LymeBytes Logo

I had the opportunity to attend the 2025 LymeBytes!™ Symposium on November 14-15, 2025.  

LymeBytes!™ is the brainchild of Myriah Hinchey, ND who is also the founder of LymeCore Botanicals. 

If the below is of interest to and resonates with you, please visit the LymeBytes!™ site directly to purchase presentation recordings.

Disclaimer: Nothing in this text is intended to serve as medical advice. All medical decisions should be made only with the guidance of your own personal licensed medical authority.

Disclaimer: This information was taken as notes during the training course and may not represent the exact statements of the speakers. Errors and/or omissions are likely present.

Note: As this information may be updated as any errors are found, I kindly request that you link to this single source of information rather than copying the content below. If any updates or corrections are made, this will help to ensure that anyone reading this is getting the most current and accurate information available.

gilbertLeona Gilbert, PhD spoke on "Trapped in Their Own Immune System: The Hidden Phase of Lyme” and shared:

  • Co-inventor of TICKPLEX and TOXIPLEX
  • What if persistent Lyme isn't only about the pathogen but also about the immune wreckage left behind?
  • False positive IgM and IgG are not false positives; maybe 40 years ago, but not today
  • We have the methods today to get rid of cross-reactivity
  • Why is there persistent IgM or IgG or both?
  • Chronic illness can be at least in part related to immunological status
  • TICKPLEX is 95% sensitive and 98% specific for up to 15 different microbes; also IgM and IgG for those microbes; can see opportunistic viruses; reactivation
  • Some may not have the ability to produce IgM or IgG; IgM is not false positive
  • Reproducibility of blood spots is quite low; they use Tasso+ for the blood draw
  • Should test for IgM and IgG for multiple pathogens on the same platform
  • 3 Stages of Chronic Lyme: early, intermediate, late
  • Multiple microbial infections are present at all stages of Lyme disease
  • Persistent forms lead to a unique immune signature; beneficial for diagnostics
  • 13% in Disseminated Stage have an immune response against persistent forms alone; 16% in chronic stage
  • Chronic infections impair the immune system
  • The more chronic, the more universal positive patients; autoimmunity all universal positives; production of antibodies or immune-complexes reacting to the test kits 
  • It's not just about the microbes but what the microbes have done to the immune system
  • In the late chronic phase, there are early signs of autoimmunity
  • Early Chronic: Immune Activation Onset; hyperactive B cells and endothelial stress
  • Intermediate Phase: mixed humoral response
  • Late Chronic: systemic inflammation and autoimmunity
  • Can then either treat or even prevent autoimmunity
  • IgM or IgG may be responding to many antigens and no longer be specific; a universal positive
  • TBDs are underdiagnosed and rising
  • Treat the immune wreckage
  • In chronic patients, the pathogen is still persisting but there is also immune wreckage

gilbertJill Crista, ND spoke on "Using Laws of Cure to Inform Decision Making” and shared:

  • Want healing to be a smooth line; not actually how healing works
  • Healing crisis is different than a Herx; sometimes want to wake up the immune system
  • Body heals from the deep to the surface
  • Like cures like; concept of homeopathy; can use autologous hemotherapy/homeopathy from body fluids
  • Law of order; cure must proceed from the center to circumference; above downward; within outwards; more important to less important organs; from the head to the hands and feet; symptoms which disappear in reverse order of their coming
  • For chronic illness, improvement in pain takes place from above downward; improvement in diseases, from within outward
  • Nervous system is the first thing to clear
  • More important organs: brain, limbic, nervous, autonomic
  • As you treat mold, the sinuses are often the last thing to clear out; they are more surface; may need nasal treatments long-term
  • Lyme carditis may improve as gallbladder symptoms increase
  • Suppression is halting or quieting a symptom expression without removing the morbid influence or correcting excess or deficiency; drives the pathology deeper
  • To cure, you must first remove the morbid influence
  • Practitioner engagement is a significant part of healing
  • Accumulation vs. Detox: can't be in both at the same time; exposed = accumulation; removed = detoxification; may not be able to push detox when in accumulation mode
  • Peel the onion: body peels the outer layers first; onion is order of healing not therapeutic order
  • Therapeutic order guides the order of treatment
  • Laws of cure determine an individualized and dynamic therapeutic order and choice of treatments
  • Treat the cause and the presenting layer or will continue to add layers 

gilbertMyriah Hinchey, ND spoke on "From Immune Chaos to Competency - Gut Restoration, Cytokine Modulation, and Immune Rebalancing to Heal from Chronic Infection-driven Illness” and shared:

  • Restore immune intelligence; not just remove pathogens
  • The immune system can lose the ability to differentiate threat from safety
  • Microbes persist because the host terrain remains in defense mode
  • A perpetual loop of inflammation and host vulnerability
  • Immune recalibration ends the vicious cycle
  • You cannot heal chronic infections without healing the immune system that failed to contain them in the first place
  • We are not attempting to kill every microbe in the body; make the body less hospitable, create more immune tolerance and resilience; restore immunocompetency 
  • Due to several technical issues, a portion of her talk was not presented on the virtual feed.
  • Pathogen -> cytokines -> danger signals
  • Autophagy is inhibited
  • Self-sustaining loop of immune activation, oxidative stress, and metabolic derangement
  • Need to restore autophagy, redox balance, and mitochondria
  • Calm Innate signaling with Nrf2: curcumin, sulforaphane, Japanese Knotweed, vagus support, SPMs
  • Modulate cytokines: Chinese Skullcap, Japanese Knotweed 
  • Rebalance Th1/Th17: D, Ashwagandha, SPMs
  • Cannot fix the immune system when the nervous system is out of whack
  • Chronic infections increase the demand for protein/amino acids; 1.5G/kg protein for tissue repair
  • Reducing intestinal barrier minimizes impact of endotoxins/LPS
  • Have to be pooping daily to get toxins out of the body
  • Have to rebalance redox; support Nrf2 with sulforaphane, curcumin, Japanese Knotweed/Resveratrol
  • Glutathione, CoQ10, catalase as antioxidants
  • Mitochondrial support with ALA, NAD precursors, selenium cofactors
  • Healthy cell membranes are crucial: phospholipids, omega 3, antioxidants: E, ALA, astaxanthin, CoQ10 carotenoids; polyphenols: curcumin, resveratrol, quercetin, EGCG, baicalin; adaptogens: ashwagandha, Rhodiola, Schisandra
  • Restore immune function with vitamin D and A for Tregs; omega 3, SPMs, butyrate; polyphenols
  • Mast cells: quercetin, luteolin, PEA; clearance: DAO, B6, copper, SAMe; rebuild membranes
  • Neuroimmune Recovery: have more microglial priming; activate vagal pathways; glymphatic clearance; DHA, butyrate, curcumin, polyphenols; photobiomodulation, mindfulness
  • Endocrine: cortisol, selenium and iodine for thyroid; insulin sensitivity with berberine; adrenal resilience
  • Matrix/Fascia/Lymphatic Flow: collagen with C, lysine, proline; proteolytic enzymes; hyaluronan and structured water integrity
  • Need to restore elasticity of the extracellular matrix; supports detoxification
  • Lyme likes to hang out in the extracellular matrix
  • Critical to feel safe and not feel hopeless; community, purpose, gratitude, nature, vagal tone
  • Pathogens are an underlying cause of the Cell Danger Response; root cause has to be addressed to get out of the CDR loop
  • Inflammation creates immuno-incompetence 
  • Many treatments fail when the focus is on killing instead of healing the patient
  • Focus should be on immune and inflammation modulation and making the body inhospitable to the infections
  • Need to restore immune competence modulate inflammation, balance TH branches, detox, provide micronutrients for all biochemical reactions
  • How do you kill infection without causing more immune dysfunction?  Herbs!
  • Herbs maintain gut microbiome integrity
  • Commonly used antimicrobial herbs: Japanese Knotweed, Cat's Claw, Chinese Skullcap, Sweet Annie, Cryptolepis, Houttuynia, Black Walnut, Cordyceps, Oil of Oregano, Grapefruit Seed Extract
  • Herbs have numerous beneficial properties; not just addressing microbes; many are also anti-biofilm
  • Modified Citrus Pectin covers many of her treatment objectives; reducing inflammation, supporting collagen, breaking down biofilms, supporting immunity, supporting detox with endotoxins and metals
  • Treatment goals: immune dysfunction, cytokines, organs where infections live, nutrients needed by the organisms to survive; immune evasion techniques of a given infection; routes of elimination open/detox supported; antimicrobials
  • Ashwagandha can help to balance Th1/Th2
  • Modified Citrus Pectin can help to address the formation of biofilms
  • Almost every patient is in Chinese Skullcap
  • She likes weak binders; MCP and chlorella
  • Chinese skullcap contains melatonin
  • Mixes the herbs into the G3M powder; Lymarita for adults; Lymonade for kids
  • Food teaches the immune system safety or danger
  • Must pair herbs with targeted nutrition; she has created a CCI (Complex Chronic Illness) Diet
  • Antibiotics do not completely eliminate any of these infections; the immune system does
  • Have to fix the immune system, resolve cell danger response, and heal the terrain

Tapley Holland from TruDose talked about their treatment option:

  • Magic of platelets
  • Platelets work at the cell danger response level
  • Platelets are involved with or in charge over over 1000 metabolic activities
  • Helps the cells to get unstuck and complete resolution to healing
  • What do you do with the patient you are playing whac-a-mole with
  • Can wipe a lot of warning lights off the dashboard
  • Something from you, by you, at the right dose can stimulate the body to heal
  • Dr. Jeff Greenfield, DO talked about his experience with TruDose in his clinic
    • Osteopathic vital signs: involuntary motion, fluid drive, longitudinal flux, lateral expression, transverse axis, harmonic/discordance, vibratory phenomena
    • Sees: tickborne, mycotoxin, autoimmune, spike protein, concussion, ADD, ASD, PANS/PANDAS
    • Findings: lack of treatment response, treatments do not hold, CNS motility diminished, CNS irritability, fluid movement restrictions, tissue texture changes, vibrations or "Lyme buzz"
    • Osteopathy helps improve health and resiliency, identify correct treatment adjuncts, treatments hold
    • TruDose can help stuck patients become unstuck patients
    •  Platelets
      • 2-4 mm diameter
      • Multiple functions
      • 7-10 day life span
      • Mostly product in bone marrow
      • Taught they are just for clotting
      • Adhere at injury sites or in blood vessels 
      • Initiate coagulation cascades to stabilize clots
      • Tissue repair
      • Inflammation modulation
      • Remodeling
      • Immune effect/antimicrobial
      • Angiogenesis 
      • Neuronal support/BDNF
      • Mood support - serotonin
      • Effects on aging?
    • Platelets used in healing in techniques such as PRP
    • PRP for: joint injury, hair, skin, wounds, dental/oral surgery, surgical recovery, sexual health
    • TruDose has a certain concentration of platelets per ml
    • Immune modulation, inflammation, cell signaling, neurological and tissue support
    • May be used for: tickborne disease, spike protein, mycotoxins, Parkinson's, concussion, PANS/PANDAS, stroke, memory, degenerative conditions
    • TruDose feels like a constitutional remedy after it is administered; vitality improves; 65w bulb -> 300w bulb
    • May feel skip areas after TruDose; not homogenous; but combining with osteopathy melts the butter to smooth out TruDose
    • TruDose is IV PRP
    • TruDose effect goes for weeks or months even though platelets only live for 7-10 days
    • Had a patient that did TruDose for tinnitus; tinnitus improved
    • Can "rekindle" TruDose with osteopathy
    • Have done over 175 patients; over 450 doses
    • 80-85% had moderate to significant improvements
    • 15-20% mild or no effect
    • One case had an MSQ of 42 and dropped after 5 TruDose sessions to 4
    • Second case had significant issues related to issues from multiple vaccines; MSQ went from 67 to 52 after 4 doses
    • Untreated mycotoxin illness appears to lead to more side effects with TruDose; huge dumping of mycotoxins suspected; treat mycotoxins before TruDose
    • Best to combine TruDose with cranial osteopathy

gilbertPiper Dobner, NMD, MS spoke on "The Rewilded Gut: Microbiome Interventions for Immune Resilience" and shared:

  • The fear instilled by the bacterial theory of disease is frequently more destructive than the microorganisms themselves
  • Germs cannot be the cause of disease, because disease germs are also found in healthy bodies.  The real cause must be something else
  • Think of the gut as a garden; needs healthy soil
  • Uses sauerkraut juice when working with patients
  • Biodiversity is resilience; the more organisms we health, the healthier our ecosystems
  • We share a functional core microbiome but not a core microbiota
  • 10-15% similarity in the names of the microbes that inhabit the gut
  • But if you look at the function of the microbe, becomes more normalized
  • The microbes poop out SCFAs and other molecules; consume what we eat and produce signals to the body
  • FMT is one of the coolest therapies on the planet
  • Did not understand the microbiome until around 2000; who all is there?
  • The gut is the second brain; studied for about 20 years and know 1% of it
  • FMT is stool from a healthy, screened donor transplanted into the colon of a sick recipient
  • FMT can be delivered in "crapsules"
  • Mucus layer is thin, single layer in small intestine; more for absorption; sloughs off pretty readily; large intestine has a double layer of mucus; significantly more microbes; need to protect ourselves from the microbes within our gut
  • Restoring the microbiome improves the health of the mucus layer; has been observed in both small intestine and colon in mice
  • Germ free mice have higher IgE
  • Attacking a bug in the intestines may be promoting more allergy
  • Germ free mouse has downregulated tight junctions at the brain
  • C-section higher autoimmunity and allergy; childhood illnesses significantly increase
  • Study where they took fecal sample from mom prior to birth and delivered it the baby through infant milk
  • Vaginal babies have healthy microbiome; C-section with the FMT from mom led to a similar looking healthy biome
  • In C. diff patients, often many rounds of antibiotics and worsening overall symptoms such as anxiety and depression
  • FMT can be done in capsules such as 10 capsules for 3 days
  • Lyme patients often have disrupted microbiomes from cycles and cycles of antibiotics
  • Doxycycline in Lyme impacts the microbiome which reduces the rise in immunoglobulins
  • When mycotoxins are in the system, they can negatively impact the microbes that live in our gut
  • Those who overcame mycotoxin illness had greater microbial diversity in the gut microbiome
  • How do we "rewild" our gut?
  • Pesticides, lack of exercise negatively impact the microbiome; loss of sleep = loss of microbes
  • Many RX and OTC medications can reduce commensals; especially anti-psychotics
  • Glyphosate impacts the microbiome; it is antibiotic
  • PTLDS has a distinct microbiome depletion pattern
  • FMT in SIBO; will not create SIBO; improved GI symptoms and alpha-diversity
  • Auto-brewery syndrome can lead to high levels of alcohol; essentially drunk
  • Fecal transplant is an expensive therapy
  • FMT can be a primary treatment in C. diff infection; have to do 2 rounds of antimicrobials before qualifying for FMT
  • Enema delivery is least effective form of fecal transplant
  • Crapsules are triple-encapsulated; gets through the stomach; theorized to open at end of SI / beginning of LI
  • Can you restore the microbiome without FMT?  Fiber rich foods and fermented foods; some farmers use sauerkraut juice on soil to reduce impact of glyphosate; ferments are so good for our biome
  • Too much fiber too soon might blow up patients
  • Fermented foods lead to increase diversity and a reduction of inflammatory signals
  • Starts with 1/8 tsp of sauerkraut juice and then work up slowly to a spoonful
  • Probiotics: most are trying to replicate ferments
  • Poop is a gateway drug to worm therapy; helminthic therapy; using worms to diversify your system like a probiotic; positive impact on the environment; potential is incredible
  •  Keystone species can beneficially support the ecosystem and promote balance
  •  More diversity in our environment leads to more immune resilience
  • Can put the worms on a Band-Aid and they come into the body through the skin
  • Come from the lungs and then are swallowed; 1-3 year life cycle in the gut; deliver ~200 peptides to the body
  • TReg tells the immune system how to do things right; saw significant increase in TReg in those that had parasite infection with Necator
  • Can help to improve food tolerance in those with limited food options tolerated
  • Maye we need to pump the brakes on killing and add more good guys

Some learnings from a lunch talk by OxyHealth with Dr. Jason Sonners:

  • Sea level is 21% oxygen and near 100% saturation of RBCs
  • Oxygen is bound to RBC; 3ml per L of blood free floating
  • Carbon dioxide comes out of carbonated water to get back to equilibrium with the environment
  • Pressurized oxygen drives oxygen into our fluids; hold onto oxygen during the session
  • When you get out, oxygen will try to come out
  • Super-saturate the blood; now up to 60ml per L depending on the pressure, duration
  • Increases free floating oxygen, can reach places that RBC oxygen cannot; reaches tissues 4 times further
  • 1 atmosphere = 50 mm Hg of oxygen
  • 100% oxygen with no pressure = 75 mm Hg
  • 1.3 ATA = 246 mm Hg
  • 1.5 ATA = 437.5 mm Hg
  • Many are using HBOT off-label; FDA approved indications are limited
  • 4 of the 15 indications are infection-related
  • Can increase WBC, reduce cytokines, increase oxygen perfusion, mitogenesis, growth factors, collagen synthesis, fibroblast formation, stem cell release
  • Higher ATA is not always better;
  • One of the most foundational tools for supporting those with infections; rare to go higher than 1.3-1.5 ATA
  • May go higher in acute issues but stay lower ATA in chronic patients
  • Oxygen used as a tool to nourish the body; not as a tool to kill a bug
  • Probably 40-60 hours to get started; or more
  • Have to set realistic expectations; this is not a few sessions and done
  • Patients may give up too early

gilbertJames Neuenschwander, MD spoke on "Managing the Mitochondria: Why our patients get stuck" and shared:

  • Lyme and other chronic conditions are so much more than an infection
  • Mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell; so much more
  • Calcium homeostasis, apoptosis, ROS signaling, metabolic regulation, cellular stress response, heme/iron-sulphur complex, steroid hormones, innate immunity all part of mitochondrial function
  • Mitochondria can release ATP extracellularly which then becomes a danger signal or DAMP
  • OxPhos: Complex II different than others; where Krebs cycle attaches to inner mitochondrial membrane
  • Redox: reducing donates electron; oxidizing agent steals electron; reducing agent become oxidized when it gives up an electron or reduced when it takes on an electron
  • Glutathione is needed if you want to breath oxygen; it does not become oxidized
  • Cellular oxidation: metals, smoke, radiation, toxins, EMFs, infections; cellular metabolism is the biggest source
  • Oxidative stress is when oxidation exceeds the ability of the cell to reduce it
  • Body uses SOD to convert superoxide to hydrogen peroxide then catalase and glutathione peroxidase; if that fails, you make hydroxyl free radicals which can cause damage; lipid peroxides; more damaging than oxygen
  • Mitochondria originated from bacteria and act like bacteria do
  • Destroying microbes is by creating peroxide
  • Oxidation and redox energy, immunity, oxygen delivery, cell signaling; creating of fatty acids and steroid hormones
  • Mitochondria change function based on environment signals
  • Cell Danger Response is the explanation for all chronic illness
  • ATP and mitochondrial DNA are key danger signals; also DAMPS/NAMPS/PAMPS, S100, cytokines
  • CDR1 is about containment/protection; preppers in a tornado shelter; hydrogen ions build up to defend the cell; mitochondria in M1 and not making much ATP
  • CDR2 when the threat is contained; mitochondria change from M1 to M0; replace cells that were damaged; primitive cell replacement / glycolysis; creation of replacement cells
  • CDR3 is where cells re-establish community with neighboring cells; mitochondria return to M2 state
  • Disease is being stuck in any of these 3 states
  • Autism is a CDR3 condition
  • Metabolic markers for CDR: high lipid peroxides, low glutathione, altered lactase/pyruvate, high cytokines, high ceramides (type of lipid), elevated CRP, upregulated HIF-1a, altered ATP/ADP ratio
  • Most with an infection are stuck in phase 1; morphs into CDR3 which is autoimmunity
  • There is a LOT more going on with Lyme than just Lyme
  • Is the problem being stuck in CDR?  Is that what needs to be addressed?
  • What is the underlying cause?
  • Mitochondria are important for a proper immune response
  • 20-30% of people in Sweden seropositive for Lyme; none of them sick
  • Mitotoxins - stress, injury, toxins, infections, adjuvants, metals, pollution all trigger CDR
  • Mitotoxicity: lead, arsenic, mercury, cadmium, PCBs, PAH, Chlorpyrifos, Paraquat/Rotenone, micro/nano plastics, PM 2.5 and PM 10 particulates
  • 1400 medications studies, 180 had mitochondrial toxicity; about 13%; metformin, fluoxetine, clozapine, valproic acid, pioglitazone, sertraline, simvastatin, nicotine
  • Nicotine patches are a mitochondrial toxin
  • Acetaminophen lowers glutathione which impacts mitochondria
  • Cortisol when chronic creates mitochondrial toxicity
  • Limbic retraining programs can help in part by changing stress pattern
  • Adjuvants create ROS and can lead to mitochondrial issues via CDR
  • Many vaccines have aluminum which activates the NLRP3 inflammasome
  • Treatment Options
    • Eliminate the trigger(s) of the CDR
    • Look for mitochondrial dysfunction; OAT: lactate, pyruvate, succinate, AKG; alanine/lysine ration > 2.5 = dysfunction, RBC glutathione often low
    • HVA/VMA ratio, high succinate, lipid peroxides also important to explore
    • Elevation of lactate; high succinate, fumarate, malate; high aminos; high ketones; classic mitochondria/toxicity issues
    • HVA (dopamine breakdown) to norepi via DBH (sensitive to mold toxins and metals)
    • MitoSwab to measure the various complexes; citrate synthase correlates to # of mitochondria; shows complex functionality; can have high mitochondria with low ETC efficiency = mitochondrial deficiency 
    •  B1, B2 (FAD), B3 (NAD), B5, B12, biotin all play role
    • ETC: CoQ10, NAD, B2; CoQ10 with NAD injections helping in CFS/ME, Fibro, chronic Lyme
    • Methylene blue donates electrons to cytochrome C; sidesteps 1-III; free radical scavenger reducing free radicals; similar to glutathione
    • Improving Complex IV reduces oxygen -> free radicals; prevents ETC backup
    • MB is a good methylator; 4 methyl groups
    • Red light therapy for ETC; it's science!
    • FIR and NIR impact mitochondrial function; cytochrome C absorbs light; 630-870nm; stimulates mitochondria and epigenetically alters genes
    •  Deuterium depleted water; deuterium is heavy water; typical water is 150ppm deuterium; gums up the ETC; mito membrane filters out deuterium; can improve mitochondria with DDW; 80 ppm conveys most of benefits
    • Detox: most important for mitochondria 
    • Organic foods, clean water, air, remove mold, remove radon, non-toxic materials around us
    • Liver Phase 1: B2, B3, B6, B12, GSH, BCAA, Flavonoids, phospholipids
    • Liver Phase 2: glycine, taurine, glutamine, NAC, methionine
    • Diversity of diet and prebiotics key in supporting keystone organisms
    • Nutrients impact ability to get rid of toxins
    • Binders: effective way to support detox; minimize enterohepatic recirculation
    • CSM, Colesevelam, Olestra/Castor Oil, charcoal (can bind some nutrients; debated), bentonite, chitosan, thiol silica
    • Sauna for metals and many 3 letter toxins (but not PFAS); heat also benefits mitochondria and induces biogenesis
    • Infection is only one of many things that impact CDR and impact chronic illness; toxicity is significant 

gilbertMichael Karlfeldt, ND, PhD spoke on "The Hidden Link: Chronic Infections, the Tumor Microenvironment, and Integrative Oncology Interventions" and shared:

  • Highest groups of patient frustration have been cancer and chronic infection patients
  • Norma cancer process is cut, poison, burn
  • Many in cancer don't look at infections, mold, etc.; may not have a response to show the infection is present if one is immune-compromised; testing blind spots
  • When you stick a needle in a tumor, the contents leak out into the body requiring more energy for containment
  • If we only focus on killing, we are not improving one's ability to reclaim health.
  • Cannot fully get rid of cancer or infections; the goal is to reduce the load and improve the terrain
  • Common infections: Borrelia, Bartonella, Babesia, EBV, CMV, HHV-6; tactics: biofilms, intracellular, persisters, antigenic variation
  • Infections hide in CNS/brain, marrow, joints, fascia, lymph, dental/tonsil
  • Metals do not float in blood; they are stored in tissue when chronic
  • Stealth microbes support the tumor microenvironment and co-localize in biofilms within tumors
  • Vector-borne infections can be drivers of cancer; as can mold and parasites
  • Cancer cells are infection hosts; infection-drive Warburg shift which supports cancer growth
  • Borrelia can bind to receptors so that the immune system will not go after the cancer
  • Cells bypass the mitochondria and become eternal
  • Traditional cancer therapies are oxidative therapies; cannot oxidize cancer cells well; they are hypoxic; increases VEGF to get the nutrition the cell needs to survive
  • Lyme infections hijack cellular energy and survival pathways; Borrelia reprograms metabolism towards glycolysis and cancer
  • Lactate functions like a signaling molecule; acidifying the tumor environment; harder for immune system to function; signals healthy cell conversion to join the cancer environment; promotes metastasis
  • Lyme impairs mitochondria; shift mitochondrial activity away from fermentation process or push to be destroyed -> oxidation leaking out into cells and cell death
  • Anaplasma blocks apoptosis
  • Bartonella inhibits host cell apoptosis and promotes pro-tumor signals
  • DNA mutations are downstream effect; as is mitochondrial dysregulation; depends on the terrain the exist within
  • Tumor microenvironment is the soil the cancer exists within: inflammation, immune suppression, low oxygen, infections, low pH
  • Targeting the microenvironment is key to healing
  • Shifting the soil impacts the cancer and the infections
  • Cancer treatment of any kind does not remove the cancer stem cells
  • Persistent infections drive immune dysfunction, oxidation, inflammation, terrain collapse, and tumor protection
  • Don't forget the infection aspect of cancer; has not seen one cancer that did not have a chronic infection
  • Always a fungal and viral component of cancer
  • Mitochondria recognize the danger of an infection and will attempt to oxidize the infection and will not have enough oxygen for itself
  • Oxygen -> ROS (to fight pathogen) -> lessens oxygen for energy - shift to glycolysis -> tumor growth
  • Immune tolerance may lead to infections not being contained
  • Cancer - want to promote a shift to Th1 to activate the immune system and against cancer
  • Biofilms protect cancer cells and pathogens; physical and chemical barrier; resists immune attacks and therapies; disruption critical for effective treatment; proteolytic or nattokinase/lumbrokinase
  • Need 100x more antibiotic to impact an pathogen protected in biofilms
  • Cancer or Lyme are about nutrition, toxicity, stress management, immune balance; contributors are toxins, nutrient deficiency, stress, immune suppression
  • Uses photodynamic therapy (PDT); can combine with photosensitizers like MB; elegant way to address infections and cancer cells
  • Foundations of life are light, oxygen, water, dirt

gilbertGinger Savely, DNP, FNP-C spoke on "The Morgellons Enigma: Approaching the Treatment of a Complex and Overlooked Illness" and shared:

  • We all see chronic illness in a unique way
  • Bringing people together allows to see the whole elephant
  • Often associated with Borrelia and other tickborne infections
  • Main feature is filaments or fibers under the skin that come out of the skin
  • 97% of her Morgellons patients have tickborne infections
  • Some studies had a goal to prove Lyme causes Morgellons; does not think it is true
  • Saddest group of patients; told delusional; gaslit by the medical world
  • Accused of having "meth mites" when they go to the ER
  • Has been around a long time; maybe back to late 1600s
  • Morgellons is not delusions of parasitosis
  • Patients talking about crawling is interpreted as a "parasite" 
  • Often sent to psych or put on psych meds
  • Malpractice to diagnose a psych disorder without a physical exam and exploration of physical causes
  • Patients become depressed because no on understands or validates their experience
  • Has treated thousands of patients over 25 years; no one knows the cause
  • Not all Morgellons patients have lesions; 15-20% do not; they do have the fibers
  • Feels like being poked by a needle from the inside out
  • Slimy feeling on the skin
  • Spontaneous scratches and tunnels on the skin
  • Almost all have other systemic symptoms; similar to tickborne diseases
  • Accused of self-mutilation
  • Can lead to significant hair loss; hair gets tangled very easily; they get wigs and the wigs get tangled up; the fibers twice in the hair or in the wig
  • Filaments is the better word; they are not textile fibers
  • Need 30-200x magnifier with a UV light; wiping first with alcohol brings things out
  • Fibers fluoresce under UV light; helps to differentiate a filament from a hair
  • It is not a fungus
  • Filaments seen in cervix eyes, colon; almost impossible to extract
  • Not textiles, not alive; made of keratin and collagen
  • Filaments can be any color; like nylon fishing wire
  • In vagina, urine, semen; they are likely everywhere in the body
  • Lesions are not self-inflicted; spontaneous; super slow to heal; no secondary infections; can leave disfiguring scars
  • Finds more filaments in healing lesions
  • Bacteria isolated from lesions: Borrelia/TBRF, Bartonella, H. pylori, T. denticola; may not be the cause
  • Borrelia seeks out weakened parts of the body
  • "Slime" is alginate; protective element of biofilms
  • Has found Morgellons in dogs, cats, horses; may be a common exposure; not known to be contagious
  • All have some immune suppression or are on immunosuppressive therapies
  • Usually related to a bite, splinter, thorn, prick, or laceration exposed to dirty water
  • Gardeners with rose thorns, cactus thorns; environmental workers with water in open wound
  • 6% of people with Lyme have Morgellons
  • 100% of her Morgellons patients have genetic predisposition to mold
  • Mold exposure is always a factor; suppresses immunity
  • May start when they moved into a moldy house
  • Limited data; clinical experience
  • Working with 100 Morgellons patients currently
  • Investigate all possible burdens to the immune system; diet, stress, toxins, infections, PTSD, abuse, hormones
  •  Patients get a lift when you get rid of parasites
  • Go big or stay home when it comes to antibiotics; no undertreatment
  • Classic Bartonella signs; approaching treatment as Bartonella often yields the best success
  • If you say Morgellons to other doctors, you won't be treated well; often better to discuss Bartonella as it is common
  • May use Bartonella antibiotic combinations or herbals
  • Uses Methylene blue, Disulfiram (systemic symptoms improved but skin symptoms did not)
  • Herbals: Cryptolepis, Black Walnut, Sida, Houttuynia, Japanese Knotweed
  • Penicillins or cephalosporins generally poor effectiveness
  • Antiparasitics: GSE, nitazoxanide, metronidazole, tinidazole, Coartem, or atovaquone often help
  • Patients get better; degree of improvement may vary, but they improve
  • Order of effectiveness: Ivermectin, Praziquantel, Albendazole, Mebendazole, Thiabendazole
  •  Rarely work long-run: oral/topical antifungals, oral antivirals, colloidal silver
  • Topicals may work great for a week or two and then stop; every topical works for two weeks
  • Topicals: dapsone, Sulfa Silvadene, metronidazole, neem, DERCUT, Tattoo aftercare film, hydrocolloids bandages
  • Tea tree oil to mouthwash or shampoo, charcoal pillow, hydroxyzine for itching and insomnia
  • Teeth can hollow out from the inside and crumble
  • Morgellons patients will not get well unless they have a holistic treatment plan
    • Viral/bacterial infections
    • Diet - no sugars or refined or processed foods
    • No smoking
    • Environmental Toxins
    • External stressors
    • Anxiety/depression
    • Physical rehab
    • Stress management  
  • At least 2 years of treatment
  • Mind-body connection is key; need support
  • Not contagious through casual contact
  • No need for extensive cleaning rituals
  • Patients shed fibers which may be irritants to others but they are not infectious

gilbertTom Moorcroft, DO spoke on "Beyond Protocols: The Path to Real Healing" and shared:

  • Could you change your story?  What if you pretend that you can have the life you want?
  • Need to show patients what is possible
  • Sickly thoughts express themselves as a sickly body
  • As soon as you label yourself, that's what you've got; and you can't get better
  • Well people who believe they are sick will develop symptoms of the illness
  • Sick people with no hope won't get better; doesn't matter what you do
  • Teach patients how much healing power they have
  • The healing power is within us
  • Not everything works for everyone
  • Easy to find dis-ease; harder to find health
  • What is illness in your life to teach you?
  • 70% of his healing was in what he felt and what he thought
  • See illness -> create illness
  • See health -> create health
  • What story are you telling yourself?  How is that story serving you?  Why not try a different story?
  • Chronic illness hijacks safety, identity, and belonging
  • If you can't realize you are safe, you can't heal
  • Not all threat is bad
  • Do you have to feel uncomfortable to heal?  Often yes, but not always
  • Improving HRV improves parasympathetic activity
  • Lyme has been shown to reduce HRV
  • HeartMath Quick Coherence Technique
  • Healing is Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual
  • Music, dance, breathwork are healing
  • Calming default mode network moves from thinking to feeling and from predicting to experiencing
  • 120-125 beats per minute with every other beat accentuated

gilbertZendi Moldenhauer, PhD, NPP, PNP, RN-BC spoke on "Infections presenting as Psychiatric Disorders" and shared

  • Infections create neuro-immune inflammation that presents as psychiatric issues
  • Conventional psychiatry has a focus on the diagnosis and treatment
  • Functional psychiatry has a focus on assessing and addressing root causes
  • Patients may have severe depression or psychiatric symptoms and the solution is often psychiatric medications
  • Many have brain infections and neuroinflammation
  • 40% of Lyme patients told it's all in your head
  • Two paths, two destinies; the fork that determines everything
  • Path A: Psychiatric Maze
    • 60% delayed diagnosis
    • Medication after medication
    • Hospitalizations
    • Learning and academic impairments
    • Social isolation
    • Suicidal crisis
    • Years of progressive deterioration
    • Expensive
  • Path B Medical Solution  - Road to Recovery
    • Proper testing
    • Targeted antibiotics
    • Psych Symptom Resolution
    • Academic and social restoration
    • Life path restored
    • Families reunited
  • Psychiatric medicines can't possibly work for infections
  • Cost of root cause testing is less than one day in a psych institution
  • Tick-borne infection symptoms create psych symptoms that look the same as primary mental health disorders
  • Depression, mood disorders, suicidal ideation, anxiety spectrum, cognitive dysfunction; infections mimic mental health disorders
  • Infections create emotional and behavior disruption: emotional dysregulation, activity and motor changes, developmental and social impact, sleep and cognitive dysfunction, behavioral changes, more severe presentations
  • Pathogen Fingerprints
    • Borrelia - depression, cognitive deficient, mood swings, anxiety; psychosis, paranoia, suicidal ideation
    • Bartonella - rage, anxiety, agitation, confusion, seizure-like episodes; most psychiatrically disruptive
    • Babesia - air hunger, depression with air hunger sensation, panic attacks, altered mental status, cognitive confusion from oxygen deprivation; looping anxiety
    • Mycoplasma - sudden OCD, separation anxiety, academic regression, catatonia 
  • 8 Attack Categories: direct brain effects, structural brain changes, functional brain changes, neuro-immune inflammation and chronic inflammatory cascade, neurotransmitter dysregulation, autoimmune reactions, oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, gut-brain axis disruption
  • Brain is rich in lipids, glucose, and amino acids which infections love
  • Can see white matter lesions, synaptic disruption, neurovascular damage, and inflammation
  • Biofilms lead to the production of invisible bacterial cities; 1000x antibiotic resistance, immune system evasion, chronic persistence, treatment challenges
  • May have molecular mimicry where proteins of an infection may look like parts of the brain and the immune system may then mistakenly attack brain proteins; autoimmunity can damage brain tissue resulting in psych symptoms
  • Pathogens alter brain vasculature; reduced nutrient and oxygen delivery
  • Key players: microglia, astrocytes, and infiltrating immune cells
  • Release: cytokines, chemokines, ROS, nitric oxide, complement proteins
  • Chronic microglial activation result in persistent psychiatric symptoms
  • The inflammation fails to resolve
  • Brain immune cells get stuck in attack mode; can persist for years
  • Tryptophan should become 5HTP, serotonin and, melatonin; inflammation turns on IDO and TDO enzymes which goes down kynurenine and quinolinic acid pathway
  • Higher quinolinic acid, the more severe the depression
  • Antidepressants can't work if there is no serotonin around
  • Serotonin - mood and happiness; dopamine - motivation and reward; GABA - calming/relaxation; Acetylcholine - memory and attention
  • "Lyme Brain" is real
  • High functioning people often have the most noticeable loss of cognitive function
  • Direct brain damage, neuroinflammation, neurotransmitter dysfunction, metabolic dysfunction, autoimmune activation; all drive from infection
  • Often energy, mood, cognition improvements noted in that order
  • Medical treatment may also fail: short antibiotic courses, not addressing coinfections or biofilms, single pathogen focus, ignores immune dysfunction, ignores autoimmunity, no metabolic support
  • Approach has to be integrative addressing root causes; comprehensive pathogen testing; extended microbial therapy; target biofilms and persisters, treat coinfections, support the immune system
  • Treatment Components
    • Antimicrobial therapy
    • Anti-inflammatory treatment
    • Neuroprotection
    • HPA Axis Support
    • Gut Restoration
    • Immune Modulation
    • Neurotransmitter Support
    • Metabolic and Detox Support
  • Uses Biocidin as a biofilm disruptor
  • Ibuprofen can really decrease brain inflammation in PANS/PANDAS
  • LDN calms the immune system; helps pain and inflammation
  • Melatonin is anti-inflammatory
  • Children often improve more quickly than adults
  • Stabilizing mast cells can help with neuroinflammation
  • Compelling evidence linking tick-borne infections and psychiatric disorders
  • Higher risk of suicidal ideation in Lyme patients
  • Instead of asking what psych med might be tried next, ask what infection might be causing the symptoms
  • Conditions are treatable; recovery is possible 

gilbertSomer DelSignore,DNP,  BC-PNP spoke on "Congenital Vector-Borne Infections: Emerging Trends, Integrative Prevention, and Pediatric Outcomes" and shared:

  • Congenital tick-borne transmission; vertical transmission from mom to fetus; transplacental, perinatally; or breast feeding
  • Many vector-borne infections potentially transmitted
  • Babesia may be easier to transmit congenitally than Bartonella (but can also happen)
  • Often detects Bartonella in young kids that have more neuropsych presentations
  • Babesia does not invade the placenta; replicates in RBCs; does not require high maternal parasitemia for some types of Babesia to be transmitted
  • Immune tolerance in pregnancy can heighten vulnerability
  • First trimester transmission risk: moderate to high
  • Second trimester: anti-inflammatory; less likely
  • Late pregnancy: possible transmission but barriers are stronger
  • Evidence of congenital transmission for decades; still not where we need to be
  • Need to be treating both the unborn and the mom
  • TORCH+ is a group of infections that can cause abnormalities, miscarriage, or perinatal morbidity; Toxoplasma, Syphilis, Rubella, CMV, HSV
  • Expanded TORCH+: Parvo B19, VZV, Zika, HIV, SARS-CoV-2, Listeria
  • Vector-Borne: Borrelia, Babesia, Bartonella, Rickettsia
  • Vector-borne infections can lead to fetal loss
  • Babies do not have their own immune response until about 2 months of age
  • If exposed to infections during pregnancy, the immune system may not respond as expected; a negative response in baby with a positive in mom does not mean the infection was not transmitted
  • May not show positive tests until 2-3 years down the road; may need to treat based on clinical presentation
  • Can use herbals if evidence does not support antibiotics
  • Babesia PCR/smear, Lyme IgM/IgG/PCR, Bartonella IgG/IgM/PCR
  • IGeneX, Galaxy, TLabs when available
  • Test mom; newborn may not have an immune response of their own
  • A child with ASD or neurodivergence; mom often had an exposure during the pregnancy
  • Inflammation itself will impact the neurodevelopment of the child
  • PANS/AE: immune priming, molecular mimicry, persistent immune activations
  • Immune priming early life exposure that shale long term reactivity and bias of the immune system; toward immune tolerance or heightened inflammation
  • Molecular mimicry - cross-reactive immune responses that can target self-tissues
  • Persistent Immune Activation - ongoing, dysregulated inflammatory response from infections, placental inflammation, immune overactivation
  • ASD, ADHD, PANS/PANDAS, seizures/epilepsy, Autoimmune Encephalitis; commonly misdiagnosed disorders in children with congenital, vector-borne infections
  • Difference in birthing children and birthing healthy children
  • Tick-borne infections are not generally considered or screened
  • Many substances cannot be used during pregnancy; glutathione, methylene blue, herbals often cannot be used
  • Can use molecular hydrogen as an anti-inflammatory
  • Limited in treatment options during pregnancy; early screening and pre-conception planning are key
  • Many pay thousands for IVF when what they needed was good treatment
  • There are some antibiotics that can be used during the pregnancy
  • COVID leads to reactivation of latent infections
  • Even inflammation during pregnancy will impact neurodevelopment

gilbertNancy O'Hara, MD spoke on "Demystifying POTS & PANS: Cleaning the POTS & Dysautonomia" and shared:

  • POTS is not just about a high heart rate; consider all factors of dysautonomia
  • PANS can have infectious and non-infectious triggers
  • The "P" is for pediatric, but there are adults; should be called Autoimmune Encephalitis of the Basal Ganglia
  • It is abrupt onset; can be sub-acute; particularly with mold and vector-borne disease
  • 1 in 150-200 with PANS/PANDAS
  • More than 50% with PANS develop POTS
  • Infections or other metabolic problem triggers the immune system
  • Hand-writing deterioration is pathognomonic for this condition; 90%
  • There is no lab test that diagnoses PANS/PANDAS; it is a clinical diagnosis
  • More boys than girls; 2.6:1
  • 98% behavioral regression
  • Causes: Strep, Mycoplasma, Viruses, Borrelia/Bartonella/Babesia, Yeast/Mold; metabolic issues including toxicity
  • COVID re-activated so many other illnesses
  • 10mg/kg Ibuprofen trial to see if it improves the condition
  • It is an autoimmune disease; not an infectious disease; still need to treat the infections
  • Treat the symptoms as well as the causes
  • Treat the neuroinflammation and autoimmunity
  • Treat dysautonomia
  •  POTS - dysregulation of the ANS; digestion, body temperature, pupils, stress response, sweats, blood flow; orthostatic intolerance, sleep disruption
  • Simple things can make it better; B12
  • Can do tilt-table testing; no standards for pediatrics; QSART sweat test; Valsalva maneuver (blowing against resistance)
  •  Dysautonomia triggers: decreased fluid/salt, exercise, warm environments, extended standing, emotional stress, over-stimulation, large meals or skipping meals, illness/surgery/trauma; cold hands and feet are typical
  • Long COVID may actually be PANS from reactivated tick-borne disease or viruses
  • Treatment for POTS/dysautonomia: B12 for adrenals, increase fluid/water intake (1 oz/kg per day at least), increase salt intake (needs to be iodized Himalayan salt), avoid standing/sitting for long periods of time, compression socks, exercise, sleep, physical manipulation/body work, clean diet but eat food, iron/zinc/magnesium (check RBC), licorice root, antioxidants and glutathione, mitochondrial support
  • 70% of detox occurs during sleep; immune rejuvenation 
  • Foods to avoid: processed, fast, preservatives, dyes, hydrogenated, MSG, canned, artificial sweeteners, caffeine, conventionally-grown
  • Treatments for POTS/dysautonomia: Fludrocortisone, Midodrine, Scopolamine patch (for sweating), beta blockers, Mestinon, IV saline, stimulant medications, Sacc. B
  • Many have gastroparesis; 5HTP, treat dysbiosis, SIBO/SIFO, viruses; Metoclopramide, Erythromycin, Xifaxin, Inulin
  • Vagus nerve: 80% parasympathetic afferent (organs to brain); 20% efferent; 4% motor, 1% sensory; ear acupressure/puncture; Acetylcholine important; macrophages put out many different cytokines; MCAS common in mold
  • Negative impacts on vagus nerve: dysfunctional breathing, mouth breathing disturbs vagal nerve stimulation, mouth taping or appliance, junk diet, dysbiosis, emotional/psychological stress
  • Non-invasive vagal stimulation: breathing, mouth taping
  • Choline (can get in eggs) can increase Acetylcholine; need good fats, amino acids, proteins
  • Can use algae-based omega 3 for vegans/people who cannot take fish oil for religious reasons
  • Mitochondria impact dysautonomia and POTS; center of everything
  • CDR happens in every cell every moment of the day
  • Persistent CDR is at the center of many chronic conditions
  • Glutathione is a key to all detoxification and to mitochondria
  • We all need to detox
  • Sulforaphane can naturally improve glutathione, upregulate heat shock proteins, inhibit neuro inflammation, upregulate Nrf2, mitigate mitochondrial issues
  • Antioxidants: D, A, Zinc, Selenium, C, E, Resveratrol, CoQ10
  • 60% of families in her practice have mold issues in the picture 
  • A lot of COVID induced MCAS
  • MCAS triggered by food, environment/toxins/mold, stress, illness, aluminum, glyphosate, mercury
  • Magnesium threonate or glycinate can be helpful for headaches
  • Biggest mistake is not remediating fully, not retesting, and not cleaning properly after remediation
  • If you can't do remediation properly, you may need to consider moving
  • Bioflavonoids and mast cell stabilizers before binders
  • CSM 4 hours away from anything else on either side
  • Mitochondria: CoQ0, carnitine, thiamine, riboflavin, niacinamide, EFAs
  • Treat symptoms, treat inflammation, treat triggers
  • PANS/PANDAS is an immune-mediated disease; not an infectious disease

Quick discussion with Nicole Bell from GalaxyDx:

  • Working to create a new standard of care for vector-borne disease
  • Her husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and later passed away; had Borrelia, Bartonella, and Babesia that were missed by conventional testing
  • Tick-borne patients may have the 3Bs but also Candida, EBV, Parvo B19, HSV, Chlamydia, heavy metals, nutrient deficiencies
  • Her husband's PCR showed Babesia odocoilei 
  • Husband's journey would have likely been different with earlier testing showing vector-borne infections
  • Antibody testing is complicated and variable
  • Testing not sensitive enough for stealth pathogens
  • Galaxy known for Bartonella expertise
  • Her focus is on enabling accurate direct detection
  • Lyme does not like to be in the blood; can be shed into the urine
  • Bartonella, Babesia, Relapsing Fever are blood borne but testing generally not sensitive enough
  • Traditional PCR low sensitivity; they use digital PCR; separating the hay stack into 20-26K piles and then looking for the needle in each pile
  • Have a new multiplex BBB assay using their Digital ePCR
  • Now shifting their focus to Babesia
  • Top species of Babesia with emerging technologies: microti, odocoilei, divergens 
  • Tom Moorcroft has seen IBD and UC go away when treating Babesia
  • Consider Babesia in unresolved Bartonella cases
  • Babesia can be a trigger for PANS 

gilbertJill Crista, ND  spoke on "Is Mold a Barrier to Recovery" and shared:

  • Mold-related illness is a large illness; umbrella
  • Mold is multi-system, multi-symptom illness
  • Everyone exposed will have a different presentation
  • Every living being is impacted by mycotoxin exposure
  • Nutrition, genetics, prior exposures, colonization all impact presentation
  • Spores, fragments, mold off-gassing, mycotoxins, bacteria, bacterial off-gassing
  • Mold is not dead; it is dormant; still a concern and has to be removed from the building
  • 15 million possibilities of spores and their toxins with bacteria and their toxins
  • Allergic reactions from spores and spore fragments; 10-15%
  • Toxic reactions are mold off-gassing and mycotoxins; 80+%
  • Tinnitus is a key symptom of mycotoxin exposure
  • Bacteria and off-gassing more gut and lung symptoms; food sensitivities, coughing
  • Mold is much more than spore illness
  • Can see "mold-othelioma" from the fragments
  • Spores, fragments, VOCs, colonization, biofilms
  • Mycotoxins are energetically expensive to make; will make when competition or as a defense mechanism
  • Favorite food for Actinos is chitin; chitosan binder can make Actinos worse
  • Intention of the toxin means everything; bacterial endotoxins are the result of die-off; mycotoxins are intentionally made to harm or kill
  • Mycotoxins are made by mold as a weapon
  • Some molds make many mycotoxins; some mycotoxins made by many molds
  • Mycotoxins are toxic to mitochondria, immune system, neurotoxic, GI toxic, dermatoxic, nephrotoxic, carcinogenic, hepatotoxic, genotoxic, tatragenic, carcinogenic 
  • Mycotoxins are made and used as bioweapons
  • People say that mycotoxins are from food; inhalational exposure doesn't generally get to the gut; most mycotoxins breath -> capillary -> blood -> kidneys -> urine; some to liver -> bile -> GI -> stool
  • Majority we need to enhance kidney clearance
  • People talk about binders for mold but that is only addressing those that got into the GI and bile in the first place
  • P100 respirators that remediators use do NOT block mycotoxins
  • Peel the orange: avoidance, fundamentals, protect, repair, fight
  • MPA - not a mycotoxin; a metabolite; normal metabolite; where there is MPA, there is likely actively living mold
  • Urinary MPA suggestive of living in mold
  • MPA clears quickly when exposure is removed; water soluble
  • If you are out of mold for a month or more, MPA should be gone
  • MPA Detox
    • Crucifers, citrus, green tea
    • Bind with aloe; kinder binder; also gives back; can take with food
    • Glucuronidation support: EGCG, Grape Seed, Potassium-H-Glucarate (avoids calcium as it may impact oxalates), I3C, DIM
  • Negative reaction to milk thistle or Chinese Skullcap may indicate high MPA
  • Bifidobacterium work well for MPA protection
  • Protectors: Schisandra, NAC, Hawthorn, Resveratrol
  • Kidneys: Citrinin, Ochratoxin, Zearalenone
  • Liver: Aflatoxin, Chaetglobosin, Gliotoxin, Trichothecenes
  • GI: Trichothecenes
  • Suggests treating Gliotoxin first as many of the things for other mycotoxins will cause problems when gliotoxin present; sulfur taken up by Aspergillus to create more gliotoxin
  • Might see gliotoxin elevation by doing the wrong things too early
  • Salicylate-sensitivity related to patulin
  • Sulfur-sensitivity related to gliotoxin
  • Gliotoxin is a race to antifungals
  • Aloe is one of the best mast cell stabilizers out there
  • Itching is a keynote of gliotoxin especially after sulfur
  • Binds gliotoxin with aloe
  • Address fungus anywhere; topicals, sinuses, systemic
  • Like a sick tree in the forest that gets mushrooms growing on it
  • Thiol support without sulfur: bioflavonoids
  • Ochratoxin is a persister mycotoxin with a long half-life; binds to albumin
  • Ochratoxin doesn't seem to move
  • Focus on astaxanthin, luteolin, quercetin, lycopene; addresses the binding to albumin
  • Provoking for a urine test should be a focus on kidney clearance with bioflavonoids
  • Binder for ochratoxin insoluble-fiber
  • Melatonin, tocotrienols, glutathione, NAC, rosemary
  • Trichothecenes are more toxic than all the others; biowarfare agents 
  • Green tea, EVOO, brassicas
  • Binder: ground dried okra, lemongrass powder
  • Bacillus probiotics, green tea, lycopene, quercetin, rutin, hesperidin 
  • Milk thistle, black cumin, red sage, turmeric, schisandra, melatonin, CoQ10/E for glutathione, selenium, leucine, taurine
  • Taurine deficiency and eye symptoms observed in those on long-term binders; bad eyes and POTS; think taurine
  • Zearalenone - endocrine disruptor and more; can be activated by Candida and Saccharomyces; enhance kidney clearance and manage endocrine effects; lowers testosterone in men amplifying estrogen excess; related to tinnitus
  • Kefir, brassicas, many spices including ginger, hawthorn, resveratrol, grape seed extract
  • Many spices can be anti-mycotoxin and anti fungal; ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, thyme, lemongrass, rosemary
  • Avoids Sacc B with Zearalenone; keeps ZEA in a more reduced state; more toxic, longer; use bile-sequestrants
  • Potassium glucurate, DIM, I3C, melatonin, glutamine (can become glutamate), E, NAAC, Milk thistle 
  • Coherence - those treating mold can get on coherence with mold and become a mold attractor
  • Patients go from place to place with mold; attracted to moldy hobbies; clutter people; the mold has hijacked the mind; she has a guided visualization which she uses about once a month personally; rattles out any vibration with mold
  • Patients still in mold cannot get better

Quick talk about Vibrant Labs from Dr. Jason Barker:

  • Half a million people annually in US with Lyme
  • Vibrant Tickborne testing can be serum or dried blood spot; no fasting
  • Immunosuppressant medications like steroids and biologics can impact
  • PCR and antibodies tested
  • PCR not a gold standard for Lyme; more in tissues than in blood
  • Not common to find a positive PCR in their panel
  • Founders of Vibrant come from the silicon/tech world; uses microchips
  • 7-10 day turnaround
  • Adds small glass particles to sample to breakup biofilms
  • IgG measured first then IgM for sensitivity and specificity
  • Used 2000 “healthy” individuals to determine the range
  • Looks at many opportunistic infections as well
  • Direct and indirect testing
  • Rare to see positive direct tests in chronic cases
  • Testing for Lyme is often working in shades of gray
  • Antibodies do not mean you are sick; clinical diagnosis
  • IgM may or may not mean acute in Lyme; can hang around for 20 years
  • Test validated in Nature; sensitivity 72.3 and specificity of 97
  • Added additional antigens not used by the CDC; sensitivity increased to 100; specificity 95.2
  • Second validation; 3000 people; sensitivity 100
  • Too sensitive? Want it to be
  • Will find IgG which were infected at some point but doesn’t mean they are sick
  • There is no test that diagnoses Lyme
  • IgG is not diagnostic without signs and symptoms
  • High IgG may be a person with current Lyme disease
  • Babesia patients may not be able to convert to IgG
  • High IgG more likely to be reactivated or chronic
  • High IgM may be a more active infection
  • People generally have multiple infections
  • Have the 1.0 and 2.0 variations of the panel
  • 2.0 includes opportunistic infections
  • Run serum total immunoglobulins to explore immune status
  • Treat mold before Lyme
  • Biofilm tools can make the results find more

gilbertCasey Kelley, MD ABoIM spoke on "Small Bodies, Big Clues: Rethinking Pediatric Lyme Disease" and shared:

  • Children and adolescents make up 25% of all Lyme disease cases
  • More than pediatric cancer, type 1 diabetes, cystic fibrosis, and epilepsy combined  
  • Only about 20% of rashes are bulls-eye rashes
  • Infections can present as neuropsych symptoms
  • Children have hyperresponsive immune symptoms; set up for neurological symptoms
  • Hard to get blood draws in children; younger immune system may lead to more false negatives
  • Bartonella is the "Hulk"; rage issues, OCD, anxiety, POTS, "stretch" marks, eye issues, headaches at back of head
  • Bartonella impacts endothelium; vasculitis
  • Babesia more anxiety; depersonalization, air hunger, headaches behind the eyes, vision changes, vivid dreams, hot flashes/night sweats, cherry angiomas
  • Mold, GI dysfunction, hormones (often worse at puberty)
  • Uses antibiotics when necessary; does not shy away from potential risk of teeth discoloration with Doxycycline
  • Rifampin can be very hard on the adrenals
  • Minocycline better brain penetration
  • Herbals: Cat's Claw, Japanese Knotweed, Artemisinin, Cryptolepis, Skullcap, Oregano, Allicin
  • Herbs support the immune and bodily systems as well
  • Starts low and builds up with herbs; herbs do not cause less Herx reactions than antibiotics; not easier; not for the faint of heart
  • Herx Support: glutathione, Epsom Salt baths, movement, sweating, MCP, zeolite, glucomannan, charcoal, clay, immunoglobulins, glutathione/NAC, Burbur/Pinella, Fish Oil, SPMs, Butyrate, Turmeric; detox lemonade with 1/2 a lemon, 1 tsp baking soda, and 2-4 drops of stevia
  • Don't have to separate fibers and MCP from other supplements and food
  • Gut: enzymes, probiotics, glutamine, aloe, magnesium, immunoglobulins, turmeric, antihistamines
  • She sees a lot of Alpha Gal in her patient population 
  • GF/DF/SF, dye/color/flavoring free, elimination diet, GAPS, low FODMAPs, Oligoantigenic diet
  • Headaches: glutathione, magnesium, CoQ10, D, B2, melatonin, butterbur
  • Neuroprotective capacity of melatonin is huge
  • Fatigue: B vitamins, C, magnesium, fish oil, CBT; consider thyroid, iron, toxicity, GI, exercise, sleep, stress, trauma
  • Sleep: Magnesium threonate, melatonin, D, lithium orotate; nightmares: thiamine, B6, B2, B3; antihistamines
  • Seep hygiene: no screens for 60 minutes, Epsom salt baths, protein/fatty snack at bed, sleep stories
  • Dysautonomia: beta blockers, Ivabradine, Fludrocortisone, Midodrine, Pyridostigmine, IV fluids, Mestinon, Clonidine; licorice; compression stockings, salt/fluid, vagus nerve, exercise
  • Behavior/Mood: specific probiotics, nutrients, omega 3, D3, NAC, theanine, Skullcap; CBT, vagus stimulation, neurofeedback (better towards end of treatment)
  • OCD: NAC, inositol, D, magnesium
  • Cognitive deficits are observed in children as well
  • ADHD: Omega 3, magnesium, probiotics, Oligoantigenic diet, Fixation Focus Training, neurofeedback
  • In PANS/PANDAS, don't miss vector-borne infections; often one in the same
  • ASD may show 20-30% testing for Lyme or coinfections; may not be the cause
  • Treating one infection often clears space for the next one to come up
  • Uses pomegranate juice to mask the flavor of various interventions; also has some microbial support properties; can add some Stevia or Lime-flavored Pectasol with the herbs added
  • Treats 3-6-12 months longer than might be anticipated; reduces a return of symptoms

gilbertLindsey Wells, ND spoke on "Cerebral Folate Deficiency in Vector Borne Diseases" and shared:

  • Sees many neuro symptoms related to vector-borne disease in her practice
  • There is an overlap between autism and tickborne disease
  • Rule out vector-borne diseases in autism
  • ATEC scores have improved with treatment of vector-borne infections
  • Lyme: anxiety, depression, cognitive impairment, brain fog, OCD
  • Bartonella: psychosis, schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, RAGE, AGGRESSION, agitation, cognitive changes, OCD
  • Bartonella detected in 43% of adults with psychosis
  • 65% of adults with schizophrenia showed evidence of Bartonella
  • Babesia: anxiety, depression, OCD, dysautonomia, cognitive changes, brain fog, impaired consciousness 
  • Folate: B9, cerebral metabolism and function, neurodevelopment; DNA synthesis and repair; regulation of gene expression; amino acids; myelin formation; neurotransmitters
  • High doses of folinic acid transported into circulation unconverted; conversion to MTHF can occur in the liver and other tissues
  • Can be deficient in the brain; cerebral folate deficiency; even with normal levels in serum; several mechanisms
  • Folate gets into brain through folate receptor alpha; found in many tissues in the body; many of which are associated with reproduction
  • Two FRAAs
    • Blocking - bind to the site where folate binds; preventing folate from binding to the receptor
    • Binding - binds to other regions of the folate receptor and interfere with optimal function
  • We can transport folate with folate receptor beta; reduced folate carrier, and proton-coupled folate transporter
  • When you flood the system with folinic acid, it can move through the blood brain barrier
  • Cannot get same benefit with 5-MTHF as observed with high dose folinic acid
  • Cerebral Folate Deficiency: anxiety; treatment resistant depression in adults could also be a clue for CFD
  • Did a study with Dr. O'Hara in PANS/PANDAS; 63.8% had positive folate receptor autoantibodies; 83.3% binding; 10% binding and blocking; 6.7% blocking
  • Having both blocking and binding may head to more allergy, histamine, ADHD
  • Autism found to be related to binding FRAA; higher level seen than in autism
  • Higher levels correlated with tics
  • Folinic acid has helped anxiety, OCD, tics, executive functioning, and stuttering
  • Schizophrenia: FRAA may predispose; found CFD in 85%
  • CFD in adults: memory, myoclonus, depression, anxiety
  • Can have low levels of folate in CSF even when normal in serum
  • Autism: 71% with folate receptor antibodies; 19 fold more likely to have FRAA
  • If both parents have the autoantibody, more significant presentations
  • Might want to do higher doses of folinic acid to decrease potential for issues with their future children
  • Families with more than 1 child with autism where more likely to have FRAA; including the children and parents
  • Children had higher FRAA levels if parents were older
  • In autism, overall ASD symptoms improved by 67% with use of Leucovorin
  • High dose folinic acid can help with speech in ASD
  • Most prevalent infection in CFD is Bartonella; over 50%
  • Should test in ASD, PANS/PANDAS, neurodevelopmental disorders
  • Can look at FRAA in serum; just as good as CSF
  • Antibodies fluctuate over time; she runs on every patient
  • Avoid taking folate for 3 days before the FRAA test
  • Treatment must include a milk/dairy free diet
  • Folate receptor alpha antigen 90% similar to all animal-derived milk and milk products
  • Some will only recommend taking out cow dairy; includes sheep, goat, camel, etc.; it is a long-term dietary change
  • Normally, dairy introduced at 12 moths; most common ASD diagnosis period is 12-18 moths; correlation between cow dairy and ASD
  • This population often has a symptom return with reintroduction of daily
  • Folinic acid; 2mg/kg up to 50mg per day
  • Taking a long time to get test results with recent focus on Leucovorin
  • Side effects generally mild; irritability or agitation; related to the production of more neurotransmitters
  • Can see insomnia (best given in morning), increased tantrums, headaches
  • Best to start low and work up to target dose over time
  • She does not use 5MTHF with folinic acid; if one does, total max should be 50mg per day
  • Introduces folinic even slower in adults
  • Those with CFD may need long-term folinic acid; may then attempt to decrease dose slowly and monitor

 gilbertQuick talk about Therasage from Robbie Besner:

  • Started developing infrared to support reduction of his daughter's toxicity
  • Was asked to make more devices for other patients; led to Therasage
  • There is an emotional trauma tied to the disease
  • Limiting beliefs impact our potential for recovery
  • Toxicity: air, water, food, sunlight, exogenous frequencies, synthetics
  • Dr. Klinghardt found 85x more mycotoxins in people in cities than in rural areas; impact of EMR/EMF
  • Anything plugged in while generate an electromagnetic field
  • Can support biofield by changing the direction of the spin of an EMF field
  • We heal and get sick at the level of the cell
  • Dr. Tennant researched the impact of voltage at the cell
  • Cell polarity flips when: infection, dental issues, metals, emotions, dehydration, scars, GMO, vaccines, medications
  • Can't charge the batteries when the polarity is flipped
  • He flips the polarity and then recharges the batteries
  • Many things can be stacked with sauna therapy
  • TheraAir creates rain forest air to attach light to oxygen

gilbertPeter McCullough, MD, MPH spoke on "Modern Medicines, Great Controversy" and shared:

  • Was in medical orthodoxy before COVID pandemic
  • Cocaine epidemic 1860-1920
  • Smokefest - 1920-1972
  • Vaccine mania - 1986-2025
  • Cocaine was a remedy in the early days of medicine; part of American culture; used to be in Coca Cola
  • Entire medical community became hooked on cocaine; many in medicine became cocaine addicts 
  • Hundreds of medical papers showed cocaine as the remedy for everything; only 1 paper in 60 years on potential addiction 
  • If it were 1940-1950, everyone at this conference would be smoking
  • Doctors handed out cigarettes to patients
  • Austin Bradford Hill and Sir Richard Doll presented information that smoking may be related to lung cancer; castigated
  • Have not seen real leadership in medicine in government for at least three administrations
  • AMA in 1978 launched first campaign about health hazards of smoking
  • Physician's groups cannot be expected to lead the way on a safety problem
  • Cocaine -> smoking; examples of medical community not correcting itself on a major health issue; could we be in the same predicament again with vaccines?
  • Acceleration in medical technologies including genetic technologies now in vaccines
  • Timeline is becoming more and more intensified
  • Virtually no studies of vaccines in autism; many in other conditions
  • We are in the biological threat era of vaccines
  • Programs to end pandemics in 60 days using mRNA vaccines
  • Unbridled enthusiasm has many critical flaws in development
  • Inability to shut it down, inability to control where in the body the protein is expressed, inability for the body to get rid of it
  • Developers worked with pseudouridine making mRNA essentially indestructible
  • mRNA vaccines for COVID were fully synthetic products that the body had zero ability to get rid of
  • The portion used was the toxic spike protein; a disastrous choice
  • People literally lost their minds over the COVID vaccine
  • People lost jobs, education, families, freedoms
  • Every society and figure endorsed the vaccine; he wrote an op-ed in August 2020; the great gamble of the COVID vaccine program
  • The human mind can be seduce by group think
  • There is an ideology around vaccinations; it is not a scientific endeavor; it is a religious endeavor like having faith
  • The hubris that man can do better than God led to people coming to the top of their civilizations
  • Biden and Trump are both part of the vaccine problem
  • Proposal is vaccines can save populations; everyone must take them without exception; injury/disability/death are acceptable losses
  • Vaccine schedule is getting larger and larger every year; there is no limit
  • Current administration is batting zero in constructive changes to the schedule
  • If he prescribes 16 drugs to anyone, there will be a side effect
  • Anyone with common sense will understand there is a consequence of stimulating the immune system to this extent
  • SIDS is a disastrous complication of the vaccination program
  • Coroners do not review vaccine history; they don't want to know
  • Febrile seizures created by vaccines in some children; seizures are not benign
  • Children with no vaccines have lower rates of neurodevelopmental disorders
  • Current HHS is batting a zero on studying implications of vaccines
  • McCullough Foundation evaluated papers; showed that vaccination is a dominant risk factor for autism
  • CDC is not raising any alarms; this is a risk to the future of our country
  • Folinic acid should have been studied decades ago
  • CDC and public health agencies do not want to know the answers
  • 27% of autism cases are profound autism
  • Bonafide epidemic; nothing to do with better diagnostics
  • Where do FRAA come from?  15 genetic polymorphisms; expressed after brain inflammation
  • ASD is not from Tylenol; 9 months of some RX medications can be contributors
  • Aluminum toxicity is not the picture of what is seen in ASD; nor is mercury toxicity
  • ASD looks like a post-encephalitic state and immune hyperactivation
  • 20 vaccines list encephalitis as a side effect of the vaccine
  • ASD is multi-factorial; 82% is new information since 2004
  • 79% of the studies supported the link between ASD and vaccination
  • 21% could not find a connection; did not interview parents, examine vaccine records, or examine the children
  • Much higher rate of transgender signals in ASD and neurodevelopmental issues
  • ASD and transgenderism are completely connected
  • 60% of parents will no longer follow the full childhood vaccine schedule for their children
  • The news is out!
  • Far safer separately; far safer given later in life
  • He would support removal of vaccine mandates for schoolchildren in Texas
  • States with vaccine mandates condemn children to vaccine side effects
  • State variation in vaccine policy is ridiculous
  • Media makes a big deal about 2000 cases of Measles; media is not honest; 600K cases worldwide some years
  • 95% of measles are "not vaccinated or unknown"; these types of statements should not be believed; dishonest 
  • Polio was not eradicated because of a vaccine; all illness were markedly on decline before vaccines even came in
  • If we had no vaccines tomorrow, he does not think many of these disease would come back with any frequency and they could be managed
  • Profound autism today is far worse than paralytic Polio ever was in the United States
  • A Polio survivor is far better off than a child with profound autism
  • Little to no therapeutic research in autism; being shuffled into a normalization of neurodiversity
  • Excessive childhood vaccinations are driving the epidemic of neuropsychiatric disease
  • He had 69 shots that he could account for in his lifetime
  • The public will drive the next set of discussion; not coming from the medical side or government

gilbertLisa Zimmerman, MD spoke on "Ozone Therapy, HBOT, and Phosphatidylcholine Therapy: Utilizing Complementary Therapies to Improve Treatment Outcomes for Chronic Lyme" and shared:

  • Infections can infect the vagus nerve and downregulate the parasympathetic response
  • Difficult to find a patient that would not do better if they had ozone therapy
  • Ozone modulates immunity and is antimicrobial; a potent anti-inflammatory; activated Nrf2; supports autophagy; upregulate antioxidant enzymes; augments RBC oxygenation; boost ATP production
  • Ozone indications: Lyme, viral infections, immune depletion, oxidation, inflammation, chronic fatigue with poor mitochondrial function
  • Can be used with antibiotics, herbs, or stand-alone for microbes
  • Can increase CD57 levels
  • Synergizes with other therapies
  • Recently started offering EBOO; 60-200ml with MAH; EBOO 4600ml ozonated blood
  • Contraindications: cannot breath in ozone, G6PD deficiency, acute hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, severe cardiovascular instability, hyperthyroidism, pregnancy, leukemia, bleeding disorders 
  • HBOT can increase circulation, reduce inflammation, neuroprotection, increase cerebral blood flow
  • 30 sessions often leads to improvement but if you don't treat the tick-borne disease, months later, problems will return
  • HBOT contraindication: pneumothorax, intraocular gas, pulmonary embolism, COPD, thoracic surgery, ruptured tympanic membrane, seizures or epilepsy pacemakers, some medications
  • PC / Lipid Replacement
    • Borrelia steals phospholipids
    • Higher damaged cellular membranes reducing cellular communication
    • Cell Danger Response: membrane rigidity
    • PC: major lipid in membrane; 40-50%
    • NAFLD have altered PC ratio; need PC in bile to breakdown fats and mobilize toxins
    • PC important for mitochondria
    • PC important for cognition
    • PC is 90% of the lipids in the mucosa
    • Most chronic Lyme patients likely have phospholipid depletion
    • May be helpful for those in Cell Danger Response
    • Inflammation/oxidative stress
    • Can be helpful for mycotoxins and environmental toxicity
    • Has been shown to improve fatigue 26-43% in chronic fatigue
    • No known contraindications to oral or IV PC
  • Combines modalities with herbals or antibiotics
  • Uses mostly herbs these days for infection management
  • Ozone can lead to initial Herxheimer reactions
  • Two months of any treatment to give a full assessment; cannot do 1 ozone or 1 HBOT
  • Looks at: CD57, C4a, TGFb1, VEGF, tick-borne labs, viruses, CRP, IgG subclasses; 2 and 4 high autoimmune; 1 and 3 low immunosuppressed
  • If you are living in mold, you might not get too far at all
  • Having some blood in the PC solution for IV can make it less irritating to the veins
  • People who were stuck feel dramatically better after 3-4 sessions of EBOO
  • Mold-exposed feel improvement after EBOO
  • EBOO is generally not for those in a fragile state
  • EBOO is about 12 MAH sessions

gilbertAli Moresco spoke on "The Clinician’s Podcast Playbook: Building Influence That Drives ROI" and shared:

  • Her Lyme journey started 11 years ago
  • Podcast have become a go-to due to general mistrust in traditional media sources
  • When you go into an interview, what are the 3-4 key messages you want to communicate?
  • Become known for a certain subset of things
  • Know how to handle tough questions ahead of time
  • Be patient and persistent about attempts to get on someone's podcast
  • What shows do you need to be on before you can get to the one's you envision in the future
  • Podcasts now have teams of people behind them; sets; like going on a morning show
  • Pitch a topic that does not threaten the hosts point of view or is viewed as competition
  • AI scraping ranks content higher if someone else says it about you than if you say it about yourself
  • Traffic drop-off in 2016-2017; expect another drop in the next 3-4 months
  • What is your goal?  Website traffic?  Social media followers?  More patients?
  • Cast a small, targeted net
  • Personalize every pitch; comment about common ground
  • Eddie The Media Trainer and How to Be Famous podcast for media coaching
  • Can get AI-generated clips from a podcast episode
  • Create a Resources page that talks about what you are offering

Disclaimer: While I attempted to accurately represent the statements of the various speakers, it is possible (or even likely) that the above contains errors or inaccuracies. If you have any corrections to the content listed above, please Contact Me.