Episode 246

Aloe & Chronic Disease (feat. Dr. John Lewis)

Published on: 17th April, 2024

Have you heard of polysaccharides? This nutrient, found in aloe and rice bran can help with Alzheimer’s and other chronic diseases! Give this episode a listen to learn more! 

On this week’s episode, Jenn is joined by the Founder and President of Dr. Lewis Nutrition™, Dr. John Lewis. He has been studying polysaccharides for many years to help those struggling with chronic disease, Alzheimer’s, concussion syndrome, and more. During the episode, Dr. Lewis talks about the importance and benefits of polysaccharides and what he has learned through years of research. Dr. Lewis talks about clinical trials with patients struggling with Alzheimer’s and how aloe and polysaccharides helped change those patient’s lives. This fascinating episode will leave you with a lot of great information to determine if aloe and rice bran are right for you.

The Salad With a Side of Fries podcast is hosted by Jenn Trepeck, discussing wellness and weight loss for real life, clearing up the myths, misinformation, bad science & marketing surrounding our nutrition knowledge and the food industry. Let’s dive into wellness and weight loss for real life, including drinking, eating out, and skipping the grocery store. 

IN THIS EPISODE: 

●   [4:43] How Dr. Lewis went from being an all-natural bodybuilder to studying aloe.

●   [9:00] What are polysaccharides, why are they important and where do they come from?

●   [13:12] How did Dr. Lewis get the funding for his research projects?

●   [16:10] What is the connection between polysaccharides and Alzheimer’s? 

●   [26:34] Is providing the missing nutrients that allow the body to function properly the tie with polysaccharides? 

●   [28:01] What is happening in the research around TBI and concussion syndrome?

●   [31:31] What is the difference between the polysaccharides in aloe and rice bran vs. other types of polysaccharides? 

●   [33:42] How do consumers know that they are getting the right aloe? 

●   [39:10] Dr. Lewis shares his final thoughts around polysaccharides. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 

●   [12:04] It’s difficult to get polysaccharides from food and this is where dietary supplements can come in and make a big addition to your daily routine. 

●   [18:18] Genetic modification, all the herbicides, pesticides, etc. have really weakened the amount of nutrients in many common foods. 

●   [30:46] Polysaccharides help to calm down inflammation and modulate or enhance immune function. 

QUOTES: 

[7:32] “She was a cancer patient who introduced me to the rice bran. It not only completely changed my career, it completely changed my life in the sense that it took me to a different level of having an appreciation and perspective on what mother nature provides to us, and then being able to utilize those particular nutrients or phytonutrients for health.” - Dr. John Lewis

[17:44] “The body is intelligent enough to take a bunch of fructose or a bunch of glucose and mash all of those things together into polysaccharides, but our theory is that obviously is not the way or what our cells prefer. Otherwise, we wouldn't be ravaged with all these different chronic diseases today.” - Dr. John Lewis

[23:45] “Very broadly speaking, we’re talking about the ability for these polysaccharides to improve immune function, lower inflammation, improve adult stem cell production process, and then just generally improve overall quality of life.” - Dr. John Lewis

[41:25] “For me, this is cradle-to-grave and all of the in between, there’s no limitation on these polysaccharides in terms of how old you need to be, what your current health state is, if you have an existing health challenge or whatever, there’s no limitation on that. There’s been no documented problems with interacting with medications, in fact, they actually will help when you improve your nutrition status, they help your health status to be able to utilize things that you’re maybe being treated for with disease.” - Dr John Lewis

"Increasing our health status, giving our body the nutrients it's missing, creates the environment for health vs the environment for disease." - Jenn Trepeck

RESOURCES:

Become A Member of Salad with a Side of Fries

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Guest Resources

Dr. Lewis Nutrition's Website

Dr. Lewis Nutrition's YouTube

Dr. Lewis Nutrition's Instagram

Dr. Lewis Nutrition's Facebook

Dr. Lewis Nutrition's LinkedIn

BIO

Dr, John Lewis is the Founder and President of Dr Lewis Nutrition™ and past full-time Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He is also a Diplomat, Faculty Member, and Advisor of the Medical Wellness Association, and a lecturer for the Institute for Brain Potential. He has been the principal investigator of over 30 different studies in his research career. Much of his research has focused on evaluating the effects of nutrition, dietary supplementation, and exercise on various aspects of human health and disease.

In addition to his research, he’s an international lecturer at conferences and workshops and as a guest on television shows, with over 180 peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals, such as AIDS and Behavior, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, American Journal of Public Health, Nutrition and Cancer: An International Journal, The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, and more. 

He embodies the model of health and wellness by eating a whole-food, plant-based diet for over 27 years, taking certain key dietary supplements, and through a rigorous, daily exercise training program. He has a passion for educating others about the value of nutrition, exercise, and health which brings him here to Salad with a Side of Fries.

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About the Podcast

Salad With a Side of Fries Nutrition, Wellness & Weight Loss
Nutrition tips that actually work. Real-life healthy eating, balanced diet tools, and weight loss tips you can use today with coach Jenn Trepeck.*

If you have searched for nutrition tips, tried to keep a healthy lifestyle, or felt stuck following popular weight loss tips, this podcast is for you. Get straightforward wellness advice that works in real life, plus strategies for a balanced diet, sustainable healthy eating, and a smarter approach to fitness and nutrition. Is your diet making you hungrier, crankier, or less healthy? Tune in and find out.*

Free gift: Schedule a 15-minute curiosity call with Jenn to explore what is possible for you. https://asaladwithasideoffries.com/contact/

Welcome to Salad with a Side of Fries, where wellness meets real life. Award-winning host Jenn Trepeck, health and lifestyle coach and author of Uncomplicating Wellness, cuts through the noise with clear answers you can trust. Ranked in the top 1.5% of podcasts worldwide, the show won Ear Worthy’s Best Health Podcast in 2024 and 2025 and was nominated for Best Independent Podcast both years. Jenn also won Women Who Podcast’s Stellar Interview award in 2025 after being named one of Podcast Magazine’s 40 under 40 in 2022.

Jenn’s motto is “wellness without the weirdness.” With more than 17 years coaching after solving her own food struggles, she knows how confusing the industry can be. Each week you get the foundations of a balanced diet, sustainable healthy eating, metabolism basics, and long-term holistic health, plus straight talk on fad diets and supplements.

What you will get by listening:
✅How to eat and how to cheat, guilt-free
✅Nutrition tips that work in the real world
✅Weight loss tips that are effective, never restrictive
✅How to build a balanced plate at home, on the road, and eating out
✅Smart strategies for sustainable habits that include your favorite foods
✅Evidence-based insights on fitness and nutrition
✅Conversations about holistic health that go beyond food
✅Wellness advice you can use right away


About Jenn Trepeck:
Jenn is a health coach, speaker, and consultant who blends humor with practical science. She has helped thousands improve energy, metabolism, and confidence in their choices through one-on-one coaching, group programs, her book, and this podcast.

Connect with Jenn and the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenntrepeck/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saladwithasideoffriespod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jenntrepeck
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferTrepeck/
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/425796548337541/
Website: https://asaladwithasideoffries.com/

If you are ready to trade guilt for freedom, confusion for clarity, and boring salads for fries on the side, press play. Health gets doable here.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This podcast and its guests are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

About your host

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Jennifer Trepeck

“My passion for nutrition and helping others stems from “kicking my food issues” with my own weight management saga.” ~ Jenn

I believe that the greatest accountability is paying it forward! That’s why I teach the nutrition education we are all supposed to know but no one ever taught us, along with the science behind food, fitness, and health.

After I graduated from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, I founded Better Life Now LLC while working full-time in hedge funds. In 2019, I took my practice from side-hustle to full-time self-employment and launched my podcast, Salad With a Side of Fries. On the show, we offer science-based tips and tricks for how to achieve wellness and weight loss for real life – because who wants a life without fries or dessert?!

Topics we tackle on the podcast include debunking fad diets, food myths, misinformation in marketing, bad science, and general nutrition. I encourage guests whose expertise is different from my own focus on weight management to bring their unique, fact-based perspectives to talk about subjects they are educated in and passionate about.

Due to my decade-long experience of working with clients, I have gained insight into the health and food industry and the how-tos of building a business.

Some specific health and wellness topics I can speak to include debunking fad diets, exposing the BS we are fed by the food and diet industry, how the people around us can positively and negatively impact our health journey, and shifting mindsets in order to overcome inappropriate barometers of success to instead achieve happy, healthy, and meaningful change.

On the subject of business, I can help you by teaching my critical pieces every entrepreneur should know, how to make your side-hustle into your full-time job, ways to sustainably achieve success without burning out, contemporary networking, and how to prioritize wellness while pursuing your projects.

When I find some free time, I’m typically working out at Physique57, discovering hidden gem restaurants in NYC, or traveling to spend time with friends and family.

I’d love to have an in-depth conversation with you, whether it’s leveling up in business or debunking food myths!