Strong on Health

04/22/2026

There Is Always More That Can Be Done 🧠

I want to share something deeply important with you.

Recently, I was approached by a documentarian following the story of a man diagnosed with Posterior Cortical Atrophy...often referred to as a form of early-onset Alzheimer’s.

Like so many others, he was told something that no one is ever truly prepared to hear:

“There is no cure.”

And while that may reflect the limits of current conventional treatment options…

It does not mean there is nothing that can be done.

Let’s Talk About What That Really Means

When someone is told their condition is “incurable,” it often shuts down hope.

But in reality, it usually means:

“We’ve reached the limits of what we currently know how to do within this model.”

That’s very different.

Because science is evolving...rapidly.

And when it comes to cognitive decline, we are learning more every year about:

Inflammation and the brain
Blood flow and microcirculation
Metabolic health and cognition
The role of lifestyle, environment, and targeted support

Why This Matters Right Now

We are seeing a concerning rise in early cognitive decline...even in younger populations.

This isn’t something to ignore.
But it’s also not something to feel powerless about.

There is always another layer to explore.
There are always ways to support the system.

This Documentary Is About That Message

This film is not about false promises.

It’s about:
✔️ Expanding the conversation
✔️ Exploring emerging perspectives
✔️ Restoring a sense of possibility

And most importantly—bringing hope back into the room

🎥 Watch the introductory clip here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tyRIobyePQ

My Commitment

This is why I continue to:

Teach the Urgency of Brain Health across the country
Host immersive workshops and retreats
Study and integrate emerging science

Because people deserve more than a dead end.

They deserve options, understanding, and support.

If this message resonates with you...or someone you love...share it.

You never know who needs to hear that:

There is still something that can be done.

Clip for Dustin Strong

04/21/2026

Rethinking the Calcium Score ❤️

The Coronary Artery Calcium Score (CACS) is often treated as a simple number that defines your heart disease risk.

But it’s not that simple.

Calcium in the arteries is usually a sign of past inflammation and repair - not just active disease. It tells us something has happened, but not necessarily what’s happening right now.

Over time, We’ve worked with approaches that support:

✔️ Mineral balance
✔️ Healthy lipid movement
✔️ Strengthening the arterial wall

And in some cases, we’ve seen meaningful improvements in calcium scores.

But more recently, We’ve noticed something important:

Some areas improve… while others don’t.

That led me to look deeper.

The Missing Piece: Microvascular Health

Up to 90% of blood flow to the heart happens in the microvasculature—tiny vessels we don’t see on standard imaging.

If these vessels aren’t functioning well:

Blood flow becomes inconsistent
Inflammation can persist
Healing may be incomplete

Which may explain why progress isn’t always uniform.

A More Complete Approach

Instead of chasing a number, the focus becomes:

✨ Supporting the terrain that drives heart health

This includes:

Reducing inflammation
Improving metabolic health
Supporting vascular integrity
Enhancing microcirculation

Botanicals like Ginkgo biloba, Centella asiatica, and Vaccinium myrtillus are often used to support microvascular function—not as “quick fixes,” but as part of a bigger picture.

The Takeaway

Your calcium score is one piece of the puzzle—not the whole story.

The real question isn’t just:
“How do I lower this number?”

It’s:
“How do I support my body so my cardiovascular system can function, repair, and thrive?”

Because when the internal environment improves… the numbers often follow.

Dustin Strong, Holistic Nutritionist & Wellness Specialist wrote a more in depth article about this if you want to know more:

By Dustin Strong, CHN, ACNThe Coronary Artery Calcium Score (CACS) is widely used as a non-invasive tool to assess cardiovascular risk by quantifying calcified plaque within the coronary arteries. Robust evidence supports its predictive value for future cardiovascular events, particularly when used....

04/20/2026

We’ve been having more and more conversations lately about brain health, and not just later in life, but now.

Because what we’re seeing (both in research and in practice) is that cognitive decline doesn’t suddenly appear one day…

It develops quietly over time.

And the earlier we begin to pay attention, the more we can do.

Over the past few months, we’ve been collaborating with Calibration Brain & Body and exploring tools like RightEye to look at brain function in a more dynamic way.

We’ve actually been encouraging many of our clients to start here.

Why?

Because eye tracking gives us a functional window into the brain...how it’s processing, responding, and coordinating in real time.

At the same time…

We’ve also had incredible feedback from clients who have gone through targeted “brain restoration” protocols...supporting things like:

• inflammation
• blood flow
• metabolic health
• and overall neurological resilience

The results have been encouraging.

But as practitioners, we also value something important:

***Objective measurement***

Not just how you feel… but what we can actually track.

Which brings us to something new we’re exploring.

There’s emerging research on a blood biomarker called p-tau217, which may help identify early neurodegenerative changes before symptoms appear.

It’s not a standalone answer.
And it’s not something everyone needs.

But it is a powerful tool in the right context.

So we put together a deeper breakdown:

• What this test actually measures
• What the research really says
• Who it may (and may not) be right for
• And how it fits into a broader brain health strategy

If brain health is something you’ve been thinking more about lately, this is worth a read.

https://www.strongonhealth.com/single-post/should-you-invest-799-in-advanced-alzheimer-s-blood-testing

We’re continuing to look at this from multiple angles:

Functional testing (like eye tracking)
Objective biomarkers
And real-world clinical outcomes

Because the goal isn’t just to detect risk-

It’s to change trajectory.

If you’ve already started exploring your brain health, or are curious where to begin, we’d love to hear what’s on your mind.

By Dustin Strong, CHN, ACNA new era in brain health—and a new kind of questionWe’re entering a new era in cognitive health.For decades, Alzheimer’s disease was something we detected late—often after symptoms had already begun to interfere with daily life. But today, emerging biomarkers are s...

04/17/2026

Every year around this time, I see the same story unfold...itchy eyes, congestion, frustration… and the usual quick fixes that only seem to scratch the surface.

But this article captures something much deeper - something I’ve been incredibly fortunate to learn from one of my mentors, Mark Anderson.

What he teaches isn’t just what to do for seasonal allergies… it’s how to think about them.

Instead of chasing symptoms, he challenges us to ask better questions:

WHY does one person react while another doesn’t—standing in the same environment?
WHAT was already happening in the body before the pollen arrived?

This shift - from reacting to understanding - is where real healing begins.

I’m deeply grateful for the mentors whose shoulders I’ve stood on to develop this perspective. It’s shaped not only how I practice, but how I show up to help others navigate their own health journeys.

I am also grateful to Selene River Press for continuing to put out content that delivers value and clarity to public that is in dire need of truth and wisdom.

If you’re navigating “allergy season,” I highly recommend giving this a read. There’s a level of clarity and clinical wisdom here that can completely reframe how you approach your health.

Here’s the article:

https://www.seleneriverpress.com/what-the-body-already-knows-three-fundamentals-that-surface-every-spring/?mc_cid=ecba9d29ce&mc_eid=ecddf0cd27

Would love to hear what resonates with you.

Every spring, the same patients show up with the same complaints. Itchy eyes, runny nose, the whole familiar misery. And every spring, a lot of practitioners reach for the same [...]

04/07/2026

Save the date!

Longevity Social Hours are back! 🎉

We hope to see you next week! 🌱

03/30/2026

03/25/2026

There’s a lot of buzz right now around a new asthma treatment being called a “game-changer” the first major advancement in 50 years.

And while innovation in medicine is something to celebrate… I believe this conversation deserves a deeper, more balanced perspective.

In my latest blog, I explore:

- What this new medication actually does in the body
- The role of eosinophils in immune health (and why that matters)
- The often-overlooked question of long-term tradeoffs
- And why we must continue exploring simpler, more supportive approaches to healing

I also share a real-world case from a practitioner I mentor
where an asthma patient experienced significant improvement in just one week through a much more foundational intervention.

This isn’t about rejecting modern medicine.
It’s about expanding the lens and asking better questions.

Because true healing should always consider the whole body not just the symptom.

If you or someone you love is navigating asthma or respiratory challenges, I invite you to read this and reflect with an open mind.

A recent article titled “A New Dawn in Asthma Care: The First New Treatment in 50 Years Offers Hope” highlights the promise of benralizumab, a monoclonal antibody designed to reduce asthma and COPD flare-ups by targeting eosinophils - immune cells involved in inflammation.At first glance, this d...

03/23/2026

We recorded a really interesting episode today for Truth or Trend?

The Holistic Breakdown that will be released next Monday… and it led us into a conversation I’d love your thoughts on.

In the meantime, I came across this video from Harvard University discussing research suggesting that coffee may reduce the risk of multiple diseases—including several cancers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d6LRUOsYbU

That’s a pretty bold statement.

And honestly… it raises a bigger question:

👉 Is coffee a daily health strategy… or are we oversimplifying a much more complex picture?

Because as we explored in today’s recording, coffee isn’t just “coffee.”

It’s:
• a source of powerful polyphenols (like chlorogenic acids)
• a daily ritual for many people
• but also something that varies widely in quality, sourcing, preparation, and dose

And when something becomes a daily habit, those details start to matter more.

So I’m curious—

What do you think?

Do you view coffee as:
☕️ A beneficial longevity tool
☕️ A neutral daily habit
☕️ Something to be more cautious with

Or… do you think the answer depends entirely on how it’s being used?

We’ll be unpacking all of this (including mushroom coffee, quality, and what actually drives benefit) in next week’s episode.

Would love to hear your perspective 👇

Coffee is everywhere, through history and across the world. And increasingly, science is demonstrating that its popularity is a good thing.Harvard scientists...

03/20/2026

I love when something comes across my desk that makes me pause and rethink what we think we know…

A colleague of mine, Dr. Jeff Crippen, recently shared a new piece of research with me (still early, not yet peer-reviewed), and it sparked a really important question:

👉 What if what we eat today is shaping how we sleep tonight—faster than we realized?

One of the most fascinating findings?

Fiber.

Higher fiber intake was associated with:

✔ More deep sleep
✔ More REM sleep
✔ Better overnight recovery

And this brings up a conversation I’ve been having more and more lately…

With the growing popularity of carnivore-style diets, I keep coming back to one simple question:

What about fiber?

Not from a place of criticism—but from a place of curiosity and completeness.

Because what we remove matters…
but what we fail to include may matter more.

I also share something I’ve observed clinically (and heard from many of you):

👉 Heavier meals can help you sleep longer
…but may actually lead to less efficient recovery

Which is a very different goal.

If you’re interested in longevity, brain health, and truly restorative sleep, I think you’ll find this conversation meaningful.

I put together a new blog breaking all of this down—including what I personally do to support fiber intake day-to-day.

Would love to hear your thoughts on this one 👇

I love when emerging research challenges us to pause and rethink what we think we know.Before we begin, let me set the stage clearly—this is a preprint study, meaning it has not yet been peer-reviewed. So this is not clinical truth… yet.But it is compelling. And perhaps more importantly, it alig...

03/19/2026

This is why personalized, clinically guided care matters…

I recently reviewed labs for a client who looked “pretty healthy” on the surface.

But when we looked deeper, a different story emerged:

Very low Omega-3 Index

Low Vitamin D

Elevated lipase (pancreatic stress marker)

Elevated eosinophils (possible immune or parasitic signal)

Now here’s the important part…

Most people would look at just one of these and jump straight to:
👉 “Take more fish oil”
👉 “Take vitamin D”

But physiology doesn’t work in isolation.

If we had pushed high-dose omega-3s immediately, we may have:
⚠️ Overloaded a stressed digestive system
⚠️ Reduced absorption
⚠️ Missed the root cause entirely

Instead, the approach became:
✔️ Support digestion and bile flow first
✔️ Address potential underlying immune burden
✔️ Then strategically rebuild omega-3 status

Same labs. Completely different outcome depending on the strategy.

This is the difference between:
❌ Taking supplements
✅ Following a sequenced, clinically-informed plan

Because healing isn’t about doing more…

It’s about doing things in the right order.

And that’s where experience matters.

03/18/2026

🧠 Your omega-3 status today may be shaping your brain health decades from now…

A large new study (217,000+ participants, followed for over 8 years) found that higher blood levels of omega-3s were linked to a lower risk of early-onset dementia—before age 65.

But here’s the part I find most meaningful as a practitioner:

👉 They didn’t rely on food journals.
👉 They measured actual omega-3 levels in the blood.

Because what you eat and what your body absorbs and uses… are not always the same.

This is exactly why tools like the Omega-3 Index (OmegaQuant testing) can be so valuable.

Instead of guessing if you’re “getting enough,” you can:
✔️ Measure your baseline
✔️ Personalize your intake
✔️ Track your progress over time

And this study adds to a growing body of evidence that:
Higher omega-3 status isn’t just about heart health—it's deeply connected to brain resilience too.

Now—this isn’t a magic bullet.
But it is a powerful reminder that:

✨ Small, consistent inputs matter
✨ Objective data matters
✨ Prevention starts long before symptoms

💡 The real question becomes:
Are you guessing… or are you measuring?

Because when it comes to your brain, proactive is always better than reactive 💙

03/17/2026

✨ A simple, science-backed way to calm your nervous system… in just 24 minutes

When anxiety starts to creep in, many of us instinctively reach for music—and it turns out, that instinct is powerful.

New research suggests that about 24 minutes of intentional music listening may provide the most meaningful reduction in anxiety symptoms. Not 5 minutes. Not background noise. But a dedicated window where your brain actually has time to settle, shift, and respond.

Even more interesting—music layered with binaural beats (auditory beat stimulation) may enhance this effect by gently guiding the brain into calmer states.

🧠 Think of it like this:
The first few minutes help you arrive
The next phase helps your brain downshift
And the remaining time allows your body to actually feel safe again

Here’s how you can try it:
• Set aside ~24 minutes
• Use headphones (important for binaural beats)
• Search “binaural beats” or “relaxation frequencies”
• Let it be intentional—not just background noise

In a world that constantly pulls your attention outward, this is a gentle way to come back inward.

Sometimes healing doesn’t have to be complicated.
Sometimes it sounds like your favorite song 🎶

New research suggests listening to music for about 24 minutes, especially tracks with auditory beat stimulation, may offer meaningful anxiety relief.