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.
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By Courtney Snyder, MD
I look forward to the day when reducing exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) becomes as standard as other basic health practices, such as getting enough sleep and exercise, managing stress, and limiting or avoiding sugar. In the meantime, I hope to convince you in this newsletter why reducing EMF exposure is a smart choice for your improving and maintaining your health. I’ll cover:
As you’ll see, these vulnerabilities often overlap with those associated with brain conditions and chronic complex illnesses.
When I refer to “EMF,” I’m focusing on the more concerning types: radio frequencies, magnetic and electric fields, and dirty electricity. For simplicity, I’ll discuss these collectively, though much of the latest research emphasizes radio frequencies (such as those from cell phones, WiFi, and SMART or wireless technology). 
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:
By Courtney Snyder, MD
Meet the cluster of genes that may be at root of many psychiatric conditions and complex chronic illness, MCAS, EDS, POTS, CIRS & CFS. Meet the RCCX gene cluster — a group of genes that may lie at the root of many psychiatric conditions and complex chronic illnesses, including mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS), and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Hypermobility, characterized by joints that bend beyond the normal range, is surprisingly common among individuals with brain-related symptoms. Using RCCX theory, I will explore why this connection exists.
Although this topic is complex, it is worth understanding. While hypermobility can be a red flag for an RCCX vulnerability, this theory can provide insights into brain symptoms, whether or not you are hypermobile.
I won’t revisit my personal health journey here — which I detailed in the 2017 blog post, "Hypermobility, RCCX Theory, and One Journey From Illness Towards Wholeness." However, if you've followed my writing, you know that I have been affected by many factors: undermethylation with a seemingly slow MAOA gene, copper overload, mast cell activation, candida overgrowth, mold toxicity, hypermobility with upper cervical instability, and electromagnetic hypersensitivity. My health history is actually not unique. Many people suffer from what we refer to as chronic complex illness. Someone who has significantly impacted my understanding is Dr. Sharon Meglathery, M.D., a psychiatrist and internist with a health history similar to mine. We first connected in 2017, and her RCCX theory offers a compelling explanation for both chronic complex illnesses and psychiatric conditions in many individuals, regardless of hypermobility. RCCX theory is particularly useful in understanding how a person who was previously healthy can develop a range of health issues, including brain symptoms such as depression, anxiety, panic, mood swings, and psychosis, following severe stressors or toxic exposures. 
By Courtney Snyder, MD
Mold toxicity is a surprisingly common and significant factor in brain-related symptoms. While you won’t find it frequently mentioned in research on psychiatric conditions, those of us who treat mold toxicity recognize it as a very common cause of these issues: 
Mold toxicity is not the only cause, but it often triggers or interacts with other underlying factors, making it the "root of the roots.
“Seemingly 25% of people are unable to make antibodies to mold toxins. Add to that the 50%* of buildings that have water damage, and you have a lot of people who are unknowingly becoming toxic while spending time in affected homes, schools, workplaces, cars, dorms, and nurseries.” (from my 2019 blog post)
Mold-literate doctors now estimate that around 75% of buildings have some form of water damage, though many inspectors believe it could be closer to 100%.
Mold toxins can affect the brain in numerous and often profound ways. Given its prevalence and the substantial improvement in symptoms we typically see with treatment, I recommend testing for mold toxicity in most (but not all) of the individuals I treat. 
“Tree” - Cut paper, ink and acrylic on wood canvas, 12 x12” (by Courtney Snyder)
By Courtney Snyder, MD
This post goes out to those who are unknowingly deep in the throes of mast cell activation and/or brain inflammation. Though our culture is only starting to consider psychiatric conditions as inflammation of the brain, if you or someone you know has panic attacks, depression, mood swings, ADHD, brain fog, chronic fatigue, PTSD, autism, cognitive issues or even dementia, then you know the destruction neuroinflammation plays in people’s lives. |
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
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