Rashes/Eczema/Psoriasis
The skin is often the first organ to let us know there is a problem. For example, eczema (a.k.a., atopic dermatitis) is the most common skin rash in all ages. It usually occurs when there is underlying systemic inflammation. Eczema can present from severe dry, itchy skin to red, thickened, scaly patches. Usually located on the face, scalp, back of the knees, wrists, hands, elbows, or feet. The itching is often so severe that despite antihistamines, individuals damage the skin from scratching and cause the skin to weep, bleed and crust over. Finding unknown food sensitivities and fixing a leaky gut will usually alleviate if not reverse your problems without the chronic use of harmful steroids.
Thyroid Optimization
At first, you may barely notice the symptoms of hypothyroidism, such as fatigue and weight gain, as problems tend to develop slowly, usually over several years. Often individuals attribute the symptoms to getting older. But as the metabolism continues to slow, more-obvious problems may develop. The thyroid gland controls how your cells use energy from food, a process called metabolism. Your metabolism affects your body’s temperature, your heartbeat, and how well you burn calories, among many others. When there is not enough thyroid hormone, your body processes slow down. Deficiency of thyroid hormones can disrupt such things as heart rate, body temperature, and all aspects of metabolism. That means your body makes less energy, and your metabolism becomes sluggish. The signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism vary, depending on the severity of the hormone deficiency. Major symptoms include fatigue, depression, cold sensitivity, stiff and swollen joints, muscle aches, constipation, dry skin, hair loss, and unexplained weight gain.
Adrenal Health
The primary role of your adrenal glands is to produce and regulate the stress hormone cortisol. Your adrenal glands also produce sex hormones, estrogen, and progesterone, and they produce your neurotransmitters, adrenaline (epinephrine), norepinephrine, and dopamine. These hormones and neurotransmitters regulate your metabolism and communicate with other organs, like your brain, kidneys, and reproductive system. However, chronic stress can suppress your adrenal glands, resulting in insufficient amounts of these hormones which can cause severe symptoms such as, unexplained weight loss or weight gain, body aches and muscle pain, fatigue (difficulty getting out of bed in the morning), salt and sugar cravings, feeling extremely tired but unable to go to sleep (wired), dizziness upon standing, severe allergies, hair loss, inability to sleep as well as infertility.
Fatigue
Fatigue is one of the most common complaints that leads to the most frustration. It is not uncommon to hear that it is impossible to get up in the morning or that to do anything that requires even a small amount of effort is exhausting. It is found that severe fatigue is a big indication that one may be on the brink of serious health problems. Traditional blood tests will rarely find the cause of fatigue unless there is obvious anemia or thyroid issues. It is also important to also be evaluated by a cardiologist because fatigue on exertion is also an indication of possible cardiac abnormalities. However, all too often one is told that their tests are normal and that they need to get more rest and to avoid stress. Hormone deficiency, mitochondrial dysfunction and Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Axis Imbalance are usually at the core of dreaded fatigue.
Insulin Resistance
We take a comprehensive approach that integrates diet, nutrition and fitness with a Functional Medicine approach that seeks to identify and address all the underlying factors that caused your Diabetes to develop and progress. We address things like inflammation, toxicity, immune function, digestive function, nutrient levels, and hormone levels such as the thyroid and adrenal hormones. Systematically addressing the core imbalances in your health not only help you improve blood sugar balance, but also help to improve your overall health and overcome other chronic health problems. The best part is that we do this through without the use of medications.