Vital Mind Functional Medicine

12/31/2025

This is a "hot off the press" report on a clinical trial done to improve Alzheimer's using "precision medicine." Precision Medicine is looking at an individuals biomarkers- and prioritizing interventions, mostly lifestyle, for improving cognition. The results are clearly better than the "best" medical therapy we have (Lecanemab). These are the assessments and interventions we use at Vital Mind and I am fortunate to be mentored by several of the authors. The best advice I heard at this month's town hall, is "don't wait." Gains are best seen early on in the disease process, when you have subjective or mild cognitive impairment.

Happy New Year to all, and I hope that everyone is enjoying time with loved ones. Meanwhile, we have very exciting results from our randomized controlled trial, and these have just been posted as a preprint: https://www.preprints.org/frontend/manuscript/8118568f183e2ba91ec2a1d3b3d08fb9/download_pub . These results will be submitted for peer review in February; here is a summary of some of the key findings:

(1) Our protocol produced statistically significant improvements in memory, executive function, brain processing speed, and overall cognition, whereas the standard of care treatment did not;
(2) cognitive symptoms were markedly improved by our protocol, as noted both by the patients and their partners;
(3) statistically significant improvements in multiple health parameters occurred with our protocol: better blood pressure, body mass index, insulin sensitivity, hemoglobin A1c, lipid profiles (“cholesterol”), and methylation.
(4) The overall effect of our protocol was greater than any other treatment for cognitive decline—and 600% better (i.e., 7 times) the effect of Leqembi, the Alzheimer’s drug (you can see this in Figure 10 in the preprint).

Here’s to continued great progress in 2026—let’s all work together to reduce the global burden of dementia. We can do it.

11/30/2025

Are you noticing a sudden wave of headlines claiming a single supplement, enzyme, or molecule “reverses Alzheimer’s”?
Before you jump on the bandwagon, here’s the part those articles don’t mention:

Most of these studies are done in mice genetically engineered to act like they have Alzheimer’s. That’s not the same thing as the real, messy, human condition.

And here’s the kicker: a recent study (linked in comments) compared clinical diagnoses with post-mortem brain analysis and found that only 7% of people diagnosed with dementia had pure Alzheimer’s pathology—the classic plaques and tangles without anything else going on.

Only seven percent.

This just reinforces what many of us in brain health have been saying for years:
The disease we casually call “Alzheimer’s” is usually a mixed picture with multiple root causes—not a single, simple condition with a single, simple fix.

So stay curious, stay cautious, and always look beyond the headline.

11/08/2025

Great session North Carolina Integrative Medical Society NCIMS. Alix Arcuni Wicker you should check it out. Great vendors with innovative supplements. Did you know your can improve detoxification with essential oils? No oral supplements necessary Vibrant Blue Oils

09/19/2025

It has been shown that varying your weight by more than 5 percent leads to worsening cognitive outcomes. Our goal is to manage weight by gaining muscle and improving your blood sugar.

08/24/2025

I've mentioned before that special sleep supplements called Orexin inhibitors (such as Belsomra) may be benifical to those with Alzheimer's disease. This article gives us a mechanism as to why, and an exciting idea of using home EEGs to map out affected areas of the brain. https://www.neurologylive.com/view/exploring-orexin-neuron-loss-an-early-driver-sleep-disturbances-alzheimers?fbclid=IwY2xjawMX8SFleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF5VHVmN2hWbUk3VWY2MU1vAR61cgQTwJo5aFbwoTB82HwEdEwyM7QOPpAHn07RK0ogOwDCpcACuJ_NGWGkEg_aem_TmRi_Uc1Kkp0twsqc7LW3w

Lea Grinberg, MD, PhD, a neuropathologist at Mayo Clinic Florida, discussed how tau accumulation and orexin neuron loss drive early sleep disturbances in Alzheimer disease and the potential for sleep-based biomarkers.

08/11/2025

Curious about Lithium? Supplemental Lithium Prorate only and always under medical supervision.

08/07/2025

08/07/2025

Struggling with brain fog? Here are some non-routine but inexpensive tests you can get to discover root causes of cognitive decline.

They are not typically covered under insurance, but relatively inexpensive.

08/05/2025

Just 20 minutes enhances cognitive function.

07/31/2025

Hi, I’m Cheryl Wicker, your brain health nurse practitioner.
🧠 Let’s talk about something most people don’t realize…
Glucose—the sugar your body uses for energy—can actually get trapped in the brain.
And when it builds up? It turns toxic.
🧪 This toxic glucose triggers the buildup of tau proteins—one of the major hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. And over time, it literally shrinks the part of your brain that holds your memories.
💡The problem?
You won’t see this on a routine lab test.
Just like fatty liver disease, where glucose builds up silently until it’s too late, your brain can store excess glucose long before any red flags show up in your labs.
🧬 That’s why in my practice, we go deeper.
We check insulin levels—not just glucose.
Because if your insulin is high, it means your body can’t burn off that extra sugar… and your brain? It’s paying the price.
✅ The good news?
Even if genetics are working against you, insulin resistance is one of the most reversible factors in brain health.
🥦🚶‍♀️💤
Through nutrition, movement, and sleep—we can shift the tide.
🧠✨Your brain can change.
Let’s stop guessing and start knowing.

07/28/2025

What supplements do you need for optimal brain health? It depends. Test, don't guess. I can steer you in the right direction

07/24/2025

Brain cells can regenerate. But they need help. Let me tell you about BDNF.