Woman with stomach pain after eating,Hand female holding her belly,Food poisoning,Digestion problems,Close up

Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EOE): A Deeper Look at Antecedents, Triggers, and Mediators

Functional Medicine for Professionals16 Comments

My first EOE patient in the early 2000’s was fortunately, already diagnosed by a very savvy Yale gastroenterologist. I hadn’t heard of EOE at that time, but quickly learned about this highly challenging and potentially disabling mixed IgE allergic condition. It was clear immediately that functional medicine was the solution, and despite my lack of awareness of EOE, I had much to offer my first patient. Since then, we’ve seen more and more EOE patients in clinical practice, unfortunately, due to the meteoric rise of this condition. Fortunately, our tools continue to benefit.

Cardiometabolic Disease

How Gut Health Impacts Cardiometabolic Disease

Functional Medicine for Consumers, Functional Medicine for Professionals2 Comments

As research on gut barrier function and gut microbes (aka the gut “microbiota”) expands, more is realized about the interconnectedness of the human body.  One of the surprising areas is in the way that an unhealthy microbiota is a key driver of obesity, fatty liver disease, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiac risk.

Furin

The Furin Protease Connection: From SARS CoV-2 and Anthrax, to Diabetes and Hypertension

COVID-19, Functional Medicine for Professionals6 Comments

Earlier this year, Coutard et al proposed that the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein (S) contains a furin cleavage complex (FCC) which was likely playing a role in the pathogenicity of this particular virus. Fast forward a few weeks, and some further connections can be made with relevance for how we might interpret risk and choose interventions…

Menopausal hormone therapy MHT inscription and pills.

In Pursuit of Best Practice: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)

Functional Medicine for Professionals7 Comments

I have practiced medicine for more than 30 years. Throughout, I, like most of you, always wished I had more time to read. My wish came true! This past year, I had the opportunity to roll up my sleeves, dig in, and really understand the literature. Literature on what? In addition to being a cardiovascular disease (CVD) expert, I wanted to continue my growth and development as a hormone expert. I wanted to know everything I could about hormones, hormones in health and disease, hormones in both men and women, hormone dosing, delivery systems, and monitoring, such that I could educate myself, fellow clinicians, and patients. And that is exactly what I have done.

Ayurvedic Mulethi or Liquorice root stick or jeshthamadh powder

Licorice-packed with flavonoids and other active constituents-it’s a potent antiviral worthy of your consideration

COVID-19, Functional Medicine for ProfessionalsLeave a comment

Licorice has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) since time immemorial as a key ingredient for pandemic formulas. It was a component in TCM formulas for SARS Cov-1 prevention and treatment. Along with astragalus, it is the most frequently used botanical in TCM formulas for SARS Cov-2 prevention in China. Multiple clinical trials have…

SARS

A few additional treatment possibilities in COVID19 (SARS Cov-2) addressing furin-like cleavage and pyroptosis (caspacin-1 activation of inflammasome NLRP3)

COVID-19, Functional Medicine for Professionals5 Comments

The cytokine storm seen in SARS Cov1 and Cov2 might be due to chronic pyroptosis activation. However, known activators of NLRP3 in SARS-CoV differ from CoV2.  While SARS Cov1 and COVID19 are genetically very similar, the extraordinarily high rate of infectivity of COVID19 is unique. Prepublication research suggests the cause might be a unique furin-like cleavage site on the spike protein of Cov2 that was absent in Cov1.  

Eosinophilic Esophagitis

Eosinophilic Esophagitis in a 16yo Female: A Case Report

Case Studies, Functional Medicine for Professionals2 Comments

Allie was 16 years old when she first presented in my office with episodic abdominal pain in the lower right quadrant, onset 6 weeks prior, ranging from 2 to 10 on a visual analog pain scale (0=no pain, 10=worst possible pain). Her pain was not associated with reflux, fever, or blood in her stools. Allie had a prior diagnosis of eosinophilic esophagitis (EE), however treatment with diet and a proton pump inhibitor had not been successful.