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Staying Healthy Today Show with Kirk Hamilton

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76 episodes
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2015/09/03
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2026/10/12
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42 min.
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9 days

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Practicing physician assistant in nutrition, prevention, integrative and lifestyle medicine since 1983 who will discuss practical guidelines and share links and research dealing with individual, community and societal health through personal commentary and interviews. stayinghealthytoday.substack.com

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"Does Creatine Supplementation in Middle Aged and Older Adults Have Positive Impacts on Cognition, Lean Body Mass, Bone Health and Markers of Health?" An Interview With Richard B Kreider, PhD
2026/10/12
Richard B. Kreider, PhD, Professor Director, Exercise & Sport Nutrition Lab and Clinical Core Service Center Department of Kinesiology & Sport ManagementTexas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843Tel. 979.458.1498 │ Fax. [email protected] “Effects of creatine supplementation with and without exercise and diet intervention on body composition, cognitive function, and markers of health in middle-aged and older adults.” J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2026 Aug 21;23(sup1):2716273. (10/2026) Interview Summary Dr. Kreider’s Backround… Richard B. Kreider, PhD, has spent approximately 40 years as a professor researching the effects of exercise and nutrition on health, athletic performance, disease, and rehabilitation. He and his colleagues have studied creatine for more than 30 years. Creatine Monohydrate… In this interview, he explains why creatine monohydrate remains the best-supported form of creatine (mentions creatine from German manufacturing being of high quality), noting that most clinical trials have used it and that alternative forms have not demonstrated superior benefits. He recommends 10 grams daily for older adults, typically divided into two 5-gram doses. Sometimes he will recommend a loading dose of 5 grams four times a day for a week otherwise it may take a month at the 10 gram per day dose to see the physiological effects of the creatinine. Creatine’s Mechanisms of Action… He describes several potential mechanisms through which creatine may benefit muscle, including improving cellular energy availability, supporting greater exercise capacity, and promoting protein synthesis through cellular hydration. He also discusses creatine’s potential role in brain energy metabolism, antioxidant activity, and the preservation of bone mineral content, particularly when combined with resistance training. The Study… The featured study investigated whether creatine supplementation could benefit middle-aged and older adults, including those who did not participate in a structured exercise program. Participants followed a calorie-restricted diet intended to reduce daily intake by approximately 300–500 calories. They were divided into four groups: placebo without structured exercise, creatine without structured exercise, placebo with exercise, and creatine with exercise. The creatine groups received 10 grams daily for 12 weeks. The dietary guidance emphasized reducing calories, particularly from fat, eating whole foods, and maintaining adequate protein and carbohydrate intake. The researchers evaluated body composition, cognitive performance, blood chemistry, cardiovascular-related health markers, glucose management, physical activity, sleep, and quality of life. Dr. Kreider reported improvements in blood lipids and HbA1c, as well as cognitive performance and some measures of body composition. Exercise generally produced stronger and more consistent benefits, but one of the surprising findings was an increase in muscle mass among participants taking creatine even without structured exercise. The researchers did not observe a substantial change in bone health during the relatively short 12-week study. Benefits Beyond Athletic Performance… Dr. Kreider emphasizes that creatine’s potential applications extend well beyond athletic performance to healthy aging, physical function, and cognitive health. He describes creatine monohydrate as an inexpensive, extensively studied supplement and reports that large reviews of clinical trials have not supported common concerns about dehydration, muscle cramping, or adverse effects on the kidneys in the studied populations. He notes that creatine can increase blood creatinine, which may affect creatinine-based estimates of kidney function and should be discussed with a healthcare professional. Future research interests include combining creatine with other nutritional interventions, investigating its effects on the gut and microbiome, and studying ways to preserve muscle during weight loss, including weight loss associated with GLP-1 medications. His overall message is that middle-aged and older adults may benefit from combining appropriate nutrition, creatine, and regular physical activity, especially resistance training—to help maintain physical function and quality of life as they age. Interview Questions and Answers Kirk Hamilton: Can you please share with me your educational background and current position? Richard Kreider: I began as a college football player at Liberty University, where I became interested in weightlifting, resistance training, nutrition, and performance enhancement. I initially studied physical education because I wanted to become a strength coach. During my master’s degree, a professor encouraged me to pursue research because I could make a broader impact by studying exercise and nutrition. I have now been a professor for approximately 40 years. At Texas A&M University, I direct the Exercise & Sport Nutrition Lab and Clinical Core Service Center. My research focuses on exercise and nutrition in relation to health, performance, disease, and rehabilitation. My colleagues and I have studied creatine for more than 30 years, and I continue to lift weights, exercise, and take creatine daily. KH: What got you interested in studying creatine supplementation in adults between 45 and 65, with and without exercise? RK: I wanted to investigate whether creatine could help middle-aged and older adults maintain muscle mass, improve cognitive function, and obtain better results from exercise. Most creatine studies had focused on younger people and athletes, particularly those participating in resistance training. However, as people age, they tend to lose muscle mass, gain body fat, and experience declines in cognitive function. Many older adults also need to lose weight, but calorie restriction can cause them to lose muscle along with fat. I wanted to determine whether taking 10 grams of creatine daily could help preserve or increase muscle mass during weight loss and whether it could provide cognitive benefits even without a structured exercise program. KH: How does creatine affect lean body mass? What are the proposed mechanisms of action? RK: Creatine increases energy availability in muscle. When people exercise, this can enable them to perform more work, and the workload placed on the muscle is an important stimulus for muscle protein synthesis and growth. Creatine also increases intracellular hydration, which may stimulate protein synthesis. When someone takes creatine while resistance training, the person may be able to perform more work and achieve better training adaptations. In someone who is not following a structured exercise program, increased energy and physical capacity may encourage greater daily activity. Our study found that muscle mass increased even in participants who were not training, which was one of our surprising findings. The gains are not simply water; the research also supports increases in muscle tissue and protein. KH: How does creatine supplementation affect cognition? What are the proposed mechanisms of action? RK: Creatine helps provide energy to the brain through the phosphocreatine system. When brain phosphocreatine levels are low, cognitive capacity can be reduced. Aging, fatigue, injury, and inadequate oxygen availability can affect energy availability in the brain. Approximately 20% of the creatine consumed is absorbed across the blood-brain barrier, which is one reason we investigated a higher daily intake of 10 grams. I believe improving brain energy availability is an important potential benefit of creatine. We also see evidence of mild antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, which may provide additional support. In our study, participants taking creatine demonstrated improvements in cognitive testing, including those who were not following a structured exercise program. The exercise groups generally had stronger and more consistent findings. We are also investigating whether combining creatine with other nutrients, including creatine precursors, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds, and nootropics, might provide additional benefits. KH: How does creatine affect bone health? What are the proposed mechanisms of action? RK: Creatine may help preserve bone mineral content, particularly when combined with resistance training. When you train with resistance, you place a load on your bones as well as your muscles. If creatine enables you to train harder or perform more work, that may help maintain bone mass. There are also studies suggesting that creatine may influence bone turnover, potentially helping to reduce bone breakdown or support the processes involved in bone remodeling. Some longer-term studies, including studies involving postmenopausal women, have found that creatine combined with resistance training may help slow bone loss. However, creatine does not necessarily make bones bigger or stronger, and the findings are not uniform across all studies. In our 12-week study, we did not see much change in bone health. I think any meaningful bone benefit may require longer intervention. KH: Do we know whether creatine supplementation affects inflammation? RK: Yes, there is evidence that creatine has some antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. I would not describe these effects as being as strong as those of some other compounds we investigate, but they may still be beneficial. Creatine may help recovery after strenuous exercise that damages muscle, such as downhill running. Reducing oxidative stress and inflammation may also benefit the brain. I think combining creatine with other antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds is worth investigating. KH: What were the weight-loss diet guidelines used in this study? RK: We asked participants to reduce their daily calorie intake by approximately 300–500 calories. We provided nutritional education, suggestions for foods to reduce or ea
A 30% Ascorbic Acid Solution in 95% DMSO Reduces the Need for Surgery in 94% of Patients with Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Situ. An Interview with Briant Burke, MD, MS
2026/10/09
A 30% Ascorbic Acid Solution in DMSO Reduced the Need for Surgery in 94% of Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Situ Patients Briant Burke, MD, MS Medical Director Boise Research Foundation 967 E. Parkcenter Blvd, Ste 205(208) [email protected] “Topical 30% Ascorbic Acid in Dimethyl Sulfoxide for the Treatment of Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma In Situ.” medRxiv 2025.10.13.25337920 (PDF)(10/2026) Interview Summary… Dr. Briant Burke described a longstanding interest in integrative medicine, natural products, and research, rooted in his background in neuroscience and molecular biology and influenced by his mother’s experience with cancer. He said he believes potentially useful treatments should not be dismissed simply because they are natural or considered unconventional, particularly because such approaches may be low-tech, inexpensive, and safe. Vitamin C & DMSO as A Skin Cancer Treatment… His interest in topical vitamin C and DMSO developed from an earlier experience treating basal cell carcinoma. After finding an older study using concentrated vitamin C as a paste that required lengthy treatment, he looked for a way to improve penetration and considered DMSO. After seeing apparent success in several individuals, he extended the approach to squamous cell carcinoma in situ. Burke explained that the proposed mechanism involves high local concentrations of vitamin C producing hydrogen peroxide in the tumor environment. Cancer cells may be less able than normal cells to defend against hydrogen peroxide because they have lower levels of catalase, the enzyme that breaks down hydrogen peroxide. He explained that DMSO acts primarily as a carrier by penetrating the outer skin barrier and loosening the connections between the lipid and protein layers, while also appearing to have anti-inflammatory activity but no apparent anticancer activity by itself. Squamous Cell Cancer in Situ Vitamin C and DMSO Study… The squamous cell carcinoma study was an open-label trial conducted through a network of dermatology clinics associated with an osteopathic school in Alabama. Seventeen people participated, with some having multiple lesions. Participants applied the 30% ascorbic acid/DMSO solution twice daily, using a small brush to moisten the entire lesion, and were evaluated at two weeks and one, two, and three months. Burke said the three-month period was selected to provide enough time for lesions to shrink rather than prematurely classifying patients as treatment failures. The treatment was generally well tolerated; one patient developed a brisk surrounding inflammatory reaction and was instructed to stop temporarily. Almost everyone experienced at least a 70% reduction in lesion size, and the study reported that 94% avoided surgical excision, although some patients still had residual atypical cells or required additional treatment, often freezing rather than surgery. Burke said he was surprised that some lesions contained actinic atypia after the cancer had been reduced or eliminated, and this remains something he is trying to understand. His continuing goal is to develop an approach that could allow patients to apply the treatment at home until the lesion becomes completely normal skin. He also discussed future research through the Boise Research Foundation, including work on reducing chemotherapy-related heart toxicity and a proposed controlled study of fibrocystic breast disorder. Interview Q&A… Kirk Hamilton: Can you please share with me your educational background and current position? Briant Burke: I received my undergraduate degree in biology, earned an M.S. in molecular biology from Yale University, and received my M.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. I am currently the medical director and founder of the Boise Research Foundation in Boise, Idaho. KH: What got you interested in studying topical vitamin C in a DMSO carrier to treat squamous cell carcinoma lesions in situ? BB: My office manager had a basal cell carcinoma on her face and did not want another large excisional biopsy because of the scar from a previous skin cancer procedure. I came across a Hungarian study using concentrated vitamin C as a paste but the treatment took about five months. I thought the treatment needed better penetration and a trial of DMSO with the vitamin C seemed logical. After the vitamin C and DMSO were applied to her lesion it dissolved away in approximately two or three weeks. A couple of other personal acquaintances subsequently had similar problems, so I tried the approach again and it appeared to work. I then extended the approach to squamous cell carcinoma. KH: What got you interested in integrative medicine and less invasive approaches to treatment? BB: My interest in integrative medicine is longstanding. I believe the important distinction in medicine is between what works and what does not, rather than between mainstream and natural approaches. I believe natural approaches deserve closer examination because they may be low-tech, inexpensive, and safe and could have wide applicability in primary care. KH: Where did your interest in research come from? BB: I started out in research, with a primary interest in neuroscience. While working at the medical school at Yale, my mentor encouraged me to attend medical school. My mother’s experience battling cancer also shifted my perspective. After medical school, I chose family practice because I liked the variety of problems and patients. KH: Where did your interest in natural products and plants come from? BB: It came from a love of plants and a fundamental belief that healing properties exist in the natural world and in plants and that researchers have to look for them. He pointed out that traditional medicine has a long history of finding pharmaceuticals from plants. KH: How did your early work with natural treatments develop? BB: When my daughter developed Molluscum Contagiosum I wanted to find something less traumatic than freezing or blistering agents for a four-year-old. I experimented with formulas, and a tea tree oil and iodine treatment worked for her. I put the information on the internet, which generated interest from other parents. I later developed other research projects from observations and problems encountered in my medical practice, including menstrual migraine. KH: What was the original experience that led you to investigate vitamin C and DMSO for skin cancer? BB: An old study from Hungary used concentrated ascorbic acid as a paste under a bandage for approximately 10 hours a day, and treatment took five months. This is not clinically practical, so I looked for a way to improve penetration. I tried DMSO with vitamin C, and the treatment appeared to work on a basal cell lesion. I subsequently tried it in additional individuals and then moved on to squamous cell carcinoma. KH: What are the proposed mechanisms of how the topical vitamin C and DMSO solution works? BB: The current thinking is that topical vitamin C penetrates the outer skin layers and reaches the tumor cells at a very high local concentration. The vitamin C may produce hydrogen peroxide locally. One hypothesis for why cancer cells are affected more than normal cells is that cancer cells are less able to defend themselves against hydrogen peroxide because they have lower levels of catalase. Catalase is the enzyme that deactivates peroxide, and normal cells are better able to defend against it. KH: Why did you choose a 30% concentration of ascorbic acid? BB: He said 30% is about the maximum concentration that can be obtained in water. KH: Does DMSO have any anti-cancer properties, or is it primarily a carrier for vitamin C? BB: DMSO does not appear to have any anticancer activity by itself. It does appear to have anti-inflammatory activity. DMSO is a good organic solvent that can penetrate the fatty layer of the outer skin and loosen the connections between the layers, helping substances pass through the skin barrier. KH: Does DMSO do anything beyond helping vitamin C penetrate the skin? BB: DMSO appears to suppress inflammation, which is an active component of cancer transformation. Vitamin C undergoes oxidation-reduction readily in water, whereas DMSO is an aprotic solvent (an aprotic solvent means it is a liquid that can dissolve many substances without having any "acidic" hydrogen atoms attached to oxygen or nitrogen atoms that it can easily donate) and should make vitamin C more stable until it reaches the aqueous environment of the cell. KH: How is the 30% vitamin C/DMSO solution prepared? BB: The prescription would specify a 30% weight/volume solution of ascorbic acid in DMSO. Thirty grams of vitamin C would be used per 100 milliliters of final solution. The pharmacist cannot simply put 30 grams of vitamin C into 100 milliliters of DMSO because the final volume would be greater than 100 milliliters. Instead, the pharmacist would add some DMSO, mix in the vitamin C, and then add enough additional DMSO to reach the proper final volume. KH: Can patients treat skin cancer with this on their own? BB: No. Treating cancer is never a do-it-yourself project. Anyone considering use the vitamin C and DMSO treatment should talk with their doctor, use a compounding pharmacist, have regular visits, and monitor what is happening. KH: Can you tell us about your study and the basic results? BB: It was an open-label trial, meaning the patients knew they were receiving vitamin C and the physicians knew what they were giving them. There was no placebo and no blinding. Patients with biopsy-confirmed squamous cell carcinoma were given the option of standard surgical removal, other topical treatments, or participation in the study. Seventeen people participated, and some had two or three lesions. The treatment was applied twice daily. Patients were evaluated at two weeks, one month, two months, and three months. Almost everyone experienced a significant reduction
Cancer Signals From Covid & Covid Vaccine; IV Vitamin C & Cancer; Nattokinase Reduces Atherosclerosis, Clots, Spike Protein; Aging & Strength Training; Calcium Scores Vit D & K; Plants Reduce Lp(a).
2026/09/25
Highlights… CANCER - COVID INFECTION - POST COVID VACCINATION - CANCER SIGNALS - Kuperwasser C., El-Deiry W. S. COVID vaccination and post-infection cancer signals: Evaluating patterns and potential biological mechanisms. Oncotarget. 2026; 17: 1-29. Retrieved from https://www.oncotarget.com/article/28824/ “…The collective world-wide evidence from 2020–2025 underscores a biologically plausible connection between COVID-19 vaccination and cancer. The recurring clinical findings documented across many reports of de-novo cancer onset, rapid tumor progression, viral reactivation, and reawakening of dormant disease, highlight critical gaps in knowledge and understanding of how large-scale immune changes produced by the vaccine interacts with cancer biology…” Both SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination engage overlapping biological pathways that could, in principle, influence cancer risk, yet they differ in mechanism, magnitude, biodistribution, and duration of their effects. CANCER - IV VITAMIN C - Intravenous Vitamin C. An orange in a bag. Paul Marik, MD, Cancer & Metabolic Healing Sep 07, 2026. ”…At pharmacologic concentrations, IV vitamin C may act through several mechanisms: 1. Pro-oxidant cytotoxicity * High-dose ascorbate generates hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) in the tumor microenvironment * Cancer cells are relatively deficient in catalase → selective vulnerability * Normal cells neutralize peroxide more efficiently 2. Metabolic stress * Disrupts glycolysis and mitochondrial metabolism * Particularly relevant for tumors with Warburg metabolism and redox fragility 3. Epigenetic regulation * Cofactor for TET dioxygenases → DNA demethylation * Potential re-expression of tumor suppressor genes * Especially relevant in hematologic malignancies with epigenetic dysregulation 4. Hypoxia and angiogenesis modulation * Down-regulation of HIF-1α * Reduced VEGF signaling and tumor adaptation to hypoxia…” CANCER - mRNA VACCINE - INCREASE - STUDY FINDS mRNA “VACCINES” COULD INDUCE OR ACCELERATE CANCER VIA 35 DISTINCT MECHANISMS. The most comprehensive analysis to date examining the link between mRNA “vaccines” and cancer identifies convergent mechanistic, clinical, and population-level evidence of turbo cancer. Nicolas Hulscher, MPH, Focal Points, Sep 03, 2026.”…Cancer is rising at an increasingly alarming pace. Early-onset malignancies are climbing in younger adults, aggressive cancers are appearing in patients with little warning, and U.S. cancer mortality has departed sharply from its pre-pandemic trajectory…” “Potential Oncogenicity of Synthetic mRNA Vaccines: Convergent Mechanistic, Clinical, and Population Evidence for a Concurrent-Hit Model of Accelerated Malignancy” PDF EUTHANASIA - CANCER - MAID PROGRAM - CANADA - Canada offers cancer patients euthanasia (MAID) before they even see an Oncologist. William Makis, MD, Makis Health, September 22, 2026. FLU - FLU SHOT - MRNA VACCINE - BREAKING: Our FDA Data Reanalysis Demanding Market Withdrawal of Moderna’s mRNA Flu Shot Is Now PEER-REVIEWED and PUBLISHED. The FDA’s own clinical data now sit in the peer-reviewed record showing a 155% higher risk of unexplained death, a 515% higher risk of disabling reactions, and an EXTREME risk-benefit imbalance. Nicolas Hulscher, MPH, Focal Points, Sep 21, 2026. NATTOKINASE - ARTERIOSCLEROSIS - BLOOD CLOTS - MICROCLOTS - SPIKE PROTEIN - Nattokinase Breaks Down Spike Protein, Amyloid Microclots, Blood Clots, and Shrinks Arterial Plaque. We assembled decades of evidence to uncover the powerful multi-target effects of nattokinase. Nicolas Hulscher, MPH, Focal Points, Sep 22, 2026. 1) “Proteolytic Targets and Clinical Benefits of Oral Nattokinase: Spike Protein and Amyloid Degradation, Fibrinolysis, and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction.” Nutrition, Prevention and Integrative Medicine… AGING - STRENGTH TRAINING - What Happens to Your Body When You Do Strength Training Regularly. Up to 50 percent of muscle mass is lost by age 80, but you can reverse it. Epoch Times, By Mercura Wang, September 05, 2026.1) Stronger Muscles - Effects of strength training on neuromuscular adaptations in the development of maximal strength: a systematic review and meta-analysis.2) Longer Life - Long-term resistance training with all-cause and cause-specific mortality: assessing dose-response and joint associations with aerobic physical activity.3. Healthier Body Composition and Metabolism - Resistance training is medicine: effects of strength training on health.4. Stronger Bones - Optimal resistance training parameters for improving bone mineral density in postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.5. Chronic Disease Risk Reduction:Alzheimer’s disease - Association of Muscle Strength With the Risk of Alzheimer Disease and the Rate of Cognitive Decline in Community-Dwelling Older Persons.6. Type 2 Diabetes - Resistance training is medicine: effects of strength training on health.7. Cardiovascular Disease - Resistance training is medicine: effects of strength training on health.8. Obesity - Moderators of Resistance Training Effects in Overweight and Obese Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.9. Chronic Lower Back Pain - Does resistance training improve pain intensity, quality of life, and disability in people with chronic nonspecific low back pain? A systematic review and meta-analysis.7. Arthritis - The Effects of Resistance Training on Pain, Strength, and Function in Osteoarthritis: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.8. Better Mental Health and Sleep - Resistance training and combined resistance and aerobic training as a treatment of depression and anxiety symptoms in young people: A systematic review and meta-analysis.9. Supports Immune Function - Effects of Community-based Exercise Prehabilitation for Patients Scheduled for Colorectal Surgery With High Risk for Postoperative Complications: Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial.10. Supports Cancer Treatment Recovery - Effects of Community-based Exercise Prehabilitation for Patients Scheduled for Colorectal Surgery With High Risk for Postoperative Complications: Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial. ATHEROSCLEROSIS - CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROSIS - VITAMIN D - VITAMIN K - Vitamin K2 and D3 Supplementation in Patients With Severe Coronary Artery Calcification: The DANCODE Trial. Circulation. 2026 Aug 28. SUMMARY: In a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial, 398 participants with severe coronary artery calcification median age of 71 years in whom 30% were women with a coronary calcium score (CAC) from noncontrast cardiac computed tomography of ≥400 Agatston units (AU) [Median baseline CAC was 903 AU, and 44% had CAC ≥1000] were given vitamin K2 (720 μg/d) plus vitamin D3 (25 μg/d) or placebo for 24 months. The mean CAC increase was 196 AU with vitamin K2 and D3 and 248 AU with the placebo which is a mean group difference of -52 AU. In the 143 participants who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA which is a (CAC with contrast dye) there were a similar increase in total plaque volume and no change in noncalcified plaque volume between groups. COMMENTARY: There has always been a concern about giving vitamin D or calcium alone without vitamin K2 for fear that would increase calcified plaque in the arteries. In this study of individuals with severe coronary artery disease the vitamin K2 and vitamin D supplement group had a slowing of coronary artery calcification which is a good thing. Problem is that the study didn’t go out long enough to see if heart attacks or sudden death occurred less in the group slowing the hardening (calcification) of the arteries. What we also can’t learn from this study is that what would happen if there was a third group that give vitamin D alone, along with the vitamin D3 & vitamin K group and placebo. Then we could see the value of giving vitamin K along with vitamin D. That said, as usual, we could wait to carry out this same study or the one I just suggested for another 3-5 years to get clarity. Or is it reasonable to take vitamin D along with a good dose of vitamin K2 of 750 mcg/d. Most vitamin D / K supplements have higher vitamin D (5000 IU) along with vitamin K2 0f 100-200 mcg/d which is lower than this study by quite a bit. How about eating more vitamin K rich foods! Rich Sources of Vitamin K2 * Nattō: A traditional Japanese fermented soybean dish, it is by far the richest known source of K2 (specifically the MK-7 form). * Hard and Soft Cheeses: Aged and fermented cheeses like Gouda, Brie, and Cheddar contain high amounts of K2. * Organ Meats: Beef and chicken liver, as well as goose liver paste, are excellent sources of the MK-4 form of K2. * Egg Yolks: Eggs from pastured or free-range chickens provide a solid amount of K2. * Butter: Butter, especially from grass-fed cows, contains helpful levels of K2. * Sauerkraut: Fermented cabbage contains bacteria that supply K2, though in smaller amounts than nattō. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] ATHEROSCLEROSIS - SILENT - CORONARY CALCIFICATION - CAROTID ULTRASOUND - Prevalence of Silent Atherosclerosis across Adult Life. N Engl J Med. 2026 Aug 29. SUMMARY: In 16,808 adults mean age of 45 years of which 51.4% were women silent atherosclerosis was found in 57.1% of the subjects. In the youngest group between 18 to 29 years of age atherosclerosis was found in 8.7% of the men and 6.7% of the women. With age there was a steep middle age rise among women. In the younger age group atherosclerosis was found most often in peripheral and single arteries. With age plaque volume increased exponentially and multiple arterial involvement became more frequent. Isolated coronary-artery atherosclerosis was uncommon in every age group. COMMENT: We should be screening early for markers of atherosclerosis (ultrasound of the carotid and femoral arteries and with calcium scores of the heart vessels from a low dose CT scan)
Alzheimer Disease, Dementia and Cognition How to Combine Ayruvedic and Yoga Principles to Improve Memory and Mental Clarity. An Interview with Rammohan Rao, PhD
2026/09/24
Rammohan Rao PhD, C-AP, RYT Apollo Health, 855 Mahler RoadBurlingame, CA [email protected]; [email protected] 1.800.450.0805 - Best-selling author “Good Living Practices-The best from Ayurveda, Yoga and Modern Science For Achieving Optimal Health, Happiness and Longevity.”“KetoFLEX 12/3 Diet and Cognitive Health: A Precision-Nutrition Perspective on Mechanisms, Emerging Evidence, and Future Directions.”Nutrients. 2026 Jul 7;18(13):2206. - Chief Scientist at Apollo Health which uses a precision-medicine, systems-based, multi-therapeutic approach to reverse Dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease. - Over 25+ years of research and teaching experience in Neuroscience and has published 70+ peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals, including chapters in several textbooks. - Board-Certified Ayurveda Practitioner, a Registered Yoga Teacher and teaches Ayurveda and Yoga at the California College of Ayurveda. Interview Summary… Rammohan Rao, PhD, C-AP, RYT, describes how his lifelong exposure to yoga and Ayurveda in India eventually developed into a career combining neuroscience, Ayurveda and yoga. He explains that yoga was part of his childhood education in India, while Ayurveda was incorporated into everyday life. Education in Neuroscience, Yoga and Ayruveda… After earning his PhD in neuroscience and completing postdoctoral work at the Mayo Clinic, Rao worked as a research associate professor of neuroscience at the Buck Institute, where he formally resumed yoga practice and eventually completed yoga teacher training and board certification. His introduction to Ayurveda came through an Ayurveda lecture at a yoga studio, followed by his wife’s consultation with Dr. Mark Halpin for an inflammatory condition. Rao says his wife received a comprehensive, individualized program involving diet, sleep, bowel regularity, daily routines, mindfulness, yoga, herbs and detoxification practices, and that her condition completely resolved within three months. He emphasizes that Ayurveda and yoga focus on body-mind integration, prevention and individualized care rather than a single treatment or pill. He describes dietary timing, adequate sleep, regular bowel movements, consistent routines and mindfulness as important components of his wife’s program, including a three-week plant-based khichdi diet consisting of rice, mung beans, vegetables and ghee, followed by gradual reintroduction of other foods. Dementia, Yoga and Exercise… In discussing dementia, Rao explains that yoga practices can be adapted for people with cognitive impairment by emphasizing balance, hip strength, standing postures, eye and ear exercises, neck and shoulder movements, breathing practices and mindfulness, while noting that earlier adoption may improve compliance before full-blown dementia develops. He connects physical exercise with brain health by describing the release of myokines from muscles and osteokines from bones, which he says can reach the brain and support beneficial brain activity. He defines mindfulness as focus, attention and awareness, particularly directing attention to the breath and developing periods of stillness. Dementia and Ayruveda… Rao also explains that fasting has a place in Ayurveda, including maintaining a 12-hour gap between the last meal of one day and the next day’s meal, while cautioning against fasting to the point of physical deterioration. He says Ayurvedic recommendations for dementia are individualized according to the person and the disease condition, and he describes dementia and neurodegenerative conditions as Vata-based within the Ayurvedic framework. He also identifies similarities between Ayurvedic and yoga practices and the Bredesen approach, including attention to diet, sleep, stress, mindfulness, brain stimulation and detoxification. Healthy Living and Dr. Rao’s Book… Finally, Rao discusses his book, Good Living Practices, explaining that it brings together physical, mental and emotional practices designed to integrate body, mind and emotions into what he calls “unfractionated living,” including mindfulness practices that can be incorporated into everyday activities such as eating and cooking. Interview Questions and Answers Kirk Hamilton: So the obvious question is, what came first, the neurosciences, the yoga or the Ayurveda? How did that happen? Rammohan Rao: Yoga and Ayurveda were an integral part of life in India. His parents introduced him to yoga poses, breathing practices and meditation, while Ayurveda was incorporated into everyday life through diet, spices and herbs. He later went into mainstream modern medicine, earned his PhD and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Mayo Clinic. After Dr. Dale Bredesen invited him to the Buck Institute, he began practicing yoga formally with his wife, eventually completing formal yoga training and certification. His introduction to Ayurveda came when a yoga class was canceled and the instructor encouraged him and his wife to attend an Ayurveda lecture by Dr. Mark Halpin. His wife’s experience with Ayurvedic care led him to formally study Ayurveda, eventually becoming board certified and beginning to teach Ayurveda in 2007. KH: Let me ask when you were in India, as a child and growing up, were you exposed to yoga?Did you do any? RR: Yes. In schools in India yoga was an elective course in addition to sports activities, and I was trained in yoga asanas. I had quite a good yoga practice as a child. KH: I’m ignorant. Do Ayurvedic principles comes from India? RR: Yes. Ayurveda was a mainstream system of medicine in India. It as a whole-person system of health concerned with maintaining balance between the body and mind. Ayurveda is approximately 6,000 or 7,000 years old and traditionally emphasized body-mind integration, addressing the mind as well as systems of the body. KH: On your wife’s healing, when you look back at it, what were the major changes that she did? In other words, you were already doing yoga, so you were moving energy in that way. But what were the major changes? Was it dietary? Was it herbal? What do you think made the big change in your wife’s health? RR: Ayurveda and yoga emphasize body-mind integration, prevention and individualized care. My wife’s program addressed nutrition, digestion, sleep, daily routines, physical activity, herbs, mindfulness, yoga asanas and detoxification. The approach began at the level of the gut because her condition involved inflammation. She received a dietary program, herbs to address her gut and inflammation, mindfulness and yoga practices, as well as detoxification procedures involving oil therapies, massage and transcranial therapies. KH: I know there was a lot to the program, but can you just say two or three of the main things that she had to change that really made a difference? RR: The major changes were diet, sleep and regular routines. Her diet was individualized and included conscious eating, specific grains and spices, eating at particular times, limiting snacks, maintaining three- to four-hour gaps between meals and having the largest meal around midday. She was instructed to have at least seven hours of sleep and to maintain regular routines involving waking, sleeping and bowel movements. She also practiced mindfulness and daily hygiene practices. It is important to emphasize that these three major changes were implemented without herbs as part of the changes I was describing. KH: What else would you do to have a bowel movement? You just can’t say, I’m going to have a bowel movement now. Is it about timing, sitting down every day? In other words, you change your diet and your bowel movements occur? RR: For people having bowel-movement problems, I recommends a diet containing probiotics, prebiotics and fiber. Consume lots of raw vegetables containing substantial fiber and if necessary, fiber-based supplements can be used. I prefer dietary approaches rather than prolonged use of fiber-based medications such as Senna or Cascara. I also describes Triphala an herb used to promote proper bowel movement. In Ayurveda, if someone is not having a bowel movement, they can sit on the toilet at a consistent time for two or three days to establish the timing. In my experience, within four or five days the circadian rhythm can become established and bowel movements can begin occurring at that time. KH: Was there two or three foods that she was eating that she gave up? RR: Yes. My wife completely eliminated dairy for one week. For three weeks, she followed a specific diet consisting of rice and mung beans, along with vegetables and greens such as spinach, arugula, beetroot, cabbage, lettuce and carrots. Ghee was also added. She ate this diet three times a day for three weeks and then gradually began reintroducing other foods. KH: So she went off dairy and grains for three weeks. RR: Not all grains. Rice was included, along with mung beans. KH: The question is, when she reintroduced, you’re saying that she could tolerate those foods that she couldn’t before? RR: Yes. KH: So was this diet totally plant-based for those three weeks? RR: Absolutely. In Ayurveda, meat and meat-based foods are not normally used unless a person is extremely weak and has very low energy. Otherwise, the diet is purely plant-based. KH: I was just thinking if you don’t get someone early in their dementia, it would be hard to teach them yoga. How do you work with someone with significant dementia and teach them a yoga practice that works? RR: I agree that earlier practice is important. At Apollo Health, I taught yoga during the pandemic to people with cognitive impairment, including people with SCI and MCI. He used simpler yoga-based practices for people with dementia, emphasizing balance, hips and the ability to move the head forward without dizziness or loss of balance. I also used standing postures, eye exercises, ear exercises, throat and neck exercises, sho
Michael Yon on Fasting, Famine, Fertilizer, Fuel Shortages and Fatherhood…. What’s Ahead in the War with Iran...It’s About Routes, Resources and Intentional Depopulation...
2026/09/22
Fasting, Famine, Fertilizer & Fuel Shortages and Fatherhood… Former Green Beret, Special Forces and Combat Correspondent Michael Yon PO Box 66, Archer, FL 32618MichaelYon.Substack.com Michaelyon.com About - Mission - [email protected]@protonmail.com Kirk Hamilton: How many days into this current fast are you? Michael Yon: I am on day 21 of my current fast. I do not have a specific end date in mind. My previous fast lasted 40 days. I will continue until I decide I have reached the end. Right now, I feel better than ever. I feel perfect, and I have zero hunger. KH: Why are you fasting? MY: I have fasted before, including a 40-day fast. This time, one of the main reasons I am fasting is that Masako and I are about to have a baby. I want Baby Bear to see me leading by example, just as my grandfather lead by example for me. I also want the health benefits, greater mental clarity, and the experience of fasting itself. KH. What do you experience physically, spiritually, and mentally while fasting? MY: I experience significant mental clarity and more opportunity to reflect. Fasting gives me more time to be quiet and think. I also experience a strong sense of well-being. I do podcasts and other things, but I enjoy simply sitting quietly while I fast. KH: How long have you been intentionally fasting? MY: I have been intentionally fasting for years. My previous prolonged fast lasted 40 days. Before that, I experience fasting in Special Forces, but those fasts are not intentional. They happen during training when we did not have enough food. KH: What does fasting mean to you and what do you consume while fasting? MY: For me, fasting means going without food. Water only. This time I have used salt only on one day. I have used to date about ten lemons, one juice of lemon squeezed in my water each day. It has helped with my dry mouth. During this fast, I do not experience hunger. I am essentially running on my body’s stored energy. I have enough body fat that I can continue functioning without eating. KH: What do you notice happening to your body during a prolonged fast? MY: I notice that I feel extremely good. I have had a strong limp since my Army days, and when I begin fasting some years ago, the limp simply disappeared. I did not do anything. It just went away and has stayed away. During this fast, I also have no hunger. KH: Is fasting difficult for you and how do you feel while doing it? MY: Right now, fasting is not difficult for me. I have zero hunger. During Special Forces training, fasting is completely different because we are working extremely hard and do not have enough body fat. We become incredibly hungry. Now, after 21 days without food, I experience a flatline on hunger. KH: What changes do you notice in your energy, clarity, pain, flexibility, or sleep while fasting? MY: I feel better than ever. I experience mental clarity and more opportunity to reflect. My previous experience with fasting also showed me that physical problems can change. My limp disappeared and it stayed away. I do not describe fasting as making me weak; I feel very good while doing it. KH: Do you monitor ketones during fasting? MY: I do not do any extensive medical monitoring during the fast. I know I am in ketosis because I have been without food for 21 days. I may get some KetoStix nearby. KH. How do you decide when to end the fast? MY: I do not have a specific end-state goal for this fast. With my previous 40-day fast, I simply kept going until I reach the point where I decided it was time to stop. I do not know exactly how long I will go this time. KH: How did you break the 40 day fast? MY: When I finish my previous 40-day fast, I start with coconut juice. I also eat betel leaves and a little shrimp. It was a wonderful experience to begin eating again after such a long fast. KH: Does fasting gives you spiritual or philosophical insights? MY: Definitely. There is a reason many people fast for religious reasons. Fasting gives me more opportunity to reflect. During my previous 40-day fast, I spent much of the time in an Airbnb overlooking the ocean in Okinawa. I sat quietly, fasting, and read old books, including Benjamin Franklin. I found that kind of silence very valuable. KH: Does fasting change the way you look at the larger world, including politics and world events? MY: Fasting gives me more opportunity to reflect and think about the big picture. I continue doing podcasts and talking about world events, but I also spend time sitting quietly. I use that time to think about routes, resources, war, famine, energy, food, and population movements. KH: What does Masako think about your fasting? MY: Masako is with me during the fast and we are preparing for the birth of “Baby Bear.” She is beginning to show signs that the baby is coming soon. She is resting while I am fasting, and we are both focused on becoming parents. KH: What is the specific purpose of this current fast? MY: The most important reason this time is Baby Bear. I want my child to see me leading by example. My grandfather quit smoking cold turkey when he had children because he did not want his children to see him smoke. He led by example rather than simply telling me what to do. That example stays with me. I want Baby Bear to see the same kind of example from me. KH: What else do you want people to understand about fasting? MY: I see fasting as something that gives me physical and mental benefits and allows me to reflect. I also recognize the importance of having enough stored energy. Strategic body fat is like money in the bank. If food becomes unavailable having some body fat gives me a reserve. KH: Do you believe there is evidence of an organized effort to reduce the world’s population? MY: I believe there is an organized global effort toward depopulation. I see control of routes, resources, food, energy, and other necessities as part of that process. I describe famine as one of the weapons that can ultimately contribute to population reduction. These are my views and my interpretation of the geopolitical situation. KH. What are your thoughts on famine, fertilizer shortages, and fuel shortages? MY: FAMINE: I believe we are heading into famine. I see strategic body fat as a reserve because, in a survival situation where food is unavailable, people with more stored energy can have an advantage. FERTILIZER: I have been talking about fertilizer shortages for years. I look at phosphate production and exports as strategically important because fertilizer is directly connected to food production. I believe restrictions and policies affecting farmers, fishermen, energy, and food production can decrease the available food supply. FUEL: I see fuel shortages as directly connected to famine and ultimately to population reduction. I believe cutting off energy contributes to famine and can create what I call HOP - “human osmotic pressure,” pushing people to migrate from areas where food, energy, or security are becoming scarce. KH: How do you feel about becoming a father and about Baby Bear? MY: I feel more joy than I have ever felt in my life. I feel like a father already, even though Baby Bear has not been born yet. Masako and I already feel like we are Mama Bear and Papa Bear. I am excited to meet my child, and I want to be there for the birth. I want Baby Bear to see me leading by example, just as my grandfather led by example for me. Gobal Depopulation, “HOP” Human Osmotic Pressure, Famine, Fertilizer and Fuel Shortages KH: What is the evidence that there is a depopulation effort by some world forces? MY: I believed there is an “organized global depopulation” effort involving cutting off of routes and resources. I believe wars involve routes, resources and ideology. The controlling or cutting of transportation routes, energy supplies and other resources could create food shortages resulting in “human osmotic pressure” or “HOP” that will lead to mass migration of populations to other countries. I’m including the Strait of Hormuz, Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, the Panama Canal and other strategic routes. I believe famine could be used as one of the mechanisms contributing to population reduction. Fatherhood… KH: How do you feel about the upcoming fatherhood and birth of Baby Bear? MY: “I’ve never felt so much joy in all my life.” I and Masako already feel like father and mother because the baby was fully formed even though Baby Bear had not yet been born. I feel “incredibly” blessed and described the experience as being beyond happiness. I want the baby to arrive immediately but recognize that the baby will come when the baby is ready. KH: Michael you appear to be radiating with joy. MY: I agree. I have never experienced this level of joy before. Overall Takeaways from the Michael Yon Interview… * Michael was on day 21 of his current fast during this interview. * His previous fast lasted 40 days. * His first prolonged intentional fast was in 2018–2019. * He distinguished intentional fasting like this fast from involuntary food deprivation during Special Forces training. * During this current fast, he reported zero hunger. * He said he felt “better than ever” and “perfect.” * He reported that a long-standing Army-related limp disappeared after he completed the 40-day fast. * He said the benefits of his 40-day fast continued after the fast ended. * He said serious fasting makes him appreciate food much more. * His previous 40-day fast was broken with coconut juice, betel leaves and a little shrimp before he returned to normal food. * He said he wished he had discovered fasting earlier in life. * Michael said he believed the world was heading toward famine. * He described maintaining body fat as a potential strategic reserve during food shortages. * He discussed fertilizer—particularly phosphate—as an important component of food security. * He connected energy and transportation disruptions with foo
Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia and Cognition Improvement with the KetoFlex 12/3 Dietary Plan. What Is It and How Do You Do It? An Interview with Rammohan Rao, PhD
2026/09/15
Improving Dementia Due to Alzheimer’s Disease with the Ketoflex 12/3 Dietary Approach. What is It and How Do You Do It? Rammohan Rao PhD, C-AP, RYT Apollo Health, 855 Mahler RoadBurlingame, CA [email protected]; [email protected] KetoFlex 12/3 Diet Plan1.800.450.0805“KetoFLEX 12/3 Diet and Cognitive Health: A Precision-Nutrition Perspective on Mechanisms, Emerging Evidence, and Future Directions.”Nutrients. 2026 Jul 7;18(13):2206. - Chief Scientist at Apollo Health which uses a precision-medicine, systems-based, multi-therapeutic approach to reverse Dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease. - Over 25+ years of research and teaching experience in Neuroscience and has published 70+ peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals, including chapters in several textbooks. - Board-Certified Ayurveda Practitioner, a Registered Yoga Teacher and teaches Ayurveda and Yoga at the California College of Ayurveda. - Best-selling author “Good Living Practices-The best from Ayurveda, Yoga and Modern Science For Achieving Optimal Health, Happiness and Longevity.” Interview Questions and Answers… Kirk Hamilton: Thank you for coming on the show. Can you tell us about your educational background and how you came to combine neuroscience with Ayurveda and yoga? What got you interested in the connection between diet and cognitive health? Rammohan Rao: After completing my PhD in neuroscience in India in 1992, I came to the United States for a postdoctoral fellowship at Mayo Clinic. I worked there for about five years on various aspects of the brain, including neurotransmitters, memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease. In 1999, I joined Dr. Dale Bredesen at the Buck Institute as a Research Associate Professor of Neuroscience. We studied Alzheimer’s disease using fly, worm, mouse and rat models and investigated the mechanisms involved in the disease. My interest in yoga began while I was working at the Buck Institute. I practiced yoga in the evenings and eventually completed teacher training and became certified. In the early 2000s, my wife had a chronic health condition and was interested in Ayurveda. That led me to the California College of Ayurveda, where I completed a four-and-a-half-year program followed by a six-month internship. In 2008, Dr. Halpern invited me to join the faculty, and I have taught Ayurveda and yoga there since then. KH: How did your Ayurvedic background influence the KetoFlex approach? RR: In Ayurveda, one of the first principles students learn is that chronic conditions should be addressed through the gut. The gut is given a great deal of importance. The KetoFlex Diet evolved from the observation that cognitive decline involves multiple biological problems, including insulin resistance, impaired neuronal fuel availability, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, vascular issues, nutritional deficiencies, impaired cellular housekeeping and impaired trash-removal mechanisms. The diet is intended to influence these mechanisms simultaneously rather than simply produce ketones. Nutrition is one part of a larger multi-modal or multi-therapeutic intervention to prevent or treat cognitive decline. KH: What exactly does KetoFlex 12/3 mean? RR: “Keto” refers to ketosis—the ability to use fat as a source of fuel. The brain and heart can switch between sugar and fat as sources of energy. One of the striking features of Alzheimer’s disease is that the brain becomes less efficient at using glucose as fuel. “Flex” refers to metabolic flexibility—the ability of the brain to move efficiently between glucose and fat-derived fuels. The “12” refers to a minimum fasting period of 12 hours between the last meal of the day and the next morning’s meal. Around the 12- to 14-hour fasting window, the brain begins switching toward fat metabolism and producing ketone bodies. One of those ketones is beta-hydroxybutyrate, or BHB. BHB is known to induce neuroplasticity, reduce inflammation and trigger the release of BDNF, or brain-derived neurotrophic factor. It helps strengthen and nourish the brain. KH: Do people need to measure their ketones every morning if they are following the 12- to 14-hour fasting schedule? RR: For people who don’t experience memory loss, historical studies show that a 12- to 14-hour fast triggers the release of ketone bodies, so there is generally no need to measure them every day. If someone is doing the right things and still experiencing memory loss, then measuring ketone levels can be useful. In some people, the levels may not be sufficient to trigger the desired benefits, and they may need to fast for a little longer. There are devices that measure acetone in the breath and BHB in the blood. Devices such as Precision Xtra and Keto-Mojo can measure both glucose and ketone bodies. These can provide objective feedback, but I would not call measurement an absolute requirement for everybody. The broader goal is metabolic health and metabolic flexibility—not simply chasing a ketone reading. KH: Why is the three-hour period before bedtime important? RR: The “3” refers to stopping food at least three hours before bedtime. Circadian rhythms play an important role, and there is constant communication between the brain and the gut. For people who have glucose problems or memory loss, late-night eating without a three-hour gap can keep glucose and insulin elevated at a time when the body is preparing for sleep. Finishing food at least three hours before bedtime extends the fasting window, reduces late postprandial glucose exposure and helps synchronize metabolism with sleep and circadian rhythms. KH: What happens in the brain during sleep that makes sleep so important for cognitive function? RR: Sleep is a very active physiological period. During deep sleep, the lymphatic system associated with the cerebrospinal fluid system becomes active and helps remove dead cells and toxic material that has accumulated in the brain. Sleep also helps remove information that is considered “noise,” making room for better synaptic connections. Memory consolidation occurs during sleep, allowing important information to be stored and consolidated. Another important process is neuroplasticity. During sleep, the brain is rewired and new neuronal branches become stronger, improving connections between neurons. That is why good-quality and adequate sleep are so important. KH: What happens when someone eats too close to bedtime? RR: When you go to sleep with a heavy stomach, digestion is still occurring. Sleep can be disrupted, and the N3 and REM stages can become disrupted. When sleep is disrupted, memory consolidation is affected, “trash” removal from the brain is affected and the removal of unnecessary information is affected. These processes can accumulate over time when sleep habits are not appropriate. KH: Let’s talk about fats and animal foods. Is KetoFlex a high-animal-fat ketogenic diet? RR: The concern about saturated animal fat is legitimate. But the KetoFlex Diet recommended at Apollo Health is not based on large amounts of saturated animal fat. The predominant fats we emphasize are unsaturated fats. We emphasize omega-3 sources, high-polyphenol olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds. We are not talking about butter, cream, highly processed meat or large quantities of saturated animal fat. Think about KetoFlex as a plant-rich keto diet and not a “bacon-and-butter” keto diet. KH: What kinds of seafood, poultry and meat do you recommend? RR: Seafood is definitely included. We recommend low-mercury, wild-caught seafood from the sea. We talk about “SMASH”—salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines and herring—because these are rich sources of EPA and DHA. We also recommend poultry and eggs, preferably pasture-raised, because of their choline, B12, folate and fat-soluble vitamin content. Red meat can be used moderately, such as approximately once a week. If someone wants to eat more, we recommend grass-fed, pasture-raised and minimally processed meat. KH: What about vegetables? What type should make up the foundation of the diet? RR: Non-starchy vegetables form the foundation of the diet. We emphasize plant diversity and a rainbow of colors. We emphasize leafy greens such as kale, spinach, chard and arugula; cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts; and alliums such as garlic, onions and leeks. We also include mushrooms, herbs, spices, avocado and olives. We also emphasize low-glycemic fruits, especially raw “in season fruits”, berries and nuts and fermented vegetables. The goal is food with high nutrient density, high phytonutrient diversity and low glycemic impact. KH: What about fruits, there sugar content, glycemic effect and cognitive decline? RR: In Ayurveda, we say to eat with the season, including seasonal fruits. I encourage people to go to farmers’ markets because farmers generally grow what is in season. The problem today is that fruits are available throughout the year, and people can overconsume them. Fruit smoothies are another concern because they contain a lot of sugar. For people with cognitive decline, we emphasize fruits that have a low glycemic impact. We talk about wild berries, lemons and limes and phytonutrient-rich fruits such as blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. Approximately half a cup or less of berries is an example of what we discuss. KH: What about beans, legumes, yams, sweet potatoes and other complex carbohydrates? RR: We talk about resistant starch sources. These include tubers, legumes, parsnips, cassava, rutabagas, pistachios, artichokes, jicama, dandelion greens, mushrooms, leeks and green banana. These foods can be introduced in small amounts. They provide fiber that supports gut microbial production of short-chain fatty acids, which is important for metabolic health. They may increase glucose somewhat, but they are not necessarily a major concern. For people wi
Covid “One-Liners”...From Virus Creation, Unsafe & Untested Covid mRNA Genetic Injections to Turbo Cancers & Open Letters (2) of Vaccine Concern to the New United Kingdom Prime Minister Andy Burnham
2026/09/04
Highlights… “One-Liner” Synopsis of the “Covid Story” Peter McCullough, MD’s One Liner’s on the history of the Covid-19 virus’s origins; Spike Protein creation and evolution; Covid-19 mRNA shots, development, distribution and harm; and Government, Big Pharma and Public Health (Bio-Pharmaceutical Complex) lack of action and perpetuation of the mRNA technology beyond Covid couldn’t be said more succinctly and powerfully than in these “One-Liners” by Dr. McCullough. Support The McCullough Foundation; Subscribe to Focal Points (Courageous Discourse); Read The Courage to Face Covid-19 : Preventing Hospitalizations and Death While Battling the Bio-Pharmaceutical Complex and Vaccines: Mythology, Ideology, and Reality. Also MUST READ for a more complete understanding of the spike protein (from the manmade virus and mRNA vaccines), “The Spike Protein Effect: Truth, Risks and Recovery.” (FREE Booklet critical to understanding the potential harm of the spike protein from the original infection and more so from the spike protein created by the mRNA Covid vaccine which is more problematic…and how you can test for it and reduce its negative health consequences) (Peter McCullough, MD) “…Never thought this could happen during my medical career: -US-Chinese collaboration creates novel coronavirus in Wuhan Institute of Virology -Virus is highly contagious, deadly for elderly and frail -Manipulated Spike protein retained in body causing organ damage, inflammation, autoimmunity, blood clots -World falls into fear-based trance with lockdowns, masking, social distancing, economic shutdown -Early treatment protocols are suppressed -Genetic code for deadly Spike protein is target of mRNA/adenoviral DNA mass vaccination, mandatory for school, jobs, travel -Synthetic mRNA, vaccine Spike persist in body for years causing disease and death -No government recognizes gravity of situation -No vaccine inspections, recalls, or safety analyses -Based on COVID-19 mRNA backbone, more genetic vaccines (RSV, influenza, cancer) rolled out with no way to shut them off once injected -Bio-Pharmaceutical Complex rolls on, rife with corruption, fraud, abuse, consuming trillions of dollars…” COVID 19 - mRNA VACCINE - PUBLIC SAFETY - UNITED KINGDOM - AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER, August 27, 2026. “Suspend mRNA vaccines pending independent safety testing.” (1st letter) Joint Letter From: CCVAC – Children’s Covid Vaccines Advisory CouncilHART – Health Advisory and Recovery TeamThe Perseus GroupUKMFA – UK Medical Freedom AllianceDoctors for Patients UK To: The Right Honourable Andy Burnham, Prime Minister Dear Mr Burnham,See Link to Complete Letter (See link to 2nd letter below, August 28, 2026)”…Conclusions and Requests * The United Kingdom is at a turning point. You can either continue with the mistakes of your Tory and Labour predecessors, or you can turn a fresh page and commit your government to transparency and honesty with the British public. * We urge you to suspend the booster programme pending a full safety review. The booster regimens never underwent clinical trials. They were adopted ad hoc and self-evidently failed to stop viral circulation. The consequences of repeatedly inducing the vaccinee’s body to manufacture a potentially toxic protein in variable amounts for indefinite (but often prolonged) periods are unclear and likely harmful. * An immediate independent review is required into all aspects of Covid vaccine safety, as outlined in our letter to the MHRA[xx] now three years ago…” A second letter to our fifth Prime Minister August 28, 2026. “…Prime Minister (Andy Burnham), we are therefore asking you to answer two straightforward questions. * Will you support a full examination of evidence concerning Covid vaccine safety and efficacy that we believe has not been adequately addressed by the UK Covid-19 Inquiry? This must include excess mortality and increased long-term sickness since 2021. * Will you ensure that people who believe they have been seriously injured following Covid vaccination, and bereaved families who believe vaccination contributed to a death, have access to a credible system through which their cases can be properly investigated?…” Signatures to this letter to Prime Minister of the UK, Andy Burnham regarding Covid-19 Vaccine harm: * Dr Aseem Malhotra, MBChB, MRCP, Cardiologist * Dr Rosamond Jones, retired Consultant Paediatrician, Children’s Covid Vaccines Advisory Council * Dr Clare Craig, diagnostic pathologist, co-chair Health Advisory and Recovery Team * Dr Elizabeth Evans, retired doctor, CEO, UK Medical Freedom Alliance * Mr Nick Hunt, retired Civil Servant, MoD, Chairman, The Perseus Group * Dr Ayiesha Malik, General Practitioner, Executive Committee, Doctors for Patients UK * Professor Angus Dalgleish, MD, FRCP, FRACP, FRCPath, FMed Sci, Emeritus Professor of Oncology, City St Georges, University of London, Principal, Institute for Cancer Vaccines & Immunotherapy * Professor David Seedhouse, Honorary Professor of deliberative practice, School of Pharmacy, Aston University * Dr Alan Black, MBBS, MSc, DipPharmMed, retired pharmaceutical physician * Dr Alan Mordue, MBChB, FFPH. Retired Consultant in Public Health Medicine & Epidemiology * Dr Andrew McHutchon, MBChB, FRCA, retired Consultant Anaesthetist/Intensivist * Dr John Flack, BPharm, PhD, Retired Director of Safety Evaluation, Beecham Pharmaceuticals and Senior Vice-president for Drug Discovery SmithKline Beecham * Dr Henry Goodall, MBBS, FFOM, retired Consultant Occupational Health Physician, President of the Society of Occupational Medicine, 2011-12 * Dr John Campbell, Nurse educator and broadcaster * Graham Phillips, BPharm, Dipp Comm Pharm, FRCPharm, Principal Pharmacist iheartpharmacy group, Founder of Prolongevity.co.uk * Dr Sabine Hazan, MD, Gastroenterologist * Molly Kingsley, writer and campaigner, cofounder UsForThem * John Vincent MBE, British restaurateur, entrepreneur and government food adviser * Gurinder Chadha OBE, Film Director * Dimitri Masceranas, England International Cricketer * Pat Cash, International tennis coach * Peter Fleming, Professional tennis player and sports commentator * Woody Harrelson, Actor * Rob Schneider, Actor & film maker RECTAL CANCER - DELAY IN CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT - BREAKING NEWS: 36 year old Toronto Model Jess Grossman, who reacted to her Pfizer COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine within 3 minutes, now has aggressive Stage 4 Rectal Cancer. William Makis, MD, Makis Health, Sep 01, 2026. Kirk’s Comment: Kirk’s Comment Such an intensely sad story. Whether my original colon cancer, diagnosed on September 26, 2023, was caused or “spurred on” by my poor choice to get two Moderna vaccines in January and February 2021, I’ll never know. What I do know is that the cancer never spread, even though I delayed surgery until January 16, 2025. From September 26, 2023, to January 16, 2025, I gave my best shot at shrinking the tumor using multiple repurposed drugs—including ivermectin, fenbendazole, mebendazole and albendazole—along with short-term use of propranolol, metformin and Cialis. I also used an aggressive nutraceutical program, IV vitamin C, fasting and a low-glycemic diet. I didn’t do well with my attempt to follow a ketogenic diet. I was pretty skinny when I started and didn’t have a lot of fat to burn. To maintain a ketogenic state, I would have had to consume a lot of fat to provide enough fuel, or I risked having more muscle breakdown. I just couldn’t do it consistently. The tumor grew a little, but it did not metastasize or rupture my intestines when it was finally removed on January 16, 2025—16 months after my diagnosis. One of 22 lymph nodes was positive, and all 22 were removed. I decided not to undergo the recommended chemotherapy after surgery. Since then, I have stayed on a pretty aggressive nutrient program. I also took ivermectin and mebendazole and, over the last year, have taken only low-dose ivermectin approximately five days per week. I just had my third six-month CT scan of my pelvis and abdomen on August 23, 2026, and it was completely clear of cancer. My first follow-up colonoscopy, on September 26, 2025, found two small polyps, which were removed. I’m having my second follow-up colonoscopy next week, on September 8, 2026. If that colonoscopy is clear, I’ll continue working on creating a “new body” that is cancer-free—and be in gratitude for everything that has transpired. I am truly thankful for the gift of the whole thing. Cancer and all. I will probably continue taking low-dose ivermectin periodically over the next year, watch my diet, and continually work on my thoughts and spirit. I will also repeat a stool examination through ProgenaBiome and have it reviewed by Dr. Sabine Hazan to see whether my microbiome has changed in a positive, potentially “anti-colon-cancer” direction. I consider myself fortunate compared with the rectal cancer patient in this model. Even though I took the COVID mRNA vaccines—which, as I’ve said, I now consider a poor choice—I had been taking hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin on and off for COVID prophylaxis and when I got COVID twice beginning in 2020. So, in my mind, I had a little “anti-cancer juice” on board beginning in 2020–21. Did that help keep the cancer from spreading or make it less aggressive? I don’t know. But I am glad I did it. One message I tell my cancer patients is that even if you choose traditional cancer treatments, repurposed drugs—such as ivermectin, fenbendazole, mebendazole, doxycycline, propranolol, metformin and Cialis—can also be considered, along with nutraceuticals and IV vitamin C. Fasting may also be an option if you have enough body fat; I didn’t. And, of course, there is meditation, prayer and stress reduction. Some oncologists may not believe in repurposed drugs and may advise patients not to take them with chemot
Does a Nitric Oxide Boosting Dietary Supplement with Sildenafil Improve Nighttime Erections More Than Sildenafil Alone? An Interview with Urologist and Men’s Health Specialist Judson Brandeis, MD
2026/08/26
Judson Brandeis, MD Brandeis, MD – Male Rejuvenation Center100 Park Pl Ste 140San Ramon, CA 94583(925) 255-7867Global Men’s WellnessDr. Brandeis AI (Ask Any Question)brandeismd.com “Combining a Nitric Oxide Boosting Dietary Supplement With Sildenafil Improves Nighttime Erections More Than Sildenafil Alone,”The Journal of Sexual Medicine, Volume 22, Issue Supplement 4, November 2025 (8/2026)The 21st Century Man: Advise from 50 Top Doctors and Men’s Health Experts So You Can Feel Great, Look Good and Have Better Sex (AI generated summary of interview transcript reviewed and edited by interviewer Kirk Hamilton PA and approved by Judson Brandeis, MD) BACKGROUND: In this interview Kirk Hamilton PA interviews urologist Judson Brandeis, MD, about his study examining whether combining a nitric oxide-boosting dietary supplement (Affirm) with sildenafil improves nighttime erections more than sildenafil alone. Dr. Brandeis describes his background, beginning with his undergraduate education at Brown University and subsequent work with the American Red Cross, where he became interested in kidney transplantation. He attended Vanderbilt Medical School and conducted research at Harvard Medical School involving kidney transplantation and immune tolerance before completing general surgery and urology training at UCLA. Although he initially planned to become a kidney transplant surgeon, he ultimately pursued general urology and developed an interest in innovative approaches to men’s sexual and urologic health. He explains that his interest in nitric oxide and erectile function was influenced by his UCLA professors and by his experience treating men with low-intensity shockwave therapy. He became interested in boosting the body’s nitric oxide and eventually developed a supplement containing citrulline, beet extract, Panax ginseng, and muira puama. According to Dr. Brandeis, the rationale was to support the biological process involved in blood-vessel dilation and erectile function. He also explains that some of his older patients reported improvements in mental sharpness while taking the supplement, which prompted him to investigate and develop the product further. NITRIC OXIDE BOOSTERS AND PDE5 INHIBITOR SYNERGY: A major portion of the interview focuses on the relationship between nitric oxide, blood vessels, and PDE5 inhibitors such as sildenafil. Dr. Brandeis explains that nitric oxide contributes to the production of cyclic GMP (cGMP, or cyclic guanosine monophosphate), which participates in the process that opens blood vessels, while PDE5 inhibitors such as sildenafil prevent the breakdown of cGMP, allowing the signal to persist. He describes nitric oxide as being obtained through dietary pathways involving citrulline and foods containing nitrates, including beets and green leafy vegetables. ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION: He also discusses the endothelium, the inner lining of blood vessels, and the glycocalyx, which he describes as a protective structure over the endothelial cells. NIGHTTIME ERECTIONS AND SLEEP: The conversation then turns to nighttime erections and why they can provide a more objective way of evaluating erectile function. Dr. Brandeis explains that erections normally occur during REM sleep and that declining nighttime erections can be an early indication of reduced penile blood flow as men age. He describes the use of a device called the “tech ring,” which is worn around the penis during sleep and communicates with a phone through Bluetooth to measure changes associated with erections. He notes that this provides a more objective measurement than subjective erectile-function questionnaires, which can be influenced by circumstances, stress, relationships, sleep, and other factors. He also emphasizes the importance of sleep and describes his observation that dietary intake before sleep can affect nighttime erectile measurements. THE STUDY: The study itself is presented as the next step in Dr. Brandeis’s earlier investigation of the nitric oxide-boosting supplement. He explains that the initial part of the study used the nighttime measurement device after a cleanout period and compared nights without the supplement to nights when participants took two supplement tablets (AffirmScience®). He reports approximately a 35% improvement in the area under the curve per hour of sleep, which he describes as a way of standardizing measurements despite differences in the number of hours participants slept. The second part of the study examined whether the supplement could work synergistically with sildenafil. Dr. Brandeis chose 40 milligrams of sildenafil rather than the full 100-milligram dose because he wanted enough room in the measurement range to detect an additional effect rather than potentially “maxing out” the response. He explains that the theoretical reason for combining the two approaches is that nitric oxide contributes to the production of cGMP while sildenafil prevents cGMP from being broken down, meaning the two mechanisms converge on the same signaling pathway enhancing blood vessel dilation. He says the purpose was to determine whether the combination could improve nighttime erectile function while potentially allowing men to use a lower sildenafil dose and therefore experience fewer dose-related side effects. He describes the results as meeting his expectations and discusses how the findings could potentially be applied by men using PDE5 inhibitors. CONCLUSION: The interview concludes with Dr. Brandeis discussing his educational approach, his efforts to make complicated men’s-health concepts understandable, his book and educational resources, his use of artificial intelligence (Gobal Men’s Wellness - Ask Dr. Brandeis Any Question) to provide additional educational material, and his clinical practice. Brief Outline of Key Points * Dr. Brandeis’s Background * Brown University undergraduate education. * Work involving kidney preservation and transplantation. * Vanderbilt Medical School. * Research at Harvard Medical School. * General surgery and urology training at UCLA. * Transition from kidney transplantation to general urology and men’s health. * Interest in Nitric Oxide and Erectile Function * Connection between nitric oxide and blood-vessel dilation. * Relationship between nitric oxide, cyclic GMP, and PDE5 inhibitors. * Interest in improving erectile function through nitric oxide support. * Development of the Nitric Oxide-Boosting Supplement * Citrulline * Beet extract * Panax ginseng * Muira puama * Developed initially in connection with his work involving shockwave therapy * Nighttime Erections * Erections normally occur during REM sleep. * Declining nighttime erections may accompany aging and reduced penile blood flow. * Nighttime measurements provide a more objective assessment of erectile function. * The “TechRing” (FirmTech) was used to measure nighttime erectile activity. * Affirm® Alone * Participants underwent a cleanout period. * Nighttime erections were measured without the supplement and then with two supplement tablets. * Dr. Brandeis reports approximately a 35% improvement in the area under the curve per hour of sleep. * Sildenafil Combined with Affirm® * Used 40 mg of sildenafil rather than the full 100-mg dose. * Examined whether nitric oxide supplementation and sildenafil had a synergistic effect. * The rationale was based on their interaction with the cyclic-GMP pathway. * The goal was to determine whether the combination could improve erectile function while potentially permitting a lower sildenafil dose. * Other Issues Discussed * Possible effects of large meals on nighttime erections. * Importance of sleep and REM sleep. * Sildenafil and tadalafil differences discussed in relation to duration of action. * Dr. Brandeis’s emphasis on patient education. * His book, online educational resources, podcasts, YouTube channels, and artificial-intelligence-based men’s-health resources. ($5.00/month or $50/year would be appreciated for this publication) Dr. Joe Dispenza’s Website * Practice, Persistence and Patience - My Favorite. The first story of transformation that “jumped out” at me before my cancer and then the first one “sent” to me after my cancer diagnosis. A physician cures herself of a rare, life threatening sarcoma after chemo, radiation and alternative therapies had been tried. * ”Source” the Documentary - The Science behind the practice. Highly recommended. * Proof - Stories of Transformation (listen to a few stories of transformation from serious health problems) * Stories of Transformation - YouTube Channel * Research: The Science Behind Mind/Body Healing and Meditation * Dr. Joe Dispenza’s Book: Becoming Supernatural Falun Dafa – Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance Brief Introduction to Falun Dafa Falun Gong MisconceptionsBooks & Recent Writings of Mr. Li HongzhiVideo & Audio MaterialsTake an Online Class Kirk Hamilton PA-CPrescription 2000, Inc.3301 Alta Arden, Suite 3Sacramento, CA 95825(916) 489-4400 (w)krhammer@surewest.netwww.StayingHealthyToday.Substack.comwww.StayingHealthyToday.com Staying Healthy Today is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ($5.00/month or $50/year would be appreciated for this publication) Get full access to Staying Healthy Today at stayinghealthytoday.substack.com/subscribe
Embalmers Find Unusual White Fibrous Clots After Covid and Covid mRNA Injection Rollout… Is There A Connection? A Multi-Year and Five Country Embalmer Study...An Interview with Thomas Haviland...
2026/08/23
Embalmers Find Unusual White Fibrous Clots…A Multi-Year, Five Country Embalmer Study Thomas F. Haviland Independent ResearcherRetired USAF, Major Data Analyst, Mathematician, [email protected] “Self-Reported Observations of Unusual White Fibrous Structures in Embalmed Corpses: Multi-Year Survey Results from Embalmers in Five Countries, 2022-2025,” IJIRMS, July 2026:11(7)204-208 . (8/2026) Abstract BACKGROUND: Beginning in 2020–2021, embalmers in multiple countries reported observing large, tough, rubbery white or off-white fibrous structures in the veins and arteries of embalmed corpses, which they described as distinct from classic postmortem clots. METHODS: We conducted four annual cross-sectional surveys (2022–2025) of active embalmers in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand using SurveyMonkey. A dual distribution strategy (professional associations and direct emails to funeral homes) was used. Core questions assessed observation of unusual white fibrous structures and estimated percentage of corpses affected. RESULTS: Across 808 total responses, the proportion of embalmers reporting observation of these structures ranged from 66% to 83%. Weighted average prevalence in affected corpses ranged from 19% to 27%. The 2022 survey showed a marked increase in first observations beginning in 2020 and accelerating in 2021. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple years of surveys document consistent self-reported observations by experienced embalmers of unusual white fibrous structures in a substantial fraction of corpses, with a clear increase noted around 2020–2021. These findings constitute a potential safety signal that warrants independent investigation by forensic pathologists and biomedical researchers to characterize the structures and determine their etiology. ______________________________ Summary of Interview Transcript (transcript run through ChatGPT then reviewed by Kirk Hamilton PA and Thomas Haviland) Becoming Aware of These Abnormal Clots Seen By Embalmers… This interview with Tom Haviland, hosted by Kirk Hamilton PA on the Staying Healthy Today Show, focuses on Haviland and colleagues investigation into unusual white, fibrous structures reportedly being found by embalmers during the preparation of deceased bodies. Haviland explains that his interest developed after he encountered reports from embalmers, particularly after watching Died Suddenly in 2022 and subsequently speaking with funeral-industry professionals who said they were seeing unusual structures that differed from the conventional “grape jelly” and “chicken fat” clots traditionally encountered during embalming. He describes the structures as long, white, fibrous, rubbery, elastic, and unusually difficult to remove, sometimes substantially increasing the time required for embalming. Haviland and colleagues then conducted four annual surveys from 2022 through 2025 involving embalmers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. According to the interview, 808 embalmers responded, with 608—approximately 75%—reporting that they had observed these unusual fibrous white clots. Haviland says the embalmers reported finding them in approximately 23% of corpses on average. He emphasizes that the structures were reported in all five countries and that some embalmers said they had begun noticing them around 2020 which may have been due to the Covid virus, with reports increasing substantially in 2021 and beyond which suggests possibly the Covid vaccine being a causative agent. Thoughts On How These Unusual Fibrous Clots Are Formed… A major portion of the interview concerns Haviland’s proposed explanation for what these structures might represent. He discusses laboratory examinations of samples supplied by embalmers, including elemental analysis, microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, protein analysis, and other testing methods. Haviland describes findings that he believes are consistent with abnormal fibrin or protein structures and discusses a proposed mechanism involving spike protein and fibrinogen. In the explanation presented during the interview, fibrinogen normally participates in blood clotting by being converted into fibrin, which forms a temporary mesh that is later broken down. Haviland discusses research suggesting that spike protein may interact with fibrinogen in a way that produces abnormal or misfolded fibrin structures, potentially making them more resistant to normal breakdown. He also discusses reports of “microclotting” or “dirty blood,” which embalmers reportedly describe as blood containing numerous small particles or clots. The interview extends the discussion to living patients, including Haviland’s accounts of physicians who reportedly removed similar fibrous structures from blood vessels. He also describes a public “People’s Blood Clot Survey,” which he says received more than 1,400 responses and in which respondents reported clots primarily in the legs, lungs, heart, and brain. Haviland connects these observations to his broader concerns about vascular injury, endothelial dysfunction, microclots, and possible persistent effects of spike protein. The interview also discusses potential treatments such as double-filtration plasmapheresis, although no treatment is established by the interview as proven or standard therapy. Difficulty Getting Health, Professional and Political Authorities to Investigate These Clots… The final portion of the interview focuses heavily on Haviland’s concerns about what he describes as institutional reluctance to investigate these observations. He says that some funeral organizations initially helped distribute his surveys but later declined to participate, while his attempts to survey vascular surgeons and catheterization-laboratory personnel reportedly produced no responses. He argues that these medical professionals could provide particularly valuable information because they may directly observe vascular clots in living patients and may also have access to vaccination and infection histories. Haviland describes his interactions with Senator Ron Johnson and expresses the hope that the Senate will hold a dedicated hearing examining the reported structures. He argues that samples are available, embalmers have been reporting the phenomenon for several years, and laboratory testing warrants further investigation. Haviland’s Conclusions About These Clots… The central conclusion presented by Haviland is that the unusual white fibrous structures appear to be a real phenomenon that deserves independent scientific investigation and that the possible relationship to COVID-19 infection, COVID-19 vaccination, spike protein, and abnormal clot formation should be carefully examined. The interview itself does not establish causation: the survey data are based on self-reported observations, and the proposed biological connection between these structures and COVID-19 or COVID-19 vaccination remains a hypothesis discussed by Haviland rather than a conclusion proven by the interview. Kirk Hamilton PA Interviewer’s Comment: I think Tom Haviland is a courageous American hero and American citizen. He stood up for his beliefs and the rights of others not to have to take a forced vaccination that he was concerned was not safe and adequately tested. He sacrificed his job and security for that as well as his reputation in some circles. He is for choice in health care and a truth seeker. I feel honored to have interviewed him and I am inspired to share his work. NOTE: My last day of work at Health Associates where I have been for the last 40 years (July, 1986) is August 31, 2026. If you are a patient and need to contact me please do so this week. The earlier the better. I am excited on committing 100% of my time in September & probably October to making Staying Healthy Today a more informative, useful, educational tool that will help you keep you and your loved-ones stay well. I am going to get some of my past work, including 1200 print interviews from my Clinical Pearl’s days, into this Staying Healthy Today substack in a very organized, user-friendly and clinical useful way. I may even get my old audio podcast interviews from experts since 2015 and physician/researcher interviews from my radio days from my “Questioning Health” show. I have to get those converted from audio cassettes to mp3 files. All my interviews over the years follow a model. I find an article in a peer reviewed medical journal that relates to an aspect of nutritional, functional, integrative or lifestyle medicine and I interview the physician or researcher on a clinically relevant topic. Much “Old” well studied information is as good now as it was years ago. Many of those 1200 expert interviews will have very relevant information for today’s problems. A perfect example was Dr. Alexander Mauskop a neurologist and headache specialist who I interviewed in 1996 in print on headaches and magnesium and then I interviewed him for one of my first podcasts last year on the same topic. Magnesium works as well now on headaches as it did then. Many times old valid information is good for a lifetime. I am always thinking in a “2 level” way. What the individual can do to help their particular situation, and also informing where the big picture of the world is going that allows us to be free to choose the health practices we believe in. The key words are staying “Free To Choose” our own health path. We had a taste of it being taken away with the “Covid experience” over the last seven years. It is still happening but I believe our collective awareness and actionable consciousness is better. We will see over the next few months to years. In November or sometime in this three month period I have some family things I want to do. I’m not getting any younger (69). I am cancer-free at the moment and intend to leave the “energy
A Case of Colitis Symptoms Returning...Going Back to Basics & A Case of Medication "Elimination" for Diabetes, Hypertension, Heart Disease, Pain, Herpes, Polyuria, Cholesterol, Back Pain & CTS...
2026/08/10
A Note From Kirk Hamilton PA… All good things come to an end… After 40 years at Health Associates Medical Group the owner would like to downsize and so my last day seeing patients there is August 31, 2026 unless there is some unforeseen change. 1) If you are a patient of mine and you would like to see me at Health Associates before this date call 916-489-4400 and make an appointment as soon as possible.2) No I am not retiring. I will be looking for work. I want to practice. Here are brief summaries of my areas of interests and skill sets. I may take a month or two off to get my mind and spirit straight and catch-up on some writing projects and family time. 3) If you are a physician or clinic looking for a very experienced functional, integrative and lifestyle medicine PA with a lot of energy and passion please contact me 916-716-2295 or [email protected] and I will be happy to talk to you, send a resume and educational and professional experiences. Change is good. There is more growth, purpose, service and fulfilment in my next chapter. I am open… Kirk Highlights… COVID-19 VIRUS - ORIGINS - The Ralph Baric Interview Release. A story of a man’s account of his own forgetfulness, not knowing how he ended up on pivotal Zoom calls, and his as-yet unspoken classified answers to unclassified NBACC reports. Jessica Rose, Unacceptable Jessica, Jul 25, 2026. FARMING - REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE - Heal the Dirt: How Farmers Are Detoxing America. Documentary, May-18-2026. “…An exclusive look into the fast-growing regenerative farming movement and how it focuses on fixing unhealthy food and chronic disease in America…Regenerative farming puts healthy soil at its center by using six main principles. Its methods produce healthy, nutritious food in line with ancient farming practices that humans have used for thousands of years…But can it be scaled in the modern world to meet industrial food demands? And can it be profitable for farmers?…” FLESH EATING BACTERIA - VIBRIO VULNFICUS -Gulf Coast’s Flesh-Eating Bacteria Crisis Spirals Out of Control. Five dead in Louisiana, two in Florida — and the worst months are still ahead. Here’s what they’re not telling you about surviving Vibrio. Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH, Focal Points, Aug 08, 2026 “…Every single case involved wound exposure to seawater, and all patients had underlying health conditions…” FOOD SUPPLY - AMERICA - CHINA - China’s Next Weapon Against America Is Our Own Food Supply. Ken Buck, EPOCH Times, 7/24/2026. “…While Washington has rightly focused on securing our borders and defending our factories, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has quietly opened a new front in its long war against the United States, this time targeting the raw materials that keep American agriculture alive…” KNEE PAIN - MEDIAL MENISECTOMY - ARTHORSCOPIC SURGERY - One of the Most Common Knee Surgeries May Be Doing More Harm Than Good. A Finnish clinical trial found that partial meniscectomy may accelerate osteoarthritis in middle-aged and older patients. Rachel Ann T. Melegrito, EPOCH Times, 7/31/2026. Kirk’s Comment: I have had three partial knee menisectomies, 1 total medial menisectomy and an ACL reconstruction on both knees. While it is true that a partial menisectomy while getting rid of a fragment or two of the meniscus can relieve pain you end up creating more surface area between the femoral and tibial heads to cause where and tear. The key is to eat an anti-inflammatory diet (trial off dairy, wheat, eggs, alcohol, eggs (if eaten more than 3 times per week ) with lots of vegetables, whole food carbohydrates (beans, lentils, peas, yams, sweet potato, rice quinoa, etc.) which is whole food, lots of non-starchy vegetables and rich in omega 3 and 9 fatty acids (fish and olive oil). And it is very important to strength your quad muscles and calves daily which keep the knee more stable and reduces where and tear. Full range of motion in the needs. Try to move to do body weight squats for full range of knee motion. “Use it or lose it”. Don’t do what hurts you…but go up to that point. PULMONARY INFARCT - COVID-19 VACCINATION - ANTHONY FAUCI, MD -Dr. Anthony Fauci’s Post-Vaccination Pulmonary Embolism and the Disconnect in Public Health Policy. Examining the Dissonance Between a Concealed Medical Crisis and Federal Public Health Directives--Fauci Knew or Should Have Known Moderna Causes Blood Clots. Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH, Focal Points, July 26, 2026. “…According to these documents, on June 19, 2021, Dr. Fauci was grappling with the aftermath of an acute “pulmonary infarct”—a direct result of a pulmonary embolism which is a known side effect of mRNA COVID-19 vaccination…” Nutrition, Prevention and Integrative Medicine… AGED GARLIC EXTRACT - CANCER - CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE - The AGE Advantage: Harnessing Aged Garlic for Cardiovascular and Anticancer Protection. The Benefits of Aged Garlic Extract. Paul Marik, MD, Jul 19, 2026. AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS - COVID-19 VACCINE - Unanswered Questions: Chris Johnson, Football, and ALS after COVID-19 Vaccination. A 4.24 forty, a COVID shot, and a body ravaged by neurodegeneration in a few short years. Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH, Focal Points, Aug 08, 2026. BREAKFAST - CEREAL - TRADITIONAL - Cereal Killer: Why America’s Breakfast Needs a Healthy Overhaul Ultra-processed cereals have ruled the breakfast table for decades. The MAHA movement hopes to return the meal to its traditional staples. CANCER - GUT MICROBIOME - The Gut Microbiome and Cancer: What This New Study Tells Us—and Why It Matters. Summary of Hazan et al., 2026. Cancer & Metabolic Healing, Paul Marik, MD, Jul 30, 2026. “…The Hazan study provides further evidence that patients with aggressive cancers harbor a distinct pattern of gut dysbiosis characterized by depletion of beneficial organisms such as Bifidobacterium, Faecalibacterium, and Collinsella, together with enrichment of Bacteroides…”1) Gut Microbiome Alterations in Cancer and Non-cancer Adults: A Cross-Sectional Metagenomic Study. CATASTROPHE - PREPAREDNESS - PREPPING: You Can Never Be Too Prepared, But You Can Be One Day Too Late. PART 1: Water, Food and Building a Deep Pantry. Tess Lawrie, MBBCh, PhD​, A Better Way with Dr Tess Lawrie & Friends, Jul 19, 2026. COGNITIVE FUNCTION - SLEEP - MAGNESIUM - The effects of magnesium L-threonate (Magtein®) on cognitive performance and sleep quality in adults: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Front Nutr. 2026 Jan 12;12:1729164. Adrian L Lopresti BA, MA, PhD, Clinical Research AustraliaCollege of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia, [email protected] SUMMARY: One hundred adults 18 to 45 of age with self-reported sleep issues were supplemented with 2 g daily of Magtein® (2 gm magnesium L-threonate equals approximately 145 mg of elemental magnesium) or a placebo in a 6 week randomized placebo controlled trial. The Magtein® group compared to the placebo was associated with greater improvements in overall cognitive performance (by the NIH Total Cognition Composite) with greater treatment benefits on working and episodic memory. There was a 7.5-year reduction in estimated brain cognitive age and a greater improvement in reaction time. There was a reduction in heart rate and an increase in heart rate variability but no improvement in sleep in those self-reporting sleep dissatisfac tion. COGNITION - DEMENTIA - BRAIN DERIVED NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR (BDNF) -Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF): The Brain’s Master Growth Factor. Its Role in Aging, Dementia, Stroke, and Traumatic Brain Injury. Paul Marik, MD, Cancer & Metabolic Healing, Aug 01, 2026. Normal Functions of BDNF: Neurogenesis, Synaptic Plasticity, Neuronal Survival, Myelin Repair, Mitochondrial Function, Cerebral Blood Flow. Reduced BDNF: Aging, Alzhiemer’s, Parkinson’s, Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury, Depression. Increasing BDNF: Aerobic exercise, HIIT Training, Resistance training, Adequate sleep, Cognitive stimulation, Learning new skills, Social engagement, Meditation and stress reduction, Intermittent fasting, Caloric restriction (in selected individuals)Nutritional factors: Omega-3 fatty acids (especially DHA), Curcumin, Magnesium (particularly magnesium L-threonate), Vitamin D (if deficient), Creatine, EGCG (green tea), Cocoa flavanols, Blueberries and other anthocyanin-rich foods, Lion’s Mane mushroom, Melatonin “…Exercise is the single most effective non-pharmacologic intervention for increasing BDNF…” COGNITION - JOURNALING - REWIRING YOUR BRAIN - What Journaling Does to Your Brain. Journaling Rewires Your Brain. The Upgrade with Makai Elías Calles, Jul 30, 2026. “…Ten minutes of journaling changes what shows up on a brain scan. Researchers have studied this for forty years and still can't fully explain why something this simple works this well…” CYCLOSPORA - LETTUCE - TRIMETHOPRIM/SULFAMETHOXAZOLE (TMP/SMX) - Lettuce Pray: Dr. McCullough Says Cyclospora Must be Treated with Trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX). Explosive diarrhea, a missing CDC, and why your medicine cabinet needs an upgrade — plus, Fauci’s pal gets the VIP border treatment. Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH, Focal Points, July 25, 2026. DEATHS - CANADIAN WILDFIRES - Long-range PM2.5 pollution and health impacts from the 2023 Canadian wildfires. Nicolas Hulscher, MPH, Focal Points, Jul 19, 2026.1) Long-range PM2.5 pollution and health impacts from the 2023 Canadian wildfires. DMSO - TESTIMONIALS - DMSO 60 Mini-Testimonials (Part 1) - what are people using DMSO for? Some uses are well known, others are surprising and shocking! William Makis, Covid Intel, Jul 24, 2026. DYSPHONIA - FAMILIAL SPASMODIC ROBERT KENNEDY - Familial Spasmodic Dysphonia and the Kennedy Family: A Case Study in Genetic Susceptibility and Vaccine-Triggered Neurological
Autoimmune Inflammation and Disease Triggered by the Covid-19 Genetic Injections (Vaccines) an Interview with Panagis Polykretis, PhD
2026/07/18
Autoimmune Inflammation and Disease Triggered by the Covid-19 Genetic Injections (Vaccines) Panagis Polykretis, PhD “Allineare Sanità e Salute” FoundationMilano, ItalyIndependent Medical-Scientific Commission (CMSi)Milano, [email protected]. Panagis Substack(https://substack.com/@panagispolykretis)“Autoimmune Inflammatory Reactions Triggered by the COVID-19 Genetic Vaccines in Terminally Differentiated Tissues.”Autoimmunity 2023 Dec;56(1):2259123. (7/2026) Kirk Hamilton: Can you please share your educational background and current position? Panagis Polykretis: I earned my degree in Biology at the University of Florence (Italy), followed by a PhD in Structural Biology at the Magnetic Resonance Center (CERM) also at the University of Florence. That training gave me a solid grounding in structural and molecular biology and in biophysics. After my PhD, I stayed on at CERM as a post-doctoral researcher, and then moved to the Institute of Applied Physics “Nello Carrara” of Italy’s National Research Council (CNR), in Sesto Fiorentino, where I worked as a researcher for four years — until, as I was told, “my views” and my publications on the COVID-19 vaccines closed off further progression in my career there. Today I work as a medical researcher at Ancestralize Ltd., a private company whose goal is to help revolutionize people’s health by addressing the drivers of chronic low-grade inflammation and metabolic imbalance — caused largely by ultra-processed foods and refined sugars, which have unfortunately become the main nutritional staple across much of the Western world — through targeted diet and lifestyle interventions. Furthermore, I am a member of the Scientific Committee of the “Allineare Sanità e Salute” Foundation, a member of the independent Medical-Scientific Commission - CMSi as well as a member of the International Advisor Board of Make Europe Healthy Again. KH: What got you interested in studying the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine and autoimmunity in the first place? PP: What first mobilized me was watching public health policy being implemented at the start of the pandemic without, in my view, adequate scientific grounding, and then seeing the genetic COVID-19 vaccines rolled out indiscriminately at massive scale on that basis. What struck me specifically was that their immunization mechanism intrinsically requires the body’s own cells to essentially sacrifice themselves (turning into factories that manufacture engineered viral antigen and, in doing so, becoming targets of the immune system themselves), and that this came with heightened risks tied to uncontrolled biodistribution. That is what prompted me to throw myself into this relentlessly, hoping to raise awareness within the scientific community about the potentially serious risks of autoimmune reactions against self-tissue, and about the need for thorough biodistribution studies as well as rational harm/benefit assessments. Underlying all of that was a more basic immunology question I felt was not being asked publicly. We have known for decades that any nucleated cell producing a protein the immune system does not recognize as “self” is destined to be flagged as a threat and targeted for destruction. That is not controversial, it is how we fight viral infections and screen for cancerous cells. What struck me in late 2021 was that nobody seemed to be asking the obvious pharmacological follow-up: where in the body does this happen, in which tissues, and for how long? That is a biodistribution question, standard for any new drug or gene therapy, and it simply was not being asked for these vaccines. This is what compelled me to lay out this mechanism and its associated risks to human health in a 2022 letter to the Editor of the Scandinavian Journal of Immunology entitled “Role of the antigen presentation process in the immunization mechanism of the genetic vaccines against COVID-19 and the need for biodistribution evaluations” (https://doi.org/10.1111/sji.13160). “…The ‘traditional’ vaccines generally do not induce human cells to produce viral proteins, and thus, human cells do not expose viral antigens deriving from their proteosynthetic activity. On the contrary, the genetic vaccines against COVID-19 induce human cells to produce the spike protein, relying intrinsically to an autoimmune reaction, extended to all the cells that intake the genetic material and start the protein synthesis….” KH: Can you define what an autoimmune inflammatory reaction is? What are the mediators? Can you give an example of a human autoimmune condition? PP: One nuance worth being careful about: what is described here with the vaccine-derived spike protein depends on the level at which the reaction is defined. If the determining factor is the tissue involved, the reaction can reasonably be called autoimmune, since it is macroscopically directed against a self-tissue (a cardiomyocyte, neuron, hepatocyte, or whichever cell type is affected). However, if the analysis is zoomed in to the molecular level (which is what the more modern definition actually requires), the antigen being targeted is not, strictly speaking, a self-antigen. It is a viral antigen, the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, which however exploits the cell’s own protein-synthesis machinery to be produced. Under this narrower molecular definition, the reaction does not constitute autoimmunity, since it is not directed against a native self-protein. By the more modern standards, then, it would be more accurate to describe these events as immune reactions against self-tissues, rather than as autoimmunity. As an example, multiple sclerosis is a case in point: autoreactive T cells target myelin, the insulating sheath surrounding nerve fibers in the central nervous system, causing demyelination and the neurological symptoms patients experience. This is, in fact, a condition I had worked on prior to turning to immune reactions against self-tissues triggered by genetic vaccines, specifically looking at how molecular changes to myelin antigens could make them appear foreign to the immune system. KH: What is the hypothesized component of the COVID vaccine that triggers this autoimmune inflammatory reaction — the spike protein? PP: It is not an hypothesis anymore, irrefutable histopathological evidence exist proving that mechanism. Across both the mRNA platforms (Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna) and the adenoviral- vector platforms (AstraZeneca, Janssen), the vaccine’s purpose is to get human cells to manufacture the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, so the immune system learns to recognize it. Once a cell does that, the spike protein is handled two ways: (i) the whole protein can “sit” on the cell surface, visible to B cells and helper T cells, and (ii) fragments get loaded onto MHC class I for display to CD8+ cytotoxic T cells. Both routes mark that cell as making something foreign (that’s the intended mechanism, it’s how the vaccine generates immunity). The question we’ve raised is what happens when that “marking for destruction” lands on a cardiomyocyte, a neuron, or a hepatocyte instead of a transient immune cell, and how widely throughout the body that occurs. KH: Can a SARS-CoV-2 infection itself trigger a similar inflammatory autoimmune reaction, or is it just the mRNA vaccines? PP: Both can, but through different mechanisms. With a natural infection, especially severe disease, the dominant route is what we describe in the 2026 paper (Detection of Vaccine-Derived Spike Protein “Associated with Immune Cell Infiltration in the Heart and Liver: A Report of Two Cases”, https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15110978): innate immune hyperactivation — a cytokine storm, with interleukin-6 and other mediators surging — that can activate pre-existing autoreactive B-cell clones or work through molecular mimicry, where a viral protein structurally resembles a human protein closely enough to confuse the immune system. That’s documented by studies performed before the rollout of genetic vaccines, so there’s no confounding overlap. With vaccination, the mechanism is more direct: host cells are induced to manufacture the spike protein themselves and present it as an entire protein on the cell surface or as fragments on the Major Histocompatibility Complex I (MHC I), so the cell becomes a target by design, wherever the vaccine construct reaches. KH: Do the four common coronaviruses that circulate globally and cause mild cold-like symptoms trigger any inflammatory autoimmunity? PP: This is not an issue I have worked on, and I don’t have documented evidence. Therefore, I do not feel it is right for me to give a definitive answer in this case. I am aware of some scattered findings in the literature pointing toward a possible role for a couple of these viruses in immune-mediated processes, but I have not examined this closely enough to speak to it with real confidence, and I do not think it would be right for me to overstate a conclusion. KH: Did SARS-CoV (2002) or MERS-CoV (2012) cause autoimmune inflammation in the host? PP: To my knowledge, what has been documented in humans for both SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV is the innate immune hyperactivation mechanism, similar to the first mechanism described earlier from the natural SARS-CoV-2 infection. I am not aware, in this pre-pandemic literature, of any demonstration that the hyperactivation observed in these two outbreaks ever progressed to autoimmune reactions against tissues outside the respiratory tract, such as the brain for example, which by contrast, can occur following vaccination with genetic vaccines. This difference is also explainable by the distinct biodistribution that a virus can have within the organism compared with lipid nanoparticles, which were specifically engineered to optimize fusion with cell membranes and therefore have the ability to cross body compartments that a respiratory virus, largely co
Alzheimer’s Disease, Neurologic & Psychiatric Disorders, Covid 19 & mRNA Injections and the Benefits of Lithium Orotate as An Essential Element for Life & Human Health...
2026/07/09
Connected Topics To Dr. Michael Nehl’s Interview with Tucker Carlson (July 3, 2026)… ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE… Alzheimer’s Disease - Precision Medicine for Alzheimer’s Disease and Cognitive Decline..Prevention and Treatment... An Interview with Dale E. Bredesen, MD by Kirk Hamilton PA, Jun 14, 2026Alzheimer’s Disease - An Aloe Polymannose-Based Dietary Supplement (APMC) Improves Cognition in Moderate to Severe Alzheimer’s Patients After 12 Months of Treatment...An Interview with John Lewis, PhD by Kirk Hamilton PAC, Mar 30, 2026 Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Plausible Mechanisms of COVID-19 Injections Causing Cancer and Attacks on Scientific Publications and Research. June 3, 2026, Senate Dirksen Building, SD-342. Senator Ron Johnson Opening Remarks (print 2 pages) COVID mRNA INJECTION & CANCER & HEART DISEASE… Cancer Caused by mRNA Injection - ANGUS DALGLEISH, M.D. Professor Emeritus of Oncology City, St. George’s, University of London. Dr. Dalgleish Testimony (print 2 pages) Heart Disease Caused by mRNA Injections - ASEEM MALHOTRA, M.D. Consultant Cardiologist, HUM2N Clinic, London. Dr. Aseem Malhotra, MBChB, MRCP Testimon (print 2 pages). Interview… Tucker Carlson’s Interviews Michael Nehls, MD, PhD July 3, 2026 “The Secret Cure to Alzheimer’s, Depression, Anxiety and Why Big Pharma Has Kept It Hidden” 1:24:05 hr:min:sec July 3, 2026 YouTube Interview Time Line of Interview:0:00 Why Dogs Are Healthy for You, Algae Oil, and Lithium 4:48 How Lifestyle Can Affect the Risk of Getting Alzheimer’s 12:22 The Dangers and Lies of mRNA Injections 18:51 The Hidden Power of Lithium 31:24 Brain Fuel From the Sea 37:21 The WEF’s Keynote Pushback on Dr. Nehls 41:56 How Could You Create a Deficiency in People? 50:27 The Law of Minimum 54:52 The Signs of Lithium Deficiency 1:00:13 What Would Happen if US Citizens Took Lithium Every Day? 1:13:51 Are There Any Negative Effects to Taking Lithium? 1:14:53 How to See Results From Taking Lithium Daily 1:18:30 How to Get Access to Lithium 1:21:35 The Dogma of the Pharmaceutical Industry INTERVIEW OVERVIEW Throughout this interview, Dr. Michael Nehls presents a unifying hypothesis that the progressive loss of hippocampal neurogenesis is the central biological mechanism responsible for cognitive decline, depression, loss of resilience, and ultimately Alzheimer’s disease. He argues that the modern lifestyle, chronic inflammation, nutritional deficiencies, and environmental exposures, including the mRNA Covid injection, can progressively impair the brain’s ability to generate new hippocampal neurons. Dr. Nehls suggests that the prevention of neurodegeneration should focus on restoring the brain’s natural regenerative capacity by providing essential nutrients—including lithium orotate (1 mg/1000 mcg daily), omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and other critical micronutrients—rather than waiting until irreversible disease develops. (Note: In this interview Dr. Nehl’s states that the mRNA Covid injection can accelerate cognitive decline, neurodegeneration and increase Alzheimer’s disease incidence) I. THE HIPPOCAMPUS: THE CENTER OF HUMAN COGNITION The hippocampus serves as a center for: * autobiographical memory * organizer of lifelong memories * regulator of curiosity * psychological resilience * rational compassion * creativity * ability to learn * ability to adapt to new information * openness to new ideas Dr. Nehls emphasizes that the hippocampus is one of the few areas of the adult brain capable of producing new neurons every day. This is termed by Dr. Nehls as adult hippocampal neurogenesis Lifelong neurogenesis allows humans to: * continually acquire new memories * organize experiences * have adapt behavior * maintain cognitive flexibility * remain resilient throughout aging II. INDEX CELLS (INDEX NEURONS) Dr. Nehls describes the importance of the formation of “Index Neurons.” Every new experience must be indexed. Index neurons record: * WHERE something occurred * WHEN it occurred These neurons allow memories to later be reconstructed. Without continual production of these index neurons: * new memories become difficult to form * memory retrieval deteriorates * hippocampal function progressively fails Dr. Nehls states these index neurons are produced through adult hippocampal neurogenesis. III. HIPPOCAMPAL SHRINKAGE Approximately 1.4% hippocampal shrinkage occurs per year. According to Dr. Nehls progressive shrinkage results in: * loss of curiosity * reduced adaptability * impaired learning * emotional rigidity * impaired compassion * declining memory * Alzheimer’s disease Dr. Nehls describes Alzheimer’s as “Hippocampal dementia.” IV. PREVENTION OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE Dr. Nehls states in this interview Alzheimer’s begins decades before symptoms appear. The primary prevention strategy should be preserving hippocampal neurogenesis. Preventive recommendations by Dr. Nehls include: * adequate lithium (as lithium orotate 1000 mcg/d) * omega-3 fatty acids * vitamin D * reduction of chronic inflammation * maintenance of oxytocin-producing relationships (pets and children are examples given) * continual learning * avoiding neurotoxic influences (alcohol, environmental toxins, heavy metals, mold toxins, etc.) V. OXYTOCIN AND HIPPOCAMPAL GROWTH Dr. Nehl’s notes research that dogs can stimulate oxytocin production in themselves and their owners. Oxytocin which is secreted by the posterior pituitary gland increases: * human bonding * maternal attachment * hippocampal growth Oxytocin acts as a “fertilizer” for hippocampal neurogenesis. This is one reason Dr. Nehs recommends dog companionship as supportive of brain health. VI. CHRONIC NEUROINFLAMMATION Dr. Nehs states that chronic neuroinflammation is a significant threat to hippocampal neurogenesis. Inflammatory cytokines discussed include: * IL-1 * IL-6 * TNF-α These inflammatory mediators: * suppress production of new hippocampal neurons * reduce curiosity * promote depression * increase anxiety * accelerate Alzheimer’s disease VII. CYTOKINE STORMS Severe COVID illness resulted largely from cytokine storms. Dr. Nehls states that lithium functions as a natural suppressor of excessive inflammatory cytokine production. Dr. Nehls believes lithium is an important regulator of excessive immune activation. In this interview Dr. Nehls states: * COVID-19 mRNA injection produces a spike protein that can cause chronic brain inflammation. * The spike protein causes persistent neuroinflammation. * The neuroinflammation from the spike protein suppresses the hippocampus’ ability to produce new neurons. * This inability to make new neurons can leads to depression, anxiety, and eventually Alzheimer’s disease. * Lithium is an “antidote” to neuroinflammation. * Dr. Nehls states: * “Lithium is the antidote.” * Lithium suppresses inflammatory cytokines. * Lithium can stop a cytokine storm in severe COVID-19. * Lithium may have prevented severe COVID. * Dr. Nehls suggests lithium treatment would have: * prevented ICU admissions, * prevented deaths, * eliminated the need for the mRNA vaccination program. * He refers to early reports and a clinical trial showing remarkable benefit. Efficacy and Safety of Lithium Treatment in SARS-CoV-2 Infected Patients”…We showed that lithium was able to reduce the number of days of hospital and intensive care unit admission as well as the risk of death, reduces inflammatory cytokine levels by preventing cytokine storms, and also reduced the long COVID syndromes. We propose that lithium carbonate can be used to reduce the severity of COVID-19…”Reduced risk of severe COVID-19 with lithium use: a large-scale comparison with valproate users and other COVID-19 patients “…Lithium use was associated with significantly lower odds of severe COVID-19, even though users were older and had more medical comorbidities…”Lithium as a candidate treatment for COVID-19: Promises and pitfalls “…Lithium has shown in vitro efficacy at inhibiting the replication of coronaviruses responsible for gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases in animals. It has immunomodulatory properties that may be of additional benefit in moderating the host inflammatory response to the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). There is evidence that lithium may exert a protective action against upper respiratory infections and influenza-like illnesses in patients taking it for other indications…”Case Report on High Dose Lithium Treatment for Post-COVID Depression, Recurrent Fevers, and Skin Lesions. “…This is a case of a 35-year-old woman who presented with an 18-month history of post (long)-COVID depression and exhaustion along with recurrent fevers and treatment-resistant skin boils, all of which abated with lithium treatment at a serum level of 1.14 mmol/L, and all of which worsened when the lithium serum level was lowered to 0.8…”Lithium’s antiviral effects: a potential drug for CoViD-19 disease? ”…Lithium presents a clear antiviral activity demonstrated at preclinical level, but that remains to be confirmed in clinical settings. In addition, the pleiotropic mechanisms of action of lithium may provide an insight for its possible use as antiviral agent targeting specific pathways…”Lithium salts as a treatment for COVID-19: Pre-clinical outcomes. “…These results provide pre-clinical evidence of the antiviral and immunotherapeutic effects of lithium against SARS-CoV-2, which supports an advance to clinical trials on COVID-19's patients…” Association between serum lithium level and incidence of COVID-19 infection. “…Using electronic health records of 26,554 patients with documented serum lithium levels during the pandemic, we show that the 6-month COVID-19 infection incidence was lower among matched patients with 'therapeutic' (0.50-1.00) versus 'subtherapeutic' (0.05-0.50) lithium levels and among patients with 'therapeutic' lithium
Mechanisms of COVID-19 Injections Causing Cancer and Heart Disease. Attacks on Scientific Publications and Research...Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, June 3, 2026, Senate Dirksen Building...
2026/06/27
Highlights… CANCER - COVID VACCINE - CATASTROPHE - SENATE TESTIMONY - The COVID-19 Vaccine Cancer Catastrophe. Professor Angus Dalgleish’s Senate testimony is unspeakably bad news for public health, but we are working on finding solutions. John Leake, Focal Points, Jun 07, 2026. 1) Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Plausible Mechanisms of COVID-19 Injections Causing Cancer and Attacks on Scientific Publications and Research. June 3, 2026, Senate Dirksen Building, SD-342. a) Opening Statement from Chairman Ron Johnson Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations b) ANGUS DALGLEISH, M.D. Professor Emeritus of Oncology City, St. George’s, University of London. Dr. Dalgleish Testimony The connection between mRNA COVID vaccines and cancer relapse, occurrence and aggressiveness. c) SABINE HAZAN, M.D., Chief Executive Officer, ProgenaBiome. Sabine Hazan. MD Testimony. Biasness and retractions of legitimate research by governmental agencies and medical organizations regarding the benefit of bifidobacter enhancement, vitamin C, hydroxycholoroquine, ivermectin, bovine IgG in the context of the microbiome in Covid infected patients. By correcting these microbiome imbalances (i.e increasing bifidobacter) there has been significant success in treating Covid 19 infections, Long Haul, vaccine injury and other serious chronic diseases (Alzheimer’s, Autism, Cancer, Parkinson’s, mental health disorders, etc.)d) ASEEM MALHOTRA, M.D. Consultant Cardiologist, HUM2N Clinic, London. Dr. Aseem Malhotra, MBChB, MRCP Testimony. Dr. Malhotra talks about his initial pro Covid vaccine stance and how he was a spokesperson for the UK public health system to reduce Covid vaccine hesitancy. After the unexplained heart attack and sudden death of his father, also a well known UK medical doctor, he came to believe that the Covid vaccine was the cause of his father’s accelerated coronary artery disease and subsequent death. He notes he himself is vaccine injured and suffers from an autoimmune illness with bifidobacter deficiency. He has received considerable rebuke from established medical professionals and organizations for sharing his views and concerns regarding the Covid vaccine. e) WAFIK EL-DEIRY, M.D., PH.D., Director, Legorreta Cancer Center, Brown University. Dr. El-Deiry MD, PHD Testimony. Dr. El-Diery is a physician scientist and cancer researcher for more than 30 years who has been studying the tumor suppressor protein/gene p53 and received considerable professional criticism when he started to question the natural origins of the Covid virus; that the spike protein from the vaccine and infection may increase cancer risk by reducing the ability of p53 gene to activate biological processes that result in tumor suppression. f) SASKIA MOSTERT, M.D., PH.D. Saskia Mostert, MD, PhD, Testimony. An internationally known pediatric oncology specialist who published with colleagues a study in 2024 (BMJ Public Health) showing excess mortality in 47 Western Countries between 2020-2022 of more than 3 million people suggesting the Covid infection, Covid vaccine and/or governmental/public health containment measures may have contributed to these excess deaths. This publishing of official government mortality data and call for further scientific investigation of these persistent excess deaths resulted in her resigning her position because of investigations into her “scientific integrity”. g) JULIE GRALOW, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, American Society of Clinical Oncology. Testimony of Julie Gralow, MD, FACP, FASCO. In support of Covid vaccines and vaccines in general. h) TAMIKA FELDER Cancer Survivor. Testimony of Tamika Felder, Founder and 25-Year Cervical Cancer Survivor. Cervical cancer survivor is supportive of vaccines in medicine in general and oncology. Encouraged Reading (This monograft on the spike protein complements these Senate testimonies on the concern for the mRNA vaccines increasing cancer risk, severity, and speed of progression, and, accelerated vascular disease as well): The Spike Protein Effect: Truth, Risk and Recovery. The Wellness Company BIOLABS - PENTAGON - RUSSIA - UKRAINE - They Called It a Conspiracy Theory: The ODNI Biolab Dump Proves the Gaslighting Was the Real Operation. 120+ Pentagon-funded pathogen labs in 30 countries, including an active war zone, reveal a national security apparatus that lied, smeared the truth, and outsourced gain-of-function research. Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH, Focal Points, Jun 17, 2026. CANCER - DOXYCYCLINE - Doxycycline - The anti-cancer antibiotic, Paul Marik, MD, Cancer & Metabolic Healing, Jun 15, 2026. “…Doxycycline - Tetracycline antibiotic - mitochondria targeting anti-cancer agent…” 1) inhibits mitochondrial biogenesis 2) Targets cancer stem cells 3) Alters metabolism into a more glycolytic, energy-stressed state 4) Anti-metastatic. 5) It’s anti-cancer effect is enhanced with vitamin C. Nutrition, Prevention and Integrative Medicine… AGING - FASTING - Reverse Your Biological Age: New Research Shows Fasting Could Make You Younger with Valter Longo, The Dan Buettner Podcast, April 2, 2026. (Highly recommend listening/watching. Dan Buettner is one of the worlds experts in studying the lifestyles of the Blue Zones where people tend to live the longest. Valter Longo, PhD world-renown for his work on longevity and especially fasting around cancer treatment, for longevity and reversal of chronic diseases. He is also creator of the Fasting Mimicking Diet and explains it’s benefits in chronic disease risk reduction and longevity. Worth the listen. (The reasons for taking glycerin during the Fasting Mimicking Diet…Glycerin (glycerol) prevents muscle loss and hypoglycemia on the Fasting-Mimicking Diet (FMD) by serving as an alternative energy source that fuels the brain without spiking insulin. It provides vital calories while maintaining a fasting state and spares the body from breaking down muscle for blood sugar.) ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE - PREVENTION - You Can Prevent Alzheimer’s: The New Science of Brain Health, The Dr. Hyman Show, Mark Hyman, MD interviews Richard Isaacson, MD • VUMEDI, Apr 15, 2026. Video 1:41:21 (hr:min:sec). DEMENTIA - DIABETES - PROCESSED FOODS - Consuming Processed Foods May Be Increasing Your Risk for Dementia, Type 2 Diabetes, and Cutting Your Lifespan Short. By Tim Cebula, Blue Zones. 1) Ultraprocessed Foods and the Risk of Cognitive Impairment and Dementia in Older US Adults: 2013–2020 Health and Retirement Study DEMENTIA - MEDITERRANEAN DIET - Why The Mediterranean Diet Isn’t Good Enough. David Perlmutter, MD, May 6, 2026. 1) Ultra-processed food intake, cognitive function, and dementia risk: A cross-sectional study of middle-aged and older Australian adults. HEALTH TRACKING INSTRUMENTS - CHINA - China-Made Fitness Trackers May Threaten US Security, Senators Warn. Lawmakers worry that wearable technology, such as smartwatches, may contain China-made components that could send Americans’ health data to the CCP. Eva Fu & Dorothy Li Epoch Times, 6/19/2026| MEMORY - ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE - COGNITIVE DECLINE - Take Control of Your Cognitive Future. Improve brain health NOW. Free tool helps you build brain healthier habits. PNEUMONIA - HEMOPTYSIS - DYING - COVID 19 VACCINATION - Hoarseness, Cough, to Hemorrhage--the Rapid Cascade Killing Healthy Men That No One Wants to Investigate. From Kyle Busch to the Hulscher Case — Healthy Men in Their Forties Are Dying After Pneumonia with Hemoptysis, and No One’s Connecting the Dots. Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH, Focal Points, Jun 11, 2026.1) Hulscher N, McCullough PA. Delayed Fatal Pulmonary Hemorrhage Following Covid-19 Vaccination: Case Report, Batch Analysis, and Proposed Autopsy Checklist. IJIRMS. 2025. 2) Parry PI, Lefringhausen A, Turni C, et al. ‘Spikeopathy’: COVID-19 Spike Protein Is Pathogenic, from Both Virus and Vaccine mRNA. Biomedicines. 2023;11(8):2287. 3) Castruita JAS, Schneider UV, Mollerup S, et al. SARS-CoV-2 spike mRNA vaccine sequences circulate in blood up to 28 days after COVID-19 vaccination. APMIS. 2023;131(3):128-132. SERRAPEPTASE - MEDICAL CONDITIONS - 20 short Testimonials - cleared up skin tags, scars, varicose veins, plaque, brain fog, headaches (migraines)...William Makis, MD, Covid Intel, Jun 10, 2026. VIDEO GAMES - How China Quietly Took Over the Video Game Industry. The Josh Philipp Show, Apr-02-2026. ($5.00/month or $50/year would be appreciated for this publication) Cancer… BLADDER CANCER - IVERMECTIN - FENBENDAZOLE - 77 year old AUSTRALIAN man with Bladder Cancer (TCC) reports after 4 months: Cancer Free and Bladder “preserved”! William Makis, MD, Covid Intel, Jun 16, 2026. BRAIN TUMORS - mRNA VACCINE - 11 mRNA vaccinated Nurses working on the same maternity ward at a Massachusetts Hospital developed Brain Tumors. Harvard investigation concludes “nothing to see here”...William Makis, MD, Covid Intel, Jun 16, 2026. BREAST CANCER - IVERMECTIN - MEBENDAZOLE - 61 year old Ontario, Canada woman with Stage 4 Breast Cancer reports after 3 months: tumors shrinking!William Makis, Covid Intel, Jun 09, 2026. CANCER - BERBERINE - METFORMIN - Berberine: The Natural Metformin of Oncology. Targeting AMPK, mTOR, cancer stem cells, and the tumor microenvironment. Paul Marik, MD, Cancer & Metabolic Healing, Jun 11, 2026. “…Unlike conventional anticancer drugs that target a single molecular pathway, berberine appears to exert broad anticancer effects through simultaneous modulation of metabolism, inflammation, mitochondrial function, cancer stem cells, the tumor microenvironment (TME), and immune signaling…” CANCER - IVERMECTIN - MEBENDAZOLE - Ivermectin Plus Mebendazole: Mechanisms, Observational Outcomes, and the Case for Randomized Trials. Will the MAHA Coalition push HHS for large, prospective, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trials? Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH, Focal Points, Jun 10, 2026. CANCER RESEARC
How Hearing Loss and Tinnitus “Intertwine” with Cognitive Decline, Diabetes (Hyperinsulinemia), Heart Disease, Diet, Exercise and Noise Excess...An Interview with Kirsten McWilliams, Au.D.
2026/06/23
Kirsten McWilliams, Au.D.Doctor of AudiologyThe Hearing Solution725 University Ave.Sacramento, CA 95825(916) 646-2471 office / (916) 646-2472 [email protected] Interview Summary (Interview transcript below summarized by AI. Reviewed and edited by Kirk Hamilton PA) In this interview with Kirk Hamilton, PA, Kirsten McWilliams, Au.D., Doctor of Audiology, explains that audiology involves much more than dispensing hearing aids; a Doctor of Audiology completes a four-year clinical doctorate with training in diagnosis and treatment of hearing and balance disorders, hearing technology, prevention, and patient counseling. She emphasizes that hearing care should begin with prevention through baseline testing (generally by age 60 or earlier with risk factors), protection from loud environments, safe listening habits, and early treatment because untreated hearing loss can negatively affect health, communication, relationships, and quality of life. Dr. McWilliams explains that hearing loss is becoming more common due to longer lifespans and increased noise exposure from headphones, loud workplaces, and modern environments. She stresses that headphone-related injury depends more on the “dose” of sound—the volume and duration—rather than the type of device, noting that sound above approximately 85 decibels increases risk, while over-ear noise-canceling headphones may help people listen at lower volumes. She discusses increasing hearing concerns in younger people, including teenagers and young adults exposed to unsafe personal audio devices and loud music settings, and notes that adult hearing loss is expected to rise due to aging and noise exposure. A focus of the discussion is the relationship between hearing loss and cognitive decline: Dr. McWilliams describes this as a possible two-way relationship where hearing loss can strain brain processing and reduce social engagement, while cognitive decline can affect neural pathways that effect hearing. Although treating hearing loss does not reverse cognitive decline, she states that hearing aids and improving hearing may reduce listening effort, improve communication, and help individuals remain socially and mentally engaged. She highlights lifestyle factors that support hearing health, including regular exercise to improve blood flow to the inner ear, a diet rich in leafy greens, berries, fish, nuts, and magnesium-containing foods, and limiting processed foods, excess sugar, and salt because cardiovascular health affects the delicate blood vessels of the inner ear. She explains that diabetes and prediabetes increase the risk of hearing loss through damage to small blood vessels and nerves and that cardiovascular disease and vision disorders such as macular degeneration overlap with hearing concerns because they share dependence on healthy circulation. She also discusses temporary hearing changes from allergies and sinus problems due to middle ear fluid and pressure, and warns that more than 200 medications can be ototoxic, including certain antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, loop diuretics, and high doses of aspirin and ibuprofen, recommending a discussion with one’s health care provider before stopping medications. Regarding tinnitus, she explains that tinnitus occurs in the brain rather than the ear and recommends evaluation by a tinnitus specialist; her clinic uses Tinnitus Retraining Therapy, combining sound therapy and counseling to help the brain habituate to tinnitus, while hearing aids may help when hearing loss is also present. She notes there is no strong, consistent evidence that supplements prevent hearing loss or treat tinnitus and instead emphasizes maintaining vascular health and blood sugar control through nutrition, blood pressure control, and physical activity. Her overall message is that hearing health should be treated proactively: prevention should begin before symptoms appear, screening should not be delayed, and early treatment with modern hearing technology can help protect physical, emotional, social, and cognitive well-being. Kirk Hamilton: What does it entail to become a “Doctor of Audiology”? What does that allow you to do in the professional and public world? Kirsten McWilliams: Becoming a Doctor of Audiology requires earning a clinical doctorate (Au.D.) in four years and involves completing coursework, supervised patient care and a full-time externship. Professionally, the clinical doctorate prepares you to diagnose and treat hearing and balance disorders, fit hearing technology and counsel patients from a holistic, medically based perspective, rather than just sell them hearing aids. In the community, the Doctor of Audiology degree positions you as a go-to expert for hearing health and hearing loss prevention. KH: First, in an ideal audiologist’s world, how do you provide “health maintenance” for the individual? When should an individual seek an audiologist for prevention…and treatment? KW: In an ideal world, hearing care starts early with baseline hearing testing and ongoing monitoring. I encourage adults to get their hearing checked by age 60, or sooner if they’re exposed to loud noise frequently or are exhibiting any symptoms of hearing loss. Hearing protection is the best way to prevent hearing loss—the earlier you start doing it, the better—and an audiologist will likely have custom-fit options for you to choose from. Hearing loss treatment isn’t something you want to put off either, as living with untreated hearing loss can impact your health, relationships and quality of life. KH: Is hearing loss in general becoming more of a problem? What are some lifestyle and environmental risk factors? KW: Hearing loss is more visible now, and a few factors are driving that. People are living longer, which naturally increases risk, and daily noise exposure has become constant—headphone overuse, loud jobs and busy environments all contribute to the problem. Many individuals don’t connect lifestyle habits to long-term hearing damage until their communication with others starts to suffer. KH: Can you elaborate for a moment on “headphone overuse”? How do you define that? Everyone has some type of hearing device, from complete ear-covering headphones to earbuds to devices that just transmit the sound through bone without getting placed in the ears. I realize earphones are probably a discussion in themselves. Can you say which kind is the least harmful to hearing? Or is it just the “loudness” and duration of their use? KW: When I talk about “headphone overuse” with my patients, I keep it simple: It’s not the device—it’s the dose of sound your ears are getting. That means how loud it is and how long you listen. You can listen safely for long periods at low volumes, or you can cause damage in minutes if the volume is high enough. Once you get above about 85 decibels, the risk rises quickly, and at very high levels—around what some headphones can produce—damage can happen in a short time. I usually tell patients that if they notice ringing, fullness or muffled hearing afterward, that’s their body telling them they’ve overdone it. As for which headphones are “least harmful,” there’s no completely safe type at high volumes, but some designs make it easier to listen safely. Over-ear, especially noise-canceling headphones, tend to be a better choice because they block background noise and help you keep the volume lower. Earbuds sit right in the ear canal and often lead people to turn things up more, especially in noisy environments. So in reality, it comes down less to the device and more to your habits—lower volume and regular breaks are what protect your hearing. KH: Are younger individuals or children having more problems with hearing impairment or hearing loss? If so, what are the causes? KW: Yes, younger patients are having more problems with hearing loss, primarily due to noise exposure. Globally, over one billion teenagers and young adults are at risk of hearing loss due to listening to personal audio devices at unsafe volumes and attending loud music venues. In the U.S., an estimated 12.5% of kids and teens—more than 5.2 million—have permanent damage to their hearing because of excessive exposure to noise. KH: In adults, are hearing loss or impairment issues increasing? KW: Yes, the number of adults with hearing loss is expected to double by 2060, according to a 2017 Johns Hopkins study. The reasons why include the growing aging population and frequent noise exposure. I recommend a baseline screening by age 60, or earlier if you have risk factors. Regular follow-up evaluations can help catch gradual hearing changes earlier so you can start treatment as soon as possible. KH: When did you become aware that cognitive decline might be associated with hearing loss? Is it something you read about, or was it just obvious in seeing patients every day that those who have hearing loss seem to have cognitive decline more frequently or progressively? KW: The correlation between hearing loss and cognitive decline was first established through research, but it became more real to me through my firsthand experience with patients. Over time, I noticed that some patients with untreated hearing loss had more difficulty staying engaged in conversation and processing information. My clinical experience mirrors what some studies have shown. KH: Is it the “chicken or the egg” or “both”? Does hearing loss result in physiologic events that increase the pathophysiology leading to dementia, or does having dementia or cognitive decline increase hearing loss issues? KW: It may be more of a two-way relationship. Hearing loss can increase the strain on the brain and reduce social interaction, both of which are thought to contribute to cognitive issues. At the same time, cognitive decline can damage the neural pathways in the brain, leading the brain to slow down its p
Precision Medicine for Alzheimer's Disease and Cognitive Decline..Prevention and Treatment... An Interview with Dale E. Bredesen, MD
2026/06/14
Dale E. Bredesen, MDPrecision Brain Health ProgramPacific Neuro-Science InstituteSanta Monica, CA 90404Apollohealthco.com “Precision Medicine Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease: Successful Randomized Controlled Trial“Successful Pilot Project. J Alzheimers Dis. 2022;88(4):1411-1421. PDF Case Study: A Precision Medicine Approach to Multifactorial Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. J Alzheimers Dis Parkinsonism. 2021;11(Suppl 5):018. Epub 2021 Aug 25. PDF ReCODE: A Personalized, Targeted, Multi-Factorial Therapeutic Program for Reversal of Cognitive Decline. Biomedicines. 2021 Sep 29;9(10):1348. PDF Neuroprotective Herbs for the Management of Alzheimer’s Disease. Biomolecules. 2021 Apr 8;11(4):543. Reversal of Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer’s Disease. Aging (Albany NY). 2016 Jun;8(6):1250-8. PDF Inhalational Alzheimer’s Disease: an Unrecognized - and Treatable - Epidemic. Aging (Albany NY). 2016 Feb;8(2):304-13. PDF Hot Topics in Research: Preventive Neuroradiology in Brain Aging and Cognitive Decline. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2015 Oct;36(10):1803-9. PDF ω-3 Supplementation Increases Amyloid-β phagocytosis and Resolvin D1 in Patients with Minor Cognitive Impairment. FASEB J. 2015 Jul;29(7):2681-9. Reversal of Cognitive Decline: a Novel Therapeutic Program. Aging (Albany NY). 2014 Sep;6(9):707-17. PDF __________________________________________________ Books By Dale E. Bredesen, MD The Ageless Brain: How to Sharpen and Protect Your Mind for a Lifetime by Dale E. Bredesen MD, March, 2025, 384 pages The First Survivors of Alzheimer’s: How Patients Recovered Life and Hope in Their Own Words Dale Bredesen MD, August, 2021, 272 pages The End of Alzheimer’s Program: The First Protocol to Enhance Cognition and Reverse Decline at Any AgeDale Bredesen, MD, August 18, 2020, 352 pages The End of Alzheimer’s: The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline by Dale Bredesen, MD, August, 2017, 320 pages _________________________________________________________ (AI generated summary of interview transcript from Kirk Hamilton PA’s interview with Dale E. Bredesen, MD reviewed and edited by interviewer Kirk Hamilton, June 8, 2026) Precision Medicine Approach to Alzheimer’s Disease & Cognitive DeclineSummary Overview of Interview… Dr. Dale Bredesen describes Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline as a complex systems biology disorder rather than a single amyloid-driven disease. His research suggests that the brain exists in different biological “modes,” especially a connection mode versus a protection mode. In a healthy state, the brain favors synaptic growth, neuronal repair, and communication through pathways involving normal amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing, balanced tau function, neurotrophic signaling, and controlled inflammation. When exposed chronically to metabolic stress, infections, toxins, inflammation, vascular compromise, poor sleep, hormonal decline, or other threats, the brain shifts into a protective survival program. In this state, amyloid beta and phosphorylated tau may represent downstream responses involved with defense mechanisms rather than isolated causes. Bredesen originally described the “36 holes in the roof” concept, meaning many biological contributors can push the brain toward degeneration. He now describes approximately 45 interacting drivers, emphasizing that successful treatment requires identifying and correcting the individual combination of contributors. The Precision Medicine model evaluates cognitive decline by asking two questions: “Is the process occurring?” and “Why is it occurring?” Bredesen compares modern blood biomarkers (P-Tau217) to a “hemoglobin A1c for the brain.” Newer testing such as p-tau217, GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein), and neurofilament light chain (NfL) may help detect early Alzheimer’s-related biology, neuroinflammation, glial activation, and neuronal injury. He recommends earlier screening because Alzheimer’s pathology may begin decades before dementia symptoms appear. Cognitive decline progresses through stages: asymptomatic risk → subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) → mild cognitive impairment (MCI) → dementia. The earlier intervention begins, the greater the opportunity to preserve function. His “cognoscopy” concept combines cognitive testing, imaging when indicated (especially MRI with volumetric analysis and cerebral blood flow measures), and laboratory investigation of metabolic, inflammatory, hormonal, infectious, vascular, nutritional, and toxic contributors. A major theme of the interview is restoring brain energy and metabolic flexibility. Bredesen explains that the brain relies primarily on glucose and ketones for fuel. With aging, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, sedentary lifestyle, and inflammation, glucose utilization may decline—especially in vulnerable brain regions involved in memory. Elevated fasting insulin and impaired glucose handling may reduce the ability to generate ketones, creating a “fuel crisis.” His dietary approach, often referred to as KetoFlex 12/3, emphasizes a plant-rich, nutrient-dense, low-glycemic diet designed to restore insulin sensitivity while allowing ketone production when needed. He highlights vegetables, fiber, healthy fats, appropriate protein intake, fasting windows, avoidance of excess sugar/refined carbohydrates, and individualized modification for frail patients who may not tolerate aggressive fasting or weight loss. Gut health is emphasized because intestinal permeability, microbiome disruption, and chronic inflammation may contribute to neuroinflammation. Treatment is presented as a personalized program involving “seven basics plus two specific interventions.” The foundational therapies include diet, exercise, sleep optimization, stress regulation, brain training, detoxification support, and targeted supplementation. Exercise improves cognition through multiple mechanisms including improved insulin sensitivity, vascular function, mitochondrial signaling, oxygen delivery, mood regulation, sleep enhancement, and increased neurotrophic factors such as BDNF. Sleep is emphasized because deep sleep supports glymphatic clearance, repair, memory consolidation, and toxin removal. Bredesen also discusses identifying hidden drivers such as infections, oral disease, toxins from mold/mycotoxin exposure, heavy metals, organic toxins, hormonal deficiencies, nutrient deficiencies, chronic stress physiology, and mitochondrial dysfunction. His goal is not a single medication solution but a comprehensive restoration of the biological environment that supports synaptic maintenance and brain resilience. Basic Cognitive Assessment at Apollo Health MyCQTEST.com Brain Scan Plasma Phosphorylated Tau 217 (p-Tau 217) - It measures a specific, altered form of the brain's tau protein that accumulates and leaks into the bloodstream when Alzheimer's-type brain pathology is present.Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) - Elevated GFAP in the blood is a strong biomarker for Alzheimer's. It tracks early accumulation of amyloid-beta plaques and ongoing neuroinflammation.Neurofilament Light Chain (NfL) - NfL is a structural protein found specifically in the axons of neurons. It acts as a non-specific biomarker that leaks into cerebrospinal fluid and the bloodstream when nerve cells are damaged or die. Pathophysiology of Cognitive Decline and Alzheimer’s Disease — Connectivity Mode vs Protection Mode (AI generated summary, outline and key points of Kirk Hamilton’s interview transcript with Dr. Dale E. Bredesen reviewed and edited by Kirk Hamilton) Dr. Bredesen explains that cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease represent a systems biology “mode switch” in the brain rather than simply the accumulation of amyloid plaques or tau tangles. He describes two opposing biological states: a connectivity mode, where the brain is maintaining synapses and neuronal communication, and a protection mode, where the brain shifts into a defensive state in response to ongoing threats. He compares this switch to other biological state changes, such as moving from sleep to wakefulness, where many hormones, signaling pathways, and physiologic processes change together. 1. Connectivity Mode (Brain Maintenance and Synapse Support) According to Bredesen, in the healthy connection mode, the brain is actively: * Making new synaptic connections * Maintaining existing synapses * Supporting neuronal communication and plasticity He describes several molecular features of this state: Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) Processing In connectivity mode: * APP (amyloid precursor protein) is cleaved at a single site. * This produces: * sAPP-alpha * alpha C-terminal fragment (alpha CTF) These fragments signal both inside and outside the neuron that the brain should: * Build synapses * Maintain synapses * Preserve neuronal networks In this state: * ApoE4 activity is “off” the DNA * Tau remains unphosphorylated * Tau supports neurite growth and normal neuronal structure * REST and Reelin signaling are higher * NF-kappa B inflammatory signaling is lower The overall message is: “Maintain connections, grow, repair, and preserve the neural network.” 2. Transition Into Protection Mode Bredesen explains that multiple chronic insults can signal the brain that it needs to defend itself. These exposures push the nervous system away from connection and toward protection. Examples he gives include: * Pathogens * Oral microbiome changes * Chronic sinusitis * Tick-borne illness * Metabolic syndrome * Mycotoxin exposure * Other chronic biological threats When these persist, the brain interprets the environment as unsafe and changes its entire signaling program. 3. Protection Mode (Defense State Associated with Alzheimer’s) Once the brain enters protection mode these changes occurr. APP Processing Changes Instead of being cleaved once: * APP is now cleaved at three sites This pr

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