functional medicine doctor Archives

A myriad of environmental toxins and heavy metals torment our bodies daily. These terrible toxins cause chronic illness and disease in living things. Humans ingest these heavy metal toxins in 3 ways: consuming pesticides in the foods we eat; inhaling pollutants in the air we breathe; and using chemical-laden beauty products on our skin and hair.

The exposure to environmental toxins can be so slow and steady that it doesn’t become recognized as a source of the illness. Since conventional medicine doesn’t look for the root cause of illness and only treats symptoms, you may never know if heavy metals are killing you. Since we can’t seem to avoid constant exposure to environmental toxins, we must continually detoxify our bodies to remove them before they wreak havoc on our bodies. Let’s identify the 5 heavy metals/environmental toxins that cause chronic illness.

What Are Heavy Metals?

Heavy metals lie throughout the earth’s crust and are naturally occurring elements. These metallic elements classify very differently from each other based on your body’s needs. Some heavy metals are actually essential nutrients such as iron, cobalt, and zinc and others are relatively harmless like ruthenium, silver, and indium. Heavy metals are systemic toxicants and cause chronic illness. These heavy metals are such as arsenic, aluminum, cadmium, mercury, and lead.

Arsenic

In the world of environmental toxins, arsenic qualifies as the most widely known, abundant, and lethal of heavy metals. Arsenic exists bountifully within the earth’s crust and in smaller quantities within the air, water, rock & soil. While a large amount of arsenic exists in the natural world, the majority is synthetic. The primary use of synthetic arsenic is in ammunition, auto batteries, electronic devices, semiconductors, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, and treated wood.

The most common route by which a toxicant such as arsenic can end up in our bodies is through environmental contamination by way of mining and agricultural practices. Arsenic travels through our water and ultimately to the soil where we grow our produce.

What Arsenic Does To Our Bodies

Arsenic is a type of heavy metal that can cause toxicity to our bodies at a cellular level. Overexposure can cause an array of terrible symptoms such as drowsiness, confusion, headaches, and gastrointestinal flu-like symptoms. It can also cause seizures, anemia, rupture red blood cells, and lower blood pressure. Those suffering can also experience neurological issues like brain damage, peripheral neuropathy, and edema, Arsenic toxicity poisons the cells and has the potential to cause chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, neurotoxicity, cancer in any part of the body, and ultimately death.

Aluminum

Aluminum is the most abundant heavy metal in the earth and like arsenic, is also present in the environment. Although aluminum is not usually harmful, exposure at high levels can cause some serious chronic health conditions. It is in our food, water, air, and soil so our bodies are exposed daily.

Overexposure can cause fatigue, confusion, speech problems, cognitive impairment, and seizures. Aluminum toxicity causes other more severe health problems including fractures, deformities, and slow growth in children. Chronic conditions that appear due to aluminum toxicity are muscle weakness, lung and nervous system issues, and anemia due to damaged iron absorption.

High levels of aluminum significantly impact bone and brain health. Not only can it increase the potential of brain diseases but can cause bone pain, bone diseases, and reduce bone remodeling capabilities.

Cadmium

Cadmium is a silvery, white flexible heavy metal also found in the environment. Most cadmium used today to create batteries, pigments, coatings, and platings and stabilizers for plastics.

Cadmium is not only damaging to the lungs and kidneys, but it also competes with zinc at all cellular binding sites, resulting in loss of enzyme activity. Breathing in cigarette smoke can cause smokers and non- smokers to accumulate dangerous levels of cadmium.

Mercury

We are exposed to the many different forms of Mercury in different ways. It exists in the earth’s crust and emits as a gas via volcanoes and mining or by way of evaporation from bodies of water. But humans do not become poisoned by mercury inhalation but by ingestion, especially through fish.

Mercury produces thermometers, batteries, lamps, amalgam tooth fillings, and prescription drugs. People exposed to mercury by way of eating fish containing methylmercury or breaking products containing mercury, including tooth fillings.

Mercury poisoning gives tremours, gingivitis, minor psychological changes, and even brain damage. Pregnant women can experience spontaneous abortion, congenital malformation, or development changes.

Long term exposure to mercury can affect both the functioning of the central as well as the peripheral nervous system and manifest as a host of symptoms including weakness and fatigue, depressed immunity or gi disturbances .

Lead

Lead has a misconception. It is only present in our drinking water because of lead pipes. While there are sometimes very clear symptoms of heavy metal toxicity such as lead poisoning in children, many symptoms of heavy metal toxicity may not be as obvious.

Lead also exists in personal care products and cosmetics. Our everyday exposure slowly builds up in our body tissues and has the potential to cause chronic illness.

Lead toxicity can be difficult to detect as high blood levels of lead can occur in even the healthy. Symptoms do not normally appear until a person has accrued dangerous levels, and even more strange, symptoms vary between infants, children, and adults.

Lead Poisoning In Infants Exposed Before Birth

Infants exposed to lead before birth can be born prematurely, have lower birth weight, and can experience slowed growth. This is whether the pregnant mother had experienced any symptoms at all.

Lead Poisoning In Children

Children are the most susceptible to lead poisoning. Those exposed to lead can experience irritability, abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, loss of appetite, weight loss, and fatigue. Worse cases can occur that exhibit developmental delay and learning difficulty, hearing loss & seizures in children.

Lead poisoning In Adults

Adults exhibiting symptoms of lead poisoning may experience headaches, concentration issues, mood issues, high blood pressure, joint pain, and muscle pain. Males can have reduced sperm count and abnormal sperm where females can miscarry, have stillbirths or premature birth.

With the serious health impact of heavy metals it is prudent for us to educate ourselves and avoid as many potential sources of these multi-system toxicants as we can. There are many resources available online (The Environmental Working Group and the Center for Hazardous Substance research to help you stay informed and safe.

We are exposed to heavy metals most often through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. If you are concerned or believe heavy metals are compromising your health, you may want to consider testing. The most accurate method of testing for total body burden of heavy metals is with a urine toxic metals test. The results can assist practitioners in recommending customized treatments to pull the heavy metals out of your body. Please contact the clinic if you are interested in learning more.

Author

Nora Kassay-Farkas is our Functional Medicine Health Coach and Natural Nutrition Clinical Practitioner at Linden & Arc Vitality Institute. Nora is pleased to provide nutrition consultations and Functional Medicine health coaching to you in your journey to wellness. She offers sessions for CIRS, Brain Health, weight loss, and supports Autoimmune conditions. Contact Nora at: [email protected]

There is an uncompromising connection between COVID-19 and the immune system. Having a supercharged immune system is proving to be our best defense against the virus. Let’s get into the heart of what COVID-19 is, how it spreads, and what supplements you can consume to heighten your immune system function. Before knowing how to fight or treat the virus, we need to better understand what is COVID-19.

What is COVID-19?

The Government of Canada states that the Human coronaviruses or COVID-19 causes infections in the nose, throat, and lungs. It is spread by touching your mouth, nose or eyes after touching respiratory droplets spread by an infected person. Let’s explore what to do to prevent COVID-19 from infecting our bodies.

What can we do to prevent COVID-19 from striking our Immune Sytem?

Just like with Influenza, the very best prevention from COVID-19 is washing your hands and not touching your mouth, nose, or eyes. This invaluable advice is only half the battle. let’s explore the best defense to stop COVID-19 in its tracks.

Your best defense to preventing COVID-19 is keeping your body healthy. Let’s supercharge your immune system with the proper vitamins and minerals and make it a new lifestyle!

Supercharging Your Immune System is Your Best Defense

Supercharging your immune system should be the focus of our everyday living. Let’s put it into perspective. If didn’t have an immune system, we would be fully open to the invasion of foreign bodies like viruses, bacteria & parasites, fungus & toxins. These invaders would overtake our bodies and we would be in a constant state of sickness. Pretty scary, huh?

A functioning, healthy immune system is always on the lookout for foreign invaders. These invaders are called antigens. Our cells, tissues, proteins, and organs all take part in the process. Our body responds, attacks, and rids them from our bodies. This is called immuno-response or immune system response.

Immune System Response

Our immune system responds by producing antibodies to fight the antigens. A copy of the antibody remains in your body for when the same antigen appears, which is why you get some diseases like measles, only once!

If our immune system is not functioning, your body will be open and susceptible to the myriad of diseases that come your way. A supercharged immune system can help fend off diseases, like COVID-19, or coronavirus.

Supercharging Your Immune System Response

How can we supercharge our immune system response? A healthy lifestyle is your immune system’s best friend. Here are 9 things you can do to raise your immune function and keep viruses like COVID-19 at bay.

Stop Smoking and reduce your consumption of alcohol
Reduce artificial sugar intake
Increase the consumption of fruits & vegetables.
Use essential oils with antiviral properties like oregano oil
Exercise daily
Sleep a minimum of 8 hours every night
Minimize stress and anxiety
Practice stress-reducing activities like meditation and yoga
Take the proper supplements

The Proper Supplements

At Linden & Arc Vitality Institute, our knowledgeable doctors can provide you with information about the proper supplements and doses your body needs for a thriving immune system. Amongst the many, 3 supplements stand out to supercharge your immune system: Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Magnesium.

Vitamin C and Immune System Function

Any infection at the cellular level experiences a higher level of oxidative stress and can have a destructive effect on the body. New studies on COVID-19 suggest that high-dose vitamin C is an effective treatment. Immune function is only one step to optimum health. Taking more vitamin C may not boost the immune system. We must look at the whole body’s health including gut health, hormone balance, detoxification, and treating underlying issues.

If you do not have enough Vitamin C in your diet, consider adding this to your health regimen. If you have a suppressed immune system, you might want to consider mega Vitamin C doses, monitored by a health practitioner. This along with other immune system boosting practices will hopefully keep COVID-19 away from you and your family.

Vitamin D-Light-ful: The Sun Source

This D – LIGHT – ful supplement is an incredible immune system booster. Most know that Vitamin D helps to prevent colds through the winter months. The lack of natural Vitamin D from the sun makes the winter months tougher. Colds and flu are prevalent in every household. It plays a huge role in activating immune cells or T-cells & macrophages that attack viruses and gives anti-inflammatory properties.

Vitamin D deficiencies can increase the risk of respiratory infections and the development of acute respiratory failure. COVID-19 is respiratory in nature, which puts humans at greater risk. Consider adding Vitamin D to your health regimen with the consultation of a physician.

Glutathione: The Mother of All Antioxidants

Glutathione is the “mother of all antioxidants.” Our bodies normally carry a bountiful amount and it exists in many of the foods we eat.

Find amazing sources of sulfur-rich foods in vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, asparagus & spinach, and allium vegetables like onions, garlic, shallots, chives & leeks. Don’t mistake the power of glutathione for healthy immune function.

As a boost to the effectiveness of the healthy foods you are eating, glutathione is found in supplement form as well. What are the right vitamin & mineral supplement doses for you?

Vitamin Supplements & Doses

It is virtually impossible to consume enough vitamin-rich food to keep our body’s immunity heightened. Supplements will be beneficial to fight off COVID-19.

Never underestimate nutrition and the bountiful knowledge of your physician. With your health history on hand and the knowledge of risk factors under their belt, their advice will be very beneficial to you.

If you believe you have COVID-19, get tested immediately, and quarantine for the recommended 14 days.

Please refer to The Key to Healing, where we explore the art of breathing, which helps respiratory function.

Immune Function is one of Linden & Arc Vitality Institute’s 7 Nodes of Healing (see picture below), our holistic approach to optimum health. Achieving the health of the mind, body, spirit & soul is the only way to practice medicine.

Take your health into your hands and contact us at [email protected].

The breath is a powerful source of transformation for brain health and breathwork is a practice that improves it. The rate and rhythm of the breath are intimately connected to our mental & emotional states (Brown & Gerbarg, 2012). Just as the emotions and the mind cause the breath to vary, by consciously controlling the breath, we gain control over our mind and our emotions (Trinity College Dublin, 2018).

Anxiety and Stress Eased by Breathwork

Combining this modality of breathwork with the eye gaze by noticing ten things in the room and mentally or aloud saying their colour and what they are, as well as pressing the feet into the floor, will activate your parasympathetic nervous system and bring you into a feeling of calmness (McKay, Wood, & Brantley, 2007).

Depression

On the other hand, when a person is feeling the depths of depression and despair, they may sigh a lot with almost a sense of defeat. The breath here is usually more in the belly. To bring more life force or prana into the body, it is recommended to sit up straight, lengthen the spine, and with an open mouth – breathing deep and forcefully into the upper chest. This activates the sympathetic nervous system and creates a sense of alertness and aliveness (Levine & Frederick, 2005). Taking breathwork one step further, raise both arms above the head as you inhale, allowing the eye gaze to follow the hands while keeping the chin level (Rosenberg, Rand, & Assay, 1987). Five to ten of these breaths and one will feel a tingling in the whole body, with the eye focus becoming clearer and a sense of elation.

How and why does this happen?

The respiratory system is one of the only major systems in the body which is usually involuntary but can be voluntarily controlled via attention (Levine & Frederick, 1997). The rhythm of our heart is thought to be another involuntary system, but if we want to, we can change the speed of our heart by modifying our breath. Should we slow down our breath, for example, this brings the body and mind into a state of calmness and relaxation, thereby slowing the heart rate.

The Breath: A Life Force

Breath is the life force that keeps us going; if we didn’t breathe, we would die. When we are able to control the breath with breathwork, we are able to moderate the way we feel in the moment and develop a sense of control over stress levels.

Your rate of breathing and state of mind are inseparable. Using a full yogic breath or other pranayama techniques reprograms your whole cellular memory (Khalsa & Lumpkin, 2015).

History of The Breath

For thousands of years, ancient wisdom techniques from the east have exalted the virtues of breath-focused practices, such as pranayama and meditation for their numerous cognitive benefits, including an increased ability to focus, decreased mind wandering, improved arousal levels, more positive emotions, decreased emotional reactivity, and many other benefits (Yates & Immergut, 2017).

What did they know that we are just now validating scientifically? Well, a new study by researchers at Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience and the Global Brain Health Institute at Trinity, Dublin explains for the first time the neurophysiological link between breathing, cognition, and emotion. The research shows that the way we breathe directly affects the chemistry of our brains in a way that can enhance our attention and improve brain health. This study focuses on changes in the levels of noradrenaline in response to the breath. Noradrenaline is a chemical messenger released in the brain when we are challenged, curious, focused, or otherwise emotionally aroused, and when we exercise. If produced at the right levels, it is essential to help the brain grow new connections (Trinity College Dublin, 2018).

Breathwork: A Scientific Study

Outlined here by a Ph.D. candidate at the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience and lead author of the study, Michael Melnychuk: “Practitioners of yoga have claimed for some 2,500 years, that respiration influences the mind. In our study, we looked for a neurophysiological link that could help explain these claims by measuring breathing, reaction time, and brain activity in a small area in the brainstem called the locus coeruleus, where noradrenaline is made. Noradrenaline is an all-purpose action system in the brain. When we are stressed we produce too much noradrenaline and we can’t focus. When we feel sluggish, we produce too little and again, we can’t focus. There is a sweet spot of noradrenaline in which our emotions, thinking, and memory are much clearer. This study has shown that as you breathe in, locus coeruleus activity is increased slightly, and as you breathe out it decreases. Put simply this means that our attention is influenced by our breath and that it rises and falls with the cycle of respiration. It is possible that by focusing on and regulating your breathing you can optimize your attention level and likewise, by focusing on your attention level, your breathing becomes more synchronized.”

Breathwork and Brain Aging

Even more exciting in this area of research was the understanding and uncovering of how breathwork and meditation may have an effect on the aging of the brain. Ian Robertson, Co-Director of the Global Brain Health Institute at Trinity College, Dublin, writes:

“Our findings could have particular implications for research into brain ageing. Brains typically lose mass as they age, but less so in the brains of long-term meditators. More ‘youthful’ brains have a reduced risk of dementia and mindfulness meditation techniques actually strengthen brain networks. Our research offers one possible reason for this — using our breath to control one of the brain’s natural chemical messengers, noradrenaline, which in the right ‘dose’ helps the brain grow new connections between cells. This study provides one more reason for everyone to boost the health of their brain using a whole range of activities ranging from aerobic exercise to mindfulness meditation.”

In sum, breathe deep! It’s good for your brain health.

References

Brown, R., & Gerbarg, P. (2012). The healing power of the breath: Simple techniques to reduce stress and anxiety, enhance concentration, and balance your emotions. Shambala Publishing.

Khalsa Kaur, J., & Lumpkin, N. (2015). Enlightened bodies: Exploring physical and subtle human anatomy. Kundalini Research Institute

Levine, P., & Frederick, A. (1997). Waking the tiger: Healing trauma. North Atlantic Books.

Levine, P., & Frederick, A. (2005). Healing trauma: A pioneering program for restoring the wisdom of your body. Sounds True Inc.

McKay, M., Wood, J.C., & Brantley, J. (2007). The dialectical behavior therapy skills workbook: Practical DBT exercises for learning mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance. New Harbinger Publications Inc.

Melnychuk, M.C., Dockree, P.M., O’Connell, R.G., Murphy, P.R., Balsters, J.H., & Robertson, I.H. (2018). Coupling of respiration and attention via the locus coeruleus: Effects of meditation and pranayama. Psychophysiology, 55(9). DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13091

Rosenberg, J.L., Rand, M, & Assay, D. (1987). Body, self, and soul: Sustaining integration. Humanics Publishing Group.

Trinity College Dublin. (2018). The Yogi masters were right — meditation and breathing exercises can sharpen your mind: New research explains link between breath-focused meditation and attention and brain health. ScienceDaily. Retrieved from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/05/180510101254.htm

Yates, J., & Immergut, M.. (2017). The mind illuminated: A complete meditation guide integrating Buddhist wisdom and brain science for greater mindfulness. Hay House Publishing.

Author

Charmaine Husum, DKATI, RTC, CT

DNA is a history book – a narrative of the journey of our species through time. A shop manual, with an incredibly detailed blueprint for building every human cell. It’s a transformative textbook of medicine, with insights. These insights give health care providers immense new powers to treat, prevent, and cure diseases.”

Genetics and Genomics

Gene study exists in 2 facets: genetics and genomics. Genetics is the study of single genes in isolation. Genomics is the study of all the genes in the genome, their interaction with each other, and with the environment. Each individual’s history book is full of possible stories. The stories tell of their influence by factors such as diet, lifestyle, emotional state, and environment.

In clinical practice, we are privileged to have the ability to hear what our patients are presenting with, or their story. We have the capacity to order testing to look at their phenotypical expression. The phenotypical expression describes what each gene is telling the body to say. In other words, the “stories” told. This allows not only to offer better treatment of existing concerns but also to tailor the prevention of future disease.

DNA: A Patient Study

I saw this first-hand through the story of one of my patients, JP. When we met, JP told me “I would love to find relief from the gut pain I feel daily… I can’t remember the last day I had without some bowel pain or issue like gas and bloating.” Alongside her severe digestive symptoms, JP expressed significant anxiety, fatigue toward the end of the day, fertility concerns, and cravings for sweets.

JP was a bright, young individual experiencing undue suffering every day. The issues left unresolved by conventional care were not only causing daily pain and discomfort but put JP at risk for developing serious illness in the future.

To get to the root-cause of JP’s suffering, I ran the following tests:

Enterolab

This uncovered hidden celiac disease, as well as casein (dairy) intolerance.

MRT LEAP

This showed 35 “reds” and “yellows” (food sensitivities), suggesting severe intestinal permeability.

GI Stool Effects

Showing SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) and various medication intolerances.

Neurotransmitter Testing

Showing imbalances that could aggravate and perpetuate her anxiety.

Heart Rate Variability

Showed a stressed system in need of rest and relaxation.

ION Panel

Her ION revealed numerous nutritional imbalances. These allowed for exploration into ‘nutrigenomics’, or how these nutrient deficiencies and imbalances affected JP’s gene expression and determined her health.

All of the above tests allowed for a greater understanding of the underlying imbalances that lead to JP’s debilitating symptoms. This allowed me to eliminate her lifelong digestive problems by cleaning up her gut, reducing her toxicity, balancing her hormones, and replenishing her nutrient depletions.

Her anxiety, however, began to worsen once her digestion improved. It was only in looking at her genome that I was able to finesse her diet and supplement program to heal her fully.

23andMe DNA Gene Test

Prior to the deciphering of the human genome, humans believed that once we knew the code of life in our DNA, we would answer all the questions related to the origin of disease. In reality, we learned that rather than disease being locked-in as hardwired “stories” in our genome, these characteristics included in our genes are dynamic. Each gene is in a constant dance with our environment, lifestyle, diet, stress level, and physical activity (or lack thereof).

In running the 23andMe DNA gene test, we uncovered genetic inefficiencies in methylation, neurotransmitter sensitivity (mood management), and nutrient usage (explaining the nutritional imbalances). We received information so we could optimize her diet and realized how to reduce her risk for the mood disorders most of her close family suffered from. The ability to improve her addictive behavior around sweets, and greatly reduce the risk of her developing the chronic illnesses she was particularly susceptible to getting.

Thanks to genomic testing, I was able to see where JP’s gene expression was hindering her healing journey. With that knowledge, we were able to build bridges where there were once roadblocks, and JP left my office with the gifts of vitality and robust health.

The Genomic Revolution and Paradigm Shift in Healthcare

“Our health and disease patterns are not hardwired by our genes, but are rather a consequence of the interaction of our genetic uniqueness with environmental factors.”
Jeffery Bland, PhD

Jeff Bland called this genomic revolution a paradigm shift in our model of healthcare from a deterministic, disease-centric model to a wellness-centric model. We assumed dominant and recessive traits were locked into our genes with no ability to change them. The assumption said that medicine existed to put a band-aid on symptoms and disease which we could not prevent or heal. Luckily, our new wellness-centric model asks not only “How do you get sick?”, but “How can you be well?”.

We are on a gigantic wave of a medical revolution, and genomics is at the heart of that wave. Let’s paddle out together and see where the riptides might be.

About the author:

Dr. Murfin is wholeheartedly focused on her life’s mission to help people heal and achieve extraordinary outcomes. She believes that health is more than merely the absence of disease. It is a total state of physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social wellbeing through the creation of a whole and meaningful life. Dr. Murfin leaves no stone unturned to determine the root cause of illness or imbalance.

My grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in his early 60’s so the subject of dementia is near and dear to me. I was only a year old when he died from the disease, but what strikes me about his illness is the fear that it has left behind for some of my family members. This is something I see commonly in my practice. Dementia, the word, can trigger very strong emotions in patients who have been touched by the illness in some way. It is terrifying to lose your ability to think, as this, in basic terms, defines who you are. This article will examine the old and new perceptions of dementia and cover the functional medicine approach to reversing it.

Dementia is debilitating.

Defining Dementia

In Canada, over 500 000 people are living with dementia. This number does not take into account undiagnosed dementia, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and subjective cognitive impairment (SCI). SCI is when you perceive yourself to have deterioration in memory (or other cognitive functions), but your cognitive screening tests are negative. MCI occurs when your screening tests are abnormal but not severe enough to be dementia. Typically you are able to function quite normally and adapt to the cognitive decline.

The success of improving cognitive decline through the Functional Medicine approach and the Bredesen Protocol is best in the SCI group, then the MCI and then dementia groups. The earlier you start your journey, the better. It is never too early to start looking after your brain.

Dementia: The Old

The thought of reversing dementia sounds like something from the future and most consider it a terminal diagnosis. Conventional medicine physicians tell patients there is nothing further that can be done and to get their affairs in order while the change in a loved one’s condition devastates families. Not only do they lose memory, but they also may have personality changes and lose independence in social, occupational, and financial domains.

In the 20^th century, Alzheimer’s and other causes of dementia were often diagnosed very late in the course of the illness and treated with medications, which are not very effective. They in no way improve function or recover “lost” neural activity. There is a loss of control and no hope of getting better.

What I’d like to share with you is that there is hope. More than hope.

Dementia: The New

Amyloid-beta deposition & neurofibrillary tangles cause dysfunction of neural networks and the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. We have known for some time but until now, we have not known why this occurs. With many years of research, Dr. Dale Bredesen and his team have finally been able to find the “why” of dementia.

They have identified 36 underlying triggers for amyloid-beta deposition and divided dementia into 6 broad categories, based on the cause. These are Type 1 “Inflammatory,” Type 2 “Atrophic” (or lack of nutrients and hormones), Type 1.5 “Glycotoxic” (sugar/ glucose regulation), Type 3 “Toxic,” Type 4 “Vascular” (blood vessel-related) and Type 5 “Traumatic.” What they have found is that amyloid-beta deposition is a protective response to these triggers but the removal of the amyloid-beta, without fixing the underlying cause, can do more harm than good. In any given patient, there is likely to be a contribution from each of these groups, but one or two often predominate.

Dementia and Genetics

Does genetics play a role in getting dementia? If this were true, then it is a waiting game that you have no control over. This is absolutely not true. Less than 5% of Alzheimer’s genes are of high penetrance and destine you to have the illness. The more common underlying genes that influence but do not always cause Alzheimer’s, are the Apo E4 genes, and genes can be tested. The number of copies of the gene may influence your risk of developing Alzheimer’s, but the beauty of 21st-century medicine is that we now know that epigenetic mechanisms are far more important than the gene itself. What this means is that the signals that you send to your genes will influence the way that they express themselves.

So through diet, exercise, stress management, curbing inflammation, managing toxicity and chronic infections, and healing the gut, we can improve the signals we send to our genes. When our brains are sent these good signals, they build synapses and brain function improves. The concept of neuroplasticity – the ability to change our brains- is very empowering.

Functional Medicine and Reversing Dementia

The purpose of functional medicine is to look at the root cause of illness. This makes it the perfect approach for reversing dementia. The Bredesen approach to brain health parallels the Core Nodes of Healing that we use in our practice. In conventional medicine, a doctor makes a diagnosis and gives a specific treatment or treatments focused on that specific diagnosis. Functional Medicine and Bredesen’s program maintains that many causes exist for any given symptom, and each underlying cause can lead to a number of different symptoms. In the management of these complex underlying causes, there are many focuses of treatment and each patient’s presentation is very individual, based on their underlying causes.

Bredesen refers to “36 holes in a roof”. If each underlying cause represents one hole in the roof, healing will not occur unless every hole is plugged. After plugging away at the holes, there is some synergism. This means plugging 10 holes can give the body enough momentum to start plugging the other holes. In other words, if you give the body enough help, it can start to heal itself. Genetics plays a role in dementia.

Since 2017, I have been a Bredesen Certified Practitioner. MPI Cognition was established to provide the research, support, and information to make this approach available to all. Dr Bredesen has created a RECODE report (REversing COgnitive DEcline), which is a software program that can be accessed online by interested patients. You would select me as a practitioner and pay a $75 USD monthly fee to be part of the program, with a 1 year commitment. This is to ensure continued compliance with the program because it can take at least many months to start making progress. This fee is separate to our usual clinic fees.

Your Next Steps

The next steps are crucial. First, I will gather your history during your initial consultation. Every piece of information I can gather about you helps complete this puzzle. Your family history, your mother’s health while pregnant with you, and every detail of your health through your life. This is so I can pinpoint where the triggers to your current health may have come from. We then gather further information through more tests which allows us to populate the RECODE report and prioritize your treatment. Next, we provide a list of recommended tests. You are able to choose as many as you are able to do. Even if all tests are not done, the RECODE report can still be completed but will be most accurate with the most information. Part of the initial intake includes baseline cognitive testing, which is tracked over time.

Once your individual management plan is identified, a multidisciplinary approach is taken. Nutritionists, exercise therapists, neural retraining, intravenous treatments, supplements, and meditation training are all possible aspects of your treatment.

So, with my family history in mind, what have I done to prevent the development of this devastating disease? I have identified my genes and my triggers and am working towards optimizing each of the 6 categories, mentioned above. I look forward to working with patients and families to optimize brain and total body health rough clinical and personal experience with Functional Medicine, and the Bredesen Protocol.

Resources:

https://lynnemurfinmd.com/lynne-murfin-bio/dr-michelle-van-der-westhuizen-functional-medicine-physician/For further information please contact us.

Visit: https://www.mpicognition.com/programs/report/ and https://www.drbredesen.com/copy-of-the-bredesen-protocol-tm for more information on the Bredesen Protocol.

You can also read Dr. Dale Bredesen’s book entitled “The End of Alzheimer’s”. I recommend this for those who have a family history of dementia, notices cognitive issues in themselves, or knows someone with dementia. It is truly enlightening and empowering.