As you may recall Myisha spoke with us in season 7 about Crohn's Disease and season 10 about Asthma.   We are running this week's episode as a re-run of her asthma interview.  Myisha is a passionate dedicated advocate she’s received proclamations from states for recognition of her advocacy and IBD awareness.  Besides her challenges with Crohn's, Myisha has a daughter with severe asthma and is here today to discuss her daughters' journey.

​Patients with severe asthma use the highest dose of inhaled corticosteroids plus a second controller and/or oral corticosteroids. However, despite using high dose medicines, reducing risks, and following their treatment plan, many times their asthma remains uncontrolled. Severe asthma is categorized into three types: allergic asthma, eosinophilic asthma and non-eosinophilic asthma.

On this week's episode we are talking with Dr. Cornish about Neuro complications in Chronically Ill Patients.  Dr. Cornish, a highly regarded physician, provides integrative medicine services to a diverse global patient community. Currently serving as the Functional Medicine Director of the Amen Clinic East Coast Division, she specializes in autoimmune diseases, hormone imbalances Lyme disease, autism, environmental toxicity, gut imbalances, neurology and various other chronic conditions. Employing a holistic approach, Dr. Cornish identifies the root causes of health issues within the body's biological systems, offering comprehensive treatment to both adults and children. Her treatment philosophy is integrative and evidence-based.

Within Amen Clinics, Dr. Cornish has been instrumental in developing the Neuroinflammatory Intensive program—a two-week inpatient initiative addressing neurological complications arising from chronic infectious diseases, mold illness, and other chronic inflammatory conditions including brain imaging. 

Dr. Cornish's educational journey includes earning honors at Brown University for her undergraduate studies and obtaining her medical degree (M.D.) from Brown University Medical School. She further refined her skills through a family medicine residency at Georgetown University.

 As a Howard Hughes Medical Fellow, Dr. Cornish conducted translational research at the National Human Genome Research Institute NIH, working under the guidance of Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D. She currently serves as the treasurer of the board for the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society,

Acknowledged as an authority in her field, Dr. Cornish was honored as Northern Virginia’s Top Doctor for family practice in 2021 and 2022. She has also been recognized by Continental Who’s Who as an Exceptional Woman in Healthcare, highlighting her professional excellence at Amen Clinics.

Beyond her clinical practice, Dr. Cornish is passionate about education, regularly conducting webinars to inspire medical professionals and patients to better understand functional medicine. Her aspirations include contributing to research on Alzheimer’s, Lyme Disease, and pediatric autoimmune diseases, with plans to write a book detailing her experiences. She is also a proud mom of triplets.

For more information, please visit www.amenclinics.com.

 Hormonal imbalance is this week's topic, and our guest is Dr. Dan Murauski.

As humans we are all made of the same set of biological systems but how those systems interact with one another is unique to each individual.  Dr Murauski believes that the goal of a patient physician relationship is to develop an understanding of the unique variables within each system and how they interact with one another in order to optimize health and create longevity.

Dr. Daniel Murauski’s path to functional medicine began with his roots in his undergraduate education in biomedical engineering.  Inspired by understanding the body as dynamic systems, he completed medical school at Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and went on to complete his residency in family medicine at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, IL.  Throughout his journey he developed a fondness for yoga and became intrigued by philosophies that promote wellness.  Dr. Murauski successfully earned his certification from the American Board of Integrative and Holistic Medicine.  During his studies with ABIHM he discovered a systems based approach to wellness in the practice of functional medicine, and ultimately found his true passion in a practice that combined his engineering background with his experience in integrative medicine. He is a member of IFM and A4M and believes strongly in the continued advancement his knowledge base.

Using a goal oriented approach, Dr. Murauski works in collaboration with his patients to find and treat the root causes of disease and reestablish wellness. His interests include GI diseases, Immune dysregulation, and hormone dysfunction.  He further provides integrative approaches to health optimization and cardiometablic disorders including diabetes, hypertension, elevated cholesterol, and heart disease.  By establishing a relationship based in trust and education he strives to make his patients active partners in their journey towards wellness. Ultimately working to optimize each individuals’ unique interplay of their biological, mental and spiritual make up and to create an environment where one can heal and take control of their well-being.

This week we discuss the differences between conventional western medicine, functional medicine and complementary medicine.  We also will touch on the 42 different subsets of conventional medicine.

Western medicine refers to the traditional healthcare practices commonly used in the United States and much of the world. It relies on evidence-based methods to diagnose and treat symptoms and conditions. Healthcare providers in Western medicine use scientifically proven techniques to improve overall health. Examples of Western medicine include blood tests, X-rays, dietary changes, prescription medications, and surgical procedures.

Complementary medicine, on the other hand, involves treatments that supplement traditional Western medicine. These additional therapies are used alongside conventional treatments. You might also hear terms like “alternative medicine” or “holistic medicine” when referring to complementary approaches. Essentially, complementary medicine aims to enhance the effectiveness of Western medicine by incorporating other healing modalities.

In summary:

• Western medicine: Evidence-based, scientifically proven methods.
• Complementary medicine: Used alongside Western medicine to supplement treatment options

This week we will discuss childhood trauma with author, speaker, and Licensed Clinical Social Worker Shari Botwin.  Shari has been practicing since 1996 and is a certified trauma expert treating those with eating disorders, anxiety, depression and trauma. She’s here today to talk about her work helping individuals recover from childhood trauma.

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Few of us will escape our lives without some sort of trauma—some more or less severe than our peers. Whereas previous discussions around trauma were conducted only on therapists’ couches or in private diaries, they are now being more normalized. With this decrease in stigma, we are paving the way for more possible healing.

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Family-of-origin trauma is a form of trauma that comes from our home—from the place where we are programmed to want to feel safe. If this environment feels unsafe during our developmental years, it affects everything from our personality and how we feel about ourselves, to our future relationships, and even our relationship with food and substance use (Mandavia, 2016). (Credits: Mandavia A, Robinson GG, Bradley B, Ressler KJ, Powers A. Exposure to Childhood Abuse and Later Substance Use: Indirect Effects of Emotion Dysregulation and Exposure to Trauma. J Trauma Stress. 2016 Oct;29(5):422-429. doi: 10.1002/jts.22131. Epub 2016 Sep 13. PMID: 27622844; PMCID: PMC5064859.

This week we will discuss the warnings some medications carry due to the dangerous side effects they may cause.  In the past these were called "Black-Box" now the term used is simply "boxed".

Boxed warnings apply to certain medications that carry serious risks for the person taking them. The FDA decides which medications require boxed warnings.

A doctor must review the risks and benefits of a medication with a boxed warning before prescribing it. They will decide whether a medication is safe to prescribe based on a person’s health conditions, any medications they take, and other important factors.

This article will discuss boxed warnings, the types of medications that have boxed warnings, and how to discuss risks with a doctor.

Our topic this week is Lupus and how doctors are frequently considered to be gaslighting the patients in their care.  

Our guest knows from first-hand experience that when you’re relatively healthy, you tend not to think much about ‘wellness.’ But when this slips away and lupus comes barreling in… your world gets rocked.

That’s why she wrote the book, The Girlfriend’s Guide to Lupus, to help other women struggling with this chronic disease feel less alone and more empowered to take control of their health and manage their lupus.

Amanda holds an Master’s degree in counseling and owns Wonderment, a stress reduction and mindfulness training company. Oh, and Amanda and her oldest daughter both have lupus, which drives her absolutely crazy. When she’s not planning her next travel adventure, she’s drinking hot tea, walking her sweet dog in Raleigh, NC, and giving book suggestions to anyone willing to listen.

This week we will discuss Multi-Organ transplants with Zachary Colton.  Zach is 35 years old and recently underwent a successful 5 organ multivisceral intestinal transplant surgery at the Toronto General Hospital in his home country of Canada. The organs he received were: stomach, small intestine, colon, liver, and pancreas.  

In 1954, the kidney was the first human organ to be transplanted successfully. Liver, heart and pancreas transplants were successfully performed by the late 1960s, while lung and intestinal organ transplant procedures were begun in the 1980s.

​From the mid-1950s through the early 1970s, individual transplant hospitals and organ procurement organizations managed all aspects of organ recovery and transplantation. If an organ couldn’t be used at hospitals local to the donor, there was no system to find matching candidates elsewhere. Many organs couldn’t be used simply because transplant teams couldn’t locate a compatible recipient in time. 

​Since that time UNOS was created in order to provide guidance to patients and physicians in the US with a goal of providing a more equitable base for individuals in need of transplanted organ(s).

​The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is a non-profit scientific and educational organization that administers the only Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) in the United States, established (42 U.S.C. § 274) by the U.S. Congress in 1984 by Gene A. Pierce, founder of United Network for Organ Sharing. Located in Richmond, Virginia, the organization's headquarters are situated near the intersection of Interstate 95 and Interstate 64 in the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park.

• Managing the national transplant waiting list, matching donors to recipients.

• Maintaining the database that contains all organ transplant data for every transplant event that occurs in the U.S.

• Bringing together members to develop policies that make the best use of the limited supply of organs and give all patients a fair chance at receiving the organ they need, regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, religion, lifestyle, or financial/social status.

• Monitoring every organ match to ensure organ allocation policies are followed.

• Providing assistance to patients, family members and friends.

• Educating transplant professionals about their important role in the donation and transplant processes. (CREDITS: Wiki)

• Educating the public about the importance of organ donation.

This week we will discuss Ectoparasites.  The CDC says: "Although the term ectoparasites can broadly include blood-sucking arthropods such as mosquitoes (because they are dependent on a blood meal from a human host for their survival), this term is generally used more narrowly to refer to organisms such as ticks, fleas, lice, and mites that attach or burrow into the skin and remain there for relatively long periods of time (e.g., weeks to months). Arthropods are important in causing diseases in their own right, but are even more important as vectors, or transmitters, of many different pathogens that in turn cause tremendous morbidity and mortality from the diseases they cause.  

Over 200 years ago Louis Pasteur was born in Dole, France. Among Pasteur's major contributions and their benefit to society, the most important is the heat treatment of foods and beverages to reduce spoilage and eliminate pathogens for consumers.

Probably the greatest achievement of Pasteur was the process that bears the name of this famous scientist who perfected the technique: pasteurization. For liquids, this process does not involve boiling the product to sterility but simply applying just enough heat (ie, par-boiling) to 50–60°C for a specified period to reduce spoilage microbes and potential pathogens. Pathogenic microbes have a lower heat tolerance than most other bacteria. Recognizing that many individuals, from the highly educated to the peasantry, were aware of the effect, it took someone like Pasteur to formalize this knowledge into specific time-temperature standards to assure consistency. 

Unpasteurized foods are sold even though they have not been treated with high temperatures. Foods that haven’t been pasteurized include: 

• raw milk
• some artisanal cheeses
• some unpasteurized versions of juices and meats

Many food safety concerns and a high risk of foodborne illness are associated with eating unpasteurized foods, although there may be a few benefits.

Still, evidence indicates that the health risks appear to outweigh any potential benefits in most cases.

Here are the benefits and downsides of unpasteurized food products.

Unpasteurized food is more likely to retain its organoleptic properties and may sometimes have greater nutritional value. The term “organoleptic properties” refers to the food’s taste, appearance, and smell.

Exposure to high temperatures during pasteurization not only kills harmful bacteria and viruses in foods. It may also negatively affect the nutritional quality, appearance, and flavor of the food.

For instance, some research demonstrated that pasteurization reduced the protective antibodies and immune-supportive vitamin C and zinc in donor human milk. 

However, other research shows that these nutrient losses in human milk are minor and that the benefits of pasteurization are greater than the risks. 

Unpasteurized foods are associated with the occurrence of foodborne illnesses from bacteria, such as Brucella, Cryptosporidium, Listeria monocytogenes, and antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

In particular, scientific literature frequently mentions that unpasteurized milk and dairy products are particularly high risk foods and common causes of these foodborne illnesses. 

These bacterial infections may last from days to weeks. Effects range from mild symptoms — like fever, diarrhea, vomiting, muscle aches, abdominal pain, and poor appetite — to severe outcomes like miscarriage and even death. 

Unpasteurized foods present even greater health risks and are more dangerous to people with compromised immune systems, such as older adults, pregnant people, young children, and those with health conditions like cancer.

Unpasteurized foods are slightly more likely to retain natural tastes, appearances, flavors, and nutrients, but they are strongly associated with foodborne illnesses. Evidence indicates that the risks of consuming unpasteurized foods greatly outweigh the benefits, especially for immune-compromised people.  (CREDITS)