Dr. Kelly’s talk will be about…Mending mitochondria damaged by chronic Inflammation: Integrated treatments for Lyme Disease
This event will take place on Tuesday, November 20th at 6:30 pm at the White Bear Lake District Offices. Look for signs to direct you to the meeting room. This event is free and open to all.
Anne Kelly, MD, MPH completed her residency and research fellowship at the University of Minnesota. Her research and clinical practice focused on health care models that improve the lives of children with complex chronic conditions such as autism. To overcome the bureaucratic inefficiencies of the existing health care system, Dr. Kelly conceptualized, founded and secured funding for the “U Special Kids” program. The program has become a nationally recognized model that utilizes nurse practitioners and telemedicine to deliver more efficient and effective care. This first-hand experience has served to inform Dr. Kelly’s vision of the components needed to improve the clinical care of children and adults with complex chronic illnesses. Key elements include empowering individuals to understand and address fundamental factors that contribute to their symptoms, a team that includes nutritionist trained in functional medicine, and access to innovative treatments that accelerate healing and detoxification. Dr. Kelly is currently the founder and president of Nutrition Ignition Inc., the medical director for Holland Biomedical clinic, and completing her certification in Functional Medicine.
Recent advances in our understanding of the critical role mitochondria play in health and chronic illness are helping us improve the outcomes of challenging conditions such as chronic Lyme Disease. Our mitochondria produce our body’s weight in ATP (the cell’s fuel) every day! Chronic inflammation can drain our ATP supply resulting in fatigue, muscle, and joint pain and brain fog. In addition, when tissues are inflamed or injured, the normal electrical charge of the cell membrane is disrupted in that tissue. When cells lose the electrical charge in their membrane “they lose power” and the normal cell functions are reduced. Nutrients are unable to flow into the cells and toxins are unable to be released. This results in increased electrical resistance in the problem area, causing the body’s electrical currents to flow around the damaged tissue.
A number of therapies and nutrition interventions can help support mitochondrial function and repair. The Electro-Acuscope and Electro-Myopulse instruments are promising new technologies that bring about tissue healing in a safe and noninvasive manner. These are FDA-approved, computerized medical instruments that have the capacity to drive the current through the resistance and recharge the cell membrane resulting in the return of “cell power”. Microcurrent frequencies are the very same frequencies our cells use to communicate with the rest of our body, encouraging cells to open their membrane and take in mitochondrial nutrients to generate energy. Microcurrent treatments have been clinically proven to increase ATP generation by mitochondria (the energy source of the cell) by up to 500%. The result of increased energy production by mitochondria is better cell function and excretion of toxic byproducts.
Emerging research is concluding that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) also has a positive effect on mitochondrial function and performance. HBOT has been used to treat patients with numerous disorders, including Lyme disease. This treatment has been shown to decrease cerebral edema, normalize water content in the brain, maintain blood-brain barrier integrity, promote antioxidant defenses, and improve the function of damaged cells.
Mitochondria are especially susceptible to nutrient deficiencies, environmental toxins, and oxidative damage. Strategies to protect mitochondria and improve function include providing nutrients that protect mitochondria from oxidative stress, reducing toxin exposure and growing new mitochondria by exercising.
