Dr. Kurt's Place

05/12/2026

The optimization world has a problem.

Everyone wants the “perfect” protocol:
• the perfect diet
• the perfect sleep score
• the perfect HRV
• the perfect fasting window
• the perfect workout split

But optimal for whom?

In the 1950s, the US Air Force tried designing fighter pilot cockpits around the “average” pilot.

Out of 4,063 pilots studied…

ZERO fit the average.

Not one.

That same mistake is happening in modern health culture.

A 23-year-old single influencer optimizing testosterone, VO2 max, and productivity is operating under completely different life demands than:
• a 47-year-old father of four
• a menopausal woman
• a shift worker
• a burned out business owner
• or someone caring for aging parents

Yet everyone is told to chase the same “optimal.”

The science matters.
But context matters too.

That’s why I believe the future of health isn’t blindly following averages…

It’s learning how to become the research for yourself.

🔗 for full article: https://kurtperkins.substack.com/p/optimization-for-whom

05/08/2026

I’ll be honest, I haven’t really cared much about red light. It seemed to be another wellness add-on, when the reality for most is that they are skipping the foundational things. Is it the next latest and greatest when the tried and true are skipped or ignored?

I must confess I also have a touch of ADHD when people discuss red light, because as soon as they mention it, my internal Spotify playlist breaks into a gritty falsetto “Roooo###xaaanneee!”

But there was a small study that has me more focused on red light and how it could be layered in a person with Hashimoto’s to drastically reduce TPO antibodies.

Read On: https://kurtperkins.substack.com/p/red-light-and-hashimotos-a-small

05/04/2026

Fit. Disciplined. Falling Apart Anyway.

She ate clean.
She worked out.
Her labs were “normal.”

And yet…

Fatigue.
Tightness.
Digestive issues.
Pain that didn’t make sense.

So what do you do when everything looks right… but feels wrong?

You stop chasing “normal”
…and start measuring what actually matters.

I break down the full case (and what actually moved the needle) here:

👉 https://kurtperkins.substack.com/p/fit-disciplined-falling-apart-anyway

04/20/2026

Fear sells.

High LDL.
High blood sugar.
Low bone density.

We’re told these numbers are the problem.

But what if they’re actually messages?

Your body doesn’t randomly “break.” It adapts.

Higher blood sugar can be about survival and fuel.
Higher LDL can be about hormone production and stress response.
Lower bone density can be about pulling from reserves when demand outpaces supply.

The real question is this:

If lowering the number doesn’t improve the outcome…was the number ever the real problem in the first place?

I wrote about three examples where “fixing” the risk factor didn’t necessarily create better health:
* LDL and heart disease
* A1C and diabetes
* Bone density and fractures

Risk factors are not medication deficiencies.

Read the full article here:
https://kurtperkins.substack.com/p/could-treating-risk-factors-be-riskier

04/20/2026

2 new flavors from

Pink lemonade &
Lemonade + Ice Tea (caffeinated)

Stop by and grab a sample pack while supplies last.

04/16/2026

Everyone loves the idea of “insurance-covered” labs. But are they really covered?

In 2024, the average family paid over $25,000 a year in premiums plus another $10,000+ in deductibles.

That means you may spend more than $35,000 before insurance “covers” a few hundred dollars worth of lab work.

That’s why direct-to-consumer lab companies are growing so fast. People want access. They want answers. They want to skip the red tape.

The challenge?

Most of these companies are tech companies. They give you data, but not necessarily context.
You still have to figure out:
* What actually matters
* What applies to your goals
* What to ignore
* What to do next

That’s where the human touch still matters.

Labs are easy to order. Coordinated ex*****on is harder.

You need someone who understands your symptoms, lifestyle, fitness goals, eating habits, stress levels, and bigger picture.

Direct-to-consumer labs are not the enemy. They are the future.
But data without context is just noise.

Learn more: https://kurtperkins.substack.com/p/direct-to-consumer-labs-with-a-human

Our health panels go beyond routine labs. They're designed to optimize your health with expert-interpreted results and a personalized wellness plan.

03/10/2026

RFK Jr. says medical schools should teach more nutrition.

Sounds great… until you ask a few questions.

Which nutrition will they teach?
The Food Pyramid?
Eat Lancet?
The next version that replaces the last version?

And even if doctors learn it…

Will insurance reimburse nutrition conversations?
Will primary care providers have time to discuss it in a 12-minute visit?

Or will it become another lecture that gets memorized for an exam and forgotten in practice?

Here’s the bigger reality:

Healthcare rarely changes because of policy.

It changes because patients start asking better questions.

Consumers shape practice far more than policy ever will.

I broke down the three questions everyone should be asking about this proposal in my newest Substack.

🔗 https://open.substack.com/pub/kurtperkins/p/will-teaching-nutrition-in-medical

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently made headlines by proposing that medical schools should teach more nutrition.

03/06/2026

Autoimmune Disease Might Not Be What You Think | Colorado Springs & Monument Free Workshop

Autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto’s, celiac disease, lupus, and type 1 diabetes are often described as the immune system attacking the body. But what if the immune system isn’t malfunctioning — what if it’s responding to something it believes is dangerous?

In this workshop, Dr. Kurt discusses six commonly overlooked drivers of autoimmune conditions and how identifying underlying triggers can change the way we approach immune health.

📍 March 26 - Natural Grocers N. Colorado Springs
📍 April 2 - Natural Grocers Monument
⏰ 5:45 PM
💰 FREE

03/05/2026

Most of modern “healthcare” lives in the top half of this image.

Disease names.

Diabetes
Autoimmune
Depression
Chronic fatigue
Infertility
ADHD
Alzheimer’s

They argue about which medication manages them best.

But what if those conditions are not the starting point?

What if they’re simply the visible branches of deeper problems?

Down in the roots, you’ll usually find things like:
• Gut imbalance
• Toxins
•Nutrient deficiencies
• Insulin resistance
• Mitochondrial dysfunction
• Chronic inflammation
• Lifestyle overload

Pruning the branches won’t help your situation when there’s no life coming from the roots.

Most manage symptoms.
We build systems.

03/03/2026

After 21 years, I may be outgrowing the clinic model.

Not healthcare.
Not physiology.
Not the work.

Just the walls.

For years I’ve told people:
Track it. Test it. Adjust it.

So now I’m applying that to my own business.

Over the next few months I’ll be testing the following:
• Shifting to a telehealth/virtual model
• Reducing dependency on physical space
• Building systems that travel with you

Because the future isn’t about being a patient.
It’s about becoming an operator.

Get the details on my latest Substack:
🔗https://kurtperkins.substack.com/p/outgrowing-the-clinic-model-becoming