Neuroveda Podcast for Complex Health

How can we find authentic freedom, everlasting joy, and unshakable sovereignty? In this episode, Acharya Shunya shares the seven stages of falling through desire from consciousness to unconsciousness to discover our true nature and improve our health. Acharya Shunya is the first female leader in her 2,000 year Vedic lineage from India. Her insight is profound and under the heel of her gentle, poetic tone, she crushes the Ego that keeps us isolated and alone to hand us our larger Self. This is the process we all walk through over the course of our lives as we search for connection and continually must remember that the connection we seek is to our Self. By finding the Self, "the nightmare is over and you have awakened".  We may romanticize spirituality as something that happens away from families and work and the daily life, but Acharya Shunya breaks these assumptions. We enlighten right where we are, up in the night with children, sick ones and elders. We don't need any particular thing in our external life to be one way or another. The battle for our spirit exists in finding our way to come correct to every breath, while we grocery shop and stand in lines and take out the trash and pay bills. "Find the Himalaya within you."  This householder spirituality was part of the Vedic tradition from thousands of years ago. In fact, she shares how the Vedas were written in part by 27 Rishikas (women seers). The Vedas are older than Hinduism and note the equality of power held by women and men, the widely-noted presence of divinity in the 'male body, female body or mixed body'; divinity is present in all life, in all faiths and religions and cultures. "When we sleep, we all return to that one common womb." Acharya Shunya's website: https://www.acharyashunya.com/ Acharya Shunya's book, Sovereign Self: Claim Your Inner Joy and Freedom with the Empowering Wisdom of the Vedas, Upanishads, and Bhagavad Gita: https://bookshop.org/books/sovereign-self-claim-your-inner-joy-and-freedom-with-the-empowering-wisdom-of-the-vedas-upanishads-and-bhagavad-gita/9781683645818

Ms Hiba Jameel grew up in Iraq during the Gulf War and transitioned from coming to the US as a refugee to studying Blue-Zone longevity & nutrition including the biomarkers regarding mTor & IGF1 during her Masters training at Tufts University. She paints us a gorgeous picture of sitting at her grandmother's table as a child with the fruits, nuts, vegetables and spices of the Iraqi table and moves through her understanding of people through her understanding of food, nutrition and the world 'healthy'. Her love of food is palpable and it's evident especially in her respect for the variety of diets in Blue-Zones around the world. She's sharp on policy as well and lays into our food policies that are driving national health vulnerabilities. As she talks about her art and creativity which was present in her since childhood, she lights up again. This is a wide-ranging show about art, culture, trauma, nutrition, emotion, policy, inequities, and health, all as told through the warm and sweet voice of Ms Jameel that truly represents the ways in which we can choose healing from diverse aspects of our lives. Enjoy!  Contact Ms Jameel for nutritional consultation: hjameel2019@gmail.com. 

Dr Alissa Zingman is a physician board-certified in Occupational & Environmental Preventative Medicine. Prior to medical school, she was a professional dancer & pilates instructor. She also has a connective tissue disorder called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Hypermobility Type, or hEDS, which makes her one of every 5000 people who may be functioning like 'canaries in the coal mine of biomechanics'. She’s had five orthopedic surgeries, several herniated discs in her spine and had to leave her orthopedic surgery residency to pursue intensive rehabilitation for her spine & pelvis. Being a physician did not shield her from the medical neglect and abuse that is unfortunately common amongst hEDS patients and advocacy remains one of her passions. In this episode, we hear about her story from both sides- the patient as well as the clinician perspectives for this condition which is garnering growing awareness. Learn which clinicians to seek out, how wide-ranging effects can be (think heart valves and blood vessels and immune miscommunications resulting in conditions like MCAD (Mast Cell Activation Disorder) as well as joints & skin stretchiness), diagnostic issues & criteria, a global approach to treatment (organize, stabilize, mobilize, dynamise), what type of therapies might be helpful (including prolotherapy & PRP), some of the medications that are used, and how and why EDS/ HMS dysfunction might be on the rise (hint: pollution!!). She knows it all! Come listen to learn the nuances of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.  Resources:  PRISM Spine & Joint: https://prismspineandjoint.com/ Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Research Foundation at https://edsrf.org/

There are more neurons in the gut than in the spinal cord. WHAT?! Dr Katja Kovacic is a pediatric gastroenterologist who specializes in the gut-brain connection especially through the perspective of the autonomic nervous system. She discusses the complex and difficult to treat functional gut disorders including IBS, cyclic vomiting syndrome, gastroparesis and chronic abdominal pain. Her experience is extensive. She describes the symptoms that come along with these conditions and some of the testing to diagnose these conditions. We then spend the second half of the show discussing treatment options. Dr Kovacic starts with a simple listing of some of the medication options (many for migraine and mood) and then we go deep into neuromodulation options. These can be vagal stimulators, deep brain stimulators, and sacral and tibial neuromodulation. We then turn our attention to the IBStim, an auricular (ear) neuromodulator that is FDA approved for IBS. Dr Kovacic shares her experience with hundreds of patients in clinic and in research. Our last device discussion is about the Safe & Sound Protocol which is acoustic neuromodulation (music therapy) based on Steven Porges work evolving the Polyvagal Theory. Finally, we review how hypermobile disorders, including Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, are inherently linked to altered autonomic activity with 90% of patients suffering from severe gut dysfunction- this is where the research is going next, and she describes a number of the studies being run through her clinic at the University of Wisconsin. These are incredible common but ultimately complex conditions being blown open by Dr Kovacic’s unique approach for understanding, diagnosing, treatments and research into these neurogastroenterologic conditions.  Listen and learn. Find more about Dr Kovacic & see some of her other lectures: https://childrenswi.org/physician-directory/k/kovacic-katja-k

Alan Cash got curious about why our energy pathways fail us. Armed with an MS in physics, he's found himself innovating commercial production methods for oxaloacetate, a metabolite in the citric acid cycle that sits squarely within our mitochondria and are fundamental in producing the ATP that fuel every energy-requiring process in the body. In this episode, we review the nitty gritty details of energy production from the perspective of how oxaloacetate (brand names Benagene and Jubilance) can impact us from the systemic perspective. We don't typically discuss one commercial product on our show, but we have many patients using oxaloacetate and wanted to give a much more complete picture than we can in a clinic visit. Taking oxaloacetate has been shown to decrease NF-kB activation, reduce fasting glucose by ~25% (research from the late 1960's), increase NAD to NADH ratios, increase AMPK, decrease emotional symptoms of PMS (as the product Jubilance) and favorably shift cellular redox. Preliminary data from Mr Cash's current research is showing reduction in fatigue for CFS/ME patients. Remarkably,  oral oxaloacetate seems to be able to cross the blood brain barrier (it's a very small molecule!) and can decrease brain glutamate levels. Most remarkably, taking exogenous oxaloacetate can mimic caloric restriction and has increased the lifespan of laboratory animals. It's been used in doses ranging from 100 to 6000mg daily (like for glioblastoma) and has been well-tolerated even at high doses. It's important to know that the commercial products Benagene and Jubilance contain the same ingredients: 100mg of oxaloacetate stabilized by 150mg of vitamin C. To answer another common question, there's no mechanism to turn oxaloacetate into the undesirable 'oxalate' compound in the human body. This tiny molecule really can pack a molecular and anti-inflammatory punch- listen in to find out more! Resources:  https://benagene.com/ https://jubilance.com/ Oxaloacetate to reduce emotional symptoms in PMS: placebo-controlled, cross-over clinical trial with 48 women (2020): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7073356/ Safety and target engagement profile of two oxaloacetate doses (500mg & 1000mg twice daily) in 15 Alzheimer's patients (2021) showed the higher dose increased frontal & frontoparietal brain glucose & glutathione per FDG PET scanning despite no changes in serum levels or cognitive scoring. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32715609/ Oxaloacetate activates brain mitochondrial biogenesis, enhances the insulin pathway, reduces inflammation & stimulates neurogenesis (2014) in mice injected with 1-2g/kg once daily dosing x 1-2 weeks. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25027327/ Oxaloacetate supplementation increases lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans (roundworms) by 25% median & 13% maximal lifespan through an AMPK/FOXO-dependent pathway (2009). https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1474-9726.2009.00527.x Oxaloacetate: A novel neuroprotective for acute ischemic stroke (2012) via modulation of the glutamate pathway which would also be applicable for other types of brain injury, like TBI (traumatic brain injury). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22085530/ Neuroprotective effect of oxaloacetate in a focal brain ischemic model in the rat (2015) through pathways of glutamate scavenging. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24807461/ Neuroprotective effects of oxaloacetate in closed head injury in rats is mediated by its blood glutatmate scavenging activity (2009). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19543002/ Effect of alpha-ketoglutarate & oxaloacetate on brain mito DNA damage & seizures (2003). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12749815/ Oxaloacetate acid supplementation as a mimic of caloric restriction: https://benthamopen.com/contents/pdf/TOLSJ/TOLSJ-3-22.pdf

Yoga was one of the key tools Olympic-hopeful snowboarder Kevin Pearce found to reorient to himself as able, connected and calm after his severe head injury on a practice run in January 2012 left him comatose for weeks. Despite high-tech and caring medical attention, devoted family support and extensive neurorehabilitation, Kevin's identity remained rooted in his life as a professional athlete and snowboarder for years after his accident. After traumatic brain injury (TBI), however, we may not return to our 'former' self and the struggle to find our new self, identity and value is a worth search. In response to the benefits Yoga inspired for Kevin & his family, they founded and run the LoveYourBrain Foundation which develops research-based, practical and FREE, accessible programming offering Yoga back to the TBI community. Kyla Pearce (Kevin's sister-in-law), Yoga professional and PhD/Post-Doc trained researcher serves as Senior Director of Programs for LoveYourBrain. In this episode, she reviews their three types of programs (Retreats, Yoga, and Mindset Online), the research behind them and the principles and values that drive them. "Yoga is a about coming home to yourself" which can be mobility, community-building, stress coping, relaxation, athleticism in strength and balance and/or simple curiosity about self. These programs have been offered at 65 Yoga studios and 25 hospital/neuro-rehabilitiation facilities across the US and Canada. In total, just about 10,000 individuals with TBI have been served with LoveYourBrain programs. All programs are designed based on the science of resilience, including the growth vs fixed mindset discussed by research Carol Dweck of Stanford and the 10 principles of resiliency by MDs Dennis Charney & Steven Southwick of Mt Sinai Icahn School of Medicine in New York. Programs focus on reframing the difficulties of the TBI experience as a springboard to greater connection to self and potential as a human. It's resiliency over recovery and it's an inspiring program to learn about. Please engage with them at whatever levels best serves you personally and share widely as their in-person programs begin to ramp back up with the (fingers-crossed) quieting of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Resources:  https://www.loveyourbrain.com/ More about Carol Dweck: https://profiles.stanford.edu/carol-dweck?tab=publications More about the 10 principles of resiliency from Drs Dennis Charney & Steven Southwick: https://icahn.mssm.edu/files/ISMMS/Assets/About%20the%20School/Leadership/CRTV-3841-ICAHN_Charney_10StepPrescription_Resilience_Infographic_Nov_20.pdf

Dr Shae Datta, MD, is a Sports NeuroTrauma Neurologist and the current Director of Concussion & Neuro-Cognition at New York University, Long Island. Dr Datta specializes in helping people heal from brain injuries, especially including traumatic brain injuries and concussion (also called mTBI = mild traumatic brain injury). In this incredible episode, we wind our way first through the anatomy and physiology of the central nervous system, meaning the brain, spinal cord and associated microglia, astrocytes, relay neurons and the glymphatic clearance system of the CNS. Dr Datta then illuminates an understanding of the gut-brain axis with a special focus on psychbiotics, naming some of the specific types of probiotics that impact mood, cognition and the nervous system. She notes, ‘unhappy gut = unhappy brain’. The show returns to prognosis after brain injury and that every head injury is a unique story and very dependent on functional level, age, stress, co-morbidities, prior TBI and history of migraines. She reviews a bit of the TBI evaluation, which, barring a bleed in the head visible on CT, can often present with subtle findings regarding balance and ocular or vision changes that can potentially reflect outsized cognitive, sensory and/or motor challenges. We end the show with an exploration of a wide variety of treatments, some common (physical and occupational therapy) and some unique to Dr Datta’s integrative training: choline, creatine, vitamins and others. Learn more from Dr Datta from her co-authored chapter on TBI in the Integrative Neurology textbook in the Andrew Weil Series:  https://www.elliottbaybook.com/book/9780190051617 To see Dr Datta as a patient, find her at NYU Langone: https://nyulangone.org/doctors/1720493141/shae-datta

As the daughter of a public school teacher/administrator and an electrical engineer, who was also the commander of the local Black Panther Party, Nzinga was raised as an advocate who always knew she would become a doctor and a teacher. In medical school, her world was upended by a psychiatry rotation that drove her into mental health care within the context of social & political factors. Compassion, connection, and relationships drive health. Coming correct to substance use disorder treatment means bringing the compassion and resource we offer cancer patients and the biological, social, & cultural interventions we use to manage the lifelong chronic illness that is diabetes. We wouldn’t drop off a newly diagnosed diabetic who just spent 5 days in the ICU stabilizing their blood sugar into their old neighborhood without medication, education, and connection to ongoing care and social support because this doesn’t make any sense. Why do we do this with people suffering with substance use disorders?  With joy, humor incredible wisdom, and a take-no-prisoners attitude, Nzinga points out how perceptions of safety or threat (not necessarily present-day reality as intergenerational trauma informs current day perceptions) can drive behavior. We discuss ‘safety pie’ and how equity means the hungriest person gets the biggest piece and some people might not get any today because they had a lot yesterday and just don't really need it.  Nzinga pulled all of this brilliance together into the company she co-founded and serves as Chief Medical Officer, Eleanor Health, which offers wrap-around harm-reduction care for people with substance use disorders. Lest you think she’s an idealistic hippie, you have to know that in its first year open, Eleanor Health reduced hospitalizations by 85% for its served population- better than you find with any pharmaceutical.  Please listen to this show- the majority of us have people in our lives who have suffered or are suffering in various stages of substance use disorders. Learning how to come correct and that Eleanor Health is available in multiple states across the country is elemental for us to heal ourselves, each other and our communities. https://www.eleanorhealth.com/ http://www.nzingaharrisonmd.com/

Dr Sri Ganeshan, MD and physician scientist, dives into the weeds on folate and mitochondria Please note, even though we discuss folate doses in depth, we are NOT recommending that using folate in any form is right for you or your child. A podcast conversation is never a replacement for personalized and direct medical care.  Did you know mitochondria is involved in fighting viral infections including COVID? Listen all the way through to get this info!  It’s a soup-to-nuts discussion about the types of folate, functions of folate across the lifespan, location of receptors on the body, deficiency symptoms, genetics of folate (including MTHFR), and supplementation options (including oral and/or injectable). Dr Ganeshan then discusses the FRAT test (Folate Receptor Antibody Test) which is a blood test that evaluates autoimmune activity against the folate receptors, possibly interrupting folate uptake & usage, especially by the brain, which has been associated with neuroinflammatory conditions like autism and chronic infections. He discusses the role of dairy in triggering autoinflammatory conditions. Regarding mitochondria, Dr Ganeshan weaves around mitochondrial structure, numbers, locations, functions and dysfunction/ deficiency symptoms by complex in the electron transport chain (thyroid dysfunction, diabetes, cancer, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and others). Historically, mitochondrial disease that is severe has a genetic contribution and is found in childhood, but secondary dysfunction that may be environmentally triggered and found as mitochondrial dysfunction in children or adults. He discusses some of the subtle (aka vague) lab findings as well as the gold standards for mitochondrial evaluation (muscle biopsy and/or genetics). MitoSwab test per research is 85% as accurate as the much more invasive muscle biopsy and can be completed with a simple cheek swab and shipped in the mail for assessment. It can be used with children 2 years old and up. Finally, we review treatment options for supplements and the importance of protecting from light and oxygen to reduce oxidation.  We close with some interesting patient cases of children with autism and an adult with Parkinson's.  Put on your science hat! This is a fun, technical, ride through these two vital aspects of our metabolism.  Of note, Center for Healing Neurology does offer both FRAT & MitoSwab testing. Please schedule an appointment if you are interested in this testing. 

There's been so much upheaval in our social, political & physical world that it's timely to remember what determines our health, which is not necessarily what happens in the doctor's office. This was one of our first shows, originally released Jan 2, 2020, because the importance of talking about how our health flows (or doesn't) from our economic structure.  Dr Stephen Bezruchka, MD, MPH, teaches us that healthcare as an industry doesn’t inevitably result in a healthy population. In fact, despite spending the most money of any country in the world on healthcare, we are #36 in lifespan, just behind Chile. Dr Bezruchka peels down the layers of what creates population health, namely, how the health of a population is not just the health of many individuals together and dives deeply into the roles consumerism (including marketing, advertising and social media), and social and political structures have played in constructing our health crisis which can be summed by noting that only two counties in the world currently suffer from shortening lifespans: the US & Syria. Listen in to understand how we got here, why we are still here, how to ask the right questions, and some considerations (like nurse-new family partnerships) for changing our trajectory. Notes: · Book: Triumph of Injustice by Saez & Zucman: https://www.elliottbaybook.com/book/9781324002727 · Hawaii Department of Health Report on the Social Determinants of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/chronic-disease/files/2013/12/CD_BurdenReport_FINAL.pdf · Bill Moyers article on the intentional consolidation of wealth which has driven economic inequality from 2011: https://www.thenation.com/article/how-wall-street-occupied-america/ · Books: The Spirit Level and The Inner Level both by · UN health of nations report and the “Health Olympics”: https://inequality.org/research/health-olympics-medals/ · The United Kingdom strategy for addressing loneliness & social disconnection:article: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-launches-governments-first-loneliness-strategy; the actual report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/750909/6.4882_DCMS_Loneliness_Strategy_web_Update.pdf · US Health in International Perspective: Shorter Lives, Poorer Health from January 2013: http://www.nationalacademies.org/hmd/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2013/US-Health-International-Perspective/USHealth_Intl_PerspectiveRB.pdf