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Irregular Period? 10 Evidence-Based Ways to Help Regulate Your Cycles

CentreSpringMD — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 17:47:04 +0000

Do you experience irregular periods? Is your period unpredictable, does it last too long, or is it too short? Do you have an irregular menstrual cycle with no pattern as to when they happen? If so, don’t worry–you are not alone! In this blog post, we will explore 10 ways you can help regulate periods and get them back on track.

We will talk about how lifestyle choices like diet, exercise, and stress management can impact hormone-related problems such as PCOS. And you’ll also learn about the influence of foods on irregular periods and how integrative medicine supports healthy hormonal balance in women who have irregular periods.

What regulates your menstrual cycle?

There are a few main factors that play a role in helping to regulate menstrual periods. These include:

Your stress levels and how you manage them on a daily basis
The foods you eat, including your intake of certain vegetables, sugar, and caffeine
Hormonal imbalances related to ovulation, PCOS, or birth control pills

This blog post will explore these factors in more detail. We’ll share some tips on how irregular menstrual cycles can be regulated, and you’ll learn what natural vitamin or herbal supplements help with irregular periods.

10 Ways To Help You Regulate Your Period

Healthy Cycles with Integrative Medicine

Evening primrose oil

Evening primrose oil (EPO) has been shown to increase levels of glutathione specifically in women with PCOS or polycystic ovarian syndrome (1). Glutathione reduces oxidative stress and inflammation which may play a role in treating irregular periods (2).

If you have very light menstrual bleeding, this may be a sign of low estrogen, and evening primrose oil can support a healthy menstrual flow. Dosages for evening primrose oil are usually 2-4 grams daily (3).

Increase cellular glutathione with IV therapy>>

Make sure you get enough fats

Adequate intake of healthy fats is important for hormone function and menstrual regularity. In fact, abnormal bleeding can be a sign of low fat intake (4).

Including some healthy fats in your diet is an easy way to improve irregular menstrual period symptoms and regulate irregular cycles. Some examples include avocados, coconuts, seeds (such as pumpkin or sunflower), nuts (like almonds or pecans), extra virgin olive oil, and nut butters (such as almond or peanut butter).

Read more: The Truth About Fats

Reduce sugar intake

Sugar is a known trigger for irregular periods in many women with PCOS. Consuming high amounts of sugars can worsen insulin resistance which can lead to period problems and other hormonal changes.

The best way to reduce your sugar intake is to eliminate processed foods from your diet. Refined sugars are often hidden in many food products you wouldn’t expect including breads, pasta sauce, and salad dressings.

Skip the low-carb diet

Super low-carb eating can disrupt thyroid function, which impacts menstrual cycles. Low-carb diets are sometimes recommended to help with weight loss, which may help regulate menstrual cycles; however, they’re not the ideal treatment for everyone.

You should aim to eat a diet rich in complex carbohydrates including vegetables and fruit as well as healthy fats like nuts, seeds and olive oil. If weight loss is your goal, learn more about the best approach for your individual needs.

Stress

Many women experience irregular or infrequent menstruation because of their high levels of stress. Stress has a direct impact upon the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian axis (HPO), which can lead to menstrual irregularities.

The stress hormone cortisol is intricately linked to estrogen and progesterone, which can impact ovulation (5).

Without ovulation, progesterone levels may be low, leading to painful periods, heavy menstrual bleeding, and fertility troubles.

Read: Holistic Tips to Handle Stress

Incorporate cruciferous vegetables into your meals.

Cruciferous vegetables such as lettuce, broccoli, and most dark green vegetables have a component called DIM that helps to metabolize excess estrogen and balance hormones. Studies have shown that DIM in these veggies supports a healthy menstrual cycle and may reduce the risk of some estrogen-sensitive cancers (6).

Related: Estrogen and Perimenopause

Inositol

Inositol is another nutrient closely related to the B vitamin family. Inositol has been shown to be especially helpful in addressing menstrual irregularities especially in those with PCOS.

Inositol supports the hormone insulin, which impacts ovarian health, and other important hormones including FSH and LH, which are important for ovary function and therefore a healthy menstrual cycle. Inositol has shown the benefit of improving ovulation rates in women with PCOS (7).

You’ll find 1.5 grams of myo-inositol in The EastWest® Ways Hormone Helper.

Get off of birth control

After you stop taking hormonal birth control, it can take anywhere from 3 to 6 months for your period to return. You can support this process by replenishing nutrients birth control pills may deplete (such as zinc and B vitamins), and by eating a hormone-healthy diet to restore your menstrual cycle.

If your cycle has not returned after 6 months, it’s important to speak with your integrative medicine doctor about ways to restore your cycle.

Get into a regular sleep, exercise, and stress management routine

Irregular cycles can often be traced back to lifestyle factors that promote hormonal imbalance. Hormone imbalance frequently results in irregular or missing menstrual periods.

A regular workout can help manage your mental health and improve your sleep quality, in addition to reducing the effects of daily stress. Getting consistent and adequate sleep also supports hormone balance and can help balance blood sugar and cortisol levels.

Make sure your diet includes fermented foods

Fermented foods such as kimchi and kefir stimulate beneficial bacterial growth in the gut. A healthy gut helps metabolize excess hormones, which supports hormone balance and a healthy cycle.

A healthy gut may help resolve cycle irregularities such as a heavy flow or painful PMS.

Supplements Helpful for Regulating Menstrual Cycles

In addition to integrative medicine and lifestyle changes, there are a few supplements that may help improve cycle irregularities either through their impact on hormone balance, inflammation, or nutrient status.

Inositol
Turmeric
DIM
Black cohosh
Vitex (chaste tree berry)
Berberine

Browse these and other women’s health supplements in the CentreSpringMD shop.

How long does it take for a period to regulate?

Young women just starting their period and those stopping hormonal birth control often find irregular periods can take up to six months or even longer to regulate. It’s common to experience a little uncertainty during this time.

If you feel you need extra support, contact a qualified integrative women’s health doctor to evaluate your individual cycle.

Do birth control pills regulate my period?

Contrary to popular belief, hormonal birth control pills do not regulate your period, but rather suppress ovulation by shutting down hormone production at the level of the brain.

Hormonal birth control pills do have a profound impact on the reproductive system and it may take a period of time for your cycles to return after stopping them.

If you are taking hormonal birth control pills to try to regulate your period, be aware that once you come off of them, you’ll likely still need to address the underlying cause of your irregularity.

Can I have a regular period if I have PCOS?

If you have PCOS, you may experience missing or irregular periods. It’s also not uncommon to have long cycles (more than 35 days), or very light bleeding when you do have a period.

Despite this, it IS possible to address the underlying causes of PCOS to help regulate your cycle.

Learn more: What is PCOS? Integrative Therapies and Fertility

Visiting an Integrative or Functional Women’s Health Doctor

Irregular menstrual cycles are common. If you’ve ever had to deal with not knowing when your period is coming or dealing with pain and discomfort during it, there may be a solution for you. Changes in diet, such as increased veggies and fermented foods support overall hormone balance, while stress management may restore ovulation to regular your cycle. Natural treatment can restore a regular cycle and ovulation without the use of medication. If you need more support to regulate your body’s natural cycle, a qualified integrative or functional women’s health doctor might be able to help!

We’re ready with any questions you might have about women’s health and hormone balance. Contact us today! Fill out the form here.

Resources

The post Irregular Period? 10 Evidence-Based Ways to Help Regulate Your Cycles appeared first on CentreSpringMD.

Autoimmune Flare-ups: 11 Natural Ways to Manage Your Symptoms

CentreSpringMD — Mon, 20 Sep 2021 15:54:25 +0000

Do you have an autoimmune disease? If so, you’re not alone. Autoimmune diseases affect more than 50 million Americans and are a growing health concern in the United States. This is because they often go undiagnosed for years before being properly diagnosed, but once they are—chronic symptoms can be hard to heal. Plus, autoimmune flare-ups often coincide with important events involving travel or other psychological stressors. Natural tools and lifestyle changes can be your biggest ally to reduce the symptoms of autoimmune disease like Crohn’s disease, Lupus, Hashimoto’s, and many more.

What is an autoimmune flare-up?

An autoimmune flare is an event in which symptoms worsen or intensify because of additional strain and/or a stressful condition. Different autoimmune diseases have different symptoms.

For example, symptoms of a Hashimoto’s flare-up commonly involve fatigue and brain fog, while those with rheumatoid arthritis may report more pain and stiffness. Flare-ups can present symptoms of moderate severity or several at a severe intensity.

What triggers autoimmune disease flare-ups?

Studies suggest flare-ups are primarily the result of psychological and physical stress on the body (1). Moreover, some studies found that a high proportion (up to 80%) of patients reported significant and “uncommon emotional stress” before their initial disease onset.
According to one article, “not only does stress cause disease, but the disease itself also causes significant stress in patients, creating a vicious cycle” (1).
Stress—whether physical, hormonal, mental, or emotional—and major stress-related hormones are implicated in the development and progression of autoimmune disease. It is presumed that various factors, including poor sleep, diet, illness, major hormone shifts, and climate involve neuroendocrine hormones which lead to immune dysregulation.
This prolonged immune dysregulation can result in autoimmune disease, or the worsening of symptoms (such as during a flare-up) by changing or amplifying inflammatory cytokine production.

If it’s time for a little stress relief, our integrative spa has all the relaxing solutions you’re looking for.

Women are more susceptible

Notably, 80% of all those who experience autoimmune disorders are women, raising important questions about genetic and other factors involved in the development of autoimmune conditions (2).
Flare-ups may also be caused or worsened by certain foods that can cause inflammation in the body, including processed sugars and carbohydrates, artificial sweeteners, wheat products, factory-farmed meats, and dairy with hormones (3).

Learn more: Integrative Women’s Health at CentreSpringMD

Common triggers of a flare-up

Good and bad stress

Anything which places stress on the immune system has the potential to trigger a flare-up. Even good stress like traveling or getting married could put your body under additional strain, especially if you are already experiencing symptoms of an autoimmune disease.
Studies indicate travel is one of the top triggers for flaring up symptoms because it often means changing eating habits and routines (4). The natural reaction to changes in routine is stress on the body, which could worsen autoimmune disease symptoms. In addition to travel stressors like adjusting sleeping patterns or dietary restrictions, simply the logistics of getting to your destination can also be stressful.

Changes in season

The seasons can have a huge impact on how well your immune system is working to keep you healthy. For example, the natural change in weather may cause joint pain for those who suffer with rheumatoid arthritis, or difficulty breathing for those with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

Gut dysbiosis or SIBO

An unhealthy gut microbiome can lead to an autoimmune flare-up. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) is a condition in which natural bacteria found in the intestines thrive and grow out of control, causing bloating and other uncomfortable side effects.

Gluten

For those with Hashimoto’s and gluten intolerance, eating foods containing protein can set off a cascade of inflammatory reactions in your body.

Sugar and Dairy

It’s not a hard rule to avoid sugar and dairy, though these are two common foods that can trigger inflammation which results in an increased risk for an autoimmune disease flare.

Seasonal illness or the flu

When your immune system is fighting a virus like the flu, autoimmune disease symptoms can worsen because your body is under additional strain.

Read more: Preparing for Cold + Flu Season

Intense (or too much) exercise

Certain people may need to be mindful of certain types of exercise with an autoimmune disease. Overtraining or participating in endurance activities may exacerbate some autoimmune diseases more than others (5). A high-intensity workout can cause further inflammation for many patients with an autoimmune condition. As always, it’s crucial to pay attention to how your body is feeling and respond accordingly.

How long does autoimmune flare-up last?

Depending on the severity of the natural stressor that is causing the flare-up, symptoms can last anywhere from a few days to several months. For some autoimmune disease sufferers who are not receiving treatment, symptoms of an acute flare-up may subside on their own without medical intervention after one or two weeks.
However, for others with unmanaged or more serious cases of autoimmune conditions, flare-ups may be an everyday struggle.
People with autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, psoriasis, and Lupus experience flare-ups that can last for several months or even years. For these individuals, natural therapies like diet and lifestyle changes are key to successfully managing the disease. These natural remedies often play a tandem role with conventional Western medicine interventions.

How do you prevent autoimmune reactions?

When people think of natural remedies they often think about herbs and supplements, but lifestyle choices like stress management techniques should be at the top of your list when attempting to decrease symptoms associated with an autoimmune flare-up. There’s no denying the powerful effect stress can have on your body and natural attempts to reduce stress tend to be quick-acting.

An integrative approach

As with other autoimmune disease symptoms, functional remedies that lower inflammation may not completely heal the condition but they do help manage symptoms and prevent flare-ups. Yoga has been shown as a natural remedy for autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, while meditation has been shown to help the body handle natural stressors (6).

Supplements can also be helpful in decreasing inflammation caused by autoimmunity, such as:

Glutathione
Vitamin D
Curcumin
N-acetyl cysteine
Probiotics
Omega-3 fatty acids

Salt baths and meditation can also help support cellular health and support your immune system response to stress. Having healthy coping mechanisms in place is one important mediator of immune health which can decrease your autoimmune flare-ups.

Regular exercise

In one animal study, regular exercise has been shown to reduce the symptoms of autoimmune encephalomyelitis, a condition in which the immune system attacks the brain and spinal cord (7).

Traveling with Autoimmune Disease

Traveling is one of the most common times to experience an autoimmune symptom flare. If you’re traveling by car, bus or plane it’s best to plan ahead and learn how natural remedies can decrease your chances of an autoimmune reaction.

Planning a natural diet

When possible, eat foods that are easily digestible like minimally processed carbohydrates, and protein, and avoid very fatty or fried foods before and during any kind of travel. If you know there will be less than ideal food options available when you’re traveling, you can include some natural anti-inflammatory remedies to support your immune system if it’s already under stress.

Include natural anti-inflammatory foods in your diet

Foods like ginger, turmeric, and garlic have been shown to decrease inflammation associated with autoimmune disease (8). If possible, pack some of these types of food when you travel.
Berries and other forms of fiber-rich veggies are also beneficial while traveling.

Can vitamin D reverse autoimmune disease?

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with higher rates of autoimmunity, especially in women. A vitamin D deficiency and certain genetic variations significantly increase the risk for autoimmune diseases including multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, alopecia areata (hair loss), and lupus (9).

It’s important to note that optimal vitamin D levels won’t protect you from developing autoimmunity, or from experiencing a flare-up, but many studies reinforce the fact that adequate vitamin D levels benefit the healthy function of immune cells, which in turn decreases the risk for autoimmunity.

This is why your functional medicine provider at CentreSpringMD will test for nutrient deficiencies when working with you to get your autoimmunity into remission.

Contact a qualified integrative medicine provider today and begin your journey to autoimmune remission.

What are the 7 most common autoimmune diseases?

Though there are more than 80 recognized types of autoimmune diseases to date, there are several which affect more individuals than others.

Lupus is one of the most common autoimmune diseases, affecting women more than men, and is often misdiagnosed as other natural health problems like fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis affects about 14 million Americans and is the most common cause of hypothyroidism or low thyroid.
Type I diabetes, also known as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), affects about five percent of Americans and usually appears in childhood or adolescence.
Rheumatoid arthritis causes chronic inflammation to natural joints including your wrists, ankles, feet, and fingers which can lead to pain and disability.
Multiple sclerosis, a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord which can cause problems from vision issues to muscle weakness or paralysis depending on where in your body the natural lesions are located.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition affecting about seven million Americans with symptoms including itchy red patches of skin covered with natural scales that can appear anywhere on the body.
Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune reaction to gluten, a natural protein found in common grains like wheat and rye which affects one out of every 133 Americans.

Managing Autoimmune Conditions with Integrative Medicine

For those who have been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, it can be a constant struggle to manage the symptoms that come and go. There are many ways you can help yourself naturally on your own or by working closely with integrative providers like our team at CentreSpringMD. We offer in-depth support on how diet and lifestyle choices affect autoimmune flare-ups as well as traditional Western medicine options such as medication management and acupuncture therapy.

Resources

The post Autoimmune Flare-ups: 11 Natural Ways to Manage Your Symptoms appeared first on CentreSpringMD.

Are You Really Healthy? Getting the Right Functional Lab Tests

CentreSpringMD — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 16:58:08 +0000

Doctors often rely on one tool that’s usually the first choice when trying to get to the bottom of any health symptom, and that’s ordering the right tests. Functional lab testing helps identify hormone imbalances, metabolic issues, thyroid problems, autoimmune dysfunction, and so much more. But is a ‘normal’ lab result all your doctor is looking for? Here are the important tests your integrative medicine doctor may run, and why it’s important you work with an open-minded practitioner who will take the time to properly explain your results.

Integrative Medicine Lab Tests

In any doctor’s office, running diagnostic testing allows your provider to determine the specific problems that are causing your symptoms.

Each kind of lab result helps determine treatment methods that are unique to you. And because each person is a completely unique mix of genetics, chemistry, and individual lifestyles, these lab tests provide invaluable data to get to the bottom of your symptoms. That’s why they’re often the first choice of action for most doctors.

Functional lab testing commonly involves:
Gut function analysis
Hormone testing
Inflammatory markers
Food sensitivity or allergy testing
Genetic tests
Nutrient deficiency testing

These tests are performed using blood, urine, or saliva. Depending on which test your doctor has requested, the time of day, time of last meal, or day of menstrual cycle may be important.

Don’t wait to find out your numbers. Contacting us is quick and easy.

Interpreting Your Results

Functional testing provides data about your body which then often needs to be interpreted by a qualified provider. The way your doctor interprets this information can make all the difference between prevention and treatment for individual patients.

There are some integrative medicine lab tests that conventional doctors may be hesitant to order, and they may not have time to carefully discuss the results with you. In the conventional setting, lab testing is part of a rigid protocol that helps doctors match symptoms and lab values with the proper pharmaceuticals.

Unfortunately, this process often doesn’t involve treating the underlying issue. It can also feel more complicated if a patient’s symptoms (or testing results) don’t match the conventional definition for a certain diagnosis. If this is the case, your doctor may tell you certain tests aren’t justified, which can delay care and worsen your condition.

Conventional methods look for disease after it’s already occurred

Your annual physical typically involves a set of tests that look for various disease markers. These tests mainly look at your liver, kidneys, blood sugar regulation, lipids (cholesterol), and sometimes cancer.

This also means many conventional testing methods only flag problems after they’ve already become a disease. The conventional paradigm doesn’t always intervene before there’s a problem.

For this reason, it’s important to work with a qualified integrative or functional medicine doctor who will evaluate your results from a holistic perspective.

‘Normal’ vs Optimal Results

In many of the lab tests available, the range of ‘normal’ values is set to detect established disease. This means that well before this, there may have likely been a detectable imbalance in your body–just not one that fit the established criteria.

But wait, if we could detect the early warning signs of disease before it progressed, wouldn’t that help prevent a full-fledged disease state?

Yes. This is the difference between a ‘normal’ value and an ‘optimal’ value for many clinical lab tests. Many of these ranges could be narrowed, (based on new research and clinical evidence) to detect health issues before they are established diseases.

Let’s take a look at two important examples:

Thyroid Testing

Doctors commonly run a TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) to detect hypothyroidism. The higher this measurement is, the more likely the thyroid isn’t making enough thyroid hormone. The normal range in conventional practice is considered 0.5 – 5.0 mIU/L (1).

However, research shows that some people may experience significant negative side effects when TSH is as low as 2.5. For example, a study published in 2010 showed that the rate of miscarriage in a woman’s 1st trimester was almost double when TSH was over 2.5 (2).

If the initial thyroid test comes back within the ‘normal’ range of 2.5, this can be misleading for some people. If hypothyroidism is otherwise suspected from symptoms, integrative medicine doctors will run a complete thyroid panel, including the thyroid hormones T4 and T3 (total and free) and T3 uptake. They may also request other blood tests.

Blood Glucose and Hemoglobin A1c

Many patients are told by their doctor that their climbing blood sugar isn’t a problem until it gets within the prediabetes or diabetes range. However, a measurement of blood glucose (sugar) and hemoglobin A1c in the high-normal or even pre-diabetes range reveals there’s already an issue with blood sugar regulation that will likely progress to diabetes if not addressed.

7 Important Integrative Medicine Tests

If you’re seeking optimal wellness, it’s important to have an internal picture of how your body is functioning. This includes how it digests food, processes toxins, and reacts to environmental substances. If these systems aren’t functionally their best, you may begin to feel negative symptoms. When these symptoms are broad, like weight gain, fatigue, or difficulty sleeping, lab testing helps get to the bottom of the underlying cause.

These types of tests can help you and your integrative doctor have a better picture of your overall health.

Gut Function

The most current research shows that some of the modern societies’ biggest health concerns are closely linked with gut health (3). These include cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease.

If your gut is damaged as a result of poor diet, stress, medication, or genetic factors, it can create systemic inflammation that raises your risk of many chronic diseases, but that goes undetected by traditional tests. A plethora of broad symptoms may present which are difficult to pin down. As a result, malabsorption, bacterial overgrowth, or irritable bowel may occur.

Integrative medicine relies on the following tests to examine gut function.

Stool analysis. This test looks for markers of malabsorption which is essential for those with inflammatory bowel issues, Crohn’s disease, diabetes, autoimmune conditions, and heart disease.
SIBO breath test. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) occurs when bacteria migrate from the colon to the small intestine. It can cause a variety of common gastrointestinal symptoms. This breath test measures the release of hydrogen and methane expelled in the breath to determine the presence of SIBO (4).
Zonulin antibodies. This protein regulates the permeability of the gut lining which allows nutrients through but keeps harmful pathogens out of the bloodstream. If this test detects antibodies to this protein, it’s a sign that you may be experiencing intestinal hyperpermeability (leaky gut) (5).

Hormone Panel

Sex hormones, plus cortisol and thyroid hormones, regulate your overall health, as well as how you think and feel–both for men and women. When any of these hormones fall out of balance, it’s likely to affect the others, as well as cause an array of symptoms like weight gain, fatigue, acne, mood swings, depression, and so many others.

Hormones testing reveals key biomarkers involving the function of the HPA axis, as well as your adrenal glands, thyroid, and reproductive function.

Saliva and blood tests, such as a DUTCH test. These look at the production of hormones, as well as their metabolites to examine how the body is using various hormones. Hormones commonly measured are cortisol, DHEA, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone.

What’s the best way to find out your hormone levels? Get them tested.

Inflammation

Inflammatory markers are almost never checked at a regular primary care visit, but they’re an important warning sign of a health imbalance in the body.

C-reactive protein (CRP) or a high-sensitivity CRP allows your doctor to examine the general inflammatory status of a person. Even slight increases in hs-CRP in an otherwise healthy person are associated with an increased risk of serious health consequences like heart problems or depression (6).
Homocysteine. Homocysteine is an amino acid that requires methylated vitamin B12 and folate to be cleared. Elevations in this level are indicative of increased risk for stroke, heart disease, and may indicate reduced detox pathway function.
Ferritin measures the storage of iron within the body, but when it’s elevated, it’s a sign of inflammation within the body.

Shop: Inflammation-fighting solutions

Food Sensitivity

Repeated exposure to foods that aggravate your digestive system can irritate your gut lining and negatively impact digestion. Often, individuals don’t recognize the signs of a food sensitivity, especially if they don’t fit the conventional model of digestive upset or bowel irritation.

Food sensitivity testing allows your doctor to see which foods are creating an inflammatory response. After this, your doctor may recommend you avoid these foods, or make other dietary and lifestyle recommendations.

Learn more about food sensitivity testing>>>

Detox Function

We live in a world where we’re constantly exposed to toxins, heavy metals, pesticides, and other harmful compounds. Our immune system fights hard to rid the body of unwanted substances. An overload of these compounds can lead to autoimmune disease, digestive problems, and contribute to various disease processes.

Methylation is one major process by which toxins and other elements are transported out of the body. Think of methylation as your body’s main biochemical travel hub. Methylation is a very complex process that’s influenced by your body’s genetics and environment to help keep your detox pathways, brain, lungs, and hormones functioning optimally.

Genetic changes–called variants–can impact the way methylation works in the body and can slow down some of these important processes.

MTHFR genetic testing. This tests for the genetic variation which can impact methylation.
Heavy metal test. Exposure to heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, nickel, cadmium, and others contributes to various diseases. If you have an MTHFR variant, your body may be less efficient at removing these heavy metals from circulation.

Related: What’s the Deal with MTHFR?

Nutrient Status + Deficiency

Nutrient status is another category not usually checked at a routine primary care visit. Lifestyle factors, diet, stress, and medications can deplete different nutrient stores, or your body’s ability to absorb them from food. If low in certain vitamins and minerals, you can experience symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, autoimmune flares, and a risk for more serious disease.

Helpful nutrient status checks include:

Iron
Vitamin D
Vitamin B12
Magnesium

It’s important that your integrative medicine doctor discusses your results with you to determine optimal ranges. For example, conventional recommendations for vitamin D consider normal ranges to be between 20 – 100 ng/ml, but an in-depth review urges that anything below 30 ng/ml should be considered insufficiency (7).

Deliver nutrients directly to the cells that need them with IV drip therapy.

Metabolic Markers

A basic metabolic panel will normally be covered at your yearly physical or at a primary care visit. It’s important you work with a qualified integrative medicine doctor who will look at your results holistically and follow through with recommendations if anything isn’t within an optimal range.

A metabolic panel includes

HgA1c
Fasting glucose
Insulin
Lipid panel

These tests measure how your body is regulating blood sugar, cholesterol, and insulin. This tells your doctor how your body is metabolizing foods you eat, as well as your risk for certain diseases if these values are less than optimal.

Know Your Numbers with Integrative Medicine Testing

Lab testing is the first way you and your functional physician have insight into connecting your symptoms to an underlying cause. Lab testing helps evaluate your gut microbiome, inflammation, nutrient status, stress, toxins, and hormone balance. Even if you’re not experiencing symptoms of imbalance, functional lab testing is an important piece of the puzzle to track your overall health and identify imbalances before they progress to the point of disease.

Work with a qualified doctor at CentreSpringMD to determine which functional lab tests are right for your individual situation, and how we can help you transform your healthcare and maximize holistic prevention strategies.

Resources

The post Are You Really Healthy? Getting the Right Functional Lab Tests appeared first on CentreSpringMD.

Does My Child Have Anxiety? | Signs + Symptoms of Anxiety in Children

CentreSpringMD — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 15:31:19 +0000

Anxiety and anxiety-related disorders are rising in both young children and adolescents. And although your child’s schedule can sometimes seem to rival that of the busiest CEO, is it really their environment to blame for the uptick in anxious feelings? Or is there a deeper root cause?

Kids with anxiety may not present with the same symptoms as adults, which makes genuine anxiety disorders sometimes difficult to spot in young children.

Anxiety Can Be Difficult to Identify in Young Kids

Many parents see that worry and anxiety are growing increasingly more prevalent in their kids’ lives. And for many children, this is definitely the case. Kids today learn to navigate very busy and demanding activities from a young age. This might be one contributor to the steady increase in diagnosable anxiety disorders doctors have identified in adolescents, but it doesn’t tell the whole story.

It’s important to keep in mind that mild anxious feelings are a very normal part of childhood development. The trouble is when children become worried all the time, when their anxiety seems over-the-top for the situation at hand, or when it interferes with their overall wellbeing.

Learn more about Integrative Pediatrics>>>

Symptoms of Anxiety in Children

A little more than 7% of children between the ages of 3 and 17 have a diagnosable anxiety disorder, according to the NIH (1). Most of the time, an anxiety disorder refers to generalized anxiety disorder (or GAD), though there are other types of anxiety disorders which may present differently–we’ll discuss those in a moment.

How do signs and symptoms of anxiety appear in children? Some of the symptoms are similar in adults, but several may be more difficult to identify.

At home, symptoms of anxiety disorders might look like:

Trouble falling asleep
Stomach aches
Change in appetite
Fear of being alone
Anger or irritability
Nightmares
Being very self-critical
OCD behaviors (obsessive grooming practices, “checking” things repeatedly)
Avoiding social contact
Frequent urination (or bedwetting)

In school, common symptoms of anxiety disorders may include:

Refusing to go to school or having a hard time at school drop-offs
Difficulty participating in class
Social withdrawal
Trouble concentrating
Disruptive behavior, or getting in trouble at school
Difficulty sitting still
Not turning in homework

How often symptoms occur and when they occur can change depending on the nature of your child’s anxiety. Some feelings may be triggered by specific events, situations, or settings. Others may come on seemingly for no reason with no discernable trigger at the time.

Different types of anxiety are triggered by different actions, and may look differently for each child.

Types of Anxiety in Children

Like adults, children can also experience a range of anxiety disorders, which include things like social anxiety, OCD behaviors, and separation anxiety. Some signs of anxiety are easier to spot, but other anxiety disorders can be a little harder to detect.

Some of the different types of childhood anxiety include:

Separation Anxiety.

A fear of being separated from parents or caregivers. This type of anxiety is common in young children but usually begins to subside once a child is around 3 or 4.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

A child has a disproportionate worry or fear about situations, objects, or events that lasts for six months or more (2). Children with generalized anxiety disorder may also have physical manifestation of symptoms, such as headaches or stomach aches, and muscle pains.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Children with OCD may have either intrusive thoughts (obsessions) about certain things and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions). These actions might include things like excessive grooming rituals, checking things over and over, or repeating words or phrases.

Panic Attacks.

Panic disorder is less common in young children, but it does become more common as kids reach adolescence (3).

Selective Mutism.

Of all the anxiety disorders in children, selective mutism is the least understood and often most overlooked. Children with selective mutism have difficulty speaking in social situations like at school or church, while they may be avid speakers at home or with close family (4).

Social Anxiety Disorder causes children to fear social and/or situations where they feel like they must perform. Some studies suggest social anxiety disorder may actually progress to selective mutism.

If you notice several of the above, speak with your child’s doctor about screening options for mental health and/or cognitive testing.

Many anxiety symptoms can mimic underlying conditions like thyroid problems, ADHD, or others.

Anxiety is a symptom that has a root cause

In functional medicine we seek to uncover the root cause of the symptoms at hand, while offering relief and tools to manage anxious feelings in daily life.

Because inflammation in the gut can negatively impact the brain and the production of important neurotransmitters, gut health is a primary driver for mental health. This includes complications from underlying infections like SIBO, parasites, yeast overgrowth, and H. pylori, as well as food sensitivities and leaky gut.

With any mental health concern, we also address nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc which all have a direct impact on mood and are commonly missing in many modern diets (5).

Browse children’s supplements in the shop>>

Integrative Medicine Can Help Get to the Bottom of Anxiety in Your Child

Expert Advice from an Integrative Medicine Team

Your CentreSpringMD doctor gets to know your child by evaluating medical history, recommending diagnostic tools or tests, and by developing a treatment plan tailored to address both your child’s symptoms, and their holistic wellbeing as a whole.

In-Depth Testing and Diagnostics

Comprehensive lab work might include blood tests, nutrient deficiency assessment, and gut function analysis to give your integrative medicine team more insight into your child’s individual situation.

Treating Anxiety and Other Mood Disorders

Your integrative team will provide your child with a personalized plan, including recommendations for nutrition, lifestyle changes, supplements, and other therapies.

Getting started with Integrative Pediatrics is a click away. Making an appointment is quick and easy>>>

Symptoms of anxiety and other mood disorders often present differently in children than adults, and learning how to recognize signs of anxiety in your child is the first step to giving them the support they need.

Integrative medicine gives you the tools to address the root causes of anxiety symptoms, whether they stem from behavioral habits, gut dysfunction, nutrient deficiencies, or another underlying cause. Work with a qualified integrative practitioner to get to the bottom of your child’s anxious feelings so he or she can develop into a purposeful, happy adult.

Resources

The post Does My Child Have Anxiety? | Signs + Symptoms of Anxiety in Children appeared first on CentreSpringMD.

Why Am I Gaining Weight? Summer Weight Gain + How to Lose It Fast

CentreSpringMD — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 15:25:43 +0000

Lose weight without the struggle with integrative medicine. Don’t waste time on short-term fixes, and instead target the root cause of any excess summer weight gain directly when you support detoxification, gut function, and hormone balance.

Functional and integrative medicine is the best way to lose weight because of the personalized approach tailored to your individual chemistry. Weight loss is never one-size-fits-all. Factors that contribute to weight gain are complex, which is why we begin with restoring balance to metabolic, hormonal, and dietary systems so that you can increase fat loss and metabolic function.

CentreSpringMD weight loss options include:

Food sensitivity testing and gut health analysis
Nutrition counseling
10- or 28-Day step-by-step detox program
Functional testing and diagnostic methods

Ready to get started now? Contacting us is easy, and you’ll be on your journey soon!

Notice a Build-up of Belly Fat?

Stress, reduced gut function, ultra-processed foods, lack of sleep, and other lifestyle factors all contribute to one thing: fat storage around your abdomen. These are likely the culprit of any summer weight gain as kids and parents may not be following their regular routine. More vacations, late nights, and a little too much indulgence can catch up to you fast.

Two hormones that control metabolism and fat storage–cortisol and insulin–are heavily influenced by diet and lifestyle. Cortisol is produced in excess when your body is stressed, and insulin is primarily made after you eat a meal. Balancing these hormones is key to losing weight.

Sluggish detox function also makes it harder to lose weight. Enzymes in the liver work overtime to rid the body of metabolic waste and this process often needs extra support (1).

Eating inflammatory foods, or a diet not aligned with your chemistry also contributes to weight gain. Food sensitivity testing, or gut function analysis is one-way integrative medicine that can help you determine which foods support weight loss.

You May Be Insulin Resistant

You might be gaining weight as a result of insulin. Your body makes insulin in your pancreas, and it’s active after you eat any balanced meal, and more so if you consume greater amounts of carbohydrates. Insulin works to lower blood sugar after you eat, which is a good thing, but when it remains elevated for too long it becomes a problem.

Insulin becomes elevated over time due to a chronic condition called insulin resistance. When your cells are constantly bombarded with insulin, eventually they stop responding as quickly, which is the basis for insulin resistance.

When you’re insulin resistant, you’re more likely to have trouble losing weight, or maintaining healthy body weight. This is because when insulin is high, you’re more likely to store calories as fat, instead of burning them for energy. If you’re eating healthy, but still not losing weight, you may be experiencing insulin resistance.

Being insulin resistant makes it harder to use body fat for fuel, and your metabolism will prioritize using carbohydrates, driving sugar cravings, and further weight gain (2).

Lose Weight and Improve Blood Sugar

Studies suggest that limiting carbohydrates and supporting liver health can play a role in optimizing blood sugar balance and make it easier to lose weight (3).

Metagenics Ultra Glucose Control supports a healthy response to insulin, promoting normal blood sugar levels and the healthful use of body fat for fuel. Alternatively, you may benefit from a step-by-step plan, such as a detox protocol with the guidance of integrative medicine.

10- or 28-Day Holistic Detox

Metagenics UltraClear is a 10- or 20-day detox program designed for metabolic detoxification, liver support, and heavy metal metabolism. Your liver is one major gate-keeper for weight loss, signaling when to break down body fat–and when to store it.

Benefits include:

Metabolic detox support
Alkinilization
Heavy metal metabolism
Methylation support with B12 and folic acid
Eating guidelines + Recommended foods list
Nutritional support for healthy, safe detox

This kit supports the production of specialized liver enzymes involved in phases I and II of detoxification function. Targeted ingredients then package up metabolic toxins for excretion in phase III detox support.

In this plan, you’ll receive a full guide with complete menu plans, other recommendations, and easy-to-follow instructions.

Get it now! Start your 10- or 28-day detox here!

Improve Your Gut + Reduce Inflammation

You may be gaining weight this summer as a result of poor gut health. Many everyday foods trigger inflammation in the gut. This inflammation interferes with normal digestion and absorption of nutrients and can cause harmful bacteria, like Candida, to proliferate. Bacterial overgrowths, including Candida, contribute to insulin resistance, weight gain, and increase your risk of type 2 diabetes (4).

Because food sensitivities or intolerances don’t always present with obvious symptoms like diarrhea or upset stomach, it’s important to evaluate how your gut is really functioning.

A gut function analysis measures 5 biomarkers of gut health, including:

Malabsorption
Inflammation
Dysbiosis
Metabolic imbalance
Infection

A gut function analysis can also identify nutrient absorption issues or underlying infections such as SIBO or H. pylori.

Learn more: Is SIBO the Missing Link to IBS + IBD?

Which Diet Is Right for You?

Not sure which foods best support your body and your unique biochemistry? Wondering if you should follow the keto diet or maybe go plant-based? Our integrative medicine team understands that your nutrition is paramount to helping you lose weight and keep it off.

Options include:

Going dairy- and/or gluten-free
An Autoimmune Paleo Diet (AIP)
Healing leaky gut (food sensitivity testing)
Removing common allergens
Addressing fat malabsorption

Uncover your hidden food triggers and optimize your ideal diet with a qualified nutrition professional and nutrition counseling.

Are Environmental Toxins Making You Fat?

Is there such a thing as toxins that cause weight gain? Research says yes, and they’re actually called obesogens (5).

Obesogens are compounds that alter lipid metabolism and fat storage, alter metabolism, and disrupt appetite or energy balance to promote the accumulation of fat and obesity (6).

They include endocrine disruptors like parabens and phthalates, but also toxins present in our food, water, and air. If your exposure to environmental toxins is high, your natural detoxification pathways need extra support.

Begin with a step-by-step comprehensive 10- or 28-day detox program, complete with a full menu plan and diet recommendations. Reduce toxic burden and support Phase I and II liver detoxification function.

Supercharge Mobilization of Fat Cells

Super-B Shots

Designed to boost your metabolism using choline and inositol, which target fatty liver and fat metabolism, along with B vitamins for a supercharge. Learn more here.

L-Carnitine

Promote lean muscle while supporting the use of body fat for fuel. The amino acid L-carnitine is naturally produced in the body to help produce energy, but you can optimize your levels to enhance its benefits (7).

Check out L-carnitine in CentreSpringMD’s exclusive weight loss drip.

Weight Loss with Integrative Medicine

Don’t settle for fad diets or quick fixes for healthy weight loss. Integrative medicine targets the root cause of your weight gain and provides personalized solutions for your unique chemistry.

If you’ve spent this summer enjoying yourself, but notice it’s a little harder to shed unwanted pounds, consider a natural detox to remove environmental toxins that can slow down metabolism. Clearing harmful bacteria and improving gut function can also help increase nutrient absorption and energy production. Let our integrative team help you get to the bottom of your summer weight gain, and show you how to lose weight fast–the healthy way!

Resources

The post Why Am I Gaining Weight? Summer Weight Gain + How to Lose It Fast appeared first on CentreSpringMD.

Quick & Healthy Breakfasts for Busy Mornings

CentreSpringMD — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 14:19:11 +0000

Benefits of Breakfast

The foods you choose to “break your fast” in the morning are one of the most important decisions that set the tone for how you’ll feel all day. But finding a fast and healthy breakfast for busy mornings can be a big challenge. Considering that most adults and children aren’t getting enough important nutrients like protein and fiber, a healthy breakfast is one of the best ways you can change your life for the better.

The best healthy breakfasts for busy mornings have a good serving of protein and fiber. Both protein and fiber take a little longer to digest, so you’ll feel satisfied and able to focus through your morning.

Increase Metabolism

Studies also support that eating breakfast can help you lose weight. One study found that even adolescents who ate a protein at breakfast (between 13 and 30 grams) prevented body fat gain when compared to participants who skipped breakfast (1).

Fuel Focus + Attention in the Office and at School

Eating breakfast supports cognitive function, focus, and attention. Kids and adults with ADHD or who have trouble paying attention should prioritize a balanced breakfast with plenty of protein, fiber, and healthy fats–like eggs with sauteed veggies, or Greek yogurt and berries.

The messengers in the brain that carry signals from one neuron to another–called neurotransmitters–depend on amino acids from proteins to do their job. Healthy breakfasts also help to keep blood sugar stable, blunting any abrupt spikes that lead to crashes in brain energy.

The Best Foods for a Healthy Breakfast

The best breakfast foods for busy mornings start with protein and add a serving of fruits or veggies to provide a little added fiber. It’s also a great idea to include healthy fat, like egg yolks or nut butter to really satisfy your appetite. The recipes below feature the best breakfast foods, like:

Eggs, yolk included!
Nuts and seeds
Greek yogurt
Cheese
Smoked salmon
Black beans
Cottage cheese
Nut butter
Protein powder

6 Healthy Breakfast Ideas You’ll Love

Make Ahead Protein Muesli

Move over, boring oatmeal! Muesli is a super-healthy breakfast that’s popular in Switzerland and Germany, and it’s full of soluble fiber, iron, zinc, and B vitamins, and is a great gluten-free breakfast. It’s usually made with a base of rolled oats, plus your choice of nuts and seeds, extras like coconut or dried fruits.

Muesli is raw, can be eaten hot or cold, and doesn’t contain any extra sweetener. It’s usually served with yogurt, cream, or milk, adding a healthy serving of both protein and fat.

To make a busy morning go even smoother, prep this muesli the night before by adding your milk or yogurt to some muesli mix and stashing it in the fridge.

Ingredients to make a healthy muesli mix:

1 ½ to 2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds (raw or roasted/salted)
1/2 cup walnuts, sliced almonds, or pecan pieces
1/4 cup raisins, or dried cranberries
2 tablespoons chia seeds, hemp hearts, or sunflower seeds
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

To prepare, you’ll need:
1/2 cup of muesli mix
1/2 cup milk of choice
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
Optional: drizzle of maple syrup, honey, or monk fruit sweetener

To serve, combine 1/2 cup of the muesli mix with milk and yogurt. Once combined, cover and place in the fridge for 3 hours or up to overnight. Alternatively, you can add warm milk or microwave your muesli and enjoy it hot!

Improve cognition with integrative medicine: Diet + Lifestyle Changes for a Better Brain.

Bento Box Breakfast

When time is short, you have picky eaters, but still need to get a healthy breakfast in everyone’s belly–these bento box breakfasts are a game-changer. Like ultra-healthy lunchables, these are your grab-and-go breakfast shortcuts.

Add a protein: hard-boiled eggs, cheese cubes, sliced meat, chickpeas, gluten-free toaster waffles
Add a fruit or vegetable: blueberries, raspberries, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, sliced peaches, apple, pear
Add healthy fats: almonds, cottage cheese, nut butter, avocado

Add your ingredients to a bento box or tray with individual compartments. Enjoy an easy breakfast your kids can eat at home, or at school.

Cashew Butter + Banana Protein Smoothie (Vegan)

Smoothies are a great grab-and-go breakfast for busy school (or work) mornings. And making a smoothie with creamy cashew butter is the absolute best way to satisfy your appetite, power a busy brain, and do it all while enjoying the smoothest treat you can imagine.

Cashews are a good source of magnesium, which plays a role in protein synthesis and neurotransmitter production–helping you stay focused and attentive all the way through lunch (2).

For this smoothie you’ll need:

1 frozen medium banana
¼ cup raw cashew butter
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 cup milk of choice
1 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp chia seeds
Optional: Toppings like additional cinnamon, chia seeds, bee pollen, or crushed cashews

To make:
Combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth.

Enhance magnesium absorption for better health>>>

Smoked Salmon Toast with Scrambled Egg

Open-faced sandwiches, like this protein-packed salmon and egg toast, are a great way to add a healthy breakfast to your busy morning. Smoked salmon provides healthy omega-

3 fats which are especially important for brain function and to help decrease inflammation. Egg yolks provide brain-boosting choline and B vitamins, as well as another boost of protein.

Round out any good breakfast toast with creamy avocado for extra magnesium and B6 to help you cope with any extra stress you might encounter that day. This recipe is great for balancing blood sugar and providing energy.

Ingredients: Makes 4 servings

2 tablespoons chives, minced
1 medium avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and coarsely mashed
6 large eggs
1 tablespoon butter or ghee
4 pieces sourdough, or gluten-free toast
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 oz. thinly sliced smoked salmon
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Whisk eggs and chives in a large bowl. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add egg mixture and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cook, occasionally scraping the bottom of the skillet with a spatula until just barely set, about 4 minutes. Set aside. Then, place slices of toast on a large serving plate. Put the avocado into a bowl, mash with a fork, and season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Spread mashed avocado over each slice of toast. Spoon eggs over avocado. Arrange smoked salmon slices over eggs, and enjoy immediately!

Fighting fatigue? Learn why B vitamins might be your missing micronutrient.

Peaches and Cream Chia Pudding

Sweet summer peaches are here to satisfy your morning sweet tooth, but paired with plenty of protein and healthy fats, this comfort food parfait won’t send you into a blood sugar crash halfway through the morning!

Make this healthy pudding the night before to give the chia seeds plenty of time to soak up moisture, and to make your busy morning breakfast even easier.

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups coconut milk
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
1 fresh peach, diced, skin on
1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut flakes
Optional: crushed macadamia nuts

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized mason jar. Mix until combined, cover jar with lid, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for a quick grab-and-go breakfast the next morning.

Black Bean and Quinoa Freezer Burritos

Love a savory breakfast but don’t have time to make a full meal in the morning? These meal prep breakfast burritos are perfect for the whole family and can be customized with tons of ingredients you’ll love. They’re full of fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals to provide steady energy and keep you focused.

Black beans are a good source of folate, fiber, plant-based iron, plus a little magnesium and potassium. But it’s the protein-plus-fiber combination that makes them a great choice for a savory healthy breakfast

(Plus, these burritos can double as a quick lunch option if you’re in a pinch!)

Ingredients: Makes 6 burritos

6 large gluten-free tortillas or wraps
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (can also use avocado oil)
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (if desired)
1 zucchini, diced
1 cup corn (fresh, frozen, or canned)
1 large tomato, diced
1 cup cooked quinoa
3 cups black beans, drained and rinsed (about 2, 14 oz cans)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
Optional: 1 cup shredded cheese

Directions:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and red pepper and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and just beginning to brown. Add the garlic and jalapeños (if using) and sauté for another 2 minutes. Then, add the zucchini and sauté for 5-8 minutes. The vegetables should be softened but not mushy.
Finally, add the remainder of ingredients and spices to the skillet (except for cilantro and shredded cheese). Stir to combine and make sure ingredients are heated through.
Adjust seasonings if necessary. Stir in the chopped cilantro, and remove from the heat.

Filling the burritos: Divide the burrito filling between the six tortillas, sprinkle with cheese if desired, and roll snugly. If freezing the burritos, wrap them individually in parchment paper and place them in a single layer in a reusable silicone freezer bag.

To enjoy your freezer burrito, you can pull one out of the freezer the night before, or just grab one straight from the freezer in the morning and allow it to thaw, or microwave.

Healthy Breakfasts for Your Whole Family

Eating a healthy breakfast allows you to power your metabolism, plus stay focused and attentive throughout your day. Breakfast supports a stable mood, better memory, and steady energy for you and your family.

But it’s no small feat to prepare nutritious, appetizing meals. This is especially true if you have a food sensitivity, allergy, or other dietary restrictions to follow. Let our qualified integrative team of nutrition counselors, dietitians, and physicians help you discover which foods support your unique chemistry and help you reach your wellness goals. There’s never a bad time to start eating healthier, and we can help you find the perfect path to integrative wellness.

Get started with the tools to find the perfect diet for you, and test for unique food sensitivities by contacting us.

Resources

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26239831/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2472534

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High Stress Hormones: Cortisol + HPA Axis Dysfunction

CentreSpringMD — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 20:00:14 +0000

The exhaustion, insomnia, weight gain, and array of symptoms caused by chronically high-stress hormones have become known as adrenal fatigue. But these stress hormones are part of a larger, more complex system called the HPA axis. For a growing number of people, HPA axis dysfunction occurs as this system deteriorates in the face of high chronic stress.

The truth about adrenal fatigue is simply that high cortisol levels are at the root of its cause, though it doesn’t tell the whole story. Integrative medicine aims to restore balance to the HPA axis and relieve sufferers from puzzling, and often debilitating symptoms.

The HPA Axis Regulates Your Stress Response

First, it’s important to clarify that adrenal fatigue is a common term used to describe symptoms that are now better understood as HPA axis dysfunction. HPA axis dysfunction involves dysregulation in the body’s stress response over time and is associated with numerous diseases. The acronym HPA stands for hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and involves:

Hypothalamus – Located in the brain and initiates a stress response, connecting your nervous system with your hormones via the pituitary gland.

Pituitary gland – Also located in the brain, the pituitary gland receives the message and releases messenger hormones.

Adrenal glands – The messenger hormones from the pituitary travel to the adrenal glands which sit atop the kidneys to create cortisol (and other hormones like adrenaline and some sex hormones).

This hormonal response is a beneficial and essential mechanism that occurs many times throughout the day. It helps to keep you alive and alert. A stress response isn’t always a bad thing, but chronic stress can lead to symptoms of adrenal fatigue or HPA axis dysfunction.

Support stress hormones with adaptogenic herbs in HPA Adapt

Symptoms of ‘Adrenal Fatigue’

The HPA axis’ most important role is to maintain homeostasis or the set of physiological circumstances that constantly adjust the body to keep us functioning optimally. This is a big job, as you can imagine. So if any point in this system isn’t running smoothly, it can create a domino effect with each step affecting the rest.

Common symptoms of HPA axis dysfunction include:

Exhaustion
Insomnia
Low motivation or energy
Weight gain or difficulty losing weight
Caffeine, sugar, or carbohydrate cravings
Anxiety and depression
Inability to focus
Frequent illness, poor immune health
Memory loss

Doctors have found HPA axis dysfunction in a high proportion of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME), though the exact processes aren’t yet well understood (1)
.
Over time, exposure to chronic stress alters the way cortisol and other stress hormones communicate with the body. In a sense, the body becomes desensitized to stress hormones and we’re less able to return to a relaxed baseline (2).

Rather, stress hormones like cortisol are at the heart of HPA axis dysfunction, but also there is the body’s inability to regulate overall healthy stress response.

Read more: Holistic Tips to Handle Stress

Modern Stress Hormones – How It Works

Chronic, unresolved stress is a key issue in the development of HPA axis dysfunction. This can be emotional, physical, or mental stress, and comes in many forms.

When your mind experiences something it deems a threat, a series of physiological changes happen in the body to prime us to react–often called the fight-or-flight response. This reaction developed when humans were still doing things like running from predators or natural disasters.

Increases in alertness, heart rate, and blood flow to major organs help us should we need to run away from a predator, or protect our children or ourselves from a physical threat. Stress hormones also turn off things like immune function and reproductive function–two things that aren’t essential in a crisis (3).

But the issue is that modern humans have very different threats now–that this system wasn’t necessarily designed to handle. Our kids are wearing us out, financial worries weigh heavy, and our ability to perform at work all create demands that can exceed our ability to cope.

These threats last longer and aren’t usually physical in nature, which is actually more damaging and makes it harder for our nervous system to return to a resting state (4).

High Stress Means High Cortisol

The HPA axis controls your stress response. Your brain detects something stressful (i.e. an argument, a big presentation, even lack of sleep), sends out the message to ramp up cortisol, the threat generally passes, cortisol clears, and the body returns to baseline.

Or, that’s how it should work.

But when stress is chronic stress, this action never shuts off, and the adrenal glands secrete more and more cortisol.

Over time, your cells become “resistant” to cortisol, and the negative feedback system it relies on becomes ineffective. Lacking an intervention, the HPA axis no longer functions optimally. Over time, what was once high cortisol, can now result in cortisol levels that are too low (5).

This creates the hallmark symptoms of adrenal fatigue–or HPA axis dysfunction.

Testing Stress Hormones | Is There HPA Axis Dysfunction?

It is difficult to assess adrenal fatigue or HPA axis dysfunction based on symptoms alone. As a result, it is important to determine levels of stress hormones and others before creating an optimal treatment plan. This begins with testing for adrenal fatigue through various hormone assessments.

HPA axis dysfunction testing may include:

DUTCH (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones) to examine hormones and their metabolites
Saliva testing for DHEA and cortisol
ACTH stimulation test

The endocrine system is complex, and issues that arise are rarely a result of just one hormone. A hormone imbalance in one gland can cause an imbalance in other hormones as well.

Shop: DHEA and adrenal support

Modern Stress Hormones – How It Works

Chronic, unresolved stress is a key issue in the development of HPA axis dysfunction. This can be emotional, physical, or mental stress, and comes in many forms.

Increases in alertness, heart rate, and blood flow to major organs help us should we need to run away from a predator, or protect our children or ourselves from a physical threat. Stress hormones also turn off things like immune function and reproductive function–two things that aren’t essential in a crisis (3).

These threats last longer and aren’t usually physical in nature, which is actually more damaging and makes it harder for our nervous system to return to a resting state (4).

High Stress Means High Cortisol

The HPA axis controls the stress response. Your brain detects something stressful (i.e. an argument, a big presentation, even lack of sleep), sends out the message to ramp up cortisol, the threat generally passes, cortisol clears, and the body returns to baseline.

Or, that’s how it should work.

But when stress is chronic stress, this action never shuts off, and the adrenal glands secrete more and more cortisol.

This creates the hallmark symptoms of adrenal fatigue–or HPA axis dysfunction.

Testing Stress Hormones | Is There HPA Axis Dysfunction?

HPA axis dysfunction testing may include:

DUTCH (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones) to examine hormones and their metabolites
Saliva testing for DHEA and cortisol
ACTH stimulation test

The endocrine system is complex, and issues that arise are rarely a result of just one hormone. A hormone imbalance in one gland can cause an imbalance in other hormones as well.

Shop: DHEA and adrenal support

Integrative Medicine and HPA Axis Dysfunction

Integrative and functional medicine seek to identify and treat the root causes of symptoms, rather than treating those symptoms on their own. Innovative diagnostics and personalized treatment plans give treatment for HPA axis dysfunction a discernible edge over conventional practices, which notoriously struggle with complex endocrine issues.

Expert Advice from an Integrative Medicine Team

Your CentreSpringMD doctor gets to know you and your medical journey by evaluating your history and risk factors, recommending diagnostic testing, and developing a treatment plan tailored to address both your symptoms and holistic wellbeing as a whole.

In-Depth Testing and Diagnostics

Comprehensive lab work might include blood and saliva tests, nutrient deficiency assessment, and gut function analysis to give your integrative medicine team more insight into your individual chemistry.

Treating HPA Axis Dysfunction and High Cortisol

Your integrative team will provide you with a personalized plan to include support from diverse modalities such as diet, lifestyle, supplements, and if appropriate, medications.

What to Remember

Chronically high-stress hormones can lead to a complex issue known as HPA axis dysfunction, commonly referred to as adrenal fatigue. An inability for the nervous system to regulate stress hormones like cortisol can place you at risk for numerous diseases, and create debilitating symptoms like fatigue, insomnia, and weight gain.

Integrative medicine can restore balance to your body’s stress response with a personalized plan to address diet patterns, lifestyle modifications, supplements, and other targeted therapies.

Resources

The post High Stress Hormones: Cortisol + HPA Axis Dysfunction appeared first on CentreSpringMD.

How a Holistic Primary Care Doctor Helps the Whole Family

CentreSpringMD — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 21:52:17 +0000

Wouldn’t it be a luxury if your entire household could go to the same doctor’s office? Are you looking for a integrative medicine provider? A holistic primary care doctor can treat you, your spouse, and children all at the same center.

Imagine how much time that would save you and your family from a hectic work and school week? You can’t put a price on convenience.

At its core, holistic medicine focuses on person-centered care; the patient as a whole person (1). On the other hand, modern medicine examines and treats specific sick parts.

Holistic primary care providers are certified medical practitioners who provide health treatment to people of all ages. Let’s examine how a holistic primary care physician may be right for your entire family.

Holistic Primary Care Doctor

Conventional doctors always urge their patients to eat healthy and exercise. Although, the basis of conventional medicine is treating chronic conditions and disease with prescription drugs.

At our premier integrative medicine center, our licensed team combines conventional medical practices (Western medicine) with holistic treatments (Eastern medicine). Also known as alternative or functional medicine, integrative practices truly combine the best of both worlds.

Natural remedies and supplements from herbs and plants, combined with therapies and lifestyle changes are the bases of natural medicine. Holistic care and western medicine date back millennia and have proven to be effective (2).

In your initial consultation, your holistic doctor will look at your diet, emotional wellness, exercise, lifestyle habits, and stress factors. A holistic primary care physician links various elements of the body together (emotional, physical, mental, spiritual). In other words, integrative doctors look at the social, psychological, and physical factors of your daily life. This opens up a deeper conversation to get to the root issue for prevention and future care of numerous conditions.

Knowing what you need in every decade of life is crucial to complete wellness inside and out. Various therapies and treatments can be found at our integrative medical center for your entire family.

Autoimmune assessment
Ayurveda
Detoxification
Hydrotherapy
In body testing
IV drips
Thermography

Learn more about integrative and holistic health at our blog. You can find a wide variety of free informational medical articles.

Holistic Primary Care

Children (and teens)

Pediatric holistic practitioners look at a child as a complete person by examining environment, genetics, and nutrition. This ensures the foundation of instilling healthy habits and preventing future problems.

When problems do arise, non-invasive diagnostic tests and integrative developmental screening techniques will be used. An entire team of holistic practitioners awaits your child.

Lactation consultations
Nutritionists
Craniosacral therapist
Integrative health coaches
30–40-minute appointments

Women

Holistic doctors help women analyze their hormones, nutrition, gut function, stress, and more. At CentreSpringMD, our holistic team can treat and prevent a wide variety of health issues concerning our female patients. The list below is only a small fraction of what we can help you with.

Breast cancer support
Endometriosis
Fertility support
Osteoporosis
Perimenopause

Men

Issues concerning the male and female body can be drastically different. Men’s health, just like women and children, should focus on the entire bodily system. Continuous integrative health treatment allows men to be at their best. By looking at the factors that affect men the most, every patient is set up for success. Below are some common issues we help with at CentreSpringMD.

Cholesterol
Low testosterone
Digestive health
Mental health disorders
Weight loss

Holistic Primary Care Doctor Near Me

The need for alternative medicine practitioners are increasing (3).

Book an appointment now with the amazing alternative medical team at CentreSpringMD.

Babies, children, tweens, teens, men, and women of your family can all come to the same doctor’s office. What is more convenient than that? Start on your holistic journey now, with a holistic primary care physician at CentreSpringMD.

Resources:

The post How a Holistic Primary Care Doctor Helps the Whole Family appeared first on CentreSpringMD.

What is Holistic Dermatology?

CentreSpringMD — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 21:43:59 +0000

Skin is an important pillar of health. In fact, the condition of someone’s skin can be a sign of their inner health (1). Holistic dermatology gets to the root causes of skin conditions by treating a patient’s whole body. Why?

Poor lifestyle choices such as an unhealthy diet can be a catalyst for poor skin health. Underlying health conditions can definitely show on your skin.

Do you simply want to look younger and/or reverse the signs of aging through natural skincare? Have you lost hope trying to get to the cause of your acne or other skin disease? Are you interested in natural remedies to fight skin cancer and disease?

Functional medicine and holistic dermatology focus on treating patients as a whole, not just prescribing a medicine for the skin (2). Also known as functional or integrative dermatology, natural treatments for the body and skin are combined with modern medicinal practices.

Let’s learn all about holistic dermatology and why it could be your health solution to great skin care and health.

Holistic Health and Dermatology

A diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods and beverages

It’s time to start looking at what you eat and how it may be affecting your skin. Foods that cause inflammation show on the skin in redness, puffiness, uneven tone, bumps, and more. Eczema and psoriasis can both be results of inflammatory foods.

Simple diet changes such as eating anti-inflammatory foods can reset your skin, immune system, gut, and more.

Most importantly, think about any food intolerances you might have. Is any beverage you’re drinking or foods you’re consuming making your skin worse or leave you feeling sick? Food intolerances are often misunderstood and seen the same as allergies.

Holistic dermatology can help! Book an appointment today with one of our for a food intolerance test.

Lifestyle changes for stress relief

Stress can do awful things to the body. We have all had stress-induced acne breakouts, as well as stomach issues and headaches due to anxiety and tension. Treat yourself right because you deserve it.

Take morning and/or evening walks to clear your head. Listen to a podcast even during your stroll.
Try yoga or meditation.
Have you ever just taken a few minutes to breathe deeply?
Deep breathing can help you a lot more than you realize (3).
Do your best to get a full, restful night’s sleep (7-8 hours).

All-natural supplements

Unlike conventional medicine, focused on the use of prescription drugs to treat illnesses, natural; functional medicine does it differently.

A big part of natural medicine is the focus on supplements for crucial vitamins and herbal extractions. Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we cannot get the nutrients we need from our daily diet.

Speak with a natural; integrative dermatologist now to see what supplements can improve your skin health.

Holistic Skincare

Are you happy with your skin health or are looking for additional support to stay young? Do you want to catch skin problems at an early stage for future prevention?

Holistic dermatology will get you there. You have not experienced complete luxury until you’ve visited a holistic spa.

Acupuncture
Anti-aging strategies
Beauty IV drips
Hydrating and organic facials
Supplements: Coenzyme Q10 with Vitamin E helps with psoriasis (4). Vitamin D helps with atopic dermatitis, acne, dull skin, and more (4).
Vitamin booster shots
Health coaching
Nutritional counseling

Natural Dermatologist

Remember, skin issues are often a sign of something deeper going on in the body. Visit a functional; integrative medical professional to get started now. Holistic dermatology can be what your body needs to prevent future damage to one of your most important organs (your skin).

At CentreSpringMD, health care is complete, whole body care, inside and out. We welcome you to our practice, where our patients are family.

Make sure to book an in person or virtual appointment now with our expert holistic practitioners.

Resources:

The post What is Holistic Dermatology? appeared first on CentreSpringMD.

B Vitamins: The Micronutrient Elixir for Life Your Cells Are Missing

CentreSpringMD — Sun, 08 Aug 2021 10:30:31 +0000

Your body cannot sustain life without B vitamins, yet many people overlook suboptimal levels of these tiny-but-mighty metabolic superstars. Truthfully, even marginally low levels of B vitamins like folic acid, B6, and B12 can hinder crucial detox and immune functions. And what’s more, almost half of all people aren’t able to use certain B vitamins effectively–a fact that’s seldom talked about in conventional medicine.

In a moment you’ll understand why B vitamins should have a permanent spot in your go-to routine to keep you feeling and looking your best. Let’s dive in!

The Powerhouse Nutrient You’re Likely Missing

B vitamins are the tiny but complex nutrients your body absolutely cannot live without. And even though B vitamins are a family of nutrients, each B vitamin is unique, and definitely deserves a spotlight of its own.

B vitamins are involved in almost every metabolic process your body performs. Your brain, heart, nervous system, and liver couldn’t function without them. What’s more, they also help turn the food you eat into energy, and repair DNA.

About 40% of the population has a genetic anomaly that hinders the absorption and function of certain types of B vitamins (1). For this reason, getting plenty of B vitamins–and the right types–is especially important to maintain detox function and overall health.

Browse coenzymated B vitamins in the shop>>>

B Vitamin Function – What do B vitamins do?

B vitamins have so many important jobs in the body—they convert calories into cellular energy, they help build and maintain DNA, some maintain healthy skin, others build neurotransmitters that promote a stable mood, and they keep your nervous system functioning (2).

Each B vitamin is unique, but they work closely together to perform critical functions for optimal brain and body health.

They are a family of vitamins that include:

Thiamin (B1)
Riboflavin (B2)
Niacin (B3)
Pantothenic acid (B5)
Pyridoxine (B6)
Biotin (B7)
Folate (B9)
Cobalamin (B12)
Choline and inositol

B vitamins are also required for proper methylation, a biochemical process that is responsible for detoxification, immune function, healthy mood, controlling inflammation, and more. More on what you need to know about how this process affects B vitamins in a moment. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the ways the B vitamins can support your health.

Neurological Health and Dementia

B vitamins are crucial to allow nerves to send and receive messages via electrical impulses. They play a role in building and maintaining the protective, insulation-like covering called the myelin sheath (3). If this protective covering deteriorates, it can lead to muscle weakness, vision loss, pain, and neurological disease.

Folate, B12, and B6 also keep levels of an inflammatory protein in check, called homocysteine. This is important because high levels of homocysteine are associated with a greater risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (3).

Mental Health and Mood

Every B vitamin has a role to play in keeping your mood stable and your head clear. In fact, B vitamins are so important for normal brain function that they all have special shuttle mechanisms to get them across the blood-brain barrier.

B vitamins are required to make neurotransmitters like GABA, dopamine, and serotonin, in addition to S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe)–all of which play a role in a healthy mood.

Thiamin (B1) is required to make acetylcholine, a master neurotransmitter that plays a role in everything from learning and memory to regulating heart rate. Low levels of thiamin are also common in cases of Alzheimer’s.

Some researchers suggest a B12 deficiency may be one overlooked factor in mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Studies show that those with depression tend to have low levels of both B12 and folate (3).

Jitter-free Energy

If you’re one of the millions of people reaching for that third cup of coffee halfway through your day, you’re likely low in B vitamins that help sustain energy production all day long.

One or more of the B vitamins are involved in every single aspect of generating cellular energy—including in the brain—and a deficiency in any of them will negatively affect mitochondrial health and function and normal energy production.

Is a B12 energy boost right for you? Learn more about IV therapy!

Detoxification

Healthy detoxification in your body relies on a little-known process called methylation, and in an increasingly toxic world, supporting this biochemical process is very important to wellbeing and longevity.

Methylation–and therefore detoxification–are dependent on the B vitamins to work properly (4). This process helps your liver and other detox organs convert and excrete unwanted toxins from your body.

The B vitamins are also necessary to make glutathione, your body’s most powerful antioxidant.
Scientists in Toronto investigated the effects of B vitamin supplementation in subjects exposed to air pollution. They found that four weeks of supplementation with vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid reduced epigenetic damage caused by air pollution (5). This may be due to their ability to increase glutathione production.

Increase your glutathione levels with a glutathione push. Learn more!

Genetic Variations Inhibit Certain B Vitamins

As much as 40% of the population have a change–often referred to as a variant–in their DNA that restricts how the body is able to use B vitamins. This genetic variation is commonly referred to as MTHFR, and it stands for methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase.

This small variation in DNA affects detoxification, glutathione production, cognitive health, immune function, and many more systems in the body.

MTHFR may also affect how you react to drugs, repair of DNA, and the formation of blood cells that fight infection, or how well they build neurotransmitters like serotonin or dopamine.

Some people may have no symptoms of an MTHFR variant at all, while others may have serious complications like increased risk for heart disease, sluggish detox, miscarriages, and more. Children may be at a more increased risk for ADHD, learning disabilities, autism, or autoimmune disorders. MTHFR is an inherited genetic variation, although just because you inherit the variant, doesn’t mean you’ll experience health issues.

How can you find out if you have this gene?

ALCAT Food Sensitivity Test
GeneSight
DDI Methylation Profile

Signs + Symptoms of Vitamin B Deficiency

What causes a vitamin B deficiency and how can you spot it? B vitamin deficiencies can occur when:

You aren’t getting enough B vitamins in your diet.
Your digestive system can’t absorb (or use) B vitamins.
You’re on medication that prevents absorption, function, or utilization of B12 or other B vitamins.

Are you at risk for a B vitamin deficiency?

There are many causes for vitamin B deficiency. Surprisingly, some of them are practices often undertaken to improve health. Common risks for vitamin B deficiency include:

Vegetarian or vegan diets – Plants don’t make vitamin B12. The only foods that deliver it are meat, eggs, poultry, dairy products, and other foods from animals. Strict vegetarians and vegans are at high risk for developing a B12 deficiency.
Long-term use of acid-lowering medications – Acid is needed to absorb vitamin B12 in the intestines. The condition is more likely to occur in older people due to the cutback in stomach acid production that often occurs with aging.
Celiac or Crohn’s disease – Gastrointestinal disorders can interfere with absorption of B vitamins.
MTHFR variant – Genetic variants hinder the use of B vitamins like folic acid, B12, and B6.

Who Should Test B Vitamins?

Symptoms associated with B vitamin deficiencies can be nonspecific, especially with mild to moderate deficiencies. But even marginally reduced

status of some B vitamins can result in side effects like brain fog, fatigue, and muscle weakness. If any of the following applies to you, you should consider speaking with your integrative medicine doctor about functional testing for various B vitamins.
Long-term use of PPI medication or acid-lowering drugs

Symptoms, such as numbness, tingling, difficulty with walking or balance issues
Anemia
Changes in mental status, confusion, or disorientation
Dementia or Alzheimer’s disease
Gastrointestinal disorders or malabsorption
Eating a vegan or vegetarian diet
Anyone over age 60 years old
Autoimmune disorders
Children with autism spectrum disorders or developmental delay
Eating disorders
History of heart attack, stroke, or blood clots

Evaluate your vitamin B status. Scheduling an appointment is fast and easy.

Common Tests for B Vitamins

Your integrative medicine doctor will evaluate your individual risk factors and work with you to determine appropriate testing for B vitamin levels. Common tests include (6):

Serum B12
Methylmalonic acid
Homocysteine
Complete blood counts
Biotin in blood
B12 and folate
PLP in blood
Pantothenic acid in blood or urine
Niacin and metabolites in blood or urine

How You Can Get More B Vitamins

B vitamins are found in many foods, though most Americans struggle to get an adequate intake of B12, folic acid, and B6 if not for the fortification of processed foods.

Whole-food sources of B vitamins include:

Minimally processed whole-grains
Animal products like meat, seafood, eggs, and dairy
Beans and legumes like lentils and chickpeas
Nuts and seeds
Leafy green vegetables like spinach, chard, and kale
Fruits like avocado and bananas

Vitamin B12 specifically can be found in significant quantities in animal products, including red meat, organ meats, poultry, fish & seafood, eggs, and dairy products.

Vitamin B Complex Supplements

It’s always a better choice to get your nutrients from food, but if you decide a vitamin B supplement is right for you, there are some important things to keep in mind to help you choose the right product.

Look for “active” forms – biologically active B vitamins contain coenzymated forms of these nutrients that bypass slow conversion processes in the liver and are metabolically “ready” for your body to use (7).

Browse Fully-Methylated B Vitamins>>>

Keep an eye on dosages – A super high intake of B vitamins can be harmful. Especially if you’re taking multiple supplements, make sure you’re not exceeding your intended targets for B vitamins (as well as other nutrients that may have deleterious effects at higher dosages).

IV Therapy

IV therapy is an increasingly popular way to optimize micronutrient delivery via direct intravenous methods. IV therapy delivers B vitamins and other nutrients directly to the cells that need them, bypassing first-pass digestion.

This therapy is especially useful for those who experience any malabsorption or gastrointestinal issues such as Celiac, Crohn’s disease, or IBS.

Support energy and cellular health with:

Active B Complex Injection
Super B Complex Injection

Explore IV therapy packages unique to CentreSpringMD

Integrative Medicine Puts You in Control

B vitamins are one big way you can maximize whole-body health. These metabolic powerhouses play a role in almost every system, helping to detoxify, repair DNA, boost immune function, and more.

Various genetic and environmental changes mean you may not be getting enough of these important micronutrients, but integrative medicine can help you develop functional solutions to optimize these nutrients.

Resources:

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