Daniel
Forum Replies Created
-
Hey @Annie ,
The type of approach depends a bit on what causes discoid eczema. Research shows there is not
one single cause”. Here are some common causes:- Skin Barrier Dysfunction: Impaired skin barrier makes the skin prone to moisture loss and irritation.
- Allergens / Irritants: Reaction to environmental allergens, soaps, detergents, or perfumes.
- Dry Skin: Dry, cold climates or frequent hot showers strip natural oils and worsen symptoms.
- Infections: Bacterial infections, particularly Staphylococcus aureus, can aggravate the condition.
- Stress: Stress maybe not a cause of discoid eczema, but it can exacerbate eczema due to its impact on immune function.
Focusing on optimizing immune function plays a role in all causes. This is why vitamin D seems to bring relief to discoid eczema. Other nutrients may play a role as well: zinc, vitamin A, and B vitamins (you know the B12 levels?).
Skin also has a protective layer called the “Skin barrier”. This barrier usually contains fat. A diet with good healthy fats can provide not only the nutrients for the skin barrier but help with resolving the inflammation that accompanies discoid eczema. Specific Omega 3s can help resolve inflammation. Sources should contain EPA and DHA. This means plant-based omega 3s won’t help however, marine-based omega 3s (like in fish oil or krill oil) can.
The gallbladder and liver play an important role in fat digestion. If they don’t work well, this too can lead to a dry skin. A liver function test done by your doctor could provide insight. Ruling out gallbladder issues as well of course. I’m going to assume your daughter is still a kid and therefore these issues are less likely.
Iron deficiency can play a role as well. With iron deficiency a broken skin barrier is more likely. Measuring serum hemoglobin, iron AND ferritin can give you a clue as to if your daughter is Iron deficient.
Keep the skincare basic. Washing it too much or using soaps containing irritants can cause harm. The skin barrier can be “washed away”.
Natural antibiotics could help if an infection is at play. With discoid eczema, there isn’t much research to back it up, but it is worth a try. Honey and Aloe Vera gel are easily applied to the skin and have antimicrobial properties. Some fats (like coconut oil) have anti-microbial properties as well, however they could clog the pores leading to different skin problems.
In summary:
– Support the immune system with nutrients (Vit D, Vit A, zinc, bioavalable B vitamins containing methylcobalamine and methyl-folate)
– Help the body resolve inflammation with Omega 3 sources
– Check lab values that asses iron status (and liver and gallbladder wellbeing)
– Keep your soaps “clean”, don’t wash to often and to hot.
– Use natural anti-microbials that can be applied to the skin.
To the other questions I’m missing a bit of context. Perhaps you could message me the link to the earlier question you’ve asked?
I hope this answer helps!
- This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by Daniel.
-
Hey @dxb,
Functional Adaptation
Elevations in HDL and LDL are often a sign of “something”. Small elevations might simply be a functional adaptation to lifestyle choices.For example: a diet heavy in animal proteins and (healthy) fats can cause LDL and HDL to rise. Animal proteins in nature are almost always accompanied by fats. When we eat more animal proteins, we eat often without realising more fats. What does this have to do with HDL and LDL?
HDL and LDL are Lipoproteins and they play a crucial role in the transport of lipids (fats) throughout the body. When we eat more fats, we need more transport vehicles. Although this is a functional adaptation, really high LDL values are still a concern and it’s better to lower the cholesterol values into the ideal range.
Underlying conditions:
Since LDL is borderline high and HDL is high I would dive deeper into other causes. HDL can act as an anti-oxidant in case there is some oxidative stress present in the body. Finding what causes oxidative stress can be related to other underlying conditions.For example: conditions like hypothyroidism, insulin resistance, kidney problems or liver issues can raise LDL. Are there other symptoms you are currently experiencing? If so, let us know.
You can find Signs & symptoms of hypothyroidism & blood sugar imbalances in other courses. I’ve linked them below:
– Signs & Symptoms of Hypothyroidism
– Signs & Symptoms of Blood sugar imbalances (use this link: https://bbettermembership.com/courses/blood-sugar-regulation/lessons/the-phases-of-dysfunction-phase-1-2-signs-symptoms/)
Signs & symptoms of kidney issues can vary like changes in urination, swelling (edema), fatigue, high blood pressure, nausea, and shortness of breath due to impaired waste removal and fluid balance.
You can recognize liver problems by the following symptoms: jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), abdominal pain, fatigue, nausea, and pale stools.
Female sex hormones:
Another player that could influence cholesterol production is relatively high estrogen compared to progesterone. This happens in certain stages of female life naturally. In the 10 years of menopause progesterone slowly declines leaving relatively high estrogen levels in females. This can also cause LDL cholesterol to rise.
Conclusion
Many things could contribute to elevations in LDL and HDL. Dietary choices like a high-fat diet high in calories, and a diet high in sugars and/or processed foods often can raise LDL cholesterol. Blood sugar imbalances and hypothyroidism are the most common health conditions that could elevate LDL.I didn’t mention stress yet, but yes… stress can play a big role as well
I know this answer might raise a lot of new questions. Feel free to ask!
- This reply was modified 3 months, 1 week ago by Daniel.
bbettermembership.com
Join B Better, a holistic health community offering expert advice, live Q&A sessions, and wellness resources. Start your free 5-day trial today and take charge of your well-being—no credit card required!
-
Hey @Annie
There are protein powders you could use. I like the protein powders from Designs for Health. You can find their products also on Fullscript (just click here!)where you can order them with a discount. I often use them when I’m doing a detox program. I like the way they saturate me as well.
Although flavour is very personal, I like the vanilla and chocolate options. If compliance is a problem, flavour often becomes an important factor. Vanilla is easy because you can change the taste more easily. You could for example make a protein smoothie with banana, blueberries and coconut water to make the taste more palatable.
Is there any specific reason why your son has trouble with getting more protein? Perhaps knowing what his problem is will help us give better advice.
-
Hey @iryna_klevetenko ,
In the symptom dictionary, you can find a list of recommendations. Just click here.
Gout is caused by elevations of uric acid in the blood that form urate crystals in the joint(s). Uric acid levels can rise for various reasons. A diet high in purines could for example be the cause (see symptom dictionary for examples of foods). Alcoholic beverages are also a source of purines. Some alcohol (beer for example) is worse because, on top of the alcohol, the beverage itself can be a direct source of purines.Sugary foods are a source of fructose and fructose, just like alcohol can cause uric acid to elevate.
Vitamin C can protect the body from the effects of high uric acid levels in the body. Vitamin C from foods would be best, but a supplement can help you as well. Available research shows that 500 milligrams of vitamin C per day may be beneficial for the prevention of gout.
Since gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis an anti-inflammatory lifestyle will help:
- Remove processed carbohydrates (like white flour, and sugary foods) and processed foods (like processed meats)
- Prioritize sleep and avoid stress
- Add in anti-inflammatory foods like olive oil, certain berries, fruit, vegetables, and spices. Be careful with fish though since fish can be a source of purines
- Consider anti-inflammatory supplements like curcumin and purified, molecularly distilled fish oil
I hope this answer helps!
Daniel
- This reply was modified 4 months ago by Daniel.
-
Hey @LAK ,
Many factors could play into the advice your friend has been given, so it’s hard to reply to that part. I can however clarify the relationship between the MTHFR mutation – or SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism).
Elevations in homocysteine are considered as a risk factor for clotting. Homocysteine is normally broken down to Methionine and can be measured by doctors. Common causes for elevated homocysteine are a deficiency in vitamin B12 and/or folate. Other vitamins play a part as well. For example, vitamins B6 and B2 play a role as well.
People with the MTHFR mutation have an extra challenge: they can’t convert folate as effectively into the bioactive form methyl-folate. This could cause a deficiency in methyl-folate causing homocysteine to rise. But not necessarily! A lot of people with the MTHFR mutation have balanced levels of homocysteine. Nutrition and lifestyle play a part as well.
As to the second part of your question, I’m not sure what toxic gas the FP was referring to. Perhaps you could provide us with more details on this topic so we might be able to help you better!
-
Hey @healthyliving99
First of all, exciting news! Congratulations!
Since your pregnant you have to share your nutrients with your new family member. It is quite normal for ferritin (the storage form of iron) to drop during the third trimester in regular pregnancies. For a good interpertation of lab values it’s important to know the reference ranges provided by the lab that examined your blood.
That we don’t have them, doesn’t mean we can’t give you some answers, but if you like to have a deeper dive on what is happens with these lab values during pregnancy you can look in table 2 of this research paper.
Since you are sharing your iron, it is common for pregnant women to see a drop in hemoglobin, iron and ferritin. If you’re already experiencing anemia in the beginning of the pregnancy it is important to get your iron markers up and have good quality en quantity of red blood cells. It are the red blood cells that transport oxygen and make metabolism possible.
Choosing to work with injecting iron is the fastest way to get iron up. Maybe you are worried about the fact that your Hb remained the same in the third trimester, but it is quite common for Hb, iron and feritin to drop in the third trimester. Your Hb remaining the same is actually good news. You’ve even managed to get your ferritin up.
I do challenge you to dive a little deeper into investigating why your iron was low in the first place?
- Was iron in your food? (for example: are you on a plant based diet?)
- Is iron being well absorbed?
- We need strong stomach acid production and enzymes to cut out the iron from foods. These enzymes in the stomach need vitamin C to do their job
- A lingering simmering infection can cause the body to choose to sequester iron away from the bloodstream since bacteria and viruses both need iron to reproduce
- Was your copper measured (this is usually not examined in traditional medicine)? Copper deficiency can mimic iron deficiency.
- Do you have heavy blood loss during your cycle and did you start with low(-ish) iron before pregnancy?
If you would like to learn more about what could cause iron deficiency, check out this video as well.
Another thing to consider is the form of iron in your supplements. We have a video explaining what to look for in your supplements. Bernadette explains it well in this video
The change in numbers is quite good considering the pregnancy and considering you were dealing with an iron deficiency. Symptoms however are leading: we aren’t treating numbers, but symptoms. If you feel better, you’re on the right track!I hope this answers your questions!
-
Hey @Inga-55
I like the products of Thorne since they are third-party tested and don’t use binders and fillers in their supplements. This prenatal vitamin is from them. Best would be to consume this multivitamin with food.
Ginger can help with nauseau in some pregnant women. Unfortunatelly not with everyone. You should at least have consumed it a few days in a row before the best effects though. Did your daughter tried that?
Other things she could try are aromatherapies with essential oils. Some women experience relief with essential oils like mint, lemon or orange. Vitamin B6 can also help. The multivitamin of Thorne contains a small amount and could be helpfull there as well.
If these things don’t help, studies have showed that acupressure and acupuncture can bring relief as well.
I hope she finds some relief soon!
-
Hey @Inga-55
Good question! Although it’s hard to evaluate every ingredient on the labels, I will help you understand some of them so you can make more educated choices! When choosing a good product I like to answer these two questions as well as possible:
1. Are there ingredients on the list that we know of that are harmful?
2. How well are the ingredients on the list chosen to fulfil the main goal of the product?
Body Wash (Brand Essentials, Pro Silk Body and Personal Care)
It’s a good start that this product doesn’t contain parabens or dyes. However, with question 1 in mind, some ingredients do pop out. The ingredient “fragrance” is not specified and can still contain ingredients that don’t serve your health as well. Methyl(chloro)isothiazolinone has been related to health problems like allergies, skin irritations and long irritations when inhaled. The Canadian government has even forbidden the use of this compound in cosmetic products and allows a very very tiny bit in rins-off products.The main ingredient is Sodium Laureth Sulfate which is often used in shampoo and soaps because it dissolves fats. Unfortunately, because the skin barrier (which helps protect the skin) is fatty, this compound will also break down this skin layer. On top of that, this compound can cause irritated skin in some people.
Moisturizing Lotion (B Pure)
Ethylexyl palmitate is the main ingredient of this lotion. Although this lotion’s goal is to moisturize, the main ingredient is listed as a skin irritant on the website of the Environmental Working Group (If you like to, you can search for ingredients yourself on their website. Just navigate to: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/)Hyaluronic Acid
Here we see the same ingredient coming back: Ethylexyl palmitateFacial Serum
One of the top ingredients here is propylene glycol. We know you shouldn’t consume this compound because we expect it to be toxic to the organ system. Propylene glycol does however enhance skin absorption which means the skin gets more “open” so that other compounds can enter the body more easily, including propylene glycol itself. Therefore it wouldn’t be something I personally like in my skin care products.If you like to explore safer options, we do have a handout that dives deeper in how to avoid toxins. Just click here!
-
Hey @Annie
Like Bernadette mentioned: in some cases, some people don’t respond well to a certain supplement. We are all unique and sometimes what works for many people simply causes problems in another.That being said…
Not all interactions between medications and supplements are well described. If he is taking this supplement together with his medications, he could try to take this supplement away from his medication and see if this resolves the problem!
-
Hey @Annie ,
Could you tell us what kind of discomforts we are talking about? This will help us to determine what could be the problem. Other things that will help provide us with insight are:
– How fast after taking his supplement he experiences the discomfort
– What symptoms/disease is he trying to recover from? (If you wrote about this on another topic, a reference to this post will be enough. Since I’m still exploring the new functions of the new platform myself I’m not sure if I have missed this post)
– What other supplements/medications is he currently taking? This includes PPIs and other over-the-counter medications.
– How does his current diet look like?
Let us know and we can help you with a more detailed answer!
-
Hey
Garlic contains a compound called alliin, which transforms into allicin when you crush the garlic (or chew it) under the influence of an enzyme. Allicin is a sulfur-containing molecule with many beneficial properties (think detoxification, it’s antimicrobial, helps lower cholesterol, and it’s been studied for other health benefits as well). Unfortunately, allicin can cause the typical ‘garlic breath’. In bigger dosages, it can be transported through the bloodstream and leave through the lungs and skin.
- With garlic breath, when allicin is not transported through the lungs, you can remove the breath by eating/chewing on parsley.
- Stainless steel can remove garlic smell from hands
Unfortunately I don’t know any trick (besides reducing the amount) that will help reduce skin odor. Mixing it with food might be something you could try, but this is based on personal experience, not on scientific research.
Good tips that help preserve fresh garlic is freezing:
- You can store the unpeeled whole cloves in the freezer
- Peel your cloves and then blend them in a food processor or blender with an oil. Because the oil won’t freeze completely, you can easily scrape some pureed garlic
off for use in cooking.
Is there a special reason why you’re eating 1-2 fresh garlic gloves?
-
Daniel
MemberJuly 2, 2024 at 10:09 pm in reply to: Results are in for mosaic lab tests. Oat, urine and hair heavy metal@Annie Sye,
It would be easier to check if some symptoms he presents remind you of this condition. Symptoms usually present early in life (at the age before 10) or a little later in atypical cases. Symptoms you’re looking for are involuntary muscle movements, speech difficulties, trouble with walking, some people develop vision loss or personality changes. It’s very rare, but since the OAT test showed elevated vitamin B5 and there is evidence that schizophrenia is linked to neurodegeneration I felt like mentioning it.
A high intake of supplements can also cause the elevation of vitamin B5. But if he didn’t take a B5 supplement recently it’s hard to tell if this will show up on the test. I don’t know how long ago this was and how long he took the dose. Vitamin B5 leaves the body quickly, but I have no experience with these dosages. It is however a more common reason for higher levels of B5 in the body.
Vitamin B6 supplement
I often recommend my clients to use B vitamins in a B complex formula. The exception would be vitamin B12. Basic B from Thorne is a product I like. I usually recommend half a capsule per day to start with and see how people feel about that.I hope this information helps you!
-
Daniel
MemberJuly 1, 2024 at 10:21 pm in reply to: Results are in for mosaic lab tests. Oat, urine and hair heavy metalHey @Annie Sye,
With vitamin B6 I usually recommend my clients a low & slow approach since it is involved in the production of neurotransmitters. I also would recommend they to use the biologically available form (pyridoxal 5 phosphate). 50 mg B6, although it has been used, is still quite a lot.
I’m not sure why his current vitamin B5 is elevated. There could be some hidden exposure from food sources. It is for example added to beverages or breakfast cereals sometimes. Reading the labels will give you more insight. In rare cases, pantothenic acid (the scientific name for vitamin B5) can also be metabolized badly. This happens in people who suffer from PKAN (pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration). Although observed levels in the OAT are usually higher in the last case, it’s still worth ruling out in his case since he is suffering from schizophrenia.
Fungal overgrowth
The OAT shows indeed evidence of a fungal overgrowth. Arabinose is also elevated and more indicative for Candida. I’m under the impression you might already know some stuff about this topic, so I’ll keep the advice on this topic brief. Just let me know if you need more information. This video helps you choose botanical antifungals if you consider them an option. This handout could also be of use. The mold & mycotoxin course might give you a deeper dive into all things mold related.Kidney function
Do you know the elevations of this specific marker you refer to? And is this specific marker creatinine by any chance? I’m asking because it might influence how to read the lab reports. -
Hey @Yasmin atassi,
Gene tests are great! They can provide you with insights into your unique strengths and weaknesses. That being said, it’s good to be aware that not even if you have a faster or slower working enzyme because your genetic code is slightly different, it doesn’t mean it determines health outcomes only. What you eat, what you do, stress or shortly the environment in which you move plays a very big factor as well. And that’s good news!
MTHFR/MTR
These genes both play a role in the methylation cycle. Your MTR codes for a variation on an enzyme that works a bit more quickly than average, while your MTHFR is a little slower.What does that mean?
In the methylation cycle methionine gets converted to homocysteine and back. The enzyme that codes for MTR will speed up the step before making methionine, while the MTHR gene, which helps the conversion of methionine to homocysteine is slowed down. Does this mean your methylation cycle is unbalanced? I don’t know. Measuring values like homocysteine can provide more insight into the actual balance.If you use a vitamin supplement with B vitamins, you want to ensure you use a methylated version of folate (methyl-folate).
COMT
COMT helps breakdown dopamine, adrenaline and also estrogen. The variation your gene encodes for produces an enzyme that works a little slower. Again, this doesn’t say anything about your balance. Symptom-wise, when you’re experiencing estrogen dominance symptoms, adding a magnesium supplement can help since magnesium is needed for the enzyme to work.Here you can see a beautiful example where genes don’t determine everything. You could have the fastest COMT encoding gene, but if you’re magnesium deficient, you have functionally a slow-working COMT enzyme.
Acne and your genes
You’ve got some other gene variations that could influence your acne as well. The BC01 gene turns precursors of vitamin A found in plants into the bioactive form of vitamin A. Your variation works a little less efficiently. Therefore providing your diet with vitamin A from animal sources (for example liver) would be recommended. Vitamin A plays an important role in the skin and often helps improve acne symptoms.Some genes related to inflammation are a little slower as well. For example, the variation of the FADS1 gene which you carry, encodes for a slower-working enzyme. FADS1 is involved in the metabolism of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. A slower working FADS1 is associated with higher inflammation. Is this the case with you? I don’t know. But adding Omega 3 in your diet is more important than for people with a faster working gene.
The gene that helps breakdown lactose works slowly as well. Therefore lactose-rich products (like milk products) will create more inflammation in your unique case. A lactose-free diet will likely benefit you (and possibly reduce acne as well). For gluten, this DNA profile shows a similar story.
Your vitamin D gene profile also shows a few variations. This means it’s harder for you to convert vitamin D to its bioactive form. This can be overcome by adding vitamin D to your diet, using a supplement or prioritising a walk in the sun. Magnesium is also an important nutrient since it helps to convert the precursors of vitamin D to its bioactive form as well.
Vitamin D helps to reduce inflammation as well.
In the detoxification section, you can see a deletion of a gene that is involved in detoxification (GSTM1 gene). This deletion doesn’t mean you can’t detoxify, however, a lifestyle that is low in toxins might be more beneficial to you than someone who has the GSTM1 gene.
I hope this information helps you to make some educated choices!
-
Hey @Annie Sye,
In this article, we’ve put some pros and cons of the most used non-toxic pots and pans that can help you choose better equipment for the kitchen. It is my experience that using more oil will help prevent sticking food to the bottom of your pan as well.
I hope this answer helps!