Dr. Akil Palanisamy, MD
How you age depends less on time, and more on how well you support your body’s core repair systems.
Learn a science-backed, integrative protocol that reveals how to reduce inflammation, strengthen your microbiome, and build cellular resilience through sustainable nutrition, breathwork, and lifestyle practices.
Trying to do everything “right” for your health — yet still unsure what actually works for longevity?
Information about aging is everywhere, but much of it is conflicting. Instead of clarity, you’re left wondering what truly works, what’s sustainable, and who to trust.
Longevity isn’t built on quick fixes and biohacks, it comes from understanding the real drivers of aging — and learning how to support your body in an integrated way.
In this 7-week live course, you’ll explore Dr. Akil Palanisamy’s comprehensive, evidence-based framework known as the TIGER Protocol, designed to address the root causes of aging and chronic disease.
Dr. Akil is a Harvard-trained physician and integrative medicine expert who bridges rigorous medical research with the personalized wisdom of Ayurveda.
A Science-Backed Framework for Healthy Aging
Drawing on functional medicine, microbiome science, evolutionary nutrition, and Ayurvedic wisdom, the TIGER Protocol works at the cellular level and helps you understand how key factors like Toxins, Infections, Gut health, Eating plan, and Rest shape how your body ages.
Dr. Akil developed this approach after his own health crisis during medical school revealed what conventional training was missing: a more integrative understanding of how the body heals.
His framework offers a balanced and practical approach rooted in “food as medicine,” microbiome health, detoxification, strong digestion, and mind-body practices that support lasting vitality.
What Becomes Possible
As you integrate these teachings you’ll have a clear, personalized roadmap that can extend your health span.
You’ll move from feeling overwhelmed by conflicting health advice to understanding the deeper patterns that shape your health.
You may begin to notice meaningful shifts in how your body feels and functions as you reduce inflammation and improve your digestion. Instead of chasing the latest wellness trend, you’ll learn how to support your body’s natural intelligence and resilience.
And your path to longevity can feel clear, balanced, and sustainable for the years ahead.
— Dr. Marc Halpern, Founder of California College of Ayurveda: “You're Going to
Learn So Much to Apply to Your Life to Improve Your Health and Wellbeing”
During this health-enhancing course, you’ll:
- Cultivate a resilient, diverse microbiome through foods that strengthen immunity and gut-brain health
- Identify and address the hidden drivers of aging using a clear, science-backed framework
- Learn which foods support cellular repair and longevity, and which inflammatory patterns may be accelerating aging
- Restore ancestral nutrient density by selecting, preparing, and cooking foods in ways that maximize micronutrients
- Discover your unique Ayurvedic constitution and customize your diet and lifestyle to support optimal digestion, energy, and balance
- Harness the power of 15 evidence-backed healing spices to reduce inflammation and support metabolic and cellular vitality
- Shift your mindset around aging, diet, and stress so your beliefs actively support longevity, purpose, and lifelong resilience
- And much more…
Be Live With Dr. Akil Palanisamy, MD, From Anywhere in the World — or Enjoy Ongoing Access to the Recorded Sessions
Each week, you’ll join Dr. Akil in real time via livestream on any connected device, where you’ll receive his in-depth teachings, interactive sessions, and experiential practices, and have your questions answered directly during Q&A. No matter where you call home, you’ll be part of a weekly global circle of learning, connection, and transformation.
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Course Sessions 2026-04-08 1:00:00 pm.
Can’t attend live? You won’t miss a thing. Every session is recorded and available to you 24/7 so you can revisit the teachings, rewatch powerful moments, and move through the material at your own pace. With ongoing access to recordings, handouts, and in-class Q&As, you’ll have the freedom to savor the journey in a way that works for you.
Module 1: Activate the TIGER Protocol to Strengthen Cellular Vitality & Reverse Hidden Drivers of Aging (2026-04-08 1:00:00 pm)
You’ll be introduced to the TIGER Protocol — a clinically-refined framework developed over two decades of Dr. Akil’s medical practice and drawing on his Harvard medical training, functional medicine, and Ayurvedic wisdom.
Rather than chasing symptoms, you’ll explore how Toxins, Infections, Gut health, Eating plan, and Rest function as an interconnected system that influences cellular health and longevity.
You’ll begin to recognize how environmental exposures, unresolved infections, digestive imbalances, and chronic stress quietly shape the aging process.
In this session, you’ll:
- Regulate your nervous system through two guided rhythmic breathing practices — Anuloma Viloma and Sama Vritti Pranayama
- Map your own TIGER patterns to identify which root drivers may be influencing your health right now
- Explore how toxins affect hormones and detox pathways so you can reduce daily exposure, and see the connection between infections, gut imbalance, and systemic inflammation
- Clarify your first strategic steps so you can begin supporting your longevity immediately
Module 2: Nourish Your Cells With the TIGER Longevity Diet to Initiate Repair & Reduce Inflammation (2026-04-15 1:00:00 pm)
Dr. Akil will lead you through a comprehensive deep dive into the nutritional foundation of the TIGER Protocol and its phased nutrition plan that allows you to implement changes in a sustainable way. Rather than following trends or restrictive rules, you’ll explore a science-backed approach to food that supports cellular repair, gene expression, detoxification, and metabolic health.
You’ll learn about which foods to embrace — and which to eliminate — along with the biochemical reasons behind each recommendation. From anti-inflammatory vegetables to clean proteins, healing fats, fermented foods, and strategic carbohydrates, every category will be explored.
In this session, you’ll:
- Regulate and energize your system through two guided heating and cooling breath practices — Bhastrika and Sitali
- Understand which inflammatory foods accelerate aging and trigger immune dysregulation
- Learn how specific nutrients activate longevity pathways and support cellular cleanup
- Identify the most supportive sources of protein, healthy fats, and carbohydrates for sustained energy and metabolic resilience
Module 3: Restore Ancestral Nutrition to Maximize Micronutrients & Phytochemical Power (2026-04-22 1:00:00 pm)
Explore how your hunter-gatherer ancestors achieved extraordinary micronutrient density — and how the mismatch between your ancestral genome and today’s highly processed foods contributes to modern chronic disease.
From there, you’ll move into practical strategy — how to select, store, prepare, and cook fruits and vegetables in ways that preserve delicate phytochemicals and enhance nutrient absorption, and learning how to extract the full healing potential from the food on your plate
In this session, you’ll:
- Build vitality and metabolic activation through two guided breath practices that enhance circulation and oxygenation — Kapalabhati and Sitkari
- Understand the evolutionary mismatch between modern processed diets and the foods your biology expects
- Learn how to select the most nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables available to you
- Apply cooking and preparation techniques that preserve or enhance phytochemicals
- Optimize food storage and prep methods to improve bioavailability, flavor, and digestibility
Module 4: Cultivate Your Microbiome to Enhance Bacterial Diversity & Whole-Body Health (2026-04-29 1:00:00 pm)
Discover how the trillions of microorganisms living in your gut influence nearly every organ system producing bioactive compounds that regulate inflammation, synthesize essential vitamins and neurotransmitters, and communicate directly with your nervous system to influence mood and cognition.
From there, Dr. Akil will share science-backed strategies to help you identify which foods enhance microbial diversity — the key marker of gut resilience — so you can nourish your internal ecosystem to better support immunity, metabolic balance, and long-term vitality.
In this session, you’ll:
- Strengthen the gut-brain connection through two guided breath practices that enhance vagal tone and oxygenation — Nadi Shodhana with Kumbhaka and Dvipuraka
- Learn about specific foods that increase microbial diversity and support beneficial bacteria
- Apply strategies for feeding your microbiome with diverse fibers and fermented foods
- Use a color-based plant diversity approach to maximize phytonutrient intake and bacterial resilience
Module 5: Personalize Your Healing Through Ayurvedic Wisdom & Digestive Intelligence (2026-05-06 1:00:00 pm)
Dr. Akil will introduce you to Ayurveda’s 5,000-year-old system for individualized medicine — guiding you to understand your unique constitution through the three doshas — Vata, Pitta, and Kapha — and identify both your inherent blueprint (prakruti) and your current imbalances (vikruti).
From there, you’ll examine Agni, your digestive fire — the key to how you effectively you break down food, absorb nutrients, and generate vitality — and discover how the subtle essences, Prana, Tejas, and Ojas, govern your energy, metabolism, resilience, and long-term longevity.
In this session, you’ll:
- Stimulate and regulate your digestive energy through two guided breath practices that support metabolic balance — Agnisar Kriya and Chandra Bhedana
- Identify your constitutional type and learn how to address current imbalances and begin customizing your diet and lifestyle to support your unique blueprint for health
- Understand how digestive fire determines nutrient absorption and overall vitality
- Explore the subtle essences that influence energy, clarity, and resilience
Module 6: Customize Your Dosha Plan & Harness the Power of 15 Healing Spices for Longevity (2026-05-13 1:00:00 pm)
Receive highly individualized guidance based on your completed constitutional assessment, learning which food choices, meal rhythms, and lifestyle adjustments harmonize your dosha so you can imbalances and support your system proactively.
Dr. Akil will then introduce you to 15 cornerstone Ayurvedic healing spices rich in potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds — now backed by modern research for supporting cellular health, metabolism, and longevity in ways you can apply immediately.
In this session, you’ll:
- Activate and soothe your system through two guided-breath practices that help you consciously shift between energizing and calming states — Surya Bhedana and Bhramari
- Receive targeted dietary and lifestyle recommendations tailored to your unique constitution
- Learn how to rebalance Vata, Pitta, or Kapha when specific symptoms arise
- Discover 15 essential healing spices and their evidence-backed roles in reducing inflammation and supporting cellular health
Module 7: Integrate the TIGER Lifestyle to Build Strength, Resilience & Lifelong Vitality (2026-05-20 1:00:00 pm)
Dr. Akil will demonstrate how to expand beyond nutrition to solidify your foundation for vibrant longevity — exploring evidence-based exercise strategies, sleep optimization practices for cellular repair, immune function, and brain detoxification.
You’ll also review compelling research demonstrating how your beliefs about aging, diet, and stress and l reflect on the essential role of meaning, purpose, and spirituality in sustaining wellbeing.
This session brings all TIGER components together into a coherent, personalized framework you can realistically maintain for the rest of your life.
In this session, you’ll:
- Refine breath control and internal awareness through two guided practices that strengthen respiratory capacity and nervous system flexibility — Ujjayi and Viloma Krama
- Identify exercise strategies that enhance longevity without excessive physiological stress
- Optimize sleep habits to support cellular repair, immunity, and cognitive clarity
- Understand how mindset and beliefs about aging, diet, and stress shape biological outcomes
- Integrate nutrition, movement, rest, stress regulation, and purpose into a sustainable lifelong wellness practice
SPECIAL BONUS OFFER
In addition to Dr. Akil’s transformative 7-module course, you’ll receive this special bonus offering to complement the course and take your understanding and practice to an even deeper level.
50 Delicious Recipes for Longevity
PDF Selection From Dr. Akil Palanisamy, MD
Choose the PDF titled “Recipes” on the following link: You’ll receive 50 delicious, anti-inflammatory recipes designed to help you translate the principles of this course into everyday meals that truly nourish you. These healing dishes feature Ayurvedic spices, nutrient-dense plant foods, and thoughtfully sourced animal proteins to support vitality and longevity. You’ll discover that eating for health doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor. In fact, you’ll likely find your meals becoming more satisfying than ever. Every recipe was created and personally tested by Dr. Akil in his own kitchen, so you know they’re both practical and deeply aligned with the TIGER principles. With this collection, you’ll have inspiring, ready-to-use tools to make longevity-focused nutrition feel doable, sustainable, and genuinely enjoyable.
The Comprehensive Omega-3 & Omega-6 Food Guide
PDF Guide From Dr. Akil Palanisamy, MD
Choose the PDF titled “Omega 3 and 6 Charts” on the following link: This comprehensive guide details the omega-3 and omega-6 content of major foods, carefully compiled from across the medical literature by Dr. Akil himself. Organized by categories including plant foods, fats and oils, nuts and seeds, and animal products, these easy-to-reference charts show you exactly how to increase anti-inflammatory omega-3s while reducing potentially excessive omega-6 fats. Instead of guessing which foods support balance, you’ll have precise, science-backed data at your fingertips. This carefully curated resource isn’t available anywhere online, making it a truly rare and practical tool. With it, you’ll be able to make smarter, more strategic nutrition choices that support long-term health and vitality.
What People Are Saying About Dr. Akil Palanisamy, MD…
— Dr. Gina Serraiocco: “I Commonly Refer My Own Integrative Medicine Patients to Dr. Akil’s Groups and They Come Back Feeling Empowered and Inspired”
— Heather Doerr: “I Was Able to Get My Autoimmune Disease in Remission and Keep It in Remission”
— Dr. Deanna Minich: “I’ve Met Many Gifted Teachers But Dr. Akil Is Truly Exceptional”
— Susie Laurenson: “Dr. Akil Is Able to Take Complex Material and Make It Understandable Without Dumbing It Down”
— Dr. Cynthia Li: “I Look Forward to Exploring Dr. Akil’s Course Myself and Also Recommending It to My Patients”
— Dhru Purohit: “Dr. Akil’s Course Is Built From Decades of Patient Experience”
San Francisco, California
Berkeley, California
Sacramento, California
San Francisco, California
New York Times bestselling author of The Primal Blueprint
Join the Global Community
The Gut – Longevity Connection offers some of the most transformational online teachings available, within a thriving global community of learning and practice.
Join fellow students and practitioners to support and inspire each other as you integrate the teachings and practices Dr. Akil Palanisamy, MD will share in this powerful program.
You’ll join an international community on the leading edge of manifesting a world grounded in the principles of cooperation, harmony, and reverence for all of life.
Here’s What You’ll Receive
Seven 90-Minute Class Sessions With Dr. Akil Palanisamy, MD
Experience a unique opportunity to be mentored by and learn from Harvard-trained physician, integrative medicine expert, and best-selling author Dr. Akil Palanisamy, MD — from the comfort of your own home. Each class session includes a livestreaming video option and will guide you to explore a comprehensive, science-backed longevity framework that helps you identify and address the root drivers of aging — from toxins and gut imbalances to inflammation, stress, and mindset — while personalizing nutrition and lifestyle strategies to support lasting vitality. Course sessions are on 2026-04-08 1:00:00 pm.
Seven Video Recordings of Class Sessions
After each class, the video will be available for you to stream in a high-quality format. You’ll never have to worry about missing a session, and you can watch anytime and anywhere at your convenience.
Seven Audio Recordings of Class Sessions
After each class, the audio will be available for you to stream. You’ll never have to worry about missing a session, and you can listen anytime and anywhere at your convenience.
Seven Transcripts of Class Sessions
You’ll also receive the entire class transcription after each session is completed. You can then review, print, and highlight the most important insights and practices you were given.
Interactive Exercises and Questions for Each Lesson
Between class sessions, you’ll have the option of completing related exercises, practicing new tools, and answering questions to accelerate your learning and integrate each week’s lesson.
Online Community
Our exclusive online community is the perfect place to continue your discovery process after each class. Here, you can continue the discussion about your course materials and interact with your fellow students to take your exploration to an even deeper level.
An Unprecedented Opportunity to Join the Online Course, The Gut–Longevity Connection
We feel honored that Dr. Akil Palanisamy, MD has chosen to partner with The Shift Network to offer this exclusive LIVE online course. This is a unique opportunity to interact directly with a Harvard-trained physician, integrative medicine expert, and best-selling author whose powerful insights and pioneering work are helping us heal and awaken ourselves and our world.
If you’re serious about gaining a personalized, science-backed roadmap to reduce inflammation, strengthen cellular vitality, and support your body’s natural capacity for longevity, then you owe it to yourself, your loved ones, and our world to take this one-of-a-kind program.
If you’re ready to take the next step in your own evolution, click the register button below to reserve your space now.
Your Satisfaction Is 100% Guaranteed!
If you don’t absolutely LOVE The Gut–Longevity Connection — or don’t feel that it meets your needs — please submit your refund request form on or before April 22, 2026 and we’ll happily issue qualifying customers a refund.
More Praise for Dr. Akil Palanisamy, MD
New York Times bestselling cookbook author and creator of Nom Nom Paleo
New York Times bestselling author of Kitchen Table Wisdom
New York Times bestselling author of Grain Brain and Drop Acid
About Dr. Akil Palanisamy, MD
EDIT
Akil Palanisamy, MD, is a Harvard-trained physician who practices integrative medicine, blending his conventional medical expertise with holistic approaches including functional medicine and Ayurveda.
Dr. Akil graduated magna cum laude from Harvard with a Bachelor of Arts in biochemical sciences. He earned an MD from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and completed family medicine residency training at Stanford University. He then graduated from a fellowship in integrative medicine with Dr. Andrew Weil at the University of Arizona, and received certification in mind-body medicine from the Georgetown University Center.
Dr. Akil is the Department Chair for Integrative Medicine at the Sutter Health Institute for Health and Healing (IHH). He also serves as IHH Physician Director for Community Education and leads their educational initiatives and programs. He has been a consultant with the Medical Board of California for many years.
A widely known speaker and educator, he is the author of The TIGER Protocol: An Integrative, 5-Step Program to Treat and Heal Your Autoimmunity and The Paleovedic Diet: A Complete Program to Burn Fat, Increase Energy, and Reverse Disease.
As he has done for more than decades, Dr. Akil sees patients and conducts clinical research studies in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s a virtual course?
Can I still benefit from the course if I miss the live classes?
Can you tell me about the private online community group?
Are there scholarships available for this training?
Please note: Scholarship applications must be submitted before the refund deadline, as we are unable to accept applications after that point.
What’s your refund policy?
If you’re within the refund period, the deadline to receive a full refund is April 22, 2026. To request a refund, please complete this refund request form and submit your request. Qualifying refunds will be processed within five business days, and you’ll receive an email confirming the refund.
We’d also love the opportunity to address and resolve your concerns directly. If there’s anything we can assist with, please get in touch with us at [email protected] — we’re here to help!
Please note: Refund requests are not accepted after the deadline or for courses purchased with scholarship awards.