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I’m so excited to announce my new program offering! Lately my social posts have hinted toward the importance of mineral balance as well as the effects of heavy metals. My new program is based in hair tissue mineral analysis, a simple and non-invasive test that gives insight into: -heavy metal toxicity -mineral deficiencies and imbalances -metabolic rate (fast or slow) -adrenal function -thyroid function -inflammation -blood sugar balance This program will include: -a video recorded analysis of your lab results -a 90 day lifestyle recommendation guide -supplement recommendations tailored to your individual needs -15% off all supplements through Fullscript -an optional 3-month retest for $30 off Additionally, if you decide to upgrade to one of my full 1-on-1 programs, the price will be discounted by the purchase amount. Investment of this program: $250 Why use an HTMA? Hair Mineral Analysis has been around for over 40 years. It provides reliable results of 35 nutrients and minerals as well as heavy metals. While a blood test looks at what is being circulated at a specific moment in time, hair allows us to analyze the mineral content of the tissues over a 3-month period. The test is easy and non-invasive. After filling out some preliminary health history information, the test kit will be shipped to your door. You'll simply cut a few snips of hair from the base of head nearest your scalp, about 1.5 inches long. Once the proper amount is collected, seal up your sample and mail it in to the lab. In a few short weeks you'll receive a full recorded rundown of your results along with personalized mineral recommendations to put you back on the path the wellness! Questions? Email me at abetterwayholistics@gmail.com Ready to sign up? Email or fill out your information for a free 30 minute consult and let me know!
Let’s start by looking at a few facts: 70-80% of all doctor visits are for stress-related illnesses Stress contributes to 50% of all illnesses People who experience high levels of anxiety are 4-5 times more likely to die of a fatal heart attack or stroke Now remember that stress is anything that leads or causes the body to come out of homeostasis. Fear, worry, excitement, anxiety, a lack of purpose, negative perceptions, mental and/or physical trauma, intense or prolonged exercise, inflammatory foods, chemicals, parasites, gut problems, allergies, I could go on… BUT there are also benefits to stress: it helps regulate our blood sugar (liberating glycogen from the liver), dilates blood vessels which makes us feel more alert and focused, and it stimulates the release of cortisol which acts as an anti-inflammatory and pain killer. Plants benefit from stress also. The fruits, vegetables, and wines most rich in flavor and antioxidants come from those that are faced with stresses—weather, bugs, extreme heat or cold. So if you want a hardier kale, don’t coddle it and if you want the tastiest berries, try and pick them in the wild. Humans are the same. Short intense bouts of exercise make us stronger, hot and cold plunges can improve circulation and promote healing, fasting can increase our life and health-span. Heck, even animals that are held under short-time hypoxic states are less susceptible to damage by subsequent strokes. This idea called hormesis, is a simple idea that “what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” With a few caveats: We don’t live in a time of low-stress. In case you’re unaware, we currently live in a pandemic. We watch the news which causes us stress, we eat highly processed foods and inflammatory oils, we run on coffee, sleep less than ever, and wake up tired and wired. When we are in a state of chronic stress, we run into trouble. Our body tries to pump out enough cortisol to keep us going, remaining in the “fight or flight” state…until it doesn’t. Our DHEA (think of this as our counter-balance to cortisol, which is more of a building up vs tearing down hormone) levels plummet. Our body is so busy trying to handle the perceived stress that it doesn’t have the resources to regulate our immune system or even digest properly. We end up with GI symptoms or parasites, hormone dysregulation, blood sugar dysregulation, poor liver detoxification, and overall metabolic chaos. Stress is a powerful agent. It can bring out the best or the worst in us. At a time where people are making New Years resolutions tooting intermittent fasting, cold plunges, and HIIT workouts, you need to be honest with yourself (or have your cortisol and hormone levels checked) and know if it’s right for you. These small amounts of stress are beneficial (eustress), but only if your body can handle it and you can bounce back stronger and healthier. In my opinion, I think most of us could use a little more deep breathing vs short-term hypoxic chambers, even if it does suggest we’ll be less susceptible to damage by stroke. There’s a better way, and that’s what’s right for you .
I want to talk about food allergies and sensitivities. It wasn't until I adopted my dog, Hank, that I truly understood how much food sensitivities can impact our health. An IgE reaction occurs from allergies. It’s what most people think of when we get stung by a bee or when someone has a severe peanut allergy. This is an immediate reaction to a foreign substance-- eyes swell, throat closes, tongue gets big or fuzzy, and immediate medical attention is needed. Hank likes putting his nose where it doesn’t belong and paid the price (just kidding—I did. In vet bills.) When I adopted Hank, I was told he had food sensitivities. This is an IgG reaction which results in inflammation. Even though Hank has an expensive prescription food at home, he loves to share in his friends’ dinners whenever we go to their house (sound familiar?). You might have an IgG reaction if you feel an immediate need to use the bathroom, or you might have a difficult time trying to go to the bathroom (side note: everyone should poop 1-2 times a day). You may have patches of dry and itchy skin (eczema or psoriasis). You may have excessive stinky toots (fun fact: the average person toots 5 times a day). These types of reactions can occur after several hours or up to three days later, making it very difficult to pinpoint the trigger food. Now, there are many ways to test these types of reactions. You may be familiar with the scratch test done in a doctor’s office where you wait to see if the small sites on your arm get red, itchy, or have a bump. This is for IgE reactions. An IgG allergy is done with a blood sample. Many times, though, the trigger food must be present in the person’s diet to initiate a response. These food-specific reactions are just that—specific. Now when we talk about the MRT, let’s get a little more scientific. When a food is eaten that your body deems “unknown” or “not safe”, cytokines, histamine, leukotrienes, prostaglandins, etc. are released and your white blood cell count goes up. Not to mention our white blood cells have a pretty darn good memory and will react to this bad guy every time it tries to enter. This is your body’s “attack” to keep the bad guys out. When our white cell count increases, our blood volume increases. The technology with the MRT looks at the total blood volume and allows it to distinguish between symptomatic and asymptomatic foods and chemicals. This makes it the gold standard, in my opinion, especially compared to food-specific tests (IgG) which does not necessarily correlate with inflammation or symptoms since it is so limited in the type of reaction being identified. I personally have benefited from the effects of this test and have seen many of my clients benefit as well. Years ago when I was told to eliminate all common food sensitivities (gluten, dairy, soy, eggs, corn) due to inflammation, I had some temporary relief. It wasn’t until I did my own testing and found I was allergic to brewer’s yeast (rare) and a few innocent herbs (tarragon, nutmeg and basil) that I was finally able to heal. I’ve since been able to reintroduce eggs AFTER 13 YEARS. My gosh they are good! Not to mention the inflammation around my stomach has decreased, I have beautiful poops that don’t give me stress, and I don’t have to plan my runs around where the park toilets are or the most recent construction sites (if you know, you know). Maybe you have been eating all the “right foods” but deal with unexpected bloating and discomfort (this was me, too). You just may not be eating the “right foods” for YOU. Nothing beats n=1. There’s a better way. So reach out. Sign up for a free consult. Let’s get you back to healing.
