A Twinkie is Medicine? 31 Questions that Could Save a Life

Because the standard of care isn’t always the gold standard. In fact - it could be killing you.

By Angie Bortolotti

When my dad was dying, his nurse told us, “Just get him to eat a Twinkie. A calorie’s a calorie.” That wasn’t a joke. That was the nutritional advice. No talk of antioxidants. No mention of cellular recovery. No interest in what might actually support his severely compromised immune system - that should most certainly never have neared a Covid shot.

What baffles me is how many people are still blindly tethered to the White Coat. I say that with compassion—because I was one of them. I trusted. I deferred. I didn’t question.

Until I did.

And once I started digging—once I went down the rabbit hole that changed everything—I realized how much we aren’t told. How much is hidden behind language, licensing, and liability. And how urgent it is to wake up, speak up, and take our health (and our loved ones’ health) into our own hands.

Let me be clear: I deeply respect and support medical professionals and scientists. Most of them are doing their absolute best inside a system that was never designed to prioritize healing—it was designed to prioritize protocols, profit, and control. I’m endlessly grateful for the nurses, doctors, and frontline workers who show up every day with heart and integrity. But their hands are often tied by a system that punishes innovation and ignores root causes.

It's not their fault. It’s the system that’s broken—greedy, outdated, and built to push prescriptions over prevention.

So....What can we do? Start by asking better questions. Seek out a licensed naturopath, integrative or functional medicine doctor—someone trained to look at the whole person, not just the symptoms. Your second opinion shouldn't always start with someone who is likely to give you the same information, treatment protocols, and tied hands.

Understand that most MDs receive, on average, less than 20 hours of nutrition education in their entire medical training. TWENTY. And as for women’s health? Many programs don’t even offer dedicated coursework on menopause or hormone balance beyond fertility and pregnancy.

If that doesn't shock you—it should.

We need to take our power back. That starts with knowledge. With curiosity. And with refusing to settle for a system that treats bodies like machines and healing like a numbers game.

So here’s what I wish every patient, caregiver, and advocate had in their back pocket: the questions that make doctors stop and think. The ones that push past policy and into real, human-centered care.

Use them. Download them to your phone (see attachment). Print them. Ask them boldly.

Because your life—and the life of someone you love—may depend on it.

Better Questions to Ask Your Medical Team

When you're advocating for a loved one or yourself—these are the questions that demand thoughtful, individualized answers.

About Treatment Options:

• Is this treatment curative, supportive, or just symptom-suppressing?

• Are there any non-pharmaceutical or integrative therapies that could help?

• What’s the risk/benefit ratio for this individual—not just for the general population?

• If this were your parent/spouse/child, would you recommend the same?

• What happens if we don’t do this? What are our other options?

About Nutrition and Immune Function:

• What role does nutrition play in their healing right now?

• Should we be supporting glutathione, antioxidant levels, or gut health during this?

• Has this patient’s micronutrient profile been tested?

• Are there any foods or supplements that could support detoxification, inflammation, or immune recovery?

About Medication and Devices:

• Is this drug or device newly approved, or has it been tested over time?

• Are there known long-term effects?

• Is this medication being used “off-label” for this condition?

• What’s the evidence base—and is it recent, independent, and peer-reviewed?

• Has this drug or device ever been recalled or linked to adverse events?

About Immune-Compromised or COVID-Specific Cases:

• Given their immune-compromised state, how does this vaccine or intervention affect them differently?

• Was this therapy tested on immune-compromised patients—or just healthy ones?

• What alternatives exist for immune protection besides vaccination or pharmaceuticals?

• What’s the plan if their condition worsens after this treatment?

About Patient Rights and Autonomy:

• What are my rights to refuse or delay a recommended treatment?

• Am I allowed to bring in an outside therapy or consultant?

• Can I request a second opinion—even outside your network?

• Will you document my questions and this discussion in the medical record?

The Big Ones (That Make the System Flinch):

• Is this recommendation being made based on science… or policy?

• Are there financial incentives influencing this treatment plan (e.g., reimbursements, protocols, bonuses)?

• Have you ever seen a case where someone improved using complementary therapies?

• What happens if we go against the “standard of care”? What are the real consequences?

Can You Bring in an Outside Naturopath or Integrative Doctor?

Technically: Yes. Practically: It depends.

1. You have the right to request outside consultation. Under the Patient’s Bill of Rights (and basic medical ethics), you’re allowed to:

• Seek a second opinion

• Request input from an outside provider

• Ask for any findings or records to be shared with your chosen consultant

2. Hospitals don’t have to grant admitting or consulting privileges. Most mainstream hospitals have rigid credentialing systems. If your naturopath or integrative doctor doesn’t already have privileges (they usually don’t), they may not be allowed to actively participate in rounds or make medical decisions.

3. You can still bring in outside guidance. Even if your integrative practitioner can’t officially treat in-hospital, they can still:

• Review labs and imaging you provide

• Help guide your decisions and questions

• Suggest supportive therapies you can do in parallel (as long as they’re safe)

4. You can always request a care conference. Ask for a formal meeting with the attending physician, case manager, and any external providers you'd like to involve. This forces a transparent conversation—and puts your advocacy on record.

Pro Tip #1: Put It in Writing

If you want someone consulted, submit a written request and ask for a note to be added to the patient’s chart. That protects your right to advocate—and ensures it doesn’t get “forgotten.” Save their response.

Pro Tip #2: Record All Doctor Consults on Your Phone. If It's Virtual - Record It on Zoom.

There are tools out there—like AI transcription apps and platforms like Descript or ChatGPT—that can take a recorded doctor’s appointment and break it down into digestible, understandable pieces. It can be incredibly empowering, especially when you're overwhelmed and trying to make sense of complex medical language.

But here’s the caveat: double-check everything. These tools aren’t perfect. I've seen them mistranslate or misinterpret key details, and when it comes to your health—or your loved one’s—you can’t afford to get it wrong.

So go down the rabbit hole. Research. Validate. Ask follow-up questions. Look at the source of the information and cross-reference it with other reputable experts or peer-reviewed studies. Because what you’ll find, no matter what path you take, is this:

There is so much power in knowledge. Question the status quo.

And the more you understand, the less helpless you feel.

Your questions are not a nuisance. They are necessary. They are powerful. And sometimes—they are life-saving.