[bernadette]

so the general guideline is to drink 1/2 your weight in ounces. So at 125lbs, you should aim for ~62 oz. So yes, given the fact that you are noticing improvements in your lightheadedness, try a combination of reducing the total amount of water you’re drinking and adding in electrolytes once a day.

Please keep us posted! Hope it fully resolves.

[bernadette]

Congratulations ! Looking forward to speaking soon.

[bernadette]

 the pain you’re describing could be pointing to liver/gallbladder dysfunction as well. Pain in the upper back and metallic taste is common with gallbladder dysfunction. The throat pain could also be bile related due to silent reflux.

Until you know if H Pylori is negative or not, you might want to consider digestive support such as consuming bitter foods or digestive bitter tinctures before meals. If it causes a burning feeling, then you might need a period of gut healing first as I mentioned previously. Something like GI Revive powder has soothing compounds that can help heal irritated tissue both in the stomach and throat.

Diluting apple cider vinegar (ACV) in a bit of water 5-10 mins before meals would also help stimulate digestive secretions to help you better digest your meals. If it’s too strong, lemon juice is milder than ACV.

A digestive enzyme that is high in lipase may also help provide relief since bile function may be compromised. Bile helps emulsify fats (i.e. gets it into a form that is breakable) so that the lipase enzyme can break down the fats. I explain this further in this video in the Gut Health Masterclass. Please watch it as it explains the gallbladder’s role in digestion. I share different digestive enzyme options in this video such as Enzalase which is higher in lipase.

These tips would help provide rapid relief and support digestion while working on reversing blood sugar dysregulation and supporting liver/gallbladder health.

[bernadette]

 ok, let us know about the H Pylori.

Regarding your food journal, what I’m looking to see is whether or not it’s low glycemic so please do fill that in please.

Regarding the underarm smell. Whatever cannot be detoxed by the liver and excreted into bile and through stool will come out through the skin, so it’s very likely connected as well. Do you have a well formed bowel movement minimum once daily? It should be a type 3-4 on the Bristol Stool chart.

Please describe the type of pain you’re experiencing after eating. Is it a specific time of day? After certain foods or after every meal? And what kind of pain is it? Burning? And how soon after eating does the pain occur? Please try to provide more details about that particular symptom so we can help.

[bernadette]

 – The liver which produces bile and dumps it into the gallbladder (our bile “storage tank”), plays a MAJOR role in blood sugar regulation so to help address the fatty liver and bile reflux, reversing your pre-diabetes diagnosis is going to be key in helping you! Luckily we have a whole Blood Sugar Regulation course available that can help you with that and I highly encourage you to make the time to watch it from beginning to the end to really understand the different organs involved and solutions for reversing this dynamic including dietary changes and supplements to consider taking.

I would encourage you to fill in this 3-day food journal honestly and as detailed as possible so that we can provide you with some dietary guidance.

Stress is another factor that can affect blood sugar levels. Stress alone can make a person diabetic believe it or not! And your labs do show a pattern of high stress, so would you say this is a major factor for you, or perhaps a combo of diet and stress?

Stress can also lead to low stomach acid secretions, H Pylori overgrowths and gastritis. Have you ever tested to see if there’s an H Pylori overgrowth? True Health Labs has the H Pylori only test by Diagnostic Solutions. It’s listed as $339 USD. We can give you access for $173 USD + shipping if you email support@bernadetteabraham.com.

If finances are an issue, you can always take preventative action by following this H Pylori support protocol such as the Matula tea. But before doing so, it’s important to provide some gut healing support first for at least 30-60 days to help “put out the fire” so to speak before doing any kind of killing. It’s also important to ensure that you’re not constipated. If constipation is an issue, then we have the Constipation Relief program you can follow step by step. That would be priority #1.

[bernadette]

Hi  – I share a few different options in this video here inside the “Air & Skin” pillar inside the Beginner’s Health roadmap.

[bernadette]

 Spectracell micronutrient test is available, but it’s a very sensitive test that needs to be shipped same day so you’d have to drive to Dubai to perform that test. Not sure if you’re still interested in that test. The rest of the tests I suggested all ship to Abu Dhabi. Just let the support team know what you’d like to get done – they’re aware you’ll be reaching out.

[bernadette]

Hi  – I share your frustrations with the Canadian medical system. My family live here as well and it’s so difficult getting them proper care and testing beyond emergency care.

Where do you live exactly? I found https://bloodtestscanada.com/ which allows people to order their own tests in certain provinces without the need to visit a doctor. We’ve also partnered with a few labs that ship to Canada for functional tests so you have access to that. Another option is to find a naturopathic doctor who will review your case more holistically and order labs accordingly. The downside is obviously the cost since none will be covered by insurance and is all out of pocket.

However, given your symptoms and what your gastro found, it’s clear that you’re struggling with hepatic-biliary (liver/gallbladder) dysfunction. The question is WHY!

Based on the limited set of labs you shared, adrenal hyperfunction seems to be a pattern that I’m picking up on. In other words, high stress. Higher levels of chloride, CO2, sodium and lower potassium all indicate this pattern. I discuss it more in this video in the Adrenal Balance course.
Your glucose is also suggesting possible insulin resistance – was this test done while fasting? 

Blood sugar dysregulation can definitely impact the liver and lead to fatty liver. Has anyone measured your blood sugar levels before (fasting insulin, fasting glucose, HbA1c)? This would be a major root cause to address if that’s what’s impacting hepatic-biliary function. 

Please watch these 2 videos to see if you have any of these symptoms that can point to different stages of insulin resistance:
• Phase 1 & 2 signs and symptoms
• Phase 3 to 5 signs and symptoms

I’ll wait to hear back from you on the above so we can continue guiding you. I do have suggestions for liver/gallbladder support, but first really want to help you get to the bottom of WHY that’s happening in the first place.

[bernadette]

 thank you for sharing your food journals. Are you jet lagged from your holiday travels by any chance? I noticed that you typically sleep at 11pm, but last week’s diet you were sleeping at 1-2am.

Jet lag and lack of sleep will make a person crave more sweets as it disrupts blood sugar regulation, so don’t be too hard on yourself during this period. But the goal should be to work on getting back to sleeping earlier again. Everything else will fall back into place once you do. Sleep is powerful and directly affects our food choices, mood, blood sugar regulation, detoxification and immunity!

Set your alarm to wake up early, and don’t fall back asleep… this will help you sleep earlier that evening. Repeat the next day. Set your alarm to wake up early and don’t fall back asleep or take an afternoon nap. Do this for 2-3 days and you’ll hopefully get back to sleeping by 10pm. Also, avoid having coffee or matcha or chocolate after 12pm in the afternoon as this will stimulate you and affect your sleep. Also get direct outside sun exposure within 30 minutes of waking (and ground if you can) to help reset your circadian rhythm.

I discuss the importance of sleeping before midnight in the Sleep pillar inside the Beginner’s Health Roadmap here. I encourage you to watch the entire sleep pillar with sleep hygiene tips starting here if you haven’t already watched it.

Please report back if you’re still haven’t trouble with your food choices after fixing your sleep. But this is where I would start and I’m pretty confident you’ll notice a marked improvement.

[bernadette]

Hi  – the SIBO result is password protected. Nevertheless, I read Dr. Haidry’s report. It seems that he’s assuming a false negative given the flat line lactulose result from slow gastric motility. So I guess what he’s saying is that the results didn’t show the correct results in the given timeframe because of slow motility.

Have you ever taken Rifaximin in the past? If you’re hesitant taking an antibiotic, Biocidin Botanicals is a good broad spectrum anti-microbial that you can discuss with your doctor as an alternative if he’s open to it. It needs to be taken longer than the antibiotic (minimum 30 days up to 90 days) but has less side effects than the medication.

Are you also working with this doctor to wean off your acid suppressing med? This still needs to be a priority to prevent SIBO from developing or recurring. 

Yes, I have experience with Atrantil – it’s a good replacement for Iberogast.

[bernadette]

Hi  – congratulations!! Are you breast feeding? If so, then continuing to take your prenatal vitamins is the best way to ensure your baby is getting the micronutrients needed through your breast milk.

If not, this one by Metabolic Maintenance is a powdered option that can be added to their formula if needed. It also contains vitamin D.

Did your pediatrician recommend supplementing? Or is there something specific you’re concerned about that we might be able to help you with?

[bernadette]

Hi  – the best way to avoid EMF exposure from electronics is to create distance and reduce the duration of use.

So avoid putting phones in pant pockets for example, or using wireless headphones or wearbable devices with WIFI enabled. Get your kids used to putting their devices on airplane mode if it’s near their body and not in use. Get wired headphones and preferably shielded ones too.

I bought my kids the Defender Shield pad for their iPads and laptops. They have many other EMF protection tools too that you can browse through their site.

[bernadette]

if you’re not used to barefoot technology, go slow. The muscles in the feet need time to redevelop if they’ve been used to cushioned shoes most of the day.

[bernadette]

nope. Sad reality. I’m still looking for a better alternative in Dubai.

[bernadette]

Hi  – you might want to checkout these accounts/websites:
• barefoot.universe – I like their shoe styles better
• Earth Runners (flowearth for 10%off)