Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & Fibromyalgia

Do you know anyone who has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or is that person you? It is becoming increasingly more common and I am seeing more and more people with this vague diagnosis. It gives people a diagnosis, but they never really know why or what to do. They/you/whoever will more than likely be put on antidepressants to help you ‘feel’ better or possibly muscle relaxers to help manage the pain, but I rarely, if ever, see that make a noticeable difference. The problem with me is why do people never find out WHY!?

Here is what I believe to be the reason why many people have fibromyalgia or CFS-
1) Past viral infection that is still lingering around. A lot of these people had mono, EBV, or a pretty major viral infection (hepatitis, shingles, herpes, etc.) in their younger years. I believe there also could be an undetected Lyme’s disease possibility as well.

2) Candida/Yeast is present. No you do not have to currently have a yeast infection to be full of candida or yeast. Men can have this issue too- not just women. These people have been on a lot of antibiotics when they were kids or as adults. Maybe for a bad infection, acne, sinus infections, recurrent ear infections, surgeries, etc. Maybe you were the girl who was on antibiotics for 6 months for acne. Or someone who had cellulitis and was pumped full of antibiotics which helped, but 6 years down the road they can’t figure out why your body just hurts all over and you have no energy to do anything at all.

3) Adrenal fatigue. Now this isn’t something most people may be familiar with, but it can be a root cause of fibromyalgia or also a side effect of it as well. Regardless, it needs to be addressed. The adrenals are your stress glands. If they have been hit with major stressor after stressor (major life changes- babies, new jobs/no jobs, moving, toxic relationships, divorces, major life crisis, etc.) this can be a HUGE culprit. The adrenals get knocked down so hard that they have a hard time ever bouncing back. They can also hit fatigue from never getting a chance to reboot.

For example: You used to keep going and going and pride yourself on working 7 days a week, 10 hours a day and never getting tired. That was until you hit a major wall and haven’t been the same since. You never gave your adrenal/stress glands a chance to reboot. They ran and ran until they couldn’t any more. Just like if we kept asking you to run and when you stopped you had to start back up and run again. You would be able to do that for a little while until you hit a point where you couldn’t physically move anymore. In a way, that is kind of what happens. They can’t keep up anymore.

There is a lot more that can be discussed on each point above, but that gives you a general overview. As a health care practitioner it is very upsetting to see patients feel so hopeless and on antidepressants because they will be in pain for the rest of their life. I firmly believe this is untrue if people clean up their diets and get on the correct vitamins and specific supplements (and address the possible emotional stressors that could be involved). Once that happens and the body gets a true chance to heal the Band- Aids can start coming off (aka antidepressants, muscle relaxers, etc).

You NEED nourishing foods, lots of water, good supplements to rebuild the adrenals, and address any past viral infections or candida issues. This will help lower the inflammation in your body which leads to pain. If your body is inflamed it will more than likely hurt- which is why you need to work on lowering inflammation as a whole. You need clean water and to cut out sugar and gluten (and dairy in some people). If you need a place to start, look into doing Whole30 or read the book It Starts with Food.

You are not destined to feel exhausted daily and live in pain for the rest of your life. You first have to want a change. Then get back to eating whole foods (fruits, veggies, clean meats and cut out the processed crap). Also, find the right person to get you on good quality, clean supplements. They can be LIFE CHANGING and don’t mask symptoms, but help nourish and rebuild in areas that need it. We have worked with countless cases at the office and some people saw changes in days and others in months. Those people have decided THEY ARE WORTH it. They are willing to change their diet and ditch most of the processed foods. They are willing to take supplements and do cleanses to help get rid of toxins and inflammation in their body. They have decided they won’t just patch their symptoms with Band-Aids, but start to heal at a deeper level in their body. Please don’t fall victim to thinking you are destined to pain, depression and exhaustion. Change can happen.

Natural Ways to Fight the Flu

I post and update this blog every year because I get A LOT of questions about the flu shot this time of year- "should I do it?"  "What are the risks?" "It's free to get it- why not?" 

Some people feel pressured into getting it by their medical doctor, employer, insurance company, family member, etc.  Others are fearful of the flu or getting sick.

I am not going to get into whether you should or shouldn't.  I will just tell you what I choose to do during flu season! 
1) Skip getting the flu shot
2) Have supplements on hand in case I do get sick
3) Eat 3 TBS of coconut oil a day and try to do a daily coconut oil pull
4) Eat lots of fruits and veggies

First, you need to understand that if you get sick and let your body fight it off, your immune system actually gets stronger.  That means the next time you get exposed to a bacteria or virus it will be stronger and more equipped to fight!  

Secondly, if you keep supplements on hand and eat good foods (plenty of fruits, veggies and protein) you will get vitamins and minerals that are fuel for your immune system.

Lastly, our trusty friend coconut oil is antibacterial, viral and fungal.  It helps to kill off invaders that would get you sick and it helps to boost up your immune system!

The supplements I always have on hand:
1) Immuplex- Take 6 per day when sick (Mainly for Viruses)
2) Silver Shield- take 3 to 6 TBS when sick (Works on bacterias and viruses) 
3) Elderberry Defense- Take 6 to 9 per day when sick- This also has vitamin D in it which is crucial for your immune system (Mainly Viruses) and notoriously low during the fall and winter months due to lack of sunshine exposure.
4) Congaplex- Take 6 per day when sick (Mainly for Bacteria; Great for sinus issues)

OTHER:
-Herbal Throat Spray- Perfect for sore throats
-High Potency Garlic- Antibacterial, fungal- great for sinuses and congestion
-Astragalus- Antiviral, but overall immune support (GREAT if you had MONO in the past)
-Olive Leaf Extract- Antibacterial, viral and fungal- It has been working great this year
-Thymex- Overall immune support 

What I Take Daily for Prevention:
-Usually 3 Astragalus and 3 Immuplex (I’ll switch between Immuplex and Congaplex) 
-If I feel something coming on I use my arsenal above

Standard Process is carried by health care practitioners only. We carry it at our office, or if you are not local, click here to find the closest practitioner to you. Do not order on Amazon - first it’s illegal for us to sell Standard Process on there and people who do have the prices double or triple what you would find in our offices.

If these do not help, let us know and we have many other great supplements!  These are not the end all be all, but they can REALLY help during the cold/flu season.  With good nutrition and preventative supplements (and the right ones when you do get sick), you have a great foundation.  If you have any questions or these don't seem to help - call us!  We can get you in the same day for a sick visit and figure out the exact supplement you need to be on!

ALSO- This is my personal flu fighting remedy.  I never pressure any patients or make anyone feel bad for their choices.  I want to help you find a course of action that best suits you!  Learn other options no matter what they are, educate yourself and then choose what is best for you!

**Quick note on coconut oil pulling: Take 1 spoonful of coconut oil and swish around in your mouth like you would mouthwash.  You can start with a small amount if you are new and work up to 1 TBS. The goal is to do this for 15 minutes, but again if you are new start with 5 minutes. I have been adding in 1 or 2 drops of melaleuca (aka tea tree oil) for more antibacterial effects. DO NOT swallow the coconut oil- it is pulling out bad bacteria and toxins!

After you have swished it around in your mouth spit it into a TRASH CAN! This is very important because the coconut oil will get hard when its cold and clog up your drain. After spitting out the coconut oil, rinse your mouth with hot water with a little apple cider vinegar or 1 tbs of salt (this can be spit into a sink). Once you are done with that brush your teeth and you are good to go! Your teeth will feel squeaky clean and sore throat should be gone or drastically decreased.

If you want to read more into the flu shot read this blog post by Lindsay Bentley.  Or The Pill Profit.  They are great posts!

Hit a wall between 1 & 3? This post is for you.

Do you hit a wall between 1 and 3 pm?  Many people feel like they either need a nap, something sugary or caffeine.  If you are one of those people, don't reach fall for the cravings.  There are easy natural ways to bump up your energy and help you get through that midday slump.

When you hit this wall or feel like you need sugary foods or caffeine during these hours it means your adrenal glands are tired.  Adrenal glands are considered your stress glands. They pump out hormones to keep you going day in and day out.  They fire up with both good and bad stress, so each time there is a stressor it is like asking them to run a marathon.  Then another stressor comes and they have to run again. It's just an endless cycle!

If you had to run a one marathon after another, you eventually couldn't go anymore, but our bodies are amazing and the adrenals keep working day in and out.  They get tired too, though. When the adrenals are overworked, you feel tired.  When things get really bad, severe adrenal fatigue sets in and you feel overwhelmed very easily.  Another symptom people complain of is mid to lower back pain that feels like a deep bruise or ache that never goes away.

You are not destined to feel this way forever- by supporting your adrenal glands it is amazing how much better you can feel. I see this multiple times a day and it still amazes me how much better people feel by adding in the correct support. Many patients come in lifeless and ‘down’ on their first visit and by the second visit you can see their face get brighter, have happier dispositions and just feel better in general. It takes a lot time to rebuild, but getting on the right support can make a HUGE difference.

What can you do?  
Try to avoid stress! That is what most people say, but how realistic is it?  Not very - but you can choose to minimize it.  Do not say yes to everything and everyone - you will wear yourself down. Create boundaries and make time for yourself daily, even if it just 10 minutes a day.

Eat an avocado a day - great hormones and fuel for the adrenals
If you hit a dip in the afternoon, drink hot tea with 1 tbs of coconut oil - this keeps your blood sugar levels stable and doesn't spike them which stresses the adrenal glands even more
Keep your protein intake up - make sure to get 30 grams of protein in for breakfast.  I do it through a smoothie or eat turkey, chicken sausage, etc. with eggs for breakfast. You want to have protein at each meal.
Snack on nuts and seeds
If you are craving sugar - eat some protein first and a glass of water, then wait 15 minutes before indulging.  If you have to indulge try natural sugars like honey and maple syrup in moderation.

You can also support your adrenals through great supplements that we commonly use in the office. These are just a few of the many ones we use. The adrenal glands are part of the endocrine system - so we have to look at everything and not just single out the adrenals!

• Adrenal Support by Nature Sunshine
  • Great to take a bottle when big stressors come up or life throws you a curve ball
• Nervous Fatigue TCM by Nature Sunshine
  • Great for maintenance and protection of the adrenals
• Mineral Chi Tonic by Nature Sunshine
  • Minerals are fuel for adrenals and this also has other great herbs for them too.  Its is a liquid which is easy to mix or take straight (not the best tasting thing but you can do it :)
• Adrenal Desiccated by Standard Process
  • For very severe cases
• Drenamin by Standard Process
  • Whole food based supplement for the adrenals
• Min Tran by Standard Process
  • Relaxing minerals to relax the body and adrenals; Great for when the mind starts racing when you lay down to go to sleep!

Again there are SO many other supplements we use, but this is just a quick overview.  If the symptoms above sound like you, give us a call and we can help out.  You don't have to live run down or in a constant state of feeling overwhelmed. 

For order instructions on Nature Sunshine click here and for Standard Process visit the office or call 615-656-3558.

Photo Source.

Thyroid and It's 3 Important Minerals

The thyroid is one of the most common areas of 'weakness' I see in my office... as well as the liver and the adrenal glands.  The thyroid sits in the lower front part of your neck.  It makes hormones that influence the entire body!  It helps to control our metabolism, body temperature, hair/skin/nails, heart rate (people can get heart palpitations simply due to dysfunction in the thyroid), moods, energy levels (especially in the morning), and many other things!

Typically people with thyroid issues will present with one or more of the following things...
Inability to loose or gain weight, weak nails, brittle/dry hair, dry skin, heart palpitations, fatigue especially in the morning, brain fog, anxiety, depression, infertility, constipation or alternating constipation and diarrhea, acne, hot flashes, night sweats, high cholesterol (did you know the thyroid plays a part in managing cholesterol levels!!), menstrual issues and irregularities, as well as many other things!

I always check the thyroid function on each visit and here are couple things that can be done at home to help improve its function!

The 3 most important minerals the thyroid needs are:
1) Iodine
2) Selenium
3) Zinc

For each mineral I challenge you do the following things... 

Iodine:  Get tested in the office to see if you need iodine.  This is something that can drastically help the thyroid, but adding it when it is NOT needed can do more harm than good.  So in order to see how much you need AND IF you need it, stop by and get muscle tested!  Great foods that contain iodine are seaweed, turkey breast, and eggs.  And you may be thinking about regular table salt because it has iodine in it?!?  Well yes it does but it is fortified and NOT naturally occurring in it.  So instead make the switch to sea salt or even better Himalayan salt and get your iodine from naturally occurring sources.  For more info on salt check out
http://products.mercola.com/himalayan-salt/. 

Selenium: Selenium is the 2nd most important mineral for the thyroid.  A way to simply get the needed amount is to eat 4 Brazil nuts a day... only 4!  So go buy a bag of Brazil nuts and make this a daily habit. 

Zinc:  Lastly Zinc is very important for thyroid function and is linked to over 100 different enzymes in the body.  Enzymes are what is needed to make the body function properly.  When enzyme counts are low people get tired and sick... so why not do a simple check to see if you have enough zinc to make all the cells in your body work better.  The test (called the Zinc taste test) can be done in my office for free, takes 10 seconds, and quickly allows us to see if you need to be supplementing with Zinc.  The first time I did the Zinc taste test I failed miserably... so that makes me more passionate about it now.  I try to make sure each patient does it and if we haven't let me know!  If you are deficient like I was there is a supplement to take for only a month or 2 which increases your levels to normal.

I hope this has been somewhat informative and helpful for all you thyroid patients out there!  Call the office if you need any help or have any questions!  And eat 4 Brazil nuts a day :)

Acid Reflux Remedy

If you or anyone you know suffers from acid reflux, keep reading!  Acid reflux actually happens because there is a deficiency in stomach acid.  Yep, that's correct; there is NOT enough stomach acid!  It may sound confusing, but when there is not enough stomach acid your body can't break down food properly, resulting in indigestion causing gas and bloating.  When the food isn't broken down properly it causes the regurgitation up into the esophagus causing what we call 'acid reflux'.  

When people have symptoms they typically take something which actually neutralizes the acid which is already low. This causes an even lower amount of stomach acid and only puts a Band-Aid on the acid reflux and does not fix the problem.

Stomach acid is there to help you digest food and kill off invaders such as bacterias and viruses and even parasites. If you or someone you know gets sick constantly, I would bet they have low stomach acid because their body's first line of defense (stomach acid) is lacking.  Obviously there are many other reasons people get sick, but that is one of the best places to start.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
There are a couple things you can do to help!  First, people who have ulcers from long term acid reflux have to treat this slowly.  You don't want to introduce more stomach acid when there is an ulcer. To test for this you can take 2 TBS of Apple Cider Vinegar with a little bit of water and see if this burns in your stomach area.  If it does, then you likely have a ulcer of some sort.  If you have an ulcer, there is no need to worry because we have 2 products at the office by Standard Process that help heal the ulcers and coat the stomach to help prevent reflux.  They are called Gastrex and Okra-Pepsin.  These are not the fix to acid reflux but are a natural 'Tums' that does not deplete stomach acid like antacids do.  

If you do the Apple Cider Vinegar test and it goes okay the 2 best supplements I use are PDA by Nature Sunshine and Zypan from Standard Process.  

These include stomach acid in them to help you break down food and actually fix the real root cause of reflux, low stomach acid.  If you have questions or concerns please contact the office.

For existing patients, we use Food Enzymes a lot too. This has a little stomach acid in it as well as other great things and enzymes to help you break down foods!

Note: Apple Cider Vinegar is great for digestion and I encourage people to take it with meals as often as possible.  Just fill up a shot glass half with Apple Cider Vinegar and half with water.  You can take it with a little more water to make the taste more mild.

Also, for those who are on the Candida Clear diet/Phase 1 it says no vinegars, however Apple Cider Vinegar is an exception to the rule.  It actually helps to combat candida and is one of the very few vinegars that can be used.  It has enzymes that help tremendously with digestion and also helps to create an environment for healthy bacteria to live in your digestive tract which in turn keeps candida in check.  

FUN FACT: Anyone with gray hair is deficient in stomach acid. So start taking apple cider vinegar or use one of the supplements above so you can increase your stomach acid levels and make sure you are digesting all your food properly!

The Truth About Acne

Acne oh acne. How I personally despise you and have struggled with you over the years.  I'm sure most of you can relate to this, too!  It's something we all have struggled with at some point in our life.  Want to know why and learn about my personal journey? Keep reading!

Acne is something that results from a toxicity issue, hormonal imbalances or food allergies.  If you come see us for an appointment, we sort through and figure out which of these (or all three) are causing your breakouts. I have found little things that help topically, but topical applications NEVER EVER address the real issue which stems from an internal issue mentioned above.

First we address toxicities to get the bad stuff out of your body safely and effectively. These toxicities are usually due to heavy metals, chemicals or candida.  All of which are tested at the office. If toxins aren’t being eliminated properly (via bowel movements, urine, lymphatic system and sweat) they have to come out somewhere. And that somewhere is the skin! Doing a good cleanse is key. I like to think of them as ‘oil changes’ that you do for your body just like you would for your car. Somehow most people take care of their cars better than their own body!

Secondly hormonal imbalances... This takes time to balance out, but YES it can be done safely, naturally and effectively with herbs and whole food supplementation.  (This is what was causing my breakouts.)  Women, for example, are typically estrogen dominate for a number of reasons.  One being that people's livers are sluggish and estrogen backs up, plus all the soy and phytoestrogens in our diet.  

Women can also be progesterone deficient.  This happens for 1 of 2 reasons.  You may be progesterone deficient because you aren't making enough OR because you have so much estrogen that the ratio between estrogen and progesterone is so off balance that it appears you are low in progesterone because of the high levels of estrogen.  Moral of the story -  we have to balance out the hormones. There are herbs to help us achieve this naturally!  This is exactly what made the biggest change in me.  Men also have hormonal imbalances typically due to testosterone levels and these hormonal levels can be balanced out by natural supplementation as well!

Third is food allergies.  This is typically due to an allergy such as dairy or high levels of simple carbohydrates (sugars) and processed food.  Cleaning up the diet and even adding in a digestive aid can really make all the difference in the world.

My personal journey

I have really struggled with acne as I have gotten older.  It has been a frustrating battle.  I have done so many cleanses, cleaned out heavy metals, chemicals, candida, etc.  I felt so much better, but it only changed my skin mildly. I eat really clean and have been on digestive support and still no change.  I have done different topical ointments, toners and there was no major change.  I have also been on different hormonal regulators and female support supplements but it wasn't until I got on one that specifically helped raise my progesterone levels naturally that I found the BIGGEST change.  It was crazy how quick it kicked in.  

So I did more research, progesterone levels decrease with high amounts of stress.  This is why my acne flared up significantly with undergrad, but even more so with chiropractic school where my stress levels were through the roof. It all made sense!

I had been working on decreasing my estrogen levels by detoxes and focusing on supporting my liver, but until my progesterone levels increased my skin didn't change at all.  I have never been confident about my skin, but when I finally connected all the dots I have noticed a huge change and feel confident!

Now it isn’t perfect all the time. Right now as I type this my skin is broken out from doing a liver cleanse, but I know why- and know it will clear up when I am done. It is my body’s way of purging out toxins and I am okay with that.

NO not everyone's skin issues are like mine.  They could be due to any one of the factors above.  I have seen people's skin clear up within a week by simply getting rid of toxins.  Every single person's journey is different.

DO NOT put your children on antibiotics for acne.  This may work but for all the wrong reasons.  It kills all good and bad bacteria in their digestive environment and sets them up for so many immune issues down the road.  

My husband was on antibiotics for over a month when he was a teenager for acne.  His family didn't know what else to do like most people (and he didn't know me at the time ;).  As a long term result he had a lot of fatigue and allergies because of candida which is directly related to antibiotic use.  Every year he would get a sinus infection or 2 and get on more antibiotics.  He has done multiple candida detoxes to reestablish balance after being on so many antibiotics and his immune system is so much better and energy levels too! (PS- he hasn’t had a sinus infection in over 4 years since doing his first candida cleanse.)  

Other popular acne medications out there make it mandatory for females to take pregnancy tests while they are on the medication.  This is because if they are on it while pregnant it causes extreme birth defects in the fetus.  Pregnant or not why would you want to put that in your body?! Safe and natural is the way to go, and even better there are no side effects! 

Please do not hesitate to call the office or email if you struggle with acne or know any teenagers that do and want help. Remember you skin is an external reflection of what is going on internally.

There are natural, safe and effective ways to combat acne and we want to help you do it!

Allergy Season and Supplements

Allergies.  We all have them, and we could all live without them.  With allergies still lingering around, let's talk about what causes allergies and a few supplements that I have found to work wonders on those pesky allergies.

If you suffer from allergies this means your body is not eliminating out histamines properly.  The supplements below work on the histamines (allergens), but the real reason you are suffering is that your filters are pretty clogged up (aka liver, kidneys, lymphatic system, etc).  Working on cleaning up the filters will help you minimize allergies for the long haul versus having to take allergy supplements/medications for the rest of your life. 

Yes, even people we have been working with for awhile still have to take allergy supplements but, in 95% of the them, their allergies are greatly reduced from when they first started. 

Allerplex (SP)- Great for seasonal allergies and drying up mucous.

ALJ (NS)- This is great for seasonal allergies and clearing up mucous.  Are you suffering with pressure in your ears?  Then this may be the product for you. ALJ is also more of an herbal blend than Allerplex.

Histablock (NS)- Does literally what is says, blocks the histamines.  This product is great for people with allergies, but also those who suffer with general allergies all year round due to pollen, dander, dust, etc. 

Antronex (SP)- A sinus drainage product.  If mucous is stuck and cannot come out, or if you are prone to sinus headaches this is a great product for you.  This can also help with bowel movements and sore throat due to lymph node swelling. 

Each of the products above can be started a month before allergy season at 1 per meal.  If symptoms start to get bad, adults can go up to 2 or 3 per meal.  

Standard Process (SP)- Available in our office or through a health care practitioner.

Nature Sunshine (NS)- Available in our office or you can order online by clicking here.