The healthcare system is cracking under pressure, and it's not just about staffing shortages or budget cuts. Drawing from 19 years of medical practice, I peel back the layers of our current healthcare crisis to reveal what's really breaking the system: an epidemic of preventable lifestyle diseases.

Remember when eating an apple instead of a processed granola bar wasn't considered "going on a diet"? Our modern world has engineered unhealthy choices to be the easiest ones, creating a perfect storm that's overwhelming medical resources. The pandemic didn't create this problem—it merely accelerated a breakdown that was already underway, pushing healthcare workers to early retirement and stretching remaining resources beyond their limits.

Most patients I see daily suffer from conditions directly linked to lifestyle factors: heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and more. These chronic diseases consume the majority of healthcare spending, yet we continue treating symptoms while ignoring root causes. It's not about blaming patients—we've all been nudged toward processed foods, sedentary behaviors, increased screen time, and diminished face-to-face social connections.

The solution isn't simply hiring more doctors or building more hospitals. It's about reimagining prevention through lifestyle medicine: focusing on nutrition, movement, sleep, stress management, and meaningful connections. Every time you choose whole foods over processed ones, take a walk instead of scrolling social media, or prioritize genuine human interaction, you're not just improving your personal health—you're helping preserve our healthcare system for those who truly need it.

Ready to make a difference? Start with one small change today. Your health and our healthcare system both depend on it. Visit plantbaseddrjules.com for free resources to support your journey toward better health and a more sustainable healthcare future.

Go check out my website for tons of free resources on how to transition towards a healthier diet and lifestyle.

You can download my free plant-based recipes eBook and a ton of other free resources by visiting the Digital Downloads tab of my website at https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/shop

Don't forget to check out my blog at https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/blog

You can also watch my educational videos on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMpkQRXb7G-StAotV0dmahQ

Check out my upcoming live events and free eCourse, where you'll learn more about how to create delicious plant-based recipes: https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/

Go follow me on social media by visiting my Facebook page and Instagram accounts
https://www.facebook.com/plantbaseddrjules
https://www.instagram.com/plantbased_dr_jules/

Last but not least, the best way to show your support and to help me spread my message is to subscribe to my podcast and to leave a 5 star review on Apple and Spotify!
Thanks so much!

Peace, love, plants!
Dr. Jules

The wellness world has convinced many of us that when it comes to vitamins and supplements, more equals better. This dangerous misconception has real consequences, as I've witnessed firsthand with patients like Samantha, whose well-intentioned supplement routine led to permanent nerve damage.

Through Samantha's story, we explore how her daily stack of supplements—a multivitamin, B-complex, energy powder, and relaxation gummies—unknowingly delivered 140mg of vitamin B6 daily, far exceeding the upper tolerable limit. After eight months, she developed pyridoxine-induced sensory neuropathy, with symptoms of tingling, burning sensations, numbness, and coordination loss that she initially attributed to perimenopause.

This toxicology principle—"the dose makes the poison"—applies universally. Vitamin A, essential for vision and immunity, can cause liver damage and birth defects in excess. Iron supplementation without testing can be particularly dangerous for those with hemochromatosis, affecting 1 in 200 people of European descent. Even vitamin D, selenium, and other B vitamins follow this pattern—beneficial at appropriate doses but potentially harmful when overconsumed.

Why do whole foods differ from supplements? When nutrients come from food, they arrive with fiber, water, and compounds that help your body regulate absorption. Your body controls how much beta-carotene from carrots converts to vitamin A, but high-dose supplements bypass these natural safeguards. The supplement industry capitalizes on our vulnerability with marketing terms like "megadose" and "pharmaceutical grade," while long wait times for medical care drive many to self-diagnose based on symptoms rather than testing.

The solution isn't avoiding supplements entirely but approaching them wisely: consult healthcare providers before supplementing, get appropriate testing, understand daily allowances and upper limits, check for supplement duplication, choose reputable brands with third-party testing, and prioritize nutrient-rich whole foods first. Your health isn't about adding more—it's about finding that optimal balance where nutrients support rather than harm your body.

Have you checked your supplement stack lately? Share this episode with someone whose medicine cabinet might be putting them at risk.

Go check out my website for tons of free resources on how to transition towards a healthier diet and lifestyle.

You can download my free plant-based recipes eBook and a ton of other free resources by visiting the Digital Downloads tab of my website at https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/shop

Don't forget to check out my blog at https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/blog

You can also watch my educational videos on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMpkQRXb7G-StAotV0dmahQ

Check out my upcoming live events and free eCourse, where you'll learn more about how to create delicious plant-based recipes: https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/

Go follow me on social media by visiting my Facebook page and Instagram accounts
https://www.facebook.com/plantbaseddrjules
https://www.instagram.com/plantbased_dr_jules/

Last but not least, the best way to show your support and to help me spread my message is to subscribe to my podcast and to leave a 5 star review on Apple and Spotify!
Thanks so much!

Peace, love, plants!
Dr. Jules

What really happens after your doctor closes the exam room door? How do physicians feel when they can't give you the time you deserve? The healthcare system has trained us to focus on symptoms, tests, and diagnoses, but we rarely discuss the human experiences on both sides of medicine.

Drawing from nearly two decades in healthcare, I'm pulling back the curtain to reveal what doctors wish every patient understood about their reality. The truth might surprise you: physicians carry your stories home, cry over difficult cases, and often work while sicker than the patients they're treating. Behind the professional demeanor lies deep caring that extends far beyond the brief medical encounter.

The modern healthcare system places impossible demands on both doctors and patients. With specialists facing hundreds of new consultation requests monthly while already working at capacity, the math simply doesn't add up. Most physicians work 50-60 hour weeks with months-long waitlists, yet still face criticism for seeming rushed during appointments. This episode explains why canceling a clinic creates cascading problems that follow a doctor for months, and why your physician might choose to work through illness rather than reschedule patients who've waited months for care.

Beyond time constraints, we explore the power of lifestyle medicine, the uncertainty inherent in medical practice, and the need for collaborative healthcare models. I've witnessed patients reverse chronic conditions through consistent lifestyle changes, but guiding these transformations requires time that our current system rarely allows. The future likely involves integrated teams of specialists working together to support patients holistically.

Whether you're frustrated with your healthcare experience or simply curious about what happens behind the scenes, this episode offers perspective that could transform your next medical visit. Want to help create a better system? Start by understanding the realities your healthcare providers face every day.

Go check out my website for tons of free resources on how to transition towards a healthier diet and lifestyle.

You can download my free plant-based recipes eBook and a ton of other free resources by visiting the Digital Downloads tab of my website at https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/shop

Don't forget to check out my blog at https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/blog

You can also watch my educational videos on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMpkQRXb7G-StAotV0dmahQ

Check out my upcoming live events and free eCourse, where you'll learn more about how to create delicious plant-based recipes: https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/

Go follow me on social media by visiting my Facebook page and Instagram accounts
https://www.facebook.com/plantbaseddrjules
https://www.instagram.com/plantbased_dr_jules/

Last but not least, the best way to show your support and to help me spread my message is to subscribe to my podcast and to leave a 5 star review on Apple and Spotify!
Thanks so much!

Peace, love, plants!
Dr. Jules