102 Advanced Nutritional Medicine – Nutritional Medicine in Neurology

Nutritional Medicine In Neurology

This is the second of six courses in the ROHP-Qualifying Program (Registered Orthomolecular Health Practitioners).

This course consists of three sections (each lesson has its own exam)

1. Nutritional Medicine and the Nervous System Part 1: Brain Development, ADHD and Neurodegenerative Disease (Alzheimer’s disease, Dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)
2. Nutritional Medicine and the Nervous System Part 2: Neuropathies, Concussion, Nervous System Toxicity, Autism
3. Nutritional Medicine and Mental Health Disorders

1. Nutritional Medicine and the Nervous System Part 1
This course reviews evidence-based dietary, supplementation and lifestyle factors shown to influence brain development (mother and child) and the prevention and complementary management of  ADHD and common neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. This course also sheds light on the biology of brain aging along with proactive lifestyle strategies shown to slow brain aging, induce neuronal progenitor cell replication in the aging brain and help preserve and optimize mental capacities throughout the lifespan.

Learning Objectives:
1. Students will understand the role of key nutrients required for brain growth and development and will be able to counsel women on how to optimize nutrient intake for the benefit of their children’s and future unborn children.

2. Students will understand the pathophysiological processes and etiological factors in common neurodegenerative diseases and will be able to provide personalized dietary and lifestyle recommendations to help prevent or better manage these conditions.

3. Students will understand key biomarkers and risk factors for common neurodegenerative diseases and will be able to provide patients with personalized nutrition and lifestyle practices to help optimize these parameters.

2. Nutritional Medicine and the Nervous System Part 2
This course reviews the evidence-based use diet and supplementation in the management of neuropathies, and the complementary management of nervous system toxicity – primarily from heavy metals. A review of common neuropathies (i.e. diabetic neuropathy, genetic-based neuropathies, entrapment neuropathies etc.) is included in the discussion, along with specific dietary and supplement protocols shown to help reverse and stabilize these conditions and repair underlying neuronal mechanisms responsible for these pathologies, where applicable. This course also reviews the pathophysiological events that occur within the brain in concussion injuries, with respect to cell membrane damage, inflammation, disruption of neurotransmitters, energy dysregulation, mitochondrial effects and changes to nerve conduction. The course also reviews the human clinical intervention trials and the experimental studies showing the reparative effects of specific dietary factors and supplements in the adjunctive management of concussion and post-concussion syndrome. A final feature of the course introduces students to the leading researchers in the field of Autism and explains the principals behind their dietary and supplementation approach, as well as assessment tools and key biomarkers.

Learning Objectives:
1. Students will understand the pathophysiological processes involved in various common neuropathies, concussion and nervous system toxicity from heavy metals.

2. Students will be able to personalize nutrition and supplementation recommendations to help reverse common neuropathies seen in clinical practice and improve outcomes for patients with concussions. Students will also understand how to advise patients on how to reduce risk of nervous system toxicity from heavy metals, and other sources, and enhance detoxification of heavy metals via natural, dietary, exercise, lifestyle and supplementation interventions

3. Students will understand and be able to identify major risk factors for impending neuropathies and will have an understanding of the nutritional medicine practices used in autism.

3. Nutritional Medicine and Mental Health Disorders
This course provides a review of neurotransmitter synthesis and function and basic underlying imbalances seen in common mental health disorders. The program explains key drug strategies used to treat mental health disorders along with evidence nutrition and natural medicine interventions that have been shown to help improve outcomes for patients with various mental disorders (especially depression, post-partum depression, and anxiety disorders). The physiological impact of these natural interventions is explained, as well as blood lab screening for important nutri-genomic biomarkers that can provide key insight into the selection of specific supplements or form of a supplement (i.e. methyl folate vs folic acid) that would be personalized to the individual’s need based on their genetic profile.

Learning Objectives:
1. The student will have an in-depth understanding of the biochemistry of neurotransmitter synthesis and function and the role of nutrition and supplementation in these processes and functions.

2. The student will be able to identify genetic defects (from blood work analysis) that would implicate the need for specific supplements to help improve the management of various mental health disorders.

3. The student will have the skills to identify which, if any, supplements would be appropriate to recommend in the complementary management of various mental health disorders, drawing from results of published human clinical studies.