When the Society of Metabolic Health Practitioners (SMHP) launched the Journal of Metabolic Health in late 2023, one question quickly rose to the surface: How do we help frontline clinicians, many of whom have never conducted research, learn to design, run, and publish high-quality studies?

Enter Dr. Melanie Tidman.

A professor, researcher, and longtime SMHP member, Melanie recognized a gap, and built a solution. The result is the SMHP Research Academy, a fully supported, step-by-step pathway that teaches practitioners how to take research ideas from concept to publication. In this podcast episode, she walks listeners through what the Academy offers, why it exists, and how it's already helping clinicians produce peer-reviewed science.

Below is a summary of what you'll hear, but the full interview is worth every minute.

Melanie created the Academy in early 2024 with a clear mission: make research accessible to clinicians working in the real world.

"I had the vision back then to create an academy where our members who have never done research before could learn all of the ins and outs… of how to do research, how to collect data, how to analyze that data and how to publish a research article."

Over nine months she built a 10-module, self-paced research curriculum, complete with video lessons, customizable learning formats, downloadable notes, and direct faculty support. Members can take the modules in order or revisit individual sections as needed.

Each module, she notes, is "completely comprehensive and customizable for your own learning style."

One of the biggest hurdles for new researchers is the IRB (Institutional Review Board) process. It's required for human studies in the U.S., but few practitioners know how to navigate it, and few are aware that approval often costs between $1,500 and $3,000.

Melanie explains the differences between exempt, expedited, and full-board studies and then shares the Academy's unique advantage:

"Two of us on the academy faculty are also faculty for universities having access to university IRBs… we become the primary investigator for the purpose of the IRB application… and there is no cost."

For members, that alone is a major benefit—one of many.

The Academy pairs each participant with a research mentor and faculty team specializing in study design, data analysis, manuscript writing, and qualitative methods. Projects now include case reports, retrospective analyses, literature reviews, mixed-methods studies, and more.

As Melanie notes, the Academy already has 16 projects underway, including "three articles in peer review right now."

She emphasizes that no project is too small: "Say you just have one patient who had an incredible result, and you want to publish… I'm your man."

When Melanie adds up the typical costs—IRB fees, data-analysis consultation, manuscript editing, and open-access publication fees—she estimates that members receive between $9,000 and $10,000 worth of services at no charge.

"If you publish with the Journal of Metabolic Health and you are a member of the SMHP, the SMHP will pay your open-access publishing fees," she explains. "There's another three to four thousand dollars worth of savings."

The Academy empowers clinicians, from solo practitioners to large-system physicians, to turn real-world metabolic health outcomes into peer-reviewed evidence. And as Melanie reminds listeners:

"I can't say enough about my gratitude… It's there for your benefit. If you are a member, you have an entire Academy worth of information at your fingertips."

Learn more about The SMHP™ and join here.

I talk with producer, Kevin Carter, about the new movie they just launched called 'Animal'. This movie seeks to set the record straight about the benefits of the carnivore diet and what the 'Proper Human Diet' for humans really looks like. It sets out to debunk so many of the untruths about meat and animal products that are proliferated by the plant based community. It imparts the information in such a relatable way and provides us with, what I called, a 'toolbox of comebacks' so that we can have meaningful discussions with people who seek to disseminate misinformation about what we should be eating.

The film features so many of the people who have graced our stages as speakers at many of our events. Icons like Dr Robert Cywes, Dr Robert Kiltz, Dr Anthony Chaffee, Dr Shawn Baker, Dr Ken Berry, and Sally Norton are all featured in the movie. The film just launched on June 20 in select theatres and released that day to streaming as well. It is available on pretty much all platforms where you can watch streaming content.

The most interesting thing for me that came out of our conversation was the fact that people can arrange screenings in local theatres and even places like church halls on an ongoing basis. I was very excited to hear about that and encourage everyone out there to try to do something in their town or city. Not only will you be helping to get this message out but you can put together an amazing community event and really do something real to make a difference. Just go to the website and then scroll down and click on 'Host a screening'. There's no risk, if you don't get enough people to sign up for it to be cost effective then that screening doesn't go ahead and everyone gets their money back. It's not hard!

In the latest episode of the LowCarbUSA Podcast, Pam and I sit down with Siouxie Boshoff, founder of Scrummy Sweets, for a discussion exploring the murky world of food manufacturing, ingredient transparency, and the quest for truly clean, sugar-free treats.

She says, "I'm just a girl who loved gummy bears and couldn't find one that didn't either kick me out of ketosis, spike my blood sugar, or disrupt my digestive tract in a way that was pretty catastrophic," she explained. "So I made my own."

Throughout the conversation, she exposes some of the food industry's best-kept secrets—like how manufacturers sneak toxic additives into products without disclosing them. She recounts a shocking moment when a production manager suggested using an anti-foaming agent to fix a minor visual flaw in her gummy bears, "She looked at me and said, 'Oh, don't worry, you don't have to put it on the label. It's just considered part of the manufacturing process.' And I was like—You think I don't want it in there because I don't want to put it on the label? I eat my own product!"

Siouxie's commitment to clean ingredients is unwavering. She discusses the meticulous process of sourcing organic, non-GMO ingredients and how even "natural flavours" can be a smokescreen for hidden additives. Her message is clear: if you care about your health, you need to demand better.

Her insights are already making an impact. One sceptical physician at LowCarbUSA's recent Symposium for Metabolic Health in Boca Raton, FL admitted he initially avoided Siouxie's booth, assuming her products were just another "sugar-free gimmick." But after attending her talk, his perspective completely shifted, "I've been avoiding them all weekend, thinking it's just another sweet thing I can't trust," he said, "but after hearing you speak, I get it. We need more products like this."

From revealing the hidden dangers of maltodextrin to explaining why she insists on MCT oil over seed oils in flavouring agents, Siouxie leaves no stone unturned. If you've ever wondered what's really in your "healthy" snacks—or why so many sugar-free products still sabotage metabolic health—this is an episode you won't want to miss.

Watch the full interview and join the conversation on how we can push for cleaner, truly nourishing food choices in our world today.

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