Three Main Body Systems

Chronic Health Problems

The root cause of almost all chronic health challenge is STRESS. Stress over extended period of time causes inflammation. Chronic mental, emotional or lifestyle stress is associated with the body losing its ability to regulate the inflammatory response which promote the development and progression of disease. There are different types of stresses - mental and lifestyle stress, especially nutritional stress are the main focus.

Inflammation can also develop due to infection – low grade, chronic infection caused by parasites, bacterial infection and food intolerance – that over time wear people down physically and emotionally. It is estimate that up to 80% of all doctors visits is due to stress, that shows up in the form of disease, such as hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol and arthritis.

The functional nutrition and lifestyle medicine program uses diagnostic labs and focuses on addressing common chronic health conditions- through restoring 3 main body systems: hormones, digestion and detoxification to address the root cause of fatigue, brain fog, pain and weight challenges, to name a few.

The Hormonal System

Most cases of hormonal imbalance are a secondary response to a primary stress, whether it is emotional stress, physiological stress due to pain and inflammation, or nutritional stress. In general, stress can be addressed with nutritional changes, correction of chronic inflammatory conditions and support for emotional health.

In your hormonal system, the adrenal glands produce and regulate your stress hormones. Normally, when the stress dissipates, the glands have time to rest and prepare for the next stressful event. However, if your stress levels remain chronically high, your body will remain locked in a state of stress. If your stress hormone levels remain elevated for extended periods of time, your body’s ability to recover can be reduced, and the ability of your adrenals to make stress hormones can be compromised. Under chronic stress conditions, the adrenals eventually “burn out.” At this point, the adrenals become fatigued and can no longer sustain an adequate response to stress. Once the glands have been depleted of their ability to produce stress hormones, it becomes more and more difficult for the body to recover. Constant fatigue and low-level depression can appear in otherwise emotionally healthy people.

Stress hormone depletion also impacts the female hormones progesterone and estrogen, as well as the predominant male hormone, testosterone. Since sex hormone levels drop as stress hormone levels drop, sex drive diminishes in both men and women. In both men and women, hormonal symptoms such as mood swings, irritability, sweet cravings and headaches can be related to the failure of the adrenals to adapt to stress. Female hormone symptoms such as menstrual cramping, infertility, night sweats and hot flashes can also be related to adrenal insufficiency.

The Digestive System

The digestive tract is responsible for the breakdown, absorption and assimilation of every nutrient that fuels our trillions of cells. Problems with the digestive system are typically experienced as bloating, indigestion, gas, constipation or diarrhea. Many people have experienced gastrointestinal discomfort for so long that they have adjusted and normalize its poor functioning. With healthy digestive function a person will feel energized and revitalized after a meal for several hours and will not experience cravings.

The foundation of good health lies in proper digestive function. If you are not able to digest and absorb nutrients, your overall health will suffer. Assimilation of vitamins, minerals, proteins and essential fatty acids from the foods you eat is required to keep you healthy. Low stomach acid and low digestive enzymes are common problems due to poor diets and high stress levels. In addition, an imbalance in the healthy organisms that inhabit the intestinal tract can be caused by parasitic infections, bacterial overgrowth, or invasive yeast often referred to as candida. Hidden inflammatory conditions can also interfere with digestion. Did you know that the majority of your immune system lies within your intestinal lining? The lining of your gastrointestinal tract is your first line of defense from invading pathogens. If this lining is compromised from years of faulty digestive function, you will be more susceptible to invasion from pathogens, parasites, and infections.

The Detoxification System

The detoxification system refers to the body’s pathways for eliminating harmful toxins such as various chemicals and the products that result from the breakdown of alcohol or medications. Our modern world is creating a level of chemical and heavy metal exposure that is taxing our detoxification system.

Your liver is at the center of and is essential part of your body’s detoxification system. The liver is an amazing organ, responsible for filtering toxins out of your blood. Our bodies must handle and process toxins from many sources. One major source of toxic exposure is through the digestive tract. High fat diets, alcohol, caffeine, sugar, artificial sweetener consumption and the use of medications contribute to the total burden placed on the liver. Hormones and antibiotics fed to animals, preservatives and dyes used in foods you eat can all cause serious symptoms and side effects. Heavy metal toxicity from dental fillings, contaminated food and water, and other environmental exposure also add to the total toxic load on the body. In addition, everything you apply to your skin or expose yourself to in your environment must pass through your liver, where it is must be neutralized and excreted.

An overworked liver can become clogged, causing toxins to back up and recirculate into the bloodstream. Inadequate detoxification leads to allergies, asthma, joint pain, skin problems, headaches, inability to concentrate, and alcohol intolerance. Inadequate detoxification leads to accelerated aging and promotes the onset of degenerative diseases. Despite all the work it has to do every day, the liver has an amazing ability to regenerate.

The Detoxification System is always my starting point, because whatever approach we decide on, everything ingested or absorbed must be processed and detoxified out of your body, even nutraceutical supplements.

These three body systems all interact with one another. For example, if you eat a food you are reactive to, it will cause inflammation in the GI tract which impacts normal digestion and absorption of nutrients. The inflammation generates a hormonal response and as the anti-inflammatory hormone cortisol rises, immune function lowers and your sex hormone levels drop. All this can happen simply because you had a pancake and a large glass of orange juice for breakfast! Understanding how, what and when to breakfast is very important step in your getting to healthy journey.

The Role of Lifestyle Medicine

Most chronic illness, including fatigue, weight gain and depression can be relieved diet changes, exercise, sleep and proper nutritional supplements based on diagnostic lab assessments.

The lifestyle tools we use to create your wellness plan:

Nutritional changes: Learn what foods to eat and what foods you need to avoid, when and how much to eat in order to maximize the efficiency of your unique biochemistry. Food allergy testing, hormone assessments are useful tools to meet your unique needs.

Exercise: It is important to establish an appropriate exercise program based on strength training, stretching and cardiovascular exercise. Too much or too little exercise can be stressful to your body. During the healing process, movement as exercise, such as walking, dancing & yoga are recommended.

Sleep: We suggest lifestyle modifications such as changes to your sleep patterns. The hours between 10pm and midnight are ideal for rest and repair for your body and adrenal glands. Our bodies heal and repair during Deep Sleep.

Therapy for Stress Reduction: Modalities of stress management vary widely. Some people need more time with family, more sleep, or more connection to their spiritual life. Yoga works for both exercise and stress reduction. The chronic stressors we all experience are often a major source of our health complaints and need to be addressed as part of a comprehensive plan to restore health.

Supplement programs: The nutrients you are deficient in and what supplements will have a therapeutic benefit for you to promote your transition to a healthier body. Lab results for all body systems matched with your clinical presentation of symptoms enable us to decide what supplements will be supportive in this process.

Supplements

As part of your program, we usually recommend that you purchase nutritional supplements. These may include specific vitamins, minerals, herbs, natural plant-based hormones, and various other products. All of the supplements we recommend are sourced from nutrition companies that only sell their products to physicians.

Protocols are typically for 3 month periods but may vary depending on lab results and response. All of the supplements we use have been proven clinically effective by hundreds of naturally oriented doctors. They have been shown to help resolve patients’ health concerns with predictable outcomes.

Functional Diagnostic Tests

Natural therapies have advanced to the point where we can now use the perfect blend of science and nature to create lab guided supplement recommend programs. This is done by using advanced clinical laboratory testing to create individualized nutrient programs. Functional diagnostic lab testing can be applied to a wide range of health concerns, from digestive issues to weight loss. Using the latest technologies, we can now accurately assess specific nutrient deficiencies, measure hormone levels and determine the best therapeutic protocol for correcting many chronic health conditions.

Regardless of lab test result, creating a strong metabolic health and lifestyle foundation is required

Prices reflect pricing or starting point for current lab fees.

What to expect.

Functional Nutrition is nutrition and lifestyle-based self-care that focuses on finding and addressing route causes of chronic health complaints.

Welcome! 

My style of ‘getting to healthy…naturally!’ is to take achievable, low stress steps toward optimal health. You will receive resources and guidance to help you reach your goals and make good decisions for your health. I am interested in helping motivated, health-conscious individuals who are ready to achieve overall wellness and live their best life. If you are dedicated and willing to make adjustments to your lifestyle and commit the self-care time required to get the health results you desire, then I am the consultant for you.  

This journey may require that you give up certain foods or habits while working with me. As Hippocrates said “food IS medicine” but it can also be poison to your body depending on your current state of health. In order to get well and optimize your health, it is important that you educate yourself, listen to your body and be your strongest health advocate. I’m not a medical provider and strongly recommend that you continue working with your doctor. Based on lab findings or symptoms, I may specifically refer you to your medical doctor or other health service providers.

The Functional Diagnostic Nutrition method does not treat specific disease or diagnosis but treats the body as a whole. My recommendations and protocols are suggestions base on diagnostic lab results and a proven system that focuses on three main body systems - hormonal, digestion & detoxification and four lifestyle pillars - nutrition, exercise, sleep and stress reduction.

Sleep is Essential and Nutrition is pillar to achieving results. If you have spent years struggling with health challenges, please expect that repairing years of damage takes time. Getting well may mean making changes that might be uncomfortable for you at first. If you are committed, follow my recommendations, instill good quality whole foods and adjust lifestyle habits you WILL see results.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be your guide and support along your wellness journey!