the HUB - Hawthorn University's Blog

Watch Understanding Fatty Acids: From Food to Labs with Deanna M. Minich, MS, PhD, FACN, CNS, IFMCP

While there is much acknowledgment of the essentiality of omega-3 fatty acids within clinical nutrition, there is less knowledge about the fundamentals of all the different fatty acids, their clinical importance, how they interrelate, and their connection to fat-soluble nutrient levels. This lecture is designed to bring clinicians "up-to-speed" on the basics of fatty acids and to discuss the interpretation of various laboratory findings related to fatty acids, clinical conditions, fat-soluble nutrients, and nutrition physical exam findings.

Deanna M. Minich, MS, PhD, FACN, CNS, IFMCP joins us for the webinar presentation Understanding Fatty Acids: From Food to Labs. Dr. Minich's webinar is now available for review in our archives HERE.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the interrelationships of fatty acids;

• Understand how to take away basic clinical pearls from fatty acid laboratory tests;

• Review tests and clinical signs to assess fatty acid balance;

• Learn how to connect the dots to fat-soluble nutrients, and some basic nutrition physical exam findings.

This presentation is targeted towards Entry to Mid-Level health providers.

Dr. Deanna Minich is a functional medicine-trained clinician and researcher with a unique approach to clinical medicine that combines physiology and psychology. She has served on the Institute of Functional Medicine’s Nutrition Advisory Board and curriculum committee, in addition to being an educator, teaching nutrition for the Advanced Practice Module for Detoxification. Her academic background is in nutritional science, including a Master’s Degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Illinois at Chicago (1995), and a Ph.D. in Medical Sciences (Dissertation: Essential Fatty Acid Absorption and Metabolism) from the University of Groningen in The Netherlands (1999). In conjunction with her academic degrees and extensive teaching experience at the university level, she is both a Fellow (F.A.C.N.) and a Certified Nutrition Specialist (C.N.S.) through the American College of Nutrition. Dr. Minich has over fifteen years of experience working in both the food and dietary supplement industries. In addition, she spends her time as a Board member for the American College of Nutrition and as adjunct faculty at the University of Western States. She is the author of six books on nutrition, wellness, and psychology, and is passionate in helping others to live well using therapeutic lifestyle changes.

Dr. Deanna Minich is a functional medicine-trained clinician and researcher with a unique approach to clinical medicine that combines physiology and psychology. She has trained in functional medicine for the past decade with the “Father of Functional Medicine,” Dr. Jeffrey Bland, as her mentor, and has served on the Institute of Functional Medicine’s Nutrition Advisory Board and curriculum committee, in addition to being an educator, teaching nutrition for the Advanced Practice Module for Detoxification. Her academic background is in nutritional science, including a Master’s Degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Illinois at Chicago (1995), and a Ph.D. in Medical Sciences (Dissertation: Essential Fatty Acid Absorption and Metabolism) from the University of Groningen in The Netherlands (1999). In conjunction with her academic degrees and extensive teaching experience at the university level, she is both a Fellow (F.A.C.N.) and a Certified Nutrition Specialist (C.N.S.) through the American College of Nutrition. Dr. Minich has over fifteen years of experience working in both the food and dietary supplement industries. In 2014, she led The Detox Summit, an online event featuring 30 experts on detox, which was attended by almost 70K people worldwide. Following The Detox Summit, she collaborated with the Institute for Functional Medicine to lead 3000 people through The Detox Challenge, a 21-day, online, functional medicine-oriented, holistic detoxification program. Results collected from almost 700 people in this program indicated a significant improvement in all body systems. Her book, Whole Detox: A 21-Day Personalized Program to Break Through Barriers in Every Area of Your Life (HarperOne, 2016), was published in March 2016. In addition, she spends her time as a Board member for the American College of Nutrition and as adjunct faculty at the University of Western States. She is the author of six books on nutrition, wellness, and psychology, and is passionate in helping others to live well using therapeutic lifestyle changes.

Books

• Essential Fatty Acid Absorption and Metabolism (Ponsen & Looijen, 1999);

• An A-Z Guide to Food Additives: Never Eat What You Can’t Pronounce (Conari Press, 2009);

• Chakra Foods for Optimum Health: A Guide to the Foods that can Improve Your Energy, Inspire Creative Changes, Open Your Heart, and Heal Body, Mind, and Spirit (Conari Press, 2009);

• The Complete Handbook of Quantum Healing: An A-Z Self-Healing Guide for Over 100 Common Ailments (Conari Press, 2011);

• Whole Detox: A 21-Day Personalized Program to Break Through Barriers in Every Area of Your Life (HarperOne, 2016);

• The Rainbow Diet: A Holistic Approach to Radiant Health Through Foods and Supplements (Conari Press, January 2018).

More than 30 scientific publications

Journal of Lipid Research; American Journal of Clinical Research; Nutrition Reviews; Journal of Clinical Lipidology; Biochimica Biophysica Acta; Gastroenterology; American Journal of Physiology - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology; Pediatric Research; Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology; Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders; Journal of Bone and Mineral Metabolism; Journal of Medicinal Food; Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism

Disclaimer: The webinars may present information that does not fully reflect Hawthorn University’s philosophy. Nonetheless, these presentations have been chosen because of their overall quality of information.

Deanna Minich, MS, PhD, FACN, CNS, IFMCP
https://www.deannaminich.com/

The Carbohydrate Debate - Part 1

by Andrew Aussem

“Carbs make you sick and fat” is a common thing to hear with the recent growing popularity of ketogenic and low carbohydrate diets. But other experts insist that carbohydrates aren’t bad and our brains and body need them to operate optimally.

Funny enough, not having a consistent answer about carbohydrates is one of the only things the conventional and holistic health community can agree on. Is it low carbohydrate, high carbohydrate, or something in the middle? To answer these questions let’s look at the scientific evidence and review the diets of populations free of modern diseases.

Low Carbohydrate vs Ketogenic Diets
Believe it or not, carbohydrates are not an essential human nutrient. In their absence, our bodies create ketones from fat, which enter our energy pathways similar to glucose (1). In fact, most of our brain cells can use ketones for energy and ketones are arguably more metabolically efficient than glucose, producing less oxidative stress and inflammation (2, 3). Then again, our brains do need about 50 grams of glucose per day; however, that amount can be supplied through gluconeogenesis, creating glucose from fat and protein (2).

The above is a description of a ketogenic diet but when discussing dietary carbohydrates it’s important to understand that there is a scale of carbohydrate intake from ketogenic to very high carbohydrate.

Ketogenic = 50 grams or less.
Low carbohydrate = 50 - 100 grams.
Moderate carbohydrate = 100 - 200 grams
High carbohydrate = 200 - 250 grams
Standard American Diet = 250 grams or more

Keep in mind that these are loose guidelines and you may see different numbers depending on the source.

Also keep in mind that the carbohydrate numbers listed above refer to net carbohydrates. This means that fibre does not count towards carbohydrate intake. For instance, if one serving of a vegetable contains 10 grams of total carbohydrates and 5 grams of that is fibre, the net carbohydrate amount in that serving is 5 grams.

Benefits of Low Carbohydrate Diets
Compared to common low fat, very high carbohydrate diets, ketogenic diets are effective interventions for weight loss, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and some cancers (3, 4, 5). Furthermore, ketogenic diets can reduce systemic inflammation, chronic pain, and can improve certain athletic performance (2, 6, 7).

Low carbohydrate diets are also effective interventions for weight loss, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, sub-clinical inflammation, and improving athletic performance (7, 8, 9, 10).

An important point is that these benefits are seen in the absence of caloric restriction. Meaning people are more satisfied, can maintain the diet, and have improved quality of life in comparison to low calorie or low-fat diets (11).

Drawbacks of Low Carbohydrate Diets
Two common arguments against low carbohydrate diets are that they are high in fat and protein. However, in the context of whole food, low carbohydrate diets these arguments are not supported by evidence since saturated fat and protein are not bad for us (topic for another day). While there is little to no risk associated with low carbohydrate diets, the closer the diet becomes to ketogenic some risk is possible.

Endocrine Function
Dietary carbohydrate content impacts thyroid hormone metabolism because insulin is required in this process (12). Many practitioners indicate some patients experience reduced thyroid function with long term ketogenic diets; however, there is no scientific evidence of this yet. Another concern is that ketogenic diets can increase the stress hormone cortisol, leading to a dysregulated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system, otherwise known as adrenal fatigue (13).

Gut Bacteria
Healthy gut bacteria live off the soluble fiber we cannot digest and there is some evidence to suggest that very low carbohydrate diets can have a negative impact on gut bacteria, reducing number and diversity (14). These effects may be positive in the short term for pathogenic bacterial overgrowth but could be detrimental over a longer period of time.

Physical Performance
Ketogenic diets can have a positive effect on endurance and short anaerobic (<10 seconds) performance; however, the evidence is mixed for longer anaerobic durations such as interval training, hockey, CrossFit, etc. This is because longer anaerobic activity relies more on muscle glycogen which is reduced in the presence of a ketogenic diet (2, 15).

Nutritional Deficiencies
Malnutrition is a viable concern depending on how a ketogenic diet is implemented. If vegetables and fruits are fully removed and the focus is on processed low carbohydrate foods (protein bars) versus whole foods (meat, fish, etc.) there will undoubtedly be vitamin and mineral deficiency.

In review of the above, we have determined that dietary carbohydrates are not necessarily an essential nutrient and ketogenic and low carbohydrate diets can be very helpful and healthy for many people. However, ketogenic diets specifically have some risk associated with them. So, the question remains how many carbohydrates should we eat? We will answer this question in “The Carbohydrate Debate Part 2” by looking at carbohydrate quality versus quantity, the carbohydrate intake of robustly healthy ancestral populations, and finally, carbohydrate intake suggestions based on biochemical individuality.

Andrew Aussem holds a Master of Science in Holistic Nutrition from Hawthorn University and an Honors Bachelor of Kinesiology. A personal change in his lifestyle 8 years ago led Andrew to pursue further education in holistic nutrition and as a recent graduate he looks forward to starting his own practice at Optimal Being. Andrew also operates the wellness blog thebarefootgolfer.com where he combines many of his passions in articles covering topics such as ancestral nutrition, exercise, wellness, and obviously golf.

5 Simple Ways to Ease Tension and Lower Stress Hormones

by Amy Panetta, MA NC

While we want to take better care of ourselves, we may struggle to find the time as we juggle the many commitments we have to our family, work, friends, and community. We often press on, sometimes even balk at the concept of self care, and cast aside the voice inside of us that is trying to communicate the body's need for respite. We vigorously strong-arm our way through the day, and what inevitably ensues is a massive feeling of overwhelm, exhaustion, and burn out.

In order to gain more control over our state of stress to prevent burn out (or more technically termed, “allostatic overload”),¹ and prevent chronic conditions, we should strive to be in a parasympathetic-dominant state as much as possible. While the sympathetic division of the nervous system is engaged during the stress response, the parasympathetic division, on the other hand, is the state of relaxation and calm in the body that restores balance and homeostasis.²

In many ways, a shift in perspective and a willingness to find more space mentally for our own care and nurture is important, and it is not necessarily about finding more time. These five simple solutions below can help ease tension, enter and remain in a parasympathetic state, and thereby lower stress hormones.

1. Set the tone for the day. After you wake up, go outside and gaze at the morning sky for several minutes and take 10 deep, full breaths. If you like to enjoy a hot beverage in the morning, take that with you and sip it slowly, savoring each sip, while continuing to breathe deeply.

When you gaze at the sky, fix your eyes on the sky and not on the direct sun itself. By having morning light enter our naked eye, it helps us reestablish our circadian rhythm, also known as our pattern of wake and sleep.³ In addition, connecting with the outdoors and nature can bring us a sense of peace, calm, and benefit our energy levels.⁴

By taking deep breaths, we engage the diaphragm, the organ that separates the chest from the abdomen, and helps to create a vacuum affect when we inhale. When we activate the diaphragm, it helps to bring us into a parasympathetic-dominant state.⁵ In fact, it is the vagus nerve, the longest nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system which runs from the neck to the abdomen, that is stimulated during deep breathing. This stimulation interrupts the “fight or flight response” and helps to lower heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones.⁶

2. Gratitude. Before meals, recall three things you are grateful for. The effect of gratitude is well-documented in protecting people from stress and depression, as well as promoting a sense of happiness and well-being.⁷

By expressing gratitude before meals, it helps the body to be in a parasympathetic-dominant state. The vagus nerve communicates with the enteric nervous system, which spans the digestive system. When the body is in a parasympathetic dominant state, it can then metabolize and digest food properly. Afterall, the parasympathetic dominant state is known as “rest and digest” mode.⁸ ⁹

Those who are grateful often have fewer aches and pains, report feeling healthier, and are more likely to take care of their physical health by getting checkups and exercise regularly. Those who wrote down a few things that they are grateful for before bed were shown to have better and longer sleep.¹⁰

3. Laughter. Laugh throughout the day. Listen to funny radio or podcast programming in your car, and watch funny videos and movies. Tell jokes whenever appropriate and learn to find funny moments in each situation.

Laughter can relieve stress and create relaxation in the body. Through laughing, the body produces endorphins, dopamine and serotonin, our happiness hormones. In order to encourage a parasympathetic state in the body, a good belly laugh is a must! In addition, laughter boosts and strengthens the immune system.¹¹

4. Listen to Music. By listening to your favorite music, it can help you to release serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin, and prolactin and decrease stress hormones. In addition, it can help us to have better sleep and a reduction in symptoms of depression.¹²

Add in dancing, and you continue to reap the same benefit that music has, as well as increased movement, which also reduces stress, increases self-esteem, and can distract you from the worries.¹³

5. Personal Connection. Contact a positive friend or family member for good conversation and laughter, which will help release oxytocin, the hormone released when bonding with others, as well as endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin.

In the research literature, it was revealed that women especially find comfort in “tending and befriending” other women when they are dealing with a stressful situation. Women in fact have different ways that they respond and react to stress than men. In this way, women seek social support in order to respond to a potential threat.¹⁴

These simple solutions above can bring us to a positive state of what Mihaly Czikszentmihaly calls, “flow.” The state of “flow” is where we enter a state of pleasure, joy, and we forget our daily worries and responsibilities.¹⁵ These activities, which connect us to nature, light, deep breathing, music, laughter, joy, and others, have tremendous benefits on stress reduction, our mood, brain health, restorative sleep, as well as immune function.

May you all experience more joy in your day today!

Amy Panetta, MA NC, empowers women who are feeling stressed, weighed down, and exhausted to find balance, lose excess weight, and feel vibrant. In her thesis, Amy focused on the connection between chronic stress, allostatic overload, and obesity in women. She currently works with clients individually or in groups to create their own transitional approach towards a diet filled with lots of whole foods, helpful supplementation, and lifestyle changes. She offers nutrition consulting online, as well as outside of Montreal, Quebec and in the Burlington, Vermont area. For more information, you can find her in the following ways:

Website: http://www.amypanetta.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/amypanettanutrition

Instagram: amy.panetta.ma.nc

¹ McEwen B. S. (2005). Stressed or stressed out: what is the difference?. Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN, 30(5), 315-8.
² Parker, S. (2013). The Human Body Book. New York, New York: DK Publishing.
³ Wright, Kenneth P., et al. (2013). “Entrainment of the Human Circadian Clock to the Natural Light-Dark Cycle.” Current Biology, vol. 23, no. 16, pp. 1554–1558., doi:10.1016/j.cub.2013.06.039.

⁴ Sahlin, E., Ahlborg, G., Jr, Matuszczyk, J. V., & Grahn, P. (2014). Nature-based stress management course for individuals at risk of adverse health effects from work-related stress-effects on stress related symptoms, workability and sick leave. International journal of environmental research and public health, 11(6), 6586–6611. doi:10.3390/ijerph110606586

⁵ Jerath, Ravinder, et al. (2006). “Physiology of Long Pranayamic Breathing: Neural Respiratory Elements May Provide a Mechanism That Explains How Slow Deep Breathing Shifts the Autonomic Nervous System.” Medical Hypotheses, vol. 67, no. 3, pp. 566–571., doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2006.02.042.

⁶ Solan, M. (2019, April 26). Ease anxiety and stress: Take a (belly) breather. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/ease-anxiety-and-stress-take-a-belly-breather-2019042616521

⁷ Wood, Alex M., et al. (2008). “The Role of Gratitude in the Development of Social Support, Stress, and Depression: Two Longitudinal Studies.” Journal of Research in Personality, vol. 42, no. 4, pp. 854–871., doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2007.11.003.

⁸ Mccorry, Laurie Kelly. (2007). “Physiology of the Autonomic Nervous System.” American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, vol. 71, no. 4, p. 78., doi:10.5688/aj710478.

⁹ Zimmerman, E. (2019, May 09). I Now Suspect the Vagus Nerve Is the Key to Well-being. Retrieved from https://www.thecut.com/2019/05/i-now-suspect-the-vagus-nerve-is-the-key-to-well-being.html?fbclid=IwAR0QGF2FlEbe3- SeIALhdJfzFvwpSL9RoMtbkQzN1XJKVVG8mb_XHZkyryI

¹⁰ “7 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Gratitude.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/what-mentally-strong-people-dont-do/201504/7-scientifically-proven-benefits-gratitude.

¹¹ Louie, Dexter et al.(2016). “The Laughter Prescription: A Tool for Lifestyle Medicine.” American journal of lifestyle medicine vol. 10,4 262-267. doi:10.1177/1559827614550279

¹² Mallik, Adiel, et al. (2017). “Anhedonia to Music and Mu-Opioids: Evidence from the Administration of Naltrexone.” Scientific Reports, vol. 7, no. 1, doi:10.1038/srep41952.

¹³ Martin, Lily et al. (2018). “Creative Arts Interventions for Stress Management and Prevention-A Systematic Review.” Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 8,2 28. doi:10.3390/bs8020028

¹⁴ Taylor, SE, et al. (2002). “Biobehavioral Responses to Stress in Females: Tend-and-Befriend, Not Fight-or-Flight.” Foundations in Social Neuroscience, doi:10.7551/mitpress/3077.003.0048.

¹⁵ Stavrou, Nektarios A M et al. (2015). “Flow theory - goal orientation theory: positive experience is related to athlete's goal orientation.” Frontiers in psychology vol. 6 1499. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01499

Watch All About Alumni: Flora and Vine Wellness: Fertility, Prenatal, Pediatric Nutrition and Lactation Support with Angela Montoya, MS

Angela Montoya graduated from Hawthorn University with her MSHN in order to help women understand the importance of optimal nutrition before and during pregnancy, as well as during lactation and early childhood. While offering services for people who suffer from diabetes and autoimmune diseases, she pursues her passion for providing the best possible foundation for babies’ health by teaching women alternative forms of fertility enhancement, prenatal nutrition, and balancing hormones through nutrition and stress management to help with natural birth and lactation.

Angela Montoya joins us for her All About Alumni presentation Flora and Vine Wellness: Fertility, Prenatal, Pediatric Nutrition and Lactation Support. The recording of Angela's presentation is now available to review in our Webinar Archives.

In her presentation, Angela discusses why and how she got into her particular niche, as well as the challenges and successes she has found along the way.

Angela Montoya is the owner of Flora and Vine Wellness where she focuses on women's health. Angela educates women on the use of nutrition for natural fertility and dealing with PCOS. She helps pregnant women understand the importance of a healthy diet and lifestyle during pregnancy and while breastfeeding in order to set their children up to have the healthiest life possible. Angela is an endurance athlete with 4 children. With her personal experience and expertise, she hopes to improve the rate of success with breastfeeding and to dispel myths about lactation difficulties due simply to supply or exercise. She believes if we all understood just how much nutrition affects our hormones; we would more often pursue more natural methods of fertility and be healthier as a whole.

Angela Montoya, MS
Master of Science in Holistic Nutrition (MSHN)
Degree Program Graduate, 2018

Watch Explaining the Unexplained: An Integrative Approach to Unexplained Infertility with Katherine Alexander Anderson, DACM, MBA, L.Ac, FABORM

It has been shown that unexplained infertility may affect up to 30% of couples worldwide. Yet, even with such a high percentile, diagnosis treatment and management of these cases are often ill-defined, inconsistent and erroneous. A true diagnosis of unexplained infertility requires a skillful clinician and sufficient diagnostic testing.

Dr. Katherine Alexander Anderson joins us for Explaining the Unexplained: An Integrative Approach to Unexplained Infertility.

Dr. Anderson's webinar presentation recording is now available for review in our Webinar Archives.

Lack of standardized diagnostic protocols in infertility cases leads to non-identification of explainable cause and therefore improper treatment and loss of time. Western medical treatment approaches typically involve drugs, procedures and surgery as a way of dictating the reproductive system. But many reasons may exist for why the body is not conceiving even though it’s not showing up diagnostically. This presentation will explore what unexplained infertility is and isn’t, how to question the status quo when a patient has been labeled with this diagnosis, as well as how to assess and treat this condition with an integrative mindset.

Katherine Alexander Anderson, DACM, MBA, L.Ac, FABORM, is a Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, and an international speaker and President Emeritus of the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine (ABORM). She currently holds the position of Executive Director of ABORM, and is leading the organization to ensure fertility patients worldwide receive care from the most knowledgeable and highly skilled practitioners.

Katherine has over 25 years experience in healthcare and understands an integrated approach to health. Her private practice is dedicated exclusively to reproductive issues and women’s health with clinics in Maine and New Hampshire. In addition to leading ABORM for the past three years and running her busy clinics, Katherine is currently completing her PhD in Chinese medicine gynecology. Her doctoral thesis is a study of the clinical efficacy of menstrual cycle regulation on infertility and time to conception. Connect with her at her clinic at http://www.rhythmsforwomen.com and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thefertiletruth/.

Katherine Alexander Anderson,
DACM, MBA, L.Ac, FABORM

Trying to Manage it All? How Stress Can Affect Our Health

by Amy Panetta, MA NC

In our society, it has become a normal practice to “do it all” and balance the pressures of earning an income, success in our career, managing a home, taking care of children, and nurturing a relationship. Because of this, we feel stressed out, tired, wired, mentally foggy, and weighed down with worries, as well as being weighed down with excess weight.

Some of us struggle to get through the day without a generous amount of caffeine and overeating on sweets, or savory calorie-dense meals and snacks. In the morning we struggle to stay awake and alert, but when it is time for us to rest we have trouble falling asleep because we are ruminating about the day’s events. We struggle to fall asleep and stay asleep, whether it is due to these worries, or by young children waking us throughout the night.

Often, we maintain a chronic stress cycle, with our “fight or flight” stress mechanism stuck in the “on” position. During the “fight or flight” response, the sympathetic division of the nervous system is engaged to deal with the situation at hand, either by entering into conflict, or running away. A state of “freeze” is also possible where we stop in our tracks, like a deer in headlights, unsure what our next move will be.¹

In the midst of the stress response, the hypothalamus in the brain releases corticotropin-releasing hormone to the pituitary gland. The pituitary then releases adrenocorticotropin to the adrenal glands which signals that they flood the body with cortisol, epinephrine (adrenaline), and norepinephrine.²

This sympathetic state in the nervous system will cause blood pressure and heart rate to rise temporarily. Glucose and lipids, such as cholesterol and triglycerides, are released into the bloodstream.³ While this may be relatively harmless when stress is acute, when stress is ongoing, it can create the risk for heart attack, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity, as well as a myriad of other conditions.⁴

While so many adults cope with a full schedule, how can we have time to support our body’s ability to deal with stress? Stay tuned to find out 5 Simple Ways to Ease Tension and Lower Stress Hormones in our next blog article!

Amy Panetta, MA NC, is a 2019 Hawthorn University graduate in our Nutrition Consultant program. Amy empowers women who are feeling stressed, weighed down, and exhausted to find balance, lose excess weight, and feel vibrant. In her thesis, Amy focused on the connection between chronic stress, allostatic overload, and obesity in women. She currently works with clients individually or in groups to create their own transitional approach towards a diet filled with lots of whole foods, helpful supplementation, and lifestyle changes. She offers nutrition consulting online, as well as outside of Montreal, Quebec and in the Burlington, Vermont area. More of her articles can be found on her blog: http://www.amypanetta.com/blog.

¹Schmidt, Norman B et al. (2008). “Exploring human freeze responses to a threat stressor.” Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry vol. 39, 3: 292-304. doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2007.08.002
² Dhabhar, Firdaus S. (2018). “The short-term stress response - Mother nature's mechanism for enhancing protection and performance under conditions of threat, challenge, and opportunity.” Frontiers in neuroendocrinology vol. 49: 175-192. doi:10.1016/j.yfrne.2018.03.004
³ Wannamethee, G, and A G Shaper. (1994). “The Association between Heart Rate and Blood Pressure, Blood Lipids and Other Cardiovascular Risk Factors.” Journal of Cardiovascular Risk, U.S. National Library of Medicine, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7621302.
⁴ Ryan KK. (2014). “Stress and Metabolic Disease” Sociality, Hierarchy, Health: Comparative Biodemography: A Collection of Papers. Weinstein M, Lane MA, editors. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK242443/

Watch Alzheimer’s Disease: the Silent Plague – A 21st Century Precision Medicine Approach with Dr. Mary Kay Ross, MD, FACEP

Alzheimer’s Disease has become an immense topic as of late, as more and more individuals are affected by it, whether directly or indirectly with a loved one. Dr. Mary Kay Ross, MD, FACEP joins us to discuss the current status of Alzheimer’s disease in the U.S., along with the stigma and misconceptions associated with the treatment, as well as causes and outcomes available today. Dr. Ross will review the known causes (or drivers) of the disease and the lifestyle changes necessary to help stop its progression. Dr. Ross' webinar, Alzheimer’s Disease: the Silent Plague – A 21st Century Precision Medicine Approach, is now available for review in the Hawthorn Webinar Archives.

Dr. Ross will discuss how to evaluate a client with cognitive decline, as well as the labs and necessary workup for the proper evaluation and assessment. She will also discuss how to design a program for a client and will conclude with case studies and outcomes.

At the conclusion of the lecture, attendees should be able to recognize a client with cognitive problems, assess the client correctly and be able to determine the drivers of the disease. Participants should be able to initiate the appropriate workup and prepare a reasonable functional program for all clients with cognitive decline. Finally, she will discuss future potential treatments and adjuncts to assist with ongoing treatment.

Dr. Mary Kay Ross obtained her medical education at the University of Louisville School of Medicine and completed her residency training in emergency medicine in 2000 at Wright State where she served as chief resident.

Following graduation and for the next eleven years, Dr. Ross worked as an attending physician in trauma centers in both Virginia and Georgia. She has held faculty positions at both Eastern Virginia Medical School and Mercer University teaching residents and medical students. During this phase of her career, working long and sometimes grueling shifts - she realized that there was something terribly wrong with the current medical model. It was obvious to her, that the hospital system was being overburdened by patients with chronic illnesses that were not being treated effectively. The door of the emergency room was in fact a revolving door.

In 2012, Dr. Ross found herself on the other side of the medical system. Her own real-life lesson came when she herself became a patient in the ER domain she oversaw. She suffered a serious illness as a result of a very serious mold exposure that produced debilitating symptoms. She ultimately found herself in the cardiac cath lab. This illness eventually led Dr. Ross to give up the emergency room work she had loved so much. Desperately seeking answers to her own illness from physicians that were her peers, and disappointed with limited treatment options, she sought in another direction searching for answers and better options.

Dr Ross quickly realized that many chronic health problems could be prevented. She learned that only by treating the underlying causes of chronic illness, could true healing be achieved. As this paralleled the mission of Functional Medicine, she devoted herself to learn as much as she could about this new approach to healing. She enrolled in the Institute for Functional Medicine and completed all of the modules as quickly as possible. Though Dr. Ross was voracious for the knowledge, her primary mission was an effort to save her own life.

This experience would change her practice of medicine and her career forever. Dr. Ross founded The Institute for Personalized Medicine in Savannah, GA late in 2012 committed to treating her patients using Functional Medicine.

In 2016, she teamed with Dr. Dale Bredesen. Together they applied her knowledge and clinical expertise with his scientific research gained from over 30 years in the lab. As a team they sought to bring the best solution to patients impacted with cognitive decline. Dr. Ross proudly served as the Founding Chief Medical Officer for MPI Cognition until August of 2018 when the company was ultimately sold.

Dr. Ross is presently the Founder and CEO of the Brain Health & Research Institute (BH&RI) in Seattle, WA. The Brain Health & Research Institute is honored to be partnered with the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB). This esteemed research facility is headed by Drs. Leroy Hood and James Heath. The partnership represents the marriage of science and medicine. It is their goal that research results from the laboratory, will be able to be quickly adapted into clinical practice. BH&RI will open its doors to patients on September 1, 2019.

Today, Dr. Ross is actively engaged on enhancing a multimodal, precision medicine approach addressing all aspects of brain health. She firmly believes that this is an exciting time to be practicing medicine. Dr. Ross has assembled a team of the brightest and best from across the country to deliver care at her new institute. She is committed to her beliefs and is passionate about the medicine she practices. She is a tireless patient advocate and is relentless in her pursuit for solving complex medical cases.

Dr. Mary Kay Ross, MD, FACEP