[bernadette]

That’s awesome ! I’m so glad to hear your mouth isn’t stinging anymore!! Baby steps are so important for creating sustainable lifelong habits! I’m especially happy that you’ve been able to cut out soda after 5pm. How many more sodas to go before the habit is gone for good?

[bernadette]

Hello  – Daniel provided an excellent summary based on the data alone. But please remember, these results represent only 1 moment in time. Without any knowledge of the person’s symptom presentation, health history, diet, lifestyle, medications, supplements, stage of life, etc it is just 1 small piece of the puzzle that makes up a unique individual.

If you can provide us with more details about who she is and what she’s experiencing/struggling with, we’ll be able to provide even more guidance.

[bernadette]

Hi  as Daniel explained very well, MTHFR is a defect or mutation in a gene that controls the process of methylation; a process that needs B vitamins which is needed for detoxification. Impaired methylation increases the risk of both cardiovascular disease and cancer. 

Therefore, I usually reserve gene testing after a client has made significant lifestyle & dietary changes, and I encourage it especially in cases where there is a strong family history of cardiovascular disease and cancer. But again, just because someone has a gene mutation, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will express itself and result in symptoms or disease. Lifestyle plays a huge role here. 

I’m also so excited to share that Dr. Ben Lynch, author of Dirty Genes and owner of Seeking Health (supplement company) will be our guest expert in December!!! Genes and nutrigenomics are HIS specialty, and we’ll be analyzing B Better members’ gene test reports live on the call. Specifically the histamine pathway. We haven’t yet made the announcement because I’m still trying to find a way for members outside of the US/Canada to participate.

But if you’d like to get the 23andme or Ancestry DNA tests, he’ll be offering members a discount on his StrateGene report, which interprets the results for you in 10 minutes and provides a useful report with actionable tips. That would be a good opportunity if you’ve been thinking of getting gene testing done.

[bernadette]

 you won’t always see these patterns with pancreatic insufficiency

[bernadette]

 if his WBC and lymphocytes are both clinically low, it can mean a few different things and without any other information to puzzle piece, it’s difficult to say for sure, but here are some of the more likely possibilities:

-could be a low-grade, simmering chronic viral or bacterial infection
-could be an active bacterial infection (is he sick? UTI perhaps?)
-could be suppressed bone marrow function
-could be pancreatic insufficiency (body uses phagocytic white cells to break down food causing a decrease in white count)
-could be autoimmune in nature (systemic lupus – anemia is usually present as well)

Other conditions associated with decreased WBC/lymphocytes:
-hepatitis
-free radical diseases
-vitamin B12, B9 & B6 deficiency
-anterior pituitary dysfunction
-adrenal dysfunction
-parathyroid hyperfunction
-parasites (chronic)
-rheumatoid arthritis
-multiple food allergies

[bernadette]

Hi  did they run the thyroid antibodies anti-TPO and anti-TG?

[bernadette]

 thanks for sharing. Please keep in mind that this test was taken almost 2 years ago, so we can’t really rely on this test anymore, but it does give us some important clues:
• Low Firmicutes. These are bacterial phyla that dominate the entire human digestive tract, including the mouth, nose, throat, and colon. A low result suggests “dysbiosis” – an imbalance in the normal microbes of the GI tract.

Here are the suggestions from the GI map interpretative guide which I’ve shared in the Gut Health Masterclass:

 » Use a broad-spectrum, diverse probiotic formula, 50–450 billion CFUs/day depending on findings. May contain: Lactobacillus acidophilus‚ Bifidobacterium bifidum‚ Bifidobacterium longum‚ Lactobacillus rhamnosus‚ Bifidobacterium breve‚ Lactobacillus
casei‚ Streptococcus thermophilus. (I like Klaire Labs Therbiotic Complete – which I’ve shared in the course as well)
» Increase dietary intake of vegetables and fibers (psyllium, oat bran)
» Remove dietary sugar and refined carbohydrates
» Prebiotic supplementation (resistant starch, xylooligosaccharide, inulin, beta-glucan, arabinogalactan)
» Fermented foods, if tolerated
» Reduce inflammation and address other imbalances on the GI-MAP
• A few opportunistic bacterial overgrowths. Goal is to support immunity to help keep the gut microbiome balanced. What are your vitamins A, D, and RBC zinc levels like? Check if you don’t know. Remove food sensitivities.
• Elastase-1 is suboptimal low. I like to see it > 500. This is a marker of pancreatic function and tells us the amount of enzymes you’re producing. The question in my mind becomes: is there a blood sugar issue affecting the health of the pancreas? Or is there a signaling issue due to hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid)? If the latter, then you have to dig deeper to find out why there might be low stomach acid. I share a home test that you can do in the Gut Health Masterclass to help determine if there’s low stomach acid. If so, then why? The test shows no H Pylori overgrowth – good! Is there thyroid hypofunction? Low zinc? Low B vitamins? High stress? Again, I have a section in the course to help investigate causes of low stomach acid.
• Anti-gliadin, a marker that can indicate a sensitivity to gluten (there are other reasons), is elevated more than I’d like to see. In these cases, I usually recommend 100% elimination of gluten.
• Calprotectin, is a marker of inflammation in the gut. It’s low, but it’s also not 0. And this was 2 years ago. What is the current status? Do you feel better or worse than you did 2 years ago?
• Zonulin. This is a protein that opens intercellular tight junctions in the gut lining (aka leaky gut). It was clinically high, which means the chances of developing food sensitivities and triggering immune reactions like eczema and skin bumps makes sense. Removing dairy and gluten, removing any other food sensitivities, while healing the gut lining is step 1. I really encourage you to watch the Gut Health Masterclass as it outlines the process clearly and will give you a lot more to work with.

Hope this overview was helpful!

[bernadette]

Hi  – perhaps you’re referring to my Medicine Cabinet Must-Haves and Immune Boosting Guide (which you reminded me that I should add it to the library dashboard).

In the guide, I share my go-to protocol when getting/are sick:
-2g Arabinogalactans, 3 x per day in water or 1/2 a squeezed orange
-10k IU vit D per day
-10k IU vit A per day
-50mg zinc  per day
-1-2g vit C per day (as long as it doesn’t cause loose stools)

For viral illnesses, I add in:
-500-1000mg quercetin 2 x per day (helps get zinc into cells)
-500-1000mg NAC 2 x per day with food (helps lungs & glutathione production, a major antioxidant)

And if an annoying cough develops, here’s my flaxseed cough remedy which works like magic at relieving the itch and breaking up phlegm.

Rest up, drink plenty of fluids (turmeric/ginger teas, bone broth are all great), keep warm, and only eat if you have an appetite. 

Wishing you a speedy recovery. 

[bernadette]

 I’m so so proud and happy right now! [artj92V8o75VPL7AeQ.gif]It’s the type of proud a mother feels towards her children when they achieve something great. Keep it up! Thank you for sharing and showing what is possible!

[bernadette]

 I’m glad she’s feeling some relief after the iron infusion. It’s possible to find curcumin and boswellia together as 1 supplement. I recommend you search through Fullscript’s catalog, and put in those ingredients to see what brands come up and are available near you. Omega-3 is usually separate. My 2 favorite brands of O-3 are Biotics Research and Nordic Naturals.

[bernadette]

 feel free to share your GI map test results here for us to take a look at.

[bernadette]

Hi  – as a general rule of thumb for eczema, here is my checklist of  what needs to be optimized:
• Vitamin D, A and RBC zinc (have you checked your levels?)
• Remove gluten & dairy, and very often grains too. (it can’t be a little here and there, it has to be 100% elimination for 6 months+ while address gut dysfunctions. Have you watched the Gut Health Masterclass yet?)
• Ensure detox pathways are open (is constipation an issue?)
• Heal intestinal lining (Gut Health Masterclass has a section on gut healing with many recommendations)
• Healthy fatty acid balance (omega-3 to omega-6 ratio). And realize that gallbladder health plays a role here too since we need bile to absorb our fats! If you haven’t yet watched the Fatty Acid Balance course or Gut Health Masterclass, please make time for those. It’s critical for cell membrane integrity and skin health.
• Remove any other food sensitivities. Need to calm the immune system. (if finance allows, consider a food sensitivity test)

You can see that much of it goes back to the gut and immunity. Other than removing dairy/gluten/sugar, what else have you tried with regards to optimizing digestion and gut health so I can help you troubleshoot? Have you done any comprehensive functional stool tests?

You can also read through the Eczema fact sheet in the Symptom Dictionary if you haven’t seen that yet.

With regards to the skin bumps you’re experiencing, please go see a doctor to get a proper diagnosis, and please keep us posted!

[bernadette]

 are you logging into the B Better dispensary? I just checked and your name isn’t listed there. But I did see your name listed in my private dispensary where I share a few products with the public through my Instagram link. So perhaps you’re accessing Fullscript through that account or another practitioner’s account? I would suggest logging out, and accessing B Better’s dispensary here to access the full catalogue and discount: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/bbetterbybernadette

Please let me know if that helps.

[bernadette]

 are you logging into the B Better dispensary? Perhaps you have access to other practitioner’s accounts and you’re logged into the incorrect one? Please try logging out, and logging back into here: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/bbetterbybernadette

Please let me know if that works.

[bernadette]

 I believe in a mother’s instincts. If you feel something is off or abnormal, please take him to see a pediatrician. 

Increased thirst and increased urinary frequency is often a hallmark sign of type 1 diabetes but it can also be involved in other diabetic dynamics as the body tries to urinate to bring blood sugar levels down.

Low cortisol levels can also lead to ongoing thirst and increased urination because of difficulty maintaining cellular hydration. 

There could be other reasons as well, so it’s important to get him properly checked first. Please do keep us updated.