If you have children in school or work in an office, you know that cold season is in full swing. When you feel the telltale throat tickle, how do you respond? Some just buy a box of tissues and push through. Others pull out a collection of over-the-counter drugs. But there are some preventative measures you can employ right away.
Sarah was tired all the time. She leaned on coffee to get through her mornings, craved sugar in the afternoons, and by evening she barely had energy left for her family. Her bloodwork came back “normal,” yet she knew something was off. When she met a practitioner who offered Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) testing, Sarah finally got answers that validated her struggles.
Her magnesium was depleted, her copper was out of balance, and she had traces of toxic metals dragging her down. Armed with steps to restore her mineral balance, Sarah began to regain her energy — and hope for her future.
Stories like Sarah’s are not unusual. Minerals are the spark plugs of life. They power energy, steady moods, support hormones, and keep bones strong. Without the right balance, your body simply can’t thrive. That’s where HTMA can make a difference. If you’re ready to move beyond the “blood panel snapshots” and dig deeper, this test could provide the road map.
We are now fully into fall and winter isn’t far away. This is the time of year that many people delight in cooler temperatures and beautiful foliage colors, while others fear “flu season.” If you find yourself catching whatever bug seems to be visiting your community, you may be in the latter category. No need to fear. My purpose today is to empower you to build up your inner army to fight on your behalf.
Many of us pay little attention to our bodies until we are hungry. We take for granted the amazing, unseen internal work that is happening every moment. Did you realize that your heart is pumping around 2,000 gallons of blood through its chambers each day? Not only that, but your kidneys filter about 40 gallons of blood to produce 1-2 quarts of urine. And there are trillions of good bacteria – called the microbiome – on your skin and inside your body working tirelessly to protect you.
There’s more to preparing for back to school than buying new clothes or uniforms and school supplies. What many don’t think about is how to prepare their children for the new schedule and the energy demands for a day of learning. I have some thoughts to share on how to approach this school year healthfully.
There can be mixed feelings about returning to school, though it brings benefits. Children enjoy seeing friends they didn’t see during the summer, and there is the anticipation of learning new things.
Children can also thrive in a more structured schedule. There are some important steps to take in adjusting to the new schedule.
Since the pandemic, we’ve seen an increase in recommendations to boost Vitamin D. It was not an unknown vitamin until then. We have all heard that spending time in the sun could increase Vitamin D levels – but do you know why your level is important? Are you curious what’s D got to do with it?
Vitamin D is both a nutrient and a prohormone – a precursor to the hormone, calcitriol. It has many functions in the body touching the gut, bones, hormones, immune system, and gene expression. It’s an important part of healthy living.
When you were young did you know a lot of people who had allergies? Were you in a classroom that wouldn’t allow peanut products because of the number of children who were at risk? Clearly, something has changed for allergies to become so common.
We are regularly subjected to toxins that put an increased burden on our liver. From chemicals used in agriculture to preservatives and fillers in our food. At home, there are multiplied chemicals used for hygiene and looking good, plus the chemicals we use to clean our homes.
Daily exposure to all these toxins triggers our immune system. Seasonal allergies are a sign that the immune system is on “hyper-alert” with chronic inflammation. They are also an indication that the liver is overburdened.
While some fences are effective even when you can see through them, others are only effective when they form a full barrier. This is the case for the junction between your small intestines and your bloodstream. When this internal fence isn’t tight, you have what is called “leaky gut” and this can lead to downstream dis-ease. Do you have leaky gut?
Our gut barrier has the job of letting nutrients into the body while keeping toxins, viruses, parasites and unfriendlies out. When its integrity is impaired, harmful organisms or substances can leak into the bloodstream. Hence the term leaky gut. Read more
Are you a student of history? I have not studied medical history extensively, yet I have followed others who have done so. I have appreciated their reflections on the current pandemic in light of prior ones.
Emerging diseases take off fast, usually because the pathogens have encountered fresh territory. If the disease is bacterial in nature, it can be countered with antibiotics, but we don’t always know right away. Treatments are explored in a rush to find a cure, but rarely are foundational changes addressed. Read more
These days it is nearly impossible to avoid stress. Many are looking for ways to manage their stress, yet you may find greater benefit if you increase your stress resistance with your vagus nerve.
What is the vagus nerve, you ask? The vagus nerve forms a bi-directional “super highway” between your brain and the majority of your internal organs. Vagus means “wandering” in Latin, an appropriate name for the longest nerve in the body that meanders around your chest and abdomen. Read more
The past many months have provided us with a variety of stressful situations. We’ve dealt with quarantine, loss of jobs, illness, riots, political upheaval, isolation, children’s school disruption and more. All of these represented stressors. Yet our individual perceptions classified some of these situations as a challenge to overcome, and others as insurmountable. As we pursue wellness on a daily basis, I want to encourage you to take inventory of your tool box so you know what’s available to help. Read more
