Data, Contributing Factors, Undermethylation, When Strengths Relate to Vulnerabilities, Self Reliance, a Medical Culture That Keeps Physicians From Seeking Help & What Can Be Done
It’s easy to overlook that medical professionals are vulnerable to stress, burnout, and both physical and mental health issues. Despite the expectation that they remain well, physicians experience higher rates of depression, and the rate of physician suicide is twice that of the general population. In this newsletter, I’ll explore how biochemical and environmental factors play a role in both the strengths and vulnerabilities of doctors. While the focus is on physicians, much of what I’ll discuss also applies to other medical professionals and caregivers.
Key topics include:
0 Comments
Around 25% of people may be susceptible to mold toxicity, a surprisingly prevalent cause of various brain symptoms, such as brain fog, fatigue, depression, anxiety, mood swings, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, and even psychosis. Mold toxicity can also be a hidden factor in conditions like pyrrole disorder, candida overgrowth, and copper-zinc imbalances, all of which can contribute to neurological and psychiatric symptoms.
Mold toxicity should be considered a potential cause when college students develop new mental health issues after being exposed to mold in their dorms or apartments. It can also lead to various chronic physical health problems, including autoimmune conditions. Based on my experience, mold toxicity is the most frequent cause of mast cell activation syndrome.
Jerry Parker, a Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant (CIEC) and Certified Microbial Remediator (CMR), has been a great resource to me both personally and professionally, providing valuable insights into the environmental factors related to mold. He owns Environmental Solutions Group, LLC, a company that has been serving residential and commercial clients for over 20 years. Jerry is now preparing to launch a new educational and consulting platform, 4 Indoor Air Quality LLC.
In this newsletter and video podcast, Jerry and I explore:
In a future episode, Jerry and I will delve into mold prevention with a specific focus on the interior of our homes. 
By Courtney Snyder, MD
The Zinc Link, Skin Symptoms of Common "Roots" of Brain Symptoms, Acne Treatment & Thinking Holistically. Skin conditions are frequently observed in individuals with brain-related disorders. Most discussions about this connection suggest that one condition might cause the other. For example, it is commonly believed that the stress of dealing with a skin condition can lead to depression and anxiety — a logical conclusion. Conversely, the stress of a mental health condition may elevate stress hormones or cause inflammation, resulting in skin symptoms, which also makes sense. In this podcast, I will explore the idea that skin and brain symptoms often share common underlying causes — with one key root in particular. By "brain symptoms," I mean conditions like depression, anxiety, panic, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), brain fog, inattention, hyperactivity, mood swings, psychosis, and cognitive decline.
I will cover:
This episode aims to shed light on how these interrelated factors contribute to both skin and brain symptoms, helping you better understand the importance of identifying and addressing the common roots. 
From the Walsh Research Institute’s original data.
By Courtney Snyder, MD
A Conversation About High Copper, Low Zinc, Pyrrole Disorder & Methylation Imbalances - Symptoms, Traits, Testing & Treatment I recently had the pleasure of joining Annika Taylor, a holistic health practitioner, on the Nourished By Nature: Mind Body Wellness Podcast. After sharing my journey into holistic psychiatry and defining what it means, Annika and I explored the following topics:
We also discussed a recent finding by Dr. Walsh that undermethylation is on the rise in the population, while overmethylation appears to be decreasing. Related Resources: Annika Taylor - nourishedbynature.com Walsh Research Institute For links to specific topics address see links in the description above. 
By Courtney Snyder, MD
Protecting Our Brain Early Starting With Understanding the Role of Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, Insulin Resistance, a Potential Microbial Presence & APOe4 Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disease that involves the gradual death of brain cells, leading to the loss of brain tissue. The changes in the brain that lead to Alzheimer’s dementia can start up to 20 years before symptoms appear. This is crucial because emerging research and clinical experience in functional medicine suggest that many of the contributing factors can be influenced before symptoms progress. In this newsletter and podcast episode, I’ll explore:
In the next episode, I’ll delve into mainstream treatments and explore functional, integrative, and holistic approaches that target blood sugar regulation, oxidative stress, inflammation, and even mold and candida as potential contributors. Mentioned Resources: Other Related Newsletters: Medical Disclaimer: This newsletter is for educational purposes and not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment for either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating (if you are a practitioner). Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having.
In this video and podcast episode, I dive into pyrrole disorder, a common nutrient imbalance linked to various brain-related conditions affecting both adults and children. Elevated levels of Hydroxyhemopyrrolin-2-one (HPL) in the urine, often referred to as “pyrroles,” have been connected to conditions such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism, ADHD, learning disorders, substance use disorders, and even violent behavior.
In this discussion, I cover:
This episode is essential for understanding the role pyrrole disorder plays in mental health and how addressing it can lead to significant improvements in well-being. Related Resources
To receive these posts in your mail box each week, you can subscribe right here....
Medical Disclaimer: This newsletter is for educational purposes and not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment for either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating (if you are a practitioner). Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having.
The many underlying and overlapping factors are considered in functional medicine.
By Courtney Snyder, MD
The Benefits, Risks, and How to Improve Functional Medicine. What is Functional Medicine? Functional Medicine is an integrative, biology-based approach that promotes healing and wellness by focusing on the biochemically unique aspects of each patient, utilizing individually tailored interventions to restore balance. This approach seeks to understand the fundamental physiological processes, environmental factors, and genetic predispositions that affect health and disease, addressing the root causes. In Functional Medicine Psychiatry, these interventions aim to promote healing and wellness for individuals experiencing brain-related symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, mood swings, fatigue, brain fog, hyperactivity, cognitive impairment, social communication deficits, and psychosis.
In this Newsletter, I’ll explore:
By Courtney Snyder, MD
If you’re like I was, you might feel both drawn to and resistant to starting a meditation practice. My many attempts to begin and then stop were less about meditation itself and more about not prioritizing self-care. For many of us, learning to sit still in silence—and often in solitude—can be challenging. Our minds may chatter nonstop about things we’d rather not confront: the to-do lists, worries, ruminations, irritations, regrets, "should haves" and "shouldn't haves," "what ifs," things we said or did, things others said or did, judgments, and even judgments about those judgments. Our attachment to how we believe things should be is a significant part of our suffering.
All forms of meditation aim to guide our minds (and bodies) away from day-to-day thoughts and into the present moment. Since the sights and sounds around us often distract our minds, most meditation practices involve removing these stimuli by sitting in a quiet place with our eyes closed.
Even in a quiet setting, the mind will wander, especially in the beginning. This is why many meditation practices encourage us to focus on something—like our breath, a phrase, or an image. The goal is to gently bring our attention back to this anchor whenever we notice the mind drifting. If you’re interested in starting a meditation practice, don’t let the variety of options make you think there is a "best" or "right" way to meditate. The best meditation practice is the one that makes you think, “Okay, I could see myself doing that.” The right way is simply to begin. The common thread in all meditation practices is learning to be present. To do this, we use something to anchor us in the moment. What differentiates various types of meditation is simply the anchor that is chosen. 
By Courtney Snyder, MD
Typically, with two-part newsletters, I first explain how a "root" cause contributes to brain symptoms and then, in the follow-up, discuss actionable steps. However, because the topic of Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) can be anxiety-provoking for some, and there is already a lot of alarming content in functional medicine, I decided to begin with practical ways to assess and reduce EMF exposure. In the next newsletter, I'll dive into the research on how EMF impacts the brain and other parts of the body, the factors that increase susceptibility to EMF hypersensitivity, and strategies to lower that susceptibility.
EMF exists on a spectrum that includes ultraviolet (UV) light, visible light, infrared, and more. In this newsletter, I am focusing on:
Most of the interventions I’ll cover are related to radio frequencies (RF), which are increasingly prevalent and considered the most harmful. 
A tree that I fell in love on my morning walks while we lived in Florida.
By Courtney Snyder, MD
10 Ideas for Increasing Mental Clarity, Energy, and a Sense of Calm. In the last newsletter, we explored how our hormonal stress response can activate mast cells and microglial cells and disrupt neuronal communication leading to symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, depression, anxiety, mood swings, and in some cases, hallucinations. We live in an increasingly inflammatory world—with more toxins, disruptions to the microbiome, and societal pressures from marketing and media. At the same time, factors that naturally lower stress and reduce inflammation—such as human connection, silence, solitude, and time in nature—are becoming scarce.
The good news is that we have choices. Supporting brain health and overall well-being is about returning to the basics of our humanity—the practices we naturally crave and that help restore balance. In this newsletter, we’ll focus on how to reconnect with these essentials to reduce stress and inflammation for better mental health.
By Courtney Snyder, MD
Whether it's an older child with frequent tantrums or an adult who easily loses their temper, I view angry outbursts as a symptom pointing to deeper root causes. While external triggers may play a role, an individual’s inability to regulate emotions often indicates an underlying biochemical or inflammatory issue. In this newsletter, I'll explore:
The sun making an “i” with the lake during my afternoon walk.
By Courtney Snyder, MD
How Viewing Schizophrenia as a Single Condition Limits the Development and Recognition of Effective Treatments. “If things are not so good, you maybe want to imagine something better." John Forbes Nash, Jr. Many know John Nash, Jr. as the brilliant mathematician portrayed by Russell Crowe in the movie "A Beautiful Mind." While the film doesn’t stay true to Nash’s real story, it does effectively depict his descent into psychosis and severe chronic mental illness.
Schizophrenia affects 1 in 300 people, or about 24 million people worldwide (2.6 million in the U.S.), and remains the most treatment-resistant psychiatric condition.
In this newsletter, using Nash's story as a reference, I will discuss:
Most people with schizophrenia are not brilliant mathematicians or Nobel Laureates; many are homeless. I reference Nash's story because it is widely known and because he likely had the most common form of schizophrenia--undermethylation (shared by 70% of those with this condition). Here are my 10 insights on schizophrenia. 
“Worthy to Receive” - #2 (Cut paper and ink on dining room table)
By Courtney Snyder, MD
Roots, Common Traits, and Healing from Hidden Sources of Chronic Stress. Even if you don’t personally identify with one of the labels in the title, you likely know someone who does. These tendencies are particularly common among those of us in caring professions. However, like all labels, they don't define us completely. People who share these patterns are not identical, nor do they struggle to the same degree. Still, this psychological construct has been repeatedly recognized in mental health circles. Due to its prevalence, it isn't classified as a specific condition or personality disorder in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). Yet, this way of engaging with the world can be both painful and stressful, often limiting our ability to fully enjoy life.
By Courtney Snyder, MD
Although both brain hemispheres are always working together in complex ways, certain attributes are more strongly associated with each side. We engage our left brain when we focus on details—like reaching for a berry. The right brain, on the other hand, scans the bigger picture, helping us spot those berries, notice the nuts nearby, and detect potential dangers in the distance. This distinction matters because many of us can get stuck grasping for berries—whether through addictions, obsessions, or focusing too much on details. We forget to "look up" and see the broader view. Conversely, some get lost in the big picture—overwhelmed by endless possibilities or potential threats—while neglecting the details needed to move forward.
What I love about the left brain vs. right brain model is that it helps us recognize when we need to call on the other half of our brain. Like muscles, if we don't exercise large groups of neurons, they won't be available when we need them. But just like muscles, we can strengthen the neural networks we've been neglecting. Understanding the traits of the left and right brain can highlight where our weaknesses lie.
Each week, I aim to alternate between left and right brain topics to balance things for both my mind and yours. Today, I thought it would be helpful to offer a refresher (or introduction) to this model. Much of what I discuss comes from the insightful book “The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World” by Dr. Iain McGilchrist, a Scottish psychiatrist. It’s a valuable resource for understanding how our brain’s hemispheres shape our experience and behavior. 
One of the copper sunrises here this week - from my window.
By Courtney Snyder, MD
This comment was in response to my 2015 blog post, "Copper Overload: Too Much of a Good Thing”: “I am a primary care physician in Dublin and I attended the Dr Walsh course in Sydney in 2006. I learned a great deal there and I use his work almost every day. High copper in women is very common in Ireland and it is quite easy to bring it down after the first month of treatment. I have been to courses all over the world from Harvard to Cambridge but the course in Australia was the most useful of them all. Every week I utterly change the life of some people and it is a real privilege to have that opportunity.” He effectively articulates what many of us Walsh-trained physicians experience.
Recap
In the previous newsletter, I explored copper overload, its causes, symptoms, and the situations where I suspect high copper levels. These include postpartum depression, ADHD, panic, anger, rage, agitation, hormonally related mood changes or anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, paranoid schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. 
By Courtney Snyder, MD
10 Situations to Consider Copper...Tantrums/Rage, ADHD, Postpartum Depression, Panic & More I'm always eager to share insights on high copper levels, both from what I’ve learned from Dr. William Walsh, PhD, and from my own clinical experience. Copper overload is a common contributor to brain-related symptoms. It's relatively easy to treat, and addressing it can significantly improve a person's quality of life, as well as the lives of those around them. I've previously discussed copper overload in a blog post and podcast episode, this newsletter will focus on the conditions or situations where I often suspect high copper levels. Since copper overload rarely occurs in isolation, I’ll also explore how it interacts with other underlying root causes, such as low zinc, pyrrole disorder, and even mold toxicity. 
By Courtney Snyder, MD
In this podcast, I'll cover:
|
Courtney Snyder, MDFor anyone experiencing brain symptoms. This blog (and weekly newsletter) is your guide to demystifying root causes and learning about surprising paths to healing. From a holistic - functional adult and child psychiatrist dedicated to helping people heal and thrive. Categories
All
Archives
March 2025
|
RSS Feed