Podcast for Healing Neurology

HER STORYDr Wahls is the clinical professor of medicine at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine in Iowa City, Iowa, U.S.A., where she teaches internal medicine residents in their primary care clinics. She also does clinical research and has published over 60 peer-reviewed scientific abstracts, posters, and papers. In addition to being a doctor, she is also a patient with a chronic, progressive disease. She was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in 2000; around the time she began working at the university. By 2003, she had transitioned to secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. She underwent chemotherapy to slow the disease and began using a tilt-recline wheelchair because of weakness in her back muscles.It was clear: Eventually she would become bedridden by the disease and wanted to forestall that fate as long as possible.FROM SURVIVING TO THRIVINGWhen diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Dr. Terry Wahls had two choices for the example she could set for her children. She could model giving up, or she could model that even though life's not fair, you get up every day and you do the best that you can. She chose the latter. Now, Dr. Wahls has a new mission: to create an epidemic of health and help millions of people reclaim their lives.She is the author of The Wahls Protocol®: How I Beat Progressive MS Using Paleo Principles and Functional Medicine, The Wahls Protocol®: A Radical New Way to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions Using Paleo Principles (paperback),and the cookbook The Wahls Protocol® Cooking for Life: The Revolutionary Modern Paleo Plan to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions AGENDA:Tell us your story about MS & what you learned through its course.  Talk to us about the various types of brain cells and the role they play in turning MS on or off.What does the research say about your program and the various components.How widely applicable is this type of program? Yes for MS, but what about other autoimmune conditions? Toxic conditions? Alzheimer's/ Parkinson's, etc?How has your program evolved over the years and how does it continue to evolve?If you are a person listening to this right now with MS or these other conditions, what are the most accessible points of entry to make change, to potentially change the course of your disease?What are you excited about next in research & complex/ chronic disease development?

Dr. Sascha Sajer is an experienced physician specializing in Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation, and Functional Medicine, with over 30 years of expertise in clinical practice, medical consultancy, and healthcare management. After earning his medical degree from the Medical University of Vienna, Dr. Sajer completed his specialization in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. He further enhanced his expertise by obtaining an MBA in Health Management from Middlesex University, London, and an accredited Functional Medicine Certification (IFMCP) from The Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) in the USA. Dr. Sajer is the owner and Medical Director of Revisalut GmbH, where he focuses on functional medicine and integrative healthcare. His previous leadership roles include serving as the Medical Director for the Dr. Dr. Wagner Group, overseeing nine wellness centers and five rehabilitation clinics, as well as leading the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Evangelistic Hospital of Vienna. With an internation background, he is fluent in English and German, a native Croatian speaker, and proficient in French, Dr. Sajer is also passionate about sports, sailing, photography, and the arts.Agenda Topics :  1. What is Inuspheresis & where is it under the broader umbrella of apheresis? 2.        What is the history & development of inuspheresis? 3.        What is your background in getting started with inuspheresis as a therapeutic option? For which conditions? 4.        What comes out in the effluent? Do you do toxicity testing before/ after treatments? 5.        For which patients is inuspheresis appropriate? Contraindications?6.        How you do build programs- like how many treatments/ how often/ when to repeat? What other services are typically recommended alongside inuspheresis? 7.        What are some of your favorite research papers about this Inuspheresis? What research are you looking forward to seeing up & coming? 

Let's talk about all thing's food, particularly as it relates to the Pentad community.What kind of barriers exist for people, especially with me/CFS.Why do we often see resistance to changing our diets and eliminating certain foods.How might our nutritional needs be different from the general population.What kind of resources are available to us.How do we make it a sustainable endeavor.What are some emotional or psychological tools we can employ for success.What's the best way to do an Elimination Diet.Why should somebody look to their diet for improvementWhat types of illnesses respond best to dietary restrictions.BIO:Rachel Riggs is the author of an incredible new cookbook called "in Good health' which is California-style light & fresh cooking but the twist here is that she has been suffering with ME/CFS that started in 2003, had had what is an unfortunately typical course which was waxing & waning, requiring 12 years for diagnosis and then a big exacerbation and has now been house-bound x 12 years, in fact, mostly bed-bound. She is a former specialty food shop owner whose life was upended by ME & had to sell her shop. She has worked with Dr Robert Naviaux in San Diego as his study coordinator for the last 9 years so we'll dive into the Cell Danger Response some.Blog:https://www.rachriggs.com/cookbookhttps://rachelriggs.substack.com/https://tinyurl.com/5adxvt6uhttps://www.healthrising.org/blog/2025/01/29/rachel-riggs-allergen-aware-cookbook/

Dr. Aly Cohen is a board-certified physician practicing in rheumatology and integrative medicine, as well as an environmental health expert in Princeton, New Jersey. Her new book, DETOXIFY: The Everyday Toxins Harming Your Immune System and How to Defend Against Them, available now for pre-order, connects the dots between everyday chemicals and the epidemic rise in immune disorders and autoimmune disease...and what we CAN all do about it!Now for more background: Athe University of Pennsylvania, she focused her studies on medical anthropology and human evolution - topics that have greatly influenced her work. She is on faculty of the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine  (AIHM), Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU), and the Integrative and Functional Medicine Fellowship of the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute (SSIHI) at the University of California, Irvine, where she created and manages the environmental medicine and integrative rheumatology curriculum for medical colleagues. Dr. Cohen has collaborated with the Environmental Working Group, Cancer Schmancer, and other disease- prevention or­ganizations, and is coeditor of the textbook, Integrative Environmental Medicine, part of the Oxford University Press/Weil Integrative Medicine, Academic Series. She is the co-author of the bestselling, consumer guidebook, Non-Toxic: Guide to Living Healthy in a Chemical World. In 2015, she created TheSmartHuman.com to share environ­mental health, disease prevention, and wellness information with the public. She has been the recipient of countless awards. AGENDA:   1.     What is environmental medicine? a.     learn more about environmental health topics?  TheSmartHuman.com.     Other educational projects? (curriculum for physicians, nurses, PT, Nurse practitioners AND creating online courses for parents/athletes/women and fertility & pregnancy...coming soon at AlyCohenMD.com) 2.     Break down for us the ‘classes' of toxins- like persistent organic chemicals vs endocrine disruptors, EMFs, etc- how can we start to discern the different chemicals & what how they affect? What are they doing inside our bodies? 3.     Once they come into our bodies- through our lungs, skin & GI tract, what do they do to us? How & where do they get stored? What are the various compartments? a.     Role of the immune system & even more broadly, the neuroimmune axis? As a rheum, what about our autoimmune epidemic? b.     What about the MIND? c.     Role of adipose? d.     Role of bones- how women will have more toxins come out post-menopause when the bone tissue starts to degrade with osteoporosis? e.     With infection/ concussion/ inflammation, the greater porosity of the blood brain barrier? Is this our Alzheimer's epidemic? 4.     How can we test for them in our bodies? a.     Standard testing with LabCorp/ Quest? b.     Specialty functional med lab testing? 5.     How do we detox? The million-dollar question! a.     We naturally detox daily- peeing, pooping, sweating & crying. How to amplify? b.     What is your 21-day program? c.     Ayurvedic panchakarma6.     Obviously, the first step is to avoid toxic chemicals coming into our bodies in the first place: a.     What are the most important things to know about making the right daily choices?                                                i.     Water filters                                              ii.     Detergents & cleaning products b.     Talk to us about regulations- do we dare? c.     How can we test our water, soil, etc? d.     What advice do you have for folks wanting to make their communities safer?CLOSING: Dr. Cohen is working to educate and empower the next generation to make safer, smarter lifestyle choices through the creation of en­vironmental health and prevention curricula for schools nationally. Her TEDx talk, “How to Protect Your Kids from Toxic Chemicals" can be found on YouTube

We're thrilled to announce that our podcasts now qualify for Nursing Continuing Education (CE) credits through RNegade.pro! Nurses can now not only gain valuable insights and practical knowledge from our episodes but also earn CE credits while listening.RNegade is not your typical nursing CE provider. RNegade believes that nurses are more than just caregivers—they're innovators, leaders, and change-makers. That's why RNegade is committed to breaking the mold of traditional CE by offering content that goes beyond the status quo and inspires nurses to learn and think differently. They are about pushing boundaries, exploring new ideas, and redefining what it means to be a nurse in today's world.In today's busy world, healthcare pros are already tuning into podcasts for inspiration, insights, and the occasional laugh during their commute or downtime. With RNegade.pro, those same moments can now lead to real CE credits. It's as simple as listen, reflect, and earn.

In this episode of the Neuroveda podcast, Dr Gillian Ehrlich and Dr. Julianna Giles explore the immune system from both Ayurvedic and Western perspectives. They discuss the complexities of cancer, autoimmunity, and chronic infections, emphasizing the importance of understanding the underlying factors that contribute to these conditions. The conversation delves into the roles of psychoneuroimmunology, cellular biology, and the Ayurvedic concepts of Prana, Tejas, and Ojas in maintaining health and wellness. Practical approaches to healing and supporting the immune system are also highlighted, along with the significance of lifestyle choices and conscious awareness in promoting overall health.takeawaysThe immune system is complex and multifaceted.Cancer and autoimmunity are not singular diseases but a spectrum.Chronic infections can exacerbate immune dysfunction.Psychoneuroimmunology bridges the mind-body connection.Ayurvedic principles emphasize cellular health and balance.Disruptions in Prana, Tejas, and Ojas lead to disease.Holistic approaches are essential for healing.Breathwork and lifestyle choices significantly impact health.Ojas represents immunity and vitality in Ayurveda.Conscious awareness can lead to positive health changes.

Today we discuss: Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) leaksAgenda:  1. Dr. Cardenas: Tell us your story!  2.     So, what is a CSF leak? a.     What is leaking? From where? Why do leaks happen? b.     Common symptoms? Uncommon symptoms? c.     Why don't more people know about this?  3.     Okay, so let's go back to basic anatomy & let's go from general to specific- talk to us about: a.     connective tissueb.     vasculaturec.     central nervous system flow: CSF, lymph, bloodd.     Relationship with bones like CCI, Eagle's, others?e.     Relationship with the vasculature/ flow in the rest of the body like pelvic venous congestion 4.     How do we evaluate for this?b.     Imagingc.     Blood patches d.     Embolization  5.     How do we TREAT this? a.     Immediate: Blood patches/ embolization/ pressure adjustments (meds, etc) b.     Counter facial strain. What is it & how does it help? Role for other physical tx like PT/ chiro?Bio: Dr Brianna Cardenas is a Physician Assistant, a certified athletic trainer and the founder of Healed and Empowered, an organization that specializes in optimizing health among those living with chronic illness. She has recently joined the team at NeuroVeda Health where she brings 13 years of healthcare experience. She is also a patient living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, an “invisible” condition that can be hard to diagnose and often discounted by healthcare providers as a result. Brianna's lived experience as a patient informs her work as a healthcare provider to others.Bio: Dr. Maxwell is a Board Certified Pediatric Cardiologist and Pediatrician. He received his medical degree from Johns Hopkins Medical School and a Residency in Pediatrics at The University of California at San Francisco followed by clinical and research fellowships in Pediatric Cardiology at Lucile Salter Packard and Stanford Hospitals and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. His research interests include study of endothelial control of vasomotor tone, nitric oxide, sports cardiology, dysautonomia, hypermobility syndromes, & mast cell activation syndrome and their relationships to environmental toxins. For his research he received an American Heart Association Award for Research in Molecular Biology and was an American College of Cardiology Young Investigator Award finalist. He has published many articles and book chapters on these subjects. For his clinical work, he has been voted by his peers as a Top Doctor in Northern California annually since 2017.Resources/ Links/ Articles: ·       https://www.eds.clinic/articles/spiky-leaky-syndrome·       https://www.medicalandresearch.com/current_issue/1962

Professor Prita Lal Bio:Bio: Raised as a child of South Asian immigrants in theAmerican South, Professor Prita Lal became interested in social justice issues at a young age and now teaches at Evergreen State College at the intersectionsof food and environmental justice, social movements, Black studies, solidarity economics, cooperative education, healing justice and community-based learning.Dr Lal completed her BA in French & anthropology at Tulane, her Master's & Doctorates in Sociology at Stony Brook University. Her teaching style focuses on education for transformation and liberation. She also has completedextensive training in yoga and Ayurveda (an ancient system of healing from South Asia), which she integrates through somatic and trauma-informed teaching practices. Her work analyzes the root causes of social problems, not intending to paralyze, but rather inform just alternatives to transform (rather than recreate) systemic injustices. Path AffiliationEnvironmentalStudies , Psychology,Health, and Community , PoliticalEconomy, Global Studies, and Environmental Justice , Foodand AgricultureFields of StudyAfricanAmerican Studies , Sociologyand Anthropology , PoliticalEconomy and Political Science , FoodSystems , FoodStudies , FoodJustice , EthnicStudies , CommunityStudies , Climateand Environmental Justice , AgricultureObjective today: explore the intersection betweenwellness & justice. 1.     Tell us your story- what are you doing & howdid you get here?  2.     What's the problem here? Our perception is thatwellness requires resources that are often the realm of the rich. The problems created by a widening gap between rich & poor. What is the role of power?  3.     The circles that we've been in for wellness& the circles we've been for justice. What are the ways that these overlap or don't overlap or could or should overlap.  4.     Let's shift to talking about how our health hasbeen colonized- what does that mean? How do we define ‘decolonizing our health.' Connecting to inner power.  5.     Now let's talk about Ayurveda- what is it &what is its power & potential to offer us wellness AND justice? What is spiritual by-passing & how is this used go maintain status quo.  6.     What are the steps to address this? a.     Finding our inner powerb.     Connection to self & planetc.     Connection to each other & then socialjustice movements – calling in vs calling out to challenge internalizedcolonialismd.     Embracing mistakes vs being defined by mistakes,perfectionism is an element of white supremacy culture

Thomas Mandel Clausen completed his PhD in Clinical Cancer Research at the University of Copenhagen and postdoc at the University of California in San Diego and has spent the bulk of his career thus far focused on cancer biology, malariavaccine development, and more recently COVID-19. His special focus was & remains cell & glycobiology which will be the focus of our discussion today. He's presented at conferences all around the world and has over 40 published articles within the field of glycobiology focused on various molecular structures and functions and how they relate to human disease. He is currently matriculated at the University of Hawaii to gain his medical doctorate degree with estimated completion in 2026. We discuss:The endothelial glycocalyx is a specialized extracellular matrix that covers the apical side of vascular endothelial cells, projecting into the lumen of blood vessels. The composition of the glycocalyx has been studied in greatdetail, and it is known to be composed of a mixture of proteoglycans, glycosaminoglycans, and glycoproteins. Although this structure was once believed to be a passive physical barrier, it is now recognized as a multifunctional and dynamic structure that participates in many vascularprocesses, including but not limited to vascular permeability, inflammation, thrombosis, Mechan transduction, and cytokine signalingBecause vascular dysfunction is associated with a wide variety of diseases and because of the crucial role of the glycocalyx in maintaining proper vascular function,the significance of the glycocalyx in disease has become a topic of intensive investigation.

Dr. Shouhed is a nationally renowned, board-certifiedminimally invasive weight loss surgeon with expertise in Robotic Bariatric, Gastrointestinal, and Complex General Surgery. He was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and graduated summa cum laude from UCLA with adegree in Human Physiology.  Dr. Shouhed earned early recognition, a Phi Beta Kappa induction, and a near-perfect MCAT score, which secured him a placeat UCSD School of Medicine with the highest merit-based scholarship. Dr. Shouhed completed his general surgery residency training at Cedars Sinai (#2Hospital in the country), where he graduated as Administrative Chief Resident.  He completed his fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, the first fellowship in the country, where he focused on minimally invasive bariatric, foregut and complex general surgery. Dr. Shouhed is also Medical Director of the Bariatric Surgery and Metabolic Weight Loss Center, Providence Saint John's Hospital.  Our focus today is really about the vascularabdominal syndromes that we can see so prevalent in connective tissue disorders & complex conditions. Please get us started with a description of the anatomy of the abdomen, including the GI organs, but also the ligaments &connective tissue that holds these organs in place and the vasculature that feeds them oxygen & carries away metabolic wastes.     Now, let's get into the syndromes that we wantto focus on today & we're going from the top down because that's how they might be unlocked, meaning closest to the heart to the most distant to the heart and in the pelvis, that's from chest to pelvis direction.     a. MALS: median arcuate ligament syndromeb. SMAS: superior mesenteric artery syndrome(duodenal comp) (meat?)c. Nutcracker: renal vein compressiond. May Thurner: iliac vein compressione. Pelvic congestion syndromes including pelvicvenous insufficiency, vaginal/ labial varices  For each we talk about: a. Symptomsb. Evaluation c. Treatment: ancillary tx? Visceral manipulation? What would a patient look for in a provider? Whois doing this care? How easy/ common are folks doing these treatments? Howoften can or do treatments go wrong? We end with discussing: where is research going with this? To find out more about our clinic (and request a call back): ⁠https://www.neurovedahealth.com/⁠- Phone: 206-379-1213- Email Reception@neurovedahealth.com

Chiropractor Kim Bruno furthered her training with the Institute of Functional Medicine, ILADS, Horowitz Lyme Master Classes and holds a board-certification as a Certified Clinical Nutritionist. She owned a private practice for 17 years and was the functional medicine medical director for the largest immunology clinic in Colorado. She comes to us today as the Senior Medical Science liaison for Vibrant Wellness Labs. Today we discuss their panel of 48 neurologically-oriented antibodies: the Neural Zoomer Plus. We start by discussing the lab technology itself, which is somewhat unique in the testing world- it's an 'Immunochip', also called a protein-peptide microarray as viewed through chemiluminescence which can be more sensitive than historical Eliza testing. The sensitivity (the ability to find the needle in the haystack) ranges from 95-98% and the specificity (it's definitely a needle, and not a pin or nail or something similar that is not actually a needle) is 96-100%. The range is because each analyte has its own metrics. Here, we take a tangent into describing the limitations of Eliza & Western Blot testing, especially in light of tick-borne testing for Lyme disease & co-infections. Then we touch on PCR- polymerase chain reaction testing and the use of glass beads to break up biofilms in test samples for even more accurate results.   Our next chapter (around 14:30) focuses on the immune system itself. Listen in for some helpful analogies for the immunoglobulins-IgM for ‘marines vs IgG for ‘ground troops', IgA with affiliation with mucus membranes like the gut or respiratory linings, and IgE for anaphylactic allergic reaction. This gives the total pool from which the Neural Zoomer Plus antibodies are pulling from as a sort of clinical calibration to weigh the presence of the specific antibodies.   At 22:20, we dive into the Neural Zoomer Plus test itself. Dr Bruno shares her brilliant ‘hierarchy of consideration' for putting these antibodies into a context. While she states outright ‘this is not a diagnostic test', the larger truth is that this test cannot be used for diagnosis by clinicians who don't have the scope to make diagnostic conclusions, for example dieticians or health coaches. For our purposes at Neuroveda Health, we absolutely use this test for clinical decision making and diagnosis. Dr Bruno calls out molecular mimicry against pathogens or even foods or toxins that can confuse the immune system. We consider the Cunningham Panel (recently renamed the Autoimmune Brain Panel), which has been used longer for PANDAS evaluation. And we walk through each category of antibody included on this test.   We finish with a discussion about treatment approaches based on results from this test, including the Neuroveda Health approach to evaluating and addressing neuroimmune disease. FOR MORE INFORMATION: To look at a sample report of this test: https://hello.vibrant-wellness.com/hubfs/Sample%20Reports/MK-0072-01NeuralZoomerPlusSampleReport.pdf To find out more about the Neural Zoomer Plus test: https://www.vibrant-wellness.com/test/NeuralZoomerPlus To get testing, contact us to schedule an appointment with a clinician at Neuroveda Health: - Phone: 206-379-1213 - Email Reception@neurovedahealth.com To find out more about our clinic (and request a call back): https://www.neurovedahealth.com/

Dr Ferdinand Hui is a rare gem of a surgeon- brilliant in his craft, able to communicate complicated concepts clearly, and caring and compassionate for the reality that disease can impart in the life of a person and their family. Here we get a chance to cruise around the blood vessels of the brain with a neurointerventional surgeon, who's focus is minimally invasive procedures to treat the blood vessels of the brain and spine. Although he thinks of himself as a plumber, rotor-rootering the pipes, these are live pipes and much of our discussion centers on the nature of the arteries and veins. We discuss leaks (hemorrhage) and clogs (ischemic clots) as a starting point, with the associated diseases of stroke, heart attack and aneurysms. Then we get deep with the 'gray zone' of reduced but not necessarily stopped oxygenation which can be a primary driver for brain fog. We discuss anatomical, functional and inflammatory interruptions to oxygenation and vessel flow, even down to the epithelial layer of the arterial vessel walls. Here is where we discuss COVID and the apparent epithelial shedding that the spike protein can instigate, which likely drove much of the cardiovascular events (heart attack, stroke) of the first COVID wave in 2019/ early 2020. About prevention, Dr Hui says, "The American medical system might really reward surgery but what humanity really needs is prevention. Prevention starts at birth." Resources: Society of Neurointerventional Surgery: https://www.snisonline.org/ More about Dr Hui: https://www.queens.org/providers/2225/ferdinand-k-hui/

Neurologist Gary Stobbe has been working with patients with autism since his residency in the early 1990's. Listen in to hear how this compassionate physician has been learning from his patients, their families and advocates. Dr Stobbe's perspective has evolved from the medical approach within which he was trained to now recognize the spectrum of stable neurodivergence to profoundly symptomatic patients who desperately need extensive support for living their daily lives. We start with the DSM-V diagnostic criteria of impaired social communication + repetitive behaviors or interests, recognizing that the social communication network of the brain touches multiple structures and centers. This does not necessitate any intellectual disability, and in fact, many autistic people have both specialized skills and brilliance that initially can be lost in the communication difficulty (for example, the poetry that can come from a non-verbal patient only after they are able to access a device to type out their creative expression). Dr Stobbe then reviews some of the more profound struggles that can co-exist with autism including expressive language impairment (aka non-verbal), co-occurring intellectual disability, required assistance for daily living and the presence of crises. As we touch on the 'causes' of autism, he recognizes they are likely 'multifactorial, so many complex conditions, and end up being the total sum of genetics + environment'. He also emphasizes that the diagnosis of autism is based on development and behavior versus any biological function or cause. The management approach for autism has evolved to be 'person-centered and strength-based' and there is no singular treatment. Dr Stobbe honors the collaborative team that can support the person with autism, including the patient themselves, thier family, patient advocates, state/ national organizations, in addition to their medical team. Autism can be tricky to understand because it flies in the face of our conventional assumptions about one singular disease with one singular treatment. Join in & share widely as Dr Stobbe exemplifies the curiosity and thoughtfulness to support this amazing population of patients.

Description. This is a power-packed episode in which Whitney Mack walks us through what women should have been taught since birth about how our bodies work and how we can care for them lifelong. Turns out, we have an infradian (vs circadian) rhythm that drives our cellular communication/ hormones systems over time. This means that we are in constant cycles of change, just like the moon that cycles through from new to full and back to new. To anchor into our holistic health, we can emphasis sleep, nutrition and movement in alignment with these cycles. Whitney's training & deep personal understanding of these concepts brings them to clarity throughout this show. We start with a complete definition of 'fitness' including muscle strength, endurance, cardiovascular capacity, flexibility & body composition. Then we interweave the hormones, recognizing the 'Queen' hormones of cortisol & insulin as they serve for survival (vs estrogen, progesterone & testosterone which are for life quality). Next we dive into the four hormonal stages across the lifespan: menarche, cycling, perimenopause and post-menopause. With each, we review ways to attend to our movement patterns. And then we bring it back to the daily life. This is an episode not to be missed & to be shared with every girl and woman we know! BIO: As a holistic health, hormones + movement coach, Whitney Mack helps busy, driven women thrive in their bodies, reawaken their aliveness, and create a more purposeful way of being. Through her hormone-informed approach, she blends the science of female physiology with the sacredness of the body to help women achieve optimal health and well-being throughout all hormone + life seasons. If you're ready to heal your relationship with your body and unleash your feminine power, her signature method uses hormones as a compass to guide you back to your inner-knowing and cultivate deeper self-awareness for sustainable transformation in less time and with lots of love. Find Whitney through her website: WhitneyMack.com

Cancer is a tremendous topic. Dr Julianna Giles, ND, has focused her career on evidence-based approaches for this complex condition. Dr Giles now directs our Integrative Oncology program at Neuroveda Health in Seattle, Washington. In this podcast, she walks us through cancer, soup to nuts. This includes defining cancer, describing different types and stages of cancer, and the conventional treatments of surgery, radiation chemotherapy and now immunotherapy. Dr Giles then layers in integrative approaches including high-dose (aka ‘pro-oxidant') IV vitamin C, other botanicals, metabolic approaches to treating cancer and the relationship between other immune dysfunction, like auto-immune disease or chronic viral infections, to cancer development. Next is a review of the core elements of our program, including specialty liquid biopsy testing, the timing necessary for balancing pro-oxidation (chemo) with anti-oxidant (recovery) targets, and the value we place on collaboration with conventional oncologists and treatments. We welcome patients to our program at all stages of cancer status including those with a family history seeking prevention, monitoring for early detection (we do pap/ HPV testing in clinic), treatment at all stages (early, middle, late), post-chemo/radiation recovery, prevention of recurrence and palliative care/ hospice as it's needed. Listen in and please share widely with those who are being affected by cancer. This is a critical show for broadening ideas about treatment options and maintaining agency at a time when health stress can be overwhelming. We discuss: ·     3:20 What is cancer? ·     6:36: How do we think and name different types of cancer? ·     9:09 Ayurvedic perspective of cancer ·     11:25 How does conventional care typically treat cancer? Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy ·     17:12 High dose IV (intravenous) vitamin C to make chemotherapy more tolerant to the body and prevent recurrences. ·     25:00 Fasting and chemotherapy treatment ·     28:35 Discussion about immunotherapy and metronomic (aka low dose) chemotherapy ·     32:12 Defining Integrative Oncology including the value of collaboration to help conventional treatments to work better ·     33:34 Looking at the foundations of health: asking and answering the ‘why' and ‘why now' questions ·     35:33 Molecular targets of botanicals, for example, p53 targeted by no drugs but impacted by curcumin; ·     36:55: Use of botanicals, diet and lifestyle as anti-inflammatory influences during pro-oxidant treatments like chemo- it's all about timing! ·    42:33 Discussion of the Integrative Oncology program at Neuroveda Health ·     56:30 Liquid biopsies looking for cell free mutated DNA shedding from cancers in the body ·     1:03:33: Putting together integrative treatment plans including the metabolic approach to cancer treatment ( Care Oncology protocol out of the UK) ·     1:08: How cancer interacts with the rest of the immune system, including auto-immune disease ·     1:12:38 Recovery after cancer treatment Bio: Julianna Giles is a Naturopathic Physician with a Masters in Ayurveda who specializes in integrative oncology, endocrinology, chronic infections, medical cannabis, entheogens and psychoneuroimmunology. After graduation from Bastyr University, she completed four years of residency training in integrative oncology. She is a core lecturer for the Academy of Cannabis Science and lead formulator for Polite and Lumna, both medical cannabis companies. While at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, she researched medicinal mushrooms and medical cannabis as adjunctive cancer therapies, as well as the neurological effects of mindfulness at the Wisconsin Institute for Sleep & Consciousness. Dr Giles is certified in Ayurveda Yoga therapy, Prana Flow and Kundalini Yoga. In her free time, she practices Yoga, is passionate about plant-based cooking, and loves exploring the wild Pacific Northwest.

Dr Paul Malchesky, with a Master's degree in Chemistry and a Doctorate in Engineering, has been working with apheresis since the 1970's. This is a blood filtration or ‘cleaning' therapy we offer at Neuroveda Health as plasmapheresis (also called plasma exchange, PLEX and TPE (total or therapeutic plasma exchange)). There's been a lot of recent excitement regarding treatment of Long-COVID and as a ‘biohack' for longevity, but the truth is that it's been nearly half a century since the FDA approved this therapy for auto-immune and neurodegenerative conditions. The technology has come a long way and Dr Malchesky has been there the whole time. Of note, Ayurveda, the traditional medical system of India, also recognizes the value of detox and blood cleansing, making plasmapheresis a type of ‘rakta moksha'. This is a modern tool with ancient roots, our favorite kind of therapy. Today, we get into the history and mechanics to describe what this therapy is doing and how broad it's use can be. We discuss: ·     3:30 What is apheresis? ·     4:19 What is the history of apheresis? ·     11:56 What is in blood? What are the components of blood? ·     13.20 About anti-coagulation ·     15:53 Ayurvedic use of blood cleansing called ‘rakta moksa' ·     18:06 Dr Malchesky's personal history with apheresis starting with 1972; Reporting up to 40 diseases treated by 1981. ·     24:40 Comparison of dialysis vs plasmapheresis filtration ·     29:00 Late 70's/ early 80's, efforts to identify the specific proteins associated with certain diseases; findings and curiosity about cryoproteins- precipitates triggered by cold. ·     36:57 Treatment to remove high cholesterol to prevent atherosclerosis. ·     40:29 Description of the last 15 years of apheresis: applications & guidelines have really diversified by geography (centripetal in US & German; membrane for Japan), technology and disease state ·     42:58 Safety of this procedure ·     43:52 Difficulties with this procedure are most typically associated with venous access and sometimes blood pressure changes and/or anti-coagulant use ·     44:40 Recognition that the macromolecules produced as ‘toxic' can present in every silo of medicine: oncology, rheumatology, neurology, and therefore, also make sense to use these treatments for longevity & anti-aging ·     49:43 In studying the toxins removed, it's evident that these toxins removed impair cellular function, so removal can allow cells to perform more of their regular functions. ·     51:08 The goal at Neuroveda Health is that plasmapheresis is part of a larger medical and wellness program to renovate the health from the ground up. ·     51:38 Discussion of Lp(a). ·     53:24 Designing clinical trials using historical experience of the questions and initial clinical trial endeavors with rheumatoid arthritis patients BIO: Dr. Paul Malchesky holds a B.S. Degree in Chemistry from St. Francis University, M.S. degrees in Chemistry from Case Western Reserve University and in Chemical Engineering from Cleveland State University and a Doctorate in Engineering from Cleveland State University. He is President of the International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation (ICAOT) and consults for the chemical and medical industries. He has published extensively nearly 500 publications, holds 35 patents, and was co-editor of four books on apheresis. He is active in various professional societies and is the former Editor-in-Chief of Artificial Organs and Managing Editor of Therapeutic Apheresis and Dialysis. He is a Past-President of the International Society for Apheresis. He is an Elected Fellow to the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering and The Ohio Academy of Science.  Recently he developed the web site icaot.org that discusses the history of the International Center for Artificial Organs & Transplantation and includes Milestones in the field and invites contributions to its Virtual Collection.

Description: Dr Todd Levine, with 20 years of experience as a clinical neurologist with specialty in disorders of the peripheral nervous system, shares with us about the Syn-One skin biopsy run by his company, CND Life Sciences. Against a backdrop of clinical information about the divisions of the nervous system (central vs peripheral and sensory vs motor vs autonomic), we review the 3 tests in this procedure: small fiber nerve counts, synuclein and amyloid deposition. Dr Levine notes that brain & skin both come from ectoderm tissue in the embryo, meaning they arise from similar roots soon after conception The skin, unlike the brain, is readily available for testing, and can offer insight to what's potentially happening in the central nervous system without having to go there directly. It's also a fascinating conversation that one-half to one-third of all neuropathies end up classified as ‘idiopathic', meaning we can't identify a trigger, like toxic chemical insult or injury. Most likely, these neurons are injured by ‘an accumulation of small insults” which can include low but recurrent or persistent viral illnesses and environmental chemical exposure all further complicated with and by metabolic syndromes. His most exciting area of research is looking at the potential of this test to give predictive insights for diseases decades in the making (like Parkinson's or Lewy Body Dementia), all work that we agree with & support at Neuroveda Health when we apply personalized medicine plans for your best health. BIO: Dr. Todd Levine has over 20 years of experience as a clinical neurologist with a sub-specialty in disorders of the peripheral nervous system. He received his medical degree from Duke University and did his residency and fellowship at Washington University in St Louis. He has served as Chairman of the Neuromuscular Division of the American Academy of Neurology. In 2010, he founded his first medical diagnostics company called Corinthian Reference Lab (CRL), and has processed over 50,000 skin biopsies, receiving specimens from over 4,000 different neurologists across the US and Canada. Dr Levine is one of the three founders of CND Life Sciences and serves as its Chief Medical Officer, playing a key role in the delivery of diagnostic services and ongoing technology development. Dr. Levine also serves currently as the Director of Neuroscience Research at the Honor Health Research Institute in Phoenix, AZ.

Dr John Moos, MD discusses his transition from trauma surgeon to psychedelic healer- the unifying factor being proximity to trauma. He notes the trauma he initially treated with surgery most typically occurs within a container of many other traumas- social, political and economic violence, resource scarcity, fear, addiction, intergenerational traumas, ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and others. His (to-be) wife looked at him one day and said “I wonder if it's possible to heal it before it happens”, meaning, is there a way to pre-emptively address the container of trauma before the physical trauma results as the outward explosion of inner distress. Dr Moos was hooked. He completed personal experiences with plant medicine and trainings with the Psychedelic Research and Training Institute (PRATI), California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), and the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) for their MDMA (3,4-Methyl enedioxy methamphetamine) protocol and now runs MoosMD.com to offer service to people with psychedelic medicine. In this episode, we start with a discussion about trauma. Trauma can even be created in as simple moment as a mis-attunement with a parent as a child in a critical moment and we all experience various levels of trauma throughout the lifespan. Psychedelics can be a tool (not a panacea) to understand the impact of our history on our current, daily moment. It's the alignment and integration of your three lenses of understanding: cognition (head), somatic (heart) and embodiment (intuition). Dr Moos recognizes that psychedelics give us a chance to step to the side of our default mode network which can also be described as a type of our identity of our consciousness. Our conversation ranges to the benefits of relationship to help us access our consciousness (this is the definition of Tantra) and these relationships can be our mind to ourselves, us to our container, or us to each other. Then, we dive into the current research and legal perspectives about the various psychedelics- ketamine, MDMA, psilocybin, LSD and other plant medicines for treatment resistant depression, anxiety, stress, PTSD and others. He reviews the importance of set and setting which recognizes that intentional and introspective work versus the external recreation of these medicines when they are used in a non-monitored ‘party' state. As therapy, this is to dissolve ego boundaries to better understand yourself. We also review the chemical nature and physiological impact of these medicines including the specific activities in the brain and the impacts on our neurobiology. Is anybody damaged beyond repair? Is any person too traumatized to heal? On being asked this question, Dr Moos offers a compassionate and insightful response about the power of our neuroplasticity as well as the tremendously oppressive conditions of social, political and economic injustice and the persistent squeeze of growing pollution and climate change. We close this show with a description about the Ketamine Assisted Therapy (KAP) process and what to look for in finding a safe and insightful session. What I love about this show is that while we talk about ketamine and other psychedelics as a medicinal tool, this show is really about the nature of healing and reality. Find out more about Dr Moos & his practice at https://moosmd.com/

Dr Jennifer Bahr is a Naturopathic Physician with deep interest, experience and success in treating children using Classical Homeopathy for PANS (Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) and PANDAS (Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Disease Associated with Streptococcus). We start this show with the fascinating story of Homeopathy- history, mechanisms and current practice around the world. The American Institute of Homeopathy (AIH) was actually the first medical society formed in the United States in 1844. The Homeopathic Pharmacopeia of the United States, still regulated by the FDA, recognizes over 1000 remedies. Research first published in 2010 used scanning microscopy to identify nanoparticles of a homeopathic remedy's plant, animal and mineral sources in what is so ultra-diluted that it was previously considered nearly nothing (smaller than Avogadro's number!). With this same technology, it can be measured that there are physiological changes like tiny like nudges that can impart significant trajectory changes in a child's health. Then we dive into PANS/PANDAS. Although there is more research about PANDAS (meaning symptoms associated with strep infection), triggers can be well beyond Strep, which is the nature of the condition known as PANS. Children can present with debilitating fear, rage, sleep disruptions, intense separation anxiety, reading/ math regression, toilet training regressions, distinct behavioral changes, tics, avoidant-restrictive food disorder, and OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder). It's thought to happen in relation to an infective insult, but this may be so subtle as to not even be recognized (even mold in a home). PANS and PANDAS can be thought of as an immune system susceptibility; Homeopathy addresses susceptibilities to repair the biochemical patterns in realms that conventional medicine does not yet operate. This is an incredible show that gives an excellent introduction to Homeopathy as well treatment possibilities for children and families truly suffering with these severe, often inconsolable, symptoms. We recorded this show with Dr Bahr precisely because of the results we are seeing in clinic with patients who have engaged with the Resilience Naturopathic team (demand is so great she has 16 clinicians on her team that see patients remotely around the world). Throughout the show, she weaves through her personal story, which is so insightful for both process and progress, but also demonstrates how life can feel in an effective treatment vacuum. Please listen in and share widely. Find out more about her, Resilience Naturopathic and PANS/PANDAS at the resources below. Resilience Naturopathic p: 858-461-8121 a: 3633 Camino Del Rio South, Suite 103 San Diego, CA, 92108 w: www.resiliencenaturopathic.com e: jessica@resiliencenaturopathic.com Join our FREE FB Group for our free mini course on PANS/ PANDAS solutions and lots of great conversation and support! YouTube Channel for Resilience Naturopathic.

Dr Arnold Eiser, MD, MACP trained as a nephrologist over 40 years ago but has come to see that the kidneys, liver and other 'extracranial factors' (influences from outside the cranium, the skull holding the brain) hold some of the most impactful sway over the health of our brains. He's termed this relationship between organ dysfunction in the body to assumed compromise in central nervous system brain neuroinflammation Eiser's Corollary of Related Toxicity. His book, Preserving Brain Health in a Toxic Age: New insights from neuroscience, integrative medicine and public health (Rowman & Littlefield, Oct 2021) explores this topic in depth. He examines the ways in which environmental policy, corporate pollutive behavior, metals, microbes, common medications like acetaminophen (Tylenol), and experiences with digital violence seem to hasten neuroinflammatory changes that can present as our current epidemics of autism and Alzheimer's Disease. It's a multi-tiered attack on the nervous system that our society doesn't loop back to true root causes. The book explores the interface between the chemical environment and industrial and agricultural practices.. He notes almost all neurotoxins are also carcinogenics and recognizes the key role of the liver as a front-line organ for protection or vulnerability for brain inflammation- and then notes the epidemic of non-alcoholic fatty acid disease in the modern world. He notes that CFS/ dysautonomia was originally described in the 1800's as a 'disease of modernity' associated with newspaper printing and rail travel. We then talk about the integrative medicine, high fructose corn syrup, nutrients, spices, and in the process really listing out many of the ways we can make our whole world medicine better at preserving brain health. Find the book: https://www.amazon.com/Preserving-Brain-Health-Toxic-Age/dp/1538158078 or https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781538158074/Preserving-Brain-Health-in-a-Toxic-Age-New-Insights-from-Neuroscience-Integrative-Medicine-and-Public-Health

Microglial cells are responsible for sensing and driving the immune response in the central nervous system. Their activity, be it supportive or destructive, can be at the root of many different neuroinflammatory conditions including diseases like MS, ALS, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury), but may also play a large role in the vague hallmark symptoms of complex and chronic disease like brain fog, fatigue, pain, alertness and mood changes including OCD, ADD, and depression. Dr Singhal systematically walks us through an easily understood description of the types of cells in the brain (neurons, macroglia (astrocytes & oligodendrocytes), microglia) and their functions. The microglia are a fascinating type of neuroimmune cell that sense and act protectively in good times and then can change shape and release various cytokines, chemokine and neurotransmitters in response to the development of disease, which then impacts microglia function further. We used to only be able to see this on autopsy- there are no blood tests available to measure microglial activation (although neurofilament light chains (NfL) from neurons and glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) from astrocytes can reflect central nervous system cellular injury). But PET imaging can visualize microglial activation! Dr Singhal explains in elucidating detail the nature, function, and power of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging, like starting with the Big Bang, anti-matter particles, medical cyclotrons and gamma rays. “PET brings physics, chemistry and biology together in real time to provide novel insights at a cellular and molecular level”, including microglial activation. “If you know yourself and know your enemy, you'll win 1000 battles” is the way he describes what PET can do for neuroinflammatory conditions. We end the show with a discussion of treatment theories and options targeting microglial activation. It's a combination of re-evaluating known therapies (even the old antibiotic minocycline!) for their impact on microglia as well as mention of some novel therapies, including a nasal spray ‘vaccine' for MS. Of course, we bring up non-pharmacologic therapy potentials including exercise, the Ayurvedic perspective including panchakarma detoxification, the power of breathing to impact cerebrospinal fluid flow, ketogenic diet, and consideration of various adaptogenic herbs with the goal of supporting the immune system's intelligence.

Recorded on Friday, June 24, 2022, the day Roe v Wade was overturned by the United States Supreme Court, when safe full-scale reproductive health care responsibility was returned back to the states resulting in millions of women losing access to accurate information about safe reproductive care, this episode lays out the realities of abortion. We know this decision will inflict a range of dangers, even well beyond the simple forcing of women to continue undesired pregnancies with all of the physical, emotional and financial realities (the Turn Away Study shows mental health may recover but physical and financial outcomes are worse for women who wanted but had no access to abortion care). We know there is already an increasing frequency of delayed or denied miscarriage management, refusal to treat life-threatening pregnancy conditions like ectopic pregnancy, and fetal abnormalities not compatible with life that are forced to persist until their extensively painful and grueling end for both mom and fetus. Dr Anuj Khattar is a Family Practice MD who has traveled the country providing reproductive care to women. After witnessing child abuse in the emergency room during his training, he chose this specialty to prevent that by supporting women to be in charge of their bodies, including their reproductive choices. He found he loves doing this work because of the deep listening it requires. Dr Khattar has learned from his patients that abortion is never a decision taken lightly. Behind every decision is a carefully weighed thought process to go this route. He notes 90% of abortions occur in the first trimester (12-14 weeks) when the abortion pill (mifepristone and misoprostol) is safe and effective, and that the majority of abortions are women who are already mothers; these are women who are making an informed decision. In this episode, we discuss: The reason for an abortion is irrelevant; our judgment is irrelevant. Abortion care is health care. With the advent of medical abortion pills, which are available through the mail and are FDA approved through 11 weeks (with evidence & global experience showing likely safety up to 20 weeks), the post-Roe world is different than the pre-Roe world; see the documentary “The Janes” to understand more about that. The physical realities of abortion are demanding on a woman's body; beyond weight gain, fatigue, nausea/vomiting and connective tissue softening, there is a 20-30% chance of a Cesarean section (C-Section) delivering which is major abdominal surgery incurring any surgical risk and requiring recovery time that is not protected by any Federal paid parental leave program. Dr Khattar also discusses the medically unsound text he has been required to read to women in certain states during abortion counseling and busts many of the other myths out there. A conversation on contraception, which is NOT abortion, even Plan B which is available over the counter without a doctor's prescription. If the desire is truly to reduce or prevent abortions, our focus should be accurate, widely disseminated sex education, more social and financial opportunities for women, physical autonomy for women and access to contraception. It's a big show. It's a big deal. Let's stand up for ourselves & each other. Resources: Funding Abortions: https://abortionfunds.org/ Shout Your Abortion: https://shoutyourabortion.com/resources/ Abortion finder: https://www.abortionfinder.org/ Repro Legal Hotline: https://www.reprolegalhelpline.org/ Plan C Safe Home Abortion: https://www.plancpills.org/

Coming July 8th from Partyfish Media! Oops, All Franchises is a new movie podcast ranking film franchises and sequels to find the best IP there ever was! What makes a good sequel? Does it have to be a good movie? Does it improve on the original? Does a good follow-up have to reward the fans for waiting on the edge of their seat, decade after decade? We'll match each movie against each other based on entertainment, cultural impact, artistry, and more. Come with us on this journey through every film franchise we can find! Oops, All Franchises premieres on Friday, July 8th wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe now or follow us on Instagram at @oopsallfranchisespod. For full info on the show, head to partyfish.media/oopsallfranchises. See you in the multiverse! Oops, All Franchises Theme composed by Kurtis Skinner.

To Roar Like a Goddess is no joke and a responsibility not to be taken lightly. In this episode, Acharya Shunya rejoins us (see Podcast for Healing Neurology episode #42: Finding the Sovereign Self) for our first show together) to review some of the juicy bits of her new book, Roar Like a Goddess. We start with a definition of ‘goddess' and how the various goddesses have the purpose of revealing the various aspects of our authentic goddess nature. “Just as the moonlight is no different than the moon, the self is no different from the Goddess. We are one.” Telling the goddess stories about the power of Durga, the prosperity & ethics of Lakshmi, and the knowledge and peacefulness of Sarasvati remind us of our own inherent, indivisible raw power, intelligent discernment, and capacity for pleasure. This was written in the ten thousand plus year old Vedas- the songs of recognizing divinity everywhere- as well as the Upanishads, which instruct us on finding divinity within our own consciousness. And this is the first five minutes of the show. Seriously. This is a show to listen to over and over again. These are the teachings we need to find our footing in an unstable world, to wake up our sleeping inner goddess, and to make order in our lives by rooting deeper beyond self, gender, politics, individual or community. Honoring your goodness can be just as important as asserting boundaries, roaring with rage, questioning your generosity and even engaging in violence, with discernment, to not tolerate atrocities against vulnerable people, animals or planet. Acharya Shunya reviews concepts of dharma (right living and connecting to our humanity), artha (prosperity, wealth), kama (pleasure, including the right pleasure of sex) and moksha (liberation). These concepts are told through mythology, story with clarity, wisdom and humor. Tune in to remember the brilliance of your nature and find encouragement to hold the boundary only as thick as a blade of grass. Be like the Goddess- both sweet & salty. Resources: · https://www.acharyashunya.com/ · https://www.awakenedself.com/

Autism, ADHD, OCD, and PANDAS/PANS are some of the challenging neuroinflammatory conditions in growing numbers of children these days. While the conventional treatment has typically been pharmaceuticals and behavioral therapies, we are truly in the midst of a paradigm shift aiming at root causes and asking 'why' and 'how' for both cause and treatment. Innovations in medicine are bringing us new evaluation tools, nuanced diagnosis capabilities, and treatment options. Dr Emily Gutierrez, a seasoned pediatric psychiatric doctorally-prepared nurse practitioner in Austin, Texas, prioritizes these kids who need new approaches. We begin the show by walking through the names, diagnostic criteria, and developmental progressions of some of these disorders like PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections), PANS (Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome), and autism spectrum disorder, including their associated symptoms of anxiety, depression, and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). She delineates autism as kids with global delay who have never met milestones (consider genetic testing with chromosomal microarray and Fragile X testing) versus those with regression or later development of symptoms (consider environmental triggers). We review Dr Richard Frye's formula for regressive autism or PANS/PANDAS etiologies being 20% genetics + 80% environmental triggers, including oxidative stress (aka total toxic burden of metals, infections, mycotoxins, poor elimination), methylation deficiencies, and mitochondrial dysfunction. She notes, "Psychiatric symptoms can have an immunological basis that needs to be ruled out before sticking a kid on a medication. Maybe the med is amoxicillin instead of prozac." We get far into the details with these physiological processes. This is an exciting conversation about understanding root causes, choosing treatment approaches and celebrating the inherent resilience of children. The earlier the intervention, the better the outcome. She emphasizes that these conditions are not the fault of the child or the parents and that it is somewhat a war of attrition, meaning, staying with it is the best way to support kids long term to become their best selves. For the benefit of our kids and society as a whole, we all need to heed the call to approach children with neuroinflammatory conditions with fresh, science-based, evidence-backed eyes- listen in to learn what this means and how it can be done. Resources: Dr Emily Gutierrez's clinic: https://www.neuronutritionassociates.com/ Dr Emily Gutierrez's nutritional supplement line: NeuroNutrients (coming July 2022!) Dr Emily Gutierrez's book link: The Parent's Roadmap to Autism (2018) MAPS: Medical Academy of Pediatric Special Needs for clinicians TACA for parent support: The Autism Community in Action

Season 3 of Save The D8 drops this June 16th! All new characters with all new adventurers and... a brand new player, Shane Regan! People are getting abducted from their homelands and trapped in a prison with no name. Prisoners are kept under substandard conditions and either executed or forced to work for the prison when their time comes. Four of these prisoners plan to escape this terrible place and find their way home! Find your way this June 16th on Save The D8: Epoch. Subscribe and listen to Save The D8 wherever you get your podcasts, and get full info on the show at https://partyfish.media/savethed8pod

Karyn Schwartz is a community herbalist what starts out with exactly what we need to know about herbalism, "If you are interacting with plants in any way, you are doing herbalism. If you are cooking with plants in your kitchen, you are doing herbalism. If you are making tea, you are doing herbalism. If you are sitting and listening to the grass, you are doing herbalism. There are so many ways to have relationships to plants and we are bound to them- we are always in relationship to plants. There's no oxygen without plants. We're not here unless we are in relationship to plants. Even before we talk about the consumption or utilization of plants, we have to recognize we are wholly dependent on the plant world for our existence." From there, we have a wide-ranging conversation about the ways in which relationships with plants can inform our experience in life. Karyn shares how she met different plants, like the high joy being around buckets of basil and the experimenting with making ink from choke-cherry juice. Although she didn't grow up encouraged to be close to plants, her persistence, curiosity and humility helped her learn bit by bit what this relationship is and how knowing plants makes us more human. Find more about the Sugarpill Apothecary here. And on Instagram here.

Welcome to the World of Pokémon! Beyond The Ball is the premiere Pokémon research podcast! Join Professors Braden and Will each episode as they read all of the entries for a single Pokémon (selected at random) and try to reach a broader understanding of it and the wider world it inhabits, striving to make sense of the natural world of Pokémon, one Pokédex entry at a time! You can find more info on Beyond The Ball on the Partyfish Media website at https://www.partyfish.media/beyondtheball, and listen now where you get your podcasts! New episodes every Monday!

Dr Howard Weiner has been evaluating neuroinflammatory diseases for over forty years now. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is his main target, but in the show today, you'll hear how comparing the causes and courses of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), and glioblastoma can tremendously deepen our insight into all of these neuroinflammatory conditions together. Dr Weiner is a story-teller (and film maker! ‘What is Life? The Movie”) who starts with a description of the four types of cells that make the brain into the brain: neurons, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and microglia. Then it's on to the details: MS is white blood cells entering the brain triggering inflammation, while abnormal protein accumulation is the hallmark for Alzheimer's (amyloid & Tau proteins), Parkinson's (alpha-synuclein in the dopaminergic areas), and ALS (TP protein and others). As we wind our way through the immune system, Dr Weiner shares their surprise at finding MS has a pathologic B-cell component. Antibody-oriented diseases can be addressed with what's called monoclonal antibody drugs, many of which are used for MS therapy (and 1000's of other ‘mab' drugs for other autoimmune diseases). We then turn to the concept of using vaccines for autoimmune conditions. By priming the immune system, we can change the way it reacts to threat & inflammation- these are being considered for both Alzheimer's (Protollin from bacteria) & MS (stimulates T cells to dampen microglial activity). This is followed with discussion about the links between the brain & the gut/ microbiome and the gut/brain axis impact on neurological disease. He notes even certain cancer therapies that work better or worse dependent on the microbiome. He lays out the challenges of large-scale trials which often don't yield game-changing success stories but can still be of great value on the secondary analysis to tease apart the patients that did gain benefit to then work backwards judging if other similar sub-set patients could be served by said intervention. This serves for some of the upcoming potential treatments in current trials including aspects of xenon gas, 40Hz flickering light for Alzheimer's (https://www.alz.life/), ibudilast, inhaled cromolyn to control microglial inflammation, and/or stem cell injections into the spinal cord. Dr Weiner ends by recognizing the frustration and fear that these neuroinflammatory conditions can inspire, but emphasizes the importance of having hope and the incredible gains we've made, which will continue, especially in treating MS, over the past 40+ years. Resources: · Dr Weiner's Lab website: https://weinerlab.bwh.harvard.edu/?page_id=154 · Book: “The Brain Under Siege, solving the mystery of brain disease, and how scientists are following the clues to a cure” by Dr Howard Weiner, MD (2021) · Book: Curing MS: How Science is Solving the Mystery of Multiple sclerosis (2005) · Movie: What is Life- the Move: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxUFD1UsCpc

Dr Aly Cohen. MD and environmental health specialist (and very entertaining speaker), gives us the full low-down about our drinking water in the U.S.. She starts out describing how the 160,000 treatment plants in the US make up ~80% of our water sources and are bound only to the regulations, restrictions and testing from the Safe Water Drinking Act of 1974. At that time, and since, it's only federally required to test for 91 known toxic chemicals; 95,000 chemicals have been introduced into our environment since the 1950's, leaving 94,909 untested for in our drinking water, at least 1000 known to be endocrine disruptors (most others are not tested so, for the most part, we don't even know their impact). She reviews some of these in detail (including a review of why endocrine disruptors are called 'disruptors'. What is in our water is cumulative of everything that goes down our drain- pharmaceuticals, metals in pipes, dead animals and literally anything that gets flushed down your toilet or washes into sewers including industrial chemicals and farm run-off. When that is 'purified', it's often done with other chemicals- chlorine or flourine, etc, that often isn't removed after it does its cleansing action. She also notes the variability of the wastewater quality can intimately depend on the day, including any climate events like floods, that also flood the wastewater plants. This is one way that climate change can directly, day by day, impact our water quality. So what to do?!? First of all, avoid chemicals in all ways possible (check out Dr Cohen's website (https://thesmarthuman.com/), TEDx talk "How to Protect Your Kids from Toxic Chemicals" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSCeP0hyuTI), Smart Human Podcast (https://thesmarthuman.com/podcast/) and her Instagram, Twitter & FaceBook page (https://www.facebook.com/TheSmartHuman/). We then do the deep dive into water filtration with the highest recommendations for reverse osmosis (including how this is the minimum set standard for dialysis water used with patients). Listen in! It's not an option! This is information that we need to hydrate our bodies & grow & protect our babies' development, and age with grace. It's water!

Despite being born into an Ayurvedic culture, Dr Anup Mulakaluri, ND, didn't seek out Ayurvedic training until his mom gained medical benefit this ancient science. As soon as he started his training, he knew he was at home and brings the cozy comfort of Ayurveda to each patient he sees and the teaching he does, like in our show today. He starts out describing Ayurveda as 'a system of healing, a way of life, a spiritual practice and as a functional medicine'. He then dives into how we can understand ourselves through our doshic makeup, meaning the three components of our constitution termed vata, pitta, and kapha. With his clear definitions and descriptions of how to stay balanced, lovingly shares what to do when it's hard to wake up in the morning, for example. We then shift to the Ayurvedic perspective of neurology. He describes the nervous system is the action arm of consciousness, where choices are made. He discusses the innate connection between the nervous system and the gut as they can be connected through vata dosha and 'vatagati', meaning 'vata goes there'. Dr Mulakaluri unfolds the beauty of Ayurveda to meet the patient exactly with what they need. Typically with neurological disease, primary treatments are to apply soothing oil topically with massage but also internally with ghee, oils, and fatty animal tissue like cold-water fish in the diet. He explains how the lipophilic nature of oil allows it to penetrate through membranes to address neurological tissues. From here, Dr Mulakaluri reviews a few cases with treatments given for a patient with Parkinson's Disease, a patient with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). In brief, he also reviews the incredible and unique process that is Ayurvedic panchakarma for detoxification, cleansing, restoration and rejuvenation. Panchakarma is the tool for hitting the reset button. He bravely answers our question about 'why does Ayurveda work for neurological conditions'. This was such a relaxing show to record and we are thrilled to offer you this look into Ayurveda today. For more information about Dr Anup Mulakaluri, ND, and his clinic, Natural Rhythms Ayurvedic Naturopathy: https://ayurvedicseattle.com/ Parkinson's: AV Mungale, et al. Role of Panchkarma and Shaman Chikitsa in Parkinson's Disease. World Journal of Pharmaceutical research, Vol. 10(2), 1430-1437. Verma J, et al. An Open Clinical Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of Shirobasti and Nasya with and without Levodopa in the Management of Kampavata w.s.r. to Parkinson's Disease (PD). Research & Reviews: A Journal of Ayurvedic Science, Yoga & Naturopathy Volume 8, Issue 3. Sagar M. Bhinde, Kalpana S. Patel,1 Virendra Kumar Kori,1 and S. Rajagopala. Management of spastic cerebral palsy through multiple Ayurveda treatment modalities. Ayu. 2014 Oct-Dec; 35(4): 462–466. Multiple Sclerosis: Shailesh VD, et al. Effect of Ayurvedic and Panchkarma treatment in Ashti Majja Gata Vata: A Case Study. J. of Ayurved and Holistic Medicine, Vol. 5 (6), Nov-Dec. 2017. Guillain-Barre Syndrome: Nakanekar, Amit et al. “An ayurvedic approach in the management of Guillain-Barre syndrome: A case study.” Ancient science of life vol. 35,1 (2015): 52-7 Myasthenia Gravis: Ashwini HA, et al. ROLE OF PANCHAKARMA IN MYASTHENIA GRAVIS– A CASE STUDY. Int. J. Ayur. Pharma Research, 2018;6(3):61-65. Vidyasagar, Prashanth A.S. A critical understanding of Myasthenia Gravis and it's Treatment in Ayurveda. Int. J. Ayur. Pharma Research, 2018;6(8):55-61

Marilyn (Micki) Maes, MS. RT, (R), (MR), (f), CRT, is a radiologic technologist, professional educator, researcher, 3D quantitative analyst, consultant, and manager with over 15 years of experience in performance and training regarding diagnostic imaging. Prior to her last 6 years at CorTech working with the Neuroquant, which is a specific type of volumetric analysis and report regarding cognitive decline, she was director at Stanford's 3D quantitative radiology department doing manually what CorTech reports now do digitally. This show walks through brain/head imaging from A-Z, or should we say from X-ray to CT, to MRI, to PET and back through circulatory vessel imaging including CTA (CT-angiogram) and MRA/MRV (magnetic resonance angiogram & venograms). She brings to light how the imaging study is done, what body structures are best seen with each test, types of dye (iodine vs gadolinium), contraindications and which clinical situation is best elucidated by which study (for example, Parkinson's and dopamine with PET scanning or how & why cancer lights up with gadolinium). Micki then dives into nitty gritty details of what is being seen (or not) with the CorTech Neuroquant report comparing volumetrics as applies to long-COVID brain fog, Alzheimer's, hippocampal asymmetry, ventricular sizes and global atrophy. She also reviews imaging abnormalities with MS and vascular abnormalities. This information can be hard to find and especially difficult to understand. Micki teases apart what type of information is sought with the various imaging options. More information about the Neuroquant reports can be found at the CorTech website. Cortech: https://www.cortechs.ai/

Dr Virtaj Singh, MD, gives us the physical medicine and rehabilitation perspective of the hypermobile body. We start out talking about how 'hypermobility' presents, starting with the various joints that can get hypermobile (spoiler alert: it's all of them). He explains how lax ligaments may trigger muscles to tighten in order to protect a vulnerable joint which is why sometimes treatment is to loosen muscles and sometimes treatment is to tighten ligaments as a way to address a root cause of pain. We review the various stages of dysfunction including acute, subacute and chronic stages and how to look for microscopic injuries that might not be visible on imaging. Dr Singh explains looking for the what, the how and the why- the cause- of pain and dysfunction versus just trying to dull pain with opiates. He walks through a broad range of treatment options top to bottom- medications (anti-inflammatories vs muscle relaxants vs tricyclic antidepressants like amitriptyline/nortriptyline, low dose naltrexone, opiates), physical and occupational therapies, steroid injections, prolotherapy (injections to tighten ligaments as some say 'scar it down'), IMS (Intramuscular Stimulation which is sort of like 'if acupuncture and massage therapy had a baby'), trigger point injections, PRP (platelet rich plasma), stem cell injections into joint spaces, and surgery (fusion/ fixation). We discuss CCI, craniocervical instability, as one possible trigger for many of the global symptoms of neuroinflammation and that it's a very dangerous area from an interventionalist standpoint; Dr Singh refers to the Centeno-Schultz Clinic in Colorado for injection treatments Sprinkled throughout are tips and pearls for understanding the different joints and their role in supporting your full body. Dr Singh walks through various conditions, placing imaging studies like MRI in their proper context- not as diagnostics, but as supports for the physical evaluation of the patient. We finish with a discussion about fixation & fusion surgeries and then recap what is hypermobility and how to think about it when trying to address pain. Jump on board- this is a thorough discussion about physical treatments for the hypermobile body that you don't want to miss. Find Dr Virtaj Singh at Seattle Spine & Sports: http://seattlespine.com/seattle #hypermobility #EhlersDanlosSyndrome #hypermobilitysyndrome #EDS #chronicillness #mecfs #chronicdisease #pain #chronic pain #chronicfatigue #chronicallyill #chronicpainwarrior #chronicfatiguesyndrome #spoonie #spoonielife #spoonies #spoonieproblems #jointpain #jointhealth #regenerativemedicine #medicine

Tami Hafzallah hails originally from Cairo, Egypt, and found her spirit grounded & home-grown through her explorations of Yoga and Ayurveda. In this podcast, she brings us along on her journey originating in a curious & contemplative childhood, through psychology studies in college that triggered her introduction to Yoga, breath work, meditation and self-discipline. "Yoga is here to liberate me." Her drive to be of service to humanity drove progressively deeper through experiences all over the world with Vedic sciences: music, chanting, ancient texts, Jyotish (Ayurvedic astrology), and bhatki, which means devotion. Bhakti is the style of practice that spoke most to Tami across the decades of her journey and has sustained her through years of parenting, working, breathing and living. "The truth of being a householder in the world is that we can't spend all the hours in the day in spiritual awareness, but we can be in devotion." She quotes Jack Kornfield's book, "After the Ecstasy, the Laundry." She shares with us one of her personal favorite mantras, 'begin again' because the nature of being human is honoring recurrent imperfection. We then discuss Tami's brilliant approach to attending to your Ayurvedic constitution during a group Yoga practice. Tami's grasp and application of the science to the daily life is palpable, regardless of wrestling toddlers into pants or on retreat abroad at a spiritual retreat. "This is my practice. My body is changing and this is my practice." Hearing her story is inspiring. Listening through her humility is an honor.

Dr Alessandro Bitto is a researcher at the University of Washington who studies biological aging, mitochondrial function and metabolic disease. He walks us through the history, current thinking and some of the experimental data of cellular senescence, including the role of DNA damage and telomeres, some of the senolytic drugs (quercetin, Dasatinib and others), and how different cells effect senescence differently, like epithelial cells vs neurons vs immune cells. He talks about the root of cancer being cells that escape cellular instructions. From this foundation, Dr Bitto layers in the role of mitochondria with deep explanations of metabolism as the summary of actions that cover the cycles of catabolism and anabolism- the breaking down of our food, water and oxygen intake into their individual constituents and then the process of building membranes, organelles, cells, tissues, organs, etc. He discusses the actions with the mitochondria which govern oxidative phosphorylation including the Kreb's cycle (aka Citric Acid Cycle) and the electron transport chain and the importance of membranes to govern the passage and connection of these elements to do the work. We discuss macronutrients (fats, carbohydrates and proteins) as well as the vitamins and minerals that act as co-factors. Next, Dr Bitto links mitochondrial activity with aging. Dr Bitto then shares the research he's been personally working on, which revolves around the impact on aging (in mice) by rapamycin, acarbose and butryrate. Of note, acarbose and butryrate are active in the gut and suddenly, here we see the direct link between the gut, the mitochondria, and biological aging- wow! Listen in for a ride through the science and research of metabolism, mitochondria and aging.

Prisca Nwizubo is a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner who found herself most at home working with mental health and illness in innovative ways including especially with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and runs Eastside TMS Wellness in Washington State. She brings us through her journey that starts in a public area in Nigeria at age 6 years old seeing a group of mentally ill people being mistreated by their guards or caretakers, all the way through to this cutting-edge modern TMS technology. She walks us through the process that includes consultation, mapping to target the neural location, and then the 'tap tap tap like a woodpecker' sensation of their 18-minute treatment. This is an FDA-approved treatment, generally covered by insurance and lasts across 36 sessions. TMS seems able to reach illness patterns where and when medications might not. While mental health conditions like depression and anxiety are obvious treatment targets, TMS has also been used for Bell's Palsy, Circadian Rhythm disturbances and other sleep issues. If you have been looking for a treatment option to complement therapy and medications (or possible replace medications or reduce the number of necessary medications), listen in to hear all about Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. Find our more about Prisca Nwizubo and Eastside TMS Wellness: https://www.eastsidetmswellness.com/ Contact Prisca directly at (425) 919-6826.

Ms Hiba Jameel grew up in Iraq during the Gulf War and transitioned from coming to the US as a refugee to studying Blue-Zone longevity & nutrition including the biomarkers regarding mTor & IGF1 during her Masters training at Tufts University. She paints us a gorgeous table of sitting at her grandmother's table as a child with the fruits, nuts, vegetables and spices of the Iraqi table and moves through her understanding of people through her understanding of food, nutrition and the world 'healthy'. Her love of food is palpable and it's evident especially in her respect for the variety of diets in Blue-Zones around the world. She's sharp on policy as well and lays into our food policies that are driving national health vulnerabilities. As she talks about her art and creativity which was present in her since childhood, she lights up again. This is a wide-ranging show about art, culture, trauma, nutrition, emotion, policy, inequities, and health, all as told through the warm and sweet voice of Ms Jameel that truly represents the ways in which we can choose healing from diverse aspects of our lives. Enjoy! Contact Ms Jameel for nutritional consultation: hjameel2019@gmail.com.

Dr Alissa Zingman is a physician board-certified in Occupational & Environmental Preventative Medicine. Prior to medical school, she was a professional dancer & pilates instructor. She also has a connective tissue disorder called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Hypermobility Type, or hEDS, which makes her one of every 5000 people who may be functioning like 'canaries in the coal mine of biomechanics'. She's had five orthopedic surgeries, several herniated discs in her spine and had to leave her orthopedic surgery residency to pursue intensive rehabilitation for her spine & pelvis. Being a physician did not shield her from the medical neglect and abuse that is unfortunately common amongst hEDS patients and advocacy remains one of her passions. In this episode, we hear about her story from both sides- the patient as well as the clinician perspectives for this condition which is garnering growing awareness. Learn which clinicians to seek out, how wide-ranging effects can be (think heart valves and blood vessels and immune miscommunications resulting in conditions like MCAD (Mast Cell Activation Disorder) as well as joints & skin stretchiness), diagnostic issues & criteria, a global approach to treatment (organize, stabilize, mobilize, dynamise), what type of therapies might be helpful (including prolotherapy & PRP), some of the medications that are used, and how and why EDS/ HMS dysfunction might be on the rise (hint: pollution!!). She knows it all! Come listen to learn the nuances of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Resources: PRISM Spine & Joint: https://prismspineandjoint.com/ Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Research Foundation at https://edsrf.org/

There are more neurons in the gut than in the spinal cord. WHAT?! Dr Katja Kovacic is a pediatric gastroenterologist who specializes in the gut-brain connection especially through the perspective of the autonomic nervous system. She discusses the complex and difficult to treat functional gut disorders including IBS, cyclic vomiting syndrome, gastroparesis and chronic abdominal pain. Her experience is extensive. She describes the symptoms that come along with these conditions and some of the testing to diagnose these conditions. We then spend the second half of the show discussing treatment options. Dr Kovacic starts with a simple listing of some of the medication options (many for migraine and mood) and then we go deep into neuromodulation options. These can be vagal stimulators, deep brain stimulators, and sacral and tibial neuromodulation. We then turn our attention to the IBStim, an auricular (ear) neuromodulator that is FDA approved for IBS. Dr Kovacic shares her experience with hundreds of patients in clinic and in research. Our last device discussion is about the Safe & Sound Protocol which is acoustic neuromodulation (music therapy) based on Steven Porges work evolving the Polyvagal Theory. Finally, we review how hypermobile disorders, including Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, are inherently linked to altered autonomic activity with 90% of patients suffering from severe gut dysfunction- this is where the research is going next, and she describes a number of the studies being run through her clinic at the University of Wisconsin. These are incredible common but ultimately complex conditions being blown open by Dr Kovacic's unique approach for understanding, diagnosing, treatments and research into these neurogastroenterologic conditions. Listen and learn. Find more about Dr Kovacic & see some of her other lectures: https://childrenswi.org/physician-directory/k/kovacic-katja-k

Alan Cash got curious about why our energy pathways fail us. Armed with an MS in physics, he's found himself innovating commercial production methods for oxaloacetate, a metabolite in the citric acid cycle that sits squarely within our mitochondria and are fundamental in producing the ATP that fuel every energy-requiring process in the body. In this episode, we review the nitty gritty details of energy production from the perspective of how oxaloacetate (brand names Benagene and Jubilance) can impact us from the systemic perspective. We don't typically discuss one commercial product on our show, but we have many patients using oxaloacetate and wanted to give a much more complete picture than we can in a clinic visit. Taking oxaloacetate has been shown to decrease NF-kB activation, reduce fasting glucose by ~25% (research from the late 1960's), increase NAD to NADH ratios, increase AMPK, decrease emotional symptoms of PMS (as the product Jubilance) and favorably shift cellular redox. Preliminary data from Mr Cash's current research is showing reduction in fatigue for CFS/ME patients. Remarkably, oral oxaloacetate seems to be able to cross the blood brain barrier (it's a very small molecule!) and can decrease brain glutamate levels. Most remarkably, taking exogenous oxaloacetate can mimic caloric restriction and has increased the lifespan of laboratory animals. It's been used in doses ranging from 100 to 6000mg daily (like for glioblastoma) and has been well-tolerated even at high doses. It's important to know that the commercial products Benagene and Jubilance contain the same ingredients: 100mg of oxaloacetate stabilized by 150mg of vitamin C. To answer another common question, there's no mechanism to turn oxaloacetate into the undesirable 'oxalate' compound in the human body. This tiny molecule really can pack a molecular and anti-inflammatory punch- listen in to find out more! Resources: https://benagene.com/ https://jubilance.com/ Oxaloacetate to reduce emotional symptoms in PMS: placebo-controlled, cross-over clinical trial with 48 women (2020): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7073356/ Safety and target engagement profile of two oxaloacetate doses (500mg & 1000mg twice daily) in 15 Alzheimer's patients (2021) showed the higher dose increased frontal & frontoparietal brain glucose & glutathione per FDG PET scanning despite no changes in serum levels or cognitive scoring. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32715609/ Oxaloacetate activates brain mitochondrial biogenesis, enhances the insulin pathway, reduces inflammation & stimulates neurogenesis (2014) in mice injected with 1-2g/kg once daily dosing x 1-2 weeks. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25027327/ Oxaloacetate supplementation increases lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans (roundworms) by 25% median & 13% maximal lifespan through an AMPK/FOXO-dependent pathway (2009). https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1474-9726.2009.00527.x Oxaloacetate: A novel neuroprotective for acute ischemic stroke (2012) via modulation of the glutamate pathway which would also be applicable for other types of brain injury, like TBI (traumatic brain injury). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22085530/ Neuroprotective effect of oxaloacetate in a focal brain ischemic model in the rat (2015) through pathways of glutamate scavenging. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24807461/ Neuroprotective effects of oxaloacetate in closed head injury in rats is mediated by its blood glutatmate scavenging activity (2009). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19543002/ Effect of alpha-ketoglutarate & oxaloacetate on brain mito DNA damage & seizures (2003). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12749815/ Oxaloacetate acid supplementation as a mimic of caloric restriction: https://benthamopen.com/contents/pdf/TOLSJ/TOLSJ-3-22.pdf

Yoga was one of the key tools Olympic-hopeful snowboarder Kevin Pearce found to reorient to himself as able, connected and calm after his severe head injury on a practice run in January 2012 left him comatose for weeks. Despite high-tech and caring medical attention, devoted family support and extensive neurorehabilitation, Kevin's identity remained rooted in his life as a professional athlete and snowboarder for years after his accident. After traumatic brain injury (TBI), however, we may not return to our 'former' self and the struggle to find our new self, identity and value is a worth search. In response to the benefits Yoga inspired for Kevin & his family, they founded and run the LoveYourBrain Foundation which develops research-based, practical and FREE, accessible programming offering Yoga back to the TBI community. Kyla Pearce (Kevin's sister-in-law), Yoga professional and PhD/Post-Doc trained researcher serves as Senior Director of Programs for LoveYourBrain. In this episode, she reviews their three types of programs (Retreats, Yoga, and Mindset Online), the research behind them and the principles and values that drive them. "Yoga is a about coming home to yourself" which can be mobility, community-building, stress coping, relaxation, athleticism in strength and balance and/or simple curiosity about self. These programs have been offered at 65 Yoga studios and 25 hospital/neuro-rehabilitiation facilities across the US and Canada. In total, just about 10,000 individuals with TBI have been served with LoveYourBrain programs. All programs are designed based on the science of resilience, including the growth vs fixed mindset discussed by research Carol Dweck of Stanford and the 10 principles of resiliency by MDs Dennis Charney & Steven Southwick of Mt Sinai Icahn School of Medicine in New York. Programs focus on reframing the difficulties of the TBI experience as a springboard to greater connection to self and potential as a human. It's resiliency over recovery and it's an inspiring program to learn about. Please engage with them at whatever levels best serves you personally and share widely as their in-person programs begin to ramp back up with the (fingers-crossed) quieting of the COVID-19 pandemic. Resources: https://www.loveyourbrain.com/ More about Carol Dweck: https://profiles.stanford.edu/carol-dweck?tab=publications More about the 10 principles of resiliency from Drs Dennis Charney & Steven Southwick: https://icahn.mssm.edu/files/ISMMS/Assets/About%20the%20School/Leadership/CRTV-3841-ICAHN_Charney_10StepPrescription_Resilience_Infographic_Nov_20.pdf

Dr Shae Datta, MD, is a Sports NeuroTrauma Neurologist and the current Director of Concussion & Neuro-Cognition at New York University, Langone. Dr Datta specializes in helping people heal from brain injuries, especially including traumatic brain injuries and concussion (also called mTBI = mild traumatic brain injury). In this incredible episode, we wind our way first through the anatomy and physiology of the central nervous system, meaning the brain, spinal cord and associated microglia, astrocytes, relay neurons and the glymphatic clearance system of the CNS. Dr Datta then illuminates an understanding of the gut-brain axis with a special focus on psychbiotics, naming some of the specific types of probiotics that impact mood, cognition and the nervous system. She notes, ‘unhappy gut = unhappy brain'. The show returns to prognosis after brain injury and that every head injury is a unique story and very dependent on functional level, age, stress, co-morbidities, prior TBI and history of migraines. She reviews a bit of the TBI evaluation, which, barring a bleed in the head visible on CT, can often present with subtle findings regarding balance and ocular or vision changes that can potentially reflect outsized cognitive, sensory and/or motor challenges. We end the show with an exploration of a wide variety of treatments, some common (physical and occupational therapy) and some unique to Dr Datta's integrative training: choline, creatine, vitamins and others. Learn more from Dr Datta from her co-authored chapter on TBI in the Integrative Neurology textbook in the Andrew Weil Series: https://www.elliottbaybook.com/book/9780190051617 To see Dr Datta as a patient, find her at NYU Langone: https://nyulangone.org/doctors/1720493141/shae-datta

As the daughter of a public school teacher/administrator and an electrical engineer, who was also the commander of the local Black Panther Party, Nzinga was raised as an advocate who always knew she would become a doctor and a teacher. In medical school, her world was upended by a psychiatry rotation that drove her into mental health care within the context of social & political factors. Compassion, connection, and relationships drive health. Coming correct to substance use disorder treatment means bringing the compassion and resource we offer cancer patients and the biological, social, & cultural interventions we use to manage the lifelong chronic illness that is diabetes. We wouldn't drop off a newly diagnosed diabetic who just spent 5 days in the ICU stabilizing their blood sugar into their old neighborhood without medication, education, and connection to ongoing care and social support because this doesn't make any sense. Why do we do this with people suffering with substance use disorders? With joy, humor incredible wisdom, and a take-no-prisoners attitude, Nzinga points out how perceptions of safety or threat (not necessarily present-day reality as intergenerational trauma informs current day perceptions) can drive behavior. We discuss ‘safety pie' and how equity means the hungriest person gets the biggest piece and some people might not get any today because they had a lot yesterday and just don't really need it. Nzinga pulled all of this brilliance together into the company she founded & runs, Eleanor Health, which offers wrap-around harm-reduction care for people with substance use disorders. Lest you think she's an idealistic hippie, you have to know that in its first year open, Eleanor Health reduced hospitalizations by 85% for its served population- better than you find with any pharmaceutical. Please listen to this show- the majority of us have people in our lives who have suffered or are suffering in various stages of substance use disorders. Learning how to come correct and that Eleanor Health is available in multiple states across the country is elemental for us to heal ourselves, each other and our communities. https://www.eleanorhealth.com/ http://www.nzingaharrisonmd.com/