Radio Show / Podcast – May 31, 2026

Hosts: Ed Jones (Owner of Nutrition World) & Clint Powell
A variety of topics all related to living a healthy life

Presented by: Nutrition World

www.nutritionw.com

Broadcasting from the Nooga Dentistry Studio

www.noogadentistry.com

Production of: Whitfield Media Group

www.vitalhealthradio.com

[0:00:00] Ed’s Media & Product Updates

Preview of main topics:


Upcoming Tennessee hemp bill and its negative impact on people using hemp for anxiety, pain, and insomnia.
Dr. Curt Deering will discuss polypharmacy and deprescribing.

Ed’s recent appearances on multiple TV outlets (Fox Phoenix & LA, Be Well NY, CBS Detroit).
Discussion of testing the AquaTru water filtration system at home as a potential recommendation (microplastics, partial fluoride removal).
Mention that peptides are a growing topic; reference to Noel Lawson as go‑to for prescribed peptides

[0:10:42]  Tennessee Hemp Bill & Hemp Industry Impact

Introduces guest: Dwayne Madden, owner of Hemp House, as a respected local expert.

As of July 1 in Tennessee:


All Delta‑8 products will no longer be available for in‑state sale.
Many THCA products and all vape products will be gone from shops.
CBD and Delta‑9 edibles will have caps:


Max 15 mg per serving.
Max 300 mg per package.






Dwayne notes:


Heavy users (e.g., serious pain/conditions) will need to consume many servings to reach effective doses.
Law doesn’t limit how many packages a person can buy, so total milligrams aren’t truly stopped—just made inconvenient.

Dwayne explains regulatory control moved:


From Tennessee Department of Agriculture (2017–2023)
To the ABC (Alcoholic Beverage Commission) Board.



Key impacts:


All products must now go through distributors, similar to alcohol.
Distributors collect taxes and sit between producers and retailers.
Small operators like Dwayne cannot qualify for distributor licenses , so he must pay a distributor to move product from his own lab to his own stores.



Ed frames this as “follow the money trail” and a way to crush competition.

In Tennessee after July 1:


No in‑state online hemp sales.
Banned products (Delta‑8, etc.) not criminalized for possession or use, only for sale.



Potential Workaround:


Consumers can order from out‑of‑state websites (e.g., North Carolina), receive products in Tennessee
Money leaves the local economy, hurting Tennessee businesses.

Ed and Dwayne suggest alcohol industry is likely threatened because many people are reducing alcohol use by using hemp products instead 
Dwayne notes:


Alcohol sales have declined while hemp sales rose.
Regulators appear to be protecting alcohol interests via hemp restrictions.

[0:17:41] Federal Regulations & State Opt‑Outs

Upcoming federal regulations in November:


Expected to be similarly “ugly and nasty” for hemp nationwide.
States will have an option to opt out of these federal hemp rules.



Tennessee’s stance:


Governor has stated Tennessee will NOT opt out, so federal restrictions will apply here.
Other states (e.g., North Carolina) might opt out, keeping their markets more open.



Industry response:


Advocacy groups Tennessee Growers Coalition and Hemp Law Group monitor legislation and organize pushback.
Some supportive legislators exist, but political drive to reverse current law is limited.

Dwayne and Ed distinguish:


Reasonable regulation (ID checks, lab tests, dosage clarity, education) vs.
A “wipeout/control/takeover” by shifting to ABC and forcing distributor reliance.



Dwayne:


Says credible local shops (Hemp House, Chattanooga peers like BeeGrity, Snapdragon, etc.) already follow high standards.
States this law is not about safety but about control and revenue capture, and will hurt small farmers and businesses.

[0:25:55] What Consumers Should Do Before Deadline

Practical advice: Stock up now on products that will disappear:

Delta‑8 gummies (popular for sleep, anxiety, pain).
Other higher‑milligram THC/CBD edibles.
Flower and vapes.

Hemp House is running clearance sales to move remaining inventory.

Dosing notes:

Many people do well with ½ Delta‑8 gummy for sleep/anxiety/pain.
Some need more or less; staff helps tailor doses for goals.

Hemp House will close its North Shore/Tremont Street flagship store by July 1 due to expected sales hit.
Remaining Hemp House locations:


Ringgold Road (East Ridge) near Spring Creek.
Ooltewah by Food City on Lee Highway.
Hixson Pike near Workout Anytime and Publix.



Broader impact:


Other Chattanooga hemp businesses have large staffs (some near 100 employees) and will be heavily affected.
The industry is described as grassroots, farmer‑driven, and passionately quality‑focused.

[0:33:20] Polypharmacy & Deprescribing with Dr. Curt Dearing

Ed introduces Dr. Curt Dearing, clinical pharmacist at Nutrition World (30+ years experience).
Curt’s background:


Formerly fully conventional pharmacist; later “veil lifted” as he discovered green pharmacy (nutritional & botanical alternatives).



Current mission:


Community outreach to medical schools and residency programs
Teach about nutritional and natural alternatives not covered in standard curriculums.
Traditional training provides almost zero meaningful nutrition or green pharmacy education.

Polypharmacy: use of 5 or more prescription medications.
Curt notes:


Majority of Americans 65+ meet this definition.
Average American receives ~17 prescriptions per year (not all concurrent).



Consequences:


Increased ER visits due to drug side effects.
Estimated ~250,000 deaths/year from drug‑induced causes.



Curt’s role:


Specializes in deprescribing: safely reducing or eliminating unnecessary pharmaceuticals and replacing them with effective natural options when possible.

 How Curt Works with Patients & Their Doctors

Curt provides coaching, not independent prescribing.
Creates detailed packets (10–18+ pages) explaining:


Why certain drugs may no longer be needed.
Evidence for natural alternatives (e.g., supplements, lifestyle changes).



Encourages clients to take the packet to their doctor and have an informed discussion.
Patients often fear how their doctors will react to attempts to deprescribe.

Green Pharmacy Approach (as described by Dr. Curt Dearing)

Using nutritional, botanical, and lifestyle-based therapies either instead of or alongside pharmaceuticals.
Focusing on root causes and supporting the body’s own healing mechanisms, not just pushing lab numbers in a certain direction.
Why polypharmacy is a problem:
Increases side effects, drug–drug interactions, and emergency room visits.
Contributes to cognitive decline, gut problems, and overall worse health.
Often leads to the “prescribing cascade”:


Drug A causes side effects → a new drug is added for those side effects → more side effects → more drugs, and so on.

How Dr. Curt Dearing uses green pharmacy to reduce polypharmacy:

Curt creates a comprehensive list of all medications and supplements.
Asks: “Why was this started?” and “Is it still needed?”
Looks for:


Drugs with no clear current indication.
Drugs where a natural option can give similar or better benefit with fewer risks.
Drugs that can be safely tapered or sometimes stopped outright (always in coordination with the prescriber).



Identifies which meds are likely causing the most harm or least benefit.
Some drugs require slow, structured tapering (e.g., sleep meds, acid blockers).
Others may be candidates for direct discontinuation after medical agreement.

Replacing or supporting with natural alternatives ( please note this is not medical advice, this is a discussion of personal examples in collaboration with medical oversight)

Cholesterol:


Instead of (or in place of some) statin use, Curt uses berberine and bergamot (Berbercol).
In Ed’s brother’s case, his cholesterol numbers improved on green-pharmacy options, matching or exceeding statin outcomes without the same side‑effect burden.



Pain & inflammation:


Uses curcumin (for most people), and Boswellia when curcumin isn’t enough.



Gut/acid issues:


Long-term proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use (e.g., omeprazole, lansoprazole) is flagged as harmful to gut microbiome and nutrient absorption.
Curt builds step-down plans (tapering PPIs) while supporting the gut with natural measures instead of leaving people on a PPI for 30 years.

Focus on side benefits, not side effects. Green pharmacy interventions are chosen because they:

Address root causes (e.g., metabolic health, inflammation, gut integrity).
Often have multiple positive effects (e.g., berberine helping blood sugar and lipids; curcumin helping joints and systemic inflammation).

The aim is fewer total drugs, fewer side effects, better overall function.
Clients are encouraged to work with their doctor, so deprescribing is:


Planned,
Monitored, and
Integrated with their existing care.

Curt and Ed both acknowledge there are situations where “rescue medicine” is necessary:

Severe pain where an opioid is appropriate.
Acute crises where drugs are needed as a bandage.
The green pharmacy view: Use those drugs as short‑term tools,
Then remove or reduce them once the immediate crisis passes,
While implementing natural strategies to decrease the need for long‑term prescriptions.

 At‑home HPV testing for cervical cancer

Ed explains HPV is a major driver of cervical cancer
Historically, women had to schedule an in‑office visit for cervical screening, which creates barriers (cost, fear, time, discomfort, lack of insurance).
He notes there is now an option for at‑home HPV testing for cervical screening.
Intended to increase access for women who aren’t getting regular screening.
Ed strongly approves of this as a valuable preventive tool and encourages women who haven’t been tested to consider it.

Ed cites new data showing:


Microplastics are found in 100% of human stool samples tested in one study.
Higher levels of microplastics are now being linked to gallstones.



Broader concerns:


Everyday plastic exposure (especially with food and drink) means these particles can:


Interact with cells,
Drive inflammation,
Contribute to premature cellular aging and reduced energy.






Practical countermeasures he recommends:


Avoid heating food in plastic or placing hot food into plastic containers/wrap (e.g., Saran wrap, plastic take‑out containers).
Filter drinking water to remove microplastics (he’s trialing the AquaTru system at home, which he says removes 100% of microplastics and much of the fluoride).
Improve indoor air quality to reduce airborne microplastic exposure.

Ed highlights a serious, long‑term job opening at Nutrition World:


Not a summer or short‑term job.
Best for someone philosophically aligned with healthy eating and the “green pharmacy” approach.



Interested candidates should:


Go into the store and speak with Scott, Elisha, or Matt and complete an application.

The post Radio Show / Podcast – May 31, 2026 first appeared on Vital Health Radio.