The Metabolic Code was developed by James LaValle, RPh, CCN as a part of Integrative Health Resources and the clinical team headed by Andrew Heyman M.D. in conjunction with Pamela Smith, M.D.. Its purpose is to define important physiologic interrelationships that mediate health and disease. There is emerging science to show that specific processes or systems in the body work in concert to maintain homeostasis. When this balance is disrupted, through factors such as stress, poor diet, environmental exposures, genetic individuality or medication use, these intrinsic homeostatic mechanisms begin to alter and break down. Early disruptions can accumulate over time and build towards a significant shift to disease state processes.

The Metabolic Code Triad system creates a framework to assess and treat patients by first understanding these important interrelationship hierarchies, and then provides specific treatment recommendations. The Metabolic Code Triad Training is a breakthrough approach in clinical medicine that serves to organize complex patient presentations into a unified treatment approach.

The module will cover five triads that together underlie the clinical framework of the Metabolic Code. Case-based teaching forms a central part of the training, ensuring that the learner gains specific tools and techniques to effectively treat patients immediately after completing the course.

Triad 1: Adrenals-Thyroid-Pancreas

Triad 1 reviews the significant physiologic, reciprocal relationships between cortisol levels, thyroid functions and insulin sensitivity. Patients often report fatigue and depression, while progressing towards insulin resistance and auto-immunity when this triad deteriorates. This lecture will explore these interactions, common clinical presenting symptoms, and how to effectively manage them therapeutically.

Triad 2: Gut-Immune-Brain

Triad 2 reviews the physiologic relationships between the digestive tract, immune system and brain. We will also examine the important role stress plays as a mediator of these interconnections. Understanding Triad 2 is critical to evaluating patients with complex presentations such as fibromyalgia, auto-immune diseases, cancer, mood disorders, cognitive impairments, and digestive problems.

Triad 3: Cardio-Pulmonary - Neuro-Vascular

Triad 3 reviews the physiologic relationships between mood, the central and peripheral nervous systems, and cardiac function. The brain, mind, lungs and heart are connected in intimate ways, with early disturbances leading to endothelial dysfunction, a precursor to hypertension, vascular pathologies and heart disease.

Triad 4 - Liver Lymph Kidney

Triad 4 reviews the interrelationships between the 'drainage' systems of the body including the liver, lymph and kidneys. There is a growing awareness of the impact environmental toxins have on human physiology. Organophosphates, chemical byproducts, heavy metals, antibiotics, and hormones all contribute to many chronic diseases. It is critical that health practitioners learn methods to assess the clinical burden of environmental exposure and acquire tools to safely remove these factors from their patients.

Triad 5 - Estrogen Progesterone Testosterone

Triad 5 reviews the role sex hormones play in human health. Their decline with age contributes to the worsening of the most common chronic illnesses and creates a large burden on quality of life for many men and women. Understanding how to balance, and restore when appropriate, these hormones is a centerpiece of any anti-aging practice. Estrogen, progesterone and testosterone will be explored in detail with regard to normal functioning, and in particular how they interrelate in the context of human physiology. Methods of assessment and treatment will be reviewed for both men and women.