What is SIBO? So far in our discussions about comprehensive stool analyses, we have discussed a few different imbalances we can see in the gastrointestinal microbiome – growth of unwanted microbes/infectious organisms, lack of beneficial bacteria, and potentially pathogenic overgrowth of expected/commensal bacteria. Today we will be introducing a new imbalance: growth of normal/expected bacteria…
Why Invest in a Stool Analysis? Part II In our previous blog post, we discussed how stool analyses can be helpful in forming effective treatment plans for individuals with GI symptoms. However, the health of our GI tract and microbiome has system-wide effects beyond just digestion. It is possible to have imbalances in the GI…
Why Invest in a Stool Analysis? Symptoms like constipation, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort and bloating are often placed under the umbrella term of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It is a diagnosis often given after other pathologies have been ruled out. However, there are underlying causes of IBS that can go undetected in traditional testing such as…
Flu Shot or Not? Every year around this time I get the question from my patients about the flu shot. Let’s talk a little bit about the flu shot and some pros and cons. The flu shot was first developed as a live-attenuated (weakened live form of the virus) vaccine in the 1930’s. It then…
Wildcraft Medicine 21 Day Detox Program: Why Resetting Your System Is So Important Fall is here! It is time to get balanced and clear out the clutter that is no longer serving us. This refers to things around the house but also to our bodies. We are constantly bombarded with toxins and pollutants in the…
Natural Adrenal Support For Athletes What Are The Adrenal Glands: The adrenals are 2 glands that sit on top of our kidneys and are part of the Endocrine or Hormonal System. They are responsible for producing and releasing a handful of different hormones most importantly: Epinephrine (Adrenaline) and Norepinephrine- responsible for our fight or flight…
Hormones; A Balancing Act The HPA Axis Our Endocrine system is made up of all our organs and glands that product hormones. They are interconnected and constantly talking to each other to regulate the bodies processes. Although each play a role, the Hypothalamus, Pituitary, Adrenal or HPA axis are intricately connected. The hypothalamus is a…
The 5 Dimensions of Health: Part 1- Physical Health What comes to mind when you think about being healthy? Do you think about feeling physically strong? Or maybe you think about having mental clarity or feeling emotionally at peace. The truth is that it involves all of these! Our health is multi-dimensional and it is…
The 5 Dimensions of Health: Part 2- Mental Health Have you ever noticed how powerful your thoughts can be? I know I have been worried about catching a cold from a colleague in the past and sure enough there comes the scratchy sore throat and stuffed up nose! (Even if I was taking a ton…
The 5 Dimensions of Health: Part 3- Emotional Health In Chinese medicine each emotion is associated with a different organ system and meridian. For example worry is associated with the stomach meridian. Ever notice when you’re really nervous that you get an upset stomach? Emotions like our mental thoughts directly influence our bodies. When people…