Rawfork Podcast

I hope everyone’s been enjoying recent holidays and the weather. It’s finally feeling like spring here in NY! Today I am so excited to talk with my guest about becoming our own advocates in healthcare, and in what we are prescribed as part of that journey. We will be talking about pharmacogenomics as the tool that will help us usher in the future where safety comes first. Today’s guest, Mark A. Smith began his career as a Special Agent with the FBI working on organized and white-collar crime. Followed by a Human Resources path from Pfizer, to PepsiCo, and ending as CHRO with Blockbuster Entertainment. Following an acquisition Mark returned to Western New York where he became actively involved in Children’s Behavioral Health at both the state and national level. Mark’s passion is focused on the clinical and economic value of Pharmacogenomics (PGx), and has placed him in the center of the national drive to “Standard of Care” for PGx. His network in autism, genetics, rare conditions, healthcare systems and pa

It’s true what the forefather of modern medicine said about disease originating in the gut. Following in Hippocrates’s footsteps, my podcast guest will be sharing how fixing your gut health can and will help fix any other issues you may have. Dr. Loredana Marzullo Shapson, PharmD, FNTP is the founder of LifeMod Solutions, a holistic health practice in Newtown, PA. She is a pharmacist turned holistic with the mission to empower her patients to know they can heal at any age by providing answers, education and tools to live more naturally in our modern world. Dr. Loredana earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree (PharmD) at Temple University in 2012 and is a pharmacist licensed in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In addition, she is a certified Primal Health Coach (PHC), a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (FNTP), a Reiki Level II practitioner, and trained in energy medicine using muscle response testing techniques to analyze neurological reflexes. Whatever you put in your mouth, whether it be a food, a pres

Welcome back to the show everyone! This week I’m celebrating my daughter’s second birthday, and on that note I'm also looking to build a better future for our children, and their children! My guest and I will be discussing how we are surrounded by more toxins than ever before. Scientists and doctors know wireless signals can affect the body, similar to other man-made toxins. On top of this, our food is no longer giving us the correct nutrients we need to be resilient to these toxins. There is a need to help people’s bodies become more resilient to our modern lifestyle, and certain nutritional supplements can help! Kylen Ribeiro is the Chief Executive Officer at Lightbody, and is responsible for leading the strategic growth of the company. Her collegiate swimming career, B.S. in Marketing and Management, and MBA from Florida State University is complemented by a yoga instructor certification and background in digital wellness. Kylen has been an integral part of creating an entirely new market of EMF protect

What’s up everyone? I have quite a treat for you in store today, as I am introducing you to yet another inspiring guest and powerhouse. Coworkers widely regard her as “Mother Nature,” “Wellness Warrior” and an “Inspiring Health Educator.” As a parent of a child who battled cancer she can help parents with the overwhelming feeling of a childhood cancer diagnosis using her HOPE Prescription. I’m excited to introduce Gina Ruffa, a pharmacist with decades of experience in hospital, retail and independent pharmacies. Gina has been a cancer coach and has done extensive research on cancer prevention using natural remedies. Gina had a featured interview on The Truth About Cancer and has helped many people, including her son, journey through cancer while using natural interventions and alternative approaches. Gina was a guest speaker for the 2019 Reboot Health and Wellness Cruise and has been a commentator on numerous radio broadcasts as well as a sought-after speaker at health and wellness fairs and has hosted webi

Hello fellow humans and healthcare leaders! I hope everyone had an amazing Valentine’s day and keeping up with the theme, I am beyond honored to introduce my next guest who has so much heart and courage. With this episode, we hope to inspire other pharmacists to lean into their unique qualities and coaching. My guest’s message to listeners is this: use the power of collaboration to fulfill your professional calling even if it's outside your comfort zone; just learn as you go. You don't have to wait on the sidelines to be granted the professional power & permission to help and heal our patients. There are organizations, patients, and providers that are looking for our expertise. For the ones that aren't, we'll keep educating them along the way without compromising our potential. Ahunna Freeman is a Nigerian-American. She completed her undergraduate studies in Chemistry at The University of North Carolina at Asheville. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy Degree at Campbell University College of Pharmacy and Hea

I still can’t believe we’re already on season 7 of the podcast - marking 7 years! And I also can’t wait to introduce my next guest, who I personally got the honor to know as a human and student in my herbal practitioner program. Heather Hardin received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Florida in 2005 and is a Board-Certified Ambulatory Care Specialist. After working as a community pharmacist, Dr Hardin became a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy from 2010 to 2018. Heather currently owns her own health and wellness company, Halo Health Services, where she helps clients find more natural ways to address the root causes of their health concerns, decreasing dependence on prescription medications. She works to identify and address the root cause of conditions instead of merely treating the symptoms. Heather teaches yoga, leads meditations, and sells her own CBD products. She also hosts two vodcasts/podcasts: “Pharmacists Out of the Box” and “Nurt

Hello my dear listeners, and welcome to season 7 of the Holistic Pharmacy Podcast! We are back for a fresh new season after a short break for integration and recalibration after the winter holidays. I hope that you are all taking good care of yourselves and doing the visionary work now to plant seeds for a fruitful harvest in 2024. Without further ado, allow me to introduce my first guest of the season, who is a remarkable pharmacist and holistic practitioner who overcame countless challenges and is now helping others heal despite all obstacles. Her mission is to shatter the misconceptions about 'stress' and help people recognize their innate ability to be healthy and well. Seeing health in this new light influences effective brain responses that stimulate positive epigenetic modifications without altering the underlying DNA sequence. Recognized for breaking the code on stress and the legacy of degeneration, Tammy Davis is minimizing dis-ease management and raising the standard of healthcare. After 40+ ye

Season’s greetings everyone! The holiday season is upon us, and with it, the dawn of a new year. I can’t think of a better episode to wrap up the 6th season of the Holistic Pharmacy Podcast than what you’re about to hear. My guest has a bunch of treats for us in store, filled with juicy and relatable information, the most important being that healing is within. You heal you, no one else. PERIOD. If there’s one thing I’ve learned on the holistic journey it’s this. We talk microbes, theories of disease, personal stories and practical tips for anyone to implement immediately. Let’s welcome Cheryl Paswater, a fellow herbalist and functional medicine coach. Cheryl got into the healing world on her own healing journey, a long road of dealing with parasites, mold toxicity, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, gut issues, food intolerances, leaky gut, chronic inflammation, an immune system gone wild. That healing journey led her into the world of fermentation, that journey led her to health coaching, that journey led her to

Hey everyone, I’m back this week with a very special guest and fellow podcaster, who is passionate about promoting the pharmacy profession and transforming healthcare. She is the founder of Talk to Your Pharmacist, which has over 250 episodes highlighting successful pharmacy leaders and sharing about current healthcare trends. Her interest in leadership inspired her to author How Pharmacists Lead: Answers from Women Who Are Leading, Succeeding, and Impacting Pharmacy which is available on Amazon to encourage young female leaders and those who want to grow in their careers. I’m so excited to introduce Dr. Hillary Blackburn, PharmD, MBA, a clinically and business-trained pharmacist having practiced for over a decade in a variety of healthcare settings. She has experience in healthcare strategy, business development, formulary development and management, consulting, and establishing successful medication access programs. In her current role, she serves as Chief Pharmacy Officer at Dispensary of Hope, a national

Greetings, dear listeners. I hope you had a happy and healthy Thanksgiving to start this holiday season. For me it’s always a great reminder of counting one’s blessings, not only seasonally but having a dedicated gratitude practice. Now without further ado I’d like to introduce my next guest, with whom I share a mission to optimize your health in order to maximize your wellbeing. As working moms, we are all too familiar with the need to be superhumans - raising kids, taking care of families, and managing professional careers. I had a fascinating conversation full of similarities with Stephanie Smith, PharmD, CHC, who coaches moms to prioritize their wellness by tuning into their own bodies, by resting and refueling, and by building endurance through exercise and movement. After obtaining her Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, Stephanie began working with Pfizer as a medical education consultant. As her clinical experience grew, she eventually moved into a more p

Hello dear listeners! I can’t believe that November is here and 2024 is right around the corner! Before you know it, we will be at the holiday season and leaving 2023 in the rear view mirror. If you’d like to savor some magic as we wrap up the season, I’ve got some surprises and Black Friday specials that I’ll be announcing soon so make sure to follow me on social media and sign up for my newsletter to be the first to know! And in the spirit of giving, my next guest is super generous in inspiring us to think outside the box and explore non-traditional pharmacy routes. Dr. VanDeWater is a Pharmacist for The Wellness Company. She is a holistic pharmacist who assists her patients to be free from pharmaceutical drugs with our "Freedom From Pharma" program. Dr. Jennifer VanDeWater, PharmD, is a registered pharmacist licensed in Maine, New York, and Vermont. She graduated from Albany College of Pharmacy in 2006. Dr. Jen is The People’s Pharmacist: as one of the founders of the Integrative Therapeutics Board of

Hey everyone, we are entering one of my favorite seasons of the year, and are just coming off the whimsical shenanigans of Halloween, which is my son’s favorite holiday. And I have just a delightful treat in store for you today, where I interview one of my colleagues and student ambassadors for my Herbal Training program. Dr. Sarah Shore Anderson is the founder of ThriveRx Consulting, LLC. She designs clinical teams and strategy for novel, collaborative wellness solutions within health tech start-up companies. She utilizes her background in leadership, health coaching, managed care pharmacy, pharmaceutical outcomes, and global health and wellness engagement in the development of integrative, pharmacist-led services. Additionally, Dr. Anderson is an independent consultant with the PharmToTable team where she develops, promotes, and offers functional medicine and health coaching services. Previously, she created a Managed Care Pharmacy Residency Program and Pharmaceutical Outcomes Clinical Manager position a

Hi Dear Ones, I’m back this week with another brilliant pharmacist whose core message is: You are not your disorder, don’t let labels define you! This sums up the failure of our reductionist Western healthcare approach to focus on what’s wrong, and favor evidence based medicine. While this is useful to a degree, there are certainly downsides preventing true informed and empowered choices on behalf of the consumer, and lots of room for patient advocacy. Dr. Deepa Pattani is a Certified Functional Medicine Specialist, Amazon best-selling author, as seen on Forbes, featured in Authority Magazine, Voyage Dallas, Allen City Lifestyle, CBD specialist, LDN compounder, pharmacy owner, wife and mom of two. Dr. Pattani equips frustrated, stressed professionals with tools to stop feeling fatigued, anxious and hopeless and feel sustained energy, in-control and healthy with her 7 step PATTANI protocol that utilizes diagnostic testing and 1:1 coaching so they can live their best life yet. 
 Over the past two decades,

Hi dear listeners! I am so excited to introduce my next guest, a like-minded soul who believes that chronic diseases don't have to be chronic. They are reversible and preventable with the right lifestyle choices. Healing is not one size fits all, which is why today’s guest practices functional medicine and energy healing. We talk about getting to the root cause of inflammation, which is the key to disease reversal and it is accessible to all. Dr. Lara May is a Functional Medicine Clinical Specialist, Master Energy Healer & Channel & International Speaker who specializes in getting to the root cause of disease via functional medicine. She has worked in emergency rooms and adult acute care for a decade, counseling nurses, doctors, patients & families about medication regimens and maximizing treatment outcomes. Due to her struggle with her own health, Lara started studying & practicing functional medicine in 2017. Lara’s passion & mission is to empower patients to take an active role in their health, so that

Hi my dear listeners! I am thrilled to introduce my next guest because we talk about the starkly opposing ideologies between Western and Eastern medicine, in the context of infant movement development and beyond. Cara Angela Liguori is a Somatic Practitioner, Infant Developmental Movement Educator, and Dream Guide whose creative healing journey began with dance and music. She is currently earning a Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. In her one-on-one practice, Cara uses integrative touch, somatics, and guided meditations to support her clients’ body-mind-spirit integration. For infants and their caregivers, Cara provides education and skill-building for cultivating secure attachment skills and resilient movement and nervous system development through embodied observation, co-regulation, and handling techniques. In all her work, she facilitates connections with the underlying pathways of support that lead people to deepened relationships with themselves and others. Cara’s practice is c

Hello dear ones! I am over the moon and beyond grateful to share this next episode with you, where I got to interview one of my herbal teachers. We go deep into clinical pearls from this super-experienced powerhouse of a woman who’d like you to take away the following bottom line: the herbs are here to help heal us, they’re inexpensive, safe and easy to use. Sara-Chana Silverstein is the author of the book MOODTOPIA: Tame your moods, de-stress, and find balance using herbal remedies...which has been #1 on Amazon. Her book got accolades from Mayim Bialik, Deepak Chopra, and Christie Brinkley. She is a Master Herbalist RH (AHG), Classical Homeopath, Board-certified lactation consultant (IBCLC), wife, keynote speaker, and mother of seven children. She is regularly featured on TV news shows across the US discussing how people can safely integrate alternative medicine with conventional medicine. She is a consultant to many pediatricians, midwives, general doctors, and guest lectures to residents at medical schoo

It’s always a joy to have incredible conversations with incredible people on this podcast. Today I am interviewing a dear colleague and co-author of the book Beyond the Counter, and we discuss why it's so important to take care of your body, and mind NOW. You're either paying for prevention now, or treatment later. Dr. Melissa Hetrick, PharmD, BCPS, is a clinical staff pharmacist at Lehigh Valley Health Network, and a Sales Coordinator at The Juice Plus + Company. She is currently a clinical pharmacist for the Integrative Care Coordination team, a division of Population Health, at Lehigh Valley Health Network. She has previously practiced within the inpatient setting for the first 15 years of her career focusing on areas such as pediatrics, parenteral nutrition, operating room satellite, and intravenous compounding as well as specializing in Hematology/Oncology at the LVHN Topper Cancer Institute for the past 5 years. Dr. Hetrick guides hard-working women down a clear path of health and wellness, replacing

Today I talk with a fellow pharmacist who became a patient going through our healthcare system, desperate for answers and having to advocate for herself from the other side of the treatment counter. We discuss what it takes to stay healthy in today’s post-COVID world when so much remains shrouded in mystery, and yet going back to the basics of self-care can still make a difference. Long-COVID symptoms are very real and affect a significant part of the population. As healthcare providers it behooves us to gain a general understanding of the disease so we can be there for our patients and provide them with symptom mitigation strategies. Salam Kabbani is an infectious diseases pharmacy specialist at Olathe Medical Center. She graduated with her doctor of pharmacy degree from California Health Sciences University in 2019 and then went on to complete a PGY1 pharmacy residency at Cleveland Clinic South Pointe hospital. Despite being fully vaccinated at the time, she had a breakthrough COVID infection with the del

Hello everyone, I’m super excited to release this next episode that was recorded at the start of this year. We covered so many topics near and dear to my personal and professional mission and I’m so honored to introduce my next guest and what he is contributing to healthcare. Dr. Rohit Moghe is an ambulatory care & population health clinical pharmacist for accountable care organization (ACO) at Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic. He is originally from the Philadelphia area. Dr. Moghe is a residency-training pharmacist with a master's in public health and a certified diabetes care & education specialist with over 22 years of experience across various therapeutic areas and whole continuum of care. Dr. Moghe is active in leadership at both Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists as well as American College of Lifestyle Medicine as Co-Chair of the pharmacist group. His diverse professional and life experience has led him to understand that most chronic conditions don't need to be managed with medications.

Hello dear listeners, I am just coming off an extended 4th of July break and hope you all are enjoying the summer so far and celebrating every occasion the season offers. One of the things I cherish most in my life is spending time with family, and one of my biggest blessings has been becoming a mother. Today I’m interviewing a fellow holistic-minded pharmacist and mother, who shares my passion and belief that we have the power and ability to change our health. We talk about feeling confident and empowered to advocate for your health choices, and going beyond the conventional during one’s fertility journey. Dr. Katie Wood is a mother, Pharmacist and Integrative Fertility Coach. She is the founder of Pharm to Wellness LLC and the brand Happy Nourished Motherhood. Katie helps women over 30 to nourish their mind & body for optimal fertility health so they can confidently conceive with ease. Katie comes from 8 years of experience as a retail pharmacist. This background in conventional medicine is what first