[Daniel]

,

She can, but if she is otherwise asymptomatic, I would let them measure first, otherwise, this will influence the measurements

We do have a homemade recipe for electrolytes. You can find the recipe here!

[Daniel]

Hey ,

I personally don’t have experience with clients still taking  PPI or H2 Blockers with the tea. On matulatea.com they do mention this:

Laboratory tests have proven that Matula herbal tea is less toxic than ordinary herbal tea (see test reports here). Therefore there are no allergic reactions or contraindications with other medicines. However, if you are in doubt, I would consider consulting with your doctor!

[Daniel]

Was the blood pressure measured only ones? And is she experiencing other symptoms because of this? (examples could be fainting, blurred vision, dizziness or lightheadedness)

Stress can be a player in low blood pressure as well. If she is dealing with a lot of chronical stress or trauma, I would also recommend therapy if she is open to this!

[Daniel]

Hey ,

These symptoms can be a sign of blood sugar dysregulation. I would at least rule out insulin problems.

Do you have a blood pressure monitor? Elevations in blood pressure can also cause a blurry sight. If you have I would also check his blood pressure a few times. Best time to do this is when he experiences blurry sight.

Make sure he is sitting in rest 5 minutes before you measure his pressure. Make sure he feels at ease and don’t use the first 2 measurements. Sometimes taking blood pressure can make people feel stressed and the measurements your looking at the first couple of times can be a stress response.

Measure them a few days in a row before you draw any conclusions. 

[Daniel]

Hey ,

Did you notice that some symptoms started to improve (even when your thyroid markers were slowly going down)? And what were the reasons why you started to supplement with iron in the first place? Other important questions to help you answer your questions are: how long were you using this iron supplement and how long ago did you stop taking them?

The when and how long are especially important since this supplement also has a good amount of folate in them. If you were only stopping recently with this supplement,  having low serum folate levels might mean you have an increased need for folate or aren’t absorbing folate well.

I think your storage form of iron (ferritin) levels looks ok. Serum levels of iron also look fine. Just your hemoglobin is low and the average size of your red blood cells looks a bit low as well. The most common cause of having low hemoglobin is iron deficiency. Other causes could be genetics.

Another possible scenario could be that while you were supplementing with iron you had an infection. With infections, the body can sequester iron away from the blood into ferritin in an attempt to fight pathogens since pathogens use iron as well. 

Since your labs show elevations in a special type of white blood cells called eosinophils, there can be such a scenario at play. Eosinophils are mostly present in the gut. If you are experiencing GI problems like diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating, cramps or other symptoms addressing this problem first would be a good approach.

If you like to rule out a genetic component you could look at earlier measurements of iron and hemoglobin. If earlier levels showed higher values for haemoglobin, genetic issues aren’t the problem.

This product from biotics research misses the iodine unfortunately, but it contains the other thyroid nutrients as well and has a good amount of folate in it.

[Daniel]

Hey ,

Welcome to the community! My name is Daniel and I help Bernadette on the platform. If you are looking for help with reversing insulin resistance, you have landed in the right spot!

Thank you for uploading your labs, this will help give advice much easier and since you have watched the sugar balance course you already have a deeper insight into how it works.

Before discussing your labs, I love you have tested your fasting insulin levels. The more traditional way to test insulin resistance is by measuring HbA1c and fasting glucose. Your labs are an example of how insulin resistance is not translating in elevations of these to numbers and would have stayed hidden if you didn’t measure other markers!

Pearls from your labs
I think your doctor made some great recommendations. Working out can increase insulin sensitivity and a low-carb diet helps reduce insulin production. Insulin resistance and hypothyroidism can play into each other. Lowering of thyroid hormone production can cause insulin resistance and sluggish energy production caused by insulin resistance can cause the body to react in an attempt to match the ability of the body to use energy.

It is hard to tell which one is at play.

To rule out you aren’t having a slow thyroid because of nutrients missing, you can as an extra make sure you get those nutrients.  In your report T3 is low, but in my opinion, the production of T4 is also suboptimal. To me, this can be a sign of not having enough Iodine or protein in the diet. Do you know if you are consuming these nutrients enough?

Other nutrients that are important for an optimal thyroid hormone balance are selenium, iron, zinc, magnesium, vitamins A, C & D and the amino acid tyrosine. This handout is all about thyroid nutrients and will provide you with tips on where to find them.

Red Blood Cells
What stands out to me is that the average size of your red blood cells (the MCV) is on the low end of the range. Often this is caused by not enough haemoglobin, which your labs confirm. This can lead to complaints of fatigue, memory problems and experiencing cold hands and feet. A lot of overlap in the symptoms we usually see with hypothyroidism.

The cause is usually not enough iron to build hemoglobin. Since your iron markers aren’t that low, I would like to know if you have recently (the last few months) started to take iron supplements to correct for this.

If you are using a vitamin B12 supplement, I would switch it perhaps to a B complex since your folate is low as well. I like Thorne’s Basic B product which you can find here. This B complex has all the B vitamins in the bioavailable form.

Liver Support
If you suspect you have fatty liver then you can make more targeted food choices as well. This handout provides you with some liver-supporting options. Milk thistle is also a herb that is liver protective.

Supplements
I would recommend one of the blends recommended in the course above. The benefit of OptiMetabolix is that it already has a little bit of B vitamins in it. If you are using a zinc supplement, I would recommend you to lower the amount of zinc with 15 mg.

The Metabolic Synergy from Designs for Health has more folate in it. It is also a source of Iodine, selenium, vitamins A & C which are nutrients needed for thyroid metabolism. Perhaps this choice is more bang for your buck in your case!

I hope these tips can help you on your way!

[Daniel]

Hey ,

I think you are doing a great job with the interpretation! With kids sometimes we do need to keep in mind that their bodies are changing. For example, alkaline phosphatase can also elevate when children grow as a result of accelerated bone growth.

The first question I would like to ask you is, are there any current symptoms present? Is she for example experiencing anemia-like symptoms? Are there gut-related symptoms present?

Vitamin D
Vitamin D is indeed fat-soluble and is, therefore, best absorbed with meals, preferably containing some fat. With vitamin D, genes can also play a factor. For the production of bile salts, we need vitamin B6. Having low ALT and AST values like hers can be a clue for more need for vitamin B6. This in time can also help her absorb fat and fat-absorbable vitamins like vitamin D. Until that time digestive support can be of help.

Creatinine
Creatinine is also a waste product from muscle. If she has lower muscle mass (perhaps she is small for her age), this could also result in lower creatinine levels. I wouldn’t dismiss these values, but without symptoms, I wouldn’t be too worried if she has a little smaller for her age. It is good to follow up on these labs later and see what happened.

Globulins
Same here: globulins bind hormones like sex hormones (SHBG for example). Her body is in changing and when sex hormones start to rise, this isn’t a smooth process. It’s bumpy and it takes a few years before a more regular production is there. The body needs to learn.

Again: good to follow up later if not any major symptoms are present. It all depends on the symptoms though.

Insulin Resistance
I totally agree that some insulin resistance is already present. The pancreas, which helps with digestion, might not be functioning optimally, which can cause some maldigestion as well. Do you know if she experiences any insulin resistance-related symptoms?

HM and mold toxicity
Are there any symptoms present that can relate to HM and mold toxicity? Did you for example take a look at this video?

[Daniel]

Hey ,

I’m sorry to hear! You must be worried! There can be several reasons why people have low blood pressure. It could be for example stress related. We see this in people with a parasympathetic dominant nervous system mode. The body has problems holding sodium in this case. As a consequence, people often get cravings for salty foods. 

Signs of that can be seen in labs (the electrolytes in particular). If she has done any, this could help us give you more personalised advice.

Other reasons can be low blood volume. Sometimes blood loss can cause this. Dehydration can also be a cause.

If there are other medical conditions present, hypotension can be present. Does your mother have any lung or heart problems that you are aware of?

And related to that: if she is using medications, some of them can cause low blood pressure as well. Examples are diuretics, certain anti-depressants, anti-anxiety medications and beta-blockers.

Are there any other complaints your mother has? For example, does she experience big feet? And what is her age? And how was her blood pressure in the past?

[Daniel]

Hey ,

It can be taken on an empty stomach and with meals. With meals it will also help digest of meals though. It is an bile acid and can therefore help with fat soluble vitamin absorption. 

I wouldn’t know if TUDCA has alkaline properties itself. 

Perhaps you can share the source and I can look into it.

[Daniel]

Hey ,

A few things can cause oily hair. The oil production itself for example is influenced by androgens. When androgens (like DHT – dihydrotestosterone) are elevated, oil production on the skin can increase. A low-carb diet can be very effective because the elevations in androgens are often caused by blood sugar dysregulation/insulin resistance.

In order to answer your question better, I would like to know if you currently are experiencing any symptoms that are related to your thyroid problem, besides the oiliness in your hair of course.

Oil production can also increase by excessive washing. The skin tries to keep the scalp oily, and washing it often can signal the sebaceous glands to produce more oil. It’s counter-intuitive, but it can be a cause.

There are other reasons why the scalp can be oily. They present with other symptoms as well. Are you experiencing hair loss? Dandruff? Is your scalp itching? Are there signs of eczema or psoriasis visible on the scalp? These details can help us to give a more individualized answer.

Lab values
Your HbA1c value says ‘normal’ on the lab report, but through the functional medicine lens, it is indicative of insulin resistance. Your low-carb approach is a good choice!

I see your white blood cells are on the low side. I would definitely consider immune system support. Nutrients like vitamin D, vitamin A, zinc and B vitamins are needed to produce white & red blood cells. If you feel sick I recommend you look at this handout and follow the immune-boosting protocol that’s in there!

I wanted to look at your thyroid values, but I can’t find the fT3 values on this report. The results of the antibodies seem to be on another document as well. Perhaps you could find them and share them. I would also like to know if you are still experiencing thyroid-related symptoms.

CRP – a marker of inflammation – was slightly elevated. Again if you are sick, this can happen. You could help the body deal with inflammation by adding omega-3s and curcumin to your diet. Having vitamin D levels in the right zone helps to protect against inflammation as well.

This lab didn’t measure vitamin D, but it is one of the markers I would find interesting for you. Iron (inclusive ferritin) would be interesting to measure as well since it is a nutrient necessary for thyroid hormone metabolism and hemoglobin production.

I hope this provides you with some help!

[Daniel]

Hey ,

Usually E. coli is found in the intestines often in the lower part. Having capsules would be fine. Capsules need to be broken down in the stomach and are therefore not helpfull with oral problems.

[Daniel]

Hey ,

Some of these symptoms and labs are typical signs for insulin resistance. Blurred vision, dry eyes, fatigue, weight gain and elevations in cholesterol and last but not least, the cravings for sugar all fit into this picture.

Some of the things you mention (insulin resistance & fibromyalgia) have some common root causes. Mitochondrial dysfunction for example can cause insulin resistance. With fribromyalgia mitochondrial dysfunction is also often present. Here are some suggestions you could try:
• D-Ribose – some research has shown that taking 5 grams of ribose 3 times per day can help with energy production. With firbomyalgia the capilaries of the arteries can become thickened which can lead to less oxygen transport to the muscles. This could then lead to less oxygen transport to the muscles causing stifness. D-Ribose could therefore bring some relief with stiffness, energy problems and pain because ribose can help with energy production.
• CoQ10 – helps with energy production in the mitochondria. Deficiencies of CoQ10 are well known to cause muscle fatigue and soreness (as in statin induced CoQ10 deficiency). CoQ10 has been shown to improve mitochondrial health and it has also been shown to help bring symptom relief in patients with fibromyalgia (see this article). I usually recommend my clients 200-400 mg of CoQ10 per day in the uqbiquinol form.
• Exersice – To help improve mitochondrial function, you need to tell the body it is important to have them as wel. I know in a number of people they have to build a routine very slowly since in the beginning the body can react strong. Depending on your current fitness you could start with walking (not running!) 30 minutes and graduly increase intensity.

My recommendation for this is to watch your breathing. Use an intensity that makes breathing harder, but you should still be able to have an basic conversation while doing this. The muscle fibers you’re training here are the type 1 muscle fibres which contain the most mitochondria. Whatever activity you use to accomplish this should be a form of cardio – like swimming, biking, rowing or something else.

It helps reversing insulin resistance as well.
• Acetyl-L-Carnitine – is also often used to support mitochondrial health and helps shuttle in fatty acids into mitochondria. Acetyl-L-Carnitine has been shown in research to improve symptoms with fibromyalgia as well

What stands out further is that your white blood cell count is on the lower side. Where you sick at the moment of blood drawn? Related to that, if you are currently taking 5000 IU of vitamin D per day and your current values are 29 ng/ml, I suspect some absorption issues as well. Taking your vitamin D supplements with foods containing fats can help. Temporary using digestive enzymes like ox bile is something you could consider as well.

Getting vitamin D up (see this handout for more information) can help you deal with fighting inflammation. I usually aim with my clients to have serum levels from at least 50 ng/ml.

Other nutrients that are important for white blood cell production are vitamin A, vitamin B12 and zinc.

I’m also curious to learn if there are some gut health related issues. For example how are your stools? Do you for example experience bloating, constipation, diarrhea or cramping?

[Daniel]

Hey ,

The symptoms of vaginal candidiasis include:
• Vaginal itching or soreness
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Pain or discomfort when urinating
• Abnormal vaginal discharge

Vaginal candidiasis can in, some women develop more severe infections involving redness, swelling, and cracks in the wall of the vagina.

If you recognize some of these symptoms it is best to take a look at it by a specialist who can actually assess best.

Meanwhile, we do have this handout that has some recommendations on how to address candidiasis in a natural way. Often with vaginal candidiasis an overgrowth of candida can also be found in the gut and I would recommend additional testing in this case. An OAT (Organic Acid Test) could provide you with more insight into the presence of candida in the gut.

Things like coconut oil, garlic, peau d’arco, oregano & thyme oil are good antimicrobials and could help you on top of probiotics in this case.

[Daniel]

Hey ,

For some reason, the link does bring me to the right location. You could try this link here as well or otherwise, go to the ‘all courses’ page, select monthly courses and scroll down to the section called ‘Blood Sugar Dysregulation’. You will find in that list a movie called testing considerations.

If there are some symptoms present it is good to rule out. But some of these symptoms are of course a little harder to tell with children. Most children like sweets and memory problems are also perhaps a little difficult to interpret. But it is good to rule out an option.

What were the other symptoms that are present?

[Daniel]

Hey ,

I would use a broad-spectrum probiotics supplement for that. A good broad-spectrum probiotic supplement that I like is from Klair Labs called Ther-Biotic® Women’s. You can also order this on Fullscript right here.
 
If you like to know what strains should be in a probiotic supplement for vaginal health, I would like to see at least the next strains since they have been shown to reduce bacterial vaginoses:  Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus reuteri.
 
There are other strains as well:

This 2022 review also mentions for example strains the next strains that also have been shown to help with bacterial vaginosis: Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus brevis,  L. salivarius subsp. salicinius, L. plantarum and L. Brevis.

And while we are on this topic: you might find this handout also an interesting read!

If you are trying to treat a medical condition like bacterial vaginosis it would be wise to rule out vaginal candidiasis first since the approach would differ. Let me know if you would like help with that!