[bernadette]

 more good news! Remember to continue working upstream and focus on the 3 major digestive players – GPS; gallbladder, pancreas (enzymes), stomach!! Your issues lie with the biliary tract and stomach.

Work with your ANF practitioner to help get you off those acid blockers over time as you slowly add in Betaine HCL now that you’ve confirmed H Pylori is negative, and continue increasing support for the biliary tract. Once these major players are supported, a parasite cleanse is warranted. You’re getting there…

[bernadette]

 woohoo!! Well done keep up the effort… you’re on the right track and I’m glad to see these wins!

[bernadette]



3. If the iodine patch test disappears very quickly, that usually indicates a strong need for more iodine. I discuss that test in this video here along with the loaded/unloaded 24-hour iodine test that you should consider getting. If you know a naturopath, they could order this for you. TrueHealth Labs may also ship that test to London. The link is beneath the video. Note, if antibody results come back positive, loaded iodine testing is contraindicated. Instead opt for the unloaded 24-hour iodine urine test which I explain in more detail in the video.

Breastfeeding can definitely increase one’s need for more iodine, so that may be a factor for you. How much iodine is in your prenatal? Here’s a video that shares other risk factors (including foods) that can contribute to iodine deficiency to keep in mind as well. Are you consuming any of those mentioned foods in large quantities? Any significant exposure to competing halogens like fluoride, bromide, chlorine? Do you filter your water at home?

Given that selenium is needed for the production of T4 and conversion of T4 to T3, I would get that measured for sure (RBC selenium) and start consuming more selenium-rich foods (like 4-5 organic Brazil nuts per day and/or sardines with skin on). 

Please let us know your antibody results when you get them. Smart choice removing dairy, gluten and eggs for now.

[bernadette]

 contact them directly to enquire about the Fair Care program. Try to add in warm salt water rinses too.

[bernadette]

Hi  – sorry to hear. Where do you live? You can search for a biological dentist on IAOMT’s website. I realize the cost is prohibitive for many so I would ask about flexible payment plans and insurance coverage to cover some parts of the treatments to reduce the cost.

If you’re in Dubai, I highly recommend Dr. Roze BioDental & BioHealth Clinics. They have a Fair Care program which offers free service to those experiencing financial hardship. I’m not sure what the qualification requirements are, but it’s worth investigating.

And in the meantime, are you doing anything to help reduce the inflammation like warm salt water rinses and coconut oil pulling? 

Warm salt water rinses: dissolve 1/2 tsp salt in warm water and swish around for 30 secs, then spit. Repeat as needed. 

Oil pulling: swish a tbsp of coconut or sesame oil for about 15 minutes, then spit it out in the garbage, daily.

Hope this was helpful.

[bernadette]

 did you post a separate comment? I’m confused because you said “ALSO”. Did you reply to my comment above but it didn’t post?

[bernadette]

Hi  – I’m going to assume you don’t have the time to watch the entire Thyroid Balance course given that you have a 5-month old.

So allow me to share a few videos from that course that can help you better understand the dynamic at play with a high TSH and goiter development:
• This video discusses the feedback loop and will give you an overview of how the brain and thyroid hormones work together. A high TSH means that the brain senses a strong need for more T4 thyroid hormone.

1. How’s your protein intake/digestion & absorption?
2. Any gastrointestinal symptoms?
3. How’s your dietary iodine intake?
• This video shares reasons for goiter development and high TSH.

4. Have your doctors tested iodine and selenium status?
5. Were antibodies measured? Here’s what a full thyroid panel looks like in case they didn’t run a full panel.
• This video shares factors that can affect thyroid function (to be aware of).

It would be great if you could share your lab results with us so we can take a look from a functional lens.

I’ll wait for you to reply to my questions which I’ve numbered above so you can reply to them 1 by 1, so I can continue guiding you.

[bernadette]

are you struggling with these viruses? I just replied to your post on low neutrophils and mentioned the possibility of chronic viral infections being a possibility.

And yes, AHCC has been shown to increase the immune system’s antiviral activity, and therefore can technically eliminate all viruses. Here’s a great article by Metagenics which references studies to back this up for EBV.

As for herpes, high dose vitamin C believe it or not has been shown in many studies to be effective. You can browse through this compilation of articles which reference studies. FYI – it’s a very bad/old website, but the information is there.

[bernadette]

Hi – we literally just uploaded our High Cholesterol handout in the Symptom Dictionary today. Your timing is perfect. We also have this write-up to help you better understand what your cholesterol labs mean.

Before we jump into the possible reasons for increasing cholesterol, just know that clinical reference ranges for total cholesterol have been decreasing over the years. What used to be considered “normal” is now considered “high” as a result. So can you define or share your test results so that we can have a closer look?

What’s really interesting is that research shows that after 65-70 years old, having a higher cholesterol level is actually protective and associated with a lower risk of death of all causes. On a graph comparing total cholesterol levels vs. mortality across 154 countries, there’s a U-shape curve that happens over time as we age. So the truth is that all-cause mortality is actually lowest in the 200-240 mg/dl zone and most cholesterol reference ranges today are much lower. In studies, lower levels show higher mortality.

If however you do have trending high cholesterol, here’s the handout which lists the many possible root causes for high cholesterol which I’ll list below so we can troubleshoot together:
•  Low thyroid function
• Hyper-adrenal function from chronic stress
• Insulin resistance and/or elevated insulin
• Hyperglycemia/diabetes
• Liver/biliary congestion (i.e. lack of bile flow from liver)
• Fatty liver
• Genetic predisposition: lipoprotein disorders, familial hypercholesterolemia
• Alcoholism
• Poor diet & lifestyle: high carb, trans fats & saturated fat consumption, sedentary lifestyle, smoking
• Pregnancy
• Medications (i.e. progestins, steroids, immunosuppressants)

Low thyroid function, hyper-adrenal function, insulin resistance and liver/biliary tract congestion are often the most common root causes besides genetics.

There are signs & symptoms for each of these:
• Here’s a video to see if you resonate with low thyroid function.
• Here’s a video to see if you resonate with hyper-adrenal function.
• Here’s a video to see if you resonate with early signs of insulin resistance. And here’s a video for more progressed insulin resistance.
• Here’s a questionnaire you can fill out to determine if there’s an issue with liver/gallbladder function.

The next step would be to test to confirm or rule these possibilities out if in fact, cholesterol truly is high.

Hope this helps give you areas to explore.

Let me know what you feel is at play after watching the videos/filling out the questionnaire, and let me know if you have any questions.

[bernadette]

Hi  – it would be great if you could upload your test results so we can take a look at them from a functional lens to pick up on patterns or dynamics that might be present.

Also can you please answer the following questions. I’ve numbered them so you can reply to them 1 by 1:

1. Since when have you been experiencing low neutrophils? 
2. What led you to get tested? Were there any symptoms present that made you see a doctor?
3. What happened in your life (any significant events stand out?) around the time when you realized you had low neutrophils?

In the meantime, below are some possibilities:
• From a nutritional standpoint, neutropenia can be caused by a copper deficiency. Here’s a video in the Mineral Balance course which describes the different signs and symptoms of low copper. Post-pandemic, I’ve been noticing copper deficiency due to an over-supplementation of zinc! Zinc and copper compete, so if someone’s been supplementing with 45mg of zinc or more for months at a time, that alone will deplete their copper and affect both WBC and neutrophils. Here’s a video on other risk factors for low copper.

• Vitamin B12 and folate are also needed for the production of white blood cells and neutrophils.

->it would be a good idea to test the following nutrients if you haven’t already done so: RBC zinc, RBC copper, ceruloplasmin, serum vitamin B12, serum folate, vitamin D, vitamin A (vitamin D and A because they’re important nutrients for immune health as well)
• Heavy metal exposure like high arsenic levels can also lead to low WBC (especially neutrophils). Arsenic is commonly found in shellfish, pesticides, and contaminated water. Symptoms of arsenic toxicity can include hyperkeratosis (thickening of skin – heels/palms), warts on heels/palms (plantar warts), skin pigmentation changes, Mees line formation on nails, garlic/metallic taste in mouth, low WBC (esp. neutrophils), Raynaud’s, hypertension/arrhythmia/atherosclerosis, “milk and roses” complexion – arsenic hinders consistently circulation in the skin.

• Another possibility for low neutrophils is a chronic viral infection that is taxing your white blood cells. Have doctors run viral panels such as the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) or Cytomegalovirus (CMV) for example? With chronic viral infections, a person will often have other symptoms like fatigue, frequent illnesses, muscle/joint aches, digestive symptoms, etc.

• Medications. Are you taking any prescription or self-prescribed/over-the-counter medications and/or supplements?

For all of these possibilities mentioned above, testing is available to confirm or rule them out. Please let me know if you resonate with any of them so we can continue guiding you towards the root cause! And I’ll wait for your reply.

[bernadette]

 in addition to Daniel’s excellent reply and questions to help us help you get to the root cause of your hot flashes, I’d also encourage you to read through this Hot Flash protocol posted in the resources to hopefully offer some rapid relief in the meantime while we help you figure out the root cause so you can address it.

[bernadette]

 please do keep us posted!

[bernadette]

 correct, it protects against certain strains – not all. As the insert states, “GARDASIL 9 protects only against those vulvar, vaginal, anal, oropharyngeal and other head and neck cancers caused by HPV 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58.

GARDASIL 9 has not been demonstrated to provide protection against disease caused by:
• HPV types not covered by the vaccine”

[bernadette]

 please read the insert for HPV vaccine here to help you make a more informed choice on what it’s made with and what are the risks.

If you’re looking for my opinion, it’s biased. My opinion is that Gardasil vaccine is targeting specific strains of the virus. And as you know, viruses change, so if a person comes across a different strain, the vaccine won’t be effective. It’s also sexually transmitted so I question why they push it on children who are not sexually active.

The other downside to this vaccine in my opinion is the aluminum adjuvant. Plus, the listed adverse reactions of the vaccine as described in the link I shared above are pretty serious.

It’s always a matter of looking at the risks vs. benefits. So my thought process asks the following question: if my child was to end up getting this virus and showing abnormal cervical growths, is there something natural that is clinically proven to prevent and treat it later on? And the response is yes! We’ve had previous posts in the community about that here and here if you’d like to learn more about it. 

And the immune system when robust is capable of handling pathogens, including viruses. So from a preventative perspective, looking to support and optimize immune function (and therefore gut health), is again in my opinion, the safest way.

[bernadette]

Hi  – there are no silly questions! 

Does she feel cold all over or only in her extremities? 

There could be a number of possible causes for her feeling cold and having a pale tongue which can include:
• Anemia: a deficiency of red blood cells or hemoglobin which can be caused by nutritional deficiencies like low B12, B9 or low iron for example. How is her diet? Does she eat animal proteins?
• Poor blood circulation, which can lead to feeling cold especially in the extremities. Conditions like Raynaud’s disease can affect blood flow to the extremities and cause these symptoms for example.
• Hypothyroidism. The thyroid plays a role in regulating body temperature. Please watch this video to see if she has any other signs of an underactive thyroid.

It would be a good idea to get her assessed by a doctor to rule these out.