As mentioned in the prior article discussing dysfunctional metabolic pathways leading to autism, autism is becoming alarmingly prevalent, and the list of potential triggers to investigate is just getting longer. In today’s article, connections between other immune disorders and autism take us away from the metabolic pathways to look at how immune disruption in allergic…
Functional Medicine aims to build on a firm foundation of root cause therapies so that our patients can look forward to long term recovery from chronic illness. When we see conventional medicine employing those same principles in research and potential clinical applications, we applaud their efforts. In this example of innovative utilizations of how our…
Extroverts generally love being the center of attention, and if mast cells are extroverts, they’re very happy right now, because they are getting a ton of attention from researchers and headlines. While mast cells have been around in our bodies for centuries and known for decades, the past 10 years seem to be the decade…
Whether you stand on the conventional side of medicine or the functional side of medicine, we all love research that supports what we already believe and do. There can be a risk of confirmation bias from only acknowledging study findings that we like, but as studies uncover the actual mechanisms of a supplement’s actions, we…
As researchers search for the yet to be discovered mechanism behind schizophrenia, they have traced some cases of this psychiatric condition back to an autoimmune connection- at least in mice. As with many neuropsychiatric diseases, multiple different triggers can lead to similar symptomatic pictures for the person afflicted. The search for answers and therapies requires…
Much of our time in providing functional medicine care is spent in establishing balance in a patient’s body. Too little or too much of just about anything can be bad for the person sitting across from us. Take salt for example. It has gotten such bad press relating to blood pressure and heart disease that…
We have known for some time that various autoimmune conditions increase the risk of heart disease, but no big picture of the connection has ever been attempted. These cardiovascular risk factors have always taken a backset to the traditional risks of diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. This research paper sought to bring the big picture…
While the epidemic of diseases associated with inflammation rages, many search for explanations and mechanisms. With a little epidemiological sleuthing, one can quickly see a pattern linking dietary issues and higher rates of these inflammatory diseases. Many know that cardiovascular disease offers a number of links with poor nutrition lifestyles. Fewer recognize the nutritional choices…
While mold toxins, mycotoxins, affect us in a variety of ways, their effects on the immune system seem to be a primary pathway. Though controversy exists over things like “toxic building syndrome”, research clearly supports immune modulating effects of these toxins. Researchers in a November 2021 volume of the International Journal of Molecular Science reviewed…
The COVID 19 pandemic has hit us all like a real life fast-paced mystery spy thriller. Medical news has never gotten the media attention like this virus and the hoopla around it. Regardless of your opinions on the source of the virus, motives of the players, or response to COVID, we can all agree that…