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Dr. Mark Hyman, MD

Bio

MARK HYMAN, MD is a family physician, a four-time New York Times bestselling author, and an internationally recognized leader in his field.  He is founder and medical director of The UltraWellness Center, chairman of the board of the Institute for Functional Medicine, board member of The Center for Mind-Body Medicine, advisor to Dr. Mehmet Oz’s HealthCorps, and nominee to President Obama’s Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion and Integrative and Public Health. Through his private practice, education efforts, writing, research, advocacy and public-policy work, he strives to improve access to the whole-systems medicine approach known as functional medicine.

Full Bio:


Mark Hyman, MD has dedicated his career to identifying and addressing the root causes of chronic illness through a groundbreaking whole-systems medicine approach known as Functional Medicine.  He is a family physician, a four-time New York Times bestselling author, and an internationally recognized leader in his field. Through his private practice, education efforts, writing, research, advocacy and public-policy work, he strives to improve access to Functional Medicine, and to widen the understanding and practice of it, empowering others to stop managing symptoms and instead treat the underlying causes of illness, thereby also tackling our chronic-disease epidemic.


Dr. Hyman is Chairman of the Institute for Functional Medicine, and was awarded its 2009 Linus Pauling Award for Leadership in Functional Medicine.  He is on the Board of Directors of The Center for Mind-Body Medicine, and a faculty member of its Food As Medicine training program. He is also on the Board of Advisors of Memhet Oz’s HealthCorps, which tackles the obesity epidemic by “educating the student body” in American high schools about nutrition, fitness and mental resilience.  He is a volunteer for Partners in Health with whom he worked immediately after the earthquake in Haiti and continues to help rebuild the health care system there. He was featured on
60 Minutes for his work there.


Dr. Hyman has testified before the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine, and has consulted with the Surgeon General on diabetes prevention.  He has testified before the Senate Working Group on Health Care Reform on Functional Medicine, and participated in the White House Forum on Prevention and Wellness in June 2009. Dr. Hyman was nominated by Senator Tom Harkin for the President’s Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion and Integrative and Public Health, a 25-person group to advise the Administration and the new National Council on Prevention, Health Promotion and Public Health.


With Drs. Dean Ornish and Michael Roizen, Dr. Hyman crafted and helped to introduce the Take Back Your Health Act of 2009 into the United States Senate, to provide for reimbursement of lifestyle treatment of chronic disease.  He continues to work in Washington on health reform, recently testifying before a Congressional hearing on Functional Medicine, nutrition and the use of dietary supplements.


Through his work with corporations and government entities, such as CIGNA and the Veterans Administration, he is helping to improve health outcomes and reduce costs around the world. In recognition of his efforts, he was recently awarded The Council on Litigation Management’s 2010 Professionalism Award, citing individuals who have demonstrated leadership by example in the highest standard of their profession.  He also received The American College of Nutrition 2009 Communication and Media Award for his contribution to promoting better understanding of nutrition science. He has been featured in recent months on 60 Minutes, Larry King Live, CNN, and MSNBC.


Dr. Hyman is founder and Medical Director of The UltraWellness Center in Lenox, Massachusetts, where he directs a team of physicians, nutritionists and nurses who utilize a comprehensive approach to health.  Before starting his practice, he was co-Medical Director at Canyon Ranch Lenox, one of the world's leading health resorts.  While at Canyon Ranch, he co-authored the New York Times bestseller Ultraprevention: The 6-Week Program That Will Make You Healthy for Life (Scribner) – winner of the Books for a Better Life Award honoring the best self-improvement books each year.  He has since written UltraMetabolism: The Simple Plan for Automatic Weight Loss, and a companion public television special. His latest book and PBS special, The UltraMind Solution, a comprehensive approach for addressing the causes of mental illness and cognitive disorders, was released in January 2009. The Blood Sugar Solution book and companion PBS special will be released in March 2012, addressing the global epidemic of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.


Dr. Hyman graduated with a B.A. from Cornell University, and graduated magna cum laude from the Ottawa University School of Medicine. He completed his residency at University of San Francisco's program in Family Medicine at the Community Hospital of Santa Rosa.



Specialties:

Affiliation:

  • Founder and Medical director of The UltraWellness Center, Mass.

Location:

Activity

  • Mark Hyman, MD
    Mark Hyman, MD answered:
    Are there tests to determine gluten sensitivity?
    There are gluten allergy/celiac disease tests that are available through Labcorp or Quest Diagnostics. All these tests help identify various forms of allergy or sensitivity to gluten or wheat. They will look for:
    • IgA anti-gliadin antibodies
    • IgG anti-gliadin antibodies
    • IgA anti-endomysial
    ...  Full Post
  • Mark Hyman, MD
    Mark Hyman, MD answered:
    Should I avoid products containing high fructose corn syrup?
    If you find “high fructose corn syrup” on the label, you can be sure it is not a whole, real, fresh food full of fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants. Stay away if you want to stay healthy. We still must reduce our overall consumption of sugar, but with this one simple...  Full Post
  • Mark Hyman, MD
    Mark Hyman, MD answered:
    Is high fructose corn syrup harmful?
    Doubt and confusion are the currency of deception, and they sow the seeds of complacency. These are used skillfully through massive print and television advertising campaigns by the Corn Refiners Association’s attempt to dispel the “myth” that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is harmful and assert through the opinion...  Full Post
  • Mark Hyman, MD
    Mark Hyman, MD answered:
    Is high fructose corn syrup a natural substance?
    High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is an industrial food product and far from “natural” or a naturally occurring substance. It is extracted from corn stalks through a process so secret that Archer Daniels Midland and Carghill would not allow the investigative journalist, Michael Pollan to observe...  Full Post
  • Mark Hyman, MD
    Mark Hyman, MD answered:
    How does high fructose corn syrup affect the intestinal lining?
    Free fructose from high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) requires more energy to be absorbed by the gut and soaks up two phosphorous molecules from ATP (our body’s energy source). This depletes the energy fuel source or ATP in our gut required to maintain the integrity of our intestinal lining. Little “tight j...  Full Post
  • Mark Hyman, MD
    Mark Hyman, MD answered:
    What is high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS)?
    High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is an industrial food product and far from a naturally occurring substance. It is extracted from corn stalks through a chemical enzymatic process, resulting in a chemically and biologically novel compound. Products with HFCS are sweeter and cheaper than products...  Full Post
  • Mark Hyman, MD
    Mark Hyman, MD answered:
    What is celiac disease?
    The most serious form of allergy to gluten, celiac disease, affects one in 100 people, or three million Americans, most of whom don’t know they have it. But milder forms of gluten sensitivity are even more common and may affect up to one-third of the American population.  Full Post
  • Mark Hyman, MD
    Mark Hyman, MD answered:
    Is gluten dangerous?
    Eating a nice dark, crunchy slice of whole wheat bread -- how could that be bad for you? Well, bread contains gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, spelt, kamut, and oats. It is hidden in pizza, pasta, bread, wraps, rolls, and most processed foods. What most people don’t know is that gluten...  Full Post
  • Mark Hyman, MD
    Mark Hyman, MD answered:
    What does an insulin response test measure?

    Functional Medicine Specialist and family physician Dr. Mark Hyman explains what an insulin response test measures. Watch Dr. Mark Hyman's video for information on functional medicine and your overall health.


     Full Post
  • Mark Hyman, MD
    Mark Hyman, MD answered:
    Does high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) cause weight gain?
    The current media debate about the benefits (or lack of harm) of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in our diet misses the obvious. The average American increased their consumption of HFCS (mostly from sugar sweetened drinks and processed food) from zero to over 60 pounds per person per year....  Full Post
  • Mark Hyman, MD
    Mark Hyman, MD answered:
    How does an NMR cholesterol test differ from other cholesterol tests?

    Functional Medicine Specialist and family physician Dr. Mark Hyman explains how an NMR cholesterol test differs from more traditional cholesterol tests. Watch Dr. Mark Hyman's video for information on functional medicine and your overall health.


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  • Mark Hyman, MD
    Mark Hyman, MD answered:
    What does the term diabesity mean?

    Functional Medicine Specialist and family physician Dr. Mark Hyman explains what the term diabesity means. Watch Dr. Mark Hyman's video for information on functional medicine and your overall health.


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  • Mark Hyman, MD
    Mark Hyman, MD answered:
    What is the difference between functional and conventional medicine?

    Functional Medicine Specialist and family physician Dr. Mark Hyman explains the difference between functional and conventional medicine. Watch Dr. Mark Hyman's video for information on functional medicine and your overall health.


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  • Mark Hyman, MD
    Mark Hyman, MD answered:
    What changes should I make to my diet to reduce inflammation?

    Functional Medicine Specialist and family physician Dr. Mark Hyman explains what changes you should make to your diet to reduce inflammation. Watch Dr. Mark Hyman's video for information on functional medicine and your overall health.


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  • Mark Hyman, MD
    Mark Hyman, MD answered:
    What are the benefits of consuming PolyGlycopleX (PGX)?

    Functional Medicine Specialist and family physician Dr. Mark Hyman explains the health benefits of consuming PolyGlycopleX (PGX). Watch Dr. Mark Hyman's video for information on functional medicine and your overall health.


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