Jacob came to me at the recommendation of his wife. Not even 30, his doctor had prescribed a statin after recent bloodwork was done. His strong family history of heart disease, cholesterol level of 260, and recent episodes of dizziness had made this a logical and prudent choice from a physician’s point of view. Once …
While most of us think of Queer Eye when we hear of the Fab 5*, in functional medicine nutrition model this refers to a different group of fabulous: 1) Omega-3 fats 2) Fat soluble Vitamins (A,D,E,K) 3) Glutathione (a master antioxidant and major component of liver detox) 4) Probiotics 5) Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFA) …
My goal every day is to get 10 servings of vegetables. I know – that sounds insane, right? Especially if, like 87% of Americans, you aren’t meeting the government recommended 5 a day for vegetables and fruits. When I began studying nutrition over 25 years ago, it was to justify my position as a vegetarian …
Earlier this year I kept hearing a well known doc in the functional medicine space proclaiming that half of Americans were diabetic or pre-diabetic. I’ll be straight with you – at first I thought it was an exaggerated claim made by skewing the research. Then I heard it again from someone else that I perceive …
In high school biology we learned that mitochondria are the ‘powerhouse of the cell’, responsible for producing the energy that sustains our lives. However, mitochondria also play a roll in cell division, cell differentiation (specialization of cells), and neuron health and function. The health of our mitochondria appear to play a role in the development …
One of the ways your gut microbes contribute to overall health is through byproducts created by their fermentation of specific fibers in the GI tract. These fibers, known as ‘prebiotics’, resist decomposition and absorption in the upper GI tract but are utilized by bacteria in the colon for energy. These colonic bacteria use specific enzymes to break these …
Low vitamin D status can be a source of chronic low back pain. As early as 2003, supplementation of Vitamin D has demonstrated an option for relief that has yet to become a commonly known solution before other, more costly options (Al Faraj & Al Mutairi, 2003). Indian and Saudi populations have been studied and …
Supplement quality is a constant challenge here in the United States for many reasons. One of the main challenges is that the FDA, the government agency responsible for ensuring safety and efficacy of supplements, is heavily employed by individuals with significant ties to commercial supplement interests. Another challenge is that funding for the FDA is …
In taking a class in Functional Medicine this fall, I was stunned to discover the following: [Tweet “Parkinson’s Disease is believed to be a disease of predominantly environmental origin.”] Twin studies have demonstrated that environmental factors are the most important cause for Parkinson’s disease (Wirdefeldt et al., 2008). Pesticide and heavy metal exposure are commonly cited …
CLIENT: “Is Detoxing Right for ME?” KELLY ROSS, HEALTH COACH: “Well, do you suffer from:” Bloating Headaches Joint Pain Itchy Skin Cravings (sweet or salty) Sleeplessness Constipation Brain Fog Irritability Sluggishness If you answered YES to even two of these symptoms, chances are, a simple 3-day to even a comprehensive 21-day detox could rid you of …
