[bernadette]

 we will be offering 1-1 consultations soon in B Better but I’m currently not taking new private clients. If you’re looking for a FM doctor, I can recommend Dr. Heather Eade at Novomed (naturopath), Dr. Erzebett Makk (MD with FM training) at Zia Medical Center, or Dr. Sean Penny at Bedaya Clinic (Homeopath with FM training).

[bernadette]

 I replied above regarding these medications. Please take the time to educate yourself on these medications and their side effects. Did your doctor take the time to explain what these are for, how they work, and side effects? They are anti-diabetic medications.

[bernadette]

 your doctor recommended 2 types of anti-diabetic medications.

Jardiance (empagliflozin) is an SGLT-2 inhibitor. SGLT-2 are proteins in the renal tubules of the kidneys that reabsorb glucose back into the bloodstream. Jardiance prevents that reabsorption so you pee out more glucose. Here are the side effects to be aware of.

Glucobay (arcobose) is an α-glucosidase inhibitor. It works by preventing the breakdown of starch into sugar (by blocking the α-glucosidase enzyme) to help lower blood sugar levels after meals. Here are the side effects to be aware of.

Discuss with your doctor if they would be ok with you taking vitamin D and B in supplement form instead. Sublingual B12 vitamins (lozenges) are also quite effective as they bypass the digestive system. 

Anytime vitamin D is recommended, make sure your magnesium is optimal. If it’s not or someone isn’t sure, they can supplement with magnesium glycinate for 2 weeks before starting vitamin D supplementation.

Hope this helps.

[bernadette]

I’m glad to hear that fixing your sleep has helped you feel better. Now allow me to answer your questions 1 by 1 below:

1. Regarding HbA1C.  The hemoglobin A1C test measures the average levels of blood glucose in a 2-3 month period before the test. Conventional laboratory ranges look for an HbA1C < 7%. A more optimal range however is between 4.5-5.2% in a typical 4-5.6% reference range. What was the reference range for your results? Above 5.3% is typically the start of insulin resistance and 5.7% is typically the start of pre-diabetes. This value however should never be used all by itself to make any kind of diagnosis. It should be part of a complete set of labs. It is useful however in tracking trends over time to see progress being made with medications (if any), supplements, diet and lifestyle changes.

2. Regarding vitamin D supplementation. Since vitamin D is a pro-hormone, I’m not a fan of large daily or weekly doses. Instead, a more ‘low and slow’ approach is often better with regards to maintaining vitamin/mineral and hormone balance. For example, large amounts of vitamin D can compete with vitamin A and deplete magnesium. Here’s a handout with dosage recommendations depending on your values.

3. What suggested supplements are you referring to?

4. Regarding Travel. It’s a personal choice how you wish to implement the dietary changes. There’s no right or wrong way. If you prefer to ease into it over 2 weeks allowing some more flexibility while you travel (to reduce food stress) and then go full on when you return, that’s up to you. Amino Acid Quick Sorb can be taken with you during travel and used in between meals or whenever a sweet craving hits to help curb the craving.

[bernadette]

 I’m glad to hear you’re recovery has been smooth. Keep in mind that probiotic supplementation may be needed for at least 6-9 months post antibiotic treatment, which is why a fermented food-based approach is usually more sustainable.

[bernadette]

Hi  – there are many different solutions for cleaning out your washing machine and clothes like ammonia, Ec3, Citri-Safe, borax, baking soda, etc.

Don’t forget to manually clean the inside flap of the washing machine if it’s a front-load washer. Those usually accumulate ALOT of gunk. You can spray vinegar directly on it and wipe it clean. It should be cleaned at least 1 x / month. And never close the door of the washing machine as that will create moisture and mold.

Here’s an excellent write-up with the different products to use in a 3-wash cycle and reasons why each products are used in each cycle so you can determine what you may need.

[bernadette]

Hi  – we attached Dr. Manjari’s handout in the All Call Recordings here which includes links to homeopathic remedies to keep on hand for travel. We also linked the book she recommended about cell salts and how to use them for different conditions below the video in the notes section.

I recently ordered a copy of that book (it’s from an Australian site so had to use a mail forwarding company to ship it to Dubai – I used Shop&Ship). But I did also email them to see if they ship internationally and they do! Here were the shipping fees:

USA        Express $29.55 – 5-8 business days
Pack & Track (regular) $17.79 – 9-12 business days

CANADA   Express $29.55 – 7-12 business days
Pack & Track (regular) $17.79 – 9-12 business days

UAE       Express $41.90 – 5-10 days
Pack & Track (regular) $28.01 – Unsure of time frame

I found it to be more economical to use Shop&Ship.

Hope this helps!

[bernadette]

 her fever breaking is a good sign and it’s normal to continue to feel sluggish for a while after. But if you’re still concerned, always trust your mama instinct and take her to the doctor.

Adenovirus infections (~50 different types) most commonly affect the respiratory system and symptoms can last from a few days to up to two weeks. Severe infections may last longer and some symptoms can linger for a while, like a cough. So it’s likely that she’s still fighting it off.

Continuing immune support even after a fever breaks is still helpful in these types of situations. In “Protocols”, we share longer term viral support remedies that you can take a look at as well.

[bernadette]

 make sure you retest his nutrients if you decide to supplement with these single nutrients as they need to be in the right balance or else they can create other imbalances. For example, too much zinc will deplete copper. Too much vitamin D will deplete vitamin A and magnesium, etc. That’s where testing becomes helpful to know what specific nutrients are deficient for each individual person.

And very often, dairy and gluten are common culprits and removing these from a person’s diet temporarily for 4-6 months while working on gut healing and immune support often helps. Have you tried implementing these dietary changes first?

[bernadette]

 ok, and from the list of possible root causes in the Symptom Dictionary handout, what do you suspect are relevant to his unique case?

Here they are again for reference:
•  Gut dysbiosis (imbalance in the gut microbes)
• Intestinal permeability (aka leaky gut)
• Allergies (IgE antibodies) and/or food sensitivities (IgA, IgG antibodies)
• Environmental toxins (or compromised detoxication/clearance)
• Nutrient deficiencies: zinc, vitamin A, vitamin D, antioxidants
• Dehydration Omega-3 & Omega-6 fatty acid deficiency (secondary to gallbladder dysfunction)
• Stress as a trigger 

Have you done any tests to look into any of the root causes above? Let us know if you need some direction with that.

[bernadette]

Hi  – also wanted to chime in here. As Daniel mentioned, there are many possible root causes for poor sleep and in fact, I’ll be releasing a Sleep Optimization Program in September to help members troubleshoot their way through the different possibilities because sleep is foundational.

Few additional questions for you:

1. Without Ambien, does this person have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or both?

2. If staying asleep is the issue, how many times does this person wake up? And at what time(s)? And is there a full bladder with a strong need to urinate?

3. What time does this person get to bed? What time does this person wake up to start their day?

4. What is this person’s age?

Also note that 5-HTP is contraindicated if a person is taking an SSRI or SNRI (or other serotonin-enhancing) antidepressant or sleep medications without their physician’s oversight (e.g. Zoloft, Trazadone, Wellbutrin, Ambien) as there is a risk of them developing serotonin sickness. So that’s why it’s important to be monitored by physician during the weaning process if 5-HTP is added in as an alternative.

[bernadette]

Hi  – is this something you’ve struggled with for a while or is it a new symptom? Was it officially diagnosed as eczema or self-diagnosed?

[bernadette]

I’ve reached out to her about that. She said it seems it’s no longer in production. I did find it on 2 other sites after a heavy search but not sure if they’re credible. She’s also checking for us. Will let you know.

And I’m so glad you loved the session! I did too!

[bernadette]

ok – I had fun researching the topic of vitamin D supplementation in infants, and intuitively I was never comfortable with the recommendation to supplement breastfed infants with vitamin D. In my opinion, there has to be a reason why breast milk is naturally low in vitamin D.

I will share my own theory and also an interesting study showing a plausible connection between supplementation of vitamin D and higher risk of developing allergies/celiac disease later on in life.

What I found is that vitamin D transfer from mom to baby is highest during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy. Also a large amount of vitamin A is needed in the early months of life (hence why colostrum is rich in Vit A).
We know that large amounts of vitamin D supplementation can deplete vitamin A (I believe it’s because they compete for uptake via the same receptors). So would this could be a plausible theory as to why vitamin D supplementation in infants might be doing more harm than good. But it’s just my theory.

I tried to find research on this and came up empty handed, but I did find this study. It discusses how even the recommended amount of vitamin D for infants (400 IU) is way too high and can lead to digestive consequences. Here’s an extract if you don’t have time to read it all:

“Vitamin D in human milk is about 45 IU per liter and in unfortified cows’ milk is about 40 IU per liter [18,19]. By comparison in the United States infant formula averages about 535 IU per liter, whole milk averages about 525 IU per liter, the standard daily dose of vitamin D drops recommended for breastfed infants starting at birth is 400 IU, and the most popular brand of children’s multivitamin contains 600 IU [20–23]. In addition substantial doses of vitamin D are also present in fortified foods such as cereals, orange juice, and yogurt [24,25]. These doses are large by comparison to those available in human milk and provided at high frequency to infants and toddlers who are small by weight. If one assumes that the effects of a dose are proportional to IUs consumed per pound of weight, then a 10 pound infant receiving the standard 400 IU per day dose via vitamin D drops is equivalent to a 150 pound adult receiving 42,000 IU per week through supplementation. One need not make this simplifying and perhaps unjustified assumption to see that the doses given to infants and toddlers are large. So it seems likely that the aggressive vitamin D supplementation and fortification which typically accompanies infancy in the United States will induce gastrointestinal effects in some infants and toddlers as seen in some adult trials and that these effects as already mentioned mirror many of the symptoms of celiac disease.”

Hope this helps give you a different perspective to consider.

[bernadette]

 I completely understand – but if it could save her adenoids, it’s worth a 4-month trial to see if there’s improvement. Try to get her grandparents on board. Explain to them that there’s a chance that having dairy is contributing to her breathing issues. Using the “doctor” excuse usually helps with close relatives… “the doctor said…” 😉