Conditions Treated
Complex Chronic Disease (CCD) is an interconnected pattern of symptoms that affects multiple organ systems in a person. In order to support healing, we seek to identify all of the stressors impacting the functionality of the body. Each stressor individually, such as Lyme disease, presents its own challenge. Yet, when we add all of the stressors together, we often find that patients are experiencing some sort of “toxic overload” or cumulative metabolic burden on the body.
Conditions Treated
Complex Chronic Disease Stressors
Infections
Viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and worms are…
Complex Chronic Disease Stressor
Infections
Viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and worms are the source of all infections in the body. These microorganisms can cause acute infections that, when caught early, resolve with the proper treatment. Unidentified infections, however, can lead to long-term systemic involvement and inflammation.
Tick-Borne Infections
Even though Lyme disease is the most well known…
Complex Chronic Disease Stressor
Tick-Borne Infections
Even though Lyme disease is the most well known tick-borne disease, multiple microorganisms can be transmitted through a tick bite. Anytime more than one disease is acquired through a tick bite, or through multiple tick bites over time, it is known as a co-infection. Common co-infections that present together with Lyme disease—like babesiosis, anaplasmosis, and ehrlichiosis—have overlapping symptoms that can affect many organs and systems in the body. These sets of symptoms send a diffuse clinical picture to the practitioner making diagnosis a challenge. As a Lyme literate practitioner, I help you properly identify all of the infectious agents in order to assist the healing process.
Mold & Toxins
Sometimes our patients are sick due to the environments…
Complex Chronic Disease Stressor
Mold-Toxins
Sometimes our patients are sick due to the environments in which they live or work. Drinking tap water or using certain beauty products might make them worse. Mycotoxins from mold, heavy metals, and endocrine disruptors—like pesticides and BPA—can damage tissue, impair the immune system, or cause biotoxin illness (also known as Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome – CIRS). When toxins are difficult to clear, causing multi-system inflammation, they make it challenging to deal with other infections. Our job is to assist the body so it begins to metabolize and excrete unwanted substances. Once we do this, our patients begin to regain their natural immune function.
GI Issues
Over 70% of our immune system lines our gastrointestinal…
Complex Chronic Disease Stressor
GI Issues
Over 70% of our immune system lines our gastrointestinal tract. The large and diverse population of microorganisms that reside in our gut are known as the microbiota. Our gut’s microbiota is constantly evolving as it interacts with our organs and systems. Of particular importance is the powerful link between the gut and the brain. The role of gastrointestinal inflammation cannot be overemphasized in complex chronic disease. Due to the gut’s expansive interconnections throughout the body, any gastrointestinal issue will likely compromise other areas of a patient’s health. GI problems must be thoroughly investigated and addressed with this in mind.
Immune Dysregulation
When the immune system malfunctions it affects….
Complex Chronic Disease Stressor
Immune Dysregulation
When the immune system malfunctions it affects many systems in the body. Immune dysregulation encompasses both hyperactive and underactive states of immunity. When our immune system is hyperactive, the body may experience general inflammatory symptoms, allergic reactions, and/or mast cell issues (like MCAS or MCAD). An overactive immune system can also lead to autoimmune conditions. Autoimmunity occurs when the body can’t tell the difference between its own natural, healthy cells and invading microorganisms. An underactive immune system, on the other hand, is compromised and unable to fight off infection. It needs to be supported or supplemented properly in order to regain the power to do its job.
Exercise & Lifestyle
Daily factors in our routine, such as physical activity, sleep…
Complex Chronic Disease Stressor
Exercise & Lifestyle
Daily factors in our routine, such as physical activity, sleep, social connectedness, and technology exposure, shape our existence. In order to treat CCD holistically, it is important that we hone in on the details. We seek to identify exactly where our patients might be struggling in order to provide individualized recommendations to boost recovery. With lifestyle medicine, we know that small changes over time can make a big difference. These important shifts create scaffolding for health sustainability.
Diet & Nutrition
Sometimes our patients are sick due to the environments…
Complex Chronic Disease Stressor
Diet & Nutrition
In our office, we believe food is medicine. Optimal nutrition tailored to individual needs is of utmost importance in CCD recovery. In general we recommend an anti-inflammatory, nutrient-dense diet to encourage tissue repair, boost overall energy, assist with digestion, and support cognitive functioning. When it comes to eating, there isn’t a perfect plan that will work for everyone. Diets usually evolve as we identify allergens and manage symptom changes throughout treatment.
Comorbid Conditions
Comorbidity is the presence of one or more conditions….
Complex Chronic Disease Stressor
Comorbid Conditions
Comorbidity is the presence of one or more conditions, like hypothyroidism or diabetes, alongside a primary condition. This is common in CCD as multiple organ systems suffer simultaneously. In order to facilitate healing, we analyze and treat all of a patient’s conditions through a lens of physiological interconnectedness. For example, boosting a sluggish thyroid can improve cognition, neurological functioning, metabolism, and mental health. These improvements create cascades of positive change throughout the body optimizing chances of a full recovery.
Mental Health & Neuroplasticity
We focus on mind-body strategies for healing, as holistic…
Complex Chronic Disease Stressor
Mental Health & Neuroplasticity
We focus on mind-body strategies for healing, as holistic medicine isn’t just about physiology. Many of our patients struggle with conditions that manifest neurologically and affect mental health. For example, the neuropsychiatric/neurocognitive presentations of tick-borne infection are diverse and challenging to navigate. Bouts of panic, recurring anxiety, depression, irritability, and confusion are common.
A myriad of stressors also accompany complex chronic disease in general. Feelings of self-doubt, a loss of friendships and relationships, financial woes, isolation, racial battle fatigue as a BIPOC patient, as well as fears related to safety and survival are simply some of the stressors that lead to a decline in mental health and spirit. We take our patients’ struggles very seriously and partner with them to optimize coping strategies and tools.
Luckily, our brain is a dynamic organ with the ability to change and adapt both in structure and function throughout our lives. This unique ability is known as “neuroplasticity.” The discovery of brain plasticity was a big breakthrough in the world of neurobiology, paving the way for development of successful neurotherapies. Each case of CCD calls for a different neurotherapy. We’ve seen many success stories, when we integrate neural regeneration into treatment plans.
Genetics & Epigenetics
Genes are heritable DNA regions that act as instructions….
Complex Chronic Disease Stressor
Genetics & Epigenetics
Genes are heritable DNA regions that act as instructions in our body. These instructions determine our physiology and traits as a human being. Epigenetics is the study of how our environment and experiences influence these instructions. This, of course, interests many scientists examining disease onset, and is something we factor into our patient testing and treatment plans at the office.
