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Health Conditions

Here are some key health conditions we focus on, from chronic health challenges to optimizing well-being and resilience against tick-borne illnesses.

VECTOR-BORNE ILLNESS

Lyme Disease

  • Lyme disease is one of the most controversial and understudied conditions, poised to become a major health issue. It's not just Lyme itself but a combination of infections that many physicians lack the knowledge to understand and differentiate.

    Classified as a vector-borne illness, Lyme disease is one of the fastest-growing and most common infectious diseases. Factors like climate change, deforestation, and population growth have increased human exposure to the ticks that transmit Lyme disease.

  • Testing for Lyme disease includes IGenX Labs, Armin Labs, and DNA Connexions, which can test not only for Lyme species but also for other Lyme-like organisms and co-infections.

    Vector-borne illnesses are complex, multi-system infectious diseases that require a holistic and functional approach.

    With the right team, support, and patience, individuals can begin to strip away the layers of infection and gradually bring themselves back into balance.

  • Lyme disease, often called "The Great Imitator," presents with symptoms such as joint pain, muscle pain, headaches, stiff neck, sleep issues, heart palpitations, flu-like symptoms, numbness and tingling, and digestive disorders.

    It can affect anyone, but those spending time in tick-infested areas are at higher risk.

    Many individuals diagnosed with autoimmune conditions (like MS and Rheumatoid Arthritis), neurodegenerative diseases, IBS, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, heart failure, neuropathy, and other conditions may have an underlying vector-borne infection as a potential root cause.

Autoimmune Disease

  • Autoimmune disease happens when the body's natural defense system can't tell the difference between your own cells and foreign cells, causing the body to mistakenly attack normal cells.

    There are an estimated over 120 collective autoimmune disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis, Crohn's, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Hashimotos, and Fibromyalgia.

    Autoimmune diseases share one thing—they become unbalanced and attack the body's tissue and organs.

  • Autoimmune disease affects millions of people worldwide, and most of those are women. If you're one of the millions affected by this group of diseases, which includes lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and thyroid disease, you may be wondering why your immune system is attacking itself.

  • There are many factors involved in the cause behind an autoimmune disorder including: diet, digestive health (food sensitivity, allergies, leaky gut), genetic susceptibility, stress, trauma, infections (Lyme, EBV, CMV, Retro-viruses) and environmental components.

  • Functional medicine offers an alternative to the suppression of symptoms. By addressing the underlying causes of an autoimmune disorder, we can prevent and, in some cases, reverse the disorder.

Mold Toxicity

  • Mold illness, also known as Water Damaged Building Syndrome, is not a well-established diagnosis in the medical field. Mold is pervasive, even indoors, and certain types produce mycotoxins and other yeast species that can wreak havoc on the immune system and are highly toxic.

    According to some statistics, roughly 50% of buildings are water-damaged, indicating both past and current issues.

  • Functional tests to consider if there is a suspicion of mold exposure include Organic Acids Tests, Myco-Tox Panel, and tests from Real Time Labs.

    It's also important to test your environment for current exposures. With the right data, tools, and approach, a personalized program can be developed.

    This program should focus on decreasing exposures, specific supplementation, and dietary adjustments, helping to remove toxins and bring the body back into a state of balance.

  • Symptoms from current and past mold exposure can be extensive and varied. Common symptoms include electric shock sensations, pulsing and vibrating sensations throughout the body, ice pick-like pains, fatigue, weakness, IBS symptoms, coughing, chest pains, chronic sinus congestion, and cognitive issues.

    Mold exposure doesn't just come from water-damaged buildings; it can also be found anywhere with moisture and organic materials like drywall, cardboard, and carpet. Other locations include cars, work environments, basements, crawl spaces, and attics, to name a few.

Digestive Disorders

  • Digestive health has become a growing concern, whether it's conditions like IBS, IBD, or structural issues. The health of our microbiomes plays a significant role in various chronic illnesses today.

    Symptoms can range from gas and bloating to abdominal pain, discomfort, diarrhea, constipation, heartburn, acid reflux, and more. If not properly addressed and managed, these symptoms can progress into more severe chronic issues.

  • Digestive disorders can affect anyone, and they are often influenced by our eating habits, lifestyle choices, and environment. Factors such as consuming processed foods, refined sugars, food allergens or sensitivities, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, exposure to chemicals, and emotional stress can significantly impact gut health.

    These factors can weaken the immune system and make us more susceptible to other illnesses.

  • Taking a functional approach involves using testing such as Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis, GI Map, Organic Acids, Food Sensitivity Testing, SIBO Breathe Test, and more.

    These tests provide valuable data points that help in creating a personalized plan to address root causes.

    By removing these root causes through a customized therapeutic meal plan, lifestyle adjustments, and coping strategies, digestive health can be optimized, leading to greater overall health and wellness.

Detoxification

  • In today's world, we experience an abundance of toxic exposures to our bodies.

    When we accumulate toxins daily without eliminating them properly, our toxic load increases, which can lead to chronic diseases.

    Detoxification is a continuous process that's crucial to manage, especially in the context of chronic illness or as part of daily maintenance.

  • As someone suffering with a chronic illness, detoxification is a key part of any ongoing health program. Useful functional tests include, heavy metals, glyphosate (roundup), GPL tox chemical panel, and comprehensive digestive stool analysis.

    Removing sources of toxin accumulation lightens the load on the immune system, boosting detoxification and restoring balance.

  • The liver's main function is to break down and eliminate toxins from the body. However, when toxin accumulation exceeds the body's detoxification capacity, some toxins are stored in fatty tissues, compromising the immune system.

    These toxins can come from various sources like air pollutants, food additives, agricultural chemicals, drugs, cosmetics, infections, airborne allergens, bacterial and fungal by-products, hormone imbalances, increased free radicals, toxic metabolic by-products, immune complexes from food allergies, emotional stress, and more.

MCAS / Histamine and Vagal / Limbic System Dysfunction

  • Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) involves mast cells becoming overly sensitive and reactive, potentially triggered by genetic factors or environmental influences like mold exposure, infections, and chronic stress. Histamine intolerance refers to difficulties in metabolizing histamine, leading to symptoms when histamine levels rise due to various triggers. Vagal and limbic system dysfunction describes impairments in the vagus nerve and limbic system, affecting emotional regulation, stress response, and overall bodily function. These conditions manifest with a range of symptoms impacting different bodily systems and emotional well-being.

  • MCAS and histamine intolerance affect individuals who experience heightened sensitivity to triggers like certain foods, chemicals, stressors, or infections that lead to mast cell activation or histamine release. Vagal and limbic system dysfunction can impact anyone exposed to chronic stress, trauma, infections, toxins, or other stressors that disrupt the function of these neurological and emotional regulatory systems. Both conditions can affect people of all ages and backgrounds, often with symptoms varying widely among individuals.

  • Treatment for MCAS typically involves identifying and avoiding triggers such as specific foods, chemicals, or stressors that provoke mast cell activation. Medications may be used to stabilize mast cell activity and alleviate symptoms. Histamine intolerance is managed through dietary changes to reduce histamine intake and improve histamine metabolism. Addressing vagal and limbic system dysfunction often requires a holistic approach focusing on reducing chronic stress, promoting emotional resilience, and restoring balance to these systems through therapies like mindfulness, biofeedback, counseling, and sometimes medication to support neural regulation and emotional health.