Hi @sheetalramchandani1

I’m a little unclear about some of your questions so I’ll do my best to answer them 1 by 1:

1. An IgE antibody response is a quick immune reaction to allergens, such as certain foods or environmental triggers, that the body mistakenly identifies as harmful. This type of response can be severe and potentially life-threatening, as in cases of anaphylaxis seen with food allergies like peanuts. For people with known IgE-mediated allergies, strict avoidance of the triggering antigen (allergen) is essential to prevent dangerous reactions.

2. The body’s immune system has different ways to react to different antigens. IgE is an immediate response. IgG on the other hand is a delayed reaction, which makes it harder to identify the trigger. This handout in the Symptom Dictionary discusses possible root causes for allergies/sensitivities.

The symptoms of dry skin and peeling around the eyes, mouth and neck could also be caused by other factors. I would need more information about this case to help you puzzle piece. You can also read our Symptom Dictionary handout on dandruff here.

3. I’m not sure I understand your question about testing. Are you asking me which test I recommend for testing food and environmental sensitivities? If so, then I really like the KBMO test. B Better members get access to ordering this test HERE. If not, please clarify your question.

Hi @Annie – sorry to hear about your back pain. Please let us know if you need any help with that.

As for your dad’s results, the best way to control his cholesterol and triglycerides is by radically changing his diet and lifestyle to reverse the diabetes. Knowing how difficult it is to convince older parents to make changes, is your dad willing to make changes or is he generally set in his ways?

How is his diet? How is his stress level? How is his knowledge and application of reducing toxic exposures from day to day living like eating organic foods, filtering water, opening windows (i.e. low tox living)?

Would he be willing to watch the Blood Sugar Balance course?

Does he prepare and take responsibility for his own food or is he reliant on someone else to care for his meals?

I’m asking because I have experience with my own father. He asks for my help. I share what needs to be done. He promises to follow the advice. He does it for 2 days, and then goes back to his old habits. 🙁

We have lots of videos and handouts that can help him, but the question when dealing with a parent is – are they willing to help themselves and follow through with it?

If so, I suggest he starts by watching this 9-minute video on how blood sugar regulation dysfunctions from the Blood Sugar Balance course.

Please reply to my questions above, and I’ll be more than happy to continue supporting you with your dad’s care.

Hi @Kelly – I’d highly encourage you to read the book called Why Stomach Acid is Good for You.

PPI’s are not meant to be taken long term, but unfortunately as you’ve been experiencing, they will eventually exacerbate the situation and contribute to the problem because we NEED stomach acid. We need it to absorb key nutrients like calcium, magnesium, zinc, and yes, B vitamins as well, especially B12 by triggering the release of intrinsic factor needed to absorb vitamin B12 further down in the small intestine. It also a form of passive immunity by acting like a cleansing tank to prevent any oral pathogens from entering our GI tract.

The most common reason people are usually put on antacids and PPIs is the same effect these medications can cause: low stomach acid (or hypochlorhydria)!

So coming off of these medications without having addressed the cause in the first place, will likely lead to the same outcome of low stomach acid and continued reflux.

In this video from the Gut Health Masterclass course, I discuss common causes of hypochlorhydria. As a minimum, please test to see if there’s an H Pylori overgrowth. Although the gold standard is breath testing, I have found many false negatives! My preference is PCR stool testing.

The reason why it’s so important to test is that any time a person is considering weaning off of PPI meds, they should also be supporting stomach acid production (i.e. low dose HCL) and overall digestion, but HCL betaine is contraindicated if there’s an H Pylori overgrowth. If that’s the case, then using digestive bitters 10-15 mins before meals can help support digestion and prevent reflux.

However, since you’re already burning, the order of operations is important here. First, the focus should be on healing the inflamed tissue for at least 30 to 60 days before titrating down any further. You may want to consider increasing dose again temporarily to allow the tissue time to heal. In this video of the Gut Health Masterclass, I share many gut healing therapies which can also help with the lining of the esophagus including cabbage juice, marshmallow root tea, slippery elm lozenges, DGL lozenge, etc. The lozenge and tea forms are better than capsules because they coat the throat. You can also consume mucilagenous foods like okra and chia seeds. All of these can help coat and heal the inflamed tissue.

In the meantime, you should be investigating and addressing the possible causes of low stomach acid such as stress, hypothyroid function, h pylori overgrowth, low zinc, low B6, etc. Otherwise, it will feel like a revolving door.

Once the inflamed tissue has reduced, you can begin to introduce digestive support such as low dose HCL, digestive bitters, bile acids, and digestive enzymes. This is only temporary support to allow your body time to adjust to the titration which should be done very slowly over a period of 6 to 8 weeks (sometimes longer if needed). Going too quickly will cause a rebound effect, and an overproduction of stomach acid which you may be experiencing.

Hope this helps provide some clarity and direction in terms of the next steps to take.

Hi @AlFa – thanks for recopying your message here.

First off, has she been to see a dermatologist to get a proper assessment and possible diagnosis?

Other questions:

1. How long has this darkening and dryness been present? Has it been worsening gradually, or did it appear suddenly?

2. Has she been exposed to any new chemicals, soaps, or allergens? (e.g., frequent hand-washing, use of sanitizers, harsh cleaning products, laundry detergents, etc)

3. Does she notice any patterns? (e.g., getting worse in cold weather, after certain activities or when exposed to specific substances?)

4. Does she have any underlying health conditions like known allergies, autoimmune conditions or diabetes?

5. How’s her hydration and diet? Please ask her to share more.

In terms of testing, below is a starting point to consider:

• Please see a dermatologist if she hasn’t already. They may want to do skin scraping or patch testing to determine the cause if it’s contact dermatitis or something else.
• Blood sugar panel (fasting insulin, fasting glucose, HbA1c). Insulin resistance and diabetes can cause darkening of the skin in certain areas like the neck, armpits, groin, elbows and knees, and knuckles.
• Full thyroid panel – as you may already know, low thyroid function can lead to dry skin (in addition to many other symptoms like constipation, hair loss, low energy, etc.)
• ANA – this checks for antibodies which suggests that the body might have an autoimmune response
• Key nutrients for skin health: vitamin D, RBC zinc, iron panel, B12

Hope this helps give her some direction. Please encourage her to join B Better so that we can support her directly as well.

Hi @Noor – the following tests would be a good starting point for investigation if you’re concerned about his growth and delayed puberty:

• IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor 1) measures the average growth hormone activity in the body which helps with height and puberty

• Full thyroid panel measures metabolic function which is needed for growth. If there’s sluggish thyroid function, growth will also be impacted. You can find a list of low thyroid symptoms HERE from the Thyroid Balance course to see if he has any other signs of thyroid dysfunction at play. Insist that a full thyroid panel is ordered because TSH and free T4 alone are not enough to see what’s happening with thyroid function.
• Sex hormones like testosterone, LH (Luteinizing Hormone), and FSH (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone) can also help assess puberty progression
• Key nutrients like vitamin D, iron panel (including ferritin), and RBC zinc (red blood cell, not serum) would also be helpful.

Since calcium is important for bone growth, and Vitamin D helps with calcium absorption, making sure vitamin D is optimal is important. Zinc also promotes growth by helping with cell division and bone health, and iron helps growth by getting oxygen to cells and boosting energy, which are both essential for strong bones and muscle development.

We can also probably guide you better if you provided more information about your son. Does he have any other symptoms? What’s his diet like? Does he consume animal proteins? Does he get enough protein and zinc-rich foods? How about calcium rich foods?

How’s his sleep? And activity level? Both exercise and sleep both promote growth hormone release.

You might also be interested in reading this study that showed how children who took both calcium and a probiotic, Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 and Lactobacillus casei CRL 431, for six months showed modest improvements in growth. They gained more weight, had better weight-for-age scores, and saw increases in both monthly weight and height growth compared to children who only took calcium. While it’s only 1 study, it demonstrates the power and importance of our gut microbiome.

Hope this helps give you some better direction. Let us know if you have any follow-up questions.

Hi @DXB – labs should always be interpreted in the context of the individual. Without additional information or other markers, I’ll provide information based on assumptions.

First, I’m going to assume that these labs were drawn in an overnight fasting state (9 to 12 hours) first thing in the morning, and only water was consumed. Otherwise, lipid results, especially LDL and triglycerides, will not be accurate.

Given the clinically high LDL, getting a more detailed view of the characteristics of the particle size would be helpful to see if they are the “light and fluffy” or “small and dense” type. More advanced lipid tests like the Cardio IQ can shed more light. Did you watch that lesson? High LDL could point to possible oxidative stress, metabolic syndrome, a diet high in refined carbs or possibly fatty liver/hyperlipidemia.

Since Triglycerides are at the lower end of the optimal range, and HDL is in the upper range, I would again be suspicious of oxidative stress and the possibility of autoimmune activation.

This handout shares examples of oxidative stressors. You mentioned that you exercise a lot. Are you allowing enough recovery and different levels of intensity or is it all high intensity go-go-go type of training?

Would you happen to have other test results to share like hs-CRP for general systemic inflammation, a liver panel, thyroid panel with antibodies, blood sugar panel including fasting insulin?

Hi @Inga-55 – just letting you know that I replied to your other discussion where you clarified that it’s eclampsia and not preeclampsia that your daughter had.

Hi @Inga-55 – eclampsia is a more severe form of preeclampsia that leads to seizures (convulsions) in a pregnant woman. It can cause serious health problems for both mother and baby, including organ damage, premature birth, and in extreme cases, death. So this is where allopathic treatment is in fact needed and necessary.

Here is an excellent article written by my colleague Sarah Russell who specializes in pre and post-natal health on the topic of preeclampsia. https://buildnurturerestore.com/5-tips-to-avoid-preeclampsia-blood-pressure-ranges/

Aspirin has been used for decades and is well researched, and while there may be natural alternatives to aspirin, none of them have been tested the same way aspirin has in terms of efficacy.

buildnurturerestore.com

5 tips to avoid preeclampsia blood pressure ranges

Preeclampsia is a serious and complex condition that can lead to severe pregnancy complications. In my previous two blogs, I discussed blood tests to help predict the risk of preeclampsia and risk…

@Kelly I share a variety of different solutions to choose from in the Gut Health Masterclass course:

• Stomach Acid Support
• Digestive Enzyme Support
• Liver & Gallbladder Support (for better bile production and flow)

Since you’re still in a very fragile state, adding in HCL now will likely add fuel to the fire. You may be better off with eating bitter foods (handout here for examples) before a meal or taking a tsp of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar in 50-100mL water 10 mins before a meal to help stimulate stomach acid secretion to help digest your food better.

Digestive bitters like Dr. Shade’s Bitters No.9 can also be considered but depending on how inflamed the tissue is, it may or may not be tolerated. If that’s the case, then focusing on gut healing measures for a little while longer would be suggested before adding in any other type of digestive support. The good thing about digestive bitters is that it helps support all 3 digestive secretions; stomach acid, enzymes & bile.

Digestive enzymes are unlikely to cause any issues, so those can be generally be introduced right away if the stomach acid support is not well tolerated at this stage.

Hope this helps give you more clarity and direction.

Hi @Kelly – I know how disheartening it is when the only solution doctors can offer us is more medication. It’s unfortunately just not in their training to look at WHY we have symptoms. They are taught to diagnose WHAT we have and numb/suppress it with meds or surgery for rapid relief (which we have to be grateful for in acute emergencies, but also know when to use allopathic medicine vs. a functional healthcare model).

That’s why I created B Better. I want to make access to functional medicine care more accessible and affordable.

Could you upload your thyroid test results? Were they interpreted by a conventional doctor? Conventional interpretations often rely solely on reference ranges for diagnosing disease, which may overlook subtle issues.

Tapering off PPIs slowly is important to prevent “rebound acid hypersecretion,” where the stomach temporarily produces even more acid than usual after stopping the medication. This effect happens because PPIs block acid production, and over time, the body compensates by increasing the number of acid-producing cells. If the medication is stopped suddenly, these cells release more acid, causing symptoms like heartburn or acid reflux to return—often more intensely than before starting the medication.

If you can tolerate the dose that you’re currently on, then keep going. But it sounded like you were really suffering.

@Noor while it’s not impossible to get enough calcium without dairy, calcium needs do peak during adolescence because it’s a critical time for bone development. So it’s definitely possible that he needs more calcium. I would recommend you track his diet for a week (you can use our fillable 3-day food journal to help with that) and then upload his results here for help interpreting his calcium intake.

For reference and comparison, the RDA (recommended daily allowance) for calcium in 13 year old males is 1,300mg per day compared to 700 to 1000mg per day for younger children.

If dairy is minimal or absent in his diet, incorporating fortified non-dairy sources (like plant milks) and foods like tofu, beans, and leafy greens can help bridge that gap. If he doesn’t consume these, then supplementation may be warranted.

It’s important to know that calcium absorption is a game of cofactors. Just because someone consumes enough calcium doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be able to absorb it properly – and that is usually the bigger issue. As I mentioned in my original reply, vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption (including digestion and absorption of vitamin D) so definitely test for that. So are magnesium and vitamin K2 for example.

Testing calcium in blood isn’t a reliable measure to check dietary calcium deficiency since the body balances blood calcium levels by drawing from bones when necessary. I recommend you watch the Calcium section in the Mineral Balance course to understand how calcium homeostasis works, and how to help correct a calcium need. Start HERE.

A dexa scan on the other hand checks for bone density which can suggest calcium deficiency over time but it’s not typically ordered for young teens unless there’s strong reasons for it but discuss it with the specialist. That’s why I suggested analyzing his dietary intake as an easy first step.

Regarding lactose intolerance, we produce the lactase enzyme in the brush border of our gut lining, so helping support gut health may help improve tolerance to dairy over time. Certain probiotic strains, like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, have also shown some potential in breaking down lactose in the gut which can improve tolerance. Do your children consume fermented foods?

Hi @LAK – definitely worth repeating a full thyroid panel if he’s going to be retested anyway since biotin can interfere with thyroid results. Please watch this video from the Interpreting Basic Blood Chemistry course for tips on how to prepare for a blood test to ensure better accuracy.

There are comprehensive stool tests like the GI Map for example that look for parasites, but no test is fully accurate. Parasites are very quick to shed their DNA once out of their environment so they can very often be missed.

You might find our Parasite Cleanse Program helpful in determining if testing or a cleanse is necessary and whether a person is prepared for a cleanse. It answers questions like “Do I need a parasite cleanse?” and “Am I ready for a parasite cleanse” using symptom questionnaires and also discussing testing options to help you figure out what’s best for your family.

@naslam1603 have you seen the Digestive Enzyme Support video from the Gut Health Masterclass course? I discuss a variety of different enzyme formulations for different circumstances. Hope that helps.

Hi @Inga-55 – thank you for sharing more information about your diet and symptoms.

Can you tell us more about these headaches you’re having? What’s the frequency? What’s the timing of the headache? What’s the location of the headache? And what do you do or take to manage the pain?

You mentioned you drink plenty of filtered water. How much?

When did you start Enalapril? Headaches are one of the common side effects: https://www.drugs.com/enalapril.html

Since you mentioned these started after menopause, have you checked your hormone levels recently? Drops in estrogen and even low levels of estrogen can trigger headaches in women, including fatigue so you may want to consider testing sex hormones: estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, free testosterone, DHEA-s

As for your diet, it’s great that you focus primarily on whole foods. Just be cautious with eating tuna frequently, as it is rather high in mercury since it’s a large fish.

@LAK it’s interesting that you mention he’s thin because his suboptimal high TSH did jump out at me and did make me wonder what may be going with thyroid function.

Although it’s not clinically high, a TSH above 2 uIU/ml may be something to pay attention to. This suggests the pituitary is sensing a need for more thyroid hormone (which raises TSH and can also raise growth hormone). However, his thyroid is in fact producing ample amounts of free T3 and T4 levels (which may make it difficult to gain weight). So there is a possibility of an early thyroid imbalance presenting here and getting a full thyroid panel including thyroid antibodies might be a good idea.

However, you did mention that he’s taking something containing B12. If it also contains biotin, it can interfere with thyroid test results, so I wouldn’t rely too heavily on them.

As for his CBC, two markers stood out: his eosinophil count at 5% and lymphocytes at 51.9%, which is lower than his neutrophils. Typically, neutrophils should be in higher amounts, and when this pattern occurs, it could indicate a viral infection. That’s why I asked if he was sick around the time of testing.

When eosinophils are elevated above 3%, it may indicate that the immune system is responding to parasitic infections or allergies. If parasites are involved, they can contribute to difficulty in gaining weight as well.

Do let us know if you have any follow-up questions.