Is Sugar Robbing You of Your Immunity? 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, and other complex health issues. By LuCinda Miller As we embark on cold and flu season, it’s a good time to consider introducing immune boosting strategies to protect your health. One common practice is to reach for extra vitamin C at the sign of the first sniffle, but is this an effective strategy? It can be if you cut out the sugar. Your Immune System at Work When exposed to bacteria, viruses and other foreign invaders, your body goes on attack. The white blood cells (WBC’s) of your immune system are called into action to gobble up these invaders. This is called phagocytosis. If your immune system is strong, your WBC’s will get their job done and the pathogen will never take hold, keeping you from getting sick! The Vitamin C Connection to Immunity It has been known since the 1970’s that vitamin C is critical to the function of our WBC’s through the work of Linus Pauling. Through his research he discovered that WBC’s must contain 50 times the concentration of vitamin C on the inside of the cell than the outside. Therefore it is critical for WBC’s to accumulate vitamin C to maintain their phagocytic function. The Problem with Sugar Here is where the problem with sugar arises. Sugar (glucose) and vitamin C have a similar chemical structure. They also share the same receptor sites for entry into the cells. This puts...
Flip Your Energy Switch - Stay Awake and Focused By LuCinda Miller “I can’t keep my eyes open.” “I can’t seem to focus.” “I can’t concentrate.” Most of us have experienced these feelings even when we have had plenty of sleep and most of us can attest to these feelings coming at the most inopportune times, such as right before a big test or right in the middle of a meeting. Sometimes it makes sense, you were up late the night before or you just completed a big project or assignment that required a lot of mental energy. And then there are the times you did get a good night’s sleep and work has been light. How do you get through that test, how do you get through that meeting? Today we will introduce you to an energy switch that can do just that. Our bodies are amazing at adapting and responding to our environment. In an effort to maintain balance, we have a built in mechanism that essentially forces us to slow down, conserve energy, and prevent exhaustion. When this mechanism is engaged, the body’s energy flow is running in reverse. You will feel sluggish and find it difficult to move forward and get things done. This is your body’s alarm telling you to rest and slow down so it can repair itself and reset. For instances when we can’t stop what we are doing and recharge, we can override this mechanism and simply flip the energy switch to get through the task at hand and keep you awake and focused. It is important to note that there may come a time in...
Abdominal Pain, Fatigue, Constipation, Diarrhea: Could your symptoms be from Small Intestinal Bacteria Overgrowth (SIBO)? Written By Jessica Yoches, CNTP The importance of healthy digestion is known to be a crucial component for overall health, as is the balance of microbes in the gut between good, gut friendly bacteria and “bad” or pathogenic bacteria. Large amounts of gut friendly bacteria reside in the large intestine carrying out vital functions such as synthesizing vitamins; stimulating growth of the gut lining and immune system; and improving muscular activity. In a healthy digestive system however, minimal amounts of bacteria reside in the small intestine so problems arise when bacteria begins to colonize there. Small intestine bacteria overgrowth (SIBO) is difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are similar to other gut issues such as IBS, and it often gets overlooked. Let’s explore what SIBO is, the causes, common symptoms, and how to diagnose and treat it. What is SIBO? SIBO is defined as the “presence of abnormally high bacteria in the small intestine.” The surfaces of the cells lining the small intestinal tract are normally free from colonized clusters of bacteria, and are separated from the inner lining by a layer of mucus. Bacteria entering the digestive tract from the mouth get attacked first by hydrochloric acid (HCl) in the stomach, and then again in the small intestine via enzymes and immunoglobulin secretions. 70% of the immune system resides in the gut, meaning the integrity of the gut’s immune system is crucial in fighting off viruses, bacteria, and parasites entering the small intestine. Intestinal motility is also important for preventing SIBO. The muscularis layer of the gut wall contains...
Your Guide to Eliminating Chronic Fatigue (Part 2 of 10) Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Your Gut By Michal Cooling, CNTP As your functional medicine specialist in Denver, we have a holistic, whole-person view as well as molecular view, with tools and testing to evaluate the biochemistry of cells, tissues, and organs. We seek to find the exact imbalance in your body, the underlying cause for that imbalance, and the individualized solution. With this approach, we view chronic fatigue differently than traditional medicine does, and usually find there is usually a network of things contributing towards this fatigue and other related symptoms. Our Top Ten Strategies for Eliminating Chronic Fatigue These are the top ten most common causes of chronic fatigue that we see, which are often not addressed by conventional or even holistic practitioners: Auto-Immunity Gut Function / Nutrient Imbalances / Poor Absorption Hidden Food Sensitivities Hidden Infections Brain Imbalance Emotional / Stress/ Post-Trauma Sleep Issues and Their Underlying Causes Hormone Imbalances (Thyroid, Adrenal, Sex) Toxicity Detoxification and Metabolism Impairment Today, Our Focus is on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and Your Gut A little bloating, heartburn, constipation, gas, or diarrhea, though annoying, may not seem that significant. But in reality, it is central to your entire health and connected to everything that happens in your body. All systems rely on a healthy digestive system. The link between gut function and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) has been proven, but why haven’t we heard about it in conventional medicine? Perhaps, there just simply is no model in conventional medicine for successfully addressing the underlying causes. Nevertheless, we can’t ignore the connection or its impact on full recovery. Let’s explore the basis for this connection. Physician...
Trapped Emotions and Your Health Healing and Processing Emotions For any illness, part of the healing process includes addressing the mind-body connection and revitalizing mental and emotional health. Emotions are more than just mere feelings; rather they expose underlying thoughts and beliefs that drive our decisions and dictate how we interact with and interpret our world. Not all of these values and beliefs are true or realistic, prompting harmful emotional responses that affect our health and environment. In today’s fast paced world, we are out of touch with our emotions. Insufficient credit is given to their impact on our overall wellbeing. Unhealthy or unprocessed emotions become stressors in the body, acting as pathogens similar to bacteria; fungi/molds; mycotoxins; viruses; parasites; chemicals/pesticides; and other toxins that can accumulate in the body and manifest symptoms. Each emotion we experience is triggered from a distinctive feeling and releases different chemicals that affect the body; thoughts and beliefs generate chemical responses in the body and our emotions follow. If these chemicals are not properly processed, toxic byproduct substances are produced that the body must process and release, just as it must detox environmental and pathogenic toxins. Emotions affect genetic expression and carry with them energy that, when trapped, gets stored in our body’s cellular memory. The energy from that experience remains in the body where the incident occurred until it is released. These unreleased emotions cause symptoms such as chronic aches and pains in the location where the emotions are trapped. According to David Suzuki in his book Sacred Balance, condensed molecules collected from the exhalation of expressing anger, hatred, fear, anxiety, guilt, and jealousy contained...
Fall allergy season got you down? Come see us, we can help! 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, and other complex health issues. It’s that time of year again and weeds are in the air! Late summer into fall marks the pollination of weeds. Some may breeze through the Colorado allergy seasons without a problem while others are left to suffer with itchy watery eyes, sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, coughing, wheezing and/or trouble breathing. Allergies trigger an overreaction of the immune system to something the brain has perceived as harmful and threatening to the individual. These allergies become blockages in the body’s energy pathways. NAET is a noninvasive technique utilizing kinesiology, acupuncture and chiropractic methodology to remove these blockages, thus restoring the body to balance and stopping the allergy symptoms. Dr. Starling has advanced the techniques of NAET allergy elimination to provide an effective, noninvasive way to address seasonal allergies in Colorado. Contact Us Today For current patients, it may just be time for a booster. For new patients, make an appointment for a new patient exam with Dr. Starling. Her new patient exams are comprehensive covering allergies, blood work, past history, neurological assessment, chiropractic assessment, and proposed treatment plan. Call us today 303-721-9800!
A Functional Medicine Perspective on Gout By Michal Cooling, CNTP Gout is very much a lifestyle-based condition; however, there can be some deeper issues at hand. For example, people who have had gout have an increased risk of developing kidney stones, high blood pressure, kidney disease, diabetes, high levels of triglycerides, and atherosclerosis. My goal is to offer general information on nutrition and lifestyle principals as well as clinical considerations. Here’s the scenario… When your body is filled with toxic acidity from: Foods and drinks Poor breathing habits Breathing in poor-quality air Toxic chemical exposure (both from breathing and contact with your skin) Metabolic acidity that is created by chronic stress … then the uric acid is just one more assault on your hard-working kidneys! So the answer to “what is gout?” lies in the lifestyle you’re living. Ask Yourself: What am I eating today? What am I drinking today? Am I breathing as well as I could be? What’s in this air I’m breathing? What am I putting on my skin? What am I thinking today? By asking yourself these questions you’ll start to get a whole new perspective about gout symptoms and the causes – and it will change the way you go about your day. Ask yourself these questions every day, because as soon as you get over the gout attack you’re having now, you’ll stop thinking about gout altogether . . . until the next gout attack hits. Risk Factors: Family history of gout Kidney issues (found on a blood test) High levels of triglycerides (found on blood test) Drinking too much alcohol Eating foods rich...
Intestinal Parasites: An Overview BY MARY BETH GUDEWICZ, CNTP, MNT When one hears the word parasites, the thought of horror films comes to mind. Yes, by definition, parasites are “an organism that lives on or in host and gets its food from or at the expense of the host.”[1] Although some parasites have evolved alongside of us and don’t cause harm, some parasites our body wants to eliminate because they can cause harm by manipulating our immune system response in a negative way. References in literature point to parasites being one of the primary causes of allergies because parasites damage the gut lining allowing large molecules to cross through the gut wall and entering the bloodstream, causing an immediate immune response. Let’s explore the types, symptoms, and treatments for a parasite invasion. Types: There are two general types of parasites: Helminths: Also known as worms. They can often be seen in your stool. Examples are tapeworms, pinworms, flukes, roundworms Protozoa: Are single-celled microbes that can multiply inside the human body leading to serious infection. Examples are amoebas, leishmania, giardia, plamodium and cryptosporidium.[2] How You Can Be Exposed: Certain opportunities can arise that increase your risk for getting a parasite. They include the following: Living or visiting an area known to have parasites International travel Poor sanitation through both food and water Poor hygiene Age – children and the elderly are more likely to get infected[3] Exposure to daycare and institutional care centers A weakened immune system HIV or AIDS Signs and Symptoms: Parasites can live in your intestines for years without producing any noticeable symptoms. However, some parasites have a life cycle. What...
Your Guide to Eliminating Chronic Fatigue (Part 1 of 10): Auto-Immunity and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome BY MICHAL COOLING, CNTP At The Healing Center Denver we have a holistic, whole-person view as well as molecular view, with tools and testing to evaluate the biochemistry of cells, tissues, and organs. We seek to find the exact imbalance in your body, the underlying cause for that imbalance, and the individualized solution. With this approach, we view fatigue differently than traditional medicine does, and usually find there is usually a network of things contributing towards this fatigue and other related symptoms. Our Top Ten Strategies These are the top ten most common causes of chronic fatigue that we see, which are often not addressed by conventional or even holistic practitioners: Auto-Immunity Gut Function / Nutrient Imbalances / Poor Absorption Hidden Food Sensitivities Hidden Infections Brain Imbalance Emotional / Stress/ Post-Trauma Sleep Issues and Their Underlying Causes Hormone Imbalances (Thyroid, Adrenal, Sex) Toxicity Detoxification and Metabolism Impairment Today, our focus is on Auto-Immunity and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS): CFS is actually referred to as “Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome,” showing there to be a science-based link between immune function and chronic fatigue. Many studies have shown imbalances in the immune system with those who experience chronic fatigue, and the science literature in the last ten years has shown the mechanism underlying chronic fatigue to be immune in nature. In fact, the risk profile for CFS is similar to the risk profiles for a number of autoimmune diseases. Most conventional doctors typically don’t look for this “immune piece” and rarely address it. At The Healing Center, we...
Oil Pulling: A Natural Remedy for Improving Oral Health and Reducing Pathogenic Toxins Hi, I’m Dr. Marie Starling At The Healing Center, we help people like you reach their full potential. I specialize in adjunctive care for internal disorders, autoimmune conditions, IBS, thyroid symptoms, diabetes, and other complex health issues. As your Denver Functional Medicine specialist, we commonly see pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and mold underlying and accompanying many health issues for patients. We have multiple tools for eliminating these pathogens including herbs, clearings, frequency treatments, and detoxification. Another method of eliminating and managing pathogens is through proper oral care. By now, you may have heard of the term “oil pulling,” as articles extolling its benefits are blowing up social media feeds, making it a hot topic recently. Oil pulling is nothing new: this method was used for 1,000’s of years as part of ancient Indian Ayurveda remedies for managing oral health. Oral care was recognized as a critical component of overall health. Traditionally, cold-pressed sesame oil was used, but coconut oil is more commonly used today. Oil pulling has many benefits, including: Assists in the reduction and prevention of plaque, cavities, pathogens, gingivitis, and infections. Helps strengthen the jaw, tissue, teeth, and gums. Prevents throat dryness, cracked lips, and bad breath. Oil pulling provides a natural remedy for oral maintenance and for reducing pathogens, and is claimed to contribute in the elimination of over 30 systemic diseases. What Is Oil Pulling? Oil pulling is swishing up to one Tablespoon of oil in your mouth. Using the tongue to help pull and push the oil between the teeth and gums, take caution to...
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