Transgender Care Considerations, Mycobiome and Intestinal Fungal Overgrowth, Reward Deficiency Syndrome

Jul 10
TRANSGENDER CARE CONSIDERATIONS

In this series of two lectures you will learn how to serve your transgender and non-binary patients in an affirming and supportive manner. Expect to come away from this course knowing what terms to use when discussing gender identity and sexual orientation, how to set up your office and paperwork to be inclusive, and understanding some of the societal barriers trans patients face. In the second block you will learn what the process of “transitioning” looks like. We will discuss hormone therapy, surgical procedures, vocal coaching, electrolysis, and more so that you can feel confident supporting your patients as the transition.

From this course you will:
  • Be able to speak with providers and patients about gender identity and sexual orientation in an appropriate way.
  • Know how to make your practice paperwork, office, and care more gender affirming.
  • Understand the obstacles and discrimination that transgender patients face in healthcare and society.
  • Be aware of the increased risk for mental health, substance use, and suicide in the transgender community and screen accordingly.
  • Have a broad level understanding of the medical process of “transitioning” so you can help patients navigate that process.
  • Be able to provide resources to patients for hormone therapy, surgery, vocal coaching, and electrolysis.
  • Know where to find more education if you want to be able to provide gender affirming hormones in your practice.


MYCOBIOME & INTESTINAL FUNGAL OVERGROWTH

In this course on intestinal fungal overgrowth (IFO), Dr. Altman will discuss what predisposes one to developing IFO and why it is problematic. She will differentiate small intestinal bacterial overgrowth from small intestinal fungal overgrowth and discuss the significant overlap in these conditions. She will also discuss testing and treatment options, including dietary, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and herbal therapies. Finally, Dr. Altman will discuss what to consider in persistent or difficult to treat cases and will wrap up the discussion by presenting a challenging and complex IFO case.

From this course you will
  • Learn the common underlying causes of IFO.
  • Understand the most common signs and symptoms associated with IFO, as well as those that may be less common in the literature but are frequently seen clinically.
  • Learn how to diagnose SIFO and LIFO.
  • Become familiar with the overlap in SIBO and SIFO in terms of symptoms as well as co-occurrence
  • Become familiar with dietary, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and herbal treatments for IFO.
  • Learn what considerations should be made in chronic, persistent, recurrent or difficult to treat cases. 

REWARD DEFICIENCY SYNDROME

Our brain’s reward circuitry strongly influences how we feel, how motivated we are, what our desires are, and it also directs many of our behaviours. When this circuitry goes awry the manifestations are wide and very often, clinically puzzling.

Your patients with Reward Deficiency Syndrome are much more susceptible to:
  • Addictions (drugs, alcohol, gambling, shopping, sex, gaming, food)
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • ADHD
  • Eating disorders
  • Risk-taking and novelty-seeking behaviours
  • Low ambition
  • Insomnia and irregular sleep patterns
  • Difficulty maintaining healthy relationships
  • Brain fog
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Difficulty making decisions and delaying gratification.


Reward Deficiency Syndrome is typically a life-long condition when not addressed and beside the mental health issues affects people’s relationships, jobs, finances and their general quality of life is severely diminished. Because of the large range of effects, these people struggle in many aspects of their lives. Dr Jess Armine gives a brilliant overview of the process of Reward Deficiency Syndrome and why these people develop the difficulties and conditions they are presenting with. He also goes into detail on the causes, including the genetic component, and gives a clear outline of what you can do to help them.

From this course you will:
  • Learn how to identify Reward Deficiency in your patients
  • Understand why the reward circuitry impacts so many physiological functions
  • Be able to explain to patients why the feel they way they do and struggle with so many of life's challenges
  • Learn the causes and contributors to Reward Deficiency Syndrome
  • Know which specific genes predispose to Reward Deficiency Syndrome
  • Have clear protocols and care plans for these often difficult patients