Better: Outside the Box Healthcare with Dr. Matt Kettman | Wellness, Longevity, Metabolism, Unconventional Family Doctor

Alright, Dr. Rock here.
What does functional medicine actually mean?
Today I'm joined by Dr. Neal deBuhr, a chiropractor in Cedar Falls who incorporates rehabilitation, clinical nutrition, and functional medicine concepts into his practice at Thrive Chiropractic. Neal's interest in functional medicine became personal after his daughter was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. That experience sent him deeper into questions about gut health, nutrition, inflammation, lifestyle, and how different factors may affect individual patients differently.
In this episode, we talk about the idea of looking beyond a diagnosis and asking a different question: Why might this particular person be experiencing these symptoms?
We get into gut health, autoimmune disease, SIBO, thyroid disease, blood sugar and insulin resistance, migraines, nutrient deficiencies, functional lab testing, and the difference between using a treatment because it's popular and using it because there's evidence that a particular patient may actually need it.
We also talk honestly about some of the problems in the functional medicine world. Not everybody needs thousands of dollars in specialty testing. Not everybody needs a cabinet full of supplements. And a treatment that helps one person doesn't automatically become the answer for everybody with the same diagnosis.
That individualized approach is one of Neal's central messages.
We also discuss where conventional medicine and functional approaches can work together rather than treating them as opposing teams. Sometimes medication is absolutely the right tool. Sometimes lifestyle, movement, nutrition, or further evaluation may add useful information. The goal should be helping the patient, not winning an argument about which philosophy of medicine is better.
If you've dealt with fatigue, pain, headaches, digestive symptoms, or other health concerns and feel like you're still looking for answers, this episode offers a different framework for thinking about your health and the questions you may want to bring to your healthcare team.
As always, this conversation is educational and isn't a substitute for individualized medical care or a reason to stop prescribed medication without speaking with your treating clinician.
Connect with Dr. Rock:
Linktree
Supplements
Keep rocking your health! 🤘

Alright, Dr. Rock here.
We talk about skin cancer like it's one disease, but basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma can behave very differently.
Some skin cancers tend to stay local and are highly treatable. Others can become much more aggressive if they're missed. And unlike cancers hidden deep inside the body, your skin gives you something important: the opportunity to actually see changes happening.
In this episode, I'm breaking down the three major types of skin cancer and the warning signs I want you paying attention to.
We'll talk about what basal cell carcinoma can look like, including those shiny or pearly bumps and sores that heal and then come right back. We'll cover squamous cell carcinoma, rough or scaly patches, and actinic keratoses that can show up after years of sun exposure.
Then we'll get into the one I especially don't want you to miss: melanoma.
I'll walk you through the ABCDE method for evaluating suspicious moles and spots: asymmetry, border, color, diameter, and evolving. That last one is especially important. If something on your skin is changing, growing, bleeding, itching, becoming painful, or simply looks different from everything around it, get somebody to look at it.
We'll also talk about the “ugly duckling” sign, melanomas that aren't necessarily dark or black, spots beneath the nails, and areas of the body people commonly forget to check.
The good news is that many skin cancers are highly treatable when they're caught early.
So know your skin. Pay attention to what's normal for you. Look in the places you don't normally see. And if something changes or just doesn't look right, don't spend months or years wondering about it.
Let your doctor take a look.
Your skin is one of the few places where you may actually be able to see cancer developing. Don't ignore what it's showing you.
Connect with Dr. Rock:
Linktree
Supplements
Keep rocking your health! 🤘

Alright, Dr. Rock here.
What does it actually mean when a CT scan finds a spot or nodule on your lung?
Today I'm joined by pulmonologist and critical care physician Dr. John Sherret from MercyOne Waterloo to talk about lung health, lung cancer screening, and some of the newer technology changing how doctors evaluate suspicious lung nodules.
One of the biggest things I want patients to understand is that finding a lung nodule does not automatically mean you have lung cancer. Many nodules turn out to be scar tissue, evidence of an old infection, or something else that isn't cancer. But depending on your smoking history, family history, the size and appearance of the nodule, and other risk factors, some spots deserve a closer look.
Dr. Sherret walks us through how lung nodules are evaluated and how newer tools like robotic bronchoscopy can help doctors navigate through the airways to reach suspicious areas and collect tissue with greater precision.
We also talk about why lung cancer screening matters, why catching a cancer earlier can completely change the conversation, and how important it is to shorten the time between finding something suspicious and getting an answer.
But we don't stop with lung cancer.
We get into COPD and asthma, pulmonary function testing, conditions that can mimic asthma, sleep medicine, pulmonary embolisms and blood clots, smoking, and some of the everyday things you can do to protect your lungs.
Dr. Sherret also shares a message I really appreciated for anyone trying to quit smoking: don't beat yourself up over setbacks. The goal is healthier lungs. Cutting down is progress. Quitting for a period of time is progress. If you've stopped before and started again, remember that you've already proven you can stop.
If you've had a lung nodule show up on a scan, you're worried about your breathing, or you qualify for lung cancer screening and you've been putting it off because you're afraid of what might be found, this is an episode I want you to hear.
The earlier we understand what we're dealing with, the more options we may have.
Connect with Dr. Rock:
Linktree
Supplements
Take care of yourselves, and keep rocking your health! 🤘

Dr. Rock here.
When you hear the words “brain tumor,” it's easy to immediately think “brain cancer.” But those two things aren't necessarily the same.
A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of cells in or around the brain. Some are malignant, or cancerous. Others are benign, slow-growing, and may never need treatment. But even a benign tumor can cause problems depending on where it is, how large it becomes, and what structures it affects.
In this episode, I'm breaking down some of the most common types of brain tumors and what makes them different. We'll talk about meningiomas, pituitary tumors, acoustic neuromas, gliomas, and glioblastoma, as well as the important difference between a cancer that starts in the brain and one that spreads to the brain from somewhere else in the body.
We'll also talk about:
Why a brain tumor doesn't automatically mean cancer
Common symptoms associated with brain tumors
Which headache symptoms may deserve a closer look
Seizures, weakness, vision changes, speech problems, and other neurological warning signs
How CT scans and MRIs are used when evaluating the brain
Why some tumors are monitored instead of immediately treated
How location, size, growth, and tumor type affect treatment decisions
Why glioblastoma is different from many other brain tumors
The difference between primary and metastatic brain tumors
If you or someone you love has just been told there's a brain tumor, don't assume you know what comes next based on those two words alone. There are many different types of tumors with very different behaviors, treatments, and outcomes.
Get the diagnosis. Understand exactly what you're dealing with. And get the right medical team involved.
And if you're experiencing a new or changing headache, seizures, weakness or numbness, changes in speech or vision, problems with balance, or other new neurological symptoms, don't ignore them. Talk with a healthcare professional and get evaluated.
Connect with Dr. Rock:
Linktree
Supplements
Take care of yourselves, and keep rocking your health! 🤘

Dr. Rock here.
Today we're having an important conversation about eating disorders, recovery, faith, and what it really means to live with a struggle that most people don't fully understand.
I'm joined by my friend and patient Susan Entrinken. She is a wife, mother, grandmother, grant writer, and now an aspiring author who is sharing her own journey through anorexia and recovery.
Susan's eating disorder began when she was 16 when much of her life felt completely out of control. Her mother's alcoholism, turmoil at home, a difficult breakup, and struggles with her own self-worth all played a role. Restricting food initially gave her a sense of control, but then the thing she thought she controlled began controlling her.
Susan takes us through the moment she finally recognized she needed help, becoming pregnant while severely underweight, entering treatment, and learning to understand the thoughts and behaviors that had shaped so much of her life.
We also talk about something Susan wants more people to understand: eating disorders aren't simply about food.
We discuss body image, trauma, control, wrestling and weight cutting, diet culture, mental health treatment, triggers, GLP-1 medications, and why you can't determine whether someone has an eating disorder simply by looking at them.
Susan also shares how her Christian faith has shaped her recovery and why she doesn't necessarily think of recovery as something with a finish line. Even decades later, stress can bring old patterns back, and continuing to recognize them, seek support, and stay connected to her faith remains part of the process.
If you think you may be struggling with an eating disorder, Susan's message is simple: tell somebody. Talk to your doctor, a counselor, your spouse, a trusted adult, or someone else who can help. And if the first person doesn't listen, keep trying.
This is a powerful conversation about control, recovery, family, faith, and learning that you don't have to walk through the darkness alone.
 
Connect with Dr. Rock:
Linktree
Supplements
Keep rocking your health! 🤘

Dr. Rock here.
Peptides are everywhere right now. You've probably heard people talking about them at the gym, online, in biohacking circles, or maybe even from friends who are already using them.
One of the biggest names in that conversation is BPC-157.
So what exactly is BPC-157? Why are people using it? What does the research actually tell us, and what don't we know yet?
In this episode, I'm breaking down the basics of peptides and taking a closer look at BPC-157, an investigational peptide that has generated a lot of interest for its potential role in healing, inflammation, pain, and recovery.
We'll talk about:
What peptides actually are
How peptides can become approved medications
Why BPC-157 is still considered investigational
What animal research suggests and why human evidence still matters
Why BPC-157 became popular in biohacking and fitness communities
My own experience with BPC-157 and what I've observed in a small number of patients
Why sourcing and medical supervision matter
What we still don't know about long-term safety
Recent FDA discussions surrounding compounded BPC-157
There's a lot of excitement around this peptide, and I've personally seen some encouraging anecdotal results. But anecdotes aren't clinical trials, and BPC-157 still does not have the kind of large-scale human evidence we'd want before making definitive claims about its safety or effectiveness.
If you've been hearing about BPC-157 and wondering whether it's worth paying attention to, this episode will give you a starting point for understanding what it is, why it's getting so much attention, and what questions you should be asking.
Do your research, talk with a qualified healthcare professional, and keep rocking your health!
Connect with Dr. Rock:
Linktree
Supplements

Dr. Rock here.
What do you do when your entire life changes in a single night?
I'm joined by Derek Marty, a self-employed mechanic from Jesup, Iowa, whose story is unlike just about anything we've had on the show.
In 2013, Derek was riding his motorcycle home when he was struck head-on by a drunk driver. He woke up three weeks later after an induced coma to devastating news. His girlfriend had died, his body had suffered catastrophic injuries, and severe blood loss had permanently damaged his vision.
What followed was years of surgeries, recovery, depression, grief, and trying to figure out what his life could look like now.
Derek takes us through some of his lowest moments, including weeks spent alone in his apartment wondering whether he still had a purpose. But he also shares the moments when things slowly began to change. He taught himself how to build and repair things without relying on his sight. He started working on cars to raise money for vision treatment. When employers wouldn't give him an opportunity because they considered his blindness a liability, he eventually created an opportunity for himself.
Today, Derek owns Derek's Repair Shop and has built a business around something he genuinely loves.
But his story doesn't stop with cars. We also talk about faith, forgiveness, addiction and substances, relationships, and Derek's decision to forgive the drunk driver responsible for the crash. He shares how his growing Christian faith changed the way he saw his life and why he now feels called to use his story to help others.
This is a conversation about losing almost everything, finding purpose again, and discovering that your life can still become something meaningful even when it looks nothing like the life you originally planned.
Derek's story is powerful, folks. I think you're going to get a lot out of this one.
Derek's Repair Shop LLC | Jesup, Iowa
Phone: 319-215-8167
Facebook: Derek's Repair Shop LLC
Facebook: Derek Martie
Connect with Dr. Rock:
Linktree
Supplements
Keep rocking your health! 🤘

Dr. Rock here.
Ever tell your doctor, “I'm dizzy,” only to realize that “dizzy” can mean a whole lot of different things?
Dizziness is one of the more common problems I see in the office, especially as people get older. The tricky part is that dizziness isn't really one symptom. The room spinning when you roll over in bed is very different from feeling like you're going to pass out when you stand up, and both are different from suddenly feeling unsteady on your feet.
In this episode, I'm breaking dizziness into four main categories: vertigo, lightheadedness, balance problems or disequilibrium, and the harder-to-define vague dizziness that doesn't fit neatly into one category.
We'll rock through:
Why vertigo can make it feel like the room is spinning
Inner ear problems and positional vertigo
Why standing up can make you lightheaded
Dehydration, blood pressure, and medications
How weight loss can sometimes change your blood pressure medication needs
POTS and problems regulating blood pressure and heart rate
Medications that can contribute to balance problems and falls
Why dizziness can be especially complicated in older adults
How stress and anxiety can sometimes contribute to dizziness
What your doctor may check when trying to find the cause
The warning signs that mean dizziness needs emergency attention
Most causes of dizziness are treatable, but there are some we don't want to miss. Sudden weakness on one side, facial drooping, trouble speaking, severe headache, chest pain, passing out, or suddenly being unable to walk are symptoms that need immediate medical attention.
The biggest takeaway? If you're dizzy, pay attention to what “dizzy” actually feels like. Is the room spinning? Do you feel like you're going to pass out? Are you losing your balance? When does it happen? Those details can give your healthcare provider important clues about what's going on.
Connect with Dr. Rock:
Linktree
Supplements
Keep rocking your health!

Dr. Rock here.
What if the anxiety, sleepless nights, racing thoughts, or trouble staying focused you've been dealing with aren't actually separate problems?
I'm joined by psychiatric nurse practitioner Kama Ausborn of Cedar Valley Mental Wellness for a wide-ranging conversation about ADHD, mental health, medication, hormones, and why finding the right diagnosis can sometimes change everything.
Kama shares how her father's struggles with mental illness inspired her career and why she's become particularly passionate about helping people with ADHD, including adults who may have gone decades without recognizing it. We dig into how ADHD can look different from the stereotypical hyperactive kid, why some people experience the hyperactivity entirely inside their heads, and how symptoms can overlap with anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and other mental health concerns.
We also rock through adult ADHD treatment, stimulants and controlled substances, bipolar disorder and misdiagnosis, reducing unnecessary medications, and the importance of treating the person instead of simply piling another prescription onto every symptom. Kama also shares her growing interest in hormones and the connection between perimenopause and changes in mood, sleep, and mental well-being.
This one's a doozy, folks. ADHD, bipolar disorder, medication, hormones, lifestyle, and plenty of outside-the-box thinking about what better mental healthcare could look like.
And Kama leaves us with a message worth remembering: you matter, you have value, and it's never too late to make a difference.
Keep rocking your health!
Connect with Dr. Rock:
Linktree
Supplements
Keep rocking your health!

Alright, Dr. Rock here.
Got a cough that just won't go away? I'm not talking about the annoying cough that hangs around after a cold for a little while. I'm talking about the cough that's been keeping you up at night for weeks, months, or even years.
In this episode, I'm breaking down chronic cough and some of the most common reasons you might still be coughing, including a few causes that may surprise you.
We'll rock through:
Postnasal drainage, allergies, and chronic sinus problems
Asthma, including cough-variant asthma that may happen without wheezing
Acid reflux and "silent reflux," even if you never experience heartburn
Blood pressure medications that can trigger a persistent cough
Smoking, COPD, and other lung conditions
When a chronic cough could signal something more serious
What your doctor may do to figure out what's actually causing it
Here's the big takeaway: a chronic cough isn't something you necessarily have to learn to live with. Sometimes the problem isn't even coming from your lungs, and getting to the root cause can make all the difference.
If you've been coughing for weeks and can't figure out why, it's time to quit guessing and talk with your healthcare provider.
Keep rocking your health! 🤘
Connect with Dr. Rock:
Linktree
Supplements
Keep rocking your health!