The Art of Being Well
The Art of Being Well

Canned Tuna, Chicken Or Sardines, Lyme-POTS Connection & The Medical School Failure | Ask Me Anything

August 6, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The Medical School Mismatch, Canned Protein Safety, and Lyme's Hidden Symptoms

Dr. Will Cole and his co-host Andrea field three listener questions in this AMA episode, covering the gap between conventional medical training and root-cause medicine, the real risks of canned chicken and tuna, and the overlooked connection between Lyme disease and debilitating dizziness.

When Medical School Teaches Band-Aids Instead of Root Causes

A third-year medical student describes her growing cognitive dissonance during rotations: she wants to dig into patients' underlying issues but is pressured to work faster and prescribe symptom-suppressing treatments. Dr. Cole's response is pragmatic rather than idealistic. He tells her to finish her MD—the degree carries cultural authority and provides foundational knowledge in anatomy and physiology—but then pursue additional training through the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), where she can learn to address environmental toxins, gut health, stress, and nutrition.

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:00) **Opening & Housekeeping** - Dr. Will Cole and Andrea introduce the Ask Me Anything format and explain how to submit questions for a chance to win prizes.
  • 2 (04:01) **Medical Student’s Crisis of Faith** - A third-year MD student describes feeling cognitive dissonance because her rotations teach band-aid solutions rather than root-cause care.
  • 3 (05:22) **Advice for the Frustrated Med Student** - Dr. Cole advises finishing the MD program, then pursuing functional medicine training through the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM).
  • 4 (07:44) **The Broken System & Paths Forward** - Dr. Cole and Andrea discuss the systemic flaws in chronic disease management and the options for working within or outside the system.
  • 5 (10:10) **Be the Change, Not All or Nothing** - The conversation shifts to how frustrated clinicians can still help people within a flawed system.
  • 6 (12:55) **Voter Registration PSA** - A brief interlude encouraging listeners to check their voter registration status via vote.org.
  • 7 (14:35) **Manuka Honey Ad** - Dr. Cole promotes Manu Cora Manuka honey, which he includes in every new telehealth patient protocol.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Will Cole

Show Notes

In this Ask Me Anything episode, Dr. Will Cole and his clinical team address a third-year medical student experiencing deep frustration with conventional medicine, answer a practical question about canned chicken safety (and why sardines win every time), and tackle Lyme disease and vertigo — including why upwards of half of Lyme patients can develop POTS-like dysautonomia symptoms, and why a Lyme doctor saying there's no connection should raise eyebrows. They also cover the US nutrition education crisis in medical schools, the regenerative aquaculture movement, and how to build nervous system resilience after a Lyme diagnosis. For all links mentioned in this episode, visit www.drwillcole.com/podcast.


Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

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