Dr. Terry Wahls is an Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner and a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Iowa where she conducts clinical trials.  In 2018 she was awarded the Institute for Functional Medicine’s Linus Pauling Award for her contributions in research, clinical care and patient advocacy. She is also a patient with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, which confined her to a tilt-recline wheelchair for four years. Dr. Wahls restored her health using a diet and lifestyle program she designed specifically for her brain and now pedals her bike to work each day. She is the author of The Wahls Protocol: A Radical New Way to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions Using Paleo Principles.

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ROBERT J. HEDAYA, MD, ABPN, DLFAPA has been at the cutting edge of medical practice, psychiatry and psychopharmacology since 1979. With the publication of his first book, Understanding Biological Psychiatry (Norton, 1996) he pioneered the use of Functional Medicine in the Psychiatric field. Dr. Hedaya is also a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Georgetown University Medical Center, where has been awarded the “Teacher of the Year” on 3 occasions while teaching courses on Affective Disorders, Cognitive Therapy and PNIE (Psycho-neuro-immuno-endocrinology) since 1983, and received the prestigious Vicennial award. He is a faculty member at the Institute for Functional Medicine, author of two additional books (The Antidepressant Survival Guide, and Depression: Advancing the Treatment Paradigm), and the founder of the Center for Whole Psychiatry and Brain Recovery. Dr. Hedaya is an editorial volunteer for Advances in Mind-Body Medicine and Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. He has been featured in the local and national media (20/20, 60 minutes, Vogue, the New York Times, Washington Post etc.) on many occasions and is a frequent, nationally and internationally recognized speaker. 

His website is www.wholepsychiatry.com.

Many neuropsychiatric disorders are only partially responsive to current mainstream treatments, leaving patients with residual deficits at best, and relapsing or chronic conditions at worst. 

Functional medicine (FM), commonly thought of as systems medicine or ‘root cause’ medicine, addresses various underlying systems which interact with and heal the brain; 

However, qEEG analysis– after FM has been implemented–reveals significant residual abnormalities of brain function indicating a partial recovery of brain function. 

Using HYLANETM technology (HBOT, qEEG-guided laser therapy, and Neural exercises, such as NFB) we have been able to normalize within-brain-function as documented in qEEG, and published in our recent paper, as well as restore localized brain volumes (documented on Neuroquant MRI) in subcortical structures such as the palladium, and basal ganglia; 

We have applied this to diverse conditions (APOE4 homozygote -based MCI, treatment resistant depression, Broca’s aphasia, acquired prosopagnosia, Early vascular MCI, temporal Lobe epilepsy, facial distortion in a paranoid schizophrenic, and improving reading speed)  with excellent results and are now working on a prospective study; 

In this presentation Dr Hedaya will review the basics of Functional Medicine, the science behind HYLANETM technology, and accumulating clinical data and cases.

Ken Sharlin, M.D., M.P.H., IFMCP, is a board-certified neurologist and functional medicine practitioner.  He received his medical degrees from Emory University, and functional medicine education through The Institute for Functional Medicine.  He was the first physician to be recognized as a Wahls Protocol Certified Health Professional.  In addition, Dr. Sharlin has trained in the Bredesen Protocol for Reversal of Cognitive Decline (ReCODE) in Alzheimer’s disease.  He practices general neurology, conducts clinical research in multiple sclerosis, and directs his functional medicine program, Brain Tune Up!, through his clinic, Sharlin Health and Neurology, located in Ozark, MO.

As the author of, The Healthy Brain Toolbox, I will share the neurologist’s approach to investigating neurological complaints in the clinic, how multiple sclerosis is diagnosed including an overview of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a primer on autoimmunity, and a brief discussion of the emerging field of stem cell transplantation for multiple sclerosis.

Dr. Ginsberg completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Bowman-Gray School of Medicine in North Carolina before Houston’s sunny climate brought her to Texas. Dr. Ginsberg has years of experience providing comprehensive obstetrics and gynecology treatment. As her career advanced, she developed a special interest in functional medicine and the manner in which it optimizes health.  This passion now encompasses special focus on the understanding of genetics and methylation, optimal hormone balance and overall healthy aging. Being a black belt in Tae Kwan Do and an accomplished marathon runner and triathlete has led her to explore the latest medical advances in wellness for athletes along with anti-aging therapies for both men and women. She is motivated to continue her research in nutritional therapies for many reasons, most significantly for the benefits it has brought to her sons with specific learning needs.

Dr. Ginsberg lectures for Functional Medicine University on the topic of PCOS, its natural reversal, and pathways to fertility. She is the author of The PCOS Environmental Roadmap. Rectangularization of aging is her personal passion, and she is faculty at the American Academy of Anti-Aging/MMI where she has lectured about bio-identical hormone replacement, methylation and how to clinically apply these therapies to minimize disease and maximize healthspan. She is now actively involved in a ground-breaking infusion study looking at Young Fresh Frozen Plasma and the effect it has on helping reverse symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease.

Website: www.dianginsbergmd.com

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Research now on a regular basis is indicating that dysregulation of circulating estrogens observed in peri and post-menopausal women can adversely impact brain cognition. It extends into testosterone levels for both men and women. Free radicals that occur simply from living, breathing, and eating must be reduced to enable the body tissues to remain functional. As the free radical load increases in the body, hormones drop and the ability to keep its ‘balance and function’ decreases. Eventually the parts can no longer work together to sustain total body function, especially in the brain, and a disorganized state of neurodegeneration(MS) occurs.

The question whether young blood or young fresh frozen plasma (yFFP) contains rejuvenating factors has been explored in academic institutions for years. Interest and hope that this young plasma is a gateway to help neurodegenerative disease models continues.

Human Plasma contains substances that produce similar results as the animal blood sharing(parabiosis) models. It was not long after the parabiosis studies that double- blind, placebo- controlled trials were begun on human Alzheimer and Parkinson’s patients at Stanford University.

In Houston Texas, an Infusion study of MS patients was done using yFFP from 18-25 year old volunteers.

This presentation will highlight promising interventions in the MS field, such as bio-identical hormone replacement and utilization of clinical testing such as salivary, blood and urine hormones and how to apply them clinically. Also explored will be the study results and how young fresh frozen plasma (FFP) can be implemented in treatment for MS.

Dr. Babita Bisht is a physical therapist trained in exercise science, and dietary and lifestyle interventions. She earned bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy from PGIMER, Chandigarh, India in 2007. She received her PhD in Health and Human Physiology under mentorship of Dr. Warren Darling and Dr. Terry Wahls at the University of Iowa in 2014. She is Wahls Protocol® Certified Health Practitioner. Since past 10 years she has been working on clinical trials investigating the feasibility and effectiveness of dietary and lifestyle changes as therapeutic intervention for multiple sclerosis. She has presented her research at several conferences including American Physical Therapy Association, The Institute for Functional Medicine, and the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers. In addition to clinical research, she practices as physical therapist and has worked in a wide range of clinical settings treating adults and geriatric patients with orthopedic and neurological conditions.

Healthy ageing is defined by WHO as the process of developing and maintaining the functional ability that will enable older people to do the things that matter to them. Older adults face several challenges that come with old age such as reduced muscle mass, decreased mobility, pain, cognitive impairments and many others. I will present evidence showing beneficial effects of physical activity in preventing or managing these challenges associated with aging. We will discuss about different types of physical activity/exercises and strategies to become more physically active to achieve our goal of healthy aging.

Objectives:

• To understand how aging affects our body and mind, and what is healthy aging.
• To discuss how physical activity supports healthy aging.
• To discuss resources and tools available to implement physical activity and/or well-balanced exercise program.

Andrea is a Health Supportive Chef & Nutritional Therapy Practitioner. She helps clients learn to love food again after food allergies or a healing crisis causes them to radically change their diets.

With over a decade in the culinary business, Andrea first went to culinary school

to learn to cook for herself after a food allergy diagnosis. In culinary school, she

discovered not just her love of cooking, but a new way to feed herself that completely

eliminated the symptoms of the food allergy that had plagued her for years.

Through her own health journey, she discovered the immense healing power food can have and dedicated her life to helping others heal in the same way. She utilizes healing diets like the Wahls Protocol to create nutrient dense menu plans that are also delicious and satisfying. Andrea is a certified Wahls Health Practitioner.

Andrea’s mission is to help people live their best life, focusing on the role nutrition plays in their overall wellbeing.  She is masterful at helping people implement dietary changes that stick. She has a series of online courses focused on allergy free cooking that are designed for both the home cook and professional chefs.

In this talk with Chef Andrea, she will show you how to menu plan to create delicious meals all week AND save time in the kitchen. She will cover these helpful skills:

• How to plan out a week’s worth of food and where to get new ideas for meals
• Cook once and eat twice (or three or four times)
• How to get all those colors and greens and sulfurs in over the week
• Creating the framework for a wonderful week of meals and how to use that over and over!

Michael Ruscio is a doctor, clinical researcher, and best-selling author whose practical ideas on healing chronic illness have made him an influential voice in functional and alternative medicine.  His research has been published in peer reviewed medical journals and he speaks at integrative medical conferences across the globe.

Dr. Ruscio’s best-selling book, Healthy Gut, Healthy You, has paved the way for a ‘start with the gut’ philosophy which has enabled doctors and patients to obtain improved outcomes with minimal expense and effort.

He is leading the charge to make alternative medicine more affordable, effective and practical, through a pragmatic application of evidence-based therapies.  Dr. Ruscio’s ability to objectively analyze medical literature has made him a trusted voice of reason, a voice he shares on his top-rated podcast and website.

The gastrointestinal tract markedly influences the thyroid via autoimmunity, thyroid hormone conversion, and absorption of thyroid medication. Mismanagement of digestive health is actually one of the most common reasons for recalcitrant “thyroid symptoms.” This presentation will highlight multiple case studies, as well as the practically relevant actions that can be taken to improve thyroid health via optimization of the GI tract.
Learning Objectives:

• Understand the published science associating GI conditions to hypothyroidism + thyroid autoimmunity.
• Review testing that can be used to definitively determine if one truly is or is not hypothyroid.
• Understand how chronic malabsorption due to poor gut health impacts the efficacy of thyroid treatment and what to do about it.

Hannah Crum, aka “The Kombucha Mamma,” pioneered Kombucha Kamp, an educational workshop, in 2004 out of her small Los Angeles kitchen. Along with husband Alex LaGory, they created the top educational site with a mission to “change the world, one gut at a time,” by providing quality information, cultures and customer support. Through Kombucha Kamp’s videos, blog posts, online support communities, and award-winning Amazon Best Seller, “The Big Book of Kombucha,” they serve as mentors and the leading experts in Kombucha to millions of Kombucha lovers from all corners of the earth. A popular speaker about Kombucha, fermentation and bacteriosapiens, Hannah frequently tours and can be found speaking at corporate and health conferences, fermentation festivals and events throughout the US and abroad. As an extension of Hannah and Alex’s mission, they also co-founded Kombucha Brewers International in 2014 to unite and advocate for the commercial Kombucha bottling industry 

https://www.facebook.com/nicoleapeliansurvival/

Kombucha’s healing power lies in the presence of its biodiverse set of microbes – some of them recognized by the scientific community and some yet to be discovered. This ancient beverage has been hailed as a health tonic that aids in the recovery and prevention of countless different ailments, and Crum’s mission is to encourage others to “trust your gut” and promote overall health by incorporating Kombucha into their diet. 

I was successful for 20 years in clinical and corporate roles, AND by the time I was 44, I had been diagnosed with 7 autoimmune diseases including systemic lupus, fibromyalgia, endometriosis and narcolepsy. I discovered the hard way that if you don’t take care of your mind, body and soul, your body will shut you down for maintenance. I accepted the call to heal and I am happy to say that I am now free of autoimmune disease. I am also a Stage 3 Cancer thriver. I now know that positive psychology coaching is the career where my talents and passion collide. My passion and purpose is to help others achieve mental, emotional, spiritual and physical wellbeing so that they are free to pursue their passion and their purpose – because the world craves each of our unique contributions.

Are you tempted to try to determine which is most important: Eating (Nutrition), Moving (Exercise), or Sleeping? Research reveals that most experts agree: these are the “Big 3” components of physical health and wellbeing and may actually all be of equal importance. However, research also reveals that sleep is often the most neglected of the three, and therefore the area that may need to be addressed more urgently. This presentation will begin with motivational interviewing questions and conclude with a SMART goal plan. Presentation will also include a fun and creative coaching exercise to help participants prioritize sleep.

Darryl Edwards is a former investment banking technologist turned movement coach and author. He is the founder of the Primal Play Method and a physical activity, health and play researcher. 

After almost two decades working as a technologist in investment banking, Darryl transformed his health after adopting a back-to-basics approach to well-being. As a health and movement coach, Darryl now advises people on maintaining a healthy lifestyle—amidst the epidemic of obesity and other chronic lifestyle diseases.

He regularly presents as a keynote and motivational speaker at academic, clinical, health promotion and corporate events worldwide. Darryl’s April 2019 TED talk “Why working out isn’t working out” discussing the issues with physical inactivity and why most humans hate to exercise—has now been viewed over a million times!

My resilience is built upon defying and learning from the significant challenges of growing up in public housing in the South Bronx and Puerto Rico, being diagnosed at age 37 with Type 1 Diabetes, and navigating the USAF and in the Investment Banking culture as both a female and a minority. After 20 years as a Wealth Advisor, I reinvented myself to pursue helping individuals lead well by resetting their wellbeing and emboldening their courage to pursue the life they’ve imagined. My Type 1 diagnosis inspired me to dare to fully live, except this time, I would partner with my body. I identified my strengths and their alignment with leadership, coaching, and organizational development consulting.

Leslie Nolte has emerged as an innovator in arts education in the Iowa City creative community for two decades. Under her direction, Nolte Academy has become a premiere arts program with 30 specialized instructors and 1,100 students. As part of Kennedy Center’s Ensuring the Arts for Any Given Child program, Leslie brings workshop dance instruction to area schools with lower socioeconomic status, helping to guarantee access and equity to the arts for all students. Leslie has also been a guest lecturer at The University of Iowa Tippie College of Business. Leslie is a busy mom of five who also finds time to act in local theatre, teach Pilates at her studio, support various arts endeavors and deepen her personal yoga practice.

My resilience is built upon defying and learning from the significant challenges of growing up in public housing in the South Bronx and Puerto Rico, being diagnosed at age 37 with Type 1 Diabetes, and navigating the USAF and in the Investment Banking culture as both a female and a minority. After 20 years as a Wealth Advisor, I reinvented myself to pursue helping individuals lead well by resetting their wellbeing and emboldening their courage to pursue the life they’ve imagined. My Type 1 diagnosis inspired me to dare to fully live, except this time, I would partner with my body. I identified my strengths and their alignment with leadership, coaching, and organizational development consulting.

Leslie Nolte has emerged as an innovator in arts education in the Iowa City creative community for two decades. Under her direction, Nolte Academy has become a premiere arts program with 30 specialized instructors and 1,100 students. As part of Kennedy Center’s Ensuring the Arts for Any Given Child program, Leslie brings workshop dance instruction to area schools with lower socioeconomic status, helping to guarantee access and equity to the arts for all students. Leslie has also been a guest lecturer at The University of Iowa Tippie College of Business. Leslie is a busy mom of five who also finds time to act in local theatre, teach Pilates at her studio, support various arts endeavors and deepen her personal yoga practice.