Nicole Laurent, LMHC Profile picture
I am a mental health counselor who helps clients explore and adopt nutritional therapies to alleviate mental health and neurological disorders.
The Real Dr. Steven Horvitz Profile picture Nevin Hansbarger Profile picture Rich Harrison Profile picture 3 subscribed
Mar 29 28 tweets 5 min read
Today we are going to talk about white matter disease and what it means for the brain. Settle in for a thread. 🧵(1/27) The brain is mostly made up of gray matter and white matter. The gray matter covers the outside of our brain, which is called the cortex, meaning the bark. White matter is mostly on the inside. (2/27)
Mar 28 11 tweets 3 min read
Doesn't butyrate also convert into beta-hydroxybutyrate in the main ketone body? Is there some inner conversion in the gut? Are these used interchangeably? (1/11) For the most part, the pools of butyrate in the gut and beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) are separate. Remember, #BHB is a #ketone body that is produced by your body on a #ketogenic diet. (2/11)
Mar 28 15 tweets 3 min read
Diet influences gut microbiota composition, and several studies have investigated these effects. 🧵(1/15) Weight loss induced by a very low carbohydrate ketogenic diet (VLCKD) has been shown to lead to a reduction in the abundance of the gut microbiota Cryptobacterium and Roseobacter, while increasing the abundance of Ristensenaceae and Akkermansiae. (2/15)
Mar 27 17 tweets 6 min read
Research suggests that these changes in cognitive function (#brain fog, poor memory, mood, and focus) may be accompanied by dysfunction in #brain energy metabolism that can be treated with #metabolic therapies. (1/17) Cognitive dysfunction can arise when the brain's energy supply is disrupted. It's called brain hypometabolism. (2/17)
Mar 27 5 tweets 1 min read
The mechanisms involved in the anti-inflammatory properties of the #KetogenicDiet remain largely understudied. But we know they are there, and we know they are based at least somewhat on brain immunology. Here is a bit of what we do know. 🧵(1/5) "glucose metabolism within macrophages and microglia may play a role in KD’s anti-inflammatory effects via regulation of the pro-inflammatory transcriptional activity of the transcription factor Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NFKB). (2/5)
Mar 21 6 tweets 2 min read
So what's the difference between nutritional psychiatry and metabolic psychiatry?🧵(1/6) #Metabolicpsychiatry is a subfield that focuses on the assessment and treatment of metabolic dysfunction as a means to improve #mentalhealth. (2/6)
Mar 20 5 tweets 3 min read
I will be in the audience cheering on @georgiaedemd @IainCampbellPhD @ProfDanielSmith and @ShebaniMD and on what I believe will be a historical moment in the #MetabolicPsychiatry movement.
Save me a chair, @janellison and @bschermd ;)
isbd2023.org Let me explain what is going on. This ain't no receptive, open minded low-carb medical conference that these researchers are presenting to.
Mar 20 9 tweets 6 min read
Did you know that a guy named Zoltán Sarnyai, MD, PhD brought his big, beautiful brain to this years' Metabolic Psychiatry Retreat put on by @janellison and @metabolic_mind? He is working hard to bring #metabolicpsychiatry to the masses, so it's time to learn about him! 🧵(1/9) @janellison @Metabolic_Mind Dr. Zoltán Sarnyai is Professor at James Cook University. He was previously a University Lecturer in the Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, and a Fellow of Pembroke College, where he was Director of Studies for Medicine. (2/9)
Mar 20 11 tweets 4 min read
Totally off-topic, but I have to do a thread on this study done by @DominicDAgosti2, Jeff Volek, and others! Those of you who like to hike with heavy backpacks should check this out! 🧵(1/11) @DominicDAgosti2 Their study investigated whether ingesting carbohydrate- or lipid-based nutritional bars before rucking could enhance performance. (2/11)
Mar 20 20 tweets 7 min read
I think we need to talk about how a ketogenic diet acts as a primary redox therapy, but nobody is talking about it that way. But they totally should! 🧵 (1/20) This is an article about Redox Therapy as it applies to cardiovascular disease. It was shared by @boretrol, who is super smart and awesome, and you should follow him. (2/20)
sciencedirect.com/science/articl…
Mar 19 10 tweets 8 min read
Did you know that @MaryPhillips23 was at this years' Metabolic Psychiatry Retreat put on by @janellison and @Metabolic_Mind? 🧵(1/10) @MaryPhillips23 @janellison @Metabolic_Mind I got to sit next to her! She is lovely and brought so much to the work we did there to help bring the hope of #metabolicpsychiatry to the masses! It's time to learn about Mary Phillips, PhD (2/10)
Mar 19 12 tweets 5 min read
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a crucial defense mechanism for the brain, regulating the exchange of molecules between the bloodstream and the brain. When the BBB is disrupted, it can have severe consequences for brain health. (1/12) Alzheimer's disease is one example of a condition that is exacerbated by BBB disruption. When the BBB is compromised, amyloid beta-peptide deposits can accumulate, leading to #inflammation and disruption of neuronal function. (2/12)
Mar 18 11 tweets 11 min read
I need to make sure you know that Lilianne R. Mujica-Parodi (@MujicaParodi)
was at the Metabolic Psychiatry Retreat put on by @janellison and @metabolic_mind this year! 🧵(1/11)
#metabolicpsychiatry #science @MujicaParodi @janellison @Metabolic_Mind She made quite an impression on me! My honest-to-goodness thoughts were, "this woman is wicked smart," and "I am so glad she is on our side getting this data!" 😆 (2/11)
Mar 18 10 tweets 3 min read
I teach people how to use a ketogenic diet to help with mood and cognitive dysfunction. But that is just the first phase in my online program toward their recovery. (1/10) Phase 2 consists of teaching people how to do a nutrigenomics analysis for truly personalized supplementation. What is nutrigenomics and why do I think this step is important? (2/10)
Mar 17 8 tweets 12 min read
I am sure many of you know who @davidludwigmd is, but just in case you are brand spanking new to the low-carb space, I want you to know who he is and that he was at the Metabolic Psychiatry Retreat put on by @janellison and @Metabolic_Mind this year! 🧵(1/8)
#metabolicpsychiatry @davidludwigmd @janellison @Metabolic_Mind Dr. David S. Ludwig is an endocrinologist and researcher at Boston Children’s Hospital (@BostonChildrens), Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School (@harvardmed), and Professor of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health (@HarvardChanSPH). (2/8)
Mar 17 19 tweets 4 min read
Why do we need seniors to have access to a ketogenic diet to help ward off dementia? Because telling them to eat more fish and blueberries is woefully insufficient! Think I am making this up? I am not. It's time for a thread on a recent study. 🧵 (1/19) The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between consumption frequency of meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables and long-term risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease while taking into account the possibility of protopathic bias (i.e., reverse causation). (2/19)
Mar 16 8 tweets 5 min read
You may not know who Dr. Carlo Longhiano is, but you will after this thread. I met him at the Metabolic Psychiatry Retreat put on by @janellison and @metabolic_mind this year! 🧵(1/8)
#metabolicpsychiatry @janellison @Metabolic_Mind Dr. Carlo Longhitano is the Associate Professor of Psychiatry at James Cook University (Australia) and a psychiatrist at North Queensland Forensic MH Services. (2/8)
Mar 16 22 tweets 5 min read
We need to talk about the role of GABA in mental illness and neurological disorders. And then I am going to explain to you why ketones can help regulate this neurotransmitter. 🧵 (1/21) GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, and it plays a critical role in regulating neuronal excitability and maintaining the balance between neuronal excitation and inhibition. (2/21)
Mar 15 8 tweets 5 min read
Dr. Eric Kossoff was an excellent addition to the Metabolic Psychiatry Retreat put on by @janellison and @metabolic_mind this year! Let me tell you why this was helpful in paving the way towards #metabolicpsychiatry 🧵(1/8) @janellison @Metabolic_Mind Dr. Eric Kossoff is a Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. (2/8)
Mar 15 14 tweets 2 min read
I want you to know that the ketone body Acetoacetate is a powerful gene-signaling molecule. (1/14) Acetoacetate has been shown to inhibit histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity in the brain, leading to increased histone acetylation and altered gene expression. (2/14)
Mar 14 7 tweets 5 min read
Did you know that Dr. Elena Gross was at this years' Metabolic Psychiatry Retreat hosted by @janellison and @metabolic_mind? I want you to know about some of the people bringing #metabolicpsychiatry to the masses through their work! So it's time to learn about Elena! 🧵(1/7) @janellison @Metabolic_Mind Dr. Elena Gross has a BSc in Psychology (University of York), an MSc in Neuroscience (University of Oxford), and PhD in Clinical Research (University of Basel). She is the founder and CEO/CSO of KetoSwiss AG. (2/7)