

Bernadette_Abraham
Forum Replies Created
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@sheetalramchandani1 that’s more than just a small win! That’s huge! Congratulations!!! I’m sure a lot of time and effort was poured into this business, and I wish you so much success.
I absolutely love the name Nothing Wicked – very memorable and straight to the point. Well done
Please feel free to share links or attach a brochure so we can learn more.
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@LAK a walking boot with crutches is a great compromise. It will help reduce stress on the joint while still giving you some mobility. I don’t think an ankle brace will be enough to support proper healing in this case, especially given the bone involvement.
Please take a look at this protocol for healing broken bones to help support your current supplement regimen, which is a good start. Make sure your vitamin D3 has K2 in it to help get calcium into the bones.
Another option which I think is worth considering is prolotherapy and PRP or stem cell therapy. I had chronic ligament instability in my neck, and prolotherapy was a game changer. It involves injecting a natural irritant (usually dextrose) into ligaments, tendons, or joint spaces to stimulate the body’s natural healing response. This promotes collagen production and tissue repair especially in areas with poor blood supply like the ligaments so it might be helpful.
I highly recommend a consultation with Dr. Suad Trebinjac at HMS Al Garhoud Private Hospital. He works in Al Ain but visits the hospital in Dubai on Sundays. He’ll be able to tell you if prolotherapy is a good option for you, and which type.
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@healthyliving99 uva ursi isn’t safe during pregnancy or breastfeeding. It can also affect the liver and kidneys, and may trigger contractions, so it’s best to avoid it. It’s also not meant for long-term use – only short bursts (like 5–7 days max).
D-mannose however is generally safe and is a great option for UTIs, even during pregnancy and breastfeeding. If pregnant or nursing, I’d stick with just D-mannose and maybe add in cranberry or probiotics high in lactobacillus which creates an acidic environment that doesn’t allow yeast/bacteria to overgrow.
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@naslam1603 I did hear about the data breach that compromised customer data back in 2023 but wasn’t aware of the lawsuit. I did a bit of research and yes, it does seem legitimate.
23andme even issued a legal statement on their website (found in the footer links under “Legal”), which you can find here.
You can verify the info and file a claim here before July 14 2025 if you:
1. Experienced harm (financial or otherwise) due to the 2023 data breach
2. Believe 23andMe owes you money for other reasons (e.g., services not delivered)
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Bernadette_Abraham
AdministratorMay 6, 2025 at 5:58 pm in reply to: High CRP; Gallbladder Stone and MoreHi @DXB – thank you for sharing all of the details and his lab results. I was able to make out the markers even though they weren’t in English.
I’m glad that he’s open to getting a second opinion.
The good news like you mentioned is that his CRP levels have come down significantly, which shows that the antibiotics and IV fluids helped reduce the infection/inflammation.
However, the doctors are right to want to investigate further because there are a few red flags that shouldn’t be ignored. His white blood cell count is still quite high, which means that his immune system is still likely fighting off an ongoing infection or inflammation. His hemoglobin has dropped even more, so the anemia is getting worse, and his albumin levels are low. Both of these suggest poor nutritional status that could slow down healing. His sodium is also low, which could be affecting his energy and mood.
And as you pointed out, his CA 19-9 marker is slightly elevated, which can sometimes indicate issues in the pancreas or bile ducts. This doesn’t necessarily mean cancer, but it does justify further screening, just to be sure. And operating while he’s still in a compromised state could lead to complications.
Now from a functional perspective, there were a few other markers of note:
-His fasting glucose and HbA1C are suboptimal. An HbA1C between 5.7% and 5.9% often indicates pre-diabetes. Ideally, it should be <5.3% so blood sugar regulation is definitely something to take seriously. This can impact liver/gallbladder health so from a root cause perspective, addressing blood sugar should be a key priority.
How is his diet? Does she consume a lot of sweets and flour based products (i.e. croissant, bread, pasta, crackers, muffins, etc)? How is his stress level normally?
-His T3 marker is also clinically low. This means he’s having trouble converting T4 to T3, which is nutrient dependent (iron, vitamin A, zinc, selenium) but also hormone dependent. Any kind of infection/inflammation and poor liver health will affect it as well.
If you take a look at our “Gallstones” handout in our Symptom Dictionary, you’ll see that insulin resistance and hypothyroid function are two primary drivers for the development of gallstones, which can explain his predicament.
And while CA 19-9 is usually used as a tumor marker to monitor certain types of cancer, particularly pancreatic cancer, there are however also other benign conditions that can elevate this marker and are worth investigating:
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Liver Dysfunction: Hepatitis, cirrhosis, or other liver disorders (MRI can rule this out)
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Gallbladder Issues: Cholecystitis or gallstones (Ultra sound and MRI can rule these out)
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Pancreatitis: Inflammation of the pancreas, which can occur due to various reasons, including infections, trauma, or genetic conditions. (MRI can rule this out)
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Cystic Fibrosis: A genetic disorder that affects the exocrine glands, including the pancreas. If he has respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms, screening for cystic fibrosis might be warranted.
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Biliary Obstruction: Any blockage in the bile ducts (ultrasound/MRI can rule this out)
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Inflammatory Bowel Disease: If he has gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, or weight loss, evaluating for Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis could be beneficial (does he have any digestive complaints?)
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General Infections or Inflammation: since his CRP has come down, he might want to remeasure with the more sensitive inflammation marker (hs-CRP). Ideally we want it to be <1. Given the high WBC and high neutrophils, it’s likely that he’s still fighting an infection/inflammation, and this alone can be driving up the CA 19-9 marker.
But given the insulin resistance and suboptimal GGT (liver function), taking a closer look at his liver and pancreas would be warranted. A simple MRI/ultrasound can rule this out. It would help rule out a lot that isn’t cancer related – so you can reassure him.
I completely understand why he’s hesitant, but without a proper scan to rule out anything more serious, it could actually put him at more risk during or after surgery.
Maybe you could gently explain it to him like this: The scan isn’t to look for bad news, it’s to make sure nothing is missed and to make the surgery safer. If it’s really just the gallbladder, this will confirm it and give everyone peace of mind to proceed with the surgery.
But hopefully he’ll still be willing to work on blood sugar/thyroid and liver health, because even if the gallbladder is removed, it doesn’t fix the reason why it became diseased in the first place.
I hope this is helpful, and gives you more to share with him.
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Hi @Tatjana – thank you for sharing those articles. That was very interesting to read how they’re using glutamine in cancer treatment. The reason why there’s a question mark on glutamine however is because while it can help healthy cells recover and support the immune system, some cancers rely on it to grow. So in certain cases, it might actually fuel tumor growth and progression.
But if the question you’re asking is “does glutamine cause cancer?”, then no, it doesn’t cause cancer. It’s a natural amino acid your body needs for healing, immunity, and gut health. But in people who already have cancer, some aggressive tumors can use glutamine as fuel to grow. That’s why they reference using treatments to try and block glutamine from feeding cancer. At the same time, they also recognize how glutamine can help with chemo side effects. So with cancer, it really needs to be carefully considered depending on the type of cancer and treatment plan.
Unless there’s liver or kidney disease or MSG/glutamate sensitivity, there’s usually no issues using glutamine in a healthy individual. I do also caution those with anxiety or neurological symptoms because the excess glutamate once it’s converted may be stimulatory as it can cross the blood brain barrier and worsen symptoms.
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@LAK swimming is actually a way to help keep strength and mobility without impact, so unless otherwise stated by your doctor, this would actually be a beneficial activity.
As for bone meal powder, this product can be an option.
Love the addition of red light. Sounds like you’re really on top of it. As for NMES – I’m assuming this stands for Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation? If so, then yes this can also be a helpful therapy as well. And since you’re going to see Dr. Trebinjac, I would also get his opinion on everything you’re doing since this is his specialty as a sports injury doctor.
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Both types can be taken together if a person doesn’t have a sensitivity to yeast.
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@yasminatassi I do the same when offered antibiotics – I resort to natural solutions first and only take them if/when there’s a severe infection.
Often times, vaginal issues can be resolved by taking probiotics that are rich in lactobacillus. This creates an acidic environment that isn’t favorable for microbial overgrowths. The first 2 options you shared are 1) soil based and 2) prebiotics. The Women’s Care probiotic however, does have lactobacillus strains which is what you want.
You can see another example of such a probiotic in the protocol for bacterial vaginosis. And here’s another option for yeast infection relief.
Also, supporting overall immunity by optimizing vitamin D, vitamin A and zinc will be helpful in countering any future infections. Test your levels if you plan on getting additional tests. It’s always best to test RBC zinc instead of the more commonly run serum zinc. ‘RBC’ tells us what’s actually in the cell versus what’s in the blood which is highly influenced by what a person consumes the day/night before.
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Bernadette_Abraham
AdministratorMay 7, 2025 at 6:17 am in reply to: High CRP; Gallbladder Stone and More@DXB yes, an MRI is the best way to go if you can convince him. And again, explain to him that it’s not necessarily to find out bad news, but to confirm if it’s in fact safe to proceed for surgery.
We’re here when you need us. I know how difficult it can be to deal with a family member who refuses care. Best of luck with your uncle’s next steps…
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Hi @Hasnaa yes, that’s correct. Omega-3 is helpful as well. It reduces testosterone and insulin resistance if any, and improves menstrual regularity with PCOS. The typical dose is 1.5 to 3g of omega-3 (high EPA) in divided doses per day. Ground flax seeds are another food-based option (high in O-3 and lignans).
In terms of brands that I like, I’ve linked them below:
-Protocol for Life Balance Myo-Inositol (clean & no additional ingredients)
-Gaia Herbs Vitex
-Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega
Hope this helps!
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@Tatjana yes, please make time to watch the session with Dr. Gonzales. I have a feeling you’re really going to resonate with it very much.
Human Garage has a mission to help people heal themselves through Fascial Maneuvers. These are specific exercises that target the fascia (a part of the body that is still not well understood or talked enough about in medicine) which is the basic structure that makes up and holds all of our organs, ligaments, tendons, bones, etc, and holds intelligence, meaning that’s where our emotions and traumas get stored. So by doing certain exercises/maneuvers that target the fascia, combined with breathing, and affirmations to reprogram the brain, it is meant to help the body release emotions, realign everything better, and reset the nervous system which is the state in which we can heal.
If you download their app and navigate to their “courses”, you can start with their 1-Day reset. It will walk you through everything step by step. And like I said, you can join for as little as $1!
Hope that helps clarify it a bit better.
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@Tatjana if you always have that “stiff” feeling inside, then this is what absolutely needs to be prioritized. Talk therapy is great, but it does not allow the body to release emotions held in fascia. Have you ever done any type of somatic breathwork work before?
I would love for you to watch last month’s guest expert session with Dr. Christian Gonzales (aka Dr. G on social media) on the psychosomatic and energetic component of cancer (and overall disease). It was powerful. Regulating the nervous system is absolutely foundational to healing and should be done in conjunction (if not before) with all the other stuff you’re doing in terms of diet, supplements, lifestyle habits, etc.
Recently, I’ve discovered Fascial Maneuvers by Human Garage. It’s a similar principle except it’s practically free and you don’t need a practitioner. You can adjust the price you’d like to pay to get access to their app (as low as $1). I’m also interviewing Garry Lineham this month if you’d like to join the session live. The idea is that these maneuvers work on the fascia which connects everything in the body and where emotions are stored. Together with breathing and affirmations to reprogram the brain, many people are experiencing transformations. Definitely worth a look and try! I’m currently doing their 28-day program as well to experience it.
Of course there are many other healing modalities like EMDR, Gupta Program, etc. but I would encourage you to start with what’s free like watching the session with Dr. G, and downloading the Human Garage app. https://humangarage.net/
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@Tatjana B vitamins are water soluble so whatever the body doesn’t need, will be excreted in urine. This is often the reason for bright yellow urine when taking a B complex. Something like Thorne’s Basic B Complex has a good balance of methylated B vitamins.
Regarding your iron values. Serum iron looks good at 150.7 µg/dL (well within range), and your ferritin is also in the normal range at 41.9 ng/mL, although it’s slightly suboptimal (ideal is 50-70ng/mL for menstruating women).
However, your transferrin saturation is elevated at 49.7% (normal is 13–45%), which means that a high proportion of the transport proteins are already loaded with iron (i.e. they are saturated/full). At the same time, your UIBC (unsaturated iron binding capacity) is low at 152.7, which supports that finding… meaning, there’s less “room” for iron to be carried.
For now, based on these results, iron supplementation would not be needed unless specifically advised, and it would be helpful to retest in a few months time to monitor patterns of iron.
If you want to understand how to read an iron panel, you can watch this lesson in our Mineral Balance course where I break down the different iron markers starting at 1min 19sec. I also get into ferritin as an inflammatory marker HERE in the Interpreting Basic Blood Chemistry course starting at 2min 17 sec.
Regarding kidney/sodium balance. There does seem to be possible mild dehydration given the higher BUN/Creatinine ratio, but kidney function is optimal. Also, lower sodium and higher potassium relative to each other is not necessarily due to salt / potassium intake. This pattern often indicates a pattern of chronic stress (parasympathetic dominance). I encourage you to watch this lesson on the interpretation of electrolytes to better understand this dynamic.
And given the clinically low thyroid function (T3), stress could likely the main driver because cortisol (high or low) rules the thyroid. Watch this video to learn how cortisol affects thyroid function from our Adrenal Balance course. It also affects other hormones which is why they say stress is silent killer. It affects everything in our body and that’s why nervous system regulation and an audit of the priorities in our life is so important. Would you say chronic stress is part of your picture? And keep in mind stress can be physical, mental/emotional and physiological (like low-grade simmering infections and overgrowths).
Regarding vitamin D dosage, we have this handout that can help figure out the right dose based on your current level. Ideally, it should be between 50-70ng/mL.
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Bernadette_Abraham
AdministratorMay 4, 2025 at 12:41 pm in reply to: Follow Up for my 8 years old Tumour Marker@fayafi – thanks for sharing the latest results for you and your daughter. Here’s a breakdown of the comparison from last year’s results.
1. MycoTox Test:
The mycotoxin Ochratoxin A is still elevated (13.07), just like last year (13.2). No real change here, which suggests that there might still be an environmental or dietary exposure that hasn’t been found or properly remediated yet. Given that your test from late 2024 also showed elevated Ochratoxin A (15.61), this adds weight to the idea that there’s likely something in your shared environment likely contributing to this. Who did the inspection and remediation please? Unfortunately, I have only found 1 mold remediator with proper certifications in the UAE which is Omar from Smart Solutions – and he’s extremely hard to reach/busy. Have you been in touch with him? Did he do the work? If so, I’d reach out to let him know that your daughter’s MycoTox results have not changed.2. OAT Test findings:
a. Good news, her yeast and fungal markers have gone way down since last year!
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Tartaric acid dropped from 12 to 8.5
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Arabinose (a candida marker) dropped from 90 to 35
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Several Aspergillus-related markers also came down. This means whatever you’ve been doing to support the gut has been helping.
b. There’s still some work to do with the energy and nutrient markers. Her mitochondrial markers (like citric acid and fumaric acid) are low, which can affect energy, stamina, and overall cellular health. Nutrients like B2, B6, vitamin C, and NAC (a glutathione precursor) are low, so she’s likely dealing with lingering oxidative stress from possible toxicity and/or absorption issues.
c. She’s still showing low serotonin and norepinephrine markers, just like last year. This could be affecting mood, focus, and sleep. Is that the case? If so, focus on protein in her diet, B6 rich foods, magnesium, light exposure and gentle nervous system support.
Now just a side note that might seem confusing. How can fungal markers improve but Ochratoxin A still be high?
Here’s how I’m interpreting this: the fungal markers on the OAT test show what’s currently active in the gut and in her case, those have improved a lot! But Ochratoxin A (from the MycoTOX test) is a toxin, not a marker of current overgrowth. It reflects what’s still stored or circulating in the body (and is being excreted in urine), and unfortunately, it’s a stubborn one. It’s fat-soluble and can hang out in tissues like the brain, kidneys, or fat cells for a long time – even after the original exposure stops.
So in her case, the gut is healing, but the toxin is still present, either because:
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She’s still being exposed (environment? food?)
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Or her body just needs more time or support to fully clear it out
So to summarize:
-Gut seems to be improving
-Detox and mitochondrial support is still needed
-Might be time to revisit the home/school environment or dig deeper in her food exposure given the stubborn Ochratoxin.
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