Ten Essentials to Success
1. Gut Health
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Many physical problems start in the gut!
- The microbiome - the 100 trillion bacterial flora that reside in our gut
- Potential pathogens - in the form of bacteria (SIBO), viruses - like Norovirus that can disable a whole cruise ship, fungal infections (SIFO) causing a yeast overgrowth, and parasites like Giardia which is not uncommon in Rocky Mountain streams. These infections can lead to:
- Leaky Gut or Hyperpermeability Syndrome leading to IBS with diarrhea and/or constipation, pain
- Food allergies, sensitivities and intolerances
- Digestion - stomach acid, enzymes, fiber, metabolism, satiety, reflux
- The Gut Immune System - GALT & MALT
- Inflammation - Acute, Chronic & Autoimmune (Crohn’s & Ulcerative Colitis)
- Vasculature - Malformations, Varicosities like Hemorrhoids & Varices
- Gallbladder, Liver, Pancreas, Esophagus, Stomach, Small & Large Intestines, Rectum, Mouth
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Treatment focuses on restoring Digestion, Absorption, Detoxification, Elimination and Immune function.
- Remove whatever is in excess like allergens, infection, toxins.
- Replace nutrients & factors necessary to optimize digestion.
- Reinoculate with probiotics and prebiotics.
- Repair gut lining and detoxification system.
- Rebalance lifestyle such as diet, stress, sleep, breathing and exercise.
2. Hormones & Neurotransmitters
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Imbalances due to disease, autoimmunity, stress, age, toxic and metabolic influences are especially rampant. The list below is not complete and new discoveries abound constantly.
- Pituitary & Hypothalamus - ACTH, LH, FSH, TSH, Prolactin, Oxytocin, ADH, IGF-1, MSH, GH
- Adrenal & Renal - Cortisol, DHEA, Pregnenolone, Aldosterone, Renin, Adrenaline, Vitamin D
- Thyroid & Parathyroid - T4, T3, rT3, T2, T1, Antibodies, Calcitonin, PTH
- Sex Hormones - Estradiol, Estrone, Estriol, Progesterone, Testosterone, DHT
- GI - Insulin, Glucagon, Histamine, CCK, Somatostatin
- Brain - Dopamine, Serotonin, GABA, Melatonin, Acetylcholine, Noradrenaline, PEA
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Treatment centers around assessing excesses and deficiencies and balancing, repairing, augmenting or replacing with bio-identical hormones as needed.
3. Immune System
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Too much and too little
- Overactive system can lead to autoimmune disease.
- Underactive immune system as seen in Immunodeficiency like Common Variable Immune Deficiency or HIV can lead to recurrent or chronic infections
- Allergies and Sensitivities
- Histamine Intolerance
- WBCs, T & B cells, NK cells, Cell-mediation, Lymph nodes & tissue, Lymph, Spleen
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Treatment focuses on addressing the underlying cause and optimization.
4. Inflammation
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Inflammation - this is a common repair process in our body that helps to heal in acute injury but left unregulated becomes a hallmark in chronic disease.
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Treatment focuses on identifying the source of the inflammation. Oftentimes it is not where the pain or discomfort are at.
5. Toxins
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These come in all shapes and sizes, physical, energetic, and psycho-spiritual.
- Endogenous toxins - produced internally by our body, which may be accumulating due to liver or kidney disease or other metabolic dysfunction
- Exogenous toxins from our environment - Medications, Drugs, Tobacco, Alcohol, Dietary, Poisons, Venoms, Molds, Heavy Metals, Electromagnetic Fields, Infectious Toxins, Chemicals - there are 90,000+ chemicals in our environment that we can be clandestinely exposed to in various degrees
- Toxic Relationships
- Mutations in our Detoxification pathways can make processing toxins a challenge for our body and can make some toxins exponentially more dangerous
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Treatment focuses on identifying toxins and the appropriate detoxification protocol to remove them from one’s environment and the body.
6. Stress, Trauma & Sleep
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Stress - on all levels! Trauma and Sleep disorder
- Emotional, Mental, Spiritual, Energetic
- Oxidative
- Trauma - Fight, Flight, Freeze Response
- Perceived
- Abuse
- Personal Belief System
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Treatment is addressing the underlying stressors and then working on how to alleviate or remove them. This may also include working with a therapist.
7. Genetics
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Our genetic polymorphisms may create strengths and weaknesses. There are numerous genetic tests available that can test your own genome, your microbiome’s genome, the infections within our body.
- Polymorphisms (MTHFR, GSH, HLA, etc)
- Microbiome
- Epigenetics & Environmental Assault evaluation
- Ancestry
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Treatment may involve changing medication to avoid overloading detox pathways, adding nutrients, optimizing enzyme systems and lifestyle.
8. Nutrition, Energy & Diet
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Nutrients, Nutrition, Metabolism, Oxidation, Energy Production - in order for our body to heal, we need some basic ingredients. These include oxygen, water, protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber and micronutrients such as minerals, vitamins, etc. These building blocks often need to be assessed biochemically.
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Treatment is to rebalance nutrients, make dietary modifications and remove toxins.
9. Flow & Qi
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Flow of Blood, Lymph, Cerebrospinal Fluid, Respirations, Qi/Chi and Electromagnetic impulses are paramount to the health and survival of the body and the communication system between the whole organism.
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Treatment focuses on removing blockages and opening channels. This includes Acupuncture, Acupressure, Bodywork - OMT, Chiropractic, Massage, Energy Healing, Medications, Chelation Supplements, Breathwork, Yoga, Meditation and Detoxification.
10. Organs
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Organ Systems and Disease - these include all the organ systems that make our body function - the heart, lungs, kidneys, neurologic, endocrine, renal, immune, blood, reproductive, skin, digestive, musculoskeletal, psychology, oncology and infectious disease. Heart disease is still the #1 killer in the US, thus we have some amazing pioneering tests at our disposal beyond what conventional medicine measures.
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Treatment focuses on addressing all the above issues and allowing the body to heal first along with optimizing the function of each organ system.
