Reduce Meds with Nutrigenomics

Tired of managing symptoms with meds? In this episode, Dr. Lawful shares how one client reduced her prescriptions by aligning health choices with her DNA—through nutrition, exercise, and mindset shifts. Learn how personalized health can help you do the same.

Are you tired of medications being the first—and only—solution offered for your chronic health issues? You’re not alone.

In today’s episode, Dr. Tamar Lawful shares a deeply personal client story of transformation through the power of nutrigenomics. Discover how understanding your genetics can help you reduce or even eliminate medications by supporting your body’s natural processes with tailored nutrition, exercise, and mindset strategies.

BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• Why relying solely on medications may be holding back your long-term health
• How your genetics impact metabolism, nutrient absorption, and medication effectiveness
• The three key areas - nutrition, exercise, and mindset—where small personalized shifts can lead to major results

If you’ve ever felt like there must be a better way than “a pill for every ill,” this episode will inspire you to raise the script on your own health journey.

Chapters

• 0:00 Breaking Free From Medication Dependence
• 2:51 The Problem With Traditional Healthcare
• 5:15 How Genetics Impact Medication Response
• 7:52 Personalized Nutrition And Exercise Approach
• 9:49 Kate's Success Story
• 11:54 Next Steps And Future Episodes

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Have you ever wondered if there's a way to reduce or even stop relying on medications? Today, we'll explore how you can support your body's natural processes through personalized nutrition, exercise and mindset shifts, all from a nutrigenomic perspective. If you've ever felt like medications are the only answer to managing your health, and how small changes can lead to big improvements, this episode is for you. If you want to break the mold of traditional pharmacy and healthcare, you are in the right place. Welcome to the Pivoting Pharmacy with Nutrigenomics podcast, part of the Pharmacy Podcast Network. Here's a little truth bomb. We're all unique, down to our DNA, so it's no wonder we react differently to the same medications, foods and environment. Here's a million dollar question how can you discover exactly what your body needs, which medication, what foods or supplements and which exercises are right for you? How can you manage chronic conditions like diabetes without more medications? How can you lose weight and keep it off? How do you tap into your genetic blueprint so you can stop surviving and start thriving in health and life? That is the question, and this podcast will give you the answer.

Speaker 1: 1:20

I'm your host, dr Tamar Lawful, doctor of pharmacy. Let's pivot into genomics and bring healthcare to higher levels. Hello and welcome back. I'm Dr Lawful, your host. Today we're diving into something incredibly important. If you've been following me for a while, you know that I'm passionate about personalized health, the kind of health that takes into account your unique genetics, your lifestyle and your needs. But today we're going to focus on how to reduce your reliance on medications and how nutrigenomics can guide this process. Now, medications certainly have their place, but what if there was a way to support your body naturally by working with your genetics? When one of my clients, kate, came to me, she dreamed of a day when her nightstand wouldn't be cluttered with pills and she'd feel energized again. At 53 pounds overweight, taking three medications daily and struggling with poor sleep and constipation, kate knew something had to change. She wasn't just trying to lose weight or reduce her blood pressure. She was searching for a way to align her body's needs with her genetics, and that's where we got to work. Reducing or eliminating medications isn't about forcing your body into a one-size-fits-all solution. It's about understanding your genetics, lifestyle and how they work together to support your body naturally through personalized nutrition, exercise and mindset shifts.

Speaker 1: 2:48

So what I often see is this we rely too heavily on medications. I'm in a hospital setting most of my career Medications, medications, medications. Of course it's an acute setting. People are there emergently, so they absolutely need medications to help relieve their conditions as soon as possible. But once they're outside of that hospital, they rely on medications heavily.

Speaker 1: 3:12

I've had friends who have been diagnosed with high blood pressure and they just feel like, okay, I'm going to take this pill and it will control my blood pressure, and if my blood pressure isn't controlled I'll just take more. But it's never occurred to them that potentially they don't have to take that anymore if they make some changes. I mean, we're all wired differently, right? Your body's ability to break down food, process nutrients and even respond to exercise is influenced by your genes. That's why there's more to just taking medications.

Speaker 1: 3:44

It's not the only answer, because there are things that we can do to naturally improve our health, and this is where nutrigenomics comes in. When you understand your genetic makeup, you can identify the most effective strategies to support your health naturally, which may help reduce the need for medications over time. For instance, the American Heart Association found that about one in three American adults suffer from high blood pressure and many rely on medications to manage high blood pressure. But the truth is genetic factors like variations in certain genes also significantly influence how your body processes nutrients and responds to treatments like blood pressure medications. By aligning your health approach with your unique genetics, you're giving your body the best chance to thrive without relying on medications as a first line of defense. And when I think about it and if you listen to my episodes before interviews I've had, you've heard me say this In pharmacy school.

Speaker 1: 4:42

We're taught that the first steps we should take when it comes to managing chronic illnesses encouraging our patients to focus on their lifestyle, their nutrition, as a first line, and then, three months later, of actively focusing on nutrition and lifestyle if they're not improving, if their health is not improving then we go to the second line, which is medications. The severity of your illness is going to determine whether or not you may need to start medications right away, but that's going to be on a person-to-person basis and determined by your doctor. Needless to say that we can focus on lifestyle changes and nutrition as a first line of defense and prevention against developing chronic illnesses, the reason that many people may feel that they can just go to medications and that's okay is because we've been conditioned to think of medications as the first and sometimes the only solution, and we're told to go to the doctor, get a prescription and just trust that it will fix everything. But your genetics make your body unique, and so should your health plan. It should be unique as well. Research from the National Institute of Health suggests that over 60% of chronic disease patients are on long-term medications that focus on symptom management, but not the root causes of their conditions. These medications are just managing the symptoms, not the reason why you have these conditions in the first place.

Speaker 1: 6:11

Genetics play a huge role in determining how effective a medication will be and why some people experience better results than others. And here's a reality your body doesn't always respond the same way to foods, exercise or medications. As someone else is right, some people can eat certain food and feel energized, while others may experience blood sugar spikes or digestive issues with the same foods. So understanding these genetic differences is crucial to making the most effective choices for your body. Now, when we rely on medications without addressing genetic needs, you could be missing out on more sustainable options.

Speaker 1: 6:47

Medications manage symptoms, but they don't always address the underlying genetic factors that contribute to your health struggles. For example, genetic variations in the APOE gene, which influence cholesterol metabolism, may contribute to high cholesterol levels. Medications can manage cholesterol, but don't change the way your body processes fat. This is why personalized nutrition based on your genetics can be a game changer. By focusing on foods that help your body metabolize fat more effectively, you can address the root cause of conditions like high cholesterol, potentially reducing your need for cholesterol-lowering medications. Research shows that individualized nutrition interventions can reduce blood pressure by as much as 8 to 10 millimeters of mercury, equal to the effect of some antihypertensive medications. Personalized nutrition based on genetic factors for nutrient absorption and metabolism can help the body work more efficiently, potentially reducing the need for medication.

Speaker 1: 7:53

Now I want to share a better way, an approach that works with your genetics, not against it. By tailoring your nutrition, exercise and mindset to your genetic profile, you can help your body reach its natural equilibrium, one that may allow you to reduce or eliminate the need for medication. So let's break it down. Let's start with nutrition. Or eliminate the need for medication. So let's break it down. Let's start with nutrition.

Speaker 1: 8:14

Your genetics influence how your body processes food, from how you break it down break down fats and carbohydrates to how you absorb vitamins and minerals, and this is where nutrigenomics can give you a huge advantage, for example, high inflammation. It can be a major contributor to conditions like diabetes, heart disease and obesity. A diet that's rich in anti-inflammatory foods like leafy greens, omega-3 fatty acids and lean proteins can help reduce that inflammation. On the flip side, processed sugars, foods and unhealthy fats can increase inflammation, leading to worsened symptoms. So this isn't about extreme dieting. It's about finding foods that nourish your body and support its natural processes. For Kate, incorporating more foods and cutting down on processed foods was a major first step in feeling better for her.

Speaker 1: 9:07

After nutrition, we have exercise. It's not just about weight loss, guys, when you hear exercise. It's about optimizing how your body responds to movement based on your genetics, and this is fascinating to me, because some people have a genetic predisposition that makes them more responsive to aerobic exercise, while others might thrive with strength training or high intensity interval training. Your genetics determine which one is best for you. So when we tailor your exercise routines to match your genetic makeup, you can help support your heart health, reduce inflammation and enhance metabolism, as well as prevent injury and reduce the need for medications over time. For Kate, we started with gentle strength training to help build muscle mass, which, in turn, helped improve her metabolism and blood sugar control.

Speaker 1: 10:00

Next, I want to look at mindset, because your mind is the most powerful tool you have. If you believe your body is broken or that you always need medications to feel okay, you're setting yourself up for failure, friend. But if you believe you can take small steps to feel better, you're setting yourself up for success. For Kate, the biggest change came in how she viewed herself and her body. Instead of seeing herself as someone who needed pills to survive, she started seeing herself as someone who could make to survive. She started seeing herself as someone who could make choices that aligned with her well-being. That shift in mindset, coupled with accountability, was a key to her success.

Speaker 1: 10:41

Let me share Kate's story with you again. She dreamt of a day with no medications on her nightstand and more energy in her sleep. She was tired of constipation for blood pressure medications, taking three medications or more every day, not sleeping well and being 53 pounds overweight. But she knew she had to make changes. She just wasn't being consistent and that's when she reached out for help. She said I need to get it together, dr Tamar. So, with Nutrigenomics guiding her, we aligned her nutrition, exercise and the mindset. Over time, she went from taking three blood pressure pills to just one and dropped an incredible 23 pounds.

Speaker 1: 11:17

Kate's journey wasn't about eliminating medications overnight. It was about making personalized, consistent changes that worked with her genetics. If you're ready to start working with your genetics to support your health, I invite you to schedule a free health and wellness consultation with me. Visit us at wwwthelifebalancecom. That's wwwthelifebalancecom. I love to hear from you what's one change you're ready to make to support your health. Send me a message on Instagram at Dr Tamar Lawful Coming up next week on the show. We're talking about how wearable data is revolutionizing health, fitness and insurance so you can use real-time insights to create personalized preventative health strategies. Talk to you next Friday. Until then, always remember to raise the script on health, because together we can bring healthcare to higher levels.