Summary
In this episode of the Neuroveda podcast, host Gillian Ehrlich and guest Dr. Anjali Brannan delve into the intricate relationship between parenting and trauma. They explore various techniques for somatic trauma resolution, the importance of heartfulness meditation, and how Ayurvedic principles can guide parenting practices. The conversation emphasizes the significance of intuition, the integration of Ayurveda with allopathic medicine, and the healing potential of the mind-body connection. The episode concludes with a discussion on the importance of being aware of health implications, such as nickel allergies in medical treatments.
Takeaways
Parenting and trauma are intricately related and cannot be separated.
Somatic trauma resolution helps individuals process and heal from past traumas.
Heartfulness meditation can significantly improve mental clarity and emotional well-being.
Intuition plays a crucial role in parenting and decision-making.
Ayurvedic principles can guide healthier parenting practices.
Integrating Ayurveda with allopathic medicine can enhance patient care.
The body has an innate ability to heal when it feels heard and understood.
Practicing gratitude can shift family dynamics positively.
Awareness of health implications, such as nickel allergies, is essential in medical treatments.
Meditation and mindfulness can help reduce trauma and improve communication.
Bio: Anjali is a 2001 graduate of the acclaimed Ayurvedic Institute's Advanced Studies and Clinical Program (Gurukula) with world-renowned Ayurvedic physician Dr. Vasant Lad where she studied for 3 years.
She is also trained and skilled in Somatic Trauma Resolution, Lymph Drainage, Craniosacral therapy, hands-on Brain therapy, Fluid Articular Release for the joints, Arvigo Maya Abdominal Therapy, Polarity Therapy, LIIFT, Synergy Yoga and Dance.
Anjali volunteers as a teacher of Heartfulness Meditation whose system she has been practicing since 1994, and teaching since 2000. Anjali has also been the featured guest on several different TV & radio shows on health. Her practice has been part of the University of Cincinnati’s Alternative Medicine Rotation for Family Practice Medical Residents at the Clinton Memorial Hospital where medical students would observe her in her work to understand more about complementary medicine. She has also been an Ayurvedic panelist for a Masters Capstone project at the prestigious Brown University.
Since 2001, Anjali has had an active Ayurvedic practice and has been teaching classes in Ayurveda. She is the Director of the skilled team at the Ayurveda Natural Health Center in Dayton, Ohio.
Summary
In this episode of the Neuroveda podcast, host Gillian Ehrlich engages with Ayurvedic doctor and Waldorf educator Vanita Prachi Mararca to explore the principles of Waldorf education, its unique approach to child development, and the integration of spirituality and culture in learning. They discuss the importance of nurturing the head, heart, and hands in education, the role of nature in fostering resilience, and the critiques of Waldorf education. The conversation also touches on the traditional Gurukula system of education in India and concludes with Vanita's upcoming book release.
Takeaways
Waldorf education focuses on holistic child development.
The head, heart, and hands are integral to learning.
Cultural relevance in education is crucial for identity.
Mirror stories help children see themselves in narratives.
Window stories provide insight into diverse experiences.
Nature plays a vital role in child development.
Waldorf education emphasizes creativity over consumerism.
The teacher-student relationship is foundational in learning.
Gurukula education fosters deep connections with teachers.
Community involvement is essential in a child's education.
Bio:
Vinita Prachi Murarka is an Ayurvedic Doctor, Waldorf educator, and transformational guide who bridges medicine, education, and spirituality. Born in India and raised in the United States, she later returned to India to immerse herself in Vedic sciences, gurukula education, and esoteric wisdom traditions. With over a decade of experience in integrative health and education, she brings a unique lens on how Waldorf education nurtures child development—socially, emotionally, and physiologically. Vinita is the founder of Matre Sofia, an organization dedicated to soul-centered parenting and holistic family well-being. A storyteller, writer, and curriculum developer, she translates ancient traditions into practical approaches for modern families and health practitioners alike. She currently lives between Hawaii and Colorado, consulting, teaching, and guiding others in aligning health, learning, and wholeness.
Summary
In this episode of the Neuroveda podcast, host Gillian Ehrlich engages with Dr. John Berner, a Harvard-trained psychologist and neuroscientist, to explore the intricate relationship between mind and body in the context of mental health. They discuss the limitations of traditional medical silos, the importance of cellular communication, and the role of hormones in health. Dr. Berner introduces the concept of intersectionality in psychiatric treatment, emphasizing the need for personalized approaches. The conversation also delves into innovative treatments like rapamycin and the significance of understanding cellular interactions through advanced technologies.
Takeaways
Mind-body medicine should not separate mental and physical health.
The shift from Newtonian to quantum thinking is crucial in medicine.
Cellular communication is a localized and complex process.
Hormones play a central role in coordinating bodily functions.
Understanding evolutionary constraints can inform health practices.
Intersectionality is key in treating mental health conditions.
Rapamycin shows promise in extending lifespan and improving health.
Eavesdropping on cellular conversations can enhance treatment strategies.
Innovative technologies can measure cellular responses effectively.
Biology is complex and cannot be simplified into binary categories.
Bio
Dr. Jon Berner, a Harvard-trained psychologist, UCLA-trained neuroscientist and physician, and University of Washington–trained psychiatrist. With over 25 years in clinical practice, his work bridges rigorous neuroscience, psychiatry, and compassionate patient care. Dr. Berner’s publications span from the cognitive effects of cocaine and memory in schizophrenia to pioneering treatments with ketamine, rapamycin, and novel metabolomic approaches for mood and pain disorders. He brings a unique lens—uniting neural networks, biochemistry, and clinical psychiatry—to reimagine how we treat complex mental health conditions with both precision and humanity.
Kendyl Morris is an Advanced Clinical Hypnotherapist, Certified Integrative Medicine Health Coach, and Fertility Coach with over a decade of experience helping individuals, couples, and groups navigate their paths toward inner transformation and holistic well-being. With a deep understanding of the intricate mind-body connection, Kendyl specializes in helping clients regulate stress through tailored, evidence-based approaches that meet their unique needs.
Agenda:
What is it doing physiologically inside of us?
We are so excited to have Khai join our clinic!
Khairul Bhagwandin, EAMP, LAc—Seattle Met’s Top Acupuncturist for 2022, 2023 and 2025.
She offers expert care in facial rejuvenation, focusing on fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, acne, rosacea, scar reduction and hair loss
She brings a deeply integrative aesthetic approach that blends the best of Traditional Chinese Medicine with modern regenerative techniques including cosmetic acupuncture, micro‑needling, RF microneedling and tailored herbal and topical therapies
Bio: In her clinical work, Khai Bhagwandin has a Masters in East Asian Medicine from Bastyr University, which includes herbalism training as well as a licensed massage therapist. She specializes in holistic and regenerative beauty, offering treatments that support the body’s innate healing systems. She has been named a Seattle Met Top Acupuncturist three years and is currently launching her own herbal skincare line, Khairul Holistic Beauty, blending Traditional Chinese Medicine with hyperlocal ingredients sourced from her family farm in Southwest Washington. Outside of her practice, Khai lives life adventurously—snowboarding, mountain biking, climbing, and fire dancing—as well as making music with her band. She is also the founder of The Change Collective, an organization she launched in 2021 to advocate for marginalized communities in snow sports.
Agenda:
1. I know as much about aesthetics as I do about, say, space travel, which is to say I see other people doing it & don’t understand it. Talk to us about a natural & healthy approach to beauty that isn’t tabloid-driven. What is it to be beautiful?
2. And what does this mean treatment-wise? What makes a beauty treatment ’natural’ or ‘healthy’ vs a non-healthy beauty treatment? (this is a question about ingredients, products and interventions that might ‘hurt’ you but look good temporarily vs deep beauty).
3. Walk us through the range of beauty services that you offer, from simplest that is just the relaxation, to the most in depth series of treatments. What do you do in these visits & how are they structured/ scheduled/ personalized per client?
4. How do you pick the products you use? What do you avoid?
5. Tells us how you got interested in beauty & aesthetics?
6. Tell us about the rest of your knowledge base and training- acupuncture, pain management.
7. How does this square with your activism streak?
8. What other projects are you working on? What’s your latest passion interest?
Agenda:
1. What is Lyme Disease? What are the co-infections?
2. What is special or unique about these infections' vs any other infection, like the common cold?
3. Talk to us about the testing for these organisms. Why is it so confusing? Is there actually accurate testing?
a. Borrelia: FISH for all (but not available for all) but for: borrelia, borrelia genus for cousins, TBRF borrelia myomoti, hermensi, found in other regions
b. Babesi: FISH with all the strains or just otocoli
c. Bartonella henselae: FISH. At least 46-48 species, 13 can infect humans, only bits of testing.
d. T-Lab for FISH. Igenex also does some FISH testing.
e. To fill other holes: Vibrant TBP, Galaxy specific for bartonella
4. Talk to us about treatment. Let’s start with antibiotics & then move outwards- what’s the approach here with antibiotics?
a. Are antibiotics always needed?
b. Do anti-viral for anti-fungal have a role here?
c. What about ancillary treatments like disulfiram? Are there others like this?
d. What about mitochondrial supports, detox, and binders?
e. What about nutritional supports?
f. What about diet, lifestyle & the mind?
5. Where does chronic Lyme sit in the pantheon of other chronic infections like Long-COVID & EBV & Strep with PANS/ PANDAS? How much does treatment overlap for these diseases?
6. How much do environment (personal microbiome, community, environmental toxicity) & genetics contribute to the risk for developing or persisting chronic infections? How do you best like to assess or treat this?
7. Let’s talk politics for a moment: Why won’t many conventional clinicians recognize or treat chronic Lyme?
8. What’s up & coming in the Lyme world research & education-wise? Tell us about ILADS!
9. Where can folks find you & more about your practice?
https://drtaniadempsey.com/
Bio: Dr. Tania Dempsey, MD, ABIHM is a world-renowned expert in complex, multisystem diseases. As founder of the AIM Center of Personalized Medicine, in Purchase, NY, Dr. Dempsey uses functional and integrative medicine to get to the root cause(s) of illness and to help find the path to optimum health. Her extensive knowledge and experience with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, Mold, and Lyme and other Vector-Borne Diseases, has propelled her to the forefront of the medical community as a recognized and trusted speaker, researcher, advocate, and physician.
Dr. Dempsey is Board-Certified in Internal Medicine and Integrative and Holistic Medicine. She received her MD degree from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and her BS degree from Cornell University. She completed her Internal Medicine Residency at NYU Medical Center.
She was recently elected to the Board of Directors of ILADS (International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society). She is also a member of the U.S. ME/CFS Clinician Coalition, the American Academy of Ozonotherapy, and ISSWSH (International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health).
She is an accomplished international speaker, writer and thought leader and has 8 peer-reviewed articles in the medical literature. Her latest endeavor is cohosting the new podcast, Mast Cell Matters.
At the heart of Dr. Dempsey’s work is a commitment to patients who’ve long gone unheard.
Bio:
Dr. Jessy Dhanjal, ND is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor in California. He earned his Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine from Bastyr University in San Diego and holds a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from the University of California, Davis. During his time at UC Davis, he participated in the Emergency Medicine Research Associate Program at the UC Davis Medical Center, gaining early clinical experience in the emergency department.
Dr. Dhanjal has pursued advanced training in Functional Medicine through the Institute for Functional Medicine. His clinical interests include primary care with an emphasis on cardiometabolic health, autoimmune conditions, gastrointestinal health, and detoxification strategies for environmental toxin exposure.
Currently, Dr. Dhanjal serves as a Clinical Lab Educator at Vibrant Wellness, where he supports healthcare providers in understanding and applying advanced diagnostic testing to enhance patient outcomes.
He believes deeply in the body’s innate ability to heal and is committed to helping patients restore and maintain optimal health.
Summary
In this episode of the Neuroveda podcast, Gillian Ehrlich and Dr. Jessy Dhanjal delve into the complex topic of oxidative stress, exploring its definition, causes, and implications for human health. They discuss the balance between free radicals and antioxidants, the role of oxidative stress in chronic diseases, and how genetics and lifestyle factors influence oxidative stress levels and advanced testing methods for measuring oxidative damage and the importance of personalized treatment strategies to mitigate oxidative stress and promote overall health.
Takeaways
Oxidative stress is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants.
Free radicals are normal byproducts of metabolism and play essential roles in immune defense.
Chronic oxidative stress is linked to various diseases, including cardiovascular disease and neurodegeneration.
Genetics can affect how well the body handles oxidative stress and detoxification.
Lifestyle factors such as diet, sleep, and exercise can influence oxidative stress levels.
Advanced testing can provide insights into oxidative damage and guide treatment strategies.
Glutathione is a key antioxidant that helps neutralize free radicals.
Oxidative stress can be both harmful and beneficial, depending on its levels and context.
Personalized interventions based on genetic testing can optimize health outcomes.
Monitoring oxidative stress markers can motivate patients to adhere to treatment plans.
Dr. David Rakel Talks about the connection between good medicine and the Doctor-Patient connection
Bio: David Rakel, MD is professor and chair of the University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. Rakel joined DFMCH faculty in 2001. He founded the integrative health program (now known as the Osher Center for Integrative Health at University of Wisconsin-Madison) and received the Gold Foundation’s Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award, the school’s highest honor for excellence and compassion in care. His team worked with more than 50 clinical systems within the Veterans Health Administration to implement changes to make care more personalized, proactive, and patient driven.
An author of both academic and popular writings, one of Rakel’s missions is to communicate medical information in a way that is accessible to people of all backgrounds. He has published eleven books, including the Textbook of Family Medicine, Current Therapy, and Integrative Medicine, as well as peer-reviewed research on the impact of measures such as mindfulness meditation and the power of the therapeutic encounter. His 2018 book The Compassionate Connection focuses on how compassionate relationships can influence health outcomes.
AGENDA:
1. This podcast today is about good medicine being rooted in the doctor-patient connection. Let’s start with your study on the common cold, including the unexpected twist, which makes me cry nearly every time I tell your story.
2. Why is the patient-doctor connection so important? What is ’the clinician effect’ and its non-specific influences on health?
3. What does the research say about this? What research should we be seeking to understand and amplify this effect further?
4. What is the bare minimum we need to recreate this in a patient-doctor visit today? What would the ideal scenario be? Talk to us about some innovations in primary care delivery.
5. What are the examples in which you see this working well in the world today? What’s happening in the Functional Medicine world? What’s been the transformation that’s happened in the VA? Where else?
6. What advice to you give patients seeking to connect with their busy doctors? What advice to you give to clinicians, new & old, who yearn or ache for this but aren’t sure how to make it happen?
7. Let’s end on an optimistic note- what are some truths and magic that you’ve seen come out of an intact patient-doctor connection?
HER STORY
Dr 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 THRIVING
When 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:
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 improvement
What 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/cookbook
https://rachelriggs.substack.com/
https://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 panchakarma
6. 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.
🎧 The Podclass Revolution
That’s right: no traditional lectures, no PowerPoints. Just engaging conversations with industry leaders that spark ideas and challenge norms. Think cutting-edge topics, bold conversations, and real-world relevance—paired with a reflective process that lets listeners earn their credits with ease. And now, we're proud to say, our podcasts will help you fulfill your CE requirements.
Here’s the other cool part! When you decide you love what you just learned on one of our podcasts, you can share your affiliate link from the RNegade platform with your colleagues, you can earn revenue for every nurse who signs up and earns CE credits. You’re not just offering another CE option—you’re helping nurses break free from traditional learning and step into a new era of education that’s exciting, relevant, and practical.
RNegade is launching with a collection from our library and will be adding more episodes on a monthly basis. Here’s the incredible news . . . if you’ve already listened to one of our older podcasts in the library, you can still earn CE. As long as you’ve listened to the episode within the last 2 years, it qualifies as a CE credit.
Start listening, learning, and earning with RNegade today!
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.
takeaways
Today we discuss: Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) leaks
Agenda:
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 tissue
b. vasculature
c. central nervous system flow: CSF, lymph, blood
d. 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. Imaging
c. 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:
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 Affiliation
EnvironmentalStudies , Psychology,Health, and Community , PoliticalEconomy, Global Studies, and Environmental Justice , Foodand Agriculture
Fields of Study
AfricanAmerican Studies , Sociologyand Anthropology , PoliticalEconomy and Political Science , FoodSystems , FoodStudies , FoodJustice , EthnicStudies , CommunityStudies , Climateand Environmental Justice , Agriculture
Objective 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 power
b. Connection to self & planet
c. Connection to each other & then socialjustice movements – calling in vs calling out to challenge internalizedcolonialism
d. 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 signaling
Because 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 syndrome
b. SMAS: superior mesenteric artery syndrome(duodenal comp) (meat?)
c. Nutcracker: renal vein compression
d. May Thurner: iliac vein compression
e. Pelvic congestion syndromes including pelvicvenous insufficiency, vaginal/ labial varices
For each we talk about:
a. Symptoms
b. 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/
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.
For more information about CND Life Sciences: https://cndlifesciences.com/