Vectors in a Hotter World
PodcastDX
This week we discuss vectors in a hotter world. Vector-borne diseases, which are transmitted by hematophagous arthropods such as mosquitoes, ticks, and sandflies, pose a significant burden on global public health. These diseases disproportionately affect populations in tropical and subtropical regions, where environmental conditions favor the survival and proliferation of vectors. Given that vectors are ectothermic organisms, their life cycles, reproduction, survival rates, and geographic distribution are heavily influenced by climate variables such as temperature, rainfall, and...
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Intro to Ehlers Danlos Syndrome
PodcastDX
This week we discuss the basics about a topic several of our guests have spoken about- Ehlers Danlos Syndrome or EDS. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a group of inherited disorders that affect your connective tissues — primarily your skin, joints and blood vessel walls. Connective tissue is a complex mixture of proteins and other substances that provide strength and elasticity to the underlying structures in your body. The Ehlers-Danlos syndromes received and this is what we now know: EDS are heritable connective tissue disorders affecting the quality of collagen in every...
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Food Is Medicine
PodcastDX
This week we discuss "Food is Medicine". The concept of "food is medicine" refers to the idea that certain foods and dietary patterns can play a significant role in promoting health, preventing disease, and managing chronic conditions. This concept is based on the notion that food is not only a source of energy and nutrients but also a powerful tool for influencing our physiological and biochemical processes. Access to affordable, nutritious food is crucial for good health, yet many Americans, particularly in under-resourced communities, face barriers. The result? A...
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Too Fast, Too Slow, Just Right Heart Rhythms
PodcastDX
Our guest today is Evelyn Gamble. Evelyn is a dedicated healthcare worker and passionate heart disease advocate. With a deep commitment to improving health outcomes, Evelyn uses her personal and professional experiences to raise awareness about heart health, particularly for young adults. As a strong voice for change, she aims to inspire others to take proactive steps in managing their heart health and to advocate for better care and resources for those affected by heart disease. Definition: A heart arrhythmia, also known as a cardiac arrhythmia, is an abnormal rhythm...
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Tuberculosis Resurgence
PodcastDX
This week's episode we will discuss the resurgence of TB/ Tuberculosis. TB is a treatable and curable disease. Active, drug-susceptible TB disease is treated with a standard 6-month course of 4 antimicrobial drugs that are provided with information and support to the patient by a health worker or trained volunteer. Without such support, treatment adherence is more difficult. Since 2000, an estimated 66 million lives were saved through TB diagnosis and treatment. A total of 1.5 million people died from TB in 2020 (including 214 000 people with HIV). Worldwide, TB is the 13th leading...
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Virtual Sciatica Therapy
PodcastDX
Our guest today is a Physical Therapist that specializes in Sciatica. Dean Volk, MPT, and owner of Sciatica Relief Now, has spent over 33 years revolutionizing sciatica treatment. After owning three successful clinics and a cash concierge practice and working with professional athletes, Volk transitioned to a virtual model in 2018, turning this side hustle into a full-time operation in 2021. Now based in Santa Monica, CA, Dean and his team of coaches provide virtual consultations and coaching to clients worldwide, helping them live their lives to the fullest. The cornerstone of Sciatica...
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Myasthenia Gravis with Tasha White
PodcastDX
In this episode we will discuss Myasthenia Gravis, an Autoimmune Disease affecting the neuromuscular system of the body with Tasha White, Director of a new Non-profit organization called My Walk with MG located in St. Louis, MO. Myasthenia gravis is a chronic neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in the voluntary muscles. Voluntary muscles include muscles that connect to a person’s bones, muscles in the face, throat, and diaphragm. They contract to move the arms and legs and are essential for breathing, swallowing and facial movements. Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune...
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Blood Clots
PodcastDX
This week we discuss blood clots A blood clot is a clump of blood that has changed from a liquid to a gel-like or semisolid state. Clotting is a necessary process that can excessive blood loss when you have a cut, for example. Thrombosis is when a blood clot and reduces blood flow. There are two types: Arterial thrombosis occurs when a blood clot forms in an artery. Venous thrombosis occurs when a blood clot forms in a vein. When a clot forms inside one of your veins, it may dissolve on its own. However, sometimes a clot doesn’t dissolve on its own, or part of it...
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Hearing Loss
PodcastDX
This week we discuss hearing loss. A person who is not able to hear as well as someone with normal hearing – hearing thresholds of 20 dB or better in both ears – is said to have hearing loss. Hearing loss may be mild, moderate, severe or profound. It can affect one ear or both ears and leads to difficulty in hearing conversational speech or loud sounds. Hard of hearing refers to people with hearing loss ranging from mild to severe. People who are hard of hearing usually communicate through spoken language and can benefit from hearing aids, cochlear implants, and other assistive devices as...
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Food Safety at the Holidays
PodcastDX
In this episode we will discuss food safety at the holidays. From prep to serving there are important tips to remember to ensure a toxin free meal for everyone! Parties, family dinners, and other gatherings where food is served are all part of the holiday cheer. But the joy can change to misery if food makes you or others ill. Typical symptoms of foodborne illness, also known as food poisoning, are vomiting, diarrhea, and flu-like symptoms, which can start anywhere from hours to days after contaminated food or drinks are consumed. The symptoms usually are not long-lasting in healthy...
info_outlineToday, we have the honor of speaking once again with Sheila Ames, a registered nurse in Northern California who has been diagnosed with a rare type of a primary immunodeficiency known as common variable immunodeficiency or CVID for short. How did she fare during the recent Pandemic? Tune in now to find out!
At the time of her diagnosis she was working as an ICU nurse and her first doctors order was: no more exposure to infectious patients. This diagnosis not only changed her career dramatically, it led her to following her life's purpose in opening her own health & wellness online coaching business to help others continue to find and work towards their life's purpose despite the hurdles that life gives us.
Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is a primary immune deficiency disease characterized by low levels of protective antibodies and an increased risk of infections. Although the disease usually is diagnosed in adults, it also can occur in children. CVID also is known as hypogammaglobulinemia, adult-onset agammaglobulinemia, late-onset hypogammaglobulinemia, and acquired agammaglobulinemia.
NIAID supports research to determine genetic causes of CVID that may lead to therapeutic approaches to address the disease. Researchers also are exploring how antibody-based drugs may lessen the severity of the condition.
Causes
CVID is caused by a variety of different genetic abnormalities that result in a defect in the capability of immune cells to produce normal amounts of all types of antibodies. Only a few of these defects have been identified, and the cause of most cases of CVID is unknown. Many people with CVID carry a DNA variation called a polymorphism in a gene known as TACI. However, while this genetic abnormality confers increased risk of developing CVID, it alone is not capable of causing CVID.
CVID is also linked to IgA deficiency, a related condition in which only the level of the antibody immunoglobulin A (IgA) is low, while levels of other antibody types are usually normal or near normal. IgA deficiency typically occurs alone, but in some cases it may precede the development of CVID or occur in family members of CVID patients.
Symptoms & Diagnosis
People with CVID may experience frequent bacterial and viral infections of the upper airway, sinuses, and lungs. Acute lung infections can cause pneumonia, and long-term lung infections may cause a chronic form of bronchitis known as bronchiectasis, which is characterized by thickened airway walls colonized by bacteria.
People with CVID also may have diarrhea, problems absorbing food nutrients, reduced liver function, and impaired blood flow to the liver. Autoimmune problems that cause reduced levels of blood cells or platelets also may occur. People with CVID may develop an enlarged spleen and swollen glands or lymph nodes, as well as painful swollen joints in the knee, ankle, elbow, or wrist. In addition, people with CVID may have an increased risk of developing some cancers.
Doctors can diagnose CVID by weighing factors including infection history, digestive symptoms, lab tests showing very low immunoglobulin levels, and low antibody responses to immunization.
Treatment
CVID is treated with intravenous immunoglobulin infusions or subcutaneous (under the skin) immunoglobulin injection to partially restore immunoglobulin levels. The immunoglobulin given by either method provides antibodies from the blood of healthy donors. The frequent bacterial infections experienced by people with CVID are treated with antibiotics. Other problems caused by CVID may require additional, tailored treatments.
To learn more about CVID, visit the National Library of Medicine, Genetics Home Reference CVID site (Credits to NIH)
If you would like to reach out to our guest:
Sheila Ames BSN, RN, PHN
Holistic Health Coach
Business FB page: https://www.facebook.com/JourneyIntoWellness1
PID (primary immunodeficiency) group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/journeyintowellnesspid
Instagram: @journeyintowellnesscoaching
My website: journeyintowellness.net