How to Support Your Thyroid and Adrenals to Reach Your Full Superwoman Potential

So many women today are expected to be Superwoman. Many women I see in my practice are moms, run a business, or dedicate all of their time at their place of work. Women then come home from work to make dinner, take care of their kids, or parents and then try to make time for exercise to try to look good and feel healthy. There is so much put on women today that being Superwoman is almost expected.

This is why when I think of the term superwoman, I think about all women and what they have to juggle. With all that is put on us, it’s very easy for us to lose sight of our superwoman powers.

Here are some of the characteristics I think of when I think about who superwoman is:

Strong: Superwoman is strong, resilient, and can tackle anything that comes into her way with strength and grace.
Powerful: Superwoman is powerful. She confronts obstacles, tackles them and keeps her power all at the same time.
Brave: Us women have to be brave, and superwoman is brave when it comes to reaching her full potential and pushing outside of her comfort zone to get to where she wants to be.
Entrepreneur: I see so many women in my practice who are entrepreneurs. Superwomen are self-starters, so it’s no wonder an entrepreneurial spirit comes with the superwoman package.
Mother: Mothers are superwomen, bottom-line. We are expected to be superwomen every day by taking care of our families, making dinner, and then taking care of ourselves in the mix of the chaos.

What Does Superwoman Need to Function at Her Best?

Given all the pressure that is put on us women today, in order to function at our best our body needs to be working at its highest potential. This is where functional medicine comes in and where I work with a ton of high-performance women to help them reach their absolute superwoman best.

Here are some of the things superwoman needs to function at her best:

A Healthy Thyroid: One of my specialties in my practice is thyroid health. I see so many high-performance women come to my practice with less than optimal thyroid function. Often times women come to me with symptoms such as hair loss or thinning, weight gain, depression, anxiety, and even low libido. Do any of these sound familiar? Is so, you are not alone and you are not the only superwoman being held back from your full potential due to a thyroid disorder. If your thyroid is out of balance, your entire body is out of balance. The thyroid is necessary for your body to function at its best as thyroid hormones impact nearly even single body process. It’s no wonder that when our thyroid health is out of balance we suddenly gain weight, feel fatigued and suffer from brain fog. Walking around with all of these symptoms is certainly not the way to harness your superwoman powers. As a Functional Medicine Practitioner, I work with women to uncover potential thyroid imbalances and then get to the source to correct it. Keep reading, and you will learn my exact plan for how I can help you conquer your thyroid issue holding your superpowers back.
Healthy Adrenal Function: I see adrenal fatigue more and more in my practice. Often times I see it among working mothers who are so burnt out that they just don’t have any time to take care of themselves. They have lost their superwoman powers due to symptoms of fatigue, irritability, difficulty sleeping, and anxiety. How can we function at our best when we feel that way? Adrenal function is one of the key components to functioning at your absolute best. To help balance adrenal function we need to work on balancing stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. Blood sugar balance also comes into play here. When all of these are out of balance it’s very difficult to feel our best and perform our best every single day.
A Body Free from Toxins: Having a body free from toxins is at the center of performing at our superwomen best! However, this isn’t always the case. I see countless women who come into my practice who have heavy metal toxicities or are in need of a major liver cleanse. Now, this isn’t entirely our fault. Things like pollution certainly don’t help. However, there are things that we can control to cleanse our body from heavy metals and toxins that weigh us down. Buildup of heavy metals such as mercury can cause thyroid dysfunction, and a toxic liver can lead to difficulty losing weight, fatigue, bloating, and acid reflux. These are symptoms that so many high-performance moms suffer from and they can hold you back from your utmost potential. When your body is free from toxins and heavy metals your ability to lose weight improves, you have more energy, and your overall mood will be much better than it was when you were being dragged down! Talk about superwoman powers. Having the ability to feel great every single day is what every high-performance mom dreams of, and this reality could be yours.
Superwoman Diet: Diet is key. There’s no doubt that the food choices you make every single day is going to impact how you feel. If you consume a diet full of processed and sugary foods packed with artificial ingredients you will be more likely to have difficulty losing weight and experience blood sugar imbalances. Eat a diet packed full of superwoman foods and you will have sustained energy to keep up with your job and kids (if you have children) and have the energy to do the things you want to do. A diet designed for superwoman will also help keep you healthy and reduce inflammation. This is all part of my plan I am going to talk about to help you get your superwoman powers back, so keep reading.

What is Superwoman Capable of At Her Full Potential?

Do you remember what it was like during a period of your life when you felt like you had endless energy and could balance it all? For most of us, this may be a distant memory. Trust me, I’ve been there. There was a period in my life where I was fatigued, had gained 30 lbs. and just felt terrible every day. Feeling great and full of energy and able to multi-task was something that had seemed like a distant memory. This was before I started my journey in functional medicine. After uncovering my root cause I was able to harness my superwoman powers and have not looked back. Today I have sustained energy to run a business, keep up with my kids, and take care of myself. This is what I want for each one of you. I want each one of you to be capable of amazing things at your fullness potential. Don’t think it’s possible to do everything you use to do? Think again! It’s totally possible with the proper self-care and adjustments.

Here are some of the things superwoman is capable of at her fullest potential:

Keeping up With Her Kids Without Getting Tired: How many of you wish that you could play with your kids without getting tired? I hear this from so many women who come to my practice totally drained and fatigued. Working, taking care of your family, and playing with your kids requires a ton of energy! However, guess what? This is completely possible once you uncover what is holding you back. At your fullest potential, you could be keeping up with all of your kid's activities, playing, helping with homework and whatever else needs to be done with even some energy to spare.
Running Her Business: Many high-performance moms run their own business which again takes a ton of energy. Being a business owner, mother, and wife I know this all too well. Putting so much time into your business can leave you exhausted with little to no energy to spare. When superwoman is performing at her best, has uncovered any potential imbalances, and is eating a superwoman diet running her business becomes ten times easier. While the workload may not become easier, your motivation, focus, and energy improves which makes the world of difference. You may even find you become more successful when you take care of you!
Making Food for Her Family: Do you make food for your family, if so do you find yourself dragging at the end of the night struggling to get something healthy on the table? You’re not alone here. Keeping up with the kids, working, and now having to make dinner and prep school lunches for the next day is extremely demanding. When you are performing at your highest potential though this doesn’t seem as daunting. In fact, you may actually enjoy whipping up a healthy meal and finding foods that fuel your body right and support a healthy family. You may even have the energy to include the kids in your cooking to teach them how to eat to support health.
Taking Care of Her Parents: So many women are responsible for taking care of their parents. As our parent's age, often times they need us. Now not only do we have a job to hold down, a family to feed and care for, but we also become caregivers to our wonderful parents. This can be draining if you don’t take care of yourself. Ultimate self-care is essential here and when it’s done right you are capable of balancing it all without even thinking twice about it.

How to Get Your Superwoman Powers Back

Are you ready to get your superwoman powers back? I am here to help all high-performance women harness their superpowers and conquer their goals, keep up with their kids, and feel amazing every day.

Here is how I plan to help you get your superwoman powers back.

Testing: As a Functional Medicine Practitioner, I offer thorough testing. I also offer testing that’s more in depth than what you may be offered just going to your regular M.D. We take a look at things like thyroid function, adrenal health, gut imbalances, food sensitivities just to name a few. These tests also look deeper than a modern medicine lab panel would so even if you have been tested for these before and tested negative doesn’t mean you don’t have an imbalance. I take a thorough look at all body systems to determine what exactly needs to be addressed.
Superwoman Diet: We can’t be superwoman without a superwoman diet. I address dietary needs of each woman individually. After thorough testing, we come up with a plan that will work best for you. This plan includes superwoman foods such as grass-fed animal protein, veggies, fruits, gut-friendly probiotic-rich foods, and a powerful list of superfoods to help you feel your best each day.
Superwoman Exercise Program: Depending on what your test results say, I will develop a specific exercise program to help you feel better and reach your health goals. Exercise is important, but it’s important that you do the right type of exercise for your body. Too much or too little can halt you from reaching your full potential. We will thoroughly review a specific program made just for you.
Individualized Programs: It’s important to know that every patient I see is different. After I run testing and we gain a better understanding of what may be going on, I create an individualized plan just for you. This plan will be specifically tailored to help you get your superpowers back.
Try a 30-Day Thyroid Reset: Want your superpowers back? I recommend reading my book, The 30-Day Thyroid Reset Plan; Disarming the 7 Hidden Triggers That Are Keeping Your Sick. You will learn everything you need to know about your thyroid and how to take care of it. This 30-day plan will help your improve your health with the help of my favorite thyroid-friendly recipes to nourish your body with delicious meals.

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for your superpowers, you don't have to do it alone. Following my tips can help you regain your health, but setting up a consultation will provide you with personalized attention, an individualized plan, and loving support from a functional health practitioner (hint: that's me!). If you are dealing with symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease, other thyroid issues, or any other health issues, I invite you to schedule a consultation with me. I can help to identify the root cause of your condition and recommend a personalized treatment plan to repair your body and regain your health and well-being. Schedule your consultation here.

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by Peter Saydak

The Top 3 Roadblocks That are Keeping Supermoms Without Their Powers

So many busy moms are desperate to find the secret to gaining more energy throughout the day. Let’s face it, being a mom is busy and often times exhausting. The truth is that many supermoms today are being held back from their full potential due to three roadblocks getting in their way.

These roadblocks suck the energy out of you, hold you back from playing with your kids, and certainly don’t make you feel your best. If you are ready to get your supermom powers back, keep reading because I am going to uncover these 3 roadblocks that may be holding you back and keeping you from gaining more energy throughout the day. I am also going to share things you can start doing today to feel better and keep up with your kids all day long.

The Roadblocks That Keep You From Gaining More Energy Throughout the Day

Roadblock #1: Thyroid Dysfunction

In my practice, I see countless patients come to me with chronic fatigue, weight gain, and irritability. Many of these patients also come to me with “normal” lab values according to their doctors.

They have been walking around chronically fatigued for months, sometimes even years with little to no relief because they haven’t been properly diagnosed. The truth is that often times, you may be suffering from a thyroid condition that many lab tests will not detect. In my practice, I offer thorough lab testing, and I take a look at a complete thyroid panel. Just because your one lab test comes back “normal” doesn’t mean you aren’t suffering from thyroid dysfunction, especially if you have all of the most commonly seen symptoms.

Thyroid dysfunction can be a massive roadblock and can certainly hold you back from your truest supermom potential. It can make you feel like you have little to no energy, cause weight gain despite weight loss efforts, and make you feel irritable and anxious just to name a few. Here are some of the other common symptoms of thyroid dysfunction:

Mood swings
Muscle pain
Dry skin
Hair loss
Constipation
Brain fog
Hormonal imbalances: PMS, irregular periods, low libido

As you can see, all of these symptoms can greatly impact the quality of your life. As a busy mom, we just don’t have time for symptoms such as these to hold us back from playing with our kids or spending time together as a family.

The great news is that with the proper testing, a treatment plan can be put into place. With some lifestyle changes, simple dietary adjustments, and even some supplements you could be well on your way to feeling better and gaining more energy throughout the day. Many of my patients who have thyroid dysfunction are able to make the adjustments they need without the use of thyroid medication. The trick here is to catch it as early as possible and make the necessary changes right away.

To help get you started, here are some things that you should avoid with a thyroid disorder. Keeping these out of your diet will be an excellent first step in taking control of your thyroid health.

Gluten
Sugar
Dairy: Especially conventional dairy. Some people may be able to tolerate some organic raw dairy.
Soy
Processed foods
Alcohol

Roadblock #2: Adrenal Dysfunction

Adrenal dysfunction is another thing I commonly see in my practice and something that often times keeps mom's too tired to do everything they want to do.

Adrenal dysfunction can occur when your adrenal glands aren’t working properly. This can occur when someone is under a tremendous amount of physical and or emotional stress.

Fatigue is the most common symptom associated with adrenal dysfunction which is why I often see a lot of moms suffering from this. Moms come to me wanting more energy and no matter what they do it just doesn’t seem to make a difference. The reason for this is because adrenal fatigue can cause a lower level of various hormones as well as neurotransmitters in the body which can ultimately impact every single part of your body. (1)

Some of the other common symptoms associated with adrenal dysfunction include:

Difficulty getting up each morning even after getting a full night sleep
Fatigue that lasts all day
Difficulty handling stress
Craving salty foods
Overusing caffeine and sugar to stay awake
A weak immune system

Having any of these symptoms can get in the way of your quality of life, but when you are trying to balance life as a mom it can be next to impossible to get the things done you need to do.

If adrenal dysfunction is something you suspect, it’s important to see a practitioner who has experience working with this condition. It will take a specific set of tests to look deeper into your hormone levels and make a proper diagnosis. If adrenal dysfunction is present, there are steps you can take to take your life back. These include:

Changing your diet to better support your body and body’s stress response: I generally recommend an anti-inflammatory Paleo style diet for my patients.
Enjoying a high-protein snack with some healthy fat every couple of hours to keep your blood sugar levels stable.
Eating a balanced breakfast daily.
Testing for food sensitivities: Food sensitivities can make symptoms worse. When you get the proper testing and work with a Functional Medicine Practitioner, you can start an appropriate diet tailored to your dietary needs.
Eliminating caffeine
Eliminating or significantly reducing your sugar intake
Reducing stress: Practicing mindfulness, meditation, and yoga are essential.
Improving sleep habits.
Working with a practitioner to develop a diet that is going to help support your energy levels throughout the day and take some of the burden off of your body.

Roadblock #3: Leaky Gut/Food Sensitivities

Leaky gut is something that many people deal with today. Leaky gut is also called intestinal permeability where the lining of the small intestine can become damaged. When this lining is damaged, undigested food particles as well as toxins can leak into the blood stream. When these toxins leak into the body, an autoimmune response can be triggered which can cause inflammation, allergies, food sensitivities, and even migraines. (2)

For mom’s, dealing with leaky gut can be debilitating. Leaky gut, just like the other two roadblocks can cause fatigue, cravings, nutritional deficiencies, as well as a decreased immune function. As a mom, the last thing we need is to be getting sick or feeling like we can’t get through the day without a couple of naps. We need our energy to take care of our kids, and for some of us, we need the energy to get up and go to work as well. Leaky gut is just not something us as moms have time to deal with.

So, what causes leaky gut? Leaky gut is commonly caused by diet and can occur when you are consuming foods such as gluten, soy, sugar, and dairy. If your body is treating a certain food as an invader, an immune reaction can occur, and over time intestinal permeability can develop. Things like antibiotics, and over the counter pain relievers may also be to blame for leaky gut.

If leaky gut is suspected, it’s also important to test for food sensitivities. The last thing you want is to begin a healing protocol only to be consuming foods your body is still reacting to. This is something I will test for in my practice. Consuming foods that you are sensitive to can lead to a wide range of symptoms including digestive upset like bloating and constipation, headaches, and even irritability. When it comes to food sensitivities it's also important to remember that it's possible to be sensitive to a food that is generally considered healthy. Each person is going to have their own individual sensitivities which is why it's so important to get tested for both food sensitivities and leaky gut.

A healing diet would also be essential to support the gut. Starting a diet free from gluten, soy, dairy, and sugar is an important step in healing that gut lining and feeling better. There are also certain foods that are particularly healthy for the gut that can be included in the diet. These include:

A healing diet would also be essential to heal the gut. Starting a diet free from gluten, soy, dairy, and sugar is an important step in healing that gut lining and feeling better. There are also certain foods that are particularly healthy for the gut that can be included in the diet. These include:

Bone broth
Coconut oil
Probiotics
Sauerkraut
Unsweetened coconut yogurt
Grass fed meats
Wild caught fish

If you are a busy mom who just doesn’t have the energy to do what you dream of achieving, it’s time to take a look at what roadblocks may be holding you back. By uncovering potential roadblocks in your life, you can achieve optimal health so that you can be the high performing mom you know that you, and having plenty of energy to last you all day long. To take care of others, you need to take care of you! Start today by reaching out for a consultation to see how to uncover your hidden roadblock and start living your life to the fullest.

If you are suffering from weight gain, fatigue, hair loss and more, click here to schedule a phone call with me, so I can find out where you’ve been, where you want to get to, and how I can help you get there.

I know exactly where you are because I’ve been there myself…I remember being so tired that I could barely function. I gained 30 pounds out of nowhere and had a severe case of brain fog. I also started to get severe anxiety and panic attacks. I was driven and motivated…until I wasn’t. I didn’t know what was happening to me. All I wanted was to get my life back…

Finally, I learned about functional medicine and found a practitioner that I hoped could help me. They ran specialized tests that were far different than I had ever had before. When I got the results back, it turned out I had candida, parasites, high cortisol, the Epstein Bar Virus and many food intolerances. I also had an issue with my thyroid that no one found before because they were using the conventional medicine lab ranges which are way too broad….which I now know is one of the leading causes of hypothyroid misdiagnosis.

I went through treatment of all of these things and it completely changed my life. I immediately lost the 30 pounds I had gained plus more, I had a lot more energy, and my brain fog was gone. I felt amazing and knew that I wanted to help people find the underlying causes of their symptoms and disease.

Sources

(1) The Adrenal Fatigue Solution. What Are The Symptoms Of Adrenal Fatigue?

(2) Healthy Women. 10 Signs You Have a Leaky Gut—and How to Heal It

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by Peter Saydak

The Depression and Inflammation Link

Depression is a widespread condition that affects nearly 15 million American adults per year which is around 6.7% of the United States adult population. (1) That’s a huge number and not something we should ignore. Depression and inflammation are also being linked, but more on that in a minute.

While there may be many different reasons depression occurs, many people associate depression with an imbalance of chemicals in our brain. This is where big-time pharmaceutical companies come in advertising anti-depressant drugs that claim to re-balance those chemicals and help treat depression.

While chemical imbalances may be the cause some of the time, inflammation is now something experts are starting to look at as a potential link and I'm about to explain why.

Why Chemical Imbalance May Not be to Blame

With new research coming out it’s becoming clear that chemical imbalances may not be the only cause of depression, and here’s why:

Not everyone who suffers from depression has low levels of serotonin and norepinephrine. In fact, it has been shown that only about 25% of people with depression have a reduced amount of these neurotransmitters. (2)
Some people with depression will actually have high levels of neurotransmitters instead of low levels.
While a reduction in specific neurotransmitters has been shown to cause depression in animal studies, it does not have the same effect on humans.

These are just a couple of reasons it’s important to look outside of the standard “causes” of depression and dig further.

Many experts, and especially practitioners in the functional medicine field are starting to learn that depression may not be a disease at all, but a symptom of something else that is going on within the body.

The Depression & Inflammation Link

When we start to think about depression as a symptom of something bigger going on in the body, it’s important for us to talk about inflammation.

Inflammation is the root cause of nearly all chronic disease today, and depression may be no different here.

In fact, studies are now linking depression to those suffering from low-grade yet chronic inflammation.

So, what’s the link?

Studies as far back as the 1980’s found that inflammatory cytokines were responsible for a number of different symptoms associated with depression. These physicians had found that these inflammatory cytokines, when given to humans, triggered all of the symptoms needed to diagnose depression. (3) These cytokines are created in the body during an inflammatory reaction which is where the link comes in.

When we think about antidepressant drugs and particularly SSRI medications, these are some of the most widely used drugs in the United States. While they may target neurotransmitters, they may also play a role when it comes to these pro-inflammatory cytokines. SSRI drugs have been shown to decrease the production of these cytokines which would technically mean these drugs have some anti-inflammatory actions, again pointing to the fact that inflammation is indeed linked to depression.

Getting Inflammation Under Control

While the research is there and very clearly linking depression to inflammation, it doesn’t stop there.

If we are going to treat the symptom which is depression instead of treating depression as a disease, it’s crucial to treat inflammation at its source.

Unfortunately, in our modern-day world, there are so many triggers of inflammation, and diet is one of them. The Standard American Diet is certainly to blame for many of the inflammatory conditions today.

The food we put into our body plays a major role in our overall health. It’s up to us to decide to eat clean and eliminate the inflammatory and disease-promoting foods from our diet.

Here are some of the other common causes of inflammation seen today, and what we should be doing to turn things around.

Toxic Foods

I want to touch on the importance of toxic ingredients when it comes to inflammation. While eating healthy is essential to combatting inflammation you need to know what exactly you should be avoiding.

As a good rule of thumb, it’s best to stay away from processed and packaged foods and stick to foods in their whole and natural state.

Here are some of the specific ingredients and foods you will want to avoid.

Sugar
High fructose corn syrup
Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, saccharin
Vegetable oil such as corn, soy, safflower, and canola
Shortening & Palm oil
Trans and hydrogenated fat
Refined flour & all other gluten-containing products
Conventional dairy products
Grain-fed animal products
Artificial colors
MSG
High sodium processed foods
Nitrates & Nitrites

Stress

Yes, believe it or not, stress is a major cause of inflammation. When our bodies are in a chronic state of stress, hormone imbalance can occur, and an increase in inflammatory cytokines (the exact cytokines that trigger depression) can occur.

To reduce stress, it’s important to focus on getting at least 10 minutes of stress reduction into your day every day. This can include meditation, a brisk walk, or yoga. All you need is a couple of minutes each day to allow yourself to re-center and de-stress.

Being Overweight

Being overweight or obese can be a major trigger of inflammation. Obesity puts your body into an inflammatory state which then puts you at an increased risk of developing depression.

While weight gain and obesity are associated with an increase in inflammatory cytokines, weight loss is linked with a reduction in these cytokines which is another reason why it’s so important to maintain a healthy weight.

Below you will find out why including more physical activity in your day can help reduce your chances of weight gain and also help your mental health.

Sedentary Lifestyle

Living a sedentary lifestyle can lead to inflammation for a number of reasons. Our bodies were not designed to sit at a work desk all day. We were meant to be active and move our bodies daily. When I talk about a sedentary lifestyle I also want to point out that it’s important to move throughout the day and not just for an hour at the gym. Taking breaks and moving periodically during the day will help to get the blood flowing, strengthen our muscles, and get the oxygen moving through our organs. This is even more important if you work a desk job and are sedentary for extended periods of time.

Not only is a sedentary lifestyle a risk factor for inflammation, but it can also contribute to further depression and anxiety. Being physically inactive has also been linked to increasing the risk of certain cancers and puts you at a greater risk of developing high blood pressure and high cholesterol. (3)

To get your body moving try parking your car further away from the grocery store, take the stairs, get up and do a couple of laps around the office throughout the day, or take a walk during your work break. These are all great ways to get your body moving throughout the day and then you can incorporate some physical activity into your day by doing some type of enjoyable activity. Some great ways include getting some cycling in, swimming, yoga, Pilates, walking, or jogging.

One of the tricks that I like to tell my patients is to pick something that you enjoy doing to stay active. If you choose activities that you enjoy then you are more likely to stick to it and less likely to be sedentary.

Vitamin Deficiencies

Being deficient in certain vitamins and especially Vitamin D can be linked back to depression. Unfortunately, many people are deficient in Vitamin D and especially during the colder months when we aren’t outside getting enough sun.

Vitamin D helps with reducing certain inflammatory markers in the body which have been linked to depression. Therefore when we don’t get enough of this sunshine vitamin, we put ourselves at an increased risk of developing depression.

If you live in an area where you are unable to get some sun each day, you may want to consider supplementing with vitamin D. Not only is it helpful for inflammation but this particular vitamin is great for the immune system as well.

Lack of Sleep

So many Americans struggle with getting enough sleep. Whether this is due to hectic work schedules, or sleep insomnia not getting enough sleep can have a significant impact on your risk of depression.

Not getting enough sleep has been linked to inflammation which we now know is associated with depression.

Strive to get at least eight hours of uninterrupted sleep per night and try to get into bed before 10 PM to prevent an evening cortisol surge from keeping you awake at night.

Environmental Toxins

Just like toxic food ingredients, environmental toxins are important to steer clear of as well when trying to combat inflammation. While some toxins in the environment are impossible to completely avoid, there are some that are more avoidable than others. Some toxins are also found in our cleaning products we use at home or even the products that we put on our skin.

Here are some of the environmental toxins that are best to be avoided when you are trying to get your inflammation under control:

Second-hand smoke
Heavy metals
Mold
Lead
Formaldehyde found in cleaning products
Non-organic produce treated with pesticides
High-mercury fish such as swordfish and tuna
Toxins found in beauty and self-care products: Parabens, synthetic colors, fragrance, phthalates, formaldehyde, SLS

To help avoid some of these toxins, skip the fish that is high in mercury, choose organic foods whenever possible, stay away from cigarette smoke, and choose “greener” and more natural beauty and cleaning products. There are a ton of options available today that are free from the most common chemicals and you can even make your own household cleaner with essential oils.

Getting to the Root Cause

If you have been suffering from depression and are looking for a new way to look at this condition and possibly get to the root cause of the issue, here are three things you can do to get started:

Reduce Your Inflammatory Load: You can start doing this by introducing more anti-inflammatory foods into your diet such as berries, wild caught salmon, and dark leafy greens. You will also want to focus on getting adequate sleep, reducing stress, and exercising 30 minutes each day. You will also want to eliminate processed foods.
Get to the Bottom of the Inflammation: Speaking with a Functional Medicine Practitioner can help investigate the cause of the inflammation. Uncovering potential gut infections, other chronic infections, vitamin deficiencies, or other hidden causes of inflammation could help get to the bottom of what’s causing the depression in the first place.
Implement the Action Steps Below: I have listed out some action steps below for controlling inflammation. When you lessen your inflammatory load, you are more likely to feel better both physically and emotionally! Try making some of the lifestyle adjustments and see what an anti-inflammatory approach can do for your wellbeing.

Action Steps to Controlling Inflammation

Cut back on sugar
Go gluten-free
Eliminate all processed foods
Switch to grass-fed animal products and stick to raw organic dairy if you do include some dairy in your diet
Enjoy fatty wild-caught fish such as salmon 2-3 times per week
Avoid environmental toxins
Choose cleaner more natural home cleaning products or make your own
Choose natural beauty products instead of the ones filled with chemicals
Exercise daily
Get your body moving throughout the day on top of daily exercise. This includes taking breaks from sitting at an office desk and including creative ways to get moving throughout the day.
Reduce stress daily
Improve sleep habits

If you are tired of feeling sick, not like yourself, and unable to get to the bottom of what may be causing your symptoms, I encourage you to start your own elimination diet to reduce inflammation. Not sure where to get started?

In my optimal reset plan, I walk you through this step by step to give you tons of tools to help you through this important process. I also teach you how to detoxify your body and start to heal your gut so that you are able to tolerate more foods long term.

Here are just a handful of benefits of an elimination diet:

Weight loss
Healthy looking skin
Increased energy
Deeper sleep
Decreased joint pain
Reduces headaches
Improved gut health
Helps those with leaky gut
Can improve autoimmune conditions
Less bloating/digestive discomfort

If you are ready to get started, Join me in my optimal reset do it yourself program.

If you are suffering from weight gain, fatigue, hair loss and more, click here to schedule a phone call with me, so I can find out where you’ve been, where you want to get to, and how I can help you get there.

Sources

(1) Chris Kresser. (2014) Is Depression a Disease—or a Symptom of Inflammation?

(2) Ronald S Smith. Immunological Evidence Supporting The Immune-Cytokine Model of Depression.

(3) Health Risks of a Sedentary Lifestyle. (2013) Lifespan.

(4) So depression is an inflammatory disease, but where does the inflammation come from? (2013)

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by Peter Saydak

Get the skinny on Hashimoto's disease - symptoms, causes and treatments

Hashimoto's Disease: Fast Facts

Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid, a small gland in the front of your throat.

Triggered by the pituitary gland, your thyroid produces hormones that regulate how your body uses energy. With Hashimoto’s disease, your immune system produces antibodies that interfere with this process, slowing down thyroid hormone production, heart rate, cognitive ability and how quickly your body turns food into energy.

Hashimoto’s Disease is the number one cause of hypothyroidism; it is estimated that 90 percent of hypothyroid patients have Hashimoto’s Disease. With this condition affecting so many Americans today, it’s important to understand what causes this condition, the symptoms associated with it and how a functional medicine approach may be the best way to start feeling better fast.

When it comes to Hashimoto’s disease one of the many important things you will want to know off the bat is that studies also show a strong link between Hashimoto’s Disease and gluten intolerance. Gliadin, the protein found in gluten, is similar in molecular structure to thyroid tissue. So, in cases where a patient with Hashimoto’s disease consumes gluten, your immune system is unable to distinguish between thyroid tissue and marks both for attack in the bloodstream. This is especially true for patients that also have leaky gut.

If you have Hashimoto’s disease or you suspect that you may be suffering from a thyroid condition, here is a list of some of the most commonly seen symptoms.

Symptoms

An underactive thyroid can go undetected for many years. Others may experience:

Enlarged thyroid or goiter
Fatigue
Constipation
Hair Loss
High cholesterol
Unexplained weight gain
Muscle aches, often in shoulders and hips
Joint pain
Feeling cold
Difficulty becoming pregnant
A pale, puffy face
Depression
Prolonged or excessive menstrual bleeding
Dry hair or skin

What Causes Hashimoto’s Disease?

While an exact cause is unclear, those who have or who have family members with other autoimmune diseases like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or type 1 diabetes are more likely to develop Hashimoto's disease. Leaky gut is also thought to be a contributing factor.

The most common autoimmune disease in the United States, Hashimoto’s disease affects more women than men and often follows pregnancy. It usually occurs during middle age.

As you will find out throughout this article, there are also a number of different things that can trigger this autoimmune disease. Environmental factors and even other imbalances in the body could be a hidden cause of Hashimoto’s. Without properly uncovering what may be causing Hashimoto’s in the first place it can be difficult to get well. This is where a functional medicine approach comes in.

Diagnosis

Diagnosing a thyroid condition can be tricky if you go to a modern medical physician, and you will find out why. For now, just know that if left untreated, hypothyroidism can lead to an enlarged thyroid or goiter, mental illness, heart problems and other complications. Babies born to mothers with hypothyroidism are at greater risk for birth defects and developmental issues.

A Doctor of Functional Medicine can perform hormone and antibody tests to evaluate the health of your thyroid. A functional medicine approach also takes a more holistic approach when determining what the underlying cause of Hashimoto’s is and may be able to diagnose the condition before certain lab tests may even be able to pick up on it.

If you have been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s or have been trying to determine what is causing all of your symptoms I am going to share the difference between the traditional medical option for Hashimoto’s VS the functional medicine approach. Both are quite different, especially when it comes to diagnosing this condition.

Traditional Medical Options for Hashimoto’s

Many of the patients that I see come to me after they have been down the modern medical route many times before. Some patients have already been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s while others suffer from many of the classic symptoms but are told that their lab values are within the “normal” range.

Unfortunately, the traditional medical options for Hashimoto’s are often disappointing as they leave lots of room for missing a diagnosis. The pathologic lab values are likely the lab values your physician uses when they order blood work. The problem with this is that the ranges are far too broad and can easily miss a Hashimoto’s diagnosis. This is just one of the many things that separate a traditional approach of looking at disease when compared to a functional medicine approach to working with patients.

Traditional medical options also almost always include a prescription medication of some sort. Now, while some patients will absolutely need to take their thyroid medication, there are other modalities that can be used along with that medication to help the patient feel better long term.

There are many different things about the modern medical world that makes many patients frustrated and leads them towards wanting to take a more holistic approach to their health.

Let’s take a look at this approach and how it may benefit you.

Functional Medicine Options for Hashimoto’s

A functional medicine approach is much different than traditional medicine in many different areas. The first area it's different is apparent during the very first interaction with a patient. In functional medicine, we take a holistic and participatory approach to wellness, so we encourage our patients to be a part of the process. This includes involving them in what tests should be run and including each patient is the various different options that are available.

Let’s start by talking about testing. In functional medicine, we look at much more than just a single lab test. Plus, when we do run bloodwork we use the functional lab ranges which are not nearly as broad as the pathological ranges so it allows us to see if there is a thyroid issue going on earlier than other blood tests may detect.

We also look at more than one test and take symptoms into account. How many times have you been to the doctor describing unbearable symptoms only to be told that they are all in your head because every test they run turns out to be “normal?” This is something I see on a daily basis and something that can be extremely discouraging to patients. Even if your previous lab work has come back within normal range, as a Functional Medicine Practitioner, I take all symptoms into account to help uncover what may be going on.

A functional medicine approach also looks at different body systems, not just the thyroid to see where the root cause of the issue may be. I am going to talk more about the tests offered coming up, so keep reading.

How We Can Help

We first evaluate underlying causes such as stress, gut infections, adrenal gland dysfunction, dysglycemia (high or low blood sugar), individual food sensitivities and other contributing factors. By determining your triggers through a variety of tests, we can determine a natural course of support toward healing that is specific to what your own body needs.

It’s important to know that there may be a number of different triggers and uncovering them is a huge step in feeling better. Let’s say we uncover a gut infection; we would work towards ridding the body of that infection first or even in conjunction with a protocol for Hashimoto’s. If there is an imbalance elsewhere in the body that is triggering Hashimoto’s, then it’s important to address that at its source and start a very specific protocol tailored to you.

Tests Offered

When any patient with Hashimoto’s symptoms comes to my practice, I always run thorough testing. It doesn’t matter if you have already had lab tests run by your doctor as you now know that many of these tests are read using broad lab ranges. Here are some of the comprehensive tests I offer in my practice to help determine what the underlying cause of Hashimoto’s is.

Complete thyroid panel
Food sensitivity testing
Gut infection testing
Heavy metal testing
Adrenal gland tests
Blood sugar testing

When all of these tests are run, it allows us to take a look at the entire body and how well it is functioning and what needs work. When thorough and complete tests are run it gives us a whole-body picture as to what could be triggering the autoimmune condition. This will ultimately help us get it under control and keep it under control.

Using a functional medicine approach is not about putting a Band-Aid on your symptoms. It’s about finding out what is causing your symptoms so that remission is possible long term.

Prognosis

Once we have identified your triggers, you can get the gene to change its expression or shut off (known as epigenetics). When this happens many, if not all, of the symptoms being caused by this, can disappear. The key to keeping this at bay is to manage stress and maintain a healthy diet & lifestyle.

Since each person is unique, specific dietary and lifestyle recommendations will vary. For example, while one person may do well with one particular food in their diet another person may have a sensitivity to it. The same goes for if there are gut infections or other imbalances going on in the body that need to be addressed as part of the protocol. The action steps I am listing below for taking control of Hashimoto’s are general recommendations. Bear in mind that each and every person will need a bit of a different approach depending on what is going on in the body.

To start taking control of your Hashimoto’s, take a look at the action steps below that you can implement to hopefully start to feel better, and to take control of your health.

Take Control of Hashimoto’s

There are a variety of steps you can take to take control of your Hashimoto’s and regain your health. Here is what I recommend:

Get Testing for Hashimoto’s

Get proper testing to uncover the root cause of your symptoms and thyroid issues. A functional health practitioner, like myself, can help you to recommend and arrange proper testing.

Eliminate Any Reactive Foods

Eliminate any foods that trigger your symptoms or make you feel sick. Trying an elimination diet may help you to uncover your triggers. A functional health practitioner can help you with that.

Start a Paleo-Style Diet

For Hashimoto’s disease, I recommend a Paleo-style anti-inflammatory diet. Remove inflammatory foods, including refined sugar, refined oil, gluten, conventional dairy, artificial ingredients, and processed food. Eat plenty of greens, vegetables, herbs, spices, fermented food, low glycemic index fruits, healthy fats, and clean animal protein.

Try a 30-Day Thyroid Reset

If you have Hashimoto’s disease or another thyroid disease, I recommend reading and following the recommendations in my book, The 30-Day Thyroid Reset Plan: Disarming the 7 Hidden Triggers That are Keeping You Sick. You will learn everything you need to know about thyroid disease. I offer a 30-day plan to improve your health and my favorite thyroid-friendly recipes to nourish your body with delicious meals.

Reduce Stress

Lower your stress levels and learn to cope better with stress. Try meditation, journaling, breathwork, nature walks, coloring, stretching, gratitude, and yoga.

Improve Your Sleep

Make sure to sleep at least 7 to 9 hours at night. Develop an evening routine that relaxes your body and calms your mind. Avoid electronics and food close to bedtime and engage in relaxing activities

Stay Active

Live an active lifestyle as it is appropriate to your body. If you can, exercise 5 days a week for 20 to 30 minutes incorporating both cardio and strength training. Stay active throughout the day by taking walks, dancing to your favorite songs, gardening, or playing with your kids and pets.

When following these steps, keep in mind that each person will be different and I always work with each patient on an individual basis to determine which form of exercise will work best for them. With any autoimmune disease, it’s important to find the right balance where you are not doing too much, but you are doing enough to keep yourself healthy.

While finding out that you have Hashimoto’s can be confusing, frustrating, and make you feel completely overwhelmed know that there are many steps that you can take. Even if you end up on thyroid medication, including a functional medicine approach into your plan is only going to help keep symptoms at bay long term.

Hashimoto’s is a complex condition and takes a professional who has lots of experience to really dive into the true cause and to help create a plan that is unique to you. It’s important to know that it takes many different approaches to get Hashimoto’s into remission and that unfortunately, there is no one size fits all. For example, you can’t just eliminate gluten and feel completely better. It takes a whole-body holistic approach to address both the physical and mental aspects of health and wellness. However, with just a little effort and some adjustments to your diet and lifestyle, you could be well on your way to feeling better and living your best life.

I have worked with patients who have been able to come off of their thyroid medication and have worked with patients who were able to be diagnosed early enough to where medication wasn’t necessary. No matter what the case, for you, know that a holistic approach is a way to approach this autoimmune condition and that with the right steps you could be feeling better fast.

Final Thoughts

Hashimoto’s disease is a common autoimmune thyroid condition. However, if you have Hashimoto’s you don’t have to deal with uncomfortable symptoms for the rest of your life. Follow my tips to improve your thyroid health and regain your health and wellness naturally.

If you are dealing with symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease or other thyroid issues, I invite you to schedule a consultation with me. I can help to identify the root cause of your condition and recommend a personalized treatment plan to repair your body and regain your health and well-being. Schedule your consultation here.

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by Peter Saydak

The Paleo Approach for Kids

I am dedicating a large part of this year to working with busy moms who want to feel and look their best and stay active with their kids. A large part of being able to keep up with the kids involves meal prepping like a pro and of course, fueling your children’s bodies right! A well fed and healthy child is much more likely to have better sleep habits, better performance in school, and improved mood. This is where Paleo for kids comes in.

Nutrition for our children is such an important topic and one that is not talked about nearly enough. There are so many mixed messages as to what we should be feeding our children. From the TV commercials to what is fed in school cafeterias. It's no wonder the messages get mixed up.

Just as I recommend a Paleo approach for my patients, I also recommend a Paleo style diet for my patient's children. Keep reading because I am going to explain why.

Let’s start by talking about the problem with what is currently being fed to the vast majority of the kids in the United States today.

The Problem with the Way Our Kids Eat

You know those cereal commercials, or the milk ads claiming to help start your child’s day off on the right foot and support growth? Well, those same products are often packed full of sugar and artificial ingredients.

Did you know that the average children’s cereal contains an average of 2 ½ teaspoons of sugar? This means that the average child who consumes sugary cereal each day would consume approximately 1,000 teaspoons of sugar in one year! (1) That’s just coming from the cereal. This does not take into account the other sources of sugar found throughout the day such as packaged snacks, processed foods offered at school, and dessert.

Now, I know that the topic is controversial and some people feel as if children should experience sugary foods as part of their childhood. Unfortunately, these foods are highly addictive, contain toxic ingredients and can certainly lead to blood sugar imbalances, sleep disturbances, decreased performance in school, and in some cases can even lead to obesity.

While our culture is so accustomed to purchasing packaged snack options, sugary beverages, and takeout food, there are so many healthier options we can be feeding our children. Don’t worry about your kids missing the junk food! I am going to share some great tips on how to slowly transition them to a Paleo way of eating so that they don’t feel deprived. You would be surprised at how adaptable little one's palates are and how quickly they may prefer the real food option over the processed bag of chips.

The Paleo Way for Kids

So, what makes the Paleo approach for kids such a great way to feed our kids for optimal health? A Paleo style diet is one that removes inflammatory foods and focuses on the foods that our ancestors once ate. It eliminates processed and artificial foods and keeps sugar, gluten, and dairy out of the diet. What you are left with is an incredibly nutrient dense diet to support your child’s overall health.

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of adopting a Paleo approach for the entire family.

The Benefits of Paleo for Kids

Fat & Iron: Kids need nutrient dense foods to grow. Children also need fat and iron for proper brain development. Fat is also needed to help build nerve tissue and help with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. Iron is needed for proper body function. Most packaged “kids” foods are not rich in iron or fat. A Paleo approach encourages the intake of healthy fats as well as high-quality protein to support proper brain and body development in children.
Grain & Gluten Free: While being grain and gluten free does not automatically make a diet low-carb, it does eliminate things like processed and refined carbs that are linked to obesity and diabetes. The CDC states that obesity affects 1 in six children in the US today. (2) Diabetes and insulin resistance are also on the rise. With high processed carbohydrate intake, this number with continue to grow. However, when you follow a Paleo style diet, you encourage the consumption of foods that help to naturally balance blood sugar levels instead of spiking them.
Low in Gut Irritating Foods: The processed and packaged foods that are made available to our children today are recipes for gut health disaster. The high sugar foods can lead to gut health imbalances, not to mention sugar addictions. A Paleo style diet eliminates many of the gut irritating foods (grains, gluten, dairy, sugar) which means your child is more likely to have an optimal functioning digestive system. This is incredibly important because gut health is at the center of overall health. We can’t be truly healthy unless we get our gut health in check.
High in Nutritional Value: On top of all of the great healthy fats and quality proteins your child will get on a Paleo diet, there are also lots of vegetable and low sugar fruit options. This diet is a great way to pack in lots of nutrient dense foods into your child’s diet.

How to Ease Your Kids into a Paleo Diet

I have compiled a list of tips that I have found to be very helpful for parents who are looking to transition their entire family to a Paleo style diet. These tips are practical and make it easier than making a massive shift overnight. It helps to gradually introduce new foods while eliminating the processed foods from the diet.

#1 Eliminate the Easy Foods First: Start by eliminating things like take-out pizza, mac and cheese, bread, and cereal.

#2 Replace with Healthy & Tasty Alternatives: Instead of the sugary cereal, make some Paleo approved granola with some soaked nuts, grade B maple syrup, and cinnamon with a splash of almond milk. Instead of mac and cheese, make a butternut squash mac and cheese sauce poured over spaghetti squash. For dessert, make a “fat bomb” using coconut oil mixed with some raw unsweetened cocoa powder and almond butter.

#3 Choose Snacks Wisely: Snacks are where many families have difficulty. That’s because there are so many poor kids snack choices available it’s hard to truly avoid them all. Always have some unsweetened coconut yogurt around or just some coconut cream and mix that with some berries and raw honey. Another great snack option is an almond milk based smoothie with some berries, avocado, and coconut oil.

#4 Make Dinner Easy: Parents often struggle with finding a balance between making a healthy dinner and not having enough time or energy to make something nutritious. A great way to get around this is to use a crockpot to toss in some grass-fed beef, chicken, lamb, or whatever meat your family likes. Add some bone broth, veggies, herbs, and spices. A crockpot is a great way to save time on cooking but also to pack in some healthy nutrition into your family’s diet.

We have to take charge and change the way our kids eat today. Make small changes to start and before you know it you will have the whole family switched to this way of eating! Taking the step now is an excellent way to safeguard your family’s health for the future.

If you are suffering from weight gain, fatigue, hair loss and more, click here to schedule a phone call with me, so I can find out where you’ve been, where you want to get to, and how I can help you get there.

Resources

EWG.org. (2014) Children’s Cereals: Cereals Contain Far more Sugar Than Experts Recommend.

Mandy Pagano. Keto Vangelist. Keto and Kids

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by Peter Saydak

Thyroid and Anxiety, What is the Connection?

Do you suffer from anxiety, panic attacks, or depression? If these sound all too familiar, thyroid disease may be at the root of the issue. The thyroid and anxiety can hand in hand. When your thyroid does not function the way it should, your mental health can suffer.

Unfortunately, many doctors prescribe anti-anxiety medications before getting to the root of what’s going on. While these medications may help get you over a “hump,” they are only acting as a band-aid. It’s important to understand why anxiety is occurring in the first place. It all starts with the proper testing to understand if the thyroid is playing a part in your anxiety symptoms.

Thyroid Disease & Anxiety

If you’re feeling completely overwhelmed and always anxious, it’s time to get your thyroid checked. As a Functional Medicine Practitioner, one of the first tests I run when someone tells me they deal with chronic anxiety is a complete thyroid panel.

Having excess thyroid hormone such as in the case of Graves’ disease can also cause anxiety. What many people don’t know is that this can also occur with Hashimoto’s.

When dealing with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, your immune system is attacking the thyroid gland. When your thyroid gland is under attack, thyroid hormones can spill over into the bloodstream triggering anxiety and even heart palpitations.

It’s also important to understand that every single cell in the body has receptors for thyroid hormones, and without proper thyroid function many systems in your body suffer. Not only that, but thyroid hormones act directly on the brain among many other body systems which makes sense as to how it can affect anxiety levels.

How to Relieve Anxiety When it’s Linked to Hashimoto’s

If you are suffering from anxiety, the good news is that there are things you can do. As I mentioned before, getting the proper testing done is important. Whenever I meet with patients, I run a thorough thyroid panel to uncover cases of Hashimoto’s that may not even show up on standard blood work. It’s essential to do the investigative work to really determine what may be causing your symptoms.

If Hashimoto’s is at the root of the anxiety, here are a couple of things you can do to feel better:

Balance Your Blood Sugar Levels

Often times this comes with a change in your diet. Hashimoto’s mixed with low blood sugar levels is a recipe for anxiety! Having blood sugar swings only makes irritability and anxiety worse and is damaging to your overall health. To help balance your blood sugar levels, stay away from processed foods, sugars, and try to keep grains out of your diet. Sticking to a Paleo style diet is a great way to naturally manage your blood sugar levels and start to feel better. Also, be sure to eat every two to three hours, and stick to whole and nutrient dense foods.

Boost Your Selenium Intake

Many people associate iodine as the most important nutrient to get when dealing with Hashimoto’s, but selenium plays an incredibly important role. Selenium works to help protect thyroid cells and can help convert inactive T4 to T3. Getting enough selenium can not only help with thyroid health but may help reduce the anxiety that comes along with thyroid issues as well. Try adding just a couple of Brazil nuts to your diet per day to make sure you are getting enough selenium. This supplement is what I use with my patients.

Change Your Diet & Find the Underlying Causes of Your Issue

This goes hand in hand with balancing your blood sugar levels. In order to better manage your thyroid health, it’s important to take a look at your diet. I recommend that my patients start the plan in my book The 30-Day Thyroid Reset Plan, that eliminates inflammatory and toxic foods from their diet. Your immune system is already overreacting due to an autoimmune condition; you don’t need to cause any more harm with the foods you consume. Food sensitivities also come into play here. Uncovering hidden food intolerances is one of the 7 underlying triggers for thyroid disease that I talk about in my book. These hidden intolerances can also trigger anxiety. Getting the proper testing for food sensitivities is also a great way to getting to the bottom of your anxiety symptoms. By eating better and better supporting your thyroid, you may be surprised at how much better you feel when it comes to anxiety.

Relax

I know this is easier said than done, but it’s important to find time each day to relax. Even if it’s just 10 minutes of meditation per day or a 15-minute brisk walk. Dedicate just a few minutes each day to relax. Calming the mind is crucial to healing from Hashimoto’s and getting your anxiety under control.

If you are suffering from weight gain, fatigue, hair loss and more, click here to schedule a consultation, so we can find out where you’ve been, where you want to get to, and how we can help you get there.

Source

Chris Kresser. Thyroid Imbalance Could Be the Source of Your Biggest Health Problems.

by Peter Saydak

5 Reasons to Detox Your Liver

When it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, how well your body detoxifies toxins plays a huge role in your overall health. A liver detox will help to remove all of the built-up toxins we are exposed to every single day. Our bodies are bombarded with toxins from pollution, to chemically filled beauty and self-care products, and the processed foods found in the Standard American Diet.

If we do not detoxify our liver, these toxins become trapped and can wreak havoc on our health. Before we talk about the importance of liver detoxification, let’s take a look at the important functions of the liver.

Liver Functions

The liver helps to eliminate toxins from the body. It works incredibly hard to try to detoxify the blood, produce bile to digest fat, helps to break down hormones and it’s also responsible for storing certain vitamins and minerals. (1) Without a healthy liver, our bodies would be in serious trouble.

Here are some of the other functions of this vitally important organ:

Stores iron
Breaks down and metabolizes medications
Produces cholesterol
Eliminates old red blood cells
Eliminates build-up toxins found in the blood

The liver plays such an important role in the body that it's critical for us to show our liver some love and take care of it so it can work at its best.

What Happens When the Liver Doesn’t Function Properly?

So, what happens if the liver isn’t functioning the way that it should be? One of the many complications that can occur is a condition called cirrhosis of the liver. This condition is commonly associated with alcohol intake, but this can also occur due to other factors as well. This condition can present itself when scar tissue takes the place of the healthy cells located in the liver. Aside from excessive alcohol intake, certain medications, chemical exposure, and even consuming uncooked shellfish can cause this to occur.

When there is too much scar tissue in the liver, liver function declines. Another problem we can face when our liver is not working at its best is the inability to digest food. This is especially true for fats. We need a healthy liver in order to flush out built-up toxins in the body as well.

Who’s at a Greater Risk of Impaired Liver Function?

Whether we live a healthy lifestyle or not, we are all exposed to a certain level of toxins throughout the day. It’s impossible to completely remove all of the toxins from our life. Just stepping outside in the fresh air puts you at risk for pollution exposure. For this reason, most people will benefit from a liver detox. However, there are certain situations that would cause someone to have a greater risk of having impaired liver function including:

Someone with an autoimmune disease
Excessive and frequent alcohol intake
Someone who is frequently exposed to chemicals and other toxins
An unhealthy diet and lifestyle
Certain prescription medications

What a Liver Detox Can Do For Your Health

Cleansing your liver is an important part of living a healthy lifestyle, especially if your liver is frequently taxed. Here are some of the ways your body can benefit from a liver detox.

A liver detox can help your body metabolize fats and thus assist in weight loss efforts. (2) Cleansing your liver is a great first step if you have had a difficult time losing weight in the past.
Eliminate liver stones. When there is a buildup of cholesterol in the body, liver stones can develop. Having these liver stones can impair your liver’s ability to properly detox the body. By doing a liver cleanse, you can help flush out some of these stones.
Detoxing your liver will ultimately help to detoxify your body. A healthy liver means that your liver will better function to eliminate those stubborn built-up toxins.
You may find your energy improves! By cleansing your liver, you can help your body maintain the nutrients it needs which means you may notice you have more energy to do your day to day activities, play with your kids, and exercise.
A liver detox may even help you look younger. By reducing the total toxic build-up in the body your skin benefits which means it may look healthier and younger than it has in a while!

Our liver often gets overlooked when we focus on what we need to do to get healthy. For many of us, if we need to lose weight, boost digestion, or gain more energy we look to other areas of the body first. The thing is that a liver cleanse may be able to take care of all of these things. Since it plays such an important role in our health, it only makes sense that it can help assist in weight loss measures, help us break down food, and give us more energy.

If you are feeling fatigued, dragged down, and just not yourself, a liver detox may be just what the body needs. Ready to start your liver detox journey? Start by adding the Liver Love Supplement to your daily routine! This is the same powder I use every single day and the one I recommend my patients use. It is hypoallergenic, low-carb, and free of added sugars. Just 2 capsules twice per day to help naturally support liver detox, improve gut health, assist in weight loss, and make up for any nutritional deficiencies.

Check out the Optimal Reset Liver Love here.

Looking to boost liver detox even further? Check out my Optimal Reset Elimination Diet program I offer. In this program, I walk you through how to remove inflammatory foods from your diet which will not only help reduce inflammation but can help with liver detoxification as well.

If you are suffering from weight gain, fatigue, hair loss and more, click here to schedule a phone call with me, so I can find out where you’ve been, where you want to get to, and how I can help you get there.

Sources

Dr. Axe. 6-Step Liver Cleanse

Edward Group DC, NP, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM (2012) Top 5 Reasons You Need a Liver Cleanse

by Peter Saydak

Inflammation the Root Cause of Disease

Inflammation the root cause of disease affects nearly every aspect of your health. As a Functional Medicine Practitioner, inflammation is something I look closely at. Unfortunately, in modern day medicine treating the symptom is a common occurrence. Getting to the bottom of what’s causing the symptom in the first place is not always addressed and more times than not the cause is inflammation.

Before we dive further into inflammation being at the root of nearly every health condition today, let’s take a look at what inflammation is:

What is Inflammation?

When you think of inflammation, what comes to mind? For some, it may be redness, swelling, or heat. While inflammation is usually viewed as a bad thing, we actually need a certain amount of inflammation to survive.

Inflammation is simply the body’s natural defense system against things like viruses and bacteria. The inflammation targets these foreign invaders as a way to help the body heal itself.

When it comes to inflammation, there are two different kinds we need to look at.

Acute Inflammation

Acute inflammation starts suddenly but then usually dissipates after a couple of days. Some examples of cases of acute inflammation include a sore throat, acute bronchitis, or acute sinusitis.

Chronic Inflammation

This is the type of inflammation we need to watch out for. Chronic inflammation can stick around for months and sometimes even years. This type of inflammation can occur if we don’t remove the source of the inflammation. Constantly exposing our body to what may be triggering the inflammation in the first place is one of the way’s chronic inflammation occurs. Some diseases commonly associated with chronic inflammation include asthma, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.

What Causes Inflammation?

There are a number of things that can cause inflammation. Poor dietary choices and sedentary lifestyles are often to blame for chronic cases of inflammation. When we consume foods that are packed with toxins and expose our bodies to environmental toxins, it can affect the immune system. When the body is burdened with these toxins for extended periods of time, these toxins can build up in the body and turn on an immune response that stays in a highly reactive state. (1)

Here are some of the foods that can trigger inflammation:

Trans-fats
Hydrogenated fats
Sugar
Refined carbohydrates
Conventional animal products
Conventional dairy

Environmental toxins can also cause inflammation in the body including:

Food pollutants
Toxic metals such as mercury
Stress

Other causes of inflammation include dysbiosis which is an imbalance of bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract, and food allergies or sensitivities and H pylori. Whenever I work with patients, I run diagnostic testing to uncover any potential gut infection or food allergy or sensitivity. These are crucial as uncovering them early is key to limiting the amount of inflammation in your body. There are a number of hidden causes of inflammation, which is why I find it critical to run thorough diagnostic testing to uncover every root cause possible.

Lifestyle can also cause inflammation:

Inflammation & Disease

So, we know that there are different types of inflammation and that there are a number of different things that can trigger this inflammation. However, understanding how inflammation is at the root of almost all disease is important. Inflammation is thought to be behind some of the most debilitating diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and even heart disease. Not treating the inflammation can cause long-lasting effects including:

Early signs of aging
Increased susceptibility to infection
Cancer
Acid reflux
Arthritis
High blood pressure
Heart disease
Candidiasis
Urinary tract infections
Skin conditions
Diabetes
Bronchitis

As you can see inflammation can cause a number of different conditions if left untreated. It not only has the ability to affect your immune system, but it can lead to gut issues, early aging, and even cancer in the long run.

How to Reduce Inflammation?

Dietary and lifestyle changes are at the forefront of reducing the inflammation in your body. If you eliminate the foods that may be triggering an inflammatory response and uncover foods your body may be sensitive to, you allow your body to reduce that inflammatory response. However, that’s only one step. It’s also important to follow an anti-inflammatory diet and to make healthy lifestyle choices to get inflammation under control.

Here are some ways you can begin reducing the inflammation in your body today:

Reduce stress through daily meditation and mindfulness
Get tested for food allergies and sensitivities and remove reactive foods
Work with a Functional Medicine Practitioner to uncover potential gut infections
Eliminate sugar & processed foods
Eliminate trans and hydrogenated fats
Stick to grass-fed and organic animal products when possible
Consume anti-inflammatory foods such as leafy green vegetables, berries, wild-caught salmon, walnuts, herbs, and spices
Get at least 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night
Include light to moderate exercise into your weekly routine

If you are suffering from weight gain, fatigue, hair loss and more, click here to schedule a phone call with me, so I can find out where you’ve been, where you want to get to, and how I can help you get there.

Sources

Axe. Inflammation at the Root of Most Diseases.
Medical News Today. Inflammation: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment.
Bodyecology. Inflammation: The Real Cause of All Disease and How to Reduce and Prevent It.

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by Peter Saydak

The 101 on Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease

Did you know that inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) includes both ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease? This debilitating condition affects nearly 1.6 million Americans. (1) This number has grown astronomically over the past six years. Inflammatory bowel disease affects so many people each year that nearly 70,000 new cases are diagnosed, but what is IBD and what can we do about it?

What is Inflammatory Bowel Disease?

IBD is an inflammatory condition that includes both ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. These are chronic diseases that although cannot be cured, can be treated. If IBD is not treated properly, it can significantly impair the quality of one’s life.

What is Crohn’s Disease?

This particular disease can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract anywhere ranging from the mouth all the way to the anus. However, Crohn’s most commonly affects the end of the small intestine called the ileum. This disease can also affect some areas of the gastrointestinal tract while not affecting other areas. This disease is so inflammatory that it has the potential to cause inflammation through the bowel wall.

What is Ulcerative Colitis?

Ulcerative Colitis affects the large intestine as well as the rectum. While the inflammation may start in the rectum as well as the lower colon there is a chance that the inflammation can spread and inflame one's entire colon. Ulcerative Colitis can cause symptoms of ulcers as well as sores in the GI tract. (2)

Some of the statistics on Ulcerative Colitis according to the Crohn’s Colitis Foundation include:

48% of patients are in remission
30% have mild disease
20% have moderate disease

It’s also important to note that the longer the remission, the better the odds. It’s thought that the longer the remission, the less chance of a flare-up the following year. This is one reason why it’s so important to manage symptoms through both dietary and lifestyle changes.

What are the Symptoms of IBD?

The symptoms linked to irritable bowel disease (which remember includes Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis) are all related back to inflammation. Some of the common symptoms include:

Diarrhea
Feeling like you never have complete bowel movements
Rectal bleeding
Abdominal pain
Loss of appetite
Weight loss
Fever
Fatigue

What Causes IBD?

The exact cause of either Crohn’s disease or Ulcerative Colitis is not necessarily known, but there are some ideas as to what triggers them to occur. Some studies have found a connection between the immune system as well as genetics, and environmental triggers. When dealing with IBD, the immune system comes into play because it targets the GI tract which then causes inflammation.

Some of the environmental triggers include smoking, antibiotic use, taking NSAID drugs such as aspirin, and ibuprofen, as well as certain dietary choices.

How to Reduce IBD Symptoms

While there is no cure for these conditions, there are treatment options. There are certain medications many doctors prescribe for IBD, and there are even some surgical options.

With that being said, while both medicine and surgery may very well be appropriate in certain situations, there are some other approaches that can be taken as well. As a Functional Medicine Practitioner, I like to look at the whole picture and work to control inflammation from its source. With diet and lifestyle changes remission may be more possible, and you may even be able to stay in remission for longer periods of time.

Here are some of the dietary and lifestyle suggestions I make to patients suffering from IBD:

Reduce Stress: Stress causes even further inflammation and stress can directly affect your GI system. It’s critical that stress reduction be implemented into your healing protocol.
Avoid/Eliminate Foods That Disrupts Your Gut Microbiome: Keep refined sugar out of your diet, eliminate refined grains and especially gluten, eliminate processed foods, avoid dairy, and avoid antibiotics when at all possible.
Nourish Your Body With The Following Foods: Enjoy coconut oil, foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as wild-caught salmon, flax seeds, blueberries, organic fruits, and vegetables, grass-fed animal products.
Try a Paleo Style Diet: Trying a Paleo diet is a great way to heal your gut. It eliminates inflammatory foods and gives your gut a chance to heal. A Paleo approach also looks at different lifestyle habits and focuses on stress reduction and getting a good night sleep. It takes a whole body approach to healing your gut and getting into remission.

Many of the patients I work with suffer from digestive health issues as well as gut infections. The first thing I will do as a Functional Medicine Practitioner is run thorough testing for gut infections such as yeast overgrowth, bacterial overgrowth, parasites, SIBO, as well as leaky gut. These conditions are especially important to test for when an underlying digestive disease is present such as the case of Crohn’s disease or Ulcerative Colitis. After tests are run, I will then make a specific care plan based on those results. As everyone’s case is different, it’s very important to see a practitioner who offers an individualized approach. While IBD may be present, there may also be some underlying gut infections that could be making your symptoms even worse. Treating everything at the source is the first step in the healing process.

If you are suffering from weight gain, fatigue, hair loss and more, click here to schedule a phone call with me, so I can find out where you’ve been, where you want to get to, and how I can help you get there.

Sources

Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America. The Facts About Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.
Dr Axe. Ulcerative Colitis Diet: Foods, Supplements & Natural Remedies that Heal.
Mercola (2016) How to Heal Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Like Crohn’s Disease.

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by Peter Saydak

The Top 3 Roadblocks That are Keeping Supermoms Without Their Powers

Are you a busy mom desperate to find the secret to gaining more energy throughout the day? If so, you are not alone because, let’s face it, being a mom is busy and often times exhausting. Whether you are a working mom or a stay at home mom, you need all day energy to keep up with your kids! If you feel like your energy is dragging and you need 5 cups of coffee a day just to keep up, you are not alone. Many supermoms today are being held back from their full potential due to three roadblocks getting in their way.

These roadblocks suck the energy out of you, hold you back from playing with your kids, and certainly don’t make you feel your best. If you are ready to get your supermom powers back, keep reading. I am going to uncover these 3 roadblocks that may be holding you back and keeping you from gaining more energy throughout the day. I am also going to share things you can start doing today to feel better and help you keep up with your kids all day long.

The Roadblocks That Keep You From Gaining More Energy Throughout the Day

Roadblock #1: Thyroid Dysfunction

In my practice, I see countless patients come to me with chronic fatigue, weight gain, and irritability. Many of these patients also come to me with “normal” lab values according to their doctor’s.

Mood swings
Muscle pain
Dry skin
Hair loss
Constipation
Brain fog
Hormonal imbalances: PMS, irregular periods

Roadblock #2: Adrenal Dysfunction

Adrenal dysfunction is another thing I commonly see in my practice and something that often times keeps mom's too tired to do everything they want to do.

Adrenal dysfunction can occur when your adrenal glands aren’t working properly. This can occur when someone is under a tremendous amount of physical and or emotional stress.

Fatigue is the most common symptom associated with adrenal dysfunction which is why I often see a lot of moms suffering from this. Mom’s come to me wanting more energy and no matter what they do it just doesn’t seem to make a difference. The reason for this is because adrenal fatigue can cause a lower level of various hormones as well as neurotransmitters in the body. This can ultimately impact every single part of your body. (1)

Some of the other common symptoms associated with adrenal dysfunction include:

Difficulty getting up each morning even after getting a full night sleep
Fatigue that lasts all day
Difficulty handling stress
Craving salty foods
Overusing caffeine and sugar to stay awake
A weak immune system

Having any of these symptoms can get in the way of your quality of life, but when you are trying to balance life as a mom it can be next to impossible to get the things done you need to do.

Changing your diet to better support your body and body’s stress response. I generally recommend an anti-inflammatory Paleo style diet for my patients.
Testing for food sensitivities: Food sensitivities can make symptoms worse.
Reducing stress: Practicing mindfulness, meditation, and yoga are essential.
Improving sleep habits.
Working with a practitioner to develop a diet that is going to help support your energy levels throughout the day.

Roadblock #3: Leaky Gut/Food Sensitivities

Leaky gut is something that many people deal with today. Leaky gut is also called intestinal permeability where the lining of the small intestine can become damaged. When this lining is damaged, undigested food particles as well as toxins can leak into the blood stream. When these toxins leak into the body, an autoimmune response can be triggered. This can cause inflammation, allergies, food sensitivities, and even migraines. (2)

For moms, dealing with leaky gut can be debilitating. Leaky gut, just like the other two roadblocks can cause fatigue, cravings, nutritional deficiencies, as well as decrease immune function. As a mom, the last thing we need is to be getting sick or feeling like we can’t get through the day without a couple of naps. We need our energy to take care of our kids. Leaky gut is just not something we as moms have time to deal with.

So, what causes leaky gut? Leaky gut is commonly caused by diet and can occur when you are consuming foods such as gluten, soy, sugar, and dairy. If your body is treating a certain food as an invader, an immune reaction can occur. Over time this can cause intestinal permeability. Things like antibiotics, and over the counter pain relievers may also be to blame for leaky gut.

If leaky gut is suspected, it’s also important to test for food sensitivities. The last thing you want is to begin a healing protocol only to be consuming foods your body is still reacting to. This is something I will test for in my practice. A healing diet would also be essential to heal the gut. Starting a diet free from gluten, soy, dairy, and sugar is an important step in healing that gut lining and feeling better. There are also certain foods that are particularly healthy for the gut that can be included in the diet. These include:

Bone broth
Coconut oil
Probiotics
Sauerkraut
Unsweetened coconut yogurt
Grass fed meats
Wild caught fish

If you are a busy mom who just doesn’t have the energy to do what you dream of achieving, it’s time to take a look at what roadblocks may be holding you back. By uncovering potential roadblocks in your life, you can achieve optimal health so that you can be the high performing mom you know that you are, and have plenty of energy to last you all day long. To take care of others, you need to take care of you! Start today by reaching out for a consultation to see how to uncover your hidden roadblock and start living your life to the fullest.

If you are suffering from weight gain, fatigue, hair loss and more, click here to schedule a phone call with me, so I can find out where you’ve been, where you want to get to, and how I can help you get there.

Sources

(1) The Adrenal Fatigue Solution. What Are The Symptoms Of Adrenal Fatigue?

(2) Healthy Women. 10 Signs You Have a Leaky Gut—and How to Heal It

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by Peter Saydak