Summer Recipe from Fresh Perspective! Hi, I’m Dr. Marie Starling At The Healing Center Denver, we help people like you reach their full potential. I specialize in adjunctive care for internal disorders, autoimmune conditions, IBS, thyroid symptoms, diabetes, adrenal fatigue and other complex health issues. Hello friends! My name is Sonja Miltner. I am a vegan personal chef, and my business is called Fresh Perspective. My parents converted to vegetarianism in their early twenties and raised me that way as well. In my adult life I found a passion for creating nutritious and delicious vegan meals for my family, my friends, and myself. I offer personalized, in-home meal prep for busy families, professionals, and athletes. I am also available to prepare meals for private dinners and retreats. If you are interested in a nutritious and delicious, homemade vegan meal please give Fresh Perspective a taste! Stuffed Peppers (6 Servings) 1-1/2 cups water ¾ cup quinoa 1 1/2t salt 6 large bell peppers 2T+1t olive oil ½ cup yellow onion, minced 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed 1-1/4 cups black beans, drained and rinsed 3T fresh cilantro, minced 1t freshly ground pepper 8oz Trader Joe’s vegan mozzarella cheese, shredded (white bag, green leaves on bag) * Roasted asparagus instructions at the end. In a medium saucepan, heat 1t of the olive oil over med-high heat. Stir the quinoa in the oil, add water and salt. Cover the pot and simmer 25 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375F. Cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds and membranes. In...
In Doubt about Gout? Hi, I’m Dr. Marie Starling At The Healing Center Denver, we help people like you reach their full potential. I specialize in adjunctive care for internal disorders, autoimmune conditions, IBS, thyroid symptoms, diabetes, adrenal fatigue and other complex health issues. Gout is a form of arthritis that this characterized by sudden reoccurring attacks of severe pain, redness, tenderness, heat/warmth, and swelling in the joints of the body. The metatarsal-phalangeal joint is the most commonly affected area of the body, but it can also affect other major joints of the body (ex: hand, wrist, elbow, knee, ankle, etc…). Gout is commonly caused by an increased intake in foods that are rich in purines and/or a dysfunction of the kidney’s ability to properly excrete uric acid from the body. This elevation of uric acid in the blood causes deposits of crystals in the joints, tendons, and surrounding tissues. While there can be various explanations for the diagnosis and differentiation of gout, Traditional Chinese Medicine typically starts treatment by focusing on a patient’s diet and the digestive system. As your Functional Medicine Specialist, we perform Functional Medicine Exams as well as the Traditional Chinese Medicine approach to create a comprehensive plan specific to our patients needs, and we treat gout regularly. While Western medicine also recognizes the importance of diet for gout it often resorts to NSAIDS for pain and management of swelling, while other drugs like colchicine are used to treat the gout itself. Unfortunately, the continued use of these drugs often leads to more gastrointestinal issues in the patient – making the matter potentially worse in the long-run. Occasionally, drugs are needed but we recommend using them only...
How Emotions Affect Your Health Hi, I’m Dr. Marie Starling At The Healing Center Denver, we help people like you reach their full potential. I specialize in adjunctive care for internal disorders, autoimmune conditions, IBS, thyroid symptoms, diabetes, adrenal fatigue and other complex health issues. Every day each of us experiences an array of emotions that can range from pure illation to the worst kind of grief, sometimes making it feel like we’re on an emotional rollercoaster. Though most emotions leave the body after they are experienced, some will latch on, continuing to have a negative effect without us consciously knowing. Before we dive into why some emotions get stuck in our bodies, it is first important to know that every living being has both a physical body and an energetic body, both of which are made of pure energy. The main difference between this visible physical body and its invisible energy field is the frequency at which they both vibrate. Our physical body, when broken down to the smallest building blocks of life is made of subatomic particles, which are just incredibly small units of energy. Our energy field, which runs through our entire body, provides a template for this physical body to base itself. Just like our two bodies, emotions are also made of vibrating energy and each have their own distinct frequency. What we need to be aware of is that as we experience the ups and downs of life, these emotional energies can get stuck in our energy field, thus creating imbalances in the energetic template of our body. Unfortunately, these invisible imbalances can have physical impacts if left uncorrected. In this article, we’ll...
Your Underactive Thyroid and Weight Gain Hi, I’m Dr. Marie Starling At The Healing Center Denver, we help people like you reach their full potential by being your Denver Functional Medicine Specialist. I specialize in adjunctive care for internal disorders, autoimmune conditions, IBS, thyroid symptoms, diabetes, adrenal fatigue and other complex health issues. Have you noticed sudden weight gain with a decrease in energy and motivation? Do you feel like you’re going through your day in a haze of brain fog witnessing your life rather than experiencing it? You might be suffering from symptoms of thyroid dysfunction. At The Healing Center, Dr. Marie Starling and her functional medicine doctors take a whole body approach to healing thyroid disorders. The thyroid is like the transmission of a car; it’s responsible for regulating the amount of power mobilizing the cells. Essentially, it controls the metabolism in every cell of the body. And like a transmission, the thyroid can get stuck – in a gear that’s too high or too low. When this happens, an overactive or underactive thyroid completely throws a person off. Here, we’ll cover the symptoms of hypothyroidism, including weight gain and fatigue, and explain alternative treatment to hypothyroidism. Signs and Symptoms of Thyroid Problems Fatigue Hair loss Unexplained weight gain Brain fog Low libido Mood imbalances Cold hands and feet Muscle and joint pain Dry skin and hair Ridges in nails Constipation or diarrhea How Does the Thyroid Work? The hypothalamus, which is located in the brain, produces TRH (thyrotropin releasing hormone). This stimulates the pituitary located at the base of the brain to produce TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone). Both these pathways require neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine to run. TSH then stimulates the thyroid to make four kinds of thyroid hormones...
B12 - How Are You Getting This Essential Vitamin? Hi, I’m Dr. Marie Starling At The Healing Center Denver, we help people like you reach their full potential by being your Functional Medicine Specialist in Denver, CO. I specialize in adjunctive care for internal disorders, autoimmune conditions, IBS, thyroid symptoms, diabetes, and other complex health issues. Erik Johnson, L.Ac. MSTCM, BD, DNMIt is estimated that up to 40% of the U.S. population does not get enough B12 in their diet. Vitamins are substances that are essential in small amounts for the health, growth, reproduction, and maintenance of our body. In nature, these vitamins are never isolated – they are part of a complex plant or animal-based foods which the body absorbs and utilizes when introduced into our diets. While we would ideally like to get all of our vitamins from the daily foods that we consume, there are numerous factors that prevent individuals from getting these important compounds from food alone. In this blog post, we will briefly cover the importance of one of these vitamins – B12. We will also explore the common reasons for B12 deficiencies and the various supplemental forms for you, including our newest form of B12 which is available now at The Healing Center. Common Symptoms of a B12 Deficiency Impaired mental functionality – poor memory, brain fog, confusion, anxiety, depression, irritability, etc… Muscular weaknesses – overall muscle weakness, tender calves, numbness and/or tingling in your extremities, etc… Low energy – general fatigue (especially in the afternoon), shortness of breath, pale complexion, lightheadedness, dizziness, anemia, blurry vision, sensitivity to light, etc… The Benefits of B12 B12 is...
The Dangers of Sugar Hi, I’m Dr. Marie Starling At The Healing Center Denver, we help people like you reach their full potential. As your Functional Medicine specialist in Denver, CO, we specialize in adjunctive care for internal disorders, autoimmune conditions, IBS, thyroid symptoms, diabetes, and other complex health issues. The Dangers of Sugar The American Heart Association lists the following foods as containing high amounts of refined sugars. carbonated soda candy cookies fruit juice drinks dairy desserts ice cream cereals waffles Please watch your list of ingredients! Refined sugar will appear on product labels under other names, such as: brown sugar corn sweetener corn syrup high-fructose corn syrup malt sugar dextrose lactose cane sugar molasses What are the dangers of refined sugar? Not only are sugary foods high in calories, but it also suppresses your immune system, can cause sleep problems, weight gain and feed the bad bacteria growth in your belly. Refine sugars can wreak havoc on your body. In the book, Sugar Shock, by Connie Bennett C.H.H.C., with Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D. defines this havoc: A mood-altering, emotionally devastating, mentally damaging, physically destructive constellation of symptoms affecting million of people worldwide, who are caught in a cycle of overindulging in refined sweets and much-like-sugar carbohydrates like white bread, pasta and chips. Mounds of research reveal that repeatedly overconsuming these nutrient-deprived quickie carbohydrates and caloric sweeteners wreaks havoc on your blood sugar levels, over stimulates insulin release, triggers inflammation, and could contribute to 150-plus health concerns, including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, polycystic ovary syndrome, failing memory, sexual dysfunction, and infertility. Victims of SUGAR SHOCK! May also experience depression, fatigue, headaches, dizziness, cold sweats,...
Understanding What Epigenetics Is By Dr. Marie Starling and Lisa Biederman, CNTP What is epigenetics? Epigenetics is the study of changes to gene expression without changes to the DNA sequence. Epigenetic changes turn genes on or off and determine which protein is transcribed. Genetics are influenced greatly by environmental and lifestyle factors such as nutrition, sleep habits, stress levels and emotions. Epigenetics can create over 2,000 variations of proteins for one gene blueprint and these modifications can be passed down to later generations as well. This means that how we see, process and deal with your world dictates how our genes express themselves. When scientists embarked upon the human genome project, they expected us to have around 125,000 genes to make all the proteins generated by the body. What they found when they sequenced all the genome was that we only have about 25,000 genes. This tells us that we have a unique way of expressing and combining genes. This means that our genes do not run the show, but rather what we express from our genes runs the show. Our perceptions and emotions drive what we express epigenetically. If you have misperceptions, you will create inappropriate responses. If you have anxiety and feel stressed all the time, the hypothalamus and endocrine system will communicate to your cells that world is an unsafe place and your body will turn on select genes and produce certain proteins. If you feel like the world is safe and wonderful, you’ll have a different epigenetic expression. The cell is a receptor. It has places for information to be accessed by binding to hormones and...
All About Serotonin By: Jessica Yoches, MNT Serotonin is a brain neurotransmitter commonly connected to happiness and mood, but it also has numerous functions and roles in multiple body systems, such as in the gastrointestinal, immune, urinary, reproductive, cardiovascular, and hormonal systems. Functional medicine recognizes the other roles of serotonin and the importance of a healthy gut. Since 90-95% of serotonin is made in the intestinal mucosa, a healthy gut is necessary for optimal serotonin production. Having leaky gut associated with autoimmune conditions such as Celiac, Lupus, MS, and Hashimoto’s etc. leads to low serotonin production and other health issues. Dysfunction of serotonin production in the gut is linked with IBS, IBD, and other gut issues such as constipation and infections.Supporting serotonin production is also important for those with methylation issues and SNPs, or single nucleotide polymorphisms, such as MTHFR. Looking at your individual genetics is another piece we can investigate at The Healing Center Denver to integrate into your protocol as your Functional Medicine specialist. Functions of Serotonin Gut – regulates digestive enzyme secretion, stimulates peristalsis to push intestinal contents forward, and transmits signals between the nerve cells of the gut and the central nervous system. Hormonal and Metabolic – Regulates energy balance, blood sugar control, and metabolic rate. Serotonin also influences the HPA axis, or hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal, which affects stress response and even thyroid hormone levels. Urinary – part of bladder control regulation Cardiovascular – helps control blood clotting; monitors contraction and relaxation of blood vessels for vascular tone; helps detect abnormalities of blood flow in the brain; and regulates heart rate, force of contractions, and how much blood the heart is pumping. Brain and Nervous...
Inflammation... Good or Bad? Hi, I’m Dr. Marie Starling At The Healing Center Denver, we help people like you reach their full potential. I specialize in adjunctive care for internal disorders, autoimmune conditions, IBS, thyroid symptoms, diabetes, adrenal fatigue and other complex health issues. Inflammation is part of the body’s immune system. It is the body’s normal, biological response when something harmful or irritating affects a part of our body. There are two classifications: acute inflammation, which occurs over seconds, minutes, hours, and days, and chronic inflammation, which occurs over a longer period of time. Although acute inflammation is a healthy physiological response indicative of wound healing, chronic inflammation has been directly implicated in a wide range of degenerative human health disorders encompassing almost all present day diseases including autoimmune diseases, obesity, diabetes and atherosclerosis. In the book, Chronic Inflammation: Molecular Pathophysiology, Nutritional and Therapeutic Interventions by Sashwati Roy; Debasis Bagchi; Siba P. Raychaudhuri, University of California, Davis, USA and VA Medical Center Sacramento, California, USA, the authors cover several pathologies associated with inflammation, including aging, allergies, autoimmune disorders, atherosclerosis, cancer, chronic wounds, metabolic syndrome, and obesity. “For many years, chronic and acute inflammatory processes were thought to be driven by different causes, through the activity of different cells and inflammation mediators, and to result in quite different outcomes. However, a more modern view suggests that these processes are interlinked. Moreover, in the setting of acute inflammation, well-regulated tissue healing can go awry and drive a chronic inflammation process intertwined with fibrosis and related processes. In hepatic, pancreatic, and gastrointestinal issues, among others, this pro inflammatory pro-fibrotic environment can stimulate carcinogenesis which in turn, can lead to an altered immune/inflammatory...
Benefits To Intermittent Fasting By Lisa Biederman, CNTP Intermittent fasting is a tool we use as your Functional Medicine specialist to break vicious cycles in regards to blood sugar spikes and crashes. It is helpful for resetting insulin sensitivity, managing hypoglycemia, and regulating blood sugar. It teaches your body to use ketones, produced from fat, as fuel. There are two main energy pathways: sugar and ketones. Your body must be able to utilize both effectively for your body to function optimally. Fasting also signals protein clean up in the neuronal cells of the brain. Intermittent fasting usually consists of a fast for 16 – 24 hours. If you have hypoglycemic tendencies, we often recommend sipping on tea with 1-2 tsp of coconut or MCT oil or eating ½ an avocado during the fast to help keep blood sugar stable without disrupting ketone production. It is best to do only light exercise such as yoga or walking on fast days and be sure to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Good: Stop eating: 7PM Start Eating: 11AM Ideal: Stop eating: 7PM Start Eating: 7PM Benefits of Intermittent Fasting Studies show that intermittent fasting can: Increase energy Improves cognition, memory and clear-thinking Improve insulin resistance Reduces levels of circulating IGF-1 and increasing insulin sensitivity without lowering metabolic rate May improve immunity, lower diabetes risk, and improve heart health Increase production of BDNF ( brain-derived neurotropic factor — a protein that promotes neuron growth and protects the brain from dysfunction and degeneration Promote longevity Resources: https://jamesclear.com/the-beginners-guide-to-intermittent-fasting https://draxe.com/intermittent-fasting-women/
