Ever wonder how stress triggers herpes outbreaks? And why? How does the herpes virus flare so quickly after stress, fear or trauma? A Brief History of your Immune System In the "long ago" times, we hunted, traveled, built shelters, loved, died, feasted or went hungry. Occasionally we had to fight for our lives with a bear or other hunters. When life is quiet (even if working hard), we are in our Para-Sympathetic Nervous System. Here ... Keep Reading >
Cortisol
How to Test and Treat Insulin Resistant Weight Gain
Most overweight people have Insulin Resistant weight gain, a specific type of fat from overeating carbohydrates. It is not from cholesterol. Carbohydrates are stored temporarily in the blood as Triglycerides, then stored as fat if not needed for cellular fuel (exercise, metabolism). What is Insulin Resistance? Insulin is a Hormone. It affects many other Hormones, metabolism, digestion, and blood sugar. Insulin is the escort that carries ... Keep Reading >
Finding Hidden Value in “Normal” Lab Tests
I'm a Clinical Nutritionist - a different field from Dieticians or Nutritionists. Our area of expertise is the chemistry of the body - how systems talk to each other, how food, toxins, hormones, stress and nutrients affect us. We use "Optimal" lab ranges, not "Average or Normal" lab ranges. Most lab ranges are just averages of other people's blood. Many of those people are unhealthy and skew the ranges high and low, away from the optimal ... Keep Reading >
5 Reasons You Have Trouble Falling Asleep
Having trouble falling asleep? Let's address 5 possible causes of Insomnia. 5 Reasons You Have Trouble Falling Asleep 1). Is your bedroom cold and quiet? Pet-free? Is your partner snoring or tossing in bed? I use a noise machine for the small noises that disturb me. Or wear Hear-O's ear plugs. The bedroom should be cold. If your bed and bedding have nylon/synthetic fibers, change your bedding to natural fibers and put cotton, wool or sheepskin ... Keep Reading >
When to Take Bioidentical Hormones and When to Avoid
When to take Bioidentical Hormones is a frequent question from my Clients. Does every post-menopausal woman need them? If so, which hormones are good and which to avoid? First let's differentiate between Bioidentical Hormones and Synthetic hormones. Synthetic hormones have been used since the 1960's. These are hormone "mimics" patented by big Pharma companies. Since they are protected by patents they cannot be naturally occurring ... Keep Reading >
Epstein Barr Virus and Adrenal Fatigue
I have personal history with Epstein Barr virus and Adrenal Fatigue. Full-blown Adrenal Failure actually. Most people's Adrenals aren't affected as badly as that but EBV does affect them. Is Epstein Barr Really your Top Issue? For most people, no. It's common to have EBV Antibodies. EBV is Mono, an infectious Virus many of us got when younger. For some people, it is now "Reactivated Epstein Barr" where the virus may have become a top priority, ... Keep Reading >
Adrenal Fatigue and Heat Stroke
Prevent adrenal fatigue, heat stroke and heat exhaustion with real salt to keep you hydrated. Himalayan or Sun-Dried Solar salts are essential to electrolyte balance. (See my Electrolyte Hydration Drink below). Water alone will not hydrate you. In fact.... Too much plain water can flush away your minerals With adrenal fatigue we tend to excrete salt and be somewhat dehydrated since the cells can't hold water without salt. If you then become ... Keep Reading >
How Does Light Affect Sleep?
Does light affect sleep and energy? Could light bulbs change your life? Absolutely! Here's 6 easy steps to change your health by day and by night. On Planet Earth, the sky is blue. We respond to daylight with hormones and neurotransmitters that wake us up. When we see darkness - even with moon light - our hormones tell us to slow down and sleep. Other creatures have opposite signals. Skunks and possums wake at dusk and sleep in the ... Keep Reading >
What I Do For Chronic Adrenal Fatigue
I've struggled with chronic adrenal fatigue for decades. I know what adrenal fatigue feels like and what it means to have low cortisol all day. Here's an intro to adrenal function and ideas on what I've done for my adrenal health. I hope it helps you too! Cortisol is the main adrenal hormone that gives stamina, regulates blood sugar and helps make female hormones after menopause. When we're overly emotional, too busy, short on sleep ... Keep Reading >
Adrenal Supplements That Work
Looking for adrenal supplements that work? It's trickier than it sounds! Supplements for boosting, calming or repairing the adrenals - which do you need? Without a saliva cortisol test it's hard to tell if you have an adrenal issue or not. It's not enough that you are tired or even exhausted. Or that you're feeling hyper or anxious and thinking it's high cortisol. You may have an infection, a thyroid problem or poor neurotransmitter ... Keep Reading >
Test Adrenal Function At Home
If you suspect you have low cortisol, test adrenal function at home. You might be inspired to (finally) make some life changes if your test results are not optimal. The value of testing adrenal function is to confirm you're exhausting yourself with work and worry. And not enough sleep. If testing will help you change this, then test. Don't self-diagnose and try to treat the adrenals if sleep and the Paleo Diet will resolve your ... Keep Reading >
Melissa Curtis Interviews Beverly: Candida and Hormones Preventing Weight Loss
How do Candida and excess hormones prevent weight loss? I'm here on MelissaCurtis's show about weight and health for women over 40. She writes and podcasts at her Fat To Fit: My Quest website. I shared with Melissa my belief that losing weight is never the body's priority. It may be your personal priority, but the body has its own agenda! Fighting infection, keeping the heart and lungs going and managing blood pressure and circulation are ... Keep Reading >