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naturopath allergies IgG nutritional testing

Food Sensitivity Testing

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Food sensitivity testing (also called food intolerance), is highly beneficial to uncover hidden conditions and symptoms.

I have clients that end up with high sensitivity to what we consider highly healthy foods such as beets or blueberries. Of course, beets and blueberries may be good for 80% of people. However, if you are one of the 20%, then clearly it is not the right food for you and will do more harm than good.

“The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.”― Ann Wigmore

Is food sensitivity testing the same as food allergies testing?

Exposure to food antigens (molecules that can trigger an immune response) can lead to elevations and different kinds of antibodies IgM, IgA, IgE, IgG4. All these antibodies are different ways in which our bodies can respond. Many people get allergies and intolerances confused. Allergy testing is IgE, are conducted by allergists and immunologists.  When we do an IgG test we’re looking for sensitivities and intolerances. Functional medicine or Naturopathic Doctors are able to support a client with food sensitivity or intolerance.

Once again, we know with an IgE reaction a person eats a shrimp, peanuts, or egg exposure and now they have asthma or hives or anaphylactic reaction. That’s E and you can think of E as an emergency.

Regarding IgG testing, we’re going to look at that in a different perspective. If you have an IgE reaction, no matter what your IgG scores are you should avoid your IgEs.  An easy way to remember it is to think of G for gradual. These are like little waves along the coastline, they will creep up on you and sometimes you don’t even realize it. Let’s say I eat food this morning which consists of a couple of eggs. Those eggs may not cause me to experience symptoms for 24, 48, or possibly even 72 hours. If I was to complain later that day that I  have a migraine headache, I would automatically think what did I eat earlier today?  When in reality, it might have been what I ate yesterday or the day before.

Why conduct food sensitivity testing?

Here are a few conditions and symptoms commonly associated with food sensitivity and why people decide to look at testing:
  • Brain Fog                                                                 
  • Bloating 
  • Weight Gain 
  • Mood Swings 
  • Joint Pain/Inflammation
  • Constipation 
  • Diarrhea 
  • Bronchitis 
  • Crohn’s 
  • Eczema 
  • Migraines 
  • GI distress 
  • Stomach pain 
  • Acne 
  • ADD/ADHD
  • Sinus issues 
  • Depression 

Here is a sample IgG report to see what you would learn from this test. It covers 144 analyses or substances. It’s as easy as performing a simple finger prick in the convenience of your home. Reach out if we can assist you with this service. Or if you’ve conducted food sensitivity tests, what is your experience and how did it help you? When I eliminated my IgG trigger foods, I had more energy, lost a few pounds, experienced mental clarity and overall never felt better! I highly recommend it.

 

Benefits of Progesterone

Benefits of Natural Progesterone

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Benefits of Natural Progesterone 

I suffered until my 30’s with horrific mood swings, anxiety, hot flashes, insomnia, heavy flow, bloating, and weight gain. These issues can cripple women at a time in our life when we should be our most productive and confident. I would miss work for 1-2 days a month because I couldn’t leave the house. My flow was so intense, my cramps were unbearable and it would flare my IBS! Not only did I not leave my home, some days, I barely left the bathroom. It was miserable.

You may have researched and discovered an overwhelming number of products available to you, as well as an abundance of “social advice.” Making the best choices for your body is something that should never be done without professional help to understand what your body is really in need of. Organic progesterone cream is a natural way to better balance the hormones in your body.

Progesterone is a hormone that has multiple roles in your body. It affects every tissue in the body. These include the uterus, cervix, and vagina, the endocrine (hormonal) system, brain cells, fat metabolism, thyroid hormone function, water balance, bone cells, and energy production, to name a few. Though referred to as a sex hormone, progesterone conveys no specific secondary sex characteristics and as such cannot be called a male or female hormone.

Why does Progesterone Cream Work so Efficiently?

Progesterone cream is a highly fat-soluble compound exceedingly well absorbed when applied onto the skin. According to hormone researcher David Zava, Ph.D., progesterone is by far the most lipophilic, or fat-loving, of the steroid hormones. It circulates in the blood, carried by fat-soluble substances such as red blood cell membranes. It readily filters through the saliva glands into saliva where it can be measured accurately. Only 20 to 30 percent of progesterone in the body is protein-bound and is found in the watery blood plasma where it can be measured by serum or plasma blood tests. However, only 1 to 9 percent of this progesterone is available to the body for use. That is why saliva testing is a far more accurate and relevant test than blood tests in measuring bio-available progesterone. This saliva testing is something we would highly recommend and utilize in our practice to accurately identify how much progesterone cream you would use.

Why is Natural Progesterone Necessary after Menopause?

The fall of progesterone levels at menopause is proportionately much greater than the fall of estrogen levels. While estrogen falls only 40 to 60 percent from baseline on average, progesterone can decline to nearly zero. Furthermore, irregular periods in premenopausal women can cause low progesterone levels on and off throughout the premenopausal years. Even a woman with low estrogen levels can have estrogen dominance symptoms if she does not have any progesterone. We can also have excess estrogens because of what we are exposed to through pesticides, plastics, industrial waste products, car exhaust, meat, soaps, and much of the carpeting, furniture, and paneling that we live with indoors every day. All these factors increase the risk of having imbalanced hormones.

Benefits of Using Natural Progesterone

Here is a list of areas of your health supported by using natural progesterone:

  • Helps protect against fibrocystic breast disease
  • Helps use fat for energy
  • Natural diuretic
  • Natural anti-depressant & calms anxiety
  • Prevents cyclical migraines
  • Promotes normal sleep patterns
  • Facilitates thyroid hormone function
  • Helps normalize blood sugar levels
  • Helps restore normal libido
  • Normalizes zinc and copper levels
  • Restores proper cell oxygen levels

Over the years I have learned how important it is to use premium products that are in as pure and organic forms as possible to receive the most benefit. One of my favorite brands is Organic Choice Progesterone cream. Organic Choice is made with and without phytoestrogens. Register for my free dispensary of 20,000 products and I’ll provide a discount for you as well.

How to Use Progesterone Cream

Applying this cream once or twice a day can be a simple solution to helping your hormones rebalance. We recommend using it about 30 minutes before bedtime as it provides a relaxing effect that may help you fall asleep. The amount will vary based on your hormone levels but most women can safely start with 20mg. For menopausal women, use it for 25 days each month and take a 5-day break. For pre-menopausal women, use on days 12-26 of your cycle.

By choosing Organic Choice Natural Progesterone cream, you are deciding to help your body in the best way possible to help you with the many issues women face.

Please contact us if you would like more information on hormone testing options to know if your body would benefit from a natural progesterone cream.

 

Why Estrogen Balance is Important

Why Estrogen Balance is Important

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Why Estrogen Balance is Important

Estrogen is the name of the class of hormones related to the reproductive cycle.  It includes the three main estrogens called estrone, estradiol, and estriol.  Each of these plays a role in the hormonal balance in women.

In healthy premenopausal women, estrogen is made from progesterone and/or from androgens within the ovary’s cells. Estrogen is responsible for changes in young women at puberty and gives adult women their shapely curves. During childbearing years, estrogen rises during the first half of the menstrual cycle in preparation for pregnancy. Elevated estrogen causes water retention and weight gain, and too much estrogen can lead to excess fat and/or obesity.

There are good reasons for some of the negative effects on the body such as water retention and weight gain. In times of famine, an expectant mother would be able to store body fat.  During times of severe famine or nutritional deficiencies, when a woman would be unable to carry a pregnancy to term, the body stops the production of estrogen to prevent fertility. Most of us have not experienced a famine but a large majority of Western women are experiencing severe nutrient deficits, which is causing our bodies to stay in starvation mode.

In times of dietary abundance, estrogen’s effects can be harmful. When women consume more calories than needed, estrogen production increases to extreme levels and can create estrogen dominance and exaggerated estrogen decline at menopause.  Americans who consume diets high in animal fats, sugar, refined starches, and processed foods are creating estrogen levels twice as high as those in third-world countries. It is rare for western women to be truly deficient in estrogen but more likely they may be progesterone deficient, creating an imbalance between estrogen and progesterone levels.

SIGNS OF HORMONAL IMBALANCE

Hormone imbalance is when estrogen becomes the dominant hormone and progesterone is deficient. The estrogen in excess becomes toxic to the body.  The imbalance causes symptoms such as:

  • Infertility
  • Endometriosis
  • PMS
  • Cramps
  • Headaches
  • Hot Flashes
  • Night Sweats
  • Weight gain
  • Heavy menstrual flow (menorrhagia)

NATURALLY BALANCE HORMONES

The great news is there are natural ways to get your hormones back in balance.   You can begin to integrate these healthier, safer options and they will have a positive impact on your health and hormones:

  • Utilize gut health testing. The gut must be balanced before you can fully balance hormones.
  • Eliminate processed foods
  • Identify and eliminate toxic chemicals in the home and personal care
  • Avoid conventionally processed meat and dairy– high levels of estrogen – eat grass-fed instead or consider a more plant-based diet
  • Avoid Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and birth control pills
  • Consider a natural progesterone cream
  • Supplement your nutrition with a whole-food concentrate
  • Add essential fatty acids (EFAs) to your diet. EFA’s are crucial to hormone balance, fertility, and brain health.
  • Eat more organic fruits, vegetables, and greens especially cruciferous vegetables as they contain nutrients that use up bad or excess estrogen

You can also contact us to schedule an appointment for a personal consultation to discuss your hormonal imbalance issues and consider hormone testing.