If you have a chronic health problem or an autoimmune condition, you may be familiar with restricted diets such as the autoimmune protocol (AIP), GAPs, or FODMAPs. These diets can significantly reduce inflammation, help you determine food sensitivities, and address root causes of mysterious symptoms. However, some people experience little to no improvement and may even get new food sensitivities. The culprit could be loss of oral tolerance.

The good news is you can start improving your oral tolerance now so you react to fewer foods.

There are different types of tolerance:

• Chemical tolerance is the ability to appropriately tolerate chemicals in the environment without an immune reaction, such as reacting to perfumes.
• Self-tolerance is your immune system’s ability to recognize and respond appropriately to your own body. Loss of self-tolerance leads to autoimmune disease.
• Oral tolerance is the immune system’s ability to properly recognize and tolerate food proteins.

Any of these forms of tolerance can be lost when the immune system is out of balance. When you lose one you are more likely to lose the others since they are based on similar underlying factors.

If you experience […]

You’ve heard antioxidant foods and supplements can help fight inflammation and protect you from toxins, but the most important antioxidant is one we make in our own bodies: glutathione.

Unlike common antioxidant sources — vitamins C and E, beta carotene, turmeric, resveratrol, and foods such as blueberries, tomatoes, and red wine — you can’t take plain glutathione as it’s too hard to absorb. However, you can take glutathione precursors or special forms of glutathione that can be absorbed by the body.

Glutathione: the “master antioxidant”

Antioxidants are molecules that inhibit other molecules from going through oxidation, a chemical reaction that produces toxins called free radicals.

Free radicals are unstable molecules created as a result of natural biochemical processes. We can also ingest them via toxins in food, air, water, and even medication. Left unchecked, free radicals damage cells and contribute to the development of serious health problems.

While we need plenty of dietary antioxidants from varied and plentiful fresh fruits and vegetables, our most powerful antioxidant source is the glutathione our bodies produce.

In fact, glutathione is so powerful it’s referred to as the “master antioxidant.”

Two vital duties of […]

Conventional medicine is slowly admitting that instead of fat, sugar and refined carbohydrates are the biggest sources of high cholesterol and heart disease. Excess sugars and carbs drive good cholesterol down and triglycerides up, leading to the small, dangerous particles that encourage plaque buildup in the arteries. This contributes to heart disease and insulin resistance, or pre-diabetes.

High blood sugar and insulin levels also drive chronic systemic inflammation, playing a large role in heart disease and most other chronic illnesses. Systemic inflammation arises not only from poor diet, but also from an inactive lifestyle, chronic stress, food sensitivities, chronic viral and bacterial infections, and more.

Recently busted cholesterol myths include:

• Statins: Recent research shows that statin benefits are likely due to their ability to lower inflammation, not cholesterol.
• Heart attack: 75 percent of those who have heart attacks have normal cholesterol levels.
• Age: In older patients, those with higher cholesterol have a lower risk of death than those with lower levels of cholesterol.
• Harvard research has shown that a high level of systemic inflammation ranks higher than high cholesterol for putting subjects at risk for heart disease.

Consume plenty of fats from healthy sources

Conventional medicine […]

According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly 50 million American adults have chronic pain or severe pain. The conventional medical model teaches us to reach first for medication to relieve pain, with ibuprofen and other NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) at the top of the list. However, with research mounting to show NSAIDs have a notable list of dangers, it makes sense instead to look for the root causes of pain.

Many people turn to NSAIDs for relief from pain and inflammation. Common NSAIDs are ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and naproxen (Aleve). Celecoxib (Celebrex), diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren) are prescription NSAIDs. Aspirin is an NSAID, but it does not pose the same risks for stroke and heart attack.

Ibuprofen is metabolized by the liver, and can cause lesions, liver failure, or jaundice over time. The FDA has even warned against NSAIDs because they increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

NSAIDs promote leaky gut

Another reason to avoid NSAIDs is their tendency to promote leaky gut.

In leaky gut, the lining of the small intestine becomes damaged and overly porous, allowing undigested food, bacteria, yeast, and other pathogens into the bloodstream. This triggers inflammation and pain throughout the […]

Sounds like something pretty scary. Well it is— kind of. Metabolic syndrome or Syndrome X is the new “epidemic” in the modern world now. Insulin resistance is one of the most problems I see in my practice. Metabolic syndrome is really pre-diabetes. It is characterized by elevated blood glucose (>100), elevated triglycerides, LDL, decreased HDL, high blood pressure and a belly size that is bigger than the waist (You don’t have to be overweight to have metabolic syndrome.). Insulin resistance is the primary cause of metabolic syndrome. This means that insulin receptor sites on the cells no longer recognize insulin. Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas that acts like a key that unlocks the lock on the cell and allows glucose (blood sugar) to enter the cell and be turned into energy. Glucose (our blood sugar) comes from the break down of all carbohydrates. Carbohydrates include: (complex) all grains, bread, pasta, potatoes, (simple) sugars including fruit juice and honey etc. Some carbohydrates break down and turn into glucose faster than others. When glucose floods our system too fast or in too great of […]

Did you know that Micro-Current Facial Rejuvenation is one of the most revolutionary and non-invasive, facial rejuvenation treatments available today?

The combination of these technique stimulates the facial area to tighten and tone, giving the contour of your face a visible face lift and decrease the signs of aging!

What results might you expect from Microcurrent Facial Rejuvenation?

• A reduction of fine lines…..they may even disappear
• A leveling of deeper lines.
• Fading of age spots
• Lifting of saggy muscles and jowls
• Relaxes muscle tone
• Increases circulation, therefore oxygenates the skin
• Increases collagen production
• Tightens the pores, and brightens the eyes
• Keeps acne skin under control
• Nourshes the skin, giving you a healthy complexion with a natural glow
• Moisturizes the skin from inside, and gives rosy cheeks to people with dull, tired looking skin

An image of correction of wrinkles – half face

The impressive results  can be clearly seen in this test subject. Only twelve weekly treatment sessions show remarkable rejuvenation and softening of the skin d facial features.

I use the Acutron Mentor device which uses 2 probes with cotton tips that glide over the specific acupuncture points and muscles of you face. […]

A recent study confirmed what functional medicine has long since known — the Autoimmune Paleo  diet (AIP) is highly successful for managing chronic health disorders. The first-of-its-kind study showed the majority of participants quickly achieved and maintained remission of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis on the Autoimmune Paleo diet. A number of participants were even able to discontinue drug therapies.

Many people follow the Autoimmune Paleo diet to manage not just Crohn’s but also chronic pain, Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, irritable bowel syndrome, skin rashes such as eczema or psoriasis, high blood pressure, depression, anxiety, brain-based disorders, diabetes, autoimmune disease in general, and other chronic health problems.

People are surprised to find that not only do their symptoms fade but also they enjoy more energy, better sleep, weight loss, increased libido, less stress, and a general overall improvement of their well being.

A primary reason the diet is so effective is because it helps repair leaky gut, a condition in which the lining of the gut becomes inflamed and porous, allowing inflammatory compounds into the bloodstream. This creates inflammation throughout the body and brain and leads to a wide array of chronic gut, metabolic, and […]

The great thing about  functional medicine is it puts your health journey in your hands. The curse of functional medicine is that, compared to popping a pill, eating healthy takes more time, which makes it difficult. The Instant Pot, a relatively new kitchen appliance that is simple to use, makes it easy to stick to a whole foods diet, and takes a lot of stress out of cooking when your schedule is hectic.

What makes the Instant Pot a good functional medicine tool?

The Instant Pot’s success is in its multiple features and that it produces consistent results. The Instant Pot sautés, foolproof pressure cooks, slow cooks, makes yogurt, functions as a rice cooker, and quickly makes bone broths.

It is good for big batch meals that will create nutritious leftovers for a few days.

Here are some ways the Instant Pot can help you save time in the kitchen without sacrificing nutrition:

Cooks frozen meats. How many times have you forgotten to put the meat out to thaw for dinner? You can put your frozen meat in the Instant Pot and still have stew for dinner.

 Cuts down on dishwashing. The Instant Pot allows you to do […]