As we head into summer and begin to slow down, it’s the perfect time to explore new insights that could make a lasting impact on your health and the health of those you love. In this issue, we cover three timely and important topics: what to do after a tick bite to reduce your risk of Lyme disease and co-infections, the powerful cognitive benefits of eating seafood during pregnancy, and the latest emerging strategies in the early detection and personalized treatment of cognitive decline and dementia. Whether you’re spending time outdoors, expecting a child, or caring for a loved one with memory concerns, these updates offer practical, science-backed guidance to help you stay informed and proactive this season.
As we head into summer and look to enjoy some time off, we share some important topics that we think you’ll find interesting.
- Post Tick bite prophylaxis to prevent Lyme disease
- The benefits of seafood during pregnancy
- A deep dive into emerging evaluations and treatments for cognitive decline and early dementia
Post-Tick bite prophylaxis to prevent Lyme Disease and Co-Infections
Summer brings sun and fun and tick bites! What to do when you have a tick bite. The CDC has a helpful poster/write-up on what to look for: Lyme Disease Prophylaxis After Tick Bite
The challenge we find with their approach is that it is often not comprehensive enough. Even though we agree with the use of an antibiotic like doxycycline, it is far from effective in preventing Lyme disease and co-infections: Using herbs to treat Lyme disease, Bartonella, and Babesia
Tick-borne diseases are typically treated with a limited number of medications prescribed by a healthcare provider. Doxycycline, the standard antibiotic used for Lyme disease, often fails to cure the illness, leaving 10-30% of patients who receive prompt treatment with residual symptoms. Left untreated or undertreated, the disease can progress to a chronic infection, making it even more difficult to cure.
There has been some good research supporting the use of herbs to treat infections like Lyme disease. This write-up reviews an impressive study from Johns Hopkins University: [Real Talk] New Johns Hopkins Study: 7 Herbs Can Kill Lyme Bacteria
What they found was that when you look at the spectrum of different substances,top on the list was Cryptolepis, and it actually outperformed the antibiotics for treating the mobile forms and the persister forms, which the antibiotics didn’t get. Right behind Cryptolepis was Japanese knotweed, cat’s claw, and Chinese skullcap. Those were top on the list. Also, artemesia or wormwood and black walnut were excellent.
Thus, the best approach that we advocate is, whether one begins with an antibiotic like doxycycline, to follow up with some effective herbals.
Our favorite 1-2 punch is to use:
Phytocidal Capsules (which have a good combination of effective herbals) paired with Cryptolepsis Drops from Ortho Molecular Products, access to which we can easily share with patients via our Fullscript dispensary. We recommend taking both for at least 1 to 2 months after a tick bite.
For further antimicrobial/immune support, you could add Myc-P™ Drops from Researched Nutritionals. To order Researched Nutritionals products, feel free to reach out to the team anytime to get our Physician Access code.
Seafood During Pregnancy and Lactation and Child Neurocognitive Development: A Systematic Review
Study Details
This new systematic review compiled evidence from 40 articles assessing seafood intake during pregnancy and child cognitive development
Key Findings
Higher seafood consumption is associated with improved…
Social-emotional development
Behavioural development
…in children and adolescents aged 0 – 18 yrs.
Higher seafood intakes have also been associated with better…
- Attention
- Reasoning
- Problem-solving
- Verbal intelligence
Conclusion
Seafood is a rich source of dietary protein and omega-3, two key components of cognitive health and development
Current recommendations are that pregnancy women aim to consume
~230 – 340 g of seafood per week, while still prioritising low-mercury options (e.g. salmon, cod)
Adhering to these guidelines are likely to support optimal child cognitive development
Reference
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40374262/
Emerging Treatments to Reverse Cognitive Decline of Early Dementia & Alzheimer’s
A helpful and detailed overview of how to think more deeply about cognitive decline and early dementia from the work of the Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute. PLMI is an organization founded by Jeffrey Bland, one of the pioneers and early voices in the field of Functional and Integrative Medicine.
From the report:
Alzheimer’s disease is a prevalent and often devastating neurodegenerative disorder, currently affecting over six million individuals in the U.S., with research indicating it is now the third leading cause of mortality (1). An imbalance between amyloid β-protein (Aβ) production and clearance has been demonstrated to drive AD pathology, preceding its manifestation of pronounced cognitive symptoms (2).
A number of clinical trials involving anti–β-amyloid (Aβ) drugs have yielded some, but limited, progress in mitigating cognitive decline and are further compounded by side effects (including brain edema and atrophy), underscoring the need for improved therapeutic treatments. In fact, researchers predict that by 2050, if more preventive, efficacious treatments are not discovered, 50 million individuals will be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease (3).
The Need for Improved Treatment
Despite its prevalence, Alzheimer’s remains one of the most complex neurodegenerative diseases, with its etiology still unfolding. While various theories have linked AD to factors including diabetes, Herpes simplex infections, amyloid-β plaques, tau misfolding, and prions, no single theory has yielded efficacious solutions (4-8). A growing body of research underscores additional underlying contributors such as neuroinflammation, insulin resistance, and reduced trophic support for neurons (9-11).
This emerging model of research suggests that Alzheimer’s results from a mismatch between cerebral network support—such as blood flow, oxygen, and nutrients—and the increased demands placed on the brain due to inflammation, toxins, and stress. This network insufficiency leads to synapse loss and cognitive decline, with amyloid-β playing a central role in a chronic, low-grade encephalitis response (12). Genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors are also demonstrated to influence onset and progression.
Research continues to focus on early detection, the identification of improved biomarkers, and advances in multifaceted treatment options that address underlying contributing factors to these conditions.
Personalized & Precision Medicine
A bio-individual approach to AD and early dementia offers promise in tackling these prevalent conditions by targeting the root causes of its etiology, including reduced network support or increased demands on the brain. Recent anecdotal reports and proof-of-concept trials (POCs) have shown cognitive improvement in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or even advanced dementia using these tailored approaches (13-15).
The four major contributors to cognitive decline that precision medicine targets include:
- Pro-inflammatory agents and signals
- Toxins and toxicants (including metals, organics, and biotoxins)
- Energetic support (cerebral blood flow, oxygen saturation, mitochondrial function)
- Trophic support (neurotrophic factors, nutrients, hormones)
How to Sharpen and Protect Your Mind for a Lifetime, with Dale Bredesen by Chris Kresser, M.S.
In this lengthy interview, Chris Kresser speaks with Dr. Dale Bredesen, a leading expert in combining Neurology with integrative medicine to tackle the challenges of cognitive decline and dementia.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Revolutionizing Alzheimer’s prevention and early detection
- Blood testing and the four stages of cognitive decline
- Objective assessment tools for cognitive health
- Breakthrough results in clinical trials
- Essential lifestyle interventions: diet, exercise, and sleep
- The role of supplements and brain stimulation in Alzheimer’s prevention
They touch upon the new blood markers that can help pick up early cases of dementia. We’ll cover this topic in more detail in a future writeup.
