bernadette
Forum Replies Created
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not much studies done on the safety of l-theanine during pregnancy. However, phosphatidylserine (a type of phospholipid) is known to help balance cortisol (stress hormone) production, which has a strong clinical record of reducing anxiety and fatigue.
Phospholipids are incredibly important during pregnancy and for milk production since there’s a very high demand for them, especially choline.
As the fetus grows, it requires large volumes of phospholipids to build all of those beautiful new cells. Low maternal choline status has been associated with an increased risk of neural tube defects and altered brain development. Aside from the risks to the baby, it is thought that deficiencies in phospholipids brought on by high gestational demand and low dietary intake can cause shortages of phospholipids in other areas of the mother’s body, including the liver and bile. This could be a major contributor to the reason that gallbladder dysfunction is so much more common during pregnancy and after birth than at other times of a woman’s life. We need the emulsifying property of phospholipids to keep bile smooth and slippery and prevent stagnation.
Phospholipids are also vital ingredients in breastmilk, since the growing baby continues to have a high demand for new cell generation. It is such a vital nutrient, that pregnancy stimulates the up-regulation of genes involved in the production and transport phosphatidylcholine! Isotope studies have shown that pregnancy stimulates the body to shuttle increased levels of choline to the placenta, and likewise, lactation stimulates the body to shuttle choline supplies into the mammary glands. In both cases, oral supplementation with choline enhanced choline content in the placenta and milk.
The choline content of breastmilk is not only important nutrition for baby, but the emulsifying function of choline is thought to help prevent the high fat content in the milk from solidifying and contributing to mastitis. This is why supplementation with lecithin or choline is often used as a treatment for recurrent plugged mammary ducts, and sufficient intake of dietary choline can reduce the risk of mastitis and clogged ducts.
It is important to note that many prenatal supplements and multivitamins do not contain choline, and those that do often contain the choline chloride form, which is not as bioavailable.
Unfortunately, there is still no solid consensus on how much dietary choline we actually need. The Institute of Medicine (whose recommendations tend to be on the low side) suggests that adequate intake values are 425 mg per day for adult women, with an increased need during pregnancy and lactation. It is thought that ~95% of pregnant women consume less choline than they need!
The great news is that 3 ounces of beef liver contains 356 mg of choline and one chicken egg has about 147 mg – a pretty great start!
Liver paté is another excellent source of choline and you can find the recipe in the resource section here.
If she won’t eat more of these foods, then here’s a supplement suggestion by Seeking Health as an example.
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they finally got back to me yesterday and they’re looking into it. I’ve been approved, but I’m still waiting for them to send me login details. I will share them as soon as I hear back.
When requesting tests for my clients, I always keep in mind the following: will the result change the course of action or will it only confirm my assumption? Confirming an assumption is costly and yields little results. Better to save your money.
In your case, I feel it’s important to know what is contributing to sluggish digestion and immunity (given the H Pylori and SIBO dynamics), therefore the following tests could provide better insight as discussed on the live case study call:
-full thyroid panel
-zinc, copper, ceruloplasmin, iron, ferritin, vitamin A
-blood sugar (fasting glucose, fasting insulin, HbA1C)
-ERMI test to rule out moldI wouldn’t do the others until perhaps later once you’d had a chance to address them such as removing your amalgam fillings and addressing H Pylori with Matula tea for example.
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please keep us posted if you find an alternative you like and recommend as you do your research
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Hi – just based off this small set of lab markers and no other information, it seems this person is struggling with blood sugar dysregulation, which is contributing to elevated uric acid (possibly gout), and a need for liver support.
It would be interesting to see their total and direct bilirubin. I would also be curious to know their kidney function and gut health status. Or if there’s any kind of atherosclerosis or circulatory disorders.
Nevertheless, the blood sugar regulation course would be the starting point for this individual, as that may be the driving factor for the other dynamics. Diet and stress reduction are key!
In there I discuss the role that the liver, pancreas and adrenals play in blood sugar regulation (watch here).
You can also see the optimal ranges for fasting glucose and insulin in this video here to compare it to their results and to better understand my assumed conclusion.
Hope this helps.
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Hi
For talk therapy, checkout Thrive Wellbeing Centre by Dr. Sarah Rasmi. They offer talk therapy for kids, teens, parents, couples, and psychiatry.
Another option is Vivamus clinic. They offer psychology and counseling for children, teens and adults. They also offer EMDR (Dr. Maria) both in person and virtually.
For insurance coverage, you can checkout Dr. Shazia at Rashid Hospital. She is both a clinical psychologist and trained in EMDR.
For New Emotional Release, you can find the student and practitioner list attached as a resource in our January 2023 case study call here. You can see who offers in person and virtual sessions. Unfortunately, no one in Dubai… yet!
Hope this helps.
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your doctor is correct in that asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the respiratory system. In the bronchioles of the lungs, we find inflammation (swollen walls, increased mucus, tightened muscles), and histamine is a major mediator. Since inflammation is generated by the immune system, asthma very often occurs hand-in-hand with other immune-mediated dis-ease in the body, especially when they have been sustained for a long time, such as environmental allergies, food sensitivity/allergy, eczema, acid reflux, arthritis, chronic sinusitis, etc.
Many common triggers for asthma are allergies, including food sensitivities. There can be a different set of underlying root causes for the asthmatic state (dynamics such as toxicity, mold, or other environmental allergies are very common root causes) vs. common triggers for a bout of asthma (e.g. specific foods, stress). In the end, both must be addressed for sustainable wellness.
Here is a an old-but-good journal article on the specific connections between histamine and asthma (here is a more recent research summary). On that note, here are some specific recommendations which might be helpful:
• Eliminate dairy 100%. In my experience, every chronic asthma client has immune reactivity to dairy foods (including butter). Check supplement and medication ingredients to make sure they are also dairy free!
• Avoid histamine rich or histamine producing strains of bacteria in probiotics (as discussed on the case study call), including fermented foods. Here’s a list of histamine rich foods for reference. Don’t get overwhelmed by it. Take a look and see if there are any foods high in histamine that you have on a daily basis. If so, consider removing it.
• Eliminate yeast/fungus. Ongoing use of steroid inhalers commonly creates yeast overgrowth, perhaps even thrush, in the upper respiratory and/or GI tract (due to localized immunosuppression). Over time this dynamic can create an allergy/sensitivity to yeast. This is also a way in which chronic use of conventional medication for asthma can continue to promote immune imbalance. Because these foods also contain high levels of histamine, I would eliminate all yeast/fungus-containing or -cultured foods (e.g. beer, wine, vinegar, cured meats, kombucha, miso, tempeh). I would also consider doing a 10-15-day round of antifungal support in order to counter what has very likely built up in your GI tract (e.g. Renew Life’s “CandiSmart”); this will not address the issue long-term but will likely provide some relief to help establish a new normal with a lower histamine burden.
• To counter histamine specifically, diamine oxidase (DAO) supplements (like Seeking Health’s Histamine Block) can be taken with meals to help the gut to break down more of what is consumed (which is shown to be quite helpful with asthma).
• Boswellia (300mg) and quercetin (1000mg) twice daily can be helpful as well. Boswellia is particularly helpful for joint pain (a good alternative to NSAIDs), but it also impairs leukotriene production and has been clinically shown to reduce asthma symptoms. Quercetin impairs mast cell degranulation directly.
• A daily probiotic with histamine-degrading species would also be beneficial (i.e. Seeking Health’s ProBiota HistaminX)
• As discussed on the call, an activated B-complex daily with food can also help with histamine degradation which requires methylation and B vitamins (particularly B6 in the P5P form). I would check methylation status with your doctor (e.g. homocysteine, methylmalonic acid). And remember we always want to add/increase a B-complex low’n’slow to allow pathways to be supported progressively.
• Assess possibility of insufficient stomach acid (which can cause both magnesium and vitamin B12 insufficiency). There is a very common association between chronic asthma and GERD. Allergy can promote insufficient stomach acid. This hypochlorhydria can then promote GERD, and frequent use of steroid inhalers can weaken the lower esophageal sphincter, also promoting GERD. Low stomach acid promotes more immune system exposure to allergenic proteins which can then worsen allergic hypersensitivity, creating a vicious cycle. In my own practice, every single person with chronic asthma also has had hypochlorhydria. Certainly this dynamic can bounce back as you address upstream root causes (e.g. hypothyroid, steroid use), but supporting it in the short-term is often key to improve nutrient absorption and to reduce downstream allergenic response in the gut. Testing for H Pylori overgrowth is something I had recommended on the call as well.
• Assess magnesium status. By promoting muscle tightness and/or spasm, insufficient magnesium might be at play in exacerbating these symptoms. It is also important to ensure magnesium is repleted before beginning a Vitamin D supplement (magnesium is required to convert Vitamin D to its final active form in the body).
• Work on making the bedroom (the sleeping environment, in particular!) a non-allergenic environment. This may include investing in a hyper HEPA air filter (see recommendations here in the Beginner’s Health Roadmap), letting beloved pets sleep elsewhere, cleaning curtains/carpets, investigating sources of mold, etc..There are many other options to consider, if necessary! For example, proteolytic enzymes taken on an empty stomach could help to break down immune complexes (i.e. Biotics Research Intenzyme Forte). Or if Boswellia is not enough, then curcumin might be added in combination. NAC (N-acetyl cysteine) is a precursor to glutathione (a master antioxidant). It can provide detox and lung support.
However, in my experience, the above list is typically sufficient to bring dramatic rapid relief. I will emphasize, however, that these interventions are only toward the goal of rapid relief, and the true root cause resolution remains important work!
In terms of foods that can support lung health, antioxidants is the name of the game so increasing vegetables and low-glycemic fruits (i.e. berries) is helpful! Examples:
• Berries
• Cruciferous – bak choi, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower
• Quercetin rich foods (green tea, apple, onions, capers)
• Other things that may support the glutathione detox pathway: green tea, rosemary, rooibos, turmeric, ginger, garlic.Hope the above is helpful. Let me know if you have any other questions.
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– I have small stainless steel and glass containers with lids for storing small items in the fridge or counter. If you search for “stainless steel sauce bowls with lid” or “glass small sauce bowls with lid” on Amazon, you’ll find a bunch of different products. These are great for smaller items like lemons, ginger, etc.
The old fashion way is to wrap your food in paper towel and then a kitchen towel. That’s how I wrap my herbs and lettuce actually. Keeps them fresh longer.
I’ve never tried beeswax cotton wraps but have always been curious about these: https://organicfoodsandcafe.com/product/organic-larder-beeswax-wraps
I also have a few silicone reusable bags to minimize the amount of ziplock plastic we use. They can be used in the fridge and freezer.
Hope this helps.
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so you know how the tip that plugs into the iPhone is usually flat? Defender Shield’s earbuds have a rounded tip at the end, so you’ll need to get that adapter that allows you to plug it into your iPhone. Here’s a picture of what I’m talking about:[WhatsApp Image 2023-01-16 at 2.25.06 PM.jpeg]
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Haha – to me it’s like asking if there’s a safer brand of cigarettes.
I’m not familiar with a brand of wireless technology that is also shielded. I don’t even think that’s possible given the nature of the technology…
If you are however shopping around for new earphones and don’t mind getting wired ones, I recently purchased my son a pair of shielded ones from Defender Shield and he loves them.
I had included them in my Holiday Gift Guide and they have given my audience a discount code: BERN10 until Feb 14 2023.
Note: it’s a rounded tip so you’ll need Apple’s 3.5mm lightning/USB C adapter.
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baby steps is the way to go for sure! Making healthier swaps like dark chocolate and dried fruit is definitely leaps and bounds better than processed sugar and junk food so I applaud your efforts.
If there’s a yeast overgrowth, it makes it even harder to kick sugar cravings because that’s what they love and need to survive!
But I want to help you unpack your sugar cravings at night. Typically when cravings consistently hit at a certain time of day, there’s usually a way to remedy that.
So let me ask you a few more questions:
-what time is dinner, what time do sugar cravings usually hit, and what time do you get to bed?
-what do you typically eat for dinner?
-what’s your evening routine typically? i.e. dinner then sit on the couch for the rest of the evening? dinner, then work on computer/phone? dinner, then go for a walk? What’s currently your typical evening routine. -
I only get the 2 at the back (coconut oil and olive oil). The other 2 at the front use sunflower oil and add other unnecessary ingredients – FYI.
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I’m glad your surgery went better than expected. Please let us know if we can help in any other way.
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Hi – I found a great article for you by Dr. Mark Burhenne (@askthedentist) about braces, and the pros and cons of using different materials, including the cost factor.
https://askthedentist.com/braces/#types-of-braces
Hope this helps answer your question.
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Hi – I feel so sad for this 15-year old boy. Can you please provide a little history so that we can help guide you a little better. Also very important – did the boy or his parents provide consent to share his labs with us here in the forum? If not, please remove his labs and any identifying information.
Starter questions:
1. When did you start working with this boy? What were his major symptoms/complaints when he came to see you?
2. What is his diet & lifestyle like?
3. Were all of these medications given to him when his stomach pains started? Did he get relief?A few key markers jumped out:
-suboptimal homocysteine. Does he consume animal proteins by any chance or is he vegan/vegetarian?
-high CRP. There is a lot of inflammation. Was it food poisoning? The doctors prescribed antibiotics… did he get relief?
-TSH is suboptimally high. I’d be interested in seeing his fasting insulin and glucose levels. Is his diet high in sugar/flour products?
-Iron and vitamin D are clinically low. Does he take any supplements? Has he always struggled with low iron?
It would also be great if you can ask his parents to join B Better as well so we can ask them questions about his case directly.
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correct – it’s a 1-time urine sample
