naturopathic practice.

Amazing fact: Mushrooms are incredible immunomodulatory agents. Did you know that a Penn State study published in 2021 found that incorporating an average of just 1-2 small mushrooms into the daily dietary routine could potentially reduce the risk of cancer by almost 50%? It's a remarkable revelation that underscores the significance of these incredible fungi.

My absolute favorite mushroom company, Real Mushrooms, is celebrating its 8th birthday with some great sales on their mushroom products.

Here's the scoop on the sale details:

Save up to 25% with their Buy More, Save More offer.

🍄 Buy 2 items and receive a 10% discount.
🍄 Opt for 3 items to enjoy a 15% off.
🍄 Enhance your savings with a 20% discount when you buy 4 items.
🍄 And for our true mushroom enthusiasts, get an impressive 25% off when you purchase 5 or more items.

Discount is applied automatically at checkout. No code needed.

This celebration sale lasts through Monday, August 14th, so be sure to take advantage of this opportunity to explore the potential benefits of these wonderful mushrooms for your well-being!

Celebrate our 8th Birthday with an epic sale!

08/22/2022

Practice Update

Hello everyone! I have two announcements to make:

1) I am currently rolling out a new electronic health records (EHR) system in order to enhance my practice functionality and provide more special features for my clients. There is now a new scheduling system, which you can access on this post or on my website. Scheduling an appointment will create a client portal for you within my EHR system. You will also be able to add family members to your primary account. Within your client portal, you will be able to schedule appointments (in-person or via telehealth), share documents, message me, receive protocols and tasks, keep health and dietary journals, and more. It will be a one-stop portal that allows us to stay organized and connected.

2) I have recently increased my prices. While I know we are all tired of seeing everything increase in price, this is only the second price increase in my 13 years of practice, and it was a much-needed change. Even with the increase in price, my fees will remain below both the regional and national average for naturopathic and functional providers. I value your trust in me, I thank you for your understanding! Note: The new pricing schedule will not affect any appointments that are already currently scheduled.

Practice management for wellness professionals

06/20/2022

Adding a single 200,000 IU dose of vitamin A (retinol) to standard therapy in women with recurrent urinary tract infection (RUTI) resulted in an *80% reduction* in UTI occurrence over the next 6 months. Women treated with standard (antibiotic) therapy alone without vitamin A did not experience any reductions in the number of infections.

Interestingly, most of these women were not actually overtly deficient in vitamin A prior to the study, and there were no significant differences in vitamin A levels between treatment and control groups at baseline.

This would suggest that extra vitamin A has a therapeutic effect at higher levels -- either by affecting mucosal immunity (which is one of its vital functions), or as a direct antimicrobial agent (which it is), or via some other function(s). Another explanation may be that "normal" laboratory vitamin A blood ranges are too broad, and that truly optimal levels might be higher than what is currently accepted as normal. There may be some truth to all of these possibilities. I personally prefer to see vitamin A levels in the upper third of the reference range whenever I test it.

Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17532826/

06/01/2022

Incredible! Non-smokers with low levels of omega-3 (fish oil fatty acids) had almost the same life expectancy as smokers with high levels of omega-3.

Mortality risk is especially increased in smokers with a low omega-3 index.

So many people could benefit from a higher level of omega-3 intake -- smokers and non-smokers alike.

Have you ever tested your omega-3 index? This is a test I run frequently in my practice, and most people have very low levels -- often around 4%. We want it to be >8% for optimal risk reduction and longevity!

Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8488873/

04/19/2022

I recently came across this interesting study that tested the effects of various dietary approaches on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Researchers assigned women with mixed IBS (often presenting as alternating constipation and diarrhea) to either a "control" diet, a low-FODMAP diet, or an IgG antibody-guided elimination diet for 8 weeks.

The low-FODMAP diet is considered by many to be the gold standard dietary intervention for improving the symptoms of IBS. "FODMAP" is an acronym for "Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols." These are short-chain carbohydrates that tend to aggravate IBS symptoms via excessive fermentation by dysbiotic gastrointestinal bacteria or by other means. Reducing FODMAP-rich foods can indeed be a powerful therapeutic strategy for those with IBS or SIBO (which is often the cause of IBS or at least a major contributor).

However, what this new study showed was that, while a low-FODMAP diet was definitely more effective than the control diet (as we would expect), it was *not* as effective as a laboratory-guided IgG antibody elimination diet. As the study authors summarize in their discussion:

"This study shows that a personalized dietary approach is more effective in treating IBS than generalized diet recommendations and that it may even be more effective than a low FODMAP diet. Only the IgG elimination-rotation diet demonstrated significant improvements in all of the monitored IBS symptoms."

This suggests that there is more to the dietary control of IBS than the mere structural nature of the food (i.e., its fermentation potential or other immunologically-inert tolerance characteristics) and that immunological food responses may have major roles to play in functional GI disorders.

Excessive IgG responses to food are not always easily discerned empirically in day-to-day life. Unlike IgE allergies, which are usually notable and immediate hypersensitivity reactions, IgG responses are delayed hypersensitivity reactions that may take up to 72 hours to manifest upon exposure. Identifying case-and-effect relationships is therefore difficult. Moreover, IgG antibodies have long, 3-week half-lives, thus leading to a pattern of chronic immuno-inflammatory reactions that are difficult to interpret. The symptoms of IgG reactions vary widely and include both intestinal and extra-intestinal complaints. GI, skin, headache/migraine symptoms are common.

In this study, some of the most common food sensitivities identified by antibody testing were gluten, dairy, and eggs. This is consistent with my experience as well after many years of this kind of testing. But a wide variety of other foods also tested positive, which underscores the importance of a personalized approach rather than a generic elimination diet.

Contact me if you are interested in exploring your own food allergies and sensitivities. We can ship test kits almost anywhere within the United States, and sample collection may be performed at home via a convenient fingerprick collection. Both allergies and sensitivities (IgE and IgG - close to 600 antigens in total) are tested on my comprehensive panel. We also offer testing for IgG-only.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic disease with recurrent abdominal pain, disturbed bowel emptying, and changes in stool consistency. We compared the effectiveness of three different dietary treatment plans (G1-FM-low FODMAP diet, G2-IP IgG based ...

03/30/2022

Thyroid health: It's not just about iodine! While many nutrients work together when it comes to thyroid hormone production and metabolism, one often overlooked nutrient is vitamin A. In this study, giving women supplemental vitamin A (as retinol) led to favorable changes in thyroid hormone profiles -- such as increased total T3 hormone levels and reduced TSH.

It is important for many of us to consume "preformed" vitamin A (retinol) instead of relying only on "provitamin A" carotenoids such as beta-carotene (in other words, we should be eating liver and egg yolks instead of -- or in addition to -- carrots). Many of us -- perhaps up to half of us -- have polymorphisms in the BCO1 gene that reduce the conversion of carotenoids into retinol. Ingesting retinol directly in the form of retinol-rich animal foods or supplements can therefore be a helpful strategy for boosting thyroid health as well as immune system defenses.

Serum TSH concentrations in vitamin A-treated subjects were significantly reduced; therefore, vitamin A supplementation might reduce the risk of subclinical hypothyroidism in premenopausal women.

03/29/2022

What an amazing wealth of information in this video. We have become so technologically advanced that I fear we have begun to lose sight of the low-tech basics. Sunshine is as basic as it gets; it is a true pillar of pure naturopathy -- and it is irreplaceable. You'll be amazed at all that sunlight can do for you after viewing this presentation -- vitamin D is just the tip of the iceberg!

For example: Did you know that at least 95% of our melatonin is actually made, not in our brains at night, but in our mitochondria during the daytime in response to infrared radiation from the sun? While nighttime circulating melatonin is an important sleep hormone, daytime subcellular melatonin is the "engine coolant" of our cells, protecting us from oxidative stress and runaway inflammation.

"The feeble ones should press out into the sunshine as earnestly and naturally as do the shaded plants and vines. The pale and sickly green blade that has struggled up out of the cold of early spring, puts out the natural and healthy deep green after enjoying for a few days the health-and-life-giving rays of the sun. Go out into the light and warmth of the glorious sun, you pale and sickly ones, and share with vegetation its life-giving, health-dealing power." -- The Health Reformer, May 1st, 1871. HL 230.2

Sunlight provides so much more than just Vitamin D: learn from Dr. Seheult of https://www.medcram.com about the myriad of benefits from optimizing our exposu...

11/30/2020

I hope you are all doing well and had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I wanted to personally let you know that my professional supplement dispensary, Fullscript, is having a Cyber Monday sale. This is their biggest sale of the year and it will last for TWO DAYS only.

All you have to do is log in, add items to your cart, and a discount will be automatically applied at checkout. Whether you need to refill supplements for your various protocols or stock up for cold and flu season, this is your chance to get what you need at a generous discount.

You can log in to your account (or create a new account if you don't have one already) here: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/drostollan

09/03/2020

This is possibly the most important study I have seen on COVID-19 all year. Please read this article by Chris Masterjohn, PhD, who expertly navigates all of the fascinating details.

Up until now, we have gathered a lot of observational data on vitamin D and COVID. I have written multiple posts on vitamin D and it has been a central feature in my protocols for clients who are wanting to prevent COVID and also for those diagnosed with COVID. But the data, as compelling as it has been, has still been observational in nature or based on other viral illnesses. That has now changed. We now have a randomized controlled trial (RCT) for vitamin D in COVID, specifically, and the results blew me away.

To make a long story short, it appears as though high-dose vitamin D *nearly eliminated* ICU and mortality risk in those with COVID. In this study, a full 50% of the control group required ICU admission while only 2% of the vitamin D group needed to go to the ICU.

This means that vitamin D reduced the risk of being admitted to the ICU by 25-fold!

ALL vitamin D patients were discharged without complications, and not a single person in the vitamin D group died (in the control group, half needed the ICU and two died).

This news should be everywhere, but it's not. Pharmaceutical interventions and hope for a miracle va¢¢ine reign supreme. Imagine if a drug or a va¢¢ine could eliminate this much risk! It would be the top story all over the world. Risk would plummet, fear would evaporate, the pandemic would be over, and people could get on with their lives.

We need to see more of an emphasis on these kinds of natural interventions. As this RCT shows, natural solutions can be incredibly powerful. Other nutritional interventions, such as vitamin C, zinc, glutathione, NAC, quercetin, etc., also display compelling promise. A vaccine can't reverse a vitamin D deficiency, and it can't make up for the zinc deficiency that plagues at least 30% of the world's population. We need to put more effort into these areas that clearly affect risk. Right now they are being sorely neglected despite good evidence calling for attention.

What if there was a concerted effort to rectify these nutritional inadequacies and to utilize these simple anti-viral strategies at every level of the healthcare system? Would this virus even be a blip on the radar? I would guess not.

September 3, 2020 The first randomized controlled trial (RCT) of vitamin D in COVID-19 has just been published. The results are astounding: vitamin D nearly abolished the odds of requiring treatment in ICU. Although the number of deaths was too small to say for sure, vitamin D may actually abolish t...