Meet the OFM Medical & Research Advisory Committee
Our advisory committee is composed of clinicians and researchers who not only 'get it' about our work at OFM but are also living it in their daily lives and athletic pursuits. This translates their expertise out of the realm of the lab or clinic and into the real world to develop solutions you can make your own! They help guide our pioneering innovation and bring tremendous intellectual resources so we can continue to "Lead the Science" )- (Jeff Volek RD/PhD
Dr. Cathy Buletza
ICU Physician & Trauma Surgeon
Dr. Cathy's specialties are Trauma Surgery and Intensive Care which give her a unique vantage point on the state of Human Health. In spite of the fact she saves lives on a daily basis it has become obvious to her the vast majority of the patients she sees arrive in the ICU or Trauma Bay would not be there had they maintained their metabolic health.
Her own personal awareness of the health trajectory she was on prior to adopting OFM was her first epiphany. Her experiences as an ultra-endurance athlete completing IronMans and 50-100 Mile Ultras (while maintaining a full schedule as an Intensivist, mother and partner in Life) was her awakening. OFM offers what Cathy has said “...is the solution.”
Being a part of our Team allows Cathy to make an impact where it matters most; to empower YOU in your personal journey as well as make a positive impact on the overall direction of Human Health. This offers Cathy the opportunity to help you and support you so you never have to see Dr. Cathy, the Trauma Surgeon or Intensivist, or someone like her.
Johnathan Edwards
MD
Dr. Johnathan Edwards, MD , is a practicing Sports Physician, Anesthesiologist and Concierge Medicine Physician. On top of this he is one of the top clinicians in the emerging field of Ketamine Therapy and has written two books on the subject: "Suicide, COVID-19, and KETAMINE: How a Little Known Drug May Save Lives" & "The Revolutionary Ketamine: How a Little-Known Drug Can Cure Depression and Prevent Suicide".
He has extensive experience as a Sports Physician working with some of the world's best athletes in motorsports and cycling. This includes a 5 year stint as the team doctor for the Team Red Bull US Paris to Dakar Rally, race Doctor for the Tour of Dunkirk and personal physician to MMA fighter Miesha Tate.
Dr. Edwards is also a Cat 1 Cyclist himself, Runner and an ex-Pro Motocross Racer. His journey to OFM came after suffering a TBI and, in using a ketogenic diet to heal, he quickly learned of the performance limitations of keto. Now Dr. Edwards coaches all his athletes using the OFM Principles including some of the top motocross riders, tennis and MMA Fighters in the US. Dr. Edwards brings a wealth of medical knowledge and clinical medical experience to the OFM Team.
Dr. Linda Frazier
MD: Pediatrician
Dr. Linda Frazier is mostly retired from her professional career as a Pediatrician yet still practices Pediatric care on occasion to those who need it most as a volunteer Pediatrician with Samaritan’s Purse doing mission trips to Latin America and on-call work with the Sacramento County Youth Detention Facility.
Her Life, however, is fuller than ever as she is more active than ever between her sports of marathon running and IronMan Triathlons. Linda also spends time backpacking in the Sierra, walking vacations in the UK & Ireland, coaching a youth running group, milking her goats and making yogurt from that milk and spending active time with her husband, grown children and grandchildren.
Her journey to OFM started with following the conventional health advice and winding up with Celiac’s disease. She discovered Paleo, then Primal, then “The Art & Science of Low Carbohydrate Living / Performance” where subsequently, in the Low Carbohydrate Performance Book, she came across VESPA and OFM.
Through that journey to OFM and experiencing her own transformation came the realization something needed to be done and that the individualized OFM approach that yielded her best performance in the marathon at the chronological age of 64 offers virtually all individuals a pathway to claiming back their metabolic health and resilience.
Her particular focus is to correct the ways children eat and move as well as help the mothers of these children. As you will learn in her Big Why this is something she is passionate about and wants to help others recognize so they can take back control of their health.
Kaayla Daniel
PhD
Kaayla Daniel PhD, aka "the Naughty Nutritionist", holds her doctorate in Nutritional Sciences and Anti-Aging Therapies but is SO much more. Kaayla has written several books including "Nourishing Broth", The Whole Soy Story", and "Hook, Line and Stinker: The Truth about Fermented Cod Liver Oil".
She is regarded as one of the top experts in broth having researched and wrote about the benefits of broth and gelatin well over a decade ahead of the current interest in broth. Kaayla's coaching/consulting focus with OFM is geared toward active baby boomers who want to carry their zest for life for decades beyond their 60's & 70's.
Kaayla's been a guest on the Dr. Oz Show, PBS Healing Quest, NPR's People's Pharmacy, and has spoken at numerous health & wellness summits, podcasts and conferences, including Paleo f(x), Ancestral Health Symposium, and Charles Poliquin's Bio-Signature.
Dr. William Suave
Unlike most Psychiatrists, Dr. Sauve has held a different approach and vision to treating mental health impairment and disorders than the all too common prescribing of medications. Instead of “Treating the Symptom” he recognizes the crucial importance of foundational metabolic health as part of the solution to the explosion of mental health challenges facing Humanity.
Dr. Sauve’s experience in clinical psychiatry is augmented by his experience as a military clinician in a war zone during the Iraq War and as a competitive rower and athlete himself. From his vast experience he has come to recognize how the all too common pharmaceutical interventions of treatment are actually focusing on the wrong thing as a way to market these profitable solutions as the only solution or the convenient one.
Today's world, with its chronic stressors, impacts both metabolic pathways and brain function. This is a crucial connection where Dr. Sauve provides his expertise so we offer people pathways of sustainable metabolic change to create that "Upward Cascade of Health & Well-being" instead of the all-too-common "Downward Cascade".
As the body of data grow it is becoming clear how diabetes and dementia are a result of too much dietary carbohydrates, too much glucose metabolism and too little activity to the point that we are currently experiencing epidemic levels of both diabetes and dementia. This has given rise to the concept of thinking of Dementia and Alzheimer's as "Type lll" Diabetes.
This is why Dr. Sauve is onboard with OFM and why, from a personal and professional standpoint, he is part of our Research and Medical Advisory Committee . Dr. Sauve will be collaborating with our Team on understanding how interlinked brain function is with metabolism. From this, our common goal is to help optimize this crucial aspect of health whether it is in developing the “Intuitive Athlete” or helping someone with a mental health challenge overcome it long term.
Dr. Diane Cridennda
DOM L.Ac. FABORM
Diane is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine and an accomplished Triathlete with decades of experience in both. Prior to becoming a Doctor, Diane spent over 20 years working as an X-Ray/Imaging technician in western allopathic healthcare.
Her first epiphany came when the conventional western approach was not healing some health challenges she had. This is how she came to discover Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine which corrected her challenges and initiated a career change to become a Doctor of Oriental Medicine.
Her second health & performance epiphany was OFM and VESPA which she discovered in 2013. She won her first Ironman 70.3 Triathlon and has consistently finished on the podium. She credits VESPA products for helping her to discover a very different model to fuel for her races which has enhanced her performance in her age group
Now, in her seventh decade of Life and Living, Diane has podiumed in multiple Ironman 70.3 World Championships and continues to compete in races throughout the world. She is uniquely qualified to represent how “training to prevent overworking and working to prevent overtraining” leads to being highly competitive.
Having recently sold her Acupuncture and Chinese/Asian Medicine Practice Diane is focusing on her health, training, family and giving back. This includes being part of our Team to help support, develop and guide the innovative solutions and information OFM offers. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, especially in the area of women’s health and performance.
Over the past 28 years Diane has been a pioneer in the field of Integrative Reproductive Medicine integrating “Traditional Chinese/asian Medicine” (TCM) practices, including Acupuncture, with modern western IVF techniques and is responsible for many thousands of babies.
She has published and presented her research throughout the world and her CMAP (Cridennda Magarelli Acupuncture Protocol) continues to be used by acupuncturists worldwide for reproductive health. She is certified by the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine, a fellowship she helped found in 2007, and continues to be on the Board.
Diane continues her journey in sharing her lifetime of passion for all things related to health as part of our Team. As you can see, she leads by example.
James Hughes
PCCA
I graduated from the Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University in 1976 with a degree in Pharmacy. As I began my career, I was asked to become a preceptor for senior pharmacy students on their rotations, so I became a Clinical Instructor in 1978. Four years later I was promoted to Assistant Clinical Professor and have continued to train and mentor students up to the present.
In 1996, I became a Clinical Instructor for the Bernard J Dunn School of Pharmacy at Shenandoah University to train and mentor their students as well. Teaching students the “real world” of pharmacy has always been rewarding for me.
In 1978, I received additional training in advanced compounding techniques from PCCA. Developing sports nutrition products (mainly for personal use) has always been a passion. I have two products where I was the lead formulator that have made it to market. One was an electrolyte and metabolism boosting product geared toward the weight loss industry, and the other was an exogenous ketone product with nootropics for several of the Tour de France teams. Formulating products for the endurance athlete, whether directly for performance, or for improving their health and longevity is my number one passion.
Bruce LaBelle PhD
My professional training is in chemistry. I received a Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis in synthetic organic chemistry. I then did postdoctoral research on structure-activity relationships and related work at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry. I also did postdoctoral research on synthetic routes to optically active molecules at the University of Colorado, Boulder, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.
My professional career was at the California Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Toxic Substances Control. I did environmental enforcement, then spent 17 years working with a team of engineers in a program that evaluated pollution prevention and environmental cleanup technologies. For the last 18 years of my career I headed the CalEPA, DTSC, Environmental Chemistry Laboratory (ECL). With labs in Berkeley and Pasadena - both accredited to ISO 17025 - I led a team of 50 scientists including 20 Ph.D. researchers conducting environmental analytical chemistry studies and testing of standard organic and inorganic chemicals as well as chemicals of emerging concern in people, products, wildlife, and the environment. Among the chemicals of emerging concern I worked with were chlorinated dioxins/furans, PCBs, PBDEs and other flame retardants, PFAS, phthalates in children’s toys, lead in children’s jewelry and plumbing fixtures, Bisphenol-A (BPA), and microplastics in the ocean.
Particular interests of mine have been how environmental toxicants in everyday products and the environment - organic chemicals and heavy metals - affect biochemical processes. There is literature from researchers around the world linking endocrine disrupting chemicals to biomarkers of feminization of males, thyroid effects, and even “obesogens” that can cause transgenerational effects for multiple generations after an exposure.
When I read scientific literature or discuss physiological processes and biochemical pathways, I consider them at the molecular level as synthetic and physical organic chemistry.
I have also been a runner for 55 years: starting at age 13, running my first marathon in 1974 at age 18, and my first ultra at 20. I had success at the Western States 100 with four top-ten finishes including a 15:47 second place finish in 1984 that was under the previous course record. I’ve been around ultra endurance running for a long time, with ten sub-24 hour finishes at Western States over a span of 32 years. I have observed and experienced many changes and advances to long-distance running theory and practice in the past half-century.
I have experimented on myself with training, equipment, and diet, and enjoy discussing the literature and empirical findings with researchers and other athletes.
