[bernadette]

Hi  – stevia, erythritol and monk fruit are all sugar alternatives that don’t feed yeast because they are not monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, galactose). They get their sweetness from different parts of the plant that mimic sweetness without being sugar.

Date syrup however would feed yeast since it is almost equal parts glucose and fructose.

But! There are cons to each of the sugar alternatives:

-erythritol is a sugar alcohol that doesn’t pass through the digestive tract so in large enough quantities, can lead to GI symptoms and diarrhea.

-many commercial stevia brands add maltodextrin or dextrose – read the labels carefully! Always choose a brand that is 100% pure Stevia.

-some brands also blend monk fruit with dextrose, molasses and/or sugar alcohols to balance the sweetness, so read the labels!

As an aside to your question, depending on where you are in your health journey, I would encourage you to forego sweeteners altogether instead of trying to find a substitute. If you already eat a diet that is low in sugar and flour products, then these sweeteners can be a great addition on occasion.

If however, you consume something sweet most days of the week, I would encourage you to work on a low-glycemic diet first and foremost (watch my VPF principle here) to balance blood sugar levels and naturally reduce cravings for sweet foods.

Let me know if you more help with that if you’re struggling with sugar cravings.

[bernadette]

Hi  – when choosing a brand of blue light blocking glasses, here is a criteria list/questions to consider and ask:
1. What percentage of blue light do your orange-tinted lenses block? (they should block 100%)
2. What range of blue light do your orange-tinted lenses block? (they should block blue light between 400-500nm)
3. Do you have a spectral report you can share or independent studies on the effectiveness of your glasses? (if they don’t have a report or don’t want to share it, move on to another brand)
4. Cost/quality? (check reviews)
5. Comfort? (check reviews)
6. If you wear prescription glasses, ask if they offer prescription orange lenses or do they have models that fit well over prescription glasses?

I personally have and use 2 different brands; a cheap pair of utility goggles by Uvex (cheap, ugly, and not the most comfortable, but effective!), and I recently purchased a pair of Swannies which have independent studies (pricier but nicer looking and more comfortable. I also feel they are just a tad less effective than my Uvex only because they don’t cover the side of the eyes like my Uvex goggles do, but I still love them all around).

Hope this helps you make a more informed choice.

[bernadette]

 go to https://sci-hub.se/ and copy/paste the DOI to open the study found here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01635589209514173

[bernadette]

Hi – yes, there are two ways to get glutathione:
1. We can produce it inside of our cells through methylation. And for that we need direct co-factors like the 3 amino acids glutamine, glycine and cysteine (hence why NAC supplement is so popular), and minerals like selenium, magnesium. Further upstream in the methylation cycle, we need vitamins B9, B12, B6 and methionine – another amino acid rich in animal meat.
2. We can also get it from the foods we eat. Here is a great list found in this study (scroll to p.6 for the list). Spinach, potatoes, squash, okra are some of the highest containing vegetables, and there are also some meats like beef and pork (which I know you can’t have). Take a look at the list and select based on your needs.

[bernadette]

From a root cause perspective, and without knowing any other information about your history, diet, lifestyle, etc, dry eyes can have the following root cause reasons:
• General mineral insufficiency, particularly potassium (watch risk factors for potassium deficiency here) 
• Low estrogen can cause overall dryness in the body, including the eyes, mouth, vagina, skin. Does this resonate with you?
• Sjogrens (pronounced SHOW-grins) is an autoimmune disease that causes dryness in mucosal membranes like the eyes and mouth
• Sensitivity to make-up/eyeliner

Believe it or not, but I’ve had 2 clients’ dry eyes improve after switching out their eye liner and mascara to a natural/cleaner mineral-based brand, and oddly enough… washing their face in sea water (which can be replicated with ‘sole’ at home if you’re not by an ocean/sea)!

[bernadette]

 there are centers (like ChemoThermia in Turkey) who are offering an integrative approach to cancer. They are treating all stages and different forms of cancer, each with a unique approach, which I believe is the reason for their success. 

In addition to the conventional cancer therapies, they also use hyperbaric oxygen, hyperthermia, IV infusions, diet, etc.

[bernadette]

Hi – let me share some general info on RLS and our current understanding of most likely drivers and root causes through the lens of functional medicine interconnectedness, and then I’ll touch on possibilities of burning hands and feet (and possibly how they’re connected towards the end):

Restless Leg Syndrome (or RLS) is a neurological dynamic in which a person has a periodic compulsion or need to move their legs in order to relieve a general feeling of discomfort. We are more likely to be affected by RLS as we age, but it can occur at any age. It is also quite common in pregnancy.  This is a general article regarding our current understanding of  RLS causes.
Also, genetic connections may be at play, especially in those who experience RLS in childhood.
It’s common for symptoms to be pronounced in the evening or during the night.  Many of those with RLS may be unaware that it is the primary cause of their insomnia or frequent awakenings or disturbed sleep.  Of course the sleep partner usually is well aware of what’s actually going on!
As an aside…Keep in mind that people who complain of “restless legs” may actually be experiencing leg cramps.  A bad cramp can indeed cause someone to jerk awake suddenly in the night due to intense pain.  Cramps are very often caused by insufficient magnesium, insufficient potassium, dehydration, insufficient thiamine, or a combination of these elements.  So it’s important that all of these dynamics be considered and addressed fully. Alcohol and caffeine intake can exacerbate all of these drivers due to increased urination (especially if the intake is atypical and the body has had adjusted to the diuretic effect) and also alcohol’s possible depletion of thiamine.

-> I highly recommend RBC magnesium labs to ensure it is in the upper third of the reference range. Our needs for daily supplementation can vary dramatically and may be quite high.  I have supported several clients who needed 1000+mg/day to fully relieve symptoms.
Research generally points to RLS being caused by imbalanced neurotransmitter action, most typically that of adenosine, dopamine, and glutamate, all potentiated by insufficient brain iron. In looking for true root causes, however, I believe key drivers for RLS are usually both in the gut (affecting iron absorption and inflammation) and in the aggregate stress level (affecting glutamate overtly).
• RLS research has long implicated excessive activity of both glutamate and dopamine.  As a master stimulatory neurotransmitter, high glutamate would exacerbate dopamine further.  Hyperdominergic activity during the day (when its levels are highest) can lead to receptor desensitization which causes insufficient dopamine action at night, during the circadian low point.  The circadian gap between highest daytime and lowest night-time levels has been demonstrated to be much larger in RLS patients, up to 4X the gap found in normal patients.  This also explains why long-term use of dopamine agonists may result, over time, in much worse RLS than before treatment.
• More recent research has highlighted the additional, synergistic role of adenosine, an atypical neurotransmitter that is a powerful modulator of glutamate and dopamine action.  And brain iron level has a large impact on adenosine receptor behavior.
• In addition to low brain iron, many other factors can contribute to excessive glutamate activity e.g. mental/emotional stress, physiological stress, toxicity, intake of stimulatory foods, excess dietary glutamate (e.g. MSG). Stimulatory foods such as coffee, black tea, chocolate, and sugar may play a significant role here given the resulting increases in glutamate and are important to avoid for those struggling with RLS.

->L-theanine is an amino acid (found naturally in green tea) which increases GABA levels and reduces glutamate receptor sensitivity and could help to calm the brain prior to sleep (~400mg+ dose).  Taurine also helps promote conversion of glutamate to GABA (1000mg+ dose).
• Low brain iron.  As often happens in the body, insufficient levels of a nutrient drive segmented behavior as the body prioritizes available supply to certain tissues/functions and allows more overt deficiency in lower priority tissues.  This selective iron storage and transport in the face of insufficient levels also happens in the brain (more here).   Iron deficiency also increases the activity of tyrosine hydroxylase (the enzyme which catalyzes dopamine synthesis) in key areas of the body.
• Certainly iron is necessary for the synthesis of dopamine.  True iron deficiency is common in those with RLS (~25%), with many more perhaps having suboptimal levels.  But there is a more esoteric issue here with regard to iron availability and action specifically in the brain and nervous systems.  Iron may be plentiful in the lower tissues but deficient in the cerebrospinal fluid or deficient in select tissues of the brain.  Severity of RLS symptoms does correlate with ferritin level when there is insufficient iron.

->I recommend you check ferritin to ensure it’s ample and above at least 50 ng/ml; it may need to be higher to provide brain sufficiency (>70 ng/ml).
• Disease begins in the gut!  Keep in mind that iron is notoriously hard to absorb from the GI tract.   Inflammation is more likely to be generated from within the gut, as that is where 2/3+ of our immune system resides. And that strong inflammation impairs iron absorption.  There are impressive connections between SIBO and RLS which likely have several roots, including impaired mineral absorption, increased intestinal permeability that impairs iron absorption from the gut, and increased inflammation.• In patients with both SIBO and RLS,  77% of patients treated with the nonabsorbed antibiotic rifaximin  had  ≥80% long-lasting improvement of RLS symptoms (post antibiotic therapy with probiotics was included).  This type of data goes beyond correlation and clearly reinforces a causal connection between RLS and gut microbial imbalance and its impact on nutrient absorption!
• IBS was diagnosed in 28% of RLS patience (vs. 4% of controls) – a dramatic data point! 30% of IBS patients also have RLS.  Both Celiac and Crohns disease patients are several times more likely  to have RLS than the general populations (35%+). Of course, GI disturbance or disease has to progress enough to cause sufficient malabsorption and inflammation to cause RLS to occur.
• Keep in mind, however, that there is a reason the 5Rs have a logical order of priority (watch this short video here). You will want to address microbial imbalances/pathogens first!  – before supplementing with iron, to ensure that iron doesn’t exacerbate a gut infection. In case study examples, we often see a client’s primary care physician misstep of aggressively supplementing iron while also treating (or not even investigating) a notable pathogenic gut imbalance – and making no notable progress on either goal given the simultaneous timing.
• And of course, having a fortified, balanced immune system is key to preventing a microbial infection or imbalance.

->Checking key nutrients such as Vitamin A, Vitamin D, and RBC Zinc would also be prudent.
->Because of its immunosuppressive effects, high cortisol levels could also be a puzzle piece, and a focus on stress management is going to be key for any RLS case.
• Surges in certain inflammatory compounds (specific interleukins) cause the liver to secrete more of a protein called hepcidin (which controls iron absorption in the gut) and drive lower iron levels.   This is part of the how the body protects itself from excess iron to prevent fueling an infection.  Supplementing iron just once a day, in the morning, and only every other day may help increase iron replenishment (over more frequent intake) due to hepcidin suppression.
• Hypoglycemia.  Nearly 50% of patients with reactive hypoglycemia have RLS, so it’s important to ensure good blood sugar control.

->Have you checked your blood sugar status? Here’s a video with testing considerations.
•  Cortisol levels are important overnight for maintaining optimal blood sugar, so low adrenal output of cortisol overnight may also be an issue in some people with RLS.
• Thyroid function. There may also be a connection between thyroid function and dopamine action in RLS as well.  Iron is a key co-factor for the conversion of T4 to T3 thyroid hormone.  Even in more recent research, there is an increased incidence of RLS in thyroid patients, but of course, this connection might also be via the gut.
• Folate status.  This is one I encourage pregnant women to definitely explore. This is a very interesting write-up.  Studies generally show that RLS isolated to pregnancy is highly nutrient-dependent, that is very responsive to supplementation with missing nutrients, specifically iron and folate.  Here’s another interesting clinical write-up.• The need for both iron and folate is much higher during pregnancy (3-4X more for iron; 8-10X more for folate).  Individuals with other predisposing issues (e.g. pre-existing gut issues such as IBS or genetic impairments in folate such as from MTHFR SNPs) will likely have an even greater likelihood of these symptoms during pregnancy.  Blood work such as homocysteine (optimal 6-8 umol/L), RBC folate, and/or the organic acid formiminoglutamic acid (want lower half of reference range) will help to definitively identify if a woman’s prenatal supplement regimen is giving sufficient folate. Making sure that the prenatal is using methyl folate and not folic acid is important to help ensure maximum cellular folate.

For now, as a minimum focus on the following, and later explore further avenues from the above based on what resonates with your unique case:
• Stress relief and mindfulness.  Find ways to quiet the mind and prioritize daily choices in self-care. If you haven’t yet watched the Beginner’s Health Roadmap, please watch the “Thoughts” pillar for some ideas.
• Labs. Check at least Ferritin, RBC magnesium, Vitamin D, and homocysteine to ensure all are optimal (not just “normal” within typical reference ranges).  If possible, also RBC folate, Vitamin A, and RBC Zinc. Low B9/B12 can also be associated with burning extremities since they are needed for optimal nerve function so there may be a connection/need for you there.
• Ensure you are consuming adequate protein intake which is key.  Practice good Eating Hygiene.
• Practice the key principles of Sleep Hygiene (watch videos here) to ensure other contributors to poor sleep are being addressed consistently. A strong, balanced immune system requires regular, deep sleep. This will help prevent infections (and downstream inflammation) and gut microbial imbalance (and downstream nutrient malabsorption).
• As basic as it seems, ensure you stay hydrated by sipping on plain, clean filtered water throughout the day. (here are the videos to watch on hydration)

Ok, I know I’ve shared a lot of info with you, but I wanted to provide some education around the subject since I don’t have any background information to be able to be more specific with you.

Please let me know if any of this resonates with you and how we can further support.

[bernadette]

 keep in mind that transient probiotics usually stay within the body for 3-5 days so if you can give a probiotic-rich food every 2-3 days, this will ensure they continuously get the benefits from these probiotics before they leave their body.

[bernadette]

 I agree with Daniel. If there’s no reason to supplement, I prefer to give a variety of fermented foods to kids. It’s way better than a supplement anyway in terms of diversity and colony count so don’t feel like you’re not doing a good job by only giving them kefir. That’s already one of the best forms of probiotics there is in terms of diversity and colony count!

And like food, if you did want to venture into giving them a probiotic supplement, I prefer a broad spectrum probiotic like Klaire Labs Therbiotic Complete which comes in powder form for better diversity, and would cycle it on and off. But again, fermented foods still trumps this probiotic if you can get them to consume them regularly.

I personally rotate between giving my kids kefir in smoothies regularly, with sauerkraut as a side to certain meals, water kefir and sometimes homemade kombucha when I brew. But kefir is also my staple at home.

[bernadette]

Hi  – so the ratio of bones to liquid should be 2-3 pounds (~1-1.3kg) of bones to 4 quarts of filtered water (16 US cups / ~3.8 liters). 

You didn’t mention how much liquid you used but I don’t think an Instant Pot can hold more liquid than that right?

And when using a pressure cooker like an Instant Pot, it’s not necessary to use apple cider vinegar – although I don’t believe it would affect your gastritis if you did since such a small amount is used. It’s simply to help extract the minerals from the bones better.

Broth/stock should be liquid when hot but how you can tell if you extracted enough gelatin is by putting it in the refrigerator. If it forms a gel when cold, it’s a successful attempt!

Let us know.

[bernadette]

there is no HCL – take a look at the formulation

[bernadette]

 ok do take a look at this product by Biotics Research called HCL Ease. It has healing botanicals specifically designed to be taken while someone is on PPIs for GERD and contains pepsin to help with breakdown of protein. Might be something to consider at this stage alongside GI Relief. 

The therapeutic dose is typically 3 capsules, 2 x per day between meals. And if nighttime reflux is an issue, 3 capsules can also be taken 1 hour before bed.

[bernadette]

Hi  – just wanted to check in on you. If I’m not mistaken, you’ve been taking GI relief for almost a month now correct? How would you rate the relief you’re feeling in the stomach area? Is it the same, worse or slightly better?

[bernadette]

 some people are also sensitive to methylated forms of B vitamins (which Dr. Brigten’s formula is) so choosing one that is methyl-free can often help reduce anxiety/anxiousness, rapid heart beats and nausea. I like Seeking Health’s Optimal Prenatal Methyl Free

As Daniel mentioned, stopping the prenatal for a few days can help her see if it’s contributing to her symptoms, and then maybe shop around for another form that is methyl-free.

Hope this helps her! And please ask her to join us here in B Better. We’d be happy to support her too.

[bernadette]

 I actually have a pre & post-op protocol that I had planned to share in the resources for this month but seeing that you need it sooner rather than later, here are some suggestions that can help:

Pre Surgery:
• Support immunity prior to surgery with Vitamin D, Vitamin A, zinc, and probiotics. Even if not started prior to surgery, these can certainly be added post-surgery to assist with wound healing and infection avoidance. One week after surgery, a person can begin the anti-inflammatory remedies again like omega-3, evening primrose oil, curcumin, bromelain, etc (unless there are issues with poor wound healing).

Immediately after surgery (for the first week or so): 
• Maximize the nutrient gained from liquids (e.g. green juice, protein smoothie, soups, pureed stews, etc). This minimizes the digestive effort required and allows the body to put its energy into healing. 

• In terms of lifestyle, I recommend that clients do whatever is necessary to sleep soundly (ex. sleep in a separate bedroom, wear earplugs, take 1-3 mg melatonin at night, pets/kids away from bedroom, etc); there is no better healing activity than a sound sleep. 

• Since surgery is very stressful for the body, avoid all stressful circumstances/conversations for a while after the surgery. I often recommend distractions like comedy movies or recordings. Post-surgery is also an excellent time to begin a meditation practice; a guided meditation app, CD or book can be helpful to get her started.

• Also, since a patient will be given a number of medications to prevent post-surgery complications, supporting the liver like Integrative Therapeutics Detoxification Factors or Pure Encapsulations Liver-G.I. Detox, can help mitigate the effects of the meds which need to be detoxified from the body. And take them for as long as they’re on meds. Just check with docs to make sure no contraindications!
• And some love for your gut: bone broth and/or a product that can help heal your gut lining. I like GI Revive (comes in capsules or powder form)

Visualize a successful and uneventful surgery! Wishing you the best of luck and an effective recovery. Please keep us posted on how it all goes. We’ll be praying for you.