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Tag Archives: functional medicine

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8 Foods for Clear Skin | Tips for Great Healthy Skin

3.0 How to Eat for Great Skin 2

Acne can be a difficult when you have tried many different tactics but nothing seems to work. Acne can usually be traced back to your diet, which is why I created this list of 8 tips and foods for clear skin that you can be proud of.

Number 1 – Water, Water, and more Water. Proper hydration is the key to having vibrant skin. The skin needs moisture in order to maintain its tenacity. Drinking half of your body weight in ounces is the key to healthy hydrated and vibrant skin.

Number 2 – Healthy fats – We know that we are what we eat, but did you know you are also what you digest and assimilate. Even if someone is eating a healthy diet they may not be breaking down that diet into a usable form. If you have elevated liver enzymes, elevated lipids this can be a sign that you are not processing your fats very well, os even an avocado is not digesting well within the system. This can happen for several reasons a toxic liver or a carnitine deficiency are common. Once you uncover the cause then you can help your body savor those healthy fats once and for all. Holistic Family Practice offers advanced Functional Laboratesting Testing to uncover the root causes.

Number 3 – Fruits and Veggies – Fruits and Veggies are key to a healthy body as well as healthy skin. They also help the body repair and rebuild itself while gently detoxifying and providing the body with carbohydrates for energy. As we continue to heal ourselves using food as medicine we discover our skin to express things that were underlying. It is common for the skin to express things that were going on below the surface of the system. Also, breakdowns in carbohydrate metabolism occur and can create a fermentation process within the digestive system.

Number 4 – Organic – It is not a wonder why we have so many complications with our digestive system. Our food these days has been sprayed with many pesticides, herbicides, and now with the advent of GMOs, our digestive systems are confused by these food-like substances. Alas, one can do their part in the process by finding organic options of many fruits and veggies as well as washing food in 11.5 solutions. 11.5 water can be purchased through our practice and is sold by our Alkaline Water Membership.

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Number 5 – Zinc – Zinc is a trace element that the body uses as a part of the immune system. It is also found in the lining of the digestive system and is useful in the metabolism of our macronutrients proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. It attached to over 300 enzymes in the digestive system to support in the digestive process. Zinc can also be applied topically to treat acne, aging skin, as well as speed up wound healing.

Number 6 – Avoid the triggers – Some of us are aware of what foods our bodies do not like. Most commonly dairy, wheat including bread and pasta, gluten-based products, sugars both processed and colorings are the usual offenders however many times people have a sensitivity to foods that they enjoy or ones that are considered healthy. Our Dietary Antigen panel discovers which foods the body has a reaction to and helps to eliminate those out of the diet. When I most recently did mine many of the foods I loved were on there such as Brussel sprouts, and bananas. These were foods that I ate often and enjoyed but were created slow immune-mediated responses in my digestive system. As a result, I eliminate them out for a period of time and reintroduce them back into my diet.

Number 7 – Vitamin E – Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin and is helpful in many non-skin related bodily functions such as movement of the body and vision. However, vitamin e oil when applied topically can help fight off freed radical damage from the skin. Oxidative stress occurs as we age, as our body is exposed to various toxic substances. Vitamin E can help improve the health of the skin by reducing wrinkles and keeping the skin looking youthful as well as healthy. Aging is known to contribute to a deficiency of Vitamin E and it is known that over 50 percent of elderly may have suboptimal vitamin e levels. Such deficiencies can also be attributed to chronic digestive diseases such as irritable bowel, etc as well as many medications which can affect the liver.

Number 8 – Avoid the process – This one may seem like a no-brainer but is something important to mention. If you want your skin to look vibrant than it is important for you to eat foods that are vibrant, not foods that are in a box or a bag. High sodium processed foods can draw the moisture out of the skin and therefore make it appear drier and less nourished. Eating a more whole foods diet of fresh fruits and veggies over processed foods is helpful when helping the body to the health of unhealthy skin effects. I work with a myriad of people with common skin imbalanced. Those that have been long-term suffers from acne, eczema, psoriasis both young and old have all been assisted using naturopathic healthcare. It is a practice and a purposeful one. People with skin imbalances do not magically heal overnight. This can be the frustrating part with many people with skin imbalances, that they want these things to clear up now. Unfortunately, there is no magic pill or magic treatment. It is consistent, deliberate actionable steps that help to shift health over time. Not only with skin conditions, but with any condition the more disciplined you are to the process the more results you will see over the long term.

*All information contained in this blog post is intended for informational and educational purposes only, and is neither intended nor suited to be a replacement or substitute for professional medical treatment nor for professional medical advice relative to a specific medical question or condition.

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How to Improve your Gut Health and Acne for Clear Skin

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All information about gut health and acne contained in this blog post is intended for informational and educational purposes only, and is neither intended nor suited to be a replacement or substitute for professional medical treatment nor for professional medical advice relative to a specific medical question or condition.

Learn how to improve your gut health and acne:

This month we have been focusing all on the skin. Various people are challenged with skin conditions. Some people suffer from dry skin, blemished skin, rashes, pumps, and the dis-ease processes that have manifested itself in the skin. But did you know that skin conditions do not often begin there? In fact, it has been found that many skin conditions are merely an expression of underlying root causes found in the digestive system. The digestive system houses the majority of the hormonal, nervous, and more importantly the immune system.

Once the immune system begins to develop immunological reactions it begins to manifest itself in the skin. Imbalances in the microbiome or the sensitive bacterial ecosystem found in the digestive system can lead to long-term chronic skin disorders. Gut flora can become compromised for various reasons. Poor diet, stress, inadequate sleep, heavy medication or antibiotic usage, poor digestion, and/or food sensitivities are just some of the many causes of skin imbalances. As these causes begin to erode the lining of the digestive system known as the secretory IgA, the lining becomes more permeable allowing toxicities to leak through into the bloodstream. This mechanism is often termed as leaky gut when the lining of the digestive system is allowing toxins to leak through into the bloodstream.

Over time, these immune system invaders seep into the bloodstream and can create many skin imbalances. When speaking with practice members who suffer from skin imbalances, I often describe first healing the GI system from the top down. The top meaning what the person is eating to how they are breaking down that diet to their digestion and assimilation as well as their elimination process. If there are imbalances along the way it can impair the body’s ability to break down digest and assimilate food creating issues within the digestive system.

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Advanced testing is now available to uncover these imbalances right away in order to heal the burdens on the skin once and for all. Dunwoody Labs provides a comprehensive state of the art food sensitivity test that uncovers IgG, IgA, and IgM food responses. This takes the guesswork out of figuring out which foods the body is reacting to in order for the patient to eliminate them completely for a period of time. Dunwoody Labs advanced intestinal permeability test, looks at the lining of the digestive system and helps to understand what things are affecting the lining of the GI system.

Great Plains OAT test or Organic Acid testing helps to understand digestion, assimilation, and absorption of macro as well as micronutrients, while Greta Plains Comprehensive Stool Panel helps to discern any microorganisms that are present within the system that needs to be addressed. We offer these state of the art Functional Laboratory Assessments to help determine and address the root causes of why the body is out of balance.

Sometimes these lab panels can be covered under major medical insurances or can be paid for with an in-office payment plan. These lab tests provide incredible insight in terms of what is out of balance with the person and what needs to be addressed so the skin conditions can clear up once and for all.

*All information contained in this blog post is intended for informational and educational purposes only, and is neither intended nor suited to be a replacement or substitute for professional medical treatment nor for professional medical advice relative to a specific medical question or condition.

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How to Stop Attacking Yourself: A Guide to Health Autoimmune Diseases

4.0 How To stop attacking yourself

Many people judge themselves, critics themselves and often beat themselves up. Remorse, grief, lessons from the past can often come up and haunt people in the present moment. Being unwilling to let go of these ideas, concepts, emotions, from the past creates a lack of unforgiveness in self which can translate to other people. Have you ever noticed that if you become reactive about something presently, it seldom has anything to do with the present moment? Perhaps if you were feeling more forgiving of yourself for previous decision there is a possibility that you may be more forgiving of others in the present moment. I want to encourage everyone to develop a practice of self-forgiveness as this constant picking of yourself apart can translate into an autoimmune condition where the body follows the mind and physiologically begins to pick at its own tissues.

The immune systems major job is to identify self from non-self and once it identifies non-self it goes to work to destroy it using our immune cells. Let’s say if we have been exposed to a bacteria, the body then identifies that the bacteria is a foreign body and then goes to work to identify and attack the bacteria. However, over repeated exposures to non-self in the form of pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, as well as environmental stressors such as heavy metals and chemicals the body is busy trying to distinguish between non-self. Conveniently, we bury unwanted emotions, such as anger, frustration, sadness, regret in various parts of the body. These lower frequency emotions inhibit the function of these areas and thus the body has a difficult time distinguishing self from non-self. Imagine these negative emotions weighing down the functions of these areas, leaving them more susceptible to pathogenic invasions. The regret and lack of forgiveness of self that you may be carrying to protect your heart could manifest into calcifications of the heart which then generates inflammatory processes. Combine a poor diet with a feeling of unworthiness and anger or frustration of self now you are on your way to generating a cardiac event.

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However, if you choose to learn spiritual lessons presented to you instead of resisting them, judging them or others, while processing through the emotions not as a victim yet as a powerful creator meant to turn darkness into life forgiving self and others now you are on your way to not only preventing an autoimmune disease but perhaps eliminating one. I’m not suggesting that it is that easy, or perhaps I am. Who says that the elimination of dis-ease has to be that difficult?. Who says that you are not a powerful creator? Who says that you are not able to heal yourself? Who says that you cannot love yourself unconditionally? And finally who says you cannot transform your health from a collection of symptoms to whole health? I propose that you can, and am able to show you how. Doctor in Latin means teacher and that is my job to teach you how to heal yourself by creating the environment to which healing can occur. Remember that I love you and I am here for you if you are ready to transform your health. Freedom is just a phone call away!

All information contained in this blog post is intended for informational and educational purposes only, and is neither intended nor suited to be a replacement or substitute for professional medical treatment nor for professional medical advice relative to a specific medical question or condition.

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Listening to Your Gut; The Gut Health Connection

3.0 Listening to Your Gut

So, often people ignore proper gut health and may not know about gut health conditions. In fact, many people are completely oblivious to how their digestive system could be the cause of their various health complaints. Quite simply it all begins in the gut. Being present to your gut noises, gas, bloating, bowel habits, and more can be key indicators as to overall health and function of the system. The digestive systems house majority of our immune system, hormonal system, as well as our neurological system so keeping them in good health is key to maintaining our metabolic health. Let’s imagine every time that you eat you have heartburn or indigestion, or perhaps you feel a little nauseous, or maybe even vomit after meals. These are all signs that your digestive system may be off balance. Not having healthy bowel movements after drining plenty of water, as well as fiber can also prevent the body from being able to function on its own. Quite simply if your gut is off balance, then so is your health. Imagine that your gut is the foundation to which your health is built off of, kind of like your blood sugar. As an aspect of digestion if your blood sugar is off balance then so is the rest of your health. Naturopathic doctors, such as myself, work to stabilize and heal the digestive system in an effort to heal the overall system of the body. If a person is experiencing a thyroid complaint the first place we check is the balance in the gut. If a person is experiencing brain fog, to feeling fatigued, again our first check is the digestive system. If a person does not have healthy bowel movements without the assistance of a laxative, then we know the digestive system is off balance. our first priority must be to balance the gut, but how?

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I tend to approach gut healing from the top down. Meaning I begin with how a person is eating first by balancing their macronutrients. Are they eating too many fats and not enough carbs, or are they focusing mainly on protein and nothing else. Once we get a nice balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats then we can start the process of assisting someone in breaking their food down. This can look like enzymes, HCL support, or even food pairing and planning. This guidance is key to having a strong stable digestive system one that is a powerhouse of digestion and assimilation. As we continue to heal downward in the digestive tract we discover more imbalances such as in the small intestines as well as the large intestines which may be littered with infections and coinfections such as parasites, bacterias, fungus, or viruses. Working to heal the body of these foreign infections not only helps free up the digestive system but also the immune system which is commonly bogged down by these pathogens. Reinoculating the system with appropriate microbes such as pre and probiotics as well as key nutrients all found in the gut such as zinc, b complex, folic acid is critical in the restoration of total health and function of the digestive tract.

When healing the digestive system, we always look at the 4 R rule; Remove, Replace, Reinoculate, and Repair. Sometimes we Remove and then Repair while other times we always Reinoculate last. This is where the individual takes place. We focus on working with the individual with their own unique needs. Comprehensive Stool Analysis or Small Intestines Organic Acids Testing can all help to identify the underlying causes to which prevent the overall health and well being of the person. Evaluating nutrient deficiencies as well as increased toxic loads within the body can also help to support the imbalances within the system from both the GI system as well as any subsequent systems that may need support. Looking forward to teaching you more about the digestive system either in a class or a one on one consultation.

All information contained in this blog post is intended for informational and educational purposes only, and is neither intended nor suited to be a replacement or substitute for professional medical treatment nor for professional medical advice relative to a specific medical question or condition.

 

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Signs of an Unhealthy Gut and How to Heal it Naturally

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As a naturopath, I often work with people’s digestive system. Mostly because everything is interconnected to it. Our hormone, neurological, and even our immune system is housed in the majority of our digestive system. Our digestive system is the center of our bodies, also in the region of personal power, self-worth, self-love, and self-acceptance. If our digestive system is unhealthy our entire systems are unhealthy. Gas, pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation is just apart of the symptoms often associated with an unhealthy digestive system. Gut imbalances have also been linked to hormonal imbalances, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, anxiety, depression, eczema, and other chronic health problems. Understanding how the food we eat, and how we break down and assimilate that food is key to beginning the process of healing ourselves. Having food allergies or sensitivities to foods may just be a sign that your digestive system is off balance. Anxiety, depression, mood swings, and irritability may also be chief indicators of digestive imbalances, particularly to the gut flora. Poor memory, concentration, focus, and brain fog are also contributing symptoms when an overabundance of yeast is present in the system. Diabetes, metabolic syndrome, as well as conditions relating to the metabolism, are also generated from poor digestive health. As if these symptoms were not enough frequent infections, chronic yeast infections, autoimmune diseases, and chronic illness are all contributed to a lack of healthy bacteria int he digestive system.

The first step in healing the digestive system is to be mindful of what foods we put into our system. Eliminating proinflammatory foods such as gluten, dairy, corn, soy, eggs, and sugar is often recommended when cleaning the digestive system. It is often not necessary to abstain from these foods forever, yet it is recommended to abstain for awhile while the body heals and repairs itself. As we rebalance the digestive system’s bacterias the body will heal itself and then allow for the body to reintroduce certain foods back into the system. The digestive system tends to appreciate variety, so eating the same foods over and over again does not tend to be recommended as the body begins to develop sensitivities to the foods. This could be because of a variety of reasons such as the herbicides, pesticides, as well as the advent of GMOs in our food. Understanding the current infections is helpful in rebalancing the digestive system. Running a comprehensive stool panel to determine bacterias, parasites, yeasts, and dysbiotic bacterias are key to creating a healthy gut ecology. These infections can be old or new infections and often times viruses the body has been exposed to years ago such as Epstein Barr remain dormant and hinders the entire system from healing. repairing the digestive process including the lining of the digestive system is also important to healing the mucosal barriers of the system.

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Replacing digestive enzymes, hydrochloric acid, B complexes, carnitine, and bile acids that may be lacking support the bodies ability to break down digest, and assimilate whole foods eaten. Without these digestive supportive aids at times the body is not able to break down the food and thus creates unhealthy bacterias in the digestive system. Once the digestion and assimilation process is repaired now the body is ready for reinoculation of healthy bacterias. Understanding the current digestive microbiome and which strains of probiotics are in the system, which ones need growth, and which ones are in abundance can all be found in a comprehensive stool panel. I tend to not recommend things like Kombucha, or Kimchi unless you know the strains being grown as you may or may not know if the strains play well with one another.

Lastly repairing the lining of the digestive system by renourishing the lining with nutrients such as L-Glutamine, as well as other key nutrients such as zinc, vitamin a, c, e and various herbs such as licorice root or slippery elm. repairing and healing the lining is critical in reducing effects of leaky gut, a condition to which the lining of the gut has been compromised allowing toxicity to leaky through into the bloodstream. Autoimmune conditions are prone to this such as those conditions such as arthritis or thyroiditis as the toxicities normally contained in the gut is now leaky into the bloodstream connecting with either endocrine organs or joint capsules. Repairing this linign of the digestive system will prevent any future damages to these axillary organs and depending on the severity of the immune system compromise can repair the other aspects. This is why prevention and swift action is so critical at any given moment the body is either generating health or generating disease process. The trick is to prevent the disease process by building health int he body at all times. We can create a program to help restore your health one step at a time in our practice. By scheduling a first visit in our practice you can move forward in healing your digestive system, preventing many related auxiliary conditions such as fatigue or acne. It is often more difficult, time consuming, and frustrating to treat a manifestation of disease process rather than preventing one from occurring to begin with so even if you do not have a symptom it is important to support the bodies ability to heal itself one step at a time. Currently we offer a complimentary 15 mins wellness visit to assess your health concerns and educate you about the benefits of natural healthcare. Together we can heal your body and heal your life one step at a time.

All information contained in this blog post is intended for informational and educational purposes only, and is neither intended nor suited to be a replacement or substitute for professional medical treatment nor for professional medical advice relative to a specific medical question or condition.

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