24ME07 - The 4 Horsemen of Chronic Disease: Assessing and Managing the Complicated Case, Part 1: Stress and Chronic Infection

Speaker: Jason Miller, DACM, LAc  Chronic diseases are responsible for a majority of mortalities in the US. They stem from neuroendocrine system breakdowns, immune dysfunction and tissue damage, and include heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and autoimmune conditions. In Part 1 of this two-part series, we discuss the central and interconnected roles of stress and chronic infections as drivers of chronic disease.

Stress is the central force in chronic disease as it weakens our adaptive capacity and leaves us more susceptible to a host of factors that contribute to chronic disease, including chronic infections. Chronic infections (more aptly termed microbiota imbalances or microbiota disruptions) can happen in the bacteriome, the virome, or the fungal microbiome. Often multiple infections happen simultaneously, contributing to a greater challenge to the immune system and complicating the presentation. We discuss how to accurately identify the issues, both at molecular and symptom levels, and explore how to build effective strategies to address them. In addition to botanical and nutritional medicine, we also cover general guidelines and lifestyle additions, specific dietary approaches, spiritual practices, and other forms of energy medicine (i.e. vagal stimulators, neurofeedback, PEMF, etc.)