Blood testing package

This is a new lower cost option for people who have already done a lot of testing and don’t want to commit to the initial testing package because they doubt it will show anything useful or bring any valuable information.

I am offering this blood test as a lower cost way to get guidance on many body systems and what is most important to focus on (thyroid, gut, detox, nutritional deficiencies).  This will help guide on where to invest testing money that will pay off with results. This includes the blood test/ blood draw lab fees, the interpretation software and consult with me to review it all and answer your questions.

This option INCLUDES a blood test that it done at a local Quest lab. Note that people in New York State are not eligible for this offer.

The beauty of this blood test is that it uses standard blood marker to predict what body system is driving symptoms and dysfunction. It can predict thyroid dysfunction, antibodies, mold exposure, heavy metal and chemical toxicity, vitamin deficiency, blood sugar balance, inflammation, viral load, parasites, h pylori and anemia.

You may have had normal blood labs in the past, prompting your doctor to tell you that you are healthy. We dive much deeper, with optimal ranges instead of standard medical ranges. We using the dips or spikes of markers outside the optimal norm to predict what organs or body system is driving health problems.

While this is not a diagnostic tool it itself, the predictive function can show where to spend testing money to right answers and most value for your  investment.

I took this test personally and was very impressed. Get details about this test here.

Test and consultation is $300

Purchase predictive blood test package here

Ready to quit IBS? You can.

After years of working with clients I have discovered that IBS is a lifestyle disease. Things happened in your life that threw your beneficial gut bacteria out of balance and it is now negatively effecting your metabolism, mood, immune system and digestion.

There are several ways that the gut bacteria are thrown out of balance.

Medications

Pain killers, birth control pills, antidepressants and antibiotics kill beneficial bacteria. So do antibacterial soaps.

Diet

Drinking too much alcohol, and eating too much sugar, white carbs, gluten, processed foods can feed undesireable bacteria while starving the good guys, who eat fiber and starches.

Stress

Stress comes in so many different forms. There’s being overly busy and not resting/sleeping enough, there’s chronic anxiety and worry, there’s over exercising and not eating enough/malnutrition and there’s traumatic event like assault, death, divorce or an accident.

IBS folks are perfectionists, highly sensitive, and suffer with anxiety. The combination of these three traits drive the body into a fight or flight response where cortisol is produced and digestive function is shut down so the body can be mobilized to respond to a threat.

Our perception of stress and the physical anxiety produced by our gut bugs create a viscous cycle of a feedback loop between the brain and gut, a digestive and immune function suffer as a result. Our defense against pathogens, (measured by the marker Sec IGA) suffers as a result. Stress also negatively impacts beneficial bacteria, increasing anxiety.

While many of my clients have different stories and present with varied symptoms, they all have one thing in common. Gut testing has shown that their gut bacteria is always out of balance. This is called dysbiosis and a root cause of IBS and leaky gut, with symptoms like inflammation, pain, bloating and food sensitivites.

So what do we do?

Leaky gut needs to be fixed on a bacterial level. No amount of bone broth or glutamine will do it if your guts bug are in chaos.

Intestinal mucosa regenerates in days and can fix itself if the bacteria is in a healthy balance.

It took years to throw your bacteria out of balance so it’s not a quick and easy fix. But it is totally doable.

I work with diet, testing, self care (sleep, movement), detox, supporting digestion (stomach acid, enzymes and bile), motility, and regulating the nervous system.

We were never taught how to care for our most precious health resource, our gut bacteria, that’s why I developed a 3 month course that will not only help you quit IBS but teach you how to stay balanced and healthy for the rest of your life.

Bacterial diversity and key beneficial strains are the main influences on our digestive and emotional health and Quit IBS teaches you how to renovate your internal ecology. You just need the right information and support to finally have that iron stomach that other people seem to have.

Read more about the role of the microbiome in IBS here. Understanding is half the battle. Implementing is the other half.

Customizable dietary plan, recipes (6 weeks) We do this in community because having support and people to share our journey with makes a difference in our success, healing rates and immune system. Science has proven this. (Insert blog here).

The 6 week program is based in the latest science and research.

6 step program

Step 1: Part 1 personalizing your diet (elimination phase)

No body is the same. We start with one dietary template and we individualize the diet for your bod and tolerance. We use an elimination diet approach and food journaling to create a diet that is as diverse as possible.

Instead of restricting foods we try to add in as many as possible.

We also work on optimizing digestion by supporting stomach acid, enzymes, bile production, eating based on circadian rhythm and best eating practices (how to make foods easier to digest).

This phase includes recipes, food journal reviews and feedback and counseling on what foods lower inflammation, increase bacterial diversity, balance blood sugar and minimize symptoms/reactions.

We also focus on overcoming food fear, using a systematic approach and digestive support.

During this step I review health histories, current diets and have an initial coaching session to help personalize the nutritional approach.

We work with several different testing modalities (some of them free and available at home) to dial in a highly individualized diet that is specifically geared to your unique body and biome.

Step 2: Diet part 2 reintroducing

We are going to slowly reintroduce foods during this phase that we took out during elimination. We are going to use at home techniques (kinisiology) and tracking to figure out what food work for your body. So instead of following a general diet template, you will create your own that works best for your body and removes the least amount of healthy, biome feeding foods as possible.

Step 3: Introducing supplements

I keep supplements targeted and to a minimum. You will learn how to choose the right probiotic for you, optomize digestion with herbs, address deficiencies and lower inflammation naturally.

During this step we also learn about the benefits of gut testing for tougher cases. Gut testing and test analysis requires a separate coaching session at a discounted rate.

Testing (discounted interpretation) is $75 a session. This extra session is not included in the price of the program.

Step 4: Vagal/ Nervous system support

Working on the nervous system will help your body process the stuck contraction and emotions of past or current chronic stress or trauma. When the nervous system in disturbed or always on high alert, digestion shuts down to allow the body to respond to threats.

This is a missed step by most doctors, naturopaths and functional practitioners. This mind body connection can be responsible for slowed motility and poor organ function. We look at different modalities that help the nervous system release stuck charge, emotions and contractions, releasing certain fears or beliefs that are associated with it.

In this step we face food fear and find healthy ways to alleviate the active anxiety response.

Step 5: Detox, movement, lymph, liver support

This is an introduction to using detox techniques to help support the healing process. We remove toxins from your environment and choose some gentle detox techniques that will help you feel calmer, more energized and have the least amount of die off reactions and pathogenic bacteria are replaced by beneficial ones.

We make sure there is sufficient bile flow and encourage the movement of lymphatic fluid, which is the garbage collecting system of your body.

We will go over detox for the skin, lungs, liver and gut. breathing, sauna, coffee enemas, contrast showers and dry brushing

Step 6: Pleasure, connection, relationships, mindset

We all know that stress, tension, anxiety, hormonal fluctuations and fear can affect gut function. Instead of adding to your plate or to do list, we figure out how you can let go by enjoying your life, finding pleasure and release in every day activities. Giving yourself permission to prioritize self care or doing the things you love.

In a culture obsessed with productivity, we need to reframe our priorities to take things off of our plate instead of adding in more stress relieving things we should do. This last step is about bringing it all together by looking at how you can best support your personality type to reduce self perpetuated stress and anxiety.

Why fix your biome?

Your microbiome regulates your digestion, vitamin production, mood, metabolism, inflammation, skin and the function of your immune system and brain. It provides internal defense against invading pathogens like viruses, parasites, a food born bacteria.

Bacteria outnumber human cells 10 to 1, are run the show. Research is finding that people who live to 100 in good health have a diverse microbiome with their key strains in tact. This is what is responsible for people’s “iron stomach”, even while traveling or resistance to catching flus or colds.

Balancing your biome will give you the iron stomach that other people have, allowing them to travel, eat a diverse diet and hardly ever get sick.

You did not disrupt your biome overnight, but slowly weakened it over time. This imbalance can’t be solved overnight by popping a pill/probiotic or eliminating a few inflammatory foods. It’s a renovation project. It takes time to rebuild, but you enjoy living in a solid, pleasant and reliable structure when you’re done. If you are looking for a quick fix you are likely to relapse. This program builds the foundation to good digestive health.

By addressing bacteria directly, as the root of digestive distress, you won’t have to struggle with restrictive diets, wasted money on supplements/probiotics and doing the wrong, trial and error things.

Twelve years ago I transformed my own biome and have enjoyed the fruits of that labor ever since. I can travel and eat whatever I want without paying the prices. I don’t have to be perfect. I just have to be reasonable. I want that for you too.

I was told IBS was incurable, but it just takes some work to fix.

the IBS personality, squatty potty (constipation) Food- blood sugar, intermittent fasting to ferment or not to ferment (histamine) Intuitive eating, food journal, polyphenols, recipes, eating for diversity, anti inflammatory foods, overcoming food fear) (somatic experiencing, feldenkrais, chi gong, yoga nidra/ restorative, biofeedback, EFT, acupuncture

Three consult package

This includes 3 consultations with me to support you before, during and after the testing process (GI Map and SIBO breath test) and help interpret the results and create a protocol. It also includes email support to answer questions.

During the first session:

We go over your health history and look at diet, supplements, and lifestyle red flags that may be preventing your gut from healing. We clear up confusion/mistakes and I answer your questions about testing, and the best food choices and healing practices to support your gut and ease pain and bowl symptoms. I don’t believe in a one size fits all approach.

During our second session:

We go over test results and create a personalized program based on the results. I don’t treat or diagnose disease, but use natural modalities to restore balance to the body and gut, by lowering inflammation and addressing pathogens/over growths with food and herbs.

During the third session:

We check in a few weeks into the protocol to make adjustments or improvements. If you are not feeling healthier and more resilient, we trouble shoot and make adjustments to your program.

Three session are $600

Purchase 3 Session Function Testing Package

Myth #1) Pharmaceuticals are not the magic answer (you pay a price)

Doctors love to prescribe drugs and people like to take them because popping a pill seems like an easy solution.  Some pharmaceuticals are life saving but many are counter intuitive for healing digestion. Drugs like the birth control pill encourage the growth of bad bacteria, while other pills cause constipation and make your body acidic.

All pharmaceuticals are hard on the liver because they are labor intensive to process. Many medications have side effects and don’t heal the underlying problem, they just alleviate the symptoms.

If you want to heal the problem, nothing beats natural solutions like diet and lifestyle changes. While harder to do than popping a pill, natural healing will produce more satisfying and longer lasting results.

Myth #2) The problem with your bowels is incurable.

The minute the doctor tell you that there is no known cure for IBS, is the moment that most people lose the power they need to heal.

Believing you can heal is a major game changer!

Your mind is your most important healing organ. That’s why it saddens me deeply that many doctors give patients negative expectations about healing their gut. The first step of taking your health in your hands is believing you can do it.

I know it’s easier said than done. So I’ve filmed this video about the placebo effect and setting healing expectations. And remember, no matter how bad you feel, what’s wrong with you CAN be reversed.

Click here to watch the video.

Myth #3) It’s in your head

The truth about stress and IBS 

Do you know what stresses me out? When famous people give bad information about IBS. I watched a Dr. Oz episode where he said that IBS is a psychological problem caused by stress. Really Dr. Oz, is it in our head too?

IBS IS NOT CAUSED BY STRESS! It can be exacerbated by stress, but that’s not the same. Saying stress is a cause of IBS is like blaming wind for starting a forest fire just because it’s spreading and intensifying the blaze.

The underlying problem that causes IBS is not the stress itself, it’s how our  nervous systems process and react to stress.

People with digestive problems tend to be sensitive, anxious or perfectionistic and the world is often a loud and overwhelming place for us. The way our nervous system processes stress and causes underlying muscle contractions is what actually makes symptoms worse.

So what do you do when eliminating stress from life is almost impossible?

The point is not to eliminate stress, it’s to shift your nervous system’s reaction to stress. Stress is not just in the head, it’s effect is felt in the body as muscles tighten and contract in response. Those contractions can be released and calmed through the body.

So to sum up, stress doesn’t cause IBS, it just makes it worse by producing muscle tensions all over the body. While you often can’t control what you get stressed about you can learn to release it from your body.

Here are a few ways to do it:
Stress and anxiety sends energy up to your head as thoughts, emotions and scenarios race through your mind. Being close to the earth is grounding and calming. If you are feeling wound up just lay down on the ground and listen to your breath.

A practice that gets you out of your head is focusing on the sensations of your body. How does your arm or leg feel against the ground? If you spend time regularly tuning into your physical sensations you’ll begin to notice what muscles tighten when you feel stress or anxiety.

You will notice that your shoulder get tight or your solar plexus rises when you freak out, but consciously releasing those contraction will counteract the effect of stress on your gut.z

Myth #4) You just need to increase your fiber

No matter if you have constipation or diarrhea, doctors typically suggest increasing fiber intake. This is really bad advice and only works for a very small fraction of patients. While lack of fiber may seem like an obvious culprit, it is definitely not the answer. I know from experience and you might have had the same experience bulking up on Metamucil with no effect.

In fact, the wrong kind of fiber can also increase digestive issues. While soluble fiber is ok, insoluble fiber can cause bloating and gut pain.

Examples of insoluble fiber are veggies like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and brussel sprouts.

Magnesium and zinc depletion is sometimes seen in IBS patients and can also be a cause of constipation or diarrhea. Magnesium citrate supplements can help move bowels and relax muscles. But taking too much can cause loose bowels.

Zinc and vitamin B-12 depletion is often seen in vegetarians and can cause digestive issues. Eating meat, pumpkin seeds or taking nutritional yeast can help restore healthy levels of these vitamins and minerals. If you have yeast over growth (candida) nutritional yeast is not a good idea. Get zinc and B12 from animal protein is the best bet, red meat has the highest levels.

People with IBS have been warned for years to avoid fatty foods, they also avoid healthy fats and oils like coconut, olive or fish oil.

For constipation, consuming more natural oils can calm and lubricate the gut. Drinking enough water can also help with constipation.

Watch out for fried foods though. While raw oils are healthy, frying in high heat, creates a nasty chemicals that adds to the body’s toxic load.

Myth #5) A vegan diet is best for healing digestion

I believe that you need protein to help heal gut and organ lining. The vegan diet is extremely compassionate and I am a huge animal lover, but it is hard to get enough gut healing protein from vegetarian sources.

I don’t think soy is a healthy protein source because of it’s effects on hormonal balance. Nuts and beans can also be problematic for digestion.

Going grain-free can produce better healing results than going animal protein-free. Meat has many healing benefits, including repairing organ lining, regulating blood sugar (which keeps hunger levels steady), helping manufacture feel good chemicals like dopamine, increasing energy, alertness and muscle mass and slowing down metabolism (which is good for diarrhea).

I suggest eating a moderate amount of organic or grass fed red meat.

Raw food diet

While a raw food diet can work to detoxify a healthy person, people with digestive issues should stay away from raw.The raw food diet is very detoxifying and while it may help heal other medical conditions, it is very hard on a sensitive and struggling digestive tract.

People with digestive issues do much better on food that is “predigested”. This simply means that the food has started breaking down through the cooking or blending process. The body has to do a tremendous amount of work breaking down and digesting raw veggies.

From the perspective of Ayurveda, the traditional medical system of India, people are healthiest when they eat according to their metabolic type.

These metabolic types are divided into Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. To find out your dosha  and read more about Ayurveda click here.

People with digestive issues typically have a Vata-dominant constitution.

Click here to read more about the Vata dosha

From the Ayurvedic perspective, vata body types have dry and cold characteristics. Vatas tend to spend a lot of time in their heads and imaginations and be variable, inconsistent and anxious.

Vatas DON’T do well with raw veggies. The dry nature of raw food intensifies the dry vata qualities. If you’re a vata who loves to eat salads, drenching the raw veggies in olive oil can greatly help digestion and assimilation. Oil is extremely healing for the body and the gut and especially for people with the Vata constitution.

Helpful tips for eating meat:

Don’t eat too much, small quantities will go far.

Use proper food combining with meat. Only eat meat with veggies! Eat fruit half an hour before or after eating meat. Meat doesn’t digest well when eaten with starchy carbs or grains (not including starchy veggies like sweet potatoes or yams).

If you feel like your digestion is too weak or compromised to eat meat (you dread the thought of it) don’t force it, listen to your body. When you are balancing your gut meat may assimilate and be more appealing.