How FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE Can Treat OCD | Mark Hyman & Dr. George Papanicolaou
28,355
Published 2021-09-27
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, affects approximately 2.2 million adults and 500,000 children in the US. Individuals with OCD often experience impulsive and intrusive thoughts that replay in the mind, in addition to behaviors such as excessive cleaning and repetitive counting. While conventional medicine approaches OCD as a chemical issue, Functional Medicine looks at genetic components, inflammation, gut health, and other lifestyle influences in its treatment of OCD.
In this episode, Dr. Hyman discusses OCD with Dr. George Papanicolaou. They discuss just how debilitating this condition can be and share case studies of how they have treated patients with this condition.
George Papanicolaou is a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and is Board Certified in Family Medicine from Abington Memorial Hospital. He is also an Institute for Functional Medicine Practitioner. Upon graduation from his residency he joined the Indian Health Service. He worked on the Navajo reservation for 4 years at the Chinle Comprehensive Medical Facility where he served as the Outpatient Department Coordinator. In 2000, he founded Cornerstone Family Practice in Rowley, MA. He practiced with a philosophy centered on personal relationships and treating the whole person, not just not the disease. He called that philosophy “Whole Life Wellness”. Over time as the healthcare system made it harder for patients to receive this kind of personal care Dr. Papanicolaou decided a change was needed. He began training in Functional Medicine through the Institute of Functional Medicine. In 2015, he established Cornerstone Personal Health—a practice dedicated entirely to Functional Medicine. Dr. Papanicolaou joined The UltraWellness Center in 2017.
This episode is brought to you by Rupa Health and Athletic Greens.
Rupa Health is a place for Functional Medicine practitioners to access more than 2,000 specialty lab tests from over 20 labs like DUTCH, Vibrant America, Genova, Great Plains, and more. You can check out a free live demo with a Q&A or create an account at RupaHealth.com/.
Athletic Greens is offering Doctor’s Farmacy listeners a full year supply of their Vitamin D3/K2 Liquid Formula free with your first purchase, plus 5 free travel packs. Just go to athleticgreens.com/hyman to take advantage of this great offer.
All Comments (21)
-
Separating brain and body always sounded silly to me. The brain is by definition a part of the body
-
i want to win the lottery so i can be treated by these doctors and finally be healed and live a normal life
-
Finally drs that have a brain and listen! My god i wish you could help me and save me ive been so sick since a child and undiagnosed with OCD and ptsd, systemical thrush all through my body since a child making me so sick, constant suicidal thoughts, buzzing in my head, allergies, distention of my stomach i look 6 months pregnant, burning of my bladder like constant bladder infections, allergies to animals, foods, etc. Flash backs, panic attacks, anxiety. Itching in the vagina constantly, brain fog, constant negative thoughts, trauma from childhood, the list goes on. I can't deal with life its so hard to live. Always wishing someone would save me from my hell.
-
I'm grateful for this discussion. People in the comments section are able to discuss and help each other
-
That's it, i'm booking an appointment at the Ultra Wellness Center
-
I am obsessive about understanding my ocd. Who is with me?
-
such a great informative video! thanks for all that you do!
-
WHOOPS! I was very sick with chronic fatigue. AFTER my husband died from a prescription medicine (AVODART—used for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia) I was grieving and simply started fasting. Then I went to one meal a day (having never heard of OMD). I stopped wheat and milk. I took a multiple vitamin with B6 and zinc. I got better for one year. Thought I was well. Not sure but I think mold is the issue. Please address mycotoxins! It’s like the elephant in the room here guys!
-
Functional medicine and natural treatments are the best. If only conventional inept doctors practiced real medicine we wouldn't be as sick.
-
Yes, IBS leaky gut can cause issues with serotonin production. Fixing leaky gut is a short term solutions to treat OCD because that will not rewire the brain effectively. Long term answer is addressing the underlying childhood trauma. By saying that if one can overcome addictions to excess fatty and sugary food, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, party street drugs, social media, music, technology, shopping etc and become minimalist for 6 months, there is a big chance that OCD should become lot less.
-
9:25 probiotics for ocd
-
We need more functional medicine being practiced
-
"It is in your head." Is a dismissive statement generally said when the "medical care provider" is "clueless." I was once told that my plantar fasciitis was only in my head!
-
Not just CBT, but ERP. These docs need to specify Exposure response prevention, because thats whats actually effective
-
Thank you. What is the name of the genetic analysis in which you found the blueprint of the enzyme?
-
They mention that people with OCD may lack certain strains of bacteria in their gut. But which ones? How do you reintroduce those?
-
You two are so smart! I wish I had somebody like you guys here in St Pete Florida to work on me. Symptoms: swollen feet lower legs, Brain fog, bph, dry i
-
Had it since 8 years old...father, his sister, maternal grandmother also but it became unbearable after major dental work with mercury fillings between 6th and 7th grade! Dental mill dentistry is real...I quit going to the dentist with one more appointment supposedly to fill one more....3 years later had a toothache, went to new dentist..got teeth cleaned and had a little sore gum...that's all...no cavities...they used me and filled my mouth with mercury ...also at time of first round of fillings depression entered...happy ending? Yes, understanding what it was and now later in life diet changes and intermittent fasting has brought so much good change and no one that has known me can deny it...I am still using cognitive behavior techniques to help me but the depression is lighter and I don't stay stuck and exhausted anymore...no medications...I have been better for over 12 years...my doctors are also impressed.
-
You were talking about strep, lime etc causing OCD, Autism (schizophrenia in other episodes). And potential treatment of the cause relieving the symptoms. Is it only implied when the cause is an environmental trigger? How do (if they do) the same symptoms get relieved if the cause is a gene mutation?
-
Any tips on how to deal with OCPD?
