Tag: hormones

Most of us are not living in line with our natural biological rhythms. This is causing imbalances in our hormone levels. Hormone imbalances often affect our brain’s ability to function efficiently and can cause obesity, dementia, mental health disorders, and many other serious health issues. Keeping our sex hormones in check is critical to our overall well-being. 

 

Signs your  sex hormones are out of balance:  

  • Depression and anxiety 
  • Exhaustion  
  • Trouble concentrating 
  • Sleep issues 
  • Being overweight or having excessive belly fat 
  • Sugar and salt cravings 
  • Menstrual pain and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) 
  • Challenging menopause or andropause symptoms 
  • Mood and energy swings 
  • Low sex drive 
  • Needing caffeine or alcohol to function 

 

At Linden & Arc Vitality Institute, we are experts at addressing and treating hormone imbalances. Our goal is to support your body by restoring and improving your health and well-being. 

 

What Are Hormones? 

 

Hormones are produced and managed by our endocrine glands. They are chemical messengers in our bodies that are secreted directly into our bloodstream. They move to all parts of the body to help control how cells and organs work. Hormones help us manage our moods, sleep, growth, thyroid, sexual behaviours, stress responses, and blood sugar levels.  

 

Because the control centers of your endocrine glands are in your brain, even a slight imbalance of your hormones can alter your brain’s capacity to learn and function effectively. Meaning your hormones can affect all aspects of your life! 

 

Your sex hormones affect your sexual development, reproduction, and many other aspects of your life. These hormones include testosterone, estrogen, pregnenolone, progesterone, and DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone). 

 

Testosterone 

 

Testosterone is a brain-boosting  sex hormone responsible for building muscle mass and improving all genders’ mood, memory, motivation, and cognitive function.    

  

Testosterone levels tend to drop with age due to weight gain, little exercise, chronic stress, and high sugar diets. Birth control, surgical menopause (surgical removal of the ovaries), and medications can also lower testosterone levels.   

  

Signs of low testosterone:  

  

  • Low sex drive  
  • Erectile dysfunction   
  • Less sensitive clitoris  
  • Decreased sense of well-being  
  • Depression  
  • Decreased concentration and memory  
  • Fatigue  
  • Mood changes  
  • Decreased muscle strength  
  • Increased cellulite or varicose veins  
  • Joint pain  
  • Hair loss  

   

Those born males often experience symptoms of andropause as they reach their 40s. Andropause happens as testosterone levels decline with age. Symptoms include depression, fatigue, loss of mental clarity, and loss of sex drive and function. These symptoms are avoidable and are caused by hormone imbalance.   

  

Regular exercise and strength training, ensuring you are eating enough protein, fat, and whole carbohydrates, getting plenty of sleep, and reducing stress are great ways to help raise your testosterone levels.   

  

Many excellent delivery systems are available to easily keep your testosterone levels optimized and balanced, including Bio-Te pellets, creams, lozenges (troches), and injectables. 

 

Estrogen 

 

Everyone’s body makes and needs estrogen! Estrogen promotes the production of serotonin, making it one of nature’s natural antidepressants! Like all hormones having imbalanced estrogen levels can send your body into crisis.  

 

In the brain, estrogen has been shown to reduce the risks of dementia, while too much can cause breast, uterine, and cervical cancer, as well as breast growth in men.  

 

Adrenal glands, ovaries, and fat tissues produce estrogen. All genders have this hormone, but those born female create more of it. As we age, our adrenal glands start to make most of our sex hormones. Bad habits such as smoking, alcohol consumption, high sugar and refined carbohydrate diets, and chronic stress deplete our adrenal glands.  

 

Symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, brain fog, memory loss, mood swings, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and sleepless nights due to menopause are not inevitable. They are treatable symptoms that are caused by hormonal imbalances. 

 

Signs of estrogen imbalance: 

 

  • Fatigue 
  • Weight loss or gain 
  • Irregular or no periods 
  • Mood swings 
  • PMS  
  • Hot flashes 
  • Sore breasts 
  • Headaches and migraines  
  • Decreased sex drive 
  • Depression and anxiety 
  • Infertility  
  • Increased hunger and thirst  
  • Sensitivity to hot or cold 
  • Bowel movement changes  
  • Frequent urination 
  • Stretch marks 
  • Blurred vision 

 

Maintaining a moderate weight, regular exercise, reducing stress, consuming proper nutrients, and taking care of your gut health are great ways to help balance your estrogen levels.  

 

Estrogen Detox  

 

Your body naturally detoxes estrogen using a 3-part process. 

   

Phase 1: Estrogen is turned into three types of metabolites including 2-OH, 4-OH, and 16-OH. 

 

Phase 2: A process called methylation neutralizes 2-OH and 4-OH. This makes the metabolites water soluble so that they can be safely excreted from the body.   

 

Phase 3: Excretion – If your gut bacteria is agitated and you produce too many enzymes, this phase will not work, and recirculation will occur. This leads to inflammation and estrogen dominance.   

 

How to promote estrogen detox: 

 

  1. Try a whole food plant-based diet (avoid soy). Plant foods support hormone balance and microbiome.  
  2. Reduce plastic use. Plastic contains synthetic estrogens, even when it is BPA-free plastic.   
  3. Reduce stress.  
  4. Take care of your gut and ensure you have regular bowel movements.  
  5. Exercise regularly.  
  6. Limit alcohol intake.   
  7. Ensure you are getting proper sleep.  

 

Pregnenolone   

 

Some call this the “mother of hormones” because it is the steroid hormone used as a precursor to making all the other steroid hormones in a process called steroidogenesis. Pregnenolone is made from cholesterol in the adrenal glands, brain, ovaries in females, and testes in males. The synthesis of each class of hormones is dependent on various factors, including the location of where it is being made, the enzymes involved, and the other hormones present.   

  

There are five classes of steroid hormones synthesized from pregnenolone, including:  

 

  • Androgens (Ex. testosterone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT))   
  • Estrogens (Ex. estradiol)  
  • Glucocorticoids (Ex. cortisol, corticosterone)  
  • Mineralocorticoids (Ex. aldosterone)  
  • Progestins (Ex. progesterone)   

  

Pregnenolone also has other actions in the body. It has anti-inflammatory effects and is immune supporting. When pregnenolone is made in the nervous system, it is called a neurosteroid. Neurosteroids influence gene transcription and modulate neurotransmission. This results in various effects on brain function and supports neuroprotection.  If your pregnenolone production declines, the hormonal imbalance often results in struggles in your day-to-day life.

 

Low pregnenolone can show as:  

 

  • Poor memory & trouble concentrating  
  • Fatigue  
  • Decreased sex drive  
  • Dry skin  
  • Muscle & joint stiffness  

   

Progesterone   

 

Progesterone is what we like to call a magical unicorn hormone! It helps soothe and calm our nervous system and supports our capacity to manage stress.  

  

Progesterone is a sex hormone produced in both men and women and plays a significant role in testosterone production. It is produced in a woman’s second half of her menstrual cycle after ovulation. It plays a role in maintaining blood flow to the uterine lining, regular menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and normalizes periods (not too light and not too heavy).   

  

Progesterone levels can drop due to nutrient depletion, stress, consuming too many saturated fats and refined sugars, certain medications (especially antidepressants), overexercising, and decreased thyroid functioning. When progesterone drops in relation to estrogen – either relatively or absolutely – PMS occurs.  

 

Low progesterone can show up as:   

 

  • Anxiety, nervousness, irritability, moodiness, and lethargic depression   
  • Insomnia – unable to get into that deep, restorative sleep and therefore restless sleeps and waking up tired   
  • Decreased libido – this symptom is also shared with low testosterone and DHEA   
  • Headaches (especially around your period)   
  • Weight gain   
  • Lighter or skipped periods   
  • Spotting before your period  
  • PMS: acne, bloating, breast tenderness, water retention   
  • Estrogen dominance signs – heavy periods, painful periods, fibroids, endometriosis, cysts, and fibrocystic breasts.   

 

If you identify with any of the listed symptoms above, know that there are many ways we can naturally support your sex hormones balance. Here are a few lifestyle tips to get you started:   

 

  • Get better sleep – prioritize your sleep and make it your non-negotiable! No matter who you are, 8 hours is still the recommended minimum amount of sleep per night.  
  • Consume good quality, healthy fats – our hormones use cholesterol as their backbones!  
  • Try castor oil packs placed on the body over the liver (see link). The liver detoxifies all our hormones, and castor oil can help clear excess estrogen from the body that can contribute to progesterone deficiency. At Linden & Arc, we recommend the Queen of Thrones Castrol Oil Pack. 

  

DHEA 

 

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is another one of your sex hormones. It is made by your adrenal glands, with a small amount also being made in your brain and skin. DHEA makes your estrogen and testosterone and has been shown to have protective effects against cancer, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, heart disease, and autoimmune disease.   

 

DHEA production declines with age, starting in your late twenties, and by the age of seventy, your body only makes one-fourth of the amount it made earlier. All too often, the focus is on estrogen, progesterone & testosterone as a first step. However, the doctors at Linden & Arc start balancing the hormones of Metabolic Triad 1: adrenal, thyroid, pancreas as an integral first step to wellness and reclaiming your energy.  

 

DHEA helps to:  

 

  • Decrease allergic reactions  
  • Decrease cholesterol  
  • Deal with stress 
  • Increase brain function  
  • Increase sense of well-being  
  • Prevent blood clots  
  • Promote weight loss  
  • Reduce insulin resistance  
  • Support your immune system   
  • Reduce blood sugar spikes 

 

DHEA deficiencies often occur due to aging, nicotine, menopause, or stress.  

 

Symptoms of DHEA deficiencies include:  

  

  • Decreased energy  
  • Decreased muscle strength  
  • Difficulties with stress  
  • Irritability  
  • Joint soreness  
  • Weight gain  

 

If your body has low DHEA levels, DHEA hormone replacement may be an excellent option for you.  

 

How Linden & Arc Vitality Institute Can Help You Diagnose and Treat Hormone Imbalances 

 

If you are experiencing symptoms of sex hormone imbalance, Linden & Arc Vitality Institute will take a thorough history of your hormone function. Our doctors will access your hormones using blood, urine, and saliva tests.  

 

We use some of the most advanced tests to access hormone levels accurately. Saliva testing measures cortisol, estrogens, progesterone, and androgens levels. Our blood tests allow us to measure insulin, thyroid, and other hormone levels accurately. Urine is used to evaluate estrogen metabolism ratios. Estrogen metabolism ratios are how we gauge the pathways through which estrogen and sex steroids are detoxified from your body. We can also measure cortisol, progesterone, testosterone, and other hormone levels with urine samples. 

 

We recommend a hormone test for everyone around ages 35-40, so we can measure your baseline labs and ensure you continue to have a good quality of life. 

 

Once we have defined your hormone imbalance and addressed the cause, we will help your body restore and replenish balance using bio-identical hormones. Bio-identical hormone therapy (BHRT or natural hormone therapy) uses hormones that are identical to those your body produces on a molecular level.  

 

Benefits of Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy: 

 

  • Mental clarity  
  • Increased energy 
  • Increased sex drive 
  • Increased ability to lose fat and gain muscle 
  • Decreased anxiety and depression symptoms  
  • Improved sleep quality 
  • Improved well-being 
  • Improved skin and hair health 

 

At Linden & Arc Vitality Institute, we aim to break the cycle of unnecessary suffering with proactive treatments that will improve your quality of life.  Our Functional Medicine practice seeks to uncover and treat the root cause of your illness, healing you as a complete being, not just a collection of symptoms.

 

If you are experiencing symptoms of  hormone imbalance, click HERE, call 1-587-390-0180, or email [email protected], and we will guide you through how Linden & Arc Vitality Institute can help you. 

 

Author: 

Dr. Ayla Lester, ND

Do you ever wonder what the root cause of your headaches is? Probably not in the middle of having one! Realistically, you just want it gone. The functional medicine approach does not stop at the symptoms. It is a whole-body approach that asks what the root cause of those symptoms is. It’s at the moment you realize that your headaches don’t start in your head, that you are on your way to healing.

 

4 Types of Headaches

There are 4 different types of headaches, each with their own distinct symptoms but all are debilitating, no matter the form. Distinguishing the symptoms will help you categorize the type. These types are migraines, tension headaches, cluster headaches, and secondary headaches. Let’s explore the symptoms of each.

 

Migraine Headaches

The most severe and longest-lasting of all types of headaches are migraines. Migraines often times are preceded by an aura, flashes of light or blind spots. Sufferers may have difficulty speaking and experience tingling on one side of the face, an arm, or a leg. The throbbing or pulsing pain lasts from hours to days and is normally felt on one side of the head. Other symptoms of migraines can include light and noise sensitivity, nausea, and vomiting.

 

Tension Headaches

The most common headache is called a tension headache, or stress headache, It feels much like squeezing or “vice” like feeling around the head, temples, and upper neck. This type of headache is continuous and lasts anywhere from a half-hour to a week and symptoms can include trouble sleeping and difficulty concentrating.

 

Cluster Headaches

Cluster headaches, lasting 15 minutes to 3 hours occur in cluster periods, over a longer period of time. These are considered the most painful or excruciating types of headaches developing on one side of the head, in or around one eye and one side of the face. The severe, burning pain strikes at night.

 

Secondary Headaches

Secondary headaches are those that are caused by other conditions. These conditions can include sinus issues; high blood pressure, overexertion, medication side effect, withdrawal, or hormone imbalances, just to name a few. 

 

The Functional Medicine Treatment of Headaches

Functional Medicine treats all types of headaches with success by looking deeper at the causes. We have remarkable success in treating headaches because we look deeper at the causes and treat accordingly. Often, more than one underlying cause contributes to each headache. Conventional medicine treats headaches and migraines with over the counter and prescription pain medications.

 

Noting the History of Your Headaches

Linden & Arc Vitality Institute doctors and practitioners will take thorough notes on the history of your headaches, along with an in-depth look at your full health story.  We examine the location, type of pain, measured intensity, duration, and any other symptoms associated to determine the potential causes of the type of headache you are suffering from. We use the LMMD 7 Core Nodes of Healing approach to assessing your individual root causes and dig deeper. Let’s apply Linden & Arc Vitality Institute 7 Core Nodes of Healing to your headache relief.

 

7 Core Nodes of Healing For Headache Relief

 

The Gut

One of the 7 Core Nodes of Healing is the gut. Managing the gut and food reactions in terms of managing headaches could be the answer to headache relief. Food sensitivities and allergies are some of the most common reasons for headaches that we see in the clinic. You may not have symptoms immediately with a delayed IgG food sensitivity, the inflammation that grumbles from repeated exposure to a triggering food can result in daily headaches for some. 

 

Histamine and Tyramine food reactions are common triggers of headaches and migraines. As well, dysbiosis, an imbalance in good and bad bacteria, can trigger headaches. An example of dysbiosis is high opportunistic candida overgrowth in the gut. 

 

Hormones 

High levels of cortisol, one of our main stress hormones, can lead to headaches. Therefore, take note of the timing of the headaches during your menstrual cycle. Typically, migraines are caused by an imbalance in Estrogen and Progesterone in women. This is why we typically see a surge in headache symptoms the week leading up to the period. Functional Medicine physicians call this Estrogen Dominance. High levels of Xenoestrogens in our environment and inflammation both cause headaches as well. We can manage migraines/ headaches in a cyclical fashion, using supplements or hormones at different stages of the menstrual cycle.

 

Energy

Mitochondria, the little ‘powerhouses’ or ‘factories’ in the cells, make our body’s energy (or ATP). They do this using nutrient substrates and oxygen. These mitochondria can function sluggishly from nutrient deficiencies, inflammation, chronic infection, and toxicity. This leads to a cascade of events that causes “energy failure” in the nerve tissue. This energy failure can activate headaches.We are able to test the Krebs cycle to assess for mitochondrial dysfunction and can test the individual nutrients that we know fuel the mitochondria.  Riboflavin (B2), coenzyme Q10, magnesium, niacin (B3), carnitine, alpha-lipoic acid supplements are very effective in giving the mitochondria the boost that they need. Intravenous nutrients can start functioning much quicker in someone with an unhealthy gut. 

 

Detoxification

The body needs regular detoxification to remove the many external toxins that we are faced with on a day to day basis. These exposures come from many different sources. These sources can be anything from pesticides on our food to the air we breathe, the water we drink, chemicals in our cosmetics, and cleaning products. We are exposed to other endocrine disrupters in places like receipts or plastic bottles. Detoxification system overwhelm and poor detoxifying genes allow our bodies to accumulate toxins much easier. These are well established in the literature to cause many health conditions. This “backlog” of toxins in the body can cause many different symptoms, one of which is headaches. Fortunately, we are able to test for all of the different chemicals and metals that we know to be an issue. In a stepwise, staged process, we teach the body how to detoxify more efficiently and see improvement in many symptoms including headaches.

 

Immune Balance/ Chronic Inflammation

Chronic inflammation usually appears from infective triggers, known as “Biotoxins.” Biotoxins can appear from the inflammatory sources from food, gut imbalances, hormone imbalance, and toxin accumulation. Living toxins cause headaches. Examples are mold, Lyme, virus, or bacteria.

 

In genetically vulnerable individuals, these can trigger an inflammatory response termed Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome. This is a multi-symptom, multi-system disease, with headaches and other cognitive disruptions being very common. Mast cell activation syndrome, commonly associated with this, leads to the release of Histamine & other inflammatory cytokines, which can cause headaches. These are exceedingly common in our very ill patient population. We take a detailed history and analyze it appropriately.

 

Brain Power and Mood

Brain neurotransmitter’s imbalances can cause headaches and mood issues. A high level of glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter, can lead to headaches and mood changes. It is important to rule out underlying neurological disorders or syndromes as a cause of headaches. Your functional medicine physician will be able to determine what to look for based on a history and examination.

 

Heart Vitality

Your physician will test your heart vitality with regard to headaches. There may be vascular (blood vessel) contributions to your migraines, from vascular activation of the nervous system. There is communication between blood vessels, nerve cells, and possibly Mast cells (mentioned above) in the activation of headaches. Headaches can be caused by high blood pressure so this is an important cause to initially rule out. We can establish from your personal and family history, and other lab results whether you have risk factors for the above.

 

Structural Issues

Cervical Spine, Head, Temporomandibular joint (TMJ), and Dental structural issues are all very closely related. Imbalances in one area can cause disruptions in the other. A detailed history of previous injuries is extremely important. Even “a bump to the head” or hidden dental infections or TMJ can be significant enough to throw things out of balance and contribute to headaches. We refer our patients to brilliant Nucca Chiropractors, Physio/ manual therapists and World Class Biological dentists with experience to assess these areas.

 

Mind Body Spirit Soul 

The doctors at Linden & Arc Vitality Institute always look back to the emotional and spiritual contributions to your symptoms. Your mind, body, spirit, and soul are connected and one out of balance leads to all in illness. Addressing underlying issues helps to start the healing journey. We hold emotions and stress in our cells. Therefore, physical symptoms arise if these emotions have been held or suppressed.

 

Functional medicine practitioners have many tools to help you get the bottom of your headaches. You see from this discussion why medications fall short and do not help many headaches. If we look in the right places and treat your headaches with the individual care that they deserve, true healing and resolution can occur! 

 

A HANDY RESOURCE
To track your symptoms: https://migrainetracker.ca. This can be useful for your physician to determine what type of headache you are having, which will help determine the root cause. 

 

REFERENCES 

  1. Prevalence of Migraine in the Canadian Household Population. Pamela L Ramage-Morin  1 , Heather Gilmour  1. 2014 Jun;25(6):10-6. PMID: 24941316
  2. Front Cell Neurosci. 2018; 12: 233. Published online 2018 Aug 3. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00233. PMCID: PMC6088188
  3. Vascular Contributions to Migraine: Time to Revisit? Bianca N. Mason1,† and Andrew F. Russo1
  4. Alpay K, Ertas M, Orhan EK, Ustay DK, Lieners C, Baykan B. Diet restriction in migraine, based on IgG against foods: a clinical double-blind, randomised, cross-over trial. Cephalalgia. 2010;30(7):829-837. doi:10.1177/0333102410361404
  5. Silberstein SD. Preventive migraine treatment. Continuum. 2015;21(4 Headache):973-989. doi:10.1212/CON.0000000000000199
  6. Stovner LJ, Nichols E, Steiner TJ, et al. Global, regional and national burden of migraine and tension-type headache, 1990-2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. Lancet Neurol. 2018;17(11):954-976. doi:1016/S1474-4422(18)30322-3
  7. Pringsheim T, Davenport W, Mackie G, et al. Canadian Headache Society guideline for migraine prophylaxis. Can J Neurol Sci. 2012;39(2 Suppl 2):S1-59.
  8. Hajihashemi P, Askari G, Khorvash F, Reza Maracy M, Nourian M. The effects of concurrent coenzyme Q10, L-carnitine supplementation in migraine prophylaxis: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. Cephalalgia. 2019;39(5):648-654. doi:10.1177/0333102418821661
  9. Bektas H, Karabulut H, Doganay B, Acar B. Allergens might trigger migraine attacks. Acta Neurol Belg. 2017;117(1):91-95. doi:10.1007/s13760-016-0645-y
  10. Sadeghi O, Maghsoudi Z, Khorvash F, Ghiasvand R, Askari G. The relationship between different fatty acids intake and frequency of migraine attacks. Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res. 2015;20(3):334-339 
  11. Köseoglu E, Talaslioglu A, Gönül AS, Kula M. The effects of magnesium prophylaxis in migraine without aura. Magnes Res. 2008;21(2):101-108.
  12. Andreeva VA, Szabo de Edelenyi F, Druesne-Pecollo N, Touvier M, Hercberg S, Galan P. Macronutrient intake in relation to migraine and non-migraine headaches. Nutrients. 2018;10(9):E1309. doi:10.3390/10091309

Author

Dr. Michelle van der Westhuizen, MD

Most often, inflammation is rooted in the gut and caused by food sensitivities. These days we encounter an epidemic of chronic health issues resulting from inflammation. By understanding the gut in more detail, we have the capacity to decrease inflammation without the use of medications that have long lists of side effects and don’t solve the underlying issue.

 

The important thing to realize about inflammation is that it can appear in any part of the body, including hormone systems, the brain, and the cardiovascular system. The evidence for this is unquestionable. This being said, it is very important to identify foods that may be stimulating our immune system and having detrimental downstream health effects.

 

Testing for food sensitivities has its controversies, but it can be a very useful starting point. IBS and Crohn’s disease respond best to IgG testing but are clinically applicable in many other illnesses. The tests reveal gut complaints, chronic fatigue, depression and anxiety, and autoimmune issues, to name a few.

 

Limitations of food sensitivity testing:

 

1. They test only limited immune reactions and do not show non-immune food reactions

Food sensitivity testing is not perfect, as it is only testing a very select part of the immune system. Parts of the immune system most often tested are IgE (true allergy), IgA (mucosal immune system), and IgG (delayed food sensitivities). A negative test does not exclude a reaction by the innate immune system, or a non-immune reaction (like lactose intolerance, FODMAP intolerance, or histamine intolerance).

 

2. Laboratory standards differ

The accuracy of testing can vary from lab to lab, depending on which controls and which antigens they use. For example, an organic apple may have different reactivity to one that is not organic. Heat and processing or roasting may make an antigen more or less antigenic. Whether the lab uses monoclonal antibodies (from one source) vs polyclonal antibodies (from many sources), can also affect the reactivity of the test.

 

3. Individual and confounding factors

False positives may result from smoking, alcohol consumption, periodontal disease and other factors. False negatives may result from immunoglobulin deficiencies. Lab tests may not pick up individual differences in immunoglobulins which could also skew results.

 

Testing often shows reaction to antigens which should be ‘healthy’ foods. This situation is often caused by increased intestinal permeability. Something like gluten may trigger leaky gut, allowing bystanders to leak through the gut layer and stimulate an immune reaction. Gut repair is essential in resolving this.

 

 

With all these confounding factors, how do you figure out what you are reacting to?

The gold standard of figuring of food sensitivities is with an elimination diet. This means taking out the common allergenic offending foods for a period of 3-4 weeks minimum and then slowly reintroducing them one by one. A positive test results when a reaction to the reintroduced food occurs.

 

In an ideal world, every patient with a chronic health condition should go through an elimination diet. Unfortunately, this does not always happen. In many cases, people do not believe that their health condition is related to food and so are not willing to change their way of eating.

 

The benefits of food sensitivity testing:

Enter the food sensitivity test. Though not all testing is perfect, this can be an extremely useful tool in figuring out major food triggers. Keeping the above limitations in mind, improvements in symptoms should occur with removal of the offending foods. The proof is in the pudding: people very often do get dramatically better when they remove the positive foods on the tests.
 

When they do not get better after a trial of elimination, a skilled health care professional will guide the patient to work through different steps based on their history, physical examination and testing, to figure out what is causing their symptoms.

 

Reasons people don’t get better:

  1. Gut healing not done alongside the removal of the problem foods. Much research around gluten removal with or without gut repair, has been done. A large percentage of patients do not improve symptomatically when the gut repair is not undertaken. This involves replacing pancreatic enzymes, gallbladder support, and stomach acid and healing the lining of the gut.
  2. The person is reacting to food in a different way. They may have histamine, salicylate, or oxalate intolerance or a lectin intolerance and respond to a grain and legume-free diet. They could also have fructose intolerance.
  3. They may have dysbiosis, or overgrowth of bacteria/ yeast or parasites (often interrelated with food sensitivities). Because of this they may have FODMAP intolerance (with SIBO) or may react to foods that trigger candida, like sugar.
  4. They have a misunderstanding about which foods contain the antigens they are reacting to or are being inadvertently exposed to. A common example is gluten, found in many spices, teas, toothpaste, etc.
  5. Their symptoms may not be directly related to the gut and can be related to heavy metal toxicity, biotoxin illness (mold commonly causes gut issues) or autonomic imbalance.
  6. They had a false positive test.

 

The good news

The aim is not to be off the offending food forever – the aim is to figure out why someone is reacting in the first place. If you heal your gut and eliminate correctly, you should be able to eat most things again but some people may need to stay off certain foods lifelong. The most common of these are gluten, dairy, and eggs.

 

The bottom line is that food sensitivity testing is far from perfect, but it is very often a starting point to guide a patient in the right direction and motivate lifestyle changes. The important take home is to ask why the food reactions are happening in the first place. On many occasions, people become frustrated because they follow the elimination of the foods found on their tests and they don’t feel better. It is essential to have an experienced health care provider interpret your food sensitivity test in the context of what your issues are so that you can be guided in the right direction and achieve the best results.

 

References

Bentz, S., Hausmann, M., Piberger, H., et al., (2010). Clinical relevance of IgG antibodies against food antigens in Crohn’s disease: A double-blind cross-over diet intervention study. Karger – Digestion 81(4), 252-264. https://doi.org/10.1159/000264649

 

Drisko, J., Bischoff, B., Hall, M., & McCallum, R. (2005). Treating irritable bowel syndrome with a food elimination diet followed by food challenge and probiotics. Journal of the American College of Nutrition 25(6), 514-522. https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2006.10719567

 

Guo, H., Jiang, T., Wang, J., et al., (2012). The value of eliminating foods according to food-specific immunoglobulin G antibodies in irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea. Journal of International Medical Research 40(1), 204-210. https://doi.org/10.1177/147323001204000121

 

Meletis, C.D., & Barker, J. Delayed-onset food allergies (2004). Alternative and Complementary Therapies 9(2), 61-65. https://doi.org/10.1089/107628003321536968

 

Uzunısmaıl, H., Cengız, M., Uzun, H., et al., (2012). The effects of provocation by foods with raised IgG antibodies and additives on the course of Crohn’s disease: A pilot study. Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology 23(1), 19-27. DOI: 10.4318/tjg.2012.0332

 

Zar, S., Mincher, L., Benson, M.J., & Kumar, D. (2005). Food-specific IgG4 antibody-guided exclusion diet improves symptoms and rectal compliance in irritable bowel syndrome. Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology 40(7), 800-807, https://doi.org/10.1080/00365520510015593

 

Author

Dr. Michelle van der Westhuizen, MD

DNA is a history book – a narrative of the journey of our species through time. A shop manual, with an incredibly detailed blueprint for building every human cell. It’s a transformative textbook of medicine, with insights. These insights give health care providers immense new powers to treat, prevent, and cure diseases.”

 

Genetics and Genomics

 

Gene study exists in 2 facets: genetics and genomics. Genetics is the study of single genes in isolation. Genomics is the study of all the genes in the genome, their interaction with each other, and with the environment. Each individual’s history book is full of possible stories. The stories tell of their influence by factors such as diet, lifestyle, emotional state, and environment.


In clinical practice, we are privileged to have the ability to hear what our patients are presenting with, or their story. We have the capacity to order testing to look at their phenotypical expression. The phenotypical expression describes what each gene is telling the body to say. In other words, the “stories” told. This allows not only to offer better treatment of existing concerns but also to tailor the prevention of future disease.

 

DNA: A Patient Study

 

I saw this first-hand through the story of one of my patients, JP. When we met, JP told me “I would love to find relief from the gut pain I feel daily… I can’t remember the last day I had without some bowel pain or issue like gas and bloating.” Alongside her severe digestive symptoms, JP expressed significant anxiety, fatigue toward the end of the day, fertility concerns, and cravings for sweets.


JP was a bright, young individual experiencing undue suffering every day. The issues left unresolved by conventional care were not only causing daily pain and discomfort but put JP at risk for developing serious illness in the future.  


To get to the root-cause of JP’s suffering, I ran the following tests:


Enterolab

This uncovered hidden celiac disease, as well as casein (dairy) intolerance.


MRT LEAP

This showed 35 “reds” and “yellows” (food sensitivities), suggesting severe intestinal permeability.


GI Stool Effects 

Showing SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) and various medication intolerances.


Neurotransmitter Testing

Showing imbalances that could aggravate and perpetuate her anxiety.


Heart Rate Variability

Showed a stressed system in need of rest and relaxation.


ION Panel

Her ION revealed numerous nutritional imbalances. These allowed for exploration into ‘nutrigenomics’, or how these nutrient deficiencies and imbalances affected JP’s gene expression and determined her health. 

All of the above tests allowed for a greater understanding of the underlying imbalances that lead to JP’s debilitating symptoms. This allowed me to eliminate her lifelong digestive problems by cleaning up her gut, reducing her toxicity, balancing her hormones, and replenishing her nutrient depletions.

Her anxiety, however, began to worsen once her digestion improved. It was only in looking at her genome that I was able to finesse her diet and supplement program to heal her fully. 


23andMe DNA Gene Test

Prior to the deciphering of the human genome, humans believed that once we knew the code of life in our DNA, we would answer all the questions related to the origin of disease. In reality, we learned that rather than disease being locked-in as hardwired “stories” in our genome, these characteristics included in our genes are dynamic. Each gene is in a constant dance with our environment, lifestyle, diet, stress level, and physical activity (or lack thereof).


In running the 23andMe DNA gene test, we uncovered genetic inefficiencies in methylation, neurotransmitter sensitivity (mood management), and nutrient usage (explaining the nutritional imbalances). We received information so we could optimize her diet and realized how to reduce her risk for the mood disorders most of her close family suffered from. The ability to improve her addictive behavior around sweets, and greatly reduce the risk of her developing the chronic illnesses she was particularly susceptible to getting.  

Thanks to genomic testing, I was able to see where JP’s gene expression was hindering her healing journey. With that knowledge, we were able to build bridges where there were once roadblocks, and JP left my office with the gifts of vitality and robust health.

 

The Genomic Revolution and Paradigm Shift in Healthcare

 

“Our health and disease patterns are not hardwired by our genes, but are rather a consequence of the interaction of our genetic uniqueness with environmental factors.”

Jeffery Bland, PhD

 

Jeff Bland called this genomic revolution a paradigm shift in our model of healthcare from a deterministic, disease-centric model to a wellness-centric model. We assumed dominant and recessive traits were locked into our genes with no ability to change them. The assumption said that medicine existed to put a band-aid on symptoms and disease which we could not prevent or heal. Luckily, our new wellness-centric model asks not only “How do you get sick?”, but “How can you be well?”.


We are on a gigantic wave of a medical revolution, and genomics is at the heart of that wave. Let’s paddle out together and see where the riptides might be.

 

About the author:

Dr. Murfin is wholeheartedly focused on her life’s mission to help people heal and achieve extraordinary outcomes. She believes that health is more than merely the absence of disease. It is a total state of physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social wellbeing through the creation of a whole and meaningful life. Dr. Murfin leaves no stone unturned to determine the root cause of illness or imbalance.

 

Why are DHEA & Testosterone Important? 

 

Testosterone is a male hormone, right? True, but females need it just as much as males do, just in smaller amounts. Not only is necessary for a healthy libido and sexual satisfaction, but it is also essential for bone health, brain health, muscle health, and heart health. It needs to be in balance with the other female hormones, estrogen, and progesterone (sex steroids), thyroid hormones, as well as our major stress hormone, cortisol, in order to function optimally. The Androgen DHEA is a feel-good hormone. It gives one a feeling of well being, libido, good sleep, muscle strength, and exercise tolerance.

 

What are the common symptoms of DHEA deficiency? 

Common symptoms of DHEA deficiency include reduced sex drive, reduced sexual sensitivity, difficulty achieving orgasm, painful intercourse, low mood and excessive anxiety, poor coping ability, reduced muscle tone and strength, joint pain, back pain, dry skin, poor memory or concentration and urinary incontinence. The symptoms can overlap with hormonal and other medical conditions. Thus, androgen deficiency often goes under-diagnosed and is not often thought to be relevant in females.

 

Cortisol Steal

So where does it all go wrong and why are we seeing so many women, young and old, with deficiency these days? Cortisol steal. This is exactly what it sounds like. Cortisol is stealing the substrates that our sex steroids and DHEA need to be formed because it is being produced in excess. DHEA becomes depleted and because this is upstream from testosterone (and estrogen), these downstream hormones also become depleted. So it’s the stressed women that get more hormonal issues. It is not the hormones’ fault. They are just responding appropriately to other imbalances in the body. Why would you need to reproduce or have sex for that matter, if you are running away from a lion?

 

Cortisol Steal

 

Stress and Hormones

The body interprets internal and external stress as the same thing. It doesn’t know the difference between having a fight with someone vs candida overgrowth in the gut, for example. It responds by releasing cortisol and other stress hormones and neurotransmitters from the adrenal glands. When cortisol is produced in excess, the hypothalamus in the brain perceives a threat. It switches off signals to the adrenals and cortisol is no longer produced. Alongside this, high cortisol triggers DHEA release, which tries to balance the high cortisol. With DHEA and cortisol levels low, the patient experiences stage 3 adrenal fatigue. The new term for this is HPA axis dysfunction/ dysregulation. 

 

Replacing DHEA and Testosterone in Women

DHEA and testosterone can be replaced alone, or alongside each other in women. It should be ensured that the other female hormones are also optimal. In our practice, we prescribe bioidentical hormones, which are hormones that behave in an exact way as our own hormones. They are still laboratory-made but are chemically identical to our hormones. The bad rap that hormone replacement has is from synthetic hormones, which confuse our hormonal systems – like putting the wrong key into a lock. Testosterone is most often prescribed topically, or in certain cases intramuscularly/ subcutaneous. DHEA is most often prescribed sublingually or by mouth, but can also be given topically.

 

The key to safe hormone replacement is testing your levels (24 hour urine hormone is the best test for this, but blood levels can be used when resources are limited). Once on the treatment, levels should be monitored by an experienced health care professional in order to find the dose that is right for you. This can vary tremendously between women, depending on genetics, underlying factors that caused the hormone deficit and lifestyle (a very active woman requires more DHEA or testosterone, often). You can find your optimum dose by looking at your levels alongside your symptoms. 

 

What else can you do to improve your levels besides taking hormones?

Hormone replacement is not the only answer but in every case, should be done alongside root cause treatment and lifestyle changes. Hormone replacement does not fix the adrenals and other hormones. It is just another patch if done alone. Some women even feel worse on hormones, which tells us we need to work on these root causes.

 

Other Lifestyle Improvements

So what can you do to help these hormones in your day to day life? Your overall aim is to decrease inflammation and stress on the HPA axis.

 

Diet

An anti-inflammatory diet is a good place to start. Many hormone disturbances start in the gut, because of a constant onslaught of foods that increase inflammation, upregulate our immune system, change our microbiome, and impact our gut-brain connection. Sugar, carbohydrates, and dairy are big contributors to poor hormone health.

 

Exercise

Make sure you are getting exercise that is appropriate for your condition. Don’t run a marathon when your adrenals are shot.

 

Sleep

Make sure you get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Good sleep hygiene is essential and your health care professional may recommend supplements and medications for this.

 

Stress Management

Make sure you are identifying and managing stress – we cannot always change our stressful circumstances but we can change how we perceive them and what we do every day to find our calm.

 

We recommend 2 books to find out more: The Hormone Handbook by Dr. Thierry Hertoghe; and, What You Must Know About Women’s Hormones: Your Guide to Natural Hormone Treatments for PMS, Menopause, Osteoporis, PCOS, and More by Dr. Pamela Wartian Smith.

 

About the author:

One of Dr. Michelle’s greatest passions in life is to help people help themselves. She understands that your current health tells a story and that when you have symptoms of disease, your body is already out of balance. She believes that we should not have to settle for anything other than our most vital self and that her job is to figure out how to put you back on track. To book an appointment with Dr. Michelle, contact [email protected]

One vital component of your health that you might be neglecting is precious sleep. It is absolutely critical for both your short and long term health, and in our modern society, millions of people don’t get sufficient sleep. It’s well known that the ideal amount for optimal health is eight hours. Truthfully, the amount needed varies from person to person. Everybody is different and individual factors like age, overall health, stress level, and activity level can heavily influence how much you actually need.

 

Sleep Quality & Circadian Rhythm 

When it comes to sleep, quality is just as, if not more, important than quantity. Spending nine hours tossing and turning without ever entering deep sleep will not leave you refreshed and ready to go in the morning. What you need is an adequate amount of REM (rapid eye movement) each night. This is one of the deepest sleep phases where you experience your most vivid dreams.

 

Circadian rhythm or individual internal clock controls the sleep cycle. They developed in our ancestors in response to the natural day/night and seasonal cycles of the earth. It’s the reason why humans aren’t innately nocturnal and tend to be active during the day. These modern times can throw off your circadian rhythm. Artificial lighting, days spent working indoors, an unnatural diet, and night shift work may all contribute to a disordered internal clock. A variety of consequences – ranging from mild fatigue and depression to seasonal affective disorder (SAD) to even worse – can result from living with an out of balance circadian rhythm (1).


Even breaking your sleep cycle by frequently getting up to urinate during the night may cause depression (2). However, there are several steps you can take to get high-quality sleep and maintain a balanced circadian rhythm. 

 

Tip 1: Be Careful with Caffeine

Chances are that you consume at least some caffeine almost every day. While coffee is the most obvious culprit, caffeine is also present in many sodas, teas, and chocolate products. It’s no big deal to enjoy a morning java, but try to limit your intake. Even more importantly, avoid consuming caffeine past about mid-morning. The effects of caffeine can last seven hours or more, so it’s important that it’s all out of your system by bedtime. In fact, a 2014 study reinforced what we pretty much already knew, caffeine can significantly disturb your sleep (3).

 

Tip 2: Eat Dinner About 4 Hours Before Bed

You certainly don’t have to grab the early bird buffet special at 4 pm, but neither should you eat dinner at 10 pm and hit the sack one hour later. That’s because your body breaks down carbohydrates, or sugars, over time. You don’t need a sugar spike for energy while you’re sleeping, and an increase in blood glucose can actually cause you to have fitful, shallow sleep. Your best bet is to eat a dinner containing complex carbohydrates, like starch, about four hours before going to sleep. This will allow your body time to breakdown the carbs, giving you adequate energy for your remaining time awake while avoiding the middle of the night glucose spike.

 

Screen Time
Don’t Sleep at the Screen!

 

Tip 3: Limit Your Screen Time

If you fall asleep with a laptop or smartphone, you’re certainly not alone. Still, this type of screen time is a habit worth breaking. Computer monitors, televisions, and phone screens give off blue light, which interferes with the action of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that promotes sleepiness and helps you actually get to sleep. Blue light tricks your body into believing it’s still daylight outside and not yet time for sleep. Remember, your body’s systems haven’t caught up with modern technology. Do yourself a favour by discontinuing screen time at least two hours before bed.

 

Tip 4: Make Your Bedroom Sleep Hygienic

Just like you practice oral hygiene by brushing your teeth before bed, you need to observe sleep hygiene for a good night’s sleep. This means dedicating your bedroom to sleep and limiting distractions. Keep it nice and dark, as studies have shown a connection between melatonin levels and more light exposure, and don’t let the temperature get higher than about 21 degrees C– not a problem during the Albertan winters (4). Finally, try to insulate yourself from any unnecessary noise so that you’re not prematurely roused from restful sleep.

 

Tip 5: See Your Functional Medicine Doctor

Dr. Lynne Murfin treats all sorts of sleep disorders and can help discover the cause of your issue. Her training and experience are extensive. While there are many different things that can upset your circadian rhythm, there are also many treatments available, many of them natural.

For example, the stress response (“fight or flight”) has a huge effect on sleep quality, but this can be addressed in a variety of ways. Mind-body exercises guided by Dr. Murfin or her lifestyle educator can help reduce the stress and anxiety, and supplements.

 

Supplements for Sleep

Taking supplements for sleep is another option your functional medicine doctor may recommend. Supplemental B12 taken upon arising in the mornings may “reset” your stress response mechanism. In fact, vitamin B12 shows to have an effect on stress hormones in lab rats (5).

 

Another supplement that has shown promising results is valproic acid. This compound, in low doses, demonstrated an ability to reduce depression and restore circadian rhythm in a patient with an associated disorder (6).

 

Hormones for Sleep

Additionally, the use of hormones under Dr. Murfin’s direction can aid you in getting consistent, good sleep. If you’re not producing enough melatonin, small doses of this hormone could help in reducing your sleep latency, or the time it takes you to fall asleep. Melatonin is vital to the circadian rhythm. A study published in the journal Sleep Science even showed a correlation between low melatonin and the development of dementia in elderly patients (7).

 

Other substances that can have a positive effect include serotonin, gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA), and the female sex hormone progesterone. These compounds all frequently become imbalanced by a number of factors and need correction. For example, progesterone may protect against developing obstructive sleep apnea, a common sleep disorder (8). 

 

GABA is a neurotransmitter involved in sleep maintenance. Low amounts of GABA have an association with insomnia, but fortunately, GABA supplements are available (11). Progesterone levels may drop during menopause, but research has shown that hormone therapy can result in better sleep (9).

 

Serotonin also plays its part in sleep, specifically maintenance. This neurotransmitter makes sure that you stay asleep long enough to truly rest. Serotonin has long been recognized to have a role in depression, with low levels contributing to depressive symptoms. It’s now known that serotonin can also directly affect the adrenal glands, crucial components in the stress response (10).

Controlling your stress response is a vital part of getting good sleep.


Consult a Qualified Physician

 

All neurotransmitters and hormonal supplements should be taken under the close monitoring of a qualified physician. Dr. Murfin can assist you in getting the best sleep possible. Lifestyle changes, nutrition support, and supplements may all contain the answers to your difficulties. Just remember – the road to good, and continued health – starts with you.

 

References:

1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28012610
2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28129482
3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25115507
4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28042611
5 http://www.jpsbr.org/index_htm_files/JPSBR14RS5036.pdf
6 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28008257
7 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28154742
8 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28103130
9 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25218407
10 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8637392
11 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2579978

 

About Dr. Murfin:

Dr. Murfin is wholeheartedly focused on her life’s mission to help people heal and achieve extraordinary outcomes. She believes that health is more than merely the absence of disease. It is a total state of physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social wellbeing through the creation of a whole and meaningful life. Dr. Murfin leaves no stone unturned to determine the root cause of illness or imbalance.

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