Sweating It Out (LITERALLY!)
I would typically tell you not to sweat the small stuff in life because the adverse affects of the stress on your health just aren’t worth it.
However, the there are a TON of health benefits related to the actual act of sweating and there is one thing you should be sweating over, literally, no matter how small it may be.
I’m referring to Endocrine-disrupting Chemicals, aka EDC’s.
Studies show that even tiny amounts of these hazardous chemicals can have a huge influence on your overall health.
These chemicals have been categorized as EDC’s because they specifically affect your Endocrine System which houses these extremely important organs:
- Thyroid and parathyroid glands
- Pituitary gland
- Ovaries
- Testes
- Adrenal glands
- Pineal gland and pancreas
- Hypothalamus and thymus glands
This network of glands and organs known as the Endocrine System are responsible for everything from fertility and sex drive, to weight loss, energy levels, mood balance, hair loss or growth, body temperature and much more!
When you’re endocrine system is on the fritz, it takes the whole body down with it. EDC’s and disruption of the endocrine system can cause thyroid issues, infertility, diabetes, cancerous tumors, birth defects, other developmental disorders and a long list of other health issues.
The most commonly known endocrine disrupting chemical is BPA which is widely found in a variety of plastic products, as well as canned foods and even cash register receipt paper.
But EDC’s can also be found in:
- Personal care products such as shampoos, conditioners and lotions
- Unfiltered cooking or drinking water
- Household cleaning products
- Non-organic produce and meat products
If you’ve been feeling sluggish, un-motivated, bloated or just not like yourself, then EDC’s could certainly be at play disrupting your endocrine system and hormonal balance.
If you’ve been dealing with a thyroid issue, adrenal fatigue and/or leaky gut then EDC’s are definitely a factor for you and eliminating them is a HUGE healing opportunity.
In this week’s video and blog, I sweat out endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the sauna while diving into more detail about how to minimize your exposure and support your body’s natural detoxification of these toxic chemicals.
***insert video and images linking back to blog***
It’s practically impossible to avoid endocrine-disrupting chemicals in this day and age. They are hidden everywhere: plastic water bottles, paper receipts, commercial cleaning products, etc.
But there are ways to minimize your exposure and to support your body’s natural process of detoxification to help move these harmful particles out of your body.
To minimize exposure to EDC’s you can do simple things such as:
- Ditching plastic and using glass or stainless steel instead
- Swapping out your personal care products for BPA, paraben and allergen free ones
- Opting for electronic receipts when possible and BPA free canned goods
- Eating organic and hormone free meat products
- Stocking your home with natural and environmentally friendly cleaning products
Getting your sweat on daily is one of the biggest ways you can help to move these harmful endocrine-disrupting chemicals out of your body.
To support your body further in detoxing EDC’s and other chemicals you can also:
- Do dry body brushing regularly
- Eat the most powerful detoxifying foods such as beets, grapefruit and dandelion greens
- Take a daily liver support supplement
- Sit in an infrared sauna a few times per week
- Alternate cold and hot water in the shower for a “flushing” effect
- Exercise daily
Minimizing and detoxing EDC’s has been a huge part of healing my adrenal fatigue, leaky gut, Hashimoto’s (an autoimmune thyroid disorder), restoring balance to my hormones and journey towards optimal health. It’s also a main cornerstone in the health re-building programs that I create for my clients.
To learn more about EDC’s, other toxins, how they impact your health and what you can do about them, join me tonight!!!!
FREE Online Workshop – The Truth About Toxins & How To Detox Them
When: TONIGHT! March 2nd at 6pm PT/ 9pm ET
What we’ll cover:
- How toxins are draining your energy by contributing to thyroid, adrenal, gut and overall health dysfunction
- Where toxins are hiding in your home and what you can do about it
- Why juicing doesn’t work for detoxing toxins and what you should be doing instead
- How to support your body’s daily detoxing abilities without expensive supplements and juices
REGISTER FOR THE WORKSHOP HERE!
You’ll definitely want to attend this webinar if…
- You suffer from a thyroid condition, adrenal fatigue or gut issues and possibly other unexplained health problems
- You need caffeine to make it through the day and constantly crave carbs or sweets
- You’re ready to get rid of stubborn and embarrassing belly bloat for good!
- You’ve put on a few pounds (or more!), don’t know why and no matter what you do for exercise and diet they won’t budge
- You want to cleanse your body but fear giving up your favorite foods, investing in expensive juices or supplements
If you can’t make it live, no worries! A recording will be made available to everyone who registers.
Think You Have A Thyroid Problem? Read This…
According to the American Thyroid Association “more than 12 percent of the U.S. population will develop a thyroid condition during their lifetime. An estimated 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid disease and up to 60 percent of those with thyroid disease are unaware of their condition.”
Those are some alarming numbers. You could be sitting here reading this right now and not even realize that you could be part of those statistics.
Thyroid conditions are one of the most common health issues that I see in my practice, and one of the most overlooked, because the symptoms can look like so many other things…
Weight gain – typical thought is, not exercising enough or eating too much?
This is also a thyroid symptom.
Hair loss – typical thought, is this part of aging or genetics?
This is also a thyroid symptom.
Constipation – typical thought, is it something you ate or IBS?
This is also a thyroid symptom.
Constant fatigue – typical thought, is it lack of sleep, over scheduled life or insomnia?
This is also a thyroid symptom.
This list goes on and on.
But is the thyroid really the problem? Or could it be something else…
We have to ask the question – what is causing all of these thyroid conditions in the first place? Why do the numbers keep rising?
Bear with me while I set the stage for you…
The two most important thyroid hormones are T4 and T3. Your thyroid gland produces thyroid hormone T4 which is then convert into T3. These two hormones control everything from your metabolic rate, energy, body temperature, hair growth and loss, and weight.
T3 is the active form of thyroid hormone that is actually used by your cells. The majority of T4 is NOT converted in the thyroid gland.
About 20% of T4 is converted to T3 in the liver.
Twenty percent is a lot in the big scheme of things. If your liver isn’t converting thyroid hormone like it is supposed to that means you could see a 20% decrease in the availability of T3. Low T3 levels can lead to:
- Constant fatigue not relieved by sleep
- Depression and anxiety
- Feeling bloated, puffy or weight gain
- Dry skin and hair, and hair loss
So again I’ll ask you, is the thyroid really a problem? Or could it be the liver?
In this week’s video and blog I dive into more detail about how having sluggish liver can greatly impact your thyroid function and what you can do to for optimal conversion!
With 20% of thyroid hormone T4 relying on the liver to be converted T3 there is certainly a huge healing opportunity here if you are already suffering from a thyroid imbalance, or even if you’re trying to prevent one.
But we must dig deeper…
Why wouldn’t the liver be able to convert T4 to T3 optimally in the first place?
About 30% of U.S. adults have non-alcoholic fatty livers. This slows down the function of the liver which means it can’t convert thyroid hormone or do any of its other important functions very well.
The liver is also important for balancing cortisol and sex hormones, both of which can also trigger thyroid issues if they are out of balance
Let’s look at things that slow down liver function:
- Eating foods high in sugar, simple carbs or processed foods
- Chronic inflammation from injuries and stress
- Exposures to environmental toxins that overload the liver’s detoxing abilities
- Insulin resistance or irregular blood sugar levels
- Intestinal parasites, bacteria and yeast waste products
The biggest liver offenders are toxins that we come across daily. Aside from converting hormones, the liver’s number one most important job is keeping the body clean by breaking down harmful substances, such as toxins, to be excreted by way of stool and urine.
Since the 1940’s, over ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND toxic chemicals have been released into our environment. Could you imagine taking on 100,000 new tasks without any extra pay or hours in the day? That’s basically what we have asked our livers to do.
If you want to improve your thyroid health, or to prevent a future thyroid condition, it’s crucial to start paying attention to the burden you’re knowingly or unknowingly placing on your liver.
The good news is that you do have some control over the toxins you are exposed to AND there are some simple daily activities that you can do to support your liver function naturally!
Want to learn more about toxins- how they impact your thyroid, liver, and what you can do about them?
FREE Online Workshop – The Truth About Toxins & How To Detox Them
When: March 2nd at 6pm PT/ 9pm ET
What we’ll cover:
- How toxins are draining your energy by contributing to thyroid, adrenal, gut and overall health dysfunction
- Where toxins are hiding in your home and what you can do about it
- Why juicing doesn’t work for detoxing toxins and what you should be doing instead
- How to support your body’s daily detoxing abilities without expensive supplements and juices
REGISTER FOR THE WORKSHOP HERE!
If you can’t make it live, no worries! A recording will be made available to everyone who registered.
The Link Between Teflon, Thyroid & Birds
I’ve gotta hand it to technology and evolution. It has allowed us to create some pretty amazing things such as prosthetic legs that give people the ability to walk again, and smartphones that can secure the safety of our home and deliver information to us in just one touch.
Technology continues to thrive on the demand for smarter, more convenient devices and products.
What we may not be aware of though, is how some of these advancements in technology are wreaking havoc on our health.
Take teflon for example.
This seemingly harmless convenient cookware coating was introduced in 1945 and at first glance it seems amazing, right?
No more food crusted pans, pots or cookie sheets to scrub. Teflon has made life more convenient by reducing the time and energy needed to wash dishes and to clean ovens.
Teflon is a type of PFC (poly-fluorochemical) used to make water, grease and stain resistant coatings. Among non-stick cookware you can also find Teflon or PFC’s in many fast food or to-go containers used widely in all different types of food establishments.
For example, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) recently published a study showing the percentage of food packaging items containing PFC’s. Some favorite food establishments that topped the list included:
- Starbucks – 21 items tested and 76% contained PFC’s
- Chipotle – 17 items tested and 65% contained PFC’s
- Panera – 23 items tested and 43% contained PFC’s
- Local Restaurants – 7 items tested and 43% contained PFC’s
What is scary though is that exposure to Teflon and other PFC’s has been linked to…
- Abnormal thyroid hormone levels
- High Cholesterol
- Pregnancy induced hypertension and pre-eclampsia
- Obesity
- Kidney and testicular cancer
Veterinarians specializing in birds have known about the hazardous effects of Teflon-coated and non-stick cookware for decades.
In 1986 is was discovered that “Teflon toxicosis” was a leading cause of death for hundreds of birds that were exposed to fumes and particles being emitted by the use of Teflon cookware in the kitchen.
Birds might be small example in comparison to humans, but how is Teflon affecting your thyroid and overall health?
In this week’s blog and video I talk more about the hazards of non-stick cookware, Teflon, and what you can do to protect thyroid and overall health.
The biggest risk factors when it comes to PFC’s involves your thyroid.
Research has shown that PFC’s (aka Teflon) affect thyroid hormones by competing for binding proteins and altering Free T4 levels in the blood. Free T4 is converted into Free T3, so PFC’s lower overall thyroid hormone availability and production.
Your thyroid isn’t the only thing that is affected. Your liver takes a hit, too.
PFC’s also act like free fatty acids which means they can also bind to liver proteins as well as other hormone proteins such as sex hormone–binding globulin and corticosteroid-binding globulin, which greatly impacts the overall function of your endocrine system and hormonal balance.
It probably isn’t realistic to throw out all of your non-stick cookware and replace it with something less toxic right away, or to think that you’ll never eat out of a to-go container again.
Here’s what you can easily do now to reduce your exposure to PFC’s:
- Bring your own to-go mug to Starbucks – this is my favorite non-toxic tumbler cup by Healthy Human
- Line your baking sheets with parchment paper to provide a protective layer
- Slowly start swapping out pots, pans and baking sheets for stainless steel or cast iron – this is my favorite cast iron brand
What matters is that you become aware of these toxins in your environment, you take action to reduce your exposure where you can and support your body’s natural detoxification ability to excrete the toxins that you are exposed to. Making small shifts like this can greatly improve your health and healing.
Want to learn more about toxins, how they impact your thyroid, adrenal and gut health, and what you can do about them?
FREE Online Workshop – The Truth About Toxins & How To Detox Them
When: March 2nd at 6pm PT/ 9pm ET
What we’ll cover:
- How toxins are draining your energy by contributing to thyroid, adrenal, gut and overall health dysfunction
- Where toxins are hiding in your home and what you can do about it
- Why juicing doesn’t work for detoxing toxins and what you should be doing instead
- How to support your body’s daily detoxing abilities without expensive supplements and juices
REGISTER FOR THE WORKSHOP HERE!
If you can’t make it live, no worries! A recording will be made available to everyone who registered.
Not In The Mood? Here’s Why…
February is supposed to be the month of love and romance, but does your sex drive feel like a sinking ship?
Studies suggest that 34% of women and 15% of men experience a decrease in sexual interest often or most of the time.
Losing your libido is a new age problem triggered by both mental and physical factors. In this day and age the number of physical and mental stressors in our life far exceeds what our ancestors ever experienced.
We are constantly connected to our devices.
We work longer hours than past generations.
We commute farther and sit in more traffic.
We cart multiple kids around to various activities.
We have more commitments and responsibilities.
We eat processed foods, drink less water and move less.
We are exposed to thousands of toxins every day that alter our hormones.
And the list goes on…
All of this happens at the expense of our energy, health, and our sex life.
Being “in the mood” requires being in a mental space that allows the lust to flow, but it also needs assistance from your hormones.
Hormones are what drive our sexual desires. Testosterone is the most influential one in both men and women, but estrogen, progesterone and even oxytocin (the “love” hormone) all play a role in arousal. These hormones work together to start the engine and steer your sex drive.
Beyond the distractions and stress of everyday life, there is actually something more going on behind the scenes that causes a loss of libido – Pregnenolone Steal.
Misfiring hormones contribute to approximately 70% of low sex drive.
When we are under constant stress our body is continuously releasing cortisol hormone in response. Eventually the demand for cortisol becomes so great, or so chronic, that the body can no longer keep up with the demand.
Over time as cortisol becomes dysregulated, the body starts stealing resources, such as the hormone pregnenolone, in order to produce cortisol. The loss of these resources leaves our storage for testosterone, estrogen and progesterone dry.
In this week’s video and blog I show you what happens during pregnenolone steal, how it sucks your sexual desire dry and what you can do to reverse it.
In addition to diminishing testosterone, estrogen and progesterone resources, a high output of cortisol also suppresses our love hormone oxytocin.
Oxytocin is known as the love hormone that is released during childbirth (to make you forget all the pain you just went through, LOL), with orgasm, while playing, laughing, hugging and giving.
A low libido life is not without hope, though!
There is certainly hope for those feeling hopeless about their sex drive. It is possible to get it back, no matter how long it’s been gone for or how old you are.
To get your vavavoom back you just have to reduce the demand for cortisol and turn up the volume for oxytocin.
How can you do that, you might ask? Here’s how…
Hug, laugh and play more!
These actions instantly boost your oxytocin levels. Even doing something as simple as looking deeply into someone’s eyes, smiling or expressing gratitude can create a surge in oxytocin levels. Oxytocin also helps to lower cortisol levels naturally, too!
Take time to meditate, do deep breathing or get upside down.
All of these activities instantly turn off the valve for cortisol, take you out of “fight or flight” mode and instantly relieve stress. Even just a few minutes once or twice a day can have a huge impact!
To reduce even more chronic stress and cortisol output, you can also:
- Eat an anti-inflammatory diet free of gluten, dairy, sugar and soy
- Get to sleep by 10pm most nights of the week
- Turn down your exercise intensity and/or add in a weekly yoga class
To better understand your cortisol and hormone balance as it relates to your sex drive, you can also do a simple urine test in the comfort of your own home.
Testing your cortisol and sex hormones gives you insights on how to strategically balance your body using diet, sleep, exercise, stress reducing tools and supplements.
However, hormone tests are not all created equal. To truly evaluate cortisol balance you need to be able to see the rhythm of your cortisol throughout the day. A urine or saliva based test is best as they allow you to take several different samples during the day to see the rhythm and flow versus a blood test that only shows one snapshot in time.
Understanding the health of your cortisol balance will assist you in getting your groove back!
Four Essential Travel and Health Maintenance Tips
Traveling is my favorite pastime. This year I kicked off my travel circuit with a business and pleasure retreat to Belize. Last year I took 15 trips and I travelled to 7 different countries.
Traveling allows me to escape my day-to-day routine, to rest, relax and rejuvenate my body. It also helps me to cultivate creativity, get more in touch with myself, with nature and all of the joy that can be found in this world.
As much as I love traveling, and all the amazing things it has to offer, travel does have its downsides when it comes to your health.
Often times we tend to focus on the physical side effects of traveling– how tight and sore we feel after sitting in a car, plane or train for hours, or the lack of physical activity we’ve been able to get.
But beyond how it impacts the external body, traveling can also create a lot of internal chaos, disrupting the flow of the body that we don’t necessarily recognize until later on down the road.
Traveling can negatively impact your health by:
- Disrupting your sleep and wake patterns
- Causing chronic or severe dehydration
- Contributing to acute or chronic inflammation
- Exposing you to different and dangerous toxins
- Hijacking your healthy eating and therefore the availability of nutrients to your body
- Depressing the immune system, making you more susceptible to colds, flus and viruses
Whether you are a frequent traveler like I am or not, the health side effects of traveling can really wear down the body. Even just a one-time trip can have a huge impact your body’s natural rhythms.
This can be easily seen if you’ve ever experienced jet lag or know someone who has. Jet lag, also known as desynchronosis and flight fatigue, is a temporary disorder in the body that can result in fatigue, insomnia, and other symptoms that most commonly happen when traveling across different time zones. Jet lag is essentially a disruption of the internal body clock that leads to circadian rhythm sleep disorder.
Traveling across different time zones is not the only cause of jet lag. Lack of hydration, physical activity, toxins, stress and long nights can all contribute to jet lag as well. However, again, jet lag is just one example of how traveling can impact your body’s natural rhythm and flow.
Obviously I’m not suggesting that you don’t travel, as it is my personal favorite pastime. In fact I think everyone should actually get out and travel more.
I’m suggesting that you travel smarter, to maintain the natural rhythm of your body.
In this week’s video and blog I talk more about how different aspects of travel can disrupt the body, and I share my four essential travel and health maintenance tips that can help you keep your health in tip-top shape.
Traveling smarter means taking simple steps to protect your body against the harmful effects of travel.
Understanding how travel impacts your body and knowing the risk factors you might be exposed to is the first step in being able to protect it and recover better from it.
Focusing on getting adequate sleep, water and good quality foods are key for maintaining your health during and after travel. However, your traveling circumstances may not always allow for this.
The good news is that you can take some simple proactive steps to protect your body from harmful travel effects while on the road and also upon your return.
Here are my Four Essential Travel and Health Maintenance Tips:
Take Oil of Oregano.
Oil of oregano is one of the most protective herbs you can take in supplement form. This powerful plant oil has natural anti parasitic, bacterial and fungal properties. Traveling can expose you to all different types of organisms and viruses that your body is not used to and may not be able to defend against. By ingesting oil of oregano a few times per day during travel you can naturally protect yourself from contracting any unwanted germs and gut bugs. It’s like adding an extra protective layer to your immune system. When I travel I take 2 capsules 3 times a day of my favorite oil of oregano brand Designs for Health.
Pack Activated Charcoal.
You don’t want to be caught without this! Activated charcoal is one of the primary ingredients found in Pepto-Bismol to help sooth a bubbly gut, but it actually has more healing powers than just that. Activated charcoal also has the ability to bind to toxins in the body to assist in removing them through stool. I take activated charcoal preventatively while traveling whenever I question food or water quality, when I drink alcohol or if my stomach starts to feel upset for any reason. It’s important to take high quality activated charcoal, and to not take too much as it can lead to constipation. I will pop 2 capsules, as needed, of my favorite activated charcoal by Integrative Theraputics.
Attend To Your Adrenals.
Cortisol hormone is produced by the adrenal glands. It regulates your sleep/wake cycles, gives you energy and is your natural anti-inflammatory agent. Cortisol should reach its highest in the morning, giving you energy to start your day, and be lowest at nighttime allowing melatonin to be released for you to sleep. The cycle of the sun and exposure to light is what determines when cortisol is released. Traveling across different time zones, having to adjust to new sun cycles and late nights, can disrupt your normal cortisol rhythm. When cortisol loses its rhythm it will affect your energy, ability to sleep well and negatively impact other hormones such as thyroid, estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. If you travel frequently, I recommend checking your cortisol rhythm 1-2 times per year to re-balance it as needed. Get more info about testing your cortisol here.
Check Your Gut.
Your gut is where your immune system is housed, where you absorb nutrients, and where mood-balancing hormones such as serotonin and dopamine are made (among a ton of other important things). Traveling exposes you to all different types of organisms such as parasites, bacteria and yeast that are not otherwise found in your daily environment. Plus, your defense system to fight off these organisms can be suppressed during times of travel from stress, eating certain foods, lack of sleep and various other factors. These organisms can be found in the food you eat, water you drink and various surfaces you touch while traveling. Left untreated, these organisms can lead to leaky gut, IBS, acid reflux, ulcers, constipation, diarrhea, they can trigger autoimmunity and other serious health conditions. If you travel frequently, and especially internationally, I also recommend checking your gut 1-2 times per year as a means of prevention and to maintain your overall health. Get more info more about testing your gut health here.
Next time you plan a trip, consider these tips. You and your body will be glad you did!
Are you aware of your thyroid?
January is Thyroid Awareness Month! I wonder, how aware of your thyroid are you?
Do you know how hard your thyroid works for you on a daily basis and what it needs to function at its best? My guess is that you might be somewhat aware of what the thyroid does, but knowing more about this hard working gland could completely change your life and your health.
Your thyroid gland is kind of a big deal. Just look at all the important things it does for you:
- Plays a role in all functions in the body including all organs and systems
- Regulates energy availability, body temperature and hair growth
- Assists with wound healing and recovery from exercise
- Controls the metabolic rate of the of the systems in control of your health
According to the American Thyroid Association an estimated 20 million Americans have some sort of thyroid disorder, up to 60% of those people are unaware of it, and women are 5 to 8 times more likely to develop a thyroid disorder than men.
Some of the most common signs of less than optimal thyroid function include:
- Bouts of constipation
- Dry skin and/or eyes
- Depression and/or anxiety
- Prone to infections
- Fatigue not relieved by sleep
- Hair loss or an increase in facial hair
- Cold all the time when others are not
- Thinning eyebrows, especially the outer 3rd portion
- Unexplained weight gain or inability to lose weight
Chances are, if your doctor has tested your thyroid it was likely tested all wrong.
Unfortunately most conventional or western medicine doctors only test Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (aka TSH) when they are evaluating thyroid function.
What’s wrong about testing TSH? It sounds like the right thing to test, right?
TSH is actually a marker for pituitary gland function, not the thyroid.
Think of the pituitary gland as being the VP of operations, your hypothalamus gland as the CEO, and the thyroid is the director of operations.
The hypothalamus receives information and directs the pituitary on what needs to happen. The pituitary hands down the information to the thyroid via TSH hormone and the thyroid gets to work initiating the operations.
To truly evaluate thyroid function you need to test the actual hormones that the thyroid produces and uses to initiate its operations such as; total T4, total T3, free T4, free T3, and even reverse T3 in some cases.
In this week’s video and blog I dive into more detail about how important your thyroid is and how to make sure it’s running optimally to support your best health.
Knowing that your thyroid is involved in all functions of the body means it is pretty important, right?
Of course! We need this mighty little gland to be working at its best in order for the rest of the body to function at its best!
For your thyroid to carry out the order of operations, as directed by the hypothalamus and pituitary, it needs the right tools (aka nutrients) to do so.
The most critical nutrients for thyroid function include:
- Iodine
- Selenium
- Zinc
- Iron
- Omega 3 fatty acids
- Vitamin D, A and a variety of B’s
- Protein – to specifically get the amino acid tyrosine
In order to get adequate amounts of these nutrients for your thyroid 3 things need to happen:
- You have to eat foods high in good quality nutrients (go organic!)
- Take supplements to support what you can’t get in your food
- Have a healthy gut that allows optimal nutrient absorption
Having a healthy gut is where I see the most missed healing opportunities for a healthy thyroid.
You could be eating the healthiest foods in the world and taking a variety of supplements BUT still be suffering from suboptimal thyroid function. You aren’t getting the most bang for your buck with what you’re putting in your mouth if you have a leaky or unhealthy gut.
Your gut is where all nutrients are absorbed and made available for use in the body.
Checking your gut health is SO IMPORTANT if you have any kind of thyroid imbalance or disorder to make sure your thyroid has all the nutrients and support it needs to do its job well.
To help you assess your gut health and support your thyroid function better, or to help resolve any other health issue you might be dealing with, I’ve designed a special and affordable In-Depth Gut Health Test Package!
With this Gut Test offer you’ll be able to take a deep dive look at your gut health. This test will have all of the critical markers to truly evaluate your gut function and leaky gut including:
- Intestinal Parasites
- Bacteria Overgrowth
- Candida and Other Yeast Infections
- Immune and Inflammatory Markers SigA and Calprotectin
- Degree of Gluten Sensitivity
Along with the test, you’ll also get to meet with me via phone or video call for an in-depth 90-minute results review session to go over your results and my personalized recommendations for you in regards to diet, sleep, exercise, stress reduction and supplements to improve or maintain your thyroid health!
You and your health are worth investing in. Take an empowered step towards realizing your full health potential by checking your gut, thyroid and adrenal health!
Test, don’t guess! Check out these new Special Packages designed just for you!
P.S. Know someone else who is suffering from suboptimal thyroid function and struggling to get it back in balance? Feel free forward them this email so they can unlock answers to their thyroid health like so many others who have worked with me.
The Root Of All Disease
It is so fascinating that all disease, health issues and conditions such as weight gain, thyroid imbalances, adrenal fatigue, low energy, high cholesterol, cancer, alzheimer’s, brain fog and more have one thing in common.
INFLAMMATION.
Inflammation is the root of all disease. It slowly and silently brings people to their wit’s end about their health, and can even kill.
“The presence of inflammation is what makes most disease perceptible to an individual. It can and often does occur for years before it exists at levels sufficient to be apparent or clinically significant. How long it has been smoldering really determines the degree of severity of a disease and often the prognosis assuming the inflammation can be controlled. One could also argue that without inflammation, most disease would not even exist.” – Dr. Mercola
Inflammation is not something widely talked about in your typical doctor’s office, unless it relates to a fractured bone, bruise, concussion or other physical injuries. Yet inflammation is the body’s number one response to any kind of invader in the body (viruses, colds, flus, gut bugs) and a signal that something just isn’t right!
What’s tough is that dangerous inflammation can not always be seen, felt or heard so it often times goes undetected and overlooked.
There are two kinds of inflammation:
- Acute – a brief response to injury or illness lasting only a few days
- Chronic- when it stops being acute and remains as a low level constant response to ongoing stress on the body
Acute inflammation is a healthy response that allows your body to repair and heal, but when it becomes chronic is when it becomes problematic.
Chronic inflammation is when your body is so overwhelmed by the causes of inflammation that is loses its ability to turn off the inflammatory response. This overly active inflammatory response leads to damaged tissue, resulting in conditions such as leaky gut, autoimmunity, heart disease, arthritis, alzheimer’s and much more.
In addition, your cortisol hormone (also known as your stress hormone) is your body’s natural anti-inflammatory agent. When inflammation is high and chronic, this disrupts natural cortisol balance triggering a domino effect on other hormones such as thyroid, estrogen, progesterone and testosterone which disrupt your sleep, cause weight gain and drain your energy.
In this week’s video and blog I help you determine if chronic inflammation is playing a role in your biggest health issues and what you can do to reverse it!
You might be wondering why don’t we have a cure for everything if we know that inflammation is the root of all disease?
Unfortunately, I don’t have an answer to that question. However, I can tell you that when I address inflammation in my clients, they start feeling better immediately and eventually are even able to reverse their health conditions.
How do you know if chronic inflammation is affecting you?
Any of the following symptoms could be signs of chronic inflammation, especially if you have two or more:
- Allergies or asthma (especially if it progressively gets worse)
- Constant body aches and pains (muscle and joint)
- High blood pressure or cholesterol
- Restless sleep, fatigue and/or lethargy
- Diagnosed with any autoimmune disorder (Hashimoto’s, Colitis, Celiac, Crohn’s, etc.)
- Get sick with a cold, flu or virus multiple times a year
- Bouts of anxiety and/or depression
- Constipation and/or diarrhea
- Skin rashes, acne and breakouts
All of us suffer from some inflammation from time to time. You might even be able to pinpoint times when it is worse such as during a full moon when extra fluid is being pulled in your body by the extra gravitational pull with the full moon.
But as Dr. Mercola said “It (inflammation) can and often does occur for years before it exists at levels sufficient to be apparent or clinically significant.”
The accumulation of triggers for inflammation over time burden the body, eventually resulting in chronic inflammation. This is why we feel it more as we get older, not just because we are getting older, but because more time has passed for inflammation to accumulate.
How can you reverse the effects of chronic inflammation?
Reducing inflammation for each person can be different depending on what their top triggers are, but in general( for everyone) here are the most important things you can do to reduce your inflammation daily:
- Avoid inflammatory foods such as gluten, dairy, soy, added sugar and alcohol
- Eat organic fruits and veggies free of herbicides and pesticides
- Minimize environmental toxins in drinking water, air, personal care and cleaning products
- Have an outlet for mental/emotional stress such as meditation, yoga or deep breathing
Understanding what triggers inflammation for you and taking steps to reduce it is one of the ways you can unlock answers about your health, reduce your risk for disease and prolong your life.
Join me TODAY, January 19th at 6pm PT/ 9pm ET for a FREE ONLINE CLASS Map Your Symptoms & Unlock Answers To Your Health where we’ll be diving into more detail about signs and symptoms of chronic inflammation, triggers and what you can do to reverse it!
In this free online class you will:
- Decipher your symptoms and what your body is trying to tell you
- Map out and connect the dots to look at the big picture of your health
- Understand your healing opportunities related to adrenal, thyroid and gut function
- Get clear on exactly what you can do next to restore balance and start feeling like yourself again
It’s time to get clear on what’s making you feel fat, sick and tired all the time so you can finally fix what’s wrong and get back to feeling like yourself again, too!
4 Symptoms That Definitely Shouldn’t Be Ignored
I’m going to share a very personal story with you today. One that really drives home why you shouldn’t ignore the symptoms (aka signals) your body is giving you.
It all started a little over a year ago…
As a result of being on birth control for 17 years I hadn’t had a menstrual cycle in over 5. However, in November of 2015 my cycle all of a sudden came back accompanied with some fairly uncomfortable breast tenderness.
At the time I didn’t think anything of it, and my belief was confirmed when in December and January I resumed my “normal” life without a menstrual cycle or breast tenderness.
Then in February my cycle and breast tenderness came back again with a vengeance, and this time it stayed every month after.
By May I was at my wit’s end about it. This time my period lasted for 12 days and my right breast had a large red streak emitting heat that could be felt through two layers of clothing.
During all of this I also noticed that my skin was breaking out all the time and I had gained some weight. I felt as though I was having bouts of depression, was lacking motivation, was tired more than usual and I just didn’t feel like myself.
Frantically, I started looking for a doctor who specialized in women and breast health.
I went to a few of the “top specialist” in my area and this is that they said…
- I’ve never seen anything like that before, I think we should just wait on it
- I’ve never heard of that before, I don’t know what to tell you
- I’m not sure what it is but I would recommend using progesterone cream
It became obvious to me that my body was trying to tell me something wasn’t right.
I wasn’t going to “wait on it” and risk the worst case scenario or apply a band aid of progesterone cream if there was no solid reason as to how that would help an unknown issue.
In this week’s video and blog I share more details about how I deciphered my symptoms and the four symptoms you definitely should not ignore.
Our body is communicating with us all the time, we just aren’t always listening.
Symptoms are the body’s way of signaling that something isn’t right. Internally you have your own army or defense team who will sound the alarm whenever an invader enters or when a system is failing.
Think about when you start to get a cold. What are the first few signs you get letting you know it’s coming on – scratchy throat, sneezing, congestion, fatigue? When you acknowledge those signals and give your body rest you are able to fight off the cold and bounce back in no time. When you ignore them, you develop a full blown cold that can linger for weeks.
Getting a cold seems like a simple example but colds, flus and allergies are just a few of your body’s high alert signals that shouldn’t be ignored.
Here are 4 Common Symptoms that shouldn’t be ignored and what they might be trying to tell you…
1) Anxiety and/or Depression
Believe it or not, this is a sign that your gut isn’t happy. Your gut (not your brain) is where your body makes important neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine to keep your mood balanced. Leaky gut, eating inflammatory foods and/or gut invaders disrupt neurotransmitter production resulting in anxiety and depression. An imbalance in the ratio of estrogen and progesterone can also lead to feelings of depression as progesterone impacts the availability of serotonin. Ignoring these symptoms could lead to more serious conditions such as chronic depression, ulcers, autoimmunity, IBS, stomach cancer, breast cancer or fibroids.
2) Insomnia, Poor Sleep and/or Night Sweats
This could be a combo of signals both from your gut and your endocrine system. Your gut is also where your sleep hormone melatonin is made, so again if it’s not happy guess what gets impacted? In addition, the endocrine system oversees the the hormone balance of cortisol to melatonin, estrogen to progesterone and thyroid hormones T3 and T4. If any of these ratios are off, they play a major role in the ability to sleep and the overall quality of sleep. As for night sweats, those are a telltale sign of estrogen dominance over progesterone. Ignoring these symptoms could lead to more serious conditions such as breast cancer, fibroids and autoimmunity.
3) Allergies, Colds & Flu
Your gut is where 80% of your immune system is housed; your defense mechanism against allergens, infections and viruses. A leaky and/or an inflamed immune systems can’t function properly. Leaky gut and inflammation confuse the immune system, leaving it defenseless against true threats and you become more susceptible to common allergens, colds and flus. Ignoring these symptoms could lead to more serious conditions such as bronchitis, pneumonia, chronic illness, autoimmunity and even a shortened lifespan.
4) Excessive/Stubborn Weight and Fatigue
The endocrine system is all about energy production and availability, and metabolism. The hormone cortisol (produced by the adrenals as part of the endocrine system) is what gives you energy to get up in the morning, regulates inflammation and controls blood sugar balance. Thyroid hormones regulate body weight, temperature and cholesterol among many other vital functions. Because these hormones are all part of the endocrine system, if one is out of balance they will negatively impact each other resulting in excessive or stubborn weight gain and/or fatigue. Ignoring these symptoms could lead to more serious conditions such as chronic fatigue, high cholesterol, hyper or hypothyroidism, chronic inflammation, autoimmunity, diabetes and much more!
***
If I hadn’t listened to my body and mapped out my symptoms I would have never discovered that I had estrogen dominance and Hashimoto’s (an autoimmune disorder). I would have gone on suffering and searching for band aids to mask my symptoms.
Instead I sat down, mapped out my symptoms, connected the dots and was able to pinpoint exactly what my body was trying to tell me. From there I was able to take specific action to support my body, rebalance my hormones and get back to feeling like myself again!
Want to map your symptoms, connect the dots and get real answers about your health?
Join me next Thursday, January 19th at 6pm PT/ 9pm ET for my free class on how to Map Your Symptoms & Unlock Answers To Your Health
In this free online class you will:
- Decipher your symptoms and what your body is trying to tell you
- Map out and connect the dots to look at the big picture of your health
- Understand your healing opportunities related to adrenal, thyroid and gut function
- Get clear on exactly what you can do next to restore balance and start feeling like yourself again
It’s time to get clear on what’s making you feel fat, sick and tired all the time so you can finally fix what’s wrong and get back to feeling like yourself again, too!
The Million Dollar Question (and answer inside!)
If I had a magic wand to solve any health problem for you in 2017, what would it be?
To finally figure out what is making you so tired all the time and get your energy back?
To get to the bottom of your hormone imbalances and heal them naturally?
To find the root cause of your stomach aches, heartburn and/or irregular and unpredictable bowel movements?
To lose weight and actually keep it off this time without having to count calories or deprive yourself?
To sleep through the night and wake up with an abundance of energy?
To make sense of and get answers about all the random illness, aches, pains and disease that you’ve experience, and put a stop to it?
I may not be a magician or a fairy godmother with a magic wand, but I do have the answers you’ve been searching for.
The simple answer is…everything you need to solve your health problems lies within you. Your body holds all of the answers and they are just waiting to be discovered.
You’ve probably known for a long time that something just wasn’t right with your body. You haven’t been feeling like yourself for a while but you can’t exactly put your finger it is.
You’ve tried going to the doctor but typically leave with a diagnosis that you don’t fully understand, a new prescription that only works for a short time, or you leave without answers at all. You try alternative solutions such as acupuncture, massage, personal training and various diets which get you some short lived results but don’t fully solve the problem for you.
All you want is a REAL solution to stop getting sick, to balance your body and get your energy back so you can think clearly, have more confidence and feel comfortable in your body, to find a partner or enjoy the one you already have more, to travel and explore, to truly live life and be the best version of you.
In this week’s video and blog I tell you why it’s so hard to find the answers to your biggest health problems and share my super secret health resources to get you what you want.
Did you know that on average it takes 18 years for new research to land on your conventional doctor’s desk?
Even then, you have to wonder if they are really taking the time to read the latest research and update their approach with their patients. After all, they have a lot on their plate already, like the rest of us.
This delay in receiving the latest information is one of the biggest reasons why most of your health problems go unanswered. Not because your doctor doesn’t care, but because they are stuck in a time warp using old and outdated information.
This is where I come in.
I help busy, health-minded professionals take back control of their health by looking at it on a deeper level, to find the missing pieces so they can actually fix what’s wrong and feel like themselves again.
Using my decade of personal training experience, training in Functional Diagnostic Nutrition and mastery of Transformational Coaching, I create personalized health-rebuilding programs using the latest research for clients that offer realistic, sustainable and long-lasting results.
If you’re ready to look at the “big picture” of your health (not just one disconnected piece at a time), to embrace healthy as a way of being, and to stop settling for anything less than you deserve when it comes to your health and happiness, then I’m your gal.
Test, don’t guess!
Using cutting edge functional (at-home) lab test and a series of questionnaires, I can help you look at the big picture, and connect all the dots so that you can fix what’s going on with you once and for all!
To help you get to the bottom of your most annoying health problems in 2017, to test and not guess, and to FINALLY get the answers you’ve been looking for I’ve created Three Special Packages At An Affordable Price!
Each of these three special packages are designed to include a top of the line, latest and greatest lab test to take a deep dive look at adrenal, thyroid and gut function which are part of the 2 most important systems of your body, the endocrine and immune system.
Why should you look at these things, you might ask?
The health of your adrenals and thyroid is and gut is where all of the answers are stored. Unfortunately these are the most overlooked healing opportunities by conventional doctors.
And you don’t have to take my word for it…
“Chris (my husband) made a comment that since I started working with you I am so much happier! I know I’ve been feeling better but I didn’t know it came across so dramatically in my personality. I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you and I’m so grateful to be working with you on my health journey!”- Jodi V., San Diego
“Yesterday I had a thyroid ultrasound which shows that I do have Hashimoto’s. So weird to actually see it – for me, this was a confirmation. I can take that. I can do something with that – a bit of clarity after over months and months of confusion. Honestly, if I left this to western medicine I wouldn’t even have a full blood panel of thyroid tests or the ultrasound as my MD did not want to treat. I’d be sitting with my symptoms as my body attacked my thyroid. So thank you Jenn Culver Malecha, because if I wasn’t working with you I would not have the information I have today and I’d still be struggling!! One more piece of the puzzle!” – Lisa R., San Francisco
Unlocking the answers about your adrenal, thyroid and gut health is like finding the magic pill that you’ve been looking for. The endocrine and immune systems influence almost every cell, organ, and function of our bodies.
These two systems of the body oversee some of the most important functions including:
- Energy availability, balance and sleep quality
- Weight gain or loss
- Ability to handle stress and mood regulation
- Metabolism and body temperature
- Fertility and reproductive process
- Inflammation, aches and pains
- Digestion and absorption of nutrients
- Hormone balance and sexual function
- And so much more!
In 2017 I’m going to wave my magic wand and help you find all of the answers to your biggest health complaints that you’ve been looking for. All you have to do is say yes!
I’m giving you access to the latest research and top of the line functional test to uncover your healing potential at an affordable rate.
You and your health are worth investing in. Take an empowered step towards realizing your full health potential and making your health a priority in 2017.
Test, don’t guess! Check out these new Special Packages designed just for you!
Health Inventory 2016
Can you believe that in just a few short days 2016 will be coming to an end??? Maybe it’s just me, but the older I get the faster the years seem to fly by.
Most of us start the New Year with the best of intentions – to finally get back on track again, to lose weight, to focus on our health, to make ourselves a priority, to feel like ourselves again.
But then, in a blink of an eye, the year is gone.
You get swept up in the chaos of the day-to-day things that distract us until one day you wake up, look in the mirror and barely recognize yourself.
The year has already almost passed you by and you wonder who is this person staring back at you? This person…
With bags under their eyes
Who feels tired all the time
Who gets wound up over the littlest things
Who feels like a stranger in your own body
Who lacks the energy or motivation to work out or socialize
Who takes more sick days than you can count anymore
Whose hair is falling out and midsection is getting thick
Who worries about where the closest bathroom is
You find yourself feeling hopeless about finding an answer to your energy, hormone, digestive, sleep or other most glaring health issues.
Today I invite you to make 2017 different, full of hope and health.
Today I invite you to show up for yourself. To take a moment to reflect and take inventory of all that has happened in regards to your health in 2016- to be present, and to make a conscious decision to change your health and how you feel about yourself in 2017.
In this week’s video and blog I walk you through taking inventory of your 2016 health and how to make the healthy changes you want to actually experience in 2017.
A lot can happen in a year. We rarely stop to reflect on what has happened and what choices we have made.
Being present is the most critical part of being healthy.
When we aren’t present, that is when the weight slowing creeps up, energy progressively gets worse and the connection with the body slips away.
To create change you have to be present.
To create this presence, start by taking inventory of your health for 2016…
What are all of the things, good and not so good,
that happened in 2016 in regards to or as a result
of your health and wellbeing?
Take 2 minutes to write it all down.
Here are some of the highlights of what happened for me…
- I had a scary encounter with what I thought was breast cancer but it turned out to be estrogen dominant hormones
- I quit birth control after 17 years to balance my hormones
- I discovered toxic mold in my house which was contributing to my hormone imbalances and weight gain
- I traveled to 7 different countries and returned home with an abundance of energy every time in comparison to past years
- I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s
- My mother passed away
- I created a daily meditation practice to reduce stress and support health
- I cut back on the intensity of my workouts to help my body heal
- I upleveled my diet by moving towards an autoimmune paleo diet to reduce inflammation and heal Hashimoto’s
- I continuously connected with my body to see what it needed from me
In 2016 I experienced a lot in regards to my health and wellbeing. Being present is what has allowed me to learn from my experiences and to make conscious, educated decisions about what I want to change or experience in the coming year.
As you look back on what has taken place in regards to your health in 2016,
what do you want for yourself in 2017?
Take 2 minutes to it all down.
For me, it’s all about continuing my health journey. I would like to…
- Make sure my home is free and clear of any mold residues so I can stop the toxic assault on my body that was taking place
- Work on cleansing the mold toxins from my body as part of re-building my health, balancing my hormones and losing weight
- Continue strengthening the relationship with my body to support my health
- Keep traveling the world and maintaining my health so I can do so!
Next, ask yourself, what will having all of this in 2017 do for you?
Or why is this important to you?
Take 2 minutes to write it all down.
When we have a “why” or an emotional connection, this is the glue that makes the motivation stick.
My big “why” is because I want to live a life without limitations, and I want to empower others to do the same. There is SO much beauty in this world and having my health is what grants me the freedom to enjoy it all. I also know that by overcoming my own health challenges I can helps others find a solution to their suffering too.
Once you’ve created presence and clarity about what you want and why you want it, putting the actions steps together to get there becomes much easier. Lack of presence and clarity will only fuel overwhelm.
Now that you have set your sights on what you want in 2017
what resources or support do you need to get there?
In order to have what I want in 2017 I need to…
- Complete an ERMI mold spore test
- Run a few more blood tests to look at how mold has affected my body
- And check in with my body daily during my meditation to honor its needs
Maybe you need to find the right health practitioner, get the right tests done, and have some accountability to follow through. Be humble, set aside your ego and get clear on what you need.
Last step – come up with your plan and start taking action!!!
One of the biggest resources that has helped me has been testing, not guessing. When I run lab tests for my clients and myself we are able to identify missing pieces of the puzzle and put a plan of action together. We can pinpoint specific hormone imbalances, root causes of digestive issues, contributors to weight gain and fatigue, and so much more.
If this is one of the resources you think you need in 2017, then keep your eyes peeled for some of the special programs I’ll be rolling out in January!!!
Until then, wishing you a happy and safe New Years Eve full of presence and clarity!
