ABOUT

WHAT I DO

I am a wife, mom, medical research educator focusing on microbiome associations to health and disease, attorney, and mechanical engineer.  I juggle these roles to pioneer public health change based on the science.  I liaison with researchers, scientists, doctors, and experts to unravel and present complicated medical and system information in a manner that all can use for improved health and wellness.   Microbiome information is cutting edge; this website is cited and referenced by Camilia R. Martin , M.D., M.S. Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Harvard Medical School. in the Introduction to the Microbiome Webinar.  As well,  I teach microbiome focused CME (see a prelude video for the 2019 VCNP Annual Conference presentation here) reaching the forty-two percent of experienced academics that encounter difficulties and frustration in engaging with the primary research literature [Hubbard et al 2017] as well as the medical providers most of whom have never heard of the microbiome!

An Introduction to the Microbiome Webinar – Dec 11, 2014

I teach the implications of the human microbiome which regulates over 70 percent of our immunity and directly impacts health, wellness and performance (see posts here,  here and here).

The human microbiome originates at birth by mode of delivery and feeding. Our human genomes are 90 percent similar but our microbiomes are 99 percent different, and we have all changed it profoundly during our lifetimes in manners only now being understood resulting in anti-inflammatory or pro-inflammatory, microbiome based immune status.

My work has been published, “A Medical Evolution: New DNA Techniques Reveal How Gut Bacteria Could Change Everything,”  by Patricia Carter, CAM Magazine, November, 2014, pages 34-36. The article summarizes Dr. Rob Knight’s October, 2014 presentation on the latest in microbiome research and includes 11 factors found from the American Gut data optimizing gut microbiome. 

CAM Mag Article, A Medical Revolution, New Gut Bacteria DNA Tests are Changing Everything, by Patricia Carter
Source: A Medical Revolution, New Gut Bacteria DNA Tests are Changing Everything, by Patricia Carter, http://www.ihcan-mag.com/imag/camnovember2014.pdf

Bottom line:  The evidence finds that the gut microbiome is altered in many chronic diseases.  Therapeutics now look at practically optimizing the microbiome by integrating  anti-inflammatory, nutrient dense, low toxin, and healing components of diet and lifestyle.  This is incredibly empowering as we can control the expression of our genes (epigenetics) by diet and lifestyle choices if we are aware.  I teach these protocols, called “Microbiome Modules”:

2019 VCNP MIND Diet. Biome Onboard Awareness, LLC, https://biomeonboardawareness, LLC
Customizable Microbiome Modules, https://biomeonboardawareness.com/
AD Multi Pathways_Sindi et al 2015
[Catinean et al 2018] Figure 1, Microbiome and associated health problems
Dr. Rob Knight_11 Factors Affect Microbiome from American Gut Data
Western Diet Ages Brain faster than Medit Diet_MRI and PET.1
Source: biomeonboardawareness.com, Therapeutic Manipulation of Microbiome1
Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center, Roanoke, VA

This site shares all of this information and provides a resource for those wanting to stay current on the microbiome cutting edge science (trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi).  My clientele have been able to connect the dots and manage chronic disease, autoimmunity, and metabolic disease –> reducing, weaning and eliminating medications as they optimize their gut microbiome.  

MY HOPE IF YOU ARE HERE
I am hoping if you are here, that your take away from my site guides you and your family towards incredible health, wellness, and vitality and that you seek such beyond the conventional paradigm if need be, as I have. An informed public can make educated lifestyle choices to become better advocates for our health.

The definition of the word “doctor” doesn’t mean healer;  it means teacher.  My doctors don’t know the latest on diet, lifestyle, microbiome, health and disease to be able to mention it, non the less teach.

My message goal is to always be fundamentally on point with the most well respected scientific literature fully supportive of my words.  
HOW IT ALL HAPPENED

I fell down the gut microbiome rabbit hole around 2006, and that is where I have been since.  My microbiome education began with understanding the eye microbiome to resolve a parasitic contact lens related eye infection for my child. That effort ended with my (and two other moms) instigation of a global CDC/FDA recall of the contact lens disinfection solution that permitted breakthrough of the parasite (details are below).  On the heels of this effort, I learned and used diet to support the success with our oldest child’s performance as an elite collegiate Division 1 athlete despite her having mild chronic kidney disease, so as to not further impact kidney function.  Those nutrition lessons were later expanded to implement alternative Therapeutic Diets (Mediterranean, MIND, DASH, PALEO/SCD/UMass IBD-AID/AIP, FODMAPS, WAHLs…) for management of chronic disease and remission of autoimmune disease, with the potential of weaning off medication, in myself and in many of those I teach microbiome to.  Thus, I walk the walk, follow the science and clinical trials associated with such healing protocols, and share what I learn in this website.

Studies now show: inflammation, digestive problems including IBS, chronic disease, allergies, arthritis, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, dyslipidemia, skin disorders including acne, psoriasis and eczema, autism, insulin resistance, overall adiposity, obesity, gastrointestinal disorders, autoimmunity, cancer, and gut-brain interactions such as mood, depression, dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, autism, and eating disorders, is affected by the community of bacteria (along with gut infections, viruses, fungi, and parasites) that occupies the ecosytem of the gut microbiome.  

Many of these diseases are seemingly unrelated but are actually caused by gut microbiome community problems called dysbiois (imbalance of the community).  If you want to fix your health and emotional and mental well-being, you must start in your gut.  Gut health literally affects your entire body.
Specialized course work includes:

Expert microbiome lectures include:  Martha Clare Morris MIND Diet (hybrid Mediterranean diet, DASH diet, and Literature based beneficial brain nutrients, CME Certified), Martin Blaser, Sibyl Bucheli, Gregory Caporaso, Charlotte Carter, David Carter, Tom Cech, Elizabeth Costello, Justine Debelius, Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello, Pieter Dorrestein, Jack Gilbert, Philip Hugenholtz, Greg Humphrey, Embriette Hyde, Janet Jansson, Jeff Leach, Cathy Lozupone, Daniel McDonald, Valerie McKenzie, Sarkis Mazmanian, Norm Pace, Dorota Porazinska, Luke Ursell, Will Van Treuren, Yoshiki Vasquez-Baeza, Zhenjiang (Zech) Xu, Michael Pollan, and Luke Thompson, and more.

  • University of Colorado Boulder Gut Check: Exploring Your Microbiome. Instructors: Dr. Rob Knight (Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and Computer Science, Biofrontiers Institute), Jessica L. Metcalf (Senior Research Associate, BioFrontiers Institute), and Katherine R. Amato (Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Anthropology, BioFrontiers Institute).
  • The Science of Natural Healing.  Instructor: Dr. Mimi Guarneri, Founder of Scripts Center for Integrative Medicine in CA, board certified in cardiology, internal-nuclear- and holistic medicine. Author, “The Heart Speaks: A Cardiologist Reveals the Secret Language of Healing.” Western medicine focuses on disease w/o the underlying cause. Physicians make a diagnosis, offer a drug/surgical treatment, & provide no instructions for disease reversal. This course taught: causes of disease, state-of-the art biomarkers & imaging for diagnosis; solutions for disease prevention, reversal, and treatment; nutrition’s role in health with clear guidance on eliminating common inflammation causing and allergy-inducing foods; how to replace such with foods that lead to production of healthy proteins; food quality & industrialization with altered nutrition; and herbal medicine-vitamins-supplements. Solutions taught immediately improve chronic conditions including arthritis and heart disease, and full programs are offered for naturally treating diabetes, high cholesterol, & high blood pressure.
We SAVED MILLIONS OF EYES BY INSTIGATING A FDA RECALL!

I effect public health change using my legal and engineering background.  My former position involved the global recall of contact lens disinfection solutions in the mid-2007’s.  Such solutions were initially being recalled due to fusarium breakthrough in the early 2000s (Bausch & Lomb Renew).  On the heels of this epidemic, another occurred which was due to acanthamoeba parasite breakthrough and biofilm adhesions.  I and three moms effected the FDA recall due to acanthamoeba parasite breakthrough in 2007 :

This grassroots effort included liaison with corneal experts, researchers, the CDC, the FDA, the EPA, Federal Parasitic Division, multiple federal and state public health agencies and legislatures, as well as many medical research facilities.  An acanthamoeba eye infection can be blinding and advance from a corneal transplant to eye nucleation.  My daughter was a victim, and my involvement brought two states, Pennsylvania and Ohio, into the mix bolstering the other moms’ allegations in one state, Illinois.  The risk of infection remains today as detailed in the CDC, Division of Parasitic Diseases   PowerPoint, Resistance of Acanthamoeba Cysts to Disinfection in Multiple Contact Lens Solutions, S. P. Johnston, R. Sriram, Y. Qvarnstrom, S. Roy, and GS.Visvesvara.   It’s conclusion:

  • Solutions without hydrogen peroxide had varying degrees of activity against cysts of all 3 species of Acanthamoeba, but none had activity at 4 hours of contact,
  • However, SOME solutions had activity after 24 of hours contact,
  • Most contact lens wearers do not soak lenses longer than 8-12 hours (overnight).
FDA ContactLensRecall
FDA Class 1 Contact Lens Recall

As always, certainly contact me with any questions or concerns that you believe I might have insight into, and I will do my best to address such.

Best of health and wellness to you,

Signature2
♥References in order of appearance:
  1. Camilia R. Martin , M.D., M.S. Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Harvard Medical School. 
  2. CME Microbiome Questions & Answers.
  3. Prelude video for the 2019 VCNP Annual Conference presentation.
  4. [Hubbard et al 2017] Perceptions of scientific research literature and strategies for reading papers depend on academic career stage.
  5.  [Vighi et al 2008]  Allergy and the gastrointestinal system. The   human microbiome regulates over 70 percent of our immunity.
  6. The Science Behind Food, Disease, Microbiome.
  7. Diet & Other Things: What Determines Microbiome?
  8. Microbirth: Health Ramifications Associated with C-Section Birth.
  9. “A Medical Evolution: New DNA Techniques Reveal How Gut Bacteria Could Change Everything,”  by Patricia Carter, CAM Magazine, November, 2014, pages 34-36. The article summarizes Dr. Rob Knight’s October, 2014 presentation on the latest in microbiome research and includes 11 factors found from the American Gut data optimizing gut microbiome.
  10. Learn How Diet Pierces the Disease Epigenetics Process!  We can control the expression of our genes (epigenetics) by diet and lifestyle choices if we are aware.
  11. Microbiome Corporate Wellness Programs.  I teach these protocols, called “Microbiome Modules”.
  12. 2018 CME Certified:  Mind Diet (now in trial) is a hybrid of Mediterranean diet, DASH diet, AND literature based beneficial brain nutrients.
  13. 1st International Symposium on the Microbiome in Health and Disease with a Special Focus on Autism. 
  14. Mr. John Rodakis and Dr. Richard Frye, Dr. Carl Cerniglia, Dr. Emma Allen-Vercoe, Dr. Tore Midtvedt,   Dr. William Parker, Dr. Jim Adams and Dr. Rosa Krajmalnik-Brown, Dr. Derrick MacFabe, Dr. Richard Frye, and Dr. Susan Swedo.
  15.  FAQ: Human Microbiome, January 2014 Report by the American Academy of Microbiology.
  16. FDA recall I and three moms effected due to acanthamoeba parasite breakthrough in 2007 :
  17. CDC, Division of Parasitic Diseases PowerPoint, Resistance of Acanthamoeba Cysts to Disinfection in Multiple Contact Lens Solutions, S. P. Johnston, R. Sriram, Y. Qvarnstrom, S. Roy, and GS.Visvesvara.   It’s conclusion: 
    • Solutions without hydrogen peroxide had varying degrees of activity against cysts of all 3 species of Acanthamoeba, but none had activity at 4 hours of contact,
    • However, some solutions had activity after 24 of hours contact,
    • Most contact lens wearers do not soak lenses longer than 8-12 hours (overnight).

Last updated: March 11, 2023 at 14:28 pm to fix a broken link.

Prior update Aug 28, 2018 added:  

  1. CME Certified:  Mind Diet (now in trial) is a hybrid of Mediterranean diet, DASH diet, AND literature based beneficial brain nutrients.  
  2. Microbiome Modules Tiled Mosaic, and
  3. The Division of Parasitic Diseases, CDC, Atlanta, GA  PowerPoint,  Resistance of Acanthamoeba Cysts to Disinfection in Multiple Contact Lens Solutions, S. P. Johnston, R. Sriram, Y. Qvarnstrom, S. Roy, and GS.Visvesvara. It’s conclusion: 
    • Solutions without hydrogen peroxide had varying degrees of activity against cysts of all 3 species of Acanthamoeba, but none had activity at 4 hours of contact,
    • However, SOME solutions had activity after 24 of hours contact,
    • Most contact lens wearers do not soak lenses longer than 8-12 hours (overnight)

Prior updates

  • December 29, 2017 added links to my microbiome focused CME, the [Hubbard et al 2017] study finding forty-two percent of experienced academics encounter difficulties and frustration in engaging with the primary research literature,”  Also added is the Reference section below my signature. 
  • Dec 28, 2017 added the  Microbiome Module slide. 
  • Nov 15, 2017 added “see  CCD MMWR here” since FDA archive may not be active.  
  • March 7, 2017 added link to, “A Medical Evolution: New DNA Techniques Reveal How Gut Bacteria Could Change Everything,”  by Patricia Carter, CAM Magazine, November, 2014.  (Summarizes Dr. Rob Knight’s October, 2014 presentation on the latest in microbiome research and includes the 11 factors found from the American Gut data that optimizes the gut microbiome.)