Thyroid Mystery Solved: Hashimoto's and Hypothyroidism Revealed

The Case: Amanda suffers with frequent colds and sinus infections (especially around her menstrual cycle).Her hands and feet are always cold and she gets tension headaches all the time. Standard blood tests came back normal, leaving the doctors with no answers. The InvestigationI run more comprehensive labs that many traditional doctors I make sure to run them at a specific time in the menstrual cycle. My suspicions were that this was not related to her sex hormones but rather something upstream. I suspected that a combination of hormones were being affected and leading to tension and immune challenges. In other words, I suspected that Amanda had fallen into sympathetic overdrive. One of the top experts in this field is Dr. Amir Rashidian so I was eager to discuss Amanda’s case with him. Dr. Amir Rashidian is the founder of the Mid-Atlantic Chiropractic Center where he focuses on high-tech diagnostics to detect and correct disturbances in the nervous system. Like me, he is a believer in drugless health solutions and eliminating the causes of disease (not suppressing the symptoms).  What is Sympathetic Overdrive?We’ve talked a lot on this show about how our nervous system reacts to stress. We have a primitive response to danger that triggers our nervous system to ready the body for fight, flight, or freeze. Dr. Amir explains that this unconscious response to our environment can often go undetected (because we don’t have that obvious ‘sabertooth tiger’ threat).  So, it might be traffic, work stress, our boss being demanding, our spouse being upset, or our busy lifestyle that the nervous system is perceiving as danger. And, when you are in this state, day in and day out, your nervous system never gets the chance to calm down. This leads to the sympathetic nervous system moving into overdrive.  Chronic Stress vs. Sympathetic OverdriveEveryone handles stress differently so it’s difficult to say at what point chronic stress turns into sympathetic overdrive. The body does have the ability to adapt to stress so in some cases, stress can be present without it triggering sympathetic overdrive. Think of a weightlifter - they stress their muscles and cause them to adapt (by becoming bigger) without any health concerns. Stress is the same, you can become more resilient to stress once you understand your stress threshold. However, it may be difficult to determine how much stress the body can safely handle, so you have to watch out for the symptoms of sympathetic overdrive.  Symptoms of Sympathetic OverdriveThere are a variety of symptoms that suggest your nervous system may be in sympathetic overdrive like chronic sinus infections and insomnia. Additionally, someone may experience dry eyes, dry mouth, dry skin, cold hands, cold feet, constipation and indigestion. However, not everyone will have these symptoms and having these symptoms doesn’t always mean you are in sympathetic overdrive.  Three Stages of Sympathetic OverdriveDr. Amir explains that there are three stages of sympathetic overdrive. They are:Stage 1 - Wired. In this stage, you’ve got a lot of energy, your senses are heightened so you might be looking around a lot and feeling hyper-aware of your surroundings. You will likely crave sweets because your body is burning a lot of energy and will feel a need to replace it. Stage 2 - Wired & Tired. In this stage, you are still feeling wired but at the same time, you are tired. You are likely struggling to fall asleep or stay asleep regardless of how tired you feel. You will likely continue to crave sweets but also fatty foods (so, ice cream, donuts, etc) because your body is over producing cholesterol in response. Stage 3 - Exhausted. You can’t seem to stay awake. You fall asleep anywhere regardless of what stimulates (like caffeine or loud music) you have been exposed to. Your adrenal glands are shutting down because they can’t produce any more adrenalin. Your cravings will switch to salty foods because your metabolism is looking for fuel.  How Sympathetic Overdrive Affects the Immune SystemIn Amanda’s case, we saw a shift in her symptoms during her menstrual cycle. I asked Dr. Amir about why this was happening. He explained that there is a direct connection with the immune system and sympathetic overdrive because the immune system relies on energy produced by the adrenals. When the body is in sympathetic overdrive, the adrenals can’t produce adequate energy to support other systems in the body like the immune system. Another option is to do a cortisol test to determine autonomic tone. This is a saliva test  Diagnosing Sympathetic OverdriveThe first step in diagnosing sympathetic overdrive is to look at the collection of symptoms. To confirm suspicions of sympathetic overdrive, Dr. Amir uses a heart rate variability test. This is a process of determining the heart’s ability to vary its own rate. It’s measured on a scale between zero and 100. If someone scores 100, they are fully capable of handling all of the stress in their life. Trainers in the UFC (mixed martial arts fighting) use this test to determine if a fighter is in a good state to train or if they need a day off. done at different times of the day to see if cortisol is following the natural fluctuations as it should.  Three Keys to Treating Sympathetic OverdriveDr. Amir shared three critical ways to get the body out of sympathetic overdrive (and to keep it from slipping back). Here are the three keys to reversing sympathetic overdrive: 1. Quality Sleep. Sleep is so critical to repairing sympathetic overdrive but Dr. Amir says that how well you sleep is more important than how much you sleep. Getting quality sleep at night (by reducing stimulation and controlling your evening cortisol levels) results in a release of melatonin which calms the nervous system and takes it out of parasympathetic state.  2. Controlled Breathing. Our breath is very connected to our nervous system. The intake of breath is parasympathetic (most noticeable when we gasp) and the exhale is sympathetic. Doing deep breathing exercises takes us out of automatic breathing (innate) and voluntary breathing (intentionally controlled) which helps us reset the nervous system. Breathing is so much more powerful than most of us realize. In fact, Dr. Amir shared an interesting study about the role breathing plays in fat loss and weight loss. 3. Intentional Eating. Like sleeping, Dr. Amir believes that the secret to resetting the parasympathetic nervous system is not in what you eat but how you eat it. He says we need to remove stress from the eating ritual. So many of us eat distracted and in a hurry which keeps us in a stressed state. This makes it very hard to digest the food. Instead, he suggests that eating is a perfect time to give the nervous system a break and allow it to calm down by eating slowly and intentionally.  Nutrition for Balancing the Nervous SystemDr. Amir mentioned eating foods that are powerful antioxidants including those rich in minerals like sea kelp. With Amanda, we focused on making sure she had balanced meals and a regular routine that included mindful eating practices. Supplement Support for Sympathetic OverdriveWhile eating a diet that intentionally balances the nervou...

The Investigation I’ve been getting so many questions from my clients and listeners about the various COVID vaccines. I know it can feel like a real mystery, especially if you have an autoimmune issue like Hashimoto’s. I am not an MD but I know you look to me for all types of answers because I can address things from a whole body perspective, explain things in a clear way but also can be unbiased. One of the key questions I get is whether or not someone should get the vaccine. Some have even asked if it’s better to contract COVID 19 as a way to build natural immunity.   I unfortunately can’t tell you if you should or should not get the vaccine because  I think it’s very personal and the decision is yours and only yours. I am not here to tell you what to do, but my hope is that if I answer your questions and clear up some of the confusion and mystery around it, it will hopefully make the decision, whichever decision you make easier for you.  Speaking of which, research on the vaccines is ongoing and new information is coming in each week. This episode was recorded in early May 2021 and refers to the most up to date information at that time.    Impact of Symptoms There are a variety of possible responses to both contracting COVID and the vaccine. When it comes to contracting the virus, reactions can range from a few mild symptoms to severe (fatigue, neurological symptoms, headaches, cardiovascular issues, blood clots, or death). These are often exacerbated by underlying conditions. However, research has shown that even those who have minimal symptoms can develop ‘long COVID’ or extended symptoms that last a long time. Research suggests that eating healthy, following a healthy lifestyle, and having sufficient levels of zinc and vitamin D can all lower the severity of the infection and possible symptoms. However, the long term effects are what a lot of people are worried about especially because we don’t know the full extent of them at this time so just getting Covid and “getting it over with” so to speak is certainly not that easy because even if your symptoms are mild, there is a chance for these long term issues and that is not something we want to take lightly.    COVID Vaccine Options: What’s the Difference? If you choose to get the vaccine, there are a few options to consider, depending on where you are in the world.  There are two main differences between the options: mRNA vaccines and Adenovirus DNA vaccines.  Moderna and Pfizer are both mRNA vaccines. Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) and AstraZeneca are DNA vaccines also referred to as adenovirus vector vaccines.    COVID Vaccine Options: How do the Vaccines Work? mRNA Vaccines: The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines contain mRNA which code for the spike protein (those are little crowns you can see on the coronavirus when you look at it microscopically). The mRNA itself is very fragile so they have to wrap it in polyethylene glycol which is a lipid nanoparticle. Once that mixture gets into the cells, our cells then read and code it to make the spike protein. Our immune system can then respond by producing B-cells and T-cells. The B-cells produce antibodies so that if we contract COVID, we can fight it off. The T-cells attack and neutralize the virus directly.  The difference between the Moderna vaccine and the Pfizer vaccine is in the dosage. Pfizer has 30 micrograms of mRNA while Moderna has 100 micrograms of mRNA.  Adenovirus Vaccines: The Johnson & Johnson and the AstraZeneca vaccine are a bit different but they're actually not  that much  different. These vaccines use an adenovirus (which, by the way, cannot replicate in your cells or mutate) that has DNA injected that codes for the spike protein. The adenovirus gets into our cells, the gene for the spike protein that was inserted into the adenovirus is then read by the cell and copied to mRNA and then the process is the same as the mRNA vaccine so essentially these vaccines are 1 step before the mRNA vaccines and once it becomes mRNA the immune system takes the same steps to create an immune response. It’s important to note that these vaccines are not live viruses and as such, are incapable of viral shedding (as has been falsely shared on social media and websites). More traditional vaccines, like the chickenpox  vaccine, for example, may have viral shedding but these COVID vaccines do not.    Vaccine Side Effects mRNA Vaccines: With the mRNA vaccines, there are two shots required and it is not uncommon to have side effects. While nobody likes to feel bad, these side effects are not necessarily a bad thing because your body is creating antibodies. When you get the second shot (or booster shot) your body already has these antibodies and they are responding the way they should which is why those symptoms are there and for many people, symptoms don’t typically last longer than a few days.  Remember the Moderna vaccine dosage is three times as much as the Pfizer which may be why we are seeing different reactions to the two different mRNA vaccines. I still think it depends on the person and believe that your reaction to the vaccine depends a lot on your immune system.  Adenovirus Vaccines: AstraZeneca and the J&J vaccines only require 1 shot so they don’t typically have the same reactions as what people notice after the 2nd shot of the mRNA vaccines however there can be some similar reactions for a few days following the shot.   While many people have mild symptoms from either of the vaccines, there are some people, especially those who may be more sensitive, that are noticing extended reactions lasting for more than just a few days and as long as a few weeks or even longer. Some have questions whether the toxins in the vaccines can be causing these but these vaccines are different from traditional vaccines in that they DON’T have heavy metals or formaldehyde. There are other ingredients including polyethylene glycol and polysorbate 80 which, for some people, can create an allergic reaction but another mechanism of action that is not as widely talked about is an immune reaction to the antibodies themselves which brings me to our next and very important question.   Vaccine and Autoimmunity There is a possible connection between the vaccine and autoimmune issues. This can happen because of cross reactivity, also referred to as something called molecular mimicry. A study done in January 2021 found that when you make antibodies to the spike protein they can look similar to your own tissues and can cross-react by a process called molecular mimicry. This is very similar to what happens with gluten and Hashimoto's as well as other autoimmune diseases. For example, if your body has an issue with gluten, you would make antibodies to gluten. There are similarities between compounds on the antibodies and on various organs, like your thyroid, for example. So, if your body sees gluten and you have gluten antibodies, it attacks the gluten. And because of the similarities to say your thyroid, it might also attack the thyroid. This is why immunologists and experts are studying the potential cross-reactivity with these vaccines.  A study done by Drs Vojdani and Dr. Kharazzian found that the immune system’s response to covid antibodies (which we would get from contracting covid or getting the vaccine as both make antibodies) can be connected to autoimmunity because out of the 50 tissues they tested, they saw cross reactivity with 28 tissues including thyroid, pancreas and mitochondria. Interestingly, it is thought this cross reactivity does not necessarily happen in only those with known autoimmune diseases but those that do not have a history of autoimmune diseases as well.    Reducing the Risk of symptoms and Cross Reactivity that may lea...

The Case: Laura was diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) in her 20s She’s experiencing acne, weight gain, hair loss, and irregular cycles. She took birth control as recommended by her doctor and her symptoms subsided, but within a month of getting off of it, her acne, weight, sleep issues returnedLaura’s period didn’t return after 3 months later of getting off the pill.Frustrated by not getting anywhere with her primary doctor, Laura was ready to just start taking the pill again to make the symptoms go away, but she knew this would only be a band-aid solution, and that’s when she decided to see if I could help.  The Investigation Difficult to manage menstrual cycles is an issue I often see, and there are a number of underlying factors that could be at play. With Laura, we did more bloodwork and saw that her DHEA sulfate was elevated and her testosterone was also on the higher side. I wanted to make sure this did not become just another health mystery.Dr. Erin Kinney is a Naturopathic Doctor. In her private practice as well as her workshops and retreats, she helps women rebalance their bodies so they can achieve optimal health and become their best selves. So, I knew she was the perfect person to share Laura’s case with. Getting Your Period Back When the Menstrual Cycle StopsIn a case like Laura’s, the first priority is to have her cycles return because bleeding on a monthly basis is very important so that the lining is able to build up and then properly shed. Conventionally, using 2 weeks of progesterone may do the trick but it does not get to the root of the issue.To help things work from the inside out, it is important to check estrogen and progesterone levels. If progesterone is not rising, its possible there may be too much estrogen and if so, speeding up the estrogen detox is  very helpful to bring the body into balance. If estrogen levels are fairly normal but progesterone is low, then Dr. Kinney does not typically recommend too much liver detoxing so that we don’t push out too much of the needed progesterone and instead use things to help naturally boost progesterone.  2 Lab Markers to Explore When Dealing With Irregular PeriodsFollicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH): FSH helps control the menstrual cycle and stimulates the growth of eggs in the ovaries. Ideal levels are 5-65Luteal Stimulating Hormone (LH): Luteinising hormone is produced by the pituitary gland and is one of the main hormones that control the reproductive system. Ideal levels are under 12. Hormones, PCOS, and StressHormones are produced on a daily basis and without a way out, they can build up in the body. When we are under stress, it is harder for the body to detox and so high stress levels (which often translates to high cortisol levels) will impact detox and in turn create more hormone imbalances that can lead to PCOS. Natural Ways to Support Your Liver with PCOSThere are a number of natural and healthy ways to help support the liver with its natural detoxification process. For those with PCOS, it’s critical to consider the role the liver plays in wellbeing and recovery.Diindolylmethane (DIM): used for improving estrogen levels, DIM is a compound derived from the digestion of indole-3-carbinol, found in cruciferous vegetables.Milk Thistle: one of the best liver cleansing herbs. Since excess estrogen gets filtered out of the body through the liver, this is very important. Cruciferous Vegetables: eat things like broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, and kale to assist in the liver’s natural detoxification process.N-acetylcysteine (NAC): Helps with Phase 2 liver detox and glutathione production.Inositol: May help with controlling blood sugar by improving insulin sensitivity, and may also improve fertility in PCOS cases.  What About Elevated DHEA?When DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone, also known as androstenolone, an endogenous steroid hormone precursor) is high, cortisol may often be off as well. There is a relationship between high DHEA levels and other hormones like testosterone and it is very helpful to test the full panel to get a clear picture.  Listen to Your Body’s Natural Energy CyclesOverall, it is important to pay attention to what Dr. Kinney calls the ‘body benchmarks’. Even though numbers are useful, what’s going on in the body and the physical symptoms are much more important. Breathing, yoga, meditation, and doing less is the best way to reduce stress and lower cortisol.One other way to lower cortisol is to build in rest on Days 18-25 when your body is asking for extra rest. Doing this will help your adrenals build more cortisol in the second half of your cycle.In Laura’s case, she was eating well. But, if blood sugar is a concern then you may want to look into a Comprehensive Metabolic Panel, checking Hemoglobin A1C (average fasting blood sugar), or Fasting Insulin levels.Keep in mind that diet changes are best done gradually. If you are stressed out by a new diet or if it feels too drastic, that in itself can raise cortisol so starting slow and going at your own pace is very helpful.  Mystery SolvedIt was clear in Laura’s case, that there were many factors causing her issues. Stress isn’t only emotional but can be physical too. In this case we looked at food sensitivities and she had issues with dairy, corn, and oranges and eating those foods was creating a physical stress on her body.We took out those foods and worked on balancing her blood sugar (which is important, due to the insulin/PCOS connection). We also added  PS 150 for Cortisol, and mind-body exercises to help manage stress even further.  After that, our focus went to the liver to make sure old hormones were getting processed. To support the liver, I added  Livton Complex (which helps with Phase 1 & 2 liver conjugation), and  Calcium D -Glucarate to help lower the beta-glucuronidase enzyme because when this enzyme is high, it slows excretion of hormones and other carcinogens.We then added  OmegAvail Ultra, a concentrated fish oil and chaste tree supplement which helps to balance progesterone. Happy EndingThe treatment outlined above may look like a lot of work, but truly it only took 3 months for Laura to get her period again! Her skin cleared up, and she was finally losing weight. At this point, I knew we could stop the liver support. We kept going with fish oil and chaste tree to maintain everything. Laura was consistent, so when we retested her labs, we were pleased to see that her DHEA-S and testosterone levels are now completely normal. Another mystery solved! Eliminating Health MysteriesFor Laura, we were able to find that missing piece of the health puzzle and help her regain her health. Could this be the missing clue for you or someone in your life?  Links:Resources mentioned

The Case: Alison has an autoimmune disease and struggles to fight off colds and flusAt the start of the pandemic, she took extra precautions including social distancing and taking extra vitaminsAs things open up, her anxiety is heightened and she wonders if she’ll ever shake the fear of going out again The InvestigationAlison reached out to me for help supporting her immune system so that she can start getting out more without the fear of infection and a flare up of her autoimmune disease. I knew there was a hidden threat to her health beyond being exposed to more people and germs. I knew we had to look at this from all angles to help her enter the post-lockdown COVID world with confidence. To help me explore the emotional impact of quarantine, pandemic fears, and increased anxiety on the immune system, I invited Dr. Don Wood back to the show. You may recall that Dr. Wood joined us on  episode 62 when he shared insights into a potential underlying cause of inflammation and autoimmunity.  He is the founder of the Inspired Performance Institute. His research linked various forms of trauma to subconscious blocks that lead to all types of health issues. The IPI works with people to reboot the mind to release the mind from the impact of these emotional traumas.   The Trauma SpectrumWhen we think of trauma, our minds likely go to big traumas, or what is often referred to as Big T trauma like an accident or abuse. But, Dr. Wood notes that less obvious traumas can also have an impact, even if we don’t recognize them as trauma. These smaller traumas can be emotional and can stay with us for a long time without us realizing how they are impacting our physical and mental health Emotional ConcussionDr. Wood coined the term ‘emotional concussion’ to help people understand the impact of emotional experiences. We are familiar with physical concussions (thanks to the research being done on athletes) and we understand that physical concussions can be serious whether they are from one big incident or the culmination of many smaller physical events. Dr. Wood says the same can be said about emotional concussions. We might have a big emotional event that leaves a noticeable impact but we can also feel the impact of multiple smaller emotional events that add up over time. These smaller events over time can be harder to track or attribute a physical response to. This is the risk that some are facing with the Pandemic. The emotional impact of decreased socializing, stress, anxiety, and isolation can compound into an emotional concussion.  Physical Effects of Emotional ConcussionsWhen these emotional events start to build-up (like they may be doing with COVID-related stresses), they can activate your nervous system and cause inflammation. This is a normal response to trauma, and under normal circumstances it’s a good thing because it is a protection and repair response. But if it keeps happening for an extended period of time (perhaps because we are reliving the trauma emotionally because we haven’t processed it), we stay in that activated state. This can then cause or trigger autoimmune issues. It can manifest in various different ways. For example, the inflammation could show up in the intestinal area (potentially triggering Crohn’s) or the thyroid (related to Hashimoto’s).  It can take time for the physical effects of the emotional concussions to show up - months, years and even decades. The response can also be from traumas that we don’t outwardly track as trauma. But if we have an emotional or physical reaction to the memory, then Dr. Wood says we relive the trauma in our mind. That memory, if it is vibrant enough, can continue to put the nervous system into an activated state. The person may not be aware that their mind is creating this trigger over and over to something that happened in the past because the mind doesn’t actually  know it’s in the past - it reacts as if it’s happening now. In the case of COVID, the anxieties being felt now can be re-triggered with memories or as we return to ‘normal’ life including going out without a mask, shaking hands, wondering if it’s safe to hug someone, or being in crowds.  How to Reduce the Long-Term Effects of Pandemic AnxietyThe most important process in reducing the long-term impact of anxiety that has surfaced during COVID is to learn how to down-regulate your nervous system. In other words, to calm your nervous system so it doesn’t continue to feel the threats or anxieties of COVID after the threat is actually over. Calming the mind and body are the key to down-regulating your nervous system. Dr. Wood says that even if someone has never meditated before, they can still calm the nervous system with simple breathing exercises. He suggests doing what he calls ‘5-6-7’ breathing. Start by closing your eyes, breathe in for 5 seconds, hold for six seconds, and breathe out for seven seconds. Do this three times and see what yo notice. For most people its enough to see a significant shift in how they feel. Resetting or ‘Rebooting’ after an Emotional ConcussionMeditation and breathing exercises are a great way to manage an activated nervous system in the moment but Dr. Wood has created a way to reset or reboot the mind so that old traumas no longer trigger a reaction in the nervous system. He works directly with clients to identify the trauma or memories (this isn’t always apparent to the patient) and then he walks them through a process of diffusing them for good. It’s called ‘The TIPP Method’.He explains the process in this episode as shifting the memory from high-definition (and emotion inducing) to low definition and the status of information-only. He does this in a 4 hour process that, due to demand during the pandemic, is now available online. This process works for people with multiple small ‘t’ traumas and for people dealing with big ‘T’ traumas. Dr. Wood shared that he’s helped individuals recover emotionally from extremely traumatic events like the Boston Marathon bombing and the Vegas mass shooting.  Exclusive Offer for Our ListenersDr. Wood and the Inspired Performance Institute have generously offered our listeners an exclusive discount on access to the TIPP Method. To access this life-changing treatment and save 10%, go to  GetTipp.com/Inna Next Steps For Allison, we started with biochemistry and I ran a comprehensive blood test to check for deficiencies. She was low in many nutrients including vitamin D, iron, and B12. We also discovered various food sensitivities which all played a role in her immune function. We worked on her diet and I supported her in making the necessary changes based on her lab tests. In addition to the diet, we added the needed nutrients. Since her D was extremely low, I used the  Hi PO Emulsi D from designs for health which I find works the quickest in getting vitamin D levels up. This formula is D only. It’s very important to have D and K together, but her multivitamin had K so we were set there. We added  B12 ND, which is a liquid B12 with 3 different types of B12 in it for comprehensive support. And, we added a gentle iron called

The Case:  Ava has three different autoimmune conditions including Hashimoto’s  A functional medicine doctor put her on a restrictive diet for six months and an extensive supplements regimen Despite these measures, Ava still isn’t feeling better.  Ava’s autoimmune struggles have been going on for some time now. She’s put in so much work and has invested in supplements, appointments, and treatments so it’s understandable that she’s frustrated to see no payoff. It’s my impression that the root problem hasn’t been exposed. I knew that was exactly where I wanted to start.    The Investigation Autoimmunity is rampant in our society and more people are being diagnosed with all types of autoimmune conditions every day. Many start with conventional medicine like Ava did, then realize it may not hold all the answers for them, and turn to functional (or holistic) medicine. However for some, like in Ava’s case, it may still not be complete. Many practitioners, even more functional and holistic ones, can still be missing the root cause.  My guest on this episode is Dr. Connie Jeon, founder of Alkaline Wellness and Lupus Rebel. She helps A-type, ambitious, and committed autoimmune patients reverse their disease holistically so that they can create a successful life without limits.    Why Doctors Miss the Real Problem There are many reasons why a functional or holistic medicine doctor might miss the real root cause of the problem. For example:  Psychosomatic trauma and stress as the perpetuating factor that didn't get addressed Overly restrictive diet plans that the patient could not follow due to lack of accountability and support Over prescriptions of hormones (often progesterone) before addressing lifestyle issues Lack of rapport with the patient, not knowing more about their life Excessive lab testing and focusing on what’s wrong vs focusing on the solution Emotional metabolism and proper boundary setting is required for successful reversal of issues Self-regard, self-respect, and self-love is lacking Mental health and stress management is not included in the treatment plan Telling clients what to do without accountability and support, instead of showing them Not seeing the big picture and enlisting patients as the primary driver of their health    Balancing the Body with Autoimmune Issues The list above shows that many of these issues have to do with lifestyle, thoughts, and taking a bit more time to gather more information. If a practitioner or doctor you’re working with isn’t asking you questions about this then you may be missing some of what’s needed for a truly holistic approach. Balancing our body and getting to the root of health issues, especially as it relates to autoimmunity, is multi-faceted and has to include the inner work too.    How Treatment-Stress Can Reverse the Benefits Ava was diligent with her diet and supplements, but being so diligent was also causing her a ton of stress. She would feel anxious if she had to go out to eat or shift anything in her routine. Those anxious feelings would spiral in her head, and affect her sleep and how she showed up in her work and for her family during the day. She often woke up dreading the day because she didn’t feel well and because she felt she had to accomplish so much. So many of us have a lifestyle with high stress. In the work world, we often don’t take time to slow down and analyze how these lifestyle choices might be affecting our health. Interestingly but not surprisingly, Ava didn’t realize this was going on and therefore did not consider that it could be a part of her underlying issues.   How To Address Underlying Stressors Affecting Autoimmune Issues Figure out what you enjoy, and make time for it  Create a positive relationship with your health team and don’t be afraid to search for options Find a health practitioner who will take time to search out the root cause Identify where you could create better boundaries and reduce stress Try EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) Identify any limiting beliefs or thoughts Reduce over-supplementation or excessive prescriptions where possible Keep the focus on the solution  Engage in regular stress-relieving activities Don’t discredit the power of your mind and heart as a part of the whole solution   Mystery Solved  I knew with Ava that there were likely deeper stressors affecting her, and triggering the autoimmune responses she was experiencing. We started by making a list of all the things she enjoyed (which wasn’t as easy as you might think!).  The next step was to carve out time in her schedule so she could start spending more time doing the things she loves. She was excited but also found that she felt guilty about taking the “me” time. This is common and we had to address it as a limiting belief. To help with removing this belief, we used the dot exercise. This exercise is based on EMDR principles where I had her follow a moving dot back and forth on the screen with her eyes while saying the belief with the words ‘no more’ before the belief.  I know this may sound a bit strange at first, but following the moving dot with her eyes activates the optic nerve which runs between the right and left hemisphere of the brain which then helps us go deeper into the subconscious mind where these beliefs are stored.  We identified many more limiting-beliefs such as: I am never going to heal, my body is broken, there is not enough time, I am too busy, and the world is unfair. We also worked on eliminating those as well.    We then used the mind body method based on the work of Dr. Mario Martinez to help us connect the mind to the body and then disconnect the feelings and beliefs from where they manifest. It's one of my favorite modalities because it's so effective and quicker than most people would expect. Results can be noticed as quickly as a day or two. If you are not familiar with this concept, I talk about it in depth in my interview with Dr. Mario Martinez way back in episode 7 so if you missed that one or it’s been a while since you listened to it,  be sure to play it.    Next Steps  I worked with Ava on observing her thoughts without judgment. This was harder than one might think, because her thoughts were fast and she had never paused long enough to listen. This is so common in our society. It’s easy to be in overdrive and forget to listen to your thoughts.   Once she heard these thoughts, it was hard for her not to judge them but as anything else, we get better with practice and so did she. Laughing at the thoughts she was having was a technique that helped her see them as a bystander without the same judgment. While we were doing all this, I actually gave her permission to eat certain foods that she was restricting. Having that permission really helped to ease the food anxiety she’d developed over the last year. And it provided her with more nutrients from a more varied diet.  Remember the supplements? Ava was advised to take many great supplements from her previous doctor but I felt it was too much for her body to handle, process and break down. Not to mention the expenses were a struggle for Ava. We picked the most important ones and were able to cut her list by half.  ...

The Investigation I hear it all the time. Someone goes on a cleanse to feel better but they end up feeling worse.  Detox reactions, die-off reactions, or Herxheimer’s reactions are caused by a variety of factors such as toxin exposure, viruses, bugs, yeasts, and parasites. Cleansing or detoxing can be incredible for our health but some people do experience symptoms like headaches, fatigue, gas, bloating, congestion, and flu-like symptoms.    Why We Experience Detox Reactions When your body has more toxins or infections present, or if it is a first cleanse, you may experience more physical reactions as there is more to clear out.  Secondly, genetics can affect how someone reacts to certain factors involved in a cleanse. The way you detoxify, and how your detoxification pathways work can be related to genetic factors in your metabolic pathways.  Thirdly, some people are simply more sensitive. It may be tougher for some people to cleanse, or they may need to take a different approach. Being sensitive to changes in the body and environment can make it hard to tolerate even the milder side effects of a cleanse but there are ways to mitigate it. Overall, it’s still very beneficial to do a cleanse as it assists your wellbeing and thankfully there are things you can do to reduce the potential for detox reactions.  The most popular cleanses are a full-body toxin cleanse (liver or gallbladder) or a GI (gastrointestinal tract) cleanse. In this episode, I review each.    What is a Liver Cleanse? Liver cleanses usually involve herbs like milk thistle and dandelion as well as nutrients like NAC and glutathione. They work by pulling toxins out of the cells and making them water soluble and then should be binding them up and excreting them. Typically the more toxins you have, the more that needs to come up; and if those toxin pathways are blocked, reactions will happen.   Most liver cleanses come with diet instructions but I find that not everyone follows them. It’s super important to listen to the instructions if you want the cleanse to be effective.   Steps for a Successful Liver Cleanse: Eat a clean diet (whole foods, avoiding all refined and processed foods for the duration of the cleanse).  Make sure your bowels are moving (you might want to try magnesium citrate or Oxi powder if they are not). Be aware of sulfur-based supplements. You can do an organic acid test to see if you are able to handle sulfur well, as many cleanses use sulfur-based supplements like NAC and Glutathione. (If sulfur is an issue, try using molybdenum and doing epsom salt baths, and using herbs instead of sulfur-based supplements). Start slow. Some people like doing a half dose of supplements, then working up to the full dose. Doing a little bit and feeling good is still doing work, rather than doing a lot at once, and feeling unwell and then stopping.  Find a cleanse that has a binder or add your own binder. Binders are like sponges, they absorb things by pushing the toxins out and catching them to carry out of the body. You can add charcoal, clay, or fulvic acid - I also like using Ultra binder by Quicksilver or Biotoxin binder by Cell Core. Try taking this first thing in the morning or at bedtime, and away from food as much as you can.  Following these steps will ensure you are assisted when doing a full body toxin or liver cleanse, and help make things a lot more tolerable.   Steps for a Successful GI Cleanse If you are working on your digestion and have Dysbiosis (an overgrowth of bugs in the gut) you’ll be using anti-microbial things in your cleanse. You’ll need to address the GI (gastrointestinal) Tract in this type of cleanse, compared to the full body (liver/gallbladder) cleanse I just spoke about. To address the dysbiosis, you’ll need anti-microbials (anti-bacterial, anti-parasitic and anti-fungal agents). A few examples of those would be (but not limited to): Garlic  Oregano Pau d’arco  Clove Grapefruit seed extract  The goal here is to kill off the bugs in the gut while at the same time rebalancing the microbiome (increasing the good guys).    Steps for a Successful GI Cleanse:     Get your bowels moving first   Make sure your bowels are moving FIRST. This step is crucial, because you don’t want to be killing off bugs unless the digestive system will be able to bring them out!   Reduce your sugar   Once your bowels are moving regularly, you’ll need to change your diet. Likely, it may feel drastic to completely reduce sugar if you’ve never tried it before, however you can still eat 1-2 servings of fruit and 2 servings of complex carbs (lentils, sweet potato, brown rice) per day so its not about avoiding all carbs. These bugs feed on sugars and so that needs to be reduced and processed carbs turn to sugar which is why those are also avoided.    Break up the biofilm   Another must is something to break up the biofilm in the gut. The bugs form this biofilm around themselves in order to protect themselves from being destroyed. This is why I’ll often recommend taking a biofilm disruptor for a week or so before starting the anti-microbial nutrients. Interfase by Klair or Biofilm Defense are two products I use in my practice. These products are essentially like enzymes but they are not meant for digestion.  You’ll take these on an empty stomach so they go do the work breaking up the biofilms and outer cell walls of different bugs, that way the process is a bit more gradual.     Support the digestion itself    Make sure you’re emulsifying fats properly, have enough digestive enzymes, and that your stomach has enough acid to break down the animal proteins you’re eating. If you have a stool test, this will help you determine what you might need. You may need bitters to help emulsify the fats. If you ever feel bloated, gassy, or like food sits in your stomach, then you may be low on stomach acid. A betaine HCL will help resolve this issue with you.     Start with half a dose of antimicrobials, don’t rush.   This type of cleanse is a marathon, not a race. You’ll want to make sure you are doing what the body needs and getting things clear over time, especially if you are sensitive. I typically start my clients on half a dose and then have them work up to the full dose over a few days to get the body used to it. I also prefer not using the same herb for the duration of the cleanse and instead use synergistic formulas for 2 weeks each and rotate so the bugs don’t adapt to the regime.    Add a binder (just like in the liver/whole body cleanse).   You can add clay, fulvic acid, etc. as listed above, just make sure you take them away from food and medications. When I customize cleanses for my clients, I put these steps in place to minimize their detox reactions and help them have the most successful cleanse possible. If you are doing a cleanse on your ow...

The Case: Emily is dealing with hair loss, sluggishness and constipation.Emily tried changing her diet and taking adrenal supplements but not much changed.Lab results confirm her suspicion that her thyroid is slow (even though the numbers are technically in range). Emily’s numbers come up right on the edge of optimal so I knew that we needed to dig a bit deeper to find out what else was playing a role in her health mystery.  The InvestigationEmily went to see her primary care doctor and asked her to run all the thyroid markers. The doctor was actually very open and ran everything she requested including TSH, total and free t4, total and free t3, reverse t3 and thyroid antibodies. Her doctor reported that everything was within range, but as a fan of the show, Emily knew that ‘in range’ doesn’t mean optimal.My first instinct here was to run a  hair test, and get to the bottom of the hair loss, sluggishness and constipation. Top Thyroid ExpertI asked my friend and colleague Dr. Michael Biamante to come back on the show to talk about thyroid, since he is the New York City Thyroid Doctor.  We have often spoken about the connection between people taking synthetic thyroid supplements and still reporting that they don’t feel quite right. Factors that Affect the ThyroidThere are many things that can affect the performance of your thyroid, and it’s important to consider them all when trying to solve a health mystery involving the thyroid or symptoms likely related to thyroid issues. Here’s a quick reference: Kidneys: Regulate potassium levels in the body.Adrenal Cortex: Produces corticosteroids and glucose, aids in retention of potassium in your cells.Sodium: Low thyroid hormone can cause a low tissue sodium level.Potassium: Facilitates proper nerve and muscle function.Zinc & Magnesium: Both encourage potassium storage in the cells which is important for conversion of T3.Copper: Blocks potassium which can impact T3 conversion. Hair Test for Calcium & PotassiumA hair analysis test allows us to analyze the tissue levels for each of the minerals. By looking at a hair analysis test, we can accurately determine the levels of calcium, potassium and other minerals, as well as how they relate or connect to each other.  Why do these mineral levels matter?  Guyton’s book on physiology explains that calcium acts as a governor or antagonist to the thyroid hormone, and that potassium is a synergist. This means that if the body is too high in calcium, or too low in potassium, the thyroid will likely be affected. Calcium and potassium serve as thyroid regulators so their levels in the tissues can impact thyroid performance.  What is the Ideal Ratio of Calcium to Potassium?4 parts calcium to 1 part potassium is the ideal ratio for the body to have. It’s important to note when looking at any of the minerals, that the relativity and connection between them is key. There’s a lot more to potassium than simply eating a banana, so please make sure you consult your practitioner on this one. Mystery SolvedIf you listen to this show, then you know that thyroid issues can be complex. In Emily’s case, her levels were not out of range enough to warrant medication but were certainly not optimal. In addition to her blood work, I ran a hair test and saw very high calcium levels, low sodium and potassium along with slightly elevated copper paired (unsurprisingly) with low zinc. The high calcium levels with low sodium and potassium are indicative of overall weakened adrenals and thyroid. In Emily’s case, the high amount of copper was antagonizing her zinc which also made sense. Zinc is a needed mineral for converting thyroid hormone T4 into T3. Next StepsIn addition to lifestyle and mindfulness practices as well as a balanced whole food diet, I put Emily on Thyroxal from Apex to help support the thyroid overall. We also added in  Betaine HCL as low sodium levels in the hair are often indicative of low stomach acid. We used  B Supreme to get her the needed B vitamins. Looking at the high calcium, we saw a very off balanced ratio of calcium to magnesium and based on her results, I put her on 600 mg of  Magnesium Glycinate. This is a fairly high dose but her calcium to magnesium ratio was almost at 18 when it should be around 7. Since she had issues with constipation, I knew the magnesium could be very helpful for that as well. Happy EndingAfter 2 months on this protocol, Emily’s bowels were moving and her energy was slightly improved. We added 60 mg of  Zinc, which is a higher dose but was only used short term to help push out the excess copper. She also began on Adrenal Cortex to help support her adrenal system.  4 months after beginning the protocol, Emily’s energy was much better, and bowels were moving every day. She even raved about her skin and hair glowing, and she experienced less hair loss. We retested her thyroid blood work, and her levels were now in the optimal ranges!  Eliminating Health MysteriesFor Emily, we were able to find that missing piece of the health puzzle and help her regain her health. Could subclinical thyroid issues paired with mineral deficiencies be the missing clue for you or someone in your life?  Links:Thanks to my guest Dr. Michael Biamante. You can learn more about him through his website.  Products Mentioned:  Betaine HCL B Supreme  Zinc Related Podcast Episodes: Solving the Thyroid Mystery Navigating the Thyroid Treatment Mystery The Case of the Unnecessary Thyroid Medication Thanks for ListeningIf you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of feedback not only helps me create better shows, it helps more people find this important information. Never miss an episode -  Subscribe NOW to Health My...

The Case: Lexi is dealing with constant fatigue and is struggling to stay awake during the day.She’s tried coffee and energy drinks, and was offered Adderall but preferred to seek out natural solutions.Lexi’s husband complains about her snoring, and her little guy wakes her up most nights. Lexi never wakes up feeling rested. The InvestigationEven though Lexi came to find a natural solution to her fatigue and low energy levels, I knew I had to get to the root cause of the problem. The first thing I did was ask about sleep. It may seem surprising, but it’s shocking how many people deal with poor sleep quality, and continue living their lives assuming it’s relatively normal.To chat more about this, I called in Dr. Meghna Dassani. Dr. Dassani is a renowned wellness leader, international speaker, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Expert. She’s the author of Healthy Sleep, Happy Kids, and Sleep. Breath. Dream, both available on Amazon. What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is diagnosed in approximately 5.9 million people in the US, and about 23.5 million people are living with undiagnosed cases of OSA. Sleep Apnea is a sleep disorder where breathing is repeatedly interrupted. With Obstructive Sleep Apnea, your throat muscles relax and cause obstruction to the airways. There is a lot that people do not understand about sleep apnea. Anybody can have sleep apnea, and present with a variety of different symptoms. Less air while you’re sleeping leads to a less restful sleep, and decreased energy throughout the day. Do You Or Your Children Have Sleep Apnea?Most people dealing with sleep apnea first present with snoring and fatigue. But in the case of children, it can be challenging to spot. Sometimes the most common symptom, (fatigue) is brushed off because so many kids and teens are tired.In addition to fatigue, kids or teens with sleep apnea may also experience these symptoms:  Excessive daytime fatigueSnoring (especially loud snoring)Breathing interruptions during sleep (stops breathing for 10 seconds or more)Waking up with sore throat or dry mouthHeadaches in the morningTrouble concentratingWaking up abruptly with a choking sensation(esp. In children) ADD & ADHD signs and symptoms(esp. In children) Bed-wetting(esp. In children) Breathing through the mouth Dr. Dassani recommends parents take children to the hospital for a sleep study to be done. In general, getting a sleep study or sleep lab done will help in understanding the severity of your case. Connection Between Jaw Shape and Sleep ApneaDr. Dassani explained that ‘tongue-tie’ is when your tongue is quite tightly tied to the roof of the mouth. The tongue is meant to be passively resting in the mouth, rather than firmly pressed to the roof. The ‘roof’ of the mouth can also be seen as the ‘floor’ of the nose, and if the tongue is too tight, it may obstruct the airway from the nose during sleep, causing the mouth to open.A narrow jaw shape can increase the risk of sleep apnea because there is less room for the air to pass through the space and the tongue may cause an obstruction.. Extra body weight can also increase the potential for obstructive sleep apnea. Children should be encouraged to breathe through their nose whenever possible. Any child who has a hard time breathing through the nose because of congestion, allergies, or anything else, should deal with these obstructions before mouth breathing becomes a habit. Treating the Jaw for Obstructive Sleep ApneaA CPAP (continuous positive air pressure) machine is portable, sits on your nightstand and comes with a mask that you put on over your face at night. The CPAP machine is the most commonly encouraged tool for increasing airflow while you sleep. This machine however does not work for everybody. Another option is to have a dentist create an oral appliance to hold the lower jaw forward. This prevents the tongue from falling back, and holds the airway open. This appliance is similar to a mouthguard, but is built differently and is custom made to allow your jaw to be held in the right position while you sleep.In children, growth spurts allow for appliances and expanders to help resolve them before they get older. In general, children have a tough time using a CPAP machine so it’s crucial to pursue natural options sooner rather than later. Osteopaths, craniosacral therapists, and myofunctional therapists can help with connecting the dots and supporting the jaw shape as the child grows to reduce the potential for sleep apnea. Mystery SolvedI worked with Lexi’s doctor and got her into a sleep study. Our suspicions were confirmed - Lexi’s fatigue was due to a lack of restful sleep and more specifically Obstructive Sleep Apnea. She was able to get a dental appliance to combat the sleep apnea.  Plus, we looked to her little guy and saw signs like open mouth breathing and congestion that likely explained why he wasn’t sleeping well either (and was constantly waking Lexi up). On a nutrition front, we decreased the dairy that she and her little guy were eating because dairy is very mucous producing and can often contribute to congestion.  Happy EndingWe were able to address the issue before it increased Lexi’s risk of high blood pressure, needing multiple medications to reduce symptoms, and being at a heightened risk of strokes, alzheimers, and diabetes. Good sleep is extremely important for the brain and body’s health over time, and for Lexi (and her son), solving this issue meant more than just feeling less tired. Eliminating Health MysteriesWith Lexi’s case, we were able to find that missing piece of this health puzzle and help her get her energy back by addressing the sleep apnea. Could this be the missing clue for you or someone in your life?  Links:Thanks to my guest Dr. Meghna Dassani. You can learn more about her via her website www.meghnadassani.com, and you can find her books,  Healthy Sleep Happy Kids and  Sleep. Breathe. Dream. on Amazon.   Related Podcast Episodes: EPISODE #048  8 Reasons You Can’t Sleep (and How to Fix Them) with Misty WilliamsEPISODE #045 The Case of Headaches, Sleep Issues & Restlessness w/ Dr. Catherine ClintonEPISODE #038 The Case of the Toddler Who Won’t Sleep w/ Kimberly WalkerEPISODE #024 The Case of Nightly Sleep Disturbances w/ Wendy Myers Thanks for ListeningIf you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of

The Case:  Linda was having trouble with anxiety and sleep Routine blood work revealed a very high TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) and she was given a medication to treat hypothyroidism. Linda wondered why she didn’t have many of the typical symptoms for hypothyroidism and worried that going on medication might be the wrong move.   Even though Linda was happy to have an answer, something didn’t add up. She was told to get on the medication, regardless of whether she showed typical symptoms or not. Linda wasn’t convinced. That’s when she came to see me.    The Investigation Linda was right to question her results and her treatment even though her numbers were very high. I knew I needed to figure out the root cause of her elevated TSH and determine if there might be a way to get her back into optimal range.    Normal Range for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)  The regular lab range for TSH is between .5 and 4.5, but the more functional range that we want to aim for is really between 1.8 and 3 if not medicated. Linda’s TSH was at 19, which was why her doctor was immediately alarmed.    Evaluating Thyroid Markers or Why You Need To Test All Thyroid Markers In order to truly evaluate the thyroid, it is very important to test all of the thyroid markers (as I explained in Episodes 27 & 28). We ran a second blood test with TSH and all the thyroid hormones as well as all 3 antibodies: TPO, thyroglobulin, and TSI antibodies. When the results came back with high TSH (even higher than before!), the interesting thing was that the other actual thyroid hormone markers were completely normal. Linda’s T3 and T4 were at optimal levels. Typically, when those thyroid hormones drop, the body’s signal to correct that would be raising the TSH. We were able to see here that the other hormones had not dropped in the first place, so that was not the reason the TSH was up.    High TSH with High Thyroid Antibodies  In Linda’s case, she didn’t have typical hypothyroid or slow thyroid symptoms and her thyroid hormones were normal. Her TPO antibodies however were 529, which is quite high. Her thyroglobulin antibodies were also slightly elevated at 42 and her TSI antibodies were negative. TSI antibodies are representatives of Graves disease, so she didn’t have that, but TPO and Thyroglobulin antibodies are representative of Hashimoto’s. Linda’s results were positive for TPO and Thyroglobulin, which showed us that she had Hashimoto’s.    Hashimoto’s and Thyroid Inflammation When there is Hashimoto’s there can also be thyroid inflammation. I have found that when the thyroid is inflamed, the TSH can go up without it triggering any low thyroid hormones. This is not what the textbooks say in typical cases, but as we know here at Health Mysteries Solved, many of us are not textbook cases, and issues can be complex!   Misdiagnosed Hypothyroidism  Our bodies have tons of feedback loops and when all the loops work like they are supposed to, then we can follow a textbook pathway to healing. But, in many cases, there are other issues at play from stress to autoimmunity to toxicity, to the foods that we eat. It’s not uncommon that the feedback loops may not work the way we think they should. In this case, High TSH is showing inflammation of the thyroid rather than an actually slow thyroid. This not only explains why she didn’t have hypothyroidism symptoms, but also that the inflammation could have actually been triggering the anxiety and sleep issues.    Medication when Necessary I was so happy that I met Linda so that we could work on the inflammation. In her case, medication was actually not necessary because her thyroid hormones were normal.  Even though I am always trying to find natural solutions, I am not anti-medication when truly necessary. Especially when it comes to thyroid medication. As some of you may know, I take a small dose of compounded thyroid medication because I have hypothyroidism. My perspective is that when the thyroid truly is slow, medication is replacing something that the body can’t make but absolutely needs. This is a very important medication for me to have. However using it when you don't need it is a different story.   The Link Between Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism? While many people with Hashimoto’s do in fact have hypothyroidism (because of damage to the thyroid), other times, we can catch the Hashimoto’s and the inflammation it may cause early before the thyroid gets damaged. In this case, if we address the inflammation and underlying immune triggers driving the autoimmune response, it is possible to save the thyroid from being destroyed.  By the time I found out I had Hashimoto's, my thyroid was already affected but even if that is the case for you, there is still a lot you can do to stop the progression of the attack by addressing the triggers.   Next Steps For Linda, we caught the Hashimoto’s early before it actually damaged her thyroid. We worked on lowering inflammation and calming her adrenal glands (the glands that deal with stress), which was one of her triggers. We did a genetic test for gluten, the D2 DQ8 which showed that she was positive for both the DQ8 and D2 (meaning her body was not genetically predisposed to process gluten). There is a big connection between gluten and Hashimoto’s due to molecular mimicry (where there are similar molecules at play so the body attacks all of them by mistake). We took gluten out of her diet and used PS 150 and liquid GABA to help lower her cortisol and support her adrenals and sleep. Stress can be both physical as well as emotional and so for Linda, we reduced the physical stress caused by her body trying to process gluten. She also added mindfulness exercises to further lower her cortisol. This  helped her calm down, relax and feel less anxious which, along with the GABA, improved her sleep.  The better she slept, the more her adrenals were able to heal. We retested her full thyroid panel of markers in 6 weeks and her TSH had returned to normal! We were both thrilled. Eliminating Health Mysteries Can you see how this could have become quite a health mystery had she not explored this further? I am so glad she did reach out for support, and hope you can keep her story in mind in case you ever get similar results. For Linda, we were able to find that missing piece of the health puzzle so she could regain her health. Could this be the missing clue for you or someone in your life?    Links: Suggested Products Liquid GABA PS 150 Related Podcast Episodes: EPISODE #028 Navigating the Thyroid Treatment Mystery with Inna Topiler EPISODE #027 Solving the Thyroid Mystery w/ Inna Topiler EPISODE #080 The Link Betw...

The Case:  Paulina is dealing with tension and constant pain in her upper back and neck.  She’s also experiencing frequent sleep interruptions, headaches and her body is in a constant state of inflammation. Paulina tried adjusting her work set up, saw doctors and a chiropractor, following their advice to take NSAIDs and anti-inflammatory medications but they left her with a sore stomach and still in pain. Natural anti-inflammatories (like fish oil and curcumin) only dulled the pain without decreasing inflammation. When it comes to inflammation and pain, many things are at play and like most things in health, things are interconnected. We often talk about inflammatory cytokines but my instinct was that there really was more going on and we had to dig to find the root cause.   The Investigation My instinct was to focus on the endocannabinoid system, which I suspected might assist in understanding and solving Paulina’s case.  When I went over the history and looked at all the things that she tried for inflammation, my sense was that she may not be able to process the inflammation properly because another system was dysregulated. Pat Gawrysiak is a formulation scientist and the Founder and CEO of RSPrecision Pharma, a pharmaceutical manufacturing and compounding company and President of 7 Leaf Compounds, (a company that grows and manufactures CBD products). I knew he’d be the ideal person to speak with about this. Endocannabinoid System and Clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency Endocannabinoids are a system of cell receptors. This molecular system balances many body processes, such as immune response, cell communication, appetite, mood, metabolism, memory, and sleep. Phytocannabinoids are plant molecules, such as Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD-A, CBD-G, and CBD-N. The phytocannabinoids are from plants, and endocannabinoids are from mammals.  High quality CBD products are known to activate the CB-1 and CB-2 receptors.  Clinical endocannabinoid deficiency is a medical theory which suggests that a deficiency of endocannabinoids is the underlying cause of migraines, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome.   Not all CBD Products are the Same Many people are familiar with CBD but may not really know how or why it works.  And, while many may have tried CBD, they may not have gotten the results they were looking for because they were  not taking ones that are fully broad spectrum. Or, they may have gotten their dosages wrong for their weight. Anyone taking CBD for inflammation should ensure the product has proper testing (cannabinoid content, metals, pesticides) and is grown organically to get the best results. There can also be different results depending on the person. Treatments can be designed for balancing or acute treatment with doses varying for the desired effectivement.  This is why it’s important to consult an expert. The recommended dosage is 50-100 mg for an average adult.    Proper Absorption and Bioavailability Proper bioavailability is important and the method of consumption and dosage will impact this. You always want to work with an expert to ensure you are getting the right dosage for your body. CBD is similar to a water soluble vitamin in that there’s only so much that the body can absorb. The rest of the cannabinoid will be rejected by the body if it is not needed. Despite there being little to no risk of overdosing on clean CBD, it’s vital to get the right dosage to avoid feeling unwell.    Mystery Solved Because Paulina was so sensitive to anti-inflammatory medications, I knew that we had to look at her gut. However, while we were waiting for those results to come back, I recommended we start with a potent CBD both orally and topically to get the inflammation under control.  Paulina had never tried CBD before because she didn’t really know how it worked, but after I explained the pathway, she was excited to try it. She took 50 mg of the Physicians Only CBD twice a day and she applied a little topical cream to her neck 3 times a day.  By the 3rd day, she noticed a considerable reduction in her pain -- she reported that it was almost cut in half! She continued on the same dose and the pain stayed at that level for the next 2 weeks. I knew there was more inflammation in her body and so we continued on the same dose.  2 weeks after that, she felt another drop and now the pain was about 75% gone. She was really excited! By then, we had the results of her stool test and saw a few bugs and evidence of leaky gut.  We did a GI cleanse with GI Microb-x and FC Cidal, worked on her digestion and her intestinal lining with L-glutamine and zinc carnosine. After the gut protocol, she noticed less bloating, something she didn't even realize she had until it was completely gone!    Next Steps  Paulina is continuing with the CBD, along with multivitamins and omegas for maintenance, and to keep everything at bay.   Happy Ending The CBD helped to reduce the pain she was experiencing by 75%, by also balancing and healing the gut, she is now at a place where her symptoms are almost completely gone. I’m so thrilled this was the solution for Paulina!   Eliminating Health Mysteries For Paulina, we were able to find that missing piece of the health puzzle and help her regain her health. Could this be the missing clue for you or someone in your life?    Links: Resources Mentioned:  Physicians CBD - Use INNA10 to get 10% off your order   Thanks to my guest Pat Gawrysiak. You can learn more about him through his websites for 7 Leaf Compounds and RS Precision Pharma.    Suggested Products: GI Microb-x  FC Cidal  L Glutamine  Cannab-FS 350  Nano Emulsified Colorado Hemp Oil  Zinc Carnosine