Integrating Pharmacy and Functional Medicine with Lara Zakaria

Conversations for Health

Dr. Lara Zakaria is an integrative pharmacist, nutritionist, professor, and public health professional specializing in Functional Medicine. A graduate of the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, at Rutgers University, she spent 20 years in community pharmacy practice. After developing an interest in nutrition, she earned a MS in Nutrition from the University of Bridgeport and subsequently qualified as a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) as well as an Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner (IFMCP). Lara currently practices as part of a multi-disciplinary Functional Medicine practice and supervises a professional mentorship program for nutrition and FxMed. Lara is passionate about prevention and reversal of metabolic and autoimmune disease and working with pharmacy professionals to leverage their unique expertise in medication management, drug-drug/drug-nutrient interactions, and genomics to optimize patient medical and nutritional programs.

Together Lara and I discuss the role of the independent pharmacist; drug nutrient interactions and depletions; and Lara’s passion about the prevention and reversal of metabolic allergic and autoimmune disease as well as her passion for teaching about the practical application of nutrition and supplements into community pharmacy practice. We explore ideas for providing foundational support for patients, including personalization offerings and consultations; the critical need to evolve and change the way that pharmacy is done while still meeting the needs of patients; and the impressive herbal medicine research findings from a global, cultural and historical perspective that support the work of both pharmacists and functional medicine nutritionists.

I’m your host, Evelyne Lambrecht, thank you for designing a well world with us.

Episode Resources:

Lara Zakaria - https://larazakaria.com/

Design for Health Resources:

Designs for Health - https://www.designsforhealth.com/

Designs for Health Practitioner Exclusive Drug Nutrient Depletion and Interaction Checker - https://www.designsforhealth.com/drug-nutrient-interaction/

Visit the Designs for Health Research and Education Library which houses medical journals, protocols, webinars, and our blog.

https://www.designsforhealth.com/research-and-education/education

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

04:15 Lara’s transition from major retailer pharmacist to a community pharmacy to functional medicine and nutrition.

09:45 Lara’s pharmacy background provides the ideal groundwork for her focus on herbalism and supplements.

13:17 Implementing the practical application of nutrition and supplements in community pharmacy practice.

18:04 Ideas for providing foundational support for patients, including personalization offerings and consultations.

22:27 Generalized billing clarification regarding collaboration.

23:49 Key changes regarding insurance reimbursement with third-party payers.

27:18 The critical need to evolve and change the way that pharmacy is done while still meeting the needs of patients.

28:34 Details of drug nutrient interactions, depletions and supportive interaction checkers.

34:10 Addressing the myths of the supplement industry in favor of being productively critical and supportive of clinically relevant research.

39:01 Herbal medicine research findings from a global, cultural and historical perspective.

44:13 Lara’s teaching and volunteer work centers around a holistic and integrative approach to pharmacology.

46:15 Lara’s work on the board of the Ocular Wellness and Nutrition Society.

49:01 Connecting with Dr. Lara and resources for pharmacists who want to learn more about functional medicine specific to their profession.

51:42 Lara’s personal favorite supplements, top health practices to stay balanced, and the idea that she has changed her mind about in recent years.