[bernadette]

Hi  – there are so many reasons why iron/ferritin can be low, and that’s why I created the Mineral Balance course and filmed a section on iron. Here’s a video on the many possible risk factors for low iron.

And indeed heavy metals, like mercury toxicity can interfere with iron synthesis. And a heavy metal burden in the body often comes with parasites and other overgrowths like candida and yeast, which further compromises iron absorption because they love to eat it!

But watch the video above to see other risk factors and let us know what resonates with you so we can then help guide you on the next step.

For example, if you also have heavier periods and blood loss, then perhaps its due to estrogen dominance, which would take us down a different path to figure out why that’s at play. Lack of detox/clearance? Xenoestrogens? Lower progesterone?

Another common but overlooked reason is low copper. Do you supplement with zinc by any chance which competes with copper?

Since you know that heavy metals are present, definitely work on detoxification with your naturopath. In conjunction, a parasite cleanse (or several rounds of parasite cleanses) would be helpful as well.

I plan on filming a heavy metal detox course in the New Year and will be sharing my protocol which essentially is supporting Phase 1 and 2 detox, taking binders, and sweating! We eliminate most of the heavy metals through sweat, so exercise and saunas (3-4 days per week) will be key for you.

Please watch the video I shared above and let us know if you suspect any other factors at play in addition to heavy metals. We can then guide you on the next step.

[bernadette]

 ya, ultrahuman might be a better option if you’re just wanting to get a better insight into how certain activities/foods affect you. It can be quite eye opening. They’ve actually contacted me recently so I’ll see if I can get a discount code for B Better members.

[bernadette]

 tired after only 3 crunches?? Just teasing you. Great tip! Thank you for sharing the proper technique.

[bernadette]

 for those needing to monitor their glucose levels due to progressed stages of insulin resistance, I usually recommend Dexcom G6. Freestyle Libre is another option.

Ultrahuman has entered the market in Dubai, but they’re more lifestyle-focused which can help a person learn about how certain foods and stress affect them to prevent disease dynamics and support their metabolic health. It’s not for those looking to accurately measure and monitor their glucose levels however.

[bernadette]

Hi ,

Yes, you can cook with Himalayan salt. That’s what we personally use in all of our dishes at home.

I have 2 liver recipes:
1. Chicken liver & onions recipe is here (all recipes are located in the Resources>Recipes section of your library dashboard)

2. Chicken liver pate recipe is here – it’s amazing! It’s the recipe from Paul Frangie, owner of Hapi who make amazing bone broth too.

Almond milk and almond butter are in my book Unjunk coming out soon, but I will add them in the recipe section as well for you. I’ll add them by next week and let you know once they’re uploaded.

Natural peach iced tea – never made it but I’m sure we can find you a good, easy recipe online. Do you want it sweetened or unsweetened?

[bernadette]

Hi  – I’ve found 200-400mg (sometimes 600mg) of l-theanine to be helpful for sleep when taken in the evenings

[bernadette]

Hi  – thank you for the details about your case. I applaud your efforts for wanting to get to the root cause to put your AI disease into remission. It’s totally possible!! And the good news is the following, even though your diagnosis is rare, all autoimmune diagnosis’ share the same 3 contributing factors:

1. Enhanced intestinal permeability
2. Weakened and overwrought immune system
3. Triggers (this is what we have to try and figure out in your specific case to begin reversing the disease dynamic)

For starters, I encourage you to watch this short video on the facts about autoimmune disease. This video was more specific to autoimmune thyroid disease but it’s still relevant to all autoimmune diseases.

->Do you have any gastro-intestinal symptoms? Heartburn, belching, nausea, bloating, gas, constipation, loose stools, greasy stools, etc?

->Have you ever tested vitamins A, D and RBC zinc?

->Do you have any known food sensitivities? Do you restrict any foods?

->To help you figure out possible triggers: 
• do you have any amalgam dental fillings, root canals, extractions done in the past?
• any stressful/traumatic events in your life that you can think of?
• any foreign materials in your body?
• any exposure to mold/mycotoxins in your home/environment?
• any past viral illnesses that were severe?

I also encourage you to watch the following video on autoimmune disease recommendations (again – it’s specific to thyroid but it’s still relevant for you)

Please take the time to watch these short videos and answer my questions above so we can continue the conversation.

[bernadette]

Hi  – when weight loss becomes difficult or when weight gain starts to happen despite best dietary and exercise efforts, it’s usually due to hormonal imbalances, and thyroid dysfunction is almost always at play as a consequence. 

And given that you’re perimenopausal, I’m going to assume estrogen dominance might be at play too (this is when estrogen is relatively higher than progesterone because progesterone decreases at a faster rate than estrogen during perimenopausal years).

Where are you gaining most of your weight? Believe it or not, this can give us a clue about which hormones are out of balance. It’s not universal, but the following patterns are pretty common:
• Apple shape (gaining weight around the belly) usually points to insulin dominance
• Pear shape (gaining weight around the hips & buttocks) usually points to estrogen dominance. Does this resonate with you?
• Melon shape (gaining weight all over) usually points to stress/cortisol dominance

And each of the hormones, insulin, estrogen/progesterone and cortisol affect THYROID function!! Thyroid is responsible for all of our metabolic needs, including gaining/losing weight.

I just recently released the thyroid course and explain how each of these hormones affect thyroid function.

->If you feel higher insulin is at play, please watch this video.
->If you feel estrogen dominance is at play, please watch this video.
->If you feel cortisol/stress is at play, please watch this video.

One or all 3 of these hormones can be at play in your case, and that’s where testing can be helpful to help us narrow it down.

But I’ll leave it here for now so I don’t overwhelm you, and will wait to hear back from you regarding body shape and which hormones you feel might be at play in your case after watching the videos (~10 mins total) so we can explore testing options as the next step.

Let’s keep the conversation going…

[bernadette]

Hi  – because there are so many different types and formulations of multivitamins, please help me narrow it down for you.
1.  What do your children typically eat, and more importantly, what do they NOT eat or refuse to eat?
2. Do they have any symptoms or been told they’re low in a particular micronutrient (i.e. vitamin/mineral)?
3. I’m assuming they can’t swallow pills correct? Do you know if they have a preference in terms of the form (hard chewable, gummy chewable, liquid, powder)?
4. Have you tried giving them a multivitamin before? If so, what brand was it, and did they like it? 

As you know, children can be picky so we always have to factor in what they’re willing to take regularly. I once got my kids a food-based chewable multi (Naturelo brand) and they spat it out and said it tasted like dog food!

[bernadette]

Hi  – just wanted to let you know that my account with Amrita Nutrition is now active. We will update this info in the Resources section of the library, but just wanted to share it with you since you were unable to order through Amrita before.

My practitioner code for the UK store on Amrita is: JXORVO

Hope this helps!

[bernadette]

Hi  – just wanted to follow up. Any updates from your doctor?

[bernadette]

 just wanted to follow up to see how your son is doing. Any updates from the surgeon on the way forward for him?

[bernadette]

Hi  – just wanted to check in. Did you try any of the suggestions? How are you feeling? 

[bernadette]

Hi  – just wanted to check in. How are you doing? Have you been able to implement some of the suggestions, watch videos or do the additional tests? Please let us know how we can further support you. ❤️

[bernadette]

Hi  – just wanted to check in. How are you feeling?