Tag: functional medicine

Common Causes of Fatigue

Written by b-better on September 1, 2021. Posted in Holistic Health. No Comments on Common Causes of Fatigue

Recently, I asked you to list your top 5 health struggles you’d like to resolve. FATIGUE was up there!⁣⁣⁣⁣And since it’s a BIG topic with so many possible root causes, I figured I’d start off by sharing the most common causes:⁣ ⁣⁣⁣1️⃣ Insulin resistance = the cells can’t absorb sugar for energy, so there’s low cellular energy. FYI – a diet high in sugar and carbs (flour products), and chronic stress can lead to this dynamic!⁣⁣⁣⁣2️⃣ Hormone imbalance: low cortisol (usually from chronic stress) impacts thyroid function by increasing the inactive “Reverse T3” and making the...

Gut Healing

Written by b-better on July 25, 2021. Posted in Holistic Health. No Comments on Gut Healing

In my post Is Leaky Gut Real I defined leaky gut and explained how it happens with common signs & symptoms. ⁣⁣⁣Now let’s tackle the mother-load you’ve all been waiting for: how to fix leaky gut!⁣⁣⁣Just to clarify – leaky gut is not a disease; it’s a symptom and one that I address using the ‘3 R’ strategy; Remove, Replenish & Repair.⁣⁣⁣⁣We need to ‘remove’ the insults; ‘replenish’ the body with what it needs, and finally ‘repair’ the damage. There’s work to be done! ⁣⁣⁣If you jump straight to the ‘repair’ phase without removing the causes and supporting digestion… well,...

Stress and Adrenals

Written by b-better on June 29, 2021. Posted in Holistic Health. No Comments on Stress and Adrenals

What’s the point of highlighting common types of stress?⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣Because it all means the same thing to the brain… “we’re in danger and run for your life”, so the body responds accordingly.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣And the longer your body remains in a stressed state, the more your body is going to ensure you slow down!⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣While short bursts of stress are okay and keep our immune system primed, unresolved chronic stress – IN ANY FORM – takes a toll on our adrenals (those 2 triangular shaped glands that sit on top of our kidneys at the back) and drains micronutrient reserves (i.e....

Folate Not Folic Acid

Written by b-better on June 28, 2021. Posted in Herbal Remedies & Supplements, Holistic Health, Wellness in Practice. No Comments on Folate Not Folic Acid

“Folate” & “folic acid” are often used interchangeably, but they’re not at all the same and here’s why you should care!⁣⁣There are two main forms of vitamin B9: folate (the natural form) and folic acid (the synthetic form used in many supplements and fortified/enriched foods).⁣While their chemical structure differ slightly, the main difference lies in the body’s ability to process them.⁣Unlike natural folate which is easily metabolized in the small intestine, synthetic folic acid is metabolized by the DHFR enzyme in the liver which is rather low, leaving excess folic acid to be...

Do You have ‘Leaky Brain’?

Written by b-better on June 28, 2021. Posted in Holistic Health, Mental & Emotional Well-being, Wellness in Practice. No Comments on Do You have ‘Leaky Brain’?

I’ve talked about ‘leaky gut’ before but did you know that it can also predispose us to ‘leaky brain’?????????This is a condition where the protective layer between the brain and the rest of the systemic body called the ‘blood-brain barrier’ (BBB) becomes permeable, and lets toxins and other materials in that causes the brain’s immune system to work overdrive, leading to brain inflammation.In other words, if you suffer from depression, anxiety, brain fog or any other brain problems, blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability (i.e. ‘leaky brain’) should be considered.????How to tell if you...

Signs of Insulin Resistance and How to Reverse it

Written by b-better on June 26, 2021. Posted in Holistic Health, Wellness in Practice. No Comments on Signs of Insulin Resistance and How to Reverse it

Do you crave something sweet in the afternoon, get “hangry” if you miss a meal or have any of the other symptoms listed in the picture below?⁣ ⁣It may be a good idea to rule out “insulin resistance” – a condition when cells no longer respond to insulin’s action, which is to get glucose (sugar) out of the blood and into the cell.⁣⁣⁣⁣This process doesn’t happen overnight; it takes years and if left unaddressed, can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes.⁣⁣⁣⁣How does it happen?⁣⁣⁣⁣It typically starts with a Standard American Diet causing large spikes of blood sugar multiples times...

Benefits of Sole Water

Written by b-better on June 24, 2021. Posted in Holistic Health, Recipes. No Comments on Benefits of Sole Water

Do you crave salty food and/or salt your food before even tasting it?⁣⁣⁣⁣These are classic signs of salt deficiency and a possible need for other electrolytes. ⁣⁣⁣⁣When you drop the intake of refined foods and start eating more whole foods, many feel better when they add salt back in.⁣⁣⁣⁣Why? Because when you start eating a lower amount of refined carbohydrates this increases your need for salt due to lower insulin levels and greater salt loss in urine. This is why many people on low-carb diets crave more salt.⁣⁣⁣⁣Other factors that increase salt needs:⁣⁣⁣⁣???????? exercise,...

Your Probiotics Guide 101

Written by b-better on June 23, 2021. Posted in Holistic Health. No Comments on Your Probiotics Guide 101

First things first. When a new client tells me they take probiotics, it’s the same thing as telling me they eat food. Not very helpful or specific is it? So let’s first learn some basic facts. In nutrition, we broadly categorize food into macro-nutrients: protein, carbs and fats.With probiotics, scientists have also classified them into three categories: genus, species and strains.???????? Genus refers to the family of probiotic – for example, canine.???????? Species refers to the group – i.e. dogs.???????? And strains are the subtypes – i.e. dog breeds.The genus can be...

Low Iron: 13 Root Causes & Solutions

Written by b-better on June 22, 2021. Posted in Holistic Health. No Comments on Low Iron: 13 Root Causes & Solutions

⁣⁣⁣Iron deficiency anemia is quite common unfortunately.⁣⁣⁣⁣It occurs when iron intake and stores are insufficient to support production of the body’s red blood cells, which carry iron-rich proteins known as hemoglobin.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣Hemoglobin is responsible for tissue oxygenation–the delivery of oxygen to tissue.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣Insufficient iron, then, spells disaster, often leading to immense fatigue.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣In general, excluding hemorrhage, iron deficiency anemia is slow to develop, with a myriad root causes:⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣☑️ Internal bleeding, for example due to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)...

Seed Cycling for Hormone Balance

Written by b-better on June 22, 2021. Posted in Holistic Health, Recipes. No Comments on Seed Cycling for Hormone Balance

Have you heard of seed cycling before?⁣⁣⁣⁣I don’t know about you, but no one ever explained to me how our cycle actually works from a hormonal perspective until I studied it.⁣⁣⁣⁣It’s quite a synchronized yo-yo – and I’m sure many of us at one point or another have felt the ups and downs of hormone imbalance.⁣⁣⁣⁣From sore breasts to painful, irregular or heavy periods and mood swings – these are just some of the hormonal symptoms we may experience.⁣⁣⁣⁣But even if these are common, don’t mistake that for being “normal”.⁣⁣⁣⁣There’s nothing normal about not being able to hug your husband...